Travel Weekly (UK) articles from June 2008

Travel Weekly (UK) archives from June 2008

5short breaks.(Departures)
June 6, 2008... Janine Kelso picks the best jaunts in central Europe With the credit crunch forcing everyone to tighten their purse strings, short breaks are an increasingly attractive holiday option. No-frills airlines frequently launch new routes to...

Departures.(City overview)
June 6, 2008... Janine Kelso takes you on a tour of the former communist state that's now pulling in over half a million British tourists a year Country overview poland Although it still has some bleak buildings left over from the communist era,...

Departures.
June 6, 2008... 45% That's the proportion of Londoners who holiday in the UK more than twice a year. The results of the confused.com study also suggested 32% of people in the UK holiday in the UK more than once a year. Source: Confused.com ...

Departures.
June 6, 2008... The Greek islands have always been popular with Brits thanks to their great beaches and exciting nightlife. The island of Zante is popular with party animals, but this book shows that the island has more to offer than nightclubs and bars. ...

BESTgolf courses in cancun.(Departures)
June 6, 2008... Mark Alexander swings by the Mexican resort's top fairways to check out the greens and hotel facilities OF THE There's a lot to like about Cancun. The smiles that greet you are broad and genuine, the landscape is genuinely...

BESTgolf breaks.(Departures)
June 6, 2008... Are your customers in search of sun, sand and short irons? Mark Alexander OF THE Golf has become a truly international pastime with fanatical players jet-setting across the world to find idyllic courses with amenities to match. ...

Future looks bright as NCL celebrates UK first.(News)
June 6, 2008... "To have a ship in Southampton is a big deal for us as the UK market is growing rapidly" The first Norwegian Cruise Line ship to depart from Britain left Southampton last week with almost 1,600 British passengers on board. Norwegian...

5OF THEnew hotels in morocco.(Departures)
June 6, 2008... All rooms at La Sultana Oualidia have balconies with saltwater whirlpools Celebrities are no strangers to Morocco, dropping in year-round for mini breaks and to check out the first-class hotels. Banyan Tree brand Angsana opened a...

Departures.
June 6, 2008... Can this North African nation emerge from the shadow of its Country overview tunisia Sandwiched between Algeria and Libya, Tunisia has an enviable stretch of golden coastline coupled with a rich cultural heritage and...

Devil's in the detail.(Comment)
June 6, 2008... Byline: Martin CouzinsManaging editor "Agents must be clear with customers when it comes to protection: inform them if any part of a holiday is not protected" The confusion surrounding travel protection is brought into sharp focus by...

Costa ships set for next stage of construction.(News)
June 6, 2008... Costa Cruises will float out two new ships from the Fincantieri's Marghera yard and the Fincantieri's Genoa Sestri Ponente shipyard respectively on June 27. Following the float-out, work will begin on the fitting out and interior...

Peter Deilmann eyes new consortia links.(News)
June 6, 2008... Specialist to offer exclusive deals in bid to build up ties with agencies "To compete with major cruise companies for sales from the multiples is not within our grasp" Juliet Dennisjuliet.dennis@rbi.co.uk Peter Deilmann Cruises...

Destinations.
June 6, 2008... Operator: XL Holidays Brochure: Summer Sun May-October 2009 What's new? XL has increased its number of holidays on offer by 50%. They say: "We have concentrated our efforts in 17 destinations in Spain, Greece, Turkey, Cyprus and...

News.
June 6, 2008... The TW Group is the official media partner of the Institute of Travel and Tourism Conference and it will be covering the whole event live on www.travelweekly.co.uk. If you're not there, you can keep up to date as the Travel Weekly and...

Agents' frocks that rocked.(News)
June 6, 2008... Agents dressed to impress at the Midland Travel Trade Ball at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole hotel on May 27. Ten winners of the Travel Weekly Agent Excellence Awards and almost 300 attendees danced the night away at the event. But who were...

News.
June 6, 2008... Profile: keith stanley Lives: Sydney, Australia age: 51 Employment History: 1977-1980: Worked as a management trainee for Harrods. June-November 1980: Worked in marketing for Argos Distribution. 1980-1986 and...

News.
June 6, 2008... Annual Cruise Review - key facts * Global cruise passengers up nearly 7% in 2007, but the US was only up 2.5% to 10.6 million. European passengers topped four million - a 40% rise in three years. * UK cruise market set to reach 1.5...

'Mother' ships could be reality in 10 years.(News)
June 6, 2008... Expert predicts eco-friendly 'Green Giant' vessel will carry up to 7,000 passengers Juliet Dennisjuliet.dennis@rbi.co.uk Eco-friendly 'mother' ships costing $2 billion and holding up to 7,000 passengers could become a reality within a...

'Don't chase profit over safety'.(News)
June 6, 2008... Inbound tour operators cannot afford to be complacent about the new Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007, members of the European Tour Operators Association were told at a seminar in London on Wednesday. K&L Gates lawyer...

News.
June 6, 2008... in brief Harris steps down The Truly Independent Professional Travel Organisation chairman Nigel Harris has stood down from his role. Harris had chaired the organisation for 18 months but was forced to quit after resigning from his...

No Germans please, we're British.(Columnists)
June 6, 2008... Byline: Simon Calder travel editor, The Independent "Maybe the next generation will finally open up to Germans" You know as well as I do about the eccentricities of some county court rulings, such as the judge who decided the standard...

The ITT crowd will have much to discuss.(Columnists)
June 6, 2008... Byline: Steven Freudmanne_SFlbchairman of the Institute of Travel and Tourism "The attendance figure at next week's conference will be an all-time record 500" Every year there seem to be more conferences, more award ceremonies, and...

News.
June 6, 2008... The Co-operative Travel is in the money Staff from The Co-operative Travel branches will now be able to offer customers a range of currencies ranging from the Papua New Guinean kina to the Costa Rican colon. The Co-operative Travel,...

News.
June 6, 2008... How www.travel weekly.co.uk covered the silverjet collapse May 30 2008 9.25 TW Blog: Silverjet press release published 9.45 www.travelweekly.co.uk: Silverjet collapses 10.21 TW Blog: Silverjet's email to travel agents ...

The road to integrity.(Skillzone)
June 6, 2008... The biggest changes to consumer laws in 40 years are here. Unscrupulous businesses beware, warn solicitors Paul Burnley and Poppy Williams Poppy Williams, solicitor, Litigation and Regulatory Group ofDLA Piper Most travel companies...

How did I get here?Dominic Carrick, account manager, Cellet Travel Services.(Skillzone)
June 6, 2008... J6 - BM-How did I get here? Dominic Carrick, account manager, Cellet Travel Services. What was your first job in travel? Overseas holiday rep in Ibiza for Panorama Holidays How did you climb the career ladder? By having...

Entry to US set to get tough with new rules.(News)
June 6, 2008... Visa restrictions for the US will tighten from January 2009, following an announcement by the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection. The Electronic System for Travel Authorisation requires travellers to submit...

News.
June 6, 2008... in brief New ship for GAP GAP Adventures is buying an expedition ship to replace Explorer, which sank after hitting an iceberg in Antarctica last November. The 120-passenger ship Expedition will have a five-month refit before its...

News.
June 6, 2008... currencies IN STATS TRAVEL WEEKLY ONLINE POLL travel weekly's TOp five web stories The most-read stories on www.travelweekly.co.uk this week: 1.EC to revise package holiday directive 2. Refunds only for Silverjet seats...

stanleydelivers.(News)(Interview)
June 6, 2008... Stella Travel Services chief executive Keith Stanley talks to Juliet Dennis We are not buying Advantage at the momentI would love to but we are trying to work out [an arrangement] Keith Stanley's job was already big, but with Stella...

Destinations.
June 6, 2008... sample product Thomson Tailor-made offers seven nights' all-inclusive at the Moon Palace Golf and Spa Resort in a superior deluxe room, including flights from Heathrow to Cancun with Martin Air, transfers and a special golf package of one...

Clients put location first.(News)
June 6, 2008... Exclusive Survey results suggest cost is not the Chloe Bermanchloe.berman@rbi.co.uk Only half of travellers consider price the most important factor whenchoosing a hotel despite the economic downturn, research from TNS has suggested....

News.
June 6, 2008... Byline: Kevin MayTravolution editor Web traffic is where the real money lies Outsiders often accuse dot-coms of operating in some kind of la-la land. So here are some interesting figures. Microsoft has offered [pounds sterling]24.2...

CAA turns strict on ATOL display.(News)
June 6, 2008... Unlicensed agencies no longer able to show logo in windows Ian Taylorian.taylor@rbi.co.uk Travel firms will no longer be able to display the ATOL logo in shop windows, brochures and online unless they hold a licence. The Civil...

News.
June 6, 2008... Jodie will do anything for Oliver! Publicity over BBC talent show I'd Do Anything has prompted a surge in interest in the West End musical Oliver! Singer Jodie Prenger was crowned as the show's Nancy in front of a TV audience of eight...

Lates market is holding strong.(News)
June 6, 2008... Operators should resist discounts and keep market profitable "Margins are tight and to use them for discounting won't help" Edward Robertsoned.robertson@rbi.co.uk Agents are hoping operators will hold their nerve in the...

'We are working on a rescue'.(News)
June 6, 2008... Silverjet is now in the hands of administrator Begbies Traynor and there are talks that may yet revive the airline. That is the hope of founder and chief executive Lawrence Hunt who told Travel Weekly: "We are working on a rescue." He...

News.
June 6, 2008... silverjet: A brief history * Silverjet launched in January 2007 and flew Luton-New York twice a day and Luton-Dubai daily. * It offered business-class seats at below the usual rate, operating from its own terminal at Luton. * The...

Trade daunted by airline's demise.(News)
June 6, 2008... The collapse of Silverjet caused widespread dismay in the trade, with few having a bad word for the airline. Advantage director of business travel Norman Gage said: "People are gutted that both Silverjet and Eos have gone under." Rival...

Silverjet trade clients will receive refunds.(News)
June 6, 2008... CAA to pay out for agency sales, but those who booked direct are on their own Ian Taylorian.taylor@rbi.co.uk Agents expecting requests for refunds from passengers booked with Silverjet had a surprise when the airline collapsed last...

Be ready for hurricane season.(Letters)
June 6, 2008... Each week we will publish a reader picture chosen from our photo galleries - due to be launched shortly on www.travelweekly.co.uk. This shot was taken by www.travelweekly.co.uk user Deb DownUnder on a recent trip to New Zealand. Some readers...

MAUREEN.(Maureen)
June 6, 2008... In an effort not to expose himself, he pushed against his partner in a bid to keep the trousers from falling any further. This pelvic intrusion was most unwelcome for the lady It's two for Wendy Wu Astronomical forward planning is the...

Thomson Flight CentreThomas Cook First Choice.(Mystery Shopper)
June 6, 2008... Unit 1, Liberty 2 Shopping Centre, Mercury Gardens, Romford The appearance of both shop and staff were first rate. Inside there was a large advertising screen, a monitor displaying various offers and colourful posters on the wall. But...

Thomson brochure 'misled' customer.(News)
June 6, 2008... Agents could face legal action following operator's payout Chloe Berman chloe.berman@rbi.co.uk Agents who selldynamic packages could be hit by legal action if they provide the wrong information on hotels, a travel lawyer has said after...

Get to grips with the new act.(News)
June 6, 2008... Leading lawyer Peter Stewart argues recent legislation on corporatemanslaughter poses few risks to the industry. He spoke to Ian Taylor ahead of addressing the ITT Conference in Cyprus There is widespread confusion in the industry about the...

Thomson in fresh bug fears.(News)
June 6, 2008... Further guests from Torremolinos hotel to take legal action over virus outbreak Chloe Bermanchloe.berman@rbi.co.uk Holidaymakers visiting the hotel at the centre of a [pounds sterling]2.5million compensation payout by Thomson and...

News.
June 6, 2008... competition Fancy winning a pair of tickets to travel trade ceremony the Brit Awards 2008? Twelve key sponsors are offering the tickets to the awards, which will be held on June 17 at Butlins Bognor Regis to celebrate the top-selling...

News.
June 6, 2008... in brief Loyalty rewarded Cadogan Holidays is launching a loyalty programme for repeat customers, which number half of its clientele. The scheme has been rolled out in 10% of its hotels. All repeat customers will be entitled to extras...

Thomson targets families with Lakes preview.(News)
June 6, 2008... Thomson has doubled the number of free child places in its Lakes and Mountains summer 2009 preview brochure. Product, yield and planning director Gareth Crump said the new programme is designed to cater for the increasing demand from the...

Tourists flock back to Mexican resorts.(News)
June 6, 2008... Central American country enjoys resurgence as it is seen as 'good value and safe' "Out of all the Caribbean destinations, Mexico is selling the best" Edward Robertsoned.robertson@rbi.co.uk UK visitor numbers to Mexico have...

Get back to your clan with Rabbie's.(News)
June 6, 2008... "The tours are a wonderful way for people who are out of touch with their roots to discover more about their family heritage" Highlands tour specialist Rabbie's Trail Burners has launched a range of new cultural tours aimed at people who...

News.
June 6, 2008... What's your tip for the next hot destination? "China is up and coming although it still needs to develop its luxury product. However, in the Far East when you pay for five-star you get 25-star." Tim Giles, owner, World Travel Market,...

News.
June 6, 2008... HotelConnect offers free nights Bed bank HotelConnect has launched a campaign highlighting free hotel nights in Europe during the summer. About 500 hotels are taking part, starting from [pounds sterling]38 per person for three nights....

Departures.
June 6, 2008... All you need to know Flying time: London to Cracow, 2.5 hours Airlines: British Airways, Central Wings, easyJet, Jet2, KLM, LOT Polish International Airlines, Ryanair, Sky Europe, Wizzair Tour operators: Abercrombie and Kent, Cox and...

Departures.
June 6, 2008... itineraries Four days: Spend a long weekend in Cracow, making excursions to the salt mines and Auschwitz. The city of Wroclaw also makes a great short break destination. Explore its massive Market Square, full of fashion boutiques and...

Departures.
June 6, 2008... SAMPLE PRODUCT aL* Regent Holidays offers a 10-day Highlights of Poland tour for [pounds sterling]645 per person with flights, transfers and three-star accommodation. aL* Kirker Holidays offers three nights' bed and breakfast at...

Skillzone.
June 6, 2008... J6-skills-job of the week SUBS: logo in high res Homeworking sales consultants Salary: Commission only. [pounds sterling]20 - [pounds sterling]100k Location: Homeworking What the ad says: Holiday Experts offers sales...

Skillzone.
June 6, 2008... J6-skills-movers Qantas Holidays has named Nick Crabb as general manager. Crabb, previously a regional manager in Frankfurt, has been with the Qantas Group for 18 years. Travelport GDS has appointed Armin Meier as chief commercial...

Poll shows demand for technology.(News)
June 6, 2008... Business travellers are embracing new technology to save time and make travel easier, according to a poll carried out by Barclaycard. The Business Travel Surveyof 3,000 UK corporatetravellersfound that just less than 50% of the respondents...

Kaleidoscope rolls out Travelink.(News)
June 6, 2008... Kaleidoscope Travel Group has rolled outComtec's Travelink sales and management system across its brands. The 300 call centre staff atTravelsphere, Page andMoy and Just You,who answer up to 6,500 calls a day, now use the system to search...

Getabed begins to drive trade sales.(News)
June 6, 2008... Accommodation-only provider getabed.co.uk has expanded its product range and starteda drive to increase sales through the trade. Last week, the site was updatedwith an increased product range in Portugal, the Canary Islands, the Balearics,...

Poll shows demand for technology'Keep in contact'Kaleidoscope rolls out Travelink.(News)
June 6, 2008... Byline: Kevin MayTravolution editor Recent disasters highlight the need for mobile communication with customers "In this climate, agents can add value by providing free text alerts" technology news Chloe...

'Keep in contact'.(News)
June 6, 2008... Recent disasters highlight the need for mobile communication with customers "In this climate, agents can add value by providing free text alerts" Chloe Bermanchloe.berman@rbi.co.uk Travel Buddy founder Adam Winterflood has warned...

Week in pictures.
June 6, 2008... kent beach is so ferry clean SeaFrance is making a clean sweep of a Kent beach with the help of two local primary schools. The ferry company has adopted the beach at Kingsdown, which will be kept clean with the help of children from...

Departures.
June 13, 2008... Carrier.co.uk grab a bargain Pay less for a last-minute break to Carlisle Bay in Antigua. Carrier is offering seven nights in an Ocean Suite for [pounds sterling]1,820 per person, including flights, transfers, breakfast, afternoon tea...

Departures.
June 13, 2008... This is the Rough Guide's first guide to Accessible Britain, featuring days out for disabled visitors. The book was developed by the respected travel publisher with the help of Motability Operations, a car scheme for the disabled. ...

days.(Departures)
June 13, 2008... With 115 islands in the Seychelles, how do you choose which ones to visit? Emily Bamber suggests the perfect itinerary 7 in the seychelles This island paradise in the middle of the Indian Ocean has exquisite beaches,...

Rideof yourlife.(Departures)
June 13, 2008... With the strong euro making holidays in the Med pricey, Matthew Hampton heads Stateside to find out what's new in the thrilling world of US theme parks Summer 2008 is shaping up to be a better year for US theme parks, as British families...

Thrills, spills and chillsgalore.(Departures)
June 13, 2008... European theme parks are turning up the heat this summer with new rides and attractions.Alicia Gough reports European theme parks saw record profits in 2007 and sales look set to increase this year as parks unveil new state-of-the-art...

Frenchcollection.(The Big Interview)
June 13, 2008... Relais and Chateaux UK and Ireland director Nicola Liddiard talks to Consumers take things such as spas and in-room technology for granted, whereas before, it was a luxury Profile: nicola liddiard Lives: Bushey, Hertfordshire ...

News.
June 13, 2008... in brief Discover new places Voyages of Discovery has launched its 2009 summer brochure featuring new destinations on Discovery. New for 2009 is a visit to Russian Murmansk and a tour of the British Isles. Lecturers including David...

ACE plans nationwide cruise expos for agents.(News)
June 13, 2008... Six free events starting this month will offer training and networking opportunities "It was clear that agents wanted to network with as many cruiselines as possible and pick and choose sessions to go to" Juliet...

Maureen.
June 13, 2008... Xxxxx Xxxxxx If credit isn't quite being crunched here in Gillingham, it's certainly starting to be chewed vigorously and things are changing. Already the estate agent a few doors along the High Street has shut its house buying and...

Travelbag Thomas CookMidlands Co-op Travel Thomson.(Mystery Shopper)
June 13, 2008... 26 Drury Lane, Solihull A member of staff saw me enter the shop, noticed the reception desk was unmanned and got up to help. She asked where we wanted to go. She said she didn't know much about Goa. I asked if they sold holidays to Goa...

News.
June 13, 2008... Silverjet may be saved Silverjet may relaunch within weeks after administrator Begbies Traynor agreed terms for its acquisition with Irish-registered Kingplace, part of Swiss investment group Heritage. The [pounds sterling]50 million deal...

Cosmos goes trade-only in Monarch shake-up.(News)
June 13, 2008... Tour operator's direct sales will be made under new brand name Juliet Dennisjuliet.dennis@rbi.co.uk Mass market operator Cosmos will be a dedicated trade-only brand following a review by parent company Monarch Travel Group. The...

US wait times 'unnacceptable'.(News)
June 13, 2008... Problem of long immigration queues in airports force officials to take action Matthew Hamptontravel.weekly@rbi.co.uk The head of the US Travel Industry Association has admitted that immigration waiting times are unacceptable at some...

PauseThorpefor.(Business Matters)
June 13, 2008... Midlands Agent Excellence Award winner Best Manager, Large Agency, Suzanne Thorpe was on holiday in Greece when she found out she had won. Jackie David reports "Mergers seem to be around us in the travel industry and it can be an...

How did I get here?Clare-Louise Mitchell, agency sales and marketing executive, Lowcost Travel Group.(Business Matters)
June 13, 2008... Salary: Negotiable Location: Luton or Crawley What the ad says: We have a vacancy for a purchasing manager to work among the long-haul purchasing team. The day to day: You will purchase the company's accommodation requirements,...

10timemanagementTIPS.(Business Matters)
June 13, 2008... Sue Kavanagh, human resources director at Carlson Wagonlit Travel, shares her top time management tips to help you ensure your work life doesn't run your whole life 1. Write two things you need to achieve by the end of the day at the top...

DiscoverAmerica.com is official new website.(News)(Website overview)
June 13, 2008... A new website, DiscoverAmerica.com, has been developed to promote the US to its core international markets, says the Travel Industry Association of America. It also aims to provide sales leads for operators and agents. The $3.9 million...

News.
June 13, 2008... The luxury hotel market seems to have escaped the bite of the credit crunch so far, and the Relais andChateaux collection is no exception. Now with 475 members in more than 55 countries, sales revenue reached [euro]1.3 billion this year...

SA Tourismlaunches fam trip microsite.(News)
June 13, 2008... South African Tourism has launched a microsite to support its recent fam trip and act as an online selling resource for UK agencies. Trade relations manager for South African Tourism in the UK Matthew Armstrong said the microsite would...

News.
June 13, 2008... Champagne flowed, cameras flashed and butterflies fluttered in expectant stomachs on the evening of Travel Weekly's Midland Trade Ball last month. But when the results of the first Agent Excellence Award - for Best Manager, Large Agency -...