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Archive for April, 2011

Takeover Fuels Cheap Malta Flight Speculation

With a downward spiral in visitor numbers the Maltese government finally relented to pressure from the Malta holidays industry and allowed low cost carriers to fly to the island for the first time last year.

Competition was keen between the airlines to take up the lucrative UK to Malta route and Dublin based Ryanair was chosen over rivals easyJet to take up the route and the island has benefitted this year with a sharp increase in tourists reversing six years of decline.

Since then the island’s tourist authorities have finally waken up to the fact that competition in the skies could bring more benefits to the country than protecting her national airline and new routes have opened between Malta with Germany Spain and Scandanavia.

But of all the low cost carriers the best known UK one easyJet has been unable to fly to Malta having not reached an amicable agreement with the island. This is about to change however and could see lower cost flights to Malta in 2008 a year when the Malta holidays industry is hoping to augment a successful 2007.

easyJet recently bought GB Airways who were franchised by British Airways to fly many of their European routes including to Malta with convenient afternoon slots out of London’s Gatwick Airport.

‘When we checked recently to book a BA flight from Gatick to Malta for early next summer it was showing a flight at under 100 sterling which is pretty competitive for a good time of day flight so assumedly easyJet will be running the flights to Malta’ comments one travel guide for Malta.

Rival low cost airlines might view easyJet’s entry to the Malta market as a back door method while others in the aviation industry will view the development as nothing out of the ordinary when one company takes over another and the new routes are part of why a company would want to buy another in the first place.

The UK market for the Malta holidays industry despite the diversification the island has enjoyed with more visitors from Germany and Italy remains a vital one and provides more visitors than any other country.

Currently for London and the Home Counties the economic powerhouse of the UK economy low cost airlines fly from Luton convenient for the northern counties and North London. Gatwick which is more convenient for wealthy Surrey and South London is served by regular carriers.

But it is Gatwick that easyJet will be flying from to Malta and potentially is the most lucrative UK route for a low cost carrier.

Figures recently released by the tourist authorities in Malta have shown a rise in the number of British visitors for the first seven months of 2007 and it’s the island’s highest number of Brits for some six years.

The increase is an impressive ten per cent rise on the 2006 visitors for the same seven months and it is largely thanks to the introduction of cheap Malta flights that has fuelled the increase.

‘The figures confirm that low cost flights are good for the Malta holidays and hotels industry’ comments one travel guide ‘The launch of low cost flights from Ireland and the UK was always going to mean an increase in visitors from those countries. If the exisiting route from Gatwick to Malta operates as a low cost route as well it can only be good news for Malta in 2008.’

About the writer:nbsp;nbsp;Luqa Airport in Malta and flights to Malta from the UK can be found at YourMalta.comAs well as details about Malta airport the travel guide also has the weather a Malta map Malta hotel reviews a photograph gallery and videos of Malta.

Sofitel Champs Elysees-Paris: A Blend Of Ancient And Modern

On Paris Rue Jean Gujon stands this beautiful luxury hotel. Right in the heart of the city and practically without any artificial touristy trappings. Walking into the lobby of the Sofitel Champs ElyseesParis you will be taken up by the personal touch the intimacy of this luxury five star hotel without being overwhelmed.

Situated between the Seine River and Avenue des Champs Elysees this is one of the luxury hotels which is close to all the gorgeous attractions of the city including the important media centers.

The ambience of the Sofitel Champs Elysees is redolent with a unique blend of traditional and contemporary: the structure is decidedly 19th century with all the modern facilities. Some people find its shared entrance with the Paris Press Club a little bit of an oddity yet some think it is funky fun even.

The Sofitel Champs ElyseesParis has been designed very intelligently with each room overlooking a courtyard and allowing in plenty of sunlight and fresh air. Other facilities include a 24hour front desk daily newspapers free wireless internet a restaurant bar room service etc.

During the evening guests usually love to walk around the wide and colorful Parisian boulevard of Champs Elysees dotted with specialty shops coffee houses bars and restaurants. Going around the 8th arondissement they can get into the Place de la Concorde one of the main squares of the city. Designed in 1755 it was called Place Louis XV and later Place de la Revolution where Louis the 15th was the first member of the royalty to be guillotines to be followed by other notables like Queen Marie Antoinette Madame du Barry and Danton to name a few.

Going towards the west you get into the landmark road junction of the city where as many as 12 avenues meet. No wonder this place is referred to as the Place de lEtoile or Star Square. Although renamed Place Charles de Gaulle in 1970 after the former French President yet most people prefer to call it by its original name.

And if you are on Place de lEtoile how can you miss the Arc de Triomphe? This arc of triumph you guessed correctly pays homage to the brave soldiers who fought for France. Beyond the arc you will get to see an assortment of grand thoroughfares and buildings.

Going on to the first arondissement you will find yourself in Palais du Louvre or Louvre Palace which houses the worldfamous Louvre Museum. What began as a fortress in the 12th century is now a grand repository of the fine arts. The museum is mainly known for the oil painting executed by Leonardo da Vinci in the 16th century Mona Lisa. Yet equally sought after happen to be its Islamic collection Egyptian antiquities and drawing collection.

Coming out of the museum you will find yourself on the right bank of the Seine River. Artists like Renoir Sisley Monet and Van Gogh have paid earnest and heartfelt tributes to this river flowing through Paris through their paintings. Taking a stroll beside the Seine you wont be surprised to see artists furiously sketching away or musicians singing paeans to the Seine.

Your walk back to the luxury hotel will be equally pleasurable.

About the writer:  Mike Greaves is a selfmade entrepreneur a well known travel consultant and internet marketer. Over the years he has traveled across the world and has numerous writings credited to his name in many renowned publications. His areas of writing include travel experiences including reviews of Luxury Hotels San Diego Ski Resorts and Luxury Spas .

The History And Development Of Birmingham Airport

Birmingham International Airport located in the borough of Solihull lies approximately six miles away from Birmingham city centre. Last year it was regarded to be the sixth busiest airport in the UK after the London airports and Manchester. The fantastic road links to the M42 and A45 make car hire services a preferable option for many business passengers as well as tourists wanting to see the Midlands. In terms of passenger numbers the airport is teetering on the million mark and has been for the last few years. Flights from the airport go to destinations such as Europe America the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East.

Birmingham Airport was originally opened in1939 and was quickly requisitioned by the Air Ministry at the outbreak of war. Originally the airfield had grass runways but for military purposes these were converted to tarmac. After the war had finished the airport was returned to civilian use. During the post war years the airport was owned by Birmingham County Council and later the West Midlands County Council. The late sixties saw a further extension of the runways so that large jumbo jets could land.

Runways were not the only developments during the seventies and eighties. In 1984 a terminal was opened that could handle around three million passengers a year. A second terminal was also opened during the eighties and at the opening ceremony Concorde flew in to mark the occasion. The eighties saw privatisation of Birmingham Airport taking control away from the local council bodies. In 2003 Birmingham saw the last appearance of Concorde as it made its farewell tour. Today the services on offer in the terminal are extensive a large number of fast food and restaurant chains have outlets as do many of the major car hire companies. Last year the airport was voted Europe’s best in the mid sized category.

Like most airports in the UK Birmingham had to release a master plan that laid out its expansions plans up until 2030. The plan sets out the proposed development of the runways airfield layout and terminals in the coming years. However like many of the expansion plans local residents and environmental campaigners are adamant that they should not go ahead. Despite this the airport is going to attempt a runway extension in time for the 2012 Olympics; the extension will be required if the airport is to accommodate the large long haul planes such as the new Airbus.

The terminal and main pier will also be improved to increase the efficiency of passenger transit. There are even proposed plans for a satellite building to accommodate larger planes although for this to go ahead the amount of apron space will also have to expand. While the airport may have scrapped its plans for a second runway the terminal is still set to develop to increase the number of passengers Birmingham will be able to handle. The slightly optimistic estimates hope that by 2010 around eleven million passengers will be using the airport annually. Once again accompanying services such as car hire desks shops and restaurants will also be expanded to cope with the increased passenger numbers.

Birmingham airport is currently the UK’s sixth major airport. While London Stansted Gatwick Heathrow and Manchester have a somewhat secure place Birmingham will be hoping to overtake London Luton in the coming years. From the humble beginnings and grass runways Birmingham has become an important part of the air travel network and a gateway to the Midlands and beyond.

About the writer:  Air travel expert Thomas Pretty looks into how car hire Birmingham airport services have played an importnat role in the site’s development.