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EasyJet Celebrate Growth at Belfast International Airport


www.nitravelnews.com International, demonstrating the


airline’s long-term commitment to Northern Ireland by providing more great value choice, offering 36 routes to eight countries across Europe and the Middle East. The airline will operate its largest ever flying programme from Northern Ireland this summer with 23% per cent more capacity than pre-pandemic, flying 4.7 million seats.


EASYJET has this week welcomed an additional aircraft to its base at Belfast International Airport, to serve customer demand from Northern Ireland this summer.


The arrival of the 186-seat Airbus A320 means easyJet now bases eight Airbus A320 family aircraft at Belfast


SHOULDER TO PRY ON:


HOW HOLIDAYMAKERS CAN SAFEGUARD THEIR MOBILE FROM HACKERS


To help keep you safe when going abroad, here are some of the best ways to stop shoulder surfers in their tracks. “An unlocked phone can reveal a lot of your personal information, so if a criminal has seen you inputting an access code this could make you the ideal target,” says Marijus Briedis. “However, theft becomes a lot tougher to pull off if they need your face to get their hands on your data.


MILLIONS of Brits are currently preparing for the summer holiday season, but sadly so are criminals looking to take advantage of unsuspecting tourists.


“While most travellers are trained to lookout for pickpockets in popular destinations and not walk around with pockets full of cash, today’s scammers are much more focused on your mobile than your money belt,” explains Marijus Briedis, cybersecurity expert at NordVPN. “The latest phenomenon we are seeing


is ‘shoulder surfing’, where someone tries to steal your personal data by watching over your shoulder as you use a mobile phone, laptop, or another device in public. Cybercriminals may then use this sensitive information to commit identity fraud and hack into your bank account, while thieves may simply snatch the device out of your hands and know exactly how to unlock it.”


“Facial recognition technology is improving all of the time and is now used widely on modern smartphones and on mobile banking apps, as well as Apple Pay and Google Pay. The technology is secure and goes through several rounds of analysing your face so it should be only you that can get through it. “If you don’t have it set up on your phone, consider doing this before you travel, as it can take a while for the technology to get every angle of your face. If you do use your phone for contactless payments, make sure that you have FaceID or a password set up as a security measure before using it, as it could put your cards at risk.


“When you see a beautiful view or popular attraction it’s easy to lose track of the people around you when trying to take the perfect snap.


“The process of unlocking your phone, taking a picture, and then logging in to your social media account reveals several sets of personal details, which may be enough for an alert criminal to make hay with your data. Sharing holiday snaps on social media while away can also be a green light to burglars at home.


“Queues at tourist hot spots are a particular


risk, as it’s hard to resist the temptation to glance at your phone, even with others close behind you. Try and shield your phone from whoever may be lined up next to you. Be your own bank manager


JF Travel Set to Expand with Opening of NEW Store – NOW HIRING


JF TRAVEL is set to expand with the opening of a new store. The store, which will be based in the heart of Mid Ulster, is planned for opening in summer 2023.


With the store opening in Magherafelt, County Londonderry, this will be JF travel’s second store after with its first in Coleraine. Jonny Fielding, the Travel Specialist behind JF Travel said: “We are so excited to be coming to Magherafelt. “We already have a lot of clients from


the Mid Ulster area and we are looking forward to being able to offer better customer service with a shop nearby for all their holiday needs!”


“Rather than bum bags full of foreign banknotes, UK holidaymakers increasingly use debit and credit cards abroad, especially as many banks now offer zero fees for payments or allow you to buy in the local currency without an extra charge.. “The danger of going completely cash-free


is that you are likely to be far more reliant on technology during your trip. This means you may end up in a situation where you need to use your mobile banking app in public. “Avoid using your phone to access your bank account when in busy areas and, if you need to transfer money between accounts, do this before you step out of your hotel room and try to budget for the day.”


“When it comes to keeping your data


secure, it’s best to think of your phone as a bank vault. Between apps, messages, photos and emails you may not realise just how much of your valuable information is stored in each device.


“The best way to ensure that criminals have a hard time getting into your smartphone and apps is to set strong and unique passwords.”


The airline will also launch its inaugural flight on a brand new summer route from Belfast International to Rhodes. The stunning Greek island of Rhodes offers miles of scenic coastline which makes it an ideal destination for travellers wishing to relax and recharge, all while discovering some of Europe’s


July/August 2023


best beaches. Flights to Rhodes will operate up to twice a week on Saturdays and Tuesdays throughout the summer season until 28 October 2023. The new route means that holidaymakers from Belfast wanting to explore Rhodes can do so with easyJet holidays, with packages starting from less than £400 per person. The holiday company now offers 29 beach and city destinations from Belfast. From luxury all-inclusive


resorts, to charming


boutique hotels in the heart of Europe’s most loved cities, there’s something for everyone. And, there’s 23kg of luggage per person, flights, hotel and transfers


included on all beach packages.


Holidaymakers Facing Barriers to Finding Right Travel Insurance


HOLIDAYMAKERS who are older or have medical conditions can end up paying several times the amounts that some others would pay for insurance, or face being priced out of travelling altogether, according to Which? research.


The next instalment of Mission Impossible, written and directed by Christopher McQuarrie, will be released globally beginning 12 July. Among other locations, the movie was also shot in Abu Dhabi, Etihad’s home city.


Saudi Arabia’s Incredible


Tourism Rise


SAUDI Arabia is currently experiencing unparalleled growth in tourism, with the Kingdom well on its way to achieving its goal of welcoming 100 million annual visitors by 2030. Saudi Arabia has now overtaken Dubai in terms of visitor numbers, having welcomed 7.8 million tourists in the first quarter of this year alone,


compared to


Dubai’s 4.7 million. According to the latest data from the World Tourism Organisation (WTO), Saudi


Arabia was the second-fastest growing tourism destination in Q1 2023. The WTO also announced that Saudi Arabia ranked 13th globally in international tourist arrivals in 2022, a significant improvement from its 2019 ranking of 25th. In addition, the destination has made impressive strides in the international tourism revenue index, climbing 16 places to 11th from its previous ranking of 27th in 2019.


Travel metasearch engine Kayak announced that searches for Jeddah have seen a 643% spike in the last year.


The consumer group commissioned a survey of more than 4,000 people who had taken out an annual travel insurance policy in the past two years.


It found the median average price paid for those declaring medical conditions was 56% or £54 more than those without medical conditions. People with medical conditions paid £150 on average while those without paid around £96, the survey indicated. Age is also a factor when it comes to paying higher premiums, with hikes particularly seen for travellers 75 or older, even if they are in good health, Which? said.


The median average price paid for annual cover by those aged 75 or older was £300 – 65% (or £118) higher compared with customers aged 65 to 74 (£182), and more than double the amount paid by those aged 55 to 64 (£142).


Older travellers who also have medical conditions could see their premiums bumped higher still. Measures are in place to help “signpost” people to specialist travel insurers.


Six in 10 (61%) people surveyed for Which? had a pre- existing medical condition or a history of one – and within this group, more than a third (36%) said that in the past three years, they had encountered problems buying travel insurance because of their conditions. Just under half (48%) of people who had difficulty buying insurance because of their medical condition in the past three years had tried a specialist directory. Of those with medical conditions, one-fifth (21%) said their medical conditions meant premiums were affordable but very expensive, while just under one in 10 (8%) said if they disclosed their medical conditions, they were offered insurance, but not at prices they could afford.


Which? said 7% had skipped buying insurance because of the high costs, leaving them without crucial protections should things go wrong while away. Of the customers in Which?’s survey who had claimed


within the past two years, more than a third (36%) had their claim rejected, disputed or only paid in part. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will introduce a new consumer duty this summer, which will set higher and clearer standards of consumer protection across financial services and requires firms to put their customers’ needs first. Jenny Ross, editor of Which? Money, said: “It’s really concerning that travellers with medical conditions still routinely face barriers to finding the right cover for their holidays.


“Our research has found that awareness of the specialist directories is too low among those who could benefit from them, meaning some travellers could either assume they can’t get cover, decide not to disclose their condition due to price concerns or disclose them and end up paying more than they should.


“The FCA’s new consumer duty must mean that insurance firms improve the visibility of their signposting, and be clearer with customers about how their cover could be limited as a result of their pre- existing conditions.


“The regulator must be ready to take action against firms not following the rules.”


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