INSIDE THIS
WEEK Contents
NEWS Hot Stories
Swaffield explains Monarch’s big loss; Singer vows to unify Monarch divisions; MSC defends onboard direct-sell credit; Pirie returns with luxury bespoke brand; Government starts PTD consultation
Round-up Tui and Tunisia; Betabeds; Air Berlin
WIN!
A Vietnamese cooking lesson with top chef Luke Nguyen courtesy of APT page 35
Special Reports Face to Face: Edie Rodriguez, Crystal Ocean Holidays unveils growth plans
Talk Back Monarch; Singer; airport alcohol; Soteri
NEWS YOU CAN USE Product Shearings, Cox & Kings, Novasol 19
Cruise Titan, Saga, P&O, AmaWaterways 20 Operator Back-Roads Touring, Kuoni
22
FRONTLINE Comment Sharon Munro: apprenticeships 24
Day in the Life Victor Preston, BA i360 28 Cool Cruises 2017 Winners’ photos
Spotlight Reuben’s Retreat 5th birthday 36 Mystery Shopper Online ski agents
42 DESTINATIONS
Hotels, Resorts & Spas Swim-up Suites: 10 of the Best
LET’S DANCE! Book your tickets for the dance-themed Travel Weekly Northern Ball
page 26 44 Home-grown: Tap into the growing trend 51
Asia Coastal Cambodia: Beaches after Angkor 54 Island-hopping: Southwest Thailand
61 BUSINESS NEWS
Abta 2017 Norwegian; PwC expert on AI 68 Back page OTAs rebut ‘mislead’ charges 70
WHAT
LUCY DID THISWEEK
AUG 17 1
2 3
32 08 Reuben’s Retreat; Ande Soteri; NCL’s Bliss 10
12 14
17 04
A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Kane able to do it again? I
t’s no exaggeration to say the technology deployed by Travel Republic helped transform the booking of
mass-market beach holidays 10 years ago, leading many companies to change their business models. So when the architect returns to travel with a new
venture promising the software behind it will revolutionise long-haul luxury holidays, it’s worth taking note (page 6). Unsurprisingly, former Travel Republic CEO Kane Pirie
wouldn’t give away too many secrets when I spoke to him this week, but he appears confident he has another game-changer on his hands. We’ll see if he can reshape the landscape a second time. The good news is that he wants agents to come with him on the journey this time. Another company looking to shake things up is Monarch
Group with the appointment of Richard Singer as managing director of Monarch Holidays. Singer has a background in media, first in the national press and more recently in deals publishing, and no experience of tour operating. But perhaps a fresh way of thinking is exactly what Monarch needs as it looks to get back into the black by bringing the airline and tour operator closer together. A look at our Talk Back page this week suggests that a
different trade strategy might also help, with the company apparently having lost agents’ support due to a lack of price parity (page 17). It also suggests Monarch has lost ground to Jet2holidays, which has long been on a charm offensive with the trade – even more so with independents since it was taken off sale by Thomas Cook and Tui. Singer has his work cut out, but Monarch is
a great brand with a strong product. Getting disenfranchised agents back on side might be a sensible first priority.
Lucy Huxley Editor-in-chief @Lucy_Huxley
Went to Naples for the day to go ‘behind the scenes’ for the filming of ITV’s The Cruise on Princess Cruises’ flagship Royal Princess
Had a catch-up with Travelzoo’s European president, Richard Singer, the day after he was named Monarch Holidays’ incoming MD
Finally decided on my fancy-dress costume for the Travel Weekly Northern Ball, which is themed ‘Let’s Dance’. Just four weeks to go!
17 August 2017
travelweekly.co.uk 3
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