Travel agents in the not so distant past in the UK knew their market – two weeks in Spain in July and August for the majority of bookings, with most people booking in January and paying six months of instalments.
Technology, low cost airlines, and people’s expectations have changed all that.
Popular holiday destinations for many Europeans still included Spain and the islands of Majorca and Menorca.
But people have become more adventurous, and trips to Egypt, Jordan and other destinations not really thought of a decade a go are now very much in vogue.
The traditional two week holiday is fast becoming redundant too, with many families now taking two, three and sometimes even four shorter breaks a year, with some of those two or three day trips.
Traditional travel agents are certainly having to adapt to the new world of travel, for not only are they having to rise to the challenge of a different market place for the number of holidays and time taken from a decade ago, but unless they have a strong on-line presence they are in a declining market, as more and more people change from booking at a bricks and mortar store to creating their own holidays on the internet.
A good example of the changing tourist scene is the Menorca holidays market.
The Spanish island’s economy is pretty reliant on tourism, and in the seventies, eighties and nineties marketed itself successfully as a quiet destination, with two week package holidays typically taken between June and September the normal tourist season.
But now in an effort to stay as a major player in the European holidays game, the season has been extended from June back to April, and from mid September to early October.
In addition as not only is the typical holiday no longer two weeks but one, the island is also marketing itself as a holiday destination good for three and four day breaks.
Although the scenery and terrain may be enough in itself to keep holidaymakers busy for a fortnight, Menorca is rich in culture and history for those who take culture breaks for three or four days. Examples are the collection of ancient stone monoliths which bear tales of prehistoric times.
Daytime summer temperatures hover around the mid to high seventies farenheit on the island, and are mid sixties to mid seventies in the months Menorca is broadening her season for, tourists who might visit in April, May, September and October.
Menorca, like many holiday destinations, has adapted to a fast changing holiday mix, but will no doubt hope that there aren’t too many change of habits coming along in the future – but if there is they will respond quickly enough to esure the island’s place in the tourists plans.
For holiday information about Minorca including Mahon Airport and flights to Minorca visit yourmenorca.net
I’m studying abroad in Italy next semester and I’m wanting to take a trip to Egypt. I’d really like to go to Cairo to see the pyramids and the rest of the city and possibly to Alexandria. What is the cheapest way to get to Egypt from Italy? And any tips you have about inter-Egypt travel would be awesomely appreciated!
With 76 lots auctioned, the action moves to the ballroom as the MusiCares Person of the Year (Aretha Franklin) Dinner is beginning. Up for grabs is an Egypt travel package, Bill Clinton saxophone, Indy 500 package and a 2008 Cadillac CTS.
I plan to travel to Egypt on March. Do you know reasonable and comfortable hostel or hotel in Cairo , Aswan , Abu-Simbel and Lu-xor ? And , if you have any instructive information about traveling Egypt, please give me !
Situated at the northeast corner of Africa, Egypt is one of the most populous on the continent. It also has a very high population density as most of its 80 million inhabitants live near the banks of the River Nile. While the country encompasses roughly one million square kilometres, the people live in only about 40,000 of that!
Its capital is Cairo; most of its citizens are Egyptians and Arabic is the official language. Although predominantly an Islamic country, there is a sizeable Christian community and its roots go back many centuries. They make up about ten per cent of the population.
The area has been inhabited since ancient times; archaeological digs have revealed signs of hunter-gatherers living throughout the area for centuries. Then, as the climate changed and the amount of arable land shrank, the communities congregated along the shores of the Nile, chief source of water for the nation. The annual flooding of the banks by the river heavily influenced all aspects of the society.
With the rise of the Pharaohs, the society took on a highly structured and organised framework. Ironically, the same deserts that protected the people and thus allowed them to develop a society in peace would later prove troublesome for their growth. Isolated, and having limited contact with other societies, the Egyptians eventually ceased to innovate and invent. Thus, when the Persians, Greeks and Romans arrived, the Egyptians were ill-equipped to defend themselves.
Geography and Climate
The nation is largely desert and flat; the Nile Valley, Nile Delta, and the coastal areas being the only real arable lands. As part of Africa, and near the Sahara, summers can be quite hot – over 38 degrees Celsius in the deserts is not uncommon. However, the coastal areas can be quite comfortable, and the winter months usually range from about 13 to 21 degrees.
Politics
While the Egyptians were once ruled by the absolute power of a Pharaoh, some would say that little has changed over the millennia. Between the dynasties of Egypt, the foreign rulers such as the Greeks and Romans and later colonial rule under the French and English, the people have never really known any sort of representative government. Today, the country is a republic, and Dr. Ahmed Nazif is the Prime Minister and Mohamed Hosni Mubarak is the President. In his fifth term, he is the leader of the National Democratic Party and was elected in a single-candidate election. While technically the power is supposed to be divided between the two offices, Mubarak is the defacto ruler of the nation. Recent changes to the single-candidate election process were greeted with scepticism as the requirements are nearly impossible to meet. It remains to be seen if the political structure will ever change.
Economy
The nation depends largely on oil, agriculture and tourism for its income. In recent years, the government has been striving to update the economy so that it might better compete on the world market. As the country has coal, oil, natural gas and hydroelectric power, it is seeking to develop them for export. In terms of tourism as well as such iconic attractions as the Pyramids, you can take fantastic Nile Cruises.
Find out more about luxury Nile Cruise holidays at www.luxurynilecruises.co.uk.
Stephen Reynolds owes and manages XEC Internet – a company which manages and trades in generic domain names. As well as acting as domain name consultants, XEC Internet also develop their portfolio of topic based names into rich content sites.
Life Amid The Ruins: Gazans Still Feel Under Siege
Ruled by the militant Islamists of Hamas, the Gaza Strip is home to almost 2 million Palestinians, most of whom are unable to leave. Recently, Israel has partially eased its economic blockade. But 18 months since Israel’s war in Gaza, there has been only limited reconstruction.
