The long-awaited start of the summer holidays is expected this week with the travel industry bracing itself for a surge in bookings after the Olympics.
With the Games having captured the public’s imagination, many Britons are taking their holidays later than usual.
Two years ago there was a similar exodus when England was knocked out of the World Cup.
British Airways sought to capitalise on the mood encouraging passengers to stay at home and enjoy what has turned out to be a glut of gold medals.
The airline is now pushing holidaymakers to enjoy what it described as a “sizzling September” with offers including £100 off European holidays.
The first sign of the delayed great British exodus will be at Heathrow, which expects to deal with 116,000 departures tomorrow, compared with 95,000 on an average day.
While the numbers are initially being swelled by departing athletes, families and supporters, daily departures from Heathrow will hover around 110,000 for the rest of the week.
According to research carried out by the price comparison website, Travelsupermarket, more than 3million Britons have delayed their holiday because of the Olympics.
“By mid-August we’d expect most people to have booked their annual summer holiday or at the very least have something booked,” said Bob Atkinson, the company’s travel analyst.
“However, with the huge amount of us planning to go on post-Olympics breaks, many of which haven’t even been booked yet, this year is going to be a particularly late summer holiday season.”
Laurence Hicks, director of tour operator and holiday rentals company CLC Leisure, has noticed a similar trend.
"The end of July and beginning of August were relatively quiet but suddenly we have seen this massive upswing in booking and inquiries.
"Either we Brits don't want the party to end and intend to carry on celebrating the success of Team GB with a holiday or we are worn out by the emotional extremes of watching the Games and need a break.
"We knew that there would be a late-booking trend this year because people wanted to be part of a once-in-a-lifetime experience of London 2012 but the sudden rush has exceeded all expectations."
EasyJet has already noticed a surge, with nearly 200,000 passengers booked to depart tomorrow, with Athens and Alicante the most popular destinations.
Eurostar is also expecting a busy week with Britons crossing the Channel in droves for their delayed summer break.
According one aviation industry insider, airlines have had a slack summer and will be looking for a pick up in post Olympics departure to fill empty seats.
“It does look as if people have been deferring their holidays, so there is fair chance business will pick up.”
Find your next FABHoliday idea with FABTHINGS2do.
Showing posts with label Holidays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Holidays. Show all posts
Monday, 13 August 2012
Monday, 30 July 2012
E-Books Edge Ahead Of Paperbacks On UK Holidays
People are putting paperbacks aside on holiday and reaching for e-books instead, according to a survey.
E-reading devices such as the Kindle are now the preferred way to get stuck into a good novel while on a break, the poll by a leading online travel agency found.
A total of 1,928 UK adults who had been abroad on holiday in the last 12 months were surveyed.
Of those who had read while away, 51% had used an e-reader while 49% had opted for a traditional book.
E-readers were most popular among those aged 40 or more, with only 11% of 18-25-year-olds using them.
Of those who used an e-reader, 44% said it was easier to hold while 29% said it was easier to see in the sun.
Of those sticking with traditional books, 24% felt e-readers were too expensive while 46% said they "simply preferred books".
Find your next FABHoliday idea with FABTHINGS2do.
E-reading devices such as the Kindle are now the preferred way to get stuck into a good novel while on a break, the poll by a leading online travel agency found.
A total of 1,928 UK adults who had been abroad on holiday in the last 12 months were surveyed.
Of those who had read while away, 51% had used an e-reader while 49% had opted for a traditional book.
E-readers were most popular among those aged 40 or more, with only 11% of 18-25-year-olds using them.
Of those who used an e-reader, 44% said it was easier to hold while 29% said it was easier to see in the sun.
Of those sticking with traditional books, 24% felt e-readers were too expensive while 46% said they "simply preferred books".
Find your next FABHoliday idea with FABTHINGS2do.
Friday, 6 July 2012
Britons head overseas to escape the rain
The recent wet weather has been welcomed by travel companies, who have reported a sharp rise in holiday bookings.
Persistent wet weather across Britain has led to a surge in bookings for foreign holidays, according to tour operators.
Last month was the wettest June since records began in 1910, while a month’s worth of rain is expected to fall in parts of Northern England, the Midlands and Wales today.
The downpours have been welcomed by holiday companies, however, and both Thomas Cook and On the Beach, the online travel agent, have reported a rise in bookings.
On the Beach claimed that bookings for trips to European destinations had risen by 20 per cent during the past fortnight, compared with the same period last year.
Thomas Cook also said bookings had increased, with Spain and Greece proving particularly popular.
“We’ve definitely seen a rise in bookings as the weather worsens, with our research showing one in five people are influenced to book a holiday by the disappointing British weather,” said Lydia Dearden from Thomas Cook.
A spokesman for Thomson said it had seen a 20 per cent rise in searches for holidays last month, compared with June 2011. He added that the Balearics, Greece, Tunisia and Morocco were attracting the most interest from British travellers.
ABTA, the travel association, recently reported that up to 13 million Britons would be heading abroad during July and August, with 90 per cent of those heading to traditional Mediterranean destinations.
The eurozone is thought to be finding favour thanks to the strength of the pound against the euro – British holidaymakers can expect to get at least 10 per cent more for their money compared with last summer.
Find your next FABHoliday idea with FABTHINGS2do.
Persistent wet weather across Britain has led to a surge in bookings for foreign holidays, according to tour operators.
Last month was the wettest June since records began in 1910, while a month’s worth of rain is expected to fall in parts of Northern England, the Midlands and Wales today.
The downpours have been welcomed by holiday companies, however, and both Thomas Cook and On the Beach, the online travel agent, have reported a rise in bookings.
On the Beach claimed that bookings for trips to European destinations had risen by 20 per cent during the past fortnight, compared with the same period last year.
Thomas Cook also said bookings had increased, with Spain and Greece proving particularly popular.
“We’ve definitely seen a rise in bookings as the weather worsens, with our research showing one in five people are influenced to book a holiday by the disappointing British weather,” said Lydia Dearden from Thomas Cook.
A spokesman for Thomson said it had seen a 20 per cent rise in searches for holidays last month, compared with June 2011. He added that the Balearics, Greece, Tunisia and Morocco were attracting the most interest from British travellers.
ABTA, the travel association, recently reported that up to 13 million Britons would be heading abroad during July and August, with 90 per cent of those heading to traditional Mediterranean destinations.
The eurozone is thought to be finding favour thanks to the strength of the pound against the euro – British holidaymakers can expect to get at least 10 per cent more for their money compared with last summer.
Find your next FABHoliday idea with FABTHINGS2do.
Thursday, 17 May 2012
EU roaming charges set to fall
Britons face cheaper EU roaming charges from July.
Millions of Britons holidaying in Europe this summer will have far cheaper mobile phone bills after the European Union gave the green light to strict price caps on “rip-off” mobile data roaming charges.
The move, which confirmed plans laid out earlier this year, will stop consumers being hit by surprise “bill shock” when they return from trips overseas.
The caps, which will come into force on July 1, will mean that people who travel to Europe with smartphones will have cheaper access to emails, interactive maps and social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook. The EU said that the caps will save the typical family taking a holiday in Europe “at least” €200 (£160).
A typical businessman traveling in the EU will save around €1,000 (£800) a year, the EU said. There are already price caps in place in Europe for mobile phone calls and text messages.
In total, Europeans will spend around €5 billion this year on roaming services, a saving of around €15 billion compared to what the same services would have cost under 2007 prices, the EU said.
From July, phone companies will only be allowed to charge 70 cents (56 pence) per megabyte of data, plus VAT. As recently as 2009 the price was six times as much.
By 2014, the maximum cost of downloading data will be cut further to 20 cents per megabyte.
Neelie Kroes, Vice-President at the European Commission, said that by putting price caps on data, the EC had “created a roaming market for the smartphone generation”.
“More than that, we have ended to rip-offs familiar to anyone who has used a mobile phone while traveling abroad,” said Mr Kroes.
He said that from 2014 consumers will be able to choose a “separate roaming provider” when they travel.
“If you can find a better offer compared to your standard contract you’ll be able to do it in a few simple swipes, just like when you choose a wi-fi network,” he said.
Monique Goyens, director general of The European Consumer Organisation, said: “This welcome news is the latest step down from sky high roaming costs. As of July 1, the EU is once again bringing down the cost of calls and texts when abroad.”
However Ms Goyens added: “The issue of transparency remains a concern. A recent EU-wide survey found 74 per cent of consumers are hesitant to use their phone abroad to call, check mail, download photos or use voice services for fear of cost. This latest battle for fairer pricing can only help reduce that number.”
The EU also announced new price caps for mobile calls and texts, which will also come into effect on July 1.
From July calls will cost a maximum of 29 cents a minute to make and 8 cents a minute to receive, plus VAT. Texts will dost 9 cents each to send. They will fall again in 2013 and 2014.
Currently calls cost 35 cents a minute to make and 11 cents a minute to receive. Texts also cost 11 cents.
The EU said that the prices are a maximum and that competition between operators could drive them even lower.
Find your next FABHoliday idea with FABTHINGS2do.
Millions of Britons holidaying in Europe this summer will have far cheaper mobile phone bills after the European Union gave the green light to strict price caps on “rip-off” mobile data roaming charges.
The move, which confirmed plans laid out earlier this year, will stop consumers being hit by surprise “bill shock” when they return from trips overseas.
The caps, which will come into force on July 1, will mean that people who travel to Europe with smartphones will have cheaper access to emails, interactive maps and social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook. The EU said that the caps will save the typical family taking a holiday in Europe “at least” €200 (£160).
A typical businessman traveling in the EU will save around €1,000 (£800) a year, the EU said. There are already price caps in place in Europe for mobile phone calls and text messages.
In total, Europeans will spend around €5 billion this year on roaming services, a saving of around €15 billion compared to what the same services would have cost under 2007 prices, the EU said.
From July, phone companies will only be allowed to charge 70 cents (56 pence) per megabyte of data, plus VAT. As recently as 2009 the price was six times as much.
By 2014, the maximum cost of downloading data will be cut further to 20 cents per megabyte.
Neelie Kroes, Vice-President at the European Commission, said that by putting price caps on data, the EC had “created a roaming market for the smartphone generation”.
“More than that, we have ended to rip-offs familiar to anyone who has used a mobile phone while traveling abroad,” said Mr Kroes.
He said that from 2014 consumers will be able to choose a “separate roaming provider” when they travel.
“If you can find a better offer compared to your standard contract you’ll be able to do it in a few simple swipes, just like when you choose a wi-fi network,” he said.
Monique Goyens, director general of The European Consumer Organisation, said: “This welcome news is the latest step down from sky high roaming costs. As of July 1, the EU is once again bringing down the cost of calls and texts when abroad.”
However Ms Goyens added: “The issue of transparency remains a concern. A recent EU-wide survey found 74 per cent of consumers are hesitant to use their phone abroad to call, check mail, download photos or use voice services for fear of cost. This latest battle for fairer pricing can only help reduce that number.”
The EU also announced new price caps for mobile calls and texts, which will also come into effect on July 1.
From July calls will cost a maximum of 29 cents a minute to make and 8 cents a minute to receive, plus VAT. Texts will dost 9 cents each to send. They will fall again in 2013 and 2014.
Currently calls cost 35 cents a minute to make and 11 cents a minute to receive. Texts also cost 11 cents.
The EU said that the prices are a maximum and that competition between operators could drive them even lower.
Find your next FABHoliday idea with FABTHINGS2do.
Thursday, 10 May 2012
‘World’s oldest backpacker’ hits the road again
A man described as the “world’s oldest backpacker” is poised to embark on his latest globe-trotting trip – at the age of 95.
Keith Wright, a pensioner from Queensland in Australia, will fly out to Europe on May 28, his eighth backpacking trip since he started travelling solo at the age of 85.
He has planned a two-month itinerary including Madrid, San Sebastian, Paris, Munich, Vienna and a trip to Britain to see the racing at Royal Ascot.
In the past decade, Mr Wright has visited many of the countries in Western and Eastern Europe, starting his backpacking a few years after his wife Barbara passed away.
His first trip was a bus journey through Turkey. Since then, he has travelled the world on a strict budget, saving up money throughout the year for flights and hostel accommodation.
“I have had itchy feet all my life and had always wanted to go to Gallipoli on Anzac Day, so I decided to sell our house and put the extra money towards a holiday,” said Mr Wright, who is a veteran of the Second World War.
“I have seen things that most tourists haven’t seen, because I walk the back streets and take trains or buses to nearby towns for the day.
“Most people I meet are surprised when I tell them my age and amazed that I have come all the way from Australia.”
Find your next FABHoliday idea with FABTHINGS2do.
Keith Wright, a pensioner from Queensland in Australia, will fly out to Europe on May 28, his eighth backpacking trip since he started travelling solo at the age of 85.
He has planned a two-month itinerary including Madrid, San Sebastian, Paris, Munich, Vienna and a trip to Britain to see the racing at Royal Ascot.
In the past decade, Mr Wright has visited many of the countries in Western and Eastern Europe, starting his backpacking a few years after his wife Barbara passed away.
His first trip was a bus journey through Turkey. Since then, he has travelled the world on a strict budget, saving up money throughout the year for flights and hostel accommodation.
“I have had itchy feet all my life and had always wanted to go to Gallipoli on Anzac Day, so I decided to sell our house and put the extra money towards a holiday,” said Mr Wright, who is a veteran of the Second World War.
“I have seen things that most tourists haven’t seen, because I walk the back streets and take trains or buses to nearby towns for the day.
“Most people I meet are surprised when I tell them my age and amazed that I have come all the way from Australia.”
Find your next FABHoliday idea with FABTHINGS2do.
Wednesday, 9 May 2012
Is it the perfect time to buy your holiday money?
The exchange rate against the euro and the dollar is good at present.
The pound's strength against the euro and dollar has left some currency experts suggesting that you stock up on holiday money now. But will it strengthen further and what is the cheapest way to benefit when the pound is strong?
The crisis in the eurozone has pushed the euro's value down against the pound in recent months, meaning that those who are taking their holidays in mainland Europe could end up getting more for their money than they did last year.
Customers who bought £100 of euros now could get €122 for their money, compared with €111 last July. Those going to the US could get $160 for £100, compared with $142 in May 2010.
A spokesperson for currencies.co.uk, said that the sterling exchange rate "is currently the best it has been for years against all other major currencies". However, he warned that the Government may take action to reduce the strength of the pound because of the effect that it is having on exports.
"With that in mind we would advise those looking to exchange sterling to be wary of the recent pound strength and look to exchange as soon as possible. It may also be worth considering a forward contract to fix the exchange rate at its current level."However, another spokesperson at currency broker HIFX, said that they believed sterling was in a good position and could become even stronger. "Buying euros must be tempting right now, but I think the UK economy is in much better shape than the eurozone so there may be more of a rally to come," he said.
Those who do wish to take advantage of the current rates, whether because they live abroad or are planning a holiday in the months to come, can do so in a variety of ways. Preloaded currency cards are convenient for those who want to buy hundreds of pounds worth of euros for a holiday. However, it is worth noting that money does not have the same protection in the event of a firm going bust as it would in an ordinary bank account. This is because you do not have the same protection under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.
These cards allow you to buy currency at today's prices and hold it on a card until you wish to spend it. While it is there it does not earn interest. However, you effectively "lock in" today's exchange rate, and these cards can be a cost-effective way of spending abroad.
Two of the best-known prepaid cards are FairFX and Caxton FX, which come in dollar or euro formats. These come with slightly different fees and charges and tend to be only slightly more expensive to use abroad than the very best credit and debit cards. If you don't have a specialist credit or debit card for spending overseas they are likely to be a good option as well as allowing you to buy your currency when sterling is strong.
Those who wish to buy larger amounts of currency could use a money broker. These specialists can allow you to buy larger amounts of money at an advantageous rate. Or you could lock yourself into a more expensive "forward contract". This would give you the price available now for up to two years. This may be worth doing if you are about to buy a property abroad, for example. A specialist broker is often cheaper than a bank.
Find your next FABHoliday idea with FABTHINGS2do.
The pound's strength against the euro and dollar has left some currency experts suggesting that you stock up on holiday money now. But will it strengthen further and what is the cheapest way to benefit when the pound is strong?
The crisis in the eurozone has pushed the euro's value down against the pound in recent months, meaning that those who are taking their holidays in mainland Europe could end up getting more for their money than they did last year.
Customers who bought £100 of euros now could get €122 for their money, compared with €111 last July. Those going to the US could get $160 for £100, compared with $142 in May 2010.
A spokesperson for currencies.co.uk, said that the sterling exchange rate "is currently the best it has been for years against all other major currencies". However, he warned that the Government may take action to reduce the strength of the pound because of the effect that it is having on exports.
"With that in mind we would advise those looking to exchange sterling to be wary of the recent pound strength and look to exchange as soon as possible. It may also be worth considering a forward contract to fix the exchange rate at its current level."However, another spokesperson at currency broker HIFX, said that they believed sterling was in a good position and could become even stronger. "Buying euros must be tempting right now, but I think the UK economy is in much better shape than the eurozone so there may be more of a rally to come," he said.
Those who do wish to take advantage of the current rates, whether because they live abroad or are planning a holiday in the months to come, can do so in a variety of ways. Preloaded currency cards are convenient for those who want to buy hundreds of pounds worth of euros for a holiday. However, it is worth noting that money does not have the same protection in the event of a firm going bust as it would in an ordinary bank account. This is because you do not have the same protection under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.
These cards allow you to buy currency at today's prices and hold it on a card until you wish to spend it. While it is there it does not earn interest. However, you effectively "lock in" today's exchange rate, and these cards can be a cost-effective way of spending abroad.
Two of the best-known prepaid cards are FairFX and Caxton FX, which come in dollar or euro formats. These come with slightly different fees and charges and tend to be only slightly more expensive to use abroad than the very best credit and debit cards. If you don't have a specialist credit or debit card for spending overseas they are likely to be a good option as well as allowing you to buy your currency when sterling is strong.
Those who wish to buy larger amounts of currency could use a money broker. These specialists can allow you to buy larger amounts of money at an advantageous rate. Or you could lock yourself into a more expensive "forward contract". This would give you the price available now for up to two years. This may be worth doing if you are about to buy a property abroad, for example. A specialist broker is often cheaper than a bank.
Find your next FABHoliday idea with FABTHINGS2do.
Monday, 12 March 2012
Families face soaring holiday tax bill
Families face having to find up to £500 tax to fly to far flung destinations by 2016 if the Government presses ahead with plans for annual rises in Air Passenger Duty.
Britain’s leading airlines stepped up pressure on George Osborne to call a halt to the rises by calculating how high the tax could rise on current Treasury plans.
Official figures show that a target of increasing revenue from the duty by 46 per cent by 2016 would mean a family of four would face a £500 tax bill for a holiday to Australia and £440 to the Caribbean.
In 2005, a family of four travelling to any long-haul destination would have paid just £80.
The next round of APD rises, which come into force on April 1, will see a family of four having to pay £368 tax for a trip to Australia and £264 for a holiday in the United States.
Four major airlines – easyJet, Virgin Atlantic, Ryanair and British Airways – have buried their differences – to oppose the taxes, which sees passengers leaving UK airports paying more than their foreign counterparts.
According to the airlines, seven years of APD has seen passenger numbers fail to rise, with the CAA figures showing that there has been no increase in the number of people flying since 2011.
“Aviation wants to, and should be, playing a leading role in economic recovery – as it does in so many other countries,” the airlines said in a joint statement.
“But the UK imposes the highest aviation taxes in the world, and keeps on increasing them without any analysis whatever of their overall economic impact. We are exporting economic growth, and jobs, to competitor countries. How much longer must this madness go on?
“We call on the Chancellor to suspend the April 1 rises in APD, and those planned up to 2016, while the Treasury commissions an independent study of the economic effects of this job-destroying tax.”
Meanwhile the World Travel and Tourism Council said its research had shown that scrapping the duty altogether would create 91,000 jobs in Britain and contribute £4.2 billion to the economy in 12 months.
“Air Passenger Duty is a completely disproportionate tax on people’s holidays and is hitting business travel hard,” said David Scowsill, the organisation’s chairman.
“When the economy needs help, it is economically illogical to continue with a tax that costs the country some 91,000 jobs and as much as £4.2 billion.
"Travel & Tourism grew by 4.1% in the UK last year, but is forecast to slow to 1.3% in 2012. This slowdown is partly due to the impact of Air Passenger Duty, which is dampening demand.”
Make sure you get the best deal when looking for a holiday to help make your money go further with fabthings2do-holidays.
Britain’s leading airlines stepped up pressure on George Osborne to call a halt to the rises by calculating how high the tax could rise on current Treasury plans.
Official figures show that a target of increasing revenue from the duty by 46 per cent by 2016 would mean a family of four would face a £500 tax bill for a holiday to Australia and £440 to the Caribbean.
In 2005, a family of four travelling to any long-haul destination would have paid just £80.
The next round of APD rises, which come into force on April 1, will see a family of four having to pay £368 tax for a trip to Australia and £264 for a holiday in the United States.
Four major airlines – easyJet, Virgin Atlantic, Ryanair and British Airways – have buried their differences – to oppose the taxes, which sees passengers leaving UK airports paying more than their foreign counterparts.
According to the airlines, seven years of APD has seen passenger numbers fail to rise, with the CAA figures showing that there has been no increase in the number of people flying since 2011.
“Aviation wants to, and should be, playing a leading role in economic recovery – as it does in so many other countries,” the airlines said in a joint statement.
“But the UK imposes the highest aviation taxes in the world, and keeps on increasing them without any analysis whatever of their overall economic impact. We are exporting economic growth, and jobs, to competitor countries. How much longer must this madness go on?
“We call on the Chancellor to suspend the April 1 rises in APD, and those planned up to 2016, while the Treasury commissions an independent study of the economic effects of this job-destroying tax.”
Meanwhile the World Travel and Tourism Council said its research had shown that scrapping the duty altogether would create 91,000 jobs in Britain and contribute £4.2 billion to the economy in 12 months.
“Air Passenger Duty is a completely disproportionate tax on people’s holidays and is hitting business travel hard,” said David Scowsill, the organisation’s chairman.
“When the economy needs help, it is economically illogical to continue with a tax that costs the country some 91,000 jobs and as much as £4.2 billion.
"Travel & Tourism grew by 4.1% in the UK last year, but is forecast to slow to 1.3% in 2012. This slowdown is partly due to the impact of Air Passenger Duty, which is dampening demand.”
Make sure you get the best deal when looking for a holiday to help make your money go further with fabthings2do-holidays.
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