Travel Weekly (UK) articles from April 2004

Travel Weekly (UK) archives from April 2004

The Academy awards.
April 5, 2004... Air Miles aims to make its staff the most highly trained in the industry, reports Lisa James THERE was no time for practical jokes at the Air Miles Travel Company on April Fools' Day. The recently relaunched company was getting down to the...

Wardle defends Regions bid.
April 5, 2004... CONCERNS have been raised over Wardle Travel boss Doug Wardle's move to stand for the Midlands Council of Regions. Despite Wardle Travel having a turnover higher than [pounds sterling]10 million and being based in the North Western Region,...

Co-op is in for the long haul.
April 5, 2004... SULA Shinn, right, senior travel consultant at Midlands Co-op Travel in Sutton Coldfield, is celebrating the relaunch of the shop's long-haul travel lounge. Shinn has moved from the Boldmere Midlands Co-op Travel to head up the new team. ...

JNTO on brink of UK campaign.
April 5, 2004... Tourist office given [pounds sterling]16 million for worldwide promotion The Japan National Tourist Organisation is poised to begin marketing in the UK for the first time. On April 24 it will launch a Visit Japan campaign with a 12-page...

Technology tick-off.
April 5, 2004... A TECHNOLOGY specialist has urged agents to stop moaning about commissions and increase profits through more efficient information technology systems. IT specialist Equinus partner Mike Cogan told delegates the industry spends just 1% of...

First Choice goes west.
April 5, 2004... THIRTY First Choice managers were treated to a night at the theatre to see the Rod Stewart musical Tonight's the Night in London's West End courtesy of Seligo and Encore Tickets. Seligo sells commissionable theatre and meal packages supplied by...

Chips on the side?
April 5, 2004... THE roll-out of chip and PIN across the retail sector to tackle credit and debit card fraud is a positive step being welcomed by consumers, businesses and banks alike. But the flip side for travel agents who are not chip and PIN-enabled...

Model professionals.
April 5, 2004... As last resort knows all too well, being the sexiest person in the office can be a real grind. But imagine being voted the best-looking in a whole industry? You'd probably need a holiday to get away from all your jealous colleagues. ...

Pyjama party has delegates yawning.
April 5, 2004... CONFERENCES are all fun and games... aren't they? The Cosmos team certainly agree - so much so that their latest attempt to attract the attention of travel agent delegates at the Global Travel Group conference in Cyprus was to cart a double...

A fair way to win business.
April 5, 2004... HAVING been to our fair share of industry conferences, we know how much certain people in the business love to play around. A round of golf, we mean. Whatever were you thinking? Anyway, that leads us swiftly on to the latest fine...

End of the road for bar crawls.
April 5, 2004... CLUB 18-30 is to bid farewell to its infamous bar crawls, having been forced to clean up its act after last year's antics in Faliraki. Overseas director Paul Little said numbers to Rhodes have dropped from 14,500 last year and were...

Caborn: 'invest in people'.
April 5, 2004... Tourism minister Richard Caborn has slammed the industry for failing to invest in people and retain good staff. Speaking after opening ASPIRE, Caborn said: "Staff turnover indicates the industry hasn't taken its skills base seriously. That...

BMI hits out at airport charge.
April 5, 2004... BMI is gearing up for a fight with airport operator BAA over its charges at Heathrow. The carrier is angry BAA is charging all airlines the same landing fees, despite British Airways being handed the keys to the hi-tech Terminal 5 in 2008....

Green training targets bosses.
April 5, 2004... A sustainable tourism training programme designed for the top brass of UK tour operating will be unveiled by The Travel Foundation this month. The self-study pack, which will be available on request, is being launched as part of the...

Air Miles opens Academy.
April 5, 2004... THE Air Miles Travel Company has launched what it claims is the first industry-accredited in-house training scheme in a bid to raise standards of knowledge and service. The company has formed the Air Miles Academy to give all its 650 staff...

'Big egos' caused MyTravel decline.
April 5, 2004... MYTRAVEL boss Steve Barrass has blamed the company's financial woes on the previous management's disastrous attempts to become a global force. In a frank interview with moderator Alistair Stewart at the Global conference in Paphos,...

'Bond was never at risk'.
April 5, 2004... MYTRAVEL never came close to having its bond removed by the Civil Aviation Authority, the company has claimed. Airtours Holidays and Going Places sales and commercial director Steve Barrass hit out at suggestions the regulator should have...

Airport terminal row heads for High Court.
April 5, 2004... COVENTRY Airport's dispute with Warwick District Council over its temporary passenger terminal is heading for the High Court. The council will serve an injunction on the TUI-owned airport in the next six weeks asking it to stop using the...

Cyprus sales recover.
April 5, 2004... CYPRUS is on the road to recovery as hoteliers offer improved rates to encourage visitors to the destination, according to Libra Holidays. Sales and marketing director Paul Riches said business had improved dramatically since the turn of...

Backing for biometrics.
April 5, 2004... THE business travel industry must drop its concerns about privacy and trust biometric technology and data profiling, delegates at this year's Institute of Travel Management Conference were told. Software security company Symantec...

Chaos as phone line fire hits Manchester.
April 5, 2004... Calls redirected and staff relocated as blaze disrupts city CONTINGENCY plans kicked into action last week as an underground fire in Manchester brought down 130,000 telephone lines, bringing disruption to businesses and homes across the...

l in brief.
April 5, 2004... Opodo shares talks Opodo has insisted reports of British Airways selling its stake in the business are "premature", but admitted changes to the shareholder structure may come soon. BA is rumoured to be in talks with Amadeus to sell its 20%...

l in brief.
April 5, 2004... Hoseasons acquisition Hoseasons is in talks with distribution businesses and European operators as potential acquisition targets. Chief executive Richard Carrick said he plans to build the business into "a travel group of niche-based...

Winning is a Breeze.
April 5, 2004... ALICE Jeffs and boyfriend James Alexander, both travel and tourism students at Manchester Metropolitan University, celebrate winning an all-inclusive week for two at Superclubs' Breezes Resort in Jamaica. Alice won the prize at ASPIRE, the...

New Seatem appointment.
April 5, 2004... TICKET giant Seatem group has appointed Susan Phelan as head of sales and marketing across its four major brands, Keith Prowse Ticketing, Keith Prowse Attraction Tickets, Keith Prowse Tours and Applause. Dublin-based Phelan, who previously...

l in brief.
April 5, 2004... Flybe to announce timetable details twice a year Flybe is to issue twice-yearly timetable announcements, instead of one, to bring it in line with the standard low-cost airlines' model and draft European Union ruling. The airline wants to...

'Black hole' blamed for profits fall.
April 5, 2004... TUI northern Europe has blamed a 6.1% drop in profits on a 50 million euro accounting black hole from its UK business. The division posted profits of 79 million euros in 2003 from a turnover of 4,301 million euros. This compares with...

That's customer care.
April 5, 2004... I was recently on Black Prince with a group of my passengers. Unfortunately the cruise had to be terminated two days early in Lisbon due to a serious problem with one of the main engines. Fred Olsen Cruise Lines efficiently arranged for...

I wish Picot was there...
April 5, 2004... I was pleased to see the coverage you gave the party which heralded the end of Wish You Were Here...? I have one regret and that is Derek Picot, the regional general manager of the Carlton Tower, was not in the pictures, nor was he or the...

Finding your niche can boost earnings.
April 5, 2004... I write following your report on how niche cruise operators will have to be "damn strong" to survive within the cruise market (Travel Weekly March 29). I have long advocated selling niche products with all the benefits they bring including...

No frills - no protection.
April 5, 2004... Several national newspapers recently ran articles referring to budget airlines facing a rescue fund levy of [pounds sterling]300 million. In one, EasyJet's Samantha Day claimed: "Holidaymakers already buy travel insurance which would pay out if...

Strength in numbers.
April 5, 2004... A couple of weeks ago, I bemoaned the fact I'd lost commission on two bookings of nearly [pounds sterling]700 each because of Virgin Holidays' direct bookings discounts. Recently one of my colleagues invested a great deal of time and...

Bonding is the only safety net.
April 5, 2004... So EasyJet thinks scheduled airlines are stronger financially than tour operators (Travel Weekly March 22). The low-cost carriers take full fares up front, often six months in advance of travel. They live off that cashflow making them very...

We need insurance assurance.
April 5, 2004... Although ABTA played a leading part in lobbying for the Financial Services Authority exemption on travel insurance sales, your report (Travel Weekly March 22) was wrong to state the exemption applies only to ABTA members. It applies to any...

Skills for survival.
April 5, 2004... I am writing in full support of Colin Heal and the Independent Travel Agents Alliance's warning regarding on-line discounting (Travel Weekly March 15). Some tour operators seem to think travel agents are just a way of distributing their...

Staff log in to reap training rewards.
April 5, 2004... Air Miles Travel Company staff are getting to grips with the company's newly launched Air Miles Academy, claimed to be the UK's first-ever industry-accredited in-house education programme. It offers training for all 650 Air Miles employees,...

City life goes on after bombings.
April 5, 2004... IN March last year, 26,101 UK tourists visited Madrid. For 2004 the figure may not be as high, but judging by reports from tour operators, it won't be far off - despite the bombings that killed 202 people. Immediately after the bombs,...

Ready for kick-off.
April 5, 2004... Leger Holidays and Walt Disney Parks and Resorts took 170 agents to Disneyland Resort Paris to showcase the Manchester United Soccer School Cowgirls are, from left Lorraine Hilton, Personal Travel Advisors; Alison Whalley, Holiday Now; and...

Independence day.
April 5, 2004... The second Global Travel Group/ Independent Options conference took place at the Elysium Hotel in Paphos, Cyprus. Argo Holidays, Travel Weekly and Jetlife Holidays were joint hosts of the late-night bars Raising a glass are, from left,...

Plastic fantastic.
April 5, 2004... Superbreak treated agents and their families to a short break at Legoland Windsor to celebrate the launch of its stand-alone brochure Defending the dinosaurs are Penny Frankel, Legoland, centre, and Cheryl Wickson, Apollo Travel, right,...

World weather.
April 5, 2004... key c=cloudy; dr=drizzle; f=fair; fg=fog; r=rain; sh=showers; th=thunder; sn=snow; s=sunny midday readings [degrees]F[degrees]C Alicantef6619 Amsterdams6116 Athensf6116 Aucklands6619 Bahamass7725 ...

Medal power.
April 5, 2004... Gold Medal Travel hosted its sixth annual reception at Australia House, attended by 300 industry partners from around the world Going for gold are, from left, David Robinson, Gold Medal Travel; Senator Rudy W. Grant, government of Barbados;...

there's no escape from the mystery shopper In association with.
April 5, 2004... The target Kingston upon Hull wanted Two weeks in Mexico Thomas Cook 38 Paragon Street This was the smaller of two Thomas Cook agencies on the same street and, unlike the other one, it was still bearing the old red...

Making it big in Japan.
April 5, 2004... Oscar-winning film Lost in Translation should encourage younger clients to visit Japan Last year's sleeper hit Lost in Translation is a postcard to the citizens of Japan. Written by director Sofia Coppola while suffering from jetlag in...

Currency.
April 5, 2004... SPOTRATES Argentinian Peso5.250 Australian Dollar2.3981 Brazil Real5.345 Canada Dollar2.3954 China Yuan15.117 Cyprus Pound0.8713 Denmark Krone11.08 Euro1.491 Egypt Pound11.47 Hong Kong Dollar14.226...

All's fare in new technology.
April 5, 2004... A new generation of airline booking systems could give agents a competitive edge AT first glance, a system which enables agents to search and book low-cost airlines' fares on the web does not look like a winner. No-frills carriers pay...

Mystery winners.
April 5, 2004... OVERJOYED agents Angela Murphy and Nicky Tempest-Mitchell were among the winners at this year's Agent Achievement Awards. Angela and Nicky, who both work at Lunn Poly in Oldham, picked up the prize for Best Multiple branch in the...

CorporateChoice eyes tie-up.
April 5, 2004... WORLDCHOICE'S business travel arm CorporateChoice is looking to work with other members of the Independent Travel Agents' Alliance to provide them with business travel support, writes Emily Williamson. CorporateChoice director Tim Giles...

Youth is on trade's side.
April 5, 2004... The response from delegates attending ASPIRE, the Institute of Travel and Tourism's first conference for industry newcomers, proves travel's future is in safe hands. More than 300 people were at Liverpool's Crowne Plaza hotel last week to hear...

MSC plans UK sales blitz.
April 5, 2004... THE continuing fleet growth of Mediterranean Shipping Cruises is forcing more resources into the UK market to boost sales. UK and Ireland director Peter Pate said most marketing efforts would focus on its identity as a true Italian brand...

Upmarket clients eye more trips.
April 5, 2004... HIGH-EARNERS are more likely to travel abroad this year, according to a survey from upmarket hotel group Leading Hotels of the World. The group canvassed its 80,000 Leaders Club members, who have an average annual income of [pounds...

Jurys Doyle aims for budget-plus growth.
April 5, 2004... DEVELOPINGproperties in the budget-plus market is a key growth aim of the Jurys Doyle Hotel Group. Sales and marketing director Niall Geoghegan said the latest addition to its portfolio - Jurys Inn Chelsea, which opens on Thursday - is...

FCO rethink on travel advice cheers trade.
April 5, 2004... THE Foreign and Commonwealth Office has announced wide-ranging plans to change the way it delivers travel advice. A review presented to Parliament last week aimed to reduce the number of non-essential travel bans by applying them to "severe...

Fair pay key to lifting standards.
April 5, 2004... LOWlevels of pay could be to blame for a shortage of talented entrants into the industry, according to industry figures. Competition from higher-paying sectors was diverting potential candidates away from travel, according to Argyle...

Mixed response to 'benchmarking' plan.
April 5, 2004... SENIORindustry figures welcomed the new Certified Travel Professional scheme, while agents voiced concern about being forced to take exams. Thomas Cook director of trade relations Ian Derbyshire said it would reflect the trade's...

Delegatessay ITT's a knockout.
April 5, 2004... THE response to the first ASPIREconference was "very positive" with the event over-subscribed by 100 members, according to Institute of Travel and Tourismchairman Steven Freudmann. He said the event would "significantly" increase in size...

Freudmann tells trade'go for gold'.
April 5, 2004... THE Institute of Travel and Tourism chose its new ASPIRE conference to launch details of its professional qualification. The scheme aims to benchmark standards for both agents and consumers. ITT chairman Steven Freudmann told delegates at...

'Strong brands will win'.
April 5, 2004... But he admitted competition from no-frills airlines was impacting markets where accommodation was readily available, such as Malaga. Thomas Cook has dropped its daily service to Malaga due to competition from low-cost carriers flying there....

Barcelo sings Canaries praises.
April 5, 2004... A SPANISH hotel chain has warned of over-capacity in the Canaries and urged the country to promote attractions other than its "sun and beach" image. Barcelo Hotels and Resorts co-president Simon-Pedro Barcelo told delegates at STEPs 2004...

Co-op's cruise coup.
April 5, 2004... UNITED Co-op Travel Group has bought Merseyside-based cruise call centre operation Cruise Savers International for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition will be used to strengthen its Barrow Travel call centre, bringing Barrow Travel's...

Spain ends its summer reign.
April 5, 2004... SPAIN'S Costa Brava is being dropped by First Choice for summer 2005 because of poor-quality hotels and the growth of no-frills airlines into the region. In a further setback to Spanish tourist chiefs, Club 18-30 is axeing Benidorm and...

Cottage agencies cry foul.
April 5, 2004... ENGLANDNET is being threatened with legal action by a group of cottage operators and agents alleging it uses public money to gain a commercial advantage. The group has contacted Hoseasons chief executive Richard Carrick asking him to front...

Group ATOL gives Global go-ahead on packaging.
April 5, 2004... THE GLOBAL Travel Group has been granted a group ATOL allowing members to put together and advertise packages at an inclusive price for the first time. The group was given the green light to extend its existing ATOL after three months of...

Agency job freeze over.
April 5, 2004... GOING Places is to recruit more than 200 staff and 150 modern apprentices as it lifts its year-long jobs freeze. The move - a year after MyTravel shed 600 UK retail staff as part of 2,000 redundancies worldwide - is a result of natural...

Fancy taking this lot; on?
April 5, 2004... DETECTIVES in charge of cracking down on football hooliganism during Euro 2004 are asking agents to help them stop potential troublemakers travelling to Portugal. Agents are being asked to use their "common sense" and report any customers...

Online sales to expand.
April 5, 2004... TUI UK is to focus on developing online sales to help the division hit double-digit growth targets this year. TUI AG's 2003 annual report said: "Direct distribution via the web in the UK is gaining in importance and is being expanded." ...

l late news.
April 5, 2004... Shearings futureShearings is reviewing its future, which could include its sale within the trade or flotation on the London Stock Exchange. It is thought to be worth about [pounds sterling]100 million and has appointed Robert W Baird Investment...

A premium prank.
April 5, 2004... A regular customer recently came into the shop after returning from her holiday to the Maldives. She always opts for a package break and pays the upgrade for premium seats, usually with Airtours but this time on a Monarch flight. On...

Maureen Hill.
April 5, 2004... Cockroach catchers required Men do have their uses after all - protecting female holidaymakers from the local insect population Creepy crawlies With the first hint of spring sunshine, the young folk of Gillingham are beginning to...

Cosmos courts independents.
April 5, 2004... COSMOS is to focus on individual agents at grass-roots level in the next stage of its drive to increase sales through the independent sector. The operator began its strategy a year ago to improve relationships with independent agents,...

Tourama sales push.
April 5, 2004... Cosmos Tourama launches its summer inbound tourist campaign this week to target the growing overseas student market in key towns and cities nationwide. The coach operator will target London, Bath, Canterbury, Stratford, York, Oxford,...

Donnelly brews up holiday advertising in pubs.
April 5, 2004... FORMER Holiday Hypermarket boss John Donnelly is in talks with a brewery to install plasma screens advertising holiday deals in pubs. Donnelly, managing director of the Factory Group which has a call centre and travel agency The Holiday...

Emerging market is 'gold rush'.
April 5, 2004... THE dynamic packaging market could reach five million passengers in three years, according to former MyTravel chief operating officer Steve Endacott. Endacott, who has launched his own dynamic packaging business Holiday Brokers, said up to...

Warning over group licence.
April 5, 2004... GLOBAL has admitted some members are falling foul of current regulations as it attempts to secure a group ATOL. The group's new tour operation, Destination 2 Asia, which is being trialled with 10 agencies, already has an ATOL. But the...

Sparks fly at Global event.
April 5, 2004... GLOBAL Travel Group members have attacked management for continuing delays in payments from head office and a lack of communication at grass-roots level. One agent complained: "We've had promises in the past that have not been fulfilled,...

Internet grows as booking tool.
April 5, 2004... Survey reveals trend to save time online HOLIDAYMAKERS see the Internet as a more convenient booking tool than visiting a travel agency, according to research from Mintel. Launching its British Lifestyles annual report, Mintel director...

Operators deny undercutting.
April 5, 2004... MAJOR operators have refuted agents' accusations of deliberately undercutting prices to shift more direct sales. Operators reassured Global Travel Group conference delegates that independent agents remained vital to their business mix. ...

'No cut in payments'.
April 5, 2004... Operators have allayed agents' fears that they are poised to follow airlines and slash commission payments. Solihull-based The Holiday Warehouse UK managing director Keith Jolly warned: "Commissions in the airline industry have...

Agents 'adopt' Unijet website.
April 5, 2004... Web page offered as white-label product UNIJET is offering agents the chance to use its content and Internet booking engine for their own branded sites. Customers will be able to book flights through their travel agent's website, but...

Operator publishes North America guide.
April 5, 2004... UNIJET has launched an accommodation guide for agents covering the US and Canada. The 24-page guide features hotels from two to five stars in destinations such as Orlando, Walt Disney World Resort, San Francisco, New York and Vancouver....

Airline considers agent GDSfee.
April 5, 2004... BMI is believed to be considering charging agents for access to its fares through the global distribution systems in a deal based on British Airways' new arrangements. Amadeus UK managing director Arnaud Debuchy told Travel Weekly he has...

l in brief.
April 5, 2004... Low-costs launch Poland routes Low-cost carriers have unveiled new routes to Poland as the country prepares to become a member of the European Union. Wizz Air will start daily operations to Katowice from Luton Airport from May 19, while Air...

Big Apple beckons.
April 5, 2004... TUI UK's top 20 selling agents celebrated their sales success with a long weekend in New York. The trip included a cruise around Manhattan Island, a cocktail party and limousine transfers. TUI UK managing director Chris Mottershead, right,...

Trade sets up umbrella group.
April 5, 2004... A BODY of travel industry organisations is being formed to liaise with European authorities on strategic travel issues, writes Paul Nelson. The Council for Travel and Transport is set to be launched in May. The organisation's members...