Travel Weekly (UK) articles from December 2003

Travel Weekly (UK) archives from December 2003

No escaping the parent trap.
December 8, 2003... While one devoted father raised money for a good cause, one generous mother was splashing the cash stateside A new kettle of fish I know I talk a lot, but it's because I find myself involved in the most interesting conversations....

Get the knowledge.
December 8, 2003... When it comes to selling holidays to Central Europe, do you know your forints from your zlotys? SLOVAKIA, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic are hoping to boost their profiles next year when they join the EuropeanUnion. And with the...

Make clients believe in you.
December 8, 2003... Do you sometimes feel the whole world's against you? It seems you can't open a newspaper these days without reading how agents are a dying breed thanks to a huge army of consumers swapping the high street for the superhighway. Now,...

Agent steps up brochure charge plans.
December 8, 2003... THE agent behind plans to charge for brochures intends to market the idea by emphasising the environmental impact of brochure wastage. Manchester-based Peregrination managing partner Geoff Dykes wants to charge [pounds sterling]2 per...

l in brief.
December 8, 2003... Teesside name change Airport chiefs are planning to change the name of Teesside International to Durham Tees Valley. The airport feels there is an ignorance of where Teesside is with inbound passengers from Europe. Fly Fresh...

Libra fears hard times for Greece.
December 8, 2003... LIBRA Holidays has warned Greece will continue to be a tough sell next year as too much capacity continues to drive prices down. The operator claims to have taken a "more aggressive stance" towards pricing in its third-edition Greece,...

Need help?
December 8, 2003... Royal National Institute of the Blind produces a guidebook featuring more than 100 recommended UK guest houses catering for the blind and partially sighted, priced [pounds sterling]4.95. Website:www.rnib.org.uk Royal Association for...

there's no escape from the mystery shopper In association with.
December 8, 2003... The target Bishop Stortford, Hertfordshire A flydrive of California,taking in the Grand Canyon wanted Lunn poly 35 Potter Street A consultant offered to help me as soon as I walked into the shop, but it was apparent...

Your help is worth millions.
December 8, 2003... In October next year the Disability Discrimination Act comes into force. If you own or run a travel agency, the chances are you're probably already aware how it's going to transform your business. And you probably aren't relishing the cost. ...

Absolute beginners.
December 8, 2003... It's Saturday morning and your shop is under attack. Mum, dad and two kids bowl in and all of a sudden there's chaos. Little Johnny tears around the place; his sister starts crying. Mum and dad look stressed. Could they really be your...

Life on the ocean.
December 8, 2003... Orient Lines hosted a reception at the Royal Geographical Society in Kensington tocelebrate 10 years of cruising for itsflagship vesselMarco Polo Philip Odell, Thomas Cook, right won [pounds sterling]150 of Selfridges vouchers. He is...

Brits always pull together in a crisis.
December 8, 2003... WARM beer, cricket on the village green, bowler hats, being the best at fighting and a right good night around the old joanna. Yep, just a few of the things that make us proud to be British. But these days it's not very trendy to wave a...

Grand designs way out west.
December 8, 2003... DRIVING northwest from Flagstaff, Arizona, the flat, open landscape of tall grass and shrubs stretched so far into the distance it was hard to believe the Grand Canyon - one of the great natural wonders of the world - lay less than 80 miles...

Bath to double business.
December 8, 2003... BATH Travel's business travel division estimates turnover will double during the next financial year as it secures a major new corporate account. Business travel management division general manager for sales and operations Alan Field said...

Agents told 'pull your socks up'.
December 8, 2003... CONSORTIA agents have been told to shake up sales performances in the first public wake-up call from a major operator. Both Thomson and Thomas Cook are understood to privately believe Midconsort, Worldchoice and Advantage are failing to...

Flight delays spoil party for delegates.
December 8, 2003... EFFORTS to boost tourism to Morocco have suffered an embarrassing blow after 40 travel trade delegates returning from the Midconsort conference in Marrakech were delayed by 13 hours. The news is a setback for Moroccan tourism bosses who...

FACE FACTS.
December 8, 2003... FORMER MyTravel boss Steve Endacott has sounded the death knell for prime site high-street agencies - because the rents are too high. The disappearance of higher-value transactions such as insurance and scheduled airline seats meant agents...

Flowers mourned by industry.
December 8, 2003... TRIBUTES have been paid to Thomas Cook head of trade relations for distribution Roger Flowers who has lost his battle with cancer. Colleagues described Flowers as a "great negotiator with tremendous passion and determination" and key to...

New year routes for Ryanair.
December 8, 2003... RYANAIRis launching more than 20 new routes but revealed plans to axe several others. Routes from Stansted to be axed include Ostend, Maastricht, Reims and Clermont Ferrand. The Brussels to Liverpool route has also been cut. Four new...

l in brief.
December 8, 2003... Multiples join TTI TUI and Thomas Cook have become shareholders in the Travel Technology Initiative. All the big four operators are now TTI shareholders along with P&O Ferries, Stena Line and Brittany Ferries. Wallace Arnold recruits...

Agents told to sell lifestyle services.
December 8, 2003... AGENTS have been told to add value by offering lifestyle services such as welcome home packages or booking dog kennels, and de-racking suppliers that "stab you in the back". Cresta managing director Steve Kimber and Hoseasons chief...

Flyglobespan targets trade.
December 8, 2003... Low-cost carrier to boost sales through retailers SCOTTISH low-cost carrier Flyglobespan.com is planning to increase sales through the trade ahead of its biggest ever summer programme. The carrier - which offers seat-only or flights...

Fregata spotlight off Prague.
December 8, 2003... FREGATA Travel is offering a two-centre option in the Czech Republic for 2004 in a bid to widen interest among clients away from the capital Prague. The operator's 2004 brochure, on sale now, includes the option to combine Prague with the...

Boost for Bratislavia.
December 8, 2003... TRAVELSCENE and Bridge Travel have both added Bratislava to their 2004 cities programmes. Travelscene marketing manager Louise Newton said the Slovakian capital is a good choice for twin-centre holidays, ideally teamed with Vienna, but...

Ireland focus for marketing drive.
December 8, 2003... IRISHFerries Holidays is building on its work with Tourism Ireland as it launches its 2004 Holidays by Sea and Air programme. The operator - which is currently carrying out training in association with the tourist board - is pushing the...

Thomas Cook site revamp.
December 8, 2003... THOMAS Cook has relaunched its website following asubstantial overhaul, including the introduction of newtechnology and a wider choice of holidays. The company will now offer 13 million holidays, including MyTravel, Thomson and First...

A new winter winner.
December 8, 2003... Operators are tipping Bulgaria as the next big hit with new skiers in search of a bargain Since the decline of the school-trip market, ski operators have struggled to lure new entrants to the sport, with cost being cited as the major...

Gambling on extra capacity.
December 8, 2003... VIRGIN Holidays is increasing capacity to Las Vegas with the introduction of Virgin Atlantic's fourth weekly flight in its second-edition US brochure. The direct flights from Gatwick start on Wednesday March 17. The operator is planning to...

The high life.
December 8, 2003... Take to the sky for a bird's eye view of Alaska and its wilderness The first 'creatures' I saw in Alaska were beavers and otters. Not the river-dwelling animals, rather the types of small aircraft that are the main mode of transport for...

Read it and reap.
December 8, 2003... If you're serious about clinching that new job or getting a promotion next year, you can do it - with a little help from Santa. Lisa James reports The Image Iceberg by Lesley Everett and Hilary Wilson McGraw-Hill, [pounds...

He's the first Noel.
December 8, 2003... The Letters page in Travel Weekly is an excellent forum that adds considerable value to the industry. Being open, as it should be, there is the odd time when I believe it is used unfairly. Primarily, this is when people don't have the balls...

Clients 'unaware' of low-cost pitfalls.
December 8, 2003... ALL holidaymakers believe they will be bailed out of trouble no matter what they have booked or where they booked it, an expert in travel law has said. And only the collapse of a low-cost airline or hotel will finally make people...

Capacity cut as operators bid to push up 2004 prices.
December 8, 2003... No-frills impact revealed HOLIDAYMAKERS have been warned to expect higher prices and less choice next summer as operators cut back the number of packages available. According to the 26th annual travel report, obtained exclusively by...

'Ferries not multiples' choice'.
December 8, 2003... Brittany manager blames vertical integration for decline in bookings VerticaL integration has forced down ferry sales, according to Brittany Ferries marketing manager RichardPrice. He said multiple support through racking and...

Gold Medal goes for the 'in' crowd.
December 8, 2003... Gold Medal Travel has extended its US brochure by 32 pages, adding tours of Alaska and city breaks to Seattle, and expanding key sellers such as flydrives and coach tours. Also new to the programme is a range of 'chic boutique' hotels in...

Lanzarote specialist to expand.
December 8, 2003... LANZAROTE specialist Whitehall Leisure has outlined plans to increase its business by up to 35% next year by building on distribution through independent agents. The operator has introduced new destinations Minorca and the Algarve and...

Flybe launches new routes.
December 8, 2003... FLYBE has launched its biggest-ever summer programme with 1.4 million more seats available than last year. Previously unannounced routes for the summer 2004 programme include Belfast City to Edinburgh, Exeter and Glasgow; Birmingham to...

Operators warned to adapt.
December 8, 2003... TRADITIONAL mass-market operators have been warned they need to radically overhaul their businesses if they are to survive and compete against the on-line agencies. A report into travel industry trends criticises operators for being...

'Adapt to compete with on-line rivals'.
December 8, 2003... OPERATORS have highlighted the need for independent agents to adapt to changing booking patterns and demographics to compete with large on-line players. TUI UK head of sales Jeanne Lally predicted a rise in Internet, digital television,...

BA threat over Stansted issue.
December 8, 2003... BRITISH Airways has stepped up its lobbying campaign against a new runway at Stansted. It is threatening legal action and claims it will shift future expansion to mainland Europe if the Essex-based airport gets the go-ahead for...

Hotels to end fixed charges.
December 8, 2003... MORE hotels will move away from fixed rates for business agents, according to an industry expert. BTI general manager for hotel relations Margaret Bowler said the industry will see more hotels charging trade rates - rather than the current...

Banking on an away win.
December 8, 2003... Ooh, isn't it quiet? If you have worked in the travel industry for a while, you will be used to the rhythms of the punters. In the dark days of early December, business is as thin on the ground as the turf on the pitch of Gatwick's local team,...

WTTC in eco move.
December 8, 2003... THEWorld Travel and Tourism Council is taking over control of the annual Tourism for Tomorrow awards scheme from British Airways. The awards - which recognise responsible tourism projects around the globe - will not take place next year....

Brains don't grow on trees in Essex.
December 8, 2003... I was amazed to read the results of last week's Mystery Shopper visit to agents in Braintree looking for an all-inclusive family holiday to Italy (Travel Weekly December 1). While I am used to hearing misconceptions about Club Med, I could...

Lastminute boosted by Medhotels move.
December 8, 2003... will be launched next spring. Agents will also be able to book entertainment tickets and other leisure add-ons through the new system. Lastminute vice-chairman Clive Jacobs said agents will welcome the move as access to a dynamic packaging...

New scheme to focus on top 30 operators.
December 8, 2003... MIDCONSORT is drawing up a list of 30 premium operators and setting individual sales targets for members to work more closely than ever before with selected suppliers. The consortium revealed details of its Targets Worth Chasing scheme -...

l in brief.
December 8, 2003... BP brochure boom Brochure distributors BP Travel Marketing Services has taken on 50 extra staff to cope with a 50% rise in brochures leaving its depot daily in the run-up to Christmas. BP distributes brochures for 200 tour operators and...

Heal slams tiered commission deals.
December 8, 2003... WORLDCHOICE chairman Colin Heal has called tiered commission "a load of tripe" - claiming a balance of support between agents and suppliers is the best way to maintain a healthy relationship. Speaking at the Travel Trust Association's...

MyTravel will ride out storm,says Endacott.
December 8, 2003... FORMER MyTravel deputy chief operating officer Steve Endacott has predicted the short-term future of the beleaguered operator is safe. He told delegates at the Travel Trust Association's London conference the immediate future of the...

'Cash in on cruising'.
December 8, 2003... COMMISSION payments from cruise sales are estimated to reach [pounds sterling]95 million this year with more for the taking as the sector grows, according to cruising experts. Costa Cruises managing director Paul Ellerby said predictions...

Revamp to give group the Advantage.
December 8, 2003... ADVANTAGE Travel Centres has launched the biggest shake-up in its 25-year history to help members survive the changing market. Management consultants Egremont have been called in to ensure the consortium delivers the best results for...

Group aims to build on trade sales.
December 8, 2003... Holidaybreak results 'robust in an appalling year' HOLIDAYBREAK plans to dramatically increase trade sales next year following impressive 2003 financial results. The group, which includes the Keycamp Holidays and Superbreak Mini...

Cosmos builds in flexibility.
December 15, 2003... COSMOS has boosted its Flexi-Stay product range in its third-edition summer 2004 brochures, launched this week. The Flexi-Stay initiative - which allows customers to choose the length of time they want to go on holiday for, ranging from...

War, plague and profit warnings.
December 15, 2003... Will you be glad to see the back of 2003? We review the year's highs, and many lows JUST when the industry thought it couldn't get any worse, this year has seen the impact of the war in Iraq, the outbreak of killer bug...

Lend a helping hand.
December 15, 2003... I have been dismayed by suppliers' reaction to my request for a car with hand controls in connection with a villa holiday in Portugal. The typical reply I received from tour operators was that they "don't do that sort of car". Budget and...

Catalan calls.
December 15, 2003... Monarch Scheduled has just introduced flights from Manchester to Barcelona. To celebrate the launch, Monarch Scheduled hosted a two-day trip for agents to enjoy the true delights of Barcelona Checking out the construction site for The Forum...

Happy talking.
December 15, 2003... The Fiji Visitors Bureau, Tahiti Tourisme and Cook Islands Tourism offered a taste ofparadise, South Pacific Style to trade guests, with atraditional Fijian Cava ceremony. Dancers from Tiki Village Theatre, Tahiti were among the highlights of...

Proud as punch.
December 15, 2003... The Seychelles Tourism Marketing Authority hosted a cocktail party at Vogue House to launch a Seychellessupplement which isavailable to agents as aselling tool Three's company for, from left, Alain St Ange, Denis Island; Tinaz Wadia,...

A dressy affair.
December 15, 2003... The Association of Independent Tour Operators overseas conference held its gala dinner at the Mount Lavinia Hotel in Colombo. National dress was the dress code Feeling blue are Di Brownrigg, Haslemere Travel, left, and Ranmeli Sanmuggan,...

Tree's a crowd.
December 15, 2003... The Norwegian Tourist Board, Norwegian Coastal Voyage and SAS celebrated the lighting of the Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square with a trade party,co-sponsored by Travel Weekly, at the Royal Society of Arts Wrapping it up are, from left,...

Controls keep Brits in check.
December 15, 2003... A fall-off in the youth market to Faliraki will leave the Greeks with a major problem of empty rooms, TUIUK managing director Chris Mottershead has warned. At a meeting in London Greek authorities announced a series of measures designed to...

Virgin makes it simple.
December 15, 2003... VIRGIN Holidays is planning aggressive cost-cutting tactics to force agents to make all straightforward bookings on viewdata instead of through the call centre. Agents who ring the call centre with simple bookings will be transferred to a...

UK visitors set for Bali comeback.
December 15, 2003... UKvisitors will return to Bali next year regardless of whether the Foreign and Commonwealth Office travel ban is lifted, according to one of the island's leading hoteliers. InterContinental Resort Bali general manager Amadeo Zarzosa...

The Vacations Group adds California brand.
December 15, 2003... Operator launches agent incentives on new programmes THE Vacations Group has launched a California brand as it kicks off initiatives to work closer with independent agents. California Vacations joins the operator's portfolio of Florida...

Aer Lingus slated over GDS move.
December 15, 2003... AGENTS have hit out at Aer Lingus for removing several routes from the global distribution systems. Routes between Heathrow and Cork and Shannon can no longer be booked by agents through GDSs. Earlier this year the cheapest tickets for...

Barmy Army on a sticky wicket.
December 15, 2003... SPORTS operators have faced a raft of cancellations from cricket fans after a shock tax sent ticket prices soaring for England's winter tour of the Caribbean next March. Companies have warned the move could damage tourism to the...

Icelandair gets back to nature.
December 15, 2003... ICELANDAIR has launched its 2004 holiday brochure to support the airline's largest ever summer programme of UK and US flights from Reykjavik. After establishing Iceland as a clubbing destination, the carrier is keen to promote the...

Attitude at altitude.
December 15, 2003... When Michael O'Leary turned up at a press conference recently dressed as the pope, some of us wondered whether the Ryanair boss had finally lost the plot. After all, it has not been a great month for the budget carrier. It accepted the...

Monarch Scheduled ; speeds web sales.
December 15, 2003... MONARCH Scheduled expects its new web technology to increase on-line trade bookings. The carrier has overhauled it website and introduced a faster booking engine that includes ticketless travel - although the airline will still sell...

Trade told 'find niche'.
December 15, 2003... BUSINESS travel agents need to find a niche market or take on web rivals to survive the era of consolidation, according to Business Travel International chief executive David Radcliffe. The warning came as Hogg Robinson, which is the major...

Flush out the fakers.
December 15, 2003... I HAVE just read the article by Chris Woodbridge-Cox (Travel Weekly December 1) and would like to tell you how we have stopped brochure thieves. There are no brochures on our shop floor, and when a customer asks for a specific hotel or...

Benefits of dynamic packaging a 'myth'.
December 15, 2003... CLAIMSthat dynamic packaging will provide good business for agents is a "myth" according to Sunvil Holidays managing director Noel Josephides. Agents have to understand that they will be liable for the package, will not have first-hand...

Spot the difference.
December 15, 2003... MYTRAVELis insisting its disastrous results announced last week have cleared the way for a return to profitability. Blaming poor management information systems, forecasting mistakes and inadequate pricing decisions, it reported a UK loss of...

the [pounds sterling]910 million question.
December 15, 2003... CAA under pressure to tell all as MyTravel's losses shock the trade THECivil Aviation Authority is under mounting pressure to reveal full details of its dealings with MyTravel after the beleaguered holiday giant...

Global holds 'tough talks'.
December 15, 2003... GLOBAL Travel Group operations director Andrew Botterill has voiced concerns over members stocking too many MyTravel products in the face of waning public confidence. Botterill fears clients could be put off if members' windows are full of...