BUDGET Travel yesterday fired the first shots in a holiday packages price war as the travel industry enters its busiest six-week booking period.

Consumers have been advised to beware the risks involved in arranging holidays abroad without the involvement of professional travel agents.

THE Government is spending €800,000 this year to tackle ‘neighbours from hell’ in local authority homes around the country.

TOUR operators don’t expect the SARS threat to affect demand for sun holidays this summer.

FIFTEEN destinations are featured in the new Airtours Holidays brochure with the promise that families will be catered for as never before.