Budget airline easyJet is to continue its expansion of routes operated from Liverpool as two more destinations are added to its offering at John Lennon Airport. The carrier has outlined plans to introduce flights to Bodrum in Turkey and the Greek Island of Rhodes.
These new flights mean that easyJet will carry 2.6 million passengers in and out of the city's airport each year, and fly to 25 European destinations. The announcement follows the recent announcement that the airline plans to introduce a 10th aircraft to Liverpool and will also launch a new service to Malta on 13th June. Flights to the thriving holiday resort Bodrum, which will operate twice-weekly on a Monday and Friday, will begin operating on the 11th June.
The following day, flights to the picturesque Rhodes will begin arriving and departing from the airport, twice a week on a Wednesday and Saturday.
Trevor Spinks, easyJet's Commercial Manager siad: "Don't let the post-Christmas blues get you down, start planning your escape to the sun now. "The new easyJet routes to Bodrum and Rhodes will give the people of the North West the opportunity to explore these beautiful and historic destinations.
" Peel Airports spokesman Robin Tudor said: "In this post festive season period, you could say news about flights to Bodrum from JLA, are one bit of Turkey you won’t be fed up with in the New Year and we expect seats on these flights to be ‘gobbled’ up fast!"
In a battle of the bookings, travel companies are offering bargain breaks to Turkey in a bid to attract holidaymakers.
These offers follow comments from Kate Kenward, executive director at the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO), who suggested that Turkey and Egypt would offer "great value" for Britons in 2010. With the credit crunch still affecting wallets, holidaymakers are keen to find the best value deals.
According to the latest figures from tour operators, there has been a shake-up of favourite destinations, with bargain hunters ditching traditional Spanish hotspots in favour of budget-friendly Turkey, Egypt and Cyprus. Turkey has come out on top as the most popular destination for 2010 breaks, according to The Co-operative Travel, which is reporting an 82 per cent increase in bookings to Dalaman in Turkey compared to the same period last year.
Bodrum, Crete, Sharm El Sheikh and Larnaka in Cyprus are also dominating the top ten destinations for next year's holiday bookings, rather than the usual Costa del Sol and Majorca. Thomas Cook agrees with The Co-operative Travel and has also found increased interest in destinations such as Egypt, Cyprus and Turkey. To cope with demand, 20 new Turkish properties have been added to its brochure for summer 2010.
Bob Atkinson, of travelsupermarket.com said, "Price will be king in 2010, with savvy travellers holding off for last-minute deals, keeping an eye on the strength of the pound and capitalising on the "'voucher culture"' which has swept the nation. These methods, in the main, will lead to great deals."
In terms of price, a holiday in Dalaman, Turkey currently costs around £516 for a package holiday, £79 per person less than a similar deal to old favourite Majorca.
