New sun spots for winter heat-seekers
DARK days are here again, so a holiday can’t hurt. Like heat-seeking missiles we launch ourselves from Britain’s gloom-soaked shores in the direction of anywhere that will take us, seeking a little vitamin D to restore our sun-deprived souls. So...
...what’s stopping you?
The collapse of Monarch Airlines this week has ruined the plans of 750,000 customers and caused thousands of job losses, while the US has had to contend with a “Trump slump” of 0.9 per cent in tourism this year. It is far too early to know whether the mass shooting in Las Vegas on Monday will affect tourism in the sixth most-visited city in the US, although statistics from Visit Orlando show the mass s shooting at Pulse nightclub last ast June has not been detrimental.
“When cities are struck by tragedy, it’s more important than ever to show support,” says travel magazine Globetrender’s editor, Jenny Southan. “Not just by posting a picture on social media but by actually travelling there, so long as your trip wouldn’t put you in danger.” Although there is often a dip in tourism after incidents such as the Paris attacks, things tend to recover as people realise that life has to go on.
Natural disasters such as earthquakes and hurricanes are a different matter. Southan also advises reading up on your rights under EU Regulation 261/2004 by visiting caa.co.uk if you’ve been affected by Ryanair or Monarch.
The original scorchers
Where to go, then? Virgin Airways reports that Orlando, Barbados, Dubai, Mexico and Las Vegas are the top-five “sun-seeking” destinations for British travellers. “These destinations have continually increased their British visitor numbers thanks to iconic attractions such as Walt Disney World in Orlando, and the pristine beaches in Barbados,” says Joe Thompson, managing director of Virgin Holidays.
Hot new things
If you don’t want to go with the crowd, take the road less travelled — Lanzarote is shaking off the “Lanzagrotty” tag with its dramatic landscapes and surprising arts scene, thanks to artist and architect César Manrique who was born in Arrecife back in 1919. “Step outside the more obvious tourist traps and you’ll find empty beaches, volcanic vineyards and pretty whitewashed towns — all set below mostly year-round blue skies and just a four-hour flight from London,” says Roxane Gergaud, co-founder of travel site, Doris & Dicky.
Jordan is an option, with a 400-mile trek across the country running from Umm Qais in the north all the way to the Red SeaS in the south open since March. Tel Aviv (picpictured left) is also abuzzab with foodies, culture-freaks,c and sophisticats. That’s thanks, in part, to the prevalence of new hotels:ho Dave West is the newestnew boutique to open withinwithi the Brown’s Hotel familyfamily, ththe Setai Jaffa opens in January 2018 near the Old City of Jaffa, while the The Poli House by Karim Rashid has an atmospheric rooftop bar and pool in a Bauhaus building.
Flights we fancy
A new easyJet flight to Seville, coupled with still scorching temperatures, has ensured it prime billing. British Airways launches new flights to Tenerife this autumn, while low-cost airline Norwegian will be increasing flights from the end of October to Boston, LA and Oakland. “If you’re looking to avoid paying high prices for an autumn escape, beware of half term (October 23-27) and the weekends either side,” cautions Southan, who also tips the new web portal Kayak Trends — which aggregates data from 1.5 billion searches — to identify the best times and destinations to book for the cheapest getaways. Break out.
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