Caravan owners are among the UK’s most eco-friendly holidaymakers, according to researchers at Lancaster University in a report published this month (July 2010).

Greenhouse gas experts at the university base their claims on a detailed study of the carbon footprint of a top Lake District holiday centre, Skelwith Fold Caravan Park in Ambleside.

They concluded that caravans provided “the means to enjoy a very low carbon holiday” on parks such as Skelwith Fold where both energy usage and wastage are kept to as minimum.

Research was carried out by Lancaster University’s Small World Consulting division which has established a nationally recognised method of measuring carbon footprints.

It has carried out similar exercises for a wide range of organisations, from the National Trust and builders Taylor Wimpey to the Guardian newspaper and London’s Science Museum.

Their approach involves an exhaustive survey of every carbon-producing facet of a business.

At Skelwith Fold, this meant measuring over 100 separate carbon-producing aspects of the park, from electricity and gas to the park’s grass cutters and coffee-making machines.

Even the Skelwith Fold T-shirts supplied to staff came under the carbon microscope.

The university’s researchers have set rigorous new standards for measuring greenhouse gas emissions which look at the total picture of energy usage, including the supply chain of goods and services.

Skelwith Fold, they concluded, sustained only a very low carbon footprint with little evidence of energy wastage by the park or its guests.

The university’s figures suggest that an overnight stay by two guests in a touring caravan would produce an average of just 4kg of carbon dioxide, said the park’s Henry Wild:

“This compares, for instance, with almost half a tonne of carbon dioxide for which a couple flying to Spain and back would be responsible,” said Henry.

“Even when the carbon footprint of the journey by car to the park is taken into account, staying in a caravan on a park is just about the greenest type of holiday you can enjoy,” he added.

Skelwith Fold Caravan Park was named as the Holiday Park of the Year in 2010 by Cumbria Tourism – and its commitment to conservation and sustainability was highlighted by judges.

However, says Henry Wild, although the business did take special measures to limit its carbon footprint, Lancaster University’s report could be taken as an eco-indicator of park holidays generally:

“Many of Britain’s three thousand parks will have similar energy usage patterns to ours, which seems to suggest that their holidaymakers can enjoy their breaks with a relatively clear conscience.

“This is, I believe, the first time that our industry has been put under this type of environmental scrutiny – and the message appears to be that green tourism is definitely caravan-shaped,” said Henry.

The park will shortly publishing Lancaster University’s findings on its website.

By: BHHPA Press

Are you fond of beach activities? Do you like to spend your holidays on the beaches and garb the fun of sun and sand? Yes, then Visit Goa. Goa is one of the most popular beach detonations in India. Though, there are many beaches in Kerala, Karnataka, Mumbai, Orissa and Tamil Nadu. But Goa is perfect for beach holiday and beach activities. Goa holds some of the finest beaches of the world. Goa is famous for its palm sized beaches surrounded by the glossy sands. There are about 40 beaches in Goa. Tourists with any budget can happily spend their vacation on these beaches as there are something to suit everyone and every pocket.

So, you cannot miss the enchanting activities and adventures of the Goa despite you have budgeted low for the holiday. In fact, beaches are the best places for enjoying India budget travel. You can get maximum enjoyment and fun at these beaches in your budget limit. You can relax your body and soothe your soul. Some of the popular beaches of Goa are Anjuna Beach, Dona Paula Beach, Condolim Beach, Baga Bech, Vagator Beach, Colva Beach, Miramer Beach, etc. These beaches are known for warm and cheerful moods. Those who visit these places also get colored in the same moods. These beaches remain charming and lively throughout the year because of large gathering of tourists. Here tourists can also enjoy activities like sun sleeping, sun bathing, paragliding, sand playing, sea swimming, scootering, deep-sea fishing, rafting, water skating, skiing, surfing, kayaking, water foot balling, snorkeling, etc.

Apart from numerous beaches, there are more things to explore on Goa tour and travel. There are about 500 years old churches, forts and temples. There are also many springs, lakes, waterfall, rivers, etc that offer various kind of water splashing games. You can also visit these places to make your holidays in India more enjoying and exhilarating.

You can also visit some popular nearby tourist destinations. Some of such destinations can be beaches and hill stations of Kerala, Kodaikanal, gardens of Bangalore, temples of Tamil Nadu and many other places of South India as you can easily access to these places. You can easily get many Goa tour packages with these destinations. Various types of packages are available in market with good combination of Goa beaches and popular destinations of South India. Explore the market well before selecting a tour package.

By: M Hussy

Ladakh is one of the important destinations for culture vultures and adventure enthusiasts in India. It is a beautiful region located in the Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir. It is often described as the land like no other. It is known for its rich culture which is similar to Tibet & Buddhist culture. Hence it is also called as the “Little Tibet”. The region of Ladakh consists of two districts – Leh and Kargil. Leh is also an important city in the region and considered to be as the capital city of Ladakh region. Travel and tourism in this exotic land of India provide tourists opportunity to explore Buddhist cultures, meet remote hamlet people to know their lifestyle and indulge in some mountain adventure activities.

There are a number of exciting tourist places and attractions you will love to explore on your Ladakh tours and travels in India. Major attractions in this region are Hemis Gompa (the largest monastery in the region), Hemis Wildlife Sanctuary & National Park, Shey Monastery housing a huge gold plated copper statue of Buddha, Alchi Gompa, Likir Monastery and Lamayuru Gompa, Sankar Gompa, Spituk monastery, Phyang monastery, etc. Nubra Valley, Karakoram Pass, Moarari Lake, Kyaghr Lake, Tsomorari Lake, etc are some other attraction of Leh and Ladakh tours in India.

Ladakh is also noted for some colorful fairs & festivals. Tourists from all over the world visit to Ladakh to witness the annual monastic festivals. Hemis festival and Losar festival are also celebrated here enthusiastically. Sindhu Darshan, Lamayuru Festival, Thiksey Festival, etc are also popular. Ladakh is also a popular destination for adventure destination in India. It attracts a big number of tourists who are seeking for adventure activities on their holidays in India.

Adventure holidays in Ladakh provides vacationers great opportunity to indulge in several adventure activities such as trekking, jeep safari, mountain biking, cycling, River Rafting, Mountain Climbing, Camel Safaris, Polo, Archery, Yak Safari, etc. Trekking is one of the most enjoyable, preferred and challenging adventure activities of the highlands of Ladakh. There are many exciting trekking trails in the region which are very popular among trekkers and adventure buffs. Jeep Safari provides travelers a golden opportunity to explore remote hamlets and meet local people to know their rich culture & tradition. Yak is one of the local inhabitants of this cold desert and the largest animal found here too. So yak safari can be a very enjoyable experience of your Ladakh travel and tours.

By: Mac Martin

There are some places where the very aura of the surroundings urges you to merge into their cultures. In those moments, you love to listen to the folk songs, dance to their tunes and enjoy every bit of their culture. Those colourful people can change your outlook to life. If you are under the spell of magical Rajasthan, you can experience all this and much more adorable things.

Rajasthan Tour is powerful enough to make you see the colourful picture of India! The ghagras, orni, multi-coloured turbans and all time musical people will take you away in their world of music and dance!

Situated in a dream like location of north-west of India, Rajasthan offers the bright costumes, vibrant fairs and festivals, splendid handicrafts and a fancy world to cherish. Rajasthan Tour operators give you the chance to cherish wonderful moments throughout your lifetime. If you are an art lover, miniature paintings will win you heart. If you love revelry, the continuing fairs and festivals won’t disappoint you. The celebrations of Teej and Gangaur festivals indicating the importance of conjugal ecstasy will make you visit this state again!

Artistic talent floods in this state. People living the ordinary life possess the extra ordinary talent; they don’t even flaunt it!! A picture of simple people living a simplified life can be found here. Some amazing frescoes decorate the huts, miniature painting reflect the legends and mythological stories!

“Kattputtlis” or puppets are another spectacular example of people’s genius. This concept is centuries old but there is always a curiosity to see the puppet show. It always makes you smile! There are various levels at which this is performed. It can vary from historical legends to contemporary issues like child labour.

Rajasthan Tour Operators can take you to the musical world of Rajasthan. Once you sit in their ‘mehfil’, you cannot afford to escape their dazzling performances! You cannot take your eyes off various dance forms like Ghoomer dance (Udaipur), Gair Ghoomer dance, Kalbeliya dance etc. Even today, these dance forms are preserved and celebrated in urban cities. Some belong to devotional category and others belong to festivities. No matter what the category is, the purpose is always the same; celebration with grandeur!

You can even catch the pleasurable sight of women doing the wonderful hand embroidery. Observe the knowhow of different embroideries (zari, sanganeer, bagaru) and prints (tie and die, block) and store some more knowledge in your minds!

Visitation to a state can be more interesting and enjoyable when you know something about the people and culture. Rajasthan Tour Package ensures a smooth ride to the state as well as the people’s hearts!! Memories and smiles are much more valuable when they include elder’s blessings!!

By: HTOIndia

Ohio is one of the most frequently visited places in the US. It boasts of many natural landscapes and historical sights. There are several hotels in Ohio that provide warm and hospitable services.

Canton is Stark’s county seat and also a city of Ohio. It is on the northeastern region of the state, along the Nimishillen Creek, south of Cleveland and Akron. It is also home to the First Ladies National Historic Site, William McKinley Presidential Library & Museum, McKinley National Memorial and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Apart from these attractions, Canto has a lot of hotels that provide relaxation and convenience to its guests. These hotels are not only noted for their fascinating amenities and facilities, they are also praised for the warm, friendly and hospitable staff they employ. Here are some of Canton’s most hospitable hotels:

Comfort Inn Hall of Fame
This hotel is located in Northwest Canton of Ohio. Guests of this hotel have rated it very high although it does not have a swimming pool or an exercise facility. However, it is close to all that Canton can offer. It is near shops and restaurants. Aside from this, their rooms are clean. Their staffs are warm and friendly.

Bertram Inn at Glenmoor
This pet-friendly hotel is also in Northwest Canton. Dogs are the only pets allowed and they should not exceed 20 pounds. They charge $50 per dog per day. Guests are happy with the hotels fabulous atmosphere, outdoor pool, fitness center, lounge and restaurant. It is also close to shops and restaurants.

Courtyard by Marriot
This smoke-free hotel located in Metro Circle Northwest Canton in Ohio. It provides complimentary shuttle services to the downtown area and airport. The hotel has a total of 144 rooms in its 6 floors. They have a lounge, fitness center and pool. The rooms are attractive and inviting. They do not serve breakfast or coffee. And pets are not allowed.

Hampton Inn
This is another affordable hotel in Northwest Canton. It has a total of 109 rooms in its 4 floors. Even if this hotel does not allow pets, it has no pool and exercise room, guests have rated this very high. This is because of the good services like their friendly staff, clean rooms, and comfortable beddings and the delectable breakfast they serve and its close proximity to the football Hall of Fame. However, the hotel is noted for its tendency to over charge their guests, instead of the confirmed nightly rate.

Parke Suites
This pet-friendly hotel is also in Northwest Canton. They charge $5 per pet per night. This hotel does not have a pool. The hotel is conveniently located near a hospital, universities and Ohio attractions.

McKinley Grand Hotel
This smoke-free upscale hotel is located along Market Avenue, South Canton. It has a total of 166 rooms in its 8 floors. It is located along the downtown area. The hotel has a lounge, restaurant, fitness center and indoor pool. It does not allow pets. Guests appreciate the hotel’s clean and beautiful rooms and extremely comfortable beds and friendly staff.

Quality Inn & Suites
This hotel located along Everhard Road Canton. It has an exercise room and heated indoor pool. Pets are not allowed in this hotel. Their rooms are equipped 2 Queen-sized beds, a kitchen and fridge. They serve a delectable complimentary breakfast.

Accommodations in any of these hotels are astounding and well regarded by their guests. Each room is equipped with phones, hair dryers, TVs, microwaves, air conditioning and coffee makers. Some even have jetted tubs and whirlpools.

Why take a five-hour bus ride from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon’s South Rim when you can fly there in 45 minutes?

The flight is offered daily by Papillon and costs less than $200 a person. If you purchase on the company’s website, you get up to 40 percent off the retail price. This trip includes hotel pick up and drop off, lunch, and a short bus trip to Grand Canyon Village.

How is it possible to make this superb air package even better? The answer is YES. How? Add a thrilling helicopter ride and you just locked down an adventure that travelers are calling the Canyon’s “super-trip.” The helicopter is a 30-minute ride that soars across the pine-covered South Rim and into the Canyon’s famous Dragoon Corridor, which is the widest, deepest part of the Canyon.

Too many times I’ve read posts on popular travel forums like Trip Advisor and Virtual Tourist wherein visitors drop the South Rim because they don’t want to endure the bus trip. Don’t. Take the airplane tour and do the 270-mile trek in under and hour. It’s the trip of a lifetime that lets you experience all the Canyon has to offer while returning you to Vegas in the late afternoon.

Papillon uses a fleet of Vistaliner fixed-wing aircraft for this trip. Built specifically for sightseeing, these planes feature huge windows, climate-controlled cabins, and oversized seats. Trip narratives are pre-recorded in multiple languages and can be heard via headset. Turbine engines power these flights instead of rotor ones so you get a smooth, quiet flight.

Papillon’s airplane and helicopter pilots are some of the best in the business. Each pilot must pass the company’s rigorous entrance exam and be re-certified annually. Two pilots – a Captain and a First Officer – are on board for each airplane tour (helicopters are flown by one.) and know the Grand Canyon airspace better than any other tour company flying it.

The plane lands in Tusayan, AZ, at the Grand Canyon Airport, which is several miles away from the main entrance to the National Park. You’ll board a bus and drive to the South Rim’s key viewing points before coming to Bright Angle Lodge for souvenirs and snacks.

Back at the airport, you will board your plane back to Las Vegas or transfer to a helicopter for your flight over the South Rim. This heli tour is spectacular giving you incredible views of the Rim’s unique landscape and the Canyon itself with its sheer cliffs, red spires, and the North Rim. Many people say the helicopter tour gives their ground tour extra significance.

The Grand Canyon airplane tour, specifically Papillon’s Grand Canyon Deluxe, is the fastest way to get to the South Rim, the most famous part of the National Park. No longer do you have to ride a bus for five hours – the plane can get you there in 45 minutes, making it the perfect alternative for people with limited time and who want to comfortably visit the South Rim in less than a day. Upgrading to include a helicopter tour makes an already great trip even better, as the helicopter gives you a bird’s eye view of what you’ve explored by foot. If you want to cover the Grand Canyon from the ground up and do it in a way that gets you back to Vegas by day’s end, take an airplane tour. It’s the only way to go to the South Rim.

By: Keith Kravitz

It’s summer!!! It’s the perfect time to breathe the fresh air and take a break from our busy work. It would be pleasant to pause for a while, pack our bags and travel out of town. It is a nice idea if you have the available finances.

Staying at home during this season is indeed a lot cheaper but we are looking for a break away from our daily routine even for just a short while. Thinking about the travel tickets for the whole family, the hotels, the foods and the car rentals can make one’s head dizzy. It makes you think about the tight family budget. If only there’s a way to have a family vacation without breaking the bank. Actually, there is. Haven’t you heard of travel coupons before? Most people underestimate how travel coupons can greatly minimize their expenses.

After you have decided your destination, don’t book your reservations right away. Start early and look for travel coupons. The best place to start is online.

Check the official website of the company that you want and see what promos and discounts they are offering. In searching for travel coupons, type the name of your desired airline tickets, hotel, restaurants and car rentals plus the phrase “travel coupons”. There are airlines tickets, hotels, restaurants, and car rentals that offer discounts ranging from 5% to 50% and sometimes even more.

Some Popular discounts are one free night if you stay for three nights on a particular hotel, free breakfast or free parking space at the airport. For a restaurant, try to look for a place where they offer free meals for the kids if you purchase an adult meal or buy one, get one offer.

Choose the company that offers the best deal for your travel. If you found that you’re looking for and is satisfied by it, you can use them online or print it out and use them.

Remember to search for free coupons ahead of time. Subscribe or sign up to the site’s newsletter or email list at least one month before your trip. There are a lot of great offers being given to new members just for singing up. Consider also the promo date of the travel coupons by checking the expiration date as this is extremely important.

By: Angela Marino

If you are looking for somewhere to go, visiting London might be just the place to see.

Whether you are thinking of a tour or just sight seeing, going on a shopping spree, enjoying a meal, or visiting the theatre or a museum, London has the ability to offer all this and much more.

Depending where you come from, will most likely depend on what you have in mind to do. If you live close to London or in the London area then you will more than likely have seen all the major sights that attract the tourists from abroad.

If you have shopping in mind then some of the best places to shop are in Regent Street, Oxford Street, Bond Street and Piccadilly Circus just to name a few. You would find Hamleys, Austin Reed, Bursberry, Liberty, Harrods and many, many more shops. If you were looking for antique items or such things as bric a brac, then places like Petticoat Lane and others may be for you. Enjoy a bite to eat as these areas also cater for the hungry shopper. Tea and scones may be just the thing.

If you are a tourist from abroad or even from an area away from London, then your intentions may be to visit all the major attractions.

You might like to think of how you would get to these attractions. A novel idea may be to ride one of the double decker red vintage buses. These buses have the top open to cater just for the visiting tourists. You might like to take an organised tour by a tour company, or ride in a black taxi of traditional merit and have your own driver who is also your tour guide.

London is a very old city so there is much to see. Some of the most famous attractions are the Tower of London which originally held many famous people for execution but now is a place to see the Crown Jewels.

Buckingham Palace is one of Queen Elizabeths palaces, where you may also see the ceremony which is called the Changing of the Guard.

St. Pauls Cathedral where the Tombs of Wellington and Nelson are kept and where Princess Diana married Prince Charles. This is what is known as the masterpiece of Christopher Wren. While there you might like to climb the Stone Gallery and take in a view of London, or even climb the Golden Gallery to the dome at the top, and there is the Whispering Gallery, where you may like to try whispering and will find it will travel all through the dome.

Trafalgar Square is another area, this has a huge column which is 185 feet in height and holds the statue of Nelson on it. This statue is 17 feet high. Then at the bottom of this column are huge statues of lions made of bronze. This is the most dominating feature in the square, which also includes the National Gallery, and the Church of St Martin in the Fields, plus other buildings.

Then you may like to visit Hyde park, this is a Royal Park of London. It is 630 acres in area. Kensington Palace is situated on the western end and there are memorials on the eastern end at what is called Marble Arch.

Leicester Square is the home of the cinemas. It has a building where you may purchase tickets to a theatre which have been reduced in price, however this does not include hit movies. This area belongs to the pedestrians as cars cannot enter this precinct.

Piccadilly Circus is also another theatre area. Major roads, five in all meet here. It is a place of large bill boards which advertise their wares and of a night are brightly lit up and show off the area.

At Regents Park you can see the London Zoo, or a theatre in the open air. It has avenues of shady trees and sailing and boating on the lake.

Some of the other sights you may want to see are the wax works of Madamme Tussaud, the famous clock Big Ben, another palace belonging to the royal family Windsor Castle, or there is one of Europe’s best if not largest group of marine inhabitants from around the globe at the London Aquarium.

You might even like to see where in the east end of London Jack the Ripper followed his victims.

There is also Westminster Abbey in the City of London, Westminster is the centre of politics, centres of trading and merchants, you will also find the Bank of England here.
The City of London is the financial, legal and business district and is considered England’s capital. It was originally surrounded by a wall which history says the Romans erected. Part of that wall still remains at a place called Coopers Row, it is reported to have been 9 feet through by 20 feet in height.

If this does not satisfy, there are also a number of museums, markets, restaurants, shopping malls, the dungeons, the location of the movies of Harry Potter, Houses of Parliament, a boat trip on the Thames River. Take a look at London during the night or visit an old English pub just to name a few.

Check out the tour guides of this new and ancient destination of London and it seems there may be endless things to do and see.

By: Caz

If your students are struggling to keep their mind on history when it comes to learning about the Battle of the Somme, an educational visit to the site of the fight could be a great way of engaging their attention.

One of World War I’s bloodiest conflicts, the battle began in July 1916 after months of trench combat between British and French allies and the Germans with the aim of finding a decisive victor.

However, the battle failed to achieve such an outcome, instead resulting in more than a million casualties on both sides during 1916, and the war continued for another two years afterwards.

Travel with your pupils to France on a battlefield tour for schools and help them learn more about the conflict by gaining first hand experience of the locations and landmarks relevant to the battle.

You’ll visit the strongest defensive position in north-western France – Vimy Ridge – which is now home to a cemetery, Canadian memorial, tunnels, trenches, as well as a small museum. And you’re likely to take in the commune of Longueval, which houses Delville Wood. The wood was entrusted to the South African troops for capture so soldiers could advance eastwards. Now, it is a place for remembrance for New Zealanders who fell on the Somme and also home to a national museum.

In the village of Pozieres you’ll find the Windmill Memorial, erected to commemorate Australia’s 2nd Division, which fought in the battle and was tasked with capturing the village. Meanwhile, in Thiepval, take in the sight of the largest British memorial in the world at 45 metres high. The monument is inscribed with the names of more than 73,000 British and South African troops who lost their lives on the Somme but have no known grave. At the nearby visitor centre you can show your pupils photographic panels of the missing men.

Let the youngsters explore the trenches at Beaumont-Hamel Memorial Park, which is where The Royal Newfoundland Regiment came under German machine-gun fire on July 1st 1916, with just 68 men left unscathed after half an hour.

And finish your educational visit to France by paying a visit to some local points of interest, such as the Historial of the Great War Museum where students can discover what daily life during the war entailed.

By: Dipika Patel

Traveling, whether for work or fun, is frequently an excellent way to get to witness more of the world as well as encounter various cultures. Although many people travel regularly, other people simply travel one or two time each year and if you fall into this class then you are perhaps wondering if you are really getting the best overall deals on your flight ticket, accommodation stay, rental, and additional facets of your holiday experience. You’re not alone.

Among the biggest things that people tend to research on the internet often is topics like travel savings, discount airfares, and budget lodgings. No matter how you look them up it may possibly be that the websites that you happen to be utilizing, the tag for discount to bring them up in the search results and that they in fact are running a site that is not offering you a discount yet instead billing you more. This is one of the reasons why a search like this might not bring you to the best possible prices.

Unfortunately, the only manner to ensure that you are given the best overall deals for sure is to look around. Many individuals are hoping for another way to find the best deals on a rental car or hotel accommodations however there is no better way to come across the discount rates than by calling around and looking into several different websites. Rate comparison websites will help you to find some of the discounts, nevertheless for the most part these web pages merely deal with a handful of different companies and if you’re really in search of the greatest feasible rates than you need to confirm with several different rate comparison internet sites for the finest overall sampling of the packages that are out there.

You could also contact some of the big name companies which you know and see if they are running any special deals that you could take advantage of. As frequent travelers recognize already, using discount cards as well as points rewards services can help you to receive the best deals on accommodations and upgrades on car hires and over time could actually start to total up to large savings. Even if you’re not a super traveler you should unquestionably guarantee that your rental], accommodations, and plane tickets are all providing you with future credits toward something. Some credit card businesses also offer discounts for utilizing certain businesses so it really is a good idea to confirm with them as well about any promotions or specials which they are offering for travelers.

Locating savings may seem like a bit of a headache, however with the amount of money that you can easily save with just one travel discount it just makes sense to invest the time and do your homework.

By: Jason C Hall