Travel Bulletin 28th June 2013

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June 28 2013 | ISSUE NO 1,832 | www.travelbulletin.co.uk

Latin America Record number of Brits visit Brazil ahead of mega events

this week

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news shifting attitudes to cruise pave the way for agent opportunities

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training the latest online updates, new campaigns & roadshow events

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mediterranean islands operators unveil new deals to offer clients this summer

seat-only a round-up of new flight schedules and services

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Experience TOBAGO, the

100% Holidays

TRUE CARIBBEAN

Spectacular BEACHES and CRYSTAL CLEAR WATERS Fabulous SNORKELLING and SCUBA DIVING CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF and FISHING

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* Seven night package based on 2 adults sharing at Turtle Beach by Rex Resorts, room only departing Gatwick during September ‘13.

Prices include return flights, accommodation, transfers and taxes and are correct at time of going to press (13/06/13).

Offers and prices quoted apply to new bookings only and are subject to availability.

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Reservations & Admin 0871 423 8518 Brochure requests: www.trade-gate.co.uk

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Natural WATERFALLS and the oldest PROTECTED RAINFOREST TRAI

Cosmos holds an Air Travel Organiser’s Licence (ATOL) which is granted by the Civil Aviation Authority.

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HANGING OUT IN HANGZHOU...Several tour operators recently returned from a fam visit to Hangzhou, where they were given the opportunity to experience a variety of leisure activities. The group spent time on the city’s famed West Lake and later explored Xixi Wetlands National Park - China’s first and only wetlands park. Pictured are, from the left: (back row) Simon Lynch, Abercrombie & Kent; Keira Welsted, Kuoni; Ian Wilkinson, Cathay Pacific; James Innes Williams, Cox & Kings; David Massey, Destinology; and Andrei Kashkin, Regent Holidays; with (front row) Julie Barker, Carrier; Vanessa Kyriacou, CTS Horizon; Karen Luard and Ziva Werber, Hotline Marketing.

Cover Pictures: Main - Visit Brazil, Fernando de Noronha

Inset - Hotel Son Antem, Iberostar

This Week 3

news

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notes from normanton

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agent bulletin

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puzzle bulletin

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hotel bulletin

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staff review

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training

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mediterranean islands

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seat-only

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latin america

shifting attitudes to cruise pave the way for agent opportunities Sandy's keen on Jetset’s ‘Call to Action’ idea for agents CMV invites agents to celebrate July 4 on a minicruise for £25 play Su Doku for your chance to win a £50 M&S voucher research reveals Brits spend average of ten nights in hotels this summer Jill Sayles reviews a night at the Pullman London St Pancras the latest online updates, new campaigns & roadshow events operators unveil new deals to offer your clients this summer a round-up of new flight schedules and services

record number of Brits visit Brazil ahead of mega events

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New research suggests attitudes to cruise show significant opportunities for agents FIGURES RECENTLY released by Amadeus show that there are opportunities ahead for travel agents to capitalise on UK travellers’ appetites for cruise holidays, with many being tempted by far-flung destinations and the thought of exploring the world. The representative survey of more than 2,000 UK adults was conducted by YouGov on behalf of Amadeus UK and Ireland.

It revealed that opportunities for agents look significant in 2013 and beyond, with 8% of UK adults reporting that that they may book a cruise holiday in the next 12 months.

The Caribbean is at the top of the list of dream destinations; asked where they would most like to go on a cruise holiday from a given list, if money were no object, just over a fifth (21%) chose the Caribbean; 15% the South Pacific and Australia; and 11% the Mediterranean.

However, there are further indications that travellers could be tempted to swap their land-based holiday for one at sea. A third of people (32%) would be tempted to go on a cruise holiday if they were of lower or comparable cost to an all-inclusive holiday.

The survey also indicated a desire amongst UK adults to wake up in a new place almost every day, with 29% selecting this as something that would tempt them to choose a cruise - something agents can capitalise on as almost uniquely the domain of cruise holidays.

However, the research also revealed that price is a key issue, with four in ten (40%) people surveyed saying that they perceive cruises as expensive, and this puts them off going on a cruise holiday. Additional costs, such as drinks and tips for staff, were also of concern to some.

Other key findings included nearly half of people (46%) think that a cruise holiday is most suited to older people aged 65+; 29% think that cruise holidays are most suited to couples without children; and 6% think they are most suited to a family with children.

Respondents were also largely realistic when it comes to how much a cruise holiday costs: 29% of people would expect to pay more than £1,000 and up to £1,500 per person for a seven-night cruise to the Caribbean, while 38% think that a Mediterranean cruise costs more than £500 and up to £1,000.

The company's director of marketing Rob Sinclair-Barnes said: “These findings should make for very pleasing reading for the UK’s travel agents and cruise providers, as they show there are enormous opportunities to sell cruises in 2013 and beyond.

“However, there are still plenty of opportunities for cruise providers and sellers to communicate the various offerings more effectively: there’s still a perception that cruise holidays are for the older traveller, and that they’re expensive – despite sustained efforts by the industry to broaden its appeal to a younger clientele, where value for money is a key criteria.

“That’s where we see huge value in providing smarter technology, such as the new Amadeus Cruise Shop. It has been designed to help cruise sellers clearly communicate about what is available and tailor the shopping experience based on the diverse needs of individual travellers.”

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newsbulletin Tweets of the Week Who’s saying what on Twitter... @visitlondon Don't have Wimbledon tickets? There's plenty of other places to watch all the tennis action in London http://ow.ly/m8xd4 @GoToSouthAfrica The Sardine Run in KwaZulu-Natal is a must.

See millions of them and their predators in these warmer waters. http://tinyurl.com/ jwk8ahm @ABTAtravel Proud to launch the industry's first Global Welfare Guidance for Animals in Tourism.

Available now to all Members: http://bit.ly/13Sv46g

Blue Training for travel agents AGENTS ARE being invited to complete the newly updated interactive, online Blue Train training module on Ethos Marketing (the company's UK office) website and bag themselves a prize. The course includes seven short modules including key selling points and tips on how to ensure any enquiries get converted to sales, plus a multiple choice quiz which gives agents the chance to win some goodies.

For details and for a link and password email info@ethosmarketing.co.uk or call 01403-243619.

IN SPRING 2014 Busch Gardens Tampa is taking guests’ experiences to new heights with Falcon’s Fury, a drop tower that has been designed to mimic the dive speeds of the Falcon. The new attraction will stand at 335ft and take riders plunging 60mph straight down. At the ride’s highest point, riders will pivot 90 degrees in midair to a face-down dive position before plunging at 3.5 Gs straight down.

For details see www.seaworldparksagents.co.uk

Minions take over kids' suites at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel

@sebcoe Calling #volunteers to a one-off celebration July 19 Olympic Park. Keep the spirit of London 2012 alive http://bit.ly/10Lc0H7 @joininuk

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

GUESTS CAN experience the world of Despicable Me in newly-renovated, filminspired kids’ suites debuting this autumn at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando. The two-room suites are now available for reservations, for stays beginning October 1, and feature missile beds in the kids room complete with Minion-inspired bedding and touches of Gru’s laboratory. The adults’ room features a king-sized bed in the hotel’s newly-renovated Italian luxury design. An added feature for parents is a single entry door into the suite where the kids’ side of the suite does not have a door opening into the hallway.

On-site, hotel guests receive exclusive benefits, including early park admission and

The new suites at Loews Portofino Hotel

free Universal Express Unlimited ride access which lets them skip the regular lines on most rides and attractions in Universal Studios and Universal’s Islands of Adventure.

See www.universalorlando.co.uk/hotels/ for more information.

ABTA updates travel insurance guidance following rise in uninsured holidaymakers ABTA IS repeating its call to Government to review regulations around the sale of travel insurance and is encouraging its members to review guidance on travel insurance, after research showed that the number of holidaymakers travelling uninsured is on the rise. The association's research shows that in one year alone, the number of holidaymakers travelling uninsured has increased from one in five (20%) in 2011 to one in four (25%) in 2012.

In a new survey conducted among members, the FSA’s decision in 2007 to regulate the sale of travel insurance was described by respondents as ‘ill advised’, ‘flimsy’ and ‘draconian’. The survey also highlighted the view that travel professionals are often best placed to advise on the sale of insurance as they

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have an understanding of the customer and what the holiday will include, for example whether adventure sports cover is required. Many members also expressed concern that the public is not sufficiently aware of the limitations of the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) and insurance schemes offered by banks and credit cards.

To encourage more consumers to take out travel insurance, ABTA is also launching a new consumer campaign in partnership with the Foreign Office. Part of the on-going ‘Know Before You Go’ initiative, the campaign will explain why travel insurance is necessary and will include new research looking at attitudes to travel insurance and public understanding of the implications of travelling without it.

The association's chief executive Mark Tanzer said: “The concern ABTA and many of our members have is that the regulations are too burdensome, which means fewer travel businesses are selling insurance, and ultimately that means fewer holidaymakers are taking out the appropriate insurance. The Government must do all that it can to make it easy for people to buy the right type of cover for their needs and that starts by cutting red tape; we will continue to make our members’ views clear to Government. In the meantime, it is very important that members familiarise themselves with their rights and responsibilities in informing customers about travel insurance.”

For more information visit www.abta.com/travelinsurance

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newsbulletin Wood Norton unveils al fresco dining and garden area following £325K revamp WORCESTERSHIRE’S THE Wood Norton, has unveiled its new al fresco dining and garden area.

The hotel gardens have been transformed over the last few months, providing views of the Malverns, while creating a location for guests to enjoy afternoon tea, drinks and food.

The ‘alfresco and garden’ project cost £325k and, to mark its launch, the hotel is offering a special promotional deal, where guests can opt for Champagne afternoon tea for two for £25, rather than the usual £46.

For more information call 01386-765611, email sales@thewoodnorton.com or visit www.thewoodnorton.com

Haven unveils Little Cubs club for tots HAVEN HAS created a special programme of activities and tailored the early part of its evening entertainment programme for tots to have fun while the big kids are still at school.

Little Cubs is designed for kids aged four and under and offers daily activities including seaside games, arts and crafts and parachute games. For youngsters that want to try something new, there is also sporting fun with mini fencing, mini tennis, mini archery and water confidence sessions.

Guests can have some family fun with character hunts and outdoor activities, designed to get them out and about and get creative. Tots will be entertained by Punch and Judy shows in the afternoon and an early evening tot’s disco including a character appearance with a story or a pop concert.

The company has also designed a healthy pick ‘n’ mix menu for the children, from which they can select the usual favourites such as a roast dinner or chicken nuggets with beans or peas.

A three-night break at Wild Duck, Norfolk costs from £169 per family. It is based on up to six people sharing a superior two-bedroom caravan and includes access to all kids’ clubs, family entertainment and a number of free sports activities.

For more information see www.bourneleisuresales.co.uk or call 0871-230 1919.

Little Cubs Haven

Archaeology breaks from Peter Sommer PETER SOMMER Travels is offering archaeology holidays in Turkey on a new gulet cruise for families this summer.

The tour, which cruises Western Lycia, explores the coastline on a gulet. Activities include adventures ashore, as well as snorkelling, kayaking and swimming.

Archaeologist, Heinrich Hall, will unlock ancient mysteries with stories, descriptions and an interactive approach which will inspire all ages.

A family tour costs from £2,195 per adult and £2,080 per child (ages six-12) based on two sharing. It includes seven nights’ full-board accommodation, transfers, all entrance fees and expert guiding, and departs on July 20. Flights are extra.

For details call 01600-888220 or see www.petersommer.com

New ticketing solution from Travelport & Rail Europe aims to ease agents’ workload TRAVELPORT AND Rail Europe have launched a new technological solution enabling travel agents to print train tickets on value paper (watermarked paper), in A4 format. With the new enhanced ticketing solution, Travelport-connected travel agencies in the UK no longer

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require specific bespoke printers as all rail tickets and passes (other than Eurostar group tickets) can now be printed on value paper with standard laserjet desktop printers.

For more information see www.travelport.com

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CLIA UK & Ireland has announced its line up of business experts for the association’s Columbus Day conference in Liverpool on September 19. Michael Bayley, president & CEO of Celebrity Cruises, is keynote speaker and will be joined by Steve Odell, president Europe & Asia Pacific for Silversea Cruises. Bringing a different business perspective are entrepreneurs Jo Malone and Mike Southon, while group managing director of Mail Newspapers, Guy Zitter, will also join the line up.

For details see www.cruiseexperts.org SKI FRANCE has announced the signing of a new Ski In Ski Out three-star ‘Chalet Hotel’ in Alpe d’Huez. Not previously featured by a UK tour operator, the ‘Chalet Hotel Le Christina’ has been signed for a three-year period, ready for the winter 2013/14 season. It sleeps 61 guests and features a menu of spa and massage treatments. Packages commence on December 14 through to April 12, departing on charter flights from Gatwick or Manchester to Grenoble, inclusive of transfers and 20kg hold luggage, with prices from £429 per person.

For details see www.skifrance.co.uk CENTER PARCS has revealed the designs for its new Subtropical Swimming Paradise, which will be housed in the new Woburn Forest village when it opens in spring 2014. The new addition will offer families a variety of pool and water experiences.

ENTERPRISE RENT-A-CAR has announced plans to open more than 50 of its 370-location branch network for seven days a week.

KUONI HAS announced it is to open four new concessions in John Lewis shops, at the department store’s sites in Brent Cross, Aberdeen, Welwyn and Leicester.

GRJ issues Cruising by Rail brochure GREAT RAIL Journeys has launched its new ‘Cruising By Rail 2013/14’ brochure, featuring eight new river and ocean cruising holidays by rail from a total of 34 tours.

The holidays, which combine rail travel with a cruising experience, have various departure dates between November 2013 and November 2014 and the overall lead in price is £528 per person for a six-day Rhineland Christmas Markets Cruise.

As examples of other prices, a 13-day Rome, Sorrento & Sicily Cruise tour leads in at £2,948 per person. It explores Rome, before sailing for seven nights on the Royal Clipper Tall Ship along Italy’s western coastline to Sicily, visiting the Pontine Islands, Sorrento, Amalfi, Taorimina and the volcanic Aeolian Islands.

A 12-day Venice & the Dalmatian Coast option explores Venice followed by a seven-night cruise on the Royal Clipper Tall Ship across the Adriatic to explore the cities along the Dalmatian Coastline, including Kotor in Montenegro, Dubrovnik, Hvar and Rovinj in Croatia, plus the Slovenian town of Piran. Prices lead in at £2,995 per person.

Meanwhile, an Elbe Cruise along the River Elbe on MS Sanssouci includes highlights such as Prague, Wittenberg and Berlin, with prices leading in at £1,775 per person.

For further details call 01904-521980 or see www.greatrail.com

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TICKET TREAT...Superbreak recently treated agents to a night out at Billy Elliot in the West End. Pictured ready to enjoy the show are, from the left: Wendy Cameron, Superbreak; Lisa Robinson, Fred Olsen Travel in Colchester; Kelly Giblin, Superbreak; and Claire Bradford, Fred Olsen Travel, Colchester.

Fred. Olsen boosts commission FRED. OLSEN Cruise Lines has increased travel agents’ commission levels on its specially-reduced ‘best buy’ cruise fares, known as ‘Anchor Fares’. Commission on all new Anchor Fares is now 10% and commission on existing Anchor Fares have been changed to 10%.

The line will also be increasing the level of commission that travel agents receive through customers booking on its ships to 10%, with effect from July 1, through the automatic referral initiative implemented by the cruise line last year.

The company's sales and marketing director Nathan Philpot said: “These changes to commission levels are aimed at making our travel trade partners more profitable through promoting and selling Fred. Olsen cruises.

“The number of late bookings has more than doubled in the last year, and we are aware that this has had a significant impact on agents’ earnings, with more bookings being made at lower commission rates and with lower yields. To help to redress the balance, we will be supporting our travel trade partners by moving all our special offers to 10% commission.”

The company is also keen for agents to encourage customers to book their next cruise on its ships, with the introduction of new benefits such as funding a 5% discount on all agent bookings for future cruises made on board (excluding selected Anchor Fares); a free one category cabin upgrade on suite accommodation (excludes selected cruises); a ‘Deposit Instalment Scheme’ on board, enabling guests to ‘book now and decide later’; and bookings made on board are automatically transferred back to the agent, securing customer loyalty for the agent and cruise line.

For further information see www.fredolsencruises.com

Early Booking Bonanza launch from Titan TITAN HAS launched a second edition of its Early Booking Bonanza brochure, offering clients discounts and early booking incentives on a range of worldwide escorted holidays for 2014 and 2015.

Discounts range from £50 to £500 on 77 featured tours, as well as hundreds of reduced or no single supplement places when booked by July 31.

As examples, a ten-day Wonders of China tour, encompassing all of the major highlights, costs from £1,895 per person, offering a saving of up to £150, while an 11-day Russia’s Royal Riverways itinerary, which travels from St Petersburg to Moscow, costs £1,395 per person, offering a saving up to £200 per person.

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newsbulletin Warner Leisure Hotels welcomes Jason Donovan this November WARNER LEISURE Hotels’ Nidd Hall Hotel in Harrogate will play host to Jason Donovan this November.

The former Neighbours star, who played Scott Robinson and went on to have pop chart success selling more than 13million records, has appeared in numerous best-selling musicals, including ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat’, ‘The Rocky Horror Show’, ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’, ‘Priscilla Queen of the Desert’ and ‘ Sound of Music’.

Prices for a three-night break at the property, including a performance by Jason Donovan, start from £349 per person for a November 1 arrival, based on two adults sharing a standard room.

For more information see www.bourneleisuresales.co. uk or call 0808-141 111.

Jason Donovan

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Middle East re-launch & 15% commission from Bedbank AGENTS CAN earn 15% commission from new Middle East properties on the current Bedbank site, as the company makes its final preparation for a trade re-launch.

New properties available on the site include Holiday Inn, Dead Sea, Moevenpick, Petra and Marriott, Amman, starting from £37 per person, per night, including breakfast.

The new site, which features product enhancements including property expansions, faster searches and a booking engine with new API feeds, is due to be unveiled at the end of this month.

Agents can log on to www.bedbank.com

Voyages to Antiquity expands destinations in 2014 brochure VOYAGES TO Antiquity has announced the launch of its summer 2014 Mediterranean and Black Sea programme.

The 17 voyages from March through to November will continue to focus on the key historical and cultural centres while maintaining the company’s philosophy of providing enrichment cruising; connecting guests with the history, art and cultures of the classical civilizations of the Mediterranean.

Key highlights of the programme include a new Spring Grand Voyage which sails from Athens to Istanbul via Egypt on a 28-day cruise; four sailings to the Black Sea region, including

the line's first cruise combining the Greek Islands and the Black Sea; a renewed focus on Istanbul and Athens and the surrounding region; and new ports of call for 2014.

Brochure prices lead in at £2,295 per person for a 13-day cruise-tour, including scheduled flights.

Guests can save up to £1,200 per cabin when booking by September 30 and also benefit from a flight upgrade to Club Europe if reserving categories A to D. Several itineraries also feature a single supplement of 15%.

For details visit www.voyagestoantiquity.com or call 0845-437 9737.

Leger Holidays announces new Moscow & St. Petersburg Tour LEGER HOLIDAYS has launched an eight-day tour, Moscow & St. Petersburg by air and rail, which departs in September and leads in at £1,045.

It includes seven nights’ half-board accommodation, flights (from Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester), all airport taxes and excursions.

During the trip, guests will visit Moscow to take in its sculptures, architecture and historical culture. They will also be invited to spend time absorbing the atmosphere in the infamous Red Square, home to the colourful, onion-domed St. Basil’s Cathedral and the slightly eerie Mausoleum, which houses Lenin’s embalmed body.

An included guided sightseeing tour ensures a comprehensive viewing of all the popular tourist attractions, including the metro system, decorated with chandeliers, ornate mosaics and fine marble. Optional excursions to the Moscow Kremlin and Armoury are also available to those wanting to delve a little deeper in the city.

Following two days in Moscow, a scenic journey on the high speed Sapsan train will transfer travellers to St. Petersburg for the next four nights. Here, a guided sightseeing tour and dedicated leisure time unveils the famous landmarks, history and culture of the city.

Before leaving St. Petersburg to return to Moscow, guests will take in the sights of the Hermitage Museum and the imperial palace of Petrodvorets which offers 2,400-acre landscaped gardens, grand architecture and Baroque interiors.

For more information visit www.leger.co.uk or call 0844-324 9256.

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newsbulletin Hebridean Islands Cruises offers 10% off new 2014 itineraries

Notes from . . . n o t n a m r o N ELL YOU something I have discovered when I am on my computer at home, which helps when you are doing a lot of typing etc., I got fed up of the hard table to lean on so I have put a long beanbag (the type you use on the back of your neck) just in front of the keyboard and I rest my arms or elbows on it. It is far more soothing and soft than the hard desk/table.

I must say I do like Jetset’s Call to Action for agents - what a brilliant and helpful idea if you book a flight and then have to cancel or change same day - you can do so without any charges, would be nice if everyone did that!

Spent a couple of days helping Tony Mann at Idle Travel near Bradford (it’s next to Morrisons so a good location). It was so buzzy and what a lovely atmosphere to work in - very busy almost non-stop with customers coming in and booking which was good – thank you to Julie, Sara and Helen for looking after me. I did quite a few Jet2 bookings and all from Leeds Bradford Airport which of course is the nearest airport and certainly everyone’s favourite choice. Jet2, could we have a proper section on the website please to be able to put requests in – it would save us having to ring up and it would ease your phones as well.

The Yorkshire Travel Ball on the 18th July has just about sold out - only got 3 or 4 tickets left. I’m getting really excited and especially looking forward to the new venue, The Village Hotel, and it is coming up so fast. Might just have time to fit a quick week in at my favourite Kaissa Apartments in Crete beforehand – can’t wait.

‘If you focus on results, you will never change. If you focus on change you will get results’ and ‘The greatest accomplishment is not never falling but in rising again after you fall’.

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by SANDRA MURRAY in Normanton, Yorkshire To respond to any of Sandy’s comments email jill. sayles@travelbulletin.co.uk

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HEBRIDEAN ISLAND Cruises is offering 10% off new 2014 itineraries for bookings made before July 12.

The offer coincides with the launch of the line’s new 2014 Cruise Directory which sees Hebridean Princess return to Norwegian waters for the first time in five years. Guests can also book one of 12 new Scottish itineraries, including new private visits to Ardkinglas House, Dundonald Castle and the private apartments at Inveraray Castle, or sail to the islands of St. Kilda, Orkney and Shetland.

The company is also offering new partnership cruises with NADFAS and the National Trust for 2014.

As an example of prices, a Footloose in the Fjords cruise, departing on August 11, explores destinations including Bergen, Fjærland and Vik by foot, with the help of the line's special walking guides. Highlights include a full day glacier walk, a visit to the Norwegian Wild Salmon Centre (Lærdal) and the Sogn Folkemuseum in Sogndal. Prices start from £5,211 per person, based on two sharing a cabin and including the 10% early booking discount.

Prices for all cruises include transport between Glasgow/Inverness and the ship or free car parking for Scottish departures; flights for Norwegian departures; meals; alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks; shore excursions; free internet including Wi-Fi; gratuities and all relevant port taxes/fees. All bookings also come with free single trip travel and cancellation insurance.

For more information or to book visit www.hebridean.co.uk or call 01756-704704.

MTA joins The Meetings Show UK THE INAUGURAL event for the UK inbound and outbound meetings industry, The Meetings Show UK, takes place from July 9-11 at London's Olympia and the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) has announced that it will attend the event with its partners - Air Malta Plc, EC Meetings, Grand Hotel Excelsior Malta, Hilton Malta, Radisson Blue Resort, Malta St. Julian's and The Westin Dragonara Resort, Malta.

The tourist board has chosen the event to promote the launch of its new M.I.C.E. dedicated website, ‘Meet in Malta’, highlighting the range of four- and five-star hotels that are available to cater for meetings, conferences and delegations of up to 5,000 people at any one time.

The destination will also be highlighting its various regions to choose from including Valletta, St. Julian’s, Central, Southern, Northern Malta and the island of Gozo, to suit any type of conference or incentive. Buyers who visit the stand and meet with the MTA and partners will also have the opportunity to take part in a raffle draw to win an iPad mini.

UK director of the MTA Alex Incorvaja said: “We welcome the opportunity to take part in the Meetings Show UK inaugural event. It will help us to build strong relationships with buyers across the globe as well as promote Malta as a destination for conferences and incentive buisness. Rich in history and culture with a variety of luxurious hotels and conference facilities, Malta is an ideal destination for any event."

For more information visit www.visitmalta.com and www.themeetingsshow.com

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agentbulletin Booking incentives VERANDA & Heritage Resorts is giving agents the chance to earn Love2Shop vouchers by making hotel bookings at selected properties in Mauritius by July 31 for all 2013 departures. Agents will earn a £25 voucher for 'Gourmet Bliss' bookings at Heritage Le Telfair; a £20 voucher for half-board bookings made at Heritage Le Telfair; and a £15 voucher for bookings made at Veranda Pointe Aux Biches, Veranda Grand Baie, Veranda Palmar Beach and Veranda Paul & Virginie. A minimum stay of seven nights applies and all bookings must be logged at www.vhrtraining.com to qualify.

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AGENTS CAN win a case of Aussie wine and up to £1,000 John Lewis shopping vouchers as part of Travel 2’s ‘Explore More…South Australia’ campaign. It encourages agents to highlight what’s on offer in South Australia including Kangaroo Island for wildlife lovers and tours to one of the 17 wine regions for food and wine enthusiasts. To qualify for the prize draw, agents must make a new holiday booking to South Australia including flights and a ground element by August 30. Agents can also win a case of South Australian wine by promoting the state in their shop windows. To enter, send a photograph to marketing@travel2.com, or tweet @T2News. Agents can contact their key account manager for point of sale material promoting South Australia, or download offer posters from www.travel2.com. Meanwhile, the operator has teamed up with Australian Pacific Touring (APT) to give agents the chance to win one of four £250 Marks and Spencer’s gift cards as part of its new ‘See It All’ campaign. To qualify for the vouchers, agents must make a new holiday booking with both companies by July 15.

Training update BRAND USA has launched a new online agent training programme for the UK and Ireland, the ‘USA Discovery Program’. Located at www.usadiscoveryprogram.co.uk, agents can find information on regions and US states and territories, as well as experiences and holiday themes to provide an holistic overview of the US as a destination and to enable cross-selling on all aspects of sales. Agents can take interactive quizzes to become USA Specialists, and receive award badges as a recognised qualification of expertise. There are five regional tests that need to be completed before moving on to the specialist modules, which are more experience based, including Big City Buzz, the Great Outdoors and Winter Sports. Over the coming months further modules, including Food and Drink, Music/Heritage/Culture, Fly/Drive, Coastal Escapes and Family will be added.

Agent offer AGENTS ARE invited to celebrate July 4 on a Cruise and Maritime Voyages (CMV) onenight mini-cruise from Harwich to Hull. The price for agents, their family and friends is £25 per person and includes cabin accommodation, buffet lunch, afternoon tea, meet the Captain event, a five-course gala dinner, late night cabaret, disco and breakfast. As an alternative option, for £49 per person, agents can be picked up by coach at key points in London and Essex. The price excludes gratuities which, at £5 per person, are charged to an on board account.

For more information see www.cruiseandmaritime .com or call 0844-414 6185.

A CLASSIC READ…Caribtours and The Private Travel Company have launched their Agent of the Month scheme . Each month their team will reward an outstanding travel agent with a prize, which ranges from a spa day to a place on a fam. Pauline Lovegrove (pictured) from Classic Travel in Essex, won the award for May and bagged herself a Kindle . The prize for June is a place on a fam to Barbados. www.travelbulletin.co.uk

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newsbulletin Virgin Atlantic to offer 30,000 extra seats to Orlando from Manchester next year VIRGIN ATLANTIC has announced it will be offering 30,000 extra return seats to Orlando from Manchester Airport in summer 2014, carrying up to 10,000 passengers every week from Manchester, a 25% increase from this year.

The carrier will deploy a Boeing 747 aircraft on all 11 of its weekly flights from Manchester Airport, resulting in up to 2,000 extra available seats to and from the Sunshine State every week.

The move follows the carrier's recent expansion in Manchester with

the launch of its domestic service Little Red, which operates four daily return flights from Manchester to Heathrow.

The airline's director of airline planning Edmond Rose said: “Orlando has always been one of our most popular destinations and across our network we offer nearly 40 return flights a week to Florida.

“We are delighted to see continued high demand for our flights from the North West of England and to meet this demand we have taken the decision to bring a second Boeing 747

jumbo jet onto this route, resulting in a huge increase in the number of seats available for holidaymakers looking for a sunshine break.

“We now offer passengers from the city four daily flights to Heathrow, opening up a host of onward connection opportunities on our worldwide network, with destinations ranging from Tokyo to Cape Town, Lagos to Los Angeles.”

The 455 seat jumbo jet will replace a 314 seat Airbus A330 which previously operated seven of the airlines' 11 weekly flights.

Oman Air & Travelport announce new seat assignment booking functionality TRAVEL AGENTS booking Oman Air via Travelport’s Galileo and Worldspan distribution systems will now be able to benefit from new functionality, which allows them to manage the seat selection process in a ‘live’ and interactive environment.

The Interactive Seat Assignment functionality, jointly unveiled by Travelport and Oman Air, will provide agents with greater ease in booking the carrier's content. In practice, Interactive Seat Assignment allows agents to request seat maps and assign, change or cancel specific seats in a real-time environment, whilst maintaining full

control with the ability to accept or decline seat assignments.

The airline's CEO Wayne Pearce, said: “We aim to ensure that Oman Air offers both customers and travel agents the greatest possible convenience and I am sure that the opportunity to select and assign seats using Travelport’s systems will be warmly welcomed. The system also offers the opportunity to reduce costs, enabling Oman Air to continue offering outstanding value throughout our network of more than 40 exciting destinations.”

Hurtigruten launches new whale watching excursion for summer

ATLANTIS, THE Palm is expanding its waterpark, Aquaventure, this August. The new development will include a diameter slide, vertical family ride, and the first double slide within a slide experience, allowing tube riders to watch fellow ride sliders in action, suspended above them. Aquaventure will also be home to the longest zipline circuit in the Middle East and the first to be integrated into a waterpark tower, with riders flying high above the waterpark and Aquaventure Beach.

For details see www.atlantisthepalm.com

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June 28 2013

CUSTOMERS LOOKING to spot whales in their natural habitat can now do so as part of a voyage on the Norwegian Fjords with Hurtigruten. A new land excursion is being introduced between now and August that allows guests to take in the new experience while taking one of its classic voyages along the coast of Norway.

The excursion is available on day five of the Voyage North and travels to the whale spotting area outside Andenes in Nordland County. Guests will disembark early in the morning at Risoyhamn and head to Andenes by coach to join the whale-watching vessel, MS Reine. The ship will travel out to the edge of the continental shelf where Sperm whales feed on nutrients. Using hydrophones, the ship’s crew can locate the whales underwater, and in 90% of sailings it is hoped to catch a glimpse of them.

After a few hours at sea, guests head back to land and onward towards Finnsnes to rejoin the ship, just before lunch. En route there is a ferry journey across Andsfjord to take in a different perspective of the northern coastal scenery, and see how the communities are connected by the ocean. The entire trip is approximately seven hours and costs £205 per person.

A Classic Voyage North leads in at £1,143 per person, based on travel up to July 31. Based on half-board, the trip offers a seven-day voyage from Bergen in the south to Kirkenes by the Russian border. Flights are extra.

For more information call 020-8846 2666 or see www.hurtigruten.co.uk/agents

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puzzlebulletin Travagrams

Su Doku Win a £50 M&S voucher in the travelbulletin Su Doku prize puzzle Number: 118

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

Rewarm Rank

A➠

B➠ This privately-owned operator caters to those wanting beach or ski holidays

C➠

Ad Raisin

D➠ Fill in all the squares in the grid so that each row, column and each of the 3 x 3 squares contains the digits 1-9.

Once you have completed the puzzle, simply identify the numbers that relate to the letters, A, B, C and D then e-mail the solution, with your name, company name, and full postal address plus phone and ABTA number if applicable to: competition@travelbulletin.co.uk Closing date for entries is Thursday, July 4th. Solution and new puzzle will appear next week.

The winner for 14th June is Kim Fazackerley, Althams in Ramsbottom.

June 14 Solution: A=2 B=1 C=5 D=4

The name of this Italian island sounds a bit like the name of this fish

Where Am I?

2nd largest city in Portugal, its team has won the Primeira Liga 27 times!

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

Number: 118

Across 1. Holiday centre operator (7) 6. Capital of Morocco (5) 8. Historic Flemish city (5) 9. This European country's flag is yellow and blue (6) 10. College which has so far given Britain nineteen prime ministers (4) 12. Italian holiday isle (4) 14. Hollywood actor, Robert (2,4) 17. Long haul tour operator (5) 18. Tenerife's highest peak (5) 19. Tour operator specialising in Greece and Cyprus (7)

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Down 1. Tennis commentator who won Wimbledon aged 17 (5,6) 2. The mountain is a well known Cape Town landmark (5) 3. Travel and Insurance group, part of Acromas Holdings Ltd (4) 4. English river (5) 5. Major UK theme park (5,6) 7. Long arduous journey (4) 11. Alter ego of the Man of Steel, Clark ___ (4) 13. One of the five New York boroughs (5) 15. Anglesey is the largest island in this sea (5) 16. Capital of Peru (4)

For the solution to the Crossword, Where Am I? and Travagrams, please see page 30 June 28 2013

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hotelbulletin Accor unveils global repositioning strategy for Pullman Hotels & Resorts ACCOR HAS unveiled Pullman’s new positioning to match new business traveller behaviour. Accelerated expansion of its network; active commitment to design and contemporary art; and enhanced visual identity are all part of a global move aimed at offering guests a new hotel experience.

The group currently offers 300 upscale and luxury hotels (Sofitel, Pullman, MGallery and Grand Mercure) and intends to increase this figure to 400 by 2015. Pullman has hotels and resorts in 23 countries, with the network growing rapidly to 79 hotels in five years. The objective is to have 150 hotels by 2015-2020 and 500 in the long term.

Half the brand’s network is currently located in Asia-

Brits spend average of ten nights in hotels this summer UK HOLIDAYMAKERS aged 25 and above are expected to spend £27billion on hotel stays this summer, according to a new survey released by Room Key, a hotel meta search engine built by hoteliers. The average traveller is also planning to book an average of ten room nights during the main summer holiday period.

Though nearly threequarters (74%) said price will drive their hotel decision, location was a close second at 66%, and more than half of travellers (52%) said that facilities will play a significant role in their decision. Hotel brands (24%) and the family friendly nature of the properties (21%) are two further factors that will influence hotel choice, according to the survey.

The company's chief marketing officer Stephany Verstraete said: “Value reigns supreme in the search for hotels this summer. Today’s savvy traveller is looking beyond room rates alone to added value extras such as complimentary Wi-Fi or free breakfast, family-friendly properties and more."

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Pacific, including 15 properties in China, which is where Pullman has the most hotels.

Christophe Vanswieten, chief operating officer Pullman Europe, said: “Our expansion focuses on reinforcing our positions in Europe, opening hotels in strong-growth regions, notably Russia and Latin America, and continuing our growth in Asia-Pacific. In Europe, we will open our first hotel in Brussels this month, which will be the 80th property and Pullman’s 24th country. We are also implementing an unprecedented project in Paris with the renovation of our five properties over a 30-month period, ending in April 2014 with the emblematic renovation of the Pullman Paris Tour Eiffel.”

InBrief ● LUX* RESORTS is promoting a Combo offer where guests exploring Mauritius, the Maldives and

Reunion Island in one holiday can receive a 35% discount when staying in two or more of the company's hotels. The offer is valid until October 31. ● HILTON WORLDWIDE has unveiled plans to expand its Hampton by Hilton value brand with two new properties at Gatwick Airport and in Birmingham. The announcement will see the brand double its presence in the UK by 2015 to 23 hotels. ● THE OBEROI Group has opened The Oberoi, Dubai - the group’s first property in the United Arab Emirates. Each of the property's 252 rooms and suites feature floor to ceiling windows, offering views of the city’s skyline. The hotel is a few minutes drive from downtown Dubai and the Dubai Mall. ● FOLLOWING THE announcement that Sandals is to purchase the LaSource resort in Grenada, it has been confirmed that the property will open its doors on December 12. Once complete, the resort will have added 100 rooms to offer a selection of 200 guest rooms, private cottages and bungalows, many of which will be concierge and butler level suites, including the brand’s signature Rondoval suites.

See www.sandals.co.uk/grenada ● NEW RESORT brand, Atmosphere, will launch the first of its Indian Ocean properties, Atmosphere Kanifushi Maldives, in November. The five-star resort will offer 2km of white sandy beaches, an expansive turquoise lagoon and a natural coral reef. For details see www.atmosphere-kanifushi.com ● TRAVELODGE IS looking to increase its presence in Hampshire by boosting its portfolio with a further ten new hotels across the county. ● UNTIL SEPTEMBER 30, Hilton HHonors is encouraging travellers to save up to 40% off stays in Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Africa when booking within its hotel portfolio.

For details see www.hiltonhotelsdeals.com CENTARA PASSIKUDAH Resort & Spa Sri Lanka has recently opened in Passikudah Bay on Sri Lanka’s east coast. The property offers 125 rooms and suites, most of which overlook the beach, and offer the option of either a king-size bed or two double beds, while the suites sleep families of five or six and are equipped with bunk beds in a separate children’s area, or a sofa bed.

Facilities at the resort include a swimming pool, spa, fitness centre, kids' club and pool, plus meeting and event facilities.

For details email reservations@chr.co.th or visit www.centarahotelsresorts.com

June 28 2013

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MOVERS ● NICKY GRAHAM has been appointed business development

● ●

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manager Southern England and Wales for Cruise and Maritime Voyages.

LUCKNAM PARK Hotel & Spa, located six miles from Bath, has appointed Peter White as resident house manager.

ATPI GROUP has promoted Jenny Hansen as head of international support services and Katie Skitterall as operations manager for the UK office.

REGENT SEVEN Seas Cruises has appointed Siria Nielsen in the newly created position, marketing development manager, UK & Europe.

HURTIGRUTEN ASA has appointed Vidar Engen as senior vice president for product and marketing.

LEGO challenge from National Space Centre THIS SUMMER the National Space Centre has teamed up with LEGO to run a Big LEGO Building Challenge, a summer competition to build a whole galaxy from LEGO. The event launches on July 13, with a day dedicated to competitions and fun, and weekly winners will receive a LEGO prize in a draw of all the creations, which will all be based on the imagination of the visitors.

Running throughout summer, the event will encourage children to build their ultimate galaxy, entirely from LEGO, whilst visiting the National Space Centre.

Visitors will also be able to use LEGO to make their own mini movies.

Using stop motion image capture, the Centre’s YouTube channel will host the movies for all to view.

On August 3, the LEGO team will join the National Space Centre Space Crew for a new range launch.

All full paying visitors will also be able to upgrade their day passes to a free Annual Pass at no extra cost.

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Cruise match quiz from The Cruise Line THE CRUISE Line has launched a new web application that helps people understand which luxury cruise line is their perfect match.

Working from a complex behavioural database, the web based quiz takes users through a series of motivational and stimulating images and triggers and collates the response to calculate the ideal cruise line match for that person, with some further recommendations added too.

At the end of the quiz, users are given three matches and invited to visit the cruise lines’ pages on the company's website. Users are also given the chance to embed the quiz on their own sites or blogs or share via social media channels.

The quiz is being launched as part of the company's new content marketing strategy and to help establish a wider and more accessible profile for the luxury cruise sector.

To view, visit http://luxuryquiz.cruiselin e.co.uk or for more information call 0800-083 2661 or visit www.cruiseline.co.uk

agentreview Jill Sayles from Travel Bulletin stayed one night at the Pullman London St Pancras Hotel. Here are her thoughts...

First impressions ................................9/10 There’s an impressive, modern lobby and reception area which looks chic and inviting. The hotel is designed for guests who want to mix business and leisure.

Comfort ..............................................9/10 My deluxe room had a king sized bed, Bose dock, LCD TV, espresso making machine, tea making facilities, minibar, pillow menu, rain shower, free Hildon Mineral water and free Wi-Fi (which is available throughout the hotel).

Quality ................................................9/10 Pullman is the upscale international hotel brand of Accor.

The hotel opened in July 2012 and features a modern interior. It’s a four-star property with 312 rooms and three suites over 16 floors. The property also features a fitness room, sauna, steam room, meeting and conference facilities, (including a 446-seat theatre), and the Golden Arrow restaurant, which has an open kitchen, and Jasper Grill.

Affordability ........................................8/10 Superior rooms start from £395 per night, deluxe rooms from £435 and suites from £595. Breakfast is £20.

Service ................................................9/10 I was happy with the service throughout the hotel and when the TV in my room stopped working, it was fixed within 30 minutes.

Good to know ............................................

The hotel is less than a five-minute walk from St Pancras station and offers great views of the London skyline. Ask about the Vinoteca by Pullman - a wine-tasting experience, with a selection of wines served by the glass. www.pullmanhotels.com

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

9/ 10

If you'd like to take part and receive a free £10 Love2Shop voucher please email jill.sayles@travelbulletin.co.uk or call 020-7834 6661 with your name and contact details.

June 28 2013

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trainingbulletin New agent training campaign from Holiday Autos HOLIDAY AUTOS has launched a new 'Did You Know?' training campaign in order to encourage better engagement with valued agents during the key booking seasons.

Until November, the company is offering biweekly updates on facts and tips to help agents when booking car-hire for their clients and is also providing incentives and a creative competition during the high JulyAugust period, which will be revealed later in the campaign.

The campaign aims to help educate agents on how to sell car hire to clients, outlining its benefits and help provide valuable responses when faced with client questions on car-hire purchasing. The training incentive is free for agents and agencies to join.

Chantal Tomlinson, the company's UK & Ireland trade manager, said: “Car hire as a subject can be quite flat and functional, and we wanted to inject some excitement and prompt better engagement with our valued agents.

“In addition to the peak summer period there is also the short-break market to target. This campaign not only helps provide our agents with fun facts and information during these key seasons but also allows us to thank them along the way with special offers and discounts for booking with Holiday Autos.”

Agencies wishing to set up a new account can visit the website or call 0800093 3222.

For more information visit www.trade.holidayautos.co. uk

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TRAVEL2 HAS launched its first online training programme on Kissimmee in Central Florida on T2 Academy, its free online training portal for independent travel agents. The module consists of ten pages encompassing an overview of the destination, travelling to Kissimmee, getting around the area, accommodation, amusement parks, entertainment, outdoor activities, golf, shopping and days out for families. For each module completed, agents are awarded ten points and once they accumulate enough points, they are rewarded with shopping vouchers.

Details at www.t2academy.co.uk

Visit California announces series of roadshows FROM NEXT month Visit California will be hosting a series of training roadshows for agents in London, Glasgow and Dublin as part of the state’s first sales mission specific to travel agents. A delegation of 12 experts representing a variety of destinations, hotels and attractions across California will undertake the training which runs on July 1 in Glasgow, July 3 in Dublin and July 5 in London.

Agents interested in registering should visit traveltrade.visitcalifornia.co .uk. Agents also have the chance of winning prizes by completing the California Expert online training progamme before the roadshows at www.californiaexpert.co.uk

June 28 2013

InBrief ● 1ST CLASS Holidays has announced details of travel agent

training days at Old Trafford on October 3 and Silverstone on the October 10. The operator has also teamed up with trade partners, including the Canadian Tourism Commission, to celebrate Canada Day on July 1. Agents are invited to join the party on a Manchester Canal boat cruise. ● BRIGHT (BRINGING Real Information & Guaranteed High

Quality Training) has announced details of its upcoming workshops for September and October. They are: September 10 at The Scotsman Hotel, Edinburgh; September 11 at The Grand Central Hotel, Glasgow; October 1 in Colchester; October 2 in Harpenden; October 15 in Ashford; and October 16 in Dorking.

For details see www.brightconsortia.com, email colin@csandersonconsultancy.com or call 01329-315492. ● TOURISM NEW Zealand has revised and reworked its online

trade training programme. The 100% Pure New Zealand Specialist Programme is a core part of the tourist office’s work with agents offshore and offers travel professionals the chance to build in-depth destination knowledge, get the latest product updates and in turn, grow their New Zealand sales. To become a 100% Pure New Zealand Specialist, agents need to complete ten of the new training modules, attend a Tourism New Zealand led training session and visit New Zealand.

For details see www.newzealand.com/travel/trade

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pixmix The Midlands Travel Trade Mid-Summers Ruby Ball took place last week at The Belfry in Warwickshire. With Travel Bulletin acting as media sponsor, guests enjoyed pre-dinner cocktails, a three-course meal, were entertained by a caricaturist and also had the chance to try their luck at the casino. A good time was had by all….

the left : Rob o'Keeffe , Lux Island from , are d moo ty par In CY… FAN R YOU KLE TIC Expedia ; Abi Hyslop, Good Travel Resorts; Sam Tyers, Mercian Travel; Rob Grover, a Wright, Air France KLM. Management; and Tim Roulston and Juliann

FEATHER FRIENDS….E njoying the evening’s entertainment are, from the left : Richard Penny, Travel Club Elite ; Emily Trewhella and Lizzie Edwards, Mark Warner; Colin Matthews and Sue Lowe, TCE; and Teresa Ga rcia , Mark Warner.

HERE’S LOOKING AT YOU…Ste phanie Chipping from Travel Bag strike s a pose with caricaturist John Rober ts. www.travelbulletin.co.uk

s TWIST OR STICK…Looking to play their card right are, from the left : Julia Lo Bue -Said, Advantage ; Oliver Broad, AITO Agents; Rob King, Roma Travel; and Wayne Darrock , JTA.

UP AND AWAY…Simon Eddolls (left) from Travel Bulletin hangs out with the Emirates’ team, from the left: Julie Bailey, Phil Courtney and Caroline Hughes.

SWEET DREAMS…Lucy Jones from Dosomethingdifferent.com and Chris Bailey from Bailey's Travel dream of living it up in Vegas.

June 28 2013

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COASTLINE IS offering discounts of up to 15% when booking a villa in Mallorca when the property is taken without transport. Additional services are on offer including chef service and nannies at an additional cost. There are currently options in July and August including the Villa C’an Gat (pictured) on July 27. The villa, which sleeps nine, features an al fresco dining area with covered barbecue, swimming pool, lawns, five bedrooms, five bathrooms, and a kitchen serviced twice weekly with a maid service. Prices for seven nights lead in at £7,861.

For details visit www.coastline.co.uk or call 0844-557 1020.

Classic adds to Sardinia and Sicily in response to strong sales CLASSIC COLLECTION Holidays has added five properties to its Sardinia and Sicily programmes for summer following a 14% increase in year-on-year sales to the two islands.

The company's head of purchasing Gary Boyer said: "Our success in 2012 has enabled us to launch our 2013 programme with an expanded selection of properties, and increased allocations at even more competitive prices. Within our Italy programme, Sicily and Sardinia performed particularly well and we thought it timely to increase our presence on the islands."

The hotels La Moresca Maison de Charme, a boutique hotel close to the beach in Ragusa, and the Acacia resort near Cefalu have been added in Sicily, while Sardinia sees the addition of the T Hotel Cagliari in the south, and the Corallo and Su Gologone hotels in the north.

Boyer said: "We remain very appreciative of the fact that our continued commitment to the travel trade is reciprocated by independent travel agents. Both Sicily and Sardinia generate some extremely high value bookings for seriously discerning customers. Travel agents should be aware that in addition to great value Sicily is a destination for their crème de la crème customers which can help them reap the rewards of the higher commission levels that high value bookings bring."

As an example, seven nights at the Hotel Su Gologone leads in at £1,044 per person next month, based on halfboard accommodation in a classic room and including flights and private transfers.

For more information or to book visit www.classiccollection.co.uk or call 0800-008 7288.

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Hotel Su Gologne, Italy

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KIRINI SUITES and Spa, the Relais and Chateaux accredited hotel in Oia, Santorini, has added four new suites for this year. Three of the new suites have been equipped with a Jacuzzi bath, while the fourth, the ‘Kirini Suite’, has its own private pool and is the hotel’s top offer. Olympic Holidays is offering seven nights at the property from £1,749 per person, which includes a discount of £269 per person. The offer is based on two sharing a junior suite on a bed-and-breakfast basis and includes flights from Gatwick on July 2.

For details call 020-8492 6868 or see www.olympicholidays.com and www.kirini.com

Tennis highlights from Mark Warner include week’s intensive training from £200 MARK WARNER is promoting its range of tennis facilities and offers more than 30 tennis courts across eight beach resorts alongside resident coaching staff. The company offers free use of courts and free loan of the latest HEAD racquets and balls, included in the holiday price.

A range of coaching options are available for guests including Intensive Tennis Weeks, a signature Academy Course or group coaching tailored to ability.

The company’s managing director David Hopkins said: “Traditionally we see a spike in bookings for our tennis courses in July following Wimbledon of around 10% monthon-month. We’re finding that this popular sport has never been more in demand at our summer resorts, whether you are just starting out, of a good level, or a little rusty – we have tennis that’s ideal for you.”

The operator offers tennis courses throughout the summer including an LTA endorsed group coaching programme which offers six hours of tuition throughout the

week or the more intensive Academy Course (available at Lakitira, Lemnos and Levante Beach Resorts in Greece), ideal for players wanting to improve every aspect of their game. Alternatively, guests can opt for private tuition with one of the resident coaches.

The company is also running 'Intensive Tennis Weeks’ with LTA qualified instructors. One week (on September 21) is at Levante Beach Resort in Rhodes and another is at Lakitira in Kos on October 5. Prices lead in at £200 per person in addition to the holiday price.

As an example of packages, a seven-night half-board stay at the five-star Levante Beach Resort in Rhodes leads in at £692 per person, offering a saving of £125 per person. It includes flights from Heathrow on September 21. The week includes an intensive tennis week (20 hours of on court tennis coached by experts) for an additional £200.

For more information call 0844-273 6826 or see www.markwarner.co.uk

Daios Cove Luxury Resort & Villas announces new Yoga & Ayurveda spa break

Attraction World offers exclusive Magalluf Club Passes as agent incentive

DAIOS COVE Luxury Resort and Villas in Crete has announced that it is hosting an exclusive seven-night Yoga and Ayurveda spa break this autumn incorporating daily yoga, healthy cuisine, Ayurveda cooking classes and spa relaxation.

The special workshop is designed to reawaken the senses and offer an educated insight into the principles of Ayurvedic cuisine and lifestyle.

Guests will take part in daily Ayurvedic cooking lessons and twice daily intensive yoga sessions.

The break will run from September 29 to October 6 and includes six cooking lessons; 14 yoga sessions; free access to the wet spa area which features a Finnish sauna, soft sauna, the Mediterraneo (a combination of sauna and steam bath) and the Nimfea reaction showers; and a complimentary bottle of "Kritsa Extra Virgin Olive Oil".

The package costs €399 per person, excluding accommodation.

Rates for a deluxe room featuring an individual pool cost from €133 per person per night on a bed-andbreakfast basis.

For further information or to book visit www.daioscove.com

ATTRACTION WORLD is offering an exclusive Magalluf Club Pass (MCP) this summer. The seven-night pass allows guests to come and go as they please to any of the five clubs and bars, and also entitles guests to an all-inclusive bar four nights out of their seven, plus a free tshirt. Prices start at £69 in low season and £99 in high season.

Meanwhile, agents have the chance to win one of two passes when they make a booking for the MCP. For a chance to win, agents should email the booking reference through to mcp@attractionworld.com by July 15.

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Corsican Places expands flight options CORSICAN PLACES has added new flights for summer.

Last week, the company launched a Bristol-Bastia charter flight with bmi Regional and the operator has also introduced a new Heathrow-Figari charter flight with British Airways to its programme. The company offers weekly direct charter flights from Bristol, Stansted, Heathrow and Manchester, plus low-cost options from Gatwick and Manchester.

The operator features more than 160 properties in Corsica, including villas, apartments, residences and hotels, and has added 17 new properties across the island this year. These include the three-bedroom La Maison de Marie villa, located in Patrimonio and the five-star Casadelmar in Porto Vecchio. A further four new properties have recently been added to the company's website, three of which are located in La

Apart Maccioni

Balagne region in the North West and one located in the south of the island.

For more information see www.corsica.co.uk or call 0845-033 02345.

Skiathos savings from Sovereign Luxury Travel SOVEREIGN LUXURY Travel has a saving of up to ÂŁ179 per couple on a seven-night holiday at the five-star Aegean Suites in Skiathos from ÂŁ1,699 per person. The price includes flights from Gatwick with Thomson, airport lounge access, private transfers and seven nights'

breakfast accommodation in a deluxe sea view suite, based on an August 2 departure.

The operator is also offering a seven-night stay at the five-star Skiathos Princess from ÂŁ2,649 for a family of three, offering savings of up to ÂŁ140. It includes flights from

Manchester with Thomson, airport lounge access, private transfers and seven nights' breakfast accommodation in a club family garden view room. The price is based on a September 10 departure.

For more information call 0843-770 4526 or see www.sovereign.com

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Ionian & Aegean Island Holidays promotes savings to selection of destinations IONIAN & Aegean Island Holidays is promoting new offers to a variety of destinations.

As examples, seven nights at the Villa Luna, a twobedroom villa with a private Jacuzzi located just outside Fiskardo in Kefalonia, leads in at £538 per person for a July 6 departure. It includes flights, transfers, seven days' car hire and a welcome hamper based on four sharing. The deal offers a saving of £231 per person.

Also highlighted is a seven-night stay at the Eleni Apartments located in Kioni on Ithaka for £622 per person.

The offer is based on a July 6 departure and includes flights, transfers, seven days' car hire and a welcome hamper. It is based on two sharing and offers a saving of £277 per person. Meanwhile, a seven-night stay at Villa

Oniero, a four-bedroom villa with a private on Corfu, leads in at £524 for a July 8 departure. It includes flights, seven days' car hire and a welcome hamper. The price is based on eight sharing and offers a saving of £225 per person.

Departures are available from Manchester and Gatwick, with Manchester departures subject to a £25 per person supplement.

Birmingham flights are available for Paxos, Lefkada and Meganisi holidays, while Bristol flights are available for Corfu holidays. Flights from regional airports are subject to a £25 per person supplement.

For more information or to book call 020-8459 0777, email mail@ionianislandholidays.com or see www.ionianislandholidays.com

Prestige Holidays reports summer booking surge across Mediterranean Islands PRESTIGE HOLIDAYS reports that it has seen a strong upsurge in business to the Mediterranean islands this summer The company's general manager David Skillicorn said: "Brits love to holiday on Med islands and when there are problems elsewhere they gravitate back to these 'safe' destinations.

"Spain has been particularly strong for us this year, Mallorca is up 43%, Crete has also bounced back having suffered in 2012 and is up by 37%, and even Cyprus, which saw a halt in bookings when the bank crisis hit in April, is now up 5% on last summer. Malta is also enjoying a renaissance, again with a double digit increase over last year.

"Sicily, which is new for us this year, has been the big surprise. This is being marketed under our well proven ‘Essentially’ blueprint. The programme was crafted by a team who know the island intimately having lived and worked there over many years. The brochure features old favourites as well as lesser known areas and off the beaten track rural properties that have really caught the public’s imagination. To date bookings are double what we expected with many clients opting for twin-centre or fly-drive options."

The operator is highlighting a number of offers for summer including a week's stay, departing on July 17, at the

Annabelle Hotel in Cyprus in a twin room with flights from Gatwick with Thomson, private transfers and local representation from £867 per person, based on two sharing. The offer includes a discount as well as complimentary half-board, offering a saving of £308 per person per week.

A week's stay, departing on September 28, at The Blue Palace in Crete, including flights from Gatwick with easyJet, private transfers and local representation, costs from £1,149 per person based on two sharing. The package includes a discount as well as complimentary half-board for the whole stay, saving clients £465 per person per week.

Summer deals from Belleair Holidays

THE ADVENTURE Company has reduced the price of its Malta & Gozo Family Adventure by £100. The itinerary, which is aimed at families with children aged three years and above, takes in Valetta, Malta’s UNESCO World Heritage capital, and explores Gozo by jeep and bike.

Also included is a day spent with a shepherd learning to tend the sheep and make cheese, plus a boat excursion to Comino, for swimming and snorkelling. Prices start from £789 per adult and £750 per child, including flights, breakfast accommodation, activities, local transport and a local tour leader.

For more information visit www.adventurecompany.co.uk/family

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June 28 2013

BELLEAIR HOLIDAYS is promoting a selection of offers for next month in properties located in bustling resorts and rural surroundings.

As an example of prices, a seven-night breakfast stay at the five-star Intercontinental Malta costs from £1,054 per person.

It includes direct flights from Gatwick, seven nights' breakfast accommodation in a deluxe room, free private transfers and complimentary entrance to a selected Malta attraction. The offer is subject to availability, based on two sharing and is valid for travel on July 30.

Meanwhile, the operator is highlighting a seven-night allinclusive break at the three-star Panorama Hotel from £2,742 per family (two adults and two children), offering a saving of up to £260 per family. The price includes direct flights from Newcastle, accommodation in a sea view room, transfers and free entrance to a selected Malta attraction. It is based on travel on July 30.

The company is also offering a two-centre Malta and Gozo option from £1,064 per person, saving up to £120 per couple.

The price includes direct flights from Exeter; four nights’ breakfast accommodation at the Intercontinental Malta in a deluxe room and three nights’ breakfast accommodation at Ta Cenc Gozo in a country view room; private transfers; and a three-day Malta Pass. The offer, which is based on two sharing, is subject to availability and valid for travel on July 23.

For further information or to make a booking visit www.belleair.co.uk/agents or call 0845-365 3412.

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Corsica's Belambra offers grill & barbecue lessons BELAMBRAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LE Club de Borgo in Corsica is offering families the chance to perfect their barbecue skills with Michelin Star Chef GaĂŤtan Colin.

Colin will be giving 'Grill & BBQ' lessons for visitors to learn the art of gourmet grill and barbecue cuisine from July 13-20, where adults and children will be given an exclusive opportunity to learn the secrets to his success as owner of 'bistronimic' restaurant, D'Oude Pastorie which specialises in grill and barbecue cooking.

Prices start from ÂŁ1,427 a week for a three-room bungalow which sleeps up to four, including admission to the kids' club for three-17 year olds, all entertainment, sports activities and the cooking courses.

Iberostar Hotels & Resorts adds new property in Mallorca

Hotel Son Antem

THE HOTEL Son Antem, recently under the control of the Marriot hotel group, has now joined the Iberostar Hotels & Resorts portfolio.

The property is the first of the hotel group's five-star resorts on the island and expands the brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s offering on Mallorca to 14 hotels, offering couples and families a variety of services.

The company's sales director Xisco MartĂ­nez said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is a further step in strengthening our commitment to the region where we started, which remains a key destination for us."

Located in Llucmajor on the south of the island, the resort is a few kilometres from the cultural capital of Palma, the airport and the beaches, and is surrounded by two 18-hole golf courses.

The hotel, which will now be known as the Iberostar Son Antem, offers 143 rooms and eight suites spread throughout a two-storey building. There are are nine conference rooms, two restaurants, a swimming pool, spa, sauna, gym, hairdresser and a beauty salon. Facilities for tennis and volleyball are also onsite.

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Property additions from Sardinian Places SARDINIAN PLACES has added four new properties to its portfolio including Hotel Calabona, a four-star property located in Alghero in North West Sardinia.

The 110-room hotel offers family rooms and is a 20minute walk from the old town.

The operator has also put together three new sample itineraries to help visitors explore some of the most contrasting areas of the island. These include a sevennight 'Sardinian Taster' from ÂŁ899 per person; a ten-night 'Authentic Sardinia' from ÂŁ1,149; and a seven-night 'Sardinia & Corsica twin-centre' option from ÂŁ879. Flights to Sardinia are available from eight UK airports with a choice of charter, low-cost and scheduled flights.

For more information see www.sardinianplaces.co.uk or call 0845-330 2066.

Costa Smeralda

New Ryanair flights to Rijeka RYANAIR HAS announced new flights between Rijeka and Stansted from next month. The carrier will operate two flights weekly - on Thursday and Sunday - with fares leading in at ÂŁ89 return. Located in the Kvarner region, Rijeka offers easy access to the nearby islands of Krk, Cres and Rab.

Tickets for live events at BCM Magaluf from Superbreak AGENTS CAN now book accommodation and tickets with Superbreak to see artists such as Calvin Harris, Labrinth and Tinie Tempah this summer at BCM in Magaluf for their clients. Short breaks that include the chance to party the night away at Mallorcaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hottest nightclub are offered, with accommodation on either a room-only or bed-and-breakfast basis. As an extra offer, packages also include a free bar at BCM. As examples, a July 19 package to see Labrinth costs from ÂŁ112.50 per person for one-night on room-only; a July 29 or August 12 package to see Avicii leads in at ÂŁ147.50 and includes three nights' room-only accommodation; a three-night room-only package to see Calvin Harris, departing on August 7, 14 and 21, costs from ÂŁ131; and a three-night breakfast break on July 26 or September 6 to see Tinie Tempah costs from ÂŁ276.50.

For more information visit www.superbreak.com/agents or call 0871-221 4444.

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KOREAN AIR has signed a partnership and codeshare memorandum of understanding with Myanmar Airways International (MAI).

Under the agreement, MAI has placed its “8M” code on Korean Air’s daily flight between Seoul and Yangon. The codeshare agreement will enable the airline to strengthen its partnership with MAI, as well as developing air traffic, increasing demand and improving schedules between the two countries, for both business and leisure passengers.

For further details see www.koreanair.com

Air Canada rouge announces Edinburgh-Toronto service AIR CANADA rouge will commence a summer non-stop service from Edinburgh Airport to its Toronto hub, Toronto Pearson International Airport, on July 3, with three flights weekly until October 18 (westbound).

Air Canada’s general manager – sales UK, Ireland and Northern Europe, Robert Atkinson, said: “We look forward to serving Scotland once again and introducing customers to Air Canada rouge. As well as being able to fly direct to the exciting city of Toronto, customers will benefit from connections to destinations across Canada, the US and the Americas via our Toronto Pearson International hub."

The new route will be operated by a Boeing 767-300ER and the aircraft will feature wireless streaming in-flight entertainment, enabling customers to stream films, TV programmes, music and destination information direct to their electronic devices such as laptops, tablets and smartphones.

Passengers arriving in Toronto will be able to connect with Air Canada flights to destinations across Canada, the US and throughout the Americas. Air Canada rouge customers will also be eligible for Aeroplan miles and can earn non-status miles on Tango bookings and Air Canada Status Miles on Tango Plus and Latitude fares.

For more information or to book visit www.aircanada.com or call 0871-220 1111.

easyJet signs long-term deal to double traffic at Stansted EASYJET AND the new owners of Stansted, M.A.G, have announced a new long-term growth framework deal to enable the airline to more than double its passenger numbers at Stansted from a current 2.8m passengers to six million passengers a year over the next five years.

The airline currently operates eight aircraft on up to 27 routes from the airport, including new services to Bulgaria, Morocco and Egypt.

Charlie Cornish, chief executive of M.A.G, said: "We are delighted that easyJet has chosen Stansted. We’re working hard with

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existing and prospective airlines to drive passenger growth at Stansted so the announcement on the new framework for growth is a positive first step.

“Stansted will flourish under M.A.G's ownership as we actively market the airport, the region and its strong connectivity, including direct rail access to both London and Cambridge, to airlines and introduce lots more airline competition into the London market. The quality of our offer is compelling and we strongly believe that Stansted has a key role to play in any debate on South East capacity."

A380 Joins Thai Airways’ LondonBangkok fleet ON DECEMBER 1, Thai Airways will introduce its largest aircraft, the A380, on its daily service between Heathrow and Bangkok which will carry up to 35% more passengers.

The A380 will feature seven galleys and food service stations with a cabin crew of 24.

Relative to the next largest aircraft, the Boeing 747-400, the A380-800 offers 50% more cabin area on its two full-length upper and lower decks, larger windows and overhead bins as well as 60cm more headroom.

Seats are arranged in three classes: 12 in Royal First Class, 60 in Royal Silk (Executive Class), and 435 in Economy.

For further information see www.thaiairways.co.uk or call 0844-561 0911.

June 28 2013

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seatonly SAS launches direct HumbersideCopenhagen route SCANDINAVIAN AIRLINES is expanding its regional network and launching a new direct route from Humberside International Airport to Copenhagen with operations scheduled to start on October 28.

The carrier will operate a daily service to Copenhagen from Humberside, five times weekly, with fares starting from £103 one-way including taxes and charges.

The airline's regional general manager Hans Dyhrfort said: “With more than five million people living within reach of the airport, the Humber region is an important northern hub and area of development for SAS. And with the area on its way to becoming the renewable energy capital of the UK, now is the perfect time to strengthen ties with Denmark and the Nordic region."

Connections are available at Copenhagen to a number of onward points including Finland (Turku and Helsinki), Sweden (Gothenburg and Stockholm), Norway (Oslo, Bergen, Stavanger), Poland (Warsaw, Gdansk, Poznan, Wroclaw), Lithuania (Palanga) and Denmark (Aarhus, Billund, Aalborg).

To book or for more information visit www.flysas.co.uk or call 0871-226 7760.

LEEDS BRADFORD Airport and Monarch Airlines have joined forces to celebrate all things Italian with the launch of the airline’s route to Rome from Yorkshire’s Gateway Airport. Fares, including taxes, start from £56.99 one-way and £95.98 return.

To mark the launch, local chefs were asked to create a signature Italian dish with a Yorkshire twist for a chance to win flights to Rome as part of the annual Leeds Loves Food festival.

Pictured are, from the left: Andy Allen, Johnston Press; Gip Dammone of Salvo’s (the winning restaurant) and Russell Ison of Monarch airlines.

Jetset system saves unwanted complaints for agents JETSET REPORTS that its JETS system is saving clients inconvenience and at the same time unwanted complaints for agents. The latest development is linked to the way the system has been programmed to handle the complex baggage changes that have recently been launched for European flights by the likes of AF, BA & KL. In recent months, a number of scheduled airlines have started charging for European checked baggage. Baggage with these airlines is now charged as a blanket charge across their whole European network or in a route or even fare specific manner. Talking about the changes, the company’s sales director, Adrian Smyth, said: “This has been a challenge for everyone to work with and made more difficult as operators were provided with minimal notification of the change. However I’m proud to report that our techies have pulled out all the stops and have delivered the very best trade solution out there. JETS uses an easy to understand symbol to identify on the display which fares do not include checked baggage.

This agent-friendly solution removes the need for agents to read and understand complex rule sets or information tables to obtain the right answer.”

ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES recently celebrated 40 years of service to Heathrow and the launch of its new Boeing-787 Dreamliner with the UK travel trade at Kensington Roof Gardens. Pictured are, from the left: Nick Wickers, ebookers; Rahel Assefa, Ethiopian Airlines; and John Farrugia, Explore Worldwide.

For more information visit www.ethiopianairlines.com

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June 28 2013

Thomson and First Choice add more flights from Cardiff THOMSON AND First Choice have announced additional flights to Tenerife and Alicante from Cardiff Airport for winter.

The added services, which commence in November, will allow for greater flexibility in holiday durations, and the additional flights equate to an increase of 17% on operations in winter 2012.

The operators will also be the only carrier flying customers to Antalya, Bodrum, Corfu, Kefalonia, Faro, Gran Canaria and Sharm el Sheikh from Cardiff.

The companies' airport negotiations manager Paul Cooper said: “Following the success of similar routes across a number of regional airports, we know that the demand is there.

“Expanding access to our portfolio of destinations and hotels is a key part of our overall strategy and we hope that this move will enhance the holiday experience for our customers.”

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seatonly Air New Zealand & Tourism New Zealand join forces in $20m partnership AIR NEW Zealand and Tourism New Zealand have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), valued at more than $20m, in a one-year partnership to undertake joint marketing activity promoting travel to New Zealand in selected international markets.

The investment represents an increase in planned joint marketing spend of around 80% compared with the previous financial year.

Under the MoU, the carrier and tourist office will each invest more than $10m over the next 12 months in co-operative marketing activity in the key markets including the UK. The tourist office's chief executive Kevin Bowler says partnership activity remains a key priority for the organisation in its new three-year marketing strategy.

Air New Zealand’s black livery

He said: “This MoU follows the Government’s announcement of a $158m boost in tourism funding over the next four years enabling us to enhance and expand our marketing efforts.

“We welcome Air New Zealand’s decision to also lift its co-investment in marketing New Zealand in parallel to the

Government’s boosted commitment meaning we can do more together.

Working in partnerships is proven to extend the reach and effectiveness of our campaigns. This additional marketing investment will build on the strong visitor arrival growth achieved over the first four months of 2013.”

Later this year the carrier

will also introduce its new aircraft livery which features the iconic New Zealand Fern Mark. The new livery will be progressively rolled out across the fleet until the majority will eventually feature the white version of the new livery and a limited number will feature the black version of the new design.

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seatonly Faroe Islands season takes off for Atlantic Airways with new twice weekly service ATLANTIC AIRWAYS has launched its twice weekly summer schedule from London to the Faroe Islands.

This summer’s service operates on Mondays and Thursdays until September 12, with return fares starting at £242, including

taxes and charges.

The carrier's chief executive Magni Arge said: “We’re delighted to once again launch our summer schedule from and to the UK in our 25th anniversary year.

“This is an exciting time for Atlantic Airways

Germania expands winter flight plan for 2013/14 BERLIN-BASED AIRLINE Germania is expanding its flight network from Gatwick for its winter flight plan 2013/14 and will operate twice-weekly flights to Erfurt/Weimar in central Germany.

Flights will be operated with an Airbus A319 aircraft, offering capacity for up to 148 passengers, and travellers can reach the centre of Erfurt within minutes with public transport.

From November, flights will take off and return to Gatwick on Mondays and Fridays, with a flight time of less than two hours.

The carrier's CEO Andreas Wobig said: “Thuringia is one of the most culturally diverse regions in Germany; Erfurt and Weimar are two of the most popular towns with foreign tourists. We are delighted that we can now offer passengers from the south of the UK a non-stop connection to Erfurt/Weimar.”

For more information or to book visit www.flygermania.de

following our Bronze Award by the European Regions Airline Association in recognition of our pioneering work in satellite navigation systems.

“We are close to the UK at a time when people are looking for new and exciting experiences that

are perhaps closer to home. We hope many more people from the UK will visit our beautiful islands in 2013 and learn what makes ours a very special destination.”

For more information or to book see www.atlantic.fo

InBrief ● TAP Portugal has increased the frequency of its Manchester to

Lisbon service, offering ten flights a week. Fares lead in at £126 return including all taxes and charges.

Details at www.flytap.com ● A new daily flight service dedicated to guests of Petit St Vincent

in the Grenadines has been launched by Mustique Airways, flying from Barbados to Union Island. ● ULURU (Ayers Rock) is now more accessible following the launch

of a new route from Sydney to Yulara with Jetstar. The carrier has launched four flights weekly adding an extra 1,400 seats to Australia’s Red Centre each week. The flights operate on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. ● KENYA AIRWAYS’ new service will see three flights a week to

Chileka Airport in Blantyre, Malawi, commencing on August 2. The new service complements the carrier's daily flights to Lilongwe, and allow connections through Nairobi to numerous global destinations, including Rome, Paris, Amsterdam and London.

Email uksales@kenya-airways.com or see www.kenyaairways.com ● Etihad Airways has launched a Meet and Greet service for guests

arriving on its flights at Abu Dhabi International Airport. The service can be booked up to 48-hours in advance and is designed to make it easy and quick to collect luggage and pass through immigration and customs.

For details email meetme@etihad.ae or visit www.etihad.com/meetandgreet ● AIR LITUANICA has signed an agreement to lease a 76-seater

Embraer E170 jet from Estonian Air, valid until the end of 2015.

The leased aircraft is dedicated for flights from Vilnius to Amsterdam, Brussels and Berlin starting at the end of this month. Air Lituanica flights will be marketed under Air Lituanica brand and operated with Estonian Air flight number. ● ARIK AIR has introduced a new online check-in service designed

WIZZ AIR has announced a new service from Budapest to Istanbul commencing on August 2. The route will operate four times weekly initially and gradually increase over the following months to offer a daily operation by March 2014. Pictured marking the new launch is the airline's cabin crew member, Zsuzsa, and chief commercial officer, Gyorgy Abran.

For details see http://wizzair.com

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June 28 2013

to provide customers with the ability to check-in from 24-hours to three hours before their flights, select their seats and print a boarding pass. Passengers with baggage to check-in can still check-in online and proceed to the check-in counters at the airport for baggage drop and standard security checks. The service has been introduced the airline's international routes Johannesburg, London and New York with domestic and regional routes to be progressively rolled out.

For details visit www.arikair.com

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latinamerica IN ITS latest Long Haul Trend Report, Hayes and Jarvis reveals that bookings for Brazil have increased this year with a 55% growth in bookings compared to last year. The destination is second only to Vietnam in the operator's Fastest Growing Destinations chart and is now experiencing the preWorld Cup boom previously predicted. The company's head of commercial Sean Dowd said: “Most customers are taking the opportunity to see as much of the country as possible and are combining a stay in Rio with a tour that takes in highlights like Iguassu Falls, Salvador and the Amazon Jungle.”

Air Europa launches Uruguay route AIR EUROPA has launched a new three times weekly service to Montevideo, Uruguay’s capital, from Gatwick, via Madrid.

The new service expands the airline’s portfolio in the region to six destinations.

The carrier's UK general manager Colin Stewart said: "This new route confirms our commitment to connecting our passengers with key economic and tourist destinations in Latin America.

“Just last November we launched flights to Santa Cruz, Bolivia, and with this latest service we are cementing our position as the airline of choice to Latin America.”

Journey Latin America introduces new product to programme JOURNEY LATIN America reports that on the back of increased interest in self-drive holidays it is extending its self-drive options throughout the continent.

Chile is the operator's most popular self-drive destination and a 16-day Freedom of the Road holiday offers self-drive in the wine region and northern Patagonia.

Prices lead in at £4,353 per person including flights, transfers, car hire, excursions, accommodation and most meals.

In Cuba, the operator has launched a new value holiday which allows clients to experience the country's culture and get off the beaten track by travelling on local buses and staying in Casa Particulares (homestays).

A 12-day Cuba Value holiday visiting Havana, Trinidad, Vinales and Cayo Levisa costs from £1,516 per person, including flights from London Gatwick, breakfast accommodation, transfers, bus tickets and excursions.

For further information call 020-8747 8315 or see www.journeylatinamerica.co.uk

Up to 30% savings on new promotion from Tucan Travel TUCAN TRAVEL is celebrating the colours of South and Central America with its Continent of Colour promotion, offering up to 30% off tours to Latin America booked by July 17 for travel until the end of December.

With selected tours at a minimum of 15% and 20% off, the discounts can be combined with two of the operator's five Rewards taking clients up to a maximum of 30% off. Rewards range from 5% off as a loyal traveller to 5% off for students and those booking multiple tours.

The company's CEO Matt Gannan said: “South and Central America are where we first started and the region which we know best, having won many awards for our tourism services in the region over the years. It is important for us to remember where we began and our history and we look forward to introducing this exciting region to new clients. The new offer also gives those who were thinking about visiting South or Central America that extra incentive to book.”

Chile launches new campaign focused on the destination's contrasts A NEW tourism campaign has been launched by the Subsecretaría de Turismo (Under Secretariat for Tourism) and Turismo Chile, the institution responsible for the promotion of Chile in international markets.

Geographical, climatic and cultural contrasts play a fundamental role in the new campaign, which promotes the

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diversity of activities in the destination, such as trekking in the Parque Nacional Torres del Paine National Park, rafting, skiing and experiencing the ancient culture of Rapa Nui on the remote Easter Island.

According to figures from the World Tourism Organization (WTO), statistics show that 2012 was a growth year for tourism in Chile, with international

tourist arrivals increasing by 13% over the previous year, reaching 3,468,475 tourists.

The government and all the institutions involved in the promotion of tourism have been set a target of four million passengers by 2014 and to increase the contribution of economic activity to the country's Gross Domestic Product to 6%.

June 28 2013

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Etihad Airways launches flights to Brazil ETIHAD AIRWAYS has launched non-stop flights between Abu Dhabi and Sao Paulo, operated by an Airbus A340-500 aircraft.

The new Brazil service marks the airline's entry into its sixth continent and an important move in increasing its presence across BRIC high growth nations. Brazil has the world’s sixth largest economy and is the largest country in South America with a population of almost 200m.

Quito announces new vision for former airport FOLLOWING THE inauguration of Quito's new international airport, Quito's Major Augusto Barrera has announced an ambitious urban and tourist project, which will see a new convention centre built over the grounds of the city's former airport.

The new project is estimated to cost US$35m and will feature a total convention and exhibition area of 227,667sq.ft; an adjacent 113,602sq.ft entertainment arena; a restaurant area and first aid kiosk; and

Record number of Brits visiting Brazil ahead of mega events ACCORDING TO the Brazilian Ministry of Tourism, the number of Brits travelling to Brazil last year increased by 4%, with numbers rising from 149,564 visitors in 2011 to 155,548 in 2012.

President of Embratur Flavio Dino said: "The major world sporting events such as the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil and the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic games provides a fantastic opportunity to showcase Brazil’s diversity. The latest tourism figures signify that momentum is growing ahead of our upcoming mega events and we are on track to meet our goal of ten million visitors by 2020."

As a result of the increase in tourist numbers, Brazil is working to meet the growing demand for hotels and resorts. According to the Ministry of Tourism, 109 new hotels, resorts and hostels are being built in the 12 host cities for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil. This will add to the pre-existing 567,100 beds the 12 cities currently have.

Dino said: “We are focused on providing a great service at a fair price, and this is what we need to guarantee.

"The Federal Government is committed to keeping costs down by taking measures including reducing taxes and electricity. We are also urging the private sector to keep prices fair before the major sporting events.”

For more information see www.visitbrasil.com

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June 28 2013

296,007sq.ft dedicated to parking.

The new infrastructure will have a total capacity for approximately 18,000 people, while the convention centre installations will be able to accommodate 9,000 people for meetings, fairs and conventions, with the covered arena having capacity for 9,000 people.

The destination has also announced that it is developing a new METRO system.

For details visit www.quito.com.ec/centrometropolitano

Patagonia tour savings from Explore EXPLORE IS offering savings of £100 on tours to Patagonia.

As an example, a Tour of Patagonia, which travels through Argentina and Chile, takes in Buenos Aires, the granite pinnacles of Torres Del Paine National Park and views of the Perito Moreno Glacier.

Along the way, guests will visit Ushuaia – the world’s southernmost city, and take a walk through Los Glaciares National Park.

Departing between October and December, the 13-day tour costs from £2,873 (was £2,973) per person including flights; seven nights hotel, three nights cabin and two nights hosteria accommodation, all with breakfast; transport; and the services of a tour leader, driver and local guides. The tour requires a good level of fitness should customers wish to take part in the included walks.

In addition to the above itinerary, an extension trip, Adventures In Patagonia + Iguazu Extension, ends at the Iguazu Falls. Departing between October and December, the 16-day tour costs from £3,528 (was £3,628) per person including flights; ten nights hotel, three nights cabin and two nights' hosteria accommodation, all with breakfast; transport; and the services of a tour leader, driver and local guides.

For further information or to book visit www.explore.co.uk or call 0844-499 0901.

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latinamerica Seven-night family package adventure deal in Peru from Inkaterra INKATERRA HAS launched a seven-night family package, making it easy for adventurous families to experience the Amazon Rainforest and Machu Picchu.

Families will be escorted by boat up the Madre de Dios River to spend four nights in Reserva Amazonica's ecolodge, where budding explorers can unleash their inner Indiana Jones and embark on a range of excursions.

Families will have the chance to spot howler monkeys, anacondas and side necked turtles on a trip to Lake Sandoval, scale Inkaterra's own Canopy Walkway or brave the Rainforest By Night trip to experience the sights and sounds of the nocturnal rainforest. Guides will be on hand to answer questions and keep kids entertained with colourful stories of jungle life.

The Inkaterra Reserva Amazónica is ideal for families with children over five years of age.

The second leg of the journey takes families to the Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel for three nights. Families will be taken from the rainforest on to Cusco and then to Ollantaytambo train station where a journey from the Sacred Valley up to Machu Picchu will commence.

Once at Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, families will have the chance to visit the accessible Machu Picchu ruins at sunset, learn about Cloud forest's indigenous plants and animals, see a collection of native orchid species in their natural habitat and visit Inkaterra's own Spectacled Bear conservation centre. The hotel will provide children with explorer kits, which include a flashlight, hat, compass, granola bar, postcards and coloured pencils.

Discover South America

with Air Europa, the Latin American specialist

Airline of the year to South America

Fly from London to Buenos Aires, Caracas, Lima, Salvador de Bahia, Santa Cruz (Bolivia) and Montevideo.

All flights are via Madrid.

Machu Picchu Citadel Mountain

The package leads in at £3,100 per adult and £2,400 per child (under 12), based on a family of four.

Meanwhile, the operator has launched an eight-night ‘Walking to Wellness’ programme, which includes stays at Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica and Inkaterra La Casona.

The programme incorporates a range of outdoor adventures, from hiking tours along rivers and valleys to Amazon rainforest night walks, complemented by healthboosting and detoxifying Andean-inspired spa treatments.

Prices lead in at £4,120 per person including accommodation based on two sharing, excursions and spa treatments. Flights, transfers and meals are also included and healthy menu options are available throughout.

For more information call 020-7491 7171, email info@selectcollection.co.uk or visit www.selectcollection.co.uk

Call 0871 222 9122

or email: uksales@air-europa.com for more information visit www.aireuropaexperts.com

Best economy airline South America 2013

UX south america_TB_210x150+3.indd 1

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latinamerica Veloso highlights eight-night Cataratas tour

We asked our staff the following question this week: What's the most surprising thing anyone has ever said to you?

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VELOSO TOURS, which offers tailor-made and small group tours, is highlighting an eight-night ‘Cataratas Short Tour’, which visits Buenos Aires, the waterfalls at Iguazu, and the beachside city of Rio de Janeiro.

Prices lead in at £2,574 per person based on two sharing including flights, accommodation and guided tours.

For details see www.veloso.com

Boost in searches for Brazilian hotels at Hotels.com WITH JUST one year to go until the Brazil World Cup kicks off on June 12, 2014, anticipation is already building in the UK, according to Hotels.com.

The company reports that searches for hotels in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro have risen by 32% and 36% respectively during the first part of this year, despite hotel prices in the two cities being among the highest in the world.

Buoyed by a strong economy and growing interest from tourists worldwide, hotel prices in the country are climbing fast. Last year, average rates grew by 8% to £151 on 2011, according to the company's Hotel Price Index. Prices in São Paulo grew by 6% to £135, while Rio de Janeiro rose by 13% to an average of £177 per night.

The company also reports that all of the country’s World Cup venue cities have seen double or triple digit rises this year in the volume of searches online.

Salvador has topped the list with searches increasing by 126%, while Fortaleza has seen interest grow by 108% and Curitiba has seen searches rise by 82%.

Although thousands of hotels rooms are being added to meet demand, with some work falling behind schedule, there are concerns that there may be a shortage of hotels when the country is besieged by sporting fans in 2014 and again in 2016 when Rio hosts the Olympic Games.

The company's senior director global communications Alison Couper said: “It’s great to see interest is building in Brazil ahead of next year’s World Cup. While Michael Palin has been an inspiration for many, the country’s booming economy has been a big draw for business travellers. As the country gears up for the World Cup, we’re expecting demand to continue to grow. However, with a countrywide programme of hotel building in progress, increased supply should mean that prices stay steady, giving football fans a reason to celebrate even if their team doesn’t win the cup.

“Looking beyond the World Cup to the 2016 Olympics, however, we could find that hotels in Rio are scarce. Although the city is working towards a target of 50,000 rooms, this is half as many as London had in 2012. While prices in Rio will almost certainly be higher than they were in London last year, travellers should still be able to get good value for money if they book early.”

New Peru itineraries from Go Barefoot GO BAREFOOT has developed several experience-based itineraries in Peru along with offering traditional tourism circuits, including walking to Machu Picchu using alternative arrival routes to ensure that travellers have an opportunity to take in the landscapes.

The operator's 'Discover Peru Differently' itinerary offers a llama trekking experience through the Andes mountains, discovering pre-Inca archeological sites, plus, a less explored journey by canoe and foot through the UNESCO site of Manu National Park. Guests also have the opportunity to see the endangered spectacled bear protected by a community owned forest reserve of northern Peru.

Experiences lead in at £240 per person.

For more information visit www.gobarefoot.org.uk

puzzlesolutions Crossword: Across: 1. BUTLINS, 6. RABAT, 8. GHENT, 9. SWEDEN, 10. ETON, 12. ELBA, 14. DE NIRO, 17. KUONI, 18. TEIDE, 19. AMATHUS. Down: 1. BORIS BECKER, 2. TABLE, 3. SAGA, 4. TRENT, 5. ALTON TOWERS, 7. TREK, 11. KENT, 13. BRONX, 15. IRISH, 16. LIMA.

Highlighted Word: SARK Travagrams: (top) Mark Warner

(bottom) Sardinia

Where Am I?: Porto

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June 28 2013

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All you have to do is relax Guaranteed sunshine, beautiful beaches and stunning scenery, above and below the water.

ABTA No.Y2507

Call 0845 072 2477 Visit redseaholidays.co.uk/agent