Even the best travel plans can be waylaid by a transportation disaster. Between rigid security requirements, canceled and overbooked flights, and undependable, cramped public buses, the potential for your dream vacation to turn into a nightmare is endless. But travelers-in-the-know have another option to get where they need to go – booking a jet charter, bus charter, or limousine charter. Chartering is a flexible, convenient, and sometimes even affordable way to bypass the complications and hassle of going on vacation or traveling for business.

Advanced smartphones, such as the Android, Blackberry and iPhone, have become an essential accessory in our daily lives. These units are very nice to look at and yet exhibit a high functionality essential in any gadget. Those who are always on the go rely on their smartphones for an assortment of functions with large storage phonebooks with easy phone number search, GPS Tracking, MP3/4, and a multitude of applications to download. Below are 5 essential applications that will help maximize the potential of the smartphone as a travelling companion.

If the British winter is getting you down, and you long for the sight of the sun, then the Canary Islands may be the perfect holiday destination.

All year round, the Canaries offer an ideal climate – long hot days in summer and cooler but still pleasant in the winter.
The Canary Islands, located just off the northwest coast of Africa, are autonomous from Spain and receive a combined 12 million visitors per year. The four largest islands are the best known – Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote.

The Basque Country boasts some of the most iconic landscapes in Spain, with its beautiful mountain ranges and stunning coastline.

This area of Northern Spain has plenty to see and do with its vibrant cities and picturesque countryside, a far cry from the bustling streets, cloudy skies and expensive London Hotels of back home.

Bilbao is the largest city in the region and is a must-see if you are lucky enough to be in the area, as it harbours some cultural marvels.

Tenerife is a Spanish island that boasts diverse attractions, but few visitors can resist the Teide National Park.

Teide is the most visited national park in Europe, with some 3.5 million visitors each year, even though it is hardly ideal in terms of transport options.

When it comes to tips on visiting Spain, though, be sure that this is a trip that will live long in the memory because although some of the accommodation may not match the luxury of some Dubai Hotels, the spectacular scenery and activities around the park more than make up for it.

If you’re considering a trip or an even a permanent move to Spain, you’re not alone – it’s one of the most visited country in the world.

In 2007, almost 60 million foreign tourists visited Spain, putting it behind only France as the destination of choice. If offers the visitor luxurious accommodation that rivals even the finest of Dubai Hotels yet also boasts spectacular scenery, great weather, a glorious coastline and delicious cuisine.

Not good news for expats and regular travelers in Spain who travel tourist class with Iberia as they have announced they will be charging for second suitcases checked into the hold from 1st March 2010, in an attempt to lighten the planes, save fuel costs and speed up operations ….. no mention of making more money or reducing costs to passengers you note!

Although many are warning that Britain is at risk of plunging back into recession based on the remarkably low growth figures (0.1%) compared to an expected 0.4%, the 18 month recession has officially ended and early indications are that it is good news for the travel industry, and therefore one hopes for expats living in Spain hoping to see the tourism related business that so many depend on for their income pick up.

The A-7 section from La Herradura to Taramay is one of the most costly in Spain

The long-awaited stretch of the A-7 motorway from La Herradura to Taramay has finally opened, almost four years after the tragic accident which cost the lives
The body of one of the six men who died when the viaduct collapsed – EFE archive

But the rest of the world sees British travellers in a far better light, a survey by travel company Expedia revealed.

European hoteliers also named Britons as the messiest, most complaining and worst tippers among tourists.

But worldwide, Britain was second only to Japan as the country with the best tourists overall.

Britons were also beaten to first place in the best-dressed category only by the Italians, with the French third.

In time of recession, many countries look to curb taxes and charges that directly impact on travel and tourism.

Hence the Dutch and Belgians, among others, have temporarily reduced or suspended airport charges. The Kenyans have halved visa fees. And the French have slashed VAT on restaurant meals.

It is not a position the British government cares for – quite the reverse. In April, the Treasury announced plans to increase air passenger duty by up to 112 per cent in November.

The tourists were more than a little surprised to be told they would have to sit at the back of a flight home from the Spanish island because of a problem in the plane’s cargo hold. Some of them were terrified.
A malfunction had apparently caused a door in the cargo hold to jam.

The travellers’ luggage could be stowed only in the front portion of the aircraft.

Bookings from Britons wanting to holiday with their dogs are up by 150 per cent at Best Western hotels.

The hotel group, which has won awards for its pet friendliness, offers customised dog-beds (complete with dog treat on the pillow) as well as fine dining canine-menu (which include “leash and potato soup” and “prawn dogtail”). The group’s Monkbar hotel, in York, has walks which have been especially devised for dogs depending on whether they have short, medium or long legs, while the Dower House hotel offers rooms with direct access to the gardens.

A survey this week by a travel insurance specialist found that 70 per cent of holidaymakers did not realise that they will be required to cover the costs of medical treatment should they sustain an injury while under the influence of alcohol. A further 80 per cent of those surveyed admitted to getting “very drunk” while abroad.

“We advise all travellers to think twice before drinking heavily on holiday this summer”, said Stuart Bensusan, insurance director at EssentialTravel.co.uk, the London-based company that carried out the research

Called WorldTracer, it is capable of reading baggage tags within seconds and capturing all the information an airline needs to reunite the passenger with their suitcases.

The technology, which will be launched commercially later this year, is likely to appeal to airlines with a poor reputation for losing luggage.

In recent years British Airways has been one of the worst – if not the worst – culprit, although in recent months its performance is understood to have improved dramatically, with only 12 bags per 1,000 passengers going missing in December.

Looking for something to do this weekend? You could try visiting Twitter for travel inspiration. Many of the UK’s local and regional boards are using the micro-blogging site to update visitors with news of local events and provide links to photos, videos and booking sites.

Some tourist boards are doing a great job of using Twitter to provide fun updates and useful information – but others aren’t. In fact, some could be accused of wasting public money.

The traditional northern snack – made from boiled split peas and ham fat – was confiscated from hand luggage at Newcastle International Airport.

It was part of the 450 litres of banned liquids seized by staff each day, including bottles of water, fizzy pop and suntan lotion, vintage champagne and spirits, jars of Marmite and bottles of tomato ketchup.

Head of operations Chris Davis said it was costing the airport a fortune in recycling and waste disposal.

British holidaymakers are shunning the eurozone in favour of long-haul destinations and non-euro countries, according to the latest figures.

Skyscanner, an online flight booking website, has seen flight searches to eurozone destinations fall by as much as 15 per cent, compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, searches for flights to long-haul destinations such as Bangkok (up 271 per cent) have surged, while Turkey (outside of the eurozone) features three destinations in the list of top 10 searches. Since May 2008, sterling has fallen by 13 per cent against the euro.

According to statistics released today by the accountancy firm, Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC), between January and March, 27 travel companies collapsed compared with 11 in the same period last year.

Over the past 12 months some 78 companies have failed – up from 49 in the previous year.

Insurance advisers have long underlined the importance of “portable” cover for expatriates. And recent events would seem to justify this advice.

Unforeseen economic shocks reverberating around the globe have forced many well-established expatriates to reconsider long-term plans. The draw of home state can become irresistible when a plunging pound slashes the value of one’s pension and sterling-based investments.