Travel Weekly (UK) articles from June 2006

Travel Weekly (UK) archives from June 2006

A treat for the culture vultures.
June 2, 2006... Where is it? Just off Nevsky Prospect, the main shopping street, next to the Russian Museum and a short walk to the Hermitage Museum and theatres. ****************************????? What? it like? Built in 1875, the hotel oozes old-style...

Home is where the heart is.
June 2, 2006... AS a nation of avid travellers we tend to neglect what? on our doorstep in favour of sunnier alternatives. But as air travel puts increasing pressure on the environment, eco-conscious holidaymakers will soon be looking for responsible...

Footie fans should look out of town.
June 2, 2006... THERE?S still a chance for agents to cash in on the World Cup as fans who decide to make a last-minute dash to Germany are likely to be driven through their doors desperate for a room. Most budget and mid-market hotels in cities where...

Trade up clients and cash in on commission.
June 2, 2006... Sell them a luxury extra Chauffeur transfers Tell me more: Why let your clients struggle to or from the airport when you can book a chauffeur transfer with BCP or Holiday Extras to get them to the airport, or a stretch limo with Octopus to...

Ride the wave of the silver surfer.
June 2, 2006... Q& A The Internet may once have been the preserve of the young and trendy, but now it? the old and trendy who are getting online. And they are doing it in droves. Statistics show 6.5 million over-50s are now connected to the Internet in...

It?s business as usual.
June 2, 2006... OPERATORS are still putting capacity into the Red Sea despite the bomb attack in Dahab in April. Olympic Worldwide added 13 hotels in Sharm el-Sheikh, Hurghada and Dahab this year and said Dahab remained its most popular resort. Explorers,...

Girls just wanna have fun ? but underwater.
June 2, 2006... WITH names such as Cindy, Shy, Luna and Nikita on the bill, I assumed I was off to see a four-piece girl band belting out tunes on a floodlit stage. But if I was heading for a gig, wasn? I a little overdressed? I could certainly lose the...

Agents on the road in Red Sea resorts.
June 2, 2006... SUPERSTAR HOLIDAYS and El Al ? Israel? national carrier ? took 12 Thomas Cook agents on a fam trip to Israel for five days in March. The trip aimed to show the variety in the country as well as update agent knowledge by looking at several...

Refurbed Hilton to reopen.
June 2, 2006... THE Hilton Taba Resort will reopen next month following 2004? bomb attack that destroyed one side of its facade. Rooms have been refurbished, the swimming pool has been decked with marble and the restaurant expanded to seat 400 guests. The...

news in brief.
June 2, 2006... superstar savings Superstar Holidays will launch its new brochure on July 1 with early-bird savings of up to ?50. Prices start at ?529 per person for seven nights? twin-share, including flights, transfers and five-star bed-and-breakfast in...

Consortia fight for members.
June 2, 2006... AT LEAST 10 Midconsort Elite agencies have agreed to meet Global Travel Group founder George Begg as the Triton Travel Group steps up its battle to poach new members. Consortia rivalry hotted up this week as Midconsort Elite member Peter...

Sea to Sky train takes inaugural trip.
June 2, 2006... Rocky Mountaineer Railtours welcomed the first passengers aboard its Whistler Mountaineer train last month. The train made its inaugural run from Vancouver to Whistler along British Columbia? scenic Sea to Sky corridor. The three-hour...

Movies make Alberta a hit.
June 2, 2006... Following the success of Brokeback Mountain, Travel Alberta is to focus more marketing attention on movies shot in the province. Alberta doubled as Wyoming for the critically acclaimed film, starring Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal. ...

Yee-hah cowboys?
June 2, 2006... tragedy, comedy and all that jazz Not into rodeo? Try one of these great Canadian festivals instead. Accommodation is at a premium during most festivals, so be prepared to pay a little extra. Montreal: Montreal? calendar is packed with...

Gold Medal launches Canada brochure.
June 2, 2006... Gold Medal Travel has produced its first dedicated brochure to Canada. Featuring product in Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia, the 12-page mini brochure is financially supported by the Canadian Tourism Commission...

Avis booking a simpler process.
June 2, 2006... AVIS has simplified its car-hire agreements and return process in response to feedback from customers and agents. In the UK and Europe, the company has also introduced simplified vehicle class groupings, clearer descriptions and an option...

MEP calls for car-hire laws.
June 2, 2006... a UK member of the European parliament has called on the car-hire industry to clean up its act to stop holidaymakers and business travellers being caught by hidden costs. MEP Robert Evans is pressing the European Commission to introduce...

HWT theatre prize in supermarket sweep.
June 2, 2006... SUPERMARKET staff and shoppers in a Morrisons store are being treated to a theatre break thanks to a Harvey World Travel agency and Superbreak. Harvey World Travel has opened in Morrisons supermarket in Bolton and for the last four weeks,...

Istanbul has ?work to do?
June 2, 2006... THE number of international conference delegates visiting Istanbul more than doubled last year but the city still has work to do to attract more business travellers. Esra Eriskin Tuzun, marketing and sales director of Istanbul-based Lutfi...

Turkey aims for top five position.
June 2, 2006... TURKEY aims to be one of the five most visited tourist destinations in the world by 2020. Ferhat Ozkan, head of section for the General Directorate of Investment and Establishment at the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, said...

Hey, big spenders?
June 2, 2006... TURKEY must move away from mass-market tourism and all-inclusive resorts in order to attract higher-spending customers, government tourist chiefs have claimed. Ferhat Ozkan, head of section for the General Directorate of Investment and...

Stand out from the crowd.
June 2, 2006... THE feeling of being part of a small team rather than a cog in a huge wheel is one of the main attractions of working for an independent agency. Suzanne Harnett, who has been manager of Bath Travel? Boscombe branch for four years, said:...

Battle of the brands.
June 2, 2006... IN A 16-YEAR career in travel, Miles Morgan has risen through the ranks from starting as an office junior in Pickfords Travel, to working as an independent travel agency manager at Bakers Dolphin, to his current role as sales and marketing...

How the regulations work.
June 2, 2006... EUROPEAN Commission regulation 261/2004 established consumer rights to compensation and assistance in the event of denied boarding, cancellation or long delays. It was introduced in February 2005. It applies to European Union-based carriers...

Gripes rise as clients go for compensation.
June 2, 2006... COMPLAINTS have trebled in the past year following the introduction of European regulations on compensation and assistance for passengers denied boarding or suffering cancellations or long delays. But the increase seems due more to...

Glut of cases for confused law.
June 2, 2006... MONARCH Airlines has 67 cases in the pipeline involving claims it failed to comply with some aspect of the European Commission regulation. But no case has yet come to court. Two cases Monarch Airline group lawyer and company secretary...

Your ETA is now?
June 2, 2006... EXECUTIVE airline Eos has brought forward the departure time of its daily Stansted-New York service and plans to launch a second daily flight in September. Executive vice-president of sales Toby Joseph said: ?The first step will be to...

Rules ?work against consumers?
June 2, 2006... THE European Commission plans to review the regulations in January 2007 and is considering extending it and raising compensation levels. Yet the existing regulation could, in practice, be reducing compensation for some passengers. ...

?Act now to beat age laws?
June 2, 2006... EMPLOYMENT relations organisation Acas has issued guidelines to help employers understand age discrimination legislation and to avoid falling foul of the law. The guidelines come with a stark warning: companies need to act now to beat the...

We?re on the road to Tahiti and Bora Bora.
June 2, 2006... AGENTS who sign up to one of Tahiti Tourism? roadshows can win a trip to Tahiti and the surrounding islands of Moorea and Bora Bora. The roadshows will give agents the chance to find out about new and existing product in the region, as well...

Alaska showcase boosts trade support.
June 2, 2006... NORWEGIAN Cruise Line has relaeased a 12-page 2006 brochure dedicated to Alaska. It includes cruise-and-stay and cruise-and-tour holidays to the region, leading in at ?559 per person for cruise-only as well as previewing options for 2007....

NCL says ?Aloha? to UK sales.
June 2, 2006... NORWEGIAN Cruise Line has set itself a target of booking 6,000 UK passengers on Hawaiian cruises in 2006/07 following the launch of new ship Pride of Hawaii in Los Angeles last week. The cruiseline is pushing its cruise-and-stay product in...

Ocean Village thriving on repeat business.
June 2, 2006... OCEAN Village? new cruises out of Heraklion in Crete are outstripping demand for its established itineraries in the western Mediterranean. The cruiseline? new 148-page 2006/07 brochure, which goes on sale from June 5, comes with an...

Luxury market bounces back.
June 2, 2006... THE luxury end of the cruise market has reported strong sales in May after a slow April. Crystal Cruises vice-president sales and marketing Philip Ordever said late bookers had returned this month. He said he believed April was quiet...

Get away from it all, Paul.
June 2, 2006... WE ALL go on holiday for a break ? from work, from the routine, and let? face it, from our colleagues. So when agent Paul Dayson, from Spa Travel, decided to take some time off following this year? Triton conference in Tenerife, he thought...

ABTA... it?s a Greek tragedy.
June 2, 2006... ATHENS has been scrapped as the location for the 2006 ABTA Travel Convention and replaced by Marbella after hitches planning the event in the destination, writes Juliet Dennis. It is the second time Athens has been dropped for ABTA?...

Euro ruling spells more US delays.
June 2, 2006... A EUROPEAN Court of Justice ruling threatens delays on US-bound flights this autumn unless Washington, DC, Whitehall and Brussels reach a deal on passenger data protection by the end of September. The court ruled that there was no legal...

Fred Olsen ready for new arrival.
June 2, 2006... FRED Olsen Cruise Lines has announced a fifth ship will be joining its fleet in 2008. The cruiseline has agreed to buy Norwegian Crown from Star Cruises, the parent company of Norwegian Cruise Line which currently operates the...

News.
June 2, 2006... PETER Iland will be remembered as a larger-than-life character who enlivened the airline and tourism industries through a working life lasting three decades. Tributes have been paid to the former BWIA West Indies Airways UK and Europe...

News.
June 2, 2006... P&O CRUISES celebrity chef Gary Rhodes oversaw the introduction of a new menu in Arcadian Rhodes, his restaurant on Arcadia, before the ship started its ex-Southampton European season. The celebrity chef then went on to appear in the BBC? Great...

Oriana chucks out the chintz.
June 2, 2006... A MAJOR product development programme is under way at P&O Cruises. Managing director David Dingle disclosed few details of what is planned except to reveal it will be spearheaded by a refurbishment of the 11-year-old Oriana in December to...

News.
June 2, 2006... TOURS to the world? third-largest waterfall are expected to start next year. The Gocta waterfall in Peru was discovered in March by a German scientist. Tourist chiefs are improving accommodation and access as well as raising awareness among...

?Indonesia needs UK voice?
June 2, 2006... THE earthquake that has killed more than 5,000 people in Indonesia has again highlighted the need for the country to set up an active tourist office in the UK, say tour operators. Somak Holidays head of product Rob Haynes said although...

News.
June 2, 2006... Hebridean goes all-in Hebridean Island Cruises has published all-inclusive fares for its winter and spring 2006/07 programme in the Indian Ocean and South Africa on Hebridean Spirit. The cruiseline said the move came due to demand from...

Sales are just one foot away.
June 2, 2006... WAYNE Rooney? broken meta- tarsal might be crucial to England? chances in the World Cup ? but it could also make or break this summer? sales figures. With both Thomson and First Choice shops anticipating a quiet June and preparing to allow...

there?s no escape from the mystery shopper In association with.
June 2, 2006... thomson 1 The Arcade, Market Place This was a nice-looking agency on the corner of the town? main square. I was served immediately by a pleasant consultant who said it was a nice idea to travel with my mum. She said mainland Spain, Ibiza...

P&O ships get starring roles.
June 2, 2006... P&O CRUISES is sending out a DVD with its 2007 first-edition brochure that agents can use to cruising first-timers. The new brochure, the first to feature the cruiseline? new rising sun logo, covers all of the itineraries for the fleet? five...

Rugby offers unveiled.
June 2, 2006... TRAVELSCOPE, the only non-sports specialist official tour operator for the 2007 Rugby World Cup, has published a brochure for the tournament. Games in the sixth World Cup will be played at 10 venues in France, Cardiff and Edinburgh and...

Rory?s out to earn his stripes.
June 2, 2006... BOURNE Leisure is roaring ahead to celebrate the birthday of Haven and British Holidays mascot Rory this year. Guests across the parks enjoyed some of Rory? birthday cake and took part in games. Rory popped into the Thomas Cook branch...

Viewdata debut for Turkey specialist.
June 2, 2006... ANATOLIAN Sky Holidays has put its inventory on viewdata for the first time in its 17 year history. The tour operator had previously taken all bookings over the phone until it recently developed an online booking facility. However, trade...

Cosmos adds Mauritius.
June 2, 2006... COSMOS Holidays has added Mauritius to its 2006 Price Beaters programme. The operator has also introduced accommodation in Majorca, Tenerife, Costa Dorada, Italy, Crete, Turkey and Cyprus to the brochure and now features more than 80...

Kuoni goes in search of ?unknown?
June 2, 2006... KUONI hopes dramatic expansion in Central and South America will fuel up to 10% growth for its 2007 Worldwide programme. The operator has added Patagonia in Chile, Panama and Nicaragua to the brochure with the aim of increasing sales by...

Delayed for more than six hours?
June 2, 2006... CHARTER passengers delayed for more than six hours at Gatwick this summer will be able to spend the time at the seaside or a theme park. Airport representation company Skybreak is offering a Hospitality for Delay programme that includes...

Virgin Holidays takes changes online.
June 2, 2006... VIRGIN Holidays has launched an online self-service tool that allows agents to update and change existing bookings. The system ? which Virgin claims is an industry first ? allows agents to make a raft of changes. These include upgrading...

News.
June 2, 2006... NEARLY 100 agents visited this month? Travel Trust Association? technology roadshows. The tour, which visited Manchester, Gatwick and Birmingham highlighted the organisation? systems including Profit-2, Dynamic Smart Start and the Consumer...

Link up with Ozwald Boateng.
June 2, 2006... And don? think we?re forgetting about you boys ? we?ve got two pairs of Ozwald Boateng cufflinks, courtesy of Virgin Atlantic, to give away. The striking red links are perfect for sharpening up your cuffs, and are the same ones Virgin gives out...

Light stuff from Sandals.
June 2, 2006... Staying cool under pressure. We like to think we?ve got it down to a tee. But when it comes to the most important/romantic/expensive day of your life, and it? 30 degrees in the shade, we could all use a little help. That? why Sandals came up...

Worldspan appointment.
June 2, 2006... WORLDSPAN aims to expand its network of agency customers after promoting Brian Staunton to country manager for the UK and Ireland. The move follows the decision by UK manager Julian Mills to switch to rival global distribution system...

Get into the trenches.
June 2, 2006... Of course, you might not be getting married any time soon, if so you may be more interested in this fantastic trench coat (pictured). The Qantas Australian Style 2006 Designer Awards took place last month and to celebrate the airline is giving...

Be a Fantasy League winner.
June 2, 2006... FANTASY LEAGUE MAIN BOX Here? your chance to be a World Cup winner by taking part in our Travel Industry Fantasy World Cup competition. Just pick your fantasy team for free and your dreams of picking a World Cup winning side could come...

Mind the gap.
June 2, 2006... In the first of a regular column from Travel Weekly, Chris Photi, senior partner at White Hart Associates, specialist accountants and auditors to the travel industry, gives his take on the issues surrounding consumer protection The last...

Horoscope.
June 9, 2006... Aries 21 March?20 April This is your month to make a dazzling new start. Take a few risks with your hairdo and wardrobe and you?re certain to be at the centre of some flirty conversations. Love hot spots: Tallinn or Montenegro Taurus 21...

News in brief.
June 9, 2006... palm open for 2008 Package holidays on Dubai? Palm development could be a reality by 2008. Dubai investment company Zabeel and holiday giant TUI have signed an agreement to develop two 300-room beachfront properties, The Robinson and the...

Standing up to be counted.
June 9, 2006... ABU Dhabi has stepped out from the shadow of its smaller, brassier neighbour Dubai and on to the world tourism stage with a slew of grand development projects. The Emirate swallowed 1,043 sq m of floor space at this year? Arabian Travel...

Emirates drives car bargains.
June 9, 2006... COMPETITIVE car-hire rates across the Emirates Airlines? network are now available at Emirates.com. The site features a Holiday Autos booking function, offering discounted car hire in conjunction with Emirates flights. Launched at ATM,...

Metro set to ease Dubai jams.
June 9, 2006... BILLIONS of pounds is being spent on infrastructure projects aimed at easing congestion in traffic-clogged Dubai. The Dubai Metro light-rail system is the flagship project of Dubai? newly formed Road and Transport Authority and will include two...

Hotel boost for Business Bay area.
June 9, 2006... EMIRATES Hotels and Resorts is to open a 77-storey twin-tower complex located in Dubai? upcoming Business Bay, the latest addition to its five-star Middle East portfolio. The 900-room Emirates Park Towers hotel and Spa will be one of the...

Etihad spreads its wings.
June 9, 2006... ETIHAD Airways is looking to double routes, fleet and investment by 2010 as it continues its rapid expansion from a fledgling Middle Eastern airline to a worldwide carrier. At Arabian Travel Market the carrier launched wireless broadband...

Brits look beyond Dubai.
June 9, 2006... Dynamic packaging in the Middle East is getting easier as UK visitors get adventurous ETIHAD Holidays general manager Nick Wood is urging UK travel agents to seize the dynamic packaging potential offered by the Middle East region following...

UAE splashes the cash.
June 9, 2006... THE UAE and its Gulf State neighbours are ploughing billions into large-scale tourism projects aimed at transforming the region into a major destination over the next two decades. The Emirate states of Abu Dhabi, Ras al Khaimah, Fujairah...

Kempinski brings Shaza to life.
June 9, 2006... LUXURY brand Kempinski Hotels and Resorts has launched a design-led lifestyle brand for the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Gateway cities in the Middle East and North Africa will see the birth of more than 20 high-end lifestyle hotels over...

Qatar terminal a class apart.
June 9, 2006... QATAR is to build the world? first separate premium class terminal as part of the airport? $200 million expansion programme. Passengers travelling in first and business class on Qatar Airways will be able to benefit from a host of extras...

Egypt lights up new products.
June 9, 2006... NEW integrated resorts, marinas, world-class shopping, private airports, spa and wellness facilities and upgrades to existing product are to be highlighted in a new advertising campaign being rolled out by the Egyptian Tourism Authority as part...

Cosmos adds North African selection.
June 9, 2006... Cosmos Holidays is launching its first North Africa programme featuring Morocco and Tunisia. Bundled in a new summer 2007 brochure with Croatia, Italy and Malta, due out on July 27, the programme has seven and 14-night holidays in Agadir,...

Tourists are slowly returning...
June 9, 2006... OPERATORS are increasing their Egypt product despite a slowdown in bookings due to the bomb attacks in Dahab in April. Longwood Holidays is offering a new seven-night cruise from Hurghada, visiting Dahab, Eilat and Sharm el-Sheikh, on a...

New high for Marrakech.
June 9, 2006... THE number of UK visitors to Marrakech is expected to rise by around 25% this year as the city opens up to the low-cost market. Starting July 4, EasyJet is launching a daily flight from Gatwick with prices from ?30.99 one way, while Thomsonfly...

Africa?s hot propertyTop tips for buying overseas.
June 9, 2006... UK property buyers are increasingly looking to invest outside the European Union and a new operator is helping agents cash in this demand. Investment Adventures is promoting what it terms ?investment tourism?, and has a range of packages...

News in brief.
June 9, 2006... going for Guilin Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts has announced it will open a 418-room property in Guilin, mainland China, in 2009. Rooms will have river views and be a minimum 42 square metres. ?Breaking ground in this market is an affirmation...

Cosmos dreams of China.
June 9, 2006... Cosmos has launched its 2006/2007 Distant Dreams brochure with an extensive programme to China. Product includes a five-night Beijing city package from ?695 with flights, a city tour and a day excursion to the Great Wall of China and the...

Take some Time Out to discover Japan.
June 9, 2006... Some 30 UK tour operators selling Japan now feature in a dedicated guide produced by the Japan National Tourist Organisation and Time Out. Essential Japan is specifically for the trade, and operators listed can all be booked through agents....

Like the sound of Seoul?
June 9, 2006... The Korea Tourism Organisation has created a guide to the country? capital in association with Lonely Planet. Stopover Seoul aims to establish the city as an alternative stopover destination to Hong Kong or Singapore. KTO marketing manager...

A refreshing look at Sri Lanka.
June 9, 2006... THE Sri Lanka High Commission in London is encouraging agents to attend a 10-day festival in the capital aimed at boosting tourism and overcoming common misperceptions about the destination. The country recently hit the headlines with reports...

Is business travel safe?
June 9, 2006... At first sight the purchase of BAA by Spanish building group Ferrovial looks innocuous. But for business travellers particularly, we should perhaps greet the news guardedly. Having paid a hefty ?10 billion for BAA and its seven airports,...

Oh man, Oman is on the up.
June 9, 2006... One parched afternoon in February, the good and the great of the Middle Eastern tourism community gathered on a clifftop overlooking the Gulf of Oman to witness the opening of a resort which could signal a turning point for the country?...