Latest News/Press Releases:
Welcome to the Secret Destinations Press Release/Resource section. Our latest news appears at the top, however you can click on any press release date in the panel below to see another article. If you are a travel writer and require further information regarding any properties in our programme, please contact: allisonpiearce@secretdestinations.com
Release Date: |
Title: |
| 27/02/2008 | At last - direct Canaries flights to La Palma with great accommodation |
| 02/10/2007 | Travelling in the footsteps of kings |
| 03/08/2007 | Gran Canaria Forest Fires - Tourism not affected |
| 26/07/2007 | Independent travel specialists merger |
| 06/06/2007 | Holiday villas that are one price all-year-round |
| 20/04/2007 | New range of affordable luxury villas in Mallorca and Lanzarote |
| 26/03/2007 | Reduce your carbon footprint on this year's Spanish holiday |
| 05/03/2007 | Secret Destinations - a new beginning for a familiar name in independent travel |
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RELEASE DATE: 27/02/2008:
At last! Direct Canaries
flights to La Palma
with great accommodation
Many holidaymakers seeking a relaxing Canarian holiday already know that La Palma is a little gem - a beautiful heart shaped island covered with exuberant vegetation, palm groves and pine forests - coupled with the fascination of La Caldera de Taburiente at the heart of its National Park.
Secret Destinations has always featured La Palma within its secret Canaries programme and it offers one of the largest collections of holiday accommodation on the island. However, until now, this Canary Island has been difficult to access, with visitors having to fly to neighbouring Tenerife to take a transfer flight or ferry to La Palma. Many visitors could lose at least a day of their precious holiday time simply waiting for transfers to and from the island.
The good news is that weekly flights now operate directly to La Palma from Manchester and Gatwick, every Monday throughout the year.
John Smith, Sales Manager at Secret Destinations said: "This is wonderful news for anyone looking for a holiday on La Palma. We have featured it for many years as it is so popular with nature lovers and walkers. Now our customers can fly there directly, gaining as much as a whole day of their holiday which would have previously been spent transfering."
A full range of self catering accommodation is available through Secret Destinations, from apartments and cottages to fincas and villas with pools and their tailor made holiday service can also arrange flights, car hire and holiday insurance.
For further information visit: www.secretdestinations.com or call them on 0845 612 9000.
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RELEASE DATE: 02/10/2007:
Travelling in the footsteps of kings
Independent Spanish holiday company Secret Destinations is proud to announce the launch of its new hotels programme. The range of accommodation still includes self-catering villas and apartments throughout Spain, Mallorca and the Canary Islands and this is now complemented by a full programme of Parador hotels.
The Secret Destinations brand has always strived to represent a true taste of authentic Spain, with a choice of holiday accommodation in relatively undiscovered locations, tucked away from the tourism masses and commercialised costas. Following the introduction of Parador hotels to the programme, customers can now travel in the footsteps of kings, conquistadors, poets and troubadours; stay in a medieval castle, palace or ancestral home and enjoy a privileged location on the coast or at the rural heart of Spain.
Reservations manager John Smith said: "During the year we noticed that many of our customers were asking for hotel accommodation in their favourite tucked away locations where they had previously enjoyed a villa holiday with us. We found The range of Parador hotels to be the perfect complement to our popular self-catering programme."
Most of the hotels in the Parador group are ancient monuments, historic ancestral homes or traditional buildings that have been sympathically restored. They bring together history and tradition with state-of-the-art facilities.
Secret Destinations has made it very easy to find your perfect Parador hotel quickly. A user-friendly inter-active map on the website enables you to quickly zoom in to any area of Spain. You can then see all of the hotels available there.
Visit www.secretdestinations.com/paradores-hotels.html or call the reservations team on 0845 612 9000 for more information.
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RELEASE DATE: 03/08/2007:
Gran Canaria Forest Fires
- Tourism not affected
Last Friday, July 27th, a forest fire was declared in the Pajonales Zone, in the Central West of Gran Canaria. The elevated temperatures and prevailing winds produced a rapid spread of the blaze to this area of the island.
The latest reports from the Tourism Board of Gran Canaria states that the situation is now normalised. Fire crews and the emergency services have worked intensely to extinguish the flames and the fire was officially declared to be under control yesterday.
Fortunately all of those displaced can now return to their homes and the general situation can return to normal, with reasonable precautions. Regarding the tourism infrastructure, the situation is absolutely normal. Moreover, among rural housing, only one establishment has suffered material damage.
The first reports estimate 20,000 acres of land has been affected and there are no reports of any human casualties. In general, the damage has been at environmental level; the fire has affected more the forest floor than the treetops, and it is anticipated that natural regeneration of the forest as a whole will be relatively quick. The 'pinus canariensis', the tree that predominates on Gran Canaria, is a species of great resistance to fires and has an enormous capacity for regeneration.
A Gran Canaria Tourism Board spokesman said: "The Airport is functioning perfectly and tourists are continuing to enjoy thier holidays on the island. We will be working to ensure that the affected areas will once again offer the wonderous views that Gran Canaria is famous for as soon as possible."
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RELEASE DATE: 26/07/2007:
Independent travel
specialists merger
Crewe based travel technology firm Inform Solutions Ltd, has joined forces with independent travel specialists The Villa Company. This exciting new venture sees the merger of Inform�s popular Secret Destinations brand with The Villa Company�s established holiday programme. The official name of the new company is The Villa Company (Travel) Ltd trading as Secret Destinations.
Secret Destinations has always featured rural and coastal holiday accommodation in tucked-away locations in Spain, where the traditional Spanish way of life has been preserved. They also remain one of the very few tour operators to include holidays to all seven of the Canary Islands. The Villa Company specialises in luxury villas that offer a high level of sophistication in France, Corsica, Italy, Spain, Mallorca, Florida and the Algarve.
Andy Hamer, founding director of The Villa Company, realised there was a demand for quality independent holidays when he was a driving force behind the Something Special brand at holiday company Thomson. He says:
"We know the discerning holidaymaker wants to experience the diverse culture, sights and flavours of the destination they have chosen to visit. For this reason, many of our villas have been specially selected for their highly desirable locations, hidden away from the crowds."
Both companies have a deep understanding for independent travel and they know such authentic charm and character is best enjoyed in areas far removed from the package holiday masses. They have successfully built their programmes to feature holiday accommodation in largely undiscovered locations or in sophisticated enclaves of the most popular resorts; a philosophy that has proved highly popular with holidaymakers seeking a traditional taste of the country they are visiting.
Even though their programmes featured different destinations, both companies in the merger realised there were tremendous similarities in their approach to customer satisfaction; not surprisingly then, many of their customers share the same taste in holidays. The aim of the new joint venture is to build on the companies' combined strengths, with the synergy to offer a higher standard of customer service; an unrivalled selection of quality accommodation in excellent locations, coupled with a knowledgeable team that cares passionately about independent travel.
As both companies currently enjoy a strong brand identity, the joint venture will continue to market both brand names independently for the foreseeable future.
"The main benefit to customers is they will still be able to book with a familiar name they know and trust, but they will have a far greater range of destinations and in excess of a thousand quality, hand-picked villas and apartments to choose from,� says Andy.
The Spain, Mallorca and Canaries programmes are available at www.secretdestinations.com (Tel: 0845 612 9000) with the other destinations featured at www.villa-holiday-company.co.uk (Tel: 0845 052 0660).
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RELEASE DATE: 06/06/2007:
Holiday villas that are
one price all-year-round
Every year thousands of holidaymakers are forced to pay more for their holiday accommodation, simply because they can only travel at peak times of the year. Hundreds of tour operators take advantage of this captive market and seasonally increase their prices, especially during the school holidays. This unfair attitude is grudgingly accepted by the thousands of families who are limited to taking their holiday between the school terms, and they believe they have no choice but to pay a higher price for their annual holiday.
In a valiant attempt to address this situation, Crewe based tour operators Secret Destinations have introduced a range of 'one price all year' holiday villas in the Canary Islands. They guarantee that when a customer chooses their villa from this range, they will pay exactly the same price whatever time of the year they travel, with no supplements and absolutely no seasonal price fluctuations - not even during school holidays!
Customers have a choice of accommodation from coastal villas and apartments to rural fincas and country cottages. Areas currently featured in the range include popular Fuerteventura and Tenerife, along with the quieter islands of La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro. The company is planning to increase its range of one price villas to include Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and other areas of mainland Spain and Mallorca.
Reservations manager John Smith says: " We are very pleased to give our customers such excellent value for money. When our private villa owners offer us their accommodation at one price all year round, then we believe these savings should be passed directly on to our customers."
So, if you're still looking to get away during the school holidays, the full range of hand-picked, privately owned villas and apartments throughout Spain, Mallorca and all seven Canary Islands are all available at www.secretdestinations.com, or you can call the holiday team directly on 0845 612 9000 and ask about their 'one price all year' villas.
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RELEASE DATE: 20/04/2007:
New range of affordable luxury villas
in Mallorca and Lanzarote
If you want to enjoy luxury and sophistication on this year's sunshine holiday, then Secret Destinations' new range of private villas in Mallorca and Lanzarote could be what you're looking for.
All of the luxury villas in this hand-picked selection are located in the very best areas of each island. Many are set amid rolling countryside or enjoy privileged coastal locations in exclusive marina enclaves, close to golden sandy beaches and splendid golf courses.
So whether you're dreaming of a romantic villa for two with a private pool or a nine bedroom stately home set amid lush private grounds, at www.secretdestinations.com you can choose from a wide range of beautifully appointed accommodation that offers a superb level of refinement and luxury.
- Fabulous choice - coastal, countryside and exclusive marina village locations
- Large & small villas - from 2 people to groups of 16
- Competitive prices with no hidden charges
All of the villa prices are clearly displayed and are 'per property per week', based on maximum occupancy with no hidden charges, so it's easy to see exactly how little your private villa will cost.
Furthermore some of the main airlines flying to Lanzarote and Mallorca are now offering great deals on their early summer prices, with return fares starting from as little as �109 per person*. Customers can take advantage of their preferred airline's reduced fares, while the Secret Destinations holiday team help them to find the ideal luxury villa.
*Based on return flights with Thomsonfly from Birmingham to Palma, Mallorca, Dep. 07 May 2007, Rtn. 14 May 2007, �108.98 avg. per person all taxes included; and based on return flights with Monarch from Manchester to Arrecife, Lanzarote, Dep. 07 June 2007, Rtn. 14 June 2007. �138.00 avg. per person all taxes included.
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RELEASE DATE: 26/03/2007:
Reduce your carbon footprint
on this year's Spanish holiday
Many travellers will enjoy a holiday abroad this year and, despite all of the current environmental issues concerning air travel, a high percentage of them will still choose to fly to their destination. However, for the growing number who want to experience the warm Spanish sunshine without unnecessarily adding to the earth's greenhouse gases, the holiday team at www.secretdestinations.com has a solution.
Journeys by air are highly carbon intensive and we are now being encouraged to fly less. Just to put it into perspective, a family of four taking a return flight from London to Santander produces on average 1.12 tonnes of carbon emissions; the same family travelling by ferry and car will produce on average .32 tonnes � less than a third of those produced by flying*.
So if you are looking for ways to reduce your carbon footprint (or simply can't face the hassle of airports this summer) then look no further. Secret Destinations has increased its range of holiday accommodation in the lush green north of Spain. They offer you a selection of villas, apartments, cottages and country houses in Galicia, Asturias and Cantabria. From quaint fishing villages and superb coastal resorts, to enchanting villages nestled amid the fabulous Picos de Europa mountains; whatever your choice of destination all of their northern green Spain villas can be reached easily within a day's drive from Bilbao or Santander ferry ports.
Just imagine, your holiday can begin with a leisurely mini-cruise across the Chanel on board a luxury ferry; you arrive in Spain refreshed and relaxed, ready to drive through beautiful scenery on the journey to your villa � all this without the hassle of airport check-in queues, flight delays and cramped aircraft seating � but most importantly you'll be reducing your carbon footprint and helping to limit potential damage to the environment.
To see the whole range of hand-picked villas and apartments in Spain visit: www.secretdestinations.com.
Source: www.co2balance.com . *Comparison based on a family of 4 flying from London Heathrow to Santander and a family of 4 travelling by ferry from Porthsmouth to Santander with a medium sized petrol engine car.
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RELEASE DATE: 05/03/2007:
Secret Destinations - a new beginning for
a familiar name in independent travel
The popular Secret Destinations holiday brand has been taken over by Crewe based travel technology firm Inform Solutions Ltd.
A firm favourite with independent travellers to Spain and the Canaries for many years, the popular Secret Destinations brand is now under the strong leadership of its new owners. They are looking forward to building on the brand's reputation for offering a choice of individual, privately owned holiday accommodation in off-the-beaten-track locations, and will continue to offer its customers holidays with a truly authentic taste of Spain and the Canaries.
Part of this on-going commitment to Secret Destinations' loyal customers has seen the new company retain most of the existing holiday team and resort reps, bringing with them their passion for Spain, travel expertise and considerable knowledge of the areas featured in the programme. They firmly believe that a high quality service can only be achieved from staff with good product knowledge.
The change of ownership has also led to a total re-launch of the Secret Destinations' website, with fresh new branding, backed up by a dedicated technical support and development team. Secretdestinations.com is still highly informative, with in-depth guides and reviews of the areas featured in its programme, yet it is even easier to navigate, with clearly displayed prices and availability, helping customers to quickly find their ideal holiday accommodation.
Further development will incorporate useful new features such as 'create your own personal brochure' and itinerary building tools, to give the visitor an even better on-line experience.
Secret Destinations have listened to their customers carefully and have seen many changes in recent market trends. More customers now choose a self-catering holiday rather than to stay in a hotel, and the new website reflects this preference by including all of the very best villas and apartments in the most popular areas - from rural hamlets tucked away in the lush countryside of northern green Spain, to enchanting whitewashed mountain villages and undiscovered coasts in hot and vibrant Andalucia. The company is also continuing to feature accommodation on all seven Canary Islands � many of which are not covered by other tour operators.
Future plans will see the return of Mallorca, Madeira and the Azores to the programme, along with other new exciting destinations in Cyprus and further a field in Cape Verde.
The aim of the new company is to build on Secret Destinations' reputation for offering a high standard of service, coupled with a knowledgeable team that cares passionately about sharing the hidden treasures of authentic Spain and the Canaries. The dedicated staff are on hand (either by phone or email) to help customers find their perfect villa or apartment and enjoy an independent holiday experience.
Further information is available by calling 0845 6129000, email info@secretdestinations.com or visit the website: www.secretdestinations.com
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