from May. WestJet plans to start flights from Gatwick next spring.
Dermot King
Butlins chief King to chair BHA’s ‘cut VAT’ campaign The managing director of Butlins is to chair the Cut Tourism VAT Campaign on behalf of the British Hospitality Association. Dermot King will also join the BHA’s board of directors, working with chairman Nick Varney, of Merlin Entertainments, and chief executive Ufi Ibrahim.
“When you introduce a new category, will it be truly understood?”
Tui Group’s Mike Bowers argues that the PTD’s new Assisted Travel Arrangement category may confuse consumers
MORE IN TRAVEL WEEKLY BUSINESS: BACK PAGE
Kenya ushers in switch to compulsory e-visa service Kenya has introduced an e-visa service. Visitors can apply for an entry visa in advance at ecitizen.
go.ke. Visas can still be obtained on arrival at Jomo Kenyatta airport in Nairobi and from the Kenya High Commission in London until September 1, when the e-visa service becomes compulsory.
Air Canada Rouge to start transatlantic flights in May Air Canada Rouge will compete with low-cost rival WestJet by starting transatlantic flights next year. The Air Canada subsidiary will run a summer seasonal service between Gatwick and Toronto
10 •
travelweekly.co.uk — 2 July 2015
Amadeus to host leadership day for Advantage members Amadeus is to run a leadership training day for Advantage member businesses. The event will take place on July 21 at the Amadeus training academy at Gatwick. The course will cover presentation and sales skills, as well as personal impact training.
Eight HAL passengers die in aircraft crash in Alaska A pilot and eight passengers from Holland America Line’s Westerdam were killed in a light- aircraft crash in Alaska last week. The accident happened about 20 miles northeast of Ketchikan.
Overseas spending by Brits up 11.6% in four years Spending by UK consumers
abroad totalled £35.5 billion last year, 11.6% higher than in 2010, according to research by travel money business Centtrip. Spain was the biggest benefactor, accounting for 17.3% of spending, followed by the US (11%).
Norwegian Cruise Line appoints European chief The former boss of German river cruise brand Nicko Cruises is to become managing director of Norwegian Cruise Line in Europe. Christian Boell will lead the UK team from Germany. Meanwhile, former Silversea boss Steve Odell will become Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings’ managing director for Australasia on October 1.
Christian Boell
Agents find it hot in the cities at
Summer Sizzlers Agents from Glasgow, Liverpool and Norwich were treated to evenings of training and fun at the Travel Weekly Summer Sizzler roadshows. Agents at the three events met
representatives from numerous tour operators and tourist boards. They also got the chance to win a series of prizes, including places on Visit California’s SuperFAM, hotel stays in the Philippines, vouchers and hampers. Pictured at the Glasgow roadshow
are Visit California’s James Mead with Thomas Cook agents Joanne Edmonds (centre) and Elaine Adams. ❯ Summer Sizzler photos, page 38
Revised directive will force agents’ hands, says Novik The boss of a specialist operator to the US has warned that the Package Travel Directive will force agents who dynamically package to “think twice”. Commenting on the
new proposals, which will widen the definition of a package holiday to include Fight- Plus bookings, USAirtours chief executive Guy Novik said: “The plans are hugely good for me and are long overdue. Agents now have to decide what it is they are. “They can’t be one foot in and
one foot out any longer. “They either have to be an agent buying from a tour operator, or a tour operator as defined by the Package Travel Directive, which includes taking on all the extra financial burdens and risk. There can’t be a halfway house.” Novik said dynamic packaging
no longer made financial sense for most agents. “Unless you are a volume
purchaser, when you take into account the time you are spending pulling separate elements together for a dynamic package, you are not saving money,” he said. “Moreover, you are then taking on additional responsibility and risk – and the gain is just not
worth the pain.” USAirtours
is relaunching its Cashcard incentive
scheme for agents this month,
offering more money for bookings, but only to agents who have completed the operator’s online training course. “The more agents know about us, the more confident they will be to sell us,” said Novik. “This is all about learning and earning.” ❯ USAirtours fly-drives, page 23
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