British people, as elsewhere, are facing a recession but also dealing with the declining value of the pound. Banks have lent out too much money. Unemployment is up and manufacturing is down. The current recession is likely due to the credit crunch, combined with the falling price of houses. Britain hasn’t experienced this kind of economic situation since the recession of 1991.

Despite trying times, they aren’t willing to give up their holidays. Instead, British consumers are using the recession to get cheap deals on holidays.

Cheap Holidays for British Tourists

Spending the holidays taking in the sand and sun of beaches on the Mediterranean or taking in the history of a distant country has become second nature to British consumers. In the past, trips to Spain, Turkey, New York and Florida have been pricey. The Internet has helped holidaymakers create less expensive travel plans though. Holidays that used to break the bank are now becoming more affordable. 76 percent of Brits who travelled overseas got a great deal on their last holiday.

Here are a few ways to ensure a good deal on your next trip:

* Check out package deals and all-inclusive plans. Booking your flight, hotel and meals together can usually save holidaymakers time and money.

* Check for cheaper flights at odd times. Catching the red eye isn’t part of an ideal holiday, but it is more affordable and allows holidaymakers to save money and still be able to travel.

* Out of season destinations can be great value and the weather in Tenerife for example is good all year round.

* Compare currency from one country to another to see which destinations are most economical to visit.

* Travel during off-peak months. June and July are peak travel months. Plan a holiday in the off-peak times to get a better deal.

* Look for special offers. Many travel websites offer a deal of the day with cheap fares. For holidays in Tenerife for example visit yourtenerife.net

* Book last minute deals on flights and hotels. If airlines and resorts aren’t booked already, they offer better deals at the last minute to fill their empty spots.

* Locate discount tickets to area attractions before you go. Theme parks and other attractions frequently offer discount coupons and tickets online. A quick search for these can make an otherwise expensive family excursion more affordable.

Using the Internet to Find Cheaper Holidays

Things have changed in the travel industry since holidaymakers have access to the Internet. It relieves the need for a travel agent. You can save money by cutting out the middle man and searching for your own good deal. Now you can book holidays right from the comfort of your own home. You can compare prices of hotels, villas and flights from one site to another. Gaining access to pictures, reviews, prices, hours, maps and more allows consumers to make informed decision about where to book their next holiday.

Now British holidaymakers can compare prices on various travel expenses, decide where their money is best spent and figure out ways to save money. A quick search on the Internet provides a list of travel options that fit in a tight budget. The economic downturn that Britain is experiencing isn’t expected to be long term. Next year is expected to be a year of recovery. Until then, Brits continue to find cheap deals for their holidays in Europe, including holidays in Tenerife

Tenerife attracted nearly 2.5 percent more visitors in 2008 than 2007, and with 2009 just begun, projections for another good year of tourism are surprisingly high.

Nearly 300 Tenerife holiday representatives met in mid January. Discussions included developments and improvements that will continue to draw tourists. An article in the Tenerife News stated, “The island plans on regaining its status as the crown jewel of the European tourist market. One of the major plans for the island is to present it as one giant theme park.”

According to public statistics, 5.45 million tourists visited the island in 2007. Of those, almost two million were from points across the UK. BAA reports that Tenerife is one of the most popular destinations for tourists flying from its Scottish airports. Increased traffic to and from the UK can be attributed to lower cost air fare offered by several UK based companies including Thomas Cook. Flights to Tenerife from many European destinations are a mere 3 to 5 hours and acceptable travel time for even a weekend getaway.

Tourism during a Global Recession

Under normal circumstances, people love to indulge themselves. The average family makes time for at least one holiday per year.

The recession that became apparent and inevitable last year has caused major corporations and several industries to fail. The tourism industry, however, is not one of those anticipating bankruptcy. According to a poll conducted in 2008, consumers do not intend to forego their yearly family holidays because of the decline in economies around the world. Those who enjoy a yearly getaway plan to continue them. Some tourists indicated they would simply plan less expensive holidays and look for great packaged holiday deals - and they could be right as not just Thomas Cook but Thomson Holidays have been offering some great deals recently.

The Canary Islands are among the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Of the Canaries, Tenerife is the most popular among families and those looking to fill their agenda with theme parks. Siam Park is the newest and largest addition to Tenerife. The park offers fun and sun in an eco-friendly environment.

Las Americas is another theme park on the island, which offers a twice-daily dolphin show in addition to many other park attractions. Shopping in Santa Cruz and the promenade in Los Christianos is a favourite pastime for those visitors who enjoy buying special gifts from their island getaway.

Los Cristianos in Tenerife

The Beginning of Tourism in Tenerife

In the late 1950s, doctors in Europe discovered that a yearly vacation to warmer climes could improve the health of their patients. According to some travel articles a week’s holiday would be recommended to help relieve stress or encourage patients with arthritic ailments to be more mobile. The warmth of the island temperatures helped aching joints and muscles while improving the mobility of the patient. Over-stressed patients could relax in the temperate climate and let the crystal blue waters wash away the worries of everyday life. Shortly thereafter, mass tourism became popular for adventure-seekers around the world.

Tourism to Tenerife itself was almost non-existent in the 1950s due to the depression brought on by the Second World War. Tourism began with wealthy visitors arriving by steam ship.

The 1970s saw the beginning of a new era for the Canary Islands; an era of fast-paced tourism and world-wide popularity. The first tourists sought high-scale, ritzy accommodations, and by the mid 1970s the resorts of Las Americas, Los Cristianos and Los Gigantes were under way. According to blogs written by tourists they are seeking the same relaxing and ritzy atmosphere.

Could there be any good news among the economic gloom for holidaymakers in 2009? Happily there is - hotel prices in Spain and her islands like Tenerife have come down in price and could fall further.

The British 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.

But other reports on the travel industry state that the most popular holiday destination in Europe will be Majorca - again - and inside the Eurozone. So what is the state of play for the holidays market in 2009, and if you book a holiday in Europe for this summer will you be the only one in the hotel and on the beach?

A nice prospect perhaps, but not likely.

For people are still booking holidays in their thousands, indeed in their hundreds of thousands and by the time summer is here in their millions. And there is an upside among the economic gloom for those who are going on holiday in 2009 - prices for hotels in Spain are dropping. Not as much as the pound has dropped against the euro for British tourists, but drop it has.

Hotel room prices across Spain as an average fell by some eight per cent in summer 2008 compared to the previous summer, with some areas doing far worse than others. Ibiza for example dropped a massive thirty six per cent, and on the Costa del Sol just over twenty. Overall hotel rooms averaged a hundred Euro a night, while in the UK for example it stood at 128 Euros, showing Spanish hotels to be pretty well priced.

So for people who still have some money in the bank and fancy a break or holiday in Spain, 2009 could be a good year to do it with prices coming down. And if you can’t wait until the summer, what about a winter holiday? Holidays in Tenerife are popular this time of year, and there are some good holiday deals out there at the moment.

For British holidaymakers Thomas Cook Holidays for example have 7 nights in Tenerife for around GBP 230 a person, including flights and accommodation - and the weather in Tenerife is often in the 70’s during the winter time. So, despite the gloomy economic outlook, there’s still some great holiday bargains to be had for 2009, and prices are as good as they’ve ever been.