It’s that time of year when your skin is likely showing the effects of the season and a special winter skin care regime could come in handy.

Added to that you may be planning a ski holiday or on a little winter sun.

Now, winter skin care has found its saviour in the form of  Green People. The company specialises in organic skin products and have produced a range of items that are great for both winter and summer sun. Best of all, they’re pretty economical.

With a change in temperature comes a change in your skin’s condition. Not only does it take a beating from the cold, but going from cold temperatures outside into warm centrally heated buildings dehydrates your skin. It can also cause trauma to the skin and make it dull, dry and difficult to maintain a healthy looking complexion.

The Green People’s winter skin care essentials aim to fight the effects of the season. Basic items include scent-free sun lotions in SPF 15 and 25, £17.95. These not only protect from UVA and UVB rays but also contain antioxidants like green tea and olive.

The after-sun lotions, £17.95, are scented with mint oil and help maintain your tan. Lips are the one thing people tend to forget but they burn just as easily as the rest of you. So The Green People have produced an 8 SPF lip balm, £3.95, made from berry wax, with a natural sheen.

There are also more luxurious items such as the Vita Min mask, £11.95, which deeply replenishes dry skin, and the pressed mineral powder, £20.45, for those for whom going make-up free on holiday is simply not an option. The powder contains SPF 15 and light reflecting minerals which help minimise fine lines.

The Green People’s products also include skin care ranges for men and children and travel size ranges. And delivering on their name everything made by the company is 100% vegetarian, cruelty free and organic certified.

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Luminous green and pink floated through the hot night air as the whirling dervish’s voluminous skirt swirled and twirled in the darkness, writes Sarah Lee.

Removing he revealed another skirt, equally as vibrant, that hovered high above his knees. As the dancer stopped, pausing to revel in applause I caught a darting mischief in his deep brown eyes, searching the crowd for visitors to enter his vibrant arena.

Not only did he wear the skirt well, but we couldn’t take our eyes off the muscular form of this whirling dervish as he spun like a top with such velocity his feet barely seemed to touch the ground. Then, as we were plunged into darkness, the giant skirt lit up like a fun fair ride cutting illuminated shapes through the air.

The dance was the final act in our Dubai desert safari that had seen us bashing across dunes that afternoon.

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Guest post on Creative Travel by Elena Paschinger

Ever thought of making your own cheese, learning to bake an Austrian cake or painting a watercolour? How about discovering how to carve or weave, printing your own souvenir, or even learning a traditional dance? All are possible with creative travel.

I first developed my passion for creative travel while journeying through New Zealand. Here  Creative Tourism New Zealand offers exciting activities such as bone carving, harakeke flax weaving, Maori cooking or nature workshops.

If, like me you want to know, what makes a country and its people tick, or what local traditions all about, then why not go there and discover the truth for yourself.

I see and I forget, I hear and I remember, I do and I understand

Creative travel and interactive learning experiences have an advantage over mass-market cultural tourism experiences. Anyone can buy a Maori indigenous souvenir in New Zealand, but to make one yourself – now that’s something special.

With creative travel not only do professional tutors teach you new skills (i.e. learning how to carve), but you can actually meet the people behind the experience.

Here you can see their artistic endeavours through their eyes, gain an understanding of local traditions and the value of their community. It’s a sustainable, emotional and hands-on travel experience that does not need to be expensive. Depending on location, material, food and accommodation many experiences are available at budget prices.

Fortunately, I have found thousands of people all over the world who, like me, enjoy the creative travel experience.

The city of Barcelona, in Spain, has offered creative travel activities since 2006, including photo safaris, mosaic workshops, painting, music classes, and cooking workshops.

Santa Fe in New Mexico, part of UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network, offers a myriad of creative workshops and experiences such as cooking, painting, glass art, theatre, dance and music.

It focuses on local artists that live in or around Santa Fe, thus enhancing the city’s cultural life and offering opportunities for visitors to engage with the local community.

Similar networks and creative travel offerings are now found throughout Europe and even Asia – in Thailand and India.

Often creative travel goes a lot further than the classic painting holiday in Tuscany or Provence.

Nowhere else can you learn how to yodel but in the Alpine valleys of Salzburg or the Tyrol. Or perhaps hunt truffles and take truffle cooking lessons in Umbria or Piedmont, Italy. Creative travel is therefore all about the particular aspects of a certain destination and their unique creativity.

Creative travel in Austria

I am particularly excited about the many possibilities to discover creative travelling in my own backyard – Austria.

I’m constantly on the lookout for and blogging about new experiences available throughout my home country and our Kreativ Reisen network already offers over 100 different creative courses and destinations.

Here you can try yodelling, carving, cooking, baking, painting or jewellery classes.

One great option is with Lucie who originally hails from New York,  she offers creative shopping tours in Vienna meeting local designers, jewellers and food merchants. Her enthusiasm about the creative tourism movement is palpable, and we hope it will continue to bring tourists and locals together in an valued exchange of knowledge and skills.

Elena writes on creative travel. After studying cultural tourism and leisure management at university, she travelled extensively all over the world.
She decided on creative travelling, as the best means of really getting to know a culture.
For Elena promoting Creative Tourism Austria is a dream come true, and she is excited that there is so much for visitors to do and see in Austria.

Category: Blog

Worldwide Timeshare is extending its services to offer a global timeshare exchange club.

The firm will expand on what it already offers under Worldwide Timeshare Exchange, adding more resorts and a range of extra benefits.

The changes come after a management buy-out of the UK-based company.

Following the buy-out from Worldwide Leisure Group, Worldwide Timeshare is now completely owned by its current management team, including managing director Phil Watson.

Worldwide Timeshare, which includes Europe’s largest timeshare resale company Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket, will maintain its separate resale business.

However the company will expand the timeshare exchange services it offers through Worldwide Timeshare Exchange.

Features of Worldwide Timeshare Exchange

Worldwide Timeshare Exchange’s services will be relaunched in the next three months. It is offering:

• Membership at £30 a year.
• Exchanges at £79 a week, regardless of location, size of unit, and time of year.
• Access to bonus weeks at low prices. A week-long holiday booked six weeks before the check in date will be priced from £129 for a studio, £159 for a one-bedroom and £199 for a two bedroom.

The company also plans to launch more new products in the coming months which will bring a number of lifestyle benefits to their customers. One of these will offer timeshare owners the chance to use their investments to pay resort management fees.

Phil Watson said: ”Our current customers will see little physical change – it’s still the same telephone number and the same staff.

“But with our newly found independence, we look forward to accelerating the growth of the two companies and strengthening their positions as market leaders.”

Phil has successfully led the company over the past decade. And even with the current economic challenges facing the travel and leisure industry, he has an extremely positive outlook.

He added: “We have already seized the opportunity to take on new premises and have begun plans to roll-out a new range of holiday products for our existing customers and to open up new markets.”

Category: Timeshare news

I was strolling an ancient but otherwise unremarkable street when I came upon 17th century Bergamo Cathedral, writes Terry Lee.

Unsuspecting, unaware, I stepped inside and was delightfully surprised as another of the northern Italian town’s treasures unveiled itself.

Bergamo Cathedral has a small simple interior with a single nave but is highly decorated with bright white walls, extensive detailing highlighted by gold leaf, marble floors, a baroque altar and elaborate dome.

Bergamo is a town rich in cultural high points, with a mixture of medieval and Renaissance architecture and so many wonderful vistas, and here it was rewarding me with yet another.

As there is little traffic in this hillside town there and its lanes are narrow Bergamo a good place to wander and soak up its history.

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Timeshare consumer association TATOC has announced that LiveShareTravel will be media partner for the TATOC 2012 Conference.

The conference will be held at the Park Royal Hotel, Stretton, near Warrington, from March 9-11 and LiveShareTravel will be reporting all the news and information before, during and after the conference.

During the conference the LiveShareTravel team will be doing video interviews and social media updates bringing all the news from the conference, and you can follow it all on the #TATOC2012 hashtag on Twitter.

TATOC’s executive chairman Harry Taylor said: “We are delighted that one of the world’s leading online magazines promoting timeshare will be supporting this year’s conference. LiveShareTravel showcases the very best in timeshare with news, features and information and we are certain their large number of readers and fans will find the conference speakers and events of great interest.”

Sarah Lee publisher of LiveShareTravel, a TATOC affiliate, said: “We are very pleased to be working with TATOC. Their conference is a very important event and allows timeshare owners and developers to discuss the issues that are vital for the future of the industry. TATOC’s work is crucial to the industry and for ensuring owners are protected and actively involved in the development of their resorts. The conference is also a good opportunity to hear the voice of owners.

“The conference is an invaluable source of information and forum for ideas and debate. We look forward to helping make the TATOC 2012 conference a resounding success.”

On the podium at TATOC 2012 conference  

Speakers include Professor Buhalis, of Bournemouth University who will make the conference’s keynote address. He will focus on the challenges brought by the eTourism revolution and how the Internet has emerged as a pervasive and robust platform for tourism destination distribution and management.

Further information about the venue, sponsorship information and delegate booking forms are available on the TATOC website.

Category: Timeshare news

Timeshare consumer group TATOC is gearing up for their annual conference and say sponsorship has soared beyond their expectations.

TATOC, The Timeshare Association, will be holding their conference ‘Meeting the Challenge’ from March 9-11, at the Park Royal Hotel, Stretton, near Warrington.

TATOC’s executive chairman Harry Taylor said: “We have been delighted and surprised at the huge level of support shown by the industry for the annual conference. The conference is always well supported and attended but this year, with such difficult economic conditions, we were aware that sponsorship might be affected. We needn’t have worried.”

This year the conference’s platinum sponsors include Dial an Exchange, Diamond Resorts, RCI Europe, Silverpoint, Spice and Perspective Magazine, while gold sponsors are Interval International and silver sponsors are Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket.

TATOC holds conference rates

Harry added: “This year we have tried wherever possible to keep our sponsorship and delegate rates the same as last year so we can offer real value for money and an incentive to attend and sponsor. The good news is there are still some sponsorship opportunities available for companies looking to support TATOC.”

This year’s TATOC conference speakers include Simon Jackson of Macdonald Resorts, Suzana Gomercic and Susan Crook of Diamond Resorts, Geoff Chapman of TATOC and The Timeshare Crusader Lisa Ann Schreier. Professor Buhalis, from Bournemouth University, will make the conference’s keynote address.

There is also a question and answer session with a panel of industry experts including Phil Watson of Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket, Dimitris Manikis of RCI Europe, Linda Freer of Resort Solutions, Susan Crook of Diamond Resorts International, Robin Mills of Spice, Simon Jackson of Macdonald Resorts and Paul Mattimoe of Perspective International.

Delegate places are also still available. Further information can be found on the TATOC website or by contacting Harry Taylor.

Category: Timeshare news

Amateur golfers will be able to show off their skills at an annual golf competition on Tenerife this spring.

The Tenerife Golf Trophy is being held from April 21-28 and it is expected that the golf competition will attract golfers from all over Europe.

The golf competition, organised by the Association of Golf Courses on the island, is open to all European golfers as you do not need to have a Spanish Federation Licence to take part.

The golf competition will be held at one of three courses on the island – Abama Golf, between Callao Salvaje and Playa de San Juan, Golf Costa Adeje, in Adeje, and Golf Las Americas, in Playa de las Americas all in the Arona area of southern Tenerife.

The package that the golfers must book in order to take part includes a seven night stay at the participating hotel of their choice, three green fees (with a picnic included), transfers to the courses throughout the tournament and a closing awards gala dinner.

But even if those not taking part in the sporting event, there’s still plenty to do in Tenerife, such as explore Teide National Park, home to Spain’s highest mountain, or you can make the most of some of the island’s great beaches.

Tenerife is proving increasingly popular with golfers, with eight world-class courses and year-round sunshine creating the perfect conditions in which to tee off.

Evi, the non-searching search app has been launched by True Knowledge, a Cambridge based developer.

Not only does the new app have its own database of nearly a billion facts but it can interact with external services such as Amazon, National Rail and Yelp. The great feature about Evi is that, unlike a normal search engine, it doesn’t trawl the internet looking for keywords that match a phrase that has been entered. Instead it’s a thinking app that actually understands natural language. This is an advantage over Siri, the inbuilt iPhone 4S app, which works best with the information already on your phone. Siri can be used to set reminders for your Dads birthday or for a meeting but, it can’t be used for geo-location requests outside the US.

Evi the app that’s appropriate 

With Siri, if you were to type in ‘local coffee shops’ into your phones search engine, you will normally get a worldwide list of coffee shop chains from Google or the history of coffee from Wikipedia. Type the same phrase into Evi and you will get a list of coffee shops local to your area and it will also tell you how far they are from you. Any app that offers us information on the move and saves us time is to be welcomed, and Evi promises to deliver.

The features don’t end there. There is also voice or text input with Evi giving the response back in voice or text, one-tap-words which helps build questions if you’re struggling to find the right words, plus the more questions asked of Evi the more it will ‘learn’ and be able to build up its database.

Evi is available free on Android and for £0.69 on iPhone.

Category: Lifestyle

The annual TATOC conference is set to focus its sights on ‘Meeting the Challenges’ in the timeshare industry with a stellar line-up of speakers.

TATOC, the Timeshare Association will hold their member conference at the Park Royal Hotel, Stretton, near Warrington, from March 9 to 11.

The conference presentations commence on Saturday morning with TATOC executive chairman Harry Taylor, and board member Geoff Chapman, examining how TATOC, resorts and the industry in general are ‘Meeting the Challenges’ – the theme of this year’s conference.

This will be followed by presentations from some of the industry’s leading players including Simon Jackson, chief executive of Macdonald Resorts, who will discuss the importance of a comprehensive exit strategy.

Diamond Resort International’s Suzana Gomercic will consider the challenges facing resort management in Europe while Susan Crook will examine the impact of the European Timeshare Directive one year on.

There will be an international feel with an update on what is happening in the US from Lisa Ann Schreier, The Timeshare Crusader.

Professor Buhalis of Bournemouth University will make the conference’s keynote address. He will focus on the challenges brought by the eTourism revolution.

He will explore how the Internet has emerged as a pervasive and robust platform for tourism destination distribution and management. Web 2.0 and consumer-generated, content-based social media are developing these issues on a global scale. Only resorts, organisations and destinations that can take full advantage of the opportunities will be able to capitalise on the benefits and enhance their competitiveness.

As with previous conferences, the afternoon will include a question and answer session with a panel of industry experts including Phil Watson of Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket, Dimitris Manikis of RCI Europe, Linda Freer of Resort Solutions, Susan Crook of Diamond Resorts International, Robin Mills of Spice, Simon Jackson of Macdonald Resorts and Paul Mattimoe of Perspective International. The panel will discuss the key challenges facing the timeshare industry today and how these can be addressed.

Discover new skills and opportunities at TATOC conference

There will also be a number of break-out sessions covering various industry topics and presentations from TATOC affiliate organisations.

“We are delighted that so many leading players from the timeshare industry are attending this year. This reflects the increasing importance of TATOC as an association,” said TATOC executive chairman, Harry Taylor.

“It will be a great opportunity for networking and for our members to find out what is happening at other resorts and learn about new skills and opportunities.”

Delegate places and sponsorship opportunities are still available. Further information can be found at the TATOC website or by contacting Harry Taylor.