Travel Weekly (UK) articles from February 2005

Travel Weekly (UK) archives from February 2005

news in brief.
February 11, 2005... Barwell expands Barwell Leisure has expanded its Dubai brochure and now features 12 properties in the emirate, with Madinat Jumeirah resort, the One&Only Royal Mirage and the Jebel Ali Palm Tree Court and Spa included for the first time....

sample; product.
February 11, 2005... Explore Worldwide's nine-day Lost City of Petra tour includes a night in a Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum and starts at [pounds sterling]725 per adult and [pounds sterling]595 per child, including breakfast and flights. Bales Worldwide's In the...

It's a win-win situation.
February 11, 2005... Tourism New Zealand has increased its competition prize of Lord of the Rings Location Guidebooks to 200 copies - which means we now have even more books to give away to readers who correctly answer the question in the New Zealand feature on...

there's no escape from the mystery shopper In association with.
February 11, 2005... The target Derby wanted A week in Jordan exploring the main sites Going Places 69 St Peters Street The shop had clearly had a busy morning. The brochure racks were poorly stocked and when I entered all three...

ferry; check; speedferries; Dover-Boulogne.
February 11, 2005... The journey: road links to Dover are good, but if you come on the M20 - and many drivers do - you have to crawl along the seafront behind lorries heading to the port. Allow plenty of time because it can be slow. 444 The port:...

Diary Dates.
February 11, 2005... FEBruary 24 75th Annual SPAA Dinner Moat House Hotel, Glasgow. Tel: 01475 639924. March 2-3 British Travel Trade Fair, NEC Birmingham.See british traveltradefair.com. 3 The Travel Luncheon Club Lunch, The Dorchester, London....

Companies back Hays' charity trek.
February 11, 2005... HAYS Travel communications manager Caroline Hays has enlisted the support of travel companies for her charity trek of the Inca Trail. Hays will be walking on the famous trail in Peru to raise money for Oxfam charitable projects, including...

Time-poor clients?
February 11, 2005... Shorter durations don't mean quality has to be compromised THERE are plenty of destinations serving the needs of different clients who are short on time but still want a memorable honeymoon. First Choice Travel consultant Leanne...

Things that make you go 'ooh'!
February 11, 2005... The big day's over and the honeymoon is yet to begin - but where can your clients spend the first night as newlyweds that's big on the 'wow' factor but suitably close to the airport? Whether it's James Bond-style retractable ceilings or...

Norfolkline website 'to fill agency gap'.
February 11, 2005... DOVER-Dunkirk ferry operator Norfolkline is launching a trade website ahead of the launch of three ships which will more than triple passenger capacity on the route. UK passenger manager Chris Newey said a couple of agents are working with...

If your customer is unsure about the best way to travel, they could do a lot worse than going by sea. Travel Weekly ferry expert Jane Archer gives the lowdown on ferry travel and what to expect on the crossing.
February 11, 2005... Q Why should I take a ferry when flying is quicker? A The key benefit of travelling by ferry is that you can pack the car with everything you want for the holiday and never look at the luggage again until you arrive at your destination....

Battle for the ocean.
February 11, 2005... While P&O Ferries axes all French routes from Portsmouth, Brittany plans to fill the capacity gap left by its rival ONE year ago Brittany Ferries and P&O Ferries were preparing to go head to head as each launched a route in the other's...

Fluid move for Fjord Line fares.
February 11, 2005... Ferry operator simplifies online booking system FJORD Line has been forced to introduce fluid pricing to simplify its online booking system. Marketing director Mike Wood has been a vocal opponent of fluid pricing in the past, arguing...

SpeedFerries expansion.
February 11, 2005... Low-cost ferry operator to add second vessel after exceeding sales targets DOVER-Boulogne newcomer SpeedFerries is planning to bring a second fast ferry on to the route in May after exceeding its own sales targets in the seven months since...

PSA relaunches Sailanddrive.
February 11, 2005... Campaign to focus on consumers THE Passenger Shipping Association has relaunched its Sailanddrive campaign to focus more heavily on persuading consumers to travel by ferry. Almost all the UK's ferry operators have joined the new...

news in brief.
February 11, 2005... berlioz sets sail SeaFrance's 1,900-passenger ship, SeaFrance Berlioz, is on schedule to start on the Dover-Calais route in March. To entice passengers on its ships, the ferry operator is running a 'property clinic' with French property...

of the best ferry breaks.
February 11, 2005... IT may be better known as a shoppers' paradise, but northern France has a lot more to offer than cut-price cheese and wine. In the good old days of duty free, stocking up the cellar may have been reason enough to take a day trip to Calais,...

Abruzzo takes the spotlight.
February 11, 2005... THE Abruzzo region in central Italy is targeting the UK trade with fam trips. Abruzzo benefits from being near to Rome and from Ryanair's Stansted to Pescara route. According to the region'scouncillor for tourism Massimo Desiati,...

They're in the money.
February 11, 2005... High prices mean high commission - there's cash to be made from luxury sales in the Caribbean HONEYMOONERS wanting the ultimate treat to seal their future together should look no further than the Caribbean, where some of the world's most...

hotel check; CARL GUSTAF; Gustavia, St Bart.
February 11, 2005... Where is it? Overlooking the picturesque harbour in Gustavia, the capital of St Bart. 4444 What's it like? The hotel is built on a hill above the town. Reception is at the top and the staircase to the 14 suites cascades down...

A star is reborn.
February 11, 2005... The Jordan Tourism Board has launched Lawrence of Arabia-themed tours to showcase the country's colourful past and bring the legend to life FEW films evoke the breathtakingly raw beauty of the Middle Eastern desert as successfully as the...

Tourism attraction.
February 11, 2005... It is fair to say coach touring doesn't often dominate the press, but touring operators have been in the news twice lately - and in the financial pages no less. Travelsphere recently merged with Page and Moy, and now the anticipated merger...

sample; product.
February 11, 2005... Kuoni offers an eight-night holiday to Kenya starting at [pounds sterling]1,187 per person twin-share in April. It comprises three nights' full-board at Governor's Safari Camp, three nights' all-inclusive at Malindi Beach Hotel and two nights'...

The animals' kingdom.
February 11, 2005... THERE'S nothing like being so close to a lion that you can hear it breathing. We spent an hour watching a lion and a lioness lying in the long grass, spread-eagled with paws dangling nonchalantly in the air. As it turned out, our guide...

top safari tips.
February 11, 2005... n Safaris can be taken year round but the best time for safaris in Kenya is between August and October when animals migrate in large numbers. Lower prices are available in the late spring, when it is cooler and wetter, but no less enjoyable....

lawrence of arabia - the history.
February 11, 2005... 1888: Thomas Edward Lawrence is born 1896: the Lawrence family moves to Oxford 1907-1910: Lawrence studies at Jesus College, Oxford. For his thesis on crusader castles he cycles 2,400 miles through France and walks 1,100 miles in Syria...

New kids on the block.
February 11, 2005... The Middle East is enjoying a buoyant start to the new year, as holidaymakers seek alternatives to destinations affected by the Asian tsunami, according to operators. While for many the region was showing strong growth before the disaster...

Elite push for region.
February 11, 2005... Elite Vacations is targeting the Middle East for major growth this year with an expanded programme to the region. Five new hotels have been added in Dubai including the recently opened Al Qasr and Dar Al Masyaf properties, which join the...

Odyssey addition.
February 11, 2005... Odyssey Worldwide has launched its largest-ever Dubai programme this year with four new hotels including the five-star Al Bustan Rotana in Dubai city and Hilton Dubai Jumeirah on the beach. Prices start at [pounds sterling]635 for a three-night...

hotel; check; captain's desert camp; Wadi Rum, Jordan.
February 11, 2005... Where is it? Roughly three hours' drive south of Amman in Jordan's southern desert. 4444 What's it like? Accessible by car or camel, the camp is close to the Seven Pillars of Wisdom mountain range and a short drive from Run...

Weird and wonderful.
February 11, 2005... When it comes to tying the knot, couples are making their mark by daring to be different IF your clients want to make their big day stand out from the crowd, there are plenty of unusual products on sale to tempt them to break with the...

did you know?
February 11, 2005... Couples are more likely to choose a long-haul destination for their honeymoon, which costs on average [pounds sterling]2,473. Second-timers spend less on their honeymoon, usually less than [pounds sterling]2,000 per couple. Most fund their...

HOROSCOPES.
February 11, 2005... AQUARIUS (Jan 21 - Feb 19) It probably goes without saying you're working hard and fast to catch up. Replace Monday blues and Wednesday wobbles with a go-for-it attitude. But the planets are urging you to be tactful, especially over the...

It's a question of sport, trade told.
February 11, 2005... Paul Nelson reports from this year's Travel Technology Show at Olympia AGENTS have been urged to diversify their businesses and enter the entertainment package travel business. Online travel agency Airtext chief executive Jeff...

l in brief.
February 11, 2005... Travelcare signs up to OTC's dynamic packagingTravelcare is to roll out Online Travel Corporation's dynamic packaging technology in stores, consolidator Flight Desk and web brands Justflights and Cheapestflights. The deal comes as part of a...

'Integration is best'.
February 11, 2005... TRAVEL companies have been warned against rushing into buying new technology. A report, by travel technology consultancy Traventec, warns agents and operators against "bolting on" new technology to their existing systems. The rise in...

MEA cuts Beirut prices.
February 11, 2005... Middle East Airlines is offering a special round-trip fare of [pounds sterling]290 including taxes for travel from London to Beirut from February 1-28 outbound and February 2-March 14 inbound. This fare represents a saving of [pounds...

Hilton Sydney to open in June.
February 11, 2005... THE [pounds sterling]165 million HiltonSydney is to open its doors in June, making it the largest investment by Hilton International ever. The 577-room property in the centre of Sydney at George Street is being pitched as a state-of-the-art...

l in brief.
February 11, 2005... Malaysia fleet upgradeMalaysia Airlines expects to have the first of its 17 Boeing 747-400s fitted with its new Golden Club Class seats next month and will be ready to fly from the UK to Kuala Lumpur. So far it has fitted three of the aircraft...

Target set for virtual operator.
February 11, 2005... ON Holiday Group expects its new virtual tour operatorLowcostpackages.com to sell 30,000 packages in its first 12 months. The website - which is being tested by five independent agents including Sunmaster and Idea - will be rolled out to...

Not so Easy.
February 11, 2005... This week: Stelios Haji-Ioannou, founder and chairman, EasyGroup SHOULDyou ever get chatting to Greek multi-millionaire Stelios Haji-Ioannou, remember this caution. Do not ask him how old he is. Speaking from experience, it seems...

Agents to lose fuel supplement payment.
February 11, 2005... THOMAS Cook and First Choice are to end travel agent commission payments on fuel supplements. The news follows Thomson's decision to end blanket commissions which saw accommodation-only and flight seat-only commissions scrapped, as well as...

Airline tells staff 'let's talk'.
February 11, 2005... BRITISH Airways has launched a staff initiative to improve communications following last summer's strike action and a baggage handling dispute. Head of marketing Jayne O'Brien said it had "scored a few own goals" last summer and it had...

'Know your worth'.
February 11, 2005... Internet and price competition in the short-haul sector and adjusted accordingly, she said. Long-haul travel had different decision-making factors for consumers, with greater emphasis on service and convenience. The airline researches...

'Web won't beat personal service'.
February 11, 2005... Travel companies that rush to invest heavily in Internet sales at the expense of high street agents may suffer in the future, the industry has been warned. With around 55% of international travel still booked through agents and 17% through...

'Believe in your staff'.
February 11, 2005... Travel Counsellors boss reveals secrets of success TRAVEL Counsellors founder David Speakman has claimed the secret behind the homeworking network's 30% year-on-year growth is empowered and motivated staff. Speaking at the Institute...

Are you qualified?
February 11, 2005... COLLEGES across the UK that offer qualifications in business travel are urging people with hands-on experience of the industry to sign up to become teachers. The colleges say they are desperately looking to recruit business travel...

Singapore boss lambasts MPs.
February 11, 2005... SINGAPORE Airlines UK boss Raja Segran took a swipe at Britain for refusing to grant his airline rights to a transatlantic flight in a speech at the carrier's annual House of Commons event. Speaking to 100 delegates, Segran used the...

'Loyalty will boost industry'.
February 11, 2005... TRAVEL companies have been urged to implement loyalty schemes to retain and build loyal customer bases. Hilton UK and Ireland director of brands Andrea McKay told delegates service had replaced product as the best way to retain customers....

Nothing ventured...
February 11, 2005... VENTURE capitalists are circling around Travel Counsellors following founder David Speakman's decision to take a back seat at the homeworking agency. HgCapital has sounded out a number of senior industry figures about the business, which...

Liking it in Leipzig.
February 11, 2005... AIR Berlin's inaugural flight from Leipzig in Germany to Stansted touched down in London this week, heralding the start ofthrice-weekly services. The Euroshuttle service will depart from Stansted on Mondays, Fridays and Sundays. Return flights...

l in brief.
February 11, 2005... BTIUK's on Travel Alert BTIUK has unveiled its latest traveller tool Travel Alert. The facility can send corporate travellers and their travel manager text or e-mail messages alerting them to changes in their travel plans including...

Bmibaby on for hat-trick.
February 11, 2005... Yields, passenger numbers and loads up in 2004 BMIBABY expects to score a hat-trick when it reveals its end-of-year financial results for 2004 this month. Newly appointed managing director David Bryon tipped increases in the three main...

Cendant aims for top spot.
February 11, 2005... TRAVEL giant Cendant has pledged to topple Holiday Autos as the top car rental broker. Gordon Wilson, newly appointed president and chief executive of Cendant Travel Distribution Services International Markets, said the company was...

FitzGerald warns on yields.
February 11, 2005... importantly, draconian environmental rules will hit profits. "I know airlines are driven by more capacity, and if Ryanair says it will carry 34 million passengers next year, it will. It has to fill future aircraft, but its yields will be...

CTTGsets out plan for next five years.
February 11, 2005... The Co-operative Travel Trading Group has set out its five-year plan for dealing with closer collusion by the vertically integrated companies and surviving the demise of the package holiday. CTTG chief operating officer Mike Greenacre said...

Bold move pays off for Ocean Village.
February 11, 2005... OCEAN Village used bold marketing tactics to make the trade sit up and take notice before it launched, according to marketing director Gill Haynes. She added the cruiseline knew it had to be different to underline its unique brand and stay...

Flybe reveals secrets of success.
February 11, 2005... to adhere to standard airline research. "Just 8% of passengers care about service - fares are the key," he said. Rutter said 95% of airline advertising concentrates on just 20% of people's wishes, adding Ryanair is so profitable...

Revenues up by 10% per booking.
February 11, 2005... REVENUES of holidays sold through Thomson shops are up 10% per transaction on average following the rebrand from Lunn Poly. TUI UK retail and commercial director Derek Jones claimed ditching the established Lunn Poly name in favour of...

Teaming up for agent incentive.
February 11, 2005... TRAVEL 2/4 has teamed up with British Airways to offer a long-haul, trade-only incentive. BA sales support account manager Alison Sherwood and Travel 2/4 director of marketing Alasdair Farrimond are helping to promote the giveaway, which...

Freedom to party.
February 11, 2005... FREEDOMFlights has started promoting its follow-up to last year's Ibiza agents party. A promotional flier for the airline's Party in Palma weekend onMay 14-15 will hit agents' desks this month, as well as a host ofsummer-themed giveaways. With...

Peace keepers.
February 11, 2005... THE benefits and joys of being free to travel have recently been forced home to me. The message was powerfully portrayed during those harrowing images on television of the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. It's difficult for...

Group hopes for growth.
February 11, 2005... CENDANT is hoping for double-digit growth having spent $2.7 billion on acquisitions last year. Cendant TDS International Markets president and chief executive Gordon Wilson said the group would hit thisprojection because of the diversity...

'You're playing into our hands'.
February 11, 2005... Endacott warns Thomson and Cosmos FORMER MyTravel boss Steve Endacott has slammed the decision by two major tour operators to ditch the traditional rep service. Thomson and Cosmos have scrapped reps and replaced them with in-resort...

l in brief.
February 11, 2005... Book now to get a Pow Wow exhibitor discountExhibitors at US trade show Pow Wow can get $300 off the $875 registration fee if they sign up within the next four days. The five-day New York show begins on May 3. For details, call Gabriella...

DFDS adds new mini-cruises.
February 11, 2005... Operator to meet demand for short breaks DFDS Seaways is launching two mini-break products in a bid to capture a larger share of the short-breaks market. The CityCruiseBreaks and Mini CruiseBreaks brochures - on sale this week -...

l in brief.
February 11, 2005... First Rate UK tie-upFirst Rate Travel Services, the foreign exchange joint venture between the Bank of Ireland and the Post Office, has become a premier partner of UKinbound. The two-year sponsorship deal means First Rate will appear on all...

School's out for summer savings.
February 11, 2005... PARENTS in the Midlands are being offered discounts of 5% off summer-sun holidays as part of an initiative to keep kids in school during term time. West Midlands Co-op is trialling the deal in Walsall and Dudley in partnership with the...

A fly-ing shop visit.
February 11, 2005... WELSHrugby starNeil Jenkins was onhand to celebratethe opening of a newFirst Choice Travel Shop in Merthyr Tydfil,South Wales last week - and to dish out some sympathy. The internationalfly-half signed theplaster cast of assistant manager...

l in brief.
February 11, 2005... Lastminute openingLastminute.com is to open a shop at Birmingham International railway station. Director of retail Richard Green said the unit was chosen because it serves both the station and airport. It will sell all Lastminute product,...

Flight Centre faces ASAprobe.
February 11, 2005... Complaints over lowest fare slogan spark investigation FLIGHTCentre UK is being investigated by the Advertising Standards Authority after complaints its 'lowest air fares guaranteed' slogan is misleading - just weeks after having to ditch...

Thomsonfly gains from agent web sales.
February 11, 2005... ALL Thomson agencies can now book TUI's low-cost carrier Thomsonfly on the Internet and will be able to book rival no-frills airlines online in the near future. The move, which follows a trial in two shops in Leeds, has already led to...

Libra back in Dubai.
February 11, 2005... LIBRA Holidays has reintroducedDubai for 2005 after a two-year absence. Sales and marketing director Paul Riches said the operator had been forced to ditch Dubai two years ago because of a slump in demand, following the start of the war in...

Leger gives away iPods in bid to lift trade sales.
February 11, 2005... COACH break specialist Leger Holidays is giving away iPods and televisions with built-in DVD players in its latest trade booking incentive. The goodies are up for grabs to the best-selling agents over the course of the year. ...

Fam trip was a Disney Dream.
February 11, 2005... I want to thank DERTOUR for a fun-filled two days at Disneyland Paris. Despite the weather, Nigel Ham and Darren Wilkins ensured we had a great time, from boarding the Eurostar at Waterloo, to shopping at La Vallee Village, to dinner and...

Charges are out of order.
February 11, 2005... I made a reservation with P&O North Sea Ferries yesterday over the phone. I would normally use its agents' website, but the client had requests that the website would not action. Once the booking was completed, I asked for a...

Pay and dismay.
February 11, 2005... IAM a branch manager of an agency in Cheshire, and have just read your article on pay rises (Travel Weekly February 4). I was shocked to see that managers who work in the northwest should be earning [pounds sterling]21,000 a year. I...

Stop moving the goalposts.
February 11, 2005... The longer I work in the travel industry, the less I understand it. Here's the scenario: on day one, some regular clients came in to book a Thomson holiday. The cost in the brochure, including supplements, was [pounds sterling]730 per person,...

l in brief.
February 11, 2005... Alitalia losses mount Alitalia expects a net loss of about 850 million euros for last year, compared to its 519.7 million in 2003, according to Italian newspaper reports. Its net debt at December 31 was 1.76 billion euros, up from 1.66...

Portugal is on schedule.
February 11, 2005... In response to the column 'Flexible friends' by Chris Woodbridge-Cox (Travel Weekly January 28), which quoted Portugal as one of the market's early losers, I would like to point out that the AC Nielsen figures he refers to are not fully...

Now we'll needsty marshals.
February 11, 2005... UK air passengers could be forced to sit next to horses, monkeys or pigs if new US aviation rules are pushed through. The US Department of Transportation wants to force any carrier crossing its borders to adopt its rules regarding access...

'Nardi scandal kept me here'.
February 11, 2005... ABTA chief executive Ian Reynolds has admitted he would have retired last year, had the alleged [pounds sterling]1 million fraud by former legal chief Riccardo Nardi not emerged. Reynolds, 61, announced his resignation last week and will...

We don't ABTA be a member.
February 11, 2005... Marshalls Worldchoice has traded successfully and honestly at our single outlet in Jersey since 1968 and enjoys a 'Harrods' image among local agents. We've been ABTA members since our formation, but are soon to resign our membership to...

Laterooms to expand.
February 11, 2005... NEW Laterooms.com chairman John Donaldson has revealed plans to expand the website into Europe. Language students from Manchester University are staffing the company's 100-strong call centre, allowing it to launch low cost,...