Travel tips & opinions

Robert Godwin, the brains behind room2 (an independent ‘hometel’ brand) talks travel

Devolving APD away from Westminster will only cause strife if any nation alters the rate at which APD is charged.

Greece has a special website with a question and answer format to allay doubts and to demonstrate that visiting the country will remain pretty easy.

Despite the dislike of campervans and caravans suggested by people like Jeremy Clarkson, it looks as though 2019 will be a strong year for this section of the tourism industry.

The regular monthly column that keeps you abreast of some of the changes in travel starts with a story about Nicaragua

My forecast would be that if it is devolved and abolished in Wales, the tax will shortly disappear entirely.

Once Airbnb was a way for home owners to make some extra cash by renting out their unused rooms. Now it is developing its own accommodation. Is it planning something else?

A while ago I wrote that the travel industry hasn’t said a lot about the possible effects of Brexit. It has been left to others. That’s changed.

Born Robert Nesta Marley in Jamaica in 1945, Bob Marley began his career in The Wailers in 1963 before an assassination attempt almost cost him his life. On what would have been the reggae legend’s 74th birthday – 6 February – JAT takes a look at some of Marley’s most inspirational, uplifting, and important quotes… “One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.” “Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet.” “The truth is, everyone is going to hurt
> Read more

UPDATE: 7th Feb 2019.
Turkmenistan Airlines has found a way around the suspension of its flights into EU countries. Using Spanish airline, Wamos Air, UK flights from Birmingham and Heathrow seem to have been restored but check with the airline.

With Reggae month approaching and temperatures in the late 20s, there’s never been a better time to take a jaunt to Jamaica says Kaye Holland

Just About Travel tells you what’s hot and what’s not in the travel world, right now…

It does look that whatever happens in the UK, the choices you and I make on where or if to holiday is going to have an international effect.

Heathrow has undertaken some research which suggests that over half of us can be transported back to our summer holidays by just hearing the sound of waves on the beach.

January brings the consumer travel shows and they kick off today at Manchester’s Event City with Destinations.

Check to see if the organisation offering the holiday let is a member of any trade association. If it looks to be so, check that the trade association exists in the country concerned.

Deal with a company that is bonded so that you don’t lose it if a problem concerns. Buy your trip on a credit card (not a debit card or with cash) so that you have redress in case of an issue and perhaps, most importantly, take out travel insurance.

Just About Travel tells you what’s hot and what’s not in the travel world, right now…

Vivian McCarthy, director of Acacia Africa (adventure tours experts specialising in overland African travel) shares his travel highs and lows with Just About Travel readers…

We start our survey of what the industry “experts” suggest by looking at ABTA, the main trade body for the British travel industry, and what it thinks will be the top twelve destinations to watch over the coming year.

Happy Christmas to all our readers wherever you are in the world.

The campaign has been re-ignited to remind us that irresponsible passenger behaviour can exist at any time with Christmas being no exception.

Should you or should you not wrap Christmas presents if you are flying out of the country?

There must be attractions that don’t appeal to everybody. Stonehenge and Blackpool Tower could be two of them in which case no amount of clever marketing by the local tourist board would persuade some to travel there.

It’s no secret that some of the world’s most amazing destinations are feeling the tourism squeeze. But that’s no reason to stay put: as communities cope with travellers’ all-too-loving embrace, being a good tourist just means getting strategic about where to go and when

It appears that tourism this year wasn’t quite as good as in 2017. Having said that it looks like growth will be up by about 5%.

Do you visit pantos for the “names” or the stalwarts who make the shows hum? It doesn’t matter as long as you enjoy them. Christmas wouldn’t be the same without visitig at least one.

Just because you’re a seasoned traveller doesn’t mean you have any reason to get jaded in 2019. There are plenty of exciting new openings coming next year to inspire you to plan your next trip…