Inspirational facts to entice your clients to travel Slovenia January 31 2014 | ISSUE NO 1,858 | www.travelbulletin.co.uk news research reveals Brits will spend £2K on holidays this year bulletin briefing why agents can't afford to ignore the growing importance of mobile holiday parks new park launches plus the latest offers & investments 3 27 12 this week brazil embratur unveils major events that showcase destination's diversity 25 Produced by www.travelbulletin.co.uk INDIAN OCEAN All About the January 2014 Your one-stop guide to all the latest news and developments in the Indian Ocean with this issue DON’T MISS...
Transcript
Inspirational facts to enticeyour clients to travel
Slovenia
January 31 2014 | ISSUE NO 1,858 | www.travelbulletin.co.uk
newsresearch reveals Britswill spend £2K onholidays this year
bulletin briefingwhy agents can'tafford to ignore thegrowing importance of mobile
holiday parksnew park launchesplus the latest offers & investments
3 2712this week
brazil
embratur unveils majorevents that showcasedestination's diversity
25
Produced by
www.travelbulletin.co.uk
INDIAN OCEAN
All About the
January 2014
Your one-stop guideto all the latest news and developments in the Indian Ocean
with this issue
DON’T MISS...
TB3101 Cover 2014 02_TB Front Cover.qxd 1/29/2014 11:12 AM Page 1
S01 TB3101 Start_Layout 1 1/29/2014 11:30 AM Page 2
AFRICAN ADVENTURE....Tsessabe took a group of agents and operators on a fam trip to East Africa in conjunction with The Zanzibar Collection and SelousRiverside Safari Camp. Highlights included visits to Selous Riverside Safari Camp and The Zanzibar Colleciton in Tanzania. Pictured having fun in the sunare, from the left: (front row) Jen Atkins, Pure Zanzibar; Yvonne Mitchell, Personal Africa; Micky Robinson, Black Tomato; Cathy Bohan and Maxine Brown,Kuoni; Barbara Clark, TUI Specialist/Hayes and Jarvis; Anna McKenzie, Imagine Africa; Rebecca Ward, Exsosphere; Lucy Garbutt, World Odyssey; StephanieRock, TUI Specialist/Hayes and Jarvis; and Candice Buchan, Rainbow Tours; with (back row): Tessa Bott, Tsessabe; Gareth James, Audley Travel; WillHawkings, Byass Tsessabe; Peter Tait, Karifu Travel; and Alisdair Garbutt, partner of Lucy Garbutt.
This Week
3newsresearch predicts Brits willspend £2K on holidays in2014 as confidence rises
8 notes from normantonfind out what Sandy hasbeen up to lately
9 agent bulletinthe latest agent bookingincentives & training updates
11 puzzle bulletinplay Su Doku for a chance towin a £50 M&S voucher
12 bulletin briefingwhy agents can't afford toignore the growingimportance of mobile
17sloveniatourist board highlights tenfacts to inspire your clientsto travel
21australasiaoperators & airlines add newitineraries & routes inresponse to demand
25brazilEmbratur unveils majorevents that showcasedestination's diversity
27 holiday parksnew park launches plus thelatest offers & investments
Cove
r Pi
ctur
es:
Mai
n-
Bled
isla
nd,
Slov
enia
Tou
rist
Boar
dIn
set-
Man
aus,
Em
brat
ur
3www.travelbulletin.co.uk January 31 2014
newsbulletin
NEW RESEARCH released by ecommerce partner Webloyaltyhas revealed that this year will see increased confidence inthe UK’s leisure spending compared to last year, with 85% ofBritish holidaymakers planning to spend either the same ormore on their holidays as they did in 2013.
The study, compiled by retail and leisure researchspecialists Conlumino, suggests an optimistic outlook forspending in the area of travel and tourism over the courseof 2014, with 68% of people planning to take some sort ofholiday this year and the average holidaymaker planning tospend approximately £2,000.
Holidaymakers are feeling more confident than last yearabout spending on their breaks: while the cautioussentiment of 2013’s holiday habits saw a large number ofpeople choosing to holiday in the UK instead of going abroadin order to save money, the findings of the study signal anincrease this year in travelling to different countries forholidays, in place of ‘staycations’ and UK day trips.
Other findings revealed that 24.2% of people took a beachholiday abroad last year – but 26.2% plan on taking one thisyear, an increase of 2%, and that 15.9% took city breaksabroad in 2013 – but 17.2% will be doing so this year, anincrease of 1.3%. Meanwhile, UK-based holidays are on thedecrease. Although 24.5% of people opted for UK day tripslast year only 20.3% will be taking them in 2014 – adecrease of 4.2%. And while 19.8% of respondents took a‘staycation’ in 2013, just 16.9% plan on doing so this year – adecrease of 2.9%.
Brits are divided, however, on how to space their holidaysout across the year. A small majority of 55.8% prefer to takeseveral short breaks through the year, while the remaining44.2% will opt for one long two-week break in the summer.
Flights and hotels are some of the items on which peopleintend to spend more this year – 27.3% say they will spendmore on travel and 21.6% say they will spend more onaccommodation. Other areas such as clothing, gifts andsouvenirs will see less increase in spending, with fewerthan one in ten people planning to splash out more on them.
Research reveals Brits will spend £2k onholidays this year as confidence rises
Travel 2 expandsproduct in SimplyLuxury brochure FOLLOWING AN increasein demand, Travel 2 hasexpanded its Caribbeanportfolio in its SimplyLuxury brochure.
The operator has addedadditional hotels in mostof the current featureddestinations includingCoral Reef in Barbados,Anse Chastanet in StLucia, Curtain Bluff inAntigua and ViceroyRiviera Maya andParadisus Esmeralda,both on the MexicanRiviera Maya.
Kev Coles, thecompany's productmanager, said: “We haveseen significant growth inthe Caribbean, particularlyin Barbados and St Luciaand we expect that tocontinue this year. We arealso seeing huge growth inthe other islands such asAntigua and Jamaica witha big increase in bookingsto Sandals, Beaches andGrand Pineapple as wenow feature all theirhotels and room typeswith the most up to dateoffers.”For more information visitwww.travel2.com
NORWEGIAN CRUISE Line(NCL) has announced thelaunch of its 2015 summerand year-round cruises.
The deployment includesthe line’s newest ship,Norwegian Getaway, sailingto the Caribbean from heryear-round homeport ofMiami. The companycontinues to offer three shipsin Alaska, four in Europe andtwo in Bermuda, as well as avariety of Canada and NewEngland, Bahamas andFlorida itineraries.
Hawaiian cruises will alsorun year-round on Pride ofAmerica from Honolulu and
short Bahamas itinerariesfrom Miami year-round onNorwegian Sky.
Kevin Sheehan, the line'sCEO, said: “We will continueto offer a variety of excitingcruises for our guests tochoose from in 2015. Back bypopular demand, guests cancontinue to experience thebest of Europe on a choice offour beautiful ships, cruiseAlaska on some of theyoungest ships in theindustry and experience theinnovations andentertainment on the shipthat brings the best of NYC tosea, Norwegian Breakaway,
and Miami’s ultimate ship,Norwegian Getaway.”
Examples of itinerariesinclude a nine-night fly/cruiseon Norwegian Getaway whichsails from Miami to theEastern Caribbean everySaturday. Ports of call includeTortola (the British VirginIslands), St. Thomas (USVirgin Islands) and Nassau,(Bahamas).
Alternatively, NorwegianGem will sail from New YorkCity on nine-night Bahamasand Florida fly/cruisesbetween April 25 andSeptember 5. The family-friendly itinerary includes a
stop in Orlando and itsbeaches (Port Canaveral),Florida and also featuresNickelodeon programming onboard. On May 30 and June13, the ship will sail ten-nightBahamas and Floridafly/cruise sailings that featurean additional sea day as wellas additional time in Orlando.
Spring of next year will alsosee a variety of repositioningcruises including Caribbeanrepositioning, transatlanticcruises, Pacific Coastalitineraries and a variety ofPanama Canal voyages.To book call 0845-201 8900 orvisit www.ncl.co.uk
A RECENT survey conducted by Virgin Holidays Cruises ofmore than 1,000 British holidaymakers revealed what theywould like to do on a cruise, especially in relation to etiquette.
The results of the survey revealed how helpful passengerswould be when in a dangerous situation – 25% of womensurveyed thought it was not acceptable for women andchildren to be evacuated first in the case of an emergency and72% of people believe it is unacceptable to wear a swimmingcostume around all areas of the ship during the day.
Other findings revealed that 24% of passengers believe itis acceptable to wear shorts to dinner, 22% of people wouldconsider losing their child on deck for some ‘alone time’ and26% would want Jamie Oliver to prepare all their meals.
The company has created posters that could feature onits ships to help make having a good time on board less of a hassle.
The posters give passengers general pointers about whatthey need with them on certain parts of the ship, what theyshould and shouldn’t do and how to stay safe.
Virgin Holidays Cruises unveils results of etiquette survey
Norwegian Cruise Lines opens summer and year-round 2015 itineraries
www.travelbulletin.co.ukJanuary 31 20144
WINTER WIN...Pictured is the latest winner of the Winter Wondersof Bourne Campaign, Emmily Philpot from Thomson in Essex.Emmily picked up a goody box which also contained a bonus tokenwhich she used to bag herself an iPod shuffle. The incentive, whichruns until February 9, gives agents the chance to win a goody boxwhen they make an online booking for a minimum of three nightsfor any Butlins, Haven or Warner Leisure Hotels break.
JET2HOLIDAYS AND Jet2.com have released their annualtravel trend report, revealing ‘What’s Hot’ for 2014.
Combining research findings from more than 2,000holidaymakers with customer data, the report offers aninsight into how our holidaying habits have changed andevolved, how much holidays mean to us, what we plan to dowhilst we are away and where the must-visit destinations willbe this year.
When it comes to the 2014 hotspots, whilst the Spanishsunshine isles remain popular, Turkey, Greece and Croatia aregiving holidaymakers something different to look forward tonext year as bookings to the Eastern Mediterranean continueto soar. Sightseeing city breaks are also striking a chord with74% opting to visit a cool European city or two next year.Barcelona and Venice are currently topping the city chartswhen it comes to booking figures – already up 80% on lastyear.
Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, said: “With
consumers more determined than ever to enjoy their muchloved holiday next year, we’re predicting our biggest year yet in2014 – especially to our Eastern Mediterranean destinations.These findings really illustrate just how important holidays arein our annual calendar and it’s very interesting to see just howand where the majority of us are hoping to escape.”
Other key findings include 40% still opt to send a traditionalpostcard whilst they are away; 39% cannot leave home withouttheir favourite brand of teabag or ketchup; 43% are preparedto leave the sanctuary of the sunbed to get active instead withcycling, golfing and sailing the sports of choice; and a rise inolder kids travelling, with 20% tagging along with mum anddad instead of making the most of a mates only break.
The survey also found that four-fifths (85%) cannot foregotheir annual trip and a fifth say their holiday is more importantto them than their birthday and Christmas put together.For more information visit www.jet2holidays.com and www.jet2.com
S01 TB3101 Start_Layout 1 1/29/2014 11:30 AM Page 4
Newsbites● CLIENTS BOOKING a Dover to Calais day trip for a car and
passengers with P&O Ferries can collect six free bottlesof red, white or rosé Piat d’Or wine on board. Fares arefrom £23 return for a car and up to nine people betweenSunday and Friday, and from £28 return on Saturdays.The offer is available for trips taken between now andFebruary 28. For details see www.poferries.com
● SMALL LUXURY Hotels of the World (SLH) reports that2013 has topped 2012 as its best trading year. BetweenJanuary 1 and December 31, 2013 the company saw anincrease of 8% year-on-year in terms of room nights and12% in terms of revenue, delivering 369,152 room nightsand generating $134million in revenue.
● AS PART of its 20th anniversary celebration this year,Silversea has given its documentation package amakeover. A new Travel Journal consolidates thetraditional assortment of loose documents of booklets,wallets, and luggage tag holders and will be rolled out instages during the first few months of this year.
● CHECK SAFETY First has launched its new trade arm,Cristal International Standards, to help hotel groups
tackle the problem of managing brand consistency. For details see www.checksafetyfirst.com
● JET2.COM AND Jet2holidays have announced thatMancunian comedian, Jason Manford, is the voice of itsmulti-million pound TV and radio advertising campaignwhich runs until March 30.
● CRUISINGEXCURSIONS.COM HAS announced its latesttravel agency deal with The Travel Network Group. Thecompany’s 800 plus members will be sellingcruisingexcursions.com’s range of excursions, which nowexceed 5,000 at more than 600 ports worldwide.
● THE INAUGURAL Fiji International will be played at theNatadola Bay Championship Golf Course from August14-17. For details see www.fijiinternational.com
● CRYSTAL CRUISES has announced the latest perk to itsall-inclusive luxury cruise experience: free Wi-Fi forCrystal Society members, the line’s 'club' of repeatguests, starting this autumn.
● VISIT BLACKPOOL has launched its 2014 DestinationGuide, Blackpool NOW, which can be downloaded atwww.visitblackpool.com
5www.travelbulletin.co.uk January 31 2014
newsbulletin
TO CELEBRATE its tenth anniversary,Enable Holidays has launched itsbiggest brochure to date featuring 50new properties and ten newdestinations including France,Germany, Gibraltar, mainland Greece,Madeira, the UK and India.
New adapted properties have beenadded in the operator's existingdestinations including the resorts of
Costa Blanca in Spain and Paphos inCyprus.
The company's managing director,Lynne Kirby, said: "We're alwayslooking to provide our customers withmore choice and we've managed tosource some fantastic new hotels anddestinations, including India's GoldenTriangle, which is great news fordisabled holidaymakers looking for
more exotic and culturally diverseexperiences."
Each holiday is tailor-made to meetindividual requirements and thecompany can also arrange for carers toaccompany customers on holiday, ifrequired.For more information visitwww.enableholidays.com, call 0871-2224939 or email [email protected]
Enable Holidays marks tenth anniversary with expanded brochure launch
RAINBOW TOURS has launched its latest programme ofholidays to Africa and Madagascar including, for the first time,the little-known islands of Sao Tomé and Principe.
The programme for this year continues tofeature popular destinations such as SouthAfrica, Kenya and Tanzania alongside emerginghotspots including Sierra Leone and theRepublic of Congo.
Sao Tomé and Principe are two volcanicislands that sit on the equator, 225km west ofGabon. The little islands are hardly known andaccessible only via a once-weekly flight fromLisbon. They offer unexplored jungles, beaches,a variety of wildlife and Portuguese-Creolecuisine. Principe is also a UNESCO BiosphereReserve thanks to its rich biodiversity thatincludes humpback whales, dolphins andnesting turtles.
Prices start from £2,195 per person for aseven-night holiday at the principal resort, Bom Bom Island.
This year is also set to be significant for South Africa, one ofthe operator's core destinations with the country celebrating 20years since its first democratic elections and the beginning of
guilt-free tourism, as well as Cape Town taking on the title of‘World Design Capital’, with events and activities throughout theyear. For 2014, the company has added a range of properties
across the country including in Cape Town, alongthe south coast and Garden Route, inJohannesburg and in Kruger National Park.
The programme has also been expanded tofeature a wider choice in almost all destinationsincluding luxury tented camps and remote safarilodges in Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe andTanzania and in wildlife-rich areas including theOkavango Delta, the Serengeti and the LowerZambezi. In Namibia there are additional camps,lodges and guesthouses in the rocky wilderness ofDamaraland and on the coast at Swakopmund,while in Uganda there are added options for thosekeen to see the famous gorillas of the BwindiImpenetrable Forest. In addition, acrossMozambique, Zanzibar, Mauritius and RéunionIsland, there are more choices for those looking to
escape to idyllic beaches.For more information visit www.rainbowtours.co.uk or call 020-7666 1250.
Rainbow Tours adds islands of Sao Tome & Principe to 2014 programme
S02 TB3101 News 1_Layout 1 1/29/2014 11:39 AM Page 5
www.travelbulletin.co.ukJanuary 31 20146
newsbulletin
Tweets of
the WeekWho’s saying what
on Twitter...
@On_The_Go_Tours
Exciting news! We’ve justlaunched a brand newselection of cruises to theGalapagos Islands – whowants to go?http://bit.ly/1f2ZxVt
@VisitBath
We start the new year witha bit of a makeover! Thebeta version of our newwebsite is now live:http://www.visitbath.co.ukhope you like it!
@CIMTIGmarketing
Don't forget, you candownload #free white-papers, presentations,delegate lists and morefrom CIMTIG:http://bit.ly/19Zw1KI
@CorinthiaHotels
Seven Weeks. SevenHotels. Up To 50% Savings.Corinthia Hotels AnnualSale is back! Book Nowhttp://shout.lt/pp2j
@ParkResorts
We've been busy beeslooking at ways to makeyour holiday experienceeven better Check out ourBIG investment storieshttp://po.st/2014Development
Follow us on Twitter!http://twitter.com/
TravelBulletin
ELITE ISLAND Resorts has teamed up with double Olympicgold medallist and recent I’m A Celebrity contestant BeckyAdlington OBE and Virgin Holidays to launch a swimworkshop for guests at Palm Island Resort.
The free workshop, taking place from May 4-7, willcombine learning about the health and therapeuticbenefits of sea swimming with holidaying in theCaribbean.
Guests will have the opportunity for one-to-one timewith Becky, who will be able to advise beginners as well asthe more experienced swimmers on the benefits ofswimming as a sport to incorporate into daily routines.
Spa suites have also been introduced at four of thegroup’s resorts. Guests can choose five spa treatmentswithin a week’s all-inclusive spa stay from a speciallydesigned spa menu. Bath robes and spa packs, includingan exfoliating cleanser, sun protection cream and aftersun mist for face and body will also be included.
Meanwhile, to make booking easier for agents, thecompany has launched the UK’s first online bookableinterline site. Interline By Elite enables agents to makeconfirmed bookings and check availability 24-hours a day,seven days a week. New reduced prices for agents havebeen introduced to encourage more of them to see theCaribbean resorts for themselves. As an example, specialprices to St James’s Club Morgan Bay now start from £42per person per night, all-inclusive. Rates are for stays atany time between April and December and prices aredesigned exclusively for travel industry staff and theirfamilies for their own holidays.For details visit www.interlinebyelite.co.uk
Palm Island teams up with Olympic goldmedallist Becky Adlington
Themed musichotel opens inBenidormTHE ALL-INCLUSIVEMarconfort Hotels &Apartments will open inBenidorm in May, offeringmusic themes of the 70s, 80sand 90s in its MarconfortBenidorm Suites.
The complex offers 200suites where guests canenjoy different themed music,around which the decor andentertainment activities willalso be centred.For more information seewww.marconfort.com
LEED-ING THE WAY...Pictured marking the launch of Eastern Airways' Leeds-Southampton service isTony Hallwood from Leeds Bradford Airport and Kay Ryan from Eastern Airways. Aimed primarily atbusiness travellers, the carrier now operates three flights each weekday plus a Sunday service.
TYING THE KNOT...Travel 2's Carla Hutchings (right) had a successfulday at the Asian Wedding Show in Wembley to promote Travel 2's'Simply Luxury' honeymoon offering for brides to be and theirpartners. Pictured with Carla is honeymoon planner, Sangeeta Sehmi.
S02 TB3101 News 1_Layout 1 1/29/2014 11:39 AM Page 6
SARASOTA
Sarasota County is a beautiful subtropical destination and cultural hot spot located on Florida’s Gulf Coast, 50 miles south of Tampa. Visitors can explore Sarasota’s 35 miles of white-sand beaches, one of Florida’s oldest and largest State Parks; Myakka River and a dynamic mix of theatre, dance and art events in downtown Sarasota.
NEW FLORIDA BEACHES 2014 & 2015 BROCHURE OUT NOW
WIN A FLY DRIVE HOLIDAY TO THE FLORIDA BEACHES*
diversity that Florida has to offer.www.funway4agents.co.uk and
complete our short survey. With 8 up for grabs, you have more chance than ever before! All completed surveys will be entered into a prize draw with the winners being chosen at random shortly after the closing date.
HOLIDAY DESTINATION(S) & DURATION DEPARTURE DATE SALE PRICE
Sarasota (4 nights) November 2014 NOW FROM JUST £699pp
Tampa (3 nights) & Sarasota (4 nights) March 2014
To book visit funway4agents.co.uk or call our experienced travel advisors on 0844 557 0626 FLORIDA
BEACHES2014 & 2015
DISCOVER 14 INCREDIBLE DESTINATIONS AND SAVOUR THE SUNSHINE OF FLORIDA
*Terms and conditions may apply. All prices are correct at time of distribution.
PRICES
FROM £699PP
NOW FROM JUST £859pp– INCLUDES CAR HIRE
S02 TB3101 News 1_Layout 1 1/29/2014 11:39 AM Page 7
IHAVE DECIDED that my perfect job would be toaccompany Paul O’Grady when he goes on his travelprogrammes - think of all the pictures and articles I
could do! I am so loving the Animal Orphans in Africa - Iknow there are a few sad bits if they die which to me isworse than Hayley Cropper dying in Coronation Street(you know what I am like with animals!), although I didthink that was brilliantly acted by them both. Paul ispassionate about animals and it shows. I am so pleasedhe won an award for his Battersea Dogs Home series aswell - every time that is on I could adopt various dogs,and I can really relate to him when he says he wants tosneak them out - I would be the same!
Been helping out at Oakwood Travel in Leeds whilstJonathan enjoys his skiing holiday and it just showswhat a small world it is - Claire, his new member ofstaff who used to work for Thomas Cook and has livedand worked in Lesvos and various other countries, didher work experience at Idle Travel many many moonsago - what a coincidence and of course, I love the GreekIslands as well so we were like a couple of ShirleyValentines chatting away.
I think the big two need to decide who they want tosupport. TUI are still advertising their website priceswell below those that travel agents can get, and whaton earth is Thomas Cook thinking of when they remindus that with the introduction of ticketless travel all TCairport ticket desks have now closed, and thatcustomers who have problems during check-in mustcall the 24/7 free phone line (which can be used bycustomers who missed flights, want name changes orwant to buy flight seats). What's that all about? Whathappened to real people helping you?
'The hardest challenge is to be yourself in a worldwhere everyone else is trying to make you be somebodyelse' and 'Success is the ability to go from one failure toanother with no loss of enthusiasm'.
WEBSCLUSIVES● View photos from Travel Bulletin’s first ever
Online Training Showcase, held in Londonrecently, on www.travelbulletin.co.uk/events
● Up to £200 off School Summer Holidays withLodges & Parks from Hoseasons.
Visit www.hoseasons.co.uk/agents
● Win a fly-drive holiday to the Florida Beacheswith Funway. Complete a simple survey andyou’re in the prize draw.Go to: www.travelbulletin.co.uk/funway
● BROCHURE OF THE WEEK: A2Btravelextras &
resorthoppa. Low cost leisure and businessairport transfers in over 9,000 cities and resortsin over 90 countries worldwide.Go to www.travelbulletin.co.uk to view in digital format.
All this and more at:
www.travelbulletin.co.uk
The home of the web savvy travel agent
Go
MOVERS● RACQUEL BROWN has been appointed chief executive officer of
the St. Kitts Tourism Authority.● ROCKY MOUNTAINEER has appointed Patrick Ryan as director of
sales – EMEA & India. Leslie Peden, who was previously thecompany's director of sales, EMEA, has relocated to establish anoffice in Orlando, Florida as the new director of sales, USA.
● NICOLAS PESTY has been appointed general manager of SofitelLondon St James.
● PHILIP MORRIS has been appointed director of revenue atDorchester Collection with a responsibility for aligning brandrevenue and online strategy.
● THE EDEN Hotel Collection has appointed Paul Foster as headchef of The Dining Room at its three AA red star Mallory CourtHotel near Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire.
● LEANNE CODDINGTON has been appointed CEO of Tourism andEvents Queensland (TEQ).
● ADAM HANMER has been appointed manager, travel trade forthe UK at the Canadian Tourism Commission, effective fromFebruary 10.
● ST PANCRAS Renaissance Hotel has appointed MatthewRowlette as director of sales and marketing.
● THE GRENADA Tourism Authority (GTA) has appointed RudyGrant as CEO and Sheldon Keens-Douglas as director ofmarketing.
● VOYAGES TO Antiquity has appointed Neil Horrocks as cruisedirector on the Aegean Odyssey at the start of the Mediterranean2014 season on March 24.
● TRAVEL 2 has appointed Donna McAlpine and Laura Smart asmarketing assistants and Victoria Haining as graphic designer.
S02 TB3101 News 1_Layout 1 1/29/2014 11:39 AM Page 8
● SILVERSEA HAS announced a newtrade incentive for agents bookingguests on the new Silver Discovererwhich is due to launch in April.Agents who sell a minimum of threesuites on Silver Discoverer by June30, which depart before December31, will be eligible to redeem acomplimentary suite on the luxuryship on select sailings during 2014.The suite request must besubmitted by the agent beforeSeptember 30.
Email [email protected] for aredemption form and full terms andconditions.
● TRAVEL 2 has extended its ‘EveryDay’s a Pay Day’ incentive campaignwhich allows agents to earn variousamounts of shopping vouchers,ranging from £5 to £70 on qualifiedbookings every day throughout thismonth and next. The operator hasalso introduced new ‘Price Beat’and ‘Advanced Booking’ policies toensure agents get the best possibleprices for their clients. Available onkey competitor packages, if agentsfind the same holiday cheaper with
another operator, Travel 2 will beatit by £10. In addition, the newAdvance Booking policy guaranteesgreater security and flexibility whenmaking bookings for 2014 andbeyond. The company has alsomade improvements to its callcentre with Sunday opening hoursin January and February. A new callrouting process has also beenintroduced to deliver a quickerturnaround and speedier access tosellers. For immediate answers totheir questions, agents can use thecompany's 'Instant Chat’ service forquick question replies.
See www.travel2.com
● TRAVEL AGENTS have the chance toown a Chrome Book, win a cruisefor two on Marco Polo or bag a £100shopping voucher of their choice bybooking a cruise with Cruise andMaritime Voyages (CMV). Eachbooking made up until March 14 willqualify for one entry into the drawand agents should email theapplicable booking reference [email protected] details call 0844-414 6140.
● SARDINIAN PLACES is offeringtravel agents the opportunity toenter a prize draw to win a seven-night holiday for two at the four-star Relais Villa del Golfo & Spa inCannigione (North East Sardinia),by gaining points for every bookingmade up until February 28. Theprize is valid for travel during May(excluding half term) and earlyJune (check out by June 15) andincludes flights and transfers. Thewinner will be drawn on MondayMarch 3.
● COX & Kings has launched Cox &Kings Rewards, a new agentreward scheme that runsthroughout the year and rewardsagents for every booking theymake over the value of £5,000. Agents should visitwww.coxandkingsrewards.co.ukto log their bookings and collecttheir reward.
STRIKE A POSE...Agents have the opportunity to ‘bag’themselves a prize in Tipto’s new competition encour-aging entrants to submit a picture of themselves holdingtheir Tipto bag in a glamorous, weird and wonderfullocation. The competition runs until the end of Julyand agents should email their photo/s to [email protected]. Pictured is one of the recent entries -Carol Dunbar from Direct Travel in Durham, who ispictured seeing in the New Year in Gran Canaria.
agentbulletin
Booking incentives
SATOA HAS confirmed the dates of it 2014 events. TourOperator Dinners will run on March 18 in Brighton, April2 in London, May 29 in Gloucester, June 19 inBuckinghamshire, July 15 in Chester, September 25 inGlasgow and October 8 in Exeter. Travel Agent Dinnerswill be hosted on March 27 in Solihull, April 29 inBerkshire, June 12 in London, July 16 in Leeds andOctober 9 in Bristol. Other events include the SATOA AGMon July 30, Travel Awards on September 18 andChristmas lunch on December 15.For details call 0844-880 2421 or email [email protected]
ABU DHABI Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi)is spearheading a major push to upscale UK hotel guestnumbers this year with a dedicated travel traderoadshow in London on February 5 to launch thecampaign. At the roadshow the trade can join roundtablediscussions with representatives from Abu Dhabi’s hotelsand attractions including Yas Island, Desert Adventures,Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas, Rotana Hotels andJumeirah. Attendees will also discover the emirate’s lineup of major events for 2014.To register your interest in attending email [email protected]
Transun launches early booking deals for 2014 Santa breaks TRANSUN IS offering free child places on selected 2014 Santabreaks in Lapland.
As an example, early bookers can benefit from free childplaces when four people book the Sleigh Bells Ringingpackage, subject to availability.
Highlights include a reindeer sleigh ride, a husky sled rideand the search for Santa in his log cabin hideaway, followed bya private family meeting with Santa where the youngermembers of the family will be presented with gifts.
Guests can further immerse themselves in Arctic culturewith a one-night stay in an igloo which is well insulated withtraditional reindeer hide. Those looking for something a littlecosier can take their little ones to see puppies at a huskycamp. Both excursions carry an additional supplementarycharge.
Prices start from £799 per person and include flights andrelevant taxes from a UK regional airport, three nights’ full-board accommodation, thermal suit and boot hire, plus a fullitinerary of activities.
The break is offered from a selection of regional UK airportsbetween November 14 and December 20.For details see www.transun.co.uk/agents or call 01865-265200.
DOSOMETHINGDIFFERENT.COM HAS launched two newelectronic splash-mags,exclusively for travelagents.
The company's businessmanager, Annabel Cove,said, "Keeping a strongrelationship with our agents
is very important to us,which is why we try to visitthem as much as possibleand why we are now veryexcited to be launching twonew e-magazines to keepagents up to date with thelatest developments fromHQ in-between visits."
The DSD Times will besent out on the lastThursday of each month viaemail and will cover newsfrom HQ, features on agentsand a snap of the month,while What’s Different? willbe a monthly e-update forthe trade, talking about the
company's top sellingtickets and destinations ofthe month, new attractionsand rides, news on agentincentives, plus updates.To sign up to receive themagazines [email protected] or call 020-8090 3890.
Keycamp and Eurocamp have united for 2014
Order your new Eurocamp brochures today:Trade-Gate: www.trade-gate.co.uk
Viewdata: Istel + Fastrak (BP#)
united with
meaning we’ll both operate under the Eurocamp banner from now on.
It also means we’ve even bigger and better holiday experiences – order your new Eurocamp brochures today to find out more.
newsbulletin
www.travelbulletin.co.ukJanuary 31 201410
Read all about it with DoSomethingDifferent.com’s electronic splash-mags
'Stay & Play Free' offer from RockyMountaineer
ROCKY MOUNTAINEER is inviting travellers to experience theCanadian Rockies with its exclusive Stay & Play offer. Fromnow until February 28, guests booking packages of four nightsor more receive up to £350 per couple in added value, whichcan be used to further customise their holiday including extrahotel nights, additional activities and Alaskan cruises.
As an example, the Canadian Rockies Highlights & CoastalPassage itinerary is one of the packages eligible for the Stay &Play offer. The eight-day/seven-night holiday is exclusivelyavailable in GoldLeaf or SilverLeaf Service and guests travelbetween Seattle and the Canadian Rockies on the RockyMountaineer, overnighting in popular destinations such asVancouver, BC, Banff, Lake Louise and Calgary AB. For details see http://agent.rockymountaineer.com
DRESSED TO IMPRESS...Virgin Limited Edition has announced that thewinning agency of its ‘Best Dressed’ window competition isSymphony World Travel (pictured). The prize was a three-night stay atThe Lodge, a Swiss mountain retreat in Verbier, while all otheragencies taking part received four tickets to a pre-club night at TheRoof Gardens in London.
S03 TB3101 News 2_Layout 1 1/29/2014 10:33 AM Page 10
puzzlebulletin
11www.travelbulletin.co.uk January 31 2014
Where Am I?
Smallest province of Indonesia.
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
Closing date for entries is Thursday, February 6th. Solution and new puzzle
will appear next week.
The winner for 17th January is Anne Birkett, Dawson &
Sanderson in Hexham.
January 17 Solution: A=9 B=8 C=4 D=2
➠A
➠B
➠C
➠D
Number: 004
Travagrams
Across 1. Hotel chain operated by Wyndham
Worldwide (6)4. Jimmy, host of 8 out of 10 Cats (4)8. Capital of Madeira (7)9. European carrier (3)10. One of the Great Lakes (4)12. Leading ferry operator, ___ Line (5)15. Capital of Jordan (5)16. The Iolani Palace is located on this island (4)19. French ski resort, ___ d'Isére (3)20. Low fares airline (7)22. One of the Channel Islands (4)23. Historic French city on the
Mediterranean (6)
Down 1. Game show hosted by Shane Richie, sounds like
a knee-jerk reaction (6)2. Manchester airport code (3)3. Capital of Qatar (4)5. State capital of Georgia (7)6. Luxury hotel The ___ London (4)7. Currency of Poland (5)11. Popular Turkish resort on the Turquoise
Coast (7)13. Holiday parks operator, part of Bourne
Leisure (5)14. Derbyshire spa town (6)17. Major car hire company (4)18. Capital of Norway (4)21. Japan Airlines, initially (3)
Where Am I?
Fill in the crossword to reveal the mystery location highlighted by the green squares.
For the solution to the Crossword, Where Am I? and Travagrams, please see page 30
Crossword
Su Doku
Num
ber:
004
A rail tour operator which takes its name from this precious stone
Change one letter in this singer’s last name to get this hotel group’s name
Drama Lindo Nash Doily
Cure Rem
Can you solve the following anagrams to decipher the destination & tour operator?Win a £50 M&S voucher in the travelbulletin Su Doku prize puzzle
IDON’T know about you, but I am intrigued by a newtrend sweeping across the States... I’m told that when employees at Google HQ clock
out from work on a Friday and hit the bar, each ofthem is required to put their smartphone in a pile onthe table.
The first one to cave and reach for their phone isthen forced to pay for the next round of drinks aspunishment for their digital dependency.
Word is still out on whether Mr. Zuckerberg himselfhas partaken as of yet, but while this momentary datadetox no doubt does what it is supposed to do in thatit facilitates human to human conversations, what itsays about us is impossible to ignore.
For agents out there, now is the time to sit up andtake notice. We’ve become a screen obsessed societythat is simply no longer able to look away.
From a quick Google (on my phone no less), theaverage person in the UK checks their phoneupwards of 100 times a day and an astounding everysix seconds in the evening. For someone whoremembers a pre-mobile phone world, I still findthese stats baffling.
Now don’t get me wrong, I can spend a good hourhere and there on Twitter on my phone, but I at leastlook up more than every six seconds. Couple this withthe fact that Google states that upwards of 17% ofglobal web traffic now comes through web users’mobile devices, the growing importance of ‘mobile’ issimply not something that agents can refuse toignore any longer. Bottom line is that more and moreconsumers plan their next holiday with smartphoneor tablet in hand.
Despite the growing evidence that the smartphonereigns supreme, many agents still don’t haveeffective, user-friendly mobile sites.
We all need to hear the message loud and clearthat making your website mobile enabled, accessibleand user-friendly across all platforms is one of thecritical first steps to increasing and growing revenue.It’s clear that for the proactive ones out there theopportunities are endless but those that don’t jumpon the bandwagon run the risk of being left behind bytheir more savvy competitors.
The need for a mobile-friendly site is part and
parcel of the changing dynamics of customerengagement within the travel industry and just onesolution to how agents can connect with today’shyperconnected holidaymakers. Indeed the optionsfor reaching the growing legions of digital travellersare endless, be it with data-driven technologies, textoffers, email alerts, personalised content and moreand if done properly, can significantly increasecustomer loyalty and revenue.
While for years newspapers and travel industryanalysts have been predicting the death of the High-Street agent at the hands of the internet and callcentres, the reality is that real-life walking andtalking agents are stronger than ever.
It is true that the ease and ability to book a holidayhas shifted into the hands of the consumers,although the strange irony of it all is that with theexplosion of online travel agents (OTAs) and pricecomparison websites, travel agents are needed nowmore than they’ve ever been before.
Knowledge, detail, navigating options and locatingthe best deals is where agents add value and excel.This is one of the main reasons why offerings ofoffline High Street travel agents still remain socompetitive.
Of course, in order to get to this step and showtheir expertise and prove their worth, agents firstneed to get their customers through the door.
As the Happy Hour example from Google proves,the way to a customer’s heart (and head) is no longerthrough his stomach, but rather through hissmartphone or tablet.
Industry Insight by...
Andy Stark, managing director of The Global Travel Group, explains the importance of mobile for travel agents
bulletinbriefing
"Despite the growing evidence
that the smartphone reigns
supreme, many agents still
don’t have effective,
user-friendly mobile sites"
www.travelbulletin.co.ukJanuary 31 201412
S03 TB3101 News 2_Layout 1 1/29/2014 10:33 AM Page 12
S03 TB3101 News 2_Layout 1 1/29/2014 10:33 AM Page 13
www.travelbulletin.co.ukJanuary 31 201414
Above: CZECH IT OUT...VendyFojtova from Czech Tourismgets set to update agents.
Above: GOING OTT...Getting ready to welcome agents are, from theleft: Pete Bakewell, Sean McCarthy and Guillaume Massey from OTT.
"I had a lovely time atTravel Bulletin's OnlineTraining Showcase andI was impressed athow smoothly it all ran.I am not used to eventsfinishing on time!"Ambika Aggarwal,International TravelConsultant, Flight Centre
eventbulletin
TRAVEL BULLETIN hosted its first Online Training Showcase at the Intercontinental HotelLondon Westminster for agents last week. The event, sponsored by South Africa Tourism,offered presentations from a range of suppliers as well as a hot buffet dinner, entertainmentand a free prize draw...
"It was a good eveningwith just the rightamount of suppliers toget round and the foodwas also very good!See you at the nextevent!"Jacqueline Brady, Ian Allan Travel
Above: IN HIGH SPIRITS...Enjoying the evening's eventsare, from the left: GeorgeGregory, Dave Owen and HattieHarvie from Flight Centre.
Left: TABLE TALK...Enjoyingthe reception drinks are, fromthe left: Rebecca Bateman,Virgin Holidays; ChrisWojchechowski and SarahSpooner, AM Resorts; andChristine Yeoman, VirginHolidays.
Right: GOODY GIRLS...MarieRayner and Leslie Clementsfrom Travel Counsellors pickup their goody bag.
Above: FIT FOR A KING...Ben King (centre) from Dialaflight won aseven-night holiday for two at the El Gouna Club Paradisio Hotel,courtesy of Mohammed Elnaggar of the Egyptian Tourist Officeand Nevine Coutry of El Gouna and Taba Heights.
S03 TB3101 News 2_Layout 1 1/29/2014 10:33 AM Page 14
Left: SOUTH AFRICAUPDATE...Nina Farrimond(centre) from South AfricaTourism updates Pam Eaton(left) and Daxha Buchanan fromArup Travel Desk.
Above: HIGH FLIER...AmbikaAggarwal (left) from FlightCentre won a three-nightUnlimited Stay at a Dreams orNow Resort in Mexico or TheDominican Republic. She ispictured collecting her prizefrom Sarah Spooner of AMResorts.
"Just to say a big thankyou for Monday night'sevent. It was great tomeet some new suppliersand learn about theirproducts and I love theIntercontinental and theirmarvellous hospitality.Thank you to all theteam." Carol Smith, Co-operative PersonalTravel Advisor
Right: CHOCS AWAY...Collectinghis prize of Belgian chocolatesfrom Travel Bulletin's JeanetteRatcliffe is Sean Phillips ofThomas Cook Wimbledon.
Left: BEN BAGS IT...BenBurgess from Dialaflight picksup two bottles of wine fromNina Farrimond of SouthAfrican Tourism.
Above: SMOOTH SAILING...Anula Carvalho of Aquarius Travels wonshopping vouchers in the prize draw and is pictured receiving herprize from Emma Taylor of Crystal Cruises.
January 31 2014
S03 TB3101 News 2_Layout 1 1/29/2014 10:33 AM Page 15
S03 TB3101 News 2_Layout 1 1/29/2014 10:33 AM Page 16
17www.travelbulletin.co.uk January 31 2014
THE AREA of Radol'ca, in the north-west of Slovenia, encompasses the towns of Radovljica and Lesce together with the surroundingvillages of Begunje and Kropa. Radovljica’s Old Town is one of best preserved medieval town structures in Slovenia. The old townfeatures preserved architecture as well as museums, galleries and other attractions. Highlights include Šivec House, one of thebest-preserved examples of 16th century Slovene town architecture; the Radovljica Mansion, described as the crowning jewel ofRadovljica’s architecture, and the Church of St Peter, which offers a typical example of a Gothic three-nave town church.For details see www.radolca.si
COSMOS TOURS & Cruises is highlighting an eight-dayScenic Slovenia & Croatia tour where guests canexperience the historic region of the Balkans andDalmation Coast. It includes two nights in Ljubljana, citysightseeing in Split, Zadar, Dubrovnik, Sarajevo and Zagreband visits to the Plitvice National Park and Mostar. Prices
lead in at £920 per person and include flights, transfers,seven nights' breakfast accommodation, some meals,guided sightseeing and a tour director. Optional tourextensions include Lake Bled or Portoroz on the IstrianRiviera, with three or seven nights from £259 per person.Flights are available from Stansted and Manchester.
GREAT RAIL Journeys is highlightinga selection of 2014 tours that take inSlovenia.
A Slovenia, Croatia & Montenegroitinerary takes in Bled, Ljubljana,Zagreb, Split and Dubrovnik andleads in at £2,395 per person. Itincludes First and Standard Classrail travel (Standard Premier Classon Eurostar journeys with a lightmeal and drinks); scheduled flights;13 nights' breakfast accommodation;two lunches and eight dinners; anexcursion on the Bohinj Railway; aguided tour of Ljubljana, thePostojna Caves, Zagreb, Zadar, Split
and Dubrovnik; an excursion to thePlitvice Lakes; an Adriatic ferrycruise; an excursion to Kotor Bayand Budva; porterage for certainsections of the tour; and a tourmanager.
For clients looking for a cruiseinto the region, agents canrecommend a 12-day Venice & TheDalmatian Coast Cruise, a non-flyingcruise on the Royal Clipper.Departing from Venice, the tourincludes a cruise across the Adriaticto explore the cities along theDalmatian Coastline. Itineraryhighlights include Kotor in
Montenegro, Dubrovnik, Hvar andRovinj in Croatia and the Sloveniantown of Piran.
Prices lead in at £3,470 andinclude First Class rail travelthroughout (Standard Premier Classon Eurostar journeys with a lightmeal and drinks); four nights'breakfast accommodation; a seven-night cruise on Royal Clipper in aCategory six twin berth inside cabin;all meals during the cruise plus afurther three dinners; a guided tourof Venice; transfers; porterage forcertain sections of the tour; and atour manager.
Great Rail Journeys promotes range of itineraries with 13 nights from £2,395
INGHAMS HAS added new options forbreaks this summer.
As examples, Strictly Sloveniaoffers guests a stay on Lake Bled andthe opportunity to learn ballroomdancing under the expert guidance ofKatarina Ventorini, 23 timesSlovenian National Champion.
Lessons are available for alllevels, including complete beginners,and at the end of the course guestsreceive their own Strictly Sloveniatrophy to take home. Classes runthroughout July and are free for
guests staying in the Hotel Park,Hotel Golf or Toplice. A seven-nightstay on a half-board basis at thefour-star Hotel Park costs from £629per person, based on a July 6departure. It includes flights andtransfers.
The company is also offeringthree-day Slovenian cooking coursesthis summer under the guidance ofChef Andrej Rovan, owner of aprestigious restaurant in Slovenia.
Guests will learn about localingredients and how to cook
traditional dishes, discover new waysto cook fish and meats and discoverwines from the local regions.
Classes are included for all guestsstaying at the four-star Hotel Triglavon selected dates from May toSeptember.
A seven-night, half-board stay atthe hotel costs from £1,189 perperson including flights, transfersand the cooking course. For more information visitwww.inghams.co.uk/agents or call 01483-791114.
Summer additions with seven-night half-board breaks from £629 with Inghams
slovenia
www.travelbulletin.co.ukJanuary 31 201418
KAMP KOREN, located in a picturesque valley by the Soča river,offers 80 pitches for caravans, motor homes and tents and canhost up to 250 guests. Each pitch has an electric hook up and thesite features a heated sanitary block, washing and dryingmachine, TV, Wi-Fi, bar and grocery store. The four-star campsite,situated 500m from the centre of Kobarid, also offers disabledfacilities, as well as a range of activities including volley ball,bowling, a playground, table tennis, a climbing wall and a highropes course. The campsite has also unveiled six new woodenchalets (pictured) each offering a kitchen, living room, bathroomand two bedrooms. Prices lead in at €55 per night in low seasonand €160 in high season. Discounts of 5% are available for stays ofseven nights or more and 10% discounts apply to stays of tennights or more. For details email [email protected]
ANATOLIAN SKY Holidayshad expanded its programmefor 2014 to include a choice ofholidays in Slovenia.
The programme aims toshowcase the country’sdiverse landscape ofmountains, lakes andcoastal towns, as well asthe laid-back capital,Ljubljana.
There are city breaks toLjubljana with a choice offour- and five-star hotelswith prices from £579 perperson for five nights atthe centrally-located GrandUnion Hotel.
Also available areholidays to Slovenia’scoastline, including Piranand Portoroz, and to LakeBled and Bohinj, withaccommodation rangingfrom the luxury GrandHotel Toplice to the alpine-style Hotel Jezero.
The programme also
offers a range of tailor-made, multi-centre holidaysplus a six-day Highlights ofSlovenia escorted tour,priced from £2,325 perperson and departing onfixed dates monthly betweenMay and October. Starting inthe capital, the tour travelsthrough the Karst region tothe Postojoria Cave, beforereaching the coast at Piran.It includes a visit to NovaGorcia and travels throughthe Soca Valley to LakeBled. For more information visitwww.anatoliansky.co.uk orcall 0844-273 3585.
Debut Slovenia launch in Anatolian Sky Holidays’ new 2014 brochure
Kamp Koren is situated in picturesque valley by the Soča river, only500m away from the centre of Kobarid. You can stay in a campsite orin our eco chalets, each with 100m2 living space, divided intokitchen, living room, bathroom and 2 bedrooms.
Here anybody can find something for themselves: relaxingatmosphere or different sport activities, such as rafting, kayaking,canyoning, hiking, climbing, mountain biking, paragliding, fly-fishingand others. The campsite offers volleyball, bowling playground, tabletennis, a climbing wall and adventure park, washing and dryingmachine, TV, WiFi, bar and grocery with some eco products.
EXPLORE IS highlighting its new Multi Active Slovenia and ActiveSlovenia tours. The former offers a week of activities for adults in theSlovenian countryside. Based in Tolmin and Bohinj, guests can takepart in whitewater rafting, cycling, canyoning and kayaking. Departingbetween June and August, prices lead in at £1,098 per personincluding flights, seven nights' breakfast accommodation, transport, atour leader, driver and activity guides. The Active Slovenia option,aimed at families, is based in Tolmin and Bohinj and guests can alsotake part in whitewater rafting, cycling, canyoning and kayaking.Departing between July and August, prices lead in at £1,092 per adultand £998 per child (minimum age eight) including flights, seven nights'breakfast accommodation, transport, a tour leader and activity guides.For details see www.explore.co.uk or call 0844-499 0901.
19www.travelbulletin.co.uk January 31 2014
2014 IS the year to visit Slovenia.Combining the Alps, theMediterranean, the Pannonia Plainand the Karst, Slovenia is one of themost diverse countries on the planet.Pick autumn fruits in the morning,take a dip in the Adriatic in theafternoon and go night skiing in theevening.
Here are some other facts toinspire your clients to visit...
1. Slovenia is one of the mostbiologically diverse countries in theworld. In total, it is home to morethan 24,000 species of animal, 1% ofall living beings and 2% of all landanimals.
2. Slovenia is the third mostwooded country in Europe (afterFinland and Sweden). Almost 60% ofall its territory is covered by forest.In recent decades, this share hasonly increased, as more than 200,000trees are planted annually.
3. Emona (Ljubljana), the Romancolony that once stood on the site of
present-day Ljubljana turns 2,000this year. To mark the occasion, thecapital will host numerous Roman-based festivals and exhibitions.
4. Slovenia is a country withabundant water, making it theperfect destination for fishing. Thereare more than 45 watercourses over25km long and many waterfalls,gorges and lakes.
5. You can swim and ski on thesame day! The geographical andclimatic diversity and variety ofSlovenia allows you to pick autumnfruits in the morning, take a swim inthe Adriatic in the afternoon and goskiing in the evening.
6. Slovenia is one of the most water-rich countries in Europe. Its rivers,streams and other watercoursesmeasure 27,000km in total. Moreover,Slovenia has numerous thermal andmineral springs and lots ofunderground waters.
7. The oldest vine in the worldgrows in Maribor, the second largest
city in Slovenia. It is more than 400years old and 25 litres of wine arestill produced from its grapesannually.
8. Slovenia is home to around3,000 churches, chapels and shrines,making it one of Europe's topcountries for sacral objects percapita.
9. The destination is one of thebest countries in Europe for year-round activities. Visitors can spendwinter skiing in the Julian Alps,sunbathe along the Mediterranean inthe summer and try their hand at along list of sports and activities inbetween.
10. Slovenia is a country famousfor caves including the magnificentPostojna Caves, and the UNESCOWorld Heritage Listed Škocjan Caves.They are also one of the famoussystems of limestone (karstic) cavesin the world. For more information seewww.slovenia.info
Ten facts to inspire a trip to Sloveniaby TINE MURN, head of UK office, Slovenian Tourist Board
Highlights include: Radovljica – old town centre, one of the best preserved medieval towns in Slovenia. Points
of interest: Museum of Apiculture, Lectar Inn and Live Gingerbread Museum. Lesce – Sports airfield,
Bled Golf Course. Begunje – Home to the world renowned Avsenik music, Kamen Castle. Kropa – The cradle of Slovene iron-forging, authentic iron mill owners’ architecture.
The Sava River – The Šobec Campsite, fishing.
In the north-west of Slovenia between
the Karavanke and Julian Alps, close to world-famous Bled
and Triglav National Park.
Read our blog: adeleinslovenia.wordpress.comTo find out more visit: www.radolca.si
www.facebook.com/RadolcaHonestlySweet
slovenia
REGENT HOLIDAYS has launched its 'Russia & Alternative Europe’programme which includes a range of tours to Slovenia.Highlights include a seven-day, twin-centre itinerary priced from£595 per person, which incorporates Ljubljana and Lake Bled,with three nights’ breakfast accommodation in each destinationplus flights and transfers. Alternatively, an eight-day Slovenia &Croatia fly/drive holiday costs from £750 including flights,breakfast accommodation and car hire. For details see www.regent-holidays.co.uk
www.travelbulletin.co.ukJanuary 31 201420
Tourist board positive for strong 2014 on back of recent demand
THE SLOVENIA Tourist Board reports that 2014 is a bigyear for the destination and that the recent year-on-year growth in UK visitors has had a positive impact onthe future for Slovenia tourism.
The tourist board's director, Karmen Novarlič, said:"Expected demand has seen new additional flightsscheduled from the British Isles to Slovenia starting thisyear. The annual ABTA convention in September willalso be an excellent tool to drive more tourists from theUK to Slovenia."
Balkan relaunches agent training manuals BALKAN HOLIDAYS, which offers a Summer Sun and WinterSki and Snowboard programme to Slovenia, has relaunched itsagent training manuals with updated information about thecountry.
The manuals provide agents with an in depth knowledge ofdestinations in Eastern Europe and the eight moduleprogramme covers the operator's winter and summerprogrammes. Agents successfully completing any of themanuals receive a certificate plus incentives.
In its summer programme the operator features holidays toPortoroz, golf holidays to Lake Bled plus Lakes and Mountainholidays to Lake Bohinj and Kranjska Gora. The winter skiprogramme focuses on Lake Bled.
The company's sales and marketing manager, RupertDiggins, said: “As a holiday destination, Slovenia has it all. Theclimate is good and the country is beautiful with its lakes andmountains, as well as beach resorts. There is goodinfrastructure with excellent quality hotels and regular flightsfrom Stansted, Luton and Manchester.”
As examples of prices, a seven-night stay at the four-starHotel Lek in Kranjska Gora, departing on March 1 fromStansted, costs £457 per person based on two sharing a twinroom on half-board.
In Lake Bled, a seven-night stay at the three-star HotelJelovica, departing on January 29 from Stansted, costs £414 onhalf-board.
Both prices also include transfers.For further information see www.balkanholidays.co.uk/agentsor call 0845-130 1114.
ETIHAD AIRWAYS will commence dailyflights to Western Australia on July 15. AnAirbus A330-200 aircraft with 262 seats –22 seats in Pearl Business Class and 240in Coral Economy Class – will fly the routebetween the airline’s hub in Abu andPerth, its fourth Australian gateway.
Customers will be able to connect ontocodeshare flights to 14 towns and citiesacross Western Australia, includingBroome in the Kimberley, Albany on thesouthern coast and Learmouth for accessto the World heritage listed NingalooReef.
THIS YEAR will see NewZealand complete itsnationwide 'Nga HaerengaCycle Trail', a jointlyfunded Government andcommunity network ofcycle trails to showcasethe best of the country'slandscape, environment,culture and heritage.
When the trail's 23 GreatRides are completed,cyclists will have a choiceof almost 2,500 km ofdedicated cycle routes toexplore independently or
as part of a guided group. Beyond the network,
New Zealand’s cyclingdevelopments continuewith the opening of otherdedicated off-road cycletrails, new itineraries andevents. In the North Island,the central volcanicplateau has a choice oflandscapes andexperiences ranging fromsandy river tracks tomeandering forest trailsand steamy volcanicpathways.
Meanwhile, the SouthIsland’s alpine scenerysets the scene for amultitude of shorteroutings, multi-day touringroutes and hard-coremountain-bikingexperiences - following thewater’s edge of a lake,river or coastal estuary;cruising a food and winetrail; or a grand touringadventure cycling from themountains to the sea. For more information visitwww.nzcycletrail.com
Fiji Airways enhances network with increased frequencyFIJI AIRWAYS is enhancing its route network further this year with increased frequency offlights between Australia, New Zealand, the US and Hong Kong to the Fiji Islands and beyond.
Frequency will be increased on the Hong Kong-Nadi service to three times weekly, theChristchurch-Nadi route to twice weekly and a daily service between LA and Nadi.
New routes include twice weekly flights between Suva and Sydney, and Suva and Apia(Samoa), in addition to the current twice daily Nadi to Sydney service and three timesweekly Nadi-Apia service.For further information call 01787-211668.
SILVERSEA CRUISES hasannounced a newexpedition ship which willsail in Western Australia'sKimberley region fromApril.
The new ship, SilverDiscoverer, will havecapacity for up to 128passengers and on-boardfacilities will include 12Zodiac excursion boatsand a glass-bottomedboat. Over 11 days it willcruise between Broomeand Darwin and highlightsfor guests includewitnessing the 20 metretidal change and wildlife atMontgomery Reef andvisiting Mitchell Falls.Guests are also offereddaily briefings to explainthe wildlife, nature andgeography of thedestination, as well asmaps and artefactsthrough its partnershipwith the RoyalGeographical Society.For details seewww.silversea.com/silverdiscoverer
Silversea launchesKimberley
expedition cruisefor 2014
australasia
NEXT MONTH will mark a decade since The Ghan completed itsextended route from Adelaide to Darwin. Prior to that, it ran fromAdelaide as far as Alice Springs. To celebrate the 'Ghanniversary',Great Southern Rail is offering travellers 20% off its most popularpackages on bookings made by February 28, valid for travelbetween May 1 and October 31. Discounted fares from Darwin toAlice Springs or vice versa start from £525 (AU$952) per persontravelling in Gold Class or from £1,052 travelling from Darwin toAdelaide (and vice versa). The price includes all train tours, allstandard beverages, soft drinks, beers, standard wines and spiritsand meals. Flights from Heathrow to Darwin via Kuala Lumpurwith Malaysia Airlines start from £990 per person.
New Zealand cycle trail gears up for 2014 launch
Etihad announces daily Perth flights on Airbus A330-200
Brisbane's QPACsteals the show THE QUEENSLANDPerforming Arts Centre(QPAC) in Brisbane is toplay host to a range oflive talent in the comingmonths.As an example, theAmerican Ballet Theatre(ABT) is making its wayto Australia for the firsttime and will performtwo productions with theQueensland SymphonyOrchestra (QSO). Theevents take place fromAugust 28 to September7 and tickets cost from$79. For details on othershows and events seewww.qpac.com.au
IN CELEBRATION of the25th anniversary of the WetTropics Area’s WorldHeritage listing, Skyrail inCairns, Queensland hasfound two new ways ofenhancing its experience ofsoaring over the rainforestcanopy in gondolas.
Diamond View Gondolasare a new introduction andare fitted with glass bottomsto offer guests a panoramic
view of the tropicalrainforest canopy below. Fora slightly more adventurousrainforest experience, theCanopy Gilder, which is setto open on April 1, will seepassengers harnessed intoan open air gondola beforetravelling over 7.5km ofWorld Heritage ProtectedRainforest with one of thecompany's rangers. Guestscan also alight at two
rainforest mid stations toexplore the forestenvironment from theboardwalks, look-outs andRainforest InterpretationCentre.
A one-way DiamondGondola Skyrail tripdeparting from eitherCaravonica or Kurundacosts $57. For more information visitwww.skyrail.com.au
TOURISM AUSTRALIA (TA) is attributing a 4.5%increase in the overall number of visitorsarriving in Australia from the UK, for the yearending November 2013, to a range of factorsincluding the British & Irish Lions Tour toAustralia and the Commonwealth Bank AshesSeries.
According to the tourist board, globalcampaigns such as ‘The Best Jobs in theWorld’ to promote Australia to travellers aged18-30 have also helped to increase UK visitors.
The UK remains Australia’s most valuableinternational leisure market in terms of totalspend, with UK leisure visitors’ annual totalspend reaching the AUD$2.4billion mark,contributing 15% of the total spend for allinbound leisure visitors to Australia.
The UK is also Australia’s most valuableleisure market in terms of visitor nights anddispersed nights.
The tourist board's Denise von Wald,regional general manager UK/Northern
Europe, said: “Australia remains one of thenumber one destinations that Britishholidaymakers most want to visit, but ourchallenge is to convert desire into actualintention to travel. Our ‘There’s Nothing LikeAustralia’ campaign resonates well in the UKmarket and by working with airlines,distribution and media partners we are movingthe dial, taking advantage of the improvingeconomic climate and increasing consumerconfidence over here.
“Globally, Tourism Australia is workingtowards increasing the overall expenditure ofvisitors in line with our 2020 Strategy. In theUK we focus on attracting affluent long-haultravellers aged over 50 and workingholidaymakers aged 18-30. These twosegments provide us with the best opportunityto increase overall tourism expenditure out ofthis market.”For more information visitwww.tourism.australia.com
australasia
AS QUEENSTOWN prepares for the 2014 New Zealand Open golf tournament from February 27 toMarch 2, Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa has launched a new golf and spa package for golf fans.Designed for couples, the package includes Champagne on arrival, overnight accommodation in aLakeview Room with breakfast, a round of golf at Jack's Point Golf Course, a 90-minute Full BodyRepair treatment at the spa, 15% off additional spa treatments and complimentary late check-outbased on availability. It costs NZ$695 (approximately £354) per night and is available Monday-Thursday. The hotel is within a 15-minute drive to the two venues co-hosting the tournament. For details see www.queenstown.hilton.com
Private jetadventure in WAfrom A&KABERCROMBIE & KENT hasannounced the launch of aprivate jet adventure into theremote reaches of WesternAustralia and the NorthernTerritory.
The service offers 13days on a privatelychartered Fokker F70LRaircraft beginning in Perthand concluding in Darwin,with no more than 30guests.
The itinerary includesinvitation only access toWarmun AboriginalCommunity, the naturallandscapes of the BungleBungles and KarijiniNational park, ancient rockart galleries andsnorkelling and marineexperiences at NingalooReef.
Accommodation hasbeen hand-picked for itslocation and experiencesand all meals and drinksare included.
The tour operates fromAugust 26 to September 7with prices leading in at$28,000 per person basedon twin share.For more information seewww.abercrombiekent.co.uk
Tourism Australia reports UK visitors are ‘back on track’
Skyrail introduces new ways to experience the rainforest
TRAVEL 2 is promoting a selection of new hotelsopening throughout Australia this year.
The operator's product manager, Heather Colbourn,said: "One recommendation is the Sheraton MelbourneHotel. Located at the Paris end of the Central BusinessDistrict, the new hotel will offer easy access to dynamicshopping, nightlife, and sporting venues, including theMelbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
"Also opening this year is Four Points by SheratonBrisbane, located minutes from the scenic BotanicGardens, the river front promenade, trendy Eagle StreetPier and the shopping district of Queen Street Mall. The32-storey building will offer 246 guest rooms and twodining outlets, including an all-day restaurant for theconvenience of guests.
"Chifley at Lennons closed last year to undergosignificant redevelopment and once completed, will berebranded as the NEXT Hotel Brisbane when it reopensin mid-2014. The redevelopment will see the propertyincorporate a new and exclusive luxury retail space, arejuvenated façade, renovated internal design includingan additional 150 rooms, and linkages to Burnett Lanefrom the Queen Street Mall."
Aside from the new openings, the operatorrecommends escorted touring as an ideal way to see asmany places as possible with experienced guides andmany meals included.
Colbourn said: "September remains an excellent timeof year to go to Australia; the weather is pleasant,sitting around the mid-twenties in Sydney andQueensland, and this is still low season in Sydney andQueensland. Sydney and Hamilton Island are especiallygood destinations to visit in September.”
As an example of packages, prices lead in at £2,119per person for a 14-night holiday for travel between May1 and June 30. It includes flights, a three-night stay atthe three-star Travelodge Southbank in Melbourne, afive-day Great Ocean Road self-drive package, two daysat Kangaroo Island and a four-day Essential CairnsPackage with three nights at the four-star RydgesEsplanade Cairns.
KIWI EXPERIENCE has launched its 25th anniversarycampaign designed to reunite past passengers. Centredaround its Facebook page, the campaign features a photoalbum to see how many past customers it can reunite whileshowcasing their Kiwi adventures to friends. Customersare asked to submit group photos from their trips and lookfor familiar faces amongst others that are shared.
The operator is also highlighting its range of 34 passes,with prices starting from NZ$109 (approximately £55) andvalidity of up to a year.
Passes range from one to 29 days minimum travel timeand cover North Island, South Island, or both. They arevalid for a year from first use, so passengers can hop onand hop off to allow for more time in their favouritelocations, or fit their travels around working holidays.
As an example of prices, a 16-day 'The Sheepdog'itinerary starts in Auckland and winds its way down theNorth Island, before cruising down the West Coast of theSouth Island and back up to Christchurch. Prices lead in at$1,200 (approximately £604) per person. For more information see www.kiwiexperience.com
Kiwi Experience campaign aims to reunite previous passengers
Travel 2 highlights new property developments
www.travelbulletin.co.ukJanuary 31 201424
australasia
PEREGRINE ADVENTURES has added a new week-long tour toPapua New Guinea. It departs from Port Moresby on August 14,and gives travellers the chance to witness hundreds of tribesfrom across Papua New Guinea’s Highlands come together tocommemorate their pride and heritage at the annual MountHagen Festival. Prices lead in at £1,595 per person includingaccommodation, most meals, transfers, entry to the festival,domestic flights and a local tour leader. The operator can alsoarrange international flights.
COMPAGNIE DU Ponant haslaunched new itineraries inOceania for the winter2014/15 season with sevencruises to Australia andNew Zealand.
The new itineraries takepassengers to the SouthPacific Ocean and Oceaniawith highlights includingDarwin, the Great BarrierReef, Sydney, Melbourne, Tasmania, Auckland andRotorua.
Seven departures are offered between December 12and February 15, 2015 on L’Austral, from €2,150 perperson, cruise only. For details see www.ponant.com or call 0800-980 4027.
Compagnie du Ponant announces newitineraries to Australia & New Zealand
EMBRATUR (the Brazilian Tourist Board) predicts that 2014is set to be a big year for Brazil in terms of showcasingdiversity and an increase in tourism and accessibility.
Data released by the Brazilian Ministry of Tourismconfirms that a record number of international touristsvisited Brazil in 2012, with a total of 5,433,354 touriststravelling into the country, a 4.5% growth on 2011.
Commenting on tourism figures, Flavio Dino, president ofEmbratur, said: "The upcoming major world sportingevents such as the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil and the Rio2016 Olympic and Paralympic games provides a fantasticopportunity to showcase Brazil’s diversity. The latesttourism figures signify that momentum is growing ahead ofour upcoming mega events and we are on track to meetour goal of ten million visitors by 2020."
The 2014 FIFA World Cup is the main focus for Brazil thisyear, with 12 different cities hosting the tournament.According to the tourist board, one of the biggest emergingtrends this year will be a significant increase in sportstourism and the fact that the broad range of host cities areable to showcase Brazil’s cultural diversity. There is apeaked interest around the World Cup, not just indestinations such as Rio de Janeiro but also in the lesserknown destinations such as Manaus and Belo Horizontewhere the England team will be playing this summer.
Dino said: “We strongly believe that fans visiting Braziland experiencing Brazilian passion for football, ourcountry’s natural beauty, diverse culture and Brazil’swelcoming and friendly people will ensure that we continueto see a large growth in tourism in the coming years."
TAP PORTUGAL has added the Brazilian destinations ofManaus and Belém to its schedule, with the first departurestaking off in June.
The destinations are part of the airline’s first route tonorthern Brazil, widening its existing network, which willnow serve all regions from the UK via Lisbon.
The route is to be launched three times weekly onTuesdays, Fridays and Sundays and will operate fromLondon-Lisbon-Manaus-Belém-Lisbon-London.
Manaus has a population of 2.3million people and is thecapital city of the state of Amazonas as well as one of thefastest growing regions in Brazil. Belém is the capital city ofthe state of Pará, the entrance gate to the Amazon River and
has a population of 2.25million. Both cities are eco-tourismdestinations and Manaus has also been named as one of thehost cities of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
The service adds to the airline’s current flight offering often gateways in Brazil, taking the total number of weeklyflights in operation to 74.
The new route will also further expand the airline’sexisting connections via Lisbon, to 79 destinations in 34countries worldwide including Africa and North and SouthAmerica.
Fares for the new routes start from £735 per personincluding all taxes and charges.For further information or to book visit www.flytap.com
TAP Portugal launches flights to Manaus and Belém in June from £735
brazil
Embratur highlights major events that showcase destination's diversity
Trancoso, Brazil's Bahia coast
CONTIKI’S SIX-DAY Rio de Janiero tourtakes in the sights and sounds of theRio Carnival coupled with visits to thecity’s most prominent landmarks.
The tour begins with a day spent atleisure exploring the coastline or theneighbourhoods of Ipanema andCopacabana, before an eveningfeasting on local cuisine and samplingthe nightlife.
The next day, guests will have thechance to take a cable car trip toSugarloaf Mountain and meet themonkey residents as they stop off en
route to the summit at Morro de Acucar. Day three takes travellers on a journey
through the world’s largest urban forestwhere they will be greeted by wildlife,waterfalls and plants before heading tothe Sambadrome Parade, a competitionbetween Brazilian samba schoolsfeaturing costumes, floats and dancers.
The following day can be spentrelaxing on the beach before opting tovisit Corcovado Mountain and the Christthe Redeemer statue in the TijucaForest National Park.
The next day, guests will see Rio from
a different perspective with a boat cruiseand a barbecue lunch.
The operator has a variety of Me Timeoptions on offer during the tour.Additional excursions include a favela(shanty town) tour, Christ the Redeemerstatue and Sugarloaf Mountain tour,plus a carnival favela party.
The tour costs from £1,970 perperson (land-only), including five nights’breakfast accommodation, a tourmanager and local taxes and charges.For more information visitwww.contiki.com
RICKSHAW TRAVEL is promoting its 15-night 'A Taste ofBrazil' which takes in the best that Brazil has to offer onan independent tour.
Highlights include an Amazon jungle tour spottingcaimans and other wildlife before fishing for piranhas inthe tropical rainforest, the chance to take in one of thewaterfalls of Foz de Iguazu, plus time in Rio de Janeiro.
In addition to time spent in Manaus - where Englandwill play its first match in the FIFA World Cup whichstarts in June, the tour also includes the chance to
learn to make Brazil's national drink - the Caipirinha -in Itacimirim and relax on the beaches of Salvador deBahia.
Prices start from £2,647 per person based on twosharing including internal travel by plane, boat andprivate transfers; breakfast accommodation; all meals inthe Amazon; and flights. Departures are from March toMay. For more information visit www.rickshawtravel.co.uk orcall 01273-322399.
Discover Brazil with Air Europa
Call 0871 222 9122 · or email [email protected] · For more information visit www.aireuropaexperts.com
Fly from London toSalvador de Bahia and Sao PauloAll flight are via Madrid
www.aireuropa.com
brazil
INTREPID URBAN Adventures is offering a Rio SambaExperience, which offers travellers VIP access to the SalgueiroSamba School during rehearsals for the Rio Carnival. There isa chance to meet performers, learn basic Samba moves andtake a percussion lesson, before partying the night away asthe Samba School practises for their performance. The tourruns every Saturday evening until the end of February andcosts approximately £103. It includes a welcome caipirinha,dance and percussion lesson, entry to the Samba School,transport and a local guide. Agents can book it as a stand-alone day tour or as an add-on to any small group tour.For more information visit www.urbanadventures.com
www.travelbulletin.co.ukJanuary 31 201426
Eight-day Argentina & Brazil tour from£3,455 from Peregrine Reserve
PEREGRINE ADVENTURES’ luxury brand, PeregrineReserve, has launched an eight-day tour of Argentina andBrazil leading in at £3,455 per person, excluding flights.
The itinerary includes three days in Rio at the boutiqueHotel Santa Teresa, a former coffee plantation mansionwith panoramic views of the city, harbour and bay of Rio.
The tour includes a cable car ride up SugarloafMountain, a samba lesson during a visit to a traditionalsamba school and dinner at Bar do Mineiro, which servestraditional Brazilian fare.
Other highlights include a tango show in Buenos Aires,an Argentinian estancia stay with a cooking class and apowerboat ride to the base of the Iguazu Falls, which ison the border between Brazil and Argentina.
Travel 2 highlights São Paulo & Rio de JaneiroTRAVEL 2'S top tip to agents selling holidays to Brazilthis year is to promote the destinations of São Paulo andRio de Janeiro for the opening and closing matches ofthe World Cup.
However, for clients watching the budget the operatorrecommends booking outside of peak event timesincluding Carnival, New Year and the World Cup so thatclients can get the best of Brazil without the added cost.
As an example of packages, an eight-day Rio &Beaches of Buzios costs from £1,619 per person fortravel between September 1-30, including flights.
Rickshaw Travel highlights 15-night 'Taste of Brazil' option from £2,647
TO CELEBRATE its 70th anniversary,Hoseasons has launched its 2014Lodges and Parks programme with aspecial front cover illustrated byMark Thomas.
This year’s collection of lodgesand holiday parks in the UK andEurope is the operator’s largest yet,with 574 locations on offer – 448 inthe UK and 126 in Europe.
Examples of new products includetwo new Daisy Door Cottage StyleCollection locations in South WestScotland and North Wales; three newEvermore Lodge Holiday Collection
locations in South Cornwall,Derbyshire and Cumbria; two new GoActive locations in Scotland andCornwall; the launch of a new sub-brand at five sites called Go Plus; andfour new Autograph Lodge Holidayslocations in Shropshire, South Wales,Lincolnshire and the Yorkshire Dales.
The programme features 126 parksin ten European countries, includingVoyager First, a collection of four- andfive-star parks designed with Britishfamilies in mind, with an English-speaking representative on hand and arange of facilities and accommodation.
Other features of the programmeinclude ‘Family Fun’ parks; ‘Relaxand Explore’ parks; ‘Lodge Escape’parks; pet-friendly accommodationin more than 384 locations; Wi-Fi inmore than 225 locations; and hottubs in more than 179 locations.
A range of early bookingdiscounts, including savings of up to£100 off holidays during peak schoolsummer holiday weeks, areavailable. For more information call 0844-8471144 or visitwww.hoseasons.co.uk/agents
holidayparks
BUTLINS IS offering guests deals on selected breaksacross its three seaside resorts this February half-termwith three- and four-night breaks starting from £43 perperson, plus kids eat free on school holiday breaks when adining plan is added.
A new live show features Scooby Doo, Shaggy, Fred,Velma and Daphne who will be solving mysteries, while aFreddie live show is based on Freddie Mercury and Queenwhere guests can watch professional singers and dancersbring to life their hits.
Other highlights include new show, Cirque du Hilarious,which features daredevil acts and comedy routines.
The lead in price is based on four sharing a standardself-catering apartment at Butlins Bognor Regis, based ona February 21 arrival for three nights.
Meanwhile, the company has announced that theBoomtown Rats, with the original line-up including Sir BobGeldof, will be headlining the Great British Alternative MusicFestival of 2014 at its Skegness resort on October 10-13.
The Live Music Weekend will celebrate alternativemusic and is focused around British rock bands that firstbecame popular in the 70s and 80s and are still influentialin the music industry today.
Guests will be treated to live performances on centrestage by The Fall, From the Jam and The Blockheads.
A three-night break over the festival period costs from£97 per person based on four sharing a silver self-catering apartment. For further information visitwww.bourneleisuresales.co.uk or call 0845-070 4742.
Half-term deals from Butlins with four nights from £43 per person
Hoseasons adds new product to 2014 Lodges & Parks programme
Fuerteventura addition from P&VPIERRE & Vacances has added the Fuerteventura OrigoMare Holiday Village to its programme this year, with thefirst guests scheduled to arrive in May.
Apartments are set around the 1000m2 waterpark in thecentre of the village, known as the 'Craterpark' and areinspired by the volcanoes of this area of the Canaries.
They feature a terrace and garden and range in size fromstudios for two through to three-bedroom houses for sevenwith private swimming pools.
The holiday village has a range of more than 40 activitiestailored to both children and adults. Kids' clubs are alsooffered for three age brackets, while other activities onoffer include windsurfing, diving, tennis and DJ lessons.
A seven-night self-catering stay in a two-person studiocosts from £468 while prices for a three-bedroomapartment with a swimming pool lead in at £935.For more information call 0870-026 7145 or seewww.pierreetvacances.co.uk
www.travelbulletin.co.ukJanuary 31 201428
holidayparks
LES CASTELS are four- and five-star campsites in Franceencompassing 41 establishments all over the country. Thecompany offers a choice of accommodation from chalets andmobile homes to tree houses, gypsy caravans, houses on stiltsand apartments. A loyalty card for repeating customers, ‘CarteCastellissime’, is available and facilities and entertainment varyfrom site to site, with some better suited to families and othersfor couples or groups. All sites have also introduced a PremiumOffer with more VIP services and conditions. The company iscommitted to sustainable development, with accommodationblended into the landscape as far as is possible and with light andmobile installations such as tents and caravans respectingongoing environmental conservation work. As a result, three siteshave been granted the European Ecolabel Award and 17 havereceived the Green Key Award. A week in a mobile home for fourpeople at Castel La Garangeoire (which celebrates its 50thanniversary this year) leads in at €289 from April 19-26, or €780in high season from July 5-18.For details visit www.camping-castels.co.uk
VisitEngland announces new Gold award for holiday parks
A NEW Gold award for holiday parks assessed by Qualityin Tourism has been launched by VisitEngland torecognise increased levels of quality at four- and five-star holiday parks in England.
Specific criteria must be met in order for parks to winthe award such as scoring 90% or above for cleanliness,and the assessment process includes a detailed checkof all of the park’s facilities.
A selection of each of the accommodation types arealso assessed to ensure all aspects of a stay at the parkare of high quality. All parks undergo a mainassessment and if scores reach a potential Gold awardlevel, then a follow-up assessment is carried out. For more information see www.qualityintourism.com
EACH YEAR Haven invests more than £40m back into itsholiday parks and this year will be no different with newswimming pools, restaurants, landscaping and newaccommodation, ready for the parks’ re-opening in March.
New for this year is British Basketball League (BBL)training in which children have the opportunity to be taughtby BBL professional players, learning on court skills, ballhandling and free throw shot skills at selected parks.
There will be a new Aerial Adventure at Devon Cliffs andHafan y Mor, plus the addition of ‘tag rugby’ to some parks,with free mini sessions for kids aged three to five. CombeHaven in Hastings will also be getting a new sports courtand play area.
The interactive activity, Bushcraft, in which guests canlearn essential wilderness survival tips such as buildingshelters and lighting fires, will be extended to more parks,such as Haggerston Valley, Primrose Valley, Thorpe Parkand Church Farm. There will also be a new Adventure Trailat Hafan y Mor which will feature a cycle and jogging circuit,while the company's new ‘Nature Rocks’ activities will beavailable at selected parks. The new programme will allowguests to choose between a range of activities, from rockpooling, sand sculpture competitions and dam building totreasure hunts and willow weaving.
In terms of the entertainment programme, the FunStarteam will be back with new shows for guests to enjoy suchas ‘Girls on Film’ featuring some of the music from the bestchick flicks of the 80s and a new Panto ‘Aladdin’ will tour allthe parks throughout the summer.
For guests who love a splash around, new water featuresare being installed at Lakeland and Doniford Bay with a newwaterslide arriving at Doniford Bay, whilst the entireswimming pool complex at Burnham-on-Sea is beingrefurbished and will include a new paddling area.
Meanwhile, Marton Mere holiday park has a new bar andrestaurant; Hafan Y Mor has also refurbished its LiveLounge entertainment venue; and Reighton Sands will begaining a new beach-themed café bar.
Guests booking a break before February 9 can save up to50% on stays of seven nights or more in spring, May, June,early July and autumn, or up to 30% on all other dates andshort breaks.
Prices lead in at £95 per family based on selected three-and four-night breaks in March staying in a standard two-bedroom caravan that sleeps up to six people at selectedparks. For more information see www.bourneleisuresales.co.uk orcall 0871-230 1919.
Haven announces new park developments as part of £40million investment
EUROCAMP AND its sister company Keycamp have beenunified under the Eurocamp banner, resulting in onebrand – Eurocamp.
The company has this year launched a new sub-brand,'Eurocamp Active' which offers guests ideal bases toparticipate in four outdoor sports - road cycling,climbing, walking and summer skiing. The offeringranges from the provision of cycling routes and maps, toguided and self-guided walks at varying levels, access tolocal ski resorts and a stay on the doorstep of some of
Europe’s most popular climbing spots.As an example, one of the new parcs is Camping le
Capeyrou in the Dordogne. Facilities include a heatedswimming pool, children’s pool, fishing and sportsincluding badminton, volleyball, boules and canoeing.
A seven-night break staying in a safari tent (whichsleeps six) from April 26 costs from £161.45 per party onan accommodation-only basis and includes a saving of£45.55. Ferry crossings and fly/drive packages areavailable at a supplement.
Camping le Capeyrou, France
Eurocamp launches Active brand for 2014 offering four outdoor sports
Travel Bulletin is published by Alain Charles Publishing (Travel) Ltd - University House, 11-13 Lower Grosvenor Place, London,SW1W 0EX, Tel: 020-7834 6661 Printed by: Wyndeham Grange LimitedSubscriptions are £125 p.a. £195 overseasISSN: 0956-2419
Follow us on Twitter!@TravelBulletin
Isle of Wight’s Canvas Village invests in glamping accommodationCANVAS VILLAGE on the Isle of Wight's Whitecliff Bay is investing£130,000 in new glamping accommodation this year.
Ten new Canvas Cottages will be added, each sleeping up to eightpeople, while ten of the existing 12 glamping Bell Tents will be replacedwith new, more luxurious versions.
The new accommodation will feature quirky names, candle lanterns,fairy lights and bunting, and the tents are equipped with double futonsofa beds, two single beds, a TV, fridge, double gas burner,kitchenware, electric lights and a 240V plug socket.
Carl Castledine, managing director of Away Resorts, which owns theCanvas Village, said: “The Bell Tents and Canvas Cottage are popularwith our guests who want to camp but are keen to know that there willsome of the creature comforts that they cherish.
“Since we introduced them in 2011, they have been a huge successand we thought now was the time to reinvest in the Canvas Village intime for the peak 2014 season.”
The park, which is located in Bembridge, offers its own beach with arange of activities and a chill-out zone called the Magic Loungeabout.There is also an outdoor cinema during the peak season.
Prices lead in at £475 for seven nights in a Canvas Cottage from May 24.
CANVAS HOLIDAYS has launched a range of new accommodation including luxury safaritents and Italian designed ‘moda’ mobile homes. Deluxe safari tents (pictured) have beenintroduced to four sites in France and feature two bedrooms, an open-plan living anddining area, separate kitchen and a terrace with a barbecue. The tent is fully plumbed,offering guests a toilet and shower cubicle. The new accommodation is bookable forguests staying at Pierrefitte (Lorraine), Berny Riviere (near Paris), St. Julien (Biarritz)and Marennes (Charente-Maritime). A selection of contemporary mobile homesaccommodating up to eight people has also been launched exclusively at Italiancampsites Camping Eden, close to Lake Garda, and Camping Marina di Venezia nearVenice. Guests can choose from two- or three-bed Moda mobile homes which feature aseparate lounge area, terrace, fridge-freezer, microwave and air-conditioning.Meanwhile, the company has added three new campsites - Bella Austria, St Peter amKammersberg in Austria; Esterel Camping in St. Raphael, France; and Comocchio,Camping Tahiti in the Emilia Romagna region of Italy. For details see www.canvasholidays.co.uk or call 0845-268 0827.
ADRIATIC AND AEGEAN SEA: THE ULTIMATE YACHTING EXPERIENCETaking a cruise with Compagnie du Ponant in the Mediterranean offers you a perfect combination of relaxation, exclusivity and cultural discoveries across a range of locations such as Venice, Kotor and Athens.The 132-cabin, 5-star yacht LE SOLÉAL reaches some of the Mediterranean’s best kept secrets whilst treating guests to unrivalled passenger service, the finest cuisine and a bilingual crew ready to tend to your every need. Discover the treasures of the World by sea.
Start your journey on ponant.com
Summer 2014 - 13 departures from € 1250(1)
0800 980 40 27Contact your travel agency or call our UK call centre
