Travel Extra April 2019

NEW SHIPS WHAT TO EXPECT SHENZHEN NEW ROUTE FROM HAINAN MSC BELLISSIMA OF THE BALL Trans-Atalantic boom

Brexit aviation agreed

R U YO DE A R R T PE PA

Ryanair talks growth

IRELAND'S PREMIER SOURCE OF TRAVEL INFORMATION Free

APRIL 2019

All Aboard What your client should know about cruising

VOLUME 24 NUMBER 4

APRIL 2019 PAGE 2

THE KNOWLEDGE

Travel Extra Clownings, Straffan, Co Kildare (+3531) 2913707 Fax (+3531) 2957417 Managing Editor: Gerry O’Hare gerry@travelextra.ie Editor: Eoghan Corry eoghan.corry@ travelextra.ie Publisher: Edmund Hourican edmund@bizex.ie Sales Director: Maureen Ledwith maureen@bizex.ie Sales Manager Paulette Moran paulette@bizex.ie t: +353 (0)1 291 3702 Accounts and Advertising: Maria Sinnott maria@bizex.ie Sunday Supplement & Online: Mark Evans markevanspro@gmail.com Chief Features Writer: Anne Cadwallader anne@travelextra.ie Contributors : Damian Allen damianjamesallen@ gmail.com Marie Carberry marie@travelextra.ie Carmel Higgins carmel@travelextra.ie Cauvery Madhavan cauvery@travelextra.ie Sean Mannion sean@grafacai.ie Ciaran Molloy ciarancmolloy@ gmail.com Catherine Murphy cathmurph@yahoo.com Aileen O’Reilly aileencoreilly@gmail.com

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CONTENTS 4 Destination: Jamaica’s north coast 6 Hotels: News 8 Postcards: News from the trade

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www.travelextra.ie

10-16: Seven-page cruising special 18 Afloat: First glimpse of WB Yeats 20-23 Flying: Preclearance deal 24 Window seat: Our columnists 26 Global Village: Inside the travel industry

28 Mexico: Cowboys and canyons 30 Mexico: West coast’s cooler 32 China: Beijing v Shanghai 34 Pictures: Bumper edition from out and about with the trade

Selling a cruise

RUISE lines pay highest commissions and some offer agent loyalty programmes. It is definitely the place to be for a travel agent and customers are safest with an agent who knows the industry, and what will suit the individual customer.

Consumer campaigns are confusing and change by the week, and what is on offer may not be the best deal. So how do you translate that into sales?

BUDGET: It

is all about price. This needs to be calculated at the very beginning of the conversation along with finding out their expectations of the trip. Spend time on expectations before you offer advice.

If in doubt, sell from the top down. Customers will soon tell you if that is not in their budget.

PREJUDICE 1:

No other sector has to deal with the preconceptions of customers. Will I get sea sick? Will I be bored? Will I feel confined? With many ships growing in size, the biggest problem a customer will have is trying out even a fraction of what’s on offer onboard vessels.

BIG SHORT:.

So, you’ve still got a customer who’s reluctant to part with any cash, and doesn’t know if a cruise is the right fit for them. That’s where taster cruises come in.

Experts in the industry say this area is booming. Deirdre Sweeny says short breaks have become a great value alternative to cities for girls’ weekends away and special events. NCL,

Lines including Marella Cruises are now all inclusive out of Ireland

MSC, Royal, Celebrity and niche operators like Cruise & Maritime Voyages now offer taster cruises. All inclusive frequently comes as standard, or can be added in to the booking price.

The key thing is to match the customer profile with the correct product, ie young and lively or more mature and sedate. Get it right and they’ll return for a a longer cruise. Get it wrong and you’ve lost a cruiser, maybe for life.

PREJUDICE 2:

This is a tough one to crack: the long-held view that cruising is for the old and loaded.

Yes, some lines cater well for that market, but the majority of the big companies are family-focused.

Deirdre Sweeny reports that one of the highlights for her from the recent Bellissima launch was the quality of the staterooms, many with interconnecting doors to offer multi-generational accommodation to suit grandparents, parents and children.

She said the children’s areas have also been well thought out.

And do you need to be

rich? Money helps if you want to go ultra-exclusive, but cruising from Ireland, with free coach transfers to ports, costs from €85 with the likes of JMG Travel, the Irish handlers of Cruise and Maritime Voyages.

Even with massive spends on new ships like Seaside, Seaview and Bellissima, MSC is keeping its price point low to attract first-timers. The key here is to watch out for new campaigns by the suppliers, with the addition of free gratuities or all inclusive sealing many deals with customers.

REPEAT:

Keep customers up to date with new facilities, new ships, new routes, and direct pick-ups from Ireland. Establish an ongoing relationship.

Encourage your customers to discuss their next cruise with the ‘future cruise consultant’.

Many lines offer discounts for repeat customers, so let your clients know what’s available.

Regular workshops are ideal ways to learn more about various offerings, and most lines will make regular calls to the likes

of Dublin and Cork.

Seeing the product first hand, even for a few hours, can be the key.

COMMISSION, NOT RISK:

If there’s just one key bit of advice out there, it’s to use the services of the experts. Sunway, for instance, takes the risk in worst-case scenarios, something you don’t want to try as a go-italone operator. Royal and Celebrity’s AirWaves allow agents to package up a huge range of adds-ons, including hotel stays and transfers.

You’re getting the commission on each element, but the buck stops with them to ensure everything runs smoothly.

UPSELL: Okay, ship excursions can be pricey, and customers can be reluctant to shell out on top of their base fare at times.

But what they might be keen on is a better stateroom or dining experience. While MSC has good value fares, the jump in class to The Yacht Club could be tempting. Explain the advantages of a private bolthole on the ship (par-

ticulary to repeat cruisers of for special occasions).

Deirdre Sweeny points out that with fares as low as they are, adding in a speciality dining package is very affordable with MSC. Budget-conscious travellers might be happy with an interior room, but point out the advantages of a balcony for those sundowner drinks.

DRINKS:

Packages are all the rage, but prices and policies are every-changing, with NCL recently raising inbuilt gratuity prices (not by much though) and MSC incorporating tips into fares. While the bottom-line price tends to be higher, NCL’s premium all inclusive product provides peace of mind that when the fare is paid, that’s it: no nasty surprises in the end-of-cruise bill.

This is where campaigns come in too - MSC, for instance, was offering Vegas, Miami and a seen-night Caribbean cruise for around €1400 upwards this summer - including a balcony stateroom and drinks package. Policies and campaigns are confusing, but watch out for new supply from the suppliers and aggressively market them to hour more price-conscious clients.

GO GLOBAL:

The Irish are adventurous. Have a client who’s done the Med/Caribbean, then steer them to the likes of the Far East.

Exotic yes, but travelling on airlines they know out of Dublin and on cruise lines they trust.

APRIL 2019 PAGE 3

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NEWS

ITB walls and halls

Syria aims to lure tourists as 181 nations visit Berlin show

T

HIRTY years after the wall came down, the 2019 ITB Berlin offered a preview of its commemoration at the joint Berlin-Brandenburg stand.

The gargantuan trade fair (10,000 exhibiting companies from 181 countries) saw the launch of Nepal Tourism’s 2020 campaign, Qatar Airways enhanced Economy Class product (and seven new upcoming destinations) while 400 speakers discussed issues facing the industry, led by Mark Okerstrom, the new CEO of Expedia, Nathan Blecharczyk, cofounder of Airbnb, a discussion on overtourism with Mato Franković, and a new Hospitality Tech Forum.

Another international event will shortly join the brand: ITB India, to launch in April 15-17, 2020. Saudi Arabia were there for the first time.

Australia, Dubai, Egypt, Malaysia and Namibia increased the size of their stand and Fujairah completed the UAE sextet. First-time exhib-

Germany rose 7.6pc in 2018 to 234,381 arrivals and 536,733 overnights. German visitor overnights overall rose 5pc. The federal states of Bavaria, Berlin, Baden-Wurttemberg, North-Rhine Westphalia and Hesse were most popular. Bavaria saw the highest increase for visitors from Ireland.

COOK ISLANDS The Cook Islands are looking at a name change to Avaiki Nui to reflect the true Polynesia nature of the islands.

Mark Henry, Tourism Ireland; Bridgette Brew, Galway 2020; Tourism Minister Brendan Griffin; Finola O’Mahony, Tourism Ireland; and HE Michael Collins, Irish Ambassador, at ITB Berlin

itors from the Caribbean included Curacao, Barbados, Belize and El Salvador. Grenada celebrated its first appearance since 2015.

Curiosities included Venezuela, which doubled the size of its stand despite domestic strife, and Syriana

Travel & Tourism, in hall 2.2, promoting tourism to (wait for it) Syria.

For the fifth year, Ireland was represented twice, on the official Tourism Ireland stand and Fáilte Ireland’s stand in the Leisure, Adventure & Youth Travel section.

MILAN: New FR daily route to PISA: Tuscan city twice-weekly BUDAPEST: BORDEAUX:

2w with Ryanair from Dublin this winter.

B’MOUTH: English ‘Riviera’ city of Bournemouth will be 4w with Ryanair from Dublin for Winter.

KIEV:

Ukraine confirmed for Ryanair winter 2019 ex Dublin (2w).

LONDON:

Southend (2d) with Ryanair from Dublin (winter)

regained its position as the TripAdvisor travellers’ choice best beach in Ireland, a position it lost Inch last year, as six beaches from Kerry finished in the top ten. Curracloe, which finished second last year ahead of Inchydoney, dropped out of the top ten as did last year’s fifth-placed beach, Brittas.

GERMANY Visits from Ireland to

DESTINATIONS TO WATCH

Malpensa ex Dublin, Winter 2019.

INCHDONEY The West Cork beach

with Ryanair (Winter, Dublin.

Ryanair out of Cork

2w with

GOTENBURG: Sweden’s MALTA:

second city will be 2w (Ryanair) from this winter from Dublin.

EUROPE: Extra Ryanair flights ex Dublin this winter to Cologne (going daily); Lisbon (9w); Malaga (11w) ALICANTE:

with Ryanair (winter)

ALL INCLUSIVE. ALL ABOARD. This summer, all our cruises are going All Inclusive. So you can sail with a smile knowing your meals, drinks and tips are covered.

2w ex Cork

2w with Ryanair out of Cork this winter.

POZNAN:

2w with Ryanair out of Cork this winter

TENERIFE:

Weekly from Knock with Ryanair this winter

ICELAND: Dublin-Reykjavik up to 10w with Icelanair from May 16-September 7.

BUSCH GARDENS The Tampa Bay branch kicked off its 60th anniversary celebrations with new announcements, including an update on Tigris, Florida’s tallest launch coaster, and details of a new record-breaking hybrid coaster coming in 2020.

VENICE The city council approved a visitors’ tax on day-trippers, aimed at paying for essential services that are more costly to perform in the lagoon city, such as rubbish collection and the cleaning of public areas.

EGYPT Authorities have started work on a controversial concrete barrier around the Sinai resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh to attract tourists back, but shutting out outsiders.

BREXIT Which? magazine reported that

around 3.5m current British passports will not comply with the validity rules for entry into the Schenghen zone after breatimeacht/Brexit.

VENEZUELA The DFA advised visitors to Venezuela whose presence is not essential to leave by commercial means. Venezuela decided to close airspace with Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao having already severed links to Brazil and Colombia and closed land borders with Brazil and Colombia.

WINTER & SUMM ‘19 E CRUISE R ‘20 S NOW ON S A L E

Marella Cruises is a trading name of TUI Ireland Limited, a member of the TUI AG group of companies. TUI is a trading name of TUI Ireland Limited and is fully licensed and bonded by CAR T.O.021.

APRIL 2019 PAGE 4

DESTINATION JAMAICA

F

AR below us, the white sand beaches of Montego Bay sparkled in the hot sunshine but, up here in the mountains, the iridescent green breast and gentle buzz of the hummingbird’s wings announced that Jamaica’s national bird was paying us a visit.

Flying to and fro and even backwards, at first glance we thought it was a bat, causing momentary alarm amongst the gathering on the terrace high up in the cool mountain breeze.

That was no bat, we quickly realised, but a jewel with wings.

Yes, this was Jamaica - but not as you know it.

There’s nothing wrong with the all-inclusive resorts dotted along the island’s north coast.

Nothing wrong at all with honeymooners having the holiday of their dreams in the crystal blue waters, gazing dreamily into each other’s eyes.

Some want nothing more than to work their way through the cocktail list from Aardvark (apple, peach, blueberry, strawberry and butterscotch schnapps served over crushed ice) to Zombie (white and dark rum, lime juice, pineapple juice, grenadine).

But Jamaica has a lot more to offer if you investigate a little.

“Ahhh ...Ras Natango” (www. http:// rasnatango.com/) is the strange-sounding name of a garden quite unlike any other this writer, a keen gardener, has visited anywhere in the world.

Ras. Natango, an accountant by trade, bought the mountainous land before he had realised that, once cleared, it consisted only of a precipitous rock face.

Narrowly avoiding divorce from Tamika, a school-teacher who was horrified at his purchase, Ras gave up accountancy and slowly hacked a home out of the rock.

Rum diaries of Jamaica

Anne Cadwallader finds life beyond the resorts

Hampden Rum Estate and Distillery, a hidden gem on the north coast of the Caribbean island

Then, knowing how much Tamika longed for a garden, he studied how to build terraces out of the rock and dry-stone walls. Now, decades later, the garden bristles with dazzling bromeliads and orchids.

That’s Jamaica for you.

Come for the beaches and stay for the birds and flowers.

And the people. Ras and Tamika envelope you, not only in their unique garden, but also in the sense of peace and calm they infuse whenever they speak.

Another unique experience, although very different, is a visit to the Hampden Rum Estate and Distillery.

“Oh no, not another distillery!” I hear you cry. “One gleaming pot still looks, let’s face it, very like another”.

Hampden is different,

however, as you realise even before you arrive.

What kind of distillery, after all, is located only at the end of a very long, very bumpy, very remote, rutted and winding road?

As you travel between huge fields of sugar cane, it’s impossible not to imagine the lives of the people who were brought here, by force, from Africa to slave in the heat of the sun and the dirt of the fields.

The people whose skin was cut a hundred thousand times by the razor sharp leaves of the sugar cane and who braved the fiercest of rats to harvest the cane for their white owners and overseers, determined to hack fortunes from rum.

The descendants of those slaves now own and control the land, the sugar cane and the charming “Heath Rob-

WHAT’S HOT

The weather in Jamaica is warm allyear round.

The people are welcoming.

There is live music everywhere.

Jerk cooking may have originated to disguise the taste of elderly meat - but it’s delicious and available everywhere.

If it’s your bag, possession of up to 2 oz of cannabis is legal.

inson” style of distilling that goes on at Hampden Estate (www.hampdenrumcompany.com).

Our guide, an enchanting, unflappable, young Jamaican girl with a nice taste in irony as well as rum, showed us around the works, if you can call them that.

The rusting corrugated iron roof looked as if a puff of wind would blow it away over the fields, but it must have an unseen strength as it seems to have withstood many a tropical hurricane.

The estate “Great House” still looks charmingly colonial but it is now owned by Jamaicans and there is absolutely no sign of forced labour anywhere on the estate. Indeed, little sign of labour at all from the relaxed workers gazing, bored, at the visiting tourists.

Nowadays, before har-

vesting begins, the cane fields are all set alight to get rid of the sharp leaves (and the rats) and one certainly expects the work pays exponentially more than in slave days.

When it comes to accommodation, there are also alternatives to the ubiquitous all-inclusive resort.

Negril, for example (known as “The Capital of Casual”) on the west of the island with its seven-mile long white beach is home to “The Skylark” - a relaxed, small hotel whose Australian owner saunters around in cut-off jeans and a lop-sided hat.

Near Negril, at Rick’s Bar, you can watch Jamaicans, young and old, throw themselves off the cliffs into the clear, blue ocean from 4pm onwards and the surrounding bars take it in turns to host reggae nights.

WHAT’S NOT

Yes, it’s a nine-hour flight from Gatwick - no direct flights this season from Dublin - but I did enjoy repeatedly watching the first episode of “Derry Girls” on our Virgin Atlantic flight.

Many of the hotels and best beaches are only reached by causeway over mangrove swamps - so pack insect repellent.

Sunset from S Hotel

But, it would be completely wrong to forget about the more familiar side of a Jamaican holiday.

The growing popularity of all-inclusive resorts and spas shows no signs of any downturn. Sandals, for one, grows its empire each year with hordes of young North Americans and Europeans seeking (and mainly finding) the Caribbean dream.

We stayed at the “Excellence Hotel and Spa” at Oyster Bar in the district of Trelawney. Many rooms here have either their own outdoor small pool, complete with private sun-deck and/or their own hot-tub. here is a good range of a la carte restaurants from which to choose your eating spot for lunch or dinner and the property fringes a lovely beach with crystal clear, calm waters. It also has a large communal pool with daytime entertainment.

An alternative is the newly opened “S Hotel” in downtown Montego Bay (www.shoteljamaica.com) suitable for those who want to eschew the “all-inclusive” and journey forth and try out the local bars and restaurants such as the Usain Bolt-owned “Tracks and Records” across the road.

The roof-top swimming pool and bar at the “S Hotel” is sure to become THE coolest place to be seen in Montego Bay with its fabulous and unique view of the sun setting into the west (see photo).

Right opposite, there’s a burger-joint and bar owned by Jamaica’s bestknown export.

Yes, Usain Bolt has left his mark on his home island.

Whether you choose the wild side or the more predictable delights that Jamaica has to offer, this island in the sun deserves all the praises sung about it over the years.

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APRIL 2019 PAGE 6

HOTELS

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DIVERSIFY Fáilte Ireland’s CEO Paul Kelly warned delegates at the IHF’s Annual Conference that the hotel sector and other tourism businesses need to get out of their comfort zone and step up efforts to diversify into newer markets ahead of Brexit.

Fáilte Ireland is investing €5m this year for business supports to ensure the tourism sector is both ‘product-ready’ and ‘industry-ready’ ahead of the UK withdrawal from the EU. He warned: “Any tourism business which does not have Brexit contingencies as a central focus of its 2019 business plan needs to act fast.”

DUBLIN Hotel firm Carra Shore is seek-

ing permission to develop a 195-bedroom hotel at the junction of Little Britain Street and Little Green Street in Dublin.

AIRBNB The online platform is pushing further into the hotels business, buying booking app HotelTonight.

ITB There are a record high 6,352 projects/1,172,591 rooms currently under construction worldwide, STR reported at the Berlin trade show.

K CLUB With the €80m 550-acre and

134-bedroom hotel in Co Kildare still unsold, Michael Smurfit said friends of his were interested in buying but “it is not the best time to sell a hotel.”

CORK The IHF has warned that the 1,500 new hotel rooms planned for Cork City could be too much if construction of the Cork Events Centre does not start soon.

PREMGROUP Jim Murphy and

Mary Daly’s Hospitality giant PREMGroup launched Trinity Hotel Groups. Headed up by Business Manager Mary Daly, it will assist independent hotels across Ireland and Britain to secure coach tours and group bookings for a set annual fee.

NORTHERN hotel Galgorm agreed to buy Templeton Hotel bringing their tourism investment in Antrim to £10m.

DALATA is to operate two new hotels

in its British expansion – one in Glasgow and the other in Birmingham.

BEST WESTERN Industry veteran Vivienne Nyhan has been appointed international development director for Best Western Hotels & Resorts at the company’s Ireland office. Her previous roles include national and global sales manager for Ireland at Radisson Hotels, and sales & marketing manager at the Glenview Hotel & Leisure Club, Co Wicklow.

REVPAR Hotels reported positive revenue per available room for January, according to Davy Stockbrokers. RevPAR rose 0.9pc in Dublin during the first month of the year, while RevPAR in regional Ireland grew 4.9pc.

GOOGLE: The tech giant has added a full-fledged destination site for hotels, launcing it under the radar, with potential implications for booking sites, as well as Airbnb, without any major fanfare.

Paul Kelly, CEO Failte Ireland; Michael Lennon, President Irish Hotels Federation (IHF); Martina Bromley, Head of Entreprise Development & Hospitality Failte Ireland; Tim Fenn CEO IHF.

Brexit now biting Only four in 10 hoteliers are positive about 2019

T

HE double whammy of Brexit and the hike from 9pc to 13.5pc in the VAT rate cast gloom over proceedings at this year’s Irish Hotels Federation annual conference.

Business sentiment among Irish hotels and guesthouses has deteriorated sharply year on year, “representing a stark change in outlook compared with 2018”, according to an IHF survey of the industry undertaken ahead of its 81st annual conference, held at the Gleneagle Hotel & INEC, Killarney.

Only 40pc of hoteliers reported a positive outlook for their business over the next 12 months, compared with 79pc at the start of 2018.

Major concerns include the continued risk of a disruptive Brexit and reduced competitiveness due to the increase in tourism VAT, rises in the cost of doing business and growing economic uncertainty internationally.

In particular, the higher VAT rate is reported to be putting investment in additional hotel capacity at risk, with 75pc of hoteliers stating they are now reassessing plans to increase capital investment.

Performance so far this year has been mixed, with 39pc of hoteliers reporting a drop in overall business levels compared to this time last year while 48pc report an increase.

This has largely been driven by

growth from North America and Europe, which is masking continued poor performance from Britain.

Almost two-thirds of hoteliers (65pc) say advance bookings for 2019 from Britain are down while 57pc are also seeing a fall in advance bookings from the North.

With the vast majority of hoteliers (91pc) concerned about the impact Brexit will have on their business over the next 12 months, Michael Lennon, President of the Irish Hotels Federation, said growth in recent years cannot be taken for granted.

“With the prospect of a disruptive Brexit looming, the sharp fall in business sentiment amongst ho-

teliers is not surprising. Our fear is that regional tourism businesses risk being hardest hit.

“Many of these regions have only begun to feel the benefits of the economic recovery in recent years.”

He said the regions are at risk “if the Government does not take decisive action to mitigate the impact of Brexit and address the other serious challenges we now face such as the high cost of doing business.”

“Tourism is an exceptionally competitive activity. We compete daily for business at both a domestic and international level and every tourism Euro spent by overseas and domestic tourists in Ireland is hard won.”

APRIL 2019 PAGE 7

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HOTELS

Two-tier recovery E

Rural areas still lagging behind Dublin, IHF says

GIONAL hotels and guesthouses are suffering under a “two-tiered” tourism industry which the Government has failed to address, claimed IHF Chief Executive Tim Fenn.

In 2018, the average national room occupancy rate for hotels dropped to 72pc, compared to 74pc the previous year. While Dublin performed strongly with an average occupancy of 84pc (up 1pc), the rest of the country lags significantly behind with an average occupancy rate of 66pc (down 2pc), he claimed.

“We continue to have a two-tiered tourism industry, which Government policy is failing to address. While there has been good growth overall in recent years, not every tourism business or part of the country has enjoyed the same level of success.

“There are many areas where tourism remains very seasonal and hospitality businesses struggle to break even during off-peak periods.

Tourism businesses in these areas

that only 1,200 of a projected 1,600 new hotel rooms will open in Dublin this year. Ireland’s largest hotel group said pre-tax profits for last year rose by 13pc to €87.3m. RevPar rose by 4.7pc to €94.13, while the average room rate rose by 4pc to €112.51.

PRE-TAX profits at the hotel group which operates the Ashling Hotel in Dublin increased by 28pc to €6.08m in 2017. Revenues at the Flannery family-owned Foxfield Inns Ltd increased by 5pc from €20m to €21m in the 12 months to the end of December 2017.

GLOBAL Hotel giants Accor, Hilton,

IHG and Marriott International combined currently make up more than half of the global hotel pipeline. That’s according to the Lodging Econometrics Global Construction Pipeline Trend Report. The research shows the project count as: Accor with 966 hotels and 177,052 rooms; Hilton with 2,252 hotels and 333,209 rooms; IHG with 1,716 hotels and 249,379 rooms; and Marriott International with 2,544 hotels and 420,405 rooms.

Michael Lennon, President, IHF, and Tim Fenn, Chief Executive still have a substantial amount of lost ground to make up since the downturn.”

He claimed that the hike in VAT means “€300m in additional taxes being taken from the rural economy each year” and said that Ireland is already a high-cost location for doing

business and we now have the fifth highest tourism VAT rate in Europe which puts regional tourism at a further disadvantage.

“This is seriously undermining the capacity of regional hotels and other tourism businesses to invest in future growth.”

Top employers and staff named

J

UNIOR Tourism Minister Brendan Griffin presented awards to this year’s IHF Quality Employer.

Seven awards were presented according to the size of premises: l Large: InterContinental Hotel, Dublin l Large: Clayton Hotel, Dublin Airport l Intermediate: The Brehon Hotel, Killarney l Intermediate: The Merrion Hotel, Dublin l Medium: Fitzgerald

DALATA CEO Pat McCann expects

Woodlands House Hotel & Spa, Limerick l Medium: Cork Airport Hotel l Small: Clew Bay Hotel, Mayo. l Meanwhile, Stacey Bland, a conference

and events executive with the Midlands Park Hotel, Portlaoise, was named the IHF National Employee of the Year.

The other finalists were: Beatrice O’Donoghue,

Sandymount Hotel; Martin O’Donnell, The Twelve Hotel, Galway; Gordon Kavanagh, Talbot Hotel, Wexford; Monica Heavenor, Fitzgerald’s Woodlands House Hotel, Co Limerick; Maura Casey, Aghadoe Heights Hotel, Kerry; Sharon Heneghan, Johnstown Estate Hotel, Co Meath; Michelle Kilcoyne, Breaffy House Hotel; Donna Hennessy, Castlemartyr Resort

BEST WESTERN Hotels & Resorts aims to have 10 new hotels in Ireland within the next five years and said it is targeting existing properties and new builds which have at least 75 rooms around the island.

AWARD: The Metropole Hotel has been named the Best Cork Hotel at the Cork Business of the Year Awards. The Metropole Hotel is part of Trigon Hotels, which has 334 guest rooms, also owning the Cork International Hotel and the Cork Airport Hotel.

DEAN Construction work is under way on the Dean Galway - a sister to Dublin’s The Dean - which set to open in late 2020 in Bohermore, Galway City.

KERRY Operating profits increased marginally as revenues at the Parknasilla Resort in Sneem, Co Kerry, rose by 9pc, from €7.3m to €8m.

NYC: Manhattan’s landmark Chrysler

Building, which is being bought for $151m, could be turned into a hotel.

LONDON Hotel group Millennium &

Copthorne said Brexit uncertainty is making it difficult for its London hotels to recruit EU workers. The luxury chain said more than half of its workforce in London are from the EU.

Insurance costs ‘now at €1150 per guest room a year’

O

VER three-quarters (78pc) of hotels reported further increases in insurance costs in the past 12 months, according to the latest industry survey – with an average increase in premiums of 15pc.

This is in addition to substantial increases in recent years, according to IHF Chief Executive Tim Fenn, Chief Executive of the IHF. He called on the

Government to address escalating insurance costs which have now reached an unsustainable level, averaging €1150 per guest bedroom annually.

Three-quarters of hotels also said insurance costs are having a significant negative impact on their business.

Mr Fenn, who pointed the finger at the courts rather than insurers, said: “The time for foot dragging is long past. The

Government must now deliver concrete results in relation to insurance reform.

Progress has been extremely slow to date and this inaction is having serious consequences for the viability of hotels and other tourism businesses.

“The exorbitant levels of awards and lack of consistency is also making Ireland less attractive for insurers and we are seeing an increasing number that

are no longer willing to provide cover to hospitality businesses. This in turn is reducing competition in the insurance market and driving up costs.”

“With levels of awards now running at up to five times those in the UK, it is particularly frustrating that we still do not have a firm timeline for legislation setting up a judicial council to review levels of awards made by the courts.”

APRIL 2019 PAGE 8

POSTCARDS FROM THE TRAVEL SCENE

N

OW in its fifth year in Ireland, Turkish Airline’s ever-popular bowling tournament is back.

This year’s event will be hosted in Belfast, Dublin and Cork with the overall the tournament now involving 62 countries with a total of 132 destination participating.

The best team from each country will have a chance to represent their nation in the eighth Grand Final of the

T

HE World Travel and Tourism Council hosted Travel Extra’s Mark Evans with English and Scottish travel writers on a fam trip to Seville, ahead of the organisation’s global summit in the city.

The event, being hosted by Ayuntamiento of Seville, Turismo Andaluz, and Turespan, will feature former US President Barack Obama as headline speaker, and focus on change in the

L

ILIANA Rivera from Dallas Tourism and Caitriona Toner of American Airlines hosted 50 key travel trade as the Lone Star state visited the North Star Hotel in Dublin.

American Airlines brought the representatives of both Dallas and Fort Worth cities to Dublin to showcase the launch of the its new non-stop service with a Boeing 787 Dreamliner from Dublin to Dallas/Fort Worth on June 7.

multinational tournament, taking place in İstanbul on May 12. The champions will win a flight ticket and a holiday in Antalya, with runners-up prizes too.

The Belfast leg runs on April 1 at the Odyssey Bowl, followed by Dublin (Leisureplex, Coolock) a day later, and then Cork’s Leisureplex on April 3.

The Turkish Airlines team are pictured at last year’s event during the Dublin leg in Coolock.

world tourism sector. Pictured at Plaza de Espana in the city are Lisa Minot, Travel Editor of The Sun in London; Jamie Wortley, from the World Travel and Tourism Council; Raj Gill, freelance, Scotland; Jonathan Bird, Sunday People; Mark Evans; Laura Paterson, Press Association; Hadley Middleton, New Magazine; Simon Heptinstall, Daily Mail; and Robin Murray, Bristol Post, in Seville.

Aisling O’Hara from American Holidays won the prize of two business class tickets to Dallas.

The prize includes two nights accommodation in Fort Worth and cowboy experience and two nights in Dallas with tickets to a sports game.

Estela Martinez-Stuart of Visit Forthworth, Sara Ellis of Texas Tourism and Liliana Rivera of Visit Dallas are pictured at the event.

P

HANTAJIT Promkutkaew, Deputy Director of the Thai London office, Emma Arrnott and Kanika Mai hosted the trade for the honeymoon and luxury adventure destination.

Tourism Authority Thailand brought the exotic tastes of the Asian country to Dublin with the event, held in KOH restaurant in the city.

Fifteen suppliers, including airlines, hotels and tour operators, showcased

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HERE was a standing ovation for Caroline Casey, an international speaker, businesswoman, disability activist and adventurer who calls herself and ‘dangerous dreamer’, at the Irish Hotels Federation conference in Killarney.

The lively event stirred into life on Monday evening with workshops led

by Sarah Duignan of STR, UL lecturer Jim Deegan and others.

B

ETTER air connectivity has helped put Malta on the map for Irish holidaymakers. The new 2w Ryanair summer season route from Cork Airport kicks off on April 4, providing nearly 400 extra seats per week of capacity.

It’s in addition to the existing Ryanair service from Dublin to Malta which flies five times per week in the summer and 3w in the winter.

what was on offer were ready to ply their wares to enthusiastic trade personnel.

Lydia Akerman from Travel Centres who was the winner of two tickets with Catherine Grennell-Whyte’s Finnair from Dublin via Helsinki to Bangkok, plus hotel accommodation and transfers. Pictured are Jack Grennell Hobbs, Emma Arnott and Jialing Tang from the Thailand Tourism Authority.

Will Day had a full house for his lively presentation on sustainability.

Food critic Giles Coren was entertaining as always. Paul Kelly of Failte Ireland and Niall Gibbons of Tourism Ireland, Maria Melia of the Department of Tourism, Colm Hannon of Adare and Ann Doherty of Cork County Council were among the speakers. The President’s Award went to JP McManus, accepted by daughter Sue Anne.

House on Dublin’s Leeson Street was the trendy venue for the Malta Tourism Authority as it hosted the travel trade.

Peter Vella, Director of the Authority for the British and Irish markets, hosted the event along with Sharon Plunkett and her team from Plunkett PR. Sarah Appleton from Travel Counsellors bagged the night’s big prize – a four-star holiday to the Mediterranean island.

APRIL 2019 PAGE 9

POSTCARDS FROM THE TRAVEL SCENE

A

S ONE of the great music capitals of the world, it was fitting that The Nashville Convention and Visitors Corporation showcased its sounds to the travel trade and media.

After an evening invite to see country legend Keith Urban in the 3Arena, the following night saw local songwriting talent Kelly Archer – originally from Vancouver – meeting the trade in Dublin’s Wiley Fox for a night of whiskey and song.

Kelly is pictured with longtime friend Marita Thomas pictured with

Heather Middleton of the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corporation at the event. It’s a busy time for the city, with its new National Museum of African American Music plus thriving food scene with 131 restaurants opening last year alone.

In terms of hotel openings, the Dream Nashville hotel opens this month (recently listed in Forbes’ 19 Luxury Hotels Opening in 2019), the Virgin Hotel Nashville opens later this year and a new W hotel is scheduled to open in the city in 2020.

W

ASHINGTON isn’t just for St Patrick’s Day and politicians – it’s a year-round tourist pull in its own right. It and its near neighbours of Maryland and Virginia updated the trade in Dublin with a delegation from Capital Region USA. As the three areas are so close – and yet so diverse – even a week-long holiday enables you to take in the attractions of Washington DC before heading off to Chesapeake Bay and the seafront attractions of Maryland, or off in the opposite direction to the moun-

tains and Civil War draws of Virginia.

Trade members at The Ivy event were updated on “The Wharf”, Washington’s latest multi million dollar development - not unlike the hugely popular National Harbour in Maryland.

Leslie Troy, PR Manager of Maryland Dept of Commerce; Christi Braginton, International Media Relations Manager of Virginia Tourism Corp; Scott Balyo, Executive Director of Capital Region USA; and Beth Higham, PR Director of Capital Region USA, are pictured at The Ivy.

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Tourism Ireland’s biggest ever Global Greening for St Patrick’s Day

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ICTORIA Falls, York’s medieval City Walls, the Eden Project in Cornwall, a leopard statue called ‘Chui’ in Nairobi, Nation Towers in Abu Dhabi, the Château de Beaulieu on the banks of the Loire, the Atakule Tower in Ankara and the Shizuoka Stadium ECOPA in Japan, where Ireland will play Japan in the Rugby World Cup in September, joined Tourism Ireland’s Global Greening initiative for the first time in 2019.

Tourism Ireland’s unique campaign is now in its tenth year. With numerous landmark buildings and iconic sites around the world lighting up green to mark our national day, the campaign continues Tourism Ireland’s first half promotional drive to grow overseas tourism in 2019.

Other new sites and buildings taking part in Tourism Ireland’s Global Greening 2019 included: the Cotton Tree in Freetown, Sierra Leone – where freed slaves gathered on their

Tourism Minister Shane Ross; Joan O’Shaughnessy, Chairman of Tourism Ireland; and Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, at the launch of this year’s Global Greening initiative. Above, The Eden Project in Cornwall joined the Global Greening for the first time in 2019 return to Africa after the abolition of slavery; the historic Cutty Sark sailing ship in Greenwich; the Beatus

Rhenanus bridge over the Rhine – a symbolic bridge between France and Germany which links the city of

Strasbourg and the town of Kehl; and ‘Niki’, a Cathay Pacific DC-3 airplane on display in the Cathay Pacific headquarters in Hong Kong.

The new sites joined some ‘old favourites’ which have gone green in previous years – including the Sydney Opera House, the London Eye, the Colosseum, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Burj al Arab in Dubai, the Great Wall of China and Niagara Falls.

APRIL 2019 PAGE 10

CRUISE SPECIAL

Seven-page guide to what’s new in 2019

Encore’s on course

A new ship and rise of all inclusive boosts NCL sales, says Sunway’s Deirdre Sweeny

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CL has made inroads in the Irish market in recent years, with the line launching its latest mega ship – Encore – later this year.

It’s represented in Ireland by Sunway, the No 1 seller for Norwegian Cruise Line in the country. Sunway said that it has seen “sales increase since the introduction” of the line’s premium all inclusive product – featuring drinks, tips and wifi –in Ireland.

Sunway General Manager Deirdre Sweeny has plenty of advice to the trade on customer satisfaction.

“The biggest thing we’d say is that if you don’t use an expert you will not get the right cruise and you won’t get repeat cruisers – that’s probably the biggest message to get out there,” Deirdre told Travel Extra.

She believes that packaging up cruises is something that needs expert knowledge, advising agents to “deal with someone who knows what they’re doing.

In Sunway we have seven people who deal only with cruises and deal with 16 different cruise companies, every single one of them.”

Regarding Sunway’s cruise offering, she says: “We package them for the trade and pay them 10pc on all the cruise companies. We know the campaigns that are out there, what’s new and how long they’ll be there for, when the deposits should be and we can mix and match with every single airline in the world because we have the tour operator contract.”

Most importantly, she adds: “They’re bonded and covered under own our indemnity. If they package

New for 2019 is NCL Encore, with its deluxe sailing experience, says Sunway’s Deirdre Sweeny, below these things themselves, which they have to do with Norwegian as they don’t do a fly cruise from Ireland, they are taking the liability themselves, so they are opening themselves up to massive problems if something happens en route.”

She believes that the sector can be confusing if you were to try to offer it on a solo basis. “All of the campaigns have changed and are about to change again so it’s impossible for a normal Joe Soap on the counter to keep updated with everything.

“The other thing is that when the fly cruises are gone – the cruise companies buy only so many seats from the airlines – then it’s cruise only. So the agents have to use someone like ourselves if they want to be covered and sure they’re getting the best deal.” Regarding deals, she says: “We also take exclusive group offers every year; they come into place from now until August, September and October.

“I have specials now for the 15th of August doing the Greek Islands, and we’re selling at €1595. If anyone else tries to buy this they’re going to be quoted over €2,000. I’ve bought in bulk and now I’ve got things to sell so they [agents] should be looking for them through us.”

She echoes the views of others in the industry that short breaks are growing in popularity: “The first-time cruisers are doing a lot of taster cruises, so there’s a lot of taster cruises available out there for the start and end of the season in the Med, anything from two to four nights.

“They’re proving very popular for girls’ weekends away, for anniversaries for couples travelling together, and generally for people who’ve not cruised before and want to see what it’s like.”

And she says the price points are good “often cheaper than going down to Malaga for the weekend, as that has gone expensive”.

Deirdre says the big plus for customers is that it’s a stress-free experience.

“Ships have a selection of places to dine in. In a lot of cases drinks are included, again depending on the campaign and the offer, but that takes the budget to the absolute limit because they don’t have to think about it once they’ve paid.

“One of our taster cruises in May with NCL is coming in at €999 – and that includes all your drinks, your tips, your wifi, speciality dining, flights, everything included in it. Things like that are fantastic value.”

Other NCL options include Cuba and Orlando from €1280pp, with Croatia and Montenegro coming in from €1195pp premium all inclusive.

Deirdre says expert knowledge is crucial, as the public are being bombarded with different messages from dif-

ferent cruise companies.

“They get very confused.

This is the biggest problem as there are so many messages going out to the public.

Royal Caribbean are pushing buy one get one free, half price, etc; Celebrity are going with free drinks, onboard credit and the second person pays half; you’ve got MSC going out with their get more, get all, which is all inclusive; and NCL going out with premium all inclusive. The public don’t understand that and get confused, so they end up ringing up or going into an agent, or ringing the wholesaler to help them.

“Again it’s back to knowledge, knowledge, knowledge.”

She believes NCL has a winning message with its all-in product, saying

“everyone wants all inclusive. NCL is very clear and the thing is that most of their ships have been fully refurbed; their older ones are refurbed in the Med. Any of the new ones out of Seattle for Alaska or out of Miami or Orlando are their newer ships like Epic and Bliss and all of those. They’re top class, so they’re getting every like a five-star deluxe level - those ships really are on five-star level, while the older ones are four star.”

This year Bliss is serving the Caribbean for the winter season, moving up to Seattle for Alaskan itineraries from May until the end of September. “It’s beautiful scenery in Alaska with a great ship to be on,” says Deirdre, with good air connectivity from Ireland to the US west coast.

APRIL 2019 PAGE 11

CRUISE SPECIAL

Seven-page guide to what’s new in 2019

Mainstream Cunard drops old-school image

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N the niche market, Sunway handles historic liner brand Cunard - and Deirdre Sweeny reckons we need to rethink the images of it that come to mind.

“I think people have a perception it’s for the older clientele,” says Deirdre.

“That has changed – Cunard used to be if you went on Queen Mary you’d have to be over 70 with loads of money; that has completely changed.”

She says its owner group, the giant Carnival Corporation, has brought the brand into the 21st Century, “as they’ve changed their Not just transatlantic: tariffs and the way they’re The QM2 pictured in selling completely”. the Caribbean She adds: “They’ve also refurbed the ships. They’ve sive €39m refurbishment Queen Mary 2, the another perception – that kept the old style but it’s undertaken a year earlier. world’s only ocean liner, travelling with Cunard all modern onboard with That overhaul saw the got its own €100m-plus is expensive – is wrong food and concepts.” The addition of a lido sun deck transformation back in too. “To cruise on Queen line itself showcased Queen for sun-seekers as well as 2016. Despite the outlay by Mary 2 full board, with a Victoria in Dublin in May Tvl revealing Extra Half Pg Cruise 2019 [149x215}.qxp_Layout 1 copy 4 says 07/03/2019 16:34 Page a classy Winter Garden. the company, Deirdre stop in New York which1 2018, an exten-

we include, on the 28th of April is only coming in at €1560. That’s incredible value.”And sailing in to New York harbour, passing the Statue of Liberty,

is one of those ultimate experiences for which Cunard is renowned.

And she says the classy line is great for certain segments of the market. “If you have an anniversary, a special occasion, even a honeymoon, you’ll get a great mix of people onboard, all nationalities, and the age range-wise is from 35 up to 75, generally in couples.”

She reckons that Alaska is on the bucket list of Irish people, looking for somewhere different.

“An Alaskan cruise with Queen Elizabeth in May starts from €1580 – if anyone is out there thinking, God I’ve love to do that now is the time as it’s a great time to travel as the waters are really calm and it’s a good crossing.”

Closer to home, Sunway is offering Norway delights onboard Queen Victoria, starting from €1395pp.

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APRIL 2019 PAGE 12

CRUISE SPECIAL

Seven-page guide to what’s new in 2019

Make me an island: Royal aims to rule shore’n’sea

Although it’s purpose-built for the Asian market, the Irish are looking to book Spectrum of the Seas

Sister lines Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises have a busy year ahead – but it’s not all about new ships

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HE BIG news this year from Royal Caribbean is not a ship launch – it’s the reinvention of an entire island.

Perfect Day opens for guests in May, following a $200m transformation of the line’s CocoCay island in the Bahamas.

The new-look island will boast a number of innovations including the largest freshwater pool in the region, with swim-up bar, the tallest waterslide in North America, a helium balloon that takes guests high up over the island, plus the only private over-water cabanas in the Bahamas.

Company CEO Michael Bayley told Travel Extra last year that the line is looking at eventually offering overnight accommodation on the island.

Still, this is Royal – and that means a new ship too.

Jennifer Callister, Head of Ireland for Royal, said: “Spectrum of the Seas is our new ship, coming into service in the next couple of weeks.”

Despite the fact that it’s aimed at the Asian market, Irish holidaymakers are keen to sail on it, says Jennifer. “It’s starting to have great interest, people are looking for something different, so it is starting to gather momentum and some agents are beginning to sell it. Irish people are used to getting on a plane and whether they go east or west doesn’t make much difference to the customer, depending on where they want to go.”

The largest and most expensive ship in Asia comes into service

this month, sailing from Barcelona to her summer home of Shanghai.

From winter she’ll be positioned in Hong Kong.

“The ship has been designed to cater for guests from all around the world. The split we would like to have onboard, and will work to, will be a third Asian, a third Western and a third from the rest of the world, so it’ll be a good mix.

“A couple of agents have taken it under their wings, including Sunway and Clickandgo,” says Jennifer of the ship in the Quantum Ultra class. “It’s a growing market there. People just want something different, some adventure and to experience things.”

Meanwhile, in the Caribbean, the big plus with Perfect Day is that it’s on plenty of itineraries out of Florida, whether for a short cruise onboard Mariner of the Seas or Navigator or the Seas, or a longer onboard an Oasis-class ship. “The Caribbean is very big for us, flying into New York or Orlando or Miami and then going on a cruise. Any of those itineraries with Perfect Day are proving very popular too,” says Jennifer.

She says the big benefit in recent years has been greater air access to North America: “Airlift is massive and we’re so lucky with where we’re situated with so many airlines going to the States.”

Regarding agents, she says the big plus for the trade is its AirWaves booking system, “which gives agents the opportunity to package up for cruise and stay. We allow them to book up to 21 nights pre- and post-cruise in a hotel and

package it up with flights.” The platform, launched in late 2017, is built around simple steps: search to find the right holiday option, refine it by tailoring to your client’s wishes, then do the details and personalise the flights, hotels and transfers, and 0book it. Royal reckons the system has cut agents’ booking procedure time in half.

It also means that agents will be paid their cruise commission rate on all four elements of cruise, flights, transfers and hotels, and cruises which are all pre-loaded.

Jennifer adds: “The agent can do it online on our system and it pulls all the elements together for them, including transfers, but we’re the principal – and we obviously take the risk. Hopefully nothing would go wrong though but if it does we would sort that out.

“I think it’s given the smaller agents in particular the confidence to package up themselves. It pulls in all the airlines, obviously Aer Lingus, but all the other carriers like American, United, Delta, and they can go direct or to any hub, so that’s helped us and the agents

Jennifer Callister

greatly.” And it’s not just for the huge US market, she says. “It covers everything, Europe as well so Aer Lingus to Rome and Venice and Barcelona, and any long haul to Asia as well.”

She believes the Irish are particularly adventurous, and asked about the top destinations, she says that “definitely the Caribbean has grown and I’d say it’s now 40pc Caribbean, 40pc Med and 20pc the rest of the world, such as Australia and New Zealand.

“But the Caribbean, I feel, is as big as the Med for us, because of the airlift. All of our Oasis-class ships for the winter are down in the Caribbean so that gives agents a huge amount of choice and all that goes with the Oasis-class ships.” While new ships get the headlines, she points to the massive overhaul of ships in the fleet under the Royal Amplified programme, which has seen a $115m overhaul of Independence of the Seas alone. In all, 10 vessels will be given a makeover.

“Mariner of the Seas was amplified at the end of last year and it’s doing what’s getting very popular now and that’s short breaks, four nights/three nights,” says Jennifer.We’ve got Mariner sailing out of Miami, doing four nights midweek or three nights at the weekend and she’s moving to Port Canaveral in the spring time. Navigator of the Seas has just gone through a big refurbishment and she’s going

to be based out of Miami doing short trips.”

It’s a big trend in the industry, with Jennifer adding: “We’re hoping to get more new-to-cruise people onboard and they’re all going to Perfect Day as well, to sample a short voyage to see what it’s like to cruise.”

Elsewhere, Ovation has gone to Alaska, operating from Seattle.

She will join two Radiance class ships - Serenade and Radiance - marking Royal’s biggest deployment in the area.

“It obviously links up with Aer Lingus at Seattle, and it’s a place that’s still on everyone’s bucket lists,” says Jennifer.

She says agents should note the big difference in the Irish market compared to other nationalities: “Irish people like the bigger ships, they certainly like the Oasis-class ships. I think they like the choice of entertainment, and the seven neighbourhoods onboard are very popular. They’ve become multi-generational with grandparents with their children and grandchildren, and there’s choice there for everybody.

“Irish people definitely like them more than the UK market.”

Here in Europe, Oasis of the seas will be sailing out of Barcelona this year and Jennifer adds that “we’ve got Allure of the Seas already on sale for there for 2020.

Regarding sales supports, she says the company posts offers to the trade twice a week, and “we’ve got a dedicated person for Ireland in London who knows the market well and is known by the agents”.

APRIL 2019 PAGE 13

Seven-page guide to what’s new in 2019

CRUISE SPECIAL The freshwater pool at Perfect Day is the largest in the region

Upmarket Celebrity homes in on Ireland

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PMARKET Celebrity Cruises returns to Dublin this year for another summer mini season of homeporting here after the success of its inaugural season with Celebrity Eclipse.

Celebrity Reflection will sail from Dublin Port this summer – and return in 2020.

It’s part of a big push in the Irish market, as Michael English, Head of Business Development, explains: “Certainly in the last two years we’ve enjoyed a great deal of growth out of the Irish market.”

And he says while the Irish like the no-fly option, they do like far-flung spots too.

“Alaska is a real standout in the last few years. I think the general travel business in terms of our USP is really destination, the choice of what we have in places like Alaska has certainly helped. The other thing of course is airlift as well.

“Aer Lingus’ flight from Dublin into Seattle is naturally a help to fly direct and we’re seeing that with Miami as well, that’s quite a popular destination and we’ve always enjoyed success in cruising the Caribbean.”

He adds: “Naturally the biggest volume in the last number

Celebrity Reflection will homeport in Dublin for the 2019 and 2020 seasons

of years has been the Mediterranean, flying in from Dublin or Cork. But it’s only really been in the last 12 months that we’ve seen significant growth from the market because of the ex-Dublin ship.

“Last year it was Celebrity Eclipse, this year it’s Reflection.

The number of passengers sailing from Dublin is up 16pc on the same time last year, and

we’ve very pleased with that.

We’re committed to sailing from Dublin from next year as well on Norwegian fjords, Iceland and Ireland itineraries.”

Regarding the Irish market, he says: “It’s all looking quite positive. It’s a real modern contemporary brand experience in terms of culinary, which is a big piece of what we do and the service aspect.”

Regarding agents, he echoes Jennifer Callister’s praise of the AirWaves booking platform.

“That’s probably the biggest change in the industry. Before, people would just get on a plane in Dublin and fly, get on the cruise and go home. Now we’re both AirWaves which enables the travel agent to be able to pull together hotels, both pre-

and post-cruise, book their bespoke tours, whether they want private chauffeur cars or part of a mini bus.

“They can choose which flight they want to fly on, so if they didn’t want to fly on an indirect flight, for a bit more maybe they could choose a direct flight.

“We’re adding more and more content into that.”

The big news for him is “Celebrity Edge showcasing in Europe for the first time, with her inaugural season based in Rome and Barcelona.”

And he’s excited about the move into soft adventure in exotic locations: “We’ve a brand new ship for the Galapagos Islands, Celebrity Flora, and her inaugural cruise will be in late May/early June.

“It’s a growing market as well for us.”

The company says its new expedition ship will offer the “largest and most luxurious accommodation in the Galapagos Islands” and feature anchorless technology to avoid disturbing the ocean floor. Guest suites come with personal attendants and menus are created by a Michelin-starred chef to ensure “your visit to these primitive islands is anything but”.

APRIL 2019 PAGE 14

CRUISE SPECIAL

Seven-page guide to what’s new in 2019

Fun without the flying P

RICE is always a crucial factor for holidaymakers: and British line Cruise & Maritime Voyages is regarded as a standout in terms of value.

The independent line, which started out in business back in 2010, has another major selling point: a wide range of no-fly cruise options, with 13 departures from Dublin Port and Cobh this year alone.

The line is represented in Ireland

by Letterkenny-based JMG Travel, and, in common with other cruise companies, is offering a series of taster cruises this year to showcase the product.

JMG’s Tom Maher said: “The increase by the agents and the public was 120pc over 2017 last year.”

Well known to the trade, Tom says: “This is my 51st year in the cruise industry, back to when it wasn’t popular. I ran the Augustinian cruises out of Ireland all those years back and I’ve always fought for cruising to be available from Ireland for the agents and public alike.”

Price point is good – “we offer cruising from about €85 a day, says Tom – and CMV’s destinations are different to the tried-and-tested Northern Europe or Med itineraries usually offered by the majors. A three-night mini cruise from Cobh, taking in Dublin and Bristol, starts from €259pps for an interior cabin.

Tom Maher says taster cruises Longer itineraries ex Ireland include a 16-night direct sailing from Cobh to Russia, calling in England, Holland, Germany, the Baltic states and Scandinavia, and featuring an

Hot tubs on the pool deck of the MV Magellan cruise ship

JMG offers value-for-money voyages out of Ireland overnight stop in St Petersburg.

That’s priced at €1459pp. Other options include a River Seine experience, with stops in Rouen and Honfleur, and Northern Lights expeditions. The most exotic voyage is out of Cobh, sailing round-trip around the coast of Africa, beforetaking in the Indian Ocean islands of the Maldives and Seychelles, before visiting India and the ports in the Med. The cruise takes 78 nights in all, with prices in an interior cabin from €6454pps.

For shorter trips, there’s also a Christmas Canaries cruise out of Cobh. Tom says Iceland and the fjords prove the most popular among the Irish.

Drinks-wise, the line has four tiered packages, with the premium package offering all inclusive drinks, except for the priciest premium drinks. It also includes and other extras including priority cabin upgrade option, from £23 a day with every seventh day free.

For the top package - named VIP - premium drinks are included, and that comes in at £29 per day.

Complimentary Coach transfers are also available to ports from around Ireland. Ships are unashamedly aimed at a more mature market, typically late 40s upwards, with no major push into the family market on mainly adults-only, or adult-oriented, vessels.

Multi-generational family trips are available on selected sailings on the www.jmgcruise.com website here in Ireland. Activities are based around relaxation, with the bonus of guest enrichment lectures and captain’s cocktail events.

Ships are typically small and intimate, with the likes of the Magellan - which is used for ex-Ireland departures, accommodating no more than 1250 passengers. Most cabins are either interior or ocean view, with only the suites offering balconies. But the old-school style has proved popular, with 95pc guest satisfaction reported. Cruises are also available out of England, many of them from Tilbury close

to Tower Bridge in London. Departures from England, which are also marketed to the Irish market, include exotic voyages to Australia and New Zealand.

Regarding Dublin Port’s move to curtail cruising, Tom Maher adds: “We do hope they will reverse their decision as it will go against those who cannot fly. We already have a Plan B in place for 2021 but we would prefer to offer Dublin.

“It will affect about 70 agents in a 50-mile radius of Dublin, all the way to Carlow-Kilkenny. We offer coaching free anyway to ports but it will affect agents. And Belfast and Cobh will gain cruise business.”

Price point a major pull for MSC in market

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SC has become a major player in the market with aggressive pricing proving popular with first-time cruisers in particular.

But it’s also attracting repeat cruisers to upgrade to its celebrated ship-in-a-ship Yacht Club which is proving popular with Irish guests.

As part of its massive expansion plan, MSC will have a fleet of 29 ships by 2027, in an investment plan that’s costing over $15bn.

And there’s also a push to capture more of the premium market, with the first of four “ultra-luxury” cruise ships, which hold just 1,000 passengers, to debut in 2023.

While last year saw the launch of MSC Seaside’s Seaview sister ship, this year sees two major launches.

The Irish trade was out en masse in Southampton for the launch of Meraviglia’s sister ship Bellissima, which can carry 4,415 guests. It was the first launch for

MSC’s newest ship, Bellissima Stephanie Rowe, who has replaced Rebecca Kelly as the face of the Italian line in Ireland. The launch also saw the debut of digital cruise personal assistant, Zoe, a new feature of the MSC for Me app.

This new feature will also be available on the 4,827-passenger MSC Cruises’ Grandiosa, launching this November.

MSC Grandiosa will introduce two new Cirque du Soleil at Sea shows, which guests

can watch in a high-tech lounge while clients who choose the Aurea Experience will have flexible dining and unlimited drinks in a dedicated restaurant. The big difference is that Grandiosa will have a larger Mediterranean-style promenade than on MSC Meraviglia. The attraction for agents is that the price point for Bellissima is good, which should attract first-time cruisers. Tour America, for instance, has a three-night cruise-only in November from €439pp, with premium drinks package.

And a Dubai & Emirates fly/cruise on board Bellissima comes in from €1219pp next January, with direct return flights to Dubai, transfers to/from cruise port, 7 nights onboard MSC Bellissima with premium drinks package.

Agents have reported that teething issues with Meraviglia have been sorted out on sister ship Bellissima, with a bigger range of offers in its buffet areas, and good attention to quality in the speciality restaurants.

APRIL 2019 PAGE 15

CRUISE SPECIAL

Seven-page guide to what’s new in 2019

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HILE there’s a massive market for onboard bumper cars, race tracks and water slides, many Irish holidaymakers want a different, more chilled experience.

That’s the USP of Fred Olsen, a line still owned and operated by the family who founded the seafaring company in 1848 in Norway.

The line is known for good company among fellow passengers and smaller ships which can get closer to the heart of port cities without the need for time-consuming tenders.

If you could describe it, it’s probably best to think of it as an ocean-going line with an intimate river cruise vibe. Alan Lynch’s Cruisescapes is its Wholesale Selling Agent in Ireland.

Alan told Travel Extra: “There’s nothing like a first-hand experience to have at the other end of the line to help you make that sale. We’ve got a dedicated agents’ line.

“The reservation staff at this dedicated number have between them cruised on all

Right says Fred Fred Olsen’s Braemar in the Caribbean

Cruisescapes offers dedicated Fred Olsen service to agents the Fred Olsen fleet.” He advises: “Give the staff a call – they love cruising and are sure to help you make that sale.”

He believes there are key difference to the Fred Olsen Cruise Lines experience.

“With a recognition that cruising is becoming more and more popular, solo travellers are well catered for with over 10 specific departures aimed at them in the coming months.

“These proved very popular in 2017 and 2018, and that capacity has been increased to cover demand.

On these specific departures, there are hosts and hostesses that bring like-minded travellers together. Even if the client loves dancing but is not quite ready to ask a stranger to shuffle around the dance floor the host or hostess are available for just such an occasion.”

He says its small-ship

style helped it to win the ‘Best for Itineraries’ caterogy in the Cruise Critic Editors’ Picks Awards for the third year running in Britain.

“Their small ships are bringing the world close literally,” Alan says. “They can fit into ports such as St Petersburg where most other cruise lines have only access by tender, they cruise the Norwegian Fjords at breathtaking closeness to the shore,

CRUISE.COM

where again most of the bigger cruise ships have to go around the fjords which unfortunately does not offer the full fjord experience.”

The line has just launched its Grand Voyage for November 2020, with a 140night cruise which he says “can only be described as a global exploration, visiting Cape Town, Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh City and lots more.

Smaller-sector cruises can

also be booked on this voyage, for example, a 14-night Japanese experience taking in the intoxicating landscape of the islands of Japan.”

Another added advantage is the ease of access to ships from Ireland – diverse itineraries are available from ports including Liverpool, Newcastle and Southampton.

Deals include an eightnight voyage around Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

Sailing out of Newcastle, the trip is on the line’s biggest ship, Balmoral - which is still intimate by today’s standards, carrying a maximum of 1300 passengers.

The price, from €1499pp includes eight nights’ accommodation, return flights from Dublin to Newcastle, return airport-port transfers, plus drinks package and gratuities included.

“As well as Newcastle to the fjords we have been very successful with departures from Rosyth in Scotland,” says Alan. “There’s easy access from Ireland to Edinburgh and a short cruise to the fjords again minimising the number of days at sea.”

“NO FLY” CRUISING

Holidays from Dublin & Cobh

Licensed & Bonded

Tour Operators No. 214

www.jmgcruise.com Date

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Destination

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10-July 2019

Dublin

Iceland & Faroes

11 nights

21-July 2019

Dublin

Summer Gardens & River Seine Experience

7 nights

28-July 2019

Dublin

Grand Fjordland Splendour

12 nights

9-August 2019

Dublin

Spain, Portugal & Gibraltar

10 nights

19-August 2019

Dublin

Summertime Fjordland

11 nights

30-August 2019

Dublin

British Isles Discovery

12 nights

11-September 2019

Ringaskiddy Iceland’s Land of Ice & Fire

12 nights

23-September 2019

Cobh

Baltic Cities & St Petersburg

16 nights

12-October 2019

Dublin

Iceland, Faroes & Land of the Northern Lights

13 nights

25-October 2019

Dublin

River Seine Experience

7 nights

20-December 2019

Cobh

Christmas & New Year Canaries & Madeira (Marco Polo) 16 nights

5-January 2020

Cobh

Grand Africa & Indian Ocean Voyage (Marco Polo)

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78 nights

After another successful 2018 Programme we are delighted to announce that “Magellan” is back HomePorting in Ireland for 2019.

For a brochure call 074-9135960 JMG Travel, Gortahork, Co. Donegal

Tel: 074 91 35201 Email: jmgtravel@eircom.net 27/09/2018 10:14

APRIL 2019 PAGE 16

CRUISE SPECIAL

T

HE big innovation from Marella Cruies this season is all inclusive as standard across the fleet.

It’s simplified choices for holidaymakers, with all inclusive including flights, all tips and service charges, coach transfers, port taxes and entertainment.

It’s a big plus for a line which has been named best value for money for four years in a row by Cruise Critic readers.

Part of TUI, the world’s biggest travel group, means a focus on family, another area noted by cruisers with the line.

For cruisers from outside the capital there’s the advantage of easily bookable flights from Belfast, Cork and Shannon, as well as Dublin.

TUI Marketing Executive Carol O’Connor told Travel Extra: “A big selling point for me (as a Tipp woman!!) is the accessibility from airports outside Dublin – with the Palma-based ships (Dream and Discovery 2) available with TUI flights from Cork and Discovery 2 out of Shannon.

The summer sees three ships available from Ire-

Seven-page guide to what’s new in 2019

Marella: all aboard for all inclusive

Cruise and stay remains a popular choice, says Carol O’Connor of TUI

Growing line boosts value for holidaymakers

land. Marella Discovery will sail from Corfu to Mediterranean destinations including the Greek Islands, Croatia and Italy, with Friday flights from Dublin and Belfast.

Marella Discovery 2 sails from Palma to ports of call in Spain, France and Italy, with flights from Dublin, Belfast, Cork and Shannon on Saturdays. Marella Dream departs from Palma for the Western Med, with flights from

Dublin, Belfast and Cork on Tuesdays.

“As we’ve seen over the last few years, the interest in family cruising is on the up,” said Carol. “Our Discovery ships (based out of Palma and Corfu town) really cater to the market with family-friendly activities including mini-golf, rock climbing and of course, the reliable kid’s clubs.”

One big plus is the ease of combining a shoreand-sea combo, she says.

“Cruise and Stay continues to be a popular holiday choice for our customers, with the option to book three, four and seven-night stays before or after your cruise in popular TUI hotels like Family Life and Sensimar when on a Palma-based itinerary.

Seven-night stays are available on Marella Discovery based in Corfu.”

The line has geared up for a big launch this year, with Marella Discovery

2 setting sail on its first voyage this month.

The ship will also feature three new venues, including a golf-themed bar, The 19th Hole; a Prosecco and Champagne bar called Flutes, and The Beach Cove that offers a beach-barbecue theme.

There will also be a Champneys Spa, plus the line’s largest cabin – the 102-square-metre Royal Suite. Carol said the launch of Marella Explorer 2 is “the big news

for us this year. Based out of Naples, the ship will be available to book as a package from Dublin with Aer Lingus flights.

“This ship will be adults-only and will offer great itineraries this summer around the Aegean, Adriatic and West Med.” She revaled: “From May, all the ships in the Marella fleet go AI as standard – couple this with tips and service charges being included and Marella represents a great value cruising option.

“In fact, Marella Celebration just won ‘Best Cruise Ship for Value for Money’ in the 2019 Cruiser’s Choice Awards based entirely on ratings given by members of Cruise Critics website.”

Princess aims to reign with cruise queen

R

ECRUITING ‘queen of cruise’ Rebecca Kelly from MSC was a major statement of intent for Princess Cruises, which revealed in Dublin last year that Ireland was firmly on its radar.

Princess will homeport in Dublin - following the lead of Celebrity – with 13 itineraries on Crown Princess. Samples include a 12-night voyage from Dublin around Ireland, Britain, France and the Channel Islands on July 3, from €1690pps in an interior cabin.

Although a major line, it’s still a niche player in the Irish market, but is increasing its presence, showcasing the product to travel agents during a call by Royal Princess to Dublin Port with Tony Roberts, Vice President for Britain and Eur-

Crown Princess will have a mini season of sailings out of Dublin ope, Princess Cruises, briefing the trade.

Crown Princess will feature the line’s trademark Movies Under the Stars, plus brand-new children’s spaces and special programmes following a major facelift of the ship.

What’s unique is Voice of the

Ocean, based on the TV talent show, which will see passengers being trained in singing, and then competing in the same format as the hit show on stage on the ship.

Further afield, typical offers include a two-week cruise-only Caribbean East/West Adventurer next February on Sky Princess, sailing roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale, and taking in Grand Cayman, Roatan, Belize City, Cozumel, Princess Cays, St. Thomas and St. Maarten. Prices from €1343 per person (based on two guests sharing an inside stateroom).

The line also announced this year that its two newest ships, Sky Princess and Enchanted Princess, will have the largest balconies ever offered by a cruise line. The two

‘Sky Suites’ will be centrally located on the ships’ top decks, with one measuring 1,012 square feet and the other 947 square feet, each around the size of half a tennis court.

The suites will provide a private vantage of the ships’ top deck Movies Under the Stars cinema screen, offer 270-degree panorama views and sleep up to five guests. They will feature two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a dining area with skylight.

Sky Princess will launch in October 2019, sail a short season in the Mediterranean before heading to the Caribbean. Enchanted Princess will launch in Southampton in June 2020 and then sail the Mediterranean. The ships will carry 3,660 guests.

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APRIL 2019 PAGE 18

AFLOAT IRISH FERRIES brought a High Court challenge to the National Transport Authority’s decision that the company breached EU regulations concerning the rights of passengers travelling by sea and is liable to compensation for asking passengers to use land bridge and port alternatives. Irish Ferries says it has attempted to engage with the NTA by offering to enter into a mediation process without any preconditions. The NTA have not taken up this offer.

PRINCESS CRUISES announced the expansion of its onboard WiFi connectivity systems. Meanwhile, former Irish Press sports journalist David Walsh, singer and comedian Des O’Connor and former Dallas actress Linda Gray are among this year’s line-up of onboard speakers announced by Princess Cruises for cruises out of Britain.

CLIA Global Chair Adam Goldstein said

the association is working hard behind the scenes with cities including Venice and Dubrovnik and environmental bodies to ensure no blanket bans or severe limits on ship calls.

HURTIGRUTEN said that MS

Finnmarken will undergo a keel-to-mast refurbishment to be completed by 2021 to turn it into a premium expedition cruise ship.

IRELAND: The North’s Portrush Building PWWreservation Trust wants the local council to rejuvenate the harbour at Portandhu on the more sheltered eastern side of Portrush to attract cruise ship traffic.

ROYAL CARIBBEAN revealed what it spent the $115m on when it came to uprgrading Navigator of the Seas. The ship will feature the longest waterslide at sea and To Dry For, the first standalone blow-dry bar at sea. And Royal Caribbean International has entered into an agreement with French shipbuilder Chantiers de l’Atlantique for a sixth Oasis-class ship, due for delivery in 2023.

HOLLAND AMERICA is to

charge $10 for second main courses for dinner on some ships, saying it’s an effort to cut waste by passengers who order too much food and don’t eat it.

SPECTRUM OF THE SEA, Royal Caribbean’s newest cruise ship, floated out of its Meyer Werft shipyard. The ship will be deployed this year in the Asian market.

DEAL: Dubai-based DP World PLC has acquired the holding company of P&O Ferries in a $421m transaction.

NCL has unveiled a $153.60-a-day Pre-

mium-Plus package for all beverages, including premium ones, by the glass with no price cap, bottled waters, energy drinks and specialty coffees and select bottles of wine when dining.

NEWRY’S MJM Marine has won its biggest ever contract for a “multi-million dollar” refit of Norwegian Joy. DUN LAOGHAIRE’S Former

ferry terminal - once viewed as a cruise ship facility opportunity - is to go on the market.

Irish Ferries Managing Director Andrew Sheen in one of the signature balcony suites onboard WB Yeats

The line on Yeats

Latest Irish Ferries ship takes a leaf out of cruise sector

I

RISH Continental Group CEO Eamonn Rothwell and Irish Ferries Managing Director Andrew Sheen unveiled what they believe will be a gamechanger in the Irish Sea and Ireland-France markets, the long-awaited WB Yeats.

Hundreds of guests, including travel trade, media and tourism figures, attended the launch of the ferry, whose summer service will have up to four departures a week from Dublin to Cherbourg.

What’s clear from the sneak pre-

S

view is that it’s a big step upmarket for the ferry operator, with WB Yeats at times looking more like a cruise ship interior than conventional ferry. Centrepieces include a large open-plan atrium-style seating and entertainment area, and a high class restaurant, The Lady Gregory Room.

There are 17 cabin categories, from normal interior rooms, up to three signature suites, two of them boasting balcony areas.

Andrew Sheen, MD of Irish Ferries, said: “The ship offers the com-

bined largest overnight capacity out of Ireland.” Eamonn Rothwell said the ship’s history, with its shipyard delays, has been “very interesting, sometimes challenging, but never a dull journey”.

He said ferries provide “critical infrastructural bridge for Irish exporters, importers and car tourism”.

“We may not get the attention from the Government that the airlines and airports get but trust me when I say that the type of connectivity that we offer is critical.”

AI ahoy with Stena bot

TENA Line is in the process of launching the “smartest chatbot into the ferry market”. Stina will help the customer experience by providing assistance in booking a trip as well as answering questions 24/7.

The company said it is an important mile-

stone for Stena Line in its quest to becoming the world’s first cognitive ferry company.

Stina can give Stena Line’s customers updates regarding information on departure times, prices and can answer the most frequently asked questions around the clock.

Questions could include if customers are allowed to bring pets on board, how to change a booking and what time they need to check in for sailings.

She can also help Stena Line’s customers to book a trip as well as keeps track of potential delays.

The new Stina bot assistant

New name, same fun at U by Uniworld

T

HE more youth-oriented U by Uniworld has changed its name to U River Cruises - with Uniworld CEO Ellen Bettridge said is a move to further distinguish

itself from parent company Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection.

The line, represented in Ireland by Sharon Jordan and the Travel Corporation team, also announced two

lively themed cruises for this year.

U in Drag, taking place on July 6, teams it up with up with celebrity drag queens Jiggly Caliente, Darienne Lake and Phi Phi

O’Hara, from the hit TVshow RuPaul’s Drag Race.

Another cruise will feature celebrity tattoo artists Steven Tefft and Reese Hilburn from US TV shows.

APRIL 2019 PAGE 19

AFLOAT

MSC’s Bell and the ball M

Line invites 350 members of the Irish trade for launch of Bellissima

SC hosted 350 Irish travel trade for the naming ceremony of the Bellissima, with its 20 bars, six restaurants, six entertainment areas, spa and gym.

More akin to sister ships MSC Meraviglia than its most recent launch, MSC Seaside, the ship has an enticing outdoor double pool (yes, Travel Extra was first in the pool, maintaining a tradition on cruise ship launches going back to 2006).

MSC entertainment, a weak point in their cruise offering, has been taken to a new level by the addition of the high-trapeze acrobatics of Cirque de Soleil which gave a breath taking demonstration to guests on Friday evening.

Italian movie legend Sophie Loren, as is tradition, broke the bottle in a weather-disrupted naming ceremony, much of which had to be moved indoors.

Despite the gale, the party lasted through the night onboard the 5,686-passenger vessel.

Hosting the evening’s celebrations was English TV presenter and star of ITV, Holly Willoughby.

Additionally, world-famous tenor Andrea Bocelli and Matteo Bocelli sang a duet to begin the event.

Two more ships in the class, MSC Grandiosa and MSC Virtuosa, will be delivered in November 2019 and in the spring of 2020 respectively.

MSC’s Alana Byrne and Irish head of sales Suzanne Rowe

DUBLIN TO FRANCE DIRECT Summer in France is calling. Sail in style direct from Dublin to France on the brand new W.B. Yeats. Take the family, take the car, take all the luggage you want and start your holiday in the most relaxing way possible.

Book now with a deposit of just €100 at irishferries.com

Get in touch: Ireland Trade Support 0818 300 400 N.I. Trade Support 00353 818 300 400 tradesupport@irishferries.com www.irishferries.com

N363

Book with A100 deposit minimum 43 days in advance of travel. Final balance payable 42 days before departure. Standard terms and conditions of booking & travel apply. See irishferries.com for details.

APRIL 2019 PAGE 20

THE FLYING COLUMN DUBLIN AIRPORT was a joint

winner in the best passenger experience category of European Airports in the Airports Council International (ACI) World Airport Service Quality (ASQ) awards along with Oslo and Zurich airports.

AER LINGUS is to moveto T4 in Madrid Barajas airport.

RYANAIR is dropping flights from Belfast International Airport to Gdansk, Warsaw and Wroclaw as well as flights to Malta and reducing frequencies to London Stansted and Manchester.

SHANNON: With news that the

Lufthansa service to Frankfurt is to double in capacity to a second weekly service, Antóin Daltún pointed out that Lufthansa previously operated scheduled transatlantic passenger services through Shannon 1955-59 and Germany-Shannon-US jet services in 1962.

RYANAIR is drawing solace from Swords Dublin District Court’s ruling confirming that no EU261 compensation was due to customers whose flights were delayed/ cancelled because of internal strike action in Ryanair last year, as such strikes are beyond the airline’s control. On the margins of the A4E conference in Brussels Michael O’Leary told Travel Extra that the TUIfly Eu261 precedent involved bad management that he expected would not be applied to Ryanair’s operations in higher courts. “If Eu261 applied to all strikes it would incentive the French unions to bankrupt Air France.”

AERCAP, led by Gus Kelly, filed its annual report on Form 20-F with the US SEC. Year end filings report 1,058 owned or managed and 363 aircraft on order in its portfolio, 200 customers in 80 countries, 436 transactions in 2018, $8.9bn in equity and $6bn in funding raised in 2018. Aercap is headquartered in Dublin with offices in Shannon, Los Angeles, Singapore, Amsterdam, Shanghai, Abu Dhabi, Seattle and Toulouse.

FRENCH and Dutch transport ministers agreed to put in place a working group which

by June will deliver its conclusions on how to improve the Air France KLM alliance after the Dutch government’s purchase of a 12.68pc stake in AF-KLM and intention to increase it to 14pc almost matching the 14.29pc held by the French government. Asked in Brussels about his relationship with Air France CEO Ben Smith, KLM CDEO Pieter Eibers said “good” and invited the next question.

AEROSPACE Engineering Solutions opened an engineering design office in Shannon having gained EASA Part 21 approval for its Irish base, introducing DOA AES Global, trading under Aerospace Engineering Solutions.

LE SOIR reported that Belgium will

join Netherlands in proposing to its EU partners to introduce a European taxation on commercial aviation, either a tax on aviation fuel, currently exempt from any tax, or VAT on airline tickets.

Rebekah Bacon, Assistant Director Preclearance Field Office, CBP; Executive Assistant Commissioner Todd Owen; Ambassador Dan Mulhall, and Reece Smyth, Charge d’Affaires, US Embassy in Ireland

Border deal with US

Amended deal clear way for expanded preclearance

T

HE signing of an amended agreement between the Government and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) paves the way for preclearance expansion at Dublin and Shannon.

The pact allows for continued expansion of preclearance services, including extended service hours and increased staffing, cost recovery, and improved officer safety measures.

CBP Executive Assistant Commis-

sioner Todd Owen and Ireland’s Ambassador to the United States Daniel Mulhall signed the agreement at a ceremony in Washington DC. “We see the agreement as an excellent vehicle to help our two countries meet the demands of increased travel across the Atlantic,” said Reece Smyth, Charge d’Affaires of the US Embassy in Ireland.

Pre-inspection, the forerunner to preclearance, began at Shannon Air-

port in 1986 and was updated in 2008 to a Preclearance Agreement.

In early 2017 negotiations to modify the 2008 agreement commenced and the signing of this amended agreement culminates two years of coordinated effort between the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, US State Department, Irish Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, and other agencies.

Industry stunned by second Max crash

T

HE second Boeing 737-Max incident in six months sent shock waves through the aviation industry.

Ethiopian Airlines ET-AVJ, flight ET302, crashed near the town of Bishoftu, 62 kilometres southeast of the capital Addis Ababa, a few minutes after take off out of Addis en route to Nairobi.

The victims included Michael Ryan from Lahinch. The victims of the flight came from at least 32 countries. The largest number were from Kenya. Among the dead were 22 UN staff, many heading for an assembly of the UN Environment Programme.

The flight was carrying 149 passengers and eight crew. The aircraft was a brand new 737-8 MAX, serial number 62450 LN:7243. it first flew

Norwegian temporarily deployed a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner to operate US flights from Dublin

on October 30 and was ferried from Seattle through Dublin to Addis on November 15.

The aircraft took off at 8:38am (6.38am Irish time) from Bole International Airport and “lost contact” six minutes later.

It was the second incident involving a Boeing 737-Max. Lion Air Flight 610 crashed into the Java Sea, also early in its climb, 13 minutes after take off from Jakarta on October 29, 2018. All 189 onboard died.

It too was brand new, having been delivered in August 2018. Following the Lion Air accident, Boeing issued an operational manual guidance, advising airlines how to address erroneous cockpit readings.

Lawsuits in the Lion Air crash have concentrated on claims raised

Airport, in response to the instruction by the European aviation regulatory bodies to

by pilot unions which accused Boeing of including a new autopilot update in the 737 MAX8 without informing them.

Ethiopian Airlines has flown between Dublin and Addis Ababa since June 2015. The airline is regarded as Africa’s leading carrier, with a wellrun and profitable network and an excellent safety record.

Ethiopian Airlines’ maintenance standards are outstanding. It uses the most technologically advanced aircraft in the world, the Airbus A350 leased out of Dublin, and operates the 787 Dreamliner on the link between Heathrow and Addis Ababa.

There are 350 Boeing 737-Max aircraft in services and 5,000 on order. Ryanair is scheduled to get its first 737-Max this spring.

suspend operations of the 737 MAX. The 787r, registered G-CKWF with Charles Lindbergh on its

tail, was reassigned to the daily Dublin-New York Stewart route from midMarch.

APRIL 2019 PAGE 21

THE FLYING COLUMN PASSENGERS can now pay in

euro, dollars or sterling via Apple Pay on the Aer Lingus mobile app. The airline said it has seen 50pc growth in mobile app usage over the past year.

Chief Marketing Officer Kenny Jacobs and Alejandra Ruiz, Senior Communications Manager, in Dublin

EU and QatarI negotiators have reached a Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement (CATA) under which EU and Qatari airlines will enjoy 3rd and 4th freedom traffic rights for passenger flights and ‘limited’ 5th freedom rights for cargo operations.

IRISH Irish lessor Fly Leasing Ltd - whose CEO is former Aer Lingus Chairman Colm Barrington - reported 100pc fleet utilisation and a 26pc increase in operating lease rental revenue for the fourth qauarter of 2018.

Amazing grace Ryanair surprises with 48-hour cancellation move

R

YANAIR’s new service announcements, due to replace the Always Getting Better programme, came with a big surprise: a 48-hour grace period for cancellations.

This applies in the Scandinavian market, indicating that Ryanair may be lining itself up for any further capacity cuts by Norwegian.

“Previously Ryanair said they were happy to let SAS and Norwegian slug it out in Scandinavia, and as Norwegian seeks investors, they seem poised to move in as the dust settles.

Chief Marketing Officer Kenny Ja-

cobs also spoke to Travel Extra about new product Ryanair Choice - stressing that it’s not a loyalty scheme.

“It’s €199 for the full year and you’ll get fast track, priority boarding and a seat at the back.”

It’s an idea similar to that of Wizz Air, with Kenny Jacobs insisted: “Other low-cost carriers have done something similar to that, but I’d be keen to point out it’s not a loyalty scheme. You won’t get a lounge, you won’t get a tag for your Tiffany bag… Our average fare is €35 so by the time you buy that for the year and one fare it’s still probably less than an Aer Lingus fare to Heathrow.”

He says the airline will offer 5pc off fares in any month, if it doesn’t reach a 90pc punctuality rate - excluding ATC issues.

Regarding last year’s dip in punctuality, he says strikes weren’t the big problem: “What caused punctuality for the whole industry last year was staff shortages so we’re pushing the Germans, French, Italians and the Brits in particular to sort out their operations.”

And he’s flagging that “consumers should be ready for another summer of disruptions”.

He reveals: “It’s costing us 5pc, with some airlines it’s over 10pc.”

Turkish brings A321neo to Dublin route

T

URKISH Airlines introduced the Airbus A321neo on one of its two daily services from Dublin to Istanbul.

Its introduction, from March 31, is part of the airline’s full move to Istanbul New Airport.

It is moving operations from the current Atatürk Airport on April 6, at 02:00 (LMT) in order to carry out all scheduled flights from Istanbul (New) Airport and from 14:00 (LMT), all scheduled flights will be carried out from Is-

tanbul (New) Airport.

As of April 6 2019, Istanbul (New Airport) will be displayed with IST code across reservation systems. Due to the moving of operations process, the airline said that some flights had been cancelled.

J Record February at Dublin Airport

punctual major airline in the EMEA region in January, according to OAG. It found an ‘On Time Performance’ rating of 90pc out of 7601 flights, putting it joint first with sister airline Iberia.

RYANAIR is to fly 2w from Cork to Katowice, Poland, as part of its Winter 2019 schedule.

CORK passenger numbers rose 10pc in

February versus the same month last year.

Managing Director Niall MacCarthy said it had “passenger numbers of 151,000, an increase of 14,000 when compared to February 2018. We are seeing a keen interest from passengers in continental European destinations, including Aer Lingus’ new year-round service to Lisbon and the daily Air France service to Paris, which has strong onward connections.” The airport is projecting 2.6m passengers this year (up 8pc).

BRITISH AIRWAYS has com-

pleted the installation of hosted bag-drop machines, bringing the total to 72, at its home at Heathrow’s Terminal 5, More than 3.5m passengers have used the new technology so far.

Around 125,000 customers travel on up to 800 flights out of T5 each day.

ST PATRICK’S: More than

350,000 passengers (Dublin) and 40,000 passengers (Cork) passed through DAA airports over the St Patrick’s weekend.

DANISH:

A321neo business class

4m use Dublin in two months

UST over 2m passengers passed through Dublin Airport in February, 9pc up on the same month last year and a new record for a traditionally quiet month.

Passenger volumes to and from North America rose by 15pc to 175,000; continental Europe increased by 12pc

AER LINGUS was the joint most

(just under 1m passengers); while British traffic rose by 4pc to almost 765,000.

The big fall was on domestic routes - down 16pc to 7,000 passengers. Almost 4.1m passengers have used the airport in the first two months of this year, up 7pc on the same period last year.

Thomas Hugo Moller and Huy Duc Nguyen’s Great Dane Airlines plans to commence operations out of Aalborg in June 2019 with two leased Embraer 195s with scheduled flights to Dublin 1w on Tuesdays, Edinburgh 3w and Nice 1w plus charters from Copenhagen and Aalborg.

RULE: The Consumer Protection (Gift Vouchers) Bill will require airlines to honour vouchers where the name is different from the passport name, after Minister John Halligan cited the case of a person on a fixed income could not use a €200 airline gift voucher to book flights because the family member who bought the voucher used the person’s familiar name.

LUFTHANSA is sueing a passenger who saved money by skipping the last leg in Europe of a transatlantic flight.

APRIL 2019 PAGE 22

THE FLYING COLUMN BELFAST International Security search area will expand to 8 lanes.

BRITISH AIRWAYS is celebrating 100 years in business through a series of incarnations with makeovers of aircraft in liveries of yesteryear. All the makeovers have been carried out in Ireland - split between the Dublin and Shannon paint bays.

GIBRALTAR: The EU has offered tentative support for Spain’s territorial claim over the land on which the British-held island’s airport is built.

EVAN Quaid (14), a student from Castle-

mahon in Limerick, has become the youngest ever producer of an item to be stocked at Shannon Duty Free, after his Quaid Candles went on sale.

TEN jobs have been created at Dublin Airport with the opening of the San Franciso-insipired SoMa restaurant in Terminal 1, at the 300 boarding gates.

Willie Walsh CEO of IAG and Michael O’Leary CEO of Ryanair, Airlines 4 Europe aviation summit

KERRY airport is Ireland’s fastest

growing, up 8.9pc to 365,339 in 2018. Next is Belfast International up 7.4pc to 6,269,025, Shannon up 6.5pc to 1,864,762, Dublin up 6pc to 31,495,506, Cork up 3.7pc to 2,392,821 and Knock up 3pc to 771,619. Belfast City declined 1.9pc to 2,510,294 and Derry is down 42pc to 185,843. Kerry’s growth was 3.2pc to 335,480 in 2017, 6pc to 325,670 in 2016, and 4pc to 307,089 in 2015.

CHAIRMAN of the US Congress’s

transport and infrastructure committee Peter DeFazio attacked Ireland in a speech about airline labour rules. “We see this model coming out of Europe, which is ‘Let’s go to a country with more permissive labour standards, ie, Ireland’ or ‘Let’s operate contract crews out of Asia’,” he told the Aero Club of Washington.

LOGANAIR moved to save Derry’s routes to Stansted which flies double daily which was to have been launched by now defunct Flybmi.

CITYJET’S Avro RJ 85 for the Lon-

don City route in the new Aer Lingus colours arrived in Dublin, the first aircraft in the fleet to carry the EU flag.

OAG estimated that Ireland is the world’s number 40 aviation market and number 15 in Europe, based on total seat capacity for the week of July 8, 2019.

SHANNON had 130 diversions in 2018 up from 113 the previous year, with eight declared emergencies up from five in 2017, including a bomb alert; smoke or odour on board; smoke or fire alarms; water system issues and pressurisation problems.

IAA selected Frequentis VCS3020X for

all terminal and en-route control centres and selected air traffic control towers. Frequentis will provide communication systems for Shannon Tower and Ballycasey contingency and validation facility.

EASYJET pulled out of talks to rescue troubled Italian carrier Alitalia

ATC dominates

O’Leary leads the charge against Europe’s controllers

T

HE Airlines4Europe summit in Brussels had not even commenced when Michael O’Leary called it a rogues’ gallery.

The five most powerful airlines in Europe and Thomas Reynaert of A4E hosted 150 select travel medias at Concert Noble in Brussels to update them on their concerns, Michael O’Leary CEO of Ryanair, Willie Walsh CEO of IAG, Carsten Spohr CEO of Lufthansa, Johann Lundgren

CEO of Easyjet and Pieter Eibers CEO of KLM. Michael O’Leary provided the usual quote of soundbytes, with reference to the French air traffic control “recreational strikes” and outlining five proposed solutions to the ATC strikes and staff shortages that are going to plague passengers again this summer: separate upper airspace to protect overflights, shorten training periods for ATC (it takes three

years, longer than to train a captain), strengthen Eurocontrol, introduce competition, bring in an independent regulator of ATC providers, and charge EU261 to ATC providers when flights are delayed.

It was noted by some of the international writers that, of the six men attending the aviators Eurocontrol lobbying meeting prior to the press conference with Eamonn Brennan, six were Irish.

Hainan’s second Asia flight touches down

H

AINAN Airlines’ latest Irish route - to Shenzhen, near Hong Kong, puts it in close compeition with Cathay Pacific out of Dublin.

The airline will operate two flights per week between Dublin and Shenzhen, which is its second destination in

mainland China, after Beijing. Dublin Airport Managing Director Vincent Harrison said: “Shenzhen is a really exciting destination for both business and leisure travel.

“The new route will further increase trade, tourism and investment between Ireland and

China and expand the growing number of Chinese visitors to Ireland.”

Hainan Airlines’ General Manager Ireland, Ryan Zhang said: “We are proud that Hainan Airlines is playing a central role in forging greater friendship and cooperation between our two countries.”

Ryan Zhang, Chinese Ambassador to Ireland H.E. Dr. Yue Xianoyong and Vincent Harrison at the launch

RYANAIR’S POLISH UNIT NOW BUZZ

R

YANAIR’S Polish unit Ryanair Sun is to rebrand as Buzz this autumn, operating on a Polish Air Operator’s Certificate. Ryanair Sun obtained its Polish AOC certificate in 2018 and started operating for Polish

tour operators in summer 2018 with a fleet of five.

Buzz’s fleet currently includes 17 aircraft, growing to 25 aircraft in summer 2019. Buzz will continue providing charter services and operating scheduled Ryanair flights. It will

launch its own website and app in autumn 2019, where Polish customers will be able to book all Ryanair flights, including these operated by Buzz. It is one of four airlines of the Ryanair Holdings Group, alongside Ryanair DAC,

Laudamotion and Ryanair UK. Juliusz Komorek – Chairman of Buzz Supervisory Board said: “Over the last 15 years, Ryanair has grown to become Poland’s biggest airline,.. we now expect that Buzz will be Poland’s No 1 airline.”

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APRIL 2019 PAGE 23

THE FLYING COLUMN RYANAIR’S rolling annual figures

passed 140m for the first time as February passenger numbers grew 13pc to 9.6M, up 9pc to 9.3m with Ryanair plus 300,000 with Laudamotion.

VIRGIN is to launch Tel Aviv-London Heathrow flights in September, aiming to tap into the onbound transfer market to the US from Israel.

BOOKINGS have opened for a retrothemed JFK airport hotel in New York named after failed airline TWA. The TWA Hotel opens on May 15.

SKSCANNER has formed a partner-

Sean Doyle, Aer Lingus Chief Executive, suffers Airbus issues – but airline reports record profit

Montreal no-go

New route put back to 2020 amid A321LR delays

M

ONTREAL has been dropped from Aer Lingus’ summer plans because of A321LR delivery delays. The airline still expects the first two aircraft to be ready for commercial operation in late summer, with the other two scheduled to arrive later in 2019.

Meanwhile, Aer Lingus operating profit for 2018 was a record €305m, up 13.8pc (€37m on last year).

Capacity was up 10.0pc from additional flying to new routes such as Philadelphia and Seattle.

Aer Lingus carried a record 13.1m passengers, up 10pc, with available seat kilometres up to 29,030. Load factor was 81pc. Revenue was up 8.8pc to €2,020m. Passenger revenue was up 8.6pc to €1,952.

Profit per passenger was €23.28, revenue per passenger was €154.20, average fare was €149 (€8.30 a passenger, unit revenue €6.73 a passenger), cargo revenue was up 14.9pc to

Revised operations: Dublin-Hartford A321LR replaces B757 August 2 not July 1 Dublin-Montreal deferred from August 8 2019 to summer 2020.

Dublin-Hartford reduced from daily to 6w Dublin-Minneapolis/St. Paul from daily to 5w Dublin-Philadelphia from daily to 5w Shannon-JFK from 6w to 4w €54m and other revenue up 7.7pc to €14m. For 2019, capacity is expected to be up 14.1pc in Q1 and 6.5pc for the year (subject to on time delivery of four anticipated A321LRs) Parent group IAG reported Aer Lingus European markets continued to perform strongly with increases.

The group’s annual results reported Aer Lingus’ North American cap-

acity was increased with the launch of new routes to Philadelphia and Seattle and the full year impact of routes launched in 2017. Aer Lingus had a favourable supplier unit cost performance from cost saving initiatives and efficient growth.

Aer Lingus reported increases of 20.9pc in fuel and emissions charges, 8.1pc in employee costs and 2.7pc in supplier costs.

Revenue was up 8.8pc to €2,020m with fuel up 20.9pc to €382m, employee cost up 8.1pc to €373m, suppliers up 2.7pc to €774m and ownership costs up 6.9pc to €186m.

That left operating profit before exceptionals (nil) €305m, up 13.8pc and a record.

The fuel cost per ASK was the lowest in the group (matched by Vueling). It is noted that Aer Lingus achieved significant cost savings through efficient growth with higher productivity and from cost initiatives.

Airlines celebrate Women’s Day

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Caroline Resch, Deniz Lahio, Hasan Mutlu, Abby Chung and Martyna Cicha celebrate International Women’s Day

HE aviation industry celebrated International Women’s Day with a host of innovative ideas.

Aer Lingus offered priority access to flights to women and accompanying children who were flying from Ireland to Britain and Europe.

Turkish Airlines, meanwhile, marked the day by handing out flowers to passengers departing on its double-daily services to Istanbul.

Ireland Country Manager Hasan Mutlu presented flowers to Turkish Airlines staff at Dublin Airport.

ship with Star Alliance which will allow travellers visiting the Star Alliance website to search for flights, view airfares and book directly with its 28 member airlines.

SHANNON Airport is fighting a battle on two fronts - against Dublin, which attracts 69pc of new passengers to Ireland, and regional airports such as Kerry and Knock, which can attract regional investment, according to Limerick Chamber economist Catriona Cahill and University of Limerick economist Stephen Kinsella, who called for State funding for the Midwest airport.

THE National Aviation Policy second

progress report noted that new bilateral air service agreements have been signed with China, Oman, and Saudi Arabia and further progress was made on the ASA with Egypt which is awaiting formal signature early in 2019.

RYANIAR announced a new base at Katowice with 12 new routes, five new routes at Athens, seven at Thessalonika, and are to open 9 routes at Toulouse-Blagnac, 7 at Bordeaux-Mérignac and 6 at Marseille-Provence a month earlier than anticipated.

AER LINGUS and the Croatian

Tourist board hosted 80 key travel trade in the River Lee hotel to highlight the new Aer Lingus service from Cork- Dubrovnik which commences on 4th May operating 2w to September.

DUBLIN Airport coped commendably

well with the fallout when a pilot spotted the drone that brought the airport to a halt for 30 minutes. Flights were immediately rescheduled, some for the following day, some for six hours later, and then, immediately all was solved and the schedule restored within another 40 minutes.

Stobart said tickets for the first commercial flights from Carlisle airport in 20 years to Dublin, London Southend and Belfast will go on sale soon once the Civil Aviation Authority is satisfied with air traffic control staff training.

CORK Airport hosted the Airports Council International Europe Digital Communications Forum in the Clayton Hotel, Cork and the Cork International Hotel.

AER LINGUS

announced a partnership with Avis Budget Group, giving travellers access to rental vehicles across the world.

APRIL 2019 PAGE 24

Last month in numbers

119 Number of Ryanair routes out of Ireland to

Europe for the Winter 2019 season.

230,000 Number of applications for Irish

passports made to the Passport Office since January.

2.413 The number in millions of visits by nonresidents to Ireland in the last quarter of 2018 – up 6.3pc – according to the CSO. 1.756 The number in millions of Irish trips abroad in the last quarter of 2018 – up 5.8pc.

91 Percentage of Irish hoteliers who are concerned about the effect Brexit will have on business.

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WINDOW SEAT

THE WORLD IS HIS OYSTER

F TRAVEL does indeed broaden the mind, then Nicos Hadjicostis must be Einstein by now.

After a career as a media executive, he left the corporate world for the wider world. His self-styled mission was to explore the planet as if it were one huge country.

Starting from New York, he travelled west for six-and-a-halfyears, visiting six continents and 70 countries to learn more about each region’s peoples, cultures and

Destination Earth, A New Philosophy of Travel by a World Traveler natural wonders. Having a hefty bank balance obviously was a help to keep him going, but his book is a good page-turner, illustrated by plenty of jaw-dropping images from around the globe.

If you’re looking for a bucket list of places to

go, filled with tips on hotels and sightseeing itineraries, this isn’t the book for you.

But the book, now its second edition, does capture the sheer joy of travel, and why getting out of your comfort zone is a necessity.

Busman’s holiday: Onur Gull Every month we ask a leading travel professional to write about their personal holiday experience. This month: Onur Gul, Marketing Executive at Turkish Airlines

“D

EFINITELY my favourite places around the world are in the Indian Ocean – the Maldives, the Seychelles, Mauritius.

“It’s definitely because of the beaches and the weather – they’re just stunning places. It’s like Heaven.

“I’ve become well travelled since I joined Turkish Airlines, visiting around 35 countries, and so many destinations.

“City-break wise I’d choose Istanbul, Dar es Salaam and Rome.”

“Unfortunately the Irish people’s knowledge of Turkey is still limited to a few different destinations. Kusadasi as you know is a very popular place, and also Istanbul, but apart from those

I

it’s very limited. “Turkey has a lot to offer to people who are looking for history, for religion or nightlife, shopping – Turkey has got everything. We’ve got 83 different cities and each has a

different culture, different food and different people.

“My best place – definitely one of them anyway – would be Cappadocia.

One hundred per cent. It’s not man-

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

T’S sad coincidence that this month, as we look at the growing market of cruising, that Dublin Port has taken a step back from the cruise market.

It’s an early victim of Brexit, with rising cargo volumes, plus the cost of catering for the cruise industry, leading to a cull of ship visits. In short, berth allocations will have to be managed, meaning that the number of cruise ship calls will be reduced from 160 this year to 80 from 2021.

Tourism often loses out compared to “real” industries like import/export, and the port’s move is

disappointing, though understandable given that it is primarily a site for the movement of vital goods.

CLIA has reacted with dismay, but conceded that it “understands the challenges the Port of Dublin faces in terms of Brexit”.

But CLIA said the move to curtail cruise ships is draconian, meaning that from 2021 only two large cruise ships per week will be allowed during the summer season, falling to just one in the winter season, with zero turnarounds.

“This is even more surprising since the Port of Dublin has always valued the cruise business and

seen a major growth over the last 15 years. The port has also given valuable support to growing Ireland as a whole as a cruise destination. Ireland is a valued destination for international cruise industry and a country which receives a great deal of economic benefit from cruise tourism, with 262,000 passengers having called at Irish ports in 2017,” said CLIA. But there could be some light at the end of the tunnel. The port said 200-plus cruise ships could be accommodated, if the lines were to co-finance new works or provide long-term financial guarantees.

made like cities like Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Doha, it’s very unique. And I love Antalya for sun and beaches and it’s also got very high end hotels and luxury facilities.

“Family when travelling is the priority and I love taking them away.

Friends as well if we can get them together with their children and have fun as a group.

“In our marketing team we work with travel agents every day, helping with bookings, etc.

“Other than that we do a lot of marketing including conferences and roadshows with partners. We want the trade to have a fresh update on our product and know what we offer.

“The new airport in Istanbul is very exciting as it’s the biggest in the world.

I think it will change the aviation industry. The capacity is amazing, with the first phase for 90m passengers and by 2023 it will have reached even more capacity.”

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APRIL 2019 PAGE 26

GLOBAL VILLAGE

Inside the Travel Business

RIP: Three years after his sad death, the

ashes of Paul Phillips were spread on his parent’s grave in Deansgrange. Remembering Paul on behalf of all the organisers, exhibitors and attendees at Holiday World where he was master of ceremonies for more than 20 years.

AER LINGUS roadshow attracted

155 in Dublin, 65 in Cork, 55 in Belfast and 25 to Limerick, making it the best attended of the many roadshows zig-zagging around the country. Exhibitors were saying they were happy with one-to-one time even when numbers were small, and appreciated the efforts of people to attend from Kilkenny, Athlone and Ballinasloe.

The 177 that came to Aer Lingus roadshow in Dublin last year is a record for the industry.

TOPFLIGHT reported good turnouts for their roadshow – 22 at Galway and 16 at Portlaoise, with 49 attending in Belfast.

IPW: Aer Lingus is offering a discount

Shane Ross, pictured with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at the Dublin Airport runway site

MARTIN Skelly’s Navan Travel hosted

Country taken to court over Package Holiday hold-up

code for travel to this year’s IPW in Anaheim. Use the code LAX ‘IPWLAX2019’ for bookings by April 14 and for travel from May 27- June 8. their first cruise evening with representatives from seven major cruise companies.

CATHERINE Grennell-Whye’s

ATTS Travel Representation Solutions has been appointed GSA for Incentive Connections Tourism LLC based in Dubai. “Incentive Connections is a specialist in offering a comprehensive range of destination management services in the Middle East which provides travel agents in Ireland opportunities to grow their revenues significantly and expand their offering to the consumer,” said Catherine.

“It’s exciting to be able to offer our Irish agents MICE, leisure and package services in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Oman and Qatar.”

PETER McMinn’s Travel Solutions

intends to grow his Borovets programme, with the help of the trade, using the Ryanair service to Sofia this season and next winter.

Along with Carol Anne O’Neil of Worldchoice Ireland, Don Clarke hosted five Worldchoice agents at the small but lively resort.

SUNWAY launched €1 deposits for its summer package holiday across European destinations, including the traditional favourites of the Algarve, Lanzarote, Cyprus and Lake Garda.

TOUR AMERICA was named De-

loitte’s Best Managed Company, for the 10th year in a row. MD Mary McKenna said: “I am so proud of my entire team for achieving such a high accolade, for a tenth year running. This achievement is a direct result of our business culture and my incredible team who are always focused on getting it right for our customers.”

MARTIN PENROSE left If

Only, after five and a half years with the luxury tour operator.

ANDRÉ Migliarina has joined up with

Volker Lorenz at Caminoways.com after being appointed product and innovation director.

Ireland in the dock

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RELAND remains the only nation in the 28-member EU not to have signed the Package Holiday directive. Spain’s decision to sign has left Ireland out of step, despite assurances by Shane Ross at Dublin Holiday World that it was within weeks of being finalised.

EU Consumer Commissioner Věra Jourová, who said she had sent Ireland a warning letter last March, still has not been notified that the

rules have been implemented. She is referring Ireland to the European Court of Justice to enforce a financial penalty of as much as €1.1m.

The Department of Transport has also been advised the taxpayer could face compensation claims from consumers under the Package Holiday rights should the delay continue.

The Government is facing the prospect of racking up daily fines for failing to implement new EU rules

designed to protect package holidaymakers from hidden charges.

The rules are designed to ensure clearer information for travellers, including an obligation on package holiday providers to indicate pricing and additional charges when booking package holidays. It also strengthens cancellation rights and creates clearer rules on liability, refunds and repatriation if package holiday companies go bankrupt.

ITAA relief as EU and Britain agree air deal

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HE ITAA welcomed the British government’s decision to reciprocate the European Union arrangements for air travel in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

This commitment to EU arrangements will allow British airlines to operate routes to and

from Britain and EU member states, with no restrictions to stop in EU countries and fly over EU airspace.

Pat Dawson, CEO of the ITAA, said: “We are pleased to have this certainty in the event of a no-deal exit from the EU. We have seen some hesitation in bookings

as prospective travellers have been unsure about the impact this would have on travel.

“People looking to book their travel plans can be further reassured that flights will not be impacted and there will be no change to the way we travel, regardless of the Brexit outcome.

ITAA CEO Pat Dawson

Midwest travel show pulls in crowds

T

he Holiday Show in Limerick with Shannon Airport has become a key part of holidaymakers’ calendars, with big crowds attending.

This year it boasted a free zone for children, free parking and a selection of airlines and

holiday companies connected with Shannon’s services to Europe and North America as well as a substantial home holiday programme, from hotels to motorhomes. Now in its fourth year, more than 90 exhibitors were at the show at the University of Limerick.

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APRIL 2019 PAGE 27

Inside the Travel Business

GLOBAL VILLAGE WORLDCHOICE Ireland have scheduled their annual networking event for November 23 in the Radisson Blu Hotel in Golden Lane, Dublin.

OTA FlyCruiseStay, run by Declan Hughes, has been named Best Online Travel Agency in Ireland by LUXLife magazine.

TUI is to drop its Sensimar and Family Life hotel brands and shift them to its flagship Tui Blue range, which aims to make it the largest leisure hotel brand in the world.

G Adventures’ PR and Communication Manager, Leah Whitfield, with John Grehan, G Adventures

G’s latest whizz

Adventure company launches tailormade options

G

A DVENTURES is launching tailormade tours, Managing Director Brian Young revealed in Dublin.

The moves comes after the recent unveiling of the adventure touring company’s National Geographic Family Tours.

This latest offering by the company – represented in Ireland by John

Grehan – allows tourist to design their own itineraries with or without a guide for as few as a group of eight or as many as 20 people.

Brian Young told Travel Extra: “With 11 itineraries to choose from in the world’s top holiday destinations it offers huge flexibility. You can curate your holiday – with or without a guide depending on your experience

in travelling and adventurous spirit.

It’s the one thing that more and more holidayers really want.”

Destinations including Peru, Thailand, the Galapagos, South Africa, Laos, Botswana, Costa Rica and India where G Adventures provide year-round jobs for local communities as well as the opportunity to visit and stay with families.

Golden generation at Travel Counsellors Ireland

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RAVEL Counsellors Ireland has the highest percentage of gold members worldwide at 12pc.

The nine Gold Travel Counsellors who maintained their status this year were Dublin-based Roger Barrett and Robert Kiernan; Cork’s Mary Foyle and Sarah

N

McCarthy; the Meathbased Mandy Walsh and Lorraine Lawless; Rosemary Chawke from Tipperary; Emer McDermott from Mayo; and Susan Hegarty from Carlow.

The five-star Powerscourt Hotel hosted 120 of the company’s ‘Gold’ Travel Coun-

sellors, senior management and sponsors at an event attended by Travel Counsellors CEO Steve Byrne, event sponsors Celebrity Cruises, Emirates, Seabourn, Rocky Mountaineer, Sun Resorts and Flexible Autos.

After-dinner speaker was Dragon’s Den investor Chanelle McCoy.

Neenan, inset, told Travel Extra: “We signed a large tour operator in Turkey, Etstur, four years ago. In January we signed contracts with D n a t a .

“They’re

OVERSEAS trips made by Irish

residents during January 2019 were down 2pc to 536,900.

TRAVEL Partners Group hosted 34 key travel trade from the south east at Dooleys Hotel Waterford.

O’LEARY TRAVEL’S Liam

and Suzanne O’Leary outlined plans for their business at a travel show in the Ferrycarrig Hotel in Wexford. An invitation-only private consultation room is to open in Enniscorthy following the success of their room in Wexford and the six member staff showcased the extent of their travels and their expertise. “We wanted to bring home to our customers and would-be customers how knowledgeable and well travelled our agency staff are,” Liam said. Travel Extra’s Eoghan Corry was MC for the day.

The company was joined by 15 suppliers

NAVAN TRAVEL won a wild card place in Graham Hennessy’s competition on Do Something Different’s Universal Orlando fam trip this October. Agents in Ireland and England were asked to send heir best roller coaster faces.

IRISHMAN David McGuinness’s

London-based adventure and exotic travel company Travel the Unknown has now signed up Dominic Burke’s Travel Centres and Carol Anne O’Neill’s Worldchoice as suppliers.

SKAL’S 2019 World Congress will be Meath-based Mandy Walsh

Neenan seals major Disney deal

EENAN Travel have signed contracts with three of Disney’s international distributors and are in advanced talks with others to sell Disney-specific software already in use by 120 Irish travel agents. Alan

EU: The European Commission, European Parliament and Council of the European Union agreed new regulatory rules for online platforms operated by Google and price comparison sites designed to force them to increase transparency in search rankings and have “mandatory disclosure” of business practices and disclosure of data use.

owned by Emirates Holidays, based in Dubai, but distributing Disneyland Paris into several countries in the region.

“In February we signed Al Tayer based in Abu Dhabi and distributing into

other Gulf State countries.

We are finalising contracts with two other distributors.

We are in advanced discussions with three other Disneyland Paris distributors in Europe, and in early stage negotiations with several others.”

held on Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas, departing Miami and taking in ports in Honduras, Mexico and the cruise line’s private Perfect Day island in the Bahamas, from September 14-21.

TMC and recent joint winners of the ITIA award for best corporate agency, Carlson Wagonlit Travel, headed up in Ireland by Denise Harman, unveiled a rebrand - now calling itself just CWT - to mark its 150th anniversary.

MEXICO Tourism Board is closing all of its offices abroad, among them the office in London which handles the markets in Ireland, Scandinavia, Portugal, South Africa, Russia and the Baltics.

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APRIL 2019 PAGE 28

DESTINATION MEXICO

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HE El Chepe train trundles along, old-school big windows and bendy walks between carriages, clickety clacking above canyons, snaking rivers and isolated farmsteads straight out of The Little House on the Prairie.

Indigenous native tribes people sell their wares in the sleepy villages or stations along sections of its 665km route.

Welcome to the true Wild West.

When it comes to cowboy movies, we think of the United States, but you can really get a feel of that era south of the US. Borders are the big talking point nowadays, but back in the 1800s, Mexico swept from the humid climes of Central America right up through states such as Texas and California, along the Rocky Mountains as far up as the edge of Oregon.

Ironically, for a place best known as the home of some of the world’s smallest dogs, Chihuahua, home of El Chepe, is the largest of Mexico’s 31 states. And at three times bigger than the island of Ireland, it packs in a host of things to experience.

Situated off the beaten track, bordering Texas and New Mexico, it’s not a tourist-filled trap and this is a huge part of its attraction. Now, though, it’s getting much easier to reach, with a

COWBOYS

Mark Evans hops on the locomotive on the El Chepe train, reckoned to be one of the most beautiful train rides in the world

AND ENGINES

Mark Evans rides on one of the world’s most exotic trains, in Mexico’s historic Wild West state one-stop connection from Dublin via Dallas, and then a flight of an hour and a half from the single-terminal US airport (see panel).

El Chepe is an ideal way to reach the state’s crowning glory, Copper Canyon — Mexico’s answer to its better known neighbour, the

The native Raramuri people, left, live high up in the canyons. Above, cowboys in Creel, and teenagers celebrating their 15th birthdays in Chihuahua City

Grand Canyon, across in the States. The area is a huge system of ridges, spanning 25,000 square miles, dwarfing Nevada’s version.

As the express train only travels part of the route, you’ll have to take the slower train from the state’s major town, Chihuahua City

(more on there later).

It’s over six hours, but the journey — argued to be the best train journey in the Western hemisphere — is worth it.

The Divisadero station stop is handy, dropping you at the top of Copper Canyon. And there’s nothing more I like to do than zipline or walk on ropes above rock faces with a 1.1 mile drop to the bottom. Kidding, but I did it anyway!

The Barrancas Del Cobre park is a must-do — even if you’re not mad about heights. It boasts the longest system of ziplines in the world— 5km in all — with riders travelling at speeds of up to 110km

APRIL 2019 PAGE 29

DESTINATION MEXICO Although exotic, Chihuahua City is almost directly west of Houston in Texas, and farther north than cities such as Miami. Getting there is easier from June 6, with non-stop flights from Dublin to Dallas with American Airlines.

Mark stayed at Copper Canyon’s Divisadero Barrancas, bookable through all major hotel sites, including Booking.com and TripAdvisor.

In Creel, the Best Western, which although a chain hotel, has been lovingly created in Wild West log-cabin style with all the creature comforts, in the heart of the tourist town. bestwestern.com.

In Chihuahua City, I stayed at the mid-range Quality Inn Chihuahua San Francisco, in the city centre beside the cathedral. qualityinnchihuahua.com Activity-wise, you can check out the Copper Canyon park at parquebarrancas.com. It’s Spanish-only, so translate via Google Chrome.

El Chepe train fares start from around €15 return, and increase depending on length of journey and whether you want to go standard or first class. Tickets are bookable in advance or on the day of the journey.

Find the 3 Amigos tourist centre at amigos3. com.

Stop with a view: The train station at Divisadero in the state of Chihuahua per hour. If that’s not creepy enough, it has a system of walking rope bridges, with only the exotic birds for company up there. If you’re a wuss, there’s always a cable car, but don’t forget to bring the camera.

I stayed at the nearby Hotel Divisadero Barrancas, right on the top of a cliff and a stone’s throw from the train station. With its wilderness setting, it’s one of the best places I’ve been to for stargazing, with the Milky Way opening up as the hotel lights dimmed and I sat on my balcony.

Nearby is Creel (an hour on the train), one of Mexico’s designated Magic Towns — so-

called because of their attractions for visitors.

In an area that’s home to the native Raramuri people (many of whom still live high up in the mountains, along cliff edges, preserving their way of life), you’ll hear their ancient language along with Spanish on the streets.

The town itself is pure small-town America, and cowboy hats are still firmly in fashion in these parts. But Creel is also a great base for visiting local attractions, such as the nearby Valley of the Monks.

The area is home to rock formations that are sacred to the Raramuri.

Guide books call them ‘mushroom-like’; locals

— and me — think they look more like male, well, you get the idea...

The local 3 Amigos centre offers three-hour guided tours of the rocks for around US$100. And the best part? You get to ride your own giant ATV — basically a souped-up quad bike, with room for a passenger behind you. Definitely recommended. hat you won’t expect to find in Mexico are people who, to the untrained eye, are straight out of the Eighties movie Witness, starring Harrison Ford as a cop out of place in a rural Amish community. But Chihuahua is home to 90,000 Mennonites, who

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have the same roots in 16th-century German Protestantism as the better known Amish.

Originally from Central Europe (old West Prussia to be precise), they moved down from Canada in the 1920s with the promise of good land and freedom of religion.

They’re still here today, and live the simple farming life of the Amish — their cheese is renowned — and you can visit them if you like. I met up with Abraham Peters, a grandfather farmer who lives with his wife Katharina about an hour and a half, but an era away, from the big city.

It’s an area of horses and buggies, but many

Mennonites have also embraced technology, and SUVs and computers are commonplace, even in lives dedicated to farming, family and simplicity. They’re so modern, in fact, that Mennonites own pizzerias, and the local one, Los Arcos, is excellent.

If arriving from Ireland, or preparing to fly home, spare at least a day and a half for the big city of Chihuahua.

About three-quarters of the size of Dublin, at first glance it looks like a bit of Spain, with grand boulevards, Belle Epoque buildings and charming squares. But you know you’re on the other side of the Atlantic when you see

Stetson-clad guys and their well-dressed gals dancing to country and Mexican tunes in front of the sprawling 18th-century cathedral.

The city is also home to a museum dedicated to national hero Pancho Villa, possibly best described as the country’s Michael Collins, who led a revolt on behalf of the country’s peasants.

And watch out for a picture of Anthony Quinn, a friend of Villa’s widow. Born in Chihuahua to a Mexican mother and Cork-born father, the Hollywood actor is still a legend in these parts.

A far away place, but there’s always a connection to Ireland...

Zip wires over Copper Canyon; couples dancing in a square in Chihuahua City; and Mexican soldiers at the museum dedicated to Pancho Villa

APRIL 2019 PAGE 30

DESTINATION MEXICO

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AZATLAN is a jewel of a resort on Mexico’s exotic Pacific coast – part New Orleans, part Miami Beach, with a little a bit of Cuban style cool thrown in, it’s an eclectic haven.

So if you’re looking for a beach holiday mixed with culture and a taste of the exotic, and want somewhere that should be on any bucket list, this is one that gives you bragging rights over other travellers who merely venture to the tried-and-tested resorts.

While Irish visitors have become more acquainted in recent years with the country’s east coast - holidaying in resorts such as Cancun and Playa del Carmen - the west coast has been one that’s solely for the solo adventurers.

One of its jewels is Mazatlan, with 12 miles of beaches and a historic town centre, so there’s a lot to like. A new Amer-

Mexico’s Pacific pearl just got closer The new American Airlines service from Dublin to Dallas-Fort Worth opens up the unexplored west coast south of the border ican Airlines service direct from Dublin to Dallas will bring the destination even closer, just two-and-a-half hours’ flying time from DFW, with other options available via the US, Canada or Europe.

The city was founded in 1531 by an army of Spaniards as well as local settlers, and it’s had a multicultural mix of residents since then.

There’s even an Irish connection, with the

strange story of Co Clare priest Eugene MacNamara, who visited the town while on a mission to create an Irish colony of 15,000 settlers in the nearby Mexican part of California in the 1840s, only to be thwarted by the suspicious United States government, which was about to go to war with its southern neighbour.

The beer is good in these parts though, and you can thank the wave

of German immigrants who created the Pacifico beer brewery (the Pilsner beer is still going to this day) and left behind local music, “banda”, which, believe it or not, is closely related to Bavarian folk music.

Aside from the beaches (more on those later), the jewel in the crown here is the beautifully restored old town area (Centro Historico), with the enormous Machado Square at its

heart. Beautifully restored in recent time, the area reminds me of the French Quarter in New Orleans, without the commercialism or the crowds.

Built during the 1800s, the area - filled with bars and restaurants and with a local market feels a lot older.

But with its colourful collection of buildings and old-world feel, it’s the place for al fresco dining and

people-watching when in town.

The other big attraction is the abundance of golden beaches and quiet nearby islands. With resorts springing up in the 1960s, to this day, the area is still dominated by an influx of holidaymakers from the US and Canada (their version of the Costa Del Sol, with short flights down south) as well as cruise ship day trippers.

The Golden Zone is

the heart of the action, a sort of Miami Beach down south, with an array of restaurants, bars and watersports.

And visitors are drawn to the area by its yearround sunshine (high 20s the norm) and tequila-fuelled nightlife, which makes this a party town, with welcoming locals well used to the crowds.

I stayed at the El Cid Castilla Beach Hotel, and the clue is in the name - it’s right on the beach, with priceless views of the Pacific Ocean when sitting down to breakfast outdoors in its classy La Alhambra restaurant.

Popular with families, as it’s all-inclusive, it’s a good-sized resort hotel with two interconnecting pools, a kids’ club as well as nightly entertainment.

And the best thing about staying here, and enjoying the region, is price: a fraction of what you’d play in the likes of Florida or in European resorts.

It’s also got a tour-booking service onsite, and it’s worth looking in to the likes of an excursion of the Caribbean-like Deer Island, to go snorkelling, or stay inland and visit the historic villages nestled in the stunning Sierra Madre mountains.

A

The El Cid Castilla Beach Hotel on the shores of the Pacific Ocean

nother plus of the El Cid Castilla Beach Hotel is that it’s part of a four-hotel group in the resort, with one at the marina designed like a Mediterranean village.

It has its own water taxi service to bring you to the beach, along with a swanky country club property with golf course (the area is known for the quality of its courses) and tennis

courts. But it’s a place to explore, and the coolest way to get around is by pulmonias, open-top golf-buggy-style cars which are unique to the resort.

And it’s cheap to get from beach to old town, and apart from the beautiful architecture, it’s the setting for the Presidio, which in my humble opinion is one of the most atmospheric restaurants anywhere

APRIL 2019 PAGE 31

DESTINATION MEXICO

on the planet. Set in a old courtyard, on Calle Ninos Heroes, it’s filled with trees and boasts the kind of bar that looks straight out of pre-Castro Cuba, with a well-heeled clientele. Grab a Mezcal (a local fire water) or a margarita and you’ll be in heaven.

Mazatlan is different - it’s a journey to get there, but you’ll be rewarded with a lifetime of memories.

THE new Dallas connection from Dublin from June 6 will open up the area, offering just one stop from Dublin to Mazatlan.

For now, there are plenty of options. I flew via Amsterdam and Mexico City with KLM and Aero Mexico. The El Cid Castilla is four starplus hotel and all-inclusive, including meals in its sister properties, but with the prices of an Irish two-star hotel.

One good deal gives you five days there, and rounds of golf at a sister hotel, coming in at $500 (e433) for a four-night stay all- inclusive, plus an 18-hole round of golf, sports programme, kayaking and boogie boarding.

Check out www.elcid.com, and click on the Mazatlan button. For more about the area, go to www.gomazatlan.com and www.visitmexico. com

There’s a New Orleans-type vibe to the historic old town area of Mazatlan, filled with restaurants and bars

APRIL 2019 PAGE 32

DESTINATION CHINA

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PERATORS such as Wendy Wu and Travel Department report a growing interest in visiting China.In part it’s down to the adventurous nature of Irish travellers, plus there’s the bonus of connectivity.

Beijing and Shenzhen are non-stop routes out of Dublin, and Hong Kong is direct too.

Add in hub connections with Emirates, Etihad, Qatar, Finnair, Air France-KLM and British Airways, and we’ve got plenty of options.

Together, Beijing and Shanghai have a similar population to Spain, and they’re two of the most dynamic cities on the planet. We look at the highlights of these impressive Chinese metropolises.

Unmissable Beijing 1. Go dancing with a local Approaching a senior citizen in an Irish park and grabbing them up for a bit of Strictly Comes Dancing will most likely land you in court. Here, it’s a different matter.

Apartments are small, so the nation’s parks are everyone’s living room.

Beijing’s older citizens get up to all sorts in the park - knitting, playing cards and dancing. One lady in Tiantan Park in the city showed me some of her early-morning moves, and it’s a great way to meet the locals.

Mark Evans with the backdrop of Shanghai’s skyscrapers of the Pudong district

A TALE OF TWO BIG CITIES Mark Evans on must-do Beijing and Shanghai

2. Visit the Temple of Heaven Once you’re done dancing, the nearby Temple of Heaven is one of your must-sees in the Chinese capital. Beijing’s filled with historic buildings, but none as spectacular

as this 15th religious monument for the local emperors. So pretty, in fact, that’s it’s a muststop for local brides and grooms for a selfie or two.

3. Stop at the Summer Palace

The palace itself is Unesco-listed as a World Heritage Site, and it’s breathtaking. But it’s not just one building there’s a massive lake and ornate buildings at every turn. Its origins date back to the 12th

Century, but it’s best known as the playground of the ruthless Empress Dowager Cixi, not so fondly known as the ‘Dragon Lady’ in these parts.

4. Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City

The famous square is the one place where you feel the might of a great power - the square is big enough to hold the entire population of Dublin and is home to the communist party’s massive Great Hall of the People.

Before the party, power was held by generations of China’s emperors. Go past the giant portrait of Mao Tse-tung to enter another world. Even The Last Emperor movie doesn’t do this place justice - it’s a sprawl of temples, squares, more temples and photo opportunities at every turn. Power-mad emperors, scheming eunuchs

People are inquisitive about foreign people. Above, a couple tie the knot in front of the Temple of Heaven. Above right, the sprawling Forbidden City

APRIL 2019 PAGE 33

DESTINATION CHINA

Chairman Mao picture in front of the Forbidden City. Left, busting Shanghai and lots of quarrelling concubines (Emperor Taizong, who lived from 599-649, is reckoned to have an exhausting 3,000 girlfriends). Off-limits to non-royals for over 500 years, it’d be a crime not to visit if you’re in town.

5. Walk the Great Wall Okay, not all of it. If you add up all the bits, the wall is about 13,000 miles long (Dublin to New Zealand is 2,000 miles shorter!) The section nearest Beijing has been repaired, so it’s in good nick, but bear in mind that it’s quite steep.

It’s not true that you can see it from space, and on the day I was there, it was blanketed in fog and snow, so seeing a few yards ahead was a challenge. But walking it - even a few hundred yards - should be on everyone’s bucket list.

6. Go on a rickshaw Touristy - but good fun. Take a trip down to the city’s hutongs, the old streets that survived revolution and modern planning.

Taking tea with a local family reminded me of stopping off in the Liber-

ties - with the exception that these small old houses are trendy again, and worth a whopping $6m or so each! And after a day or two of exhausting touring, don’t miss the Peking duck.

You might have tried it in your local Chinese, but here, the serving in a restaurant is an art form of chopping, shredding and presentation.

Unmissable Shanghai 1. Walk the Bund Shanghai isn’t blessed with Beijing’s extensive history, but a stroll along by the Huangpu River gives you one of the greatest skylines in the world. Look over at the skyscrapers of Pudong (Tom Cruise abseiled down one in Mission Impossible 3), the latest sign of a city that’s always been China’s gateway to the world. Look back at the old buildings of the Bund (from the era when the European powers and the US were running the show). Part Liverpool, part San Francisco, it’s a stunning mix of East and West.

2. Have a drink with a view

The big hotels love to show off the view - and I popped up to the 92nd floor of the Park Hyatt in Pudong to look down on the city. With an American jazz band on the dance floor, and skyhigh drinks prices (€15 a drink) to match the altitude, it’s like walking back into Shanghai in the decadent pre-war days.

3. See where the westerners lived If you like bland and clean, look no further than the French Concession, the area of town where (no prizes) the French used to live. It’s full of western restaurants, and nice for people

watching China’s fashion-conscious yuppies.

4. Go shopping Imagine Dundrum Town Centre, except with tropical fish in the lakes, street vendors and shops designed like temples. That’s Yuyuan Old Street for you, a place where you’ll take as many photos as spend money, but it’s a gorgeous spot where the locals flock to as well.

5. Go for tea Need a hangover

cure? Got a sore tummy?

Suffering radiation poisoning? Well, the Chinese have the tea just for you. Oddly, tea is pricey in these parts - about a tenner - but it’s not just one cup, it’s loads of them, and the ceremony is everything. Worth a splurge.

Culture shock: You’ll be snapped: The Chinese are really curious about us, so expect to have your picture

Mark went on an escorted trip with Wendy Wu Tours, wendywutours.ie/ Tel: 0818 776 380.

Hotels: Mark stayed at the Jiangxi Grand Hotel in Beijing, in a bustling area with great neighbourhood bars and street food markets, and in Shanghai’s Regal International East Hanging out with a rickshaw driver in a Hutong area Asia Hotel.

taken by locals at least once a day. It’ll make you feel like a cross between Brad Pitt and Kim Kardashian.

You can’t check in: Facebook and Twitter are blocked - so you’ll have to set up a virtual private network on your phone or tablet. It’s simple - just ask a teenager.

It’s dirt cheap: Beijing is especially cheap for beer and food, while Shanghai has good shopping bargains, with silk or cashmere scarves for a tenner upwards.

Do wander: The back streets and food markets are bustling with people and life. But do bring a card showing your hotel address (especially in Chinese).

Everyone’s friendly: Prepare to be asked a lot about Ireland - but no one will know where it is. Download a language app as few speak English in Beijing, with Shanghai much easier as it’s far more westernised.

APRIL 2019 PAGE 34

MEETING PLACE

finders, and Dermot Peter O’Hanlon, Travel r in the Maud Gonne Ba Merrigan, Irish Ferries, rt launch, Dublin Po & Lounge, WB Yeats

Pearse Keller with his team, Julianne Farrell, Sonya Mullery, France s Leahy and Celia Russe ll, with David O’Connor, Irish Ferries, on WB Ye ats

vel Counsellors with Sarah Appleton of Tra of Walsh and Louise Zanit Isabel Weyerts, Mark use Ho in lta Trade Event Plunkett PR at the Ma

Eleanor Tallon and Gil lian Wilkie from Click & Go at the Malta trade eve nt

Out and about with the Travel Trade

Sharon Harney and Darren Griffin, Cassidy Travel, WB Yeats launch, Dublin Port

Dermot Merrigan in one of the two top-range balcony suites, WB Yeats launch, Dublin Port

r, mmunications Manage Leah Whitfield, PR/Co alist eci Sp se rpo Pu l ba Glo MD Brian Young and Adventures launch John Grehan at the G

Carmel Cassidy, Nilu Doyle, Megan Bourke and Eddie Clerkin, all Sunway Travel, at the trade event with the Malta Tourist Authority in House

Ciara Dunbar and Kevin Chaney from Click & Go at the Malta trade eve nt on Leeson Street

Kevin Chaney and Simon McNamara, Click & Go, at the Malta Trade event at House on Leeson Street on Wednesday February 20th 2019.

e Grainger at the Malta Charlie Griffen and Ain on Leeson Street Trade event in House

on e Taffee and Kla Gann Malcolm Nolan, Louis nt, Wedeve de Tra lta Ma the of Cassidy Travel at Des Abbott of Des Abbott Travel with Niall 2019. nesday February 20th McDonnell of Classic Collection at House

Peter Vella, Director of the Malta Tourist Authority for Britain an d Ireland with Sharon Harney of Cassidy Tra vel at the Malta event

Pearse Keller, Keller Tra vel, in The Lady Gregory Restaurant, WB Yeats launch, Dublin Port,

Chiara Ravara and Eimear Ryan of Ryanair at the Malta Trade event

Stephen Place of My Ma ltese Guide, Mary Denton of Sunway Tra vel and Peter O’Hanlon of Travelfinders at the Ma lta trade event

the O’Leary travel show in O’Leary travel staff at 19 20 3 rch rd, Ma Ferrycarrig Hotel, Wexfo

APRIL 2019 PAGE 35

Out and about with the Travel Trade

w Fiona Dobbyn of Classic Resorts and Tara eary, O’Leary travel sho Liam and Suzanne O’L Magee of British Airways pictured at the Dallas 19 20 3 Wexford, March in the Ferrycarrig Hotel, event held at the North Star Hotel

Dee Burdock and Bladh ana Richardson of Am erican Holidays with som e Texas critters at the the Visit Dallas and Visit Fo rt Worth event

Agents celebrating cowgirls and the Dallas Cowboys at the Dallas/Fort Worth event in the North Star Hotel in Dublin

MEETING PLACE

Fiona Noonan of Ameri can Airlines and Breda Morgan of British Airwa ys at the Dallas event hosted by Visit Dallas and Visit Fort Worth

et Aoife Dunphy of Budg Elaine McManus and ht nig rth Wo rt /Fo llas Travell USA at the Da

mas Airways and JamieTho Liliana Rivera of Visit Texas, Diana Zagrookka of Olivia Byrne and Emer Thomas of Am Tara Magee of British erican the in nt eve llas Da the at Atlas Travel and Bladhana Richardson of Amer- Holidays at the Visit Dallas and Visit of Travel Counsellors Fo rt Worth eve nt in Dublin ican Holidays at the North Star Hotel North Star Hotel

Deirdre Whelan of Am erican Holidays and Jea n Claffey of Joe Walsh To urs pictured at the Da llas event in Dublin

e Inacio of Club Travel Niamh Shortt and Greyc sic nton of the Country Mu pictured with Brad He Hall of Fame

The USIT crew at the Wiley Fox on Monday March 11rh for the Na shville Convention and Visitors Corporation eve nt

Benedict Montgomery (BA) with Brad Henton of the Country music Hall of Fame at the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corporation night

sley Kelly of Click & Go Caolan Lowry and We ir inner Nashville alter the getting in touch with in Dublin egos at the Wiley Fox

Sharon Jordan and Adam Goddard of The Travel Brenda Ryan and Paula Mulvey of Ca ssidy Travel with Jacinta Mc Corporation at the Wiley Fox Glynn at the Wiley Fo x

Travel Counsellors Susan Stephenson and Carmel Curran at KOH Restaurant for the Tourism Authority of Thailand night

e d Sally Lynch of Centr Siobhan Brannigan an Koh at I TU of lds Fie ola Travel pictured with Nic night Restaurant for the Thai

APRIL 2019 PAGE 36

MEETING PLACE

Di had Airways with Luigi Shannon O’Dowd of Eti H KO at e sin cui the Thai Marzo of USIT enjoying Restaurant

Kelsey Burrows and Yin g Gao of USIT Travel pictured at the Thailand Roadshow hosted at KOH restaurant

Kate Ahern of TrailfindDenise McMorrow and nd staurant for the Thaila ers pictured at KOH Re nt Tourism Authority eve

Maria Sinnott, Shane Hourican, Angela O’Rourke, Paulette Mo ran, Maureen Ledwith. of Business Exhibitions, Limerick Holiday Show

n clan Power of Shanno Isabel Harrison and De ow Sh y lida ported Ho Airport, at Shannon-sup

Anna Storm and Geral dine McFadden of Aqua Suites in Lanzarote, Lim erick Holiday Show

Out and about with the Travel Trade

Katie Doyle and Peter Stears of Capture Travel pictured at KOH Restaurant for the Thailand Roadshow

Aide Loaddi, Patricia Kenny, MAP Travel, with Holiday World Sales Director Maureen Ledwith and Catherine Grennell Whyte of Finnair at KOH

Charlie McNally of Hartford Airport and Claire Doherty of Travel Department and chair of Visit USA Ireland, Limerick Holiday Show

Elyse Horan, Erica O’R eilly, Kathryn McCarth y and Karen O’Neill of Ab bey Travel at KOH Re staurant for the Thailand Roadshow

with ique Travel Collective Sharon Bearman of Un rFe e uis Lo d an Shortt Sean McCarthy, Niamh w the Thailand Roadsho at vel Tra b Clu of ez nand

Teresa Murphy of Delta and Alper Kanburoglu of Turkish Airlines, Limeri ck Holiday Show in ass ociation with Shannon Air port

Gethyn Owen, Ian Baillie and Llynas Roberts of tura; Vadim Karyagin, rlota Farrial, Portaven sm; Stena Line, Limerick Holiday Show in association Ca talia Bel of Salou Touri Cambrils Tourism; Na w sho ck eri Lim with Shannon Airport at HT FE and Jackie Brennan of

Carol Anne O’Neill of Worldchoice Ireland, Tryphavana Cross of Las Vegas CVA and Mary King of Worldchoice Ireland, at Limerick show

Andrea Corral of the Spanish Tourism Office and Borja Bedoya, Embassy of Spain, at the Limerick Holiday Show in association with Shannon

Bernadette Goldsmith, Josh Bendem and Bla ithin O’Donnell of Air Cana da, Limerick Holiday Sh ow

can Holidays, Limerick Kristin Skinner of Ameri n with Shannon Airport atio oci Holiday Show in ass erick at the University of Lim

APRIL 2019 PAGE 37

MEETING PLACE

Out and about with the Travel Trade

Liam O’Brien and Brigitte Brew of Doolin Ferries, Peter O’Hanlon of Tra y Limerick Holiday Show in association with velfinders with John Bo oty of Wendy Wu, Limerick Holiday Show Shannon Airport

Airlines, Limerick Holida Brian Hughes of United h Shannon Airport Show in association wit

Deirdre Lehane of Tour America, Ivan Beacom of Aer Lingus, and Yv onne Uniacke of Tour America, Limerick Holida y Show

Maureen Ledwith.of Business Exhibitions and Postman Pat, Limerick Holiday Show

n of Caroline O’Toole of Fahy Travel and Lynda Skinner and Ali Sheeha Nadine Burke, Kristin ow McCorry of Silversea Cruises, Limerick Holiday Sh erick Holiday American Holidays, Lim Show, in association with Shannon Airport

Ciaran Mulligan of Blu e Insurances and Alana Byrne of MSC at the Bellissima naming ceremony in Southam pton

Polly Bond of Tour America and Luke Clarke of Silversea, MSC Bellissima naming ceremony

Irish head of sales for MSC Suzanne Rowe, Su- and Tyrone based Bernice Starrs of Travel head of sales for MSC h Iris d an rne By na Ala ony Counsellors, MSC Bellissima naming ceremony llissima naming cerem zanne Rowe, MSC Be

Danielle Weller of MS C, Eoghan Corry and Alana Byrne, MSC Bellissim a naming ceremony

Mayor of Southampton greets guests, MSC Bellissima naming ceremony in England

McCarthy and David Dermot Merrigan, Marie ow s, Limerick Holiday Sh O’Connor of Irish Ferrie

Paul Hackett of Clicka ndgo and Brian Nolan , MSC Bellissima namin g ceremony

Suhead of sales for MSC Alana Byrne and Irish y on em cer g llissima namin zanne Rowe, MSC Be

Jo Rzymowska. of Ce lebrity Cruises among guests for the CLIA me eting, MSC Bellissima naming ceremony, So uthampton

Mackey, Ciaran MulliEoghan Corry, Francis Sarah Slattery of The s, gan of Blue Insurance Don neran of the Sun and Travel Expert, Aoife Fin C Bellissima MS Shearer of Travelbiz,

APRIL 2019 PAGE 38

MEETING PLACE

Out and about with the Travel Trade

Emma McHugh, Atlan tic Travel, Clare Dunn e, Th e Travel Broker, Paula David O’Hagan of Donabate Travel, Carol Anne s gu Lin r Coughlan, Discover Ae of r fte Ra ny Jen d an on Tra ldo vel, Jackie Spain, JK Tra O’Neill of Worldchoice Ireland and Michael DoorYvonne Mu , vel and Martin Skelly The Travel Corporation of Navan Travel, MSC ley of Shandon Travel, MSC Bellissima with Sharon Jordan of Bellissima s ard Aw ry Irish Tourism Indust

David O’Grady of E-trav el, Ciaran Mulligan of Blue Insurances, Olwen McKinney of Amadeus and Jim Vaughan of Jus tsplit, MSC Bellissima

Vacations and Paula John Barrett of Magic a Travel, MSC Bellissim Coughlan of Discover

Pierfrancesco Vago of MSC, MSC Bellissima naming ceremony, So uthampton

Celine McGibney of Cruisescapes, Dawn Conway of Sunway, Elaine O’Brien of TravelBookers, van go, Martin Skelly of Na Brian Nolan, Deirdre Sweeny of Sunway and Orla Kelly of Clickand C MS , go nd cka Cli of an eg Paul Hackett of Clickandgo, MSC Bellissima Travel and Mairead Ke emony Bellissima naming cer

Olwen McKinney of Amadeus and Stephanie Frame, MSC Bellissima

Vincent Harrison MD of Dublin Airport, Andrew Murphy MD of Shannon Airport and Cormac O’Connell of Dublin Airport, Irish Tourism Industry Awards at the Clayton Burlington

Ciaran Mulligan of Blue Insurances and Olwen lit, David O’Grady of Jim Vaughan of Justsp McKinney of Amadeus, MSC Bellissima naming , vel Tra n orley of Shando E-travel and Michael Do ceremony gala dinner g MSC Bellissima namin

Alana Byrne of MSC an d Mary McKenna of To ur America, MSC Bellissim a naming ceremony

Stephanie Frame and Francis Mackey, MSC Bellissima naming ceremony

Ciaran Mulligan of Blu e Insurances, Francis Mackey and Mary McKe nna of Tour America, MSC Bellissima namin g ceremony

rien of TravelBookers, Brian Nolan, Elaine O’B and Paul Hackett of ay Dawn Conway of Sunw sima Clickandgo, MSC Bellis

Polly Bond and Kathle en Maher of Tour Ameri ca, MSC Bellissima namin g ceremony

ry Eoghan Corry and Ma Alana Byrne of MSC, nama sim llis Be C MS ca, McKenna of Tour Ameri ner ing ceremony gala din

APRIL 2019 PAGE 39

Out and about with the Travel Trade

Travel Extra, Olwen Mc Eoghan Corry editor of gin Vir of es gh d Alan Hu Kinney of Amadeus an a sim llis Be C MS Media,

Michael Doorley of Sh andon Travel, MSC Be llissima naming ceremon y

hy ckandgo and Maura Fa Mairead Keegan of Cli ecer g min na a sim llis of Fahy Travel, MSC Be mony in Southampton

Graham McCann and Jenny Rafter of Aer Lin gus, MSC Bellissima na ming ceremony

ndra Corkin of Oasis Brian Gillespie and Sa a naming ceremony Travel, MSC Bellissim

Willie Walsh CEO of IAG and Stephen McNally of Dalata, Irish Tourism Industry Awards at the Clayton Burlington

Ciaran Mulligan of Blue Insurances, Olwen McKinney of Amadeus, and Alan Hughes of Virgin Media, MSC Bellissima

Paula Coughlan of Discover Travel, Mary McGrath of TUI and Darren Hutchinson of Strand Travel, MSC Bellissima

MEETING PLACE

Steve Williams of MSC and Olwen McKinney of Amadeus, MSC Bellis sima naming ceremon y

net and Elaine O’Brien Tom Randles of Travel eC Bellissima naming cer of TravelBookers, MS mony gala dinner

Dawn Conway of Sunw Caroline O’Toole of Fahy Travel and Orla Kelly ay and Jeff Collins of Be st4Travel, MSC Bellis of Clickandgo, MSC Bellissima naming ceremony sima naming ceremon y

Jenny Rafter of Aer Lingus, David O’Grady of E-travel, MSC Bellissima naming ceremony

lit, Astrid Johnson of Jim Vaughan of Justsp C Graham McCann, MS d American Holidays an emony Bellissima naming cer

Catherine Reilly of Bre ndan Vacations, Peter Fergus, GM The Lodg e at Ashford Castle, Alison Hamilton of Oasis Travel and Lynn Guest Sharon Jordan of The Travel Co rporation, Irish of Cruise Beyond, MSC Bellissima naming event Tourism Industry Awards

Filippo Rocchi, Anita Thomas and Michael Meagher of Emirates, Irish Tourism Industry Awards at the Clayton Burlington

ys, Magee of British Airwa Keith Chuter and Tara n yto Cla the at s ard Aw Irish Tourism Industry Burlington

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