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South Africa has its adventurous side
BY STEVE HARTRIDGE SOUTH African Tourism (SAT) will be putting an emphasis on adventure experiences in 2013, as it attempts to diversify its tourism offering away from traditional safari holidays, said the country’s long-serving Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk. To help underline the country’s
adventure credentials Celebrity adventurer Charley Boorman, who abseiled from the roof of London’s Excel Centre to the SAT stand at WTM, was on hand to promote his new TV show, Charley Boorman’s South African Adventure, which starts on Channel 5 on January 13.
www.southafrica.net
Affordable beachfront luxury in Barbados
Mexico to double arrivals
BY ALAN ORBELL MEXICO has seen a big increase in UK visitors this year, up 7.1% in September alone but Rodolfo Lopez Negrete Coppel, Chief Operating Officer of the Mexico Tourism Board believes that the potential is even greater. “The UK is a market we’ve cultivated
Thailand’s four-way market focus
THAILAND is to focus on four key markets next year, health & wellness/ medical, newlyweds, golf and eco- tourism according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Juthaporn Rerngronasa, Deputy Governor for International Marketing. “A major objective is also to diversify
away from Thailand’s well-known destinations, to places like Koh Lipe (in the Andaman Sea), Khanom (close to Koh Samui), and Koh Mak (in the Marine National Park, east Thailand). “TAT will continue to refresh the brand – Thailand Always Amazes You – although we still remain in the Top Ten travel brands. Eco-tourism remains important and we now have 180 hotels recognized by the Green Leaf Foundation. Travellers are willing to pay more for green options.”
www.tourismthailand.co.uk
06 December 2012 •
www.sellinglonghaul.com
in a very aggressive manner for two or three years, there’s been improved air connectivity especially with British Airways’ service to Cancun since 2010 and Virgin Atlantic’s service last year. From the middle of next year the airline will have a third flight out of Gatwick. Plus AeroMexico soon starts flights from Heathrow to Mexico City. All of this has had an important impact. “We want to expand that to other
places like Manchester. We believe numbers could be doubled in the next three or four years as long as we keep stimulating demand. Hopefully both BA
IN BRIEF La Réunion looks for UK boost
La Réunion in the Indian Ocean is planning to develop a number of niche markets to help boost the current annual UK numbers of around 1000 visitors. Initial targets will be wellness, seniors, diving and golf. The French island is just 30 minutes by air from Mauritius.
www.reunion.fr
£400 commission for a train ticket! The Maharajas’ Express will pay agents a healthy 18% commission on luxury Indian rail travel with fare prices ranging from $3850 up to $22,000. This includes all meals, sightseeing, liquor, local transfers and transport. Most services operate out of Delhi. Maximum pax numbers are 84.
www.the-maharajas.com
Air New Zealand axes HK flights
Air New Zealand is axing flights between London and Hong Kong next spring and passengers holding tickets to fly with Air New Zealand between Hong Kong and London from March 4, 2013 will be re-booked. In most cases they will transfer onto Cathay Pacific’s services.
www.airnewzealand.co.uk
and Virgin will increase flights and the new Dreamliner will be perfect to fly non-stop to the Pacific coast as part of our strategy to diversify. Coppel also says that the level of
customer satisfaction is very high compared with other destinations. “We’re achieving 92/93% satisfaction and know that we are delivering the product and service. As long as we can continue to do that the UK will favour us. “The quality of our product is superb.
It’s not cheap but is the proper price for the value we deliver and UK consumers appreciate that. They are also interested in attributes – culture, history and gastronomy etc. – beyond beautiful sun and beach destinations. “We want to double the number of UK
visitors from the present 300,000 p.a. in the next five years. Now we have the air connectivity we don’t want to miss the opportunity.”
www.visitmexico.com
BY STEVE HARTRIDGE OCEAN Two, a beachfront luxury resort in Barbados that opened its doors last year, is helping to fulfil the demand for four-star hotels on the island since it opened in June, says Patricia Affonso- Dass, Group GM for Ocean Two and President of the BHTA (Barbados Hotel & Tourism Association). Within walking distance of the bars, restaurants and nightlife of 'The Gap' the 88-room property is geared up for both families (it runs a children’s programme) and couples (with its adults-only plunge pool, Roof top Bar and on-site wedding co-ordinators). “Barbados was in need of a four-star villa and condo property that exceeds expectations when it comes to cuisine and the standards of service on offer and Ocean Two delivers that,” said Affonso-Dass.
The GM said the resort was
encouraging guests to take an ‘Island Inclusive’ approach to their stay. “Of course we offer the traditional all- inclusive plan, but we want them to see the bars, restaurants and other attractions of the island,” she said. Ocean Two is featured by operators that include Kuoni, Virgin Holidays and Cox and Kings.
www.oceantwobarbados.com
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