IF you’re heading abroad next year, your trip is likely to go up in price because of new border rules being introduced.

The new Entry/Exit System (EES) is to be rolled out across points across the UK including Dover, Folkestone and London St Pancras.

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The new system will scrap the stamping of passports and replace it with biometric checks.

First proposed back in 2016, it has been constantly delayed, with the plans to start on November this year pushed back again.

An official date in 2025 to be confirmed.

Despite this, many of the ports across the UK have been introducing new systems in a bid to reduce the waiting times expected at the border.

This include the Eurotunnel in Folkestone, the Eurostar at London St Pancras and ferry services at Dover.

Eurotunnel’s John Keefe said they had already spent €80million (£67million) on the infrastructure needed, with as many as 200 new kisosks in Folkestone and France.

However, he has warned that the millions spent is likely to affect holiday costs.

He said, the i reports: “A cost like this inevitably is passed on to the consumer.

“This delay and the introduction of EES has cost in itself €80m, so whether it’s delayed or it’s live now, there is still a cost that is carried by the consumer.”

There are already fears of queues as long as 14 hours at the border, especially at Dover which will impact the wider area of Kent.

Tim Reardon, head of EU exit for the Dover Harbour Board previously warned last year: “There is no way of doing a biometric control without getting everyone out of the vehicle.

Tourists have even been advised to travel with “extra supplies” such as food, water and nappies in case of the huge queues.

But new concerns have arisen, with airlines warning that passengers could be stuck on planes if the airport is too congested while waiting to be processed.

EasyJet‘s Johan Lundgren said at an Abta conference this month: “In the worst case you actually can’t disembark, you hold people on the plane.

“We have to think about what can actually happen.”

Neil Swanson, who was appointed UK and Ireland managing director for tour operator Tui last month, predicted there “could be some hiccups” with EES.

The Department for Transport has already announced £10.5 million of funding for UK ports to deal with EES.

The new ETIAS system is also to be introduced, although this isn’t until next year.

ETIAS, a visa-waiver, will require all Brits to pay €7 when visiting Europe, and will last three years.

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IF you’re fed up of missing the Northern Lights then seeing them all over social media, there’s one place in Britain where your chances of spotting the natural phenomenon are higher than most.

Given that they are closer to the North Pole than anywhere else in the country, the Shetland Islands are a popular spot for Aurora Chasers.

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The Lights are visible several times a year in the archipelago, particularly between October and March thanks to the longer nights and darker skies.

But the best sightings are in the depths of winter.

The season runs from October to March with the best sightings in the depths of winter when the short days mean dark skies for longer.

The Aurora Borealis is so common in the area that Shetlanders even have their own nickname for them – “mirrie dancers,” as the word “mirr’ stands for shimmering in Shetland dialect.

Speaking on behalf of Promote Shetland, Aurora expert Richard Ashbee said: “Shetland is the ideal place to see the aurora in Britain as it is the most northerly place in the UK.

“The Out Stack, north of Unst is roughly 400 miles south of the Arctic circle, nearer the Arctic circle than to London.

“Green is the most common colour reported by members of the Shetland Aurora Hunter Facebook group (60%), with multi coloured aurora reported by 30% of members and other colours (9%). Red aurora is the rarest (1%).

“By far the easiest way to find out when the aurora is going to show, is by joining Shetland Aurora Hunter on Facebook.

“Information is regularly updated on the current activity, members sightings, weather and road conditions.“

Spotting the Lights is far from guaranteed, but there is plenty more to do on the Atlantic Ocean islands.

The archipelago, around 170km north of the Scottish mainland, is made up of about 300 islands, and people only live on 16 of them.

The largest island is known as The Mainland and in its north are the North Isles of Yell, Fetlar and Unst – Britain’s northernmost island.

If you do head there in winter, make sure to pack for the weather as it’s on the same latitude is the same as Norway, Sweden and Finland, with dark and long winters regularly hit by polar winds.

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Average temperatures in January and February, the coldest months, are around 3.5C.

Like many Scottish islands, the beaches are outstanding – with some stunning coastline on the mainland.

Scousburgh Sands features white sands and turquoise waters, as does Banna Minn on West Burra and Uyea in the north of Shetland, which could pass for somewhere tropical on a sunny day (although the water temperature gives it away).

The islands are one of the best places in the world to see whales too, with humpback whales, orcas, minke whales and also dolphins frequently spotted – albeit mostly between May and August.

The number of sightings are increasing, suggesting it’s slowly becoming an even better place for whale watchers to visit.

The holiday hotspot was listed on Woman and Home’s best whale watching locations in the world, alongside spots like Maui in Hawaii, the Lofoten Islands, Norway and Kaikoura in New Zealand.

Visitors can also spott the famous Shetland ponies, roaming on several of the islands including West Mainland, Tingwall, Dunrossness, and Unst.

It’s thought that they arrived on the islands during the Ice Age.

While they appear to have free rein and are seen everywhere from beaches to hilltops, they are cared for by local crofters.

How to get there?

You can fly to Shetland from all major Scottish airports, as well as London Heathrow.

Alternatively, you can reach the islands by overnight ferry from Lerwick from Aberdeen or Kirkwall.

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IF you’re after a last-minute blast of heat without having to shell out thousands of pounds, there is a city near the UK that ticks both boxes.

Morocco’s Agadir is hitting 27C this week – and it was named one of the cheapest places for all-inclusive breaks.

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Earlier this year, a study by Which? that looked at prices of more than 3,500 package holidays found Agadir to be one of the cheapest.

We found a number of seven-night, all-inclusive breaks for less than £300 each, even when staying at a four star resort.

Agadir, the largest seaside resort in Morocco, has as many as 300 days of sunshine.

According to Morocco Tourism, Agadir is “one of the pearls of Morocco” thanks to its great climate, beaches and attractions.

It’s popular with surfers due to the huge waves across the eight mile beach, lined with golden sand and loungers you can rent.

Despite being ‘founded’ by the Portuguese in the 1500s, the entire city was destroyed by an earthquake in the 1960s, so has since been rebuilt.

While this means you can expect more of a European-feel to the city, that doesn’t mean you can’t experience the Moroccan lifestyle.

Local experiences that tourists should try are hammans, Moroccan spas, as well as a visit to the markets.

One of the largest is Souk El Had which has more than 6,000 stalls with homewares and food.

And the standout attraction is the towering Mohamed V Mosque, a modern addition to the city after the rebuild.

Want something more adventurous? You can book desert tours and quad bike safari trips in Agadir too.

Flights from the UK are just under four hours, with Ryanair and easyJet offering fares from £14.99, flying from a number of airports.

And Jet2 has now launched flights from both Leeds and Bristol to Agadir this month.

But if you want an all-inclusive break, one of the best value is with Loveholidays, staying at the three -star Caribbean Village Agador – costing £299 when all-inclusive.

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A similar priced resort is El Pueblo Tamlelt, but if you want something fancier, four-star all-inclusives can still be found for around £350 each.

TUI has some great winter sun breaks too, when staying at their TUI Blue Riu Tikida Beach, or the TUI Suneo resort.

Otherwise there are a number of hotel chain names you can book yourself, such as Hotel RUI and Sofitel.

If you want to explore the rest of Morocco, we’ve found some great alternatives too.

Taroudant is much smaller in size than Marrakesh, and also considered calmer and less crowded – here’s everything you need to know.

And we’ve explained why you should visit the coastal city of Essaouira.

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THE top holiday trends for 2025 include ‘Detour Destinations’, ‘JOMO Travel’ and the ‘Hotel Restaurant Renaissance’, according to Expedia Group.

The travel company believes travellers in the upcoming year will not only visit the tried-and-true tourist destinations – they’ll also be adding detours to their time away.

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With Reims being the perfect stop off when travelling to Paris, and Brescia in Italy the perfect distance from Milan.

The Hotels.com arm of the travel group has also seen a rise in tourists looking for ‘standout dining experiences’, seeing a 40 per cent year-on-year increase in positive reviews about hotel restaurants.

While travellers are taking advantage of hotels around the world opening critically-acclaimed restaurants featuring Michelin-starred chefs and seasonal menus.

It comes after research of 25,000 respondents across 19 countries found young adults are bringing back the all-inclusive.

With the new wave of these types of hotels offering margarita minibars and foam parties on-site and wellness activities to attract Gen Z travellers looking for stress-free stays and a good deal.

And as many as 43 per cent claim an all-encompassing resort would be their preferred holiday type.

The report also found FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) is a thing of the past, with most opting for JOMO (Joy of Missing Out) travel instead.

This leads to travellers doing less on holiday to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life, instead staying at cosy cabins or peaceful beach houses, according to Vrbo.

A spokesperson for the travel company, which released the trends as part of its ‘Unpack ’25’ report, said: “We aim to continuously work to blend technology with travel, making journeys simpler and more enjoyable.

“The Unpack report is our opportunity to reflect on what travellers are seeking and how our partners are innovating.”

“From this year’s trends, I’m eager to book a One-Click Trip and visit some Detour Destinations for my next holiday.”

Another trend identified by Expedia is the ‘Goods Getaway’, which sees travellers heading far afield for specific purchases.

Driven by TikTok trends, these might see people tracking down a viral chocolate bar from Dubai, butter from France, skincare products from Korea or Japanese sweets.

Meanwhile, the ‘Phenomena-List’, from Vrbo, highlights the best times of year to jet around the world to see some of the most incredible natural phenomena around the globe.

It recommends February and March for the Ballet of the Japanese Cranes, and July to September to see the incredible bioluminescent plankton at Vero Beach, Florida.

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