NEWS YOU CAN USE OPERATOR


Camel at Buraidah Sovereign offers flexible booking and


£150 deposits to ‘reassure customers’ Sovereign Luxury Travel is offering deposits from £150 all new bookings departing from October 1 to June 30, 2022. Marketing director Erin Johnson said the luxury operator’s lower deposits were in response to apprehension from customers at the moment. “We hope that offering flexible booking policies and a lower deposit on all new bookings departing later in the year will reassure our customers,” she said. sovereign.com


Corinthian Travel launches 13 tours to Saudi Arabia


Tailor-made specialist Corinthian Travel has launched a programme to Saudi Arabia, with 13 itineraries from eight to 17 days. Saudi Self-Drive: Road Trip


to Madain Saleh is an 11-day journey through the Arabian peninsula and along its Red Sea coast. Highlights include Elephant


Rock, the Great Nefud Desert, and the world’s largest camel market at Buraidah. Five days of the hybrid trip are spent with a chauffeur/guide. It costs from £3,590 based on two sharing. Saudi Explorer: Deserts &


Volcanoes includes several sectors featured in the Dakar Rally, the Al-Fil trail, the volcanic landscape of the Harrat Khaybar and the Red Sea. It costs from £5,180 based on two sharing. Flights are not included in the prices. corinthiantravel.co.uk


Arcadia tour led by


BBC photographer Arcadia Expeditions’ new tour Okavango Through the Lens will explore the region from three perspectives – bush, desert and water environments. The 13-day trip to Botswana will be led by BBC filmmaker and photographer Greg Nelson, who will help clients create a photo book or film. Departures are in August 2022 and prices start from £11,370. arcadiaexpeditions.com


16 6 MAY 2021


Youth operator Syte offers #truezero deposit bookings


Juliet Dennis


A specialist youth tour operator that plans to work with more independent agents has introduced permanent zero deposits on selected tours. Student & Youth Travel Escapes (Syte) was set


up six months ago by former STA branch manager Arron Mitchell and is in the process of expanding its Atol, which licences it to carry 1,000 passengers in the first year. It is already in talks with consortia and hopes to


work with more agents from September and target independent agents selling to the youth market, particularly in towns that previously had an STA Travel branch. The operator currently works with agents within


Protected Trust Services, of which it is also a member, and sells a variety of travel, including adventure trips, backpacker working holidays, volunteer projects, city breaks and cruises. Mitchell, co-director, said the new #truezero deposit


scheme, trialled last year, aimed to create a hassle-free booking process and cut down the number of potential future refunds. He said: “Customers can book at a guaranteed price


without worrying about losing the deposit. “During Covid, our biggest cost has been refunds.


There is no point in taking money from the customer if it’s very uncertain as to whether the holiday will go ahead. “As we don’t earn the money until the client steps foot on the aircraft we see little need to take a deposit.” The booking is held without any deposit until the


balance is due, up to six weeks before departure. Mitchell said zero deposits were not yet offered on


the entire product range. “Some of our suppliers are taking longer to come round,” he added. The operator has also added its own reference to


‘traffic light’ terms and conditions by letting clients know at the balance due date which colour their destination falls into. sytetravel.co.uk


travelweekly.co.uk Explore introduces best of North


Wales on new adventure holiday Touring specialist Explore has a new North Wales Adventure holiday, which features visits to Snowdon, a slate mine in Blaenau Ffestiniog, the village of Portmeirion, Anglesey, the Llyn peninsula and the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. The six-night holiday costs from £1,499 and includes B&B accommodation, activities, excursions and an Explore tour leader. explore.co.uk


Syte offers city breaks as well as adventure holidays


PICTURE: Shutterstock/GaudiLab


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