Holidays | City Breaks, Camping, Golf, Adventure Holidays

Haven Holidays has launched its 2009 website, and visitors can now check out videos showing what’s on offer at its 35 family holiday parks around the UK, scan through galleries of pictures that will give you a feel for the facilities and browse your way around lots of lively user-friendly info about the activities, accommodation and entertainment.

Brits love a good cuppa and it’s often the one thing they really miss whilst abroad, so where better to get one than in a place where they grow the stuff. Mauritius is home to some of the world's best beaches, fantastic scenery and wildlife and some of the friendliest people on earth. It is also home to several tea plantations and the tea trade is very much part of the history and culture of the island.

The leading website for hotels and travel within Russia, destinationRussia.com, has launched its brand-new, dedicated Russian travel brochure. The brochure offers a range of luxury and budget hotels in St Petersburg and Moscow aimed at the holidaymaker and business traveller.

Africa continues to be a popular long haul destination and the new 2009 brochure published by specialist tour operator African Pride offers a great selection of holidays and safaris throughout southern & east Africa.

As the long winter nights begin to draw in, why not lift your spirit with a pre-Christmas City break to one of Europe’s hotspots.

People looking to combat the effects of short winter days are being offered a range of winter-blues busting walks in Hadrian’s Wall Country. According to NHS Direct, eight in ten people in the UK suffer from winter blues, or sub-syndromal SAD, which starts as the days grow shorter and less light reaches our brains.

MSC Cruises UK and Ireland office recorded a huge increase in phone enquiries to its call centre and in bookings during October. The number of calls made throughout October rose by 47% while the number of bookings increased a staggering 84% over the same period in 2007.

During January and February Mallorca is covered in the delicate snow-white blossoms of the almond trees which are in abundance on the island. There is no better way to see Mallorca in its winter finery than to stay in a cosy cottage or traditional farmhouse and hike among the countless almond groves that dot the rolling hillsides.

In conjunction with the Hong Kong Tourism Board and travel website asiatravelmarket.co.uk , Qantas Holidays is celebrating the launch of its first Asia dedicated brochure by offering a luxury five-day holiday for two to Hong Kong, staying at the 5* Shangri-La hotels.

Explore some of the world’s great artistic centres with Cox & kings’ expert-led art treasures tours. Cox & Kings has launched its new Art Treasures brochure for 2009, featuring special arts tours to some of the world’s most important centres for music, art and architecture. Each tour is accompanied by an experienced lecturer who will develop the visitors’ understanding and appreciation of the destinations visited through a series of formal and informal talks.

As the dark nights set in and the Christmas countdown begins, it is that time of year again when we begin to think about our next holiday away.

Qantas Holidays has unveiled its 2009/2010 Australia & New Zealand brochure containing an extensive range of accommodation and touring options which translates into a choice of over 600 brochured products.

Forte Village is a luxury resort in Sardinia set within 55 acres of pine forest and subtropical gardens, next to a dazzling white beach at the southern tip of the luxurious island of Sardinia where the seawater is crystal clear.

Thomson Worldwide is offering fourteen nights for the price of seven at the 4 Star Plus Heritage Golf and Spa Resort, Mauritius. A haven of peace and tranquility, this deluxe resort combines a distinct level of excellence and comfort with classical charm to create a contemporary hideaway on the unspoilt South Coast of Mauritius.

DFDS Seaways has launched its new Holiday brochure with some inspiring new value for money holiday ideas for 2009. Departures are from Newcastle and Harwich with lead in prices of £134pp for a nine-night holiday. The new brochure includes an extensive range of holidays across Northern Europe and Scandinavia ideal for families and groups.

The team at Dive Worldwide has been busy researching and testing (yes they do get their feet wet) lots of new and imaginative watery destinations for 2009! The result of their endeavours to find the next diving hotspots, is a bulging new brochure packed with innovative new itineraries and ideas for Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, the Maldives, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Tonga.

Walks Worldwide’s exhilarating new 16-day fully guided walking holiday in Venezuela’s Gran Sabana treks to the most famous tepui of all – Roraima, inspiration for Conan Doyle’s The Lost World, and visits the world’s highest single drop waterfall – Angel Falls. Departures from London are available daily, year-round (wet season is May-November, but don’t be put off, wildlife is more active during this time).

The Comoros is one of Africa’s biggest surprises. The islands are wrapped in a fragrant blend of ylang-ylang oil, Arabic aesthetics, African warmth and French chic. Add to this a colourful history of sultans and soothsayers, plantation owners and eloping princesses and you have an unconventional, exotic paradise.

Naturetrek is offering up to £750 p/p discount on its dedicated 22-day wildlife holiday incorporating an 18-night voyage around the Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctic Peninsula, aboard the Grigory Mikheev, a comfortable ice-strengthened expedition vessel. Only a few cabins remain on this exclusive charter, departing London by air on 1st January 2009.

Equine Adventures’ new 2009 brochure offers the most comprehensive range of riding holidays to date including 20 new rides in Europe, Asia, South America and Africa, and features Zambia, Cyprus and Peru for the first time.

Journey through the lands of ancient history – from Amman’s Roman theatre and mysterious rose-coloured Nabataean Petra, regarded as one of the ‘New Seven Wonders of the World’, to Wadi Rum – still resonating to the exploits of T.E. Lawrence, Jerusalem’s Wailing Wall, Church of the Holy Sepulchre and Temple Mount, during Peregrine Adventures’ new 12-day Jordan & Israel Explorer.

With so many of us feeling the strain of the Credit Crunch and fearing that a holiday will have to be placed at the bottom of our priority lists, an All Inclusive package may be the ideal solution! Now is the perfect time to bag yourself an All Inclusive holiday where you can stick to your budget and not have to worry about extra spending money.

Sunsail is offering you the opportunity to visit Club Colonna in Antigua for the amazing price of £699 per person. With something for everyone, from sailing to spas, free award-winning kids' clubs, 24 hour family facilities and qualified nannies, Sunsail ensures a relaxing holiday for parents and a fun-packed holiday for kids.

After a mixed summer, travellers dreaming of a bargain splash of sun should look to specialist tour operator Tropical Sky. With excellent availability to Grenada and Tobago over Christmas, New Year and into 2009 Tropical Sky guarantees to warm all Irish hearts this winter.

If time is of the essence but you’re still keen to catch the action of England’s upcoming tour of the West Indies in February, ITC Sports may have the answer – two shorter luxury cruise options. Cricketing fans can now join the luxurious Silver Shadow, exclusively chartered by ITC Sports, for a 9 night cruise taking in the First Test in Jamaica or an 8 night holiday featuring the Second Test in Antigua.

In partnership with Croisi Europe DFDS Seaways is offering a range of River cruises that really do offer a perfect holiday for people looking to explore as well as relax. Sail from Newcastle to Amsterdam and embark on a cruise of your choice covering a range of destinations including Holland, Belgium and Germany. Sailings across to Amsterdam, accommodation, meals onboard and entertainment are all included with prices starting from £432 per person.

Grand Pacific Tours, the New Zealand Luxury Coach Holiday specialist, have released an exclusive 11 Day Tour of the South Island utilising their much acclaimed 20 seat Ultimate Touring Coach. This exclusive departure is scheduled for the 25th February 2009 and although 11 days it is a leisurely paced tour with three 2 night stays.

The UK’s fastest growing independent online travel agent has seen a 203% increase in holiday sales in quarter three of 2008 compared with 2007, showing that despite talk of a recession, more Brits are leaving their debts and winter woollies at home and heading off for some affordable sun, sand and relaxation.

The OFT is taking part in a Europe-wide day of action today (Wednesday) to warn holidaymakers about Spanish bogus holiday clubs that cost tourists millions of pounds every year.