Travel Bulletin 8th February 2013

A selection of new tours,tailor-made programmes

and the latest offers

Escorted trips

February 8 2013 | ISSUE NO 1,812 | www.travelbulletin.co.uk

newsmedical study reveals howholidays can help us live longer

cruise bulletinRCI's Independence of the Seasreceives makeover for summer

malta & gozoMTA launches new Spaand Wellness brochure

accommodation-onlyoperators add new destinationsplus a round-up of new deals

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this week

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Welcome to a land of innumerable possibilities for business and relaxation, for enjoying nature and for gaining entrepreneurial inspiration!

Join us at the SLOVENIAN INCOMING WORKSHOP, which will be held in Portorož from 18t to 20t April, 2013.

The Slovenian Incoming Workshop is a first class opportunity to meet all major Slovenian tourism providers, who gather together in one place to encourage business relations, establishing new contacts and partners, and raising the standard of tourism (every year more than 250 Slovenian tourism providers attend this event).

Pre-arranged meetings give you an opportunity to improve on current business contacts and operations, establish new ideas, concepts and contacts for joint business cooperation and for us to strive together to give the best possible service for your clients and our guests.

Participants of the Slovenian Incoming Workshop can also choose from various study tours to different destinations in Slovenia. This lets you discover, and see with your own eyes, the opportunities you will hear about in business meet-ings with Slovenian partners whilst attending the workshop.

Be ready for new features and grab a chance for new business opportunities. Visit SIW 2013!

PORTOROŽ, SLOVENIA18th - 20th APRIL 2013

www.slovenia.info/SIW

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DISCOVER ONE OF FLORIDA’S BEST KEPT SECRETS…

THE PALM BEACHES & BOCA RATON

7 NIGHTS FROM £779PPFor more details or to book, call

0844 557 0626 or visit

ONTRAATABOC& ESHCBEAM ALPPAETH

ES

0844 557 0626For more details or to book,

7 NIG

tsiivrr o0844 557 0626callr more details or to book,,

£779PPMOTS FRH7 NIG

£779PP

CREWE'S CREW...Cruise and Maritime Voyages launched an in-store promotion in Thomson Travel, Crewe, following itsrecent agent booking incentive and the launch of its new brochure which highlights convenient cruise departures fromNewcastle, Liverpool, Hull, Leith and Greenock. Pictured familiarising themselves with the new brochure are, from theleft: Laura Brayford, John Grant, Joanna Bayes, Abbey Butcher and Claire Hudson, all from Thomson Travel, Crewe.

This Week

Cover Pictures: Main - Durango & Silverton Railroad, Great Rail JourneysInset - Valletta, Malta Tourism Authority

3www.travelbulletin.co.uk February 8 2013

newsbulletin

3 newsmedical study reveals how holidays can help uslive longer

12 cruise bulletinRCI's Independence of the Seas receivesmakeover for summer

27 accommodation-onlyoperators add new destinations plus a round-upof new deals

8 at home with eileendiscover what homeworker Eileen thought ofThe View from The Shard

14 personality bulletinwhich senior partnership development managerwould like to take a trip with Stephen Fry?

9 agent bulletinthe latest booking incentives and prize giveaways

15 escorted tripsa selection of new tours, tailor-madeprogrammes and the latest offers

11 puzzle bulletinyou could win a £50 Hotel Chocolat voucher inour prize Su Doku puzzle

23 malta & gozoMalta Tourism Authority launches new Spa andWellness brochure

New researchhighlights missedopportunity of social media MORE THAN one in tenhospitality and leisureoperators now generate upto half of all sales throughsocial media according tonew research fromBarclays, but despite thisthe industry still questionsits business potential.

More than 60% of thesector, which includeshotels, pubs, restaurants,travel and leisure operators,say that they only see‘some’ or ‘limited’opportunity in using socialmedia tools to engageconsumers. This comes inspite of the benefitsemerging from thesechannels: nearly a third(29%) of respondentsdirectly attribute up to 25%of all their sales to socialmedia, and a further 13%state that these platformsgenerate up to half of sales.In addition, more than twothirds (68%) of thosecurrently using social mediareport that they have had a‘positive’ or ‘very positive’experience, attracting newcustomers and receivingpositive recommendations.

With estimatessuggesting that more thanhalf of UK consumers nowown a smartphone, andalmost one in five have

● continues on next page

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THE POSITIVE impact of holidays on health has beenmeasured in a new study. The Holiday Health Experimentwas conducted by Kuoni and Nuffield Health, the UK’s largesthealthcare charity between summer and autumn 2012,revealing how holidays can help us live longer.

The study set out to establish whether the much-discussed ‘feel good factor’ generated by holidays is based onphysical and psychological fact.

Participants were divided into a travel group and a non-travel group and all had stress-resilience testing and a 360+Health Assessment by Nuffield Health, pluspsychotherapeutic tests. The experiment found that thosewho took part benefited from lower blood pressure, improvedsleep quality and improved stress management – with theeffects continuing for at least two weeks after returninghome.

Highlights of the findings included the average bloodpressure of the holidaymakers dropped by 6% while theaverage of the non-holidaymakers went up over the sameperiod by 2%; the sleep quality of the holidaymakersimproved while that of the non-holidaymakers deteriorated -holidaymakers saw a 17% improvement while the average fornon-holidaymakers reduced by 14%; and the ability to recoverfrom stress (known as the stress-resilience test) saw anaverage improvement of 29% among holidaymakers,compared to a 71% fall in stress resilience scores among thenon-holidaymakers.

Medical study reveals how holidays can help us live longer

www.travelbulletin.co.ukFebruary 8 20134

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LOVED UP...pictured helping to promote Superbreak's new A4Valentine’s Escapes flyer for agents, which details a range ofromantic short break ideas, is the operator's sales executive,Wendy Cameron. The flyer can be downloaded fromwww.superbreak.com/agents

access to a tablet device, consumers have come to rely onnetworks and sites such as Facebook, Twitter and TripAdvisor toprovide peer to peer recommendations and as a convenient wayto connect with businesses.

Yet more than one in ten operators do not currently usesocial media, nor do they have any plans to do so, and state thatthis is because they do not see any value or return oninvestment.

Mike Saul, head of hospitality and leisure at Barclays, said:“The industry is missing a trick. Social media has blurred theline between personal and corporate communities - somethingthat has been encouraged by consumers who now expect to beable to interact in an immediate and very personal way, not just

with friends, but with their favourite - and not so favoured -brands.

“This can create a very powerful feedback loop – if operatorscan successfully tap into these networks, both good and badreviews can be used to their advantage. If a flight or dinnerreservation is delayed for example, it’s easy for consumers tovent their frustration to the online world – the trick is being ableto respond helpfully, turning a negative experience into apositive one.

“Social media is everywhere, and for many businesses it notonly influences and directly generates sales, but provides apersonal link with consumers, building loyalty and drivingrepeat footfall. This is vital when consumers are increasinglycost-conscious and discerning about where they choose tospend their hard earned cash."

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Pegasus adds new European destinations PEGASUS AIRLINES has added Serbia's Belgrade andBosnia's Sarajevo to its flight network as its first newdestinations for 2013.

Flights to Belgrade operate four times weekly fromIstanbul and later this month (February 28) a five timesweekly service will launch between Istanbul and Sarajevo. For more information or to book visit www.flypgs.com

Tour additions from Sardinian PlacesSARDINIAN PLACES has issued its 2013 brochurefeaturing more than 80 villas, apartments, residencesand hotels across Sardinia, along with a choice ofcharter, low-cost and scheduled flights.

The company, which has recently partnered with Avis,now offers new touring holidays including a seven-nightSardinia & Corsica twin-centre break from £879 perperson, a Sardinian Taster from £899 per person and aten-night Authentic Sardinia tour from £1,149 per person.

Seven-night brochure prices lead in at £389 perperson, based on eight sharing self-cateringaccommodation at the four-bedroom Sardinian villa, LaMendula, located in the seaside resort of Cannigione. Theprice includes flights, car hire and a welcome hamper.For more information call 0845-330 2050 or visitwww.sardinianplaces.co.uk

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Brand USAlaunches newadvertisingcampaignBRAND USA has launchedthe next phase of its globalcampaign ‘Land ofDreams’, in partnershipwith British Airways. Thecampaign, which includesa series of TV adverts,invites visitors to “Discoverthis land, like never before”and runs until March 4.

The tourism marketingbody's CEO ChrisThompson said “Our goalis nothing short ofrekindling the world’s loveaffair with the USA. Wewant to spread America’smessage of welcomearound the world and invitetravellers to experience thelimitless possibilities theUnited States has to offer.”For more information seewww.discoveramerica.com

ROTANA IS highlighting a stay at the Grand RotanaResort & Spa in Egypt’s Sharm el Sheikh for coupleslooking for a Valentine’s Day break. The property offers aprivate beach, outdoor pursuits and ten differentrestaurants to choose from.

At the five-star Camel Dive Club PADI centre couplescan embark on an open water dive course together andspend their days diving and snorkelling among the coralreefs.

After a day at the beach, couples can relax with apersonalised couple’s treatment and can also sample theValentine’s meal at the resort’s signature Silk Road

restaurant, before heading for the Sky Lounge, anoutdoor majlis that features a selection of shishas andArabian teas on the roof top terrace overlooking the RedSea. For clients with a larger budget, Grand Suitesfeature panoramic views over the Red Sea, a Kingsizebed and an in-built Jacuzzi.

With Thomas Cook, five nights’ breakfastaccommodation in a classic room costs £720 per person,including Economy flights from Heathrow with Egypt Airand transfers, based on a February 12 departure.For further details call 0844-879 8407 or seewww.thomascook.com

SPAIN'S LA Manga Club is offering earlybooking discounts of up to 25% on allmedium and high season stays bookedbefore February 28.

Clients can either stay in the resort’sfour-star Las Lomas self-cateringapartments or the five-star Principe FelipeHotel. With an additional 20% off anadjoining room booked for children, a familyof four can spend seven nights at the resortduring the school summer holidays for€2,559 (approximately £2,130) – a reductionof €1,235 (approximately £1,030).

All packages include complimentaryaccess to the resort’s spa, taxes, use of on-resort shuttle bus service, free kids mealsfor children under five, plus preferentialrates for the resort’s golf courses, tenniscourts and other sports facilities.

For couples looking to take a shorterbreak, a four-night stay in the HotelPrincipe Felipe is available during April,May and June for €649 (approximately £540)per room – a discount of €216(approximately £185).

A 10% discount is also available on allaccommodation for breaks taken in the lowseason until the end of March.

Following its debut last year, the MichaelOwen Rugby Academy will also return for afour-week spell during July and August.Daley Thompson’s Adventure Fitnesscompany will also be back to hold itsathletics courses, designed by the doubleOlympic gold medallist himself.For more information or to book [email protected] or visitwww.lamangaclub.com

La Manga Club offers 25% savings on Easter and summer holidays

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SCOTT HAS THE LOT... AITO has welcomed two new members –Derbyshire-based Bakewell Travel and Buckinghamshire-basedScott Travel. Pictured collecting their AITO membership goodiesare Zoe Ryder (left) and Ruth Scott from Scott Travel. For more information visit www.aitoagents.com

Tweets of

the WeekWho’s saying what

on Twitter...

@TOUCANTRAVEL

7 Night Greek Isles &Turkey Cruise on theboard the Splendour ofthe Seas - Departs 31Aug from £869pp -http://goo.gl/mynS8

@VisitKent

#KentBigWeekend isback, this year on March23 and 24! You can nowapply for tickets untilFebruary 18 onhttp://ow.ly/h3hfo

@cottages4you

We've updated our Dealspage: Save £100 onhundreds of Easter &half-term holiday cottagesin the UK and France!http://bit.ly/YekCm7

@TCworldwide

Want a clear breakdownof financial protection?View our handy tools tounderstand exactly whatis protectedhttp://ow.ly/hdAQv

@ABTAtravel

Numbers travellingabroad uninsured on therise - ABTA reveals onein four now travellinguninsuredhttp://bit.ly/WzQy5i

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

TravelBulletin

Rotana highlights Valentine's Day escapes in Sharm el Sheikh

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CRUSADER HOLIDAYS hasannounced that it is takingdelivery of a further two newSetra Coaches in March,representing an investmentof more than half a millionpounds.

The operator's agencysales manager Keith Elricksaid: "Since being taken overby the Motts Travel Group in2011 we have worked hard tore-establish ourselves withthe travel trade, which nowaccounts for more than athird of our business."

This year, more than 700departures are offeredthroughout Britain andEurope and the company isalso highlighting its largestprogramme of Easter tours.As an example, a seven-daytour to the InternationalGarden Show near Hamburgleads in at £429 per person. For more information call01255-425453 or visitwww.crusader-holidays.co.uk

FLYBE HAS announced anew daily weekday routefrom Birmingham to Lyonfrom May 1. The new flightswill be operated by new 88-seat Embraer 175 jetaircrafts. Each weekday,flights depart fromBirmingham at 10:30,arriving in Lyon at 13:15.Flights depart from Lyon at13:40 and arrive back in theUK at 14:25. Flights will alsorun on Sundays, with flightsdeparting Birmingham at17:45 and arriving at 20:30,and return flights departingat 20:55, arriving atBirmingham at 21:40.

Introductory fares areavailable from £39.99 one-way, including taxes andcharges.For more information seewww.flybe.com

Flybe announcesdaily service

betweenBirmingham & Lyon

Coach investmentfrom CrusaderHolidays


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VILLA SELECT has added a new villa on the north west coast of Kefalonia to its portfolio. The three-bedroomVilla Melanthi, which offers a private pool, is located in the hamlet of Kampanata and is within easy walkingdistance of the nearby village, Manganos. Prices lead in at £795 per week. For more information or to book visit www.villaselect.com or call 01789-764909. (Accommodation-Only feature - page 27)

Newsbites● THIS YEAR'S TNT Travel Show takes place

at the Islington Business Design Centrefrom March 9-10. For details seewww.tnttravelshow.com

● TRAVELPORT HAS announced a new fullcontent agreement with Virgin Australia(VA). Under the new agreement,Travelport-connected travel agents haveaccess to the airline's full publishedinventory, including both public andprivate fares.

● ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES is to commenceflights from Heathrow to Blantyre inMalawi from March 30. See www.ethiopianairlines.com

● THE ASSOCIATION of Cruise Experts(ACE) has welcomed its latest cruisemember – the Spanish cruise linePullmantur.

● CITYJET HAS commenced twice dailyscheduled flights to Nuremberg inGermany from London City Airport. Faresstart from £109 return. For details see www.cityjet.com

● AQUA HOTELS and Resorts has changedits name to Aqua Hospitality. See www.aquahospitality.com

● A NEW Public Agency of the Republic ofSlovenia for the promotion ofentrepreneurship, innovation,development, investment and tourism wasestablished at the start of this year. SPIRITSlovenia merged three public agencies –the Slovenian Tourist Board, JAPTI (thePublic Agency of the Republic of Sloveniafor Entrepreneurship and ForeignInvestments) and TIA (the SlovenianTechnology Agency). For details email [email protected]

● FREEDOM TREKS is offering a ‘Jewels ofSlovakia by bike’ option. The itinerary isavailable from May to the end ofSeptember and costs from £549 includingsix nights’ breakfast accommodation inthree-star hotels, four days’ bike hire andluggage transfers. See www.freedomtreks.com or call 01273-224066.

Dubai package deal from Emirates Tours offers 30% savingsEMIRATES TOURS is offering an exclusive 30% early booking discount on breaks to its LagoonResidences at Jumeirah Zabeel Saray in Dubai.

The beachside resort, which is styled on an Ottoman Palace, is located on Palm Island andoffers a mix of bars and restaurants as well as a Talise Ottoman Spa.

The private villas consist of four en-suite bedrooms, some with Jacuzzis, and offer 24-hourbutler service, exclusive beach access and pre-dinner drinks. Villas come with a choice of aprivate gym, games room or pool house.

Three nights’ half-board accommodation costs from £985 per person, including the 30%discount, and is based on eight adults staying in a four-bedroom Royal Residence. It includesEconomy flights with Emirates and transfers and is valid for travel between May 8 and July 15.

Bookings must be made by March 31 to take advantage of the offer.For further information call 0844-800 1400 or visit www.emiratestours.co.uk

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THE PALM BEACHES & BOCA RATON

The Palm Beaches bring together 15 distinct districts – 12 featuring shopping and dining, two focused on eco-adventures, and one containing the Convention Centre and surrounding entertainment. Located up and down the coast and west out to Lake Okeechobee, each district offers a completely unique experience, culture, and collection of events for visitors.

So explore everything The Palm Beaches & Boca Raton has to offer – an exciting collection of luxury resorts, boutique and trusted-brand hotels, an innovative culinary landscape, trendy shops and a nightlife that thrives year-round.

7 NIGHTS FROM £779PP!

For more details or to book, call

0844 557 0626 or visit

NEW BROCHURE OUT NOW!

For more details on the Palm Beaches & Boca Raton request our brochure today at: www.trade-gate.co.uk

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S02 TB0802 News 1_Layout 1 06/02/2013 12:14

Olympic adds new Greece & Cyprushotels in Summer Sun 2013 brochureOLYMPIC HOLIDAYS has launched its second edition SummerSun 2013 brochure with new hotel and self-catering propertiesin Cyprus, Greece, Turkey and other popular summer sundestinations.

New Cyprus product includes the So White Boutique Suitesand So Nice Boutique suites, sister four-star properties withhigh-quality bungalow suites located close to Agia Napa.

Major renovations on Cyprus for this year include the re-birth of the Apollonia Beach Hotel in Limassol in April, as theRoyal Apollonia Beach Hotel following an upgrade of its 205-rooms and public areas. The Alexander The Great Beach Hotelin Paphos will also re-open next month following a major re-working of the swimming pool area, the public rooms and the202-guest rooms and bathrooms.

Also in Paphos, the Louis King Jason Apartments hascompleted its two-year makeover, while on Crete, the LouisCreta Princess Hotel on Maleme Bay will soon feature a newwater park, a renovated kids’ pool and a new playground.

Early bookers (before April 30) are offered discounts of up to£3,890 per person at selected hotels, while discounts for singletravellers at a range of properties are also available.

Two weeks for the price of one are also offered at selectedproperties and group bookings qualify for up to one free placein 15. Prices lead in at £239 per person for a seven-night self-catering holiday at a selection of Corfu apartments, with 14-night holidays leading in at £289. For details call 0844-499 4449 or visit www.olympicholidays.com

with Eileen...At home

What has homeworker Eileen

been up to this month?

JUST RECENTLY, along with a number of my TravelCounsellor colleagues, I was given the opportunityto preview the “ View from the Shard” in London

before its official opening to the public on 1st February.This new landmark building at 310m (1,016ft) high isthe tallest building in Western Europe and the viewingplatforms on floors 69 and 72 offer the very best viewsof the London skyline.

Despite the fact that it was a dull overcast day when Ivisited, the views were still very good. You get the mostamazing 360 degrees, 64km (40-mile) view of the cityand beyond. At level 72, the highest public viewing level,you are exposed to the elements but surprisingly on avery cold January day it wasn’t as cold up there as I’dthought and I spent some considerable time excitablypicking out recognisable buildings. Famous landmarkssuch as St Paul’s Cathedral, Houses of Parliament, theTower of London and even Tower 42 and the Gherkin areall totally dwarfed by the Shard. It was just possible tomake out the Wembley Arch and the Thames Barrier inthe distance and I found it fascinating to see the railwaylines cutting their way through South London intoLondon Bridge Station below.

Work is still taking place on the Shard and when it’sfinally completed, it will have offices, luxuryapartments and restaurants as well as a new Shangri-La Hotel on the 34th-52nd floor. The area aroundLondon Bridge has had a major revamp in recent yearsand now has some really good places to eat, drink andshop dotted around unique historical locations such asButler’s Wharf, Hay’s Galleria, Borough Market andSouthwark Cathedral.

The “View from the Shard” promises to be a verypopular tourist attraction and booking in advance isrecommended as well as being cheaper. Visitors get atimed entry but can stay as long as they like. London isone of the most wonderful cities in the world and Ireally enjoyed this unique opportunity of seeing it as I’dnever seen it before.

by EILEEN SAUNDERS of Travel Counsellors To respond to any of Eileen’s comments email

[email protected]

newsbulletin


www.travelbulletin.co.uk

WEBSCLUSIVES

● WIN A FAM TRIP TO FLORIDA! Have you everdreamt of year-round sunshine, soft sand andclear waters? If so, now is your chance toexperience this by winning a place on one ofFunway’s fantastic FAM trips to the Floridabeaches, travelling in May/June!For more details, go towww.travelbulletin.co.uk/funway

● Make sure you complete this week’s Crossword,sponsored by Jet2holidays, for the chance to win£50 in Love2Shop vouchers. Just fill in theCrossword on Page 11 of this edition, and thensubmit the mystery location along with yourcontact details via our website onwww.travelbulletin.co.uk/competitions.

All this and more at:


The home of the web savvy travel agent

Go

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● AGENTS COULD be leaving winter behind and headingto Barbados with the latest incentive from CouplesResorts. To celebrate the launch of its new resort,Casuarina Beach Resort, on Barbados, the company isoffering agents a free week’s stay for two at the newlyacquired Casuarina Beach resort for every fourbookings made. In addition there are £30 Love2Shopvouchers for every booking plus reductions forholidaymakers, including 40% discount offers and a£500 ‘air credit’ for every couple booking to go towardstheir air fares to the Caribbean. To earn their week inthe Caribbean agents should log on to the training academy website atwww.resortacademy.co.uk, register and complete thetraining module. Each time an agent makes a Barbadosbooking they enter this on the site to receive theLove2Shop voucher, then when four bookings have

been made, they are eligible to take the trip.For details see www.resortacademy.co.uk

● AS PART of its 2013 ‘Florida Beaches’ campaign, FunwayHolidays has launched a new agent incentive that is validuntil March 31 and gives agents the chance to earn up to£100 tax free in Love2Shop vouchers. Agents will receivea £100 Love2Shop voucher for every booking made morethan £3,000 per person; a £50 voucher for bookingsmade between £2,000-£2,999 per person; and a £25voucher for every booking made between £1,000 -£1,999 per person. Bookings must be packages only andfor a minimum of three nights to any destinationfeatured in the company's ‘Florida Beaches’ 2013/14programme. Agents should email details of the booking reference [email protected] by April 12.


agentbulletinBooking incentives

Prize giveawaysUS AIRTOURS and SeaWorld Parks & Entertainmentare giving agents three ways to win a holiday for twoat SeaWorld Orlando. A holiday for two will be givento the best dressed “Antarctica” themed shopwindow, while there will be two holiday prize drawsfor every SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment ticketpurchased through USAirtours between now andMarch 31. The prize includes flights from Londonwith Virgin Atlantic, five nights’ accommodation at aSeaWorld partner hotel and two SeaWorld three-park tickets. Terms and conditions apply. For details see www.usairtours.co.uk/freeseaworld

JET2.COM IS calling for its own referendum onEurope and is asking people to [email protected] with their favouritedestination, stating why the airline should keepflying there. The winner will be rewarded with freeflights to the continent for the next five years andthe competition is open to agents. For details visit www.jet2.com

Training incentiveIN AN effort to provide its trade partners andpreferred travel agents with a richer understanding ofthe Rocky Mountaineer experience, the company haslaunched TRACKS, its first online training programme.The new initiative has been created to provide allrepresentatives with the knowledge to sell theoperator's holidays with confidence while achievinghigher commissions. As an incentive, the first 100participants who successfully complete modules oneand two by March 15 will be entered into a draw to win

one of three iPad minis. The first two modules coverthe company's basic product outline with companyhistory, route descriptions and different levels ofservice. Each training session presents detailedinformation and, at the end, a short online quiz testsparticipants’ knowledge. Over the next four months,TRACKS will roll out additional modules that willcover an array of topics relevant to Rocky Mountaineerand its product offerings. To register visit agent.rockymountaineer.com

SCENIC SEGWAY...The annual Sandals by Funway educationalproved a hit with nine travel agents as they recently took inthe sights of Antigua and St. Lucia on a five-star LuxuryIncluded fam. The trip included two nights at SandalsGrande Antigua Resort and Spa and four nights at theSandals La Toc Golf Resort and Spa in St. Lucia. Pictured on aSegway rally racing tour are, from the left: (back row) JennieWatson, Ambassador Travel; Amie Hunt, Journey the World;Claire Conroy-Oldham, Off Broadway Travel; MaureenBeaumont, Traveltime; Sheran Lombari, Abbot Travel; DavidRoberts, Go Travel; Fiona Boss, Funway Holidays; AimeeFlorence, Travel House; and Andrew Reed from Bath Travel,with (at the front) Lorraine Gill from Regent Travel.

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Cruise & Tour brochure from Titan TITAN HAS released the second edition of its Cruise &Tour brochure, featuring a range of holidays thatcombine ocean voyages with escorted touring.

The brochure features destinations as diverse asCroatia’s Dalmatian coast and Antarctica, sailing withsome of the most well-respected cruise lines in theindustry, plus a host of new itineraries for 2013 and2014.

Prices for a 115-day South America & AustralasiaWorld voyage lead in at £9,495 per person, includingonboard credit of up to £550 per person and privatedoor-to-door transfers with the company's VIP HomeDeparture Service.

A range of special offers on bookings made byFebruary 28 are also available, and new lower pricesmean potential savings of up to £700 per person. Forexample, a 17-day Alaskan Cruise with Rockies by Raildeparting on August 18 now costs from £3,995 perperson.

On selected itineraries, complimentary onboard creditup to £200 per cabin and pre-paid gratuities and servicecharges are included in the price, plus every holidayincludes scheduled flights, accommodation, a range ofexcursions and visits, the services of a tour managerand door-to-door transfers. For more information or to request brochures visitwww.titanagents.co.uk

Balkan offers Glasgow flights forwinter ski 2014BALKAN HOLIDAYS haslaunched its Winter Ski &Board programme for2013/14, and is launchinga new Glasgow charterflight to replace thepresent Edinburgh toSofia service.

The weekly charterservice will commence onDecember 22 andcontinue through toMarch 30, 2014. Otherhighlights include newaccommodation inPamporovo, Bulgaria;free night skiing inPamporovo; free lift passes in Bansko &Borovets; free ski/board storage in Bansko; 50% off fullski and board packs in Bansko, staying at the Strazhite,Pirin, Bansko and Mura Hotels; and 50% off full ski andsnowboard packs in Borovets, staying at the Hotel Rila.

Booking incentives include a deposit of £70 perperson, early booking discounts of up to £147 per couple,a 5% loyalty discount for previous customers, free childplaces and free luggage allowance of 20kg (10kg forinfants) on Bulgaria charter flights.

Prices lead in at £244 per person, (plus applicableflight supplement) based on six sharing a two-bedroomself-catering apartment in Pamporovo, departing onMarch 16 from Gatwick. For bookings see www.balkanholidays.co.uk/agents orcall 0845-130 1114.


Escape the RainFly Vueling

to Spain.

Book your 2013 fl ights at www.vueling.com

Fly direct from Cardiff toMalaga, Alicante,

Majorca & Barcelona

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puzzlebulletin


Where Am I?

A bird in water?

Fill in all the squares in the grid so that each row, column and each of the

3 x 3 squares contains the digits 1-9.Once you have completed the puzzle, simply identify the numbers that relate

to the letters, A, B, C and D then e-mail the solution, with your name,

company name, and full postal address plus phone and ABTA number if

applicable to:

[email protected]

Closing date for entries is Thursday, February 14th. Solution and new puzzle

will appear next week.

The winner for January 25th is Sharron Whetherly, Travel

Counsellors in Dursley.

January 25 Solution: A=5 B=9 C=6 D=7

➠A

➠B

➠C

➠D

Number: 098

Travagrams

Where Am I?

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

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

This cruise line shares its last name with a pair of famous twins.

This collections of islands run on their own time

Decree Surfs Lions

Fibril Juice Fop

Fill in the crossword to spell the mystery location highlighted bythe blue squares and visit www.travelbulletin.co.uk/crossword tosubmit your entry. All correct entries will be placed in a free prizedraw and one lucky winner will win £50 Love2Shop vouchers.Closing date for entries is Thursday February 14th.

The Where Am I and Travagrams solutions can be found on page 30

Crossword

Num

ber:

098

Sponsored By

Jet2holidays offers flexible and great value package holidays for just £60pp deposit

tAcross 1. Complete the name of the Jet2holidays 5 star

luxury product range, "Indulgent ___" (7)5. Indian state and popular tourist destination (3)7. Central American country (9)8. Major car hire company (4)10. Austin is the state capital (5)13. Crystal offers holidays to this Colorado ski

resort (5)14. Hawaiian island (4)17. County town of Surrey (9)19. Athens airport code (3)20. President played by Daniel Day-Lewis at a

cinema near you (7)

Down 1. National airline of the UAE (6)2. Charles de Gaulle airport code (3)3. Scenic national park, ___ District (4)4. This European country has a flag with a yellow

cross on a blue background (6)5. Spanish city at the foot of the Sierra Nevada (7)6. Islands known for their cabled sweaters (4)9. Historic Suffolk town (7)11. It's famous for mint cake (6)12. First name of Downton Abbey creator (6)15. Home of the Taj Mahal (4)16. Eastenders character, Alfie ___ (4)18. Military medal awarded for valour, initially (3)

Congratulations to Mark Brewer, Imp Travel who won the 25th January crosswordprize of £50 Love2Shop vouchers

S03 TB0802 News 2_Layout 1 06/02/2013 11:33

ROYAL CARIBBEANInternational is set torevitalise Independence ofthe Seas in April, ready forits summer schedule.

A new baby and toddlernursery, an enhanceddigital way finding systemand a giant outdoor cinemascreen are just a few of thenew features that guestswill experience on therevamped ship from May.

For guests with a sweettooth, the refreshed shipwill also see theintroduction of The CupcakeCupboard, featuringfreshly-baked gourmetcupcakes and bespokeculinary parties and designclasses. The ship will alsobenefit from the addition ofGiovanni’s Table, an Italiantrattoria featuring Italianclassics served family-style.

The 3,634-guestIndependence of the Seas isjust one of many ships in

the line's fleet that isreceiving a major upgradeas part of a US$300millioninvestment programmeand, following a two-weeklong, $7millionrefurbishment, the vesselwill arrive in Southamptonon May 2 to commence itssummer season, offering aseries of new itinerariesincluding shorter sailingssuch as two-night cruises toLe Havre for Paris andthree-night cruises to LeHavre for Paris andZeebrugge for Bruges.

The ship will also offereight-night cruises toNorway, 14-night Norwayand Cork cruises, various14-night Mediterraneancruises, and 12-nightCanary Islands cruises aspart of its 2013 season, aswell as a new call to Ibizaon a 14-night SpanishMediterranean cruise.

Prices for a two-night

taster cruise to Le Havrefor Paris leads in at £249per person foraccommodation with aprivate balcony based on aMay 2 departure, while asix-night Norway cruisefrom Southamptonfeaturing ports of call inOslo, Kristiansand andStavanger costs from £599per person, based on twosharing an insidestateroom and departingon May 26.

Selected cruises bookedbefore February 28 includeadditional offers as part ofthe company's 'UnbeatableSale', including up to$1,000 on-board spendingmoney per stateroom forcruises of more than 11-nights and when bookingdeluxe accommodation. For more information or tobook visitwww.cruisingpower.co.ukor call 0844-493 2061.

FRED. OLSEN Cruise Lineshas announced that TracyEdwards MBE will be joiningBalmoral’s ‘Spain, Portugal &Gibraltar Explorer’ cruise inAugust, as a host with theonboard enrichmentprogramme, Vistas.

The 12-night cruisedeparts from Southamptonon August 11 and calls atLisbon and Alicante, beforeheading to Mahon on theisland of Menorca. On thereturn journey Balmoral callsinto Gibraltar and the historicSpanish port of La Coruna,before heading back toSouthampton.

Edwards, who woninternational fame in 1989 asthe skipper of ‘Maiden GreatBritain’, with the first allfemale crew to sail aroundthe world, in the WhitbreadRound the World Yacht Race’,will be speaking on thesubject of ‘Great Seafarers’.

Prices for the cruise startfrom £1,269 per person,based on two sharing aninside, twin cabin, Grade ‘I’. Itincludes all meals andentertainment on board plusport taxes. For more information seewww.fredolsencruises.comor call 01473-742424.

Art fans can go Dutch with Swan HellenicSWAN HELLENIC is promoting a Dutch river cruise this summer where guests candiscover the culture and art of Amsterdam, Antwerp and Rotterdam, from £2,250 perperson, based on two sharing a cabin.

Ideal for art enthusiasts, passengers on a Golden Age of the Dutch Waterways cruisecan visit the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam, the house of Peter Paul Rubens inBelgium and the Frans Hals Museum in the Netherlands. The cruise, on Royal Crown,departs on July 6, and prices include flights, transfers, a tailor-made programme ofshore excursions, talks by a guest speaker, meals and entertainment on board, allgratuities and all relevant cruise taxes/fees. For more information see rivercruises.swanhellenic.com or call 0843-316 1715.

Round-the-worldyachtswomanjoins Fred. OlsenCruise Lines

RCI's Independence of the Seas receives makeover for summer


cruisebulletin

VOYAGES OF Discovery is encouraging agents to book clients on its 15-day Mediterranean Medley cruise, which follows in thefootsteps of the ancient Romans, taking in sights such as the Trevi Fountain in Rome and giving guests the opportunity to experience aGondola in Venice. Highlights of the cruise, on MV Voyager, include the archaeological sites of Pompeii and Herculaneum; a trip to seethe art of the Ufizi Gallery in Florence and a visit to Dubrovnik. The cruise departs from Marseille and takes in destinations includingFrance, Italy, Sicily and Croatia. Prices lead in at £1,749 (a saver fare price based on two sharing an inside cabin) for a September 12departure. The price includes flights, transfers, meals, entertainment and a guest speaker programme. To book call 0843-221 8499 or visit www.voyagesofdiscovery.com

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S03 TB0802 News 2_Layout 1 06/02/2013 11:33

personalitybulletin


Who is your ideal travelling companion? Stephen Fry as he’s superknowledgeable and has great chattingability!

What's your earliest childhood memory? When I was six or seven and seeing anaeroplane with contrails in a crisp bluesky and thinking that it was goingsomewhere exotic – that was the startof my passion for travel…

Where was your last work-related trip? We travel a huge amount supporting allof our industry partners with theirannual overseas and UK conferences inaddition to the many events we’reinvited to where we train industry staff.We’ve just returned from Benidorm,where my eyes saw things no womanshould ever see!

If you were a celebrity who would you choose to be and why? I think right now I’d like to be JamesArthur the most recent winner of XFactor because…it’s all about tohappen, his life will change in extremeways and who knows how long it willlast, but I bet he’ll have a flippin greattime!

What three words would yourfriends use to describe you? Funny, generous and embraces life.

What have your travels taught you?To embrace different people andcultures…that it can teach you how tobe independent, to enjoy life and that agreat attitude to others can get youmany benefits.

What is the best advice you recall?Never sh*t on anyone on the way up asyou never know who you may need onthe way down.

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

If you could change three things inthe industry, what would they be?Discounting, APD and more ancillaries!

Who has been the biggestinspiration/influence in your career?Two people stick in my mind… Trevor and Mandy Davis who encouragedme to use my enthusiasm, passion andvivacious persona within my roles…thisgave me the confidence to use mypersonality and flair for the industry andstill impacts people when I meet them. Iowe them a lot in terms of their belief inme and my abilities.

Lindsay Garvey-Jones

The senior partnership development manager atHoliday Extras always takes an extension lead

when travelling...

What's your favourite city and why?A super hard question...Glasgow andManchester for its architecture, culture,people and community.

If you were not doing this job, what would you be doing?A PA for a celebrity – I’m a lover of lists,organisation and influence.

What is your motto in life?To always be happy, celebrate the smallthings in life, you only get one life...live it!

What is your favourite mode of travel?Car!

If you had a super power what would it be and why? To heal the sick. Sadly, there has been toomany people in my life taken by cancerand other illnesses….

What was your nickname at school and why?I was a chubby girl at school so had cruelnames like fattie etc…

What item do you always take with you when travelling?An extension lead. Sometimes the plugsare far away from a mirror when gettingready or when working away from theoffice etc..

Career path● Holiday Extras - senior partnership

development manager: 2012 to date● Training for Travel - business

development: 2009-11● Shearings Holidays - sales &

marketing manager and accountmanager: 2005-09

● First Choice Retail – retail manager:2001 -05

● Airtours & Travelworld – regionalmanager and retail manager: 1997 –2001

● Others before that include ButlinsRedcoat, ATMays and Lunn Poly

"We’ve justreturned from

Benidorm, wheremy eyes saw thingsno woman should

ever see!"

S03 TB0802 News 2_Layout 1 06/02/2013 11:33


COSMOS TOURS & Cruisesis offering a range ofspecial offers including alow deposit of £49 perperson (for bookings madebefore February 22), nosingle supplement to payon selected holidays, aswell as a UK airport hoteloffer of £29 per room.

Also available on a wideselection of holidays in itsUSA, Canada & Worldwidebrochure is a newlyintroduced private door-to-door home pick up service,where customers will bedriven in a privatechauffeur car to the airportand given assistance withluggage to the terminalbuilding, as well as beingmet in the arrivals area ontheir return and drivenhome.

The operator's head ofproduct David Binns said:“As our range of holidaysand worldwide destinationsgrows, our customers aretravelling further afield andtheir journeys arebecoming longer. We wantto make their journeys aseasy and comfortable aspossible and provide theflexibility of starting andfinishing their journeys bybeing picked up in a

privately chauffeured car.The service is available tocustomers who live within a50-mile radius of thedeparture airport."

Meanwhile, special offersinclude an airport hoteloffer of £29 per roomavailable at a four-starrated airport hotel for aone-night pre- or post-tourstay and includes up to 14nights' airport parking. Tomeet demand from singletravellers, a wider choice ofdeparture dates anditineraries with no singlesupplement to pay are alsoavailable.

The company has alsoadded two new itinerariesto its premium brand,'Select by Globus',following demand fromcustomers. An 11-day‘Sights & Sounds of theSouth’ option leads in at£2,295 per person and aten-day ‘Classic FallFoliage’ costs from £2,169.The holidays include aprivate door-to-door homepick up service, first classhotels often in city centresor close to iconic sightswith a range of facilitiesand many meals, and arebased on a minimum sizedgroup of 44.

New holidays to NorthAmerica include a tour tomark the 50th anniversaryof the death of MartinLuther King, the 12-day‘Footsteps of Martin LutherKing’ which costs from£1,795, as well as a 14-day‘Texas – the Lone Star State’which costs £1,965.

A new itinerary toexperience America’snational parks and ‘WildWest’ including achuckwagon cookout, WildWest Show and PritchardCreek river trip is the 16-day‘National Parks & CanyonCountry – the Wild West’,which leads in at £2,195,while a new tour of AtlanticCanada is the ten-day‘Highlights of the Maritimes’,leading in at £1,655.

New worldwide toursinclude a new itinerary ofCuba to include the VinalesValley, colonial cities andSanta Clara, the 13-day ‘VivaCuba’ which leads in at£1,795; a 12-day ‘Grand Tourof Sri Lanka’, which costsfrom £1,999; and a 12-day‘This is Burma’ itinerarywhich costs from £2,589.For more information or tobook call 0844-573 0668 orfor brochures visitwww.trade-gate.co.uk

COLLETTE WORLDWIDEHolidays has launched a newbrochure offering escortedtours with garden themes inconjunction with the RoyalHorticultural Society (RHS).

Featuring a selection ofcarefully designedhorticulture-themed holidaysaround the world, thebrochure includes itinerariesto the US, New Zealand,South Africa, Japan, TheAzores, France, Italy andSpain.

Tours include visits toprivate gardens, private orexpert tours of exceptionalpublic and botanical gardensand the chance to see manyplants in their naturalhabitat. The tours are alsorich in cultural highlights,making them of equal appealto any non-gardening travelcompanions.

The brochure contains atotal of ten tours, withdepartures starting in May.

As an example of prices, asix-day Eternal Gardens ofRome option costs from£1,549 per person andexplores the gardens in andaround Rome, the ruins ofthe city of Ninfa, plus aspecialist tour of the VaticanGardens.

Collette teams withRHS for gardenthemed tours

escortedtrips

REGENT HOLIDAYS has introduced a new ten-day Rural Romania tour for 2013 which takes visitors off the beaten track to discover monasteries,castles and local legends. Prices lead in at £1,580 per person for a July 22 departure. It includes flights from Heathrow to Bucharest with AirTarom, breakfast accommodation and many other meals, all transportation and transfers and the services of an English-speaking guide. For details visit www.regentholidays.co.uk or call 020-7666 1244.

New private home pick-up service and new tours from Cosmos Tours & Cruises

S04 TB0802 Escorted Trips_Layout 1 06/02/2013 12:02

Invites you to attend a

Southern & East Africa Showcase Agent Networking Evening

Tuesday 19th February Crowne Plaza Hotel

Central SquareHolliday Street

Birmingham B1 1HH

Monday 18th February Radisson Blu Edwardian Hotel

Free Trade HallPeter Street

Manchester M2 5GP

Travel Bulletin is delighted to invite you to this training event covering all that this stunning region has to offerin terms of accommodation, flights, health and wellbeing, wedding and honeymoon and tailormade packages.

Registration : 18.15 hours

Networking & Presentations: 18.30 hours

Buffet, Entertainment & Prizes: 20.00 hours

Carriages: 21.30 hours

For more information on how to exhibit or attend as a guest please email: [email protected] telephone 020 7834 6661

Exhibitors

Africa Showcase Agent Training Events



Ilios Travel offersnew Italian toursILIOS TRAVEL hasintroduced a range ofescorted tours which coverthe major Italian cities ofVenice, Rome, Florence andSienna, Assisi and Sorrento.

Under the ‘Visions OfItaly’ brand, the country’scultural and artisticheritage can be exploredwith a like-minded group ofindividual travellers andtours include a guide,luxury coach transport anda range of guided tours ineach location. There is alsofree time for guests toexplore the cities on theirown and the tours can beextended with a stay at oneof the company's villas orcountry houses, with poolsin Tuscany, Umbria, Lazio orVeneto.

Prices lead in at £285 perperson for a three-dayFlorence tour, based on twosharing on anaccommodation-only basis,excluding flights. For more information seewww.iliostravel.com

FFESTINIOG TRAVEL is highlighting aselection of itineraries from its 2013programme.

They include a 12-night Romania –Life as it used to be, which takes guestsback to a bygone age when farmersworked their fields with horses anddrew water from picture postcard wells.Departing on May 12, prices lead in at£2,195 per person based on two sharing.

A nine-night Behind the Scenes in

London & the South East visits some ofregion’s oldest and newest railways,dropping in on depots and uncoveringhidden secrets of the capital’s transportsystem. It departs on April 25 and costs£1,360 per person, based on twosharing.

Meanwhile, a 14-night Grand Arcticoption is also being highlighted. TheScandinavian holiday embraces bothNorway and Sweden, travelling beyond

the Arctic Circle to the Land of theMidnight Sun. Visitors will visit historiccities, experience rail journeys and takein Bergen, Oslo, Trondheim, SwedishLapland and Stockholm, as well as atwo-day trip on the privately-ownedInlandsbanan (inland railway). The tourdeparts on June 22 and prices start from£2,705. For details or to book call 01766-772030or see www.ffestiniogtravel.com

EXODUS’ WILDLIFE Encounters 2013/14 brochureshowcases more than 50 wildlife experiences - fromsighting rare species in their natural habitats, to whaleand dolphin watching in the Azores and seeking snowleopards in the Himalayas.

New for this year are a range of itineraries includingBears Of The High Tatras in Slovakia, delving into thePeruvian Amazon and wildlife viewing in SouthernTanzania, as well as an expanded Galapagos offering withtwo new ships – a motor yacht and a luxury catamaran –on three-, four-, seven- and 14-night expeditions.

As examples of prices, a four-day Bears of the HighTatras wildlife trek explores two regions of the High Tatras

National Park in Slovakia and leads in at £899 per personincluding flights, transfers, accommodation and meals,with the first departure on May 18.

A 12-day Amazon Wildlife Discovery, which takesvisitors deep into the Manu National Park, Peru's largestpark, staying in remote lodges and tented camps leads inat £3,899, based on a May 18 departure, and includestransfers, accommodation and meals.

Meanwhile, a Southern Tanzania Safari takes guests insearch of wildlife by 4WD, by boat and on foot. It costsfrom £2,799 including flights, accommodation and meals,and the first departure is on June 26. For more information visit www.exodus.co.uk

Exodus launches new wildlife brochure showcasing more than 50 experiences

escortedtripsIntrepid launches Family Worldwide Adventures brochure INTREPID TRAVEL is offering 10% off bookings made on selecteditineraries featured in its new 2013 Worldwide Family Adventuresbrochure. The company is offering the discount on adult and childplaces booked by February 28 and departing by August 31.

Trips in the promotion include an 11-day Active Turkey tour (minimumage 12), which leads in at £503 per person; a 15-day Marvels of Morocco(minimum age seven) itinerary costing from £692 (£657 for under-12s);a 15-day Elephant Paradise in Sri Lanka (minimum age seven) from£1,079 (£809 for under-12s); and an eight-day Serengeti Safari inTanzania (minimum age seven) from £1,232 (£1,109 for under-12s). Toactivate the discount agents should quote 9502 at the time of booking. For more information visit www.intrepidtravel.com/family

Hayes & Jarvis introduces new tailor-made programmeHAYES AND Jarvis has created a range of short escorted trips in India and Indochina thatcan be incorporated into individual itineraries customised for clients as part of theoperator's new tailor-made travel programme.

These include the opportunity to discover Bhutan on a nine-night tour to the ‘Land of theThunder Dragon’, with stays in Thimphu, Punakha and Paro, plus Calcutta, where the tourstarts and ends. The trip offers the opportunity to see Mount Everest on the flight into Paro;get an insight into Buddhist philosophy at the National Memorial Chorten; tour PunakhaRitsha Village on foot and have tea with a local family; and take an excursion to TaktsangMonastery (the ‘Tiger’s Nest’).

Prices start from £2,657 per person and include full board three-star plusaccommodation, flights from London to Calcutta, internal flights to/from Paro and transfers.

Other escorted tour options include a cycling tour of central Vietnam, which provides theopportunity to explore the ancient cities of Hoi An and Hué on a private tour led by anEnglish-speaking guide. Passing through traditional rice paddy fields and stopping off attemples and palaces, the operator has designed the trip for amateur cyclists looking for aunique way to explore the area’s highlights. These include visits to villages and the UNESCOWorld Heritage Site of Hué monuments, the chance to see Vietnam’s countryside and meetlocal people, plus a sunset cruise on the Perfume River. Prices start from £2,055 in May andinclude seven nights’ breakfast accommodation, flights and transfers.

Romania, London & Arctic highlights from Ffestiniog Travel


THE UK, Switzerland, India and theUS are just four of the destinationsgrowing in popularity for escortedrail holidays this year, according toGreat Rail Journeys and its sistercompany Treyn.

And, with more than 40 new toursacross both brands for 2013, from atotal of 339 destinations, thecompanies have put together whatthey see as key trends this year.

In the UK, the Isle of Man, Scotlandand Yorkshire stand out as regionswhich lend themselves to beingdiscovered by rail. In Europe,Switzerland, Italy and Spain arecountries which the operator hasidentified as being particularlypopular for 2013, whilst furtherafield, the US, India and Ecuador areset to be hot destinations in railexperience holidays this year, whilethere remains a substantial growthfor river cruising by rail.

Great Rail Journeys, as well as itssister Treyn and Rail Select brands,carried more than 50,000 people on arail holiday for the period March 2011

to March 2012. The company puts thisdown to the increasing popularity ofrail as a method of holiday travel asopposed to travelling by plane, aswell as the variety of rail holidays onoffer across different price points,from affordable to luxury.

As a rail holiday destination,Switzerland is set to receive a boostin interest this year and theimprovement in the exchange rate ofthe pound against the Swiss franc,means holidays have dropped inprice by about £100-£200 per person.

The company's marketing andsales director Alex Roberts said:“After a few years of being eclipsedby other destinations, we expectSwitzerland to reclaim its spot as therail holiday destination in Europe.Great scenic rail experiences oniconic trains such as the GlacierExpress, Bernina Express andJungfrau Railway, the Swiss TravelCard (which gives customersflexibility), the inclusion of a widerange of content on our tours andevents such as the Montreux Jazz

Festival, will help feed the growth inrail holidays to Switzerland amongstour customers.”

Alex Roberts

RAINBOW TOURS has added a new Essence of Tanzania smallgroup tour to its programme, which offers a chance to discoverthe iconic scenery and varied game of Tanzania’s northern parksover nine days. The trip leads in at £2,995 per person and, in thecompany of top guides, guests will visit the Serengeti, NgorongoroCrater, Tarangire National Park and Lake Manyara to obtain adeep understanding of local life and spot wildlife. The priceincludes flights; private use of 4x4 vehicles and unlimited gamedrives; the services of a guide/driver; national park entrancefees; a visit to Olduvai Gorge; and accommodation in lodges andcamps with all meals included. The trip departs in March, Juneand October and the maximum group size is six per vehicle. See www.rainbowtours.co.uk or call 020-7666 1250.


Great Rail Journeys & Treyn unveil key trends in escorted rail tours

escortedtrips


WESTERN & Oriental has launched its new Luxury Indiaprogramme for 2013 featuring a collection of experience-led journeys with both tailor-made itineraries and fixeddepartures.

The collection includes Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal andoptions to combine India with these countries, as well asthe Maldives. Prices start from £1,469 per person for aneight-day Golden Triangle Group Tour in mid-range hotels,based on two sharing on a bed-and-breakfast. It alsoincludes six dinners, flights and transfers. The new largergroup tours programme also includes the 12-dayRajasthan Group Tours with prices from £1,799 per person.

The operator's group head of product and commercial

David Pointer said: “With travellers continuing to pressagents for more value India itineraries we’ve created threetier pricing for our most popular itineraries andintroduced value hotels to ensure our fixed departures arecompetitively priced."

The programme’s tailor-made journeys include NationalParks and Tigers and a Western Ghats itinerary whichtakes in the region’s newest hotel – Vivanta by Taj –Madikeri, Coorg.

Other new hotels include Uma Punakha in Bhutan andCarnoustie Beach Resort in Kerala. For more information or to book visitwww.westernoriental.com or call 020-7666 1234.

EAGLERIDER HAS launched a new tour, available through operators including Bon Voyage, TUI and Virgin holidays. The company hasteamed up with Sony Pictures to offer a 15-day Easy Rider Movie Tour which gives guests the opportunity to visit the locations wherethe movie was filmed and then ride from the highways of Southern California to Death Valley, Monument Valley to Taos, New Mexico,then across the plains of Texas down to New Orleans to experience jazz and blues music. Guests will also be given the opportunity toride the new Captain America bike that the company has commissioned. The tour is offered six times throughout this year, starting inMay and ending in October, with prices leading in at approximately £2,647 per person. For details see www.eaglerider.com or email [email protected]

FAMILY-FRIENDLY adventurespecialists Egypt Uncovered andNepal Uncovered are offering aselection of trips designed to fitwithin school breaks - from elephantriding through jungles and fun visitsto the Pyramids, to boat excursionsand camping.

As examples, a ten-day NileFamily Adventure visits the GreatPyramids, the Sphinx and thePharaonic tombs where children canact as Egyptologists for the day,searching for mummies anddiscovering the secrets of ancientkings. Travellers will then visit alocal school and experience atraditional Egyptian meal beforestepping onto a felucca sailboat andsailing down the Nile towards Luxor,spending the evening singing arounda campfire. Once in Luxor, children

will have the chance to seeTutankhamun’s tomb and the templecomplex at Karnak.

Prices lead in at £620 per adultand £500 per child for a departureon March 30, including a saving of£75 per adult and £120 per child.Also included are transfers, variedaccommodation on a mixed-boardbasis, six nights in four- and five-star hotels, two nights on a sleepertrain and one night on a feluccaboat, plus the services of a guide.

A two-week Nepal FamilyAdventure begins with a city tour ofKathmandu and combines culturalvisits to religious sites, before flyingto Pokhara for a three-day campingtrek through forests and a climb toPanchase Hill. A cycle trip follows tothe Devi Falls and later children canenjoy comparing their school to a

local Nepalise one, where they willhave the chance to pick up a fewNepali words.

The trip also sees families tacklethe Trisuli River on a raft, take in ajungle walk or jeep safari throughChitwan National Park andexperience an elephant ride.

Prices lead in at £950 per adultand £800 per child, based on aMarch 24 or July 28 departure.Offering a saving of £100 per adultand £150 per child, the priceincludes transfers, variedaccommodation on a mixed-boardbasis, nine nights in hotels, threenights camping and two nights inlodges, plus the services of a guide.Prices for both tours exclude flights. For more information visit www.egypt-uncovered.com andwww.nepal-uncovered.com


escortedtrips

Egypt Uncovered & Nepal Uncovered unveil family adventure tours from £400

Western & Oriental launches Luxury India programme



WORLDWIDE ESCORTED TOURS

BOOK BY 28 FEBRUARY 2013AND SAVE UP TO £280pp*

To book or fi nd out more, please call 0800 988 5800 or visit

www.titanagents.co.uk

* Terms & conditions apply, see website for details

CALIFORNIA AND THE GOLDEN WEST

16 Days fromWas £1,695 Now £1,595

Departs 07/12/13Other departure dates available

SAVE £100pp

ITALY’S GOLDEN RIVIERA

9 days fromWas £,1745 Now £1,595

Departure 05/09/13Other departure dates available

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AN INDIAN ODYSSEY

14 days fromWas £2,575 Now £2,295

Departure 21/11/13Other departure dates available

SAVE £280pp

TB 103x297 010213.indd 1 01/02/2013 12:40

escortedtrips

SHEARINGS IS highlighting a range of new itinerariesincluding a 12-day Discover Indochina & the Mekong optionfrom £2,699. The cruise takes in Vietnam and Cambodia withkey destinations including Ho Chi Minh City and the MekongDelta. Customers will also have the opportunity to experiencea “tuk tuk” trip, visit floating markets, explore Angkor Thomand the Ancient Royal Palace. The price includes eight nights'full board cruise, a two-night stay in Siem Reap, flights andtransfers. Departures are available from March to December.

Also new is a 13-day China and the mighty Yangtze Rivertour from £2,239. The holiday takes in China’s top sights,including Shanghai, Bejing and the Great Wall of China andincludes a four-night cruise on the MV Century Star, whichtakes in the Three Gorges Dam and the Yangtze river.

The price includes full board on the cruise, seven nights'hotel accommodation, several meals, 14 excursions, flights andtransfers, with departures available between April and October. For more information call 0844-824 6351 or visitwww.shearings.com

Shearings promotes new itineraries for 2013

JOURNEYS OF Distinction is offering up to £400 discountper couple for bookings made by February 28.

The operator's Luxury Classic Collection offers morethan 30 worldwide destinations including Australia, NewZealand, Asia and South America, with hand-pickedhotels and a maximum group size of 25.

The Great Value Light Collection offers a moreadventurous approach to touring holidays, with time forguests to explore independently. New destinationsinclude Burma, Borneo, Cambodia and Costa Rica.

The company is continuing to offer an agent incentive,with enhanced commission and every booking countingtowards a fam trip to Sri Lanka in May. For more information visit www.jod.uk.com/travelagents or call 0161-491 7616.

Up to £400 savings per couple fromJourneys of Distinction

China

Seven-night Morocco tour from £699 with Menara TravelMENARA TRAVEL is promoting a seven-night Imperial Citiesescorted tour in Morocco for £699 per person.

The itinerary takes in the cities of Fes, Meknes, Rabat andMarrakech, and departs every Sunday from Gatwick.

The price includes half-board accommodation in four-starhotels, flights, visits to Casablanca, Marrakech, Fez, Meknesand Rabat, 20kg baggage allowance, tour guide, transport,entrance fees for monument visits and dinner with a show. For more information call 020-7371 2030 or [email protected]



escortedtrips

TITAN IS highlighting a selection ofescorted tours from the US’ GrandCanyon to Australia’sGreat Barrier Reef fromits second editionWorldwide brochure.Complimentary regionalflights are offered fromnorthern England,Scotland, NorthernIreland, the Isle of Manand the Channel Islands,plus generous rates ofcommission and asimple booking process.

As examples, a 19-dayBest of South Africaoption encompasses thehighlights of the region,including four open-topjeep game drives in theMala Mala reserve andthree nights at the five-star Table Bay Hotel inCape Town. Departingon March 24, April 28 and datesthroughout next year, prices start from£3,995 per person. A nine-day Beauty of

the Italian Lakes option offers four-staraccommodation throughout and visits toLake Garda, Lake Como and Lake

Maggiore, plus a guidedtour of a local winery.Departing on May 22,prices start from £1,395per person when bookedbefore February 28.

Other highlightsinclude a 34-day GrandVoyage to Easter Islandon Fred. Olsen’s purpose-built expedition vessel,the Black Watch, nextyear. Bookings made byFebruary 28 will receive a£200 per cabin onboardcredit to use towardspurchases such as drinksor spa treatments, andprices for the cruise leadin at £4,995 per person,based on a February 13,2014 departure.

For more information call 0800-988 5166or visit www.titanagents.co.uk

KIRKER HOLIDAYS ispromoting a selection ofcultural breaks and musicholidays.

As examples, The NorthNorfolk Music Festivaloffers a range of musicperformances and theitinerary includes a visit tothe Houghton Revisitedexhibition at HoughtonHall. A four-night holidaydeparting on August 27leads in at £948 perperson, with no singlesupplement.

A Music Cruise to theBaltic & St Petersburg onFred.Olsen’s ‘Black Watch’,offers private musicalperformances in the ship’sMarina Theatre and thechance to join the KirkerChoir. The 14-night no/flycruise also includes shorestops in Warnemünde (forBerlin), Stockholm, Tallinn,St Petersburg, Karlskrona,Copenhagen andAmsterdam. It departs onMay 7 and prices start from£2,385 per person basedon two sharing an insidecabin.

Meanwhile, aExtremadura & Castille inSpain visits two of thecountry's most historic andunspoilt regions. Theseven-night itinerary isbased first in Trujillo, fromwhere the group travels toCáceres and Mérida, beforemoving on to Ávila andincludes excursions toSalamanca, Segovia and ElEscoriál. It departs on April15 and October 21 andleads in at £1,889 perperson, based on twosharing.

A seven-night Francetrip staying in Beaune andAuxerre is also beinghighlighted, with pricesleading in at £1,989 for May7 and September 2departures. For more information call 020-7593 2284 or seewww.kirkerholidays.com

Titan highlights tours from second edition Worldwide brochure

VISIONS OF Africa's ‘Taste of Kenya & Mombasa’ escorted tour is one of the operator's most popularand includes visits to Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru and Amboseli in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro.The six-night full board safari takes in three safari regions in Kenya followed by five nights inMombasa and leads in at £1,365 based on two sharing. It includes flights, all meals andaccommodation as specified, transfers, game viewing activities and a guide. Visas are excluded andregional UK departures can be arranged at an additional cost. For details call 01444-225640 or visit www.visionsofafrica.co.uk

Kirker highlightscultural tours andmusic holidays



PRESTIGE HOLIDAYS has reported a boost in bookings to theislands of Malta and Gozo for this summer.

The operator's marketing manager Nicky Shafe said:"Malta and Gozo bookings have remained flat for the lastcouple of years but this year they have really taken off. Wehave seen more than a 200% year-on-year increase inbusiness, with the majority of bookings being for couples onstays of between seven and ten nights.

"The increase has been helped by a combination of stronghotel offers, the great range of luxury hotels that areavailable and also the fact that the destination offers greatvalue with a week's five-star stay starting from just £649 atthe Corinthia Palace Hotel & Spa this summer."

Special deals from the operator include free nights acrossits Malta portfolio, as well as early booking offers, free childstays at selected properties and free car hire at Ta Cenc inGozo. For more information see www.prestigeholidays.co.uk/malta or call 01425-480400.

malta&gozo

MARITIM ANTONINE Hotel & Spa Malta has opened ‘Al Ponte’, a new Mediterranean Bistro. The restaurant, which is located on the seventhfloor of the hotel, offers a menu of classic Mediterranean dishes, as well as stone oven pizzas and fresh fish from the harbour.

Pool at the Corinthia Palace Hotel & Spa

NEW Gatwick weekly flight to Malta for summer ‘13

NINE UK airports with flights to Malta

ALL prices are fully inclusive of taxes and are ATOL protected

ABTA No.V1021

* *Calls cost 10p per minute plus network extras

* Price based on one way departure

Flights from: GATWICK, BIRMINGHAM, EAST MIDLANDS, NEWCASTLE, CARDIFF, GLASGOW, EXETER, BRISTOL AND NORWICH

Prestige Holidays sees a surge in Malta and Gozo bookings for summer

S05 TB0802 Malta & Gozo_Layout 1 06/02/2013 12:26

COSMOS HOLIDAYS and Avro Flights are featuring a range ofregional departures for this summer for packages and flight-only with departures available from up to nine UK airports.

New to the programme is a Saturday departure fromGatwick throughout the summer season, bringing the total offlights a week from both Manchester and Gatwick to three.

Jody Clapham, product manager for Cosmos, said: “Weare making our Malta programme more flexible andintroducing flights to offer the convenience of flying fromcustomers’ local airports. This summer we are offering threeflights a week from both Gatwick and Manchester and twiceweekly from East Midlands.

“Our higher graded all-inclusive units continue to be thebest performers including the four diamond rated SeabankResort which is now our number one best selling unit for thegateway. With the range of daily flights available, Maltacontinues to cater for both the short and long stay market.All the hotels we offer throughout the summer are availableon a flexi-stay basis from three to 42 nights which caters forall markets.”

The company's range of flights are available for seven-and 14-night durations on both packages and flight-only.

Malta Direct expands flight programme MALTA DIRECT HAS expanded its flight portfolio for 2013which includes the addition of more airline carriers andmore flight routes.

The operator now offers increased flight departuresfrom four new departure airports and two new airlines,with all carriers including taxes and one piece ofluggage per passenger.

New airline partners include easyJet, Ryanair,Monarch Airlines, Thomas Cook Airlines, Thomson Flyand Small Planet Airlines, and new UK departure pointsinclude Edinburgh, Luton, Bournemouth and Stansted.

As examples of prices, seven nights at the new four-star Tower Palace Hotel from February 22 costs from£269 per person, based on two adults sharing a standardroom on a bed-and-breakfast basis, including flightswith Ryanair from Birmingham, transfers and entranceto a local Malta attraction.

A seven-night stay at the four-star Solana Hotel leadsin at £249 per person, based on two sharing andincludes breakfast. The price is based on a February 14departure and includes flights with easyJet fromManchester, transfers and entrance to a local Maltaattraction. To book or for more information visitwww.maltadirect.com or call 0845-604 0035.

Cosmos Holidays & Avro Flights expandMalta programme


malta&gozo

DIVE WORLDWIDE recommends a stay on the island of Comino, a small island of the Maltese archipelago between Malta and Gozo,for clients who want to learn to dive. The company is offering seven nights' breakfast stay at the Comino Hotel from £795 perperson, including flights, transfers and a dive pack. For details see www.diveworldwide.com or call 01962-302087.

THE MALTA Tourism Authority (MTA), in conjunction with AirMalta, has launched a new Spa and Wellness Brochure forthe UK market.

It details all of the four- and five-star properties on Maltaand Gozo that feature state-of-the-art spas offering thelatest treatments and facilities, including all-inclusivetherapeutic spa bedrooms and a hamman spa.

Meanwhile, to reward agents and operators for their

continued support the MTA and Air Malta have launched awinter offer to give the trade the chance to experience thewinter sun of Malta first hand.

The offer is valid until March 24 and includes flights forone agent plus one accompanying guest, with prices from€50 per person, excluding applicable taxes.For more information visit www.mta.com.mt/pepoffers,www.visitmalta.com and www.airmalta.com

Malta Tourism Authority & Air Malta team up to launch new Spa and Wellness brochure


CLASSIC COLLECTIONHolidays is promoting arange of special offers onholidays to Malta & Gozofor early summer bookersand those seeking a latewinter getaway.

The Westin DragonaraResort in St Julians and theGrand Hotel Excelsior Maltain Valletta are offering onefree night in seven onholidays booked and takenby February 28. Seven-night prices this monthstart from £569 and £587per person respectively.

Reduced rates at theXara Palace in Mdina, theonly Relais and Chateauxproperty on the island,mean savings of up to £182per couple per week areavailable on holidaysbooked by March 31 andtaken between May 1 andOctober 31. Seven-nightprices in July start from

£980 per person. On the neighbouring

island of Gozo theKempinski San Lawrenz isoffering reduced ratesavings on holidays takenbetween May 1 and October31 of up to £238 per coupleper week when booked 90days before departure, andup to £182 per couple perweek when booked 60 daysprior to departure. Guestscan also take advantage of

the Ayurveda Centre in theKempinski Spa, which isoffering a range ofmassage techniquesoriginating from thesouthern India region ofKerala. Seven-night pricesin May start from £774 perperson including flights andprivate transfers.For more information or to book call 0800-008 7288 or visitwww.classic-collection.co.uk

Kempinski SanLawrenz, Gozo

Superbreak addsnew hotel in Sliema A NEW hotel in Sliema isnow available throughSuperbreak for agents tobook. The four-starboutique Victoria Hoteloffers a range of facilitiesincluding indoor andoutdoor swimming pools,spa, gym, Wi-fi and freeparking. It also features 140guestrooms which includeten Junior Suites.

Prices lead in at £29.50per person per nightincluding breakfast in April.Agents can also book flightinclusive packages with fullAtol protection. Prices arefrom £278 per personincluding two nights’accommodation and flightswith easyJet from Gatwick,based on an April 5departure.For more information or to book seewww.superbreak.com/agentsor call 0871-221 4444.

Prestige Holidays offer the best prices for a range of 4 and 5 star hotels in Malta and Gozo, from traditional elegant hotels to the more modern beachfront hotels, something to suit every client.

We have fantastic offers including free nights and free room upgrades. Prices from only £417 at a 4 star hotel for a week in February.

We offer flexibility using any flights, even from your local airport, so can offer long stays or short breaks for your clients.

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

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malta&gozoClassic offers savings for early and late bookers in Malta & Gozo


BELLEAIR HOLIDAYScontinues to expand itsportfolio for this year withincreased departures fromfour new airports,partnerships with two newairlines and, for the firsttime, offering travel agentpartners the option ofbooking directly online.

Now available throughthe company's website,travel agents can tailortheir clients’ flight choicesby choosing their preferreddeparture airport and thendeciding which carrier theywish to fly.

Agents can also now seea range of other carriersfor the same route,enabling them to refine theflight options to coincidewith the clients’ criteriaand holiday budget. Allflights include taxes andone piece of luggage perpassenger.

The new UK departuresare available fromEdinburgh, Luton,Bournemouth and Stanstedand the operator now

offers 15 UK departureswith Air Malta, easyJet,Ryanair, Monarch, ThomasCook, Thomson Fly andSmall Planet Airlines.

The company's nationalsales manager EmmaYorke said: “We are reallyexcited to be partneringonline with so manycarriers and believe we arenow able to offer a morecomplete range of flightoptions to our agencypartners and their clients.

"We are pleased to offeragents greater flightflexibility from so manyregional airports across theUK and we’re delighted tobe working with a numberof respected airlines.

"Naturally all ourpackages will be covered byour Atol, offering clientspeace of mind whenbooking.”

As examples of prices,seven nights at the three-star Tower Palace Hotelcosts from £299 perperson, based on twosharing a standard room

and including breakfast.The price also includesflights with Ryanair fromBirmingham, transfers andentrance to a local Maltaattraction, and is based ona February 22 departure.

A seven-night stay at thefour-star Topaz Hotel leadsin at £244 per person for aFebruary 9 departure andincludes breakfastaccommodation, Ryanairflights from Stansted,transfers and entrance to alocal Malta attraction.

Meanwhile, seven nightsat the five-star RadissonBlu Hotel, St Julians costsfrom £399 per person.

The price is based ontwo sharing a standardroom on a bed-and-breakfast basis for aFebruary 9 departure, andincludes flights withRyanair from Luton,transfers and entrance to alocal Malta attraction. For more information or to book seewww.belleair.co.uk/agentsor call 0845-365 3412.

Belleair Holidays offers travel agents option to book online


HEADWATER IS offering a six-night cycle tour on Gozo staying at four- and five-star hotels, including two nights at the Kempinski in SanLawrenz, from £827 per person (tour only) and £1,049 with flights. The tour takes on easy routes across short distances and includeshalf-board accommodation, transfers, bike hire, maps and route notes and the transport of bags between hotels.For details call 0845-322 4672, email [email protected] or see www.headwater.com

malta&gozo

InBrief● RYANAIR IS to commence a

new three times weekly routefrom Liverpool to Malta inMarch. The launch is inaddition to scheduleddepartures London Stansted(four times a week),Bournemouth (twice weekly)and weekly flights from Luton,Dublin, Leeds Bradford, Bristol,Birmingham and Edinburgh.

● MONARCH HAS announced aroute to Malta from EastMidlands for summer from itsnewest base, East Midlands.Flights will operate twiceweekly from May 7.

● VISITORS TO Malta exceeded1,440,000 last year and thedestination welcomed200,000 more visitors in 2012than in 2007, which was arecord year for tourism.Visitors also spent nearly12.5million nights in thecountry, 1.5million nights morethan in 2007.

● MALTA’S CAPITAL city, Valletta,has been selected as EuropeanCapital of Culture 2018.

See www.valletta2018.org

ABTA No.V5323

HOLIDAYS • ACCOMMODATION ONLY • TOUR • CAR HIRE • FLIGHTS • CRUISE

Your money is 100% protectedwith anything you

book from us

Belleair flying higher in 2013!

We now fly from 16 UK Airports offering low-cost, scheduled and charterservices! Even more ways to visit the marvellous Maltese islands.

Book online or call reservations!

Find us on facebook - www.facebook.com/belleairagents

To book call reservations: 0845 758 1141 or go online: www.belleair.co.uk/agents

Gozo & CominoMalta

Winter 12/13 from £249pp

The preferred Partner of Air MaltaSummer 13

from £379pp



ORBITAL TRAVEL has announced that it has adoptedprincipal status as an accommodation-only supplier forits Nile Cruise product.

The company says that the introduction of the newFlight Plus regulations and its commitment to the tradehas prompted it to assume principal status, and puts itin a unique position to provide its trade partners withadditional security as it takes on responsibility for thebooking, customer's health and safety and increasedliability.

The company's managing director John McCallumsaid: “We have a very strong relationship with the tradeand we wanted to strengthen this further by assuming aprincipal status role. This will allow us to provide abetter service and more assurance and security, and todifferentiate us from our competition.”

The company supplies accommodation and transfersfor its Nile Cruise boats which are contracted exclusivelyto the UK market, as well as 15% commission and 24-hour agent support, both in the UK and Egypt. For more information email [email protected] orsee www.orbitaltravel.co.uk

Orbital Travel assumes principal status

accommodationonly

A beach in Parga

SOMEWHERE2STAY IS offering arange of low priced accommodationon a choice of board bases acrossvarious Greek destinations. Pricesstart from £10 per unit per night atthe two-diamond rated MariannaStudios in Kos for arrivals in May,September and October. Prices inZante are from £24 per unit per night

at the three-diamond rated DaisyStudios for August arrivals.

Alternatively, customers wantingall-inclusive accommodation canselect the three-diamond ratedIonian Sea Waterpark with pricesfrom £34 per person per night forarrivals in May.

Newly featured is the mainland

resort of Parga offering a choice ofaccommodation such as the three-diamond rated Vekios Studiosoverlooking Valtos Beach from £32per unit per night in September andOctober.For more information seewww.somewhere2stay.com or call0871-423 8356.

Somewhere2stay.com offers Greece accommodation from £10

Youtravel adds new destinations to portfolioYOUTRAVEL.COM HAS recently added new destinations to itsportfolio including Thailand, Dubai, Oman, the Caribbean, theAzorres and Lebanon.

The addition of Austria as a destination has also been a firstfor the company, as this is the first time that it is adding skihotels to its offering.

The company currently offers more than 5,000 hotelsavailable to book online and via its XML feeds, with more than120 hotels exclusive to the UK market.

As examples, two new and exclusive hotels have beenadded to the Aquis Collection, the Aquis Plaza Resort inAnavyssos and the Aquis Mon Repos Palace Art Hotel in Corfu,with rates starting from £35 per person per night based on anall-inclusive stay in May.

Meanwhile, the company reports that its recentannouncement regarding its return to trading under principalstatus comes at a time when the industry finds itself undermuch pressure and reforms, and has therefore been wellreceived by the trade, as evidenced by an increased number ofbookings and the generation of new business.For more information email [email protected] or visitwww.youtravel.com

KEYCAMP IS promoting its International parc in Paris,where seven nights' accommodation-only this June leadsin at £280 per party. There are also early bookingdiscounts on all trips booked before February 14.

Staying in the suburb of Maisons Laffite, 20-minutesaway from the city centre, guests will find the lights andsights of Paris are within easy reach – from the artcollections of the Louvre and the futuristic Pompidoucentre to the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs Elysees.For a day away from central Paris, the Palace of

Versailles is also within easy reach. Meanwhile, for abreak from the sightseeing, there are several goodrestaurants, a supermarket, local shops and a sportscomplex all within walking distance of the parc.

Seven nights commencing on June 8 and staying in atwo-bedroom Villanova mobile home (which sleeps up tofour adults and two children) leads in at £280 per party,including an early booking discount of £140. To book or for more information call 0844-406 0319 orvisit www.keycamp.co.uk

Keycamp highlights seven nights in Paris this June for £280 per party

S06 TB0802 Accommodation Only_Layout 1 06/02/2013 10:54

STARWOOD HAS opened itsfirst property on The Beachesof Fort Myers & Sanibel insouth west Florida. The WestinCape Coral Resort at MarinaVillage is conveniently locatedfor exploring the nearbybarrier islands of Sanibel andCaptiva, the J.N. “Ding” DarlingNational Wildlife Refuge, FortMyers Beach and the regions’multiple golf courses. Itfeatures 263 guestrooms andsuites and facilities include alagoon-style outdoor pool, claytennis courts, a spa and amarina offering water sports,boat trips and fishing. Pricesstart from £205 per night for atraditional double room withwater views and a privatebalcony or patio with tables andchairs. For travel agents, thecompany runs a StarwoodProprogramme where agents canparticipate in a trainingmodule. Once the module iscompleted, agents can accessfavourable rates and earnpoints to redeem against staysat any hotel in the company’sportfolio with every booking.For details seewww.starwoodhotels.com/proand for details on the resortvisit www.westin.com

PIERRE & Vacances is highlighting a selection of activities forsummer in locations throughout France, Spain and theCaribbean.

As examples, lake holidays offer activities such as kayaking,traditional pedalos and small sailing boats, with prices for aseven-night break at Cap Esterel in Côte d'Azur leading in at£352 if booked early. The price is based on a studio for two tofour people or a family price costs from £850 (usual price£1,001) for a one-bedroom apartment with an extra bunk roomfor the kids, based on the June half-term week.

A white-water rafting experience at Le Rouret HolidayVillage in Ardeche Gorges is also being highlighted,where seven nights cost from £249 for a two-personstudio if booked early. For clients keen to book theiractive holiday now or any of the operator’s seven- or 14-night holidays, there are special offer rates of 15% off aweek or 30% off a fortnight for bookings made beforeMarch 31. The offers include school holiday dates, exceptfrom August 3-16.For details visit www.pv-holidays.com

TRAVELCUBE HAS introduced 170,three- to five-star hotels from 12countries including Algeria,Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya,Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria,Tanzania, Tunisia and Zambia, with 44in South Africa and 35 in Morocco,two of the company's most populardestinations.

More than half of the properties(58%) are in sub-Saharandestinations, where visitors can takein a range of cultural, heritage,ecological, culinary, rural orcommunity-based experiences.

Rolf Schafroth, chief executive ofTravelCube’s parent GTA, said: “Wescour the globe for tens of thousandsof accommodation options,destination services, attractions and

experiences. We connect businessesto this vast portfolio through ourretail booking site, which makes iteasy for them to successfully marketand sell travel to consumers."

Among the accommodation on thenew list is the four-star Far HillsCountry Hotel in George, whichoverlooks the Outeniqua mountainsand is in the heart of South Africa’sGarden Route. The property offers anideal base to explore white, sandybeaches and forest walks, wildanimal sanctuaries and nearbytowns.

Other properties includeMarrakech’s five-star Sofitel Lounge &Spa hotel from where guests canexplore the Medina and the Djemaa elFna square; the three-star Peermont

Metcourt Inn in The Grand Palmresort in Gaborone, SouthernBotswana; and the three-and-a-half-star Casa Piccolo Guest House, a 16-bedroom pension in one ofWindhoek's oldest suburbs. For details see www.travelcube.com

TravelCube adds 170 African properties from 12 countries to portfolio

Far Hills Country Hotel

Pierre & Vacances gears up for summer activities in France, Spain & the Caribbean


accommodationonly


INNTRAVEL IS offering 43 hand-picked rural hideaways and country cottages across variouslocations in Europe under a new name, Rural Hideaways. The programme, which runs from thismonth through to November, introduces the Atlantic Coast Apartments on Portugal's Alentejocoast; Castle View Cottage in the Corbières in south-west France; Enchantment Cottage on theAmalfi Coast; and the Wise Owl Apartments in northern Tuscany. As an example of prices, aweek's bed-and-breakfast stay at the Atlantic Coast Apartments costs from £978 including carhire and walking notes. The newly converted cottages near Zambujeira sleep between two andfour guests and offer access to the facilities of the estate’s small ranch-style hotel. Guests canborrow the hotel’s bikes, use the swimming pool, follow walking routes or make use of the hirecar to explore further afield. The price is per property and is based on two sharing. Additionalguests stay for free or at a reduced price. For details call 01653 617000 or visit www.inntravel.co.uk


BOOKABED HAS launcheda new online group bookingengine for agents to accesscurrent requests and speedup the hotel bidding andnegotiations process fordiscounted group rates.

The technology linksagents to more than1,000,000 global groupcoordinators and to its40,000 hotel supplierpartners, and the systemsends requested proposalsto group co-ordinators whoprocess the requests tohotel sales contacts in therequested destination. Thecoordinator receives offersfrom hotels in compliancewith Bookabed’s lowest rateguarantee in real time.Agents are then able toaccept or reject hoteloffers, either beginning adialogue with their hotelsales contact directly orrequesting a morecompetitive offer.

The company's managingdirector Karl Tyrell said:“Since our system isobtaining real time bidsdirectly from salesmanagers at hotels theresponse time has beengreatly reduced and this isa vital factor in determiningwhich hotels and agenciesultimately get the groupbusiness. We are veryexcited to see thousands ofhotels already using thisnew platform. I believe thisis definitely a gamechanger for group hotelsales, and I am delightedthat we are the first inIreland to have this offeringfor our trade partners."For details [email protected]

HOSEASONS HAS launched its new holiday park concept,'Daisy Door Cottage Style Collections’.

The new collection combines the home comforts of aholiday cottage with the facilities of a park and lodge resortand is aimed at families, couples and groups of friends. Fourlocations have been chosen to launch the new collection -

Looe in Cornwall, Ayrshire in Scotland, Harrogate inYorkshire and Colwell Bay on the Isle of Wight.

The cottages sleep between two to eight people and offerflat screen TVs, DVD players and free Wi-fi. Pet-friendlyaccommodation is also available and cottages with hot tubsare available at every location.

HOTELBEDS HAS increased room nightsales for the Middle East, Asia, Australiaand Pacific Islands (MEAPAC) by 31% andhas unveiled its top ten best-sellingdestinations.

MEAPAC is the largest geographic regionfor the bed bank worldwide and thecompany reports that it has been steadilygrowing its presence in the region over thepast few years.

For 2012, room night sales increased by31% as the region became more accessible.The company’s growth in the region hasbeen further accelerated by infrastructureinvestments made by the countries in theregion, particularly to airports and hotels,with airlines increasing capacity andopening new routes.

Some 52% of room night sales on thecompany’s online booking platform aregenerated from the international market,while 48% come from inter-regional travel.Last year the top selling destinations inMEAPAC were Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai,

Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Shanghai,Guangzhou (China), Phuket, Koh Samui(Thailand) and Bali.

The top outbound destinations for thecompany’s Asian markets are Paris, London,Bangkok, Singapore, Bali, Barcelona, HongKong, Istanbul, Phuket and Dubai.

Pablo Aycart, the company’s MEAPACmanaging director, said: “The growth wehave achieved so far in the region is due tothe excellent relations our local teams havebuilt with client and suppliers and theinvestments we have made in our people,technology and distribution.

“Our focus for 2013 is to continue toincrease the hotel portfolio, develop thedistribution coverage and continue with oursource market and destination expansionacross the region particularly in Singapore,South Korea, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia,Indonesia, Thailand, China and thePhilippines.”For more information seewww.hotelbeds.com

Hotelbeds sees MEAPAC room night growth of 31%

accommodationonlyOnline groupbooking enginefrom Bookabed

Hoseasons launches new ‘Daisy Door’ holiday park concept

Atlantic Coast Apartments, Alentejo


Half-term discounts of 20% from Cottages4you COTTAGES4YOU IS offering up to 20% discount for the half-term week(February 18-22), with week-long breaks for four starting from £270.

As examples, a seven-night self-catering break from February 15 atLittle Whitnell Cottage near Nether Stowey leads in at £263.20 (reducedfrom £329). The property is within close proximity of Exmoor NationalPark and sleeps four in two bedrooms. A four-night self-catering breakat The Mount in Scalby, Scarborough costs from £576 (reduced from£720), based on a February 18 arrival, with the property sleeping tenpeople, while a seven-night break at the four-bedroom The Maerdy inTaliaris, Wales costs from £440.80 (reduced from £551), based on aFebruary 15 arrival. For more information or to book see www.cottages4you.co.uk or call 0845-268 1560.

Abercrombie & Kent expands collection with newvillas in Provence following customer demand ABERCROMBIE & Kent Villas has expanded its collection to includemore than 30 properties. Four new villas have been added, withproperties ranging from three to 11 bedrooms.

New to the market and exclusive to the operator is Les Lilas Blancs.The property sleeps up to 14 people and is located in the LuberonNational Park. It features original fireplaces, exposed stone walls,flagstone floors and vaulted ceilings, along with a modern kitchen.Prices lead in at £550 per person per week.

Other highlights from the portfolio include Le Mas du Ventoux, whichis also newly added for this year. Ideal for clients seeking peace andprivacy, it lies in the foothills of the Dentelles de Montmirail withpanoramic views over Mont Ventoux, the vineyards of the Rhone valleyand the olive groves and pine forests beyond. Sleeping up to ten people,prices lead in at £714 per person per week.

Another new addition is Le Mas de Gordes, which sleeps 12 and is setabove the village of Gordes, with prices starting from £532 per personper week. The property offers a lower ground floor (with two en-suitebedrooms, games room and pool table) that can be made separate forteenagers or guests who prefer their own space.

Other properties being highlighted include Le Mas de Roses whichlies within its own parkland and olive groves. Sleeping 14, the villacombines noble architecture with modern furnishings and a high-techkitchen. Other features include extensive terraces, an orangery with apiano, a library, wine cellar and tasting room, a large heated saltwaterpool and a 14th Century consecrated chapel in the grounds. Prices leadin at £457 per person per week.

La Maison de Maitre in the village of Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is alsopopular with clients according to operator. The luxury 18th Centurytown house, which features a heated indoor/outdoor swimming pool, isideal for clients who want entertainment on the doorstep and sleeps upto ten. Prices lead in at £552 per person per week.

We asked our staff thefollowing question this week:If you could play the leadrole in any movie what

would it be?Publisher: Jeanette [email protected]'s love interest in X-Men

Editor: Lauretta [email protected] Silverstone in Batman

Assistant Editor: Jill [email protected] Tautou in Amelie

Contributing Editor: Paul [email protected] say Homer Simpson - I prefer The Saint

Sales Director: Simon [email protected] Candy in Planes Trains and Automobiles

Advertisement Manager: Tim Podger

[email protected] Craig in Skyfall

Online Sales Manager: Nick [email protected] Colin Farrell or Ralph Fiennes roles in "In Bruges".Great lines - would be even better to have written it

Account Manager: Bill [email protected] Douglas in Sparticus

Sales Executive: Chris [email protected] Grey in 50 shades of Grey

Sales Executive: Matt [email protected]

Senior Designer: Genaro [email protected] Jordan in Space Jam

Assistant Designer: Nicky [email protected] Barrymore in E.T

Production: Jeremy Walters [email protected] Travolta in Saturday Night Fever

Circulation Manager: Jim [email protected]

Travagrams: (top) Fred Olsen Cruises (bottom) Republic of Fiji

Where Am I?: Swansea

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Travel Bulletin is published by Alain Charles Publishing (Travel) Ltd - University House, 11-13 Lower Grosvenor Place, London,SW1W 0EX, Tel: 020-7834 6661 Printed by: Wyndeham Grange LimitedSubscriptions are £105 p.a. £155 overseasISSN: 0956-2419

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Superbreak adds Hendon Hall to portfolioSUPERBREAK HAS added Hendon Hall, a Hand Picked Hotel, to itsportfolio of properties in and around London. The four-star hotel, whichoriginated as a 16th century mansion, is surrounded by gardens and isa stone’s throw of central London.

Prices lead in at £54.50 per person per night including breakfast. For more information see www.superbreak.com/agents or call 0871-221 4444.

accommodationonly


Commission will only be sent to the first 50 agencies that register during the entry period and enter the promo code EXP01.Eligible dates for entries are: Wednesday January 9th - Thursday February 28th On the first booking of Expedia Special Rate hotel done by March 31st 2013

Contact us:

Terms and conditions


WIN a £50Love2shopvoucher*

T H E R E A R E A S M A N Y

BEAUTIFUL STORIESAS THERE ARE DROPS IN THE OCEAN .

BEGIN A NEW STORY.

BEGIN A NEW STORY.

www.crystalcruises.co.uk

Reservations: 020 7399 7601

We invite you to discover some of the most fabled destinations on Earth with some of the best fares in history, andif you make a booking with Crystal Cruises by 31st January 2013, you will receive $300 per cabin onboard spend.

Sailing Date Itinerary Duration From (per person)

La Dolce Vita21 April 2013 Barcelona to Rome 5 nights £1,613 per person fly/cruise

Grecian Delights & Turkish Treats9 May 2013 Rome to Kusadasi 6 nights £1,398 per person cruise only

Southern Spanish Sun3 June 2013 Lisbon to Dover 5 nights £1,633 per person fly/cruise

Bounty of the Baltic25 June 2013 Stockholm to St Petersburg 5 nights £2,145 per person fly/cruise

Fares are per person, fly/cruise fares (unless otherwise stated) in UK sterling based on double occupancy in an outside stateroom for the first two full-fare guests in stateroom and include return economy class flightsfrom London, overseas transfer (where available) and taxes. Port, security and handling charges which vary by departure. All other stateroom grades are available on request. Fares valid until 28th February 2013. Allsailings include select fine wines, premium spirits, beers and all non-alcoholic beverages such as bottled water, soft drinks and specialty coffees plus pre-paid gratuities for housekeeping, dining and bar staff. All fares,offers and itineraries are subject to change and availability and can be withdrawn at any time. The above fares are available to new bookings only and only available to UK & Eire residents. Restrictions apply. Seecrystalcruises.co.uk for complete terms and conditions of all offers. (c)2012 Crystal Cruises, Inc., Ships' registry: The Bahamas.

*Register for the latest news, offers and incentives from Crystal Cruises by 15/02/13 for your chance toWIN £50 worth of Love2shop vouchers. Register at www.DiscoverCrystal.co.uk.

CRYSTAL GETAWAYSWe invite your clients to discover some of the most fabled destinations on Earth withsome of the best fares in history.


Travel Bulletin 8th February 2013

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Transcript of Travel Bulletin 8th February 2013