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Travel market slump; Sunnyside up

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 20:33:00 +0000

The UK staycations are here to stay?

I'd love a consumer poll on this. The way I see it is people stay at home in the UK at most twice. And that is pushing it. I would say once but there is a slight chance that you could just pick the one week that it doesn't rain in the summer and be misguided into booking again the following year!!

Last year was the seventh wettest summer ON RECORD and as far as I am concerned this year wasn't much better. Put on top of that the cost of virtually everything and you can begin to see why I reckon families will once again start to holiday abroad next year.

Read the comments currently in the press from some of the 'big guys' in the market place.

Hoseasons chief executive Richard Carrick, speaking prior to the start of the ABTA Travel Convention in Barcelona, accused the trade of having its “head in the sand”.

He said: “Every day an announcement comes from one of the major overseas operators saying that ‘2009 hasn’t been a bad year’ and that things are ‘going to return to normal in 2010’.

“And frankly much of this is at best naive and, at worst, self serving and unsubstantiated.

“Some of these companies may have been able to get by in 2009 by heavy cost and capacity reduction to compensate for margin erosion from discounted late bookings, but to suggest therefore that 2010 will see a recovery in demand smacks of blind optimism.”

Well Mr Carrick may well think this...but he is the CEO of Hoseasons, that despite having a small villa operation abroad, operates in the UK. Hmmm, is he biased??

Yes 2009 has been difficult and yes 2010 is going to be difficult but with good customer service and inventory that can be booked live via the net at the last minute those operators will do well and profit in this shrinking marketplace. If your stock is on the high street with little net coverage then it's time to prey.

Bring on the rain!

Happy luxury holidays

Andy

Flight legroom

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 20:57:00 +0000

Flight additional room.

Watch the video for how they treat you if you ask for more, sir, more!

Travel fee free

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 20:32:00 +0000

Travel fee free.

You may wonder what the image has to do with an article around credit card charges?? Well we think that the image depicts how some companies look at the consumers payments; with deeply resentful eyes and with one looking towards a profit taken from you!

The below story is sourced from the Telegraph and again highlights the benefit of using a Visa Electron card when paying for travel online. Some of the charges for using a card are getting ridiculous. Some companies will openly state they are just 'covering cost'. This is complete tosh, they are profiting with a hidden charge and using credit card companies as the scape goat to rip you off. I know from experience these charges account for around 1% of the companies revenue and so to take anything more than that is pure profiteering.

The previous time we covered this, only a month or so ago moneysavingexpert.co.uk were openly suggesting the use of a Visa Electron and with this latest story it is clearly 'the' way to avoid charges.

The below identifies ,not just airlines this time, but other sectors of the travel marketplace.

Brittany Ferries (0871 244 0744; www.brittanyferries.com) No fee for call centre bookings or debit cards; credit card fee £5 per booking.
British Airways (0844 493 0787; www.ba.com) Call centre fee £5; credit card fee £4.50; no fee for debit cards. Charges are per passenger, per booking.
Bmibaby (0905 828 2828, calls cost 65p per minute; www.bmibaby.com) Call centre fee £7.50; credit card fee £3.75; debit card fee £2.75. Charges are per person, per one-way fare. No fee for payments with a Visa Electron card.
easyJet (0905 821 0905 calls cost 65p per minute; www.easyjet.com) Call centre fee £15; credit card fee £2.95 per cent of the total transaction with a minimum charge of £4; debit card fee £2.95. No fee for payments made using a Visa Electron card.
Eurostar (08705 186186; www.eurostar.com) No fee for call centre bookings or debit cards; credit card fee £3 per booking.
Eurotunnel (08705 353535; www.eurotunnel.com) No fees for call centre bookings, credit card or debit card payments.
Flybe (0871 700 2000; www.flybe.com) Call centre fee £12; credit card fee £3.50; debit card fee £1.50 (minimum £2 per booking). Charges are per person, per one-way flight. No fee for payments with a Visa Electron card.
P & O Ferries (08716 645645; http://go.telegraph.co.uk/?id=296X674&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.poferries.com%2F) Call centre fee £5; credit card fee £2; no fee for debit cards. Charges are per booking.
Ryanair (0871 246 0000; www.ryanair.com) Call centre fee £5; credit card fee £5; debit card fee £5. Charges are per passenger, per one-way fare.

Sourced from the Telegraph online.

When booking travel use a company that doesn't hide it's charges, in fact use one that doesn't have any charges at all!!

Happy luxury holidays!

Andy

How to avoid sunburn

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 19:16:00 +0000

It is really important with the strength of the sun to ensure you are covered up and always have appropriate protection. I read this recently on a bottle of sun cream. I thought for a second I had picked up some contraceptive product, but no it was just for for rubbing into those exposed rather than not so exposed parts!!

The picture to the left was sourced from aha jokes a site I visit once in a while to ease the stress of the day. I saw the poor little tyke and thought my god I hope that chair is stronger than it looks! The poor little thing looks like it can hardly stand let alone if that chair gives way.

Can you imagine it?? Where would the little tyke disappear to exactly? Poor thing would need some serious excavation equipment to ever see the light of day again. For more amusing anecdotes and videos take a look further down this page.. and definitely watch the stand up sketch about the welsh guy in Oz. It's a classic.

Happy holidays

Andy

Top ten travel advice tips

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:54:00 +0000

I thought I'd call this little blog top ten travel advice tips for two reasons.

1. To see how many visitors arrive as a result of a list on google for this term.

2. To discuss just how rubbish top ten lists actually are.

Sorry if you have come to read the top ten travel advice tips but I really am regularly disappointed about these lists. Here's ten reasons why!

1. Top ten lists usually have the most bland and obvious advice.

2. Top ten lists for travel say things like "take a passport" (doh!)

3. Top ten travel advice lists say things like, "Don't forget your medication"

4. Top ten travel lists give advice like, "Make sure you cancel the milk (like who has milk delivered nowadays???)

5. Top ten travel advice lists usually give advice about Travel insurance. Anyone that doesn't have it probably can't read!

6. Top ten travel advice usually includes some staid advice on not overdoing it. What's the point of going on holiday if you are going to stay in, not drink, don't over eat and live like a hermit??

7. Top ten travel lists usually state the obvious like, "if you get injured contact your travel insurance company"

8. Top ten travel advice lists usually run out of ideas by 8!!!

9. Top ten advice lists are marketing ploys and not advice.

10. Lastly, top ten travel lists are written for those that probably shouldn't be allowed to leave the Country in the first place!

Top ten lists are a marketers ploy to get you to their website. They are even starting to appear in the web versions of the broadsheets. Don't read them!!

Happy holidays

Andy

Plane landing on the sea

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 20:01:00 +0000

Unbelievable clip!!

Australia Travel video

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 19:58:00 +0000

Australia Travel video. Why go there then?

Squirrel Vacation Picture

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:34:00 +0000

Squirrel Vacation picture!!

Yes this is the famous Squirrel Vacation picture!

Like a star plucked from obscurity, like the moment Simon Cowell became Mr Xfactor, an Alberta ground squirrel who was banished in obscurity in Banff National Park, Canada, has finally found its name in lights!!

The Canadian Squirrel turned celebrity this week, when holidaymaker Melissa Brandts posted this photo to National Geographic. The magazine posted the shot to its online Daily Dozen gallery .

“We had our camera set up on some rocks and were getting ready to take the picture when this curious little ground squirrel appeared, became intrigued with the sound of the focusing camera and popped right into our shot!” Ms. Brandts wrote in her caption to the picture, which was posted on Aug. 7.

Now the Squirrel is an International star free from collecting nuts in the Lake Minnewanka area of the park, where the photo was snapped in late May this year.

Now the squirrel is everywhere, spawning a viral craze, as photoshoppers take to their mouse pads and place the squirrel into old family photos, a Renaissance painting, and in a compromising position next to a pop star's unmentionables. The “Crasher Squirrel” has also been picked up by multiple media outlets.

“It's cool seeing the photo show up in the cut-and-paste versions. That's fun to see, just to surf the internet once in a while,” said Ms. Brandt's husband Jackson, speaking from their home in Minnesota-St. Paul on Thursday, where the phone has been ringing off the hook. “It kind of reminds me of that gnome commercial, where the garden gnome pops up all over the world.”

“The best shot was the one where we were laughing the hardest,” he said.

When the couple returned from their vacation, they started talking about how best to share the photograph with others. That's when Ms. Brandt suggested National Geographic's “Your Shot” contest, which allows readers to submit their photos and vote on their favourites. The photo with the most votes every month is published in the print edition of National Geographic magazine, according to the site.

“Right now, we're in first place for the month of August,” Mr. Brandt said. The picture was also chosen for the Daily Dozen gallery, some of which are published in print as well.

But it's unlikely that any magazine could accord this Canadian Squirrel photo crasher any more fame than it has already attained, thanks to its American promoters. The couple has been inundated with calls from the media and requests for high-resolution copies from skeptics who say it couldn't possibly be real.

For the most part, the attention has been positive.

“My wife is big into photography. It's good to see something like that get that much attention,” Mr. Brandt said.

But nobody seems more charmed by the scene-stealing squirrel than the owners of the photo.

“A once in a lifetime moment!” Melissa Brandts wrote to National Geographic. “We were laughing about this little guy for days!”

So next time you go to Canada keep en eye out for the little Squirrel, and watch out for your camera!!

Happy holidays

Andy

Hurricane Tracker 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:21:00 +0000

Hurricane Tracker 2009

We frequently get asked about the weather in our resorts. You could predict this (the question about the weather that is) bearing in mind one of the main reasons people from the UK love to travel is to get away from our god damn awful weather!

The link to the Hurricane Tracker 2009 website shows you developing weather fronts and systems around the Caribbean. This software based site is really useful if you are planning a trip to Florida, The Southern States, Mexico or Caribbean. It gives early warning of impending systems around this time of year. It is safe to travel over the Atlantic at this time of year but there are chances of tropical storms.

So click through to the site and take a look at the predictions for this year! If nothing else you will find it interesting.

Happy holidays

Andy

Tips for Travel etiquette

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 13:21:00 +0000

Tips for Travel Etiquette!!

Funniest stand up sketch ever.

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 13:04:00 +0000

The funniest stand up sketch ever!!

Travel news.

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 12:55:00 +0000

Ryanair charges, avoid credit card charges

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 08:32:00 +0000

Ryanair rip off credit card charges. Avoid them!

We have supplied a table below that details the cost of charges to fly with the budget airlines if you pay with credit cards. Ryanair, as usual, charge the most!

Avoid paying credit card charges by using a VISA Electron card to pay for your flights. You can get one from the majority of high street banks.

Take a look at this older post to even get a free coffee on Ryanair and some change to boot!!

And while dreaming for your next trip to paradise take a look at our latest additions. Luxury villas in paradise!!

Ryanair credit card charges

	Pay by Credit card	Pay by Debit card	Pay by Visa Electron
Ryanair	£10 per person	£10 per person	Free
easyJet	£2.95 per payment + 2.5% of transaction	£2.95 per payment	Free
BMI Baby	£7.50 per person	£5.50 per person	Free
Flybe	£7 per person	£3 per person	Free
Aer Lingus	£8 per person	£8 per person	Free
Jet2	3.5% of transaction + 2.25% of transaction	3.5% of transaction (1)	Free
Thomson Airways	2.5% of transaction	£2.95 per payment	Free
SkyEurope	£10 per person	£10 per person	£10 per person
All correct August 09 1) Except for Solo, which is free.

Information provided by Money saving expert.

Happy holidays

Andy

Travel advice, News and Views, Villa holiday advice and information

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 15:17:00 +0000

Travel advice, News and Views, Villa holiday advice and information

Cyprus Holiday villas with pool

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 14:50:00 +0000

Cyprus Holiday Villas with pool

The picture is just one of our luxury villas in Cyprus. We even have them with heated pools so you can enjoy the sun into the shoulder season. They do book up quickly however, so make sure you contact us early to pick your favourite! This one has a heated pool and you can swim in it right up to late October without getting goosebumps!!

Cyprus is best, in my humble opinion, at the end of the summer season. The crowds have gone and you can sample some real Cypriot hospitality without being over run by the school kids on the beach. You really should get out and about. Take a look at our 101 things to do on the island. It's really good and helps you to decide what to do and see before you jet off. You really should always book a Cyprus Holiday villa with a pool to make the most of your stay and it gives you something to come 'home' to at the end of a sightseeing day!

Book one today!

Happy holidays

Andy

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 14:46:00 +0000

Weather Forcast Paphos Cyprus

Check out the weather forecast for Paphos Cyprus by clicking the link. If you haven't booked yet and are still considering your options take a look at the luxury villas at VIPvillas.com. We have some specialoffer late deals right now!

French Chateaus For Rent

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 13:46:00 +0000

Dream of a French Chateau and you conjure up fireside romance and long Country walks through the green hills of France. French Chateau, just the words seen to open up the heart to romance don't they?

Where do you go if you want to rent a Chateau privately? Well, very, very soon VIPvillas.com will be offering French Chateaus for rent. So dream no longer because you will have access to some of the finest Chateau adorned with renaissance artworks and antique French furniture.

In the meantime take a look at this site where you can get a feeling for the luxury property that is coming very very soon. Check back SOON!!

Celebrity Kyle Minogue buys villa in Spain

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 19:49:00 +0000

Australian pop star Kylie Minogue has stepped up her romance with boyfriend Andres Velencos Segura by buying a luxury Spanish villa in his home town.

The 41-year-old pop star has been dating the male model, who is 31, since October last year. And now she has spent a cool $675,000 on a luxury villa in Tossa de Mar,on the Costa Brava.

“Buying a villa in Tossa de Mar shows how serious Kylie is about him, said a source.

Lets hope the lucky lady has many a happy holiday in Spain.

Happy holidays

Andy

Holiday signs.. Have you seen any?

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:32:00 +0000

Marketing is very important don't you think? When working in a field that involves international custom it is always important to check the meaning of words before you jump in! Although I bet, judging British humour this Cafe has gained as many customers as it we would perceive they have lost!

More great travel signs coming during the week.

Holidays on the slide as recession bites

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:50:00 +0000

As lack of money in the pocket starts to eat into household budgets holidays once again seem to be a luxury and not a commodity. What does this mean for the travel industry in the UK?

After such a prolonged period of prosperity it seemed as though holidays were becoming a right as opposed to a luxury. It wasn't a case of 'if' people were going on holiday but how many. Increases in short haul flights fuelled by the low cost airlines hastened changes in the social fabric of society for the '20 somethings'. Stag and Hen trips became a continental trip instead of kiss me quick and the more cultured enjoyed weekend breaks to Venice, Paris and Rome. So has the bubble burst? Well according to the latest research from the management consultancy group Accenture it has. The recession has brought about frugal ways and coupled with increasing flight costs and the collapse of the pound in Europe flights of fancy have most definitely dried up. Even the ubiquitous two week break is on the wane. The research reveals a startling figure of 45% less families going on holiday this next twelve months.

55% of families still plan to take holidays but of this 21% will compromise on going abroad and 19% will be booking less exuberant hotels. The poll also found 38% believe cost to be the most influential factor when booking. A massive 67% believe price is the single most important issue when booking flights.

Only 16% of British travellers use social networking sites when planning a holiday, according to the survey, so does this signal an end to travel sites blogging for SEO exposure? I think it highlights the level of activity and will mean reductions in activity from the professionals.

Accenture travel practice head Alex Christou said: “It is understandable that the current economic situation has changed the way that people spend on big ticket items, and that includes holidays.
“Low cost options will remain the winners as consumers look for inexpensive flights, hotels and location.
“Operators can look to differentiate themselves by extending their value-based offering to include customer service and sales process in order to reach a wider audience and succeed in a difficult market.”

I would go further than this. Alex makes no mention of what the luxury hotels and villa agents should do. There is one route and that is promotion. Promote your product and service with special rates to attract headlines. Follow AIDA to the sales. Awareness, Interest, Desire and Action. The route to any dreaming holidaymaker, whether in a recession or not. Oh, and pray for rain!!

happy holidays

Andy

Cyprus Luxury Holidays

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 20:34:00 +0000

Over the last year Cyprus holidays have been hit and taken the result of a dip in tourism throughout the recession which is still gripping the UK.

Hindered by being much dearer than some of its Greek island contemporaries, and hampered by the exchange rate of the pound against the euro, Cyprus has seen 400,000 fewer British tourists this year compared to last.

When XL Airways went bust in September 2008, confidence was shaken in the industry in Cyprus, XL was one of the primary airlines in Cyprus. Despite events apparently conspiring against the ex-British colony, Cyprus is developing its tourism trade in order to attract more customers.

Cyprus has struggled to attract tourists looking for budget holidays who instead have chosen cheaper options in Corfu, Kos and Skiathos. Cyprus has turned its impression as a luxury resort, to its advantage.

Honing in on the luxury holiday market, the Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO) has changed the emphasis of its marketing strategy to promote an exclusive but expensive holiday destination. Travel Weekly summarised: “Cyprus has long realised that attracting more affluent travellers, who place importance on quality of product rather than price, is key to bumping up numbers.”

Many Cypriot hotels have had a face lift with millions of euros spent in renovations to accommodate the new clientele. Travellers looking to take a luxury holiday in Cyprus want to have an authentic experience of Mediterranean island life, the CTO has invested a lot of resource into creating luxury holiday packages, along with a sustainable tourism initiative. Along with that new strategy the luxury villa rental market continues to improve it's offering.

Photis Lambrianides, the commercial director of Olympic Holidays said that despite the slow start to 2009, sales have picked up: “We believe the market will be a very late one this year and we will be prepared for that,” according to Travel Weekly.

Happy holidays

Andy

Shark leaps into boat. Watch the video!!

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 20:21:00 +0000

CNN Video

Free professional images

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 19:55:00 +0000

Really good images say more about your website than the words written on it. AIDA is a well known marketing theory/concept. Create Awareness, then interest, then desire and then action.

Interesting images create a 'sticky' appeal to a website. They encourage interaction with a site and keep visitors on the site looking through them.

If you click the image here you will be taken to our 'image' page. Here we let you copy images from our site. We load hi-res images on a bi-weekly basis and you can then view and copy them. What do we ask for them? Just link to VIPvillas.com from your site and that's it. Free images for a link and we have an honesty box!! You choose whether to link, we hope you are honest enough to do so.

Happy holidays

Andy

Cannon Beach Oregan

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 15:11:00 +0000

Cannon Beach Oregan. A short guide

Cannon Beach nestles on the East Coast of the States in Oregan. Nearest major city is Seattle with Portland not too far away. We like to bring you places that are not too well known in the UK to provide intrigue and interest to the site and to you. We hope in the not too distant future to be offering you places to stay here. It is the sort of resort you would want to visit while doing the East Coast of the States. It's easy and commercial to say you've done San Fran but not so Cannon Beach. The place has an interesting history with the name coming from a Navy Schooner that broke up in the mouth of the Columbia river. One of it's cannons washed ashore hence the name. After 161 years a storm hit the town (in February this year) and afterwards two more cannons could be visible through sand that had been washed away in the storm. The view to sea is dominated by 'Haystack rock' and this is reminiscent of a rock formation more at home in Thailand, Phi Phi island to be precise. The sunsets at Cannon Beach are magnificent, looking out over the Pacific Ocean.

A quaint little town well worth a visit.
Cannon Beach Oregan... on your to do list!!

The Last Resort Trailer

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 14:44:00 +0000

Trailer for The Last Resort

This film is about a hen holiday weekend that goes horribly wrong. Not to scare you too much about Mexico but the picture is a horror that sets the heart pounding and is a 'view only if stable' film. Newly released and starring Paulie Rojas, Marissa Tait, Sita Young, Arianne Zucker it will put you off hen do's for life!

THE LAST RESORT is a chilling tale of Kathleen, a bride to be, and her bridesmaids Sophia, Jessica, Beth, and Amber who travel to Mexico in hope of having a last "do" before the wedding. After some hard partying, Sophia splits from the group with a handsome guy called Rob. Meanwhile the other girls decide to take a tour of the countryside without her (like you do in a horror film), but are attacked and left for dead in a remote desert terrain. As night falls, the tired and injured girls decide to take shelter at an abandoned resort until morning.

While foraging to comfort their stay, the girls become overwhelmed by an omnipresent dark evil that possesses the resort. During a frantic search to find the missing girls, Sophia and Rob discover the resort and desperately attempt to help their friends break free. But an indescribable evil has taken control of all who travel to The Resort.

It just goes to show you really, really need to be careful when booking hen holiday do's!!! Book a lovely villa with us and I guarantee you won't be eaten by a zombie (or your money back!). Seriously, this film is worth watching if you like things that go bump in the night view the trailer on Youtube by clicking the link

The last resort trailer Scary, scary, scary!!!!