Air Transat launches 2016 seat sale Blue Air arrives at Glasgow

Issue No. 1,224 Week of 05 October 2015
Blue Air arrives
at Glasgow
Airport
tishtra ve
Paul Cronje has been
promoted to Director
of Operations at Clyde
Travel Management.
Paul originally worked
for Intourist (now called
Into-Russia) in London,
before managing their
Glasgow office. He
then moved to Clyde
Travel Management as
General Manager in
2008 and now oversees 90 staff in multiple
locations.
R
omanian airline Blue Air has
announced it will begin flying
from Glasgow Airport for the first
time this winter, starting with a new
direct flight to Bucharest. The airline
will offer the service twice a week,
on Thursdays and Sundays, staring
on 17th December. Tickets are available at prices starting from £26.55.
Blue Air General Manager, Gheorghe
RACARU said: “Since its first flight
more than ten years ago, Blue Air
has been permanently developing,
with new routes, fleet increases and
new services that offer passengers an
extremely pleasant experience on
board of our aircrafts. It is my
pleasure to announce the new
Glasgow to Bucharest route Glasgow
and I would like to recognise the
support and openness of the
Glasgow Airport representatives.’’
www.scot
lagent sn ew s
.c o
.u
/stanselections
David Rennie from P&O Cruises looks forward to a
busy STAR Roadshow in Aberdeen last week. More
pictures on page 14 and on stanselections.co.uk
Air Transat launches 2016 seat sale
A
ir Transat has launched an October seat sale, with one-way fares starting
from £191. The sale rates are available for flights booked between now
and 19th October inclusive and are valid for travel from 15th November to
16th October 2016.
Air Transat operates direct flights from and Glasgow to Toronto and Vancouver
year-round; and Calgary and Montreal from May to October.
All flights on Air Transat include the added value of benefits including a 23kg
allowance for hold luggage, meals and soft drinks on board plus in-flight
entertainment.
Highlights
This Issue:
Date-A-Base
2
Reflections with Bill Munro
Focus on the Caribbean
Photofile – STAR Roadshow
in Aberdeen
Focus on Canada
4
5-13
14
15-16
Moor at your door
Discover the haven in Barbados where
every sumptuous property comes with
its own private mooring.
portferdinand.com | 0800 086 8662
You’ve been here in your dreams
UNNA Luxury Resorts & Residences
Date-a-base
Oct
07
Swiss Evening, Edinburgh (julie@ski-i.com)
08
Visit USA Roadshow, Glasgow
08
Regent Seven Seas Cruises training event, Stirlingshire
(salessupport@rssc.com)
12-15
Nov
Dec
ABTA Travel Convention, Greece
05
SPAA Annual Travel Awards, Glasgow
25
STAR Exhibition, Glasgow
10
SPAA Christmas Lunch, Glasgow
2016
May
8-10
TTNG Conforence, Celebrity Eclipse
JulieAnne Hughes from Thomas Cook Forge Shopping Centre was a
winner in the Hoseasons Great Summer Giveaway campaign.
JulieAnne is pictured here with Hoseasons’ Ryan Carrol
Qatar Airways Virgin Trains to
adds Sydney to add Stirling
Teleticket announces summer
network
V
flights for Scotland
Q
atar Airways will add daily
direct services from Doha to
Sydney starting from 1st March,
the third Australian city in the
Qatar Airways network. Currently,
the Doha-based carrier operates
daily non-stop flights to
Melbourne and Perth with a total
of 14 services each week.
The evening departure timings in
both directions provide convenient travel times for passengers,
and enhance connectivity to
business and leisure destinations
across Qatar Airways' global
network.
The Doha-Sydney daily flights will
be operated by the Boeing 777300 aircraft which offers a fullyflat bed with 78 inches of seat
pitch.
irgin Trains has launched
tickets for a new direct train
from Stirling. The city will benefit
from a new direct return service to
London from 14th December.
The new service will feature early
morning departures making it
ideal for a day of business or
leisure in London. The additional
weekday Stirling service will provide a 0526 weekday departure,
arriving in London King’s Cross at
1052. This is 46 minutes faster
than the existing 0530 departure,
which requires a change of train
and arrives in London at 1142.
The train will also call at Falkirk
Grahamstown and will link with
the existing 0626 departure from
Edinburgh Waverley. The return
service will depart London King’s
Cross at 1500, arriving in Stirling
at 2016.
Hurtigruten has confirmed Magnus
Zetterberg as the new Managing Director
of its UK operation. Magnus is a Swedish
and American citizen who was previously
the CEO and founding member of
Travelaer, an ecommerce software
company for airlines. He has extensive
experience in the travel industry having
spent 12 years at Scandinavian Airlines
most recently as Vice President of eCommerce and Distribution. Prior
to that, he held roles in Business Intelligence, Performance
Management & Group Strategy.
190-194 Main Street
Glasgow, G78 1SL
www.scottishtravelagentsnews.co.uk
Tel:
0141 880 4305
Fax:
0141 881 6511
Email: susan@stannews.co.uk
2
T
eleticket is once again offering British Airways, direct charter flights,
from three Scottish airports to Malaga and Palma for summer 2016.
Operating from 21st May to 16th October 2016, there are seven and 14
night durations available.
David Crawforth, Aviation Manager at Teleticket said, “Teleticket has
been offering flights from Scotland for ten years, having started in 2005
with Glasgow – Tenerife with Astraeus Airlines. Teleticket now offer flights
from Glasgow and Aberdeen to Palma and Malaga, and Edinburgh to
Palma which have all proved popular for six consecutive years.
“We know from working closely with agents such as Ramsay World Travel
and Airport Direct Travel that being able to offer nonstop flights to
traditional destinations such as Malaga and Palma from a local airport is
very beneficial to agents working in Scotland.”
Tourism Ireland unveils 2016
initiatives
T
he launch at World Travel Market of two tourism initiatives is
expected to encourage more visitors from Great Britain and beyond
to Ireland. The unveiling of Ireland’s Ancient East and Northern Ireland
Year of Food and Drink 2016 will spearhead Tourism Ireland’s visitor
drive next year.
Tourism Ireland will also highlight ever-strengthening visitor numbers,
which have continued to grow throughout 2015.
2015 looks set to finish strongly with visitors continuing to enjoy the Wild
Atlantic Way, the world’s longest coastal route that snakes along Ireland’s
West coast. The newly-restored Gobbins and the Giant’s Causeway, along
Northern Ireland’s Causeway Coastal Route, are both attracting visitors. A
diverse range of city breaks plus a variety of festivals will also continue to
draw visitors including to Dublin’s New Years Festival.
Editor: Susan Harris
Features: Andrea Pellicci
Advertising Sales:
Guy Palmer, Alex Bleasdale
For subscription information
contact the above address.
Printing & Typesetting
Armstrong Printing (Alloa) Ltd
75-77 Alloa Business Centre
Whins Road, Alloa FK10 3SA
Published by S&G Publishing (Scotland) Ltd and
delivered to every ABTA, IATA, non ABTA, agency
in Scotland as well as to home workers, telesales
agents, and principals based in Scotland.
Registered as a newspaper with the Post Office.The editor and publishers cannot be held
responsible for any views expressed or for any mistakes or misprints that may occur. No
part of this publication may be reproduced without the consent of the publishers.
Scottish Travel Agents News: Issue 05 October 2015
Insider Journeys expands
Small Group Tours
Agents say cheers to
revamped ship visits
A
O
New for 2016 are five new Small Group Journeys as well as many now
including river cruising within itineraries. Among the new five itineraries
is the 14-day ‘Japan Discovery’, travelling from Tokyo to Kyoto via the
snow-capped Japanese Alps.
The overhauled ship visit programme ensures that agents experience a
true taster of life at sea on a cruise holiday. This includes being able to
enjoy drinks in a bar of their choice, sample hot tubs and swimming
pools, and lunch featuring different courses prepared by the speciality
restaurants on-board.
sia specialist tour operator, Insider Journeys, has released its new
Small Group Journeys brochure for 2016-17. The new-look brochure
features a range of new itineraries across Asia, with enhancements made
to some of the operator’s top-selling tours, plus earlybird discounts on all
2016 escorted tours to encourage trade sales.
To mark the brochure launch, Insider Journeys is offering great earlybird
discounts for customers to enjoy savings of up to £350 on all Small
Group Journeys departing in 2016. The operator is also running two
incentives for agents. As part of the new “Come Dine with IJ” incentive,
agencies who book four passengers on a Small Group Journey in October
will win a team night out on Insider Journeys at a local Asian restaurant.
P&O Cruises and Cunard have
promoted Alex White to the newly
created position of Carnival UK vice
president of sales. Alex who leaves
Princess Cruises UK to take up the post,
will lead the sales and sales support
areas of the business. His appointment
illustrates the importance both brands
place on travel agent relationships and
the role will focus primarily on strategic
initiatives to strengthen those
partnerships even further.
ver 250 travel agents have so far this year now enjoyed a new
experiential-based ship visit with Celebrity Cruises as part of the
cruise line’s comprehensive agent training approach. The milestone
follows the introduction of the new activity in summer 2015.
The new experiential ship visits focus on agents being able to try out key
features of Celebrity Cruises ships as if they were sailing on-board. Agents
also enjoy viewings of staterooms across different accommodation
categories and free time to wander around the ship at their leisure.
Ryanair expands Edinburgh
schedule
R
yanair has announced its summer 2016 Edinburgh schedule with a new
route to Copenhagen, which will deliver 2.3m customers per annum.
Also included in the 2016 schedule are 33 new routes and more flights to
Alicante, Barcelona, Brussels, Gdansk, Krakow, London, Malaga, Malta
and Palma.
There will be five flights a week to Brussels, Malta and London, four a
week to Copenhagen and Krakow, once a day to Barcelona, Malaga and
Palma, six a week to Alicante and three a week to Gdansk.
It’s only £30 + VAT per month to join Independendent Travel Experts!
£30 per month includes:
A fully protected license to trade
(compliance with PTR’s & ATOL regulations)
FREE 24 Hour emergency support
(for you and your clients)
FREE Administration on all bookings
by Head Office from start to finish
FREE Dedicated Business
Development Manager
FREE Easy to use booking
system
01
Submit CV
FREE Marketing support
02
04
Ready
Telephone
Consultation
to trade
03
FREE 2 day
induction at
your local
training point
For more information contact Steph on:
Email: recruitment@theindependenttravelexperts.co.uk
Call: 01483 545783
Scottish Travel Agents News: Issue 05 October 2015
3
Hello again from everyone
at TravelCube.
Can you ever have
too many bags?
Win a Mulberry bag to
add to your collection with our October
Incentive.
Every booking made throughout October
(valued over £250) in each of our seven UK sales
regions will earn one entry into the prize draw
to win.
Book your clients a hotel stay, transfers, sightseeing, attractions or theme park tickets with
TravelCube.
You have a great chance to win as this is a UK
regional promotion with seven winners, one per
sales region.
Don’t forget to put your name in the agent
reference field so we know it’s your booking if
you win!
Winners will be notified week commencing 2nd
November. A selection on Mulberry bags will be
available for the prize winners to choose from
including some SS16 collection. Delivery of bags
will be 4-6 weeks after bag is selected.
Good Luck!
We are continuing to expand our portfolio of
Airport Lounges around the world. Our most
recent additions include:
� Sydney from £32.25pp
� Toronto from £34.50pp
� Vancouver from £33pp
� Edmonton from £34.50pp
� Zurich from £33.25pp
� Venice from £29.25pp
For full details of what is included at each
lounge visit the Sightseeing and Activities
section of our website.
If you have any training requirements, or need
any assistance please let me know. Always
happy to help!
Angela Muir
Country Manager – UK
TravelCube
07903 035 238
angela.muir@travelcube.com
4
Reflections with Bill Munro
As if I do not have enough to
worry about, Facebook wants me
to appoint a digital heir. This
individual - part executor, part
guardian - will take over my
digital assets after my demise
and ensure they are managed in
the way I would have wished.
Division of such valuable digital
assets is just another area for
conflict in the house. I really
don’t think it is going to be easy
to settle custody of big issues
such as my Like button.
courage to tackle yourself.
However, your digital heir will be
empowered to handle any new
friend requests: “Bill is sadly no
longer able to accept friend
requests but, if it is any consolation, I feel that yours would
have been declined”. A tasteful
message can be sent to your
friends advising them that they
may now disregard invitations to
wish you happy birthday on the
random date you gave the social
media site.
What has this to do with travel?
Given the growing popularity of
digital heirs and memorial
pages, I do worry, however, that
Facebook could end up with its
dead members outnumbering
the living ones, which has to be
bad for its business model.
Obviously it’s not just Facebook
that has to be considered. There
is LinkedIn. A final post updating
your CV would be useful here,
with a list of your achievements
The powers of the Facebook
digital heir – a service made
available to British users last
month – are limited but still
significant. Your heir – can post
pictures as they turn your page
into a living memorial but they
cannot unfriend posthumously
those you never really wanted as
friends but never quite had the
ABTA members ahead of game
for new laws
F
rom this month, the EU Alternative Dispute Resolution legislation
requires all companies to notify their customers of an approved third
party who can help resolve disputes. ABTA’s ADR scheme has been
audited by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute and gained approval
under the legislation.
While companies are not legally required to use ADR, they are obliged to
tell customers if they do not use an approved ADR provider. ABTA’s ADR
scheme has been operating for many years and last year managed
12,000 cases, of which 400 went through to independent arbitration.
Recently, ABTA has invested in the scheme by introducing online
complaints procedures and improved guidance for customers.
The audit involved a comprehensive review of ABTA’s complaints
procedure, interviews with ABTA staff and evaluations of case files to
make sure correct procedures were being followed.
TTNG launches their National
Cruise Season
T
he Travel Network Group will run its own National Cruise Season for
the remainder of October. The group's focus on the cruise sector
during this period will be intensified with an increase in marketing spend
and the roll-out of several cruise-related initiatives that will seek to
further raise awareness of cruising amongst its members.
Members will receive newly designed cruise point-of-sale materials for
their and the group will also repackage cruise product that will be
available exclusively to members.
in your new role. And who gets
my Groupon offers? I’ve never
actually felt the desire to use
them myself but there must be
someone who wants to go to an
empty trattoria on a Tuesday
night?
In the modern era, your digital
brand is a valuable asset. I may
have little further use for it myself
but I need to make sure it is in
good hands. There are, no doubt,
good reasons for the new
safeguards but at the same time
this all feels a trifle too selfimportant. I imagine relative
crowding round as the will is
read, waiting to see who gets
custody of my Twitter followers.
Not that the family can take me
for granted. They know it could
all go to charity if they cross me.
It’s a chance to give back to all
those charity muggers, coldcallers and mailshot organisers.
You can imagine how thrilled
they will be. I’m already seriously
thinking of leaving my Instagram
account to Battersea Dogs
Home. If you ever see me posting
pictures of abandoned puppies,
you will know I’ve gone offline!
A historian has claimed that
wealthy humans are likely to
become cyborgs within 200 years
as they gradually merge with
advanced technologies. Yuval
Noah Harari, a professor at the
Hebrew University of Jerusalem,
said the amalgamation of man
and machine would be the
“biggest evolution in biology”
since the emergence of life four
billion years ago. He argues that
humans as a race are driven by
dissatisfaction and that we
would not be able to resist the
temptation to “upgrade” ourselves whether by genetic
engineering or through technology. He warned that the
“cyborg” technology would be
restricted to the wealthiest in
society with the rich able to live
for ever while the poor died out.
What has this to do with travel?
Beam me up Scotty!!!
Scottish Travel Agents News: Issue 05 Octoberl 2015
ATE TO B
L
O
O
T
T
IT’S NO
O OK A
E
P
A
C
S
E
R
WINTE
SGOW
LA
OM G
DIRECT FR
N
U
C
N
CA
S
A
G
E
V
S
LA
BADOS
AND BAR
FROM
£399
RETURN
FROM
FROM
£299
9
£R2ET9
URN
RETURN
Las Vegas
Cancun
Barbad
os
thomascookairlines.com
From prices are per person for economy return flights and subject to limited availability. Flying before the end of January 2016.
Prices on our website fluctuate daily (up and/or down). Fares are subject to a 2% credit card fee (max £95 per transaction).
Flights are sold by Thomas Cook Airlines, trading as Thomas Cook Tour Operations Ltd, ATOL protected (no. 1179).
Caribbean
New brand, interCaribbean
Airways, links Western Caribbean
islands and Cuba
I
nterCaribbean Airways (JY/653)
is the new brand of an airline
almost a quarter century old.
The company is based in the
British Overseas Territory of the
Turks & Caicos Islands, a chain of
beautiful islands that represent
the last islands between the
Bahamas and the Dominican
Republic and Haiti.
22 years ago, Mr. Lyndon
Gardiner (pictured) the founder
and now Chairman of the
company, acquired a small four
seat aircraft for personal needs
which became the catalyst of
providing on demand air service
throughout the Turks & Caicos
Islands. With a growing demand
for air service, the company
formalised its structure as
InterIsland Airways for eleven
years becoming Air Turks &
Caicos and flying a schedule of
domestic and international
services for the next ten years.
Fast forward ten more years, and
the time came to revisit the
brand as new international
opportunities presented themselves and so interCaribbean
Airways (the rebranded Air Turks
& Caicos) was born.
Today interCaribbean connects
six countries of the Western
Caribbean and, at the time of
going to press, will see the
introduction on sale of destinations in Cuba (Havana and
Santiago de Cuba) and the
addition of Punta Cana
representing a fourth destination
in the Dominican Republic.
Today the company operates a
fleet of Embraer 120 aircraft,
Beech 99 and shortly will reintroduce the Twin Otter aircraft.
In 2013 Trevor Sadler, a British
born experienced airline executive with a background in
Europe, the Middle East, Far East,
USA and the Caribbean, joined
the company as CEO. Responsible for the management,
growth and rebranding of the
company, Mr. Sadler stated
interCaribbean serves as an
important bridge for travellers
unable to transit via the USA or
Panama, creating a mini hub in
Providenciales that has fostered
increased trade between islands.
With an increased network of
6
frequencies today, travellers from
Europe, North and South
America now have an easy
ability to combine two or more
island countries without giving
up a day to travel from one
island to the next one.
In 2015 the company launched a
new website and reservations
system and also launched
Cacique Rewards, a frequent
flyer programme, online flight
tracking for customers and
recently introducing its own
inflight magazine called
“Cacique”.
The company is a member of
four Caribbean BSPs, ticketable
in the USA (ARC) and in agreement with Heli Air Monaco.
InterCaribbean flights (JY) can
now be ticketed on YO/747
ticket stock in 176 countries.
Scottish Travel Agents News: Issue 05 October 2015
Caribbean
Join the
online
training
with St Lucia
T
he aim of the St Lucia
online training course is to
help agents increase their
product knowledge of Saint
Lucia, in a fun and informative
way, in order to sell the island
more confidently to clients.
The course will help agents
answer most of the common
questions that clients may ask
about Saint Lucia, as well as
provide ideas for planning a
programme of activities for
specific client needs, whether
they want a romantic escape,
are planning a wedding or
looking for a family holiday.
There are only six modules to
complete and should only take
approximately 40 minutes.
Modules are in numerical
order and there is a test at the
end of each one. As a reward,
once agents have completed
the course, they will receive a
gift, be eligible to attend one
of the many fam trips during
the year and to become a
Saint Lucia specialist. As an
added incentive, agents can
log bookings onto the programme and will also be in
with a chance of winning
some fabulous prizes.
American
Airlines
expands
services
T
his summer, American Airlines
added six new routes throughout the Caribbean, Mexico and
Latin America, further strengthening its position in these key
markets.
The expanded service now
includes new flights to Belize City,
Belize and Grand Cayman in the
Cayman Islands.
8
Puerto Rico
chosen to host
Routes
Americas
P
uerto Rico, a US Commonwealth, has been chosen as
the host destination for the 9th
Routes Americas which will take
place 7th - 9th February 2016 in
San Juan.
The event, which is the route
development forum for the entire
Americas region, will be hosted by
Puerto Rico Tourism Company
with the support of their partners
Aerostar Airport Holdings LLC and
Meet Puerto Rico.
The island is home to the largest
airport and cruise homeport in the
Caribbean and 2016 will mark the
inauguration of the newly
remodelled Luis Muñoz Marín
International Airport. A premier
convention destination, Puerto
Rico offers a unique positioning
within the Caribbean, reachable
via over 1,600 nonstop weekly
flights from 43 destinations
around the world.
Experience
the legendary
Concorde in
Barbados
T
he Barbados Concorde
Experience presents the
legendary British Airways
Concorde G-BOAE or Alpha
Echo for short.
It is not only possible to see the
plane in the distance but to
come up close to it, to walk
under it and even to enter the
plane itself on a long red carpet.
A simulation enables visitors to
fly the Concorde by themselves.
The pilot brings the plane
gradually into the air, guides it
on its journey around Barbados
diving, climbing or looping and
lands it on the same runway.
Celebrity Cruises offers more
‘Evening’ Caribbean
Celebrity Cruises is bringing more of the Caribbean to holidaymakers
with “Evenings Around the World” shore excursions, featuring 14
new and unique evening experiences. These special excursions
complement the recently announced overnight stays on over 40
Caribbean sailings departing January 2016 and beyond.
Celebrity’s Caribbean Evenings Around the World programme offers
guests a curated menu of evening experiences that go beyond the
port, including evening jazz, bonfires and exclusive boat parties in
Cozumel, Mexico; exclusive wine tastings at the Caribbean’s first
winery in Willemstad, Curacao; drifting along Aruba’s picturesque
coastline, to live Caribbean music, on a special sunset cruise; and
night time, horse-drawn carriage tours along winding cobblestone
streets, past historic colonial mansions in Cartagena, Colombia.
Celebrity’s Evenings Around the World shore excursions are available
in Caribbean destinations such as Cartagena, Colombia; Philipsburg,
St. Maarten; Cozumel, Mexico; Aruba; Curacao and Barbados and
can range from $45 - $239 per person.
Paradise Beach Nevis receives
strong trade support
Nevis’ newest beachfront villa retreat, Paradise Beach Nevis, has received
strong support from the UK travel trade. Thirteen operators have
contracted the retreat this summer and five more are ready to sign up.
Operators selling the seven-villa hideaway on Nevis’ west coast include
Elegant Resorts, Cox and Kings, Caribtours, Scott Dunn, Western &
Oriental and Tropic Breeze.
Owner of Paradise Beach Nevis, James Cabourne, comments: “We are
delighted with the reception the resort has received from the travel trade.
Last month we launched a promotion to incentivise bookings and we are
taking part in the St Nevis & St Kitts roadshows in October.”
The privately owned hideaway features seven two-, three- and fourbedroomed Balinese inspired thatched beachfront villas, each with a
plunge pool and an outdoor shower. Also on offer are butler and
concierge service, in-room spa treatments and the services of a private
chef. A range of water sports can be enjoyed from the property’s
beachfront.
Sovereign expands in Caribbean
S
overeign has launched a newly enhanced Caribbean offering as part
of its 2016 programme, increasing the choice by more than 80%.
The Caribbean and Mexico section of the programme is the largest of
Sovereign’s long haul destination collections, featuring 29 select hotels
across Dominican Republic, Antigua, Barbados and St Lucia, as well as
Cancun and the Riviera Maya on the Caribbean coast of Mexico.
The region offers a wide choice of AlI-inclusive properties, in particular,
including the Verandah Resort and Spa in Antigua and the Secrets Playa
Mujeres Resort and Spa in Mexico.
These properties are also presented within Sovereign’s All In collection
on its website, making it easy for customers interested in All Inclusive
options to find what they are looking for.
Scottish Travel Agents News: Issue 05 October 2015
Caribbean
Join the
online
training
with St Lucia
T
he aim of the St Lucia
online training course is to
help agents increase their
product knowledge of Saint
Lucia, in a fun and informative
way, in order to sell the island
more confidently to clients.
The course will help agents
answer most of the common
questions that clients may ask
about Saint Lucia, as well as
provide ideas for planning a
programme of activities for
specific client needs, whether
they want a romantic escape,
are planning a wedding or
looking for a family holiday.
There are only six modules to
complete and should only take
approximately 40 minutes.
Modules are in numerical
order and there is a test at the
end of each one. As a reward,
once agents have completed
the course, they will receive a
gift, be eligible to attend one
of the many fam trips during
the year and to become a
Saint Lucia specialist. As an
added incentive, agents can
log bookings onto the programme and will also be in
with a chance of winning
some fabulous prizes.
American
Airlines
expands
services
T
his summer, American Airlines
added six new routes throughout the Caribbean, Mexico and
Latin America, further strengthening its position in these key
markets.
The expanded service now
includes new flights to Belize City,
Belize and Grand Cayman in the
Cayman Islands.
8
Puerto Rico
chosen to host
Routes
Americas
P
uerto Rico, a US Commonwealth, has been chosen as
the host destination for the 9th
Routes Americas which will take
place 7th - 9th February 2016 in
San Juan.
The event, which is the route
development forum for the entire
Americas region, will be hosted by
Puerto Rico Tourism Company
with the support of their partners
Aerostar Airport Holdings LLC and
Meet Puerto Rico.
The island is home to the largest
airport and cruise homeport in the
Caribbean and 2016 will mark the
inauguration of the newly
remodelled Luis Muñoz Marín
International Airport. A premier
convention destination, Puerto
Rico offers a unique positioning
within the Caribbean, reachable
via over 1,600 nonstop weekly
flights from 43 destinations
around the world.
Experience
the legendary
Concorde in
Barbados
T
he Barbados Concorde
Experience presents the
legendary British Airways
Concorde G-BOAE or Alpha
Echo for short.
It is not only possible to see the
plane in the distance but to
come up close to it, to walk
under it and even to enter the
plane itself on a long red carpet.
A simulation enables visitors to
fly the Concorde by themselves.
The pilot brings the plane
gradually into the air, guides it
on its journey around Barbados
diving, climbing or looping and
lands it on the same runway.
Celebrity Cruises offers more
‘Evening’ Caribbean
Celebrity Cruises is bringing more of the Caribbean to holidaymakers
with “Evenings Around the World” shore excursions, featuring 14
new and unique evening experiences. These special excursions
complement the recently announced overnight stays on over 40
Caribbean sailings departing January 2016 and beyond.
Celebrity’s Caribbean Evenings Around the World programme offers
guests a curated menu of evening experiences that go beyond the
port, including evening jazz, bonfires and exclusive boat parties in
Cozumel, Mexico; exclusive wine tastings at the Caribbean’s first
winery in Willemstad, Curacao; drifting along Aruba’s picturesque
coastline, to live Caribbean music, on a special sunset cruise; and
night time, horse-drawn carriage tours along winding cobblestone
streets, past historic colonial mansions in Cartagena, Colombia.
Celebrity’s Evenings Around the World shore excursions are available
in Caribbean destinations such as Cartagena, Colombia; Philipsburg,
St. Maarten; Cozumel, Mexico; Aruba; Curacao and Barbados and
can range from $45 - $239 per person.
Paradise Beach Nevis receives
strong trade support
Nevis’ newest beachfront villa retreat, Paradise Beach Nevis, has received
strong support from the UK travel trade. Thirteen operators have
contracted the retreat this summer and five more are ready to sign up.
Operators selling the seven-villa hideaway on Nevis’ west coast include
Elegant Resorts, Cox and Kings, Caribtours, Scott Dunn, Western &
Oriental and Tropic Breeze.
Owner of Paradise Beach Nevis, James Cabourne, comments: “We are
delighted with the reception the resort has received from the travel trade.
Last month we launched a promotion to incentivise bookings and we are
taking part in the St Nevis & St Kitts roadshows in October.”
The privately owned hideaway features seven two-, three- and fourbedroomed Balinese inspired thatched beachfront villas, each with a
plunge pool and an outdoor shower. Also on offer are butler and
concierge service, in-room spa treatments and the services of a private
chef. A range of water sports can be enjoyed from the property’s
beachfront.
Sovereign expands in Caribbean
S
overeign has launched a newly enhanced Caribbean offering as part
of its 2016 programme, increasing the choice by more than 80%.
The Caribbean and Mexico section of the programme is the largest of
Sovereign’s long haul destination collections, featuring 29 select hotels
across Dominican Republic, Antigua, Barbados and St Lucia, as well as
Cancun and the Riviera Maya on the Caribbean coast of Mexico.
The region offers a wide choice of AlI-inclusive properties, in particular,
including the Verandah Resort and Spa in Antigua and the Secrets Playa
Mujeres Resort and Spa in Mexico.
These properties are also presented within Sovereign’s All In collection
on its website, making it easy for customers interested in All Inclusive
options to find what they are looking for.
Scottish Travel Agents News: Issue 05 October 2015
Your luxury tropical hideaway
Barbados
Laid back and easy going with a
captivating, vibrant
fantastic
culture
year-round
and
climate,
UK AIRPORT
LOUNGE
PASS
INCLUDED
FAST-TRACK
SERVICE ON
ARRIVAL
INCLUDED
enchanting Barbados has long been
a firm favourite with the British who
continue to enjoy its delightfully
varied
landscape,
acclaimed
internationally
cuisine,
plethora
of
activities, and not least, the warm
hospitality of the Barbadians and the
island’s relaxed, albeit sophisticated,
Caribbean atmosphere.
Edinburgh & Glasgow connecting
flights for British Airways’ Gatwick service
Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow
& Inverness connecting flights for
Virgin Atlantic’s Manchester service
Luggage checked through to Barbados
Ask your local travel agent about
Barbados by Classic Collection Holidays
Contact us on FREEPHONE 0800 294 9329
www.classic-collection.co.uk
Caribbean
Lose the winter blues in
St Lucia package
A
nse Chastanet and Jade Mountain, St Lucia, have launched new
three, five and seven- day ‘Lose the Blues’ programmes, specifically
designed for those suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder. One in
three people in the UK suffer from SAD in winter.
Anse Chastanet and Jade Mountain’s new ‘Lose the Blues’ package
suggests remedies beside the famed Pitons and under the Caribbean
sunshine.
Jade Mountain is renowned for its home-grown organic food and the
menus are packed with foods used to tackle the winter blues. Antiinflammatory and Serotonin inducing foods including locally caught fresh
fish, home-grown bananas, Turmeric and home-made organic dark
chocolate will all be on the menu.
The three, five and seven-day ‘Lose the Blues’ programme includes daily
spa treatments, sunrise and sunset yoga, Chocolate Sensory Tasting,
selected non-motorised water sports and additional endorphin boosting
activities. The programme can be booked upon arrival at either hotel.
Rates start from £253.
LIAT resumes flights to
Dominica, as the island
reopens for business
LIAT, the Caribbean airline, has resumed flights to and from the DouglasCharles Airport in Dominica. LIAT was forced to suspend services to
Dominica on 27th August due to the passage of Tropical Storm Erika
which resulted in severe damage to the island and closure of the
Douglas-Charles Airport.
The island is now back up and running with 72 of 82 hotels ready to
welcome visitors, tour operators open, many hiking trails open to the
public and nine out of eleven dive operators running. Many natural sites
are also open to visitors including the stunning Emerald Pool and
Trafalgar, Spanny and Jako Falls.
All night flights into and out of Dominica remain suspended until
further notice.
Break Away to Belize
B
reak Away Belize Travel is a Destination Management Company
focused exclusively on offering Belize travel itineraries. The company
is a one stop shop offering a complete range of travel related services.
Break Away Travel offers a wide selection of hotels and resorts as its
prime online collection but can design tailor made travel packages for
particular hotels and resorts in Belize. The company handles all logistics
for clients in Belize including airport meet and greet, transfers, hotel
accommodations, tours and meals.
Launch of Caribtours 2016
C
aribtours has launched the new 2016 brochures with some new
properties and emphasis on the biggest selling regions from 2015.
A few highlights from the new collections include the Malliouhana in
Anguilla, the Shangri-La’s Le Touessrok Resort & Spa Mauritius and the
Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah.
10
Hat Trick of Awards for
Princess Cruises
After a hugely successful year celebrating
our 50th Anniversary with the ex-UK ship
Caribbean Princess filling in record time to
our brand new branding which saw the
introduction of our re-designed
brochures, collateral and new
partnerships with Discovery@Sea, The
Voice, Chocolate Journeys and Curtis
Stone. And only recently, Princess Cruises
were awarded Best Cruise Line for a second year at this year's
Cruise International Awards along with Best for First Timers
and Best for Food.
We have had a phenomenal year of sales, but not only that, we
launched One Source - Princess' very own, dedicated, travel
agent portal and a brand new flight tool - Plane Sailing, which
over the coming months will see further enhancements to
really appeal further to the Scottish market. There really has
been a number of key developments in 2015 which have
centred around the feedback given by you, our travel agent
partners.
We have also hosted more Scottish agents than ever before on
our Academy Ship Visit Programme and our Academy@Sea
Fam Trips onboard Royal Princess over the Summer. On top of
this, we hosted the first ever visit onboard our newest ship,
Regal Princess, in Greenock hosting over 40 agents onboard
only a few weeks ago.
With this in mind, I would be incredibly grateful for your
support and consideration in the following categories for this
year's SPAA Awards:Best Mainstream Cruise Company - Princess Cruises
Best Cruise Representative - John Docherty (Regional
Business Manager - Scotland)
Come Back Revitalised
Our current campaign runs until the end of November where
we are offering FREE Balcony Upgrade from Outside
staterooms on selected sailings in Alaska, Caribbean, Mexico
and California Coastal AND we are offering FREE Balcony
upgrade from Outside stateroom PLUS up to $600 per
stateroom Onboard Credit on our Asia, Fly Europe, ex UK
departures and Transatlantic.
Please check for more details at www.onesourcecruises.com
and use your existing CCS sign in details for more information.
See you all soon – John.
John Docherty
Regional Business Manager
Scotland, Cumbria & Northern Ireland - Princess Cruises (UK)
Telephone: 07812 745185
Email: john.docherty@princesscruises.co.uk
Scottish Travel Agents News: Issue 05 October 2015
T IME IS SO PRECIOUS,
S MART COUPLES STEAL IT.
S
omewhere in the world there is a place where two people can be alone, and the only clock-watchers
are the sun and stars. No schedules. No distractions. No interruptions. Nothing but time.
Welcome to Rendezvous. Like its
With two miles of white sand beach
name, it is designed for couples. An
and exotic tropical gardens - by - the - sea,
intimate boutique resort on the island
the only outside influence here is entirely
of Saint Lucia in the Caribbean Sea,
at your discretion – impeccable service,
secluded, tranquil and tailor - made for
exceptional food, and a wealth of
stolen moments. A corner of paradise
amenities and activities.
reserved for two, it is a private oasis and
Discover Rendezvous. And find the
– quite simply – the perfect setting
for reconnecting, rediscovering and
time and place to steal away together.
celebrating life’s pleasures together.
visit www.theromanticholiday.com.
To learn more call 0203 096 1658 or
Caribbean
Agent rates
from Green
Parrot
T
he Green Parrot Beach
Houses and Resort in
Belize, which recently joined
the country’s tourist board
roadshow in Glasgow, has
introduced agents rates for the
2015/16 season starting from
USD 127.05 per night based
on a minimum numbers of
sold nights.
The hotel is an active member
of both the Hotel Association
and Tourism Board and has
been in business in Belize for
almost 16 years based in
southern Belize on the
Placencia peninsula and able
to provide guests with access
to both land and water-based
activities.
Bahamas Tru
Tru festival
gains support
T
he Bahamas Hotel and
Tourism Association has joined
forces with industry partners
including the Ministry of Tourism,
The Nassau Paradise Island
Promotion Board and the Paradise
Island Tourism Development
Association in an effort to continue to highlight and promote,
authentic “Tru-Tru” Bahamian
Culture, Heritage, Traditions,
Artistic and Culinary Flair and
indigenous Flora and Fauna.
The initial manifestation of the
Tru-Tru Movement will be a TruTru Bahamian Festival to be held
on 7th November.
The Tru-Tru movement seeks to
encourage repeat visits to the
Bahamas as “one could not possible savour the flavour in one
sampling” and to showcase the
fact that the Bahamas as a
destination, is unique due to the
geography of the Bahamian
archipelago and the wide variety
of experiences available for
exploration.
12
Winter offer from Keyonna Beach
K
eyonna Beach in Antigua has
an Early Bird Booking Offer
out whereby stays booked 50 days
or more in advance will receive a
15% discount. Located on
Johnson’s Point, Antigua's south
western coastline, Keyonna Beach
is set on a long stretch of secluded
beach. The resort is all-inclusive
and is an adults-only hotel.
The 24 room hotel consists of
Beach Front Plunge Pool Cottages,
set on the beach front, with a
private plunge pool and “his &
hers” outdoor showers. Beach
View Cottages and Beach House
Rooms are positioned either with
a view of the beach and sea or
directly overlooking the beach.For
a week from mid-October prices
start from £1399 for seven days,
per person and includes full-board
flights with British Airways from
Gatwick, transfers, for a Beach
House Standard Room available
through Kuoni.
Sun Group
Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort
Hotels appoints celebrates 25 years
UK PR
T
S
un Group Hotels, Barbados
has appointed travel specialist
agency Riva PR to handle its
public relations for the UK and
Ireland. Riva PR will develop and
deliver strategic communications
strategies to position Sun Group
Hotels as a leading privatelyowned and family run hotel group
in the Caribbean, highlighting the
current owned and managed
properties in its portfolio
throughout Barbados and their
expansion and acquisition plans
across the Caribbean.
Sun Group Hotels is an offshoot of
Sun Group Inc., a Barbados-based
company which was originally established in 1982 and encompasses operations in hotels, retail
travel, general insurance, land and
sea adventures, duty free retail,
vehicle rental, ground transportation, destination management,
villa rental and convenience
shopping, run by Chairman
Bernard Weatherhead.
A family-run company, Bernard’s
son, Rod Weatherhead, set up
Sun Group Hotels in July 2014
and the group now comprises five
unique properties in Barbados –
Almond Beach Resort, Sugar Cane
Club, Savannah Beach Hotel,
Worthing Court Hotel and Time
Out Hotel, each with its own
distinct character and appeal.
he five-star hotel Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort, Spa & Casino
celebrates its 25th anniversary this month. The entrance, guest rooms
and ZoiA Spa have been given a new look.
As the hotel celebrates 25 years visitors are being offered a special
anniversary promotion. The promotion will include a starting rate of $ 25
USD per night exclusively on 23rd October; rate is plus taxes and
surcharges. This promotion is 10% commissionable for travel agents.
The Hyatt Regency Aruba is regarded as one of the best resorts on Aruba.
The five-star hotel is situated on Palm Beach, 15 minutes away from
Oranjestad and the international airport Reina Beatrix. The resort has
357 rooms, several dining options, the ZoiA Spa, Papiamento and its
own wedding planner service.
Barbados Tourism unveils
new events for Caribbean
food festival
T
he Ice Tank in central London was recently transformed into a
tropical culinary haven as Barbados’ tourism officials launched
the sixth annual Barbados Food & Wine and Rum Festival.
Scheduled for 19th to 22nd November, this event in Barbados
showcases food prepared by leading local and international chefs.
During the preview it was announced that Andrew Pern, chef and
proprietor at the Michelin-starred Star Inn at Harome in Yorkshire,
would be among this year’s headliners. Andrew invited foodies to
follow him to Cobbler’s Cove, a four-star hotel in Barbados where
he will reside during the festival. He fashioned scallop and veal
into delightful dishes to provide a taste of the aromatic and
mouthwatering fare in store for festivalgoers.
This year’s festival is designed to give visitors a sophisticated introduction to Bajan fare including a number of food pop-ups and
rum trails during the weeks leading up to the 19th November start.
Scottish Travel Agents News: Issue 05 October 2015
10 seconds,
door to deck
‘Port Ferdinand’. The clue is in the name.
Here, the residences cluster around an exquisite
harbour, each with their own exclusive mooring right
outside. But then this very special enclave never stops
surprising: from its fabulous interiors, to its enviable
Platinum coast location, to a concierge team ready to
attend to your every whim.
For extraordinary holidays and home ownership, visit
portferdinand.com and then call 0800 086 8662
You’ve been here in your dreams
UNNA Luxury Resorts & Residences
The STAR Roadshow took place in Aberdeen with a wide variety of exhibitors taking part
14
Scottish Travel Agents News: Issue 05 October 2015
Free on-demand entertainment New to
with Air Transat
Whistler for
A
2015/2016
season
ir Transat has introduced free on-demand inflight entertainment on
all its routes from Glasgow to Canada.
T
he Government of Canada has
introduced a new entry requirement known as Electronic
Travel Authorisation (eTA), for visa
exempt foreign nationals travelling
to Canada by air. Exceptions
include U.S. citizens and travellers
with a valid visa.
The form for this new admittance
procedure needs to be filled out
by eligible travellers at Canada.ca/
eTA, prior to their trip to Canada,
as it will be required to board
their flight.
This authorisation has been
available since August, but will be
mandatory as of 15th March,
2016.
This will enable Scottish passengers travelling on all Air Transat flights
from Glasgow to choose their own in-flight entertainment at no
additional extra cost.
Air Transat flies year round from Glasgow to Toronto. In the summer
months (May – October), the airline offers additional services from
Glasgow to Vancouver and Calgary.
Shopping galore in Edmonton
I
n the province of Alberta, Edmonton lies a city that is known for two
very different things – being the festival capital of Canada and the
home to North America’s largest shopping mall.
Edmonton is home to North America’s largest shopping mall, the West
Edmonton Mall, which is larger than the Mall of America. The mall is
home to about 800 shops and boutiques and various entertainment and
recreation facilities are located there too. For visitors, there is plenty of
parking, with a lot of over 20,000 parking spaces.
T
his year, Whistler Black-
comb will be celebrating its
50th anniversary.
Originally opening for skiing in
the winter of 1965-66 and
founded on the dream of one
day hosting the Olympic Winter
Games, Whistler Blackcomb has
been going beyond to leave its
mark on the ski and snowboard
industry since day one.
This will be a celebratory winter
season with a number of activities lined up to give Whistler
Blackcomb the acknowledgment it deserves for 50 years of
striving to be the best, including
a 50th anniversary party at the
Roundhouse Lodge on 12th
December.
SA
LE
EN
D
S
O
CT
O
BE
R
19
eTA eligible applicants must have
a valid passport, email address
and credit card (CA $7) to
complete the online form;
authorisation is usually received
within minutes.
Following the roll out of individual touch screens with on-demand
entertainment on its Airbus A330 fleet, Air Transat has introduced a
service on its Airbus A310s where passengers can access entertainment
including films, TV shows and music through their own personal tablets,
smart phones (iOS and Android) and laptops. The new service will be
available through the aircraft’s WiFi system immediately after take-off.
Canada
A new entry
requirement
in Canada
NEW!
from
Toronto
*
£
221
pp
One way
incl.
taxes
Glasgow
Montreal
*
£
from
Glasgow
231
or £389pp rtn
or £418pp rtn
Glasgow
Glasgow
226
or £392pp rtn
pp
One way
incl.
taxes
Calgary
*
£
from
from
Vancouver
*
£
pp
One way
incl.
taxes
226
pp
One way
incl.
taxes
or £398pp rtn
airtransat.co.uk | 0141 265 5515
*Prices include all taxes & other charges. Flight only prices, based on return Eco Class fares on selected dates in May, June, September & October 2016.
Prices from Manchester, London Gatwick & Birmingham are available via the GDS or by calling Air Transat direct. Prices are strictly subject to availability,
T&C apply. See website for details. Prices are correct at the time of going to print.
Scottish Travel Agents News: Issue 05 October 2015
15
Canada
Vancouver Island region
N
estled along Canada’s west coast, the Vancouver Island region – a
land mass bigger than Belgium – is a paradise of tranquil islands,
pristine coastlines and emerald forests. In addition to BC’s vibrant capital
city, Victoria, there is a wide choice for outdoor adventure in the region,
like golfing, kayaking, whale watching, bear viewing, guided caving,
surfing and skiing.
Visitors can walk, run, hike or bike through one of the Island’s 160
government designated parks, or on the famous West Coast Trail, a 75kilometre (47-mile) backpacking test of mettle. Or on the wild west coast,
discover Canada’s surf capital, Tofino, which boasts jaw-dropping coastal
scenery where rainforest runs right into the Pacific Ocean.
Americas Masters Games to be
held in Vancouver
V
ancouver will host the first-ever Americas Masters Games in the
summer of 2016. The games will welcome over 7,500 amateur
athletes from around the world, aged 35 to over 100, from August 26th
to September 4th, 2016. The athletes will compete in 27 different sports
ranging from archery to triathlon to table tennis.
Masters sport, which emphasises "sport for all", is one of the fastestgrowing areas of sports participation. The athletes have varying levels of
abilities and performance, from former Olympians and Paralympians to
those who participate in recreational sports.
The World Masters Games are held every four years with regional
Masters Games held in between. The 2016 Americas Masters Games will
be the first regional Masters Game to be held in the Americas, with
Europe currently being the only other regional Masters.
16
Vancover International Airport
introduces new global routes
V
ancouver will strengthen its reputation as an international hub in
2015/16 as Vancouver International Airport (YVR) introduces an
influx of global flights. Next year, various airlines will add direct routes
from Vancouver to Osaka; Paris; NYC; Mexico City; Sydney; and
Kunming, China. In 2016, additional routes will fly to Brisbane, Cancun,
Orlando and London (Gatwick).
The airport has seen a busy 2015 with the opening of luxury designer
outlet McArthurGlen - three minutes' train journey from the airport- and
achieving a worldwide first by once again earning the title of North
America's number-one airport, the first time in Skytrax World Airport
Awards history that an airport has maintained top ranking for six
consecutive years. YVR is Canada's second-busiest airport, serving nearly
20 million passengers in 2015 and handling more than 273,000 aircraft
landings and takeoffs.
New Starlight Reserve and
Destination
T
he Starlight Foundation has awarded Starlight Reserve and Tourist Destination status to the Acadian Skies & Mi’kmaq Lands of Nova Scotia.
This is the first destination in North America to receive a Starlight
certification and is one of only four places in the world to receive both
Reserve and Destination designations. These beautiful expanses of river,
lake, and granite barrens are in turn the core area of the UNESCO
Southwest Nova Biosphere Reserve.
Scottish Travel Agents News: Issue 05 October 2015