NORTH AFRICA


> operators feature holidays in all three destinations, but with so many low-cost


flights and hotel-only deals available, agents should also consider tailor- making packages for their clients.


North Africa What’s New


• British Airways is re-launching a three-times-a-week service between Gatwick and Marrakech from March 2011 (formerly a GB Airways route). • Two new boutique hotels, Fanadir, with 54 rooms, and Mosaique, with 69 rooms, opened in the Egyptian resort of El Gouna last November. • EasyJet has launched twice-weekly flights from Gatwick to Luxor. The service operates Wednesdays and Mondays. • Thomson and First Choice are offering holidays on the island of Djerba in Tunisia for the first time from May 2011, backed with flights from Gatwick and Manchester. . • Jet2.com is launching weekly flights from Glasgow to Monastir in Tunisia from April 6 2011. One-way flights start from £59.99. • A Club Med Hotel opens in the resort of Taba Heights in Egypt in December. • Thomson has new winter breaks in Aswan, Egypt, at the Iberotel Aswan and Mövenpick Aswan and the Hotels Basma. There are new direct flights from Gatwick. • The largest spa in Marrakech has opened at Es Saadi Gardens and Resort. It has 24 treatment rooms and offers massages, facials and other therapies. The spa has a Technogym and organic restaurant.


• Thomas Cook has designated Hilton Sharm Dreams in Naama Bay, Sharm el Sheikh, as a water park-themed Aquamania resort for 2011, with use of next-door Cleo Aqua Park included in the price.


North Africa Trade Focus The Moroccan National Tourist Board


is encouraging more agents to join its on-line Morocco champions training scheme, to be ready to help clients inspired by the MNTB’s autumn TV and poster ad campaigns. Some 2,000 agents are already signed up to the scheme, which has 16 modules. www.moroccochampions-trade.com.


North Africa Niche Seasons (www.seasons.co.uk) is


offering a seven-night Dukan Diet programme at The Residence in Tunisia, tapping into the latest slimming fad to


All for one: All-inclusive resorts offer great value for families


Busy skies: Plenty of air capacity keeps costs down


Pound for pound: Sterling goes further outside the Eurozone


In the shade: If beaches don’t appeal, there's lots of history and culture


On the water: Nile river cruises let visiotrs see a lot without packing and


unpacking


hit the UK. Prices start from £2,370pp full-board including spa treatments, medical consultations, a Dukan Diet book, but excluding flights Explore (www.explore.co.uk) has


a new teen-only eight-day Bedouin Adventure for families with kids aged 11 and over. They’ll climb Mount Sinai, stay in a Bedouin camp and climb one of the highest sand dunes in the Sinai. Prices from £849pp, B&B including flights and several lunches and dinners


North Africa Families/Couples


Egypt’s Red Sea resorts have resort-style all-inclusive hotels that are perfect for families, while those seeking culture can book a short break in Cairo or a week cruising on the Nile. Tunisia, likewise, has a huge selection


of beachside all-inclusive resort hotels, but also idyllic boutique properties for couples who want something more authentic as well as upmarket thelassotherapy centres for those who want a weekend of pampering. Morocco has vibrant Marrakech for


city-break lovers, beach resorts for families and the High Atlas mountains for those seeking adventure.


Tourismtalk


Ali El Kasmi, director UK and Ireland, Moroccan National Tourist Board “British people know of Morocco but don’t


consider going there on holiday so we spent £2 million last year to change that. We had ads on national TV for the first time and in 400 cinemas, and a poster campaign in major UK cities to make people think of a holiday in


Morocco. More people are coming on short breaks, a market helped by the low-cost airlines.”


Khaled Ramy, UK director, Egyptian State Tourist Board “Egypt had a very good year in 2010,


with 11.4% more visitors from the UK between January and August to 968,189. Egypt is seen as a trendy destination, good value for money, good for kids and with excellent resorts. About one-third of visitors come for classical Egypt, the rest for the Red Sea. Cairo and Sharm el Sheikh are popular for short breaks.”


Anissa Ramoundi, UK & Ireland director, Tunisian National Tourist Office “Demand from the British market continues


to grow and grow. Tunisia has something for everyone, from those looking for high-end luxury hotels to families looking for great value all-inclusive resorts to cultural tourists wanting to discover more about the Roman Empire. With new destinations like Djerba being introduced by Thomson, First Choice and Thomas Cook for 2011 we hope that UK visitors will find reasons to keep returning to Tunisia.”


asktheoperator


Lesley Taylor, tours product manager, Cosmos “Our traditional best- selling North African itineraries in Morocco


and Tunisia continue to outsell many


other short-haul products, so we have launched a dedicated Europe and North Africa programme and given the destinations prominence in both the brochure title and content. People see North Africa as the perfect escorted touring solution as it really does offer so much more than its Western Med rivals in terms of sights and culture.”


Peter Eshelby, product manager for Africa, Explore


“In terms of potential for agents, Egypt,


Tunisia and Morocco are good value, easy and quick to get to, yet offer a very different cultural experience and an incredible diversity of activities and experiences. There are the pyramids of Egypt, romantic cruises down the Nile and exploring Tunisia’s remote Saharan desert sands. For the more adventurous, there’s trekking in Morocco’s dramatic High Atlas peaks. Explore offers everything from five-day desert and city breaks to three-week adventures.”


asktheagent


Dave Archer, Robert Broad Travel, Staffs. “Marrakech in Morocco is a favourite for short breaks. Easy to sell, it


has a certain ‘mystique’ and attracts a variety of clients of all ages. Nile cruises in Egypt sell well for us, usually with older clients. Tunisia is more difficult as people perceive it to be a beach destination and don’t realise it has eight Unesco World Heritage sites. The tourist board’s online training module is a good place to learn more."


• 28 Spring 2011 • www.shortbreaksholidays.com


thedeal seal


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