Category Archives: Tourism

Finance and Banking, Tourism, Travel

Rhos Farm Caravan Park, all set for staycation summer!

Rhos Farm Caravan Park is under new ownership after a £3 million investment supported by Barclays.

The 40-acre site offers 115 static holiday caravan pitches, seasonal touring pitches & camping within walking distance of Seaside Award-Winning Red Wharf Bay on the Isle of Anglesey and just 2 miles from Benllech with its blue flag award beach.

Award-winning Red Wharf Beach within walking distance, image copyright Anglesey Info

Owned and operated by the Roberts family, the Bodafon Group portfolio of parks include Bodafon, Melin Rhos, Ty’n Rhos & Glan Gors. The new acquisition complements the existing parks and makes the Roberts family one of the largest Park operators on Anglesey with over 500 pitches all within a 4-mile radius of the Benllech head office.

Robert Roberts, Company Director said, “We are a local family business passionate about delivering memorable customer experience in the idyllic setting that Anglesey provides whilst supporting the local economy.

“Rhos Farm is a welcome addition to our existing portfolio and reinforces our commitment to securing local jobs and attracting holidaymakers who make a vital contribution towards a thriving local economy benefiting our excellent circle of suppliers and tradesmen as well as the local community. As part of this acquisition, we have been able to take on additional staff as the needs of the business grows.

“Our Relationship Director at Barclays, Gary Fletcher, really buys into what we are trying to achieve.  I feel that his understanding and sincere interest in our business made all the difference.

“The impact of this pandemic will be felt for years to come by our sector but hopefully, when this is over, people will go out and support British business as a whole, to help get everybody back on their feet. We are pleased that restrictions are being cautiously lifted and look forward to welcoming visitors from all over the UK who appreciate the service we offer”

Gary Fletcher, Barclays Relationship Director said, “Camping is cool again and provides wonderful memories for an affordable cost. This is a family business and therefore they try to make camping as much fun as possible with the minimum of rules and regulations. They have all the amenities you would expect from a modern campsite and plans for further investment in site infrastructure to introduce mains gas supply and upgrade the shower block. All they need now is visitors!”

Entertainment, News, Tourism

Major boost for South Wales tourism economy this Spring as old meets new at Zip World Tower

Zip World, the adventure company behind the fastest zip-line in the world, has today announced that all being well, its new site in South Wales, Zip World Tower, will be opening to visitors on 22nd April.

Launching with two new experiences, Zip World Phoenix and Big Red, the site has been designed to create a lasting legacy to its deep-routed mining heritage.

Zip World Tower represents a major boost for South Wales growing tourism economy – with the development creating 56 jobs during its first phase and forecasting 100,000 visitors within the first year of operation.

Funding for the project was made possible as a result of a £4.5m loan from the City Deal for the Cardiff Capital Region at the end of last year.

Sean Taylor, founder of Zip World, said: “It’s been a challenging time for the tourism sector over the past year but with the opening of Zip World Tower, we feel like it will only go from strength to strength.

“We have proven experience of preserving and regenerating iconic sites and as a passionate Welshman, I couldn’t think of a better location than the South Wales Valleys to create a new legacy and grow our brand outside of North Wales for the first time. The whole team can’t wait to welcome thrill-seekers and families to Rhigos this spring.”

In what is the company’s first site outside of North Wales, Rhigos in the South Wales Valley will now be home to one of the UK’s most impressive outdoor adventure locations.

Launching with two new experiences including Zip World Phoenix, which will be the world’s fastest seated four-person zip line, the site has been designed to create a lasting legacy to its deep-routed mining heritage.

Set in the iconic Rhigos mountain range with stunning views that overlook beautiful Welsh landscapes including the Brecon Beacons, the Tower Colliery site is steeped in history.

Before its closure in 2008, it was the oldest continuously working deep coal mine in the UK. It became a powerful symbol of the miners’ resistance in the 1990s, as workers invested their own money from redundancy payments to save the colliery from closure in 1994.

Tyronne O’Sullivan OBE, chairman of the Tower Colliery, said: “It’s fantastic to have the opportunity to usher in a new chapter in the Tower story, in a way that captures the industrial history of the site and gives the local community a boost too. We were really impressed with how Zip World reinvented a slate quarry into a thriving tourist attraction at the Penrhyn Quarry in North Wales and couldn’t think of a better way to sustain the legacy of this iconic site.”

David Samways, a former conveyor belt fitter at the coal mine whose Grandson will be working at Zip World Tower as an instructor, said: “Like many others in this area, I feel a close connection to Tower Colliery. I spent much of my working life at the Tower Colliery where we constructed miles of conveyor belt to transport the coal. Seeing things come full circle with my Grandson Jack securing a job at Zip World Tower feels amazing and I’m reminded yet again of what a special community this is.”

Be one of the first people to ride the Phoenix or Tower Coaster at Zip World Tower and purchase your tickets now at: https://www.zipworld.co.uk/vouchers/buy

Leisure, Retail, Tourism

New showroom and recruits for hot tub company making a splash in North Wales

A BOOMING leisure company will unveil a new hot tubs showroom in the coming weeks after a strong start to the year.

Following record-breaking sales in 2020, UK Leisure Living is set to recruit staff and open a satellite base in Flintshire this April.

Managing Director Gareth Jones has taken on four employees since January and plans to add two more to oversee operations in north east Wales, as well as another apprentice in the future.

The multi award-winning group – which includes Carbon Zero, The Swim Spa Centre, The Holiday Let Advice Centre and Stop Digging! North Wales and North West – already has sites in St Asaph and Mochdre.

Gareth says the new sales centre and showroom on Deeside Industrial Estate will meet demand in the area and serve customers from Cheshire, Manchester, Wirral and beyond, when it is safe to do so.

“We have had a very busy start to 2021 and that looks set to continue into the summer season as sales are already up 100% on this time last year, which was also very busy,” said Gareth.

“People are anticipating we will all be at home in the UK rather than on holiday abroad, so they are again investing in their homes and gardens.

“Last Spring, we experienced a huge rise in sales because of the Coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, but like most industries we were not ready for what lay ahead – it was completely unchartered territory.

“This time we are completely prepared, we have UK and USA hot tubs in stock and hundreds more on order that come in every two weeks.”

He added: “The Deeside site is something we had been looking at for a while; we are getting more and more customers from north east Wales and from across the border who will now be able to come and see us in person, when restrictions are eased, and it is safe to do so.

“We believe it’s important to visit a showroom if you are in the market for a hot tub as they are all different and it’s important to appreciate the design and quality before making a purchase.

“Importantly, we will be supporting the economy in Flintshire by creating new jobs, investing in the facility and looking to expand and grow there in the years ahead.”

The business also expanded its Mochdre showroom to 6,000 sq ft in early 2020 – featuring an innovative swim spa facility – and was listed in the top five businesses in North Wales and 21st in Wales at the Fast Growth 50 Awards.

“We have worked very hard behind the scenes and are investing to meet future growth,” said Gareth.

“We have the biggest service team in the region but for me it’s not just about selling hot tubs, anyone or any website can do that.

“I am investing in the core skills of my staff because I believe if you sell a product you need the resources to fix them if there is ever an issue.

“Lots of hot tub companies have sprung up over the last 12 months but not many – if any – of them have in-house engineers to repair and maintain, which is crucial to the holiday market.

“We do a phenomenal amount of work in the holiday sector with most of the major players and hundreds of independent holiday cottages. Service and support are key in ensuring the hot tubs are in perfect working order for their guests.”

He added: “We are looking forward to an exciting period for UK Leisure Living as the group grows across the broad range of services it offers. We hope the extra sales from the Deeside showroom will help create further local jobs in the future.”

For more information on UK Leisure Living, visit www.ukleisureliving.co.uk and follow @ukleisurelivinggroup on social media.

Holidays, News, Tourism, Travel

Luxury Pembrokeshire holiday park group adds 54 new holiday homes with HSBC UK funding

A luxury holiday park group in Pembrokeshire has secured a six-figure finance package from HSBC UK to add more than 50 new holiday homes to its collection as demand for staycations continues to rise due to Covid-19.

The multi-award-winning Celtic Holiday Parks has used the funding to add 54 new holiday home pitches, and is expanding the holiday rental fleet across its three sites: Croft Country Park, Noble Court Holiday Park and Meadow House Holiday Park, as well new dining and wellbeing facilities across two sites. Each holiday park is equipped with different features and facilities, creating a unique experience for loyal customers.

The HSBC UK funding was secured as part of the government-backed Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS).

Huw Pendleton, Managing Director at Celtic Holiday Parks, said:

“This season has been a very challenging time for holiday parks across the UK, made even more challenging with additional localised and Wales lockdowns, when restrictions were eased, we did see a huge rise in demand for staycations. In order to meet this demand, we knew we needed to invest in the expansion of our holiday parks now more than ever. HSBC UK, in particular our relationship director Alex Loxton, has done a fantastic job in supporting us during this period and enabling us to re-open our doors to our wonderful guests who couldn’t wait to come back to their ‘happy place’. We also wanted to thank our new Finance Director Chris Thomas of SME Finance Partners, who was instrumental in supporting us to produce forecasts and information needed to secure the HSBC UK funding.”

Warren Lewis, Head of Corporate Banking, Wales, HSBC UK, added:

“Celtic Holiday Parks is one of the most well-known holiday park groups in Wales, with luxury facilities available in Pembrokeshire for everyone. After many critical months closed to the public, and subsequent localised lockdowns followed by the Wales ‘Firebreak’ closure we look forward to seeing the parks open again very soon, the three parks are looking better than ever, giving hundreds of people the chance to get away whilst some restrictions are still in place. We are delighted we were able to support Huw and his hard-working team through these challenging times and look forward to continue seeing the business flourish.”

Celtic Holiday Parks was awarded the ‘Best Caravan and Glamping in Wales’ National Tourism Awards in 2018. To find out more about its wide-ranging offering, visit the website: https://www.celticholidayparks.com/.

Leisure, Tourism

Awards success for leisure retailer following Coronavirus lockdown sales surge

AN ENTREPENEUR nominated for a string of national business awards continues to make waves in the leisure sector.

UK Leisure Living Group has sold more hot tubs in 2020 than previous years put together, with the Coronavirus and Spring heatwave leading to a surge in sales.

The trend continued across the summer at their revamped 6,000 sq ft Mochdre showroom and Managing Director Gareth Jones marked this success at the second annual North Wales Hot Tub Expo, by unveiling new products and international partnerships.

He is also proud to have been named a finalist in three categories at the National SME Business Awards, to be held at Wembley Arena next Spring – Best Enterprising Business of the Year, Business Person of the Year, and for Service Excellence.

“While this year has been challenging for all businesses, we have been able to retain all of our staff and employ an apprentice full-time by capitalising on the initial lockdown period,” said Gareth.

“Protecting our local supply chain has also been hugely important to us and supporting companies in the Welsh tourism and hospitality sector when they need it most.

“By introducing new product lines – outdoor kitchens, the swim spas centre, saunas and the US-based Bull barbecue and grill range – the company will be even more sustainable in the future and not reliant on one product to get us through dire and unprecedented circumstances such as these.

“This is on top of our already popular international partnerships with Stop Digging in Sweden, Hot Springs in California and Aspen in St Louis, Missouri.”

By focusing on the end-to-end leisure experience. Gareth has also launched the Holiday Let Advice Centre, an independent hub for owners of holiday cottages, park owners and glamping site owners to get free and friendly advice.

“We will be a single port of call for the staycation market, offering free guidance on a range of topics from energy saving advice to maximizing bookings, hot tub maintenance, accommodation types, electric car charging and any number of issues they will come across. We will also bring in key partners to help with funding, taxation and planning,” he said.

“There will be a presence here in Mochdre and online, so we can offer support and specialist expertise locally and across the UK.”

Gareth added: “We have a broad range of experience across these subjects and can meet all of their needs from under one roof, and our collaboration with Cottages.com will be a big factor in this.

“For example, research has shown an increased occupancy in a holiday accommodation is roughly 40% by having a hot tub, and with properties with an already high occupancy it can boost the tariffs by up to 27%.

Admitting the next six months will be tough for the leisure sector, Gareth is hopeful next year will bring green shoots of recovery.

“Stock in the hot tub industry is scarce and some manufacturers are quoting 67 weeks to wait. Not six or seven weeks – 67.

“We have hundreds of tubs on order for delivery into next summer and free stock arriving almost weekly up until Christmas now. Getting hold of quality stock is difficult but with our buying power and connections, we have it covered.

“However, it is a tough place and I think we will see some hot tub companies go out of business, with no stock to sell.”

Gareth added: “I would not like to set up a hot tub company in these times, with the challenges facing this sector. These companies will potentially leave consumers high and dry, with lost deposits and no warranties.

“From a personal perspective, we have the awards to look forward to as well, and in past weeks were honoured to once again be named in the Wales Fast Growth 50 list.”

“We have used 2020 to lay the foundations for future years and while sales did rise, we didn’t get carried away. We have invested wisely, and that will pay dividends for the profitability of the business over the coming years.

“We want to create more jobs and support more investment in North Wales and the regional economy with our future masterplan – that’s our priority.”

For more information on UK Leisure Living, visit www.ukleisureliving.co.uk and follow @ukleisurelivinggroup on social media.

Holidays, Tourism

Lockdown progress grows interest in new luxury lodge park

OWNERS of an exclusive luxury holiday park have made huge strides with the development in lockdown.

The first phase of Maes Mynan Park, in Afonwen near Caerwys, was launched by Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism, Lord Dafydd-Elis Thomas last autumn, but, as with many businesses, the Coronavirus outbreak prevented prospective holiday homeowners from visiting the picturesque site.

While restrictions have lifted in past weeks interest has started to grow and Acorn Leisure directors Peter and Louise Barlow have been working hard behind the scenes to lay 23 luxury lodge bases and the foundation for new access roads.

The whole team has spent countless hours maintaining and improving the park, supported by local businesses and trades along the way, when supply chains were strained due to the pandemic.

The first lodge arrives next/this month (September), they have taken on two team members and planted over 2,000 plants and trees.

“The Coronavirus hasn’t stopped us from getting the site ready and prepared for visitors and the next phase of development,” said Louise.

“The lodge park is nearing completion and as we prefer to work with customers on a bespoke basis, we can offer a selection of plots before they choose their dream holiday home.

“We have also laid the first nine static caravan bases as part of Phase 2 in a different area of the Park, with another 25 planned for the end of the year. We are delighted to share this special place with others who appreciate its abundant natural beauty.”

A new website has also been unveiled for Acorn Leisure, in addition to Maes Mynan Park, and they are planning to recruit further in the months ahead.

Louise added: “Before lockdown we had so much interest from all over the country, but Coronavirus meant we had to put all viewings on hold and shut the gates.

“Because of the size of the park we could social distance during lockdown and thanks to our positive team we managed to keep things moving with the development, even though the public were not able to visit. It’s been challenging, but it’s been that way for all businesses.”

They will continue to work in collaboration with other local firms, especially in the food and hospitality sector, and neighbouring attractions, to promote the area and welcome visitors.

Although Maes Mynan Park has planning for 47 lodges around two lakes, 25 lodges will be developed in the initial stages, with a further 63 static caravans becoming available over the next 12 months. Another area of the Park will see the development of a touring park for 70 caravans from 2023 and a wooded area has been set aside for boutique eco-glamping.

“We have come so far to this point, it’s been a real committed labour of love,” said Peter.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has been tough for everybody, but it also gave us an opportunity to take things on and complete key areas of the site. This has been possible because we are undertaking the development ourselves.

“As businesses and attractions reopen, we look forward to welcoming people to Maes Mynan Park and this incredible part of North Wales, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and a place very close to our hearts.”

For more information on Maes Mynan Park and to book a viewing, visit the website: www.maesmynanpark.com

Visit www.acornleisure.com for the latest news and information from Acorn Leisure.

Coronavirus, Retail, Tourism

Pet retailer steps in to help save much-loved North Wales zoo from extinction

PETPLACE has joined forces with one of Wales’ most popular tourist attractions in a bid to save it from extinction.

The Welsh Mountain Zoo – the National Zoo of Wales – in Colwyn Bay is facing the biggest crisis in its 57-year history, with gates closed since March 22 due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Their dedicated team has continued to provide care and support for more than 140 species, but with no revenue coming in they are struggling to meet the site’s monthly running costs of more than £120,000, including food, heating and bedding for the animals.

The public continues to support the Zoo’s fundraising campaign, and leading North Wales retailer PetPlace this week revealed how it will be helping the much-loved family favourite.

Managing Director Sion Pritchard said as a company dedicated to the health, happiness, and wellbeing of animals, they are only too happy to give their support.

“As well as donating our own branded food and using our buying team to source and supply them with specific products, we will be adding Welsh Mountain Zoo gift cards to our site and crediting 10% of each sale of these back to them for future purchases,” said Sion.

“The Zoo staff have products and food they buy regularly, so with people wanting to donate we have created a dedicated wish list page on our website identifying priority items.  Again, 10% of all these sales will be credited to the Zoo for future purchases.

“We will also be working with our suppliers to extend the time needed for payment from the Zoo, will help with storage of perishable goods, ensure we provide free delivery of fresh stock to them as and when they require, and are looking at other ways we can ease the burden at this difficult time.”

He added: “I live locally and have been visiting the Welsh Mountain Zoo since I was a child. It means a lot to me personally to be able to do something and like many people it would be devastating to see North Wales lose one of its greatest attractions.

“Thanks to everyone who has helped us put this together and donated to the cause – please continue to do so as the weeks and months ahead will still be challenging for them.

“I would particularly like to say a massive thanks to Ray Seager Scaffolding Services who have joined in supporting us. It’s great to see so many local businesses pulling together to help a worthwhile, local cause and it really shows the great community spirit we have in this region.”

Sion also paid tribute to PetPlace suppliers PureBed, who have already offered donations of products and additional support.

Jen Jesse, Director of Operations and Administration at the Zoo, thanked PetPlace for their efforts.

“We really appreciate the support shown to us by PetPlace,” she said.

“We’ve been overwhelmed by contributions from businesses and individuals who have provided an overwhelming amount of support since we took the difficult decision to close our gates.

“We are currently planning our approach to reopening and managing the impact that Covid-19 has had on the wider operation but look forward to making some positive announcements around dates very soon.”

To support the PetPlace campaign, visit www.farmandpetplace.co.uk, select the items you would like to purchase for them, and when you checkout be sure to enter the delivery address as Welsh Mountain Zoo, Colwyn Bay, Conwy, LL28 5UY.

Alternatively, call the sales team on 01492 542662 or speak to a Manager in store.

For more on Welsh Mountain Zoo, visit www.welshmountainzoo.org

News, Tourism

Tourism industry should expect 80% decline following COVID-19, say experts

International tourism could decrease by 60-80% due to COVID-19, says top experts at an event hosted by Trinity Business School.

According to panellists at the ’Travel and Tourism in a Post Covid Society’ online event, hosted by Trinity Business School, this massive decline in international tourism could also see a 1000 billion euro loss for the industry as a direct impact of the pandemic.

It was also noted that a uniform recovery of the international tourism sector was highly unlikely due to varying numbers of cases in individual countries.
Made up of international experts, the panel also discussed the impact of COVID on tourism in Ireland, Scotland, Australia and China.

During the event, a survey was also taken, asking the audience about their views on Ireland and its tourism sector. The results showed that the majority of respondents agreed with proposal of an inbound mandatory quarantine as a proportionate response to the pandemic.

However, only around half of all respondents thought that international tourist flows would recover to 2019 levels within 2 years. Slightly less than half thought that Ireland should follow other countries and open for international tourism in June.

Professor Brian Lucey, Director of Research at Trinity Business School and Chair of the online event, says:

“The tourist industry is one of global consequence, accounting for between 5-10 GDP in most countries with in some cases up to 25%. This is too large to be allowed to wither on the vine, and countries such as Ireland and the UK which are proposing to delay international tourist opening should seriously reconsider this.”

To learn more, please visit: https://www.tcd.ie/business/

Tourism, Travel

From ASBOs to Oz: Rachel Lodge Launches New Personal Travel Service

Former police officer, Rachel Lodge, is used to helping people after a long police career – only these days, she’s using her skills to find people the perfect holiday, complete with car hire, tours, transfers and travel insurance, having qualified as an Independent Travel Agent.

Her new role is a far cry from her final role with the Police, where, as an Anti-Social Behaviour Officer, Rachel would liaise with local authorities, community groups and social services. It was a role that Rachel loved, she explains:

“I came into the ASB role quite late in my career, having previously worked in child protection, general police work and CID, however it’s always been my desire to help people and make a difference and the ASB role was where I felt I was able to have the most impact – and I loved it.

“However, it was time to move on and do something for myself, and travel has always been my passion. I had long dreamed of setting up my own travel agency, so took the exams and handed in my notice.

“It’s fantastic that I can now work from home helping people fulfil their travel dreams!”

It’s certainly a drastic change of career. We asked Rachel what brought about the decision. She says:

“My passion for travel is something I have had for most of my adult life. It started when as a teenager I had the wonderful opportunity to stay for a month with an American family in Virginia USA. This was an amazing trip and I am still in contact with the family and their friends 38 years later!

“It’s a passion I share with my 77 year old Mother, who thinks nothing of flying to Australia and cruising back every other year. Ironically Australasia is the only continent I haven’t visited. I have been to the arctic circle in the north and the Falkland Islands in the South. A travel agency seemed the perfect way to combine a new career with that passion.”

Rachel is already enjoying success with her contacts at business networking meetings, and says this is due to the personal service she offers:

“Networking is great – I tend to view it as meeting new friends – and they say my background and the fact they know me personally gives them confidence to book with me. I can honestly say, I am loving every minute so far.

“I get asked for all the usual holidays, such as Popular Holiday Resorts, Disney, Cruises and international holiday packages – and they are ABTA/ATOL covered.

“However, I can also cater for independent travellers, who perhaps just want to book a flight, a holiday rental or a hotel – which I can offer across the Globe. I also offer pre-booked tours, car hire, transfers and travel insurance at reasonable rates.

Her new role means Rachel can also work from home, a far cry from her police days:

“Things have changed a lot since I joined the Force, but having children was a challenge with the job – when I was younger, I was on mixed shifts so sometimes I would finish work at 3am to be back up for the 6am feed! Thankfully the rules are a bit better now for returning Mums – but my new business is a lot more flexible!”

To learn more about Rachel’s Retreat Travel Shop, you can visit Rachel’s Website: http://rachellodge.inteletravel.uk/booktravel.cfm and can also find her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rachellodge17/ .

Tourism, Travel

Holiday extras: the Unexpected Costs Brits Face Going Abroad

MoneySuperMarket, the UK’s leading price comparison website, today reveals British holidaymakers could face up to £700 in additional costs to travel to certain countries this summer, on top of accommodation and travel fares, due to the cost of visas, vaccinations and travel insurance.

The in-depth report looked at 26 countries to reveal the most expensive destinations to visit, with China ranking top at £696. Despite having no visa fee and lower than average travel insurance premiums, it is still the most expensive due to the number of recommended inoculations, which includes hepatitis A and B, rabies, tetanus, tick-borne encephalitis and typhoid. In second place is India at £558, with Japan in third place at £549, particularly timely for England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales fans heading to Japan for next month’s Rugby World Cup.

The report also reveals the minimum time needed for the vaccinations to take effect. For diseases such as tick-borne encephalitis, the recommended vaccination schedule is 10 months, plus a recommended extra two weeks to finish the course before travelling [1]. This vaccination is recommended for people at high risk of infection or travelling to countries like China, Japan or Bulgaria.

The top 10 countries with the most expensive extra costs include:

 

Country

Visa needed?

Cost of vaccinations [2]

Minimum time for vaccinations to take effect

Average travel insurance

Total cost

1. China

Yes

£0 – £675

10 months, two weeks

£21

£696

2. India

Yes – Average £54 [3]

£0 – £480

Six months, one week

£24

£558

3. Japan

No

£0 – £525

10 months, two weeks

£24

£549

4. Bulgaria

No

£0 – £495

10 months, two weeks

£14

£509

5. Malaysia

No

£0 – £480

Six months, one week

£24

£504

6. Indonesia

No

£0 – £480

Six months, one week

£24

£504

7. Thailand

No

£0 – £480

Six months, one week

£23

£503

8. South Korea

No

£0 – £480

Six months, one week

£22

£502

9. Taiwan

No

£0 – £480

Six months, one week

£19

£499

10. Greece

No

£0 – £345

10 months, two weeks

£15

£360

Anna Sant, travel insurance expert at MoneySuperMarket, commented:

“If you’re going abroad, it’s essential to check with your GP for any vaccinations you may need. Vaccines like tetanus and hepatitis A are covered by the NHS, but additional jabs for different destinations may not be.

“It’s really important to listen to the advice of your doctor, not only for your own health but in the unfortunate event that you need to make a claim on your travel insurance. For example, if you are advised to have a typhoid jab and choose not to, or ignore the suggested timeframes for a vaccination to take effect, your insurer could refuse to pay out. However, if for any reason you cannot have the recommended vaccinations, for example because you are pregnant, then you would still be covered to travel without it.

“Buying travel insurance takes less than five minutes, with an annual policy costing as little as £11.15, so it’s worth doing as soon as you book your holiday, even if you’re not travelling for another six months [4].”

For more information, visit MoneySuperMarket to see how you can prepare for trips to popular holiday destinations around the world.