Ballyness Caravan Park at Holiday World

The Australian jungle was just that bit steamier this year, thanks to the presence of handsomely sultry Jake Quickenden – and soon he’ll be making temperatures rise once more as he officially opens the 23rd Holiday World Show at the King’s Hall in Belfast (1.00pm on Friday 16 January).

Good looks, cheeky charm and an endearingly easy-going manner combined to help Jake finish runner-up in the fourteenth series of ITV hit reality show I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! The 25-year-old , tipped for the top in show biz, is no stranger to reality tv, having made his debut on The X Factor in 2012, when he was edged out of the competition after closely losing out at Judge Nicole Scherzinger’s house. Not one to give up easily, the determined and driven star decided to re-audition for the 2014 series, and he made it right through to the Live Shows before he set off on his whirlwind Aussie adventure.

This week he’ll be sharing stories of his Australian trip with visitors to the annual Holiday World show which is about to fill the King’s Hall Pavilions with all that’s up and coming for the 2015 travel scene.

Holiday World

The show will bring a dash of globe-trotting excitement to the city over the weekend of Friday 16 – Sunday 18 January, showcasing amazing getaways from close to home and from the four corners of the world as well as providing show-goers with a dazzling array of travel-themed entertainment, competitions, activities and special offers. The Caravan & Motorhome Show will feature the latest models, from modest tourers right up to state of the art luxury, with a chance for show-visitors to step on board to check out the detail, while the Oasis Travel Cruise Pavilion and the Clubworld Honeymoon & Wedding Destinations will help your holiday dreams to come true.

The big names just keep on coming: at the Oasis Travel Cruise Pavilion you’ll find partners including the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Azamara Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Titan Travel, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, Princess Cruises, Emerald Waterways, P&O Cruises, and Cunard Cruise Line, while major travel sector partners at the Clubworld Pavilion will include Classic Collection Holidays, Eurocamp Travel, Gold Medal Travel, Jet2 Holidays, Topflight Holidays, Travel2 and Turkish Airlines.

With new exhibitors including The Belfast International Airport and tourism bodies for destinations diverse as China, Oklahoma, Kansas, North Cyprus, Andalucia and Antalya joining ‘old friends’ such as New York, United Airlines, Malta, Cyprus, Tunisia and India (doubling its stand size for this year’s show), there’s a mighty mix at Holiday World. Variety is clearly central to its ongoing success but, according to organizer Maureen Ledwith, value is also a key theme for the 2015 event.

She says, “Everyone knows that shopping around can really pay off and at Holiday World they can tackle their comparison shopping in a single location and with expert advice immediately available. Show-goers enjoy the relaxed, friendly atmosphere of Holiday World, and they love the fact that we bring some of the world’s most desirable destinations right here to Belfast, but today most people tend to be hard-headed about holiday bookings and one of the big attractions of the show is the great value they find here, with keen prices, special show promotions and complementary extras to make a holiday break extra-special.”

Great value doesn’t always mean low cost. Many of those who visit Holiday World come in expectation of making a major investment, whether that will be a luxury vacation to celebrate one of life’s landmark occasions or, perhaps, the purchase of a caravan or motorhome. Maureen Ledwith says, “If you are planning to invest in the holiday of a lifetime or in a motorhome, caravan or holidayhome which you hope will provide a lifetime of vacations for you and your family, then it is really important to find the option that best suits your individual needs. Checking out the options and spending time talking with the experts can save you considerable sums and can help you to make the right choices.”

The sheer diversity of destinations on offer is a globe-trotters’ dream, but Holiday World will feature an incredible selection of holidays closer to home: some longstanding favourites will be represented but look out for lesser known gems too. Maureen says, “Our Home Holidays section has been expanded still further for 2015 with some brilliant value breaks and family holiday offers on value in stunning locations. Whether your ideal home holiday is a relaxing escape, an adventure challenge, a shop-till-you drop citybreak, a cultural odyssey or a family break you may just be surprised at the potential on your own doorstep … or just a hop, skip and a jump away.”

This year’s Holiday World show will pack an extra punch for the over fifties with its new 50+Village – a select group of exhibitors with a particular focus on the needs and interests of an age group which has been gaining in importance and market share in recent years, as Maureen Ledwith explains.

“Almost a third of the Northern Ireland population is aged 50+. They are less likely than other age groups to be tied down to working 9-to-5 … they aren’t coping with school or child-minding costs and routines … and they have probably paid off their mortgages … these are the people therefore who are most likely to have extra financial freedom and the time to enjoy life. Many already take full advantage of off-season travel bargains and we know from all our experiences with Holiday World that travel is important to them. Now, with our new 50+Village they’ll be able to check out some great offers and deals specially targeting their age and interests, covering leisure and lifestyle as well!”

For everyone at the 2015 show there will be an opportunity to indulge a taste for travel, whenever and wherever you want to go. From holidays at home to chic citybreaks’ from high end cruises, bespoke long haul tours, deluxe holidays to boutique breakaways … it all starts with a journey to the King’s Hall Pavilions this January.

The Holiday World Show runs in the King’s Hall Pavilions, Belfast from 1pm to 9pm on Friday 16 January and from 11am to 5.30pm on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 January 2015. Tickets are £5 for adults; £4 for seniors and £3 for students, and £10 for a family ticket (2 adults and accompanied children). To find out more about the show and its exhibitors and get in holiday mood visit www.holidayworldshow.com.