Longwood Holidays, the UK’s leading specialist Tour Operator to the Red Sea has launched the new season 2005-2006 Red Sea Diving brochure, offering the great value holidays, dive packages and comprehensive range of hotels the company is renowned for, as well as a number of exciting new features.

New for the 2005-2006 season are single traveller weeks, perfect for divers travelling alone. Designed to bring like-minded individuals together, these packages offer affordable single packages. Single traveller diving courses are only open to other Longwood single travellers, and the hotels included (in Sharm el Sheikh and Dahab) have been selected for their friendly, sociable atmosphere.

“There’s a greater demand for single packages amongst divers than in most other areas of the travel industry,” commented Daniel Lion, Longwood Holidays Dive Product Manager “These are not just single people keen to meet others with similar interests, but also regular divers whose partners or families don’t share their passion. This programme we’ve set up is fairly unique and meets the specific requirements of this area of the market.”

The new single traveller weeks are available as either of 2 options; for learners, the ‘Learn to Dive’ package, including PADI Open Water course; and for qualified divers a 5-day diving package with options including boat diving, wreck diving, shore diving, night diving and technical diving.

Longwood has consolidated its popular liveaboard programme in 2005 with exclusive UK representation of the illustrious VIP ONE. The luxury motor yacht offers exceptional first-class service on its tour of the Red Sea’s most exciting and remote locations. With fully air-conditioned interior comprising large double cabins with private en-suite and shower, saloon, dining room, bar and outside deck for sunbathing or barbecuing, the VIP ONE offers a high level of comfort to complement an exhaustive itinerary.

Following last year’s successful introduction, the exclusive Diamond Diving Service is also back for the 2005-2006 season, and with features such as free nitrox, hostess service and limited places, is bound to be popular with regular divers.

The philosophy behind Longwood’s diving brochures has always been the point of difference between the specialist operator’s service and that of other operators. Designed as a travel guide to diving in the Red Sea rather than as a promotional publication alone, the brochure offers practical advice, destination information and detailed reviews of all dive courses, sites and carefully selected dive centres & schools. The brochure also features a number of attractive offers and incentives designed to save divers money when pre-booking courses and packages.

To book a holiday, the Red Sea Diving brochure should be referred to in conjunction with Longwood’s 2005-2006 Egypt & Jordan brochure, which provides information on accommodation and a range of packages.

Prices are from £299 per person per week, staying Half Board at the 3* Sea Star Hotel. Courses start at £29 with the Bubblemaker, while packages for qualified divers start from £39 for 1 day’s diving consisting of two boat dives.

Single Traveller weeks start at £509 for 7nts BB at the 2* Bedouin Moon, including flights, accommodation and PADI Open Water course with full equipment.

A week’s diving on the liveaboard VIP One starts from £759 per person per week, including flights, transfers, full board and six days of diving.