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TALKING SHOP traveluni.com News Update | Spring 2011 Agents thrilled by stunning Iceland


Visit Iceland and Travel Uni were among the first supporters of our We’re Backing Agents campaign, and Iceland was the focus of our first Destination Dialogue event – which is why it was appropriate that our senior journalist Julie Baxter joined a trade fam trip hosted by Iceland Express and Visit South Iceland to further explore the destination first hand. She writes: "Iceland’s most recent much-publicised


volcanic eruptions caused chaos for travellers right around the globe but for the destination itself there have been many unexpected benefits. "I found the mood in the county


undeniably buoyant. The dramatic pictures of volcano Eyjafjallajökull erupting have put the destination on the map and ground handlers and hoteliers


touring and the pull of the Northern Lights just adds to its string of USPs. Add in farmstays and swimming pools and hot tubs in every town and it ticks the boxes for families also. "Traditionally it has been the Blue


all report a huge leap in demand. "With the disruption of the eruption a distant memory, Iceland now finds itself widely recognised for its amazing and unusual scenery – from volcanoes to glaciers, geysers to thermal hot pools. Its raw, unpredictable and evolving landscapes are now giving it an edge among adventure addicts; its uncrowded roads make it popular for self-drive


Lagoon plus the geysers and waterfalls north of Reykjavík which have been the favourite excursions. These remain popular, but as our fam trip showed there is a whole lot more of Iceland waiting to be explored and some incredible experiential products there for the taking too. "Flying with Iceland Express to


Reykjavik the group travelled south of the capital to check out the increasingly popular helicopter tours, Super Jeep safaris and quad-bike adventure trips. "We learnt about homely farmstays and


Icelandic horse riding holidays, the stunning southern sights - vast glaciers and breathtaking lagoons, untouched


coastal wilderness areas, lava fields - and, of course, the Northern Lights. "Norðurflug helicopters took us for a


birds-eye view of the volcanoes and lava fields and says its business has more than doubled in the last year with one- to seven-day helicopter tours linking together the key sights with adrenaline- packed scenic flying. This certainly left the agents buzzing! "Linked together with Super Jeep


safaris over volcanic and glacier terrains these can be sold as the ultimate Icelandic adventure trip, or a stunningly easy way to ‘do’ Iceland for cash-rich, time poor-clients in need of a quick fix. "For those who prefer a slower pace,


self-drive is easy, with a good quality traffic-free road network and mile upon mile of open landscapes dotted with quaint country towns and accommodation ranging from simple campsite cabins to boutique hotels with gourmet restaurants and designer style. "Iceland certainly felt like a destination whose time has definitely arrived."


* Iceland Express currently runs daily flights from Gatwick to Reykjavik; it will add new connecting flights to Boston and Chicago for summer 2011.


Laura Greenman managing director Magnetic North Travel “Seeing, touching and tasting Iceland for myself


will really help my sales. The trip opened my eyes to the country. You should be selling the wildness of the place and try to capture people’s imagination. Experiences like our visit to the glacial lagoon – a frozen landscape of stunning icy blue water – were memorable. Our more adventurous clients are keen to see the country and after my trip I now have some fantastic products and ideas to put to them.”


Rosemary Phillips- Robinson, Burwood Travel "I would now sell this destination to anyone


looking for an activity holiday. It offers natural, barren beauty combined with the adrenalin rush of Super Jeeps, quad bikes and helicopter tours. And the food was excellent too! We swam in the famous Blue Lagoon watched spectacular sunrises, flew in helicopters and quad biked over lava boulders right up to the glacier's edge - it was a trip to remember."


E-mag readers!


Learn more about Iceland with Travel Uni: icelandinformer.co.uk


Other short haul training is available at: allaboutabta.co.uk,


aquilaresortsexpert.co.uk, ciaoitaliatraining.co.uk, costabravatraining.co.uk, greenlandinformer.com, norwayknowledge.co.uk, sellingcruisingtraining.co.uk, teachmetunisia.co.uk,


spainspecialistprogramme.co.uk


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