Jeremy Gates

As half-term approaches, many families will be keen to take their children on holiday – perhaps for a sunny break away from the UK’s wind or rain, or maybe to hit the ski slopes.

Tour operators are slashing prices on short-haul holidays to Europe because the late arrival of Britain’s summer appears to have convinced families it’s safe to take a chance on ‘staycation’ holidays instead.

The unpredictable British weather and the recession are key factors in driving the weddings abroad market to a 27 per cent increase since 2005, according to a new analysis.

When JK Rowling conjured up the tales of Harry Potter in her imagination, did she gaze into a crystal ball like Sybill Trelawney, Hogwarts’ eccentric professor of divination, and picture the adventure taking place just outside Watford?

high-speed trains will take the strain for thousands of Britons heading for holidays in Europe this summer, with packages in France and Italy in particular demand as the express rail network criss-crosses the continent.

A group of country house hotels is offering ‘Downton Abbey’-style short breaks from around £70 per person as rival hotel chains slash their standard rates to attract more leisure customers during February.

Leading cruise lines and travel agents are believed to be planning a massive February onslaught to kickstart bookings and restore the image of a booming industry in the wake of the Costa Concordia disaster off the Tuscany coast.

Cruise prices for winter and next year are falling towards £50-£70 per day, as the superliners cross the Atlantic and move to European markets in their search for passengers.

As we sailed away from the narrow streets of Old Portsmouth where press gangs roamed in Nelson’s day, my wife and I were already studying the leaflets and maps which you collect on the ferry across the Solent.