Travel Bulletin 27th June 2014

Increasedaccessibility opensup destination tonew opportunities

Romania

June 27 2014 | ISSUE NO 1,878 | www.travelbulletin.co.uk

cruise bulletinnew poll reveals itinerary &destination are more importantthan price

pix miximages from Jetset’s WorldCup party

puzzle bulletinplay Su Doku for a chance towin a £50 Love2Shop voucher

operators boostprogrammes with newdestinations & tours

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this week

latin america

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MADE UP IN MACAU...30 operators and agents recently visited Macau and Hong Kong as part of Cathay Pacific's mega fam trip to the Far East. The group spentthree nights in Macau courtesy of the Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO), giving them the opportunity to explore and experience the diverse and uniqueChinese region. Pictured at the Sofitel Macau are, from the left: (front row) Mark Harris, Wendy Wu; Jas Anand, MGTO; and Janet Evans, Travel Counsellor; with(second row) Chris Briggs, Dial a Flight; Martin Spencer, Gold Medal; Ian Wilkinson, Keith Harrison and Jenny Liu, Cathay Pacific; Fernando Dicolli, AmericanExpress; Jerome Cartier, Cathay Pacific; Sharon Haynes, Audley Travel; Gareth Rogers, Cox & Kings; with (back row) Gary Kirby, Trailfinders; Gayle Nicholls,Worldspan; Peter Ellis, Destinology; Hannah Turck, Flightcentre; Steve Yates, Kuoni; Samantha Kitchener, Flightcentre; Heathe Anderson and Nicola Kerr, Travel2; Lisa Harris, Travel Counsellor; Sam Henderson, Trailfinders; Sarah Armstrong, Major Travel; and Sarah Roff, Hong Kong Tourism Board.

This Week

3newsa round-up of industryannouncements, productdevelopments & launches

9agent bulletinthe latest agent bookingincentives, training updates& fam trips

10 staff reviewwe check in at the MercureWindsor Castle Hotel

11puzzle bulletinplay Su Doku for a chance towin a £50 Love2Shopvoucher from Voyages-sncf

12cruise bulletinnew poll reveals itinerary &destination are moreimportant than price

13 pix miximages from Jetset’s WorldCup party

14 bulletin briefingnews & views from TheGlobal Travel Group

15romaniaincreased accessibilityopens up destination to newopportunities

19latin americaoperators boostprogrammes with newdestinations & tours

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MORE THAN half of Brits(51%) wish they had morefreedom to bespontaneous, according tonew research from BudgetCar Rental.

The study of 1,000British adults wasconducted by the carrental company to launchits Budget & Go campaign,which encourages peopleto see and do more.

The research revealedthat many of us havebecome set in our ways,with only 24% claiming tolive life spontaneously.This fear of leaving ourcomfort zone even extendsto our travel habits, withmany Brits stuck on repeatwith their holiday choices,with almost one in threeEuropeans returning to thesame holiday destinationeach year.

Nearly a third of thosesurveyed (32%) havealready planned theirholidays for the year –thereby closing the door tonew opportunities and the

possibility of a last-minuteadventure.

Commenting on thefindings, behaviour expert,Jez Rose said: “Humansare creatures of habit,however, very quickly wecan find that we feel stuckin the same daily routine,occupied with mundaneactivities such as groceryshopping or cleaning thehouse. Meanwhile there isa whole world waiting tobe explored and thechange in routine is oftenthe very thing we need toinspire us, motivate us orsimply do somethingdifferent.

“As a nation we need tore-think our leisure timeand try something newonce in a while: it is onlythrough doing somethingdifferently that we canexpect different results.New and varyingexperiences help make usmore confident, balancedand interesting. But theyalso put us very firmly incharge of our own destiny

– and it’s only by tryingsomething new that wecan decide if we like it ornot.”

Mark Servodidio,managing director forBudget UK, said: “We wantour Budget & Go campaignto help people understandthat in an overlycomplicated and stressfulworld, taking to the roadand seeking out newplaces, spaces and facescan inject a much-neededsense of adventure. Thecost associated with doingthings last-minute is oftenseen as a barrier to beingspontaneous but we thinkthat trying something newshouldn’t cost a fortune –all you need is a desire todo something new and acar to get you there.

“We’ve just introducedmobile Wi-Fi access to ourproduct range, which canbe used anywhere for only£8.50 a day, making thoselast minute road-trips eveneasier to plan whilst onthe move.”

June 27 2014

Research from Budget finds Brits wish they had more freedom

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GECKOS ADVENTURES is nowoffering trips exclusively to 18to 39 year-olds, making it thefirst small group adventuretour operator for youngertravellers.

The Melbourne-basedadventure travel company hasmade the decision followingfeedback from travellers whosay they want to travel withpeople their own age.

The company's managingdirector, James Thornton,said: “Our customers in their20s and 30s have told us thatthey want to feel like they aretravelling with a small groupof friends to explore adestination - and that theywant to travel with peopletheir own age. We’ve listenedto this feedback andidentified an opportunity in

the market. “The Geckos’ style of

travel is perfect for youngertravellers who aren’tinterested in the ‘big partybus’ style of group travel outthere. Our trips are for ayounger crowd of discerningtravellers, who are lookingfor local experiences onsmall group trips with like-minded people.”

The change will apply totrips in 2015, with 18-39year-old trips highlighted inthe brochure release laterthis year. The company willalso increase trip frequencyby adding more departuresfor the 18 to 39 year-oldtrips, giving travellers morechoice on dates. For more information visitwww.geckosadventures.com

TRAVEL THE Unknown is highlightingthree tours in Morocco.

They include a 13-day ClassicMorocco tour which features a triparound the major sites of Moroccoincluding Marrakech, the ImperialCities of Fez and Meknes, the coastalfishing town of Essaouira and a camelride in the Sahara Desert, with pricesleading in at £2,095 per person.

A 14-day Southern MoroccoExplorer takes visitors off-the-beaten-track into the Anti AtlasMountains and Berber villages tolesser-seen Atlantic coastal towns,with a relaxing break sippingsundowners at a luxury camp in theSahara desert, with prices from£2,295.

Meanwhile, an eight-day ExoticFlavours of Morocco tour is suited toclients with an interest in bothsightseeing and food, with highlightsincluding spice shopping in the souksof Marrakech and cooking classes

from local chefs in Fez. Prices lead inat £1,395.

Tours are commissionable toagents at 10% and all include groundtransport, accommodation, some

meals, entrance fees, activities andEnglish speaking guides. Flights areexcluded. For more information seewww.traveltheunknown.com/morocco

Funway Holidays teams with AerLingus to grow US services FUNWAY HOLIDAYS has announced that it has signed anagreement with low-cost airline, Aer Lingus, to sellservices to America, for the first time, as it looks to growbusiness in Ireland.

The operator's marketing manager, Nick Talbot, said:“We have been listening to our customers and the newservice offers great benefits for them. One of the mainadvantages being regional departures, allowing customersto connect to their holiday destination via Ireland savingtime and avoiding having to travel via London."

Irish holidaymakers can take advantage of the newagreement including US immigration and Custom Pre-Clearance - making arrival into the US quicker andsmoother.

As an example of prices, a three-night stay at the four-star Sheraton Boston including flights leads in at £799 perperson, based on two sharing on a February 19, 2015departure.For more information see www.funway4agents.co.uk

Moroccan tours from £1,395 per person from Travel The Unknown

Southern Morocco Explorer tour

Geckos Adventures announces small group adventures for 18-39 year-olds

www.travelbulletin.co.uk4

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KOALA FUN...Pictured on a fam to Queensland for the 2014Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE) with a carer from AustraliaZoo are, from the left: Victoria Haining, Travel 2; Claire Woods,Trailfinders; and Amy Cripps, Flight Centre.

June 27 2014

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GREAT RAIL Journeys has launchedits new 'Winter, Christmas & NewYear' brochure for 2014/15, featuringa selection of winter, Christmas andNew Year holidays and ChristmasMarkets, as well as special eventtours by rail including three newtours to the US and Russia.

The three new tours include‘Southern States and the Everglades’,‘New York & Vermont at Christmasand New Year’ and ‘A Russian Tsar’sNew Year Ball’.

As an example, clients cancelebrate New Year by taking a tripthrough Russia's history and heritageand visiting iconic attractions such asthe Kremlin and the Hermitage,before marking the New Year itselfwith a gala ball in an ornate Tsar's

palace on ‘A Russian Tsar’s NewYear Ball’ tour.

The six-day adventure leads in at£1,995 per person and includesscheduled flights; standard classrail travel; five nights' hotelaccommodation with breakfast; fivedinners; and a selection of tours andexcursions including a guided tourof Moscow, a visit and entrance tothe Kremlin, an excursion to theHermitage in St Petersburg and asightseeing tour of St Petersburg.

Overall prices for the newbrochure lead in at £265 for a four-day ‘Bath & Bristol ChristmasMarkets’ tour.To book or for further informationcall 01904-521980 or seewww.greatrail.com

New Caribbean activity tours for 2014/15 from P&O Cruises

P&O CRUISES has introduced new activity tours in theCaribbean for cruises departing in 2014 and 2015.

New activities in the Caribbean include a coral restorationdive experience in Bonaire, with prices from £89 per person; aSegway, sights and beach tour in St Lucia for families (childrenmust be aged eight and above) from £56 per adult and £45 perchild; and a 30-minute helicopter flight in St Kitts from £168.

Clients booking a Select Price fare may be eligible to receiveadditional on board spending money, which can be usedtowards shore excursions.

Transatlantic cruises start from £989 per person departingon March 14, 2015. It includes 13 nights in an inside cabin onfamily friendly Ventura, full board meals, entertainment, roundthe clock kids’ clubs and £80 additional on board spendingmoney per person.

Fly/cruises start from £1,549 based on a December 6departure, and include 14 nights in an inside cabin on Ventura,full board meals, entertainment, kids’ clubs and £80 additionalon board spending money per person.For more information or to book see www.pocruises.co.uk orcall 0843-373 0111.

GRJ launches 'Winter, Christmas & New Year' 2014/15 brochure

KEA Campers, a provider of campervan holiday experiences forhire and sale in New Zealand, has launched its new KEA 2+1KQ.The purpose-built vehicle sleeps three and offers a fully equippedkitchen complete with a three-burner stove, microwave, fridgeand slide out gas barbecue; one king size bed and a single bed; aDVD with 19in flat screen and surround sound speakers; and abathroom with hot water. For details see www.keacampers.com

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TRAVELPORT HAS outlined details of its newglobal brand vision and strategy in a bid tomore accurately describe the role it plays inthe global travel distribution chain.

The new vision has been developed tomore closely align with what the companynow offers the industry, rather than morethan 40 years ago when it was firstdeveloped by airlines and largelyconcentrated only on basic air transactionprocessing.

The company's differentiated content andproduct offering now includes eNettpayment solutions, which are fully integratedinto the travel agent’s desktop andworkflows to enable secure, electronicpayments between travel agencies andtravel providers; enhanced air contentdistributed through its platform to includefares and ancillary products from low-costcarriers, as well as network carriers throughthe same point of sale and workflowmanagement tools; expanded hotel content

offering the ability to travel agencies to makereal time reservations for more than 580,000individual hotel properties; and airlinemerchandising providing functionality whichallows airlines to connect to Travelport anddistribute their ancillary products and fares,through either traditional fare filing methodssuch as ATPCo, or via XML APIs (ApplicationProgramming Interfaces).

As part of the brand re-launch, thecompany has also taken the opportunity tomore clearly define its key businessactivities by re-naming its two mainoperational areas. First, its TravelCommerce Platform, includingmerchandising, reservations, payments andworkflow management, which accounted for95% of its revenue in quarter one this year,and second, its Technology Servicesbusiness through which it provides critical ITservices to airlines for their internal anddirect channel use.For details see www.travelport.com

SUPERBREAK HASlaunched a range ofoverseas outlet shoppingexperiences in keyEuropean cities such asBarcelona and Milan. Idealfor customers on a citybreak who want to enjoysome retail therapy, the daytrips can be added to anyhotel booking and are fullycommissionable to agents.

Available in Barcelona,Madrid, Paris, Milan,Bologna Munich, Dublin,Brussels, Antwerp andCologne, the breaks includecoach transfers to theoutlet, a VIP card withvarious benefits, a gift cardof either €25 or €50 andlunch.

As examples, a La RocaVillage Shopping Day trip in

Barcelona costs from £55per person with a €25 giftcard, a Las Rozas ShoppingDay in Madrid leads in at£51.50 with a €25 gift cardand a La Vallee VillageShopping Day in Paris costsfrom £71 with a €50 giftcard.For details seewww.superbreak.com/agentsor call 01904-436000.

THE MONARCH TravelGroup (MTG) has launcheda dedicated trade websiteproviding agents with afaster booking process,increased flexibility,quicker access to newproducts and advancedadministration capability.

With only one agentlog-in required, thewebsite home page hostslinks to all four of theGroup’s brands; CosmosHolidays,Somewhere2stay, AvroFlights and sistercompany, Cosmos Tours &Cruises to offer an easy-to-use holiday search andbooking process for eachcompany.

Whilst flight-onlyoperator Avro Flights andaccommodation-onlyprovider Somewhere2stayhave previously offeredtrade bookable websites,this is the first time thatall four brands are unitedin one portal all featuringenhanced bookingcapabilities. As well asthe booking process, thesite will also host sectionsproviding agent support,special offers, key sellingpoints, agent incentives aswell as trade guides.

Meanwhile, anadvanced administrationcapability gives agentsgreater control ofbookings with the optionto amend or cancel,review documentation andsupply the customer withnecessary paperworkincluding ATOL licencesand bookingconfirmations. Allbookings taken by theagent can be easilyreviewed with a summaryof costs including earnedcommission.For further information [email protected]

Monarch TravelGroup launches

new bookable tradewebsite

GLASGOW GET-TOGETHER...27 independent travel agents from 18 agencies in Glasgow, Stirling,Renfrew, Lanark, Lancashire and South Yorkshire attended a BRIGHT (Bringing Real Information& Guaranteed High Quality Training) workshop and dinner at The Radisson Blu in Glasgowrecently. Pictured enjoying the event are, from the left: Robin Segal, Jersey Travel; Rosie Hackettand Chris Malone, Flight Centre; and Alistair Maclean, Viking River Cruises.The next events takeplace on September 9 on the Isle of Man, September 10 in Chester, October 7 in Tunbridge Wells,October 8 in Guildford, October 21 in Bodmin and October 22 in Exeter. For details visit www.brightconsortia.com

Outlet shopping experiences from SuperBreak from £51.50

Travelport unveils details of new global brand vision


THE TRAVEL NetworkGroup has launched its newmarketing portal.

Group managing directorof the group, Gary Lewis,said: "As part of ourcommitment to the GrowthStrategy, we made a pledgeat the end of last year to

develop a marketing portalthat would enable ourmembers to get evengreater support with theirlocal marketing activities."

The new portal, whichfollows several months ofdevelopment and memberconsultation, is now live

and allows members todownload artwork tosupport their localmarketing activities, aswell as the facility toincorporate their ownbranding and messagesinto artwork and therebypersonalising it to their

agency. Also available is a

catalogue of current andprevious group marketingcampaigns, a catalogue ofwebinar recordings, animage bank and a portfolioof branding images andicons, such as logos.

PREMIER HOLIDAYS has puttogether a summer sale campaignfor travel to the Channel Islands andIsle of Man, including a series oftactical offers valid for travel untilthe end of September.

The dedicated campaign iscomprised of both short breaks andseven-night stays, and incorporatesa range of added-value extras suchas free nights, free meals andreduced prices on selected deals,with varied meal plans included andregional airport departures available.

Clients can take advantage of theoperator’s added-value offers for

travel during the summer months,with a choice of holidays available.All offers are based on two adultssharing and include flights, transfersand breakfast throughout (unlessspecified otherwise), for travelthroughout July, August andSeptember. A £35 reduction on eachoffer price is valid for departures bysea from either Poole or Weymouth,including transfers.

As an example, a four-night stay ateither of Jersey’s three-star Mayfairor Metropole hotels costs from £345per person, while a seven-night stayat Jersey’s two-star Norfolk Hotel

costs from £419.Guests looking for a short break to

Guernsey can spend four nights atthe three-star Hougue de Pommierfrom £349 by air, including one freenight, while those looking for week-long stay can opt for a seven-nightstay at the two-star Pandora from£449.

Agents can take advantage of theoperator's booking incentive, earning£5 for every Channel Islands or Isleof Man booking. For further information or to book seewww.trade.premierholidays.co.uk or call 0844-493 7532.

0844 357 [email protected] | www.digital-trip.com

Talk to the travel technology experts today:

Connect with your customers on every deviceOur industry leading travel technology solutions are now avaialble across all devices, connecting you with your customers at every level. And because our technolofy is powered by our ‘future-proof’ CMS eVolve, you’ll always stay in complete control.

Call us today for the full picture.

“ Now your customers can search & book, any time, anywhere and on any device!”

newsbulletinChannel Islands & Isle of Man summer sale from Premier Holidays

The Travel Network Group announces new marketing investment with launch of new portal


NEXT YEAR will mark Rocky Mountaineer’s 25thanniversary and the company is celebrating early withits biggest offer yet. From now until August 31, newqualifying bookings of seven nights or more in GoldLeafor SilverLeaf Service with travel dates in 2015, receiveup to £1,400 per couple in added value.

One of the packages eligible for the offer is a 15-day/14-night Coastal Passage Western Explorer with apost-tour cruise. The Rail and Cruise package includesland excursions and destinations such as Vancouver,Whistler, Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper, followed by anAlaskan cruise with Holland America.For further information visitagent.rockymountaineer.com

Rocky Mountaineer marks 25 years with special offer

of up to £1,400 in added value


PARENTS HAVE voted coffee as the best theme park beverageover tea for the second consecutive year. According toGulliver’s, parents sipped their way through 17,534 coffees inAugust alone last year, compared to a more modest 10,409 teas,with lattes, cappuccinos and Americanos proving the caffeineboost of choice overall at its theme parks throughout the year. For more information visit www.gulliversfun.co.uk

www.travelbulletin.co.uk

WEBSCLUSIVES

● Devise a new slogan for the China National Tourist

Office for your chance to win an iPad Mini.To enter today, go towww.travelbulletin.co.uk/competitions

● Win a superb World Cup hamper with Jetset’s “RoadTo Rio” World Cup competition.See: www.travelbulletin.co.uk/competitions

● Win an iPod Shuffle, courtesy of Innsbruck Tourism.

Enter now at www.travelbulletin.co.uk/competitions

● Win a £50 Air Malta voucher courtesy of Air Malta atwww.travelbulletin.co.uk/competitions

● Win 1 of 3 cases of Spanish wine in our Voyages SNCF

competition.Enter via www.travelbulletin.co.uk/competitions

All this and more at:

www.travelbulletin.co.uk

The home of the web savvy travel agent

Go

Newsbites● MALAYSIA AIRLINES is offering savings of up to 30%

on fares to a range of destinations in Australia forbookings made by June 30. Return Economy faresfrom Heathrow start from £699 to Darwin and Perth;£749 to Adelaide; and £779 to Brisbane, Melbourneand Sydney. The offer is valid for Economy travelbetween August 14-31 and November 1 andDecember 4 and for Business Class travel up toDecember 4. For details see www.malaysiaairlines.com or call 0871-423 9090.

● JETRADAR, THE flight comparison website, hasannounced the launch of Magic Fare, a new tool todiscover the cheapest airline tickets available. Thesearch tool allows users to find long-haul flights forup to 30% less than on other price comparisonwebsites.

● THE GATWICK Service Centre has launched itsSummer of Care campaign for customers to see itsnewly refurbished service centre. This is the firstcustomer initiative from Gatwick Airport’s officialService Centre, which partnered with Skybreakearlier this year. The campaign highlights thedifferent services on offer including being able tooffer printing for customers plus email assistancefor rebooking missed flights and arranging onwardstravel, accommodation and attraction tickets. TheService Centre’s new and improved refurbishedfacilities in the South terminal include an extendeddesk with more customer service representativespresent, which is open from 04:00 to 22:00 daily.

● HARD ROCK Hotel Ibiza has revealed some of theworld’s best-selling artists across a range of genresas the first acts to play at the hotel this summer.They include Chic & Nile Rodgers, Ub40, robinThicke, Icona Pop, Jason Derulo, Ellie Goulding, KylieMinogue, Snoop Dogg and Placebo. ‘This Is HardRock…’ events start at 18:00 at tickets cost from €40at www.ushuaiaibiza.com/tickets. Rooms at theproperty lead in at £194 based on two people sharingand including breakfast. For details see www.hrhibiza.com

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● PREMIER HOLIDAYS has put together aselection of new tactical offer posters,promoting regional departures to the ChannelIslands as part of its new Summer Salecampaign. The selection of offers includesdepartures from airports such as Birmingham,Bristol, East Midlands, Manchester, Stanstedand Southampton; with a range of summerholidays available to the Channel Islands andIsle of Man. The operator has teamed up withFlybe to launch a new ‘selfie’ incentive foragents to win two pairs of flight tickets withFlybe. Agents need to take a ‘selfie snap’ ofPremier Holidays' new regional departureposters displayed in their agency windows andupload it to the operator’s trade Facebook pageto be entered into the prize draw. Agents canalso earn £5 for every Channel Islands or Isleof Man booking. For more information or to download a copy ofthe new regional departure posters visitwww.trade.premierholidays.co.uk or call 0844-493 7532.

Booking incentive


agentbulletin

June 27 2014

POULTON POSE...Pictured in Dubai, hoping tobag herself a Tipto prize, is Rebecca Poultonfrom TravelandMore. Agents are encouragedto submit their picture holding their Tipto bagin a glamorous, weird or wonderful locationfor a chance to win a range of prizes. Thecompetition runs until the end of July andagents should email their photos [email protected]

Agent trainingTIPTO HAS launched a summer training

incentive giving independent agents the

opportunity to win a Summer Garden Party

pack when they complete all 14 supplier

training modules this month and gain five-

star status. The party pack contains a

barbecue, Pimms, strawberries and cream

and some summery decorations to deck

out the garden. A winner will be chosen at

random at the beginning of July.

To complete the modules see

www.tipto.co.uk

Fancy a fam?THE CATALAN Tourist Board’s ‘Buy CataloniaWorkshop’, which combines a fam trip andworkshop, offers agents the opportunity to get toknow the destination and liaise with around 170suppliers that specialise in major tourismexperiences. The event takes place from October6-10 and fam trips range from ‘100% forfamilies’ and ‘A taste of wine near Barcelona’ to‘The roots of Catalonia’ and ‘Adventure into thewilds of Catalonia’.

For details or to register see http://buycat-alonia.meet2b.org/eng, email [email protected] call 020-7583 8855.

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DUBAI DEAL...Dubai Tourism hosted a fam trip for its top tenperforming agents in conjunction with Etihad and JA Resorts. Thetheme was luxury and the fam offered first-hand experience foragents on how to sell Dubai. Pictured taking in the sights are,from the left: Debbie Bray, Cruise.co.uk; Emma Johnson, DirectTravel; Elaine McKenna, Adeona Travel; Sangita Makwana, DTCMUK; Emma McDaid, Eshores Travel; Julie Birch, Personal TravelAgent; Patricia Stephenson-Foster, Excelle Travel; StephanieRobinson, Moorend Travel; and Bill Edward, Park Travel.

staffreviewLauretta Wright checked in at the Mercure Windsor Castle

Hotel to check out its facilities. Here's what she thought...

If you'd like to take part and receive a free

voucher email [email protected]

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

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

A very warm welcome by the receptionist and I was seen toimmediately. The hotel is right in the heart of Windsor andparking (in the hotel's car park) costs £12 per day.

Comfort ............................................9.5/10

My Prestige room was immaculate and the bed was supercomfortable. The room had hot drink facilities, air-con/heating and a free mini bar.

Quality..............................................9.5/10

The four-star hotel offers beautiful furnishings, a greatbuffet breakfast selection and I felt quite the discerningclient. Apart from the low water pressure in the shower, Iwouldn't change a thing.

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

Rooms start from £189 room-only, and the price reflectsthe level of service, quality of the surroundings and foodchoices guests receive.

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

Staff were very welcoming and helpful, even suggestinglocal sights to see and places to visit. It seemed likenothing was too much trouble for them.

Good to know ............................................Take a short walk to the river for a stroll along the banks.There are plenty of ducks and swans to feed along the way.

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

9.510/

THE CRUISE industry’s contribution to the British economygrew substantially in 2013, as did the number of UK jobs itsupports, according to a report released by the CruiseLines International Association (CLIA).

The cruise industry’s direct contribution to the UKeconomy, including items such as goods and servicespurchased by the cruise lines, and the salaries of theiremployees, grew by 6.5% to £2.54billion (€3.125b) in 2013from £2.38billion (€2.935b) the year before.

The cruise industry’s direct contribution to the combinedeconomies of Europe grew by 4.7% to £13.2billion in 2013with the UK economy the second highest beneficiary afterItaly. The overall contribution of the cruise industry,including indirect items such as spending by cruise linesuppliers, to the economies of Europe jumped 22% to£32.03billion.

The report also revealed that the number of British jobssupported by the cruise industry also grew strongly to70,241 in 2013 – a growth of more than 4,000 jobs or 6.3%.More than a fifth of all the jobs the industry supportsacross Europe are now to be found in the UK, which is alsohome to more cruise line employees than any otherEuropean nation, being the country of residence of morethan a third (37.8%) of them.

The UK remains Europe’s biggest cruise market, with a27.2% share of passenger numbers in 2013 – a year inwhich 1.72 million British passengers took an ocean cruise– an increase of 25,000 from 2012.

The number of British and overseas passengers joiningtheir cruise at a UK port passed the one million mark forthe first time in 2013, jumping 8% to 1,062,000, while thenumber of passengers on day visits to one of the UK’s 51cruise ports jumped by 20% to 866,000.

Jo Rzymowska, chair of CLIA UK & Ireland, said: “Thecruise industry’s multi-billion pound investment in UK plcis paying ever-increasing dividends for the British economy.The UK leads the field, accounting for more passengersand more jobs than any other European country and we areconfident this growth in cruise travel will continue as wesee new cruise ships dedicated to the UK market beingintroduced in 2015.”

Cruise industry contribution to UKeconomy grows to more than £2.5billion


puzzlebulletin


Where Am I?

The capital of the department of Isère in France.

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, July 3rd. Solution and new puzzle will

appear next week.

The winner for 13th June is June Riggs, Symphony World

Travel in Surrey.

June 13 Solution: A=4 B=5 C=2 D=1

Number: 025

Travagrams

Across 1. Japan Airlines, initially (3)3. Central American country (6)7. Barbados born female singer (7)8. India's smallest state and popular holiday

destination (3)9. Lausanne is the capital of this canton (4)10. Scottish resort town (4)13. Scenic lake in the Julian Alps of Slovenia (4)14. Capital of the Apulia region of Italy (4)16. Asian currency (3)18. Texas city (7)19. Kigali is the capital (6)20. Airport code for 2 Down (3)

Down 1. Story of The Four Seasons at a cinema

near you (6,4)2. DFDS and Brittany Ferries sail to this French

port (2,5)3. Capital of The Gambia (6)4. Traditional Hawaiian party or feast (4)5. Historic Swiss city and lake (3)6. Comedienne, currently on her 30 Million

Minutes tour (4,6)11. Brunel's ss Great Britain is a popular tourist

attraction in this city (7)12. Indonesia's flag carrier (6)15. British boxer, Amir ___ (4)17. Australian state, initially (3)

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

Num

ber:

025

This household appliance shares its name with this airline

This hotel group’s name literally means “without end” in Sanskrit

A Trap Gulp To

Tana Rana

Can you solve the following anagrams to decipher the destination & tour operator?

➠A

➠B

➠C

➠D

Su DokuWin a £50 Love2Shop voucher in the Su Doku prize puzzle

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FRED. OLSEN Cruise Lineshas conducted a survey of itsguests post-cruise todetermine their motivation inbooking, and has found that,out of approximately 20,000responses, itinerary anddestination are moreimportant factors than theprice of the cruise holiday,scoring 39% and 16%respectively.

In addition, theconvenience of regionaldeparture ports has alsoproven to be a key factor forguests when booking theircruise holiday, scoring higherthan onboard facilities andentertainment.

In 2015/16, the line's cruiseprogramme will see its fourships – Balmoral, Braemar,Boudicca and Black Watch –visit 245 destinations in 81countries around the globe,including 42 countries on its2016 ‘Grand Voyages’ alone.

Sailing from ten regionalUK departures ports –Southampton, Dover,Harwich, Tilbury, Bristol(Avonmouth), Liverpool,

Newcastle, Rosyth (forEdinburgh), Greenock (forGlasgow) and Belfast – thecompany's ships will bepositioned within a 90-minutedrive from 80% of its guests.

Following their popularitythis year, the company willalso be offering more rivercruising itineraries in2015/16 on Braemar – whichis ideal, with its shallow draft– taking in the French rivers,the German waterways and aSpanish itinerary, cruising upthe Guadalquivir to the centreof Seville.

Another feature of theline's 2015/16 cruiseprogramme is its series of‘Into the Heart of the Baltic’voyages.

These specially-writtenBaltic itineraries allowBraemar to dock at portsand berths right in the citycentre, giving guests easyaccess to some of theBaltic’s most spectacularsights. For further information visitwww.fredolsencruises.comor call 0800-035 5242.

AMSTERDAM IS to host the fourth CLIAUK & Ireland River Cruise Conventionwith travel agents able to take advantageof at least six ship visits. The Convention,which is expected to attract 300delegates, will take place on November16 and 17. The conference and trade fairwill take place on the Sunday followed byship visits on Monday, with toursconfirmed so far on ships offered byUniworld, A-Rosa, Amadeus RiverCruises, AmaWaterways and Tauck.

According to CLIA, more Britishpassengers than ever before are taking aholiday on Europe’s waterways, with

2013 seeing a rise of 22% in the numberof passengers choosing a river cruisetaking the total number to almost110,000 passengers. The growth onEurope’s rivers has been underpinned bya significant increase in the number ofnew cruise ships. The 260 river cruiseships currently sailing the Europeanwaterways will be supplemented by afurther 24 presently on order – anincrease of 12%.

CLIA's UK & Ireland director, AndyHarmer, said: "With a record number ofBritish passengers taking a river holiday,more travel agents than ever are

becoming interested in selling rivercruises. There is no other event in theworld that offers agents the opportunityto see firsthand so many different stylesof river ship and to hear from keyspeakers on the latest industrydevelopments. We have recentlywelcomed into membership anadditional three river cruise companies –A-Rosa, American Queen SteamboatCompany and Mekong Waterways –bringing the total number of river cruisecompanies in our membership to 15."For further information visitwww.cruiseexperts.org

Fred. Olsen poll reveals itinerary &destination more important than price


cruisebulletin

Solo sailing savings from Carnival

CARNIVAL CRUISE Lines has added further offerings forholidaymakers travelling alone, halving the price ofsingle occupancy rooms.

The company has reduced single occupancy roomrates in a move to encourage would-be cruisers toholiday, regardless of their travel preference.

The updated savings can be found on a range of theline's ships including Breeze and Splendor which will besailing the Caribbean throughout 2014 from destinationsincluding Port Canaveral and Galveston.

Solo travellers exploring the Caribbean on eight-dayitineraries can stay in an Ocean View room from £419 onFreedom, while inside cabin room prices start from £139on Sensation.For details visit www.goccl.co.uk

PRINCESS CRUISES has announced its worldwide cruiseprogramme for 2015/16 is now on sale.

The programme will take in more than 300 ports ofcall to more than 150 itineraries, visiting locations suchas Brazil, Japan, Australia, Hawaii, the Caribbean andthe Panama Canal.

Highlights include an increase in Australia cruises,with 33 different sailings covering 105 destinations.These include roundtrips of Australia itself or via callsin New Zealand, Bali, Fiji and Singapore. More voyagesaround Mexico are also featured, including a one-offcruise on December 3, 2015, exactly 50 years to the daywhen the line's first ship sailed on its inaugural journey.The 14-day sailing encompasses ports from the maidenvoyage such as Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán andManzanillo with newer destinations including La Pazand Loreto. Two ships will also be based in theMediterranean as opposed to one this year, to cover theUK demand for visiting destinations such as Venice,Barcelona and Rome, while wider choices of durationsare available including seven, 14 and 21 days.

The company can also book guests’ flights, many ofwhich have special rates. Discounted fares and reduceddeposits are also offered to previous passengers. For more information or to book visitwww.princess.com/holiday or call 0843-374 2402.

Princess Cruises’ 2015/16 voyages on sale

CLIA’s River Cruise Convention returns to Amsterdam in November



pixmix

FLIGHT FRIENDS...Pictured in celebratory mood are,from the left: Lynn Griffiths, United Airlines; AndrewEdmonds, Air Canada; and Clare Webber, United Airlines.

ROOTING FOR THEIR TEAM...are, from the left: Sharon

Ahmed and Darrell Toakley from Darrell James Travel with

Chrissy Mackenzie-Cooper from Ottery Travel.

Jetset hosted an exclusive World Cup party at the City of London branch of Gaucho Bar & Grill. Morethan 60 agents and suppliers enjoyed a taste of South America including a buffet and bar, beforesteeling themselves to watch England’s crunch match against Uruguay. Sponsors and partners forthe evening included Travelport, Affordable Car Hire, The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel, QatarAirways, Air Canada and United Airlines.

GET SET FOR JETSET... Looking forward to an action-packed

evening are Nisha Tailor (left) and Alison Armstrong from Jetset.

COLOUR ME BEAUTIFUL... Jetset's Lorraine Mehta

(right) gets Jackie Shiell from Classic Travel ready for

the big game.

IT'S A GOAL...Marking England's goal are, from theleft: Nilo Sirinivasan, Travelport; Adrian Smyth,Jetset; and Tim Wright, Travelport.

MAP MATES...from the left are: Jo Piani, The Beaches ofFort Myers & Sanibel; Jane Hoyes, Qatar Airways; and MattGill, Travel Bulletin.


WHILE THE traveland tourismindustry might

conjure up images ofbalmy beaches and hiphotels, there is a world ofcareer opportunitiesmuch closer to home.Indeed, as more andmore CV’s from hungryyoung graduates findtheir way across my desk,the end of the schoolyear is a fitting time toshout about thetremendous opportunitiesthat exist in our industry.For kids fresh out ofuniversity or those justlooking to make a careerchange, in my mind therereally is no other sectorthat allows you to havegreat fun whilstdeveloping your career –where else can you takean educational trip to theGalapagos Islands orGobi Desert?

Long known for hisfondness of ‘chillaxing’ onthe Algarve and Costa delSol, even David Cameron isgetting in on the action,with the Conservativegovernment recentlylaunching anapprenticeship schemedubbed ‘Trailblazers’ toattract more young peopleinto the industry. As part ofthe scheme, both businessand leisure travelemployers are workingtogether to shape the on-the-job training

opportunities and theprofessional qualificationsfor a brand new TravelConsultant apprenticeship.

Travel and tourism isnow a much morerecognised and respectedindustry. College courseson travel, tourism andhospitality are packed tothe rafters, schools arereflecting it in theircurriculums and foreignlanguage classes – it’s ahuge boon for those lookingto become an overseas repor tour operator.

Moreover, with some ofthe world’s mostsuccessful and influentialambassadors singing itspraises – think RichardBranson – it’s easy to seewhy a career in ‘sun andsand’ is an increasinglyattractive option.

The sheer range ofopportunities is massive,from entry level HighStreet travel agent rolesfor those just leavingschool to specialistmanagement and C-suite

executive level roles forthose who have thequalifications andexperience needed tomake their mark in what isan incredibly excitingindustry. Not surprisingly,with a whole host of newconsumer technologiesblurring borders andshrinking boundaries,there is an increased needfor people with specific ITskills including webdevelopment, SEOoptimisation, graphicdesign, business analysisand the like, in addition tothe more backgrounddepartments of travelbusiness such as finance,marketing and HR.

In terms of advantages,getting out on fam rips,meeting new people andexperiencing exoticdestinations is just the tip

of the iceberg…quiteliterally if you find yourselfAntarctica bound for a spotof penguin watching! But,in addition to gaining achance to learn about theworld, the commercialopportunities are quitegood and you can make adecent buck from a salesperspective if you’re savvyenough.

With increased airlinecapacity and more farflung routes now allowingpeople to travel furtherafield, there has neverbeen a better time toescape the ordinary andtake off on an excitingcareer in the travelindustry. So whether you’reeighteen and eager toexplore what’s out there orforty and fancy a careerchange, now’s yourchance.

Industry Insight by...

Andy Stark, managing director of The Global Travel Group, says there's never been a better time for a career in travel & tourism...

bulletinbriefing

"Travel and tourism is now a much more recognised and

respected industry. College courses on travel, tourism

and hospitality are packed to the rafters, schools are

reflecting it in their curriculums and foreign language

classes – it’s a huge boon for those looking to become

an overseas rep or tour operator”


"In my mind there really is no other

sector that allows you to have great

fun whilst developing your career"



romania

June 27 2014

by Razvan Marc, director of the Romanian National Tourist Office in London

Increased accessibility meansRomania is closer than ever

THERE’S NEVER been a bettertime to travel to Romania. Nofewer than 49 flights a week

connect various London airportswith Bucharest, the capital ofRomania. Besides Tarom (Romania’snational airline) and BA which flyfrom Heathrow, there are alsoflights from Luton, Gatwick andStanstead with low-cost airlinesBlue Air, Wizzair, easyJet andRyanair. In addition to the capitalcity of Romania, Luton serves sevenother airports with direct flights - toCluj-Napoca, Iasi, Timisoara, TirguMures, Craiova, Bacau and Sibiu.Wizzair also connects DoncasterSheffield Airport to Bucharest fromthis month. So whichever region ofRomania your clients want to visit,an airport with a direct connectionto London is not far away.

The next Ibiza

Although not directly connected toany airport in the UK (yet),Romania’s Black Sea Coast is tippedto become the Ibiza of EasternEurope. With Mamaia as its flagshipresort, the Black Sea Riviera boastsfine accommodation options, sandybeaches and luxury clubs that neverclose. Fly to Bucharest from Londonthen transfer by train, bus or car toMamaia (about two-and-a-half-hours to the East).

Romania is a rich country when itcomes to tourist attractions - fromthe Danube Delta to the MerryCemetery in Northern Transylvania(Maramures) - you will be spoilt forchoice. Culture tourism, nature

circuits, adventure tourism, citybreaks, rural circuits and wellnessholidays are the main tourismproducts. But if your clients are in themood to party, they will be in the rightplace. A pint of beer won’t set youback more than 50p and in Bucharest,the bars, terraces and restaurants ofthe old city centre stay open thewhole night – making Bucharest theonly capital in the EU that doesn’timpose a curfew on parties.

Add to the above the largestbuilding in Europe, the paintedmonasteries, the Dracula Castle andHRH Prince Charles’s affection for

Romania and you’ll find yourselfwondering why you haven’t visitedthis country yet.

Upcoming activity

The Romanian National Authority forTourism is planning a promotionalcampaign for the UK market for2014/15.

Late this autumn (and into 2015),there are plans for the RomanianNational Authority for Tourism tojoin an online travel trainingplatform, aimed at familiarising thetravel industry in the UK withRomania as a tourist destination.✦

GO BAREFOOT is promoting stays in a Count’s estate in the Carpathian wilderness. Guestscan explore the surrounding woodland, meet woodcarvers and the village blacksmith, visittraditional workshops, see the totem poles in a village graveyard and visit ancientchurches. Guests can also visit an ancient volcanic lake, Saxon heritage sites and even gobear-watching. The seven-day trip costs £630 per person based on a group of fourtravelling, and includes six nights’ full-board accommodation.

S04 TB2706 Romania_Layout 1 6/24/2014 4:13 PM Page 15

Discover the mountains of Romaniawith Balkan Holidays this summerBALKAN HOLIDAYS is offering seven-, ten-, 11- and 14-night holidays to Romania this summer, visiting PoianaBrasov in the Carpathian Mountains in the heart ofTransylvania. Flights to Bucharest from Gatwick, Heathrow,Luton and Doncaster Sheffield are available until October.

Rupert Diggins, the operator's sales and marketingmanager, said: “As well as offering stunning mountainscenery the region is ideal for hiking or horse-riding.

“As we already offer a 'Winter Ski & Snowboard'programme to Poiana Brasov, it seemed like an idealopportunity to open up this beautiful resort to UKholidaymakers during the summer.

“This area of Transylvania is famed for its beautifulmedieval towns such as nearby Brasov, Sibiu or Sighisoara.Brasov is home to the first-ever Romanian School and theimpressive gothic Black Church. The old town ofSighi oara is dubbed the most beautiful inhabitedmedieval fortress in Europe, while Sibiu is the formerEuropean capital of culture. There are also excursions toBran Castle, home of Dracula.

“Other experiences include the natural wonders of theCarpathian Mountains such as the St Ana volcanic lake, theBâlea glacial lake located at an altitude of 2,000m, as wellas the Red Lake, the largest mountain lake in the country.”

Accommodation is at the four-star Hotel Bradul or SportHotel & Spa in Poiana Brasov. After a day’s hiking orhorse-riding, the spa at the Sport Hotel offers relaxationand facilities including a heated swimming pool andJacuzzi, as well as a gym.

Seven nights’ half-board accommodation at the hotelcosts from £513 per person based on a September 22departure and two people sharing. Flights from Gatwickand transfers are also included.For further details call 0845-130 1114 or seewww.balkanholidays/agents


romania

IF YOU haven’t visited a country it is very easy to have ablinkered view on the destination. For example, when itcomes to Romania perhaps, like me, when you think about

Transylvania you visualise scenes from old black and whiteDracula movies, all dark and dangerous. Why would anyonewant to visit there?

It didn’t take long for Razvan (from the Romanian TouristOffice) to put me in my place when I suggested to him that theDracula story may have given the largest region in Romania abad press (note to self – do more research before asking aquestion). It turns out that for tourism purposes the legend ofa blood sucking vampire is a good thing.

So from the undead to the dead. Cimitirul Vesel, or to youand me, the Merry Cemetery, is an unusual tourist attraction.This surprisingly colourful graveyard is in the village ofSăpânța, in Maramureş. Here the graves are marked bycolourful tombstones. If you were to look closely you wouldfind the colour is due to paintings that describe the life of thedeceased. As well as the paintings the tombstone may alsohave a poem telling us more about their life.

I can imagine the picture on my tombstone. It’ll show me ona sofa watching the telly. I have looked at finding some ofthese poems. My favourite was about a mother in law. Itbasically said that if she was just sleeping, please don’t wakeher up. I can’t face anymore nagging. The Merry Cemeterybecame an open-air museum and a national tourist attraction.

I did know a little bit more about Romania than the undeadCount. Thanks to Top Gear, I was also aware of theTransfagarasan Highway, but there was no way that I wasgoing to bring it up during my conversation with Razvan. Iknow my limit when it comes to pronouncing words on air,and it is set very low. This mountain road is something thathas to be experienced at least twice. Once to enjoy the breath-taking scenery of the Fagaras Mountains and the second timeto really enjoy driving down this twisting road.

The Transfagarasan Highway is only open for a few monthsas it spends most of the year blocked by snow, but it lookswell worth the wait. I can’t think of a better way to spendtravelling 56 miles. I was trying to find a good way to get fromtalking about driving through the mountains to an unusualplace to visit that Razvan mentioned, but my built-in bad tastefilter kept going into overdrive. The unusual feature of thiscemetery is that it diverges from the prevalent belief,culturally shared within European societies – a belief thatviews death as something indelibly solemn. Connections withthe local Dacian culture have been made, a culture whosephilosophical tenets presumably vouched for the immortalityof the soul and the belief that death was a moment filled withjoy and anticipation for a better life.

John findsthere's more toRomania thanCount Dracula

by John Guinn, holiday researcher

John Guinn runs Holiday Hut and has a weekly travelshow on internet radio station, Secklow Sounds. He alsocontributes regularly to UK Health Radio.

EXODUS IS offering a 16-day ‘Winter in Transylvania’ tour from£1,349 per person including flights, accommodation and mostmeals, with the first departure on December 6. The CarpathianMountains mark the backdrop for the journey, which exploresTransylvania’s history and folklore, visits Christmas markets(in December) and spends a night at the Ice Hotel. For more information or to book visit call 0845-863 9601 or visit www.exodus.co.uk


Rolandia promotesseven-night

‘ExploreTransylvania’

self-drive optionROLANDIA IS featuring aseven-night ExploreTransylvania self-drive/escorted tour,which offers visits to themajor tourist attractions.

The journey takesguests throughpicturesqueTransylvanian villageswhere countrysidedwellers still work usingtraditional methods andtakes in fortifiedchurches and old towns.

Prices lead in at 440per person for aminimum of four peopleincluding car hire. For further informationvisit www.rolandia.eu oremail [email protected]

TAROM

romania


FFESTINIOG TRAVEL has issued its 2015 brochure offering a preview of its forthcoming escorted toursprogramme. New for next year is a 15-day Mountain & Forest in Rural Romania option which combinesrural life with five narrow gauge steam lines, mostly using special charter trains. Guests will stay infamily-run ‘homestay’ accommodation in remote villages and enjoy locally-grown produce, as well asvisit a range of sights including the famous Painted Monasteries. Prices lead in at £2,300 per person,based on two sharing, with departures on May 12 and June 2. For details see www.ffestiniogtravel.com or call 01766-772030.

June 27 2014


MENTION TRANSYLVANIA and whatcomes to mind is Dracula. Vlad Tepes, acruel ruler in the middle ages, liked toimpale his victims and this inspiredBram Stoker to write his famous book.Much-visited Bran Castle, the setting forparts of the horror story, has dominatedthe pass between Wallachia andTransylvania since 1377 and is one of thetop tourist sites. But remember Stokernever visited Romania and while touristauthorities try not to overdo the Draculalegend – Vlad was revered as a nationalhero – fans of Bram Stoker won’t feel tooneglected.

But of course Romania is so muchmore than legends and folklore. I took afive-day Explore tour to Bucharest andthe Carpathians. The 15-strong groupwas expertly managed by a veryknowledgeable guide Cristian. Bearspotting, visits to Peles and BranCastles, a tour of Brasov, excellentsuggestions for restaurants andaccommodation in a Swiss-style B&B inMoeciu was what the Explore brochure

promised. And that’s what we enjoyedduring a delightful holiday.

When the group headed to OtopeniAirport to return to the UK, I had a six-hour train journey from Bucharest toSuceava in the far North-East to lookforward to. Explore does offer a tour tosee the Painted Monasteries and willarrange independent travel, but Ipreferred to put together my ownpackage.

The Gloria Hotel in Suceava was agood base for two days’ exploration ofMoldova with Sorin Fodor, a local guidewho drove me to 11 monasteries andcovered about 300 miles. A guide withlocal knowledge is essential as some ofthe monasteries had to be opened for us.The Painted Monasteries, many of whichare UNESCO sites, date from the 16thcentury and are beautiful, with frescosand pictures adorning the outside walls.Most are working churches and for onenight I stayed in the huge fortifiedDragomirna Monastery in the companyof 70 nuns.

The region is mountainous with lushgreen fields, shepherds tending theirsheep, horse drawn transport andstorks nesting on chimneys. Food, drinkand accommodation was very cheap andthe people I met were so hospitable andkeen to practice their English.

If more information was available onRomania and the country wellpromoted, agents would be betterequipped to sell the various operators’packages, arrange add-ons to thepackages or tailor-make tours to theirclients’ wishes. So many times I heardthe lament that we want visitors fromthe UK but they don’t seem to knowabout our country.

FACTS:See www.explore.co.uk Sorin Fodor ([email protected])will arrange tours to the monasteriesand other parts of North EasternRomania.Romanian Tourist officewww.romaniantourism.com


IN THE past year Blue Air has made a series ofchanges including increasing its fleet from sixto ten aircrafts (all Boeing 737); introducing anew livery; and changing the interior of itsaircraft to offer passengers a morecomfortable flight. In addition, the carrier hasintroduced new services including Blue Bistro,an online service offering a choice of six mealsfor passengers to choose from; coach transfersfrom Bucharest Airport to/from Constanta orBrasov; and a range of payment methods whenbooking online at www.blueairweb.com,including preferential seats, checked-inbaggage of 32kg per piece (up to four bags);and free hand luggage of 10kg.

Travel writer Doug Goodman toured Romania last month and suggests that the varieddelights of the country need much more promoting...

Romania revealed

romania



A SURVEY carried out byEmbratur researchersestimates that the totalspend by Brazilian andforeign tourists during the 30days of the 2014 FIFA WorldCup should reach$R25.2billion.

Forecasted touristnumbers suggest that600,000 foreign tourists areexpected to visit Brazilacross the 30 days of WorldCup matches, contributingsignificantly to the estimated7.2m tourists that are

forecast to enter Brazilduring 2014 as a whole.

Meanwhile, Brazil'sgovernment is investingaround £10billion oninfrastructure for the 2014World Cup and 2016 RioOlympic Games.

Costa Rica to hostCATM 2014

COSTA RICA will host the10th Central AmericaTravel Market (CATM) onOctober 9-10, where morethan 200 tourismsuppliers from acrossCentral America willshowcase their offering atthe trade show, which isexpected to be attendedby more than 150European tour operators.

Those attending CATMwill have the opportunityto find out about thelatest tourismdevelopments in CentralAmerica and will also beable to explore thecountry and one otherCentral American countryin the fam trips offered bythe organisers before andafter the show. For details visithttp://centroamericatm.com/index-en.html

June 27 2014

Brazil invests £10b in infrastructure for World Cup & Olympics

INKATERRA HOTELS has launched severalpackages where guests can escape theWorld Cup and experience South Americawithout a football in sight.

At the Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica,guests can choose either a three- or four-night, full-board package including a nightin the Canopy Treehouse high above theAmazon Rainforest; private bird-watchingexcursions; a visit to the butterfly house; ala carte jungle excursions to watch the localwildlife; complimentary half bottle ofsparkling wine and a 50-minute spatreatment. Prices start from £524 per

person, based on double occupancy.Alternatively, the Inkaterra Machu Picchu

Pueblo Hotel offers a three-night, full-board package which includes a privateexcursion to the citadel, as well as guidedexcursions around the Inkaterra OrchidGarden, guided birding and nature toursand a visit to an organic tea plantation. Alsoincluded is a half-day walk to the MandorWaterfalls and a sauna/spa treatment in thespa. Prices start from £520 per personbased on double occupancy. The packages run from now until December 20.

latinamerica

GO BAREFOOT is highlighting a nine-day holiday in Chocoyo, Nicaragua from £1,355 per person, based on agroup of four travelling. The itinerary takes in the colonial cities of León and Granada, artisan markets andthe western hemisphere’s only active volcano. Guests can also spend time in the country’s eco-lodges on thecoast and on wildlife-rich islands, with time for both relaxation and activities including horse-riding, surfing,scuba diving, snorkelling and sailing. There is also the opportunity to visit protected beach and wildlifereserves to witness sea turtles (August to December) emerging from the water to lay eggs. For details visit www.gobarefoot.travel

Escape the World Cup with Inkaterra Hotels’ new packages

S05 TB2706 Latin America_Layout 1 6/24/2014 5:20 PM Page 19

COLLETTE IS offering arange of Latin Americantours to all corners of thecontinent.

As an example, a 17-day ‘The GalapagosIslands and Machu Picchu’itinerary leads in at £6,299per person and begins inEcuador, before guests flyto San Cristóbal in theGalapagos and board theMV Galapagos Legend,their floating home forfive days to explore therest of the islands.

A flight will then takethem to Peru’s capital,Lima, where they will stayfor a night before headingto Cuzco and the SacredValley of the Incas in theAndes for two nights.Guests will then board atrain to take them throughthe Andes, beforereaching Machu Picchu.After leaving themountains, guests willhave time to exploreCuzco for two days beforereturning to Lima anddeparting for home.

Highlights of the tourinclude the chance tosnorkel with turtles andsea-lions and a visit to theCharles Darwin ResearchCentre.

The company alsooffers a selection ofupgrades and optionalexcursions, including afive-day adventurethrough the EcuadorianAmazon, which includes ahike to meet localindigenous tribes.

Prices are based on twosharing and includeflights, selected meals,transfers, sightseeingactivities and English-speaking guides.For more information call0800-804 8701 or visitwww.gocollette.com

IMAGINATIVE TRAVELLER isoffering a ten-day tour tothe Galapagos Islands from£1,615 per person.

The ‘Active Galapagos’tour bikes, hikes, snorkels,kayaks and island hopsaround Santa Cruz, IslaIsabela, Floreana and SanCristobal on a circularroute.

Highlights includemountain biking around SanCristobal; snorkelling andswimming with sea lions;scaling Isabela’s volcano,Sierra Negra; meetingnear-extinct Galapagostortoises; and visiting theCharles Darwin Researchstation on Santa Cruz.

The trip departs up tofour times monthly and is

available year-round. Itincludes seven breakfasts,seven lunches and fourdinners, with amaximum groupsize of 16.

Alternatively, an18-day GalapagosWildlife Cruisecosts from £4,465per person, withflights leading inat approximately£650 per personfrom London. Thecruise, on an air-conditioned vessel,allows for a fullexploration of theentire archipelago.

There is amaximum groupsize of 16 and

departures take place onJuly 7, September 22 andOctober 20.

Imaginative Traveller promotes Galapagos tours 17-day Galapagos Islands & Machu Picchuitinerary from

£6,299 with Collette


latinamerica

Galapagos

ATTRACTION WORLD is promoting a range ofday tours in Brazil's Rio de Janeiro.

For clients interested in culture, a HistoricRio tour costs £49 for adults and £37 forchildren (three to 12 years) and is designed togive guests a feel for the legends and storiesof downtown Rio.

The walk includes visits to interestingpoints such as the São Bento Monastery;Candelaria (the candle-makers); Praça XV;the ‘Travessa do Mercado’; Imperial Palace;Banco do Brasil; the Casa França-Brasil;Ouvidor (‘the Listeners’) Street; andGonçalves Dias Street, with its Colombocoffee shop.

A Rainforest Jeep Tour costs £64 for adultsand £48 for children (three to 12 years).Guests will visit the Tijuca Rainforest in anopen-top jeep where they will see thecontrast between the ‘concrete jungle’ and

the ‘tropical forest’ in the middle of the city.Whilst on the tour, guests will see the‘Cachoeira dos Macacos’ (‘Monkey’sWaterfall’), ‘Vista Chinesa’ (‘Chinese View’),the ‘Mesa do Imperador’ (Emperor’s Table),Cascatinha (Taunay’s Waterfall’) and CapelaMayrink (Mayrink Chapel). The guide willexplain the history of the reforestationprocess and the importance of the ‘MataAtlântica’ (Atlantic Forest). Guests will alsotake a one-hour hike on an easy trail wherethey will have direct contact with the localnature ecosystem.

Meanwhile, those interested in a littleluxury can opt for a helicopter tour of Rio for£208 per person. On the flight, guests will seethe Maracana Stadium, the beaches ofIpanema and Copacabana, Christ theRedeemer Statue on Corcovado Mountain,Sugar Loaf and the Rodrigo de Freitas Lake.

Attraction World invites guests to embark on Rio day trips


THE GUATEMALA TouristBoard has launched a newprogramme to attract morevisitors to the Peten regionin the north of the countrythrough the development ofnew facilities and thepromotion of tourismproducts such as theCarmelita-El Mirador circuitand the new Maya Trek.

The region is home to theMaya Biosphere Reserve,the largest protected area inGuatemala occupying 19%of the national territory, aswell as Maya sites like Tikal.

The tourist board isworking with the town ofSan Andres in the Petendistrict to build new touristfacilities in the communityof Carmelita, which is thestarting point for theCarmelita-El Miradortourist circuit. Visitors willbe able to find informationabout the route to plan theirvisit, and also learn more

about the area’s outstandingnatural environment, itspeople and their way of life.

The Carmelita-El MiradorCircuit is a two-day hikethrough the jungle of theMaya Biosphere Reserve toreach El Mirador, thelargest Maya city discoveredto date (and a two-day hikeback). El Mirador NationalPark features two majorarchitectural groups - theTiger Complex, whichincludes a 60 metres highpyramid surrounded by twosmaller ones; and La DantaComplex, which reaches aheight of 75 metres. A visitto El Mirador National Parkitself requires a minimum ofthree hours to explore thedifferent Maya monumentsand roads as well as theMaya Biosphere. There arealso other smaller Mayasites in the area worthvisiting such as El Tintal, LaFlorida and La Wakna.

Another innovative wayof exploring the area is therecently launched MayaTrek, a three-dayadventure through theMaya Biosphere Reservewhich takes visitorsthrough differentarchaeological sites andprotected natural spacesbetween the community ofCruce de dos Aguas andTikal National Park. The50km trek follows theBuenavista Valley, one ofthe main commercialroutes in the Pre-Classicand Classic Maya Periods(from 800BC to 1,200AD),controlled from the city ofEl Zotz.

Besides Tikal, the MayaBiosphere Reserveincludes otherarchaeological sites suchas Yaxha, PIedras Negras,Nakum, El Ceibal,Uaxactun, Aguateca andDos Pilas.

Guatemala

Survey namesCosta Rica world's

best holidayexperience

A SURVEY conducted byBDRC Continental among23,000 holidaymakersacross 26 countries hasnamed Costa Rica as thedestination most wouldrecommend for a holidaybased on personalexperience. The UK camejoint tenth in a leaguetable of 65 countries,while the threedestinations with thelowest level ofenthusiasm among thosewho had experienced thecountry within the past 12months were Tunisia,Indonesia and China.

The company'sassociate director, JonYoung, said: “This study isone of the most broadly-based globalassessments of recenttourism experiences andfuture intentions. It looksat destination appeal andthe likelihood torecommend a country,based solely on personalexperience in the last 12months.

"It’s a credit to the UKthat it has achieved a highjoint tenth position in aleague table of more than70 countries, especiallygiven the competition ofcountries with morefavourable climates."

latinamerica


Guatemala launches programme to boost tourism in Peten


TRANSPORT HAS improved withinPanama City following the recentopening of a Metro system whichallows visitors to travel quickly fromthe main hotel area to the Old Town,the Albrook Shopping Mall, theSeafood Market or the Cinta Costeraseafront viaduct, amongst otherattractions.

The new line runs for 13.7kmacross the city and features 12stations with lifts and escalators. Theair-conditioned trains have capacityfor 200 people each.

Meanwhile, after the rehabilitationand expansion of a former terminaland runway, the new Scarlet MartinezInternational Airport in Rio Hato, inthe Cocle province (120km fromPanama City), was officiallyinaugurated last month with the

arrival of the first flight from Canadiancarrier Sunwing Airways. The newairport will facilitate access to thePacific beach resorts and help boosttourism to the region, which includesnew hotel developments like the RiuPlaya Blanca. Marriott has alsoannounced plans to open a new hotelin the area.

In terms of flight developments,Iberia will increase the frequency ofits direct flights from Madrid toPanama from five flights weekly todaily from July 6. The increase,together with the recent addition ofdirect Air France flights from ParisCharles de Gaulle to TocumenInternational Airport three timesweekly, have strengthened the linksbetween the old continent and theCentral American region.

We asked our staff thefollowing question this week:If anyone at work could

be your slave, who wouldit be and what would

they have to do?Publisher: Jeanette [email protected] accountant Carolyn, I'd make her pay me doubleevery month!

Editor: Lauretta [email protected] and Nik Nak (Nicky) would do a job share and they'dfetch me sweets on the hour, every hour

Assistant Editor: Jill [email protected] tea-making slave - any colleague would do

Contributing Editor: Paul [email protected] slavery was abolished, but if it comes back thenSimon not to groan at my puns

Sales Director: Simon [email protected] and she'd have to change her name to something I can spell

Advertisement Manager: Tim [email protected] Boocock (Liverpool fan) to write why ManchesterUnited have won more Premiership trophies

Online Sales Manager: Nick [email protected] Gill, to complain whenever I don't receive 100%tip-top customer service at restaurants

Account Manager: Bill [email protected] would have to be Chris and he would have to be AlanCarr 'Chatty Man' all day

Sales Executive: Chris [email protected] and he would have to swap places with me

Sales Executive: Matt [email protected] Designer: Nicky [email protected] Designer: Lee [email protected]: Erica Sesay [email protected]

Circulation Manager: Jim [email protected]

latinamerica

Crossword:Across: 1. JAL, 3. BELIZE, 7. RIHANNA, 8. GOA, 9. VAUD, 10. OBAN, 13. BLED, 14. BARI, 16. YEN, 18. HOUSTON, 19. RWANDA, 20. LEH.Down: 1. JERSEY BOYS, 2. LE HAVRE, 3. BANJUL, 4. LUAU, 5. ZUG, 6. DAWN FRENCH, 11. BRISTOL, 12. GARUDA,15. KHAN, 17. NSW.

Highlighted Word: LISBON

Travagrams: (top)TAP Portugal (bottom) Anantara

Where Am I?: Grenoble

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 £125 p.a. £195 overseasISSN: 0956-2419

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June 27 2014

AS PART of its overall strategy andinspiration to promote Ecuador as atourism destination, the EcuadorianMinistry of Tourism has launched its'All You Need Is Ecuador' campaign,aimed at international tourismmarkets.

The initiative has been developed toreach more than 10,000 specialisedwholesalers and travel agents inNorth America, Europe, Asia andLatin America.

The destination will position itselfwithin the tourism sector throughvarious media outlets including a bi-

monthly newsletter and a dedicatedwebsite.

Travel agents will have access to e-learning to boost their productknowledge on how to sell Ecuador.Online seminars will also beavailable, as well as webinars thatwill be held every two months fromdifferent tourism destinationsthroughout the 'Four Worlds' - PacificCoast, Andes, Amazon andGalapagos.For more information visithttp://allyouneedisecuador.travel/trade

New campaign from Ministry of Tourismpromotes Ecuador to international markets

Accessibility boost for Panama City following transportimprovements & recent opening of Metro system

Metro in Panama City

S05 TB2706 Latin America_Layout 1 6/25/2014 10:18 AM Page 22


We’re upbeat

We’re laid-back

We’re Egypt

See you by the Red Sea SHARM EL SHEIKH - HURGHADA

www.egypt.travel

Selling trips to Egypt? Our new e-learning programme is now live!Complete the course and you could be one of two lucky FAM trip winners jetting off to Egypt. Get started...For more details visitwww.egyptiantravelexpert.com


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Travel Bulletin 27th June 2014