One thing that people still want from a holiday, even if it is taken in the UK, is for it to offer an escape from their everyday lives and get a break away from work. A great way to do something good for the environment and keep your holiday on a budget is to go WWOOFing. This is a type of charity that provides people with hands-on experience at organic farms in the UK, it stands for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms.

Farms around the UK with a focus on organic farming offer to host people in return for them helping out on the farm. As part of the deal you will get free accommodation and food and you will learn some great new skills, it offers people who spend their work lives in an office a chance to get their hands dirty and experience nature in a way they never have before.

When you sign up for the charity you have to pay a small fee but in return you will get a list of all the farms in the UK that have been specially vetted for hosting ‘WWOOFers.’

If you are looking for something a bit more relaxing than it can be a good idea to head to a rural retreat. Feather Down Farm Days operate on farms and give you a wonderfully luxurious camping experience. The tents include a master bedroom, flushing toilet as well as a canopy bed and bunkbeds for children. This is a wonderfully hassle free and relaxing holiday experience.

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Len McClusky, Unite leader, indicated that the carrier’s cabin crew were committed to justice and said the BA management had to regain the confidence of it workers and said it would help to reinstate travel perks, reimburse for lost pay from previous walkouts and cease action against other Unite members.

BA has said they want a good working relationship and that they like the workers are desperate for a solution to the ongoing problem that has plagued them since 2009. Cost cutting measures are what originally sparked the dispute because the airline implemented staff reductions and pay freezes.

Unite is determined to reach a good amicable solution with BA says McClusky and they are looking for an agreement that is worked out through cooperation and not confrontations all this while Easter travelers anticipate the outcome nervously.

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Over 52% of the British population is planning to take a short trip away even in the face of poor weather according to a survey. Most motorists plan to attempt to get around the traffic jams by travelling during the night, taking Friday off, or leaving work early so that they can get on the road early.

However, even with these attempts, millions will still have to face potential airport strikes, road works, bus replacement services, and Eurostar and Tube disruptions. Approximately 30 million Britons are expected to travel by road for over an hour at some point in the weekend with one in five expected to travel for at least four hours.

Due to many sporting events and musical festivals those who are staying at home will still be on the roads travelling to the event locations. Around 41% of those between the ages of 18 and 25 are planning to take a day trip at some point in the weekend with many lured to the Leeds Festival at Branham Park and the Reading Festival in Berkshire.

Esure car insurance predicts that the average traveller will face a delay of one hour and 24 minutes with 12% of all motorists forced to sit in a traffic jam lasting over there hours.

The poll also discovered that many Brits plan on heading to beach resorts such as Brighton, Blackpool, and the Isle of Wright.

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The controllers are represented by the USCA union that held a ballot and found that 98% of its members wanted to take action.

Although an official strike date has not yet been set, it is likely to occur after August 16^th and thus will interfere with a large amount of Britons who typically head to Spain for their late summer holiday.

Air controllers have been hit hard in Spain with the government reducing the salaries of some by about 40% after it was found that they earned up to £800,000 annually.

In Britain, air traffic controllers earn anywhere from £60,000 to £90,000 per year.

The USCA stated that some controllers will be asked to work 28 days of the month in some of the worst work conditions throughout Europe.

However, development minister for Spain, Jose Blanco, stated that the decree was actually made to improve the working conditions of air traffic controllers and that the impending strike is not justified.

Blanco also said that minimal services will be offered during the strikes, which translates to only about half of all flights proceeding as planned on strike days.

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Unite which works with 12,000 flight attendants stated yesterday that it would postpone a strike vote that was supposed to start Wednesday, since it would be inexcusable for the union not to let members know of a new offer.

The Company offered cabin crew a proposal on June 25^th in an effort to prevent more strikes from occurring than already have over a 17 month dispute over future wages and staffing levels.

Dublin Goodbody Stockbrokers analyst Marina Devitt stated that at the moment more strike action still appears to be in the future of BA, which may cause passengers to choose low cost airlines instead of facing a disruption in travel plans.

British Airways which is the third largest carrier in Europe, has proposed an increase in allowances for current crew members once new recruits are hired later in 2010.  It also plans to drop its original plans to reduce benefits and to increase staffing levels on select flights with salary lifts planned for 2011.

Unite’s  main complaint with the offer is that the proposal does not mention the suspension of strikers, travel perk removals, and the use of volunteer crews, which Unite claims must be discussed before a deal is cemented.  Yesterday, Unite made a statement that said it was in a position to recommend union members accept the BA deal.

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To help stranded passengers get to their destinations Eurostar is organising extra trains and running as many services as possible. Between Monday and Sunday this week, Eurostar will run at least 28 additional trains. Over the next seven days, nearly four hundred trains will run between the UK and the continent.

Since flights were grounded last Thursday as a result of the ash cloud caused by an erupting Icelandic volcano, Eurostar has put on 33 additional trains and has carried 165,000 passengers – 50,000 more than were scheduled to travel during this period.

Over the last four days, passengers have been connecting with Eurostar services from destinations across Europe with customers connecting from Germany, Spain, Italy and even as far as Greece.

Given the high level of demand, seats on Eurostar are selling quickly and customers are advised to go to www.eurostar.com to check availability and make their booking.

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Mike Powell, Insight Analyst at Defaqto comments “people should urgently check with their insurer about the cover provided for delays and the possible cancellation of their trip. Travelers who have already checked in may be covered, but for those who have not yet checked in, your insurer may not actually provide cover. This is because the airports are not officially checking in passengers and many if not most policies will only provide cover on basis that the insured person officially checks in”.

Defaqto advises that air travellers should follow the checklist below:

• Urgently check with your insurer about the exact cover that is provided.
• If you have booked an ATOL protected packaged trip, check with tour operator or travel agent about the options available.
• If you have booked flights independently, contact your airline, as they may refund the cost of the flight in full or rearrange the flight.
• If you have booked hotel and car hire independently and have paid for these on your credit card, contact you card supplier as these costs may be refundable. Also remember to cancel these with the providers wherever possible.

This information has been supplied by Defaqto: www.defaqto.com

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Starting from as little as UK £5, money can be placed on the card which can then help pay for a fantastic holiday or travel experience, flight or room upgrade; even adding experiences onto a holiday or honeymoon that has already been booked. And any number of people can contribute to the card’s overall value.

The Kuoni Gift Card can be personalised to suit the recipient and is a great way to treat a friend, partner or other family member as a wedding, anniversary, birthday or late Christmas gift. All cards are valid for one year from their date of issue.

Nick Hughes, Managing Director of Kuoni, commented: “People are seeking to give in cleverer ways these days, and to ensure their gifts are genuinely used and enjoyed. Gifts that enhance well-being and help families spend more time together on rewarding holidays all help contribute to peoples memorable life experiences.”

The holiday gift cards can be ordered by calling Kuoni on: 01306 744 181, visiting the Kuoni website, or through the Kuoni travel stores.

www.kuoni.co.uk

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Along with the Canary Islands of Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and Tenerife, Egypt and Turkey (the latter being the most popular destination for summer 2009), are both proving popular for 2010, mirroring the trend for last season.

Early indications also suggest that compared to 2009, the North African destinations of Tunisia and Morocco will welcome more British holidaymakers in 2010.

Furthermore, of all bookings made during December, 42% were for travel during summer 2010, which is further proof that holidaymakers are determined on taking a summer holiday next year.

However, research by On the Beach also suggests that whilst holidaymakers will be travelling during next year’s Fifa World Cup, British holidaymakers are being careful not to travel on the dates England are playing their important group matches. England play their matches on July 12, 18 and 23 and early flight bookings for travel on these dates are down by an average of 40%.

Alistair Daly, Marketing Director at On the Beach says, “The festive season has been very busy at On the Beach as money conscious holidaymakers have been eager to snap up the best end of year deals on offer. Our bookings suggest that 2010 will be a better year for Spanish destinations and whilst most of us will not be travelling to South Africa to follow England during the World Cup, it’s clear that many Brits will be cheering on the Three Lions from the comfort of a beach bar in the sun.”

Founded in 1995, On the Beach is one of the UK’s leading online travel agencies carrying over 500,000 passengers every year (ABTA K0813). On the Beach provides value for money flights and hotels in the world’s most popular beach holiday destinations. On the Beach provides consumers with a huge selection of travel products, from 50 million available seats, more than 30,000 hotels around the world, insurance and in-resort transfer partners. Customers can book online at www.onthebeach.co.uk or by calling the UK call centre on 0870 606 07 08

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Beach Mate is a collaborative tool which manages flight and hotel bookings made with On the Beach. The application allows Facebook users to invite their friends and family to join them on holiday without having the hassle of booking for the entire group.

Once a customer has made a flight and hotel booking at the On the Beach website, the customer is given a unique reference number. The customer then inputs this number into ‘Beach Mate’ and their flight and hotel booking appears on their Beach Mate page.

Friends and family can then follow the Beach Mate link which will direct them to the product specific booking page at On the Beach.
Beach Mate is available now to all Facebook users, and with more than 18,000 fans on its dedicated Facebook page, On the Beach has the largest Facebook fan base of any online travel agent.

http://www.facebook.com/onthebeachholidays

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Sound too good to be true?

If you’re bored of the daily grind, now is the perfect opportunity to grab the opportunity of a lifetime. The two week sandman apprenticeship will entail scouring the Caribbean in search of perfect beach locations to build the next Sandals Resort.

Sandals, the leading group of luxury beach resorts is offering one lucky member of the public the chance to become the first ever Apprentice Sandman. Unique to Sandals, the Sandman is an expert in all things sand – testament that they have the best located beach resorts around the world! The job will entail scouring the Caribbean in search of perfect beach locations to build the next Sandals Resort. Key skills learnt on the job include location sourcing, sand quality checks, tidal and water property testing, air quality checks, not forgetting view and land stretch analysis enabling them to become an expert like their mentor.

In true Apprentice style, ten finalists will be selected. It will take a convincing display of passion and dedication for sand and tropical beaches in order to walk off with the winning prize. The chosen apprentice will fly to Emerald Bay in the Bahamas to get hands on experience and learn the complex details that make the perfect beach.

Jeremy Jones, Sandals current Sandman, says: “I’ve been the Sandman for the last five years and have scoured the Caribbean in search of perfect beaches to build the next Sandals resort. My most recent find is Emerald Bay, Great Exuma in the Bahamas which is opening towards the end of January 2010. It took me a year to find but it was certainly worth it. The Sandman apprentice winner will have the opportunity to travel the Caribbean, visit beautiful beaches and help me find the hidden gems still waiting to be discovered. It’s a never ending search but someone has to do it!”

2 week Apprenticeship Description::

• Someone who is willing to travel to beautiful and exotic places
• Enjoys adventure, the outdoors and has a love of beaches
• A good traveller – i.e. can ride in helicopters, jeeps, all modes of transport etc to carry out recess under all various circumstances/nature elements
• An outdoors personality – i.e. good swimmer, walker etc
• Interested in oceanography and physical geography
• Likes walking along beaches, swimming, air travel, jeep rides, sunshine, beaches

• Someone who can work to high levels of standards and can follow strict beach guideline policies

UK beach fans can enter the competition on www.Sandals.co.uk explaining why they deserve to become the first Sandals Sandman Apprentice

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The British weather is most likely to be the biggest turnoff of a prospective holiday in the UK this summer. As the Met Office revises its summer forecast and officially highlights that rainfall may be near or above average for August, it has also reminded complainers that despite the rainfall, July has seen warmer-than-average temperatures – and ‘there is still the possibility of some spells of fine weather at times through the month.’

However, one of the side effects of this increasing reservation is that our destinations will be quieter than expected. Not only are many families booking last minute flights abroad, but those from other countries will now be less likely to take the risk and book flights here. Additionally, the risk of Swine
Flu is also putting certain nations, such as Russia, off travel to the UK, as reported in The Times.

Unsurprisingly, cost seems to be the most important factor to affect where we go on holiday. A recent report by travel insurance specialists, Post Office®, has found that by comparison, fuel and car hire costs are far cheaper in many other countries than they are here. The UK is the only country included in the research where diesel costs more than petrol, while Austria and Spain proved the best value for fuel economy.

Yet, while holidaymakers may be spending more on petrol and diesel here, they will likely be saving on other travel costs. However, further research from Post Office® has also compared the average costs of so called ‘holiday must haves’.

They reviewed the prices of six basic items: a large beach towel, children’s jelly shoes, bucket and spade, a lilo, ice-cream and an hour-long pedalo/kayak ride, to see which holiday destination proved best value for money for ‘holiday must haves’. The UK (Brighton to be precise) came out at around the middle
of the table, with an average total price for all six items reaching £36.17. In comparison, the best value destination for must have items was Malaysia at £11.60, with Croatia the second cheapest at £19.41.

The report offers a good indication of the UK’s prices compared to hotter destinations out of the Eurozone, yet in contrast to the big European destinations such as France and Spain, ‘staycationers’ are set to get a better deal. Greece was the most expensive at £56.50, whilst France came in a close second most expensive at £51.97.

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The key symptom of swine `flu is a fever (a temperature of at least 38˚C), in combination with other complaints which may include sore throat, cough, aches and chills. Nausea, sickness and diarrhoea have also been reported in some cases. Sufferers are most infectious as soon as symptoms develop, but cease to be a risk once the symptoms have disappeared. The incubation period can be as short as 48 hours.

In most cases, the swine `flu infection has been mild and there are no wide-ranging travel restrictions. However, the website of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has reported screening of international passengers introduced at several airports, including in China. Official advice is that those with symptoms of swine `flu should refrain from travelling from the UK until asymptomatic. Similarly, UK nationals who have contracted swine `flu abroad are advised to wait until the infectious period has passed before travelling. Carrying passengers exhibiting swine `flu symptoms has been placed at the discretion of airlines. UK nationals prevented from boarding homeward-bound flights should seek advice from the nearest Diplomatic mission.

Before leaving the UK, travellers are advised to check the FCO website or 24-hour advice line (0845 850 2829) for country-specific advice on the H1N1 virus at their holiday destination. Travellers to Europe should take a free European Health Insurance Card, which entitles the holder to any medical treatment in another European Economic Area country. Applications for such cards may be made online, by ringing 0845 606 2030 or at main post offices. Sensible pre-travel precautions also include determining in advance where medical advice and / or treatment can be obtained. Packing over-the-counter treatments for `flu symptoms, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, is also a good idea.

Anyone experiencing `flu-like symptoms should keep away from public areas. While over-the-counter medications may be sufficient for mild cases of swine `flu, there are several high-risk groups who should be referred to medical professionals immediately. These include pregnant women, the elderly, diabetics, children under 5 and those suffering from chronic diseases. Recognising the signs of serious illness, namely breathing difficulty, chest pain, vomiting, dehydration, seizures and confusion is vital, as this requires emergency medical treatment.

The Department of Health Swine `flu Information line can be accessed from abroad by calling 00 44 207 928 1010. However, while cheap calls to Brazil represent excellent value, international calls can be very expensive and this number should only be used in emergencies.

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Spain
France
Italy
USA
Turkey
Germany
Greece
Portugal
Ireland
Cyprus

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See what reaction his regular builder customers have and check out Bob’s white bits.

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The European Foundation for Environmental Education has awarded Spain with 571 distinctive blue flags, 44 more than last year.

The Blue flag award is the most recognised programme rating beaches and marinas throughout the world.  It is owned and run by the independent non-profit organisation Foundation for Environmental Education and oversees water quality, environmental education and information, environmental management, and safety among other services.

The fact that Spain has been awarded with 571 blue flags this year is critical to the ongoing success  of beach holidays in Spain. Andalucia has gained this year 24 more and the Canary Islands 8 more.

Galicia is the area with most flags (124), followed by Catalunya (108) and Valencia (101).

At this time of the year, good beaches are one of the main criteria for holidaymakers especially with Spain having more than 4,000 Kms of coastline packed with gorgeous Spanish beaches to choose from. This helps to make Spain one of the most visited and popular holiday countries for Europeans. With a wide selection of beach apartments in Spain and holiday resorts at the beach, Spain is right now the perfect location for your holiday.

For more information on holidays in Spain visit: http://www.spain-holiday.com

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Despite recent reports suggesting non Euro destinations will lead the way this summer, the Greek Islands are proving particularly popular amongst cost conscious holidaymakers, with hotels and airlines slashing prices in an attempt to lure Brits to the sun kissed Islands.

The Greek islands of Crete and Zakynthos have proved to be two of the biggest selling destinations at On the Beach over the past few weeks.

Other Euro destinations currently bucking the trend are mainland Spain and the Spanish islands.

A favourite amongst Brits for many years, Spain is proving popular once again with late bookings this year, with the Balearics and the Canaries both with sales up 9% year on year. The Balearic Island of Majorca is currently witnessing the biggest increase in bookings.

The Spanish Costas are also beginning to show signs of a late recovery, in particular Costa Dorado and Costa Brava. Over the past two weeks, both destinations have seen a surge in bookings and are now up 22% year on year.

Leading the way for non Euro destination for summer 2009 is Turkey.

With 3* hotels available from a credit crunching £1 a night in popular resorts such as Marmaris and Alanya, On the Beach has seen a 72% rise in bookings for summer 2009.

Source: www.onthebeach.co.uk

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Known for its rollercoasters and world famous illuminations, the iconic UK holiday resort is harnessing the power of YouTube and a sexy French accent to attract visitors who may have traditionally felt that Blackpool was not for them.

visitBlackpool believe the film will help attract French tourists, with greater numbers predicted to visit the UK this year on the back of the strong Euro. Blackpool stands in for Paris in the one and a half minute film J’aime La Tour which will surprise viewers with its wry humour and marriage of Lancashire and Parisian landmarks and cuisine.

J’aime La Tour is set in a smart Parisian-style art deco cafe in Blackpool’s stunning Stanley Park gardens, and uses flashbacks to build a story around a chic French girl’s fear of leaving the town she has fallen in love with.

The film aims to change outdated perceptions of what Blackpool has to offer and encourage them to visit the “new” Blackpool and see the many initiatives taking place.

J’aime La Tour was written by Daniel Kennedy.

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Sletoh.com is an independent hotel price comparison service currently searching 65,000 hotels across Europe and also Australia. At the moment there are hotels in the following European countries in the hotel database:

Andorra
Austria
Belgium
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
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Monaco
Netherlands
Portugal
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
United Kingdom

In addition it also includes hotels in Australia.

In one search sletoh finds the lowest rates from ActiveHotels, Alpharooms, GTAhotels, Laterooms, Superbreak and Xcapewithus.

Any available hotels and prices are displayed in a list and on a hotel map to help customers find hotels in the right location at the lowest rates.

Click here for more information or on the banner below.

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By Marsel Van Oosten (TPOTY 2008)

With a new sponsor line-up, the TPOTY prize package is impressive. TPOTY 2009 winners will go to some highly photogenic locations, traveling to China, Costa Rica and Morocco with Intrepid Travel and to Slovakia’s Tatra Mountains with Mountain Paradise.

They’ll also receive some great equipment prizes. These include a 26” NEC Spectra View monitor, an Apple MacBook Pro with Aperture 2 software, Wacom Cintiq 12WX interactive pen display and new Intuos4 pen tablets, Adobe CS4 Web Premium, Photoshop CS4 and Lightroom software, a total of £1,000 to spend with Jacobs Digital Photo & Video, Plastic Sandwich leather portfolio books, HARMAN PHOTO and ILFORD PHOTO paper, prints and darkroom products, LEE filters, Lexar CF cards and card readers, Photo Iconic photo courses, and £300 to spend with Linhof Studio.

TPOTY 2009 features three portfolio categories – Homeland, Natural Wonders and People of the World, and a One Shot category, on the theme Festival, Fiesta and Celebration. In addition, it features New Talent, the award for those who want to start a photographic career, the First Shot beginners’ single image category, and Young TPOTY (for kids with cameras)

Entry is via print submission or online image upload through www.tpoty.com, and entries close on September 22nd, 2009. Entry fees start at £10, and entry to Young TPOTY is free.

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