Gay Travel In Europe

By cheema

 GULMARG (HIGHEST GOLF COURSE)

Up the down slope

State: Jammu and Kashmir,India

Location this meadow of flowers lies at a height of 8,694ft, 57 km SW of Srinagar

Route from Jammu NH1A to Srinagar via Patnitop, Batote, Ramban and the banihal Tunnel; Baramulla Road to narbal; state road to Gulmarg via Tangmarg www.aonetrip.com

Often treated a day trip away from Srinagar, Gulmarg, the huge grassy, cup shaped meadow ringed by fir trees and snowy peaks merits much more. Reportedly discovered by Kashmiri ruler Yusuf Shah Chak in the 15th century, Gulmarg has been a most favoured resort since the Raj. Its best feature is that from any one point, you can see the rest of the expanse with its softly undulating slopes, and breathe mountain-fresh air. No noise, no pollution, no population, save for a few villagers from neighbouring Tangmarg.

THINGS TO SEE AND DO

Plenty, or nothing at all, depends on your point of view. Theres a 7-km walk called the Inner Ring Road that you can wander along on foot if the ponywallahs leave you alone, of an 11-km walk called the Outer Ring Road which takes you through stands of pine.

Skiing

If Gulmarg deserves its place in sun, it is because of skiing. Its gentle slopes are perfect for firs-timers; the more advanced have the option of slaloming down from the gondola car at Kongdor, a 3 -km run. Theres a wealth of ski lifts to haul you to the top of a ski run, and for an instructor, and youre looking at just $15 per day. www.22geetravels.com

Golf

The golf course here, said to be the highest in the world, was the venue of a prestigious state championship until 1990. You can have a game of golf at he golf club here, using hired clubs. There are pros who can teach you, the weathers perfect, and in summer, playing hours are long.

Treks: Gulmargs highest peak, the Affarwat to the west, used to be popular for a trek. High up in the massif lies a seldom-visited mountain lake, half frozen even in summer, called Alpathar. Almost 5,000 ft up steep slopes, you reach it on foot or by pony ($15), but Army permission is needed for anything deemed a trekking out of Gulmarg, so its seldom visited. What does have a frenetic rush around it is the Cable Car from Gulmarg to Kongdor. Its $2 per person per one-way trip, so its inevitable that pakora and tea stalls have cropped up. Most people go up for the view, as Kongdor, Seven Springs and khilanmarg overlook both Gulmarg and the Srinagar Valley. If you want to avoid the crowds, you could walk up to Khilanmarg (4km), the alpine meadow towering above the golf course. Hike through wooded fir forests along the pony track, from where youll see Nanga Parbat.

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By Roger Munns

 Few sectors have escaped the 2008 economic crisis unscathed. The tourism industry is no exception. Tourism officials and business owners in Spain wait anxiously to see how popular destinations like Majorca will fare. Majorca tourism experts predict a mix of good news and bad for the island.

The island of Majorca has been a favorite with foreign tourists since the 1950s. It was at this time that merchants began working with the government in an effort to boost the economy. They began an aggressive marketing campaign of the island to Europeans, to Germans in particular.

Majorca tourism packages became popular within just a few years. The island now graces the top of the popularity list for vacations. Businesses on the island have relied heavily on this fact for over 50 years for their economic prosperity.

It’s little wonder that Majorca businesses panicked when the world market began to crash and burn in 2008. The island’s population, after all, barely grazes 800,000. Yet it maintains the highest Gross Domestic Product in Spain. Its GDP is, in fact, over 50 percent higher than Spain’s average. More than two thirds of Majorca’s working population is employed in the tourism sector. Majorca businesses and workers stand to suffer significantly if the economic crunch reaches the island’s graceful shores.

High tourist season has just begun to get underway as 2008 draws to a close. It remains difficult to accurately predict just how the economic crunch will affect Majorca tourism. However, tourism watchers have been somewhat pleasantly surprised to date. The numbers of British and French visitors to Majorca have dropped. Despite this, the number of German tourists has actually risen compared to previous years. “Thank God for the Germans!” says German-born Majorca tourism board president Alvaro Middelmann.

The increase in German visitors has somewhat made up for the loss in tourists from other European areas. However, the Germans are also notorious spendthrifts. The money they are spending (or not spending, depending on how one looks at it) isn’t making up for the economic losses.

Hotel and resort owners on Majorca remain skeptical. Financial losses haven’t been as significant as predicted as of yet. Outlook though is at its lowest in recent history for many of these owners.

Merchants and resorts are caught in a conundrum. They are finding it difficult to cover costs as the world market suffers. The rising cost of fuel earlier in 2008 was also eating into profits. However, many have been reluctant to raise prices to cover the losses. Rising prices are just one more discouragement to travelers. Few despise rising prices more than the Germans, who are currently the staple of Majorca tourism.

Merchants are beginning to feel a little more hopeful though as the cost of oil has fallen recently. It remains to be seen whether this will bring any significant economic relief to Majorca tourism in the long run. Final numbers and profit reports will not be available until early 2009.

Majorca tourism officials and business owners on the island wait to see how 2008 plays out. They continue to make efforts to market the island even as they fear what lies ahead in 2009.

Majorca’s natural appeal hasn’t changed even though the economy falters. Foreigners continue to speak highly of the Balearic Island. The sun keeps shining and the water sparkling, beckoning those looking for some relaxation. Perhaps Majorca tourism and businesses will bank on this fact as the tourist season kicks off.

Majorca holiday information is available at travel guide yourmajorca.net

Palma Airport flight times and flights to Majorca are on the travel site plus accommodation in the form of hotel in Majorca reviews

For people who haven’t been to the island before and need to find their way around they also have a Mallorca map

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