Travel Weekly (UK) articles from September 2004

Travel Weekly (UK) archives from September 2004

World weather.
September 10, 2004... key c=cloudy; dr=drizzle; f=fair; fg=fog; r=rain; sh=showers; th=thunder; sn=snow; s=sunny midday readings*****[degrees]F****[degrees]C Alicante****f****88****31 Amsterdam****s****77****25 Athens****s****82****28 ...

Hot off the barbie.
September 10, 2004... The Manchester C&M Travel Recruitment team held a barbecue for its clients at the Rain Bar, Manchester Party animals, from left, Jo Broadhurst and Sam Charles, Air Miles; Audrey Thomson, C&M Recruitment; Kevin Fitzpatrick and Emma Peters,...

Coleman delivers.
September 10, 2004... Austrian Airlines invited radio DJ Jono Coleman from Heart 106.2FM to a travel trade summer party at the Westminster Boating Base. Prizes included tickets to Shanghai, Innsbruck and Bratislava The balloon goes up for, from left, Adam Wills,...

sample; product.
September 10, 2004... Greaves Travel has a nine-night trip on the Deccan Odyssey, starting at [pounds sterling]2,450 including most meals and flights. Trans Indus runs a 16-day India by Rail trip, taking in Calcutta, Darjeeling, Varanasi, Agra, Shimla and Delhi,...

there's no escape from the mystery shopper In association with.
September 10, 2004... The target Watford wanted A weekend in Scandinavia Going Places 136a Harlequin Centre When I first visited this agency there was only one consultant serving and she was engaged with a client. After waiting what...

luxury alternatives.
September 10, 2004... Travel Weekly suggests some worldwide luxury rail product ideas: Scotland The Royal Scotsman has a selection of luxury packages, ranging from one night to seven, with a number of specialist programmes including golf, gardens and whisky...

Rocky ride will take your breath away.
September 10, 2004... Luxury rail journeys should never be confused with regular train travel. These trips are usually a holiday in themselves, as Travel Weekly found out on a recent rail journey through Canada's Rocky Mountains For most of us in the UK, rail...

ABTA tries its best.
September 10, 2004... Contrary to David Speakman's comments (Travel Weekly September 3), there is nothing inadequate about the bonding ABTA provides. The problem is a lack of comprehensive consumer protection to cover unbonded travel arrangements - something ABTA...

Chinese burn.
September 10, 2004... Regular Columnist Fiona Jeffery WITH the Athens Olympic Games still fresh in our memories, I am limbering up for another event - star-gazing. The 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing will help launch China into a new orbit unprecedented...

Northern exposure.
September 10, 2004... Scandinavian tourist boards are linking up with tour operators to increase visitor interest through marketing campaigns The Swedish Travel and Tourism Council aims to stretch its marketing budget further this year by engaging in more joint...

news in brief.
September 10, 2004... three-for-two offer Superbreak is offering three nights in Copenhagen for the price of two, based on accommodation at the three-star Le Meridien Mermaid Hotel, until the end of September. Prices start at [pounds sterling]42 per person per...

An ice place for the winter.
September 10, 2004... Do your clients want to combine skiing with other winter holiday activities? Scandinavia could provide the answer Scandinavia is growing rapidly as a ski destination, even though its resorts can't match the Alps in terms of variety and...

sample product.
September 10, 2004... Inghams offers a choice of accommodation in Ruka, Finland, close to the Russian border, for the first time this winter, with prices from [pounds sterling]342 for seven nights' room-only in the Kelokivakka log cabins, based on charter flights...

Cities break with tradition.
September 10, 2004... The increasingly popular Scandinavian cities offer some unusual short-break alternatives Scandinavian cities might not be among the top 10 (or even 20) short-break destinations, but they are attracting a growing band of followers who are...

Serbian history on track.
September 10, 2004... THE National Tourism Organisation of Serbia is running fam trips to the new Sargan Eight railway to encourage operators to include the historic train ride in their brochures. The railway, built in the 1920s, fell into the hands of Tito...

24; hours in Adelaide.
September 10, 2004... Australia's City of Churches offers a green and pleasant experience, says Ross Bentley Ask anyone from Adelaide about the history of their city and they will proudly inform you it was Australia's first free settlement. Shortly after it...

Star attraction.
September 10, 2004... COACH holiday operator Wallace Arnold is offering Eurostar travel to the Continent for the first time in its 2005 Europe and Long Haul programme, launched this week. Four itineraries have been created that use Eurostar travel from Waterloo...

Rail cruise Australia.
September 10, 2004... TRAVEL 2 is introducing rail cruising on the Australian Ozback Explorer to its 2005 200 Ways programme, scheduled for launch in November. The trade-only specialist will feature Ozback Explorer's 19-day tour from Sydney to Darwin,...

also in the region.
September 10, 2004... The Canadian Rockies offer some great add-on opportunities.Travel Weekly has some suggestions for your clients: Fly fishing: the Rockies has some of the world's best fly fishing, particularly the Crowsnest Pass and Canmore areas. ...

Upping the stakes for a good year.
September 10, 2004... Next year is being tipped as a period of recovery for the US - and operators have responded with extra capacity, new product and keen prices Aggressive pricing will remain the norm next year if the latest raft of US brochures is anything...

sample; product.
September 10, 2004... North America Travel Service offers a 14-night Heritage Highway Flydrive, taking in Philadelphia, Amish Country, Gettysburg, Pittsburgh, Charleston, Charlottesville, Williamsburg, Washington and Baltimore. It leads in at [pounds sterling]1,085...

Power in the Union.
September 10, 2004... If your clients are keen on US history, the Gettysburg battlefield will offer a memorable experience LOOKING across the rolling fields and picture-perfect farms of rural Pennsylvania, it is hard to imagine the bloody carnage that made...

Cowboy country.
September 10, 2004... Head to Texas, saddle up and learn how to reel 'em in The Cowboy Capital of the World is how the locals proclaim Bandera, which is nestled at the heart of the bucolic Texas Hill Country. Texans are prone to boasting about their biggest and...

sample; product.
September 10, 2004... America As You Like It offers seven nights at the Dixie Dude Ranch from [pounds sterling]1,029 per person, twin-share. The price includes flights, car hire, all taxes, full-board accommodation and daily trail rides. Ranch America offers...

Red Centre puts Alice in wonderland.
September 10, 2004... Camels and Uluru are among the sights that make central Australia special You can lead a horse to water, and in Alice Springs you can also Ride a Camel to Dinner. That is the name of a popular evening out run by Frontier Camel Tours, which...

sample; product.
September 10, 2004... Thomson offers a four-day Red Centre Explorer self-drive package, taking in Alice Springs, Uluru and Kings Canyon, from [pounds sterling]175 per person twin-share including three nights' standard accommodation. Kuoni offers a one-day Alice...

Sell more of the Eastern Seaboard.
September 10, 2004... States along the East Coast offer plenty of variety A visit to the Eastern Seaboard states is a great alternative to the more-tried West Coast or Florida flydrive, and can incorporate a mix of north and south. Here are some examples. ...

Oh Carolina.
September 10, 2004... Famous in the US for its autumn colours, beautiful beaches and snow-capped mountains, North Carolina, on the Eastern Seaboard, seems to have it all. But for the UK market it is still a relatively untapped destination, well known for its...

Shares won't Heal the World.
September 10, 2004... As one of Keith Wilson's few 'noisy children' (Travel Weekly September 3) who was against the Worldchoice shareholder value scheme, I am not surprised by his and Colin Heal's arrogance in claiming it is a success. So a dividend has been...

Don't be late to catch the Ghan.
September 10, 2004... Big demand for seats on historic railway linking Darwin, Alice and Adelaide Agents keen to get their clients on the Ghan railway from Alice Springs to Darwin have been urged to book early and be flexible with dates. With only one...

A taste of real India.
September 10, 2004... The country's vast rail network offers a good insight into its regions WITH more than 40,000 miles of track, India's vast rail network could run round the Earth twice. What began in 1853 with the first rail journey between Bombay and...

Bag the bargain hunters.
September 10, 2004... Report by matthew hampton The weak dollar means shopping is now one of the main reasons for tripping across the Atlantic From the outstretched arm of the Statue of Liberty to the mighty redwoods of Yosemite National Park, the US has...

top shopping locations.
September 10, 2004... Orlando: seven nights at the four-star Crowne Plaza on International Drive lead in at [pounds sterling]569 with Virgin, including flights. Key stores include the upmarket Millennium Mall. For discounts, try the Orlando Premium Outlets. New...

shopper's world.
September 10, 2004... there are 120 stores to cover." I took heed and headed for the Levi's outlet, where I learnt that 'relaxed' and 'easy' are two words you'll never need in the US if you're an average build - that is unless you're planning a future in an MC...

Just one Cornetto...
September 10, 2004... Citalia CITALIA'S new 2005 Italy brochure is encouraging flexible-duration bookings with no-frills flights and a substantially expanded scheduled flight range. Prices have also come down on average by 5% - in some cases as much as 20%. ...

'Prepare for boom in luxury travel sector'.
September 10, 2004... AGENTScould lose out on the emerging luxury travel market by not being prepared to seize new business, according to Silversea director of planning Brian Hordon. Speaking at an agent training seminar, he warned the trade may miss out on...

What's new Down Under?
September 10, 2004... Tourism Australia's Judy Watkins gives agents thelowdown on forthcoming activities It's been a busy year for Tourism Australia general manager Judy Watkins. The former general manager for Qantas at Sydney Airport joined Tourism Australia...

Training push for next year.
September 10, 2004... SILVERSEA is launching a secondary agent training scheme next year. Called the Silversea Cruise Clinic, it is designed to help cruise specialists close the sale. Around 20 roadshows are planned for next year. Director of planning and...

vox pop.
September 10, 2004... "I've learnt about the needs of ultra luxury cruise customers - people want something new and want to feel privileged. I've also learnt about the marketing side of cruises and how to go out and find it in your area." Sue Osborne, senior...

selling points.
September 10, 2004... Silversea offers: New market opportunities: 40% of UK Silversea customers have never experienced a cruise before. Guest satisfaction: 60% of guests book again within 12 months. Spacious surroundings: one of the biggest...

news in brief.
September 10, 2004... training roadshow Tourism Australia is holding an agents' training roadshow in Belfast on September 23. Suppliers and operators will attend and there will be a chance to win a place on a fam trip to Australia. To register, e-mail Renee...

Let's Trek Oz boost.
September 10, 2004... First Choice has bought specialist operator Let's Trek Australia. The company will join the multiple's soft adventure division, which already includes TrekAmerica, Footloose, Waymark and Exodus. Agents should deal with TrekAmerica,...

Choice prizes.
September 10, 2004... Stockport's Co-op Travel agent Chariss Worthington snapped up the top prize in First Choice's competition to test the trade's knowledge of its new long-haul airline service. First Choice regional sales manager Carmel Alexander said the...

Radius in global Amadeus tie-up.
September 10, 2004... BUSINESS travel consortium Radius has signed a deal with Amadeus to use the global distribution system on multinational accounts shared by members. The deal means Radius' global accounts that are shared by different travel management...

Cheers to Cosmos.
September 10, 2004... Coaching specialist Cosmos Tourama handed over a fridge full of goodies to the latest winners of its Fill Your Fridge competition. Agents had to answer questions on the new Tourama America, Canada and Beyond brochure. The winning branch was...

'We will sort out clients' problems'.
September 10, 2004... ACCOMMODATION-ONLY supplier Seligo has moved to reassure the trade following the failure of Travelscene's Citibedz.com. Accommodation-only managing director Diane Mosson said Seligo aimed to excel in customer service and had the same values...

Seligo to capitalise on forward bookings.
September 10, 2004... Brochure launched four months early SELIGO has launched its accommodation-only brochure four months early and introduced five new destinations to capitalise on early bookings. Accommodation-only managing director Diane Mosson said the...

Direct move defended.
September 10, 2004... FIRST Choice has defended its decision to include an advert promoting direct bookings in literature produced for agents to give to holidaymakers. Agents are asked to give holidaymakers the Holiday Hints booklet with their tickets. ...

Clients demand to know the alternative.
September 10, 2004... Operators to Australia are reporting a rise in demand for holidays away from traditional favourites such as Sydney, the Great Barrier Reef and Uluru. Kuoni product manager for Australasia Vicky Skehan said: "We have noticed an increase in...

WTM's silver celebration.
September 10, 2004... WORLD Travel Market marks its first quarter-century this year - after facing a death sentence before it was born. It has defied bleak predictions that it couldn't exist and has overcome obstacles ranging from labour disputes to terrorist...

Crystal Ski offers self-study training.
September 10, 2004... CRYSTAL Ski has produced self-study guides for agents to collect to put together a full training pack. The guides are being delivered to the trade once a fortnight, with seven due to arrive before the end of October. With each pack a copy...

QE2 world cruise goes on sale early.
September 10, 2004... THEQE2 2006 world cruise is to go on sale early thanks to a thriving world cruise sector, according to Cunard. The 109-night voyage will be on sale from October 1 instead of its usual January launch to capitalise on demand. Cunard currently...

Fred Olsen regional push.
September 10, 2004... FRED Olsen Cruise Lines has boosted its regional departures, aiming to make Liverpool the home port of its flagship Black Prince by 2006. UK departure ports in the operator's new 2005/06 worldwide brochure include Belfast, Southampton,...

l in brief.
September 10, 2004... NCL agent giveaway Norwegian Cruise Line is offering agents the chance to win their own tailor-made two-night UK stay. Agents can design their own break to promote the launch of the cruise brand's new 2005 brochure out this month. ...

Fond memories of Diana.
September 10, 2004... Leonard Pearcey has worked at every one of the 25 World Travel Markets, orchestrating stage productions. He recalled the end of the very first WTM, at Olympia, which had been blighted by criticism from a sceptical industry before it...

Big and bald is beautiful.
September 10, 2004... Ladies, let's take a quick poll. Hair or no hair, don't you think George Clooney is gorgeous? And if you happened to spot him on his latest film set in Casablanca looking a little tubby, would you not still get a little tingly at his presence?...

Our scheme has the Advantage.
September 10, 2004... ITwas reported that Advantage plans to adopt a similar shareholding scheme to Worldchoice (Travel Weekly September 3). This is not the case. The Worldchoice scheme allows members to use the depth of their pockets to buy shares and, in so...

Haven in parks image overhaul.
September 10, 2004... HAVEN Europe is rebranding its owned parks in France to differentiate them from its franchised parks. Although the Haven Europe name remains, all eight owned parks will be rebranded over the winter under the name Siblu (pronounced 'sea...

news in brief.
September 10, 2004... Visit Florida kicks off uk sales mission Visit Florida is hosting a UK sales mission next week with training for agents at Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham. Spaces are still available for seminars on September 13th, 15th and 16th, with...

Simply the best.
September 10, 2004... What does it take to get to the top as a travel agent? We asked Gary Warhurst and Denise Jones - both winners of the prestigious Agent Achievement Awards DURING the Olympic Games, Gary Warhurst kicked off his...

l in brief.
September 10, 2004... Sabre to reward car booking loyalty Sabre has launched a car booking loyalty programme with reward points redeemable at John Lewis stores. The programme applies to all car rental companies and hire rates. During September all bookings made...

New York goes beyond city limit.
September 10, 2004... UK representative to raise profile of state's appeal office in the UK to boost its profile. New York State Division of Tourism international marketing director Markly Wilson said the state had tremendous potential for short breaks from...

Leger boosts offering.
September 10, 2004... Eastern Europe, coaching and Battlefield product expanded LEGER Holidays has added Estonia and Romania to its 2005 Discover Europe programme, extended its Silver Service coach tours and upped capacity on its Battlefield tours following...

l in brief.
September 10, 2004... VisitBritain targets Japanese tourists VisitBritain is leading a 29-strong travel industry delegation to Japan to boost incoming tourism. Visitors from Japan generate [pounds sterling]871 per visit for the British economy, compared with...

Expedia bolsters UK profile.
September 10, 2004... EXPEDIA is hoping its acquisition of travel management company World Travel Management will jump-start its entry into the UK market. Both Expedia Corporate Travel Europe president Jean-Pierre Remy and World Travel Management managing...

Managing just fine.
September 10, 2004... Thomas Cook has reintroduced its special training programme for managers. Juliet Dennis reports COMPANY training schemes in the trade often appear to focus solely on induction schemes for new entrants at the bottom rung of the ladder. ...

Training revamp at Thomas Cook.
September 10, 2004... EXPERIENCED sales staff will be recruited to train new travel agents across Thomas Cook's retail network from November 1. The travel giant is relaunching its retail induction training following a company-wide review, at the same time as...

on the move.
September 10, 2004... James Howard has joined Aon Travel, Aon's specialist travel insurance broking unit, as account manager. He has more than nine years' experience in the pensions, consulting and insurance industries, working within Aon Consulting in Manchester...

Tough times for Avis.
September 10, 2004... AVISEurope has said trading conditions will remain difficult for 2005, as it reports continuing pressure on pricing. The firm announced in its interim results last week a 24% decline in pre-tax profits to 10.6 million euros for the six...

BA payout is unbelievable.
September 10, 2004... I read with interest your article regarding British Airways' ticket giveaway to staff (Travel Weekly September 3). As a BA employee (senior cabin crew), I am disgusted and amazed by our management's decision to offer two tickets per person...

Whitbread asset sale.
September 10, 2004... WHITBREAD is considering selling off assets from its Marriott business as part of a strategic review, it has been reported. The company, which is due to report the results of the review next month, is said to be considering the move to...

NX card is too good to be Roo.
September 10, 2004... BEFORE landing a Wayne Rooney-style transfer to Travel Weekly, last resort could often be seen scrounging a lift from our pals. Or walking. Or even getting the bus. So we know only too well what it's like not to have a car when you need to...

Oh dear, John has a bout of foot in mouth.
September 10, 2004... SOMETIMES, the things you write come back to haunt you. It's something last resort knows only too well. So maybe it's wrong to be too smug about a piece in last month's ABTAMagazine from John 'the now ex-president' Harding. There's...

have you got what it takes?
September 10, 2004... THE annual Agent Achievement Awards - run by Kingley Event Management and supported by Travel Weekly - is recognised as the trade's biggest and best event for grass-roots retail staff. The top prizes each year recognise the successes of the...

l in brief.
September 10, 2004... Supplement moveThomson has scrapped single supplements on selected properties on departures in September and October. A promotional leaflet for the trade has gone out this week featuring properties across 70 hotels and apartments. Resorts...

Help me get back to work.
September 10, 2004... In May last year, it became clear the weakness of sterling against the euro was having a serious effect on the performance of the company I worked for, which had never properly recovered following September 11 2001. I decided to seek...

'Embrace over-50s'.
September 10, 2004... WALLACE Arnold is launching its biggest-ever marketing campaign after revamping its product as a result of in-depth research into the mature market. The coach specialist has acted on information collected from 50,000 responses to...

trade reaction.
September 10, 2004... "Expedia has low transaction costs, but it is having to move into an area that is about people. Travel management companies are good at managing large numbers of staff, who are doing difficult things frequently and efficiently." Richard...

Success on sails.
September 10, 2004... TO celebrate the recent Olympic sailing success and the Southampton Boat Show, which starts today, Sunsail is showing off its dinghies in First Choice Holiday Hypermarkets and Travel Shops. Pictured, from left, are Louise Flather and Caroline...

quote me happy.
September 10, 2004... Being a good boss is more than just having a team of happy workers. But Denise and Gary must be doing something right, if the comments of theirco-workers are anything to go by. "Denise is determined. She has got definite goals and knows...

key results of the operator's research.
September 10, 2004... n Mature customers believe travel agents are more interested in the younger and family sectors of the market. Quality and service are more important to the over-50s than price. Mature customers take an average of six holidays a year....

Out with the old, in with the new.
September 10, 2004... I believe the strategy sub-committee is right to be examining ABTA's future and I wish Steven Freudmann every success in the forthcoming interim presidential election - his reported manifesto calling for a radical overhaul is long overdue. ...

Undercover film blows whistle on Manchester.
September 10, 2004... MANCHESTER Airport has vowed to immediately rectify any breaches in its security procedures, following a BBC investigation. An undercover BBC film, broadcast on Tuesday evening, said it found "shocking security lapses" at the airport. The...

Caribbean in chaos as hurricane hits.
September 10, 2004... Airlines delay flights as tropical storm takes hold THE Caribbean has been hit by weather chaos as category four Hurricane Ivan struck, following on the heels of Hurricane Frances which has caused billions of pounds of damage in Florida....