Gap Adventures offers UK travellers the chance to win 1 of 5 £250 travel vouchers and signed copies of best-seller 1,000 Places to See Before You Die every day for 5 days

London, 8 March, 2010 – New York Times best-selling author Patricia Schultz has been announced as the 10th celebrity judge in an esteemed panel that will select the Top 20 finalists of Gap Adventures’ highly-popular Create Your Own Adventure contest (www.createyourownadventure.com).

But the author of the definitive travel guide 1,000 Places to See Before You Die – who was named one of the 25 most influential women in travel by Forbes Magazine in 2008 – will have extra judging duties to carry out before she helps decide the top finalists. For all entries submitted between 8 March and 13 March, Schultz will select her five choices for ‘Best Adventure to Experience Before You Die’ out of the hundreds of worldwide submissions. The five winners will be awarded a £250 Gap Adventures travel voucher, as well as a signed copy of 1,000 Places to See Before You Die including a personalised message from the author.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to participate in such a dynamic online contest,” Schultz said. “Create Your Own Adventure allows travellers to share the itinerary of their dreams with others and communicate their passion for adventure to the world – I don’t think you could ask for anything more from a travel contest.”

The Create Your Own Adventure contest invites everyone from once-a-year travellers to seasoned globetrotters to submit an itinerary for the tour of their dreams, virtually anywhere in the world, virtually any way they want. Everyone with a winning tour idea can log on to www.createyourownadventure.com and use the customised itinerary engine to build their dream trip. The deadline for submissions is 31 March 2010 and the creator of the winning tour will have the opportunity to experience their adventure along with two lucky friends.

“Having Patricia Schultz come aboard as a judge simply is the perfect addition to this panel,” said Gap Adventures founder Bruce Poon Tip. “Her commitment to exploring the world in search of authentic travel experiences aligns perfectly with our goals when we first dreamt up this contest. I can’t wait for her to join me and the rest of our travel-loving judges to select the finalists.”

For brides-to-be and their mothers Whatley Manor (01666 822 888 www.whatleymanor.com), the beautifully restored private manor house that nestles in 12 acres of Wiltshire countryside, has devised a series of two full day spa experiences and an overnight Mother & Bride-to-Be Spa packages to help mothers and daughters escape from the preparations and indulge in some exclusive pampering in the luxurious surroundings of its award winning spa Aquarias.

Aquarias spa is the only La Prairie five star ‘Art of Beauty’ centre outside of London. These centres are only found in the most exclusive spas around the world and are a sign of outstanding quality.

With a choice of two full day midweek spa experiences guests can select either a two hour or three and a half hour series of treatments. The two hour series of treatments includes a sixty minute facial and a Jessica mini manicure and mini pedicure per person, plus full use of the spa facilities followed by a light lunch and refreshments and costs £195 per person. Or alternatively the three and a half hour series of treatments comprises a ninety minute facial, choosing from a host of luxurious and signature facials plus a Jessica mini manicure and mini pedicure per person and full use of the spa facilities. This is followed by a light lunch and refreshments served in the spa lounge for £310 per person.

For those that wish to extend the indulgence and treat themselves to an Overnight Mother & Bride-to-Be stay, packages start from at £555, based on two guests sharing a standard room (Midweek only – Sunday to Thursday night), full English breakfast, use of all the spa facilities plus a 60 minute spa treatment and mini manicure and mini pedicure per person and a light lunch and refreshments served in the spa lounge. Prices for a Deluxe room are £595 and for a Suite £655 based on two guests sharing.

For further information and to book call Whatley Manor on 01666 822 888 or visit the website at www.whatleymanor.com.

The Polish capital of Warsaw will host the 14th Ludwig van Beethoven Easter Festival later this month.

The ever-popular two-week event gets underway on Sunday 21st March, running until Saturday 3rd April.

Fourteen days will be dedicated to Beethoven and the wealth of classical music in the two centuries since his heyday, as Warsaw welcomes performers and artists from around the world.

Acting Director of the Polish National Tourist Office Bogdan Becla said: “The Beethoven Easter Festival is a big event in Warsaw, and it gets bigger and better every year.

“There’ll be concerts, performances and exhibitions throughout the two weeks of the festival, and it’ll be a great time to visit our capital city if you’re interested in Beethoven or classical music. And of course we’re celebrating Chopin’s 200th birthday this year, which will only add to the festivities.”

Every year the festival is built around a central theme, and this year organisers are celebrating the phenomenon of the piano alongside the genius of Poland’s favourite son, Fryderyk Chopin, and his contemporary Robert Schumann.

The Ludwig van Beethoven Easter Festival has been a part of Warsaw’s cultural calendar since 2004 after staring life in Krakow in 1997.

Tickets for performances are available now and you can find out more at http://www.beethoven.org.pl/en

• For further information contact Ewa Binkin on 020 8991 7074 or ewa.binkin@poland.travel

Enjoy an Easter with a difference and a great Pine Sunday too, by helping one of the Lake District’s most colourful characters – Sammy the Squirrel – hunt for the treasured pine cones that he hid before going into hibernation!

Sammy – mascot of iconic Lake District cruise company, Ullswater ‘Steamers’ – hid a stash of pine cones in various locations around his favourite lake before the hard, long winter set in. The hungry red squirrel is now eager to find them again, but needs the help of children and their families.

Anyone travelling with Ullswater ‘Steamers’ between April 3 and 20 can help locate a pine cone, and win a prize, by finding the clues on wildlife cards hidden in the ‘Steamers’ Lake Guides. They can then head to the online competition page at www.ullswater-steamers.co.uk to enter their answer and potentially win one of 50 prizes.

Ullswater ‘Steamers’, in conjunction with the Lake District conservation and nature project, Flora of the Fells, will also be running a real treasure hunt around Ullswater on April 15.

Prizes will be available on the day to those heading to the Ullswater ‘Steamers’ pier at Glenridding and signing up for the treasure hunt, by paying a £1 donation to conservation in the Lake District. Each entrant who returns a ticket with one of the hidden pine cones will win a prize, with up to 40 prizes available.

Both fun treasure hunts will enable visitors to learn more about local wildlife, as the wildlife cards highlight some of the characteristics of Red Squirrels, Holly Blue butterflies, Oyster Catchers, Nut Hatches and the Marsh Marigold.

Ullswater ‘Steamers’ cruises will be operating as usual throughout Easter, providing an idyllic cruise in some of Britain’s most stunning scenery. A return trip cruise lasting 70-minutes, from either Glenridding at the foot of the lake, or Pooley Bridge at its top, to Howtown costs £9.00 for an adult, £4.50 for a child, or £24.00 for a family.

A family ticket covers two adults and up to three children (aged 5-15) or one adult and three children. Under 5s travel free.

To find out how to make your Easter revolve around pine cones rather than eggs, visit www.ullswater-steamers.co.uk or call 01768 82229.

The opening by Poland’s Culture Minister on Monday 1st March of the high-tech Frederic Chopin Museum in Warsaw began the start of celebrations to mark 200 years since the birth of the country’s best loved composer. Located in Warsaw’s revamped 17th century Ostrogski Palace, which is perched on a hill near the Vistula River, the museum has been designed to plunge visitors into Chopin’s universe via cutting-edge audiovisual and interactive technologies.

Visitors to Poland with Regent Holidays can be amongst the first to visit the new museum as part of a short break that includes a number of excursions with strong Chopin connections. Called Chopin’s Special Weekend Break, this city break begins in Warsaw and includes a private optional excursion to Chopin’s birthplace and to the church in Brochow, where his parents were married and he was baptised. Another optional excursion will give visitors the chance to visit Chopin’s room in Czapski’s Palace, the Church of the Holy Cross containing the composer’s urn and Honoratka, his favourite café. The price for this two night city break starts from £385 per person and includes return flights, transfers, 2 nights accommodation on bed and breakfast basis in a four-star hotel, visit to the Frederic Chopin museum (from 1st April), half day coach tour of Warsaw and tickets to Chopin piano recital. The optional tours described are available at £93 and £97 per person respectively.

This is just one of a wide selection of tours on Regent’s new-look website which went live this week. The site has been completely redesigned with a fresh, clean look and offers user-friendly navigation around a product range that spans the Baltics and Eastern Europe, through Russia and Mongolia to China or North Korea via the Trans-Siberian Railway and even to Indo-China, Central Asia and the Caucasus, available as tailor-made tours, fly-drive holidays, escorted group tours or city breaks.

For information about Regent Holidays’ Alternative Europe, From Russia to the East, City Breaks, Iceland and Greenland programmes, visit www.regent-holidays.co.uk

Tourism businesses in North East England are being encouraged to go green to claim a bigger share of the North East’s £4bn tourism industry.

The region’s tourism agencies are keen to encourage rural businesses to explore the benefits of eco-friendly practices and become more appealing to environmentally aware holidaymakers.

A conference – Pure Profit 2010 – is being held in Durham City on March 18 to showcase how going green can make businesses more profitable, sustainable and marketable. The conference is delivered by tourism agency Visit County Durham on behalf of One North East and is sponsored by Natural England.

Janet Cummings, business performance coordinator at One North East, said: “More and more consumers are now environmentally aware and looking to reduce their carbon footprint whenever possible, even on holiday, leading many to choose domestic short breaks instead of overseas trips.

As this tourism trend grows it’s vital for North East England to be known nationally as a place that offers a high quality, ethical and green experience for visitors.”

Pure Profit 2010 is being held at the Rivergreen Centre, Aykley Heads, Durham, a multi award winning green business centre, and features speakers from the worlds of tourism, environmental research and sustainable business practices. Full details of the speakers in Notes to Editors.

Tourism is the UK’s fifth biggest industry, worth £4bn to the region’s economy per year and sustains over 60,000 jobs. Several North East tourism businesses are already benefiting from being green.

In 2009, North East accommodation businesses who were members of the Green Tourism Business Scheme recorded occupancy rates 19 per cent higher than non accredited businesses.

A recent pan European survey by electrical goods manufacturer Samsung found that a third of consumers would opt for an ‘eco-friendly’ hotel, demonstrating that green credentials have a major impact in influencing the decisions of holidaymakers.

Specialist tour operator, Just Slovenia, has teamed up with a company of award-winning professional photographers to offer short breaks including two-day photographic workshops and excursions.

Based in Ljubljana, Slovenia’s fascinating and highly photogenic capital, participants benefit from expert photographer guides and small groups, which allow flexibility to adjust itineraries according to weather and lighting conditions.

A guided tour of the capital with plenty of opportunity to take photographs, dinner with the photographer and time to discuss and view images, plus a half-day excursion are all part of the itinerary.

Prices start from £549 per person based on two people sharing and include flights from Stansted, three nights’ bed and breakfast at the Central Hotel in Ljubljana, one evening meal, plus airport transfers.

For further information, telephone 01373 814230 or visit www.justslovenia.co.uk.

Haven Holiday parks all around the UK are preparing to start the new season on March 19th by unveiling the results of a £40million winter investment programme.

Holidaymakers booking an early season break will be amongst the first to try out the new facilities at Haven’s 35 parks. New attractions range from Adventure Golf courses, new sports and play areas, improvements to venues and ShowBars, upgraded accommodation and, best of all, two fabulous Space Bowls giving guests the ultimate ‘Wow’ factor at Combe Haven near Hastings and Marton Mere at Blackpool!

Swimmers using the Space Bowls can expect a high speed ride down the flumes before spinning around the bowl and dropping into the pool. Great fun but not for the faint-hearted!

Haven say, ‘We’ve invested £40 million in our parks to ensure that families can enjoy even better facilities and some spectacular new innovations. But we’ve made sure our prices have remained affordable to provide the best possible value for money.’

Spring breaks start from as little as £99 for a family of up to six in ‘Superior’ holiday homes on three night breaks from March 19th or four night breaks from March 22nd. The special deal is available at a wide choice of parks including The Orchards near Clacton in Essex, Golden Sands near Mablethorpe, Hafan y Mor in North Wales and Haven’s flagship park, Devon Cliffs near Exmouth.

If you can’t get away until the Easter holidays Combe Haven is offering breaks from April 9th at £179 for a family of six and Marton Mere is offering Bank Holiday Breaks, arriving 2nd April from £299 – both prices based on ‘Superior’ bedroom holiday homes.

For bookings and more info call 0871 230 1900 or click on www.haven.com

Indulge in a festival of fun and enjoy the real deal this St. Patrick’s Day at Dublin’s traditional festival, whilst enjoying a three-night stay for the price of two at nearby golf and spa resort The K Club, with five-star luxury from just £279 per person* including full Irish breakfast each morning and a gourmet dinner.

When it comes to green face-painting and clanking of glasses there’s no better place to get into the spirit than Ireland’s fair city. Dublin is hosting a six-day festival including street theatre, music, comedy, outdoor spectaculars, dance and visual art for all to enjoy.

Families will love the St Patrick’s treasure hunt welcoming children of all ages to explore the city by solving clues and competing for prizes such as best-dressed family, along with the Big Day Out offering fun workshops, quirky activities and exclusive performances.

There is a range of activities for everyone including comedy and music shows, art trails, film exhibitions and funfairs, festival-goers can see the annual celebration off with the grand finale on St Patrick’s Day at the ‘Extraordinary World’-themed parade featuring inventive street-theatre troupes, artists, giant characters, dancers and marching bands – all being filmed for Irish television.

Guests can retreat after a fun-packed day to the award-winning AA five-star Kildare hotel – The K Club, just half an hour away from Dublin, yet set amidst 550 acres of breathtaking County Kildare scenery. The resort features two Arnold Palmer-championship golf courses, the Palmer Ryder Cup course and the Palmer Smurfit Course as well as The K Spa, which boasts a pool, Jacuzzi, outdoor hot tub and gymnasium as well as a range of fabulous world-class treatments.

Fans of the famous Irish stout can mark the St Patrick’s celebration with a visit to the grave of Sir Arthur Guinness, founder of the globally-recognised company, just ten minutes away from the resort. Guests at The K Club will also receive a complimentary Guinness on arrival.

The St. Patrick’s Day package is for three nights’ luxury accommodation in a superior room with full Irish breakfast and a gourmet dinner in The River Room restaurant on an evening of your choice along with full use of The K Spa facilities.

For bookings call 00 353 1 601 7200 or visit www.kclub.com

*Based on two sharing and including free night
For more information on Dublin’s St Patrick’s Festival and ticket prices visit www.stpatricksfestival.ie

The Ski Club of Great Britain has announced the launch of a new mountain event taking place this April, during the Easter school holidays. The Ski Club Dual Slalom will be open to all ages and abilities and takes place in Tignes, France on Wednesday 7 April 2010.

This brand new event gives skiers and snowboarders the chance to race in teams of four on two slalom courses set up side-by-side. With a free drink for every entrant, top class prizes and optional fancy dress it can’t fail to be an enjoyable day on the slopes.

“The Ski Club is delighted to announce that we will be running this new event in one of Europe’s most popular resorts. We know how people like to get involved in races and we felt a dual slalom would be perfect to get the competitive juices flowing for skiers and snowboarders of all standards. It is not only a race but also a chance to mingle, don your best fancy dress, win prizes and party into the evening” said Emma Bebb from the Ski Club.

The race will take place from 1-3pm on Wednesday 7 April in Val Claret, by the Tichot lift. Entries can be made by filling in an online entry form on the Ski Club website, or in resort with the Ski Club reps at the Alpaka Lodge any evening from 4 April between 6.15pm and 7.15pm. You can also enter on the day. Costs are €20 per team (€5 per person) for Ski Club members and seasonnaires and €30 per team (€7.50 per person) for everyone else. For those people not in a team the Ski Club will be put individuals into teams of four.

After the race there will be an awards ceremony at Le Coffee, Evolution 2’s restaurant situated on the mountain. Prizes can be won for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in both a Trophy and Plate competition, plus awards for the best family, best children and best fancy dress. Following the race there is an after party in the Loop Bar in Tignes Le Lac from 8.30pm where there will be drinks promotions, games and dancing.