Travel Bulletin 18th July 2014 by Alain Charles Publishing

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July 18 2014 | ISSUE NO 1,881 | www.travelbulletin.co.uk

Mexico

New tours & itineraries to promote to clients

this week puzzle bulletin 11 your chance to win a ÂŁ50 Love2Shop voucher

training updates on new online training programmes & events

event bulletin images from our Far East Showcase event in Manchester

21 cyprus & greece a round-up of new product additions & summer savings

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Cover Pictures: Main - Mexico Tourism Board

Inset - YouPhoria Villas Crete

This Week 3

news

notes from normanton

agent bulletin

puzzle bulletin

agent review

bulletin briefing

training

event bulletin

personality bulletin

cyprus & greece

mexico

a round-up of the latest industry news, new launches & reports find out what Sandy has been up to following her trip to Gouves new agent booking incentives & offers your chance to win a £50 Love2Shop voucher from Voyages-sncf find out what one agent thought of the LTI Neptun Beach in Bulgaria news & views from Advantage updates on new online training programmes & events images from our Far East Showcase event in Manchester Carly Charteris from Premier Holidays is in the hot seat a round-up of new product additions, summer savings & new developments new tours & itineraries to promote to clients

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THE JET SET...At the unveiling of Guernsey-based airline Aurigny's first-ever jet, a £25million Embraer E195, this month at a launch party in the state-owned carrier's hangar are, from the left: cabin attendant Paula Jenkins; Christine Moyse, CI Travel Group; Mark Darby, CEO of Aurigny; and Wendy Pedder, marketing manager at Visit Guernsey. The 122-passenger jet was purchased to replace the loss this spring of the Flybe link to Gatwick. It will operate four return flights a day, in addition to two a day operated by the carrier's ATR 72-500 72-passenger aircraft. The airline also operates services from Guernsey to Jersey, Alderney, Bristol, Manchester, East Midlands, Southampton, Stansted and London City (from September). It also serves Dinard and Grenoble in France.

New study reveals the rise of Brits seeking cultural breaks A NEW study by NewcastleGateshead reveals cultural tourism is strong with half the nation cramming more cultural activity into a city break weekend away than they do when at home. Almost half of those surveyed (47%) said they take part in ‘culture cramming’ when on a citybreak, relishing highintensity visits to local galleries, museums, festivals and events. In fact, the average city-breaker crammed more than a third (34%) of their entire annual ‘cultural intake’ into their last weekend away. Speaking about the findings, the destination management and

marketing organisation's head of culture and major events, Carol Bell, said: “The survey provides some fantastic insight for cultural venues and attractions. Whilst local audiences will always be core to the ongoing success of museums, galleries, festivals and events – cultural tourists are an audience of growing potential. It’s important that destinations not only recognise this, but work in partnership with venues to provide immersive quality experiences for visitors that inspire them to tell their friends and visit again.” The trend is particularly popular with younger travellers, with 41% of 18-

24 year olds saying culture is a priority for them when visiting a new city and almost half (45%) of 25-34 year olds agreeing with this, compared to a third of over 55s. Londoners came out top among the UK’s most avid cultural tourists, with 53.6% saying they ‘culture cram’, closely followed by those from the North East (53%), East Anglia (50.9%), Northern Ireland and Yorkshire (both 50%). The study also found that two thirds of people say the mark of a great city is that they want to return to it, while more than 40% say if they feel they could live there they know it’s a winner.

Ukash unveils the ‘cash-gap’ of the best & worst ways to buy euros THE LATEST research from the Ukash Travel Money Prepaid MasterCard card reveals that families could lose as much as €51.70 for every £500 they spend on buying euros for their summer holidays. With just days to go until the majority of schools finish for the summer break, the company is encouraging agents to urge clients to think ahead and

organise their foreign currency so that they can get the best spend for their pound. The company researched the cost of spending £500 on euros at Gatwick airport earlier this month. At the Moneycorp bureaux de change this would get €569, but loading the same amount of sterling onto a Ukash ● continues on next page

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Travel Money card would have given the traveller €620.70. The research also revealed that many holidaymakers resort to carrying cash with them, presenting a safety risk, with 36% of UK holidaymakers taking between £501 and £1,000 in cash when they head abroad

and 40% taking the equivalent of between £100 and £500. The company's chief executive, David Hunter, said: “With so much written about extra charges when using debit or credit cards abroad, I completely understand why so many holidaymakers opt to carry cash. But that simply isn’t very safe. Much better is to load cash onto a prepaid card which can then be used

just like a credit card in the thousands of outlets around the world that accept MasterCard. With the Ukash Travel Money card there are no charges for transactions and no charge for withdrawing cash from an ATM abroad. “Leaving the arrangement of spending money to the last minute is the worst thing you can do if you want to get value

for your pounds. And it means carrying cash around which can make you vulnerable to muggers and pickpockets. Yet 4% of British holidaymakers said they actually leave it until they get to the airport and 15% buy currency when they arrive at their destination. Either way it doesn’t make sense." For more information see www.ukash.com

Premier Holidays unveils Virgin Atlantic campaign & tactical offer PREMIER HOLIDAYS has put together a dedicated Virgin Atlantic campaign to encourage client bookings, with a new, luxury offer for a New York and Boston holiday from £1,959 per person. The campaign offers clients the opportunity to experience the best of both cities with five-star accommodation included at New York’s Conrad Hotel and Boston’s Fairmont Copley Plaza; as well as an AMTRAK rail journey from New York Penn Station to Boston Back Bay. The operator’s six-night, luxury itinerary begins in New York with a three-night stay, before catching the AMTRAK train across to Boston for a further three nights. The offer is based on two adults sharing and includes Premium Economy flights from

Heathrow to New York and out of Boston with Virgin Atlantic, five-star accommodation throughout and the rail journey. The offer is valid for travel on selected dates during November, subject to availability, and can also be tailor-made to suit clients’ requirements. In addition to the savings, agents will also benefit from the operator's current agent incentive, earning between £25-£150 per Luxury New York & Boston booking, dependent on the booking value, and can also take advantage of the company’s low booking deposit of £50 per person, applicable until July 31. For more information or to book visit Premier’s business de www.trade.premierholidays.co.uk or vel Carly Charteris, launch opment manager, es the new campaign call 0844-493 7524.

Funway revamps travel trade website

HOVE HELP...Staff from AITO HQ and representatives from Mountain Kingdoms and Pure Crete recently attended the Travel Foundation's beach clean in Hove, to help promote this month's Make Holidays Greener campaign. In 45 minutes, the 30 attendees collected more than 1,000 pieces of rubbish from a 100m stretch of beach. Pictured rolling up their sleeves are, from the left: (back row) Rachel Jelley, Sunvil Discovery; Louise Killner and Gemma Underwood, Pure Crete; with (front row) Kerry Robins, Mountain Kingdoms; Pam Hersey, AITO; and Ashley Peachey, Mountain Kingdom.

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FUNWAY HOLIDAYS has announced the integration of TripAdvisor hotel ratings and reviews into its agent-only website, www.funway4agents.co.uk Available through select tour operators on its agent website, the trusted traveller review platform’s content, reviews and recommendations are now displayed in designated areas of hotel profiles and throughout the booking process, giving agents a tool to leverage during the sales process by providing real-time user reviews to reference and share with clients at the point-of-sale. The company's marketing manager, Nick Talbot, said: “Word-of-mouth, especially in the travel space, is an incredibly powerful tool. We look forward to agents leveraging our addition of TripAdvisor to complement their own travel recommendations and expertise, increase bookings and help drive their overall success. TripAdvisor is not the only benefit of booking online with us; every day throughout July, agents that make a package booking are in with a chance to win a ‘MoneyCard Birthday Bonus’ of £5.” Other highlights of the website include late bookings (up to five days before departure); an extensive number of destinations, including the US, Caribbbean and Mexico; full flexible booking capability; more UK regional connections; the ability to save itineraries online and review at a later date; and automated final payment reminder on reservations booked.

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newsbulletin Hotel Galatzó joins Maritim Hotel Group portfolio

WATERFALL WONDER...Eurotur, in conjunction with Aerolines Argentinas, hosted a group of operators to Argentina which included visits to Buenos Aires, Iguazu Falls, Cafayate and Salta. Pictured at IIguazu Falls are, from the left: Brian Penfold, Advance Worldwide; William Ruano, Aerolineas Argentinas; David Horwell, Select Latin America; Darryl Rodrigues, Steamond Travel; Silvia Vizzoni, Eurotur; Patrick Griffin, Wexas; Ines Gamarra, Improtur/Branding Latin America; and Sarah Frankish, Rainbow Tours.

Escorted Tours brochure from Riviera Travel RIVIERA TRAVEL'S new 2014/15 brochure for Escorted Tours is now available. For file copies agents can call 01283744307 or email agencysales@riviera travel.co.uk The company has also launched its new 'Voyages Of A Lifetime By Tall Ship' brochure, which includes the newly introduced 'Cuban Discovery' tour along with the operator's regular 'Mediterranean Odyssey' on The Royal Clipper, which leads in at £2,699 per person for 14 days. For further information visit www.rivieratravel.co.uk

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Omega launches exclusive programmes from Glasgow & Bournemouth airports OMEGA HOLIDAYS has launched two exclusive programmes utilising a Glasgow-based British Airways aircraft. The aircraft will operate an exclusive weekend service to Bournemouth and the Isle of Wight between October 24-26. Dino Toouli, the company's head of trade sales, said: "An autumn break to Bournemouth will suit those looking to explore the south coast. Bournemouth is famous for its seven miles of golden beaches and award-winning parks and gardens plus its famous Jurassic Coast, while the Isle of Wight is England’s largest island and a yachting Mecca. "The break includes flights from Glasgow, two nights' hotel accommodation with a three-course dinner and breakfast and a day excursion to the Isle of Wight from £199.95 per person. Whilst the aircraft is in Bournemouth, we will operate two one-day trips to Krakow on Saturday October 25 and to the Rhine Valley on Sunday October 26, before the aircraft returns to Glasgow. Day trips have proven to be very popular from Bournemouth and we are filling a gap left by Palmair which regularly operated day trips." Prices for the Krakow trip lead in at £359 including a guided tour and the option to book an afternoon excursion to Auschwitz, while Rhine prices lead in at £349. For details or to book call 01524-772010 or visit www.omega-holidays.com

NEXT YEAR, Hotel Galatzó in Mallorca will join the Maritim Hotel Group portfolio, this time as a franchise. The property, which is located on the Costa de la Calma and surrounded by mountain scenery, will reopen its doors on March 1. It offers more than 172 guestrooms, an outdoor pool with sun-terrace, a chill-out zone with sunbeds and a pool and barbecue area. Activities include tennis, wellness and fitness programmes, a spa, plus nearby golf courses. For nature fans, there is a cycling trail from Palma to Andralx that passes in front of the hotel. Meanwhile, since midMay, the company has been offering overnight guests free WLAN access to the web in two of its Berlin hotels as part of a pilot project. The initiative comes in response to guests' requests for free internet. For more information or to book visit www.maritim.com

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newsbulletin Tweets of the Week Who’s saying what on Twitter... @LBIAirport We have a fantastic offer to Bulgaria! Hotel Flora, Nessebar, 7 nts, 3* B&B, 23/08/14, £529pp @CarnivalCruise Summer time means… .SUPER saver rates! See details here: http://bit.ly/U5kUyP @On_The_Go_Tours Time to tick Latin America off your bucket list! Book any group tour before 30 July and save 15%: http://bit.ly/181xRLl #travel @AITOHQ We are pleased to announce that we will be holding our 30th overseas conference in #Istanbul! See you all there! @GoToTurkeyUK @GambiaXperience 2014/15 brochure launch featuring 7 new hotels http://www.gambia. co.uk/blog/2014/07/p

ARCELORMITTAL ORBIT, London’s latest family-friendly attraction in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, is highlighting a new programme of family art and crafts activities between July 24 and August 31. Using the ArcelorMittal Orbit as inspiration, kids of all ages will be shown how to use their imagination with a variety of methods from sketching, cutting out, painting and building - whether it’s drawing the London skyline or building their own ArcelorMittal Orbit. Activities will take place from 14:00-16:00 each day of the school summer holidays and will be included in the entry price which costs £7 for children, £15 for adults and £40 for a family ticket of two adults and two children. For details call 0333-800 8099 or see www.arcelormittalorbit.com

High season offers with 25% savings from Dream Charters DREAM CHARTERS is offering 25% off a fivestar cruise on luxury yacht Carpe Diem I at a discounted rate of £15,000 for seven nights. The price works out at approximately £253 per person, per day on all-inclusive, based on a maximum of nine guests. The next departure (from Gocek in Turkey) is on July 26 for up to seven nights, with shorter breaks available on request. Rates cover yacht hire, luxury transfers, all catering and soft drinks on board, speed boat and watersports equipment, crew and chef services, plus standard port taxes and fees. Flights are

excluded and alcohol and speedboat fuel is charged at cost. Carpe Diem 1 is a 100ft gulet style yacht offering four en-suite cabins, spacious seating and sunbathing areas, airconditioning and speedboat and extensive watersports equipment to enjoy at leisure. An English speaking captain and a crew of four are on hand to attend to guests throughout their Turkish cruise. For more information see www.dreamcharters.co.uk or email info@dreamcharters.co.uk

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LUFTHANSA HAS introduced new telephone numbers to reduce the cost for agents and customers who need to call the airline reservation, Miles&More, web support or baggage services. The old 08 number becomes a national rate 03 number. For example, the new general reservations number is 0371-945 9747 (replacing 0871-945 9747). VIRGIN HOLIDAYS has opened a new store at Tesco Extra in Dover. ETIHAD AIRWAYS has announced a partnership with Google to make it more convenient for agents and travellers to view the airline’s flight schedules and fares on the search engine’s flight search tool. IN NEW guidance for foreign passport-holders entering Turkey, passports must be valid for at least 60 days from the date of expiry of a traveller's visa, visa exemption period or residency permit to be able to enter the country before December 31. So a traveller leaving Turkey on August 20 for example should hold a passport that is valid until at least October 20.

Summer specials from £244 per person for eight days from Shearings Holidays SHEARINGS HOLIDAYS is promoting a selection of deals for departures between July and September. As examples, an eight-day Cornish Charms option leads in at £369 per person and takes in the beaches and scenery of Cornwall, with visits to St Ives, St Mawes and Newquay. Highlights include a cruise to Truro, as well as the opportunity to sample traditional cider at Healey's Cornish Cyder Farm. The price includes seven nights' halfboard accommodation at the Bay

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Beresford Hotel, as well as three excursions and coach travel. An eight-day Bournemouth & Isle of Wight option costs from £369 with highlights including visits to the New Forest, Southampton, and the Grade I listed Highcliffe Castle with its surrounding gardens. The price includes seven nights' halfboard accommodation at the Bay Majestic Hotel, as well as three excursions and coach travel. Meanwhile, a five-day Blackpool &

Charming Lancashire itinerary is new for this year and leads in at £244. Customers will visit Blackpool and Southport, with highlights including a cruise along the Lancaster Canal, as well as trips to Lancaster and Southport. The price includes four nights' halfboard accommodation at the Bay Liberty's on the Square Hotel, as well as two excursions and coach travel. For more information call 0844-824 6359 or visit www.shearings.com

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newsbulletin Portfolio boost from Innstant Travel AS PART of its ongoing product development programme, Innstant Travel has added almost 10,000 properties to its global portfolio, bringing with them new and improved rates in Italy, the Mediterranean, Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific islands, Hawaii and Asia including China, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. The new additions include both popular and newly launched hotels with multiple room types from standard twins to deluxe suites, and up to same day availability. Agents can access the company's products, special offers and rates by visiting www.innstanttravel.com and completing the registration or by emailing gary@innstanttravel.com

Dubai unveils plans for 'Mall of the World' development THE WORLD’S first temperature-controlled city within a city is coming to Dubai as the Emirate plans to build the planet's biggest mall complete with theme park, theatres and 100 hotels. The 'Mall of the World' will cover 743,000sq.m (four times the size of the Metrocentre in Gateshead the largest shopping centre in Europe) and will hold 7km of thoroughfares based on London’s Oxford Street, a ‘Broadway’ theatre district and facilities for medical tourists. The project is to be the retail and hospitality showpiece development for the Emirate’s 2020 Vision and Expo 2020 exhibition in Dubai. Alongside the Mall of the World showpiece development is the planned mega convention centre and related infrastructure that

An artist’s impression of ‘Mall of the World’

will help to bolster and support Dubai’s plans to become the most visited city in the world. Dubai ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, said: “The growth in family and retail tourism underpins the need to enhance Dubai’s tourism infrastructure as soon as possible. This project complements our plans to transform Dubai into a cultural, tourist and economic hub for the two

billion people living in the region around us – and we are determined to achieve our vision. "Our ambitions are higher than having seasonal tourism – tourism is the key driver of our economy and we aim to make the UAE an attractive destination all year round. This is why we will start working on providing pleasant temperature-controlled environments during the summer months.”

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*Terms and conditions apply — see disneytravelagents.co.uk for details. **Excludes arrivals 25 Mar–11 Apr 2015. ††Excludes Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. ©Disney.

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MOVERS

● HAND PICKED Hotels has appointed Peter Llewellyn as

general manager of Crathorne Hall Hotel in Yorkshire. ● ATLYN FORDE has been appointed acting director of

Notes from . . . n o t n a m r o N TTENDED THE Brit Awards at Warner’s Nidd Hall near Knaresborough. It is in a really beautiful setting with wonderful gardens. As always, Louise Tansey did a great job of organising the event - it ran smoothly and everything was great, although I missed the lunch and afternoon events because of a prior commitment. The Masquerade Ball, meal and entertainment were all excellent and I have to say, Graham Balmforth from Superbreak really should be on the stage! We had a great breakfast the next morning to start Monday morning off well. Was chatting to Wayne from Cruise & Maritime and he was telling me about their new ship for 2015 called Azores, which I think is a fantastic name. She will be sailing from Hull (good news) and London Tilbury and will hold 550 pax. It is an adult-only (16 plus) ship and will sail on 26th Jan with a 30-night maiden voyage to the West Indies. 85% of her 277 cabins have an ocean view and almost 20% are deluxe. All cabins also have a bath tub and mini-bar facilities. She has some great cruises lined up including Solar Eclipse & Northern Lights, Seville Fiesta and a Scottish themed Edinburgh Festival cruise – all great stuff for the new Azores. Well done to STA Travel for listening to League Against Cruel Sports who campaigned against them running trips to Pamplona for the bull running. It's totally not necessary and these cruel events should not be encouraged - they were breaking the ABTA Animal Welfare Guidelines that they had signed up to! I think we in the travel industry can do a lot to help stamp out animal cruelty – tour operators could earn brownie points by encouraging hoteliers to be responsible. Daft as it sounds, they could agree to neuter two dogs or two cats a month. That would soon make a difference to the stray population in Greece and Cyprus and other countries as well, and also encourage cat cafes in the hotel grounds so that they don’t wander everywhere looking for food – let’s see if anyone takes up my idea! ‘Freedom lies in being bold’ and ‘One should always play fair when one has the winning cards’.

by SANDRA MURRAY in Normanton, Yorkshire

To respond to any of Sandy’s comments email jill. sayles@travelbulletin.co.uk

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marketing UK & Europe of the Saint Lucia Tourist Board. ● CARLSON WAGONLIT Travel (CWT) has appointed Martine

Gerow as executive vice president & chief financial officer. ● PAUL PENNICOOK has joined the Jamaica Tourist Board as

director of tourism. ● MARRIOTT LONDON County Hall has appointed Michelle

Wharton as the new director of sales and marketing. ● THE LATIN American Travel Association (LATA) has

appointed Byron Shirto as chairman. ● SCENIC TOURS and sister brand Emerald Waterways have

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grown their trade sales team with the appointments of William Young as sales manager and Catherine Bulger as trade sales co-ordinator. MIKE CROUCHER has joined Travelport as chief architect. KIRKER HOLIDAYS has appointed Mike Coombs as agency sales account manager, covering the Midlands, North of England, Wales & Scotland. STAG AND hen holiday company, Red 7 Holidays, has appointed Teresa Nicholson as managing director. THE GLOBAL Travel Group has announced the appointment of Nikki Keeling as commercial manager. THE MONARCH Travel Group (MTG) has appointed Tom McCormick as purchasing director. FREYA MCCANN has joined SuperBreak as sales executive, North West and Yorkshire. AMANDA SCHOFIELD has joined TravelCube UK as regional account manager for East Midlands & East Anglia.

Worldwide brochure launch from Titan TITAN HAS issued its new flagship Worldwide 2015/16 brochure featuring more than 170 planned tours and cruises. The brochure highlights perennial favourites such as California and the Golden West (16 days from £1,945), Canadian Rockies and Vancouver (14 days from £2,299), Treasures of Italy (ten days from £1,799) and Norway Adventure (13 days from £1,749), and also sees the introduction of 23 new adventures such as Grand America Coast to Coast (30 days from £3,799) Captivating China (16 days from £2,799) and an Australian tour from £3,499 for 19 days. Savings of between £50 and £500 per person are offered on selected itineraries, along with special offers for solo travellers. The operator

also guarantees the earliest bookers the best prices with its ‘price promise’ which states that should any holiday be priced cheaper in a subsequent brochure, the difference will be automatically refunded. For more information visit www.titanagents.co.uk or call 0800-988 5166.

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agentbulletin Booking incentives ●

TO MARK the launch of its Luxury Ski & Snow 2014/15 programme, Carrier is giving agents the chance to win a three-night stay at the Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort in Finland in a prize draw when they make a booking by August 31. The winning agents will enjoy one-night in a glass igloo, twonights in a log cabin, a husky and snowmobile safari and an Aurora hunting safari with reindeer. The offer is valid on new, confirmed bookings combining flights and accommodation over the value of £2,500, and is valid for travel between November 20 and December 3 and March 5 and April 20, 2015. For details see www.carrier.co.uk or call 0161-492 1359.

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AZAMARA CLUB Cruises has announced a new free flights campaign for 2015/16 voyages. Guests booking an Oceanview Stateroom or higher on select European voyages will benefit from complimentary flights to their departure and arrival destinations. The offer is available up to July 31 for both the first and second full fare paying guests. Passengers travelling further afield will be offered reduced flight prices on select non-European voyages. Agents who make any booking with the new offer can enter a weekly prize draw which runs for the remainder of this month and gives agents the chance to win an iPad. Cruising for Excellence Online Captains are rewarded with two bonus entries for every booking, while Cruising for Excellence Online Admirals benefit from five bonus entries. For details call 0844-493 4016 or visit www.azamaraclubcruises.co.uk and www.cruisingpower.co.uk

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Agent offer

WITH THE arrival of Butlins Minehead’s new traditional fairground, Bourne Leisure is giving fre e day passes away to the first 100 agents to apply and th e chance to win £100 Love2Shop vouchers for the best ph oto taken at the fair. Agents wh o grab their free ticke ts are being encouraged to take fun selfies and grou p shots of themselves at the fai rground for the chan ce to win £100 in Love2Shop vouche rs. Agents can claim their free day passes by emailing trade.sales@bournelei sure.co.uk and they should post their best pictures to Tw itter and tag @BourneLeisure and @Butlins with th e hashtag #agentdayatButlins or post their image to Bourne Leisure’s Facebook page www.facebook.com /bourneleisure to be in with a chance of winning. Agents can reques t th eir chosen day this summer (M onday to Friday) an d su bject to availability, the com pany will issue a fre e family pass for up to six people .

BOUTIQUE BAKE... The Tra vellers Boutique in Cobham, Surrey were an nounced as the winners of Your Car Hire's cake winners for the month of May, for makin g two bookings. Pictured collecting the cak e is the agency's Patrizia Giardina. Agents still have the chance to enter by making two bo okings this month.

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SURFING USA...Gold Medal and 40 winning agents headed west to experience ‘five trips in one’ on the company’s second mega fam to the US recently. Travelling with Air France KLM Delta Alitalia, the trip saw four regional teams of ten head off to different destinations simultaneously, before all meeting back at MGM Grand, Las Vegas. Pictured are the Los Angeles group - from the left: Leigh Lavery, Gold Medal; Kirsty Ralphson, Blue Bay Travel; Tim Beggs, Co-operative personal travel advisor; Jon Moulding, Traveldeals4less; Lucy Lee, Polka Dot Travel; Angela Sutcliffe, Designer Travel; Faye Bush, Pure Travel; Sara Wakelam, Midcounties personal travel agent; Kelly Cope, Travel By Inspire; Tina Mills, Midcounties COOP; and Raj Soni, Independent Worldchoice Holidays.

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TRAVELLERS AT Heathrow’s Terminal 5 have a new way to boost their Avios balance. Until August 31, global members of the British Airways Executive Club and Avios Travel Rewards Programme can collect Avios on any products purchased in either of the two Dixons Travel stores located airside at Heathrow Terminal 5. THE TRAVEL Network Group has unveiled its Q3 marketing campaign which has been created using a bright and contemporary circus theme with the slogan ‘Roll up, roll up for your great escape’. Almost 300 of the group’s members have opted in to use the campaign and have access to window materials that include four large double-sided banners; five double sided window squares, three window stickers, offer cards and a new versatile dry wipe offer poster. THE GUEST speaker for this year’s Skål UK Summer Garden Party, which will be held on July 23 at London’s Kensington Close Hotel from 17:30, is Paul Gardner, group marketing director for the Mantis Collection of luxury hotels. Paul is a board member of the Wilderness Foundation, a conservation charity that is fighting for the protection of wildlife throughout Africa, and he is also working with the survival expert and television personality, Bear Grylls on the global launch of the Bear Grylls Survival Academy.

Second edition 'Star deals' with prices from £129 from Cosmos Holidays COSMOS HOLIDAYS has launched its Cosmos Star Deals second edition brochure featuring a wide choice of value holidays at lower prices this summer across the Mediterranean, Red Sea, North Africa as well as Florida. A choice of accommodation and board options are available in Mallorca, the Canary Islands, Greece, Malta, Turkey and Florida.

The operator's Star Deals holidays to Florida are available from both Manchester and Gatwick airports, with prices from £429 per person including flights, three-diamond rated, room-only accommodation and basic car hire. ‘Allocation on Arrival’ is a simple way for customers to choose their holiday at the lowest price possible by selecting a destination. The

specific hotel/apartment is then confirmed on arrival in resort. This option is available in the Canary Islands, Mallorca, Turkey and Greece. Prices start from £129 for a seven-night stay in Zante based on allocation on arrival to include flights, twodiamond rated self-catering accommodation and transfers. Meanwhile, the company's flight programme features a choice of durations and

departures, some with daily flying from a range of UK airports, offering customers flexibility to choose a minibreak, mid-length getaway or a long leisurely stay. ‘Ultimate Family’ and ‘Family Friendly’ properties are also highlighted in the brochure as well as those that have nightlife located nearby. For further information see www.cosmosagents.co.uk or call 0843-227 0963.

Last night of the Warner Proms with the National Symphony Orchestra A NEW BREAK ‘Last Night of the Warner Proms with the National Symphony Orchestra’ is coming to Warner Leisure Hotels next year. The new addition will be conducted and presented by renowned conductor Anthony Inglis and will feature opera singer Annette Wardell. Performances will feature on eight breaks including two that will be festively themed and named ‘The National Symphony Orchestra Presents a Warner Winter Festival’. Guests will be invited to sing-a-long to classic prom masterpieces such as Rule Britannia, Land of Hope and Glory and Jerusalem.

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The event will take place on the last night of each break and performance dates include Thoresby Hall Hotel on Sunday April 12, Littlecote House Hotel on Sunday May 10, Alvaston Hall on Thursday June 11, Sinah Warren Hotel on Thursday July 9, Nidd Hall Hotel on Thursday August 13 and Cricket St. Thomas Hotel on Thursday October 1. During the winter months the company will host its festive themed version of the performance ‘The National Symphony Orchestra Presents a Warner Winter Festival’ at Holme Lacy House Hotel on Saturday November 7 and at Sinah Warren Hotel on Saturday December 5.

A three-night break at Thoresby Hall Hotel, Nottinghamshire costs from £256 per person based on an April 10 arrival and two adults sharing a standard room, and includes the Simply Dine package. Nidd Hall

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puzzlebulletin Travagrams

Su Doku Win a £50 Love2Shop voucher in the

Su Doku prize puzzle

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

Number: 028

Ears Evils

A➠

B➠ Sail the ‘…… seas’ with this cruise line

C➠

Irresolute & Shorts

D➠

competition@travelbulletin.co.uk Closing date for entries is Thursday, July 24th. Solution and new puzzle will appear next week. The winner for 4th July is Noopur Singhal, A1 Travel Deals in London. July 4 Solution: A=6 B=9 C=7 D=1

Spanish family-owned hotel chain

Where Am I? image credit: Michał Huniewicz

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:

Capital city of Bosnia-Herzegovina

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

Number: 028

Across 1. Flag carrier of Lebanon (3) 3. Ancient port in Andalucía (5) 7. Cruise operator with a distinctive X logo (9) 8. English city with a famous Minster (4) 9. 11 Down offers Nostalgic tours along this historic river (4) 11. Devon village on Lyme Bay, sounds alcoholic (4) 12. Brand, part of 2 Down (4) 15. Kassandra is a popular part of this threepronged Greek peninsular (9) 16. Ferry operator (5) 17. Exeter International airport code (3)

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Down 1. They are famous for their Dead Parrot and Silly Walks (5,6) 2. Major hotel group (5) 3. Cheryl, who sings Crazy, Stupid Love (4) 4. The HQ of Aer Lingus is based at this city's airport (6) 5. Former name of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (5) 6. American singer / songwriter, sounds like her rise to stardom was fast (6,5) 10. Italian citybreak destination on a lagoon (6) 11. Worldwide tours and holidays operator (5) 13. State capital of Idaho (5) 14. Currency of Turkey (4)

For the solution to the Crossword, Where Am I? and Travagrams, please see page 30 July 18 2014

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newsbulletin Wendy Wu adds ten-day China adventure

agentreview Deborah Phillips from Newell's Travel Group in Liskeard went on a seven-night trip with Cosmos and stayed at the four-star LTI Neptun Beach in Bulgaria's Sunny Beach. Here's what she thought of the property...

First impressions ................................9/10 The hotel was very grand, with all glass frontage and we were welcomed immediately by the porters who took our bags to reception.

Comfort ..............................................9/10 The hotel was spotlessly clean and there were always cleaners milling around busy tidying up. The resort itself however is very devoid of character with no local charm it's all discos and 'erotic bars', not great!

Quality ................................................3/10 The food was terrible, lukewarm, reheated, and preferable service was definitely given to the German guests. Bar staff and waiters were very surly and never cracked a smile! Drinks were watered down.

WENDY WU Tours has launched a pioneering ten-day 'Jiuzhaigou Winter Wonderland and Ice Festival' itinerary, offering a journey to China’s UNESCO World Heritage site of the Nine Villages Valley, located in Jiuzhaigou National Park. As the only UK operator to feature the programme, the company is selling the exclusive tour through white labelled websites and, for the first time, has created a dedicated website for the region (www.jiuzhaigouholidays.com). The website features first hand testimonials as well as detailed information on the itinerary and a gallery of images. Travel partners include Bath Travel/ Hays Travel, Travel Counsellors, Travel Club Elite and Travel Village. Offering a unique combination similar to the Swiss Alps, Canada’s Rocky Mountains and Turkey’s Pamukkale region, the tour transports visitors to the mountains of the Sichuan Province, full of ragged peaks and vivid lakes, and introduces guests to the warm and welcoming culture of the local Tibetan communities. It departs on January 14, 2015 and leads in at £2,690 per person on a fully inclusive basis including flights, transport, accommodation, meals, touring with guides, entrance fees and visa fees for EU & UK passport holders. For details see www.bambuclub.co.uk or email tradesupport@wendywutours.co.uk

Affordability ........................................4/10 We paid £500 per person for the holiday. The quality was more like a three-star hotel.

Service ................................................3/10 Staff were courteous but surly with it and no smiles. We asked to change to a sea view room and pay the supplement, only to be asked to come back four times with a different excuse each time (the computer is down, manager is not here - all stalling tactics). On the last visit I refused to leave without an answer, and was told there were none available. If this was true or not, I don't know!

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

3/ 10

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

July 18 2014

THE BRISTOL Hotel, a member of the Doyle Collection, has launched a 'Discover the Dock' package costing from £115. It includes a 45minute tour of the harbour on The Bristol Packet, which takes in historic sites and allows guests to learn all about the city while relaxing on the water. Back on land, The Bristol Hotel’s location on the city’s harbourside provides an ideal base for exploring the city and its upcoming events. The package, which is available until the end of August, includes overnight accommodation and breakfast for two, two tickets for a 45-minute Bristol Packet tour, free parking, free Wi-fi and free use of the hotel gym. Additional nights at the hotel cost from £89 per night, room only. For details visit www.doylecollection.com/bristol

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Make a 3-Park Bonus Ticket** booking, from ÂŁ145, to enjoy two amazing theme parks plus Wet â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;n WildÂŽ waterpark. You could win one of 10 VIP Universal OrlandoÂŽ Resort Goodie Bags! Simply email your booking reference to Universal@attractionworld.com for your chance to win!â&#x20AC; HARRY POTTER, characters, names and related indicia are trademarks of and ÂŠ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter Publishing Rights ÂŠ JKR. (s14) *Additional restrictions apply. **3-Park Bonus Ticket entitles ONE (1) guest admission to Universal Studios FloridaÂŽ, Universalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Islands of AdventureÂŽ, AND Wet â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;n WildÂŽ Orlando, plus the paid entertainment venues at Universal CityWalkÂŽ, MVY \W [V MV\Y[LLU JVUZLJ\[P]L JHSLUKHY KH`Z ^OPJO PUJS\KLZ [OL Ă&#x201E; YZ[ KH` HU` [OLTL WHYR VY *P[`>HSRÂ&#x17D; WVY[PVU VM [OL [PJRL[ PZ \ZLK <U\ZLK KH`Z ^PSS IL MVYMLP[LK .\LZ[Z \[PSPaPUN ZLSM WHYRPUN WH` H WHYRPUN MLL VUS` VUJL WLY KH` ^P[O [OL presentation of that dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s paid parking receipt and valid ticket, regardless of how many parks are visited in one day. The 3-Park Bonus Ticket is not valid for separately ticketed events, concerts, or venues such as AMCÂŽ Universal Cineplex 20 ^P[O 04(?Â&#x17D; VY [OL )S\L 4HU .YV\W ZOV^ PU HU` VM [OL [OLTL WHYRZ VY *P[`>HSRÂ&#x17D; :VTL ]LU\LZ YLX\PYL HNLZ VY VSKLY MVY HKTPZZPVU =HSPK WOV[V 0+ YLX\PYLK (KKP[PVUHS YLZ[YPJ[PVUZ HWWS` HUK ILULĂ&#x201E; [Z HYL Z\IQLJ[ [V JOHUNL ^P[OV\[ UV[PJL Â? 4(9=,3 Â? >L[ ÂşU >PSK (SS YPNO[Z YLZLY]LK <UP]LYZHS LSLTLU[Z HUK HSS YLSH[LK PUKPJPH ;4 Â? <UP]LYZHS :[\KPVZ (SS YPNO[Z YLZLY]LK 9( â&#x20AC; ;LYTZ JVUKP[PVUZ! [V LU[LY [OL WYPaL NP]LH^H` JVTWL[P[PVU LTHPS `V\Y IVVRPUN YLMLYLUJL [V \UP]LYZHS'H[[YHJ[PVU^VYSK JVT I` (\N\Z[ HUK IL LU[LYLK PU[V V\Y WYPaL KYH^ [V ^PU H <UP]LYZHS 6YSHUKVÂ&#x17D; 9LZVY[ .VVKPL )HN 7YPaLZ HYL UVU [YHUZMLYHISL HUK JHUUV[ IL L_JOHUNLK MVY JHZO 4H_PT\T VUL WYPaL WLY ^PUULY >PUULYZ ^PSS IL ZLSLJ[LK H[ YHUKVT HM[LY [OL LU[Y` KLHKSPUL (M[LY [OPZ KH[L UV M\Y[OLY LU[YPLZ [V [OL JVTWL[P[PVU ^PSS IL WLYTP[[LK (SS ^PUULYZ ^PSS IL UV[PĂ&#x201E; LK KPYLJ[S` VU [OL LTHPS HKKYLZZ \ZLK [V LU[LY [OL JVTWL[P[PVU 7HY[PJPWHU[Z T\Z[ OH]L H <2 HKKYLZZ [OH[ [OL WYPaL JHU IL WVZ[LK [V (KKP[PVUHS YLZ[YPJ[PVUZ TH` HWWS` HUK [OL MVYLNVPUN ILULĂ&#x201E; [Z HYL Z\IQLJ[ [V JOHUNL ^P[OV\[ UV[PJL

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bulletinbriefing

Industry Insight by... Colin O’Neill, business development director of Advantage, explains why tracking business performance is key to predicting future behaviour AVING THE level and quality of information to track business performance has been considered a weakness across the travel industry for some time, often making it difficult to properly plan future activity.

If you consider the level of sophistication that organisations in other business sectors such as the grocery industry have developed in their management information gathering, it is really concerning how far behind the travel industry is lagging. And having an ability to track business performance is only really the base entry level - using that data to not only track sales but to also predict future behaviour is the real prize. This ultimate need has become very apparent over recent weeks as the central team at the Advantage Travel Partnership has begun the process of replacing our current central database with a new CRM system. The new system once fully functioning later this year will not only allow us to collate all our current interactions with our member and business partners, but will over time, provide us with the opportunity to anticipate future requirements. It is fair to say that Amazon has for sometime, been intelligently contacting on a regular basis to confidently

inform us that other customers who bought the same product as us, also purchased these products too; and whilst we don't always go along with their advice, we invariably take a look at their recommendation just the same. I guess that the clues to the benefits of a CRM system were there all the time, in that the technology is there to manage the relationship between the organisation and the customer. The most psychologically telling thing a CRM system can do is to create a relationship with the customer - we can get to know them better, understand what they do and don't like and, most importantly, predict what they may like in the future. Bringing it back to travel, this is something that good agents and operators have been doing for years but now this special relationship can be managed and maintained in a controlled environment. As always, the positive lessons that we will no doubt learn through the installation process will be used to guide and support members with their customers. Life and business are often far from predictable but who knows what we may be able to do in the future to bring a little more certainty to the relationships that we have with our customers.

School holiday deals from Belleair

PRIZE PORSCHE...Elite Island Resorts handed over the keys to its Porsche Boxster S to top selling Travel Councellor, Cheryl Harradine from Cambridge. Cheryl won two weeks of fun summer motoring at the Travel Councellors’ regional meeting last month. Pictuted with Cheryl is Colin Pegler from Elite Island Resorts.

July 18 2014

BELLEAIR HOLIDAYS is offering a selection of value family holidays for agents to offer their clients, with discounts of up to £100 per family of four for departures between July 23 and September 4. The offer is available for new holiday bookings to Malta, Gozo and Comino, for seven nights or more in all the operator's featured properties including hotels, apartments and farmhouses, for all choices of meal options from selfcatering to all-Inclusive. As examples, a 14-night breakfast stay at the three-star San Pawl Hotel costs from £2,414 per family of four, offering a saving of £220 per family. The price includes direct flights from Birmingham, accommodation in a superior family room, transfers and complimentary entrance to a selected Malta attraction. It is based on two adults and two children sharing for an August 12 departure. For further information or to make a booking visit www.belleair.co.uk/agents or call 0845-365 3412.

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personalitybulletin

Carly Charteris Business development manager, Premier Holidays At work

At home What's your favourite household gadget? My Slow Cooker – especially in the winter after a long day on the road, coming home to a warm meal is wonderful. What are your favourite TV programmes? I love a good American drama - Grey’s Anatomy and Nashville are my current favourites. What's a typical weekend for you like? When I’m not supporting agents with trade shows, I like to support my son who plays basketball. I also enjoy time with friends and family, the cinema and a good BBQ in the summer months. What's your guilty pleasure? Galaxy chocolate. What do you do to relax? I love a spot of gardening or if I’m feeling like really spoiling myself, you can’t beat a lovely relaxing day at a Spa. What music do you listen to? I have really varied taste from Motown and Queen which I was brought up on and a bit of Madonna from my teenage years, to now being influenced by my son’s favourites which are Green Day and Razorlight! I’m not sure if it’s a sign of getting older but I’m loving country music at the moment - the last album I downloaded was Kacey Musgraves, Same Trailer Different Park. What's your favourite movie? The Notebook, a beautiful story and a beautifully shot film. What's been your latest DIY project? I took a week off to redecorate my kitchen/dining room – I love a bit of wall papering!

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What other companies/organisations have you previously worked for? Midlands Co-op Travel, RCI (now Affinion), I was a Travel Counsellor and then I moved into business development, The Global Travel Group/Triton Rooms. If you could change one thing in the industry what would it be? That online discounts were not permitted. I truly believe in the value of a good travel agent. What personal item do you have on your desk at work? In addition to the obligatory family photo, I have a baby Orang Utan made from clay. What's the best thing about your job? Seeing an agent, who has maybe never booked with us before or not booked for a long time, value the service and the wonderful destinations we offer, and entrust us with their business following a visit from myself or supporting them at an event. What's a typical day like? Once a week I am in the office keeping up to

date on our campaigns and catching up with our teams based there. Apart from that, no two days are the same - agent visits, events, training, webinars, fam trips…that’s why I love my job, variety is the spice of life! What's your favourite travel app? The London Underground app - I would definitely be lost without it! Who has been your inspiration in the travel industry? I continue to be inspired by the fantastic people in our industry and I have been lucky enough to work with many of these during my first 20 years in the travel industry. I hope to be inspired as much in the next 20. What was the last email you received? From an agent who is booked on our forthcoming fam trip to the Channel Islands. What item do you always take with you when travelling? My Snuggle Socks - cosy warm feet are everything.

At play Where would you most like to visit and why? I have many places on my wish list and am lucky enough to be ticking some off my list later this year. After those, next on the list will be Thailand, The Deep South in the USA and Indochina. What are your hobbies? Basketball has taken over most of our weekends; we even go and watch pro games so that would be my top hobby at present, being a basketball mum. What's your favourite (non-work related) website? Ocado, online grocery shopping is genius! Do you use social media for work and play? Yes, I’ve been on Facebook for years but have learnt to embrace Twitter, mainly for work, over the past three years and now use it for both work and play.

What trait do you dislike in other people? Lies, I’d rather people be truthful even if I might not like what I hear. What is your best quality? Being able to look on the bright side. Life can always try and get you down, but you only get one and I intend to enjoy mine to the fullest - a smile and a laugh can make someone’s day. What's your most embarrassing moment? Breaking a shoe whilst visiting agents in Cornwall and failing to try and repair it in front of an agent by borrowing their stapler - it was a long hobble back to the car park! If you could invent a new law, what would it be? For chocolate to contain no calories… especially Galaxy.

July 18 2014

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eventbulletin Travel Bulletin played host to a Far East Showcase event earlier this month at The Midland Hotel in Manchester. The event gave agents the opportunity to learn more about the range of destinations and products on offer and, at the same time, win a range of fantastic prizes...

COOKING WITH CAITLIN....Danielle Caitlin from Thomas Cook in Wilmslow collects a Ching Cook Book from Diogo Castanheira of Wendy Wu Tours. WINE O'CLOCK... Jeanette Ratcliffe (left) from Travel Bulletin presents Bingo winner, Rachel Howes from The Co-operative Travel in Marple, with a bottle of wine.

STAR LINE-UP... From the left are: David Livingstone, Skylord Travel; Paul Knight, Knights Travel; Kate Fisher, Paige Healey and Rachel Uttley, Thomas Cook, Bury; David Bruce, Alila Hotels and Resorts; and Gaynor Bates, Thomas Cook, Bury.

SUMMER'S HERE!...Hayley Anderson (left) from All Leisure Holidays presents Stephanie Robinson from Moorend Travel with a summer hamper.

FANCY A FAM?... Rachel Uttley from Thomas Cook, Bury won a place on a Cathay Pacific Manchester fam from the carrier's Keith Harrison.

July 18 2014

WHAT'S COOKING?...Prize winner Paul Cahill from Thomas Cook Southport collects his Indochine Cook Book from Lesley Wright of Travel Indochina.

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eventbulletin Right: FULL HOUSE...Bingo winner, Jade Edwards (left) from STA Travel picks up a box of chocolates from Travel Bulletin's Jeanette Ratcliffe.

CHINA SHOWCASE...Getting ready to greet agents is the China National Tourist Board's Li Wang and Rachel Hu.

FAR EAST FRIENDS... From the left are: Ling Gao and Paul Davies, Magical China/Magical Japan; and Yumi Takakubo Japan National Tourist Organisation.

CLAIRE'S COUP...Claire Oakes (left) from Thomas Cook, Bury picks up a bottle of rice wine from Yumi Takakubo of the Japan National Tourist Office.

PANDA PALS... Gaynor Bates (middle) from Thomas Cook, Bury collects her giant panda prize from Li Wang and Rachel Hu of the China National Tourist Board.

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BREAK BUDDIES...Jade Edwards from STA Travel, Oxford Road, won a four-night stay at one of Alila Hotels & Resorts' properties from the hotel group's David Bruce.

MAGICAL PRIZE...Travel Counsellor, Ann Barber (left) collects a bottle of wine from Ling Gao of Magical China/Magical Japan.

July 18 2014

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training

NO GAIN

Discover the latest additions to Travel Gym, Travel Bulletin’s online learning portal for travel agents. Log on now at www.travelbulletin.co.uk/travel-gym to complete some of the courses currently appearing, including... Gibraltar offers something for everyone, with its incredible history & heritage and a fantastic range of activities. Training consists of two parts and include modules such as Key Attractions, Things To Do, Where To Stay, How To Get There, Top 10 Selling Points, Cruise & Cruise Excursions, Weddings & Honeymoons and Special Interest. Agents who successfully complete the course will receive Gibraltar Tourist Board certification and will be entered into a number of prize draws for M&S vouchers and priority booking at roadshows and fam trips.

Discover the world of the Lufthansa Group and get to know all about: Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and SWISS. Spend just a few minutes completing our course for your chance of winning: one of four pairs of flights, a Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 or one of four “Zip” fitbits.

We have re-launched our agent training www.seaworldparksagents.co.uk with lots of exciting new content. On completing the course, agents will receive a goodie bag and certificate, and will gain access to our exclusive newsletters. To celebrate, we are also giving away places on our annual fam trip to Orlando.

In 2013, 191,090 UK travellers visited Japan. This number is increasing, but how much do you know about Japan? JNTO’s Japan online training is simple and concise and consists of six modules packed with essential knowledge to sell Japan. Once you have completed these modules, you'll feel much more confident in selling Japan.

Barceló Group is present in 16 countries worldwide with more than 142 hotels, and is a leader in four- and five-star, all-inclusive hotels in Latin America and the Caribbean. Our flagship property, Barceló Bávaro Beach Resort, is located on Playa Bávaro which is considered one of the best beaches in the world, and consists of two new hotels Barceló Bávaro Palace Deluxe and Barceló Bávaro Beach.

To promote your online training course on the Travel Gym call 020 7834 6661 18

July 18 2014

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training New incentive from Hoseasons HOSEASONS IS offering agents the chance to win one of ten £20 Love2Shop vouchers upon successful completion of all four modules on the company's online training programme at www.hoseasonsexpert .co.uk, valid until July 31. The programme includes informative product information enabling agents to match customers’ needs with the correct product, hints and tips on how to best navigate the site, trends to help agents sell UK breaks, plus tools to find the best deals.

PRESTIGE HOLIDAYS recently hosted a nine-day fam to Canada’s Pacific Coast and the Rockies for seven independent agents. The trip included visits to Vancouver Island, Victoria, Kamloops, Jasper, Lake Louise and Banff. Highlights included a three-hour whale-watching trip, Silver and GoldLeaf service on the Rocky Mountaineer, an Ice Explorer ride on the surface of the Athabasca Glacier and Jasper National Parks’ newest attraction, the Glacier SkyWalk. Pictured enjoying the Rocky Mountaineer are David Skillicorn, Prestige Holidays; Tricia Beattie (left), Off Broadway Travel; and Lucy Sorton, Go Travel.

Premier Holidays promotes new cruise section for agents in online scheme PREMIER HOLIDAYS offers an online training scheme for agents that covers all areas of the operator’s portfolio in the form of training manuals, with Q&A sections included. Each online section offers detailed information on the destinations that the company offers, along with a new cruise section and helpful hints and tips. Some of the answers can be found in the operator’s brochures or on its website. Each module has a pass rate of 75%, with congratulatory certificates

and emails supplied to all agents exceeding the pass rate. Agents who achieve 100% on any module will be awarded with a ‘Premier Holidays Expert’ title and logo. Agents should log on to the company's trade website and select ‘resources’ followed by ‘travel training’ to use any of the training manuals. In addition, the company's national sales manager, Dave Kneale, and business development manager, Carly Charteris, will be visiting agents across the country

Premier's Dave Kneale (left) offers Guernsey training to Mark Frost from Northampton Travel.

throughout the summer, offering training on the new 2015 brochures and launching a series of interactive training webinars for agents to access online. Agents can also benefit from the company's agent incentive, earning between

£25-£150 per long-haul booking, dependent on the booking value and £5 for every booking to the Channel Islands and Isle of Man. For further information visit www.trade.premier holidays.co.uk

Grenada Tourism Authority spices up summer by taking to the road to train agents GRENADA MAY be well-known for its chocolate and rum, its jubilant carnival and great dive sites, but the Grenada Tourism Authority, which launched its new Pure Grenada brand six months ago, is taking to the road this summer to show UK travel agents that the island offers much more than uncrowded beaches and lush rainforest. Sharon Bernstein, the tourism authority's general manager, aims to train record numbers of agents this year and sign them up to the Grenada Ambassador training programme, part

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of the CTO’s recently launched Travel Guru online platform. She said: “Grenada is one of the best places for sailing in the Caribbean and also offers a safe and fun place for families to enjoy activities such as cycling, kayaking, river tubing and paddle boarding. For foodies, there’s a new micro-brewery and a new chocolate factory to visit, as well as dozens of family-run restaurants serving the freshest seafood and local dishes.” Training includes all agents need to know about selling and upselling the

island, including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic flight schedules from Gatwick, plus accommodation updates. Bernstein said: “Most hotels are family-managed and run, so guests feel a real connection to Grenadians when they visit. The new Sandals LaSource continues to thrive and other properties, such as Calabash, are undertaking renovations and refurbishments to ensure they remain in pristine condition.” For further information on the training and interactive webinars call 020-8328 0644.

July 18 2014

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cyprus&greece

SET IN the picturesque bay of Kissamos in the rustic village of Kastelli, Crete, the YouPhoria Villas have been designed with luxury holiday living in mind. Each villa has been finished to the highest specification with the emphasis on outdoor entertaining, dining and relaxation, and all villas have their own private pool. Ideal for families or small groups, the villas offer one- and two-bedrooms, one reception room and can accommodate three and five people respectively. Prices start from €1,750 per week for a one-bedroom villa or €1,960 for a two-bedroom villa. The nearest airport is Chania, 30-minutes away, and is served by easyjet, Monarch and Ryanair. For details visit www.youphoriavillascrete.com, email info@youphoriavillascrete.com or call 0871-990 2070.

Olympic encourages agents to promote active holidays TRAVEL AGENTS should familiarise themselves with the wide variety of sporting options available in Cyprus, suggests Olympic Holidays. The operator's commercial director, Photis Lambrianides, said: "While the Cyprus coast offers all varieties of watersports, from diving and snorkelling to sailing and waterskiing, hotels help to meet the needs of those visitors more into land-based activities. "Agents can confidently recommend Cyprus to clients wishing to partake in their favourite sport or even try out a new activity on holiday – they certainly won't be disappointed. Among the top hotels, holidaymakers will find golf, tennis on floodlit courts, squash, badminton,

Tennis at Le Meridien

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horse-riding and more, while in the mountains they'll find great hiking opportunities." For golfers, the company offers the testing Cabell Robinson-designed Aphrodite Hills course among the hills close to Paphos, a par-72 layout of 6,232m that will challenge the best players. Aphrodite Hills' tennis academy has nine courts and offers professional coaching at all levels. Horse-riding with tuition, nature trails and biking trails add to the resort's variety. Meanwhile, tennis players will also find good facilities at Le Meridien Limassol Spa & Resort with its four courts, as well as the Four Seasons, Royal Apollonia and Grand Resort, all in Limassol. There are floodlit courts, too, at the

Golden Bay Beach Hotel and Palm Beach Hotel & Bungalows in Larnaca; the Grecian Park Hotel in Protaras; and Grecian Sands Hotel in Agia Napa. Squash players, meanwhile, might want to take their gear to Cyprus, as there are squash courts at hotels including the Golden Coast hotel in Protaras and Grecian Bay Hotel in Agia Napa. Away from the coast, the Troodos Mountains offer hiking on good trails in summer and skiing in winter. Accommodation can be in one of a selection of village houses in Omodhos. Diving enthusiasts are also well served in Cyprus, with PADI centres at a number of hotels including the Elysium in Paphos and the Four Seasons and Mediterranean Beach in Limassol. As an example of prices, a seven-night, self-catering stay at Aphrodite Hills Villas costs from £579 per person in September. It includes flights from Gatwick and transfers. Golf can be prebooked at Aphrodite Hills from £46 per person, per day. For more information call 0844-499 4449 or see www.olympicholidays.com

Sandy Feet programme from Skiathos Princess CLIENTS LOOKING to stay at Skiathos Princess Hotel in Skiathos between July 25 and August 2 will be able to enjoy (for an additional cost of £800 per person) one-to-one bespoke exercise sessions on a daily basis. Guests opting for the one-week Sandy Feet programme will also be offered a 'pure' menu designed to energise and revitalise and a full relaxation programme to balance and indulge the body. As an example of prices, Sovereign Luxury Travel offers seven nights at the five-star hotel from £4,4579 per family of four, based on two adults and two children sharing a deluxe family room on a bed-andbreakfast basis. It includes flights from Gatwick and private transfers, and is based on an August 27 departure. For details call 0843-770 4526 or see www.sovereign.com

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cyprus&greece Planet Holidays adds new short breaks, boutique properties & islands to portfolio PLANET HOLIDAYS reports that while Cyprus sales have been 'sluggish' due to pricing, Greece has been performing well for the operator. The company's commercial and aviation director, Harry Kyrillou, said: "Cyprus continues to be sluggish and this is mainly to do with pricing and Cyprus’ perceived ‘expensive’ label; bottled water for €4 and €8 for a cold coffee frappe is not competitive, and what is selling is discounted. "Greece is doing exceptionally well judging by the vast number of stop sales coming through. Rhodes and Crete are also doing exceptionally well and we attribute this to Greece’s continued popularity and hoteliers offering early booking deals." Santorini and Mykonos are currently the operator's top sellers in Greece with Paphos leading the way in Cyprus. The operator reports that Cyprus is still suffering with unlicensed villas, which makes it easier for travellers to tie up a

Up to 50% summer savings from Sunvil Holidays SUNVIL HOLIDAYS is currently offering discounts on trips to Greece this summer where, for last-minute departures within two weeks, some properties have been discounted by more than 50%. Throughout next month, a selection of properties have discounts of up to 10% or more. As examples, a week’s stay at Haroula Apartments in SouthEast Pelion now costs £629 per person (from £713) including flights from Gatwick and transfers, based on an August 8 departure, while a week’s stay at Rodanthi Apartments in Sivota now costs £619 (from £678) including flights from Gatwick on August 10 and transfers. For further information or to make a booking call 020-8758 4758 or see www.sunvil.co.uk

low-cost flight with cheap accommodation, undermining what a retailer and specialist operators are offering. Kyrillou said: “For 2015 we are looking to decrease the number of hotels featured across both Greece and Cyprus. Sadly hoteliers are very complacent when it comes to specialists, we are treated as the insignificant minority until they hit a difficult patch.” For 2015, the company will be looking to add more boutique properties in Greece and smaller islands such as Thassos, as well as on mainland Thessaloniki. It is also looking at some of the lesser-known islands. Thessaloniki will be featured as a short break destination in the same way that the company currently combines short breaks to Athens with longer stays on the islands. It is also looking to offer combined breaks to Thessaloniki with Halkidiki or anywhere else in Greece. Kyrillou said: “Agents have come to

Archipelagos Hotel in Kato Livadi, Mykonos has performed well for the operator

know us for tailor-made holidays that they cannot organise through traditional tour operators, and whilst the masses are still drawn by the traditional package of all-inclusive including the kitchen sink, there are a good bank of discerning travellers that know Greece well, know what they are looking for and want a specialist to get them there, or for island-hopping and multi-centre stays, fly/drives and so on. “Agents that have such clients know to come to us and that we will get it organised competitively and properly, delivering them a happy customer.”

Neilson adds The Messini Beachclub for summer THE MESSINI Beachclub is Neilson's newest property which opened in May and is located in Greece’s southern Peloponnese. The resort’s vast sailing area provides gentle morning breezes, ideal for canoeing, stand-up paddle boarding and water-skiing, followed by moderate afternoon winds that are ideal for sailors and windsurfers. The surrounding area is also popular for mountain biking with a mixture of challenging climbs and easy access to local villages, unspoilt

beaches and the medieval castles of Messini. A one-week holiday costs from £699 per person based on two sharing and includes flights from Heathrow, transfers and half-board accommodation plus four evening meals. Activities are also included - from watersports including RYA tuition and kids' clubs, to complimentary tennis coaching, fitness classes and mountain biking. For further information visit www.neilson.co.uk or call 0844-879 8155.

Late summer deals & property additions from Travel 2 TRAVEL 2 has unveiled a range of late summer deals to Greece and Cyprus and has also announced new additions to its portfolio. The operator's general manager of short haul product and purchasing, Ricky Wason, said: “Ikos Resorts introduces itself as a new luxury hotel chain in Greece with two new hotels in Halkidiki from 2015 – Ikos Oceania and Ikos Olivia. The chain is formed of a partnership between Sani S.A (owners of Sani Resort) and Oaktree Capital Management UK, and our mission is to contribute to the further development of Greek and Mediterranean tourism by

July 18 2014

creating a differentiated high end lifestyle offering for the international affluent holidaymaker.” Ikos Oceania is currently featured in the company's Simply Luxury programme, and the hotel will receive further investment for the 2015 summer season. For this year, Oceania Club & Spa is currently offering 20% discount for August, September and October travel dates. Meanwhile, late deals for the remainder of the summer season include a 15% discount on all Suites at Domes of Elounda in Greece, which is ideal for young families and couples; 20%

discount for October travel, including half-term dates, at Greece's Sani Beach Club; a half-board upgrade at Cyprus' Intercontinental Aphrodite Hills; and a halfboard upgrade at the adultonly Constantinou Bros Asimina Suites in Cyprus. As an example of prices, a seven-night stay at the fivestar Oceania Club & Spa in Greece, including flights from London and private transfers, leads in at £599 per person. The deal offers a saving of £115 per couple and is based on an October 20 departure. It includes all-inclusive accommodation. For further information or to book visit www.travel2.com

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cyprus&greece Greek gourmet experiences at Crete's Daios Cove Luxury Resort & Villas DAIOS COVE Luxury Resort & Villas is highlighting gourmet experiences to guests. Nestled in the heart of Eastern Crete, near to Agios Nikolaos, the resort features a collection of restaurants, all of which offer gastronomic experiences and a wide range of dining options. As an example, a four-course 'Lobster Evening' takes place every Friday for guests at the Ocean restaurant which overlooks the lit pool and sea. Highlights include asparagus soup with lobster and black sesame followed by lobster tartar with cucumber ratatouille, truffle and samphire. Staff are on hand to offer wine and Champagne pairing suggestions to

add to the experience, and prices lead in at approximately £60 per adult and £36 per child (aged six-12), excluding beverages. A 'Traditional Greek Night' is also being promoted, where guests can sample local food and experience traditional dishes while overlooking the private cove. Highlights include Greek dancing, ricestuffed vine leaves (Nτolmadakia), tomato meatballs (Soutzoukakia) and walnut pie with mastic ice cream and fresh yoghurt with raisins. Prices are from approximately £48 per adult and £32 per child. Children up to the age of six can dine for free on both offers. Sovereign Luxury Travel is offering

seven nights in a deluxe sea view room from £1,299 per person, which includes a saving of £445 per couple, a complimentary upgrade to half-board, flights from Gatwick with Monarch, UK airport lounge access and private transfers, based on a September 23 departure. For details see www.sovereign.com Classic Collection Holidays is offering seven nights from £1,575 this September, based on two sharing a deluxe double room on a bed-and-breakfast basis. It includes flights from Gatwick and private transfers. For details see www.classiccollection.co.uk or call 0800-294 9318.

Attraction World highlights bestsellers ATTRACTION WORLD is promoting its best-selling breaks in Cyprus for agents to promote. As examples, a visit to WaterWorld in Agia Napa costs £35 per adult and £20 per child aged three-12 years. The waterpark's theme is based on ancient Greek mythology and the attraction offers a selection of flumes, waterslides and attractions. Also popular is a Troodos Safari in Larnaca, which costs from £61 per adult and £44 per child aged two11. Guests begin their journey with a stop at the Camel Park, before going off-road, passing through various picturesque villages, until reaching Lefkara. Here, guests will have the chance to browse village streets before continuing on to Arakapas Village to see a traditional outdoor village oven in action, with the opportunity to sample fresh baked 'olive pie' and 'trimithodi' (village herb bread). Other highlights of the trip include lunch in a traditional mountain village restaurant, a visit to a waterfall and a trip to the mountainside villages to sample traditional Cypriot sweets.

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cyprus&greece Palm Beach signs with Thomas Cook & Classic Collection THE FOUR-star Palm Beach Hotel and Bungalows, located on the coast just outside Larnaka in Cyprus re-opened in March following extensive renovations. These included the upgrade of second floor rooms, the creation of 29 superior sea view rooms, completion of the refurbishment of the 40 luxury garden studios and full renovation of the Royal Suites and connecting superior sea view rooms. The Adelphi Lounge, where guests can relax and enjoy cocktails or afternoon

tea, read books from the small library and watch TV, and the lobby area have also been refurbished with the addition of a Sushi Bar. Guests can make use of computers in the lounge as well as Wi-Fi access throughout all the hotel’s public areas. Outside the tennis courts have been resurfaced. Antonis Papakyriakou, general manager of the resort, said: “We are delighted with how our guests so far this year have reacted to the refurbishments for the busy

summer season, offering an even better, more luxurious place to stay this year, with some of the best hotel facilities, rooms and luxury suites in Larnaka. “We have also signed contracts for 2015 with Thomas Cook and Classic Collection Holidays." Rooms are available at the Palm Beach Hotel from £91 per room, per night based on two people sharing a twin garden view room and including breakfast. For more information see www.palmbeachhotel.com

Themed holidays for solo travellers from Crete's Mistral Hotel MISTRAL HOTEL’S concept, Mistral Singles, is for solo travellers from their 30s up to their 70s, who desire good food, good company and a choice of interesting excursions. As well as a selection of activities and excursions, the Crete property, which is located in the historic village of Maleme, offers a varied selection of themed holidays that take advantage of its picturesque surroundings. Examples include walking, painting and cultural holidays, as well as singing and dancing breaks, and spring flowers and photography itineraries. For clients feeling more adventurous, the resort offers scuba diving, catering for both

beginners and more experienced divers. The hotel has a total of 33 rooms, ten superior and 23 deluxe rooms and is surrounded by landscaped gardens. Each room features a balcony and king size bed, while onsite facilities include two large swimming pools, an outdoor Jacuzzi and a holistic treatment room. Prices in late July start from £555 per person for a week on half-board including transfers from Chania Airport. There is no single supplement. For bookings or further information visit www.singlesincrete.com, email info@singlesincrete.com or call 0871-990 2070.

Kefalonia addition for summer 2015 from Jet2holidays/Jet2.com JET2.COM and Jet2holidays are highlighting a selection of flights and holidays to Cyprus and Greece, plus a new holiday destination announced for summer 2015 – Kefalonia. The sunshine hotspot brings further growth to two of the companies' UK bases – Leeds Bradford and Manchester airports. Peter Kearns, tour operations director at Jet2holidays, said: “We are continually looking to expand our range of destinations and product offering to give our customers an unrivalled selection of great value holiday options direct from their local airports. We chose Kefalonia because it really complements our existing

mix of top European leisure destinations and, judging from feedback from agents, we think they will be a very popular choice for our customers." Flights to the destination start from £80 per person one-way, including taxes and

Karavados, Greece

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a 22kg baggage allowance, while seven-night packages to resorts including Lassi and Sami start from £369 per person. For details or to book call 0800-408 5587 or visit https://tradesite.jet2 holidays.com

Leger adds Ancient Greek tours to collection LEGER HOLIDAYS has introduced two new Ancient Greek tours to its programme for this year one by air and the other by Silver Service luxury coach. A Classical Greece by coach option visits Athens – dominated by the mighty Acropolis, Epidaurus, the archaeological site of Mycenae and Olympia- the birthplace of the games, along with other significant sites. Prices lead in at £1,459 per person, based on a May 16, 2015 departure, including 13 nights’ breakfast accommodation, one lunch and nine evening meals, two overnight ferry crossings and travel by Silver Service luxury coach from more than 510 regional joining points. Included excursions include Meteora, Athens, Corinth Canal, Epidaurus, Nafplion, Mycenae and Olympia, while optional excursions include the Saronic Islands, Corinth and Nemea. A Treasures of Greece by Air itinerary explores the country's ancient cities, with trips to Athens, as well as Mycenae, Epidaurus and Nafplio, which form the hub of Ancient Greece, Olympia the birthplace of the games, the Nafpaktos, the famous naval town of Galaxidi and the home of the oracle- Delphi. Prices lead in at £935 per person, based on a June 5, 2015 departure, including nine nights’ breakfast accommodation, nine evening meals, a guide, flights, airport transfers, airport taxes and travel by airconditioned executive coach. For further information or to book call 0844-504 6250 or visit www.leger.co.uk

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cyprus&greece MarBella Corfu rebrand THE RECENT rebrand of MarBella Corfu (previously The Marbella Beach Hotel) marks the culmination of three years' dedicated investment and the end of a journey which has seen a complete transformation of the property. New for this summer, the hotel is introducing Aerial Yoga which takes place above ground by using a low hanging, wide aerial sling to aid traditional yoga postures. Individual and group classes will be available, taking advantage of the natural surroundings by hanging from trees or inside in a dedicated yoga area. The hotel has also teamed up with Classic Collection Holidays to bring guests an evening of laughter and commentary with Alan Wright, which will take place during the week of August 29-September 5. The operator offers seven nights at the property from £1,169 per person, based on two sharing a superior garden view room on a half-board basis, including flights with easyJet and private transfers, based on an August 29 departure. For more information or to book call 0800-294 9318 or see www.classiccollection.co.uk

THE GREEK National Tourism Organisation has sponsored the Travel Foundation’s ‘Make Holidays Greener' campaign this month and is highlighting how holidaymakers can get closer to nature in Greece. Ideas include animal watching, such as brown bears, where the population of brown bears in Greece is estimated at 350-400. They live in two independent populations and do not communicate geographically. The largest population lives in the area of Pindus mountain range and belongs to the population of the Dinaric Alps mountain chain. The second lives in the area of Rhodope mountain range. In recent years there is consistent evidence of bear presence in the Olympus/Voras mountainous axis and in central Greece, up to the mountainous district of Nafpaktos, where the species had been absent for the past 70 years. Other ideas include visiting marine parks, discovering the island's fauna and flora and agrotourism.

Santorini welcomes opening of new luxury hotel A NEW luxury boutique hotel has opened on the island of Santorini, Greece’s leading honeymoon spot and luxury destination. The five-star Iconic Santorini is a unique boutique cave hotel carved from the island’s volcanic caldera wall and offers 22 luxury rooms and suites and authentic Santorini cuisine. Located in the picturesque village of Imerovigli, the highest settlement along the caldera, the property is built 336m above sea level on the edge of steep cliffs and offers panoramic views of the sea and the remains of a huge crater. A short walk from the hotel, guests can reach markets, quaint

shops, historical architecture and an choice of local tavernas and restaurants. The hotel’s 22 rooms and suites are individually designed and offer an elegant and authentic Greek styling. Keeping the uneven shapes of the rustic yet dignified walls, the rooms and suites recall their simple origins of former historic cave homes that were once dug out by locals in the village. Elements of the original homes were incorporated in the design of the rooms: the fireplace in the Iconic Suite originates from a former bakery’s stone oven, while heated indoor pools in the Grotto or Cliff Suites were once wells that the locals used to collect

rainwater. Each room features a verandah, all-natural COCO-MAT four layer bedding, high speed internet, flat-screen TVs with satellite channels and Aesop bath products. On-site facilities include a gym and spa, with a full range of professional exercise equipment and a private room for single or couples massages; and an indoor grotto pool. Room rates start at €495 for a 'Traditional Room' up to €2,995 for an Iconic Suite which offers its own pool and grotto. Rates include breakfast, mineral water, soft drinks and taxes. For further information see www.iconicsantorini.com or email reservations@iconic santorini.com

Solos Holidays promotes exclusive three-star Crete property in Gouves for late summer EXCLUSIVE TO Solos Holidays, the three-star Iraklis Apartments in the resort of Gouves, on the island of Crete, offers an ideal late summer/early autumn option for single clients. The operator is highlighting the resort as an ideal base for exploring, yet still remains charming and traditionally Greek, with nearby

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attractions including the archaeological sites of Heraklion, the tourist town of Malia, the Bronze Age site of Knossos and boat trips to the island of Spinalonga. The company reports good availability on departures for August 26 and September 2, 9 and 30, with flights from Gatwick or Manchester. A seven-night package, including

flights from Gatwick on September 9, costs from £739 per person. Transfers, breakfast, three on-site tavern dinners, a welcome drink and information meeting, plus the services of a tour leader are also included. For more information or to book call 0844-371 8860 or see www.solosholidays.co.uk

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mexico

VIRGIN HOLIDAYS is offering seven nights' all-inclusive accommodation at the five-star Barcelo Maya Beach Resort, including scheduled flights with Virgin Atlantic and transfers. Prices lead in at £1,035 based on two adults and two children travelling and sharing a superior room for a September 16 departure. To book or for more information see www.vhols4agents.co.uk or call 0844-557 3973.

New Treasures of the Yucatan option from Trafalgar with prices from £1,250 TRAFALGAR HAS introduced a new trip to its portfolio, Treasures of the Yucatan, which offers visits to popular sights in the Yucatan Peninsula. Starting from the eastern city of Cancun, guests will have the opportunity to explore and take in sights such as the ancient Mayan Ruins and the Yucatan’s first capital

Free child stays from Club Med CLUB MED is highlighting free stays for children aged under six. As an example of prices, a seven-night, allinclusive stay at the operator's Cancun Yucatan resort leads in at £1,045 per adult and £725 per child (over six). The resort is ideal for families looking for relaxation coupled with activities including kayaking, sailing, scuba diving, snorkelling, waterskiing and wakeboarding. Watersports are available for children aged 11 and above.

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in Valladolid. After a day of sightseeing in the colonial city of Merida, guests are offered free time for rest and relaxation. The following day, lunch is taken at a local beach restaurant before an evening at the Chaya Maya Mansion and taking in the main historical sights and sounds of Merida. Other highlights of the trip include visits to Campeche and

Uxmal, followed by a scenic drive to Chichen Itza for the last evening, before heading back to Cancun. Prices for the eight-day trip start from £1,250 per person, including breakfast accommodation, VIP doorto-door airport transfers, sightseeing and a travel director. For more information visit www.trafalgar.com

Exodus’ new cycling tour explores the Yucatan Peninsula

EXODUS HAS introduced a new tour, which is being highlighted as ideal for cycling enthusiasts looking to visit the Yucatan Peninsula. The 11-day Cycling in Mexico option departs on November 8 and follows Yucatan’s backroads. Cyclists will go through colourful villages, explore Mayan pyramids and temples and swim in the

waters of enormous canyons. The trip concludes on the Riviera Maya, where there is the opportunity to snorkel or relax on the beach. Prices start from £1,999 per person for 11 days including flights and breakfast accommodation. For further information or to book see www.exodus.co.uk or call 0845-863 9600.

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mexico Funway sees demand for all-inclusive properties following new developments FUNWAY HOLIDAYS reports that it has seen a boost in all-inclusive hotels throughout Mexico. The operator's product manager, Malcolm Davies, said: “Improvements in the range and features of all-inclusive resorts have been a consistent trend in Mexico over recent years, and our portfolio of hotels has kept pace with all these new developments. "AMResorts in particular has been investing heavily in its Mexico properties, and will soon open the Dreams Sands Cancun and the new Zoetry Villa Rolandi, situated on idyllic Isla Mujeres, just off the coast of Cancun. "Excellence Resorts has also continued its expansion with the opening of the Finest Playa Mujeres property, which welcomes both families and adults. We are proud to be among the first tour operators to offer these exciting new resorts, which succeed in reinventing the traditional all-inclusive holiday to Mexico.” As an example of prices, a seven-night stay at the fivestar Dreams Sands Cancun Resort and Spa on an allinclusive basis leads in at £1,029 per person. It includes flights with Thomas Cook Airlines from Gatwick and a

Dreams Sands Cancun

complimentary room upgrade for bookings made by July 31, based on travel in May next year. Clients booking before November 30 will receive a 35% discount. For more information visit www.funway4agents.co.uk

Cirque du Soleil add-on from £109 including transport from Attraction World ATTRACTION WORLD is offering tickets to the new Cirque du Soleil show, which opens on November 8 at Playa Del Carmen in Riviera Maya. JOYÀ combines culinary and performing arts in an intimate theatre setting to engage the audience’s five senses. Drawing on Mexico’s history and heritage, JOYÀ tells the story of an alchemist and his granddaughter

embarking on a life-changing quest to uncover the secrets of life. The name JOYÀ is rooted in the Spanish “joya” meaning jewel or pearl, and alludes to a person or event of great value. Through the performance, the alchemist’s granddaughter will discover joy and wisdom by sharing an extraordinary experience in an unlikely place.

JOYÀ is housed in a 600-seat theatre custom built for Cirque du Soleil, which draws inspiration from the natural beauty of the surrounding Riviera Maya jungle. Tickets for the show cost £109 and include round-trip transport from Cancun. For more information see www.attractionworld.com

RIU announces Cancun refurbishment RIU HOTELS & Resorts is refurbishing its Cancun property, Hotel Riu Cancun, which is scheduled to reopen on August 3. The revamp will see the refurbishment of all guest rooms, with double rooms and Junior suites seeing the installation of showers, and suites seeing the addition of a hydromassage bathtub and additional shower cabin. The lobby, restaurants and common areas will also receive refurbishment and the property will add a new Italian restaurant. The existing pool area will also be modified to offer three pools in total. For more information see www.riu.com

July 18 2014

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mexico

TRAVEL THE Unknown is highlighting a 19-day Archaeology of Mexico tour. Clients will visit the ruins of some of the most ancient civilizations in history, allowing them to explore the lost cities of the Zapotecs, take in the pyramid complex of Teotihuacan (pictured), see the jungle pyramids at Chichén Itzá, visit Mexico City and relax by the lakes of Montebello. Prices, which exclude flights, lead in at £2,995 per person including accommodation, transport, some meals, entrance fees, activities and guides. Commission for agents is 10%. For details see www.traveltheunknown.com/mexico

AMResorts announces launch of Dream Sands Cancun Resort & Spa AMRESORTS HAS added Dreams Sands Cancun Resort & Spa to its portfolio, which opens in September. The existing Grand Oasis Viva property is currently undergoing extensive renovation and adaption and the hotel group will assume operations from September 1. The family-friendly resort will offer 441 rooms and suites, all with ocean views, facing 650ft of white sand beachfront in the southern end of Cancun's vibrant hotel zone.

The property's Unlimited-Luxury experience offers eight international restaurants, six bars and lounges serving gourmet fare and top-shelf spirits; a range of day and evening activities for all ages; and 24-hour room and concierge services. The signature Explorer's Club for kids will offer dedicated facilities and tailored programming, making it an ideal stay for those travelling with children. Resort amenities will also include two pools, a variety of

non-motorised watersports, a fitness centre and a daily activities centre. A spa offering a variety of treatments, as well as private meeting and banquet spaces, are also available. The hotel is located within walking distance of the destination's popular shopping areas, with easy access to tours and excursions, award-winning golf courses and nightlife venues.

Seven nights from £1,745 at Fairmont Mayakoba from Elegant Resorts ELEGANT RESORTS is offering seven nights at Fairmont Mayakoba in Riviera Maya from £1,745 per person, based on two sharing a deluxe Casita on a bed-and-breakfast basis. Economy flights from Gatwick with British Airways and transfers are also included and the price is based on a September 8 departure. The 401-room property has created a Green Adventure package, which provides guests with a choice of eco-friendly family activities, including a guided tour to the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, one of Mexico’s largest and most beautiful protected natural areas. Other highlights of the package include accommodation in a luxurious guest room or suite with a

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Fairmont Mayakoba Riviera Maya

private furnished balcony or patio and a spa-style bathroom; daily breakfast; a boat tour; use of kayaks, bikes, tennis and paddle courts; a guided catamaran tour; a visit to Sian Ka'an's archeological site; a guided Muyil Forest and Float tour at Sian Ka'an's lagoon system; and up to two children (up to 17 years) stay free

when sharing their parents' room. The package is available for stays until December 18 and nightly rates lead in at $460 including the above. For more information or to book visit www.fairmont.com/ mayakoba-riviera-maya and www.elegantresorts.co.uk or call 01244-897538.

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mexico We asked our staff the following question this week: What was the last lie you told? Publisher: Jeanette Ratcliffe jeanette.ratcliffe@travelbulletin.co.uk I claimed I had no money on me when my son asked for some chocolate

Editor: Lauretta Wright lauretta.wright@travelbulletin.co.uk I told my daughter she would grow by an inch if she slept all night and didn't wake me up. It worked!

Assistant Editor: Jill Sayles jill.sayles@travelbulletin.co.uk Contributing Editor: Paul Scudamore post@travelbulletin.co.uk I'll be home by eight

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July 18 2014

TRAVEL 2 reports that it has seen an increase in interest levels for escorted and independent touring in Mexico, and is recommending agents promote its 13-day Highlights of Mexico escorted tour and its seven-day Riviera Maya & Yucatán selfdrive option. Packages for the former lead in at £1,559 per person, based on travel between September 20 and October 18 including flights and accommodation, while the seven-day option costs from £1,389, based on travel between September 1 and October 31, including flights, accommodation and car hire.

Contiki introduces new itineraries to Latin America brochure CONTIKI HAS added new itineraries to its Latin America brochure which features Mexico. New for this year is a eight-day 'Mayan Rocker' itinerary which takes in Mexico and Guatemala. The trip starts in Antigua, with options to hike a volcano or ride mountain bikes through the countryside, then heads to Lago Atitlan, where guests will head up north and journey by private boat to a Mayan community to meet local artisans. Leaving Guatemala, the tour treks through small Mayan communities in the Guatemalan highlands en route to the Mexican border. Once in San Cristobel de las Casas, horse-riding and mountain biking are available, followed by traditional tamales before going out on the town to dance the night away. The itinerary then leaves the rugged territory of Chiapas and heads to Tehuantepec, the narrow strip of land that sits between the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, before taking in Oaxaca the following day to experience the sights and sounds before heading back to Mexico City. Prices start from £990 per person including seven nights' breakfast accommodation, sightseeing, local taxes, service charges and the services of a tour manager. Alternatively, clients can opt for the newly added 11-day 'Sol Seeker' tour, which journeys through Mexico, Guatemala and Belize. Prices start from £1, 676 per person and include ten nights’ breakfast accommodation, sightseeing, local taxes, service charges and a tour manager. Also being offered is a 13-day 'Mexico Grande' tour, which offers guests a little taste of the inland aspect and the coastline action of Mexico. Highlights include dinner in Puebla; a visit to Cuernavaca, an ancient Aztec city and now a college town to enjoy a night out; two nights in Acapulco; a night in Taxco; two nights in Mexico City; and a visit to Merida, a coastal city on the Yucatan Peninsula. Prices start from £1, 475 per person and include 12 nights’ breakfast accommodation, one internal flight, sightseeing, local taxes, service charges and a tour manager. For more information visit www.contiki.com

puzzlesolutions Crossword: Across: 1. MEA, 3. CADIZ, 7. CELEBRITY, 8. YORK, 9. NILE, 11. BEER, 12. IBIS, 15. HALKIDIKI, 16. STENA, 17. EXT Down: 1. MONTY PYTHON, 2. ACCOR, 3. COLE, 4. DUBLIN, 5. ZAIRE, 6. TAYLOR SWIFT, 10. VENICE, 11. BALES, 13. BOISE, 14. LIRA.

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