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Cape Verde has been named the ‘best ultimate football-inspired island’ by Expedia, with searches for Cape Verde holiday packages up 265% following the African country’s World Cup heroics this summer

Searches for Cape Verde holidays have soared by 265% following the African nation’s footballing exploits this summer, according to figures from Expedia.

The island, made up of 10 volcanic islands with a total population of 491,233, captured the public’s hearts thanks to their performances at the World Cup. Their impressive showing proved so popular that searches have risen sharply compared to this time last year – with overall interest in island breaks up 55%.

Cape Verde features on Expedia’s 2026 Island Hot List, which spotlights the world’s most sought-after island destinations. Each location on the list falls into a distinct category, covering the finest romantic, wellness, nature, family and budget-friendly getaways – among others – with Cape Verde crowned the ‘best ultimate football-inspired island’.

Travel expert and spokesperson Melanie Fish said: “The list was finalised until one destination generated so much buzz from football fans that we had to give them an award of their own.”

Elsewhere on the list, St. Lucia takes the top spot as the ultimate romantic escape, while Porto Santo, Madeira, Portugal, is the preferred choice for wellness and relaxation.

Praslin, Seychelles leads the way for nature enthusiasts, and Syros, Greece, takes the crown for cuisine. Palawan, Philippines, is ideal for natural wonders, while Culebra, Puerto Rico, reigns supreme for water-based adventures.

Norway’s Lofoten Islands also secured a place on the list for arctic adventures, while Sanibel Island, Florida, USA, is the destination for family getaways. Phu Quoc, Vietnam tops the list for affordable luxury while Fiji leads the way for ‘multi-generational value’.

Expedia’s Melanie Fish added: “Islands don’t just satisfy the urge to get away; they can also be one of the smartest holiday values.”

Holidaymakers can book flights, hotels, car hire and activities on Expedia – making the planning process far simpler, and helping save money in the process.

Popular islands fill up quickly, particularly during busy holiday seasons – booking ahead helps guarantee the best prices and availability.

EXPEDIA’S 2026 ISLAND HOT LIST (INCLUDING YEAR-ON-YEAR SEARCH INCREASES).

1. St. Lucia (+125%) – Best for Romantic Escapes (Hotel Recommendation: Sugar Beach, 5 stars)
2. Porto Santo, Madeira, Portugal (+85%) – Best for Wellness & Relaxation (Hotel Recommendation: Pestana Porto Santo Beach Resort & Spa, 5 stars)
3. Praslin, Seychelles (+80%) – Best for Nature Lovers (Hotel Recommendation: Coco de Mer Hotel and Black Parrot Suites, 4 stars)
4. Syros, Greece (+60%) – Best for Cuisine & Charm (Hotel Recommendation: Syrou Melathron, 4 stars)
5. Lofoten Islands, Norway (+50%) – Best for Arctic Adventure (Hotel Recommendation: Henningsvær Bryggehotell, 4 stars)
6. Palawan, Philippines (+40%) – Best for Natural Wonders (Hotel Recommendation: Carpe Diem Villas & Resort, 4 stars)
7. Culebra, Puerto Rico (+35%) – Best for Water Adventures (Hotel Recommendation: Club Seabourne Boutique Hotel, 3 stars)
8. Sanibel Island, Florida, USA (+25%) – Best for Family Escapes (Hotel Recommendation: Sanibel Inn, 3 stars)
9. Phu Quoc, Vietnam (+25%) – Best for Affordable Luxury (Hotel Recommendation: Green Bay Phu Quoc Resort & Spa, 5 stars)
10. Fiji (+15%) – Best for Multi-generational Value (Hotel Recommendation: OUTRIGGER Fiji Beach Resort, 5 stars

• New for 2026: Cape Verde (+265%) – Best Ultimate Football-inspired Island (Hotel Recommendation: Morabeza Hotel, 4 stars).

ANOTHER UK travel firm has entered administration after 15 years.

Travel Bespoke Ltd, which also operated under Chalet Bespoke, Ski Bespoke and Spa Bespoke, had closed after more than a decade of selling ski and chalet holidays.

According to The Herald, the company use to offer “bespoke luxury ski experiences”.

Many of the packages were to ski resorts across Austria, France, Switzerland, Canada and the USA.

And the packages could be booked with or without flights.

As for the chalet trips, many featured luxury accommodation with some including spa stays.

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It comes as the Midhurst, Sussex holiday company stopped being an ATOL (Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing) holder, which is the UK financial protection scheme that is run by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Due to this, anyone that had a holiday booked with the company will be refunded.

ATOL reported at the end of May that they had “contacted the affected ATOL protected consumers directly”.

It added: “If you have not been contacted and believe you are entitled to a claim against an ATOL protected booking, please supply your booking details with supporting documentation by email to claims@caa.co.uk”.

Travel Bespoke Ltd is one of numerous travel companies that have gone out of business this year.

Earlier this week Groupia Ltd – which focused on group trips such as hen and stag dos as well as weekend getaways – entered administration after 24 years, cancelling some holidays.

Other UK travel firms that have entered administration this year include luxury holiday firm Salamander Voyages with yacht holidays across Greece, Italy, Croatia, and Turkey as well as Regen Central Ltd, which used to sell package holidays.

EVERYONE loves a cheap holiday – and a budget airline is about to launch their own package deals from the UK.

Wizz Air has launched Wizz Holidays – a new holiday booking service, where you can get your flights, accommodation and transfers all in the same package.

According to the airline, travellers can choose their destination and travel dates or browse the site with filters to find the best holiday deals – from city breaks to beach trips.

There are also options to add extras onto your booking, such as 25l luggage.

The new travel platform uses AI to find travellers personalised holiday packages.

According to local media, Wizz Air’s Chief Commercial Office Silvia Mosquera, said at the press conference yesterday: “Wizz Holidays offers a smarter solution that makes travel planning easier and more flexible.

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“With our Unpackage Yourself message, we encourage our passengers to discover our competitive prices and the possibilities of multi-city travel.“

The platform is already live and due to launch in the UK soon.

While destinations from the UK haven’t been revealed, the airline heads to a number of popular spots including Alicante in Spain, Corfu in Greece and Rome in Italy.

And when the platform eventually launches for UK customers, Brits will be able to use the tool to plan and build a tailored holiday package which can include a different number of stops.

One of the current packages available for example, is a multi-stop trip in Italy, flying from Budapest.

The seven night trip would cost €600 (£513.03) per person including hotels, with four days in Lampedusa and then three days in Catania between August 28 and September 4.

Or perhaps you’d prefer to head to Portugal?

The deal from Budapest to Porto, includes five days there before flying to Lisbon and spending four days there for €445 (£380.50) per person between November 3 and 13.

A Wizz Air spokesperson said: “Today’s launch marks the first phase of WIZZ Holidays, our smarter, more intuitive package holidays platform, which is initially available in selected markets.

“While holidays departing from the UK are not yet available, the UK remains an important market for Wizz Air.

“We’re working towards making WIZZ Holidays available to UK customers as part of the second phase of the rollout and look forward to sharing more details as soon as we can.”

China has announced it will send a round of humanitarian aid to Lebanon and Iran and play an active role in fostering regional peace. The foreign ministry spokesman described Beijing as ‘deeply saddened’ by the humanitarian disaster.