Let's face it business travel can be pretty tedious. After the initial glamour of new cities and new experiences wears off you get tired of another faceless hotel with terrible room service and lumpy beds.

You get tired of having to dress up for a bland and often inedible meal in the hotel restaurant and you get tired of having to write your reports perched in bed as there is always a shortage of power points.

That is why more and more business travellers are opting for serviced apartments, whether it is a chic boutique hotel in Scotland or serviced apartment Sydney Once you have tried them it is difficult to go back to a traditional hotel as you get used to the flexibility and the independence that a serviced apartment offers. (more...)

When the Spanish housing bubble finally popped, home prices predictably plummeted and new construction ground to a halt. At the time, Spain was the world's second most popular tourist destination in the world, after France. But when the global economic recession struck just a few months later, Spain was hit like a tonne of bricks.

One region of the country known as the Costa del Sol was particularly hard hit. Formerly a series of small fishing villages, Costa del Sol was transformed into a hot spot for international tourists at the end of the twentieth century.

The region was still growing at a brisk pace when the housing crisis struck. Of course, the problem was not confined to Spain alone. The UK became mired in a protracted recession and tourism to Spain fell by more than ten percent. This is important because Spain is the number one destination for UK tourists and property rentals in laquinta Golf declined. (more...)

For a number of years now, the number of British people choosing to travel to Italy has actually been on the decline. Why is this, I hear you ask?

Well, the main reason is the fact that Italy has become a little too greedy. They enjoyed a prestigious ranking as a firm favourite for us Brits for a number of decades and decided to take this a step too far. This meant that holidays to Italy were becoming increasingly expensive and this eventually led to this southern European nation being sidelined out of the holiday market.

Nowadays, you can travel to the Caribbean for around the same price as Tuscany and when you sit down and think about it, this does not represent good value for money. I have been lucky enough to travel extensively to both the Caribbean and Italy and I have to say that Italy does not have the right to command the type of prices it has been. (more...)

Having travelled extensively to many different countries around the world, I do feel that I am well placed to offer some advice on the increasingly popular all inclusive holidays packages. To be honest, I have usually been very disappointed with this concept and in this article I will explain some of the reasons why.

Obviously, it goes without saying that any hotel that looks to offer the all inclusive package is doing so in order to make a profit. We all understand and accept this. However, the problem with this type of package tends to arise where hotels generally tend to offer food and beverages that are of the lowest standard.

All inclusive packages allow you to eat and drink as much as you like but this is nearly always within a specified period of time. Most packages will stop at 1 am and then the hotelier will charge for any drinks after this time. (more...)

From Scandinavian log cabins, right through to Rome apartments , Europe is able to offer a diversity of travel destinations that is not repeated on any other continent.

The main reason for this must be due to the fact that there are so many different languages and cultures over what is actually a relatively small area. Of course, the climate has a big say in this also, with the south offering a perfect Mediterranean climate and the north being as extreme as that found in the Arctic.

For the sun-worshippers, tourists will always tend to head to the south. Spain, Italy, Greece and Portugal are by far the most popular destinations and have some of the best beaches and most hospitable weather that can be found in the entire world. (more...)

Travellers tend to fall into two main distinctive categories of people. Those who plan to the umpteenth degree and those who wait till they actually get to their destination and find out the info here.

Those who love to plan, do so meticulously. They spend hours on hotel review sites, they find out the best attractions and restaurants to go to, they pre-book every aspect of their journey so that the whole journey is run like a military camp, often to the absolute horror of their partner.

Those who are less meticulous on the planning front are far more relaxed, with the attitude of waiting and see what they will find. They often just set off in the car and see where they end up – an unthinkable crime to their opposites. (more...)

Due to the rising cost of airfares, many families are choosing to drive to their favourite holiday spots. But before you pack up the family car and hit the road, you may want to think about renting a car instead of driving your own. Why would you rent a car when you already own one? Let us take a moment to explain.

If you are planning a trip of more than a hundred miles, it is important to take a car that gets good petrol mileage. For families that currently own SUVs or other large vehicles, it may actually be less expensive to rent a car that is more fuel efficient.

The easiest way to decide if you should rent a vehicle is to run the numbers. Add up how much you will save by driving a more fuel efficient vehicle and then subtract that from the cost of the rental. If numbers remain positive, you may want to rent instead of driving your own car. But cost is not the only variable when it comes to car travel. The number one issue should always be safety. If you have an older vehicle that has broken down in the past, it is best not to take a chance. Not only could a long drive be dangerous, but a breakdown would also ruin the family trip. (more...)

When we are looking for flights whether long or short haul, we are very lucky to have the internet at our fingertips to be able to research the best and cheapest flights available.

However, it can sometimes be very confusing to compare prices as many airlines, especially no frills airlines, are not totally transparent in their costings. Often you have to go through almost the whole process of booking a flight before you realise what the true cost is. So what are these extras?

Baggage is a classic example. Some airlines charge huge amounts just to be able to take a suitcase with you. They encourage you to take hand luggage only which is not much good if you are going on a two week holiday. And what is worse, if you forget to pre-book the baggage it is even more expensive if you book it at the airport. Some even charge for on-line check in – and as you have no alternative but to check in, you are stung for this hidden charge whether you want to or not. (more...)

As the economy slowly but surely recovers from the recession, UK residents have had to make sacrifices. One of the first things to go for many families was the annual holiday abroad. In its place, families have opted to take more affordable trips in the UK.

The practice has become so popular they even came up with a new word for it. They call them staycations. The good news is that most families actually enjoy them. The bad news is that they require quite a bit of planning. In the next few paragraphs we will discuss family holidays and used caravan sales.

Why take a trip in a caravan? For one thing, most families have never done it before. And isn't that what makes a vacation exciting and enjoyable, doing something you have never done? Another obvious reason to take a caravan on holiday is that it is cheap. (more...)

Now that winter is upon us, for most of us, the thought of escaping the inevitable cold, wet and miserable climate of the UK is purely a dream.

Many do not realise that this dream can be a relatively inexpensive reality. There are a large number of Mediterranean hotels offering travellers holidays in discount priced accommodation. This is in order to fill vacant rooms in the quieter out of season months between November and April.

For many UK residents this is the perfect opportunity to escape the winter gloom, without shelling out extortionate peak summer rates, as well as avoiding the crowds. (more...)

Around 5.6 million international guests arrive in Australia each year, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia. In a relatively short period of time, tourism has become one of the largest and most profitable industries Down Under. In 2007, tourism added over 50 billion pounds to the Australian economy and was responsible for approximately 465,000 jobs.

Did you know that Australia is one of the most popular destinations for UK tourists? For obvious reasons, residents of New Zealand are the most frequent international guest, about 1.1 million each year. But the UK is in the second spot with nearly 700,000 visitors per annum.

Even though it takes longer to reach Australia from the UK than it does from the US, around two hundred thousand more residents from the UK travel Down Under than their American peers. And that's with a total population that is only around 1/5th of the United States. Translation: travel articles Australia are much more popular with UK tourists. (more...)

A stag party is a celebration of the groom\'s life so far as a single man, and more importantly, a celebration of the end of this period! Being the last night of freedom, as it were, a stag night should be an enjoyable affair! Let\'s see why weekend trip parties are so popular.

A stag party at its simplest is a night out with all your mates but there are many ways in which you can make the event more unique and interesting. From activity based holidays to out-of-town wild weekend parties, there is no end to the ways in which you can spend your stag night.

The idea of going somewhere for a bachelor\'s party is becoming very popular nowadays. It involves travel to a new place as well as lots of party fun - who wouldn\'t like a weekend stag party? For example, many people enjoy planning their Stag Weekends in Edinburgh (Stag Weekends in Edinburgh), the city where festivities are the norm. (more...)

Over the last fifty years or so, travelling abroad has become extremely easy. In fact, we now almost take it for granted that one of the holidays that we take each year will be to another country.

One of the most popular countries to travel to is Australia and for very good reason. It has a perfect blend of good weather, optimistic people and wonderful beaches. The slight drawback, is that it is on the other side of the world!

That said, it is still possible to travel to Australia within 24 hours. If thinking of doing so, it may be a good idea to shop around for a flight Sydney , as this will give you the best value on what is likely to be the most expensive travel expense of the trip. (more...)

Many people still think of cruise deals as the sort of holiday where you have to be on formal behaviour all the time. You know what I mean - jacket & tie at dinner and canapés with the captain.

However there is a totally new breed of cruise holidays which are becoming very popular and these are far less formal and, to many people's mind, much more fun. Rather than being more suitable for elderly couples, these cruise ships are designed to be used to the max by the whole family from old to young. They have up to the minute entertainment, with incredible leisure facilities that you would not expect to find on a ship.

These cruise ships are less Euchre, more wifi and entertainment systems, less table tennis and more bungee jumping or vertical wall climbing. Forget the sherry before dinner, some of these ships provide top class entertainment and nightclubs. (more...)

Many people from the UK travel to Spain each year to take an annual holiday, mainly because Spain seems to provide everything that the holidaymaker needs. The weather is good almost all year around, the beaches and sea are nice, and it is quite close to the UK, making travel there cheaper.

Some people enjoy their vacation in Spain so much, that they decide that they want to either live there permanently or at least partially retire there. Of course, there are many things to be taken into consideration when making a move overseas.

One thing, is how to transport any belongings. Fortunately, there are many international removal companies, and by typing Removals spain uk into a search engine such as Google, a list of results will come up. (more...)

Getting married is a remarkable experience, and the planning ahead of time is intense. It's a time-honoured tradition for the couple to take a break, and spend some time alone. Taking a honeymoon holiday together after the wedding doesn't have to include complicated planning if a cruise is booked in advance.

A cruise is a chance to dine alone on a balcony with the ocean sparkling below, or walking along a secluded beach making plans for the future. A suite on a cruise ship is affordable without the costly or unpleasant surprises that can occur on other types of trips.

When looking for cruise deals offering the perfect post-wedding getaway ask a travel agent or check websites about honeymoon specials. Compare prices on the destination, but be sure to check out the reputation of the cruise line. Look at pictures of the ship. Don't be afraid to ask for diagrams showing the dimensions of the suite or room where you and your new spouse will be staying. This is the chance of a lifetime to travel with your soul mate, and the memories made should be very special. (more...)

Many people dream of travelling around Europe and staying in a city such as Paris or Rome. That idea can easily become reality, and nowadays, most European cities are just an hour or two's flight away from London.

Whilst some people are happy to let a travel agent sort out their break, others prefer to take a more hands-on approach. Keeping Holland as an example, it is extremely easy to find accommodation in amsterdam to rent online, and this can be done from your computer at home or even work. (Assuming the boss isn't looking, of course!).

Most accommodation search websites offer the same things. These are descriptions and photos of the property, along with the price. The better accommodation booking websites also offer additional things, like customer reviews and feedback, video tours and other information. There is normally also a phone number, should you wish to speak to a real person. (more...)

If the Government makes one more cut or raises one more tax, it is fair to say that there will be no more money left at all in household budgets this year. I mean, talk about tackling a problem like a bull in a china shop.

With this in mind, it would appear that we all have to be frugal this year and save wherever we can. This has to extend to the annual holiday. But fear not, there is still an excellent idea out there which will mean that you are not really making a compromise at all.

Why not consider exploring your own country in more depth? After all, if our economy is in such a poor state, why not inject more capital into our own tourist industry, rather than boosting the economy of another country - something we are all getting a bit fed up with lately. Whether it is a charming country chalet in Cornwall or delightful Scarborough Cottages that afford spectacular views out to sea, there is much more to old Blighty than you may think. (more...)