Research by Holiday Which? magazine has shown that cruise holidays are no longer considered to be the holiday choice of the over-50s.

Millions of British holidaymakers are said to have opted for a holiday cruise this year with a further increase expected next year.

The widening cruise market is attracting families and younger travellers, with newly weds in particular choosing a holiday on board a cruise liner for their honeymoon.

Claire Lilley, from Holiday Which? explained: “If you look in the trade press, the number of new cruise ships being launched this year is phenomenal really. And these are massive ships being launched in the UK alone.”

Recent research shows that family city breaks are experiencing a strong revival amongst UK travellers looking to spend more quality time with their loved ones.

Many holidaymakers are opting to take their families to more cultural destinations that offer something for both the adults and the children, rather than more traditional, child-focused family breaks such as theme park visits.

Some of the most popular city break destinations include France, the Channel Islands, Ireland and Holland.

Destinations such as New York and Amsterdam are reportedly very popular with UK travellers wishing to have a short city break as well as a main holiday each year.

While New York’s popularity may be due to the current strength of the pound against the dollar, other popular, far-flung city destinations include Cairo and Sydney.

The normally quiet Spanish village of Bunol has literally been painted red during the town’s annual Tomatina festival.

Thousands of people from all around the world arrived at the town for the festival during which around 100,000 kilograms of ripe tomatoes were thrown, leaving the revellers and town saturated in pulp and juice.

The festival, which reportedly dates back to a food fight between youths in the mid-1940s, traditionally concludes with the participants washing themselves clean in the nearby river while the local fire brigade hoses down the streets.

The festival is very popular with younger holidaymakers, particularly backpackers and gap-year travellers.

The 65th Venice International Film Festival starts on 27th August and will open with the world premiere of ‘Burn After Reading’ by Joel and Ethan Coen. The film’s star-studded cast includes George Clooney and Brad Pitt.

There is hot competition for the festival’s famous Golden Lion award for best film, with nominations including a feature-length animation from Hayao Miyazaki, the director of ‘Spirited Away’, and Jonathan Demme’s ‘Rachel Getting Married’.

Other categories at the festival include the Orizzonti section which looks at new trends in cinema, and the Corto Cortissimo competition for the best international short film.

There will also be a special screening of classic Italian films entitled ‘These Phantoms: Italian Cinema Rediscovered (1946-1975)’.

According to recent research holidays in America are more popular than ever with European travellers, in particular with holidaymakers from the UK and Germany.

One of the main reasons sited for this boom in popularity is the current exchange rate of the Euro against the American dollar. This has seen a boost in tourism and shopping in the States.
The US Office of Travel and Tourism Industries reported a massive 12 % increase for the first five months of 2008 compared with the same period last year.

“It’s been very positive this year because of the value of the dollar related to the Euro. The travel to New York has been exponentially up,” said Jon Moore, Vice President of Marketing and E-Commerce at the Marriott Hotels. “Our business is up as much as 50 percent over last year in New York, and about 15 percent to 25 percent in the other cities.”

For holidaymakers looking for something a bit different travelbite has compiled a list of the top up-and-coming travel destinations.

Essaouria, Morocco offers a quiet costal fishing village setting for an authentic local experience. It boasts a beautiful beach and stunning architecture to cater for all tastes.

The bustling markets of the southern city of Aswan in Egypt and its close proximity to the african boarder gives travellers the opportunity for a varied holiday experience, with major attractions including the Aswan High Dam and Philae Temple.

Bratislava’s affordability and beauty are making it increasingly popular with travellers wishing to immerse themselves in the rich culture and Mediterranean feel.

The ancient Japanese capital Kyoto is surrounded by stunning mountain scenery and is famous for its excellent cuisine and colourful festivals.

Puerto, Iguazu, in Argentina offers visitors the delights of the Iguazu national park and renowned Iguazu Falls. This exciting city is an excellent central point for travellers, as it shares boarders with Paraguay and Brazil.

The historical colonial city of Liningstone, Zambia is an ideal destination for holidaymakers seeking adventure with the Zambesi River offering fantastic opportuinities for white-water rafting, cruises, bungee jumping and much much more.

Popular with the locals, the seaside village of Cascais, Portugal offers a peaceful getaway from the more cosmopolitan city of Lisbon only 30km away. The resort offers a wide range of beach sports and activities.

With more museums than any other city in the world and steeped in medieval architecture and history the croatian city of Zagreb is the ideal destination for those seeking a cultural holiday.

Xi’an, China is surrounded by mountains and rivers and offers tourists a pleasing blend of culture and history.

The lively and diverse city of Amman, Jordan is an excellent destination for those wishing to learn more about the culture and background of this intriguing country.

The use of mobile phones on UK passenger aircraft may soon be given the go-ahead after an investigation by Ofcom.

UK aircraft operators wishing to permit their passengers to use their mobiles and other such radio equipment during a flight will be able to obtain a licence from Ofcom.

However recent research suggests that the vast majority of British travellers are against the move, preferring a more peaceful, relaxing flight free from catchy ringtones and loud conversations.

By January a new form of security check will be required for travellers planning a holiday in the US but who do not need a visa. Holidaymakers can now register online for special security screening which will replace the previously used green paper forms.

The new Electronic System of Travel Authorization (ESTA) is one of a line of measures in a move towards a more modern, paperless system.

From 12th January all visitors to the US, children included, will have to have an approved ESTA in order to enter the country.

The system will be free of charge and once registered, travellers will be able to visit the US for a period of two years.

For more information visit www.dhs.gov

The more advanced, adrenalin-driven skiers travelling to the picturesque skiing resort of Chamonix will soon be able to put their skills to the test thanks to a new initiative from the British Alpine Ski School.

The ski school will be offering an exciting new range of courses including backcountry and performance skiing programmes for next winter.

BASS has been providing a high quality service of ski lessons to both visitors and residents of the holiday resort for over four years. The school also works together with other local providers. Director Derek Tate explains: “our clients benefit from some of the best professionals in their field and our partners get to develop & invest in their own business. A real win-win situation for all concerned.”

The courses are led by a qualified ski instructor and an experienced mountain guide, providing skiers with both technical skiing tuition and the knowledge of how to enjoy the sport safely in the Chamonix Valley environment.

This seasons courses from BASS include;
- Pre-season Performance Course in Hintertux, Austria
- Mountaineers’ Off Piste Courses in Chamonix, France
- Backcountry Courses in Chamonix, France
- Weekend Off Piste Courses in Chamonix, France

Holidaymakers opting for a skiing holiday may soon be able to make their experience even safer. The “Flash Avalanche”, a new avalanche safety system used largely by off piste skiers, is about to come onto the market.

The new concept provides an alternative to the previously very popular avalanche beacons. The selling point of the new product is four cords which are only released in the event of an avalanche occurring. The 10m red polyester cords disperse out around the skier who then follows a cord to the surface. The “Flash Avalanche”, weighing a mere 220 grams and worn on the wrist, will be available in September 2008.

Other such products include the avalanche ball, a spring loaded ball with cord which is worn on the skiers rucksack.

For more information visit: www.flash-avalanche.com

The popular ski resort of Alpbach in southern Austria now has a new reservoir to enhance the snowmaking capacity of the system already in place.

At a cost of four million Euros the new Jochanger reservoir will eliminate the need to use high energy compressors for snowmaking. Instead using natural water pressure it will serve the snow making equipment of both Albach and its neighbouring resort Reith.

10km of new pipelines have been installed in addition to the new reservoir and a new pumping station has been installed higher on the pistes in the Wiedersbergerhorn area with extra care taken to preserve the natural environment of the location

Turkey has recently been highlighted for its wide variety of attractions to suit all ages and tastes.

Traditionally considered to be mainly a destination for those wanting to play golf and soak up the local history, Turkey is now being praised for its excellent nightlife and wide selection of accommodation to suit smaller budgets and those seeking a luxury experience.

With excellent communications, beautiful coastline and picturesque towns and villages steeped in history and culture it is easy to understand why Turkey’s popularity with UK holidaymakers is booming.

Despite the credit crunch and soaring fuel prices it seems that the predicted crash of the holiday market has not come to fruition.

Many holidaymakers are reaping the benefits of the current offers and price-cuts being offered by holiday companies.

The cost of long haul flights to some of the more exotic locations has fallen, resulting in destinations such as Asia, Africa and South America becoming increasingly affordable for tighter budgets.

Travel Agents are suggesting that last-minute holidaymakers could make huge savings, but that shopping around is still advisable.

Passengers wishing to fly to New Brunswick, Canada will now be able to do so from Gatwick airport.

This long-awaited service will provide travellers with greater access to the many popular resorts along the Atlantic Coast including Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia.

The flight operator will be Air Transat, offering both Economy and Club Class on an Airbus A310.

UK travellers consider Thailand to be the best when it comes to get the most out of the holiday budget.

The decreasing value of the pound is likely to force many British holidaymakers to look further a field when deciding on where to take their break.

According to the Post Office Holiday Costs Barometer, Bulgaria and Turkey emerged as cheap European destinations, although recent research shows that costs have risen of late.

In conjunction with Northwest Airlines, UK based technology company Mobiqa have completely revolutionised the passenger boarding system.

The concept of the paperless boarding pass allows travellers to use their personal handheld devices such as mobile phones when boarding a flight.

This new system, known as an E-Boarding Pass is being piloted for customers travelling non-stop between within the US.

The travel details are received by the device via MMS, email or WAP Push/link message. The device is then scanned before the passenger enters the departure area.

Nick Rankin, CEO of Mobiqa Ltd said: “With today’s mobile generation, we feel strongly that Northwest Airline’s mobile E-Boarding Pass offering will make a more convenient, environmentally friendly means of checking-in and boarding a flight.”

The new EHIC, or European Health Insurance Card entitles the holder to free or reduced cost medical treatment in any EU country.

In addition there is the EHICPlus card which covers all age groups including the over 65s. This particular card offers cover for a period of up to 4 months.

This new card could offer holidaymakers an effective alternative to Private medical insurance cover. In the case of illness or injury patients can present the card and be treated in any state medical facility in an EU country.

Figures recently released from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office suggest that around 65% of British holidaymakers over the age of 55 travel without insurance, the most common reason for this being the high costs.

Ryanair now offers seven new connections out of Luton airport taking the companies total destinations to 20.

The destinations include Beziers, Biarritz, Poland, Sicily, Lithuania and Derry.

Natalie Raper, spokeswoman for Luton airport said: “We are delighted to announce these new routes with Ryanair, giving our passengers yet more choice of places to visit and more convenience for business travellers.”

The new routes now take the Dublin-based company’s total to 95 national and international destinations.

Plans for a new high-speed train service between Beijing and the Great Wall of China have been completed in time for the Olympics.

After four months work to renovate an existing track the service is up and running and has cut the time it takes to reach the Great Wall in half to just one hour.

The intention is for the train to become a sightseeing train for tourists, similar to those already in place in some European destinations, such as Switzerland.

Recent research suggests that British holidaymakers are choosing holidays offering new and varied experiences.

Travel magazine lists extreme sports as one of the most popular holiday activities, with white-water rafting, abseiling and canoeing among the favourites on offer.

Themed cruise holidays such as those centred on a particular music genre have also seen a boost in their popularity.

In addition Luxury Travel magazine reported that many travellers are opting for more up-market holiday destinations such as China, South America and the Far East.