Travel matters Issue 11 February 2018

airline news
Emirates extends Chau eur Drive o er
the emirates glasgow chau eur drive o er has now been extended.
Complimentary Chau eur-drive service is available within a 150 miles radius of Glasgow Airport in First Class and within a 70 mile radius of Glasgow Airport for Business Class passengers. Emirates y twice daily to Dubai.
The Business class mileage is extended to include most Aberdeen and Inverness postcodes. O er is valid for any departure date booked before 31st March 2018 and terms and conditions apply.
Balkan Holidays embarks on 40% expansion from Belfast International
strong customer demand has prompted Balkan holidays to add 40% more seats
to its schedule from Belfast international airport to Bourgas in Bulgaria.
The Black Sea resort’s increased popularity means that for Summer ’18, Balkan will provide 5,400 seats and operate three ights per week. Chris Rand, Balkan Holidays Sales and Marketing Manager (pictured with Deborah Harris from Belfast International Airport) says the Black Sea coastline is a big hit with Northern Ireland holidaymakers and advance bookings are strong.
Loganair announces services to Donegal
loganair is to re-introduce services between glasgow and Donegal when current operator, stobart air, ceases its ights on 23rd March.
The new ights will take o on Sunday 25th March, with three return ights per week all year round on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Additional summer ights will operate on Wednesdays between 27tth June and 19th September and Saturdays from 26th May to 3rd November, plus a Saturday service at Easter from 31st March until 14th April.
Lead-in prices will start at £54.99 including a free 20kg checked baggage allowance.
CheCk-in with...
Explore Beijing - direct from Manchester Airport
since 2016, the north has had direct access to china through the introduction of ights to Beijing with hainan airlines.
The leading carrier o ers daily ights (in the summer months), connecting the North of England to all of the wonder and splendour the Far East o ers.
The ight is served by an Airbus 330-300, which has capacity for 292 passengers, 32 of which are business class seats with lie- at beds and an excellent on-board service.
Business class passengers can take advantage of 2 pieces of 32kg luggage allowance, whereas economy passengers get a generous 1 piece luggage allowance of 23kg.
For passengers in Manchester Airport’s outer catchment area, they can use the codeshare service with Flybe, Loganair or bmi to seamlessly connect onto the Hainan Airlines service. So, whether you’re in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, the Isle of Man or Belfast, Beijing is now only one stop away.
Once in China, passengers have a wealth of culture and attractions to enjoy, such as The Great Wall of China, The Forbidden City and the famous Tiananmen Square.
Flights depart Manchester at 11:00am arriving the following day in Beijing at 05.25am (local time). On the return, ights leave Beijing at 01.45am, arriving into Manchester Airport the same day at 05.05am (local time).
For more information, visit: www.hainanairlines.com
february 2018
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Fall in love with Australia
By rachel McMurDo,
assistant ProDuct Manager, travel 2
australia is such a vast and diverse country, it’s almost impossible to get to grips with it in just one holiday.
Most rst-time travellers Down Under will head to Sydney, with a few days in the Great Barrier Reef, but for those looking for a second or third trip, my top tip is
to head for Melbourne and the state of Victoria. Fourteen percent of Travel 2’s bookings to Australia are in Victoria, with 89 per cent of Victoria room nights in Melbourne.
Melbourne has a truly individual identity which makes for a memorable holiday. The city’s iconic street art creates an Instagrammer’s paradise. The hidden foodie hangouts and night markets are ideal for anyone who plans their holiday around their stomach!
The co ee scene in Melbourne is like no other - they have elevated the simple co ee to something sublime. The city’s incredible sporting facilities and events are a huge draw (try to make time for
an Aussie Rules football game for an authentically Australian evening!).
My top tip for agents looking to o er their customers excellent accommodation options in Melbourne is to recommend
a stay at one of the Crown Melbourne’s three hotels.
The Towers Melbourne is just a stone’s throw from Melbourne’s must see landmarks with views across the city and Port Phillips Bay.
The Crown Metropole is one of Australia’s largest hotels, which boasts a 25 metre in nity pool with great views across the city skyline.
The Crown Promenade is in the heart of the Southbank entertainment district, with easy access to the wider Crown Melbourne complex via its ‘Sky Bridge’.
There’s so much on o er Down Under that it’s hard to cram it in to one visit, but if you liked Australia the rst time round, you’ll fall even more in love with it a second time!
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THE WIZARDS OF OZ
With years of expertise as Australia specialists, let Travel 2 take your clients on an adventure to this spellbinding continent. From iconic rail journeys across the scored crimson landscapes of the Red Centre to the verdant vineyards and captivating coastal routes, the country’s stunning wildlife and cultural highlights are sure to provide an experience your clients will never forget.
7 day Sydney, Vineyards & Views Self Drive
INCLUDES
• Return Qantas International Economy flights
• 3 nights at 4* Mercure Sydney including BridgeClimb
Sydney & OZ Whale Watching Tour
• 4 day Vineyards & Views self drive tour with ATS, including
3 nights’ accommodation, 4 days’ car hire and self drive kit - visit Hunter Valley and the Blue Mountains
GLASGOW FROM NEWCASTLE FROM
£1,629PP £1,659PP
Valid for travel: 01 May - 29 Jun 18
11 day Indian Pacific - Sydney to Perth
INCLUDES
• Return flights
• 5 day Blue Mountains & Beyond independent tour including 4
nights’ accommodation, 5 days car hire – pick up and drop off Sydney and selected sightseeing including Echo Point, Wentworth Falls and a stop in Leura as well as a visit to Port Stephens where you’ll have the chance to see bottlenose dolphins
• 3 nights’ on board the Indian Pacific in Gold Service with all regionally inspired meals and beverages, all sightseeing including ‘Off Train Experiences’ and all transfers
• 4 day Perth & Rottnest Island independent tour including 3 nights’ accommodation, services of an experienced Driver Guide, travel by luxury air-conditioned coach, 3 breakfasts, 1 lunch, selected sightseeing including canopies Tree Top Walkway and the 750 year old Boab Tree as well as a cruise along Swan River, all transfers
EDINBURGH FROM NEWCASTLE FROM BELFAST FROM
£3,199PP £3,049PP £3,209PP
Valid for travel: 28 Jun 18
THE UK’S 100% TRADE ONLY TOUR OPERATOR To book call Travel 2 Reservations FREE 0800 0224 182 or visit www.travel2.com
@T2news
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the gold coast is gearing up to welcome more than 6,600 athletes from 70 nations for the commonwealth games, taking place from 4th - 15th april.
The area is also about to receive a boost in visitor accommodation, with several new hotels scheduled to open this year. This includes the new six-star, 17-storey Star Gold Coast hotel, with 50 luxury suites, a butler service for all guests and a roo op bar and restaurant. On the top oor, suspended 67 metres above ground-level, will be an in nity pool that will extend ve metres beyond the side of the tower, o ering views across the ocean.
The new tower will complement the resort’s existing ve-star hotel, which recently received a full refurbishment to all 598 rooms, as well as the addition of a new luxury swimming pool.
An AUD110 million urban renewal project is also underway that will feature new restaurants, a cra brewery as well as meeting space.
The centrepiece of the new precinct, located beneath Brisbane’s Story Bridge, will be a ve-star 164 room boutique property managed by
the Art Series Hotel Group.
Marriott International’s W brand will also enter the Australian market when the ve-star W Brisbane opens this March. Located just across from the Brisbane River, the hotel will be a stone’s throw from the city centre’s popular bars and restaurants, as well as Brisbane’s main shopping precinct.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide is scheduled to open Four Points by Central Sheraton Park in August. Situated only a ten-minute walk from Darling Harbour, the hotel will include 297 rooms.
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Qatar launches Doha to Canberra
Qatar airways has launched new daily ights from Doha to canberra via sydney. the canberra service, operated by Boeing 777-300er aircra , will become
the h destination in Qatar airways’ australian network, a er adelaide, Melbourne, sydney and Perth.
Australia’s capital, ideal for both business and leisure travellers alike, features third in Lonely Planet’s ‘Best in Travel 2018’ list and is a year-round destination. In winter (June to August), visitors can take to the ski-slopes of Corin Forest in the Tidbinbilla Ranges (a 40 minute drive from the city centre), ideal for skiing and tobogganing. In the summer, there are plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy including kayaking, hiking, bushwalking, rock climbing or hot air ballooning.
Canberra is a cosmopolitan city, o ering Paci c Asian food, from Singapore noodles to Burmese curries, from ne dining restaurants to food trucks selling everything from burgers to bao. Popular dining precincts include Braddon, NewActon, Dickson, Manuka and Kingston. Tourist attractions include art galleries, museums, plenty of shopping and the Black Mountain Tower, with panoramic views of the area.
Australia’s skies are also ideal for stargazing. For those who want to explore the wonders of the Southern Hemisphere’s night sky, Mount Stromlo Observatory runs a Saturday-night observing event for the public.


EXPLORE
THE WORLD IN DEPTH AND IN STYLE
Sail further and delve deeper on these incredible
EXC In-Depth Voyages.
Your clients may choose the lens through which they would like to experience their cruise – be it arts and culture, photography, nature and science, food, history or onshore adventure – then enjoy fascinating lectures, interactive workshops with local artisans and memorable shore experiences that bring this focus to life. With itineraries ranging
from 12 to 34 nights and the option to combine them into more leisurely holidays, these EXC In-Depth Voyages are travel at its most rewarding. Here are just a few ideas.
On the intimate Maasdam your clients will see the world in the most engaging, authentic and personal way.
THE HOLLAND AMERICA LINE DIFFERENCE
Mid-sized, elegant Maasdam carries just 1,250 guests Spacious staterooms and suites, many with private balcony Nearly one crew member for every two guests
Fine dining with casual to formal options
Regional Cuisine, “EXC” destination experiences and more Sumptuous Greenhouse Spa & Salon
Long days and overnight stays in gorgeous cities
14-NIGHT
SOUTH SEAS SAMPLER
Cruise only from
£1,699
per person
Fly/cruise from
£3,149
per person
12-NIGHT
NEW ZEALAND & BEYOND
Cruise only from
£1,449
per person
Fly/cruise from
£2,739
per person
16-NIGHT
SOUTHERN OCEAN CHRISTMAS
Cruise only from
£2,499
per person
Fly/cruise from
ENQUIRE
13-NIGHT
NEW ZEALAND PANORAMA
Cruise only from
£1,549
per person
Fly/cruise from
£2,879
per person
DEPARTS: 11 Nov 2018 Maasdam
DEPARTS: 26 Nov 2018 Maasdam
DEPARTS: 8 Dec 2018
Maasdam
DEPART:
AUCKLAND
DEPARTS: 21 Dec 2018 Maasdam
DEPART:
PAPEETE
ARRIVE:
AUCKLAND
DEPART:
AUCKLAND
ARRIVE:
AUCKLAND
ARRIVE:
SYDNEY
DEPART:
SYDNEY
ARRIVE:
FREMANTLE
VISITS: Rarotonga (Cook Islands); Alo (Niue), Vava u (Tonga); Savusavu (Vanua Levi, Fiji); Suva (Viti Levu); Dravuni Island, Nuku
Alofa (Tonga).
VISITS: Waitangi Bay (Bay of Islands); Cascade (Norfolk Island, Australia); Tauranga (Rotorua, New Zealand); Akaroa (Christchurch); Wellington, Napier, Gisborne.
Fly from Manchester from +£109pp~
VISITS: Tauranga (Rotorua, New Zealand, overnight); Waitangi (Chatham Islands); Wellington; Kaikoura; Akaroa (Christchurch); Port Chalmers (Dunedin); cruising Fjordland National Park.
Fly from Manchester from +£249pp~ Fly from Glasgow from +£539pp~
COLLECTORS’ VOYAGES
Combine these cruises for a 26-night South Seas, New Zealand & Beyond (11/11/18) – from £2,849pp
WAYS TO BOOK:
POLAR Online: via www.hollandamerica.com and click on partnerships • Reservations by phone – 0344 338 8600 Online training – www.halacademy.co.uk • Visit www.hollandamerica.com
Terms & Conditions *All prices stated are cruise only or y/cruise from London. ~Sample regional supplements are shown). Fares listed are in GBP Sterling. Featured fares are per person based on double occupancy and include Taxes, Fees & Port Expenses. Please see HAL terms and conditions.
COLLECTORS’ VOYAGES
Combine these cruises for a 29-night New Zealand & Southern Ocean Christmas (8/12/18) – from £3,649pp
VISITS: Melbourne, Hobart (Tasmania, overnight); Port Arthur, cruising Cape Raoul, Adelaide (overnight); Penneshaw (Kangaroo Island), Port Lincoln, Esperance, Albany, Bunbury.


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Classic style CMV cruising to and from Australia
cruise and Maritime voyages is o ering a unique opportunity to cruise to and from australia in classic style on board their premium ship astor.
This ocean liner o ers an intimate country house style cruise to Australia or New Zealand. Clients can spend Christmas and New Year with relatives or friends Down Under with alternatives for sailing back or ying. Fares from London Tilbury to Fremantle, port for Perth, departing 15th October 2018 for 54 nights, start from £3,949pp, saving up to 50%.
Astor sails to Madeira, then across to the West Indies with visits to Barbados and Grenada before transiting the Panama Canal. With just 600 guests and a good programme of activities and entertainment, Astor has a great range of facilities for everyone to enjoy.
On the way to crossing the International Dateline, Astor cruises to French Polynesia in the South Paci c, then visits Auckland, New Zealand, Sydney and Adelaide, ending in Fremantle on 8th December. The ship then returns from Fremantle on 4th March 2019, via South Africa and Cape Verde, arriving London Tilbury 22nd April 2019 a er 43 nights. Combined fare to and from Fremantle starts from £6,733pp (includes an extra 5% saving).
There are also several cruise options available, based on this journey, including Round the World combinations, with stays in Australia. CMV o er a good choice of alternatives for di erent durations with no ying involved using the Astor’s return voyage in March or by joining CMV’s agship Columbus on a sector of her World Cruise. The combination voyages also carry an extra 5% saving. See the CMV website for all available options.
Follow the trails of Vivid Light in Sydney
From 25th May to 16th June, the festival of vivid light transforms sydney into a night time wonderland through large-scale illuminations, laser light shows and 3D-mapped projections.
The Lighting of the Sydney Opera House Sails in the evening is the moment when the spectacular Vivid Light begins. Visitors can follow a series of interactive and immersive light art sculptures and installation trails through the spectacular waterside precincts of the Royal Botanic Garden, Darling Harbour, Taronga Zoo, Martin Place and Barangaroo.
Ideal for families and children, the illuminations also include The Rocks and the display upon the Museum of Contemporary Art as well as great views of the Sydney Opera House.
The festival also includes Vivid Music, with an impressive line-up of international and Australian talent, as well as smaller music venues located throughout the inner city.
Visitors can also enjoy the illuminations from the comfort of a harbour ferry or cruise vessel that travel around the harbour, decorated with brilliant lights that change colour as they enter the di erent Vivid Sydney precincts.
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Get closer to nature
For visitors who want to meet australia’s iconic koalas, lone Pine Koala sanctuary is located only 12 km from Brisbane city and home to over 130 koalas.
The Sanctuary opened in 1927 as a safe refuge for sick, injured, and orphaned koalas, at a time when the species was being culled for the fur trade. Founder, Claude Reid, recognised something had to be done to help protect one of Australia’s most iconic species.
The Sanctuary is now home to 100 species of Australian native wildlife and is ideal for lovers of wildlife, as visitors can hold a koala, hand
feed kangaroos and meet a large variety of animals in beautiful, natural settings.
Lone Pine’s 130 koalas live in di erent exhibits around the sanctuary, according to their age and gender. These homes include the “Boys”, the “Kindergarten” (juvenile koalas), “Mums and Bubs”, and the “Retirement Home”, where the old ones go for a more quiet and relaxed lifestyle!
Wildlife experiences include 45-minute encounters to full day pro- grammes. Designed for groups of up to six guests, these experiences enable visitors to share the highlights of the animals’ daily lives.
Best of Both
Western and South Australia on the ‘Indian Pacific’
Escape to the sun next winter with a remarkable two night/three day journey on the luxurious Indian Pacific train and city breaks in Perth and Adelaide including:
Worlds
• Flights with Emirates
• 4 nights at Pan Pacific Perth
• 2 nights on the Indian Pacific - Perth to Adelaide
• 4 nights at Majestic Roof Garden Hotel Adelaide only • Sightseeing tours and activities
• Airport taxes
Call us on 0141 955 4000 or visit ifonly.net for details
Prices are per person and based on 2 adults sharing. Valid for departures from 20 November to 5 December 2018 and must be booked by 20 May 2018 and subject to availability. ATOL protected.
From
pp
£3,059
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gregorz recently attended the carnival uK cruise awards 2018, held at the royal exchange grand cafe, london, hosted by Mark Durden smith, with special guest, Phillip scho eld.
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news
Luxury train returns to Scotland & the North
neW eXcursion uPDate...
Great Britain’s favourite luxury train, the Belmond Northern Belle, returns to Scotland and the North again in 2018.
The perfect gi for a birthday, Mother’s Day or a wedding anniversary, these new destinations are certain to sell well to your clients.
Travel Matters have the inside scoop on the new destinations for the trade!
From scotland:
• 5th May - Balmoral Castle & Gardens
• 6th May - Fort William along the West Highland Line
From newcastle, Durham & Darlington:
• 17th March - Classic A ernoon Tea
• 11th May - Muncaster Castle & Gardens in the Lake District
• 23rd Dec - Chester Christmas Markets in November
To receive the latest o ers and news from Northern Belle, please register for an account - visit www.northernbelle.co.uk
STEP INTO BUBBLY BLISS
HOT TUB BREAKS
from £245*
To book visit www.hoseasons.co.uk/agents Be social facebook.com/HollieHoseasons or call 0345 498 6153 @HollieHoseasons
*Prices advertised are per accommodation and based on accommodation only, for the speci c park/lodges locations as stated departing between 23rd February and 22nd March 2018. Prices may di er depending on departure date. Prices based on maximum occupancy. All holidays are from the Hoseasons Lodges and Holiday Parks 2018 programme. Hoseasons booking conditions apply – see brochure or website.
ABTA No. Y0662
See booking conditions for full details.
february 2018
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Canada starts here
DIRECT FREE FREE INFLIGHT
FLIGHTS LUGGAGE MEAL ENTERTAINMENT
Glasgow - Toronto
Direct ight
Startingat £344pprtn
Fly to Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal or Calgary from Glasgow, Manchester, Dublin or London Gatwick
Club Class >
Why not upgrade to Club Class and experience an exclusive 12 seat cabin
with wide leather seats and generous legroom, two pieces of checked baggage, priority services at the airport and our gourmet Chef’s Menu by Daniel Vézina.
airtransat.co.uk
Available to book via the GDS
Price is per person based on ying from Glasgow on selected dates between Mar. and Oct. 2018. Prices for other routes may vary. Correct at the time of going to print and can change at any time. See online for details and prices.