Travel Bulletin 10th August 2012

Operators launchnew tour options as

Kenya welcomeswildebeest migration

East Africa

August 10 2012 | ISSUE NO 1,790 | www.travelbulletin.co.uk

brainstorm bulletinagents offer their tipson how to get clientsto book

middle eastoperators launch newbrochures,destinations & tours

cruisingnew cruise passengerterminal welcomesvisitors to Malaga

10 2513this week

christmas marketsnew destinations, cruises &tours as operators expandtheir programmes

22

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COOKING UP A TREAT...on a five-day fam trip to South West Mauritius, hosted by Heritage Resorts and British Airways,are from the left: Michael Sugden, Gold Medal; Kris Roberts, Quartz Travel; Lynsey Smith, Bath Travel; Lynsey McKinstry,Heritage Resorts; Karen Flood, Travelbag; Lucy Wesley, British Airways; Maria Foxwell, Travel Counsellors; CarolineLumley, Lets Go 2; and Darren Varnum, Escape Worldwide.

This Week

3 newsa round-up of the latestindustry updates, news &developments

8 notes from normantonfind out what the owner ofSandy Travel has been up tolately

9 agent bulletinearn up to £150 in shoppingvouchers with PremierHolidays

10 brainstorm bulletinagents offer their tips onhow to get clients to book

11 puzzle bulletinyou could win a £50 HotelChocolat voucher in theprize Su Doku puzzle

14 personality bulletinwhich MD says he'd like todon an Iron Man suit?

15 middle eastoperators launch newbrochures, destinations &tours

19 east africaoperators launch new touroptions as Kenya welcomeswildebeest migration

22 xmas marketsoperators expand brochureswith new destinations,cruises & tours

25 cruisingnew cruise passengerterminal welcomes visitorsto Malaga

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newsbulletin

GRANDPARENTS AREincreasingly setting off onholiday during the busierweekend periods,debunking the trend formid-week departures,according to Shearings,which reports a 43% risein bookings for weekendbreaks in the last fiveyears, representing anincrease of nearly a fifth inthe proportion ofbookings.

Key weekend hotspotsfor the over 55s includeWhitby, Llandudno andTorquay. The operatorbelieves the increase canbe linked to anincreasingly busy andactive older generation,who are working forlonger and also often takeon major childcareresponsibilities forgrandchildren, whileparents work during theweek.

The company'scommercial director,Caroline Brown, said: “It’sestimated that

grandparents save parents£1,800 a year in freechildcare, but this alsomeans that for many over55s, they may have to alsofit their holidayarrangements aroundthese responsibilities.Combine this with thenumber of older peoplewho continue to workduring the week, and it’sclear to see that weekendsbecome a very precioustime to get away for awell-deserved break.

“We’ve seen theproportion of weekendbookings increase steadilyover the past five years,with many of ourcustomers choosingconvenient self-drivebreaks to some of our besthotels across the UK.

“It’s a trend that weexpect to continue asgrandparents look tojuggle childcare, work andleisure time while keepingcosts affordable.”

The operator's latestUK weekend breaks can be

found in its recentlylaunched autumn andwinter brochure.

British weekend breaksinclude Party Weekends,which have beenreintroduced to the2012/13 programme due todemand from customers.The four-day half-boardbreaks stay in theoperator's Bay hotels andinclude four free drinksand a gala dinner on theSaturday. The holidaysdepart in January andFebruary and lead in at£89 per person.

The brochure alsoincludes a range ofescorted tours and rivercruises across the UK andEurope, including thecompany's Christmas andNew Year holidays. A 10%discount is offered onbookings made by July 31,as well as an additional£10 saving per couple whobook two or more holidaysat the same time. For more information visitwww.shearings.com

'Over 55s living for the weekend' according to Shearings


MARK WARNER has extended its partnership with BritishAirways in signing an agreement which will see the airlineoperate 65% of the operator’s Heathrow and Gatwick charterflights into Grenoble, Geneva and Friedrichafen for the2012/13 ski season.

It is also confirmed that Monarch will operate an additionalGatwick flight in addition to its existing Birmingham servicefor the operator, whilst Jet2 will operate the company'scharter service from Manchester.

Meanwhile, after a successful couple of seasons operatinginto Grenoble airport for Val d’Isere, Tignes and Les DeuxAlpes, the operator is moving all flights serving its Frenchresorts to Grenoble for winter 2012/2013 allowing fastertransfer time and improved customer experience. For bookings or more information call 0844-273 6826.

TRAVEL ALBERTA has announced three new packages availablewith tour operators, Canadian Sky and Powder Byrne. Workingwith Brewster Travel Canada, the packages showcase thediversity of Alberta experiences and adventures available for allages, and are part of Travel Alberta’s ongoing aim to introducenew product to the UK market through the travel trade.

The packages include Canadian Sky's Rockies & AuroraBorealis option- a nine-night break which leads in at £1,899

per person including flights, accommodation and transfers;Canadian Sky's Special Places of Alberta, a ten-night optioncosting from £1,499 per person including flights,accommodation and specific activities; and Powder Byrne'sSpectacular Canadian Rockies, a ten-day itinerary that costsfrom £4,375. For more information visit www.travelalberta.com,www.canadiansky.co.uk and www.powderbyrne.com

Travel Alberta announces new packages with Canadian Sky & Powder Byrne

MW introduces BA flights to winter programme

www.travelbulletin.co.ukAugust 10 20124

newsbulletin

KARTING AROUND....Alitalia held its fourth Go Karting event inGreenwich Docklands recently, which saw 18 travel agents takepart. Pictured are, Patrizia Gallo (seated) from EMEA with, fromthe left, the operator's Gianni Leone, Simone Scannella, SaadiaUsman and Marco Carnevale.

Newsbites● KUONI IS offering seven nights for the price of five at Six

Senses Samui, Thailand, with prices from £1,209 perperson. The deal offers a saving of £688 per couple andis based on two sharing a Hideaway Villa on a bed-and-breakfast basis. The price includes flights with ThaiAirways from Heathrow and private transfers. Bookingsmust be made by October 5. For details call 01306-747008 or visit www.kuoni.co.uk

● THE SIX star Constance Le Prince Maurice hotel inMauritius is undergoing an extensive refurbishment andis currently closed until September. As part of theupgrade, the company has announced that it is building anew wine cellar that will hold up to 15,000 bottles andwill be made accessible to guests. For details see www.princemaurice.com

● TRAVELPORT HAS launched Travelport Mobile Agentthrough its Developer Network, a mobile app whichenables Travelport-connected agencies to gain fullaccess to the Galileo platform directly on their mobiledevice. The app is available via Apple’s app store. Thecompany has also announced a continuation to its globalcontent agreement with Bulgaria Air. The agreementsees Galileo, Apollo and Worldspan connected travelagency customers across the globe continue to have fullaccess to Bulgaria Air’s published fares.

● ATTRACTION WORLD is now selling Up at the O2, anexhilarating climb to a central observation platform via a380m long fabric walkway suspended between the 02’sdistinctive yellow masts, 52m above ground level. Ticketscost £22 per person (aged ten years and above).

Mailings with Travel Bulletin this week include:● Variety Cruises - Small Ships – Great Cruises. Island hopping in

style on the deluxe mega- yachts of Variety Cruise. Cruise theGreek Isles, Turkey, Croatia, Western Mediterranean, plusexotic destinations including Cuba, The Seychelles and WestAfrica. www.seafarercruises.com 020-8324 3118

● COX & KINGS’ NEW FAR EAST 2013 BROCHURE With escortedsmall-group tours accompanied by expert guides, and tailor-made travel ideas to suit all budgets, you’ll find our holidays arevery much up to scratch. Reservations: 020-7873 5000.

Mailbox

For further details and special offers please read the mail shots that accompany this issue



newsbulletin

DECADE MADE...pictured marking Flybe's tenth anniversary sinceit launched operations from Leeds Bradford Airport is theairport's commercial director, Tony Hallwood (centre) with captainAndrew Robertson and senior cabin crew, Helena Hibbs.

Tweets of

the WeekWho’s saying what

on Twitter...

@vikingriveruk

Sit back and enjoy the everchanging scenery on aViking River Cruise -request a 2013 brochuretoday: http://bit.ly/M0F85P

@BritishAirways

Food tastes differently at30,000 feet. See your tastepreferences & how they’reimpacted by altitude:http://t.co/i3VD0vZF

@Butlins

We love these 50 things todo before you’re 11 ¾. Agreat way to keep yourkids entertained over thesummer hols...http://bit.ly/QpLdfZ :)

@richardbranson

Hopefully @VirginGalacticwill one day contribute ingetting people to Mars.After all, it is known as thered planet!

@eurolinesuk

If you are in Paris thismonth, check out theopen-air cinema festival@parcvillette 36 films forfree until Aug 26. Fares toParis from £58

Follow us on Twitter!http://twitter.com/

TravelBulletin

Friendship Travel adds new destinations for winter 2012/13FRIENDSHIP TRAVEL has added Cyprus and Australia to itsnew winter 2012/13 brochure for the first time. The company,which reports an increase in demand from singles seekingwintersun getaways, has added the four-star boutique-styleLouis King Jason Hotel in Paphos, along with an additionalhotel – the four-star Lanzarote Princess – to its porfolio in theCanaries.

Prices for a seven-night holiday in Cyprus, on a choice ofdates between October and March, lead in at £565 per personincluding flights, transfers, breakfast accommodation, fourdinners and the services of a travel host.

The company has also added a 15-day tour of Australia,taking in sights such as Uluru, the Sydney Opera House, theGreat Barrier Reef and Bondi Beach. Prices lead in at £4,175per person including flights from Heathrow, transfers, threeand four-star hotel accommodation - with sole occupancy of adouble or twin room, breakfast and selected lunches andexcursions.

Other ideas in the new programme include walking holidaysin the UK, city breaks in Madrid, Istanbul and Marrakech,cruising, long-haul options – such as Goa and the Caribbean –plus a range of Christmas ideas both at home and overseas.For more information call 0871-200 2035 or see www.friendshiptravel.com

GREAT SOUTHERN Rail, which operates TheGhan and Indian Pacific, has teamed up withBridge The World to offer a series ofpackages showcasing Australia’s beauty anddiversity, both on and off the rails.

As examples, a six-day ExceptionalKangaroo Island package starts off with atrip on the Indian Pacific through Sydney’sBlue Mountains and across outback BrokenHill into Adelaide and South Australia, whereguests spend three nights exploring the city.The final two days are spent on KangarooIsland, known as Australia’s fourth icon, forthe chance to see abundant bird life,dolphins, sea lions, kangaroos, koalas,wallabies and penguins. Prices lead in at

£1,900 for a Gold Service cabin on the IndianPacific, two days touring on Kangaroo Islandwith accommodation, flights from Adelaideand three night’s accommodation inAdelaide.

A five-day Flinders Ranges Adventureoffers guests the chance to see the FlindersRanges, as well as the Katherine Gorge,Alice Springs and Adelaide, whilst travellingon The Ghan from Darwin to Port Augusta,with prices leading in at £2,258 per person.Both prices exclude international flights. For more information visitwww.greatsouthernrail.com.au andwww.bridgetheworld.com or call 0871-781 2959.

GSR teams with Bridge The World to offer new packages Down Under

S02 TB1008 News 1_Layout 1 08/08/2012 10:34 Page 5

Balkan offers breaks to Istria from Newcastle BALKAN HOLIDAYS is offering holidays from Newcastle toPula on Croatia’s Istrian peninsula this summer.

The operator is featuring seven- and 14-night holidays inthe Adriatic resorts of Rovinj, Porec, Vrsar and also Pula,utilising the new Jet 2 service, departing every Tuesday untilthe end of this month.

A wide range of accommodation is available, ranging fromfour-star hotels to self-catering apartments, and a seven-night break in a self-catering apartment in Porec costs fromaround £460 per person, which includes accommodation,flights and transfers.

Holidaymakers flying from Newcastle to Istria can alsocombine their break with a twin-centre holiday in Slovenia.They can also fly to Dubrovnik and have the option of a twin-centre break with Montenegro. For more information or to book visitwww.balkanholidays.co.uk/agents or call 0845-130 1114.

Rovinj

newsbulletin

Letter to the Editor

Dear Lauretta,

I read with interest Sandy Murray’s comments

about Crete in her column (Notes from Normanton

- July 6) as I have just returned from my first

holiday in Crete.

Sandy, as a Cyprus and Greece and Her Islands

specialist tour operator, and with a bias for my

native Cyprus, I have to admit how pleasant it was

in Crete to rediscover a lifestyle reminiscent of

Cyprus years ago. We stayed at the fabulous five-

star Aldemar Royal Mare in Anissaras on the

outskirts of Heraklion, and enjoyed this hotel's

easy access from the airport and superb modern

facilities. It was also fantastic for families with

children of all ages.

As a result we will be developing a specialist

programme to Crete, and we will keep you

advised.

Perhaps your next visit to Crete could be with

Cyplon Holidays and I am sure that Aldemar Hotels

& Spa would be equally delighted to host you!

Tass Anastasi, Sales & Marketing Director, Cyplon


MIKE THE Knight, the new character forHIT Entertainment, is now performing inhis own show ‘Mike the Knight and theRoyal performance’ at all three Butlinsresorts.

Mike is an energetic and adventurousyoung knight-in-training with a passionfor helping others and a desire to be thebest knight he can be. Mike discovers thepower of responsibility when he is put incharge of helping Queen Martha protect

the Kingdom of Glendragon whilst hisfather the King is away.

The 20-minute show will appear on allmidweek breaks at Bognor, Minehead andSkegness resorts for the rest of the year.

Agents can earn a £5 Love2Shopvoucher for every Butlins, Haven andWarner Leisure Hotels booking made byAugust 31. For more information visitwww.bourneleisuresales.co.uk

Cosmos adds new Lapland resort with two itinerariesCOSMOS HAS launched its second edition Lapland brochure with the new resort of Olosfeaturing a new itinerary ‘Santa’s Tinsel Trail’, as well as a new Santa’s Post Office experience inthe existing resort of Levi Fell.

The Santa's Tinsel Trail package is available for three-, four- and five-night stays fromGatwick and Manchester with hotel or traditional log cabin accommodation. The trips include atreasure hunt where guests take part in the extended activities whilst looking for clues left bythe elves, as well as a private meeting with Santa and a trip to the post office.

Early booking offers include a low deposit of £99 per person on all bookings made beforeSeptember 30. An introductory first child price of £199 per person on the Santa’s Tinsel Trail isalso available, as well as a further £100 per child off on both featured itineraries (conditionsapply). Other included benefits are a free kids' club, free soft drinks at mealtimes and freeentrance per stay to the amazing Spa water world for guests at the Hotel Levitunturi, Levi Fell.

A three-night ‘Ready, Steady, Snow’ trip leads in at £699 per adult and £599 per child anddepartures are available throughout December, with flights available on Monarch charter flightsfrom both Gatwick and Manchester to Kittila.

Thailand beach salefrom Funway

FUNWAY HOLIDAYS haslaunched its ‘ThailandBeach Sale’ inconjunction with CentaraHotels & Resorts andThai Airways, withsavings of up to £660 perperson.

As examples of prices,an eight-night stay at thethree-star Centra AshleePatong in Phuket costsfrom £769 per personincluding flights with ThaiAirways, while in KohSamui an eight-night stayat the three-and-a-half-star Centara Villas Samuicosts from £799 includingflights.

Bookings must bemade by August 15 fortravel up to December 24. For more information or to book call 0844-557 0626 or visitwww.funway4agents.co.uk

Call 0800 008 7288 www.classic-collection.co.uk

*Book by 6 Sep for travel between 23 Aug-15 Dec 2012 and clients buying one British Airways Economy Class return ticket get a second return ticket with the compliments of the Bermuda Department of Tourism and Bermuda Hotels Association.

Fly free to

Bermuda*

jewel of the Atlantic with pink

sands, turquoise waters, colonial

charm, luxury golf and spa, with

temperatures averaging 29o C

from April to October

newsbulletin

FAM FRIENDS...Emirates Tours recently took a group of travelagents on a fam trip to Sri Lanka. Pictured taking in the sightsare, from the left: Richard Reed, Prestige Holidays; Kevin Burton,Travel Talk; Reena Thomas, Emirates Tours; Mark Beattie, OffBroadway Travel; and Michelle Taylor, PSK Travel.


Brazil launches new global campaign BRAZIL HAS launched its new international campaign entitled“The World Meets in Brazil. Come Celebrate Life”. Thecampaign has been created to promote the destination as thehost of major sporting events including the 2014 FIFA WorldCup and the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and willpresent Brazil as a culturally unique country that offers diverseexperiences for all visitors.

The current ‘Brazil at Heart’ exhibition, which demonstratesthe country’s ability to host mega-events with innovativeproducts and services as well as its growing potential fortourism, is open to the public until September 2. For more information visit www.visitbrasil.com

Butlins announces Mike the Knight to entertainment line-up


WELL WHAT can I say? The GREAT has been putback into Great Britain – I don’t want to read orhear any doom or gloom – I want to see fantastic

headlines! Yes of course I am talking about theOlympics! And as I write this we are actually 3rd on theleader board. And I have to say if the leader board wasbroken down even more Yorkshire would be 10th! Howcool is that? The ‘feel good’ factor in the UK must be thebest it has ever been. I wish it could be bottled and givenout like we used to do with milk to kids at school (yes Iknow I am going back a long time!), though I do feel sorryfor all the shops in London that are losing out, but I dofeel that is down to poor management of info put out. Ithought the opening ceremony was brilliant and I alwayslove to see it when all the countries come out with theirflags. Let’s hope that the feel good factor continues andmakes people want to go away on holiday and enjoythemselves! I have to say I am not really interested insport much but even I can’t help but get swept along withall the excitement. Well done Team GB!

Because of the Olympics I have renamed each day ofthe week – Momentous Monday, Terrific Tuesday,Wonderful Wednesday, Thrilling Thursday, FantasticFriday, Sensational Saturday and Supersonic Sunday (itwould be with Usain Bolt wouldn’t it!)

If you still haven’t sent me an email about which day ismost popular to have the Yorks Ball - a Thursday or aFriday - email me at [email protected] becauseat the moment both days are equal!

Our next Yorks & North Mids ABTA Meeting is onWednesday the 3rd October at Leeds Bradford Airport soput it in your diary! There will be lots of interesting stuffand of course updates on the ATOL situation. You can alsosee how Leeds Bradford International Airport hasprogressed – all good stuff.

‘Love always wins, kindness always prevails, andsmiles always disarm’ and ‘If you have health you havehope and if you have hope, you have everything’.

by SANDRA MURRAY of Sandy Travel in Normanton, Yorkshire

Notes from

Normanton...

To respond to any of Sandy’s comments email

jill. [email protected]

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www.travelbulletin.co.ukAugust 10 20128 August 10 2012

www.travelbulletin.co.uk

WEBSCLUSIVES

● Win a 4 nights half-board stay in a 4-starBenidorm hotel, courtesy of our competition withVisit Benidorm. The prize also includes themepark tickets and entrance to the Benidorm Palacenightclub. To enter, all you have to do is answer 3quick questions. Go towww.travelbulletin.co.uk/competitions

● Agents can win either a 4 night holiday in NewOrleans or a £50 Love2Shop vouchers courtesy ofthe two competitions that Funway are running onthe Travel Bulletin website. Go towww.travelbulletin.co.uk/competitions

● Agents can win a 7night cruise with MSC Cruises,on full board basis. Enter the competition atwww.travelbulletin.co.uk/competitions

All this and more at:

www.travelbulletin.co.uk

The home of the web savvy travel agent

Go

Newsbites● KLM ROYAL Dutch Airlines has launched a new

microsite dedicated to world Pride events for the Gayand Lesbian community.See www.klmpridegetaway.co.uk

● THIS SUMMER Butlins’ Redcoats are going green as thecompany launches an initiative with The Wildlife Trust toencourage visiting families to explore the beaches at itsthree resorts with the help of Greencoat Guides. See www.bourneleisuresales.co.uk or call 0845-070 4742.

● NOTTINGHAMSHIRE'S ROBIN Hood Festival takes placefrom August 13-19 in Sherwood Forest National NatureReserve. The festival, which is free to attend, featuresarchery, falconry displays, a medieval rat catcher andother performers, musicians and entertainers. See www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/robinhood

● THE KENYA Tourist Board has announced that Kenya isto welcome Africa’s first underwater museum. Designsfor the museum have already begun and it is expected toopen in 2014 in the Malindi Marine National Park. Visitwww.magicalkenya.com or call 020-7367 0931.

● ICELAND EXPRESS and Flexible Flights, part of TUI’sSpecialist Holidays Group (SHG), have signed apartnership agreement to offer more options to Britstravelling to Iceland. See www.icelandexpress.com or call 0118-321 8384.


● AGENTS CAN earn up to £150 in shopping vouchers with every inclusive Australiabooking made with Premier Holidays. The offer is valid year round. Visit www.trade.premierholidays.co.uk or call 0844-493 7900.

● VILLA SELECT has teamed up with Nando’s to offer a £40 meal voucher for everytravel agent booking made to the Algarve. The offer is valid until September 21 anda minimum booking value of £1,000 applies. For details see www.villaselect.com

● ALL DISCOVERY Cruising is offering agents the chance to win a musical break in thecapital with a luxury hotel stay for two and tickets to the BBC Proms in the Park onSaturday September 8. Agents who book any Voyages of Discovery, Swan Hellenic orHebridean Island Cruises itinerary before the August 25 will be entered into a prizedraw when they send an email with their name, agency name, ABTA number andbooking reference to [email protected]. For details see www. www.alldiscoverycruising.com

● ONE STOP Touring Shop (1STS) is offering double reward points for agents thatbook any escorted touring holiday from its three USA and Canada brochures fromInsight Vacations, Trafalgar and Contiki Holidays before the end of this month.The rewards scheme also gives agents the opportunity to earn points forsuccessfully completing its training. Points can be redeemed against a variety ofprizes, from cinema tickets to designer handbags and iPads. For more information call 020-7468 4335 or visit www.onestoptouringshop.co.uk

NEW WORLD WONDER...Vietnam Airlines recentlyhosted a fam to Vietnam to promote the airline andVietnam as a beach destination. Pictured visiting theNew World Saigon Hotel are, from the left: (back row)Oscar Lopera, W&O Travel; Sandra Lowther, EdenLuxury Group; Michael Codd, Turquoise Holidays; MyraJones, Elegant Resorts; Lynne Raw, Bales Worldwide; andEmma Fountain, ITC UK, with (front row) NganNguyen, New World Saigon Hotel; Lucy D’Silva, VietnamAirlines; Victoria Douglas, Scott Dunn; Jennifer Parker,Rickshaw Travel; and Bruce Taylor, Emerald Global.

agentbulletin

Booking incentives

2013 BROCHURE REVEALED

• 11 nights in Indonesia from £2,995

• 13 escorted small group tour itineraries

• Reduced single supplements

• New improved tailor-made section

For holidays that are up to scratch...020 7873 5000

www.coxandkings.co.uk

www.travelbulletin.co.uk August 10 2012

AgentofferIN A move to rewardagents for their supportand loyalty, Hurtigrutenhas launched a new ‘BestPartners’ programme tosay thank you to keyagents for excellentsales. Initially set up forindependent agents,members will receivespecial privileges such asadditional marketingfunds, a place on a famtrip and an invitation to agala dinner. To qualify,agencies must havegenerated more than£100k of sales revenue inthe previous year. For more information seewww.hurtigruten.co.uk/agents

9


What are the tips and tricks that other agents use to close asale so that they don’t lose the customer to the internet?

BRAINSTORMBULLETIN ENCOURAGES travel agents to work together bypooling your ideas and sharing your problems and solutions. This week, Tammy Le Noury from Wayfarers Travel in Guernsey, asked foryour feedback on the following...

THE NEXT BRAINSTORM QUESTION IS: How do agents get clients to take their travel

insurance when so many people have it with their banks etc? (Send your response to

[email protected])

If you have a dilemma or question that you would like to ask other agents then please

email [email protected] with the subject 'Brainstorm'.

I ALWAYS remind myclients that they have abooking history with meand they know I amavailable 24/7 withouthaving to call a premiumline and/or sit on hold forages. My clients knowthat when I am away onholidays and fam trips,that a colleague is alwayson hand to assist withdetails on my out-of-office voicemail andemail – so they are wellcared for.I also stress to my clientsthat I attend a lot ofagent events and over theyears have built upexcellent contacts to tryand get clients addedvalue on their trip. If it’san itinerary I have madeup myself, I stress thatthe internet can offerprices, but it cannot thinkup the itinerary I havejust given, nor can it lendopinion in contrast to the20 years experience Ihave. Luckily, many of myclients might look at theinternet for prices butthey’d come back to meto take a second look –essentially they just wantto keep me on my toes.

JACK LEAF, TRAVELCOUNSELLORS

I THINK I would firstly comment that it is really difficult to compete in the ‘lower’ end of themarket. So if someone is looking at a Thomson or Thomas Cook holiday or similar then theonly difference that we have to offer is advice and service. My advice is if you can't packagetogether the holiday yourself then you may have to walk away from this type of business.However, in the higher end of the market when you are booking bespoke travel and tailor-making, advice and service plays an important part. Tips we would give in this area includehighlighting to the client that you can provide exceptional service, that you wouldn't ‘hard’ selland that you are independent (if this is the case), so you are able to quote from a whole rangeof operators not just the multiples.We would try not to reveal who the quotes are with so that they could not go and try and getanother travel agent to quote and give a discount. We also explain that we are fully bondedand we will look after a customer no matter what and that we have been operating for 37years. We are going to try the idea that was suggested at the AITO conference to get clients to pay afee of say £50 – this will be when we have done several quotes for them and we can call it afee of their intent to travel.

TRACEY CARTER, CARRICK TRAVEL

STARRESPONSE

I ALWAYS inform my clients of the great financial protection we offer, reassuring them thateverything booked with Travel Counsellors is financially protected, giving them complete peace ofmind that their money is in safe hands. With the internet this is not always the case and spendinga lot of money on a holiday who would want to take any risk of losing their money?

LESLEY CLEMENTS, TRAVEL COUNSELLORS

Here's what some of you thought...

WINS a£10

Love2Shopvoucher


brainstormbulletin

WE DON'T get a lot of footfall of clients and so we have tojudge carefully when they are in the office if they are justcalling in for advice/brochures. It wouldn't work for us toask there and then if the client is ready to book because itmay come across the wrong way. Normally by the time we get to close of sale/decision stagewe have established a rapport, have an understanding of the

client and know the client and have made the client feel thattheir holiday is important to us.We put great emphasis on our service and of course ATOLprotection/security. We also emphasise that our servicedoesn't end once they have done the booking.

CLAIRE HUNT, JOURNEYS A LA CARTE


puzzlebulletin


Where Am I?

This principality is famous for being a tax haven,its casinos and Grand Prix

Fill in all the squares in the grid so that each row, column and each of the

3 x 3 squares contains the digits 1-9.Once you have completed the puzzle, simply identify the numbers that relate

to the letters, A, B, C and D then e-mail the solution, with your name,

company name, and full postal address plus phone and ABTA number if

applicable to:

[email protected]

Closing date for entries is Thursday, August 16th. Solution and new puzzle

will appear next week.

The winner for 20th July is Carl Whitby, Voyager Travel

Direct in Sheffield.

July 20 Solution: A=2 B=7 C=4 D=9

➠A

➠B

➠C

➠D

Number: 076

Travagrams

Across 1. This company’s cruise ships have trademark

yellow funnels (5)

3. English county location for the filming of WarHorse (5)

5. Derbyshire town, famous for tarts (8)

7. Portuguese destination renowned for itsfairytale palaces (6)

8. European river (4)

10. Muscat is the capital (4)

11. Wrap-around beachwear (6)

13. Popular tourist area of France (8)

14. Celebrity chef, Rick (5)

15. Winners of the Euro Cup 2012 (5)

Down 1. Team GB's Olympic flag-bearer (5,3)

2. European capital city (6)

3. First name of comedienne and recentSuperstar judge (4)

4. London Olympic venue, nicknamed ThePringle (9)

5. Capital of the Indian state of Karnataka (9)

6. Seaside resort with a Royal Pavilion (8)

9. Asian river (6)

12. Tourist attraction Project in Cornwall (4)

Where Am I?

Fill in the crossword to reveal the mystery location highlighted by the green squares.

For the solution to the Crossword, Where Am I? and Travagrams, please see page 34

Crossword

Su Doku

Num

ber:

076

Belinda Carlisle’s song ‘Heaven is a place on earth’ was the advert themetune for this holiday company

This City makes 9 billion dollars in revenue every year

Bin Lust

salvages

Can you solve the following anagrams to decipher the destination & tour operator?Win a £50 Hotel Chocolat voucher in the travelbulletin Su Doku prize puzzle




What's your earliest childhood memory? Holding on to the tail of our family dog,Mitzi.

Where was your last work-related trip? Hong Kong. I took a fam trip for theweekend to The Langham Hong Kongand The Langham Place Mongkok.

If you were a celebrity who would you choose to be and why? George Clooney because he haseverything - the charm, the looks andexperience.

What three words would yourfriends use to describe you? Optimistic, amusing and kind.

What have your travels taught you? That kids are the same the world over.

What is the best advice you recall? Never be the last to leave the party.

If you could have a room full of any one thing, what would it be?Boats. I LOVE messing about on thewater!

If you could change three things inthe industry, what would they be? Better airports in the UK, reintroduceSupersonic aircraft and get rid of visarequirements.

Who has been the biggestinspiration/influence in your career? My first boss at American Express, JohnRamsbotham. He encouraged me andgave me my first real break. Also SirRichard Branson – I like his style andIsadore Sharp, who started Four SeasonsHotels - he was inspirational.

What's your favourite city and why? Hong Kong - it’s so dynamic andexciting!

If you were not doing this job, what would you be doing? Lecturing in travel and tourism.

What is your motto in life? Always be kind to everyone on your wayup the ladder.

If you had a super power what would it be and why? I want an Iron Man suit. They’d be nocheck in or hanging around at airports -just kick off and fly through the sky –how cool is that?

What was your nickname at school and why? Millsy. Every boy at grammar school wasknown by their surname.

Ian MillsThe managing director of Avenue Sales &

Marketing says he loves messing about on thewater in boats and wants an Iron Man suit...

What item do you always take with you when travelling? Earplugs.

What's your favourite airline and why? Air New Zealand - best flat bed in the sky.

What special skill do you have? Communication skills - I am a goodlistener.

How do you cope with the advances in technology? My kids keep me up to date.

What do you love about your job? I get to sell parts of the world I ampassionate about.

personalitybulletin


Career path● 1974-76: American Express – travel

counter clerk● 1976-82: Pan American World

Airways - ticket agent ● 1982-88: Air New Zealand - ticket

office manager ● 1988-92: Regent International

Hotels - regional sales manager ● 1992-95: Four Seasons Resorts -

regional director of sales ● 1995-2000: Marco Polo Hotels -

European director of sales ● 2000-2012: Avenue Sales and

Marketing/Langham Hotels andCentara Hotels - managing director

"Always bekind to

everyone onyour way upthe ladder"



ATTRACTION WORLD is highlightinga variety of tours for agents to offerclients when booking Middle Easterndestinations.

In Dubai, guests can embark on asunset safari, followed by abarbecue dinner and theopportunity to go on a camel ride.Prices lead in at £49 for adults and£38 for children. Alternatively,guests can experience both modern

and ancient Dubai with a Dubai citytour, which leads in at £27 for adultsand £19 for children.

In Abu Dhabi, Ferrari Worldfeatures 20 Ferrari-inspired ridesand attractions and a collection ofmore than 30 vintage andcontemporary Ferraris. Prices leadin at £44 for adults and £32 forchildren. A hop on/off bus tour isalso available for visitors to take in

the city's landmarks, which costs£35 for adults and £17 for children.

Meanwhile, guests visitingJerusalem can embark on aCaesarea, Acre, Rosh Hanikra full-day tour, which takes guests alongthe northern shore, from the Romanport city of Caesarea through to thecaves of Rosh Hanikra and the oldport city of Acre, with prices startingfrom £45.

G ADVENTURES is offering 15% off three of its popular Jordantours as it celebrates the 200th anniversary of Petra’srediscovery this month.

Founder of the company, Bruce Poon, said: “Jordan is afascinating country and Petra should be on everyone’s list ofplaces to see. We have seen many travellers express aninterest in visiting Jordan this summer because of this specialoccasion.”

The anniversary marks the 1812 "discovery" of the city bySwiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt.

The offer includes the Egypt & Jordan Adventure, whichexplores the archaeological and historical secrets of theancient sites of Petra; Luxor; and the Great Pyramids of Giza.

The 17-day itinerary, departing from Cairo, costs £1,620 perperson on selected departures.

Also included is a Cairo to Amman on a Shoestring tour. Thenine-day itinerary, which departs from Cairo, explores WadiRum and the ruins at Petra, with desert camping and beachhuts. Prices lead in at £552 per person on selected departures.

Meanwhile, a Highlights of Jordan itinerary has guestsstaying in a Bedouin tent, with the opportunity to dine with thelocals in Wadi Rum, as well as discovering Petra's history. Theeight-day trip costs from £595 per person.

To receive 15% off, the promotion code BZ-JOR15 must bequoted when booking, and the offer ends on August 15.For more information visit see www.gadventures.com

G Adventures celebrates Petra anniversary with savings on three tours to Jordan

middleeast

EASTERN MANGROVES Hotel & Spa is Anantara’s latest retreat in the Middle East which offers an urban location with a waterfront setting, 20minutes from Abu Dhabi Airport. The hotel is part of an integrated marina, retail and residential destination, situated along a 1.2km stretch ofprotected mangrove reserve. The property offers kayak hire, five restaurants and bars, a rooftop lounge and spa. For more information email [email protected]

Attraction World highlights selection of ME tours for agents to promote

S04 TB1008 Middle East_Layout 1 08/08/2012 10:50 Page 15

At Rotana, we have chosen to acknowledge how precious time isto you by making all time spent with us, Treasured Time. This means

that we pledge to understand and meet the individual needs of all our guests. In so doing, we have evolved our product brands to include,

Rotana Hotels & Resorts, Arjaan Hotel Apartments by Rotana, Centro Hotels by Rotana and Rayhaan Hotels & Resorts by Rotana.

Treasured Time.Our promise to you.

P.O. Box: 43500, Abu Dhabi, UAET: +971 (0)2 644 4412, F: +971 (0)2 644 4413, [email protected]



COX & Kings has launched its new Middle East brochurefeaturing a programme of escorted group tours and privatetailor-made travel to the Middle East, North Africa, CentralAsia, and the Gulf.

Group tours lead in at £995 per person and new for nextyear is a group tour to Morocco, a new Nile cruise from Cairoto Aswan and new group tours to Egypt and Jordan.

The company's product manager, Peter Hilton, said: “Aftera turbulent time for the Middle East region, there is increasedinterest for destinations such as Morocco and Uzbekistan. Wehave seen a 15% increase in bookings for our Heart of CentralAsia group tour for bookings for 2012 compared with 2011and for 2013 we are introducing new tours to Egypt andJordan, as well as a group tour to Morocco.”

The new Nile Discovery tour includes a 14-night cruisefrom Cairo to Aswan, offering passengers a chance to explorethe lower Nile, which has been reopened to vessels after a15-year hiatus. Prices lead in at £1,995 per person includingflights with BA, transfers, guided excursions, breakfastaccommodation and full-board on the cruise.

Essential Egypt is a new seven-night escorted group tourthat combines the sights of Cairo with a four-night Nilecruise. Prices lead in at £995 per person and include flightswith Egyptair, transfers, guided excursions, breakfastaccommodation and full-board on the cruise.

Meanwhile, guests can also explore the cities of Fez, Rabat,Meknes and Marrakech with a new tour, Splendours ofMorocco. Offering four-star accommodation, prices start from£995 per person for seven nights and include flights withRoyal Air Maroc, transfers, guided excursions and breakfastaccommodation.

The operator is also introducing Essential Jordan next year,a six-night tour priced from £1,095 per person. Meanwhile, aseven-night Splendours of Jordan tour leads in at £1,395 andincludes two days to explore Petra, staying at five-starMarriott properties. Both tours include flights with RoyalJordanian, transfers, excursions and breakfastaccommodation.For more information see www.coxandkings.co.uk/middle-east

TRAVEL 2 has launched itslatest mini brochure forDubai, with offers includingfree nights, free half-boardand free room upgrades.

The operator has secureda range of packages to thecity, offering breaks thataccommodate all tastes, andthe brochure highlightspackages to select propertiesincluding the five-star AmwajRotana Jumeirah Beach andfour-star Towers Rotana, allincluding Etihad flights.

The brochure, which isvalid through to September30, also features a guide tothe destination, coveringeverything from sport, foodand culture, plus key dates inthe calendar such asRamadan.

As examples, five nights atthe four-star Towers Rotanaleads in at £639 per personincluding breakfast and afree room upgrade for travelthrough to September, whilefive nights at the five-starAmwaj Rotana JumeirahBeach costs from £749,including a free upgrade tohalf-board for travel untilSeptember. For more information or toview the brochure seewww.travel2.com or [email protected]

Travel 2 issuesDubai minibrochure

middleeastCox & Kings issues 2013 brochure showcasing escorted group tours & tailor-made itineraries

Abu Dhabi welcomes sailing centre additions VISITORS TO Abu Dhabi will soon be able to enjoy a wider choice of watersport facilities, asseveral leading internationally-accredited sailing centres expand their facilities. The increased development of on-water activities marks the emirate’s ongoing pursuit ofestablishing itself as a premier winter watersports destination and follows the Volvo OceanRace, held in Abu Dhabi in January.

Abu Dhabi’s watersports activity is led by the Abu Dhabi Sailing & Yacht Club (ADSYC), basedat the 55,000m² Volvo Ocean Race Destination Village site on the Corniche breakwater.

The company will open its Sailing & Rowing Academy with a winter training programme inSeptember and all instructors will be certified by the Royal Yachting Association (RYA). Within ayear, the centre will be RYA recognised, allowing it to provide students with internationally-accepted certificates at the end of courses.

Majed Ateeq Al Mehairi, CEO of the company, said: “One of our objectives is to create adevelopment path which allows and encourages young sailors to progress in the maritimeindustry as shore crew, sailing instructors and all the way up to professional yachtsmen. For thiswe are working to develop certification programmes and host keel boating, match racing andyachting regattas in Abu Dhabi.

“In addition, given Abu Dhabi’s increased prominence as an emerging sailing destination, wewant to facilitate ease of access for inbound tourists looking to have their own on-waterexperiences.

“For visitors looking to gain additional qualifications during a holiday, they can now take acourse with us that will be valid overseas – this gives the emirate a greater depth of offering andspreads our global appeal.”

In addition, the UK-based Pelican Racing expects to open its Pelican Marine Sports Academy(PMSA) at the Al Bandar Marina, which will be its first international sailing school outside ofBritain.

According to Abu Dhabi’s 2030 plan, the government hopes to develop 45 marinas withenough space to cater for 10,000 luxury yachts, as well as the current six that expect to serve upto 1,600 vessels over the next 20 years.

This is in line with the destination's hotel guest projections, which anticipate that the emiratewill welcome 7.9million guests a year by 2030.

THE QATAR Tourism Authority reports that the destination attracts a high percentage ofbusiness travellers as well as leisure travellers en-route to various long-haul destinations,and as such has produced an itinerary to showcase how travellers can make the most oftheir time in the country over two days.

The campaign emphasises the cultural experiences to be had in the country, such asgoing to the Souq Waqif, a well known market in the region; visiting the Museum of IslamicArt; sampling Qatari cuisine; taking a desert safari and participating in camel racing. For more information visit www.qatartourism.gov.qa

Qatar Tourism Authority promotes Qatar in 48-hour campaign


MOSAIC HOLIDAYS has reportedsteady bookings to Jordan after heavyinvestment from the company in to thetrade. There are now more bookingsinvolving easyJet and, whilst theoperator remains loyal to RoyalJordanian, price is an increasinglyimportant factor.

Sabina Shaida, managing director ofMosaic Holidays, said, “We have seena shift in demand from the traditionalscheduled carriers such as RoyalJordanian and bmi, to the more price-conscious easyJet. Whilst theexperience is not the same, peopleoften save considerable amounts byflying from Gatwick on easyJet toAmman.

“We have taken a good number ofagents on fam trips to Jordan over thelast year. All trips included the DeadSea and Red Sea and this has enabledagents to confidently sell morecomplicated itineraries. RoyalJordanian’s flights into Amman andreturning from Aqaba lend themselvesto this excellently.”

The company also said that twin-and multi-centre holidays are on theincrease and this is where Royal

Jordanian has benefitted. Theoperator has a number of suggesteditineraries in its brochure but is happyto tailor to the clients’ needs, as wellas being able to offer first-handadvice.

Offers include a three-night stay atthe Kempinski Ishtar Dead Sea Hoteland then four nights at the KempinskiAqaba Red Sea Hotel from £1099 perperson for seven nights on a breakfastbasis, including flights from LondonGatwick and transfers.

The operator’s programme to AbuDhabi is also showing steady figures,with the help of some special offersfrom the hotels, including a saving ofup to £530 per person at the luxuryPark Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel & Villas.

One of their late offers is a seven-night stay at the Park Hyatt Abu DhabiHotel & Villas from £1099 per personon a breakfast basis. This offer is validthrough to the end of August andincludes flights from Gatwick andtransfers.

Meanwhile, the operator haslaunched its 2012/14 Jordan brochurewhich runs through to March 2014 andfocuses on tailor-made itineraries,

with an emphasis on style, luxury andadventure.

Prices include land-only options forholidaymakers who have alreadybought their flights and insider tips(Our Man In), a feature that offersrecommendations on restaurants, barsand shops.

Shaida said: “'Our Man In' hascertainly been a feature that travelagents praise us for. It is bold,informative and gives agents the powerto sell through information by enablingthem to impress their clients."

The new brochure features differentprice categories, including threecategories for tours - Classic, Budgetand Spoil Yourself and new twin-centre options including the Dead Seawith the Red Sea where seven nightsleads in at £1,399.

Israel has also been introduced forthe first time, with a focus onJerusalem. An eight-night combinedtour features as an inclusive itineraryfeaturing five nights in Jordanfollowed by three nights in Israel. For more information call 020-8574 4000 or seewww.mosaicholidays.co.uk


middleeast

Pool at Kempinski Ishtar Dead Sea Hotel

ALILA HOTELS & Resorts is to expand into Oman latenext year with the opening of Alila Jabal Akhdar, the firstluxury resort development in the Jabal Akhdar region ofOman.

Set 2,000m above sea level and two hours’ drive fromMuscat, the resort will provide access to one of Oman’smost unexplored areas and is being sensitively developedto appeal to the international tourism market.

Overlooking a gorge and with views of the Hajarmountains, the resort will be ideally positioned toexplore the region’s landscapes.

Facilities will include 78 rooms, six suites and tworoyal villas along with a cliff-side restaurant, pool, spa,fitness centre and events space. The project is managedby Omran, the government owned tourism developmentcompany.

Mark Edleson, president of the company, said: “TheJabal Akhdar region is the perfect location for our firstforay into the Middle East. Its combination of interestingnatural eco-systems, physical beauty and intriguinghistory and culture perfectly fit within our developmentphilosophy.”

Mosaic Holidays reports increased interest in Jordan

New development in Jabal Akhdar mountain region from Alila Hotels & Resorts



Wildebeest migration

FROM JULY to October each year, more than 1.5millionwildebeest and zebra migrate to the Maasai Mara and a selectionof tour operators offer visitors the chance to witness themigration with specialised trips to Kenya.

Tribes Travel is offering an eight-day holiday with one night at theWildebeest Camp and a six-night camping experience. The tripincludes a visit to a traditional Maasai village and day and eveninggame drives. The package is based on six days' full board andone-day breakfast accommodation. Prices start from £1,135 perperson excluding flights or £1,635 including flights fromHeathrow. The offer is valid until October, subject to availability. For details call 01728-685971 or visit www.tribes.co.uk

Dial a Flight is offering a nine-night experience, with two nightsat the four-star Governors Main Camp Masai Mara on a full boardbasis, and seven nights at the Baobab Beach resort on an all-inclusive basis. Prices start from £2,050 per person and the offeris valid until August 31, with daily flights from Heathrow. For details call 0844-811 4444 or see www.dialaflight.com Explore is offering a nine-day safari experience staying in four-star accommodation in a mixture of hotels and lodges on a full-board basis, with the exception of one lunch and one dinner. Theoffer includes the chance to view the wilderness from the air,with a hot air balloon ride available to book, and is valid fromAugust 24, with prices starting from £1,986 per person, includingflights. For details call 0844-499 0901 or visit www.explore.co.uk

Tropical Sky is offering a seven-night Magical Kenya Safari from£2,299 per person with a saving of £100 per person. The priceincludes flights with Kenya Airways from Heathrow, sevenbreakfasts, six lunches and six dinners, as well as game drivesavailable to book for exclusive use. The deal is valid from August13 to September 30. For details call 0844-332 9349 or see www.africasky.co.uk

Natural World Safaris and World Big Cat Safaris are offering aseven-day safari camp holiday, staying at Kicheche Valley Campand Karen Blixen Camp on a full-board basis. Prices start from£3,535 per person with a 'three nights for the price of two' offer atKicheche Valley Camp included in the price of the itinerary, basedon two adults sharing. The price includes flights, transfers, parkfees, shared game drives and shared guided game walks. Theprice applies to departures until August 31, with September 1-30departures also available, subject to availability. Call 01273-691642 or visit www.worldbigcatsafaris.com and www.naturalworldsafaris.com

2 by 2 Holidays has a nine-night wildebeest migration packagevalid until September, staying at Mara Sopa, Mara Serena orMara Ngenche, with a coastal stay at Turtle Bay Beach Resort inWatamu. Prices start from £2,110 per person, offering a saving of£100 per couple and includes accommodation on a full-boardbasis in the Mara and all-inclusive at Turtle Bay, transfers, flights

and two game drives daily when on safari. Call 01582-766122 or see www.2by2holidays.co.uk

In the Saddle has an eight-night horse riding safari travellingfrom August 22-31. Prices start from £5,213 per person, offeringa saving of £400 per person. The price includes flights fromHeathrow, full board accommodation in the Maasai Mara, horse-riding safaris, game drives, park fees and transfers. Call 01299-272997 or visit www.inthesaddle.com

Carrier is offering a six-night Kenyan escape from £3,435 perperson, with a saving of £85. The package includes stays atKicheche Laikipia and Kicheche Mara luxury camps on an all-inclusive basis, flights, park fees, accommodation andtransfers. The price is based on a September 12 departure,subject to availability. Call 01614-921353 or visit www.carrier.co.uk

Africa Travel is offering an eight-night safari experience from£3,450 per adult and from £2,735 per child (aged eight-16 years),staying in five-star lodge and tented camp accommodation inLoisaba and Governors Il Moran on an all-inclusive basis. Theprice includes flights, six nights’ accommodation, transfers,game drives and horse riding and mountain bike activities inLoisaba. The offer is valid for departures until September 27. Call 020-7843 3500 or see www.africatravel.co.uk

Cedarberg African Travel is offering a ten-night experience, withfive nights at Ol Seki Hemingways Mara luxury tented camp onan all-inclusive basis and five nights at the four-starHemingways Watamu on a half-board basis. The offer includestransfers, flights, conservancy fees, laundry service on safari andwireless internet. The offer is valid until October 15, with pricesstarting at £3,280 per person sharing.Call 020-8898 8533 or visit www.cedarberg-travel.com

Rainbow Tours is offering six nights at Offbeat Meru andOffbeat Mara, staying in four-star accommodation with allmeals, local drinks, scheduled lodge activities, park fees,flights and transfers all included for £3,450 per person. Theoffer is valid until October 31. Call 020-7666 1250 or visit www.rainbowtours.co.uk

Meanwhile, Virgin Holidays is offering a seven-night Taste ofKenya Tour, including scheduled flights with Kenya Airways.Accommodation is on a mixed-board basis and guests visitNairobi, Amboseli, Lakes Nakuru and Naivasha, the Maasai Maraand spend two nights at Mara Sopa Lodge. The price, whichincludes transfers, costs from £1,839 per person based on twosharing a standard room on an August 26 departure, andincludes all applicable taxes and fuel surcharges, which aresubject to change. Call 0844-557 3859 or visit www.virginholidays.co.ukFor more information visit www.magicalkenya.com or call 020-7367 0931.

Operators launch new tour options as Kenya welcomes wildebeest migration to Maasai Mara plains

eastafrica

S05 TB1008 East Africa_Layout 1 08/08/2012 10:56 Page 19

THE SELOUS Safari Company hascreated a calendar to provideinformation on the best times toembark on a safari in SouthernTanzania.

The operator says that from Januaryuntil March, the climate is hot, humidand approaching the rainy season,which encourages various forms ofwildlife, and that its Jongomero Camp

in the Ruaha National Park GameReserve offers a prime wildlife-watching base.

The camp is now open untilSeptember, but for 2013 summerholidays low-season rates arecurrently being offered for earlybookings.

November to December is the so-called ‘secret season’ because it is one

of the cheapest months to go on safari.On November 1 the company lowers itsprices, but wildlife can still be seen.For those wanting to spend Christmasaway, the company offers a safari atJongomero Camp and the opportunityto spot game around the camp'sprivate lake, where guests can also optfor a boat safari to experience thecrocodile- and hippo-infested waters.

FOUR SEASONS Hotels and Resorts has signed a long-term management agreement with the owners of BililaLodge, a resort in the Serengeti National Park. Theresort will be renamed the Four Seasons Safari LodgeSerengeti and upgrading will begin in the autumn.

The company's president and CEO, Kathleen Taylor,said: “We have long wanted to expand into Sub-SaharanAfrica and offer new outdoor adventure experiences toour guests. We’re thrilled to have an outstanding location

and partners who share our vision to create a world-class lodge like no other in the heart of Africa’s finestsafari region.”

The company's veteran, James Kostecky, who hasrecently been appointed general manager, said: “Thislodge will be an excellent opportunity for first time safaritravellers, families and groups to experience the naturalbeauty, astounding wildlife and fascinating culture of theSerengeti.

Selous Safari Company designs safari calendar for Southern Tanzania


eastafrica

AFRICA ODYSSEY has introduced arange of triple-centre breaks toTanzania.

Valid for selected departures untilMarch 2013, the company’s itinerariesoffer discounts of up to £800 perperson and include flights, transfersand full-board accommodation.

As an example, a 12-night SouthernTanzania option leads in at £3,840 perperson and includes a stay at RasKutani on the shores of the IndianOcean, a visit to the Selous GameReserve with a four-night stay at the

Selous Safari Camp and four nights atRas Nungwi on the isle of Zanzibar.

The operator is also giving visitorsthe opportunity to experience theSerengeti, with a tour that offers fournights at Ras Kutani before a visit toAlex Walker’s Serian Camp in theNorthern Serengeti, followed by fournights at Ras Nungwi. The 12-nightitinerary costs from £4,400 perperson.

Also on offer is an'Ultra-LuxeTanzania Triple-

Centre' itinerary, which begins withfour nights at Baraza Beach Resort &Spa, followed by a four-night safariexperience at Beho Beho camp andfour nights at Ras Kutani. The 12-nightitinerary costs from £5,800 perperson.For more information call 020-7471 8780or see www.africaodyssey.com

Four Seasons sets up camp in Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park

A Bull elephant at Alex Walker’s Serian Camp

Africa Odyssey offers triple-centre Tanzania breaks with discounts of up to £800


Exsus offers £775 savings on seven-night safari & beach break

EXSUS IS offering a seven-night safari and beach holidayfrom £2,932 per person, offering a saving £775 perperson.

Valid for selected departures in September, theitinerary includes flights from Heathrow with BritishAirways, three nights at the boutique Selous Safari Campwith game drives, daily walking and boat safaris plus afurther four nights at the beach retreat of Ras Kutani onthe shores of the Indian Ocean. Also included areinternal transfers, taxes and surcharges.

The camp is an ideal base from which to explore theSelous Game Reserve, which is home to more than amillion large animals and half of Tanzania’s elephantpopulation. After the safari adventure, Ras Kutani offersa castaway experience with long stretches of white-sandbeaches and lagoon forests to explore.For more details call 020-7337 9010 or see www.exsus.com

Ras Kutani

eastafrica


HAYES & Jarvis is urging agents totake advantage of the wildebeestmigration to recommend Kenya trips toclients.

Every year an estimated 1.4millionwildebeest and 200,000 zebra andgazelles migrate from the short grassplains of Tanzania’s Serengeti toKenya’s Maasai Mara Game Reserve.

Although the precise timing of themigration varies from year to year, agood time to see the wildebeest in theMaasai Mara is in September andOctober, before they begin theirjourney back to the Serengeti.

The operator suggests a Septembersafari for holidaymakers keen towitness the annual event, when bothprices and visitor numbers are lower.

Departing from Heathrow onSeptember 7, the company offers amulti-centre safari-beach breakavailable from £1,799 per person. Theholiday begins with a night’s breakfastaccommodation at the three-starSafari Park Hotel, followed by a two-night safari at the Keekorok Lodge inthe Maasai Mara, before finishing withfive nights at the four-star all-inclusive

Voyager Beach Resort. The packageincludes Kenya Airways flights, airportlounge access (subject to availability)and transfers.

Alternatively, a six-night KenyaClassic Safari, combining Nairobi,Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru andAmboseli, is available for £1,799 per

person, including full-boardaccommodation, game drives, QatarAirways' flights from Heathrow onSeptember 11, airport lounge accessand transfers.For more information call 0871-220 2211 or seewww.hayesandjarvis.com/agents

Hayes & Jarvis encourages agents to promote wildebeest migration

Keekorok Lodge, Kenya


EDINBURGH’S CHRISTMAS Markets are open from November 29 to January 6 and will offer fireworks, lights, funfairs and Santa himself.On November 29, the well-known ‘Light Night’ celebration kicks things off with a fireworks display. The highlight of the show is a ‘surprise’spectacular set to music which in previous years has included a French aerial trapeze troupe and a 14m high snow queen. For more information visit www.edinburghschristmas.com


xmasmarkets

INNTRAVEL IS introducing two newChristmas Market short breaks this yearin Gothenburg and Fuschl.

Gothenburg features a Lane of Light, a3km-long stretch of Christmas lightsleading from the port to the Christmasmarkets at Liseberg, where aromas ofglögg (Swedish mulled wine) andfreshly-made waffles fill the air. Guestsstay at the centrally located Vanilla hotel

in a quiet location, ideal for exploringGothenburg’s gastronomic scene. Priceslead in at £498 per person based on twosharing including three nights' breakfastaccommodation and flights.

Fuschl in Austria’s Lake District, closeto St. Gilgen, is the starting point for theWolfgangsee Advent. Guests stay at theHotel Seerose, 6kms from St. Gilgenwhere the Christmas markets are

located. Other nearby attractions includeSt Wolfgang to view the 20m-highfloating lantern on the lake and theGandl gingerbread bakery. Prices startfrom £465 per person, based on twosharing and include three nights' half-board accommodation and flights. For more information call 01653-617000 or visitwww.inntravel.co.uk

CRESTA HOLIDAYS has expanded its latest Christmas Marketsand Winter Breaks brochure with new destinations, includingReykjavik, Rome, Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Istanbul,Dublin, Monte Carlo and the Ice Hotel in Sweden.

Popular itineraries include the Christmas markets of Prague,Vienna and Berlin as well as a range of new destinations.

For each of the new additions, the brochure highlights arange of holiday options available during the winter months,including winter sun breaks in Monte Carlo, Christmas shoppingactivities in Paris, Amsterdam and Reykjavik and the festivemarkets in Barcelona. As examples of prices, a Christmas

Markets break in Berlin costs from £235 per person andincludes three nights breakfast stay at the Hotel Altberlin AmPotsdamer Platz and flights with British Airways fromHeathrow, valid for travel on December 11.

A trip to Vienna for the festive markets costs from £315 perperson and includes four nights' breakfast accommodation atthe Best Western Das Trigra and flights with Austrian Airlinesfrom Heathrow, valid for travel on December 15. Both prices arebased on two adults sharing a standard room.For more information visit www.bctagent.co.uk or call 0844-800 7017.

THE RIVER Cruise Line hasincreased its programme ofpopular festive breaks withthe addition of a newChristmas Markets itineraryfor 2012/13.

The new five-day MagicalMoselle Christmas Marketscruise meanders down theMoselle Valley from Koblenz,the meeting point of theRhine and Moselle rivers, to

Alken one of the oldesttowns in the region. En-route the itinerary takes inthe Christmas market atCochem and there is also anoption to visit Trier,Germany’s oldest city. Pricesstart from £329 per personfor departures on December10 and 14.

The company also offers apopular four-day German

Christmas Markets cruisealong the Rhine Gorgewhich costs from £329 perperson, as well as aChristmas MarketsExtravaganza tripincorporating the bestChristmas markets inFrance, Belgium, Germanyand Holland over four days,with prices from £269 perperson. All prices are based

on two sharing an ensuitecabin on a full board basisand include coach transfersfrom a selection of regionaldeparture points, ferrycrossing from Dover toCalais and coach onwards tojoin the ship. For more information or to book call 0844-544 7280 or visitwww.sellingrivercruises.com

The River Cruise Line launches new Christmas Markets cruise

Inntravel adds Christmas market short breaks to Gothenburg & Fuschl

Cresta adds new destinations to Christmas Markets & Winter Breaks brochure

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Superbreak putsChristmas marketbreaks on saleSUPERBREAK HAS put itsfestive products on salewhich includes options forthe UK and EuropeanChristmas Markets.

The operator has pickedout the key cities whereannual markets are heldand provided the datesthey operate with lead-inhotel prices.

Examples includeWinchester fromNovember 22 – December23 from £27.98 per personper night; Lincoln fromDecember 6-9 from£26.25; Cardiff fromNovember 15 – December23 from £30.50; Brugesfrom November 23 –January 1 from £36.50;

Lille from November 19– December 30 from£62.50; and Vienna fromNovember 13 – December24 from £38.50. For more information call0871-221 4444 or visitwww.superbreak.com/agents

Frankfurt am MainA City Rich in Contrasts

Frankfurt Tourist+Congress BoardPhone: +49 (0) 69/2123 03 98E-Mail: [email protected]

Frankfurt Christmas Market26th November – 23rd December 2012Hot apple wine, historical steam train rides, “Bethmännchen”marzipan candies and Germany’s tallest Christmas tree: It’stime for the Frankfurt Christmas Market again!

Come and visit one of Germany’s oldest Christmas markets,scenically situated on the Römerberg’s mediaeval marketsquare! Guided market tours, held daily for FITs, are alsobookable for groups. Special tours for blind and vision-impairedguests are also available.

www.frankfurt-tourismus.de

xmasmarkets


FROM THE end of November until the New Year,AmaWaterways’ luxury river cruisers offer trips to theChristmas markets of various European cities and villages.

The company's Christmas Time excursion offers a seven-night sailing between Nuremberg and Budapest on tendeparture dates, from the end of November until just afterChristmas, and allows guests to explore the markets ofNuremberg, Regensburg, Passau, Melk, Vienna andBudapest.

Meanwhile, a seven-night Christmas on the Rhine cruisedeparts throughout November and December and stops atthe Black Forest region, Strasbourg, Heidelberg andCologne.

Both cruises offer a selection of onboard activities,including the option of participating in carol singing andparty games, along with experiencing local entertainmentfrom visiting performers and Father Christmas.

Prices for both itineraries lead in at £1,265 per person,excluding flights.For more details call 0808-223 5009 or see www.amawaterways.co.uk

Christmas cruise offers from AmaWaterways

Nuremberg Christmas market

Regent addsPrague ChristmasMarket packageREGENT HOLIDAYS hasannounced details of itsfirst 2012 ChristmasMarket package inPrague. Prices start from£325 per person for athree-night breakincluding flights, three-star breakfastaccommodation and aguided walking tour,including a visit to theChristmas markets pluscomplimentary mulledwine.The company's productmanager, Andrea Godfrey,said: “Prague is one ofour most popularChristmas Marketdestinations and alwayssells incredibly well, notleast because it is such abeautiful city and looks sovery festive covered insnow.”

New Christmasmarket breaks from Dertour

DERTOUR HAS addednew short break productto its Christmas marketsbreaks – includingRothenburg ob derTauber.

Every year Rothenburgis transformed into awinter wonderland andthe city’s ChristmasMarket, known as the"Reiterlesmarkt", datesback to the 15th centuryand is one of the oldestin Germany.

Prices for Rothenburgob der Tauber start from£339 per person forflights and two nights'breakfast accommodationat the four-star HotelReichs Kuechenmeisterplus transfers.

Other new Christmasproduct includes a railtour of the Franconia,Rhine, Harzm, Thuringiaand the Moselle regions.New Christmas marketbreaks include Venicewhere a break in Viennais also included.

The company's head ofsales, Lawrence Peachey,said: “Our Christmasmarket product is verypopular, so we arethrilled to introduceRothenburg which willappeal to agents withclients looking for analternative traditionalChristmas marketdestination. Our newChristmas rail tours arealso a great option forclients looking to explorea number of markets inthe one trip.”For more information call 020-3131 2895 or visitwww.dertour.co.uk

Reiterlesmarkt in Rothenburg


SHEARINGS HOLIDAYS has launched a range of new ChristmasMarket coach breaks, departing throughout November andDecember.

Itineraries include the Edinburgh Christmas Market, whichcosts from £149 per person for five days. Highlights include atrip to Edinburgh to browse the Christmas markets and anexcursion to the Border Country.

A Royal Leamington Spa Yuletide Fayre trip starts from £229per person for five days and includes an excursion to RoyalLeamington Spa to visit the Victorian Yuletide Fayre, a visit toShakespeare’s birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon and anexcursion to Warwick.

Meanwhile, a Truro Victorian Christmas Market costs from£179 for five days. Highlights include an excursion to Truro andvisits to the Victorian Christmas market and the FlambardsExperience.

All UK excursions include four nights’ half-boardaccommodation and depart throughout November andDecember.

The company is also offering European excursions, includingNormandy and Northern France from £339 for five days,departing in November and December.

Highlights include visits to the markets of Rouen, Amiens andCaen and the price includes three nights’ half-board breakfastaccommodation at Mercure Deauville, Pont L’Eveque.

A Reims and Alsace break leads in at £459 for seven days andoffers visits to the markets of Alsace, Metz, Reims andStrasbourg. Four nights’ half-board accommodation at Hotel de

l’Ange in Guebwiller is included, along with overnightaccommodation en- and post-route.

French and Belgian markets can be explored from £339 forfive days, visiting Lille, Bruges, Brussels and Ostend. Fournights’ accommodation at Apollo Arthotel, Bruges, is included,with four breakfasts and three dinners.

Meanwhile, a Prague, Nuremburg and Markets break costsfrom £399 for seven days and includes visits to the Kutna Horaand Nuremburg markets, in addition to excursions to Pragueand Melnik Castle.

Also included are four nights’ half-board accommodation atthe Park Inn in Prague. For more information call 0844-824 6351 or visit www.shearings.com

Cologne

CZT_210x150_Prague_UK.indd 1 7.8.12 12:23

xmasmarkets

Shearings Holidays launches selection of Christmas market coach breaks



HOLLAND AMERICA Line has launched a new EarlyAdvantage Programme to encourage guests to book early for2013 cruises and receive lower fares, free upgrades andflexible deposit terms whereby guests can make changes totheir booking and pricing without penalty, prior to thebalance due date.

The line's managing director UK, Lynn Narraway, said:“Summer 2012 has been very successful for us and we haveachieved a healthy growth in UK business, although we haveseen a predominantly later booking pattern. At this time, wewant to assure guests of the advantages of booking early -and give agents the opportunity to benefit by promotingthese early booking offers to their clients.

“By booking early, clients can already plan ahead andreceive the accommodation of their choice and on selectedsailings can benefit from 'early advantage' special reducedfares, free upgrades and a new flexible deposit policy.”

As examples of prices, a seven-night Norse Legendsitinerary departs on May 4, 2013 from Dover on MS Ryndamand leads in at £699 per person. The price includes a freeupgrade from inside to ocean view accommodation. A ten-night Panama Canal Sunfarer cruise departing from FortLauderdale on MS Zuiderdam on February 15 leads in at£1,049 cruise-only for an inside stateroom and £1,249 for anocean view cabin with a free upgrade from ocean view to averandah stateroom.

Guests booking 2013 cruises will now pay a lower 15%deposit and those booking early on selected cruises areeligible for the company's new flexible deposit policy, whichallows them to make changes to their booking at no chargeup until 90 days prior to sailing or final payment date -whichever is first. For more information or to book seewww.hollandamerica.co.uk or call 0843-374 2300.

cruising

GUESTS SAILING on SeabournQuest’s 116-day World Cruisedeparting Fort Lauderdale on January6, 2013 will be treated to tenexperiences ashore, alongside accessto a line-up of guest speakers,onboard credit and a range ofadditional benefits.

The World Cruise calls at 27countries and 49 ports of call in theSouth Pacific, Australia, SoutheastAsia, India, Arabia and theMediterranean, and ends in Venice onMay 3. Ten overnight visits are alsofeatured in marquis ports such asHong Kong, Sydney, Bangkok andMumbai.

Five of the ten free experiences arereserved for those booked on the fullworld cruise, and the remaining fiveare open to all guests sailing on that

particular segment of the voyage.Full World Cruise events include a

viewing of the Panama Canal’sMiraflores Locks operation; anexclusive “dinner in the sky” aboveSydney, Australia; afternoon tea in theMembers Enclosure at a Hong Konghorse-racing track; a desert sunset inthe world’s highest restaurant atDubai’s Burj Khalifa; and a Turkishfestival dinner in Bodrum.

The five experiences to which allguests are invited include a barbecueon a Polynesian motu off Bora Bora; acultural festival on Bali; a private visitto the Prasart collection of antiqueThai arts and crafts in Bangkok; anafternoon among elephants andfloating markets at Phuket’s Village ofFour Regions; and a performance ofCroatian folk music and dance in

Dubrovnik’s medieval Revelin Fortress.The experiences will be

supplemented by a selection ofspecial guest entertainers, celebritychef demonstrations and a series ofgala parties and festivities throughoutthe voyage.

Rates for the entire World Cruisestart from £31,520 per person, basedon double occupancy, including roundtrip air, private transfers and a rangeof other complimentary amenities.

Shorter segments are availablefrom 26 days, with rates starting at£6,499 per person based on twosharing, and include flights. All pricesare fully inclusive of tips andgratuities, fine dining, open bars and afully stocked mini bar.For details call 0845-070 0500 or visit www.seabourn.com

Free shore excursions on Seabourn Quest's 2013 World Cruise

Early Advantage Programme for 2013 bookings from Holland America Line

S07 TB1008 Cruise_Layout 1 08/08/2012 12:35 Page 25

Advertisement Feature



THE RIVER Cruise Line has announcedthe launch of a dedicated four-starriver cruising programme for 2013 onthe latest addition to the fleet, the MSSwitzerland II.

The programme offers passengers achoice of ten itineraries in sevencountries throughout Europe, includingRhine Highlights – a seven-day tripfrom Cologne to Düsseldorf viaKoblenz, Andernach and Rüdesheim,with prices from £949 per person;

Rhine Cruise & Swiss Highlights – anine-day trip from Cologne via theRhine Gorge and historic citiesincluding Bonn, Mannheim andStrasbourg, into the Swiss landscape,with prices from £1,179; and up theRhine and down the Danube – a 16-dayjourney from Nijmegen in Holland toBudapest, cruising through fivecountries and visiting cities includingCologne, Würzburg, Vienna, Bratislavaand Budapest, with prices from £1,995.

All prices are based on two sharingand include accommodation on a fullboard basis. Flexible joiningarrangements are available with freecoach travel from joining pointsnationwide on many itineraries withoptions to join at Dover, Hull andNewcastle ferry ports as well as flightand rail connections. For more information call 0844-544 7280 or visitwww.sellingrivercruises.com

HEBRIDEAN ISLAND Cruises is launching a new mysterycruise on Hebridean Surprise this autumn, featuring a newitinerary each day and taking guests around Scotland’s Westcoast and the Western Isles.

Prices lead in at £2,640 per person, based on two peoplesharing an inside cabin for a September 25 departure.

For clients looking to book for next year, the HebrideanSurprise itinerary also departs on October 8, 2013 and costs

from £2,890 per person, based on two sharing an insidecabin.

Prices for both cruises include transfers to and fromGlasgow and the ship, meals, alcoholic and non-alcoholicdrinks, shore excursions and gratuities and all relevantcruise taxes/fees and single trip holiday insurance.For more information or to book visit www.hebridean.co.ukor call 01756-704704.

Voyage to the ‘unknown’ with Hebridean Island Cruises’ new mystery cruise

cruising

ORBITAL TRAVEL has added the five-star deluxe HS Nile Vision to its winter 2012/13 Nile cruise programme, which offers 56 cabins includingDeluxe Cabins and Superior Suites. All cruises are fully escorted by an Egyptologist and prices lead in at £399 per person on full board and £499all-inclusive and include seven nights’ accommodation, transfers and 12 excursions. Flights are excluded and the cruise is commissionable at 15%.For details email [email protected]

HAPAG-LLOYD Cruises isoffering two expedition tripsthrough Madagascar andSouthern Africa thisDecember and December2013 on MS Hanseatic andthe MS Bremen, withmaiden calls on bothitineraries.

The five-star Hanseaticwill make stops at six newports this December, whichinclude Maroantsetra, NosyHara, Morondava, Nosy Ve,and Toliara and a first timestop in Mozambique, at the

city of Ilha dos Portugueses. Optional shore excursions

include hiking in MasoalaNational Park to see lemursin the rainforest, canoeing toLokobe Nature Reserve,zodiac landings on NosyLakandava and Nosy Harafor swimming between coralreefs and rock formations, asafari in Kariega GameReserve in South Africa, anda visit to the Addo ElephantPark, also in South Africa.

The 16-day itinerarydeparts on December 3 from

Port Louis/Mauritius to CapeTown, with prices leading inat £4,520 per person for anoutside cabin.

In winter next year guestscan join Bremen as she callson the west coast ofMadagascar for the firsttime. New ports of call inMadagascar include NosyHara, Mahajanga,Morondava and Nosy Be.

Optional shore excursionsinclude hiking in LokobeNature Reserve to admiregigantic trees and bird

watching; a boat ride to NosyKomba, also know as “lemurisland”; snorkelling on NosyLakandava and Nosy Hara; avisit to the Zulu village ofKwabhekithunga in SouthAfrica; and a safari to viewthe Big Five, also in SouthAfrica.

The 17-day itinerarydeparts on December 1 fromPort Louis to Cape Town andprices start from £4,570 perperson for an outside cabin. For more information visitwww.hl-cruises.com

River Cruise Line issues dedicated four-star programme

Hapag-Lloyd offers two new expedition trips in Madagascar & Southern Africa


HURTIGRUTEN IS featuring 17-day Trans-Atlantic Voyages, with three departure datesfor 2012/13 and prices leading in at £1,615per person.

MS Fram will start her winterrepositioning journey from Las Palmas inthe Canary Islands to Buenos Aires onOctober 14, in order to begin sailing aroundAntarctica. She will then return again onMarch 12, ready to sail around Europe nextsummer, before making her way backacross the Atlantic once again on October18, 2013.

The company's head of sales UK &Ireland, Maxine Dunsdon, said: "Our Trans-Atlantic voyages offer a unique experience

for customers who want to really unwindand get away from it all. We featured it forthe first time in our brochure this yeartravelling south and it proved so popularthat we decided to add the return journeyfrom Buenos Aires to Las Palmas for nextspring.

"With fewer guests on board, it offers theopportunity to mingle with the crew and findout what life is like for them on board MSFram, which sails through some of theworld’s most remote waters."

Prices are based on two sharing on a fullboard basis and exclude flights. For more information call 020-8846 2666 orsee www.hurtigruten.co.uk/agents

Crystal Cruisesintroduces Magic

Castle at Seaprogramme

CRYSTAL CRUISES haslaunched a newprogramme entitled MagicCastle at Sea, wheremagicians fromHollywood’s renownedprivate magicians’ club,the Magic Castle, willentertain guests onboard.

The evening showshave been introduced to13 luxury Europeancruises this year andevery voyage next year.The new affiliation alsooffers complimentaryclasses for adults todevelop their ownmagical acts, educationalenrichment on subjectslike Houdini, andchildren’s shows onselect summer andholiday sailings.

Like at the MagicCastle itself, onboardperformances areinvitation-only, withadvance, free ticketsavailable at the ships’libraries. Guests canchoose from multiple,half-hour performancesover the course ofseveral nights andattendance is limited to25 guests to offer an up-close look at tricks.

Once the holiday isover, invitations canfurther be used for one-time access to the realMagic Castle inHollywood. Showattendees must call thenumber on the back oftheir used ticket toreserve entry thenpresent the same ticketupon arrival.

The line's Europeanseason includes Balticand Northern Europeancruises until Septemberand Mediterraneansailings until December. For more information or to book call 020-7287 9040 or visitwww.crystalcruises.co.uk

Hurtigruten offers Trans-Atlantic voyages from £1,615


cruising

RIVIERA TRAVEL is offering a choice of nine cruises that visit sights including Cologne, the RhineGorge, Trier, Koblenz, Heidelberg, Strasbourg, Basel, Lucerne, Vienna, Budapest, Berlin,Dresden, Amsterdam, Avignon, Arles or Bruges. All cruises include return rail connections (onselected dates); standard class reserved seats on Eurostar from St. Pancras or flights from achoice of regional airports at a supplement; cabins featuring private bathrooms and river views;full board cuisine throughout; an inclusive touring programme; and the services of a cruisemanager. Five days lead in at £599 per person, while a 14-day cruise costs from £2,099.For details visit www.rivieratravel.co.uk

VOYAGES OF Discovery is highlighting a 14-day Baltic Symphony on MV Discoverywhich leads in at £1,699 per person, based on two sharing an inside cabin.

Guests can discover the Baltic, home to renowned musicians Brahms andRachmaninov, accompanied by a group of musicians who will perform a series ofconcerts and recitals on the ship. Highlights include a visit to St Petersburg whereTchaikovsky began his career, as well as a trip to the Hermitage Music Academy for aclassical music recital.

The cruise departs from Harwich on May 22, 2013 and prices include all gratuities,service charges and port/airport taxes, a comprehensive guest speaker programmeand all meals and entertainment on board.

Meanwhile, the line has introduced a new complimentary chauffeur service to theairport or port of departure for every guest choosing a higher grade cabin on summer2013 bookings (a superior cabin - category F or above - on Discovery or a Deluxe Cabinor above on Voyager. For more information or to book call 0844-822 0820 or visitwww.voyagesofdiscovery.co.uk

All Discovery Cruising promotes music themed Baltic cruise



VIKING RIVER Cruises has announced that it has placed anorder for two additional Viking Longships in 2013, bringing thenumber of new ships launching next year to eight - and a totalof 14 new Longships for the company over a two-year period.

The company's chairman, Torstein Hagen, said: "As thefastest-growing segment of travel, river cruising is inspiringmore vacation plans than ever before. We are very pleased bythe response we have seen to our new Viking Longships, and weare continuing our expansion to meet that demand."

The ships combine cutting-edge technology with comfortableamenities that reflect guest preferences and current traveltrends, including two Explorer Suites, each featuring a separateliving room, bedroom and private wraparound veranda, offering270-degree views; seven two-room Veranda Suites; 39 VerandaStaterooms; 22 French Balcony Staterooms; a new all-weatherindoor/outdoor Aquavit Terrace, allowing guests to enjoy the

scenery and dine al fresco; new premium in-cabin amenitiesthat include heated bathroom floors and mirrors, HD TVs andpremium bath products; and sustainability upgrades, such assolar panels, an onboard organic herb garden and energy-efficient hybrid engines that reduce vibrations for a smooth ride.

Accommodating 190 passengers, the ships are scheduled tosail four of the line's most popular European itineraries,including the ten-day Tulips & Windmills, eight-day RomanticDanube, 15-day Grand European Tour and eight-day DanubeWaltz.

The two newest ships, Viking Jarl and Viking Atla, will hostguests on the eight-day Rhine Getaway cruise sailing fromAmsterdam to Basel. Each of the new Longships will be 443ftlong and will feature 95 staterooms. For more information see www.vikingrivercruises.co.uk or call020-8780 7995.

SWAN HELLENIC hasannounced five new Europeanriver cruises for 2013, sailingon the Danube and the Rhône.

The company's sales andmarketing director, GeoffLawrence, said: "Customerfeedback shows that morethan 60% of our ocean cruisepassengers want to try a rivercruise . We’ve focussed our2013 programme to meet thedemand for these passengerswho are passionate aboutdiscovering more hiddensecrets in their favouriteEuropean towns and cities.”

The five 2013 itinerariesdepart throughout May andSeptember and each river

cruise will be accompanied bya specialist guest speaker. Aprogramme of tailor-madeshore excursions such aswine tastings and city walksare also included in the fare.

As examples, an eight-dayCruising the Danube itinerarysails through Germany,Austria, Slovakia andHungary. Highlights include afull day in Dürnstein whereguests can visit the ruins of acastle said to be the formerprison of King Richard theLion Heart. The cruisedeparts from the UK on May11 and September 21 andprices start from £1,595 perperson.

An eight-day Cruising theRhône option, which sailsnorth from Lyon to Châlon-sur-Sâone before cruisingto the Mediterranean, offersthe chance for guests tovisit the vineyards ofBurgundy, before exploringthe historic cities of Mâconand Viviers. The cruisedeparts on June 22,September 7 and 14 andprices lead in at £1,695.

Guest speakers for thenew programme includeProfessor Ian Beckett (RiverDanube, May 11) whospecialises in militaryhistory and is well knownfor his work on the Great

War and the British Armyand Professor Alexei Leporc(River Danube, September21) whose special interestsinclude AustrianExpressionism,contemporary architectureand garden history.

Prices include a shoreexcursion programme, allgratuities on board andashore, all meals, flightsfrom London, transfers orescorted travel by train(Rhône only) and all porttaxes and charges. For more information or to book visitwww.swanhellenic.com or call 0844-822 0679.

Swan Hellenic plans five new river cruises on the Danube & Rhône for 2013

cruising

Viking River Cruises orders two more ships for 2013

New cruise passenger terminalwelcomes visitors to MalagaTHE CITY of Malaga has openeda new passenger terminal aspart of the recent extensivedevelopment of its seaportarea.

The 900sq.m terminal is setover two floors and canaccommodate cruise ships ofup to 200m in length. It also has a specially designed mobilepassenger loading bridge which connects to the cruise linerfrom the pier.

Part of Quay Two’s Palmeral de las Sorpresas (Palm Groovepromenade) features a promenade with gardens, shaded areasand a children’s play area. The passenger terminal is locatedjust outside the city centre and visitors can reach the mainHigh Street and the cultural and commercial district in fiveminutes on foot.

The first cruise liner arrived at the new terminal late lastmonth and is the first of almost 70 luxury cruises that havealready planned calls and turnarounds at the new terminal inthe next few months.

The new terminalat Malaga port

NORWEGIAN CRUISE Line has announced that the five-timeTony Award nominated musical Rock of Ages (pictured) will befeatured on Norwegian Breakaway, along with two additionalBroadway shows: the dance sensation Burn The Floor andCirque Dreams & Dinner Jungle Fantasy. The line has alsointroduced a variety of entertainment acts and venues that willdebut on the ship, including comedy troupe The Second City andHowl at the Moon at Headliners Comedy Club and New York’sown Slam Allen in Fat Cats Jazz & Blues Club. For details call 0845-201 8900 or visit www.ncl.co.uk


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RIVIERA, OCEANIA Cruises’ newest ship in the upper-premium cruise segment, starts her winter 2012 seasonfrom her homeport of Miami on November 29 for herinaugural winter season. Riviera will sail five Caribbeanvoyages over 12 departure dates.

Examples include a ten-night Mayan Mystique itineraryroundtrip from Miami. Ports of call include George Town,Grand Cayman; Cozumel, Mexico; Belize City, Belize; SantoTomas, Guatemala; Roatan, Honduras; Costa Maya, Mexico;and Key West, Florida. Prices lead in at £1,502, based on aMarch 18 departure and include all meals, bottled water

and soft drinks, plus flights for bookings made bySeptember 30.

A 14-night Island Holiday sailing roundtrip from Miami,calls at Charlestown, Nevis; St. John’s, Antigua; Kingstown,St. Vincent; Bridgetown, Barbados; St. George’s, Grenada;Gustavia, St. Barts; Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands;Philipsburg, St. Maarten; and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Pricescost from £2,312, including all meals, bottled water and softdrinks, plus flights for bookings made by September 30. For more information visit www.oceaniacruises.com or call 0845-505 1920.

Oceania Cruises’ newest ship debuts North America for winter 2012

cruising

IN CELEBRATION of its new GSA partnership with Spanish cruise operator, Pullmantur, Major Travelis inviting travel agents on Pullmantur’s Empress ship for a live ‘Cruise Clinic’ where ‘Dr’ McKennawill be on hand to discuss industry related issues and topics, as well as to offer advice on getting thebest from selling. The forum will be followed by a tour of the recently refurbished liner and aMediterranean lunch. Agents are encouraged to bring their regular and prospective clients with themto learn about the Pullmantur offering. There will also be special offers for those wishing to book, aswell as incentives for agents and a prize draw to win a place on a subsequent cruise. For details seewww.major4agents.co.uk or call 0800-035 5686. Pictured marking the new partnership is theoperator's ‘Dr’ Andrew McKenna with Giorgia Cappabianca from Pullmantur.

Princess Cruises unveils Royal Princess fitness facilitiesPRINCESS CRUISES has revealed the sports and fitness features that will be featuredon the new Royal Princess when the ship debuts next June.

Passengers of all athletic abilities can keep in shape with a new outdoor joggingtrack and additional circuit exercises, the multi-activity Princess Sports Central, plusa fitness centre featuring the latest equipment with a private aerobics studio forspecial classes.

The Princess Sports Central features a multi-sport area on decks 18 and 19 andhas been designed to offer a collection of fun options, including court games, lawnactivities and a lounge for virtual gaming. The Centre Court can be used forbasketball, tennis, volleyball and badminton, while baseball fans can practise theirswing at the portable batting cage. Golfers are also catered for with a driving rangefacility, while the simulated laser shooting range offers a new onboard activity.

On the upper level, the Lawn Court offers a grassy area for putting, bocce ball,croquet and lawn bowling. The Game Lounge will offer a space for guests to meet upfor games, including table tennis and virtual gaming with Kinect systems, and staffwill be on hand to organise sports competitions and group games.For more information and video previews see www.princess.com/royalprincess

Travelsphere issuesdedicated CruiseSelection brochureTRAVELSPHERE HASlaunched its new CruiseSelection 2012 & 2013brochure, providing anumber of new cruiseitineraries as well as thechance to book early for2013.

The brochure offers arange of river, ocean andcruises from the UK, todestinations across theworld, from Japan andAlaska to South Americaand the Greek Islands, withholiday prices starting from£999 for nine days.

New for next year is aLands of Fire and Ice cruisewhich combines Hawaii andAlaska. The 17-day cruise isfully inclusive and starts withseven nights’ on Pride ofAmerica followed by sevennights’ on Norwegian Pearl.

Departures are availablefrom May to September,with prices from £3,799 perperson, including flights,transfers, meals and onboard entertainment.

Other new itineraries fornext year include, Japanand Alaska, a 21-day touron MS Volendam, from£2,999 departing in Apriland the Greek Isles fromCrete, a ten-day explorationtaking in the volcanic islandof Santorini, the islands ofKos and Mykonos, as wellas Rhodes - available from£1,299 departing from Juneto September. For more information seewww.travelsphere.co.uk orcall 01858-588406.



cruising

CRUSINGEXCURSIONS.COM HAS announced a new partnership with Advantage TravelCentres, which will see Advantage selling the company’s range of excursions, which nowexceed 5,000 at more than 600 ports worldwide.

A 16-page ‘shore-trip’ sampler brochure has been produced for agents to give to clients,with incentives for the booking to be made through the agent, rather than direct.

The company’s managing director, Simon Purchase, said: “Advantage agents providetheir customers with exceptional service and some of the keenest cruise prices andtherefore it is only natural that they would want to offer their customers the opportunity tosave up to 60% on their shore trip excursions and tour costs by pre booking before they sail.

“Our research shows that like many holiday essentials, such as airport car parking,transfers and car hire, the customer is aware that it makes economic sense to pre book andsave, rather than pay high prices on the day. The customers are fully protected with ournon-porting money back guarantee - if the ship doesn’t port then the customer receives afull refund. In addition, in the very unlikely event that we can’t get a passenger back onboard before the ship departs, and it’s not the passengers fault, then we will transportpassengers free of charge to the next port of call.”For more information see www.cruisingexcursions.com or call 0800-091 8274.

SILVERSEA HAS introducedgold leaf risotto to the menuat its fine-dining restaurantLe Champagne.

Since the partnership wasintroduced in 1996, LeChampagne has become theonly restaurant by Relais &Châteaux at sea, whichshowcases renowned worldwine regions.

The restaurant offers awide range of exclusivedishes and features fourregionally and seasonallyinspired menus.

The all-inclusive linerwelcomes guests toexperience fine dining for areservations fee of $30 perperson.For more information call0844-770 9030 or visitwww.silversea.com

Silverseaintroduces ediblegolf leaf to menu

REGENT SEVEN Seas Cruises’ 490-guest, all-suite Seven Seas Navigator has emerged from dry-dockfollowing renovations that have included the complete redecoration of the ship’s eight Grand Suites andMaster Suites and the debut of Sette Mari at La Veranda, an intimate Italian dining experience offering bothbuffet and a la carte service. Renovation of the ship’s Grand Suites and Master Suites includes new built-incabinetry, custom-crafted furnishings including new headboards and bedding, balcony furniture, designeraccessories and original art. The company has also rolled out a range of new perks and privileges forconcierge-level and above suites that include priority shore excursion and restaurant reservations and newand enhanced amenities such as Illy coffeemakers. New concierge-level amenities and perks are alsoavailable fleet wide on the line’s all-suite, all-balcony Seven Seas Mariner and Seven Seas Voyager. For details visit www.rssc.com or call 02380-682280.

PAUL GAUGUIN Cruises’ MS PaulGauguin is offering guests theopportunity to learn about fine winesfrom Larry Maguire of Napa Valley’sFar Niente Winery on the ship’sOctober 6 Tahiti & the Society Islandsvoyage.

With more than 30 years’ experiencein the fine wine industry, Maguirebrings a wealth of knowledge aboutwine to share with guests on the trip.

Passionate about wine, he regularlyvisits the great wine regions of theworld, tasting wines in the cellars andhomes of some of the world’s mostacclaimed vintners.

Maguire will present a lecture onwine and conduct a tasting of FarNiente wines during the voyage.

The seven-night itinerary cruisesround-trip from Papeete, Tahiti, visitingRaiatea, Taha’a (Motu Mahana), Bora

Bora (overnight) and Moorea(overnight) in the Society Islands.

Prices lead in at £4,140 per personincluding scheduled flights, transfersand accommodation in an Ocean Viewstateroom with all meals, soft drinks,selected alcoholic beverages andgratuities.For more information or to book call 020-7434 0089 or visit www.pgcruises.com

Fine wine cruising on Paul Gauguin’s Tahiti & the Society Islands voyage

Cruisingexcursions.com announces partnership with Advantage


INTRODUCING OUR AMAZING NEW BROCHURE FOR 2013

INNEW BRO

NTRODUCOCHURE CING OU

FOR 201R AMAZIN

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cruising

Crossword:Across: 1. COSTA, 3. DEVON, 5. BAKEWELL, 7. SINTRA, 8. ODER, 10. OMAN, 11. SARONG, 13. DORDOGNE, 14.STEIN, 15. SPAIN. Down: 1. CHRIS HOY, 2. ANKARA, 3. DAWN, 4. VELODROME, 5. BANGALORE, 6. BRIGHTON, 9. GANGES, 12. EDEN.

Highlighted Word: COLORADO

Travagrams: (top) Butlins (bottom) Las Vegas

Where Am I?: Monaco

puzzlesolutions


TO REFLECT the growth in the ‘all-inclusive’ holiday market, and following thesuccessful introduction of its ‘all-inclusive’ drinks package on four limitedavailability 2013 Canaries fly/cruises, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines is extending itsoffer. If guests book by September 30 for all cruise departures on, or after April6, 2013 and featured in its current 2013/14 Worldwide Cruises’ brochure(excluding the 2014 Balmoral and Black Watch ‘Grand Voyages’ and theirsectors, and full-charter Boudicca cruise JMGD1321), they will automaticallyqualify for a free upgrade to an ‘all-inclusive’ drinks package, including beers,wine, spirits and soft drinks.

The pledge will be added to all applicable bookings retrospectively but futurecruise guests will need to be quick to secure their place, as the offer is limitedto the first 100 bookings per sailing taken between now and the end ofSeptember.

The line's sales and marketing director, Nathan Philpot, said: “We know thatmany of our guests are on a tight budget in this challenging economic climate,and with this ‘all-inclusive’ drinks package, our 2013/14 cruise programme iseven better value for money. Our ‘drinks inclusive’ package on the four selected2013 Canaries fly/cruises, which we launched earlier this year, has provenextremely popular, and sold out three times as quickly as our cruises withoutthis valuable add-on."

The pledge means that if the price of the cruise is reduced for the cabingrade booked, the company will refund the difference through one – or acombination – of measures: a cabin upgrade; onboard spending credit; or acash refund, all at the line's discretion. Philpot said: “We have been discussinga ‘Fred. Olsen Price Pledge’ with our key trade partners for a number of weeks,and this is one of a range of options that we are introducing to help to restoreconfidence in the cruise market to encourage guests to book early. We want tooffer our guests the best possible deal on their cruise with us, and by bookingearly they will have the peace of mind that, should the cruise price reduce, thenwe will make up the difference, whilst they will be able to secure the bestchoice of cruise and cabins.

“We would ask all our travel agent colleagues to get behind our new ‘PricePledge’, which aims to put an end to unsustainable pricing for cruise holidays inthe marketplace. This, we believe, is in the best interests of all within the cruiseindustry and will help to bring about increased returns for agents.”

The price pledge applies to the cruise element of the holiday, and not toother package components, such as flights, hotels and transfers. For more information visit www.fredolsencruises.com or call 01473-742424.

Fred. Olsen goes ‘all-inclusive’ and launches early booking ‘Price Pledge’

Star Clippers announces 2013 / 14 sailing schedulesSTAR CLIPPERS has announced its 2013/14 sailing schedule, showcasingvoyages on the line’s three ships, Star Clipper, Star Flyer and Royal Clipper.

Next summer all three ships will sail in Europe: The flagship Royal Clipperwill be in the western and eastern Mediterranean; Star Clipper in the westernMediterranean and Aegean; and Star Flyer in the Baltic and southern Spain.

Highlights of the sailings include new taster cruises in the Baltic from £589per person for three nights, ten- and 11-night sailings on Star Flyer fromStockholm to St Petersburg, a return to Monaco for Star Clipper with threeround-trip sailings in April and May, new round-trip Venice sailings for RoyalClipper from £554 for three nights and Andalucia and North Africa cruises onStar Flyer from £1,152 for a week.

Prices include full board on the ship but exclude port taxes and flights.For details call 0845-200 6145 or visit www.starclippers.co.uk

We asked our staff thefollowing question this week:

Which event should beadded to the Olympics?

Publisher: Jeanette [email protected] or Speed Climbing......my son really enjoysboth so one day a medal could be hanging round his neck!

Editor: Lauretta [email protected] - we'd have a good chance of getting a Goldmedal!

Assistant Editor: Jill [email protected]'s sychronized swimming - it began as a sport formen in the 1800s...

Contributing Editor: Paul [email protected] versus Boxers, or Guinness Pouring

Sales Director: Simon [email protected]

Advertisement Manager: Tim [email protected]

Online Sales Manager: Nick [email protected] With Scissors. Or even better, Parkour WithScissors

Account Manager: Bill [email protected] Tug of War!

Sales Executive: Chris [email protected] Queuing or Jousting on The Mall

Design: Genaro [email protected]

Assistant Layout Design:Nicky [email protected] Kart

Production: Jeremy Walters [email protected] has got to be Bog Snorkelling

Circulation Manager: Jim [email protected]

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Call Holland America Line Reservations on 0844 338 8600www.hollandamerica.co.uk

Verandah Suite Thermal Suite, Greenhouse Spa

Simply visit www.hollandamerica.co.uk to see the huge choice ofdestinations and itineraries on offer:-

Alaska • Australia & New Zealand • Asia & South Pacific • Canada &New England • Caribbean • Mediterranean & Black Sea • NorthernEurope & Baltic • Hawaii • Mexico Panama Canal • South America &Antarctica • Grand Voyages

Message from Wendy Lahmich –

Director of Sales, UK & Ireland

Here’s some 2012/3 news and sales tips from Holland America Line!

For 2013, we have more itineraries and fabulous cruise destinationsthan ever before, including more from the UK!

Further afield, popular exotic cruises include Australia, New Zealand,Asia & Pacific and South America, and the most comprehensiveAlaska programme available anywhere – so get your clients to bookthese “once in a lifetime” holidays early to ensure the best accommodation and fares!

Agents News to Use!

2013 NOW ON SALE

Our new and expanded sales team is available to help you!

• Wendy Lahmich - Director of Sales:[email protected]

• Dani Scannella - Business Development Manager South:[email protected]

• Vikki Courtman - Business Development Manager Midlands:[email protected]

MORE CRUISING FROM THE UK FOR 2012/13

Holland America Line now offers:-

• Voyages from Southampton: – 32-night Caribbean Odyssey departing 03/11/12 – 88-night Passage to Asia departing 10/01/13

• Cruises from Dover: – 7-14-night Norwegian Fjords, Arctic & Baltic cruises from May to August

• Round Britain cruising from Tilbury onboard our “elegant explorer”ms Prinsendam.

HAL ACADEMY – HAVE YOU SIGNED UP YET?• Designed to provide YOU with the tools and sales techniques you

need to achieve greater sales success. • Utilizing video and the latest interactive technology, HAL Academy

is conducted completely on-line at the student’s own pace. • Subjects covered include:-

– An introduction to premium cruising– Identifying Holland America Line and cruise prospects– Destination overview– Sales support overview – An introduction to Group sales

MEET THE HOLLAND AMERICA LINE SALES TEAM

WENDY’S TIPS ON HOW TO SELL PREMIUM…

Holland America Line is the acknowledged leader in “Premium”cruising, offering all those special touches and services that yourcustomers will love. Just look and see how much is included in ourcruises and how much value we offer our guests;

- Modern ships feature intimate, elegant lounges adorned withbeautiful antiques, paintings and fresh flowers

- Staterooms that are 25% larger – even standard stateroomsmeasure 197 square feet - against the industry average of 147 – andsea-view accommodation offers both tub and shower, as well ashairdryers, fresh fruit, twice daily ice service and bathrobes.

- Complimentary extras – hot and cold hors d’oeuvres served atcocktail hour, lemonade and iced tea on deck mid-afternoon, fruitbaskets, terry robes and twice daily ice service in staterooms, hand-dipped chocolates after dinner in the Explorer’s Lounge

- Enrichment programmes – like our Culinary Arts programme andour Digital Workshops powered by Windows!

- Longer time in port – full days ashore and leisurely overnights incities like Venice, Istanbul, Buenos Aires, Sydney and Shanghai

- SELL UP... Sell in the bonuses of superior accommodation. Ensureyour customer knows the advantages of having a balcony or seaview. And make sure they know it’s only xx per person per day toupgrade! (work this out according to the cruise itinerary and fare).

• Rebecca Skipp - Business Development Manager North:[email protected]

• Lucy Morris - Business Development Representative North:[email protected]

• Katie Brickell - Business Development Representative South:[email protected]

Send us an e-mail [email protected]

ALL AGENTS: Log onto www.halacademy.co.uk, no passwords required!ACE MEMBERS: Log onto www.cruiseexperts.org and receive extra rewards!



Documents

Travel Bulletin 10th August 2012