There are 15 New Ski Resorts featured, with new countries such as  USA, Slovenia and Spain, plus an enhanced ski holiday programme in Austria, Bulgaria, Norway and Italy.  The following have been added for 2008/9 skiing holidays:

• Formigal, Spain: Considerable investment in Formigal’s 130km ski area and resort infrastructure place Spain’s premier ski holiday destination firmly back on the map where wintersports are concerned. Decent skiing, a relaxing atmosphere, sunshine and tapas - a winning combination!

• Livigno, Italy: A high altitude, snowsure destination offer a cosmopolitan, yet traditional and friendly atmosphere with excellent skiing for beginners, intermediates and families. It’s duty free shopping status make it great value for money too.

• Lillehammer/Hafjell: The former-Olympic host destination of Lillehammer/Hafjell offers an impressive ski area for beginners and intermediates, challenging Olympic runs for the more advanced skier and a wealth of activities off the slopes.

• Kranjska Gora, Slovenia: Excellent value for money, uncrowded slopes and professional English speaking ski schools are just some of the reasons Slovenia is growing as a wintersports destination.

• Pamporovo, Bulgaria: Bulgaria is renowned for offering outstanding value for money and Pamporovo is no exception. Its small & charming village centre is traditional but certainly livens up in the evening with buzzing and inexpensive après-ski.

• La Rosière, France: A quiet & friendly resort, which is particularly well-suited to family skiing holidays but also offering 150km of slopes stretching across both France and Italy and an excellent snow record.

• Gerlitzen, Austria: The latest addition to Neilson’s list of ‘Family Resorts’ with an excellent skiing kindergarten, English-speaking ski instruction and dedicated children’s ski area at the mid-station.

• Maria Alm, Austria: Set in the extensive Hochkoning ski region, its impressive 150km of slopes and varied terrain mean this area caters for every ability.

• Nassfeld, Austria: The largest ski area in the Carinthia region with 110km of well-groomed slopes, with terrain to appeal to all abilities. Nassfeld is also great for boarders with terrain parks and half-pipes, and having played host to several snowboarding events.

• Vail, USA: Frequently voted one of the top ski resorts in the world, Vail is a widely recognised resort. It’s a huge mountain with an incredible ski area complete with infamous back-bowls for those seeking the champagne powder.

• Aspen/Snowmass, USA: Aspen’s glamour & chic coupled with the impressive modern satellite resort of Snowmass produces a world-class destination with outstanding skiing spread across 4 mountains.

• Beaver Creek, USA: A modern, luxurious resort where all the resort facilities are conveniently located and the skiing is on quiet, well-groomed slopes.

• Winter Park, USA: With the best snow records in Colorado and an immense ski area – there’s every reason to discover this favourite amongst locals.

• Breckenridge, USA: An authentic old-west town with all the charm of the 1870’s goldmining era combined with all the amenities, services and efficiency of a first class ski resort. Add to this the fact that it’s peaks reach up to 13,000 and you’re also presented with acres of incredible ski terrain.

• Steamboat, USA: Champagne powder and lots of it – that’s Steamboat’s claim to fame!

Lead in Prices with departure from London Gatwick or Heathrow, fuel, APD and taxes included are:

• Italy – La Thuile from £269 per person at the Planibel Apartments on a self catering basis
• Austria – Rauris from £309 per person at the Rauris Apartments on a self catering basis
• Andorra – Pas de la Casa from £395 per person at the Aparthotel Alaska on a self catering basis
• Finland – Yllas from £365 per person at the Saaga Apartments on a self-catering basis
• Bulgaria – Bansko from £359 per person at the Hotel Ellonore on a B&B basis
• Sweden – Klosvjo from £309 per person at the Secret Mountain Terraces on a self catering basis
• France – Risoul from £229 per person at the Constellation Foret Blanche Apartments on a self-catering basis
• Romania – Poiana Brasov from £479 per person at the Poiana Hotel on an all-inclusive basis
• Canada – Mont Tremblant from £649 per person at the Country Inn and Suites on a B&B basis
• USA – Winter Park from £865 per person at the Winter Park Mountain Lodge on a room only basis
• Slovenia – Kranjska Gora from £399 per person at the Hotel Lek on a half-board basis
• Spain – Formigal from £435 per person at the Hotel Nievesol on a half-board basis
• Norway – Beitostolen from £319 per person at the Bergo Cabins on a self-catering basis

For more details contact Neilson on 0845 070 3460 or visit their website at www.neilson.co.uk.

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Late getaway bookings for holiday apartments in Lanzarote are booming.  As the miserable British summer shows little signs of delivering a late rally.

September is in fact the best month of the year to visit Lanzarote.  As this is when the weather on the island is at it´s most enjoyable. The intense heat and white out skies of August have passed. Replaced by sharper blue.  The Trade Winds that blow across the island from March to late July have dropped.  And the Atlantic is warmed to its highest point.  Creating all of the perfect conditions for sun starved holiday makers who cannot face winter without a quick break abroad.

The quality of the weather is also reflected in a whole raft of great events in September.  As the island plays host to its biggest annual fiesta in honour of the islands patron saint - as well as the uber cool live music event Costa Musica.

The lively Fiesta de los Dolores draws seriously big crowds of up to 60,000 people to the small village of Mancha Blanca.  Where in 1824 the flow from a volcanic eruption destroyed swathes of land and property in Lanzarote before stopping just at the outskirts of the village.  Today this event is marked by thousands of locals and tourists walking on foot to Mancha Blanca from all points across the island – all in Canarian dress – as a form of pilgrimage.

Once in Mancha Blanca the action revolves around the village church – where scores of mobile food and drink stalls are arrayed as crowds gather to watch the icon of Dolores being paraded.  This year’s event takes place on September 13^th.

Then on the 26^th and 27^th of September the Costa Musica Festival sweeps in to the resort of Costa Teguise.  Bringing a wave of great live acts such as the uber cool James Taylor Quartet and the West London beat masters the Dub Pistols. Along with plenty of quality DJ´s and support acts.  The event kicks off on both Friday and Saturday at 21.00.  And flows through until around 04.00.  Best of all it´s entirely free of charge.

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Over the recent years Rajasthan has succeeded to attract a lot of tourists and the tourism board of Rajasthan is quite happy with the way things are coming around. They have taken various steps to attract more tourists towards Rajasthan. The most recent addition that has brought a boom in tourism in Rajasthan is the Heritage on wheels. This is a tourist train and covers places like Jaipur, Bikaner, and Shekhawati and then goes back to Jaipur. The overall duration of the trip is 3 nights and 4 days.

The Heritage on wheel is a joint project of the Indian Railways and the Rajasthan Tourists Development Corporation. The Heritage on Wheels train is a luxurious train meant for tourists. The theme used for this tourist’s luxury train is more like a Palace on Wheels. Rajasthan is well known for its deserts and historical buildings along with. The first day of the journey begins from Jaipur, the train leaves only twice in a week, Tuesday and Friday. Jaipur which is well known as the Pink City is also the capital of Rajasthan and excellently portrays the character of the state as well as its people. There are a lot of places that one can visit in Jaipur, places like the Jaigarh Fort, Amber fort, Hawa Mahal and City Palace. Jaipur is also well known for Jantar Mantar.

The next destination is Bikaner; the tourists are taken to Lalgarh Palace for tea. This palace not only has historical value but also stands as a sign of an amazing father and son relationship. The palace was built by Maharaja Ganga Singhji for his father Raja Lal Singhji. The train then leaves for Tal Chhapar. Bikaner is famous for its sand dunes and has retained the grand palaces and the medieval grandeur. The temples of Bikaner are richly and beautifully sculpted. The train then leaves for Shekhawati, this place has a lot of historical significance, the Havellis of Shekhawati are well kept and they are painted and beautifully and carry a lot frescoes of gods, goddesses and animals. Shekhawati is also known as the open art gallery of Rajasthan and has the highest number of frescoes in the world. After covering all these beautiful destinations, the heritage on wheels which provided you the best luxury you can get on a train will take you back to Jaipur. One can never forget this journey and the luxury he was offered within the train.

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Travelling solo can be a daunting experience for many and can sometimes be off-putting. However, Speedbreak’s introduction of holidays aimed specifically at single people between the ages of 27 - 49 aims to alleviate these concerns whilst providing a host of activities and opportunities to meet new people.

Activities range from tasting wine whilst taking in the picturesque views over the Bay of Naples to white knuckling water rafting in the Slovenian Alps. Prices can start from as little as £19.95 for a day of cycling in Hertfordshire rising to £1495 for a 2 week safari in Zambia.

Other activities include:-

• Diving
• Horse Riding
• Beach Fun
• Sailing
• Skiing
• Snowboarding
• Surfing
• Wind Surfing
• Tennis
• Walking

Speedbreaks aims to have an equal number of male and females per trip which, on average, consists of around 20 people. For those concerned about spending a weekend with a group of strangers, the organisation hosts an initial ‘ice-breaker’ introduction which includes champagne, a meal and a chance to relax and mingle. Speedbreaks have found however, that the best ice-breaker is when everyone’s involved in the activities end up getting on amazingly well.

Single and looking for a holiday with a difference? Have a look at Speedbreaks.

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For a hundred years, Missouri has managed to maintain its motto, “The Show Me State.” The states has contains within itself two urban centres, St. Louis in the east and Kansas City in the west. Both these centres are developing rapidly and a lot of economy is being pulled in through these two urban centres. Jefferson City is also a member of the growing centres and is the capital of Missouri State. Previously, the state was not much of a tourist attraction but as years passed by, Missouri started to become one of the biggest tourist’s attractions. The lake of the Ozarks and Branson are being highly regarded as resort communities. If an individual seeks live entertainment, then the Branson’s is the place to be. The Branson Main Street has exploded with theatres, a lot of stars have opened their own theatres in the street, and the place is filled with theatre lovers.

Apart from being a tourist’s destination, Missouri has managed to become one of the best locations for people who want to spend their Golden Years. Whatever is required to in your Golden Years or the best years of your life you will find it here. All amenities are available for men as well as women and no one will be dissatisfied. Missouri is also well known for excelling in the field of health and medical care. One must also visit Joplin; it is quite a famous and is the largest city in county of Jasper. It has been mention in the lyrics of “Route66” and also mentioned in the script of The Music Man. In the early 1970’s it was shown in one of the episode of the “Dick Van Dyke Show”.

Shoal Creek is also famous for its breath taking view and the best view amongst the tourists is from the inspiration point. Another tourist attraction at the Shoal Creek is the Grand Falls; the water flow will surely help you in draining away all your worries. Joplin is also famous as Charles Schifferdecker has his former home located in the area. Rest of Missouri is a delight, all camping enthusiasts will love the state, and even though it’s populated a tourist will always find his way through the crowd but may get lost in the love showered by Missouri.

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The island’s scenario is astonishing with mountains plummeting unfathomable into the Caribbean towards the west and the Atlantic to the east. If its volcanic motion is discussed at a languish manifest then its islands is considered as hot springs and the scorching lagoon. This island is considered as the second largest island of its type and several thongs are there to feel the natural beauty. Dominica is an important place for hikers with ample of jungle trails that consistently seem to end in cascading waterfalls or impressive views. The spectacular surroundings continue at the bottom of the sea and Dominica has urbanized a character as one of the Caribbean’s top go underwater popular islands.

The important thing behind the Dominica popularity is its coasts which are at their peak when whales and dolphins are their .All these trips can be easily arranged for most time of the year.

There is little expansion on Dominica, still its capital Roseau is a lethargic small town that considered to be clinging on top of one of the merely horizontal areas on the island and golf course can not be expected their at any cost and the hotels, lodges and guesthouses used here are characteristically diminutive, cherished, frequently relatives run and approximately consistently are marvellously situated with impressive views. English is the representative tongue of Dominica verbal with a astonishingly communicable East Caribbean enunciation. This trip to Dominica is designed specially to commence the extensive assortment of Dominican flowers and fauna. It would be great fun to staying in a multiplicity of peak, coastal and forests adjustment with a few days in Roseau to grab hold of up on the island scandal and appoint the botanical private grounds.

Excellent timings

The best season to visit Dominica is its dry season which starts from the first week of November to the end of April. Sometimes it can be a good time to go as it is supposed to be the end of the period and for the people who wish to feel natural beauty it is quite silent but sometime due to is hot and humid climate it can be typical to survive for those who cannot bear the warm. The rainy season in Dominica starts at the start of June and is considered up till the end of October. During these days it does not rain every time but regularly vapours over at suppertime and in the afternoon time it is downpours which is generally remains there from June to October. It is recommended that there is a major danger of storm for the period of August, September and October therefore it is necessary to get the proper knowledge of climate before going. Some times it can occur in off periods also.

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Essence Festival

Essence magazine offers Essence Music festival in the state of New Orleans during fourth week of July. It covers great music, seminars, crafts, and many other things. The Essence festival marks the celebration of African-American culture and music. It got back home, i.e. to New Orleans in the year 2007. This festival is known to attract around 200000 of fun-loving, talented, best-dressed, and, last, but not the least, committed people of New Orleans. You would get to know about the biggest gathering of musical talent of Africa and America in United States, along with listening to certain top-notch speakers, that too, in the empowerment seminars.

Super lounges of Essence Festival

Previously, Super lounges featured legends such as Heffery Osbourne, Bobby Blue Bland, Carl Thomas, and the Wailers.

Seminars

In the year 2007, empowerment seminars had been hosted by the personalities like Rev. Marsha Dyson, playwright David Talbert, and Rev. Andriette Earl.

Marketplace

Essence fest marketplace at New Orleans Convention comprises of African-style of crafts and arts, New Orleans Creole clothing, food, jewelry, art, etc.

Carnaval Latino

New Orleans has been, for long, a blend of gorgeous people, that too, of every race and color. Latino people are an important ingredient in ‘gumbo’, i.e. New Orleans. They have, in fact, become much more visible. This can be attributed to citizens of countries of Latin America who have arrived to New Orleans for helping in the process of rebuilding.

The localized Hispanic artists have been aiding the city for reaching out to community with best music, food, and energy of theirs. It’s a 3-day event, and open to the people loving and appreciating culture.

Louisiana Blues Festival

New Orleans Heritage and jazz Foundation has been producing this New Orleans Blues Festival. It usually starts in the month of November. It’s starting out like the Jazz Fest. Admission is usually free.

Swamp Festival

If you intend to get acquainted with the alligator, go on to attend the Swamp Festival. The stages here showcase different performers inclusive of Zydeco Playmakers and Big Red, Zydeco Hellraisers, Dwayne Dopsie, and many such artists. Cajun specialities like crawfish beignets, couchon de lait, and the fried alligator are served. However, you might wish to have some space saved for Jamaican chicken, crawfish bread, smoked turkey legs, shrimp po-boys, etc. Such dishes come through Gallery Seafood restaurant, Voleo’s, Love at the first bite, Palmer’s Cuisine, and many others.

Tennessee Williams Literary Festival

New Orleans was considered as a spiritual home by Tennessee. He used to love writing here. This festival goes on to celebrate cultural legacy and life of ‘Tennessee Williams’ by the way of 2 days of the master classes, celebrity interviews, panel discussions, music and theater events. This festival is truly worth paying a visit. You would never regret your attendance to this festival.

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One possibility to enjoy the action and to stay in luxury is the Hotel Monaco & Grand Canal, one of the city’s most sought-after hotels, situated on the banks of the Grand Canal. A former 17^th century Palazzo, it has a classic, composed elegance, and a restaurant that’s very popular with the Venetians.

A three-night stay is from £790 pp (two sharing) including BA flights from London to Venice and accommodation with breakfast. Private water taxi transfers can be arranged at a supplement. Call Sunvil on 020 8758 4747visit www.sunvil.co.uk.

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Why Canada?

The country is large and it offers a lot of variety in terms of snowboard and ski hills. There are loads of virgin winter terrains which range from the Atlantic to the Pacific coasts. With these amazing features there are also the added attractions such as the beauty of the country. Not only that, the place is relatively quite low as compared to other ski vacations in the world.

In Canada the winter season lasts longer than any other places of the world. Heli-sking can be done throughout the year. There are lots of ski hills that are open for people from November till the mid-April. In the western side of the country the period is even longer than this. Snowboarding and downhill are the most amazing cross country skiing sites that you can ever find.

In every region of Canada you will find a ski hill. There are numerous of them that they cannot be named all together. The place has lots to offer to whoever comes to visit there. It is also a very welcoming place and the people around there are very helpful.

Skiing in Whistler

This is one place voted by many people as the No.1 ski resort in the whole of North America. Whistler is a place which will offer you everything starting from fantastic scenery, efficient lift system, an attractive village, superb skiing for all standards, good-quality accommodation which will suit all and lots of entertainments.

Whistler is situated about 120km away from Vancouver and has two important mountains, Whistler and Blackcomb. These two spectacular mountains serve as a beautiful backdrop to the Whistler village. The place is also blessed with mild cold climate along with abundant amounts of snow which makes it more favourable.

Skiing in Lake Louise

Lake Louise is situated amidst of the Canadian Rockies. The villages of Lake Louise will offer the visitors good and warm accommodation, shopping, dining and an active nightlife. Here you can also do other things than just skiing like ice-skating, sleigh rides, dog sledding and snowshoeing. This place has more ski terrain than any where in Canada.

Skiing in Banff

Banff lies in the centre of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. This place will offer some memorable skiing and snowboarder experience. It has one of the most beautiful landscape and spectacular slopes which is just the thing you need for a ski holiday.

If you get bored with only skiing then try out other activities like heli-skiing, sleigh rides, cross country skiing, sightseeing, whirlpool, sauna, hot mineral springs, snowmobiling, curling, ice climbing, and snowshoeing.

The resorts open longer than any European places so you will find an ample number of opportunities here.

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Jackson

Jackson is a place which is famous for its rich history, arts, music and for its southern way of life. Jackson is the Mississippi’s capital state having some sightseeing sights and total entertainment from the flea markets. There are some immense grand historic buildings and blues music which have been provided to upscale the Southern cuisine.

Some of the places which are meant for the general public viewage are the Natchez antebellum historic houses which are open for touring. A person can view some popular sieges of Civil War. These include the grand antebellum homes, the rolling battlefields at the Vicksburg National Military Park. This park is dedicated with strategic monuments and markers which can honor the North and the South armies. Further, the Vicksburg Campaign trail is also considered a major site to see while in Mississippi.

Some of the cultural attractions of Mississippi

Biloxi is situated on a peninsula which extends to the Gulf of Mexico. The attraction includes Beauvoir, which is the last home of the President, Jefferson Davis. So, one can go for the museums too. The Delta Blues museum also traces the history and there is an influence of the unique music genre.

Columbus is another Victorian birthplace of famous playwright Tennessee Williams. The visitors can also find the music museum with its extensive collection of some unseen photographs and sheet music.

Corinth is a place which is rich with its Civil war history. In this place itself, there were battlefields and one can feel the war which was held way back in the era. There are some architectural landmarks which Corinth can offer a person. This includes the Curlee house which is a civil war headquarters having period antiques and artifacts too. There is also the northeast Mississippi museum which provides the person with amazing photographs and artifacts.

A person can also visit the largest ancient Indian mound groups which is located in Greenville. This is in Mississippi valley and is at the Winterville mounds museum state park. There is also the Grenada which is 148 miles of shoreline. The Grenada Lake is one of the largest water bodies in Mississippi. There are also history buffs which are drawn to this lake due to its civil war history. There are the Mississippi agricultural and the national agricultural aviation museum which attract tourists from all parts of the world. Some of the music eras like the blues were the related genre soul, jazz and rock’n’roll which are amongst the greatest cultural contributions made by the US.

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