p10 jan16 14/1/09 16:46 Page 10
news
ttglive.com
Cruise agency’s success
In brief
spurs boss to Get Skiing
■ Holiday Autos signs up with Bristol airport
Holiday Autos, the car hire broker, has become
Bristol International airport’s online worldwide
car hire supplier for outbound passengers. Its
Sara Macefield.
biggest potential “Ski is my love, products will now feature on the airport’s website,
KENT-BASED cruise agency Get but cruise is the business and will
bristolairport.co.uk, providing vehicles to
Cruising is taking on more staff and remain so. It’s where the action is. outbound passengers at their destination airport.
moving into the ski market, just a “Ski is relatively flat. From a re-
year after setting up. tail perspective, I don’t see anyone ■ Monarch launches Greek port charter flights
Strong sales and double success doing a particularly good job at it. Monarch Airlines is starting charter flights between
in local business awards have put “I don’t see the bed banks doing the UK and the Greek port of Volos for the summer
managing director Gary Wardrope it particularly well as they simply 2009 season. The flights, which go via Skiathos,
(pictured), former chief of My Travel- cannot get the beds they need. This depart from Gatwick and Manchester on Fridays
owned The Cruise Store, in a bullish mood. is something I may look at.” between May 15 and October 9, with fares starting
He has started 2009 with the launch of winter Wardrope admitted launching his cruise from £239 return.
sports operation Get Skiing. business had been more difficult than he’d antic-
Wardrope admitted this winter was simply ipated. But improving sales and a strong start to ■ Thailand tourist board seeks campaign cash
about starting up and that he was looking at next this year are fuelling his ambitions to expand. The Tourism Authority of Thailand is seeking
season to come out “all guns blazing”. He is keen to recruit homeworkers in both funding from the Thai government for a campaign
But he has devoted space in his Tunbridge cruise and ski, and admits he is considering fur- to woo back visitors after demonstrations in
Wells agency to ski brochures and unveiled a new ther expansion which “could be more shops”. Bangkok airports badly hit tourist numbers.
website (getskiing.co.uk). Arrivals were down 30% year-on-year for
However, he still regards cruising as having the ■ Cruise news, p22 December after anti-government sit-ins between
November 25 and December 4 stranded
thousands of passengers and disrupted the travel
Tui youth sales
plans of several million. Numbers are 20%
down so far in January, and neighbouring
countries that rely on Bangkok as a hub have
‘still rocking’
seen visitor drops of 10% to 15%.
■ Attraction World offers 14-day Florida pass
THE YOUTH market is proving resilient to the Attraction World has launched a new theme park
economic downturn and will probably continue pass for Florida, giving unlimited admission for
to be so, according to Tui Travel. 14 days to all attractions in Walt Disney World,
Talia Laurence, Tui lifestyle product develop- and Universal Orlando Resort. The UK-exclusive
ment manager, who looks after the 2wentys and “One” pass combines the Disney Ultimate and
Freestyle brands, said the youth and lifestyle Orlando FlexTicket Plus passes, and offers savings
markets were performing well. of more than £100 against separate passes.
She added: “The 17 to 24-year-olds who
typically go on our 2wentys holidays tend to live ■ Wendy Wu relocates to London Bridge
at home and are therefore less affected by the China specialist Wendy Wu Tours has relocated
credit crunch; year-on-year sales are up.” its team of 20 reservation, marketing and back
In September, Freestyle became a brand for office staff to new premises at London Bridge.
the 25 to 35-year-old market to avoid doubling The operator’s new address is Wendy Wu Tours,
up after the merger. While it is too soon for Lau- 6-10 Borough High Street, London SE1 9QQ.
rence to be able to compare results with a previ-
ous year, she has hailed its first few months a ■ Qatar Airways offers upgrades to first class
success, especially in Sharm el Sheikh and Ibiza. Qatar Airways is offering premium travellers
The Canary island’s success was in part due to free one-way upgrades to first class for return
the Ibiza Rocks Hotel (pictured), for which Tui business-class bookings made before February
sells the majority of rooms. 28. The offer is valid for travel completed by
Ibiza Rocks founder Andy McKay said: “We are March 31 for departures from Heathrow to Doha,
already well ahead of last year’s figures. Dubai, Bahrain, Bangkok, Beijing, Singapore,
“The island was preferred by the older brothers Hong Kong, Shanghai and Johannesburg.
and dads but we are setting a trend which appeals
to a more discerning youth market as a lifestyle
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ttglive.com
10 16.01.2009
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