4 UPDATE


LEARN THE LOCAL LINGO AS YOU FLY


destinations M


Emirates and easyJet have teamed up with a pioneering new ‘Learn-as-you-Fly’ scheme, launched by language company uTalk which offers customers 136 different languages.


Videos and taster demos are being installed in hundreds of planes, with passengers being given free access to uTalk’s language learning facilities on screens installed in the headrest in front of them. Business passengers travelling to meetings with overseas contacts also stand to reap the benefit of using their flight to learn the language basics in their destination country or brushing up on their linguistic skills.


uTalk’s deal with the world’s largest international airline, Emirates, has been cleared for take-off in a deal confirming language learning videos will be available fleet-wide on its award-winning inflight entertainment system, ice. Emirates customers across its six-continent global network will be able to use the new language package.


Travellers, including British families flying to their summer holidays on selected easyJet flights across Europe, will be able to learn a language while they fly. They will use easyJet's inflight entertainment system, which allows you to access any of uTalk's 136 languages from an onboard server to learn the language’s basics on your own phone, tablet or computer. Richard Howeson, Chairman of uTalk, said: “In-


ILLIONS of British holidaymakers jetting abroad this summer will have the chance to start learning a new language while they fly to their


flight learning is a great idea because it means that, with very little effort, passengers can learn enough to order their first drinks or negotiate transport, all by the time their plane lands. Even better, just by speaking a few words in the local lingo, you start to become more than a tourist. And, because we always use native speakers on the uTalk app, you’re learning to speak like the locals from the locals.


“It’s not just British flyers who will benefit from learning in the sky. Emirates, who currently offer video learning with uTalk in 15 different languages for English speakers, will also soon be catering for Arabic, Spanish, Mandarin and German speakers. Passengers flying with selected easyJet flights will get the whole works: a choice of 136 different languages to learn, all available to access on their own device from the comfort of their plane seat.”


Mr Howeson recently attended the international Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, Germany, and reported “widespread interest” from other airlines exhibiting.


He added: “What makes uTalk such a good fit for airlines, like easyJet, is that you don’t have to be an English speaker to use the app on your own device. The app lets you select from 136 languages to learn from, eg. an Arabic speaker can learn French or a Mandarin speaker can learn Hindi. There are more than 18,000 different learning combinations.” “But the best thing about uTalk’s ‘Learn-as-you-Fly’ scheme is that, by making the most of your time in the air, you can get even more out of your time on the ground.”


Once holidaymakers arrive at their resort, they will also be able to continue their language learning by logging on to the new, easy-to-use, multi-platform uTalk app using their mobile devices.


Based in Parsons Green, west London, uTalk believes it’s never too late to learn a language and that passengers flying around the world will welcome this opportunity to make productive use of their flying time. Emirates is screening 45 different language videos on its inflight entertainment system ‘ice’, offering lessons in 15 languages, including Arabic, German, French, Spanish, Chinese Mandarian, Korean and Russian. Dozens more videos will also be available later this summer.


uTalk’s lessons are part of a learning zone on its inflight entertainment system, ‘ice’, and sit alongside courses ranging from photography to business networking, to provide practical learning that can be put into practice the moment the flight lands. The lessons will also be available on selected easyJet flights through the airline’s In Flight Entertainment system which it is currently trialling on five of its Swiss- based aircraft.


easyJet’s Product Manager Simon Solts trialling uTalk Learn as You Fly product


Passengers will be able to start learning their chosen language by logging on to the plane’s wi-fi, then using their own hand-held device or lap-top to tune into free uTalk lessons as they sit comfortably in their seats. And they can continue learning when they arrive at the beach.


Learn the language at your holiday destination or when you’re there.... (see story left)


The Vaults major new tourist attraction to open in Dublin in July


FIFTY new jobs are to be created in a new premium and fun visitor attraction called The Vaults in the heart of Dublin city in the historic John’s Lane area which opens in July 2018.


A €5m investment is being spent converting the old Augustinian St John’s National School into what will be a state of the art series of theatrical sets with live actor led performances aimed at a universal audience. The show consists of thrilling special effects, dark humour, moments of pure fun and lots of audience participation.


Just over half the jobs will be made up of actors making the attraction Ireland’s largest employer of full time performing artists whilst the rest of the jobs will be roles for front of house, food and beverage, retail sales and merchandising assistants, technical specialists, makeup and wardrobe specialists. The new tourism project is being developed by Frontier Entertainment which is driven by former broadcaster and serial entrepreneur Paul Blanchfield and well known producer and TV programme maker Gerald Heffernan with the creative involvement of playwright and screenwriter Peter Sheridan. The Vaults will offer up to 30 shows per day depicting scenes and characters from 800 years of Ireland’s juiciest history and each scene is played in a 360° theatrical set dressed with authentic props and a range of lighting, sound and special effects unique to each scene which will allow the actors to interact and involve themselves directly with the audience. The new premium attraction says it will position itself in style and offering with the nearby Guinness


Storehouse, Titanic Belfast and Warner Bros Harry Potter Studio Tour in London. Frontier Entertainment CEO Paul Blanchfield said: “Our aim is to quickly become the number one thing to do in Dublin with a theatrical attraction which will be a completely unique entertainment experience integrating actors with guests. “Our research shows people want better experiences, more involvement and The Vault's entertainment model makes this happen in a big way. "You will have a wonderful time with your friends and family at The Vaults and in increasingly distracted mobile device driven world where adults want a more experiential, enjoyable and stimulating escapist experience, we’ve built it to do just that. “We’ve put together a team of highly skilled professionals in staging and set design to create for guests a stunning walk through journey of real and imagined events in Irish history with a twist and we are in a prime location to add to Dublin’s €2bn tourism and leisure offering where over 1.7m adults and families attended arts related events last year”.


“The business was based on rethinking what culturally curious domestic and overseas guests are searching for and receive from Dublin’s current paid attractions. Three years ago, we identified a significant competitive gap in the current menu which we are now about to successfully address. Feedback from tourism experts and tour operators has been very positive so far and we’re really looking forward to opening our doors to the public with our official grand opening set for June 30”, he continued.


Local Stena services make big impact on charity award New carrier to NY


STENA Line services from Belfast to Cairnryan, Liverpool and Heysham made the most significant contribution to the leading ferry company’s recent charity fundraising award for ‘Company Collaboration of the Year’ at the prestigious Insamlingsforum 2018 held in Stockholm.


Stena Line collaborated with Mercy Ships, the humanitarian non- governmental organisation (NGO) which seeks to deliver free, world-class health care to people in need in the developing world.


A key part of Stena Line’s collaboration was a group-wide Coffee Campaign to support the Mercy Ships charity during which Stena Line customers where given the opportunity to choose to buy coffee or tea in a special Mercy Ships mug with 20p being donated directly to Mercy Ships. During the two-month campaign, well over 55 000 cups of coffee were sold across Stena Line’s European route


network with over half of the sales coming from its Irish Sea North region which includes its Belfast to Cairnryan, Liverpool and Heysham routes. Orla Noonan, Stena Line’s Travel Commercial Manager (Irish Sea North) said: “We are absolutely delighted that our local routes have made such a positive contribution to this very worthwhile cause.


“Our staff and customers really engaged with this campaign and to be able to account for over half of our total European sales locally is a very impressive performance from our regional team. We’re very proud of our contribution in helping to be awarded such a prestigious international accolade.”


Orla Noonan added: “Finally, I would like to thank all of our customers who generously supported this important project and expressed such an interest in the great work undertaken by the Mercy Ships charity.”


Pictured at the launch of the Coffee Campaign were (left to right) Stephen Bryden, Stena Line Onboard Sales and Services Manager (Irish Sea North), Norris McLean, Onboard Sales and Services Manager, Stena Superfast VIII and Anna Hazzard, Stena Line Route Marketing Executive, Irish Sea North


June 2018 Travel News


PRIMERA Air, the low-fare Nordic airline, has marked the occasion of its London Stansted to New York route launch with a dazzling Broadway show, including performances from New York- based production, West-Side Story. Anastasija Visnakova, Chief Commercial


Officer at Primera Air comments: “We are delighted to mark this exciting occasion by bringing New York’s Broadway to the home of the West-End. We have already begun operations in London and really wanted to make a song and dance of the fact that we’re aiming to make expensive long-haul travel history.” Primera Air has now officially launched its


London Stansted–New York routes with fares starting from just £149 one-way. More routes from London Stansted will be launching this summer to Boston, Toronto and Washington DC. Primera Air is a low-fare Nordic airline that


operates flights from Europe to more than 70 destinations across the Mediterranean, Middle East, Asia, Caribbean and North America. Originally founded in Iceland in 2003 as a charter provider, Primera Air has grown to become an airline that now carries over one million passengers each year.


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