Showing posts with label gala london. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gala london. Show all posts

Tuesday, 3 January 2012

UK TRAVEL AGENTS PREDICT THE ‘HOT DESTINATIONS’ FOR 2012

Barbados beach scene
The UK’s Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), which likes to call itself “The Travel Association” these days, has just published its annual Travel Trends Report in association with the UK Government’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
The Travel Trends Report 2012 (pdf) predicts that British consumers will be seeking value for money but not necessarily the cheapest holiday. While the mid-priced holiday/travel market is expected to be squeezed, holidays that offer an authentic or specialist experience, and luxury and all-inclusive breaks, are all set to be popular.
There are some key trends ABTA has identified that will be of interest to travel writers and travel marketers…
♦ Growth in demand for specialist holidays. Cruising, adventure, exploration, learning and activity holidays are all expected to do well in 2012 as holidaymakers seek new experiences underpinned by value for money. Holidaymakers are also expected to seek out destinations that have a strong and authentic sense of location, in everything from food and setting to excursions and entertainment.
♦ Baby boomers set to fuel the market. 10% of over 55s took more than four foreign holidays in 2011 and this trend is set to continue.
♦ Some people are returning to traditional high street travel agencies. While overall shop numbers decline, bookings were up in 2011, with 25% of the public booking their foreign holiday on the high street compared to 17% in 2010. ABTA expects the trend to continue in 2012 with companies investing in improving the in-store experience.
♦ Tried and tested destinations are likely to be popular. In times of economic uncertainty many people put their faith where they know best. Early booking figures for summer 2012 suggest that destinations such as France, Greece, Italy, Spain and the USA will all prove popular next year.
♦ More weddings abroad. One in five couples currently marry overseas with an average saving of £12,500 on a UK wedding; with pressures on budgets and a focus on value for money, many more couples are expected to say ‘I do’ abroad in 2012.
♦ ABTA has also identified its “hot destinations” for 2012.
  • Long Haul
    • Colombia
    • Dominican Republic
    • Mexico (Mayan heritage being showcased in 2012 as ancient Mayan calendar closes its 5,125 year cycle)
    • Sri Lanka (2012 Cricket Championships)
    • The USA
  • Mid Haul
    • Cape Verde (New flights from Gatwick & Manchester)
    • Egypt (A long way from political unrest in Cairo & bargains to be had)
    • Greece (Bargain prices)
    • Jordan (Tourism board is launching a major campaign next year, doubling its UK advertising spend)
    • Turkey (Foreign visitors have doubled in last 5 years & trend set to continue)
  • Short Haul
    • Iceland and Aurora Borealis (Solar activity at an 11 year peak in 2012)
    • Poland/Ukraine (Joint hosts of the 2012 European Football Championship)
    • Serbia
    • Spain
    • Tunisia (Political stability restored & bargains to be had)
So, there’s lot’s of potential traffic from the UK if your posts on the Cape Verde islands focus on wedding/honeymoon experiences for 55 year olds!
What are your predictions for “Hot Destinations” in 2012?
Image: Joe Ross

PUBLISHED BY ALASTAIR MCKENZIE 

Friday, 30 December 2011

Top Destinations

ISTANBUL 
Istanbul deserves to be among the first choices for anyone considering a short city break. Few European cities have anywhere near as much to offer. With 3500 years of history there's no shortage of attractions and, as the only city on earth that straddles two continents, a visit to Istanbul is truly a unique experience. Formerly known as Byzantium and later Constantinople, over a period of 1600 years the city was capital to the East Roman,Byzantine and Ottoman empires - all of which left their indelible mark. As you might guess this means there's plenty to see, but luckily for the tourist most of the city's sights are close to the huge Sultanahmet Square the heart of Istanbul. Days spent wandering the narrow passages of the Grand Bazaar and wondering at breathtaking Byzantine cathedrals and sumptuous Ottoman palaces can be rounded off in any one of hundreds of excellent restaurants, cafés, and bars in the city's old European quarter ofBeyoglu. Istanbul is unique and Galahotels offers wide range of hotels to experience there on cheapest way. This will be an unforgetable holiday for you.




LONDON
One of the world's great cities, vibrant London manages to shine in the greyest weather and its diversity defies a simple definition. This sprawling city has drawn people for centuries, looking for something and finding the unexpected. London's landscape is steeped in British history and tradition. The classic sights of Buckingham PalaceTrafalgar Square and Big Ben could not be more English, and are a permanent symbol of England's former greatness. If any single thing epitomises London's character for both local and tourist alike, it's the tube, trains and red double-decker buses of its public transport system; the frenetic lifeblood that circulates three million people around the capital daily. As everyone will tell you the city is undeniably expensive, but you get your money's worth like nowhere else on earth: no other city has such an excess of accessible history and dynamic modernity.Book it now, do not miss this great opportunity with our smart prices.




AMSTERDAM
There are many reasons to travel to Amsterdam. It's the capital of theNetherlands and one of Europe's most vibrant and colourful cities. Amsterdam offers an unparalleled combination of high culture and decadence.Look once and it's a pretty European city laced with canals; twice and it becomes a cultural centre with an incredible collection of art and for a third time you see a decadent party town where anything goes. The culture-hungry will soak up the offerings of the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh and Stedelijk museums along with hundreds of smaller collections dotted all over the city. Amsterdam satisfies a wide range of tastes and displays include everything from the best Dutch Masters to ultra-modern exhibitions.So which one is the real Amsterdam? The romantics will adore the lazy curves of the city's waterways and enjoy watching from cafés in cobbled streets or picturesque bridges as the mood of the city changes with the weather. We believe you just need a cheap accomodation from now on !!!




BARCELONA
Barcelona is one of the few great European cities by the sea. While Madrid withers in the summer sun, Barcelona chills out on its beach. Its main thoroughfare, Las Ramblas, runs all the way from the quayside through the heart of the city and it is here that you should start your tour of one of Europe's most exciting cities.
You particularly don't want to miss the fabulous architecture of Gaudí, Barcelona's favourite son. His work litters the city, but his greatest monument is the Sagrada Familia - an unfinished cathedral that looks like something between a vast Gothic church and a space ship from a sci-fi movie. Other Gaudí highlights include La Pedrera - a brilliantly weird converted terrace block in the heart of the city - and le Parc Guell, a surreal haven on a hill high above the bustle of the city. The Gothic Quarter and Montjuic are also well worth exploring, with ancient and ornate architecture everywhere you look. Amidst all this stands Barcelona's other cathedral, the imposing edifice of La Seu.GalaHotels offer cheap accomodation at all Barcelona Hotels. Enjoy one of the most beautiful city in Europe from now on !!!




Visit New York and see the world! Nowhere else offers such diversity in such a compact and exciting way; and no other city has the energy and arrogance to make it work so well. New York City is made up of the five boroughs of QueensBrooklynBronxStaten Island and Manhattan. Within these boundaries live 7.2 million people, including significant populations of Spanish, Irish, Italian, Chinese, Russians and Jewish. It's aneclectic mix of the world's cultures and nationalities, and means that anything you could possibly want, in NY, "You got it!". You can eat anything at anytime, and while you sleep the city keeps on going, churning out theAmerican dream. The city has outstanding museums, cultural icons like theStatue of Liberty, and even a vast dose of parkland right in the middle of Manhattan.New York was always the "Big Apple." NY awaits come take a bite!






Paris is confident that it's the world's most beautiful, fashionable and artistic capital. Visit just once and it's hard to disagree. Walking through the heart of Paris you often feel like you've wandered onto an art film set; much of the city has been scrubbed clean in recent years and it's never looked more fabulous. Its inhabitants are the definition of style, its architecture includes some of the most spectacular buildings and monuments in Europe and the ambience is by turns exciting, alluring and effortlessly romantic. France's capital city, Paris is quite distinctively divided into two parts by the Seine River, which meanders through the city, bisecting the centre. Thus everything in Paris is defined as Rive Droite (Right Bank) on the north side, orRive Gauche (Left Bank) on the south side. Both sides compete with each other in great museums, churches, monuments, shops, hotels and restaurants, while in the middle of the river, atop the L'Île de la Cité, rises the towering bulk of Notre Dame cathedral, arbitrator between the two rivals. GalaHotels.com offers 1400 hotels in Paris. One of them will definitely suits you.

Of late Dublin has gained a reputation for being a party town where theGuinness never stops flowing. Visit at the weekend and you can well believe it as hordes of happy revellers descend on the city's Temple Bar district, often via ferry from mainland UK, eager to sample the "craic". The history, the charming Georgian architecture and the host of more earthy entertainment on offer will all entice you to the place, but it is the people that will leave the biggest impression on you. Elsewhere in Ireland they'll tell you everyone in Dublin is in a hurry, but that reflects on how amazingly slow life is throughout the country. A more laid back approach to life can't exist in any capital in the world, and it is highly contagious. But even if the only piece of Dublin you see is the inside of one of the city's marvellous pubs it'll be enough to make you instantly love the place, and like the ghost of Molly Malone, you can't help but leave something of your spirit among its streets. Check for the special Dublin rates


Finland boasts a green and pleasant capital ideal for a city break or as a starting point for exploring the country's beautiful natural scenery. Helsinki's location on the peninsula means wherever you go you won't be far from the sea while its southern position assures that it enjoys a milder climate compared to the rest of the country. In fact you will need to cross the sea to visit one of Helsinki's most interesting attractions, the impressive fortressof Suomenlinna, perched on an island just off the coast. The fortress dates back to Finland's period under Swedish rule and was built in the 18th century to guard against Russian invasion. Helsinki's periphery boasts some lovely parks and only a short distance away are the lakes and wide open spaces ofNuuksio National ParkCheapest rates and best accomodations are providing from GalaHotels.com.


As capital of the Roman Empire, the Papal States and Italy, Rome truly is the "Eternal City". One of the world's most elegant capitals the layers of history and the city's sheer excess of beauty can prove overwhelming to the unsuspecting visitor. This is a city best explored on foot, with every corner offering an overlooked treasure or unforgettable panorama. Roman columns soar up aimlessly next to medieval basilicas, the sound of water splashing in fountains fills the air in front of Renaissance palaces and exuberant Romans jostle through multi-coloured markets and winding cobbled streets. Breathe the air of the Caesars in the Roman forum, stroll through the menacing Colosseum, marvel at the splendours of the Vatican Palace.So prepare to soak up history and modernity in equal measure in one of Europe's most fascinating cities with cheapest accommodations of GalaHotels.


Thursday, 2 September 2010

London Hotels

One of the world’s great cities, vibrant London manages to shine in the greyest weather and its diversity defies a simple definition. This sprawling city has drawn people for centuries, looking for something and finding the unexpected. London’s landscape is steeped in British history and tradition. The classic sights of Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square and Big Ben could not be more English, and are a permanent symbol of England’s former greatness. If any single thing epitomises London’s character for both local and tourist alike, it’s the tube, trains and red double-decker buses of its public transport system; the frenetic lifeblood that circulates three million people around the capital daily. As everyone will tell you the city is undeniably expensive, but you get your money’s worth like nowhere else on earth: no other city has such an excess of accessible history and dynamic modernity.Book it now, do not miss this great opportunity with our smart prices.