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Issue No. 1362 | 02.09.19
fl /stanselections
SCOTTISH TRAVEL AGENTS NEWS
Serving the Scottish travel trade for over 28 years
Pictured after another successful SPAA golf day.
More Photofile pictures from this event.
See page 5-6
Date-a-base Titan new Hoseason October Focus on Malta
PAGE 2 brochure out getaways PAGE 6-7
PAGE 3 PAGE 5
Date-a-base News
Railbookers launches 2020
SEPTEMBER
5
Autumn Seminar & Network Lunch, independent rail holidays brochure
Edinburgh Railbookers, provider of tailor-made rail holidays worldwide, has released its
10 Travel Gossip Roadshow, Glasgow 2020 brochure.
12 STAR Exhibition, Aberdeen Featuring a new line-up of additions to the collection, the brochure expands the current
24 Taste of Barbados roadshow, Edinburgh scope of holiday offerings with more day-to-day itineraries and destinations. These
25 Taste of Barbados roadshow, Glasgow itineraries were created in response to customers’ demand for more immersive and unique
independent rail holiday experiences.
Railbookers is particularly excited about its expanded product selections in Italy, Switzerland,
OCTOBER
Eastern Europe, Norway, and Asia—specifically China, Japan, and India.
7–9 ABTA Travel Convention, Tokyo
NOVEMBER Taste of Barbados roadshow
7 SPAA Annual Travel Awards, Glasgow
The Taste of Barbados UK Roadshow 2019 is coming to Scotland later
19 STAR Exhibition, Glasgow this month.
The Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc will be in Edinburgh on 24th September and
DECEMBER Glasgow on 25th September.
5 SPAA AGM & Christmas Lunch, Glasgow From 1800 to 2200, join the BTMI, the Minister of Tourism & International Transport Hon.
Kerrie Symmonds and tourism partners to share the latest destination updates as well as
MAY 2020 the opportunity to sample Bajan delicacies created by Chef Trevon Stoute and indulge in
rum-inspired cocktails by mixologist Shane McClean along with enjoy live entertainment.
Advantage Travel Partnerships
15-18 There will be opportunities to win prizes including goodie bags, bottles of rum and
conference, Madeira
holidays to Barbados.
Celebrity launches richest Return to UK for new KLM AF
Mini Wave season sales director
Celebrity Cruises is launching its richest offering of Air France-KLM has appointed Simon Spinks as Director of Sales
benefits, promotions and exciting new initiatives for its for Air France-KLM in the UK market. He succeeds Mark Arxhoek
autumn ‘Mini Wave’ campaign, reinforcing the brand’s who will become Corporate Sales Manager for Air France-KLM in
commitment to trade partners and their customers. the UK.
With offers across more sailings and flights than ever before, Reporting into Benedicte Duval, General Manager for Air France-KLM in the
Celebrity’s ‘Mini Wave’ promotion will run until 18th November, UK & Ireland, Simon will be responsible for all business and leisure indirect
focusing on the itineraries on sale for 2020. Central to this is the sales activities in the UK. He will be focused on launching and implementing
new Edge Class ship, Celebrity Apex, plus the newly revolutionised the extended joint venture with Virgin Atlantic and Delta Airlines and
Celebrity Silhouette, both sailing out of Southampton. ensuring that Air France-KLM maintains its position in the UK market.
In addition to the Celebrity Moments initiative to win one of Simon started his career with KLM UK in 1999 before being appointed
200 places on Celebrity Apex, new Celebrity Weekend Winner Director of Sales for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines in the UK in 2001. He was
competitions will give travel partners the chance to win luxury Apex- heavily involved in the merging of the two national carriers and was
branded suitcases when they make a booking with the cruise line. appointed Director of Sales for Air France-KLM in 2007.
Seven figure refurb for
Dundee hotel
Work has begun on a £1.4 million refurbishment programme at Apex City
Managing Director and Editor: Quay Hotel & Spa in the heart of Dundee.
Susan Harris
Tel: 07710533902 Email: susan@stannews.co.uk
Over the coming months the hotel’s public spaces – including the reception and
190-194 Main Street, Glasgow, G781SL
conference areas, as well as the hotel’s Metro Bar & Brasserie and Yu Spa – will be
For subscription information contact the above address.
transformed, bringing a new look and feel to the hotel.
Published by S&G Publishing (Scotland) Ltd and
delivered to every ABTA, IATA, non ABTA, agency in
Scotland as well as to home workers, telesales agents,
The significant investment comes less than one year after the completion of a £2.4
and principals based in Scotland. million bedroom refurbishment, which saw all 151 bedrooms and suites at the four-star
Registered as a newspaper with the Post Office. The quayside hotel made over.
editor and publishers cannot be held responsible for
any views expressed or for any mistakes or misprints The full programme of improvements is set to be completed in the New Year, with the
that may occur. No part of this publication may be
reproduced without the consent of the publishers hotel operating business as usual throughout the period.
2 Scottish Travel Agents News Issue No. 1362 | 02.09.19
Low
£99PP
deposit
brochure Book by
30 Sep 2019*
From Scotland to Sicily, find your customers their perfect
short-haul escorted holiday in our brand-new brochure. As well
as our diverse selection of European itineraries, you’ll find UK
short breaks and a range of festive getaways over Christmas.
• VIP door-to-door travel service† • Price Promise
• Fly from an airport near you** • Guaranteed departures
Book online at www.titanagents.co.uk
*£99pp deposit is available on the majority of Titan’s European and
river cruise holidays. †Mainland UK only. **Supplements may apply
News
SPAA Golf Day
Hi
Another busy month on the road
in Scotland this month, many miles
have been covered from Tranent
to Ford Kinnaird, Mussleburgh,
Motherwell, Bellshill and all the
way across to Troon & Irvine. It’s
great to see familiar faces and to
meet new Agents on my travels in
my first year at Balkan Holidays.
General feedback has been that the
focus is now on 2020. Did you know
that we have upped our baggage
allowance to 22kg for hold and 10kg for
hand luggage for Summer 2020?
We have also been focusing on our
Ski Holidays, we have flights from
Edinburgh or Newcastle for our
Scottish clients, prices coming in as
low as £350pp half board for a week in
January in Borovets!
For incentives, offers and all things
Balkan Holidays don’t forget to join our
facebook page especially for the Trade
– Balkan Holidays Travel Agents.
See you next time.
4 Scottish Travel Agents News Issue No. 1362 | 02.09.19
News
participants and winners
O C TO BER
getaways
FROM £275*
BE SOCIAL facebook.com/HollieHoseasons @HollieHoseasons
Last chance to book visit www.hoseasons.co.uk/agents or call 0345 498 6153
*The holiday listed is from the Hoseasons Lodges and Holiday Parks 2019 programme. Prices based on a 3 night break between 11/10/19 – 14/10/19. Offer applies
to selected Scotland holiday park locations and accommodation types – accommodation only. All bookings are subject to availability. Price may differ depending on
departure date and are based on maximum occupancy. Hoseasons booking conditions apply – see brochure or website. Image may not be representative of specific offer. ABTA No. Y0662
Scottish Travel Agents News Issue No. 1362 | 02.09.19 5
Malta
Air Malta welcomes second new Freediving
Airbus A320neo workshop
Air Malta has taken delivery of the newest addition to the fleet - a brand new
180-seater Airbus A320neo. There is an opportunity available
to enjoy a three-day freediving
The aircraft has been configured according to Air Malta’s requirements. The cabin interior workshop with Freediving
offers 18-inch-wide seats where passengers. Apart from enhanced specifications including a champion, Umberto Pelizzari.
more modern look and feel of the cabin, led lighting and larger luggage storage, the aircraft
offers reduced operational costs for Air Malta especially with its improved fuel efficiency of The workshop is dedicated to certified
around 20%. free divers from all over the world who
are looking to enhance their skills and
Due to its lower fuel burn rate, the aircraft is capable of longer-range flights of about 10-15%. knowledge. As the only workshop to
The aircraft is equipped with CFM International LEAP-1A engines. be taught in English in 2019, this is a
A third brand new Airbus A320neo is expected to join the airline’s fleet in the coming weeks. unique opportunity for freedivers to
learn first-hand about Umberto Pelizzari’s
The airline is increasing the frequency of its flights from 27th October with a second weekly theoretical and practical expertise.
flight departure from Gatwick Airport.
The workshop will take place from 27th to
This will result in 14 flights a week from the airport. Combined with flights from Heathrow, there 29th September 2019 at Divebase Malta.
will be four daily flights to the stunning archipelago.
Heritage Malta
New training programme wreck sites
from Malta Malta has identified and gained access
to 12 historical wreck sites.
Malta Tourism Authority has developed a new Malta Training Programme,
which is dynamic, informative and enjoyable. Consistently named the second-best
diving destination in the world, diving
From 7,000 years of history and gastronomic delights to adventure activities and bucket- enthusiasts will be able to visit these sites by
list sites; the Maltese Islands have something to offer every visitor. appointment with The Underwater Cultural
The new trade training platform has five courses, which provide agents with inside Heritage Unit.
knowledge and the top tips to share with customers; whether that be city breakers, Divers will now be able to explore these
families, under 30s or the LGBT+ community. incredible locations that range from a
The authority will continue to release courses to keep up-to-date with the diverse tourism offering. 2,700-year-old Phoenician shipwreck, to WWI
battleships and dozens of aircraft crash sites.
Hyatt first hotel in Malta Latest tourism
A Hyatt affiliate has entered into a franchise agreement with Bay Street Holdings
Limited to develop the first Hyatt-branded hotel in Malta. figures
Located on the coastal destination of St. Julian’s, the 153-room resort is expected to open Malta has seen a significant increase
in 2021 and will be suitable for all types of business from seamless business meetings to in its tourism figures, with the number
family vacations. of people visiting the island more than
doubling since 2010.
Gaining popularity among leisure guests and high-end business travellers, Malta’s tourist
numbers having doubled since 2010. Increasingly, visitors are choosing to stay at the coastal The largest number of tourists comes from
destination of St. Julian’s due to its proximity to shopping, restaurants and entertainment. the UK with more than 280,000 visiting in
Hyatt Regency Malta will be located a short walk from the beach and marina, and less than 20 2019 alone.
minutes from Malta’s international airport and the UNESCO World Heritage City of Valletta.
2000-year-old
temple floor
discovered
A 2000-year-old floor, dating back
to pre-historic times was recently
uncovered at a farmhouse during an
ongoing excavation in Tas-Silġ.
The floor belonged to the Temple of Ashtart,
which was made famous by Roman senator
Cicero. This discovery forms part of a wider,
long-term project by Heritage Malta, which will
eventually be transformed into a visitor centre.
6 Scottish Travel Agents News Issue No. 1362 | 02.09.19
Valletta.
More than we could ever tell.
Malta’s capital city has been named the Sunniest City in Europe;
city breakers couldn’t choose a more ideal winter sun getaway than
English-speaking Valletta.
The UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the most concentrated
historic areas in the world; there are over 320 historical monuments
to be found in Valletta alone. Travellers can wander through elegant
winding streets and explore the city at their own pace.
City Breakers exploring the
The city boasts stunning boutique hotels; perfect for visitors wanting streets of Valletta
to stay in luxurious accommodation with a quirky edge. City breakers
can enjoy waterfront alfresco dining overlooking the Grand Harbour
whilst tasting an array of sea-food caught from the Mediterranean Sea
accompanied by a glass of Maltese wine.
Valletta is a must for a weekend getaway and it’s only a four-hour flight
away from Aberdeen.
St John’s Co-Cathedral, Valletta
malta-training.com
FLY DIRECT TO MALTA
VisitMalta @VisitMaltaUK maltauk.com
News
Global launches magazine focused CMV festive
on sustainability season cruises
Travel consortium Global Travel Group has launched their latest Beyond Magazine
which for the first time is focused on sustainability.
sale
Cruise & Maritime Voyages is
The issue includes information on the latest beach cleans, top tips for responsible travel that
launching a Flash Sale this week on
can be passed onto customers, cities that have a focus on sustainability, popular charity hikes
their Festive Getaways and Christmas
across the world, a focus on the great barrier reef and Borneo and a quick quiz giving agents
& New Year cruises. The Flash Sale
the chance brush up on their sustainability knowledge.
includes savings of up to 50% plus
Beyond Magazine is designed in house on behalf of Global Travel Group’s members to help not an extra bonus discount of up to 30%
only boost their brand awareness but provide them with an additional sales tool they are able to commencing valid until Monday 16th
white label. September.
Passengers should book now to take
advantage of CMV’s great value Flash Sale
Abercrombie & Kent launches new with discounts of up to 50% plus extra
bonus discounts of up to 30% on included
feature - My A&K Festive Getaways and Christmas & New
Year Cruises.
Abercrombie & Kent has gone one step further with its tailor-made holiday by
launching My A&K, a personalised and shareable area of its websites.
The new tool allows website visitors to choose their favourites such as hotels, tours and
experiences from all A&K destinations and its villas selection across Europe. The tool is
Free stateroom
available on both its tour operating and villas part of the business.
upgrades on
offer from
Once subscribed, visitors can save their favourites and create wish lists for each holiday
they are planning. A wish list could contain a mix of experiences, accommodation,
Princess Cruises
itineraries and destinations. They can then choose to add details to the list such as
preferred departure dates and length of stay. My A&K also includes a section allowing
visitors the unique ability to pull together ‘travel edits’, which are two to three day itineraries
Princess Cruises is offering
which can be bolted onto trips.
holidaymakers free stateroom
Once ready, the list can be sent to A&K for a consultant to call and discuss the personally upgrades on nearly 1250 voyages
curated trip. setting sail in 2019, 2020 and 2021.
The offer runs until 31st October.
Guests booking an ocean view stateroom
can take advantage of a free upgrade to
Newlyweds favour experiences a balcony, whilst those sailing on Princess’
five newest ships – Royal Princess, Regal
over appliances Princess, Majestic Princess, Sky Princess
and Enchanted Princess – will receive an
upgrade from a balcony to a mini-suite.
Almost half of newlyweds will reject at least one wedding present, research
has revealed, with the average couple returning six gifts from the big day
and 15% returning up to 20.
According to the nationwide study, conducted by Holiday Extras, the traditional toaster Titan trade only
is no longer the gift of choice for newlyweds. In fact, toasters and household appliances
were the second-least popular wedding gift, with most couples preferring cash or Europe and UK
money towards their honeymoon.
Of the couples who asked for money as a wedding gift, 21% wanted to put it towards their
brochure
honeymoon, but the second most popular reason was to put the money towards their Titan Travel has launched its latest,
holiday extras. trade only, Europe and UK brochure,
featuring a collection of land and river
Accordingly, Holiday Extras has launched a new service called Honeymoon Extras. based escorted holidays.
Allowing couples to upgrade their honeymoon and enhance their experience, the
getaway gift list will include everything from 5* hotels and airport lounges to chauffer The new brochure includes a number of
driven Meet and Greet Parking. new tours as well as a dedicated section
on upcoming European and UK Christmas
escapes for 2019.
To help celebrate this launch, Titan is offering
£99 deposits on a select number of holidays
booked by 30th September, along with some
exclusive trade incentives. During September,
agents can earn £25 lifestyle voucher for every
Europe or UK Titan holiday booked and a £10
voucher for all other Titan holidays.
8 Scottish Travel Agents News Issue No. 1362 | 02.09.19
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