The recession is affecting everyone’s holiday plans in the UK, causing more people to stay at home rather than take their usual holidays abroad, or city breaks in Europe. This doesn’t have to be the case though, as you can earn free flights and free stays in hotels across the UK, Europe and worldwide by collecting Airmiles.

When you spend money using a Lloyds TSB Airmiles Duo Credit Card account, you’ll be collecting Airmiles and, when you collect Airmiles, you can save up for free flights to many city break destinations. So, Airmiles are a great way to save money on a city break.

For a short trip to Europe, for example to Paris, Rome or Madrid, it wouldn’t take long for you to collect enough Airmiles to exchange for the free flights.

If you’re not an Airmiles Duo account holder, you can still collect Airmiles when you shop at Tesco, by swapping your Tesco Clubcard points for Airmiles, which can be used for free flights. Spending your Clubcard points on free flights is much more enjoyable than getting money off your weekly shopping. Other ways to collect Airmiles include shopping at hundreds of online stores, such as eBay.co.uk and johnlewis.com, via the Airmiles eStore. You can even collect Airmiles while filling up with fuel. If you sign up for a Shell Drivers’ Club card, you can convert your Shell Drivers’ Club points into Airmiles.

As any parent knows, when you’re travelling with children you’re rarely travelling light. Children, especially babies, require more luggage than most adults and this can be a problem when you’re booking flights for holidays with a baby.

The problem of travelling with baby can become worse when you consider that many flight operators don’t allow the extra luggage allowance required to take all of your baby’s things with you. When you book a holiday to Turkey with Tapestry Holidays you can avoid the problems by renting the baby things you’ll need.

For example, it’s impossible to get around anywhere with a baby without a pushchair, but taking one on the plane might not be possible. Why not rent the pushchair at the other end then you don’t have the hassle and expense of travelling with one?

Babies also require items such as a cot, high chair and changing mat. None of which would be practical for you to take with you on a plane, but the best family friendly holidays offer these items as an option.

Children can also become bored while on holiday, even in a place as great as Turkey. To help combat your child’s boredom you can order toys suitable for your child to be made available at your hotel. This is a much easier, and cheaper, option than trying to pack a suitcase full of their favourite toys.

With the Lloyds TSB Airmiles Duo Credit Card account, you can collect Airmiles as you shop. And Airmiles can be used for everything from free flights to hotel stays, tickets to West End shows and theme parks, even wine cases.

Airmiles are most commonly used for free flights and, when you collect Airmiles, you can use them to fly all over the world – Europe, Asia, the USA, even Australia.

You get two cards with the account, a MasterCard and an American Express. It’s best to use the Amex when possible, as it rewards you with five more Airmiles than the MasterCard. When you use the Lloyds TSB Airmiles Duo Mastercard, you collect one Airmile for almost every £50 you spend – but with the American Express card you collect one Airmile for almost every £10 spent. So using the Amex gets you closer to those free flights. And there are often special offers, giving free flights when you sign up. And that’s on top of being able to collect Airmiles as you shop.

You can collect Airmiles for free flights by using the credit cards for everyday things like the weekly shop and fuel, and luxuries such as cinema tickets and meals out. But remember to use the Amex instead of the MasterCard to get more free flights.

Source: Airmiles, Free Digital Photos

Flights can be expensive, which is why many people are choosing to holiday in the UK this summer, instead of flying to the Continent or the USA. This doesn’t have to be the case though, as you can earn yourself free flights by saving on loyalty programmes. By doing your weekly shop or filling up your car, you can earn rewards such as free flights anywhere in the world.

So, that week in New York isn’t quite as far away as it first appeared, but just how much money would you save on a pair of free flights to New York?

Let’s say the average price of a pair of flight tickets from London to New York was £700 this summer, depending on where you look. That £700 saved by using loyalty programmes for your tickets could be spent in many other, more ways.

For example, you could buy 291 pints of lager (there’s a sobering thought) or around 700 loaves of bread. You and your partner could visit the cinema together 58 times, that’s more than once a week for a year.

Or, if you wanted to spend the money a little more practically, you could fill up the average family car with fuel 17 times and, if you’re a careful driver, you could insure your car for the next 2 years, getting you much more mileage for your money.

All of this money could be saved by earning rewards when you shop.

Just because the country is in the grip of recession, you don’t have to forgo that summer holiday abroad, or that weekend away in an exciting European city. Flights to other countries can be expensive, depending what time of year you travel and whether the schools are on holiday but, if you’re shrewd, you can take advantage of free flights offers and travel abroad without spending a penny.

The AIRMILES scheme is one such method for collecting points for free flights. You can collect miles whenever you spend money and they can be exchanged when you fly to different destinations. This way, you could get free flights to Europe, Asia or even as far away as America or Australia.

One way you can collect Airmiles for the free flights is when you fill your car up with petrol so, every journey you take. get you that much closer to your dream holiday. Every time you do your weekly shopping, you can be getting closer to your free flights if you collect Airmiles.

You can even earn Airmiles when you use a credit card, so the money you can’t avoid paying doesn’t seem so bad when you consider that every pound you spend is one step closer to free flights and your holiday abroad.

There is something very special about attending music festivals during the summer. The hoards of people, the top of the bill live bands, the camaraderie of everyone camping out and swapping stories (and supplies); it’s a unique experience and something that everyone should experience at least once.

Of course there are also downsides to music festivals, especially in the UK. With UK festivals you can be fairly certain that the weather will play at least some part in the event and will turn a plush field into a mud filled arena from which nobody will escape unsullied.

Camping in the UK can have big disadvantages. This is one area where the rest of Europe has a distinct advantage over the UK, as camping in Europe for music festivals can be an entirely different experience, and something that could persuade those put off by the mud in the UK to give it a go.

If camping in tents isn’t your thing, you could try holiday parks that contain mobile homes. You still get the feeling of camping out, fulfil the desire for self catering, but you don’t have to wrestle with a tent in a field while the rain beats down on your face.

British music festivals have a special place in people’s hearts, but for those who don’t like to ‘rough it’ then continental Europe offers a much more civilised camping experience.

Spa holidays are becoming more popular among the young and old alike as a healthy alternative to the usual holidays people take when they go abroad. Instead of drinking to excess and partying hard you can treat your body and become a little bit healthier from your trip away with spa holidays in Turkey.

Spa holidays cater for people travelling alone, groups or even couples looking to relax on luxury holidays together.

Luxury is indeed the word as you can indulge yourself in the ultimate luxury by taking a bath in milk, just like the Egyptian queen, Cleopatra. If milk isn’t for you, you could swap that for red wine, which is reportedly excellent for the skin.

These luxury holidays also offer the option of relaxing massages, which can even be performed in the comfort of your hotel room surrounded by scented candles, for the ultimate relaxing experience.

Spa holidays in Turkey also offer saunas to ease away your stress, and indoor pools if you want to tone up those muscles with a relaxing swim.

If a holiday to you means keeping fit you can even spend time in the gym, ensuring that you return from your luxury holiday looking even better than when you left.

Summer’s here again, and it’s time to unpack the clubs, start doing some stretches and get busy working on your handicap!

If you are fortunate enough to be able to choose any course in England this summer on a July short break, we recommend the following as the top 5 golf courses in England. For golf accomodation and golf packages - Parkdean holidays have nearly 25 parks to choose from - some of which are located within driving distance of these great courses. Visit Parkdean for golf holiday in England and golf holiday in Scotland today!

#1 WENTWORTH

England’s #1 golf course is Wentworth Golf Club, a privately owned golf club and health resort in Virginia Water, Surrey on the south western fringes of London, not far from Windsor Castle. The West course at the Wentworth Club is the most famous of the Surrey heath and heather courses.

The club was founded in 1926. The headquarters of the PGA European Tour are located at the club, and each year it hosts the Tour’s BMW PGA Championship and HSBC World Match Play Championship. It was also the venue for the fiercely contested 1953 Ryder Cup, resulting in a single point American victory 6 ½ to 5 1/2.

The club is surrounded by and entwined with the Wentworth Estate, one of the most expensive private estates in the London suburbs, which was built at the same time, where many top golfers and other celebrities have homes. One of them is Ernie Els, who became the club’s “world-wide touring professional” in 2005. Over the winter of 2005-06 Els, who is developing a golf course design practice, made alterations to the West Course, lengthening it by 310 yards (280 m) and adding 30 bunkers.

Wentworth also boasts a Tennis & Health Club. The Wentworth Tennis and Health Club consists of a gymnasium, dance studio, health spa, ozone swimming pool and jacuzzi, crèche facilities, changing rooms, and a café.

#2 ROYAL BIRKDALE

Royal Birkdale Golf Club in the town of Southport, England, is one of the clubs in the Open Championship rotation. The club has hosted the championship nine times since 1954, most recently in July 2008. Previous winners of the Open at Royal Birkdale are Pádraig Harrington, Mark O’Meara, Ian Baker-Finch, Tom Watson, Johnny Miller, Lee Trevino, Arnold Palmer and Peter Thomson (on two separate occasions). Birkdale is the only course in the Open rotation that has never had a champion from the United Kingdom. The course is unique in that no two holes face in the same direction giving obvious problems on the notoriously windy days prevalent to any links.

Currently ranked 16th in the world, Royal Birkdale is a formidable challenge to a golfer of any level. The Birkdale (as it was originally called) was a nine-hole course located at Shaw Hills and opened for play in 1889. 5 years later the committee decided to expand to 18 holes and move to its current home in the Birkdale Hills.

#3 ROYAL ST. GEORGES

The Royal St George’s Golf Club is unquestionably one of the premier golf clubs in the United Kingdom, and one of the courses on The Open Championship rotation. It has hosted 13 Open championships since 1894, when it became the first club outside Scotland to host the championship. Past champions include Ben Curtis, Greg Norman, Sandy Lyle, Bill Rogers, Bobby Locke, Reg Whitcombe, Henry Cotton, Walter Hagen (on two different occasions), Harry Vardon (twice), Jack White and John Henry Taylor. It has also hosted The Amateur Championship on 13 occasions.

The club is located in Sandwich, Kent, England, and was founded in 1887 in a setting of wild duneland. Many holes feature blind or partially blind shots, although the unfairness element has been reduced somewhat, after several 20th century modifications. The club’s Challenge Trophy dates from 1888 and is one of the oldest trophies in golf; it has been contested annually except for war years. The course also possesses the deepest bunker in championship golf, located on its fourth hole.

#4 SUNNINGDALE

Sunningdale Golf Club was founded in 1900 on Chobham Common, on land owned by St. John’s College, Cambridge. Its first Secretary was Harold Shapland Colt who went on to design golf courses of international renown and was highly influential in the creation of the world’s #1 golf course, Pine Valley in New Jersey.

The original 18-hole course, set in a heathland area, with sandy subsoil amid mixed treed foliage, was designed by Willie Park, Jr., and was ready for play in 1901. It was also among the first successful courses located away from the seaside, as many people had thought at the time that turf would not grow well in such regions.

From the start, Sunningdale was well regarded, and has hosted many important events. Examples include News of the World Matchplay Championship in 1903, 1907 and 1912; several stagings of the British Masters in the 1940s and 1950s; the 1975 Colgate European Open (women’s); the 1987 Walker Cup; the 1985, 1986, 1988 and 1992 European Open and the 1997, 2001, 2004 and 2008 Women’s British Open.
The Open Championship, International Final Qualifying has been held annually over the Old and New Courses since 2004. It is also the venue of the 2009 Senior Open.

#5 WOODHALL SPA

Woodhall Spa Golf Club is a private golf club in England, that is located to the north of Woodhall Spa. The club was founded in 1891. In 1995 the club was purchased by the English Golf Union, who have since relocated their headquarters onto the site, which is now known as the National Golf Centre.

An oasis in the heart of Lincolnshire and a true delight to play, the course is set among glorious pine and birch trees. Woodhall Spa has two golf courses, the Hotchkin, which opened in 1905 and was originally laid out by Harry Vardon before being redesigned by Stafford Vere Hotchkin in the 1920s, and the Bracken, designed by Donald Steel and opened in 1998.

The club has hosted many prestigious amateur championships including the English Amateur and the Brabazon Trophy on several occasions.

Don’t miss out on the Christmas Markets!

We may only just be heading into our summer but it’s never too early to start considering tours to magical Christmas Markets in both the UK and Europe. Believe it or not but these tours are extremely popular and are sure to be a sell-out so don’t miss out and book your place today!

Absorb yourself in the festive magic of Valkenburg where century old caves provide the setting as you follow a candle-lit cobweb of corridors to the beautiful velvet scene of this wonderful Christmas Market. Not only will you get to see the variety of stalls and their festive ware, but you’ll also have plenty of free time to explore Valkenburg itself. Head over to Belgium and see the stunning Christmas Markets held in Ypres, Ostend and Bruges. The wonderful festive season begins here in December with the St. Nicholas celebrations where shops display all sorts of fantastic sweety treats such as marzipan, ‘klaasjes’ (flat hard cakes) and ‘speculoos’ (gingerbread moulded into the shape of St Nicholas). In Liege, you’ll be able to wander around 155 decorated wooden cottages that form the magical ‘Christmas Village’. You’ll also be able to see the annual European Christmas Market in Brussels that is held on the Place St. Catherine. Belgium has something for everyone with fairy-lit nativity scenes and decorative stalls selling a wide variety of ornaments, decorations & wonderful local delicacies to sample – your short break to the Belgian Christmas Markets will truly be a magical one!

If you’re looking to shop beneath a twilight sky then choose coach tours to Germany where you can explore the traditional Christmas Markets in Cologne, Berlin, Rudesheim and Aachen. Here you’ll certainly escape the commercialism of Christmas and enjoy searching for original festive handicrafts, souvenirs and tree decorations such as crib figurines, wooden carvings, candles & lambskin shoes. Don’t forget to sample the local festive cuisine of hot chestnuts, grilled sausages, gingerbread and much more!

Join escorted tours to the Czech Republic where you can visit the Christmas Markets in Prague. Soak up the traditional festive atmosphere where the Christmas Markets light up the city with their twinkling fairy lights. Walk around the many brightly decorated stalls selling all sorts of Czech handicrafts and local specialities that will leave your taste buds tingling for more.

Cross the Channel to France where you’ll come across one of the largest markets in Northern France – the Lille Christmas Market. The children will simply love Disneyland® Resort Paris at Christmas as all the characters dress up in their festive gear and the resort itself transforms into a fabulously magical winter wonderland that will surpass any child’s imagination!

You won’t have to travel to Europe to visit Christmas Markets because we have plenty on our doorstep here in the UK too! The Bath Christmas Market is definitely one that you won’t want to miss. Here you’ll find 123 wooden chalets that cover the streets of the city between the stunning Abbey and the Roman Baths. Each chalet offers a wide range of festive items to buy such as handmade gifts, decorations and tempting food items. Not forgetting the German Christmas Market held in Edinburgh, the festive delights available at Chatsworth House, the St Nicholas Fayre in York and many more! Don’t miss your chance to experience Christmas Shopping with a difference and book your place to some of these wonderful Christmas Markets.

For the full range of UK and European Christmas Market tours available, visit www.door2tour.com.

We all love something for free; it’s human nature and part of what makes the world go round, but how can you go round the world for free? Air travel can be very expensive, but there are ways to save money on air travel and gain free flights. Here is a list ways others have scored a free flight:

1. Become a pilot – this one isn’t that easy and can take years to actually achieve, but pilots get to fly the planes, not only for free, but they’re paid to do so. Sadly you can’t choose the destination even if you are the one behind the wheel.
   
2. Smuggle yourself aboard in a suitcase – the flight may be cramped, even more so than flying economy, but the rewards are that you’re flying for free. Best avoid trips to the USA in a suitcase as they may not like the intrusion. Just how far would you go for a free flight?
   
3. Flash a badge and pretend to impound the plane – it worked for Face Man in the A-Team, so maybe it could work for anyone. A little confidence goes a long way in grabbing free flights.
4. Probably the most practical is to save using loyalty programmes – there are many different loyalty programmes that allow you to save for free flights as rewards when you do everyday activities, such as when you buy your shopping, fill up your car or even pay your electricity bill.