Holidays | City Breaks, Camping, Golf, Adventure Holidays

Despite the pound currently struggling against the dollar, holiday bookings to the USA are still looking strong as thousands of Brits continue to choose North America as their number one long- haul holiday destination for 2009, according to data released today by ebookers.com, one of Europe’s leading online travel agents.

MSC Cruises is kick-starting Christmas by giving passengers the chance to cruise for just £1! When one adult books an MSC cruise for next year between 1 to 7 December 2008 and pays brochure price, the second passenger travelling with them will pay only £1. More than 100 departures are available, from March to November 2009, for seven, eight or 11 nights.

Whilst British holidaymakers are determined not to give up on their hard earned holidays despite the financial crisis, more and more are keeping a close eye on their spending by turning to all-inclusive holidays for summer 2009. Leading online travel agent On the Beach has witnessed a huge increase in sales of all-inclusive holidays for summer 2009, up a staggering 43% on 2008.

Blakes Boats, the boating holiday provider which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, has launched its new 2009 brochure with prices starting at just £14 per person per night. The new brochure includes two new packages – Yorkshire and Lancashire and Belgium. These additions bring the 2009 portfolio to 11 destinations, offering a range of boating holidays aboard a narrow boat, yacht or cruiser.

Once every three weeks (including a voyage that spans Christmas Day) the freighter/passenger vessel Aranui 3 sails out of Papeete harbour on a 14-day journey to deliver vital suppliers to residents of the Marquesas - a cluster of wildly beautiful islands in French Polynesia.

In the first episode of the BBC's latest wildlife series, Oceans, the team explored the depths of the Sea of Cortez – home to the world’s greatest variety of whales and dolphins. To see Mexico’s whales join Wildlife Worldwide on its epic 10-day ‘Simply Whales!’ tour incorporating a 5-night live-aboard whale watching voyage through the Sea of Cortez in search of Fin, Minke, Humpback and hundreds of courting Grey Whales. The tour next departs London 1st and 22nd February 2009.

Along with sun-drenched, palm-fringed sandy beaches and the azure waters of the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka offers an incredible variety of landscapes and cultures, an abundance of plant and wildlife as well as a wealth of historical and archaeological treasures. Watch the sunrise from sacred Adam’s Peak, trek to World’s End and visit the ‘Fortress in the Sky’ during Walks Worldwide’s new 10-day, guided Island Paradise Hiking, with daily seasonal departures from London.

Explore the beautiful Cypriot countryside on horseback across gentle hills, through remote valleys or along pristine beaches and rocky coastlines, develop riding skills during intensive lessons, or relax in the pool. Equine Adventures’ new 7-day Drapia in Winter ride offers experienced riders extra hours in the saddle – along with some winter sun.

Family travel must be about fun, whether it’s sledging on a tea tray down a sand dune in the Namib Desert, paddling through the Okavango Delta in a dugout canoe or visiting the ancient Moroccan kasbah where ‘Gladiator’ was filmed. Dragoman offers a choice of five family adventures all designed to combine fun, excitement, learning and relaxation. Go on the road with Dragoman and show kids the wonders of the world.

Travel specialist Journey Latin America is helping intrepid British holidaymakers defy the credit crunch with the launch of its new ‘value’ range of holidays to Latin America, from as little as £750 per person.

Walking specialist operator, Ramblers Worldwide Holidays reports a healthy growth in tours to South Africa due to the exchange rate of the Rand against the Pound, which is currently providing even greater value for money.

Connections Elegant River Cruises, part of the specialist independent travel division of Titan Travel, is offering an exceptional 'no single supplements' deal on selected river cruise itineraries, departing spring 2009.

Luxury tour operator Bailey Robinson, the designer of bespoke journeys, has created a list of ten ‘must-do’ walking trips from around the world, ranging from afternoon walks to two-week expeditions.

Give yourself something to look forward to by planning your family holiday for 2009. DFDS Seaways has a fantastic range of Center Parcs holidays across Europe from as little as £167 per person for 9 nights including sailings and carriage of your car. Just pack up your car, drive on board and let the cruise ferry do all the travelling for you! Arrive in Europe refreshed ready to drive to your destination Center Parcs resort.

It may seem that the forecast this year for taking a well earned break away is cloudy. With the cost of day to day living on the rise and the UK credit crunch taking a hold, holidays feel like an unobtainable luxury. However, it’s not all doom and gloom.

Jet2holidays.com has announced a new sun destination from Manchester - the Greek Island of Crete. Jet2holidays.com has also increased the number of holidays available to popular Tenerife and new destination Dalaman (Turkey) to meet demand for such holiday destinations in the region.

Start the New Year with a holiday that takes travellers for a complete tour of the sights and sounds of the Mediterranean while relaxing in luxury and enjoying the highest standards of service aboard MSC’s newest and largest ship, MSC Fantasia, or alternatively, on one of the long-standing favourites of many guests, MSC Poesia.

Yesterday Michelin released its selection of recommended hotels and restaurants in the Michelin Guide Tokyo 2009. The new edition features 203 establishments in all, a number that includes 173 restaurants and 30 hotels. Tokyo is tied with Paris for the number of three-star eateries.

Combine a city stay in one of the world’s great cities with one of the world’s top diving destinations on a ‘Simply Egypt’ seven night holiday through Discover Egypt to Cairo and the Red Sea. Cairo should be on everyone’s must see ‘once in a lifetime’ list for the magnificent Great Pyramids and Sphinx that have stood at the edge of the desert at Giza, just outside of Cairo for an incredible 4,500 years.

On 24 February 2009, 48 passengers – including special guest Angie Butler - will board the ice-strengthened expedition ship, Professor Multanovskiy, on a voyage bound for the famed island of South Georgia, where they will deliver a bronze memorial plaque for Frank Wild (1873–1939) to the South Georgia Heritage Trust Museum.

Enjoy some of the most stunning scenery in South Africa and celebrate the 110th anniversary next year of the Kruger National Park with Ramblers Worldwide Holidays. This long-established walking holiday specialist operator is offering a 17 day, half-board adventure embracing Swaziland, The Kruger National Park and Hazyview, Mpumalanga.

The UK’s biggest and fastest growing hotel brand, Premier Inn, continues its international expansion plans as Premier Inn Hotels LLC signs a joint venture to introduce the budget hotel chain to Oman. The move comes after this year’s successful Premier Inn Hotel opening in Dubai.

Bales Worldwide has added two new destinations to its choice of African holidays for 2009. Independent and group travel options to Madagascar and Rwanda join holiday choices in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Kenya, Zambia, Mozambique, Tanzania, Mali, Ethiopia, Mauritius and Uganda making the 2009 programme the largest ever for the operator.

Are you bored of Berlin? Over Oslo? Think Paris is past it? Then why not ditch the well worn, tourist clogged, clichéd cities and head off the holiday-makers map? But remember, you don’t need to leave the continent to find exciting, exotic destinations. Skyscanner counts down Europe’s most undiscovered capitals; cities that feel much further from home than they really are…

Eurocamp's deals of the week include holidays to Picardy, France, Frejus on the French Riviera, Carnac, Southern Brittany and St Hilaire-de-Riez, Vendèe, two of which are even during the peak Easter holidays.

To celebrate its 142nd anniversary, DFDS Seaways is giving away cruises to Amsterdam - all you have to do is donate to local charity, Children North East. Sailing from Newcastle to Amsterdam on a mini cruise on the 11th December, the DFDS Seaways’ Charity Cruise Break includes two nights on board ship in an en suite cabin, coach transfers to and from Amsterdam and the best part of the day to explore this wonderful European city.

After a successful first year Inghams’ Villas programme has gone from strength to strength. For 2009, Inghams will offer a wider choice of destinations to appeal to those wishing to travel further afield in Europe. In addition to Italy, France, Spain, Croatia, Austria and Switzerland, Portugal has been added to the selection.

Are you itching to get on the dance floor? Then make sure you take steps to keep the rhythm alive. Planet Holidays, specialist tour operator to Greece and Cyprus are offering you the chance to join them in Cyprus, to kick start spring 2009 with the best line and partner dancing holiday ever.

Larnaca on the southern coast of Cyprus is the resort favoured by the locals. There is plenty to do all year round, whilst February and March are great months to catch the sun without the crowds. Visit the 6th century church built by Angels, Panayia Angeloktisti or for celeb spotting - take a peek at the villa built by Peter Andre for Katie Price.