Travel Bulletin 29th June 2012 by Alain Charles Publishing

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June 29 2012 | ISSUE NO 1,785 | www.travelbulletin.co.uk

DONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T MISS...

Activity Holidays

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All About

Cruising June 2012

Simple rules that can make or break a client's holiday experience Your one-stop guide

to all the late st news and dev elopments in Cruising

w i t h t h i s i ss

this week agent bulletin 9 claim family cinema tickets when you make a Disney package booking

W-AITO-Go! news & views on the joint AITO & AITO Agents' conference in Madeira

mediterranean islands new hotel openings, emerging trends & package additions

Produced by

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latin america operators add new capacity as demand increases

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newsbulletin

Cover Pictures: Main - Grenada Board of Tourism - Fotoseeker.com

Inset - Islo la Bella, Taormina, Classic Collections

LADIES THAT LOUNGE...a selection of travel agents were treated to a visit to Leed Bradford Airports' newly improved Yorkshire Premier Lounge. Pictured taking in the revamped surroundings are, from the left (back row): Emma Holliday, LBA; Tracey Burke, Balkan; Zoe Chater and Helen Dibb, First Choice; Andrew Fox, Thirsk Travel; Roger Benn, Benchmark Travel; and Helen Lupton, Idle Travel; and on the front row, from the left: Louise Balmforth, Thomas Cook; Jade Ferguson, Co-op Travel; Jodie Clarkson, Destinations; and Louise Homer from On the Beach.

This Week news 3 a round-up of the latest offers, product developments & trends

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skål the world over the latest news from this international organisation

agent bulletin claim family cinema tickets when you make a Disney package booking with Funway

W-AITO-Go!

puzzle bulletin

agent review

mediterranean islands

activity holidays

latin america

news & views from the joint AITO & AITO Agents' conference in Madeira win a £50 Hotel Chocolat voucher in the prize Su Doku puzzle find out what one agent thought about the Los Alisios Apthotel in Tenerife new hotel openings, emerging trends & package additions simple rules that can make or break a client's holiday experience an update on new flights, additional operator capacity & the latest offers

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‘Premium All-Inclusive’ bookings account for one in four AI bookings THE ALL-inclusive holiday sector and, within it, the ‘Premium All-Inclusive Holiday’ sector are set to grow exponentially within the next few years despite the current economic climate, according to Club Med, which has launched a Premium All-Inclusive Report – an independently commissioned report seeking to address the emerging success of the Premium All-Inclusive segment in the UK outbound travel market. The report looks at the UK holiday market and specifically at the Premium All-Inclusive market using independent market data and consumer research provided by GfK which analysed 40 UK tour operators, representing more than 90% of the UK ‘package holiday market’. Despite the travel industry facing one of its most challenging periods in its history, the report reveals that the UK AllInclusive market has grown 32% within the last five years and in 2011 represented 3.1million passengers. Paramount to this all-inclusive growth is the ‘Premium AllInclusive’ market, which essentially represents four- and fivestar properties and an offer of higher quality inclusions, such as gourmet food, sports activities with tuition and dedicated childrens’ clubs. Premium all-inclusive sales growth is running at more than double the rate of other all-inclusive products, and accounts for one in four all-inclusive bookings, with predictions from the operator that this is set to double in the next five years. The report also found that that more than half of British consumers have already taken an all-inclusive holiday, and that this year one in ten people are looking for an all-inclusive holiday with 20% of those earning more than £60,000 seeking ● continues on next page

The price Brits pay to get away from the wet weather THE AVERAGE price being paid by British holidaymakers to escape the wet weather has been revealed for the first time £1,470. Brits are so desperate to escape the continual rain that demand for flights to destinations with guaranteed sunshine has rocketed, says Virgin Atlantic. Top choices are upmarket luxury destinations including the Caribbean, South Africa and Florida. The figures emerged during the carrier's latest survey, where a poll of more than 2,000 people highlighted how much Brits spend on going away - from the cost of accommodation to money spent on food. The survey also found that Brits spend an average of six months putting away money to pay for their trip, which they start to plan around three months before they depart.

June 29 2012

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newsbulletin P&O Ferries offers special fares to summer Jazz-fest in Holland P&O FERRIES is offering music fans a direct route to one of Europe’s largest jazz festivals with special ferry fares to the Netherlands this summer. Founded in 1976, the North Sea Jazz Festival is held annually at the Ahoy arena in Rotterdam. This year’s event runs from July 6-8 and features jazz, hip-hop and blues artists including Van Morrison, Hugh Laurie, Rufus Wainwright, Tony Bennett and Lenny Kravitz. Tickets start from €89 per person for one day or €209 for the full three days. Jazz fans can get to the concert via the line’s service

from Hull to Rotterdam with the company offering special fares for travel in July. A three-day return ticket on the overnight crossing starts from £199 for a car and two passengers, including cabin accommodation, and for up to seven days away prices start from £299 return. The special rates can be booked until June 30 for travel until July 31 at www.poferries.com or by calling 0871-664 6464. For more information on the festival see www.northseajazz.com/en

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a ‘Premium All-Inclusive’ holiday. The report also found that British travellers are changing their holiday habits as a result of the economic climate, with travellers citing ‘value’ as the most important reason in booking an all-inclusive holiday, followed closely with ‘stressfree’ and ‘safety’.

Hayes & Jarvis launches second dedicated Weddings brochure HAYES & Jarvis has launched its second dedicated Weddings brochure featuring more five-star resorts and an expanded collection in Sri Lanka and Hawaii. The new brochure showcases ceremonies in 18 of the company’s most successful weddings destinations, including the Caribbean & Mexico, the US including Hawaii, Indian Ocean, Africa and Far East. Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific are also included through sister operator, Austravel. In addition to showcasing exclusive wedding resorts, including Martha Stewart Caribbean Weddingmoons at Sandals and Beaches

resorts, the brochure also caters for other types of commitment celebrations, including same sex ceremonies. As examples of prices, weddings at the four-star Avani Kalutara Resort in Sri Lanka, cost from £879, while at the luxury end of the market, the new wedding choices include the Fortress in Galle, Sri Lanka (from £1,099), Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa, Mexico (from £929) and Buccament Bay Resort in St Vincent & the Grenadines, where weddings are free with bookings of nine nights or more in a beachfront villa. In Hawaii, the choice of islands offered by the operator has been expanded to include Big Island and Kauai in addition to Oahu and Maui, which were featured in the first brochure last year. Wedding packages cost from £839 on Big Island where ceremonies can be arranged at either Waikoloa or Hapuna beaches and from £879 on Kauai with a choice of weddings at Poipu, Anini or Ke’e beaches. For details call 0871-200 2211 or visit www.hayesandjarvis.com /agents

June 29 2012

TWIN DEAL...Avalon Waterways has unveiled and christened two Suite Ships in Enkhuizen, Northern Holland, with Travelsavers' Nicole Mazza serving as godmother of the Avalon Visionary and Canadian travel industry insider Vanessa Lee, acting as godmother to the Avalon Vista. The smaller 52-suite Avalon Visionary will sail eight-day 'Romantic Rhine’ cruises from £1,735 and later in the year several Christmastime cruises on the Rhine and Danube. The Avalon Vista will sail the longer itineraries of the 15-day ‘Magnificent Europe’, the 11-day ‘Legendary Danube’ cruise and 13-day ‘Blue Danube Discovery’. Pictured celebrating the christening of Avalon Vista is the ship's godmother, Vanessa Lee, with Alan MacLean, Avalon Waterways.

Mailbox Mailings with Travel Bulletin this week include: ● Great Rail have launched 'Cruising by Rail' - a

collection of River and ocean cruises from the UK's leading Operator of escorted holidays by rail. Further details call 01904 521973 or visit www.GreatRail.com/Cruises ● Titan booking incentive - Make any Titan booking

between 1 July and 31 July for any departure in 2012 and receive £50 Love2shop vouchers. Email your claim to agentadmin@titantravel.co.uk For further details and special offers please read the mail shots that accompany this issue

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newsbulletin Tweets of the Week Who’s saying what on Twitter... @T2News WIN £1000 towards a treat for your agency! Enter the prize draw by booking one of our BIG 30 destinations ~ easy! http://bit.ly/Ng8h9W @AceAndyHarmer Time to win a Fam Trip to Canada with Rocky Mountaineer? Then head to the ACE website and our exclusive competition http://www.cruiseexperts .org @TucanTravel With 25% off all our group tours, now is the time to travel to Central America before the Mayan end of the world. http://www.tucantravel.co m/tour/overview/ mayan-circle/yya @easyJet Great Summer Deals – thousands of seats for under £20, £30 and £40 to European beach, city and UK destinations http://bit.ly/MnV16q @InghamsHolidays Deal of the day: Next week you could be loving life in Limone - 3* Europa Htl frm a fantastic £395! http://bit.ly/LaIAWX Weekly wine tasting

SERENE SURROUNDINGS...Serena Hotels along with Kenya Airways and ARP Travel Group hosted a group of operators on a recent visit to Kenya. Pictured at the new Lake Elmenteita Serena Camp are, from the left: (back row) Steve Hornbuckle, Trailfinders; Peter Ellis, Experience Holidays; PJ Woodburn, Visions of Africa; and Krishnakoli Ghosh, Wexas; with (front row) Will Brown, Lotus; Katie Large, TUI; Chris Greener, Bales; Bernard Njoroge, Pollmans; Sue Rothwell, Serena/Ethos host; Janet Dearing, African Pride; Rosina Williams, Kenya Tourist Board; Hannah Busby, Cox & Kings; Nikky Kirkup, Kuoni; and Steve Ndungu, Pollmans.

Hurtigruten boosts charter departures to double winter business HURTIGRUTEN HAS launched its 2012/13 winter brochure, offering dedicated Northern Lights itineraries and twice the number of charter departures, with the aim of doubling its winter business. The brochure features all the operator’s winter products in one place, with prices leading in at £744 per person for a five-night ‘Voyage South’. A total of 41 charter departures are being offered this winter, with the introduction of ten new dates between October to December - 21 more itineraries than winter 2011/12. The charter packages are available on two itineraries, the ‘Arctic Highlights Voyage’ from Tromsø to Kirkenes and back and the ‘Classic Round Voyage’ from Bergen to Kirkenes and back. New flights from Bristol and Belfast have also been added, as well as a new five-day ‘Taste of the Arctic’ itinerary from Tromsø to Bergen departing on various dates between January and March. Prices lead in at £1,080 per person including flights. For more information or to book call 020-8846 2666 or visit www.hurtigruten.co.uk/agents

Low Cost Travel Group & Kuoni Apollo partnership APOLLO, ONE of Kuoni's top three tour operators in the Nordics, is offering flexible holidays to its customers using dynamic packaging provided by Lowcostholidays. The operator will deliver the ability for Apollo customers to search and book more than 350 airlines and 250,000 hotels worldwide for customers in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland. The partnership also includes the ability to book transfers to hotels using ResortHoppa.

Corporate rail travel up by 60% according to International Rail INTERNATIONAL RAIL Ltd reports continued growth in the corporate rail market with figures up 60% year-on-year, and attributes this to increased flexibility, high fuel prices and the growing reputation of rail as a more comfortable way to travel. Sales figures are expected to be maintained this year, into next year and the sales forecast comes as the company celebrates ten years of working within the corporate rail industry. Throughout this year the operator will be connecting to more railway networks to support the rise in both corporate and consumer rail travel. For corporate rail travel, the US, India, China and Russia are currently the growing markets and the

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company works with a wide range of business travel buyers and is also keen on continuing to expand this network. Rod Maton, the company's chairman, said: “We know booking rail travel is complicated and so are pleased to be able to lead the market and provide the corporate travel buyers with the tools that they need to make rail part of their regular journey planning. We welcome anyone interested in selling more rail to contact us as we are happy to provide in-house training to corporates across the UK.” Agents interested in booking training should email Enrico Soresini at esoresini@internationalrail.com

June 29 2012

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newsbulletin Great British Folk Festival returns to Butlins THIS YEAR Butlins Skegness will welcome The Great British Folk Festival, which is now in its third year. The festival runs from November 30-December 3 and offers live performances by some of the biggest stars from the world of folk. This year the event will be headlined by Irish collective The Fureys, Show of Hands and June Tabor and the Oysterband. Three-night breaks start from £80 per person, based on four people sharing a Silver Self-Catering apartment at Skegness. All guests must be aged 18 years and over to attend. For more information visit www.bourneleisuresales.co.uk or call 0845-070 4742.

Newsbites ●

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Virgin Holidays Cruises signs with ACE VIRGIN HOLIDAYS Cruises has become the latest travel agency to sign up to the Association of Cruise Experts (ACE) as the company continues to invest in its presence on the High Street and in selling cruise holidays. The company’s membership takes the number of ACE travel agencies to 2,200, supported by 34 of the UK’s leading cruise lines. Meanwhile, ACE has recently invested in a new Website and e-learning

programme supported by a range of events including a new look ACE Cruise Convention and the Association’s first Expedition Expo being held in September, to be followed by a River Cruise Expo later in the year. In addition, the association is working towards National Cruise Week in September with travel agent members being encouraged to hold an Afternoon Tea event to “Get the Nation Talking Cruise”.

Taste of PATA debuts in Glasgow THE TASTE of PATA event has been held for two years at London’s Borough Market in September. This year, for the first time, PATA UK is extending the event to Glasgow. The London event will take place on September 11 at Borough Market, travelling to Glasgow the following day to visit the Glasgow Science Centre. The two events will follow the same programme, starting at 18:00 and finishing at 21:00 with food, drink and a prize draw. Agents and operators can book their free place at www.pata.org.uk For more information call 020-8877 4527.

CYPRUS Cyplon Supreme Agents Club

Specialist in Tailor-Making Holidays matched by product knowledge & 40 years experience

email sales on how to join and what the beneﬁts are

Price Matching Will be Considered Book on line www.cyplon.co.uk or Email: sales@cyplon.co.uk To request brochure or booking call us on 020

8340 7612 June 29 2012

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A NEW online tourist information library has launched as a joint venture between Gatwick Airport and local organisations in the south east. Aroundgatwick.com gives visitors to the region inspiration and advice about the area’s attractions complete with route and travel information. NYC & Company has announced that 16 hotels in The Signature Collection, a group of New York City's luxury hotels, will participate in The Signature Collection Third Night promotion this summer. The programme gives visitors a third night free at participating hotels after they book and pay for two consecutive nights before September 3. For details see www.ycgo.com/thirdnight ABTA HAS launched a programme of new consumer engagement activity to raise awareness of the ABTA brand amongst 18-34 year olds. The activity aims to engage with consumers by focusing on the inspirational and fun aspects of travel, and over the summer the association will be running a variety of different initiatives targeting various segments of the 18-34 year-old market, including students and young families. All activities will direct consumers back to a new Love Travel Facebook page at www.facebook.com/abtalovetravel MONARCH HAS announced a further expansion of its operations across the Midlands with the launch of a new base at East Midlands Airport, plus the growth of services from Birmingham International Airport. The airline will introduce a new base at East Midlands from late summer and launch new flights to key leisure destinations across the Mediterranean, including Malaga, Alicante, Palma (Mallorca) and Faro (Portugal). The carrier will also expand its operations from Birmingham with additional frequencies on existing routes to Malaga, Alicante, Faro, Rome and Palma, plus the addition of a new route to Barcelona.

New summer sale brochure from CMV CRUISE AND Maritime Voyages (CMV) has launched its new online ‘Summer Sale’ mini-brochure, with prices leading in at £149 per person for a two-night mini-cruise to Amsterdam. The company’s sales manager, Michelle Daniels, said: “Our smaller, 800 passenger ships Marco Polo & Ocean Countess continue to attract those looking for a more relaxed home from home style of cruising with excellent service, great food and stylish entertainment. With many regional departures it adds up to a very economical way to go cruising. For agents using the new online brochure they can point their clients in the direction of their local port as a further way of keeping the cost down.” The special Low Saver Fares have now been extended to July 31, with special upgrade offers available. There are free places for third and fourth cabin occupants when sharing with two saver fare passengers. The company has also introduced further free places for groups of ten or more. For more information see www.cruiseandmaritime.com or call 0844-414 6185.

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newsbulletin Superbreak launches campaign & incentive IN A drive to educate agents about package protection and what it means for customers and agents alike, Superbreak has launched a new promotional campaign. Using the slogan ‘Be a Superbreak Smartie – book our packages, they’re protected’, the operator’s sales team will be hitting the road to get agents to understand the protection benefits of booking various elements together in a package. The operator launched flight inclusive packages recently, which is the basis of the campaign, alongside its other package options of rail, Eurostar and ferry travel, all of which can be booked in conjunction with hotel accommodation. Call 0871-221 4444 or see www.superbreak.com/agent

Tailor Made Travel launches latest New Zealand brochure TAILOR MADE Travel has launched its 2012/13 dedicated brochure to New Zealand. This year there is a new selection of self-drive itineraries, a wider range of accommodation and new experiences including cycling tours, flying light aircraft, tall-ship sailing and glacier trekking. New escorted tours around the country are also featured, as are rail adventures that take in the Tongariro National Park and a dedicated cruise section featuring the Bay of Islands. As an example, a new “Forgotten World Highway” self-drive itinerary takes in the Tongariro National Park in the north island and costs from £439 for five days. There is also a new nine-day “Warbirds & Wheels” itinerary that takes in the county’s finest collection of vintage cars, fighter and military aircraft in Wanaka on the South Island, with prices starting from £849, as well as seaside villages and unspoilt national parks. For more information or to book call 0845-456 8001 or see www.tailor-made.co.uk

W&O announces launch of ‘Light by Western & Oriental’ WESTERN & Oriental has announced the latest addition to its portfolio with the launch of ‘Light by Western & Oriental’, a collection of superior four- and five-star hotels around the world that offer luxury holidays without high price tags. The new collection is being sold as ideal for those who are conscious of tightening purse strings, but who do not want to compromise on quality or luxury, with prices starting from £299 per person for a seven-night stay at the Aphrodite Hills Resort in Cyprus, excluding flights. The programme features an extensive range of holidays to luxury hotels in popular holiday destinations including short-haul favourites such as Cyprus, Spain, Greece, Tenerife and Egypt, alongside luxurious hotels and resorts further afield in destinations including Thailand, Cuba, Mexico, the Maldives, Mauritius and the Caribbean. For more information visit www.wandotravel.com/light or call 020-7666 1234.

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newsbulletin SKÅL THE VER WORLD O Skål - the International Association of Travel and Tourism Professionals highlights its worldwide networking and business opportunities for travel & tourism executives

S THE biggest international Association of Travel and Tourism Professionals worldwide, Skål International is present at many major local, national and international trade fairs. WTM London, ITB Berlin, FITUR Madrid, UTAZAS Budapest, TTW Montreux, IMEX Frankfurt, EIBTM Barcelona and many more. The Skål stands are among the most important PR tools that help communicate with the outside world and provide an ideal meeting platform for Skålleagues for “Doing Business among Friends”. But even more important is the idea of providing a major benefit to our existing members. Our stands at trade fairs serve as meeting points for our members. A visiting Skålleague is welcomed to use our stand to make appointments and to meet with other Skålleagues from around the world. For further information including how to join, see the website www.skal.travel

Star Awards 2012 Don’t miss out! THE PRESTIGIOUS Travel Bulletin Star Awards takes place at The Landmark Hotel on Monday September 10th and serves to recognise, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the travel and tourism industry. Voting has now closed, agents having chosen their favourite suppliers, and the finalists in each of the 32 categories will be announced very shortly. We're delighted to announce our latest Star Awards sponsor is Attraction World. The operator’s group sales and marketing director, Tony Seaman, said: "Attraction World is delighted once again to be a sponsor of this year's Travel Bulletin Star Awards. As a company we are committed to supporting our agents and this event is a truly enjoyable way of doing so! The venue, food, service and entertainment are always second to none and it makes for a great evening out with industry friends and colleagues. Plus, the very fact that the awards are voted for by the agents themselves is to us a true barometer of what is going on in our industry." Tickets are now selling fast so to reserve your place at the Star Awards event on Monday September 10th or for sponsorship enquiries call 020-7834 6661 or email jeanette.ratcliffe@travelbulletin.co.uk We look forward to seeing you there!

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WEBSCLUSIVES 25% off group tours from Tucan Travel TO CONTINUE its celebrations to mark 25 years of taking clients abroad, Tucan Travel is offering 25% off all of its group tours. The promotion is valid for any group tour to any country that the company operates in and with no black out dates, clients can book to travel any time in the next 12 months. To make the promotion accessible to as many as possible, the full payment for the group tour is not required until 60 days prior to the departure date, allowing clients to book their trip of a lifetime in advance and at the discounted price and pay it off in full closer to the time. The 25% saving can also be combined with the 5% discount the company offers returning clients and the offer is valid until July 18.

June 29 2012

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Dusit Thani Maldives has the following Exclusive offer for the travel trade: USD300 per room on a B&B basis, valid until December 22nd 2012.

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Missed our Tenerife Supplement? You can still view it online at www.travelbulletin.co.uk, with special focuses on family holidays, niche holidays and activity holidays.

All this and more at:

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

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agentbulletin Booking incentives WITH DISNEY Pixar's new 3D animated movie, Brave, arriving in cinemas this summer, Funway Holidays is celebrating with the launch of a new package plus a new travel agent incentive. The new package includes seven nights at the five-star Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa (Deluxe Resort) in Orlando, with prices from £4,099 per family of four including flights with United Airlines, based on a September 10 departure. The Grand Floridian includes its own Disney Princess Tea Party, which takes place every Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday (10:30- 12:00). Wannabe princesses aged from three-11 will receive the royal treatment as they don their tiara’s, sip tea, eat princess cake and enjoy a special visit from Princess Aurora from Sleeping Beauty. Each guest ‘princess’ will receive an 18” My Disney Girl collectable doll plus accessories; a tiara, silver Princess link bracelet, princess scrapbook set and a "Best Friend" certificate. Prices for the Princess Tea Party are from £145 based on one adult and one child. To mark the new Disney animated film, the operator is offering agents the chance to claim family cinema tickets for two adults and two children. Agents need to make a Disney package booking including flights by July 31 and email win@funway.co.uk to claim their free Brave tickets.

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(left) MILLINGTON MAGIC...Wendy Wilson er of of Millington Travel was the lucky winn a an agent incentive run by Carrier to win d the luxury twin centre holiday to Dubai an Maldives. Pictured presenting the prize te Pill. cer tificate to Wendy is the operator's Ka

Agent offer ROTANA IS offering exclusive rates for the travel industry, with prices starting from US$69 per room across all hotels and resorts. To find trade rates visit www.rotana.com and choose a city, preferred dates and number of adults/children staying, then click on 'availability'. Use the promotional code TI in the 'Offer/Account Code' field. The trade rate is per room, per night and is based on single or double occupancy. The offer is valid until September 15 and a valid airline or travel industry ID should be presented on check-in.

Fancy a fam? Indochina TO CELEBRATE the launch of its new ced an oun ann has rs programme, Emirates Tou on a e plac a win to nts age el incentive for trav Vietnam educational in September. need to For a chance to win a place agents or Laos ia bod Cam , make a booking to Vietnam at any el trav for 31, July by with the operator top the to d rde awa be will es time. Plac month period. performing agents over the three nts should age e, ntiv To register for the ince contact details and ce ren refe email their booking quoting to ektlonmarketing@emirates.com in the subject e’ ntiv ‘Emirates Tours Vietnam Ince ust 5. Aug by fied line. Winners will be noti 0. 145 90 -75 For details call 020

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TITAN HAS reintroduced its £50 trade incentive, where agents can claim £50 in Love2Shop vouchers for every new booking made departing this year when booked between July 1-31. Every holiday includes as standard, scheduled flights, hotels or cruise accommodation, a host of excursions and visits, the services of a tour manager and door-to-door transfers. To claim the vouchers email agentadmin@titantravel.co.uk

STAR CLIPPERS is offering £20 in restaurant vouchers for a selection of Italian restaurants, including Pizza Express and Zizzi’s, to agents making a booking of three Italy and Croatia sailings this summer. The vouchers are in addition to the usual commission. To book call 0845-200 6145 or visit www.starclippers.co.uk

June 29 2012

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opinionbulletin

W-AITO-Go! by OLIVER BROAD

Making the most of your clients’ summer shopping list

HE SUMMER of 2012 is full of exciting events and opportunities for the travel sector. With the Jubilee celebrations now behind us, our attention moves towards the Olympics. Love it or loathe it, this famous sporting event offers opportunities for us all in the travel industry. And, along with the unpredictable summer weather in the UK, helps to yield last-minute bookings. One thing I was reminded of at the recent AITO and AITO Specialist Travel Agents’ overseas conference in Madeira was the need for members of the independent sector to stick together, especially during uncertain times. There was a lot of healthy proactive discussion during the business sessions, generating new ideas and plenty of food for thought to take back to the office. The quality of the speakers was also very high, including the inspiring founder of i-to-i.com, Deirdre Bounds.

"The new AITO All Stars 2.0 enables all agent members to earn ‘AITO credits’ that will be redeemable against their membership fee" During the AITO Agents’ business sessions, we presented a shopping list of new services for our members. These ranged from our new AITO Roadies, who will travel the UK to communicate the latest news to our members face-to-face, to our new AITO Ambassador scheme - where every agent nominates a member of their team to learn all about AITO via an online course. We also discussed our forthcoming new Website that will target consumers and the trade, and provide an online social platform for our members; new window collateral; and our Sustainable Tourism leaflet that tells clients how to be more environmentally-aware when they travel. The most important development will be the re-launch of our highly successful AITO All Stars incentive scheme. The new AITO All Stars 2.0 enables all agent members to earn ‘AITO credits’ that will be redeemable against their membership fee. This is the first time AITO Agents have moved into this arena and it will pave the way for a more strategic approach to promoting and selling AITO products. All of these services are offered at no additional cost to AITO Agent members and go towards our pledge to ensure that they are receiving good value for money every year.

June 29 2012

Now from one major event for the independent sector to another, with the launch of Independent Retailer Month in July. Supported by AITO Agents, this global ‘shop local’ campaign highlights the important role that smaller, local independent retailers play in the communities that they serve, the local economy they contribute to and in the retail sector as a whole. The initiative aims to impact the independent retail sector globally with relevant support, expertise and insights; connect consumers and communities with local retailers, reminding them of the benefits of shopping local; and engage small business organisations, networks and leaders to promote the importance of independent retail to the global, national and local economies.

"AITO Agents will be hosting a larger number of member events than ever before this autumn" This event will be a unique gathering of independent retailers from all over the UK and is the perfect opportunity for us to keep up with the latest trends, share ideas and learn from other sectors. Our members have access to promotional literature to show their clients that they are part of this special consumer campaign and are entitled to a special reduction on the launch conference fee. And the opportunities don’t stop when the summer does. AITO Agents will be hosting a larger number of member events than ever before this autumn - taking place in Bristol, London, Harrogate and Stratford-upon-Avon, and at Stansted and Birmingham airports. From small intimate dinners to larger ‘speed-dating’ style training, we really are pulling out all the stops.

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

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puzzlebulletin Travagrams

Su Doku Win a £50 Hotel Chocolat voucher in the travelbulletin Su Doku prize puzzle Number: 071

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

Cool Day Moish

A➠

B➠ This operator’s name comes from the Greek word meaning universe

C➠

Main Vet

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, July 5th. Solution and new puzzle will appear next week. The winner for 15th June is Doreen Brown, World of Transport Travel. June 15 Solution: A=1 B=4 C=9 D=8

This Southeast Asian country is shaped in the form of an S

Where Am I?

Dormant volcano in Tenerife

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

Number: 071

Across 1. National airline of UAE (6) 5. Athens airport code (3) 7. Alan, former England captain now football pundit (7) 8. Longest river in Asia (7) 10. Exeter airport code (3) 11. Governing body for British tennis, initially (3) 12. Largest city in Michigan (7) 14. US based cruise company, sounds like a region in the Pacific (7) 15. Somerset landmark, Glastonbury ___ (3) 16. Celebrity chef Behind Bars on TV (6)

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Down 1. Actress in The Five-Year Engagement, at a cinema near you (5,5) 2. Travel advisor (5) 3. Popular city break destination (9) 4. One of the Great Lakes (4) 6. Jessica Ennis is a 2012 Olympic medal hope in this sport (10) 7. Popular long-haul stopover destination (9) 9. Radio and TV presenter, ___ Ball (3) 12. May help you shape up for the beach (4) 13. Call sign, sounds like a dance (5)

For the solution to the Crossword, Where Am I? and Travagrams, please see page 22 June 29 2012

S03 TB2906 News 2_Layout 1 27/06/2012 11:56 Page 12

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agentreview Caren Stoppard from Ilkeston Co-op Travel in Chesterfield booked a five-day break at Los Alisios apthotel in Los Cristianos, Tenerife with Thomas Cook. Here's what she thought of the accommodation...

First impressions ................................8/10 The accommodation looked clean and tidy upon arrival and we were greeted by friendly reception staff. Our room wasn't ready but we were offered a room to put our luggage in and shown where to have a drink and lunch. All the staff were really polite.

Comfort ..............................................8/10 The accommodation comprised of three different blocks. The best block was block C as it was the quietest and on the top floor there were great views of the town and sea. I went with my three children and felt very safe and at home

Quality ................................................7/10 The accommodation was in need of a refurb, quite dated in the apartments but they were huge and had everything you needed. It was rated a three-star and I would say this was right. The food score was only marked at 40% but I would have rated it 55%. The entertainment was catered mainly for the French so was very disappointing for the English.

Affordability ........................................9/10 I only paid £60 per person for five nights including flights! (this was available to everyone - not just an agent offer) so it was a fantastic deal! It was extremely good value for money! If I had paid full price (£700 pp for a week in June) I would have complained about the entertainment and all round value for money!

Service ................................................8/10 The staff including reception, bar, waiters, cleaners etc were brilliant...all smiled and were chatty and very welcoming! The service overall was brilliant

Good to know ............................................ If you want a great view request block C but on a high floor as the bar was underneath and could be loud if you got a low floor.

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

7/ 10

Caren receives a £10 Love2Shop 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.

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MARK WARNER has opened its new five-star Levante Beach on the Greek island of Rhodes. The resort is exclusive to the operator and offers a choice of standard rooms, family suites and ten larger suites, eight of which have their own private swimming pool. All rooms are fully air-conditioned and come with a balcony or terrace, en-suite bathroom and satellite TV. Other onsite facilities include a watersports centre, tennis facilities, swimming pools, childcare centre and a choice of dining options. Prices start from £549 per person, based on a seven-night, half-board stay, including BA flights. For details visit www.markwarner.co.uk or call 0844-273 6826.

ABAMA Golf & Spa Resort offers unlimited golf package ABAMA GOLF & Spa Resort in Tenerife has launched an unlimited golf package which includes accommodation in all room types with an ocean view (except Tagor’ Villas); unlimited use of the driving range with range balls, shared buggy equipped with GPS system, water on the course and bag storage at the hotel; and one thermal water circuit at the spa per person per stay. The package is valid until September 30 on a minimum stay of seven nights and includes breakfast. The resort has also launched a new honeymoon package plus new wellness programmes, designed to assist guests with their overall wellbeing and lifestyle. For more information visit www.abamahotelresort.com

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DoSomethingDifferent boosts portfolio with Greek Island additions DOSOMETHINGDIFFERENT.COM HAS increased its product portfolio to include Rhodes, Crete, Kos and Santorini in the Greek Islands. The operator's head of product, Tom Samuel, said: "Greece continues to be one of the most popular destinations for UK holidaymakers and it is an area we have been looking to develop for a while. We are pleased to now offer a comprehensive range of

products in Rhodes, Crete, Santorini and Kos and we hope to offer products in the other islands very soon." New tours include a Rhodes Underwater Safari Tour, a visit to Elafonissi Island, a morning volcano and hot springs boat trip in Santorini and a Lazy Day Three Islands Tour in Kos, which costs £35 for adults and £18 for children. For details call 020-8090 3890.

Shearings highlights best-selling itneraries SHEARINGS IS highlighting a selection of its best-selling programmes including an eightday Mallorca all-inclusive option from £609 per person. Based in the three-star Hotel Mirlos Tordos, 120m from the beach, customers can take a short walk to the centre of the resort. The price includes seven nights' all-inclusive accommodation, flights and transfers. Departures are available in September and October. Another popular option is the eight-day 'Malta’s Mediterranean Splendour' which costs from £759 per person. The holiday is based at St Julians and highlights include a trip to the Blue Grotto and Marsaxlokk Market and a walking tour of Vittoriosa, Corpicua and Senglea. Included in the price are seven nights' half-board accommodation, flights and transfers. Departures are available from July to October. For more information call 01942-823449 or visit www.shearingsagent.com

Superbreak adds flight inclusive packages in Ibiza AGENTS CAN now book flight inclusive short break packages to Ibiza with Superbreak, including flights, accommodation and extras. Flights are available with low-cost airlines and hotels offering flexible durations. A four-night package in September staying at the two-star Anibal Hotel in San Antonio on a room-only basis costs from £284 per person including flights with easyJet from Gatwick. For more information visit www.superbreak.com/agents or call 0871-221 4444

June 29 2012

S04 TB2906 Med Islands_Layout 1 27/06/2012 11:59 Page 14

mediterraneanisland

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June 29 2012

INNTRAVEL IS PROMOTING an easy to moderate two-centre walking holiday in Cyprus. The seven-night break is set around Lofou in the foothills and on the Akamas Peninsula and costs from ÂŁ625 per person, based on two sharing. It includes a weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s car hire, seven nights' breakfast accommodation and three dinners. Flights to Paphos or Lamaca are extra and departures are between October 1 and December 15 and March 1 and May 18, 2013. For details see www.inntravel.co.uk or call 01653-617000.

Beach secrets from Mallorca Farmhouses WITH THE prediction that as high season approaches, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good chance of crowded beaches in Mallorca, Mallorca Farmhouses has provided a list of its top secluded beaches - from crowd-free hidden bays to quiet coves in the mountains. Es Caragol is a long 500m stretch of unspoilt whitesand beach backed by sand dunes. Guests can stay at the one-bedroom Aljup de Son Amer on the outskirts of the little village of Es Llombards, with prices starting from ÂŁ578 per week. Es Carbo, which offers 1.5km of powdery white sand and sits on a protected bay with calm seas, is also being highlighted. Guests can stay at Finca Angoixes, a large

six-bedroom restored farmhouse on the outskirts of the traditional village of Cas Concos, just north of Santanyi, with prices starting from ÂŁ747 per week, sleeping 12. Meanwhile, Cala Tuent is a semicircular 180m sand, pebble and shingle beach, surrounded by mountains and thick pine woods. The water is clear and good for snorkelling and the remote location ensures plenty of space on the beach, even in peak summer. Stays at Ca'n Picassa, a remote threebedroom farmhouse tucked away in the Pollenca Hills lead in at ÂŁ828 per week which sleeps six. For more information call 0845-800 8080 or visit www.mallorca.co.uk

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Gozo & Comino awarded Quality Coast Gold Award for sustainable tourist destination THE MALTA Tourism Authority (MTA) has announced that Malta’s sister islands, Gozo and Comino, have been ranked as the third most sustainable tourist destinations amongst the best 100 European coastal destinations in the Quality Coast Awards. The awards aim to promote coastal destinations that offer scenic beauty as well as local identity, natural and cultural heritage, together with a clean coastal environment. The awards also serve as guidance for tour operators to promote sustainable destinations amongst tourists who seek this type of tourism. The tourist office's UK & Ireland director, Alex Incorvaja, said: "This highly prized classification, following a rigorous judging process, comes as a great acknowledgement of all that has been done and which is being done with regards to sustainable development for Gozo. This award demonstrates the Maltese commitment to improving quality of life and experience for both our residents and our growing number of UK visitors.”

Meanwhile, the MTA has also announced that Malta officially has the second best bathing waters in the EU according to a new Bathing Water Report published by the European Commission. The report, which tested 22,000 bathing sites at beaches, rivers and lakes across Europe last year, including 87 sites for Malta and her sister island Gozo, says that 97.7% of Malta’s bathing waters were of ‘excellent’ quality in 2011– the best possible quality under the EU’s bathing water directive. Incorvaja said: “To be recognised by the European Commission in the Bathing Water Report is a great honour. We are constantly striving to raise awareness about Malta and Gozo’s good reputation for having clear sparkling Mediterranean waters that boast some of the best bathing and dive sites in Europe, where this report is a great endorsement to our tourism product.” For more information visit www.visitmalta.com

Corsican Places adds converted wine tower, Piazza Ronda, to collection CORSICAN PLACES has announced the addition of Piazza Ronda to its 2012 collection. Originally used for wine storage, the circular tower, which offers 360-degree views, has been converted into holiday accommodation which sleeps up to 16 guests. Features include three kitchens, two terraces and eight bedrooms and the property is set over four floors which are connected by a lift. There is also a large pool and Jacuzzi, as well as an outdoor

summer kitchen. The company's product manager, Amandine Blanchard, said: “This unique property is perfect for larger parties looking for something rather special.” As an example of prices, a seven-night self-catering stay leads in at £669 per person, based on maximum occupancy of 16 people staying, and includes flights from Stansted to Figari on September 23, airport taxes and car hire. For details call 0845-330 2345 or visit www.corsica.co.uk

MALTA Prestige Holidays offer a range of 4 and 5 star hotels in Malta and Gozo, from traditional elegant hotels to the more modern beachfront hotels, something to suit every client. Ask about all our latest offers to Malta including free nights and free room upgrades. Prices from only £667 at a 5 star hotel for a week in October. We offer flexibility using scheduled flights, so can offer long stays or short breaks for your clients. Don’t forget you will receive Love to Shop vouchers for each booking made.

Free meet & greet parking for your clients from selected airports.

Prestige Holidays on 01425 480400 or www.prestigeholidays.co.uk/malta

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Classic Collection sees Sicily bookings grow following property & resort additions FOLLOWING THE introduction of new properties and resorts in Sicily for Summer 2012, as well as fly/drive holidays, Classic Collection says it has seen a 12% year-on-year increase in sales to the island. Gary Boyer, head of purchasing, said: ‘Demand in 2011 encouraged us to expand our selection of destinations and properties in Sicily for summer 2012. We’ve increased allocations and introduced even more competitive prices. And we are delighted with Sicily’s performance so far this year.’ The operator features 11 properties in Taormina and Taormina Mare, including for the first time The Ashbee

Temple of Juno Moneta

AFFORDABLE

Luxury

Stunning beaches secluded coves

Cyprus

villages friendly people the welcome in Cyprus rustic is as warm as the year-round Med

the welcome in Cyprus is as warm as the year-round Mediterranean sun CALL 0800 008 7288 www.classic-collection.co.uk/cyprus 16

June 29 2012

hotel, an early 20th century villa, and the five-star boutique hotel El Jebel. A further eight properties have been added in Syracuse, Marina di Ragusa, Agrigento, Sciacca, Palermo and Mazaro Del Vallo. As an example, seven nights at the five-star Villa Athena within Agrigento’s UNESCO world heritage site in Agrigento costs from £1,196 per person in July. For more information visit www.classiccollection.co.uk or call 0800-008 7288

Ibiza Club passes now on sale with Attraction World ATTRACTION WORLD has put its Ibiza Club passes on sale for July and August so agents arranging dynamically packaged trips can now pre-book tickets for customers. Tickets are fully commissionable and a range of events are available including Noah’s Ark Underground Boat Party which costs £75 per person, Cream Ibiza at £57 per person and Ibiza Live! at £45 per person. For more information or to book visit www.attractionworld.com or call 0871-700 8888.

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activityholidays Simple rules that can make or break a client's holiday experience by DANNIELL SAUNDERS, marketing & product manager, Encounters Travel o, what exactly is adventure and activity travel? Quite simply, it’s a holiday to a natural environment or remote location with the specific purpose of active, physical participation and exploration of a new experience or culture. These types of holidays are attractive to people of all ages who want to discover more about a country, and to travel with some like-minded people in a group to keep the costs down and provide a fun social experience at the same time.

Ease of booking Sometimes operators with great products aren’t actually great to work with, and agents need to take this into account as well. The ease of actually making the booking, getting availability checked and questions answered is very important too; after all the cliché “time is money” seems to have been coined specifically for our industry. Agents need to look for operators that have low hold times on the phone, friendly and helpful staff, and preferably an easy to use on-line booking tool with live availability.

it will make your life easier in the long run and help reduce those pesky complaints on a client's return where they thought that airport transfer was included when in fact it wasn’t. This is something we have tried very hard to get right at Encounters Travel. Whilst customer satisfaction is the ultimate goal for any travel agent, this is balanced with the fact that you are a business and need to make money. Probably the easiest way to do this today is by booking land arrangements (gone are the days of 12% air commissions) and booking a group tour is far easier and time effective than packaging something together yourself, sometimes it is simply one phone call and you can earn 15% commission on a £2,000 holiday. Also worth looking out for are ways that operators sometimes try to make their holidays seem cheaper and better value. This often means splitting prices into the main tour price with follow-up payments that are paid locally on arrival. This means the operator doesn’t need to pay the agent as much commission, and makes their products look more attractive on first glance to consumers. Many are no longer called ‘local payments’ as such, but passengers still seem to have to pay for tipping kitties, entrance fees, some tours and activities, and often basic things like transfers when they arrive. Make sure you and your client know exactly what they need to pay for prior to booking the trip as it is often hidden in the fine print. These extra costs are one of the main causes of complaints and poor customer satisfaction, so if you as an agent can sell a product that either doesn’t have them or gives very clear budgeting information, you’re going to have a happier client more likely to book their next holiday from you. You’ll also invariably make more commission from the sale as well.

Consistency of product As a travel agent you are generally expected to know everything about every country and every travel company that ever existed. Of course this is impossible to do and this is where having a good working relationship with several operators will come in handy. I generally recommend you have a few different companies for each popular destination in your business that are your go to companies. Take their brochure home or spend some time on their site and learn everything there is about them. This will make you seem far more knowledgeable when a potential customer is sitting in front of you than you desperately searching through a brochure trying to find out if transfers are included. This is where consistency of inclusions is so important. So many companies today have different inclusions per destination, which makes it very difficult for you, the agent to keep up with. Try and chose companies that show consistency,

Emerging trends One of the more noticeable trends we are seeing lately is the number of single female travellers booking our group trips – both as individuals and with other female friends. Group tours hold attractions for young female travellers as they provide reassurance over travelling safely, as well as the normal benefits of group travel. Travel agents can benefit by remembering this and using it as a sales tool for both their female and male customers - safety in numbers for the single girls and a prompt for the guys that there are normally more girls than guys in the groups. At Encounters Travel we’re always striving to add the perfect holiday that will boost our agents’ sales, and recently we think we did it with the first ever group tour of the Maldives. We are also just about to add some amazing trips to Eastern and Southern Africa including Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa to name a few. ✦

Matching the right operator & client In my experience most tour operators seem to think that their product is 100% perfect for every passenger out there when in fact this is generally not the case. Travel agents' skills and responsibilities lie in making sure they are giving their clients the best advice and information so they can make an informed decision; after all this is why we as operators pay commissions. To do this best, agents need to take time and qualify each client by asking him or her as many questions as possible. Of course this does take time but in the end your conversion rate will increase as well as your repeat client base.

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June 29 2012

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activityholidays Olympic summer of family activities at La Manga Club AS OLYMPIC fever mounts, La Manga Club resort in Spain is offering families a selection of sporty breaks. Former Olympic athlete Nick Buckfield will be hosting a variety of athletics and fitness courses along with ex-TV Gladiator Kate Staples, while the Lee Westwood Golf Academy, Real Madrid Soccer Camp and Michael Owen Rugby Academy will all be offering youngsters expert tuition. The junior sports camps are in addition to a range of activities at the five-star resort including three golf courses, 28 tennis courts, nine sports pitches and a private Mediterranean cove. For families planning on taking a sunshine break before the end of July, the resort is offering a range of discounts. Guests at the five-star Hotel La Manga Club Principe Felipe will receive a 50% discount when booking a second room for children to stay in, a â&#x201A;Ź100 resort credit voucher, free junior club sessions for five to 12-year-olds and free meals for children under five. The Real Madrid Soccer Camp will run for two weeks (July 16-27) and is open to girls and boys between the ages of seven and 17. The price for one week is â&#x201A;Ź450 with both weeks costing â&#x201A;Ź810. Former Wales Grand Slam and British Lions captain Michael Owen's new rugby academy operates from July 16-August 10 and is open to children aged nine to 16 years of age. Each week is structured around two daily themes such as attacking, tactical appreciation, contact skills, defence, agility and balance and costs â&#x201A;Ź200. The

Lee Westwood Golf Academy (August 6-10 and August 1317), offers children aged seven to 16 years a dedicated instruction programme and covers all aspects of the game with prizes and gifts for all attendees. The clinics, which will run for two hours per day, are open to boys only with the five-day academy courses costing â&#x201A;Ź250. Staples and Olympic pole vaulter Buckfield are at the forefront of La Manga Club's drive to help families get into the Olympic spirit. They will be running a series of fun-packed activity camps for children and adults from July 23 to August 10. Available to boys and girls of all abilities aged seven to 12, the resort's five-day kids' athletics academies offer 60-minute programmes of athletics training, featuring games, movement, relays and fitness improvement. Packages are priced at â&#x201A;Ź125 per child. Parents are also invited to take part in sporting activities with a range of tailored fitness hikes and camps organised by Staples and Buckfield. Suitable for both avid fitness enthusiasts and complete novices, the programmes feature a selection of strength exercises and sports conditioning exercises designed to burn maximum calories. A week in July for a family of four sharing two luxury rooms at the five-star Hotel La Manga Club Principe Felipe costs from â&#x201A;Ź1,564. For more information email reserve@lamangaclub.com or visit www.lamangaclub.com

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MARK WARNER has opened the five-star purpose-built Levante Beach Resort on Rhodes, which has been custom designed to ensure that families can fill their holiday time with activities. Facilities include a watersports centre offering dinghy sailing, windsurfing, waterskiing, wake boarding, beach kayaking and stand-up paddling. For more high-octane thrills, the terrain of the island lends itself to trying mountain biking, and a new fleet of specialised Hard Rock bikes is available to guests free of charge. Within the resort guests also have access to a tennis centre, multi-sport show court, five-aside football pitch, four dedicated swimming pools and a fitness programme which includes yoga and pilates classes. Prices start from ÂŁ765 per person, based on a seven-night, half-board stay, including specially chartered BA flights. For details call 0844-273 6826, email agencysales@markwarner.co.uk or visit www.markwarner.co.uk

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activityholidays Selous Safari Company promotes safari activities in Tanzania THE SELOUS Safari Company is highlighting a range of holiday activities in southern Tanzania, from boat safaris at The Selous Safari Camp to turtle hatching on the shores of Ras Kutani. The boutique Selous Safari Camp combines safari activities such as game drives and walks with adventurous options including boat safaris on Lake Nzerakera and satellite bush walking where guests can spend one or two nights in the bush accompanied by a walking guide. Alternatively, the camp also offers the chance of a spot of fishing for those interested in landing cat fish, tiger fish or bream. After the safari adventure, the beach retreat of Ras Kutani is an ideal place for relaxed fun on the shores of the Indian Ocean. Activities include body boarding, snorkelling or kayaking on the fresh water lagoon. There are also nature walks through the indigenous coastal forest and guided walks to local villages. Turtles come to nest along the shore of Ras Kutani in season, and guests are invited to get involved in projects that look out for their welfare. Expert Africa is offering a nine-night safari and beach adventure from £3,618 per person, which offers a saving of £1,024 per person. The offer is valid for selected departures in August and the itinerary includes three nights on safari at Jongomero Camp, three nights at the Selous Safari Camp, plus a further three nights at the exclusive beach retreat of Ras Kutani on a full-board basis. Also included are flights from Heathrow with BA, transfers, game viewing drives in open sided vehicles, walking safaris and boat safaris at Selous Safari Camp, as well as concession and park entrance fees, taxes and surcharges. For more information see www.expertafrica.com or call 020-8232 9777.

WW adds trekking trip to Southern Albania

WALKS WORLDWIDE is offering adventurous trekkers the chance to join a unique ‘reccee’ trip to ‘The Mysterious South’ of Albania departing on September 15. The itinerary begins on the coast, before heading inland to cross a pass that leads to the 'Laberia' highlands of the south. Few tourists are seen in the region and some nights will be spent staying in village houses with local people, offering an insight into life in this remote corner of Europe. The trail then continues through valleys, passing isolated villages along the way. There will also be the chance for guests to visit the Llogora National Park and the fortress of Ali Pasha before descending to the beach of Gjipe. The trip is limited to ten people and leads in at £655 per person, including seven nights' accommodation, most meals, transfers, a guide and baggage transfers by road. For details or to book call 0845-301 4737 or visit www.walksworldwide.com

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Keycamp highlights activity breaks for less than £1,000 KEYCAMP IS highlighting a selection of activity breaks this summer including its Soccer Station parcs in France, which are run by FA qualified coaches and cater for kids of all ages and abilities. Each session includes a mixture of matches, coaching and skills practice – and families can book a seven session pass from £25 per child. In addition to Soccer Station sessions, there’s a range of activities to keep the kids entertained, including a three-pool complex, tennis and mini golf and the nearby sandy beach. Out and about, families can visit the nearby St Valery for some authentic French cuisine. As an example of prices, a seven-night break at Chateau de Drancourt leads in at £981 for a family of two adults and up to four children staying in a Villanova mobile home, including ferry crossings and a saving of £280. Meanwhile, the operator's La Croix de Vieux

Pont parc, situated just outside Paris, allows holidaymakers to experience city centre sightseeing, a French lakeside retreat, and an activity holiday – all rolled into one. Alongside Soccer Station sessions, kids can take advantage of the free kids’ clubs, catering for all ages, as well as the indoor water slides and outdoor pool complex. For those looking to venture further afield, La Croix de Vieux Pont is a short drive from Paris, while Disneyland Resort Paris is also within easy reach. Seven nights starting on August 5 at La Croix de Vieux Pont, staying in a two-bedroom Villanova mobile home sleeping up to four adults and two children, costs from £998 per party, including ferry crossings and a saving of £120. Alternative ferry crossings and fly/drive packages are available at a supplement. For further information visit www.keycamp4agents.co.uk

Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa opens new facilities for kids THE JEBEL Ali Golf Resort & Spa in Dubai has recently opened two new kids areas, ‘Chill Zone’ and ‘Cool Zone’: one for children up to 12 with staff on hand to run activities from face-painting to karaoke, bookmarkmaking and jewellery-designing, while teens have access to their own private beach with activities including yoga, pilates, beach volleyball and croquet. The new facilities complement the existing 100+ activities on offer at the 128acre resort including mini golf, horseriding, football, tennis and camel-riding. Meanwhile, the resort has invested in creating a watersports centre which offers

everything from dinghy sailing, kayaking, diving, paddle-boarding to the more unusual yoga on a surfboard. Other facilities include a nine-hole championship golf course and a spa. Guests can stay in one of 180 serviced hotel apartments at the Oasis Beach Tower, situated on the Jumeirah Walk, adjacent to the marina and save up to £190. Prices lead in at £899 per person for five nights for two people sharing a room, including flights from Gatwick. The offer is valid until July 15. To book or for more information call 0844-811 4444 or visit www.dialaflight.com

June 29 2012

S07 TB2906 Latin America_Layout 1 27/06/2012 11:24 Page 20

a c i r e m a n lati HAYES & Jarvis has boosted its Worldwide Mexico programme with the addition of the five-star Hard Rock Hotel Cancun. The luxury resort, formerly known as Hard Rock Hotel Cancun, has been introduced to the operator's 2013 brochure and is due for completion this summer. A seven-night allinclusive stay costs from £1,359 per person, including BA flights and transfers. For details visit www.hayesandjarvis.com or call 0871-200 2211.

Air Europa launches twice-weekly service to Bolivia in November AIR EUROPA is to launch a twice-weekly service from Gatwick to Santa Cruz from November 29, using the new Airbus 330-200. The airline's UK general manager, Colin Stewart, said: “In what has been a challenging time for the airline industry, we are extremely proud to introduce yet another long-haul route to our growing portfolio of services to South America. “Since launching the Gatwick-Madrid route over three years ago, we’ve gone from strength to strength and hope that this new service will further cement our position as the airline of choice to Latin America.” The new route to Bolivia is the latest addition to the airline’s list of services across South America and the Spanish Caribbean, including Buenos Aires; Argentina, Caracas; Venezuela, Havana; Cuba and Santo Domingo; Dominican Republic. The carrier has also boosted capacity on its Gatwick to Madrid connection by replacing the Embraer 195 with the Boeing 737, adding an extra 120 seats a day to the route. For more information visit www.aireuropa.com or call 0871-423 0717.

JLA designs new holiday combining Amazon & Panama Canal FOLLOWING THE launch of a new direct Copa flight linking Panama City with Iquitos in Peru next month, Journey Latin America has designed a new holiday combining The Amazon and Panama Canal. Guests will follow a partial transit of the Panama Canal with a luxury cruise through Amazonia’s tropical rainforest, then fly to the south of Peru to travel inland to the Andes and follow the Amazon tributary of River Urubamba to visit Peru’s “lost city” of Machu Picchu. Prices for the 13-day package lead in at £5,312 per person including flights. The operator has also created a new itinerary to allow travellers to sail the length of the Chilean Patagonian coastline. The 15-day holiday leads in at £3,380 per person including flights and takes in glaciers, forested fjords, isolated fishing communities and hot springs. The only departure is on October 15 and the price offers a saving of £334 per person. For more information call 020-8747 8315 or visit www.journeylatinamerica.co.uk

LATA Foundation supports series of projects in Chile, Ecudaor & Peru THE LATA Foundation has announced its support for three new projects which will provide heating, hot water and urgent repairs for a school for Mapuche Pewenche children near Temuco, Chile; medical equipment for a new health centre for an impoverished community near Esmeraldas, Ecuador; and support for a new training school in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, Peru, enabling women to teach Spanish to international volunteers and others. The project in Chile is in collaboration with Turismo Chile, the Chilean Tourist Board, which has a new remit to support social projects. The school receives a small budget for staff and books but insufficient funds for maintenance. In partnership with Turismo Chile there is much that the LATA Foundation feels it can do to connect the school to the main electricity grid, replace water pipes with an insulated system that won’t freeze or burst, and install a working hot water system. In Ecuador, the medical centre will provide health care for

June 29 2012

225 inhabitants who live in conditions of extreme poverty in La Bocana de Ostiones, Esmeraldas. The building itself is ready and the LATA Foundation’s contribution of £1,250 will provide much of the equipment needed to get it up and running. The charity is appealing for additional support from travellers to Ecuador, travel agents, tour operators and ground agents to provide the following: trolley ($123.65); sterilising equipment ($770.00); blood pressure equipment ($98); stainless steel tray ($20.67); steel emesis bowl, specialist medical lamp and ancillary equipment ($164.06). In Peru the LATA Foundation supports local NGO Awamaki who run a number of cooperative projects to provide rural impoverished women with new skills. They also accept placements for international volunteers and students. In November they set up a teacher training and language school, training women to teach Spanish to tourists and volunteers in Ollantaytambo. For more information visit www.latafoundation.org

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latinamerica Explore Bolivia's salt flats with Rainbow Tours’ luxury airstream caravan RAINBOW TOURS is offering a new way for visitors to Bolivia to explore the mysterious salt flats of the Salar de Uyuni travelling and staying in a luxury airstream caravan. Until May this year, visitors to the salt flats had been bound by hotel locations and day excursions by bike and four-wheel drive, as the region has limited infrastructure. Now visitors can set off across the landscape in an airstream caravan, fully equipped and complete with a personal chauffeur/guide, to explore at their own pace. The introduction of the caravans will mean more time to cycle across remote areas of the salt flats, visit local communities, star gaze and trek across the open spaces. The caravans sleep two and five-night packages in the Salar de Uyuni region, incorporating one night at the Luna Salada Hotel and one night in a luxury airstream caravan,

leads in at £1,925 per person. Flights are excluded but can be purchased for an additional £1,050. For more information visit www.rainbowtours.co.uk or call 020-7666 1260. The airstream caravan

Travel 2 adds new eight-day Peru package from £1,849 per person with flights TRAVEL 2 is offering a new eight-day package to Lima in Peru which includes a five-day 'Discover Cuzco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu Tour' plus a three-night stay at the three-star Casa Andina Classic Miraflores Centro with breakfast. Prices lead in at £1,849 per person including flights with Air Europa and Lan Peru. The package offers a saving of £68 per couple when booked by August 27 and travel dates are from September 1-30. The operator’s USA product and purchasing manager, Brian Hawe, said: “History buffs will marvel at the ancient

Inca ruins and the incredible Machu Picchu, whilst nature lovers and the energetic will delight in the outdoor activities amidst the stunning scenery in the Sacred Valley. "Ancient Cuzco was one of the capitals of the Inca Empire and the cobbled streets are a treasure trove waiting to be explored. Many people travel at least one way by train through the valley, taking either the Andean Explorer or the upmarket Orient Express owned Hiram Bingham train. Accommodation varies and suits all pockets from modest accommodation through to the deluxe hotels formed from converted monasteries.”

Discover Peru with

Daily ﬂights from London to Lima All ﬂights are via Madrid.

Please contact our UK Reservations team by calling 0871 423 0717 or emailing uksales@air-europa.com alternatively visit our website at www.aireuropa.com

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latinamerica Embratur welcomes the choice of World Cup slogan We asked our staff the following question this week: If you could meet the Queen and ask her one question what would it be? Publisher: Jeanette Ratcliffe jeanette.ratcliffe@travelbulletin.co.uk Will you adopt me?

Editor: Lauretta Wright lauretta.wright@travelbulletin.co.uk What do you carry around in your purse on your official outings?

Assistant Editor: Jill Sayles jill.sayles@travelbulletin.co.uk Contributing Editor: Paul Scudamore post@travelbulletin.co.uk Have you ever disguised yourself and gone out on your own, and if so, when was the last time?

Sales Director: Simon Eddolls simon.eddolls@travelbulletin.co.uk If you had your time again, would you choose to stay as Queen or renounce the throne?

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“ALL IN one rhythm” is the official slogan of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, to be held in Brazil. Selected from 26 proposals, it had to represent five concepts requested by FIFA, the organising committee and the Brazilian government: cohesive society, power of innovation, striking nature, living football and land of happiness. Embratur's president, Flávio Dino, said: “This slogan fits perfectly with the image of such a large-scale event and Embratur’s new aim of promoting Brazilian cultural diversity. Music is one of Brazil’s most important cultural exports and is amongst the attributes we are best known for.” Meanwhile, according to the Ministry of Tourism in partnership with Embratur (Brazilian Tourist Board), the number of international visitors travelling to Brazil rose by 5.3% in 2011 compared to 2010. Last year 5,433,354 tourists visited the country, 271,975 more than the year before. Last year almost 30% of foreign visitors to Brazil were from Europe. There were 1,621,183 Europeans, 0.4% higher than the number recorded the year before, while the number of people going for holiday in Brazil from the UK remained high at 149,564 in 2011.

Intrepid Travel adds capacity to meet demand for Peru INTREPID TRAVEL has added extra departures in Peru over the summer season, to meet increased demand for the destination. The move comes after a promotion on a range of Peru trips, which the operator ran earlier this year and was supported by travel agents who were responsible for 81% of bookings. The operator also boosted bookings to other South American countries, with passenger numbers to the region up by 345% in the first quarter of this year, compared with the same period last year. Trips in Peru range from £65 per person for a two-day break at Lake Titicaca, to a three-week Peru Highlights tour which costs from £1,975 per person.

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Improved airport infrastructure for Central America CENTRAL AMERICA continues to improve its tourism infrastructure with the opening of a new airport in Nicaragua and plans for a new terminal in Panama. The newly opened airport at San Juan del Norte (Greytown), on Nicaragua’s Southern Caribbean coast, currently has a 1,200m runway, suitable for small planes carrying up to 19 passengers, but there are plans to extend this shortly by 300m more to accommodate bigger planes with up to 46 passengers. Local carrier La Costeña has already started using the new airport, offering one-hour flights from Managua twice a week. The opening of the new airport brings new opportunities to the area, which was previously only accessible by road and boat. The improved connections with the rest of the country will also help generate income for local businesses, by attracting a greater number of visitors to the area. At present the area has ten small hotels, which are currently negotiating packages with local tour operators. Meanwhile, in Panama, there are plans to build a new terminal at Tocumen Airport in order to increase the airport capacity to 18million passengers by 2014. The new “Muelle Sur” Terminal will require an investment of around US$400million and will occupy a space of 80,000sq.m with 36 new boarding gates. The new terminal follows the $100million expansion, at the beginning of this year, of the “Muelle Norte” terminal at Tocumen Airport, which helped alleviate congestion caused by the increased frequency of flights. Tocumen Airport, outside Panama City, is used by around six million passengers every year, a figure that has been increasing in recent times, and provides one of the main connecting points between North and South America.

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