Set sail with discount

CONCORDE Travel has announced an early booking discount offer for all sailing and yacht charter holidays next year.

Whether a seasoned sailor or just an adventurous holidaymaker who has decided to go sailing for the first time, Concorde, Ireland’s only specialists in Croatian yacht charters, recommend the European hotspot for nautical holidays in 2010.

Sailing yacht charter prices start from about €800 per week per boat, with the travel company promising to organise everything from flights and transfers. Boats can be hired with or without a skipper. Visit www.concordetravel.ie or phone [phone].

- THE Irish owned Five-star Phoenicia Hotel in Valletta, Malta, has been selected as a new entry in the esteemed 2010 Condé Nast Johansens Recommended Hotels & Spas Europe and Mediterranean Guide.

Renowned for being chosen for their dedication to the highest standards of comfort, unique personality, warmth and service, and impressive facilities, all featured hotels promise to offer the utmost in terms of quality accommodation.

- THE Riverdance experience was just one of the ways that Tourism Ireland has been trying to woo punters at the annual World Travel Market in London this week, an event that will be attended by more than 50,000 trade experts.

Tourism Ireland was hoping to make lunch-time each day a special Irish occasion by showcasing Riverdance, Irish story tellers, live traditional music and the best of Irish food for the huge audience.

Even in a slowing market, figures suggest that eight million people will have visited the island of Ireland by year’s end to generate about €3.6 billion in revenue.

This week will be important but the global website www.discoverireland.com appears to have led the way in helping attract more visitors. It received a record 9.6 million hits in the first nine months of the year.

- HOSTELWORLD.COM has launched an official company blog.

The Hostelworld Travel Blog will contain everything from company updates and product developments to travel tips and information, with daily posts from the team at Hostelworld.

A key focus of the blog will see the company’s editor and staff writers posting from their trips around the globe. The blog is available at www.hostelworld.com/blog/