Travel Extra February 2024

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T r av e lExtra

Vol 29 Number 1

Ireland's Premier Source for Travel Information

Holiday World 2024 Edition

24 trends for…

Thisyear's holidayoptionswith everythingyou needto know

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FEBRUARY 2024 PAGE 3

Holiday World Show Jan 26-28 2024

The Low Down When: Trade Only: How Much:

Family Price: Parking

Friday 26 January 12.30pm – 5pm Saturday 27 January 10am – 5pm Sunday 28 January 10am – 5pm (trade only Friday morning from 09.30) Adults €10 Senior citizens €5 Students €5 Children Free €20 special family rate for two adults & ALL their children Parking €10.

Who’s there:

39,000 visitors 1,000 travel experts from 50 countries, tour operators, travel agents, hotels, national and global tourist organisations, airports, airlines, theme parks, bus, coach, car, rail, camping, travel services, adventure holidays, ferry and cruise companies, caravans and motorhomes,

Official Opening:

riday 2 an ary at 2pm fficial opening by Minister Jack Chambers Saturday 11.30 Opening of Home Holiday pavilion by Daithi de Roiste, Lord Mayor Of Dublin Opening of French pavilion by French ambassador Vincent Guérend Opening of USA pavilion by US ambassador Claire Cronin Ambassadors reception at Holiday World show

Website:

www.holidayworldshow.com

Next Year:

Limerick Janaury 11-12 2025 Belfast Janaury 17-19 2025 Dublin January 24-26 2025

TRAVEL Extra Corbetstown, Castlejordan, Co Meath R35D863 (+3531) 2913707

Editor & Publisher: Eoghan Corry eoghan.corry@ travelextra.ie

WELCOME FROM THE IRISH TRAVEL AGENTS ASSOCIATION

O

n behalf of the Irish Travel Agents Association (ITAA) I would like to welcome you to the bright summer sunshine of Holiday World 2024.

This is a place for siles as we think of warmer months and places ahead.

It is a place for smiles, face to face with 1,000 travel industry experts who have come to Dublin to explain how to make the best of your holiday plans. It is an opportunity not to be missed.

Here, zoom is a four letter word Holiday choice from Ireland has never been so broad, so varied, so comfortable and so sustainable. We have nearly 500 direct services from all the Irish airports combined next summer, plus a dozen ferry options, including exciting newbies from Dublin, Cork and Belfast such as Denver, Heraklion, and a new carrier on the routes to New York and Boston.

In addition we have added frequencies and larger aircraft to key hubs like Doha and Istanbul.

Thanks to massive investment by the travel and aviation sector, Irish people can travel on the quietest, most

Sales Director: Maureen Ledwith maureen@bizex.ie Sales Manager Paulette Moran paulette@bizex.ie t: +353 (0)1 291 3702

modern and most f el efficient aircraft in the industry.

Tour operators, travel agents, resorts, hotels, airlines, ferry companies, railway companies, cruising companies, national and regional tourist organisations are all here, under one roof, to ive yo first hand and first class information on almost any destination on the planet.

As residents of an island state we are adventurers by nature. Travel is an integral part of our history and development as a nation. It is important to our economy.

Ireland travels more per head of population than any country in the world.

Travel broadens the mind. n a world beset by con ict, we need to keeping saying it, over and over again.

It is a long time since Mark Twain wrote that “travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” He could have written it last week.

Here at Holiday World, typically, you can find out

Accounts & Advertising: Maria Sinnott maria@bizex.ie Distribution Manager: Shane Hourican shane@bizex.ie

more about Mark Twain’s home town at stand J5.

Here too, we can learn to travel and keep our carbon emissions down.

Yes, we can see the planet and save the planet at the same time.

Remember, all the destinations and holidays featured over this weekend are available to book with your ITAA Travel Agent – all ITAA Agents are fully licensed by the Commission for Aviation Regulation and bonded for your protection.

ITAA Agents have the knowledge, experience and online resources to offer you an excellent, complete personal service. If you need assistance before, during or after your holiday, your Agent is ready, willing and able to help.

I hope you enjoy your visit to Holiday World. Relax, explore and ask plenty of questions. You can look forward to a wonderful holiday in 2024.

Origination: Typeform Printer: WG Baird Limited Caulside Driave Greystone Rd Antrim BT41 2RS

Angela Walsh President ITAA

Trave Extra takes no responsibility for errors & ommissions

FEBRUARY 2024 PAGE 4

THE KNOWLEDGE

www.travelextra.ie

Know before you board

I

t has been a whole three months since you last went on holidays (and you are still waiting for the baby buggy to show up). That is sooooh last year. Believe us, everything has changed in the meantime.

SECURITY By sum-

mer 2024, Terminal 2 will be fitted with new sec rity scanners that mean liquids and laptops can remain in the bag.

To date only three lanes are using the new scanners. Terminal 1 will take a lot longer as the new machines are too big for the existing security area, although three machines have already been fitted there.

Shannon, Knock, Kerry and Donegal have already been fitted with them. he lon queues of 2022 are now a distant (and painful) memory..]

T1 rans tlantic i hts

usingRyanair’s terminal also hosts check in for some long ha l i hts incl din ir anada, Etihad, Hainan and Qatar, Transavia and Westjet.

100 gates: Ryanair 200 gates: British Airways and charters ates ir anada, ir France, Egyptair, Etihad, Hainan, Iberia, KLM, Lufthansa, Qatar, Transavia Vueling and Westjet

T2 is the Aer Lingus and

USA terminal, also used by American, Delta, Emirates and United. Gates 401-6 downstairs are blocked off for much of the day by US pre-clearance. Heathrow and Gatwic i hts are always on the next nearest gates. If you are yin to the anary slands prepare for a long walk to the last of the 400 gates. Even this is preferable to the walk from T2 back to the 300 gates at T1 for some er in s i hts and the dreaded gate 335, from where you have to take a bus to the satellite terminal.

APP Dublin Airport’s app

keeps evolving, to show wait times, distance to gate, check in locations, baggage belt and an estimated time to clear sec rity. he i ht depart res section now comes with a

Exhausted? Need a holiday?

You will after getting through the airports Passengers pass through Dublin airport trendy map. Smartphones allows passengers to store any number of mobile boarding passes directly into the app, meaning that they do not need to have actual printed copies of their tickets. Airline apps have been updated to give gate and time to gate information. Sometimes a third party app like FlightStats has gate change information before the information screens.

CHECK-IN Aer Lingus have the most, 29 check-in/ bag-drop desks at T2. The number of desks dedicated to check-in versus bag-drop vary on a daily basis depending on passenger loads. There tends to be more bag-drop than check-in.

BAGGAGE The two big airlines have different baggage policies, Ryanair encourage carry on, Aer Lingus encourages checked bags.

Aer Lingus charge €10 for a 10kg carry on which they will allow you to check in for free.

Ryanair charge between €6 and €36 for priority boarding to enable you to carry on an overnight bag. There is not free option for check in. Prices are higher on some routes.

Both allow a small handbag/ laptop bag for free (Aer Lingus 25x33x20 cm, Ryanair 40x20x25cm). Both allow 10kgfor carry on(Aer Lingus 55x40x24, with Ryanair 4cm

narrower 55x40x20). These are among the more generous allowances in aviation. Be prepared for a 5kg or even 4kg limit when you are boarding some other airlines. Infants are not permitted any carry-on allowance.

FOOD & BEV

blin irport is fittin 2 new and improved food and beverage outlets including Irish, Italian, Thai, Korean, Mexican, and Asian options, bringing the total to 40. Popular brands like Supermacs, Papa John’s, Pret A Manger, and l ebird offee will be opening. Terminal 1 will see the creation of a new worldclass food hall, featuring Korean and Thai street food, an Arthur Guinness Bar, and a large Italian restaurant.

Terminal 2 will also undergo improvements, including a new restaurant and bar named Fitzgerald’s

LOUNGE Dublin air-

port has installed more seats in the past year. There is a great relaxation area in T1 as you approach the food hall with free wifi and lots of power charge points and another near security with window views of the apron. The Terminal 1 Anna Livia lounge has seating for 110 customers. Economy passengers can pay to use the facility for a walk-in price of €35 (T1) and €30 (T2). Prior-

ity Pass, DragonPass, Lounge Key and other card consolidator access is subject to availability. Aer Lingus have a two storey lounge in T2 and trans Atlantic passengers can use 51st and Green in Terminal 2.

US CBP ESTA will be

validated at check-in. Make sure you have your ESTA in advance, as it is not always possible to get it cleared before take-off. After that, the only form to be filled by S passengers is a customs declaration. Not all passengers pass through a second set of scanners for US i hts b t allow extra time just in case.

The US border area has been expanded to speed things up and more officers deployed at peak. Passengers travelling on an S and US iti ens can use 18 self-service Automatic assport ontrol ios s reducing the time they spend with an US fficer.

PASSPORTS The

self service immigration gates at Terminal 1 are easily navigated once you have used them once, scan in your passport, then advance to the next gate and look at the camera. They are only valid if you have a chip in your passport and you are over 18. The next step in passport technology is biometric, when all 27 EU countries can agree a standard.

SHOPPING There

have been big changes in the Loop shopping area since the pandemic.

FAST TRACK DAA has a membership system allowing parking in the short term car park and fast-track.

Book on the website. There is also a separate VIP service which can be bought by commuters to celebrate a special occasions such as honeymoon.

BUSES The departures

road to TerminDublin airport is served by 18 operators, most served from the coach park opposite T1. There are notices in the terminal directing passengers to bus locations by zone. If you arrive to T2 it is quickest to exit by the left hand doors and walk to buses outdoors:.

HEATHROW Aer

in s i hts arrive and depart from Terminal 2 in Heathrow while s blin i hts arrive from T5.. Liquids and laptops can be left in the bags through security later in 2024.

JFK: er in s i hts now arrive and leave from Terminal (not Tmerinal 5, which is used by Jetblue). Delta uses Terminal 4.

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FEBRUARY 2024 PAGE 6

24 TRENDS FOR 2024

24

trends for 2024 T

he big trend for 2024 is not that difference from the big trend of,or indeed 2014, 2004, 1994, 1984 or 1924, Make the journey as EASY as possible. And try to make the journey in one hop.

If 2022 was the year of endless security queues and lost baggage, was the year we discovered that not all airport and not all journeys behave in the same ways.

If you need to go through a hub, the headline airports to avoid are Heathrow and Amsterdam. The biggest improvement was in Toronto.

Abu Dhabi got a new terminal in. Istanbul has become easier to transfer through in theory than poky old Ataturk airport, but the distances between gates can be vast. Dubai is back to its overcrowded self.

Making the journey in one hop means taking point to point options where they are available, and

the most exciting new one is Denver Colorado.

Research what options are available from what airports. Dublin has 300 destinations, but some are only served form other airports. If you are going to Beziers, there is an option from Shannon. Belfast gets forgotten when we chart our journeys.

Heat avoidance and crowd avoidance are other priorities for the year ahead. Northern Spain and the Algarve avoided the worst of the European heatwave. Increasingly, alternative neighbouring cities are placing themselves as alternatives to the crowded tourist hot spots. Venice has placed a day charge for visitors to the city, as if it was a theme park, and inadvertently confirmin while re ectin the slogans of the protesters: Venice is not Disneyland.

The world is definitely not Disneyland.

We are grateful for that.

FEBRUARY 2024 PAGE 7

24 TRENDS FOR 2024 HERE ARE 24 TRENDS FOR 2024 ■ Adventure Wellness: Combining wellness and adventure to create the

ultimate rejuvenating getaway.

■ Back-of-House Tours: Exploring the behind-the-scenes aspects of a

destination, including its culture, history, and cuisine.

■ Biohacking: Leveraging science and technology to improve health, wellness

and overall travel experience.

■ Bleisure: Mixing business travel with leisure activities.

■

oo in

indows

ein

exible abo t boo in times for the best deals.

■ Carbon fee itineraries: Paying more for travel that leads to lower carbon

emissions.

■ Collective adventures: Traveling in groups, particularly adventure trips.

■ Convenience technologies: Using tech solutions to make travel easier and

more enjoyable.

■ Coolcationing: Going on vacation during the cooler months.

■ Cruising is back: Increasing emphasis on safe and sustainable cruising post-

pandemic.

■ Dark Tourism: Visiting places historically connected with death and tragedy.

■ Destination Dupes: Visiting less-known destinations similar to popular ones

to avoid crowds.

■ Digital Nomadism: Combining work and travel, and living in different

locations around the world.

■ Dry Tripping: Traveling to places where alcohol consumption is limited or

prohibited.

■ Dupe or Secondary Destinations: Visiting less-known destinations,

Tarragona in place of Baarcelona, Treviso instea do of Venice (and doing a day trip).

■ asy airports See in airports offerin reaterefficiency, and amenities.

■ Expedition Cruises: Going on cruises designed for adventure and exploration.

■ erry finders Utilisin ferries as viable alternatives to planes for climate conscious travellers.

■ Food at train stations: Focusing on culinary experiences at train stations across the world.

■ Frontier Tourism: Exploring untouched or less-known lands and cultures.

■ Gi chasin ravelin specifically to attend concerts and m sic festivals.

■ Glamorous Train Travel: Enjoying luxurious, scenic train trips.

■ Go ccasions ravelin for specific events or occasions li e anniversary, birthdays.

■ erita e avo rs elvin into traditional c isines and food c lt re of a destination.

■ Homeswaps: Trading residences with someone in the place you wish to visit.

■ Immunity Booster Holidays: Traveling to improve health and wellness.

■ Mental etoxification oliday experiences that benefit mental health.

■ Mdlandeariing: Visiting less touristy regions incounties like Longford, Westmeath, leitrim and Roscommn.

■ Outside-in: Embracing outdoors and nature-inspired activities.

■ Personalisation: Tailoring travel experiences according to individual preferences.

■ lan ree ravel mbracin spontaneity and exibility in travel.

■ Regenerative Travel: Travels that aim to give back to the communities and environments visited.

■ Relationship With Destination: Forming meaningful connections with the placesvisited.

■ Russians avoidance: Avoiding places with high concentration of Russian travellers.

■ Serious about sustainability: Prioritizing eco-friendly and sustainable travel.

■ Set ettin isitin locations where pop lar movies or series were filmed.

■ Shoulder Season Travel: Traveling during off-peak seasons to avoid crowds.

■ Silent Travel: Seeking silence and tranquillity in travel experiences.

■ Skip-Gen Travel: Grandparents traveling with grandchildren without the parents.

■ Skygazing: Seeking destinations optimal for stargazing and witnessing celestial events.

■ Slackpacking: Taking multi-day hikes with less luggage, as your supplies are transported for you.

■ Slow Travel: Taking slower journeys to savour the travel experience.

■ Sports Tourism: Traveling for sporting events or experiences.

■ Transformational Trips: Emphasizing on personal growth during travels.

■ White paper ships: Cruisng on ships that are completely redesigned rather than the oh-so-predictable traditional casino-on-the-third-deck ships.

■ Wild Feasting: Foraging for food in the wild, to cook and eat organic meals.

With 200,000 tourist beds, Paris is well positoned to host the Olympics

T

Paris 2024

wo venues have been selected for the boxing competitions at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Spectators are advised to allow sufficient travel time and to arrive early at the competition site.

■ Roland-Garros Stadium (capacity 14,962) served by Porte de Saint-Cloud station (metro line 9) and Porte d’Auteuil station (metro line 10). Exceptionally high passenger numbers are expected on these metro lines.

■

North Paris Arena (capacity 6,000):

A huge exhibition centre with nine halls in Villepinte a city in Seine-SaintDenis will host the preliminary rounds of the boxing events.

It will be served by Parc des Expositions station (RER line B).

Just over half of Ireland’s tally of medals at the modern Olympics have been in boxing, 18 out of 35 medals, 3 out of 11 gold, 5 out of 10 silver and 10 out of 14 bronze (since 1952 bronze medals have been awarded to both losin semi finalists in boxing competitions).

Boxing made its debut

at the modern Olympic Games in 1904, and has been contested at every Summer Games since – save for the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm, as Swedish law banned the sport at the time.

Women’s boxing was first introduced to the Olympic programme at London 2012.

The USA swept the podium at the 1904 Games in St Louis as it was the only NOC to compete in the event. Team USA athletes have continued to achieve Olympic success in the sport (winning 117 medals). Cuba (78 medals) and Britain (62 medals) also performed well.

FEBRUARY 2024 PAGE 8

WANDERLIST 2024

E

very January unleashes a lot of travel advice, book-it and bucket lists, places to see before you diet, and spurious advice from people who have a vested interest bin extracting your valuable holiday money from the piggy bank under the bed.

Confused? Too much information?

Here is a whistle stop tour around the leading destinations in the world with the must-see places, some maybes, and some secrets.

AUSTRALIA Three musts: Sydney Harbour Bridge, Ayers Rock, Barrier Reef.

Three maybes: Fraser Island, Rottnest Island, Melbourne old jail Three secrets: Pilliga Forest, Yarrangobilly Caves, The Promenade of Bright.

AUSTRIA

Three musts: Schönbrunn Palace, Salzburg’s Old Town, Innsbruck’s Golden Roof Three maybes: Hallstatt, Hohensalzburg Fortress, Grossglockner High Alpine Road Three secrets: Bregenz, Semmering Railway, Riegersburg Castle

BELGIUM

Three musts: Grand Place, Brussels, Bruges Belfry Tower, Saint Bavo’s Cathedral Three maybes: Atomium Brussels, aterloo attlefield, pres landers Fields Museum Three secrets: Le Parc de Furfooz, Tournai cathedral, Hasselt,

BULGARIA

Three musts: Aleksander Nevsky Cathedral, Rila Monastery, Veliko Tarnovo Three maybes: Boyana Church, Seven Rila Lakes, Nessebar old town.

Three secrets: Koprivshtitsa, Devetashka Cave, Belogradchik Fortress

CANADA

Three musts: Niagara Falls, Banff National Park, Rocky Mountaineer Train, Three maybes: CN Tower Toronto, Old Quebec City, Gros Morne National Park, Three secrets: Grasslands National Park Saskatchewan, Fogo Island, Gwaii Haanas National Park.

CHINA

Three musts: Great Wall, Forbidden City, Terracotta Army Three maybes: Yubeng Village, Dunhuang, Jiuzhaigou Valley Three secrets: Guizhou’s Ethnic Villages, Tulou Clusters, Turpan,

CROATIA

Three musts: Dubrovnik, Diocletian’s Palace, Hvar Island Three maybes: Plitvice Lakes, Korcula Island, Rovinj Three secrets: Vis Island, Gorski Kotar, Kornati Islands.

Musts & maybes CUBA

Three musts: Old Havana, Varadero each, i ales alley Three maybes: Trinidad city, El Malecón, Cienfuegos: Three secrets: Topes de Collantes, Gibara, Baracoa Beaches

CYPRUS

Three musts: Aphrodite’s Rock, Kykkos Monastery, Paphos Archaeological Park Three maybes: Famagusta, Cape Greco, Limassol Marina, Three secrets: Troodos Mountains, Kourion Archaeological Site, Omodos Village

CZECH REPUBLIC

hree m sts harles rid e, es Krumlov, Karlovy Vady hree maybes pilber astle, l e , el Three secrets: Kutná Hora, Olomouc, Litomyšl

DENMARK

Three musts: Little Mermaid statue, Frederiksborg Castle, Amalienborg Palace.

Three maybes: Kronborg Castle, Legoland Billund, Roskilde ship museum. hree secrets M ns lint, r s bin , Stevns Klint

DOMn REPUBLIC

Three musts: Saona Island, Samaná Peninsula: Zona Colonial & Alcázar de Colón, Three maybes: Cayo Levantado, El Limón Waterfall, Los Haitises National Park Three secrets: Bahía de las Águilas, El Morro National Park, Salto Aguas Blancas waterfall,

EGYPT

Three musts: Giza Pyramids Complex: Egyptian Museum, Cairo, Luxor Temple: Three maybes: Valley of the Kings, Abu Simbel:, Temple of Karnak Three secrets: Siq al-Barid, Hermopolis Magna, El-Muizz Street, Cairo,

ENGLAND

Three musts: Tower of London, Stonehenge, Stratford-upon-Avon Three maybes: Roman Bath, Canterbury Cathedral:, British Museum Three secrets: Hadrian’s Wall Path, Lindisfarne, York Minster

ESTONIA

Three musts: Tallinn Old Town, Lahemaa National Park, Saaremaa Island Three maybes: Viljandi, Parnu, Hiiumaa Island Three secrets: Soomaa National Park, Kihnu Island, Setomaa

FINLAND

Three musts: Temppeliaukio Church, Rovaniemi, Suomenlinna Three maybes: Nuuksio National Park, Turku Castle, Ranua Wildlife Park Three secrets: Koli National Park, Kvarken Archipelago, Rauma

FRANCE

Three musts: Eiffel tower, Louvre, Mont St Michel Three maybes: Giverny, Pont du Gard, Lavender Fields.

Three secrets: Annecy, Rocamadour, Conques.

GERMANY

Three musts: Brandenburg Gate, Neuschwanstein Castle, Cologne Cathedral Three maybes: Dresden’s Historic Centre, Zugspitze cable car ride, The Romantic Road between Würzburg and Füssen:.

Three secrets: Spreewald Biosphere Reserve, Rügen Island, Zwinger Palace

GREECE

Three musts: Acropolis in Athens, whitewashed villages of Santorini, emple of Apollo and the Oracle In Delphi Three maybes: Little Venice in Mykonos, Rhodes Old Town, rock formations of Meteor Three secrets: Melissani Cave in Kefalonia, Centaurs’ Path in Pelion, Monemvasia.

HUNGARY

Three musts: Fisherman’s Bastion, Széchenyi Thermal Bath, Lake Balaton Three maybes: Hortobágy National Park, Tapolca Lake Cave, Szent István Basilica Three secrets: Aggtelek National Park, Pécs, Pál-völgyi Cave

ICELAND

Three musts: Golden circle of Gullfoss waterfall, Geysir,,Tingvellir National Park, Blue Lagoon, Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon Three maybes: Dettifoss Waterfall, Myvatn Nature Baths:, black beaches of Sn fellsnes Three secrets: Hornstrandir Nature Reserve, Askja Caldera, Vestmannaeyjar Islands

INDIA

Three musts: Taj Mahal in Agra, Jaipur’s Pink City Palace, Varanasi’s Ghats Three maybes: Fatehbpr Sikri, Hampi’s Ruins:, Udaipur’s Lake Palace Three secrets: Majuli Island in Assam, Orchha in Madhya Pradesh, Spiti Valley in Himachal Pradesh

ITALY

Three musts: Leaning Tower of Pisa, Vatican, Colosseum, Three maybes: Spanish Steps, Piazza del Campo in Siena, Michelangelo’s David at the Accademia Gallery Three secrets: Baths of Caracalla, Bagno Vignoni:, Baroque Town of Noto

JAMAICA

Three musts: Bob Marley Museum, Montego Bay Hip Strip, Dunn’s River Falls, Three maybes: Blue Mountains, Negril’s Seven Mile Beach, Reach Falls Three secrets: Green Grotto Caves, Pelican Barm, Alligator Pond in South Manchester

St John’s Cathedral

Explore more

legends

St. John’s Co-Cathedral is the Crown Jewel of Valletta; the capital of Malta and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Fly there from Dublin and Shannon with Ryanair and Belfast with Jet2. In Malta, you can always Explore More.

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FEBRUARY 2024 PAGE 10

WANDERLIST 2024 LITHUANIA

SWITZERLAND

Three musts: Vilnius Old Town, Trakai Island Castle, Hill of Crosses Three maybes: Curonian Spit, Gediminas ower, nd le alace hree secrets a nas a aislis Monastery, ernav , ill of itches in od rant

hree m sts Matterhorn in ermatt, n fra och in nterla en, a e Geneva, hree maybes cerne s ld own, h tea de hillon in Montre x, hine alls in Schaffha sen hree secrets a terbr nnen alley, letsch Glacier, al er asca in icino

MALAYSIA

THAILAND

hree m sts etronas win owers, Mo nt inabal , Geor etown, hree maybes at aves, an awi rchipela o, orneo ainforest, hree secrets a o ational ar , chin at M se m, ana ,

hree m sts an o s Grand alace , S hothai istorical ar , hi hi Island hree maybes y tthaya istorical ar , hian Mai s oi S thep, loatin Mar ets of amnoen Sad a hree secrets o ipe, hao So ational ar , ai nat ral hot sprin s,

MALTA

hree m sts Mdina, l e Grotto, St. John’s Co-Cathedral hree maybes a ar im and Mna dra Me alithic emples, hree ities ittoriosa, Sen lea, and ospic a, opeye illa e hree secrets omm ir i , Sal tin attery, G ar alam ave

MEXICO

hree m sts hichen t a, opper anyon, alen e s Mayan r ins Three maybes: Tulum, Sumidero Canyon, eotih acan r ins in Mexico city hree secrets asca de campo, eal del Monte, San an him la

MOROCCO

hree m sts emaa el naa s are in Marra ech, Sahara esert day trip, o b al ational ar . hree maybes hefchao en, Madrasa o in es, ssao ira medina hree secrets hefchao en s cho r aterfalls, Mer o a, odra Gor e

NETHERLANDS

hree m sts i sm se m, an Go h M se m, inderdi indmills hree maybes e enhof Gardens, Ma ritsh is m se m, o e el we ational ar hree secrets Giethoorn, exel, e iesbosch ational ar

NEW ZEALAND

hree m sts Milford So nd, on ariro ational ar , ox Glacier hree maybes bel asman ational ar , aihe e sland, aitomo Glowworm aves hree secrets astle ill roc formations, a e e apo, ape alliser and the tan ir a innacles

NORTH MACEDONIA

hree m sts S op e ortress and old ba aar, St. a m Monastery, Mat a Canyon Three maybes: Bitola Ottoman market, Mavrovo ational ar , ratovo loc Tower hree secrets riva alan a, evcani carnival celebrations, Galichni eddin estival

Boknafjord Ardal Norway

NORWAY

hree m sts Geiran erf ord, rei estolen overloo in the ysef ord, Mo nt l yen f nic lar ride hree maybes i eland Sc lpt re ar , era bolten, romso h s y rides hree secrets Sen a, ros, ellesylt waterafalls, ot nheimen ational ar

POLAND

hree m sts arsaw s ld own, awel astle, schwit ir ena hree maybes ialowie a orest, Slowins i ational ar , Malbor Castle hree secrets ies c ady ational ar , a ien i ar , a imier olny

PORTUGAL

hree m sts orre de el m, onta da iedade, bidos walled town hree maybes astelo de S o or e, o ro riverfront in orto, ena alace In Sintra hree secrets hapel of ones in vora,, veiro, rr bida at ral ar

QATAR

hree m sts he earl atar, So a if, M se m of slamic rt hree maybes atara lt ral illa e, l barah rchaeolo ical Site, Shei h aisal in assim l hani M se m hree secrets l ha ira Man roves, l assasiya arvin s, l hor sland

ROMANIA

hree m sts ran astle, eles astle, alat l arlament l i alace of the arliament hree maybes Si hisoara itadel, ortified ch rches, ainted Monasteries of covina, hree secrets Scarisoara ce ave, eahla ational ar , a M d olcanoes

SCOTLAND

hree m sts oyal Mile in dinb r h, och ess, Stirlin astle, hree maybes Glenfinnan iad ct,

airy ools of S ye, l ean astle hree secrets rdnam rchan enins la, annoch Moor, Smoo ave

SLOVAKIA

hree m sts i h atras ational ar , ratislava astle, Spi astle hree maybes Slova aradise ational ar , o nice astle, em novs ave of iberty hree secrets i many, r sna r a astle, arde ov

SLOVENIA

hree m sts a e led island and ch rch, ra on rid e and bl ana astle, osto na ave hree maybes red ama astle, ri lav ational ar , S oc an aves hree secrets in a aterfall, Great So a Gor e, a e asna

SOUTH AFRICA

hree m sts able Mo ntain, r er ational ar , obben sland hree maybes lyde iver anyon, U hahlamba ra ensber ar , Stellenbosch inelands hree secrets ama aland lower o te, Sani ass in wa l atal, ild oast

SPAIN

hree m sts Sa rada amilia in arcelona, lhambra in Granada, rado M se m in Madrid hree maybes a oncha each in San Sebasti n, lca ar of Se ovia, ar G ell in arcelona hree secrets enca, as M d las , Cudillero

SWEDEN

hree m sts iseber , asa M se m, ir na ice hotel hree maybes bis o ational ar , arlsten ortress, Uppsala athedral hree secrets Sami inter Mar et in o mo , yresta ational ar ,

TUNISIA

hree m sts artha e ational M se m, bl e and white villa e of Sidi o , o ateway to the Sahara, hree maybes l em mphitheatre, Medina of nis, Matmata tro lodyte villa e hree secrets so r of atao ine, Ghar l ebir Gor es, hebi a asis,

TURKIYE

hree m sts stanb l s three attractions, ia Sofia, l e Mos e, opapi alace, phes s ibrary of els s, am ale cascadin terraces Three maybes Antalya Olympos ruins, Ma sole m at alicarnass s, appadocia roc formations. hree secrets irince, tter y alley, U n l

UAE

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UNITED STATES

hree m sts mpire States ildin , Golden Gate brid e, Mall in ashin ton , hree maybes Metropolitan M se m , Smithsonian ashin ton , as e as strip hree secrets op of the oc ew or , n le s andin in Utah, ainted anyon in orth a ota

WALES

Three musts: Caernarfon Castle, Snowdonia ational ar , recon eacons ational ar hree maybes ortmeirion, ational M se m of ales, onwy astle hree secrets ontcysyllte ed ct, embro eshire oast ath, rechfa orest

MSC_CRUISES.indd 1

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FEBRUARY 2024 PAGE 12

DESTINATION USA

T

he classic tour of Philadelphia would start at the Independence Hall a UNESCO world heritage site, and Liberty Bell, a worldwide symbol of freedom.

Go beyond these streets and yo find the nei h bourhoods where the revolutionary spirit that back in the day launched an entire nation continues to thrive. Beware of South Street. Your entire day could be spent there.

As befits the city of Liberty (or maybe not), stop by one of the world’s most famous prisons.

Eastern State Penitentiary has been a long time in the renovation, to the ex tent that carefully signed walkways and restored rooms (Al Capone’s cell amongst them), stand side by side with aban doned cells that look like they have been untouched since the prison closed.

W

here to go to cheer up? The laden table of course. Philadelphia prides itself as a pioneer of the c linary revol tion in America, with

Frankly Philly City Hall from mile-long Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia with William Penn the Corkman on top of the world celebrity chefs, celebrity restaurants and celebrity ale ho ses.

At Yards brewhouse, Mike Hans brought our group into the brewing area and declared: “This is what it looks like when you die and

THE ITINERARY

■ Independence National Historical Park: Visit the

iconic Liberty Bell and explore Independence Hall, where both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were signed. Original artifacts on display include George Washington’s chair and an inkstand that was used to sign the Declaration of Independence. Liberty bell museum is free, if you are short on time make a beeline straight to the back of the building after you go through security straight to the bell.

■ Reading Terminal Market: Head to the famous Reading Terminal Market for a culinary adventure.

Sample local specialties, such as cheesesteaks, pretzels, and Pennsylvania Dutch treats, while browsing through the diverse array of food vendors and shops.

■ Philadelphia Museum of Art: Take a leisurely stroll down Benjamin Franklin Parkway to reach the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Admire the museum’s impressive collection of art and sculptures, including works by renowned artists like Van Gogh and Monet. Snap a selife on the museum’s iconic steps, known as the “Rocky Steps.”

■ Magic Gardens and South Street: Wander the vibrant neighbourhood of South Street and explore Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, a mosaic art installation created by artist Isaiah Zagar.

■ n One Liberty Observation Deck, 1650 Market Street. hiladelphia s first hi h rise attraction with 360 degree views!

you have been good.”

Mike conducts his tour like a comedian, through a boutique restaurant and brewho se sellin bo ti e beer. eer is im portant in a city where the eclaration of ndepend ence was discussed and drafted, appropriately, in a tavern.

The city’s love affair with food can be explored at eadin erminal Mar ket. It is like a throwback to a previous age, with immigrant artisans, suited gentlemen and students queuing for crab, cheese steaks, and wholesome Amish products from Lancaster county.

I

rish history, too, sits lightly over the birthplace of the United States: Wander here and you will find Wolfe Tone’s house, John arry s stat e and il liam enn on the hi h est point of the old city, surveying the wannabe Rockies all running through the city to pose at a statue of Rocky.

Even the baptismal font of Christ Church, where seven of America’s fo ndin fathers are b r ied, came from Co Cork.

In the Naval Museum, whose floating exhibits are worth the journey alone, you can climb thro h a s bmarine, first conceived by a iscan nor man, or the ship from

which the attac on a vana was launched. The city sits between two riv ers. The sea is closer than you think.

T

he most inter esting bit of Philadelphia are probably the least known.

The city spans out from the City Hall, equidistant from the river and the sea.

But it is at the edges that yo find the heart of the city, not the heart.

The Mutter Museum, with its vast collection of medical and anatomical oddities, may be the most interesting in all of North America. It is an eerie place, Einstein’s brain in a ar, 1 s lls to dis prove phrenolog) piled

on each other with notes of their diseases.

Founded in 1787, it crosses scientific medical school collection with frea show, ars of pre served human kidneys and livers, and a man’s skull so eaten away by tertiary syphilis that it looks like pounded rock.

There is a skeleton of an Irish labourer skeleton in the basement beside a jar of genital warts.

Figures.

P

hiladelphia’s most famous fictional character became a metaphor for an nder dog or an everyman rising to a challenge.

Like the city itself.

EAT AND SLEEP

■ Hampton Inn Center City, 1301 Race Street,

within walking distance of the city’s best restaurants, attractions and shopping

■ El Rey, 1311 Sansom St,

■ Reading Terminal Market, 51 North 12th Street,

great place to graze and pick up the locally produced food

■ City Tap House2 Logan Square

■ Yards Brewing Company 500 Spring Garden St.

Great beer (Tour the brewery) and great food

■ Campo’s 214 Market Street, best to Go

Cheesesteaks in town

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03/01/2024 11:18

FEBRUARY 2024 PAGE 14

DESTINATION SOUTH AFRICA

L

ike the African bush itself, the safari holiday business is stalked by predators who can be mean and unforgiving.

These big cats do the hunting, tracking down, tiring out with a relentless chase and devouring holiday makers who are lost in the long grass, unsure of whether and where to spend a not in-considerable sum, using peer reviews, high end photography and video to sell something which, if not quite fake, is still NOT the real thing.

Most Irish safari-seekers, and a large number of honeymooners, end up in their paws, albeit benign ones, in the safari parks around Cape Town, where the accommodation, plunge pools, spa treatments, fine inota e and sundowners dissuade any sense of having missed out.

Lodge life follows a familiar pattern and comes in three parts. A dawn drive, with the birds singing and the early animals on the move, home for breakfast, a splash in the pool, an after-noon in the sun with the big African sky pumping azure overhead and a climax with the sun-downer, a gin and tonic in a scenic place to watch the sun set, and then a night drive, seeking out evasive eyes in the undergrowth by lamp light.

This is followed by a splendid dinner with fine wine after which comes

An African bush & beach combo Eoghan Corry combines bush & brine in KwaZulu Natal The thril lof the chase on an African game drive, Mavela Lodge, Kawzulu Natal a walk back to the bedroom unit under a blanket of stars, to a welcome bed around which mosquito nets have been hung.

The lodges come with glowing online reviews, but also with managed terrain, electric fences and zones that carefully keep the predators and the herbivores apart (if you have paid €12,000 for a buffalo, the last thing you need is for it to be eaten by a lion on its first day at the office .

They are plush and pricey and a great success at recreating the Eastern Cape environment from 300 years ago. Many of them are stunning places to stay and eat.

But they are safari parks.

Fake Fotas in the sun.

Most of them are on farms that were rewilded with bought-in animals.

The real thing, when we find it, is more exciting, but also more random. Wild animals do not always show up at the right time or in the right place to suit tourist itineraries.

Take your chance.

It is worth it.

T

here are 42 classic game reserves in South Africa, of which ten are national par s, five are re ional parks and 17 are private reserves, as well as

many other wilderness areas and nature reserves.

The biggest is Kruger ational ar , almost exactly the size of Leinster, part of which is in a malaria zone. This does not include nine other national parks suitable for hiking and ex-ploring on foot.

Not all of them are national parks. There are private reserves that mix the herbivores and the carnivores. It is just about picking the authentic safari experience from the farm.

We sampled two lodges, both in the top right hand corner of South Africa, the place you might place a postage

stamp if you were mailing the country to a beloved relative.

We stayed at Mavena, one of seven lodges in the inland Manyoni rivate Game Reserve, three hours from Durban and six hours from Johannesburg, and then at Thonga Beach Lodge on the coast, both in historic KwaZulu Natal province. e ew into ohannesburg, changed to the domestic terminal and on to Richard’s Bay, a tiny airport on a east coast commercial port. From there it was a two hour trek to Manyoni. South Africa’s roads are of a high standard, one of only four countries in sub-Sahel

Clockwise: Sangona consultation, bush sunrise, a typical game drive scene, Indian ocean sunrise, Thonga Beach lodge

Africa where self drive is possible.

The creature comforts of tourism are available even in the remotest regions of South Africa, although I am still waiting to taste Black Lion Shiraz. The lodge system, dependent on low volume and high yield, survived the pandemic, and managed to get up and running again as if nothing happened.

Locals are prone to criticise the infrastructure, particularly electricity shortages.

Load-shedding, when the electricity is turned off in one region to save it for another, is a phrase, ubiquitous here, that you do

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FEBRUARY 2024 PAGE 16

DESTINATION not hear outside the country. The railway system is failing. We passed a 10km line of coal trucks near Richard’s Bay. t, for all its aws, the system works, and tourists do not notice.

A

nd then, arrival.

The dusk arrives quickly and spectacularly in the bush, bringing the orchestra of day to a halt and replacing it with cicada song. The sight of the stars and the Southern Cross in the sky, the peculiar smell of toasted earth, the handsome bush rangers and the warmth of the welcome set the scene that you are somewhere very special, indeed.

Three things to remember for safari drives.

Don’t spend the day looking into an oblong box. No-body is really interested in seeing your photograph of an elephant’s bottom. Cameras are great at family birthdays, but you will never take a photograph or a video that will compete with the wildlife imagery online. Instead let the moment of encounter come on its own terms.

Second, it is a big stage. Let the landscape perform. The animals will do their thing. So will the sky. Some of the most amazing days on safari I have spent has come without a sighting of the signature beasts. At Mavena the vehicle had no overhead cover, which was a rare privilege. “The

Diving with dolphins, Thonga beach lodge African sky is a thing,” one of our group said, “why do so many vehicles cover it up.” Tracks, small animals, sounds, rustles, and the anxious glance of an impala, you are already in the middle of one of the most exciting experiences on earth.

Impalas rule, by the way. You will be told by every bush ranger that they are the McDonalds of the b sh yo find them everywhere, everyone eats them and they even come with a little M on their bum.

Third, birds. They sometimes get forgotten in the lustre for lions.

One of the most amazing real life dramas of the bush I have seen was a secretary bird killing a snake. Some of the best trips are with a bird expert, getting excited about something nobody else has spotted. You will quick-ly get familiar with the cry of the Cape turtle

dove, “work harder, work harder,” although some reprobates say it is actually “drink lager, drink lager.”

F

rom the bush to the brine. The trip to Thonga beach lodge was an hour by road and another hour bouncing over sand dunes. RL Stevenson-like we found that travelling hopefully was as ex-citing as the arrival.

The marine park of iSimangaliso, which translates as “miracle” in Zulu, indeed delivered a mir-acle.

We travelled on Mark Labuschagne’s boat from the lengthy beach on front of Thonga Beach Lodge, playfully dancing on the waves to the discomfort of those who had over indulged the pi-notage the night before, and arrived at the “her be dolphins,” spot.

We could see them

from the boat, passing by, underneath, ignoring Mark’s implorings not to dash from side to side and overbalance his precious boat.

Determined to join the fun, I donned my snorkel and tipped over backwards. I almost landed on top of one. I have seen dolphins previously, swam with them, played with them, and as boattrip experiences go they are up there with the turtles as the most reliable performers. These guys not just invited us into their living room, they just stopped short of serving up tea and prawn sandwiches. A mammy dolphin introduced me to her calf, happy introduction with the sound of the bubbles in my ears and the bright blue halo over their doe eyed faces.

Yes, there was another snorkel on the same boat trip, with a convivial turtle, but those dolphins

are now my friends, the memory in my head, an image that cannot ever be instagrammed be-cause that is why we travel to places in the first place

A

safari holiday is about those big encounters, the tales to tell on return, the images that end up on social media profiles, the encounters that lead to years of exchanges of birthday cards and recipes for tuna steak (and that is just with the dolphin).

Safari is about the little moments too. The evening in Mavena when a frog, as poisonous as he is tiny, crept up the drain of my sink.

The early morning dip in the plunge pool at Thonga Bay, when I found a disoriented red ghost crab at the bottom of the pool trying to escape. I dived, carefully plucked him by the back

Clockwise: Eoghan Corry on bush drive, waiting for the big cat, dophin dive boat, bush sundowner, pool at Mavela Lodge

leg, and carried him back to the beach.

I walked for miles along that beach, hundreds of ghost crabs spilled by each wave, splashing furiously as they scuttled back to the water.

The conversations, late at night, about life and nature and saving some of the most fragile en-vironments on the planet; the unfortunate rhino, so endangered that rangers do not announce on the radio they have found one because poachers might be listening in alongside tourist vehi-cles; tales of the horrors of apartheid and the meaningless battles white conscripts were sent to fi ht in ito Cuanavale and other forgotten meat grinders, memories suppressed by what history is fashionable and what is not.

I have done many safaris to most African countries and each of South Africa’s nine provinces. I will keep coming back for more.

Seeking what? The sky, the starry southern cross that made me shed a single manly tear when first saw it a ain after the pandemic, the big moments and, best of all, those little encoun-ters.

Seeking knowledge.

Like the impala that knows more than the cheetah.

Book today at hertz.ie or through your local travel agent to ensure you get the most out of your holiday.

• Choose from a large selection of vehicles • At 7,700 locations across the Globe • Find your Let's Go moment

Hertz_TF_Jan_24.indd 1

03/01/2024 12:14

FEBRUARY 2024 PAGE 18

DESTINATION EGYPT

Pyramid pull E Inside the great Pyramid, Disney cannot compete with this

T

he visit will take leave you panting and breathless. And that is just the climb to the entrance. It snakes up a path through the damaged stones. Awe for age, admiration for the task and the accumulated years of having waited for this moment takes a little more breath away.

And then the heat, wobbly dizzy dry desert heat.

And the weight of history, which somebody calculated at six million tonnes.

Few sights in the world are as familiar and un-

expected, and sometimes both at the same time.

In the market place nearby someone was selling a tee shirt, “don’t count the days. make the days count.”

If you are looking for Indiana Jones, exit the pyramids and head to the Museum of Egyptian Civi-lisation.

It is as if nothing has changed. This Museum should be in a museum.

It is exactly as a 1920s visitor to Cairo might have expected to find, small notices pinned to the glass and gallery after gallery crammed with

amazing artefacts, any one of which might have had a whole museum built in its honour if it was in America.

Egypt has so much history that the world came to loot it and still left eno h behind to fill o r museums. The rape of Egypt’s treasures would be worthy fo a museum in itself.

The statue of the architect of the pyramids, Hemiunu, was among the trophies that went abroad.

It will be returned from Germany for the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum, de-signed by

Dubliner óisín Heneghan and scheduled to open sometime between October 2023 and February 2024, give or take an aeon, to house 100,000 artifacts and the complete Tutankhamun collection.

It will be worth the wait.

E ■

gypt decided long ago it is two destinations, not

one, with separate tourist board campaigns and very different audiences.

For those who want to stay in Sharm El Sheikh, the original and most prestigious of the beach destinations, the day trip to Cairo on Tuesday is a popular option. Where Cairo is all traffic and crowds. Sharm is calm and mood music.

The pyramids of Cairo or the river cruises to the temples of Luxor could be a different millenni-um from the beach resorts, four and a half of them when you think of it.

Here be guaranteed heat and sun and sprawling five star hotels with vast rooms, spa treatments and waterpark pools.

Because here be tour-

yptair y direct five times wee ly to airo. revio sly there were charter i hts to xor and the ed Sea riviera. ow we have airo direct for the first time. Gettin to the point, or at least the pointy bits, has never been easier. he i ht is five ho rs and 2 min tes and was a little prone to delays in its first year, b t enerally ets off an ho r or so after the scheduled time.

Clockwise: Museum of Egyptian civilisation, camel and author, Museumviewing, dancer on Nile cruise

FEBRUARY 2024 PAGE 19

ists, here be also a terrific modern museum of ancient civilisation, one of the best museums your correspondent has seen, with all the modern play of space and li ht that wo ld do a pharaoh pro d and emi n mi ht have incl ded in the ori inal desi n for the pyramids if he had been forewarned.

I

n Sharm El Sheikh they already have 165 hotels and 54,000 more rooms under constr ction. t it, too, has an ancient past that ref ses to disappear nder the concrete d st.

Last year Sharm hosted the op 2 environmental conference “peace manroves and s stain abil-

DESTINATION ity,” was the slo an on one insta ram spot , a contradictory and at the same time ideal ven e for s ch a sensitive atherin , with ated entry li e a c stoms one and sec rity chec s on each street. t the orthodox ch rch r o annes explained the difference between western and eastern

hristianity in one ma nificent line. “ t the bi debate we were prevented from attendin and some decisions were made with which we disa reed.” t a perf mery a skilled salesman tried to convince s to b y papyr s flower “for concentration and short term memory.”

The itineraries are as pop lar as they are predictable, desert d ne bashin , and the boat exc r sion with a ma nificent dive into the blue watery wonderland 10 meters under the Red Sea. r dive was accompanied by a otilla of boats, bo ncin thro h the s n shimmerin

waves, on the way to an nderwater advent re or a la y coc tail waist deep in the water or sprawled on a sandbank. r boat on the divin trip was named ehab.

Maybe they knew they had travel writers on board.

Sands of time indeed.

Clockwise: cllimbing into the Great Pyramid, jackal meets author, a dive in the Red Sea, Museum of Egyptian civilisation, silent sphinx

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142128 TRAVEL EXTRA-HWS 2024 DPS.indd 1

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HOLIDAY WORLD SHOW EXHIBITORS 2024 3HB Hotels & Resorts K9/J10 4 Star Great Northern Hotel Donegal T2 Air Canada P9 Alabama Tourism Department K5 Alentejo Promotion Office K9/J10 Alicante City Tourist Board L9/M7 Alive Outside Activity Centre Q9 Allingham Arms Hotel U10 Ambassador Cruise Line H13 Amelia Island - Florida H4/H5 An Post S5/T7 ANA - All Nippon Airways J8/K7 Andalucia L9/M7 Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority M4 Alton Towers Resort H2 AP Hotels & Resorts K9/J10 APT Travel Marvel H11 Arabella Jewellery J16 Ascot Travel House J2 Athlone Springs Hotel/So Hotels R1 Attraction Ticket Store J2 Attraction Tickets.com H3 Avra Imperial Hotel Crete Greece P11a Bann River Cruises S11 Barbados Tourism Marketing INC L6 Bela Colina Village - Boavista Golf & Spa K9/J10 Blue Islands Airline M8 Bootcamp Wild Atlantic Way R10 Bradley International Airport J5 Burrendale Hotel Country Club & Spa S14 Butternut Box M13 Calonge i Sant Antoni Tourism Board L8/M6 Camino Groups N13 CaminoWays.com L10 Camping Las Dunas Costa Brava L8/M6 Camping Village de la Guyonniere  Q4 Campings in Girona L8/M6 Campings Region of Valencia L9/M7 Campissimo Campings in France N5/P6 Capital Region USA Washington DC H7 Carlow Tourism T4 Carrickcraft U2 Cassidy Travel Q6/R7 Castel Campsite La Garangeoire N3 Castel Campsite Les Ormes P5 Castlerosse Park Resort T3 Castletroy Park Hotel/SO Hotels R1 Catalan Tourist Board L8/M6 Causeway Coastal Route S10 Central Belfast Apartments R11 Celtic Ross Hotel Q17/R19 Charleville Park Hotel/So Hotels R1 Chessington World of Adventures Resort H2 Click and Go J13 Clix Therapy L14 Colombia M2 Colorado Tourism K4 Compostela Beach Coral Hotel Tenerife P12 Connecticut Office of Tourism J4 Constantinou Bros Hotels L4/M3 Contiki H12 Coral California Tenerife P12 Coral Cotillo Beach Las Palmas P12 Coral Hotels Tenerife P12 Coral La Quinta Park Suites Tenerife P12 Coral Los Alisios Tenerife P12 Coral Los Silos Tenerife P12 Coral Ocean View Tenerife P12 Coral Suites & Spa Tenerife P12 Coral Teide Mar Tenerife P12 Coral Villas La Quinta Tenerife P12 Cork City Attractions Q17/R19 Cork County Council Q17/R19 Cork International Hotel Q17/R19 Cosimac Q18 Costa Brava Tourist Board L8/M6 Costa Calida, Region De Murcia - Spain L9/M7 Creative Tours R11 Croatian National Tourist Board P19 Croga Tours R12 Cronin’s Coaches Q17/R19 Crown Quarter Hotel Wexford T8 Cruiseparadise.ie J12 Cuba Tourist Board L7 Cunard & P&O Ferries J12 Cyprus Deputy Minister of Tourism L4/M3 Dan’s Wee Cottage S14 Deep South USA K5 Dent KM Kusadasi - Turkey N9 Dentist Travel Turkey H8/H9 Denvir’s Coaching Inn S14 Discover Boyne Valley Q1 Discover Kerry U15 Discover New England J4 Discover Newport J4 Dom Pedro Hotels K9/J10 Donegal Bay Waterbus T11 Donegal Hotel Collection T11 Donegal International Airport T11

Donegal Outside Catering T11 Donegal Tourism T11 Dream Holiday Home M12 Dreams Lanzarote Playa Dorada Resort & Spa N11 Dream Yacht Worldwide M9 Dubrovnik and Neretva Tourist Board N15 Dubrovnik Tourist Board P19 e-Travel.ie Cruise Specialist N1 Eala Bhán Restaurant U3/U4 Earth Trip P8 Embassy of Pakistan V4 Embassy of Peru Q5 Embassy of the Republic of Kenya P2 Energy Wipe K13 Enjoyireland.ie U13 Europcar K8 EventtEva P18 Exodus Adventure Travels L2 Experience Tralee U1 Explore St.Louis J6 Extremadura L9/M7 Fitzpatrick Hotel Group J3 Florida Hotel Store J2 Fly Cruise Stay USA M5 Fly Drive USA H7 Follow the Camino J11 Forever Lifestyle S16 Frank Keane Group M14 Freedom Travel Q6/R7 Friuli Venezia Giulia Tourist Board N19 Galicia Tourism Board - Green Spain L9/M7 Genealogical Society Of Ireland U19 Glencolmcille Folk Village T11 Go Visit Inishowen T11 Golden Ireland R4 Gran Canaria Tourism L9/M7 Grapevine Texas K6 Great American West H7 Great Lakes USA J7 Greek National Tourism Organisation N2/P3 H10 Hotels L8/M6 Happy Tours – Druzina Krumpak d.o.o.

N16 Harvey’s Point Country Hotel T11 Hello Fresh R6/17 Hertz Car Hire Outside Hillyard House Hotel S14 Hilton Templepatrick Kingfisher Country Estate R13 Hilton Vilamoura As Cascatas Golf Resort & Spa K9/J10 Holidayexperts.ie M5 Hooked U3/U4 Hostetur Murcia Hospitality Federation L9/M7 Hotel Coral Suites & Spa Tenerife P12 Hoti Hotels K9/J10 Hurtigruten L12 Hysterical Histories Q17/R19 Icelandair L5 Imperial Hotel Cork Q17/R19 Insight Vacations H12 Instep Adventures N10 Interpass Vau Hotel K9/J10 Intishar for Tourist Pathes Nile Cruises J15 IRA Clinic (Hair Transplant) Q14/R15 Irish Ferries N8 Irish Golf Review / Emerald Isle Tours Q3 Irish Seaweed Kitchen U3/U4 Island Of Gozo N6 Irish Travel Agents Association Q6/R7 Jackson’s Hotel Leisure, Conference & Banqueting T11 James Connelly Visitor Centre R11 Japan Airlines GSA J8/K7 Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) J8/K7 JGT’s Expeditions K11 JMG Travel H13 John Galligan Travel K11 Julian Alps Slovenia N16 Jungle NI R12 Keith Prowse Travel Q6/R7 Kentucky Tourism H7 Kinedale Donkeys S14 Kingfisher Country Estate R12 Kingfisher Creek Safari Lodge M1 Kitchen Academics Q15 L’Hippocampe - Haute Provence P4 La Gomera Tourist Board L9/M7 La Sirene Camping Club P4 Lanzarote Tourism N11 Latvia Travel P18 Laura Lynn Foundation U17 LCP Spain M11 Le Bois de Valmarie Camping P4 Le Pin Parasol Camping  Q4 LEGOLAND Florida Resort H2 LEGOLAND Windsor Resort H2 Leitrim Tourism S2 Leptos Calypso Hotels Public L4/M3 Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council R11 Lithuania P21 Living Tours K9/J10 Lloret DE Mar Tourism Board L8/M6

Longford Tourism T1 Lough Neagh Stories R12 Lough Rea Hotel & Spa/So Hotels R1 Loughinsholin Tourism Cluster R12 Louis Hotels L4/M3 Louisiana Office of Tourism K5 Love Lee Weddings T11 Mackin Tours N7a Madeira Promotion Bureau K9/J10 Magic Vacations H2 Magnetic Jewellers U18 Magnetic Mobility T16 Maine Office of Tourism J4 Malawi High Commission M2a Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board M1a Malta Tourism Authority N6 Marina Club Lagos Resort K9/J10 Maryland Office of Tourism H7 Mayo The Adventure Capital S15/T17 McConnell’s Distillery R11 McKeever Hotel Group T11 Medplaya.com P16 Menorca Tourism Board L9/M7 MGM Muthu Hotels K9/J10 Mid & East Antrim Borough Council S10 Midlands Park Hotel T8 Midleton Park Hotel & Spa T9 Michael Collins House Q17/R19 Montana Tourism H7 Monte Santo Resort K9/J10 Mount Wolseley Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort U7 Mourne Mountains & Ring of Gullion S14 MSC Cruises J13 M tours DMC d.o.o N16 My Nova (Dentist) Q14/R15 Mysteries of India P10 N.A.R. UK Ltd J2 National Surf Centre U3/U4 Navan Travel Q6/R7 Nenagh Tourist Office S7 New Gate Ethiopia Tours J9a New Jersey Division of Tourism H6 New York State of Tourism H1 Newbay House T9 North Dakota Department of Tourism H7 Northern Rail Q10 Northwest Adventure Tours U3/U4 Ocean Sands Hotel U3/U4 Office Of Public Works - Heritage Ireland Q8/R9 Oficina de turisme de Begur L8/M6 Oklahoma + Grapevine TX (DFW) K6 OOMI JAPAN J8/K7 Oriel House Hotel Cork T9 Orlando Attractions J2 Passport Services & Consular Directorate Q16/R18 Pedras da Rainha SA K9/J10 Philadelphia CVB H6 PhoneWatch U16 Pine Tree Hollow Glamping S14 Pink Clover U3/U4 Platinum Tailor-Made Luxury H7 Platinum Travel H7 PortAventura World L8/M6 Princess Cruises J14 Puerto del Carmen Turismo N11 Pure Cork Q17/R19 Pure Michigan Tourism H4/H5 Pureada Q14/R15 Puy du Fou France P7 Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa Sligo U3/U4 Raheen Woods Hotel R3 Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority N7 Ready For Road Adventure V4 Riu Hotels & Resorts P15 River Bann Boat Tours R12 Riverside Park Hotel T8 Robles Real Estate L13 Rockhill House T11 Rocky Mountaineer H7 Rory’s Travel Club P11 Roscommon Tourism T10 Roundabout New Zealand M2b Royal National Lifeboat Institution S3 Saint Lucia Tourism Authority M5 Salou Tourist Board L9/M7 Salthill Hotel Galway S6 Savoy Palace H10 Seashore B&B U3/U4 Seatrails U3/U4 Secrets Lanzarote Resort & Spa N11 Senia Campings and Resorts L8/M6 Sense of Ethiopia Tours J9a Sentido Galo Hotels K9/J10 Shanakee Retreats U3/U4 Silver Line Cruisers S1 Silversea Cruises K11 Silversea Expeditions K11 Sirene Holidays  P4 Skellig Holiday Homes U14

Sliabh Liag Experience & Visitor Centre T11 Sliabh Liag Tours T11 Sligo Caravan & Camping U3/U4 Sligo Park Hotel & Leisure Club U3/U4 Sligo Surf Experience U3/U4 SmileBright U9 Slovakia Travel N20/P24 South African Tourism M1 South Dakota Department of Tourism H7 Spain Property Specialists L15 Spanish Tourism Office L9/M7 Spike Island Q17/R19 Splash NI R12 Split & Dalmatia County Tourist Board N15 Station House Hotel Letterkenny T11 Stena Line K10 Sunmed Estates M11 Sunnyseeker Hotels L4/M3 Sunseeker Hotel L4/M3 Sunway Holidays K1/K2 Taiwan Tourism - Taipei Representative Office V3 Talbot Hotel Carlow T9 Talbot Hotel Clonmel T9 Talbot Hotel Stillorgan T9 Talbot Hotel Wexford T9 Talbot Suites at Stonebridge Wexford T9 Tatter Jack’s Tours T11 Tee Times Golf Agency K9/J10 Tennessee Department of Tourist Developement K5 Thanos Hotels Paphos Cyprus L4/M3 THB Bamboo Alcudia Mallorca N14 THB Hotels N14 THB San Fermin Malaga N14 The Briers Country House S14 The Castle Oaks House Hotel R1 The Crolly Distillery T11 The Editory Collection Hotels K9/J10 The Glasshouse Hotel Sligo U3/U4 The Harrison Chambers of Distinction R11 The Inn At Dromoland R2 The Killeshin Hotel/So Hotels R1 The Meadowlands Hotel U1 The Seychelles Tourism Board P8 The Talbot Collection T9 Titanic Belfast R11 Titanic Distillers at Thompson Dock R11 Torroella de Montgri I’estartit Medes Islands L8/M6 Tour America H3 Tourism Authority of Thailand P1 Tourism Northern Ireland S9 Trafalgar H12 Travel Department V2 Travel Oregon H7 Turisme de Palamos L8/M6 Uganda Adventure Safaris J9 Universal Destinations & Experiences H3 Uniworld Boutique River Cruises H12 Valencia Region L9/M7 Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing J4 VIK Hotel San Antonio Lanzarote N11 Villa Vik Hotel Boutique N11 Vipava Valley N16 Virginia H7 Visit Abroad Travels Pvt F2 Visit Antrim and Newtownabbey S13 Visit Ards and North Down R11 Visit Belfast R11 Visit Benidorm L9/M7 Visit Idaho H7 Visit Jersey M8 Visit Kras N16 Visit Lake District, Cumbria Q10 Visit Louth / Sea Louth Q2 Visit Mid Ulster R12 Visit Mississippi K5 Visit Offaly S8 Visit Sligo U3/U4 Visit Utah H7 Visit Waterford U5/U6 Visit Westmeath U8 Visit Algarve K9/J10 Visit Portugal K9/J10 Visit Porto & North of Portugal K9/J10 Visit Valencia L9/M7 Walks and Devour Tours K3 Whiterocks R20 Wildfoot Travel L1 Wildly Adventures Travel J9 Windsor Travel K9/J10 Wood Lab Distillery Symphonia Gin R12 Wyoming Office of Tourism H7 Yelloh! Village Brittany N4 Yelloh! Village L’Ocean Breton N4 Yelloh! Village La Plage N4 Your Wellbeing Warrier U3/U4

Malibu Nolan Camper Supplies Nore Valley Park Camping & Pet Farm O’Meara Camping Ireland Outwell - Charles Camping Pemberton Park & Leisure Homes Rambling Rover Rambling Rover Autoquest Campervan Rambling Rover Swift Edge Campervan Rapido Motorhomes Rimor Motorhomes Swift Motorhomes

Swift S-Pod 6 Escape TCC - Thompson Camper Cars Thompson Leisure Trigano – Charles Camping Vango – Charles Camping VB Airsuspension Wallace Mobile Homes Weinsberg Caravans WildAx Motorhomes

CARAVAN & MOTORHOME EXHIBITORS 2024 AL-KO Kober Assess Ireland Burstner Motorhomes CadX – Charles Camping Camperworld Camping & Caravan Accessories Carado Motorhomes Charles Camping Cookstown Caravans Dolmen Insurance Company Downshire Camping & Caravans Dreamer Campervan

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CM5 CM1 CM14 CM6/7/16 CM13 CM11 CM14 CM6/7/16 CM22 CM8a CM15 CM14

E&P Hydraulics Elddis Motorhomes Elddis Touring Camping Eriba Touring Caravans Flamma – Charles Camping Green Bikes Helinox – Charles Camping Hobby Caravans Hymer Motorhomes Irish Camping and Caravan Club Itineo Motorhomes KM Automotive Products

CM14 CM14 CM14 CM11 CM6/7/16 CM4 CM6/7/16 CM11 CM14 CM9 CM14 CM9

CM14 CM18 CM3 CM12 CM6/7/16 CM17 CM17 CM17 CM17 CM14 CM14 CM14

CM21 CM14 CM14 CM6/7/16 CM6/7/16 CM14 CM21 CM11 CM14

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FEBRUARY 2024 PAGE 22

Holiday World Show

A

Jan 26-28 2024

about choice’ is the theme of the 2024 Holiday World Show Dublin, taking place at the RDS Simmonscourt from 26th to 28th January, is the only show where you can meet over 1,000 travel professionals from 50 countries face to face to plan your dream holiday and take advantage of show-only specials and deals.

There are over 300 direct routes from Dublin and more than 450 direct routes from all of Ireland’s airports in 2024, including 30 new services. The Holiday World Show Dublin is the ideal place to find o t how and when to o and to make your euro work harder for those extra comforts. Long haul options include Colombia (stand M2), India (stand N10), Japan (stand J8/K7), Malaysia (stand M1a), Nepal (stand F2), Pakistan (stand Q5), Sri Lanka (stand J9), Exodus Adventure (various locations, stand L2), Seychelles (stand P8) and Wendy Wu Tours (various locations, stand K1/K2).

So much choice

The choice has never been greater.

There are over 300 direct routes from Dublin and more than 450 direct routes from all of Ireland’s airports in 2024, including 30 new services. The Holiday World Show Dublin is the ideal place to find o t how and when to o and to make your euro work harder for those extra comforts. Long haul options include Colombia (stand M2), India (stand P10), Japan (stand J8/K7), Malaysia (stand M1a), Pakistan (stand V4), Sri Lanka (stand D10), Exodus Adventure (various locations, stand L2), and Seychelles (stand P8).

Mile high smiles

New destinations at the Holiday World Show Dublin in 2024 such as the mile high city, Denver Colorado, to be served direct from blin for the first time in May 2024, loom large on holiday plans for 2024. There are 41 new exhibitors to the show in 2024, including Colorado Tourism (K4), Discover New England (Stand J4), Antigua & Barbuda Tourism (stand M4), Exodus Adventure

Begin the journey Holiday World 2024 takes off at RDS Simmonscourt Travels (stand L2), Hurtigruten cruises (stand L12), Latvia Travel (stan P18), Malaysia Tourism (stand M1a), Puy du Fou France (stand P7), Sense of Ethiopia Tours (stand J9a), Uganda Adventure Safaris (stand J9) and Visit Jersey (stand M8).

Azure deja-vu

Dark January is a good time to be inspired by blue skies, white sand, and azure seas. Antigua & Barbuda Tourism (stand M4) is a new exhibitors at the show, joining Cuba (Stand L7) and our traditional favourites in Spain (L9/M7),

Portugal (stand K9/J10), Italy (stand N19), Greece (stand N2/P3), Malta, (stand N6) and Cyprus (stand L4/M3).

No place like home It is a big year for home holidays with a dozen new hotel openings, a new greenway, and new and rebooted visitor attractions such as Waterford’s museum of the Irish wake, Westport Estate, the oo of ells, irfield o se, oc of Cashel and New Ross’s new Norman Trail, as well as recent upgrades such as the Boyne Valley (stand Q1).

See Antrim (stand S13), Armagh (stand S9), Donegal (stand T11), Down (stand

R11), Fermanagh (stand S9) Kerry (stand U15), Leitrim (stand S2), Longford (stand T1), Louth (stand Q2), Mayo (stand S15/T17), Offaly (stand S8), Roscommon (stand T10), Sligo (stand U3/U4), Tyrone (stand S9), Waterford (stand U5/U6) and Westmeath (stand U8).

Luxury for less

Discover the time to travel to make the most of Ireland’s luxury offerings.

Harvey’s Point Country Hotel (stand T11), The Inn at Dromoland (stand R2), Killeshin Hotel (stand R1), Meadowlands

HAGRID’S MAGICAL CREATURES MOTORBIKE ADVENTURE™

JURASSIC WORLD VELOCICOASTER

THREE EPIC PARKS. SPECTACULAR HOTELS. Your clients can explore three amazing theme parks – Universal Studios Florida, Universal Volcano Bay and Universal Islands of Adventure – while staying close to the action at one of Universal’s spectacular hotels where they’ll receive exclusive theme park benefits & more.

DON’T MISS Jurassic World VelociCoaster Speeding through the jungle, rising high above the terrain. Your clients will board their vehicles for a high-speed dash through the park’s Velociraptor paddock.

They’ll feel the rush of the hunt as they race alongside these nimble predators, twisting and soaring above the land and water.

Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure™ Guests can join Hagrid™ as they fly deep into the Forbidden Forest, beyond the grounds of Hogwarts™ castle, on a thrilling roller coaster ride to discover the rarest magical creatures.

Universal’s Endless Summer Resort - Dockside Inn and Suites Let your customers escape to a place reminiscent of a peaceful sunset on the water, and save with extra affordable standard rooms and spacious 2-bedroom suites that sleep up to six.

ARTIST CONCEPTUAL RENDERING

GET 3 PARKS FOR THE PRICE OF 2*

The 3 Park Explorer Ticket^ offers the best value for money and cannot be bought at the parks entrance.

BE SURE TO BUY BEFORE YOU FLY. CONTACT YOUR PREFERRED TRAVEL PROVIDER FOR MORE INFORMATION. WIZARDING WORLD and all related trademarks, characters, names, and indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights © JKR. *3 Parks for the Price of 2 is valid for admission up to and including 31 December 2024. Terms and conditions apply.

UNIVERSAL’S ENDLESS SUMMER RESORT DOCKSIDE INN AND SUITES

Universal.indd 1

^The Universal Orlando 3 Park Explorer Ticket entitles one (1) guest admission to Universal Studios Florida, Universal Islands of Adventure, Universal Volcano Bay water theme park, and select live entertainment venues of Universal CityWalk on all days during a fourteen (14) consecutive calendar day period which includes the first day any portion of the ticket is used. To receive the full fourteen (14) consecutive calendar days of admission, the ticket must be used by the first use date printed on the ticket. The ticket will expire in full on the expiration date printed on ticket. Unused days shall be forfeited.

Jurassic World franchise TM & © 2023 Universal City Studios LLC and Amblin Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved. © 2023 UCF Hotel Venture V. Minions and all related elements and indicia TM & © 2023 Universal Studios. All rights reserved. UNIVERSAL TM & © Universal Studios. ENDLESS SUMMER registered trademarks, Bruce Brown Films, LLC. All rights reserved. Universal elements and all related indicia TM & © 2023 Universal Studios. All rights reserved.

22/12/2023 12:07

FEBRUARY 2024 PAGE 24

Holiday World Show Hotel (stand U1) The Talbot Collection (stand T9), Great Northern Hotel (stand T2), Glasshouse Hotel (stand U3/U4).

Bright stars and broad stripes

The 2024 Visit USA Pavilion introduces Irish holidaymakers to travel professionals from right across the US and take advantage of fantastic showonly deals. Aer Lingus’s transatlantic schedule is back to pre-pandemic levels with the introduction of a new route to Cleveland, bringing their trans Atlantic offering to 17 routes, and increased capacity on others. Check out the stands on pavilion J-K.

Spanish lullaby

The largest exhibitors at the Holiday World Show, Spain brings 14 exhibitors from different regions. Check out Spain beyond the beach and the country’s 16 national parks. New openings in 2024 include a high-speed train link connecting Murcia and Madrid the highly anticipated Andalucia Flamenco Museum (Stand L9/M7).

Portuguese odyssey

ncreased i ht fre encies to aro indicate our love affair with the Algarve is growing. More Irish people visited The Algarve in 2023 than came from Germany. Do not forget there are six other provinces to visit: Alentejo, Azores, Centro, Lisbon, Madeira and Porto. (Stand K9/J10).

Can-do cruises

Cruise holidays are now stronger than they were pre-pandemic with ten large ship cruise launches in 2024 adding to the choice of programmes through the eastern and Western Mediterranean, the Baltic Sea, Norwegian fjords and Greenland, eastern and western Caribbean, Alaska and new Asian itineraries. See Ambassador Cruise Line (H13), Etravel (N1), Hurtigruten (stand L12), Intishar Nile Cruises (j15), John Galligan Travel (Stand K11), MSC (J13), Silversea Cruises (K11), Sunway (K1/K2).

Jan 26-28 2024

Out of Africa

Ireland’s love affair with the wine and garden routes out of Cape Town knows no bounds, but there is an entire continent to check out with a wide choice of transfer options through London, Amsterdam, Paris, Istanbul and Dubai. See South Africa (M1) Ethiopia (stand J9a), Uganda (stand J9)

Take to the road

Camper vans are the new kings of the road, with purchase and rental options to load the family for that dream journey. Check out Camperworld (stand F11), Camping & Caravan Accessories & Dreamer Campervan: (stand CM13), Rambling Rover: (stand CM17), Swift Motorhomes (stand CM14), Thompson Camper Cars: (stand CM14), Vango Charles Camping: (stand CM6/7/12).

Happy campers

Camping at home and abroad is well represented at the show, collect information from Brittany specialists and campsites further south in Perpignan, the Costa Brava and Valencia in Spain, as well as home holiday camping options and camping and camper suppliers.

Camping Las Dunas Costa Brava: (L8/ M6), Camping Village de la Guyonniere: (stand Q4), Campings in Girona: (stand L8/M6), Campings Region of Valencia: (stand L9/M7), Campissimo Campings: (stand N5/P6), Irish Camping and Caravan Club: (stand CM9), La Sirene Camping Club: (stand P4), Le Bois de Valmarie Camping: (stand P4), Le Pin Parasol Camping. (stand Q4), Nolan Camper Supplies: (stand CM18), Nore Valley Park Camping & Pet Farm: (stand CM3), O’Meara Camping (stand CM10), Outwell - Charles Camping: (stand CM6/7/12), Senia Campings and Resorts: (stand L8/M6), Sligo Caravan & Camping: (stand U3/U4).

Sustainable summers

Holiday World promote responsible and sustainable tourism, and there are specialist exhibitors who will guide holiday makers on their carbon-free and

green itineraries. Green Bikes (stand CM4), Green Spain (stand L9/M7), Hurtigruten (stand L12), Wildfoot Travel (stand L1),

Weddings & Honeymoons

For help planning the big day abroad.

Love Lee Weddings (stand T11) Malta (stand N6)

A seat in the stand

The sports fan has lots to look forward to in 2024, headlined by the Paris Olympics, Friday July 26 to Sunday August 11. Make sure you check out the RER and metro options and getting to and from France. Irish Ferries Stand N8.

Stena Line (Stand K10)

That second home

Wintering out is not just for the swallows. Check out the property options at the show from companies such as Lotspain (stand: M11) and SunMed escapes (stand M11 SS).

Medical and dentistry

Get your teeth into the rapidly expanding topic of procedures abroad and medical tourism (stands H8/H9, N9, and Q14/R15)

The paperwork

Get your head around those fussy travel and visa re irements.

Passport Services & Consular Directorate (Stand Q16/R18)

FEBRUARY 2024 PAGE 25

Holiday World Show

■ Angela Walsh, President of the Irish Travel Agents Association said: As residents of an island state we are adventurers by nature. Travel is an integral part of our history and development as a nation. It is important to our economy. Ireland travels more per head of population than any country in the world. ravel broadens the mind. n a world beset by con ict, we need to eepin sayin it, over and over a ain. t is a lon time since Mar wain wrote that “travel is fatal to pre dice, bi otry, and narrow mindedness, and many of o r people need it sorely on these acco nts. road, wholesome, charitable views of men and thin s cannot be ac ired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” He could have written it last wee . ere at oliday orld, typically, yo can find o t more about Mark Twain’s home town at stand J5.

■ Maureen Ledwith, organiser of the Holiday World Show Dublin said: One of the fascinating things about running our annual show has been watchin it row and evolve over the years. n a di ital a e, when time is short, spendin yo r time wisely is important and yo will not spend time any better than a to r aro nd the stands at the show, ettin answers to the estions that yo r smartphone will not provide and meetin people face to face. Travel professionals who come to exhibit in Dublin say we have the most knowledgeable and enthusiastic people in Europe when it comes to travel. r exhibitors o home happy each year, as we now form the satisfaction ratin in o r en a ement with them as soon as the show closes, and o r c stomers o home happy too, d in by the n mber of holiday boo in s that are enerated specifically beca se of the show.

Jan 26-28 2024

FEBRUARY 2024 PAGE 26

AFLOAT

Meet the world’s R

’

S be launched by Lionel

P

assenger ships do not come any bigger.

Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas is the new biggest cruise ship in the world, supplanting the brief reign of another Royal offering, Wonder of the Seas which has two fewer decks, 12k fewer tonnes and is two and a half metres shorter.

The ship will have a crew of 2,350, and a capacity of 5,610 passengers at double occupancy, or 7,600 passen ers at maxim m capacity. t is five times the size of the Titanic although it will carry three times the number of passengers and crew.

According to Royal, this ship has the tallest waterfall, the tallest water slide, the largest waterpark at sea, and who is going to contradict them?

Fully-occupied carry its 10,000 residents (cruses, it has to be noted, are rarely at maximum capacity) rumbling through the tropics at 22 knots, or 25 miles per ho r and powered by reener li efied nat ral as rather than diesel.

Accommodation is in 2,805 staterooms across 28 cabin categories, 14 new to the brand.

Towering over the bow is the Aquadome, a diving and performance venue under a glass dome on the top of the ship.

Stretching out from the funnel to the back of the ship is an archipelago of swimming pools forming a water park divided into children’s and adult sections. Thrill Island will be the largest waterpark at sea, featuring six different water slides, a change from the front-ofbow locations preferred by previous cruise ship designers. Instead of the typical centralized pool deck, these swimming holes are scattered throughout different areas of the ship.

The cascading mushroom waterfalls and the carefully planned kiddies clubs are designed to keep happy those cruise guests who will still be cruising in sixty years’ time. he ideaway beach cl b feat rin first s spended

infinity pool of any ship. Swim onic offers the largest swim up bar at sea. here are 40 restaurants, bars, and lounges on board, and the main dinin room of three oors feels like an opera house, but just half of the 21 dining venues are complimentary.

Running down the middle is a 400ft shopping mall on dec five, six storeys hi h, which accommodates parades. The two deck “royal promenade” in the centre of the ship is a shiny shopping Street, full of brandname shops, oint eather p b, the relocated Giovanni’s Wine Bar and even a place where passengers can hire evening dress.

This is where, before dinner, everyone gathers.. Royal says there are 15 new and reimagined restaurants, bars and lo n es, and oor to ceilin ocean views, a first for the cruise line, and they have made it easier to get between dec five and dec six or pstairs to central par on deck eight, a green walking zone with 10,000 plants.

T

FEBRUARY 2024 PAGE 27

AFLOAT

LARGEST ever cruise ship

he romenade offers ocean views for the first time. n previo s ships yo mi ht be in iffey alley. ot this one.

When you approach the stern you begin to hear the deep tell-tale rumbling noise as it pumps 34,000 gallons a min te p a broad plastic slope a s rfin machine which prod ces an all day ndoran. he low Rider has been a feature of Royal’s cruise ships for a decade or so. ollowin the theme, an entire nei hbourhood designed for families on the deck below is called Surfside, with a carousel, arcade, and children’s water play area.

S

urely cruises were never supposed to be THIS active, Rising up behind the funnel is a thrill rope climb, 150 feet above the water, with a sports co rt and mini olf co rse. he s mmit is 2 ft above sea level. ld favo rites are still there, the casino on deck four (always deck four), an escape room

on deck six and an arcade on deck seven (extra charge not incl ded in the cr ise . he 2, seat oyal theatre on dec five is larger than many professional theatres headlined by “The Wizard of Oz” and a traditional cruise ship musical variety act. Spotli ht arao e is also on dec five. he M sic all on dec three will feat re cover bands.

Up on deck 15 the AquaDome combines the traditional AquaTheatre of Oasis-class ships with the enclosed Solari m fo nd on ant m class ships.

Headline shows include “Pirates versus Mermaids” and a hi h divin show, “ a ction” avoid the first five rows if yo do not want to et wet .

Absolute Zero beside Playmakers Sports Bar on deck six serves as an ice skating rink and entertainment venue, a step up from the popular Studio B Ice in fo nd on oyal aribbean ships since 1 . he shows are headlined by the fairy tale epic: “Once Upon a ime he in s oyal all.”

Another 50 musicians and comedians can be found thro h the ship. hat incl des new ven es li e o s Jazz ‘n Blues in Central Park and Dueling Pianos in the oyal romenade.

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ad to end with the beginning, the most outstanding feature of the ship does not really do anythin sef l at all. s ests wal aboard con of the Seas, they ll first be drawn to the Pearl, which Royal Caribbean calls an “arrival moment,” a structural feature designed as a dynamic art installation on the Royal Promenade: t will wear its crown st lon eno h to et it wet. oyal aribbean is already sin the same innish shipyard to b ild two more ships of the con class. Star of the Seas is bo nd for the aribbean in st 2 25 and will operate out of Port Canaveral, alternating with con operatin o t of Miami. hat is if they both fit.

FEBRUARY 2024 PAGE 28

NEW CRUISE SHIPS 2024

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ruise lines are seeing high occupancy rates and longer booking curves for 2024. The world’s largest cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean, MSC, Carnival and Norwegian Cruise Line, are entering 2024 with the high levels of occupancy.

Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, MSC Cruises, and Norwegian Cruise Line are bolstering their presence in China, the Far East, and Southeast Asia.

The cruise industry will launch 10 large vessels in 2024 and 14 smaller vessels, with cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean Group, Viking, Princess Cruises, and Cunard all expecting new ships.

2 2 is set to be a si nificant year for new brands and start-ups, with cruise lines like Aroya Cruises, Mitsui Ocean Cruises, and Villa Vie Residences planning to kickstart their operations.

Ships such as Mykonos Magic, Queen of the Oceans, Aegean Majesty, and Majesty of the Oceans offer opportunities for new operators in the warmed secondhand market.

The luxury and premium market is expected to grow, with eight out of the new ships being introduced by premium and luxury brands, including Viking, Explora Journeys, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, and Silversea.

More ships are scheduled to arrive in Asia as the Chinese market reopens for international brands.

Shipshape

MSC World Europa, the largest MSC ship to date

NEW CRUISE SHIPS 2024 Sun Princess (Princess Cruises) 4,000 pax February Sun Princess, expected to launch on February 8, 2 2 , will be the bi est ship in the rincess eet and the first of two all new Sphere class vessels. he ship will feature the Signature Collection, a new level of suite accommodation exclusive to passengers staying in these suites.

The new ship will host a total of 2,157 cabins, including 50 suites and 100 connecting rooms, and provide more outdoor balcony space than other ships in the eet. t will also brin forth the eserve ollection suites, replacing the Club Class accommodation on existing ships.

A standout feature will be Park19, located on the ship’s top decks, offering nine family-friendly activities across decks 19, 20, and 21. Other familycentric offerin s incl de ire y ar for children a ed six months to seven years and Neon Grove and The Underground for tweens and teenagers. rincess r ises has confirmed that S n rincess will have all the line’s signature dining venues alongside new venues inclusion Umai Teppanyaki, The Catch by Rudi, O’Malley’s Irish Pub, and a dining experience called “Love by Britto”.

Entertainment spaces on Sun Princess include The Dome, a multi-level deck with an indoor and outdoor pool area that transforms into an entertainment space at night, and the Princess Arena, a grand theatre offerin col mn free views and confi rable seatin .

As part of Carnival Corporation’s “green cruising” initiative, Sun Princess will incorporate the latest sustainable technology, being one of 11 new ships in the corporate eet powered by li efied nat ral as G . he ship will also be the first b ilt to meet the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design.

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Cunard Queen Anne 3,000 pax May Cunard’s latest fleet addition, Queen Anne, is set to feature a completely redesigned interior by design companies David Collins Studio, Richmond International, and Sybille de Margerie. The ship’s design will draw on Cunard’s 182-year history while offering a modern aesthetic.

Queen Anne will have a Grand Lobby featuring a contemporary metal mural sculpture, a two-deck, 825seat Royal Court Theatre designed after world-class theatres, and fifteen resta rants incl din the main dining room Britannia Restaurant and the Golden Lion.

Michelin-starred chef Michel Roux will be modernizing the menu for the Golden Lion pub and developing a gala night menu for the Queens Grill. The vessel is also set to deb t ranya, nard s first ever Indian restaurant, amongst other specialty restaurants.

Suites on the Queen Anne will have a more contemporary look and feel. Queens Grill suites will feature dedicated dining rooms, walk-in wardrobes, and marble bathrooms. Princess Grill suites will offer bar areas and Britannia balcony rooms will have sofa seating areas.

The ship will feature a new wellness and beauty concept, Mareel Wellness & Beauty. The spa and wellness centre will be located on the top deck, and it’s set to deliver a contemporary, open, and relaxed atmosphere. een nne will brin the nard eet bac to four ships and is set to depart for its maiden voyage on May 3, 2024 from Southampton, visiting La Coruna and Lisbon before returning to Southampton on May 10, 2024 and visiting Belfast on her second trip. The ship’s maiden season voyages will include trips to the Mediterranean, Scandinavia, the Canary Islands, and the Norwegian Fjords.

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Silversea Silver Ray 728 pax May Silversea’s second Nova Class ship, Silver Ray, set to launch in summer, will feature eco-friendly features, an innovative “horizontal” design, and all-balcony cabins with butler service. Its 728 passengers will enjoy the highest space-to-guest ratio in the Silversea eet.

Silver Ray’s design utilizes extensive amounts of glass, including sea-facing elevators with glass walls, and a pool located on the side of the ship for unobstructed views. The ship’s “horizontal” plan, a first for Silversea, sit ates staterooms across the len th of the ship.

The ship comprises cabins located across four decks, available in 13 categories, all with verandas and walk-in closets. The largest staterooms are the pair of Otium Suites, offering a 270-degree view and meas rin a total of 1, 2 s are feet.

Eight dining options will be available to passengers, including the signature S.A.L.T. Kitchen with destination-inspired menus, the Grill, Spaccanapoli pizzeria, Asian-fusion restaurant Kaiseki, and French dining venue La Dame. The ship will also harbor bars and lounges, including the open-air Dusk Bar and the culturally-themed Arts Cafe.

Using new sustainable technology, Silver Ray aims to be entirely emission-free while in port by using fuel cells and batteries. The ship will also employ eco friendly li efied nat ral as G as its main f el and achieve a si nificant overall red ction in greenhouse gas emissions.

Silver Ray’s maiden voyage is planned for June 27, 2024, lasting 11 nights from Civitavecchia (Rome) to Fusina (Venice) before continuing its inaugural season in the Mediterranean. By December 2024, the ship will reposition to Fort Lauderdale before spending the spring 2025 season in South America.

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FEBRUARY 2024 PAGE 29

NEW CRUISE SHIPS 2024

Silver Ray Keel laying ceremony Royal Caribbean Utopia of the Seas 5,668 pax July Utopia of the Seas will be the sixth giant cruise ship in Royal Caribbean International’s Oasis Class and its first ship in its class powered by environmentally friendly i efied at ral Gas G. The ship was floated out at the Chantiers de l tlanti e shipyard in Saint a aire, rance in September. he process of movin the ship involved fillin the ship s dry doc with over million allons of water.

Utopia of the Seas will incl de over 2 dinin options incl din a brand new, nnamed ven e em latin a train o rney. ther eateries onboard will showcase Royal Caribbean’s staple Asian restaurant mi, Giovanni s talian itchen ine ar, he Mason ar So thern esta rant ar, ind ammer, oo ed Seafood, and hops Grille. he ship will feat re five pools that ran e from pbeat to low ey, oyal aribbean s si nat re slide Ultimate byss and vario s other attractions incl din the low ider s rf sim lator, a nes mini olf and Utopia layscape. he ship will feat re 2 types of accommodations s itable for three, fo r, five, or more passen ers. his incl des oyal oft S ite and Ultimate amily S ite, alon side the introd ction of a new cate ory named Solari m S ites.

Shippin o t of ort anaveral rlando for its maiden voya e in ly 2 2 , Utopia of the Seas will foc s on short etaway itineraries, offerin both ni ht wee end voya es and ni ht wee day trips incl din stops at oyal aribbean s private island in the ahamas, erfect ay at oco ay.

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Disney Treasure 4,000 pax December isney reas re, the sixth vessel in isney r ise ine s rowin eet, is la nchin as a sister ship to isney ish and an nnamed third vessel, all part of the ish class vessels. his , passen er ship is set to be b ilt at Meyer erft shipyard in Germany and will be powered by li efied nat ral as.

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he ship s desi n will revolve aro nd the theme of advent re, feat rin references to the movies “ oco,” “ ootopia,” and several isney theme par attractions. he ship will also have a new laddin inspired Grand all, with bron e stat es of laddin, rincess asmine, and the animated Ma ic arpet.

The ship’s AquaMouse attraction returns with a new Mic ey and Minnie themed advent re story on the top dec . here will also be a iet ove ad lts only area with its own infinity pool, poolside bar, and cafe. new interactive dinin experience, la a de oco, will be introd ced onboard isney reas re, offerin a modern Mexican resta rant with performances involvin characters from “ oco.” ther dinin options will incl de “ orld of Marvel” and “1 2 ,” payin homa e to classic alt isney animation. isney reas re will offer rooms with the si nat re split bath concept. mon the 1,25 cabins onboard, 51 rooms will have connectin doors for lar e family ro ps. he ship will also feat re fo r oyal s ites themed aro nd lar e cats from isney animated films and a omorrow ower S ite in the ship s f nnel styled after alt isney s center. isney reas re will embar on its maiden voya e on ecember 21, 2 2 , with a seven ni ht astern aribbean sailin from ort anaveral. e lar itineraries will incl de trips to the astern and estern aribbean, potentially feat rin isney s new private ahamian island, i htho se oint.

Virgin Brilliant Lady 2,700 pax (2023 launch delayed) rilliant ady s fares will incl de several complimentary amenities li e a basic bevera e pac a e, i i, rat ities, and si nat re fitness classes s ch as yo a, meditation, and cyclin to fit the brand s “ itamin Sea” wellness philosophy.

Upholdin ir in oya es non traditional cr isin approach, rilliant ady will li ely feat re a wide ran e of dinin options, bypassin standard b ffet and main dinin room set ps, with abo t 2 dinin ven es expected to be available.

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The ship is expected to follow the layout of its sister ships with 1, cabins, the ma ority offerin ocean views and aro nd feat rin balconies. Solo traveler cabins and Me a oc Star s ites with retro f rnishin s also.

TUI Mein Schiff Relax 4,000 pax December Mein Schiff elax is the ei hth vessel in the Mein Schiff eet and offers relaxation facilities on its 1 passen er dec s. ot only does it phold proven feat res, b t it also s rprises with n mero s pop lar new additions, foc sin on providin more freedom. his raises comfort experiences to a new level. he modern ocean liner feat res eco friendly G prop lsion, a land power connection, and a fast and stable Starlin nternet connection.

The outdoor area of Mein Schiff Relax features n mero s s n lo n ers and other comfortable seatin options. he dec s comfort one comes e ipped with partic larly soft oorin , perfect for fitness exercises. dditionally, active ests can en a e in vario s sports offers or o on the oatin trac on the pool dec . he half shade roof is a special hi hli ht, which invites yo to lin er with its play of li ht and shadow. n addition, there is a 25 meter lon o tdoor pool for refreshin dips and whirlpools for soothin relaxation. or yo n er passen ers, there is a ids cl b in the ids area. ndoor areas incl de the tea lo n e, enero s spa area “S Meer” with new and varied wellness experiences incl din heated benches, an ice fo ntain, herb, infrared and salt sa nas, foot baths, and a steam bath. iet room and vario s massa e offerin s are also available. amilies accommodations offer extra space and m ltiple sleepin options.

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FEBRUARY 2024 PAGE 30

THE FLYING COLUMN RYANAIR carried 181.8m passengers in 2023, 19.1pc ahead of pre-pandemic. Ryanair is now the largest airline in Europe when measured in passen er traffic by a mar in of nearly m (ahead of the Lufthansa group, which is in danger of being caught by Air-France/KLM for second place), and the third largest in the world.

AER LINGUS After ending their codeshare with United, Aer Lingus has announced an expansion of its codeshare agreement with American Airlines, allowing customers to book more transatlantic i hts thro h both airlines websites. The expanded agreement now includes i hts between blin hiladelphia and Dublin-Chicago (ORD), providing customers with increased travel options and flexibility on European-transatlantic routes. Aer Lingus passengers are still entitled to use the United lounge in San Francisco.

JETBLUE The partnership between Aer Lingus and Jetblue remains unchanged following the announcement of Jetblue’s daily service connecting Boston and New York JFK with Dublin next summer. Aer Lingus says it has a strong partnership with Jet Blue and that will continue. They co-locate with them in Boston in terminal C, codeshare on and connect to each other s i hts. he two airlines now se different terminals at JFK, where Aer Lingus are now in terminal 9 and Jetblue in terminal 5.

SUNEXPRESS will operate daily i hts from blin to mir and three times weekly to Antalya in summer 2024. This is an increase from summer 2023, when the airline operated w mir and 2w ntalya. he airline will operate through winter 2013-24 with two short breaks in November and February, weekly i hts to mir and ntalya.

RYANAIR expects to be short by up to 10 aircraft for the peak summer season due to production line delays at Seattle, leading to a revised passenger forecast of 200m instead of 2 5m for the comin financial year Michael O’Leary reported receiving only 11 of 27 Boeing MAX 8200 aircraft by Christmas, with doubts he will receive more than 50 of the 57 due by end of April.

SPUR Dublin airport could be required to link to the national rail network “immediately” under proposed European legislation Provisional agreement on more sustainable and resilient transEuropean transport network to brings Europe closer together will require Dublin airport to be linked to the main Dublin-Belfast rail line.

According to the revised TEN-T will mandatory targets, major airports, dealing with more than 12m passengers annually, will have to be connected by long-distance rail, a major step towards improving connectivity and accessibility for passengers and strengthening the competitiveness of rail vis-avis domestic i hts. rish ail plans for an m sp r line from lon riffin to blin irport were discussed a decade ago but had fallen off the agenda.

HUSHABY: WILLIE WALSH ON THE QUEST FOR QUIETER FLYING

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illie Wlaqsh says the aviation Community was “stunned in 2022 when the Dutch government decided to c t ann al i hts at Amsterdam Schipol airport by 12pc it wanted to reduce noise impact on the local community but in doing so it ignored the globally agreed balanced approach which manages aircraft noise issues fortunately the government backed down at least temporarily in the face of strong opposition from Key Trade Partners including the United States as well as the European commission The importance of the balanced approach this process is enshrined in many legal Frameworks including the Chicago convention European law and the historic us EU Open Skies agreement its aim is to manage aircraft noise while protectin the benefits of viation t consists of fo r steps firstly noise should be managed at source which means developing and deploying quieter engines and air frames and in fact aircraft have become 75pc quieter over the last 60 years.

Secondly land use planning should limit the growth of populations affected by noise, proving residencies could also be an option.

Thirdly,, operational measures should be explored such as continuous descent approaches which reduce noise.

Only if these steps fail to

ATC Last year was frustrating

for many airlines because of issues outside of their control so we contin e to see a lot of air traffic control disruption principally in the US and to a lesser degree in Europe we had a lot of supply chain issues which has si nificantly impacted the capacity that Airlines would have wanted to have put into the mar et so the traffic rowth d rin the year saw demand slightly outstripping the capacity it was it was broadly at b t thin we would have seen more capacity coming into the market had these supply chain issues not impacted

DUBLIN I think there are some airports struggling with some issues Dublin Airport has a a challenge but that their challenge is a passenger cap which is down to surface Road access to the airport

Willie Walsh speaking at the IATA congress in Istanbul achieve the noise reduction target can operation restrictions such as limitin the n mber of i hts be used.

With the balanced approach the industry’s track record on noise is solid importantly this demonstrates that improvements in noise can be achieved witho t sacrificin the jobs and economic activity that aviation generates and on which local communities. if the government was serious that this was about noise there were a lot of things they could have do before taking the extreme measure of reducing the slots and I think it was on that basis that we

succeeded in demonstrating that they hadn t f lfilled their lead le al obligations to follow the process of the balanced approach process that we’ve outlined there It is so disappointing to see what happened I’m pleased that the government has backed down I’m hopeful that there will be a better understanding of the process that needs to be followed and that you know we won’t see other governments embarrassing themselves by reaching for solutions that they think will be pop lar b t yo now fail to f lfill the obligations the legal obligations that they have.

it’s not a noise issue it’s interpreted by some as being noise it’s not it’s a the Restriction is on surface access to the airport and that’s why there was a planning cap on the number of passengers at Dublin Airport which the airport Authority is addressing at the moment.

control system Nats had a very very poor performance by Nats in 20123 we demand a better performance from them in 2024 but I’m not seeing any evidence of a clear understanding on their part of the need to address the issues that led to the failures that we witnessed in 2023

SLOTS Slot allocation is a very complex issue that isn’t fully understood by a lot of people. It really is a very fine integrated system that needs to be carefully address because one airport undoing the slot allocation rules can have a global impact

GENDER On gender diversity IATA welcomed our first female chair of the Board of Governors this year . We see increasing female participation in senior ranks in the industry.

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IATA MEMBERSHIP

we ve seen si nificant increase in member Airlines which is always a positive and a good mix of business models joining the association as well you know I think many people have traditionally looked at us as the representative body for the traditional a carriers and networ carriers we have now a si nificant number of low cost Airlines who are members and indeed many others are in discussions with us.

FEBRUARY 2024 PAGE 31

THE FLYING COLUMN DUBLIN airport is planning a ground transportation hub as part of the next instrstructre development. “As part of the upgrades to the GTC, it is proposed to provide sheltered walkways to the concourse (comprising a canopy and end screen); a screen and services zone (with bus and flight information); improved facilities, including seating areas, ticket vending facilities, retail and WCs. The provision of these services will bring Dublin Airport’s bussing area in line with other airports around the world and represent a si nificant p rade of the existin facilities.”

Airport operators DAA have applied to expand the airport to 40m passengers.

NEW ROUTES FROM IRELAND 2024

Towards net zero

Willie Walsh speaking at the IATA congress

Making aviation greener

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ustainable Aviation Fuel production accounts for 0.2pc of global jet fuel use by the aviation industry, according the Glasnevin born director general of aviation body IATA. SAF accounted for 3pc of all renewable fuels produced, with the remaining 97pc allocated to other sectors. Production reached over 600 litres (0.5Mt) in 2023.

Mr Wakes expected SAF production to triple by2024,, accounting for 0.53pc of aviation’s fuel needs and 6pc of renewable fuel capacity.

The Third Conference on Aviation Alternative Fuels (CAAF/3) hosted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) agreed on a global framework to promote SAF production worldwide. The aim is to make aviation fuel 5pc less carbon-intensive by 2030 and to create a global SAF market.

COP28, held on December 13, resulted in an agreement calling on nations to transition away from fossil fuels. This agreement presents an opportunity for the advancement of renewable fuels, including SAF. The aviation industry has set a target of net zero by 2050: Several airlines, including Virgin Atlantic, Emirates, and Gulfstream Aerospace, have successfully cond cted i hts sin 1 pc S .

Various projects and partnerships, such as Project Speedbird (involving Nova Pangaea Technologies, LanzaJet, and British Airways) and Air France-KLM’s cooperation with SAF producer DG Fuels, aim to increase SAF production and supply.

Rolls-Royce has completed compatibility testing of 100pc SAF on all its civil aero engines.

Companies like Boeing, Zero Petroleum, and Macquarie Asset

Management are investing in SAF testing, analyzing next-generation technologies, and supporting SAF growth.

Infinium and Breakthrough Energy Catalyst are investing $75 in nfini m s ro ect oadr nner, the largest Power-to-Liquids (PtL) eFuels project in North America.

Airlines in the Asia Pacific region, such as Korean Air, AAPA, Singapore Airlines, and Scoot, have set targets and partnerships to increase SAF utilization.

Japan Airlines has signed agreements for joint studies on hydro en powered i hts.

Various airports and ground handlers, including Swissport, Menzies Aviation, Munich Airport, Heathrow Airport, RTHA, and Changi Airport Group, have implemented sustainable practices or launched initiatives related to SAF and carbon offsetting.

BELFAST CITY Alicante Easyjet (May 2) Palma Easyjet (June 24) 30 routes, 6 seasonal

BELFAST INTER Antalya Tui (June 21) Bodrum Jet2 (May 6) nfidha asy et pril 2 nfidha i May 2 Funchal Jet2 (November 2) Larnaca Easyjet (May 2) Larnaca Tui (May 16) Malta Jet2 (March 28) Malta Ryanair (April 2) Southwind Antalya (April 2) 102 routes, 57 seasonal

CORK

Charleroi Ryanair (March 31) Lyon Aer Lingus (Dec 23) Rhodes Ryanair (June 1) Venice Ryanair (Mar 31, replaces Treviso) Zadar Ryanair (June 3) 53 routes 25 seasonal

DERRY

Birmingham Ryanair (April 3) Faro British Airways (May 20) Palma de Mallorca Air Nostrum (June 27) 6 routes, 2 seasonal

DUBLIN

Boston Jetblue (March 14) Catania Aer Lingus (May 1) Dalaman Aer Lingus (May 6) Denver Aer Lingus (May 17) Halifax WestJet (June 19) Heraklion Aer Lingus (May 2) Minneapolis Delta (May 4) Minneapolis Aer Lingus (Apr 29) New York JFK Jetblue (March 14) Toronto Pearson WestJet (March 1) 305 routes, 105 seasonal

KERRY

9 routes, 2 seasonal

KNOCK

18 routes, 7 seasonal

SHANNON

New York JFK Delta (May 23) 37 routes, 17 seasonal

FEBRUARY 2024 PAGE 32

DESTINATION IRELAND

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Rail to Trail

o many questions as you set out on your journey. Nobody doubts that turning a disused railway track into a cycle way is a good idea.

But there are challenges. How interesting can it be? And what does 40km of separated cycleway offer for the casual cyclist? Limerick Greenway route is not the Great Western greenway or its Waterford counterpart.

Limerick Greenway’s history has a lot of stories and, like the steam trains that pied their way along it for 83 years, a few steam clouds of its own.

Getting local land-owners to agree on the route was a troublesome task. Not everyone had signed up even as it opened. Parts of the route are still being developed.

The towns it links are not tourist destinations in the classic sense, and when I stood on the roadside where the cycle trail intersects at Barnagh viewing point, I could count the cars en route to the beach, children’s noses pressed against the window wondering who the strange person in the cycle helmet could be.

I had come from another universe, which is what Greenways are supposed to be.

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imerick Greenway is the newest of Ireland’s six greenways. It currently

Eoghan Corry visits ’ The Barnagh tunnel, Limerick Greenway, The enchanted tunnel is the highlight of the rouote. runs from Rathkeale to Listowel with plans to expend it to Limerick city and is separated. There is a spur at Barnagh which was the focus of the visit.

The journey is slow, both for the project and the cyclist. The original railway was opened in 1880. Like many of the newly lamented rail network from Ireland of 100 years ago, it was a relief pro ect and never filled its commercial potential.

In popular culture, the famous “ghost train to Croke Park” (so named because it left so early in the morning) is the subject of much mythologising and balladry. But the

towns it was supposed to bring prosperity to have done better out of 20th century roads than 19th century railways, so the track became neglected and overgrown. Much more importantly it was unloved. his being creative reland at its finest, along the way there was poetry. Two fine pieces of en ineerin were left behind, the Barnagh tunnel and the Templeglantine stone bridges.

Bringing them back to the Ireland of the Instagrams makes the entire project worth it.

I started from Rathkeale on a sparkling hot

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day, sent on my way by a hearty breakfast in Leen’s Hotel. The railway station is a distance from the main street, and is half way through a renovation that gives it a hobbit feel.

The path is better surfaced than most of our rural roads. The signage is reassuring, and when you come to a junction the gates are designed to prevent a free run into the path of an unsuspecting tractor rather than, as in some other greenway, designed to obstruct a tricycle or pram.

The villages are quite distant, unusually for a disused railway track, usually a 500m walk or

so, which gives a bypass feel to the trip, the feeling of not have the journey punctuated. nother wayside discovery, flat is good. Mountains are beautiful, but not if yo are not as fit as you think you are and mounted on a bicycle.

When a gentle hill put pressure on my calves, (yes this is dairy country), resolved to oin the at earth society. Limerick greenway has no hills, unless you take the spur to Branagh.

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Ireland’s narrow and overcrowded roads are an anachronism. An 18 foot carriageway was not de-

signed for cyclists, tractors, cars and tour buses.

We could not get rid of the narrow bit of our 5,630km (3,500 miles) of railway fast enough be-cause lack of pace equated with lack of progress. Steam trains do not li e t rn con icts or, in-deed, kissing gates, so it was the time for Knocknagoshel to arise and take its place among the nations of the earth.

We have never needed our disused railways more.

So many questions, and so much time to think about them.

Clockwise: Scenes from the greenway, Eoghan Corry and Lisa Ruttle of Limerick Tourism, Barnagh, the Limwerick Greenway hub, May 30 2023.

FEBRUARY 2024 PAGE 33

DESTINATION IRELAND

Cloc ise Oli e Sheehan of Leen’s hotel ith Carol Lar in and Mairead White from an Sio a Milsean, A eyfeale May he sho furniture as translated from an old s eetsho near y com lete ith eriod decorations and isuit and s eet tins from another age , Chic en Maryland, aouthern fried chic en reast ith fruit fritters and grilled acon, ser ed ith a Ca un mayonnaise di , French fries and colesla , house s ecial at Leen’s hotel A ey eale, A eyfeale rail ay station on the Listo el to Limeric rail lline, no Limeric reen ay, the tunnel and the ie from arnagh

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BOYNE GREENWAY Located in County Meath and push

started with a cycleway in 2014, the Boyne Greenway is under development and will stretch for 50 kilometers alongside the River Boyne. This greenway provides a mix of natural beauty, historical landmarks, and cultural sites. You can explore the Boyne Valley, visit iconic historical sites such as the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Brú na Bóinne, and take in stunning views of the river and surrounding landscape.

ROYAL CANAL GREENWAY Opened in March 2021

and stretching 130 kilometers across the midlands of Ireland, the Royal Canal Greenway runs from Dublin to Longford and offers a mix of picturesque landscapes, historic sites, and interesting landmarks. The route passes through quaint villages, rolling countryside, and peaceful canalside settings

WATERFORD GREENWAY Hugely successful since its opening in 2017, this 46-kilometer greenway follows the former railway line from Waterford City to Dungarvan. It passes through stunning coastal scenery, lush farmland, and even the atmospheric Ballyvoyle Tunnel. Along the way, you’ll have opportunities to discover historical landmarks, enjoy local food, and appreciate ma nificent views of the coastline.

GREAT WESTERN GREENWAY Original of the

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N THE

species opened in 2011 in County Mayo, this is the longest off-road cycling and walking trail in Ireland, stretching 42 kilometers from Westport to Achill Island. The route takes you through picturesque countryside, coastal paths, and charming villages, offering breathtaking vistas of Clew Bay and the Nephin Beg mountains.

GREAT SOUTHERN GREENWAY LIMERICK

Opened in October 2022, this greenway covers 39 kilometers, running from Rathkeale and eventually to the edge of Limerick City. It follows the old Limerick to Tralee railway line, offering peaceful countryside vistas, charming bridges, viaducts and village stops, with a spur to Barnagh viewpoint. via Barnagh tunnel. Along the way, you can discover ancient ruins and enjoy the tranquility of rural Ireland.

GRAND CANAL GREENWAY A still incomplete greenway, largely consisting of grassy towpaths, it will stretch for approximately 117 kilometers, running from Adamstown in County Dublin to Shannon Harbour in County Offaly. Kilbeggan stretch opened in February 2022.

SOUTH EAST GREENWAY, the seventh greenway, of which 6km of the 24km opened last July.

FEBRUARY 2024 PAGE 34

DESTINATION IRELAND

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t was the best of holidays and the worst of holidays.

For me, it was a dream, seeing the river in its pristine beauty, in a way that is impossible from the road or the riverbank.

Making a river home is an unexpected connection with the great out-doors.

If tourists are scarce in the midlands, it is because we make the mistake of conveying them there by road.

For Orla my fiancé, (now wife), it was carnage, with farmland ooded on each ban , and the loneliness of being so close to nature from which only a farmer’s daughter can find a downside.

The surly cattle, gazing at us, up their knees in water, brought back bad memories.

This river is untameable and keeps reminding us so. The canals and most of the rivers of Eu-rope are in strait jackets compared with the Shannon. The riverscape dances under the chang-ing light of every hour of every day.

The water shimmers in all direction, not quite as far as the eye can see, but for hundreds of metres at a time.

You cannot drop anchor and take a plunge often enough. in the refreshing and sacred river, named in the romantic literature for Sinannn the granddaughter of Lir. When the navigation path looks narrow, it is tempting to try to poke the bow of your cruiser

Cloc

ise

Broad Majestic Shannon

’ Clonmacnois mooring be-yond the navigation poles. The half-drowned farming fences suggest this would be unwise.

Every day is an adventure. When the wind caught our river cruiser and I had to arm wrestle the steering wheel I felt like a Viking raider, or one of Brian Boru’s navy ships in the Annals of Innisfallen or the Cogad Gaeil, playing a game of current, wind and weather that belongs more properly to the skill set of pre-vious generations.

For Orla, this was

another loss of control, compared with being presented with your key card and slippers at check in and the prosecco in the lounge.

I thought, with every day it would get better, and for me, it did.

For her, it never got better than tolerable.

■

I

t is all about perspective.

Let’s talk about perspective, that thing that turns travel from function into experience.

When you hire a boat to cruiser the River Shannon, at some point on the trip, you round a corner and you see

beautiful Clonmacnoise just as the ancients saw it, from the river.

There are few sights to match it. Like almost everything that happens on our longest and most famous river, the best bits are denied to land lubbers.

That is how people

travelled, reflected and philosophised for 10,000 years or so.

Just because someone built a road a century or so ago does not change the emphasis. It is just that we need to be reminded.

And reminded we are. Hiring a boat means seeing the Shannon from

Silver Line Cruisers a family-based business based in Banagher, County Offaly recently celebrated 5 years in the b siness. hey offer a l x rio s, new eet of boats for every si e catered for – from 2 up to 12 berths. All of the boats have their own galley Kitchen fully fitted o t, and showers, inside seatin and o tside s n dec area. r eet are caref lly chosen for their ease in manoeuvrability, cosy interior living spaces in contemporary hues. https://silverlinecruisers.com t +353 (0)57 915 1112 info@silverlinecruisers.com

arates of the anagherean, oarsman at Coosan oint, osing at Clonmacnois nun’s church, Coosan oint

FEBRUARY 2024 PAGE 35

DESTINATION IRELAND the inside, rather than the outside. It takes a little time to measure the rhythms and patterns of the river, its currents and cross winds, the bits where the river stops and oodland be ins, where the lappin waters sweep by, and when to take the thrill of ridin them.

The secrets of the Shannon do not reveal themselves all at once.

They take time. And we have lots of it. he late, reat Shane MacGowan will supply all the ima ery yo need So, I walked as day was dawning Where small birds sang and leaves were falling Where we once watched the rowboats landing On the broad majestic Shannon

T

here are parts of Ireland that just cannot be appreciated from the shore, and all alon the Shannon you will find many of them.

Athlone, the heart of Ireland, ss lordly as it is strate ic, with a weir on one side of the river and the lock to which you m st ide yo r boat, fi htin a ainst a cross wind. Dine at Thyme Res-taurant and stop at Sean’s Bar, reputedly oldest in Ireland, to help yo r navi ation s ills.

Glasson is about an hour’s cruise from thlone, villa e of the roses and a reat place to berth.

The lock in Athlone ana her fantastic brid e with a fast owin river, reat for tryin your skills as soon as you have rented the boat and check out Flynn’s bar and restaurant if you have time.

Shannon Harbour. lace to stop, overni ht, if possible, to walk and see the shabby rande r where the Grand Canal links with the Shannon, it was sed in the film li ht of the Doves. Luker’s and Fallon’s Bars are places to help spill the water. o h ee place to take to the open waters, let the wind blow thro h your hair and pretend you are Johnny Depp, Hodson Bay on one side and Ray yrne s ineport od e on the other, where you can enjoy a luxury treatment at the hotel’s la eside spa and ind l e the fine dinin . Ma e s re

to pre boo and confirm.

Meelic cr isin so th from ana her where the Little Brosna River enters the Shannon and three provinces meet, one of the oldest and the most beautiful locks to watch as it fills. eadin f rther so th yo pass thro h Portumna, about 3 hours cr isin from ana her, and then erry lass onto o h er . o co ld

spend three or fo r ni hts visitin all of the villa es on the lake.

Home is downstairs st below the steerin bay, with the coo in facilities and the beds and a place to read, the sound of the water lappin outside.

A

word from my wife. She disliked the trip.

She was alarmed that

someone would steer a 15-ton boat down a mi hty river after a short safety video. She feared the boat would topple over. Every cross current put the heart across her.

In truth, she doesn’t really li e bein on the water. I reassured her it would not be as bad as she anticipated.

Most of all she was alarmed by the reat river spillin into perfectly

ood farmland on either side. er randfather, li e all ood farmers, sed to watch the reports on RTE in black and white and mourn the devastation. i e all that eneration he talked about the Shannon draina e that never happened.

Now when he sees ooded rivers, she thin s of her randfather.

It is all about perspective.

SAMPLE ITINERARY

■

ay ne ic p yo r boat from Silver ine r isers at ana her Marina and after yo r instruction, head off towards the picture postcard villa e of Shannonbrid e. Moor p and en oy a wal across the river to the Shannonbrid e ortifications. ontin e yo r o rney towards Athlone Lock and towards Clonmacnoise. Cruise towards the town of Athlone and visit Sean’s Bar for a pint.

■

ay wo avi ate yo r way to the so thern shores of o h ee, head for some advent re at lar est in atable waterpar aysports, located at the odson ay otel, or visit ineport od e. ay hree eis rely power sail bac to ana her Marina with a stop over at thlone.

■

■

ay o r rea fast on board, head so th at yo r leisure to return your Silver Line Cruisers vessel.

Clockwise: Shannonbridge, the Grand canal,Clonmacnois form the river, mooring point, breakfast on board.

FEBRUARY 2024 PAGE 36

CHECKLIST DUPES: LESS CROWDED ALTERNATIVES FOR A QUIETER ESCAPE MONTENEGRO instead of Croatia: Experience stunning coastlines, charming towns, and beautiful landscapes without the crowds of tourists found in neighbouring Croatia.

atmosphere, providing a refreshing alternative to bustling Barcelona.

AZORES Islands instead of the Canary Islands: Discover the natural

TALLINN instead of Prague: Delve into the medieval charm of Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, with its well-preserved Old Town, cobblestone streets, and fairytale-like atmosphere.

BELGRADE instead of Prague: Explore the vibrant capital of Serbia with its rich history, lively nightlife, and cultural attractions, offering a unique alternative to the popular tourist destination of Prague.

COLMAR instead of Paris: Explore the enchanting town of Colmar

beauty of these Portuguese islands, with lush green landscapes, volcanic lakes, and picturesque coastal towns.

TROMSO instead of Reykjavik: Venture to the northern city of Tromso

in Norway, known for its breathtaking Arctic landscapes, the Northern Lights, and a range of outdoor activities.

PLOVDIV instead of Athens: Visit the ancient city of Plovdiv in

Bulgaria, which boasts well-preserved Roman ruins, a charming Old Town, and a lively arts and cultural scene.

LJUBJANA instead of Venice: Experience the charm of Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana, with its beautiful architecture, vibrant street cafes, and picturesque bridges, offering a quieter alternative to crowded Venice.

PORTO instead of Barcelona: Explore the vibrant city of Porto in

Portugal, known for its historic architecture, Port wine cellars, and a laid-back

WHERE TO GET YOUR AIRPORT BUS AirBus T1 zone 2 & T2, zone 20 Airport Hopper Bus Park Zone 16 Ardcavan Bus Park Zone 14 Bus Eireann Bus Park Zone 13 Citylink Bus Park Zone 10 & 11 Dublin Bus Bus Park Zone 15 & 16 Dublin Express T1 Zone 1 & T2 Zone 21 Eireagle Bus Park Zone 10 & 11 Expressway Bus Park Zones 12 and 13 Flightlink Bus Park Zone 12 Go-Ahead Ireland Bus Park Zone 15 GoBe Bus Park Zone 14 GoBus Bus Park Zone 10 & 11 Goldline Express Zone 10 John McGinley Bus Park Zone 16 Kavanagh Bus Park Zone 14 Translink Bus Park Zone 13.

Wexford Bus Park Zone 14

TRENDS 2024: SET-JETTING Thailand inspired by “The White Lotus” season 3.

■ Romania inspired by “Wednesday” season 2.

■ Malta inspired by the new “Gladiator 2” film.

■ Paris inspired by “Emily in Paris” season 4.

■ Scottish Highlands inspired by the remaining seasons of “Outlander.”

■ London, Bath and Windsor, inspired by the new season of “Bridgerton” and “The Crown” season 6.

■ Korea inspired by “Squid Game” season 2.

■ Florida Keys & Bahamas inspired by the new Apple TV show “Bad Monkey.”

■ Kununurra inspired by both Baz Luhrmann’s “Faraway Downs” ■ Melrose Park, Sydney inspired by the.Mad Max prequel “Furiosa.”

■ Greece inspired by new spy action thriller “Argylle.”

■

RIGA instead of Amsterdam: Visit the capital of Latvia, Riga, and discover its beautiful art nouveau architecture, vibrant nightlife, and rich cultural heritage, providing an alternative to the crowded streets of Amsterdam in France’s Alsace region, known for its colourful half-timbered houses, picturesque canals, and charming atmosphere, offering a more relaxed alternative to the bustling streets of Paris.

PAROS instead of Santorini: Paros, one of the Greek Cyclades islands, offers a more laid-back and relaxed experience compared to the popular tourist destination of Santorini. Enjoy beautiful sandy beaches, picturesque villages with whitewashed buildings, and delicious Greek cuisine. Paros also provides opportunities for water sports, hiking, and exploring ancient ruins.

CURACAO instead of St. Martin: Curaçao, located in the Caribbean

Sea, is a vibrant and diverse island with stunning beaches, colourful colonial architecture, and a rich cultural heritage. Explore the capital city of Willemstad with its UNESCO World Heritage site, enjoy shopping and dining in charming neighbourhoods, and indulge in snorkeling or diving in the crystal-clear waters.

ASTRONOMICAL EVENTS NOT TO MISS IN 2024 MARCH Hequinox (March 20, 2024): While not a stargazing event, the equinox can create ideal conditions for auroras due to Earth’s axis being neither tilted toward nor away from the sun.

TOTAL solar eclipse (April 8, 2024): A rare

spectacle where the sun’s corona is visible during darkness in the day. This eclipse will be visible in parts of northern Mexico, 15 U.S. states, and five Cana-dian provinces.

COMET Pons-Brooks (April 21, 2024): The

volcanic comet will be visible using binoculars in March and April, reaching its brightest on April 21.

ETA AQUARID meteor shower (May 6, 2024): This meteor shower, caused by debris from Halley’s comet, will provide 10 to 20 “shooting stars” per hour under moonless night skies.

PERSEID meteor shower (Aug. 12/13,

2024): One of the most famous meteor showers, the

Perse-ids will be visible without moon interference, showing bright meteors and offering great views of the Milky Way.

SATURN at opposition (Sept. 8, 2024):

Saturn will be at its brightest and best, making it an excel-lent time to observe the planet, particularly with a small telescope to view its rings.

COMET Tsuchinshan-ATLAS (Oct. 13,

2024): This recently discovered comet will likely be at its brightest on this date,

HUNTER’S Supermoon (Oct. 17, 2024): The closest full moon to Earth will create a supersize moon, re-sulting in higher tides JUPITER at opposition (Dec. 7, 2024):

Jupiter will shine its brightest and its disk will be fully illuminated by the sun. This is an excellent time to observe the gas giant, its Great Red Spot, and its four large moons.

NEW PLACES TO EAT AT THE AIRPORT

20 new and improved bars, cafes and restaurants for passengers. will mean there are now a total of 42 different outlets available across the two terminals

T2: Butler’s Coffee (expanded)

Fitzgerald’s Restaurant and Bar (new, landside) Roasted Notes Speciality Coffee (new, landside instead of Café Nero) Supermac’s and Papa John’s restaurant (new, landside) The Mezz (opened summer 2023)

T1: Arthur Guinness Bar (new)

Bluebird Coffee Roasters and Wine Bar (new, iinstead fo Starbucks) Burger King Butler’s Chocolate Cafe

Cantina (new) Cuan Cafe and Bar (new, 200 gates instead of Leopold) Insomnia Coffee Insomnia Coffee (new, landside) Italian restaurant (new) Jump Juice (100 gates) Korean street food (new) Lilian’s Restaurant and Bar (new, 300 gates) Nomad (revamped) Pret A Manger Pret A Manger (new) Street Kitchen Supermac’s & Papa John’s Thai street food (new)

FEBRUARY 2024 PAGE 37

FACES & PLACES

Out and about with the Travel Trade

Caitriona Toner of Jetblue, Travel Centres conference

onne O’Donohue and Des Manning, tra el agency of the year winners, Worldchoice conference

Edward and Rory Gujiness speaking at the Diageo retirement function for Paul Carty,

da McCorry of Slversea Amanda Middler and Lyn nway, Worldchoice Su with Eileen Penrose of conference

Michael Bowe of Michae Brendan Barry of Discov l Bowe Travel and er Travel, Travel Centres conference

Mhurchu 21-23, John ISCF Chairs - Maire ni , Jacinta Doolan O’Connell , , eter Do ney

Paul Manning of Hertz and Angela Walsh at the Worldchoice conferenc e

Eimer Hannon, Paul Hackett and Sarah Slatetry, DFA Consular Forum

Martin Gallagher, Angela Walsh, Clare Mulcahy of the IAA and Eoghan Corry speakers at the DFA consular forum.

,

Matt O Connor GM of Mullingar Park Hotel and Nicky Logue GM of the Intercontinental Hotel, Diageo retirement function for Paul Carty

Sarah Fowler, Will Sarson and Vicky Billing at the Riviera Travel event in Dublin

Bernie and Dominic Bu rke of Travel Centres at the annual conference of the Irish Travel Agent Association in Antalya s

ce

en McKinney, Worldchoi

Alan Sparling and Olw conference

Clare Dunne CEO of the Crowley of Lee Travel ITAA with Dympna , Travel Centres conference

by Rowe and Erica Ogles Alana Byrne, Suzanne ference con of MSC, Worldchoice

Maura Fahy and Joe Tu lly, Worldchoice conference

of Tourism ireland and at Alice Mansergh CEO gus, W M nction onne Muldoon of Aer LIn don the Irish embassy in Lon

FEBRUARY 2024 PAGE 38

FACES & PLACES

n lus Centre and Eogha Sr Rita Minehan of So ber 22 vem No M AG rism Tou Corry, Kildare

Niall Gibbons of NEOM and Eoghan Corry, World Travel Market

supplier award from Val Murphyaccepts the hoice conference rldc Carol Anne O’Neill Wo

Kgomotso Ramothea of Eoghan Corry, Nombule South Africa Tourism, Tourism. World Travel lo Guliwe of South Africa Market

veiri and Yvonne Mary Denton, Carlos Oli conference ce hoi rldc Wo hue O’Dono

Dave Smith and Noel Sh conference 20-23 in the aughnessy Worldchoice Radisson Blu Little Island, Cork

Out and about with the Travel Trade

Jeanette Taylor of Blue Insurance and Jackie Sheehan of Frosch at the annual conference of the Irish Travel Agents Association in Antalya

Julie Magill and Peter Mc Solutions with Paulette Minn of Travel MO of Business Exhibitions, ran and Maria Sinnott World Travel Market

Onur Gul and Bugra Erarslan of Turkish Airlines at the annual conference of the Irish Travel Agents Association in Antalya

and Clare Dunne CEO Angela Walsh of Frosch conference of the Irish ual of the ITAA at the ann on in Antalya Travel Agents Associati

Matt O Connor GM of Mullingar Park Hotel and Nicky Logue GM of the INtercontinental Hotel, Diageo retirement function for Paul Carty

Keelan O’Mahony of Jam Houishan of J&K Coach eson Distillery, Damian Louise O’Mahoney of es, Laura Tangney and Killarney Jaunting Cars, Travel Market World

Annette Hynes of Fahy Travel receives the crusie star award from Amanda Middler and Jennifer Callister, Worldchoice conference

Con Horgan and Olena Tsyhanok at the annual conference of the Irish Travel Agents Association in Antalya

John McKibben of Vrbo and Eoghan Corry

of Failte ISCF, Fergal O’Leary Maire Ni Murchu of the AirBnB and Viktorija Molnar Ireland, Derek Nolan ofF conference of the EHHA at the ISC

Denyse Campbell Pre sid photgoraphed with Pa ent of the IHF is ul function for Paul Carty, Carty, Diageo retirement

lata, ALice Mansergh Stephen McNally of Da and John McGinley of d, CEO of Tourism Irelan ction for Paul Carty fun Tourism NI retirement

MAKE THE CHOICE.

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CORK

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5 InterContinental Hotel

76 South Mall, T12 A2YT

Simmonscourt Rd, Dublin, D04 A9K8

VISITOR PROFILE

PROMOTION OF THE SHOW

Travel Agent Proprietors, Managers, Frontline Travel Professional and Media

A comprehensive promotional programme will ensure a high turnout of Travel Agent Proprietors, Managers, Frontline Travel Professionals and Media.

ORGANISERS

CONTACTS

The Irish Travel Trade Show is organised on behalf of The Irish Travel Agents Association by Business Exhibitions Limited 59 Rathfarnham Road Terenure Dublin D6W AK70

Maureen Ledwith - Sales Director t: +353 (0)1 291 3700 • e: maureen@bizex.ie Paulette Moran - Sales Manager t: +353 (0)1 291 3702 • e: paulette@bizex.ie Angela O’Rourke - Business Development Manager t: +353 (0)1 291 3705 • e: angela@bizex.ie

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