Topflight woos skiers

TOPFLIGHT, recently voted Ireland’s leading ski tour operator, has launched a skiing/snowboarding preview brochure and is offering special deals to those who book early.

While sun worshippers won’t even be thinking of winter, dedicated ski enthusiasts are already sifting through brochures in a bid to come up with the best deals for later in the year.

Topflight is encouraging the younger set to sample their wares, offering hundreds of free child places for certain dates in a selection of resorts, and offering free children’s travel insurance.

The company will even offer free ski and boot hire as well as free ski school tuition for kids in selected areas. Not to be left out, adults can also avail of free ski hire by booking holidays before June 30.

The company has flights from Dublin, Cork, Belfast and Knock and features a bigger range of resorts than last year.

Details on www.topflight.ie or from any travel agent.

* IT will be raining men (and women) in Jersey during the Skydive Boogie on St Aubin’s Bay beach from June 11 to 16 as the holiday island gears itself up for one of the many festivals this summer.

The Festival of Motoring (June 2-4) and Polish Summer Festival (June 9-14) will also be focal points during the month.

There is a host of themed, guided walks taking place almost every day as well as open series golf tournaments on Thursdays in Wheatlands Golf Course. Various Country Markets will showcase the best of Jersey produce and crafts, while the more active may like to try stepping out for charity in the Itex Around Island Walk (www.itex.je/walk) on June 24 — a mere 48.1 miles which takes anything between 12 to 21 hours!

Visit www.jersey.com for full details. Also note that J Barter Travel (Tel: [phone], www.travelnet.ie) and PAB Tours (Tel: [phone], www.pabtours.com) offer inclusive holidays from Cork (departing on Saturdays) and Dublin (departing Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays).

For a free holiday information pack register on www.jersey.com or call 0044 1534 50 800.

* GULF AIR has reported strong improvements in key performance indicators during the first quarter of 2006, as the airline’s two-hub strategy took effect.

The company is particularly happy with its operation out of Dublin. Gulf Air commenced flights from Dublin in December 2005 and now operates three flights a week to Bahrain and onwards eastbound.

* PANORAMA has launched special seat-only offers from Dublin and Cork this summer, geared for those who either own or have access to property in various sunny countries. The company will be charging from €250 for return flights to Portugal’s Algarve, €260 (ex Cork) and €278 (ex Dublin) to Majorca and €269 (ex Dublin only) to the Costa Del Sol.

For further information or to book log onto www.panoramaholidays.ie