Travel Bulletin 11th October 2013

Abu Dhabi ontarget to achieve2.5m visitors for 2013

Middle East

October 11 2013 | ISSUE NO 1,845 | www.travelbulletin.co.uk

agent bulletinyour chance to win an iPhone5s as part of Travel 2'sAustralia campaign

bulletin briefingAdvantage goes in search of atechnology star for agents

greece & cyprusnew programme additionsand trends

escorted tripsoperators launch new tours for2014 in response to demand

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this week

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Luxury Cruising by Compagnie du Ponant

ARCTIC AND ANTARCTICA: A 5-STAR EXPEDITIONCruising with Compagnie du Ponant in the Arctic and Antarctica offers you the unique fusion of 5-star comfort and a polar expedition in the midst of majestic icebergs and spectacular scenery. The 132-cabin, 5-star yachts LE BORÉAL and L’AUSTRAL reach some of the World’s most unique destinations- many inaccessible to larger ships- while treating guests to unrivalled passenger service, the finest cuisine and a bilingual crew ready to tend to your every need. Discover the treasures of the World by sea.

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Winter 2013 - 2014 & Summer 201423 departures from € 2600 (1)

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S01 TB1110 Start_Layout 1 09/10/2013 12:12 Page 2

VENICE VENTURE...In partnership with Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, Titan recently hosted 12 agentson an eight-day deluxe river cruise to introduce Venice and the Po River. Pictured taking in the city sights are,from the left: Craig Liddle, Titan; Sally Preston, Peakes Travel; Jenny George, Toucan Travel; Lisa Hatcher, BathTravel; Beth Malloy, Affinion International; David Clark, Mundy Cruising; Wendy Owen, Worldchoice Shrewsbury;Joanne Smithies, Bluewater Holidays; Pam Jackman, Travel Dream; Claire Waldron, Highworth Travel; June Allen,Travelwise of Devizes; Jenny Coxall, HPB Travel Services; Matt Norgrove, Titan; and Andrew Ogden, TravelbankWorldchoice.

This Week

3 newsABTA unveils winter holidaytrends for 2013/14

8 notes from normantonSandy attends the ABTARace Day at PontefractRaces

9 agent bulletinyour chance to win aniPhone 5s as part of Travel2's Australia campaign

10 staff reviewfind out what we thought ofthe DoubleTree by Hilton inManchester

11 puzzle bulletinplay Su Doku for a chance towin a £50 M&S voucher

12 bulletin briefingAdvantage goes in search ofa 'technology star' for agents

13 hotel bulletinJumeirah Carlton Tower runsStrictly Dance Weekends tomark return of BBC series

14 personality bulletinwhich UK head of sales canimitate Donald Duck?

15 greece & cyprusa round-up of newprogramme additions andtrends

17 escorted tripsoperators launch new toursfor 2014 in response todemand

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3www.travelbulletin.co.uk October 11 2013

newsbulletin

ONE IN five people (19%)are planning to take awinter holiday this year,with one in five (21%) stillundecided, according tonew research from ABTA.

Among those planning abreak, winter sun remainsthe most popular type ofholiday but city breaks andski holidays have bothincreased in popularity,according to the research.

Two in five (40%) ofthose planning a holidaysaid they will be headingfor some winter sun, withthis type of break beingmost popular with olderage groups, with six in ten(59%) of 55-64 year-oldstaking a winter sunholiday.

The Canary Islands arethis year’s favouritedestination for winter sunseekers, who will also beheading to the southernMediterranean,particularly Greece, Maltaand Tunisia. Further afield,the beaches of theCaribbean and Mexico

make for popular long-haul escapes, while Dubairemains popular withfamilies.

The research also foundthat winter city breakshave seen a jump inpopularity with four in ten(39%) of those taking awinter holiday planning acity break this yearcompared to just under athird (31%) in 2012. Theincrease is being driven byyounger holidaymakers;almost half (48%) of under35-year-olds planning awinter holiday are taking awinter city break this yearcompared to a third (33%)in 2012.

Victoria Bacon, head ofcommunications at theassociation, said: “Wintercan be a great time for aholiday as there’s no otherseason where such a rangeof holidays are so easilyavailable to Britishholidaymakers. It’s nowonder that taking a breakat this time of year isconsistently popular

whether people areseeking sun, snow or a citybreak.”

Combining a city breakwith a Christmas markethas also becomeincreasingly popular, withfavourite Europeandestinations includingFrankfurt, Paris andVienna, while the outdoormarkets in London,Birmingham and Edinburghare also popular.

Meanwhile, followingexcellent snow conditionsacross Europe last year,winter sports holidayshave seen a boost inpopularity, with 15% ofthose taking a winterholiday incorporating sportcompared to 10% last year.

Members of theassociation are alsoreporting demand forresorts that offeradditional activities, withwinter sports enthusiastskeen to do more off theslopes such as yoga, spatreatments and cookeryclasses.

ABTA unveils findings of winter holiday trends for 2013/14

21middle eastAbu Dhabi on target toachieve 2.5m visitors for2013


COLLETTE WORLDWIDE Holidays has launched its2014/15 brochure featuring new tours in the US, Canada,Portugal and Russia plus early booking discounts of up to£500 per couple.

The new brochure also features the completeprogramme of RHS Garden Holidays, which are adedicated collection of garden-themed tours and werelaunched earlier this year.

As an example, a 12-day Portugal and its Islandsitinerary leads in at £2,049 per person based ondepartures next month. It includes four days in Lisbon,four days on the ‘green island’ of St Michael (the largestof the Azores) and three days in Madeira.

All tours include flights; transfers and transport;breakfast and many other meals; accommodation; theservices of a tour manager; and door-to-door pick-upwithin 100-miles of the UK departure airport.

Early booking offers are available on all bookings madeby November 30.For more information call 0800-804 8700 or visitwww.colletteworldwide.com

G ADVENTURES is offeringseven brochures for 2014that focus on travel stylesrather than destination.

According to theoperator, the groupings oftrips reflects the evolutionof adventure travel whichnow appeals to alldemographics oftravellers, with differenttypes and service levels ofadventure travel nowavailable.

The first brochure tolaunch will be the Earthbrochure featuring thecompany’s line-up ofClassic trips followed byYolo, trips designed for 18-30s; Marine, a collectionof small ship sailing andcruising experiences;Local Living, centre-basedholiday experiences;Family, for families

looking for moreeducational holidays; andActive, for trekking,kayaking, cycling andmultisport trips.

As each brochure isreleased there will be avideo for each travel styleas well as factsheetshighlighting a selection ofbest-selling trips for thestyle featured.

Physical demands andtrip service levels continueto be highlighted in eachbrochure, however thecomfort service level hasbeen renamed ‘upgraded’to make way for theComfort travel style. Theservice levels available arenow identified as camping,basic, standard andupgraded.For further details visitwww.gadventures.co.uk

Collette Worldwide Holidays offers earlybooking deals in 2014/15 brochure

www.travelbulletin.co.ukOctober 11 20134

newsbulletin

RESEARCH BY www.sunshine.co.uk has revealed that a third ofholidaymakers travelling overseas underestimate the amountof spending money they will need, with two-thirds of thosesurveyed withdrawing more foreign currency while away.

The poll surveyed 2,132 holidaymakers, with 34% of thosetaking part admitting that they didn’t take enough currency.Some 67% of respondents said that they had withdrawn moreforeign currency from an ATM on holiday to keep them going,while 21% said they had borrowed money from someone elsethey were on holiday with at the time.

Asked why they needed more cash, 71% said theyunderestimated how much certain items and services wouldbe, such as the cost of meals and items in shops. In

comparison, 29% of those taking part claimed they took justthe right amount of spending money while 37% claimed theytook too much.

Chris Clarkson, the company's managing director, said:“There’s nothing worse than getting towards the end of yourholiday and having to scrimp and save in order to make yourmoney stretch to the end of your break. That’s why it’simportant to have an emergency credit card on hand, just incase, or budget properly for each day that you’re away.

“If you tend to spend above your means and run out of cashon holiday, perhaps an all-inclusive trip would be a betteroption next time. That way, you have all your meals and drinkspaid for in case you end up short of money.”

Third of holidaymakers underestimate spending according to sunshine.co.uk survey

LUCKY NUMBER…Angela Davies, manager of Chester-based EdenredTravel, will now be using a hire car supplied by Affordable Car Hireafter winning a competition at the Global Travel Conference held atthe De Vere Garden Park Country Golf Resort and Spa Hotel nearChester in March. Davies, who correctly guessed the number of beachballs that were packed into a car at the conference, is pictured withthe new Kia Rio after it was delivered to her office.

G Adventures issues seven brochuresfor 2014 with a focus on travel styles

Mailings with Travel Bulletin this week include:

● Cox and Kings offers a comprehensive range oftailor-made travel ideas, escorted group tours,private journeys and short breaks throughout theworld. Please find enclosed our brand newWorldwide brochure covering our most enthrallingtravel destinations. Call 020 7873 5000 to speak to anexpert or visit www.trade-gate.co.uk to order bulkdeliveries of our 2014 brochure range.

Mailbox

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


Free WiFi from RSSCREGENT SEVEN SeasCruises has announced thatit is offering free WiFiacross its fleet. Beginningwith the line’s winter2014/15 sailings, concierge-level and higher guests willreceive up to 500 minutes offree WiFi. The line will alsomake a multi-million dollarinvestment to upgrade itsfleet's onboard internetoffering. For details visitwww.rssc.com

The Holiday Team launches Far East trade brochureTHE HOLIDAY Team has launched a 180-page Far East brochure exclusively for the trade,with 15% commission on offer.

Featured destinations include Thailand, Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Bali, Vietnam,Cambodia, Laos, Hong Kong and China, with more than 194 properties included, rangingfrom budget accommodation to luxury holiday packages.

Guided touring products cover more than 20 tours, including a Jungle Safari and aluxury train journey on the Eastern and Oriental Express. The brochure also offers sixcruises, including a Yangtze River cruise.

For multi-centres holidays there are 16 suggestions and more than 60 day trips, whichcan be tailored to clients' needs.

BEAR ESSENTIALS...TIPTO raised £1,000 for charity Reuben’sRetreat from the proceeds of its Name the Bear competition whichran at each of its 25 roadshows over 2012/13. Pictured holding thecheque are, from the left: Zena Calderbank, Hoseasons; ClaireDutton, Superbreak; and Lorna Willis, TIPTO.

Iberia set to launch newbrand image

ON OCTOBER 15 Iberiawill present its newcorporate logo and brandimage which will becomeeffective in mid-November with thedelivery of the airline'sfirst Airbus A330 bearingthe new logo.

The new brand image,which will keep thecurrent symbols andcolour scheme thatidentify the airline as theSpanish flag carrier, ispart of a widerrenovation andmodernisationprogramme that isintended to make thecarrier a modern,profitable, andsustainable company,attractive both tocustomers and staff.

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S02 TB1110 News 1_Layout 1 09/10/2013 11:34 Page 5

SHEARINGS HOLIDAYS has introduced a selection of Christmas and New Year breaks to its2013/14 programme, following an increase in sales of European Christmas breaks by 26% year-on-year.

New for this year is a four-day Prague Christmas Markets holiday from £479, staying at thefive-star Hotel President, overlooking Prague Castle. The trip includes a guided tour of the city,exploring the Christmas markets, flights and transfers.

The Grand Tourer festive breaks programme has also been expanded, with new itinerariesincluding a seven-day Bavaria’s Festive Charm itinerary from £669 and a 12-day Lake Garda &the Tyrol Christmas & New Year from £1,129. Both include luxury coach travel, premium hotelaccommodation and free Home Connect service.For more information call 0844-824 6359 or visit www.shearings.com‘Life Changing’

brochure fromRocky MountaineerROCKY MOUNTAINEER haslaunched a Life ChangingExperiences brochure for2014, with a range of newitineraries on offer. Ithighlights five steps onhow to build a tailor-maderail journey, providingtravellers with a range ofoptions to fully customisetheir North Americanholiday.To order a copy of the brochure or view it online visitwww.agent.rockymountaineer.com

Shearings Holidays gears up for a Merry Christmas

CHRISTMAS TREAT…LegerHolidays has launched itsChristmas & New Year andChristmas Markets brochures,which include 11 newChristmas and New Year toursplus five new Christmas marketgetaways. New tours includeChristmas in Kitzbühel,Christmas or New Year inLuxembourg and three toursfor single travellers to Spain,Tuscany and Belgium. A four-night Brussels and BrugesChristmas Markets tour leadsin at £329 and includesbreakfast accommodation in afive-star hotel, travel by SilverService coach and excursions.Pictured marking the newbrochure launch is StacieHarding (left) and AnyaWoodard from Premier Travelin Newmarket.


newsbulletin

Tweets of

the WeekWho’s saying what

on Twitter...

@AITOHQ Are you Wild AboutAfrica? We have 25amazing #Africa holidaysfor you to choose from!Courtesy of @ExpertAfricahttp://bit.ly/GzOF3D

@Butlins See Scooby Doo, Shaggy,Fred, Velma & Daphne liveon every 2014 familybreak in their brand newScooby Doo live show!http://bit.ly/17o8UY2

@KuoniTravelUK Here is a just a few of ourfavourite comments fromyou guys over the last fewmonths. Are youincluded?http://blog.kuoni.co.uk/social-snippets

@NCLairport We're consulting on ourmasterplan until the end ofOctober - have your say athttp://newcastleairport.com/masterplan

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

TravelBulletin

Newsbites● INTERNATIONAL DOOR-to-door

luggage collection and deliverycompany First Luggage is now offering10% commission to agents who sell itseconomical Luggage Delivery Companyservice. As an example, agents canearn up to £5.90 for delivery of a 25kgsuitcase to Italy.

● THE MAYOR of London, Boris Johnson,has signed an agreement throughLondon’s official promotionalorganisation London & Partners withNew York counterparts MichaelBloomberg and New York City &Company to boost tourism andbusiness by encouraging visitorsacross the Atlantic between Londonand New York.

● TRAVELPORT HAS signed a long-termagreement with Audley to provide theoperator with full access to its content.

● THE GLOBAL Travel Group hasannounced that its 2014 conference willtake place from March 23-25 at the DeVere Carden Park near Chester.

● MALAYSIA AIRLINES has increased

capacity and frequency from KualaLumpur to regional destinations inMalaysia and throughout keyinternational destinations in Asia andAustralasia, among others. For details see www.malaysiaairlines.comor call 0871-423 9090.

● HOTELBEDS HAS improved its hotelportfolio in Asia with a new agreementsigned with Swiss BelhotelInternational.

● THOMSON HAS launched a newcampaign covering the entire back wallof the check-in area at Gatwick’s NorthTerminal, including a full wrap of thewall and content across the digital andstatic screens. The campaign promotesits new 787 Dreamliner and long-hauldestinations.

● AIR PARTNER has signed a contractwith ski tour operator Hotelplan Groupto provide flights for the Inghams Ski,Esprit and Ski Total brands from mid-December until mid-April next yearfrom Gatwick and Bristol to Chamberyon a Boeing 737-700.


PANAMA CITY BEACH

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Last direct flights to Azores by SATASATA INTERNATIONAL is offering clients a last chance to flydirectly to the Azores.

Flying direct from Gatwick to Ponta Delgada every Saturdayuntil October 19, the Azores features several UNESCO sitesincluding the walled vineyards of Pico and the city of Angra doHeroÍsmo.

Original Diving offers a seven-night package to the Azoresthis month from £990 per person based on two peoplesharing, including breakfast accommodation at the HotelCaloura in Sao Miguel in a standard room; seven days’ carhire; full-day island tour with private vehicle and guide; half-day whale-watching expedition; and flights.

To book or for more information call 020-7978 0505 or visitwww.originaldiving.comFor further details on flights to the Azores visit www.sata.pt

GOT A great poemfrom MikeBartram at

Abbey Travel which Ithought I would sharewith you!

“It’s National CruiseWeek once again, itcomes around everynow and then.

And we sell our cruises cheap as chips becausethere are too many ships.

Vacancies, we have aplenty; berths and bunksjust lying empty.

What will it take to make you say ‘My word that’sgood, let’s get away’.

So don’t just stand there reading this; thesebargains are too good to miss.

Treat yourself to a cruise with Fred before yourkids do, when you’re dead!”

Attended the ABTA Race Day at Pontefract Racesorganised by Jackie Standridge, Abta chairman forYorks & North Mids region. It was hosted byJet2Holidays, Atlantic, Classic Collection, GreatRail Journeys, Superbreak & Hurtigruten - what afantastic day! It was actually 2yrs to the date sinceI lost my wonderful mum but I think she was withme helping me pick the horses as I won every raceexcept the last one! It was also great to see DennisAshby and Stephen Barnes from ABTA again. Thenext Yorks Abta meeting is at LBIA on Tues the15th October so email [email protected] if youwant to attend.

‘Life is a ticket to the greatest show on earth’and ‘Vision without action is a daydreamer. Actionwithout vision is a nightmare.’

by SANDRA MURRAYin Normanton, Yorkshire

Notes from

Normanton...

To respond to any of Sandy’s comments email

jill. [email protected]

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www.travelbulletin.co.uk

WEBSCLUSIVES

● Some fantastic prizes are on offer from ourIceland Travel competition. Just answer threequestions for you chance to win £150 ofLove2Shop vouchers. Runners-up prizes include£50 of Love2Shop vouchers. Enter now atwww.travelbulletin.co.uk/competitions.

● Win an iPad 4 courtesy of our competition fromSt Helena Island. Find out more about thisfascinating destination, answer a few questionsand you’re in the prize draw. Go to:www.travelbulletin.co.uk/competitions

● Keep an eye on the latest Travel Bulletin events– including the 2013 Star Awards - by tuning intoour Youtube channel. Subscribe towww.youtube.com/travelbulletin

All this and more at:


The home of the web savvy travel agent

Go

With Laura Dawson fromSuperbreak at the ABTA Race Day

INTERNET PORTAL StepMap is promoting its map editorthat enables tour operators and travel agencies to create,customise and download maps in high resolution for allpurposes including web, print and mobile devices.

Technical expert skills are not required and maps can becreated within a few minutes. In addition, there are nodownloads or installations necessary since the wholeprocess is done in the web browser.For details see www.stepmap.com

StepMap offers web-based tool to create maps for brochures


● UP TO December 31, agents can earn bonus pointswhen booking clients to select Fairmont, Raffles andSwissôtel locations around the world. Agents willalso receive a leather passport cover when youactualize a minimum of 50 qualifying client roomnights at participating hotels. For details email [email protected] or seefrhi.com/famousagents

● AS PART of its ‘Australia: Build the Perfect Holiday’campaign, Travel 2 has teamed up with TourismAustralia, Emirates, Avis, THL and AAT Kings toshowcase Australia's diversity. To celebrate the

campaign the company is giving agents the chanceto win a ‘building block’ per qualified booking thatincludes a minimum of three days’ groundarrangements and flights with Emirates whenbooked by October 31. One building block equals a£20 prize, two blocks equal a £50 prize, threequalified bookings secures agents a £100Ticketmaster voucher and four bookings providesagents with £200 towards a team night out. Agentssecuring five bookings will win an iPad mini, withthe grand prize winners that make ten bookingswinning an iPhone 5s. For details see www.travel2.com

DALEY GIVEAWAY...Pictured is Emma Hunt from Thomson

Coalville collecting £200 in Love2Shop vouchers from Grant Daley

of Universal Parks & Resorts for being the first agent in the UK to

make a booking to Universal’s new Cabana Bay Beach Resort. The

1,800-room hotel at Universal Orlando Resort will feature value-

priced guest rooms and moderately priced family suites and is

scheduled to open for stays beginning on March 31, 2014. It will

feature two pool complexes, a themed lazy river experience and a

ten-lane bowling alley.

9October 11 2013

agentbulletinBooking incentives

Did youknow...?SITE DATA fromGlobalVisas.com hasrevealed the strangestreasons given by thoselooking to make a visaapplication. Theyincluded a SouthAfrican man whoapplied for a Europeanvisa as he stated that hewanted to go toRomania to ‘huntvampires’ for a living; aBrazilian man appliedfor a UK visa to bring'flamenco to the streetsof Norwich', claiming tobe a teacher of thedance; a Russian ladywas looking for aEuropean visa to work'her trade' (prostitution)in the Netherlands; aman openly claimedduring his applicationprocess that he was'evading the localauthorities' in his nativePhilippines and wantedto join his family inAustralia; and a womanapplied for a UK visaafter apparentlysecuring 'seasonalwork as a zombie' aftergoing for an interviewwhilst on holiday.



Two-for-one deals from P&O FerriesP&O FERRIES is cutting the cost of short breaks to Hollandand Belgium this autumn with two-for-one mini cruisedeals.

When one person pays full price, their accompanyingguest goes free on the company’s two-night trips on theHull-Rotterdam or Hull-Zeebrugge routes, with pricesstarting from £75 per person, based on two sharing.

The price includes overnight crossings plus coachtransfers for a day’s sightseeing in Rotterdam, Amsterdam,Bruges or – new for this year – Ostend.

The offer is available until December 29.To book or for more information call0871-664 6664 or visit www.poferries.com/minicruises

Balkan launches online golf brochure BALKAN HOLIDAYS has launched its first online golfbrochure featuring breaks of two nights or more to golfingvenues in Bulgaria and Slovenia.

As well as offering holidays at five luxury resorts, thebrochure contains details of bespoke holidays.

In Bulgaria three properties are offered - the five-starThracian Cliffs Golf & Beach Resort, the Lighthouse GolfResort and Blacksearama Golf & Villas – which are allserved by Varna Airport.

In Slovenia, Lake Bled Golf & Country Club is one of thefeatured properties and offers a Par 73 golf course. Thereis also a nine-hole lake course, with a further sevencourses within an hour’s drive of Lake Bled.

As an example of prices, a seven-night break for two inBulgaria in May leads in at £459 per person. It includesflights from a choice of seven UK airports, a deposit of £70per person, golf carriage on charter flights of £25 returnand in-flight pre-bookable extras including extra legroom.For more information call 0845-130 1114 or visitwww.balkanholidays.co.uk

A BARKING GOOD TIME…Superbreak recently treated agents to anight at new West End show ‘Barking in Essex’, starring LeeEvans and Sheila Hancock. Pictured getting ready to enjoy theshow are, from the left: Catriona Skinner, The Travel NetworkGroup; Graham Balmforth, Superbreak; and Victoria Jones,Advantage Travel Centres.

staffreviewLauretta Wright from Travel Bulletin spent a night at the

DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester - Piccadilly. Here'swhat she thought...

If you'd like to take part and receive a free £10 Love2Shop voucher email [email protected]

or call 020-7834 6661 with your name and contact details.

First impressions ..............................10/10

Having never stayed at a DoubleTree by Hilton before, I waspleasantly surprised when I was offered warm chocolatechip cookies upon check-in for myself and my party - anice touch. The hotel has an underground car park and isin a central location. The reception area offered a modernvibe, echoed by the interesting pieces of art dotted aroundand the style of music.

Comfort ............................................10/10

I have to say, I’ve never had a better night’s sleep beforethan at this hotel. I would suggest this was down totiredness after the five-hour drive to get there, but after afew hours in the room the following morning, it was clearthat comfort levels were second to none. The 'SweetDreams by DoubleTree Sleep Experience' certainly cametrue for me on this occasion.

Quality ..............................................10/10

Top-notch quality - from the iMacs in the room (veryimpressive) down to the luxurious bedlinen.

Affordability ........................................9/10

Room rates at DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester -Piccadilly start from £99 per night, on a room-only basis;not unreasonable considering the level of comfort, qualityand service.

Service ..............................................10/10

I can’t fault this – all service was with a smile plus theoffer of further help should I need it.For details see www.doubletree.com

Overall scoring: ..................10

10/

newsbulletin



puzzlebulletin


Where Am I?

The Labour Party held their recent annual conference here.

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, October 17th. Solution and new puzzle

will appear next week.

The winner for 27th September is Carol Smith, Co Operative Personal Travel in Essex.

September 27 Solution: A=6 B=5 C=3 D=9

➠A

➠B

➠C

➠D

Number: 131

Travagrams

Across 1. Operator specialising in European holidays

and tours (5)3. Major hotel group (5)5. English city with a famous medieval castle (7)7. Part of the UK initially, which the Romans

called Vectis (3)9. Airline of Israel (2,2)10. Cuisine with Louisiana origins (6)12. Mainline station for trains to the North of

England and Scotland (6)14. British Airways business-class service, ___

World (4)17. Flows through Chester (3)18. English county town (7)19. Actor, Alan Davies plays this character,

Jonathan ___ (5)20. Malpensa airport serves this Italian city (5)

Down 1. Movie release, sounds like a short break in the

City of Light (2,4-3)2. Operator, specialising in escorted holidays,

Great ___ Journeys (4)3. Capital of Turkey (6)4. Capital city on the Nile (5)6. Rabat international airport code (3)8. Historic German spa city with hot springs (9)11. Senggigi Beach is a popular resort on this

Indonesian island (6)13. Actor / comedian, ___ Coogan (5)15. Star sign (3)16. Netherlands city, famous for its red-skinned

cheese (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 22

Crossword

Su Doku

Num

ber:

131

The operators of this airline hope you will have a simple journey.

This city is famous for its Gs; gondolas, glass and the Guggenheim.

Say Jeet

Evince

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


ANY TRAVEL agent will tell you that the searchfor a perfect travel technology solution is like anepic exploration in pursuit of the Holy Grail.

Front, mid and back office solutions all do prettymuch the same thing but we’re always looking forsomething more, the one enhancement that makesthe job of a frontline travel professional that little biteasier and speeds up their sales process.

When I started in travel as a foreign exchangeconsultant back in ’99 I remember thinking howawkward and clunky the fx system was, but all thebranches of this multiple used it and very quickly itbecame apparent that I was not the only one whothought there must be something better out there.There was. But even when the new system waslaunched with a great flourish from the powers thatbe, we all still ended up wondering why we’d movedto it! Did it do anything new? Did it speed up ourjobs? Did it allow us to be better equipped to copewith demanding customers? Sadly the answers wereno, no and yes you guessed it, no!

As I moved through the travel industry into salespositions, the technology of any one company waswhat everyone talked about. “How many systems doyou need to log into to do the job?” became a second-nature question. Now tell me that your bookmarksmenu is not right down to the bottom of your screenwhen you open it up. A year ago I jumped at thechance to join Advantage Travel Centres to managethe development of a new booking tool, namely the

Advantage Travel Gateway. The system had been upand running for 18 months or so but it neededguidance and a travel agent’s eye to help move itforward. What we have in the Gateway is a contentaggregator that is web-based allowing members tolog in from wherever they are with no need todownload or install software. Members can prioritisesuppliers at will and can choose how they mark-upeither behind the scenes or in a panel within thesales process.

How many times have you checked four or fivedifferent bedbanks for the same property to compareprices? I would wager that you always use yourfavourite suppliers too. What if a system checked 16,17, 18 different bedbanks for you and price orderedthe results? The time saved alone is worth its weightin gold. The same goes for flights and eventraditional package suppliers such as Thomson,Thomas Cook and Cosmos. The system allows you tobuild a dynamic package selecting flights, hotels andtransfers. You can also add car parking and car hire ifrequired. We’ve recently added the ability to save aquote so that you can recall it in one click and nothave to go through the search again and we are alsoworking with back office providers to developseamless downloads, so that once your booking ismade in the Gateway it appears in your back office,so very little or no re-keying is required. A one-stopshop I hear you say.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love the Gateway – it’smy life and I am very protective, but it has its “quirks”shall we say, and that’s the reason I’m involved. Itseems nothing is ever perfect but we’ll try and get asclose as possible to perfection by listening to ourmembers and the wider travel community to gain anunderstanding of what is really relevant to you allwhen it comes to a sales platform. The sticking pointhere is that in general, travel technology has nosingle way of working. If suppliers followed a singleset of rules when building their connections, thedifference would be remarkable.

We are very proud of the Gateway here atAdvantage and believe in its ability to be an agent’sbest friend when it comes to choosing a salessystem. Watch this space!

Industry Insight by...

Mark Pullen, business development manager of Advantage Travel Gateway, looks at whichtravel technology contenders agents can depend on...

bulletinbriefing

“In general, travel technology has

no single way of working. If

suppliers followed a single set of

rules when building their

connections, the difference would

be remarkable”




Mercure marks 40th anniversary with series of eventsMERCURE HAS invited guests to celebrate its 40th anniversary with a series ofsurprises and events taking place until October 25.

In the UK, the brand is reviving classic retro dishes with a limited edition £19.73 setmenu and ‘40 Minute Happy Hour’ drinks, which include 1970s-inspired cocktails.

Among the surprises include an anniversary menu in Abu Dhabi and all hotels inBrazil will be offering an exclusive 40% discount during the celebratory period.

Feversham Arms launches online murder mystery game FEVERSHAM ARMS Hotel and Verbena Spa, locatedin Helmsley, North Yorkshire, has launched anonline social media murder mystery game.

The game, entitled ‘The Art of Murder’, invitesTwitter and Facebook users to the hotel virtually,where Lord and Lady Feversham are hosting theirannual shoot dinner. Social media users areintroduced to the core characters and are asked tocreate their own before six users’ characters arechosen to attend the virtual event. The sixcharacter creators will also win a £50 vouchereach for use at the hotel.

Users are invited to guess the murderer ofCarlton Bainbridge over a period of six weeks, with clues and suspects being revealed on adaily basis. One winning guess will then be selected and the user will win an overnight tripto the hotel with dinner, bed and breakfast.For more details about the campaign visit www.fevershamarmshotel.com/who-done-it

Crowne Plaza pilotsinnovations in hotels

across EuropeCROWNE PLAZA hasannounced a trialprogramme of pilots at itsLondon - The City, Rome -St. Peter’s and BrusselsAirport hotels.

The pilots have beendeveloped in response toresearch carried out byInterContinental HotelsGroup (which the brand isa member of) of more than6,000 business travellersfrom nine global markets.

The research revealedthat business guestswould prefer a morepersonalised servicegeared towards theirpriorities, values and workschedules.

Pilots include EnergyEssentials, comprising ofrun stations (with routemaps for runners),complimentary water, fruitand snack boxes; a Fastand Fresh menu, withfreshly prepared itemsthat are ready wheneverthe guest is; Breakfast ToGo, breakfast boxes whichcan be eaten in guestrooms or on the go; andCompletely Connected, anin-room solution tobusiness travellers’connection needs,ensuring all devices canbe charged at all timesand that guests haveaccess to secure WiFiprinting.

The hotel group will bereviewing the success ofthe pilots with a view torolling out the bestreceived innovations intoother hotels next year.

JUMEIRAH CARLTON Tower, London is offering StrictlyDance Weekends to celebrate the return of the BBC series,Strictly Come Dancing.

The weekends include lessons taught by Scott Cole,three times New Zealand Latin dancing champion andbrother of the show’s Brendan Cole, in the Peak HealthClub & Spa on the ninth floor overlooking the CadoganGardens.

After a coaching session with Scott, a complimentarypedicure for two is offered at the spa.

The weekend is completed with a continental breakfastfor two in the Rib Room Bar & Restaurant.

The offer is valid on Friday and Saturday nights untilDecember, with a minimum two-night stay required. Priceslead in at £372 per night or £744 for two nights, including VAT.To book call 020-7235 1234.

Spend a weekend Strictly Dancing at London’s Jumeirah Carlton Tower

hotelbulletin

JURYS INN Islington is embarking on a £12.1million extension project, due for completion inSeptember next year. It will comprise of the development of 143 new bedrooms, a conference centre,coffee bar and gym. Pictured viewing the planned developments is John Brennan (left), CEO of JurysInn with Thomas Doyle, general manager of Jurys Inn Islington.

Feversham Arms Hotel & Verbena Spa


Who is your ideal travelling companion? My family.

What's your earliest childhood memory? Living in a thatched cottage and thecat jumping out of the windowtrying to catch the birds!

If you were a celebrity whowould you choose to be and why? Dawn French - a comedy genius andlarger than life character who isbeautiful in her own body.

What three words would yourfriends use to describe you? Loyal, trustworthy and funny.

What have your travels taught you? Planning can always go to pot soleave time for spontaneous things.Also, try and learn languages as thisgets you further and respect customsand traditions.

What is the best advice you recall? Don't be afraid to speak up if youhave an idea or gut feeling - just doit in the right way.

If you could have a room full ofany one thing, what would it be? Family for the laughs and the tearsand because that's what matters.Alternatively, a special travel machinethat would take me anywhere at thepush of a button!

Who has been the biggest inspiration/influence in your career? David Stamp my old boss at FrenchLife/Cendantc who taught me a lotabout relationship building, honestyand loyalty.

What's your favourite city and why? I love Bath in the UK and probablyParis or Barcelona.

If you were not doing this job,what would you be doing? Running a campsite or bite in southof France (Camargue).

What is your motto in life? Carpe Diem!

Kirsty LaifaThe UK head of sales for AFerry.co.uk has a skillfor imitating Donald Duck and would like the

ability to read minds...

What is your favourite mode of travel? My car for time, speed and access toanything.

If you had a super power what would it be and why? To read minds!

What was your nickname at school and why? Steam roller or Michelin man - a bigcuddly child basically!

What item do you always take with you when travelling? Spare knickers!

How do you deal with stress? Not very well. I eat, drink or jump ina jacuzzi/hot tub or drive with loudmusic.

Is there anything that you dislike about the travel industry? The offers culture.

What special skill do you have? I can talk Donald Duck!

How do you cope with the advances in technology? Better now as I work for a fastmoving technology company and Ihave to understand stuff! However, itwas a hard transition from myprevious company but I'm a greatbeliever in allowing the experts to dowhat they do well.

What’s your favourite movie of all time? Bridget Jones.

What do you love about your job? It’s fast moving, the relationships and I’m doing something differentevery day.

Career path● Dec 2006-present: AFerry.co.uk -

UK head of sales Travel Gateway● 1999-2006: Cendant VRG

/Wyndham Worldwide/FrenchLife - sales/product manager

● 1993-1999: Scandinavian Seaways(now DFDS Seaways) - marketingmanager - Scandinavian Routes

● 1991-1993: Keycamp Holidays –marketing assistant

● 1990-1991: Keycamp Holidays –site supervisor living in France fortwo years after university.

“Don't be afraid tospeak up if you havean idea or gut feeling

- just do it in the right way"

personalitybulletin




CYPLON HOLIDAYS isadding new islands inGreece to its programmefor next year and has alsotaken on a newmanagement team.

The company's sales andmarketing director, TassAnastasi, said: "After a fewyears of uncertainty, we feelwe are ready to re launchourselves. We have a newmanagement andreservations team and wehave also added a newreservations system, alongwith a new agent friendlydynamic website which willbe launched shortly.

"Our new SpecialistCyprus & Greeceprogramme will not only belarger next year but willalso offer much morespecialist knowledge tomake it very user-friendly.These will include helpfultips such as what to do,where to go, which hotel isadult-friendly/child-friendlyand many more breakdownsto give agents a quickreference where to

recommend to theirclients."

New for next year theoperator is featuring theislands of Naxos, Cos,Lefkada, Paros and thefamous Mamma Mia islandof Skopelos.

A 'Mamma Mia Cruiseexcursion', which is idealfor families, is also beingoffered for the first time ona renovated traditionalfishing boat. It visits thedeserted island of Arko andtwo of the best beaches onthe island of Skopelos.Lunch and fresh fruits areincluded in the excursion,which leads in at £55 perperson and departs weeklyon Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the operatoris promoting its latest agentbooking incentives includinga free seven-night breakfaststay for agents bookingclients a seven-night stay atthe Four Seasons Hotel orLe Meridien Hotel. For details [email protected] or call 0800-074 8888.

greece&cyprus

Mark Warner Resort, Rhodes

MARK WARNER reports that bookings to its resorts in Greeceare up around 25% compared to the same time last year. Theoperator has four Greek summer resorts on the islands ofRhodes, Kos, and Lemnos, making up 50% of its programme.

David Hopkins, the company's managing director, said:“Greece as always leads the way with our holidays, and so weare delighted to have our new 2014 beach brochure out early foragents. There is a real appetite from agents for good qualityproduct with guaranteed weather conditions and we are seeinga strong positive impact on sales across the season.

"We have also been boosted by our BA charter flights fromHeathrow which now account for 85% of our summer flyingprogramme and which have proved immensely popularamongst the customers of our agent partners.”

New developments for the operator's 2014 programmeinclude free childshare places available from May through toOctober at selected beach resorts, offering savings of up to £957and up to £300 off per person on selected dates across thesummer, including peak dates.

Brochure prices lead in at £495 per person for a week atLevante Beach Resort in Rhodes, departing on May 4 andincluding BA flights from Heathrow, seven nights' half-boardaccommodation, transfers, kids' clubs (ages two and above),evening childcare, a teenagers' club, watersports and tuition,use of tennis courts, aerobics and fitness classes and mountainbiking.For bookings or more information call 0844-273 6826 or [email protected]

Mark Warner sees Greece bookings up by 25% and boosts BA charter flights

An island fling that's just made for amarriage made in heavenby PAUL SCUDAMORE

Cyprus is determined to find its real niche in the market byfocusing exactly on that - the niche market.

After very successfully targeting the mainstream holidaymarket sector for several years, which it still attracts in hugenumbers, its eyes are now looking at the special interestpotential which includes those visitors who are into pursuitssuch as golf (with a choice of five courses), walking, hiking,cycling, spa treatments, culture, history, archaeology - andgetting married.

The Cyprus Tourism Organisation's London-based specialinterest sales and marketing officer Costas Catsellis said in anexclusive interview with Travel Bulletin last week that weddingshad become really big business for the destination. He said:"Weddings in Cyprus are hugely important to us and also forcouples from the UK. To give you an idea of the size of thismarket, some 4,000 UK couples a year come to Cyprus to tiethe knot. They generally choose to come between May andOctober when they can be sure it's not going to rain on theirhappy day.

"The attraction of Cyprus is not only down to the weather butalso the flight time of four hours, and the cost which averages£6,000 compared to the UK which can run to £20,000 or more,"he said.

The total wedding effect for Cyprus represents a substantial20% of total arrivals from the UK, the importance of which canbe seen in tour operators such as Planet Holidays deciding toconcentrate exclusively on the sector. It's a marriage of minds,and of market.

And in the build-up to World Travel Market, the Cyprus standis preparing to promote the virtues of the island's rural charmsand attractions, and of course, weddings and honeymoons.

Cyplon announces product expansion for 2014

S04 TB1110 Greece & Cyprus_Layout 1 09/10/2013 12:29 Page 15

HOL I DAYSThe home of Mediterranean holidays

Birthplace of Myths & Legends

Greece ABTA No.V5573

byDesign

or visit www.cyplon.co.uk

greece&cyprus

'Back to nature' weddings by Paradisos HillsFAMILY-RUN BOUTIQUE property, Paradisos Hills Hotelin the Akamas Peninsula of Western Cyprus, ispromoting ‘back to nature’ weddings.

The 15-bedroom property, located just outside thetraditional Cypriot village of Lysos, offers amountainous forest location for weddings with viewsacross hillsides and down to the sea.

Cyprus couples can choose either a civil or religiousceremony, both conducted in English. Marriage licencesand all paperwork are also issued in English and clientshave the help of wedding co-ordinators to organise the day.

Soulla Charalambous, co-owner of the hotel, said:“When it comes to creating an unforgettable occasion,here at Paradisos Hills Hotel we have the right mix ofold world charm and exceptional service to make yourwedding unique and special. Our ‘back to natureweddings’ are proving a hit with Brits, wanting a moreauthentic experience.”

The hotel offers three nuptial packages – Peal (€700),Harmony (€800) and Eternity (€9,900), with the latteroffering a seven-day exclusive stay at the property forthe entire wedding party of up to 30 guests. Pricesexclude VAT and other local taxes are subject to pricefluctuations. The hotel also offers bed-and-breakfastand half-board options.For more information visit www.paradisoshills.com


InBrief● PIRAEUS PORT in Greece welcomed its second international cruise

passenger terminal in May, whilst a third terminal is set to startoperation from April 2014. The port aims to become the mostimportant hub among Mediterranean cruise ports and all threeterminals will cover a combined area of 15,500sq m

● RYANAIR, WHICH opened its first base in Greece earlier this year onthe island of Crete, plans to invest more than £40m into ChaniaAirport, where it has had one aircraft base since April 2013. The airlineflies to 29 destinations from Chania across Europe, including London,Bristol, Leeds, Nottingham and Glasgow. According to recent reports,easyJet is also considering opening its first base in Greece and iscurrently in discussions with Heraklion Airport, also in Crete.

● SANTIKOS HOTELS has launched new ‘Harmony Wellness & HealthyLiving Programmes’ to guests of Skiathos Princess & Aegean SuitesHotels. For a supplement of €170, guests staying at either hotel havethe opportunity to take part in twice daily group activities andworkshops. Activities include nature walks, herb hikes, yoga, Pilates,stretching and canoeing whilst there are also a healthy cooking andskincare/beauty workshops available.

For details see www.skiathosprincess.com and www.aegeansuites.com● ISLANDS OF Greece has added a new luxury villa to its programme.

Prices at Villa Manolioudis in Panormos, Crete, lead in at £899 perperson based on four sharing for a week. The price includes flightsfrom Gatwick and car hire.

For details see www.islands-of-greece.co.uk● CROISIEUROPE HAS launched a new coastal itinerary in Cyprus and

the Holy Land with the first departure on November 16. The eight-daycruise on the Belle de L’Adriatique starts in Limassol and visits Paphos,Haifa and Larnaca before returning to Limassol. There are 11departures up to March 15, 2014 with prices starting from €1,217(approximately £1,025) per person.

OLYMPIC HOLIDAYS reports that packages to Greece and herislands have sold well this year, and that its chartering of anew Boeing 737-800, based at Gatwick, has enabled it tosatisfy last-minute summer demand.

The operator is partnering with Travel Services A.S., theCzech Republic’s leading charter airline, which operates a ‘nextgeneration’ Boeing 737-800 to the operator's key destinationsincluding Cyprus, Crete and Rhodes until the end of the season.The company's commercial director Photis Lambrianides said:“We’re very pleased with the punctuality and the high servicestandards delivered to our customers by Travel Services andtheir crews. The plane is brand new, with a high spec interior –such as leather seats – that our customers really appreciate.This continues to be a good year for Greece, and the capacitythat the Boeing 737-800 gives us has certainly been needed.”

Meanwhile, the operator will be giving added brochureimportance to villa holidays next year as it seeks to furtherdevelop the market sector. Lambrianides said: "We arereviewing our villa product with a view to adding moreproperties. We will be putting more emphasis on this nichearea in the second edition of our Summer Sun 2014 brochure."

As an example of prices, a seven-night self-catering breakat the three-bedroom Anastasia Villa on Paxos, with six adultssharing costs £435 per person in May 2014. Two-week pricesstart at £575 per person and both include flights from Gatwick,free car hire and transfers. For details call 0844-499 4449 or seewww.olympicholidays.com

Olympic Holidays outlines plans todevelop villa options for 2014

S04 TB1110 Greece & Cyprus_Layout 1 09/10/2013 11:45 Page 16


ESTONIA, IRELAND, Kyrgyzstan,Latvia, Lithuania, Mozambique andRwanda are the seven new countriesappearing in G Adventures’ 2014‘best-of’ compilation of Classic trips,which features 28 new trips from atotal of 278 trips around the world.

The operator reports increaseddemand for more trips in Indonesia,China, South Africa and Ecuador andholidays visiting these countriesfeature heavily in the new line-up,along with holidays in destinationspreviously featured that have been

given a new twist, such as Taste ofMexico and Belgian Beer Tour.

The company's managing directorMichael Edwards says that the Classictrips provide travellers with aconsistent experience, whether theytravelled one year or 20 years ago.

He said: "As we’ve grown we’veintroduced a number of new tripstyles to suit traveller’s variedinterests. The Classic range is ourlargest collection and reflects thetypical G Adventures' traveller,someone looking for local and

culturally immersive experiences,travelling in a small group with aninternational mix of travellers.”

As an example, new itinerariesinclude a nine-day 'Best of Java'which is being highlighted as ideal forclients looking to explore the culturalside of Java and ends on the beach inBali. Prices lead in at £749 per personexcluding flights, and the tour departsyear-round from January next year. For further information seewww.gadventures.co.uk or call 0844-272 2040.

SHEARINGS HAS expanded its range of Grand Tourer premiumescorted tours for 2014 following a popular UK and Europeanprogramme in 2013.

Following sales increases of holidays to Germany by 64%year-on-year, the company is introducing a new nine-dayDiscover Bavaria itinerary from £799, which includes visits toLake Chiemsee and the UNESCO World Heritage Site ofRegensburg old town. The operator is also introducing a neweight-day Wiesbaden & Rheingau Wine Festival from £749,which includes the Rheingau wine festival and a trip to theRhine Valley.

Three new Italian holidays are also being added following a44% year-on-year sales increase. New itineraries include a 15-day Classic Italian tour from £1,549, taking in the key Italiancities and a 12-day Hidden Apulia & Vieste tour from £1,049,which explores the history and culture of south-east Italy.

Having seen strong sales in 2013, the first year of its UK

Grand Tourer itineraries, the company has also introduced threenew holidays including a five-day Royal Bath, Houses & Gardensholiday from £359, which stays at the oldest hotel in Bath, theLansdown Grove, and an Enigma Code & the Blitz five-dayitinerary from £369, which gives an insight into the code-breaking work done at Bletchley Park.

The operator's commercial director Caroline Brown said:“We’ve seen a year-on-year increase in the number ofcustomers booking premium escorted tours, and our 2014programme will give agents further sales opportunities to sellthese lucrative products.

“Our 2014 programme builds on the success of this year’sGrand Tourer collection, with even more holidays taking insights of cultural and historical importance across the UK andEurope.”For more information visit www.shearings.com or call 0844-824 6359.

escortedtripsTABER HOLIDAYS' Northern Lights Exploration leads in at £1,284per person and includes a visit to Eyjafjallajökull, Iceland’sfamous ‘ash cloud’ volcano; the Blue Lagoon; and chasing theaurora borealis. The price includes seven nights' breakfastaccommodation, flights from Heathrow, transfers, a fully escortedsix-day coach tour with an English-speaking guide and a range ofactivities and excursions. The tour departs twice weekly untilApril 6, 2014. For details call 01274-875199 or see www.taberhols.co.uk

Shearings expands Grand Tourer programme in response to demand

G Adventures announces 28 new trips in its Classic trip line-up

S05 TB1110 Escorted Trips_Layout 1 09/10/2013 11:50 Page 17



INSIGHT VACATIONS has issued its 2014Europe, Eastern Mediterranean &Morocco brochure featuring a range ofnew premium escorted journeys, anexpansion of the Country Roads style oftouring, plus new Signature hotels,dining and experiences.

New destinations include San Marino,Andorra and Moldova.

The company’s CEO John Bouldingsaid: “A ‘signature’ is a sign ofauthenticity and in our new brochure wehave highlighted a range of signaturehotels, dining and experiences. We’veselected nearly 60 signature hotels that

have something really special aboutthem - they could be a chateau ormanor house or be set in an incrediblelocation like Hotel Ruze in the centre ofCesky Kromlov, a UNESCO worldheritage site or the five-star luxuryAshford Castle situated in the West ofIreland. We know that it’s authentic localexperiences that can turn any given dayon tour into a highlight. Signatureexperiences have been designed tocapture the imagination of our guestswhether they are watching sheepdogtraining in the Scottish highlands, oliveoil tasting in Provence, learning about

the workings of an organic farm orvisiting glassblowers, artisans, clogmakers or stone masons to watch themat work and get an insight into theirlives.”

Additional features in the programmeinclude an expanded Country Roadsprogramme to bring the total number to20; welcome receptions on all itinerariesoffering a sit down meal and dine-around dinners; and extensive Wi-Fiavailability on coaches and in hotels. For more information visitwww.insightvacations.com/uk or call 020-7468 4335.

Kirker adds new cultural tours across range of destinations

KIRKER HOLIDAYS has launched the latest edition of itsCultural Tours & Music Holidays brochure. Encompassingitineraries in the UK, Europe and the US, the company’s 2014programme features 14 new tours including two new exclusiveKirker Music Festivals and a dedicated programme created tomark the centenary, next year, of World War I.

Led by experts in military history, each of the operator’sthree World War I commemorative itineraries offers aperspective on the tragic events of the period from 1914-18 inthe esteemed surroundings of Oxford’s Wolfson College, aswell as on the ground in Northern France and Turkey. In theUK, the three-night weekend break examines the myriadaspects of war: from the military and historical perspective tothe way in which it was interpreted by poetry, music, literatureand painting. Departing on July 4, prices lead in at £995 withno single supplement.

Also new to the operator’s cultural selection for next year isan Albania, Greece & Macedonia option which costs from£1,957 for 11 nights; a Basque France & the Foothills of thePyrenees tour for £1,858 for seven nights; and a Genoa & theLigurian Riviera option for £2,396 for seven nights.

Prices are based on two sharing and include flights fromLondon or Standard Class Eurostar, transfers, breakfastaccommodation, some other meals, excursions/musicalperformances and the services of a tour lecturer. UK tours donot include travel to/from the destination. For further information or to book call 020-7593 2284, [email protected] or visitwww.kirkerholidays.com

escortedtrips

Insight introduces San Marino, Andorra and Moldova to programme

COLLETTE WORLDWIDE Holidays has launched its new 2014/15brochure, with the addition of three new tours in the US, Canada,Portugal and Russia. The brochure also features the completeprogramme of RHS Garden Holidays, a dedicated collection ofgarden-themed tours operated by the company in conjunctionwith the Royal Horticultural Society. Lead in prices start from£1,499 for a ten-day 'Highlights of China' tour, which includes 14meals, flights, accommodation, a tour manager and door-to-doorpick up within 100 miles of the UK departure airport. Savings ofup to £500 per couple are available on all 2014/15 bookings madebefore November 30. For details see www.colletteworldwide.com or call 0800-804 8700.

BALES WORLDWIDE is celebrating its 66th anniversary withthe creation of three 66-day exclusive tours that traverseAsia, Latin America and Africa and the Middle East.

The first tour in Asia leads in at £20,945 per person andtakes in India, Nepal, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Burma(Myanmar), China and Japan. Highlights include the TajMahal, exploring the history of Kathmandu, experiencing thehustle and bustle of Bangkok, visiting the Buddhist templesand monasteries of Luang Prabang, taking in the AngkorWat, walking part of the Great Wall of China and visitingKyoto.

A Latin America itinreray leads in at £26,495 and visitsBrazil, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru and the Galapagos

Islands. Highlights include a visit to Rio de Janeiro, trekkingin the Amazon rainforest, sailing on the Amazon River,taking in the Iguassu Falls and exploring Machu Picchu andthe Galapagos archipelago.

Meanwhile, an Africa and Middle East tour costs from£29,950 and takes in Turkey, Oman, Ethiopia, Kenya,Tanzania, Zambia, Botswana and South Africa.

Highlights include the ancient marvels of Turkey, thesights and souqs of Oman, the archaeological and culturalwonders of Lalibela, wildlife of the Masai Mara NatureReserve and a visit to Victoria Falls. For more information visit www.balesworlwide.com or call 0845-057 0600.

Bales Worldwide marks 66th anniversary with launch of three 66-day tours


VISIONS OF Africa reports that its most popular South Africatours are a combination of Cape Town and the Garden Route.

Tours either start and finish back at Cape Town or are one-way with guests disembarking in Port Elizabeth where theycan either fly back to London (via Johannesburg) or extendtheir stay at one of the local malaria-free private gamereserves.

As an example, an eight-night ‘Garden Route & Winelands’tour offers visitors the opportunity to explore the highlights ofthe Western Cape including whale-watching (in season), winetasting as well as sightseeing in Oudtshoorn and Knysna onthe Indian Ocean coast. Activities include a visit to the CangoCaves, a boat ride on the Knysna lagoon and a chance to visitrescued elephants at the Elephant Sanctuary.

Prices lead in at £2,365 based on two sharing and includeflights from Heathrow, pre-and post-tour accommodation inCape Town on a bed-and-breakfast basis, transfers,accommodation on the tour on a half-board basis with twoadditional lunches, transport and a guide.

Regional UK departures can be arranged at additional cost. For details or to book call 01444-225640 or visitwww.visionsofafrica.co.uk

GREAT RAIL Journeys has launched itsnew ‘Europe & UK Holidays by Rail 2014’brochure which features ten newitineraries to take the total to 104 tours.

New options include The SplendidItalian Lakes; A Castle in the VenetianHills; The Beauty of Calabria; 1930sPullman Glacier Express; TheGoldenPass Panoramic Express;Heritage Railways of Austria; Journey tothe Orient; Britain’s Royal Heritage; andLittle Trains of the Somme and TheBattle of Bannockburn.

Brochure prices lead in at £355 perperson for the ‘Torquay & the EdenProject' tour.

Meanwhile, sister company Treyn haslaunched its new ‘European &

Worldwide Rail Holidays 2014’ brochure,featuring 19 new tours, with an increasein UK, Italy and Spain itineraries.Brochure prices lead in at £285 perperson for a ‘Yorkshire by Steam’ tour.

Tony Byrne, national sales manager atGreat Rail Journeys, said: “We have somany new tours for 2014 including moreItalian adventures, two new classic railexperiences in Switzerland, and ourprogramme of Battlefields tourscommemorating the 100th anniversaryof the start of World War One, so wehave plenty for agents to promote withinthe programme.

"Demand for rail holidays is growingand customers looking for value formoney and inspiration will not be

disappointed with the new itineraries wehave on offer for next year, plus theopportunity to save up to £25 per personwith our early booking offer.” To book or for further information call01904-521980 or see www.greatrail.com

GRJ & Treyn introduce 29 European & UK holidays by rail for 2014

Torbay-Express, Croyton Cove

Visions of Africa sees demand for combinedCape Town & Garden Route tours


escortedtrips

WENDY WU Tours is highlighting an eight-day Hong Kong and MacauChinese New Year escorted tour which takes visitors to Macau to visitSt Paul’s Church and Macau Tower, which guests can head to the topof to take in the views across the city. In the evening visitors can enjoya traditional Macanese meal before touring the Macau New YearFlower Market. The tour then travels to Hong Kong, where guestsenjoy a traditional Chinese New Year’s Eve dinner followed by a tourof the Victoria Harbour New Year Flower Market. On New Year’s Dayguests spend the first half touring Stanley Market, Aberdeen FishingVillage and Victoria Peak, before taking their reserved seats for theInternational Chinese New Year Parade. The tour ends with a cruisealong Victoria Harbour watching the New Year Fireworks display.Prices lead in at £2,190 per person, based on a January 26 departure,and include flights, transport, accommodation, meals as stated,touring with guides and entrance fees. For details call 0844-499 3899 or visit www.wendywutours.co.uk

TITAN IS HIGHLIGHTING an eight-day Madeira tour in its newWorldwide brochure which leads in at £875 per person, alongwith a 17-day ‘Tracks of Africa’ tour, which is new for next yearand costs from £4,395.

The operator’s agency sales executive, Ashley Rushman,said: The majority of escorted tours may focus on spectacularlandscapes and cultural treasures, but there is Titan holiday tosuit almost any travel interest. All of our tours feature a VIPHome Departure Service as standard and the key to anescorted tour is value – not only do you get to experience thebest of an entire country or region for the cost of a singleholiday, but escorted tours are also remarkable inclusive, withscheduled flights, high quality hotel and cruiseaccommodation, a number of meals, visits and excursions plusthe services of a tour manager throughout.”

Titan offers eight-day Madeira option from£875 in new Worldwide brochure



DUBAI TOURISM has introduced another means ofcommunicating with agents with the launch of itsdedicated Facebook page. The new launch complementsthe tourist board’s existing channels of communicatingwith UK and Irish agents that include the Dubai Experttraining programme, Twitter page, Dubai UpdateNewsletter and its newly launched app: Dubai TheDestination.

At the click of a button agents can keep updated oneverything Dubai by hitting ‘Like’ on the new trade-focused page which can be found atwww.facebook.com/dubaiexpertsuk

Agents can also find details of upcoming incentives,events and roadshows and when and where they are

taking place, as well as information on tour operatorpartnerships that Dubai is involved with.

The page also offers a social community for agentswith the chance to share their experiences, memoriesand photos of their time in Dubai, especially on DubaiTourism arranged fam trips.

The tourist board’s UK & Ireland director, Ian Scott,said: “As a tourist board, making information about ourdestination as easily accessible as possible to travelagents is integral to our sales and marketing strategy.

“By launching a dedicated travel trade Facebook pagewe are offering yet more choice of communicationchannels for agents wanting to stay in touch andupdated about the product.”

HORIZON CLUB, the executive retreatat Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri inAbu Dhabi, has welcomed the additionof new rooms to mark its one-yearanniversary.

As part of the hotel’s effort to caterto the growing number of businesstravellers and leisure guests whileoffering high standards of personalisedservice and special privileges, 22 of the46 rooms on Level 4 have beenconverted to Horizon Club rooms,which feature 40-inch LED televisions,iPod docking stations and valet stands.Guests also receive dailyreplenishment of Chinese tea and freshfruit, complimentary suit pressing,shoe-shine services and a 24-hour

information technology butler service. Guests staying in Horizon Club

rooms and suites also receive meetand greet at the airport when bookinga hotel limousine transfer; private in-room check-in with welcome Chinesetea, fresh fruit and tailored amenities;a dedicated concierge team; hotbeverage room service along withwake-up call; access to the HorizonClub Lounge which includes dailybreakfast, afternoon tea, eveningcocktails with canapés, all-day non-alcoholic beverages; Wi-Fi andbroadband Internet access; a selectionof newspapers and magazines; andtwo-hour use of meeting room facilitiesper day. A private in-room check-out

with late check-out privileges up to16:00 is also available, subject toavailability. For more information or to book visit www.shangri-la.com/abudhabi

Shangri-La’s Horizon Club marks one-year anniversary

middleeast

ROTANA WILL be welcoming guests to its first Oman property, Salalah Rotana Resort from December 25. Offering views over theArabian Ocean, the five-star resort offers 399 rooms and suites, each furnished with modern amenities and conveniences, as wellas 45 exclusive villas. The company plans to launch several new properties throughout the year and increase the total number ofrooms under its management to more than 14,500 by the end of the year.

Horizon Club Deluxe Room

Dubai Tourism launches Facebook page exclusively for agents

S06 TB1110 Middle East_Layout 1 09/10/2013 12:05 Page 21

We asked our staff thefollowing question this week:What is the strangest

thing you have ever eaten?

Publisher: Jeanette [email protected] parson's nose (accidentally when I was 6)

Editor: Lauretta [email protected] when I was a child - it actually tasted nice!

Assistant Editor: Jill [email protected]

Contributing Editor: Paul [email protected] insects. Oh, and lots of humble pie

Sales Director: Simon [email protected] urchin

Advertisement Manager: Tim [email protected], it tasted like chicken

Online Sales Manager: Nick [email protected]. Rod Hull wasn't happy

Account Manager: Bill [email protected].. Caribbean shell fish

Sales Executive: Chris [email protected] had a dodgy breakfast in Wrexham once

Sales Executive: Matt [email protected] moth

Senior Designer: Genaro [email protected] cola bottles

Assistant Designer: Nicky [email protected]

Production: Nick Salt [email protected]’s cooking

Circulation Manager: Jim [email protected]

middleeast

Crossword:Across: 1. LEGER, 3. ACCOR, 5. WARWICK, 7. IOW, 9. EL AL, 10. CREOLE, 12. EUSTON, 14. CLUB, 17. DEE, 18.BEDFORD, 19. CREEK, 20. MILAN.Down: 1. LE WEEK-END, 2. RAIL, 3. ANKARA, 4. CAIRO, 6. RBA, 8. WIESBADEN, 11. LOMBOK, 13. STEVE, 15. LEO,16. EDAM.

Highlighted Word: LONDON

Travagrams: (top) easyJet (bottom) Venice

Where Am I?: Brighton

puzzlesolutions


Travel Bulletin is published by Alain Charles Publishing (Travel) Ltd - University House, 11-13 Lower Grosvenor Place, London,SW1W 0EX, Tel: 020-7834 6661 Printed by: Wyndeham Grange LimitedSubscriptions are £105 p.a. £155 overseasISSN: 0956-2419

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InBrief● THE QATAR Tourism Authority’s recently released figures show that despite a

4.5% increase in hotel rooms available, the second quarter (April – June 2013)showed hotel occupancy rates rise from 58% to 67%. Furthermore, the totalnumber of four- and five-star hotels increased by US$42.8m with a 20%increase in revenue at five-star hotels.

For details see qatartourism.gov.qa ● VIRGIN HOLIDAYS is offering four nights in Dubai from £1,016 per person,

based on two sharing. The offer includes scheduled flights with Emiratesfrom Gatwick direct to Dubai, accommodation at the five-star Atlantis, ThePalm on a half-board basis and transfers. It is based on a December 2departure.

For details see www.vhols4agents.co.uk or call 0844-557 3973.● ST. REGIS Hotels & Resorts, part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, has announced

the debut of The St. Regis Abu Dhabi in the capital of the U.A.E, marking thebrand’s second hotel in Abu Dhabi and third hotel to open in the Middle East.

See www.stregis.com/abudhabi for details. ● THE OBEROI Group has announced the opening of The Oberoi, Dubai, the

group’s first property in the United Arab Emirates. Located at The OberoiCentre, the contemporary property offers 252 rooms and suites that offerviews of the city’s skyline.

For more information visit www.oberoihotels.com● EMIRATES IS offering a 20% early booking offer for five nights at the Jumeirah

Beach Hotel in Dubai, saving up to £2,290 per couple, when booked byDecember 15. The deal leads in at £1,415 per person and is based on twosharing an Ocean Deluxe room on half-board. It is valid for travel betweenJanuary 14-23, 2014 and also includes flights from Gatwick and transfers.

● THE JORDAN Tourism Board has launched a new dedicated gastronomicmicrosite designed to showcase the country’s diverse culinary scene andBedouin hospitality. As well as an overview and introduction to Jordanianfood, the site features interactive recipes with step-by-step videos on how tocreate native specialities including tabbouleh (traditional Arab salad made ofbulgur, tomatoes, cucumber and finely chopped herbs), dough and cucumberyogurt salad.

For details see www.visitjordan.com/food

Abu Dhabi on target to achieve 2.5m visitorsACCORDING TO figures released by the Abu Dhabi Tourism & CultureAuthority, 251,504 visitors stayed in the emirate’s hotels and apartmentsduring August this year - a 37% increase on the same month last year.

The UK remains the second largest overseas market for Abu Dhabiwith 96,923 Britons checking into the emirate – a 9% rise on 2012 –delivering 458,943 guest nights, up 21%, with British guests staying onaverage close to five nights.

The tourist office says that hotel figures for the first eight months ofthis year leave it well placed to achieve its 2.5m guest target for theyear. The emirate anticipates a strong year end with a line-up of majorevents yet to come, including October’s EidFest, November’s F1 EtihadAirways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Abu Dhabi Art and the emirate’s majorNational Day festival weekend in December.



Invites you to attend an

Indian Ocean Showcase Agent Networking Evening

Monday 25th November 2013The Midland Hotel, Manchester City Centre

Travel Bulletin is delighted to invite you to this training event covering all that this stunningin terms of accommodation, ights, health and wellbeing, wedding and honeymoon and tailormade packages.

Registration : 18.00 hours

Networking & Presentations: 18.30 hours

Bu et, Entertainment & Prizes: 20.00 hours

Carriages: 21.30 hours For more information on how to exhibit or attend as a guest please email : [email protected] or telephone 020 7834 6661 Exhibitors

Indian Ocean Showcase Agent Training Event


Documents

Travel Bulletin 11th October 2013