Titan Travel's top 10 holiday suggestions for 2010

While 2009 will long be remembered as the year of the Credit Crunch, 2010 holds the promise of better things to come. To celebrate this fresh new year, award-winning Titan Travel Group has compiled a list of ten unmissable travel experiences from around the world to enthuse and inspire customers to discover something new over the next twelve months.

These varied holiday suggestions include outstanding offers from each of Titan Travel's well-known brands - escorted tours specialists Titan HiTours, The Classic Traveller and National Geographic Journeys; upmarket river cruise operator Connections Elegant River Cruises; leading motor sports operator Grandstand Motor Sports; and tailor-made specialists Tailor Made Travel. Plus of course, every Titan holiday offers unparalleled quality, service and value for money - giving customers all the more reason to book with Titan Travel in 2010.

1. Post-Olympic adventures in Western Canada
Celebrations and events are always a major travel motivator and Titan Travel predicts that some of this year's headline happenings will place their host destinations firmly in the travel spotlight. The most high-profile of these is the Winter Olympics, which kick off in Vancouver, British Columbia, on 12th February. The media exposure for this event is certain to boost the destination's profile and Titan Travel is expecting a surge in demand for holidays to Canada this year. Already proving popular is the 11-day Canadian Winter Wonderland itinerary from escorted tour specialist, Titan HiTours. Departure dates are scheduled in March, November and December, when the dramatic scenery of the Rocky Mountains sparkles under its seasonal blanket of snow. This exciting overland adventure takes in all the main sights and experiences of western Canada, from the vibrant cityscape of Vancouver to the snow-dusted forests of Jasper National Park and the frozen expanse of Lake Louise – one of the most photographed places in the world. Prices lead in at £1,445 per person, to include flights, transfers, accommodation, excursions and sightseeing as detailed in the itinerary, and Titan's exclusive VIP Home Departure Service (which collects customers from - and returns them to - their own front door). See titanhitours.co.uk.

2. See the Passion Play in Oberammergau
An event that occurs with even less frequency than the Olympics is the Passion Play, which is staged once a decade in the Bavarian village of Oberammergau. This spectacular event (which tells the story Christ’s trial, crucifixion and resurrection) has taken place here since the 17th Century, with 2010 marking the 41st production. Each performance of the play is staged entirely by the people of Oberammergau, who build the sets, design the costumes and even direct and star in the show. The epic story unfolds over a five-hour period, with a break for dinner, a cast of hundreds and a stunning backdrop of the Bavarian Alps. Escorted tours specialist Titan HiTours and The Classic Traveller have both secured first-rate seats and incorporated these into a number of tour itineraries (with departures available between May and September, 2010). The tours with Titan HiTours lead in with the six-day Oberammergau with stunning Salzburg itinerary, which combines the spectacle of the Passion Play with a stay in Mozart's birthplace - the historic and beautiful Austrian city of Salzburg. The holiday costs from £1,595 per person to include flights, transfers, accommodation, some meals, tickets to the Passion Play, excursions and sightseeing as detailed in the itinerary, and the VIP Home Departure Service - see titanhitours.co.uk. Alternatively The Classic Traveller is offering a 7 night ‘Oberammergau & Austrian Tyrol’ tour at £1,299 per person (02 June 2010 departure) based on two people sharing and includes return international flights, seven night’s accommodation, most meals, Category 1 tickets to the Passion Play and excursions.

3. All shook up in Tennessee
This year is also being celebrated as Elvis Presley's 75th birthday year. The hugely talented entertainer was born in January 1935 in Tupelo, Mississippi, and a visit to his birthplace is included in Titan HiTours' 10-day tour of Nashville & Memphis. Other highlights include visits to Graceland (Elvis' famous mansion in Memphis, Tennessee) and the Jack Daniels distillery alongside an introduction to Country & Western music at the Grand Ole Opry. Departures are available in April, May, June, August, September and October, with prices from £1,515 per person (to include flights, transfers, accommodation, excursions and admissions as detailed in the itinerary, and the VIP Home Departure Service). For more details - titanhitours.co.uk.

4. Classic motor racing in Monaco
Those of a sportier bent might prefer one of the headline events offered by Grandstand Motor Sports, the market leader in motor sports travel. One of the undisputed highlights of the annual racing calendar is the Monaco Historic Grand Prix, the historic motor race that was immortalised in the 1955 movie Grand Prix. The race takes place at the beginning of May, when the sight and sound of pre- and post-war racing cars zooming around the original street circuit provides a unique and thrilling experience. A three-night package departing on Friday 30 April costs from £599 per person (based on two sharing), to include flights, accommodation, transfers and grandstand seats for both the practice sessions on the Saturday and the races on the Sunday - grandstandmotorsports.co.uk.

5. More motor racing at Le Mans
Another must-see sporting event in Titan's Top Ten is the Le Mans 24 Hours, a 24-hour race that has been held every year since 1923 and is often referred to as the Grand Prix of Endurance. This huge event always draws an enormous crowd and 2010 (when the race celebrates its 78th running) should be no exception. In the days preceding the race itself, spectators are welcome to watch the drivers practice the circuit and qualify for the main event at the weekend. The buzz and excitement that Le Mans 24 Hours generates is a racing experience not to be missed. Grandstand Motor Sports has a three-night self-drive package to Le Mans from £199 per person, to include ferry crossings from Dover and accommodation (based on two sharing). Admission to the event costs from £58 per person - grandstandmotorsports.co.uk.

6. Travel in style on India's newest luxury train service
In addition to big-name events and celebrations, Titan Travel goes on to suggest some inspiring journeys and voyages among its Top Ten reasons to travel in 2010. Among the most noteworthy are the tours aboard the brand new Indian Maharaja – Deccan Odyssey, India’s first privately managed luxury rail service. The train offers eight-day journeys between Mumbai and Delhi, passing through the heartland of the Maharajas and Moghuls and rekindling the heritage, history and grandeur that was once the preserve of these regal emperors. The Indian Maharaja features luxuriously appointed, air-conditioned carriages with private butlers with highlights along the route including the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the Ajanta Caves (home to ancient religious artworks); the deserted city of Fatehpur Sikri, once the capital of the Moghul Empire; and India’s most iconic monument, the Taj Mahal. Other noteworthy experiences include a visit to the Jaipur's Amber Fort; dinner in a Maharaja's palace; and a safari through the famed tiger sanctuary of Ranthambore National Park. The Classic Traveller offers a 10 day journey from £2,899 per person departing in March, apil November and December 2010 including return flights, two nights hotel accommodation, seven nights train accommodation, all transfers, all excursions and guides - theclassictraveller.co.uk.

7. Ride the Trans-Siberian Express
Titan's Top Ten also includes another rail journey, though this one offers a completely different set of sights and experiences. The Trans-Siberian Express is the world's longest rail service, covering a distance of 8,000km on its epic overland journey from Moscow to Mongolia. Titan HiTours is offering a 15-day odyssey from Moscow to Beijing, including six nights aboard the Trans-Siberian Express. Starting with a tour of the Russian capital highlights (including Red Square, iconic St Basil’s Cathedral and the finest of the strangely palatial metro stations), the journey aboard the famous train begins, travelling eastwards through rolling countryside and seemingly endless birch forests and on to the Siberian steppe. Stops include a tour of Yekaterinberg (where the Romanov family – the last of the Russian Tsars – was executed in 1918); an overnight stay in a traditional Siberian guesthouse on the shores of Lake Baikal; and tours of Ulaanbaatar (the Mongolian capital) and the spectacular wilderness of the Terelj National Park (including an overnight stay in a ‘ger’, the typically round tent favoured by Mongolia’s nomadic tribesmen). From Ulaanbaatar, the tour continues by plane to its final destination, Beijing, for a city tour and a visit to one of the best-preserved sections of the magnificent Great Wall of China. In all, this wonderful experience offers a true voyage of discovery that merges the best of East and West with exciting cities, unbelievable scenery and the distinctive comfort of a truly unique rail journey. Departing on 29 May, this holiday costs from £5.245 per person, to include return flights from London Heathrow; all in-resort transfers; eight nights in a private rail carriage (with shower) aboard the Trans-Siberian Express; four nights’ accommodation in first-class hotels; one night in a traditional Mongolian ‘ger’ tent; one night in a Siberian guesthouse; most meals; various sightseeing excursions; and the services of an English-speaking tour guide throughout. Insurance and visa costs are not included - titanhitours.co.uk.

8. Discover the wonders of ancient Egypt with an Egyptologist
Another exciting expedition is National Geographic Journeys' Treasures, Temples & Tombs itinerary. This 12-day journey through time offers a thorough exploration of Ancient Egypt's 4,000-year-old history. Starting in Cairo, the tour takes in the pyramids of Giza and the treasures of the Egyptian Museum before moving south to Aswan and the incredible temple of Abu Simbel. From Aswan, the tour continues aboard a traditional felucca on the Nile, stopping to visit such famous sites as the temples of Luxor and Karnak, and the Valley of the Kings. National Geographic Journeys is renowned for bringing a unique depth of experience to every holiday in the programme. This particular experience is enhanced by the insightful presence of a renowned Egyptologist, plus other exclusive National Geographic touches including a visit to the colourfully restored tomb of Nefertiti (which is closed to the general public) and private access to the Great Pyramid and the Sphinx. This holiday operates two departure dates (6 June and 26 September, 2010) and costs from £3,598 per person, to include flights, transfers, full-board accommodation, the services of a guide and a National Geographic expert, entrance fees to all attractions listed in the itinerary, and Titan's VIP Home Departure Service - ngjourneys.co.uk.

9. Cruise the mighty Yangtze River
As for journeys on water, Elegant River Cruises has introduced has introduced three new itineraries to China for the first time. Thanks to the media exposure that will be generated this year by the Expo 2010 (taking place in Shanghai between May and October), these river cruises - and holidays to China in general - are certain to be in big demand. Prices start from £3,595 per person for the 18-day Wonders of China and the Grand Yangtze tour, which includes an eight-day cruise on the mighty Yangtze, from Shanghai all the way to Chongqing. Other highlights include visits to temples, mountains and museums along the way, including the Confucian Temple at Nanjing, beautiful Huangshan Mountain and the Three Gorges Dam. At either end of the journey there is time to explore Shanghai and Beijing with visits to the highlights of each city. The stated price includes flights, accommodation, most meals, eight nights full board Yangtze River cruise, excursions and sightseeing as stated in the itinerary, and Titan's exclusive VIP Home Departure Service - elegantrivercruises.co.uk.

10. Take part in the Great Australian Outback Cattle Drive
The final unmissable travel experience in Titan's Top Ten for 2010 is the Great Australian Outback Cattle Drive. Occurring only once every four years, the Cattle Drive celebrates both the pioneering cattle drives of the early 1900s and the stark beauty of the vast and empty Outback. This holiday gives participants the opportunity to saddle up and help herd the livestock across wild terrain as they are taken from one grazing area to another along the legendary Oodnadatta Track. Participants can expect to ride about 14km each day, but it's not all hard graft - accommodation is in a luxury tented camp with hot showers and gourmet dining. There are six five-day tour options available (all within the month of August), starting with the Dawn of the Cattle Drive itinerary, which takes place from 30 July - 3 August, 2010 and costs from £1,684 per person. The price is based on two sharing and includes accommodation, meals, non-alcoholic drinks, horses and equipment, sight-seeing tour options and the services of an experienced guide, but excludes international flights - tailor-made.co.uk.

Commenting on Titan Travel's Top Ten travel tips for 2010, James Hewlett, Head of Marketing said, "Our Top Ten suggestions for 2010 incorporate holiday ideas that we think are going to be especially relevant this year. As with all our holidays, each of these ten well-planned itineraries offers excellent value for money, not to mention the security and peace of mind that comes from choosing a tour operator with a 30-year pedigree, making The Titan Travel Group a one stop shop for all travel requirement. With so many interesting things to see and do around the world this year, there's even more reason to holiday with us throughout 2010".