Cheap Flight Pioneer Plans Extra Malta Routes

By: Michael Johnson



The Irish based pioneering airline that first brought low cost airlines to Malta has done well enough to start new routes to the island.

Ryanair, the Irish based low cost airline, were the first airline to win the right to fly to Malta from the island's main markets for tourism of Ireland and the UK.

The first route launched has been running between London's Luton Airport since November, while the Dublin route had its inaugural flight in March. Both routes have attracted good seat occupancy levels, with tourist numbers in Malta rising.

The new route will run between Bremen in Germany to Malta and will be a welcome addition for Malta's attempt to attract more German tourists to the island.

Operating three times a week, it is hoped that the first flights will begin in September.

Before the new flights began last November, estimates suggested that the low cost airline could add an extra 80,000 tourists to the island in 2007, but this figure has been radically upgraded to double that.

Malta's slow pace of life might have contributed to the late introduction of low cost flight to Malta deals compared to her competitors, or it could have been politicians and the tourist authorities more interested in protecting the island's national airline with attitudes that the rest of Europe began to shrug off in the 80's, but whatever the reason, now that Malta has allowed the low cost airlines, they can't get enough of them.

The number of visitors to Malta is up nearly ten per cent this year, thanks mainly to the extra arrivals being delivered by the low cost airlines. And the extra holiday makers couldn't have come at a better time as the island has seen steadily decreasing tourists numbers in recent years - the ultimate factor in the decision to allow the flights in.

With tourism numbers up, tourism chiefs have seen the magic bullet that has driven the statistics, and embraced the concept of low air fares whole heartedly.

While Malta has previously received most of their visitors from the UK, the idea of diversification has become possible as low cost airlines operate from most European countries, and the island is already receiving flights from Germany and Spain.

The country has let it be known that they will welcome applications for flights from Scandanavia and other areas of Europe.

The u-turn is now complete, from a backward looking slow to respond tourist office, to one that sees a quick fix to Malta's previous declining popularity as a holiday destination.

Helping Malta's image in the UK, Germany and other countries have been reports placing Malta at the top of tourist safety tables.

An American journalist last year placed the small Mediterranean island of Malta as one of the five safest travel destinations in the world, and a new report from the US this year confirms Malta as one of the safest vacation spots in the world.

This year's report bears more official weight than the previous one by a travel writer, as it was compiled by the US State Department.

Commenting on Malta, the report praises the island for the non existence of organised crime, especially surprising perhaps given her proximity to mainland Italy - and closer still to Sicily.

A surprise for many who have driven in Malta is that the report considers the island's roads to be safe. But this is backed up by official EU figures showing Malta has the lowest road related fatalities of all their members.



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Author - Michael Johnson

Location - http://contentdragon.com/content/recreation/aviation/cheap-flight-pioneer-plans-extra-malta-routes/

Andorra Welcomes Summer Snow

By: Paul la Vella



Europe's weather this summer has been a strange mix, with different countries experiencing greatly differing weather patterns.

Mediterranean countries such as Greece have seen temperatures soar over the hundred farenheit mark, while in the UK floods caused misery for hundreds of thousands of people.

The floods affecting large parts of England have claimed four lives, and left a hundred thousand homes without water for two weeks in parts of Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

Insurance companies have warned that the floods will cost small businesses millions, and insurers are expecting tens of millions in claims from homeowners. The British government has offered emergency aid to the worst affected areas to help with the cost of the clear-up. Yorkshire in the north of England saw some of the heaviest flooding, with thousands of homes left without power and three people dying.

But extreme weather, with snow in July, was a welcome sight in the French Pyrenees and Andorra in particular which had little snow in their usual ski season of December to April, bringing hope that this winter will see a good level of snow.

Andorra is a ski country and a well known tax haven, and traditionally the year gets off to a flying start with many serious skiers.

But this year proved to be different, with the worst snow falls for twenty years and a distinct lack of tourists.

Andorra has invested heavily in new infrastructure and facilities for the ski tourist in recent years, which would make a second successive poor season particularly hard to bear for the Andorra ski and snowboarding industry, if there is a lack of snow for the 2007-8 season as well.

This year Andorra opened a new family friendly ski park in Arinsal, moving away from her old image of a cheap and cheerful ski holiday for 18-30 year olds to one that caters well for all. The snow park includes a conveyor belt and a game zone, designed to give children confidence before they ski and use the chair lifts.

Andorra is fortunate compared to many regions where ski holidays are an important part of the economy, as it is also a tax haven, second only to Monaco in Europe for popularity, and equal in tax benefits.

As well as attracting new residents with high net wealth who contribute to Andorra's economy while in residence with their spending power, Andorra has a good banking system that provides good employment prospects.

To obtain residency in Andorra, applications need to be submitted in Catalan. A notarised copy of the applicants passport, birth certificate and a certificate of good conduct from the home country are submitted at the same time. Residency normally takes between three and six months to be approved.

While the snow would often start in early November before this ski season, disastrously no sustained snow periods arrived until March this year.

No official figures have been released yet as to how many tourists visited this year, but some officials are reported to be guessing at a year on year fall of ten per cent. Private businesses suggest the figure could be closer to forty per cent. Given that private businesses see financial figures on a daily basis most people in the Andorra tourist industry are veering towards the higher forty per cent figure rather than what could be an optimistic official estimate.

Despite good snow in mid March and full occupancy at Easter, it was decided not to prolong the agony of Andorra's worst tourist season for a generation, and the slopes were closed at the end of the Easter holidays, some three weeks earlier than some previous ski seasons.

Andorra has come a long way since the mid eighties when most ski tourists were under the age of twenty five and looking for a cheap ski holiday. With investment in hotels and in the ski slopes Andorra now competes on level terms with other European ski resorts. But unless Europe's weather returns to the familiar pattern of recent decades, all the investment Andorra has made in ski tourism could be for nothing, with thousands of ski holidays being left unsold.



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Author - Paul la Vella

Location - http://contentdragon.com/content/recreation/travel/andorra-welcomes-

summer-snow/




Guia De Los Medios De Comunicacion De Espana Andorra Y Gibraltar

Good Reasons To Visit Malta

By: Michael Johnson



When thinking about a tour of Europe, it might be worth considering taking advantage of great airfare rates and visit the island of Malta, a land filled with history and mystery.

Malta comprises an archipelago of islands nestled in the warm waters of the Mediterranean about halfway between the coast of North Africa and Sicily. The cluster of islands makes up the southernmost border of Europe and consists of five islands: Malta, Gozo and Comino, along with two smaller uninhabited islands called Filfla and Cominetto.

Malta has figured in European history for centuries as a strategic point that joins Europe and Africa. Trade routes have passed through Malta since the beginning of mankind, and most of them left traces of their existence on her rocky slopes and pristine beaches. Thanks to low-budget airline carriers, more people than ever before are experiencing the unique history of this tiny island and reaping the benefits. Since low-fare airlines have added Malta and Gozo to their itineraries, island residents have pulled out the welcome mat in an effort to boost their tourist industry. Since 2006, more than 45,000 travelers from around the world have visited and been enchanted with the Maltese islands and people, who are more than anxious to open their arms in welcome to global visitors.

Due to additional airlines adding Malta to their destination offers, the Maltese Tourism Minister recently expressed the hope that more than 100,000 people will travel to the islands for some fun in the sun in 2007. Major European airlines such as Air Malta, Ryanair and Alitalia are offering lower fares than ever before. Ryanair is offering flights from London to Malta for less than 40 that's less than US$80! Malta's sister island, Gozo, is actively promoting itself as being agro- and eco-friendly, prompting tourists who support environmental issues and programs to come to the island to learn how to make cheese, along with learning how to milk and shear sheep.

While some travelers may not want to get involved in sheep care, the move is intended to support the fact that the Maltese islands are still very much involved in caring for their natural resources. Gozo is a tiny island that serves as a relaxing weekend getaway for not only the citizens of Malta, but also those flying north from Africa or south from Italy and Spain.

Communicating in Malta shouldn't be a problem for most travelers, as two major languages are spoken on the island: Maltese and English, and Malta hotel owners assure visitors with a warm welcome.

Maltese is similar to classic Arabic, with traces of Hebrew and Lebanese mixed in. However, the younger generation has also begun speaking Italian in recent years, making communication for Europeans even easier.

Malta's historical relics and locations serve as a drawing point to visitors interested in history as well as politics. The tiny island withstood the ravages of the Arabs, Carthaginians and Napoleon Bonaparte. She bravely stood her ground against Nazi bombing runs that may have decimated her landscape, but failed to intimidate her inhabitants. In 1942, the island of Malta received a George Cross medal from King George VI for her brave tenacity.

Whether flying from European or African destinations, thousands of travelers are discovering the beauty and history that Malta has to offer. As one of the newest of popular destinations in 2007, Malta promises to enthrall visitors from neighboring countries as well as more distant ones. Perhaps the best time to visit Malta is now, before the secret gets around too fast. After all, it's nice to have white sandy beachfronts all to yourself, isn't it?



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Author - Michael Johnson

Location - http://contentdragon.com/content/recreation/travel/good-reasons-to-visit-malta/

A Visit to Germany, Italy and Malta 1840-1841 (A Poet's 


Bazaar I-II)

Dahab Egypt Scuba Diving and Back Packing

By: babz



15 years ago I was 20 years old and was told by a far and wide travelled friend about a small bedouin camp in the desert of Egypt on the Red Sea called Dahab. She spoke of a beach lined with makeshift cafes. Diving, snorkeling and windsurfing on a pristine piece of abundant and pristine coral reef. Friendly Egyptians happy to have visitors and ready with a horse, camel, quad or 4x4 for rent to explore the dunes and lonely beaches. I had an upcoming trip planned to Europe and was determined to work in a stop in Egypt after these stories of laid back hippy life on a coastal oasis.



I started out in London, culture shock was not an issue in any way being from Canada and going to western Europe. As I headed south and into Italy I started to feel further from home. Once I arrived in Greece I was fully aware of a difference in my way of life and theirs. Women for one thing were openly ogled and cat called with the odd bum pinch to boot. I was also very aware of the cleanliness standards being very different.



I caught a cheap flight to Cairo, Egypt from Athens. I was overwhelmed. One of the most populated and impoverished cities in the world, it was a lot to take in. The frighteningly fast and noisy cab ride on a freeway with 4 lanes filled with 5 lanes of traffic which included camel caravans and donkey carts. The horns didn't stop as that is the main signaling system there, with no regard of stop signs or lights. 30 million people praying on the sidewalks 5 times a day. An outward dislike of western women and "their" ways but a secret and somewhat disgusting urge for them. An inability to walk 5 steps on the streets without peddlers and beggars bombarding your way. I couldn't get away from that city fast enough.



Luckily I was able to obtain transportation quickly and easily as everyone you speak to has a brother or cousin who is a driver of some sort of bus or van. I opted for the more expensive chartered bus line with a/c. I figured it would be one of my only luxuries there. That was a mistake as I soon learned. I was packed onto a large bus not unlike what we'd have here however the facilities had overflown down the isle. The a/c was cranked full blast as this is a luxury for everyone there and must be taken advantage of. I was the only woman and my travel partner and I were the only foreigners. Every single person there chain smoked as it is one of the only drugs a Muslim is allowed, so with closed windows it got pretty hazy. From the front which is where I sat, a t.v. blared bollywood movies too loud to sleep through. We had 3 stops and each one had some sort of road tax or fee for us to pay in US dollars. You don't have a lot to argue in the middle of the desert on an unmarked stop at night. There was one much needed and expensive bathroom break at a cafe, the owner probably a brother or cousin of the driver's. I don't remember exactly how long the trip took but it was something like 15 hours of hell.



We arrived at dusk in Dahab. We had our Lonely Planet suggested hostel mapped out and wandered the 1 of 3 streets in town to the far end where we found the concrete hut compound that would be home. The owner was Abraham, a happy fellow with a love of travelers. We soon found the reason for his eternal smile was the small ball of paste-like brown opium in his lower lip, a standard for many there. He was glad to have us stay and gave us a square hut equipped with a sectioned of hole and hose to be used as... you guessed it, the bathroom. It was as safe and secure as you'd get anywhere in Egypt. The rent was ridiculously cheap, $2 a night or deals for longer stays. There was a small courtyard in the middle of the huts and on one side was a shower hut with actual toilets which actually turned out to be our biggest luxury of the whole Egyptian trip. We had a bed and made use of it as soon as he was done the tour.



When we woke we figured we'd check out the closest cafe on the beach. This was easy to find. The whole length of beach in town was lined with cafes and restaurants. They laid out woven mats and big cushions on the sand to lounge on. Low tables with hookahs were staggered about. So we pulled up a cushion and resigned ourselves to go with the flow. We decided through many warnings from friends, locals and travel books to be safe with food and water. We had the safest sounding things on the menu and our own bottled water. We soon found a small shop that carried sealed water bottles and canned tuna which became a mainstay. I still managed to get amoebic dysentery which is another story too disgusting to tell in which I very narrowly escaped with my life.



We talked to some other guests at our hut hotel about cheap diving, dive spots and certification. I was set up with equipment, wet suit and instructor and within a half an hour I was under water. After a couple hours of instruction and supervision I was set to my own devices. Not the safest training but they did give me a card and were happy to rent me the gear on a daily or weekly basis. The reefs were incredible, teeming with fish and colour. You could swim off the beach in town and see another world or you could head a few km's down the coast to the Blue Hole. There was not a lot of knowledge of preservation for the reefs so people just went for it. I feared the worst for these delicate pieces of underwater heaven.



My 5 day trip to Dahab stretched out into 4 weeks right through Christmas and New Year's. There were frequent trips organized on the fly in town to the desert for full moon parties or to Mount Sinai to hike in the crisp desert sunrise. I met a lot of backpackers who had made this reclusive Bedouin camp their home. One Belgian guy had come 7 years earlier for a week, flew home, sold everything, bought a windsurf board and came right back never to leave again. There was something about this quiet hippy-haven that drew you in and made you forget. Was it the calm waves over the endless beaches? Was it the breeze through the surrounding mountains? Was it the hookah pipes and opium paste? Whatever it was it attracted a certain kind of laid back, adventurous traveler.



I planned my trip back to Cairo by mini-van, a better choice though very over packed. Kids on laps and 5 squished onto a bench seat for 3 with people on the floor too. Luggage haphazardly tossed onto the roof. Maybe it was the mix of people sweating together or maybe I was totally unwound but I slept most of the drive back to the city. I left Egypt with a lot of mixed feelings about the country but I love of my little home in the desert.



Since I was there, Dahab has become a major destination for Europeans on cheap charters and divers from the world over. There are several 5 star resorts, paved roads and sidewalks, streetlights, and even chairs on the beach. I hear there is still a hippy presence but it would be mixed with families overflowing out of the resorts onto the streets, beach cafes and reefs. I hope it is a balanced mix because the mellow feel of Dahab has not been duplicated anywhere else I've been in the world. Hopefully too, they have realized the value to the earth the coral reefs have and found a way to preserve and protect them.



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Author - nicole bablitz

Location - http://contentdragon.com/content/recreation/travel/dahab-egypt-scuba-diving-and-back-packing/

Le crabe nageur de Djibouti

Growing Demand For One Bedroom Holiday Property Rentals

By: Olly Symonds
If you're looking to invest in overseas property to rent out, and don't know whether you should be buying a brand new apartment in a city, or a rambling farmhouse in the middle of nowhere, have a think about who your target market is. As tempting as it may be to buy a four or five bedroom house / villa knowing that your weekly rental rate will be quite substantial, think again.

There is an increasing demand for one bedroom places from young professionals without children who are escaping the rat race for some relaxation on their holidays. Whether you purchase a secluded and romantic hideaway or a modern city apartment, you will find that the demand is there and it is this size of property which gives you regular bookings year-round.

Owners of small properties such as these are saying that their calendars are booked way in advance and that even if they own a two bedroom place, it is often booked by a couple, leaving one bedroom free. What is also particularly appealing about renting to a couple is that their dates are unlikely to be dictated by school holidays. So when most property owners are struggling to fill term time places in their three or four bedroom villas, you should be able to get business all year round. In fact, people who don't have to take their holidays during school term time will be more inclined to pick other times of year when the flight prices and property rental prices are lower.

What are these couples looking for in their holiday? Well, each to their own, but it's quite likely that they are seeking something romantic and private, whether it's a city break or a rural retreat. So it's worth ensuring that your property has all the added touches; that doesn't mean you need infinity pools and butler service (although that would be great!) but it doesn't cost much to leave a bottle of wine on the mantelpiece to greet them, a good stock of candles and a list of intimate local restaurants and bars.

These days the options for holidays are vast. There are thousands of self catering properties to choose from and to ensure good business you need to stand out from the crowd by concentrating on these extra finishing touches to ensure that your visitors' holiday lives up to their expectations.

Olly Symonds is the co-founder of One Off Places, a holiday property rentals website specifically geared towards individual and one-off style properties. Launched in 2007 it offers users the chance to search for exactly what they want on their holiday, whether it's a secluded farmhouse, a penthouse apartment or a luxury villa.
Lenox Holiday Standard Quilt Sham, Multi
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