Travel Weekly (UK) articles from October 2005

Travel Weekly (UK) archives from October 2005

DiaryDates.
October 7, 2005... oct 6 Holiday Options autumn roadshow, Exeter. Tel: 01444 876541 6****The Travel Luncheon Club, The Dorchester Park Lane,*****London. E-mail: travelunch@aol.com. 6 Guild of Travel and Tourism/Tourism Society Annual Lunch, Air...

GNTO in plea for flights rise.
October 7, 2005... Greek tourism chiefs in talks with GB Airways over new service to Rhodes TOURISM chiefs in Greece are trying to persuade GB Airways to launch direct flights to Rhodes following the success of the airline's new summer service between London...

New programmes spark sales increase.
October 7, 2005... SEVERAL tour operators have reported a boost in sales to Greece following the launch of new programmes. Greece specialist Olympic Holidays has reported a 15% increase in bookings since the introduction of its budget brand Smart Choice...

5.
October 7, 2005... of the best short beach breaks TRADITIONALLY the short break has focused more on cities - with time spent soaking up the culture and enjoying the cuisine rather than spending lazy days on a beach. But as the trend for more regular,...

City-break market looks east.
October 7, 2005... No-frills carriers add to tourism boom in less traditional destinations Report by jane dunford THE European short-break market continues to head east - with interest in less traditional city-break destinations such as Budapest and...

Discounts are Super for winter.
October 7, 2005... SUPERBREAK Mini-Holidays' new Winter Offers brochure has been launched with a range of discounted accommodation-only deals, and a section dedicated to savings on a wide choice of European destinations for autumn and winter. Christmas...

Making way for water babies ; Cruises aren't ideal for small children, but things are improving.
October 7, 2005... THE memories of my last cruise were still fresh in my mind when I was offered the chance to take another recently. I recalled lazy days looking out to sea from the hot tub on deck. I'd consumed five books, wandered winding lanes in foreign...

A stitch in time.
October 7, 2005... Not enough hours in the day to get everything done?The answer is a little time management.Follow Travel Weekly's top 10 tips to clawing back a little of that precious time each week. Dinah Hatch reports 1. Use technology to your advantage...

Working hard, playing hard.
October 7, 2005... Agents make their mark on a recent educational to party capital Faliraki MOONING during karaoke, drinking till 7am and dumping fully clothed people into the swimming pool. Not the antics of a stag party or a Club 18-30 pub crawl, but a...

Answer the call of the wild.
October 7, 2005... A trip to the awe-inspiring natural attractions of Alberta is certain to blow the cobwebs away My room at the Chateau Lake Louise was cloaked in semi-darkness. The curtains were closed, even though it was mid-afternoon. Pulling back the...

24; hours in Edmonton.
October 7, 2005... Culture and shopping top the menu in this chilled-out town, as Jeremy Head found out There's great local rivalry between the Albertan cities of Edmonton and Calgary. As a gateway to the ski slopes of the Rockies, Calgary is more...

Absolute beginners.
October 7, 2005... With more experienced skiers going direct, learners are lucrative for agents Report by linsey mcneill Novice skiers are becoming a crucial part of the market for travel agents, who are seeing a rising number of more experienced skiers...

New and improved.
October 7, 2005... The ski season is fast approaching. Linsey McNeill checks out operators' offerings Panorama Brochure: Panorama Ski and Board. What's new? Having introduced Borovets in Bulgaria to its first-edition brochure, Panorama has expanded...

'It's criminal not to ask clients about records'.
October 7, 2005... A SCOTTISH agent says more needs to be done to make sure all consultants, including call-centre staff and homeworkers, ask customers whether they have criminal records before selling them holidays to the US. Strathclyde-based Menzies...

Gray Dawes addition.
October 7, 2005... BUSINESS travel agency Gray Dawes has added Thomsonfly to its online travel management and booking platform gdbookonline. Managing director Ray Hopkins said the move was designed to give Gray Dawes' Jersey clients, in particular, a greater...

Specialist training is in demand.
October 7, 2005... T&T Training Solutions will launch a tailored management development scheme next month in response to industry demand for more specialist skills training. The company has recruited tutor Lynne Griffiths to run its first course starting on...

Feeling lucky? Win a week's holiday in Malta.
October 7, 2005... A WEEK'S holiday for two is up for grabs for the 1,000th person who completes Malta Tourist Office's online training programme MaltaWiz. So far, 900 agents have completed the programme that was launched two years ago. Interest in studying...

Pay-per-click concern.
October 7, 2005... Great Hotels Organisation chief executive Peter Gould has warned the travel industry against allowing search engines to "hold them hostage" over pay-per-click listing. He also expressed concern at the focus on the paid-for listing, telling...

Training should concentrate on the long term.
October 7, 2005... I agree with Debbee Dale (Travel Weekly September 23), who wrote with her opinions on training in the industry. I know Debbee from a previous role and have enjoyed the training and personal development that she has a fantastic ability to...

Anite signs deal with Speed-trap.
October 7, 2005... ANITE Travel Systems and e-business intelligence company Speed-trap have signed a strategic partnership agreement that will see the two companies combine their products. The reservations systems supplier will include Speed-trap's Prophet...

Italy's film stars.
October 7, 2005... For movie buffs keen to go on location, Italy won't disappoint Report by juliet coombe Home to some of Europe's most compelling locations, the film industry has long drawn its inspiration from Italy. In fact, there's not much of...

Canada'sa winning choice.
October 7, 2005... Agent scoops trip to Montreal and Quebec in Travel Weekly competition Report by steve jones Four days in Quebec City, three in Montreal and a train journey linking two was the reward for travel agent Iain Wallace and wife Clare after...

Make time for a deluxecoffee break.
October 7, 2005... THE smells, textures and natural bounty of the Caribbean are the latest trend in beauty and spas. What could be a more invigorating way to start the day than with the Wake Up and Smell the Coffee Special at a Red Lane Spa at a Sandals...

Unlock your Island Beauty.
October 7, 2005... IF you're a former top model who now lives a laid-back Caribbean lifestyle, you would think there's not much effort required to look good. But according to India Hicks, who has been the face of designers such as Ralph Lauren, it's the...

Getaway to.
October 7, 2005... the Palm If you're after a girlie holiday with a stylish twist, why not head down to the new Coco Palm hotel in St Lucia? A glamorous party opened the hotel last week, on the island which is a favourite with celebrities from Charlotte...

A Caribbean Cocktail.
October 7, 2005... TW2 has decided to go completely Caribbean this month. Following on from the Caribbean Tourism Organisation's month dedicated to the destination, we're bringing you the hottest gossip and the latest trends from the islands. We've got...

Sabre restructures leisure division.
October 7, 2005... SABRE has restructured its European leisure division following the resignation of its head David Brown. The company has decided to give its European country bosses responsibility for leisure, scrapping the European-wide division which...

On course for success.
October 7, 2005... Travel Weekly's cruising roadshows proved to be a huge hit, with cruiselines advising agents on how to make the most out of selling cruising. Lee Hayhurst reports COMMISSION, discounting and theInternet were among the many themes...

Ultimate packages from Argo.
October 7, 2005... ARGOHolidays has launched a new Middle Eastern product, which it claims backs up its standing within the upmarket sector. The Ultimate Collection features a range of properties in the four, five and six-star categories across Dubai, Oman...

It's all Greek to me.
October 7, 2005... Supermarkets and television have played a major part in the shift in attitudes, making foreign foods more available for curious Brits. Waitrose, for example, recently unveiled a range of tapas and Greek dishes that customers might have...

A close shave for Thomas Cook.
October 7, 2005... FOURmembers of Thomas Cook's finance department have put their heads together to raise cash for the operator's chosen charity, the Variety Club of Great Britain. The gang here raised [pounds sterling]4,000 in sponsorship by shaving their...

ABTA test is a piece of cake.
October 7, 2005... AMID all the talkof agents being less than committed to making sure they pass their ABTA insurance exams comes a tale from the north of England that suggests otherwise. Christine Blocksidge, former regional chairman and owner of Taylor...

Rabbit out of a hat.
October 7, 2005... THE industry's mostwell-travelled bunny has finally returned home after months on holiday with Travel Weekly readers. Tanned and rejuvenated from travelling round the globe, the BCP Bunny is now back to work at BCP's London headquarters....

Come on, let's work together.
October 7, 2005... On the surface of it, the most exciting thing to happen at last week's Labour Party conference in Brighton was the ejection of an 82-year-old pensioner, who temporarily forgot his right to free speech would be withdrawn if he exercised it in a...

Air passenger levy ready for take-off.
October 7, 2005... Amendment to Civil Aviation Bill wins backing from another MP THEproposed [pounds sterling]1 air passenger levy is a step closer to becoming a reality after winning support from MPs. Brian Donohoe MP, a former member of the transport...

Join the Travolution.
October 7, 2005... The launch this week of Travolution, the new media brand for the online travel industry, marks a watershed in travel trade publishing. The title, owned by Travel Weekly parent Reed Business Information, will help make sense of online...

Indonesia urged to endorse Bali.
October 7, 2005... Embassy says tourism is 'not a priority' INDONESIA has been urged to do more to promote Bali as a holiday destination following last weekend's bomb attacks in tourist resorts. The bombs, which killed 19 people, happened just as...

s.o.s.
October 7, 2005... THE cruise industry is playing a waiting game over the fate of the largest UKindependent cruise agent, Cruise Control. As Travel Weekly went to press, attempts were being made to agree last-ditch rescue packages to save the Romford-based...

'About that stale sandwich..'.
October 28, 2005... The sandwich on last week's front page (Travel Weekly October 21) probably generated more intrigue than hard news. It certainly did in our Airtours Holidays offices as we sought to investigate which airline had provided the sandwich, and how...

After years of helping someone else make a fortune, I've decided to set up my own business. I would like to bring in a PR person to raise my company's profile, both in the trade and the regional press.
October 28, 2005... After years of helping someone else make a fortune, I've decided to set up my own business. I would like to bring in a PR person to raise my company's profile, both in the trade and the regional press. I can't afford the prices charged by some...

A fresh look at India.
October 28, 2005... Where? West coast, south of Bombay. Key selling points: miles of sandy beaches, good quality hotels and year-round sunshine, plus colourful, exotic markets and a mix of Portuguese and Asian cultures make this a top winter sun destination....

Andaman Islands.
October 28, 2005... Where? In the Bay of Bengal, 625 miles off the east coast. Key selling points: renowned as one of the best places in the world for snorkelling and scuba diving, the islands have deserted forests that are home to elephants, beaches and...

I work for a small, independent travel agency. We have just started to dynamically package holidays for our customers. In last week's issue of Travel Weekly (October 21) we were warned agents could face expensive legal bills if we are not aware of the liabilities we face if we move into operating.
October 28, 2005... I work for a small, independent travel agency. We have just started to dynamically package holidays for our customers. In last week's issue of Travel Weekly (October 21) we were warned agents could face expensive legal bills if we are not aware...

India's now a fare deal.
October 28, 2005... AIR fares from the UK to India are set to continue their downward spiral following a deal between the two countries to allow even more competition between airlines. Fares have already fallen by as much as 50% during the low season...

Rate hikes threaten future visitor growth.
October 28, 2005... ALMOST half a million Britons visited India last year, an increase of 12% over the previous year, but operators are concerned that a shortage of reasonably priced accommodation might put a brake on future growth. Premier Holidays head of...

Short breaks on rise.
October 28, 2005... INDIA is set to become the latest trendy destination for short breaks due to the rapidly increasing choice of flights from the UK. Cox and Kings has included short breaks to Mumbai and to Kanha National Park for next year, both of which are...

BCP and Galileo in GDSdeal.
October 28, 2005... AIRPORT car parking services will be available on a global distribution system for the first time next week following a deal between BCP and Galileo. BCP sales and marketing director Eric Campus said he couldn't understand why car parking...

Plenty of room at the inn.
October 28, 2005... I was the only guest in the 250-room Jacir Palace InterContinental in Bethlehem. The floors didn't squeak under any feet, there were no kids splashing in the outdoor pool and I had the vast breakfast buffet to myself. Since aggression...

Abu Dhabi looks to boost visitors.
October 28, 2005... ABU DHABI Tourism Authority has placed a representative in the UK for the first time as part of an attempt to increase its worldwide visitor numbers from fewer than one million last year, to more than three million within 10 years. The...

Somak makes its mark in Dubai.
October 28, 2005... Asia and Africa specialist Somak Holidays has opened an office in Dubai to get a foothold in the Middle East. General manager Rob Haynes said Dubai was "the next destination to get our teeth into". Somak already has offices in South...

DTCM sees rise in figures.
October 28, 2005... Almost a third more British holidaymakers visited Dubai during the first half of this year than in the same period last year, according to figures released by the emirate's Department of Tourism and Commerce and Marketing. Dubai hotels...

Arabian nights (and days).
October 28, 2005... Bartering in bazaars, whizzing through wadis or getting showered with sand on hair-raising dune drives... all of these are essential Middle Eastern experiences. So, which country should you send your clients to? What type of packages are...

Get ready to think pink.
October 28, 2005... ANEW law to be passed next month will allow gay marriages in the UK for the first time. However, couples could still find they are discriminated against on their honeymoon. The law, due to come into force on November 18, will mean...

Meet your money makers.
October 28, 2005... AGENTS are sitting on a wealth of untapped stag and hen bookings, according to Embassy Leisure Breaks. The UK operator is holding a series of hen and stag educationals for agents as it pushes its stag and hen night product. It says these...

Sea of change.
October 28, 2005... IDID set the alarm, but when you have to get up to get ready for a very special occasion, it's really not necessary. Or so I found. And that was despite a dawn arrival at Heathrow the previous day, from where I was flying to Copenhagen to join...

Leave all your worries behind.
October 28, 2005... GETTING married abroad is all the rage - even if you work in the travel trade. Travel Weekly found out why five industry newlyweds chose to tie the knot in the sun. Jetlife product director Paul Tilling married in the gardens of The...

Lapland a top choice.
October 28, 2005... WEDDING bookings to Lapland have trebled in the past year, according to Cosmos. The operator says it is already taking bookings for next December, and the destination has shot up its list of most-popular wedding destinations to fourth...

A convenient way to get wed.
October 28, 2005... WEDDING fairs can be a lucrative way for agents to pick up business, and not just from brides and grooms. As TravelWise retail director Rita Hunter found out at a fair earlier this month, there's arrangements to be made for stag and hen...

Marriage in the Mediterranean.
October 28, 2005... WEDDING and honeymoon operators are increasing capacity into Turkey, Greece and Cyprus for next summer as the locations rise in popularity. Sovereign has launched the new wedding destinations of Turkey and Cephalonia, in Greece, for summer...

BA looks to the future.
October 28, 2005... BRITISHAirways is expected to consolidate its non-Heathrow short-haul operations undera new name by the end ofthe year. Although the airline refused to reveal exact details, industry insiders have said the carrier wants to merge its...

New guides to make Belgium a tasty option.
October 28, 2005... THOUSANDS of travel agents are to receive the new guide produced by the Belgium Tourist Office in the next couple of weeks. The BTO, looking after Brussels and Wallonia, will be publishing its guide Brussels and Wallonia: it's Fun in...

Dutch drive city product.
October 28, 2005... THE Netherlands Board of Tourism and Conventions is to carry out agent training next year. The trade drive is part of its first public relations campaign in five years. The campaign will focus on the NBTC's city-break programme,...

Seeing the big picture.
October 28, 2005... LEGEND has it Dutch artist Rembrandt was so tight, his students used to paint gold coins on the floors of the studio and laugh when their master tried to pick up the money. Fast-forward almost four centuries and far from being a joke, just...

Are they on the A list?
October 28, 2005... IF you want to book your client a wedding with the glamour and pzazz of an A-list celebrity bash, why not do as the stars do. Travel Weekly gets the lowdown on the hottest celebrity spots for tying the knot. Turks and Caicos Star...

Under starter's orders.
October 28, 2005... Doha's tourist industry is poised for action as Qatar prepares to host the 2006 Asian Games in December 2006. Qatar is already a recognised destination in the sports, education and MICE sectors and has hosted the Islamic Conference Summit...

Gold Medal calls on Holiday Wizard.
October 28, 2005... GOLD Medal Travel is introducing a raft of new measures to its website in a move that will see the phasing out of Hotelbank. The legacy system, which was launched in 1992, will disappear by the end of the year after being superceded by the...

Caught in the Act?
October 28, 2005... Made any arrangements for the staff Christmas party yet? Or were you too busy rushing out to get a member of staff's birthday card and gift? As an employer, you might want to think very hard before doing either of the above following the...

Tallinn added for 2006.
October 28, 2005... THOMAS Cook Signature has added Tallinn to its 2006 Cities and Short-Breaks programme following increased demand from customers. Despite strong early bookings seeing the Estonian capital 15% up in passenger numbers and 25% up in turnover,...

CTO urged to turn up heatfor winter sales.
October 28, 2005... AGENTS have appealed to the Cyprus Tourism Organisation to work closely with the trade if it wants to promote the country as a winter sun destination. The CTO should provide retailers with promotional material rather than advertise direct...

Wedding market warms up in Cyprus.
October 28, 2005... AGENTS are gearing up to sell more weddings in Cyprus. They said the country provides a huge choice of different weddings and a fairly simple legal system to negotiate. However, agents said more needs to be done to make the public aware of...

Win two flights and head Down Under.
October 28, 2005... THOMSON is offering one lucky Travel Weekly reader two free flights to Australia. The flights are on Thomson's new charter services to Perth or Sydney, which starts next month. The service has been launched to coincide with the operator's...

Concern over climbing prices.
October 28, 2005... PRICE increases could slow Cyprus' expanding market as concerns grow over value for money, agents have warned. Personal Travel Advisors travel advisor Carol Nelson said prices had gone up with the country's entry into the European Union....

Job shop is Vital to recruitment.
October 28, 2005... A former travel agent has helped to set up dedicated travel trade recruitment firm - Vital Travel. Recruitment consultant and former Travel World agent Sean Peloe is behind the launch. The firm has only been up and running for four...

Operator celebrates 150 years.
October 28, 2005... THOMAS Cook celebrated the 150th anniversary of its first European package with a special trip for 20 passengers, departing last week. The group set off from London Waterloo to Paris with Eurostar and will take in Florence, Rome and Monte...

'Tough action needed'.
October 28, 2005... TRAVEL industry bosses should be made criminally liable when their companies fail to cater for the needs of disabled people. The tough action is just one of the topics to be discussed at a free session about disabled rights - Customer...

Western Aussie Specialists top 731.
October 28, 2005... More than 700 UK agents have now passed the Tourism Western Australia online learning programme - part of Tourism Australia's online training scheme. Once an agent has qualified as an Aussie Specialist, they can continue learning about the...

Sunvil targets 25% growth for Azores programme.
October 28, 2005... SUNVIL Holidays is aiming for 25% growth in its Azores programme next summer. Managing director Noel Josephides said much of this would be achieved through a 50% growth in capacity on weekly direct flights departing from Gatwick for the...

Thomas Cook beats off the winter blues.
October 28, 2005... THOMASCook is bucking the market trend in sales of package and charter flights for this winter. Director of product and publishing Tony Hopkins said although the overall market is 6% down, Thomas Cook's sales are on a par with last year....

Style looks south for sales.
October 28, 2005... VILLA specialist Style Holidays has launched a bid to increase sales through travel agents in the south of England. Style has historically enjoyed better sales through agents in the north of England and Scotland. Of its trade sales, around...

Virtue is its own award.
October 28, 2005... WE'VE all been to industry awards nights where 60 awards later, diners are only just getting their prawn cocktails. Awards hosts appear unable to resist the compulsion to hand out gongs to every supplier, customer or water-cooler delivery...

BA payment rule cuts commission.
October 28, 2005... Has anyone else experienced the problem I had trying to book some British Airways flights to Accra via its dedicated agents' trade fare website? Availability has been checked, all names given and I think we are proceeding through to the...

A welcome gesture from Thomas Cook.
October 28, 2005... I would just like to say a big thank you to the staff at Thomas Cook customer services department who have really gone the extra mile for one of our clients. After several recent 'like it or lump it' encounters with one of the major tour...

ABTA works for all of us.
October 28, 2005... On the Letters page of Travel Weekly (October 21), concerning the failure of Cruise Control, Chris Bailey suggests that if ABTA asked for a levy to recover funds used to keep its faith with the consumer, it would be "adding insult to injury"....

Let's get behind Bali.
October 28, 2005... Some of your readers may remember me. I used to work in agency sales with Abercrombie and Kent for quite a few years and also helped start up Cosmos' Distant Dreams programme in 1999. For the last four years, I have been living in Bali as...