Travel Bulletin 11th September 2015

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September 11 2015 | ISSUE NO 1,933 | www.travelbulletin.co.uk

Australasia How to help first time visitors get the most from their holiday

this week agent bulletin 9 reward yourself with these booking incentives & agent offers

hotel bulletin new offers, developments & promotions from hoteliers

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india & indian ocean operators promote their latest deals & programme additions

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short breaks could Blackpool be just the ticket for your clients?

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ON TARGET...

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This Week

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Cover Pictures: Main - xSleeping koala on a branch Copyright: covenant

Inset - Indian Ocean

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news a look at this week's latest industry developments & announcements

notes from normanton find out what Sandy has been up to recently

agent bulletin reward yourself with these booking incentives & agent offers

puzzle bulletin play Su Doku for your chance to bag yourself a £50 M&S voucher

hotel bulletin new developments & offers from hotel groups & independent properties

personality bulletin the head of corporate at Laterooms.com answers our quick-fire questions

australasia Travel 2 looks at what agents should be promoting to first time visitors

indian ocean hoteliers & operators promote their latest offers & programme additions

short breaks could Blackpool be just the ticket for your clients?

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Charlie Reid Travel in Kirkcaldy recently won £100 worth of vouchers in a SuperBreak incentive. The agency was set sales targets which they then exceeded. Pictured receiving their prize from the operator's Wendy Cameron (second from left) are, from the left: Robin Innes, Jenny Reid and Gordon Reid.

Survey reveals how clients can help ensure a stress-free airport experience CHEAPFLIGHTS.CO.UK has commissioned an audit of the UK’s fastest growing airports, dispatching a researcher to take 38 flights in five weeks that included departures from, and returns to, every terminal at the 13 participating airports.

The results revealed that what you are required to take off or remove from your hand luggage varies enormously - even between terminals at the same airport. Following the audit, the company commissioned a survey of 2,067 people across the UK which found that one in three (32%) did not find security staff helpful or knowledgeable, almost half (46%) find passing through security a stressful experience; and more than half (54%) think security zones are poorly designed to cope with the volume of passengers passing through them.

Of the 19 terminals assessed, 94% required belts to be removed but the remainder did not; almost one in five (17%) required jewellery be removed; and a growing number (6%) now require shoes to be removed as well.

Almost all now have updated signage indicating what can and can’t be taken through, but this leaves many scrambling to remove items while the queue of impatient people grows behind them. Of the 19 terminals, Luton was found to be the one offender without proper signage.

The airport audit did turn up some innovative solutions to easing these issues including the system used at Edinburgh International and at London City where trays are lined with stickers that show exactly what items must be taken out and where to place them including iPads, laptops, kindles and toiletries bags.

Based on the strictest requirements of those airports assessed in the audit, the company offers simple tips for breezing through security with minimal fuss. For women this includes keeping jewellery to a minimum, wearing slip-on shoes, taking sample bottles of perfume and travel sets of makeup. Advice for men includes leaving their belt off if possible, take their jumper in a carry on bag until clearing security, making sure loose change is out of your pockets and wearing easy-to-remove shoes.

How Brits cope with the postholiday blues A STUDY of post-holiday blues by Jet2holidays asked holidaymakers what strange things they have done to get over the condition.

Quitting work, redecorating in the style of the hotel and having a baby were just some of the methods we use to get through the post-holiday blues according to the survey. Booking another holiday and gorging on takeaways were two of the most popular ways of coping with the feeling of sadness after getting back from a trip away.

The operator found that up to 70% of British adults admit to suffering from post holiday blues, with women far more likely to experience it.

Age also dictates whether you are likely to suffer, with post-holiday blues more common in younger people (85% in 1824-year-olds) than older generations (just 60% in 55+ year-olds), while twice as many holidaymakers in Wales and Scotland admitted to getting blue once they’d got home.

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2016/17 China brochure launch from Wendy Wu Tours showcases new tour options WENDY WU TOURS has issued its 2016/17 China brochure which showcases a new ‘Discovery Tours’ collection, an updated ‘Exclusive Collection’ plus a selection of new and improved tours, opening up new destinations in China for the UK visitor.

As an example, a new Discovery Tour is a 15-day China Explorer which covers China’s most iconic sites travelling from Beijing to Xian, Chengdu and Shanghai with a three-night Yangtze River Cruise.

Highlights include a hike along the Great Wall, a ninemile cycle ride around the city wall of ancient Xian, a

visit to the ancient town of Pingle, and a visit to the Bamboo forest above on Jinjigu Suspended Rope Bridge.

The tour costs £2,990 per person including flights, transport, accommodation, some meals, touring with guides, entrance fees and visa fees.

To celebrate the brochure launch the operator is offering a Business Class upgrade for £99 from Manchester and £199 from Heathrow across many of its China tours. The offer is valid for bookings made by September 30.

For more information see www.wendywutours.co.uk

Summer & Family Holiday brochure launches from Jet2holidays & Calella); flexible long-stay JET2HOLIDAYS has launched its new getaways for winter collection of brochures 2015/16 including the for 2016 which include Algarve, Madeira, Winter 2015/16, NEW Canary Islands and Summer Holidays and Spain from £10 per Family Holidays.

S AY person, per night; Offering even more D LI O H FAMILY winter shopping choice for customers, breaks in New York the brochures include and Copenhagen, Italian additions in the Berlin and Vienna Neapolitan Riviera Christmas markets, Lake Garda, Tuscan as well as city Riviera and Lido di Jeslo; breaks to Prague, holidays Girona to stay in Rome and Budapest; the Costa Brava (Lloret and friendly flight de Mar and Tossa de Mar) Jet2holidays’ new brochures times with or Costa Barcelona increased (Santa Suzannah, Malgrat Summer 2016

August Edition

FOR 2016!

COSTA BRAVA FROM GIRONA

DAYTIME FLIGHTS

£60PP DEPOSIT

22KG BAGGAGE INCLUDED

TRANSFERS INCLUDED

10KG HAND BAGGAGE

departures from April 2016.

Thousands of free child places are also available and all holidays include 22kg baggage allowance and transfers.

The company's CEO, Steve Heapy, said: “This is one of our strongest collections of holidays yet and there really is something for everyone. With the new addition of Naples and Girona opening up the Neapolitan Riviera and Costa Brava, plus a variety of options for all budgets and tastes, we’re confident our customers will be spoilt for choice.”

For more information call 0800-408 5587 or see https://trade.jet2holidays.com

Newsbites ●

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LIZZIE'S LUCK...Earlier this year Malta's Mediterraneo Marine Park teamed up with Travel Bulletin to run a competition for agents to win a holiday for two including a free dolphin swim.

Pictured is the winner, Lizzie Croft from Co Operative Travel.

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September 11 2015

Discover Egypt is highlighting its 14-night ‘Best of Egypt’ holiday, with weekly departures throughout the year from Gatwick and Manchester. The break combines a seven-night Nile cruise with ten guided excursions and seven nights in Hurghada, staying at the four-star Grand Plaza Hotel. The lead in price for weekly departures this month is from £1,298, offering a saving of £200. It includes flights, transfers, full board on the Nile cruise and all-inclusive hotel accommodation. For details call 020-7407 2111 or visit www.discoveregypt.co.uk Jet2.com has announced the acquisition of 27 new aircraft from Boeing. The Next Generation 737-800s will be delivered over a two-year period to 2018 and will be used to take package holiday and flight-only customers to a range of destinations across mainland Europe, the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands, as well as a range of city breaks.

Dartmouth’s historic harbour will play host to the annual Dartmouth Food Festival next month. The event brings together more than 20,000 visitors and more than 100 local and regional food and drink suppliers, restaurants and celebrity chefs. Visitors will be able to explore food markets and tasting huts, as well as sample and purchase produce.

The festival runs from October 23-25. See www.dartmouthfoodfestival.com and www.dartmoutheverytime.co.uk for details.

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FESTIVE FUN...Pictured is Teresa Marie (left) and Paige Carter from Waltham Abbey Travel in Waltham Abbey following a visit from Bourne Leisure's Kelly Hunt. Kelly was out and about visiting Bourne Super Experts to showcase Warner Leisure Hotels' Festive breaks as well as the launch of its ‘Simple Pleasures of Life’ incentive.

Free tablet offer on touring coaches from Cosmos Tours & Cruises marks launch of 2016 Europe brochure COSMOS TOURS & Cruises is celebrating the launch of free Wi-Fi on selected European touring coaches with the offer of a free android tablet for customers booking a 2016 European holiday before September 25.

As well as the free tablet offer, a discount of £50 off per couple is available, or single travellers can choose from a range of new tours with no single supplement to pay on selected departures.

Providing extra value, customers booking before December 18 can take advantage of up to 14 nights free airport parking at selected UK airports or an airport hotel offer is available for £29 per room with up to 14 nights’ free car parking.

New for 2016 are 13 holidays which are flagged up at the front of

the brochure so that agents can easily identify which ones are suitable for scenery, history, food lovers, short breaks or relaxed pace ‘Relax and Explore’ tours.

A significant expansion of the Balkan programme means five new tours have been introduced in the region; the eight-day ‘Coast & Cities of Croatia’ from £719 per person; the eight-day ‘Austrian Lakes, Slovenia & Slovakia’ from £849; the eight-day ‘Romania Revealed’ from £845; the eight-day ‘Croatia’s Picturesque Peninsula & Venice from £599; and a 15-day ’Balkan Spectacular’ from £1,439.

Meanwhile, to meet demand for more experience-based holidays in Italy, two new food themed tours include an eight-day ‘Lake Garda’s Gastronomic Experience’ from £699 and an eight-day ‘Southern Sicily’s Culinary Soul’ from £1,289.

Prices include flights, transfers, accommodation and selected excursions.

Agents can visit www.trade-gate.co.uk for brochures and for more information email agencysales@cosmostours.co.uk or visit www.cosmostoursandcruises.co.uk

HKTB offers more for visitors with new e-Coupons THE HONG Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) has been working with local partners to launch a series of e-Coupons to help enrich UK visitors’ experience.

For those still making arrangements for their trip to Hong Kong, the e-coupons can help with the planning with discounts and offers at some of Hong Kong’s famous hotels such as free L’Occitane gift sets at Hotel LKF

by Rhombus or a room upgrade and free WiFi at Park Hotel Hong Kong.

And for clients ready to explore Hong Kong, many of Asia’s World City’s attractions have provided discounts for visitors such as

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20% discount on tickets at Noah’s Ark Hong Kong and 10% discount on tickets at Hong Kong 3D Museum, the city’s latest museum.

The majority of discounts are available until December 31 and visitors can also treat themselves to a HKD$100 cash voucher at King’s Taste, 12% off items at 3D-Gold Jewellery or 20% off buffets at Café Rivoli.

The e-coupons are also available to download from the tourism board’s ‘My Hong Kong Guide’ mobile app.

For further information visit www.discoverhongkong.com

Dedicated Families brochure from A&K ABERCROMBIE & Kent has issued a dedicated Families brochure which features 19 diverse destinations from Hawaii to China on offer, along with the more traditional European options.

Recognising the fact that families travel for a plethora of reasons whether it’s for high adrenaline adventure, to educate and inspire, or perhaps just for some R&R - the brochure has been carefully indexed for ease of reference with the following categories: Wildlife & Safari; Adventure and Activity; Culture and Education; Beach Resorts; and Villas and Chalets.

Each page offers key information - from detailing practicalities such as flying times, visas and vaccinations to ‘Did You Know?’ nibs of destination curiosities.

A range of options are available to suit various aspirations and budgets – from tailor-made itineraries through to group tours with likeminded families.

For further information or to book call 01242-885427 or visit www.abercrombie kent.co.uk/family

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newsbulletin Balkan Holidays reduces prices for 2015/16 ski & board season LOWER PRICES than last season at selected Bansko hotels and cheaper flights from Gatwick to Sofia, Bulgaria, are the highlights of Balkan Holidays' new second edition Ski & Board brochure featuring Bulgaria, Slovenia and Romania.

The operator is promoting lower prices on selected dates at popular hotels such as the five-star Kempinski Grand Arena and four-star Strazhite Hotels in Bansko, Bulgaria.

Flights from Gatwick are also to be cut by £25 per adult on departures between December 19 and February 6, 2016.

Other highlights include a lead in price of £244 per person for seven nights in a two-bed self catering apartment based on six people sharing, departing in March 2016 from Heathrow; free lift passes and 50% off full ski or snowboard packs in Borovets, Bulgaria; pre-book an adult lift pass and get a second free at Hotel Rila, Borovets and Hotel Pirin in

Bansko, Bulgaria; free ski/board storage in Bansko; £15 ski/board equipment carriage on all the operator's return charter flights to Sofia; 50% off full ski/snowboard services at Hotel Rila; 20% off ski/snowboard services in Bansko for over 65s; 15% off all hotels in Pamporovo on selected dates; and 20% off lift passes in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia.

A range of booking incentives are also being offered included a low deposit of £70 per person for a limited period, early booking discounts on selected dates and hotels and free child places.

Departures are from seven UK airports - Gatwick, Heathrow, Bristol, East Midlands, Manchester, Newcastle and Stansted.

For bookings or more information see www.balkanholidays.co.uk or call 020-7543 5555.

No1 Traveller announces rebrand & Gatwick expansion programme NO1 TRAVELLER is putting the glamour back into flying, with a rebrand of its lounges, expansion programme and new website.

The 2014/15 CoolBrand has created a new visual identity and will be redesigning its lounge collection in the spirit of the Jet-set age. Centred on iconic island bars, with bistro dining and panoramic viewing, the company’s first ‘new-look’ lounges will open at Gatwick early next year.

To reflect its core lounge product offering, the company has also launched no1lounges.com – a sister website to No1Traveller.com, which will continue to sell its full Driveway to Runway services from chauffeurdriven airport transfers and valet parking, to fast-track security, VIP Departure and partner lounges.

Other announcements include an expansion at Gatwick Airport with capacity across both terminals set to increase by 100% in the next 12 months, as well as upgrades at Heathrow, Birmingham and Edinburgh locations over the next year, along with the introduction of a refined, seasonal food and beverage menu. A new uniform will also be rolled next month.

No.1 Gatwick, North Terminal

The company’s founder and CEO, Phil Cameron, said: “Six years ago we started to pioneer common-user lounging in the UK and we haven’t stood still since. To ensure we remain the market leader we are making a big

statement with our lounge brand refresh - inspired by the jet-set age of travel, a new-look website, and lounge upgrades. We want to show our guests just how serious we are about putting the glamour back into pre-flight.”

RealWorld promotes new selection of self drive itineraries A NEW range of self drive holidays from RealWorld is helping to bring some of the world’s most picturesque drives within reach of UK holidaymakers, giving adventurous drivers the chance to explore South America under their own steam.

As an example, a ten-night 'Patagonia Self Drive' explores Chilean and Argentine Patagonia, including the

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Torres del Paine National Park, Otway Sound, Perito Moreno glacier and Lake Argentino. Prices lead in at £1,495 per person based on two adults.

Meanwhile, Carretera Austral is a 12night self-drive holiday exploring Chile’s Southern Highway, including the Lake District, the Chilean fjords and the glaciers of the Queulat National Park.

Prices start from £2,195 whereas the

September 11 2015

seven-night Desert Drive explores Chile’s Atacama Desert for £1,150.

All prices include breakfast accommodation, internal flights, car hire with unlimited mileage and local taxes. International flights are available from £550.

For details visit www.realworldholidays.co.uk or call 0113-262 5329.

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Newsbites ●

GLASGOW-BASED Stewart Travel has joined forces with Turkish Airlines to create an exclusive collection of holidays. In addition to Turkey, key destinations include the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore. Customers can extend their holiday with three night stopovers in Istanbul from £99 per person. For details visit www.stewarttravel.co.uk

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DURBAN WILL be the first African city to host the Commonwealth Games after being confirmed as the venue for 2022.

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P&O CRUISES is partnering with Teenage Cancer Trust for the next three years to raise funds (through staff and passenger fundraising initiatives) for the charity and awareness of the valuable work it does helping teenagers and young adults with cancer across the UK. See www.teenagecancertrust.org

Insider Journeys announces early bird savings & incentive deals for agents INSIDER JOURNEYS has unveiled its 2016/17 preview brochure showcasing the company’s best-selling Small Group Journeys in Asia.

To celebrate its release, the company is offering discounts on early bird bookings, as well as an incentive deal for agents to win two tickets to Indochina or Burma.

The new eight-page preview brochure is the first of its kind since the operator’s global rebrand from Travel Indochina. It features overviews of its most popular escorted tours at early bird prices, with discounts of up to 10% available across the operator’s entire range of Small Group Journeys, inclusive of flights with key partners such as Vietnam Airlines. The early bird offer is available on all new bookings made by October 31 for travel between January 1 and December 31, 2016.

The programme offers more than 11 countries, 70 itineraries and 1,000 guaranteed departures to choose from.

As an example, both the ‘Highlights of Japan’ and ‘China Panorama’ now offer savings of £280 per person for early bookers, plus the added benefit of the operator’s special Insider Experiences, such as an exclusive geisha performance and dinner in Kyoto, Japan, and a Tai Chi lesson with a local instructor on China’s Li River. Tour prices start from £3,095 per person for 11 nights and £3,085 for 15 nights respectively, including flights.

The operator has also partnered with Vietnam Airlines for a new agent sales incentive; every agent booking flights from Heathrow will be entered into a draw to win two Premium Economy air tickets to Indochina or Burma.

Agent bookings made in conjunction with the company's Small Group Journey will receive a second entry into the draw to increase their chances of winning.

Agents can also earn £25 Love2Shop vouchers for each Small Group Journey booking of seven days or more.

For details visit www.insiderjourneys.co.uk or call 01865-268944.

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Notes from . . . n o t n a m r No t is nice to be back doing my column after a month off - it’s not often you go to the docs because you feel a bit breathless and the next minute you are in an ambulance with the sirens going! Apparently my heart rate was a bit too fast at 190. I don’t think it went that fast when I met Steven Segal! Little did I realise I would be spending 19 days in hospital and although I am now out, they still haven’t found out what is wrong. A big ‘Thank You’ to everyone that sent good wishes and cards.

It was great news to hear that Richard Hey ex Bedsonline has joined If Only... He will bring lots of enthusiasm and good ideas to an already fantastic product and I think his knowledge and enthusiasm will get many agents on board. I love his useful bits of info on Facebook - I was impressed with his tip - ‘Did you know at If Only... we can book any Silversea Cruises itinerary?

If your clients are looking at any of the sailings in Arabia, The Indian Ocean or Asia, then give our reservations team a call now on 0141-955 4000. We can tailor make any cruise-and-stay enquiry and even add a private tour for your clients!’ Bet many agents didn’t realise that keep the short sharp messages coming Richard and all the best with If Only...

Better late than never but a huge THANK YOU to all the tour operators that supported the Yorkshire Travel Ball. From the comments I’ve received, I think everyone enjoyed themselves. A special thanks to Alan Cross at Jet2Holidays for supporting that extra bit with the Dancing Waiters - what a fantastic start to the evening.

We raised £1,000 for Reuben’s Retreat, £1,000 for Greek Cat Welfare Society, £700 Soi Dog Foundation & £300 Hull Greyhound Rescue. Thank you also to everyone that donated towards Tiger’s Fund. We got £260 towards the £550 it will cost to bring him home from Gouves in Crete – hoping to bring him back this month.

‘Never regret anything that has happened in your life, it cannot be changed, undone or forgotten. So take it as a lesson learned and move on’ and ‘Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time’.

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by SANDRA MURRAY in Normanton, Yorkshire

To respond to any of Sandy’s comments email lauretta.wright@travelbulletin.co.uk

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agentbulletin Booking incentives ●

ATTRACTION WORLD is giving agents a £10 voucher for Planet Hollywood in London with every London booking made. A ten euro voucher is also offered for Planet Hollywood in Disneyland Paris and a five euro voucher for the Earl of Sandwich with every Disneyland Paris booking made. The offer is valid on all bookings made up until April 30, 2016.

Details at www.attractionworld.com

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TRAVEL 2 is giving agents the chance to win £500 for their agency to put towards a night out with its ‘Add Macau for the Complete Asia Experience’ campaign. To be entered in to the prize draw, agents need to make a new booking that includes at least one night’s ground arrangement in Macau with Travel 2 by September 27. The company is also giving agents the chance to win £1,000 on their T2 Rewards Card when they make a new booking with Air France KLM by October 17.

See www.travel2.com for details.

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TO MARK the launch of its collection of 2016 brochures, Caribtours is giving agents the chance to win a seven-night, all-inclusive holiday to Saint Lucia with flights when they make a booking by September 30. Based on the company’s tiered reward scheme, agents can also earn up to £200 in capital bonds vouchers.

AGENT OFFER

AMAWATERWAYS HAS launch ed a loyalty scheme for agents delivering reward s for every booking made. The scheme offers ten different prizes; from a bottle of Champagne for one booking, rising to a luxury hamper for three bookings, an iPad Mini for seven, a Cham pneys spa day for eight and the top prize, a cab in for two on one of the company’s European shi ps, for 15 bookings.

Each booking made gets the agent to the next reward level - an agent ma y want to cash in after one booking in exchange for the Champagne, or wait until their fifth bookin g, which can be traded for a £100 shopping vouche r. Every time an agent cashes in, they start again at the basic level.

There is no limit to the num ber of claims made and participating agents wil l receive a loyalty card on which they can log their booking reference numbers. The sch eme will run until June 30, 2016. To receive a card, agents should email rewards@amawaterw ays.co.uk or speak to Hannah Logan on 01473-242 665.

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FOLLOWING THE success of previous shopping voucher giveaways, Malaysia Airlines has re-launched its popular scheme for agents. For every First and Business Class ticketed sale made for travel completed on or before May 31, 2016, the airline is awarding a voucher worth up to £50. For every return Economy Class ticketed sale, a voucher will be awarded worth up to £10.

The scheme runs up to September 15 and double rewards are on offer for all bookings with an outbound travel period made by November 30, giving agents the chance to earn up to £100 when booking a return Business Class ticket. For details see www.malaysiaairlinesgiveaway.co.uk

Warner Leisure Hotels is offering agents the chance to be part of its special launch fam trip to Bodelwyddan Castle in North Wales on Thursday October 1 to showcase the new £6million developm ent programme. Agents should email trade.sales@bourne-leisure.co.uk to register their interest.

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newsbulletin 2016 Rocky Mountaineer bookings receive up to £420 per couple in added value ROCKY MOUNTAINEER has launched Peaks and Perks, giving UK travellers even more reasons to start planning a Canadian Rockies rail adventure.

For a limited time, travellers booking eligible 2016 Rocky Mountaineer packages will receive added value of up to £420 per couple to customise their journey with extra hotel nights, activities, tours and more.

Qualifying packages in both GoldLeaf and SilverLeaf Service of seven nights or more will receive a £210 bonus for each guest, while shorter packages of four to six nights will receive a £130 bonus for each guest.

One eligible holiday is the 11-day/ten-night Coastal Passage Western Explorer package – a journey that begins in Seattle and includes Vancouver, Kamloops, Jasper, Lake Louise and Banff before concluding in Calgary. Highlights include three days on the Rocky Mountaineer, an Icefields Parkway Tour, the Banff Gondola and Helicopter Flightseeing over the Rockies.

The Peaks and Perks offer is valid until October 30 on eligible new 2016 bookings and is applicable for select travel dates.

For more information call 0800-088 5541 or visit www.rockymountaineer.com

Access to Tauck's filmmaking equipment brings exotic environments TAUCK HAS announced the launch of its first 'Exotics' brochure in the UK, featuring a select collection of luxury land and small ship cruises to unspoilt corners of the world.

A special feature of many excursions is the chance for travellers to get closer to the animals and plants they encounter on the way, through unique access to filmmaking equipment such as nightvision and underwater cameras, motion-activated camera traps and long-range directional microphones.

Guests can also view speciallymade film vignettes of their

destinations, produced and directed for the operator by some of the world’s best international filmmakers.

Steve Spivak, the company's vice president, said: “This is our first exotics brochure for the UK market and it will have immediate appeal for British travellers who have their eye on something different and special in hard-to-reach locations around the globe.

“There’s an inspiring range of exclusive itineraries across Antarctica, Asia, Africa, the Americas, the Middle East and Australia, and

the insider access you get on a Tauck tour simply isn’t available anywhere else.”

New exotic destinations include a trip to see the temples and pagodas in Myanmar, formerly Burma; a grand family safari in Tanzania; a choice of three tours in Costa Rica, including a jungles and rainforests trip and an 11-day tour that features a cruise along the Panama Canal; an 18-day trip in India, including staying at some of the world’s most luxurious hotels; and a 12-day trip through Dubai and the Arabian Peninsula.

For details visit www.tauck.co.uk

A FLYING START…Pictured celebrating the 30th anniversary of Air France’s service to Paris Charles de Gaulle from Birmingham Airport are, from the left: Juliana Wright, Air France; Paul Kehoe, Birmingham Airport; Tim Roulston, Air France; and Jo Lloyd, Birmingham Airport. The carrier operates three flights a day from the airport on an Airbus A320 family aircraft, with codeshares on three further daily services with Flybe.

Birmingham-Antwerp service from VLM Airlines takes off next month BIRMINGHAM IS set to have a direct connection to Antwerp in Belgium following the launch of a new service by European carrier VLM Airlines on October 5.

Passengers will be able to choose from daily return Birmingham-Antwerp flights, three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with one-way fares starting from £39.

Steve Blair, the carrier's chief operating officer, said: “There are strong business synergies between the two

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cities for industries including fashion, diamond, automotive and chemicals. We are confident this new route will also be attractive to people looking for a city break and can be used as a gateway to Bruges, Ghent and Brussels, all accessible in under an hour from Antwerp.”

The airline now offers scheduled services to seven destinations in five countries, including Geneva, Hamburg, Southampton, Waterford and Luton.

For more information or to book see www.flyvlm.com

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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: 034

Purse Baker

A➠

B➠ Short break specialist who can offer theatre, concert & event packages

C➠

A Hiccup Chum

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, September 17th. Solution and new puzzle will appear next week.

The winner for 7th August is Jasmine Payne, Wroxham travel in Norwich.

August 7 Solution: A=9 B=3 C=8 D=4

Crossword

Incan citadel in the Andes

Where Am I?

Cave system in southwestern France famous for its Palaeolithic paintings

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

Number: 034

Across 1. Greece specialist, part of Thomas Cook (5) 4. Cruise company (5) 7. Experts in skiing and lakes and mountains holidays (7) 8. Pretty Cornish resort (4) 9. Condor Ferries operates to this island (6) 12. The Taipei 101 skyscraper is located in this country (6) 13. Currency of Thailand (4) 15. Hit musical, set in Berlin (7) 16. Italian city, famous for its ham (5) 17. European country, ___ Republic (5)

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Down 1. She's a rocker in Ricki and the Flash, at a cinema near you (5,6) 2. East African capital city (7) 3. Operator specialising in holidays for senior travellers (4) 4. One of the types of accommodation offered by 7 Across (6) 5. Scandinavian Airlines (3) 6. Historic Welsh town and holiday resort (11) 10. US city on the Pacific coast (7) 11. Kafue is this African country's largest national park (6) 14. Late, great comic with a statue on Morecambe seafront (4) 15. Canberra international airport code (3)

For the solution to the Crossword, Where Am I? and Travagrams, please see page 30 September 11 2015

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hotelbulletin Experience Douro Valley’s wine harvest at Six Senses’ first European resort The programme also includes a boat trip on the Douro River from Folgosa to Quinta Nova, where the blending takes place. In addition, an interactive and instructional Wine Academy at the property presents leading vintages from the area where guests are guided in the assortment and styles by leading Portuguese winemakers from the surrounding valley and the resort’s sommelier.

The resort itself offers 19 acres and

Located in the Portuguese UNESCO World Heritage area is Six Senses’ first European resort in the Douro Valley.

From this month the slopes of the Douro Valley come to life as the harvest begins and wine lovers to the resort can embrace the region’s grape varieties with a ‘Winemaker for the Day’ programme, which allows guests to create their own bottle of wine, starting from the blending and moving on to the bottling and corking.

features 57 guestrooms and suites which range from Valley, Spa and River rooms to spacious suites and villas with one-, two- and three-bedrooms.

Meanwhile, the spa comprises ten treatment rooms and a heated in-door swimming pool with water jets.

Rates lead in at 285 euros per room, per night based on two people sharing on a bed-and-breakfast basis.

For further information see www.sixsenses.com

UK hotel expansion in Windsor & Cheltenham from The MGallery Collection THE MGALLERY COLLECTION, part of the Accor Hotel Group, is expanding its UK property portfolio with hotel openings in Windsor and Cheltenham this month. Queens Hotel Cheltenham resides in a Grand II English Heritage building, blending listed features with contemporary touches, elegantly reviving the hotel’s opulent history.

Details include tiled floors, high ceilings and listed wallpaper, and the hotel houses 84 bedrooms including 28 superior rooms and four suites.

Castle Hotel Windsor invites guests to take a walk through time during their stay. Playful touches acknowledging the hotel’s history, which dates back to 1528, are carefully woven through the fabric of the hotel, enabling guests to get a true sense of the property’s past. The 108 luxury rooms include five suites named after the royal warrant holders, and guests can also observe a great British tradition from the hotel, Windsor’s Changing of the Guards.

For more information visit www.mgallery.com

InBrief ● CLUB MED has announced its second resort in

Senegal, which will be open to public from 2017.

Offering 358 rooms and suites totalling 860 beds, the new 4T development will sit on the stretch of coast in Western Africa known as the Petite Côte. After opening its doors to public in 2017 the resort will be open yearround, with dedicated clubs for children and teenagers aged four and over. Rooms will be available to book from February 2017 at www.clubmed.co.uk or by calling 020-3773 1554. ● SMALL LUXURY Hotels of the World (SLH) has

partnered with Brompton Bicycle to create a bespoke (folding) bicycle for members of its loyalty scheme, The Club, to use when staying at participating hotels – No 11 Cadogan Gardens in London and The Dylan Amsterdam – with a view to rolling this out across a selection of its 520-strong collection of affiliate hotels around the world over the coming months. For details see www.slh.com/club ● THE SRI LANKA Collection has announced the addition

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has opened its first property in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh. The new five-star Mövenpick Hotel Riyadh features 438 luxury rooms and suites and is based in the business district on King Fahad Road opposite the Ministry of Interior and just 30 minutes from Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport. For details see www.moevenpickhotels.com/riyadh

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of its newest Collection member, The Fort Bazaar. The 18-room boutique hotel is located at the heart of the 17th century UNESCO World Heritage Site of Galle Fort, on Sri Lanka’s southern coast and is scheduled to open in November. It will offer a selection of luxurious rooms and suites alongside a range of facilities including a restaurant, bar, cinema, 15m swimming pool and ‘Z Spa’. Details at www.srilankacollection.com

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hotelbulletin Vinpearl Resorts opens private island resort in Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay VINPEARL RESORTS has revealed details of its next luxury hotel opening in Vietnam, the Vinpearl Ha Long Bay Resort, which is set to open its doors on October 30.

To celebrate the opening, the company has launched a selection of special opening offers for travel agents, valid from October 30 to March 31, 2016.

Under the terms of the

promotional opening offers at the property, agents can access a range of reduced rates.

The five-star resort offers 384 guestrooms and suites and is located on its own private Island, Dao Reu, offering views of the famous limestone outcrops in Ha Long Bay which stretch across the Gulf of Tonkin.

The property features six room categories ranging

from 40sq.m deluxe garden rooms to the two 350sq.m presidential suites, and all rooms have private balconies.

Onsite facilities include six bars and restaurants, high speed complimentary Wi-Fi and an extensive range of conference and meeting rooms.

Meanwhile, families will appreciate the kids’ club, babysitting service, the programme of local

sightseeing tours and excursions, plus room options such as the 80sq.m family suites, with baby cots provided in room upon request. Active options include tennis courts, a choice of indoor and outdoor swimming pools and a range of watersports.

For further information see www.vinpearl.com or email sales@vinpearlresorthalong.com

Autumn reviver spa experience from Hastings Hotels HASTINGS HOTELS has introduced a new ‘Autumn Reviver Day Spa Experience’ at the Slieve Donard Resort & Spa and the five-star Culloden Estate & Spa, both in Northern Ireland.

The package allows guests to take

the time to repair summer damage to their skin and rejuvenate with nourishing ESPA products and tailored treatments. Guests will also enjoy full use of the Zest Juice Bar, eucalyptus steam room and Jacuzzi, with the option of upgrading with an

ESPA Full Body Massage or Personalised Facial.

The experience runs for one hour and 20 minutes and is available from £110 during the week and £140 at weekends. Call 028-9047 1066 or see www.hastingshotels.com for details.

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personalitybulletin

Greg Mannix Head of Corporate, Laterooms.com At work What other companies/organisations have you previously worked for?

STA Travel, Six Star holidays & Diners Club UK.

At home What's your favourite household gadget?

At the moment I’m going through a Vinyl revival so I would say my new Turntable, amp and speakers.

What are your favourite TV programmes?

I love anthropology documentaries and really enjoyed watching The Island with Bear Grylls. The reality however, is that my daughter usually commandeers the TV and I end up watching Peppa Pig or Frozen.

Who does the cooking?

I do. I love cooking and trying out new recipes. My new project is building an outdoor pizza oven so we can enjoy alfresco dining in the summer.

What's a typical weekend for you like?

Usually involves family, so it could be a day outdoors, a trip to the cinema or a family meal out. In the evening a nice glass of wine with friends or on the odd occasion I get a babysitter to enjoy a meal out with my partner…usually the restaurant of her choice.

What's your guilty pleasure?

Whisky. I collect single Malts and have spent a bit too much on rare casks over the years.

What do you do to relax?

I enjoy spending time with family, getting outdoors or watching a great film.

What music do you listen to?

Quite a varied taste, my current iPod favourites are Jonny cash and Jamie XX.

If you could change one thing in the industry what would it be?

I’d like to see more top quality graduates coming through into the industry and more being done to get the message out to universities and colleges that the travel sector offers great career opportunities.

What personal item do you have on your desk at work?

A coffee mug from my old sales team.

What's the best thing about your job?

I love the fast paced environment, collaborating with different departments and how agile we are as a company.

What's a typical day like?

Every day is different, but it will usually involve catching up with the sales team to dive in to the trading figures, attending a number of stand ups to discuss the departmental initiatives we have in

Who has been your inspiration in the travel industry?

I’ve been lucky to have had some fantastic mentors throughout my career who have inspired me on a day to day basis and I find inspiration from individuals who drive the industry forward. Richard Branson is someone who always seems to be at the forefront of innovation.

What was the last email you received?

A red letter day invitation and thank you note for two of my sales managers from the COO. What skill are you most proud of?

My ability to drive performance from individuals and teams.

What do you love about the travel industry?

The people, the innovation and the fast paced environment.

At play Where would you most like to visit and why?

Working in the travel industry I’ve been lucky to travel to some great places, but one location I would love the opportunity to revisit would be the Okavango Delta in Botswana. There aren’t many places where you can camp in the wilderness and get to hear lions, hippos and elephants walking past your tent at night!

What's your favourite movie?

25th Hour, Napoleon Dynamite or anything

by Martin Scorsese.

What's your favourite (non-work related) website?

Facebook, Spotify or the BBC website to see who Liverpool FC are signing.

What's been your latest DIY project?

Building a pizza oven.

What trait do you dislike in other people?

Negativity.

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development and meeting external clients and partners to ensure we continue to provide the product and service that our Laterooms.com clients expect.

September 11 2015

What are your hobbies?

I love travel-both in and outside the UK. I’ve recently discovered wild camping, with the last trip involving a 792M trek up Dove Crag (in the lakes) followed by an uncomfortable, but great night sleeping in a hidden cave!

Do you use social media for work and play?

Yes LinkedIn is a great way to keep abreast of industry developments and if used properly is a great networking tool. I also enjoy keeping in contact with far flung friends via Facebook.

What is your best quality?

Positivity.

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australasia A first time for everything: how new visitors can get the most from their holiday

by RICHARD HOWARTH from Travel 2

F

or many customers, visiting Australia and New Zealand is something to tick off their travel bucket list. Many people visit their travel agent knowing the ‘must see’ sites that they want to visit – the Sydney Opera House, the Great Barrier Reef and Queenstown to name a few. However, in many cases, the biggest restriction when planning an itinerary ‘Down Under’ is an appreciation for the size of the place!

THE CHOICE IS VAST Australia is vast. It's either the world's largest island or the world's smallest continent, depending on which definition you subscribe to. Either way, Australia is 7.6 million square kilometres in size. The UK is tiny by comparison at just 244,104 square kilometres. You could fit Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland into Australia 31 times and still have a bit left over. For many customers looking to book a trip, grasping the time frames involved for travelling from Perth to Sydney or from Sydney to Cairns is a little mind boggling and can eat into the planned trip. Discussing the reality of exactly how much can be crammed into a twoweek holiday here needs to be the first discussion.

TIMING COUNTS As well as time constraints, agents should discuss the time of year that customers are looking to travel. More often than not, holidaymakers presume that December and January is the perfect time of year to visit. It’s cold here in the UK and the height of summer on the other side of the world, but of course an Aussie summer is very different to a soggy British one. With much of the time spent outdoors, visiting Ayers Rock out in the desert or exploring the Bay of Plenty in New Zealand’s North Island for example, I would recommend avoiding the peak summer months to make for a more comfortable and enjoyable experience.

KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE It’s also important to spend time getting to know your customers’ interests before recommending an itinerary.

With the region being so well equipped for visitors, it’s key to recommend the right accommodation and tours to meet the specific needs of each client. Whilst a self-drive can be a great way to get around, cover a lot of ground and travel

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at your own pace, Australia and New Zealand also offer incredible luxury travel options with some real stand out properties for those looking to make the most of a once in a lifetime trip.

In my opinion, for most visitors, the best way to travel is on an escorted tour. These types of trips enable you to see all of the top spots whilst ensuring that you get to visit off the beaten track places that only a local guide would know about. They also offer exceptionally good value compared to planning each individual element of a trip. Group tours are a great way to meet people, with customers often returning having made new friends. However, if bigger groups don’t appeal, there are different options including tours from between as few as four to ten people.

TIME FOR A TOUR The most popular tours of Australia take in a cruise along the Swan River in Perth, Alice Springs; sunrise over Ayers Rock, Cairns; a full day out on the Great Barrier Reef; a day exploring cosmopolitan Melbourne; a Sydney Harbour cruise; and a trip to the famous Bondi Beach, all of which can be seen in just 18 days. For the more outdoorsy type, other tours available in Australia can include staying in lodges and camping out under the stars.

With so much breathtaking scenery to be seen in New Zealand, I would highly recommend taking in as much of both the North and South Island as possible. Land in bustling Auckland and enjoy day trips to the Bay of Plenty before travelling on to the hot pools and geysers at Rotorua, where visitors will also experience a traditional Mauri Hangi and concert. The Huka Falls and Lake Taupo are also not to be missed. Spot dolphins and whales at Kaikoura before sightseeing in picturesque Christchurch.

And finally, enjoy a flight over the Franz Joseph Glacier and visit the fjords at Milford Sound before travelling on to Dunedin for a scenic rail tour.

Itineraries to Australia and New Zealand tend to be slightly more complex and require input from a specialist.

For most clients, a trip of this size and duration has been planned for a long time and agents excel at ensuring the itinerary matches the customers’ requests in providing tailored advice to ensure that customers are able to book the ‘trip of a lifetime’ with confidence.

September 11 2015

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With crystal clear water, white sand beaches, lush rainforests and tropical islands, Fiji is home to happiness.

Become a Matai Happiness Specialist with Tourism Fiji’s new online training programme and give yourself the knowledge to sell Fiji more effectively to your clients.

For more information and to register, visit www.matai.fiji.travel

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australasia 12-day ‘Sunsets & Surf’ option from £1,305 with Contiki ‘SUNSETS AND Surf with Sailing’ is a 12-day adventure from Contiki along Australia’s east coast which offers travellers the chance to visit Byron Bay, Surfers Paradise and Fraser Island before rounding the trip up sailing around the Whitsundays.

Prices start from £1,305 per person including 11-nights’ breakfast accommodation, six dinners, tours, local taxes, service charges and a tour manager.

The company is also offering a 16-day ‘Reefs and Rainforests with Sailing’ option. Kicking off with a sampling of the city’s nightspots, travellers then head along the east coast and learn to surf at Coffs Harbour before experiencing a farmstay. Two nights are then spent in the Whistsundays before taking a rooftop ride along the rainforest canopy and exploring the Great Barrier Reef on a snorkelling excursion. Prices start from £1,754 including breakfast accommodation, seven dinners, sightseeing tours, local taxes, service charges and a tour manager.

For more information visit www.contiki.com

TURQUOISE HOLIDAYS is offering an 18-night cruise on the Aranui. Prices lead in at £10,795 per couple and the voyage begins and ends in Papeete and takes in the low-lying Tuamotu Islands and the far-flung Marquesas Islands. The price includes one night pre-cruise at The InterContinental Tahiti Resort, 13 nights in a standard cabin on the Aranui with all meals and guided excursions, four nights at Bora Bora Pearl Beach Resort, transfers, inter-island flights and flights from Heathrow via Los Angeles. The offer is valid until November.

To book call 01494-678400 or visit www.turquoiseholidays.co.uk

Half price savings from Kiwi Experience Britz & maui team up to share Australia’s top five scenic road trip routes BRITZ AND maui have teamed up to share their top five scenic road trip journeys in Australia including their favourite on-route photo spots.

Route one travels from The Great Barrier Reef in Brisbane to Cairns, with photo spots including Sugar Cane trains and fields while passing through Proserpine near Airlie Beach, sailing around the Whitsundays and the clear blue lakes on Fraser Island; plus the tropical rainforest in Daintree National Park and Cape Tribulation.

Other routes include Nature's Way (roundtrip from Darwin); The Legendary Pacific Coast (Sydney to Brisbane); Southern Cruiser (Adelaide to Melbourne); and Western Wonderland (roundtrip from Perth).

For more information visit www.maui.com.au and www.britz.com.au

KIWI EXPERIENCE is celebrating the results of a recent ABTA survey which found that in a list of top gap year destinations, New Zealand ranked at number two.

In its report, the association revealed the most popular destinations and activities for ‘gappers’, with Australia remaining at number one on the list of destinations. According to ABTA members who specialise in gap year travel, the market has seen increases of more than 10% in bookings over the last

year, with Australasia among the most popular destination choices.

Kiwi Experience offers more than 32 different routes for exploring New Zealand to suit different tastes and time frames with discounts of more than 50% currently available on selected passes.

Bus passes range from ten to 30 days as a minimum travel period, but passengers have the freedom to jump off when they want, with passes valid for up to a year from first use.

For more information visit www.kiwiexperience.com

Boost in cultural tourism for NSW as destination welcomes 5.6% increase DESTINATION NSW has confirmed that cultural tourism is on the rise with the state attracting almost 6.5 million overnight cultural visitors in the year ending March 2015 - a 5.6%

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increase on the previous year.

Stuart Ayres, the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events, said: “Our calendar of cultural events inspires many visitors to come to Sydney and

NSW. The events calendar delivers an outstanding selection of experiences for culture-loving travellers.”

For more information visit www.sydney.com

September 11 2015

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australasia Norwegian Cruise Line returns to Australia for autumn/winter 2016/17 Hong Kong to Sydney. Ports of call include Nha Trang and Phú My (Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam; Laem Chabang (Bangkok), Thailand; Singapore; Bali (Benoa) and Komodo, Indonesia; Darwin, Cairns, Airlie Beach and Brisbane, Australia.

The ship will also sail a 12-night Australia and New Zealand journey on February 6, 2017 from Sydney to Auckland. Ports of call include Melbourne and Burnie, Australia;

NORWEGIAN CRUISE Line has announced new itineraries for its autumn/winter 2016/17 deployment, with cruises departing from Istanbul, Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong, Sydney and Auckland—marking the line’s return to the Asia and Australia regions for the first time since Norwegian Wind in 2001/02.

On January 16, 2017 Norwegian Star will sail a 21-night Southeast Asia and Australia itinerary from

and Dunedin, Akaroa, Wellington, Napier and Tauranga in New Zealand.

Alternatively, clients can opt for a 19-night Australia and New Zealand itinerary which sails from Auckland to Singapore on February 18, 2017.

Ports of call include Bay of Islands, New Zealand; Sydney, Brisbane, Airlie Beach, Cairns and Darwin, Australia; Komodo and Bali, Indonesia; and Port Klang (Kuala Lumpur), Malaysia.

New wilderness experiences in Western Australia set to entice new visitors IN AN effort to make Western Australia’s national parks more accessible to visitors, the Department of Parks and Wildlife has teamed up with Pemberton Discovery Tours to offer wilderness glamping in Australia’s South West.

Visitors simply need to bring their food and clothes, then head out into the Shannon National Park where a complete campsite is waiting for them, set up with gas cooker, crockery, bedding and tent. Two nights’ glamping costs from £124 for two people. For details see www.wawilderness.com.au Meanwhile, Breaksea Island Nature Reserve near Albany is now opening up to tourism following the

Western Australia promotes wilderness experiences

introduction of new helicopter tours from Skyhook Helicopters.

A new ‘lunch with the lighthouse keeper’ package costs from £325 with a shorter ‘Taste of Breaksea

Island’ tour available from £112. For details see www.skyhookhelicopters.com.au For more information visit www.westernaustralia.com

Dive into Dive Worldwide’s new Australian offerings

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September 11 2015

Fleurieu Peninsula.

Prices start from £4,095 per person based on two sharing including flights, transfers, nine nights’ breakfast hotel accommodation, three nights’ full-board accommodation on the cruise, two days’ shark encounters, two days’ diving, tanks and weights.

A 22-day trip to Queensland is also available combining diving with minke whales and diving with manta rays on the southern barrier reef for £5,495.

For further information visit www.diveworldwide.com or call 0196-230 2087. image: rodneyfoxsharkexpeditions

PART OF Dive Worldwide’s latest seasonal brochure are a range of new Australian holidays, with recommendations on the best diving locations and inspirational new trip ideas.

As an example, a 12-night Great White Dive Adventure offers the chance to get up close with great white sharks, search for leafy sea dragons and explore the wineries of the region plus the spectacular Fleurieu Peninsula.

The trip begins on Kangaroo Island famous for its wildlife, majestic scenery and adventure activities – where guests can experience four dives. There is also time to relax, hike, visit the deserted beaches and sample the local cuisine.

The adventure continues on the Princess II as she sails to the Neptune Islands in search of great white shark encounters.

Guests can cage dive and qualified divers are given the option to dive in the bottom cage on the sea floor. The trip culminates with a flight to Adelaide, where there are opportunities to visit the wineries of the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale and take a tour to explore the rugged coastline of the

Samoa launches new campaign for 2016 THE SAMOA Tourism Authority has launched 'Visit Samoa Year 2016', a new campaign with an overarching theme of 'Beautiful Samoa'.

The campaign has six sub categories adventure, romance, experience, family and culture, and is being aimed at key target markets.

The campaign will be the focus of all communications for the next 12 months and also includes a new destination video, new imagery, logo and communication style.

For further information see www.youtube.com/user/sa moatourism

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australasia

Discover the Northern Territory with a new kind of adventure…

Take yourself on a Virtual Journey We would love to whisk agents away on as many fam trips as possible so you can experience our breathtaking and inspiring experiences, attractions, activities and landscapes, but we know that your time is precious so we’ve done the next best thing!

To get you as up close and personal to the NT as possible, we’ve created online ‘Virtual Journeys’ to allow you get a

glimpse of what a holiday in the Northern Territory is all about. The site is bursting with new firstperson point of view footage of more than 100 amazing attractions, activities and experiences throughout the NT, plus hundreds of videos from our operators.

Virtual Journeys allows you to create tailored trips in the form of fabulous video itineraries which you can then share with your customers to turn an enquiry into a

booking or, once they’ve booked, to really bring their holiday to life.

Check it out at www.virtualjourneys.travelnt.com And naturally, we’ll still continue to offer you chances to actually see it all for yourself through our fam programme - just make sure you’re an Aussie Specialist and have completed the NT module. Once you’ve done that, look out for our fam trip opportunities online at www.aussiespecialist.com

DID YOU KNOW…? ● The film Crocodile Dundee is 30

years old this year and was filmed in Kakadu National Park. ● The NT is six times the size of

the UK but with a population of only around 240,000. ● Uluru is like an iceberg in that

two thirds of it is below ground.

It is also 45m taller than the Shard in London. ● Kakadu is Australia’s largest

National Park and is the size of Wales. ● Darwin has the youngest

population of any Australian capital city and is a melting pot of different cultures, making it an exciting and vibrant place to start your holiday. ● Darwin Airport has recently

undergone a A$60million redevelopment programme.

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NEED TO KNOW MORE? If you feel that you’d like to take your product knowledge further, our marketing executive, Rebecca Dawes, is on hand to deliver destination and product training, with tailored sessions to meet individual needs. Bec, although originally from Sydney, has joined the London office after spending two years at our head office in the NT, and therefore has a wealth of knowledge about the destination and the experiences it offers.

And don’t forget - she can also send out brochures, maps and other information to you should you need it.

Rebecca Dawes

Email her at rdawes@tourismnt.australia.com or call her on 020 7438 4641.

advertorial September 11 2015

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www.koreanair.com

Direct aisle access.

Because you can’t always choose who you sit next to.

Experience Prestige Class, the most comfortable way to fly. Relax in the privacy of our spacious Prestige Suites, knowing that direct aisle access guarantees you’ll never disturb anyone, or more importantly, be disturbed. And with a larger screen and more advanced AVOD, it’s like having your own home entertainment system in the air.

Fly the only Business Class that puts you first.

Disclaimer Prestige Suite available on new aircraft, to be progressively rolled-out on new long haul fleet deliveries.

Korean Air reserves the right to substitute aircraft, product variant does not form part of any contract.

Reservation : 0800-413-000 (UK) 00800-0656-2001 (UK & Ireland) Ticketing : 020-7495-8641 (UK)

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australasia South Australian Tourism Commission unveils plans for 2020 plus agent incentives THE SOUTH Australian Tourism Commission (SATC) has announced its plans for 2020 with a strong focus on achieving $8billion in visitor expenditure by 2020.

Janice Kurrle, marketing manager UK and Northern Europe for the commission, said: “To support this goal in the UK market we are incentivising the trade to drive early bookings with fantastic offers and a chance to win a Mulberry travel bag, as well as hosting training sessions with key tour operators.”

On the back of the announcement, a proposal to build a marina with a ferry service and luxury resort on Kangaroo Island has been welcomed by the state

Government. The proposal, which has been granted major development status, includes a 200-bed, four-star hotel on 80 acres of land in American River. A new golf course is also set to open on Kangaroo Island located on Dudley Peninsula, between Pelican Lagoon and Pennington Bay. In other news from the region Novotel Barossa Valley Resort, the only internationally-branded four-star hotel in South Australia’s Barossa Valley, has unveiled 24 newly refurbished studio apartments and ten spa suites in response to demand for premium quality accommodation in the heart of the world-famous winery region.

Meanwhile, a new sanctuary has been unveiled to protect endangered bird species and tap into a large global tourism market.

Based in South Australia, Peter Waanders of Bellbird Birding Tours, helps twitchers track down birds on tours to the Adelaide Hills, along the Murray River and the Murray Mouth, the Riverland and Gluepot Reserve. Visitors are also escorted to the site of The Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary, which was recently established as a reserve to support 27,000 shorebirds.

The sanctuary is located along a 60km stretch of coastal mudflats, mangroves and saltmarshes from the Barker Inlet to Port Parham, just north of Adelaide.

The Old Clare Hotel opens in Sydney

JANUARY 2016 sees the launch of a new luxury lodge in New Zealand - Helena Bay on the Tutukaka Coast. Located 40km north of Whangarei and set on 800 acres, the property offers two- and threebedroom villas, all overlooking the coastline. The main lodge features a hammam, plunge pool, gym, sauna, luxury spa, 25m heated pool, library, three lounge areas, a restaurant, an outdoor fire pit and three private beaches for guests' exclusive use. For details visit www.helenabay.com

Set in the neighbourhood of Sydney’s Chippendale, the 62-room Old Clare Hotel is to open this month under the direction of Unlisted Collection.

Set in a former brewery and historic pub, the restored heritage-listed buildings will offer a contemporary hotel with a luxury, semi-industrial design. The rooftop of the CUB Administration Building has been redeveloped to offer a panoramic retreat and space for a cultural programme and sunrise poolside yoga sessions.

Additional facilities include a private gym and spa.

For details see www.theoldclare hotel.com.au

Best of Australia option for £3,919 from Trafalgar TRAFALGAR IS highlighting its 19-day Best of Australia journey, which leads in at £3,919 including breakfast accommodation, VIP door-to-door transfers, included sightseeing and the services of a travel director throughout.

Highlights include exploring cosmopolitan Melbourne, seeing the Twelve Apostles rock formation along the Great Ocean Road, walking amongst sea

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lions at Seal Bay on Kangaroo Island, experiencing the colourful sunsets at Uluru and exploring an underwater wonderland at the Great Barrier Reef.

At the end of the trip guests can enjoy a Highlight Lunch while cruising Sydney Harbour.

The company is also promoting an 11day Tastes of Southern Australia option, which offers the chance to sample

Barossa wines, bush tucker and fresh seafood. Other highlights include learning the secrets of the historic Adelaide Central Market, walking on the sand among sea lions and joining a local Aboriginal guide for some bush tucker.

Prices start from £2,495 including ten nights’ breakfast accommodation, VIP door-to-door transfers, sightseeing and the services of a travel director.

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OBLU by Atmosphere to open in November ATMOSPHERE HOTELS & RESORTS is to open a second property; OBLU by Atmosphere on November 1, featuring its own house reef.

Located on Helengeli Island, the resort is a 40-minute speedboat ride from Malé Airport. The waters around the island have now been declared a no-fishing zone so that resort guests will have exclusive access to explore the abundant marine life of the house

reef. Underwater enthusiasts will be able to take half or full day diving excursions as well as night time dives.

All guests will stay on an allinclusive plan with four choices of accommodation including deluxe beach villas and lagoon villas. For those looking to indulge, the resort’s premium beach suites come with their own private pool and outdoor deck.

As an example of prices, Destinology is offering a seven-night stay from £1,499 per person with a 5% early bird discount for departures on December 2. The price offers allinclusive accommodation, Economy flights from Gatwick, Manchester or Birmingham with Emirates and seaplane transfers.

For more information visit www.obluhelengeli.com

Cox & Kings launches new look ‘India & Beyond’ 2016 brochure COX & KINGS has launched its expanded 2016 brochure for India & Beyond featuring a new collection of escorted tours and tailor-made ideas.

The brochure range has been redesigned to include additional pages about each region to offer more inspiration for clients.

New for next year is ‘Classic Rajasthan’, which takes in the sites of imperial Delhi before exploring the heart of the colourful state of Rajasthan. Discovering its cultures and traditions, the trip visits the

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many forts and palaces of India's princely state before ending at the Taj Mahal. The 15day group tour costs from £1,495 per person including flights from London, transfers and excursions.

The operator’s new introductory tour ‘Golden Triangle & Shimla’ focuses on the country's famous sights including Delhi, Jaipur, the Taj Mahal and Shimla. A highlight is the journey on the narrow gauge mountain railway toy train to Shimla, as well as a three-night stay at the Oberoi Cecil

hotel. The 13-day escorted tour leads in at £1,795 including half-board accommodation.

Meanwhile, passenger numbers on the operator’s ‘Grand Tour of South India’ have more than doubled in 2015 compared to 2014. The same 15-day tour for 2016 is priced from £2,195, offering a saving of £100. The company also reports that bookings to Sri Lanka have grown this year as the country continues to offer value for money. New hotels have been built on the island's southern and eastern coasts, and the north has become more politically stable. Since reopening to tourism in 2011, Jaffna is seeing improvements to its infrastructure and has been reintroduced as a tailor-made programme for next year.

Visit www.coxandkings.co.uk/indiansubcontinent for the full programme.

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On The Go Tours is offering a ‘buy one get one free’ deal on its Taj Traveller, Taj Express, Shere Khan or Taj & Raj group tours. Clients booking the itineraries can take a friend for free or receive a 25% discount on all other India group tours.

Bookings must be made by September 30 and are valid for departures until June 30, 2016.

Visit www.onthegotours.com for details.

ETG promotes packages to experience national celebration in Maldives FOR THOSE seeking an insight into the Maldives beyond the beaches, Experience Travel Group recommends a trip to see Eid Kulhivaru – a four-day national celebration featuring street performances, Mashi Maali ‘ghosts of mud’ parades, feasts and Bodu Beru drumming and dancing.

A key date in the Islamic calendar, Eid Ul Adha marks the end of the Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca, and is a time for Muslims to give thanks for Allah’s blessings. The annual holiday occurs in September or October and, each year, the Maldivian Government chooses one island to host the country’s main celebration of the festival. Falling on September 23 this year, packages with the operator lead in at £1,325 per person, including seven nights’ breakfast accommodation, flights and seaplane transfers.

For further information or details on tailor-made itineraries call 0203-468 6268 or visit www.experiencetravelgroup.com

Banyan Tree Seychelles & MCSS launch turtle rehabilitation initiative BANYAN TREE Seychelles and the Marine Conservation Society of Seychelles (MCSS) have embarked on a collaboration to rehabilitate turtles on Intendance Bay with the option for guests to get involved.

Strengthening its credentials in sustainable tourism, the resort has developed a dedicated conservation centre for injured turtles, the first of its kind in the Seychelles, where guests are invited to become part of the project as they learn about, and interact with, vulnerable turtles and terrapins during their rehabilitation.

Guests who wish to take an even more active role in the preservation of turtles are given the opportunity to participate in anti-poaching patrols along the beaches of the Seychelles or visit local schools with the resort’s conservation team to raise awareness of the importance of preserving wildlife in the area.

For further information on the initiative email seychelles@banyantree.com

THE FIVE-STAR Hideaway Beach Resort & Spa in the Maldives is offering 30% off room rates for holidays taken up to December 20 and, from November 1, rates include seaplane transfers and accommodation on a half-board basis, with up to two children aged under 12 receiving free accommodation and transfers. Rates for a deluxe water villa in November lead in at US$997 (approximately £652 - down from $1,425) per night including taxes for two adults and two children. The resort is a 75-minute seaplane flight from the capital Malé and features four restaurants and bars, a spa with 12 private treatment suites, two outdoor pools, a recreation centre with gym, two tennis courts, a beach volleyball court and a range of watersports, fishing, diving and excursions.

Details at www.hideawaybeachmaldives.com

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InBrief ● ANGSANA IHURU in the Maldives is offering a new rosta of

activities for children, while the Angsana Balaclava Mauritius is offering a free night’s stay on its new ‘Stay four, pay three’ package until October 28. ● THE ANANTARA RESORT & SPA is scheduled to open later this year

on Sri Lanka’s southern coast. Nightly rates start from £185 for an ocean view room on a bed-and-breakfast basis. ● FOR THE first two weeks of its opening on October 12, the four-star

Ravenala Attitude in Mauritius is offering savings of up to 55%. ● MAIA, ON the island of Mahe in the Seychelles, is offering a new

90-minute ‘Full Moon Open-Air Massage on the highest vantage point of the private peninsula costing £572 per couple, including tax and service charge. See www.maia.com.sc ● THE HILTON Seychelles Labriz Resort has introduced five varied

hiking trails and new ‘Little Ones Spa’ treatments at Silhouette Spa. Meanwhile, the Hilton Seychelles Northolme Resort & Spa will be opening 16 new deluxe ocean view villas with infinity pools in the final quarter of 2015.

india&indianocean Rickshaw rustles up new bite-sized foodie trips with three days from £235 RICKSHAW TRAVEL has introduced ‘Mumbai’s Secret Spices’ for guests to sample the variety of street food the city offers and experience the buzz that surrounds Minara Masjid and Behndi Bazaar.

The three-day trip costs from £235 per person and includes breakfast accommodation (based on two sharing), an evening street food tour and a taxi between Chowpatty beach and Mohammed Ali Road.

Also highlighted by the operator is a trip designed to give travellers a real taste of Sri Lanka. ‘At Home in the Curry Kitchen’ is a traditional homestay option where guests can learn the secrets of traditional Sri Lankan cuisine and experience daily life with a friendly local family just outside Kandy.

For clients who want to get truly involved with the Sri Lankan way of life, the family will take travellers by tuk tuk into the market to gather herbs and fresh produce before preparing a curry with the cook of the house.

Prices start from £228 per person, based on two sharing for two nights on a full board basis including transfers.

Flights are excluded but can be arranged through the operator.

● PARK HYATT Maldives Hadahaa has unveiled Mutteyfushi Island as

the location for its new range of watersport activities. ● THE SUN Siyam Iru Fushi in the Maldives has a new range of

Thalgo spa packages available to enjoy over five, seven or ten days of guests’ stays, as well as Military Pilates and wine pairing classes.

Visit www.thesunsiyam.com/irufushi ● SIX SENSES Zil Pasyon, located on the private island of Félicité, is

scheduled to open in 2016. Rates start at 857 euros per night plus tax on a bed-and-breakfast basis. Visit www.sixsenses.com ● DECCAN DREAMS has launched a new Nilgiri Cuppa Tour which

explores the tea estates of the Blue Mountains in India. A minimum two-night stay is recommended and priced from £50 per person, based on two sharing four-star, half-board accommodation, it includes the tea tour and transport from Ooty onwards. ● THE MALDIVES Marketing and Public Relations Corporation

(MMPRC), together with the High Commission of UK, held cultural performances last month entertaining visitors on London’s South Bank. The main purpose of the event was to commence the Visit Maldives Year 2016 celebrations in the UK and boost the number of arrivals from UK.

Teardrop Hotels is adding three new tea country bungalows to its portfolio of luxury boutique properties in Sri Lanka for 2016.

The properties – which include Goatfell (near Nuwara Eliya), Nine Skies (in the village of Demodera) and Pekoe House (close to the capital of Kandy) - are all located on Finlays Tea estates.

Each one offers a butler service, Wi-Fi, a 15m swimming pool, dining room and terrace with views across the tea plantation, plus an international and local menu. Guests will be able to visit their local Finlays Tea Factory for a guided tour and enjoy walking trails around the tea estate. High tea is also offered daily, while onsite activities include cookery demonstrations and experiences in the local area. For further details email enquiries@teardrop-hotels.com

New seven-day detox programme from Goa’s five-star Alila Diwa Goa LOCATED IN south Goa, the five-star Alila Diwa Goa is offering guests the chance to restore the delicate balance between mind, body and spirit with a new ‘Detox Detour’ programme.

The seven-day programme will see guests undergo an in-depth

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consultation with the resort’s in-house doctor, covering nutrition, health and stress, followed by sessions of Pranic Healing, hypnotherapy, daily yoga, meditation and exercise. This is all combined with nutritionally balanced meals, daily massages, workshops

and cooking classes.

All elements have been put in place to ensure that participants are armed with the skills to create an on-going life change.

Visit www.alilahotels.com/diwagoa for package details.

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Industry Insight by...

Tracey Poggio, chair of ANTOR, looks at the fluctuating travel trends of the British public

T

HE RESILIENCE of the British public and their desire to travel on annual holidays has never been more robust than during the recent decade.

A continued flood of global crises and natural disasters could have deterred even the hardiest of travellers for years to come. Yet true to form, survey after survey will show that the British working nation are not only taking holidays, but some of us are even staying away for longer. In fact, the office for national statistics states that 60.1 million visits were made abroad in 2014 and that the average length of stay had increased by 1.9%.

As we slowly head out of one of the worst global recessions in recent history, travel trends for the UK consumer continue to fluctuate. Happily for the industry, reports reveal that the public’s intention to holiday overseas has risen for the third year in a row to 80%, in line with the slow but steady return of consumer confidence.

Whilst the proportion of society defined as social class ‘A’ are leaving cautious optimism behind, the majority of consumers are driving the growth of the ‘hard working holiday’, combining holidays with events, shows and experiences, as the search for value has become ingrained on consumers. With these changes in mind, ANTOR surveyed its members to establish how length of stay has changed over the years and the reasons behind these trends.

The results found that more than half of respondents classed themselves as short-haul travellers, with 30 % opting for long-haul and the remainder classed themselves as mid-haul, at a distance of four to seven hours’ flying time. Of those polled, the top two holiday types were identified as city breaks and beach destinations, reflecting the shortand long-haul segmentation.

As a whole, ANTOR members gave a mixed response as to whether the average length of stay had increased, decreased or remained the same. Some 30% of respondents saw the average length of stay decrease, and this correlated with the number of respondents who marked themselves as long-haul destinations. These findings are in line with results published by the BDRC Holiday Trends Report 2015, where a decrease of 4% was reported for the length of stay of eight to ten nights. Meanwhile, the survey of 26

September 11th 2015

As we head out of one of the worst global recessions in recent history, travel trends for the UK consumer continue to fluctuate. Reports reveal that the public’s intention to holiday overseas has risen for the third year in a row...

ANTOR members showed a marginal majority (47%) reporting an increase of the average length of stay over the last decade, whilst 23% reported that it hadn’t changed.

Although the BDRC report illustrates a current trend in shorter length of stays and a decrease in extended stays, the ANTOR survey supports the theory that longer length of stays are more typical with longhaul destinations. Although consumer spending is on the rise, consumers remain time poor and therefore opt for more regular short-haul breaks but potentially for a longer time period of between three and five days.

ANTOR members highlighted two primary reasons for the change in length stays: accessibility and the change in value for money/exchange rates. With the increase of ‘no frills flights’ as highlighted by the ABTA Consumer Trends Report 2015, access to shorthaul destinations in particular has increased. The recent strength of the pound against the euro has also encouraged consumers to take advantage of holidays within the Eurozone. Margit Klemmenson for Visit Denmark endorsed this theory as she commented that the increase in vacations overseas can be “traced to the stronger condition of the British pound, but also to the increasing wealth of the British population”.

As Europe in particular continues to be impacted by political and financial issues, we will no doubt see continued fluctuation in the travelling patterns of the consumer this year. But with destinations looking forward to the winter season, the industry can feel slightly at ease in the knowledge that the British traveller will be travelling for a long time to come. www.travelbulletin.co.uk

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Back to Black(pool)

shortbreaks

If your clients are seeking a short break staycation, then Blackpool might be just the ticket. VisitBlackpool has recently invested £1million in an awareness campaign entitled ‘Blackpool’s Back’ (#Blackpoolsback) in co-operation with Merlin Entertainments, with the aim of challenging any negative perceptions of the resort and reminding families of everything it has to offer for a short break. So in the name of research, Travel Bulletin’s LAURETTA WRIGHT paid a visit…

What to see What’s not to see? Your days out will be filled with sights, sounds and activities galore. If clients are looking to experience a range of attractions, their best bet is to purchase a Blackpool Resort Pass (www.blackpoolresortpass), where visitors can take in six attractions for £55 each, saving more than £35. They include Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Nickelodeon Land, The Blackpool Tower & 4D Experience, The Blackpool Tower Dungeon, SEA LIFE Blackpool and Madame Tussauds Blackpool. Other must-sees (if you can squeeze them in) include the Blackpool Tower Circus, Blackpool Zoo and Sandcastle Waterpark, not to mention the plethora of seafront amusements.

Where to eat Popular and recommended eateries include the four-star The Big Blue Hotel’s Bar and Brasserie (www.bigbluehotel.com) – popular with both leisure and business travellers; Captain Jack’s at Coral Island (www.coralisland.co.uk), where kids up to ten years eat for free; and Britain’s longest-running chain restaurant, Harry Ramsden’s (www.harryramsdens.co.uk) for a fish and chip supper. For a special treat (and well worth a visit) is Notarianni’s (www.notarianniicecreamblackpool.co.uk) - home of ice-cream in Blackpool for more than 70 years. The choice of desserts and delicious ice-creams are worth sacrificing the diet for.

How to get around Blackpool’s tram service runs the length of the seafront, where most of the attractions and entertainment can be found. Tram tickets can be purchased onboard or from most newsagents, with prices at £10 for a family ticket for the day, which can also be used unlimited times as well as on local buses.

Where to stay We stayed at the Burbage Holiday Group’s Queen’s Mansions on Queen’s Parade. Located in a quieter part of the resort, the self-catering four- and five-star apartments offer more than a home away from home experience, with luxury touches such as LED screens, Egyptian cotton linen and private balconies all part of the package. The Empress Suite offers three spacious bedrooms along with a kitchen, lounge, dining room and two bathrooms (one with a Jacuzzi bath, TV and mood lighting and the other with a smart shower). The Burbage Holiday Group offers 10% commission to agents and rates in low season start from £140 for two nights and £200 in high season. For details call Mick on 01253-356657 or email enquiries@burbageholidaygroup.co.uk (www.burbageholidaygroup.co.uk)

For more information see www.visitblackpool.com

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Last minute savings from Prestige Holidays PRESTIGE HOLIDAYS is offering a selection of savings in popular hotspots this month.

Clients can save £231 per person on selected stays at the Jumeirah Port Soller Hotel and Spa in Mallorca. The hotel, located on a cliff top and offering views across Port de Solle, features restaurants, four bars and two outdoor swimming pools.

A five-night stay departing on September 20 costs £1,129 per person including flights with Monarch from Gatwick, accommodation in a superior mountain view room on a bed-andbreakfast basis and private transfers. The same package is also available for a departure from Birmingham with Ryanair on September 20 for £1,169 and from Bristol with Ryanair on September 20 for £1,149.

Other savings include a seven-night stay in Turkey at the Hilton Dalaman Sarigerme Resort and Spa, with savings of at least £93. A week's breakfast stay at the property, which is a short walk from Sarigerme town and features seven swimming pools and a spa, leads in at £1,169 for a September 17 departure including Monarch flights from Gatwick and private transfers.

For further information or to book see www.prestigeholidays.co. uk or call 01425-480400.

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Inghams highlights Norway & Switzerland getaways

Butlin's reveals new ‘Ultimate 80s Halloween Ball’ weekend break BUTLIN’S HAS unveiled its new ‘Ultimate 80s Halloween Ball’ Live Music Weekend break for 2015. For the first time, the company will run its biggest, spookiest Halloween fancy dress party. Bookable now, the 80s extravaganza will take place at the Minehead resort between October 30 and November 2.

An all-star line-up will see Steve Steinman’s Vampires Rock Show performed live on the Saturday night, along with performances from Doctor and the Medics, The Blow Monkeys and 80s favourite Sonia. Tribute acts include Bon Jovi, Michael Jackson and UB40.

Tickets for the three-night Weekender start from £99 per person based on four adults sharing a silver apartment.

For further information visit www.bourneleisuresales.co.uk or call 0333-202 5224.

INGHAMS IS OFFERING SHORT ski breaks to Switzerland, ideal for a long weekend on the slopes.

Departures are available on any day of the week and of any duration available from three nights upwards. For winter 2015/16, the company is offering ski breaks in Davos and Klosters, St. Moritz, Grindelwald, Saas Fee, Arosa and Wengen and Murren.

As an example, a four-night, half-board stay at the two-star Hotel Europa in Saas Fee leads in at £604 per person based on a January 6 departure. It includes flights from Heathrow to Zurich and rail transfers to resort.

The operator is also giving guests the chance to discover Northern Norway in March next year, with a range of exclusive packages and activities, including a direct charter flight from Gatwick to Evenes.

Guests can chose from one of two adventures - a three- or fournight Island and Fjords adventure and a three- or four-night Polar Express Adventure, both including a range of escorted activities and half-board accommodation.

Prices lead in at £899 for three nights staying at either the fourstar Thon Hotel or the four-star Scandic Hotel on the Island and Fjords option. It includes flights from Gatwick to Evenes and transfers and departs on February 28, March 6 and March 13.

Prices for a three-night Polar Express Adventure start from £799 staying at either the four-star Quality Hotel Narvik or the four-star Hotel Scandic. Flights from Gatwick and transfers are included and departures are on February 28, March 6 and March 13.

For more information or to book call 01483-791116 or visit www.inghams.co.uk

Rent Paris reveals commission dates for agents making apartment bookings RENTPARIS.COM, an online booking platform that offers short-term holiday rentals of handpicked accommodation and selected hotels in Paris, is offering commission to agents for bookings across its apartment portfolio.

The apartment rental service offers a selection of ‘typically French’ apartments that travel agents won’t find elsewhere and which they can commission themselves.

Between November 1 and December 22, the web service is offering a 10% discount to travel agents and 15-20% discount from January 3 to March 15 when selling the apartments to their clients. Agents are free to sell the apartments to their clients at the price they think is right.

Dubrovnik’s Sun Gardens offers new four-night culinary journey for guests SUN GARDENS in Dubrovnik is enticing guests to the Dalmatian coast with a four-night 'Culinary Journey Through Dubrovnik’ package.

The new addition takes sun-seekers on a mouth watering tour of Croatia at its culinary best, stylishly arriving at the famed Peljesac vineyards by boat, followed by sampling Croatia's finest wines. For oyster lovers, the itinerary takes guests by boat to Mali Ston for oyster tasting, paired with a crisp Croatian white wine.

Prices for the package start from 709 euros per suite, per day for two people.

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shortbreaks

New promotional rates at Northumbria’s Homildon Cottage marks first anniversary HOMILDON COTTAGE in Northumbria is promoting reduced rates as part of its first year of operation.

Short break stays run from Friday to Monday for the weekend or Monday to Friday, and special deals

are available until the end of the year.

The property is priced per week or per break and sleeps up to eight. As an example, low season prices start from £745 for the week up to £1,850

in high season which includes the summer holidays and at Christmas.

See more information see www.staynorthumbria.co.uk/northum berland-holiday-cottages-homildoncottage-196438

Premier Holidays promotes Tennerfest breaks on Jersey & Guernsey PREMIER HOLIDAYS is gearing up for the Tennerfest food festival, which runs from October 1 - November 11 on Jersey and Guernsey, with a series of autumn deals with added-

value extras such as free nights, free meals and free room upgrades applicable on selected offers.

Agents can also benefit from a booking incentive, earning £5 for

every Channel Islands booking made.

For more information call 0844-4937 532 or visit www.trade.premierholidays.co.uk

New York

Revitalising Madeira Relax, unwind and enjoy the best of life

Get ready for Valentine’s Day with Funway Holidays’ special promotions FUNWAY HOLIDAYS is promoting special ‘LOVE MORE’ Valentine short breaks in the US. As an example of packages, a New York ‘LOVE MORE’ offers three nights at the four-star Roosevelt Hotel including flights with Delta Airlines from Heathrow and prices from £499 per person, based on two adults sharing for a February 12 departure.

Also available is the add-on ‘New York City Romantic Movie Sites Tour’ from £23. The two-and-a-half-hour coach tour of Manhattan takes in the spots where beloved romance films such as 'Maid in Manhattan,' 'You've Got Mail,' 'Sweet Home Alabama', ‘Serendipity’ and ‘Sex and the City’ were shot.

Visit www.funway4agents.co.uk for further details.

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Call 0800 008 7288 I www.classic-collection.co.uk 5030

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We asked our staff the following question this week: What do you have too many of ?

Publisher: Jeanette Ratcliffe jeanette.ratcliffe@travelbulletin.co.uk Admirers (in my dreams!).

Editor: Lauretta Wright lauretta.wright@travelbulletin.co.uk Clothes that don't fit me.

Editorial Assistant: Adam Potter adam.potter@travelbulletin.co.uk Emails. Definitely emails. *Clicks SEND*

Contributing Editor: Paul Scudamore post@travelbulletin.co.uk Dozens of unopened different Guinness bottles from around the world over 30 years - anyone want to buy them?

Sales Director: Simon Eddolls simon.eddolls@travelbulletin.co.uk Advertisement Manager: Tim Podger tim.podger@travelbulletin.co.uk Lines on my face!

Account Manager: Bill Coad bill.coad@travelbulletin.co.uk Tomatoes from the garden

Account Manager: Matt Gill matt.gill@travelbulletin.co.uk Weird sayings

Sales Executive: Matthew Weinreb matthew.weinreb@travelbulletin.co.uk Sales Executive: Kathryn Frost kathryn.frost@travelbulletin.co.uk

Spain's five-star La Manga Club tees up for preChristmas winter golf open in December SPAIN’S LA MANGA Club is giving golf fans the opportunity to finish 2015 under sunny skies by staging its popular La Manga Club Golf Open from December 1-5.

Taking place for the 15th year in a row, the 36-hole Stableford competition gives golfers the chance to enjoy a warm weather winter break before Christmas – with packages starting from 386 euros (approximately £275) per person for a four-night stay including three rounds of golf.

Golf facilities include three 18-hole golf courses and a recently redeveloped teaching and practice centre including a new Leadbetter Golf Academy. The venue also features a range of sports and leisure amenities, bars and restaurants.

Tournament packages feature four nights’ accommodation, including breakfast and a welcome pack; a cocktail reception; a gala dinner and prize-giving ceremony, and are available from 464 euros (approximately £330) per person in the five-star Hotel La Manga Club Principe Felipe, or 386 euros in the fully-serviced four-star Las Lomas apartments.

Prices, which are based on two people sharing a room, include tournament entry for golfers, along with a green fee for the practice day, practice ball card and on-course refreshments during the event.

Free Wi-Fi and VAT are also included and all tournament guests will receive a 25% discount on any spa treatments booked plus 15% when eating at any of the resort’s Amapola, Asia, Luigi’s and La Bodega restaurants and Deli-Café. Running alongside the golf event, the resort is also hosting the 13th La Manga Club Seniors’ Tennis Open from November 29 to December 4.

For more information email reservas@lamangaclub.com or visit www.lamangaclub.com

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Events and Sales Administrator: Gemma Reeve gemma.reeve@travelbulletin.co.uk Soap & Glory products.

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Designer: Tom Davies thomas.davies@alaincharles.com Production: Carol Mthembu carol.mthembu@alaincharles.com Shoes 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: Buxton Press Subscriptions are £125 p.a. £195 overseas ISSN: 0956-2419

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September 11 2015

Italy's Palazzo Victoria has launched an authentic cookery experience with a local chef, allowing guests to shop locally, cook seasonally and feast like a real Italian. Ideal for clients seeking a weekend break, the experience delves into Italian culture outside of the typical tourist trail. The five-star Palazzo Victoria Hotel is located in Verona’s historic city centre and provides a luxury base from which to explore the region’s culinary traditions and specialities.

The three-and-a-half hour cooking class costs 95 euros per person and runs from Monday to Saturday throughout the year. Rates at the hotel are from £176 per night plus 10% VAT for a deluxe room. For details visit www.palazzovictoria.com

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Highlighted Word: CORSICA Travagrams: Top: Super Break Where Am I?: Lascaux

Bottom: Machu Picchu

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Ef ng, Efteling gg, w ld off world woonders onde d s

Discover Hollan a d’s hidden gem and Europe’s th hird largest theme park. Efteling is an ideal short break destination ion for the whole family, offering an impressive selection of them e ed attractions from fairytaless to rollercoasters, set in a natural environment. You can visit this world o of wonders 365 days a year.

Come and expeerience an enchanting staay at the fairy ytale themed Efteling Hotel or at Efteling Villagee Bosrijk.* For more inform mation, please contact travelttrade@efteling.com

*A family of four u can stay in a family room forr one night with breakfast and ttwo days park entry from only £260 0.