Yesterday saw Chancellor George Osbourne bring some good news for the travel industry in this year’s budget. It was announced that Air Passenger Duty (APD) will not be increasing this year. Osbourne told how he will be delaying the increase until next year due to the heavy rises in tax last year.

It was also confirmed that talks will be starting today regarding the system of distance banding used for the tax. These talks will review the “rather arbitrary nature of the banding system which appears to consider the Caribbean to be further away than parts of the US and Hawaii,” he commented.

APD will now be extended to private jets too so that APD taxation does not have to be increased. He said “the wealthiest should not escape the tax the ordinary holidaymaker has to pay.” The hefty rise in last year’s duty and the increasing cost pressures on families was the reason behind the delay in the APD rise.

Osbourne further added that he wanted to replace APD with a per plane duty. However current international laws permit this, and so the UK government will now be working to change this law.

What did you make of Chancellor George Osbourne’s 2011 budget? Are you happy with the freeze in APD or do you think better changes should have been made instead? Let us know your opinions by leaving your comments below.

Family holidays’ can be hard to get right. The last thing you want as parents, is bored children nagging you all holiday, and the last thing your kids’ want is to be bored with nothing to do.

With this in mind, Holidays Please recommends Mauritius for you luxury family holiday, it offers fun and exciting activities for the children, as well as the opportunity of a relaxing escape for the adults…

1)     Mauritius is surrounded by a coral reef which creates a safe tranquil lagoon around the island, making it an incredibly safe environment for the children; and a lot less stressful for mum and dad!
2)      Many of the hotels in Mauritius have child care. Club Med in particular caters for different age groups; babies from as young as 24 months all the way up to the under 18’s can benefit from the clubs, with lots of fun activities all day!
3)      Mauritius also encourages family activities and there is a huge selection of fun activities to try, including water skiing, kayaking and swimming! Try them all and rate each other’s attempts!
4)      Why not designate a day to complete relaxation. Most hotels and resorts provide spas, so while the kids are making friends and enjoying their own activities, you can book yourself a massage and enjoy some time relaxing and unwinding!

We recommend the Shandrani resort and spa. As well as the incredible spa, they also offer a ‘mini club’.

If you’ve been unsure of where to travel next, hopefully our Mauritius holiday guide has helped! Place an enquiry now and a member of our sales team will be pleased to offer you more advice.

Anyone on the lookout for somewhere inspiring to stay while in Thailand should look no further than Ko Lipe.

A tiny island – measuring only one kilometre by two kilometres – in the Andaman Sea, it nevertheless offers holidaymakers plenty to do.

For those who like more lively breaks, Pattaya Beach offers bars and restaurants on the sand, while on the other side of the island, Sunrise Beach is a relaxing haven and a great base for scuba diving thanks to its coral reefs.

Ko Lipe can be easily reached by boat from the main tourist resorts of Koh Phi Phi, Krabi and Trang.

There is also accommodation to suit all budgets, the Thai tourist board attests, with everything from backpackers’ huts to a five-star hotel.

Meanwhile, anglers may soon be flocking to Thailand after it was reported that a man has landed what could be the biggest ever freshwater fish caught on a line.

Ian Welch landed the stingray while working to tag the species with a team of biologists on the Maeklong River.

It weighed 55 stone and was seven feet long with a sting measuring ten feet.

The whopper was tagged and released back into the wild.

South Africa is located on the southern tip of the African continent. It is a vast country with lots to offer; it is known for its diversity in cultures, languages and religious beliefs and eleven official languages are recognised by the constitution.
It is so diverse that it actually has areas that have as many as seven distinct ecosystems. There are very interesting adventures and wild life in South Africa that is not to be missed.
As its coastline is on the Indian Ocean, the beautiful warm sea water is very welcoming to tremendous sea life. Dolphins, sharks and whales inhabit the south in particular where the Indian Ocean meets the Atlantic.
Despite the sharks this warm water is perfect for surfing and water sports! If you fancy exploring then the best way to see the country is tours by air as it allows vast amounts to be seen.
Overfly the South Drakensberg area and view the dramatic landscapes of cliffs and forested river valleys. If you stop for the Zululand tour then you will witness energetic welcome dances to a traditional drum beat.
Canoeing, mountaineering, hiking and biking are also pursuits that you can enjoy. Make sure you visit large memorable sites such as Table Mountain, Johannesburg and Cape Town as it will make your holiday very special!