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8/3/2019 ABTA Travel Trends Report 2012
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ABTATravelTrendsReport2012
8/3/2019 ABTA Travel Trends Report 2012
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ABTATravelTrendsReport2012 2011TravelMarketOverview 2 2012TravelMarketOutlook 3 KeyTrends2012:
1. Authenticandspecialistholidays 42. Budgetandluxurytravel 53. Hotdestinations 54. Agegrouptrends 55. OnlineVshighstreet 66. Latebookings 67. Sustainabletourism 6
ObservationsfromtheForeignandCommonwealthOffice(FCO) 8 2012DomesticOutlook 9 ABTADestinationstoWatch2012
o Longhaul Colombia 10 DominicanRepublic 10 Mexico 11 SriLanka 12 TheUSA 12
o Midhaul CapeVerde 13 Egypt 13 Greece 14 Jordan 14 Turkey 15
o Shorthaul IcelandandAuroraBorealis 16 Poland/Ukraine 16 Serbia 17 Spain 17 Tunisia 18
FCOGeneralAdvice 19
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2011TravelMarketOverviewTheBritishpublicshowedremarkableresiliencein2011whenitcametotakingtheirholiday;facedwith
uncertaineconomicconditionsandasqueezeonhouseholdbudgets,mostpeopletookthesamenumberof
holidaysas
in
2010.
According
to
the
Office
for
National
Statistics
(ONS),
in
the
12
months
to
September
2011approximately36.3millionpeopletookaholiday(adecreaseof1%yearonyear),ofwhichitis
estimated15millionwerebookedaspackages.
FiguresfromtheABTAConsumerTrendssurveyshowedthatinthe12monthstoSeptember2011,63%of
Britstookaforeignholidaywithathird(34%)takingmorethanonetripabroad. Figuresfordomestic
holidayswerealsostrong,withapproximately4in5takingoneormorebreaksintheUK. Only10%ofthe
populationtooknoholidays,eitherintheUKorabroad.
Itwasachallengingyearforsomepopulartouristdestinations.Mostsignificantly,theArabSpringmeanta
dramaticfallintourismtoNorthAfrica.ThedevastatingfloodsinThailandcausedadropinnumbers
travellingto
Bangkok
and
other
parts
of
the
country
and
an
unseasonably
mild
November
in
2011
meant
thatsomeoftheprimeEuropeanskiresortswerelatetostarttheirseasons. Spain,FranceandtheUSA
wereamongstthemostpopulardestinationsof2011.
Whenitcomestobookinghabits,travelagentsandtouroperatorsremainedapopularoptionin2011,with
overhalfofconsumerswhotookaforeignholidaybookingthisway.Thismethodofbookingwasparticularly
popularwiththeyoungerendofthemarket;withathird(32%)of1624yearoldsbookingthisway.42%of
foreignholidayswerebookedasapackage,whichisexactlythesamepercentageasholidayswheretravel
andaccommodationwerebookedseparately.
Oneinfivetravellerswerestillgoingabroaduninsuredin2011,however,annualtravelinsurancepolicies
havebecome
very
popular
in
the
past
twelve
months,
with
30%
of
travellers
opting
for
this
(up
from
only
13%in2010).
ABTA,whichrepresentsaround1,300travelcompanies,sawitsmembersturnoverreach29.3billionfor
the20102011financialyear,whichendedon30thJune2011,comparedto27.3billionintheprevious
financialyear anincreaseof2billion,highlightingtheresilienceoftheholidaymarket.
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2012TravelMarketOutlookWiththeEurozonefinancialcrisisstillunfolding,highinflationandloweconomicgrowthforecastin2012,
thesqueezeonhouseholdbudgetsissettocontinueintotheNewYear.Despitethegloomyeconomic
outlook,theholidaymarketlookspoisedtoremainrelativelyresilient.FeedbackfromtheABTAConsumer
Trendssurvey
shows
that
holidays
are
the
last
to
go
when
the
public
is
cutting
back
on
spending,
with
consumerschoosingtomakesavingsoneatingoutorhomeimprovementsbeforelosingoutontheir
holiday.Oneinfiveconsumersissokeenontheirforeignbreaksthattheyregardalongertripoverseasasa
necessitytheycouldntdowithout.
Thecontinuingfinancialcrisisisexpectedtoseeholidaymakerscontinuetoseekvalueformoneyin2012,
with71%ofconsumersbelievingthatgettinggoodvalueformoney,butnotnecessarilythelowestprice,is
anessentialorimportantelementwhenbookingaholiday.Perhapssurprisingly,findingthelowestprices
comesmuchfurtherdownpeopleslistofpriorities,withonly53%seeingthisasessentialorimportant.In
factthiscamelowestoutofalistoftenconsiderationswhenbookingaholiday.Thefocusonvaluefor
moneyratherthanthecheapestprice,suggestspeoplearethinkingcarefullyaboutwhattheywantand
beingmore
discerning
about
their
holidays
and
where
they
spend
their
money.
ThedoubleinflationriseinAirPassengerDutythatcomesintoeffectinApril2012willputadditional
pressureonthetravelmarket.Longhauldestinations,whereafamilyoffourtravellingineconomyclasscan
payupto368intaxes,arelikelytobemostaffected.
Financialprotectionisexpectedtocontinuetobeapriorityforholidaymakersin2012.Recentevents,such
astheAshCloud,andeconomicdownturnhavemadeconsumersmorecautiouswhenbookingtheir
holidaysandeightin10(79%ofconsumers)nowseeafinancialprotectionschemeasessentialorimportant
upfrom74%in2010. Duetothefinancialprotectiontheyoffer,packageholidaysareexpectedtoremain
popular. ThereformofATOLregulationsinearly2012willalsoseeconsumerfinancialprotectionriseupthe
newsagenda.
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KeyTrends20121. Authenticandspecialistholidays
Withvalueformoneylookingtoremainakeytrend,alotofconsumersareincreasinglyseekingholidays
thatofferamoreauthenticorspecialistexperience.Manytravelcompanieshaveincreasedtheirofferings
intheseareas,recognisingthevaluetheycanbringbyusingtheirknowledgeandexperiencetocreatehighly
tailoredandpersonalisedexperiences.
Beachholidaysareexpectedtocontinuetoremainthemostpopularkindofholidaybutholidaymakers,
particularlyatthemidtohighendoftheincomescale,areincreasinglylookingfordestinationsthathavea
strongandauthenticsenseoflocation,ineverythingfromfoodandsettingtoexcursionsandentertainment.
Thistrendisreflectedinsometravelcompaniesabandoningsummer/winterbrochuresinfavourof
destinationonlytitleswithagreaterfocusonlocation.Severaltravelcompaniesatthehigherendofthe
markethavealsolaunchedpackagesspecificallyfocusedonofferingauthenticexperiences.Theseinclude
tripsforadventuroustouristssuchasexploringwildlifeintheGalapagosIslands,discoveringPatagoniaorwalkinginAnnapurna,Tibet.
Thetrendtowardsmoreauthenticexperiencesisalsosupportedbyanincreasedconcernamongst
holidaymakersthattheirholidayisbenefitingthelocaldestination,with50%(asopposedto47%in2010)
believingthattheirholidayshouldhelpthelocaleconomyandpeople.
Specialistholidaysareexpectedtoperformwellin2012withtravelcompaniesofferingsomethingfor
everyone,whetheritsacouplesholiday,rivercruise,minigap,spiritualspabreak,learning/adventuretrip
orawedding/vowrenewal/honeymoonpackage.
Thegrowing
demand
for
adult
gaps,
as
empty
nesters
and
adults
on
career
breaks
head
off
abroad
to
exploreandimmersethemselvesinanotherculture,isexpectedtodrivedemandforvolunteeringand
learningbreaksforadultsandfamilies.Travelcompanieshaverespondedtothisdemandwithmanyoffering
longerpackagebreaksforadultsorfamiliesthatincludevolunteering,conservation,teachingorlearninga
newskillorlanguage.Holidaymakersgrowingconcernabouttheimpactoftheirholidaysonlocal
destinationsmeansthatin2012itwillbecrucialfortravelcompaniestoensurethatthesetypesofbreaks
haveapositiveandlongtermimpact.
Cruiseholidaysareexpectedtocontinuetogrowmodestlyin2012afteraverystrong2011.ThePassenger
ShippingAssociationestimatesthat1.73millioncruiseholidayswillbetakenbyBritishpassengersin2012,
anincreaseofjustoveronepercentonthe2011figure. Rivercruisingisemergingasthefastestgrowing
sectorof
the
cruise
market
with
European
river
cruises
particularly
popular.
WeddingsabroadcontinuetobepopularandareseenasacheaperalternativetomarryingintheUKwhere
researchnowindicatestheaveragecostis20,000comparedto6,500abroad. Mintel,aleadingresearch
company,revealedin2011that1in5couples(18%)nowmarryabroad.
Foreignhoneymoonsareexpectedtogrowinpopularityin2012.Manycouplesarealsooptingforamini
mooninorclosetotheUKimmediatelyaftertheirweddingandthendelayingtheirhoneymoonoverseasto
capitaliseonbetterweatherorcheaperdeals.
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2. BudgetandluxurytravelThedownturnisexpectedtoseehighdemandforthebudgetandluxurymarketsin2012,withthemid
marketcomingunderthegreatestpressurefromreductionsinhouseholdspending.
2011was
astrong
year
for
all
inclusive
holidays
and
demand
for
this
type
of
holiday
looks
set
to
continue
into2012asbudgetconsciousholidaymakersfavourthetransparencyandcontrolallinclusiveholidays
provideoverfinances. ResortsinTunisia,alongtheYucatnPeninsulainMexicoandaroundtheRedSeain
Egyptarealllikelytooffergoodvalueandhighqualityaccommodationin2012.
Thehighendofthemarketlookssettoperformwellin2012.Attheluxuryendofthemarket,thereisa
growingtrendtowardsremoteanddiscreetholidays. Globalisationandovercommoditisationhasledhigh
endholidaymakerstoseekoutlocationsthatareoffthebeatentrackwithacertainkudosattachedtogoing
todestinationsthatarelesswelltrodden,suchasEthiopia,theGalapagosIslandsandAntarctica.
3. HotdestinationsUncertaineconomictimesarelikelytoseeBritonsputtheirfaithinplacestheyknowwellin2012this
suggestsdestinationslikeFrance,Italy,Greece,USA(Florida)andSpainwillfareparticularlywell.Early
summer2012bookingsforthesedestinationsarealllookinghealthy,whilenumbersareslightlydownin
otherdestinations,suchasEgyptandTunisia.
JanuaryandFebruaryarethemostpopulartimesforpeopletobookaholidayandwhilecertainareasof
NorthAfricacontinuetoexperienceunrest,holidaymakersshouldlookoutforgooddealsinareasthathave
returnedtorelativecalm.TunisiaandtheRedSeaResortsinEgyptinparticularwillberelativelyaffordable
withdealsonofferastravelcompanieslooktoluretouristsbackintotheseareas.
Destinationsto
watch
next
year
include:
Poland
and
Ukraine,
the
hosts
of
the
European
football
championships;Jordan,whichiscelebratingthe200thanniversaryoftherediscoveryofPetra;CapeVerde,
foritslowkeybeautyandrelaxingvibe;Iceland,asmeteorologistspredictaparticularlyspectacularyearfor
theAureliaBorealis;andColombiawhichoffersdiversecultureandbeautifullandscapes.
Spaincontinuestobethefavouritedestinationforfamilies,followedbytheUK,USA,FranceandGreece.
4. AgegrouptrendsTheover55s,orBabyBoomers,looksettoenjoylotsoftravelin2012asthegroupleastpreparedtogive
uptheirholidaysintimesofeconomicdifficulty.30%ofthoseaged5564tookmorethanfourholidaysin
theUK
in
the
twelve
months
to
September
2011
and
10%
took
more
than
four
holidays
abroad.
Cruise,
coachandrailholidaysareallexpectedtobepopularwiththisagegroupastheytendtobelesstime
pressuredthanyoungerholidaymakersandcanenjoythemoreleisurelypaceofthesetypesofholiday.
Holidayscontinuetobepopularwiththebackpackerbrigadewithoneintenunder24stakingmorethan
fourforeignholidaysayear.
Thoseagedbetween35and54tookthefewestnumberofholidaysin2011,suggestingthatitiscash
strappedfamilieswhohavebeenthehardesthitbycurrenteconomicconditions.
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5. OnlineVsHighStreetWhenitcomestoholidaybookinghabits,2012lookssettobeaninterestingyearwithchangesafootonthe
highstreetandanexplosioninmobilebookingapps.Whateverthebookingmethod,customersare
increasinglylooking
to
travel
companies
to
provide
highly
personalised
inspiration
and
ideas
based
on
their
tastesandbudgets.
Highstreetbookingshadabitofacomebackin2011;whileconsolidationsawoverallshopnumbersdecline,
bookingswereup,with25%ofthepublicbookingtheirforeignholidayonthehighstreetcomparedto17%
in2010.Perhapssurprisingly,thismethodofbookingwasmostpopularwithyoungerholidaymakers,with
nearlyathird(32%)of1524yearoldsbookingtheirholidayonthehighstreetcomparedtojust15%of45
54yearolds.Tocapitaliseonthisdemandforinpersonbooking,in2012severalmajortravelcompaniesare
expandingtheirhighstreetpresenceandwecanexpecttoseecompaniesadoptnewapproachestobetter
competewithanddifferentiatethemselvesfromonlineoutlets.
Followingthe
success
of
stores
like
Apple,
many
travel
companies
will
place
agreater
focus
on
creating
an
instoreexperiencein2012,movingawayfromrowsofbookingagentsbehinddeskstoprovidegreater
interactionandfunforcustomerstobetterreflecttheproducttheyarebuying. TechnologysuchasiPads
maybeusedtoenhancetheinstoreexperienceandmanycompaniesareinvestingmoreinthetrainingof
theirfrontlinestafftoensuretheyoffercustomersahighlevelofexpertise.
Onlinetravelcompaniesin2012arelikelytoinvestinmobileapps.Thebusinesstravellerisalreadywell
cateredfor,butin2012manymoreleisureprovidersareexpectedtogetonboardwithanexplosionof
consumersbuyingsmartphonesandothermobiledevices.Thechallengefortheindustryistokeepthe
bookingprocesssimplewhileaddingvaluebydoingthingsthatcannotbedonethroughwebsites.
Consumerscanalsoexpecttoseegreaterintegrationofoffandonlineadvertisingcampaigns,forexample
throughthe
use
of
QR
(quick
response)
codes
that
allow
customers
to
link
straight
through
to
booking
pages
usingtheirsmartphones.
6. LatebookingsTravelcompaniesareexpectingthatconsumerswillleaveitlatetobookin2012,liketheydidin2011,as
theycautiouslywaitandseewhathappenstothejobmarket,exchangeratesandtheeconomy.The
increaseinonlinebookinganddiscountsitessuchasGroupon,haveincreasedthebeliefthatitiseasyfor
holidaymakerstowaittothelastminute,however,inrealitymanyofthebestdealsarestilltobefoundfor
thosewhobookinadvancejustafterChristmas.Holidaymakersplanningonlastminutebargainsshouldbe
awarethatchoicecouldbelimited,particularlyiftheyarelookingforsomethingspecificsuchasfamily
deals.
7. SustainableTourismConsumerawarenessoftheenvironmentalimpactoftheirholidaysisexpectedtocontinuetorisein2012.
One inthreeholidaymakersnowbelievesthatholidaysshouldhaveanenvironmentalrating,suchasthat
offeredbytheABTAdevelopedTravelifeSustainabilitySystem.ABTAestimatesthatthisrepresentsoverten
millionpeopletakingforeignholidays.Thefigurehasgrownfrom29%in2010to33%in2011,andishigher
amongstwomen 38%. Theresearchalsosuggeststhatcompanieswhich invest inmakingtheirbusiness
better for theenvironment stand togaina competitiveedge,with19% (up2% from2010)ofconsumers
saying theyareprepared topaymore foraholidaywithacompany thathasabetterenvironmentaland
socialrecord.
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TheUnitedNationsConferenceonSustainableDevelopment(Rio+20)willtakeplaceinJune,wherenations
willcometogethertodiscusstheprogressmadeinthe20yearssincetheRioEarthSummitin1992andlook
towardsacommonfuturedirection.This is likelyto further increaseconsumerawarenessofsustainability
issues.
2012will
also
see
the
large
scale
introduction
of
the
new
Boeing
787
Dreamliner.
The
new
aircraft
is
20%
morefuelefficientthanaircraftofanequivalentsizeandisthefirsttouseextensivelycompositematerials
andisanimportantexampleoftechnologicaladvancesaddressingtheemissionsimpactofaviation.
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ObservationsfromtheForeignandCommonwealthOffice(FCO)TheForeignandCommonwealthOffice(FCO)dealtwithabout1.79millionconsularenquiriesfrom1April
2010to31March2011,andsupportedsome45,197Britsindifficultyabroad,fromvisitingthosewhohad
beenhospitalisedorarrested,torescuingcitizensfromforcedmarriages.
BritonsinDifficultyAsanindicationofthetypesofcasestheFCOdealswith,overtheperiodApril10March11,4,971Britons1
neededconsularassistanceinSpain.Therewere1,272BritisharrestsintheUSA,347deathsinThailand(of
which60%wereofnaturalcauses)and452BritonswerehospitalisedinGreece.Inadditiontoassistance
cases,FCOstaffaroundtheworlddealtwith1.79mconsularenquirieslastyear2.
1Lost/stolenpassportsarenotincludedinthefiguresbecauseinthevastmajorityofcases,theworkdone
byconsularstaffismainlydataentrywithnoadditionalassistancerequired
2Anenquiryisarequestforinformationthatdoesn'trequireanyfurtheractionfromtheFCOstaff
concerned.Acaserequiresactiontoassisttheindividualindealingwithwhateversituationtheyface.
Arrestsanddrugoffences1,745BritonswerearrestedinSpainlastyear,significantlymorethananyothercountry.Globally,arrestsfor
drugsoffencesformedasignificantpercentageofthetotal,andcontributedtoalmostaquarterofthetotal
arrestsinThailand.Therewere799totalarrestsfordrugoffencesworldwidewhichaccountedforarounda
seventhofallarrestableoffences.Chewinggum(Singapore),wearingswimwearawayfromthebeach
(Barcelona)oreatingnearchurches(Florence)areallagainstthelawinsomecountriesorregions,
highlightingtheneedforBritonstocarefullyresearchtheareatowhichtheyaretravelling.Locallawsand
customs
can
vary
from
the
UK
significantly
and
ignorance
of
these
laws
can
lead
to
more
severe
punishmentsthanintheUK.
HospitalisationsanddeathsThehighestnumberofhospitalisationsoccurredinSpain(1,024),followedbyGreece(452),Thailand(246),
France(228),theUSA(150)andTurkey(143).Manyofthesehospitalisationswereduetomopedand
motorbikeaccidentsaswellasdrinkrelatedincidentssuchasbalconyfalls.Alloftheseincidentsescalate
overthesummermonthswiththeincreaseinconsumptionofalcoholanddrugs.Therewere5,972reported
deathsofUKcitizensabroadincludingnaturalcauses,accidentaldeathsandmurders.
PassportsLostorstolenpassportswerebyfarthemostfrequentproblemencounteredbyBritishtouristswith25,969
reportedincidentsworldwide.TheFCOrecommendsphotocopyingimportantdocumentssuchasyour
passportandstoringthemseparatelyfromtheoriginalsifappropriate,onasecuredatastoragesiteonline
tospeedupthereplacementprocesses.Variouscountriescontinuetoreportincreasesinscamsandthefts
ofBritishpassportssotravellersareadvisedtostayvigilant.
ThisreportcontainsfactsandtraveladvicefromtheForeignandCommonwealthOffice.Forcomprehensive
anduptodatetraveladvicevisitwww.fco.gov.uk/traveltofindthelatestinformationforthecountryyou
arevisiting.
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2012DomesticOutlookStillridinghighfromtheWillsandKateeffect,theUKlookssettohaveafurtherboostin2012withthe
Olympics,ParalympicsandtheQueensDiamondJubilee.Theseeventswillbeastrongpullforboth
internationalvisitorsanddomesticholidaymakers.
TheDiamondJubileeisbeingcelebratedwithadoublebankholidaygivingmanypeopleafourdayweekend
inJune(25),providingagreatopportunityforholidaysathomeandabroad. WiththesuccessfulRoyal
Weddingcelebrationsstillfreshinpeoplesminds,manystreetsandtownsarelikelytoholdtheirownstreet
partiesandfestivities.
InthesummertheOlympicGameswillbeamomentouseventfortheUKandLondoninparticular.With8.8
millionticketssold,theCapitalwillbebusyduringthetwoweekevent.WhileLondonwillbethecentreof
theaction,eventsarealsotakingplaceacrossthecountryinWeymouth(Sailing),Broxbourne(Canoeing),
andHadleigh(MountainBikes)whileManchester,Newcastle,Cardiff,Coventry,GlasgowandWembleywill
allhostfootballmatches.
TheTorchRelayprovidesanopportunityforallareasofthecountrytoshineandcelebrate,takingplace
between18Mayto27July.TherelaystartsinLandsEnd,CornwallmovingtotheNorthviaWales,theIsle
ofMan,andNorthernIrelandacrosstoScotlandreachingtheShetlandIslandson10June.Thetorchthen
headsSouthviaEdinburgh,headingalongtheeastcoastandintoEastAnglia,continuingitsjourneyintothe
SouthEastandChannelIslandsbeforearrivingintoLondoninlateJuly.
Filmsoftenprovideaboostfortourismand2012isnodifferent.InMarchwewillseethelongawaited
openingoftheWarnerBros.StudioTour TheMakingofHarryPotterinLondon.Potteraficionadoswillhave
thechancetodiscovertheiconicsetsofthefilmincludingtheGreatHall,Dumbledoresoffice,theboys
dormitory,theWeasleyskitchenandmanymore.
ScotlandisembracingitselfforthereleaseofthenewDisneyPixarfilmBrave,beingreleasedinJune.Itis
anewtaletojoinmanyoftheepicbattlesandmysticallegendsofScotlandwhereacourageousgirl,Merida,
confrontstradition,destinyandthefiercestofbeaststodiscoverthetruemeaningofbravery.
ScotlandwillcontinuethecelebrationoftheOlympicsandParalympicGamesinAugustwithaSpeedofLight
festivalatArthursSeat,Edinburgh.Thefestivalisamassparticipationeventbringingtogethersportand
innovation;runnerswillwearspeciallydesignedlightsuitsatnighttoilluminatethehillsidewhilstthe
audiencewillalsogeneratelightcreatingaspectacularsightonthehillsideinEdinburgh.
InNorthernIrelandthecentenaryoftheTitanicwillbecommemoratedinAprilinBelfast.TheTitanicwas
builtin
Belfast
and
2012
sees
the
opening
of
amulti
million
pound
Titanic
Belfast
visitor
attraction,
enabling
thevisitortorelivethestoryoftheillfatedship.
InWales,2012marksthecelebrationofthe100thBirthdayoftheNationalShowcavesCentreforWales.The
FfestiniogandWelshHighlandRailwaysarejoiningtoenablerailenthusiaststotravelforthefirsttimealong
the40milesofnarrowgaugetrackfromCaernarfontoBlaeneuFfestiniogthroughtheSnowdoniaNational
Park,makingitthelongestheritagerailwayrouteinBritain.
Forwalkingenthusiasts,the850milescoastlineofWalesisopeningtowalkersinMay2012,makingitoneof
theonlycountriesintheworldwherevisitorscanwalktheentirecoastlinealongmarkedtrails.
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ABTAsDestinationstoWatch2012LonghaulColombiaMostfirsttimevisitorstoColombiaareadvisedtoheadtothenorthofthecountrytothebeautifulcolonial
walledcityofCartagena.BuiltbytheSpanishasabaseforprotectionagainstmostlyEnglishpirates,
CartagenaisaUNESCOworldheritagesiteandacityofbeautifulsquaresdottedwithcathedrals,churches
andrestaurants.CartagenaisastoppingoffportonmanyCaribbeancruisesandnotfarfromthecityarethe
27RosarioIslands,anationalparkwhichhassomeofthemostunspoiltbeachesintheCaribbean.Likemost
SouthAmericancountriesColombiahasatastyandvariedcuisinewithanemphasisonfreshingredients.If
youfindyourselfinColombiaintherainyseasonyoumayevenbeofferedtheunusualdelicacyofants,
whichareregardedasapotentaphrodisiac!
Visitorsto
Colombias
capital
Bogota
will
find
an
interesting
architectural
mix
of
colonial
and
modern
architecture.Thecityhasbenefitedfromrecentinvestmentinrenovatingsomeofthemorehistoricpartsof
town.Itboastsavibrantrestaurantandnightlifescene,packedwithlocals,touristsandpeoplefromallover
Colombia.
AlthoughthesafetyandsecuritysituationinColombiahasimprovedconsiderablyinrecentyears,visitorsto
thecountryareadvisedtotakesensibleprecautionsandtoreadandfollowtheForeignOfficetraveladvice
tothecountry.
DominicanRepublicTheDominicanRepublicisalivelyCaribbeanislandofferingpristinesandybeaches,colourfulstreetlifeand
enoughadventureandwatersportstosatisfyeventhemostextremeadrenalinjunkie. Theeastcoastoffers
40kilometresofbeautifulwhitesandbeaches,atthecentreofwhichisthelowslungresorttownofPunta
Cana,thelargestandfastestgrowingtouristdestinationintheCaribbean. Aswellasitsbeaches,PuntaCana
offersgreatwatersportsandanecologicalparkwherevisitorscanhaveguidedtourstoseemanydifferent
typesofbirdsandplants.OthernotableresortsontheislandincludeCabareteonthenorthcoast,whichisa
surfersparadiseandPennsuladeSaman,anidyllictropicalhideaway. Forthosewantingabreakfrom
beachlife,thecapitalSantoDomingoofferslivelystreetlifeandprettycobblestonestreets.
LawsandcustomsDidyouknowfactsandFCOAdvice Colombiacontinuestohaveahighrateofkidnappingforransom.Streetcrimeisalsoaproblem
inmajorcities,particularlyindeprivedareas.
Duringtherainyseason(AprilJuneandSeptemberNovember),thereisariskoffloodsandlandslidesafterheavyrainsthroughouttheColombianAndes.Seeklocaladvicebeforetravelling
onmountainroadsafterheavyrain.
AirporttaxforinternationaldeparturesforvisitorswhostayinColombiaforlessthanthreemonthsisUS$34.ForstaysinexcessofthreemonthsthetaxisUS$68.However,thecharge
dependsonthetypeofvisawithwhichyouareissued.
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Mexico2012issettobeMexicosyearwiththeMayancalendarcomingtotheendofa5,125yearcycle,which
optimistspredictwillheraldthestartofanewspiritualera(thoughpessimistsfeartheendoftheworld).So
letsbeoptimistic!ThecountryisshowcasingitsMayanheritagebothcontemporaryandhistoricalin2012.
ThemajorityofUKtouristsarelikelytoheadtothebeautifulCaribbeanbeachesoftheYucatnpeninsula
withtheresortsofCancunandCozumelleadingtheway.Theresorttown,PlayaDelCarmen,just50minutes
southofCancunisemergingasagreatdestinationforfamiliesthankstoitssandywhitebeaches,fantastic
restaurantsandrangeofactivitiesonoffer. Thoselookingforhistoryareadvisedtobasethemselvesinthe
colonialtownofCampeche.ForsomethingalittlebitdifferentintheYucatn,holidaymakerscanvolunteer
forthenotforprofitgroupElHombreSobrelaTierrastayingwithlocalinhabitants,gettingfirsthand
experienceofMayancuisineandlifestylesaswellasworkingonarangeofecoprojects.Fromgourmet
gastronomythrough
to
traditional
Mayan
culture,
action
and
adventure
travel
and
eco
tourism,
Mexico
has
somethingforeveryone.
LawsandcustomsDidyouknowfactsandFCOAdvice AccordingtotheMexicanauthorities,touristnumbersfromtheUKareupby20%in2011over
numbersin2010.
MostvisitstoMexicobyBritonsareproblemfree,butcrimeandviolenceareseriousproblemsinspecificareas.VisitorsareadvisedtotravelonlyduringdaylighthoursthroughoutMexico,to
seekadvicefromlocalcontacts,andavoidtraveloffthebeatentrack.
Inordertoreduceairpollution,MexicoCityandsomeotherregionsofthecountryhaveintroducedrestrictionsondrivingsuchasforbiddingcarsfromenteringcertainareasonparticulardays,basedontheirnumberplates.Thisappliesequallytopermanent,temporaryand
foreignplates,andisstrictlyenforced.
LawsandcustomsDidyouknowfactsandFCOAdvice YoumustholdavalidpassporttoentertheDominicanRepublic.Yourpassportmustbevalid
foraminimumperiodofsixmonthsfromthedateofyourdeparturefromtheDominican
Republic.
Mostlocaltourcompaniesofferingexcursions,watersports,jeepandquadbikerental,horseridingetcdonotprovideinsurancecover,soyoumustcheckthetermsandconditionsofyour
travelinsurancepolicybeforeundertakinganysuchactivities.
BeparticularlyalertifyoutravelfromtheairportLasAmericasinSantoDomingoatnight.Therehavebeenseveralreportsofpassengersbeingstoppedandrobbedand/orassaulteden
routetotheirfinaldestination.Mostattackshaveoccurredearlyinthemorningorlateat
night.
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SriLankaThehostofthe2012CricketChampionshipsisexpecting4milliontouristsin2012,drawnnotonlybythe
cricketbutbythestunningbeaches,interestingcultureanddeliciousfood.Theislandisidealforadventure
holidayswithmanytouroperatorsofferingwhaleanddolphinwatchingpackages.Inland,travellerscan
discoverbeautiful
waterfalls
and
tea
plantations
often
shrouded
in
an
enigmatic
early
morning
mist.
With
beautifulscenery,greatweather,magnificentbeachesandawarmwelcomefromtheSriLankanpeople,
thereisnodoubtthatanyonetravellingtowatchthetwoTestseriesinMarchandApril2012willwantto
makethemostoftheirstay.
TheUSATheUSAisalwaysapopulardestinationfortheBrits,beingthethirdmostvisiteddestinationbyUKresidents
in2010(ONS)andvotedoneofthetopUKdestinationsforfamiliesin2011(ABTAConsumerSurvey2011).
In2012,theUSwillbefirmlyonthepoliticalmapintherunuptotheNovemberUSPresidentialelections.NewYorkremainsapopularcityforshoppingbreaksforUKtouristsandwontdisappointin2012.Florida
willcontinuetoattracttouristswithitsyearroundwarmweatherandgreatfamilyattractions.Anew
LegolandWaterParkwillopeninspring2012andUniversalStudioswillgo3DwiththereanimatedAmazing
AdventuresofSpiderManrideandDespicableMe.
LawsandcustomsDidyouknowfactsandFCOAdvice TheUSVisaWaiverProgramme(VWP)allowsmostBritishtravellerstovisitforupto90days
withoutavisa. Todoso,visitorsneedtoprovidedetailsonlineatleast72hourspriortotravel
throughthe
Electronic
System
for
Travel
Authorisation
or
ESTA,
at
acost
of
US$14.
Lawsvaryfromstatetostate,includingspeedlimitsandtheageofconsent.Sodoestheageatwhichyoumaylegallybuyandconsumealcohol,butthisisusually21years.
ThehurricaneseasonnormallyrunsfromJunetoNovemberandcanaffectthewholeofthesouthernUSA.YoucanmonitortheprogressofstormsontheUSNationalHurricane
Centrewebsite.
LawsandcustomsDidyouknowfactsandFCOAdvice AlthoughthemilitaryconflictinSriLankainvolvingtheLTTE(theTamilTigers)endedinMay
2009,thereisacontinuedmilitarypresenceinpartsofthecountry. Someareaswereheavily
mined,sooperationscontinuetoclearminefields.Therearesignsprovidingwarningsofmined
areasbutyoushouldexercisecaution.
Youcanbefinedifyouignoreinstructionsnottosmokeordrinkincertainpublicareas. Anewonlinevisaapplicationprocess,theElectronicTravelAuthority(ETA),willbecomefully
operationalfrom1January2012.FurtherdetailscanbeobtainedfromtheETAofficialwebsite
oftheDepartmentofImmigrationandEmigration.
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MidhaulCapeVerdeThetentinyislandsofCapeVerdearesettoofferapopularallyearroundsunoptionin2012withnewflight
routes
for
the
summer
opening
up
from
Gatwick
and
Manchester.
A
blend
of
African,
Brazilian
and
Portuguesecultures,CapeVerdehasbeendubbedtheAfricanCaribbean.Wellservedbytouroperatorsand
onlysixhoursflightfromtheUK,theislandsofferalaidbackandrelaxingvibe.
OneofthemostpopularisSal,whichisknownforitsstrikinglunarlikelandscape.Itsalsodottedwith
rainbowcolouredtowns,likeSantaMaria,whosecobbledstreetshugtheislandssouthernshores.BoaVista
isfamedforits55kmofpristinebeacheswiththebeachofPraiaChavestandingoutthankstoitssnow
whitesandsandshapeshiftingdunes.Alsoatcertaintimesoftheyearitsagoodbaseforturtleandwhale
watching.SaoVicenteisknownastheculturalcapitaloftheislandsandtheplacetogotocatchthemost
authenticmusicandnightlife.
CapeVerdecuisineisadeliciousmixtureofAfricanandPortugueseinfluenceswithaheavyemphasison
freshingredientsparticularlyfishandotherseaproduce,whicharefoundinabundanceinthewatersaround
theislands.CapeVerdeoffersanexoticandinterestingalternativeforthoselookingforsomethingalittle
outoftheordinary.
EgyptWhilecontinuingpoliticalunrestmayaffectEgyptscapitalCairointherunuptothespringpresidential
elections,thetouristdestinationsontheRedSeaRivieraarealongdistanceawayandremainsafefor
holidaymakers.Thebudgetconsciouscanexpecttoseesomeexcellentdealsonhighqualityresorts,
including
all
inclusive
holidays.
The
resorts
of
Sharm
El
Sheikh
and
Hurghada
are
ideal
for
families
as
they
arepackedwithgreatactivities,includingdivingschoolsandsnorkelling,andhaveshallowwaterforyoung
children.ThosewantingtoseesomeofEgyptsancientcultureshouldvisit,ortakeacruise,toLuxoronthe
banksoftheNilewherecantheyvisitthefamousAncientValleyoftheKings,includingTutankhamens
tomb.
LawsandcustomsDidyouknowfactsandFCOAdvice EgyptisapopulardestinationforBritishtourists;1,455,906Britishnationalsvisitedin2010
(Source:EgyptianMinistryofTourism).Mostvisitsaretroublefree.
YoushouldcarrysomeformofphotographicIDatalltimes.Acopyofyourpassportissufficient. TheEgyptianChamberofDivingandWaterSports(CDWS)websiteprovidesregularupdateson
divingconditions
in
Sharm
el
Sheikh.
In2010,BritishconsularstaffinEgypthandled25casesofsexualassaultandthreecasesofrape.Someassaultswereagainstminors.Manyoccurredinwhatwereconsideredtobesafe
environmentse.g.hotelpremises.
LawsandcustomsDidyouknowfactsandFCOAdvice TherainyseasoninCapeVerderunsfromAugusttoOctober. Hurricanescandevelopinthis
time. Torrentialrainscancausefloodsandlandslides.Youshouldmonitorlocalweatherreports
andexpectdifficultieswhentravellingtoaffectedareasduringthisseason.
CrimeratesinCapeVerdearelowbuttherehavebeenincidentsofmuggingsinvolvingBritishnationals. Youshouldavoidcarryingvaluablesinpublicandremainvigilantatalltimes. The
localequivalent
to
the
999
emergency
line
in
Cape
Verde
is:
132
(police)
and
131
(fire).
TheCapeVerdeEscudoistiedtotheEuroatCVEsc110.265=1Euro.Bankswillexchangehardcurrencies.Mainhotelsandrestaurantswillacceptthemajorcreditcards.
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Greece2012lookssettobeanothertoughyearforGreeceandthecountryislikelytoencouragetourismtohelpits
economicrecovery.Pricesforfoodandaccommodationlookliketheymaybecheaperthanin2011and
thereshouldbelotsofgoodvaluepackagesonoffer.TheislandofCreteisoneofGreecesstarattractions,
offeringsomething
for
everyone
with
gorgeous
beaches
and
mountains,
lively
nightlife
and
fascinating
architecturalheritage.Forthosewantingtoexplore,islandhoppingremainsapopularoptionandthereare
nowlotsofdifferenttypesofGreekislandcruisestosuiteverytasteandbudget.
JordanTheJordanTourismboardislaunchingamajorcampaignnextyear,doublingitsUKadvertisingspendinthe
hopetoattractmorevisitors.JordanstourismrockstarisPetra,the8,000yearoldNabateancitylistedas
oneofthenewSevenWondersoftheAncientWorld,and2012marksthe200thanniversaryofthe
rediscoveryofthemagicallostcity;therewillbelotsofspecialeventsforvisitorstocommemoratethe
occasion. PriceshavehistoricallybeenhighinJordanbuthavecomedownrecentlythankstothearrivalof
budgetcarriers,whileoperatorshaveaddedmorevalueaccommodationoptions.AsidefromPetratourists
canenjoysightssuchasWadiRum,thedesertfeaturedinLawrenceofArabia,andtheancientcitiesof
JerashandMadaba,aswellasenjoyingthefriendlyandwelcominghospitality.Itshistoryandtourist
infrastructuremakeitoneofthemostaccessibleArabstatesforEnglishspeakingtravellers.
LawsandcustomsDidyouknowfactsandFCOAdvice YouneedanentryvisatoJordan.Youcanobtainsingleentryvisas,validforonemonth,on
arrivalatanyportofentry,exceptfortheKingHusseinBridgeattheJordan/Israelborder.A
singleentryvisacosts20JordanianDinars.
Thetemperatureinsummermonthscanreachover40degreesCelsius.Visitorsshouldusehighfactorsunblock,anddrinkplentyofwatertoavoiddehydration.
YoumustundergoanHIVtestifyouintendtostayinJordanformorethan30days,eitherasaresidentorasalongtermvisitor. Thefeetoobtainthehealthcertificateiscurrently20
JordanianDinars.
LawsandcustomsDidyouknowfactsandFCOAdvice Calling999fromaUKmobileinGreecewillautomaticallytransferyoutotheGreekemergency
services. TheplantKhatisanillegalnarcoticinGreece.Youwillbearrestedanddetainedwiththe
possibilityofaprisonsentenceifyouarecaughttryingtotakeKhatintoGreece.
Whenhiringacar,moped,quadbike,boat,jetskiorothervehicle,checkthatitisroadorseaworthyandthatyouhaveappropriateinsurancecoverandsafetyequipment.Greeklaw
requiresyoutowearacrashhelmetonascooter,mopedormotorcycle.Quadbikeriders
requireafullfacehelmet(ornonfullfacehelmetplusgoggles). Youmaybearrestedifyoudo
notcomply.Failuretowearacrashhelmetmightalsoinvalidateyourinsuranceifyouare
involvedinanaccident.Ifyouintendtohireamopedyourequireavaliddrivinglicencewithat
leastcategoryA1'lightmotorcycle.CategoryPwhichisvalidintheUKfordrivingmopedsup
to50cc,isnotvalidinGreece.
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TurkeyInthelast15yearsTurkeyhasgonefromanexoticbutrarelyvisiteddestination,toafirmfavouriteforUK
holidaymakers.Overthelastfiveyears,thecountryhasseena50%increaseinforeignvisitors.Asa
destinationTurkeyhasitallwithitsstunningbeaches,beautifulandvariedcountryside,warmand
welcomingpeople
and
one
of
the
worlds
great
cities.
In
2012,
Istanbul
is
set
to
continue
its
march
to
join
Rome,ParisandLondonasoneofthemustseeEuropeancapitalcities.
ThemainbeachresortsforBritsremainBodrum,MarmarisandAntalya,buttherearemanymorebeach
optionsavailable,fromthesophisticatedresortofAlacatinearIzmir,tothelargelyundevelopedcoastnear
Iskenderuminthefareastofthecountry.ForgolffansBelekinAntalyaoffers17stateoftheartcoursesand
willhosttheABTATravelConventioninOctober.Turkeyisalsohometosomeofthebestpreservedclassical
ruinsintheMediterraneanwiththesitesofPergamon,Troyand,mostspectacularofall,thecityofEphesus
nearKusadasi,whichmakesPompeiilooklikeasmallvillage.InlandtheareaofCappadociadottedwith
otherworldlyrockformationsisamustseesightasyoudriftatsunriseunderahotairballoonhaving
checkedoutofyouruniquehotelhollowedintoacave.
Fromacurrencyperspective,Turkeylookssettodowellinthefirsthalfof2012,aslongasthepound
continuestoperformasitdidinlate2011.LawsandcustomsDidyouknowfactsandFCOAdvice
Generallycrimeislow,butstreetrobberyandpickpocketingarecommoninthemajortouristareasofIstanbul.Youshouldbewaryofapproachesfromstrangersofferingtochangemoney,
offeringfoodanddrinkorofferingtotakeyoutoarestaurantornightclub.
In201040casesofsexualassaults,includingrape,werereportedtoourConsularstaffinTurkey.Themajorityofthesecasesoccurredduringthesummerholidayperiodincoastal
touristareasinSouthWesternTurkey.Mostoccurredlateatnightandmostassaultswere
committedbysomeonethatthevictimhadmetduringtheevening.
Turkeyhasstrictlawsagainsttheuse,possessionortraffickingofillegaldrugs.Ifyouareconvicted
of
any
of
these
offences,
you
can
expect
to
receive
aheavy
fine
or
aprison
sentence
offourto24years.
Beawarethatalcoholanddrugscanleadtoyoubeinglessalert,lessincontrolandlessawareofyourenvironment.Ifyouaregoingtodrink,knowyourlimit.Rememberthatdrinksservedin
barsoverseasareoftenstrongerthanthoseintheUK.Inallcircumstances,youshouldbuyyour
owndrinksandkeepsightofthematalltimestomakesuretheyarenotspiked.
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ShorthaulIcelandandAuroraBorealis2012issettobeanexplosiveyearfortheAuroraBorealis,asbetweennowandwinter2013,Earth
willbear
witness
to
asolar
maxim.
This
peak
in
the
suns
11
year
cycle
produces
surges
of
electrically
chargedsubatomicparticlesfuellingspectaculardisplaysfromAuroraBorealis,andIcelandisoneofthebest
locationstowitnesstheshow.Manytouroperatorsareofferingcombinedwhalewatching,dogsledding
andvolcanotourstoboostinterestfurther.Itisalsocheaperthanithasbeeninpreviousyearstovisit
Icelandduetothecurrentexchangerates.
Poland/UkraineAs
joint
hosts
of
the
2012
European
Championship
thousands
of
football
fans
will
be
getting
their
first
taste
ofthesebeautifulandvariedcountries.
EnglandhaswiselychosenthebeautifulcityofKracowasitsbase.Centredaroundanidyllicmainsquareand
WawelCathedral,theWestminsterAbbeyofPoland,Kracowisalsoashorttrainridefromthesaltmineof
Wieliczkawithgalleries,chapelsandsculpturescarvedfromsaltandtheintenselymovingwarningfrom
historycontainedinanexhibitatAuschwitz.ThoseofyouwhocouldntgetintotheLeonardoDaVinci
exhibitioninLondonin2011canseethepostergirlGirlwithanErminebackinherKrakowhome.Polandis
alsohometosomeofthemostunspoiltnatureandcountrysideinEurope.Threeareasstandout,the
lakelandareaofMasuria,PolandsanswertoCumbria,theTatramountainswhereyes,youcangoskiingand
theuntouchedBialowiezaforestwhichprovidesatasteofwhatmainlandEuropewouldhavebeenlikefor
ourmedieval
ancestors.
Due
in
part
to
the
large
Polish
community
in
the
UK,
we
are
well
served
with
air
routestoPoland.
TheUkraineissettohittheUKtourismradarwhenithostsEnglandsopeninggameintheEuropean
Championship.TheUkraineisalreadytheeighthmostpopulartourismdestinationinEuropewith21m
visitorsin2010.Itisanenormouscountrywithhistoriccities,castlesandbeautifulnaturereserves.Kiev,the
capital,isunderthreehoursflyingfromtheUKandcontainstwoUNESCOworldheritagesites:theStSophia
CathedralandPecherskLaraMonasteryaswellastheaweinspiring203fttallWW2statueMother
Motherlandmadefromshiningtitanium.Alotofmoneyhasbeenspentinrecentyearssprucingupthe
centreoftownandvisitorswillfindawiderangeofgoodqualityhotelsaswellasverylivelynightlifeand
bars.OdessaontheBlackSeacoastwasonceafavouriteoftheRussianaristocracyandboastsbeautiful
Italianand
French
style
buildings
as
well
as
long
sandy
beaches,
and
for
film
buffs,
the
Potemkin
steps
immortalisedbydirectorSergeiEisenstein.TheUkraineisameccaforthemoreactivewithitsnationalparks
LawsandcustomsDidyouknowfactsandFCOAdvice Manyhighlandtracksonlyopenforashortpartofthesummer.Ifyouintendtodrivetothe
highland,orremoterregionsofthecountry,youshouldalwayscheckfirstwiththeIcelandic
RoadAdministration(Vegagerdin)beforedeparture
WhalemeatisavailableinIcelandbuttouristsshouldbeawarethatitsimportationintotheUK/EUisillegalundertheConventiononInternationalTradeinEndangeredSpecies.Any
importationofwhalemeattotheUKwillresultinseizureofthegoods,possiblyafineofupto
5,000andacustodialsentence.
Smokinginrestaurants,bars,publictransportandpublicbuildingsisprohibited.Anyonecaughtsmokingwillinitiallybeaskedtoleavethepremises.Failuretodosowillresultinarrestanda
fine.
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providingawealthofchoiceforskiing,climbing,hikingandcycling.Donetsk,whichhostsanotherof
Englandsmatches,isakeyindustrialcitybasedaroundsteelproductionasitstwinningwithSheffield
shows,butfanswithtimetospendbeforeorafterthematchshouldheadforthe2.5kmleafyPushkin
Boulevardwhichislinedwithcafesandbars.
SerbiaSerbiaissettotakeitsplaceontheUKtouristmapin2012.ThecapitalBelgrademakesanidealcitybreak
andisfamousforitswelcomingatmosphereandexcitingnightlife.TheriverSavawhichflowsthroughthe
city,islinedwithbargeswhichdoubleupasbarsandcafesandinthesummertheactionmovestotheisland
ofAdaCilganlijawhichhasover7kmofbeachesandsportsfacilities.ForcultureloversBelgradehasmany
museumsandarchitecturalgemsincludingthechurchofSaintSavaandtheWhitePalaceMuseum.
SerbiassecondcityNoviSadhasbeendevelopingareputationinrecentyearsastheplacetogotocatch
someof
the
worlds
best
bands
at
afraction
of
the
price
you
would
pay
in
the
UK.
The
EXIT
festival
takes
placefrom1215July2012andhasinrecentyearsattractedactsofthecalibreofArcadeFire,Pulp,Fatboy
SlimandPortishead.Thisyearslineuphasyettobeconfirmedbutsavvyhipstersareadvisedtobookearly
toavoiddisappointment.
Spain2011wasanexcellentyearforSpainwithvisitornumbersfromtheUKrisingby10%,cementingitsposition
asthemostpopularoverseasdestinationforUKholidaymakers.Votedthemostfamilyfriendlycountryin
the2011ABTAConsumerTrendssurvey,2012shouldseeitcontinuetomakeupsomeofthedownturnin
visitornumbers
caused
by
sterlings
fall
in
2009.
The
majority
of
UK
visitors
in
2012
will
head
off
to
the
BalearicandCanaryIslandsandthevariousCostasforbeachholidays.Barcelonaremainsnumberonefor
Lawsand
customs
Did
you
know
facts
and
FCO
Advice
TheUEFAEuro2012ChampionshipswillbeheldinPolandandUkraineinJune2012. Ifyouplan
toattend,organiseyourtravelandaccommodationwellinadvance. Distancesbetweenvenue
citiesaresignificant.
Polishpolicetakeastrictapproachtopublicdrunkennessandiffoundtobedrunkinapublicplaceyoumaybetakentoadryingoutclinicwhereadoctorornursewillmedicallyassessyou.
Youwillnotbereleaseduntilyouhavesoberedupandthismaynecessitateanovernightstay.
Youwillberequiredtopayforthecostofthestay.
YoushouldcarryyourpassportatalltimesinUkraineforIDpurposes.Policeoftencarryoutpassportchecksonforeignnationals,particularlyintheKhreschatik(central)areaofKyiv.
LawsandcustomsDidyouknowfactsandFCOAdvice OnenteringSerbia,makesureyougetanentrystampinyourpassportfromtheborderpolice.
Temporaryresidents(inthecountryformorethan90days)shouldhaveexitentryvisasaswell
asresidencestampsintheirpassports.
You
will
be
required
to
declare
money
(including
travellers
cheques)
in
excess
of
10,000
(or
equivalentinothercurrencies)thatyoubringintoSerbia.
RabiesiscommoninSerbia,largelyinparksandtheoutskirtsofmajorcities,includinginareasthathavepreviouslybeenrabiesfreefordecades.
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citybreaksbutMadrid,GrenadaandSevillearegrowingsubstantiallyinpopularity.In2012Spainis
concentratingitseffortsinpublicisingsomeofthelesswellknownpartsofthepeninsula.TheBasqueand
GalicianregionsofNorthernSpainarefamousthroughoutthecountryfortheexceptionalqualityoftheir
foodwiththecoastalresortofSanSebastianleadingtheway.ThesetwoareasandAsturiasareknownas
greenSpain,withbeautifulheavilywoodedhillsandmountainsandruggeddramaticcoastlinesreminiscent
ofCornwall.
Further
south,
the
medieval
towns
of
Toledo,
Salamanca
and
Avila
are
all
easily
accessible
from
theUK.SpainsclimateseesgoodweatherfromApriloftenuntilearlyNovember,witheveninwinter,sunny,
relativelywarmweatherbeingcommoninthesouthandontheislandsmakingaholidayvisitagoodbet
outsideofthemainsummermonths.
TunisiaAftertheuprisingsearlierthisyear,stabilityhasreturnedtoTunisiaanditiswellplacedtoattractattention
in2012.Offeringyearroundsunshine,longstretchesofsandybeachesanda3,000yearculturalheritage,
Tunisiacontinuestooffergoodvalueholidayswithgreatexcursionsandhistoricsitestoexplore.While
touristarrivalsfellby35%in2011,officialsarepredictingareturntotherecordbreakingnumbersofBritish
visitorsseenin2010,whenTunisiawelcomed353,282Britishvisitors.TUIandThomasCookhaveboth
increasedtheirTunisiancapacityfor2012inanticipationofthis.
LawsandcustomsDidyouknowfactsandFCOAdvice Insomecitycentresandresorts,thievesposingaspoliceofficersonfootpatrolmayapproach
touristsandasktoseetheirwalletsforidentificationpurposes.Ifthishappenstoyou,becareful.
Firstestablishthattheofficersaregenuine.IfthepolicerequestID,eithershowthemyour
passport,driverslicenceorotherphotographicidentification.Genuinepoliceofficersdonot
requestto
see
wallets
or
purses.
Ifanaccidentoccurswhilstmountaineering,canyoning,potholingorclimbing,orifyoubecomelostinthemountainsorotherareasrequiringmountainrescue,call112fortheemergency
servicesor062fortheCivilGuard.
InBarcelonaitisagainstthelawtobeinthestreetwearingonlyabikiniorswimmingshorts/trunks.Beingbarechestedorgoingfullynudehasalsobeenbanned.Theonlyexception
tothislawiswhenyouareonthebeach,theseafrontpromenadeortheadjacentstreets.Failure
torespectthislawmayresultinafine.
LawsandcustomsDidyouknowfactsandFCOAdvice InthecoastalholidayresortsthedresscodeisverymuchlikeanyEuropeancityortouristarea.If
visitingthe
main
cities,
religious
sites
or
more
remote
areas
of
Tunisia,
dress
more
modestly
and
avoidanyarticlesofclothingwhichmaycauseoffence.Toplesssunbathingonbeachesmay
causeoffence.
Inthecaseofprescriptionmedication,werecommendthatyoucarryanotefromyourGPconfirmingthatthemedicationhasbeenprescribedforanexistingcondition.
ItisnotpermittedtoremoveantiquitiesfromTunisiawithoutfirstobtainingpermissionfromCustomsauthorities.Failuretodosocouldresultinlengthydelaysondeparture,finesand/or
imprisonment.
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FCOGeneralAdviceTheFCOhasasimplemessagefortravellers:inordertohaveagreattimewhileyoureaway,youjustneed
tomakethenecessarypreparationsbeforeyougo.
BeforeBritons
travel
abroad,
the
FCO
advises
some
key
preparation
steps:
Doalittleresearchonyourdestination. Thisiskeytohelpingyougetthemostoutofyourtripandavoidunnecessarytrouble. Getagoodguidebook,andmakesureyouknowaboutthelocallaws
andcustoms. CheckouttheFCOtraveladviceonwww.fco.gov.uk/travelforthelatestinformation,
includingcountryspecifictraveladviceandtoptipsforsafetravel. Youcansignupforupdateson
thegoonwww.facebook.com/fcotravelortwitter.com/fcotravel.
TheFCOisencouragedtoseeanincreaseintakeupofannualtravelinsurancebyBritonsheadingoffaroundtheworld. However,sometravellersarestillnottakingoutanyoradequateinsurance. It
isreallyimportanttotakeoutcomprehensivetravelinsuranceandreadthesmallprintsoyouknow
youarecoveredforeverythingyouwanttodoonholidayforexample,youmayneedtoextend
yourcover
for
certain
activities
such
as
riding
mopeds
or
jet
skiing.
IftravellingwithintheEuropeanEconomicArea(EEA)orSwitzerland,getafreeEuropeanHealthInsuranceCard(EHIC)togiveyoufreeorreducedcostemergencycare. Youstillneedfulltravel
insurancethough! Alsoremember,youcancall112tocontacttheemergencyservicesinanyEU
country.
Takeenoughmoneywithyou,andmakesureyouhaveaccesstoemergencyfunds. Dontkeepallyourmoneyinthesameplace.
Checkoutthemedicalrequirementsforyourdestinationwellinadvance. Ifyoutakeprescriptionmedication,makesureitislegalwhereyouaregoing,andpackenoughforyourwholetripplusa
fewdaysincaseyouaredelayedreturninghome.
Checkyourpassportisvalidforyourfulltrip(somecountriesrequire6monthsvalidityfromtheendof
your
visit),
and
has
next
of
kin
details
filled
in.
You
can
renew
it
up
to
nine
months
before
it
expires,andtheremainingtimewillbeaddedtothenewone. Besureyouhaveallnecessaryvisas.
Makecopiesofimportanttraveldocuments,andkeepthemseparatelyfromtheoriginalseitheronpaperoronlineonasecuredatastoragesite.
TellsomeoneintheUKwhereyouaregoing,andleaveemergencycontactdetailswiththem. Makesureyourmobilephonewillworkabroadandthatyoupackthecharger. Ifyouplantodrive,familiariseyourselfwithlocaldrivinglawsandmakesureyourlicenceis
currentandvalidwhereyouaregoing.
FindoutwhereyournearestBritishEmbassyorConsulatewillbeandtaketheirnumbers.
WhatFCOcanandcannotdotohelpBritishnationalsabroadFCOspriorityisprotectingthewelfareofBritishnationalsabroadandtheywilldotheirbesttoassistpeoplewhentheysufferseriousproblemsabroad.
TheFCOcan:Issueyouwithanemergencytraveldocument
Giveyoualistoflocallawyers,interpreters,
doctorsorfuneral directors
Contactfriendsandfamilybackhomeforyou
Provideinformationabouttransferringfunds
Visityouinhospitalorifyouhavebeenarrested
TheFCOcant:Helpyouenteracountrywithoutavalidpassport
Giveyoulegaladvice
Searchformissingpeople
Getyoubettertreatmentinhospitalorprisonthanis
giventolocalpeople
Payanybillsorgiveyoumoney
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