Travel Bulletin 23rd March 2012

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March 23 2012 | ISSUE NO 1,771 | www.travelbulletin.co.uk

this week agent bulletin Titan offers ÂŁ50 Love2Shop vouchers for every booking

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Dynamic packaging How to pick the right supplier to boost your clients' confidence in your business

staff review we check-in to check out the newly launched LEGOLAND Windsor Resort Hotel personality bulletin which multilingual MD always takes her running trainers when travelling?

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15 iceland new tours, experiences & promotions from operators

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TRAINING TRIO...Amathus Holidays hosted its first agents' evening of the year at the Blue Olive restaurant in Cockfosters London recently. A selection of key independent agents and homeworkers attended the event and had the chance to mingle with representatives of the hotels featured in the operator's brochure as well as the Cyprus Tourist Organisation. Pictured, from the left, is: Mike Prior, Scotts Travel; Anna Davies, Preston Holidays; and Alan Meadows, business development manager at Amathus.

This Week news 3

Cover Pictures: Main - caesars entertainment

Inset - The Northern Lights (Iceland Express)

a round-up of the latest industry news & developments

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at home with eileen

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agent bulletin

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W-AITO-Go!

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puzzle bulletin

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staff review

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personality bulletin

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iceland

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find out what homeworker Eileen has been up to lately Titan offers £50 Love2Shop vouchers for every booking made news & views from Ted Wake of AITO Agents can you solve the travagram puzzles? we check out the new LEGOLAND Windsor Resort Hotel which multilingual MD always takes her running trainers when travelling? new tours, experiences & promotions from operators

dynamic packaging how to pick the right supplier to boost your clients' confidence in your business

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Friends & family inspire Brits' holiday choices in 2012 FOLLOWING THE launch of the Government's £4m advertising campaign to encourage Brits to holiday at home this year, a YouGov poll commissioned

by ABTA reveals that the campaign may fall on deaf ears.

The poll shows that nearly two thirds of consumers (65%) do not think the Government should spend money on trying to influence where people choose to holiday. A further 14% of consumers are undecided, with just over one in five (21%) supporting the Government spending money on this.

The research also found that female consumers, who previous research has shown tend to be the ones who decide on the destination for the family holiday, feel more strongly about the campaign with 71% opposing it compared to 59% of males.

Other findings suggest

that the campaign may have limited influence over consumers. When it comes to looking for inspiration for their holiday destination, recommendations by family and friends and travel company Websites and brochures are the most likely to inspire. Only 4% of people who go on holiday said that they would be inspired by government advertising.

The survey also revealed that British holidaymakers are more likely to look forward to a foreign break (42%) than a domestic one (16%) reinforcing Britain’s desire to ‘get away from it all’. Some 41% of respondents said that they look forward to both types of holiday equally.

The association's chief executive, Mark Tanzer, said: “2012 is a year for Britain to shine and there are some fantastic events and places to visit for people choosing to holiday

in the UK. However, I don’t think the Government needs to spend £4m of our money telling us that we’re having the Queen’s Jubilee and the Olympics. It is clear that the majority of Brits are strongly opposed to the Government spending taxpayer money on telling them where to go on holiday.

"British holidaymakers should be free to make their own choices and enjoy the variety the world has to offer without Government interference.

ABTA also believes it is wrong to assume that holidaying at home is better for the economy than holidaying abroad.

Foreign travel creates a huge amount of jobs and taxes in the UK as well as giving an incredible boost to the High Street. This is a misguided use of public funds at a time when so many other areas of the economy are in urgent need of support.”

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newsbulletin Kids go for half price at Ice Hotel in Romania with Untravelled Paths UNTRAVELLED PATHS is offering an exclusive, family-friendly four-night package to the Ice Hotel in Romania over Easter. Prices start from £415 per person and include a treasure hunt at the Ice Hotel, with children under 12 years staying for half price.

Activities on offer include mountain sledging, ice-skating and a mountain

treasure hunt.

Prices lead in at £1,245, based on two adults and two children and include transfers, a welcome drink on arrival, a rep, four nights' breakfast accommodation, a visit to Dracula's Castle and Rasnov Fortress, a visit to three other cities (Bucharest, Brasov & Sibiu), a VIP

cable car pass to the Ice Hotel and a treasure hunt.

Dates for the Easter weekend break run from April 6-10.

Flights are excluded but cost from £44.99 one-way with Blue Air from Luton.

For more information visit www.untravelledpaths.com

Expert cruise sellers to benefit from new Travel Agency Locator on cruise lines’ Websites COMPLETE CRUISE Solution brands P&O Cruises, Cunard and Princess Cruises have enabled a new Travel Agency Locator function on their Websites, promoting the use of specific agencies to their customers.

Agencies with individuals who achieve Commodore status on The Complete Cruise Solution Academy training programme for each of the cruise lines are eligible to gain exclusive placement on the Travel Agency Locator, within the ‘how to book’ section of each Website.

The locator allows visitors to search for their closest cruise expert agencies by postcode. Search results are displayed on

RSSC to increase fares from April 1 REGENT SEVEN Seas Cruises has announced that its fares will increase on selected published 2012 sailings and 2013 spring itineraries from April 1, and the line is encouraging agents to book now to secure the best fares for their clients.

The company's fares include free flights and transfers, free Business Class flights on all Mediterranean and Baltic cruises, a free one-night hotel package on selected 2012 and all 2013 sailings, free and unlimited shore excursions, all fine and speciality dining, all beverages and gratuities and no service charges.

For more information or to book call 02380-682280 or visit www.rssc.com

a map, as well as a text based list. Where agencies have a dedicated cruise line landing page, this link is also displayed.

The local agencies are grouped by Academy status, with the closest ten Commodore agencies being listed first (regardless of distance), followed by ten other agencies.

To be recommended, at least one member of staff in an agency has to have completed the training to Commodore status on the cruise line.

For details see www.pocruises.com/travel-agent-locator, www.cunard.co.uk/How-To-Book/Agent-Locator and http://locator.princesscruises.co.uk

New insurance product from Holiday Extras LATITUDE IS the name of a new insurance brand from Holiday Extras, designed especially for travellers with pre-existing medical conditions who are excluded from standard travel insurance cover.

The product is available to customers booking through a travel agent who are declined a standard Holiday Extras' insurance policy and retail agents will earn 10% commission on every booking. Benefits include medical expenses of up to £15million, cancellation charges up to £5,000 and baggage claims up to £2,000.

The company's head of insurance and travel trade partnerships, Andrea Clayton, said: "We have been working hard to develop a new product that is well-priced, eliminates a lot of the hassle and empowers these customers to plan the holiday they really want. We’ll refer anyone who is declined when screening on our standard policies, keeping things simple for you and your clients."

For details email paul.paddock@holidayextras.com or call 01303-815326.

Mailbox Mailings with Travel Bulletin this week include: ● Treyn Winter 2012/2013 - Great value Christmas

FOLLOWING THE new classification system by the Mallorcan Tourist board, Hotel Bon Sol Resort & Spa has recently been awarded five-star status. However, the property has opted to retain its four-plus star rating as a tried and tested formula which attracts 82% of repeat guests, with a wide appeal to the family market. Room rates start from €133 per person on a half-board basis. For details see www.hotelbonsol.es

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market breaks, festive holidays and winter or springtime adventures. With everything from Xmas markets, New Year festive breaks right through to Spring breaks in 2013.

Further details on 01904 734900 or via www.railholidays.com For further details and special offers please read the mail shots that accompany this issue

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newsbulletin h c t a W o Ones t grammes travel pro p to e th A pick of ant to miss... w you don't

Food Tripper on Sunday 25th March at 21:00 on the Travel Channel This series sees presenter Helen Hokin explore food history and culture around the world. This week she's in the capital of Estonia, Tallinn, where she travels back in time to find out what was on the menu in Medieval times and later, how the Soviet occupation affected the national diet. On the trail of Nordic Island Cuisine, Hokin sails across the Baltic to the remote island of Muhu before travelling further south east on the mainland to get hands on baking and pickling with the Setu people, Europe's longest settled community.

Tucan Travel celebrates 25th birthday THIS MONTH Tucan Travel is marking its 25th year by offering clients a discount of up to 25% off group tours, with agents able to offer clients the full discount without any cut to their commission.

The company is offering 15% off all group tours in its Adventure Tours travel style programme, 20% off all tours in the Overland Expeditions and Discovery Tours travel styles and 25% off all Budget Expeditions tours.

The deal applies to all bookings made this month for all departure dates listed in the operator's brochure and on its Website.

Superbreak launches flight inclusive bookings SUPERBREAK HAS launched its first flight inclusive programme.

Initially low-cost carriers (apart from RyanAir) will be on sale, followed shortly by scheduled carriers.

All of the operator's flight inclusive packages are fully protected under the company’s ATOL licence and agents are able to book the product to any European or domestic destination.

The company's normal commission rates for agents apply to all elements of the booking.

For more information call 0871-221 2828.

ACCESS ALL AREAS...Dertour has gone live on the Advantage Travel Gateway, giving Advantage members access to an independent source of hotels in more than 120 European cities. The deal brings an additional 2,000 three-, four- and five-star hotels in city centre locations, as well as airport and tradefair ground hotels, to the Gateway – an online bookable system that brings together flights, accommodation, packages, car hire, transfers and airport parking from preferred suppliers. Pictured marking the announcement is Julie Craig from Dertour and John Sullivan from Advantage.

Fred. Olsen announces training dates FRED. OLSEN Cruise Lines has announced its spring and summer 2012 programme of onboard training for its travel trade partners, which will be held on the line's Balmoral, Braemar, Boudicca and Black Watch ships.

The dates and venues include April 16 on Boudicca in Southampton, May 29 on Balmoral in Southampton, June 14 on Braemar in Dover and July 31 on Boudicca in Rosyth.

During the training days, which run from 09:30 to 14:00, agents will get the chance to meet the line's sales team and learn more about the company, its fleet of four smaller, more intimate ships, service on board and the range of destinations and itineraries. There will be an extensive tour of the ship, followed by lunch and a quiz at the end of the visit.

Agents looking to attend can email cruise.sales@fredolsen.co.uk or call 01473-746164 for more information.

Wendy Wu launches new luxury product, ‘Wendy Wu Concierge - The Ultimate Experience’ IN RESPONSE to agent and customer demand, Wendy Wu Tours has launched ‘Wendy Wu Concierge – The Ultimate Experience.’

Designed to deliver unique travel experiences in China and reaching out to a new customer base, the programme will be primarily sold through agents and will feature fivestar hotels, Business and First Class flights and unique experiences.

The operator's managing director, Manuel Mascarenhas, said:“Extensive feedback from agents we work with supports the need for a product like this offering their most discerning customers the highlights of China but in an exclusive and luxurious way.”

The operator will work closely with agents to support

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them in selling the high value product and Bronwyn Clarke, the company's concierge consultant, will be in close contact with agents to talk to them about the new programme and guide them through the brochure, which will be officially launched at the end of April.

For customers looking for a personal touch, the operator will be offering a face-to-face service from its office in London where an appointment can be made to discuss trip requirements and the client’s ‘must see’ list. This does not affect agent’s commission and will be an additional personal service that the operator is offering to support the work of the travel agent. A dedicated Website has also been launched at www.wendywuconcierge.co.uk For more information call 0844-875 2439.

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newsbulletin Tweets of the Week Who’s saying what on Twitter...

Adventure Company Save up to £1000 per family on selected adventures tinyurl.com/88f7pjw Avis Rent A Car UK Avis car hire research http://bit.ly/wKRsRt shows Spain is the most popular destination for UK travellers Thomson Roaming charges are a hot topic right now with loads of you concerned.

Save money with our tips bit.ly/y0FmhP Superbreak Don't miss Dirty Dancing as it goes on UK tour!

Edinburgh ticket packages are available now from £80.25pp http://bit.ly/xXgprm monarch.co.uk Curious about cabin crew?

Our blogger reveals what goes on behind the curtain before you board http://bit.ly/AcqiS6

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

Elite announces conference details ELITE TRAVEL Group has announced that its annual conference will be held on September 28 and 29 at the Hilton Hotel in Warwick.

The theme for this year's conference is ‘driving success’ and will consist of a gala dinner, overnight accommodation and a full day’s conference session at the Heritage Motor Centre in Warwickshire.

To register or for more information email wendy@elitetravelgroup. co.uk

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'Clarenco Preferred' commission payment plan announced to recognise agent partners CLARENCO HAS announced that it will be launching 'Clarenco Preferred', a commission payment plan that aims to benefit travel agents, conference agents and event management companies.

The payment plan will pay agents 75% of commissions due as a result of a booking, prior to the event taking place once the contract has been signed and initial deposits have been received. The remaining 25% will be paid once the event has taken place.

The new plan is being implemented to recognise the agency partners’ responsible for generating conferences, events and exclusive use occasions in each of the company’s seven historical properties across the UK and offers agents a greater advantage to benefit from the business they generate across the company's properties.

The company can provide a choice of historic, iconic and unusual venues for events, as well as arrange a variety of activities, including golf, tutored fly fishing, quad biking, clay pigeon shooting and hot-air ballooning.

Agents interested in joining the new plan should call 01494-682682 or email events@clarenco.com

Newsbites ●

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TAM AIRLINES has announced that it is to absorb the increase in Air Passenger Duty (APD), which takes effect on April 1, for all its passengers that booked and paid in advance for their tickets prior to the British Government’s Autumn Statement of November 29, 2011.

INSIGHT VACATIONS has introduced a new itinerary in Northern Spain for this year. The 11-day tour leads in at £1,785 per person and includes VIP door to door transfers, breakfast accommodation and three dinners. For details call 020-7468 4335 or visit www.onestoptouringshop.co.uk BRITISH AIRWAYS is continuing to grow its leisure network from London City Airport with the launch of a three-times-weekly flight to Mahon in Menorca. The new leisure flight, which launches on May 25, will complete the Balearic Islands trio following the launch of the Ibiza and Mallorca services in 2010. See www.ba.com FROM THIS Sunday (March 25), Alitalia Group's carrier, Air One, will commence new direct services from Gatwick to Milan. Flights will operate twice daily and tickets are on sale at www.flyairone.com and www.alitalia.com from £26 one-way, including taxes.

SNAKES ALIVE, IT'S 55....Lisa McGrogan (right) from Macmillan Cancer Support joined Stena Line’s head of PR and communications, Diane Poole, OBE to celebrate the ferry company raising £55,000 for the local charity.

Pegasus launches 20th destination in Turkey PEGASUS AIRLINES has expanded its domestic flight network to include Sanliurfa in southeastern Turkey from April.

The new route will launch on April 2 with flights connecting from Stansted on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 05:35 and on Tuesdays at 20:10 from Istanbul's Sabiha

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Gokcen Airport.

Flights returning from Sanliurfa will be on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 07:30 and Tuesdays at 22:05.

Return fares start from £91.99 including taxes.

For more information visit www.flypgs.com

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newsbulletin KLM Royal Dutch Airlines increases capacity on South American routes KLM ROYAL Dutch Airlines is set to increase capacity on three of its key South American routes from this Sunday for its 2012 summer and winter schedule. Frequencies to Argentina, Brazil and Ecuador are all set to increase.

Following strong results and high demand for its newly launched routes to Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro, the carrier is increasing capacity to both destinations.

Buenos Aires will benefit from an increase in

frequencies and a larger aircraft type. From March 25 until the end of June, services on Wednesdays and Fridays will be operated by a Boeing 777300, replacing the current Boeing 777-200, adding more than 20% more seats per week on the route.

From the beginning of July until the end of October, all flights (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays) will be operated by a Boeing 777-300, increasing the current offer by a third.

And from the start of the winter schedule (October

28), the airline will add a fourth weekly frequency every Saturday, also operated by a Boeing 777300. Fares to Buenos Aires lead in at £640.

Meanwhile, Brazil will benefit from increased frequencies to four per week to Rio de Janeiro from the start of the winter schedule, with the airline adding a Sunday rotation to its timetable, to offer flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, with capacity increasing by 33%. Lead in fares start from £516.

The carrier's summer schedule to Ecuador will see the addition of an extra weekly service on Tuesdays, bringing the total to four flights weekly, flying Amsterdam-QuitoGuayaquil-Amsterdam on a Boeing 777-200. Lead in fares start from £874.

In addition, the airline will be increasing schedules to Paramaribo (Suriname) for the peak season from June 25 to September 10 from three weekly flights to four, with prices starting from £1,040.

Tenerife savings from Sovereign Luxury Travel SOVEREIGN LUXURY Travel is offering a complimentary room upgrade at the Gran Hotel Roca Nivaria in Tenerife, a £50 saving in April and an online discount.

Seven nights lead in at £539 per

person on a bed-and-breakfast basis, departing on April 19, including flights from Birmingham and private transfers. The deal offers savings of up to £466 per couple.

For more details call 0844-415 1936 or visit www.sovereign.com

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e m o h At en...

e l i E with

Eileen worker nth? e m o h o as What h n up to this m e e b s ha

he clocks go forward this weekend on 25 March and British Summer Time begins for another year. I don’t know about you but just knowing that summer is on its way gives me a boost and I can’t wait for the warmer days to arrive together with the lighter nights.

Had a couple of enquiries this week for people trying to get away for some Easter sunshine. One client wanting 14 nights all-inclusive at 5* hotel in Sharm was expecting to pay around £500pp and was shocked to be told there was little availability and certainly nothing around that price. I have to say even I was surprised to find the flight-only price was around £900pp.

He was taking his young daughter away with him and had no flexibility on dates as it needed to be within the school holidays. He decided to book and ended up paying over three times his original budget.

Other parents would not or could not afford to pay this higher price and so often opt to take their children away during term time when prices are much lower.

It’s reported that currently 4.5million days a year of schooling are missed by youngsters going on package holidays and the government are planning to unveil tough penalties including steep fines in an attempt to stop this practice.

You can certainly understand why parents do this and it does seem a bit harsh to fine them. However, on the other hand the figures are quite staggering and if this is having a damaging effect on children’s education then you can understand wthy the government feels that something needs to be done.

Staggering school holidays throughout the country may help to some extent but I’m not sure if that on its own will do the trick. I don’t know if there is anything much the travel industry can do to help resolve this problem as obviously supply and demand largely determines the prices charged.

If fining parents doesn’t work, I wonder if there will come a time when we will be expected to act as policemen and refuse to book school-age children on holidays during term time?

Nothing would surprise me!

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MOVERS Rail Europe has appointed Karen McClellan as managing director. ● Iain Baillie has been appointed head of sales at Carnival Cruise Lines – UK. ● Fabio Gallo has joined ME by Melià as general manager of ME London, which is scheduled to launch in June. ● Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts has appointed Ian Richardson as general manager of the Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel and Nicholas Chalmers as hotel manager at Jumeirah Carlton Tower. Both properties are in London. ●

Condor Ferries celebrates National Ferry Fortnight with 10% savings CONDOR FERRIES is celebrating National Ferry Fortnight (March 17-31) by offering customers 10% discount on travel to Guernsey and Jersey, as well as to St Malo in France when they book within the fortnight.

Customers travelling to France this year can take advantage of new connecting services, which provide a daytime stop-off in the Channel Islands. The services are ideal for those travelling with children or pets, allowing them to break their journey in Guernsey or Jersey, before travelling on to St Malo on the Brittany coast.

Passengers using connecting services also benefit from being able to continue their onward journey to France during daylight hours, eliminating the need to book an overnight cabin at additional cost.

For more information visit www.condorferries.com

Go

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WEBSCLUSIVES ●

Spring into action with Castaways and grab a superior Hotel Chocolat Easter Egg. Every booking before 6 April qualifies.

Visit www.castaways.co.uk/travel_agents.html to become a Preferred Agent.

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The Morocco National Tourist Office and partners will be hitting the road this Spring, with the Moroccan Champions roadshow visiting Gatwick, Birmingham, Manchester and Norwich. Agents will be able to meet the tourist office and their partners, enjoy dinner and have the chance to win some great prizes.

See: www.travelbulletin.co.uk/ training/training-events.

All this and more at:

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

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

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agentbulletin Booking incentives ●

Funway Holidays is offering agents the chance to win up to £200 in Love2Shop vouchers. The new incentive highlights ten of the operator's key destinations, each of which have been given its own reward voucher value - £10, £15 and £20. The more agents book, the more money they can earn. All bookings need to be made by March 31 and must be package holidays inclusive of flights and accommodation (for a minimum of three nights). To claim the vouchers, a special coupon must be completed including all booking references and returned by fax on 0844-557 0349 or scanned and emailed to agencysales@funway.co.uk by April 6. To obtain the coupon and make bookings visit www.funway4agents.co.uk or call 0844-557 0626.

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Titan has launched a new incentive scheme where agents can claim £50 worth of Love2Shop vouchers for each Titan-branded booking made by April 30 for travel this year.

Every holiday includes as standard scheduled flights, hotel or cruise accommodation, a host of excursions and visits, a tour manager and door-to-door transfers. To claim the voucher email agentadmin@titantravel.co.uk

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Cox & Kings, in partnership with Prom Peru, is offering agents the chance to win a holiday to Machu Picchu with train travel included, worth more than £5,000. The prize includes

12 nights' accommodation, train travel to Machu Picchu and a 15-day tour of Peru including visits to Cuzco and Arequipa, the Colca Canyon, Lake Titicaca and Machu Picchu. The individual agent who books the highest total value of bookings for any destination with the operator up to April 30 wins the prize. Agents making any booking for Peru during the same period will also be sent a £50 Love2Shop voucher.

For more information email greg.thurston@coxandkings.co.uk or call 0207873 5000.

Agent offer Al Fresco Holidays has teamed up with Online Travel Training to launch a programme for agents to gain up-to-date knowledge. The programme consists of five modules where agents learn about every aspect of the operator's holidays - from its mobiles and the parcs to the facilities and amenities on site. All agents completing the course by March 31 will be entered into a prize draw to win a pair of Merlin Attraction Annual Passes.

For details see www.alfrescotraining.com

It’s in the stars…

What’s in store for Aries?

Although it's a busy month for you work-wise, seize any opportunities or extra responsibilities to earn more income. It's also important to take time out to tie-up any loose ends or have a clear-out, which will enable you to feel more energised and ready to tackle upcoming projects.

Lucky number: 19 Lucky day: Tuesday

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PICTURE PERFECT....Andy Harris from Travel 2 presents Kelly Price of Peter Goord Travel with a digital camera , after winning the January New South Wales & Qantas ‘Add your own scenery’ campaign and incentive.

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opinionbulletin

W-AITO-Go!

by TED WAKE Deputy chairman, AITO Specialist Travel Agents and director, Kirker Holidays

How to deal with 21st Century Greek myths

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OULD YOU ask your MP for expert advice on how to complete your expenses claim, or perhaps some guidance on how to balance the books in your business during the recession? I don't think so! You would be locked up or go bust in record quick time – or perhaps both. For much of the time politicians seem to live in a mythological world – and those of us who are doing our utmost in the real world are left feeling that politicians have a very tentative grip on reality. And so it was when the Foreign Secretary uttered his advice to British Citizens who were planning to visit Greece on holiday…

Of course Mr Haig is doing a tricky job, and it isn’t always easy to get the balance right – but to suggest that ‘any visitor to Greece should report their whereabouts to the Foreign Office’ is bl**dy daft. That’s what the FCO advice was in Libya just before Gadaffi’s regime collapsed – and it makes absolutely no sense to compare the situation in Greece now to Libya then. I am sure that the government will have some weasel words to defend what was said, and have no doubt too that there is some hidden agenda about how the European Union needs to keep up pressure on the Greeks to ensure the Austerity Measures are passed through their Parliament – of course we all understand that. But to kill off the holiday market for all outbound tour operators with one careless remark? That really is crazy! Mr Haig deserves a Thunderbolt sent by Zeus himself.

What Greece needs more than anything else is a thriving, vibrant inbound market with as many tourists as possible, spending as much as possible to help them pay off their debts as quickly as possible.

Having had a go at politicians, it is probably the right moment to mention the press – the sensational images that are pumped out into every consumer news channel are unhelpful and do not portray an accurate picture.

Consumers do their best to make an informed decision when planning their holiday – and images of the petrol bombers in Syntagma Square, adjacent to the Greek Parliament, do not help encourage people to book a holiday. Of course we understand that news channels have to make images look as sensational as possible to attract viewers, readers and listeners – BUT, please, let’s all do our best to create a balanced story, so that consumers are well informed – not mis-informed. Any protests are very short-lived, and confined to a small corner of the capital – they have little or no impact on visiting tourists.

Remember our own serious riots outside the Houses of

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Parliament in London? They made very dramatic images for the headlines, but I was based in my office less than quarter of a mile away and attended meetings in central London during the day and was not affected by the disruption. It was certainly not a reason to advise visitors to keep away from the UK. Whilst news channels are trying to sell advertising, and politicians are doing their best to buy votes – well, those of us in the travel sector are doing our utmost to run our businesses successfully by selling holidays. So we now need to re-balance the public perception about modernday Greek myths. Greece is a wonderful destination to visit this year: great value for money combined with excellent service, provided by a local population who are determined to exceed every visitor’s expectations. In our experience, Kirker clients travelling to Greece over the last 12 months have all returned home having had an outstanding holiday – and are more likely to encounter Aphrodite and Apollo than a protester.

Of course we will keep customers well-informed with accurate reports – our clients depend on specialist operators to do just this – but we achieve that by speaking directly to the local team in Athens, not by listening to politicians or watching a sensational news story on the television.

We will do all we can to support our Greek hotel colleagues and our excellent local agents. We know we can rely on them to provide our most discerning clients with an ‘out of this world experience…’ – and that’s a great way to achieve plenty of repeat bookings and long-term success. I am off to Mount Olympus to consult the expert Gods of Ancient Greece about my next marketing campaign…

To respond to any of Ted’s views email jill.sayles@travelbulletin.co.uk

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puzzlebulletin Travagrams

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

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

Sac Swat Ay

Number: 057

A➠

B➠ This operator shares its name with a film in which Tom Hanks stars

C➠

Nomadic I

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

Once you have completed the puzzle, simply identify the numbers that relate to the letters, A, B, C and D then e-mail the solution, with your name, company name, and full postal address plus phone and ABTA number if applicable to: competition@travelbulletin.co.uk Closing date for entries is Thursday, March 29th. Solution and new puzzle will appear next week.

The winner for 9th March is Doreen Brown, Wot Travel in Twickenham.

March 9 Solution: A=9 B=4 C=2 D=7

This Caribbean island’s name resembles that of a famous traditional game

Where Am I?

A monster is currently in this famous city, at the movies

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

Number: 057

Across 1. Major car hire company (4) 3. City, famous for its beer festivals (6) 7. Eindhoven airport code (3) 8. Five star luxury beach hotels in Limassol, Paphos and Rhodes (7) 11. Island recently visited by Prince Harry (7) 14. European country (7) 15. Basseterre is the capital of this island (2,5) 18. Primary colour on the flag of 14 Across (3) 19. Popular Italian holiday isle (6) 20. Comedians, Alan and Jimmy (4)

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Down 1. Welsh presenter of the One Show (4,5) 2. Flows through the capital of the Tyrol (3) 4. The British PM recently made an official visit to this country (3) 5. Corfu airport code (3) 6. Capital of the Philippines (6) 9. Kent castle, childhood home of Anne Boleyn (5) 10. European city, sounds like a high street bank (9) 12. Capital of Belarus (5) 13. Town in Perugia, birthplace of a famous saint (6) 16. Antipodean island, in short (3) 17. Major travel group (3) 18. SAA operates from this country, initially (3)

For the solution to the Crossword, Where Am I? and Travagrams, please see page 22 March 23 2012

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S03 TB2303 News 2_Layout 1 21/03/2012 10:21 Page 12

newsbulletin Peru is latest success story for H&J

staffreview Lauretta Wright from Travel Bulletin stayed at the new LEGOLAND Windsor Resort Hotel, which launched last weekend, with her husband and two children

First impressions ..............................10/10 On driving up you couldn’t miss the hotel with its brightly coloured exterior and smoke-breathing dragon. There was a LEGO pit in reception for kids – fab idea while we checked in!

Comfort ............................................10/10 The themed rooms (Pirate, Kingdom or Adventure rooms) had a kids’ area (comprising bunk bed, TV & treasure chest) partitioned off from the adult area. They also had a puzzle to solve that unlocked a treasure chest to reveal goodies inside – they were delighted.

PERU HAS followed in the footsteps of Argentina, Brazil and Mexico to become the latest big hitter for Hayes & Jarvis, with bookings increasing by 163% this year compared with 2011 on the back of a big increase in demand for Latin American holidays.

The increase in demand follows an expansion in the number and range of Peruvian holidays offered by the operator this year.

As examples, in its latest Mexico, Caribbean and Latin America brochure, covering bookings to March 2013, the company is, for the first time, offering its more adventurous customers the chance to walk the Soft Inca Trail on a group hike to Machu Picchu. Departures run throughout the year and the four-day trek costs from £549 per person.

The brochure also caters for holidaymakers with restricted time with a shorter six-day escorted tour – Treasures of Peru (from £1,999), which covers all the major highlights and can also be combined with a four-night Lake Titicaca & La Paz mini-circuit tour. Both group and private departures are available.

For more information call 0871-200 2211 or visit www.hayesandjarvis.com/agents

Quality ..............................................10/10

Futuroscope celebrates 25th anniversary

Couldn’t fault the quality. Attention to detail in our Pirate room was spot on - from skull & cross bone buttons on the headboard down to a little pirate sticker on the loo roll! The restaurant got a big thumbs up when the kids discovered they could colour in the pictures on the tablecloth with crayons provided. It made feeding time fun for a change!

FUTUROSCOPE IS celebrating its 25th Silver Anniversary by unveiling new attractions, a new look to some old classics such as Dynamic Vienne transferred to the IMAX screen, as well as special events and giveaways.

Two new attractions created especially for the anniversary year include iMagic – a show of special effects all about illusion and a new Futuroscope version of The Little Prince, which immerses visitor in a sensory experience.

There will also be a new People of the Future attraction where creatures come forth to bear witness to their extraordinary physique and amazing brain power, while the Eco-Home will have a new renewable energy theme.

For details visit http://en.futuroscope.com

Affordability ........................................9/10 A night’s stay costs from £248 for a family of four for a themed bedroom, including breakfast, two days’ park entrance, free parking and a free gift for the kids - not bad!

Service ..............................................10/10 Staff were very attentive and service was quick. There were LEGO characters walking around to meet and interact with the kids plus an indoor play area and nightly entertainment.

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

If you shop for gifts in the park you can ask for them to be delivered to the hotel. A great idea in principal, but make sure they guarantee a time for the gifts to arrive so the kids are not disappointed when they are not in the room or if you are waiting to go home.

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

10 / 10

Eastern Airways offers Brussels route EASTERN AIRWAYS has stepped in to secure the future of the Southampton-Brussels route by introducing services from April 16 following the withdrawal of Flybe from the route last month.

Daily flights (except Saturdays) will be offered by the carrier, as well as the service being fully inclusive.

The airline does not charge for check-in, baggage, choice of seat or onboard drinks and snacks.

CYPRUS £40

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.

Quality accommodations from 5# Boutique Hotels to Villas with Pools matched by product knowledge & 40 years experience To request brochure or booking call us on 020 8340 7612 Email: sales@cyplon.co.uk

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March 23 2012

incentive for every package holiday booking until further notice Holidays Bookings over

£7,000

will receive an amazing gift of Bubbles & Truffles

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newsbulletin 'Price Beaters' programme from Cosmos Holidays COSMOS HOLIDAYS has launched its summer 2012 ‘Price Beaters’ programme with a choice of value holidays at the lowest prices across the Mediterranean as well as Florida.

A choice of accommodation and board options are available in Crete, Rhodes, Kos, Corfu, Parga, Lefkas, Zante and Kefalonia, with prices starting from £159 per person. A selection of private villa with pool holidays are also available in Mallorca, Menorca, Costa del Sol, Corfu, Zante and the Algarve, with prices from £199 per person.

Holidays are available from five UK airports including Gatwick, Manchester, Glasgow, Newcastle and Cardiff and prices start from £439 per person including flights, room-only accommodation and basic car hire.

‘Allocation on Arrival’ is a suggested option for customers looking for a holiday at the lowest price possible by selecting a destination and preferred board arrangements. The specific hotel/apartment is then confirmed on arrival in resort. This option is available in Crete, Rhodes, Kos, Zante, Kefalonia, Parga or Lefkas.

Mediterranean holidays are available from seven UK airports including Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham, Luton, East Midlands, Newcastle and Bristol.

‘Think Differently’ theme revealed for ACE UK Cruise Convention in Southampton THE THEME for this year’s ACE Cruise Convention, which takes place on May 1 and 2 in Southampton, has been revealed as ‘Think Differently’. As part of a conference designed to help travel agents increase their cruise sales, delegates will be asked to question how they approach business from both a mental and physical perspective.

The association's director, Andy Harmer, said: "We have created a line-up of speakers and sessions that will challenge and inspire delegates to sell more cruise holidays. I believe that this year, more than any other, we need to ‘Think Differently’ so that a cruise stands out as the obvious holiday choice with its exceptional value and variety. On leaving the convention, agents will have key advice and tips to help them boost their sales, particularly by

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encouraging new to cruise customers."

Business sessions will include the significant growth of ex-UK cruising with predictions suggesting that within three years more people will join their cruise in a British port than take a fly/cruise. Other topics include the growing appeal of European river journeys and expedition cruising together with a session on the productive use of social media.

On the second day, delegates will have the opportunity to visit two cruise ships out the four lined up in Southampton Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth, P&O Cruises’ Adonia, Princess Cruises’ Grand Princess and Royal Caribbean International’s Independence of the Seas.

Agents are encouraged to book now before registration increases to £75 on March 30.

For more information visit www.cruiseexperts.org

PATRICK'S PALS...The Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Reverend Alan Taylor, joined forces with Ryanair last weekend to celebrate St Patrick’s Day at Leeds Art Gallery. The Ryanair Leprechaun (Michelle Lowe) presented the Lord Mayor with a symbolic Shamrock lapel pin and staff gave away Irish crisps and sweets to passengers travelling through the airport on the day.

Free Fiji and South Pacific weddings AUSTRAVEL IS offering a selection of free wedding packages for those choosing to holiday on Fiji or the Cook Islands this summer.

Wedding choices include the five-star Pacific Resort on the island of Aitutaki in the Cook Islands and its sister hotel on Rarotonga. In Fiji, Lomani Island Resort and the Malolo Island Resort also offer free weddings, as well as the five-star boutique Tokoriki Resort.

All packages offer an exclusive and intimate ceremony. As an example, at Tokoriki Resort on the Fiji islands, the package includes a three-course dinner with Champagne, wedding cake, band boys, flowers and a tropical flower arch for the ceremony.

The operator also offers a Honeymoon Account for newlyweds, which allows friends and family to contribute to a specific tour or experience for the honeymoon, such as a Great Barrier Reef Cruise or a romantic breakfast in the desert at Ayers Rock.

For more information visit www.austravel.com or call 0800-988 4834.

New-look Website from Discover Egypt DISCOVER EGYPT has re-launched its Website combining both Egypt and Jordan products for the first time and highlighting some of the best travel deals on offer in the market.

The operator, which offers Nile cruises, city stays in Luxor, Cairo and Alexander, beach holidays in the Red Sea as well as tailor-made itineraries to both Egypt and Jordan, has made navigation easier, with each section highlighting the best deals on offer in each category.

The look of the site has also been improved using photography to inspire people and showing off the highlights of each destination.

Agents looking to offer their clients the best deals also benefit from a new special offers page which is regularly updated with top deals currently available. At present, these include a discount of up to 50% for the second traveller on selected Nile cruises until April 2013 and half price single cabin supplement on selected Viking Nile cruises until April 2013.

For details see www.discoveregypt.co.uk or call 0844-880 0461.

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personalitybulletin

Jane Stuart-Palikira The multilingual managing director at Ionian Weddings believes in ending the day on a positive note and always takes her running trainers when travelling...

Where was your last work-related trip?

Cyprus, to look for new wedding venues. The trip was a great success as we discovered some unique venues that are not currently featured elsewhere.

"Before I sleep I think of the best thing that happened to me that day or something that I learnt..."

If you were a celebrity who would you choose to be and why?

Sarah Jessica Parker, but only if I could have her entire wardrobe!

What three words would your friends use to describe you?

Honest, determined, friendly.

Career path ●

What have your travels taught you?

How important it is to look after the places we travel to. I once travelled on a felucca on the Nile for two days and was horrified by the amount of rubbish dumped on the banks of the river by fellow travellers. At Ionian Weddings we not only contribute to charities related to the islands we feature but we also help charities in our local community where we are based.

What is the best advice you recall?

When I was travelling around the world after university, trying to decide how to start my career, I was chatting to someone on a Fijian beach about how much I wanted to work in travel – they told me to call Trailfinders as they were looking for staff. As soon as I returned to the UK I called them, got a job in travel sales and haven’t looked back since!

If you could have a room full of any one thing, what would it be?

Sunshine, it makes me so happy!

If you could change three things in the industry, what would they be?

More recognition for specialised travel

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March 23 2012

●

●

● ●

●

Aug 2009 – present:Ionian Weddings, managing director Oct 2006 – Aug 2009: OctopusTravel, UK partner marketing manager (previously regional franchise manager ) Feb 2003 – Oct 2006: Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, Sales manager Southern Europe & Russia Dec 1999 – Feb 2003: Gullivers Travel Associates, sales manager May 1998 – Nov 1999,: Expressions Holidays, programme manager March 1997 – April 1998: Trailfinders, sales consultant

agents by consumers, better understanding of companies pushing new boundaries that don’t fit into the traditional tour operator/travel agency model and better margins so everyone can earn a bit more!

Who has been the biggest inspiration/influence in your career?

My husband, as if it wasn’t for him I would not have had a Greek wedding and would not have been inspired to set up a company arranging weddings in Greece & Cyprus.

What's your favourite city and why?

Rome. It has everything – some of the most famous historic buildings in the world, the best Italian food, great weather, incredibly friendly people and the hotels are cheaper than in other Italian cities.

If you were not doing this job, what would you be doing?

Working at a senior level in the travel industry - I can’t imagine working in any other industry.

What is your motto in life?

Always end the day on a positive.

Before I sleep I think of the best thing that happened to me that day or something that I learnt.

What is your favourite mode of travel?

Boat – I love island hopping around the Greek isles and the excitement each time of discovering a new island so different from the one I left.

If you had a super power what would it be and why?

To cure all sick children - everyone deserves a good childhood.

What was your nickname at school and why?

Freckles – I was covered in them.

What item do you always take with you when travelling?

My trainers. I love running around new cities – I’ve been running in all kinds of places from Copacabana Beach in Rio, to Athens city centre to the perimeter of Exeter airport!

What special skill do you have?

I speak five languages (English, Italian, French, Spanish & Greek).

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S04 TB2303 Iceland_Layout 1 21/03/2012 11:06 Page 15

iceland The Northern Lights

Iceland Express introduces twice-weekly Stansted-Reykjavik service ICELAND EXPRESS will be flying to the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik from Stansted on Tuesdays and Fridays from June 22.

The move will make Iceland more accessible for people living in East Anglia and the Midlands adding to the popular Gatwick route.

Fares start from £89 one-way including all taxes, surcharges, check-

in, seat allocation, a 20kg bag in the hold and 10kg hand luggage.

The carrier's PR manager, Heimir Már Pétursson, said: "After a break of two years we're pleased to announce that Iceland Express is returning to Stansted.

"With twice-weekly flights in our schedule from late June, we hope that the extra London choice will appeal to

travellers north of the M25 who want to experience a beautiful Icelandic summer."

The airline flies six times weekly from Gatwick to Reykjavik and on Mondays and Thursdays from Edinburgh to Reykjavík during the summer.

For more information visit www.icelandexpress.com or call 0118-321 8384.

Reykjavik Excursions adds new winter highlights package from £132 CLIENTS LOOKING to see the Northern Lights, Golden Circle, visit a geothermal spa and have a guided tour of Reykjavik can join Reykjavik Excursions’ new winter tour package.

The tour, which costs from £132 per person, takes guests on a Northern Lights bus tour to locations outside of the city where they are most likely to be seen,

on a trip around the Golden Circle seeing Gulfoss Waterfall, Geysir and Thingvellir National Park, followed by a dip of the newly opened geothermal Fontana Spa. There is also a guided tour of Reykjavik taking guests through the Viking history of Iceland and visting all the main attractions.

For details visit www.re.is

Transun marks 30 years with new summer breaks from three to seven nights AS PART of a 30th year celebration, Transun has announced that it is reintroducing Iceland with three-, four- and seven-night breaks on offer.

The company's head of trading, Nico Kostich, said: "Summer in Iceland is special. Between the months of June and August the sun hardly sets, offering clients a unique opportunity to watch whales and see geysers, waterfalls and bubbling mud pools under a pink-coloured sky."

The operator's newly-released ‘Whale Watching under the Midnight Sun’ tour offers clients the chance to see the majestic mammals on the Reykjavik bays at night. Similarly, clients can tour Iceland’s landscape on a Golden Circle tour during night hours in the daylight sun. On the week-long Iceland break, clients can also include a one-night trip to Greenland. The seven-night ‘At the Edge of the World’ Iceland package includes an overnight stay in Kulusuk, Greenland.

In addition to the several packages offered, ‘Your Iceland’ will also be available, allowing clients to choose and shape

their own itinerary. Breaks to Iceland operate from Heathrow, Stansted, Manchester and Glasgow, with prices starting from £779 for packages including flights, transfers, accommodation and excursions.

Meanwhile, the company is offering £20 Love2Shop vouchers to agents making a booking to Iceland before April 30. Agents should quote ‘Travel Bulletin’ when making reservations to claim the voucher.

For more information call 01865-265200.

Whale Watching Midnight Sun tour

easyJet to fly Iceland route year-round to meet demand EASYJET HAS announced that flights from London to Iceland will continue to operate throughout the winter 2012 schedule, in response to demand.

The carrier says that more than 8,000 seats have been sold so far, well in advance of its inaugural flight on March 27.

Tickets for the winter season, which will start in October, are available from www.easyjet.com and flights will continue

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to operate three times weekly on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

The airline's UK commercial manager, Hugh Aitken, said: "Our new route to Iceland has already proved to be successful with passengers at both ends of the route responding to our affordable fares. Iceland is in inspiring destination, and offers a year-round unique experience."

March 23 2012

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S04 TB2303 Iceland_Layout 1 21/03/2012 11:06 Page 16

www.icelandexpress.com Iceland

Gothenburg Gothe g

Vilnius Warsaw W arsaw

Copenhagen C en nhagen Billund lun Krakow Kr akow Reykjavik

Pr Prague ague Ber Berlin rlin

Edinburgh

Fr ankfurtt Hahn Frankfurt London L on Stansted Gatwick

Cologne C ologne ogn

Paris P aris

Eur Europe ope

Basel Bologna

Alicante Barcelona

S04 TB2303 Iceland_Layout 1 21/03/2012 11:06 Page 17

newsic buelllaentin d Peregrine adds 14-day Iceland & Greenland explorer tour

THE GRAND Hotel Reykjavik, a member of Great Hotels of the World's Premium Collection located in the city centre of Reykjavik, is offering a four-night stay for the price of three, Scandinavian buffet breakfast, Wi-fi and free tickets to the geothermal swimming pool from £111.09.

For details isit www.ghotw.com or call 020-7380 3658.

PEREGRINE ADVENTURES has launched a new tour that takes in both Iceland and Greenland.

The 14-day East Greenland Explorer is ideal for clients who enjoy plenty of walking and hiking and visits the Reykjavik pools, the Arctic Fox, the fjords, icebergs and the Inuit.

Prices lead in at £4,050 per person, based on two sharing, and include a tour leader, crew and lecturers, all on board meals (13 breakfasts, 12 lunches and 12 dinners), shore excursions by zodiac boat, videos, film shows and port taxes.

Departure dates are from September 16-29.

For more information call 0845-004 0673 or visit www.peregrineadventures.com

Icelandair Holidays debuts 'Ultimate Iceland' holiday with lead in price of £399 ICELANDAIR HOLIDAYS has launched its Ultimate Iceland Holiday which includes many of the country's highlights, flights from Heathrow, Manchester and Glasgow, three nights' breakfast accommodation, a Reykjavik city tour, Golden Circle tour, whale-watching and an afternoon at the Blue Lagoon.

Prices lead in at £399 per person, which offers a 30% saving.

After flying to Reykjavik, with a day settling in, the second day features a tour of Reykjavik with a local tour guide.

Following lunch, the itinerary continues with a trip to the countryside to circumnavigate the Golden Circle route. Stops include Gullfoss, one of Iceland's majestic waterfalls and the Geysir geothermal area. There is then time for guests to

explore Thingvellir National Park, home of the first Viking parliament, where two tectonic plates divide.

Day three begins with a Reykjavik whale-watching cruise on Faxafloi Bay where whale sightings are 98% guaranteed. The most common sightings are minke and humpback whales and during the summer months puffin sightings are also common.

The tour then visits the Reykjanes peninsula, home to the Blue Lagoon, a geothermal spa set in the middle of a lava field.

The afternoon is spent relaxing at the Blue Lagoon and day four is a free day for guests to do some shopping or try horseriding.

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

S04 TB2303 Iceland_Layout 1 21/03/2012 11:06 Page 18

iceland New Viking Challenge tour from Taber Holidays TABER HOLIDAYS has launched a new tour for this summer called 'The Viking Challenge'.

The itinerary features a range of activities that provide ATV riding an insight into Iceland’s culture and daily life.

Based in Reykjavik, the six-night trip features whitewater rafting through rapids and deep gorges, glacier hiking, ice climbing, ATV riding on the volcanic Mid-Atlantic Ridge, horse riding, whale-watching and a mountain hike.

The activities are set in a number of different locations, enabling visits to some of the country’s most popular attractions such as Thingvellir National Park, Geysir Hot Springs and Gullfoss and Skógafoss Waterfalls.

Entrance to the Blue Lagoon is also included and a Reykjavik treasure hunt will allow participants to test their knowledge of the Icelandic capital.

Prices lead in at £1,576 per person, based on two sharing, and include flights from Heathrow, transfers, six nights' accommodation, some meals and all tours and activities.

Daily departures are available from June 1 to August 31 and regional departures from Manchester and Glasgow are also available.

For more information call 01274-875199 or see www.taberhols.co.uk

ICELAND WHALE WATCHING

IN THE MIDNIGHT SUN 3, 4 and 7 night breaks Whale Watching - Blue Lagoon - Golden Circle Flights, Transfers , Accommodation - From £779

AGENT INCENTIVE: £20 shopping vouchers for every agent booking!* *Terms and conditions apply. Please quote‘Travel Bulletin’ at time of booking.

CALL 01865 265 200 WWW.TRANSUN.CO.UK 18

March 23 2012

Cosmos Tours & Cruises adds new dates to Northern Lights breaks COSMOS TOURS & Cruises has added new dates to its ‘Images of Iceland’ short break in Reykjavik to meet demand for people wanting to witness the Northern Lights whilst visiting the city.

As the opportunity of seeing the lights increases towards the end of the year, November 19 & 26 and December 3 & 10 departures have been added.

Prices start from £739 per person including five nights' breakfast accommodation at the three-star Fosshotel Lind in Reyjkavik, flights, transfers and a range of sightseeing, such as the Golden Circle, Gullfoss, Geysir, Thingvellir National Park and Blue Lagoon.

Flights are available from Heathrow, Manchester and Glasgow.

For more information call 0844 573 0668 or visit www.cosmostoursandcruises.co.uk

Arctic Adventures looks north on its new ‘Northern Pearls’ trip VISITORS LOOKING for an Icelandic adventure can join Arctic Adventures on its new eight-day camping trip exploring the hidden gems of the north. Guests will be guided in an off-road jeep to Iceland’s wildest areas with hiking expeditions in the highlands. Highlights of the trip include a supertruck ride in the undiscovered eastern region, Europe’s highest glacier, the volcanic Lake Myvatn with its pseudo craters and rich birdlife, the ice filled Lofthellir cave, Dettifoss waterfall and the Askja Lake.

There will also be a whale-watching trip, a visit to the capital of the north, Akureyri, and a gourmet trip discovering the local cuisine and gourmet culture of the Eyjafjörður Fjord and Hrísey Island.

Prices lead in at £1,492 per person with departures on July 27 and August 10 including internal flights, a guide, jeep transfers, all food, tents and cooking gear.

For details see www.adventures.is

Year-on-year visitor numbers rise by 49.6% VISIT ICELAND reports that following record-breaking visitor numbers last year, 2012 is also proving to be a popular year for tourism to the destination. Year-onyear UK visitor numbers in February increased by 49.6% from 7,033 to 10,522, which follows a record 53.7% increase in January.

Annual visitor numbers last year rose by 15.8% compared with 2010’s figures, with 67, 608 UK tourists.

In addition, Reykjavik’s harbours welcomed 63,000 cruise ship passengers.

The tourist board's project manager for marketing, Hera Brá Gunnarsdóttir, said: “We are delighted that our country had such a large increase in visitor numbers last month. The brighter than usual Northern Lights throughout January and February was a definite draw for UK tourists.

"The launch of two new flight routes from London this year will also help to encourage new visitors to Iceland. “easyJet will launch year-round flights on March 27 and will fly from Luton to Iceland three times weekly and new Icelandic airline, WOW Air, is launching three flights a week to Stansted in June.”

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S05 TB2303 Dynamic Packaging_Layout 1 20/03/2012 16:36 Page 19

dynamicpackaging How to pick the right supplier to boost your clients' confidence in your business

by MARK HOPPER, sales director, Getabed.co.uk

T

he importance of confidence has never been greater. We’re all told that the beginnings of consumer confidence is returning to the UK retail sector which, in turn, we are hoping is going to turn into confidence to spend a little more on this year’s holiday.

However, misplaced confidence is as dangerous as a total lack of confidence. These are times for agents to take a long, hard and critical look at how they do business and who they do business with.

The flexibility factor Certainly, the choice of suppliers within the DP market is wide and varied, from those who are owned by the Big Two to those who are in their infancy and have only been trading a few years. But this is the time to take stock and analyse how you can run your business efficiently, profitably, and yes, there’s that word again, confidently.

There are many advantages of dynamically packaging holidays for your customers while their confidence is wavering.

After all, by offering them the flexibility, value and

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choice offered by the DP market you’ll be able to tailormake their trip to perfectly match their needs.

As social networks and the review sites continue to further embed themselves as credible travel research tools, teaming up with the right supplier for your business has never been more important.

Team up with the right supplier At Getabed.co.uk we work with more than 3,000 agents in the UK and Europe helping them to offer their customers the perfect product at the perfect price. As consumer confidence is so fragile, customer service is key - not just in terms of agent-to-consumer, but also supplier-to-agent.

Choose a supplier who will look after you in the event you need their help. Look at commission or net rates and see what works best for you. There is still money to be made and you need to pick partners who can help you be one step ahead of the game. ● continues on next page

March 23 2012

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dynamicpackaging ● continued from previous page

If you’re spending too much time chasing a supplier for answers or haranguing a partner to play their role, then look elsewhere. There will always be someone else you can work with. Business relationships, like personal ones, need to be worked at and not taken for granted.

And if you’re one of those who isn’t pulling your weight, remember that bad word-of-mouth, whether via an online forum, twitter feed or idle gossip, will harm your credibility and bottom line.

Better late than never The lates market is expected, as is almost the norm now, to be strong this year, and has potential to be polarised in 2012 thanks to the Olympics and the

£69 fares to Paris, Brussels & Lille from Eurostar EUROSTAR HAS more than 100,000 seats available at £69 return for travel up to July 7 to Paris, Brussels and Lille.

Customers travelling in spring or early summer will be able to take in a range of festivals, street markets and exhibitions, and the company's Eurostar Plus collection of offers includes Plus Gourmet, Plus Shopping and Plus Culture.

For example, Plus Culture passengers receive two-for-one entry into paying exhibitions at top museums and galleries by presenting their Eurostar ticket.

Nick Mercer, the company’s commercial director, said: "Many of our passengers tell us spring is their favourite time of year to visit Paris, Brussels and Lille and with so many things going on in the cities at this time, it's easy to see why."

Tickets for travel from London St Pancras, Ebbsfleet and Ashford to Paris, Disneyland Paris, Brussels and Lille start from £69 return in Standard and £189 return in Standard Premier.

For details see www.eurostar.com

20

Queen’s Jubilee, so take a look at suppliers who are offering great deals over these dates for people who want to escape the madness, as well as those who have availability over key dates.

While maintaining the agility and lightness of touch in the day-to-day running of a business, it’s crucial that you’ve got a long-term plan in place. What’s going to be the shape of your organisation in three, five or ten years’ time? This year is our 21st anniversary, and taking a look at the business in years rather than months has been an integral part of our longevity.

I truly believe that after a few years of belt tightening, forgoing a holiday totally or scaling back to perhaps only a weekend away in the UK, the British public is ready for a holiday in the sun. Here’s hoping 2012 is the year that confidence returns to travel!✦

The hidden cost that could add 75% to car hire rental TRAVELLERS ARRIVING to pick up their hire cars may be surprised to find that excess insurance sold to them at the rental desk may add up to 75% again to their original car hire bill, according to icarhireinsurance.com The company says that if excess waiver insurance is not purchased by a customer they could be liable for up to £1,500 if the car gets damaged or stolen, even if it’s not their fault, and that even a small scratch on a windscreen can cost hundreds to fix.

Research undertaken by the specialist excess insurance provider revealed that buying excess insurance at the car rental desk can cost an extra 38% to 75% again on top of a customer’s original hire car cost and that the five leading car hire companies surveyed charged an average of £17 a day for excess waiver car hire insurance, with the highest being £23 a day.

The operator's CEO and founder, Ernesto Suarez, said: “Excess car hire insurance is sprung on people when they arrive at the car rental desk to pick up their car. Tired after their journey they are then held to ransom to take out excess insurance with the fear otherwise of being liable for huge penalties, when all they want to do is pick up the keys and start their holiday or business trip. Asking people to make a snap decision on a complex product is not a fair transaction.

"Many rental companies do not make it clear, when people are booking their hire car, that they are not completely covered unless they purchase additional excess waiver insurance. This lack of transparency in the booking process is creating a situation where people are arriving at the rental desk wrongly believing that they have bought all the insurance they need."

The operator's excess insurance policy starts from £2.99 a day or from £39.99 for an annual policy. It also includes cover for vulnerable parts of the vehicle.

SkyWork Airlines launches new fare structure SWISS REGIONAL carrier SkyWork Airlines has introduced a new fare structure to better meet the needs of the individual traveller. Passengers now have the option of four different classes of booking on a range of tariffs: SkySaver, SkySurfer, SkyWorker and SkyExecutive, each offering enhanced flexibility on optional extras including baggage allowances, catering requirements, on-board iPads, lounge access, earphones and ticket flexibility.

For details visit www.flyskywork.com/111-1-Fare_Info.html

March 23 2012

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dynamicpackaging Beach growth takes off for Getabed.co.uk GETABED.CO.UK REPORTS that it is 'thrilled' with the reaction from agents to its new portfolio of beach properties.

The company's managing director Matt Stuart said: "We have seen really strong growth in February with sales up by 45% across all destinations. We are especially delighted to be doing very well on our new beach product, with Turkey, the Canaries and Cyprus leading the way as our top destinations - all three are seeing more than 100% growth.

"Initial feedback from the trade has been excellent, lots of really positive comments about the new beach property portfolio. Turkey coming in as one of our top sellers did surprise us initially but it is a fantastic value destination at the moment.

"We have been continually asked, for some time, by our key agent partners when we are going to expand and look at European beach resorts more closely, and so, by popular demand, we have.”

Hotels in Turkey, the Balearics, the Canary Islands, Cyprus and in Greek Islands including Rhodes, Crete and Corfu are now available to book online.

As examples of prices, a half-board stay at the four-star Columbia Beach Hotel in Cyprus in August costs from £56 per person per night, £29 at the four-star Porto Bay Falesia in Portugal in May, £53 at the four-star Colon Guanahani in Tenerife on a bed-and-breakfast basis in May, £35 at the three-star Janeiro Ferrer Hotel & Spa in Mallorca on a bedand-breakfast basis in August, £24 at the four-star Argos Hotel in Ibiza including breakfast in May and £21 at the three-star Lato Hotel in Crete in August.

Comparecarhire reports new staycation trend for May bank holidays WITH THOUSANDS of British families booking breaks in the UK over the May bank holidays, Comparecarhire.co.uk has put together the top five staycation locations in the UK. These include Cornwall, Wales, the Lake District, Scottish Highlands and Devon.

The company's Andy Hemmington said: “An increasing number of customers are seeing the May bank holidays as a staycation opportunity here in the UK before their big summer holiday abroad and as a result, we have seen a high number of bookings in a range of UK locations this year.

“As more families look to keep down the cost of a mini break, holidaying in the UK gives them the opportunity to have a trip away without paying out a lot of money.

“From camping to lodges and cottages in a range of locations including Cornwall and Wales, there is a holiday to suit every family.

“With an increase in popularity for families booking breaks in the UK, we do recommend booking early to ensure availability and to get the best deal possible for your bank holiday break.”

Four days' car hire from May 4 to 7 costs from £10 per day in Newquay, from £11 per day in Cardiff and from £17 per day in Inverness.

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

* Terms and Conditions apply. Please visit www.tttandt.com/incentives.aspx for details ** Terms and conditions apply. Please visit www.tttandt.com/incentives.aspx for details.

Travel Trade Tickets and Tours is a trading name of NAR UK Ltd, an ABTA bonded tour operator established 1981.

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dynamicpackaging We asked our staff the following question this week: What would you do with a million pounds?

Publisher: Jeanette Ratcliffe jeanette.ratcliffe@travelbulletin.co.uk A New house with games room, season tickets for Man Utd, Legoland & Chessington.

Editor: Lauretta Wright lauretta.wright@travelbulletin.co.uk Pay off mortgage, sort out family & friends then invest in property development

Assistant Editor: Jill Sayles jill.sayles@travelbulletin.co.uk Property, family, charity, travel, education

Contributing Editor: Paul Scudamore post@travelbulletin.co.uk Invest it wisely, spend it wisely

Sales Director: Simon Eddolls simon.eddolls@travelbulletin.co.uk Pay for someone else to answer these questions

Advertisement Manager: Tim Podger tim.podger@travelbulletin.co.uk Move house & buy an AC Cobra

Online Sales Manager: Nick Boocock nick.boocock@travelbulletin.co.uk Tell Glasgow Rangers they've got a new centre-forward who'll pay his own salary!

Account Manager: Bill Coad bill.coad@travelbulletin.co.uk Pay off mortgage, credit cards & student loans.

Buy a place in Manly, Australia and chill...

Sales Executive: Chris Gascoine chris.gascoine@alaincharles.com Have the best week of my life

Design: Genaro Santos genaro.santos@alaincharles.com Buy a million lottery tickets :p

Assistant Layout Design: Nicky Valsamakis nicky.valsamakis@alaincharles.com Take the famliy to NYC, & donate to ‘save the tigers now’

Production: Jeremy Walters jeremy.walters@alaincharles.com Hit Vegas and blow the lot or win big, a million won’t get you very far these days

Circulation Manager: Jim Merchant post@travelbulletin.co.uk Travel Bulletin is published by Alain Charles Publishing (Travel) Ltd University House, 11-13 Lower Grosvenor Place, London, SW1W 0EX, Tel: 020-7834 6661 Printed by: Wyndeham Grange Limited - Travel Bulletin is published weekly and distributed to every ABTA, TTA & GTG agent.

Subscriptions are £105 p.a. for tour operators and others, plus additional ABTA, IATA copies.

Overseas subscriptions by air mail: £155 ISSN: 0956-2419

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Audit Bureau of Circulations Business magazines

March 23 2012

THROUGHOUT JANUARY to mid-February, A2B Airportparking.com gave its trade partners the chance to win one of three prices - a Kindle, iPod Touch and an iPad 2 for making bookings. Kim King from Take Off Travel won the Kindle and Daniel Davy from Imperial Travel won an iPod Touch. The first prize winner of the iPad 2 was Rose Silverman (left) of Fleetway Travel, who is pictured receiving her prize from the operator's sales support executive, Emma Ryan.

Dertour AO bookings ABTA bonded DERTOUR HAS announced that all its hotel bookings are now fully ABTA bonded to give agents peace-of-mind when making accommodation bookings as part of dynamic packages.

The specialist operator, as well as its Germany, Austria and Switzerland portfolio, offers more than 2,000 three-, four- and five-star hotels in city centre locations, as well as airport and tradefair ground hotels in more than 120 European cities.

For details visit www.dertour.co.uk/agents

puzzlesolutions Crossword: Across: 1. AVIS, 3. MUNICH, 7. EIN, 8. AMATHUS, 11. JAMAICA, 14. AUSTRIA, 15. ST KITTS, 18. RED, 19. ISCHIA, 20. CARR. Down: 1. ALEX JONES, 2. INN, 4. USA, 5. CFU, 6. MANILA, 9. HEVER, 10. SANTANDER, 12. MINSK, 13. ASSISI, 16. TAS, 17. TUI, 18. RSA.

Highlighted Word: VIENNA Travagrams: (top) Castaways

(bottom) Dominica

Where Am I?: Paris

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