p10 news Jan29 27/1/10 14:48 Page 10
news
ttglive.com
In brief
Ex-Cook rep starts
■ Sol Melia revamps online booking services
Sol Melia Hotels & Resorts has launched a mobile
booking service and relaunched its website. The
system allows users to locate the hotel on Google
wedding business
Maps, see photos and access its loyalty scheme.
Solmelia.com has also been overhauled and fea- “We want to take
Katherine Lawrey.
tures links to Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr. A FORMER Thomas away the hassle for
Travel firms embrace the iPhone, p28 Cook employee has agents of booking a
set up a business to wedding,” he said.
■ Asian countries team up for tourism campaign help agents book wed- “Once the agent
Ten south-east Asian countries have launched a dings overseas. makes the booking,
joint tourism campaign. Brunei, Cambodia, Ian Inglis set up we take the cus-
Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Weddings4u with his tomers’ details so we
Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam have united wife in December to can sort the paper-
behind the slogan “South-east Asia: feel the offer commissionable work and extras. But
warmth”. The campaign is supported by a wedding packages, all commission will be
website,
southeastasia.org. leaving it to agents to tracked back to the
book the flights and agent.”
■ World’s biggest Marriott opens in Texas accommodation for He added: “My wife
The largest JW Marriott in the world has opened the wedding guests. and I started this
in San Antonio. The 1,002-room San Antonio Hill “It’s purely the wed- business because we
Country Resort & Spa will be the new home of the ding we book – the Ian Inglis (right) in Cyprus with his first Weddings4u clients, are passionate about
PGA tour Valero Texas Open. It has two interna- agent will not lose the Gordon McGoldrick and Jackie Leighton weddings.
tional standard golf courses and a 26,000sq ft rest of the booking,” “We were married
spa. It also has extensive meeting space and is Inglis said. in Cyprus and I helped build up Cook’s wedding
close to downtown San Antonio and the airport. The pre-booked wedding package can include business in Cyprus as resort manager for Pa-
extras such as flowers and photography, giving phos. You can’t beat an overseas wedding for
■ Amadeus tool ‘improves’ price comparison agents an opportunity to earn commission on weather, atmosphere and value for money.”
Global distribution system Amadeus has launched elements usually booked in resort. To encourage travel agents to register on
Amadeus Master Pricer Agent Fare Families, The company is offering agents 10% commis-
weddings4u.co.uk, Inglis is offering a case of
which it claims will allow consumers using agents’ sion on the gross package and 2-3% on extras, 12 bottles of wine in a prize draw. To enter,
websites to compare fares with the same condi- but Inglis said if an agent could show him an register before February 5.
tions. Amadeus said it improves agents’ ability to existing commercial agreement, he would match
direct customers to their most profitable content, it up to 12%. ■ Valentine’s day package ideas, p48
including higher fares with more flexible conditions.
■ Tipto unveils spring roadshow dates
Tipto has announced dates and venues for its
Delta rolls out
‘Ripper’ author to
agent roadshows in February, March and April.
They include Tunbridge Wells, Stoke on Trent,
Worcester, Bournemouth, Solihull, Chester and
$1bn upgrade
talk at conference
Glasgow. Member operators will be on hand and BESTSELLING author Richard McCann will speak
local independent agents will able to win a range DELTA business passengers from Gatwick and at the Advantage Conference in Lucerne (May
of prizes. Go to
tipto.co.uk/home/roadshows. Manchester may have to wait until 2013 before 21-23).
new premium cabins are installed on routes to His first book, Just a Boy, about his life as the
■ Niche cruise lines to run agent workshops Atlanta and New York. son of the Yorkshire Ripper’s first victim, sold
Tall ship specialist Star Clippers has combined The airline is spending $1 billion on refurbish- 400,000 copies and the BBC made a film about
forces with three niche cruise lines to offer agent ing its fleet and that of former Northwest his life story.
training sessions around the UK. Star Clippers is Airlines, with which Delta has merged. McCann was brought up on the “at risk”
joined by Hurtigruten, Viking River Cruises and Delta has already installed fully flat beds in register until his mother died when he was five.
Compagnie du Ponant for the sessions in its BusinessElite cabins on aircraft used on He left school with no qualifications and was
Birmingham on March 30, Bristol on March 31 Heathrow services, but the airline said it would kicked out of the army for psychological reasons,
and Winchester on April 1. To book contact take until “mid 2013” before it could offer a before he turned to drugs to ease his depression.
kelly.brooks@fredolsentravel.co.uk . consistent product. He served time for a drugs offence, and at one
Other plans include the addition of a first-class point considered committing suicide.
ttglive.com
For the latest news, reviews and comment
cabin to regional jets operated under the Delta He will speak to delegates about the way in
from the travel industry, visit
ttglive.com Connection brand. which he made a better life for himself.
10 29.01.2010
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64