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Something To Declare: Marrakech; ski workers in Canada

Simon Calder
Saturday 13 January 2007 01:00 GMT
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Bargain of the week: Marrakech

The most competitive airport-to-airport route from Gatwick is to Morocco's loveliest city. Four airlines are battling for market share: in the Moroccan corner, Royal Air Maroc (020-7439 4361; www.royalairmaroc.com) and its no-frills offshoot, Atlas Blue ( www.atlas-blue.com); and in the British corner, British Airways (0870 950 8950; www.ba.com) and easyJet (0871 244 2366; www.easyJet.com).

As a result, fares this winter have fallen way below the levels prevailing at the start of last year. Flying out on 25 January, back five days later, easyJet has a fare of £103 return. British Airways has one for £162 return, though this fare falls if you are more flexible with dates. Prices on RAM and Atlas Blue are somewhere between the two. In addition, Club-class travel is available for £337 return on BA.

Warning of the week: threats to unofficial ski workers in Canada

"Periodically, Immigration carries out sweeps, so you were always looking over your shoulder", says Hamish Andrews, who spent seven months working illegally for a cleaning contractor in the Canadian resort of Whistler. "You had to be very careful about who you talked to and what you said. You could never let down your guard for a moment."

Mr Andrews is quoted in the new edition of Working in Ski Resorts by Victoria Pybus (Vacation Work, £12.95) - which lists plenty of legitimate ways to earn a living on the slopes of North America and Europe.

The Justice Department in Ottawa warns: "You cannot come to Canada as a visitor and then start working."

"If you do get caught,", says Mr Andrews, "you are escorted to Vancouver and put on the first flight out, and also banned from entering Canada for two to five years."

Destination of the week: place your bid

The adventure travel operator Exodus is staging an interesting event in London on Thursday: a charity evening with a travel auction, at the Royal Geographical Society. Lots include flight tickets and holidays to Morocco, Ethiopia and Sri Lanka, and a pair of business-class tickets to Africa. Tickets for the event cost £30 each. Call 08702 405 550.

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