Adventure travel news - February
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People who have the chance to go on a gap year should grasp the opportunity with open arms, as it should be a memorable experience.
Richard Arlow, a student, told Action News that he recently did just this, jetting off to Ghana in order to help out in the medical centre of a disadvantaged community.
He said that he felt as though he had really participated in something meaningful, as he spent his time assisting one doctor and only a few nurses with up to 200 patients every day.
Mr Arlow enthused: "Towards the end I would give injections and medications that people needed."
When it comes to choosing a honeymoon destination, Britons are getting more adventurous and are choosing places that they will be able to show off to their friends, as well as where they will be able to have a very romantic time.
This is the opinion of a piece on the Travel Counsellors website, which opines that while people will always still go for traditional destinations such as the Seychelles, more low-key resorts are now rising in popularity.
It points out that Sicily could be a good place for a couple's first holiday as a married couple, as could Dominica.
A new agreement intended to open up the skies over Tunisia could allow Britons to reach the country easily and more cheaply.
After a long period of negotiation, the Tunisian National Tourist Office has announced that the country has entered into the Open Skies agreement, which will allow carriers from the UK and Europe, as well as America, operate freely in its airspace.
Even though flights to Tunisia are already available from the UK, the new agreement will mean that budget airlines will also be able to go there, meaning cheaper prices for travellers.
New research has found that despite the credit crunch, 78 per cent of travellers from the UK will spend the same amount on their holidays during 2009 as they would have done any other year - and almost a third said they will throw caution to the wind and spend more.
The poll, carried out by Carnival UK, also found that Britons are creatures of habit when it comes to sleeping - more holidaymakers said they missed their beds while abroad than said they missed their family and pets.
Statistics released by Glasgow Airport have shown that the number of ski holidays taken this season has increased by 85 per cent over last winter.
Since November, over 18,000 skiers have jetted off from the Scottish hub, with the increase attributed to new flights operating to European hotspots such as Turin, Geneva and Salzburg.
Amanda McMillan, managing director of Glasgow Airport, said this winter has been one of the busiest ever in terms of people taking ski holidays.
Holidaymakers should not let their guard down while on their holidays to the extent that they are vulnerable to being ripped off by scams.
This is the warning of insurance provider LV=, which said that 21 per cent of Britons have fallen victim to a con while in European resorts over the past five years.
On average, the cost of a scam, including dodgy timeshares and poor tours, amounted to £250 per traveller.
Although it may not be the easiest place in the world to reach, a diving trip off the coast of the Bornean Island of Sipadan is well worth the journey.
This is according to Martin Spice of the Telegraph, who said that while he is not a seasoned diver, he enjoyed the experience immensely.
"Nobody who dives Sipadan wants to leave it. The island … is a real treasure," he commented.
Sipadan is reached via an hour's flight from Kota Kinabalu to Tawau, followed by an hour's bus trip to Semporna and then a boat ride to the island itself.
Travel companies are seeing an increase in ''short-termism'' when it comes to Britons booking their holidays, it has been revealed.
EssentialTravel.co.uk highlighted the phenomenon, which is where people hold on until the last-minute in order to book their holidays, as a growing trend amid the credit crunch.
Stuart Bensusan, head of insurance for the firm, said it has increased since November 2008 due to fears over potential job losses and a knowledge that there may be savings to be had by holding on.
Keen explorers should take the opportunity to visit Peru and Bolivia in order to follow in the footsteps of the mysterious Incas.
This is the opinion of Dragoman.com, which states that a week or two in the area is the perfect chance to see the ancient people''s mythology and their believed birthplace of the sun and moon, Isla del Sol.
The Urubamba Valley - or the Inca Trail - and Colca Canyon, should also not be missed, especially since the latter is home to the majestic condor, ideal for photo opportunities.
More people than ever are booking holidays to Croatia as they look for somewhere with an interesting landscape that is not too crowded with package tourists.
This is according to Meri Matesic of the Croatian Tourism Board, who said that the European country is renowned for its natural beauty and opportunities for outdoor pursuits such as hiking and kayaking.
"There are only a few countries in the world where you can find so many wonderful and different landscapes in such a small area," she commented.
