New research by one of the UK’s leading online independent travel agencies has revealed that Britons are a friendly bunch when it comes to holidays abroad, with two thirds claiming to have made friends with fellow holidaymakers on their last overseas holiday.

It seems that holidays abroad are the ideal scenario in which to meet new friends, with two thirds of Britons claiming they did exactly that on their last overseas trip; according to the research by the UK’s fastest growing online independent travel agencies.

www.sunshine.co.uk carried out the study as part of ongoing research into the holiday habits of British holidaymakers. 2,016 UK adults were polled in the study, each of whom had been abroad on holiday in the past 12 months. Respondents were asked questions surrounding their last trip abroad and what they got up to on their holiday.

When asked, ‘Did you socialise and/or make friends with fellow holidaymakers on your last trip abroad?’ 67% of those who took part in the study said ‘yes’. These respondents were then asked whether or not they had kept in touch with any of the people they met on their last holiday, to which a third, 35%, said ‘yes’.

Of those who hadn’t kept in touch, 28% said they would have liked to, but they didn’t exchange contact details with the people they had met. 2% of those who had kept in touch with the people they met on holiday said they were planning on going abroad together at the same time in the future.

Sunshine.co.uk asked those respondents who had made friends whilst on holiday where they lived back home in the UK, in order to find out where was home to the ‘friendliest’ holidaymakers. According to the results, the friendliest holidaymakers, based on those who are most likely to make friends with fellow tourists on holiday, were from the following areas:

1.       Yorkshire

2.       Devon

3.       Essex

4.       Glamorgan

5.       Cornwall

6.       Sussex

7.       Nottinghamshire

8.       Herefordshire

9.       Avon

10.   Aberdeenshire

When asked, whether they thought meeting friends had made their holiday more enjoyable, 91% of those who had said they thought that was the case.

Chris Brown, co-founder of sunshine.co.uk, commented on the findings;

“Some people like to go on holiday and keep themselves to themselves, whilst others enjoy mingling and meeting new people. I think it’s great when you meet people on holiday that you get along with and to see that some were even planning to go away again with those very people they had met was quite a revelation!”

“Providing the people you meet don’t end up wanting to spend every minute of every day with you and your family, meeting new people with similar interests can add a new dimension to a holiday and can give you much more to talk about and a lot more to do!”

LINK http://www.sunshine.co.uk

ENDS

For more information, contact Shannon Haigh of 10 Yetis PR 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.

Chris Brown of sunshine.co.uk was a ‘Secret Millionaire’ in the series on Channel 4 that began in October 2010.

Sunshine.co.uk offers low cost holidays and budget flights to destinations all over the world as well as great deals and discounted hotels.

TravelMole recently voted sunshine.co.uk as the best Travel Agency in the 2010 web awards.

Locations that Inspired the Best Selling Crime Writer

The world’s most famous crime writer was born and grew up in Torquay, Devon, and the Agatha Christie Mile is a tourist trail in Torquay that links the places she knew and loved dearly.

Although the house in which Agatha Christie was born in 1890 no longer exists, there are many locations around Torquay of interest to her millions of fans. The Agatha Christie Mile is a self-guided walking tour of Torquay that links locations that provided an insight into the people and places that influenced the young Agatha Christie.

Crime Writer Agatha Christie

Torquay Museum
Devon’s oldest museum is home to an Agatha Christie Exhibition, the only one of its kind in the world. It was created in 1990 with the help of the Christie family, which has loaned exhibits and photos of Agatha previously never seen, including original manuscripts and her secret notebooks, costumes worn by actress Joan Hickson as Miss Marple, and many first editions of the author’s work. Of special interest is a text book ‘The Art of Dispensing’, which Agatha Christie used when she trained and qualified as a chemist, giving her an insight into poisons and chemicals that few authors have. Little wonder that poison was her favourite method of dispatching a victim.

Beacon Cove, Torquay
It was in this tiny cove next to the Living Coasts visitor attraction where the young Agatha Christie, about 8-9 years old, would come to bathe in a place reserved for the ladies of Torquay. In those days it had rather more sand than it does today, and was lined with beach huts in which the ladies could change. Only one man was allowed on the beach, an elderly man who pushed the beach huts into the water so the ladies could walk directly into the sea without being seen, although the men of the nearby Royal Torbay Yacht Club were frequently seen at the club window, hoping for a glimpse of the female bathers. One day, according to Agatha Christie’s autobiography, she almost drowned while swimming here and was rescued by the old man in his rowing boat.

Royal Torbay Yacht Club
In her autobiography, Agatha talks fondly of the Yacht Club of which her father, Frederick Miller, was a prominent member. He would visit the Yacht Club daily to play cards, read newspapers and chat to friends, a routine that would only change during the cricket season, when he would devote his time to Torquay Cricket Club of which he was president.

The Pavilion, Torquay
This elegant building was opened in 1912 as a grand concert hall. Agatha had a great love of music and attended many concerts here. After attending a Wagner concert here with Archie Christie, he proposed to her. It was during her marriage to Archie that she published her first novel in 1920, The Mysterious Affair at Styles. She divorced Archie in 1928 after she discovered he had been having an affair.

The Grand Hotel, Torquay
It was the Grand Hotel where Agatha and Archie spent their honeymoon after their wedding on Christmas Eve, 1914. Two days later, Agatha travelled up to London with her new husband and waved him goodbye as he set off to the war in France. It was to be 6 months before they would see each other again and nearly four years before their married life really began. The Grand Hotel is well worth stopping at for morning coffee or afternoon tea.

Princess Pier, Torquay
Roller-skating on Princess Pier was one of young Agatha’s favourite pastimes. In Torquay Museum, Agatha is pictured skating in an ankle length skirt and large feathered hat, as was the fashion then. Skating on the pier cost 2d and was a noisy and bumpy affair but enjoyable outdoor fun.

Princess Gardens, Torquay
Opened in 1894, the gardens were built to a classic Victorian design which includes ornate fountains, rich flower beds, ornamental shelters and palm trees imported from New Zealand. Agatha was doubtless a frequent visitor to Princess Gardens and they featured in The ABC Murders.

Torre Abbey, Torquay
Torre Abbey is Torquay’s oldest building dating back to 1196, and is home to the Agatha Christie Memorial Room, which features Agatha’s favourite armchair, her 1937 Remington Portable Typewriter and her plotting notebook containing the handwritten manuscript of the best seller A Caribbean Mystery.

Agatha Christie – Bronze Bust
The only one on view in the world. The Bust was unveiled on 15 September 1990 by Agatha’s daughter, Mrs Rosalind Hicks, to commemorate the centenary of her mother’s birth and is the work of Dutch sculptor, Carol Van Den Boom-Cairns.

The Strand
The Strand has always been a busy area of Torquay. In Agatha’s day it was a popular meeting place and a stopping point for stagecoaches. Young Agatha would have shopped with her mother here at exclusive stores such as William & Cox (now Hoopers).

The Imperial Hotel, Torquay
In the opening chapter of Peril at End House, the Imperial Hotel, renamed the Majestic, is described by Hastings as …“in its own grounds on a headland overlooking the sea. The gardens of the hotel lay below us freely interspersed with palm trees. The sea was of a deep and lovely blue.” The terrace of the hotel is also the setting for the final chapter of Sleeping Murder when Miss Marple unravels the mystery for Gwenda and Giles. Agatha herself attended many social occasions here and the hotel still reflects the elegance and grandeur of that period. Experience ambience and elegance by taking morning coffee or afternoon tea in the Palm Court Room which boasts panoramic views of the Bay.

These English Riviera locations are just a few of the many that boast connections with Agatha Christie, inspired her writing and appear in the pages of her best selling crime novels.

For more information on Agatha Christie’s Torquay, visit the Agatha Christie pages of the I Love South Devon website.

Ljubljana, Slovenia – 3^rd September 2010

Izzirent, in a continued effort to aid more and more business and leisure tourists across the world, reinvents its car rental facilities in the United Kingdom and introduces new destinations and an upgraded fleet. A collage of original and immigrant cultures, the UK remains one of the most visited places in the world. Izzirent.com makes it easy to travel across the country in ultimate comfort and style.

Vacationers can rent a car in the United Kingdom to explore the historic landmarks and the large array of parks in and around the place. The Edinburgh Castle, the royal fortress that has been used for more than a millennium and still remains in excellent condition, is frequented by visitors from across the globe. Other popular tourist hubs are the Stonehenge, an ancient stone circle near Salisbury, Wiltshire, York Minster in the historic York City and Stratford-Upon-Avon, Shakespeare’s birthplace.

Destination Manager Damijan Milivojevic says, “London is a hub for politics, finance, education, art, entertainment, fashion and culture and Izzirentacar.com enables tourists to enjoy this charming city to the fullest.”

Tourists can also consider car rental at London Heathrow Airport to tour the global capital of fashion, finance and trade. This vibrant, multicultural megalopolis abounds with historic landmarks, museums, galleries, parks and other entertainment opportunities. One should not miss the British Museum, National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery. And of course the Windsor castle, which is just a short drive from London.

One can also use a car rental at London Stansted Airport and travel to Piccadilly Circus, St Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. The Trafalgar Square, Westminster Abbey and the Palace of Westminster are also popular places of visit.

IzziRent.com is a global car rental dealer with a special focus on Central and East Europe. With very competitive prices and offering only high quality local car rental providers it strives to be the number one on-line dealer in Europe.

Going To Spain? Listed Here Are The Most Well-liked Places

Spain is filled with beautiful places to go, lovely sights to see and friendly people. There are also many cheap hotels in Spain so that you don’t have to spend your entire travel budget finding a location to stay. After all, there are a thousand places that you will desire to eat and to shop at as well.

When you get good deals at cheap hotels – Spain, you will be able to visit many more places than if you were spending thousands on your lodging. Before you leave on your trip, you will desire to decide what of the country you’d really prefer to see. Do you want to tour the wine country? The architecture of Barcelona? Or do you want to stay in one particular region?

• Explore the architecture of Barcelona
• Stay in one region that offers the greatest of Spain all in one area
• Explore the entertainment venues
• Tour the wine country
• Explore it all!

Are you a party animal? Love sunbathing during the day and dancing the night away then starting all over again the next day? You should really check out Ibiza then. Don’t worry – you can find cheap hotels in spain here too.

There are plenty of things to see in every region of Spain from the museums of Madrid, the bell tower in Madrid and the others. You are able to see the old buildings from Spain’s storied past as well as the new buildings from today. There are even some of the cheap hotels in spain that are in the center of activities so that you do not have to drive to find yourself in the center of fun and excitement, you are already there.

There are a number of ways to find places to stay, but your best bet is to find one before you even board the plane. Booking hotel, rental car and air fare may give you bigger savings than you’d have had only by booking each and every service on its own. If you are able to fly mid week or at a few hours’ notice, you may be able to drop the fee for travel even lower.

• Find your hotel before you leave on your trip. Don’t wait until you get there if you desire to find the finest prices.
• Be willing to fly mid-week.
• Fly red-eye.
• Book your flight, hotel, and car rental all together.

Check into the amenities of the budget hotel chains in spain before leaving, and make sure you address any questions you may have before embarking on your trip. Keep in mind what may be standard amenities in your country or region may not be standard over there, as cultures differ. Above all, have fun!

As the thermometer tops 20°C, it can only mean one thing: the British Summer has arrived. And that means festivals, camping and summer holidays. For many of us, it also means runny noses, itchy eyes, chemical sun tan lotions, dirty festival toilets and mosquito bites.

This summer, why not try a natural alternative for all your festival and travel needs? They guys at Natural Alternative Products, a long-established supplier of the full gamut of natural products, have just launched a new site geared towards the travel and festival market over at Natural Travel Products.

The site has everything from festival kits, sun tan lotions, insect repellents and food and drink products, where possible sourced from 100% natural sources.

There are a large number of websites out there selling festival kits, travel-size products and camping accessories but you’ll be hard-pushed to find a shop which features such a large range of natural and ethically sourced products.

Why go natural?

Let’s have a look at some of our best sellers:

Natural Patches Insect Repellent: Most insect repellents contain DEET, a toxic pesticide, which can be harmful to the environment and to your skin. These patches contain only natural ingredients. They are ideal for travel and festivals, as it is in the form of an unobtrusive patch which can be worn under your clothes and only needs to be replaced after 36 hours!

Soleo Organics Sunscreen: We all know that your high street brands of sun tan lotion work. However, did you know that most sun tan lotions contain petrochemicals, synthetic preservatives, and a whole host of other nasty ingredients? What if there was a range of sun tan lotions which were just as effective, made using all natural ingredients and processes – luckily for you, there is!

Festival Kits: We have a range of festival kits, using high quality, natural products – we feel proud that none of the other sellers can match our range, with products from leading manufacturers such as JĀSÖN and Haymax. From disposable urinals to ponchos (we can’t guarantee the weather!) and shampoos we have everything you need to make your trip that bit more hassle-free.

Check out the store now for all your travel needs.

After receiving an increasing amount of enquiries from male holidaymakers about whether the hotel they will be visiting will be showing the World Cup this summer, the UK’s fastest growing online independent travel agent has commissioned research to find out more about the rising panic.

New research commissioned by one of the UK’s leading online independent travel agents of 2,634 men aged 18-30 has looked into attitudes towards holidaying during the World Cup.

Www.sunshine.co.uk wanted to run the poll after noticing an increasing amount of enquiries in the run up to the World Cup as to whether or not the resort they would be staying in would be showing the matches. Of the men polled, 27% already have a holiday abroad booked for this year and 31% are planning to book one.

Of those who are or are potentially going away this year, 62% said they wanted to watch the World Cup and more than 1 in 3, 36%, of those abroad at the time of the competition said they would be checking whether their hotel, resort or somewhere in the surrounding area would be showing the games. Nearly half, 49%, said they felt anxious at the thought of missing a match that they wanted to see.

14% said they were using the World Cup as an excuse to go abroad, admitting the warm weather made for nicer surroundings to enjoy the game in. Only 8% said they would rather have stayed home during the World Cup, whilst 22% admitted it was their partner that had persuaded them to go away.

The study by http://www.sunshine.co.uk also found that 12% had contacted their hotel to check what other nationalities were going to be staying there during the World Cup and nearly a quarter, 23%, said they would rather check in to a hotel with more English guests, to avoid a clash over the match results.

54% said they would prioritise watching a World Cup match over any other activities on holiday.

Chris Brown, co-founder of http://www.sunshine.co.uk, commented on the findings;

“After already looking into women’s opinions of the World Cup and finding how a large number planned to go on holiday to avoid the game, we wanted to hear more from men about their thoughts on the subject.

“Judging by the research results and the number of panicked enquiries we have had at sunshine.co.uk, it’s clear that many men are worried about missing out if the go abroad whilst the World Cup is on. Luckily, it’s given away in the name that the World Cup is a widely appreciated game, so I don’t think there’s any danger of people not being able to find somewhere to watch the match on holiday.”

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

ENDS

For more information, or to arrange an interview with somebody about sunshine.co.uk, contact Shannon Haigh of 10 Yetis PR 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.

Holidaymakers heading for Turkey this summer are being advised by one of the UK’s leading car hire brokers that a change in Turkish law means they may face fines and invalid insurance if they drive some of the larger vehicle available for hire.

Economy Car Hire is warning that from May, UK drivers will not be able to drive a nine-seater minibus on a standard license – a popular choice for larger parties and families traveling together.

Economy Car Hire has now removed nine-seater vehicles from sale from this date, but is warning holidaymakers that not all car hire companies are aware of the law change. The company is contacting all customers who have booked such vehicles to offer them alternatives.

“With the strength of the Euro, Turkey is a popular choice for holidaymakers this year,” said Economy Car Hire managing director Rory Sexton. “This change in the law has been introduced quickly and quietly, so it’s important that holidaymakers know about it.

“From 1st May, British people driving a nine-seater vehicle on a standard UK license will be driving illegally, which will also invalidate their insurance, leaving them facing huge costs in the event of an accident.”

About Economy Car Hire:

Economy Car Hire operates fully-inclusive car hire services in over 20 countries worldwide, including the UK, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece (mainland and islands), Cyprus, Malta, Slovenia, Croatia, Turkey, Jamaica, Australia and Sri Lanka.
Prices are all-inclusive, with no insurance excess (hence no collision damage waiver necessary), unlimited mileage, free additional driver, no airport surcharges, and included theft loss waiver.
Full details at www.economycarhire.com.

MustSeeIndia.com, one stop for all travel related information for India, has partnered with Rural Tourism Network Enterprise (RTNE) for hotel bookings. The deal makes provisions for customers to book hotel rooms directly on MustSeeIndia.com.

RTNE is known to empower hotels in rural areas. It works with locals in the Bharat part of India and imparts entrepreneurial skills to them. This is a significant contribution, considering that it helps in fuelling the rural tourism industry.

Vikas Rana, CEO, MustSeeIndia.com revealed, “The key consequence of this pact is that we have offered hotels to our customers at the far-off locations at the most affordable prices. Most importantly, all this happens at the click of a button, literally!”

This new option allows clients to scan through information of various hotels in India and see the photos to get a slice of reality and book directly. This saves the clients from the trouble of having to spend hours finding out viable accommodation options and zeroing in on one of them. There are very few sites that can book in remote areas.

Saurabh Jha from RTNE shared that, “I think MustSeeIndia.com and we at RTNE have struck the right chord by customizing the accommodation options and bringing them to the doorstep, or rather, the desktop of our clients. They can choose from a wide array of options that are meant to suit every pocket and taste.” Very true, as rooms are available starting at Rs 300.

Customers can book hotels at http://www.mustseeindia.com/india-hotels and know more about RTNE at http://www.rtne.co.in

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.



The UK’s fastest growing online independent travel agent has released trading figures that show an 89% increase in sales in January 2010 when compared to January 2009 and has revealed which destinations have seen most bookings this year so far.

www.sunshine.co.uk has seen sales almost double from January 2009 to January 2010, with a sales increase of 89%, suggesting that things are looking bright for the travel and tourism industry this year. The number of bookings has risen by half and the number of passengers sent abroad has increased by 46% when compared to the same time in January last year.

These latest statistics from sunshine.co.uk follow a successful trading year in 2009, despite the recession, and highlight the fact that the travel industry is already picking up following the economic downturn. Other figures that further demonstrate this point are the most and least popular holiday destinations based on percentage share of bookings at sunshine.co.uk.

The site found that whilst Spain is still the most popular destination in terms of percentage share of bookings, the holiday location has seen only a marginal growth in terms of bookings since last year. Even though the USA only accounts for a small number of bookings on sunshine.co.uk in terms of share percentage, the actual number of bookings to the States has doubled when compared to January 2009.

In order, the destinations that have seen the biggest increase in bookings when compared to January 2009, along with the percentage increases figures are;

1. Egypt – 111.6%
2. Greece – 108.5%
3. USA – 102.4%
4. Turkey – 100.7%
5. Portugal – 88.5%
6. Malta – 80.9%
7. Canaries – 72.4%
8. Tunisia – 5.9%
9. Spain – 3.7%

Chris Brown, co-founder of sunshine.co.uk, commented on these trading figures;

“We are extremely lucky to have had such a successful year and see the increases in sales, passengers and bookings that we have. Whilst these statistics reflect the success of sunshine.co.uk, they also go a long way to proving that the travel industry as a whole is picking up.

He continued, “It’s interesting to see that whilst Spain still has the biggest percentage of market share when it comes to bookings on our site, it is actually destinations like the USA and Egypt that have seen the biggest percentage increase in bookings. The fact that bookings to Egypt and Greece have more than doubled in the past year, but the number of people opting to go to Spain has only grown marginally proves that the trends of the trade are changing.”

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

ENDS

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.