Holidays

Haven Holidays are reporting an increase in Spring and early Summer breaks with bookings up 30% over the last three weeks for breaks in June and July. “The current credit crunch combined with the high value of the Euro is putting people off travelling to Europe – families are opting for UK breaks because they offer such good value for money,” said Dawn Macey, Sales and Marketing Manager for the brand.

Chicago – synonymous with skyscrapers, Hemmingway, Frank Lloyd-Wright, Al Capone and all that jazz – is a great place to explore on foot. Ramblers Worldwide Holidays have created a series of special walks including a tour of historic skyscrapers with a local guide;’ an off-beat tour of ‘Gangster Chicago’, which harks back to the days of the mob, the St Valentine’s Day Massacre and speakeasies.

Are you fed up with the long queues at airports delayed or cancelled flights and the complex luggage restrictions? Why not book one of the many great family short breaks and holidays with DFDS Seaways. Cruise ferry operator DFDS Seaways sails from Newcastle to IJmuiden just outside the city of Amsterdam. They offer a wide range of holidays and short breaks to Holland.

For the very first time, and exclusively at Butlins Resorts, Cartoon Network’s biggest stars come to life when they appear live in a brand new interactive game show that all the family can enjoy.

Imagine an overnight stay in a beautiful castle, manor house or country inn that’s rich in history, offers fantastic leisure facilities and comes with its own ghosts! Haunting Breaks tailor make unique hen packages that include an overnight stay with dinner, breakfast and a full paranormal experience for as little as £150 per person.

The world is watching Zimbabwe very closely. There is no doubt the political unrest seen over the past decade has left the economy in ruins. Yet many of Zimbabwe’s lodges in and around Victoria Falls and beyond have always been open for business.

A former Presidential retreat and a collection of secluded luxury tree-houses are amongst the new circuit of Zambian safari lodges being launched this spring by Sanctuary Lodges & Camps.

With National Pet Month taking place until 5 May, now is the perfect time to celebrate with your pet, and treat the ‘whole family’ to a fabulous European holiday. With DFDS Seaways’ PETS Travel Scheme you can take your pets on a trip away with you! The leading cruise ferry operator can accommodate your pets on the popular Newcastle – Amsterdam service and rest assured that your furry friends will be enjoying themselves in one of our cruise ferries’ spacious kennels, while you sit back and enjoy your trip.

UK regional airline, Eastern Airways, will now introduce its first non-stop service from Newcastle International Airport to Stavanger. Travellers flying with Newcastle’s most punctual scheduled airline will benefit from greater convenience and time savings with the start of the new daily non-stop weekday service launching on 12 May 2008. The independent carrier previously provided a link from Newcastle to Stavanger via Aberdeen.

With the 2008 credit crunch forcing travellers to rethink their dream holidays, many adventurers might be planning to downsize the usual summer break. However, a holiday with Ranch Rider in the US could set you back far less, as many of the tour operator's ranch stays feature price tags lower than that of 2007. A dream vacation for those looking to fulfill their childhood Wild West fantasies - America is even more of a bargain ticket this summer as the pound is a strong contender compared to the dollar.

It would seem that the Lynx is making a comeback in the Italian Alps after a gap of nearly 100 years. In Spain however, the Iberian Lynx (Lynx Pardinus) is close to extinction with around 150 left in the wild. Naturetrek’s 6-day holiday focuses on the lesser-known corners of Spain’s Andalucia, the last refuges of the critically endangered Iberian Lynx.

Equine Adventures introduces spectacular savings on two thrilling 1-week mobile horseback safari’s set amongst the stunning backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro, in southern Kenya’s remote Chyulu Hills – Hemingway’s Green Hills of Africa. Save £240 p/p and £570 p/p respectively on departures from Nairobi 8th June and 13th July 2008.

Luxury travel company Grand Tourist has announced that it is exhibiting at one of the UK’s largest design exhibitions. Grand Tourist, which specialises in the finest that Europe has to offer, is launching a new range of luxury Italian holidays at Cheshire’s Tatton Park Design Weekend from May 3 to 5th, 2008.

In August 2008, Conservation Corporation Africa (CC Africa) will be opening two luxurious safari lodges set on a private 50 000 hectare concession in the heart of the Okavango Delta. Xaranna Tented Camp and Xudum Delta Lodge will be built with a light footprint showcasing CC Africa’s commitment to responsible luxury.

A free guided tour of Poás Volcano National Park and La Paz Waterfall Gardens, and an extra night’s accommodation at a luxurious eco-hotel on the beach, are just two of the special offers included in Trips Worldwide’s 12-day summer holiday in Costa Rica. This tour has been specially designed with families in mind as it includes two adjoining rooms in each of the hotels. Departures from London are available daily from June to September 08.

Experience the ultimate in Polar adventure this summer with Peregrine Adventures - an expedition voyage to the top of the world, the Geographic North Pole. Choose from two 16 or one 17-day adventure aboard the 50 Years of Victory, the largest, most sophisticated and powerful nuclear-powered icebreaker ever constructed, departing Helsinki for Murmansk by air, 23rd June, 6th and 19th July 08 respectively. (The 19th July departure coincides with the solar eclipse).

The owners of the 4 star Romana in the sleepy town of Minori, on the Amalfi Coast are now offering clients a special deal throughout April 2008 if booked through The Italian Connection.

From 1st April 2008, Weber Shandwick will be working with the Isle of Man tourist board to further promote it as an exciting and somewhat undiscovered UK tourist destination.

Discover Europe this summer with Treyn Holidays, a new tour operator specialising in inspiring escorted holidays by rail. In response to the growing demand for ‘No Fly’ holidays which use rail travel to minimise customers’ carbon footprint, Treyn Holidays have a selection of tours for people looking for a more environmentally friendly way to travel.

This week, Germany opened a new 'robot restaurant' - Baggers in Nuremberg. Freshly prepared (by a human), meals are ordered from touch-screen TV’s, then run all the way from the kitchen, high up in the roof, down to colour coded tables, via high speed helter-skelter-type tracks.

Tamerlane the Terrible, central Asia's most influential military leader of the 14th century, would be celebrating his 672nd birthday this week…luckily for the 21st century he is not. The Turkik Mongol conqueror spent his life wreaking destruction across Central Asia and is legendary for his ruthless savagery and lack of mercy, massacring entire populations, then building towers out of his victims skulls… his aim was to make his capital, Samarkand, the most impressive in Asia.

Are you ready to treat your family to sun, fun and adventure? From its mountainous landscapes and vast stretches of white sandy coastline to its charming beachside villages, kid-friendly theme parks and historic architectural landmarks, Mallorca boasts some of the most wide-ranging sights and activities for travellers of all ages.

From March 2008, Conservation Corporation Africa (CC Africa) welcomes guests to their two new intimate semi-permanent luxury tented camps, Chobe Under Canvas and Savute Under Canvas, located in the game-rich Chobe National Park and the expansive Savute area – one of Botswana’s greatest wilderness reserves.

Haven Holidays are offering breaks in April from as little as £99 for a four night break for a family of four. If the sun shines you can make the most of their fabulous locations around the UK. They have 35 holiday parks in some stunning positions – walk out directly onto the Cleveland Way in North Yorkshire, the South West Coast Path in Cornwall or the World Heritage Jurassic Coast in Devon.

Travel journalist Roger Norum will be the guest instructor at Creative Escapes’ travel writing course in Hardanger, Norway held May 15–18. This engaging learning holiday takes place in a gorgeous fjord-side location on the Hardanger fjord, the second longest fjord in Norway.

DFDS Seaways has a limited number of places for sailings in April and May to Amsterdam and Bergen where you can save up to 15%.

Following Simon Reeve’s epic journey for the BBC along the Tropic of Capricorn, this line of latitude offers holidaymakers a variety of destinations to explore. One of the five major lines of latitude, it crosses a number of countries around the world, taking in scorching deserts, tropical rainforests and vibrant cities.

Stavanger is European Capital of Culture alongside Liverpool this year, so enjoy a three night city cruise break to this quaint city and visit the World famous Pulpit Rock.

Florida specialist Travel City Direct, has launched a brand new range of tours for its Florida 2008 programme, which offers customers a chance to swim with dolphins at twilight, take elite guided tours of Bush Gardens and have the unique chance to be a animal trainer for the day.