EDITOR’S COMMENTS
NEWS Hot Stories
04 – CAA modifies Small Business Atol; Travel 2 unveils brochure walls; Screen-scrapers targeted; SPAA chief lambasts operators; Royal Caribbean creates Scottish fund
News Digest
08 – Queen to name Britannia; Roche joins LoveHolidays; Crystal Cruises sale; Clia Europe seeks visa change; Midcounties agents named Disney specialists; Gatwick pledge
Special Reports
10 – Clia eyes new-to-cruise agents 12 – Connecting Travel is launched
Show Report 14 – Business Travel Show 2015
NEWS YOU CAN USE
Product News 17 – Affordable revamps training
Cruise News 18 – Silversea unveils themed trips
Operator News 22 – Hoseasons rejigs sales team
Destination News 24 – Pin up Bahamas Flight Guide
Aviation News 26 – Latam kicks off new training
ALL ABOUT YOU
Letters 30 – Payouts; Counsellors; APD
Comment 32 – Andy Freeth: Social media
All For You 34 – Win a holiday in New York
Readers’ Lives 38 – Cover Star Kirsty Sloan
Mystery Shopper 42 – Thomson wins Dudley survey
DESTINATIONS Africa
45 – Tuck in to our guide to South Africa’s best food and wine regions 49 – 10 of the Best: Safari lodges
Caribbean
55 – Jump in to discover Jamaica’s local culture away from the beach 61 – Head inland to explore islands
JOBS AND CLASSIFIED
65 – Vacancies and business services TRAVELWEEKLY BUSINESS
News
70 – Report from Travel Technology Europe 2015 show at Olympica 72 – Iata: Fares will be personalised
Cover photo: Cover Star Kirsty Sloan is photographed at Barnstable Municipal Airport, with thanks to Cape Air. Photo: Steve Hockstein, Harvard Studio Photography
LUCY Editor-in-chief HUXLEY
Retain your integrity and rest will follow
event last week I was delighted to discover that none of the traditions I remembered had fallen by the wayside. From the thistles given to every guest on arrival to the stirring address of the haggis, and from the dram of whisky at every place setting (which I was made to down in one!) to the brilliant bagpipers playing us out, the event was as memorable as ever. But this was a dinner based on more than just pomp and ceremony. The SPAA is a fiercely proud association and has stood up for its members’ rights and won many battles. And so it was no surprise that president Jimmy Martin’s address was as impassioned as ever (page 6). He remarked that some may have thought he was banging the same old drum, but added: “At least my drum is still banging.”
I
And with that he was into his stride, giving his forthright views on APD and more frequent Iata reporting, the Package Travel Directive and the changes to the Small Business Atol, Tui’s online discounting and the increasing number of incentive schemes. He even had time to warn dnata against the potential consolidation of Gold Medal and Travel 2. Martin spoke with intense passion and a frank honesty, pointing out that if you don’t say it like it is, you lose your integrity. “And integrity,” he said, “is what every agent needs, along with a huge amount of love. Then all the money and goodwill will come to you.” I’ll certainly drink to that.
lucy.huxley@
travelweekly.co.uk WHAT LUCY DID THISWEEK 1
2 3
Had a brilliant catch-up with the team from Wyndham Vacations and their Hoseasons and Villas4You brands.
Enjoyed the tradition – including bagpipers, haggis and whisky – at the 85th SPAA Dinner in Glasgow.
Saw The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at the Gielgud Theatre, courtesy of SuperBreak. Amazing! Go see it!
5 March 2015 —
travelweekly.co.uk • 3
t had been a few years since I’d last attended the Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association annual dinner, so at this year’s
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