Airline operators and passengers are now suffering a second wave of cancellations as the Icelandic Eyjafjallajokull volcano continues to pump volcanic ash into the atmosphere and cause disruption to European airspace. Ash levels have been intensifying over the last few days as the volcanic activity has increased significantly.

Spain is suffering more than most European countries as a result of the economic downturn. With many Spanish regions relying heavily on tourism for employment, the cloud of volcanic ash drifting across Northern Spain from the Icelandic volcano is having an unwelcome impact on the Spanish economy.

As of today, many flights from the UK to France and Northern Spain have been cancelled, with Ryan Air predicting further disruption over the next few days. Currently affected Spanish airports include Barcelona, Reus, Zaragoza and Valladolid. Travellers to Spain are being advised to check with their airline before travelling to the airport.

Further south in areas such as the Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca the tourism industry is keeping an anxious eye on the progression of the ash cloud and the activity of the volcano. Matt May from UK car rental company Blue Valley Car Hire who provide car hire in Malaga and car hire in Alicante and Murcia is hoping that the clould of ash will disperse quickly and the volcanic activity will die down for the busy summer months.

If the ash is still around in the peak holiday season of July/August, many businesses depending on tourism in Spain could find themselves counting the cost.

Sunny Spain is no longer growing in popularity, whilst the USA and Egypt should be preparing for more and more tourists, according to new statistics from the UK’s fastest growing online independent travel agent. Tourist’s reasons for their destination likes and dislikes are also revealed.

Sale statistics and holiday booking figures released by online travel agent www.sunshine.co.uk have revealed the destinations that are most (and least) popular with consumers today. Spain is no longer as popular as it once was, judging by percentage share of bookings at sunshine.co.uk, whilst the USA is becoming a more desirable place to go on holiday.

When looking at the reasons behind the popularity of certain resorts, sunshine.co.uk found that found that 59% of people didn’t find Spain as appealing because of the high density of English tourists and bars, claiming it was not foreign enough. USA, on the other hand, has seen bookings almost double and 48% said they would cross the pond just to try and meet a celebrity.

When asked if and why they would be put off visiting Tunisia on holiday, 2 respondents claimed they would prefer not to go because they were scared of camels. One person commented that they were less likely to holiday in the Canaries because they were afraid of birds, but Turkey was a hit with 11 people who said they’d go for the kebabs.

The top five destinations that have seen the biggest growth in popularity on sunshine.co.uk are;

1. Egypt
2. Greece
3. USA
4. Turkey
5. Portugal

The bottom five destinations that have seen the least growth in popularity on sunshine.co.uk are;

1. Malta
2. Canaries
3. Italy
4. Tunisia
5. Spain

Speaking about the most and least popular destinations, Chris Brown, co-founder of sunshine.co.uk said;

“After looking at the popularity of certain destinations based on percentage share of bookings on our site from a trade point of view, we then wanted to hear why consumers like or dislike certain locations. Some of the reasons people gave for not wanting to holiday in certain places were very amusing, especially in the instance of the one respondent who was afraid of birds and as a result didn’t want to go to the Canaries.

He continued, “The fact that a select few would visit Turkey for a traditional Kebab is rather funny, but some of the reasons, such as Spain not being so popular for being “too English” were more common. On the contrary however, some did actually like the idea of Spain being a bit more familiar. I suppose in the case of holidays, everyone has different preferences.”

LINK http://www.sunshine.co.uk

ENDS

10 YETIS JOURNALIST TRIVIA QUIZ:

For a chance to win a prize, be the first to respond with the correct answer to the following question:

Q: What is the capital of Turkey?

For more information or to set up interviews with Chris Brown please contact Shannon Haigh of 10 Yetis Public Relation Agency, on 01452 348211 or email [email protected]

Editors Notes

Sunshine.co.uk is the UK’s leading online independent travel agent and was founded by Chris Brown and Chris Clarkson, the same people behind Holiday Watchdog which was bought by TripAdvisor in February 2008 for an undisclosed amount of money. Sunshine.co.uk offers low cost holidays and budget flights to destinations all over the world as well as great deals and discounted hotels.



Solamagic are widely known for their infrared heating systems. These heaters can be used on terraces, patios, gardens and balconies.
This extremely efficient heating method is up to 60% cost-saving in comparison with comparable gas-heating-systems or quartz-heaters, because 92% of the energy changes to heat.

According to managing director Jos van Os is this the right time, to introduce Solamagic to Spain. ‘Spanish people understand more and more that they need to reduce costs and are becoming more aware of environment pollution.’

The Solamagic heaters can be bought on www.terraceheaters.com.

Enjoy life

On your balcony, terrace or in the garden. When the Spanish evenings are getting a little chilly, heading into autumn and winter, there is now no need to go and sit inside.

Let’s help the weather a little bit, with the Solamagic heaters.  With these heaters we can enjoy the outdoor much longer, whether you are on the cost of Marbella, Barcelona or Sevilla, or living in Cordoba, Madrid or Zaragoza. Tip Top Spain SL will deliver Solamagic heaters throughout the whole of Spain.

Performance

The Solamagic 2000 will comfortably heat 16 square meters !!!

The heart of the Solamagic heater is the HeleN infrared lamp made by Philips. With a normal use, it will give you 15 years of healthy warmth, and a romantic glow like the sun going down.

Advantages

Immediate heat at the flick of a switch.  Solamagic warms up the people and not the air.

No loss of heat through draught, Free of emissions, means, no direct CO2- and NOX-emissions, Infrared-heaters using an infrared Solamagic heater produces, warmth and comfort  without polluting the environment.

As efficient as the Sun

Like the sun, the Solamagic heater warms the human body and not the air. This is one of the reasons that the Solamagic is one of the most economic ways to warm yourself on your terrace, balcony or garden. As opposed to conventional heat lamps and gas heaters, this has several advantages: Without preheating the air, you immediately enjoy the warm sensation, which saves both time and money. The Solamagic warms up without noise or odour and warms a range from 15-20 square meters. The operating cost with an output of 1,4 kilowatts and depending upon electricity tariffes not even 16 cents per hour. The installation and handling of the heater (which is made of weatherproof aluminium) is very easy. Mount it horizontally from the ceiling or on one of your walls.

Now available everywhere in Spain, on www.tiptopspain.com

Roslindale, MA – ASA, a leading study abroad provider for programs in Argentina, Australia, Chile, England, France, Ireland, Italy, and Spain is celebrating their 10th anniversary.

Academic Studies Abroad is celebrating their 10th anniversary with the launch of a new website that is designed to help give students and parents all the information they need to choose the right study abroad program. Academic Studies Abroad is also increasing the amount of scholarship money they provide to students who study abroad on their programs.

“I am very proud of what we have accomplished in the study abroad field in the last 10 years, as well as the quality of our study abroad programs,” said Lee Frankel, the Director of Programs. “When we send a student to study abroad on one of our programs, we take our responsibility to provide them with an unforgettable study abroad experience very seriously. That’s why the staff we hire, the medical insurance we provide, and the universities we use abroad are all first-rate.”

Academic Studies Abroad started their study abroad programs in 1999 with 4 programs in Spain. Very quickly colleges and universities in the U.S. heard about the high quality programs that Academic Studies Abroad was providing and began to request additional locations. So, study abroad programs in England, France, Ireland, and Italy were added to increase the study abroad options available to students.

As the popularity of study abroad grew among U.S. college students, Academic Studies Abroad decided to expand outside of Europe and began offering programs in Argentina, Australia, and Chile. Academic Studies Abroad continues to review universities all over the world and will continue to add new study abroad locations as high quality academic partners are found.

Over the last 10 years Academic Studies Abroad has constantly reviewed their study abroad safety procedures, as well as the medical insurance that they provide to students. They firmly believe that what is offered to students is second-to-none in the study abroad field and provides their study abroad students with comprehensive coverage. In addition to full coverage for doctor and hospital visits, students receive coverage for medical and safety evacuation, emergency reunion with their family, and access to a database of English speaking doctors worldwide.

One of the major differences between Academic Studies Abroad and other study abroad providers is their commitment to keeping their program sizes small. While many study abroad providers have over 100 students on each program, Academic Studies Abroad generally keeps the size of each program below 45 students. This allows the site staff to get to know each student and help them achieve their study abroad goals. It also means that on excursions the students are able to hear their tour guide and see the sites without being in a large group.

Academic Studies Abroad is excited to celebrate 10 successful years in study abroad and will continue to grow and expand over the next 10 years, while maintaining the original core values of the company. Study abroad is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and Academic Studies Abroad wants each student to come home feeling like they had the most amazing experience of their life.

For more information, please contact Lee Frankel at (888) 845-4272 or by e-mail at [email protected] Information on Academic Studies Abroad can be found at www.academicstudies.com

June 2009 – International destinations far and wide are being affected by a shortage of hire cars, travel firm DialAFlight announced last week.

Travellers are being urged to book their car hire early to avoid disappointment, as rental operators in Canada, Spain, Portugal and Croatia all expect demand to exceed supply this season.

In North America, ongoing upheaval in the auto industry has raised significant concerns about the numbers of vehicles available to rental companies. With major market players (including Chrysler, Ford and General Motors) closing factories and losing assets, fewer cars are coming off the production line.

According to Dan Fogarty, manager of Discount Car and Truck Rental in Sydney, Nova Scotia, “The thing about the summer is that you rent all your vehicles all the time. So having less vehicles will just make things much more tricky. The size of my fleet right now is not the size that I planned for it to be.”

In Europe, popular destinations such as Alicante, Palma, Faro and Malaga have all suffered from car shortages. A number of suppliers have simply held their stock levels due to the economic climate, and are now being caught out as summer travellers continue with their holidays, unperturbed by the recession.

DialAFlight, who arrange car hire for passengers across the globe, say that “many of our car hire suppliers have not replaced their fleets this year because the manufacturers are refusing to buy back the old vehicles owing to the credit crunch. We are already receiving Stop Sales alerts for August as there is a shortage of cars in some areas. If you need car rental this summer we recommend booking it now!”

–Notes to Editors–

About DialAFlight

DialAFlight is one of the UK’s top travel companies offering flights, hotels, car hire, city breaks holidays, including cheap flights to Orlando and cheap flights to Las Vegas travel insurance and Business Travel to help you to create the perfect all-inclusive trip to any worldwide destination. Because we’ve been in business for more than 25 years, we’re able to secure the best travel industry rates available. We pride ourselves on our experienced sales staff who are all well-travelled and committed to creating your perfect trip – at bargain prices.

DialAFlight
Sandpiper House,
39 Queen Elizabeth Street,
London
SE1 2BT
Tel: 02079629966
Email: [email protected]
website: www.dialaflight.com

The long Andalucian summer has just begun and this year promises to be particularly hot with Spain’s largest region hosting some of Europe’s liveliest cultural and sporting events. From music and dance, international golf tournaments, bull fighting and flamenco to the annual grape harvest for the region’s finest Sherries – Andalucia has it all! And all this within striking distance of Finca Cortesin Hotel, Golf & Spa, a new luxury boutique hotel in southern Spain.

Few festivals can compete with Granada’s International Festival of Music and Dance for the splendour of the backdrop or the sumptuousness of the venues. The festival sweeps the stunning city off its feet for three weeks between 25 June and 14 July this year. Everywhere, from tiny cafes to courtyards in the Alhambra, the fairytale Palace of Charles V, will be hosting recitals and dance performances from the likes of The London Symphony Orchestra, The Baroque Music Ensemble, The National Ballet Company and local Andalucian guitarists and flamenco dancers. What better way to discover this beguiling city than through some of the best musicians in the world?

Nor is Granada alone in offering great music and dance in Andalucia this summer. Perhaps enjoy Placido Domingo singing with the Almeria City Orchestra in June, or discover the delightfully haunting sound of Sephardic Music in Cordoba’s Botanical Gardens, also in June.

The Feria is the most important festival of the summer in Andalucia. Whilst many towns and villages hold their own, Malaga’s is known to be the biggest and best and takes place from 14 – 23 August this year. By day join the throngs of flamenco dancers in the streets, sample local delicacies from the many food stalls or simply watch the locals and their horses ride through town in traditional dress. The real party begins in typically Andalucian style – late – and is dedicated to flamenco dance and music, pena music groups, firework displays and merriment.

The Andalucian summer lasts well into September and so do the region’s cultural offerings. The beginning of the month sees Ronda’s bullfighting stadium, the oldest in Spain, host the Corrida Goyesca, a fight between bull and men dressed as Goyaesque characters. If blood sports don’t appeal then Jerez’s celebration of the grape harvest might well. The festival not only celebrates Andalucia’s most famous drink, sherry, but also the renowned Spanish riders and Flamenco, in an event rooted in the region and its people.

Last but not least, this autumn sees Finca Cortesin Hotel, Golf & Spa host the Volvo World Match Play Championship for the first time. The international golf tournament has seen the likes of Ernie Els taking the title in the past; in 2009, Finca Cortesin will welcome the best golfers in the world to Andalusia, including Tiger Woods.

Finca Cortesin Hotel, Golf & Spa is a new 67-suite five-star hotel near the tiny town of Casares on the Andalucian coast – the perfect base for Andalucia’s many cultural and sporting highlights.

Finca Cortesin offers a four-day “Golf Experience” package from 600 Euros per person. The package includes three-night accommodation with complimentary upgrade (dependent on availability) at the Finca Cortesin Hotel, two green-fees at Finca Cortesin Golf Club, complimentary breakfast, early check-in and late check out as well as access to the Finca Cortesin Spa.

For more information on Finca Cortesin and the Volvo World Match Championship please visit www.fincacortesin.com

Festival Dates
16 June – Placido Domingo with Almeria’s City Orchestra (www.placidodomingo.com)
25 June – 14 July – Granada International Festival of Music and Dance (www.granadafestival.org)
23 – 27 June – International Sephardic Music Festival, Cordoba (www.andalucia.org)
14 – 23 August – Feria de Malaga
(www.feria-de-malaga-es)
5 September – Corrida Goyesca, Ronda
(www.rondatoday.com/tourism/goyesca-feria)
5-6 September – Jerez Sherry Festival
(www.spanish-fiestas.com/spanish-festivals/sherry-festival-jerez)
Autumn 2009 – Volvo World Match Play Championship (www.fincacortesin.com)

Teaming up with a Spanish chef, Vino introduces lively catering and private party packages

Encino, CA, July 14, 2008 — Fresh from Spain, chef Alicia joins Vino to introduce a new addition to its menu for catering and private party events, bringing the passion of Spain to life in the San Fernando valley.

With flexible package deals for corporate social dining or large private gatherings, Vino presents the perfect opportunity to experience a typical night in Spain, by introducing Flamenco dancing or Spanish guitars around a delicious selection of international wines and authentic tapas. The lively entertainment show accompanying these packages sets the mood for a fun, relaxed social ambiance.

Vino’s variety of mouthful sized portions does more than satisfy your appetite, it fulfils your curiosity with a wide selection of tapas to select from; Patatas Bravas (Spicy Potatoes), Datiles Rellenos De Queso Y Bacon (Dates stuffed with goat cheese, wrapped with bacon), Montadito Salchicha (Green bell pepper & Spanish sausage), Pollo Al Ajillo (Chicken with garlic sauce), Gambas Al Ajillo (Shrimp sautéed with olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes) and the famously known cheese platters (a great selection of the finest cheeses from around the world), to name a few.

“Working with Vino is a great opportunity to share my unique experience in catering and bring forth traditional Spanish cooking from my home country to the multi cultural heart of Encino,” says caterer and Vino chef Alicia.

Chef Alicia is very passionate about maintaining the quality of traditional tapas and her freshly prepared Spanish desserts and home made Sangria will also leave you craving for more of this unique cuisine. Vino’s regular menu, frequently updated to its customers’ satisfaction, does not stop with tapas, but offers a new experience of outstanding variations of dishes, from salads to main delicious meals for everyone’s taste.

About Vino Wine and Tapas Room
Vino is a cozy vibrant lounge in Encino, combining international flavors with Spanish cuisine with a variety of European and Californian wines, where the décor and lighting is even more inviting. Doors are open from Tuesday to Sunday beginning with a Sunset Special from 5-7pm. Vino extends its hours of operation to meet your private and catering bookings for lunches and dinners, all days of the week.
18046 Ventura Blvd., Encino, CA 91316. www.vinowineroom.com
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Contact:
Diana Volk
Nadine Boun
Vino Wine and Tapas Room
Encino, CA
818-277-2072
[email protected]
http://www.vinowineroom.com