Blue Chip Vacations will launch its brand new website this week, with a stylish new design and easy-to-use search tools to help visitors choose their perfect luxury self-catering holiday.

The new-look site includes an updated booking and payment system to make arranging your holiday quick and simple. Why not search our properties and take advantage of the sleek new property listings format?

Of course all of your favourite features will remain on the new website, so finding your way around the new version will be easier than ever. Watch this space to see the impressive new site as soon as it arrives!

Plymouth’s skies will be ablaze on 10th and 11th August as the city hosts the Plymouth Firework Championships from Plymouth Hoe.

Six of the UK’s finest firework companies will set the sky alight as they compete to win the championships, creating a spectacular event for those on Plymouth holidays on 10th and 11th August this year.

The displays will start around 9.30pm each evening, and there will be entertainment – including a fairground – on Plymouth Hoe.  

Torbay, on the English Riviera, will see its sheltered waters come alive with activity for the Torbay Sailing Regatta in August. The annual Torbay Sailing Week will take place between Friday 20th and Wednesday 25th August.

The fun-filled regatta will include many events and activities throughout Torbay - in Torquay, Paignton and Brixham – so those on well-timed Torbay holidays will be treated to various displays and spectacles!

Torbay’s excellent conditions for sailing make it the perfect location for the annual regatta, and those who prefer to enjoy the festivities from dry land will have plenty of opportunity to watch the thrilling races from various locations throughout the Bay.  

Anyone who has ever visited the picturesque Devon seaside town of Brixham will be only too aware that it has many secret sides just waiting to be explored. Well now this status has been officially confirmed within the June edition of Lonely Planet’s “5O New Travel Secrets” feature.

To celebrate Blue Chip Vacations' 10th birthday, we ran a prize draw for all bookings between 1st November to 31st December 2009 for a holiday in 2010, with some amazing prizes up for grabs! The winner of the first prize will get their 2010 holiday paid for up to the value of £1,000, as well as a fun day out for all party members at one of the top local attractions in the area including Paignton Zoo, Living Coasts, Kents Cavern and Babbacombe Model Village, or a great day fishing, at a spa or an evening at the theatre. To round the fantastic day off, we're even throwing in a scrumptious meal at a fantastic local restaurant! Two runners up will enjoy fine dining at one of the finest restaurants in the South West.

Blue Chip Vacations recently announced that it has agreed a deal with Comer Homes to market 50 apartments at its Ocean Views Portland development.  The apartments, which include a number that have been booking well since October, will be made available in batches of 10.  The first full batch will be ready in early 2010, with the remainder coming on board throughout the rest of the year, 2011 and in the run up to 2012.

Blue Chip Vacations' recently announced that it has appointed former Sales and Marketing Director for Crest Nicholson South West, Philip Newnes, as its new Head of Property Portfolio.

In this newly-created position Philip will be responsible for achieving Blue Chip Vacations’ ambitious plans to further expand its range of high-end properties across Devon, Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset, while embarking on a new drive to build an industry-leading choice of luxury holiday homes in the Cotswolds.

Torbay Lifeboat Station gave Blue Chip Vacations a warm welcome despite the wintry weather, when Alan Taylor, MD of the self-catering holiday home specialist, and Maggie Sycamore, its Accounts Administrator, came in to present a cheque for £250 to the RNLI.

The money had been raised over the Christmas period when a festive email was sent to its 600-plus self-catering owners instead of a Christmas card. All money saved was donated to the RNLI, and the initiative even resulted in a number of separate contributions from property owners.

Over half of us are likely to take fewer overseas holidays in 2010 replacing these with UK breaks instead. The survey of 949 people undertaken by Blue Chip Vacations showed that 56 per cent of us would ditch the overseas holiday in 2010, while over two-thirds (69 per cent) will choose to holiday in the UK instead. Respondents said their decision was influenced by the combination of positive UK weather predictions for the next decade, continuing poor exchange rates, concerns over the environment and the impact of increasing Air Passenger Duty. These findings are supported by strong domestic self-catering bookings that are already on the rise for 2010.

A massive thank you once again to all who entered the fabulous Children in Need competition on on The Judy Spiers Show, BBC Radio Devon, which raised a massive £750 for the worthy cause. The lucky winner was Alan from Moorshop, who can enjoy a week of luxury at the stunning At The Beach in Torcross, a meal at the 14th Century Start Bay Inn and a scrumptious organic vegbox from Riverford Organic Produce. Kindly, the BBC have sent over the edited highlights of the broadcast, so if you missed out the first time around take a listen to this truly heart warming generosity. Congratulations to him and a huge thank you to everyone who bid! If you were an unsuccessful bidder, why not take a look at the superb range of luxury properties that Blue Chip Vacations' offers in ‘At the Beach'; prices start from a mere £230 per week!