Travel Bulletin 10th January 2014

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January 10 2014 | ISSUE NO 1,855 | www.travelbulletin.co.uk

LONG WALK TO FREEDOM

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January 10 2014 | ISSUE NO 1,855 | www.travelbulletin.co.uk

Southern Africa Improved accessibility & value for money drives renewed demand

this week agent bulletin 9 RCI offers agents chance to win a place at its Royal B.R.I.T.S Awards

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puzzle bulletin play Su Doku for your chance to win a ÂŁ50 M&S voucher

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uk & ireland 'Poshtels', the arts and lycra to play a part in holidays predicts VisitEngland

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red sea operators see demand for classic Egypt following FCO advice

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This Week news 3

Cover Pictures: Main - Top of Table Mountain, Cape Town, South Africa Tourism

Inset - Club Med, Sinai Bay, Egypt

a round-up of the industry's latest announcements and developments

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at home with eileen Eileen comes face to face with Richard Branson on her flight to Barbados

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agent bulletin

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puzzle bulletin

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bulletin briefing

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airline bulletin

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southern africa

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uk & ireland

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red sea

RCI offers agents chance to win a place at its Royal B.R.I.T.S Awards try your luck at Su Doku to win a £50 M&S voucher Neil Basnett from Elite Travel Group highlights his Top 10 wishes for 2014 carriers announce new flight routes & capacity boosts how improved accessibility & good value are driving renewed demand 'Poshtels', the arts and lycra to play a part in holidays predicts VisitEngland operators see return in demand for classic Egypt following FCO advice

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SO SPA SO GOOD...Superbreak ran an overseas incentive for agents in the North East to win a spa day and lunch by making flight inclusive bookings from Newcastle Airport. The two agents that made the most bookings were treated to a day at the spa at Newcastle Airport and lunch at the Doubletree Hotel located next to the airport terminal. Pictured getting ready for some pampering are, from the left: Kelly Giblin, Superbreak; Pamela Rutherford and Michelle Hepple from Dawson and Sanderson, Hexham; Andrew Devine, Thomas Cook, Cramlington; Laura Halliday, Newcastle Airport; and Julianne Moscrop, Thomas Cook, Cramlington.

Hotels.com reveals technology-loving Brits underestimate suitcase value, despite only 28% always taking out insurance HOLIDAYMAKERS ARE carrying more than £2,200 worth of technology in their suitcase when travelling abroad according to Hotels.com, despite only 28% of respondents always taking out insurance.

The survey revealed that despite more than 49% of Brits carrying smartphones with an average value of £522, almost half (49%) believe that the average worth of their suitcase is less than £500. The most popular gadgets packed were chargers (67%), adapters (58%) and smartphones (49%), while tablets, SLR cameras, Kindles and hair straighteners were all carried by a fifth (21%) of respondents. A third of the 2,000 respondents revealed that they would be devastated if they were to lose their suitcase.

Female holidaymakers were found to be marginally more cautious than their male counterparts with 29% always insuring their case compared to 26% of men.

The company's senior director of global communications, Alison Couper, said: “It's incredible to see how little Brits estimate the value of the possessions they travel with.

“Hopefully this revelation of the true value of people's suitcases will persuade the staggering 72% of holidaymakers opting to forgo insurance to think twice."

G Adventures identifies top five destination trends for 2014 LOOKING AT growth figures, demand and market trends, G Adventures has identified Indonesia, Ecuador, Morocco, Turkey and Rwanda as places that will draw travellers looking for exciting new experiences this year.

Indonesia has seen solid growth of 21% year-on-year for Brits travelling beyond

Bali and the company says that this number is set to increase with the introduction of direct flights from London to Jakarta, starting in May with Garuda Indonesia. The operator has doubled departures on existing trips and launched seven new trips in Indonesia for this year, including its

Classic trip, Best of Java, priced from £749 per person for a nine-day trip from Jakarta to Sanur.

The company also reports a 53% increase in growth year-on-year for mainland trips in Ecuador, a country often overshadowed by its ● continues on next page

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own Galapagos Islands. The operator increased its capacity in the Galapagos last year, but is this year turning its focus to mainland trips, following the success of its Local Living: Ecuador Amazon Jungle trip. New trips include the Comfort trip Ecuador, Amazon and Hot Springs, which leads in at £1,279 for nine days.

Meanwhile, with air capacity from the UK increasing by 60% this winter, the Moroccan Tourist Board is also predicting double-digit growth in travellers to the country, with new routes including Royal Air Maroc direct from London to Marrakech.

The operator reports a 159% increase

in trips to Morocco last year and is predicting double growth again this year.

As well as increasing departures, it has introduced new trips such as Comfort trip Morocco, Sahara and Beyond, which costs from £1,669 for 15 days.

Turkey has also emerged as another solid alternative for travellers looking for culture and sun in the wake of the troubles in the Middle East, and its government has ambitious tourist targets in the build-up to the celebration of 100 years of the Republic in 2023.

The operator reports a 42% increase year-on-year for travellers to Turkey and as a result has introduced four new trips for this year including Sailing Turkey - Fetihye to Bodrum, where travellers can sail the Turkish Riviera.

Meanwhile, re-emerging destination Rwanda has been given a helping hand with the introduction of an East Africa cross-border visa for travel to Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda, making it possible for visitors to travel to all three countries on one visa which costs US$100.

To coincide with the introduction, the operator has launched its first trip to Rwanda, a nine-day Rwanda and Uganda Gorilla and Chimp Adventure, which costs from £3,999 and includes permits for gorilla, monkey and chimpanzee treks, plus all national park fees.

For more information call 0844-272 2040 or visit www.gadventures.co.uk

Luxury Collection brochures from Premier

LEED-ING THE WAY...Pictured marking Monarch Airlines' first anniversary of flights from Leeds Bradford Airport are, from the left: John Parkin, Leeds Bradford Airport, Monarch crew and Iain Rawlinson, Monarch Airlines. The carrier recently announced its summer 2014 flight programme from the Yorkshire base, flying to a total of 11 destinations including Lanzarote, Antalya, Barcelona, Bodrum, Dalaman, Faro, Heraklion, Larnaca, Menorca, Mallorca and Tenerife.

PREMIER HOLIDAYS has unveiled the latest in its selection of 2014 brochures; the new ‘Luxury Collection’ replaces the operator’s ‘Prestige’ brochure and highlights its most elite and exclusive hotels and holidays for 2014 travel.

The range offers new five-star hotels in exotic destinations such as Siem Reap, Langkawi and Kuala Lumpur, including additions such as Raffles in Phnom Penh, De La Paix in Luang Prabang and The Majestic Hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

The operator’s trading update for last year details an increase in high-revenue bookings, with 11% more clients making bookings of £10,000 or more per holiday, and the company is expecting this trend to continue this year. It also identified the destinations showing strongest growth of highrevenue bookings over the course of the year as Australia and Thailand, followed by Singapore and the Middle East.

Agents can earn between £25-£150 per Luxury Collection booking, dependent on the booking value.

For details visit www.trade.premierholidays.co.uk or call 0844-493 7444.

Sunvil Discovery adds Copenhagen to real Scandinavia brochure for 2014 SUNVIL DISCOVERY has launched its 2014 real Scandinavia brochure, featuring the Danish capital of Copenhagen for the first time, as well as a selection of hand-picked accommodation and itineraries throughout Sweden, Norway and the Faroe Islands.

The addition of Copenhagen offers visitors the chance to experience one of Europe’s oldest capitals, either as a standalone city break or as part of a new rail tour of Scandinavian capitals, also taking in Stockholm and

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Oslo. Plus, Sweden’s third largest city, Malmö, is a short hop across the Öresund Bridge from Copenhagen, offering an ideal two-centre short break itinerary or a day trip.

A total of 12 new itineraries have been added for this year, ranging from Wildlife encounters in Sweden’s Västmanland, to The Sognefjord by public transport in Norway. Each itinerary has been designed to offer the visitor a unique perspective on the region’s diverse natural beauty, culture, wildlife and natural

January 10 2014

phenomena at different times of year, from the Aurora to the Midnight Sun. The programme also offers 11 new properties in Sweden, Norway and Copenhagen, each handpicked for their location, charm, local culinary experience and warm welcome. Highlights include the Kirkenes Snow Hotel in Norway, artistically crafted each December from local snow and ice, and the Aurora Safari Camp in Gunnarsbyn, Sweden, a luxury tented wilderness retreat inspired by the safari camps of East Africa.

Prices in Copenhagen lead in at £449 per person based on two sharing for three nights’ breakfast accommodation at the Hotel Ibsen including flights from Heathrow.

The destination also features in the operator's new, four-night Short break in Malmö and Copenhagen itinerary and in a new 14-night Capitals of Scandinavia: Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo tour by public transport.

For more information call 020-8758 4747 or see www.sunvil.co.uk

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newsbulletin Tweets of the Week Who’s saying what on Twitter... @VisitBritain Did Christmas clean you out? You can still enjoy a great 2014 city break at budget prices here http://bit.ly/18lumyU @British_Airways Las Vegas is a great starting point for adventures in the Nevada desert. Holidays from £649 in the #BASale http://bit.ly/Ko5EIn @DiscoverAd We're excited to announce we will be at the @DestinationShow London 6 - 9 Feb as part of the @AITOHQ stand. Come along & meet us! @IATA Explore the 100 year history of commercial flight www.flying100years.com @DTW_Holidays Our new Canada & Alaska brochure is out soon! View online or pre-order the print version here www.discover-theworld.co.uk/ canadabrochure

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

TOUR TEAM...Pictured are staff from Jet2holidays promoting four new bumper brochures for summer 2014 and winter 2014/15, including the introduction of a new lifestyle collection, ‘On Tour’. The new brochure offers a choice of hand-picked hotels in party resorts across Europe, ideal for groups and couples looking for fun in the sun. The new brochure range also includes Family Holidays, Beach Holidays and the luxury option, Indulgent Escapes. On Tour beach breaks start from £279 per person, based on two sharing a one-bedroom apartment on a self-catering basis at the three-star Ryan’s Ibiza Apartments, Playa D’En Bossa in Ibiza for seven nights.

For details call 0800-408 5587 or visit https://tradesite.jet2holidays.com

Exodus launches 14 new wildlife encounters for 2014/15 EXODUS HAS issued its new wildlife encounters brochure for 2014/15 which features 14 new itineraries.

Offering travellers the chance to sleep in the tree canopy of the Borneo Rainforest, seek out gorillas in the Congo and swim with whale sharks in Mozambique, the company’s new wildlife trips have been designed to get travellers as close to nature as possible.

As examples, a 16-day Borneo canopy adventure, departing on February 2 and 9 and March 9, leads in at £3,999 per person, including flights from London, accommodation and all meals. The trip takes travellers into the heart of the rainforest, where they will literally ‘learn the ropes’ of how to ascend into the canopy and will spend the night there.

Also new is a ten-day Bears in the Alaskan wilderness, departing on June 15 and August 3, and leading in at £5,999. It includes flights,

accommodation and most meals and follows in the footsteps of the BBC’s Great Bear Stakeout, delving into the Alaskan wilderness.

Guests will stay at an eco-friendly camp in the heart of Katmai National Park. The trip is led by an expert naturalist and wildlife photographer to ensure travellers get close to the bears.

Meanwhile, a 12-day Lowland gorillas in the Congo costs from £4,599 including flights, accommodation and all meals, departing on August 2 and September 27. Guests will spend time in the Congo Rainforest at 'Bais' (clearings) to find lowland gorillas, forest elephants, sitatungas, buffalos, red river hogs, otters and crocodiles. A trip extension is available to cross the border from the Congo Republic to the Democratic Republic of Congo to visit a bonobo sanctuary.

To book or for more information call 0845-863 9601 or visit www.exodus.co.uk

Great Rail Journeys and Treyn identify emerging trends and destinations CHINA, COMMEMORATIVE Battlefield tours and the Northern Lights in Lapland are just three trends in rail tours for 2014 identified by Great Rail Journeys (GRJ) and its sister company, Treyn.

According to GRJ, rail holidays have never been more popular, and 58 new tours across both brands have been introduced for this year.

A new China by Rail option sees GRJ offering a programme of tours to China for the first time, with prices for the 17-day trip leading in at £2,995 per person.

Meanwhile, with 18 special tours to commemorate the 100-year

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anniversary of the First World War, the operator predicts that many people will wish to mark this special year by soaking up the history of Northern France and Belgium, both of which are easily accessible by train from St Pancras into the Northern area of Flanders and the Somme. In addition, there are Bruges & Battlefield tours plus Remembrance Day tours.

As an example, a five-day 'Battlefields of Flanders' option costs from £425 per person while Treyn’s battlefield tours start from £295 for a four-day ‘Bruges & Ypres’ tour.

Lapland and the Northern Lights have also been introduced to make the

most of next year’s peak in solar activity during an 11-year cycle. The tour features Lapland as well as Norway’s Lofoten Islands travelling on one of Scandinavia’s most scenic railways. There are two opportunities to view the Northern Lights in Lofoten and Narvik, and the rail tour itself goes well into the arctic circle.

Prices for an 11-day ‘The Northern Lights & Lapland’ tour start from £2,325.

Other destinations predicted to see an increase include India, the US, Switzerland, Italy and Scotland.

To book or for further information see www.greatrail.com and www.railholidays.com

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newsbulletin New Exotics Collection from Insight offers premium escorted journeys

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ISIS EQUITY Partners has announced the sale of Encore Tickets to ECI Partners in a secondary management buyout.

GETABED.CO.UK HAS integrated with eRevMax, a provider of hotel online distribution solutions, to further expand connectivity options available to its portfolio of hotel partners. Accommodation providers will now be able to make immediate ARI (Availability, Rates and Inventory) updates on the channel through eRevMax’s RateTiger solution.

THE ASSOCIATION of Independent Tour Operators (AITO) and AITO Specialist Travel Agents have reached their target to raise £20,000 to support the Just a Drop clean water project in Uganda.

WARNER BROS. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter has extended its Hogwarts in the Snow experience until February 2.

SKOBBLER HAS announced a major update to its GPS Navigation, designed to turn an iPhone or iPad into a satnav. The new system allows consumers to utilise an internet connection for online use when available, or download maps (via in-app purchases) to store on a device – from individual cities to the world – for use in poor connection or data roaming areas.

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The Aspect holiday home is brand new and exclusive to Eurocamp for 2014. This is the next generation of accommodation and has been designed to give you more space and modern comforts than ever before.

Call 0844 844 0000 Visit www.eurocamp4agents.co.uk 6

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INSIGHT VACATIONS has released its new Exotics Collection, bringing together the countries of India, Nepal, Bhutan, Greece, Jordan, Israel, Turkey, Egypt and Morocco into one brochure.

The collection features a range of new premium escorted journeys – including the new 11-day Bhutan, Dragon Kingdom - and an expanded range of Signature hotels, dining and experiences.

The new Bhutan itinerary begins in the capital of Thimphu and travels to Paro, with a host of Signature Experiences along the way such as viewing Buddhist manuscripts at the National Library, meeting local artists, watching monks study at the great Gangteng Monastery and taking a traditional Bhutanese cooking class.

Prices start from £4,475 including flights, VIP door-to-door airport transfers, ten nights' bedand-breakfast accommodation in fourand five-star hotels with a further five meals, included sightseeing and the services of a tour director.

Two new itineraries have been added to the operator's India programme for this year.

As an example, an 11-day Colours of Rajasthan itinerary allows guests to explore Rudyard Kipling’s

realm in search of the elusive Indian tiger in the Rathambhore National Park, as well as visiting Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur.

Signature Experiences along the way include visiting the Taj Mahal, visiting the house in which Mahatma Gandhi spent the final 14 days of his life and ascending by jeep to the Amber Fort. Guests will stay in the company's Signature hotels, including the five-star Taj Lake Palace Hotel. Prices start from £3,375 including flights, door-todoor airport transfers, ten nights' breakfast accommodation in fourand five-star hotels with a further ten meals, included sightseeing and the services of tour director throughout.

A range of Signature inclusions have also been added to existing itineraries such as the 14day Treasures of Greece & the Islands, which now includes a cooking demonstration in Olympia and accommodation in the Divani Caravel Hotel.

An eight-day Turkish Delights itinerary has also been enhanced with a night in Izmir at the Swissotel Grand Efes overlooking the Kordon Promenade on Turkey’s Aegean Sea. For more information visit www.insightvacations.com or call 0800-206 1468.

Extended booking period from Eurostar EUROSTAR PASSENGERS are now able to book tickets for travel to Paris, Brussels or Lille even further in advance as Eurostar introduces an extended, summer booking horizon. Extending the horizon to six months means that travellers can now finalise their summer travel plans up to two months earlier.

Tickets are now on sale for travel to Paris, Brussels and Lille up to the June 7. By March 4, the remainder of the summer travel period, up to August 31, will be available to book.

For details see www.eurostar.com

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FR P O RI M CE £6 S 39 P

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ST. PETE / CLEARWATER

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WIN A FLY DRIVE HOLIDAY TO THE FLORIDA BEACHES* If you would like to escape the UK and ¾y with Virgin Atlantic to the Florida Beaches for a 7 night duration look no further! With so many must-see destinations, a ¾y drive holiday is the perfect way to discover the true diversity that Florida has to offer.

To be in with a chance of winning one of our ¾y drive holidays, simply visit 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.

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

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We are 100% ½nancially protected - ATOL: 2853 / ABTA: V000X / IATA: 91273442

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e m o h At en...

e l i E h wit

Eileen worker ? e m o h as th What h p to this mon u n e e b

APPY NEW Year everyone!

Hope you all had a great Christmas. I went away at Christmas this year for the very first time. I felt a bit guilty about going off on holiday and leaving the family to their own devices, but once the decision was made, I must admit it was really good looking forward to a break from the usual hard work of hosting Christmas.

We flew with Virgin down to Barbados and on the outward flight, we were surprised when Richard Branson walked into our cabin. I wondered if perhaps he’d heard that a Travel Bulletin columnist was on board and was hoping for some free publicity. However, when he didn’t make a beeline straight for me to try and coax me into having my photograph taken with him, I realised I may have been mistaken.

On arrival in Barbados, we enjoyed five nights at the Fairmont Royal Pavilion, a really lovely hotel situated on the west coast, before heading off on a wonderful Windstar cruise for a week. We had a really great time and it was such a lovely relaxing way to spend Christmas.

We arrived back just before New Year and since arriving home, I’m pleased to say I’ve been busy. I’m currently working on a real mixed bag of new enquiries including an autumn tour of Japan, a trip to Verona to see the opera, a holiday to Canada and a Swan Hellenic cruise for 2015.

It’s noticeable that customers are now booking further in advance than in the last few years and whilst customers are still looking for value for money, I sense that there doesn’t seem to be the same emphasis on price. This is a really good sign that confidence is returning following the economic downturn so let’s hope that this trend continues and we all have our best year yet!

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TRAFALGAR HAS launched a new 11-day Northern Spain itinerary.

Kicking off in Madrid, the journey travels through Burgos, Argomaniz, San Sebastian, Bilbao, Santander, Picos de Europa, Covadonga, Oviedo, Luarca, Santiago de Compostela, Zamora and Salamanca.

Highlights include wine tasting in the northern wine regions, a visit to the modern Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and a visit to the grotto of ‘Our Lady of Ovadonga’. In Oviedo, guests will experience a glass of the region’s famous cider before a ‘Be My Guest’ dinner at a cider mill to sample Austrian cuisine. In Santiago de Compostela, guests will learn about the ‘Way of St. James’ from a local expert. The itinerary costs from £1,650 per person based on two sharing, including private door-to-door transfers, ten nights’ breakfast accommodation with a further six meals, sightseeing and the services of a travel director.

For details visit www.trafalgar.com

MOVERS ● SANDRA MATTHEWS-MARSH FTS, chief executive of Visit Kent,

has been elected as the new chairman of the Tourism Society. ● CAPTAIN’S CHOICE, the luxury escorted touring operator

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specialising in group travel on private jets, has appointed Katie Panagou as UK manager.

SAMOA TOURISM Authority has announced the appointment of Cindy Landlust, formerly of VisitBritain, as UK and Europe travel trade manager.

THE JHOUSE Greenwich, a contemporary 85-room property, has appointed Jonathan Wise as general manager.

NEIL JONES has joined Travel & Tourism Marketing (TTM) Ltd. as account manager.

AIR PARTNER has appointed Kiran Parmar as group marketing director.

AZAMARA CLUB Cruises has appointed Richard Twynam as its first managing director in the UK and Ireland.

UNITED AIRLINES has appointed Greg Hart as executive vice president and chief operations officer.

Go

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by EILEEN SAUNDERS of Travel Counsellors To respond to any of Eileen’s comments email jill.sayles@travelbulletin.co.uk

WEBSCLUSIVES

DID YOU KNOW...

Funway’s Super Sale is now on! Running throughout the month of January, the sale will feature the following destinations: New York, Las Vegas, Florida, California, Hawaii, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Barbados, Caribbean.

Go to www.vaxvacationaccess.co.uk

DISNEYLAND DOES not sell chewing gum. Walt Disney did not want guests inconvenienced by stepping on gum purchased in the park.

All this and more at:

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Source: Interestingfacts.net

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www.travelbulletin.co.uk The home of the web savvy travel agent www.travelbulletin.co.uk

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agentbulletin Agent competition ROYAL CARIBBEAN International has launched its own Royal B.R.I.T.S Awards for agents to win one of 16 places at the 2014 BRIT Awards. The new music inspired awards follow the line's earlier announcement that new ship Anthem of the Seas will launch in spring 2015, sailing from Southampton during the summer and autumn seasons.

The awards, designed to help drive trade sales and excitement around the peak booking season, requires agents to nominate their colleagues in one of six categories including: ● Best Breakthrough Act - best New to Selling Cruise agent ● Best producer - best booker ● Best Solo Female - best female travel agent ● Best Solo Male - best male travel agent ● Special Recognition - for commitment, dedication, enthusiasm ● Critic's Choice - best overall agent The winning agents (announced on February 13) will receive a night's accommodation in a four-star hotel in London; dinner and drinks in The VIP Club before the show and a live performance by one of the UK's hottest

musical artists; Level 1 VIP seats in The 02 Arena; after-show party at The VIP Club; and transport to and from their home.

To be in with a chance to win one of six places, agents need to get a colleague to post a photo of them and 150 words on why they deserve to win their chosen category at the cruise line's dedicated Facebook page for agents at www.facebook.com/royalcaribbeantravelagents Agents can also increase their chance of winning by booking and confirming a 2014 cruise that is part of the ‘Turn of Year’ campaign before February 12, to be entered into a prize draw to win one of ten places.

The rewards aren't just limited to agents either. The benefits that can be passed on to clients include savings of up to £500, free parking and a free kids soda package on select UK sailings.

Agents will be able to vote on their favourite submissions and winners will be determined by two equally weighted measurements - the number of votes each agent receives on Facebook and the number of votes they receive from the line’s judging panel.

Agent training ●

SUNSPOT TOURS is giving agents the chance to win a free stay in Malta on completion of its training modules before March 31.

For details see http://tinyurl.com/obyog53

OUTRIGGER HOTELS and Resorts has announced several changes to its travel agent education and loyalty programme.

The ‘Outrigger Specialist Program’ has been renamed ‘Outrigger Expert Agent’ to place greater focus on agents' achievements and expertise.

The company's education and loyalty programme has also been migrated to a new technology platform that provides a fresher, more visually rich training experience and its enhanced functionality now allows agents to view their learning course history and offerings. Meanwhile, a special re-launch bonus promotion is being offered where agents who complete any of the five optional learning courses and quizzes before January 31 will receive double learning course rewards.

For details see www.outriggeragent.com

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GAMBIA GROUP...The Gambia Experience hosted a group of agents on a four-day fam trip to The Gambia.

Pictured enjoying the sights are, from the left: Pat Svanberg, Chobham Travel; Yvonne Holmes, Classic Travel of Loughton; Vicky Samwell, Broadland Travel; Karen Brooks, Travel PA; Debi Phillips, Newells Travel; Claire Hilfer ty and Gill Synnuck, Serenity Holidays; Jackie McKay, Sovereign Travel; and Michael Carr, Voyager Travel Direct . Agents interested in future fam trips should email trade@serenity.co.uk

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THE DISNEY ATTRACTION... Katy Lee, head of digital sales & partnerships at Attraction World, attended a VIP fam trip to Disneyland Paris recently and picked up the company's award for 'Top Ticket Seller 2013'. Pictured with Katy is Hugh Wood (left) from Disney Destinations International and Frans Leenaars, Disneyland Paris.

Virgin unveils new Cash Passport card VIRGIN HOLIDAYS has introduced a new multicurrency Cash Passport card in partnership with MasterCard.

The card is a chip and PIN enabled pre-paid card that can be loaded with one currency – or a selection of up to seven, whilst locking in the exchange rate at the time of load, reload or when moving funds between currencies. It can be topped up online or over the phone for the lifetime of the card. Customers can then use it to withdraw local currency at nearly two million cash machines around the world, or use it to pay for goods at more than 31 million merchants displaying the MasterCard Acceptance Mark.

The operator has also recently introduced its first bespoke travel insurance policy. Providing cover for single or multiple trips and 90 different activities for travellers up to the age of 70 as standard, with upgrades for winter sports and cruising available, the policy has been designed in association with Allianz Insurance to provide customers with a comprehensive, good value, basic level of peace of mind.

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Bedbank chooses Freedom Travel Group for relaunch COINCIDING WITH the recent Freedom Travel Group Conference in Glasgow, Bedbank took the opportunity as headline sponsor to relaunch Bedbank.com, showcase its new website and introduce a new incentive to Freedom Travel Group members.

Features of the new site include faster searches, improved content, integrated transfers by Transfers4Travel and the facility to personalise and forward accommodation information and quotes to the customer. The site also has a new strapline, ‘luxury accommodation and transfers worldwide’ and features only four- and five-star hotels, villas

and apartments with bookable upgrades and transfers.

Added-value and exclusive special offers also make it easier for agents to increase margins and control how they mark-up the product.

The launch incentive, in association with Elite Island Resorts, includes each Freedom Travel Group Conference Delegate receiving three free nights’ accommodation, with every booking earning them an extra night - plus a competition to win £1,000 for Caribbean flights.

Agents can sign up at www.bedbank.com

Early booking & kids go free offers from Condor Ferries PASSENGERS BOOKING a family holiday to France or the Channel Islands can benefit from the return of Condor Ferries’ Kid’s Go Free offer, as children sail for free on all crossings booked before February 14 for travel up to March 2015.

Other offers include a 20% saving for high speed sailings to Guernsey, Jersey and St Malo plus a Caravans Go Free offer for clients making bookings by February 14 for travel on Sunday services direct from Portsmouth to Cherbourg between May and September. The company has also removed the supplements for taking a motorhome to France, meaning clients can travel at the cost of a standard car. All fares include a vehicle and luggage, with no booking fee, no additional taxes and no debit and credit card charges.

For more information visit www.condorferries.com TEXAS TREAT...In partnership with Texas Tourism, the Dallas and Austin CVBs hosted a group of luxury group tour operators on a trip to Texas, sponsored by American Airlines. Highlights included attending the Pearl Jam concert at the American Airlines Center and the United States Formula 1 Grand Prix Race at Circuit of the Americas.

Pictured are, from the left: Julie Chase, Austin CVB; Rich Smith, Secret Escapes; Graham Jowers, Thomas Cook; Liliana Rivera, Dallas CVB; and Brad Smyth, Texas Tourism.

January 10 2014

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puzzlebulletin Travagrams

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

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

Number: 001

Alien Rugs

A➠

B➠ Flag carrier for Ireland

C➠

Lava Nice

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, January 16th. Solution and new puzzle will appear next week.

The winner for 6th December is Gemma Deakin, Fred Olsen Travel in Ipswich.

December 6 Solution: A=9 B=3 C=5 D=2

The third largest city in Spain

Where Am I?

Italian character off the Magic Roundabout?

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

Number: 001

Across 1. Flag carrier of Spain (6) 4. First name of 2013 Sports Personality of the Year (4) 7. French island in the Indian Ocean, sounds like a good place to meet old friends (7) 8. South African Airways, initially (3) 10. Wiltshire World Heritage Site with the largest stone circle in Europe (7) 12. Capital of the Shetland islands (7) 15. Often served by 4 Across (3) 17. Nationality of celebrity chef, Gino D'Acampo (7) 18. Hotel chain, ___ Inn (4) 19. Device required for a Selfie (6)

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Down 1. Actor portraying Mandela in Long Walk to Freedom (5,4) 2. South American country (7) 3. Popular Spanish holiday isle (5) 5. Nassau international airport code (3) 6. Award-winning West End musical (4) 9. Former name of Ethiopia (9) 11. Kiev is the capital (7) 13. Accor hotel brand (4) 14. Cuddly Aussie marsupial (5) 16. Cathedral where P&O Ferries won Workplace Choir of the Year (3)

For the solution to the Crossword, Where Am I? and Travagrams, please see page 28 January 10 2014

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Industry Insight by...

Neil Basnett, chief executive of Elite Travel Group, highlights his Top 10 wishes for 2014...

ELL, HERE we are in 2014 and all braced for what hopefully will be a successful trading year for all of us involved in this wonderful industry. For many, 2013 proved to be a reasonable year and the continuing signs that the UK economy has finally turned the corner all indicate that the travelling public will have greater confidence in booking holidays. Politicians of course have a wonderful knack of spoiling things for us all and with the European elections coming up in May, this will give a serious wake-up call as to how committed British people really are to the monster that the EEC has become.

It is always nice at the start of any year to have some aims and wishes for the year both for business and also in general, most of which sadly are probably unrealistic and not within one’s powers to achieve!

Here are my Top 10:

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Could politicians of all parties please comprehend that the purpose of Airport Taxes is to raise money to improve facilities at airports and not use them as a means of raising revenue for the Exchequer. Our levels of APD remain totally scandalous but there is no guarantee that they will ever come down.

●

How many sofas can the British people really sit on?

Television advertising after Christmas and into the New Year used to be full of holiday adverts but it now seems that every advertisement break encourages us to buy some of the most garish sofas that have ever been made. There is an unfounded rumour that on March 2, DFS will not be holding a sale.

Would it not be lovely to know that from 2014 there will be total price parity for all travel arrangements, whether bought via a travel agent or directly from the supplier by the client? ● Despite medical advances, there is still no cure for the common cold! How many working days are lost each year to something that is thoroughly miserable? One pill to be taken at the first signs of a cold and it never develops; how marvellous that would be! ● Please can the whole world have no political unrest and conflict in 2014! A false hope but what an achievement if it actually happened. Tourism is vital to the economies and employment in so many ●

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"When is someone going to make a decision about London’s requirements for better airports?" countries but there are those who try to wreck it for their own selfish purposes; the world would be a better place if we all could live in peace and harmony. ● Could Sir Paul McCartney let us all see the real colour of his hair in 2014? ● Can we please go back to normal weather patterns?

Clearly defined seasons; proper summers with lots of sunshine and cold winters with lots of snow? None of this in-between mild weather with far too much rain! Global warming is of course always blamed for the world’s changing weather patterns but whatever the cause, let’s just have proper weather. ● Could somebody please tell Sir Bruce Forsyth that he used to be funny and now he is not. I am sure that there is a nice holiday home in Puerto Rico to which he could retire gracefully. ● When is somebody going to make a decision about London’s requirements for better airports? How many proposals have there been over the years and still there is no solution in sight? The UK has been left far behind by the development of airports in other European countries and the consultations still go on. Most of us will have retired from this industry by the time any final decision is made and will the correct decision actually be taken? ●

Could a promise be made that we have finally seen the back of the X-Factor?

It is always nice to live in hope as sometimes dreams can come true! Take a few minutes to look at your own businesses for 2014 and try to come up with ten things that you would like to have achieved by year end. Even if you achieve partial success, that can be immensely satisfying and could have a significant effect on your business.

My warmest wishes to you all for a fantasmagorical 2014! www.travelbulletin.co.uk

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InBrief

Eastern Airways expands at Southampton Airport with new flights to Leeds

● GULF AIR has unveiled its new inflight entertainment (IFE) games

offering with the launch of six traditional Middle Eastern games on its flights. They include the regional favourites of Tawle, an Arabian-style backgammon game; Basha, a popular regional card game; and Moosiqar, which offers players the chance to create melodies with one of the Middle East’s oldest instruments, the ‘Oud’, using familiar and intuitive controls. ● FLYBE WILL operate a new daily service between Birmingham and Newquay as part of its summer schedule. Flights are available for booking at www.flybe.com with travel effective from May 16 to September 9. One-way fares start from £23.99 including taxes and charges. ● FROM MARCH 31 British Airways will operate direct flights to Florence from London City Airport. ● AER LINGUS Regional, operated by Aer Arann, is expanding its operations from Bristol Airport with the announcement of a new service to Shannon. The daily flight will commence on April 3, operating alongside the airline’s existing Dublin service, which links Bristol with the Irish capital up to three times daily. Lead in fares start from £29.99 one-way including taxes, fees and charges. ● TAP PORTUGAL has announced two new destinations in Brazil, Manaus and Belém, commencing in June 2014. The new services signal the carrier's first destinations in northern Brazil, widening its existing network which will now serve all regions from the UK, via Lisbon. The route is to be launched with three weekly frequencies (Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays) with fares from £735 including all taxes and charges.

For details see www.flytap.com

SOUTHAMPTON AIRPORT has announced that Eastern Airways is to expand its route network this month to include services between Southampton and Leeds.

Leeds is an important route as it links two key commercial centres and also provides access for people from the north of England to the cruise ships that depart from Southampton to America, Europe, the Baltic and the Caribbean.

The airline will commence operations on January 20, running three daily services between Monday and Friday.

In addition, it will also operate a Sunday afternoon service, providing flexibility for business and leisure travellers and ensuring the continuation of air links between two of the UK’s major cities.

Weekday services depart Southampton at 08.20, 16.05 and 18.40 and depart from Leeds Bradford Airport at 06.50, 10.20 and 17.10, with flights timed to allow a full business day in both cities.

For more information see www.easternairways.com

Airlines announce new routes to Croatia

HIGH FIVE...Pictured marking Flybe's five-year anniversary of its franchise agreement with Scottish airline Loganair are, from the left: Captain Andrew Forey; Loganair crew member Kirsty Walter; First Officer Murray Gibbons; Phil Preston, Loganair; and Fred Kochak, Flybe.

AIR LINGUS will launch two weekly flights from Dublin to Pula on Tuesdays and Saturdays in April.

Pula joins Dubrovnik as the carrier's second destination in Croatia, with return fares starting from €83.99 (approximately £69.74) per person including taxes and charges.

Also commencing in April, Ryanair will fly from Stansted to Osijek, in Eastern Croatia. Located on the River Drava, Osijek is the economic and cultural centre of the Slavonia region and flights take just over three and a half hours from the UK. Return fares start from £61.98 per person.

Malaysia Airlines boosts capacity to Australasia with four times weekly service MALAYSIA AIRLINES has launched a new route to Darwin, capital of the Northern Territory in Australia for UK passengers.

The four times weekly service to Darwin, departs Heathrow to Kuala Lumpur on the double-daily A380 flight before a quick transit onto the new and improved 737-800 aircraft to complete their journey.

The carrier is also increasing frequency from Kuala Lumpur to key Australian destinations. Flights from Kuala

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Lumpur to Sydney will increase to 21 weekly from February 5 and flights to Melbourne increased to triple daily last November. Flights from Kuala Lumpur to Auckland, New Zealand also on the A330 aircraft, increased from six times weekly to a daily service last year and will be permanent from March 30.

Return Economy fares to Brisbane cost from £899 including taxes and charges and fares to Auckland cost from £1,037.

For more information visit www.malaysiaairlines.com

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Cape Town, South Africa

southernafrica Improved accessibility and good value drives renewed demand for destination ting at South African Airways

by JON DANKS, head of UK marke and Communication Group for and chair of the Country Marketing the Star Alliance in the UK.

he vast region of Southern Africa is undergoing rapid change retaining its rugged, raw beauty, whilst evolving to meet the increasingly diverse needs of today’s leisure traveller. My Africa story started as a seven year old child, and was immediately filled with an overwhelming sense of space and adventure. Our family had taken a trip out from Port Elizabeth on the Eastern Cape of South Africa to Maitland, a beautiful natural beach backed by miles of huge sand dunes. After a long day swimming, fishing and playing on the dunes our day was complete as, mesmerised, we watched in awe as an eight foot snake slowly made its way across our coastal road home. I was hooked. It’s perhaps that wonderful sense of spontaneity that gives all of Southern Africa such an edge. Fastforward to today and the region’s ability to meet diverse needs is clear - today those dunes are enjoyed by sandborders, and the sea provides abundant opportunities for whale watching and cage diving.

There is a depth to the region which will inspire generations to come. We recently saw the UK general release of Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. The film, shot in more than 200 locations in South Africa, spans Nelson Mandela’s exceptional life journey from the early years through to his inauguration as the first democratically elected President of

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South Africa. We began a conversation with the UK distributors of the film last summer and brought South African Tourism in to partner on what was to be a unique project. The film showcases South Africa on a global cinematic stage and is set to inspire a far reaching audience while telling one of the most incredible true life stories of our time.

Prior to the film’s UK premiere we had forged a strong partnership with the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund. Their aim is to help realise Mandela’s dreams, to make a world-class healthcare available to the children of Southern Africa with a state-of-the-art new children’s hospital. Whilst this has been a truly humbling experience it’s also an example of the strong social, conservation and environmental message from the region.

On a tourism platform, accessibility has increased enormously. Value for visitors to South Africa has improved where a troubled rand has made the destination 20% more affordable than last year. A cost of living index published by a leading ex-patriot website currently indexes the cost of living in Cape Town at nearly half that of Rio de Janeiro, and three times more affordable than London. Whilst there are huge contrasts across the world, it shows why content strategies are both at the heart of good value, but primarily the desire to unearth unique experiences.

Increasingly, more and more travellers use South Africa as their first experience before discovering the riches of broader sub-Saharan Africa. The development of Johannesburg or Tambo in recent years has provided a seamless connecting hub for investment in the region, and a travel portal for those seeking to explore way beyond the glorious, lazy afternoons in Camps Bay. It’s this infinite choice that will also keep people returning to the region alongside the continued development of spa breaks, golfing holidays, adventure, eco tourism holidays that have been wedded to the already strong reputation for the region’s food and wine tours and safari and wildlife. The iconic Kruger National Park continues to thrill visitors, but it finds tough competition from other regions at home and abroad. My last experience of a game drive in the Hluhluwe Imfolozi Game Reserve on the north coast of KwaZulu-Natal, in the heart of Zululand, left me with enduring memories that will stay with me for a long time. With visitor numbers beginning to bounce back in Zimbabwe, I’m looking forward to discovering the new story the country has to tell, with so much of the country relatively unexplored in recent years. According to the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority the comparison of tourism statistics for the ● continues on next page

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southernafrica ● continued from previous page

first quarter of 2013 showed a 17% increase of International arrivals from all regions compared to 2012. This figure was buoyed by a 215% increase in visitors from UK & Ireland and so it will be interesting to see if this strong trend continues for the first quarter 2014. For many visitors, the journey from Hwange National Park up to the great Zambezi River is a must, as you reach one of the great wonders of the world - Victoria Falls. For many years the Falls have inspired a diverse range of travellers, from extreme sports fanatics, to those seeking inspiration from the thunderous sounds and views.

It’s perhaps also a great illustration too of where Sub Saharan Southern Africa has built such a strong reputation for quality in the face of challenge and adversity. Rich in history the banks of the

Zambezi are home to some of the most charming and beautiful hotels in all of Africa. The Zambian side first marks the spot where in 1855 David Livingstone first viewed the Falls - the Kololo people who he’d travelled with called it Mosi-oaTunya – the smoke that thunders. On the river you’ll find floating spas that gently make their way along the banks of the Chobe River, uniquely located where four African countries meet - Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and Namibia. Whilst pampered indulgence may take a morning, a professional team can also assist in your quest to land a prized Tigerfish. Whilst there are many places in the world where you’d find unique natural experiences side by side with strong competition for revenues, perhaps there are few that offer such warmth that drives world-class, authentic service orientation.

The future for the region is truly

inspiring; the wine routes and the experience of standing among thousands of African Penguins at Boulders Bay, or a swim in the sheltered beach next to the colony will thrill visitors for years to come. The vibrancy of Johannesburg and Soweto will emerge as strong city-break options, buoyed by a strong time-zone advantage. I spent time at the Grande du Pilat last summer which has now inspired me to visit Sossusvlei in Namibia. The vast and beautiful Serengeti in Tanzania offers one of Africa’s most captivating migration safaris. Set this alongside its beautiful island coasts, the two-centre option is a clear rival to the stunning coastlines and the diving experience of Mozambique further south. With such strong natural resources, a reputation for quality and affordability, the sub-Saharan African region is only set to thrive. ✦

Botswana safari holiday from Visions of Africa

ENCOUNTER MARA is one of only six camps in the 50,000 acre Mara Naboisho Conservancy on the north eastern border of the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. The private conservancy is a tourism project benefiting conservation and communities and promotes, preserves and develops land for livestock, wildlife and tourism. It also manages issues of land-use and human-wildlife conflict together with residents and ensures economic growth through increased community participation in the planning and development of projects.

The camp employs 95% local Maasai community members as staff and also provides educational projects which facilitate local employment in tourism. These include training locals to become guides, supporting local schools, improving access to healthcare and clean water and empowering women. Visitor numbers and camp size is strictly controlled to ensure visitors have an exclusive experience.

For details see www.encountermara.com Bookings can be made through Africa Exclusive at www.africaexclusivesafaris.com or by calling 01604-628979.

VISIONS OF Africa is highlighting a safari holiday to Botswana with a two-day trip to the Victoria Falls.

Guests will first travel to the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Victoria Falls, staying at a four-star hotel on the banks of the Zambezi River for two days.

From there, guests will be transferred across the border into Botswana for two nights at the Chobe Safari Lodge for game drives and safari cruises in Chobe National Park.

Next stop is the heart of the Delta with two nights at the Moremi Crossing Lodge, before flying by light aircraft from Kasane and transferring by boat to the lodge which is a water based camp, with all game viewing by motorised boat, mokoro canoe or walking on neighbouring islands.

The final stop is Sango Camp located on the edge of the Moremi Game Reserve. The tented camp offers twice daily game drives and guided walks into Moremi and the Khwai concession. On the final morning guests are flown back to Maun for their return journey to Heathrow.

Prices lead in at £3,435 per person, based on two sharing including eight nights' accommodation (four nights on full board with drinks, two nights on full board and two nights' breakfast accommodation), game viewing activities, inter camp and airport transfers.

Flights, optional activities in Victoria Falls and Chobe and visas are excluded.

KwaZulu-Natal’s Isandlwana Lodge introduces new programme for children ISANDLWANA LODGE, located within the KwaZulu-Natal Battlefields and cultural areas of Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift, has announced a programme for families who would like their children to have an educational, yet fun experience while parents participate in Battlefield tours or other activities offered by the lodge.

The children’s programme is run by Africa!Ignite, a rural development agency that works in community development across the province of KwaZulu-Natal where the Battlefields Route is situated.

The WOWZULU Marketplace, situated at the Isandlwana Museum, is one of Africa!Ignite’s enterprise development and the children’s programme includes walking to the

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WOWZULU Marketplace from the lodge through the village and hearing stories about the village. African-themed storytelling, singing, colouring-in of pictures with an African theme, drawing on a large chalkboard in the garden, making a beaded name bracelet and refreshments are also included.

Costs are based on the number of children in any one programme and may vary slightly depending on the length of time required and any special requests, but a four-hour session costs approximately £6 based on four children participating to £18 for a one-on-one experience.

For more information visit www.isandlwana.co.za or email info@ethosmarketing.co.uk

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southernafrica Debut property launch in Mozambique from Anantara SOME 30KMS east of mainland Mozambique on Africa’s east coast, the Bazaruto Archipelago of protected national park islands lie scattered across the turquoise Indian Ocean. On the largest of these tropical islands, covering 12,000ha, Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort & Spa has recently become the brand’s first property in Mozambique and Anantara’s eighth country.

The resort formerly operated as Indigo Bay Resort & Spa, which Minor Hotel Group, Anantara’s owning company, took over management of last year, with the intention to rebrand to Anantara.

The resort is located a 15-minute flight from Vilanculos Airport on the mainland, which connects to Johannesburg with a direct two-hour flight. The resort offers a boutique collection of 44 villas, with a choice of garden and shoreline panoramas. Outside, some villas offer a living sala complete with a hammock, plunge pool and a veranda, while the Anantara Pool Villa affords exclusive seclusion with a private driveway and entrance, two en-suite bedrooms, a spacious lounge and dining areas both inside and out, as well as a pool and Jacuzzi.

Other resort features include six restaurants and bars, a family pool, adults-only pool, children’s entertainment room, fitness centre, spa, tennis, volleyball and golf course.

Wedding and honeymoon packages are also available.

Beyond the resort, guests can tour the island by 4x4 to discover other bays, exotic flora and fauna, local life and a 19th century lighthouse.

Dillip Rajakarier, CEO of Minor Hotel Group, said: “The addition of Anantara Bazaruto Island as our first Anantara in Africa is a significant milestone for the brand and one that we are very excited about. We are currently exploring other opportunities in Africa, both with our partners and independently, and we are looking to further develop the Anantara brand on the continent.”

SUN DESTINATIONS has launched new tailored Botswana itineraries to a selection of independent camps located in the Central Kalahari, Okavango Delta and Chobe, with net rates of up to 25% off rack. The circuit includes Haina Kalahari Lodge, Machaba Camp, Mapula Camp, Sango Safari Camp, Ghoha Hills Savuti, Camp Kuzuma and Chobe Elephant Camp. Agents can also mix and match camps that suit their client.

For details email brett@sundestinations.co.za or visit www.sundestinations.co.za

Virgin boosts property portfolio in South Africa VIRGIN HOLIDAYS has added a wide range of additional properties to its programme for South Africa in its 2014/15 Africa brochure.

They include the Protea Hotel Breakwater Lodge in Cape Town, which is the new lead-in property for the brand in the Winelands; the Oude Werf Hotel and the Grande Roche.

On the Garden Route, there are four new properties including the Belvidere Manor, while new properties also feature in the Eastern Cape, Kruger area and KwaZulu-Natal.

As an example of prices, seven nights on the Garden Route leads in at £1,237 per person including scheduled flights with Virgin Atlantic from Heathrow to Johannesburg, British Airways flights onwards from Johannesburg to Port Elizabeth and accommodation at the Belvidere Manor on a bed-andbreakfast basis.

It is based on two adults travelling on a May 5 departure, sharing a garden classic room and includes all applicable taxes and fuel surcharges.

To book or for more information see www.virginholidays.co.uk or call 0844-557 3859.

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Cape Town Walking & Winelands option from Explore EXPLORE HAS introduced a new Cape Town Walking and Winelands tour for this year. Combining easy walks with sampling fine wines and traditional food, the tour is ideal for foodies and active travellers.

Passing through the characteristic fynbos vegetation, guests will explore the South African countryside which offers 9,000 different floral species; explore Cape Town and Table Mountain; spend a night on a houseboat; and visit scenic wine estates.

The nine-day tour departs in September and October and costs from £1,991 per person including flights, breakfast accommodation, five other meals, transport and the service of a driver and tour leader.

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

2by2 Holidays adds Wildflowers, Winelands and Whales itinerary for 2014 2BY2 HOLIDAYS has launched a 15-day Wildflowers, Winelands and Whales tour led by Keith Kirsten, “the Alan Titchmarsh of South Africa”, for August.

The tour will give travellers the opportunity to view the wildflowers of South Africa's Western Cape, visit Kirstenbosch and Karoo Botanical Gardens and gain access to selected private gardens.

The itinerary departs on August 31 and will be led by Kirsten, who has published seven gardening books and has had his own gardening shows on TV and radio.

It includes a visit to the Langebaan Lagoon and the Postberg Flower Reserve in West Coast National Park, where, from mid-August to mid-September, visitors can see fields of wildflowers that form a carpet of colours and may see zebra, wildebeest, eland, red hartebeest, grysbok, caracal and rock hyrax.

Also included are visits to the Stellenbosch Winelands to see the Karoo Desert Botanical Gardens in the foothills of the Hex River Mountains; the private gardens of Stellenbosch, including the Stellenbosch Botanical Garden; the gardens of Vergelegen; the vineyards of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek; the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, home to baboons, ostriches and dolphins; and Boulders Beach, where there is a resident penguin colony.

The tour ends with two days at the small seaside town of Hermanus for a spot of whale-watching.

Prices start from £2,995 per person including flights from Heathrow.

For details call 01582-766122 or email sales@2by2holidays.co.uk

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southernafrica Kwandwe Private Game Reserve introduces eco activities to kids safaris

WHEELS IN MOTION...Ethos Marketing recently hosted a Fairest Cape Fam trip which saw Alison Whitfield host five tour operators on a wining and dining adventure in the South African sunshine.

Pictured enjoying a cycling tour around Fancourt on the Garden Route are, from the left: William Boocock, Kuoni; Harriet Spicer, TUI; Chloe Gilchriest, Virgin Holidays; Sandra Robinson, Travel Counsellors; and Tracey Chadwick, Carrier.

Peregrine adds Kalahari escape from £1,285 PEREGRINE ADVENTURES has introduced a three-day short break which takes travellers from Botswana’s capital, Maun to the Deception Valley Lodge.

Set on 15,000 hectares of private reserve, the lodge is accessed by its own private airstrip and, bordering the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, overlooks a popular watering hole for local wildlife. During their stay, guests can experience game drives, guided walks with Kalahari Bushmen to explore their culture and hunting skills, plus traditional Boma dinners. Prices start from £1,285 per person based on two sharing, for a three-day break.

INTREPID TRAVEL has re-introduced a camping trip in Kruger National Park as an alternative to its lodge-based safaris. The fourday ‘Kruger Wild Camping’ leads in at £387 per person, based on two sharing, and includes minibus transfers to and from Johannesburg, two nights' camping at the Andover Game Reserve, one night at Thornhill Safari Lodge, game drives, some meals and local guides.

Pre- and post- accommodation in Johannesburg can also be added.

Tuli Safari Lodge concludes community project at Molema TULI SAFARI Lodge has announced the successful conclusion of its involvement in the community project at Molema, in the Tuli Block, Botswana.

The lodge formed a joint venture with three local villages to create a new tourism venture at Molema in 2006, to enable the local community to participate in and benefit from tourism to the region. The aim was to establish a new self-catering and camping facility and for the operation to be ultimately handed back to the community, which has now taken place. The community will have the support of another local tourism business, Tuli Wilderness, which will further assist in developing tourism and conservation initiatives in the adjacent village areas.

For more information email info@tulitrails.com or see www.tulitrails.com and www.molema.com

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KWANDWE PRIVATE Game Reserve has launched its new Blue Crane Conservation Club which introduces an eco theme plus new ‘see & learn’ activities to its safari programme for kids.

The aim is to teach young Kwandwe guests about green living and to inspire them to take up their own initiatives once back at home.

Children receive a backpack that includes a Blue Crane Conservation Booklet comprising animal check lists, themed games and puzzles, as well as a list of environmentallyfriendly activities to accomplish.

Back at home children will be encouraged to email in drawings and photos of their safari and the eco initiatives they have started which will be posted on Kwandwe’s Facebook page. Also included in the packs are crayons/pencils, a reusable BPA-free water bottle and a ‘Frolicking Rhino’ range of bath products.

The new eco activities include a Bugs & Bones walk, which identifies animal tracks and droppings. Children will also have the opportunity to offset their own carbon footprint by planting Spekboom, a type of thicket vegetation that is native to the Eastern Cape and prolific at Kwandwe.

Families can also participate in the property's voluntourism activities through the reserve’s Angus Gillis Foundation, which works with communities living on and surrounding the reserve. Activities are tailored according to individual and family interests and skills. For young guests this includes assisting with gardening projects at the local Mgcamabele Community; playing with the pre-school kids and participating in arts and craft activities including Kwandwe’s ‘Knit a Bit’ programme. The knitted squares are then joined to make blankets and given to the Angus Gillis Foundation that distributes them to the needy communities surrounding Kwandwe.

On safari, children six years and under can experience a dedicated Hooves & Stripes adventure - with or without their parents - to view ‘non-aggressive’ game such as giraffe, zebra, monkeys and warthogs. They can also join the rangers to try their luck at fishing.

Back at the lodge children learn more about recycling and how to care for our planet playing one of the new eco educational board games. There is also face painting, Plaster of Paris mould making and Sand Art. Alternatively they can join the chefs in an interactive kitchen baking biscuits, making chocolate spider webs and insects and pizzas for supper.

A newly designed children’s menu includes fun and nutritional mealtime options, categorised under “Something yummy for your tummy” (including fish cakes with homemade chips and veggies) and “Something sweet as a treat” (including homemade ice cream with a choice of toppings and homemade chocolate brownies).

Wrapping up the day, and also part of Kwandwe’s see and learn theme, the staff have written a series of African bedtime stories recalled from their own childhood that recount how the reserve came to be the conservation and community success story that it is today.

Prices lead in at approximately £270 per adult per night at Ecca Lodge on a full board basis, including meals, a kids' menu, drinks and safari activities. Children under six years sharing with their parents stay free while six-11 year-olds pay 25% and 12-16 year-olds pay 50%.

For more information email reservations@kwandwe.co.za or see www.kwandwe.com

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GREAT RAIL Journeys and sister brand Treyn is predicting that its Yorkshire tours will prove popular this year on the back of the Tour de France taking place in the region. Treyn’s five-day ‘Yorkshire by Steam’ tour costs from £295 per person based on two sharing. It includes four nights’ hotel accommodation with breakfast, four dinners, a guided tour of the historic city of York, journeys on Keighley & Worth Valley Steam Railway, the Brontë Parsonage and The North Yorkshire Moors Steam Railway, plus a visit to the seaside town of Whitby. The price includes the services of a professional tour manager throughout.

'Poshtels', the arts and lycra to play a part in holidays predicts VisitEngland WITH A SPATE of new and refurbished luxury hostels opening throughout the country, a rush of British musicals hitting the West End and a 15% annual growth in cycling, VisitEngland predicts that “poshtels”, the arts and lycra will all play a part in English holidays this year.

According to the tourist office, glamping is going one step further this year, with budget holidaymakers opting for the homier comforts of a poshtel (posh hostel). The YHA has recently spent more than £10m on refurbishments, creating not just private rooms with en-suite bathrooms, but bridal suites with roll-top baths and four-poster beds and even onsite art galleries – YHA York now features a six-foot art installation charting the history of the Rowntree family. It also has a new hostel on the South Downs, offering a contemporary take on country life. In other poshtel news, Hoax is a new luxury hostel brand which launched with its first opening in Liverpool in July last year while the Safestay Hostel in London’s Elephant & Castle was recently awarded four stars in VisitEngland’s accommodation quality assurance scheme. The hostel, situated in an 18th Century Georgian building, formerly the Labour Party Headquarters, features private twin rooms and family rooms with 40” plasma TVs and is one of a series to open across London over the next three years.

This year also looks set to be the year of the arts. Anish Kapoor’s landmark ArcelorMittal Orbit – Britain’s largest piece of public art – opens to the public in April and WANDER – art on the Yorkshire Wolds Way is the UK’s first public arts project on a National Trail. Made-up of artworks ranging from green oak benches, each featuring poetry, to a viewing platform flanked by ten oak warrior figures, the ten new artworks have been commissioned by Visit Hull and East Yorkshire.

Other new openings include a sculpture trail in Stoke-onTrent and The Potteries – 34 works that take visitors from Trentham Gardens to the city centre; Manchester Central Library, which will open in the spring as the city’s 'living room', featuring performance, exhibition and creative spaces; and the Whitworth Art Gallery, also in Manchester. The gallery has undergone a £15m investment that has funded two new wings, connecting the building to its surrounding parkland and creating a café in the trees and an art garden.

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The West End will also see a bumper year with six new British musicals opening, while outdoor art also continues to go from strength to strength with Hauser & Wirth Somerset opening at Durslade Farm on the edge of the ancient town of Bruton, where visitors will be able to view new and innovative pieces of contemporary art and architecture, designed to mirror the Somerset landscape.

Meanwhile, the tourist office reports that the cycling market is growing 10-15% per annum and will be worth more than £3bn by 2015. As such, investment in infrastructure abounds - £160m will be spent cycle-proofing Britain’s roads, National Parks are investing £12m in cycle paths, seaside towns are opening up their promenades to cyclists and new city-centre cycling hubs are in the pipeline. VisitEngland’s own research shows that 25% of us (3.8m) are keen to go cycling on holiday.

In March, the Lee Valley VeloPark opens to the public, allowing access to its four cycling disciplines (track, BMX, road and mountain biking) and L'Eroica, the famous historic Tuscan bike tour dubbed as 'the most handsome bike race in the World' is coming to the UK in June. L'Eroica Britannia will travel through the Peak District National Park on a three-day festival, known as 'The Great British Adventure', celebrating the joys of heritage, wellbeing and local food and drink, as well as the joys of cycling. Adventurers can choose a 30, 50 or 100-mile route to be ridden on pre-1987 bikes. Plus the Tour de France will commence in Yorkshire this year, taking riders from Leeds to Harrogate, then York to Sheffield, before it moves south for a third stage from Cambridge to London.

Meanwhile, the tourist board has confirmed that it is to take part in the Best of Britain & Ireland Show as an official partner of the show’s dedicated Meetings Area.

It will join Tourism Ireland, Visit Scotland and Visit Wales and will be one of 250 exhibitors at the UK’s domestic trade show for tourism destinations.

The partnership will include a hosted business breakfast on the second day of the show, while a VisitEngland-branded information desk will welcome buyers to the Meetings Area, which will also be manned by the tourist board’s personnel.

The event will take place in Hall 19, the NEC, from March 12-13.

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uk&ireland Warner Leisure Hotels announces additional Russell Watson date

OPENING IN May, the National Forest Way long distance trail will take walkers across 75-miles of footpaths from the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire to Beacon Hill Country Park in Leicestershire. The trail leads through young and ancient woodlands, market towns and the industrial heritage of the changing landscape at the heart of the Midlands, and is being launched as part of the 2014 National Forest Walking Festival.

For details see www.nationalforest.org

'In Notts We Love' campaign proves fruitful for Nottinghamshire NOTTINGHAMSHIRE'S ‘IN Notts We Love’ tourism campaign has paid dividends for the region's visitor economy according to Experience Nottinghamshire.

The campaign, which was run in partnership with VisitEngland and supported by the Government’s Regional Growth Fund (RGF), has resulted in a £3.1m incremental visitor expenditure in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, which is the equivalent of 60 jobs.

Jennifer Spencer, chief executive of Experience Nottinghamshire, said: “It’s great to be able to report such excellent results from the first year of our campaign.

To generate this level of incremental spend and safeguard so many jobs is a fundamental boost to Nottinghamshire’s visitor economy. And this is just year one.

“The ‘In Notts We Love’ campaign has enabled us to focus on and profile what is great about Nottinghamshire: our heritage, our culture, our legends, our local produce and our sporting prowess, and we can now build on this in our activity in years two and three."

FOLLOWING RUSSELL Russell Watson Watson’s successful shows at Thoresby Hall and Cricket St Thomas this year, Warner Leisure Hotels has announced new dates featuring the international singing star for this year.

Watson, who started his career singing in working mens’ clubs, will be performing various numbers from his Double Platinum, Platinum and Gold albums of both operatic-style and pop songs at Sinah Warren, Hampshire on April 4, Alvaston Hall, Cheshire on August 22 and November 14 at Somerset’s Cricket St Thomas Hotel.

A total of 30 guests will have the chance to upgrade to the Star Break Platinum VIP Experience package for an extra £50 per person.

These include the best seats in the house, a complimentary drink, VIP waiter table service and the opportunity to meet Russell backstage in ‘the Green Room Experience’.

Prices for the additional three-night break start from £329 per person at Cricket St Thomas in Somerset on November 14, based on two adults sharing a standard room including Simply Dine.

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

Grand UK Holidays predicts boost in domestic and short breaks market GRAND UK Holidays says that it expects the domestic and short breaks markets to continue growing this year, and predicts that mature holidaymakers will increasingly upgrade to higher quality hotels, coaches and cruise line options.

The company's sales director, Harold Burke, said: “I was at World Travel Market and saw that a lot of the predictions which people were making about the industry are reflected in our booking trends.

“Sales of UK breaks remain strong, thanks to factors such as the heatwave of summer 2013 and the legacy of the Olympics and Diamond Jubilee, which helped boost interest in British cultural and historical attractions.

“We are also seeing growth in shorter midweek and weekend UK breaks, as opposed to the traditional eight days, partly due to the fact that our customers

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take several trips a year with us.

“Furthermore, customers are prepared to pay for quality so the proportion of three- and four-star hotels in our brochure is rising. We are also seeing strong sales from our Gold coach tours range, and the more upmarket river and ocean cruises.”

The 100th anniversary next year of the outbreak of World War One is a major event in the travel trade calendar, and there are also World War Two commemorations.

The operator has two WWI tours in Europe, as well as a new Bournemouth & D-Day holiday marking the 70th anniversary of the D-Day Landings.

Burke said: “Our WWII tours, such as the Battle of Britain break in Lincolnshire, have long been popular with our mature holidaymakers, and we are seeing strong sales for our new 2014

tours too. I would urge travel agents to highlight these holidays to mature customers as they really are special oneoff opportunities this year.”

As well as the remembrance breaks, holidays with other themes are also growing in popularity according to the operator.

Burke said: “People increasingly want to enjoy something connected with their interests and hobbies, rather than just a destination, so our themed breaks – such as Lark Rise to Downton Abbey – are always a ‘sell out’ success. Tours which feature English Heritage and National Trust properties also remain in vogue, as do trips to see the many outstanding gardens and stately homes across mainland UK and Ireland.”

For bookings or further information call 01603-619933 or see www.grandukholidays.com

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uk&ireland Hoseasons launches Holiday Cottages programme to mark 70th anniversary THIS YEAR marks Hoseasons’ 70th anniversary and, to mark the occasion, the operator has launched its 2014 Holiday Cottages programme with a collector’s edition brochure, featuring a front cover illustration by Mark Thomas.

The programme features 1,365 hand-picked properties from across the UK and includes more than 100 new properties.

Also featured in the programme is a range of more than 250 Ultimate Cottages, which offer added extras such as swimming pools, entertainment systems and hot tubs.

An extended selection of short breaks are also available, with many properties offering stays of two, three or four nights.

The cottages sleep between two and 22 people – or more in groups of cottages and more than 850 also welcome pets.

Prices start from £315 for seven nights, based on four sharing for arrivals between October 30 and December 17.

The operator's dedicated website features a location search facility, allowing agents to search for cottages near a specific postcode, town or attraction, as well as locating cottages in unique locations such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and National Parks.

Among the new properties is The Old Mill Cottage based in Northumberland. The hotel is set in a garden close to the River Tweed and offers walking trails by the riverside and up the

nearby Cheviot Hills. The historic towns of Kelso and Berwickupon-Tweed are both within a short drive and a little closer is the town of Coldstream, offering a selection of shops, pubs and cafes. A seven-night stay at the cottage costs from £350, based on seven people sharing and two pets.

The operator has also launched its 2014 Lodges and Parks programme offering 574 locations – 448 in the UK and 126 in Europe.

Two new Daisy Door Cottage Style Collection locations in South West Scotland and North Wales have been added, as well as three new Evermore Lodge Holiday Collection locations in South Cornwall, Derbyshire and Cumbria.

Also new are two new Go Active locations in Scotland and Cornwall bringing the total number of destinations available to 18. This year also sees a refreshed logo and the launch of a new sub-brand at five sites called Go Plus which offer a wider choice of activities available on and off site including climbing walls, horse riding, laser clays, aeroball and off road experiences.

Meanwhile, four new Autograph Lodge Holidays locations in Shropshire, South Wales, Lincolnshire and the Yorkshire Dales have been introduced, bringing the total to 28.

For more information call 0844-847 1144 or visit www.hoseasons.co.uk/agents

Superbreak adds private tours of Hampton Court Palace & Gardens to portfolio

EDINBURGH'S NIRA Caledonia is offering a three-night shopping package which includes exclusive access to Harvey Nichols, discounts and VIP treatment in selected boutiques throughout the city. To further tempt fashion addicts, the property has linked up with a range of shops to offer discounts and treatments including 15% off a Vidal Sassoon haircut and £50 discount at one of Edinburgh’s art galleries.

It costs £4,390 per couple for a three-night breakfast stay in a suite and includes £3,000 to spend at Harvey Nichols. Travel agents receive 10% commission on the package price.

SUPERBREAK IS selling packages that include a private tour of Hampton Court Palace and Gardens.

Packages have been created that include accommodation, afternoon tea and a private tour of the palaces and gardens.

Hampton Court Palace was the home of Henry VIII for 811 days of his turbulent reign and, 150 years later, it was also home to William III and his wife Mary I. The private guided tour will include Henry’s vast and original kitchens, the Great Hall and the Haunted Gallery. It also takes in William’s State Apartments and the gardens, followed by a treat in one of Hampton Court’s restaurants, a tour of the maze, the vaulted ceiling of the Chapel Royal or the Mantegna and other paintings from the Royal Collection.

Packages are available on selected dates and cost from £115 per person based on two sharing. It includes a night's breakfast accommodation at the four-star Warren House Hotel, afternoon tea and the private tour.

For details or to book see www.superbreak.com/agents or call 0871-221 4444.

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wintersports FAMILY-RUN HOTEL Rosa Alpina, in the Dolomites is offering a three-night break to discover the cross-country tracks spanning the woods, meadows and mountains of Conturines, La Varella and Settsass. The trip is suitable for both beginner and advanced skiers and includes a total of four hours' tuition, two days' hire of equipment and ski passes. There is also time for guests to take advantage of free access to the hotel’s spa facilities. Prices lead in at €830 per person, based on two sharing a double room. The offer is subject to availability and is bookable for January 12-19, January 26-February 9, March 8-22 and March 23-30.

For details email info@rosalpina.it or visit www.rosalpina.it

Carton Hotel St Moritz promotes range of sporting events CARLTON HOTEL St Moritz is highlighting a range of sporting events that St Moritz will play host to this winter.

As examples, the Polo World Cup on Snow takes place from January 30 to February 4 and the hotel is offering guests three nights' half-board accommodation in a suite, including grandstand tickets for the two-day event, plus a fullbody massage at its spa and dinner. Prices lead in at approximately £1,162 per person.

The resort is also due to host White Turf on February 9, 16 and 23, a horse race which has taken place on the frozen lake for 105 years.

The hotel is offering a three-night, half-board stay in a suite, including a day’s ski pass for the Upper Engadines, a massage and dinner from approximately £1,177 per person.

For more information see www.carlton-stmoritz.ch

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Super saver weeks from £499 from Powder White POWDER WHITE is offering super saver weeks on all ski holidays in March with chalets now available from £499 per person per week, offering a saving of £150 per person.

The price applies to a seven-night fully catered stay at The Locarno in Verbier from March 22. The three-bedroom property sleeps six and is a short walk to the resort centre.

Other offers include a seven-night fully catered stay at The Pinchbeck in St Anton from £749 per person, based on six sharing; a seven-night fully catered stay at Chalet Eleanor in Meribel from £549, based on 14 sharing; and a seven-night break on a fully catered service at Chalet R, Courchevel 1550 for £699, based on 12 sharing.

The company offers self-catered, part catered and fully catered options. Fully catered packages include Champagne and canapés on arrival, cooked breakfast, afternoon tea, unlimited house wine and a three-course dinner with select wines.

Each chalet offers free Wi-Fi with a laptop provided, iPod docking station, flat-screen TV and DVD library. The company can arrange international travel (planes, trains and car hire) and private transfers on request, as well as extras such as in-chalet ski fitting, ski school and lift passes in advance.

For more information visit www.powderwhite.com or call 020-8877 8888.

Ski resorts in Italy and Austria close price gap on Eastern Europe THE LATEST Post Office Travel Money Ski Resort Report has revealed that bargainhunters will not only find value for money in Eastern Europe, but in traditional favourites such as Italy and Austria too.

The seventh annual report, produced in partnership with operator Crystal Ski Holidays, compared prices for ski equipment, lift passes, ski school, meals and drinks in 30 ski resorts – 22 in Europe and eight in North America.

It found that Bansko (Bulgaria) and Kranjska Gora (Slovenia) are again the cheapest, with barometer totals of around £274 and £326, respectively.

However, prices at Kranjska Gora have risen almost 7% since last season. As a result, Livigno in the Italian Alps has gained ground at £351, overtaking Austria’s Ellmau

(£368) to take third place and now just £25 behind the Slovenian resort.

Italy and Austria have notched up a total of seven ski resorts in the Ski Resort Report barometer top 12: Sestriere (six), Cervinia (nine) and Selva (11) join Livigno in the 12 best value resorts, while Austria’s Mayrhofen (ten) and Schladming (12) resorts join Ellmau (four).

However, the picture is patchy for skiers planning trips this season. Prices have plunged 13% in Zermatt to around £593 and more than 3% in Morzine (£402). At the same time, rising resort prices and a UK pound almost 5% weaker against the euro year-onyear mean skiers may have to dig deeper in their pockets.

A full list of the best value resorts can be found at www.postoffice.co.uk/skireport2013

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wintersports Belambra introduces new selection of winter sports across French Alps BELAMBRA IS inviting guests to explore a new range of snow sports at its clubs across the French Alps.

New ways to navigate the pistes include Le Ski-Joëring which brings equestrianism to the snow. Skiers are pulled behind a horse, guided by a rider, through woodlands and along nature trails. Thrill-seekers can take on the challenge at a gallop and beginners can enjoy it at a leisurely canter. The activity is available to try at

Belambra Seizures 'The Embrunes' and Arc 2000 'L'Aiguille Rouge' Club.

Le Yooner is also new and offers a board sport that requires the participant to sit on a seat-mounted mini ski that speeds down the slopes like a streamlined version of a toboggan.

Other activities at selected resorts include Le Snake Gliss, a team sport that links a group of lugers together to tackle a twisting luge track without falling out of their sleds; and Le Snowscoot, which

Strong demand for Cosmos' debut ski programme COSMOS HOLIDAYS has reported strong demand for its newly launched European ski holidays programme, which is aimed at the family and first time skier market.

The operator reports that demand is strong from Gatwick, Luton and Manchester with the combination of the newly launched Monarch scheduled flights, handpicked mid-range accommodation and included transfers proving popular.

Breaking down sales figures for the best performing destinations, Austria represents 55% of bookings with resorts such as Soll, St Anton and Hinterglemm proving to be the most popular. The resorts of Les Deux Alpes, Alpe d'Huez and La Plagne in France are also performing well, representing 36% of bookings to date, with Italy taking the remaining 9%.

Neil Garner, Cosmos' head of product, said: "Following a successful ski season in Europe last winter, we were confident that this season would see growth. Although it's a highly competition market we are delighted with our first season sales and we are looking to increase volume by developing our programme and introducing new resorts and other destinations as well as broadening the accommodation mix with chalets."

Package prices in France lead in at £285 per person for a seven-night stay departing Gatwick on January 19 and staying at Plagne Lauze Apartments.

Ski Club of Great Britain launches new Ski Club+ membership THE SKI Club of Great Britain has launched Ski Club+ membership which offers a FOGG MEDI-CARD, an insurance system recognised in most European resorts.

In the event of an accident or illness on the mountain, the card is shown to any piste rescue, first ambulance service and/or the first treating doctor in Europe. Where the card is accepted, the card holder won’t be charged and payment is made by specialist ski claims handlers FOGG direct to the service provider.

The card covers transport off the mountain by skidoo or helicopter; ambulance charges to reach the first treating doctor; and first treating doctor, ensuring that there are no excess or upfront fees to pay.

The card is valid for the duration of a Ski Club+ membership and covers both on and off-piste skiing, as well as summer mountain activities.

Ski Club members can upgrade their membership for £10 on top of the basic Individual Membership fee (£30 for family membership).

For details visit www.skiclub.co.uk or call 020-8410 2015.

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is performed on a thin snowboard mounted with BMX-style handlebars.

The company offers 58 properties across France and Corsica, specialising in affordable family accommodation and ranging from bucolic retreats to seaside resorts and mountain ski clubs.

Kids' clubs offer care and activities for children as young as three months up to 17 years.

For more information or to book visit www.belambra.co.uk

Seven-night ski trip in Romania from £463 from Balkan Holidays BALKAN HOLIDAYS is offering the mountain resort of Poiana Brasov, Romania, for skiers and snowboarders looking for new destinations this winter.

With a backdrop of the Southern Carpathian Mountains, Poiana Brasov is a lively destination with a range of modern facilities including a Gondola lift with a capacity of 2,000 skiers per hour, an Olympic ski-track, two 80m ski-jumps, and 12 downhill and slalom runs.

Après ski ranges from an artificial skating rink, sport fields, riding centres plus a selection of restaurants, bars and discos.

The company is offering seven nights in a twin room at the three-star Hotel Poiana on half-board from approximately £463 per person including flights from Gatwick and transfers.

Pre-bookable ski and snowboard services are also available on bookings made now including ski, poles and boot hire from £53 per adult and £42 for children.

To book or for further information see www.balkanholidays.co.uk or call 0845-130 1114.

Virgin Holidays launches new Ski & Board digital brochure for iPads VIRGIN HOLIDAYS has launched its new Ski & Board 2014 digital brochure for iPads, its first fully-digital, app-enhanced interactive brochure that features popups, scrolling, click through content and imagery.

From braving the black run slopes to relaxing in a hot tub overlooking the picturesque snow-covered landscapes beyond, the new brochure features a range of new destinations in the US including Winter Park in Colorado, together with a choice of resorts in Canada.

For details see www.virginholidays.co.uk/order-brochure The operator is highlighting a seven-night break in Winter Park, including scheduled flights with Delta Air Lines from Heathrow and accommodation at the Winter Park Mountain Lodge on a bed-and-breakfast basis, from £975 per person, based on two sharing. It includes all applicable taxes and fuel surcharges and is based on a February 17 departure. For details see www.vhols4agents.co.uk or call 0844-557 3973.

Meanwhile, ski enthusiasts travelling with Virgin Atlantic can benefit from free ski and board carriage at no extra charge in addition to the free 23kg baggage allowance offered.

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CLUB MED is highlighting its Egyptian resort, Sinai Bay. Located in the heart of Sinai, the resort provides guests with opportunities to discover the region’s famous sites, such as St Catherine’s Monastry and offers colourful bungalows surrounded by oriental gardens. Kids' clubs are also offered including Baby Club Med (for children aged four-23 months), Petit Club Med (two-three years), Mini Club Med (four-ten years) and Club Med Passworld (for 11-17 years).

Discover Egypt highlights all-inclusive seven-night Hurghada getaway DISCOVER EGYPT is offering a seven-night package to the Mövenpick Resort in Hurghada from £899 per person or £499 when combined with a seven-night classic Nile cruise.

The destination is around five hours’ flying time from the UK, but winter temperatures in February and March are around 24°C. Originally a traditional fishing village, Hurghada is now one of the most popular holiday resorts on the Red Sea and visitors are attracted, not only by the favourable climate, but its natural beauty.

The resort provides something for everyone with a wide range of hotels, shops and restaurants and also offers a haven for watersports enthusiasts whether it is diving off the coral reefs or windsurfing along the coastline.

One of the hotels featured by the operator is the allinclusive, five-star Mövenpick Resort located ten minutes from Hurghada Airport and the centre of Hurghada, which is easily reached using the hotel's shuttle service or walking along the promenade. Prices for seven nights start from £899 including flights from Gatwick to Hurghada, transfers and all-inclusive accommodation based on two sharing.

The company's commercial director, Philip Breckner, said: "Hurghada is easily reached from Luxor and the Nile which makes it a popular choice for a multi-centre holiday in Egypt. Many people combine a holiday to Hurghada with a classic Nile Cruise or a break in Luxor. These multi-

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centre holidays offer excellent value and provide a diverse holiday experience for those wanting to see more of what Egypt has to offer, a great way to combine the beach and flop with a visit to the world’s largest open air museum.

With the lifting of the FCO advice for Upper Egypt, we’ve seen a strong demand for classic Egypt and urge the trade to support what is a uniquely special travel experience.”

The company is offering a two-centre holiday that combines one week in Hurghada staying at the Mövenpick Resort on an all-inclusive basis from £499 per person when combined with a seven-night Nile cruise on the fivestar Viking Princess including full board, ten guided excursions, flights and transfers.

Breckner said: “Offer your clients the opportunity to combine the ideal winter sun beach holiday with a sevennight Nile cruise on full board to really get the most out of a visit to Egypt. Nile cruises in February and March depart weekly and start from £899 per person and include visiting many of the ancient sites that Egypt is famous for, including the Valley of the King and Queens, temples of Karnak and Luxor and the Aswan High Dam. "With direct flights to Luxor re-starting on February 17 on scheduled Egyptair from Heathrow, your customers will be given an even bigger choice which will enable them to combine a stay in Upper Egypt with a stay on the Red Sea.” For more information or to book call 0844-880 0462 or see www.discoveregypt.co.uk

January 10 2014

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The Adventure Company resumes Red Sea trips for families FAMILY ADVENTURE holiday specialist, The Adventure Company has resumed its tours of Egypt this month following the recent change to FCO advice and increased confidence among travellers.

As well as tours that take in ancient sites such as the Pyramids at Giza and the temples at Luxor, the operator offers family holidays to the Red Sea area including an Active in the Sinai trip for teens and their families (eight days from £939 per person with flights).

Based at a resort in Dahab, it includes a snorkel safari in the Southern Oasis, which has a variety of

colourful marine life and coral, plus optional watersports including windsurfing, a boat safari, scuba diving and kayaking.

Michael Edwards, the company's UK & Europe regional director, said: "We hope that the change to FCO advice will give UK passengers the confidence to return to this incredible country. Not only will this help the local businesses who work in tourism to get back on their feet, but anyone who visits Egypt now will have some of the world's most impressive sites and scenery almost to themselves, which is a rare opportunity."

Orascom Development adds properties in El Gouna & Taba Heights to portfolio ORASCOM DEVELOPMENT has taken over management of two properties in the Red Sea resorts of El Gouna and Taba Heights to streamline operations and booking processes in the destinations.

The former Hyatt Regency became the first Orascom-managed property in Taba Heights under the name Miramar Resort Taba Heights, while the Club Med Resort in El Gouna has been renamed Club Paradiso.

The two Orascom-owned resorts currently operate 22 hotels, 16 of which will now be managed by the developer.

The company's senior director of

marketing and sales, Jens Freise, said: “We are excited to be expanding our current hotel management portfolio with these two special properties.

Anticipating and satisfying guests’ desires remain our core values and we’re looking forward to continuing the current success and popularity of these properties.”

The five-star Miramar Resort Taba Heights offers a beachfront location against a backdrop of mountains and houses 426 guestrooms with sea, lagoon or mountain views; three swimming pools; a kids' club; health club; two tennis courts; and four restaurants.

The hotel also owns a Bedouin campsite in the nearby mountains.

The four-star Club Paradiso in El Gouna is located along an extensive 2km stretch of sandy beach and is surrounded by landscaped parkland, gardens of palm trees and bougainvillea.

The hotel’s 239 rooms offer modern amenities and an ideal base from which to experience a range of sport and leisure activities including golf, tennis, squash, sailing, windsurfing, snorkelling and beach volleyball.

For more information see www.elgouna.com and www.tabaheights.com

Monarch adds twice-weekly service to Hurghada as part of route expansion plans MONARCH HAS announced a new twice-weekly service to Hurghada as part of its route network expansion for summer.

Departing on Tuesdays and Fridays from Birmingham, Gatwick and Manchester, the new flights commence on May 2 and serve a number of Red Sea resorts including El Gouna.

Located a 30-minute drive from the airport, El Gouna offers 17 hotels, 100 bars and restaurants, three marinas, an 18-hole golf course, a variety of retail, spa and fitness facilities, plus a range of watersports.

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The resort has also recently opened Elgounacable, a new cable park for water skiers, wake boarders and wake skaters of all levels, while Ancient Sands, a new luxury resort and residential project, is due to open in April.

The carrier is offering a seven-night, all-inclusive stay at the three-star Three Corners Rihana Inn from £400 per person.

Departing Gatwick on May 2, the package includes flights, taxes and all-inclusive accommodation based on two sharing a double room.

To book or for more information visit www.monarch.co.uk

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redsea We asked our staff the following question this week: What's the best thing about getting older?

Publisher: Jeanette Ratcliffe jeanette.ratcliffe@travelbulletin.co.uk I now don't have to worry about what bands are cool and can happily admit my favourite 80s track was 'Come On Eileen'

Editor: Lauretta Wright lauretta.wright@travelbulletin.co.uk Not feeling that I have to conform with the latest trends, fashion etc...

Assistant Editor: Jill Sayles jill.sayles@travelbulletin.co.uk Maturity

Contributing Editor: Paul Scudamore post@travelbulletin.co.uk The continuing increase in wisdom, winter fuel allowance, bus pass, senior rail card...

Sales Director: Simon Eddolls simon.eddolls@travelbulletin.co.uk Very slightly less gullible each year

Advertisement Manager: Tim Podger tim.podger@travelbulletin.co.uk Mellowing and being content

Online Sales Manager: Nick Boocock nick.boocock@travelbulletin.co.uk People with power taking what you have to say more seriously

Account Manager: Bill Coad bill.coad@travelbulletin.co.uk There is nothing GOOD about getting older...

Sales Executive: Chris Gascoine chris.gascoine@travelbulletin.co.uk You get a free bus pass, you don't pay your TV licence, free flu jabs and cheaper gas

Sales Executive: Matt Gill matt.gill@travelbulletin.co.uk Not there yet

Senior Designer: Genaro Santos genaro.santos@travelbulletin.co.uk Assistant Designer: Nicky Valsamakis nicky.valsamakis@travelbulletin.co.uk Production: Nick Salt production@travelbulletin.co.uk Closer to death

Circulation Manager: Jim Merchant post@travelbulletin.co.uk 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 Limited Subscriptions are £125 p.a. £195 overseas ISSN: 0956-2419

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January 10 2014

WALK LIKE AN EGYPTIAN... A total of 20 agents embarked on an Egyptian adventure to Sharm el Sheikh with Red Sea Holidays. The fam trip offered a range of excursions including camel riding, quad biking, snorkelling, boat trips and Egyptian dancing. Pictured getting into the swing of things at the Ghazala Gardens Hotel are, from the left: Stacey Turland, East of England Co-op; Karen Smith, Bath Travel; Kizzy Woollacott, Premier Travel Centre; Joy Stanley, Thomas Cook; Mary Poole, East of England Co-op; Lynsey Bushell, Bath Travel; Samira Bahrami and Amy Cox, Your Holidays; Charlene Woodcock, Laura Brittain and Cara Hall, Lincolnshire Co-op; and Kirstie Hayward and Nichola Bradley from Thomas Cook.

Explore adds Essential Egypt itinerary A NINE-DAY Essential Egypt itinerary has been added by Explore for this year.

On the fast-paced tour, guests will be introduced to all the main highlights that Egypt has to offer including archaeological sites such as the Pyramids and Great Sphinx of Giza, the Valley of the Kings and Karnak Temple.

The tour also offers travel by traditional felucca on the Nile and a full day boat trip with snorkelling in the Red Sea. Departing in September and October, prices lead in at £897 per person including flights, five nights' hotel, two nights' guesthouse and one night felucca accommodation, all with breakfast; five other meals; transport; and a driver, tour leader and boat crew.

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

Cosmos reintroduces Hurghada region for summer COSMOS HAS re-introduced the Red Sea coastal region of Hurghada for summer (April-October), packaged with the newly launched Monarch scheduled flights from Birmingham, Gatwick and Manchester.

Featured resorts include Hurghada, El Gouna, Makadi Bay, Soma Bay, El Quesir and Marsa Alam.

A seven-night package leads in at £489 per person including flights, transfers and accommodation.

puzzlesolutions Crossword: Across: 1. IBERIA, 4. ANDY, 7. REUNION, 8. SAA, 10. AVEBURY, 12. LERWICK, 15. ACE, 17. ITALIAN, 18. DAYS, 19.

CAMERA. Down: 1. IDRIS ELBA, 2. ECUADOR, 3. IBIZA, 5. NAS, 6. ONCE, 9. ABYSSINIA, 11. UKRAINE, 13. IBIS, 14. KOALA, 16. ELY.

Highlighted Word: NORWAY Travagrams: (top) Aer Lingus

(bottom) Valencia

Where Am I?: Florence

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