Our travel writer Katie Wood has picked out some of her highlights of the region, but there are plenty of other equally good reasons why you should consider a holiday in this beautiful neck of the woods.

I’ll never look at a gondolier again without a smile crossing my lips. Why? Did I have fun in Venice, being serenaded by a Latin lothario? Did I stay at the Venetian hotel in Vegas, transported around the property in one of those gondolas that are as cheesy as gorgonzola?

Nope, I took a trip on an “authentic” 33ft gondola off the Coronado Cays near San Diego, for a couples massage with my hubbie as part of our stay at the Loews Coronado resort.

“You’ve never had it so good” is not an expression you hear too often these days, but in terms of cheap direct flights from Scottish airports, it’s true.

Did you know there are a staggering 114 places you can fly to direct at little cost, without the hassle of Heathrow or Gatwick?

We might not enjoy the no-frills of Ryanair and the like, but it doesn’t stop us using them.

Leading flight search engine, WhichBudget.com has found that, rather than staying at home in these austere times, Scots are heading for budget destinations throughout Europe this spring.

Her first weekly column will be published on May 1st.

With 900,000 readers each week ‘The Sunday Post’ has a wide readership across Scotland and the north of England, though it is available nationally and many Scots living in London and southern England continue to buy the paper.

It is more representative of the Scottish population spread than any other Sunday newspaper, with high quality coverage of the Scottish regions and cities.

Travel is an important feature in the paper, with a full colour page each week and six double page spreads throughout the year.

Scotland is increasingly marketing itself as Europe’s leading wildlife  destination, and with an incredibly diverse range of habitats now hosting dozens of top quality projects and experiences, it’s an idea that’s becoming plausible.

Home to vast expanses of protected ground and two spectacular national parks, both rural and marine Scotland are awash with wildlife watching opportunities, from bottlenose dolphins in the Moray Firth to golden eagles on the west coast or sailing among thousands of seals and puffins in Shetland.

According to VisitScotland, the annual worth to the economy of wildlife tourism is £153m. That’s a figure averaged over 2006, 2007 and 2008, and despite the economic downturn, almost two-thirds of Scotland’s wildlife and nature tourism operators reported an increase in visitor numbers in 2009.

The country also supports an ambitious programme of re-introducing species that have long since disappeared from the region. In 2009, red kite chicks hatched in Aberdeenshire for the first time in almost 150 years, while in Argyll’s Knapdale forest there is a project to bring back beavers, last seen in Scotland in the 16th century (although tourists are unlikely to see them).

This is the city where you can famously ski in the morning, play golf in the afternoon and sail in the evening.

It all sounds too good to be true, but thanks to a backdrop of coastal mountains and elegant fingers of land reaching into the sea, Vancouver delivers a near-perfect setting – and, unlike much of Canada, has a pleasingly mild temperate climate as well.

What’s more, it’s the gateway to Vancouver Island, which both tempers city life and provides a balanced twin break.

On a two-day stomp around Vancouver, I dipped into the famed shopping spots in Robson Street, such as the buzzing market, which has all sorts of eclectic fashion boutiques and shops selling everything from great shoes to lingerie.

Here are three good reasons to go to Argentina in 2008.

First, the cost of living once there will bring a smile to even the most-budget conscious traveller’s face.

Second, the people are welcoming, educated and keen to make friends.

Third, despite the enormous beauty of the country, international tourism is still in its infancy.