NEWS ROUND-UP IN THE PICTURE: QE2 reopens


Historic ocean liner Queen Elizabeth 2 has opened as a luxury floating hotel in Dubai. The former Cunard vessel was retired from active


sailing in 2008 and purchased by Istithmar World, a government-owned company in Dubai. The 13-deck hotel has been restored to its former


glory with period furniture, renowned paintings and memorabilia, as well as an interactive museum that showcases the QE2 during its 1960s heyday. This week’s soft launch comes ahead of a full


opening in October. Some suites and five of the planned 13 restaurants are currently open. Two Royal Suites, named after the Queen’s


mother and grandmother, have a private veranda, conservatory and dining room.


Getabed agrees merger with fellow bed bank roomsXML


Bed banks Getabed and roomsXML have announced they have agreed a merger. Online accommodation


wholesaler roomsXML’s Ruchir Bang will be chief executive, while Getabed managing director Matt Stuart will be chief commercial officer. Stuart said: “Our customers


will get the best of both companies, with robust technology, breadth of product and solid 24/7 support. “Our travel partners will


continue to remain at the heart of everything we do as we are still small enough to remain personal and reactive to their demands.” The firms added that the


joint business will “provide significant benefits and scale, which will be passed on to their customers and suppliers”. Getabed has been trading


since 1991 and has offices in the UK and the United Arab Emirates where it is run from Dubai. RoomsXML is an accommoda-


tion wholesaler serving travel agents and operators with offices in Australia, India, UAE and US and has been trading since 2007.


De Vial tops £15k goal for FHA in London Marathon


Juliet Dennis juliet.dennis@travelweekly.co.uk


Abta financial protection chief John de Vial has smashed his £15,000 fundraising target for the Family Holiday Association just days ahead of this weekend’s London Marathon.


De Vial, director of financial


protection and financial services at Abta, was £500 short at the start of the week but canvassed enough last-minute support to top his goal before Sunday’s race. As Travel Weekly went to press, he had raised £15,375, thanks largely to industry support. Tui UK pledged £5,000, while businesses including Hays Travel, Midcounties Co-operative and Kuoni have each donated £500. He added: “The more I raise, the


more families can be helped, so further donations are welcome.” It will be his fifth year of raising


money for the FHA, including running three London Marathons. The FHA provides breaks and day trips for families who live in


10 travelweekly.co.uk 19 April 2018


poverty in the UK. Abta was one of the founding partners of the FHA. The £15,000 is enough to fund


30 family breaks and brings the total De Vial has raised over the past five years to £65,000. “The FHA helps around 1,000


families each year and they plan to double that over the next five years,” he said. “This is about helping children


who never get to go on a package holiday. Sometimes it’s people who are living in poverty; sometimes it’s those who have suffered health crises or relationship break-ups. They are the most extreme cases.” De Vial, who runs six miles every


day to and from his train station in Kent, has been training for the marathon since the start of this year, with longer runs at weekends. De Vial, 55, is hoping for a time


of around six hours, despite having completed the marathon in just over five hours in the past. “I’m not as fit this year so it’s not


going to be as fast!” he joked. › To support John raise funds


for the FHA, go to virginmoney giving.com/johndevial


COMMENT: “Social media influencers can be powerful – just beware the big numbers” Steve Dunne, page 28


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  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68