Travel and Tourism news UK: 2011

Monday, December 26, 2011

30.7 million overseas visitors expected in 2012 spending £17.6 billion across the UK

As Britain turns its attention to hosting a number of major events next year, national tourism agency VisitBritain has today released its 2012 visitor forecast, revealing that the UK should attract 30.7 million visitors in 2012, spending £17.6 billion in the process.

Commenting on the forecast, Sandie Dawe, VisitBritain’s Chief Executive said: “While these figures are in line with expected numbers in 2011, maintaining current visitor levels would be a good outcome in a year that is proving difficult to predict due to the current global economic climate and the impact this may have in many of our key markets.

“We are currently on track to see a record number of holiday visits to the UK this year, which suggests that our appeal as a destination remains strong; this level of interest is something we hope to build on as we head in to 2012. The business traveller market however remains some way down on record levels, and there is some risk this could decline further if there was an economic slowdown as companies usually put in place measures to kerb travel costs.

“2012 gives us an unprecedented opportunity to showcase Britain in a way that we have never had before, allowing us to revitalise our appeal in mature markets and help us get Britain on the destination wish list of first time visitors from growth markets such as Brazil, China, India and Russia.

“As part of our ‘GREAT Britain – You’re Invited’ marketing programme which we are undertaking with commercial partners, we have a fantastic range of deals in place to entice visitors to travel here throughout 2012 and will look to tap into the strong holiday market to ensure we can build on the gains we have made over the last couple of years. This will be supported by our largest ever image campaign to help inspire potential visitors to come and enjoy all the great experiences that we have on offer here in the UK.

“VisitBritain is working hard to ensure that the Games and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations will generate positive PR for Britain, taking advantage of the global interest to increase tourism numbers in the years ahead and creating a lasting tourism legacy for the future.”

As well as taking into consideration the economic implications, the 2012 forecast has also taken into account the unique dynamics that will come as a result of hosting next year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games. Taking careful note of reviews of the impact of previous Games on host countries, VisitBritain is working closely with the tourism industry to counteract any short-term impact that may be caused and how it can help tackle the issue of displacement of overseas visitors.

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Accor pursues its transformation with the disposal of the Mercure Chopin in Warsaw, for €31m

Furthermore, Orbis, the subsidiary of Accor in Poland, has led a successful asset restructuring policy throughout 2011, with seven outright sales (more than 1,000 rooms) representing a total disposal amount of €45m, more than half of which in the second half of the year. None of these hotels was flagged under an Accor brand.

All of them, including the Mercure Chopin, were presenting operating performances and technical characteristics below the Group’s standards, and will stop operating as hotels.

In the meantime, Orbis kept refocusing on its core hotel business, with the disposal of its Car Rental and Car Fleet business

Airline websites flying high as OTAs lose ground

The dynamic between supplier websites and online travel agencies (OTAs) is shifting yet again. While OTAs outperformed supplier websites throughout the recession, the online pendulum is now swinging in the opposite direction, according to PhoCusWright's U.S. Online Travel Overview Eleventh Edition.

Fueled by the weak economy and deal-hungry consumers, OTAs were able to grab a larger piece of the online leisure/unmanaged business travel market in 2009: OTA share grew to 40% in 2009 from 38% the previous year. But the gain has proven to be short-lived. Supplier share will grow to 62% in 2011, reaching 63% by 2012.

Strong corporate demand, tight airline capacity and higher fares are fueling the gains of airline websites at the expense of OTAs. Airline sites will represent nearly three quarters of the online air market by 2013. While the supplier channel has long dominated online air distribution, added incentives such as ancillary services and the potential impact of Google-ITA's new Flight Search product are expected to further tip the balance.

PhoCusWright's U.S. Online Travel Overview Eleventh Edition is a comprehensive analysis of the U.S. travel industry, providing market sizing and growth forecasts through 2013. The report focuses on the U.S. online leisure/unmanaged business travel marketplace, highlighting marketing and distribution trends for all travel segments including air, hotel, car rental, vacation packaging, rail and cruise. It tracks distribution shifts among supplier websites and online travel agencies, as well as major offline channels. The report analyzes trends in market share, technological innovation and consumer behavior to provide a detailed overview of travel distribution in the U.S.

British Airways Christmas getaway begun

Statistics & Trends British Airways Christmas getaway begun Friday, December 23, 2011 The great escape of British travelers begun in earnest on Thursday, December 22, 2011 as a peak 95,000 customers jet off around the globe with the British Airways.

Even Christmas Day will see nearly 30,000 people travelling, thanks to British Airways’ 365 day-a-year operation.

Thousands of British Airways staff including cabin crew, pilots and customer service staff will be looking after customers all over the world.

Homebound customers peak on January 2, 2012 with 94,000 people flying on the airline’s network.

The top ten destinations for Christmas and New Year are:

1. New York
2. Geneva
3. Edinburgh
4. Barcelona
5. Manchester
6. Glasgow
7. Miami
8. Dubai
9. Cape Town
10. Amsterdam

Richard Tams, head of UK&I sales, said: “Christmas is an exceptionally busy time of year for us and we’ve already welcomed tens of thousands of customers on board. December 22 is our next peak with people maximising their time off and we’re looking forward to carrying half a million people home in the first week of the new year.”

Carnival International de Victoria Seychelles 2012 is not to be missed

Meetings & Events Carnival International de Victoria Seychelles 2012 is not to be missed Friday, December 23, 2011 Seychelles and La Reunion islands are busy planning for the 2nd edition of the “Carnaval International de Victoria," due to take place between March 2-4, 2012 and comprising 3 days of festivities that promise, once again, to make Victoria the place to be.

In the 2012 edition, Emirates Airline will be the carnival’s official airline partner, while in the true spirit of the Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands, La Reunion will be Seychelles’ partner in hosting the 2nd edition of the carnival that has already attracted some 35 foreign delegations and floats.

The official countdown ceremony of the 2012 “Carnaval International de Victoria" will take place on January 13 at the International Conference Center of Seychelles (ICCS) in Victoria when the full program, list of invitees, and performing artists will be rolled out.

Once again, the carnival will kick off with an official opening in central Victoria, attended by both international and local dignitaries, as well as Seychellois from the tourism trade and a cross-section of local businesses. Live music performances, entertainment from home and abroad, and a wide choice of international food stalls will be the order of the day against a backdrop of bright lights, colorful decorations, and levels of excitement appropriate for the carnival of carnivals.

Day two will be the carnival procession day when all local and foreign participants will join in a spectacular carnival procession through the streets of the capital amid huge numbers of locals, visitors, and crews from visiting navies, together echoing the carnival theme, “the melting pot of cultures."

This carnival procession remains the unique attribute of the “Carnaval International de Victoria" in the Seychelles. This is the carnival where the best carnivals of the world and the most known ones walk side by side in a carnival procession. They are followed by cultural troupes from the Community of Nations from the four corners of the world.

The third and final day will be one of pure family fun as local hotels and caterers make their culinary specialities available to the public while live bands, both local and international, play into the night. This is a great day for everyone to interact, as it brings the philosophy behind the carnival to life.

Christmas TV inspires wanderlust

As several holiday companies start their TV advertising campaigns on Boxing Day in advance of peak booking season in January and February, many holidaymakers’ choices will be inspired by the films and TV programmes they watch over the festive period.

Frozen Planet – the Epic Journey has already prompted a surge in demand for expedition cruises to the Antarctic and Artic. The Christmas highlights show is likely to boost this trend further as will Earthflight, a documentary set in the USA that follows the path of snow geese on their journey from the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic. Miranda Hart and Bear Grylls are trekking across the Swiss Alps in Bear’s Wild Weekend with Miranda.

Top Gear’s annual expedition sees them travel across India, showcasing the country’s major cities, culture and countryside. In Three Men Go to New England, Rory McGrath, Griff Rhys Jones and Dara O’Briain are in search of a boat for a parade celebrating the 125th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty.

Parents may find themselves booking holidays to Paris, New York and Madagascar after their children watch films such as: Ratatouille, in which a rat travels to Paris to realise his dream to be the best chef in France, and Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, where animals escape Central Park Zoo to fly back to Madagascar.

Closer to home the Downton Abbey Christmas special is likely to increase demand for packages to visit stately and manor homes used in the popular costume drama. Harry Potter fans at home and abroad will also be inspired to visits locations such as Alnwick Castle and Gloucester Cathedral.

Victoria Bacon, ABTA Head of Communications says: “Film and television programmes have a huge influence on British holidaymakers’ travel plans. It is clear destinations benefit enormously when used as film locations, which is why many are delighted to be chosen.”

The cinema also has a huge influence on booking habits. Next year destinations such as New Zealand and the USA stand to benefit in particular from high profile releases on the silver screen. New Zealand’s stunning scenery will provide the backdrop to The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and New York provides the setting for The Great Gatsby. A host of beatnik inspired road trips are expected following the release of On the Road, based on the Jack Kerouac novel, written about the writer’s travels and featuring San Francisco, Argentina and Chile. Meanwhile, Nicolas Cage’s Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance looks set to give a boost to Bulgaria and Cappodocia, Turkey.

Meeting the environmental challenge vital for consumers to continue to benefit from strong choice and good value in aviation

The aviation regulator set out its view in Aviation Policy for the Environment, the second of three Insight Notes the CAA is publishing to help the Government frame its aviation policy for consultation next Spring. The Insight Note covers the environmental impact of aviation on carbon emissions, noise and local air quality.

The CAA identifies that current capacity problems in the South East have partly been caused by an inability to move beyond local community concerns over aviation noise, which highlights the need for a radical approach to the issue to allow capacity increases.

Iain Osborne, CAA Group Director of Regulatory Policy, said: “To be able to develop sustainably aviation has to embrace and tackle both the noise nuisance that impacts communities around airports and climate change caused by carbon emissions.

“Dealing with the noise issue demands a two-sided approach. We need to consider how to reduce noise, but also recognise that it will still have a big impact on people living close to airports. So Government noise policy must find ways to help airport owners and local communities to engage more constructively on noise.

“On climate change the ideal solution is global, but an EU-wide approach is a highly valuable transition. We advise the Government to continue to push for a global emissions trading scheme and support the inclusion of aviation in the EU Emissions Trading System and to set up a policy framework that supports industry in further technological and operational solutions to reduce noise. There is also an important role for the CAA in providing trusted, reliable information to consumers about CO2 emissions performance to drive improvements."

The Note focuses on aviation noise nuisance and aviation’s climate change impacts, where the CAA has considerable experience, and suggests ways forward for Government. The other major environmental issue aviation must address is Local Air Quality, which is not covered in detail as it is not a current area of CAA expertise.

Aviation Noise
Aviation noise is likely to be a significant concern surrounding the development of any new capacity, which is likely to be vital to secure choice and value for consumers in future. To meet that concern and manage sustainable capacity development anywhere in the UK will require Government to lead a more constructive and inclusive debate on aviation noise than is happening at present.

Noise is a local issue and policies need to be applicable at the local level to provide a robust platform for the aviation policy. The CAA recommends an approach to aviation noise within the policy that focuses both on reducing the numbers of people affected by noise and encouraging industry to better engage with their local communities to try to create consensus in support of sustainable development.

The CAA suggests it may be possible to set out a noise limit for airports, within which growth would be allowed, to reflect that it is aircraft noise that damages local communities’ quality of life rather than aircraft themselves, so where noise is reduced, flight numbers could be allowed to increase.

Aviation noise at Heathrow has reduced significantly over time, with technological improvements mitigating increasing flight frequency. The numbers of people affected dropped by 60% between 1988 and 2010 and the total area affected shrank by two-thirds. However, in spite of these reductions Heathrow still accounts for more than one in four people in Europe affected by aviation noise.

Climate Change
On climate change the CAA suggest that without a global ‘cap and trade’ scheme, the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme is the next best option for meeting the carbon challenge. What’s more, there are significant benefits to be drawn from operational and technical measures to combat climate change, such as modernising airspace. Initiatives which the CAA worked on include new green incentives for NATS, pioneering the Future Airspace Strategy and promoting Continuous Descent Approaches and Continuous Climb Departures.

Online booking continues to expand in China

Tourism New Zealand's General Manager Asian Markets, Mark Frood says that while the importance of traditional trade still dominates booking habits the increased use of online presents significant opportunities to the tourism industry.
"The growing popularity of western-style retail websites is transforming ecommerce in China with consumers making the most of being able to easily compare products before making a decision.

"As a result we are seeing an increase in online travel agents, with value-conscious consumers researching the travel options and waiting for the best deal to be available before booking."

Alongside improved visa processing, this change in consumer behaviour is also leading to shortened lead times for booking travel.

Tourism New Zealand is continuing to leverage the online opportunity with digital marketing at the heart of its campaign activity. The 100% Pure You campaign, with brand ambassador Yao Chen, utilised newzealand.com to host images, video, messages and travel deals to bring the New Zealand experience to life and provide conversion opportunities for consumers. Active Considerers were attracted to the site with digital banner advertising, search engine marketing and ongoing social media activity.

"Being online enables us to engage with consumers who are actively considering New Zealand. We are able to deliver focused messaging to them, encouraging them to book the trip they are researching and experience New Zealand first hand," says Mr Frood.

Internet researcher eMarketer predicts that with an estimated 50 per cent of the Chinese population online by 2013, business-to-consumer ecommerce sales could account for 54 per cent of total sales by 2015.

Punctuality of UK flights improves

Statistics & Trends Punctuality of UK flights improves Friday, December 23, 2011 Data from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) released today shows that during July to September 2011, the overall on-time performance (defined as the proportion of flights arriving or departing early or up to 15 minutes late) of scheduled flights at the ten UK airports monitored was 79%, seven percentage points higher than in the third quarter of 2010. The average delay across all scheduled flights monitored was 12 minutes, a fall of four minutes compared with the same period in 2010.

In the third quarter of this year, there were 364,000 scheduled flights and 32,000 charter flights at the ten airports monitored, which represents a 0.4% increase in scheduled flights and a 4.1% decrease in charter flights, compared with the third quarter of 2010.

Commenting on the figures, Iain Osborne, CAA Group Director for Regulatory Policy, said: “After the poor performances airlines showed on punctuality during summer 2010, we welcome the evident improvements this year. However, there is always potential for improvement. We expect that punctuality information like this will help consumers to compare airlines and airports, and so improve performance further by harnessing market forces.”

Scheduled Flights
On-time performance (defined as early to 15 minutes late) for scheduled flights at London airports increased by eight percentage points to 78% and the average delay fell by five minutes to 12 minutes, between the third quarter of 2010 and the same period in 2011. The biggest increases in on-time performance were seen at Gatwick, Luton and Stansted which increased their on-time performance by 13, 11 and 10 percentage points respectively. Average delay fell by ten minutes at Gatwick, by eight minutes at Luton and by six minutes at Stansted. Heathrow’s average delay fell by just two minutes. London City’s on-time performance and average delay were flat year on year, but still achieved the best metrics with an on-time performance of 88% and average delay of just seven minutes.

Overall, on-time performance for scheduled flights at regional airports improved by five percentage points and the average delay fell by three minutes in the third quarter of 2011 compared with the same period in 2010. Average delay fell by two minutes at Glasgow, three minutes at Birmingham and Edinburgh, four minutes at Manchester and five minutes at Newcastle.

Charter Flights
The proportion of on-time charter flights increased by ten percentage points to 73%, compared with the same period of 2010. The average delay across all charter flights monitored in the third quarter of 2011 was 22 minutes, an improvement on 30 minutes recorded in the third quarter of 2010. This improvement in charter punctuality performance was similar in magnitude at London and regional airports.

Successful PATA China Responsible Tourism Forum goes annual

A series of case studies, presented at the first China Responsible Tourism Forum (CRTF) in Beijing on December 16, confirmed that responsible tourism is firmly on the agenda among small and medium-sized enterprises in China.

“The highly innovative best practice case studies presented show that China is at the forefront of grass-roots responsible tourism development,” said Martin Craigs, CEO of the Bangkok-based Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).

The sold out forum, organised by PATA in co-operation with the Organising Committee of the China International Heritage Towns Exposition, was moderated by CCTV Business News anchor Deidre Morris Wang. Coinciding with the launch of the new PATA China Board, the PATA China Beijing Chapter and first PATA Student Chapter in China at Beijing International Studies University, the forum brought together more than 130 delegates from the country’s public and private sectors, as well as national and international experts in the field of responsible tourism.

Responsible tourism thought leaders such as Professor Zhang Guangrui of the Chinese Academy of Social Science, Dr. Chen Xu of the China Tourism Academy, Professor Geoffrey Lipman of Greenearth.travel, Anna Pollock of DestiCorp, Peter Semone of Lanith in Lao, Mason Florence of Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office, and UNESCO Beijing Office Director Beatrice Kaldun, all provided pertinent insights.

The aim of this first forum, which will become an annual event, was to stimulate debate between the tourism industry and government on the critical issue of responsible tourism.

“Our long term goal,” said Kate Chang, Director of PATA’s China office, “is to help protect the heritage and culture of ancient towns and villages in China, at the same time, carefully developing them to boost tourism and generate economic growth and employment for local communities.”

The case studies presented, which included local examples such as the Schoolhouse at Mutianyu and the scattered hotel in Beigou to the west of Mutianyu, all had a social mission. Each project was designed to re-invigorate abandoned or neglected villages, generate new jobs through tourism, and to restore and preserve ancient heritage and customs.

Presenting a case study of Guizhou province, “one of China’s hidden treasures,” Ms Mei Zhang, Founder of WildChina, spoke of the importance of buy-in and engagement on the part of all stakeholders – from local villagers to local governments, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), tourists and volunteers from international schools.

“We encourage our tour guides to talk to the local villagers and to give them books to increase knowledge and awareness, thereby helping to bring about social change,” said Mei Zhang. “Most importantly, profit-sharing strategies need to be devised and developed in partnership with government and responsible travel operators.”

Generating increased awareness of the importance of responsible, or sustainable tourism is critical, said speakers. "China’s history of many thousands of years has produced a glorious heritage. It is very important for both Chinese and foreigners to appreciate this", said Mr Lan Jun, Executive Vice President and Secretary General of the China Council for the Promotion of Nationalities Trade, and Director of the Organising Committee of China International Heritage Towns Exposition.

“Tourism has been earmarked as a pillar industry of the national economy,” said Ms Wang Yan, Deputy Director General of the Department of Tourism Promotion and International Liaison, China National Tourism Administration (CNTA).
“It is clear that travel and tourism will have a major, and increasing, impact on the destinations people visit,” Ms Wang said. “We must therefore all assume our social responsibility and take active measures to protect our environment and heritage.”

Over the course of the coming year, building on the results of the first China Responsible Tourism Forum, PATA and the new PATA China Chapter, will focus on improving and increasing communication about the importance of responsible tourism for China’s heritage towns and villages. PATA and its partners will take advantage of the many new channels available, such as the internet and social media.

“Leveraging the wisdom of the crowds can go way beyond marketing on social media channels such as Facebook or Sina Weibo,” said Jens Thraenhart, Chair of the PATA Chapter and President, Dragon Trail China, an award-winning travel technology and digital marketing company.

“Engaging people to become part of the responsible tourism development process such as research, product development and micro-financing will create sustainable ambassadors to spread the word naturally,” he said.
A full report of the first China Responsible Tourism forum will be posted in the next few weeks on www.PATAchina.org, together with the case study presentations.

The second China Responsible Tourism Forum will be held in April 2012, and will introduce the Annual China Responsible Tourism Awards. Organized as a collaboration between PATA and China Travel Trends, the new awards will recognize innovative and experiential responsible tourism businesses in China. Finalists will be invited to present at the second China Responsible Tourism Forum in front of delegates and the judging panel.

Aerosvit launches Vietnam flights, signs Turkish codeshare

Aerosvit has launched direct flights between Kiev and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). The new route will operate twice a week using a wide-body Boeing 767 aircraft. Flights will depart the Ukrainian capital on Wednesdays and Saturdays, returning from HCMC on Mondays and Fridays.

The airline said in a statement that the new route would “serve primarily tourist, ethnic and business traffic flows to Vietnam”. Vietnam Airlines will codeshare on the new route, allowing Aerosvit passengers to connect via HCMC to several destinations in Vietnam Airlines’ Asian network.

In addition, Aerosvit has signed a codeshare agreement with Turkish Airlines to co-operate on flights between Istanbul and Kiev, Odessa, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk and Simferopol.

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Brazil set to meet tourism targets

Brazil is on target to receive 10 million tourists by 2020 after hitting the 5.4 million mark this year. The destination has seen an increase in flights this year as well as more exposure ahead of its World Cup and Olympics hosting in 2014 and 2016 respectively.

"It is testament to the fact that, despite rocky global economic times, there is a strong appetite for travel to Brazil,” said Flávio Dino, chairman of Embratur (the Brazilian Tourist Board). “Moving forward in to 2012, we need to be continuously addressing the competitiveness of our destinations and tourism products, with quality and price remaining as the essential performance drivers”.

Car hire prices to remain competitive: Holiday Autos

Prices for car hire will remain competitive in 2012, with costs set to increase for long-haul destinations, Holiday Autos has said. The car hire supplier has said it expects prices for popular European destinations to remain the same while demand is up and it encouraged early bookings to secure the best price.

The predictions come as part of the Holiday Autos Car Hire Price Index, which found that increased competition between suppliers drove down the average hire price for a week by £188 compared to 2010 costs. Prices dropped the most in Gibraltar (-44%), Madrid (35%), California (25%), Northern Ireland (18%) and Malaga (20%).

"We introduced our Holiday Autos Car Hire Price Index earlier this year and revealed that car hire prices fell for the first time in four years. Our latest report reveals that this trend is still continuing with many destinations proving great value for money,” said Isabelle Ratinaud, managing director of Holiday Autos. "With 2012 on the horizon, we expect to see prices in popular European destinations to remain competitive while more long haul destinations such as New Zealand, South Africa and Hawaii will see increases in pricing”.

Switzerland continues to be one of the most expensive destinations for car hire (and holidays generally), although New Zealand’s Christchurch, Wellington and Hobart airports were also listed as some of the most expensive. Nice, Barbados, Frankfurt and Bordeaux were also in the top 10 expensive list.

Domestic tourism team up for campaign

VisitEngland has teamed up with cottages4you to launch a marketing campaign for domestic breaks. Advertisements will begin on Boxing Day as part of a £1 million campaign to promote holidays in the UK to Brits.

“The self-catering sector is incredibly important to domestic tourism – 5.2 million overnight domestic holidays were taken in a rented property last year generating £17 billion in tourism spend. This campaign specifically highlights England’s coastline and countryside,” said Tim Holt, head of marketing at VisitEngland.

EU courts reject US airlines’ ETS claim

The European Court of Justice has concluded all airlines will be included in the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) when it is introduced on 1 January.

Courts have rejected a claim from US and Canadian carriers to be excluded from the tax, arguing that the EU is not bound by agreements such as the UK-US open skies agreement and tax agreements made at the Chicago Convention. TUI Travel welcomed the news as it signals a global scheme.

“We see the inclusion of aviation within the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme as the first step towards a global emissions trading scheme. However, we are concerned by the number of countries that are opposed to the scheme and we are also concerned that there may be retaliatory action by those opposed to the EU ETS,” said Eddie Redfern, head of regulatory affairs at TUI. “We therefore call upon Member States to ensure that EU airlines are not discriminated against by the creation of an un-level playing field”.

Excessive card surcharges to be banned

Excessive credit card and debit card surcharges are to be banned next year following an investigation by Which?. Fees on the sale of airline fares currently add up to another £12 on prices, while charges put up to £92 extra on holiday bookings. The ban would mean no company could make profit from the charges, which are thought to have increased 1,400% in seven years.

“We want consumers to be able to shop around,” said Mark Hoban, financial secretary to the Treasury in a report from Metro. “They have a right to understand the charges they may incur up front and not be hit through a hidden last minute payment surcharge”.

Fairmont to debut in Jaipur, Baku, Kyiv

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has announced it will debut in three new destinations next year and add more than 1,300 rooms around the world. In the first half of the year, the hotel chain plans to open the Fairmont Jaipur with 199 rooms, nine villas and a Presidential Suite.

In addition it will open a property in Baku, Azerbaijan, which is host nation for the Eurovision Song Contest next year. it will have 318 rooms and is based in the Flame Towers, a multi-use building overlooking the Caspian Sea. Meanwhile, Fairmont will also be targeting football fans with the opening of Fairmont Grand Hotel Kyiv in Ukraine, the first luxury hotel in the city.

“International growth is a key focus at Fairmont and I fully expect 2012 to be a busy year for us,” said Jennifer Fox, president of Fairmont. “With hotels like The Savoy in London, The Plaza in New York, and Shanghai’s Fairmont Peace Hotel, we already watch over some of the world’s top addresses, so to be going into several new and exciting markets, with assets that are truly one-of-a-kind, is very exciting”.

The hotel chain is also set to open the 300-room Fairmont Makati, Philippines later in the year and the Fairmont Palm Jumeirah. Projects are also being developed in Saudi Arabia, Russia, Fujairah and China as well as the key Europe, Asia, Middle East and African markets.

IAG beats Virgin for bmi buy-out

International Airlines Group (IAG) has beaten Virgin Atlantic to buy bmi in a deal worth £172.5 million. IAG, the parent company of British Airways, has reached an agreement with Lufthansa to buy all three arms of the carrier, bmi mainline, bmi regional and bmibaby, although the price will be reduced if the latter two are sold before completion. Willie Walsh, chief executive of IAG said bmi regional and bmibaby are not part of its plans for its restructure.

This is due to IAG's focus on Heathrow, where the group will gain up to 56 additional daily slot pairs, meaning it has more than half of slots at the airport. Walsh said the acquisition would give the company a chance to expand both long and short-haul networks at Heathrow.

“Using the slot portfolio more efficiently provides the option to launch new long-haul routes to key trading nations while supporting our broad domestic and short-haul network,” said Walsh. He said it would maintain its domestic schedule including Belfast. bmi will also be restructured in the deal, costs of which will be spread over three years and at a lower level that bmi’s current annual loss. “Given the scale of bmi’s losses, there is an urgent need to restructure the business. Unfortunately, this will mean some job losses but we will secure a significant number of high quality jobs here in the UK and create similar new jobs in the future,” said Walsh.

InsideJapan optimistic for 2012

Tour operator InsideJapan has said it is optimistic for the New Year as business builds after the Japan disaster in March. Following a TDUK report earlier this week that found tourism in the country has recovered quicker than expected, InsideJapan has too seen a boost in bookings, with sales up 105% in December compared to last year.

Back in March 45% of clients had cancelled trips, but now group tours in April 2012 have sold out as tourists look to catch the cherry blossom. Matt Spiller, agents manager at the tour operator said its work with travel agents has been key to generating bookings again.

“We recognised the importance of spreading the word about the actual situation in Japan and in taking the message to the Agents around the UK,” he explained. “2011 has certainly been tough for us as a Japan specialist, but through meeting agents at various events, we have been able to reassure Agents and educate them about this stunning country and its wonderful people”.

InsideJapan has introduced new spring tours and volunteer options for next year and will continue to raise awareness and funds for flood victims going into 2012.

Monday, December 19, 2011

Dusit overseas plots international expansion

Next year will be a busy year for Dusit International as it plots its international growth path and consolidates its position at home in Thailand.

Speaking to Travel Daily, Jiri Kobos, the Thailand-based hotel company’s Vice President of Operations said; “We are seeking expansion of our different brands in key strategic locations, from primary to secondary, as we expand our base outside of Thailand to take advantage global growth overall.”

The group will focus its international growth in India. Commenting on the market, Kobos said; “India’s size welcomes a multitude of brands, so we are entering with Dusit Devarana, dusitD2 and Dusit Thani Hotels & Resorts”.

Its first dusitD2 property is set to open in New Delhi early next year. A second hotel will follow shortly before entering into new areas including Goa and Rishikesh. Dusit is partnering with the Bird Group to help guide its market entry.

The dusitD2 brand is also leading the group’s entry into the US market, with a property opening in Pasadena, California, expected soon. Asked why duistD2 was the right choice for the US market, Kobos said; “The US is a multicultural, progressive, mature market and dusitD2 is a good introduction into that particular scenario and market mix.”

The company is also in talks over property openings in New York, San Francisco and Chicago, but Kobos insists they want to focus on locations closer to home.

In Thailand, there are plans to refurbish properties throughout 2012 and Kobos says this strategy “will be the main focus for the next 12 months and thereafter”. Staring with the Dusit Thani Bangkok, hotels in Pattaya and Phuket are all in line for improvement works and updates.

Hotel ID system to be launched next month

A new system identifying hotels by a unique number is to be finally launched next month. TTIcodes, developed by Travel Technology Initiative (TTI) and the European Tour Operators Association (ETOA), will initially assign 200,000 hotels an individual eight-digit code to help avoid confusion between hotel names. Several beta customers are testing the system ahead of its full launch on 24 January.

“As the service rolls out, it will completely address the de-dupication nightmare faced by every travel company that takes several bedbank feeds,” said Peter Dennis, chairman of TTI. “This will save travel companies an enormous amount of time and effort”.

Travel companies and bed banks will be able to submit their own database for coding, which at the most basic level will provide codes and basic address information. Other options will include geo-codes and cross-referencing with distribution channels.

hotel.info targets corporate market

hotel.info has launched a campaign to entice the corporate travel business to its service by announcing an event next year.

The hotel booking engine will be hosting a networking event, named hotel.info corporate, to help members of the travel industry learn about its product and service. It will be held at the H10 Waterloo Hotel with a tour and breakfast.

“It’s very important to us that people really understand how hotel.info can benefit companies and we hope to encourage conversation with potential clients,” said Warini Munshi, international business development director at hotel.info. “This will be the first of a number of events set up to help us achieve our goals on both an international and local level”.

Page & Moy launches agent booking engine

Travel agents can now book Page & Moy Travel Group’s tours online in its new booking system.

The new booking engine covers its Page & Moy, Travelsphere and Just You from Monday and agents need to email agencysales@pageandmoytravelgroup.com with their chosen password prior to logging in.

“Agents have asked us about developing an online booking facility and we are really pleased to be able to make it happen,” said Colin Wilson, sales director at Page & Moy. “We’re particularly delighted that we are launching it in time for the January rush to make bookings for all our escorted tours even quicker and easier than before”.

Agents who make an online booking between Monday (19 December) and 29 February will receive a £10 Love2Shop voucher for each booking.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

South Korea the “one to watch in 2012” – Amadeus

Amadeus has predicted that South Korea will be a market to watch in 2012 for both inbound and outbound travel growth.

David Brett, president of Amadeus Asia Pacific said South Korea is making significant advancements in its travel infrastructure, which is helping to drive growth in the travel sector.

“South Korean travel, both inbound and outbound, has experienced significant growth in recent years,” said Brett. “I believe Korea will be a market to watch in 2012. While it may not yet rival markets such as China and India in terms of travel volumes, it is certainly making some major leaps forward and should continue to do so in 2012, despite global economic concerns.”

According to Amadeus, there are four key drivers of South Korea’s travel industry growth: the rise in popularity of Korean culture, improvements in domestic transport infrastructure, the expansion of low-cost carriers, and technological advancements.

TAM, LAN merger approved

The merger of two of South America's largest airlines, LAN and TAM, has been given the go ahead. Brazil’s anti-trust regulator, the Council for Economic Defence (CADE) today approved the merger between the Chile-based LAN and Brazil's TAM, with a unanimous vote. This represents the final regulatory approval necessary in the merger between the two airlines. The merger is now expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2012.

Meanwhile, TAM has signed a codeshare agreement with Turkish Airlines. The deal means Turkish Airlines codes will be placed on TAM flights from Sao Paulo to Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Iguassu Falls, Porto Alegre and Brasilia, as well as flights from Sao Paulo to Madrid. In return, TAM’s code will be used on Turkish Airlines’ flights from Istanbul to Sao Paulo and Madrid.

Tourism bounces back in disaster-struck Japan

Japan’s tourism industry has defied even the most optimistic forecasts, as it rebounded strongly in the second half of 2011. According to a new report from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the total negative impact of the earthquake and tsunami on the industry’s GDP contribution will be roughly JPY700 billion (£5.78bn), which is well below earlier impact estimates which put costs between £7.4bn and £12.7bn.

“Nine months after the devastating earthquake and tsunami which hit northeast Japan, the country’s tourism industry has exceeded even the most optimistic forecasts and is well on the way to recovery,” said David Scowsill, president and CEO of the WTTC.

A December update of the report ‘The Tohoku Pacific Earthquake and Tsunami: Impact on Travel & Tourism”, showed that domestic tourism is now back to pre-March 2011 levels and driving the recovery due to its dominance over inbound tourism as a revenue generator. Inbound travel has yet to fully recover however, and foreign visitor arrivals are expected to be around 25% lower than in 2010 and will recover by early 2012, according to the WTTC.

W plans Valentine opening in Paris

W Hotels Worldwide is to debut in France with an opening on Valentine’s Day, it has announced. The new W Paris – Opéra is set in a 19th century building and has been partially restored alongside W’s contemporary style. It will have 91 rooms including 20 suite and two Extreme WOW suites (W’s Presidential Suite).

“Taking the W brand into Paris, a global fashion capital, if not the global fashion capital, will mark a true milestone in W’s global expansion into the world’s most exciting and vibrant destinations”, said Eva Ziegler, global brand leader at W Hotels Worldwide and Le Méridien.

France is the Best Place to Live

The 2010 Quality of Life Index by Internationliving.com lists France as the best place to live for the fifth year running and Corsica is highlighted as one of the country’s top locations. 194 countries are ranked in the annual Index with scores given for nine categories:

1. cost of living
2. culture and leisure
3. economy
4. environment
5. freedom
6. health
7. infrastructure
8. safety and risk
9. climate

France scored high in most of the categories and the overall quality of life, “bon viviant lifestyle” and “world’s best heath care” are all highlighted. Although Paris is given the highest praise, “wild and lovely Corsica” is also mentioned.

Guide to eating in Bastia

Northern Corsica's main international airport is located just south of Bastia, from where visitors can organise multiple day-trips to various places of interest such as Cape Corsica or the mountains near Corte, all located about one hour drive away from the coastal town.

Gastronomy is at the very heart of Corsica's culture and gourmets will find in the citadel town of Bastia some exquisite places to sample traditional Corsican specialities such as brocchiu, charcuterie, veal with olives or even bouillabaisse.

Eating in the town centre:

For a taste of Corsican typical specialities, head for the "Rue des Sens" restaurant at 1 rue Pino. Menus start at €14.

"La Table du Marche Saint-Jean" in the place du Marche is the ideal choice in this part of town for fish and seafood dishes. Menus are at €25.

"Un Autre Monde" offers a great choice of sweet and salty crepes. The restaurant is located at 3 rue saint Erasme.

Snacks and ice-creams are available all day at the "Glacier Raugi", at 2bis rue Capanelle.

Restaurants within the citadel:

"Sampiero", place du Donjon, and "La Citadelle", 6 rue du Dragon, both serve a large array of traditional Corsican dishes and their locations within the citadel's walls always add something to the atmosphere.

"Sampiero" also specialises in fish dishes, including fish soup and scorpion fish.

Seaside restaurants:

The Old Harbour is an excellent place to find a restaurant with sea view such as the "Le Colomba" restaurant at 2 quai sud. This is a good place for French cuisine.

The "Caveau du Marin" is also based in the Old Harbour, in the Quai des Martyrs-de-la-Liberation. The chefs serve French and Corsican cuisine dishes and menus start from €22.

"Les Zephyrs" offers various typical dishes from the island, as well as pizzas, pasta dishes and crepes. The restaurant is in 6 rue des Zephirs and is only open for the high season starting from the end of April.

For pizzas and grilled meat dishes, "Le Pressoir" is the ideal spot in town, with a la carte and menus at €20. The restaurant is open everyday except on Sundays, and is located on route du cap toga.

Restaurants outside of Bastia:

Holidaymakers planning a visit to Biguglia Lake, which is the island's biggest lake and a popular place for water sports activities, can stop for lunch at "Les Colonnades" gastronomic restaurant, which is located just over four kilometres south of Bastia.

The menus include an array of Mediterranean dishes for €25. The restaurant is part of the Ostella hotel which is in Avenue Sampiero Corso.

Alternatively, visitors looking for a quicker lunch can stop at the nearby fast-food restaurant "The Country Burger" in rue Santa Maddalena Le Prado. The restaurant is closed on Thursdays.

Visitors heading north towards Cape Corsica will enjoy fish dishes and seafood with unrestricted view over the Mediterranean Sea at the "La Terrasse" restaurant in Place d'Erbalunga in the village of Brando, situated 11 kilometres north of Bastia.

Live like a Local in the Med

Calvi, Corsica
Dominated by an impressive medieval citadel, Calvi is one of Corsica's biggest tourist draws: its four-mile beach has excellent facilities - watersports, cafes and lifeguards. Most of the action in town is centred around Quai Landry, a beachside walkway that connects the port to the marina and is lined with restaurants and bars - U Calellu is one of the best for fresh fish. There are no buses on Corsica, but to explore further afield take the coastal train to L'Ile Rousse. The train glides past (and stops at) stunning beaches - although the spectacular countryside makes the trip worthwhile just for the journey itself.
For something uniquely Corsican, head to Calvi's Cathédrale Saint Jean-Baptiste, where there are weekly concerts of chansons polyphoniques, in which performers sing two different notes at the same time. If you need a drink to recover, the place to head for cocktails is Chez Tao, a Calvi institution which combines a sleek eaterie with a bar that keeps the chilled-out music going till early morning. If you want to continue partying, there are shuttle buses to the city's two best clubs, Acapulco and La Camargue.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

New EasyJet flights to Corsica

easyJet has added two new flights to Bastia in Corsica: a new service from Bristol will commence in May whilst a Manchester service starts on 9th August.

The new regional departures make the island more accessible for clients in the south west and north west and will more than double the airline’s capacity to Corsica compared with last year. Flight seats can be booked directly with easyJet, with one-way fares available from £22.99 per person from Bristol and £23.07 from Manchester, including taxes and charges. The routes add to the airline’s other services to Corsica: Gatwick to Bastia and Gatwick-Ajaccio.

To enable holidaymakers to take advantage of these cheap flights to Corsica, specialist tour operator Corsican Places is offering self-catering properties and hotels on an accommodation-only basis. The company offers the widest choice of over 100 properties across the island including villas with pools, citadel apartments, family-friendly residences and character hotels.

Hotel prices start from £245 per person based on 7 nights bed & breakfast at either Hotel Cyrnea, Calvi or Hotel de la Corniche, near Miomo, both 2 star. Apartments start from £459 (£229.50 per person) based on 7 nights and two sharing (Apartment A Moresca in Algajola & 1 bed Sognu di Rena in Moriani Plage). Accommodation-only bookings through Corsican Places also include a welcome pack, all bed linen and towels. Car-hire can also be booked through the operator. See more information on accommodation-only.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

New Flight Service To Calvi

Corsican Places is to launch the UK’s only flight service into Calvi Airport with the announcement of its new weekly charter with the airline Titan Airways. Operating out of London Stansted airport, the new flight will allow short transfer times to visitors in and around Calvi and La Balagne region of north west Corsica, as well easy access to the island’s popular resort of St Florent.

The tour operator is offering convenient Sunday morning departures from May 16th to September 26th (2010) on board a Boeing 737-300 aircraft, which offers comfortable leather seating and a generous seat pitch of 32 inches. Pre-allocated seating together will be available free of charge and customers will have an increased passenger baggage allowance of 23 kgs per person.

Corsican Places commercial manager Paul Kenny comments:
“We are delighted to operate the UK’s only Calvi flight with the prestigious charter airline Titan Airways, whose high quality product matches our customer requirements which include comfortable flying and favourable flight times. Having a flight service into Calvi will benefit them immensely, with just a 10 minute drive from the airport to the picturesque port, as well a short distance from the best of La Balagne where we have a great choice of accommodation, including our exclusive collection of “Premium Villas”.

Corsican Places has provided visitors with holidays and flights to the island for over 23 years and is established as the UK market leader offering the widest range of accommodation. The tour operator features over 120 property choices and its handpicked collection includes villas, résidences, apartments and hotels.

Sample package: Corsican Places is offering seven night holidays from £349 per person based on self-catering accommodation at A Chjova, a cosy two-bedroom apartment in the heart of the picturesque harbourside town - just 400 metres from Calvi’s silver sand beach and 7kms from the airport. This price is based on four sharing and includes return flights from London Stansted - Calvi, transfers and taxes.

Additional flight options with low cost airlines are available into Corsica’s Bastia, Ajaccio and Figari airports from Gatwick, Bristol and Manchester airports through Corsican Places. The tour operator also offers accommodation only bookings.

New Flight To Figari

New for summer 2011 is a Corsican Places flight from Gatwick to Figari – the only UK flight to Figari on a Sunday and therefore the only one ideally linked to much of the self-catering accommodation which is let from Sunday to Sunday. The flight follows the success of the operator’s Stansted to Calvi flight which operated for the first time during summer 2010 and received very positive feedback from customers looking for an alternative to the budget airlines.

The Gatwick to Figari flight will operate with Viking Airlines and customers will receive a generous 23kg luggage allowance and seats will also be allocated in advance. The flight will depart at 7am, arriving into Figari at 10.20. The return flights depart from Figari at 11.20am, arriving back to Gatwick at the convenient time of 12.35. For more details on the flight visit http://www.corsica.co.uk/Docs/Travel-Info/Flight-Information/Figari-Flights.aspx

16 new properties in the south of Corsica have also been added to the programme for 2011 to meet the increased demand for this beautiful region.

New Heathrow to Figari Flight

Corsican Places has launched a new flight from London Heathrow to Figari in the south of Corsica for summer 2011 in conjunction with bmi (British Midland International). The flight will depart on Sunday mornings between May and September 2011, at convenient times to tie-in with accommodation check-in and check-out times. The service includes a generous 32” seat pitch with upgrades available, 23 kilograms luggage allowance and an in-flight snack.

The flight is 2 hours 20 minutes and flying into Figari provides easy access to accommodation in Porto Vecchio, Bonifacio, L’Extrême Sud and the Gulfs of the West Coast. Corsican Places has added around 20 new properties in the south to meet demand - to take a look at villas, apartments, résidences and hotels in the south click here.

New Properties for 2010

21 January 2010 - Corsican Places - Press Office

With 23 years of operation, Corsican Places continues to offer the widest range of accommodation to the UK holiday market – over 120 property choices - much of which is exclusive to its programme.

There are 18 new properties within the Corsican Places 2010 collection, including:

Hotel St Christophe 3*: Calvi Town - La Balagne
The 3* Hotel St Christophe has an enviable position situated on the rocks beneath Calvi Citadel and as a result offers magnificent views. The swimming pool is sited at the lower level and here further steps lead down to the sea enabling guests to swim and snorkel using the rocks as their base. Calvi harbour and beach are just a short walk away. Corsican Places offers 7 nights B&B at Hotel St Christophe from £656 per person based on 2 sharing and including return flights, taxes and transfers. Accommodation-only prices start from £61 per person per night to stay at the hotel on a B&B board.

Le Home: Calvi Town - La Balagne
Le Home studios and apartments offer a great value for money option in the heart of Calvi. Housed in two-storey buildings, the properties are set within gardens in a quiet location, just a short walk from the centre of Calvi and the beach. Facilities include two shared swimming pools. Corsican Places offers 7 nights at Le Home from £530 per person based on 2 sharing and including return flights, taxes and transfers. Accommodation-only prices start from £619 for a studio property for the week.

Casa di l'Olivu: Tarrabucceta - L'Extrême Sud
Casa di l'Olivu is a two-bedroom bergerie-style property set within peaceful grounds and surrounded by ancient olive trees in Tarrabucceta, L'Extrême Sud. Situated between Bonifacio and Porto Vecchio, the location of the property is perfect for discovering the south of the island, including the famous beaches of Palombaggia and Santa Giulia. Corsican Places offers 7 nights at Casa di l'Olivu from £541 per person based on 4 sharing and including return flights, taxes and car hire. Accommodation-only prices start from £821 for the property for the week.

Casa Ghjulia: Erbalunga - North East
The four-bedroom Casa Ghjulia is a contemporary villa perched on the mountainside just above the village of Erbalunga. Backed by the majestic Monte Stello - the second-highest peak of the Cap Corse - Casa Ghjulia boasts spectacular views across the Tyrrhenian Sea. Corsican Places offers 7 nights at Casa Ghjulia from £527 per person based on 8 sharing and including return flights, taxes and car hire. Accommodation-only prices start from £1647 for the property for the week.

Porto Latino Festival dates announced

01 March 2011

The dates of this year’s Porto Latino Festival have been announced – the event will take place in St Florent in the North East of Corsica between Wednesday 3rd and Saturday 6th August 2011. Porto Latino is a lively Latin festival with open-air concerts held in the citadel each night.

The acts for this year haven’t yet been confirmed, however last year’s performers included Afro Cuban All Stars, Pierpoljak, Rachid Taha, Manu Dibango, Kassav’, Karamelo Santo, Ben L’oncle Soul, Hocus Pocus, La Cumbia Chicharra, DJ Oil and Tainos de Mayari.

Corsican Places has a number of self-catering properties and hotels in and around St Florent for holidaymakers wishing to experience the festival this summer. A Torra is a 3 bedroom villa in a quiet location beside the sea, but just a few minutes’ drive from St Florent. 7 night holiday packages departing from London Gatwick on 31st July 2011 cost £767 per person (based on 6 sharing) and include return flights, car hire and welcome pack. Alternatively the villa can be booked on an accommodation only basis for £2320 for the week.

Prestigious Cycling Event in Corsica

The world’s best cyclists will meet in Corsica next month for the Criterium International, the first major professional race held on the island since the last Tour of Corsica in 1982. Lance Armstrong’s Team Radioshack, world road cycling champion Cadel Evans’ BMC Racing Team and Olympic gold medallist Samuel Sanchez’s Euskaltel-Euskadi are among the Pro Tour teams due to compete in the race.

The Criterium International is raced in three stages, over two days starting in Porto Vecchio on 27th March 2010. There will be a mountain stage on the Saturday and on the Sunday, a flat stage and short individual time trial.

Relax and embrace the peace and perfect quiet

As our flight banked towards Bastia’s Poretta Airport, a surge of excitement hit us.

After holidays in Spain, Belgium, Italy and France, Canada, Argentina and Chile we were back in Corsica - Kaliste (“the most beautiful”) to the Greeks - for the fourth time in 11 years, unable to resist the charm that had captivated and entranced us so completely. After holidaying in past years in the Balagne, Lama and Propriano we were going to break new ground and stay near Porto-Vecchio in the south east corner of the island, in the sure and certain faith that dramatic mountains, white sanded beaches and spectacular scenery awaited.

This time we stayed in the Casa di L’Olivu half way between Bonifacio and Porto Vecchio and as we drove to our cottage - lost in the herb-scented maquis - we were at ease with the world and ready to embrace the peace and quiet, simplicity and splendour of this magical island. The owner– François Maestrati – was there to meet us, in his arms a welcoming and gigantic basket of fruit and vegetables from his own organic garden – the plumpest melons, tomatoes, courgettes, onions, aubergines and peppers which were to serve us well over the next week. Born and bred in the area, François proudly showed us around. The shuttered windows of the bergerie style property were hand made local carpenter copies of 19th century style, the beams were rescued from old barns and walls decorated in neutral shades giving the villa a warm and welcoming feel with comfort being a key theme. With spacious and safe grassy grounds surrounding the private and inviting pool and tiled barbecue area, this property is perfect for children to play and adults to relax.

In popped Alberti Salvi - a local farmer curious to see the new tenants but to tell us his home made ewe’s cheese – his tomme de brebis – was “the best on the island” and traditionally eaten with local red when very over ripe. “If only you had been here a month before, we could have spread the pungent cheese – maggots and all – onto a slice of bread and given you a real taste of Corsica” smiled Alberti. My wife, pale at the thought, was glad we had chosen September for our holiday.

As for local wine there was plenty of it as the Casa backed onto one of the island’s outstanding vineyards – the Clos Canarelli – whose reputation for red wine using the native nielluccia grape has rocketed in recent years. The quality and status of Corsican wine making has risen so much over the last 10 years that there is now a huge choice of premium wines to reward the island’s effort to do away with the cheap table variety and concentrate on finesse. The Clos is a devotee of biodynamic farming. Biodynamic winemakers claim to have noted stronger, clearer, more vibrant tastes, as well as wines that remain drinkable longer. Methods unique to the biodynamic approach include the use of fermented herbal and mineral preparations as compost additives and field sprays and the use of an astronomical sowing and planting calendar. The famous Hotel Crillon in Paris has the Clos Canerelli on its wine list as does one of the finest hotel/restaurants not only in Corsica and France but Europe.

The Grand Hotel Cala Rossa – a 30-minute drive away, is superb in its setting, amenities and cuisine. With its own stunning beach, patios and terraces, jetty and boats, boarded walkways and bars and restaurants overlooking the bay of Port Vecchio it is a paradise of fine living. It has been in the Canarelli family for 47 years, bought by meat trader Jean -Toussaint in 1963 and now run by he and his beautiful and charming daughter Hélène, once a jewellery designer but now the driving force behind the day to day running of the Cala Rossa. 41 exquisite rooms in a hotel served by 120 staff, the island’s best wine waiter – Patrick Fiaramonti - subdued musical entertainment in the evening, and exquisite outdoor or indoor dining rooms await you. Its Michelin star cuisine under the great Georges Billon is Corsican and classic. Try the menu saveurs which offer seven courses that fused the great natural scents and smells, colours and tastes of the maquis to meat and fish of incomparable freshness and quality. We had wild mushroom risotto, langouste with tarragon butter, wild sea bass, fillet of veal with wild herbs from the maquis, unpasteurised cheese, a pre-pudding and then a symphony of raspberry, all washed down by fine Grotte di Sole 2008 white from Patrimono and a Clos Canarelli 2005 red.

When you can eventually tear yourself away from Casa di L’Olivu, there is a wide choice of stunning beaches in the area whether you fancy visiting the famous golden sands of Palombaggia, Santa Giulia (both in Europe’s Top 20 beaches) and Rondinara or exploring the untouched coves near Bonifacio.

The highlight of any visit to Corsica is the dramatic climb via the road between Solenzara and Zonza up to the Col de Bavella to get a panoramic view of the craggy giant needles of the 4,000 feet high Aiguilles de Bavella and the sparkling sea beyond. Here you see walkers from all over the world on France’s most famous Grande Randonnée – the G20 – le grand GR - the north to south trekking trail of 170 kilometres - making their way through the wild granite peaks and towering crests along the spine of Corsica. Return to the coast via Zonza, the picture postcard village with the highest race track in Europe at nearly 3,500 feet and a centre for maquisard resistance against the Germans in World War II. Eat Corsican wild boar charcuterie in the Hôtel Aiglon, try their Muntenalla of mountain delicacies - gratin de verdure, chestnut flavoured polenta, grilled figatellu liver sausage and sweet chestnuts steeped in muscat - for a mere 18 euros and make your dizzy way down to the sun-splashed sea.

Monday, December 12, 2011

New Properties to the 2009 collection

With over twenty years of operation, Corsican Places continues to offer the widest range of accommodation in Corsica to the UK holiday market, much of which is exclusive to its programme. There are over 100 hand-picked properties, with additional choice on the Corsican Places’ website www.corsica.co.uk

Corsican Places wishes to highlight again, properties, which are new additions for 2009 (8 in total). These include:

Villa Luiggi – modernist villa, Davia, La Balagne
This three-bedroom villa - complete with landscaped gardens, private pool and state of the art kitchen - is a design novelty for Corsica and with glass walls is built to optimize the panoramic views of the nearby L’Ile Rousse.

Corsican Places is offering 7 nights at Villa Luiggi for £579 per person. This price is based on 6 sharing and is valid for departures on 17 May, resulting in a saving of £88 per person from brochure price. Return flights from London Gatwick, car hire and all taxes are included in the price.

Villa Raffi – hillside villa, Monticello, La Balagne
With an enviable hillside location and actually built into the maquis-covered rockface, Villa Raffi offers seclusion, yet is only a short drive to the coast. The interior offers a contemporary feel, with views across the hillside to the sea at L’IIe Rousse.

Corsican Places is offering 7 nights at Villa Raffi for £473 per person. This price is based on 6 sharing and is valid for departures on 17 May, resulting in a saving of £50 per person from brochure price. Return flights from London Gatwick, car hire and all taxes are included in the price.

Sognu di Rena – beachside residence, Moriani Plage, Costa Verde
Sognu di Rena is a brand new holiday development set on the beach along the beautiful Costa Verde. These stylish, yet simple apartments share an adult’s and children’s swimming pool, and the village of Moriani Plage, with its shops, cafés and restaurants, is just a pleasant stroll away along the beach.

Corsican Places offers 7 nights at Sognu di Rena for £449 per person. This price is based on two sharing a one-bedroom apartment and is valid for departures on 17 May, resulting in a saving of £50 per person from brochure price. Return flights from London Gatwick, car hire and all taxes are included in the price.

As expected from Corsican Places, its brochure presents an appealing and diverse range of self-catering accommodation, which includes premium villas with private pools, rural cottages, contemporary apartments and family residences. Hotel options range from the simple 2* family auberge, to the best in Corsica – 4* luxe.

New property additions for 2010

Corsican Places – recently voted Best Destination Specialist Tour Operator 2010 by Atout France, France Tourism Development Agency – offers more accommodation choices on the island of Corsica than any other UK operator. Specialising in self-catering properties near the coast, with a north of the island stronghold, Corsican Places covers the whole of the island offering a diverse range of accommodation, including converted bergeries, more rural hideaways, and hotels.

New properties are regularly added to the Corsican Places portfolio, recent additions include:

Villas Mandarine – Calvi Town
Set in a private, five-acre complex, Villas Mandarine is a collection of eight contemporary villas nestled between the sea and mountains just a few minutes drive from Calvi Town and Calvi beach. There is a choice of three or four bedroom properties, each complete with private pool and garden. The appeal of Villas Mandarine is that it combines the privacy of quality self-catering accommodation with the benefits of a superior hotel service – included daily services include cleaning, bed making and newspaper delivery; optional extras include breakfast, shopping, chef service and babysitting, with the opportunity to request activities, boat trips and excursions. This season, Corsican Places offers seven nights at Villas Mandarine from £599 per person, based on six sharing and including return flights direct to Calvi, taxes and car hire.

Villa les Voiliers - Davia
http://www.corsica.co.uk/Accommodation/19000234/51673/Villa-les-Voiliers.aspx
Set in a tranquil corner of Marine de Davia, the three-bedroom Villa les Voiliers boasts a privileged position by the sea with outstanding views over the bay of Davia to the west, and stretching as far as the Cap Corse to the northeast. A path from the terrace and garden leads down to secluded areas perfect for sunbathing and from which, with care, it is possible to swim in the warm, crystal-clear waters that lap the rocks below. There are a number of beaches within a short stroll whilst, for the more active, there are tennis courts within a five minute walk. This season, Corsican Places offers seven nights at Villa les Voiliers from £549 per person, based on six sharing and including return flights direct to Calvi, taxes and car hire.

4* Hotel Corsica – Calvi Town
http://www.corsica.co.uk/Accommodation/19000234/51685/Hotel-Corsica.aspx
Located on a hillside, overlooking the bay of Calvi and Calvi Citadel, the pinnacle of Hotel Corsica is arguably its panoramic views. The atmosphere here is relaxed and for those who do not want to drive the short distance to Calvi Town or Calvi beach, the hotel provides a complimentary shuttle bus service. The hotel is traditional and is comprised of 50 rooms - facilities include a large swimming pool, children’s pool, sun terrace, sauna, jacuzzi and gardens. This season, Corsican Places offers seven nights at Hotel Corsica from £1245 per person, based on two sharing with breakfast and including return flights direct to Calvi, taxes and transfers. For more information about Corsican Places, please call the Reservations Department on 0845 330 2113 or visit www.corsica.co.uk

Nuits de la Guitare dates announced

The dates of this year’s Nuits de la Guitare festival have been announced – the event takes place in Patrimonio in the North-East of Corsica over 8 days between Saturday 16th July & Saturday 23rd July. This year’s acts haven’t yet been announced, however the event usually attracts international artists from all genres of music including Corsican, classical, jazz, blues, country, rock, gypsy and flamenco.

Last year’s festival included performances by George Benson, Simple Minds, Diana Krall, Elvis Costello and the Sugarcanes, Melody Gardot, Sylvain Luc, Louis Winsbery, BB Brunes, Richard Bona and many more. For more details visit http://festival-guitare-patrimonio.com/

Corsican Places has a number of self-catering properties and hotels in Corsica’s North-East with three properties actually in the village of Patrimonio which are currently available for a week between 17th & 24th July:

Villa Puccinasca – a 4 bedroom villa with private pool that sleeps up to 9Villa di Ceppo – a 4 bedroom villa with private pool, sleeps 8Villa Chassagne – a 3 bedroom villa with private pool, sleeps 6

One of Europe’s Best Beaches in Corsica

The Sunday Times has listed the top 20 beaches in Europe, and Palombaggia in the south of Corsica has been included. Here’s what the Sunday Times says about the beach:

“The TV advert for this beach might say: “There’s clear, then there’s Palombaggia clear.” The water here puts the Seychelles to shame. What a backdrop, too: pine forests right up to the sand, craggy rocks like natural piers into the sea, sandy cafes serving moules and vin blanc for lunch. As with any French paradise, consider August off limits - better to go in late summer, as Corsica stays warmer for longer - but limited parking among the pine trees means that some parts of the beach are quiet even in high season. Take your camera: if you cut out the French cafes, people will think you went to the Maldives on your holidays.

Best for: those still saving to get to the Indian Ocean.”

If you’re interested in sampling the beach for yourself, take a look at the accommodation available in L’Extreme Sud. To read the article in full visit http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/holiday_type/beach/article6989680.ece

Popping corks in Corsica

When you discover that Corsica was once owned and run by us Brits it’s a bit like discovering that we once owned Bordeaux. If we knew then how good the wine was going to be, why on earth did we give it up? No amount of guns or cannons should have put us off - we should have defended it to the death back in 1796.

Seriously though, although Corsica is nowhere near as famous as France’s great wine-producing regions like Bordeaux, Burgundy or Champagne, its burgeoning industry is having quite an impact on us Brits. Almost all of the main supermarket chains now stock at least one Corsican wine, and a trip to the island quickly explains why. Put bluntly, it’s distinctive, it’s made with real love and care, and it’s cheap.
It’s an unlikely place for a wine industry, as the island is the most mountainous in the Mediterranean and covers just 8720sq km. Incidentally, the island’s most famous native was Napoleon Bonaparte, a man who knew a thing or two about wine – he forced his troops to salute every time he marched past a vineyard.
He was born in Ajaccio, the island’s capital and also the heart of the wine-growing region. In fact, most of the island’s wine is produced on the west and north side, the east being too dry and desert-like. For years Corsica produced pretty ordinary vin de table, but now has invested heavily in the industry and, interestingly, has kept a lot of old obscure grape varieties, which it blends with more well-known ones like Merlot and Chardonnay. The results are impressive, modern-tasting wines that suit all palates and wallets.
We have the good old EU to thank for Corsica’s wine now, as back in 1980 it favoured uprooting vines that were over-producing – the infamous wine lake – and gave money to invest in more quality vines. The total area dropped to 22,500 acres, but the quality improved.
The undistinguished Grenache and Cinsault grape were replaced with Viognier, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon, but the local wine-makers, now armed with degrees and the knowledge of what people actually wanted to drink, blended them. Nielluccio for example is an old grape, probably Italian in origin, which produces a deep red wine with good structure. It’s grown on the chalky soils of the north of the Island. Blended with the trendy Merlot, it is one of Somerfield’s best-sellers, and at just £6 a bottle represents good value.
Similarly, Vermentino performs best in the north, and is added to Chardonnay to produce an interesting wine. The usually bland Chardonnay grape is given a golden, honey-tinted gloss, which gives it far more character. Again it is available in Somerfield. The Terra Vecchia vineyard welcomes visitors and is well worth a visit, producing outstanding examples of these grape varieties. They are very friendly, and are happy to give you a taste and discuss their wine. Try the 2005 vintages: the Chardonnay/vermentino is outstanding.
Another vineyard well worth visiting is Clos de Bernardi, for two reasons – the great, juicy reds and a lively discussion. Ask the staff about the 2000 rule, which stated that the reds must be 95% Nielluccio, and the whites 100% Vermentino – it’s sure to kick off a robust argument. Up until that point their wines could be blended, so they now feel a tad restricted.
Back in Ajaccio, Domain Peraldi, which overlooks the bay, is one of the best producers, especially of the unusual Sciacarello grape. This is a really old Corsican grape that appears to have been grown there for centuries, and makes a very spicy red that is also a tad heavy on the alcohol. You can always try the rosé instead, which has two advantages – it can be chilled, perfect for a hot day, and it’s a revelation. The rosés on any wine list are usually the last to get tasted, if at all, but rosé is growing in popularity all the time, and this under-rated wine is something Corsica does extremely well.
If you have a car and fancy some exploring, the northern tip of Corsica, Cap Corse, is well worth a trip. Here they make sweet wines from the Vermentino and Muscat grapes. Look for the label ‘Coteaux du Cap Corse’. Antoine Arena’s vineyard is worth seeking out for its luscious Muscat, and Clos Nicrosi, at Rogliano (follow the D80 north from Bastia to Cap Corse, and at the top you will pass through the village), produces one of Corsica's finest white wines. Demand far outstrips supply, so it is very sought after. Domaine de Gioelli, also at Rogliano, produces an unusual sweet red wine called Rapu.
Or, of course, you can also stay in the area. In the heart of the village Patrimonio you will find Villa Puccinasca. Set in an elevated position, with wonderful views over the village and surrounding countryside from the front terrace and garden, it has a large dining terrace with seating. From here the panorama is superb and best appreciated with a glass of the local rosé as the sun sets behind the mountains before you stroll down for a meal in one of the restaurants in Patrimonio.
Corsica has come an awfully long way in wine production in the last 30 years. It was almost ready to be abandoned by France, but then came the split with Algeria, and hundreds of trained wine-makers left to settle on the island. It’s a craggy, rocky place with, it claims, dozens of microclimates, but despite all the barriers it has started to produce wines that have an appeal well beyond the locals. It’s a great holiday destination, and you might just find some wines that will surprise you. As an old Tuscan proverb goes: “one glass of Corsican wine and I climb Stromboli.” And remember to shake the last drops of wine in your glass to the ground, as an offering to the gods.
Getting there
Corsican Places offers holiday packages including direct charter flights from London Gatwick or Manchester. These operate on a Sunday from May until October. For 2009, clients can also choose to make accommodation-only or flight-only bookings with the tour operator.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Relax and embrace the peace and perfect quiet

As our flight banked towards Bastia’s Poretta Airport, a surge of excitement hit us.

Sample the delights of the island of Corsica

Asked to name the first package holiday destination in a pub quiz, few contestants would answer Corsica. Yet the wild and beautiful French island in the Mediterranean was where Vladimir Raitz, co-founder of Horizon Holidays, sent his first charter flight passengers on holiday in 1950.

Today, most package holidaymakers on the island are likely to be French but the island still holds a special appeal for the British. Not just for the splendid beaches and bays, but because in this recessionary summer, they will find value for money in the traditionally expensive destination.

Behind the beaches, in the northwest, is the gentle, rolling countryside of La Balagne, dotted with vineyards, woodland and, with medieval villages, such as Sant’Antonino, rising above them. Down in the southwest, inland from the Gulf of Valinco and the resort of Propriano, the road climbs to the pine forests and sculptured rocks of the Col de Bavella.

Corsica is famous for the maquis, rugged heathlands full of wild herbs and flowers, but more remarkable for its mountainous spine, rising to 2,700m (9,000ft) with deep gorges and breathtaking valleys, crisscrossed by marked paths and penetrated by roads and the railway, with dizzying viaducts and long tunnels. Visitors staying in the north, or in the capital Ajaccio, should take the train to Corte, the ancient and colourful town in the centre of the island. Recover from the journey with refreshment at one of the bars or bistros in the 19th-century square before climbing the steep steps to the 15th-century fortress.

Corsican Places has a week in a flat for two, with views over the pretty port town of St Florent on the north coast, for £699 on July 12, with a flight from Gatwick, car hire and welcome hamper. A week from July 19 in a two-bedroom stone house, near the beach and a short drive from Bonifacio, the medieval stronghold in the south, is from £799, flying from Manchester.

Spring Holiday Offers

CORSICA 21 MAY OFFERS

Bergerie Olivella: 7 nights from £619pp (save £142pp from brochure price)
Specialist tour operator, Corsican Places is offering 7 nights self-catering at the three-bedroom Bergerie Olivella in Olmeto, Gulfs of the West Coast, from £619 per person, valid for departure on 21 May 2011. This price is based on six sharing and includes return flights from London Gatwick – Figari, taxes and car hire. New to Corsican Places 2011 programme and part of its Premium Collection, Bergerie Olivella is an idyllic stone cottage exuding authentic Corsican charm, in a prized location. Please note that neighbouring (but also very private) property, Bergerie Murtetu is also available for the same departure date & price.

Villa A Tighiaccia: 7 nights from £489pp (save £140pp from brochure price)
Also new to Corsican Places collection and another authentic stone house, 7 nights self-catering is also available at the two-bedroom Villa A Tighiaccia in Tarrabucceta, Southern Corsica from £489 per person, valid for departure on 21 May.
This price is based on four sharing and includes return flights from London Gatwick – Figari, taxes and car hire. Perched high above the village of Tarrabucceta, Villa A Tighiaccia offers a true sense of seclusion, commanding views over the Cagna mountain range and the Extrême Sud coastline to the south.
Please note that all offers are subject to availability.
Spring is an ideal time to visit the island of Corsica, the days are longer early in the season and the scented maquis is in abundance.

Strong Summer Sales & Success of Calvi Flight

Specialist Corsican Places reports strong bookings for Summer 2010, as well as a successful start for its new flight service between London Stansted and Calvi, introduced in May 2010. The tour operator reveals a 30% increase in sales year on year, with bookings for its new charter - with airline Titan Airways - achieving an 88% load factor to date.

The company’s product manager, Amandine Blanchard comments:
“We are delighted with the success of our programme, which continually evolves to reflect the needs of our customers. Our charter flight service is the only UK direct flight route to Calvi and gives customers a welcoming alternative to the no frills options available to other regions."
She continues: “We have also increased our choice of hotels, with sales to date up 87% on last year. Villa bookings are also up by 22%. There has been a noted shift away from accommodation-only, as figures show 65% of our customers are now booking packages. This trend confirms a wider recognition amongst consumers of the importance of financial protection and tour operator support when booking a holiday, which has become even more apparent through recent events.”

Corsican Places has been providing holidays throughout the island for over twenty years and was voted “Best Destination Specialist Tour Operator 2010” in June this year, by Atout France – the country’s tourism development agency. The tour operator offers holidays from £399 per person based on 7 nights accommodation, inclusive of return Stansted to Calvi flight.

Summer easyJet Flights On Sale

easyJet flights to Corsica are now on sale for the whole of the summer season.

The budget airline operates four flights to the island: Gatwick to Ajaccio and Gatwick, Bristol and Manchester to Bastia. The flights have previously only been on sale for the start of the summer season but today the airline has released prices for the whole season, including the school summer holidays. At the time of writing however, the Manchester to Bastia flight is still not available for the latter part of the summer but we anticipate that these will also be available shortly.

Corsican Places has over 100 self-catering properties and hotels across the island which can be booked on an accommodation only basis to enable holidaymakers to take advantage of the cheap flights with easyJet and other no frills airlines.

The tour operator also has good value flight inclusive packages available for clients who prefer the ease and security of booking with a fully bonded operator. Corsican Places is a member of AITO and ABTA and flights are ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority.

The 'Isle of Beauty' certainly lives up to its name

08 May 2010 - The Independent - Harriet O'Brien

An island beyond?
Yes. Corsica is where you can discover wild French beauty in the Med. Stunning pink cliffs drop sharply down to implausibly clear turquoise waters which elsewhere are fringed with sandy beaches. Inland, high granite peaks tower up in breathtaking shapes while kites and buzzards circle the aromatic vegetation. From the Greeks to the Romans, Pisans, Genovese and French (and even, briefly, the Brits), the foreign forces that have variously occupied this Mediterranean island have been entranced by its magnificent natural drama. Which is why the presiding French have given it the soubriquet l'Ile de Beauté.

But as to that French factor... Well, Corsica was acquired by France only in 1768 and this island, 160km from the French mainland (yet just 82km off Italy's Tuscan coast), remains idiosyncratically a culture apart. The Corsican language, for instance, is notably different from French and is widely spoken, while signposts give place names in both French and Corsican – except where independence agitators have painted over the Gallic names. The current Corsican nationalist movement has been a thorn in the French government's side for more than 30 years, although it is currently stymied by factionalism. It is also unlikely to impinge on tourists. For visitors, the Corsican spirit – proud, defiant and stalwart, in resonance with the natural world around – is part of the attraction.

Vital statistics please
Corsica covers 8,680 sq km, so it is just a shade larger than Crete and roughly one-third the size of neighbouring Sardinia, from which it is separated by a narrow strait of 14 kilometres.

It takes less than three hours to drive from the northern city of Bastia to the southern town of Bonifacio. But that is along the east coast. Once you head inland or along the glorious west coast, the roads concertina with the contours and journey times expand accordingly.

The Genovese, who by-and-large held power between the early 13th and the mid-18th centuries, developed Bastia as their headquarters. But today Ajaccio on the mid-west coast is the island's capital, as orchestrated in the late 18th century by the city's most famous, if probably least loved, son, Napoleon Bonaparte.

Almost half of Corsica's 275,000 permanent residents live in either Ajaccio or Bastia – where the majority of jobs are. That overall figure may look slim but the population has increased enormously since the dismal days of the 1950s and 1960s, when the island was sadly neglected by the government and many people left for economic reasons. In the 1970s a movement for the revival of Corsica began, and it has been hugely successful. With a resurgence of population has come a rebirth of pride in the island. For visitors, this is most immediately apparent in the unspoilt quality of the island: development has been carefully monitored, so it is rare to see concrete blocks along the coast and, as a rule, buildings of more than three storeys.

Take me to the very heart
The spiritual capital of Corsica is the robust inland town of Corte, its daunting fortress presiding over a tiny warren of cobbled alleys, with newer streets spread out below. More or less in the centre of the island, it is set in an astounding landscape of rivers and granite mountains. Corsica's great hero, Pascal Paoli, established a democratic parliament here during the island's brief period of independence between 1755 and 1768. Today, Corte remains the home of nationalism and it also contains Corsica's university.

There's a particularly pleasing hotel, with art deco-style furnishings, just outside town in the lovely Restonica valley: Hotel Dominique Colonna (00 33 4 95 45 25 65; dominique-colonna.com ; doubles from €70 room only). Or make for Sartene, clinging to cliffs inland from the south-west coast and said to be the most Corsican of Corsican towns. Once the base of the feudal Sgio overlords, it still exudes an atmosphere redolent of Corsica's notorious vendetta culture.

In the north-west, the inland villages of the Balagne district offer much staunch Corsican charm. St Antonino is said to be the oldest village on the island. Less tourist-trodden Speloncato looks as if it has grown organically from the rocks. Little Pigna is a picturesque haven of cobbled lanes and has become a centre for arts and crafts. It offers an appealing choice of guesthouse accommodation including Casa Musicale which, as the name implies, is also a venue for traditional music (00 33 4 95 61 77 31; casa-musicale.org ; doubles from €55, room only).

I want coastal drama
Most spectacularly seen from the water, the southern town of Bonifacio has a remarkable setting atop dazzling white cliffs. On a sunny day (one of the estimated 300 annual days of sunshine), the colour of the sea is mesmerising.

But Corsica's most celebrated sea scenery are Les Calanches on the west coast. This is a range of fabulously weathered orangey-pink cliffs set between the little harbour town of Porto and the pretty village of Piana. The drive through this area is spectacularly winding. Better still, there are several well-marked walking trails: these are described in English in a booklet (costing €3) which is sold in the tourist office at Porto (open Mon-Sat 9am-5pm and on Sunday mornings V C in peak season; 00 33 4 95 26 10 55; porto-tourisme.com ).

The long peninsula of Cap Corse in the north offers ruggedly appealing scenery, dotted with old fishing villages and the remains of Genovese watchtowers. A corniche road twists its way around the 40km-long finger of land, a circuit that takes at least two days of relaxed driving, depending how much time you allow for hikes in the maquis-clad interior. Among the range of accommodation here is elegant Hotel Castel Brando, a 19th-century mansion in the lovely village of Erbalunga (00 33 4 95 30 10 30; castelbrando.com; doubles from €105, room only).

And for the best beaches?
Corsica has about 1,000km of coast, along which there's an alluring array of sandy beaches. East of the fortress town of Calvi there are expansive stretches of sand with safe, life-guarded bathing in the summer: for seclusion and a great view across to the citadel of Calvi head to the beach at Lumio overlooking the Bay of Algaio. But if you want to get right off the beaten track make for Plage du Lotu, which is accessible only by boat from the thriving town of St-Florent, dubbed the St-Tropez of Corsica because of the opulent boats that moor there in the summer. For a chic retreat, check into the Hotel La Roya (00 33 4 95 37 00 40; hoteldelaroya.com ; doubles from €180, room only).

Porto Vecchio on the east coast has become something of a hip haven thanks in no small part to the beaches that lie to the south, notably Palombaggio, which is bordered with pines and pink granite rocks; and Santa Giulia which offers plenty of beach activity. Among the accommodation options is Hotel Alivi on Santa Giulia, a stylish boutique outfit with doubles from €135 room only (00 33 4 95 70 03 46; santa-giulia.fr ).

Where can I tap into history?
Stroll in any of Corsica's fortress towns and you breathe in a great sense of the island's colourful, chequered past. In the north, Calvi's citadel is magnificently austere. In the south, the battlements of Bonifacio are terrific.

The three most striking ancient centres – Ajaccio, Bastia, and Corte – contain the island's best museums. Below Ajaccio's citadel Maison Bonaparte at Place Letizia (00 33 4 95 21 43 89; musee-masonbonaparte.fr ; Tues-Sun 10-noon and 2-4.45pm; €6) gives chapter and verse on the emperor, who was born there. To its north, near Ajaccio's marketplace, is the remarkable Musée Fesch, showing the art collection of Napoleon's step uncle, Cardinal Fesch. The gallery is set to reopen on 26 June after a refit (50 Rue du Cardinal Fesch; 00 33 4 95 21 48 17; musee-fesch.com ; opening times and prices still uncertain).

In Bastia's well-restored old citadel, the grand Palais des Gouverneurs is in the throes of impressive refurbishment. Showing the art and history of the city, it is due to open in mid-June. (Place du Donjon, La Citadelle; 00 33 4 95 31 09 12; musee-bastia.com ; opening times and prices still unconfirmed.) Corte's entire brooding fortress has become a museum. A visit to Museu di a Corsica (the name is, of course, Corsican) takes in the town's high battlements dating from the 15th century and offers an absorbing insight into the island's culture, with a permanent ethnographic collection and major temporary shows. This year's show is due to open later in the month, and will present an intriguing exploration of Corsica's thriving lay brotherhood, which is similar to the freemasonry but far less secretive and has some women members (00 33 4 95 45 25 45; musee-corse.com ; 10am-5pm daily except Sunday; €5.30).

And mystery?
It isn't only the landscape that exudes an other-worldly air. Head to Filitosa, south of Ajaccio, to see an extraordinary collection of standing stones, discovered in the 1940s. These aren't just menhirs, they are neolithic sculptures for, amazingly, the stones have carved faces. Station Prehistorique de Filitosa (00 33 4 95 74 00 91) is on the winding D57 west of the village of Sollacaro and is open daily 9am-6pm from April until the end of October; €6.

Take in, too, the ethereal harmonics of Corsican polyphony. This haunting, entirely vocal form of music was rapidly becoming a lost tradition in the 1960s and 1970s but it is now enjoying a huge revival. During the summer polyphony concerts are frequently held in village and town churches and at dramatic outdoor locations. Ask for information at local tourist offices – Calvi usually offers a particularly rich schedule of events (Port de Plaisance; 00 33 4 95 65 16 67; balagne-corsica.com ).

How do I get there?
The summer season's direct flights between the UK and Corsica are just starting. Ryanair (0871 246 0000; ryanair.com) flies from Stansted to Figari in the south, a service that began this Tuesday. From mid-May easyJet (0905 821 0905; easyjet.com) offers services from Gatwick, Manchester and Bristol to Bastia and from Gatwick to Ajaccio. Corsican Places (0845 330 2059; corsica.co.uk ) has a new weekly charter between Stansted and Calvi from 23 May. The company has an extensive portfolio of villas-with-pools to rent and it offers hotel trips, all of which can be arranged with or without flights.

And by boat?
There is a good choice of ferries from the French mainland and from Italy. Among the options, Corsica Ferries (00 33 4 95 32 95 95; corsicaferries.com ) operates year-round between Nice and Ajaccio, Bastia and Calvi, and from Toulon to Ajaccio and Bastia; CMN La Meridionale (00 33 4 91 99 45 00; sncm.fr ) offers year-round services from Marseille to Ajaccio, Bastia and Propriano and also from Porto Torres in Sardinia to Ajaccio and Propriano; and Moby Lines (00 49 611 14020; mobylines.com ) has a summer service (starting at the end of May) between Livorno and Bastia, Genova and Bastia, and Sardinia's Santa Teresa di Gallura and Bonifacio.

Where can I find out more?
Contact the Corsica Tourist Board on 00 33 4 95 51 00 00; or see the website visit-corsica.com. Alternatively visit the website of enthusiastic resident expatriates: corsica-isula.com

The great outdoors: Natural wanders in Corsica
Crisscrossed by well-marked routes, Corsica is a hiker's haven – although bear in mind the high temperatures during the mid summer.

The most challenging trail is the GR20, taking about 14 days and offering much mountainous terrain as it stretches 200km diagonally across the island from Calenzana in the north to Conca in the south. Other long-distance routes include the two Tra Mare e Monti paths on the west coast: the spectacular northern trail is broken into 10 stages; while the southern route is a relatively gentle five-day walk.

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