[ November 30, 1999; 12:00 am; 12:00 am; November 30, 1999 12:00 am to March 13, 2010 12:10 pm. May 14, 2010 9:30 am to May 16, 2010 5:00 pm. ] http://www.aztecevents.co.uk/proddetail.asp?prod=EGS
Brentwood Centre, Brentwood, Essex
Adults in advance £4; on the door £5.50
Children in advance free; on the door £1

Whether you’re staycation-ing or vacationing, CD Traveller tells you what’s hot and what’s not in the travel world

[ March 1, 2010; ] www.stdavidsdayparade.org
March 1st, Cardiff
Apart from the parade there will be events throughout the day

[ February 25, 2010 to March 7, 2010. ] www.tedfest.org
at Inis Mor and Inis Oirr in the Aran Isles
This year there is a new event taken from the much loved TV series, Father Ted, “The Loveliest Horse” competition

[ May 20, 2010 to May 22, 2010. ] www.devoncountyshow.co.uk
Clyst St. Mary Exeter.
Children 6 at gate, 5 online
Adults 17 at gate, 15 online
Senior Citizens £14.50 on gate, £12.50 online
(on 20/21st 2 for 1 offer for senior citizens)

Visitors to the United States have been used to filling in a I-94 green form which was required by passport control. For the last year they have been trialling the electronic version of this which goes under the name of ESTA. This system will replace the green form in March so it is essential that if you plan to holiday in the US you complete this electronic form before you board your flight. Failure to complete the form means that you will not be allowed to enter the US.

During the recession airlines and tour operators, hoteliers and destinations worked hard to get us to visit them as people became more careful with their money. Good deals were to be had despite the efforts of government to wring more taxes out of us with increases in Air Passenger Duty. But cruise ships (and domestic holidays) don’t pay these taxes so cruising had a financial appeal as well. Increases in holiday prices are beginning to seep through and Carnival Cruise lines is one of those that are planning to increase their prices during the booking period. From 22nd of March their prices go their prices go up by 5%.

In a world where there are surveys about everything and where small numbers of people seem to provide incontrovertible evidence that something is happening, the results of the Airport Service Quality survey (ASQ) which is based on 275,000 surveys worldwide is always interesting. In 2009, 118 airports took part in this survey which involves carrying out a survey 4 times a year at different times of the day and which asks the same questions each time. People are interviewed; they aren’t sent a survey, rung up or e-mailed so it is possible to talk to travellers across all types of flights.
So who won in 2009?

From the late 1950’s when Benidorm launched itself as a tourist destination, we have loved going to Spain for our holidays. The seventies led to a string of comedy films and TV series exploiting our interest in Spain for a holiday. As Spanish resorts adapted to changing holiday wishes in the nineties and this decade it seemed our love affair would never end.
Some “experts” are now saying the appeal of Spain is declining and quote figures from the Spanish Tourism, Commerce & Industry Ministry which has announced that in 2009 8.1% fewer of us visited Spain.

It is quite common to be able to buy a tourist pass in the bigger cities like London and Edinburgh which gives you savings on visiting museums and attractions and the like. And as we wrote yesterday, Kent has one day when differing bodies like the National Trust and English Heritage come together but, as yet, there has been no county pass.
Until now.
Yorkshire, the county that doesn’t exist as one but as three separate ones has managed to get a number of organisations together so that one pass covers all. Or at least 75 attractions within the three counties. There has been a York Pass but this new county wide pass has taken over and covers privately run attractions like Castle Howard and Harewood House as well as places like the Jorvik centre and the Treasurers House that were available with the old York Pass.