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!

Name : Kerry Curtis

Age : 22

Joined Blue Chip Vacations : June 2009

Job title: Holiday Bookings Advisor

Book a 2010 break before the end of the year and you could find yourself with an early 2010 birthday present - a free holiday, a sensational South West experience and a meal for your entire party at one of the region's leading restaurants.

To mark the launch of our 2010, tenth anniversary brochure, we're going to reward one early booker with a free holiday, an unforgettable experience of their choice*, and a meal for their entire party. Two additional customers will also receive a fabulous dinner for their party at either Fifteen Cornwall, Bistro 46, The Seahorse, The Elephant, Tanners, or St Petroc's Bistro. And, anyone making a booking before the end of the year for a holiday in either May or October will also receive a free 12-month subscription to ‘Coast' Magazine.

We are delighted to announce that Blue Chip Vacations has picked up the prestigious accolade of ‘Best Marketing Campaign' of the year at the recent South Devon Excellence Awards.

Our very own Elise Newman, who heads Blue Chip Vacations' Digital Marketing programme, was there to collect the award on behalf of the company.

One of the newer recruits in the bookings team, Susie Walker has already risen to the coveted position of Blue Chip Vacations' official Dog Blogger. Over the coming months, Susie will be bringing you all the latest news on dog-friendly properties, beaches and activities so you and your dog can best enjoy your holiday! To get the ball rolling, here's a brief introduction. You'd be barking mad not to read on...