Travel Weekly (UK) articles from May 2006

Travel Weekly (UK) archives from May 2006

A treat for all you fragrant readers.
May 5, 2006... If spring is the time for rejuvenation, then it makes sense you check yourself into a spa for a bit of well-deserved pampering. Unfortunately, not all of us have cash to splash on indulgent treatments. If that sounds familiar, fear not, we've...

Opening up new opportunities.
May 5, 2006... ACCOMMODATION-ONLY sites can be a straightforward way to get into dynamic packaging. But if you're used to picking up the telephone, not typing into search fields, how easy are they to use? Travel Weekly asked travel agents who book beds online...

Learn to give that little bit extra.
May 5, 2006... NOW agents have the ability to dynamically package holidays online for clients, there is no excuse to forget those all-important extras. Add-ons have become a vital part of the selling process, not just because they generate good earnings...

5of the best theme park tickets.
May 5, 2006... WHETHER clients are seeking an adrenaline rush or a fun day out for all the family, a European theme park could be just the ticket. Plenty of operators package up flights and accommodation with theme park passes, but customers who have booked...

Go to bed in Paris, wake up in Venice.
May 5, 2006... In an age when a plane ticket can be bought for the price of a lipstick, it's hard to convince anyone that a more leisurely route may be the best to pursue on holiday. But if anywhere can benefit from the main draw of the railways [degrees]...

Specialist joins up.
May 5, 2006... ITALIAN specialist Cottages to Castles has joined Triton as an approved supplier. The operator, which has sold through the trade for three years, has seen a 50% increase in trade sales this year. Sales manager Gerry Smith said:...

Hilton adds a little dolce vita.
May 5, 2006... THE Hilton Group will expand its Italian portfolio this year with a further eight properties. Three hotels reopened under the Hilton Worldwide Resorts brand on April 28 in Puglia [degrees] the Hilton Alborea Eco-Lodge with 124 suites; the...

Venice is still top.
May 5, 2006... VENICE remains the destination of choice, according to Italian specialist Kirker Holidays, with 2006 sales up 15% year-on-year. The operator now has 30 hotels in Venice, ranging from three-star properties with character to five-star hotels...

Sunvil enhances its Italy offering.
May 5, 2006... SUNVIL Discovery has launched a new standalone Italy brochure in response to heightened demand. The programme, previously featured in a combined brochure with Portugal, has been expanded from 75 to 99 pages with new flydrive and...

Did youknow?
May 5, 2006... If you think combining English with one other language is tricky, spare a thought for the residents of Indonesian. The islands are home to 300 different ethnic groups, speaking a staggering 365 languages between them, with Bahasa Indonesia the...

Music to your ears.
May 5, 2006... Criminal record A CD that represents the Italian luxury lifestyle' sounds pretty ambitious, doesn't it? That hasn't stopped Baglioni Hotels from putting together the distinctly dolcelatte-scented CD Styled in Italy, a musical mishap that...

TESTEDTESTEDTESTED.
May 5, 2006... Johnson & Johnson's Holiday Skin Price: [pounds sterling]4.79 Quantity: 250ml. Smell: Quite a heavy scent considering it gets slapped on the whole body. Fortunately it's a clean smell that isn't too flowery. Coverage: Goes on smoothly and rubs...

Costa is first to offer Dubai sailing.
May 5, 2006... COSTA Cruises is to become the first international cruiseline to offer itineraries out of Dubai. From December, Costa Classica will operate weekly seven-day cruises departing Saturdays and calling at Muscat, Fujairah, Abu Dhabi and...

It's a game of horses for courses in Dubai.
May 5, 2006... Dubai Tourism and Commerce Marketing and Etihad Airways took six senior product staff from luxury UK tour operators that currently feature Dubai on a fam trip for five days in March. The trip aimed to update the operators' knowledge of Dubai's...

'Hotels need to lower their prices'.
May 5, 2006... Dubai hotels must lower prices or risk losing business to neighbouring Middle Eastern countries, according to Premier Holidays product manager Nikki Hain. Prices for 2006 are considerably up on last year, she said, with one city hotel...

Diversifying in Dubai.
May 5, 2006... THE UK is the largest inbound market for Dubai for the third year running, according to the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing. Around 681,000 British visitors travelled to the emirate in 2005. The destination's guaranteed...

In the playground of the Savoys.
May 5, 2006... One of the world's most well-trod tourist destinations, it's hard to imagine Italy might have an undiscovered remote corner. But the mountainous Piedmont region is just such a place. Tucked away in Italy's northwest corner, Piedmont is largely...

Meeting green expectations.
May 5, 2006... Travel Weekly deserves credit for prompting The Green Debate', and giving it front-page priority (Travel Weekly April 28). But if holidays for individuals generate damaging greenhouse gases, let us not forget that conferences also are a...

Oiling the path to destruction.
May 5, 2006... Generally the talk on environmental issues assumes the future is business as usual'. It's becoming evident this may not be the case. Increasingly the mainstream media and political entities are treating the concept of peak oil' seriously....

England expects [degrees] and we deliver!
May 5, 2006... Your report We're selling England short' (Travel Weekly April 28) neglects to mention a number of significant changes that have benefited the marketing of English tourism in recent years. The merger of the British Tourist Authority and the...

I wanted a better time, Lord.
May 5, 2006... I would like to thank all those in the travel industry who sponsored me for the recent London Marathon. While my time was not fantastic due to an injury I managed to do what Dr Who can't [degrees] and beat the Dalek! Mark Keenan, travel...

Avro steps up flights in school holidays.
May 5, 2006... Flight-only specialist Avro has expanded its range of charter flights from Gatwick, Manchester and Glasgow to key Spanish destinations to meet demand during UK school holidays. Additional flights are available for May half-term with...

5of the best new hotels in Barcelona.
May 5, 2006... BarcelonA's place in the city break premier league has been assured for years. Its only weakness was a shortage of good quality beds. Now finally, the hotel product is catching up. Last year 15 new hotels opened. This year will see another 22,...

Benidorm bids for new image.
May 5, 2006... Two five-star hotels will open in Benidorm this summer as part of the Valencia regional tourist board's plan to shake off the resort's reputation for cheap package holidays. Starwood Hotels and Resorts is opening a hotel under its Westin...

Journey back in time to old Spain.
May 5, 2006... An hour's drive west of Madrid and you enter Old Spain. It's not just the quaint villages and grand medieval and Renaissance architecture in the town squares; the rhythms and routines of local people seem to come from another age as well....

A spanish holiday with a twist.
May 5, 2006... You thought you knew where you were with ballroom dancing [degrees] it was for older people who'd met their partners during the quick step at a Saturday-night dance in the 1950s. Then last year Strictly Come Dancing hit our screens and that...

InterContinental resort to open on Costa Calida.
May 5, 2006... InterContinental Hotels and Resorts will open the InterContinental Mar Menor Golf Resort and Spa on Spain's Costa C.lida next month. The property, which cost [pounds sterling]24 million to develop, has 64 rooms and suites, an E'SPA spa, a...

Growth time for Parador properties.
May 5, 2006... Spain's oldest hotel group, Paradores de Turismo, is to open five new properties over the next two years. The state-owned group, established in 1928, restores historic buildings and transforms them into sustainable tourism projects with the...

Summer takes off in Tenerife.
May 5, 2006... NEW flights to Tenerife from the UK and Ireland are set to further establish the island as a year-round destination. Last month GB Airways extended its twice-weekly service into the expanded Tenerife North Airport in Santa Cruz to a...

More cash in hand.
May 5, 2006... In the past five years recruitment companies say there has been a significant shift in the salaries and benefits being offered for middle or senior management roles across the industry. This growth has prompted some of the big recruitment...

News.
May 5, 2006... ESHER-based Avant Garde Travel has become Club Med Travel agency of the year for its performance during summer 2005 and winter 2005/06. Club Med head of sales Steve O'Loughlin said: "This is our way of thanking Avant Garde Travel for its...

Travel? It's a dog's life.
May 5, 2006... EVER had customers planning a holiday who are worried about leaving their pet pooch behind? Former Travelcare manager and dog-lover Heather Goadsby has come up with the answer [degrees] and is giving agents the chance to earn money at the...

Homeworkers live the Disney Dream.
May 5, 2006... INSTANT Holiday homeworkers Tracey Wilkinson and Polly Gould are celebrating after winning a trip to Disneyland Resort Paris for supporting eachother through difficult times. Disney's Dream Agent competition rewards agents who go the...

New and improved.
May 5, 2006... DISNEYLAND Resort Paris is spending [euro]240 million on new attractions over the next three years as well as celebrating its 15th birthday in style in 2007. The investment includes the recently launched Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast, which 260...

On World Cup glory trail.
May 5, 2006... WITH the World Cup just around the corner, two lucky Travel Weekly readers were treated to a visit to the state of Baden-Wurttemberg and sample the delights the German region offers. Premier Travel consultant Laura Wood and Travelox sales...

Ask a silly question.
May 5, 2006... Royal Caribbean International RCI: The midnight buffet? TW: Yes RCI: Well, on any cruise seven days or longer a buffet is served in the dining area. It can be viewed at 11.45pm, then it's served half an hour later. TW: So it's a 12.15am buffet?...

Journeys without an end.
May 5, 2006... IN 1991, as the Gulf War brought travel to a near standstill, a new travel insurance company was featured in the pages of Travel Weekly. Called Journeys Travel Insurance, it had been set up by Patrick Chong in response to demand from agents he...

Brits just love their Freedom.
May 5, 2006... ROYAL Caribbean International expects demand for larger ships among first-time cruisers and families to fuel the continued expansion of the cruise market. Southampton welcomed the world's largest cruise ship, Freedom of the Seas, this week...

Longer cruises on the cards for 2007.
May 5, 2006... LONGER itineraries on the world's largest cruise ship will be available to the UK market next year when a second Freedom-class ship makes its debut. From June 4 this year, Freedom of the Seas will be based in Miami and sail seven-night...

Travelscope adds Harwich.
May 5, 2006... TRAVELSCOPE has relaunched cruising out of Harwich with a six-day trip to the Norwegian fjords on cruise ship Athena. The inaugural Apple Blossom Cruise takes in Ulvik, Eidfjord and Bergen. Subsequent cruises will sail to the Baltic...

It's full speed ahead for EasyCruise's Hughes.
May 5, 2006... NEW EasyCruise chief executive Gwyn Hughes has told of his excitement at the chance to build a new cruise brand. Despite once vowing never to return to the cruise industry, the former P&O Cruises managing director had no doubts about...

Triton hosts Search party'Egypt can't take any more'LATE NEWS.
May 5, 2006... 70 91 17 Dynamic packaging 42 Spain 60 38 Columnist Chris Woodbridge-Cox signs off 4 36 Travolution Summit News from the inaugural event Italy Maureen sets sail on Freedom of the Seas Retailers reel at supplement rise Liver and bunions! ...

Liver and bunions!
May 5, 2006... OCEAN Village's resident chef James Martin will swap his oven gloves for his dancing shoes on a themed Dance Fever' cruise next month. The cruise is aimed at encouraging passengers to take to the dancefloor. Martin, who runs a...

You're fired.
May 5, 2006... Travel Counsellors chairman David Speakman is threatening to do a Sir Alan Sugar by telling one of the big four operators "you're fired". The Bolton-based agency is reviewing its commercial terms with suppliers following the introduction of its...

ABTA aims to clarify trust fund position.
May 5, 2006... ABTA has said its opposition to trust funds for client repatriation does not extend to retailers or firms excluded from the Package Travel Regulations, such as accommodation-only suppliers. Travel Counsellors and Apartmentsabroad.com, which...

Fleming steps up to take ABTA helm.
May 5, 2006... ABTA treasurer Justin Fleming has become the association's new president replacing Martin Wellings. Fleming, 56, on the board of directors as treasurer since 2005, was the only candidate for the job after Wellings announced he was standing...

Airtours gets a taste of village life.
May 5, 2006... AIRTOURS Holidays has denied it is copying First Choice's village concept with the launch of seven self-contained all-inclusive beach resorts for 2007. Director of sales Jane Atkins said the resorts [degrees] beachside complexes ranging...

Masked minx in prize giveaway.
May 5, 2006... YOU'VE seen Attraction Man [degrees] now meet his counterpart Attraction Girl. Ticketing specialist Keith Prowse Attraction Tickets has launched the new trade champion in a [pounds sterling]20,000 prize giveaway. Hot on the heels of...

'Egypt can't take any more'.
May 5, 2006... THOMAS Cook UK chief executive Manny Fontenla-Novoa has warned the industry would struggle to survive another terrorist attack in Eygpt this year, despite the fact bookings are almost back to normal. Agents reported bookings had bounced...

BA trials Defra scheme.
May 5, 2006... BRITISH Airways is the only airline to take part in a trial UK emissions-trading scheme run by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The voluntary scheme is in its fourth year and involves 33 companies. A BA spokeswoman...

'Say no to green tax'.
May 5, 2006... THE Government, airlines, tour operators and consumer groups appear united in opposition to calls for a green tax on air travel and support an emissions-trading scheme instead. The Travel Foundation chief executive Sue Hurdle was among...

HWT in Virgin tie-up.
May 5, 2006... HARVEY World Travel has joined forces with Virgin Holidays to create 300 dual-branded high-street shops [degrees] and is encouraging independents to join the network. An initial 100 shops, made up of HWT's acquisitions of former Going...

News.
May 5, 2006... TO mark its 30th anniversary Keycamp is going back to 1976 to give agents themed prizes from the era. Agents can win 10 space hoppers, a Raleigh Chopper MK3 bike and music fans are in with the chance of seeing The Who and Primal Scream at the...

Retailers reel at supplement rise.
May 5, 2006... RETAILERS fear increased customer complaints about fuel supplements after the latest round of increases by tour operators. MyTravel, Thomas Cook and Cosmos have raised fuel supplements to [pounds sterling]30 for short haul, [pounds...

News.
May 5, 2006... The Travel Foundation chief executive Sue Hurdle says travel companies have to adapt their businesses to be sustainable "I am delighted Travel Weekly is giving such prominence to the sustainability debate. Last Friday's front cover (Time...

Triton in talks over support.
May 5, 2006... TRITON is in talks with The Travel Foundation about how it can support the sustainable tourism body. The mega-consortium's bosses concede it has a responsibility to look after the environment and communities impacted by tourism. Triton...

Triton hosts Search party.
May 5, 2006... TRITON Travel Group bosses were due to meet 60 Mediterranean hoteliers today as part of the group's strategy to build on dynamic packaging capability through Triton Search. A lunch to host hoteliers kick-started the agent superpower's...

Cambridge.
May 5, 2006... premier travel 10 Rose crescent This was a big, attractive agency with lots of brochures, very neatly racked. The consultant asked whether I wanted a hotel on the beach or in the city centre. When I opted for the beach she suggested the...

Achtung! I'm getting my coat...
May 5, 2006... If I look back over the last few years I have been writing this column, so much in the industry has changed, and yet at the same time, so little has changed. Many of the major issues facing the sector are the same as they were then. Be it...

Airtours' early push.
May 5, 2006... SARDINIA has been introduced into Airtours Holidays' Summer Sun 2007 first-edition brochure while two long-haul winter destinations will feature year-round for the first time. Director of sales Jane Atkins said Sardinia had been added to...

Lisbon makes debut in Classic Collection.
May 5, 2006... CLASSIC Collection Holidays is offering Lisbon for the first time for 2006/07 with three properties in its new brochure. The 76-page year-round dedicated Madeira, Porto Santo and Lisbon brochure also features three new properties in...

It's an ICE relaunch.
May 5, 2006... INTERNATIONAL Currency Exchange is relaunching its Currency Express programme this month, which will allow agents to build their own websites and offer a currency exchange service. Agencies that sign up to the service will be able to use...

Eurostar signs up Da Vinci sponsors.
May 5, 2006... EUROSTAR has announced three trade sponsors as part of its [pounds sterling]5 million campaign to boost tourism to Paris following the release of the film The Da Vinci Code. Lastminute.com, Thomson and Leisure Direction will be the key...

There's a mouse on the line.
May 5, 2006... EUROSTAR is planning improvements to its direct train into Disneyland Resort Paris later in the year. Eurostar head of leisure sales Sean Philby told UK agents on an international mega fam that the company wanted to make the route more...

Holiday Options bouyant.
May 5, 2006... FEEDBACK from agents on Holiday Options' launch into the Cape Verde islands this summer has been positive, according to the company. Sales and marketing director Donna Owen said: "Agents enjoy having somewhere new to sell. Our business...

Capacity cuts ease headache.
May 5, 2006... LIBRA Holidays claims it is in a better position for the summer shoulder months after cutting capacity. The operator has sold "slightly more" holidays year-on-year after reducing capacity by 5,000 aircraft seats for May and 4,000 for June,...

Libra strategy all about price.
May 5, 2006... LIBRA Holidays has included its early-booking offers into price panels for the first time in first-edition brochures for 2007. The move [degrees] featured in its new Cyprus, Egypt and Dubai, and Greece and Turkey brochures [degrees] means...

WA Shearings hits long road.
May 5, 2006... WA Shearings is offering extended winter breaks for the over 50s in its new Escape to Europe 2006/07 brochure. Sales and marketing director Karen Gee said the operator decided to introduce the Golden Years breaks of up to two months after...

'Size is important'.
May 5, 2006... TRAVELZEST managing director Chris Mottershead has outlined a strategy to create mid-sized businesses as speculation looms of a further acquisition this month. Mottershead was tight-lipped on the date of the next acquisition for the group....

Rap star in Dogg house.
May 5, 2006... TOP hotels are used to music stars trashing rooms, but it's a rare phenomenon in the world of the airport business lounge. British Airways will be hoping the arrest of Snoop Dogg and five of his krew fo' dishing its lounge at Heathrow last week...

'Web yet to make real impact'.
May 5, 2006... LASTMINUTE.COM chairman Brent Hoberman has dismissed the impact of the Internet on the travel sector, claiming technology has yet to define the industry. He said the emergence of the no-frills airlines in the 1990s threw established...

Hilton sees move to online check-in.
May 5, 2006... THE hotels sector is set to follow the airline industry into the mass use of online check-in, according to Hilton Hotels Corporation. Commercial development and information services senior vice-president Tim Davis said: "Guest services will...

Survey said: 87% prefer the Internet.
May 5, 2006... THOMAS Cook research has revealed only 16% of the operator's online customers would consider booking a holiday in a shop. In January, the company polled 4,700 Thomascook.com customers and discovered only 16% of them would visit a...

Trips near virtual reality.
May 5, 2006... HOLIDAYMAKERS could be taking virtual trips from their sofas within the next four years. BT futurologist Ian Pearson told delegates at last week's Travolution Summit the technology already exists to create virtual holidays. Graphic...

Mobiles ringing the changes.
May 5, 2006... TOUR operators claim 3G mobile phone technology will lead a travel purchasing revolution in the same way broadband has fuelled the online travel industry. Cosmos Holidays is currently the only travel company using 3G mobile phone...

Big guys flex muscles.
May 5, 2006... THE large online travel agencies are strengthening their grip on the sector, according to figures from Internet research firm Hitwise. As a sector, the travel industry's share of overall web visits declined this March compared to data for...

All eyes are on TritonMake a stand.
May 5, 2006... IFf a week is a long time in politics, how about a weekend in the travel industry? This weekend sees the first ever Triton conference in what is arguably the key event for the sector this year. With the cult of multiples direct selling now...

Alonso gets a taste of success.
May 5, 2006... WHOWho saidys Premiership footballers are all money-grabbing so and sos with no heart? Well spare a thought for Liverpool's star midfielder Xabi Alonso. Recognised, as what is known in football parlance a, as one of the most cultural...

Tesco to offer value holidays?
May 5, 2006... SO ISo is Tesco going to spread its ever powerful wings into the world of travel? When quizzed about its intentions Tesco.com chief executive Laura Wade-Gery was ThWatch this space, we say. Tesco , however, was as tight- lipped as ever...

Specialists don't know it all, either.
May 5, 2006... Like Karen Forrester (Travel Weekly , April 28th), I too am frequently shocked at the lack of knowledge and professionalism within the retail sector of the industry. AHowever, all too often, specialists can demonstrate similar ignorance of...

Theft in Namibia.
May 5, 2006... I RECENTLYecently visited two of us checked into the hotel Villa Verde hotel in Windhoek, Namibia. After checking in at our hotel, we went to our room and put We deposited our passports, wallets and tickets in the room safe and left to tour the...

Looking after its own interests.
May 5, 2006... I WAS I was surprised and disappointed to read last week's report that ABTA believes that tTrust aAccounts are not the way forward for customer protection. It just shows what a mess ABTA has got itself into. Ra that rather than celebrating...

What is wrong with Hayes and Jarvis?
May 5, 2006... xHave any other agencies had problems with Hayes and& Jarvis? (First Choice). We had an original booking with Hayes and& Jarvis cancelled due to the hurricane in Mexico. Our clients then made a new booking, which was more money. H, however,...

Get your cricket tickets.
May 12, 2006... The tour operators who will sell packages to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 have been announced. Operators approved as Official Travel Agents' for the event include ITC Sports, Kuoni Sport Abroad and Gullivers Sports Travel. Other...