Operators For the latest operator and supplier news, visit ttglive.com/operators


Chic unveils its first brochure


NEW UPMARKET operator Chic Locations will feature 188 hotels in its first brochure. Properties in the Far East, Mediterranean, India and the Caribbean are included, with a focus on boutique hotels and those offering family experiences. Chic will sell through independent agents.


David Kevan, partner and product director, said: “We are deliberately not worldwide, but channel our expertise into a few areas. “Our hotel partners know we are flexible, not


driven by rigid systems, and we look at bookings on an individual basis, which has advantages.” He added that prices start at around £800 per person, but he expects averages to exceed £2,000.


In brief


■ Bales turns 50 with 50-destination brochure Bales Worldwide will mark the 50th anniversary of its first escorted tour with a new Escorted Small Groups and Tailor Made Holidays brochure for 2011-12. The programme will include 54 tours and 50 destina- tions across Africa, the Far East, India, Latin America, Middle East, Canada and Alaska. Prices start at £1,095 for an 11-day holiday in Egypt.


■ Bulgaria and Croatia additions by Balkan Balkan Holidays has added the Obzor resort, golf holidays in Pravets and four and five-star properties in the Golden Sands resort in Bulgaria to the second edition of its summer 2011 brochure. The Croatian islands of Sipan, Lopud and Murter have also been introduced, alongside a coach tour of Montenegro, Albania and Kosovo. Free child places and insurance are also offered.


ttglive.com


For the very latest operators news, visit ttglive.com/operators


22 29.10.2010


Skiers still playing the waiting game


lRob Gilll


INDEPENDENT SKI operators are facing a later booking market for the forthcoming winter season as consumers wait for deals. But operators at the annual Ski and Snowboard Show in London last week said that business had been picking up recently as the ski industry hoped for an improvement on last year’s tough season for 2010-11. Phillipa Swindale, head of sales and marketing


at tailor-made specialist Ski Independence, said: “Bookings have been good, but they get later and later each year. We use scheduled flights, and this can have an effect on prices. “Business always picks up as the weather gets colder in the UK. We also have offers from British Airways to the US and Canada which have helped to stimulate the market. “There are more deals for our self-catering


properties in France, Switzerland and Austria, including some great ones for Christmas.” Ski holidays to Canada were down last season after consumers chose to go elsewhere due to


the Winter Olympics, which were held in Whistler and Vancouver in February. Sandra Potter, managing director of Canada specialist Frontier Travel, said: “Whistler suffered last season due to the Olympics and some negative publicity as a result of the bad weather during the games, but we think it should come back this season.


“It is a late booking season, although it has


been really busy in the last couple of weeks. People are definitely booking later than last year.” Matt Richardson, UK managing director for


France operator Lagrange Holidays, said book- ings had been “all over the place” in the past few weeks, with strong sales in September boosted by early booking deals, but weaker sales in October. “It’s been patchy – February half-term has been selling well as usual, and Easter is good despite being in late April next year,” he said. “But Christmas and New Year have not been selling so well. We had good early booking sales but now it seems that people are waiting for discounts.”


020 7921 8011 rgill@ttglive.com


Rob Gill


GAGA FOR QUEEN: Joan and Graeme Brett (left) of Westcoe Travel in South Shields will head down to London’s West End to see the Queen musical We Will Rock Youfor the 40th time with short-break operator Superbreak next week. They are pictured getting ready for the night with Superbreak’s sales office coordinator Leonie Martin.


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