Included are an Olympic Biathlon experience at Soldier Hollow, the 2002 Olympic venue for Cross Country Skiing and Biathlon, and a European breakfast.

In addition, guests will receive a basket with homemade pastries and sparkling cider to enjoy during their biathlon excursion, a combination of Nordic skiing (or biking in the summertime) and marksmanship.

For more information, call 888-650-1400 or visit www.theblueboarinn.com

By establishing this alliance, Nomadic Expeditions President Jalsa Urubshurow hopes to pioneer a new concept in environmental conservation — a for-profit company and a non-profit organization working together towards the goal of promoting environmentally sustainable tourism.

This multifaceted program, the brainchild of Urubshurow and Mass Audubon’s Christopher Leahy, will focus on eco-tourism, environmental education, interpretive publications, green building design and earth-friendly operations.

The partnership will combine Nomadic Expeditions’ knowledge of Mongolia with Mass Audubon’s extensive experience creating conservation strategies and programs.

Urubshurow, the founder and CEO of Nomadic Expeditions, is a proponent and leader in the development of sustainable tourism in Mongolia since 1990.

Urubshurow was enlisted by the first prime minister of the newly democratic Mongolia to advise the government in expanding accessibility to Western travelers and to actively promote travel to Mongolia from North America.

In the post-communist period since 1990, Urubshurow has advised Mongolia’s prime ministers and presidents on sustainable eco-tourism, environmental protection issues and business development.

He has twice been named the world’s Top Travel Specialist for Mongolia by Condé Nast Traveler magazine, and was the co-founder and former chairman of the North America Mongolia Business Council, a non-profit organization dedicated to expanding bilateral economic, investment, and trade relations between Mongolia and North America.

As designer and founder of the Three Camel Lodge, an award-winning eco-lodge in the Gobi Desert, Urubshurow has made environmental sustainability a priority of his business operations in Mongolia.

Named one of the world’s Top 50 Ecolodges by National Geographic Adventure and Best Lodge of the Year by the Mongolian Tourism Association, the lodge was built in accordance with environmentally and culturally sustainable development guidelines, and is powered by renewable energy resources, including solar and wind power.

The Three Camel Lodge also forged a first-of-its-kind cooperative agreement with local Mongolian authorities for sustainable development and conservation, and is an active contributor to the local community’s conservation efforts, including planting native trees, sponsoring anti-litter clean-up programs and anti-poaching initiatives, as well as school conservation and cultural programs.

Urubshurow intends the partnership with Mass Audubon to lead the way in solidifying and strengthening an environmental ethic within Mongolia’s for-profit travel operators. “Nomadic Expeditions and Mass Audubon share the same interests and have parallel goals,” said Urubshurow.

“Our aim is to reach beyond tourism to form partnerships with local schools and communities, as well as with other conservation organizations and agencies that work in Mongolia.”

Through Nomadic Expeditions’ new conservation unit, Urubshurow also hopes to magnify awareness of the region’s extraordinary natural beauty and biodiversity, as well as the threats faced by Mongolia’s largely unspoiled ecosystems. By enlisting Mass Audubon to enhance and further define Nomadic Expeditions’ conservation efforts, he wants to expand the Three Camel Lodge’s role as a center for environmental education in the Gobi and throughout Mongolia.

Directing the new conservation unit will be Leahy, the first holder of the Gerard A. Bertrand Chair of Natural History and Field Ornithology at Mass Audubon. Leahy was the organization’s director of conservation for 18 years, and has continued to explore Mongolia’s natural wonders since his first visit there in 1982.

He has led education programs in over 70 countries and was instrumental in developing the organization’s international natural history travel program.

He is the author of “The Birdwatchers Companion to North American Birdlife” and many other works on natural history subjects.

Massachusetts Audubon, which successfully founded a program to protect more than 250,000 acres of bird habitat in Belize, is the largest conservation organization in New England and one of the oldest in the United States.

Leahy will lead a Natural History Exploration in Mongolia with Massachusetts Audubon, operated by Nomadic Expeditions, May 22 to June 7.

The trip will visit Lake Hovsgol, the Mongolian steppe, and the Three Camel Lodge in the Gobi Desert. Nomadic Expeditions, the pioneer of adventures in Mongolia and beyond, offers more than two dozen authentic active adventures and cultural journeys, as well as customized adventures throughout Mongolia, Tibet, Bhutan, Siberia and China, and operates the Three Camel Lodge luxury ger camp in the heart of the Gobi Desert.

For more information on Nomadic Expeditions, call 800-998-6634or visit www.nomadicexpeditions.com

For more information on Massachusetts Audubon, visit www.massaudubon.org

The busiest travel dates getting to Vancouver are Feb. 5-12, 2010, with Air Canada carrying more than 82,000 passengers system wide each day, including up to 12,000 to Vancouver, per day.

The busiest travel dates leaving Vancouver are Feb. 28-March 5. The peak departure day is March 1, YVR’s busiest day in history with close to 39,000 people departing Vancouver, almost 12,000 on Air Canada.

Air Canada said customers should check the status of departing and arriving flights before leaving for the airport by consulting the Air Canada website www.aircanada.com , using an Internet-enabled mobile device at http://mobile.aircanada.com , or by calling the flight status line at 888-422-7533.

Customers also can keep abreast of how weather or other circumstances may affect their flight by checking the Daily Operational Outlook in the Travel Updates section on the home page at www.aircanada.com

Air Canada customers can receive flight delay and cancellation information directly on their mobile devices or via e-mail. To register, visit www.aircanada.com/en/travelinfo/traveller/mobile/notification_app.html

The Air Canada iPhone App is a free application specifically designed for Apple iPhone users makes travel easier than ever.

Enhanced services like My Flights and My Messages allow customers to manage their Air Canada travel experience from a single location. Users can check in for flight, verify flight status, sign up for real-time flight notification updates, or take advantage of one of the other available options.

Log in at the App Store for the iPhone or from iTunes on a Mac/PC.

Air Canada’s BlackBerry app provides travelers with BlackBerry devices convenient and easy real-time access to a wide-range of flight information.

This includes retrieving electronic boarding passes, tracking flight information in real-time, receiving notification of itinerary changes and obtaining other details about Air Canada flights. The app is available free on-line from BlackBerry App World (www.blackberry.com/appworld ) or on Air Canada’s mobile site (http://mobile.aircanada.com ).

Transport Canada carry-on regulations for flights from Canada to the United States permits one carry-on bag on flights to the United States, in addition to limited personal items allowed in the cabin.

Air Canada recommends that customers flying to the U.S. bring only limited baggage and respect the strict carry-on limits imposed by Canadian and U.S. authorities.

For details on permitted carry-on items please consult the Canadian Air Transport Security website at www.catsa-acsta.gc.ca.

For more information, visit www.aircanada.com

Also included are roundtrip rail transfers and breakfast daily. A Washington, D.C. departure is available.

Book by Feb. 28 and save 5 percent on the land portion of the trip.

The offer includes roundtrip airfare from New York JFK to Zurich (via United or Lufthansa Airlines) including fuel surcharges; roundtrip rail transfers from Zurich to St. Moritz, and five nights’ hotel stay (Sunday through Friday), including hotel taxes and service charges and breakfast daily.

Washington, D.C. departure, with nonstop flights from Dulles on United, is an additional $214 per person.

Hotel options include the three-star Hotel Laudinella for Feb. 27 to Apr 9 from $1,393; four-star Hotel Monopol, March 14 to April 17, from $1,709; and five-star Kempinski Grand Hotel Des Baines, March 14 to April 5, from $2,448.

For more information, call 866-678-5858

or visit www.WorldOnSkis.com

A classic overland experience, the safari follows a circular route from Nairobi in Kenya to Arusha in Tanzania and incorporates all of the parks and reserves in both country.

“These are unprecedented savings on this definitive East Africa safari,” said Moira Smith, general manager of AfricaExperts. “The itinerary includes Mt. Kenya National Park, Samburu, lake Nakuru and the Masai Mara in Kenya. In Tanzania, it visits the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara.”

Prices start at $3,699 for the May 15 departure.

Other departures offering savings in 2010 include March 20, May 30, Nov. 6, Nov. 20 and Dec. 4.

Safari pricing includes roundtrip airport transfers, accommodation with private facilities, game drives, park entrance fees, services of a qualified English-speaking driver/guide and most meals.

In Kenya’s Masai Mara Reserve, guests experience African high plains scenery and plenty of game viewing, and the opportunity to experience an early morning optional balloon ride with champagne-style breakfast.

In Tanzania, one of the most memorable journeys is to the Ngorongoro Crater, with its abundance of wildlife permanently resident on the crater floor.

For more information, call 800-387-8850 or visit www.goway.com  or www.africaexperts.com

The Nyungwe Forest Lodge is set in Rwanda’s mountainous southwest, the largest remaining extension of uninterrupted montane forest in Central and East Africa, and one of the most ancient. Mantis’ Nyungwe Forest Lodge is the only five-star accommodation within the Nyungwe National Park area.

It lies in a tea plantation on the edge of the Nyungwe closed-canopy rain forest.

Each of the lodge’s 24 sumptuous suites has a private deck affording views of the vast forest terrain.

The lodge has a bistro with an outdoor heated swimming pool, a boma for al fresco dining and sundowners, a restaurant with private terrace, a tea lounge and bar, and a retreat comprising two treatment rooms, a Jacuzzi and a fitness center equipped with treadmill, cycle and weights.

The lodge also offers state-of-the-art Wi-Fi and exclusive conference facilities accommodating up to 18 delegates.

The main lodge is wheelchair friendly.

Suites are air-conditioned and appointed with a fireplace for cooler months, en-suite bathroom with shower, and a flat-screen TV with digital satellite channels.

The architecture of the lodge is loosely based on traditional Rwandese buildings and, like them, is designed to blend with the landscape. To the extent possible local materials and construction methods have been used. The resulting spaces are comfortable and elegant, and celebrate the uniqueness of the site, an area so old it predates the last Ice Age. Known for its rugged terrain and complex mosaic of vegetation, from tall, dense forests to open, flower-filled marshes, the park is home to more than 200 different tree species and a myriad of flowering plants. Found here are the African mahogany, Mulanje cedar, the evergreen Waterberry tree, the other-worldly giant lobelia and a host of colorful orchids.

Nyungwe is an ideal area for walking and trekking, with no fewer than 13 species of primates ranging from chimpanzees (man’s closest living relative) to acrobatic black and white colobus monkeys, from blue and golden monkeys to the baboon-like Grey-cheeked Mangabeys.

Guests can walk to the Kamicanovu swamp or enjoy the extensive network of well-maintained walking trails leading through the forest to a variety of waterfalls and viewing points for beholding old mahoganies, ebonies, giant tree ferns, orchids and other epiphytes, brightly colored birds, butterflies and some larger forest residents.

The Nyungwe Forest Lodge is an hour’s drive from the town of Kamembe on the shore of Lake Kivu. Nyungwe Forest Lodge is managed and marketed by the Mantis Group. The rate per person per night of $400 includes accommodation, breakfast and dinner, selected beverages and VAT.

For more information, visit www.mantiscollection.com

If you have already done the flowers, chocolates and romantic European city breaks time and time again, why not put the unexpected back into a relationship with a unique Valentine’s to remember with a trip to the Great Lakes of North America.

With return flights departing London from as little as £318*, whisking a loved one away doesn’t have to be a costly expense. We’ve rounded up some of the more unusual experiences available for loved up couples within the stunning Great Lakes region….

Big Bay Lighthouse

Not many people can claim to have stayed in a lighthouse so for a true romantic getaway, the north shore of the Upper Peninsula in Michigan is where you will find the Big Bay Lighthouse; a remote hidden inn located in a former lighthouse overlooking the impressive Lake Superior, the largest of the five Great Lakes.

The 1890’s red brick structure boasts a 60-foot tower that welcomes guests to 14 intimate rooms within this secluded cliff top retreat.

During the day visitors can take advantage of some of the romantic winter activities such as an afternoon winding through the snow drenched forest nestled together in a cosy dog sled, while the evenings lend themselves to quality time spent tucked up in front of the fire with views across the glistening lake.

Rooms start from $175 per night and to coincide with Valentines, the Sweetheart Special package, offered February 12-13, costs $387 and includes a two-night stay, a romance basket, flowers, and dinner at the nearby Thunder Bay Inn. For further information visit www.bigbaylighthouse.com

The Hotel Hershey

Why give chocolates when you can experience the heart of them. Legendary US chocolate-makers, Hershey, originate in Pennsylvania so why not whisk your loved one to where it all began – the Hotel Hershey. Not just an elegant hotel, this chocolate haven has hints of the tasty treat throughout with a Cocoa Beanery serving delicious chocolate pastries and treats, a turndown service with Hershey’s kisses for the sweetest of dreams, and it even has its own decadent Chocolate Spa offering tasty treatments that sound good enough to eat such as the Whipped Chocolate Bath and Chocolate Fondue Wrap.

Prices for a double room start from $249, and if the chocolate element alone wasn’t enough to tempt visitors, from February 12, the Hotel Hershey will be launching the Chocolate Chef’s Table, a one of a kind five course chocolate-themed dinner experience with the head chef for $75 per person – a must-do for any chocaholic. For more information on the Hotel Hershey, visit www.thehotelhershey.com

Cottagewood Resort

This Minnesotan resort consists of individual self catering log cabins spread across 20 acres of woodland – so it really is your own private retreat.

The icing on the cake is that each cabin has its own sauna and guests can create their own wood burning fire to see the evenings in. A masseuse is also available for treatments within each lodge.

By day visitors can take a romantic walk or snowshoe though the Natural Environment Lake and Creek or for some fun on the water, visitors can hire a canoe or peddle boat.

The Valentine’s Romance Package includes two nights with a special sauna basket and scented kindling – a bouquet of flowers, sticks and scented items for the fire, starting from $458.

For further information visit www.cottagewoodresort.com

La Quinta Inn and Suites

Take your loved one’s breath away, quite literally, with a visit to the top the tallest building in the western hemisphere and Dare to stand out on the glass Ledge, 1,353 feet over the Windy City! This unforgettable experience is being offered with a one night Love on the Ledge stay at La Quinta, just steps away from the Skydeck Chicago.

The Love on the Ledge package is $195.00 and includes a one night stay in a King Plus Room, buffet breakfast, chilled bottle of champagne with two keepsake Champagne flutes, chocolate covered strawberries, and two tickets to the SKYDECK Ledge. For availability and reservations visit www.laquinta.com

The Kingsley House Bed and Breakfast

This second property is another gorgeous Victorian home located in Saugatuck, Michigan.

This boutique property is reminiscent of a traditional American mansion with a large wrap-around porch standing prominently in a charming garden. The eight luxurious rooms consist of four chambers and four suites featuring handmade aromatherapy soaps, a double Jacuzzi tub and personal fireplaces for visitors to kick back and embrace some of the finery from the local vineyards.

Rooms start from $139 per night, and for a unique winter experience for loved up couples, each two night stand includes a complimentary horse-drawn sleigh ride through the snow (offer available until February 28, 2010).

If you are really looking to pull out the stops, the Valentine’s Romantic Getaway Package, costing $199, includes a dozen red roses, a gourmet chocolate sampler tray and two one hour in-house massages to ensure you feel relaxed and ready to explore the beautiful surroundings.

Further special offers can be found at www.kingsleyhouse.com

Hotel Metro

This eco friendly hotel is continuously awarded some of the highest accolades from the travel industry. Recently voted ‘One of the Top Hotels in the World’ it is not hard to see why – as one of the Historic Hotels of America, this boutique art-deco hotel incarnates historic architecture with character and luxurious glamour.

Centrally located, the hotel is a great base for exploring the beautiful city of Milwaukee with a number of restaurants, bars and entertainment complexes on its doorstep.

The Romance Package includes a selection of finest handmade chocolates, a bottle of champagne and gift certificate for the sumptuous hotel restaurant, Metro Bar and Café. Packages start from $249.
www.hotelmetro.com

The Inn and Spa at Cedar Falls

Take a step back with seclusion nestled in one of the Great Lake’s national parks at the Inn and Spa at Cedar Falls, a collection of 1840’s styled cabins located in the Hocking Hills,Ohio. Spend three nights at the inn for an extended Valentine’s holiday weekend.

From the 12th to the 15th February, the Inn and Spa at Cedar Falls is opening it’s doors to loved-up couples with each of the cabins adorned with rose petals romantically placed.

With smouldering chocolate aromas from the candles, guests can take advantage of the Couples Massage at the spa, and foodies need not go hungry, upon arrival guests will be greeted with their very own Gourmet Picnic Basket filled with enough goodies to satisfy any guest’s dinner cravings, and on the final evening guests are invited to join Chef Anthony for a delectable Valentine’s Day Dinner.

This three night package costs $799 per cabin with the Cottages available with the same Valentine’s package for $999. For further information on this hideaway visit www.innatcedarfalls.com

The Peninsula

Taking luxury to another level, the multi-award winning 5 star, 5 diamond Peninsula hotel located in Chicago’s Magnificent Mile just oozes opulence and decadence, and that’s without even stepping into one of the dazzling bedrooms!

Following a multi-million pound renovation, the 339 luxurious guestrooms and suites feature the finest carpeting, beautiful thick drapes and sheers and luxurious Pratesi hotel bed linens for a perfect night’s sleep.

The Peninsula has also splashed out on the finest mod cons with each room featuring a 42” plasma television encased in a customised hand-crafted cabinet, with an extended 50” plasma high definition television for the suites, complete with iPod docking stations and memory card input.

The Peninsula Spa by ESPA is also worth a visit alone, with a menu offering a varied selection of body, facial and holistic treatments with the option to join these with the more comprehensive spa journey – a half or full day use of the fitness, swimming and relaxation facilities accompanied by a Naturally Peninsula spa lunch.

Whether visitors are after an overnight stay or a simply paying a visit to the spa, this is THE place to impress.

Turning up the heat for Valentines, the Urban Retreat package, $795, includes a one night stay in one of the hotel’s deluxe rooms with in-room breakfast, ESPA goodies in your room and an enchanting 60 minute couples massage. For further information on this luxury resort visit www.peninsula.com/chicago

For further information on the Great Lakes of North America and some of the excellent locations within the region, visit www.greatlakesnorthamerica.co.uk

For more information on romantic days out in South East England, please see: www.romanticdaysout.co.uk

Five-star Valentine’s breaks in Chichester, West Sussex
This Valentine’s, why not spend a romantic weekend at Chichester’s latest five-star hotel, The Fish House, which is located amidst beautiful rolling Sussex countryside – the perfect backdrop for a romantic break.

Guests can book secluded hot tubs with their own private thatched gazebo, complete with iPod docking station and champagne and chocolates fridge.

There’s also an award-winning Fish Bar boasting a delicious Oyster counter and fresh seafood menu. Guests can choose from a fine dining a la carte menu or an eight-course restaurant tasting menu.

An overnight Valentine’s package for two costs £295 per night in a luxury designer king size bedroom and includes champagne and chocolates, dinner, bed and breakfast, roses and a teddy bear. This offer is valid from 13th-15th February 2010.
www.thefishhouse.co.uk

Escape to a romantic retreat on the Isle of Wight

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with a romantic weekend in a luxurious converted barn in the scenic village of Niton, South Wight.

The characterful Tennyson Barn offers charming accommodation surrounded by acres of picturesque countryside, making it the ideal destination to embrace privacy and relax with a loved one.

Departing on 12th February 2010, a three-night self-catering Wightlink Green Getaways break in Tennyson Barn costs £220 per person. A week’s stay starts from £280 per person. Prices include return Wightlink car ferry crossings from Portsmouth or Lymington.
www.wightlink.co.uk

Michelin-starred hotel restaurant, Isle of Wight

Partners can treat their other halves to a luxurious Valentine’s break with a stylish stay at The Hambrough this February.

Couples can enjoy an overnight stay in one of the hotel’s exclusive seven rooms, together with a champagne breakfast and six-course dinner at its Michelin-starred restaurant, prepared by Chef Patron Robert Thompson.

Designed with romance in mind, the special Valentine’s menu will feature specialties such as Champagne and Canapés, Oyster Tempura and Wild Strawberry Mousse.

A bottle of champagne and a handmade sugar rose is also included in the package. Departing on 13th February, the one-night Valentine’s break at The Hambrough starts from £230 per person and includes dinner, champagne breakfast and Wightlink ferry crossings.
www.wightlink.co.uk

River Thames Rainbow Cruises

In honour of Valentine’s Day, Rainbow Cruisers is offering a special deal when hiring a deluxe cruiser to sail along the River Thames. Couples can cruise along the royal river in one of the elegant self-drive boats, stopping off along the way to visit quaint pubs, picturesque picnic spots and interesting attractions. All Rainbow Cruisers come equipped with a microwave, DVD player, stove, fridge, heating, linen and toiletries – making them a fantastic home from home.

Prices start from £400 for two days and one night.
www.visitthames.co.uk

Love on a budget with Four Pillars Hotels, Oxfordshire
Couples wishing to celebrate 14th February on a shoestring can take advantage of a number of discounted Valentine’s breaks with Four Pillars Hotels.

The hotel group has some great offers, including an overnight stay at Abingdon hotel on Valentine’s night for only £40 per person with dinner, bed and breakfast and a complimentary glass of bubbly to enjoy with an evening meal.

Abingdon is also hosting a Gala Dinner Dance on 12th and 13th February from just £95 per person. Abingdon Four Pillars hotel is located just six miles South of Oxford in the heart of the Thames Valley.
www.four-pillars.co.uk

Bungalow breaks with in-lodge therapies, Isle of Wight
Gurnard Pines Resort enjoys a peaceful woodland setting close to the yachting haven on Cowes.

Set within 55 acres of woodland these spacious and wonderfully appointed holiday homes provide visitors with an ideal base for an active or relaxing holiday.

The heart of the resort boasts an array of sports and leisure activities, whilst those looking for quieter moments can discover the nearby delights and many beautiful sandy beaches that the Isle of Wight has to offer.

Guests can also enjoy an array of in-lodge therapies, massages and beauty treatments.

A seven-night stay at Gurnard Pines Resort starts from £245 in a four-berth bungalow.
http://www.redfunnel.co.uk/places-to-stay/special-offers/valentines-offers

Stylish wine breaks in Dorking, Surrey

Visit Denbies Vineyard this Valentine’s Day for the chance to unwind and learn all there is to know about the wine making process at the UK’s largest vineyard. Couples can take part in Denbies’ indoor wine experience, which transports visitors through the working winery teaching them all about how wine is developed – from the grapes to bottled wine – along the way.

Tours end with a tasting of award-winning Surrey wine in the sprawling wine cellar.

The indoor wine experience starts from £14 per person.

Denbies also offers two restaurants with amazing locally sourced food and accommodation in a tastefully renovated farmhouse in the heart of the vineyard.

Seven stylish double rooms with en-suite facilities are available from £95 per room on a bed and breakfast basis.
www.denbiesvineyard.co.uk

Discover the Philosophy of Love in Brighton, East Sussex
Visitors to Brighton can discover the Philosophy of Love at the Brighton Science Festival this Valentine’s Day, as science writer Richard Robinson will be taking a humorous look at the bewildering stages of love.

Why not take a romantic stroll along the seafront, stopping off at Brighton’s famous boutique shops down The Lanes along the way? Top the day off with a visit to Brighton’s classy oyster and champagne bar, Riddle & Finns, for some aphrodisiacal delights near the seafront.
www.visitbrighton.com

Love Heart Chalk the Pavement, Portsmouth, Hampshire

Why not confess your love on the pavements of Portsmouth this Valentine’s Day and scrawl a romantic message on the street for a loved one to see?

On Sunday 14th February 2009, there will be a Love Heart Chalk the Pavement Project and a Love Heart Wall at Gunwharf Quays for people to create their own meaningful messages of love. Marriage proposals with chalk are also encouraged! It is free to leave a chalk love message and all materials are supplied.
www.visitportsmouth.co.uk

Amee Farm is designed for sustainable yet luxurious living with such touches as hand-selected antiques in guest rooms that are dressed with organic bed and bath linens and organic toiletries.

Rooms offer king, queen and double beds.

The structural refurbishment of the lodge was executed in a sustainable manner.

On-site operations are fueled with hydroelectric, geo thermal and solar; there is soy insulation throughout and the interior is dressed with milk paint.

There is also a solar green house across the road servicing Amee Farm’s organic gardens.

In season produce is available at an on-premise farm stand. A new working barn is designed to accommodate a herd of Scottish Highlanders, sheep and chickens.

For more information, call 802-746-8196 or visit www.ameefarm.com

The five-star resort sold more than 20,000 room nights to leisure visitors, bucking worldwide economic trends.

It also enjoyed significant revenue increases across its golf, spa and restaurant amenities.

The upturn resulted from a combination of Celtic Manor’s increased international profile as host of the 2010 Ryder Cup, and a new leisure strategy to compensate for the global downturn in corporate and conference business.

This year’s golf and leisure bookings also look strong.

“As evidenced by our recognition as the U.K.’s Top Conference Hotel three of the last four years, corporate guests have always been a key market,” said Ian Edwards, Celtic Manor’s vice president of operations.

“But grim forecasts for 2009 business meetings galvanized us to focus more on leisure travelers and improving our appeal to families.

The strategy included offering different packages to attract a range of guests, such as groups of golfers and families.

This has brought our overall room occupancy up to record levels, while the golf courses, bars and restaurants have never been busier.”

Rounds on its flagship Twenty Ten Course by visiting golfers almost doubled from 2008, and 81 percent of all available visitor tee times were booked.

Corporate and individual memberships for the Twenty Ten Club have steadily grown as people join to receive Ryder Cup season tickets.

This membership benefit expires in March. 2009 also saw an additional 22,000 rounds played on the three championship golf courses; golf visitor green fee income up by 58 percent; 45 percent increase in overseas visitors; overall room occupancy up by 8 percent, despite the downturn in conference business; bar and restaurant revenue up by 26 percent to record levels; and spa revenue elevated by 18 percent. Plans for 2010 include the improvement of guest suites and many public areas in the Resort Hotel to ready for the Ryder Cup. Flat-screen TVs will be installed in every bedroom and the Olive Tree restaurant and Rooftop Garden barbecue terrace will both be expanded.

For more information, call 011-44 (0) 1633 413 000 or visit www.celtic-manor.com