Claire Bentley, managing director of British Airways Holidays, answers your summer-break questions and suggests destinations for shoppers, scuba divers and groups of friends

Where’s the best place for a shopaholic to go on holiday? I’m more interested in independent boutiques than big-name stores.
There is no better place for shopping than New York City. And while everyone knows about Fifth Avenue with its world-famous department stores, you can get so much more out of New York’s neighbourhoods.

SoHo’s cobbled streets have boutiques intermixed with familiar favourites, while the Meatpacking District (pictured above) is the trendy home to chic designer stores. The Lower East Side and Village neighbourhoods are packed with one-of-a-kind shops alongside street vendors. Or, for something different, try Madison Avenue, which boasts the most expensive retail real estate in the world.

Where should I go for a scuba-diving break with a difference?
Grenada. National Geographic listed the island’s underwater sculpture park as one of ‘Earth's most awesome places’, plus there are more than 50 other dive sites. There are colourful coral reefs and spectacular dive wrecks, including the Bianca C - an Italian cruise liner affectionately called ‘the Titanic of the Caribbean’.

I want to go away with a group of 10 friends for a big birthday celebration. Where should I stay?
I’d recommend the Ushuaia Ibiza Beach Hotel in Playa d’en Bossa, Ibiza. It’s an amazing party hotel. The rooms feature minimalist décor and state-of-the-art technology to guarantee a comfortable stay. Plus, every guest has free access to the hotel’s amazing parties and nearby Space nightclub. 

Can I use my Avios for a BA Holiday?
When booking a BA Holiday, customers can't use their Avios [formerly BA Miles] to pay/part pay for bookings. We dynamically package our holidays using the best available prices that can only be accessed when creating an opaque package price. This enables us to deliver extremely competitive prices across our worldwide product portfolio. However, because we recognise the importance of Avios to customers, we award a bonus of two Avios per £1 spent on all holidays booked by Executive Club Members. This is in addition to the Avios already earned on flights.

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This article has been tagged BA, Travel Tips