p9 news mar13 11/3/09 20:08 Page 9
ttglive.com
news
Pure Escapes
Malaysia buoyed
targets agents
DIRECT-SELL singles holiday specialist Speed- by Air Asia X link
breaks has launched a group holidays offshoot
that aims to sell a fifth of its holidays through
the trade. Martin Ferguson in Langkawi.
Pure Escapes is offering 85 holidays across
and Chris Gray.
20 four and five-star self-catering properties in MALAYSIA has claimed the start of no-frills Air
France, Spain and Italy. Asia X services from London to Kuala Lumpur
It aims to make organising group holidays eas- this week will make a four-week holiday in the
ier by taking on the group leader role, packaging country as cheap as a four-day break in Europe.
properties, flights and transfers, and allowing The first Air Asia X flight left Stansted for
members of the group to pay individually. Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday and the airline said
The operator is offering agents commission its initial fare of £99 one way and other offers of
and aims to attract 20% of its business in the £149 and £199 would generate load factors of
first year from the trade. 75% for March and April.
Founder Robert Loch said: “We’re looking to Malaysia’s deputy tourism minister, Sulaiman
work with agents where it makes sense, such as Abdul Rahman Taib, said the service would help
specialists or those that regularly work with build on a 5.1% increase in UK visitors in 2008 to Langkawi Island is a popular Malaysia tourism destination
groups of people, like golfing groups. 340,000 tourists.
“We will have a price we will give agents and if Speaking to TTG in Langkawi, he said: “It’s said the 75% load factors were well above the
they want to package it up slightly differently, comfortable enough and cheap enough. In fact, if airline’s break-even level of about 50%.
such as adding extra rounds of golf, they can add you find a good fare you could probably spend Fernandes said the airline saw the global
their own extra percentage.” the same on a four-week holiday in Malaysia as financial crisis as an “opportunity” to grow
on a four-day trip to a European destination.” market share. “We started the airline three days
He claimed the credit crunch could boost after 9/11 and we have gone from three aircraft
In brief
Malaysia’s popularity because accommodation, to 80,” he added.
entertainment and meals were cheap, with Air Asia X believes it can make a success of
three-course meals available for as little as £5. budget long-haul flying, despite the failures last
■ Superbreak paints the town red with Picasso Air Asia Group chief executive Tony Fernandes year of Zoom and Oasis Hong Kong Airlines.
Superbreak Mini-Holidays has launched its first-
edition 2009-10 Luxury Hotel Collection, offering
267 hotels in 147 UK locations. Hotels featured for
the first time include four new Von Essen hotels,
The Adventure Co
one of which is the five-star Cliveden & The
Pavilion Spa near Windsor, priced from £138. The offers training
domestic operator is also offering a new package
combining accommodation and entry to the SMALL-groups tour specialist The Adventure
National Gallery’s Picasso exhibition, from £86. Company is encouraging agents to take part in
its training sessions, as it aims to grow its trade
■ Tourism New Zealand holds live web training business to 10% of its sales in the next five years.
Tourism New Zealand will host a series of UK agency sales manager Vicky Gallear said
webinars for agents looking to increase their the hour-long training sessions aimed to debunk
knowledge of New Zealand. The internet-based the myth that the sector was only for the
training sessions include live online presentation superfit and young. She said over a third of the
from Tourism New Zealand representatives, operator’s trips were cultural holidays taken at a
followed by a question and answer session. The gentle pace, its customers’ average age was 48
first 30-minute webinar will be held at 11am on and it offered family adventure holidays.
Thursday, March 19. All participants will be “The training is about getting agents past the
entered into a prize draw to win bottles of New GREAT EGGS-PECTATIONS: Tipto is giving fear factor of selling adventure travel,” she said.
Zealand wine. To register, visit the What’s Hap- away a hamper of Easter goodies each The Adventure Company set up an agency
pening section on
traveltrade.newzealand.com week to agents who encourage a friend to sales unit in March 2008 and has seen agency
or email
katherineh@tnz.govt.nz register on Tipto’s website, at
tipto.co.uk. sales grow from 3% to 6% since. It is targeting
Launching the offer are Tipto account 10% within five years.
ttglive.com
For the latest news, reviews and comment
manager Kerri Watt and the organisation’s Agents interested should call 0845 608 7724
from the travel industry, visit
ttglive.com vice-chairman Paul Melinis. or email
vicky@adventurecompany.co.uk
13.03.2009 09
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