NEWS ROUND-UP


COMMENT: “We position ourselves as the most desirable, year-round, warm-weather destination” Carol Hay, page 34


Sandals seeks donations for storm-hit Dominica


Jennifer Morris


jennifer.morris@ travelweekly.co.uk


The Sandals Foundation is calling on agents to support its fundraising drive for Dominica after a tropical storm swept through the Caribbean, killing at least 30 people on the island.


Tropical Storm Erika caused flooding and widespread damage in Dominica on August 27. Dozens of people are still missing. The island’s main airport


remained closed as Travel Weekly went to press, and some roads and bridges are damaged. Prime minister Roosevelt


Skerrit said the disaster “could set the country back two decades”. Sandals, the Caribbean resorts


operator, is asking the thousands of guests in its properties, trade partners, agents and suppliers to donate through the foundation’s webpage. Adam Stewart, chief executive


of Sandals Resorts International and president of the Sandals Foundation, said: “Thankfully, the nine islands in which we operate our resorts were unscathed by


Caribtours to treble size of BodyHoliday breaks for solo clients


Caribtours is to treble the size of a new programme targeted at solo travellers. The Caribbean specialist hailed the success of a trial this month after contracting 50 rooms a week at the all-inclusive BodyHoliday resort in Saint Lucia. It marketed the £1,800 holidays


B AWARDS: Cleary (second left)


to single professionals and said it could have sold the programme “several times over”. The holidays included flights with British


8 travelweekly.co.uk 10 September 2015


Tropical Storm Erika but tragically the same was not true of our Caribbean neighbours in Dominica who have suffered great loss, both of life and infrastructure. “We know first-hand how badly


natural disasters can affect a nation and we will be doing all we can to help the people of Dominica to recover as quickly as possible,


DAMAGE: Dominica is recovering after a tropical storm two week ago


and we urge our corporate partners to play their part too.” Regional carriers Liat and Seaborne Airlines have increased flights to Guadeloupe to support travel into and out of Dominica via ferry services. Caribtours is contributing £50


from every Dominica booking in September to a crisis relief fund. Water and electricity have been


restored to most of the island. Dominican authorities said 60 of


the island’s 100 hotels and resorts are open. It encouraged travellers to check the circumstances of their


accommodation direct. › To donate, visit sandalsfoundation.org


Airways, private transfers and a daily Elemis Spa treatment. Caribtours managing director


Paul Cleary said: “Selling the Caribbean in September can be a thankless task so we came up with this initiative.” He said he would repeat the programme in September 2016 and would contract up rooms to 150 a week. Cleary, speaking at Caribtours’


Annual Agent Awards, added: “This year has been the biggest in our history: £19 million of sales, which is 25% growth on last year.”


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NEWS IN BRIEF


Celebrity axes stays in Istanbul over security fears


Celebrity Cruises has cancelled its 2015 overnight calls to Istanbul due to security fears in Turkey. The decision, which comes after the US government issued a travel warning for Turkey, affects eight sailings on three ships – Celebrity Reflection, Celebrity Equinox and Celebrity Constellation. Customers and agents are being advised about itinerary changes.


Caribbean’s smelly seaweed ‘not affecting bookings’


The Caribbean is “open for business” despite large piles of stinking seaweed affecting beaches. Sargassum seaweed, which smells like rotten eggs, has been washing up on beaches in Mexican Caribbean resorts, Barbados and the Dominican Republic. However, operators have reported no impact on bookings.


Carnival UK promotes Roberts at Princess Cruises


Tony Roberts, former Carnival UK director of technology partnering, has been promoted to Princess Cruises vice-president for the UK and Europe. He replaces Paul Ludlow, who has joined P&O Cruises as senior vice-president for sales and marketing as part of a Carnival UK restructure.


POLL:


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