Slippery slope
The larger tour operators are reporting that the winter sports market last season was 12-15% down, according to the Ski Club of Great Britain, but they are hoping for a better season this year. Thomson is currently 6% up on bookings compared with last year, and Crystal up 8%. Crystal, which carried 125,000 clients last year, estimates the total number of UK skiers to be 777,000, although it is more and more difficult to count the increasing number of independent travellers. Some of the smaller specialist operators reported a good season last year, but the Ski Club says there is growing "concern" that the winter sports market is ageing.
City crowd
June was London City Airport's best month with 139,487 passengers travelling through it, a 9% increase on the same month last year.
Virtual golf
A state-of-the-art virutal- reality golf game - where you can "play" the world's best courses - has been put on board the QE2 for its stay off St Andrews for the Open Championship from July 18-25. Berths are still available from £125 per person a night from Scotia Travel (0141-305 5050).
Patagonian walk
Mencap is organising Trek Patagonia, a 12-day trip in March 2001 to raise funds. For an information pack, call 0845 9777779;e-mail: events@mencap.org.uk.
Public Eye
The London Eye has been voted the favourite attraction on www.LondonTown.com, the website of the London Tourist Board. The others in the top five were the Tower of London, the Dome, Buckingham Palace and Madame Tussaud's.
Ethics abroad
Tearfund, the Christian relief and development charity, has issued an ethical-tourism code and is urging holiday-makers to ask searching questions of their tour operators. "The principles of fair trade apply to the purchase of a holiday, just as much as to products like tea and coffee," says Tearfund's Graham Gordon, editor a new booklet called Don't Forget Your Ethics, which costs £1.50. Details from Tearfund 0845 3558355.
Summer courses
The Youth Hostels Association has released details of courses available in some of its hostels over the summer, including Indian head massage (at the Charlbury hostel in Oxfordshire) and kayaking at the Edale hostel in Derbyshire. Details on www.yha.org.uk or call 0870 8708808.
