Operators For the latest operator and supplier news, visit
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Tui adds Lapland and new Couples
THOMSON HAS introduced trips to Lapland for next winter as part of an expansion into the market. The operator’s first brochure to the destination for 2011-12 includes 13 properties across four resorts as well as day trips and a range of three to seven-night holidays. Sister brand First Choice has followed suit, expanding its pro- gramme with the addition of Ivalo as an airport for the resort of Saariselka.
Thomson is also expanding
its range of Thomson Couples adult-only resorts for winter 2011-12 with eight properties in Spain, the Canaries, Cyprus, Madeira, Egypt and Italy.
In brief
■ Cook and Airtours add Cape Verde islands Thomas Cook has introduced the Cape Verde islands as a destination in the first edition of its winter-sun programme for 2011-12. Weekly flights from Manchester start on November 4. Sister brand Airtours has also launched its winter-sun brochure which includes an early booking offer of up to £200 off any holiday booked before April 8, 2011.
■ Sunvil adds blogs and podcasts to new site Sunvil Holidays has redesigned its website. The operator has added live holiday availability and a password-protected area for agents where they can price itineraries and book holidays. Other new sections for
sunvil.co.uk include news, holiday ideas, blogs and podcasts.
■ Jewel in the Crown offsets APD in new brochure Jewel in the Crown has published its Jewel of Goa brochure for winter 2011-12, which features the new three-star resort of Lagoa Azul in Arpora in northern Goa. The operator said prices were sim- ilar to last year after negotiating lower rates with hoteliers to offset the rise in Air Passenger Duty.
ttglive.com
For the very latest operators news, visit
ttglive.com/operators
20 18.02.2011
Flying days will be switched to give skiers more time on the slopes
020 7921 8011
rgill@ttglive.com
Rob Gill
Inghams looks to perfect its timing
Rob Gill.
INGHAMS BOSS Andy Perrin is expecting a “successful” ski season despite having to cope with the difficulties of Christmas falling on a Saturday last year, and a late Easter in 2011. Perrin, who is chief executive of Inghams’ owner Hotelplan UK, said the winter sports market was “robust” and trading had been “good” since the start of year. “It did not help that the government’s austerity
measures were announced in October which is the peak booking period for ski,” he told TTG. “The season will be successful but there is an element of frustration because it could have been so much better without these external factors.”
Perrin said the whole ski industry had been
affected by Christmas and New Year’s Day falling on Saturday last year – the traditional changeover day for UK ski operators. “Having a four or five-day short break at the start of January proved to be a mistake,” he
added. “Skiers want a week or a weekend, not the middle of a week.” He said with festive holidays falling on Sun-
days this year, Inghams will switch its flying to Friday throughout December before moving back to Saturday departures from January 7, 2012, which eliminates the short week in early January. “Europeans celebrate on Christmas Eve so it’s not a great day to arrive – that’s why we have switched to Friday flights in December.” Perrin said that this year’s late Easter on April
24 was not ideal but Inghams was less-affected because it had “solid capacity in high alti- tude resorts”.
“Skiing in April can
be really good because the days are longer and it’s not so cold,” he added. “The slopes tend to be less crowded as well.”
Andy Perrin: optimistic ‘Real experience’ focus for 2011
INGHAMS IS stepping up its trade activities to help grow both its ski and mountain sales, and has launched a new trade website. Perrin said: “We want agents to experience what a ski holiday is like, because that will help them to sell. We focus on getting them out on the slopes and having a real skiing experience.” Inghams held a couple of trips before Christ- mas with more planned for March. The operator will also host fam trips for its Lakes & Mountains programme with trips planned in the shoulder
seasons of May-June and September-October. Agents can use the same password as they had with viewdata for Inghams’ new dedicated trade website,
agents.inghams.co.uk
Learn more about Inghams Take the operator’s course at TTG Knowledge College. Go to
ttglive.com/ttgknowledge
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