But is it cool and how does the sometimes snobby culture of the UK stack up against our European cousin’s perception of coach travel. Cary Grant has been quoted as saying “beats flying, doesn’t it”. In Spain companies such as subsidiary and Alsa, carries business people between cities. Coach travel there is “cool and acceptable” according to Mr Bowker (National Express chief executive).

Groups of lads on Stag dos may often use a coach to get themselves to that weekend trip or indeed a hen party for the same reason. It offers a convenient and easy way of traveling with out the added hassle and expense of flying. Coaches are also increasingly being used to operate your normal package holiday’s targeted at families or young professionals. It is often an alternative and cheaper method of getting to the Alps for a skiing holiday in Tignes or Alp d’huez.

You may be surprised that the UK coach travel sector has over 8 million customers annually with a turnover of £2.5 billion. Coach travel now offers many benefits over other forms of transport such as car and plane. Coach travel does not suffer from the taxation of APD (Air Passenger Duty) that was doubled in early February 2007 to between £10 and £20 on European flights.

This raises the question of environmental issues. A gallon of fuel will on pro-rata, take two people traveling by coach six times further than by car. A 300 mile trip on a coach carrying 85 passenger would generate 194kg in CO2 emissions. This would be 2.3kg per person. Compare that to a Boeing 737 doing the same journey, which would generate 6,930kg CO2 emissions or 36kg per person. 2.3kg CO2 Emissions Vs 36kg CO2 emissions shows there is a significant environmental advantage in using coach travel. This environmental advantage certainly creates an attraction for coach travel to a new generation of demographics outside the previous stereotypes.

Coach types and facilities
Coaches have come a long way since their conception it terms of comfort, style and their luxuries. This encourages different demographics to use coach travel as a means of getting to their holiday. Coaches range in size to cater for a variety of groups in the travel sector with everything from 19 to 85 seat coaches. This helps and encourages groups such as stag does and hen parties to use a smaller coach were as previously they may have used a number of cars. The concept of the executive coach has perhaps encouraged corporate group travel. It is now possible to get climate control, airline style folding seat back tables, WC, glazed glass for privacy and hot and cold drinks facilities.

Types of coach holiday and where to go
The only limitation with coaches is distance and their ability to cross continents. As such most coach holidays departing from the UK will have destinations of Europe or inbound for weekends away in the UK. This will be true across all demographics. If looking for ideas on where to visit you could try looking at ‘Trip Adviser’ or other smaller European destination guides such as ‘In Europe’. Coach tours come in a variety of forms. There are a good selection of package holidays to places such as Spain including the Costa Brava, Calella, and Cantabria. Younger and family holiday makers are also visiting events such as the German Christmas markets or Edinburgh at tattoo time. You can find holidays from many companies. You could use www.discoverBritain.com or if you are traveling in a group why not try visiting who are group travel organisers that will organise all your

But is it cool and how does the sometimes snobby culture of the UK stack up against our European cousin’s perception of coach travel. Cary Grant has been quoted as saying “beats flying, doesn’t it”. In Spain companies such as subsidiary and Alsa, carries business people between cities. Coach travel there is “cool and acceptable” according to Mr Bowker (National Express chief executive).

Groups of lads on Stag dos may often use a coach to get themselves to that weekend trip or indeed a hen party for the same reason. It offers a convenient and easy way of traveling with out the added hassle and expense of flying. Coaches are also increasingly being used to operate your normal package holiday’s targeted at families or young professionals. It is often an alternative and cheaper method of getting to the Alps for a skiing holiday in Tignes or Alp d’huez.

You may be surprised that the UK coach travel sector has over 8 million customers annually with a turnover of £2.5 billion. Coach travel now offers many benefits over other forms of transport such as car and plane. Coach travel does not suffer from the taxation of APD (Air Passenger Duty) that was doubled in early February 2007 to between £10 and £20 on European flights.

This raises the question of environmental issues. A gallon of fuel will on pro-rata, take two people traveling by coach six times further than by car. A 300 mile trip on a coach carrying 85 passenger would generate 194kg in CO2 emissions. This would be 2.3kg per person. Compare that to a Boeing 737 doing the same journey, which would generate 6,930kg CO2 emissions or 36kg per person. 2.3kg CO2 Emissions Vs 36kg CO2 emissions shows there is a significant environmental advantage in using coach travel. This environmental advantage certainly creates an attraction for coach travel to a new generation of demographics outside the previous stereotypes.

Coach types and facilities
Coaches have come a long way since their conception it terms of comfort, style and their luxuries. This encourages different demographics to use coach travel as a means of getting to their holiday. Coaches range in size to cater for a variety of groups in the travel sector with everything from 19 to 85 seat coaches. This helps and encourages groups such as stag does and hen parties to use a smaller coach were as previously they may have used a number of cars. The concept of the executive coach has perhaps encouraged corporate group travel. It is now possible to get climate control, airline style folding seat back tables, WC, glazed glass for privacy and hot and cold drinks facilities.

Types of coach holiday and where to go
The only limitation with coaches is distance and their ability to cross continents. As such most coach holidays departing from the UK will have destinations of Europe or inbound for weekends away in the UK. This will be true across all demographics. If looking for ideas on where to visit you could try looking at ‘Trip Adviser’ or other smaller European destination guides such as ‘In Europe’. Coach tours come in a variety of forms. There are a good selection of package holidays to places such as Spain including the Costa Brava, Calella, and Cantabria. Younger and family holiday makers are also visiting events such as the German Christmas markets or Edinburgh at tattoo time. You can find holidays from many companies. You could use www.discoverBritain.com or if you are traveling in a group why not try visiting who are group travel organisers that will organise all your

With tourism consistently in decline, the Mediterranean island of Malta is hoping that 2007 will see new life breathed into her hotel and holidays industry.

The Malta hotels and holiday industry are major players in the island’s economy, and with unemployment already high, a further drop in the number of visitors next year could have a negative impact not just in tourism but for Malta as a whole.

Throughout the year the monthly statistics for the number of tourists visiting Malta have made depressing reading for the hotels in Malta, and the next twelve months will be pivotal as to whether the island can stay in the mainstream of holiday destinations, or be relegated to niche travel status.

The island was rife with rumours earlier in the year that a UK tour operator was going to withdraw the island from their 2007 brochures, and a survey in the island’s biggest market showed that Malta would be more expensive for British tourists than the Canary and Balearic Islands for equivalent holidays next year.

But more recent news has brought hope to the Malta holidays market that 2007 will see an arrest in the decline of visitor numbers seen this year, with MyTravel surprising the Malta holidays market by announcing an increase in the number of winter visitors it will be taking from the UK to Malta.

But the most positive news has come from low cost carrier RyanAir, who have started flights to Malta from London and Dublin.

Between announcing the Dublin and London routes and the maiden flight to Malta, Ryanair sold 30,000 tickets. And the new competition has spurred Air Malta, the island’s national airline, to make offers of its own. A successful campaign saw two tickets a minute being sold recently.

‘This is all good news,’ say Malta hotels and holidays guide http://www.yourmalta.com, ‘Earlier in the year it looked like there was only one way that the visitor figures for Malta were going for the future, and that was in a continuing downward spiral.’

At one stage earlier in the year there were real doubts cast upon whether the Malta Government would approve the new low cost flights at all. Air Malta is a major employer and some in the tourist sector felt that too much of a protectionist attitude was being taken at the expense of a possible upswing in new visitors.

‘Unfortunately,’ continue YourMalta, ‘The Malta Tourist Authority and The Malta government seem to to make life as difficult as possible for the island’s hotel owners and those involved in the holiday industry. A privately run company like Ryanair will achieve more and bring more money on to the island than the Tourist Authority can ever dream of. And Ryanair will probably make a profit out of it while the Tourist Authority is using taxpayers money. We’re just waiting for the first set of figures where tourism has risen, and for the Malta Tourist Authority to claim part or all of the credit. In reality if tourist figures do rise it’s despite the Tourist Authority, and not because of it’.

New Visitors

Speaking on a visit to Malta recently, Ryanair’s Chief Executive Michael O’Leary declared himself pleased with their new Luton route, and predicted that their Dublin route, due to start operating in February, would be even more successful. He believes that Ryanair could take some 85,000 visitors to the island in 2007.

‘If Ryanair do deliver 85,000 visitors to Malta in 2007 it will stop the perpetual decline in overall tourist numbers,’ say YourMalta, ‘It depends of course on whether a large number will be new visitors or simply those who would have visited Malta anyway. We believe the likelihood is that a good deal of the 85,000 will be new visitors who hadn’t considered a Malta holiday before. With Air Malta fighting back and having successful promotions too there is every reason to feel confident that 2007 will prove to be a good year for Malta tourism. Hopefully it will prove to be a turning point and not a delay in the downward spiral of the last few years’.

The real estate industry in Malta also produces a good deal of inward investment for the Malta economy, and increased visitor numbers often correlate to an increase in Malta property prices.

According to Tribune Properties, a UK based company who specialise in Malta property for sale, property inflation could be in double digits next year.

‘Malta property buyers from overseas start as tourists, and with new tourists arriving next year in increased numbers we do expect this to have some impact on the market overall. The Malta weather is always a plus point when potential buyers are considering where to buy a holiday home. But ease of access is a critical factor, and with the new flights at reduced prices it makes spending a few long weekends on Malta as well as the traditional week and fortnight holiday a realistic possibility for more people.’

Travel guide YourMalta do offer a cautionary note, urging the Malta authorities to invest in better roads and other infrastructure.

‘It’s important that holidaymakers want to return to the island in future years, and not just visit once – never to return. The Malta hotels are on a par with the rest of Europe, but if they step outside to dangerous pavements, unclean beaches and a timeshare tout around every corner ready with a high pressure sales pitch they won’t return. Hopefully the Malta Tourist Authority will be doing as much as they can ensure a pleasant Malta holiday experience’.

But is it cool and how does the sometimes snobby culture of the UK stack up against our European cousin’s perception of coach travel. Cary Grant has been quoted as saying “beats flying, doesn’t it”. In Spain companies such as subsidiary and Alsa, carries business people between cities. Coach travel there is “cool and acceptable” according to Mr Bowker (National Express chief executive).

Groups of lads on Stag dos may often use a coach to get themselves to that weekend trip or indeed a hen party for the same reason. It offers a convenient and easy way of traveling with out the added hassle and expense of flying. Coaches are also increasingly being used to operate your normal package holiday’s targeted at families or young professionals. It is often an alternative and cheaper method of getting to the Alps for a skiing holiday in Tignes or Alp d’huez.

You may be surprised that the UK coach travel sector has over 8 million customers annually with a turnover of £2.5 billion. Coach travel now offers many benefits over other forms of transport such as car and plane. Coach travel does not suffer from the taxation of APD (Air Passenger Duty) that was doubled in early February 2007 to between £10 and £20 on European flights.

This raises the question of environmental issues. A gallon of fuel will on pro-rata, take two people traveling by coach six times further than by car. A 300 mile trip on a coach carrying 85 passenger would generate 194kg in CO2 emissions. This would be 2.3kg per person. Compare that to a Boeing 737 doing the same journey, which would generate 6,930kg CO2 emissions or 36kg per person. 2.3kg CO2 Emissions Vs 36kg CO2 emissions shows there is a significant environmental advantage in using coach travel. This environmental advantage certainly creates an attraction for coach travel to a new generation of demographics outside the previous stereotypes.

Coach types and facilities
Coaches have come a long way since their conception it terms of comfort, style and their luxuries. This encourages different demographics to use coach travel as a means of getting to their holiday. Coaches range in size to cater for a variety of groups in the travel sector with everything from 19 to 85 seat coaches. This helps and encourages groups such as stag does and hen parties to use a smaller coach were as previously they may have used a number of cars. The concept of the executive coach has perhaps encouraged corporate group travel. It is now possible to get climate control, airline style folding seat back tables, WC, glazed glass for privacy and hot and cold drinks facilities.

Types of coach holiday and where to go
The only limitation with coaches is distance and their ability to cross continents. As such most coach holidays departing from the UK will have destinations of Europe or inbound for weekends away in the UK. This will be true across all demographics. If looking for ideas on where to visit you could try looking at ‘Trip Adviser’ or other smaller European destination guides such as ‘In Europe’. Coach tours come in a variety of forms. There are a good selection of package holidays to places such as Spain including the Costa Brava, Calella, and Cantabria. Younger and family holiday makers are also visiting events such as the German Christmas markets or Edinburgh at tattoo time. You can find holidays from many companies. You could use www.discoverBritain.com or if you are traveling in a group why not try visiting who are group travel organisers that will organise all your

One way to help decide on a destination is to consider what sights you want to see, what recreational activities or hobbies you enjoy and any other preferences such as the beach or the breathtaking scenery of the countryside. For instance, if it is the beach you love, one of Spain’s popular coastal cities such as Alicante or Benidorm may be a great choice for you. Benidorm is particularly popular for its vibrant night life. If you want the hustle and bustle of the city and love museums and galleries, Madrid or Barcelona could be the perfect place for you. If you want to more deeply experience the Spanish culture, you may want to focus on one of the many smaller, quaint towns or villas found in both the countryside and along the Mediterranean coastline.

Another great aspect of vacationing in Spain is that you can find some affordable prices on flights and hotel accommodations. You can enjoy your vacation without the worry of overextending your finances and budget. The Internet is a great place to start your search, particularly on the many travel websites available which can offer great deals on hotels, flights and even health insurance. You can compare prices and packages at your convenience and in the comfort of your own home or office, as well as make the reservations. Ease of planning your vacation without hassle and inconvenience is, definitely, a great way to start your vacation even before arriving in Spain.