Millions due to holiday overseas during Olympics

Rain at home and the weak euro is scuppering the Government's "staycation" drive.

Millions of British holidaymakers are expected to escape the country during the Olympics, despite the best efforts of the Government and the sponsors of London 2012 to persuade more people to take a holiday at home.

VisitEngland’s “staycation” campaign, which featured celebrities such as Stephen Fry, Julie Walters and Rupert Grint, each extolling the virtues of a domestic holiday, angered tour operators earlier this year.

Meanwhile, British Airways – the official airline partner of the Games – was criticised this week for running a marketing campaign declaring: “Don’t fly. Support Team GB.”

But research by tour operators and travel agents has revealed that the campaigns have not had a significant impact on Britons’ travel habits.

Instead, recent wet weather, concerns over high hotel prices in London during the Olympics, and the continuing strength of sterling against the euro – one pound currently buys more than €1.20, up by around 10 per cent compared with last summer – appear to have encouraged many Britons to head overseas between July 27 and August 12.



Lastminute.com, the online travel agent, said bookings for holidays during those dates were up by 207 per cent on last year, while a survey carried out by Amadeus – a travel technology provider – suggested that one in five British adults will be taking an overseas holiday during the Games.

“While the Olympics undoubtedly presents a very exciting prospect for a lot of people, our survey shows that there are also plenty who are looking to get away,” said Diane Bouzebiba, managing director of Amadeus.

Research by Abta, the travel association, supported the findings, while a recent survey conducted by Travelzoo – the holiday offers website – suggested that 30 per cent of Britons would be heading abroad during the Olympics.

The survey found that travellers appeared particularly keen to take advantage of the weak euro, with the most popular destinations proving to be the Mediterranean favourites of Spain and Greece.

Joel Brandon-Bravo, Travelzoo’s UK managing director, said that flight prices were higher than they would normally be in late July and early August, but said this had encouraged hoteliers to cut their rates. He added that some of the best deals could be found in Turkey and the Balearics, with some packages discounted by up to 65 per cent.

Britain’s two biggest tour operators, Thomas Cook and TUI UK & Ireland, the parent company of Thomson and First Choice, confirmed that the Games had not had a negative impact on bookings. Both companies said bookings to Egypt and Tunisia were once again strong , despite recent unrest.

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Motoring costs rise on the Continent

Motoring costs rise on the Continent.

Fuel prices have risen steeply in destinations popular with British visitors, a survey has found.

British holidaymakers planning on taking their cars to Europe this summer can expect increased costs after a survey found that fuel pump prices have risen sharply in some of the most popular destinations.

Since 2007, the cost of a litre of fuel has increased by up to 82 per cent on the Continent, with Italy, France, Spain and Switzerland now offering the worst value for motorists, according to research conducted by the Post Office.

Motorists can now expect to pay £1.37 a litre, up 82 per cent on 2007, in Switzerland, while the popular destinations of France, Spain and Italy have seen increases of around 60 per cent over the five-year period.
Italy and France also offer the worst value for drivers of unleaded cars, at £1.67 and £1.48 per litre respectively.

According to the survey, British holidaymakers remain undeterred, with only eight per cent of respondents saying the high fuel prices would put them off taking their car to Europe.




However, the strength of sterling against the euro has seen a fall in pump prices for British holidaymakers when compared with 2011.

The countries offering the best value for motorists were Luxembourg and Andorra, but drivers to Italy will find the cost of a litre of diesel up 10 per cent on last year to £1.49 per litre.

Drivers of diesel cars will find the cost of filling up cheaper on the Continent than in Britain.

“Our research shows that UK holidaymakers are not deterred by the high fuel prices they will find when driving in some countries this summer,” said Andrew Brown, the Post Office’s head of travel money.

“However, it also revealed that some advance route planning with petrol prices in mind could help them cut costs.

"A good tip is to fill up before leaving the UK if travelling to France or Belgium in a petrol car, divert into Luxembourg if travelling south through eastern France or detour into Andorra en route to Spain.

If you are driving a diesel car, fill up as soon as you arrive on the Continent as it is much cheaper in Europe than in the UK.”

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Take a break where the spa's the star

From taking the waters in Bath and Cheltenham to diamond facials, hot tubs and manicures for men, the art of pampering in the UK has come a long way.

British spas have come a long way since "taking the waters" came into fashion in towns such as Bath and Cheltenham. Now every hotel worth its Dead Sea salts has a treatment room, if not a full-blown Roman tepidarium. Many treatments are tailored to our busy lives. Champneys (0843 316 2222; champneys. com) offers a Bamboo Massage for people who slouch at their desk all day (£65), while the Blue Harbour Spa at Wyndham Grand London (020-7823 3000; wyndhamgrandlondon.co.uk) has a VOYA Environmental Defence facial (£75), to combat pollution. Specialist booking agents include Health and Fitness Travel (0845 544 1936; healthandfitnesstravel.com) and spabreaks.com (0800 043 6600).



Of course don't just take our word for it have a look at the following famous quotes:

"To keep the body in good health is a duty... otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear." Buddha

"If the body be feeble, the mind will not be strong." Thomas Jefferson, US President

"Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop." Ovid, Roman Poet

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Third of London hotel rooms empty for Olympics

London’s hotels are facing a dramatic loss in profits with a third of rooms unsold over the summer after tourists have been put off by the Olympics, a survey has found.

"Third of London hotel rooms empty for Olympics as 'normal' tourists stay away"

The boom to the economy that the Government hoped the Games would bring to the capital appears to become a bust with tens of thousands to tourists spurning the hiked prices, congestion and heightened security.

While bookings for July and August are down by 35 per cent on last year other European capitals appear to be prospering from London’s gloom.

French ministers, who lost the Olympic bid to Britain, might be quietly rubbing their hands with glee not only for dodging the £10 billion Games bill but also with a 50 per cent rise in tourism bookings. Similarly Barcelona and Berlin have seen their tourist numbers soar by 100 per cent over the summer.

Part of London’s problems have been caused by the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG) block booking 40,000 rooms over the period for officials and their families. Hotels then increased prices for remaining rooms only for Locog to return a fifth of the rooms earlier this year.

This has distorted the market place commented a spokesperson of JacTravel, whose customers include travel agents and hotel websites.

They told BBC Radio Four Today programme that Locog had said the “prices are going to stand up and people are going to come” but this has not happened.

“If you lose a third of your availability and believe that that’s sold for you in the market place then that’s probably going to change your approach to how your price your remaining stock. The fact is that that stock did not sell when you look at our data with seven weeks left to go in market.”

JacTravel found that four-star London hotels were charging up to £415 per night which was nearly four times normal prices.

A survey by Hotel.com found that prices in London have increased by 104 per cent with the average room costing £213 this summer.

The JacTravel spokesperson added that “normal tourism” in other Olympic capitals such had Sydney, Beijing and Barcelona had dropped significantly during the Games and “took some time to recover”.

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Weymouth, Dorset: the jewel of the south for the 2012 Olympics

Visitors to Weymouth for the sailing at the 2012 Olympics will be won over by its wonderful beaches, wild coastal walks and rich history.

When it comes to seaside holidays it is location that counts; and Weymouth, wrapped around by Dorset’s Jurassic Coast – England’s first and only natural World Heritage Site – basks in a setting unmatched by any other south coast resort.

Visitors have been flocking to its golden sands ever since 1789, when Mad King George III took his first royal dip in the briny, using a newfangled bathing machine – a kind of beach hut on wheels. Although he didn’t know it, as he emerged from the waves while a band played God Save the King he had put Weymouth on the map, and turned sea bathing into a national pastime.

With its elegant Georgian seafront, best sandcastle beach ever and a harbour deep enough for Channel Island ferries, Weymouth is no run-of-the-mill seaside resort. Radipole Lake – an RSPB reserve of whispering reeds and flights of wildfowl – reaches into the heart of the town, and at Portland Harbour is the National Sailing Academy, where the main Olympic events will be staged.

All 4,600 tickets for the main viewpoint at the Nothe Gardens were snapped up long ago. You could watch from the Smugglers’ Inn at Osmington Mills or Furzy Cliffs at Bowleaze Cove, but all you will see are small white triangles.



Far better to head for the two giant screens on the beach, which have an accompanying commentary so you will know exactly what is going on. There’s enough room for 15,000 people and it is free, although you will be clicked in through the turnstiles to avoid overcrowding.

Rising behind the Olympic village is England’s Gibraltar – the Isle of Portland. An island in name only, this four-mile slab of solid limestone is joined to the mainland by Chesil Beach. It’s a weird place, bleak and windswept, with a prison at one end and a lighthouse at the other. Half of London, including St Paul’s Cathedral and the Banqueting House in Whitehall, was dug from its quarries.

Peregrine falcons patrol its cliffs and the tidal race streaming south from Portland Bill is one of the most powerful in Europe, flinging up steep, confused waves that come at you from every direction. From the New Ground car park near the Portland Heights Hotel you can follow an eight-mile coastal walk right around the island with glorious views.

Westward lies Chesil Beach, one of the geological wonders of the world, a giant bank of sea-heaped pebbles connecting Portland to the mainland at Wyke Regis and then sweeping away in an unbroken curve with hardly so much as a beach hut to spoil its tawny symmetry.

Events
Olympic torch relay in Dorset: July 12-14
Olympic sailing: July 29-Aug 11
Paralympic sailing: September 1-6
Spirit of the Sea: Weymouth & Portland Maritime Festival, June 30 to July 15. Two weeks of sport, cultural events and a spectacular carnival procession coinciding with the Dorset Seafood Festival (01305 208714; spiritofthesea.org.uk).

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UK Holidays Are A Great Idea

According to a recent article by Direct Travel Insurance, the UK is a great place to take a holiday if you want a relaxing break without the hassle of jumping on a plan abroad.

Has there ever been so much to see and do in Britain as this year? Probably not! Britons don’t only have the fantastic occasions of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and London Olympics to give them a reason to explore our beautiful country, but a host of other events too.

They go on to give 5 great reasons to take a ‘staycation’ and make the most of brilliant Britain. Taking out a UK travel insurance policy will provide peace of mind to the Britons that they are covered in the event of a problem.

So instead of flying abroad, why not:

1.   Book a country break or city stay to make the most of the four-day-weekend giving Britons a Diamond Jubilee double bank holiday from 2 – 5 June. It’s too good an opportunity to miss.

2.   Catch the Olympic buzz early by seeing the Torch Relay as it winds throughout the country from Land’s End on 18 May to London on 27 July. During the Games event will be taking place as far afield as Weymouth (sailing), Broxbourne (canoeing) and Hadleigh (mountain biking.)

3.   Enjoy movie mania at the new Making of Harry Potter Warner Bros. Studio Tour near Watford, with iconic film sets ranging from Dumbledore’s office to the Weasleys’ kitchen and the Great Hall. Or head to Scotland for the spectacular scenery featured in the epic battles and mystical legends of the new Disney Pixar film Brave, out in June.

4.   Mark the centenary of the Titanic in Belfast with a trip to the new multi-million pound visitor attraction recounting the tragedy of the ill-fated liner. Visitors can relive the story of the doomed ship with full-scale reconstructions, dark rides and special effects.

5.   Pull on your hiking boots and head to Wales, where 850 miles of coastline have just opened up to walkers. This makes Wales one of the only countries on earth where visitors can walk along the entire length of the coastline on marked trails.

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Extra trains put on as Britain prepares for Jubilee getaway

The countdown to the great British Bank Holiday getaway has begun, with millions of people set to be on the move - either heading to London for the Jubilee festivities or making the most of the holiday to get away.

Heathrow Airport expects to handle 2.9 million passengers in the next two weeks, with 780,000 overseas travellers due to arrive at the west London airport between today and bank holiday Tuesday.

And UK travel organisation ABTA has predicted that as many as many six million Britons will be taking advantage of the four-day weekend with a holiday abroad or in the UK over the period June 2-5.

The Diamond Jubilee celebrations will not be without their travel restrictions, but across the country, railways and roads are reducing their planned improvement works as much as possible.

Although the Highways Agency has suspended roadworks on some English motorways and A roads, some restrictions will stay in place for safety reasons.

Unlike most weekends, London Underground will be running near normal services over the bank holiday weekend, with only the Waterloo & City line not operating and with part-suspensions on the London Overground line.

Many main line train companies that run services to and from London will be providing additional trains or carriages at times to cope with those visiting the capital for Jubilee events.

The rail industry said the vast majority of passengers travelling over the bank holiday weekend would experience no disruption because of engineering work.

But buses will replace trains on some routes. One service affected is the Stansted Express which takes passengers between Liverpool Street station at Stansted Airport in Essex.

There will be a reduced service on this route from Saturday until bank holiday Tuesday.

Around four million people plan to holiday in the UK over the weekend, according to ABTA, with another two million going abroad.

The Highways Agency said around 275 miles of roadworks will be completed before the weekend and a further 43 miles of works would be lifted from 6am on Friday to midnight on Tuesday.

Among works still in place will be those on the M1 between junctions 10 and 13 in the Luton area of Bedfordshire.

The AA and traffic information company Trafficmaster said the main getaway is likely to be on Friday afternoon and on Saturday.

Busy spots are likely to include the A303 from the M3 through Hampshire, Wiltshire and Somerset; the M5 in the West Country and the M6 through Staffordshire and Cheshire into Lancashire.

AA patrolman of the year Andy Smith said: 'Our research shows that many people will be staying closer to home to celebrate the Jubilee, so most traffic congestion is going to be quite localised.

'However, the main 'getaway' routes will still be very busy this Friday and Saturday, so if you are heading off, allow extra time for your journey or avoid the peak period.'

The survey also showed that 14 per cent said a road near them was being closed for a street party or a similar Jubilee event.

Among Londoners, this figure rose to 20 per cent, but only 3 per cent of Scots said there would be road closures in their area.

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