The government’s £3 million ‘Holiday at Home’ advertising campaign has had no impact on over two thirds (67%) of people who still plan to head abroad  for the sunshine this summer.

The UK can have the most ghastly summer holiday weather, and thats the reason this ad campaign failed so miserably.

UK HOLIDAYMAKERS WANT SUNSHINE.

A further 13% of people admitted that they had not seen the adverts. And for one in every 25 people, the advertising campaign has actually made them less likely to holiday in Britain.

The North East and North West are the regions most positively affected by the advertising – with a fifth (19%) of people in both regions now more likely to holiday in the UK.

Scotland was the least positively affected area, where 1 in 10 (9%) said that the advertising campaign has made them less likely to holiday in Britain.

1. Sharm El Sheikh 2. Paphos 3. Cala Bola 4. Marmaris 5. Sorrento 6. Costa Adeje 7. Playacar 8. Pefkos 9. Ca’N Picafort 10. Port El Kantoui

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Spanish Tour operators have expressed disappointment at plans for a nightly tourist tax in Barcelona and resorts in the Costa Brava from November 1.

The idiotic regional government of Catalunia is introducing the tax of between 50 cents (40p) and €2.50 (£2) a night on all overnight stays in Catalonia after months of wrangling.

It covers one to five star hotels, apartments, campsites and rural tourism accommodation and will be collected as holidaymakers check out of their accommodation.

It will be €1.25 (£1) for four-star accommodation in Barcelona and €1 (80p) for the rest of Catalonia, and €2.50 (£2) for five star accommodation.

The tax will only apply to adults and will not apply for more than seven nights. It should also be restricted to two people per room – a maximum of €5 (£4) per night.

If as is expected Greece defaults, then the country will descend into chaos, with hardly anyone getting paid.

Can you imagine the chaos at the airport if that happens!!!!

All-inclusive resorts may be being unfairly singled out for damaging local economies, according to new research from the Travel Foundation.

The results of the study were released as the Travel Foundation confirmed that its annual Make Holidays Greener week would this year be extended to a full month in July.

The report, which was carried out in Tenerife, identified eight types of tourists, including ‘eating’s cheating’ people, who spend money only in bars, and ‘budget families’, who spend only on souvenirs.

Monarch is stepping in to fill the void left with the closure of loss-making Bmibaby with plans for a new base at East Midlands airport and expanded services from Birmingham.

The schedule leisure carrier is to open a new base at East Midlands from late summer by launching flights to holiday destinations, including Malaga, Alicante, Palma and Faro.

Monarch will expand operations from Birmingham by adding frequency on existing routes to Malaga, Alicante, Faro, Rome and Palma and start flights to Barcelona.

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O’Leary said passengers who object would get a full refund: “You can of course reject that additional payment, cancel your flight and then not fly with us if you so wish.  But we’re not going to be funding the Spanish government’s taxes.”

British Airways – which flies from London to Madrid and Barcelona – said it would absorb any increase, as it did on existing bookings when Air Passenger Duty was doubled.

The airline has emailed passengers due to fly from Spanish airports to warn them they face paying the cost of an increase in Spain’s airport fees, proposed in the country’s Budget.

The message says: “We may be forced to debit passengers for any government-imposed increases in airport charges prior to your travel date”.

The message cites its rule that says “if any such tax, fee or charge is introduced or increased after your reservation has been made you will be obliged to pay it (or any increase) prior to departure”.

Ryanair said Spain was proposing to double the departure tax on flights out of Madrid and Barcelona airports, and impose smaller increases elsewhere.

It is thought the increased levies could lead to passengers being charged an additional £4 to £8 each.

The blaze in the engine room on Azamara Quest was put out and there were no reported injuries to passengers.

The 716-passenger ship, on a 17-night cruise from Hong Kong to Singapore which departed on Monday, is running on back up power.

Azamara Quest is adrift in seas south of the Philippines, with one crew member seriously injured, after it lost propulsion following a fire in an engine room

Update: Propulsion has been restored on the Azamara Quest and it is expected to reach Sandakan in Malaysia within 24 to 48 hours

Denise McDonagh, of Dublin, sued Ryanair in the Dublin Metropolitan District Court for €1,129, the costs she incurred as a result of the cancellation, she said that during her seven-day wait for a Ryanair flight from Faro to Dublin she spent £1,000 on accommodation, food, and transport. The airline refused to reimburse the full cost of the week she was forced to stay in Portugal.

The Dublin court asked the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg for an interpretation of the regulation.

Advocate general of the European Court of Justice Yves Bot said yesterday that airlines were obliged to pay the costs incurred by passengers whose flights were disrupted by “extraordinary events” like the volcano.