Soaring demand for holidays to Turkey and Egypt

Leading holiday companies Thomson and First Choice have increased its mid-haul destinations such as Egypt and Turkey by over 11% in response to a surge in popularity in the last few years as UK travellers become more adventurous.

Whereas before they were seen as a bit too far away and quite exotic, people are waking up to the fact that they are under five hours away, offer a great standard of accommodation guaranteed sunshine from May right through to October.

Customers are also discovering what great value these destinations are, with the new all-inclusive hotels offering excellent facilities and a great choice of dining options at an affordable price. Thomson and First Choice have recognised this trend and for summer 2010 have increased routes to mid haul destinations from regional airports and introduced new destinations.

Alex Loftus Head of Product for short and mid-haul for Thomson and First Choice says “The last couple of years have seen the popularity of mid haul destinations soar, particularly for families, who previously stuck to self catering units in short haul destinations they knew well. This has been in part due to the rising cost of the Euro but also due to the excellent four and five star all-inclusive resorts in these destinations, which offer fantastic facilities for families, without the hassle of cooking or eating out.”

Summer 2010 will see Thomson Airways operating new flight routes to Turkey, Tunisia and Egypt from Stansted, Cardiff and Bournemouth as Thomson and First Choice increase capacity in these destinations. Summer 2010 will also see the introduction of some new and exciting destinations for Thomson and First Choice including Mykonos, Greece, a new direct flight to Montenegro and Marsa Matruh in Egypt. Marsa Matruh is in the north of Egypt and offers spectacular virgin beaches along Egypt’s Mediterranean coast, and will appeal to those already won over by Sharm el Sheikh.

If you are still looking to go away mid-haul this year we have put together the best mid-haul holidays available for this year.

Best for culture vultures – Marrakech, Morocco

Forget Rome. Move over Paris. The best place for a city break has to be Marrakech. Why pay nearly a fiver for a cup of coffee on the Champs de l’Elysees when, you could be sipping mint tea for a quid on the Djemaa el Fna? Marrakech has just a three hour flight time, however on arrival you will feel as if you are miles away from home with all of the different sights and smells there are to experience.

If you like shopping but don’t have a budget for Cartier, then Marrakech is the place to head, as it is dripping with funky boho jewellery, belts and ethnic home wares. Art lovers can head straight to the Jardin Majorelle, owned by the late Yves Saint Laurent and incorporating the National Art Gallery in its grounds.

The brand new Club Hotel Riu Tikida Palmerarie is an ideal spot to stay if you fancy being a bit out of the city and enjoying time in the pool and spa as well as the museums and souks. Thomson offers four nights at the 4T plus Riu Tikida Palmeraie from £379 per person, based on two sharing departing from London Gatwick on the 23rd November 2009. For more information or to book visit thomson.co.uk.

Best for posers – Turkbuku, Turkey

Known as the St Tropez of Turkey, if your idea of holiday heaven is being able to strut down a marina as if it were the catwalk, then Turkbuku is the place for you. Set on a pretty marina with hoards of yachts this pretty town is made for glamorous cats who like the finer things in life. Spend you days sunbathing on a yacht before coming into the harbour to eat at one of the towns delicious seafood restaurants. If you feel like a really big night out then the bustling resort of Bodrum is not far away, where you can hit the dance floor, in style of course!

The Bodrum Princess Hotel is located in Turkbuku and is perfect for those looking for a chic hideaway, with its own private bay and surrounded by pine trees it offers a luxurious retreat.

First Choice offers seven nights staying all-inclusive at the 4 Sun plus Bodrum Princess Hotel from £545 per person, based on two sharing, departing from London Gatwick on the 28th September 2009. To find out more about this holiday, or to make a reservation, visit firstchoice.co.uk.

Best for families - Dalaman, Turkey

Where as previously, families with young children were worried about flying too far and stuck to short haul resorts with safe beaches, it seems that families are getting a little braver and flying that bit further. For family holidays in Turkey the Dalaman coast is a fantastic choice with safe sandy coves and brilliant family friendly resorts.

The First Choice Holiday Village Turkey is ideal for families with its Kids Academies from 0 to 15 years of age, football, swim and drama academies to choose from and high ropes and water activities courtesy of In2Action there’s no chance of getting bored here! A large hotel planned with families in mind and exclusive to First Choice, the Holiday Village is perfect for those who want fun activities within their resort.

First Choice offers seven nights staying all-inclusive at the 4 Sun Holiday Village Turkey from £654 per person, a saving of £220 per person, based on two sharing, departing from Manchester on the 24th August 2009. To find out more about this holiday, or to make a reservation, visit firstchoice.co.uk.

Best for adventure lovers – Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt

If skiing is usually your thing and you love nothing more than being in the great outdoors pushing yourself but fancy something a bit different this winter why not try Egypt? The Sinai Peninsular has plenty going on to keep you busy and is most famous for the its incredible coral reefs. Many of the beach front properties in Sharm el Sheikh have their own dive centres where you can go on dives if you are an experienced diver, do an open water course if you are a beginner or even just take snorkels out.

Back on dry land there’s plenty to keep you busy from exploring the desert on the back of a camel to tearing over the dunes on a quad bike excursion. If you are up for a big challenge then why not climb Mount Sinai, where Moses is said to have received the ten commandments, at sunrise? Getting up in the middle of the night you climb up the mountain to then enjoy the incredible views at sunrise.

The Coral Sea Resort in Nabq Bay offers great value accommodation, and is perfect for adventurous couples and families alike. With its own dive centre on sight and some of the world’s best dive sites just a boat ride away it is ideal for those that want to make the most of their time by the Red Sea.

First Choice offer seven night holidays in Egypt staying all-inclusive at the 4 Sun Coral Sea Resort from £597 per adult, a saving of £76, from £393 for the first child and from £493 for the second based on two adults and two children sharing, departing from London Gatwick on the 30th September 2009. To find out more about this holiday, or to make a reservation, visit firstchoice.co.uk.