Travel Bulletin 6th December 2013

Study reveals 80% of Brits now takean annual UK break

Accommodation-only

December 6 2013 | ISSUE NO 1,853 | www.travelbulletin.co.uk

newsnew survey revealsagents feel optimisticgoing into 2014

puzzle bulletinplay su doku for yourchance to win a £50M&S voucher

germanyhoteliers & operatorshighlight new deals &product additions

3 1811this week

golf holidays

Italy’s Lake Como hostsInternational Golf TravelMarket 2014

14

TB0612 2013 Cover_TB Front Cover.qxd 04/12/2013 12:34 Page 1

your award-winning specialist

TurkeyNew resorts: Kas, Gocek, Icmeler • More family holidays than ever before

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Don’t forget to visit www.anatoliansky.co.uk to see what’s new. Sign up for our regular e-shots for our latest deals. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter

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S01 TB0612 Start_Layout 1 04/12/2013 10:30 Page 2

BOATING BUDDIES...Riviera Travel took a group of Travel Counsellors on a three-night river cruise, travelling from Budapest to Vienna. Pictured on the five-starMS Lord Byron with the operator's Joseph Grimley (third from left) are, from the left: Angela Oxley, Martin Flanagan, Merv Bates, Natalie Poat, Gaynor Pickardand Chris Roberts.

This Week

3 newsnew survey finds agents feeloptimistic going into 2014

8 at home with eileenEileen enjoys her time at theTravel Counsellors annualconference

9 agent bulletinTravel 2 offers double pointsto agents on completion ofonline module

11 puzzle bulletinplay su doku for your chanceto win a £50 M&S voucher

12 agent reviewfind out what one agentthought of her hotel stay inDublin

14 golf holidaysItaly’s Lake Como to playhost to International GolfTravel Market 2014

18 germanyhoteliers & operatorshighlight new deals & 2014product additions

20 accommodation-onlynew study reveals 80% ofBrits now take an annual UKbreak

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newsbulletin

BRITISH TRAVEL agents are in high spiritsand feeling positive about the past year’stravel business, according to a new surveyfrom Carnival Cruise Lines.

The nationwide poll found that 84% ofagents feel positive about the health ofthe travel industry during 2013 –compared to 82% in last November’sstudy.

The survey also revealed that in termsof forward bookings, nearly two thirds(61%) of agents said the outlook forholiday bookings in 2014 is good or verystrong.

When asked how good they felt aboutthis year’s summer season, the majorityof respondents rated their mood as eightout of ten, up from six out of ten last year,with only 1% of agents feeling verynegative.

The findings are from the line's thirdTravel Agent Mood Index – an annual pollthat aims to gauge the level of optimismin the UK travel trade.

The survey also revealed that more thanthree quarters of British agents (76%) hittheir sales targets during quarters twoand three this year and a further 79%predict they will hit their targets for thefourth quarter.

According to the survey, agents weremost confident about booking all-inclusive

holidays, followed by package holidayswith cruise holidays rounding up the topthree.

Despite several incidents faced by thecruise industry earlier this year, theresults revealed that concerns on safetyare not proving to be as big of a challengeas they were six months ago. Some 17%of agents this time around said safety wasone of the biggest challenges facing thecruise sector at the moment – down from33% last year.

With regards to destinations, the UStopped the table as the most popularholiday hot spot with Turkey and Spaincoming second and third respectively.

Those consumers least affected by thestruggling economy – mature couples –are the holidaymakers making travelagents happy by booking the most trips(66%). Encouragingly though, families(48%) were the second most populargroup of customers responsible for drivingthe most bookings, with young couplescoming in third.

When agents were asked aboutdiscounting in the cruise market, nearlyhalf said that there was a lot ofdiscounting but that it had improved. Afurther 26% of agents believed that therewasn’t too much discounting in the cruisemarket.

Carnival survey reveals agents feel optimistic going into 2014


BELLEAIR HOLIDAYS is offering family holidays with freechild places for departures between May and October 2014for holidays of seven nights or more.

The offer is available in more than 65 hotels, apartmentsand farmhouses, offering a choice of meal options from self-catering to all-inclusive and departures from a choice ofseven UK regional airports.

As an example, a seven-night breakfast stay at the five-star Radisson Blu Golden Sands Resort & Spa costs from£2,047 per family, saving up to £473 per family. It includesdirect flights from Newcastle, transfers, complimentaryentrance to a selected Malta attraction and one free childplace. The offer is subject to availability and is based on twoadults and one child sharing, valid for travel on July 29, 2014.For further information or to book visitwww.belleair.co.uk/agents or call 0845-365 3412.

Kids ski free at half-term with Powder White POWDER WHITE is offering free lift passes for children atFebruary half-term, offering families savings in the popularresorts of Courchevel, Val d’Isere, Meribel, Verbier and StAnton.

A free local area six-day lift pass is valid, while stockslast, for all new catered chalet holiday bookings for the weekcommencing February 15, and every child travelling willreceive a free pass – with savings of up to £125 per child.

In-chalet ski fitting, special children’s meals and theoption to pre-book all lessons and ski hire in advance arealso offered, while children under 12 will receive a 10%discount on all chalet bookings.

The operator is featuring ten new chalets this seasonincluding The Sebastian in St Anton, Austria, a property inthe Stadl area of the resort with three ensuite bedrooms andan open plan living/dining area with a terrace overlookingthe slopes. The chalet comes complete with free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TV, DVD library, iPod dock and a free shuttle serviceinto resort.

Seven nights at The Sebastian costs £1,299 per adult and£1,169 per child at half-term, based on a February 15departure.

It includes breakfast, afternoon tea, pre-dinnerChampagne and canapes, a three-course dinner with wineand unlimited house wine (six out of seven nights) and a freelocal area six-day lift pass for children under 12.

Travel, transfers, in-chalet ski fitting and activities can allbe organised and tailor-made in advance. For further information visitwww.powderwhite.com/offers.htm or call 020-8877 8888.

Free child places from Belleair Holidays

PETER ANDRE has announcedthat he will be bringing his2014 UK tour to ButlinsMinehead for a special liveperformance at the seasideresort over November 14-17weekend next year. Early birdtickets are on sale now from£125 per person, based onfour sharing a Silverapartment and includingtickets to see Peter Andre. For details seewww.bourneleisuresales.co.uk or call 0845-070 4742.

www.travelbulletin.co.ukDecember 6 20134

newsbulletin

Mailings with Travel Bulletin this week include:

● Carnival Cruise Lines are delighted to enclose their2014-15 brochure featuring amazing cruises to theCaribbean, Mexico, Hawaii, Alaska, Canada andPanama.

● Visas365 showcase their special edition travel agentsupplement for 2014, further details either visitwww.visas365.co.uk or call 020 7554 3736

Mailbox

For further details and special offers please read the mail shots that accompany this issue

RESEARCH RELEASED byABTA – The TravelAssociation, has found thata significant and growingnumber of consumers,38%, believe that it is theirtravel company’sresponsibility to beenvironmentally responsiblerather than their own; upfrom 28% in 2012 and 31%in 2010. At the same time,almost half of allconsumers, 49%, say thatthey don’t want to thinkabout being green onholiday but just want torelax, up from 38% in 2012and 41% in 2010; a clearindication that the publicare increasingly looking tothe industry to take a leadon the environment ratherthan having to considerthese issues themselvesonce on holiday.

One in five consumers(21%) say they are preparedto pay more for a holidaywith a company that has abetter environmental andsocial record, which hasincreased from 14% in 2012and 17% in 2010.Consumers are alsoincreasingly likely to chooseone company over anotherbased on a betterenvironmental record, 23%say they would do this, upfrom 19% in 2011 and 16%in 2012.

There is also growingsupport for holidays to have

an environmental andsocial rating, similar to starratings for hotels, withmore than a third (36%) ofconsumers in favour of this,up from 25% in 2012 and29% in 2010.

Nikki White, theassociation's head ofdestinations andsustainability, said: “Ourresearch has producedsome very clear messagesfor the travel industry.There are a growingnumber of consumers,particularly the young, whoare prepared to pay apremium for a holiday thatis more sustainable. One ofthe reasons for this couldbe that consumers arerealising that a moresustainable holiday tends tobe a better holiday as itmay, for example, givethem opportunities to trylocal food and engage withlocal culture. The messageis also clear that manyconsumers seesustainability as the travelindustry’s responsibility andthey want to go on holidayto relax, not worry or fellguilty about theenvironment. So, it makesclear economic sense forcompanies to have a wellthought out sustainabilityplan that sells the positivebenefits of sustainability toconsumers and taps intothis growing market.”

ABTA research finds one in five willpay extra for sustainable holidays


0844 357 [email protected] | www.digital-trip.co.uk

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GRAND AMERICAN Adventures, whichspecialises in small group adventuresto the Americas, has announced thelaunch of an exclusive selection ofspecial interest tours, includingphotography, birdwatching and wildlife.

The new options have been developedalongside professional photographers,birders and wildlife experts and areexpected to appeal to hobbyists andtravellers keen to try something new.

Examples include a seven-dayphotography itinerary from Las Vegas tothe Grand Canyon, 13 days touringNorthern New England and Canada, 12days touring the Rocky Mountain Rangeand a 13-day 'Alaska, Wildlife &Wilderness' option.

The tours aim to give travellers oncein a life time experiences and includehighlights such as taking a float planetrip in the Alaskan wilderness to

searching for bears, sailing downCanada’s Inside Passage spottingwhales, taking advantage of uniquephoto opportunities on a Navajo guidedbackroads tour in Monument Valley andexperiencing the rare birdlife within theCosta Rican rainforests, lava fields andcloud forests.For further information visitwww.grandamericanadventures.com orcall 0844-576 1406.

WITH THE winter chillnow set firmly in place,images of cosy settings,log fires and a festiveatmosphere might just be what we all need. The GoodPub Guide 2014 is just the ticket, listing more than4,800 pubs across Britain, Scotland and Wales. Theguide offers full reviews from experts and readers,top ten lists and 'Pub of the Year' awards. Handyinformation such as contact details, facilities andopening hours, will ensure a trip to arecommended pub isn't wasted. The Good PubGuide 2014 retails at £15.99 and is available atwww.thegoodpubguide.co.uk

Fancy a pint...?ON THE

CASETRAVELACCESSORIES YOUWON'T WANT TOLEAVE BEHIND...

Special Aruba farefrom KLM KLM HAS launched a £680return fare to Aruba fromManchester, available fordepartures until February28.

The airline operates fivetimes weekly fromManchester to Aruba, via itsinternational hub atAmsterdam airport,Schiphol.For more information seewww.aruba.com

Grand American Adventures introduces exclusive special interest tours

S02 TB0612 News 1_Layout 1 04/12/2013 11:01 Page 5

TOURS INSIDE the Houses of Parliamentare available for the first time over theChristmas and New Year period. Openingdates are on December 21, 27 and 28;and January 2, 3 and 4.

The ‘Blue Badge’ guided tours takevisitors on a 75-minute journeycombining 1,000 years of history, modernday politics and art and architecture. Tour

highlights include the Lords andCommons Chambers, the Queen’s RobingRoom, the Royal Gallery, Central Lobby,Members’ Lobby and Westminster Hall.

English language tours run at 15minute intervals throughout the daybetween 09.15 and 16.30 and tickets cost£16.50 for adults with concessions forseniors, students and the armed forces at

£14. One child is admitted free with eachpaying adult, otherwise tickets are £7 peradditional child aged five to 15. Specialrates for groups of ten or more rangebetween £9 and £13 per persondepending on the tour start time. For details call Ticketmaster on 0844-847 1672 or seewww.parliament.uk/visiting

Festive tours at the Houses of Parliament across Christmas & New Year from £16.50


newsbulletin

Tweets of

the WeekWho’s saying what

on Twitter...

@UKAndyHarmer CLIA UK & Irelandannounce a special eventwith Norwegian Getawayon January 15 - anexclusive for CLIAmembers:http://ow.ly/rgwmr

@TravelodgeUK It's one month away, sohead to the UK's bestChristmas markets to getyour shopping sortedhttp://bit.ly/17W5G54

@OfficialBRS Enjoy a last minute 3 nightbreak to Lapland for only£1047 per family withSanta's Lapland.More>>http://ow.ly/rh7eh

@HertzOffersUK Whether it's an epicAmerican road trip or ashort State-side break in2014, book early & save20% on USA car hire:http://bit.ly/18l6a5x

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

TravelBulletin

Newsbites● VIRGIN HOLIDAYS has launched a new Ski & Board 2013/14 digital brochure for iPads,

which is its first fully-digital, app-enhanced interactive brochure featuring pop-ups,scrolling, click through content and imagery. The brochure features a range of newdestinations in the US together with a wide choice of resorts in Canada. A PC version isalso available from www.virginholidays.co.uk/order-brochure

● LONDON IS to receive a 24-hour Tube service at weekends from 2015. Friday andSaturday services will run through the night on core parts of the system – initiallycomprised of the Piccadilly, Victoria, Central and Jubilee lines and key sections of theNorthern line.

● BRITAIN’S TOURISM industry is expected to more than double from £127bn in 2013 to£257bn by 2025, according to a new report commissioned by VisitBritain. The ‘Tourism:jobs and growth’ report suggests that the UK’s tourism industry could make up 10% of UKGDP by 2025, up from 9% this year, with this growth creating 175,000 new jobs.

● THE PALM Springs Bureau of Tourism and the Palm Springs Convention Center haveredesigned www.visitpalmsprings.com, www.visitgaypalmsprings.com andwww.palmspringscc.com to showcase and support the brand messaging of theCalifornian city being “Like no place else”. The three data-driven websites offerautomated social media engagement and real-time access through multiple web-basedplatforms, along with improved navigation and guest reviews.

● NEXT YEAR will see New Zealand complete its nationwide 'Nga Haerenga Cycle Trail’, ajointly funded Government and community network of cycle trails to showcase the best ofNew Zealand's landscape, environment, culture and heritage. When New Zealand’s 23Great Rides are completed, cyclists will have a choice of almost 2,500km of dedicatedcycle routes free to explore independently or as part of a guided group.

● ORGANISERS LOOKING to make a new booking for events between January and Marchnext year can take advantage of Edinburgh First’s ‘Winter Warmer’ deal, offering a day-delegate rate of £35. With a portfolio of venues across the capital, the special fee includesmain room hire, lunch, morning and afternoon refreshments as well as use of a dataprojector and screen. The offer is available for events taking place between January 1 andMarch 31, 2014.

● GULLIVER'S IS offering children whose birthday falls on December 25 a free trip withthree friends at one of its SplashZone, Nerf Zone or Spy Zone attractions. The companyoffers SplashZones at its Warrington and Milton Keynes parks, Nerf Zones in MiltonKeynes and Matlock Bath plus a Spy Zone in Matlock Bath. Trips must be taken duringthe school Christmas holidays and places depend on availability. For details see www.gulliversfun.co.uk or call 01925-444888.

● TREKAMERICA, WHICH specialises in small group adventures for 18-38’s to the Americas,has launched a new 03 phone number in an attempt to reduce call costs for customers. For details see www.trekamerica.com or call 0333-999 7951.

COX & Kings has introduced a new range of small-grouptours designed especially for single travellers.

Prices lead in at £1,245 per person for a seven-day tour toTurkey, with stays in four- and five-star accommodationthroughout.

The tours have no single supplements and accommodationis based on the single occupancy of twin or double rooms inhotels. Each tour includes a welcome dinner to allow

travellers to get to know each other and a farewell dinner.Tour managers will accompany the groups throughout,

supported by local guides and drivers.As well as Turkey, destinations include Russia, Morocco,

Jordan, Uzbekistan, India, Sri Lanka, China, Burma, Vietnam,Peru, Costa Rica, Cuba and South Africa.For more information visit www.coxandkings.co.uk/single-travellers

Cox & Kings adds new range of group tours dedicated to single travellers



with Eileen...At home

What has homeworker Eileen

been up to this month?

HAD A wonderful time a couple of weeks ago atTravel Counsellors annual conference, which thisyear was held at Telford in Shropshire.

The weekend got off to a great start at our Fridaynight welcome bash where we enjoyed a performance bysingers from the “Jersey Boys” followed by comedianRob Brydon.

I’ve never witnessed a stampede at a conferencebefore but that’s what happened on Saturday at our galadinner and awards evening. No, it wasn’t because thedrinks were running out! It was the arrival on stage ofMcFly who were the headline act of the evening. Oneminute, everyone was sitting nicely at their dinnertables, the next minute hundreds of people got up andhurried towards the stage. I think even McFly weresurprised by the reception they received from us but itwas well deserved. They were great!

The conference sessions were both interesting andinformative, updating us on the latest company news,innovations and future plans. We also enjoyed severalinteresting, inspiring and amusing guest speakersduring the weekend, including the professionaladventurer Debra Searle, who rowed solo across theAtlantic, and well-known businesswoman Karren Brady.

There were more than 1,100 Travel Counsellors,partners and sponsors attending the conferenceincluding a number of delegates from different parts ofthe world. It was really good to catch up with old friendsand it was a great opportunity to make contact withdifferent representatives from our many suppliersattending and to hear all about their new products andoffers.

Sadly the conference was over far too quickly and itwas time for everyone to head off home. We’d all hadthe most amazing time and I think everyone came awayfired up with enthusiasm and confidence about what wecan achieve in 2014.

As this is my last column of the year, I’d just like tofinish by wishing you all a very happy Christmas and aprosperous New Year!

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

[email protected]

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WEBSCLUSIVES

● Here’s a great competition from Louisiana – theplace where the music never stops, and most ofit has started. You can win up to £250 of Harrodsvouchers by answering three quick questions. Goto: www.travelbulletin.co.uk/competitions

● Win a 7” inch Kindle Fire courtesy of PrestigeHolidays. Enter now onwww.travelbulletin.co.uk/competitions

● Win a 7 night stay in Mexico, courtesy of SandosHotels & Resorts – enter our new competition atwww.travelbulletin.co.uk . Some great runners-up prizes too.

All this and more at:

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The home of the web savvy travel agent

Go

WESTERN & Oriental haslaunched its first stand-alone programme to theIndian Ocean & Middle Eastfor travel in 2014. Itfeatures a collection ofholidays for couples andfamilies includinghoneymoons, all-inclusive,suggested itineraries andmulti-centre breaks. Thebrochure dedicates almost100 pages to Mauritius,Seychelles, Maldives, SriLanka, Dubai, Oman andAbu Dhabi, and includes agreater focus on four- and

five-star all-inclusiveproperties in the Maldives,island-hopping in theSeychelles, new hotels inDubai and Abu Dhabi andan expanded Sri Lankaportfolio.

Prices start from £629per person for three nightsat InterContinental AbuDhabi on a bed-and-breakfast basis, includingflights and privatetransfers.For more information visitwww.westernoriental.comor call 020-7666 1234.

CityJet boosts capacity over ChristmasFOLLOWING DEMAND, this festive season CityJet willoffer extra flights from London City to Brive BVE onDecember 23 and January 2, 2014.

The improved schedule enables the many Londonerswho have family or a second home in the Dordogneregion to maximise the Christmas and New Year holidayswith fares starting from £79 one-way.For more information visit www.cityjet.com

W&O issues stand-alone IndianOcean & Middle East programme


● AIRWAYS HOLIDAYS is offering a special Guernseyholiday sale by air or sea. For agents making a 2014Guernsey booking before the end of this year, theholiday will be held at last year's prices. The companyis also offering early booking offers for 2014 bookingsincluding free half-board, free nights, free car hire,child discounts and no single room supplement.Meanwhile, agents can earn a £10 Love2Shop voucherfor any Guernsey booking made by December 31.Agents should email the booking reference [email protected] by January 15 to claim thevoucher.

For details call 0844-415 6651 or see www.airwaysholidays.com

● CRUISINGEXCURSIONS.COM HAS launched PortPoints, an agent reward scheme with bookings earningpoints that can be redeemed for gifts. Once an agencyhas signed up to Port Points, two points are awardedfor every £1 spent on excursions, with rewards thatinclude wine, sweets, restaurant vouchers, theatretickets and spa breaks. Every so often there will be‘Flash’ special offers with bonus

Ports Points, for example booking a particular portpackage could earn an extra 500 points. Agents cankeep track of their rewards by logging in to their homepage at cruisingexcursions.com.

For details call 0800-091 8274.

Pictured (right) promoting thenew agent reward scheme isCruisingexcursions.com'sbusiness development manager,Graham Chuter, and travel tradesales executive, Michelle Burge.

● MYBOOKINGREWARDS.COM HAS announced that newreward partner, Oman Ministry of Tourism, has joinedits portfolio. Offering agents the opportunity to ‘clickand earn’ by registering their bookings online, OmanMinistry of Tourism saw £78,000 of agent generatedbookings within six hours of being live. The touristoffice is offering agents rewards including online cashcredits, fam trip places and online retail vouchers(including Amazon and iTunes) for every registeredbooking.

Agent trainingTRAVEL 2’S NEW T2 Academy Campaign allowsagents to earn more than £50 of shoppingvouchers. Until December 17, agents will be able tocollect double points for completing the newIndochina module and an extra £3 shoppingvoucher for the completion of the New Englandmodule. The company's online training portal givesagents the chance to ‘earn and learn’ with pointsbeing awarded for every module they complete.Points can be collected and exchanged forCompliments Vouchers. In addition, agents whoearn 100 points after achieving gold status will beawarded with an extra £10 shopping voucher.For details see www.t2academy.co.uk

BOND DELIVERY... Mel Bramley (left) from Inter

Travel in Newcastle upon Tyne was recently

presented with a Kindle Fire from The Global Travel

Group (GTG) for securing the biggest sales increase in

August and September. Pictured with Mel and

delivering the good news is GTG's Darren Bond.


agentbulletinBooking incentives



newsbulletin

Keeping an

i on AppsVISIT NORWAY has launched a

‘NorwayLights’ app, making it

easier to predict the appearance of

the Northern Lights. The app is

free and offers users the latest

predictions on the weather and

upcoming conditions. The launch

comes as NASA predicts the

2013/14 season to be a record year

for the Northern Lights, being the

best in the 11-year cycle.

Visit https://itunes.apple.com/

no/app/norway-lights/

id717106363?l=nb&mt=8

ABU DHABI Tourism & Culture

Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) has

launched the emirate’s official

destination iPhone app – an easy-

to-navigate online and offline

mobile guide. Downloadable for

free via the Apple Store, the app

is regularly updated with

information from the

visitabudhabi.ae portal, making

sure users have instant access to

all that is new in the emirate.

Built as a visual trip planner, the

visitabudhabi app gives instant

and structured information on all

of the emirate’s attractions and

experiences, plus quick answers

to most frequently-asked

questions.

THE EGYPTIAN Tourist Authority(ETA), in collaboration with theCentre for Documentation ofCultural & Natural Heritage(CULTNAT), has launched an‘EgyptTravel’ app. It offersvisitors the chance to plan theirtrips to Egypt and discover thecountry by navigating 412destinations and attractions.Users are offered navigationoptions by region, attraction ordestination. The app alsocontains a collection of imagegalleries and maps, as well asevents calendars and can bedownloaded from the Applestore by searching for‘EgyptTravel’.

THE DOYLE Collection hasreleased details of itsChristmas packages acrossits three London properties.

At The Bloomsbury Hotel,guests looking to unwindcan opt for ChristmasAfternoon Tea and relax toa live performance by aharpist, while indulging in aselection of sandwiches,sweet spiced pastries andhomemade cinnamonscones served with clottedcream and handmade fruitpreserves.

Christmas films will beprojected every Saturdaynight in The SeamusHeaney Library, wherefamilies can keep snugunder warm wool blankets,whilst sipping on mugs ofhot chocolate topped withcream and marshmallows,and at turndown, guestswill find warmed mincepies and mulled wine attheir bedside.

The ‘Leisurely London atChristmas’ package costsfrom £240 for two peopleand is valid until January 6.It includes an overnightstay, mulled wine or hot

chocolate on arrival, afestive treat at turn-down,breakfast, late check-outand a dedicated Christmasconcierge.

The Christmas AfternoonTea offer is available untilDecember 15 and the movieshows run until December14.

The Kensington Hotel isinviting its guests to revelin the nostalgia ofChristmas.

Situated just off London’sOld Brompton Road, thehotel serves guests warmcider on arrival and is alsooffering a festive AfternoonTea menu, created for bothgrown-ups and children.The menu featuresseasonal pastries, mincedpies and spiced sconesserved with clotted creamand homemade preserves,along with traditionalgingerbread men (soldiers)all hand painted; and SugarPlum Fairy cakes infusedwith cinnamon.

At turndown, guests willfind the traditional warmedmince pies and mulled wineat their bedside – along

with the hotel’s signaturepopcorn in ‘mince pie’flavour, from popcornbrand, ‘Joe & Steph’s’.

A dedicated Christmasconcierge will be availableto personally advise andassist with any Christmasneeds; from finding theperfect gift torecommending the bestChristmas markets toexplore, ice-skating rinksand secret Santa’s Grotto tovisit.

The jollity continues toNew Year’s Eve, whereguests can ring in the NewYear over a three-coursemenu whilst listening tolive Jazz & Swing.

Meanwhile, to celebratethe Christmas light ‘turnon’ in Marylebone Village,hosts of The MaryleboneHotel and 108 MaryleboneLane will be spreadingfestive cheer with a standat the annual ChristmasFair in Marylebone Village,offering seasonalpreserves, homemadebaked goods and Christmasgifts to the localcommunity.

A Yuletide Afternoon Teawill be also be offered toguests of the hotel throughto December 31, withfestive treats includingmulled wine, spiced mincepies and cranberrymacaroons.

For children, 108Marylebone Lane will behosting a specialChristmas party with asurprise visit from FatherChristmas and his sleigh,and at turndown, guestswill find warmed mincepies and mulled wine attheir bedside.

On New Year’s Eve theparty starts in 108Marylebone Lane withEnglish sparkling wine andcanapés at the bar,followed by a seven-coursedinner.

The Kensington Hoteland The Marylebone Hotelare also offering a‘Leisurely London atChristmas’ package, withprices leading in at £240for two people, valid untilJanuary 6.For more information visitwww.doylecollection.com

Christmas packages from The Doyle Collection's London hotels


puzzlebulletin


Where Am I?

Captial city of Gambia.

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, December 12th. Solution and new

puzzle will appear next week.

The winner for 22th November is Roland Flook, The Travel

House in Swansea.

November 22 Solution: A=7 B=8 C=1 D=9

➠A

➠B

➠C

➠D

Number: 139

Travagrams

Across 1. Operator specialising in luxury and tailor

made holidays (5)4. Capital of Tokyo (5)7. Cruise company, Holland ___ Line (7)8. Major travel company (3)9. Barry Humphries is taking this Dame on a

final tour (4)10. German city (6)13. Country hosting the 2014 FIFA World Cup (6)14. Hotel brand, part of Accor (4)17. West End show, Eric and Little ___ (3)19. Capital of Sicily (7)20. Reality show initially, based in an English

county (5)21. Father and son actors, Timothy and Rafe (5)

Down 1. Eager sounding English rock bank (5)2. Miami based cruise company (7)3. Popular Rhodes resort (4)4. HMS Belfast is moored on the South Bank of

this river (6)5. Eastenders character back with Alfie (3)6. Constellation known as The Hunter (5)11. Monrovia is the capital (7)12. Ferries operate from Newhaven to this port (6)13. Historic city in Brittany (5)15. Asian capital city (5)16. Mont Blanc is the highest mountain in this

range (4)18. Sydney is the capital of this state, initially (3)

Where Am I?

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

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

Crossword

Su Doku

Num

ber:

139

Wine tours specialist

The third largest city in Spain

Rascal & Barker Let

Lava Nice

Can you solve the following anagrams to decipher the destination & tour operator?Win a £50 M&S voucher in the travelbulletin Su Doku prize puzzle


agentreviewGwyneth Prosser from Travel Counsellors stayed at the

Red Cow Moran Hotel in Dublin for three nights, travellingwith Irish Ferries. Here are her thoughts...

Gwyneth receives a £10 Love2Shop voucher for her review. If you'd like to take part and receive a free Love2Shop

voucher email [email protected] or call 020-7834 6661 with your name and contact details.

First impressions ..........................10/10

I travelled with my family (including four children) andupon check-in we were in our room within minutes -just what you need when travelling with young children.

Comfort ........................................10/10

The rooms were excellent in every way - spotless andvery comfortable.

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

The four-star hotel has 123 rooms and a good restau-rant with friendly staff who accommodated our youngfamily wonderfully.

Affordability..................................10/10

It averaged out at £32 per person per night, includingthe children and also included breakfast.

Service..........................................10/10

During dinner the restaurant manager fetched thechildren’s buggy so they could sleep undisturbed - thiswas definitely a family-friendly restaurant and hotel.

Good to know ........................................There is a nearby tram that takes you into the citycentre. Also, book the taxi from the port in advance. Wemade the mistake of not doing so and had to wait anhour for the taxi to arrive.

Overall scoring: ................10

10/

newsbulletin


JET2HOLIDAYS WILL use the North West's largestindoor music festival, Blackpool Rocks, to launch itsnew On Tour brand this month.

The company has chosen the Blackpool musicfestival, which will take place on December 21 at theWinter Gardens, as the ideal place to reveal its newlifestyle collection – an exclusive selection of packageholidays aimed at style-conscious holidaymakers wholike to party and relax in the most fashionable Europeanresorts.

The operator's CEO, Steve Heapy, said: “We’re thrilledto be supporting Blackpool Rocks. As a key airport basefor us we are always keen on supporting local eventswhich entertain and inspire our local customers.

"It should be a great night and we’re really lookingforward to showcasing our fantastic new On Tour range,which is perfect for people looking for great valuelifestyle breaks to the places to be seen in acrossEurope.”

Tickets for Blackpool Rocks are still available, andstart from £26.50. To book, visit www.blackpoolrocks.com or call 0844-8889991.For details on the new 'On Tour' brand seewww.jet2holidays.com

Jet2holidays set to launch 'On Tour' brand at Blackpool Rocks this month

DESIGNER DO...Pure Destinations and Honeymoon Dreamsrewarded their clients with an exclusive event at the Armanistore last month. The Emporio Armani store in the Mailbox,Birmingham was closed exclusively for the event where morethan 150 guests enjoyed an evening of free-flowing cocktails,discounts from Armani and Armani goodie bags. Thecompanies are brands of parent company Airport Travel andboth have recently re-branded their websites. For details seewww.allinclusivehoneymoons.co.uk andhttp://weddingsbyhoneymoondreams.co.uk. Pure Destinationsis also restructuring its recruiting options and is launchingtravel homeworkers next year.See http://travelhomeworkers.co.uk



ANA goes in searchof the perfect flight

THE PERFECT flight wouldgive passengers an upgradeon arrival, have DavidWalliams as chief of cabincrew and be piloted by PrinceWilliam, a study has found.

ANA, Japan’s largestairline, polled 2,000 Britsand found take-off would beat 10:45 and Jamie Oliverwould cook a designerchicken dinner. Champagnewould be the complimentarydrink of choice, served 27minutes after departure.

When in-flightentertainment started,passengers would prefer towatch the James Bondfavourite, Skyfall. Thesurvey also found that onthe perfect long-haul flight,British flyers would like sixmembers of cabin crew andbe served their in-flightmeal 48-minutes afterdeparture. Passengerswould like to be able toboard their perfect flight 32minutes after check-in andseats would be in rows oftwo, with only 66 peopleable to board the aircraft.

Other preferencesincluded 7kg of handluggage allowance andchildren would be allowedon the aircraft, but only ifthey were quiet.

Passengers of the perfectflight would also like toexperience the culture oftheir destination at check-inas many agree their holidaystarts when they arrive atthe airport.

AIR CANADA is undertaking a major expansion ofinternational services to Europe from Toronto, Montreal,Vancouver and Calgary.

The airline has announced highlights of its summer 2014Europe schedule, which includes the introduction of year-round non-stop services from Toronto to Milan, Italy with upto five weekly flights, offering the only non-stop servicebetween Canada and Milan.

The carrier will also increase its year-round Toronto-Istanbulnon-stop service to daily flights from three times weekly andexpand the availability of its new international PremiumEconomy cabin with its introduction on Vancouver-Heathrowflights year-round, as well as Montreal-Heathrow flights during

the peak summer travel season. Larger aircraft will also bedeployed on flights from Calgary to Heathrow and Frankfurt, aswell as from Montreal to Brussels and Geneva in order to meettravel and cargo demand during the peak summer season.

As part of the summer 2014 schedule, the airline's leisurecarrier subsidiary, Air Canada rouge, will launch seasonal non-stop flights between Toronto-Lisbon, Toronto-Manchester,Montreal-Barcelona and Montreal-Nice. The new routessupplement the leisure carrier's other popular vacationdestinations, including a previously announced Toronto-Dublinyear-round service, as well as holiday and cruise packageoptions, offered in conjunction with Air Canada Vacations.For more information visit www.aircanada.com

Air Canada announces major European expansion for next summer

airlinebulletin

SYDNEY SIGHTS...Malaysia Airlines teamed up with Tourism Australia, Destination New South Walesand Tourism and Events Queensland to host a group of 21 agents on a fam trip ‘Down Under’. Theitinerary included a Bonza Bike Tour to experience the essentials of Sydney, a sailing trip aroundSydney Harbour and a Mount ‘N Beach Safari to Hunter Valley to visit famous family-run vineyards.Heading north to Queensland, the group visited the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Fraser Coast andBrisbane with highlights including Paradise Jet Boating, O’Reillys Rainforest Retreat, Australia Zoo andStand Up Paddle Boarding. Pictured taking in the sights of Sydney are, from the left: Simon Lisowiec,Austravel; Benjamin Johnson, Trailfinders; Gemma Little and Noah Simmons, Flight Centre; LisaMallon, Six Star Holidays; Anil Waughray and Julie Nobbs, DialAFlight; Matthew Perfect, MalaysiaAirlines; Laura Stoneham, WEXAS; Linda Moyes, Freedom Australia; and Nellie Odebo, Gold Medal.

InBrief● ETIHAD AIRWAYS has launched a dedicated in-flight 'flying nanny' childcare assistance programme for

families. Identified by bright orange aprons, each flying nanny will provide a 'helping hand' to parentsand unaccompanied minors on the airline's long-haul flights.

● BRITISH AIRWAYS will serve Grenada twice-weekly throughout next summer. From March 30, thesecond weekly flight from Gatwick to Grenada will be on a Friday, to complement the Sunday departure.Grenada is also served twice-weekly by Virgin Atlantic flights from Gatwick.

● THOMAS COOK Airlines has announced a range of January special offers for its new flights to theCaribbean from Manchester Airport, which bring the only routes outside London to St Lucia and Antiguaand one of only a handful of airlines flying to Barbados. Prices for return flights (including meals and a20kg baggage allowance) departing in January are - Barbados from £384, St Lucia from £416 andAntigua from £423 - available at www.flythomascook.com

● AS FROM March 30, 2014 Pegasus Airlines will commence flights from Brussels' Charleroi Airport withfares from €44.99. Flights will operate daily, departing from Istanbul's Sabiha Gokcen Airport at 10:35and returning from Brussels' Charleroi Airport at 18:30.

● FLYBE HAS announced a further expansion of its winter programme out of Cardiff Airport with four new skiroutes to Chambery, Geneva, Grenoble and Lyon. Booking is available now at www.flybe.com effective fortravel between December 21 and April 2014, with one-way fares from £34.99 including taxes and charges.

● PASSENGERS ON Aer Lingus' long-haul flights can now use their own mobile phones to text and browsethe internet, using AeroMobile's inflight roaming service.

● AIR EUROPA has announced the launch of a new route to San Juan, Puerto Rico. From May 22, 2014, theairline will fly twice-weekly to the Caribbean Island, from Gatwick via Madrid Barajas.

● US AIRWAYS is adding non-stop daily services from Philadelphia to Edinburgh. For the first time, theairline will operate flights to and from Edinburgh on 176-seat dual-class Boeing 757 aircraft betweenMay 23 and October 1, 2014.


NEXT YEAR’S International Golf Travel Market (IGTM) will behosted in Italy’s Lake Como region.

The event will take place from October 27-30 at the VillaErba Exhibition and Conference Centre on the banks of thelake.

Jean-Marc Droulers, president of Villa Erba Spa, said: “Todate, there has not been a focus on marketing our golfproducts to the rest of the world, despite 400 golf courses inItaly and 69 here in the Lombardy region – a concentration ofcourses almost equivalent to Spain’s Andalucía region.

“For the development and future growth of golf in Italy,associations, clubs and resorts must come together to helppromote the country as a serious European golf destination,supporting the efforts of international players such as MatteoManassero and the Molinari brothers.

“We believe hosting IGTM in Italy will provide a majoropportunity to showcase the variety and quality of our golfcourses, which stretch from the Alps to Naples and fromSardinia to Sicily, in locations where culture, art and foodprovide additional reasons to book a golf break in Italy.”For more information visit www.igtm.co.uk

THE COSTA Brava region in northeast Spain was morepopular with golf tourists this year than it was last year,a new study has shown.

The Costa Brava Girona Tourist Board analysed thetotal number of rounds played by international travellersin the region over the past two years and found that whileits domestic market still dominates the landscape (50%),it is increasingly popular with foreign golfers.

The region has three former Spanish Open venuesincluding the PGA Catalunya Resort near Girona.

Ramón Ramos, director of the tourist board, said: “Thearea is increasingly being recognised as a reputable golfdestination, and especially since we were announced theIAGTO Emerging Golf Destination of the Year at IGTM2000.

“Although competition in Spain is very fierce, numbersof golfers wishing to visit the region is progressivelyincreasing thanks to the concerted efforts and dedicatedmarketing and promotional campaigns we have put inplace letting people know about the diversity and qualityof Costa Brava’s numerous golf courses."For more information visit www.golf.costabrava.org

BALKAN HOLIDAYS has launched anonline golf brochure featuring golfbreaks of two nights or more to golfingvenues in Bulgaria and Slovenia.

As well as offering golf holidays atfive luxury resorts in Bulgaria – threeon the Black Sea - and at Lake Bled,the new brochure contains details ofbespoke holidays that can be createdfor golfers by the operator’s tailormadedepartment.

As each holiday is createdspecifically for the individual, thebrochure does not feature prices,however, a seven-night golf break inBulgaria in May for two people costsapproximately £459 per person.

Other features of the new brochureinclude flights from a choice of sevenUK regional airports, a £70 per persondeposit, golf carriage on charterflights of £25 return, in-flight pre-bookable extras including seatstogether, extra legroom and groupdeals.

The operator's sales and marketingmanager, Rupert Diggins, said:“Bulgaria and Slovenia are definitelyon the up as far as golfing holidaysare concerned. The quality ofaccommodation available coupled withthe stunning courses and wonderfulclimate, make them a choice that’ssecond to none.”

To access the new online brochure seehttp://balkanholidays.inbro.net/seeinsidebrochure/7393 and for more detailssee www.balkanholidays.co.uk or call0845-130 1114.

Costa Brava welcomes increasingvolume of international golf tourists

Thracian Cliffs Golf & Beach Resort in Bulgaria

Italy’s Lake Como to host International GolfTravel Market 2014


golfholidays

THE ST. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort in Abu Dhabi is offering the'Ultimate Golf Experience' with the opportunity to play at theSaadiyat Beach Golf Club and Abu Dhabi Golf Club. It includes fivenights' breakfast accommodation and four rounds of golf. Prices pernight at the property start from £240. To book email [email protected] and for details ongolf options in Abu Dhabi see www.golfinabudhabi.com

Balkan Holidays launches online golf brochure to Bulgaria and Slovenia

S04 TB0612 Golf_Layout 1 04/12/2013 10:51 Page 14

S04 TB0612 Golf_Layout 1 12/4/2013 11:32 AM Page 15

Golf options onVisions of Africa'snew websiteVISIONS OF Africa hasunveiled its new websitewhich features itinerariesthat encompass golf withsafaris, sightseeing orgourmet food and winetasting.

Pearl Valley, Fancourt andthe Gary Player Country Clubat Sun City are just some ofthe golf courses that areoffered, with an eight-nightgolf break staying at four-star hotels in Cape Town andthe Winelands leading in at£1,825 per person, based ontwo sharing.

The price also includesfour rounds of golf, flightsfrom Heathrow and car hire. For more information call01444-225640.

THE RESIDENCE Tunis has launched anew Golf Performance Academy for bothadults and children which has beendesigned to enhance and complementthe hotel’s Robert Trent Jones II 18-holecourse.

The Academy offers mental, technicaland physical training for absolute

beginners to advance golfers wishing toimprove all aspects of their game.

Using state-of-the-art software tomonitor brain activity, golfers are taughtto relax, focus and visualise allowingthem to reach their golfing potential.

In addition to the golf clinics andpersonal coaching, the academy offers a

year-round driving range, 50 green bays,three dedicated short green games, alarge putting green, online coaching(performance statistics, exerciseprogrammes and drills) and a junior golfschool.For details seewww.theresidence.com/tunis

ANCIENT SANDS Golf Resort, a new luxury resort andresidential project based in the Red Sea town of El Gouna,will begin welcoming guests to its first five-star apartmenthotel in April next year.

Located in the Hilltop Village, the resort will consist offive individual buildings, each with its own garden andswimming pool and will comprise a range of one-, two- andthree-bedroom apartments. The hotel complex, which willopen in two phases, will initially offer 114 apartments in

April, 91 of which will be reserved for holidaymakers visitingEl Gouna. The second phase is set for operation in 2016 andwill bring the total number of units to 261.

The completed resort will incorporate a Golf Club EstateHouse, an 18-hole Karl Litten-designed golf course, threetennis courts, watersport facilities, an outdoor playgroundand a spa, offering a variety of treatments as well as accessto a steam bath, sauna and gym. For more information visit www.ancientsandsresort.com

El Gouna’s Ancient Sands Golf Resort to open first apartment hotel in April


golfholidays

With the Royal Aberdeen Golf Club selected tohost the 2014 Aberdeen Asset ManagementScottish Open, Trump International Golf Linkson its doorstep and the Paul Lawrie GolfCentre on the banks of the River Dee,Aberdeen and the surrounding Aberdeenshireare growing in popularity as a top golfingdestination.

The city is home to more than 50 golfcourses situated within an hour’s drive of thecentre, and the city’s new destinationmarketing organisation, VisitAberdeen, waslaunched last year to promote Aberdeen as adestination for business and leisure visitors.

Steve Harris, CEO of the organisation, said:

“Aberdeen is simply one of the best golfdestinations in the world. We are lucky enoughto be situated in one of the most beautifullocations with rugged coastlines and vast,unspoilt Scottish countryside. Because of itssituation, Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire havelong been renowned as a golfers’ paradise andwith such prestigious courses surrounding thearea, it’s not hard to see why.”

The 2014 Aberdeen Asset ManagementScottish Open will be held at Royal Aberdeenon July 10-13.For more information on packages and grouptravel call 01224-900490 or seewww.visitaberdeen.com

An artist’s impression of Ancient Sands

Guests offered new Golf Performance Academy at The Residence Tunis

Aberdeen builds reputation as top golfing destination

Trump International Golf Links


LUTON HOO Hotel is offering a Golf Residential Package from£129 per person on Sundays or £149 per person from Monday-Saturday, based on two adults sharing. It includes 36 holes of golfper person; dinner in Adam’s Brasserie or the WernherRestaurant (open from Wednesday-Sunday) at a supplement of£20 per person; breakfast accommodation in a Parkland orFlower Garden Deluxe room with a complimentary newspaper;and use of the Country Club facilities. The offer is valid from nowuntil March 31, 2014. For details call 01582-734437 or email [email protected]


Garuda Indonesiaoffers support togolfing campaignGARUDA INDONESIA issupporting Visit Indonesia’slatest effort to attract moregolfers to the country bypermitting a free sports bagof up to 23kg to be carriedalong with standard holdand carry-on baggage.

Jubi Prasetyo, generalmanager UK of the airline,said: “Indonesia is home tosome of the finest coursesacross the globe yet it hasmanaged to stay under thegolfing communities’ radar.Approximately 36% of ourcourses meet internationalstandards and have beendesigned by renownedprofessional golfersincluding Greg Norman,Graham Marsh and JackNicklaus, so there is a lot ofpotential to become astrong contender for golftourism in the continent.

“By providing passengerswith a generous luggageallowance, we hope tosupport the government’snew initiative to bring in50,000 golfers by 2014.”

The country’s 51 golfcourses are placed amongsurroundings such as theBintan Lagoon’s Ocean Viewcourse, which offers viewsof tropical jungle on thefront nine holes and viewsof the South China Sea onthe back nine.

The airline has adomestic network serving34 national airports and willbe launching a directservice between Londonand Jakarta next year.

THE GOLF GameBook app delivered live scoring and socialcommentary at this year’s International Golf Travel Market(IGTM) in Spain, held from November 11-14.

The app enabled more than 300 players across four coursesto see up-to-the-minute leaderboards and send instantcomments to fellow competitors.

Photos from the four Costa Daurada venues – Club de GolfBonmont, Club de Golf Costa Daurada, Lumine Lakes andLumine Hills – could also be shared to wider social networksand friends following the event.

Mikko Rantanen, CEO of GameBook Inc., said: “GameManager allows anyone to run events of all sizes onGameBook, including corporate tournaments, clubcompetitions and small groups on golf holidays. It’s a greatway for courses and touroperators to engagecustomers and enhance theirgolfing experience. It’s alsosimple to use and free.”For further details visitwww.golfgamebook.com

Live scoring app from Golf Gamebook

golfholidays

LA MANGA Club in Spain,which offers three 18-holecourses for golfers along witha selection of practicefacilities, is offering guests afour-night, four-round stayfrom €230 per person.

Available from now untilJanuary 25, 2014, including

Christmas and New Year, thediscount packages offer golfon the resort's North andWest courses and breakfastaccommodation in its four-star fully-serviced Las LomasVillage apartments.For more information visitwww.lamangaclub.com

DominicanRepublic Openscheduled for May 2014THE DOMINICAN RepublicOpen is set to be held at theCana Bay Golf Course at theHard Rock Hotel and Casino,Punta Cana in May next year.

The annual event,organised by the DominicanFederation of Golf, willfeature an 18-hole golfcourse designed by golferJack Nicklaus.

Meanwhile, golf coursesfor all abilities can be foundat numerous venues in thecountry. They include thePunta Espada Golf Club, aJack Nicklaus signature golfcourse in Cap Cana whichhas been designed forgolfers of all levels; theTeeth of the Dog GolfCourse, the first Pete Dye-designed course at Casa DeCampo resort in LaRomana; the Faldo LegacyCourse at Roco Ki Golf Club,Punta Cana; La Cana GolfCourse at the PuntacanaResort and Club, withprivate lessons available atthe Puntacana GolfAcademy; the Links, thesecond course designed byPete Dye at Casa de Campo;Dye Fore by Pete Dye atCasa de Campo resort, witha 7,770ft course withfairways 200ft wide; and thePlaya Dorada Golf Cluc,designed by Robert TrentJones in the Playa DoradaResort complex at PuertoPlata, offering easy accessfrom 14 hotels andaccommodation andpackage options.

Four-night, four-round deal from €230 atSpain's La Manga Club

Golf Gamebook


DIAMOND RAIL Holidays’ latestprogramme of escorted tours by railthroughout Europe features two newtours in Germany next year.

A five-day ‘Great Little Trains of theHarz Mountains’ option costs from £699per person, with departures in May,June, September and October. Guestswill experience the Harz Narrow GaugeRailways, the Brocken Steam Railway asit travels to the summit of the Harz

Mountains and the Selketal Railwaythrough the Selke Valley.

Also new is a five-day ‘Walking in theRhine Valley’ tour, priced from £799 perperson and departing in September.Guests can take the Eurostar toBrussels, high speed rail to Cologne andRemagen and then spend five dayshiking on the Drachenfels Mountain,Lorelei Rock, Laach Lake and the forestsand vineyards of the Rheinsteig.

Prices are based on two sharing andinclude travel by Eurostar from StPancras; all rail journeys; hotelaccommodation; main visits andexcursions; many meals; and theservices of a tour manager.

Regional rail departures are alsoavailable on a number of holidays. For more information call 0844-5447581 or visitwww.sellingrailholidays.com

2014 tour additions from Treyn ESCORTED RAIL operator Treyn has added two new Germanytours for next year.

An eight-day Saxony Castles & Steam option costs from£945 per person and includes five nights in a castle-hotel,exploring the scenery of Saxony by funicular and steamrailway and visiting the city of Dresden. Clients booking theholiday by December 20 will receive an early booking discountand are eligible to pay a £25 deposit.

A seven-day Romantic Rhine Explorer itinerary is also newfor next year and leads in at £665. It includes the wines, townsand charms of the Rhine Gorge and guests have theopportunity to explore the wine towns of Boppard,Assmannshausen and Rüdesheim.

Guests booking by December 20 are offered an earlybooking discount and a £25 deposit. Tour highlights includeAssmannshausen, a cruise to Rudesheim, wine tasting, aCologne guided tour and a cruise along the Rhine Gorge toBoppard.

Diamond Rail Holidays launches new tours with prices from £699 for five days

Boppard on the Rhine


germany

EXPLORE HAS added a Bavaria by Bike itinerary which delves into the heart of Bavaria, riding through Franconia to Nuremberg, Bamberg andRothenburg, before finishing in Munich. Departing from May to September 2014, the ten-day adventure costs from £1,382 per person includingflights, nine nights' hotel stay with breakfast, bike hire, transport and the service of a driver and tour leader/cycle guide. For details see www.explore.co.uk or call 0844-499 0901.

Two-night Munich offer from MaritimAGENTS LOOKING for a Munich deal for their clients are nowable to offer a two-night deal from Maritim Hotels.

Priced from €175 per person, the offer includes breakfastaccommodation, a beer voucher from the hotel, a city tour card(offering discounts on entry fees for more than 30 touristattractions) and complimentary use of the swimming pool,sauna, steam bath and fitness lounge.

The deal is based on two sharing and is available onselected weekends. For details see www.maritim.com or call 0500-303030.

German Motor Show option from LegerLEGER HOLIDAYS has launched a new tour to the GermanMotor Show (or Techno-Classica Essen), which attracts morethan 190,000 visitors and showcases more than 1,250exhibitors.

Clients taking the tour will depart by coach to Mettmann,near Düsseldorf, for a three-night stay. Here they willexperience two days at the Tecno-Classica Essen Fair, wheredealers and private suppliers from across the world willexhibit more than 2,500 vintage vehicles for sale.

Prices lead in at £279 per person including three nights’breakfast accommodation, admission to the show, regionaljoining points and travel by Silver Service coach, based on aMarch 27 departure. For full details see www.legerbreaks.info or call 0844-324 9256.

S05 TB0612 Germany_Layout 1 04/12/2013 10:52 Page 18

GERMANWINGS'SUMMER 2014 routeschedule is now availableto book atwww.germanwings.com

From March 30, theairline will take over arange of routes from itsparent company,Lufthansa, as well asadding new routes, tooffer a total of 31destinations nowbookable online.

Currently, the carrier isgradually taking over alldomestic German andEuropean routes fromLufthansa, with theexception of the twoGerman hubs of Frankfurtand Munich. In order toachieve this, the airline’sfleet will be expanded inthe coming months fromthe current 38 aircraft to87.

As the first stage ofacquiring the new routes,at the start of the 2014summer timetable,customers fromDusseldorf will fly on theairline's domestic flightsto Dresden, Leipzig andNuremberg. There will beflights to Dresden andNuremberg 16 timesweekly and 16 times toLeipzig.

The airline will also beoffering a range ofEuropean destinationsfrom March 30 next yearincluding Barcelona,Basel, Bilbao, Dublin,Warsaw and Dubrovnik.

Germanwingsannounces route

takeover fromLufthansa


Croisieurope launches three new Rhine itinerariesCROISIEUROPE HAS announced that it will be offering three new itineraries on the Rhinenext year, all of which will depart from Frankfurt.

Itineraries on MS Modigliani include a four-day Romantic Rhine Valley cruise starting inFrankfurt and visiting Rudesheim and Mainz (home to the Gutenberg Museum) beforefinishing in the old town of Koblenz. There are six departures - May 26, June 23, July 29,august 25, September 26 and October 20, with prices starting from 543 per person(approximately £466).

Also available is a six-day Picturesque Rhine cruise round-trip from Frankfurt visitingAndernach, Braubach (home to the medieval Marksburg Castle), Bacharach, Mainz and thehistoric spa town of Wiesbaden.

There are seven departures in 2014 - May 15 and 21, June 18, July 24, August 20,September 6 and October 15, with prices starting from 792 (approximately £680).

Meanwhile, an eight-day cruise round-trip from Frankfurt taking in the Romantic Rhineand Picturesque Mosel offers a diversity of landscapes and a wealth of heritage. Highlightsinclude Mainz and the Gutenberg Museum, Cochem and the Reichsburg Castle, Idar-Obserstein – capital of the gemstone industry, the medieval city of Alzey and the historicspa town of Wiesbaden. There are four departures - June 11, July 17, August 13 andOctober 8, with prices from 1,087 (approximately £932).

All voyages include accommodation in an outside cabin with all onboard meals,complimentary beer and wine at lunch and dinner, as well as an open bar throughout thevoyage (excluding Champagne, special wines or fine brandies), onboard entertainment andport taxes.For reservations or for more information call 020-8328 1281 or visit www.croisieurope.travel

SUPERBREAK HAS added more hotels to its portfolio inGermany with the launch of five new properties in Berlin.

A self-catering option is available with the introduction ofa Citadines property, offering something a little different forcustomers who prefer this board basis, and all hotels arefully commissionable and bookable online.

New hotels include the three-star CitadinesKuftuerstendamm Berlin, where one- and two-bedroomapartments featuring fully fitted kitchens are available from

£38.50 per person per night; the three-star Berliner HofHotel, with prices from £33.50 including breakfast; the four-star Estrel Hotel, priced from £42 with breakfast; the three-star Ku Damm 101 Hotel, priced from £45.50 includingbreakfast; and the three-star Mercure Berlin Hotel Mitte,leading in at £43 including breakfast. All prices are based on two sharing in March next year.To book or for more information seewww.superbreak.com/agents or call 0871-221 4444.

Berlin hotel additions from Superbreak with breakfast stays from £33.50

germany

NEXT YEAR Hanover will be celebrating the 300th anniversary ofHanoverian Germany when George I became King of Hanover andGreat Britain. To mark the occasion, Fred.\ is offering tailormadeholidays to Hanover, with visits to Braunschweig, Celle andHanover, plus the chance to visit Marienburg and Buckerbergcastles. Prices lead in at £619 per person including flights, twonights in Celle in a hotel on a bed-and-breakfast basis, fournights' breakfast stay in Hanover, plus rail travel to Celle,Buckerberg and Marienberg. For details see www.fredholidays.co.uk

S05 TB0612 Germany_Layout 1 04/12/2013 10:52 Page 19

ASK SOMEONE where they’ve holidayed in the last three years and chances are they will say ‘inthe UK’ according to a new study which suggests that the staycation is now a firm favourite forBritish families.

Figures released by cottages4you reveal that the number of UK holidaymakers choosing adomestic break has remained at a steady 80% since 2012 and looks set to continue. Only one infive of us still don’t consider staying in the UK a holiday.

Of those questioned, 68% claimed that the Olympics and Jubilee celebrations hadn’t changedtheir opinion of the UK, suggesting our affection for the British break was already wellestablished.

According to the poll, the most popular reason for holidaying at home was its affordability(43%), closely followed by a desire to explore the British countryside (41%). In third place was theease of travelling (40%) with another 17% admitting hidden airline costs had put them offoverseas travel.

One in ten worried about the economic instability of Europe and 16% said they were concernedabout safety in some overseas locations.

Cornwall was crowned the UK’s favourite holiday destination, followed by the Lake District andScotland. London came seventh with one in ten planning to holiday in the city next year.

Announcing the findings, Nick Rudge, the company's managing director, said: “This is a greatboost for domestic tourism with many families now taking an annual British break, whether it’stheir main summer holiday, or in addition to an overseas trip.

“There are plenty of reasons why a holiday at home appeals to us and with so many differentlocations in such a small area, it’s easy to keep exploring new places. Although a quarter of usbelieve the UK has everything you need for a holiday whatever the weather, 17% of respondentssaid the high temperatures this summer had made them more likely to stay in the UK.”

New study reveals 80% of Brits now take an annual UK break


accommodationonly

MARK WARNER has undertaken an extensiverefurbishment worth €3million of its chalet

hotel, the Aiguille Percee situated in Tignes LeLac, France, ready for the forthcoming ski

season. New additions include 13 newbedrooms including interconnecting and

family suites, the upgrade of the originalrooms and communal areas of the hotel

and a new health and beauty salon. For details call 0844-273 7397

or see www.markwarner.co.uk

FOR NEXT year, Eurocamp is introducingAspect – its next generation of outdooraccommodation, launching across 26 parcs inFrance, Spain and Italy.

Designed with modern lifestyle in mind, theaccommodation offers a living area, kitchenand bathroom, along with a covered decked

area. Other features include a dishwasher, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth speaker and iPod dock.

Available as both three-bedroom (sleepingsix adults) and two-bedroom (sleeping fouradults) models, the Aspect will be available tobook from this month.For details call 0844-844 0000.

Next generation accommodation from Eurocamp

New apartmentoptions inLondon fromSuperbreakSUPERBREAK HASboosted its range ofapartments in London withthe addition of five newCitadines properties. Eachhas apartments that cansleep up to four peopleand are set in centrallocations includingKensington, Holborn,Trafalgar Square, Barbicanand City.

Some of the apartmentshave full kitchen facilitiesand all properties are fullycommissionable andbookable online.

New hotels includePrestige Holborn CoventGarden from £90 perperson per night, PrestigeSouth Kensington from£85, Barbican from £70,Prestige Trafalgar Squarefrom £93 and St Mark’sLondon from £70.50, allbased on stays in March. For more information or to book seewww.superbreak.com/agentsor call 0871-221 4444.

S06 TB0612 Accom Only_Layout 1 04/12/2013 10:55 Page 20

To make a somewhere2stay booking...ring 0871 423 8413*

* Calls cost 10p per minute plus network extras

or visit viewdata/www.somewhere2stay.com

Skiathos – Christakis Studios (3D rated) from £13 pupn*

Corfu – Venus Apartments (3D rated) from £12 pupn*

Zante – Paradise Apartments (3D rated) from £17 pupn*

AMAZING SELF CATERING DEALS TO GREECE

ABTA No.K9485

* the price is based per unit per night


HOSEASONS IS encouraging agents to capitalise on Christmassales by suggesting to clients to take a shopping break.

The operator's head of sales, Zena Calderbank, said: “Thereis a real opportunity here for agents to suggest to customersthey turn their Christmas shopping experience into a holiday.

“Just recently, a couple of my colleagues from Lowestoftcame to my home city, Manchester, to visit the ChristmasMarket and stay at one of our city centre apartments. Weenjoyed a day of full of fantastic shopping with a very longlunch, and then just as dusk approached we dropped our bagsoff at the apartment, with a quick glass of wine, and walked tothe Christmas Market.

“Whether it’s staying in one of the UK’s major shoppingcities, or visiting one of the many German-style Christmas

markets, staying in a city apartment can be a really relaxingand enjoyable way of doing your Christmas shopping – itcertainly beats sitting in front of a computer all evening orweekend while shopping online and it’s much better value thanstaying in a hotel."

The company offers a selection of apartments in 23 ofBritain’s most popular cities, from London, Manchester andBirmingham to regional shopping magnets such as Norwich,Edinburgh, Bristol and York. The operator is also offering arange of deals on city apartments in the lead-up to Christmaswith many starting from £80 per night based on the apartmentsleeping two.For more information visit www.hoseasons.co.uk/agents or call 0844 847 1144.

TRAVELCUBE HAS helped one corporate travel agent serve clientsall day with a rewarding booking incentive. In return for more thandoubling (+138%) the business the agency put throughwww.travelcube.com/uk in October, Hotel Focus won the 'ultimatecoffee break' - a Krups Nescafe Dolce Gusto Machine; aPoddyHolder Coffee Capsule Holder; a Russell Hobbs three-in-onefor panini, grill and griddle; and a variety of Nescafe Dolce Gustocapsules. Every week for four weeks, their Bakewell, Derbyshireoffice also received a fresh hamper of muffins, cookies andflapjacks. Pictured taking delivery of the new products is theagency's office manager, Charlotte Follett.

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Overseas transfers now available withAcerooms.com

AGENTS CAN now book both UK and overseas transferson AceRooms.com following the launch of the company'supdated reservation system.

The website offers more than 60,000 hotels worldwide,almost all of which benefit from the Airport TransferService.

Vehicles range from private taxis or shared shuttlesdepending on the client’s requirements, with pricesstarting from £20 per person, dependent on thedestination and dates of travel.

Hoseasons encourages agents to promote Christmas shopping breaks

Third China launch from Maritim HotelsMARITIM HOTELS has opened its third hotel in the Republic ofChina, the Maritim Hotel Changzhou, in the Eastern region,near Shanghai.

Rooms at the 219-room property are equipped with air-conditioning, a bathroom with a bath and separate shower,hairdryer, satellite TV, Internet access, mini-bar and safe.

The Executive Area on the 27th and 28th floors is specificallygeared towards business travellers and, in addition to a rangeof comforts, guests are offered unlimited access to theExecutive Lounge.

Event organisers can also take advantage of the conferencecentre for a variety of occasions. The 400sq.m ballroom canaccommodate up to 350 people, while the 143sq.m multi-function room can cater for up to 120 guests. Both areas, likethe conference rooms for smaller groups, are equipped withstate-of-the-art audio and video technology.

Other facilities include a swimming pool, fitness suite,steam bath and beauty and massage rooms. For more information visit www.maritim.com


We asked our staff thefollowing question this week:

What's your favourite app?

Publisher: Jeanette [email protected] Pursuit

Editor: Lauretta [email protected]

Assistant Editor: Jill [email protected]

Contributing Editor: Paul [email protected] World Traveller

Sales Director: Simon [email protected] Report

Advertisement Manager: Tim [email protected], makes me look younger!

Online Sales Manager: Nick [email protected] My Run

Account Manager: Bill [email protected]

Sales Executive: Chris [email protected]

Sales Executive: Matt [email protected]

Senior Designer: Genaro [email protected]

Assistant Designer: Nicky [email protected]

Production: Nick Salt [email protected]

Circulation Manager: Jim [email protected]

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Crossword:Across: 1. KUONI, 4. TOKYO, 7. AMERICA, 8. TUI, 9. EDNA, 10. BERLIN, 13. BRAZIL, 14. IBIS, 17. ERN, 19.PALERMO, 20. TOWIE, 21. SPALL.Down: 1. KEANE, 2. OCEANIA, 3. IXIA, 4. THAMES, 5. KAT, 6. ORION, 11. LIBERIA, 12. DIEPPE, 13. BREST, 15.SEOUL, 16. ALPS, 18. NSW.

Highlighted Word: KANSAS

Travagrams: (top) Arblaster & Clarke (bottom) Lava Nice

Where Am I?: Banjul

puzzlesolutions


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Abu Dhabi’s hotels predict bumper 2014ABU DHABI’S hotel partners are predicting another bumper year for UK visitorsto the emirate next year.

During WTM, stakeholders including Sofitel Abu Dhabi, The St. Regis SaadiyatIsland and Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi predicted that 2014 will be the best yet for AbuDhabi’s leisure market.

Marwan Fadel, area director of sales and marketing at The St. Regis SaadiyatIsland, said: “We’re seeing excellent numbers from the UK and the hotel isgetting a lot of attention from British travellers.

“Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority has done a great job in supportingkey players in the UK and I’m optimistic that 2014 will prove a record for Britishvisitors to Abu Dhabi.”

The UK remains the emirate’s second largest overseas market, with 109,330Brits checking into Abu Dhabi hotels in the first nine months of this year – a 10%increase on last year.

British guests accounted for 518,571 guest nights – an increase of 21% year-on-year, with an average length of stay of 4.74 nights, again up 10% on theprevious year.

Salik Mangrio, director of sales and marketing at Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi, said:“The UK market is one of our main focuses; we have seen massive growth thisyear and hope to see the same next year. The leisure segment is the perfect fitfor Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi, with the facilities we have and the nearby golf course.”

MALLORCA FARMHOUSES is offering a week's stay at the Hortets de s’Horta(pictured) in October next year from £993. The three-bedroom property sleeps sixand offers mountain views, a fireplace in the kitchen and a heated outdoor hot tub.Prices include maid service, towels and bed linen, free Wi-Fi, private pool,representative service, free air-conditioning, barbecue, starter pack, propertyinformation booklet, TV/CD/DVD and washing machine/dishwasher. For details or to book visit www.mallorca.co.uk or call 0845-800 8080.

New online search options from getabed.co.uk GETABED.CO.UK HAS introduced new landmark and postcode search options.

The new functionality is a result of feedback from trade partners who areregularly asked by customers to book accommodation close to landmarks suchas the Empire State Building in New York or the opera house in Sydney.

With the new tool, agents can tick the appropriate landmark from a list andthen use the slider to determine how close their customer would like to stay to it.

Alternatively, if there’s a particular postcode a customer wants to stay in,agents can now refine their search in this way too.To receive training on any of the above new features or to book a visit from thecompany’s sales team email [email protected]



Just answer the question that will appear every morning on our homepage from 1st to 12th December for your chance to win a fantastic prize... from Space Memorabilia to Gift Experiences!

12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS!

Winners will be announced the following morning on www.attractionworld.com. One prize per agent. No booking necessary. 78 prizes in total to be won.

KSC AND ATTRACTION WORLD ARE GIVING AWAY TOP PRIZES EVERY DAY TO CELEBRATE THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS…

WE ARE OVER THE MOON ABOUT IT AND SURE YOU WILL BE TOO!


Documents

Travel Bulletin 6th December 2013