OPERATOR NEWS YOU CAN USE


Grand American pushes US parks


Juliet Dennis juliet.dennis@travelweekly.co.uk


Grand American Adventures hopes to raise awareness of its products among the trade on the back of increased demand for US national parks.


The National Park Service turns


100 on August 25, and increased publicity and events to mark the occasion have led to stronger sales for 2016, according to managing director Richard Hanson. The operator, a sister brand


of TrekAmerica, has created an interactive map of the 59 national parks on its website, with key facts about each one. Hanson urged agents to use the


centennial celebrations to increase sales and to book clients’ trips as early as possible, adding that some tours, such as its seven-day rafting adventure through the Grand Canyon, were selling very quickly. “We want to be in any


conversation agents have with clients about the national parks. “The challenge for us is that


Kirker swells short breaks range with raft of canal cruises


Kirker Holidays has expanded its short-break collection with new itineraries in Portugal, Germany and the Channel Islands. The operator has also teamed up


with European Waterways to offer canal cruises in France and Italy. The operator, which is


celebrating its 30th anniversary, features 80 cities and 250 coastal and countryside properties in its new Short Breaks brochure. Portugal’s Douro Valley and German spa town Baden Baden feature for the first time this year,


GRAND CANYON:Grand American Adventures is highlighting the centenary of the US National Park Service 13


Maximum number of clients on a Grand American group tour


while agents know TrekAmerica, they may not know Grand American Adventures. Our door is


while stays on Guernsey and Jersey are also new. A three-night B&B break including flights and private transfers costs from £498 for the five-star Longueville Manor. Kirker has also introduced


eight-night holidays which combine a six-night canal cruise


with a two-night hotel stay. kirkerholidays.com


open to working with more agents. It is a more relevant brand to the trade and easier for agents to sell [than TrekAmerica]; we see it as the future for our sales through the trade.” The operator sells small-group


tours of no more than 13 people and claims to offer more itineraries across the US national parks than any other operator out of the UK.


Its product differs from


TrekAmerica’s because food is included, accommodation is more luxurious and it attracts an older clientele, with an average age of 42. For 2016, the vast majority of


tours have guaranteed departures for the first time. And following an investment of more than $1 billion, vehicles have been upgraded and


now include widescreen TVs. grandamericanadventures.com


InsideJapan Tours to promote range to agents through training body Bright


InsideJapan Tours has become the 12th member of training group Bright (Bringing Real Information and Guaranteed High Quality Training). Bright trains independent


agents on the products of its members, which include operators, tourist boards and add-on companies. Bright’s other members are


ROSA: European Waterways ship


Kirker Holidays, 1st Class Travel, Viking River Cruises, Hurtigruten, Sunvil, Islas Canarias, Attraction World, Veloso Tours, Jersey Tourism, Cox & Kings and Mark Warner.


SHAKE ON IT: Hisham Mahmoud (left), chairman of Bright, and Matt Spiller, agency sales manager, InsideJapan Tours


11 February 2016 travelweekly.co.uk 27


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