CD Traveller tells you what’s hot in the travel world

Think of wine in the USA and your mind probably thinks of California. Oz Clarke and James May did a TV series a while back driving through the state and stopping of at different vineyards to taste and praise. But if you think of the state of Virginia, wine is not probably the first thing that you’ll consider. To me Virginia conjures pictures of southern gentlemen, the confederacy and heritage.

From about the 9th of September (depending on where you live) heritage sites will be open up and down our countries. This is the time of the year when our heritage sites are often free to the public along with council buildings and places normally closed for the rest of the year. At least 3,000 events are scheduled
Ireland has recently had it’s week. Now it is the time for England, Scotland and Wales to celebrate this pan-European achievement. Your local library or newspaper will have a list of what is open in your area.

For 2 months, Gloucester cathedral will host the largest exhibition of UK sculpture outside London. There will be 75 different pieces on display in the cathedral and its grounds. So big is the venture that when I was there a few weeks ago, they were erecting scaffolding and preparing for it. It was going to take a whole week to just get the exhibits into position. Called Crucible, the event opens on September 1st and runs until October 30th so there is plenty of time to get down to Gloucester to see it. And it won’t be going to any other towns or cities. Miss this opportunity and you don’t get another.

This story is a little different from the usual things you read here but I make no apology for including it. On this bank holiday weekend, there will be lots of people working in some aspect of tourism in Wales who will have ideas on how to improve things; to make that day-out, that stay, that attraction better or more appealing for us the visitor. And those ideas should be supported.
The Tourism Society in Wales offers a £5,000 award to someone,-anyone- to help develop a project that will improve, help or build tourism in the principality. You can be in business, in academic life or just that person with a great idea.

(Here is the latest posting by Clive Culley. Travelling long haul by a budget airline is rare for us in Europe so here is his view of one of the few opportunities around. He is having connection problems in Indonesia so we suspect we’ll get a glut of stories for you and then some gaps till he arrives at some bigger places. In a couple of weeks time, we’ll give you the complete opposite, – a long haul flight in first class)

Because Spain has attracted so many British and Irish holidaymakers over the years, a small percentage dip in visitors hides a drop of tens of thousands. The decline has been going on for a few years yet Spain remains as the most important destination. To Spain, the decline is worrying despite the vast numbers who still travel there.
Why do fewer Brits and Irish visit and what can be done to attract them back again?

After talks today, Unite, the union involved has withdrawn its proposed strike action at the airports of BAA. Heathrow, Stanstead, Southampton, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen airports could have been affected by the strike which was likely to have taken place later this month.
A new pay offer has been recommended by the union and voting will take place over the next 3 weeks. If rejected by members the earliest a strike could now take place would be in September.

Both TUI (the parent company of Thomson, First Choice and Crystal) and Thomas Cook announced results this week. Each seems to have been hit by people booking later and by people holidaying at home. Eurodisney also announced that they had been helped by more French people visiting their resort outside Paris so it seems as though the staycation, whether you are in France or the UK, is having an impact on tourism and travel. And now we have David Cameron making a speech on tourism and urging us to holiday at home (More on this over the weekend, when I have properly read it. I can’t remember a Prime Minister making a speech on tourism before.)

If you are thinking about going to the United States in the next two years, it will pay you to apply for your ESTA authorisation now while it is still free. (ESTA authorisations have to be renewed after 2 years.) Even if you’re not sure whether you would want to visit it does no harm to get your ESTA application now. If you don’t go there it doesn’t matter. Why? Because from September 8th, the US government will charge you $14 for each application. What happens if you have one already? It is still valid and you won’t be asked to pay more. You will only have to pay when you renew.