For a meeting, incentive, conference or team-building event with a breathtaking view, Holbeck Ghyll Country House Hotel in the Lake District promises the perfect venue. Set in an area of outstanding natural beauty, just three hours from central London by direct train, this award-winning hotel with coveted Michelin-star restaurant offers everything needed for a successful business trip.

Catering for small meetings and incentive trips, the luxurious boardroom, which overlooks Lake Windermere, can accommodate up to 50 people theatre-style. In the main house, two spacious lounges with stunning views and open fireplaces are ideal for private receptions or syndicate rooms, whilst the outside Terrace Restaurant offers a great alternative during the summer months.

The entire hotel can be hired on a sole-use basis for larger meetings, product launches or corporate events and there is even a helicopter landing facility for VIP guests.

Whether taking time out from meetings or seeking team-building events, guests can walk, hike, trek or cycle around the miles of open countryside surrounding the hotel. Whilst the calm waters of the many lakes in the area are perfect for learning how to sail or windsurf. In addition, Holbeck Ghyll can arrange activities including 4X4 off road driving, clay pigeon shooting, hot air ballooning, guided walks, climbing, horse riding, golf, orienteering and raft building.

Recognised as one of the finest hotels in the Lake District, Holbeck Ghyll offers a selection of luxury accommodation to suit the requirements of any group booking. This includes 14 bedrooms in the main house as well as a selection of detached properties set in the hotel grounds, giving a total of 33 bedrooms.

Meeting delegates will particularly enjoy, The Lodge, a detached annexe located next to the boardroom, which offers six private en-suite rooms. Benefiting from its own separate car park, the Lodge rooms have all the amenities of those in the main house with the addition of a mini-bar, fridge, tea and coffee making facilities and either a private balcony or terrace with breathtaking lake views.

Alternatively, for those wishing to mix business with pleasure, there’s Lowtherwood, a new refurbished barn conversion set in the grounds of Holbeck Ghyll which offers four beautifully appointed en-suite bedrooms, a galleried lounge and dining area, luxury kitchen, private sauna and outdoor hot-tub. Here, business guests can enjoy the best of both worlds with accommodation in a private property but with all the facilities of a first-class hotel – including a Michelin Star chef who can prepare dinner in the privacy of the house or in Holbeck Ghyll’s award-winning restaurant.

A 24-hour delegate rate which includes use of the boardroom, one night’s single accommodation, Michelin star dinner and full English breakfast starts from £175 per person, per night plus VAT.

A former hunting lodge, Holbeck Ghyll is only 20 minutes from junction 36 of the M6 and less than two hours from Manchester International Airport. Set in 16-acres of countryside, facilities include a Michelin Star restaurant, health spa with gym and treatment rooms, croquet lawn and tennis court.

The month of May sees the beginning of a year of celebrations for Israel as they commemorate 60 years as an independent state. The activities promise to result in one of the most joyous birthday celebrations since the first one on May 14, 1948 — a date marked each year in Israel by the Hebrew calendar. The celebrations were kicked off last week with a countrywide series of firework, laser and light shows. The 12-minute spectacles lit up the skies above Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Ashdod, Netanya, Beersheba, Tiberias and Eilat.

The Georgian fashionistas flocked to Bath for their fashion fix. Today, Bath is just as fashionable with great shopping, stunning Georgian architecture, the iconic Roman Baths and excellent hotels and restaurants. For today’s savvy traveller, spa and retail therapy are two essential ingredients for a short break. Bath has traded on both these assets for two hundred years and now delivers a contemporary version of what the Georgians loved about the city. This is 21st century “R & R” in fashionable style.

Shopping in such a spectacular historic city is so popular with visitors that it has become the cornerstone of Bath’s new marketing campaign “Boutique Bath”. What makes it work as a shopping destination? It is compact and walk-able with a high ratio of independent shops (almost 50 per cent) with their very distinctive merchandise and personal service.

Bath Tourism Plus, the official marketing body for Bath and the surrounding area, has created a shopping map to download free of charge. This takes the visitor off the beaten track into the backstreets and alleyways. The visitbath.co.uk [url=http://www.visitbath.co.uk][/url]now offers a wealth of information with a focus on fashion and accessories; gifts and jewellery; arts and antiques; speciality food shops and markets and much more. Behind the Georgian veneer shopping in Bath responds to current lifestyle trends. “It’s the perfect place to find things that you don’t really need but are lovely to have”, according to Marie Matthews, Senior Marketing Executive for Bath Tourism Plus. The organisation successfully operates the Bath Christmas Market, located next to magnificent Bath Abbey, with its attractive wooden chalets selling unusual gifts and crafts.

Milsom Street is the artery to retail heaven in Bath but branch off into Milsom Place and discover a new shopping destination. Housing 26 exclusive shops and four restaurants, this complex will provide an axis across the town connecting the “main drag” to the delightful artisan quarters of Broad Street and Walcot Street. It incorporates the Grade 1 listed Octagon Building, combining carefully preserved historic buildings with sleek plate glass frontages. “Milsom Place is where Bath meets Notting Hill, home to some of the best fashion stores with delightful open spaces and informal restaurants” says Sarah Mansfield, Director of L&R Group, the company behind the new development. It is here that the flagship “Jamie’s Italian” will open in July 2008, an affordable Italian eaterie designed with plenty of Jamie flair.

Retail in Bath ranges from Jolly’s, the oldest department store in the country, to sleek modern boutiques with labels to covet. Top high street brands like Ted Baker, Reiss and the White Company sit beside the independents. L.K.Bennett recently opened in the exciting redevelopment of the old Post Office which also houses a mega-slick Jigsaw.

The Roman Baths is probably the city’s most renowned attraction but there are plenty of others to discover. The Fashion Museum houses one of the best collections of contemporary and historic fashion in the world. Located in the Assembly Rooms, the museum recently had its own makeover. “We have chosen objects from our collection and displayed them in a way that will prompt debate and inspire you to find out what you love and hate about fashion,” according to Rosemary Harden, the Fashion Museum’s curator.

Having run a gallery in Bath for four years, Richard Mauger believes that Bath is rapidly consolidating its position as one of the major destinations for art buyers in the UK. “No one can deny that, with its rich history and sublime architecture, Bath is high up on the tourist wish list, but with the close proximity of galleries to each other, the city is a luxuriously easy place to crawl from exhibition to exhibition in search of that elusive “gem” of a painting or sculpture” says Mauger.

Spa culture was invented in Bath so is a “must” for visitors. With the opening of the Thermae Bath Spa, it is now possible to wallow in the thermal waters which have played such a key role of the city’s history. The rooftop pool, with views across the Georgian skyscape surrounded by the green hills beyond is an unforgettable spa experience. Affordable and accessible, with two hour spa sessions for just £22, it is essential to book ahead for treatments to avoid disappointment.

In between culture, sightseeing and shopping, there are all kinds of options for refreshment from an elegant cream tea in the Pump Room, vegetarian wrap or savoury tartlet in the delightful Metropolitan Café in Bloomsbury, one of the best gift shops in town, or a full Michelin starred indulgence in the Bath Priory Restaurant. With a year round programme of festivals and theatre, the World Heritage city of Bath has all the elements for a superb city break.

First Great Western trains take 90 minutes and leave Paddington every 30 minutes. The city is 20 minutes south of the M4 and the nearest airport is Bristol International Airport with flights arriving from many European cities and daily flights from New York. An efficient Park and Ride service operates from four sites into the city centre, ideal for shoppers visiting Bath for a day trip.

Never risk waking a sleeping giant and in the same instance, don’t prod a large cat to get a response, as the reaction could be other than the one expected.

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IHG Opens First Holiday Inn Express Hotel In South Africa. IHG partners with ISO Leisure to develop 25 properties in South Africa

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has recently opened Holiday Inn Express Cape Town City Centre, the group’s first limited service hotel in South Africa. Built at a cost of USD16.24 million, the hotel is the first of 25 properties IHG is developing across the country under an exclusive agreement with ISO Leisure, a leading hospitality industry developer in South Africa.

Conveniently located in St George’s Mall Street in the heart of Cape Town’s revived and vibrant Central Business District, Holiday Inn Express Cape Town City Centre is in a perfect setting for the budget-conscious business and leisure traveller. To add to this, the hotel is in close proximity to the world renowned Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, with majestic views across to Table Mountain.

The property comprises 175 well-appointed rooms which provide guests with cable TV, a power shower, in-room safe, coffee and tea facilities, plus complimentary continental breakfast at the ‘Great Room’ restaurant. Guests can also make use of a fully-equipped business centre with high speed internet access.

Commenting on the new opening, John Bamsey, Chief Operating Officer, IHG, Middle East & Africa said: “Holiday Inn Express is the fastest growing limited service brand in the world, opening on average two hotels every week around the globe. We are proud to be partnering with ISO Leisure to bring this extremely popular brand to South Africa with the opening of Holiday Inn Express Cape Town City Centre.”

“We are also working with ISO Leisure to bring three more properties under the Holiday Inn flag into South Africa within the next two years. These will be two Holiday Inn Express hotels and one Holiday Inn. Adding these properties to our estate will address the increased demand for internationally-branded, high-quality accommodation and support the growth of business and leisure travel to South Africa.”

ISO Leisure Chief Executive, Gavin Watson, said: “Our partnership with IHG to develop four hotels, totalling USD771.71 million in new investment, is indicative of our confidence going forward in the country’s economy, especially its leisure and tourism sector. Holiday Inn is the world’s leading hospitality industry brand and, just four years ago, was voted South Africa’s top performing hotel brand. We have every reason to believe that the properties, ideally located in South Africa’s leading commercial and tourist centres, will be every bit as successful.” The Holiday Inn Express Cape Town City Centre opened on the 10th March 2008.

Holiday Inn Express Cape Town City Centre is IHG’s second Holiday Inn Express property to open in the Middle East and Africa region, with the UAE’s Holiday Inn Express Dubai Internet City having opened in November 2007.

Developed by IHG in 1991, Holiday Inn Express is the world’s largest limited service brand and is growing rapidly. Globally, there are more than 1,800 Holiday Inn Express properties with over 155,000 rooms offering comfort, value and convenience to international business and leisure travellers.

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At 83 years of age New Zealand based Lake Mahinapua Hotel owner-operator, Les Lisle still knows how to party with the best of them, after hosting nightly parties for exuberant backpackers on the Kiwi Experience buses for the past 15 years.

Stopovers at the Lake Mahinapua Hotel – or the Poo Pub for short – are always the highlight of the Kiwi Experience bus tours, and are legendary thanks to host Les.

Les gained his reputation for being a bit of a party animal late in life, when he started hosting the Kiwi Experience bus at the tender age of 68. He has shown that he can keep pace with the party that hops off at his pub every night of the year.

“We’ve had crazy get-ups at some of the parties – plastic bags, underwear, body paint, lads dressed as ladies - and we always have a bit of a fashion parade on the pool table for some of the more outrageous costumes,” says Les.

A typical day for Les involves getting up at 8am to hook up the internet for his patrons use and organising supper for a bus full of backpackers, which includes peeling 100-odd potatoes himself and organising venison stew - a local delicacy - for up to 50 people. Of course, the most important task of the day for Les is making sure there is enough beer on tap for all the revellers!

He always hops on the Kiwi Experience bus as soon as it arrives at the pub, introduces himself to the travellers and goes through some quick housekeeping.

“They don’t always remember it – I’ve often had to go around and encourage some of them to bed in the wee small hours. I always get up and check that everything’s alright, which means a pretty late night sometimes,” says Les.

Les has also got quite a memorabilia collection from his 15 years as the Poo Pub party host.

“I’ve got 3,000 hats and over 3,500 Polaroids on the wall. Each new bus load of visitors loves looking over them and they always want to leave their own mark on the pub so I often get a few more photos or an extra hat before departure time in the morning.”

When asked what his least favourite thing about all the late night parties is, Les says he doesn’t know what he would do without them. “I like the young people, I’d miss it if I didn’t have the bus come and stop daily. I’ll definitely be partying until the day I die and when I kick the bucket I’ve said that I want to be taken up to the cemetery in the Kiwi Experience bus because it’s been such a huge part of my life.”

The Lake Mahinapua Hotel is situated just out of the South Island settlement of Hokitika on New Zealand’s rugged and beautiful West Coast.

With more and more people choosing to holiday in exotic locations it's predicted the incidence of travellers' diarrhoea could rise this summer.

A survey forecasting travel trends for 2008 named Tunisia, Egypt, Thailand and India as the top four emerging holiday hotspots*, however all the countries are also black spots for poor hygiene.

Dr Georges Mouton, an international intestinal health expert, says holidaying in exotic countries increases the likelihood of contracting bacterial infections that cause diarrhoea.

"The balance of bacteria in the intestines is fragile and can easily be disrupted. It's not uncommon for food and drink in tropical or sub-tropical countries to be contaminated by harmful bacteria such as Salmonella and pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli (E.coli)."

Statistics show that each year around 20 – 50 per cent of international travellers suffer from travellers' diarrhoea**, however this figure can be significantly reduced by taking some basic precautions.

“There are three simple ways to reduce your chances of contracting diarrhoea while on holiday,” says Dr Mouton.

“Regular hand washing, minimising intake of raw foods and avoiding tap water when abroad are the basic precautions, but the most effective solution is to take a specially formulated probiotic.”

Travla, from DTECTA Probiotics, has been proven to reduce the likelihood of contracting travellers' diarrhoea to just five per cent***. The product is uniquely formulated with three different strains of bacteria, specifically chosen for their ability to coat the lining of the intestines to support the immune system, flush out pathogenic bacteria and have therapeutic benefits against diarrhoea.

DTECTA’s probiotics are sugar-free and formulated with friendly bacteria that are hardy enough to withstand the tough stomach environment, making them to best products on the market. Using Travla will ensure you have the best protection from infection when holidaying this summer.

Aarhus is Denmark’s second largest city and located on the East Jutland coast. Known for its great care of preserving Denmark’s past as well as being a modern and vibrant university city, Aarhus is both old and young at heart, with a unique range of attractions for a long weekend.

With Viking roots going back over 1300 years, it is arguably one of Denmark’s oldest big cities. The history of the Vikings can be uncovered at the Moesgård Museum located just outside the city. On 24 and 25 May an entire Viking market is to be recreated in the city centre and work is also about to commence on a new riverside project to excavate more Viking remains in the centre of the city.

For more living history visitors can step back to the early 1900’s with a visit to one of Denmark’s 5 star attractions, Den Gamle By, The Old Town. This stunning collection of authentic Danish buildings was originally started in 1914 and now comprises 75 buildings, which have been brought from all over the country, and are complemented by staff dressed in traditional costumes. Visitors of all ages can get a genuine insight into the workings of a Danish market town by wandering through the various houses, gardens, shops and workshops with the opportunity to buy bread from the traditional baker’s shop and look for authentic antiques in the old antique shop. The children’s museum is also a treasure trove of fascinating toys and it’s possible to watch the restoration work that continues to preserve these ancient buildings. There are also plans to add a collection of buildings from the 1970’s which is due to open in 2010.

For a more modern outlook, venture to the new ARoS Art Museum. Opened in 2004, this striking modernist white building, constructed as a cube, has attracted a new kind of visitor to the city. With the largest collection of art outside Copenhagen, spanning some 300 years, it appeals to those both interested in contemporary international, as well as traditional Danish works of art. On the roof og the museum work is underway for a new sculptural installation called ‘Sky Space’ by the Danish ArtistOlafur Eliasson. In addition to this art ‘Powerhouse’, Aarhus’s smaller modern galleries showcase an inspiring collection of works from world-renowned to young contemporary artists.

One of the few women’s museums can also be found in centre of Aarhus and a visit to this fascinating exhibition reveals the world through Women’s eyes and focuses on how women’s lives and work has changed and what they have accomplished in the past 200 years.

No weekend away is complete without some good shopping and there is plenty to buy in the shops along the picturesque cobbled streets of the Latin Quarter where numerous small specialist shops sell anything from contemporary designs to street fashion and retro chic. Alternatively, meander along newly-renovated pedestrianised high street "Strøget" that stretches from the railway station to the Cathedral.

Wanting a rest from sightseeing and shopping? The trendy redeveloped area, along the canal flowing through the city centre, is the place to go. With plenty of restaurants and bars offering waterfront outside seating, locals and visitors alike can easily spend a few hours each day savouring delicious local cuisine whilst watching the world drift by.

Whilst most sights are easily explored on foot, more cycle-minded visitors may want to try one of the 400 free citybikes and take advantage of Aarhus’s relatively flat and spacious surroundings. Following the cycle routes its easy to reach the outskirts of the city where Brabrand Lake, Marselisborg Woods and Ballehage Beach provide a pleasant contrast to the city.

Those in search of more watery pursuits should head to the port area of Aarhus, which is Denmark’s largest container ship harbour. Following the success of the Tall Ships Race last year, the city is hosting the Youth Sailing World Championships from 10-19th July. Young people from 60 nations will be taking part in the competitions to be held in the Bay of Aarhus.

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If you’re seeking a new trend in travel for 2008, a fresh investment and lifestyle opportunity or you just want to broaden your physical and spiritual horizons, then the time is right to discover Botswana.

As one of the most dynamic and successful economies and one of the most progressive and politically stable nations on the African continent, Botswana is ironically one of the least well-known countries in Southern Africa – so let’s uncover this diamond in the rough and unveil an as yet undiscovered frontier of opportunity: -

Botswana: Introducing a Diamond in the Rough…

Botswana, landlocked and bordered by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, is officially ranked by the credit rating analysts at Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s as the best credit risk in Africa, it has one of the most dynamic economies on the African continent and Transparency International rate Botswana as the least corrupt nation in Africa. Significantly it is also the one country in Africa to have an advanced, progressive and thorough programme for dealing with HIV/AIDS.

Independent from Great Britain since 1966, Botswana has managed to maintain one of the highest economic growth rates in the world ever since and is considered a middle-income nation according to UN rankings. Until recently the majority of the nation’s economy was built on cattle farming and mineral extraction – principally diamond mining – but in an intelligent effort to diversify the economy away from overdependence on these two sectors alone, the government of Botswana is doing everything it can to foster and develop its emerging tourism industry.

Tourism is a very strong area for development and there is massive potential in this industry sector in Botswana.

Tourism focus is principally aimed at the promotion and development of conservation, safari, game and eco projects within the nation’s extensive nature reserves. To support economic diversification and to enable the development of the tourism sector specifically, the government has abolished foreign exchange controls, reduced corporate tax to an attractive rate of 15%, removed restrictions on the foreign ownership of local companies and adopted both a Privatisation and Competition master plan to bring foreign direct investment to Botswana.

Botswana: Unveiling an Undiscovered Frontier of Opportunity

One of the most exciting, ambitious and fascinating tourism and investment focused projects to take advantage of the new supportive governmental legislation is the Limpopo-Lipadi Game and Wilderness Reserve – and for anyone with a passion for Africa, travel, wildlife, conservation, big game and unique potential, the Limpopo-Lipadi project represents unrivalled opportunity.

As an investor into the reserve you will be contributing to a unique and internationally acclaimed ecosystem sustainability model that Limpopo-Lipadi founders hope will set the standard in conservation sustainability in the 21st century. This sustainability model includes:

Training you to become a ranger to self drive, walk and sleep in the bush or be driven by experienced rangers;

- Managing the reserve using a unique model based on a new approach to ecosystem management;

- The eco friendly way in which to design, construct and manage the lodges. This ensures minimising carbon, water and waste footprints.

- An unique approach and way in which Limpopo-Lipadi enables all stakeholders to benefit from the reserve;

- A uniquely structured financial model that ensures that no monthly or annual operational costs need to be paid by the investor;

- The Limpopo-Lipadi support the promotion of Motswana history and culture;

As an investor into the project you own the game and wilderness reserve which is at an exciting point in its development; you will be able to visit the reserve as often as you like, be part of the decision making process of the reserve or just simply enjoy the many diverse ecosystems when you visit., Your capital will be used for everything from further land purchase to the development of the lodges, camps and two commercial tourism properties for the introduction of paying guests to the reserve.

While you are on the reserve you can choose to stay in any of the six lodges and camps, all of which are completely differently designed in different locations to maximise your accommodation experience. You can choose to stay at the Island Lodge, River Camp, Kirkia Forest Camp, Mountain Rock Lodge, Marula Tree Tented Camp or Wilderness Tented Camp. These lodges and camps enable you to enjoy the reserve through the diverse seasons in different locations and cater for your every bush experience need.

This is a project for passionate people that will enable the preservation of spectacular landscapes, the protection of untouched archaeological sites and the reintroduction of species such as white and black rhino, wild dog, sable antelope and lion into a reserve that already covers a vast expanse of over 80,000 acres of stunning ground and has 21 kilometres of valuable river frontage on the famous Limpopo River, immortalised by Rudyard Kipling in ‘The Elephant’s Child.’

According to Judge Nigel Willis, Chairman of the Limpopo-Lipadi project, “an investor seeking a long-term and unique opportunity, as well as a project that they can be passionate about and hands on with, will be unlikely to find a more exciting and potentially profitable project than this.”

All investors further benefit from having the option of driving or walking with experienced rangers in the reserve or even qualifying to self-drive and explore freely. They can sleep on tree platforms or in game hides, they can fish in the Limpopo River or picnic in the bush, they can star gaze, wildlife watch and lose themselves in the breathtaking beauty of the Botswana countryside. There will be local knowledge courses available so that investors and their guests can learn about anything and everything to do with the reserve - from the trees that grow within it to the species that inhabit it, from the stars that light up the night sky above it to the Setswana language spoken within it.

This is an investment opportunity like no other – it is an opportunity for passionate people, people who prefer to earn their rewards rather than simply buying them, people who want hands on exposure to the development of an exciting tourism project and more significantly, people who want to be a part of preserving and enhancing the natural landscape of a stunning African nation.

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Seventeen of the world’s best photographers have arrived in Tasmania for a nine-day project, capturing images that will showcase Tasmania internationally.

“Tasmania was selected from a pool of contenders from around the world as the destination for the second Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Adventure by organisers who were struck by Tasmania’s stunning scenery, unique quality of light and ‘edge of the world’ appeal,” said Felicia Mariani, CEO of Tourism Tasmania.

‘Focusing’ primarily on the Bicheno, Hobart and Cradle Mountain regions, the resulting work will be compiled in a glossy handbook, published later this year by respected digital media company, O’Reilly.

Millions of people are also expected to visit O’Reilly’s website to follow the adventure which includes daily blogs and images from each photographer. The website also features a competition to win roundtrip airfares and two nights’ accommodation for two people to create their own adventure in Tasmania.

“This project was secured as a result of negotiations held between Tourism Tasmania executives and Adobe during G’DAY USA 2008 and highlights the innovative ways in which we are aiming to promote the State,” commented Ms Mariani.

The photographers were hand-picked from around the world as representing the best in diverse photographic fields, ranging from wilderness landscapes to industrial, agricultural to portraiture and fashion photography. It is expected they will capture a unique snapshot of a ‘week in the life of Tasmania’.

The first Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Adventure was held in Iceland in 2006 to trial the pilot version of the Adobe Photoshop Lightroom software package. Lightroom is a part of the Photoshop family and is the professional photographer's essential toolbox, providing one application for managing, adjusting, and presenting large volumes of digital photographs. The Photoshop family, including Photoshop CS3, Photoshop Elements and the free, online Photoshop Express Beta, offers image editing software for all types of users.

From April 5 to 13, the photographers will capture the best Tasmania has to offer from cities such as Hobart and Launceston to the natural beauty of Maria Island, Freycinet National Park Cradle Mountain. They will return each evening to designated bases to edit their work using Adobe’s digital image manipulation software.

“The international credentials of these photographers mean their Tasmanian work will continue to appear in a wide range of outlets and publications, taking the destination of Tasmania to the world,” said Ms Mariani.