travel bulletin 7th february 2014

February 7 2014 | ISSUE NO 1,859 | www.travelbulletin.co.uk

this week

agent bulletinagent offers, fam trips, training & booking incentives

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

malta & gozoair malta launches additionalregional flights to meetdemand

accommodation onlynew property additions plusdeals to promote to clients

19

9

28

11

Escorted TripsEscorted TripsOperators highlight new

tours, savings &promotions

Operators highlight newtours, savings &

promotions

TB0702 2014 Cover_TB Front Cover.qxd 2/5/2014 3:22 PM

Make a booking to Oman and earn rewards!Register your booking for 7 nights or more at www.omanbookingrewards.com and you will receive a £10 shopping voucher once your clients have travelled as a thank you for your support.

Sign up today for rewards, prizes and a chance to win a place on a fam trip to Oman in 2014.

Beauty has an addressFor more information on Oman please contact:Oman Ministry of Tourism UK & Ireland Representative Offi ceTel: 0208 877 4524 | Email: [email protected] | Visit: www.omantourism.gov.omStudy: www.omanacademy.com

to Oman amore at www.omanbooki

s have travelled as a thank

chance to win a place on a

Beauty has an addressFor more information on Oman please contact:Oman Ministry of Tourism UK & Ireland RepreTel: 0208 877 4524 | Email: oman@represeStudy: www.omanacademy.com

arn rewards!rewards.com and you will receive aou for your support.

m trip to Oman

S01 TB0702 Start_Layout 1 2/5/2014 2:22 PM

THE GIFT OF LOVE...Attraction World's Nicola Herper visited Thomson in Merryhill, Broadway to highlight the company'srange of gift experiences in the run up to Valentine's Day by popping the question to the agency's Jamie Bill. Witness tothe event is the agency's Chelsea Davies. Current offers include a pamper day for two with three treatments each for£119 (was £199), a two-night getaway for £99 (was £199) and a London Eye Champagne Flight for two for £74 per couple.

This Week

3 newsa round-up of this week'slatest offers &announcements

8 at home with eileenfind out what homeworkerEileen has been up to lately

9 agent bulletinthe latest agent offers, famtrips, training & bookingincentives

14 personality bulletinAlison Whitfield from EthosMarketing takes the hotseat this week

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

12 operator reviewGold Medal's Dave Carterreviews Spice Island BeachResort in Grenada

19 malta & gozoAir Malta launchesadditional regional flights tomeet demand

23 escorted tripsoperators highlight newtours, savings & promotions

28 accommodation onlynew property additions plusdeals to promote to clients

15 greece & cyprusoperators & airlines highlightnew itineraries & routes

Cove

r Pi

ctur

es:

Mai

n-

Veni

ce,

Traf

alga

rIn

set-

Air

Mal

ta

3www.travelbulletin.co.uk February 7 2014

newsbulletin

In-store music hits the right note with staff and customersMUSIC CAN help to put consumers in the ‘holiday mood’, increasing their likeliness ofpurchasing a holiday, according to new research by music licensing company, PPL.

Results of the research also revealed that almost all staff respondents surveyed working in atravel retail environment (99%) agree that customers would be happier if music was played in-store, whilst 81% of customers agree that playing music creates a better atmosphere forshoppers. This in turn can help to increase customer dwell time - more than half (51%) ofcustomers said they would spend more time browsing in a store playing music, while 76% ofcustomers agreed that they feel more relaxed shopping in retail stores that play music.

The research shows that music can positively influence consumers’ purchasing decisionswhen booking a holiday. Around 66% of customers agree that playing music removes anyawkward silences while shopping for a holiday, while 54% agree that shopping in a store thatplays music would increase their likeliness of purchasing a holiday compared to a store thatdoes not play music.

Findings also revealed that music can enhance positivity and productivity in-store, with 95% ofstaff saying that they felt in-store music creates a better working environment, making themmore productive. The majority (96%) of staff said that playing music in store improves their moodand 83% went as far as to say that they would be demotivated if the music was turned off.

The genre of music for staff is also a key consideration for in-store music - 88% stated thatthey would prefer to listen to music by recognisable performers rather than sound-alikes,highlighting the value and appreciation for original artist music.

STA Travel UK marketing director, Laurence Bresh, said: "We find having music playing in ourstores creates a relaxed and informal environment for both customers and staff. Having a range ofmusic playing in our 50 UK stores creates a great atmosphere to allow time to chat to our travelexperts and ensure our customers have all the tools necessary to create their ideal itinerary."

Eurostar offerstickets to

German citiesEUROSTAR HAS introduceda new ticket offering inpartnership with DeutscheBahn, with tickets availableto purchase to six cities inGermany - Aachen,Cologne, Bonn, Düsseldorf,Frankfurt and Munich.

Agents can purchase(via eurostar.com) onesingle ticket valid for theentire journey for travel tothe cities on behalf of theirclients. Tickets cost from£49.50 for a one-way ticketto Aachen, Cologne, Bonnand Düsseldorf; from£79.50 to Frankfurt andfrom £97.50 to Munich.For details call 0843-218 6186.


KITTITIAN HILL, a $600m project encompassing privatevillas and boutique hotels, will open this year on the islandof St. Kitts.

Located in 400 acres of farmland set between MountLiamuiga and the Caribbean Sea, every building withinKittitian Hill will be constructed using local or sustainablematerials, crafted in collaboration with a team of morethan 50 local contractors and craftsmen.

Among the destination’s facilities are hotels includingBelle Mont Farm, a 119-room property comprising one-bedroom private guesthouses and a handful of largerGreathouses (accommodating up to 16). The hotel featuresrainwater showers, hand-selected wine, pre-loadedtablets and drop-down big screens plus crates of farm-fresh fruit daily. Guesthouse prices start from $800 pernight, with Greathouse prices available upon request.Meanwhile, the Village Inn Suites consist of one and twoguestrooms and are situated in the heart of the village.

Restaurants and bars include The Refinery with its bar,The Mill; The Table at Belle Mont Farm, which provides afresh-from-the-farm harvest dining experience and theRed Rhum Bar; plus The Golden Lemon and The Limelocated in nearby Dieppe Bay.

Meanwhile, The Town Hall offers a collection of meetingrooms and event halls that will hold conferences andevents and will also form the nucleus for the promotion ofregional and international art, cultural events and festivals.

Other attractions include the Irie Fields golf course,where half of the par-72 18-hole course will comprisefarmland featuring cart/walking paths through theorchards where guests will see ‘Pick Me’ notices when thefruit is ripe; and The Village, featuring a mix of residences,restaurants, bars, art galleries, boutiques, a farmer’smarket, film festivals and an open-air cinema.

The first of Kittitian Hill’s facilities will open in March. For further details see www.kittitianhill.com

SHEARINGS HAS launched newbattlefield tours this year to coincide withthe centenary of World War I.

An eight-day Battlefields of World WarI and II leads in at £749 per person andcruises along Dutch and Belgianwaterways, with highlights including avisit to Ypres, the Airbourne Museum,the National Liberation Museum and thesights of Antwerp and Amsterdam. Theprice includes six nights’ full-boardcruise, as well as a night’s half-boardaccommodation en route and coach

travel. Departures are available in April. A nine-day Battlefields Remembered

tour costs from £969 and gives gueststhe chance to discover the battlefields ofHolland and Belgium. Highlights includevisits to Ypres, Cologne and the UNESCOsite of Nijmegen. The price includes sixnights’ full-board cruise as well as twonights’ half-board accommodation enroute and coach travel. Departures areavailable in November.

Alternatively, a ten-day BattlefieldsCommemorative Cruise leads in at

£1,149 and cruises along the Rhine andDutch and Belgian waterways, withhighlights including visits to Ypres,Cologne and Antwerp. The price includesseven nights’ full-board cruise, twonights’ half-board accommodationen/post-route and coach travel.Departures are available between Mayand July.

Options to travel by air and rail arealso available on all tours.For more information call 0844-824 6351or visit www.shearings.com

Shearings introduces new battlefield tours with eight days from £749

St. Kitts welcomes opening of $600million project, Kittitian Hill

www.travelbulletin.co.ukFebruary 7 20144

newsbulletin

VIP SKI has announced the addition of new chalets in Meribel,Morzine and Avoriaz. As an example, the Ballacima Lodge(pictured) in Meribel is a new five-bedroom luxury chaletoffering a lift, cinema, billiard room, hot tub and swimmingpool. Prices start from £1,129 per person based on twosharing and include flights from Gatwick, transfers and chaletboard catering.For more information or to book visit www.vip-chalets.com orcall 0844-557 3119.

Burma debut from AmaWaterwaysAMAWATERWAYS IS cruising Myanmar’s (Burma’s)Irrawaddy for the first time this year.

The company has built an all-suite 56-passenger rivercruiser, the AmaPura, which launches on Myanmar’sIrrawaddy river in November, making daily stops withincluded excursions and tours to optimise the experience.

The Golden Treasures of Myanmar itinerary costs from£4,999 per person including flights, two nights' pre-cruise and one night post-cruise stay in Yangon, transfersto and from the ship, ten nights on the ship, all tours, allmeals, wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner,on-board entertainment and lectures, plus port charges.

Meanwhile, the line is highlighting an excursion tomark the 70th anniversary of D-Day and the NormandyLandings, with a guided visit to Normandy’s Gold andJuno beaches, a visit to the Juno Beach WWII museum,to Arromanches and to WWII monuments.

The excursion is included on a week’s luxury Seinecruise from Paris, departing throughout this year. Otherhighlights include a visit to the harbour at Honfleur andthe castles and towns that line the Seine.

D-Day cruises cost from £1,889 including travel byEurostar from London, daily tours and excursions, sevennights' full board accommodation, free Wi-Fi and free useof on board bicycles.For more information or to book seewww.amawaterways.co.uk or call 0808-223 5009.


Newsbites● THE SOUTH Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) is

hosting the first South Pacific Tourism Exchange(SPTE) from May 22-23 in Auckland, New Zealand. Theinaugural event will be the region’s largest travel andtourism business-to-business event for up to 16Pacific Island countries and their private sectortourism operators.

● NOBLE CALEDONIA has issued its Small Shipsbrochure for 2014/15 featuring worldwide destinationson its flagships Island Sky and Caledonian Sky, as wellas other vessels. The company offers a selection ofexpedition and destination cruises to far-flung andunique destinations. For details see www.noble-caledonia.co.uk or to ordera copy of the brochure email [email protected]

● SANDALS RESORTS has announced the construction ofa new Beaches Resort in Antigua at the site of thecompany’s existing Grand Pineapple Resort in LongBay. The new resort will offer one- to four-bedroomrooms and suites, up to 12 restaurants, conferencingfacilities and a range of features including a waterpark, a cinema, an Xbox Play Lounge and a BMX track.For more information visit www.beachesresorts.co.uk

● SEABOURN HAS signed a contract for the constructionof a new all-suite vessel. The configuration of the new,40,350 GRT vessel will be based on the SeabournOdyssey-class ships, with one additional deck and newexpanded public areas. It will be built by FincantieriS.p.A. in Italy, with delivery scheduled for mid-2016.

● ROYAL CARIBBEAN International has launched a new2014 family cruise brochure for tablets. Designed tocoincide with peak booking season, the e-brochurefeatures videos and interactive content to helpshowcase its family friendly features andexperiences.

● LUXPERIENCE, THE annual business exchange forthe international travel trade held in the Australasiaand Pacific region, is announcing a six monthcampaign to grow its presence in the UK marketahead of the 2014 event which will be staged atSydney’s Pier 2/3, Walsh Bay from August 31 toSeptember 3. The campaign kicks off with a LondonPop Up Event on Monday March 3 and is open tospecialist travel professionals seeking inspiration forluxury and high end experiential travel. To register email [email protected] or call020-8545 2616.


VIRGIN HOLIDAYS has added moreproperties to its Caribbean portfolio.

In Jamaica, the newly renovatedadults-only The Jewel Paradise Covein Ocho Rios has been added, whichfocuses on health, spa and fitness.Jewel Dunn’s River, which offers aselection of land and watersports,has also been introduced and islocated near the Dunn’s River Falls.

At both Jewel resorts, guests willreceive exclusive offers including VIPcheck-in with welcome cocktail, 15%off in the spa, 15% reduction on aprivate candlelit dinner andcomplimentary fruit platter.

Meanwhile, in Mexico the operatoris now featuring the all-inclusiveBarcelo Maya Beach Resort, locatedin the Riviera Maya, while in Playa

Del Carmen, the Sandos PlayacarBeach Resort & Spa has also beenintroduced.

Alternatively, guests can opt to stayat the Melia Marina Varadero, an all-inclusive marina resort in Cuba,located a short walk from the beachand ideal for families.For further details call 0844-557 3973or visit www.vhols4agents.co.uk

WESTERN & ORIENTAL haslaunched its new Europebrochure for 2014 travel,including a variety ofaccommodation options anddestinations.

Throughout the brochureare insider tips and thereturn of the ‘Kids in theMed’ brand, with symbols torepresent age suitability foreach hotel.

The 96-page brochureincludes more than 60hotels with prices startingfrom £420 per person forseven nights’ breakfastaccommodation at EpicSana on the Algarve,including flights and privatetransfers.

Sections include FamilyValue Europe, whichfeatures destinations suchas the Algarve, Greece andTurkey, while new resorts

include the Gloria Resort inTurkey, which offers half-board or all-inclusive staysand a Gogi Kids Club, withthree groups for differentage ranges. The resort alsooffers an Aquapark witheight waterslides ofdiffering sizes and speeds.Seven nights’ all-inclusiveaccommodation leads in at£1,390 per adult and £420per child, including flightsand private transfers.

Alternatively, in GlamEurope, the Gran Hotel SonNet in Mallorca is ideal forhoneymooners and costsfrom £599 per adult forseven nights’ breakfastaccommodation, includingflights and privatetransfers.For more information call020-7666 1234 or visitwww.westernoriental.com

Western & Oriental launches 96-page Europe brochure for 2014

newsbulletin

Virgin Holidays adds new Caribbean properties to programme for 2014

DOWNTOWN LAS Vegas has welcomed its newest addition, theDowntown Grand Las Vegas. The property offers 634 guestrooms,a variety of food and beverage offerings and a MOB Bar featuringlive music. The hotel is planning to develop new experiences overthe next few months, culminating with the spring 2014 premiereof PICNIC, an urban rooftop pool retreat. For details see www.downtowngrand.com

S02 TB0702 News 1_Recovered_Layout 1 2/5/2014 11:22 AM

TO CELEBRATE the 100th anniversaryof the Panama Canal this year, HollandAmerica Line is offering a free $100onboard spend per cabin on selectedPanama Canal sailings.

The offer is available on 28 full andpartial transits of the Panama Canalthroughout 2014, on five ships. Rangingin length from ten to 22 days, a varietyof different itineraries are offered.

Eligible for the anniversary deal isthe MS Westerdam 14-night PanamaCanal cruise, which departs on April 15from Fort Lauderdale. Ports of callinclude Cartagena in Colombia, beforetransiting the Panama Canal and thencontinuing to Puerta Caldera in CostaRica, followed by Puerto Chiapas,Huatulco, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo SanLucas in Mexico, before disembarking

in San Diego.The 14-night fly/cruise costs from

£2,175 per person, based on twosharing an inside cabin. It includesflights, full-board accommodation, anight’s pre-cruise hotel stay andtransfers.For more information or to book call0843-374 2300 or visitwww.hollandamerica.co.uk

WARNER LEISURE Hotels has announceda host of new names for its 2014 StarBreaks.

The new acts will include ‘Any DreamWill Do’ winner and star of Westendshows Joseph, Wicked and LegallyBlonde, Lee Mead, who will appear onApril 11 at Littlecote House Hotel,Berkshire. Britain’s Got Talent finalist andventriloquist Steve Hewlett will beshowing off his talents for the first timewith his lively puppet friends for anevening of fun and laughter at CortonCoastal Village, Suffolk on April 25.

Strictly Come Dancing star judge LenGoodman and the Piccadilly DanceOrchestra will be at Littlecote HouseonJuly 25 where guests will get to re-discover the magical world of Broadwayand Hollywood music. Meanwhile, vocalharmony group, The Overtones, will be

blending uplifting 50s Motown anddoowop with modern pop at Nidd HallHotel, North Yorkshire on August 1. Alsomaking an appearance at Nidd Hall onSeptember 5 is TV personalityChristopher Biggins.

Guests have the chance to upgrade toStar Break Platinum VIP Experiencepackage for an extra £50 per person onselected breaks. These include the bestseats in the house, a bottle ofChampagne per couple and theopportunity to meet the stars of the showbackstage in the exclusive ‘Green RoomExperience’.

Star Breaks cost from £190 per personbased on two adults sharing a standardroom for a three-night break arriving onApril 25 at Corton Coastal Village, Suffolk.It includes Simply Dine (half-board) andfeatures a performance by Steve Hewlett.

Eiffel Tower tour & lunch from Superbreak SUPERBREAK HAS launched a new Eiffel Tower tour and lunch with exclusive datesthroughout the year to help guarantee availability for agents to sell.

The ‘Eiffel Tower skip-the-line guided tour and three-course lunch at 58 Tour Eiffel'can now be booked in conjunction with any hotel booking to Paris and is fullycommissionable to agents.

Exclusive dates to the operator are March 8, April 12, May 24, July 5, August 16 andSeptember 20. The tours begin at 09:30 and end at 10:30.

Packages start from £145.50 per person including one night at the four-star AuteuilTower Eiffel Hotel and the skip-the-line tour. For more information see www.superbreak.com/agents or call 0871-221 4444.

Warner Leisure Hotels reveals new names for 2014 Star Breaks

Holland America Line marks Panama Canal centenary with free onboard credit


newsbulletin

STAR LINE-UP...Pictured celebrating their 'Central England and the East All Star' award at the AllStars Awards Ceremony at the recent AITO Agents' domestic conference at Drayton Manor Hotel inStaffordshire are, from the left: Sarah Williams, Samantha Riley, Melanie Sallis, Bernadette Taylor,Sue Richardson and Claire Hunt from Staffordshire-based Journeys a la Carte.

Tweets of

the WeekWho’s saying what

on Twitter...

@Gatwick_AirportThe latest Gatwick hotelhas opened its doors.Hampton by Hilton isright by our NorthTerminal @HbHGatwickhttp://ow.ly/t1mfk

@MyRoyalUKFancy £500 off theholiday experience of alifetime? Visit here formore informationhttp://bit.ly/16VG6cX

@VisitBritainFilming in London hasstarted for Night at theMuseum 3- look whowere spotted on the city'sstreets the other night:http://dailym.ai/1fcbGH4

@FredOlsenCruiseFancy a summer minibreak? 2night Honfleurmini cruise on boardBraemar ex Dover 18thJuly. Prices start from£219pphttp://bit.ly/LjboUO

@superbreakWow! We LOVE thisAfternoon Tea in Yorkoffer. Perfect forValentine's Day *winkwink*http://bit.ly/1f31AsH

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

TravelBulletin


ST. AUGUSTINE & PONTE VEDRA

Florida’s Historic Coast® encompasses the entirety of St. Johns County including St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra and The Beaches. St. Augustine, the oldest city in the United States, features more than 60 historic sites and attractions, national monuments, architecturally-rich churches and unspoiled natural settings – all providing a variety of activities for visitors to enjoy.

NEW FLORIDA BEACHES 2014 & 2015 BROCHURE OUT NOW

Terms and conditions may apply. All prices are correct at time of distribution.

WIN A FLY DRIVE HOLIDAY TO THE FLORIDA BEACHES*

diversity that Florida has to offer.www.funway4agents.co.uk and

complete our short survey. With 8 up for grabs, you have more chance than ever before! All completed surveys will be entered into a prize draw with the winners being chosen at random shortly after the closing date.

To book visit funway4agents.co.uk or call our experienced travel advisors on 0844 557 0626 FLORIDA

BEACHES2014 & 2015

DISCOVER 14 INCREDIBLE DESTINATIONS AND SAVOUR THE SUNSHINE OF FLORIDA

HOLIDAY DESTINATION(S) & DURATION DEPARTURE DATE SALE PRICE

St. Augustine & Ponte Vedra (4 Nights) March 2014 NOW FROM JUST £589pp

St. Augustine & Ponte Vedra (3 Nights) & Orlando (4 Nights) March 2014 NOW FRO- INCLUDES CAR HIRE

M JUST £699pp

PRICES

FROM £589PP


with Eileen...At homeWhat has homeworker Eileen

been up to this month?

by EILEEN SAUNDERS of Travel Counsellors To respond to any of Eileen’s comments email

[email protected]

newsbulletin


www.travelbulletin.co.uk

WEBSCLUSIVES

● Win a Fam Trip place to Mauritius, courtesy ofAir Mauritius. Just enter our competition atwww.travelbulletin.co.uk/competitions

● Make sure you read our All About the IndianOcean 2014 supplement. To view in digitalformat, please go to:www.travelbulletin.co.uk/travel-bulletin-back-issues

● Win a Fam Trip to the Florida Beaches, courtesyof Funway. To find out how, go to:www.travelbulletin.co.uk/funway

All this and more at:


The home of the web savvy travel agent

Go

MOVERS● THE MONARCH Travel Group has promoted Simon

Garrido to the role of head of trade sales.● HOLIDAY EXTRAS has appointed Carly James as

partnerships development manager.● AIR PARTNER has appointed Colin Jowers as global

director of business technology.● ADAM HANMER will join the Canadian Tourism

Commission on February 10 as manager, travel tradefor the UK market.

● MACDONALD HOTELS & Resorts has appointedHarwood Warrington as restaurant operations director.

● TINA KIRFEL has joined Silversea as general managerand sales & marketing director Europe, Middle Eastand Africa (EMEA).

THE DOYLE Collection's three London hotels have launched aValentines package ahead of next weekend. Suite Memories costsfrom £235 including VAT for two adults and includes an overnightstay with breakfast, Champagne in the room on arrival, acomplimentary DVD gift and late check-out (15:00) the next day.The hotels are located in Marylebone Village, Bloomsbury andSouth Kensington. For details see www.doylecollection.com

THIS MORNING as I looked in the mirror and saw mypasty face looking back at me, I just couldn’t believethat it’s only been a month since I got back from my

Christmas holiday in the Caribbean. Gone is that lovelynatural healthy glow and I’m back to looking like MissHavisham’s younger sister.

My holiday really seems like ages ago and I’m aboutready for another after all this miserable weatherwe’ve been having!

Having had the wettest January for 100 years andwith the rain and flooding set to continue, I can’t helpbut wonder if there is anyone out there that stilldoesn’t believe in global warming.

I’m pleased to say I am still busy and I’m currentlyworking on some really good new enquiries, several ofwhich are from new customers who have beenrecommended to me. The majority of my businesscomes by way of recommendation which is great, and Ialways make a point of thanking whoever made thereferral.

You never know what your next enquiry is going to beand that keeps life interesting. If it is to somewhere youhaven’t sold before then it’s an ideal opportunity toresearch the destination further and this is somethingthat I really enjoy doing.

However, when you get an enquiry to somewhereyou’ve been and enjoyed, that’s really great as then youcan then “wax lyrical” about the destination and yourknowledge and enthusiasm usually gets you thebooking.

I’m sure you’ve all seen that the issue of theincreased costs of travelling during school holidays hascome to the fore once again following a recentFacebook post that has gone viral. There’s no doubtthat this is a contentious issue but having given this agreat deal of thought (with my tongue firmly in mycheek!) I think I might have the answer...how aboutincreasing the cost of holidays for the rest of the yearto bring them in line with the school holiday prices?Would this work? And does anyone have any othersuggestions to offer?


● AGENTS CAN win one of two iPad minisas part of Travel 2’s ‘New Zealand –Where the Journey Begins’ campaign.The operator has teamed up withAustralian Pacific Touring (APT) and Avisto highlight the range of touring optionsavailable to customers looking toexperience the country’s landscapes,wildlife and food and wine offering.Agents need to make a new booking withthe operator to New Zealand thatincludes either APT or Avis to receive twoentries into the prize draw. Qualifyingbookings must be made by February 28. For details see www.travel2.com

● AGENTS MAKING a Beachcomberbooking by February 28 have the chanceto win a seven-night holiday for twopeople, staying at Trou Aux Biches Resort& Spa on a half-board basis. All entrieswill go into a prize draw and will bepicked at random. For details seewww.destinologyagents.co.uk

Fancy a fam?AGENTS LOOKING to get away from it all in 2014will have multiple ways of doing so as Travel 2plays host to two Mega fam trips to South Africaand Thailand in spring, as well as further tripsplanned later in the year. To be in with a chanceof winning a a place, agents need to make abooking with the operator.

See www.travel2.com

THE TRINIDAD and Tobago UK team is rewardingagents that make and log regular bookings withthe chance to join the tourist board's first megafam trip, which takes place in June. Agentsshould log all bookings made up until the end ofMarch to be in with a chance of winning. Theeducational trip has been designed to showcasethe islands of Trinidad and Tobago and will aimto dispel the stereotype of traditional Caribbeanbeach holidays by highlighting the soft eco-adventure and action packed activities that canbe enjoyed. A total of 30 places are up for grabson the week long trip. See www.justadd4.com tolog bookings. For more information visit www.gotrinidadandtobago.com

ROCKING IT....are, from the left: DianeFenton, Cassis Travel, London; Claire Webb,Wish You Were Here Travel, St Neots;Donna Smithson, Superbreak; Julie Collings,Coop Travel, Radstock ; and Kat Peck,Kuoni. Superbreak joined forces with Kuonito take 21 key specialist Kuoni travelagents to London for a stay at the five-starJumeirah Calton Tower Hotel and a nightout at We Will Rock You.

Booking incentives

Agent offerVISAS365, WHICH provides visa, passport andconsular services exclusively to the travel industry,is offering agents commission of between £15-£20per visa. To open an account call 020-7554 3730 or [email protected]


agentbulletin

Training updateAGENTS COMPLETING Japan Airlines’ UK travel

agent training course at OTT (Online Travel

Training) by March 31 will be automatically

entered into a prize draw to win two return

tickets to Japan, including taxes and surcharges.

Agents need to complete the five modules for a

chance to win. For details see ott.travel

S03 TB0702 News 2_Layout 1 2/5/2014 3:49 PM


SKIERS AND snowboarders will be able to enjoy free Wi-Fi when they travel with Balkan Holidays next season.The service will be available at most of the hotelsfeatured in the operator’s newly launched Winter Ski &Board programme for 2015.

Other highlights include prices from £244 per personfor seven nights' self-catering at the three-star CastleApartments in Pamporovo, Bulgaria, based on six sharingand including flights and transfers; new accommodationin Borovets and Bansko; free night skiing and boarding inPamporovo, Bulgaria, staying at the Hotel Perelik; freelift passes in Bansko & Borovets; free ski/board storagein Bansko; 50% off ski and board equipment carriage;50% off full ski and snowboard packs in Borovets, stayingat the Hotel Rila; 15% off ski/snowboard services and

packs in Pamporovo; and 20% off ski/snowboard servicesand packs in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia.

Booking incentives include a deposit of £35 per personuntil the end of February, early booking discounts of upto £150 per couple, a 5% loyalty discount for customerswho have previously booked with the operator for thepast two seasons, free child places, free luggageallowance of 20kg (10kg for infants) on Bulgaria charterflights and group discounts.

Departures are from nine regional airports - Gatwick,Heathrow, Bristol, East Midlands, Manchester,Newcastle, Glasgow, Stansted and Luton. For details or to book seewww.balkanholidays.co.uk/agents or call 0845-130 1114.

FOLLOWING THE successful launch ofits dedicated Croatia brochure lastyear, Anatolian Sky Holidays hasunveiled an expanded programme for2014 which also includes theneighbouring countries of Slovenia andMontenegro.

In Croatia, the programme featuresa wider choice of Adriatic cruises andnew destinations on the idyllic IstrianPeninsula.

The operator's managing director,Akin Koç, said: ”We have been verypleased with the response to our firstCroatia brochure. For 2014 our mainfocus in terms of expanding theprogramme will be the Istria region,where there is a wonderful choice of

luxury and boutique hotels. We havealso seen an excellent response to ourAdriatic Cruising programme and haveadded more high quality boats in orderto offer a wider choice of itinerariesand departure dates."

Tailor-made and multi-centreholidays are available in each of thedestinations, with options to combineseveral destinations within onecountry, or to combine any of thedestinations. Suggestions includeseven-night holidays incorporating acity break in Dubrovnik and a beachstay in Montenegro, or a ten-nightthree-centre trip combining Ljubljanaand Lake Bled with a stay on theIstrian Peninsula.

Prices for thecruisingprogramme leadin at £1,199 perperson for aseven-nightcruise on thePresident orFutura on ahalf-boardbasis,departing fromSplit on May10. It includesflights and transfers. For more information visitwww.anatoliansky.co.uk or call 0844-273 3585.

Family holiday deals for school breaks from Belleair Holidays

BELLEAIR HOLIDAYS is offering value family holidays forthe school breaks as well as a free child place fordepartures between May and October for holidays of sevennights or more.

The offer is available in more than 65 hotels, apartmentsand farmhouses, offering a choice of meal options fromself-catering to all-inclusive and departures from a choiceof seven UK regional airports.

An example of packages is a seven-night stay at thefour-star Qawra Palace Hotel over the Easter holidays,leading in at £1,730 per family of four. It includes flightsfrom Gatwick, breakfast accommodation in a family room,transfers and complimentary entrance to a selected Maltaattraction. The offer is subject to availability and is basedon two adults and two children sharing for an April 10departure.

Alternatively, seven nights’ breakfast accommodation ina standard balcony room at Sliema’s four-star PrelunaHotel and Spa with flights from Glasgow costs from £2,286per family of four. It includes transfers, complimentaryentrance to a selected Malta attraction and one free childplace.For more information visit www.belleair.co.uk

Anatolian Sky boosts Croatia programme with new cruises & Istria additions

Balkan Holidays features Bulgaria & Slovenia in first edition winter 2014/15 brochure

newsbulletin

HU-SKIS TO THE RESCUE...Jet2.com cabin crew members WilliamStrickland and Rebecca Midgley are assisted by six-month oldrescue snow dog, Rosie, in sprinkling some ski magic ontoshoppers in Yorkshire recently. The canine crusader surprised 20lucky people with a pair of return flights to two of the company'smost popular ski destinations from Leeds Bradford Airport –Chambery and Geneva.


puzzlebulletin


Where Am I?

Friday's best spent on one of these JuanFernández Islands.

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, February 13th. Solution and new puzzle

will appear next week.

The winner for 24th January is Michael Martinez, Travel

Counsellors in Sandhurst.

January 24 Solution: A=6 B=3 C=9 D=4

➠A

➠B

➠C

➠D

Number: 005

Travagrams

Across 1. Tour operator, part of the Monarch Group (6)3. The Matterhorn is in this mountain range (4)6. Richmond, USA international airport code (3)7. Augusta is the state capital (5)9. European carrier whose logo is a white cross

on a red background (5)10. Popular Costa Brava resort, ___ de Mar (5)11. Follows towns like Leamington and

Cheltenham (3)12. USA's Gem State (5)14. Malcesine is a popular resort on this lake (5)16. Sea off the northeast coast of Australia (5)17. Part of a journey (3)18. Lima is the capital (4)19. Legendary king, often associated with 5

Down (6)

Down 1. Formerly seen as James T. Kirk, now Jack Ryan

at a cinema near you (5,4)2. Host city of the 2014 Winter Olympics (5)4. English city, home to Opera North and Northern

Ballet (5)5. Famous castle ruins in Cornwall (8)7. Longest river in North America (8)8. London Square, named for an historic battle (9)13. Major hotel group (5)15. One of the Fiennes acting brothers (5)

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 30

Crossword

Su Doku

Num

ber:

005

This tour operator shares part of its name with a round 3D shape

A British-American owned cruise line founded in 1840

Star Ever Help

Arc Dun

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


Newquay-Southend route from FlybeFLYBE HAS announced a seventh route to Cornwall forthis summer, with a three-times-weekly servicebetween Newquay and Southend.Seats are on sale now, with one-way fares starting from£24.99 including taxes and charges, and are effective forextended summer travel from May 16-September 27.The flights, which will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdaysand Saturdays, depart Newquay at 11:05 to arrive atSouthend at 12:25. The return journey departs Southendat 12:50 and arrives in Newquay at 14:10.For more information or to book visit www.flybe.com

Indonesia’s new tourism websitetargets UK marketTHE MINISTRY of Tourism and Creative Economy(MOTCE) for the Republic of Indonesia has launched anew tourism website dedicated to the UK market.

The new site, www.tourism-indonesia.co.uk, isIndonesia’s first official destination site in the UK.

Designed to be a planning tool and source of news,the platform offers a variety of information includingdetailed island summaries of Bali, Sumatra, Sulawesi,Papua, Nusa Tenggara, Java and Kalimantan. Eachdestination page showcases things to see and do, howto get there and practical details of the island’s culture,cuisine and people.

Other online features allow visitors to browse throughphotos and descriptions of Indonesia’s visitor attractionsincluding Borobudur, a UNESCO World Heritage Site,and Komodo Island, where the Komodo dragon can befound.

There are also overviews of specialist interests, suchas Nature & Ecotourism and Golf & Watersports,together with pages offering information on tourist visasand everyday Indonesian-language phrases.

The website launch precedes Garuda Indonesia’sintroduction of the UK’s only non-stop direct flightsfrom London to Jakarta on May 29.

CRUISE BALTIC has announced that Scandic Hotels, which offers60 hotels in the Nordic region and Northern Europe, will continueas its strategic partner, with a joint agreement for an additionaltwo-year period during 2014/15. Pictured marking theannouncement at the line’s Steering Group Meeting held lastmonth at the Scandic St Jorgen Hotel in Malmo are, from the left:Bo Larsen, Cruise Baltic; with Pernille Kjaersgaard and RichardStone, Scandic Hotels.

operatorreviewDave Carter from Gold Medal stayed at Spice Island

Beach Resort in Grenada for three nights. Here's what hethought of the property....

Dave receives a £10 M&S voucher for his review. If you'd like to take part and receive a free Love2Shop voucher please email [email protected]

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

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

First impressions were very good. We arrived early but thehotel porters were happy to take our bags and we were invitedto have a drink in the bar while our rooms were prepared. Thepublic areas of the hotel (reception, restaurant & bar) are allopen air and sea-facing so there are wonderful views and anice breeze at all times.

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

All public areas of the hotel are immaculately clean andthe gardens are well tended. The rooms were perfect tooand within a few minutes you feel at home. The resort issmall enough that everything is no more than a couple ofminutes away.

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

The quality was excellent. The beds and bedding are topquality, Molten Brown toiletries in the bathroom &premium brand drinks in your room are also nice touches.The only issue I had was that a bit of soundproofing wasneeded in the rooms - on my last day I was woken up bythe wake up call for the guests in the room above me, and Icould then hear them packing and getting ready. It was theonly thing I could fault though.

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

Whilst the service was most definitely five-star, it was niceto see that the staff were willing to engage in conversationand share a joke with the guests.

Good to know ............................................Book yourself in for a massage at Janissa’s Spa as soon asyou can. It’s a fantastic facility; the staff are brilliant and a bitof relaxation is probably why you’re on holiday in the firstplace. There’s no better way to start your holiday.

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

1010/

newsbulletin



personalitybulletin


Managing director, Ethos Marketing

What other companies /organisations have you previously worked for? I started my travel career in South Africaand worked for Southern Sun Hotels andBudget Travel and then joined SouthAfrican Tourism in 1984. Three years laterI was transferred to their London office.After ten years with SA Tourism I left in1994 to set up Ethos Marketing - thenknown as African Ethos - so we celebrateour 20th anniversary along with SouthAfrica's democracy this year!

If you could change one thing inthe industry what would it be? The need for tourist visas and to reduceairport taxes to make travel easier andmore affordable for more people.

What personal item do you have on your desk at work? Some hand cream and an apple!

What's the best thing about your job? Getting to travel to Africa.

What's a typical day like? Varies from day to day which is why Ienjoy it - but usually consists of emails,admin, sales calls, training, PR and socialmedia - we do everything inhouse!

Who has been your inspiration in the travel industry? There are many but David Attenboroughinspires many people to want to explorefurther afield.

What item do you always takewith you when travelling? My passport and a tub of zambuc - an oldfashioned miracle herbal balm that isgreat for bites and all sorts of ailments.

My guiltypleasure?Reading thenewspapers inbed on Sundaymornings

Alison Whitfield

“

”

Where would you most like to visit and why? I have been lucky enough to have recently ticked off trekking gorillas in Rwanda as Ihosted a Serena fam trip - so my new bucket list item is exploring some of the softadventure opportunities in Northern KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa.

What are your hobbies? Tennis, golf and researching my family history.

What's your favourite (non-work related) website? Geni.com - for researching my family tree.

Do you use social media for work and play? Yes - Facebook and Twitter mostly - so please follow @ethos_marketing!

What trait do you dislike in other people? Dishonesty - but my pet peeve is people who are noisy eaters!

What is your best quality? I am very loyal and my collegues say I have a “strong moral compass”.

What's your most embarrassing moment? I mistakenly sent an email to a client telling my colleagues he was "not a happybunny". Cringe.

At home

At work

At play

What's your favourite household gadget? The corkscrew.

What are your favourite TV programmes? Silent Witness, Luther, Spooks and The WalkingDead.

Who does the cooking? My husband Peter and I share it between us.

What's a typical weekend for you like? We spend most weekends walking our dogsand visiting friends.

What's your guilty pleasure? Reading the newspapers in bed on Sundaymornings.

What music do you listen to? A wide variety of easy listening music,depending on my mood. Radio 2 is usually onin the background.

What's your favourite movie? The Shawshank Redemption



OLYMPIC HOLIDAYS has launched itssecond edition Summer Sun 2014brochure which focuses on theoperator's core destinations of Greece(23 islands are featured) and Cyprus.The brochure also offers holidays toTurkey, Egypt's Red Sea Riviera, Malta,Mallorca and Tenerife.

Additional hotels have beenintroduced across the programme,along with new self-catering studiosand apartments in many of the Greekislands including Crete, Rhodes, Zante,Kos, Kefalonia, Santorini, Paros, Samosand Halkidiki.

The company's commercial director,Photis Lambrianides, said: "We'vestrengthened the mid- to upmarkethotel product in many Greek islands,while extending the three-star choicefor clients, notably in Crete, Zante andKefalonia.

"Our prices are extremelycompetitive, from top-end luxury hotelsthrough the programme to self-catering villas and apartments, withrates especially attractive out of thehigh season. Strong early bookingdiscounts are offered to clients bookingby April 30, and we have kept our low

deposit scheme – just £49 per person– to encourage early bookings."

Five-star hotel additions include theFilion Suites Resort & Spa in Bali onCrete; the Mediterranean BeachResort in Laganas on Zante; and two inKos – the new Diamond Deluxe Hoteland the Akti Palace Hotel.

New four-star offerings include theLyttos Beach Hotel, Agapi Beach Hoteland Solimar Aquamarine Hotel onCrete; Electra Palace Hotel in Rhodes;Aegean Houses and Akti Beach HotelClub in Kos; and Kefalonia Bay PalaceHotel in Kefalonia.

Self-catering additions includestudios and apartments in several of thesmaller Greek islands, including Halki,Kalymnos, Thassos and Santorini. Thereis also a significant expansion of thecompany's studio and apartmentoffering in Chania, on Crete.

Prices lead in at £285 per person for aseven-night self-catering holiday at theKosmas Studios in Roda, Corfu, with 14-night holidays from £289.

The operator is forecasting strongsales for 2014, with islands such asSkiathos and the larger islands ofCrete and Rhodes expected to

receive strong summer bookings.Lambrianides said: "After a goodsummer last year, the upwards trendpoints to the destination enjoying avery good summer this year. Myexpectations are based on theperformance of the islands so far forsummer 2014. Crete and Rhodes areboth showing up well and Skiathoslooks poised to do exceptionally wellnext year."

Lambrianides says the favourablepricing applies to all levels of hotel,from three-star family-runproperties up to deluxe five-starunits – and right across the Greekisland spectrum.

He said: "The negative coverageGreece received because of thecountry's economic problems a whileback is now consigned to history andthe multitude of Greek islands areback on holidaymakers' radar.Product is good and confidence in thedestination is high, with upgraded andnew hotels offering excellent facilities– and at relatively low prices for thestandards they offer."For more information visitwww.olympicholidays.com

VISITORS TO Larnaka, from now until March 31, will be able to take part in a series of free activities and sightseeing days,courtesy of the Larnaka Tourism Board. Activities include a wine tasting course to explore the 6,000 year history ofCypriot wine, beach yoga, Cypriot Greek and Cypriot dancing and sightseeing to Larnaka’s traditional villages and MazotosCamel Park. The timetable features something different for every day of the week - completely free of charge uponpresentation of a voucher issued by the hotels to their guests. All the activities are available on a ‘turn up and enjoy’ basisexcept for two village excursions which require one day’s notice.For more information see www.larnakaregion.com

greece&cyprus

Olympic boosts second edition summer sun with new hotels & self-catering properties

COSMOS HOLIDAYS' Greece 2014 brochure sees theintroduction of the Aegean island of Thassos as well asthe mainland region of Halkidiki, which brings the total offeatured destinations to 23. The new options arepackaged with charter flights from Gatwick andManchester to Kavala (for Thassos) and from Gatwick toThessaloniki (for Halkidiki).

This year sees the launch of the operator's new‘authentic’ concept across the Greece programme with itsown symbol in the brochure to help agents identifytraditional style accommodation for customers wantingan idyllic and authentic Greek getaway. Hotels have beenselected for their charm and traditional ambience, are

often family-run and located in quieter resorts. A total of75 new properties have been introduced ranging fromhigh spec boutiques to traditional simple Greek hotelsand self catering apartments.

An expanded range of ‘Dream Wedding’ locations arealso featured across Rhodes, Kefalonia, Zante, Skiathosand Skopelos, while honeymoon packages are highlightedin the brochure for the first time. Prices lead in at £375for a civil or church wedding in Rhodes.

Seven-night package prices lead in at £199 per adultand £149 per child, while seven-night package prices forthe newly featured destinations start from £519 perperson for Thassos and from £489 for Halkidiki.

Cosmos Holidays introduces Thassos & Halkidiki to 2014 brochure

S04 TB0702 Greece & Cyprus_Layout 1 2/5/2014 3:27 PM

THE NEWLY refurbished Santa Marina Resort and Villas onMykonos will open to guests in May, featuring updated diningfacilities, communal areas and a private beach area, plusrenovated guestrooms and suites. Rates start at €290 per roomper night, including breakfast, taxes and airport transfers.

SUNVIL HOLIDAYS has launched itsnew-look Cyprus brochure featuringflexible, fully-protected holidays toaccommodation located in the moreunique parts of the island.

New for this year is the newly-converted Ktima 1937, a traditionalvillage property located in themountain village of Droushia, withfive apartments and a shared pool.The accommodation is located in theunspoilt northwest corner of Cyprus,which features a wild coastline,abundant orchards and the AkamasNational Park with its rare plantsand migratory birds.

Two new villas have also beenadded to the programme - thesecluded Frene Villa, which sleepsten and is located in the village ofGeroskipou, near Paphos. Facilitiesinclude a private pool and smallchildren’s play area and prices arefrom £560 per person, based on foursharing for seven nights’ self-catering accommodation, includingflights from Gatwick and car hire.

For panoramic views over theAkamas coastline, Lampis Villa(which sleeps six) is located at thevery end of Neo Chorio village andoffers a private pool, barbecue area

and vegetable garden. Prices arefrom £505 per person, based on foursharing, and include seven nights’self-catering accommodation, flightsfrom Gatwick and car hire.

The operator also welcomes backthe four-star Alasia Hotel inLimassol after an extensiverefurbishment. Prices lead in at£587, based on two sharing, andinclude seven nights’ breakfast stay,flights and car hire.

The company has also launchedits 2014 Real Greece brochure,featuring a comprehensive mix ofholidays to the more authentic partsof the country.

Highlights include the addition ofthe Saronic island of Spetses, twoboutique properties on theneighbouring car-free island ofHydra and remote northernKarpathos in the Dodecanese.

Dudley der Parthog, the operator'sprogramme director, said: “Our 2014Greece programme reflects our vastexpertise in gathering together allthat is great about Greece, includingtraditional, working villages thatretain their authentic flavour,beautiful, mountainous inland areas,a wealth of ancient sites on the

mainland and small – often owner-managed – cottages, apartmentsand hotels of character.

“This year, we’re pleased toannounce a new small and carefullyselected programme in Turkey,offering an interesting twin-centreoption with Greece. We’ve alsointroduced more than 40 newproperties, making the 2014 brochureour most comprehensive to date."

As an example of prices, a seven-night breakfast stay at EconomouMansion in Spetses costs from £773per person based on two sharing,including flights from Gatwick andtransfers.

More than 40 new properties havebeen added for this year includingbeachfront apartments on Lemnos,Skopelos and Pelion, two boutiquehotels on Crete and more harbourfrontproperties, including a villa on Halki,apartments on Symi and a hotel inSivota, most offering sea views.

Early booking offers include areduction of up to £125 per room,studio or apartment per week,applicable to off-peak stays forbookings made by February 28. For further information call 020-8758 4759 or see www.sunvil.co.uk

Aegean announces new Birmingham-Athens serviceAEGEAN AIRLINES has announced that it will launch atwice-weekly Athens service from Birmingham on June10, with flights on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Operated using a 168-seat Airbus A320 aircraft,passengers will be offered a dual class configurationand full onboard service, which includes complimentaryfood and drink.

The service will provide passengers in the Midlandswith direct access to the Greek capital, as well asmaking it easier for passengers to continue theirjourney onwards to the Greek islands and mainlandGreece.

William Pearson, Birmingham Airport's aviationdevelopment director, said: “Athens is a fantasticaddition to our route network as it will provide directaccess to the Greek capital as well as to the hundredsof Greek Islands that are so popular with Britishtourists.

“Aegean Airlines is a new scheduled airline forBirmingham Airport and, as a Star Alliance member,adds to the portfolio of airlines in this leading networkof global carriers."

Business Class passengers and Gold card memberswill have business lounge access at Birmingham Airportand Gold card members are also eligible for extrabaggage allowance.Flights can be booked at www.aegeanair.com

Sunvil Holidays issues new Cyprus & Greece brochures


greece&cyprus


New YOGAqua for kids at Skiathos Princess HotelFOLLOWING THE successfullaunch of YOGAqua atSkiathos Princess Hotel inGreece last year, the hotelhas announced an expansioninto YOGAqua for Kids when itre-opens in May.

The new addition will allowyounger clientele (from sevenyears) to take part in theactivity alongside theirparents in the waterssurrounding the hotel.Sessions are available fromMay to October and classeswill be kept small with amaximum of six. Prices arefrom €20 per person for a 60-minute session.

Children will learn how touse a Stand-Up Paddle-Boardand how to perform differentYoga poses with guidance from the instructor and their parents.

Sovereign Luxury Travel offers seven nights at the property from £2,079 per family ofthree including a complimentary upgrade to half-board, a complimentary room upgrade to aBay Deluxe Double Sea View, flights from Gatwick with Thomson including free groupseating, plus airport lounge access and private transfers, based on a May 9 departure. For details call 0843-770 4526 or see www.sovereign.com

Viewdata, Agency Sales: 0844 576 2350Brochures: www.trade-gate.co.uk

OlympicHolidays.com 0844 499 4449

For the widest programmeto Greece and Cyprus

Y E A R S O FEXCELLENCE

45

Also featuring Turkey, Red Sea,Spain, Portugal, Croatia, Tunisia,

Malta, Bulgaria & more

• Flights from 28 UK airports to 32 Greek Islands and Cyprus• Self Catering & Villas with private pools

• Largest ever selection of All Inclusive Hotels• Excellence in Quality, Service & Value - The award winning tour operator

• Package Holidays from £179pp• Only £49pp deposit

greece&cyprus


AGENTS CAN now offer their clients easier access to AldemarHotel’s Olympian Village on the Greek mainland withThomson’s new weekly flight to Patra Araxos in the westPeloponnese from Gatwick. Family package prices with theoperator start from £599 per adult, from £370 for the firstchild and from £420 for the second child on a half-board basis.For more information call 0871-230 2555 or seewww.thomson.co.uk and www.aldemarhotels.com

Airlines boostcapacity to Greece

A NUMBER of airlines haveannounced new routes fromthe UK to Greece as part oftheir summer 2014timetable.

British Airways(www.ba.com) will launchits first flights to the Greekislands, serving Mykonosand Santorini with directflights from Heathrow.EasyJet (www.easyjet.com)will add new flights fromScotland (Edinburgh toHeraklion and Glasgow toKos), while Norwegian(www.norwegian.com) willbegin flying from Gatwick toCorfu and Santorini. Condor(www.condor.com) is alsointroducing operations fromManchester to Zakinthosand Kos, while Greekcarrier, Aegean Airlines,(www.aegeanair.com) willfly directly fromBirmingham to Athens.


INSIGHT VACATIONS is offering a new eight-day mini trip onits Gold itinerary.

Greek Islands takes in the two islands of Mykonos andSantorini, for an island hopping experience with adifference. The leisurely trip sees guests spend one dayand night in Athens, three days at leisure in Mykonos and afurther four days on Santorini, while staying in luxuryhotels.

Prices start from £2,499 per person including flights, aVIP transfer in the UK, transfers on arrival, 13 nights'breakfast accommodation in luxury and boutique hotels, atour director, transport in business class coaches andsightseeing. For more information visit www.insightvacations.com/uk

CLIENTS TRAVELLING with PlanetHolidays can now choose a newDiamond All-Inclusive option at thefour-star So Nice and five-star So WhiteBoutique Suites in Agia Napa, Cyprus.

The dine-around option gives gueststhe opportunity to dine at any of theseven restaurants and bars shared bythe two properties, including roomservice set menus (delivery at acharge).

The operator's director, HarryKyrillou, said: "The popularity for all-inclusives continues apace and it is areally bonus to have something inCyprus to offer agents, that isindividual and stylish. Both of thesehotels have a superb location, thebeach is outstanding and the facilitiesare great. It is also a trendy spot forprofessional couples to immersethemselves into and find the vibe thatwill make their holiday trulymemorable.”

The So Nice Boutique Suites is asuperior bungalow resort located inthe Makronissos area of Agia Napa.Located on the Blue Flag ‘GoldenBeach’, it features large grounds,contemporary décor and a family-friendly approach.

The So White Boutique Suites is anexclusive beach boutique hotel andsister hotel to So Nice. Boutique suitesfeature a bedroom and living room,plus room amenities tailored to theindividual such as L’Occitane toiletriessuitable for all skin types, a pillowmenu and memory foam mattresses.

The operator currently features aone-week stay in April from £1,017.50per person including flights fromGatwick, accommodation at the SoNice on the Diamond All-Inclusivebasis and private transfers in resort,based on two adults sharing a room.

The company, which has recentlyjoined the Association of IndependentTour Operators, has also launched itssummer 2014 Cyprus and Greecebrochure.

The 208-page brochure has beenexpanded to include more luxury andunique accommodation and villas inGreece, plus lesser-known islands andclassic tours, with the emphasis onoffering consumers a flexible andtailor-made product.

The lead in price is £593 per personfor seven nights at the four-starThalassa Seaside Resort in Kamari,Santorini including flights from

Gatwick departing on April 19,transfers and breakfast, based on twoadults sharing a double room.

In Cyprus, a selection of three-starproperties have been added tocomplement the operator's weddingprogramme, offering guests more budgetaccommodation, while the newly openedfour-star Amphora Hotel & Suites inPaphos has also been introduced.

Kyrillou said: "Greece continues tobe very popular with Britishholidaymakers and as ABTA pointedout in its 2013 trend report, itcontinues to attract UK touristsdespite the political and economicturmoil over the last few years.

“We expect demand to be high thisyear and decided to expand ourprogramme, especially in the four-staraccommodation band to give travelagents greater opportunities. We havealso added some classic tours thisyear to provide another dimension forthose wanting to supplement atraditional Athens city stay ormainland and island holiday with extracultural cache." For further information call 01438-841270 or see www.planet-holidays.co.uk

Planet introduces Diamond All-Inclusive option at Cyprus' So Nice & So White Boutique Suites

Insight launches eight-day Greek Islands mini trip


RIVIERA TRAVEL is highlighting its eight-day Classic Greece tourwhich offers departures between March and October and leads in at£919 per person. The escorted tour includes flights from Heathrow orManchester; breakfast accommodation in three- and four-star hotels;two dinners; a guided walking tour of the Parthenon and the AcropolisMuseum; a guided tour of Olympia and Delphi; visits to Athens’ fleamarket, Nafplion, Mycenae and the ancient theatre of Epidaurus; andan optional trip to the Greek islands of Hydra and Spetses.For details see www.rivieratravel.co.uk

Property additions from Ionian & Aegean Island HolidaysIONIAN & Aegean Island Holidays is introducing a new flightroute with British Airways from Heathrow to Preveza.

The weekly flight, departing on Sunday, will commence on May26 until October 5 for holidays to Lefkada, Meganisi and Paxos.

The operator has also added new properties to its portfoliofor 2014 in destinations including Kefalonia’s South Coast,Ithaka, Lefkada, Paxos, Corfu and Skiathos. For more information visit www.ionianislandholidays.com orcall 020-8459 0777.

Four-night Costa Navarino deal from£995 with A&KABERCROMBIE & Kent is offering a four-night stay at TheWestin Resort Costa Navarino from £995 per person.The deal is based on two adults sharing a junior suite on abed-and-breakfast basis.

Included in the price are flights with easyJet fromGatwick to Kalamata and transfers. For more information call 0845-485 1143 or seewww.abercrombiekent.co.uk andwww.westincostanavarino.com

greece&cyprus



OLYMPIC HOLIDAYS is offering its largestMalta programme in its Summer Sunbrochure this year, as well as a widewebsite selection. The destination is alsofeatured in the company's budget SmartChoice and upmarket Gold & PlatinumCollection brochures.

The operator's commercial director,Photis Lambrianides, said: "With theabundance of flights to Malta, both low-cost and charters, it has been well worthour while adding more Malta properties.We've seen consistently good take-up forthe destination over the years andinterest is definitely still growing. Thewide range of flight options will furtherbroaden its appeal."

Hotels and self-catering properties at

all levels are available for summer, fromfive-star resort hotels to three-star self-catering complexes.

Resorts include Sliema, St Julian's, StPaul's Bay (Bugibba and Qawra) andGozo. Apartments are also featured in theprogramme.

Prices for the last week in June startat £422 per person for a week's breakfaststay at the Canifor Court Apartments inQawra, including use of the CaniforHotel's facilities close by, with easyJetflights from Gatwick.

Other Malta budget accommodationoffered includes the Porto AzzurroApartment Hotel in Xemxija Bay (room-only for £469 for a week in late June) andClover Holiday Complex, Qawra (£483 in

late June for a week's self-catering).At the top of the range, the five-star

Westin Dragonara Resort Hotel in StJulian's costs from £1,696 per person forseven nights' breakfast accommodationfor the last week in June.

Newcomers to the St Julian's hotelscene include the 74-room, four-starHotel Argento; the 44-room Hotel Juliani;90-room Hotel Valentina; and 112-roomGeorge Hotel.

All-inclusive holidays for the last weekin June lead in at £815 per person forseven nights at the Seashells Resort atSuncrest in Qawra, including flights fromGatwick with easyJet. For more information or to book seewww.olympicholidays.com

malta&gozo

AIR MALTA has added an extra four departures from bothNorwich and Cardiff as a prelude to its summer charterseason. The flights commence on Tuesday April 8 and willdepart weekly from both airports until October 21.

Andrew Bell, chief executive of Norwich InternationalAirport, said: “Malta is an exceptionally popular destinationfrom our region and we are pleased that Air Malta hastaken the decision to increase their services and enhancethe travel options from Norwich International in the springof 2014.”

Cardiff Airport's chief executive, Jon Horne, said: “It’sgreat that Air Malta is expanding its operation from Cardiff,helping to continue the strong historic links that existbetween the island and Wales. Air Malta is one of sixnational airlines with a presence at Cardiff and, withpassenger numbers last month showing a 17% year-on-

year increase, this all adds to the growth of the airport.”The airline offers a free checked-in baggage allowance of

20kg and 10kg as hand luggage per person on all flights.For more information visit www.airmalta.com

Air Malta launches additional regional flights from Norwich and Cardiff

SPA TRAVEL is highlighting stays at Malta’s Fortina Resort with 15% off all holidays throughout 2014 when booked this month. Setalongside the harbour of Sliema, the resort comprises two hotels, six restaurants and a spa with an indoor pool, whirlpool, outdoor pooland fitness centre. A range of treatments are available as well as a physiotherapy clinic, a hair salon and a dental clinic. Guests can alsoopt to stay in spa bedrooms, which feature a private hot tub, sauna and shower, with some also offering private rooftop pools. For details call 0800-9173 001 or visit www.spatravel.co.uk

Olympic Holidays offers largest summer programme to Malta with one week from £422

S05 TB0702 Malta & Gozo_Layout 1 2/4/2014 7:52 PM


Fly direct to Malta, 4 Hotel7 Nights BB from £299

The preferred

Partner of Air Malta

Your money is 100%

protected with anything

you book from us

MALTA SPECIALISTS:

KIDS GO FREE for summer 2014 UNMATCHED range of accommodation: from Luxury 5 hotels to rustic farmhouses 19 UK DEPARTURE AIRPORTS for summer 2014 OVER 40 YEARS experience providing holidays to Malta, Gozo & Comino

To book, call reservations

020 7373 5358 / 0845 758 1141

or go online

www.belleair.co.uk/agents

malta&gozo

GRAND HOTEL Excelsior in Malta, a member of PreferredHotels and Resorts, is located at the foot of Valetta Cityoverlooking the Marsamxett Harbour. Guests are offered viewsof the Mediterranean Sea, a private white sand beach, indoorand outdoor pools and a luxury spa, plus excursions and toursaround the Maltese islands organised by the hotel’s conciergeteam. Prices for a deluxe room based on two sharing lead in at€98 per night and €118 on a bed-and-breakfast basis.For details see www.preferredhotelgroup.com

PHOENICIA HOTEL has announced the launch of aseven-night, twin-centre honeymoon package thatcombines Malta and Gozo for £1,610 per couple,including accommodation, transfers and a host ofextras.

Rob Bruno, the hotel’s sales and marketing director,said: “Malta appeals to honeymooners as it boastsincredible beaches and great weather, with 300 days ofsunshine a year, but also plenty of cultural attractionsand historic sights. Our new twin-centre honeymoonshowcases these contrasting experiences with theassurance of the highest standards of service at bothproperties.”

The package includes three nights in a deluxeharbour view room or executive harbour view suite;private transfers; a glass of Champagne on arrival; petitfours and sparkling wine in the room; daily breakfast;and dinner for two with wine.

After the first three nights, guests will be transferredto the Kempinski Hotel San Lawrenz, Gozo for fournights, which includes a bouquet of flowers on arrival;Champagne and petit fours in the room; dinner withwine; a couple’s massage; transfers and ferry crossing.To book or for more information call 0800-862 0025,email [email protected] or visitwww.phoeniciamalta.com

Seven-night, twin-centre honeymoonpackage from Phoenicia Hotel


FOLLOWING A 26% year-on-year increasein summer sales to Malta, ClassicCollection is promoting a range of offerson holidays to Malta and Gozo for earlysummer bookers and those seeking alate winter getaway.

Stays at The Westin Dragonara Resortand the Corinthia St George’s Bay Hotelin St Julian’s offer one free night in sevenon holidays booked and taken byFebruary 28. Seven-night prices thismonth lead in at £591 and £546 perperson, respectively.

Meanwhile, The Palace Hotel in Sliemahas a 'stay five nights, pay four' offer forstays between June 15 and 30.

Reduced rates at the Xara Palace inMdina, the only Relais and Chateauxproperty on the island, are also availableand offer savings of up to £196 per coupleper week on holidays booked by March 31and taken between May 1 and October 31.Seven-night prices in July start from£1,077 per person.

On the neighbouring island of Gozo, theKempinski San Lawrenz is offeringreduced rate savings on holidays takenbetween May 1 and October 31 of up to

£252 per couple per week when booked90 days before departure, and up to £182per couple per week when booked 60days prior to departure. Seven-nightprices in May start from £812 per person,including flights and private transfers.For details call 0800-008 7288 or visitwww.classic-collection.co.uk

malta&gozoBA announces newservice to Malta

BRITISH AIRWAYS hasannounced that it willlaunch a new daily servicefrom Gatwick to Malta fromMarch 30.

Fares start from £132.77return including taxes/fees,while hand baggage-onlyfares start from £108.77.

The airline will also beoffering a selection ofhotels. They include thefour-star Pergola Club Hotel& Spa, with prices startingfrom £16 per person pernight in May; the five-starKempinski Hotel SanLawrenz from £47 in May;and the inclusive four-starSeabank Resort & Spa from£75 in June.

Seven nights’accommodation-only at thePergola Club Hotel & Spaincluding flights fromGatwick costs from £269per person.

Classic responds to increased demand with new deals

Malta



malta&gozo

EXPLORE HAS launched a new Malta and Gozo Explorer tourwhich begins in Gozo and includes activities such as a jeepsafari and a full-day boat trip to visit Comino Island. In Malta,travellers can spend time in Valletta, with time to visit theisland’s water and theme parks. The tour departs in May, July,August and October and costs from £922 per adult and £785 perchild. It includes flights; seven nights’ hotel accommodationwith breakfast; three lunches; transport; and the services of adriver, tour leader, local guides, boat crew and activity guides.Children must be at least seven years old to take the trip.For details call 0844-499 0901 or visit www.explore.co.uk

Kids go free with Belleair HolidaysBELLEAIR HOLIDAYS has introduced a free child placeoffer for holidays to Malta of seven nights or more betweenMay and October.

The offer is available in more than 65 hotels, apartmentsand farmhouses and covers self-catering to all-inclusive,with departures from seven regional airports.

Example packages include a seven-night stay at thefour-star Preluna Hotel and Spa in Sliema from £2,286 perfamily of four. It includes flights from Glasgow, breakfastaccommodation in a standard balcony room, transfers,complimentary entrance to a selected Malta attraction andone free child place, valid for travel on July 29.

The deal is available on departures from Birmingham,Bristol, Cardiff, East Midlands (which also offers anadditional service via Monarch) and Exeter, Glasgow,Newcastle and Norwich with Air Malta. The offer applieswhen there are two paying adults with children between theages of two and 11.

To see all the properties under the free child placescheme visit www.belleair.co.uk/kidsgofreeFor more information see www.belleair.co.uk/agents or call 0845-365 3412.

New Maltese property from Superbreak SUPERBREAK HAS added the four-star Hilton Malta hotelto its portfolio of properties on the island of Malta.

The hotel is positioned in the heart of the Portomasowaterfront in St. Julian's, 15 minutes from the UNESCOWorld Heritage City of Valletta.

The child-friendly property offers a range of kids’activities along with four outdoor pools, poolside dining anda range of spa treatments. It can be booked asaccommodation-only or as part of a flight inclusive packagewith Atol protection.

Prices start from £109 per person per night includingbreakfast. A flight inclusive package costs from £460 perperson including two nights’ breakfast accommodation andflights from Gatwick with easyJet, based on an early Aprildeparture. For more information or to book seewww.superbreak.com/agents or call 0871-221 4444.

HEADWATER IS capitalisingon the demand for moreactive breaks by promotingthree popular Gozoitineraries.

Exploring Gozo – Calypso’sIsle leads in at £719 perperson and is based at thefive-star Ta Cenc Hotel. Theseven-night single-centre tripoffers varied walking routesand departs on selecteddates until May 23, 2015. Theprice includes buffetbreakfast and evening meals,as well as route maps andnotes.

Alternatively, Highlights ofGozo Cycling costs from £827per person and offers sceniccycling routes withaccommodation in luxuryhotels - all with pools.

The price includes sixnights’ accommodation invarious hotels, a bike, routemaps and notes, buffetbreakfasts and eveningmeals. The tour departs onselected dates until May 24,2015.

Meanwhile, for clientslooking to combine walkingand cycling, a Gozo Activitiesitinerary costs from £999 perperson and takes in theisland on both foot and bike,with accommodation providedin five-star hotels. The seven-night twin-centre tourincludes buffet breakfast andevening meals and departson selected dates until May23, 2015.For more information visitwww.headwater.com

Headwater promotes range of active breaks to Gozo

Exclusive tour offer from Attraction WorldATTRACTION WORLD is offering an exclusive deal on its BlueGrotto and Marsaxlokk tour, with prices leading in at £20 peradult and £12 per child (aged two-12 years) for bookings madeby March 31.

Guests will visit the Blue Grotto and explore Marsaxlokk,one of southern Malta's unspoilt villages.

The Blue Grotto is one in a series of caverns at which everyday, until approximately 13:00, a unique phenomenon occurs.The location of the Blue Grotto, together with strong sunlightreflecting off the water, leads to the cavern shining with thephosphorescent colours of the underwater flora.

Guests will spend free time in the fishing village ofMarsaxlokk, whose waterfront is lined with ‘Luzzus’, Maltesefishing boats, painted in traditional reds, blues and yellows,and will also have the chance to visit the local market. For more information visit www.attractionworld.com



TRAFALGAR REPORTS that withEuropean bookings up by 23% this year,it is building on this success by ensuringthat guests are able to delve deeper intothe cultures and customs of everydestination it visits in its 2014 Europeand Britain programme.

The company offers more than 320unique ‘Insider Experiences’ and two ofthe latest itineraries feature new LocalSpecialties that include Cider Tasting ata traditional bar in Oviedo in NorthernSpain and a visit to Guidecca Island foran insider look at Venetian arts andtraditional crafts on the Wonders ofEurope itinerary.

A new 11-day Northern Spain itineraryshowcases the urban treats of Bilbao,such as the landmark GuggenheimMuseum and rural spots such asCovadonga and the Picos de EuropaNational Park. Kicking off in Madrid, thejourney travels through Burgos,

Argomaniz, San Sebastian, Bilbao,Santander, Picos de Europa, Covadonga,Oviedo, Luarca, Santiago de Compostela,Zamora and Salamanca.

Insider highlights include a LocalSpeciality wine tasting at a typicalbodega in the northern wine regions, avisit to the Guggenheim Museum andexploring the grotto of ‘Our Lady ofOvadonga’. In Oviedo, guests will alsoexperience a Local Specialty – a glass ofthe region’s famous cider, before a BeMy Guest dinner at a Cider Mill.

Prices lead in at £1,650 per personbased on two sharing and include privateVIP door-to-door transfers, ten nights'breakfast accommodation with a furthersix meals, included sightseeing and theservices of a travel director.

The company's new 17-day Wondersof Europe gives guests the chance to seesome of the most iconic sights thecontinents cities have to offer.

The journey commences in Londonwhere a combination of free time and aguided sightseeing tour will showcasethe best of the city. Guests will then takethe Eurostar to Paris where the EiffelTower, Champs Elysees and other iconicattractions will be visited. A drivethrough scenic vineyards will bringguests to the capital of Burgundy wine,Beaune, for dinner at a Michelin starredrestaurant, before crossing the borderinto Switzerland to visit Lucerne. Otherhighlights include a three-night stay inVenice and visits to Verona, Florence,San Gimgnano and Rome.

Prices lead in at £3,485 per personland-only, including private VIP door-to-door transfers, 16 nights' breakfastaccommodation with a further sevenmeals, included sightseeing and theservices of a travel director. For more information visitwww.trafalgar.com

EXPLORE IS offering a selection of new tours for 2014. Asexamples, a nine-day Cycle Jordan journey uncovers thecultural heritage of the destination and costs from £1,333per person including flights; seven nights' hotel and onenight camping with breakfast; one dinner; transport; andthe services of a tour leader/cycle guide, driver and localguides. It departs in April, May, October and November.

A new 11-day Sahara Desert Trek and Atlas is alsobeing highlighted where guests can hike throughcanyons, kasbahs and gorges in the highest mountains ofNorth Africa and experience local Berber hospitality.Departing in April, September and October, prices lead inat £896 including flights; three nights’ hotel, one nightauberge, three nights’ gite and three nights’ camping, allwith breakfast; seven other meals; transport; and the

services of a driver, tour leader and muleteer. Meanwhile, for the ultimate fitness challenge, the

company's new moderate to challenging graded trektakes adventurous walkers on a journey throughColombia’s crystal clear rivers, jungle and valleys to the‘lost city'. Only recently reopened to tourists, this remotedestination is only accessible by foot. The nine-day touralso explores the historical capital of Bogota, the GoldMuseum and takes a walking tour of Cartagena.Departing in April, August, October and November, priceslead in at £2,299 including flights; hotel and campingaccommodation; most meals; transport; and the servicesof a tour leader and driver. For further information or to book visitwww.explore.co.uk or call 0844-499 0901.

escortedtrips

TABER HOLIDAYS is featuring a two-week 'Best of Iceland' tour from £2,675 per person. The dual-centre itinerary focuses onguided tours from Akureyri and Hella and offers the chance to see all of Iceland’s main attractions. Highlights include bathingin Hveravellir hot springs, The Westman Islands, Lake Mývatn, Dettifoss and Reykjavik. The package, which is based on twosharing, includes flights, breakfast accommodation and a bus and guide for 12 days of the tour. Five departure dates areavailable - June 15 and 30, July 14 and 28 and August 11.For details call 01274-875199 or see www.taberhols.co.uk

Trafalgar introduces new tours in 2014 Europe & Britain programme

Explore offers 11-day Sahara Desert Trek and Atlas for £896

S06 TB0702 Escorted Trips_Layout 1 2/5/2014 11:39 AM


escortedtrips

COSMOS TOURS & Cruises has launched its 2014 secondedition brochures for Europe & North Africa and NorthAmerica & Worldwide holidays with early booking and lowdeposit offers on touring, cruises, rail journeys, all-inclusiveand multi-centre holidays.

Early bookers will save £100 per person when booking aUS tour with a departure in May or June, while the operator’s‘Start in Style’ private door-to-door home pick up service isavailable with any North America or Worldwide holiday for£49 per person.

Also available for customers with an early departure or alate arrival is a stay at an airport hotel from £29 at a four-star rated property for a one-night pre or post tour stay,including up to 14 nights' parking.

Meanwhile, to meet demand from single travellers, awider choice of departure dates and itineraries with no singlesupplement have been added to the programme. The choiceof 14 itineraries includes Highlights of Morocco, ThailandExperience, The Mayan Trail, Heart of the Canadian Rockiesand Great Cities of Eastern USA.

To meet demand for the Far East and the Indian Oceanareas, a range of new tours and multi-centre holidays havebeen added including Phuket & Khao Lak (11 days from£1,485), Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle (11 days for £1,599)and Sri Lanka’s Northern Explorer (13 days from £1,939).

In South America, new multi-centre holidays includeArgentina & Brazil (ten days from £2,749), while new

destinations including Botswana, Namibia & Zimbabwe (12days from £3,999) have also been introduced.

Amy Shine, the company's head of product, said: “Thepopularity of our ‘Start in Style’ private chauffeur-driven homepick up service amongst customers has prompted us to offerthe service on all North America and worldwide holidays forjust £49 per person. As our range of holidays and worldwidedestinations grows, we want to make sure our customers haveas easy and comfortable journey as possible.”

Meanwhile, tours with specialist interests and departuresaround special events include National Parks & Canyon tocommemorate the Little Bighorn Battlefield (17 days from£1,999), New Orleans, the Old South & Florida for a Mardi Grasspecial departure (14 days from £1,999) as well as the RockyMoutaineer Calgary Stampede (12 days from £3,279), the six-day ‘Nice Carnival & Menton Lemon Festival’ (from £885) andfive-day ‘New Year Norway’s Northern Lights’ (from £1,775).

The new brochures feature the company's widest choice ofescorted tours, cruises, rail journeys, multi-centre andresort holidays in North, Central and South America, Africa,Asia and Australasia, as well as Europe, North Africa andScandinavia for departures until March 2015. Direct flightsare available to North America and many long-hauldestinations from Heathrow, Gatwick, Birmingham,Manchester, Edinburgh and Glasgow.For details visit www.cosmostoursandcruises.co.uk or call 0808-115 3034.

Second edition brochure launch with up to £100 savings from Cosmos Tours & Cruises

COLLETTE, PREVIOUSLY ColletteWorldwide Holidays, has unveiled anew name, new logo and new websitein line with a period of global changeand growth for the company.

The new branding will be used by allof the company's offices worldwide,including the US, Canada and the UK.

Dan Sullivan Jr., the operator'spresident and CEO, said: "In 2013, thecompany experienced a secondconsecutive year of record-breakingrevenue and double-digit growth. Witha 95-year track record, this is a majoraccomplishment and to continue thissuccess, we recognise that evolving

our company is essential.”In the UK, the new branding is

reflected in a new second editionbrochure for 2014/15 which includesmore than 50 tours worldwide andfeatures updated pricing and a rangeof early booking offers.

The new website,www.gocollette.com, has a fresh,modern style and offers a range ofnew features including more tour-specific content in a user-friendlyformat, featuring imagery and video,as well as testimonials from previousguests. Also featured is enhancedsearch functions enabling users to

filter tours by specific interests, suchas RHS Garden Holidays, as well asdestinations and types of tour, plus arevamped online booking system.

Peter Traynor, the company's UKgeneral manager, said: “We’ve hadseveral fantastic years of growth andare expecting this to continue at apace. It feels only right to mark ourcontinued development with a newlook and some excellent new initiativesthat bring us bang up to date andextend our reach still further.”For more information visitwww.gocollette.com or call 0800-804 8700.

Collette unveils new name & new look in line with company growth

EXODUS HAS launched a series of exclusive standoutexperiences for 2014/15, to give customers the chance todo something a little less ordinary.

As examples, a 16-day Borneo canopy adventure leadsin at £3,999 per person and takes travellers into theheart of the rainforest, where they will literally ‘learn theropes’ of how to ascend into the canopy. Once trained up,travellers will spend the night in the canopy. The holidaydeparts on March 9 and include flights from London,accommodation and all meals.

Alternatively, an 11-day Cape Argus Pick N Pay CycleTour offers serious cyclists the chance to take part in the

world’s largest timed cyclo-sportive event, a 109 kmcycling race down the Cape Peninsula from Cape Town inSouth Africa. The itinerary depart on March 1 and priceslead in at £2,399, including flights.

Also offered is a four-day Lillehammer BobsledWeekend from £999, a 14-day Northern Namibia AndAngola itinerary from £3,699, a 15-day DiscoverBangladesh option from £2,099, a five-day JordanWalking Weekend from £999 and a ten-day

Bears in the Alaskan Wilderness from £5,999. To book or for more information call 0845-863 9601 orvisit www.exodus.co.uk

Exodus introduces new and exclusive destinations for 2014


Agent incentive - It’s Timmy’s turn to

cheer you up!£10 Love2shop vouchers for every

TITAN HOLIDAY booked up until 28th February

Your brandnew Worldwide brochure is here!New 2nd edition brochure out now!

For more information, call FREE on 0800 988 5800 or visit www.titanagents.co.ukTerms and conditions apply. Agents are responsible for any tax implications regarding vouchers. See website for full details www.titanagents.co.uk. To claim email [email protected] within 7 days with booking reference and ABTA



Insight Vacations expands CountryRoads style touring in 2014 brochureINSIGHT VACATIONS' new 2014 Europe, EasternMediterranean & Morocco brochure showcases a newselection of destinations as well as an expansion of itspopular Country Roads style touring.

In addition to existing Country Roads tours such asCountry Roads of Scotland, Ireland, France, Italy andSwitzerland there are now additional itineraries in thisstyle that explore Belgium, Luxembourg and theNetherlands and Croatia.

The operator's director of sales, Paul Melinis, said:“When you’re going to a new country you want to seethe best of it and Insights’ Country Roads tours makethis a priority. These itineraries take you to amazinglocations and you’ll get to see fantastic beaches, sleepyvillages and stunning landscapes along the way.

"With bookings for these tours up by 58% we’veexpanded the Country Roads collection and these newitineraries feature some great signature highlights suchas sampling regional wine in the Croatian peninsula ofPeljesac or visiting the Castle of the Counts in Belgium.”

As an example of prices, an 11-day Country Roads ofBelgium, Luxemburg and the Netherlands takes in thecountryside and crumbling relics of the destinations.Beginning in Brussels, guests will journey to thebattlefield of Waterloo to learn more about this definingmoment in European history. Crossing the BelgianFlanders brings guests to the port of Antwerp beforevisiting the cities of Ghent and Bruges with time toexplore the sights. The French speaking Walloon regionof Belgium is the next port of call with a visit to OrvalAbbey, famed for its Trappist beer. Luxembourg is next onthe agenda before heading to Bastogne to visit the star-shaped memorial dedicated to the US troops that losttheir lives in the ‘Battle of the Bulge’. Guests will thencross the border into the Netherlands to visit Rotterdamand continue on to the Hague to see the Peace Palaceand seaside resort of Scheveningen. The tour concludeswith three nights in Amsterdam with an excursion tosome rural Dutch villages, including Edam, beforeheading back to Amsterdam for the final night of the tour.

Prices lead in at £2,229 per person based on twosharing and include flights, VIP door-to-door transfers,ten nights' breakfast accommodation, a further fourmeals, included sightseeing and the services of a tourdirector.For more information visit www.insightvacations.com

RIVIERA TRAVEL, which reports a record breakingJanuary for sales and enquiries, has added new tours tomeet demand this year.

Examples include a five-day Bologna, Parma &Ravenna escorted tour from £659 per person; an eight-day Pisa, The Cinque Terre & Portofino trip from £1,099;an eight-day Austrian Tyrol & Innsbruck tour from £969;an eight-day Western Sicily, Palermo & The AeolinaIslands option from £999; a 17-day Grand Tour Of Chinaincluding a Yangtze River Cruise from £2,399; and a 16-day Thailand, Laos & The Mekong tour from £2,099. For more information call 01283-744307 or [email protected]

Riviera adds new tours to meet demand

JUST YOU has launched a seven-night polar bear adventure for2014. The trip gives guests the opportunity to see polar bears inthe natural environment in Churchill, Canada where customerswill spend two days on tundra vehicle tours. Prices lead in at£4,999 per person with two departures - October 20 andNovember 10. It includes flights, breakfast accommodation, threelunches and one dinner, a half-day tour of Winnipeg, two full daytundra tours, a half-day tour of Churchill, a visit to an Eskimomuseum, dog sledding, an evening with Mike Marci (a localphotographer) and the possibility of seeing the Northern Lights.To book or for details call 0844-5675210 or visitwww.justyou.co.uk/agents

escortedtrips


escortedtrips

TREKAMERICA HAS announced that itwill be running three departures of itsEpic Great 48 tour in April, May andJune 2015, following its recent successand sell-out for 2014.This year’s trip, due to depart in May, isnow fully booked and will take 13passengers on a trip across all 48contiguous US states. For clients looking for a similar trip,Trailblazer's 64-day, non-stop touroffers the opportunity to experience 28American states and two Canadianprovinces, and departs from New Yorkor Los Angeles between March andAugust.

Highlights of the tour include taking inthe national parks, landscapes and citiesincluding Las Vegas, Los Angeles, NewYork, Miami and San Francisco. Otherhighlights include touring the Californiancoast, visiting Canada’s mountains andlakes and hiking the Colorado Rockies. The operator's managing director,Richard Hanson, said: “We were veryexcited that the Great 48 trip captured somany people’s imaginations and lookforward to our 2015 departures achievingthe same. The Trailblazer tour is aperfect alternative for those that can’twait until next year. It is a comprehensiveEast to West, North to South, American

adventure and a great opportunity forpeople to tour the USA with the safety ofexperienced tour leaders and thecomfort of private transportation.” The tour costs from £4,439 per personand includes 63 nights’ accommodationincluding camping, hostels and hotels;the services of a professional tourleader; and transport by private vehicle,which includes free Wi-Fi. There is alsoan option to add on a hotel stay for thenights before and after the tour in eitherNew York or L.A. For more information seewww.trekamerica.co.uk/trailblazer orcall 0333-999 7951.

VISIONS OF Africa is offering a 13-night escorted tour that takesin the highlights of South Africa by train.

Guests will board in Johannesburg and each day the e trainarrives in a new destination where guests can disembark andtake a guided mini bus tour, which is included.

Excursions are varied and include safari game drives in theKruger, the Sani Pass in Lesotho, wine tasting and culturalvisits. There are also optional excursions which are at additionalcost such as an overnight stay at a five-star safari lodge. The

Cape of Good Hope route ends back in Cape Town where guestswill then spend two nights at the four-star Portswood Hotel.

Prices lead in at £3,735 based on two people sharing aCommodore Cabin, including flights from Heathrow, two nights'breakfast stay in Cape Town, 13 nights' half-board on the train,transfers and all included activities.

Regional UK departures can be arranged at additional costand scheduled departures are available throughout the year.For details call 01444-225640 or see www.visionsofafrica.co.uk

TrekAmerica announces three 2015 departures of Epic Great 48

See South Africa by train with Visions of Africa’s 13-night tour from £3,735

EUROPEAN & WORLDWIDE ESCORTED TOURS

Escorted Tours by air from only £389pp with many

regional airport departures*

Carefully designed itineraries

Our own expert tour managers throughout

Exceptional value for money

Price promise - no surcharge guarantee

Award winning service

Fully ABTA and ATOL Bonded

Typically 4 star standard

No hidden costs – many excursions included

We listen to our customers feedback and adapt

High commission levels

A real passion for places and people

Full on-line booking capability for your agency

No discounting

We hold options

For more information on selling Riviera Travel holidays contact the Agency Sales Team on

01283 744307 or email [email protected]

Reservations now open Saturdays 9am-2pm for Travel Agents 01283 744370

For bulk brochure supplies please visit www.trade-gate.co.uk

*Supplements applicable for certain fl ights.


THE EVOLUTION of the low-cost airlines has fuelled theongoing expansion of the accommodation-only sector,according to Olympic Holidays' commercial director, PhotisLambrianides.

He said: "The wide availability of accommodation-onlyproperties in the eastern Med has attracted the no-frillscarriers and we've seen a proliferation of routes to that part ofthe world. That in turn has spawned new accommodation-onlybusiness and while there are many players now in the market,the sector as a whole has continued to develop at all levels.

"Agents can use it in particular to book shorter durationbreaks for their clients, packaging up cheap flights with ahotel stay that gives the client full flexibility on the length ofholiday. As an operator, we have a lot of self-catering

accommodation that's exclusive to ourselves and we can linkthis to flights and offer customers a break of almost anyduration."

The company offers accommodation-only in its mainSummer Sun brochure, plus the upmarket Gold & PlatinumCollection and budget Smart Choice publications.

According to the operator, accommodation-only demandremains strongest in its key destinations of Cyprus andGreece, with Turkey and Egypt's Red Sea Riviera alsoattracting a fair level of interest.

For clients buying accommodation-only from £5 per personper night, the company offers low-cost flight options, pre-bookable taxi transfers and car hire priced from £19.70 a day.For more information see www.olympicholidays.com

SUPERBREAK HAS added three newDoubletree hotels to its portfoliobringing the total now availablethrough the hotel group to 20.

Properties in the popular shortbreak destinations of Cambridge,Chester and Lincoln, can now bebooked by agents on a bed-and-breakfast basis. All properties arefully commissionable and bookableonline.

The properties include DoubleTreeby Hilton Cambridge, a four-star

hotel offering a waterfront locationand ideally situated for exploringCambridge. Prices start from £97.50per person per night includingbreakfast.

DoubleTree by Hilton Chester,located on 12 acres of landscapedgardens, is also available. The 18th-century manor house hotel is minutesfrom the city centre and prices startfrom £67 including breakfast.

Meanwhile, prices at the four-starDoubleTree by Hilton Lincoln start

from £59.50 including breakfast.Located on Brayford Wharf North inthe medieval city of Lincoln, theproperty offers a waterfront locationwhile Lincoln’s medieval cathedral,historic castle and watersideshopping centre are just minutesaway.

All prices are based on stays inearly April.For more information or to book seewww.superbreak.com/agents or call 0871-221 4444.


accommodationonly

CV VILLAS reports that demand for holidays to the GreekIslands, and in particular Corfu, has risen significantly inthe past year.

In response to this, the company has added additionalflights to increase the ease of access to its properties onthe north east and west coastlines and in Corfu Town.

Four new villas have been added to the company'sGreek Islands collection including properties on theislands of Corfu, Lefkada, Paxos and Kefalonia.

As examples, a week's stay at Villa Olivia, which sleepseight, has its own private pool and is located 300 metresfrom a small village on the island of Lefkada, leads in at£2,635 per person including maid service, car hire and awelcome hamper.

A week's stay at Villa Helidoni on the north east coast ofCorfu, which offers a private pool and accommodation forup to six guests, costs from £905, including car hire, maidservice and a welcome hamper.

Superbreak adds three new fully commissionable Doubletree properties

Olympic reports growth of low-cost airlines fuels accommodation-only sector

CV Villas adds new properties in response to demand

S07 TB0702 Accommodation Only_Layout 1 2/5/2014 3:09 PM

Expansion plans for new properties inSri Lanka & Thailand from OZOFOLLOWING THE opening of the first OZO hotel lastyear, ONYX Hospitality Group has announced that threemore hotels are in the pipeline for this year - OZOColombo in Sri Lanka, OZO Samui and OZO Pattaya inThailand.

The company's president and CEO, Peter Henley, said:“Guests are becoming more savvy and they are lookingfor places to stay that provide quality services andcomfort at a reasonable price. With OZO we aim tosurprise and delight our guests and continue to meetand exceed their expectations in terms of product andservice.

“We have a further six OZO properties due to launchin the next two years, with a concentration on SouthEast Asia, especially Thailand and its neighbouringcountries. Since developing the brand concept in 2010,we have had a lot of interest from owners anddevelopers who are attracted by the business modelthat OZO offers, particularly as a result of the brand'smarket appeal, cost effectiveness, stream-lineddevelopment and return on investment.”For more information see www.ozo-hotels.com

OZO Wesley Hong Kong

accommodationonly


GIC The Villa Collection adds eight hand-picked properties to new brochure

GIC THE Villa Collection has added eight hand-pickedproperties on the islands of Skopelos, Lefkas, Paxos and Crete,and in Stoupa, southern Peloponnese. The accommodationranges from a renovated windmill converted into a cosy retreatfor two with a private pool, to a seven-bedroom boutique hotelwith turrets, battlements, Mediterranean restaurant and spa.

The company's managing director, Chris Wright, said: “Weare happy to see so many regular and new clients travelling toGreece, and delighted to be expanding our portfolio ofproperties with some absolute gems for 2014.

"Our Greek friends and colleagues have been tremendouslyappreciative of our efforts to encourage visitors during recentyears, and guests have been rewarded with exceptional levelsof hospitality."

New property highlights include Villa Santa Barbera inSkopelos, which sleeps between two and seven people, withprices leading in at £750 per person, based on four sharing;Villa Thalassa Vista, also in Skopelos, which sleeps betweentwo and six with prices from £694, based on six sharing; andLoggos Mills in Paxos which is highlighted as ideal for couplesor larger parties, and costs from £691 based on three sharing.

Prices include flights, car hire where applicable - ortransfers - a complimentary welcome pack, plus maid serviceand linen change twice-weekly.

Meanwhile, following the positive response from clients tothe new flights operated by Germania on behalf of theoperator last year, the company has re-contracted the airlineto carry its Gatwick clients this year.

Wright said: “As a charter operator, our inclusive holidayprices offer much greater value than those of the ‘no-frills’flight operators. No frills’ peak season flights can cost doublethat of our very high standard Germania flights, which offerfull catering and a 20kg baggage allowance.”For a copy of the new brochure or more information call 020-8232 9780 or visit www.gicthevillacollection.com

AceRooms.com offers XML Integration INDEPENDENT BED-BANK supplier, AceRooms.com,has launched its new, updated system which offersusers direct access to its products via XML technology.

The company's head of sales, Rita Seth, said: “We areextremely excited with this advancement of our system.We are constantly looking for more ways to improve anddevelop our system with our own in-house technologyteam and believe this move will boost our steadygrowth."

The company is now progressing to the next stage ofits development strategy which is to connect with travelconsortiums with a view to reaching more clients.

Crete


We asked our staff thefollowing question this week:

What do youprocrastinate over?

Publisher: Jeanette [email protected] lottery numbers

Editor: Lauretta [email protected] like changing my electricity/gas supplier when Iknow I could probably get a better rate

Assistant Editor: Jill [email protected]

Contributing Editor: Paul [email protected] wife says everything, absolutely everything. Not sure Iagree. Though I might...

Sales Director: Simon [email protected] answers to the questions in this column

Advertisement Manager: Tim [email protected] out forms and these questions!

Online Sales Manager: Nick [email protected] to use the word 'procrastinate' or just plain'hesitate'

Account Manager: Bill [email protected] household bills

Sales Executive: Chris [email protected] I should have more than 6 pints on a school night

Sales Executive: Matt [email protected] to the questions

Senior Designer: Genaro [email protected] the dishes

Assistant Designer: Nicky [email protected] round to reading my various magazines

Production: Nick Salt [email protected] 7 nights a week or 8?

Circulation Manager: Jim [email protected]

accommodationonly

Crossword:Across: 1. COSMOS, 3. ALPS, 6. RIC, 7. MAINE, 9. SWISS, 10. TOSSA, 11. SPA, 12. IDAHO, 14. GARDA, 16. CORAL,17. LEG, 18. PERU, 19. ARTHUR.Down: 1. CHRIS PINE, 2. SOCHI, 4. LEEDS, 5. TINTAGEL, 7. MISSOURI, 8. TRAFALGAR, 13. ACCOR, 15. RALPH.

Highlighted Word: CANADA

Travagrams: (top) Travelsphere (bottom) Cunard

Where Am I?: Robinson Crusoe Island

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

Follow us on Twitter!@TravelBulletin

Sunborn International unveils new super yacht hotelsSUNBORN INTERNATIONAL is pioneering a unique approach to exclusiveaccommodation in the form of super yacht hotels.

Launching two new hotels in March, Sunborn London will be operatedby ISS Hotel Division London and Sunborn Gibraltar will operate underSunborn International.

The yachts, which are permanently moored in their berths, combinethe privacy of a super yacht with the amenities of a luxury hotel, and thecompany has invested more than 200m in the two new hotels, both ofwhich have been designed to the highest specification.

Sunborn London will be located in the Royal Victoria docks, next toExCeL London and will offer 138 bedrooms and suites over five floors.Other facilities include entertaining spaces, including a fine diningrestaurant, bar, auditorium and conference rooms; gym; outside decks;and private terraces.

Sunborn Gibraltar will be located in the new Ocean Village Marina,and will offer views across the Gibraltar Straits and to the tip of Africa.The super yacht hotel will offer the first official five-star hotelaccommodation to visitors of the rock and features 189 rooms andsuites over seven floors. Facilities include a variety of fine diningrestaurants, cocktail bars, a large pool and sundeck, spa, gym andcasino, as well as a grand ballroom which can cater for any events -from weddings to product launches. A focal point will be the top deckrestaurant which features a retractable roof, allowing guests to enjoyyear-round alfresco dining.

The company's executive director, Hans Niemi, said: “Our goal is toexpand the Sunborn Yacht Hotel concept to well-known locations aroundthe world. The new hotel in London, together with a dynamicMediterranean location in Gibraltar, gives us an important platform forthe Sunborn brand and business concept.”For details see www.sunbornlondon.com and www.sunborngibraltar.com

PICTURED IS Hoseasons’ head of sales, Zena Calderbank, promoting theoperator's latest agent incentive to mark its 70th anniversary. The dailyincentive gives agents automatic entry into a prize draw to win £70 Love2Shopvouchers when they make a booking and runs until March 11.For details see www.hoseasons.co.uk/agents or call 0844-847 1144.


TRAVEL AGENT AFFILIATE PROGRAMME

Get 2014a great

start with

off to

New trade website, with single log-in and booking vouchers

Even more hotels to choose from, with 240,000+ now available

Excellent package offers

Great prices (the same as available to the public)

Complete our Online Travel Training course at www.expediataaptraining.co.uk

UK trade sales team – please contact us to arrange a meeting / training etc

SPECIAL OFFER Register a new account with us at

www.expedia.co.uk/taap and make

a booking by the end of March to

receive a £20 voucher

020 3027 9793 [email protected] www.expedia.co.uk/taap

This year we’re bringing you…


SANTA’S LAPLANDVISIT THE HOME OF THE REAL FATHER CHRISTMAS

FOR BOOKINGS CALL 01865 565221 OR VISIT WWW.TRANSUN.CO.UK

FREE CHILD PLACES AVAILABLE!

2,3 & 4 NIGHT BREAKS

PRICES FROM

£799PER PERSON

What’s Included

SANTA’S LAPLAND 2014 BROCHURE

NOW AVAILABLE!

WINTER WONDERLAND DAY BREAK

PRICES FROM

£489PER PERSON

Spend the day in Santa’s magical kingdom and still be home in time for supper!Direct from selected regional airports.


travel bulletin 7th february 2014

Documents

oman amore

oman s01 tb0702

chance towin

current offers

ms vouchermalta gozoair

savings promotionsoperators

savings promotionstb0702

newsbulletininstore