South Africa plans to host more fam trips


South African Tourism will host more fam trips in 2024 to improve agents’ knowledge of the country. Speaking at WTM, acting chief executive Nombulelo Guliwe said hosting agents in the destination remained a focus, alongside trade roadshows and training, but admitted airlift and high fares were barriers. southafrica.net


AVIATION OPERATOR


Simpson Travel adds agent-only portal to strengthen trade ties


Simpson Travel has launched an agent-only portal in an aim to strengthen trade relations. The villa and boutique hotel


specialist has also unveiled a trade brochure for 2024 featuring highlights from its portfolio, and is planning fam trips for next year. The portal enables agents to


reserve villas and hotels online and hold them for 24 hours, in addition to being able to book villa and hotel packages and accommodation-only holidays. Agents can also download and


print documentation including travel documents and invoices. As well as villas, Simpson


Travel’s programme features adult- only and family-friendly hotels. simpsontravel.com


EasyJet offers 12 extra routes from seven bases next summer


Andrew McQuarrie


EasyJet has launched 10 routes for next summer and revived two others following what will have been a four-year hiatus. The new flights include three services to Enfidha,


in northeast Tunisia, and two to Alicante. The two relaunched routes, both to Spain, are


Newcastle to Alicante and Luton to Reus – both of which stopped in 2020 due to the pandemic. Sister tour operator easyJet holidays has launched


package trips based on the new routes. These include the airline’s first two beach


destinations from Southampton: Alicante, with a weekly Sunday flight from March 31 and packages from £425, and Faro, with a weekly Thursday flight from June 6. Thursday and Sunday flights from Belfast to the Spanish city begin on May 2, while the Newcastle services


Finnair to boost Helsinki capacity from three UK airports next winter


Corsica travelweekly.co.uk


Finnair will expand capacity from Manchester, Edinburgh and Dublin to Helsinki next winter. The carrier will operate a twice-daily service from Manchester from October 2024 – up from nine flights a week this winter. Edinburgh will gain two extra flights, taking the winter 2024-25 service to six departures a week. Finnair will also increase its frequency from Dublin from eight flights a week to 10. finnair.com


will depart on Tuesdays and Saturdays from April 2. A new route from Manchester to Reus will operate


throughout the summer on Tuesdays and Saturdays from April 2, plus a relaunched service from Luton resuming on the same date and flying on the same days. The services to Enfidha will launch from Liverpool


on April 1, from Belfast on April 20 and from Glasgow on May 2. The Liverpool flights will operate on Mondays and Fridays, the Belfast services on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and the Glasgow departures on Thursdays and Sundays. A twice-weekly service from Bristol to Malta will


start on April 3, operating on Wednesdays and Fridays. A route from Belfast to Larnaca will start on May 2


and operate on Mondays, Thursdays and Sundays. A service from Glasgow to the Cypriot city, which


launches on May 4, will fly on Tuesdays and Thursdays. easyjet.com


Alicante


PICTURE: Shutterstock/Arcady


Citalia adds tours of Amalfi, Como


and Emilia Romagna for 2024 Citalia has added three escorted tours for 2024. The operator is offering savings of up to £250 on the five-night Gastronomic Highlights of Emilia Romagna, which visits Bologna, Parma and Modena. Prices start at £2,125, including flights. Also new are the Villas and Gardens of Lake Como and Lake Maggiore itinerary, and a walking tour of the Amalfi Coast. citalia.com


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PICTURE: Stephen Hughes


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