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Giving agents the edge - Travel Bulletin
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                September 6 2019 | ISSUE NO 2,121 | travelbulletin.co.uk   Giving agents the edge
Giving agents the edge - Travel Bulletin
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Giving agents the edge - Travel Bulletin
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                 September 6 2019 | ISSUE NO 2,121 | travelbulletin.co.uk                   Giving agents the edge

          PUZZLE BULLETIN                 AGENT INSIGHT                   INDIAN OCEAN                    AGENT BULLETIN
          Puzzle it out & pick up great   Which long-haul beach holiday   Mix it up in the Maldives as    Find yourself on a trip to
          prizes with Jet2Holidays        packs the biggest punch?        CROSSROADS makes its            Greece & other exclusive
                                                                          grand debut                     agent incentives

                Master the art
                  of selling
                 sensational
                short breaks

                                                                                                                                       Cover pic : © Jacob Lund
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Giving agents the edge - Travel Bulletin
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         SEPTEMBER 6 2019 | travelbulletin.co.uk                                                                                            NEWS BULLETIN                 3

           THIS WEEK                                             RISKY BUSINESS
                                                   Research explores Brits’ approach to taking out travel insurance,
                                                  revealing that 37% don’t take out cover for trips inside the country.

           04
          NEWS
          Updates from the travel industry to
          help agents sell more holidays

           08
          AGENT INSIGHT
          James from Travel Designers on
          selling Indian Ocean and
          Caribbean holidays

           09
         AGENT BULLETIN
         Incentives and training                RESEARCH FROM                                       the survey show that               England, Scotland, or Wales,
         opportunities for agents               MoneySuperMarket                                    people are less likely to          but 63% have done so for a
                                                revealed that more than a                           take out cover if they are         trip to Ireland.
                                                third of people go on                               only going away overnight             Anna Sant, travel
                                                holiday without any travel                          (52.94%), versus a holiday         insurance expert at
                                                insurance, risking thousands                        that lasts a week or more.         MoneySuperMarket,
                                                of pounds in additional bills                         Additionally, over a third       commented: “While we all
           11                                   should they have an
                                                accident or have to cancel
                                                                                                    of people (37%) have not
                                                                                                    and would not consider
                                                                                                                                       hope our holidays go
                                                                                                                                       without a hitch, travel
         PUZZLE BULLETIN
         Su Doku-solving sleuths can            their trip for any reason.                          taking out travel insurance        insurance is a great safety
         win great prizes with Jet2               MoneySuperMarket asked                            for a trip within the UK,          net for those occasions
                                                2,000 Brits about their                             while 23% haven’t, but             when things do go wrong.”
                                                attitudes to travel insurance                       would consider it, and 15%            “You should try to take out
                                                and the results show that                           didn’t realise you would           insurance as soon as
                                                people wrongly assume they                          need cover while staying           possible after booking your
                                                don’t need it, either because                       in the UK.                         trip, as policies can cover
                                                of the length of stay or                              Crossing the sea seems to        the costs of unexpected
           13                                   where they’re going.
                                                  Brits are less likely to take
                                                                                                    be the deciding factor for
                                                                                                    many travellers as to
                                                                                                                                       cancellations or other
                                                                                                                                       difficulties before you leave,
         SHORT BREAKS
         How to spend 48 hours                  out travel insurance for                            whether or not they will take      as well as covering missed
         in Tallinn                             staycations or trips to                             out travel insurance, as only      or cancelled flights. Travel
                                                Europe compared to long-                            around a third of people           insurance can also help with
                                                haul travel.                                        (32%) have taken out               medical issues and thefts
                                                  Results collected from                            insurance for a trip in            while travelling.”

           19
         INDIA AND INDIAN OCEAN                                                                                                                         @TravelBulletin
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                                                Place London, SW1W 0EX                    ISSN: 0956-2419                   www.travelbulletin.co.uk    Travel_Bulletin
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    4    NEWS BULLETIN                                                                                   SEPTEMBER 6 2019 | travelbulletin.co.uk

             New deals and destinations from AmaWaterways                                                            China, India and
                                                                                                                      Japan added to
         AGENTS CAN pass on               March, April, November and          itinerary offers 14 nights,
         savings of up to £1,000 per      December 2020.                      combining ‘Magna on the
                                                                                                                   Railbookers’ brochure
         person on voyages in                Guests booking a Mekong          Danube’ and ‘Gems of                 RAILBOOKERS’ 2020 brochure
         AmaWaterways’ 2020               cruise can save £400 or £800        Southeast Europe’.                   includes 11 new itineraries and
         brochure. To mark the            per person, depending on               Guests on the ‘Gems of            destinations, including China, India
         launch, the river cruise line    the time of year. These             Southeast Europe’ itinerary          and Japan.
         has announced early booking      cruises come with the option        can add on three nights in              As well as the Indian Golden
         savings, as well as new          of three nights in Bangkok at       Istanbul pre- or post-cruise,        Triangle itinerary, the Golden
         destinations and a new ship.     the start or end of the trip.       while those on the ‘Colours          Route of Japan, and a Shanghai,
         All European cruises are            The promotions are               of Provence’ itinerary can           Beijing and Hong Kong trip, the
         offered with savings of          available for bookings made         add three nights in Nice.            rail holiday booking specialist has
         between £400 and £1,000 per      until December 31, 2019.               AmaWaterways will expand          added new European itineraries.
         person, plus free flights from      The double-width                 its fleet with the addition of its      These include: Venice
         a choice of six UK airports      AmaMagna, which launched            24th ship arriving in July           Simplon-Orient Express with
         and overseas transfers. The      this summer, has an                 2020, the 156-passenger              Lake Garda and Lake Como
         savings vary from month to       extended programme for              AmaSiena. Sister ship to             (pictured); The Northern Lights;
         month with a maximum             2020. She will sail three new       AmaMora (2019), AmaLea               Grand Golden Pass and
         £1,000 discount available for    itineraries and cruise the          (2018), and AmaKristina              Mountain Peaks; and Berlin,
         departures in                          Lower Danube for the          (2017), AmaSiena will feature        Warsaw, Krakow and Vienna.
                                                first time. The ‘Magna        AmaWaterways’ twin-
                                                on the Danube’ seven-         balcony staterooms, a choice
                                                 night cruise from            of dining venues including
                                                 Vilshofen to Budapest        the Chef’s Table Restaurant,
                                                  (or reverse), includes      sundeck walking track,
                                                  the new port of Spitz       pool with swim-up bar and
                                                   in Austria where           fitness room. As part of the
                                                   guests can visit an        brand’s’ Wellness
                                                    exclusive wine festival   Programme, guests will be
                                                    and take an excursion     able to join group
                                                    to Schonbrunn             exercise classes.
                                                     Palace. Another             AmaSiena will sail a
                                                     seven-night cruise,      variety of popular itineraries,
                                                     the ‘Gems of             including two new seven-                The brochure has been
                                                      Southeast Europe’,      night cruises. ‘Treasures of         created to help agents select
                                                      sails from Budapest     the Main & Rhine’ will cruise        holidays to suit the interests and
                                                      to Giurgiu (or          from Nuremberg to                    budgets of their clients, as well
                                                       reverse) and is        Amsterdam while ‘Vineyards           as creating multi-destination
                                                       already available on   of the Rhine & Moselle’ will         holidays and trips of different
                                                        AmaCerto, but can     carry guests from                    durations. There is also
                                                        now be booked         Amsterdam to Luxembourg.             flexibility to tailor itineraries.
                                                        with AmaMagna.        Both itineraries will also be        To order a brochure, visit
                                                        For a longer          offered by AmaDante.                 www.tradegate.co.uk or
                                                         holiday, the new     For more details, visit              www.railbookers.co.uk/
                                                         ‘Grand Danube’       www.amawaterways.co.uk               request-brochure

                                                                  Emerald Waterways offering dazzling discounts
                                                                  EMERALD WATERWAYS is offering savings of up to £1,150 per couple on
                                                                  European 2020 river cruises when booked before September 30. As well
                                                                  as the discounted rates, customers will receive a free premium drinks
                                                                  package and 150 euros per cabin to spend on board. The eight-day
                                                                  Jewels of the Rhine cruise is one of the highlights for 2020. Saling from
                                                                  Amsterdam to Basel, the itinerary includes a glass-top canal boat ride in
                                                                  Amsterdam, a guided tour of Cologne’s old town and a hiking experience
                                                                  in the Black Forest.
                                                                  For more information email agencysales@emeraldwaterways.co.uk
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         SEPTEMBER 6 2019 | travelbulletin.co.uk                                                                            NEWS BULLETIN                     5

            Make Holidays Greener campaign ends this month                                                               Spook-tacular half-
                                                                                                                          term breaks with
         ABTA IS reminding travel              Taking responsibility for waste on                                        Butlin’s and Haven
         businesses that its Make             holiday is part of the MHG campaign.
         Holidays Greener (MHG)                                                                                        BUTLIN’S AND Haven are offering
         2019 campaign ends on                                                                                         half-term family break offers with a
         September 30. Held in                                                                                         Halloween theme.
         partnership with Travelife for                                                                                   At Butlin’s, half-term breaks are
         Accommodation, each year                                                                                      starting at £189 per family for a
         MHS helps travel businesses                                                                                   three-night Halloween break at
         take steps towards making                                                                                     Minehead Resort based on two
         holidays more                                                                                                 adults and two children sharing
         environmentally friendly.                                                                                     two-bedroom Silver room
            Following on from the                                                                                      accommodation and when arriving
         2018 theme of “Say no to                                                                                      on October 18.
         plastic”, this year’s theme is       MHG has engaged with                   To register, email                   Halloween activities include
         “Reduce, reuse and recycle”.      tourism boards which have                 sustainabletourism@abta.          fancy dress parties, trick-or-treat
            The 2019 campaign has          been raising awareness                    co.uk                             trails and pumpkin carving, as well
         shared examples of                about taking responsibility                  Additionally, ABTA has a       as a Sleeping Beauty pantomime
         sustainability initiatives that   for waste items such as wet               free infographic on reducing,     and entertainment from tribute
         ABTA members and Travelife        wipes and cigarettes; bans                reusing and recycling while       acts, including homages to Ed
         hotels are running, such as a     on plastic bag use; and the               on holiday available to           Sheeran, Little Mix and Abba.
         project to reduce food waste      reduction of leftover waste               download. Agents can use
         in hotels, setting up a holiday   from cultural celebrations.               this as an in-store poster or
         clothes swap, and providing          Travel businesses which                share on social media. It can
         customers with refillable         join the campaign receive a               be downloaded at:
         water bottles with filters to     support pack with tips, social            www.makeholidaysgreener.
         reduce the need for single-       media suggestions and                     com/industry/resources/
         use plastic bottles.              case studies for inspiration.             infographic

               Survey: Over 55 is the prime time for travelling
         A SURVEY by Riviera Travel found that British        was their preferred travelling companion and                Meanwhile, Haven is offering
         holidaymakers over the age of 55 believe that        10% would like to travel alone.                          breaks from £149 per family sharing
         now is the best time for them to visit dream           “People often think that, as you get older,            a Standard two-bedroom caravan at
         destinations. The tour and river cruise              your appetite for exploration declines. Our              selected resorts. As well as
         provider interviewed 1,836 people in this age        survey of British over 55s sought to prove               Halloween arts and crafts, fancy
         group about their ideal holidays. Niagara Falls      that a sense of adventure doesn’t diminish               dress competitions and frightful
         (31%), Petra (26%) and Machu Picchu (25%)            with age,” said Will Sarson, head of specialist          games, water-based activities will
         were the top three attractions for over-55s.         product at Riviera. “Free from the burdens of            be available, such as water
         Almost three-quarters (72%) believe now is           a young family and not limited by financial or           confidence sessions and inflatables.
         the best time to travel, compared to 11% who         work-related constraints, people actually find              Half-term breaks with Butlin’s
         said that 18-34 is the ultimate age for seeing       more freedom to explore in older age than                and Haven run between October
         the sights. Meanwhile, 72% said their partner        when they are young.”                                    18 until November 2.

                                                                                                                 ARTY AUSSIE… Reflecting the
                                                                                                                 company’s Australian heritage,
                                                                                                                 Scenic Luxury Cruises and Tours
                                                                                                                 has secured a series of original
                                                                                                                 artworks from Byron Bay artist,
                                                                                                                 Mitch Gobel, to feature on board
                                                                                                                 Scenic Eclipse, the company’s
                                                                                                                 latest luxury vessel. Pictured here
                                                                                                                 is one of the artworks, which can
                                                                                                                 be seen at the entrance to the
                                                                                                                 theatre on the ship.
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    6    NEWS BULLETIN                                                                                SEPTEMBER 6 2019 | travelbulletin.co.uk

                       Falling for food festivals in Lake Tahoe                                                  Milano Bergamo to
                                                                                                                 boost European and
                                                                                                                 Middle East services
                                                                                                                A HIGH-FREQUENCY British
                                                                                                                Airways route between London
                                                                                                                Gatwick and Milano Bergamo
                                                                                                                airports will be extended. Earlier
                                                                                                                this month, a six-times-a-week BA
                                                                                                                service between London and Milan
                                                                                                                was launched. This will increase to
                                                                                                                a daily service from December,
                                                                                                                adding an additional 31,000 two-
                                                                                                                way seats between the two cities
                                                                                                                from now until the end of the year.

                                                                    Picturesque Lake Tahoe will be
                                                                    attracting foodies over autumn.

         THE LAKE Tahoe area, which        goods will feature.                 Also on October 5-6, the
         straddles the border                 The Fall Ale Fest and Wing     Kokanee salmon migration is
         between California and            Cook-Off will be held at the      celebrated with the Fall Fish
         Nevada, will play host to a       Heavenly Village on               Fest at the Taylor Creek Visitor
         series of festivals from mid-     September 21 and will offer       Centre. This event will feature
         September onwards.                brews and food, a corn hole       educational programmes, a
         Celebrating autumn, the Lake      tournament (a lawn game           salmon feed, stream side              As well as the increased
         Tahoe Fall Festivals include      where players attempt to          programmes and Kokanee             frequency to London, Milano
         activities with a special focus   throw bags through a hole in      Trail Runs with 5km,10km and       Bergamo will be adding three new
         on food and drink.                a raised platform) and a          half-marathon events.              Ryanair routes next month.
            On September 14, the           poker walk.                         The South Lake Tahoe                From October 2, the Irish
         farm-to-fork festival, Sample        From October 5-6,              Food and Wine Festival             budget airline will fly four times a
         the Sierra, will be held at the   Oktoberfest at Camp               returns for its tenth year at      week between Milan and
         Bijou Community Park, South       Richardson will bring ethnic      Harrah's and Harveys Lake          Marseilles (pictured). October 28
         Lake Tahoe, with more than        food and desserts                 Tahoe, from October 25-27,         will see the launch of a twice-
         20 booths of paired food and      complemented by authentic         with dining and tasting            weekly service between Milan and
         drinks found only in the          German beers and wines. The       experiences, as well as a          Agadir on Morocco’s southern
         Sierra Nevada region. A           weekend includes live music,      performance by Rick                Atlantic coast; and on October 30,
         chef’s cooking challenge,         a climbing wall, a pumpkin        Springfield on October 26.         a twice-weekly service between
         live music and a festival         patch, bounce house and a         For further information, visit     Milan and Aqaba, on Jordan’s Red
         marketplace of handmade           bungee platform.                  www.tahoesouth.com                 Sea coast, will commence.

                                                                    All aboard for impressionist art with MSC Grandiosa
                                                                    MSC GRANDIOSA, which is set to launch in November, will be
                                                                    launching an onboard fine art experience, featuring an exhibition of
                                                                    original impressionist art. Housed in a purpose-built installation, the
                                                                    Edgar Degas exhibition is the first curation of this unique collection
                                                                    on a cruise ship. The Danse Dessin series presents 26 studies of
                                                                    movement and dance, which have been exhibited in international
                                                                    galleries. As well as the paintings, the experience will include videos
                                                                    detailing Degas’ work and life. MSC Cruises plans to expand the art
                                                                    experiences with each new ship launch.
                                                                    Go to www.msccruises.co.uk
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         SEPTEMBER 6 2019 | travelbulletin.co.uk                                                                      NEWS BULLETIN                  7

               New partnership to boost accessible UK travel                                                       New EL AL routes
         FOLLOWING A pledge made             Accessible travel is on offer at                                      in Europe & Japan
         in June by the government to         Malham Cove in Yorkshire.
         make the UK the most                                                                                      EL AL, the Israeli national
         accessible destination in                                                                                 carrier, has added Dublin,
         Europe by 2025, UKinbound,                                                                                Düsseldorf and Tokyo to its
         the trade association for                                                                                 new routes for 2020.
         inbound tourism, has                                                                                         Nonstop flights between
         partnered with Revitalise, the                                                                            Tel Aviv and Dublin will start
         charity that creates respite                                                                              on May 26, 2020, and the
         holidays for disabled people                                                                              Düsseldorf route will
         and carers. The groups will                                                                               commence on June 1, 2020.
         educate UK tourism                                                                                           The Dublin and Düsseldorf
         businesses about supporting                                                                               routes will operate three times
         disabled visitors, and the       Accreditation scheme.                 are not just wheelchair            a week on Boeing 737 aircraft.
         business case for doing so.        Joss Croft, CEO of                  friendly but where possible        Bookings can now be made
         The estimated yearly             UKinbound, said: “Our tour            accessible to all disabilities.”   for these flights.
         spending power of disabled       operator members tell us                 Chris Simmonds, CEO,               Tel Aviv-Tokyo flights will
         people and their households      that the demand for                   Revitalise added: “We have         start on March 11, 2020, with
         is estimated to be worth         accessible holidays is                always said that the best          three weekly flights on the
         approximately £249 billion.      increasing and with the               advice we can give comes           airline’s new 787 Dreamliners.
         UKinbound members will           global population living              straight from our guests, they     Bookings can now be made for
         support Revitalise’s excursion   longer, the UK needs to               know what real accessibility       this route with a $999 round-
         programme, accessibility         make sure that its                    means and tell us the truth        trip economy class ticket
         research, and development of     attractions, transport                about what is being                available until September 10.
         a new Revitalise Tourism         provision and destinations            done right.”
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    8    NEWS BULLETIN                                                                         SEPTEMBER 6 2019 | travelbulletin.co.uk

              TYPICALLY, WHEN deciding on where to venture
              for a long-haul beach holiday, the two main
              areas are the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean.          BASED ON data from the entry and departure cards collected from the
              Both offer heat, sunshine, sandy beaches, warm         four main ports of entry, Guyana has recorded a 14.38% increase in
              waters and an array of beach resorts to choose         visitors: a total of 24,899 visitors was seen for the month of June when
              from. As similar as these types of holidays can        compared to the corresponding period for 2018, which was 21,769. If
              be, the differences can be vast.                       these current trends continue, Guyana is poised to welcome more than
                 Let’s take the Maldives for example, the            500,000 visitors a year by 2025.
              perfect honeymoon destination, known for its
              island resorts offering private beach villas and
              overwater accommodation. The Maldives is the
              ultimate archetypal fly-and-flop location.
                                                                    Crystal Expedition Cruises
                 Further south in the Indian Ocean, there is
              Mauritius and the Seychelles. Mauritius, with a
                                                                    releases 2020-2021 brochure
              slightly cooler climate, can provide attractively     CRYSTAL EXPEDITION Cruises has released a planning guide for
              priced three- and four-star resorts, right through
              to high-end five-star luxury, so it can easily suit   the cruise’s 2020-2021 season. Ten pages of the guide are
              most budgets. The Seychelles, made up of              dedicated to the on-board experience Crystal Endeavor will offer,
              several islands, is the perfect choice for those      including renderings of open-air public areas, a fitness centre,
              seeking to island-hop and for those happy to          butler serviced guest suites and dining venues.
              pay a bit more on the outset and while they are          The brochure delves into an itinerary with destination
              there, as all-inclusive deals are rarely available.
                 Moving over to the Caribbean, one big plus         photography highlighting the kinds of experiences and sights in
              over the Indian Ocean, is flight time and the         store. Descriptions of Crystal Endeavor’s focused itineraries –
              number of direct services available from the UK,      Remote Expedition, Destination Exploration and Cultural
              particularly Gatwick. Within seven-to-ten hours       Discovery – are included as well.
              you can reach most of these stunning islands,            Inset boxes throughout the brochure highlight select
              where island life is felt the moment you leave
                                                                    destinations in greater detail, while offering illustrative deck plans
              the airport. There are so many islands to choose
              from, and again, you can find budget-friendly         of spaces and the private marina on-board the cruise ship.
              and budget-blowing options galore!                       In the 2020 season, the ship will sail expedition voyages
                 St Lucia is one of my personal favourite           through Japan and the Russian Far East; Antarctica via the Ross
              islands in the Caribbean. I love the laidback         Sea; New Zealand and Tasmania; Australia and the Great Barrier
              nature of the locals, the dramatic backdrop of
                                                                    Reef and Borneo, Indonesia and the Philippines.
              lush tropical hillsides and the variation of
              resorts. There’s everything here from family
              friendly all-inclusive beach resorts, to luxury and
              exclusive five-star properties, through to private
              villas and smaller three-star bed-and-breakfasts.
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         SEPTEMBER 6 2019 | travelbulletin.co.uk                                                                    AGENT BULLETIN              9

                                                                                              AGENT TRAINING
                                                                                             THE SETOUCHI Learning Platform can help
                                                                                           agents learn more about the Setouchi region in
                                                                                           West Japan, highlighting information from each
                                                                                           location. Each course contains details about art
                                                                                              and culture, heritage and history, food and
                                                                                            drink, nature and where to stay. To sign up for
                                                                                            an introductory course and a chance to win a
                                                                                                place on a fam trip in November, go to
                                                                                                 www.travelbulletin.co.uk/travelgym

           TAKE TO THE SKIES… Members of the Co-op Travel Consortium, as well
           as some of the company’s main suppliers, took part in a charity skydive
               and raised well over £10,000 for Just a Drop, a charity that helps
               impoverished communities gain access to safe water solutions.

                               AGENT INCENTIVES
                                                                                               AGENTS CAN discover more about Western
           ● THERE ARE foodie hampers up for grabs with Links Travel & Tours. Agents         Australia by completing a module on Tourism
             need only to confirm a booking with the operator by September 30 and,         Australia’s Aussie Specialist Programme. This is
             depending on the value of their booking, will receive one of three kinds of        an online course designed to boost agent
             hamper delivered to their door. The incentive is available on all bookings    knowledge about Western Australia, a state that
             for group tours and tailormade journeys. For details, go to                      is known for its wine regions, scenic beaches
             www.linkstravelsandtours.co.uk                                                  and tall tree forests. Agents who complete the
                                                                                            module will be eligible for invitations to events
           ● SHEARINGS HOLIDAYS is giving agents the chance to earn a £40                   from Tourism Western Australia and invitations
             Love2Shop voucher for every 2020 river cruise booking they make.                     to Tourism Western Australia fam trips.
             Running until September 30, the bookings can be for coach, rail or air             Go to www.travelbulletin.co.uk/travelgym
             travel, and on any of the ships and cruise lines the operator features. To
             claim their vouchers, agents need to email their qualifying booking
             references to win@shearings.com

           ● UNFORGETTABLE GREECE is offering a travel agent and their plus one the
             chance to try out one of their tours for free. The prize includes an eight-
             day private food and wine trip, traveling through Athens, Naxos and
             Santorini. Agents can enter the prize draw by filling out a form and the
             winner will be chosen at random in the prize draw. To register, agents
             should visit www.unforgettablegreece.com
                                                                                                    COMPETITIONS!
                                                                                                       NEW: Win a £50 Love2shop
                                                                                                         voucher with Via Rail

                                                                                                       Win a four-night stay at the
                                                                                                       St Elias Resort in Cyprus!

                                                                                                    Win a Spa Day for two and Yoga
                                                                                                    goody bag with The BodyHoliday

           ● THROUGHOUT SEPTEMBER, agents can earn 10 points per booking with                      FOR ALL COMPETITIONS VISIT
             Carnival Cruise Line’s latest Loyalty Rocks Club incentive. These 10 points             travelbulletin.co.uk/competitions
             have the equivalent value of £10 and can be exchanged for a variety of
             prizes. To register for the Loyalty Rocks Club, agents should visit
             www.LoyaltyRocksClub.com
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   10    NEWS BULLETIN                                                                                  SEPTEMBER 6 2019 | travelbulletin.co.uk

               Going on a ‘journey’ with National Geographic                                                         Club Med to open
                                                                                                                    all-inclusive Québec
                                                                                                                     Charlevoix resort
                                                                                                                  CLUB MED has announced
                                                                                                                  December 5, 2020 as the official
                                                                                                                  opening date for its first Canadian
                                                                                                                  resort, Québec Charlevoix.
                                                                                                                     Set on the Saint Lawrence River
                                                                                                                  waterfront in the mountainous region
                                                                                                                  of Québec and opening for the start
                                                                                                                  of the winter season in 2020, the
                                                                                                                  resort is located an hour from
                                                                                                                  Québec city and is ski-in ski-out. As
                                                                                                                  well as the slopes guests can go ice-
                                                                                                                  skating and sledding, head out on
                                                                                                                  guided hikes, explore bike trails and
                                                                                                                  even go whale watching.

         NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC               addition to a list that includes    multiple countries on three
         Journeys in conjunction           91 journeys in 54 countries.        continents and range from             The £99 million 4-Trident resort will
         with G Adventures has             The trips for 2020 will expand      eight to 22 days in length.        feature 302 family and double rooms
         added eight trips to its          the brand’s global reach and        Each small group tour will be      and 25 high-end suites.
         collection. The itineraries       offer travellers combinable         led by a chief experience             Estelle Girardeau, the company’s
         add three new countries to        itineraries that allow more         officer, who will deliver          managing director for UK and
         the product line – Ireland,       time to explore a wider region.     activities and experiences for     Northern Europe, said: “We are
         Singapore and Greece.                For example, the 16-day trip     travellers, while also allowing    delighted to be welcoming Canada to
            On the 2020 trip, travellers   to Brazil, Argentina and Chile      them free time.                    the Club Med family. We’re thrilled to
         will have the opportunity to      will take travellers on a tour to      “The new trips are a direct     be revealing select room renderings
         learn about Irish folklore at a   the Mendoza wine country,           response to the feedback           and giving guests a more intimate
         storytelling dinner in Dublin,    Buenos Aires and Rio de             travellers have been giving us     look at the resort. As the global leader
         taste street food while on a      Janeiro. In addition to these       about the places they most         in all-inclusive mountain resorts, with
         walking tour in Singapore         highlights, travellers will         want to explore next,” said        new properties in Europe, Asia, and
         and explore Athens’ ancient       witness the cascades of the         Brian Young, G Adventures’         now North America, we are proud
         sites, including the              Iguaçu Falls and see wildlife in    managing director for EMEA.        to expand our presence in this
         Acropolis, alongside an           the wetlands of the Pantanal.       To find out more about the         exciting new region.”
         archaeologist guide.                 The additions, which start       itineraries, go to                    The new resort will be available for
            These trips will be in         from £1,599 per person, visit       www.gadventures.com                bookings from January 2020.

                                                                                           Gastronomy to ‘Thai’ for
                                                                                           LOCATED ON the Andaman coast in Southern
                                                                                           Thailand, Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra is a destination
                                                                                           for foodie families.
                                                                                              The resort is home to the White Lotus Restaurant,
                                                                                           serving regional delicacies from Thailand and India,
                                                                                           with a particular focus on farm-to-table cooking
                                                                                           using Krabi’s seasonal produce. Children are invited
                                                                                           to try their hand at preparing Thai dishes, as the
                                                                                           children’s club offers child-friendly cooking classes
                                                                                           in a specially adapted kitchen for young chefs.
                                                                                           For more information, visit
                                                                                           www.sofitel.accorhotels.com
S03 TB 0609 2019 News 2_Layout 1 04/09/2019 12:15 Page 11

         SEPTEMBER 6 2019 | travelbulletin.co.uk                                                                                    PUZZLE BULLETIN                        11

                                                                                     WIN A GOODY BAG EACH WEEK!
                                                                                      A
          SUDOKU

                                                                                      B

                      Complete this Su Doku puzzle and then go to the
                                                                                      C
                      competition section on travelbulletin.co.uk/competitions
                      and submit the highlighted numbers.
                      A... B... C... D...
                      Closing date for entries is Thursday, September 12th.
                      Solution and new puzzle will appear next week.                  D

                                                                                                                           WHERE AM I?

                                                 This Balearic island is home to the Love Island villa for 2019

                                                                    Across                                                 Down
                                                                    1. How many destinations do Jet2holidays currently     1. Lincoln is the state capital (8)
          CROSSWORD

                                                                         offer the Free Resort Flight Check in at? (4)     2. Landlocked country in the Himalayas (5)
                                                                    3. One of the Scilly Isles (6)                         4. Capital of Latvia (4)
                                                                    7. South American country (8)                          5. Timothy, playing the part of Mrs Lowry's
                                                                    9. DUP leader, ___ Foster (6)                                son, at a cinema near you (5)
                                                                    10. Napoleon was once exiled on this island (4)        6. Currency of Sweden (5)
                                                                    12. Popular Bali beach resort area (4)                 8. Jane Austen's unfinished novel, now an ITV
                                                                    14. This city is home to the famous Prado Museum (6)         drama (8)
                                                                    17. Desert in Southern Africa (8)                      11. Doha is the capital (5)
                                                                    18. Capital of The Gambia (6)                          13. Canadian country singer, Shania (5)
                                                                    19. Actor Sean, currently appearing in the Yorkshire   15. Major European river (5)
                                                                         Tea ads (4)                                       16. One of the Hawaiian islands (4)

                                                                       13. TWAIN, 15. RHINE, 16. OAHU. Where am I? - Majorca
         The Jet2Holidays Su Doku winner for
                                                                       Down: 1. NEBRASKA, 2. NEPAL, 4. RIGA, 5. SPALL, 6. KRONA, 8. SANDITON, 11. QATAR,
         August 16 is Kimberley Roberts from Midcounties
                                                                       17. KALAHARI, 18. BANJUL, 19. BEAN.
         Coop in Worcestershire.
                                                                       Across: 1. NINE, 3. TRESCO, 7. PARAGUAY, 9. ARLENE, 10. ELBA, 12. KUTA, 14. MADRID,
         August 16th Solution: A=2 B=9 C=4 D=5                         Solution:

               For more games and prizes please sign up for emails on the jet2holidays trade site and Partners2success on Facebook…
S03 TB 0609 2019 News 2_Layout 1 04/09/2019 12:15 Page 12
S04 TB 0609 2019 Short Breaks_Layout 1 04/09/2019 12:21 Page 13

                                                                           SHORT BREAKS

           (UN)RATING VIENNA                                                                                    Air Malta adds
                                                                                                               Gatwick flight for
                                                                                                                 winter 2019
          Help clients make up their own minds about Austria’s cultural capital                             FOR CLIENTS keen to travel to
                                                                                                            Malta for a dose of winter sun, Air
         BUILDING ON the success of        enjoyment. It is intended to    and given one star; the view     Malta will soon be increasing the
         last year’s ‘Unhashtag            make people sit up and think    over Prater Park described as    frequency of its flights from
         Vienna’ - which encouraged        and trigger broader public      “rubbish”; a coffee house        Gatwick Airport.
         travellers to take fewer social   discussion. We’re not waving    with “no takeaway coffee”;           The airline will be introducing a
         media snaps to instead            a finger at the latest          and wine tavern Heuriger         second weekly departure from
         experience more – the             advances in technology that     Schübel-Auer, with “no           October 27, which will result in a
         Vienna Tourist Board has          are supposed to make our        backrests.” Instead of relying   total of 14 flights a week
         posed the question “So, who       lives easier – online ratings   on reviews from strangers,       available from the airport. Adding
         decides what you like?” in        are a great thing which we      the campaign calls on            to the options available to
         2019 for its ‘Unrating Vienna’    ourselves use in our own        travellers to explore and        travellers, when combined with
         campaign.                         marketing activities as a       engage with the city on their    flights from Heathrow, there will
            The campaign looks to          tourism destination.            own terms. In a show of self-    be the choice of four daily flights
         the highly topical (and           However, we see                 confidence, a real-world         to the archipelago.
         sometimes controversial)          digitalisation as a cultural    collaboration with the               Moreover, the extra flight times
         arena of online ratings,          tool that people should take    Leopold Museum and               will allow tourists travelling to
         which can have a huge             advantage of, and not as an     MuseumsQuartier in Vienna        Malta to maximise their time on
         impact on a traveller’s           end in itself.”                 saw some of the worst of its     the island as departures from
         personal experience of a             In testament to this, the    (anonymous) ratings              Gatwick will start from 05:55 and
         destination.                      five adverts in Vienna’s        projected onto the side of       return flights from Malta will leave
            Norbert Kettner, the tourist   campaign displayed iconic       the building over the course     between 21:50 and 23:00.
         board’s managing director,        city locations and              of three days this summer;           The destination has seen a
         explained: “In our Vienna         experiences which had been      playing on the idea that art,    significant increase in its tourism
         campaign we take a                dragged through the mud by      much like travel, can divide     figures, with the number of people
         humorous look at the notion       genuinely negative ratings or   opinion and speaks to each       visiting the island more than
         that online ratings are not       polarising comments from        individual differently.          doubling since 2010. The largest
         always the right path to take     online users: a romantic trip   For more information go to       numbers of tourists come from the
         when it comes to looking for      on the Danube which had         www.unrating.vienna.info         UK, with more than 280,000
         relaxation and moments of         been rated as “boooring”        and www.vienna.info              visiting in 2019 alone.
S04 TB 0609 2019 Short Breaks_Layout 1 04/09/2019 12:21 Page 14

   14    SHORT BREAKS                                                                               SEPTEMBER 6 2019 | travelbulletin.co.uk

               MAKING A SPLASH                                                                                  Putting your head in
                                                                                                                     a Spinney
                                                                                                               SET IN an Area of Outstanding
                  Olympic medallist Jazz Carlin opens Haven water park
                                                                                                               Natural Beauty, Landal Darwin
                                                                                                               Forest has launched its latest
                                                                                                               accommodation tier; the Spinney.
                                                                                                                  This new development of
                                                                                                               luxury woodland lodges are
                                                                                                               nestled amongst the trees on
                                                                                                               the edge of The Peak District
                                                                                                               and are designed for those who
                                                                                                               like to be surrounded by nature,
                                                                                                               with easy access to forest trails
                                                                                                               and scenic country walks. With
                                                                                                               woodland views, each of the
                                                                                                               Spinney lodges features a large
                                                                                                               veranda for outdoor dining, an
                                                                                                               outdoor hot tub with a canopy
                                                                                                               and come as one-, two- and
                                                                                                               three-bed options. A three-night
                                                                                                               break for two people starts from
         DOUBLE OLYMPIC silver medallist Jazz Carlin       added: “The Shore Water Park is just one of         £599.
         created a big splash at Haven’s Seashore          the great developments we’ve introduced this
         Holiday Park in Great Yarmouth, when she          summer which is giving our holidaymakers a
         officially opened the Shore Water Park.           selection of exciting new features for them to
            The facility is just one of the developments   discover during their holiday with us. It has
         the holiday brand has made in what is the         bought a fresh look and feel to our Seashore
         park’s single largest investment in history and   Holiday Park and we love the way it has
         offers two 11m-high flumes, a multi-lane slide    transformed our pool complex.”
         and a water confidence toddler pool.                 As well as the Shore Water Park, Haven
            Fun water features include a giant tipping     has introduced a couple of other new                   Landal GreenParks UK breaks
         bucket and an aqua play area with spray           developments to its food and beverage               are exclusively available to the
         jets and slides. It has a separate lane for       offering, and a new indoor soft play area           trade through sister brand
         those who want to do serious lane swimming,       and outdoor play area.                              Hoseasons. Other locations
         and an activity pool for those who wish              The developments here are part of a wider        include Landal Gwel an Mor in
         to try activities such as Aqua Jets and           plan to create a vision for Haven parks of the      Cornwall, Landal Sandybrook
         Pool Kayaking.                                    future. An investment programme of nearly           and Landal Darwin Forest both
            Opening the pool, Jazz Carlin said: “It’s a    £100m has been utilised to trial innovative         in the Peak District, Landal
         fabulous water park with so many different        new concepts across a number of parks               Kielder Waterside in
         things to do. Gaining confidence in water         which will be reviewed with the potential for       Northumberland and Landal
         from an early age is key and the Shore Water      further roll outs in 2020 and beyond.               Piperdam in Dundee, Scotland.
         Park has a range of different things for the      For further information visit                       For details, go to
         whole family to have fun in the water.”           www.bourneleisuresales.co.uk or call 0333           www.hoseasons.co.uk/agents or
            Nathan Race, general manager of the park,      202 5270.                                           call 0345-4986060.

                                                                  Waltz with Shearings & Andre Rieu
                                                                  SHEARINGS HOLIDAYS has added a new five-day break to see
                                                                  Andre Rieu, live in Amsterdam in January 2020.
                                                                  Accompanied by the 60-piece Johann Strauss Orchestra, the
                                                                  largest private orchestra in the world, travellers will take a coach
                                                                  to Amsterdam, with an overnight ferry from Hull to Rotterdam.
                                                                  Alongside tickets to the concert, there is free time in Amsterdam
                                                                  to explore the city plus a trip to Gouda, the Dutch town famous for
                                                                  its cheese, on the return journey.
                                                                  Having sold a massive 40 million CDs and DVDs and notched 30
                                                                  Number One chart positions worldwide, André Rieu has created a
                                                                  global revival in waltz music and in staging spectacular extravaganzas.
                                                                  The break departs on January 9, 2020 and costs from £349 per person.
                                                                  Go to www.shearingsagent.com for more details.
S04 TB 0609 2019 Short Breaks_Layout 1 04/09/2019 12:21 Page 15

         SEPTEMBER 6 2019 | travelbulletin.co.uk                                                                  SHORT BREAKS               15

                        Art de Vivre with Champagne tourism                                                   Get into the groove
         IN 2015, the Champagne                                                                               with Madonna
         hillsides, houses and cellars
         were designated a World                                                                              FUNWAY HOLIDAYS has
         Heritage Site by UNESCO.                                                                             put together some special
         Four years on, summer 2019                                                                           short break packages to
         has seen the Regional                                                                                coincide with Madonna’s
         Tourism Agency of the                                                                                ‘Madame X’ tour.
         Grand-Est region and Comité                                                                              The best-selling female
         Champagne, the Champagne                                                                             solo artist will perform for
         Producers and Growers                                                                                three nights in Las Vegas
         Association, officially launch                                                                       (November 7, 9 and 10)
         its ‘La Champagne, refined          businesses in the region         deluxe picnics packed with      at The Colosseum,
         art de vivre’ tourism brand in      relating to Champagne            local produce can be            Caesars Palace.
         the UK, in conjunction with a       houses, hotels, restaurants,     enjoyed in the heart of the         The operator can offer
         new dedicated website.              cultural sites and activities;   vineyards at Champagne          three nights staying at
            With Britain the number          all of which are dedicated to    de Barfontac; or fine dining    Caesars Palace from £1,274
         one international market, in        offering enhanced                enjoyed at the sophisticated    per person including Gatwick
         buying Champagne and for            experiences to visitors.         Domaine les Crayères.           flights (approximately ten
         tourism to the region, this            For example, a visit to the      The Champagne region of      hours flight time) with
         launch has been devised to          Château de Condé                 France lies east of Paris and   American Airlines. Travel is
         help develop tourism to             culminates in a tasting of       is easily accessible from the   based on two adults sharing,
         Champagne more fully. The           locally produced                 UK by car or train.             departing on November 6.
         brand is the first of its kind in   champagne with groups            To find out more, go to         For more information, go to
         France and acts as a central        also able to dine in the         www.visitlachampagne.travel     www.funway4agents.co.uk
         voice to more than                  historical reception rooms;      to find out more.
S04 TB 0609 2019 Short Breaks_Layout 1 04/09/2019 12:21 Page 16

   16    SHORT BREAKS                                                                                  SEPTEMBER 6 2019 | travelbulletin.co.uk

                    SHORT & SWEET                                                                                       Manchester
                                                                                                                      staycations soar
                                                                                                                   RABBIE’S HAS seen record sales
                   Help clients plan a last minute Titan escape & earn
                                                                                                                   for its new itineraries out of
                                  lifestyle vouchers too                                                           Manchester and added three
                                                                                                                   new options.
                                                                                                                       A new departure point for the
                                                                                                                   company, tours began from
                                                                                                                   Manchester in April this year
                                                                                                                   performing 48% better than any
                                                                                                                   of its equivalent UK tours in their
                                                                                                                   first year. The top performing
                                                                                                                   tour, taking almost 50% of all
                                                                                                                   bookings from Manchester, was
                                                                                                                   the three-day ‘Snowdonia, North
                                                                                                                   Wales and Chester’ tour.
                                                                                                                       To bolster this boom, Rabbie’s
                                                                                                                   has added three one-day tours
                                                                                                                   to its programme, starting at
                                                                                                                   £36 per person. These will launch
                                                                                                                   in November and run year-round.
                                                                                                                   Bookings are now open for:
                                                                                                                   ‘Windermere, Lancaster &
                                                                                                                   the Lake District’, ‘Derbyshire,
                                                                                                                   the Peak District & Poole’s
         TITAN TRAVEL has just launched its trade only       offering a five-day ‘Windsor Christmas’               Cavern’ and ‘Snowdonia,
         Europe and UK brochure, with a selection of         escorted tour, from £979 per person. This             Chester & North Wales’.
         short breaks featured within its range of new       break includes four nights hotel                          Heather Reekie, the operator’s
         tours and a dedicated section on upcoming           accommodation over Christmas, ten meals               marketing and sales director,
         European and UK Christmas escapes.                  (including a hearty Christmas Day and Boxing          said: “We couldn’t be happier
            Alongside its selection of European city         Day lunch) and also two excursions.                   with the start the Manchester
         breaks, beach retreats and cultural itineraries,       To celebrate the launch of its latest trade        tours have made. This is the
         for those customers keen to holiday closer to       brochure, the escorted tour operator is               seventh departure point in the
         home there are 41 tours spanning the UK and         offering £99 deposits on a select number of           UK and Ireland for Rabbie’s,
         Ireland. This includes three new itineraries for    holidays booked by September 30, along with           adding to our portfolio and
         2020 that discover Oxford, Manchester and           trade incentives. Throughout September,               providing travellers with small-
         South Wales. For example, the five-day              agents can earn a £25 lifestyle voucher for           group tours to discover hidden
         ‘South Wales Short Break’ starts from £779          every Europe or UK holiday booked and a £10           gems across this beautiful nation
         per person which includes hotel                     voucher for all other holidays. All vouchers          of ours. We’re excited to add
         accommodation, eight meals, and three               must be claimed by emailing                           the new day tours from
         excursions to The Royal Mint Experience, a          agentincentives@titantravel.co.uk within              Manchester to encourage
         visit to National Trust Tredegar House and          seven days of making the booking.                     holidaymakers to make the
         Caerphilly Castle.                                  Go to www.titanagents.co.uk or call 0800-988          most of their time in the UK.”
            For something festive, the operator is also      5816 to find out more.                                Visit www.rabbies.com

                                            On your bike: Cycle through the trees in Flanders
                                            IT’S LONG been established that one of the best ways to explore Flanders is on two wheels,
                                            with cycling routes that can challenge the most passionate of racing enthusiasts alongside
                                            gentler paths for those who simply want to enjoy the tranquillity of the Flemish countryside.
                                            Riding hot on the trail of its ‘Cycling through Water’ concept, the province of Limburg has
                                            unveiled ‘Cycling through the Trees’; a project which, quite literally, takes its cycle network to
                                            a whole new level. Opening this summer, the new cycle path climbs gradually to a height of
                                            ten metres so that participants find themselves cycling through the treetops in Bosland, one of
                                            the largest adventure forests in Flanders. The immersive experience is accessible to all levels
                                            of experience and is well geared toward families. It can be enjoyed as a walking path and is
                                            found near cycling junction 272 in Bosland, Hechtel-Eksel. There are plans to open ‘Cycling
                                            through the Heathland’ in Hoge Kempen National Park next year.
                                            Go to www.visitlimburg.be/en or www.visitflanders.com/en
S04 TB 0609 2019 Short Breaks_Layout 1 04/09/2019 12:21 Page 17
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   18    SHORT BREAKS                                                                                     SEPTEMBER 6 2019 | travelbulletin.co.uk

          48 HOURS IN TALLINN                                                                                       Jam down the slopes
                                                                                                                        at Megève’s
                                                                                                                       Jazz Festival
         OFF-THE-beaten-track Estonia, especially its                                                               MORE THAN 200 artists will
         capital Tallinn, can make for an exciting and                                                              descend on the ski resort of
         easily accessible city break destination for those                                                         Megève on March 26-28,
         seeking a weekend getaway.                                                                                 2020, for the fifth edition of
            Agents can suggest that clients start their day                                                         the Megève International Jazz
         with the energetic bustle of the Baltic Station                                                            Festival.
         Market, known for its fresh local produce,                                                                    Performances will take place
         versatile street food and traditional crafts. It’s                                                         in the village streets and on
         then just a short hop to check out perhaps                                                                 the ski slopes, with the higher
         Tallinn’s trendiest neighbourhood, Telliskivi                                                              profile concerts held in the
         Creative City, emblazoned with street art and                                                              town’s bars and Jazz Club.
         featuring several small designer stores and                                                                Past headliners have included
         galleries and unique dining and drinking places.                                                           Gregory Porter, Marcus Miller
         While here, visitors can stop for lunch at the                                                             and Norah Jones, with the
         newly opened Fotografiska restaurant, which           cultural hub, housed in the former submarine         2020 line-up much anticipated.
         serves up Instagrammable Estonian cuisine with        production plant in Noblessner, will open its           Set in the heart of the Mont
         a zero-waste mindset. Blending the old with the       doors on September 20 and showcase                   Blanc massif, scenic Megève
         new, a stay at the St. Petersbourg boutique hotel     contemporary art exhibitions, movie                  is a traditional winter sports
         will have clients based in the centre of the          programmes and other events.                         resort. The traffic-free, cobbled
         UNESCO listed Tallinn Old Town, which can be            Other standout events for the diary which          medieval centre features an
         explored independently or via a walking tour.         make for a great reason to visit include: Tallinn    abundance of artisan shops,
            For day two, and come October, visitors may        Restaurant Week, which falls on November 1-7;        galleries and an array of four-
         wish to check out the PROTO Invention Factory.        the Tallinn Christmas market held in the             and five-star hotels, as well as
         The soon-to-open exhibition will combine VR           medieval Town Hall Square from November 15           five Michelin-starred
         technology with historical inventions so visitors     through to January 7, 2020; and Medieval Days        restaurants. But Megève is
         can have a go themselves, such as the world’s         which take place in Tallinn’s Old Town each          becoming increasingly popular
         first car, airbike, locomotive and hot air balloon.   year in July.                                        with British holidaymakers
         Later in the day, they can get away from the            Flights to Estonia’s capital city take             seeking luxury on the slopes
         hustle and bustle of the city and watch the           approximately 2.5 hours with direct-route            without the price tag, thanks
         sunset at Restaurant NOA, known for                   offerings from easyJet, AirBaltic, Ryanair           to a growing number of chic
         sweeping views of the sea and Tallinn skyline         and WizzAir.                                         and affordable accommodation
         before heading back for an evening of                 Go to www.visitestonia.com for more                  and dining options.
         entertainment at the new Kai Art Centre. This         destination details.                                 Visit https://megeve.com

                                                                              Warner presents ‘An Evening with Alfie Boe’
                                                                              WARNER LEISURE Hotels will be welcoming operatic star,
                                                                              Alfie Boe, to its entertainment line-up for 2020.
                                                                              Boe has conquered some of the world’s most prestigious
                                                                              operas, performed at the West End and on Broadway and
                                                                              been awarded an OBE for his services to music and charity.
                                                                              Performing some of his most celebrated songs, ‘An Evening
                                                                              with Alfie Boe’ is available to book now at Warner’s Cricket St
                                                                              Thomas property on January 24, 2020.
                                                                              Alongside the introduction of new faces to its 2020
                                                                              entertainment line-up, Warner Leisure’s Platinum Packages
                                                                              offer guests the opportunity to meet with the stars. Available
                                                                              to book now, the Platinum Package is available on a first
                                                                              come first served basis and will allow 20 guests to meet Boe
                                                                              at an intimate gathering post/pre his evening performance.
                                                                              Agents can book this package via the call centre at the time
                                                                              of booking the break.
                                                                              A three-night break to see Alfie Boe perform live starts from
                                                                              £349 per person, which includes a saving of up to 50% when
                                                                              booked before October 7 and based on two adults sharing a
                                                                              Standard room, inclusive of the Simply Dine package.
S05 TB 0609 2019 Indian Ocean_Layout 1 04/09/2019 12:28 Page 19

                                                                               INDIA AND
                                                                           INDIAN OCEAN

              AT A CROSSROADS                                                                                     Eco-warriors
                                                                                                                 welcome in the
                                                                                                                    Maldives
               The highly anticipated multi-island project in the Maldives                                  THE EQUATOR Village in Gan, Addu
                                 makes its grand debut                                                      Atoll, is the latest property in the
         RECOGNISED AS one of the         and CROSSROADS Event             distance to The Marina @         Maldives to join the nationwide
         most comprehensive and           Hall. The project will further   CROSSROADS, the focus            campaign to
         expansive tourism projects       host the Maldives Discovery      here is very much on the         #ProtectMaldivesSeagrass.
         undertaken in the Maldives,      Centre, to help educate          personalisation of a guest’s         The campaign was initially
         CROSSROADS Maldives will         guests of all ages about the     stay, even down to the           launched on World Seagrass Day
         be welcoming its first guests    surrounding wildlife and to      choice of bathroom               (March 1), by the Maldives
         from this month.                 inspire its conservation.        amenities that can be            Underwater Initiative, the marine
            Located a 15-minute              At the heart of the           handpicked and mixed at the      team at Six Senses Laamu and Blue
         speedboat ride from Malé         Emboodhoo Lagoon, the            resort’s Aroma Lab.              Marine Foundation. Since then, 25%
         International Airport, the       Hard Rock Hotel Maldives            Although the Maldives has     of the Maldives' high-end resorts,
         integrated multi-island resort   mixes its music-infused          been traditionally seen as a     more than 30 resorts, and 22 partner
         encompasses two distinct         energy and memorabilia with      honeymoon or couples             organisations, including Greenpeace
         resorts, both of which           a tropical atmosphere and        destination, this new            International, have joined the cause.
         opened on September 1– the       contemporary design.             development has been                 Seagrass is essential to the
         Hard Rock Hotel Maldives            The property offers 178       heralded a game-change’ for      Maldivian marine ecosystem as it
         and SAii Lagoon Maldives         guestrooms including family      the island nation;               provides habitats, minerals and
         part of the Curio Collection     suites, beach villas and         significantly broadening the     resources for marine life. It helps
         by Hilton.                       overwater villas and             opportunities to attract new     to maintain healthy reefs, sustainable
            The destination is also       signature Hard Rock              guest types such as families     fisheries and protect beaches from
         abundant with retail outlets     amenities including The          and solo travellers and, for     erosion. However, seagrass is
         and extensive dining choices.    Sound of Your Stay music         agents, a new portfolio of       often deliberately removed because
         Set alongside 60 different       programme, Rock Spa, a           clients to whom they can sell.   it is perceived as unpleasant and
         retail outlets (approximately    Rock Shop selling brand          For more hotel information       an inconvenience. The
         40% being food & beverage        merchandise, Roxity Kids         go to                            #ProtectTheSeagrass campaign
         options, including Café Del      Club and Teen Spirit Club.       www.hardrockhotelmaldives.       seeks to promote the importance of
         Mar and a Hard Rock Café)           Meanwhile, the SAii           com and                          seagrass and, so far, has been
         will be various leisure and      Lagoon Maldives has 198          www.saiilagoonmaldives.co        successful in protecting a total of
         activity facilities such as      guestrooms dotted across         m or for more details around     655,000m2 of seagrass resorts
         Koimala and Maalimi’s Junior     the island in the shape of       the project visit                across the destination.
         Beach Club and Camp, a           beach and overwater villas.      www.crossroadsmaldives.          To learn more, visit
         Watersports & Dive Centre        Located within walking           com                              www.maldivesresilientreefs.com
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   20    INDIA AND INDIAN OCEAN                                                                                              SEPTEMBER 6 2019 | travelbulletin.co.uk

               Salute the sun
              in the Seychelles
           FOR CLIENTS keen to pair their
           next wellness escape with an
           Indian Ocean setting, there are
           some soothing spa escapes to
           be found in the Seychelles.
              At MAIA Luxury Resorts,
           open-air pavilions set by the
           beach’s granite mounds
           provide an atmospheric
           setting for treatments. The
           resort offers ‘Qi Gong’ for
           guests to try; an ancient                     START THE DAY RIGHT…Dusit Thani Maldives has introduced a new ‘Floating Breakfast’ concept, offering a
           Chinese meditative practice                   memorable way for clients to start their day in the privacy of their own villas. Guests can choose one of two
           similar to yoga.                              options – a Floating Breakfast for two with a half-bottle of Champagne for USD $80 or a soft drinks option for
              At the Six Senses Zil Pasyon               $60 – available via In Villa Dining at the resort’s signature two-bedroom Beach Residence, as well as at villas
           Hotel, guests can rise to salute              and pavilions which have private pools. Go to www.dusit.com
           the sun and combine their 12-
           posture flow with the sounds of
           the ocean. Alternatively,
                                                                                    VARU-ity is the spice of life
           holidaymakers can replace the               LOCATED IN the North-West edge of Malé                        (including premium wines, beers and
           ocean waves with gong sound                 Atoll, the five-star VARU by Atmosphere                       cocktails), in-villa mini bar, use of
           waves, a therapeutic practice               will be opening in October.                                   snorkelling equipment and non-motorised
           offered at many hotels across                  As the fifth Maldivian resort from                         water sports, excursions, spa treatments,
           the Seychelles. For those who               Atmosphere Hotels & Resorts, what makes                       and more.
           want to indulge in the spa,                 this resort unique is that it will offer guests                  The resort will feature 108 Maldivian-
           many resorts also incorporate               an authentically Maldivian experience by                      style villas – 39 Beach Front Villas and 69
           locally-sourced seaweed wraps               incorporating aspects of local traditions and                 Overwater Villas – and several restaurants,
           into their treatment lists.                 culture into many different aspects of a stay                 including ‘Kaagé’, where guests sit on the
           Go to www.seychelles.travel                 – from the design of the villas, to the cuisine               floor in traditional style and sample
                                                       and service.                                                  regional Maldivian cuisine.
                                                          All resort guests will stay on the all-                       Low season lead-in rates start at £250
                                                       inclusive VARU Plan which includes villa                      per person, per night.
                                                       accommodation, all food and beverages                         Visit www.varu-atmosphere.com

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