Tenerife has topped Cosmos Holidays sales chart with a 60% increase year-on-year, report traveldailyco.uk

Majorca, last year’s number one, is now fourth in the sales list with Florida and Turkey before it.

Other Canary Islands have seen bigger rises in sales, particularly Fuerteventura (250%), Gran Canaria (100%) and Lanzarote (40%).

Menorca

The Algarve, Menorca, Shaem el Sheikh, Zakynthos and Mexico are also within the top ten.

“Whilst early booking trends indicated that this summer was all about the Eastern Mediterranean, the improved strength of the Pound against the Euro has resulted in a last minute surge of bookings to destinations throughout the Western Mediterranean and the Canary Islands,” said Monarch Travel Group Tour Operations Managing Director Hugh Morgan.

“After the challenges of the past 12 months, confidence has clearly been restored in the market and it’s great to see holiday durations lengthening from last year’s seven and 10 night durations to the traditional 14 night breaks.”

From the Daily Mail recently:

It’s the excuse we all needed to indulge in that well-earned break - scientists say holidays can help us live longer.

A new study has linked travel with increased happiness and better health suggesting trips could even be prescribed in the future as a way to beat depression.

The Australian research identified how travel can affect three different elements of happiness, meaning the joy of a holiday extends well beyond those days spent lazing on the beach and could help prolong our lives.

Dr Sebastian Filep, an expert in travel and wellbeing at Victoria University, found that motivations for travel, experiences at the destination and the post-holiday reflection all contributed to the pleasure of a jaunt abroad.

The first caused positive emotions in the traveller, the second gave them a sense of purpose and the third a sense of involvement - all key ingredients of happiness.

The in-depth analysis was undertaken with 60 different travellers and a further 200 backpackers for a chapter in a forthcoming book, Tourists, Tourism and the Good Life.

The results conclude that travelling really does make people happier, which improves our health and helps us live longer.

The full process from booking and organising the break to remembering the trip and looking at holiday snaps helps people feel better about their lives.

‘I see an opportunity for a greater connection between tourism and health where holidays become a more important factor in leading a healthy lifestyle,’ said Dr Filep.

‘We know from studies in the US that experiencing positive emotions reduces the risk for cardiovascular disease, or that optimists live longer than pessimists.

‘So happiness is good for overall physical and mental health and holidays are a good vehicle for experiencing happiness.’

Dr Filep even went as far as to say that: ‘Holidays may possibly lead to people living longer, as holidays make people happy.’

Although he is not advocating prescribing trips over anti-depressants, he did think they could play a part in the treatment of depression.

‘I see holidays as part of the overall treatment for making people happy because we now have research evidence that demonstrates a clear link between holidays and happiness,’ he said.

‘Happiness is the opposite of depression. If thinking about a holiday, going on a holiday and remembering a holiday plays a role in making people happy, than I certainly think prescribing holidays or travel could help beat depression.’

For more details about Lanzarote holidays visit yourlanzarote.net - included is a Lanzarote map

Tenerife Blog

The best advertising is recommendations from previous users, and to win an award that comes about as a direct result of your guests saying you provide great service is one worth winning - and that’s what’s happened for twenty of Tenerife’s hotels.

Organised by Thomas Cook Holidays, the awards recognise excellence, and it’s judged by actual guests at hotels who share their experience with the company via a Customer Satisfaction Questionnaire.

As well as awarding the best hotels it allows the company to keep on top of which hotels they use are perhaps not performing as well as others, and being able to make sure the hotels in Tenerife they offer are the best in the travel industry.

Some of the hotels that won awards are already well known to tourists, and in Playa de las Americas for example include the Bitacora and the Hotel Sol.

Los Cristianos is another well known resort popular for Tenerife holidays, and winners include the Paradise Park, Arona Gran and the Los Alisios apartments, while the Barcelo Santiago picked up honours from their hotel in Puerto de Santiago.

The Iberostar’s two hotels in Tenerife’s Costa Adeje both were among the winners, along with the Gran, ensuring all the popular areas for tourists from the UK and further afield were well represented and showing that the island is capable of providing great accommodation in different locations and it’s not just the Tenerife weather that attracts tourists.

Thomas Cook Holidays whose clients made the nominations are one of the UK’s best known travel companies, along with First Choice and Thomson.

For those who haven’t been before, the Tenerife weather is often near perfect on the southern half of the island for a holiday, while the northern half offers lush greenery and beautiful vistas. The cities are always full of life, and the glorious view of Mount Tiede, Spain’s highest point, is one many tourists remember from past visits.

For specific areas, Thomas Cook Holidays offer good information on their travel site about each one, but some of the less known areas are:

Icod de los Vinos (just Icod to the locals) is Tenerife’s premier wine-growing region. Daily life in Icod moves at a more relaxed pace than some other places on the island. If you visit Icod, be sure to visit the Dragon Tree that the locals say is thousands of years old. The beautiful Playa San Marcos with its inviting black sand can be found nearby.

La Laguna is a good place to stay if you enjoy art and architecture, and is more suited for adults than family holidays. The Cathedral dates back to 1515, and there are many interesting churches to explore. The city was once the capital of the island and still bears the regal air of an important place.

Los Gigantes is a city at the foot of massive cliffs which bears the same name. The picturesque marina offers boat trips for dolphin and whale watching, while the town has a good choice of bars, restaurants and shops while out and about.

For more information including press releases visit yourtenerife.net

If you’re considering your 2010 Lanzarote holidays at the moment and want something that’s eco friendly, looking at a Lanzarote map there’s a finca in the north-east of the island that could be just what you’re looking for.

To read about it click here

Lanzarote

The Canary Islands have found no respite from the worldwide economic downturn, and Canary Island residents who holiday abroad are seeing their own islands in a new light.

The Canary Islands have been a popular holidays destination for years now. The islands rely upon tourism for much of their economy and employment opportunities for local people - over thirty percent of its gross domestic product is generated by tourism. In recent years an average of ten million visitors holiday on one or more of the Canary Islands annually.

The wavering economy hasn’t stopped tourists from travelling to the Canary Islands, but it looks like there will be a drop this year of between 15 and 20 per cent on 2008, and often who are holidaying in the Canaries are being more careful with their spending money.

It also appears that native islanders who reside there year-round are travelling less. This may be the result of fewer tourism Euros being spent within the country. Those who own the businesses which cater to the international visitors have less of their own money to spend on outside travel.

Many Canary Islands residents are instead choosing to appreciate anew what international visitors have long been drawn to. They are opting to take “staycations” and visit the attractions in their own backyards.

The islands’ biggest draw is typically the great weather. However, outside visitors also appreciate the rich history and the diverse geography of the Canary Islands.

Canary Islands residents, on the other hand, don’t need to leave home for good weather. They are instead seeing the islands through the eyes of outsiders.

The Canary Islands are an archipelago of seven islands. Gran Canaria and Tenerife are the largest of the islands, and home to both of the Canary Islands’ joint capital cities. Both islands are popular tourist destinations, along with Lanzarote and Fuerteventura.  The four make up the largest and most populated of the archipelago.

The weather in Lanzarote for example is good year round, and there are plenty of tourists who head for the island November to March because of the weather in Lanzarote.

The smaller Canary Islands of La Gomera, El Hierro and La Palma also draw a significant number of visitors each year. They have fewer clubs and resorts than the larger islands. Instead, they tend to attract tourists who desire smaller crowds and more adventurous vacations.

All of the islands are of volcanic origin. Many are home to diverse ecological preserves and boast flora and fauna that cannot be found anywhere else. Ancient structures and preserved ruins can be found on a number of the islands. It is these attractions that are appealing to the Canary Island “staycationer.”

While similarities exist between all seven islands, significant differences are abundant too. Many of the islands feature regional cuisine and specialty local wines. Residents from one island can visit another and get a very different cultural experience without spending a lot of money.

Local events also draw visitors from one island to another. The various islands are home to golf, water sports, motorbike and other popular tournaments and races. These types of events have grown substantially over the past decade and many draw thousands or more spectators annually.

Those who choose to remain on their own islands can still enjoy the culture in their backyards. Camping destinations draw locals for quick, easy getaways. The slow economic market means that good deals can often be found on hotels and for 2010 villa holidays.

More details for Lanzarote are available with http://www.yourlanzarote.net

Lanzarote

Lanzarote might not be the first place that comes to mind when it comes to surfing, but that’s about to change when the surfing world descends upon the popular European holiday island at the end of October, and is a real bonus attraction for those thinking of taking a late 2009 holiday.

Lanzarote has some great beaches, and was declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1993 and has some of the most visually striking landscape anywhere. The whole island can be explored on foot, horseback or bike. Holidaymakers are well advised to do exactly that, as they will not be disappointed.

In particular, if you are lucky enough to holiday on Lanzarote, go see the Jameos del Agua. It is a stunning combination of art and nature, an intricate labyrinth of volcanic tubes where visitors can enjoy music and dance in a spectacular setting.

The beaches are part of the spectacle. Some feature dazzling white sands, while others display dark volcanic sand. All step off into crystal clear waters.

Depending on the beach, the waters are either calm and restful or feature powerful waves that come crashing in with regularity. These waves have attracted surfers. This year the La Santa Surf Pro Lanzarote 2009 will take place between October 25 and November 2. More importantly, this year it has a 6-star Prime status in the ASP WQS Series. Because of this, many more talented and qualified surfers seeking to boost their world points on the surfing circuit will be coming to Lanzarote. This promises to result in quite a show.

The hope is that as well as regular holidaymakers some will visit specifically for the surfing, and like it enough to book 2010 Lanzarote holidays after the event.

Surfing as a culture and a sport goes back hundreds of years. It was a central part of ancient Hawaiian culture. The chief was generally the most skilled surfer in the community with a board made from the best trees. But by the end of the 19th century, with the arrival of missionaries and their negative view of surfing as hedonistic, the culture had almost died out entirely. Thanks to Captain James Cook and his journal, we know that surfing was also quite popular in the South Seas back in the 18th century.

In the 20th century, a dedicated band of surfers refused to give up the ghost and continued to roam the oceans of the world, seeking the ultimate wave. But it wasn’t until mid-century that surfing once again came into its own. It took the California sounds of groups like Jan and Dean, the Surfaris and the Beach Boys to push surfing into the limelight. With songs like ‘Wipeout’ (Surfaris), ‘Surfer Girl,’ ‘Surfing USA,’ ‘Fun,Fun,Fun’ (the Beach Boys) and ‘Surf City’ (Jan and Dean - written by their friend and Beach Boy Brian Wilson), among others, everyone under the age of 30 suddenly loved surfing.

The Beach Boys in particular helped spread the word about surfing through their hits beyond California to Europe and around the world. They competed with The Beatles, Rolling Stones from Britain and from the U.S. The Monkees and Eagles at a revolutionary time for music - despite the fact that The Beach Boys had 4 number 1’s while The Beatles had over 4 times that number their music is played as much today as it ever was, and their album ‘Pet Sounds’ could have been the best album of the 60’s if it hadn’t been for The Beatles ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’  which spent 15 weeks at number one in the U.S. and frequently tops polls of the best albums ever.

The surfing mystique that grew up in California in places like San Diego and Santa Cruz developed with it a language and an image all its own. It didn’t matter if you were from California or lived in a land-locked state in the Midwest. Everyone used terms like gnarly, radical, tubular, hang ten, wipeout, goofy foot and pop-up. And everyone knew what the terms meant. The long-haired blonde surfer dude in boardshorts trudging into the surf with his long board under his arm, ready to wait it out for the perfect wave became iconic.

If you were not actually a surfer, you surely wanted to look like one because that’s who the girls looked at. For at least a brief period of time, ‘four girls for every guy’ was more than just a song lyric. You heard it at concerts. You saw it at the movies. You watched it on TV. Living the surfing life was fun. It was exciting and a dream come true.

The popular image, of course, was not the complete image of the surfing lifestyle. True aficionados of the sport continued to search out the big waves from ocean to ocean. For them the sport was much more than beach parties and posturing. As the sport came more and more into its own as a truly competitive endeavour, a series of year-long meets and a system of ratings grew up around it.

As with other sports, the goal was to play in the bigs. Sponsors became an important element because without them surfers could not afford to travel the world. An entire industry built on surfing equipment and outfitting grew into multi-billion dollar enterprises. Every surf meet that was ASP WQS certified drew the biggest names.

That is why, in October of 2009, Lanzarote, which is always visually spectacular but not always the biggest holiday destination, will find itself drawing a new crowd and the Lanzarote hotels will welcome some first time visitors.

The island has great all year round weather and the weather in Lanzarote end October should be ideal.

Fans of surfing will want to be there to see the pros do their thing. But regardless of the number of professional surfers that do show up in Lanzarote, spectators should see some great surfing at the event on the beaches.

Well known among the travelling public for her all year great weather, Lanzarote is the perfect place for a holiday, regardless of what time of year you go.

The Spanish holiday island is the fourth largest of the Canary Islands. It’s 37 miles long and 32 miles wide. Though you can see the island in a day by car, walking is often a better choice because you can see and do more things along the way - but buses and taxis are also available plus car hire.

Sandy beaches, colourful rock formations, beautiful landscapes and picteresque towns and villages attract holidaymakers to Lanzarote. It is of volcanic origins and was created 35 million years ago. The volcano makes a beautiful backdrop and is a point of historic interest for many visitors.

The Beaches Of Lanzarote

The beaches are clean and a crystal clear turquoise. The beaches are wide. Some have black sand, while others have white sand, making a nice contrast against the water. They are decorated with volcanic stones and are good spots for windsurfing and diving.

The Landscapes and Rock Formations of Lanzarote

The volcanic action that has taken place on the island has left its mark. The explosions have created unique landscapes. It’s not uncommon to see jagged lava, volcanic rocks, craters, ashes or petrified lava. The landscape also includes small villages, caves, valleys, palm trees and cactus, as well as panoramic views.

The Resorts and Hotels In Lanzarote

Playa Blanca is in the central area. It has been transformed from a simple fishing town to a nice family resort. Teguise is the former capital of Lazarote. It is a historical town with narrow streets, restored homes, hotels and resorts.

Tias is a less populated area with tapas restaurants and art galleries. Costa Teguise is more touristy, especially since it is close to the international airport where all the flights to Lanzarote arrive. It is equally popular among families, couples and the elderly. It has plenty of housing arrangements.

Puerto Del Carmen is the oldest resort on the island. It is a classic favourite among tourists. It also has an active night life and a mile of shops, restaurants and bars.

The Capital of Lanzarote

Arrecife has been the capital of Lanzarote since 1832. It is a port town situated near the airport. The people depend mainly on tourism and agriculture. The views from Arrecife are amazing. The Atlantic Ocean is to the east and southeast; the mountains are to the north; and the rest is made up of hills and farms. It makes for great Lanzarote weather.

Arrecife has a good mix of old and new structures. It is a port city with an urban feel. There are plenty of places to shop and eat. The nightlife is also lively.

Lanzarote is a great holiday destination. The island has its share of hotels with both old and new resorts to choose from. Several main towns offer major resorts to suit the needs of different types of visitors.

There is much more to this island than the sandy beaches. Make time to visit museums, festivals, markets, shops, castles and cultural centres during your holidays. If you are feeling a bit more adventurous, you can schedule a dive or go windsurfing - but whatever you decide to do taking holidays in Lanzarote is an unforgettable experience.

Three or four years ago a trend among the British public who take holidays abroad has been to move away from their traditional favourite destinations like Spain and the Spanish islands like Lanzarote to new areas like Turkey, Egypt and Morocco.

The reason for the move away from Spain and other traditionally favoured British areas of Europe isn’t because those traditionally favoured areas are not good holiday areas anymore - but simply because of economics.

The British currency - sterling - has declined in value against the currency most countries favoured by the British for their holidays, including Spain - the Euro. It has pushed up the cost of a family holiday quite a bit, to the extent where destinations not using the Euro have become popular. Turkey, Egypt and Morocco are the three top ones.

But there are signs from travel agent polls and data showing that the British are returning to their old haunts in increasing numbers, and that Spain is coming back into favour.

However, although the percentage of the overall market might be swinging back in favour of traditional holiday areas, huge problems remain for their travel industries as the number of people taking holidays this year has dropped dramatically because of the recession.

Media reports indicate different drops for different locations, for example Cyprus is thought to be experiencing a ten per cent drop in tourist numbers, while the number of people taking holidays in Lanzarote could be double that this year.

The good news for those who do visit Cyprus and Lanzarote is that even in the peak summer months the islands won’t be crowded, it will be easy to get seats at restaurants, and room for the whole family to stretch out and enjoy themselves on the beach - it could be a great year to visit, but what else will they find in Lanzarote for example, apart from less holidaymakers?

The island is a top dive destination for many divers worldwide for one, and diving lessons for newcomers can be taken. Underwater visibility in the waters around Lanzarote is 65 to 100 feet. Marine life includes angel sharks, moray eels, damselfish, groupers and many others. The occasional hammerhead shark is also known to inhabit the waters off Lanzarote.

Shipwrecks, natural caves and tunnels add to the thrill of diving in Lanzarote. Underwater landmarks have been named by various people over the years. During a visit to Lanzarote you may hear diving locations such as the ‘cathedral’ which is an underwater cave to the left of the Playa de la Barrilla Bay near Puerto del Carmen.

As well as diving, the wonderful weather in Lanzarote throughout the year is conducive to a variety of sports activities. Take your pick of golf, horseback riding, tennis and windsurfing.

The top golf course on the island is Golf Costa Teguise. The 18 hole golf course was designed by John Harris and built in 1978, and is good for both beginners and expert golfers. The course is located at the base of an inactive volcano and surrounded by all natural flora.

Like much of Lanzarote it’s pretty unique, and helps explain why holidaymakers who haven’t been to Lanzarote for a few years are starting to return - and discovering the Lanzarote they fell in love with is still there in all her glory.