The government of Goa is striving to have the mountainous region known as the Western Ghats listed as a World Heritage site by Unesco, in a move that could boost the area’s tourist industry.

As part of its campaign, the government will aim to obtain the support of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest, according to the Times of India.

Environment and Forest Minister Alina Saldanha said World Heritage Site accreditation would help to foster international cooperation in the protection of Goa’s rich forests.

“Besides, there will be immense scope for tourists and researchers who like to visit the area and study the diverse species,” the politician added.

Ms Saldanha states that there are in excess of 1,500 different types of plant and rare animal species in the area of the Western Ghats within Goa.

If the government’s efforts come to fruition, the knowledge that the area is a World Heritage Site will add to the attraction for Britons and encourage more to head off from the country’s major airports such as Heathrow and Stansted to the region.

The Western Ghats mountain range spans a length of 1,600 km and it already boasts Unesco recognition in a number of locations, such as Kerala and Karntaka.

At present there are 962 World Heritage sites in the 157 states around the world.

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Hollywood stars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have made a visit to the ancient temples in Egypt as part of preparations for Jolie’s upcoming role as Cleopatra.

Their trip comes as tourism officials in the country revealed a huge increase in visitors in April.

After arriving in Aswan, the couple, referred to by fans as Brangelina, visited the Philae Temple located on an island in the River Nile.

They also had a look around the Nubian Museum on the first day of their visit.

On their second day, the pair saw Kom Ombo and the Edfu Temple, before taking a trip to perhaps the most famous site in Egypt, the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens. They made a stop off at King Tutankhamun’s Tomb, as well as Queen Hatshepsut’s Temple and the Abu Simbel Temple.

Following their visit to the country, Jolie revealed she would choose Egypt as one of her top getaway destinations. She said: “I’m converted completely on Egypt, this would be my hideaway place.”

The Hollywood couple’s visit comes as the Central Agency for Public Mobility and Statistics revealed a 30% increase in tourism numbers in April compared with the same month in 2011. According to the figures, 1.05 million people visited Egypt in April.

Airports such as Luton and Stansted are likely to have been busy with tourists heading to Egypt as the data shows the majority of visitors were from Western Europe.

Stansted and Luton airports may be busier than usual this summer after a new survey showed millions more Britons are looking to get away from the miserable weather and the sport overload.

The research, carried out by satnav firm Tom Tom showed just over one in five (21%) people said they would not take a holiday this summer.

Last year, more than a quarter (26%) admitted they would not take a break, mainly due to efforts to save money.

This year’s figures could prove a welcome boost for the travel industry in the UK, with plane bookings and hotel reservations set to increase.

The survey also showed many people would be taking their holidays in June and July this year to avoid big national events in the UK.

According to the figures, around 21% of people are taking their holidays in June and July, while 22% will head away in August.

Twelve months ago, just 17% chose to take a break in June, and 18% in July. Almost a quarter (24%) took their holiday in August.

While many people took holidays in the UK last year to save money, around a third (31%) said they were looking for sunshine this summer, while more than four in 10 (42%) said they wanted to go somewhere just to ‘relax’.

Experiencing New York is something most people want to do at least once in their lifetime, but research has shown you have to pay a high price for the privilege.

Whether it’s enjoying the Big Apple’s alluring boutiques, savouring the views at the top of the Empire State Building or taking a stroll through Central Park, there is a reason for everyone to head to the airport with great excitement.

But although you would expect the cost of seeing Spiderman: Turn off the Dark on Broadway, or eating out at Planet Hollywood in Times Square to cost a pretty penny, the findings also show that ‘the city that never sleeps’ has the highest hotel room rates among the most fashionable locations.

Hotels.com has revealed that the average room prices in New York rose by 4% to £173 in 2011, while Berlin – which is the most affordable top fashion city – saw rates fall by 3% to just £73.

Following the Big Apple, which has been made famous by much-loved shows such as Friends and Sex in the City, was Singapore, which saw prices rise by 11% to £136.

London, which is easily accessed via Heathrow, Gatwick or Stansted airports by overseas tourists, was the fifth most expensive location.

The capital’s average hotel room rate climbed by 1% to £115 in 2011.

Los Angeles (£111), Barcelona (£104) and Tokyo (£102) all had cheaper rates than London last year.

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Holidaymakers who think twice about trip destinations could be rewarded with savings of up to £450, research suggests.

A survey carried out by Post Office Travel Money revealed that although people perceive countries like Spain and Turkey to be best value, money actually goes a lot further in countries such as Portugal and Bulgaria.

Based on a one-week summer break for two, including the cost of meals and drinks out, Bulgaria was a better deal than Spain, offering this package for £955 compared to a bill of £1,088.

Meanwhile, Croatia emerged as a surprisingly dear destination with a one week holiday likely to cost two people a hefty £1,361.

The same length of stay would cost just £904 in Portugal.

Many of the holidaymakers surveyed wrongly believed that heading to Turkey or Spain from the airport was their best bet, with only 15% in the know about the benefits of vacations in Bulgaria, whose capital Sofia is easily accessible from Stansted or Heathrow.

Andrew Brown, head of Post Office Travel Money said: “We always advise people to take all holiday costs into account when choosing a destination and this research shows why that is so important.

“In tough times, it is hard to stay loyal when there are big savings to be made by swapping to a destination that is over a third cheaper.”

Aerospace company BAE Systems has announced it is trialling pilotless flights in Britain using its Jetstream aircraft.

The company said that unmanned flights could play a role in search-and-rescue operations and also help to detect volcanic ash cloud.

There will be two pilots on board during the test flights to ensure a smooth take-off and landing, but the aircraft will be flown by a computer as soon as it is airborne.

BAE Systems said its Jetstream aircraft have highly sophisticated computer systems that can recognise weather conditions and avoid collisions with other planes. In case of an emergency, the systems can also identify a safe place for the aircraft to land.

BAE Systems spokesman Simon Shrouder said: “Everyone has to be satisfied that this plane can fly safely and land safely.

“Once confidence in the aircraft grows, it could be used for such things as coastal patrols, search-and-rescue missions and checking out possible volcanic ash clouds.”

The company hopes that the trials will convince the Civil Aviation Authority and air traffic control service providers that UAVs (uninhabited air vehicles) can be used safely in British airspace.

Successful trials could even lead to the introduction of unmanned passenger flights in the UK, the company said, although it is likely to take many years before passengers at Heathrow or Stansted airports will be able to board a pilotless flight.

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Gatwick Airport is becoming increasingly popular with business travellers and people jetting away for their holiday, new figures show.

The airport said it saw around three million passengers last month, an increase of 2% compared to the same month last year. The rise comes despite the fact that school holidays were shifted into June this year to fall in line with the Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

Gatwick also reported a rise in average load factors to 79.5% in May, an improvement of 2.1% compared with May 2011.

Nick Dunn, chief financial officer at Gatwick Airport, said: “It is encouraging to report a 2% growth in passenger numbers during May despite the move of a busy school-half term and May Bank holiday to June.

“Despite the continuing economic headwinds, business and leisure passengers are taking advantage of low-cost travel to many destinations in Europe and the new long-haul services operating from Gatwick.

“We have also seen competition amongst airports working with Atlantic Airways switching its London service to the Faroe Islands from Stansted to Gatwick during May.

“We continue to invest around £20 million a month in the airport to create a modern, welcoming airport with minimal queue-times and excellent customer service. This is now paying dividends with airlines and passenger choosing to fly from Gatwick.”

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New research suggests British holidaymakers will find it cheaper to take a beach trip overseas than to stay in the capital in the first week of the Games.

According to findings from M&S Money, travellers will have an average of 25% more in their pockets by flying abroad from UK hubs such as Stansted and Luton than spending a week in London while the global sporting event takes place.

An overseas beach break to tourist hotspots will cost £1,298 on average between July 28 to August 4, but spending the same amount of time in the capital is more expensive – at a sum of £1,631.

The survey found that Alicante in Spain is the cheapest destination among the 10 analysed at £927, while those who plan a week’s break to Bodrum in Turkey can expect to spend £1,102.

Bridgetown in Barbados, which would cost £1,836, and Daytona Beach in Florida – setting travellers back by £2,034 – were considered the top two areas that exceeded London’s prices during the same timeframe. The pollster said the capital’s figure was that much because of the large amount needed for spending, equating to £596 per week.

Around 2,000 holidaymakers who planned to go abroad in the next few months were also questioned as part of the research. Results showed that more than half (54%) are planning a staycation, with one in four (25%) citing it as a cost-effective break.

Of those planning to holiday in Britain, a fifth (21%) said they will take a trip to the seaside, compared with 28% of people flying overseas for their beach break. The report concluded that domestic and outgoing travellers have £341 spending money in their budget per person per day, or £287 each week.

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New figures reveal that airports run by BAA, such as Heathrow, saw a rise in the number of travellers that passed through its gates in April.

Its six hubs handled nearly 9.09 million people overall last month, which is a 0.1% increase compared to the same month last year, according to the Spanish-owned operator.

Heathrow saw a slight jump in the volume of passengers in contrast with figures recorded in April 2011 – totalling 5.8 million travellers. But data found 2.7% fewer people travelled through Stansted Airport last month when compared with the same month last year, and Southampton also recorded a 3.1% decline.

Findings showed that European charter traffic, including North African charter flights, tumbled 6.5% in April, while the number of passengers who flew towards a North Atlantic destination decreased by 0.9%.

“These are encouraging figures for Heathrow and BAA’s other airports. However, the modest growth in passenger numbers at Heathrow, the UK’s only hub airport, comes from larger and fuller aircraft, not from more routes and frequencies to emerging markets. This lack of connectivity is damaging the UK economy,” said Colin Matthews, BAA chief executive.

Figures also dipped for Gatwick airport, which used to be owned by BAA, as it saw a total of 2.72 million travellers in April. The number is a 1.3% drop in comparison to 2011’s April figure. It is now run by Global Infrastructure Partnerships, which is expected to acquire BAA-owned Edinburgh airport.

Copyright Press Association 2012

Travel firms selling cruise liner tickets are slashing prices in an effort to bolster plunging sales, according to new reports.

Although UK cruise companies have been particularly badly hit, experts have pointed out that the interlinked nature of the industry has seen firms across Europe suffer from falling sales figures.

The crisis means travellers can head from UK airports such as Stansted and Gatwick to embark on a cruise around some of the most beautiful parts of the world for a fraction of the normal cost.

“The cruise market is weak because it is trans-European,” said Bob Atkinson of TravelSupermarket.

“If bookings are poor in Spain, Italy and France then the cruise lines aren’t getting the numbers they need to fill cruises, that means more go on sale in Britain.

“Book at short notice and you’ll probably get a great price, with cruise lines also chucking in free flights and on-board spending. Royal Caribbean voyages from Southampton start at £699 and can include $100 of onboard credit. It’s effectively a discount of 20-30%.”

Mr Atkinson went on to point out that the trends affecting the cruise industry could also be indicative of the travel sector as a whole, with people “hedging their bets and spending cautiously”.

The cruise industry has hit the headlines in recent months, after two liners from the same company ran into serious problems at sea. Most recently the Costa Allegra caught fire near the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean, while the Costa Concordia vessel ran aground and capsized, killing at least 25 people. Both ships were operated by Costa Cruises.