Travel Weekly (UK) articles from July 2005

Travel Weekly (UK) archives from July 2005

A summer fragrance you will Love Love.
July 15, 2005... For all you beautiful ladies, Morgan, the popular high-street shop, has a new addition to its fragrance family, 'Morgan Love Love de toi'. This light-hearted fragrance is a sweet mixture of fruity, floral and musky scents combined to...

The Italian job.
July 15, 2005... ACTRESS and model Isabella Rossellini will join passengers on Silversea's Silver Shadow next week, sailing a week's itinerary from Barcelona to Civitavecchia in Italy. She appears as part of a promotional tie-up with the cruiseline which...

One class fits all.
July 15, 2005... WHEN BMI announced its decision to cut business class and other 'frills' on its flights from Heathrow, few in the industry were surprised. In recent years, most European airlines have been gradually cutting back their business-class services,...

Trade move pays off.
July 15, 2005... CENTER Parcs' trade sales are on target six months after its four UK villages were made available for sale through agents. The company is selling to the trade through an exclusive partnership with Blakes Holidays. Previously agents could...

Gold Medal increases UK portfolio.
July 15, 2005... Gold Medal Travel is introducing 100 new hotels to its UK product. The accommodation is throughout the UK's major tourist areas and will be available for bookings in the winter 2005/06 season. It includes destinations such as the...

Domestic campaign.
July 15, 2005... VISITBRITAIN, the marketing body for domestic tourism, has launched a major window campaign in around 200 Thomson shops. The initiative is in conjunction with Hoseasons, Pontin's, Bourne Leisure and Embassy Leisure Breaks. It is...

Can he fix it?
July 15, 2005... The requests to 'See Bob' normally start at about 7am. At my brother's house this is generally followed by a loud rendition of "Can we fix it?" and a plastic hammer making frequent contact with daddy's head. My nephew George is an avid Bob the...

Record numbers on theatre sales.
July 15, 2005... AGENTS are selling theatre breaks to London in record numbers, fuelled by shows staring the likes of Ewan McGregor and Brooke Shields. According to Superbreak sales director Ian Mounser, sales of breaks to London, including theatre...

Drive time.
July 15, 2005... The US flydrive market has long been dominated by the Golden Triangle of San Francisco, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. It's a tried and tested route, appealing to around 60% of first-time self-drivers to the US, and is featured by all operators...

Philadelphia.
July 15, 2005... Just 90 minutes by train from New York, Philadelphia might not get the same brochure space as its glamorous neighbour, but it would be a mistake to overlook it. With an active UK marketing office and an increasing trade profile - Virgin is...

Raising the states of Great Lakes.
July 15, 2005... IF your clients want a little bit of everything, then the Great Lakes region is definitely worth a look. The five lakes and six states make up a vast, area. Beyond the region's buzzing cities - Chicago, Philadelphia and Detroit to name a few -...

Sandals treads new ground.
July 15, 2005... SANDALS is seriously considering a dramatic expansion programme outside of the Caribbean for the first time. Managing director Bobby Stewart said the company was in the middle of a research project to evaluate potential expansion outside of...

'Shelling out on access is worth it'.
July 15, 2005... THEtravel industry has had to ensure it is accessible to disabled people after the final part of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 became law last November. This has left high-street agencies, hotels, airports and most modes of...

departures.
July 15, 2005... The world was rocked last week by the tragedy in London, and the tourism industry joins its voice in offering condolences to those bereaved or injured. Within hours of the news, VisitBritain convened UK industry leaders for the Tourism...

Industry urged to start planning now.
July 15, 2005... THE London 2012 Olympic Games could have a detrimental effect on UK tourism before, during and after the event, according to European Tour Operators Association executive director Tom Jenkins. He expressed his delight that London will hold...

Quick move.
July 15, 2005... OPODO has appointed Bernadette Fitzsimons as managing director of its long-haul tour operator Quick Travel. Fitzsimons, who took over officially from interim MD Kevin Ivie this week, is Quick's first full-time MD since Opodo bought it from...

Agents target disabled sales.
July 15, 2005... WITH an estimated 19 million disabled people living in the UK and accessibility to hotels and transport improving, specialist operators are offering travel agents the chance to tap into a potentially lucrative nicheholiday market. Thomas...

Side order for Holidays 4U.
July 15, 2005... TURKEY tour operator Holidays 4U has increased its 2006 programme by 20% with the addition of Side, Kemer and Beldibi. The operator, which specialises in the family market, has added extra weekly flights from Glasgow and Newcastle to Bodrum...

Worldchoice in corporate club.
July 15, 2005... booking tool will be supported by technology currently being developed by Worldchoice, according to business travel director Tim Giles. The consortium's 270 business agents will get free access to the self-booking tool, which they can...

Roger Dow; president and chief operating officer of the Travel Industry Association of America.
July 15, 2005... There are so many elements of the travel business that you'll never be a master of them all, but you have to know a little about everything. In my new position, I feel like the conductor in an orchestra, but sometimes you just have to let the...

Peltours features El Alamein.
July 15, 2005... PELTOURS has increased capacity to Egypt while featuring El Alamein for the first time. The operator has introduced a five-night break featuring Alexandria and Cairo in its year-round 2005/06 Egypt brochure after increasing demand to see...

Airlines get $65m boost.
July 15, 2005... AMERICA West and US Airways have secured $65 million from asset management firm Tudor Group to help the companies refinance once they merge in September. US Airways was forced to return to Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last September...

Designs on other labels.
July 15, 2005... SILVERSEAis looking at linking up with even more Italian names, following the success of last year's launch of various Italian brand tie-ups. To date, all toiletries on the company's cruise ships are supplied by chic fragrance house Acqua...

C&M Rises to challenge.
July 15, 2005... ing director Angus Chisholm. "Senior level managers are more willing to relocate nationwide because the most senior jobs are few and far between. With a shared network between our three offices, we are able to keep a database of positions...

Question time.
July 15, 2005... Your personality will influence whether you are the kind of boss everyone loves, or everyone loves to hate. Complete our quiz to see if you're management material. 1. The shop is very busy and you are hurrying to clear up the brochure...

Freedom spreads.
July 15, 2005... FREEDOM Flights is aiming for a 20% growth in passenger numbers next year via a mix of new regional hubs, more flights and improved agent relations. Managing director Paul Moss also confirmed the seat-only operator is poised to announce a...

How to strike Olympic gold.
July 15, 2005... UKconsortia with overseas partners are working on how agents can profit from the London Olympic Games with the Internet expected to play a major role. Worldchoice chairman Colin Heal said agents will be looking to do reciprocal deals with...

Women are still not satisfied.
July 15, 2005... THE increase in female-friendly employment law appears to be backfiring with a fall in job satisfaction among women. A study of 25,000 British female employees, by Professor Michael Rose at the University of Bath, shows female job...

In the Mood for a job?
July 15, 2005... TRAVELMOOD hopes to entice agents to its expanding retail chain by offering a four-week induction fam trip to Australia and Asia. The long-haul consolidator currently has shops in London and Dundee, plus call centres in Liverpool and Leeds....

'Games will be good for business'.
July 15, 2005... SUPERBREAK expects the aftermath of the 2012 Olympic Games to have a positive impact on London business. Sales director Ian Mounser said: "The benefit for us will come either side of the event." In the past, Superbreak has sold...

'Pay as you book' system by Telme.
July 15, 2005... TELME Farebase has launched a 'pay as you book' back-office invoicing system for small travel agencies. The system allows smaller agencies to adhere to ATOL regulations by issuing one invoice per transaction. Each invoice costs [pounds...

Cruiseline highlights incentives.
July 15, 2005... ASLUGGISHlate-booking market for cruises in Scandinavia and the Baltics has led Orient Lines to offer agent incentives and scrap single supplements on some summer sailings. The cruiseline has more cabins left unsold than this time last year...

'Weak pound will help to stoke up demand'.
July 15, 2005... THE anticipated weakening of the pound is expected to stimulate demand for London and wipe out any negative effect last week's terrorist attacks could have on the city's tourism. The European Tour Operators Association canvassed its 350...

My CAA questions are unanswered.
July 15, 2005... Congratulations to Travel Weekly on taking the initiative by organising a series of dynamic packaging roadshows. However, I was disappointed that Civil Aviation Authority representatives refused to take the stage and answer questions. I,...

Ignore us at your peril, ABTA.
July 15, 2005... In my letter published by Travel Weekly (July 1) I asked ABTA to respond "decisively and unambiguously" to a series of highly pertinent questions relating to its bonding and financial failure procedures. In his response, the association's head...

Cosmos fam was a Dream.
July 15, 2005... I have just returned from the most amazing fam trip of my 12 years' experience as an agent, thanks to Distant Dreams. I would like to express my sincere thanks to Sharon Rowarth and all the hoteliers and ground handlers that made this trip...

'Don't forget the regions' says SPAA.
July 15, 2005... THE Scottish Passenger Agents' Association has called for British regions to be promoted as alternative UKentry points to London for Olympic visitors. SPAA vice-president Sandy MacPherson said the Games are an opportunity for the whole...

Devil's in the detail.
July 15, 2005... In response to the letters 'Attitude is Virgin on the ridiculous' (Travel Weekly July 1) and 'Tired of Virgin' (Travel Weekly July 8), I sympathise. I needed to change details with Virgin Holidays and received a bad level of service. I got...

Cutting costs shows Charlie is an angel.
July 15, 2005... PRINCE Charles is getting one step closer to his subjects in a bid to cut costs. Good oldCharlie is allset to take a trip to the US with hisnew missus this summer on a scheduled flight. But the move is not a spontaneous gesture byCharles to...

'Knowledge is power'.
July 15, 2005... MASS-market travel agents could be squeezed out of the ski market because they lack specialist knowledge. Crystal Holidays managing director Stuart McLeod said bad training often means customers know more about ski holidays than the average...

London stores evacuated.
July 15, 2005... target. However, it was business as usual for its other two London stores in Queensway and Greenwich. First Choice's only central London store in Fleet Street shut at 3pm to allow staff extra time to get home. STA Travel shut its Russell...

Having a laugh in Larnaca.
July 15, 2005... As one of the 22 retail agents invited to attend the first educational to Larnaca, I would say that it is most definitely a very sellable destination for both families and singles. We stayed at the Palm Beach Hotel and Bungalows, went...

What an ice scream.
July 15, 2005... OF course, there is no such thing as a free lunch. But at a recent black-tie awards ball on a Saturday night we got less than we bargained for - or more, depending on how you look at it. Flight Centre managed to tempt Insider out of its...

No-frills slash capacity.
July 15, 2005... NO-FRILLS airlines are slashing capacity to short-haul ski resorts despite an increasing numbers of Brits opting to take skiing breaks. Crystal Holidays managing director Stuart McLeod said even though new no-frills carriers such as...

Atlas Blue defends cancellation move.
July 15, 2005... ATLASBlue general manager Karim Benchekroun has defended the airline's decision to cancel Gatwick-Marrakesh flights until September 14. He claims affected bookings - less than 10 on each withdrawn flight - are "not really an issue" because...

It's Simply not on...
July 15, 2005... I can understand the frustration of the agent in last week's Travel Weekly who has decided tode-rack brochures from TUI, including Simply Travel. We used to enjoy booking through Simply, but are now considering whether we want to continue. We...

Looking to 2012.
July 15, 2005... Last week had been shaping up nicely for me until the devastating events of Thursday July 7. My boat had come in the day before when London was awarded the 2012 Olympic games over rival Paris. But my boat's arrival had nothing to do with any...

A bit of Colorat Thomas Cook.
July 15, 2005... THOMAS Cook has signed a deal with Mundi Color Holidays that gives its agents direct live access to the Spanish specialist's online content. The agreement involves a Mundi Color Holidays link on Thomas Cook's intranet site, allowing 600...

Chaos highlights true value of agents.
July 15, 2005... LONDON'S bomb blasts have highlighted the value of travel management companies in times of crisis, claim leading business travel agents. UKagents were asked to help trace clients following the blasts on July 7by using their in-house...

Impact on business 'minimal'.
July 15, 2005... LONDONhoteliers are optimistic the fallout from the terrorist attacks will be short-lived and recent trends of rising rates and occupancy levels will return quickly. Marriott had just under 2,000 cancellations at its 40London hotels and...

A great package.
July 15, 2005... May we take this opportunity to congratulate Travel Weekly for another well-organised event. Well done. Please pass on our thanks to all the participants for the information they provided regarding dynamic packaging and hospitality. We...

It was good to talk at roadshow.
July 15, 2005... Many thanks for a most hospitable and enjoyable evening at last week's Travel Weekly dynamic packaging roadshow in Nottingham. The discussion was excellent and it is good to see Travel Weekly is embracing dynamic packaging in such a way....

New UCTG call centre.
July 15, 2005... UNITED Co-op Travel Group has doubled its call-centre capacity for its website Cooptravelshop.co.uk by opening a new site at the group's Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent head office. The website has experienced a 50% increase in call volumes since...

'There were bodies on the floor '.
July 15, 2005... "It was a normal day. I was sat on the tube and about 30 seconds into the journey there was a loud bang and a flash of light from the front carriage. Everything was plunged into darkness. The carriage filled with smoke and people started...

Information is key.
July 15, 2005... A RECENT Mystery Shopper (Travel Weekly July 8), involving a disabled mother going to London for a short break, including theatre tickets and sightseeing, raised some important issues. We have had much experience handling disabled customers...

Ship passengers face tighter security.
July 15, 2005... FERRY and cruise passengers could face tighter security measures following the attacks in London after the world's largest shipping register increased its level of alert at British ports, putting it on a par with Iraq. European directives,...

Smart winner.
July 15, 2005... NICOLA Fordyce will be revving up this summer after winning a Qantas Airlines competition. The assistant manager from Flight Centre's Wimbledon store was given a Smart For Two Coupe after booking more passengers on to Qantas flights than...

Co-op fights for supplement ban.
July 15, 2005... has slammed the industry for failing to get its own house in order want the Government to axe the supplements. "It's a grossly unfair form of social discrimination. Operators are not using their collective muscle to do anything about it,"...

Bid team wins award.
July 15, 2005... THE London 2012 Olympic bid team was commended for services to tourism and hospitality at last week's British Hospitality Association Awards, which went ahead at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London despite the July 7 bomb attacks. Around...

Hotel crash warning.
July 15, 2005... LONDON'S hotel industry has been warned not to create an oversupply of hotel rooms for the 2012 Olympics and risk a room rate crash. Marriott Hotels regional vice president of international hotel development Jan-Willem den Ridder urged...

Terror attacks fail to deter air passengers.
July 15, 2005... EARLYfeedback suggests London's terrorist attacks have not put people off travelling by air. British Airways had delays averaging 20 minutes at Terminal 1. All other airlines reported on-time flights out of London on July 7 and 8. Virgin...

Travel breaks down barriers.
July 15, 2005... AT the Institute of Travel and Tourism conference a few weeks ago, former foreign secretary Robin Cook praised the contribution of the travel industry in fostering greater understanding of other races and cultures. He argued that sending...

On the road to success.
July 15, 2005... For the past two weeks, Travel Weekly has been out on the road, meeting readers at our sold-out series of dynamic packaging roadshows. Our events were packed with agents giving up their free time to learn more about the phenomenon and meet...

Mixologist magic brings bling to Aquasia bar.
July 22, 2005... BLING King P Diddy really ought to make his way down to the Conrad London's Aquasia Bar as they are now selling just the cocktail for him - the blingtail. The latest addition to the drinks list at Aquasia consists of two variations, the...

Holiday homes will be a life saver.
July 22, 2005... THE recent trend of the trade to start selling holiday homes should be applauded. I have spent much of the summer overseas buying hotels rooms and apartments, and everywhere I go I see resorts featuring heavy selling of holiday homes, even...

From Acorn grows wonderful holidays.
July 22, 2005... tHOSE friendly people at Acorn International Hotels will do all they can to ensure customers have a great summer. With all hotels located on or close to the seafront, meaning you don't have to trek for miles to hit the surf or relax on the...

Sandals highlights training options.
July 22, 2005... The Sandals and Beaches Training Academy has a packed programme throughout the UK until the end of the year. The courses are either full-day or half-day, or agents can attend pre-opening or post-closing sessions. Attendance for agents is...

African safari and beach holiday.
July 22, 2005... Thomas Cook 21a High Street A consultant walked into the shop ahead of me and allowed the door to slam in my face. Opening it again she said: "What do you want? If it's the bureau de change, it's closed." After a greeting like...

Worldhotels gets in training.
July 22, 2005... LEADINGindependent hotel sales, marketing and distribution company Worldhotels has launched a training scheme for its staff which it believes is essential if they are to retain their independence and compete with major brands. ...

Ibiza campaign to focus on diversity.
July 22, 2005... THEIbiza Tourist Board is planning its campaign for next year which will, once again, focus on the diversity of the destination. Ibiza Tourist Board head Jorge Alonso Gasalla said the spend was likely to be around e3 million and could...

New team to oversee Marriott expansion.
July 22, 2005... MARRIOTTInternational has appointed a new vice-president and operating team to oversee its hotels outside of London and the southeast as it looks to expand its UK presence. Marriott took over management of 46 Whitbread-owned hotels in May,...

Still playing the Games in Athens.
July 22, 2005... LONDON 2012's successful Olympic bid had members of the UK tourism and hospitality industries rubbing their hands in expectation of some bumper years following the event. Hoteliers and restaurateurs in Athens also predicted the same...

Quality streets.
July 22, 2005... WITHthe recent launch of British Airways flights to Crete, the island is looking to trade in its bucket-and-spade image for something more glamorous. Such has been the success of the twice-weekly service to Heraklion that BA plans to raise...

They were day trippers...
July 22, 2005... SHIRLEY Valentine might have been lucky enough to stumble across something authentically Greek on her package tour to Mykonos, but other holidaymakers will have to move further from their sunloungers to unearth the romance of the islands. ...

Up your street.
July 22, 2005... PUYE HILOKUAH, TRADE SALES EXECUTIVE, NAMIBIA TOURISM Which agencies have you visited this week? I've been to see agents in Edgware, Suffolk and southeast London. Anything else in your diary? Next week I'm off to York to visit...

The Midas touch.
July 22, 2005... UK operators have urged the Greek National Tourism Organisation to work more closely with the trade to avoid alienating potential visitors. Frustrated tour operators are desperate for financial backing for agent educationals as well as...

Argo's new baby brochure.
July 22, 2005... GREECE specialist Argo Holidays has launched a pint-sized Islands of the Aegean brochure in response to demand for short breaks combining Athens with the islands. The programme is aimed at young, affluent travellers who want to choose...

Demand for Crete sparks flight rise.
July 22, 2005... CRETE is set to benefit from increased flight capacity in response to more demand for holidays to the island. GB Airways is doubling flights from Gatwick from two to four next year and flights will kick off earlier in the season. Tuesday...

A love of learning.
July 22, 2005... Widen your knowledge and sell more with Travel Weekly's Training Academy Holidays are the longest running academies, attracting more than 3,000 registrations between them. Thomas Cook Signature has had more than 5,000 agents register...

Academy says 'Aloha' to Hawaii.
July 22, 2005... HAWAII will be launching its Travel Weekly training academy this autumn. The course will consist of 11 themed modules, and once each module has been completed agents can become Hawaii specialists. As an incentive, the top 10 ...

Coming to a screen near you.
July 22, 2005... It is supposed to make our lives easier but it seems technology is creating as many headaches as it is solving. Travel Weekly's recent survey on stress in the travel industry revealed IT problems are the biggest cause of anxiety for...

KLM rolls out online check-in at Newcastle.
July 22, 2005... PASSENGERS travelling with Dutch airline KLM from Newcastle Airport can now use an online check-in service. Following the successful launch of the service at London City Airport last year, KLM introduced the technology at Newcastle this...

New web kiosks.
July 22, 2005... THOMAS Cook is piloting interactive electronic kiosks in two of its London concept stores. Installed at its Fleet Street and Camberley branches several months ago, the kiosks, from BT, offer customers an Internet browser which enables them...

It's easy as one, two, three.
July 22, 2005... But just a few simple steps can make life easier for even the worst technophobes - while enabling them to stay competitive. Genesys senior partner Paul Richer said: "For the modern agent certain technologies are essential, so they have the...