Travel Bulletin 31st August

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August 31 2012 | ISSUE NO 1,792 | www.travelbulletin.co.uk

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August 31 2012 | ISSUE NO 1,792 | www.travelbulletin.co.uk

Theme Parks Why pre-booking offers a win-win situation - for you & your clients

this week notes from 8 normanton find out what agency owner Sandy Murray has been up to lately ŠDisney

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agent bulletin Balkan Holidays gives agents the chance to learn the ropes on the ski slopes

scandinavia operators expand programmes to capitalise on demand

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south america how to convince your clients it's time to visit Brazil

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COOKING UP A TREAT...Celebrity Cruises announced the winner of its MasterChef competition in which agents and their respective Celebrity Cruises' sales team account managers were pitted against one another in a challenge to see who can come up with the best themed recipe. The annual competition, now in its second year, saw agents from across the UK upload short video recipes demonstrations to the MasterChef section of the line's dedicated training Website cruisingpower.co.uk The winner was Carol Kirkham (second from left) of Kirkham Travel Limited, North East Midlands who won a free cruise onboard Celebrity Cruises. Pictured with Carol is the line's executive chef, Anthony Wilson (left) and Michael English with last year's winner, Fay Thompson.

Brits unable to change hire car Sat Navs to English according to new survey ALMOST 200,000 Brits have driven in Europe without being able to turn the language of their hire car Sat Nav to English according to research carried out by YouGov, on behalf of iCarhireinsurance.com The company says that it can cost up to £100 to hire a Sat Nav for a week so for drivers with a detachable Sat Nav at home it is normally cheaper to upgrade to European mapping and take it with them. Or with Sat Navs starting at £69.99 it may be better value to buy one.

The research also revealed that 2.8million British hire

This Week news 3

Cover Pictures: Main - ©Disney

Inset - Finnish Lapland, Visit Lapland

a round-up of this week's latest industry news & offers

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notes from normanton

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agent bulletin

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personality bulletin

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scandinavia

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south america

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find out what agency owner Sandy Murray has been up to lately the latest agent incentives & offers which marketing executive says she can't go anywhere without her iPod? operators expand programmes to capitalise on demand how to convince your clients it's time to visit Brazil why pre-booking offers a win-win situation

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car drivers (12 per cent) have found car hire excess cover confusing - without it drivers are liable for up to £2,000 if their hire car is damaged or stolen.

The company's founder and chief executive, Ernesto Suarez, said: “It seems that foreign Sat Nav directions can send you round the bend as can expensive rental desk excess cover. Our message is simple, when hiring a car, whether you are purchasing excess cover or hiring a Sat Nav, it is often cheaper, and less confusing, to buy before you fly.”

Trip and treat: 44% of travellers indulge themselves ahead of a holiday WHEN IT comes to gearing up for our holidays, recent research from Gatwick Airport reveals the recession is temporarily forgotten as spend is not being squeezed. Findings revealed that 76% of Brits are spending the same or more on purchases in preparation for their holiday this year – and a third of British holiday makers (30%) are spending £200 or more.

The research, which looks at how Brits spend ahead of their holidays, also found one in three (30%) Brits start to shop a month ahead of their holiday, one in five women (21%) claim to spend three months before a trip and almost one in ten (8%)

begin filling their suitcase up to six months before they leave.

However, it’s the moment the door closes behind us that the ‘holiday wallet’ comes out, with 40% getting the holiday high the minute they leave for the airport and a third (30%) of Brits deliberately arrive at the airport with enough time to bag some pre-holiday bargains. Already in the holiday spirit, 44% admit to treating themselves, one in five (19%) say they buy more luxurious items than usual and it appears we also leave our inhibitions at security, with a fifth (18%) revealing that they buy brighter colours or more daring clothes when at the airport.

Jasmine Birtles, financial expert & Gatwick Airport advisory panel, said: "Gatwick Airport’s research shows how we like to treat ourselves in the run-up to our holidays but there are simple ways to save too so you don’t blow your budget! My top tips include pre-ordering your currency or using a pre-paid credit card abroad so you don’t get stung on exchange rates – that way it’s all at the airport ready for collection. I would also advise savvy shoppers to take advantage of the bargains that can be found at the airport as there are incredible tax-free savings and exclusive offers to be had."

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newsbulletin Shearings issues new short coach breaks SHEARINGS HOLIDAYS has launched a new range of UK short coach holidays across its portfolio of Bay and Coast & Country Hotels in October, as statistics reveal a 29% increase in bookings for October half-term over the past six years.

Holidays are available at a range of properties in destinations including Llandudno, Bournemouth, Eastbourne, Scarborough, Blackpool and Windermere.

Prices lead in at £139 per person for three or four nights’ half-board accommodation, evening entertainment, at least one sightseeing excursion and coach travel.

For more information call 01942-823449 or visit www.shearings.com

QATAR TAKES OFF...pictured celebrating Qatar Airway's expansion in Africa with the launch of daily scheduled flights to Kilimanjaro is Dr. Harrison Mwakyembe (right), Tanzania’s Transport Minister and Marwan Koleilat, Qatar Airways. The carrier is to introduce further destinations later this year including Yangon, Myanmar and Maputo, Mozambique.

Sovereign Luxury Travel highlights 'Family Collection' in 2013 brochure SOVEREIGN LUXURY Travel has launched its 2013 brochure, featuring 265 properties across 19 countries, including a variety of Mediterranean and European hotels.

The ‘Family Collection’ pages now include flight times from London airports plus a family checklist, including information on family-friendly services and facilities available in the resorts.

Free child places are available at 13 of the operator’s properties, available on departure dates throughout the school year (excluding December 18-31).

Offers include seven nights’ breakfast accommodation at

Princesa Yaiza Suite Hotel Resort in Lanzarote, from £2,799 per family of three, based on two adults and one child sharing. The offer includes a free child place and a 15% early booking discount.

Alternatively, seven nights at the new Hard Rock Hotel Cancun in Mexico, leads in at £1,529 per person, based on two sharing, and includes $1,500 resort credit.

The operator has also added Verona to its list of destinations, including the newly renovated Due Torri Hotel.

For more information visit www.sovereign.com

September savings & new offers across European destinations from Inghams INGHAMS HAS introduced a range of new offers across a selection of European breaks for next month.

Examples include seven nights’ halfboard accommodation at the four-star Huber’s Boutique Hotel in Mayrhofen, Austria from £479 per person, offering a saving of £130 per person. The price includes flights and transfers. Flights

are also available from Manchester for an extra £59. Departures are on September 22.

The company is also offering a spa break at the four-star Villa Nicolli, located on the shores of Riva in Italy.

Seven nights’ half-board accommodation costs from £569 per person, offering a saving of £220 per person. The price

Prestige reveals dates for September road shows PRESTIGE HOLIDAYS has announced September dates for its road show events. The operator will host four road shows between September 24 and 27 at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Guildford, De Vere Village Hotel in Swindon, Hampton Manor in Solihull and the Corinthian Club in Glasgow.

The events are being supported by eight of the operator's hotel partners and will offer agents the chance to learn more about a range of properties featured by the company.

Trade partners attending include: Fairmont Hotels in Bermuda and Canada, Asimina Suites and Stademos Hotels in Cyprus, Adrian Hotels and Jardin Tropical in Tenerife, Gloria Serenity in Turkey, Seaside Hotels in Lanzarote and Gran Canaria and representatives from Rocky Mountaineer.

A total of 40 spaces are available for agents at each event, which will run from 18:30 to 22:30 and will commence with informal networking over drinks and canapés followed by a sit down dinner with short presentations designed to inform and entertain.

Agents interested in attending should call Emma Pine on 01425-484007 or email epine@prestigeholidays.co.uk

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includes a daily lunch buffet, one partial massage, one body pack of choice, 20% discount on beauty treatments, one wine-tasting class, flights and transfers, and the offer is valid for trips departing on September 29.

For more information or to book call 01483-791111 or visit www.inghams.co.uk

Mailbox Mailings with Travel Bulletin this week include: ● Cox & Kings’ new Africa & the Indian Ocean 2013

brochure uncovers the best that Africa has to offer with escorted small-group tours, accompanied by expert guides, and tailor-made travel ideas to suit all budgets. Tour prices start from £1,895 for a 10day tour of South Africa.

Reservations: 020 7873 5000. ● Riviera Travel launch their collection of escorted

tours for 2013, including old favourites like Classical Spain and Paris by Eurostar, but introducing new tours to Rajasthan, Burma and Prague.

Bulk brochures supplies available through www.trade-gate.co.uk For further details and special offers please read the mail shots that accompany this issue

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newsbulletin SATOA celebrates 30th anniversary IN CELEBRATION of its 30th birthday SATOA will host its first award ceremony on September 12 at the Zimbabwe Embassy. The event is aimed at recognising contributions by airlines, tour operators, accommodation providers and individuals to the task of promoting Africa and the Indian Ocean in what is currently a competitive market.

Award categories are Outstanding Retail Agent, Outstanding Tour Operator, Outstanding Airline, Outstanding Tourist Board, Outstanding Contribution to Sustainable Tourism or Charity, Outstanding Journalist and Outstanding Accommodation provider, all respective to the region Africa and the Indian Ocean.

To vote or to purchase tickets for the event, which cost £35, visit www.satoa.com

Dertour increases sailings for 2013 DERTOUR HAS announced that it will increase sailings from 12 to 25 on the five-star MS Mozart Danube river cruise next year.

The deluxe river cruise is a popular choice with the operator's customers, many of whom combine the cruise - which has two itineraries of eight and 15 days – with a tailor-made holiday in Austria, Germany or Hungary.

Cruise-only prices start from £668 per person including seven nights’ full board accommodation. A package including flights from Heathrow and transfers is available from £1,109 per person.

For more information call 020-3131 2895 or see www.dertour.co.uk

Newsbites ●

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MELIÁ HOTELS International has expanded into the Arab States of the Gulf by announcing the opening of its first property in Dubai.

THE SAINT Lucia Tourist Board will be hosting its second annual Health and Wellness retreat which takes place from October 4-7 at various hotels across the island. The dates of the event are a correction to the piece published on August 17 issue (p22).

TO CELEBRATE its first anniversary on September 1, Conrad Koh Samui, the Thai island’s newest luxury resort, is launching a complimentary 20-minute boat excursion service for guests, which visits the nearby secluded island beaches in the Gulf of Thailand.

TravelBag offers eight nights in an Ocean View Pool Villa from £1,789 per person, offering a saving of up to £685 per couple, including breakfast and Economy flights with Thai Airways from Heathrow.

For details see www.travelbag.co.uk and www.conradkohsamui.com UK VISITORS to Tunisia more than doubled last month with July figures increasing by 50.7% on the same time last year.

MALAYSIA AIRLINES has launched double daily nonstop flights to Kuala Lumpur from Heathrow.

New-look Website from Passenger Shipping Association THE PASSENGER Shipping Association (PSA) has launched a new Discover Cruises Website featuring news, reviews and advice on both river and ocean cruises.

The site offers an FAQ section for new customers, while a guide of what is available both onshore and onboard is kept updated with the latest information.

The association's new site includes travel stories from bloggers worldwide, alongside guides and expert reviews from across the industry, and provides details of recommended ACE accredited travel agents, with information on specialist cruise agents throughout the UK. Visitors are encouraged to join informal discussions on twitter (@discovercruises), Facebook (facebook.com/discovercruises) and Pinterest (pinterest.com/discovercruises).

For more information visit www.discovercruises.co.uk

Saint Lucia campaign drives customers to specialist agents A NEW Initiative from the Saint Lucia Tourist Board is aiming to drive customers to specialist agents via a new section of its Website.

The campaign aims to increase the number of customers speaking to agents who have a substantial knowledge of the island and who can answer questions potential visitors may have.

A list of agents is now available on the site, along with a postcode search

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facility to help find a local expert.

To become a listed specialist, agents must complete the Saint Lucia Expert training, log their bookings to the island and attend a fam trip to Saint Lucia, either with the tourist board or a recognised tour operator.

To remain listed on the site, agents must continue to register bookings and complete an annual refresher course that will

be introduced at the end of the year.

Operators are also listed on the site, but only those where 20% of reservations staff have completed both the online training and attended at least one annual face-to-face training course will continue to be listed into next year.

For details see www.saintlucianow.co.uk To register to become a Saint Lucia specialist visit www.saintluciaexpert.com

Winter cruise offers from VoD VOYAGES OF Discovery has launched special offers on selected itineraries in its winter 2012/13 cruise programme.

Guests can save up to £400 per person on an 18day Voyage to the Caribbean cruise which departs on December 4 on MV Voyager.

Guests on the 11-day The Legendary Black Sea cruise can also receive up to £150 of free credit per cabin, based on a March 27, 2013 departure.

Prices include all gratuities, service charges and port/airport taxes, a guest speaker programme and all meals and entertainment on board.

To claim the special offers, agents should quote ‘W12OFF’ when booking their clients' cruise.

For more information or to book call 0844-822 0820 or visit www.voyagesofdiscovery.com

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newsbulletin Tweets of the Week Who’s saying what on Twitter... @ClassicHols Agents: Correctly complete our Wintersun2012/13 training quiz and receive a small gift. Be sure to login first. http://bit.ly/Q2lxVA @WaltDisneyWorld A new nighttime show, "Celebrate the Magic," begins this November at Magic Kingdom Park! http://bit.ly/OSQwhl @LondonCityAir Win a luxury break to #Jersey with Blue Islands and two-night stay at Longueville Manor. Enter by clicking the link http://bit.ly/MkyqGa @ThomsonHolidays We’re revolutionising welcome meetings with Google+ Hangouts http://bit.ly/QpADyX @T2News RT direct to your customers: Fantastic offers to Australia & New Zealand with savings up to £800! http://bit.ly/Qv4DcU

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

CUSTOMER CARE…Hurtigruten has been running a ‘Meet the Customer’ initiative, where staff from its UK office visited customers nationwide throughout this month in a bid to improve its service. Pictured visiting Tim Johnson (centre) from Bath Travel in Chichester is the company's Maxine Dunsdon and John Carter.

Hit the slopes this winter with Eurostar EUROSTAR’S DIRECT ski services to the French Alps from St Pancras and Ashford are now on sale.

The direct day and night services carry passengers to the ski towns of Moûtiers, Aime-La-Plagne and Bourg St Maurice, with return fares starting from £149.

The 2012/13 ski services run from December 22 (day services) and December

21 (night services) until April 13, 2013.

The company allows passengers to take an extra item of luggage at no extra cost, such as a pair of skis, in addition to the normal luggage allowance.

Prices in Standard Premier, including meals and drinks, costs from £229 return.

For details call 0843-218 6186 or visit www.eurostar.com

Kuoni offers Far East & Indian Ocean discounts at Six Senses Resorts KUONI HAS introduced a selection of offers across a range of Six Senses Resorts in the Far East and Indian Ocean.

Examples include the Ninh Van Bay, Nha Trang in Vietnam, where savings of up to £2,532 per couple are offered. A nine-night stay at the hotel costs from £1,849 per person based on two people sharing a Hilltop Villa on a room-only basis. Prices are based on November departures.

Laamu, Laamu Atoll in the Maldives, offers savings of up to £2,234 per couple, with seven nights costing from £2,389 per person based on two sharing a Lagoon Water Villa on a halfboard basis, based on October departures.

Meanwhile, when staying at Yao Noi in Thailand's Koh Yao Noi, guests can save up to £1,455 per couple, with prices leading in at £1,399 per person based on two sharing for seven nights in a Hideaway Villa on a room-only basis, departing in September. All prices include flights and offers are subject to availability.

For more information call 01306-747008 or see www.kuoni.co.uk

Early booking deals & property additions in Olympic's summer 2013 brochure OLYMPIC HOLIDAYS has launched its Summer Sun 2013 brochure with many prices unchanged from this summer, and others showing minimal increases.

Accommodation includes hotels of two- to five-star, including more than 200 all-inclusives, plus self-catering villas and apartments and Cyprus village houses.

Greek additions to the programme include the newly-built five-star all-inclusive Kresten Royal Villas & Spa and the fourstar Kresten Palace Hotel, both in Rhodes, as well as the three-star Asterias Village in Crete.

Additions in Cyprus include the newly-renovated and expanded four-star Olympic Lagoon Resort in Agia Napa, the three-star Moniatis Hotel in Yermasoyia village outside Limassol, and the Basilica apartment complex in Paphos.

Among newly added Turkish properties are the five-star Crystal Admiral Resort Suites & Spa in Side, the four-star-plus

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Majesty Club Tuana and Park in Fethiye, and the four-star L'Ambiance Resort in Bodrum.

Among the major destinations, the programme leads in at £275 for Greece (at the Kosmas Studios in Corfu) and £335 for Cyprus (at a selection of apartments in Protaras), both for seven nights' self-catering.

Early bookers for the Exclusive Club at the Elounda Beach Hotel in Crete will receive savings of up to £7,050 per couple, with other discounts across the programme for bookings made

by December 31.

There are also many 'child stays free' offers in the programme, selected holidays where no single supplement or under-occupancy supplement applies, and a one in 12 free place allowance at apartments in low season.

For more information or to book call 0844-499 4449 or visit www.olympicholidays.com

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newsbulletin If Only... introduces South China sea cruise in partnership with Silversea IF ONLY... has launched a luxury ten-night cruise and city stay package in partnership with Silversea.

The package includes seven nights on the all-inclusive Silver Shadow, a pre-voyage two-night stay at the fivestar Shangri-La Hotel in Hong Kong and a post-voyage one-night stay at the five-star Park Hyatt Saigon.

The voyage includes butler service, tips, fine wines, Champagnes and an onboard credit of $500 per couple.

With prices leading in at £3,499 per person based on a November 20 departure, the package includes flights, private transfers and airport taxes.

Two extensions are also available: a three-night Cambodia trip that includes a private escorted tour of Angkor or a seven-night Vietnamese beach stay in a private pool villa at Banyan Tree Lang Co. For more information call 0141-955400.

‘Indulgent Escapes’ breaks from J2H JET2HOLIDAYS IS now offering winter sun breaks in addition to a range of summer getaways, as part of its new ‘Indulgent Escapes’ brochure.

The operator has added 11 handpicked hotels to the new brochure, including Hotel Aguas in Ibiza, Blue Palace Resort and Spa in Crete, the Princess Yaiza Suite Resort in Lanzarote and Tivoli Marina in the Algarve.

Holidays lead in at £489 for seven nights' breakfast stay at the five-star Grande Real Santa Eulalia in the Algarve, based on two people sharing. The price, which is valid until October 31, 2013, includes transfers, flights, a 22kg baggage allowance and a fast-track security pass, valid at all Jet2.com airports except Blackpool. Optional add-ons include extra legroom, private transfers, three course inflight meals, online seat selection and in-flight entertainment.

For more information or to request a copy of the brochure call 0800-408 5587 or see https://tradesite.jet2holidays.com

DOUBLE GAIN...AITO has welcomed three new members – Double S Travel, Cambourne Travel and Bailey’s Travel. Pictured showcasing their new AITO goodies are, from the left: Bridget Cruise, Steve Pattenden and Erin Graham from Double S Travel.

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Notes from . . . n o t n a m r o N ELL THE glow and ‘feel good’ factor seems to be lasting from the Olympics though why customers seem to think holidays will be cheaper now that the Olympics are over, I can’t fathom at all! And if I get one more customer that thinks they can go away for a week all-inclusive in August for £250, I will feel a slap coming on.

W

Great news in the papers that there have been over

100,000 signatures collected putting pressure on the Government to reduce Air Passenger Duty and I think ABTA have had a tremendous impact on keeping up the pressure on this. They need our help to keep this pressure and campaign going so if you have not contacted your MP do it NOW! It is very simple and only takes a few minutes - see www.afairtaxonflying.org and lobby your own MP by entering your postcode and follow the simple instructions online. And if you do get a response from your MP could you please forward it onto the PA team at ABTA so that they can keep track of which MPs are supportive and which are not. Email publicaffairs@abta.co.uk - the more we get behind this campaign the more chance of it being a success.

You may have seen ABTA's Member Survey on its Website. This survey is a key opportunity for Members to give us their views on what they value most about their ABTA membership, as well as helping them to understand what they are doing well and where there is room for improvement. It takes no more than 20 mins – I have done it - see www.surveymonkey.com/s/ABTA_Member_Survey ‘When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money, then take half your clothes and twice the money’ and ‘ The longer we dwell on our misfortunes the greater is their power to harm us’

THE FUTURE’S GREEN…Holiday Extras held a Green Challenge Week recently to support The Travel Foundation's Make Holidays Greener campaign. Led by ‘Team Environment’ (volunteers from the company who are working to make travel add-ons more environmentally-aware), 300 members of staff at its Kent office participated in daily challenges including paperless Monday and energy-saving Wednesday. Pictured manning his stall is David Cowell, Holiday Extras/The Travel Foundation.

Argentinean addition from Ranch Rider RANCH RIDER has gained a new addition to its Argentina portfolio. Situated in the Patagonia region, the Huechahue Estancia is set against the backdrop of the Andes, where guests can work with the gauchos as part of the programme, ride out to view ancient petroglygphs at the Tehuelche Indian caves or opt for a more adventurous pack trip of three to five days. A seven-night stay leads in at £1,895 per person, based on two sharing and includes accommodation, meals, drinks, ranch activities, use of ranch facilities, taxes and transfers. Flights and gratuities are excluded, with flights leading in at £859 return.

Go

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WEBSCLUSIVES ●

Agents, it’s your last chance to win a 4 nights stay in Benidorm – including theme park passes.

Enter our competition without delay at www.travelbulletin.co.uk/competitions .

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Win a Virgin Experience Day with Club Med – enter our competition at www.travelbulletin.co.uk/competitions

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Win £50 of Love2Shop vouchers with our Funway Las Vegas competition at www.travelbulletin.co.uk/competitions

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Don’t forget to check out our ‘All About Luxury Holidays’ supplement – still available to view in digital format on www.travelbulletin.co.uk .

by SANDRA MURRAY of Sandy Travel in Normanton, Yorkshire

All this and more at: To respond to any of Sandy’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 â—?

IN CONJUNCTION with Universal Studios Hollywood, home of the new thrill ride, “Transformers: The Ride-3D,â€? Attraction World is giving agents the chance to win ÂŁ100 worth of shopping vouchers when they make a booking for Universal Studios Hollywood in September.

Agents should email their booking reference to USH@attractionworld.com for their chance to win.

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TO CELEBRATE the final of Channel 5’s The Bachelor being filmed at Sandals Emerald Bay In The Bahamas, travel agents are offered the chance to win afternoon tea with Spencer Matthews, star of Made in Chelsea. The incentive is offered by Sandals Resorts and the Bahamas Tourist Office and the five winning agents will meet at a London venue with travel expenses included. The competition runs until September 29 and to be in with a chance of winning, agents must first complete the Sandals Resorts online training at www.sellingsandals.co.uk and the Bahamas Tourist Office (BTO) online training at www.onlinetraining.co.uk/nassauparadiseislan d.aspx, and then ‘declare their love’ to Sandals and the BTO throughout the campaign, including registering all Sandals Emerald Bay and Sandals Royal Bahamian bookings made during the campaign dates with their local business development manager (BDM) and send evidence of how they are promoting Sandals Emerald Bay, Sandals Royal Bahamian and The Islands of The Bahamas throughout their agency to their local BDM. For details call 020-7590 0210 or visit www.sellingsandals.co.uk

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COMPLETE CRUISE Solution is giving away one prize every day for 80 days from September 3 including driving a Ferrari or Lamborghini, a helicopter sightseeing tour of London and a luxury spa weekend. To be in with a chance of winning agents should make a booking on one of the following programmes: P&O Cruises 2013 or 2014 World Cruise, Cunard 2013 or 2014 World Voyage and Princess Cruises 2013 or 2014 Worldwide Exotics. Agents must also correctly answer the daily destination question.

To apply visit www.completecruisesolution.com and click on MY CCS. There is no limit to the amount of times agents can complete the online form.

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Agent offer BALKAN HOLIDAYS is giving agents the chance to learn the ropes on the ski slopes with a series of ski training days at dry ski slopes around the UK. Agents registering for the winter ski events will receive a free lesson on the slopes, followed by refreshments and a training session about the operator's winter ski and snowboarding holidays to Bulgaria, Romania and Slovenia. Starting on September 26, the winter ski training days are planned for Sunderland, Edinburgh, Manchester, Tamworth, Bristol and Cardiff. Agents eligible to apply need to promote and sell 2013 ski holidays to Bulgaria, Romania and Slovenia.

For details see www.balkanholidays.co.uk/agents or call 0845-130 1114.

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S03 TB3108 News 2_Layout 1 29/08/2012 12:22 Page 10

newsbulletin No.1 Traveller partners with Cox & Kings to offer enhanced airport experience AIRPORT LOUNGE operator No.1 Traveller has announced a new partnership with Cox & Kings where the tour operator’s customers departing from Heathrow Terminal 3, Gatwick or Stansted now have the opportunity to add lounge entry to their holiday booking.

Lounge facilities include complimentary food, a fully-tended bar, free unlimited Wi-fi and the latest newspapers and magazines. Larger lounges offer travel spas, cinemas, games rooms and family rooms.

For special occasions, the lounge operator also offers Champagne and

wedding packages, including lounge entry for two, Champagne, a wedding gift or box of chocolates and an optional spa treatment. These packages will be added to all ‘special occasions’ bookings.

For details visit www.coxandkings.co.uk and www.no1traveller.com

Kirker launches 2012/13 Southern Africa and North Africa & Middle East brochures KIRKER HOLIDAYS has launched new editions of its Southern Africa and North Africa & Middle East brochures, including a number of new hotels and sample itineraries.

The operator has added several new hotels to its South Africa selection, as well as three new properties in Mauritius. Examples include the four-star d’Ouwe Werf in Stellenbosch, the four-star Amakhala Private Game Reserve and the recently renovated five-star Lux Le Morne in Mauritius.

SWANNING AROUND....Jetset recently held its annual agent lunch at The Swan restaurant at Shakespeare's Globe in London. The event was co-sponsored by Virgin Atlantic and Fort MyersSanibel. Pictured enjoying the atmosphere is Adrian Smyth from Jetset with Jo Piani from Fort Myers-Sanibel.

Three new properties have also been added to the company’s portfolio in Morocco, while two new five-star hotels have been launched in Jordan and Israel. North Africa offers the five-star Riad Joya in Marrakech and the four-star Le Village Du Toubkal, located in Toubkal National Park.

Meanwhile, the Middle East programme features the fivestar Kempinski hotel in Jordan and the five-star American Colony hotel in Israel.

For more information call 020-7593 2288 or visit www.kirkerholidays.com

On The Go issues 2012/13 India brochure ON THE Go Tours has released its latest 2012/13 India brochure offering group tours and tailor-made itineraries to India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan.

Trips featured include a 12-day ‘Buddha and Beach’ Sri Lanka tour, incorporating elements of the company’s eight-day ‘Colombo, Caves & Kandy’ tour alongside a visit to the Kalutara beach resort.

Prices start from £989 per person, with monthly departures.

The company also offers travellers the chance to follow in the footsteps of characters from ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’ film.

The tour travels to Delhi, Udaipur, Jaipur and the Taj Mahal, incorporating a stay at the hotel on which the film is based. Prices start from £1,149 per person, based on two people travelling, with departures year-round.

Prices include transfers and accommodation at a range of three- to five-star heritage hotels.

For more information call 020-7371 1113 or visit www.onthegotours.com

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August 31 2012

Early booking offers from Club Med CLUB MED has introduced an early booking bonus on all holidays featured in its new summer 2013 brochure.

Alongside the bonus, which is valid until January 23, 2013, the operator is offering a deluxe upgrade discount of £100 and a suite upgrade discount of £300 to families and couples.

The brochure includes two new resort destinations - the Trident Belek Resort in the Turkish Mediterranean Riviera, set to open in summer 2013, and the Pragelato Vialattea in Alps Piedmont, Italy, which opens in December.

Examples of savings include up to £3,600 off four-bedroom villas at the Albion Villas in Mauritius and up to £1,800 off fourbedroom Valmorel Chalets and Apartments.

The operator is also offering honeymooners and groups guaranteed savings if they book early.

Groups of eight adults can save up to £150 per person on any booking, while honeymooners can save up to £600 per couple.

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S03 TB3108 News 2_Layout 1 29/08/2012 12:22 Page 11

puzzlebulletin Travagrams

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

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

Number: 078

hyaloids garnishes

A➠

B➠

Process of a sheep’s woollen fleece being cut off has the same name as this holiday company.

C➠

Yak En

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:

Barbie’s male counterpart will help you work out the name of this African destination

Where Am I?

competition@travelbulletin.co.uk Closing date for entries is Thursday, September 6th. Solution and new puzzle will appear next week.

The winner for 10th August is Jennifer Maw, Co-Operative Travel in Scunthorpe.

August 10 Solution: A=5 B=7 C=8 D=3

Manitoba’s capital city

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

Across

Down

1. Middle East based airline (6)

1. She sang Read All About It at the Olympics

6. Mountain in the Bernese Alps (5)

closing ceremony (5,5)

8. Popular island for summer club parties (5)

2. Antwerp airport code (3)

9. Capital of Pakistan (9)

3. The county town of Surrey (9)

11. Cruise ship, sounds like an Italian explorer

4. Spanish city (6) 5. The most populous US state (10)

(5,4) 12. Home to The Boot Hill Museum, ___ City (5) 13. French sculptor of The Kiss (5) 14. Flag carrier of Indonesia (6)

7. Travel company, sounds like a winner's award (4,5) 10. Famous English river (6)

Number: 078

13. Country, initially (3)

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For the solution to the Crossword, Where Am I? and Travagrams, please see page 28 August 31 2012

11

S03 TB3108 News 2_Layout 1 29/08/2012 12:53 Page 12

newsbulletin Letter to the Editor Dear Lauretta,

THREE CHEERS FOR CHELTENHAM...Midcounties Co-op Cheltenham received six bottles of wine from Newmarket Holidays' account manager Richard Forde (left) for being the company's New Agent of the Year based on the volume of sales the agency produced. Pictured with Richard are, from the left, the agency's Stuart Marmon, Ahmed Reda and David Russo.

Bales launches 2013/14 Escorted Small Groups & Tailor Made programme BALES WORLDWIDE has launched its new 2013/14 Escorted Small Groups and Tailor Made Holidays programme for 2013.

With five new countries and featuring more than 20 new tours, this year’s brochure also celebrates the 65th anniversary of the company.

There are a few countries making a welcome return as well as an increased offering in Egypt, Morocco, India, Latin America, Far East, Russia, Polar and throughout Africa. In addition to new tailor-made travel ideas and suggested itineraries there are also some classic favourites such as the ten-day ‘Wonders of Ancient Egypt’ escorted small group tour with prices starting at £1,095 per person.

To celebrate the launch of the new brochure, the operator is offering an exclusive early booking offer, where new bookings made before September 30 receive £100 per person from the 2013/14 programme.

New features of the programme include Heritage Tours, a collection of the company's most popular tours; Solo Travellers, with no single supplements on a number of popular tours in destinations including Namibia, Botswana, Kenya, Nepal and Peru; Responsible travel, where the company works with The Travel Foundation, Tour Operators for Tigers and My Climate, to find a balance between having a memorable holiday experience and acting with consideration for destinations, communities and cultures; Volunteering Adventure, which is new for 2013 and combines travels with making a difference in local communities, including teaching, wildlife monitoring and home stays.

The operator has also re-introduced Turkey to its 2013 brochure for the first time since 2006. Two itineraries for 2013 feature both eastern and western highlights and compliment other cultural options in the near east, with tours starting from £2,395 per person.

Following demand, the company has also expanded its product range by introducing 20 new tours, increasing the offering in Southern Africa, Latin America, the Indian Subcontinent and Far East.

For more information or to book visit www.balesworldwide.com or call 0845-057 0600.

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August 31 2012

Just a note to say that I totally agree with Tony Byrne (August 17 'Letter to the Editor') that brochures have many years of life left in them. You can see pretty pictures on the internet and of course you can research on the internet, but when you are deliberating and perhaps planning that important event, that you have saved hard for, it’s nice to pick up a brochure, feel it and smell it, turn the pages.

The cost of production is an issue and it’s a great shame when, as a retail travel agent, we have long discussions with customers over the fact that prices at the time of booking seem to bear no relation to those published in the brochure. No matter what we say the customer views these changes negatively.

What if tour operators published a brochure without any prices but made the brochure last for a longer period and they publish a separate price supplement, which can be updated quickly and easily and inexpensively? I realise that some hotels will be assessed over time as some will be taken out, but surely it’s less expensive to make some minor changes in version 2 than to re-print the entire brochure?

Tony Bassett, Sunninghill Travel Ltd, Ascot

New ‘Europe & UK Holidays by Rail 2013' brochure from Great Rail Journeys GREAT RAIL Journeys has launched its new ‘Europe & UK Holidays by Rail 2013’ brochure and sister brand, Treyn has also launched its new ‘European & Worldwide Rail Holidays 2013’ brochure. Between them, the brochures feature a total of 25 new tours, and marks the largest ever programme for both brands.

To mark the launch, both companies are offering an early booking discount, providing customers with the opportunity of saving up to £25 per person on European & UK breaks if they book before September 30.

Great Rail Journeys’ new brochure features a total of 92 tours to the UK and continental Europe including nine new tours with the majority including First Class rail, quality

hotels and unique itineraries.

New tours include La Rioja & the Pilgrim’s Trail; Roses, Cadaques & the Catalan Coast; Iceland & the Faroe Islands Cruise and A Castle In the Highlands.

Brochure prices lead-in at £345 per person for a ‘Torquay and the Eden Project ‘ tour.

Meanwhile, Treyn’s new brochure is the operator’s largest at 100 pages and features 66 tours in total, 16 of which are new. This includes an increase in allinclusive tours, which have proved popular last year for the company, and five more cruising by rail tours.

Brochure prices lead in at £295 per person for a ‘Yorkshire by Steam ‘ tour.

For more information or to book visit www.greatrail.com and www.railholidays.com

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personalitybulletin

Lizzie Edwards The saxophone-playing marketing executive at Mark Warner Holidays would like the ability to teleport and loves to ski

Who is your ideal travelling companion?

I’m going to have to say my boyfriend...

How do you deal with stress?

Pizza and a cider generally do the trick.

"How do I deal with stress? Pizza and cider generally do the trick"

What's your earliest childhood memory?

Racing down our drive on a multicoloured bike aged three in Australia.

Where was your last work-related trip?

I’ve just returned from a fam trip to our Sardinian resort, Perdepera. It’s the place to be this summer.

Career path ●

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

Beyonce because I wish I could sing and dance like her!

What three words would your friends use to describe you?

Gregarious, enthusiastic and good fun.

What have your travels taught you?

To be more organised and not lose my passport!

What is the best advice you recall?

You shouldn’t always take the easy route.

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

A Thai takeaway and a few bags of cash as a side dish.

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

Pay, fuel surcharges and tentative customers.

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

Tim Locke – he’s got me through the tough times at work.

What's your favourite city and why?

Melbourne, where I grew up. It’s a fantastic place, similar to England but has much better beaches and skiing.

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August 31 2012

● ● ●

Qualified as a paediatric nurse in 2006 Nannying for a ski operator 2006/07 Paediatric nursing in Australia 2007 Started at Mark Warner in 2008 in the admin department and moved to the Marketing team in 2011

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

Probably still being a seasonnaire in Meribel as I love skiing.

What song would you have played at your funeral?

Simply The Best – Tina Turner.

What special skills do you have?

I can play the saxophone and perform CPR (not at the same time!)

How do you cope with the advances in technology?

Better than my mum, which isn’t saying much but slowly getting there.

What’s your favourite movie of all time?

Clueless – it taught me a lot.

If your life was turned into a movie, which actor would play you?

Angelina Jolie.

What do you love about your job?

Not being tied to my desk and meeting new people.

What is your motto in life?

I’ve stolen my Nana’s motto - “Give it a whirl!”

What is your favourite mode of travel?

Flying as you’re guaranteed a seat.

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

The ability to teleport so I could stay in bed longer.

What item do you always take with you when travelling?

My iPod. I can’t go anywhere without my music.

What's your favourite airline and why?

Thai Airlines because of the food and the beautiful orchid they give you when you leave the plane.

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scandinavia

The Northern Lights, Finnish Lapland

Taber Holidays expands Northern Lights programme in Iceland TABER HOLIDAYS has expanded its Northern Lights programme in Iceland with the addition of a new tour.

The seven-night escorted ‘Northern Lights Exploration’ offers a programme of daytime excursions and activities alongside a special programme of lectures and aurora chasing by night.

The trip is described as being ideal for clients seeking a longer adventurebased Northern Lights break, with prices leading in at £1,193 per person.

The fully guided trip, which takes in Reykjavik and southern Iceland, is designed to maximise the chance of seeing the Northern Lights. In

addition to hunting the aurora, the tour provides an opportunity to experience the best of Iceland during the popular winter months.

Highlights include a visit to Eyjafjallajökull, Iceland’s famous ‘ash cloud’ volcano, the chance to walk in between two tectonic plates in the UNESCO-listed Thingvellir National Park, and a hot spring tasting at Geysir with geothermally cooked bread and eggs. A trip to the Blue Lagoon spa is also included.

The operator's managing director, Suzel Taber-Shaw, said: "We already offer a varied portfolio of Northern

Lights trips to Iceland but this one is something quite special. Bursting with inclusive activities and excursions, it offers real value for money for those who want to not only enjoy Iceland by night, but by day as well."

The price includes flights from Heathrow, transfers, breakfast accommodation, an English-speaking guide and a programme of activities and excursions. Departures are on selected Sundays from September 30 to March 24, 2013.

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

Hurtigruten leads double New Year celebrations in Tromsø for customers CUSTOMERS ON two of Hurtigruten’s ships can experience a double celebration this New Year as both MS Trollfjjord and MS Midnatsol dock together in Tromsø to see in 2013.

The sister ships will unite under a firework-filled sky while guests will be treated to a special banquet, dancing and Champagne toast.

There are a range of highlights for guests travelling over the Christmas period including festive activities on board, wintry shore excursions and a new multi-vision show about the Northern Lights. With the solar activity at a maximum, guests can watch the show and learn more about the natural phenomenon before hopefully seeing them for real.

Guests and crew also join together to decorate the ship and the Christmas tree with decorations made on board, learn and sing Norwegian carols and decorate gingerbread houses. Traditional Norwegian Christmas food is served, including ‘Julekake’, a sweet Christmas bread with raisins, candied lemon peel, nuts and cardamom and ‘Julegrot’, a Christmas porridge. A full Christmas buffet is served in the restaurant.

On Christmas Eve, all of the company's ships will moor

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in their respective destination ports for 24-hours and guests are invited to attend Christmas mass at the local churches before coming back on board to celebrate with fellow guests and crew members.

Clients looking to experience a Norwegian winter on shore can also opt to join a special excursion to Camp Tamok. Equipped with warm winter clothes, participants can then take off for a winter safari through the Arctic from Finnsnes to Tromsø on dog sledges, snowmobiles and reindeer sledges.

An eight-day Christmas In Norway In Search Of The Northern Lights itinerary leads in at £946 per person, based on two sharing and including full board. Flights are extra.

A Christmas With New Year in Tromsø cruise costs from £1,363 per person on MS Trollfjord on December 23. The price for the 13-day (normally 12 days) Classic Round voyage includes full board on the ship and is based on two sharing. Flights are extra.

For more information call 020-8846 2666 or visit www.hurtigruten.co.uk/agents

August 31 2012

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scandinavia Best Served Scandinavia issues tailor-made brochure BEST SERVED Scandinavia has launched a new tailor-made brochure for winter 2012/13 and summer 2013, featuring holidays to Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Iceland as well as Greenland, the Faroe Islands, the Baltic States and Russia.

The operator is highlighting a selection of Northern Lights holidays, featuring igloo hotels and log cabins in Finland, ice hotels in Sweden and Norway, winter fly/-drives and escorted tours in Iceland, plus a range of locations where the lights are most frequently seen, from Tromsø, Alta and Kirkenes in Norway to Abisko in Swedish Lapland and Kangerlussuaq in Greenland.

The company is also launching a tailor-made Ski Norway programme, which features Geilo, Hemsedal and Beitostolen in the Norwegian Alps. Prices are based on seven-night stays, but the operator can also arrange shorter or longer visits or combine a ski trip with any of other form of winter holiday.

The company's summer holiday suggestions feature several different fly/drive options in Fjord Norway, as well as touring ideas that make the most of the region’s public transport networks, and Wideroe’s Explore Norway ticket, which allows guests to fly as much as they want during a two-week period.

In Iceland the operator is featuring new escorted tours and fly/drive itineraries, while the Sweden programme sees the introduction of new tours to Skane and a cruise down the country’s west coast.

Inntravel adds new breaks in Norway INNTRAVEL HAS introduced two new breaks in Norway for winter in its Skiing and More programme.

Around North Cape sees guests travel from the Russian border on a winter voyage on the Hurtigruten steamer around Europe’s most northerly extremities and the North Cape. The itinerary begins in remote Sollia with a husky safari, before cruising along Arctic Norway's fjordindented coastline to Berlevåg and on to the tiny fishing village of Veines. Here, guests can explore on snowshoes, join local fisherman in search of king crab, visit the seal colony and enjoy home-cooked seafood dinners, before rejoining the Hurtigruten as it makes its way around the North Cape to Tromsø.

Prices lead in at £1,765 per person, based on two sharing and include seven nights' breakfast accommodation, five dinners, three lunches, flights and transfers.

A Northern Lights, Sollia option is also new and goes in search of the Northern Lights from Sollia on the RussianNorwegian border.

Guests stay at the Sollia Gjestegård and highlights of the trip include dog-sledding and a snowmobile excursion.

Prices start from £975 per person based on two sharing and include three nights' half-board accommodation, flights and transfers.

For more information or to book call 01653-617000 or see www.inntravel.co.uk

West Sweden highlights Fjällbacka region as new and upcoming destination fiction tour hire, flights from Heathrow and day trips to The Weather and Koster Islands.

Prices lead in at £1,046 per person.

For details call 020-8758 4722 or see www.sunvil.co.uk A new Läckberg crime fiction tour of Fjällbacka has also been launched, where guests can follow in the footsteps of Camilla Läckberg’s crime fiction characters on a new guided tour.

Led by certified guides, the tour shows fans where the characters played out the crime fiction tales including Kungsklyftan gorge. Guests can also learn about Fjällbacka’s history, including the herring fishing period and have the chance to climb Vetteberget Mountain.

Available year-round, the tour lasts one-and-a-half hours and costs 150 SEK (approximately £13) per person.

To book email info@fjallbackaguider.se and for more information visit www.westsweden.com Photo: Frank Heuer

FOLLOWING THE increasing popularity of Scandinavia fiction, West Sweden has its own Stieg Larsson, the topselling Swedish writer Camilla Läckberg, whose crime fiction tales, including The Ice Princess, are set in her childhood home of Fjällbacka – a fishing village on the west coast. A production company is currently turning the crime novels into feature films and a TV series, called The Fjällbacka Murders, which will be screened around the world, including the UK, and operator, Sunvil Discovery, is offering a new seven-night ‘Archipelago and Culinary Tour’ that takes in Fjällbacka.

The tour includes four nights at the Bryggan Fjällbacka, three nights at the Hotel Royal in Gothenburg, car

Fjallbacka, Bohuslan, West Sweden

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August 31 2012

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scandinavia Sunvil Discovery expands winter 2012/13 programme with new mountain resorts SUNVIL DISCOVERY has expanded its winter 2012/13 programme to Scandinavia this year.

New additions include the Abisko Mountain Station in the Abisko National Park in Swedish Lapland. The micro-climate surrounding Abisko provides ideal conditions for a sighting of the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights), due to its virtually clear skies, low precipitation and distance from artificial light pollution. The Mountain Station is ideal for active clients as there is the opportunity to take part in ice climbing, snow shoe tours, cross-country skiing, dog sled tours and ice fishing.

A three-night Northern Lights package leads in at £1,122 per person, based on two sharing. It includes flights to Kiruna (via Stockholm) with SAS Scandinavian Airlines, transfers, three nights’ full board at the Abisko Mountain Station and excursions.

‘Family Fresh’ package at Stockholm's Grand Hôtel THE GRAND Hôtel in Stockholm has created a ‘Family Fresh’ package which offers a weekend break for parents and their children.

It includes a ‘Stockholm Card’ per person which offers free access to 80 museums and attractions, including Astrid Lindgran’s Junibacken, Grona Lund amusement park, the open air museum Skansen, National museum and Vasa Museum. The card also offers free travel by public transport, free sightseeing, bonus offers and a free guide book.

The package costs from £260 per adult (one child under 16 years stays free) and is based on two people sharing and includes two nights' breakfast accommodation in a Classic Double room with one extra bed (an extra room can be added at 50%); a children’s desert delivered by room service; children’s amenities; a Stockholm Card per person; free access to the property's spa and fitness centre; and free Wi-fi.

For more information visit www.grandhotel.se

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SAS launches direct route to Stockholm SAS IS to launch a new direct route from Birmingham to Stockholm from October 29.

Flights will operate on a daily basis (except Saturdays) using a 120 seater 737-600 aircraft.

The airline's general manager UK, Ireland & Iceland, Hans Dyhrfort, said: “We are delighted to announce the expansion of our operations from UK’s second largest city – with eight million people living within 60-minutes of the airport, Birmingham is an important area of development for us.

"We now serve Stockholm directly from Heathrow, Manchester, Edinburgh (seasonal service) and now Birmingham closing up the geographic gap that we had in the area. This is giving us the opportunity to better serve West/East Midlands businesses as well as leisure communities.”

The company is also highlighting to agents that it offers a child-friendly airline, including on-ground and inflight services specifically for parents with children.

Examples include children’s discounts, a kids' corner in the airport lounge, free pram usage, special child meals and free toys in-flight.

For more information visit www.flysas.co.uk or call 0871-226 7760.

Also new for winter is the addition of Björkliden Mountain Resort in Björkliden, located 2km west of Abisko National Park.

The destination is well known for downhill and crosscountry skiing, winter activities (snowmobiling, dog sledding, snow shoe hikes and ice fishing), family holidays and gastronomic breaks. It is also an ideal destination for sightings of the Northern Lights, and agents can consider offering their clients a multi-centre itinerary that combines a stay at Björkliden Mountain Resort with a stay in Abikso, Kiruna and Lulea, or at the Ice Hotel.

A three-night half-board stay at Björkliden Mountain Resort costs from £1,073 per person, based on two sharing, and includes flights to Kiruna (via Stockholm) with SAS Scandinavian Airlines, transfers and excursions.

Another new addition is the Pine Tree Lodge, located 150km north of the Arctic Circle, in the rural hamlet of Kangos.

Away from light pollution, this owner-managed property is well-positioned to offer sightings of the Aurora Borealis and – with husky-dog kennels and an activity company based on site, the opportunity to participate in a range of winter activities.

A three-night ‘Explore the North’ winter activity weekend costs from £1,033 per person, based on two sharing. The price includes flights to Kiruna (via Stockholm) with SAS Scandinavian Airlines, transfers, full board accommodation, a husky dog sled excursion and a snowmobile excursion.

For more information call 020-8758 4722 or visit www.sunvil.co.uk

August 31 2012

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a c i r e m a h t sou How to convince your clients it's time to visit Brazil

by CHRIS FUIZNATTO, partnership executive, VBRATA Europe, Visit Brazil Travel Association

B

RAZIL IS one of the world’s largest and most politically stable democracies, its economy is booming both on the domestic and international

front.

This is Brazil’s time, Brazil’s moment in the sun - not that the sun has ever been missing from Brazil, even in the country’s darkest hours. Recent massive oil and gas finds, make Brazil a serious player in the energy market.

In the past decade the country has stepped out from the shadows to take its place at the top table. When Brazil speaks, people and governments around the world sit up and take note. And the future looks even more promising.

A country synonymous with the brilliance of its football team, the destination will host the FIFA World Cup in 2014 and following that up by hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

If ever there was a time to come and discover what Brazil has to offer, either for business or leisure it is now. So let’s get down to the basics and introduce you...

VBRATA – Visit Brazil Travel Association If your clients are considering a visit to Brazil, let VBRATA be the first to welcome you. We are here to help you get the most out of planning and travelling to Brazil as well as finding a suitable UK-based tour operator.

VBRATA – Visit Brazil Travel Association is a European Travel Association, not-for-profit organisation, whose members are dedicated and committed to promoting Brazil as a tourist and cultural destination to both the travelling public and the UK travel trade.

Our membership is made up of the UK-based tour operators, airlines and hotel groups with specialist knowledge of Brazil - they are the real experts on everything Brazilian.

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August 31 2012

New destination of the year – Minas Gerais State Every year we work with a major Brazilian destination to bring the UK travel trade new destinations and products.

This year, the Destination of the Year is the State of Minas Gerais.

Minas Gerais has a range of historical towns, with Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo as its neighbours. The state capital, Belo Horizonte, is a vibrant and modern city with a good selection of bars and restaurants, especially in the Savassi and Funcionários Districts area.

Belo Horizonte, with a population of 5.6million, is Brazil’s third largest city and one of the gateways to the real treasures of Minas Gerais, the historic and colonial towns that sprung up in the 17th century after the discovery of gold and precious stones in the region.

Many of the towns have changed little architecturally since being first built, and several are considered by UNESCO to be World Heritage Sites. For any traveller with an interest in history or architecture, the historic towns of Minas are a ‘must’, especially if visiting neighbouring Rio de Janeiro. Accommodation in the historic towns is, as you might expect, mainly in picturesque, historic pousadas, inns and lodges.

On the move Brazil is very well connected by air to Europe, North America and its South American neighbours. There are also an increasing number of flights and connections across Africa and the Gulf states. From the UK the carriers offering direct, non-stop flights to Brazil are British Airways and TAM Airlines. Other European carriers offer connecting flights to Brazil from the UK. Because of the size of Brazil the most effective and at times cost effective way of getting around within the ● continues on next page

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country is by air. If travelling extensively in Brazil it may be worth purchasing a Brazil AIRPASS which can only be purchased with an international roundtrip ticket departing from a city outside of Brazil, with the destination of any city in Brazil. There is also a South American Airpass.

Other ways of getting around the destination are by bus; with more than one million miles of roads, there is an extensive domestic bus service in Brazil linking all the main cities, which is an inexpensive way to view the country; by car - the big international car rental companies such as Avis and Hertz operate in the major Brazilian cities alongside national and local companies; or by train, but with just 17,500 miles of rail track, compared to more than one million miles of road, the passenger rail network in Brazil is extremely limited and not a viable option for travelling around the country. alternatively, as one of the most popular destinations in the world for cruising, it is possible to travel up and down the Brazilian coast by ship.

Working to help you We currently have many tools and training available for travel agents and tour operators to become specialists in Brazil. To take part in our online training visit www.brazilonlinetraining.com and you can also register on our Website to gather additional information about Brazil and Minas Gerais - see www.vbrata.org We look forward to giving you a warm welcome Bem-vindo! ✦

INTREPID TRAVEL has added a range of new overland tours, including a 24-day Trans Amazon Exploratory tour. Starting in Brazil's carnival city, Rio de Janeiro, the trip stays off the beaten track as it journeys through small towns, tribal villages, ancient cities and dense Amazon jungle, before arriving in the Peruvian city of Cuzco, the land of the Incas. Prices lead in at £995 per person plus a trip kitty of $910.

For details see www.intrepidtravel.com/overland

Journey Latin America responds to demand for self-catering villas JOURNEY LATIN America reports that demand for holiday villas are beginning to make their mark in Latin America and as such the operator has added a selection of villas to its hotel range, to give guests the option of a different holiday concept in Peru, Brazil, Honduras and Belize.

Diana Henderson, the company's head of product, said: "Self-catering villas are an excellent option for families, groups of friends or couples looking for space, privacy and a sense of independence. You could base your entire trip around any one of these holiday homefrom-homes or opt for a villa stay at the end of your itinerary for the ultimate wind-down."

As examples, a three-night stay at the Casa Cairucu in Parati, Brazil sleeps up to eight people and leads in at £696 per person on a room-only basis. The ocean-front property offers a private base for guests to explore the bays and colonial settlements of Brazil's historic Emerald Coast.

A three-night stay at Palmetto Bay in the Bay Islands, Honduras, costs from £699 per person room-only, and each of the self-contained villas features a living area, veranda with hammocks and a kitchenette. Some have one bedroom and bathroom, while others offer the space for a family or large group.

Meanwhile, a three-night stay at Urubamba Villas in Peru's Sacred Valley, costs from £610 per person roomonly, while a three-night stay at Domus in Pipa, Brazil, costs from £455 per person.

For more information or to book visit www.journeylatinamerica.co.uk or call 020-8747 8315.

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southamerica Rainbow Tours expands portfolio with new tours RAINBOW TOURS has added new tours to its programmes for Brazil and Peru.

The latest addition to Peru is an eight-day Northern Routes Peru trip, which is aimed at those interested in history and culture, and leads in at £1,965 per person.

The trip includes exploring Lima as well as visits to ancient sites such as the Sun and Moon temples near Trujillo; Chanchan, a UNESCO World Heritage site and the largest pre-Colombian city in South America; and visits to archaeological sites at Sipan and Tucume, while based at Chiclayo. The price includes flights, transfers and accommodation on a bed-and-breakfast basis with some lunches included.

The operator has also added a 13-day itinerary that offers a chance to visit some of the most iconic destinations in Brazil and Peru. Priced from £3,155 per person ‘Peru and Brazil Made Easy’ is an ideal trip for first time visitors to the region, covering the ‘must see’ highlights of each in one trip.

The price includes flights, breakfast accommodation, excursions and transfers.

Meanwhile, the company's new Vibrant Rio, Historic Salvador and Iguazu Falls itinerary introduces visitors to some of Brazil’s most iconic and varied sights. Guests stay on Copacobana beach and spend time exploring the city. Also included is a jeep tour and visits to Corcovado (home to the statue of Christ the Redeemer), the Tijuca Forest and Iguazu Falls, spending time on both the Brazilian and Argentine sides. The eight-day itinerary costs from £1,599 per person and includes breakfast accommodation, transfers and excursions. Flights are excluded but can be booked through the operator.

For information visit www.rainbowtours.co.uk or call 020-7666 1260.

Special luggage promo from Air Europa AIR EUROPA is offering a special luggage promotion on its daily flights to Lima from Gatwick, where passengers flying Economy Class are entitled to two pieces of 23kg free baggage allowance.

Prices start from £563.36 return including taxes.

For more information visit www.aireuropa.com or call 0871-423 0717.

Savings of £856 per couple from Travel 2 TRAVEL 2 is offering savings of up to £856 per couple on its 14-day Argentina & Ecuador tour, which includes a Galapagos Cruise.

It also includes a two-night stay at the recently opened Masphi Lodge, with the next travel date on January 6.

Prices lead in at £5,666 per person based on two sharing when booked by September 30.

The company's Canada, Alaska, Latin America & USA touring product & purchasing manager, Brian Hawe, said: “Mashpi Lodge has recently opened offering a luxury hideaway experience in the heart of an Ecuadorian Cloud forest. It offers the height of luxury in the middle of the jungle and is an ideal combination with a trip to the Galapagos Islands or to the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu in nearby Peru.

"The Galapagos Islands has some great offers available at the moment for the rest of 2012 and 2013 bookings can be made at 2012 rates with one of our partners, Kleintours.

The destination also offers great value for families and couples and is a once in a lifetime experience for those keen on wildlife.

"Costa Rica also continues to be a popular choice and offers a true back to nature experience for everyone. In Buenos Aires we have an exclusive rate at the NH Crillon hotel from now until the end of February.”

Kuoni highlights beauty and diversity of South America in latest marketing campaign FOR THE first time Kuoni has launched a dedicated nationwide marketing campaign highlighting adventures, exploration and unworldly landscapes in South America.

The company reports that its 21 retail stores and four partnership stores have increased sales to the South America region, by providing tailored expert advice and sharing first-hand experiences.

Examples of itineraries featured in the operator's latest campaign include Brazil, where clients can take in the highlights on a 13-night independent itinerary. The break starts in Rio with its famous Copacabana Beach, Sugar Loaf Mountain and the statue of Christ the Redeemer, followed by Iguaçu Falls, the meeting place of Iguaçu and Paraná Rivers. Clients can also take a cruise on the Amazonian river and explore by canoe and foot, before relaxing in the seaside town of Buzios.

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Departures are on March 7 or 14 next year and prices lead in at £3,359 per person based on two sharing. It includes four-star accommodation on a mixed meal plan basis, transfers and flights with Air Portugal from Heathrow.

In Peru a seven-night 'Taste of Peru' private tour is being promoted, where clients can visit the capital, Lima, as well as Cuzco, the ancient capital of the Incas, and the Sacred Valley, followed by a journey on the Vistadome train to Machu Picchu.

Prices lead in at £2,499 per person based on two sharing on a February 11, 2013 departure. The price includes four-star accommodation on a mixed meal plan basis, transfers and flights with British Airways and LAN Airlines from Heathrow.

In Chile, the operator is highlighting its 11-night 'Chilean Highlights' escorted tour, which explores Santiago, the Atacama Desert’s moon

valley, salt flats and Altiplanic lagoons, the Casablanca Valley Chile’s biggest wine-region and Torres del Paine National Park.

Departures are on February 2, 9 and 16 next year and prices start from £3,599 per person based on two sharing. Four-star accommodation on a mixed meal plan basis, transfers and flights with LAN Airlines from Heathrow are included in the price.

The operator's marketing manager, Sarah Beckwith, said: “We launched the new Discover brochure in October 2011, bringing together the very best of our escorted tours and highlighting the opportunities for tailor-made travel, particularly in South America, to experience a true adventure, iconic sights and treasured moments. We hope this dedicated campaign will inspire our customers as these incredible and spectacular destinations are put under the spotlight.”

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southamerica Refurbishment for Copacabana Palace COPACABANA PALACE, an Orient-Express hotel overlooking Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, has embarked on a sixmonth facelift during which 90 rooms on the lower floors of the main building are being upgraded. Each will feature larger bathrooms, with a new structural design and layout.

The refurbishment is scheduled to be completed in November.

Nightly rates start from approximately £296 per night, including taxes, based on two sharing a Superior City View Room with breakfast.

For details call 0845-077 2222 or visit www.copacabanapalace.com

Learn to Tango in Argentina with Hayes & Jarvis WITH THE new series of Strictly Come Dancing commencing next month, Hayes & Jarvis says that agents might find it timely to recommend trips to Argentina to their clients so that they can learn the Latin American dance in its birthplace.

In addition to dance classes, its four-day Learn to Tango experience visits famous tango establishments in Buenos Aires’ La Boca and San Telmo districts and offers the opportunity to join locals on the dance floor at a ‘milonga’ (dancing hall).

Following last year’s Latin-American surge led by Brazil, Argentina has been another success story for the operator, which says that the country’s leap in popularity may have been stimulated by the introduction of a direct BA service to Buenos Aires. For this reason it is now twinning itineraries to Argentina with the neighbouring nation of Uruguay. Home to cattle ranches and gauchos, beaches and colonial architecture, highlights of the destination can be seen on a threeday Heritage of Uruguay tour, including the picturesque Colonia del Sacremento and monuments of Montevideo. Twin-centre breaks cost from £2,049 per person in September and include accommodation, flights, ‘Learn to Tango’ course and transfers.

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

G Adventures announces 2013 Rio Carnival trips G ADVENTURES is highlighting two of its packages to the Carnival Parade in Rio which include entrance to the Sambadrome, as well as an experienced chief experience officer who is on hand to help travellers make the most of the experience and local culture.

A six-day standard Rio de Janeiro Carnival Experience costs from £989 per person, based on two staying in a standard-level hotel from February 7, 2013. The same trip staying in a comfort-level hotel is priced from £1,449, also based on two sharing.

Other trips being highighted include a nine-day trip from Rio, The Best of Brazil, which costs from £1,549 and departs year-round from September. The trip takes in the remote island of Ilha Grande and guests will also cruise on a schooner to islands and beaches and visit Iguassu Falls. Prices exclude flights.

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

Introducing

SANTA CRUZ (Bolivia) November 2012

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themeparks a is g in k o o b re p y h W h t o b r fo n io t a u it s in win-w s t n e li c ir e h t d n a s t agen , group sales &

by TONY SEAMAN , Attraction World marketing director

I

HATE to say it but before I joined Attraction World six years ago, if someone had asked me would I have considered pre-purchasing any of my own theme park or attraction tickets, the answer would have been a straightforward 'no!' Why bother with all the hassle?

Oh how I ate my words. This certainly wasn’t one of my brightest theories. The advantages of pre-purchasing are just way too good to miss out on – particularly where the main theme parks are concerned.

So here's my top Laws of Attraction when it comes to selling theme park tickets.

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Tony’s top tips: ● Save ££££’s .. and I truly mean this! Many of the parks offer ‘UK exclusive’ tickets that simply cannot be purchased in resort. Let’s take some of the world’s favourite theme parks as an example: Walt Disney World Resort in Florida currently offers a 14 day Ultimate ticket that allows guests to literally hop between the four theme parks, two water parks and other Disney attractions for a price that works out at around £19 per day per adult. If you consider in resort that the gate price of a one-day ticket is in excess of $80 plus tax, I think you may be starting to get my drift… ● Let’s not also forget that some of these parks are of limited capacity. Take Discovery Cove Orlando as an example. Limited to 1,000 entries per day, chances are if you don’t pre-book you will definitely be disappointed and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity gone. Think of the memories that experience could have created for your clients. All gone because they didn’t think to pre-book. ● We also offer customers a great way to budget for the full cost. By simply paying a deposit to secure the tickets, customers can then spread the cost of their theme park tickets over a longer period. It’s not unusual for the actual tickets to the parks to cost more than the actual holiday. But, believe it or not, the average family of four will spend more than £2,000 - just on theme park tickets! ● Gate ready tickets are another huge plus to prepurchasing. Take Siam Park in Tenerife as an example. In the height of summer be prepared to queue for up to two hours in the heat just to get into the park. With our gate

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ready tickets you can simply skip the queue and be the first to jump in the water and wave to those less fortunate persons still queuing outside...

Last but not least – pre-booking is a win-win situation.

Not only do you improve your customer service by asking the immortal question ‘what are you going to do when you’re there?’ but you also improve your bottom line profit. In this day and age where every penny counts, pre-booking your customers’ theme park tickets goes a massive way to reaching those oh so annoying ancillary sales targets.

Florida is still our most popular destination and to make life as easy as we could for agents, a few years ago we tried to simplify the minefield of tickets on offer. It’s easy for us as we live and breathe the world of attractions but appreciate agents have many other priorities. So with this in mind – our current best selling pass was created .. The ONE, which gives your customers access to all the main theme parks (excluding Discovery Cove) for the length of their holiday, job done. Plus for a limited booking period only it now includes Legoland Florida.

I cannot stress enough the fact that UK exclusive tickets really are a no-brainer. They offer unbeatable value and cannot be purchased anywhere else other than predeparture. A great example of a reasonably new ticket that has also become a best seller is the Siam & Loro Parque Twin Ticket. With this ticket you can get to visit the best two parks on Tenerife, with added extras thrown in.

At Disneyland Paris - guess what? Another UK exclusive ticket is now available! The Disneyland Paris one-day Hopper. It’s a great concept that has been specifically designed for UK guests who are staying in Paris and just want a one-day experience with the added advantage of being able to visit both parks on the same day - again something that cannot be purchased in resort.

And in Spain, another of your best selling attractions is offering a UK exclusive ticket offer - the PortAventura Plus Pass. Currently at a special offer price, the ticket offers unbeatable value for unlimited entries into the park for seven consecutive days - ideal for families holidaying in the Costa Dorada area. ✦

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themeparks Legoland Malaysia announces details of next month's launch LEGOLAND MALAYSIA has revealed its official opening date: Saturday, September 15.

The new 76-acre theme park will cater to kids from two to 12 years, with more than 40 rides and attractions from roller coasters to race cars as well as family-focused interactive shows.

The park is based in Kota Iskandar, Johor, in the southern region of Peninsular Malaysia, approximately 350km from Kuala Lumpur.

UK visitors can fly to the closest airport Johor Bahru via Kuala Lumpur.

Johor also offers visitors the chance to

experience ancient rainforests, pristine islands, golf courses and shopping malls and the capital, Johor Bahru, is famous for its historical buildings and impressive architecture.

Siegfried Boerst, the theme park's general manager, said: "Our official opening date has been something we've had a lot of enquiries from the public on since the park broke ground in December 2009. I'm pleased to announce that due to the hard work of all of our contractors we will now be opening ahead of schedule by a number of months. We hope that with today's news families and tour

operators will begin planning their trips to visit us and we look forward to giving you an experience like no other in Asia. Rather appropriately we will be opening the day before Malaysia Day which happens to be a long weekend."

Single-day tickets are now on sale and a special introductory offer of £20 is available for adults (normal price is £29) and £15 for kids/senior citizens (normal price is £23).

The 30% discount is available for a limited period only.

For more information visit www.legoland.com.my and www.tourism.gov.my

Superbreak promotes festive Christmas at Disneyland Paris DISNEYLAND PARIS is set to launch Christmas festivities from November 9 and Superbreak is offering a range of packages available for agents to promote including accommodation and tickets to the park and the option to add on Eurostar travel.

Customers can take part in activities such as blowing snowflakes off their noses on Main Street (where it 'snows 'every day) to shaking hands and paws with their favourite

Disney characters. There is also the chance to meet Santa at Disney’s Santa Claus Village.

A package for a family of four (two adults and two children) costs from £363 including one night at the four-star Radisson Blu Hotel at Disneyland Paris including breakfast and a twoday park entrance ticket for the family. Prices including Eurostar cost £659.

Dosomethingdifferent.com adds extra value to Orlando Freedom Ticket Plus DOSOMETHINGDIFFERENT.COM HAS included unlimited entrance to Legoland Florida to its Orlando Freedom Ticket Plus at no extra cost, giving its customers an extra theme park for free.

The company's head of product, Tom Samuel, said: "We are excited to offer our customers unlimited

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entrance to Legoland Florida as part of the Orlando Freedom Ticket Plus at no extra cost. This will provide great savings to families visiting the theme parks in Orlando this year."

The Orlando Freedom Ticket Plus includes Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney’s Typhoon

Lagoon Water Park, Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park, Universal Studios, Universal’s Islands of Adventure, Wet ‘n’ Wild, SeaWorld, Aquatica, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and Legoland Florida, and costs £456 for adults and £436 for children aged three to nine years old.

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themeparks Legoland California to open hotel next summer LEGOLAND HOTEL is scheduled to open its three-storey hotel next summer and is being designed to give guests an interactive family experience.

The property will feature brightly coloured, interactive décor, a pool and lounge area, patio, event space and buffet restaurant. The hotel, located in Carlsbad, is designed for families with young children and will feature rooms and suites themed after the most popular Legoland area - Pirate, Kingdom and Adventure.

For more information see www.visitcalifornia.co.uk

THE THAI-THEMED water park, Siam Park, in Tenerife has recently added two new attractions for this year - a mega ride called Kinaree and a new children’s area, Sawasdee. The Kinaree slide is more than 200m long and the winding course will feature three different experiences. Sawasdee is a new children’s area which brings a smaller version of the adult rides to the park's younger visitors.

There are four different slides, two of them designed for racing, a mini water slide and a smaller replica of the parks famous dragon.

For details see www.siampark.net

Futuroscope celebrates 25th anniversary WITH MORE than 40million visitors since its opening in 1987, Futuroscope is celebrating its 25th Silver Anniversary year in which new attractions and events have been added.

Examples include a new look to some old classics such as Dynamic Vienne transferred to the IMAX screen, along with new 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 visitors in a sensory sensation.

There is also a new People of the Future attraction where creatures come forth to bear witness to their extraordinary physique and amazing brain power.

THE RED Sea resort of El Gouna has boosted its water attractions with Liquid Park, the first inflatable water park in the Middle East, featuring slides, trampolines and a range of other activities.

Open daily from 10:00 to 18:00, entrance to the park costs £10 per person and includes an animation team, life guards and mandatory life vests. While the minimum age to enter is six years old, younger children can enter if accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

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themeparks Discovery Cove announces opening of Freshwater Oasis

Freshwater Oasis

ORLANDO’S DISCOVERY Cove has opened Freshwater Oasis, a new attraction featuring swimming and wading adventures and face-to-face encounters with playful otters and curious marmosets.

Designed with a rainforest canopy above and sparkling clear springs below, the new addition is included with admission to the park and guests can swim with dolphins, handfeed tropical birds in a free-flight aviary, snorkel among fish and rays and relax on white sandy beaches.

Discovery Cove is limited to approximately 1,000 guests per day.

Fort Myers Shell Factory and Nature Park marks 75th anniversary THE SHELL Factory and Nature Park in Fort Myers is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year with the launch of a new rainforest.

The new 7,000sq.ft attraction features plants, trees and animals with walkways running through it and has attracted native wildlife including cardinals, bluejays, lizards and snakes. The park also houses a nature area with more than 350 live animals such as alligators and snakes, plus a fun park with mini golf, bumper boats and paddle boats.

For more information visit www.shellfactory.com

New 360° 3D domed cinema experience opens at SeaWorld Orlando VISITORS TO Florida can now get closer to sea turtles and manatees through nose-tonose encounters combined with entertainment, with a first-of-its-kind 3D 360-degree domed cinema attraction – TurtleTrek.

Guests first visit two extensive habitats, home to gentle manatees, gliding sea turtles and thousands of fish, learning about the threats that the animals face. Families then enter a domed cinema to get a turtle’s eye view of the ocean through a 3D 360degree film.

The visual conservation experience allows visitors to learn more about the plight of a sea turtle named Nyah, highlighting the life journey sea turtles take

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from hatching on a beach and making the mad dash to open waters, to the dangers and hazards they face as they mature and return to the same beach to lay their own eggs.

After the film, guests can experience an educational game - Race to the Beach, where families work in groups to help understand turtle migration, from the open water to the beach, highlighting the risks to sea turtles such as rubbish and sharks.

A three-park ticket offers 14 days’ unlimited entry to SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica and Busch Gardens Tampa, with prices starting from £87 per person.

For more information visit www.seaworldparks.co.uk

France welcomes launch of three new parks with prices from €7 per adult FRANCE HAS seen the launch of three new parks this year. Paleopolis Park, which opened in April, is a theme park dedicated to paleontology where visitors travel back in time to walk among dinosaurs.

Prices lead in at €7 per adult.

For details see www.paleopolis-parc.com Alesia Museoparc in Burgundy is also new and consists of a half museum and half theme park. An interactive centre allows visitors to relive the Gallic era and the site is divided into three parts, two of which are yet to be launched. They include an interpretation centre which exhibits relics found on the site; an archeological museum which opens in 2016 and houses a collection between the Prehistory and Renaissance periods; and a discovery course for hiking, which also opens in 2016. Entrance is €9 per adult.

For details see www.alesia.com Meanwhile, Aquariaz in Avoriaz in the RhoneAlpes region, which opened in July, has been designed as an aquatic park. The attraction is made up of three areas – a Water Playhouse for younger children, with geysers and pouringwater play, water slides and water pistols; The Sidewinder for the more adventurous bathers, featuring a 10m water slide; and a central pool for bathers of all ages, which features a flowing river with water games, pool and an outdoor Jacuzzi. Entrance costs €8 per adult.

For details see www.avoriaz.com

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themeparks Recession-hit families choose summer staycations according to Gulliver’s theme park FAMILIES ACROSS the UK are opting for short stays in UK over foreign holidays this summer according to a Gulliver's theme park in Cheshire.

The park recently opened its new Warrington hotel and reports that bookings have been flocking in from all over the UK. The company believes families are looking for good value short stays to help budget for the summer holidays.

The park's managing director, Julie Dalton, said: "We have seen a huge number of bookings from all over the UK. Families tend to travel a maximum of an hour and a half for a day out, as any longer is too much for little ones - our hotel gives parents across England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland and beyond the option to enjoy our The Python, Gulliver’s fantastic Warrington attractions by booking an affordable short stay." to children and parents. Hotel guests can The hotel features 50 themed rooms book packages which include theme park and family rooms are decorated to appeal SplashZone water play factory entry.

For more information visit www.thegullivershotel.co.uk and www.gulliversfun.co.uk

MORE TOURS MORE CHOICES MORE EXPERIENCES Brought to you by the real experts in North American travel Over 900 tickets & tours to book online - plus amazing agent incentives!

www.tttandt.com | 01344 890400 | sales@tttandt.com Travel Trade Tickets and Tours is a trading name of NAR UK Ltd, an ABTA bonded tour operator established in 1981.

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themeparks Family savings of up to 66% from Leicester Shire Promotions We asked our staff the following question this week: What was your first job?

Publisher: Jeanette Ratcliffe jeanette.ratcliffe@travelbulletin.co.uk Saturday job in greengrocers

Editor: Lauretta Wright lauretta.wright@travelbulletin.co.uk Saturday job in newsagents. The manager let me eat the penny sweets and read mags - loved that job!

Assistant Editor: Jill Sayles jill.sayles@travelbulletin.co.uk Weekend assistant at a grocery shop

Contributing Editor: Paul Scudamore post@travelbulletin.co.uk Proper first job was as an indentured junior reporter on the local weekly. Seven quid a week. Overpaid even then

Sales Director: Simon Eddolls simon.eddolls@travelbulletin.co.uk Working for a small local supermarket stacking shelves

LEICESTER SHIRE Promotions has launched a new short break offer for families who love theme parks. The Stay Play Explore Theme Parks Adventure Break includes a family ticket for Drayton Manor, a choice of a visit to Twinlakes Family Theme Park or Wheelgates Family Theme Park, with an overnight stay and breakfast at a four-star hotel in Leicestershire.

The new Theme Parks break costs £159, offering a saving of up to 66% on normal admission prices.

Families (two adults and two children aged from 3-16) can choose from two family friendly hotels in Leicestershire - Sketchley Grange Hotel & Spa and Hilton East Midlands - both within easy access of the three theme parks.

Colin Bryan, managing director at Drayton Manor Theme Park, said: "Families with a passion for fun and adventure will find this new initiative perfect for them. Drayton Manor has something to suit all ages, whether you are a fan of Thomas Land or want to be turned upside down on G-Force, one of our thrill rides or prefer a leisurely stroll around our zoo. The savings demonstrate excellent value for money and we look forward to welcoming everyone as they come to be entertained by us in style."

For more information or to book visit www.goleicestershire.com/themeparks or call 0844-888 5181.

Advertisement Manager: Tim Podger tim.podger@travelbulletin.co.uk

Orlando welcomes Camelot Knights Dinner Show

Level land gardener

FOR THE first time in 16 years, Orlando welcomes a new large scale dinner show, which has been developed by the same company that created Pirates Dinner Show and Treasure Tavern.

The show will take place at Pirates Dinner Adventure theatre, just off International Drive and tells the story of King Arthur and Lady Guinevere & the Knights of the Round Table. Shows will run Monday to Saturday at 18:00 and the Pirates Dinner Show will continue to run every evening at 20:30 and on Sundays at 19:30.

Camelot Knights is available to book through Attraction World and prices lead in at £26 for adults and £17 for children.

For details see www.attractionworld.co.uk

Online Sales Manager: Nick Boocock nick.boocock@travelbulletin.co.uk Waiter at a Little Chef. My most memorable diners were boxer Barry McGuigan (lovely) and cricket umpire Dickie Bird (grumpy)

Account Manager: Bill Coad bill.coad@travelbulletin.co.uk It was a window dresser for John Collier (menswear) "The Window to Watch"

Sales Executive: Chris Gascoine chris.gascoine@alaincharles.com I was a milkman's assistant

Design: Genaro Santos genaro.santos@alaincharles.com Street seller

Assistant Layout Design: Nicky Valsamakis nicky.valsamakis@alaincharles.com Chimney sweep

Production: Jeremy Walters jeremy.walters@alaincharles.com Cleaning my room. It was badly paid and reciprocated in kind

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

Leger celebrates 20 years of Disneyland Paris partnership LEGER HOLIDAYS has launched its 20th Disneyland Paris brochure, marking two decades of partnership with the resort.

The new brochure highlights the festivities taking place to mark the resort’s 20th anniversary, including a new carnival parade and a Disney Dreams evening show, set around Sleeping Beauty’s castle.

A three-night self-drive break costs from £678 for a family of four, based on two adults and two children, and includes ferry crossings, accommodation and

two-day Hopper passes, which allow entrance to the theme parks.

Single parent deals are also available.

Meanwhile, the operator has launched a New Year break which departs on December 30. Prices lead in at £636 for a family of four including coach travel with regional departures and ferry crossings, plus two nights’ breakfast accommodation at a hotel in Paris.

For more information call 0844-504 6250 or see www.legerbreaks.info

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puzzlesolutions Crossword: Across: 1. ETIHAD, 6. EIGER, 8. IBIZA, 9. ISLAMABAD, 11. MARCO POLO, 12. DODGE, 13. RODIN, 14. GARUDA. Down: 1. EMELI SANDE, 2. ANR, 3. GUILDFORD, 4. BILBAO, 5. CALIFORNIA, 7. GOLD MEDAL, 10. MERSEY, 13. RSA.

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August 31 2012

Highlighted Word: GEORGIA Travagrams: (top) Shearings Holidays

(bottom) Kenya

Where Am I?: Winnipeg

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S06 TB3108 Theme Parks_Layout 1 29/08/2012 10:57 Page 29

Orlando is booked, so...What you gonna do when you’re there?

Scream all night!

It’s never too soon to start panicking!

On select nights 21 September through 31 October, your worst nightmares will take shape as Universal Studios Florida® theme park is transformed into Halloween Horror Nights®, America’s premier annual Halloween event. Start booking now so your customers don’t miss out on a single scream… only at Universal Orlando® Resort.

Visit www.attractionworld.com today 2011 WINNER

WARNING!

THIS EVENT MAY BE TOO INTENSE FOR YOUNG CHILDREN AND IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 13. NO COSTUMES OR MASKS ALLOWED.

Universal elements and all related indicia TM & © 2012 Universal Studios. © 2012 Universal Orlando. All rights reserved.

S06 TB3108 Theme Parks_Layout 1 29/08/2012 12:31 Page 30

Star Awards 2012

Monday 10th September 2012 The Landmark, 222 Marylebone Road, London NW1 6JQ Dress Code: Black Tie Call 020 7834 6661 or book online at www.travelbulletin.co.uk/awards/reserve-tickets

LAST

CHANCE TO BOOK Sponsored by