Holiday & Travel

The shortlist of new international and domestic air routes for smaller airports was announced by the government, successful routes from this latest stage of the Regional Air Connectivity Fund will provide improved connectivity with new transport connections for businesses and passengers from their local areas. Fifteen brand-new routes have reached the funding shortlist, open to regional airports handling fewer than 5 million passengers a year.

Developed for travelers seeking a luxury retreat with added value, this special promotion provides first-class amenities and accommodations at St. Lucia's award-winning hillside resort, all paired with stunning vistas of the iconic Pitons. For guests booking a minimum five-night stay, the "St. Lucia Getaway" promotion includes free accommodations in Hillside Deluxe or Premium rooms on the fifth night.

British Airways has created what is believed to be the world's biggest piece of money art, using a combination of ten, five, two and one penny coins to celebrate the great value fares on offer on flights and holidays across the network. Six hundred thousand coins were delivered from a London bank vault to the airline's Heathrow engineering base this week, and a small team created a giant mural on an aircraft hangar floor depicting the Statue of Liberty in New York, which is British Airways' flagship Atlantic route, which features as part of the 'Big British Airways Take Off'.

As the nation gears up for the great bank holiday getaway, a new survey reveals the holiday habits of travellers across the UK. The research, carried out by Back-Roads Touring, suggests that where you live is a deciding factor in where you are likely to holiday. Londoners are most likely to travel than from elsewhere in the UK. The historical and cultural landmarks they visit are likely to be far-flung attraction, with the Inca Trail, Cambodia's Angkor Wat and Saint Basil's Cathedral in Moscow coming out top.

Keen photographers will be travelling on board Tatra Photography's Travelling Hotel, a ten-room hotel on wheels travels to locations inaccessible to other photography tours. The travelling accommodation will give photographers the opportunity to spend more time in Iceland's epic landscapes without having to check in and out of hotels or drive long distances to capture the Aurora.

The Caribbean may be missing an important opportunity by not fully tapping into the growing volunteer tourism or "voluntourism" market, according to veteran community development expert and nonprofit advisor Kwayera Archer-Cunningham. With more than 25 years of experience as a nonprofit leader, Archer-Cunningham, who travels frequently between her Jamaica and New York offices, said many tourists are traveling to the region with a desire to have a positive impact and make a difference in addition to having fun.

The St. Kitts Tourism Authority has announced that United Airlines is launching inaugural non-stop service from its New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to St. Kitts.   Commencing December 19, 2015, the flights will operate weekly on Saturdays through April 30, 2016. United will utilize a 737-800 aircraft with capacity ranging from 154 to 166 seats for these flights.  These flights will complement existing non-stop airlift into St. Kitts from North America, providing more convenient options for travelers to get to St. Kitts during the peak winter travel season.

High-street health and beauty retailer Superdrug is sponsoring a unique hotel accommodation concept in Ibiza where single Britons can stay entirely for free. But there’s just one catch: guests will have to check-in to a room that is covered entirely in pictures of sexually transmitted diseases and warnings to practise safe sex.

The prestigious Nayara hotel chain and Toro Verde Adventure Park came together for a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the construction of the new luxury Nayara Toro Verde Hotel in Orocovis. The Puerto Rico Tourism Company (PRTC) welcomed the Nayara flag to Puerto Rico, specifically to Toro Verde Adventure Park in the central mountain range region. The Nayara  hotel chain, which is no longer exclusive to Costa Rica with its expansion to Puerto Rico, has ample brand recognition and holds a high reputation in the international tourism industry community.

Qatar Duty Free (QDF), in conjunction with L’Oréal Luxe, has created an exclusive pop-up experience for passengers travelling through Hamad International Airport (HIA) this summer. Lancôme, Giorgio Armani, Yves Saint Laurent, Ralph Lauren, and Viktor & Rolf will showcase their oriental and occidental style fragrances housed within different areas of the East Meets West installation, which is situated in the main atrium of Hamad International Airport (HIA).

All those who love and live in Northumberland are being urged to put their vote where their heart is to help Northumberland in this year's British Travel Awards 2015. This year, Northumberland is the only county in the North East to be nominated in the category for Best UK Holiday County/Destination. Against other nominees Pembrokeshire, Devon and six-time winner Cornwall, it is hoped the whole North East region will get behind the twice-nominated county to bring home the Gold. 

New figures published by the TUC indicate that 156,854 people in the West Midlands are missing out on their minimum legal entitlement to paid holidays. The TUC’s analysis of unpublished figures from the 2014 Labour Force Survey (LFS) shows that 1,669,000 employees across the UK are losing out on their holiday rights, an average of 6.4 per cent.

If you want the literal northern experience, North Yukon is about as far as you can go. The stark beauty of the region is protected within five wilderness parks and largely encompasses the range of the Porcupine barren-ground caribou herd. In spring, thousands of caribou and migratory birds return to have their young, and by fall the land is ablaze with crimson, orange and gold.

2.1 million British holidaymakers were set to head overseas for summer holidays last weekend (24-27 July), which for the majority of schools in England and Wales marks the start of the six week break estimates ABTA – The Travel Association. The Mediterranean dominates the market for families and temperatures this weekend range from the low to high thirties with uninterrupted sunshine.

Tenerife has boosted its position as one of the best locations on the planet for stargazing, with the introduction of eight new telescopes at the world-famous Teide Observatory. Introduced last month, the new telescopes will appeal to “astro-tourists” and scientists looking to unravel the mysteries of the universe.

In 2016, the Hurtigruten fleet will be joined by a new addition - one of the most flexible expedition ships in the world. She will embark on thrilling exploration voyages, but before she begins her journey, she needs a name. Come up with something suitable and you and a friend could be joining her as the special guest of the Captain, on the voyage of a lifetime along the Norwegian coast.