Travel Weekly (UK) articles from November 2006

Travel Weekly (UK) archives from November 2006

Saddle up in Cyprus.
November 3, 2006... cyprus Cyprus has traditionally been associated with fly and flop packages, but a new tour operator has dedicated itself to cycling holidays. Launched by British husband-and-wife team Al and Helen Smeaton, Wheelie Cyprus offers mountain bikers...

Ready for the future.
November 3, 2006... Major infrastructure improvements have prompted renewed interest in Larnaca. Previously just an airport town, plans to turn the harbour area into a place to eat, drink and sleep are now under way following the completion of new roads to aid...

Small wonders.
November 3, 2006... The smallest of Cyprus? major resorts, Paphos has something for everyone. On the one hand there? loads of nightlife, tourist shops and a smattering of tacky English pubs. On the other, it? a UNESCO World Heritage Site, offering discerning...

Notes from a small island.
November 3, 2006... Argo Holidays took a group of 30 agents to Cyprus for five days last month to discover Paphos and Limassol. They visited 12 hotels, spent time exploring the two resorts and took part in a golfing tournament (despite the rain). Travel Weekly...

Bringing the hills to life.
November 3, 2006... An ambitious regeneration plan is set to boost rural tourism in Cyprus. Cyprus Tourism Organisation UK director Orestis Rossides said the purpose of the European Union-funded plan was to recreate the traditional character of Cyprus in an...

In search of hidden treasure.
November 3, 2006... Do you know your Jaipur from your Jodhpur? And if you were asked for luxury accommodation there, would you know where to look or would you suggest the Seychelles instead? The Taj Hotels and Oberoi Group are synonymous with luxury in India, and...

A bolly good time.
November 3, 2006... A new luxury train itinerary has been launched by rail experts GW Travel, crossing the entire Indian sub-continent. The 15-day Viceroy of India trip covers over 3,680 miles, running between Mumbai and Calcutta (or vice versa), visiting all key...

News.
November 3, 2006... TV travel presenter Judith Chalmers was on hand to promote Air New Zealand? maiden flight between London and Hong Kong on Sunday. The new Asian route means that Air New Zealand can now offer travellers the chance to fly London to London via...

News.
November 3, 2006... VA VA VOOM IN A VAUXHALL Travel Weekly managing director Trevor Harding and Avis leisure sales manager Lisa McAuley check out the red Vauxhall Tigra convertible we will be giving away to one lucky delegate at the Farewell Party at this...

Your lucky number.
November 3, 2006... Booking a couple on a cruise is a pretty lucrative deal for agents, so imagine what the returns are like if you book 20 or more people in one hit. That? just what happened at Thomson? Hempstead Valley shop in Kent, except instead of a...

Decks and bows of holly.
November 3, 2006... When you think of cruising, what springs to mind? Lazing on deck with a margarita, warm days by the pool and getting dressed up for dinner at the captain? table? Well, you?d be right ? but send a client on a cruise over Christmas and there? a...

Fish and ships, please.
November 3, 2006... Cruise passengers on Holland America Line will receive cooking lessons from a top London chef next year. The cruiseline hosted a dinner for its best-selling agent partners at the Belvedere Restaurant in London? Holland Park, the very...

Princess unveils citizens? charter.
November 3, 2006... Princess Cruises is launching a charter flight from London to Fort Lauderdale in Florida for clients booking a 15-night cruise on Caribbean Princess next summer. It has also launched an upgraded charter from London and Manchester to...

Demand is steep at Dover.
November 3, 2006... Dover Cruise Port has announced one of the busiest and longest schedules in its history for 2007, confirming the rise in popularity of ex-UK cruising. In total, 22 cruiselines and 135 ships will use the port with both Norwegian Cruise Line...

A Silver lining set for agents.
November 3, 2006... Luxury cruiseline Silversea is offering a champagne incentive to agents on a selection of sailings in 2007 to promote early bookings. Any agent who makes a booking on any of 13 sailings on Silver Cloud, 16 on Silver Whisper and two sectors...

Ships sailing into Virgin territory.
November 3, 2006... Lee Hayhurst Cruiselines featured in a first dedicated Virgin Holidays cruise brochure say it is proof the sector is establishing itself as a mainstream product. In terms of size and scope the 84-page brochure, due to be launched on...

Financial problems ground Ajet.
November 3, 2006... Ajet, the UK-Cyprus charter carrier of Libra Holidays Group, will cease flying in three months due to financial woes. In a statement, Libra Holidays said most Ajet services this winter would operate as normal. The company reassured...

Airlines unite on emissions.
November 3, 2006... The first meeting of an industry forum proposed by Virgin chairman Sir Richard Branson to develop ways to reduce aviation emissions was held last week. Branson has urged the industry to cut emissions by 25% in two years through a series of...

Travel backs Stern words.
November 3, 2006... by Ian Taylor ian.taylor@rbi.co.uk The industry broadly welcomed the Government? Stern Review on the economics of climate change, despite it adding fuel to demands for a tax on aviation. Sir Nicholas Stern was commissioned by the...

News.
November 3, 2006... stern review: key facts Sir Nicholas Stern is a respected former chief economist at the World Bank and permanent secretary to the UK Treasury. ? ?Climate change threatens the basic elements of life,? warned Stern. ?Unabated climate...

News.
November 3, 2006... A proposal for Midconsort to join S8 UK was on the verge of being rejected as Travel Weekly went to press. Midconsort chairman Neil Basnett said he would be ?staggered? if members voted for the proposal to dissolve the consortium and join...

News.
November 3, 2006... LATE NEWS Advantage Dublin The Advantage Focus Partners Champions conference will return to Dublin next year. Advantage director of business travel Norman Gage said the conference will be held in the city on June 18-19 at an as yet undecided...

Directed to the web.
November 3, 2006... Letter of the week It? time again for the annual chore of getting rid of unwanted brochures. I?ve just disposed of hundreds of brochures for a UK holiday company. I didn? order them, but I don? need to ? over the last year this...

News.
November 3, 2006... It was a star-studded night at the opening of new Sol Melia hotel, ME Madrid Reina Victoria. Among 1,000 guests was supermodel Cindy Crawford pictured here with husband Rande Gerber and Sol Melia vice-chairman Sebastian Escarrer and his wife...

News.
November 3, 2006... Having a ball with Qatar Qatar Airways flew the 2006 World Cup Final match football into London this week ahead of a Reach Out to Asia charity gala dinner in Doha. Pictured from left are cabin crew Nirmala Bagowal, chairman of Reach Out to...

Learning is as easy as ATP.
November 3, 2006... This month is the official launch of a new web-based training programme designed to recognise you as a travel professional and promote your expertise to the public. Three years in the making, the Accredited Travel Professional scheme, developed...

News.
November 3, 2006... Source: The hotel price index, Hotels.com World hotel prices Most expensive 1 Moscow****?167****2 New York****?140 3 Boston ?135 4 Chicago ?125 5 Venice ?123 Least expensive 1 Bangkok****?57 2 Buenos Aires****?62 3 Bilbao ?63 4 Shanghai...

OF THEBEST NEW HOTELS IN THE CARIBBEAN.
November 3, 2006... A new breed of hotels is opening in the Caribbean, giving the well established favourites a run for their money. Some are bigger and better, some are smaller and more exclusive, but there is still plenty of mileage in selling the Caribbean to...

Bargain bliss.
November 3, 2006... Honeymoon hotels with luxury spas and rooms opening out onto a private swimming pool usually come with a hefty price tag. As agents, you?re constantly encouraged to up-sell honeymoons. That might work for some, but the reality these days is...

A list with a difference.
November 3, 2006... For any wedding guests stuck for what to buy the happy couple, travel wedding lists offer the perfect solution. For the bride and groom who don? want a traditional wedding list or have already set up home together, it means more than another...

News.
November 3, 2006... PALM TREES IN preston Agents in Preston tasted the Caribbean when the Jamaica Tourist Board hosted a training evening. Pictured from left are First Choice group promotions Kate Alcorn; agents Sophie Meadows and Becky Hill; and the...

News.
November 3, 2006... The Week to Come Where to be and what you need to know for the week ahead Saturday November 4 Stop Climate Chaos ?I Count? event, Trafalgar Square, London, 1 to 3pm Sunday November 5 British Guild of Travel Writers Awards, Savoy...

Thank god it wasn?t you.
November 3, 2006... The shocking deaths of two children from carbon monoxide poisoning in their Corfu holiday bungalow has highlighted the responsibilities tour operators have ? and again raised concerns about the liability of agents when dynamically packaging....

?Enjoy the highs, ride out the lows?
November 3, 2006... Pay could be better, the future may be uncertain, but high levels of job satisfaction still exist among travel trade professionals, along with an intense pride in the industry. Despite hardships facing the trade, Travel Weekly? latest...

HE SHOOTS, HEscores.
November 3, 2006... How does the travel industry compare with the world of football? There are many similarities. They are both service industries with staff to motivate and incentivise, and both have got outside influences. But in travel there is politics,...

Don?t miss the best tickets in town courtesy of keith Prowse ticketingBox Office.
November 3, 2006... This week, Travel Weekly launches the Travel Weekly Box Office, in association with Keith Prowse Ticketing. This is a unique monthly service for all UK travel agents with exclusive offers for rock concerts, world-class entertainment events and...

All change, please.
November 3, 2006... T he industry is changing and we have changed too. Welcome to the new-look Travel Weekly. Before explaining why we have changed, I want to mention the results of our exclusive industry survey. The results reveal how much change the industry is...

Trip the sights fantastic.
November 3, 2006... The cruiseship has docked and been cleared by customs ? now it? time for passengers to go ashore. If that conjures up visions of city sightseeing tours or lazy days on a Caribbean beach, think again. A new generation of exciting excursions has...

Squaring up.
November 3, 2006... jet airwaysVirgin AtlanticBritish airwaysqatarAir INDIAPrice (all net fares including taxes): ?1,286?1,216.10?1,226.10?1,615?1,131.50Seat: Seats in Club Premiere convert to flatbeds which are 73? long with moveable headrests The...

Holidaytaxis unveils plans.
November 3, 2006... Holidaytaxis.com plans to launch a business travel service as well as transfers in Russia next year. Managing director Paul Stanyer said both projects would tap into currently unserviced, but growing markets. He revealed the plans as...

Lally shows up on Radar.
November 3, 2006... Thomson head of third party sales Jeanne Lally is to leave after more than 20 years with the company. Lally is moving to market research firm Radar to work with UK tourist boards to attract tourists to their regions. She conceded Thomson?...

Baggage rules relax again.
November 3, 2006... Ian Taylor ian.taylor@rbi.co.uk Airport hand luggage rules will change again on Monday as restrictions are harmonised across the European Union. There will be a slight relaxation in the UK, while airports elsewhere in Europe fall into line...

Operators avoided Corfu hotel over ?safety fears?
November 3, 2006... Paul Nelson paul.nelson@rbi.co.uk Two of the UK? biggest operators do not contract the Corfu bungalows where two British children died of carbon monoxide poisoning ? at least one of them because of fears about safety. Thomson Holidays...

News.
November 3, 2006... Triton is planning a publicity campaign to become a more publicly recognised brand. Director Andrew Botterill confirmed plans for an advertising blitz to raise the super-consortium? profile in time for January? peak sales period. It will...

News.
November 3, 2006... Search for Elite heads Down Under Worldchoice agents are swotting up as Tourism Australia? Aussie Specialist programme gets an upgrade. Launched with a series of nationwide roadshows and in conjunction with Gold Medal and Qantas, Aussie...

Goldenjoy Dive reaches new depths in Middle East.
November 3, 2006... Edward Robertson ed.robertson@rbi.co.uk The increasingly adventurous demands of divers have prompted Goldenjoy Dive, to feature two new destinations. The brand, owned by Libra Holidays, has added both Oman and Fujairah in the United...

From Russia, with love.
November 3, 2006... Paul Nelson paul.nelson@rbi.co.uk The travel industry has been urged to ignore the ?over-hyped? Chinese market and focus instead on high-spending Russian tourists. A Mintel Report, commissioned by the European Tour Operators...

New experiences you can Travel 4.
November 3, 2006... Growing demand for more experience-based holidays has led Travel 4 to offer increasingly diverse product in its 2007 America brochure. Houseboat touring of Lake Powell in Utah and the opportunity to visit Native American ruins are two of...

Points makeprizes.
November 3, 2006... Employment law Don? blog your way into trouble: p57 Spotlight on... We test out holidaybrokers.co.uk: p58 How did I get here? Medhotels? Teresa Walsh: p61 The perfect answer So why do you want the job? p61 High flyers Top...

The magic 10.
November 3, 2006... Why do some people go back to the same shop, eat at the same restaurant or fly with the same airline? The answer is simple; they like it and want to go back for more. The very best retailers deliver excellent customer service every day....

News.
November 3, 2006... BRITS abroad Most likely to visit ? An historic site ? A museum ? National park ? Theatre ? A spa Least likely to ? Go hunting ? Go fishing ? Go on a course ? Play golf ? Gamble

News.
November 3, 2006... Travels by numbers 95% of passengers using Bournemouth Airport are leisure passengers 65% Internet users who go online for travel 60% Hilton Hotels Corporation? increase in revenues 60% Government? planned...

It?s all in the name for Triton.
November 3, 2006... Louis Corcyra Hotel in Corfu has had its operating licence revoked following the deaths of two British children Lally is quitting Thomson after more than 20 years Picture: empics | Travel Weekly | 03 November 2006

Ahead by an extra length.
November 10, 2006... Stena Line is axing its fast-ferry service between Harwich and the Hook of Holland in January and spending ?70 million to lengthen and upgrade the two car and passenger ferries on the route. The ferry operator blamed falling passenger numbers...

Danni?s diva demands.
November 10, 2006... Virgin Holidays? Crawley headquarters was done up to look like a huge birthday cake on Friday to celebrate its 21st year, and staff eagerly awaited the arrival of a famous face. No, it wasn? the Queen, who happened to be in the town on the...

News.
November 10, 2006... Price check Maltese hotels to suit all pockets Less than ?800 per head Operator: ITC Classics. Where: five-star Kempinski San Lawrenz Resort and Spa, Gozo. Description: surrounded by sub-tropical gardens, the 106-room Kempinski San Lawrenz is...

7.
November 10, 2006... They say the best things come in small packages, and that? true of Malta. Only a two-hour flight from the UK, it? ideal for a week? holiday; small enough to see in a short space of time, yet large enough to offer a variety of attractions. Add...

Communication key to success.
November 10, 2006... Successful personal relationships depend on mutual trust, openness and constant communication. The same can be said for business relationships. Tour operator Premier Holidays and East Anglian agency group Travel Centre say that their...

More than just mussels.
November 10, 2006... Where can you get thrust in the air at 50mph, go 60 metres underground and kayak for 13 miles ? all in one holiday? Belgium may have been called boring, but recommend the right attractions and you could sell an action-packed break to those who...

Getting on the flight tracks.
November 10, 2006... Members of Advantage? Focus Partnership are set to benefit from a new technological investment that will enable them to compete with the multinational corporates. The partnership has negotiated a deal with global distribution supplier...

ACTE: ?Time to wise up on green issues?
November 10, 2006... TIpS ? Set up a carbon emission offsetting programme, either in house or with an organisation such as the CarbonNeutral Company. ? Collate information from suppliers on what they are doing to help combat environmental damage and submit this...

Someone to watch over MI.
November 10, 2006... Management information or MI, is a term often used in the business travel industry to describe the data on travellers that is collected from sources including corporate credit cards and back-office systems. Accurate MI is crucial to companies?...

travel management company? cityhoppa needs you.
November 10, 2006... Airport transfer service CityHoppa is looking to sign up major travel management companies as partners. The service, a sister division to resort transfer company ResortHoppa, was launched in March and now serves 254 airports in major...

KDS in the back office.
November 10, 2006... Kelly Ranson Online travel and expenses soft-ware firm KDS has developed a system that offers travel management companies more integrated back-office technology. The company will introduce the KDS Corporate 6.0 to commercial partners...

News.
November 10, 2006... Blue1 offers one-class seats to Helsinki Finnish airline Blue1 has scrapped its business-class seat on flights between the UK and Helsinki because of lack of demand. The airline, which is part of the SAS Group, will now be offering only a...

Business as usual.
November 10, 2006... All the travel industry has to offer has been on show this week at World Travel Market in London? ExCeL. From destination marketing to seminars, conferences, training events, lunches, charity events, competitions, celebrity visits. You name...

News.
November 10, 2006... Week in pictures 10 Barometer 12 Specialist pages*****Aviation******14 Homeworking****16 Operators*****18 Cruising****22 Opinion 29 Danny Rogers Letters 30 Profile 38 Alistair Rowland, United Co-op Travel Group ...

Luxury boost for Seabourn.
November 10, 2006... Luxury operator Seabourn Cruise Line has two new ships. The vessels will be delivered in 2009 and 2010 and have 225 luxury suites, 99% of which will have private verandas. The $500 million deal between Italian shipbuilder T Mariotti and...

Be on the right side of the rules.
November 10, 2006... Keeping up with the latest employment legislation is challenging for the largest firms. But if you are a small business without a human resources department it can be even harder. Here is a round-up of the new employment laws most likely to...

A ferry dynamic package.
November 10, 2006... Why would you waste time booking a ferry that costs barely ?100 when you can dynamically package a hotel or self-catering accommodation around that crossing and see the booking value double or treble? As our examples below show, agents can go...

DFDS heads for Norway.
November 10, 2006... DFDS Seaways will tomorrow launch on the Newcasle to Stavanger and Bergen route it has taken over from Fjord Line. The move means the end of Fjord Line in the UK, which sold its ship, Fjord Norway, to DFDS in September. All 248 crew were made...

Company doubles its intake for the year.
November 10, 2006... New company Holidays Elite has doubled the amount of homeworkers it planned to have by January 2007 and believes it is attracting agents because the company is a ?manageable? size. Last month, Yvonne Leslie launched the new homeworking...

How to make money.
November 10, 2006... Response from homeworkers has prompted Future Travel to offer roadshows to help the agents brush up on their sales and marketing skills. The Making Money roadshow will be visiting 16 venues across the UK up until Christmas including...

Top sales lead to third award from Sandals.
November 10, 2006... A top-selling agent has been rewarded for achieving more than ?100,000 in sales for Sandals and Beaches for the third year in a row. Homeworker Jenny Jackson from Kent was named at the operator? annual Star awards on the Turks and Caicos...

Support seven days a week.
November 10, 2006... Future Travel has launched a new service to offer its 600 homeworkers operational and travel systems support seven days a week. Advisors at the Operational Support Centre (OSC) and Travel Systems Helpdesk, based in Stoke-on-Trent, can help...

Agents in Ajet dilemma.
November 10, 2006... Agents who have dynamically packaged Ajet flights face having to decide whether to rebook with other carriers at their own expense or tell clients they are on their own. The carrier, part of the Libra Holidays Group, was grounded last week...

Cosmos clarifies its position.
November 10, 2006... Cosmos does have a contract to use bungalows at the Hotel Louis Corcyra Beach hotel, contrary to a report in Travel Weekly last week. The operator? overseas product director Hugh Morgan has confirmed safety fears over internal gas boilers...

Hotel was checked in line with standards.
November 10, 2006... Thomas Cook said the hotel in which two British children died of carbon monoxide poisoning was checked by an employee in line with Government and Federation of Tour Operator standards. The operator has denied any employee has been arrested...

Cosmos clients help environment.
November 10, 2006... Cosmos customers can now do their bit for the environment after the operator signed up to support The Travel Foundation. Clients can choose to contribute ?1 to the Government-backed organisation, which works with the industry to make tourism...

News.
November 10, 2006... The UK inbound industry was given the royal seal of approval at WTM with the news that HRH Prince Charles is to be patron of the first British Tourism Week. The promotion next March will aim to increase awareness of the industry? importance to...

Counsellors looks to US for growth.
November 10, 2006... Homeworking agency Travel Counsellors expects its US business to match turnover in the UK in five years. The Bolton-based company plans to launch in the US in January with up to 100 home-based travel agents. It has started selling with a...

UN offers on disasters virtual help.
November 10, 2006... The United Nations has launched a website to help the industry cope with global crises affecting tourism. United Nations World Tourism Organisation assistant secretary general Geoffrey Lipman launched the project at WTM this week. ?For five...

Develop America woos Brits.
November 10, 2006... The US is to revamp its overseas marketing strategy admitting security hassles and its existing SeeAmerica campaign is seen as ?arrogant?. Arrivals from the UK, the country? biggest overseas market, are down 4% this year compared with 2005...

Operator?s $80 million quest.
November 10, 2006... Edward Robertson ed.roberston@rbi.co.uk Cox and Kings is about to enter a period of ?aggressive acquisition? using $80 million to be raised through floating on the Indian stock market. Managing director Peter Kerkar said two companies,...