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The worst flash floods seen in southern France for almost 200 years have now claimed the lives of least 25 people.

Torrential rain caused mud to pour through towns and villages in the popular holiday region that lies inland of the Cote d’Azur.

The initial death toll following Tuesday’s flood in the Var region stood at 19. But yesterday authorities announced they had discovered six more bodies

And officials warned other bodies might be found as the search continued as rescuers continued digging through mud-filled cars and wreckage for 13 people still missing.

Hundreds of people remain unable to return to their homes because of damage. Many are being housed temporarily in schools.

Cornwall is crowned the UK’s best holiday destination at travel-industry awards.

The county claimed the British Travel Award title for 2008 winner, following a public vote. last won the award in 2006.

Tourism accounts for around 25% of Cornwall’s economy and is the county’s largest employer.

About five million people visit the area yearly and figures show visitors spent £1.6bn in 2007.

The county has more than 300 beaches and 40% of holiday visitors go to The Eden Project during their stay making it the county’s most popular attraction.

Steve Kessell, VisitCornwall,  “Being awarded the title 
“Best UK Holiday Destination” is fantastic for Cornwall.

“It recognises the hard work of the industry and shines the national spotlight on Cornwall.

“The fact it is based on public opinion makes it more significant as it comes from people that count.

The Chairman of Devon and Cornwall Business Council, Tim Jones: “The award reflects the incredible amount of hard work  Cornwall has done to improve tourism and reinvent the way tourism can be profitable in a recession.

Source bbco.uk

The Italian government is to offer extra funding for the tourist industry, something that will benefit those investing in holiday rentals and property.

Italian Prime minister Silvio Berlusconi announced the plan whereby the country’s largest banks will be able to offer loans with favourable interest rates for developers of tourism facilities, the total funding standing at EUR1.6 billion (GBP1.38 billion).

He said the idea was to double the amount the holiday industry contributes to the gross domestic product to 20 per cent, noting that tourism in some countries such as  Spain currently contributes more to the national income.

People buying tourist rental property in Italy may find the demand is boosted by improvements to the infrastructure and facilities offerered to visitors.

British property investors in Italy have become increasingly involved especially in Sicily over the past couple of years, Country Life magazine recently reported.

The magazine noted that the eastern side of Sicily is the most favoured area for UK investors.

[article source-propertyshowrooms]

Second home owners are facing a tax hit. The Chancellor is changing economics for holiday home owners who make an income from their property.

Alistair Darling is making changes to rules introduced in 1983. These rules allowed owners to treat their holiday home as a holiday rentals business so that losses could be used to reduce tax on their main income. Owners will also lose entitlement to business asset roll-over relief so that any profit cannot be invested in another property.

Mr Darling says “the changes are needed to to keep in line with European law”. The changes will take effect in the 2010/11 financial year.

Without these incentives second home owners may decide not to rent their property out causing a shortage in the rental market. Fewer holidaymakers will mean less money put into the local economy, with pubs restaurants and shops hit hard.

Of course its still a better bet to buy a holiday property than leave the money in a building society account, especially as prices have generally dropped.

Research from Savills indicates second homes in the UK reached a high of 245,000 in 2008 up 2.6% on the previous year.

Ipsos is about 15 minutes drive from Corfu airport. Car hire will cost about £160 per week in July. A taxi will set you back around £10 per person from the airport.
Ipsos beach has an EU blue flag, the sea is clear and mostly calm. Albania is visible from the narrow sandy beach which also has plenty of water sports available.
There are plenty of cocktail bars nightclubs and bars along the 2km road next to the beach. Ipsos is a lively town, however it’s a good starting point for the archaeological sites within this area. There are plenty of families and young couples holidaying in Ipsos with the harbour end of the resort a little quieter than the main strip.
The weather is hottest in July and August and usually the most pleasant time of day is the evening. Air con is a must if you don’t like sleeping in warm temperatures.
Overall this town is very friendly, quite lively, clean and a great place for a family holiday.

Sardinia is an Island about the size of Wales nestled in the middle of the Mediterranean between Italy and Spain.

There are three airports, at Alghero on the west coast Olbia on the east coast and Cagliari on the south coast. It has a rugged and mountainous interior and is a very green and fertile island.

Its history is rich and far reaching with human inhabitants starting before 6000BC. The Phoenicians lived here from 1000BC until 509BC when the Carthaginians were called upon to help defeat the native Sardinians who were opposed to the Phoenician expansion inland. The island was handed over to Roman rule in 283BC after the Romans defeated Carthage, this rule was to last 694 years. Vandals, Arabs and Berbers visited for short periods until Kingdoms from Italy and Spain took turns dominating the island. Today Sardinia is a phasing in European Union region.

Sardinia really is a hidden jewel. The island has lots of fabulous beaches “and I mean lots” the sea at almost all beaches is gin clear, turquoise in colour and moderately warmed by the summer sun.

Tourism is mainly Italian families coming for their summer Holidays, although tourists worldwide visit the island, with around 10 million per year. The north east coast area of Costa Smeralda is a haven for the Rich and famous, the centre of the island is great for walking climbing with its rough mountainous terrain. And just about anywhere on the coast is suitable for that summer beach holiday.

The weather is pleasant from April until October with temperatures averaging 30C in July and August with a few 35C plus days.

Holiday rentals and Villas in Sardinia

The 2009 summer is ‘odds on for a barbecue summer’, according to forecasts. Summer temps across the UK are very likely to be warmer than average.

Chief Meteorologist Ewen McCallum of the met office, said: “After two wet summers, the signs are much more promising for year. We can expect temperatures will be above 30 °C, something we hardly saw last year.”

Although the forecast is for a drier and warmer summer than average that does not mean that we will not get some heavy downpours at times. However, a repeat of the wet summers of 2007 and 2008 is unlikely.

Government Services Director, Rob Varley, said: “Our long-range forecasts are proving useful to a range of people, such as emergency planners and the water industry, in order to help them plan ahead. They are not forecasts which can be used to plan a summer holiday or inform an outdoor event.”

Met Office seasonal forecasts are just one part of the jigsaw in the range of forecasts provided, complementing our shorter-range forecasts and supporting our role, as the nation’s official weather forecaster, to help everyone make the most of the weather.

The Met Office works with the Environment Agency, SEPA, the NHS and others across government to ensure that we are ready to meet the challenges that severe weather may present us at any time of the year.

Article source - met office

Perpignan is the capital of the Pyrénées-Orientales, Northern Catalonia part of France.

Near the border of Northern Spain Perpignan has mix of cultures including Catalan, North African and Romany. Just a 2 hour drive from the Catalonian capital of Barcelona, its easy to see where the Catalan influence comes from.

The international airport of Perpignan Rivesaltes is right on the doorstep enabling tourists to enter the area from Europe and beyond. Cheap flights from the UK to Perpignan with the low cost operators are plentiful all year round, costing from around £20 off peak.

What is there to see when you get there?

• Palais des Rois de Majorque - Used as the king’s residence from the twelfth to the fourteenth century.
• Cathédrale Saint-Jean - Built in 1602.
• Jardin de Sant-Vicens - Exotic gardens and shopping.

For the sun and sea lovers there are plenty of fabulous beaches to visit within minutes of the town, Canet Plage, Sainte-Marie Plage, and Sainte-Cyprien Plage being the closest. For naturist’s Cap d’Agde is a purpose built resort. The whole coast is home to water sports of all levels of ability.

Holiday rentals Perpignan

The EU’s disease control agency are strongly advising people against traveling to Mexico due to the swine flu outbreak.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control say - Europeans should only go to Mexico if its “unavoidable and absolutely necessary.”

The World Health Organization did recommend against restricting international travel, saying that the containment of the outbreak was not possible.

ECDC Director Zsuzsanna Jakab said Tuesday that travel restrictions is “one of the ways to make sure we protect the EU” from the Swine flu (H1N1 strain) virus.

The agency has been recommending  EU members issue travel advisories for Mexico. Several other countries have  already done so.