Tenerife: Where To Stay, What To Do

Tenerife is one of the most popular holiday destinations in Europe.

In the south of the island there are modern purpose built resorts designed with today's package holiday tourist in mind, while the north is much more traditional - a great contrast and a real mix that attracts different types of holidaymaker.

As well as the summer months, it's well known for winter holidays, with the weather in Tenerife good enough in January and February to take a sunshine break away from the cold winters Northern Europe has had recently.

An article on a Tenerife blog recently summarised what there is to do, and where to stay, which might be useful for those considering visiting. To read it click through to this Tenerife blog

Tour operators who offer the island include both Thomas Cook Holidays and Thomson Holidays

Monaco - Is It A Rich Man's World

It's known for the Monaco Grand Prix, her casino, the most expensive property in the world, five star hotels and Michelin Star restaurants - with more police per resident than any other country in Europe to protect her residents, and a harbour full of millionaire and billionaires yachts.

But is a weekend in Monaco just for the rich - or can people on ordinary means visit for a weekend without having to work overtime for the next year just to cover what they have spent?

According to one Monaco blog it is perfectly possible for the average person to enjoy the Principality without breaking the bank.

For Londoners for example, fly down to Nice on easyJet for under a hundred pounds a person...to read more click through to this Monaco blog

Travel Industry Hit Again

Not a good week for the travel trade...the CEO of Thomas Cook Holidays resigned, hopefully to be replaced by someone who might be able to predict future trends as well as being able to see what's going on right now.

The Euro under pressure again, and the UK economy still going through a bad time.

But for those who want a late deal this is a good time - Thomson Holidays for example are worth checking.

There's a more in depth look at how the travel industry is doing at this Menorca blog

Budget Airlines - Are They Good For A Local Economy?

Opponents of low cost airlines say that their service is poor, and their customer relations worse.

But if you are going to easyJet's or Ryanair's websites to book a flight, wouldn't you know that you have to add on extras for luggage, getting on the plane first - and if you turn up late for a flight you're not going to be able to get on board?

It always astonishes us here at Tribune the attitude some people have when they arrive late for a flight, blaming traffic conditions, public transport delays, etc. And seeing them rant and rave at the airines staff is never a pretty sight.

Would these same people rant and rave at a dental surgery's receptionist if they turned up late for a dental appointment, and then had to wait until the dentist was free or re-schedule for another day, or would they expect the dentist to wait while their patient was stuck in a traffic jam? We think not.

The answer is quite simple but beyond some. 

If you know you need to be at the check-in desk by a certain time or you miss the flight, work out how long it's going to take you to get there from leaving home - and add an hour to allow for delays. And if you don't want to pay extra for suitcases and other incidentals such as snacks on board - book with an airline that  has these as standard, pay more most of the time for the privilege, and stop moaning about the budget airlines who overall provide a great service and allow many more people to travel abroad on holiday because of their lower fares.

And as a Lanzarote blog points out, if you think people who use budget airlines are those without the money to fly on other airlines - you're wrong. Take a low cost flight out of Stansted to Nice and you'll be joined on board by people who own Monaco property and villas in the South of France.

Or fly to Barcelona and you'll almost certainly be on board the same low cost flight that's carrying passengers on their way to their property in Andorra - another tax haven.

To read how the budget airlines are of benefit to islands like Lanzarote, click through to this Lanzarote blog

Andorra - Where The Taxes Are Low - And So Is The Availability

If you're considering moving to a tax haven, Andorra has a lot going for it.

It has the same tax benefits as better known Monaco, but the properties (you need to have a property to gain Andorra residency) is around a quarter of the price.

The government issues so many residency places at a time, last time it was 500, and when they run out there's a wait for up to a year bfore a new batch is issued.

There's less than 200 left before Parliament needs to grant some more, so for anyone who wants to consider Andorra for tax purposes, the message is - don't leave it too late!

For more information click through to this Andorra blog