EDITOR’S COMMENTS
NEWS Hot Stories
04 – Tui hails Jamaica as ‘model’; Freedom members consider futures; Midcounties targets aggressive growth; Barrhead creates 90 roles; Abta issues ‘accessible’ web advice
News Digest
08 – Hoseasons ads; Sabre charges for app; Cook adds Manchester routes
Analysis 10 – Is consumer confidence rising?
Event Preview 12 – Stuart to speak at Clia event
Special Report 14 – Agents quiz Carnival in Miami
NEWS YOU CAN USE
Product News 17 – Titan unveils new Saga cruises
Operator News 18 – Premier offers £150 incentive
Destination News 20 – Oman launches TV ad in UK
Cruise News 22 – Princess cuts Japan cruises
Hotel News 26 – Accor adds to MGallery brand
ALL ABOUT YOU
Letters 30 – Holmes; Reuben’s; school hols
Comment 32 – Aphrodite/Tui ‘fiasco’: Morgan
Readers’ Lives 37 – Jo Farrell, Holidaze
All For You 38 – Fam trip, Masterchef, War Horse
Mystery Shopper 46 – Homeworkers find Berlin break
DESTINATIONS Greece & Cyprus
49 – Attica is home to much more than Athens and the Acropolis 55 – Find a beach break on a budget
Add-ons
59 – Sell add-ons that make your clients’ holiday extra-special JOBS AND CLASSIFIED
64 – Vacancies and business services TRAVELWEEKLY BUSINESS
News
70 – Global recovery, challenges for Chinese tourism, and sustainability: three-page special report from the WTTC Global Summit 2014 in China
Cover photo: From left: Andrew Pickering, Thomas Cook; Andrew McKenna, Broadway Travel; Iain Baillie, Carnival Cruise Lines; Nick Belger, Liverpool Cruise Club; Kirsty McIntosh, Cruise 1st; Richard Downs, Iglu; and Kevin Coles, Stella Travel Services
LUCY Editor-in-chief HUXLEY
Everything on the river is shipshape
I
spent Tuesday morning cruising the Thames with 100 travel agents and 13 river cruise operators. Before the Clia event, I wasn’t aware there were 13 river cruise operators wanting to sell through UK travel agents. But the City Cruises boat we were on was heaving – and unsurprisingly so, given that river cruise has seen significant growth over the past few years.
It’s off a low base, but with the outbound market only now showing signs of recovery and ocean cruise growth slowed to just 1.5%, the fact river cruise grew 22% last year is very encouraging. And river cruise lines need agents to sell them – and will support and reward those who do. Just last week, I spoke to an operator promising fam trips and increased commission; and I have a meeting this week with a previously direct-sell brand now keen to sell through the trade. This is in keeping with a general trend of river cruise lines wanting to communicate more frequently with good agents. In the first four months of this year, we have seen a 64% increase in marketing activity in Travel Weekly by river cruise lines compared with the same period in 2013. Furthermore, data from our Aspire Luxury Travel Club also shows that river cruise bookings have jumped from 3% to 9% of all logged cruise bookings over the past four years. It’s a good news story for all – except, perhaps, for one agent
I spoke to who said he’d specialised in river cruise for years and was now miffed so many of his peers were jumping on the bandwagon! Happily, with so many new ships being launched, there is more than enough to go around.
lucy.huxley@
travelweekly.co.uk WHAT LUCY DID THISWEEK 1
2 3
Had a wonderful evening watching deserving people honoured at the British Travel Industry Hall of Fame.
Presented to agents and suppliers at the first Clia UK & Ireland River Cruise Expo in London – fittingly held on the River Thames.
Had a tear in my eye as I watched fab travel PR Kate Selley get married at a beautiful ceremony in Exeter.
1 May 2014 —
travelweekly.co.uk • 3
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