Roger Munns

Not since the days of Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe has the world of tennis been as exciting as it is today, as Rafa Nadal from Spain's Balearic Islands and Switzerland's Roger Federer make the game watchable to a mass audience again The numbers 1 and 2 in the world produced what was widely described by sports journalists around the world as Wimbledon's finest men's final in a generation last July where Nadal triumphed, and then in early February this year the two produced a pulsating final lasting over four hours in another Grand Slam event - the Australian Open

January is traditionally the month when most British people book their holidays, but quite how many have done so for this year won't be known for a while yet With the economy in both the US and Europe in recession, holiday destinations are bracing themselves for a dismal summer, as many tourists decide to have a holiday in their own country - or skip holidays altogether for 2009

The dilemma for many tourist regions is how to keep fresh, clean water flowing to serve their citizens and visitors. And that is no small thing to consider.

While a recession takes hold worldwide, it seems people are not holed up inside their homes. In fact, despite the recession in Europe and elsewhere, people are spending money on foreign holidays.

At the 2008 World Cheese Awards, Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands, took home the honor for the best cheese.

America and Europe face a pretty bleak 2009 as the world starts to feel the recession biting, and millions of people could be made unemployed And as unemployment rises and politicians see their poll ratings slip, part of the blame for the economic downturn will be put on tax havens, with astronomical sums being banded around of how much each country would benefit if tax havens didn't exist

Austrian Airlines recently launched a Skibus service that connects skiers directly to Innsbruck. The Alps have a long-running and well deserved reputation for being some of the best ski territory in the world. Beginners and hard-core skiers alike can find the ideal ski terrain to fit their ski style.

Monaco has the most expensive property in the world - but is that about to change as the recession kicks in? One Monaco property company says it knows the exact day when the phones stopped ringing...

Once a holiday destination has a reputation, it can take an awful long time to change that image. To British minds for example areas and islands of Spain including Benidorm and Tenerife can conjure up thoughts of the worst type of holiday...

Lanzarote's a fascinating vacation island, with lots to do and see. And renting a villa can give you the independence you need to be able to plan the holiday you want, at the pace you like.

The variety of vacation options available in Spain is one of the many reasons to be one of the millions of visitors to vacation there in 2009. According to recent tourism reports, Spain has welcomed 3 percent more tourists in 2008 than in 2007. Between January and September 2009, 41.5 million tourists arrived in Spain.

The number of holidays being taken in 2009 is going to be lower than previous years...Malta is trying to tap into a younger market in the hope of broadening her appeal.

It's the time of year when many people are considering where to go for their summer holidays. For those who haven't been before, Cyprus might be worth putting on the shortlist.

There's good news for skiers this year - prices are lower than last year. With the recession biting the ski resorts need people to visit them for a holiday!

As more people become environmentally aware, the demand for green holidays increases. Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands has plenty of green credentials for those considering a holiday for 2009.