Rail passengers face chaos over Christmas

Passengers in much of England will have to prepare themselves for upheaval on the rail networks due to maintenance

Britain’s tourist industry is in need of a break

Government plans to change tax rules on self-catering holiday properties could lead to eight out of ten going under

Gatwick buyer sends in squad to fix woes

Global Infrastructure Partners is preparing to send in team of 'fixers' to help to overhaul operations of the airport

Nightclub death ‘covered up to protect tourism’

Family of 17-year-old Briton found dying outside Greek nightclub claim police covered up his death to protect tourism

Cumbria's Christmas isn't cancelled

Hotels in Cumbria have sent a plea to guests not to cancel festive breaks in the wake of the devastating floods

Your next trip may be powered by weeds

Airlines have high hopes for a new range of biofuels after the success of the first passenger flight powered by a shrub

Directions

British hotels are charging clients more per day to use the internet than most consumers pay per month for broadband services

Travel news in brief

First class for business class prices with Lufthansa | FCO warning to piste skiers | Nottingham’s the new hot spot

Neofile

Alila Villas Soori opens on Bali’s southwest coast | Seafood chef Rick Stein begins his colonisation of Australia

Out of the ordinary: my walk with a woolly jumper

If you want to see Alpacas up close, a farm in the Norfolk Broads allows visitors to roam with the herd

Bmi cuts jobs and closes routes

The struggling airline will also start returning its A330 aircraft to leasing companies as part of its survival strategy

Problems for Dubai are only just beginning

The city state was sold to the world as a place where West and East could do business but now its finances are being scrutinised

Stars caught out as Dubai property bubble bursts

Credit markets rocked as developer Nakheel and its state-owned parent made a request to suspend debt repayments

Bargain winter breaks in Cornwall

Oliver and Stein go head to head with a host of deals to entice visitors to Cornwall before Christmas

BBC Trust slaps shackles on Worldwide

The commercial unit will be allowed to retain Lonely Planet, the travel guide publisher that it bought two years ago

Gulf Air could cost Rolls-Royce $1.5bn

The Bahrain-based airline is to renegotiate contracts with suppliers in attempt to save $2.65 billion over five years

London ‘fringe’ festival to rival Edinburgh

Next year's event will run on the same dates as Edinburgh and poach London comedians who normally travel to Scotland

Travelodge challenges Premier Inn’s adverts

Hotel chain has lodged a formal complaint with the ASA over Premier Inn's £29-a-room Christmas promotional campaign

Where to see grizzly bears in the wild

Watching Life tonight? Damian Whitworth, who joined a BBC film crew in Alaska, offers the best places to get up close to grizzlies

Current competitions

Enter one of Times Online Travel's competitions for your chance to win a holiday