Travel Weekly (UK) articles from December 2004

Travel Weekly (UK) archives from December 2004

sample product.
December 3, 2004... Thomson Ski offers seven nights' half-board in the two-star Hotel Putnik from [pounds sterling]275 per person, including British Airways flights and transfers. Creche facilities start at [pounds sterling]27 for six half-days' childcare and...

Web training launch.
December 3, 2004... TRAVEL agents are being invited to learn more about selling holidays in the UK with the launch of Hoseasons' on-line training facility. The site, at hoseasons.co.uk/agents, will launch this month, with modules for all of Hoseasons' UK and...

Discovering states' country side.
December 3, 2004... Away from the beaches and theme parks, the Pacific Northwestern states offer spectacular natural assets Sandwiched between Canadian British Columbia and California, the Pacific Northwestern destinations of Washington State and Oregon fail...

Wide open for business.
December 3, 2004... Alaska, the final frontier of US tourism, has resurrected funding for UK marketing following a budget cut earlier this year. The Alaska Travel Industry Association has signed a deal with UK representation agency MGA International. MGA will...

GMTV audience targeted by Orlando campaign.
December 3, 2004... Destination Imagination to run $1.5 million UK promotion Orlando Tourism Bureau will run its Destination Imagination campaign again in January, using terrestrial television advertising for the first time. The campaign will run on...

Grand; designs.
December 3, 2004... Arizona is going all out to promote its biggest attraction in the UK next year After several years promoting the merits of its cities, spas and golf courses, Arizona will focus its marketing efforts next year on its most obvious draw - the...

Arkansas arrival.
December 3, 2004... The southern state plans its first UK promotion around the opening of the museum dedicated to former president Bill Clinton Its most famous son is known as the Comeback Kid, but the state in question has little to come back from. ...

Cool runnings.
December 3, 2004... Downhill racing may be less popular today, but there are plenty of great resorts where clients can spice up a ski holiday If you can't get to the end of a run without humming the theme tune to Ski Sunday or hearing the ring of cowbells from...

news in brief.
December 3, 2004... Just good friends Singles specialist Friendship Travel has an expanded programme of ski breaks with a new destination, Alp D'Huez in the French Alps. Available between December and February, prices lead in at [pounds sterling]640 per...

Kitzbuhel boosted by ski lift addition.
December 3, 2004... This month sees the opening of a new lift linking two of the main ski areas at Kitzbuhel in Austria. A continuous loop gondola connects Hahnenkamm/Pengelstein and Jochberg/Resterhohe, allowing skiers to cover both areas without a long walk...

Seasonal surprises.
December 3, 2004... Christmas markets, concerts and snow-covered Wenceslas Square are some of Prague's winter delights THE dour days of Prague as described in Kafka's novels 70 years ago are now long gone. Today, festive Christmas markets, illuminated...

tip; off.
December 3, 2004... Prague is possibly Europe's most beautiful city. Unfortunately, it's also one where tourists are easily ripped off. Make sure you offer your clients some savvy advice to make their stay memorable for the right reasons. Taxis: overcharging...

hotel; check; HOTEL SAVOY; Prague, Czech Republic.
December 3, 2004... Where is it? Near the castle. It's a five-minute walk from Nerudova Street, which takes visitors past some of Prague's main sights to the Charles Bridge. It's also directly across from the stop for the 22 tram, a main tourist line. ...

sample product.
December 3, 2004... Shearings offers a four-night 'winter warmer' coach tour departing December 23. It features the five-star Renaissance Hotel, a guided city tour, buffet breakfasts, dinners and a musical Christmas evening for [pounds sterling]439. A New Year's...

The next big thing.
December 3, 2004... The Serbian resort of Kopaonik is tipped for success with UK operators adding it this year Quirky culture, affordability and varied terrain are just some of the attractions tempting Brits back to the Serbian resort of Kopaonik, in the...

Boom time for new EU states.
December 3, 2004... Central European countries reap financial rewards of good airlift ACCESSION to the EUand expansion of air routes has led to a boom in visits to Central Europe over recent months. Central Europe Countries Travel Association chairman...

Romania looks to future.
December 3, 2004... ROMANIA has overcome its image problems and is now attracting record numbers of visitors, according to the country's tourist office. Romanian National Tourist Office director Maria Lordache said that 68,000 British holidaymakers visited...

Cricket raffle is a hit.
December 3, 2004... Record-breaking spin bowler Muttiah Muralitharan drew a raffle organised by the Sri Lanka Tourist Board at World Travel Market, watched by Travel Weekly editor Martin Lane. The raffle was won by travel agent Lindsay Withall from Lunn Poly's...

Lights, cameras, plenty of action.
December 3, 2004... Alaska is open for business year round. Kate Burgess-Craddy of the Visit USA Association gives us the lowdown on the 49th state This month, Insider Agent takes you to 'the last frontier'. Not the final frontier of the Starship Enterprise,...

Polish expansion.
December 3, 2004... POLAND is experiencing a boom in short-break visitors taking advantage of the country's favourable exchange rate. Polish National Tourist Office development manager Eva Binkin said: "Since we joined the European Union people have been coming in...

on the move.
December 3, 2004... Maxine Dunsdon has been appointed trade business development manager at Norwegian Coastal Voyage. She will head up the new agency sales department to develop account relationships and training opportunities. She was previously Bridge Travel...

Crack open the bubbly.
December 3, 2004... P&OCruise passenger Ronnie Bowers won a bottle of champagne and [pounds sterling]50 worth of vouchers in a prize draw last month. The draw celebrated the cruiseline's first charter flight to Barbados from John Lennon Liverpool Airport last...

Hotel toolkit offered.
December 3, 2004... INDEPENDENT London hotel and guesthouse owners can now get their hands on two free online toolkits designed to help win business and prepare for sudden market downturns. The guides can be ordered via Business Link, an organisation that...

Turkey for Christmas?
December 3, 2004... Turkey specialist Holidays 4U is upping the ante for agents with a Christmas party incentive. Any bookings taken before next Saturday will be put into a prize draw with the first 10 agents picked winning a party pack, including a case of wine,...

Trying times for Aer Lingus.
December 3, 2004... A report into the future of Aer Lingus has warned the state-owned carrier is under threat unless funds are found to allow it to compete more effectively with rivals. The report by consultancy firm Goldman Sachs rejected a full sell-off of...

Don't look back.
December 3, 2004... Oh, dear! King Canute is alive and well and reincarnated in the shape of Chris Woodbridge-Cox. Such a shame that someone so young should be so regrettably removed from the new and modern in travel and tourism, stuck in a time warp instead...

HOROSCOPES.
December 3, 2004... AQUARIUS (Jan 21 - Feb 19) The way you identify with and relate to others will make all the difference on Tuesday and Friday. Property-related plans or conversion work details may need adjusting, but don't let this deter you. Your Luck:...

Thomson puts brand in spotlight.
December 3, 2004... THOMSON is to kick off the new year with TV advertising that highlights price and the brand. TUI UK managing director Peter Rothwell said it would spend 'a lot of money' on TV advertising in January - backing the Thomson name following...

Forecast is bright for Oman.
December 3, 2004... OMAN is tipped to be the next Dubai, according to Thomson's 2005 Holiday Forecast. Oman is joined by Brazil, Morocco and Egypt as just some of the holiday destinations expected to be big next year. The Holiday Forecast looked at new...

'There's no escaping fraud'.
December 3, 2004... Convention hears one-fifth of delegates have been victim of fraudulent activity ALMOST one-fifth of ABTA members claim their company has been subjected to fraudulent activity, according to a straw poll of delegates at the ABTA Convention....

Dynamic seminar slammed.
December 3, 2004... ABTA delegates have heavily criticised a dynamic packaging session at the conference for its lack of content and noticeably absent audience. Despite dynamic packaging being 'fundamental to this industry', according to moderator and...

TUI sets target for web sales.
December 3, 2004... HALF of all TUI UK's business will come from online sales in the next three years, according to managing director Peter Rothwell. In a candid speech at the ABTA Convention in Orlando, Rothwell predicted Internet sales would rise from the...

'We have learnt a lesson'.
December 3, 2004... ABTA chief executive Ian Reynolds has spoken candidly of the pressure on him to resign in the wake of the alleged [pounds sterling]1 million fraud case involving former legal chief Riccardo Nardi. Speaking at the ABTA Convention in Orlando,...

Guide to clarify financial cover.
December 3, 2004... New ABTAguidelines will give agents details of operators' level of protection ABTA is to give agents a guide to financial protection so they can warn customers of the pitfalls of booking with an unbonded supplier. The move has been...

Call for legislation to end bonding debacle.
December 3, 2004... THE only way to resolve the issue of bonding is through Government legislation, according to delegates at the ABTAConvention. Federation of Tour Operators director-general Andy Cooper said: "This is something the Government should tackle....

Standards slipping.
December 3, 2004... TRADING Standards has been criticised for failing to clamp down on misleading airline prices - despite promising to do so at last year's ABTA Convention in Palma. Trading Standards lead officer Bruce Treloar pledged a "purge" on low-cost...

Hoseasons responds to sales trend.
December 3, 2004... HOSEASONS is offering short-breaks in its 2005 brochures for the first time to respond to a growth in last-minute bookings for shorter durations. Short breaks were previously featured as a percentage of the weekly rate. For next year...

Advantage rolls out new look.
December 3, 2004... ADVANTAGE has rebranded and adopted a new logo to become a more forward-looking consortium. It will now be known as Advantage - rather than Advantage Travel Centres - and has adopted the tagline, The National Network of Travel Agents, with...

Shops face closure risk.
December 3, 2004... THOMAS Cook is to close 25 shops over the next year where there is duplication or leases have expired. It follows a restructure of its 620 shops depending on performance. Lower performing shops with expiring leases up are on the closure...

Medlife focuses on 'lower end'.
December 3, 2004... ARGO Holidays' new "cheap and cheerful" Medlife brand aims to recapture business lost by focusing solely on the premium market and mop up capacity left by Golden Sun's demise. Sales and marketing director Theo Demetriou admitted the...

Council of Regions hits back.
December 3, 2004... ABTA Council of Regions chairman Sandy MacPherson has made an aggressive attack on critics of the system, following claims it ought to be disbanded. During the ABTA presidential election in September, Majestic Travel owner and candidate...

MyTravel in cruise launch.
December 3, 2004... MYTRAVEL is targeting a 5%-7% slice of the cruise market with its new retail cruise business. With the total cruise market topping one million passengers in 2004 and expected to grow 5% annually for the next five years, The Cruise Store...

Mark Warner eyes growth.
December 3, 2004... MARK Warner is to operate outside Europe for the first time next year as it embarks on an expansion plan to more than double capacity and boost trade sales. Egypt is offered in next year's brochure as the operator's first year-round beach...

Keycamp pledge.
December 3, 2004... KEYCAMP will remain focused on the trade despite the launch of its direct-sell website, managing director Matthew Cheetham has pledged. Only around 2% of the camping operator's stock will be sold via the white-label site and most of this...

Web sales to rise for Superbreak.
December 3, 2004... Operator predicts trade shift SUPERBREAK Mini Holidays is predicting trade sales through its website will double by the end of next year. Currently the operator gets 20% of all bookings through agents via its site at superbreak....

Death of salesmen?
December 3, 2004... Richard Carrick of Hoseasons was quoted last week as saying the "time honoured role of the travel trade rep is now dead", that operators should reconsider the way they work with agents and that "getting a racking agreement is easy, but ensuring...

US flights concern.
December 3, 2004... TRAVELLERS to the US could be faced with longer check-in times at UK airports if tighter security demands get the go-ahead. The US government is considering implementing a rule which would mean information about every passenger on a...

Call for industry to work together.
December 3, 2004... ABTA is setting up talks with operators to try to stop them selling their products cheaper direct. Speaking at its annual conference in Orlando, chairman of ABTA's Council of Regions Sandy MacPherson said its trade relations committee has...

Trade is top seller of package deals.
December 3, 2004... AGENTS are taking two-thirds of package holiday bookings, according to the latest MORI research on behalf of ABTA. The ABTA 2004 Holiday Survey results were revealed at its conference in Orlando, and showed 28% of packages are booked direct...

Independents slam ABTA rules.
December 3, 2004... INDEPENDENT agents have hit out at ABTA over its membership rules. At the ABTA Convention in Orlando, agents claimed the big travel companies are not treated as harshly as small agencies when they run into financial trouble. But ABTA...

ATP 'benchmark' to be trialled.
December 3, 2004... ABTA is piloting its new Accredited Travel Professional scheme in selected First Choice stores in London next month. The scheme aims to give accreditation to agents in recognition of their experience. ABTA wants the accreditation to become...

'Agents: your role is to sell'.
December 3, 2004... ABTA interim president Martin Wellings has told agents they should have more realistic expectations of commission levels. He said:"I suggest it is simply short-termism to try to continually rack up the rates of commission at the expense of...

'Tabloid' types are best clients.
December 3, 2004... Trade urged to focus on 'couch potato' customers THEY are the ultimate couch potatoes. They smoke, drink and bicker - and they are your dream customers. Jim, Barbara, Denise and Antony - the characters in the Royal Family sitcom - are...

Cruise spiced up my career.
December 3, 2004... I have recently returned from an Ocean Village Educational in the Caribbean on the Sugar and Spice itinerary. I would like to thank everyone at Complete Cruise Solution for giving me this once-in-a- lifetime opportunity, particularly John...

There's no need for cheap laughs.
December 3, 2004... We all know the market offering holidays for older people is huge, and yet I know from reading Travel Weekly that many agents haven't got the faintest idea how to sell to people like myself who are retired. Readers do not understand what...

Citigroup eyes Amadeus.
December 3, 2004... WORLDSPAN part-owners Citigroup Venture Capital have been short-listed to buy rival global distribution system supplier Amadeus. The sale is expected to raise [pounds sterling]3 billion for shareholders, including Air France (23%), Iberia...

Sweet success.
December 3, 2004... QatarAirways had its cake - and ate it too - at Gatwick last week when it celebrated the launch of daily non-stop flights to Doha. The new route is the airline's third from the UK. It also flies twice daily from Heathrow to Doha and four...

Experience pays off.
December 3, 2004... Where have all the experienced staff gone in the travel industry? I have worked in the travel industry for 26 years and have noticed problems occurring recently because of inexperienced tour operator staff and consolidators who deal with...

Going by the book.
December 3, 2004... With 2005 just around the corner, it's time to make your new year's resolution.Do you want to improve your appearance, learn a new language, or do even better in your job?If so, we've picked out a few helpful books that you might just want to...

WTM shows it's an ExCeLlent venue.
December 3, 2004... World Travel Market should not go back to Earl's Court. I believe Chris Woodbridge-Cox has created his own travelling problems to underline his belief that the move to ExCeL was bad (Travel Weekly November 19). There are reasons why a move...

Holiday Hypermarkets to phase out 'gimmicks'.
December 3, 2004... FIRST Choice has hinted it will phase out promotional "gimmicks" in future Holiday Hypermarkets which will be smaller and focus more on staff and location. New outlets will be half the size of original stores - 5,000 sq ft instead of...

MyTravel brands given clear focus.
December 3, 2004... MYTRAVEL has restructured its Cresta Holidays, Bridge Travel and Travel Service brands into full-frills, no-frills and destination specialists in a [pounds sterling]5 million cost-saving move. All Bridge brochures, except Cities, have been...

Stop giving us a bad rep.
December 3, 2004... I was most interested to read the article at World Travel Market by your guest columnist Paul Stanyer, entitled 'who needs reps these days?' (Travel Weekly November 10). I have just returned from a very hectic five weeks in Minorca working...

Time will tell if west is best.
December 3, 2004... Getting to World Travel Market this year may have offered more frequent trains on Docklands Light Railways, but they were packed full. I travelled to the event from West London and found getting to ExCeL very inconvenient compared with...

Fresh logo for Club 18-30.
December 3, 2004... CLUB 18-30 has launched a new logo for summer 2005. It is designed to give a "fresh, new look" while simplifying the design and reducing the number of colours to maximise visual impact. The new logo is just one of a series of...

NCV shows off star qualities.
December 3, 2004... NORWEGIAN Coastal Voyage is using celebrities to endorse its product as demand for niche cruising "grows rapidly". The cruise operator's latest programme has the seal of approval from a string of famous people, including Chris Tarrant,...

Travelcare adds to portfolio.
December 3, 2004... TRAVELCARE has bought four Middlesex agencies from Ickenham Travel Group for an undisclosed sum. All 20 staff at the Ickenham, Northwood, Uxbridge and Harrow branches are being kept on. Ickenham Travel Group managing director Peter...

Pay-off to Let Go of Worldchoice tie-up.
December 3, 2004... LETS Go Travel is preparing to sever ties with Worldchoice with a [pounds sterling]50,000 pay-off. Lets Go Travel managing director Simon Maunder said he would forfeit the cash - owed for 2005's Worldchoice subscriptions - to waive the...

l in brief.
December 3, 2004... Wellbeing on the Ocean Ocean Village will launch its first ever wellbeing cruise, The Body and Soul Solutions Experience, in the Caribbean in April. It will feature t'ai chi, aromatherapy, personal development seminars and life coach...

Conference quotes.
December 3, 2004... "A [pounds sterling]50 note is worth the same from a person in a wheelchair as it is from an able-bodied person." Blind adventurer Miles Hilton-Barber telling delegates about the untapped potential of travel for disabled people "We...

How can I help you?
December 3, 2004... Guest Columnist Martin Wellings I've been to a number of ABTAConventions, but Orlando was a new experience for me as it was my first as president. Judging by comments made to me, it was a good event. The theme parks laid on...

Holiday chaos at airport.
December 3, 2004... BIRMINGHAMInternational Airport could be forced to close this Christmas if strikes in protest of proposed pension plan changes cannot be averted. Trade union Amicus is balloting members this week to decide if proposed holiday strikes will...

Payments at risk in drive to cut costs.
December 3, 2004... BCT Travel Group managing director Steve Kimber has admitted agent commissions are under threat. Following the merger of the MyTravel specialist brands, Kimber said commissions remain under review and could be slashed as part of an ongoing...

Transaction boost for Tradewinds.
December 3, 2004... TRADEWINDS' transaction times have been halved by moving on to the same reservation system as sister brands Cresta and Bridge. The long-haul brand - which has adopted Bridge's South Africa and Cresta's Worldwide programmes following the...

It's hair today, gone tomorrow.
December 3, 2004... Hats off to Korean National Tourism Organisation marketing manager Michael Michael, who's raising money for Band Aid by having his head shaved tomorrow. The stunt follows a similar event 20 years ago, when Michael raised [pounds...

A very crafty move.
December 3, 2004... BRITISH Airways' lack of premium traveller seats for the ABTA Convention was not lost on First Choice during an evening press briefing. BA had to downgrade a number of delegates before the convention because one of its aircraft, which was...

Foot in mouth awards.
December 3, 2004... The Travel Weekly award for Butting In At The Wrong Moment at the ABTAConvention goes to Travel Foundation director Sue Hurdle. In a lively session discussing a difficult year for the industry, Sue stood up and told the 1,500-strong audience...

'We do have a future'.
December 3, 2004... MYTRAVEL directors are confident the company's [pounds sterling]800 million restructuring package will go ahead - even though bondholders were expected to appeal against the plans as Travel Weekly went to press. Last week, the High Court...

Long-haul charters revamp.
December 3, 2004... FIRST Choice has admitted long-haul charter flights have become "dirty words" among customers as it prepares to roll out fleet improvements and predicts a healthy future for the long-haul market. The operator has forecast the US, including...

Travel Weekly ; says:.
December 3, 2004... It wasn't all Orlando gloom THERE are some jobs in the travel industry I'd love to do, but organising the ABTA Convention isn't one of them - it's a pretty thankless task. Logistically it must be a nightmare, and even when things do go...

It could ; be YOU.
December 3, 2004... ABTA is to look at setting up a lottery system giving agents the chance to win places at next year's convention, in a bid to boost the number of retailers at the event. The idea is one of several initiatives being considered for the 2005...

Response to critics.
December 3, 2004... ABTA Council of Regions chairman Sandy MacPherson has promised to take the suggestion of more networking opportunities at future ABTAconferences to the board. Several operators and agents said last week's conference in Orlando was short on...

The sun never shines on TV.
December 3, 2004... PRIME Minister Tony Blair is famous for dodging domestic tourist resorts in favour of jetting off to more exotic destinations. Such treatment by the UK's most high-profile resident has left the industry fighting against negative press...

Hot meals make comeback.
December 3, 2004... MYTRAVELAirways will axe in-flight meals as a paid-for extra and reinstate them in package prices from next June. Despite the dramatic U-turn the operator claimed package prices will not rise. Managing director Frank Pullman said...