NEWS ROUND-UP IN THE PICTURE: Parks’ life
Brand USA is planning to develop marketing campaigns with agents and operators to maximise publicity surrounding the release of a new big- screen 3D film about America’s national parks. ‘America Wild: National Parks Adventure’ was
commissioned by Brand USA to celebrate the centennial of the country’s National Park Service this year. It is narrated by actor Robert Redford and had its UK premiere in London on Tuesday. Brand USA said that initial industry marketing
activity would be channelled through the film’s global sponsor, Expedia, before being extended to other US specialist agents and suppliers. Pictured is a still from the film.
Kenya chief slams FCO’s ‘simplistic’ travel advice
Jennifer Morris
jennifer.morris@
travelweekly.co.uk
A Foreign Office (FCO) travel warning that was in place for parts of Kenya until last October has been slammed for being “too simplistic“ by the country’s secretary for tourism.
Speaking to Travel Weekly as
operators reported a rebound in bookings to Kenya after the travel advisory was lifted, Najib Balala called for a more sympathetic approach in the future. “The UK government could be
more innovative in terms of finding solutions for this challenge of security rather than the simplistic way of handling it – a blanket ban,” he said. “We want countries like the UK to be sympathetic when attacks happen.” Balala added: “We have invested
heavily in security. Piracy has been contained and last year 10,000 extra police officers were recruited.” Balala also questioned why
on multiple sources, including intelligence services. It disputed the description of its
approach as a “blanket ban”. The FCO website states: “We
know our advice can have a knock- on effect on trade but we don’t let this influence the advice we give.” The relaxing of the FCO’s advice
about Kenya has seen a rapid upturn in business, say operators. Kuoni ranked the country as
BALALA: ‘The UK has a simplistic way of handling [security issues]’
“Kenya is deemed more risky than Paris”, which was attacked by terrorists in November. “We went to Paris for [the] COP 21 [climate conference] just two weeks after the attacks,” he said. “There were heads of state yet there was a state of emergency in place.” The FCO said passenger safety is its top priority and bases its advice
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travelweekly.co.uk 18 February 2016
its third ‘Rising star of 2016’ in its annual Worldwide Trends report, published this month, based on bookings. Travel 2 saw flight bookings leap 96% in the weeks following FCO advice being eased for a stretch of coast around Malindi in October. Hayes & Jarvis said sales since December 1 to this week were 300% up on the same period a year ago. And Acacia Africa said bookings had doubled. In March 2015, the FCO
tightened travel advice citing a “high threat” of terrorism despite lobbying by the Kenyan government for the UK to support its tourism industry.
Fred Olsen Travel opens concession store in Newmarket
Fred Olsen Travel has opened its third concession store, in a Suffolk shopping centre, following the closure of its shop at the now defunct Cambridge airport. The agency opened a store at the airport in May 2015; however, late last year the airport’s owners decided the terminal was no longer viable and closed it, terminating Fred Olsen’s contract. Its two members of staff have
now been moved to nearby Newmarket where Fred Olsen Travel has opened a concession in the Golding of Newmarket shopping centre. The agency’s group retail manager, Paul Hardwick, said: “The concession model works well for us because we pick family-run department stores where the customer base and demographic fits well with our customers.” Fred Olsen Travel operates 11
stores and concessions, eight of which are in East Anglia and three on the South Coast. Hardwick said he hadn’t ruled
out opening more shops in either region, saying his “eyes are always open to completely new stores or acquisitions”.
COMMENT: “With the Zika virus, the need for accurate information was key” Nikki White, page 30
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