Holiday & Travel

Thrill seekers can get their adrenaline and hearts pumping with the wild experiences on offer in the Forest of Dean. The new Get Out, Get Active itinerary, curated by Visit Dean Wye as part of its Find Your Freedom campaign, is packed full of exhilarating pursuits.

Explore mile after mile of outstanding cycle trails through glorious woodland by hiring an e-bike, mountain, gravel or road bike, from Dean Forest Cycles in Parkend.

Qatar Executive was in the spotlight during the opening day at the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE) 2022, exhibiting its ultra-modern Gulfstream G650ER aircraft. The flagship jet operated from London Luton Airport to Geneva, Switzerland using a high blend of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and is currently on display for spectators to tour and experience first-hand.

Staffordshire holiday company, Blue Bay Travel, has announced a partnership with Pebbles Legacy, a dog rescue and rehoming charity local to Blue Bay’s base of Trentham, Stoke on Trent. 

Blue Bay’s dedicated group of Charity Champions, which features 11 colleagues from a cross-section of the business, researched a range of charities in the local area, and Pebbles was chosen for its proximity and because animal protection is a subject close to the hearts of the Blue Bay team. 

A rebirth is on the horizon for Grand Bahama Island. The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation (BMOTIA) made the long-awaited announcement that an offer has been accepted for the purchase of Grand Lucayan, a beachfront resort located in the bustling city of Freeport.

John Bell, the first Executive Director of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), was honoured with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at the Caribbean Hotel & Resort Investment Summit (CHRIS), which he was instrumental in launching.

Taking place at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida this week, the coveted honour was bestowed upon Bell for his significant contributions to the hospitality industry.

As the tourism sector rebounds strongly from the near shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) is calling on the region’s “bread and butter” industry to ramp up efforts to be adequately staffed to meet the impending surge of arrivals and continued growth.

The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) has appointed Kevin Pile as Communications Consultant, effective May 9.

Johnson Johnrose, the former Communications Specialist who was at the CTO since Feb 2002, has moved on.

The Honourable Edmund Bartlett, Tourism Minister, Jamaica has become the first Caribbean tourism leader to be inducted into the prestigious Global Travel Hall of Fame.

He was presented with the honour by The Travel Corporation, CEO, Brett Tollman at The Chesterfield Hotel in London.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs have announced on that President Ram Nath Kovind will pay a state visit to Jamaica and St Vincent and Grenadines, from May 15-21. In a statement, the ministry said that this will be the first-ever visit by an Indian head of state to these countries.

Kovind will be in Jamaica from May 15-18, during which he will hold “delegation-level talks” with his Jamaican counterpart, Governor General Sir Patrick Allen.

With some 75 percent of Travel Counsellors’ customers feeling highly or fairly confident to book and travel, now that UK travel restrictions have been lifted, it is no surprise that the leading independent travel company is experiencing yet again, record-breaking sales, exceeding 2019 performance for yet another consecutive month!

VisitEngland has revealed the 100 winners of this year's ROSE Award. The ROSE Awards recognise the accommodation providers across England who provides visitors with the warmest of welcomes.

They celebrate the establishments, irrespective of their star rating, style or type of accommodation, where the owners, management and employees provide outstanding experiences for their customers.

After last month’s christening, VIVA ONE, VIVA Cruises’ first new build ship, has started running a variety of exciting itineraries on the Rhine and Moselle rivers. To celebrate the launch of the new ship, the river cruise specialist is offering a free cabin upgrade and a reduced single cabin surcharge for all May and June 2022 departures – available on all VIVA Cruises ships.

Europa Air & Sea, part of the pioneering logistics firm Europa Worldwide Group, continues to forge ahead with its plans to deliver the very best customer service to its diverse client base with the creation of a new role at its Birmingham site.

Europa Air & Sea has always prided itself on going the extra mile for its customers.

Celebrate the Platinum Jubilee bank holiday by joining a tour fit for royalty with Rabbie’s (www.rabbies.com), visiting some of The Queen’s favourite places in the United Kingdom. These tours are guided by locals in small groups taking royal enthusiasts off-the-beaten track.

easyJet has launched the first flights on its new route from Birmingham Airport to Malaga Airport, providing customers in the Midlands with a direct connection to one of Europe’s most popular beach destinations and more choices to explore Europe this summer.

Flights to Malaga took off for the first time on Sunday 1 May and are now operating up to four times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays throughout the summer.

Tenerife is ready to host the fifth edition of Vuelta al Teide, taking place on Saturday 7th May 2022. This non-competitive event aims to simply bring together cyclists from all around the world and to showcase the island's credentials as firmed favourite for road cycling.

The iconic Gran Fondo cycling event is set to start its route at 7am from the northern town of Puerto de la Cruz, where it will also finish.