A roundup of all the week's travel news in brief:
Vikings to invade Ireland
Co Louth is the place to be next weekend, for the second annual Annagassan Viking Festival. The festival will feature Viking boat races, a history tour and a Viking working village. Annagassan, near Dunleer, is the earliest identifiable Viking site in Ireland. www.annagassanvikingfestival.com
Insure your foreign nuptials
As an increasing number of Irish couples decide to tie the knot in Italy and other romantic foreign spots,
Aer Lingus, in conjunction with Elvia Travel Insurance International, has launched a wedding-insurance package. Lost or damaged wedding outfits, rings, gifts and shoes will be covered under the plan, which costs €10 per couple on top of the usual comprehensive policy.
At a total cost of €29 per person for one week, or €31 per person for two weeks, the insurance will even cover the cost of a wedding photographer, should the one you hired be delayed by an accident or illness.
Head for an ethical destination
For those who want to use their travel budgets to support developing countries, a US group, Ethical Traveler, has produced a list of
"10 best ethical destinations". The group wants to see people who travel supporting countries that try to preserve their natural assets and build economies where citizens share the benefits of tourism revenue, for example to improve healthcare and lower infant mortality. The countries on the list are Argentina, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Estonia, Namibia, Nicaragua and South Africa.
350,000
350,00 passengers will travel through Dublin Airport this weekend, a 3 per cent increase over the same period last year. More than 2,400 flights will arrive and depart.