Scrap Air Passenger Duty (APD) in the UK like the Irish are doing

An intersesting contribution has appeared today on the Carrentals.co.uk site "UK Calls to Scrap APD like the Irish"

The alliance behind the ‘Fair Tax on Flying’ campaign is calling on Chancellor George Osborne to follow the lead of Ireland’s government in scrapping Air Passenger Duty (APD). The move by the Irish came after the Dutch, Danish, Maltese and Swedish governments axed their aviation taxes as well.

The new Irish government has pledged to ax their aviation tax, which is €3. The governments have been discovering that their economies have been damaged by the levies. They have also highlighted that having more passenger routes has major economic benefits.

Now there are only 4 European counties that tax air passengers, and the UK is one of them. The ‘Fair Tax on Flying’ campaign is now urging the government to reconsider their policy on APD, which they say threatens to repress the economic growth of tourism.

Association of British Travel Agents (Abta) chief executive Mark Tanzer says that the Irish government is the latest to see that taxing air travelers is counter-productive, as any revenue raised from the duty is outweighed by the damage done to the wider economy. The campaign is calling on the Chancellor to follow the lead and not increase APD even higher, he added, especially if they intend to help tourism and travel flourish and grow.

The ‘Fair Tax on Flying’ alliance consists of more than 30 travel organizations since launching earlier this month. Included in the alliance are airports, airlines, destinations and trade associations. They have created a Facebook page to increase awareness of the tax and to allow users to submit their views on the matter.

What do you think? Add your comments to this blog

Nice Jazz festival 2011 - line up now revealed

The Riviera Times has reported that in a press conference this week, the Mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, has revealed that the city's celebrated jazz festival will be dedicated in 2011 to the legendary trumpeter Miles Davis.

The festival takes place from the 8th to the 12th of July. After an initial buzz that global superstar Prince was to take over the directorship of the festival, it was announced in January that the event's new Artistic Director was in fact Harry Lapp, founder of Strasbourg Jazz Festival and previously in charge of the programme at Jazz à Juan. See http://www.cotedazurrental.com/Juan_les_pins_Jazz_festival.htm for details about the 2011 Juan-les-Pins Jazz Festival - Jazz à Juan- Jazz in Juan Festival

Read the full report from The Riviera Times at http://www.rivieratimes.com/index.php/culture-article/items/jazz-festival-headlining-artists-on-2011-line-up-revealed-1003.html

Miraflores 4 - Torrevieja - Costa Blanca - Spain for holiday rentals

A modern two bedroom holiday rental apartment approximately 12 mins walk from the beaches and very close to amenities bars restaurants has just been added to the jmlvillas.com website.

It is located at Torrevieja on Spain's Costa Blanca.

• It Sleeps up to 5
•Has 2 bedrooms
•1 bathroom
•Washing machine
•Air conditioning
•Shared pool
•Beach nearby
•Shops nearby
•Bars nearby
•TV
•Restaurants nearby
•Microwave
•Park nearby
•Close to airport
•Golf

There is a go kart racing track within 15 min walk and several golf courses within a 15 min car ride. Murcia airport is around 25 mins by car and Alicante airport about 45 mins by car. Supermarkets are within walking distance and there is an Indian, a Chinese, a Spanish and an English restaurant and a small shop at the entrance to the complex.

The apartment has TV, dvd and hot and cold air conditioning. Airport pick ups and drop offs can be arranged upon request. There are 2 twin beds and one double bed and a pull down bed in the utility room for a fifth guest if required. The utility room contains a washing machine and there is also an iron and ironing board. Bath towels bedding etc are supplied but there are no beach towels. Oven and hob are electric and there is enough cutlery, plates cups glasses etc for at least 8 people.

To find out more visit http://www.jmlvillas.com/villa/822

Juan les Pins Jazz Festival - Jazz à Juan 2011

The 2011 Jazz Festival at Juan Les Pins, south of France take place between the 14th and the 24th July 2011.

The Box office opens on the 6th April. Artist performing have been announced (but like any event are subject to change)and include BITCHES BREW BEYOND HERBIE HANCOCK - WAYNE SHORTER,MARCUS MILLER, KEITH JARRETT TRIO, JAMES HUNTER, B.B. KING, ROBERT RANDOLPH, CARLOS SANTANA,CURTIS STIGERS, JAMIE CULLUM, RAPHAEL SAADIQ, BEN L’ONCLE SOUL & IMANY, RAUL MIDON & RICHARD BONA QUARTET GILBERTO GIL, HAROLD LOPEZ NUSSA TRIO MANU KATCHE PROJECT and CRAIG ADAMS.

As normal it takes place at Antibes Juan-les-Pins Pinède Gould (Pinewood) with the fabulous backdrop of the Mediterranean Sea.

The Tourist Office have sent us a Press Release - "Dossier de Presse" and the French language version can be found at http://www.cotedazurrental.com/Jazz_%E0_Juan_Dossier_de_Presse_2011.pdf This has information and photos about the artists performing, prices of tickets etc

When the English version is released we will upload the information onto the blog. There is a page devoted to the Juan Les Pins Jazz Festival at http://www.cotedazurrental.com/Juan_les_pins_Jazz_festival.htm

In the meantime here is part of the French Language version of the Press Release for the 2011 festival.

51e JAZZ A JUAN 2011

« Après quelques semaines aux Etats-Unis, on est partis pour le festival d’Antibes, dans le Midi de la France.

On les a tués ». En 1963, Miles Davis est sous le choc : « À Antibes, une immense affiche de moi était placardée près de mon hôtel. J’ai pensé : c’est quand même un monde, on ne me donne pas ça à New York, mais ici, desmilliers de personnes se déplacent spécialement pour t’écouter et te communiquer leur fraternité.

Réunion de famille cette année encore à Juan, qui honore avec faste l’un des plus grands trompettistes de l’histoire du jazz, disparu voici aujourd’hui vingt ans. Tous les artistes qui vont se produire sur la mythique scène de la pinède auront une pensée pour Miles Davis, de Jamie Cullum (« J’ai découvert le festival à travers les enregistrements de Keith Jarrett et de Miles Davis ») à Marcus Miller (« Il m’a appris à être moi-même »), sans oublier bien sur ceux avec lesquels il vécut au plus près l’aventure « Jazz à Juan » : Herbie Hancock et Wayne Shorter. Et puis tous ceux aussi qui, à un moment de leur carrière, ont croisé le parcours solaire de ce mutant de la note bleue. Tous vont se retrouver pour cette célébration annuelle qu’est le festival.

Parce que Juan, comme l’a si bien dit Joshua Redman, « c’est un vrai festival, pas une série de concerts, une véritable communauté qui se retrouve chaque année à un endroit particulier, à un moment particulier. Tout le monde est là autour d’une même passion, le jazz se vit physiquement ». Sur la grande scène bien sur, mais aussi tout alentour, dans les rues et durant les « afters », où le jazz acquiert sa vraie dimension : « Juan-les-Pins, ce n’est pas juste une scène, c’est pour moi mythique ; Juan-les-Pins, c’est comme Carnegie Hall pour le classique.

A chaque fois que j’ai entendu parler de Juan, c’était le sommet de la grandeur du jazz ». (John McLauglin)