Travel Weekly (UK) articles from August 2008

Travel Weekly (UK) archives from August 2008

News.
August 1, 2008... Tourism 2023, the new coalition looking at the future sustainability of the travel industry will not just deal with green issues, revealed ABTA head of development Andy Cooper. Tourism 2023, a Forum for the Future initiative, will look at...

Business Matters.
August 1, 2008... The Hotel Carbon Index Company has strengthened its senior team with the appointment of Rosie Allt as account manager. Allt has previously worked at events company Obis Omni and at Cornish hotel operator Richardson Hotels. European coach...

Business Matters.
August 1, 2008... A1-BM-Mystery Shopper The target West Bromwich Wanted A group of friends are planning a month-long trip to South America but aren't sure where to go or what to do when they get there. They want to know what's on offer...

Business Matters.
August 1, 2008... A1-BM-Mystery Shopper The target West Bromwich Wanted A group of friends are planning a month-long trip to South America but aren't sure where to go or what to do. What kind of experiences are on offer, including festivals...

Business Matters.
August 1, 2008... A1-BM-award profile Subs: please use agents winners' logo This week Jackie David profiles Lisa Hallows, best Call Centre Sales Consultant for the Midlands region Working in the travel industry was Lisa Hallow's childhood dream. "I...

Business Matters.
August 1, 2008... What was your first job in travel? A summer job at the Kingfisher Caravan park in Gosport, Hampshire - I looked after the reception, site shop and bar - sometimes all at once. How did you climb the career ladder? By being...

Business Matters.
August 1, 2008... A1-BM-interveiwing techniques By Ross Bentley SUBS: there are two decent head and shoulders shots in high res one that may be too low res of Sarah Clayton-Turner - but it's the only one she has. There's also one of Debby Dale that is...

Business Matters.
August 1, 2008... Salary: Commission only ([pounds sterling]20,000 to [pounds sterling]100,000) Location: Homeworking What the ad says: "Holiday Experts offers sales support and advice, customer service support, two conferences a year, and it does the...

Destinations.
August 1, 2008... Have you trekked up Machu Picchu and taken a cable car to the top of Sugar Loaf Mountain? Are you desperately seeking the next big adventure? If so, we've come up with some exhilarating ideas to drag you out of your comfort zone and into the...

Destinations.
August 1, 2008... A1-Latin America-Festivals By Joanna Booth Words 1,062 From Carnaval to Day of the Dead, Latin America is famed for its festivals. Joanna Booth offers her pick of the best Whether by intention or accident, any visitor to Latin...

Destinations.
August 1, 2008... 48 hours in Toronto By Matthew Hampton Toronto the Good. That's the nickname for a city that, just a few years ago, might best have been described as somewhat staid. Clean, safe and friendly for sure, but maybe not much fun. How times...

Destinations.
August 1, 2008... Seven Days around Carcassonne By Jeanne Quigley NOTE TO SUBS - pics available in Hi-Res / 18-07-08 / France / Carcassonne With great beaches, picture-perfect medieval towns and quaint villages, not to mention great food, France's...

Destinations.
August 1, 2008... Thailand-Chiang Mai destination update By Emily Bamber GENERAL PICS CAN BE FOUND AT... http://media.tourismthailand.co.uk http://www.mandarinoriental.com/about_mo/media/photo_gallery/ AND the Rarinjinda pics for the 'first...

Destinations.
August 1, 2008... Report from Thai Travel Mart 2008 By Emily Bamber General Tourist board pics can be found at http://media.tourismthailand.co.uk More Brits are going to Thailand, and they're spending more money while they're there, according to...

Destinations.
August 1, 2008... A1-Weddings & Honeymoons-all aboard By Joanna Booth- Words 1,063 Couples are really pushing the boat out with wedding ceremonies on the ocean wave, reports Joanna Booth As beach weddings become a more popular option for those...

Destinations.
August 1, 2008... One wedding venue that never goes out of style is Las Vegas. With a chapel on every corner and endless Elvis impersonators waiting in the wings to be witnesses, Vegas does weddings in a big way. The destination plays host to more than...

Destinations.
August 1, 2008... After months of hectic planning and an emotional Big Day, most couples seek romance and relaxation when on honeymoon. Whether you're counting the pennies or splashing the cash, we've selected a range of honeymoon packages to suit every budget....

News.
August 1, 2008... Advantage has revealed changes to its board after the consortium's AGM held at their London offices last Wednesday. Willie Stewart of Stewart Travel, Jackie Steadmanof Traveltime World and Tim Brookes-Parry of Apex Travel have been elected...

News.
August 1, 2008... There is still time to get your ticketsto attend Travel Weekly's Agent Excellence Awards at theNorthern Ball on September 4. The event, which takes place at the Palace Hotel in Manchester,will reward travel agents and agencies in the north...

News.
August 1, 2008... What a time to take over the helm of a trade body. As the Truly Independent Professional Travel Organisation celebrates its 10th anniversary, there may be many in the industry who feel there is little to celebrate. But let's all draw...

News.
August 1, 2008... Resorts and hotels in Antigua clammed up when Travel Weekly reporters asked them about their security arrangementsfollowing the shooting of a British honeymoon couple this week. I don't blame them. No doubt hospitality chiefs thought we...

News.
August 1, 2008... Juliet Dennisjuliet.dennis@rbi.co.uk Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines is preparing to step up its sales and marketing tactics in the UK and Ireland following senior management changes. Former vice-president and managing director for Europe...

News.
August 1, 2008... World Travel Market will have ten new UK and Ireland exhibitors this year, reflecting the growth in domestic tourism. British attractions, tour operators and hotels will exhibit at the show. Among these is the Cutty Sark, who will be at...

News.
August 1, 2008... Michelle Perrettmichelle.perrett@rbi.co.uk The 2012 Olympics will bea great showcase for the UK domestic market and the travel industry, tourismminister Margaret Hodge said. Speaking at anInstitute of Travel and Tourism event at the...

News.
August 1, 2008... Kenya is starting to see a recovery in visitor numbers following the political riots that plagued the country at the beginning of the year. Tourism minister Najib Balala said: "The high season of July and August are good because the...

Letters.(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2008... Isn't it time trade went electronic? Am I alone in thinking the way the industry communicates important information has somehow got stuck in time? Last week we received a set of tickets from Libra Holidays for clients due to depart for...

News.
August 1, 2008... US entry change The trade is being urged to help educate the British public over changes to US entry requirements.US Department of Homeland Security said the changes, being launched next week as a pilot scheme, will require visitors to...

News.
August 1, 2008... Dubai Tourism has teamed up with British Airways to offer travel agents the chance to win a place on a fam trip to Dubai during September 2008. To enter, agents should sign up to the Dubai Expert online training programme and enter details of...

News.
August 1, 2008... P&O puts out ciggies Three of P&O Cruises' ships are to go smoke-free in all inside areas from October this year. Oceana, Ventura, and Artemis will ban smoking in all interior spaces, but will allocate outside smoking areas and allow...

News.
August 1, 2008... About 3,000 blank passports and visas have been stolen from a van en route from Manchester to London. However, the passport service said the documents could not be used by thieves because of their high tec security features. A survey...

News.
August 1, 2008... Five leading lights from the travel industry are set to be quizzed on their views on the travel industry at a cutting-edge debate run byTravel Weekly's sister title Travolution. Travolutioneditor Kevin May will run the Question Time debate...

News.
August 1, 2008... A warm greeting is always appreciated when flying. But last Saturday, as I boarded EI713 at Heathrow, something was not quite right: "You're all very welcome," announced the Aer Lingus steward, "aboard this flight to Dublin". Twice, he...

Departures.
August 1, 2008... As beach weddings become a more popular option for those getting hitched on holiday, couples searching for something a little bit different are choosing to have their ceremonies afloat. Kuoni senior wedding co-ordinator Fred Harrison said:...

News.
August 1, 2008... Friday July 25 * Qantas aircraft makes emergency landing in Manila after explosion Monday July 28 * Sixteenpeople are killed and 150 injured in what officials have called a "terrorist attack" in a packed pedestrian square in...

News.
August 1, 2008... A row between Kayak and American Airlines looks set to be decided within days. American Airlines is threatening to pull the plug on its product feed into Kayak, according to reports, after becoming increasingly disgruntled with how its fares...

News.
August 1, 2008... Hi - HALF OF ANALYSIS HERE - ie BOXES. HAVE TO EAT. MAIN PIECE ASAP AFTER BOXES FOR ANALYSIS BOX 1 THE OIL PRICE Ends BOX 2 Ends BOX 3 CONSUMER PROTECTION Ends BOX 4 JOBS AND TRAINING ...

News.
August 1, 2008... Long-haul leisure travel could be the big loser if the price of oil stays high and the UK economy turns down. That is the view of Advantage Travel Centres chief executive John McEwan, who took part in a 10-strong round-table debate hosted...

News.
August 1, 2008... [pounds sterling]300 - the average room rate in Moscow, making it the most expensive city in the world for hotels 39% - the average rate rise for hotels in Berlin 23% - average rate increase in Abu Dhabi, which has seen it enter the...

ABTA head soothes agents' safety fears.(News)
August 1, 2008... Lamb urges trade to view recent incidents in perspective "The way we handled Kenya...was so much better than the way we handled September 11" Edward Robertsoned.robertson@rbi.co.uk The travel trade has been urged to keep a level...

Trade urges clients: 'Stick with Antigua'.(News)
August 1, 2008... Agents ease concerns following tragic honeymoon shootings Chloe Berman chloe.berman@rbi.co.uk The shooting of a British couple on honeymoon in Antigua has prompted some customers to cancel their holidays to the island -but agents...

News.
August 1, 2008... Guests enjoy the aussieBUM view Guests at this year's Tourism Queensland summer party were guaranteed extra exposure thanks to the appearance of the aussieBUM models. The models for the underwear and swimwear specialist put on a show at...

News.
August 1, 2008... Journey Latin America has denied claims it is planning a Panama tour focusing on the lost years of 'back-from-the-dead' canoeist John Darwin. In a story on the BBC website, Darwin's aunt, Margaret Burns, branded the operator "mad" for...

News.
August 1, 2008... Ian Taylorian.taylor@rbi.co.uk Four past or present British Airways executives face possible charges in the UK over collusion in setting fuel surcharges on fares. The Office of Fair Trading refused to comment on reports that it is...

News.
August 1, 2008... Ian Taylorian.taylor@rbi.co.uk Growth in dynamic packaging by agents has passed its peak, according to the head of Advantage Travel Centres. Decent commission payments on traditional packages and the risk of liability if something goes...

News.
August 1, 2008... * 96,797 Britsvisited Antigua in 2007,8% up on the year before * 1.2 million Britstook holidays inthe Caribbean last year * Tourism accounts formore than 75% of Antigua'seconomy * 19 citizenswere murdered on the island last year ...

News.
August 1, 2008... Ryanair announced its worst quarterly results with a pledge to cut fares. Operating profits almost halved to [euro]21 million in the three months to June, despite the airline carrying 15 million passengers. But a write-down of assets and...

News.
August 1, 2008... Sir Richard Branson's plans to put wealthy tourists in space moved closer on Monday when Virgin Galactic unveiled its White Knight Two 'mothership'. The aircraft will carry a smaller SpaceShipTwo - with six passengers and two crew aboard -...

News.
August 1, 2008... Thomson and First Choice have joined the Association of Cruise Experts, taking the membership up to 3,000 single agencies. From today, Thomson and First Choice will feature ACE branding in their shops and have access to itstraining...

News.
August 1, 2008... Travel 2/4 is rebranding under the name Travel 2 and is giving away a Fiat 500 to celebrate. As of August 1, the operator will be known as Travel 2. Travel 2 managing director Maria Whiteman said: "The simplified brand name will ease...

News.
August 1, 2008... ABTA will only have to compensate a limited number of consumers following the failure of Travel Worldwide. The Bournemouth-based business failed last month with 13,700 forward bookings, which had been made through as many as 25 of the...

News.
August 1, 2008... Ian Taylorian.taylor@rbi.co.uk The Worldchoice-Travel Trust Association merger is poised to proceed following court approval on Tuesday for a document detailing the terms to be sent to shareholders. The 80-page "circular" explaining...

News.
August 1, 2008... Chloe Bermanchloe.berman@rbi.co.uk Blind people will soon be able to takeguide dogs on board aircraft from most regionalUK airports following the introduction of new EU regulations. At the moment, blind or partially sighted people can...

News.(Website overview)
August 1, 2008... by Chloe Berman Pic details with Flo Miss Ellies Travel in Manchester has discovered the secret of beating the credit crunch - a return to "tradition travel agency values". The long-established travel agency has seen 15% year on...

News.
August 1, 2008... Brits shunmobiles British travellers are more likely to say no to mobile phone use on aircraft than any other nationality, a TripAdvisor study has revealed. Of the 4,000 peoplesurveyed, 86% of British travellers, compared with78%of...

News.(Company overview)
August 1, 2008... Gone are the days when Brits were content to spend their holidays building sandcastles and sipping sangria on the beach, according to commercial director of experience provider DoSomethingDifferent.com. The company was established in...

News.
August 1, 2008... by Edward Robertson Harvey World Travel agents spent a morning at Alton Towers last month in the first of several training events to be held at attractions around the UK in a bid to boost sales of holiday add-ons offered by the company....

Business Matters.
August 8, 2008... JOB OF THE week TRAVEL CONSULTANTS Salary: [pounds sterling]20,000 plus commission Location: Brighton What the ad says: "A niche upmarket tour operator in central Brighton is looking for experienced travel reservations...

Business Matters.
August 8, 2008... MOvers and shakers Regent Seven Seas Cruises has appointed Sarah Brooks as regional sales manager, south. In her new role she will manage relationships with travel partners in the southeast, south and Home Counties. NCL Freestyle...

Business Matters.
August 8, 2008... The awards, which were presented at the Travel Weekly Travel Trade Ball, at Bristol's Marriott Hotel City Centre last month, honour the crame de la crame of travel. Those front line agents who create the dreams for customers and create value...

Business Matters.
August 8, 2008... How did I get here?Tom Allen, managing director, Cadogan Holidays What was your first job in travel? Chief management accountant at Thomson Holidays. How did you climb the career ladder? I left the financial world to become...

Business Matters.
August 8, 2008... Last year, Brits withdrew more than [pounds sterling]7 billion from cash machines overseas and while back in 1997 the spending split was 40% plastic to 60% cash, today that ratio is 70:30. Despite this, holidaymakers remain keen on keeping...

Business Matters.
August 8, 2008... PROVIDING TRAVEL MONEY: TOP TIPS * Look at your competitors and the local market, review how many are out there and research their pricing strategies. If it looks like a cut-throat market, think twice * Ask your customers if it is...

ComeKenyato.(Destinations)
August 8, 2008... As the political situation stabilises, Michelle Perrett reveals that tourists are returning to the country back The riots and political violence that dominated the news headlines at the start of the year dealt a serious blow to the...

waysto sellcoach, ferry and rail travel.(Destinations)
August 8, 2008... Against a background of rising fuel prices and concern for carbon footprints, we look at the benefits of staying down to earth. 1. Highlight lower fares Flight prices will rise with fuel costs. Trains, coaches and ferries will be less...

8OF THErail, coach and ferry breaks.(Destinations)
August 8, 2008... With air travel becoming a less popular option, Janine Kelso suggests some alternatives 1. Belfast by ferry Belfast is the UK's city of the moment and can be reached easily by taking a ferry from Stranraer in Scotland. The bustling...

Destinations.
August 8, 2008... Operator: Keith Prowse Attraction Tickets Brochure: USA, Europe, Worldwide 2nd edition May 2008 What's new? Twelve products in six destinations, including Cher in concert at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas and hot-air balloon flights over...

Destinations.
August 8, 2008... Scheduled airlines: Virgin Atlantic, British Airways and Kenya Airways fly daily into Nairobi Charter airlines: Monarch Airlines and First Choice have resumed services to Mombasa, each running one flight a week FCO advice: "Most...

Country overviewNAMIBIA.(Destinations)
August 8, 2008... Emily Bamber outlines the must-see places for visitors to the East African country Sweeping landscapes, first-class wildlife viewing and new accommodation are putting Namibia firmly on the map for luxury and repeat visitors to Africa. ...

Get ready for Fantasy Football.(News)
August 8, 2008... With the new football season approaching, it's time to kick off this year's travel industry Fantasy Football competition. The competition is organised and run by C&M Travel Recruitment and is once again being sponsored by Travel Weekly as...

News.
August 8, 2008... emerging trends for 2009 The Far East is becoming increasingly popular.Singapore has benefited withtop-class hotels such as the Valley Wing Shangri-La. Cuba is a country with improving standards and hasan increasing numberofdeluxe...

Israel, China and UK in ABTA spotlight.(News)
August 8, 2008... exclusive Israel, China and the UK have submitted bids to host the 2009 ABTA Travel Convention. It is understood Tel Aviv, Macau and Liverpool are the only destinations to have officially shown an interest in holding the Travel...

FTO urges Antigua to act on crime fears.(News)
August 8, 2008... The Federation of TourOperators has called on the Antigua tourism ministry to reassure holidaymakers following the shooting of a honeymoon couple at the end of last month. FTO director-general Andy Cooper said press coverage of the murder...

'Rethink attitude to climate issues'.(News)
August 8, 2008... Co-op Group's green boss accuses trade of knee-jerk reaction Ian Taylorian.taylor@rbi.co.uk The Co-operative Group has accused the travel industry of having a knee-jerk reaction to demands to rein in growth because of climate change....

Bookings remain stable compared with last year.(News)
August 8, 2008... Total summer sales booked up until the end of June have fallen just 1% on last year, according to market intelligence service Ascent-MI's Leisure Travel Monitor. The statistics show flight-only and package holiday bookings have declined by...

Letters.(Letter to the editor)
August 8, 2008... Thomas Cook sorted our issue You kindly published a letter of mine (Travel Weekly, July 25) regarding a problem with Thomas Cook when we experienced lack of assistance from the company over the telephone. First of all I would like to...

Agents told to give out malaria advice.(News)
August 8, 2008... FTO concerned as professor recommends consultants warn customers of risks "It is a dangerous game for travel agents to give advice on malaria. The best advice is for people to visit their GP" Chloe Bermanchloe.berman@rbi.co.uk A...

News.
August 8, 2008... in brief Jones quits TUI role TUI Travel distribution director Derek Jones has resigned after 20 years. The company deniedspeculation of any senior management rift and claimed Jones' departure was "amicable". His resignation comes...

ON THE WEB THIS WEEK.(News)
August 8, 2008... Ryanair's fare move Ryanair has returned to displaying fares with tax and charges on its websiteafter weeks of breaching Office of Fair Trading rules.The carrier blamed system problems for the failure last month. Online agency launch...

The more things change...(News)
August 8, 2008... Byline: Peter Healey, chief executive, The Vertical Group "Good agents will use every tool available to develop their business with a mix of old and new practices" When my business partner Stewart Hall first involved me in travel, the...

News.
August 8, 2008... Come on kids, get in the reading zone Thomas Cook has signed adeal with Random House Children's Books to introduce reading zones in its 17 properties with Club KidsWorld forsummer 2009. The areas will be featured in the operator's...

AWARDS 2008.(Business Matters)
August 8, 2008... There was excitement and pride aplenty at last month's Travel Weekly Southwest and Wales Travel Trade Ball, as guests from across the industry gathered to honour the winners of the Agent Excellence Awards. See pages 32 to 36 for pictures from...

Business Matters.
August 8, 2008... "The Travel Trade Ball for the Southwest and Wales was a great success, everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves. It was a fantastic way for Lufthansa to thank all its travel trade colleagues in the regions for supporting the new Bristol to...

News.
August 8, 2008... The co-op strategy In a booklet published last month entitled Travelling Towards a More Sustainable Future, Co-operative Travel states: "The growth of the UK's aviation sector has traditionally been viewed as of key importance to the...

runway row is far from over.(News)
August 8, 2008... The argument over Heathrow expansion appeared won, with ministers poised to give the go-ahead. But it may just be the beginning. Ian Taylor reports "The most important priority for Heathrow is making it better not bigger" "The...