Henry Ashworth

There are new kids on the block, and they have the big boys scratching their heads. These are low cost or budget airlines and they are becoming increasingly popular around the world.

With consumer budgets stretched, everyone's looking for travel deals. The big traditional airlines are now experiencing downturns in bookings and loss of market share.

If you would like something slightly different for your holiday this year, the Spanish island of Majorca might appeal, where a grand country estate has been opened to the public.

The Raixa country estate is the newest addition to Majorca's many attractions, and it could prove to be popular for 2009 - the estate will give both holidaymakers and locals a glimpse of Majorca's interesting past, as well as a close-up of the flora of the island.

Cyprus is known for its beautiful beaches and turquoise waters. Each year thousands of vacationers from chillier climates descend on the island to sunbathe, swim and just generally relax. Cyprus beaches are so inviting that visitors return year after year to hot spots like Ayia Napa, Makronisis, Nissi and Coral Bay.

The beaches tend to attract like groups.

The mountain range of the Pyrenees are known for some terrific ski resorts. Located on the borders of Spain and France, they offer skiers some of the best slopes in the world. Though many visitors choose to stay in either Spain or France, there is one more option. For the best in skiing, services and hospitality, the tiny country of Andorra should be your holiday destination.

2009 is going to be a challenging year for Lanzarote's holiday business as most of her main markets on the European mainland, and the UK and Ireland, slip into recession - but the island will be hoping that people who have visited before won't be able to give up their week or two in Lanzarote and decide that a Lanzarote holiday is a priority, recession or no recession!

Early tourism on Lanzarote began as doctors prescribed sun and relaxation to stressed and elderly patients.

Gran Canaria has much to offer tourists looking for warm balmy days on pristine sandy beaches to break up the Northern European winter weather.

Just off the coast of Africa and the third largest island in the Canary Islands chain, Gran Canaria is not far from better known Tenerife. Though it is the third largest of the islands, Gran Canaria is the most populated.

The media seem to warn everyday that there's no money in the economy, that no-one has any money, and if any does have money they certainly aren't spending it.

This is often reported from shopping malls with hundreds of people laden down with shopping bags walking past the journalist.

And so it has been with the travel industry - people aren't booking holidays, and if they are it's not in the Eurozone areas including Spain, but to Turkey, Egypt and Morocco.

The holiday island of Lanzarote is well known in Europe for her family friendly vacations, both in the summer and winter.

But now Lanzarote is attracting holidaymakers for a niche travel market - surfing.

And for the surfer looking to catch great waves in a top beach destination, Lanzarote has just been recognised as being one of the best locations in the world to pursuit the sport - or just for fun.

With the economy doing poorly, often a new baby might be a drain on many family's household budgets - but not in Britain it would seem with ever more families taking an overseas holiday within weeks of the new arrival.

A survey undertaken by a British insurance company reveals that by the time children today are eleven years old, they would have travelled to as many places and flown as many miles as their grandparents have during their entire lifetimes.

Menorca is traditionally seen as the quietest of Spain's Balearic Islands, and is often seen as the ideal holiday destination for families with children, and for those who like a bit of peace and quiet.

But Menorca is a beautiful island, and although many sightseeing companies give excellent guided tours, showing Menorca's history and places of beauty, there's a lot of places that a bus cannot access and isn't seen by holidaymakers.