European budget airlines have allowed more people to fly away on holiday, and for those who already took holidays overseas changed the annual two week break to that along with some shorter breaks during the year.

And the Canary Islands have benefitted just as much as anywhere else, with more people visiting this summer, and a good number expected over the winter months due to her well known good climate while much of Europe is shivering.

Recently revealed figures show that nearly half of those people flying to Gran Canaria for their holidays chose a low cost airline, and it was over half on some of the neighbouring islands.

Tenerife for example, received six out of ten tourists embarking on their Tenerife holidays via a low cost airline - and it wasn’t dissimilar for those taking Lanzarote flights.

Of the three most popular holiday islands in the Canaries, Gran Canaria received least tourists via the low cost carriers, but it was still nearly half of the total number of passengers who took flights to Gran Canaria in the first six months of the year.

Lower airfares have helped people who might not have otherwise been able to afford a holiday during the recent economic downturn, or had been worried about the costs while unemployment was rising, and without the cheap flights from the budget airlines the number of people taking Gran Canaria holidays over the last two years could have fallen a lot more than it did.

This winter some low fares are available for those wanting to take a holiday in Gran Canaria - the island is renowned for its winter climate and northern Europeans escape their winter for a week or two to enjoy the Gran Canaria weather.

Return ticket prices on easyJet for mid November for example can be had for as little as £65 return - with flights both ways at good times, not the early hours of the morning.

Even at Christmas - in the past the time when airlines were likely to charge the earth because they knew people would pay - a return flight departing December 22 from the UK is under £250. It allows far more people the option of spending Christmas in the sun should they want to.

Located off the coast of Africa and the third largest island in the Canary Islands chain, Gran Canaria is not far from Tenerife. Though it is the third largest of the islands, it’s the most populated. But don’t let that discourage you from choosing it as your holiday getaway. When you look at a map of Gran Canaria of the 230 kilometers of coastline, over 60 consist of exquisite beaches.

If you’re visiting you’ll find it’s a treasure trove of mountains, sand dunes and ancient monoliths. The terrain is diverse and offers opportunities for sightseeing by car, bicycle and foot. It’s often called a ‘mini-continent’ because of its diverse climatology. The climate varies so much from area to area that the island seems much larger than it actually is.

For Gran Canaria flights visit yourgrancanaria.net For those considering visiting there are independent videos to view on youtube

Tenerife has topped Cosmos Holidays sales chart with a 60% increase year-on-year, report traveldailyco.uk

Majorca, last year’s number one, is now fourth in the sales list with Florida and Turkey before it.

Other Canary Islands have seen bigger rises in sales, particularly Fuerteventura (250%), Gran Canaria (100%) and Lanzarote (40%).

Menorca

The Algarve, Menorca, Shaem el Sheikh, Zakynthos and Mexico are also within the top ten.

“Whilst early booking trends indicated that this summer was all about the Eastern Mediterranean, the improved strength of the Pound against the Euro has resulted in a last minute surge of bookings to destinations throughout the Western Mediterranean and the Canary Islands,” said Monarch Travel Group Tour Operations Managing Director Hugh Morgan.

“After the challenges of the past 12 months, confidence has clearly been restored in the market and it’s great to see holiday durations lengthening from last year’s seven and 10 night durations to the traditional 14 night breaks.”

Good news for those considering a Gran Canaria for September- leading tour operators Thomas Cook and Thomson have some great deals available - visit yourgrancanaria.net to access both of them plus First Choice.

As the Daily Express report:

HOLIDAY firms are set to slash the price of package deals by hundreds of pounds after a slump in bookings over the summer, experts said yesterday.

A focus on the World Cup and fears over travel disruption have left tour operators with leftover stock.

Discounts on brochure prices are expected to reach up to 70 per cent.

Even families hoping for a break before school starts in September could save as much as 50 per cent on a week in a European destination such as Tenerife.

TUI Travel, owner of Thomson Holidays and First Choice, yesterday revealed a two per cent drop in UK sales over the past three months, normally its busiest time of year.

And it announced the volcanic ash cloud disruption had hit its last-quarter profit by £105million.

Chief executive Peter Long added: “It remains difficult to predict how the later-booking pattern will change over the next 12 to 18 months in the light of the current economic environment.”

A spokeswoman for TUI confirmed there would be “great value deals” during autumn. Among its best was a week on the Greek island of Rhodes in October, starting at £189 per person.

Thomas Cook was also expected to record a drop in sales today.

Long-haul holiday firm Hayes and Jarvis said the downturn in summer sales would mean a “glut” of heavily discounted deals, bringing down the cost of travelling to exotic countries in the Far East to under £500.

Tenerife Blog

The best advertising is recommendations from previous users, and to win an award that comes about as a direct result of your guests saying you provide great service is one worth winning - and that’s what’s happened for twenty of Tenerife’s hotels.

Organised by Thomas Cook Holidays, the awards recognise excellence, and it’s judged by actual guests at hotels who share their experience with the company via a Customer Satisfaction Questionnaire.

As well as awarding the best hotels it allows the company to keep on top of which hotels they use are perhaps not performing as well as others, and being able to make sure the hotels in Tenerife they offer are the best in the travel industry.

Some of the hotels that won awards are already well known to tourists, and in Playa de las Americas for example include the Bitacora and the Hotel Sol.

Los Cristianos is another well known resort popular for Tenerife holidays, and winners include the Paradise Park, Arona Gran and the Los Alisios apartments, while the Barcelo Santiago picked up honours from their hotel in Puerto de Santiago.

The Iberostar’s two hotels in Tenerife’s Costa Adeje both were among the winners, along with the Gran, ensuring all the popular areas for tourists from the UK and further afield were well represented and showing that the island is capable of providing great accommodation in different locations and it’s not just the Tenerife weather that attracts tourists.

Thomas Cook Holidays whose clients made the nominations are one of the UK’s best known travel companies, along with First Choice and Thomson.

For those who haven’t been before, the Tenerife weather is often near perfect on the southern half of the island for a holiday, while the northern half offers lush greenery and beautiful vistas. The cities are always full of life, and the glorious view of Mount Tiede, Spain’s highest point, is one many tourists remember from past visits.

For specific areas, Thomas Cook Holidays offer good information on their travel site about each one, but some of the less known areas are:

Icod de los Vinos (just Icod to the locals) is Tenerife’s premier wine-growing region. Daily life in Icod moves at a more relaxed pace than some other places on the island. If you visit Icod, be sure to visit the Dragon Tree that the locals say is thousands of years old. The beautiful Playa San Marcos with its inviting black sand can be found nearby.

La Laguna is a good place to stay if you enjoy art and architecture, and is more suited for adults than family holidays. The Cathedral dates back to 1515, and there are many interesting churches to explore. The city was once the capital of the island and still bears the regal air of an important place.

Los Gigantes is a city at the foot of massive cliffs which bears the same name. The picturesque marina offers boat trips for dolphin and whale watching, while the town has a good choice of bars, restaurants and shops while out and about.

For more information including press releases visit yourtenerife.net

Viva Espana! Struggling Spain is bouncing back with increased bookings, according to a report in the Daily Mirror.

After reports that Brits were still shunning the Costas to save money, online travel and leisure retailer lastminute.com this week revealed that destinations in Spain and the Canary Islands are among its biggest-growing breaks year on year.

Gran Canaria has seen the largest boost, with bookings up 479%. Fuerteventura has also seen many more visitors in 2010, bookings were up 340% compared with July 2009.

The other Canary Islands have also seen visitor numbers rise – Lanzarote is up 132% and Tenerife by 92%. Mainland Spain has also attracted more visitors than in 2009, with bookings to the coastal region of Costa Blanca up by 160% this year.

Spain has historically been popular with UK holidaymakers but bookings were hit last year due to the strong euro.

Lastminute.com’s Mark Bower says: “We’re thrilled to see Spain and the Canary Islands back in our best sellers.”

Tenerife Blog

Around the world holiday destinations often need something new to give it the appearance of keeping up with the times and having the travel press write about it, and Tenerife is no different from any other destination in that respect.

A new hotel will make waves as does a refurbished one, and a hotel that’s under new ownership.

All are cause for travel journalists to start booking their flights to Tenerife ready for a few days special treatment in exchange for a review in their respective media.

And so it is with Tenerife as new owners take over the 5 star San Blas Reserva Ambiental in the south of the island.

A spokesman for the new owners commented:

“The purchase of San Blas Reserva Ambiental Hotel is a wonderful addition to the Sandos Hotels & Resorts product line and offers and innovative holiday resort with a variety of spaces, facilities and activities designed to live up to all the expectations for vacation fun and relaxation as well as a unique experience for group and incentive travel.”

Commenting on the benefits of booking a stay at what could be one of the best Tenerife hotels they add:

”The San Blas Reserva Ambiental Hotel is situated in front of the magnificent Atlantic Ocean, just ten minutes from the Tenerife South Airport, and located on a natural Environmental Reserve. Unique on-site facilities include a multi-media center with an interactive museum to discover mysterious species and a historical experience tunnel that recreates the history of San Blas from prehistoric times to the modern day, a sailing lake and a 27-hole Biosphere Golf Course, and a boutique Spa facility with an extensive list of body treatments.”

So with a location close to the airport from where guests take their flights to Tenerife, what are the opinions of those who have stayed there recently and added their views to popular review sites? A typical response has been:

‘We had a perfect vacation at this wonderful planned hotel. Every detail has been thought through. Our room were large with a very nice seperate shower room (yes, it was that big!) and jacuzzi. The staff is very friendly and their personality always shines through. The breakfast buffet was soooo good. One evening we tried the buffet too. Usually I’m not to fond of hotel buffets, but the San Blas really surprised me here too. In the nearby fishing village there are a lot of lovely restaurants too. Overall I can only recommend San Blas, and will absolutely stay here when travelling to Tenerife again. This is a peaceful way to vacation away from usual the tourist traps.’

Other reviews from those staying there for their Tenerife holidays are also generous in their praise, with most commenting that the facilities, cleanliness and staff make it for them 4 or 5 star standard.

For more Tenerife information including a 5 day forecast with today’s Tenerife weather visit yourtenerife.net

They also have a map, villas and the latest news and articles to read.

There’s a part of Gran Canaria that has become known by holidaymakers visiting the island as ‘Little Venice’ – the village of Puerto de Mogan.

Away from the bigger resorts it’s a haven of tranquility and still has the air of a traditional village, but with the advantage of good modern accommodation with both a hotel and self catering accommodation available.

Puerto de Mogan’s similarity to the Italian city of canals is no accident. The vision of the designers of the beachfront part of the city was to re-create the quaintness of Venice in a Spanish environment.

It’s located on the southwestern coast of Gran Canaria. The island is the second largest most populous in the Canary Island chain. Visitors from Europe, the UK and further afield for its sunshine, beaches, charm and rich culture.

The island is home to over 800,000 residents. It sees well over twice that many annual visitors. Tourism is an important part of the economy.

A majority of tourist activity takes place along the eastern coast of the island. Much of it is centered around the capital city of Las Palmas.

The western side is less populated and concentrated. This is one reason that Puerto de Mogan’s developers decided to adopt an Italian theme. Created by an Italian designer, it’s one that is unique to the island.

Visitors to the beachside downtown area will be hard pressed to find a motor vehicle of any kind. Instead, Puerto de Mogan caters to the pedestrian.

Designers created arched walkways reminiscent of many Italian cities. Visitors can stroll the bricked walkways which link the town’s shops, restaurants and quaint residences and hotels.

The real nod to Venice, though, is the town’s canals. They run through the village and out into the marina area which opens into the Atlantic Ocean.

While many of Gran Canaria’s popular resort towns feature modern high-rise buildings. This was another deliberate design choice by town visionaries.

The main hotel sits comfortably in the surroundings, and for those considering a week or two’s holiday it can be booked in the UK via Thomson Holidays or independently.

No buildings exceed two stories tall except for a small handful of older ones. Any modern construction is limited by law to two stories or less. This feature adds to the unique charm of the beach town.

Locals survived for centuries on fishing. The city is still home to many native fishermen. However, most of the economic activity comes from tourism in today’s world.

Daytrippers tend to stick to the waterfront area of the city. Tourists who want to stay for a spell and spend a little bit less money can venture further inland. Away from the pricey, tourist driven restaurants and boutiques, visitors can find more authentic cuisine and homier accommodation.

The village is family friendly, with activities for people of all ages. For swimming and sunbathing it’s fairly sheltered, so the water is warm and currents are gentle, helped by the good Gran Canaria weather.

Other popular water activities include snorkelling, boating and jet skiing, as well as surfing if you venture a bit further out.

Puerto de Mogan is widely well known for her Friday market. The open air market draws hundreds of locals as well as tourists every week. Shoppers can find just about anything, from hand made clothing to native produce, fresh fish, and locally made craft and gift items.

A visit to to see Puerto de Mogan is well worthwhile if you’re not staying there during Gran Canaria holidays - most of the coastal towns are connected by a highway.

Some of the eastern towns are even connected by ferry for ease of travel. It’s time well-spent, whether it’s a day trip or a longer stay.

For a Gran Canaria map visit yourgrancanaria.net

Comments from people who have been to the island are often posted on social network sites such as mixx

timesharerelief360 report:

With a new court ruling there is expected to be up to 400,000 illegal timeshare contract compensation claims that could reach up to 2 billion €(euro). It has been ruled that a timeshare developer in Gran Canaria must pay back double the amount of the timeshare deposit by Magistrate D. Juan Carlos Socorro Marrero. There are currently over 200 live claims for timeshare miss-selling in the Spanish court system against Anfi Del Mar. More claims were coming in at a rate of 10 per week before this ruling.

Spanish law also states that even if a property is sold and all encumberments and debts are passed on to the new owners those new owners will still be liable for new compensation claims. Within the industry it is said up to 200 developers that operate out of Spain, Balearics and Canaries are trying to sell of timeshare resorts that have or soon will have actions brought against them.

Some brand name European timeshare developers have been taking illegal deposits up until as late as 2009. The European regulatory body representing timeshare owners in Europe has had some of its paid members break these same laws in the past. With this new ruling timeshare owners will finally get the chance to take on large corporate brand developers. As long as the timeshare development still exists you will be able to reclaim a double deposit if you paid after the cooling off period in 1996.

Travelmatch report:

The countdown has begun for the 18th annual Canary Island Jazz Festival, the cultural highlight in the Canary Island calendar. Having started life in Gran Canaria in 1992, the festival now runs from the 9th to the 18th of July, taking in venues across Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, La Palma and Fuerteventura.

Those who’ve booked Canary Islands holidays (http://www.travelmatch.co.uk/holidays/canary-islands-holidays.html) this summer can rejoice, this year the festival line-up is packed with loads of international jazz talent, from Grammy-Award winning Beninoise chanteuse Angelique Kidjo playing at Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife on the 14th of July and Las Palmas, Gran Canaria on the 15th, to the Michael Zenon quartet lighting up the Plaza de Espana in La Palma on the 11th July. Even soul legend Dee Dee Bridgewater is making a rare appearance, performing the songs of Billy Holiday at the Auditorio de Tenerife Sala Sinfonica and Gran Canaria’s Teatro Cuyas on 12th and 13th July.

Worried that you might miss something simply because you’re based on one island? Don’t be – the artists are jumping all over the Canary Islands during the festival, so you won’t miss a thing. If you like your luxury 5 star holidays (http://www.travelmatch.co.uk/holidays/5-star-holidays.html), you could do worse by taking in the Jazz Festival this season.

“As someone who’s had the pleasure of actually attending the Jazz Festival, I can confirm it’s an absolutely fantastic event, whether you’re a jazz fan or not,” says Richard Bray of popular travel portal Travelmatch. “There’s no better feeling than watching a bit of world-class jazz as the sun sets, sipping on a cocktail.”

“Many Canary Island holidaymakers just stumble upon the festival by accident,” continues Bray. “I bet if more people knew it was there, we’d see a lot more bookings for Canary Island holidays for this time of year.”

Travelmatch currently offers a range of cut-rate holidays to the Canary Islands from Cosmos holidays (http://www.travelmatch.co.uk/holidays/cosmos-holidays.html), the UK’s largest independent tour operator, with prices starting as low as £191.50 per person. So really, jazz fans have no excuse to treat themselves to a bit of sun and sax this summer.

About Travelmatch:
Travelmatch (http://www.travelmatch.co.uk/ ) is a new travel discovery engine that helps inspire customers by matching their requirements to a wide range of holidays, hotels, flights, cruises, villas or city breaks. Unlike other travel sites, customers are not required to choose a destination, date or budget before they can begin searching. Customers are able to make informed decisions by exploring photos, user reviews, maps, events and activities and other fun things relevant to their chosen travel product. Travelmatch, which closed its first funding round in 2010, is based in Notting Hill, London.

For more information about Tenerife visit yourtenerife.net and for Lanzarote yourlanzarote.net

studentsinEurope.com - a site for American students - recently ran an article for their readers about the Canary Islands, and had this advice for Gran Canaria:

Gran Canaria: This is the largest in population and the capital of the Canary Islands.

Rum: How can you go to an island without trying the local rum? The Canary Islands have loads of factories, though the island of Gran Canaria hosts the most well known. Try the island specialty, ron miel — a sweet liquor made from rum and honey — if you’re feeling adventurous.

To stay: While the Canary Islands are well known for their resorts and high class hotels, most students and cheapskates are better off staying at a hostel. And why not? You’ll meet fellow travelers, be more likely to find the best party in town and save loads of money while you’re at it. Here are some of the top rated on the islands:

Centro Internacional de Windsurfing (Gran Canaria): If you love water sports but can’t afford to pay for Gran Canaria hotels and do all your adventure sports, this is the hostel for you. At $20 a night, you’ll get access to their swimming pool, WiFi, TV room and more. They also have their own windsurfing and diving school on the premises, and their location on one of the best windsurfing beaches in the world makes it an ideal hostel for outdoor adventurers.

Hostal 7 Soles: If you want to stay right in the city of Gran Canaria without busting the bank, the Hostal 7 Soles is probably your best bet. At $27 a night, the hostel might lack atmosphere, but you’ll be right next to one of the most beautiful beaches in Europe and within walking distance to the city’s best clubs and bars. The rooms are clean and linens are included. Plus, there’s a TV room, free Internet, and a swimming pool. Not so bad, if you ask me.

A blog for the other Canary islands of Lanzarote and Tenerife are also available at yourlanzarote.net and yourtenerife.net