WHAT AILS EUROPE? - On The Road Magazine Website. An ...
WHAT AILS EUROPE? - On The Road Magazine Website. An ...
WHAT AILS EUROPE? - On The Road Magazine Website. An ...
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Late March 2012<br />
Issue 201<br />
<strong>The</strong> online magazine for inbound tour industry reaching 8 million escorted visitors into and around Europe<br />
• We are back ‘<strong>On</strong> the <strong>Road</strong>’ with the first issue of<br />
the magazine for the 2012 season. We hope you find<br />
the digital magazine will provide you with useful news<br />
and options to plan your future itineraries.<br />
What ails Europe?<br />
In the Global Edition of the New<br />
York Times, the Nobel Memorial<br />
Prize in Economics (2008) Winner,<br />
Paul Kugman, wrote that things are<br />
terrible in Europe as unemployment<br />
soars past 13%; and things are<br />
arguably even worse in Greece,<br />
Ireland and in Spain, and Europe<br />
as a whole appears to be sliding<br />
back into recession.<br />
Kugman went on to ask, “Why has Europe<br />
become the sick man of the world economy?<br />
Everyone knows the answer. Unfortunately,<br />
most of what people know isn’t true - and<br />
false stories about European woes are<br />
warping our economic discourse.”<br />
Highlights details of 100’s of Advent and Christmas markets<br />
and Festive events from Aarhus to Zurich and beyond<br />
www.christmas-markets.org<br />
You can also identify many benefits on offer during the festive<br />
season to make your itinerary even more appealing<br />
Photo: Christmas Market - Tallinn Town Square by Toomas Volmer<br />
He muses, read an opinion piece about<br />
Europe - one of those all too often<br />
supposedly factual news reports - you’ll<br />
probably encounter one of two stories, the<br />
Republican Party narrative and the German<br />
narrative. Neither story fits the facts.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Republican story<br />
Kugman said this story is one of the central<br />
themes of Mitt Romney’s campaign to be<br />
nominated for the Presidential challenge-it<br />
• Even though we are experiencing a heat wave,<br />
many of our readers will be planning Advent and<br />
Christmas itineraries - where better to think about<br />
than Austria’s beautiful Graz ….see page 17.<br />
Paul Kugman<br />
goes along the line that Europe is in trouble<br />
because it has done too much to help the<br />
poor and unlucky, and that we are watching<br />
the death throes of the welfare state.<br />
Mischievously Kugman wrote,” This story<br />
is a perennial right-wing favourite. Back<br />
in 1991, when Sweden was suffering from<br />
a banking crisis brought on by deregulation,<br />
the Cato Institute published a triumphant<br />
report on how this crisis proved the<br />
failure of the whole welfare state model.<br />
But has the Cato mention that Sweden,<br />
which still has a very generous welfare<br />
state, is currently a star performer, with<br />
economic growth faster than that of any<br />
other wealthy nation?”<br />
He then proceeded to a diligent argument<br />
on behalf of the wefare state along these<br />
lines:<br />
Looking at the 15 European nations currently<br />
using the euro (Malta and Cyprus<br />
aside), and rank them by the percentage<br />
of G.D.P. they spent on social programs<br />
before the crisis.<br />
Do the troubled GIPSI nations (Greece, Ireland,<br />
Portugal, Spain, and Italy), stand out for having<br />
unusually large welfare states? No, they<br />
don’t - only Italy was in the top five and even<br />
so its welfare state was smaller than<br />
Germany’s. So excessively large welfare<br />
states didn’t cause the troubles.<br />
<strong>The</strong> German story<br />
Kugman believes that this story is all<br />
about fiscal irresponsibility.<br />
This German story he argues seems to fit<br />
Greece, but nobody else. Italy ran deficits<br />
in the years before the crisis, but they<br />
were only slightly larger than Germany’s.<br />
Portugal’s deficits were significantly<br />
smaller, while Spain and Ireland actually<br />
ran surpluses.<br />
Oh, and countries that aren’t in the euro<br />
seem able to run large deficits and carry<br />
large debts without facing any crises.<br />
Britain and the United States can borrow<br />
long-term at interest rates of 2%; Japan,<br />
which is far more deeply in debt than<br />
any country in Europe, Greece included,<br />
pays only 1%. In other words he rationalised,<br />
the Hellenization of Europe’s economic<br />
discourse, in which ‘their all just a<br />
year or two of deficits away from becoming<br />
another Greece’, is completely off base.<br />
So what does ail Europe?<br />
Kugman believes the problem is mostly<br />
monetary. By introducing a single currency<br />
without the institutions needed to<br />
make that currency work, Europe reinvented<br />
the defects of the gold standard -<br />
defects that played a major role in causing<br />
and perpetuating the Great Depression.<br />
More specifically, the creation of the euro<br />
fostered a false sense of security among<br />
private investors, unleashing huge,<br />
unsustainable flows of capital into nations<br />
all around Europe’s periphery.<br />
As a consequence of these inflows,<br />
costs and prices rose, manufacturing<br />
became uncompetitive, and nations<br />
that had roughly balanced trade in<br />
1999 began running large trade deficits<br />
instead. <strong>The</strong>n the music stopped.<br />
If the peripheral nations still had their<br />
own currencies, they could and would use<br />
devaluation to quickly restore competitiveness.<br />
But they don’t, which means that they<br />
are in for a long period’ of mass unemployment<br />
and slow, grinding deflation. <strong>The</strong>ir<br />
debt crises are mainly by-products of this<br />
sad prospect, because depressed economies<br />
lead to budget deficits and deflation<br />
magnifies the burden of debt.<br />
continued...
ETOA Update... Open Letter to the<br />
Barcelona City Council (Ajuntament de Barcelona)<br />
Late March 2012 Issue 201<br />
2 ETOA news / While we were off the road<br />
3 People news<br />
4 - 5 Places news<br />
6 - 7 Transport news<br />
8 Cruise news<br />
9 Flight plan/ Hospitality news<br />
10 -11 Hospitality news<br />
12 - 14 Options and attractions<br />
15 Travel Industry news<br />
16 European Eccentrics<br />
17 Graz 2012 Christmas Markets<br />
18 ‘We Welcome Groups’<br />
IN THE<br />
NEWS<br />
After downloading, save the magazine to your computer. Click the above<br />
titles to view articles, then click grey panels at the base of the pages to<br />
return to contents page. You can also click links throughout the magazine<br />
Chalk Farm Publishing Ltd, Riverside Lodge, Collier Close, Camerton, Bath BA2 0QB<br />
Publisher/Editor-Alan Bennett Tel: +44 (0) 1761 479 645 Fax: +44 (0) 1761 479 663<br />
E-m: info@ontheroad.co.uk, info@chalkfarmpublishing.co.uk Design/artwork: Imageloading<br />
What ails Europe? continued from page 1<br />
<strong>The</strong> hard options.<br />
Now, understanding the nature of Europe’s<br />
troubles offers only limited benefits<br />
to the Europeans themselves. <strong>The</strong> afflicted<br />
nations, in particular, have nothing but<br />
bad choices: Either they suffer the pains<br />
of deflation or they take the drastic step of<br />
leaving the euro, which won’t be politically<br />
feasible until or unless all else fails.<br />
Germany could help by reversing its<br />
own austerity policies and accepting<br />
higher inflation, but it won’t.<br />
For the rest of the world, he believes,<br />
getting Europe right makes a huge<br />
difference, because false stories about<br />
Europe are being used to push policies<br />
that would be cruel, destructive, or both.<br />
According to Kugman, the next time<br />
you hear people invoking the European<br />
example to demand that we destroy<br />
social-safety nets or slash spending in<br />
the face of a deeply depressed economy,<br />
here’s what you need to know, ” <strong>The</strong>y<br />
have no idea what they’re talking about.“<br />
By Alan Bennett<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
We, the European Tour Operators Association (ETOA) along with the International <strong>Road</strong> Transport<br />
Union (IRU), FECAV and ASTIC express our support for the foundation of a working group<br />
to look at the question of tour coaches in Barcelona, as laid out in a manifesto undersigned by<br />
ACAV, APIT, AUDICA and UCAVE. As such an initiative was promised by the City Council, and<br />
given that plans for coach restrictions are now being proposed by the authorities without such<br />
a group having convened, we feel that it is imperative that proper consultation take place.<br />
<strong>The</strong> initial proposals regard access to the Sagrada Familia, but recent debates at the City Hall<br />
show that a wider plan is being sought for the city. As the above manifesto rightly underlines,<br />
Barcelona is a leading city in the world of tourism. <strong>The</strong> revenue and, particularly in the current<br />
climate, the employment that the tourist sector provides is fundamental to the city’s economy.<br />
But this investment is fragile. <strong>An</strong>d any extra burden, be it financial or structural, cannot be<br />
placed upon it lightly. Equally, when framing policy, it is logical that the professionals working<br />
within that sector should be involved every step of the way.<br />
Coach tourism is far too often presented as a problem rather than a solution; an image<br />
projected by local media and politicians and ultimately accepted by local populations. <strong>The</strong>re is<br />
a tendency to single it out as the main cause of congestion, ignoring the fact that it is a green<br />
and efficient mode of travel. It compliments public transport and offers a neat way of handling<br />
millions of visitors, especially in a densely populated city such as Barcelona. Where there are<br />
challenges, such as at the Sagrada Familia, these should be faced. But, as our Group Tourism<br />
Charter states, consultation leads to more effective and creative solutions.<br />
Some cities have shown themselves to be enlightened when developing and improving their<br />
tourism infrastructure; others not. We very much hope that Barcelona falls into the former<br />
category and we look forward to engaging with policy makers and other stakeholders to<br />
ensure that the city continues to thrive as a destination.<br />
European Tour Operators Association, London, 7th March, 2012<br />
Awaiting further response.<br />
City Fair 2012<br />
<strong>The</strong> European Cities Workshop: A one-day event of pre-scheduled appointments<br />
dedicated to the lucrative and growing sector of city tourism. Organised in partnership<br />
with ECM (European Cities Marketing)<br />
<strong>The</strong> workshop will be held on the 25th June, Wembley Stadium, London HA9 0WS<br />
<strong>The</strong>re is still time to register, either as a Tour Operator or supplier. Go to<br />
http://www.cityfair.travel/ to register or find out more.<br />
While we were off the road...<br />
Winners and losers among European airlines<br />
January 2012 opened with carnage among European carriers. Spanair based in Barcelona,<br />
Czech Connect airline, Italian carrier Air Alps, Cirrus Airlines of Germany and CargoItalia based<br />
in Milan were all forced to wind up their operations!<br />
This was followed in early February with the demise of the national carrier Malev, which had<br />
only just been re-nationalised by the Hungarian Government two years previously.<br />
But it’s not all losers. Budget airlines have been quick to move in on the flotsam and jetsam<br />
left behind in the demise of Malev.<br />
Wiz Air has seen its number of passengers rise by 13% to 1.4 million in 2011 and intends to<br />
inject 25billion forints into its Budapest based operation and has a target growth of plus 40%<br />
to 2 million passengers in 2012.<br />
Meanwhile EasyJet has seen its Hungarian traffic grow by 10% to 556,000 in 2011 - and<br />
where would we be without Ryanair who had ceased operating its Hungarian services two<br />
years ago? Well Ryanair has announced that it will start operating 31 Budapest routes from<br />
April with the goal of capturing 2million passengers in 2012.<br />
© Copyright 2012. Articles published in this magazine are copyright<br />
and should not be reproduced without permission from the publishers.<br />
<strong>The</strong> views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers and all information is given in<br />
good faith. No responsibility can be taken by the publishers for any errors or omissions, howsoever caused. Readers<br />
are advised to check upon any information given, and where relevant take professional advice before acting upon it.<br />
<strong>On</strong> the <strong>Road</strong> issue 201 Page 2
People news ...continued<br />
Institute of<br />
Hospitality<br />
Sir David Michels has assumed the<br />
Presidency of the Institute of Hospitality,<br />
Sir David takes over the presidency from<br />
Peter Lederer CBE FIH MI, chairman of<br />
Gleneagles Hotels.<br />
Sir David brings a wealth of expertise<br />
and experience to the table including the<br />
remarkable £4b merger of Hilton International<br />
and Hilton Hotels Corporation in<br />
2006. In the same year he was knighted<br />
for services to the hotel and catering<br />
industry.<br />
His strong views on<br />
leadership and<br />
management are<br />
revealed in an<br />
interview the latest<br />
issue of Hospitality, the<br />
Institute’s quarterly<br />
magazine: “I learned<br />
the skills I needed by<br />
asking questions. I used<br />
to drive colleagues and<br />
the banks mad by constantly<br />
saying: ‘I don’t<br />
understand.’ You can’t know everything,<br />
but you need to know a bit of everything.<br />
So you either fluff it or you learn it and I’ve<br />
always learned it and I think that is very<br />
much part of leadership.”<br />
Rezidor<br />
Sir David Michels<br />
Earlier this year, <strong>The</strong> Rezidor Hotel Group<br />
announced an organisational restructure<br />
of their regional operations offices in<br />
Europe, the Middle East and Africa. <strong>The</strong><br />
company separates responsibilities for<br />
the core brands Radisson Blu and Park<br />
Inn by Radisson on Area Vice President<br />
level, and supports the regional leaders<br />
with strengthened and consistent teams<br />
of area specialists in Finance & Control,<br />
IT, Purchasing, HR, Sales & Marketing,<br />
Revenue Management, and Technical<br />
Development.<br />
Under the leadership of Wolfgang M.<br />
Neumann, Executive Vice President and<br />
COO at Rezidor, 6 areas for Radisson Blu,<br />
their upper upscale brand, and 2 areas<br />
for the mid-market brand Park Inn by<br />
Radisson were created:<br />
Radisson Blu<br />
Nordics: Area Vice President Christian<br />
Gartmann, oversees 29 managed &<br />
leased and 20 franchised hotels in<br />
Rezidor’s home markets.<br />
Eastern Europe & Russia: Area Vice<br />
President Tom Flanagan. is responsible<br />
Gatwick Airport<br />
Willie McGillivray and Derek Hendry have<br />
joined the Executive Management Team.<br />
McGillivray as Product Development<br />
Director responsible for identifying and<br />
developing new products and services<br />
that best meet the different customer<br />
needs.<br />
Derek has joined as Construction Director<br />
and has responsibility for delivering the<br />
£1.2 billion investment programme.<br />
Around £20 million is currently being<br />
invested each month to provide the right<br />
facilities for passengers and airlines. Following<br />
the change of<br />
ownership two years<br />
ago, Gatwick has<br />
invested around £700<br />
million in the airport.<br />
(HNTO)<br />
Ildiko Mezo has been<br />
appointed as the new<br />
Director of the UK for<br />
the Hungarian National<br />
Tourist Office (HNTO),<br />
based in the London<br />
office. Ms Mezo joins the<br />
HNTO from Visit Britain, the British<br />
Tourist Authority based in Budapest<br />
where she held the role of Manager for<br />
Central Europe looking after the Czech<br />
Republic, Poland and Hungary from 2008.<br />
for 37 managed and 6 franchised<br />
properties.<br />
Western Europe & North West<br />
Africa: Michel Stalport, formerly District<br />
Director Northern France and General<br />
Manager at the Radisson Blu Resort<br />
Disneyland Paris, has been promoted to<br />
the role of Area Vice President. He heads<br />
35 managed & leased and 9 franchised<br />
hotels in the region.<br />
Central Europe: Former Regional<br />
Director France & Benelux Willem Van<br />
der Zee hasbeen promoted to Area Vice<br />
President. He oversees 25 managed &<br />
leased and 16 franchised hotels.<br />
UK & Ireland: Philip Mahoney, formerly<br />
General Manager at <strong>The</strong> Regent Zagreb,<br />
has been promoted to Area Vice President,<br />
and carries the responsibility for<br />
24 managed & leased and 4 franchised<br />
properties.<br />
Middle East & Sub Saharan Africa:<br />
Former Regional Director Radisson Blu &<br />
Hotel Missoni UK Mark Willis has been<br />
promoted to Area Vice President. He is<br />
responsible for 46 managed hotels.<br />
Ildiko Mezo<br />
Bath Tourism<br />
Plus<br />
Marnie Kovacs<br />
Nick Brooks-Sykes<br />
Experienced tourism professional,<br />
Nick Brooks-Sykes,<br />
has been appointed as Chief<br />
Executive of the destination<br />
marketing organisation for<br />
Bath and the surrounding<br />
area, Bath Tourism Plus.<br />
Nick’s previous roles have<br />
included Director of Tourism<br />
at the North West Development<br />
Agency and Head of<br />
Marketing Services at the North West<br />
Tourist Board. He has also helped shape<br />
the priorities and activities of the national<br />
tourism body, VisitEngland.<br />
Mark Willis<br />
Park Inn by Radisson<br />
Richard Moore has been nominated Area<br />
Vice President for the UK & Ireland and<br />
the Nordics. He reports directly to Eric<br />
de Neef, Senior Vice President Park Inn<br />
by Radisson, and is responsible for 30<br />
leased managed and 7 franchised hotels.<br />
<strong>The</strong> appointment of an Area Vice<br />
President for Continental Europe has<br />
been postponed, and brand leader Eric<br />
de Neef takes direct responsibility for<br />
49 managed & leased and 18 franchised<br />
properties.<br />
Simone Buckley<br />
Accor<br />
Jonathan Sheard has<br />
been appointed as<br />
Managing Director<br />
Operations, MGallery<br />
and Mercure hotels,<br />
UK and Ireland. In his<br />
new role, Sheard is<br />
responsible for leading<br />
MGallery and Mercure<br />
hotels in the UK and<br />
Ireland, including<br />
subsidiaries, managed<br />
hotels and franchisees. Sheard joined Accor<br />
in 1992 as General Manager for Novotel<br />
Sheffield. In 2006, he became Director of<br />
Operations, Novotel UK and he later became<br />
Director of Operations for Mercure UK.<br />
Estonia Tourist Board<br />
Enterprise Estonia/ Estonian Tourist Board<br />
has added a tourism promotion person<br />
to its office in London - <strong>An</strong>drus Nõmm.<br />
He will be responsible for providing<br />
information for the travel trade, organising<br />
workshops and seminars, press and FAM<br />
trips Tel: + 44 2079474365<br />
<strong>An</strong>drus.Nomm@eas.ee<br />
<strong>The</strong> Ski Club of GB<br />
Its Chief Executive, Caroline Stuart-Taylor<br />
is leaving the Ski Club on 31st March 2012.<br />
Caroline will remain a member and Ski<br />
Club Leader.<br />
Jumeirah Group<br />
Adrian Bradley has been appointed as Chief<br />
Financial Officer to succeed Alaister Murray.<br />
Bradley joins Jumeirah from London &<br />
Regional Hotels, following an 11-year<br />
career at Hilton and an early career at<br />
PepsiCo and Millicom.<br />
Commenting on the appointment Jumeirah<br />
Group Executive Chairman, Gerald Lawless,<br />
said: “He comes at a time of rapid expansion,<br />
with six hotels newly opened in 2011<br />
and a further six opening in 2012”.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Dubai-based luxury hospitality company,<br />
a member of Dubai Holding, received<br />
the World’s Excellent in Service Award at<br />
the World Travel Awards earlier this year.<br />
<strong>On</strong> the <strong>Road</strong> issue 201 Page 3
Places news<br />
ETC review<br />
<strong>The</strong> European Travel Commission (ETC) has just published its fourth quarterly<br />
report on European Tourism in 2011 - Trends & Prospects. <strong>The</strong> following gives a<br />
brief overview of the report for the fourth quarter of 2011.<br />
• Travel to European destinations in 2011 has exceeded the prior peak set in 2008<br />
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
Impressively, 22 of 23 reporting countries show international visitor growth in<br />
2011, ranging from 3% in the UK to more than 20% in Latvia and Lithuania.<br />
<strong>An</strong>d 24 of 26 countries show gains in hotel occupancy in 2011<br />
Total international visits are estimated to have surged 6% last year, while hotel<br />
occupancy rates rose 3.2%, indicating that domestic demand lagged behind<br />
international demand.<br />
While the travel recovery has been quite robust, signs of eroding gains began<br />
to appear, as expected, in the second half of 2011.<br />
Data on visitation and nights from TourMIS (http://www.tourmis.info/<br />
index_e.html) as well as hotel and airline industry data provide a consistent<br />
picture of the pullback on growth in recent months.<br />
Three forces converged to bring about this late-year trend: reversion to the<br />
mean from the ash cloud rebound in the first half of the year; the second half of<br />
2010 was relatively stronger than the first half so comparisons in 2011 were to<br />
a higher base; and the Eurozone debt crisis began to affect both consumer and<br />
business behaviour.<br />
<strong>The</strong> financial crisis in the Eurozone has continued to worsen in recent months.<br />
Problems in sovereign debt markets have spread from Greece, Ireland and<br />
Portugal to Spain and Italy - posing a much more severe threat of global<br />
financial contagion.<br />
If the Eurozone authorities fail to arrest the alarming slide in financial and business<br />
confidence, the consequences would be severe. In the event of a Eurozone<br />
break-up, GDP could initially fall by around 10% in the exiting countries and<br />
the attendant financial disruption would plunge much of the world, including<br />
the United States, back into recession.<br />
<strong>The</strong> full report can be downloaded from ETC’s corporate website under the following<br />
link: http://www.etc-corporate.org/market-intelligence/reports-and-studies.html<br />
Rome<br />
Olympics 2020<br />
Rome has been forced to withdraw its<br />
bid to host the 2020 Olympic Games after<br />
Prime Minister Mario Monti refused to<br />
guarantee the cost of staging the event.<br />
Monti said it would be irresponsible to<br />
use government funds for the event during<br />
a time of austerity.<br />
Estimates suggest the games could cost<br />
as much as £8 billion to stage. <strong>The</strong> decision<br />
leaves Doha as the front runner to<br />
win the bid, with Istanbul, Tokyo, Madrid<br />
and Baku also in the race.<br />
“In essence, if we find ourselves now<br />
in such a difficult financial position it is<br />
because similar decisions were made by<br />
previous governments without having<br />
considered the resulting impact in the following<br />
years,” Monti explained.<br />
Venice<br />
Egypt<br />
<strong>The</strong> Egypt Tourism Authority has<br />
announced that 1,034,413 British<br />
holidaymakers visited Egypt in 2011.<br />
This makes the UK the second most<br />
popular tourist nationality to the home<br />
of the ancient Pharaohs, topped only by<br />
Russia with Germany coming third. It<br />
has also been announced that the<br />
average UK holidaymaker spends 11.45<br />
nights per annum in Egypt.<br />
and...<br />
<strong>The</strong> countries new government has<br />
promised there will be no crackdown on<br />
alcohol and bikinis at its tourist resorts.<br />
<strong>The</strong> country’s recent elections resulted<br />
in the dominance of two ultra-religious<br />
parties, prompting fears of Saudi-style<br />
restrictions in the popular Sinai and Red<br />
Sea resorts, but the Freedom and<br />
Justice Party insisted last week that tourism<br />
“will not be subjected to any changes<br />
as long as we are represented in the<br />
parliament”.<br />
In addition, it promises that monuments<br />
and statues that had been under wraps<br />
during the old regime will be brought out<br />
and displayed in open-air museums along<br />
the banks of the Nile.<br />
Greece<br />
Culture Minister Pavlos Geroulanos has<br />
announced that the € crisis is hitting tourism<br />
in Greece. He said Germans were afraid<br />
to visit his country fearing they would be<br />
blamed for the Greek austerity regime.<br />
<strong>The</strong> scaffoldings have<br />
come down after a three<br />
year restoration work at<br />
the world famous Bridge<br />
of Sighs in Venice and it<br />
can now be admired in its<br />
full glory. <strong>The</strong> bridge was<br />
built to connect the old<br />
prison to the interrogations<br />
rooms in the Doge’s<br />
Palace and was given its<br />
name by Lord Byron in the<br />
19th century who suggested<br />
that the prisoners<br />
would sigh while crossing<br />
the bridge and admiring<br />
Venice after a long period<br />
of imprisonment.<br />
Venice - Bridge of Sighs<br />
Lithuania<br />
<strong>The</strong> Lithuanian State Department of<br />
Tourism has closed all National Tourism<br />
Offices abroad and will focus overseas<br />
marketing centrally from Lithuania.<br />
Please direct all work-related issues to<br />
Lithuanian State Department of Tourism<br />
:Marketing: Mrs Daiva Kirkilaitė-Chetcuti<br />
+370 616 17 796 d.chetcuti@tourism.lt<br />
Vilnius Tourism Information Centre Director<br />
Jolanta Beniuliene +370 5 212 1833,<br />
+370 618 81598, jolanta.beniuliene@<br />
vilnius.lt Kaunas Tourism Information<br />
Centre Director Sigitas Sidaravicius +370<br />
37 323 436, sigitas@kaunastic.lt<br />
Madrid &<br />
Barcelona<br />
<strong>The</strong> two cities have achieved second<br />
place in the list of best European cities<br />
for shopping, compiled by <strong>The</strong> Globe<br />
Shopper City Index – Europe. Both cities<br />
are just half a point short of the winning<br />
city, London, and ahead of Paris, Rome<br />
and Berlin.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Globe Shopper City Index – Europe<br />
measures the attractiveness of the 33<br />
biggest European cities for international<br />
shopping trips. Each city was awarded<br />
points across five categories: shops,<br />
affordability, convenience, hotels &<br />
transport, and culture & climate. www.<br />
esmadrid.com/en/shopping-madrid<br />
Tenerife<br />
<strong>The</strong> Tenerife Tourism Corporation has<br />
received the Association of Independent<br />
Tour Operators “AITO Affiliates Green<br />
Award 2011”, in recognition of its efforts<br />
in sustainable and responsible tourism.<br />
Tenerife has developed a number of<br />
initiatives over the years to improve the<br />
sustainability of this island that is rich<br />
in natural fauna and flora. With around<br />
half of Tenerife being covered in national<br />
parkland, the island’s government has<br />
introduced a series of new trails in natural<br />
areas, including the new accessible<br />
“Path of Senses” in the <strong>An</strong>aga Rural Park<br />
and new volcano-themed routes set to<br />
launch this year..<br />
Resource use is under scrutiny as Tenerife<br />
hopes to generate more than half of the<br />
island’s energy through natural energy<br />
resources. http://www.webtenerifeuk.<br />
co.uk/index.htm?Lang=en<br />
...continued<br />
<strong>On</strong> the <strong>Road</strong> issue 201 Page 4
Places news ...continued<br />
MOMENTS OF WONDER<br />
SPARKLING SHOPPING EXPERIENCES<br />
6112 Wattens, Austria, Tel. +43 (0)5224 51080<br />
www.swarovski.com/kristallwelten<br />
Open daily from 9.00 a.m. to 6.30 p.m.<br />
Last entry 5.30 p.m.<br />
Closed 2nd and 3rd week of November<br />
Basque Country<br />
Spanish regional capital Vitoria-Gasteiz<br />
has been named as European Green<br />
Capital 2012. Vitoria-Gasteiz is the<br />
capital of the Basque Country. <strong>The</strong> city<br />
has successfully put in place numerous<br />
measures to assist and increase biodiversity<br />
and support the local ecosystem.<br />
Flora and fauna are regularly monitored<br />
Virgen Blanca - Vitoria-Gasteiz<br />
and any damage to the local habitat is<br />
kept to a bare minimum.<br />
<strong>The</strong> city is successfully coping with water<br />
scarcity and has steadily decreased its<br />
water consumption over the last decade.<br />
Considerable water related investments<br />
have been made to improve water supply<br />
and quality, reduce water loss and work<br />
towards sustainable consumption<br />
www.vitoria-gasteiz.org<br />
London 2012<br />
Travel trends<br />
Amadeus, - travel technology partner and transaction processor for the global<br />
travel and tourism industry, and Forward Data SL, a market research and consulting<br />
company publishing ForwardKeys.com have recently unveiled a range of<br />
travel data trends, based on actual global air reservations, which details the impact<br />
of the London 2012 Olympics.<br />
<strong>The</strong> forecast provided by ForwardKeys.com is based on actual statistical<br />
aggregated air booking data currently available and covers the<br />
period from 23 July though to 12 August 2012.<br />
With approximately 120 days to go before the Games, the findings reveal<br />
that travel volumes into London will significantly increase during the Games.<br />
Importantly, the research demonstrates the global impact of the Games as other<br />
European cities, connected to London via high speed rail, see increased traffic,<br />
while long-haul routes experience heightened volumes.<br />
Key findings from the research include:<br />
•<br />
In-bound traffic boosts travel to London during Games-time<br />
<strong>An</strong>alysis of all in-bound air travel reservations for London reveals a massive<br />
spike in arrivals (143% increase compared to the same day 2011) on 26 July,<br />
the day before the opening of the Games. When the period of analysis is broadened<br />
to include the four days before the event, scheduled future arrivals show<br />
an overall increase of 31% when compared to the previous year.<br />
• US and German travellers show an early appetite for the Games<br />
US citizens lead in early bookings with analysis showing a 82% surge in bookings<br />
to London as early as August 2011 year on year and .Currently, 17% of scheduled<br />
arrivals. German travellers are in hot pursuit, representing 11% of scheduled arrivals<br />
during the period of analysis. Estonia is recording the largest increase in visitors to<br />
London with a 14-fold increase in arrivals during the Games.<br />
• Long-haul routes in Latin America and the Caribbean increase<br />
volumes<br />
<strong>The</strong> traditionally successful Olympic nations of Jamaica (fourfold increase)<br />
and Brazil (threefold increase) show the largest relative growth in scheduled<br />
arrivals for long-haul travel.<br />
• European high speed cities benefit from the Games<br />
Brussels, Amsterdam and Paris are all linked to London by high speed rail and<br />
all three cities have registered surges in arrivals during the Games. During the<br />
three week period of the Olympics, future scheduled arrivals in Brussels are up<br />
49% compared to 2011; Amsterdam 28%; and Paris 5%. <strong>The</strong>se figures suggest<br />
that travellers are increasingly adopting high-speed rail links in conjunction<br />
with air travel in order to reach London.<br />
• Londoners show appetite to stay in the city to experience the Games<br />
<strong>An</strong>alysis of scheduled departures from all London airports shows that Londoners<br />
are 11% more likely to stay in the city during the Olympics period than they<br />
did in 2011. Londoners are not flocking en mass to rent out their homes and to<br />
travel abroad. Instead, it seems that the vast majority of Londoners are keen to<br />
play an active role in the event.<br />
Olivier Jager, CEO of Forward Data says: “Real time monitoring of Air Reservation<br />
information offers unprecedented insider’s view on travel decisions that are still in<br />
the making, thus allowing smart marketers to adjust strategies and impact future<br />
trends.” http://www.amadeus.com/blog/01/03/olympics/<br />
<strong>On</strong> the <strong>Road</strong> issue 201 Page 5
Transport news<br />
BA will not<br />
use ‘Boris Island’<br />
In an interview with Alistair Osborne,<br />
published in <strong>The</strong> Daily Telegraph, Willie<br />
Walsh said that British Airways would<br />
not move to the proposed Thames Estuary<br />
airport unless Heathrow was closed<br />
by the Government.<br />
<strong>The</strong> chief executive of the BA owner,<br />
International Airlines Group, said he<br />
did not believe the £50bn project -<br />
£20bn for the airport and the rest for<br />
related infrastructure - could be<br />
financed.<br />
He also doubted whether the Government<br />
had the courage to close Britain’s<br />
main airport, a move that would cause<br />
unprecedented social and economic<br />
upheaval.<br />
Heathrow employs 76,600 people and<br />
supports a total 114,000 jobs locally.<br />
Mr Walsh asked in the interview, “Would<br />
you put £50bn into it unless you knew<br />
Heathrow was going to close? I don’t think<br />
you would.”<br />
He went on to say “the only way you are<br />
going to get a return on your investment is<br />
to know that planes are going to fly in and<br />
out of there. If you’ve got the current users<br />
of Heathrow saying, ‘we’re not going to<br />
fly in there,’ you risk building a huge white<br />
elephant, for the Government to go from<br />
having no aviation policy to this scale of<br />
ambition, I don’t think is possible”.<br />
London Mayor, Boris Johnson, who has<br />
championed the Thames Estuary airport<br />
scheme (which is dubbed ‘Boris Island’),<br />
has said that with “political will” it could<br />
be built in six years with the costs of the<br />
airport element met by private finance.<br />
But Mr Walsh is adamant that even if<br />
it is built there will be no return on the<br />
investment unless Heathrow is closed.<br />
Qantas trial<br />
Streaming<br />
Qantas Airways has begun Q Streaming,<br />
an in-flight entertainment system that<br />
works via a wireless connection.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Australian carrier says the technology<br />
allows more than 200 hours of<br />
entertainment to be streamed directly<br />
to iPads distributed in the cabin.<br />
Passengers are able to connect to Q<br />
Streaming on laptops, smartphones,<br />
tablets or other Wi-Fi-enabled devices.<br />
Iberia move<br />
From March 25th , Iberia passengers<br />
depart and arrive at Heathrow’s Terminal<br />
5. <strong>The</strong> move substantially improves<br />
connections between both airlines’ flight<br />
networks. <strong>The</strong> minimum connection<br />
time between Terminal 5 and Terminal 3,<br />
used by Iberia was 90 minutes. After the<br />
move, it will drop to 60 minutes.<br />
Since the merger between Iberia and<br />
British Airways, and the launch of their<br />
transatlantic joint business with American<br />
Airlines, the Spanish and British<br />
airlines have operated many flights under<br />
a code share agreement. <strong>The</strong> move to<br />
Terminal 5 strengthens these arrangements.<br />
At Terminal 5 Iberia passengers are able<br />
to use any of the large number of checkin<br />
kiosks or bag drops. Business Class<br />
passengers benefit from special check-in<br />
areas and fast-track security control<br />
procedures.<br />
Moscow - Berlin -<br />
Paris in 37 hours<br />
<strong>The</strong> new night train Moscow-Berlin-Paris<br />
of the Russian Railway RZD was launched<br />
late last year. <strong>The</strong> traditional railway route<br />
Paris-Moscow has been revived. <strong>The</strong>re was<br />
no direct link on this route since 1994.<br />
Equipped with modern rolling stock, the<br />
new train replaced the old night train<br />
Moscow-Berlin and now extended route to<br />
Paris. <strong>The</strong> new train also offers more direct<br />
connections to Germany i.e. Mannheim,<br />
Frankfurt, Fulda and Hanover.<br />
<strong>The</strong> train travels with eight sleeper cars,<br />
two are equipped with deluxe compartments.<br />
Dining cars are also available for the<br />
passengers on the routes from Moscow to<br />
Brest and from Warsaw to Paris.<br />
To book your tickets , call the Deutsche<br />
Bahn UK Booking Centre on +44 (0) 8718<br />
80 80 66 (calls cost 8p per minute from a<br />
BT landline, calls from other networks or<br />
mobiles may cost more)<br />
easyJet - Lisbon base<br />
easyJet will open its 23rd base in Lisbon,<br />
on 19 April 2012. <strong>The</strong> initial operations<br />
will commence with five new services,<br />
Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Bordeaux and<br />
Venice and a brand new destination –<br />
Asturias, in addition to its 16 existing<br />
routes.<br />
Travellers will now have a wider range<br />
of choices, with 21 routes from Lisbon<br />
and over 150 flights per week during the<br />
peak season.<br />
Initially easyJet expects to carry 225,000<br />
additional passengers in the first year,<br />
with an additional two A319 aircraft that<br />
will be permanently based in Lisbon<br />
Heathrow Express<br />
Heathrow Express has unveiled the result<br />
of a £16 million investment. Stepping<br />
into a ‘New Era’ which will see a new<br />
brand, corporate colours, staff uniforms<br />
and a refurbished and higher specification<br />
rolling stock.<br />
Keith Greenfield quotes “As London takes<br />
centre stage in 2012 we are proud to be<br />
the front door to the city and will be ready<br />
to host our spectators, supporters and the<br />
world’s media on Heathrow Express.”<br />
Heathrow Express is the fastest way to<br />
travel between Heathrow Airport and<br />
Central London (Paddington.) Trains<br />
depart every 15 minutes with average<br />
journey times taking just 15 minutes.<br />
www.heathrowexpress.com<br />
Chinese app<br />
Schiphol and Charles de<br />
Gaulle airports have launched<br />
the Chinese version of the<br />
‘Schiphol App’, an application<br />
designed to navigate passengers<br />
through the airports<br />
and translate signposting into<br />
Mandarin. <strong>The</strong> app, can be<br />
downloaded by both iPhones<br />
and <strong>An</strong>droid telephones.<br />
Terminal 5 Heathrow<br />
London’s tube<br />
to get Wi-Free<br />
Mayor Boris Johnson has selected Virgin<br />
media to provide Wi-Fi for the underground<br />
system during the 2012 Olympics.<br />
Mr Johnson’s office said that Wi-Fi would<br />
be introduced at 80 stations before July.<br />
By the end of the year, 120 Tube stations,<br />
many of them deep-level, will be connected.<br />
Tube passengers will be able to<br />
connect for free.<br />
After the Olympics, which end Aug. 12,<br />
Wi- Fi at Tube stations will be made available<br />
as part of Virgin Media’s broadband<br />
and mobile subscriptions. <strong>The</strong> contract<br />
does not cover cellphone service. Eurotunnel<br />
is to get mobile phone signal by July<br />
Groupe Eurotunnel, operator of the undersea<br />
rail link between England and France,<br />
is to introduce a mobile phone signal<br />
in the Channel Tunnel also by July. <strong>The</strong><br />
Paris-based company is to officially sign a<br />
contract with four mobile operators.<br />
Routemaster is back<br />
A London’s double decker red bus Routemaster<br />
is back. <strong>The</strong> first of a new fleet<br />
of models was launched in March and<br />
replaces the unpopular Bendy Bus.<br />
<strong>The</strong> new bus has innovative features<br />
including three entrances and two<br />
staircases to enable fast boarding and<br />
alighting of passengers; the reintroduction<br />
of an open rear platform; LED lighting;<br />
new moquette seating and wireless<br />
bell pushes. www.tfl.gov.uk/buses<br />
<strong>On</strong> the <strong>Road</strong> issue 201 Page 6<br />
London’s new Routemaster
Transport ...continued<br />
MICE news<br />
Great Airport<br />
Water Swindle<br />
Times reader, <strong>An</strong>drew Elliot, wrote to the<br />
paper to warn of the sharp practice at<br />
international airports, where passengers<br />
are charged extortionate prices for small<br />
bottles of water (50cl).<br />
After conducting follow-up research <strong>The</strong><br />
Times concluded that the ‘Great Airport<br />
Water Swindle’ goes something like this:<br />
Airports know that you are hot, dehydrated<br />
and have been up since before<br />
dawn. <strong>The</strong>y know you don’t have any<br />
water because they forcibly removed it<br />
from you at security. <strong>The</strong>y know that the<br />
decent and ecologically responsible thing<br />
to do would be to provide passengers<br />
with a nice cool drinking fountain. But<br />
they don’t, because they also know that<br />
a human will pay almost any price when<br />
parched with thirst.<br />
Here are the results of the ransoms some<br />
airports charge for a 50cl bottle of water.<br />
Geneva €4.2, Brussels €3.3, Munich<br />
€3, Heathrow & Lyon €2.30, Paris<br />
€2, Budapest €1.62,Bologna €1.50,<br />
Sarajevo €1<br />
Pets reprieve<br />
Taking pets on holiday is easier and<br />
cheaper this summer after the Government<br />
relaxed its regulations. <strong>The</strong> UK Pet<br />
Passport rules have changed and the UK<br />
has brought its procedures into line with<br />
the European Union. All pets can enter or<br />
re-enter the UK from any country in the<br />
world without quarantine provided they<br />
meet the rules of the scheme, which will<br />
be different depending on the country<br />
or territory the pet is coming from. It<br />
is estimated the changes will save pet<br />
owners about £7m in fees in total.<br />
However, owners will still need to have<br />
their pets vaccinated against rabies and<br />
other rules will remain in place to guard<br />
Britain against the disease. Pets from the<br />
EU and listed non-EU countries including<br />
the US and Australia will no longer need<br />
a blood test and will only have to wait 21<br />
days before travelling.<br />
Southend’s new<br />
terminal opened<br />
<strong>The</strong> terminal opened to the public at<br />
the end of February, when Aer Arann<br />
flights to and from Waterford started<br />
using the new facility for the first<br />
time. From the 2nd of April easyJet’s<br />
schedule of 70 flights a week starts<br />
from London Southend to Amsterdam,<br />
Alicante, Barcelona, Belfast, Faro, Ibiza,<br />
Jersey, Malaga and Mallorca.<br />
Leeds Bradford<br />
expansion<br />
Southend’s new terminal<br />
<strong>An</strong> £11m expansion of Leeds Bradford<br />
International Airport – its planned<br />
completion by summer 2012.<br />
John Parkin, Chief Executive, said:<br />
“<strong>The</strong> terminal development will provide<br />
a 65% increase in airside space over two<br />
floors, creating a new departure lounge,<br />
a new range of upgraded food and<br />
beverage outlets , a major walkthrough<br />
Tax and Duty Free store and<br />
additional retail units”.<br />
“We will also be enlarging the security<br />
search zone, all of the boarding gate<br />
areas and building a covered walkway<br />
to aircraft from the terminal to deliver<br />
the very best in facilities and experience<br />
for our customers.”<br />
www.leedsbradfordairport.co.uk<br />
“We are off!”<br />
Longleat woes MICE<br />
Set in the Wiltshire countryside within easy<br />
reach of Bath and Bristol, Longleat Housethe<br />
Elizabethan stately home is a unique<br />
venue for holding conferences, meetings and<br />
launches, and for entertaining clients.<br />
From drinks receptions and fine dining,<br />
to company fun days, team-building and<br />
treasure hunts, the 900-acre Estate offers<br />
huge flexibility catering for 20 – 2,000<br />
people. With a highly-experienced team of<br />
event organisers on hand to advise you every<br />
step of the way. T01985 844328 or visit www.<br />
longleat.co.uk/hospitality<br />
2012 Condé Nast<br />
Johansens Awards<br />
Within the MICE market, the following<br />
awards were presented for the most<br />
excellent:<br />
• Judges’ Award for Training and Enquiry<br />
Process in the MICE Market:<br />
Knockranny House Hotel & Spa - Ireland<br />
• Venues and Hotels that Accommodate<br />
Groups of Under 100:<br />
Aviator Hotel - UK<br />
• Venues and Hotels that Accommodate<br />
Groups of Over 100:<br />
Dolce Sitges Hotel -Spain<br />
New auditorium -<br />
Cartagena<br />
<strong>The</strong> Spanish city of Cartagena has unveil its<br />
brand new auditorium and convention centre<br />
which has a capacity of up to 2,800 people.<br />
<strong>The</strong> new facility, designed by Jose Selgas has<br />
nine meeting rooms. www.cartagena.es<br />
M&IT awards 2012<br />
<strong>The</strong> Meeting & Incentive Travel Industry<br />
Awards have a 15 year history and have<br />
become highly valued within the business.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y aim to emphasize the market’s best<br />
practices by letting those who use providers’<br />
services choose their favourites. It is the only<br />
British voting system that allows clients to<br />
determine who will take the honours.<br />
Best Overseas Conference Centre<br />
Gold<br />
Conference Centre Dublin<br />
Silver<br />
Grimaldi Forum Monaco<br />
Bronze<br />
CCIB Centre Barcelona<br />
Best Overseas Conference Bureau<br />
Gold<br />
Monaco Tourist Authority<br />
Silver<br />
Hague Convention bureau<br />
Bronze<br />
Malta Tourism Authority<br />
Best UK Convention Centre<br />
Gold<br />
Glasgow City Marketing Bureau<br />
Silver<br />
Newcastle/Gateshead Convention Bureau<br />
Bronze<br />
Jersey Conference bureau<br />
<strong>The</strong> Awards were announced earlier this<br />
month.<br />
Valencia CC<br />
set to grow<br />
Longleat - from the air<br />
Valencia Tourism has announced the<br />
expansion of its cutting edge conference<br />
centre, designed by esteemed UK architect,<br />
Norman Foster.<br />
<strong>The</strong> conference centre’s expansion is aptly<br />
‘growing’ from having one leaf shaped building<br />
to two. <strong>The</strong> architects have also proposed<br />
a ‘stem’ connecting the two buildings and<br />
acting as glass passage.<br />
<strong>The</strong> extension which is set to be completed<br />
in 2014 will offer a flexible open plan space<br />
over two floors. Rooms will accommodate up<br />
to 2,500 people with an additional 20 rooms<br />
providing multiple capacities.<br />
http://www.palcongres-vlc.com/<br />
ampliaciond.php<br />
<strong>On</strong> the <strong>Road</strong> issue 201 Page 7
Cruise news<br />
<strong>The</strong><br />
largest<br />
of the<br />
lot<br />
<strong>The</strong> biggest cruise company in the world<br />
views Europe as the largest leisure travel<br />
vacation market in the world, and that’s<br />
why Carnival Corp.’s 10 cruise brands<br />
will continue to introduce new ships to<br />
the Europe source market over the next<br />
several years, the company said in its<br />
annual report.<br />
In the report, filed last month with the U.S.<br />
Securities and Exchange Commission, Carnival<br />
said the number of Europe-sourced<br />
cruise passengers has increased at a compound<br />
annual growth rate of approximately<br />
10% between 2006 and 2011, as passenger<br />
capacity has been added.<br />
But it noted that cruising still has a much<br />
lower level of market penetration in Europe<br />
than in North America and represents a<br />
relatively small percentage of the overall<br />
European vacation market. “We estimate<br />
that about 5.8 million European-sourced<br />
passengers took a cruise in 2011, which was<br />
approximately the same size as the cruise<br />
segment of the North America vacation<br />
market in 1999,” the filing said.<br />
“Based on industry data or our internal estimates,<br />
approximately 24% and 13% of the<br />
U.S. and U.K. populations, respectively, and<br />
lower percentages of continental European<br />
and Australian populations, have ever taken<br />
a cruise,” Carnival said.<br />
<strong>The</strong> company’s Europe brands currently<br />
represent 35% of its total passenger capacity<br />
(excluding the Costa Concordia, which is<br />
out of service indefinitely following its Jan.<br />
13 accident).<br />
Company revenues generated from passengers<br />
sourced outside the U.S. meanwhile,<br />
have grown to 56%, up from 40% in 2006.<br />
Carnival Corp. also has high hopes for Brazil<br />
and Argentina, which the company noted<br />
have “a combined population of approximately<br />
245 million.”<br />
“We believe that their discretionary incomes<br />
will continue to grow in the future,” the report<br />
predicted. More than 6 million Brazilian<br />
and Argentine tourists travelled abroad last<br />
year, and the company said it expects<br />
Carnival cruise ship<br />
this to increase to about 7.5 million in 2012.<br />
Carnival estimates that 850,000 Brazilians<br />
and Argentines took a cruise vacation in<br />
2011, with nearly 30% sailing on one of<br />
Carnival’s brands, but that reflects a market<br />
penetration level of less than 1%.<br />
<strong>The</strong> report also reaffirmed Carnival’s commitment<br />
to the retail trade.<br />
“We sell our cruises mainly through travel<br />
agents, including wholesalers and tour<br />
operators that serve our guests in their local<br />
areas,” it said. “We believe travel agents<br />
are an integral part of our long-term cruise<br />
distribution network.”<br />
Each brand’s relationship with their travel<br />
agents are generally independent of other<br />
brands, it noted, and during fiscal 2011,<br />
“no controlled group of travel agencies<br />
accounted for 10% or more of our revenues.”<br />
Carnival’s report provided some information<br />
about Costa Cruises and addressed the<br />
Costa Concordia disaster.<br />
Costa, it said, is “Italy’s and Europe’s largest<br />
cruise line based on guests carried and passenger<br />
capacity,” and has operated for over<br />
63 years. Costa’s 1.5 million guests in 2011<br />
were sourced from 181 countries.<br />
<strong>The</strong> report said that a damage assessment<br />
review of the ship, which capsized<br />
after hitting a reef, is being undertaken to<br />
determine whether it can be repaired and<br />
what the total cost would be. <strong>The</strong> company<br />
said earlier that if the ship is repairable,<br />
it is expected to be out of service for the<br />
remainder of fiscal 2012, if not longer.<br />
Carnival acknowledged in its report that<br />
media coverage of cruise ship accidents and<br />
incidents “could impact demand.”<br />
“Maintaining a good reputation is critical to<br />
our business,” said Carnival.<br />
In the same filing, the company reported<br />
that its brands experienced double-digit<br />
booking declines in the immediate<br />
aftermath of the Concordia accident, and<br />
said that Costa’s bookings were down<br />
significantly.<br />
Crystal<br />
Its new check in procedure “Crystal Fast-<br />
Track Check-In” ship check-in procedures in<br />
port terminal waiting areas by utilising the<br />
barcode on the cruise ticket. So passengers<br />
are whisked on-board to complete registration<br />
and receive their room keys/boarding<br />
cards with photo identification. www.<br />
crystalcruises.co.uk<br />
<strong>The</strong> Churchill<br />
Foundation<br />
London based luxury<br />
travel specialist BAway has<br />
launched a new cruise programme<br />
with Crystal Cruises<br />
entitled ‘Chasing Churchill’<br />
which will see guests<br />
travelling to the Crimea and<br />
Black Sea in the footsteps of<br />
the legendary politician. <strong>The</strong><br />
cruise will be accompanied<br />
by Celia Sandys, Winston<br />
Churchill’s granddaughter<br />
and Lord Watson of Richmond, who is<br />
International Chairman Emeritus of the<br />
English Speaking Union and a recipient of<br />
<strong>The</strong> Churchill Medal.<br />
<strong>The</strong> 13 night cruise from 6-18 September<br />
2012 will be on board Crystal Serenity,<br />
sailing from Athens to Istanbul through the<br />
Dardanelles with stops in Mykonos, Odessa,<br />
Sochi as well as Yalta, where Winston<br />
Churchill took part in the famous conference<br />
between the Britain, the USA and the<br />
USSR. <strong>The</strong> voyage not only takes in places<br />
synonymous with the war time Prime<br />
Minister but also a journey that Celia took<br />
with her grandfather in the 1960’s on the<br />
Christina, owned by Aristotle <strong>On</strong>assis.<br />
<strong>The</strong> cruise will focus on his strategic and<br />
negotiation skills displayed in Eastern<br />
Europe during the war. www.baway.co.uk<br />
European Waterways<br />
With its fleet of 21 fully-crewed hotel<br />
barges cruising along the canals, rivers and<br />
lagoons of Europe, has added ‘Panache’, a<br />
12 passenger luxury hotel barge that will<br />
be cruising the canals of both Holland and<br />
Eastern France.<br />
In April and May she will embark on circular<br />
“Tulip Cruises” starting and finishing in<br />
Haarlem, visiting the Keukenhof Gardens in<br />
full bloom, the world famous Delft pottery<br />
and the cheese centre of Gouda.<br />
She will then reposition to cruise the beautiful<br />
Canal de la Marne au Rhin from Nancy<br />
to Strasbourg in Alsace Lorraine with its<br />
unique mix of French and German cultures,<br />
Baroque and Romanesque architecture,<br />
storybook hamlets and wonderful white<br />
wines.<br />
Panache<br />
Panache, the 128 foot hotel barge has<br />
spacious public areas and 6 double/twin<br />
en-suite cabins and has been fitted out<br />
in traditional yacht style with brass and<br />
mahogany fittings. A large sundeck and spa<br />
pool complete the picture. T01753 598555<br />
<strong>Website</strong>: www.gobarging.com<br />
<strong>An</strong>d…<br />
All European Waterways hotel barges carry<br />
bicycles. However some now offer a ‘Biking<br />
Plus’ option. Guests can take a bike and follow<br />
an interesting, but not too challenging<br />
carefully researched route.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y will be given clearly marked maps<br />
for each round trip route and a backpack<br />
with everything they might need so that,<br />
for an hour or two, they can explore the<br />
surrounding countryside and villages along<br />
the lanes and byways. <strong>The</strong>n they can just<br />
re-join the barge where they left her.<br />
Bikers treat<br />
Regular cruises in the Valley of the Loreley<br />
Rüdesheim – Bingen – St.Goarshausen<br />
Dept.Rüd.: 9.15am,11.00am and 2.00pm<br />
Dept.St. Goar: 11.00am,2.10pm and 4.10pm<br />
Full restaurant service and snacks available<br />
Commentary in English – Multi-lingual staff – Group rates<br />
continued....<br />
<strong>On</strong> the <strong>Road</strong> issue 201 Page 8<br />
Tel. Bingen +49 6721 14140<br />
E- info@bingen-ruedesheimer.de www.bingen-ruedesheimer.de
Cruise news ...continued<br />
Flight plan<br />
For more committed cyclists, European<br />
Waterways offer biking charters with half<br />
day guided itineraries, upgraded bikes and<br />
lunch picnics - but still with their usual<br />
five star hotel barge service.T01753 598555<br />
<strong>Website</strong>: www.gobarging.com<br />
Star Clippers<br />
Tall ship specialist Star Clippers’ 170-passenger<br />
Star Flyer will sail in the Baltic for<br />
the first time during summer 2012, offering<br />
a variety of voyages from 2 nights to 11<br />
nights.<br />
In the autumn of 2012, Star Flyer will<br />
operate five seven-night cruises roundtrip<br />
from Malaga exploring the Moorish<br />
heritage of <strong>An</strong>dalucia and the North African<br />
coast. Ports of call include Casablanca and<br />
Tangier in Morocco, Gibraltar, Cadiz, Motril<br />
and Granada, setting of the magnificent<br />
Alhambra’s palace.<br />
Hebridean Island Cruises<br />
Tall ships specialist - Star Clippers<br />
Passenger Survey<br />
<strong>An</strong>d…<br />
Star Clippers has introduced new travel-inclusive, no-fly holidays in the<br />
Mediterranean and the Baltic in 2012 for those tired of airport delays and<br />
luggage restrictions. Travelling outbound or return by rail to within a short<br />
transfer of the ship there’s no need to check in hours in advance and there<br />
are no restrictions on how much luggage to take. All packages include train<br />
travel to or from the UK to the port; transfers and all meals on board.<br />
www.starclippers.com<br />
For the fourth year, the www.cruise.co.uk ‘Cruise Passenger Ratings Survey’ has shown what’s popular<br />
with UK based passengers including some new entrants and old favourites continuing to show strong<br />
performance. <strong>The</strong> survey is the definitive guide to cruising, written for and by UK cruisers, and includes<br />
6500 new passenger reviews since January 2011, showing what UK passengers really think about their<br />
cruising experience.<br />
Over the last four years visitors to the cruise.co.uk web site have been asked to rate operators and their<br />
ships in eight different key categories, as part of the review process, including Best Cruise Line, Best<br />
Ship, Best Food, Best Entertainment, Best Accommodation, Best Service, Best for Kids/Families and<br />
Best Shore Excursions.<br />
January 2012 January 2011 January 2010<br />
Best Cruise Line<br />
Best Ship<br />
Best Accommodation<br />
Best Entertainment<br />
Best Food<br />
Best Service<br />
Best for Kids<br />
Best Shore Excursion<br />
Celebrity Cruises<br />
Queen Victoria<br />
Celebrity Eclipse<br />
Thomson Dream<br />
Queen Victoria<br />
Thomson Dream<br />
Ventura<br />
Oceana<br />
Cunard Line<br />
Queen Victoria<br />
Celebrity Eclipse<br />
Independence of the Seas<br />
Queen Victoria<br />
Adventure of the Seas<br />
Oriana<br />
Queen Victoria<br />
Cunard Line<br />
Celebrity Equinox<br />
Celebrity Solstice<br />
Thomson Spirit<br />
Queen Mary 2<br />
Thomson Spirit<br />
Ventura<br />
Marco Polo<br />
Launches a new dedicated river cruises programme on board the Royal Crown. Following extensive renovations,<br />
the luxurious cruiser will sail on the Rhine and Danube during June and September 2012. www.hebridean.co.uk<br />
airBaltic will reintroduce flights between Dublin and<br />
Riga for the summer season. Offering efficient connecting<br />
flights via North Hub Riga to/from destinations in the Baltics,<br />
Scandinavia and Russia/CIS.<br />
Adria Airways – <strong>The</strong> Slovenian national carrier has<br />
re-launched flights to London Luton from Ljubljana from<br />
28 March after dropping the route for the winter season.<br />
Air China will fly four times weekly from Gatwick to Beijing<br />
from 1st May. Departures from Beijing Monday, Wednesday,<br />
Friday and Sunday, with the return leg from Gatwick leaving on<br />
the same day.<br />
Air France will begin operating scheduled service between<br />
Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Wuhan Tianhe International Airport<br />
at the beginning of April with a three times weekly schedule. It’s<br />
the first airline to offer direct flights between Wuhan and Europe.<br />
Situated at the crossroads of central China and at equal distance<br />
from Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, Wuhan is a transportation<br />
hub for air, railway and ferry traffic, a commercial centre for<br />
finance, industry (especially automotive), trade and science.<br />
<strong>An</strong>d…Starting on 1 April, Air France will offer 16 new destinations<br />
from Toulouse in Europe and the Mediterranean, in addition<br />
to the 12 existing points. Istanbul, Prague and Tunis are amongst<br />
the new routes. As from 3 April Air France will offer six new destinations<br />
from Nice, including Barcelona, Istanbul and Tel Aviv.<br />
American Airlines has cancelled its Chicago - New Delhi<br />
operation.<br />
China Airlines has dropped its twice weekly Taipei –<br />
Heathrow route due to poor performance.<br />
Finnair adds China’s destination Chongqing in early May,<br />
adding to Beijing, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. Finnair’s UK<br />
flights from both Manchester and Heathrow will connect to the<br />
Chongqing flight in Helsinki.<br />
Chongqing, on the edge of the Tibetan plateau, is also one of<br />
southwest China’s main transport hubs, with good connections<br />
to the rest of the country and South East Asia. www.finnair.com<br />
Hong Kong Airlines has launched its daily non-stop<br />
service between London and Hong Kong a unique all Club Class<br />
seating configuration will operate on the route.<br />
Monarch Airlines scheduled operation for summer 2012<br />
will offer 14 new routes. Manchester to Dubrovnik, Milan, Venice<br />
and Verona; Birmingham to Dubrovnik, Heraklion, Milan, Rome<br />
and Venice; Gatwick to Dubrovnik, Heraklion, Milan and Venice<br />
and Luton to Rome.<br />
Qatar Airways now flies from Doha to Benghazi, Libya’s<br />
second largest city, flights are on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays<br />
and Sundays.<br />
Ryanair has introduced a new route from Birmingham to<br />
Budapest.<br />
Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) has re-introduced a<br />
Copenhagen – Shanghai service initially on a five times per week<br />
service into Pudong International Airport.<br />
Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS)<br />
announced the launch of its new route from London City Airport<br />
to Basel. <strong>The</strong> route will operate on a two times daily frequency<br />
from 21st May 2012.<br />
<strong>An</strong>d..they have also introduced daily service from Zurich to<br />
Beijing. From Zurich, they will be adding a seventh daily frequency<br />
to London Heathrow as of 30 October. However services<br />
to Sofia, will cease for economic reasons.<br />
Turkish Airlines has increased flights between Birmingham<br />
and Istanbul from five flights a week to daily services.<br />
Wizz Air, is to open two new services from Gdansk to<br />
Trondheim and Haugesund starting April 2012. <strong>The</strong> routes will<br />
operate twice per week initially. Services from Gdansk to Oslo<br />
Sandefjord Torp will double to six times per week.<br />
<strong>On</strong> the <strong>Road</strong> issue 201 Page 9
Hospitality news ...continued<br />
Easily restaurant search<br />
MyTable is a complete directory with<br />
more than 5000 restaurants in Switzerland<br />
and 1000 in main European cities.<br />
Guests can search by restaurant name,<br />
city or current location and find detailed<br />
information about cuisine and menu<br />
in English, German, Italian and French.<br />
Restaurant directions are displayed and<br />
the restaurant can be viewed on the<br />
map. Table booking is possible directly<br />
via smartphone app, table availability is<br />
displayed in real-time and the reservation<br />
is confirmed instantly.<br />
Warminster<br />
Late last year, Longleat bought the<br />
luxury Bishopstrow House and Spa Hotel in<br />
Warminster for a rumoured £5 million. <strong>The</strong><br />
32-bed hotel was bought from Von Essen<br />
Hotels, which was placed into administration<br />
last April.<br />
Longleat now plans to invest £1m in the<br />
hotel and spa completing a refurbishment,<br />
and may look to expand the hotel this year.<br />
Bishopstrow House<br />
This is particularly convenient when<br />
travelling, especially with groups, where<br />
table reservation is necessary. Also, tour<br />
guides are always very welcome to notify<br />
MyTable about restaurants which they<br />
frequent with their travel groups, so<br />
those will be included in the MyTable<br />
directory free of charge .Additionally ,<br />
MyTable is now developing another<br />
app specifically for travel groups which<br />
will be available shortly. <strong>The</strong> app can<br />
be downloaded for free for iPhone and<br />
<strong>An</strong>droid phones.<br />
More information on the MyTable website (www.mytable.com) or watch the<br />
MyTable video (Youtube MyTable AG) Email graf@mytable.com<br />
MyTable - Restaurant Guide<br />
Longleat Chief Executive David Bradley<br />
said: “We have one million visitors every<br />
year and a lot of those people have overnight<br />
stops, over 40%, so having a hotel to offer<br />
them as part of the package makes sense. It<br />
was an obvious investment for us to make”.<br />
Situated six miles from the Longleat estate,<br />
the hotel has four AA stars with two<br />
rosettes for food quality. <strong>The</strong> hotel has a<br />
health spa with heated outdoor and indoor<br />
swimming pools.<br />
Amsterdam<br />
<strong>The</strong> 129 roomed Conservatorium Hotel<br />
opened at the end of 2011. <strong>The</strong> 110-yearold<br />
former conservatory offers a mix of<br />
contemporary and 19th century decor<br />
elements, including oversized windows<br />
and exposed beams. Other features will<br />
include several eateries; the Akasha Holistic<br />
Wellbeing Retreat, offering spa treatments<br />
and a pool; and meeting facilities.<br />
Berlin<br />
<strong>The</strong> Hotel Indigo Berlin Centre Hardenbergstrasse<br />
has opened. A boutique property,<br />
it is the first of the brand in Continental<br />
Europe. It has just 81 rooms. <strong>An</strong>other Indigo<br />
will shortly follow on Alexanderplatz.<br />
<strong>The</strong> new hotel is opposite the Charlottenburg<br />
campus of the Berlin University of Arts<br />
and takes the inspiration for its design from<br />
the burgeoning arts community in the city.<br />
Its central location means it is just minutes<br />
from some of Berlin’s popular attractions<br />
including the city’s most famous shopping<br />
street, Kurfüerstendamm, Berlin Zoo and<br />
the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church.www.<br />
hotelindigo.com<br />
Birmingham<br />
Hilton Garden Inn Birmingham Brindleyplace<br />
has opened features 238 rooms all<br />
with Apple iMac computer which functions<br />
both as a TV and computer, mini-refrigerators,<br />
floor-to-ceiling windows, as well as a<br />
newly refurbished fitness centre. <strong>The</strong> hotel<br />
also offers meeting space for up to 120<br />
people in its six flexible conference rooms,<br />
all of which benefit from natural light and<br />
provide the latest in audio-visual technology.<br />
Complimentary wi-fi access and a<br />
24-hour business centre is provided.<br />
Dining includes a continental-style brasserie,<br />
and relaxed fine-dining restaurant,<br />
Edmunds. In addition, guests of the hotel<br />
will be able to enjoy the 24-hour Pavilion<br />
Pantry, which stocks a range of healthy<br />
snacks and drinks. http://hiltongardeninn.<br />
hilton.co.uk<br />
Coventry<br />
<strong>The</strong> brand new 100 bedroom hotel,<br />
Premier Inn Coventry hotel, is just minutes<br />
away from the centre of Coventry. Guests<br />
can explore both sides of Coventry from the<br />
historic Cathedral Quarter to the modern<br />
pedestrianised shopping area. <strong>The</strong> hotel<br />
is the first phase of a new development at<br />
Earlsdon Park as part of the converted Old<br />
City College building.<br />
Frankfurt<br />
Two hotels have been opened by Hilton<br />
at <strong>The</strong> Squaire, a huge new commercial<br />
complex that adjoins the station at Frankfurt<br />
Airport with direct walkway access<br />
to the airport terminals. <strong>The</strong> project is a<br />
first for Hilton Worldwide in Europe with<br />
two individually branded hotels operating<br />
beside each other under the same roof.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Hilton Frankfurt Airport offers 249-<br />
guest rooms and features two executive<br />
floors with an exclusive lounge and 10<br />
meeting rooms with natural lighting. A<br />
24hr business centre features state-of-theart<br />
audio-visual equipment and wireless<br />
internet access is available throughout the<br />
hotel. <strong>The</strong>re are various restaurants, a 570<br />
capacity Grand Ballroom and a 24hr fitness<br />
centre with a steam room and sauna.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Garden Inn offers 334 rooms featuring<br />
complimentary wireless internet access,<br />
a refrigerator and spacious working desk.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Hilton Garden Inn Pavilion Pantry also<br />
provides guests with healthy snacks and<br />
drinks anytime of the day or night. Three<br />
contemporary meeting rooms with natural<br />
light are also available accommodating up<br />
to 28 guests. http://hiltongardeninn.hilton.<br />
com www.hilton.co.uk/frankfurtairport<br />
Glasgow<br />
<strong>The</strong> new Grasshoppers Glasgow, 30 bed<br />
boutique hotel is located on the sixth floor<br />
of the city’s historic Caledonian Chambers<br />
building, overlooking Central Station,<br />
built by celebrated Glasgow architect<br />
James Miller, the visionary behind many of<br />
Glasgow’s best loved buildings.<br />
<strong>The</strong> derelict top floor of the building was<br />
painstakingly refurbished and transformed<br />
into a £1.25 million boutique hotel, in a<br />
joint venture with Network Rail.<br />
<strong>The</strong> hotel’s Scandinavian style bedrooms<br />
feature Caledonian oak floors, ash laminate<br />
furniture, Egyptian cotton sheets, and<br />
individually designed wallpaper and wood<br />
paneled walls.<br />
All guests enjoy complimentary breakfast,<br />
and free wifi internet access, and every<br />
room features LED TVs with SKY HD, offering<br />
SKY Sports and SKY Movies. Guests<br />
also receive free Grasshoppers treats<br />
throughout their stay – freshly baked<br />
scones, fresh ground coffee, bottled water<br />
and tubes of Smarties. www.grasshoppersglasgow.com<br />
Heathrow Terminal 5<br />
Premier Inn, has opened its largest airport<br />
hotel yet with over 400 rooms at Heathrow<br />
Terminal 5. <strong>On</strong> the Bath <strong>Road</strong>, about<br />
one mile from the terminal complex, the<br />
site includes a Costa Coffee shop, Thyme<br />
restaurant and an outdoor eating area.<br />
<strong>An</strong>d for those guests with electric motors<br />
who need to top up their vehicle, the hotel<br />
also has electric car charge points. A bus<br />
service is provided.<br />
Each room caters for up to two adults and<br />
two children (aged 15 and under) and<br />
includes an en-suite bathroom; a king size<br />
bed; remote control TV with Freeview; tea/<br />
coffee making facilities, and a spacious<br />
desk area with wi-fi internet access. <strong>The</strong><br />
site will also offer the All You Can Eat<br />
‘Premier Breakfast’ from just £8.50.<br />
www.premierinn.com continued....<br />
<strong>On</strong> the <strong>Road</strong> issue 201 Page 10
Hospitality news ...continued<br />
Hospitality Corporate news<br />
London<br />
Following the acquisition of eight Mint<br />
Hotels across the Netherlands and the UK,<br />
renamed are the DoubleTree by Hilton<br />
London-Tower of London and DoubleTree<br />
by Hilton London-Westminster.<br />
<strong>The</strong> 583-room DoubleTree by Hilton<br />
London-Tower of London is in the heart<br />
of <strong>The</strong> City near Tower Bridge, with easy<br />
access to Barbican, <strong>The</strong> Globe <strong>The</strong>atre,<br />
<strong>The</strong> Whitechapel Art Gallery and St Paul’s<br />
Cathedral.<br />
Located adjacent to the Tate Britain<br />
museum, the 460-room DoubleTree by<br />
Hilton London-Westminster is within walking<br />
distance of the Houses of Parliament,<br />
Westminster Abbey and the London Eye.<br />
www.doubletree.com<br />
London<br />
• Diamond Jubilee<br />
London hotels are set for a Royal celebration<br />
in June as the capital plays host to the<br />
Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations.<br />
At this point in the booking window, committed<br />
occupancy across the city for Sunday<br />
June 3 - the day of the Thames Diamond<br />
Jubilee Pageant - is up 115% compared to<br />
last year, according to hotel market intelligence<br />
firm TravelClick.<br />
Marrakech<br />
<strong>The</strong> Palais Namaskar opens as part of the<br />
Oetker Collection of ‘Masterpiece’ Hotels<br />
on April 6, 2012. A resort of 41 suites, villas<br />
and palaces, Palais Namaskar has been<br />
developed following Feng Shui principles<br />
and lies in a picturesque setting between<br />
the Atlas Mountains and the Djebilet Hills.<br />
Palais Namaskar – Garden and Lake<br />
<strong>The</strong> following day illustrates similar data,<br />
when Buckingham Palace is the venue for<br />
a star-studded concert. Hotel bookings on<br />
Monday June 4 are currently running 81%<br />
higher than the same date last year.<br />
• New Russian luxury restaurant<br />
Arkady Novikov, whose Novikov Restaurant<br />
Group employs 7,000 people in more than<br />
50 restaurants in Moscow and St. Petersburg,<br />
has just opened Novikov in London.<br />
<strong>The</strong> restaurant is divided into three areas:<br />
an upmarket basement bar, a pan Asian<br />
restaurant and an Italian restaurant whose<br />
chef is Carmelo Carnevale. Average prices<br />
are expected to be about £100 per person.<br />
Lübeck<br />
<strong>The</strong> former Mövenpick Hotel Lübeck/Germany<br />
trades under the new name Park Inn<br />
by Radisson Lübeck. Besides 197 spacious<br />
and modern guest rooms, the hotel features<br />
an all day dining restaurant, 1,200m2 of<br />
meeting space, and parking. <strong>The</strong> hotel<br />
underwent a room renovation in 2008<br />
and further upgrades are planned in 2012<br />
and 2013.<strong>The</strong> hotel is located next to the<br />
Old Town, on the banks of the river Trave.<br />
E-mail: info.luebeck@rezidorparkinn.com<br />
Salzburg<br />
<strong>The</strong> Motel <strong>On</strong>e Salzburg opened in 2011.<br />
Located in the southern part of the city with<br />
<strong>The</strong> architecture, which blends Oriental<br />
and contemporary developments with<br />
subtle Moorish and <strong>An</strong>dalusian touches.<br />
Palais Namaskar sits amidst 50,000<br />
square metres of scented and manicured<br />
Balinese-inspired gardens complemented<br />
by cascading waterfalls and lakes; water<br />
flows through over 1.5 hectares of Palais<br />
Namaskar’s grounds.<br />
Many of the villas have private pools;<br />
however there is also a main pool, and<br />
119 rooms, and approximately ten kilometers<br />
from the airport, the hotel is linked to<br />
Salzburg’s many attractions by a public bus<br />
line with a stop directly in front of the main<br />
entrance.<br />
All ensuite rooms have double bed, flat<br />
screen TV, WIFI, and air conditioning.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>On</strong>e Lounge is lobby, cafeteria and bar<br />
in one. Rates single 59 - € / double 74<br />
salzburg@motel-one.com<br />
Stockholm<br />
Scandic Grand Central has opened. <strong>The</strong><br />
hotel has 391 rooms, conference facilities,<br />
gym, restaurant, bistro and a large hotel<br />
bar/lounge . It’s on the corner of Stockholm’s<br />
two most tourist-friendly streets<br />
– Kungsgatan and Vasagatan.<br />
Vienna<br />
Hotel Daniel Wien opened at the end<br />
of 2011. Contemporary hospitality and<br />
pared-down design is the key to this new<br />
115-room hotel which has its own bakery.<br />
Guests have four room categories to choose<br />
from in this heritage-listed 1960s building.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Upper Belvedere, the new 21er Haus<br />
in the Schweizergarten park and Vienna’s<br />
new main station (under construction) are<br />
all just a short distance away. Landstrasser<br />
Gürtel 5, 1030 Vienna, www.hoteldaniel.<br />
com/vienna<br />
spa. <strong>The</strong> hotel will offer a fine dining<br />
room, a tea lounge and two bars.<br />
Focusing on luxury, Palais Namaskar<br />
offers guests its own private jet service,<br />
which operates from Casablanca Airport<br />
to Marrakech in just 30 minutes. <strong>The</strong> private<br />
jet, can also be utilized for transfers<br />
to other Oetker Collection properties as<br />
well as any long haul destinations (nonstop<br />
from New York, Moscow or Dubai).<br />
www. palaisnamaskar.com<br />
Travelodge<br />
Claimed to be the UK’s fastest growing hotel<br />
company, Travelodge will open 41 hotels (3,610<br />
rooms) this year. <strong>The</strong>se new properties, at an<br />
investment of £246m, will boost the company’s<br />
estate to 537 hotels and over 39,000 rooms.<br />
Eleven of the 41 new Travelodges are located<br />
in London – further cementing the company’s<br />
position as the largest hotelier in the capital.<br />
Included in these openings is Travelodge’s<br />
500th hotel at Stratford which opened in February.<br />
Half of these London properties will be<br />
open before the end of July, including London<br />
Greenwich and London Excel Centre.<br />
Guy Parsons, Travelodge Chief Executive, said<br />
“we are in a very strong position to achieve our<br />
growth target of having 1,000 hotels by 2020.”<br />
www.travelodge.co.uk<br />
Accor<br />
Accor will rebrand its budget brands shortly .<br />
Ibis remains Ibis, but All Seasons becomes Ibis<br />
Styles, while the Etap-Hotels will become Ibis<br />
Budget. <strong>The</strong> aim is facilitate customer’s choice<br />
between the three brands and will affect more<br />
than 1,500 properties on four continents.<br />
• Ibis Budget with “basic comfort” price from €29<br />
• Ibis with “cosy comfort” at best price” from €49<br />
• Ibis Style with “design & comfort” from €59<br />
Ibis considers the re-branding as the beginning<br />
for the new company strategy “Open New<br />
Frontiers in Hospitality. We will offer our customers<br />
a totally new sensation in hotel experiences,”<br />
Accor’s Head of Marketing Grègoire Champetier<br />
said at ITB 2012.<br />
World’s 6 big hotel<br />
groups launch direct<br />
booking web site<br />
Six of the world’s largest hotel companies have<br />
collaborated to create a Web site that allows<br />
travellers to search listings and then book<br />
rooms directly on hotel sites, effectively cutting<br />
out sites like Expedia.<br />
<strong>The</strong> new site, Roomkey.com, is owned by<br />
Choice Hotels International, Hilton Worldwide,<br />
Hyatt Hotels, Inter-Continental Hotels, Marriott<br />
International and Wyndham Hotel Group, part<br />
of Wyndham Worldwide Corp.<br />
Between them the companies own more<br />
than 50 hotel brands. <strong>The</strong> site will also include<br />
results from other hotels as well. Best Western<br />
International was the first commercial partner<br />
to sign up since the site was introduced recently.<br />
Roomkey, or at least its beta testing site, offers<br />
a clean search page, employing adjustable<br />
graphics to filter searches by priority: price<br />
range, star rating, distance and so on.<br />
<strong>On</strong> the <strong>Road</strong> issue 201 Page 11<br />
Stephany Verstraete, Room Key’s Chief Marketing<br />
Officer said, “<strong>The</strong>re is not a lot of clutter. Our<br />
goal is really only to present the relevant information<br />
someone needs to make a purchase.”
Options and Attractions news<br />
<strong>The</strong> new name<br />
says it all<br />
Since its opening in 1998, the Doll’s House<br />
Museum on Barfüsserplatz in Basle has<br />
attracted between 60 and 70,000 visitors<br />
a year. It has just changed its name to one<br />
which more closely reflects its purpose: Toy<br />
Worlds Museum Basle.<br />
With more than 6000 teddy bears, dolls,<br />
toy grocers’ shops, doll’s houses and<br />
miniatures, the exhibition is the only one of<br />
its kind in Europe. <strong>The</strong> museum in the heart<br />
of Basle’s inner city, is home to the world’s<br />
largest collection of teddy bears, numbering<br />
more than 2500 in total.<br />
www.toy-worlds-museum-basle.ch<br />
Klimt 2012<br />
2012 marks the 150th anniversary of the<br />
birth of Gustav Klimt (1862-1918). <strong>The</strong> Kunsthistorisches<br />
Museum, Leopold Museum<br />
and Albertina in Vienna are all staging<br />
major exhibitions dedicated to the work of<br />
this great turn-of-the-century modernist<br />
pioneer.<br />
All change at the<br />
Liechtenstein Palace<br />
<strong>The</strong> Liechtenstein Palace has ceased its<br />
previous museum operations. <strong>The</strong> palace<br />
UK Top sellers<br />
will re-focus on events and pre-booked<br />
guided tours of the princely collections.<br />
<strong>The</strong> garden palace in Vienna’s ninth<br />
district has ceased opening to the public<br />
at fixed times. <strong>The</strong> permanent exhibition<br />
and the continuing program of temporary<br />
exhibitions can now be viewed by<br />
pre-booked groups only, with the palace<br />
refocusing on events and guided tours<br />
of the princely collections. As part of the<br />
changes, RestaurantRubens in the garden<br />
palace has closed.<br />
Feel-good family shows were the top<br />
favourites for coach tour operators last<br />
year according to figures from Encore Tickets. Encore’s top ten musical favourites for<br />
2011 included perennial hits such as Lion King, Wicked and Billy Elliot, but included<br />
new comers such as Ghost, the Wizard of Oz and of course, Shrek the Musical.<br />
A similar theme is reflected in the Play’s list with favourite War Horse at the top and<br />
Woman in Black coming in third, both of which are top movie blockbusters during 2012.<br />
Encore’s top sellers were:<br />
MUSICALS PLAYS ATTRACTIONS<br />
Jersey Boys War Horse RHS Chelsea Flower Show<br />
Lion King Railway Children Hampton Court Flower Show<br />
Ghost - <strong>The</strong> Musical Woman In Black RHS Garden Show Tatton Park<br />
Wicked 39 Steps Buckingham Palace<br />
Les Miserables Ladykillers, <strong>The</strong> Houses Of Parliament<br />
Wizard Of Oz Pitmen Painters, <strong>The</strong> London Eye<br />
Shrek <strong>The</strong> Musical Stomp RHS Show Cardiff<br />
Billy Elliot Mousetrap Bateaux Lunch Cruise<br />
© WienTourismus - Karl Thomas - Liechtenstein Museum<br />
<strong>The</strong> Liechtenstein city palace in the first<br />
district is undergoing comprehensive<br />
renovation, and will exhibit key classical<br />
and Biedermeier works from the princely<br />
collections. <strong>On</strong>ce renovation work is complete,<br />
the city palace, in tandem with the<br />
garden palace, will only be open for special<br />
events and group bookings. Palace rooms<br />
can be booked for events from 2013.<br />
Visitor Service Tel +43 1 319 57 67-153<br />
k.klopf-weiss@palaisliechtenstein.com<br />
Going for gold<br />
Yorkshire’s Great Houses, Castles and<br />
Gardens was established 17 years as a<br />
marketing consortium, representing 42 of<br />
the region’s castles, stately homes, abbeys<br />
and gardens.<br />
‘Going for Gold’ and<br />
‘Diamond Jubilee<br />
Celebrations’ are two key<br />
themes this year, Its guide<br />
shows over 40 great days<br />
out ideas in the region. With<br />
reviews, directions, opening<br />
times and full illustrations<br />
the guide provides a wealth<br />
of useful information<br />
about each attraction.<br />
To get your free copy of<br />
the new guide, log onto<br />
www.castlesandgardens.<br />
co.uk. More information<br />
at castlesandgardens@<br />
jopcommunications.com<br />
...continued<br />
Hastings’ new gallery<br />
A new £4-million art gallery opens in<br />
the English seaside town of Hastings in<br />
March. <strong>The</strong> Jerwood Gallery will display<br />
the Jerwood Foundation’s collection of<br />
20th and 21st century paintings, which<br />
will be on public display for the first<br />
time. www.jerwoodgallery.org<br />
Mauritshuis<br />
treasures move<br />
<strong>The</strong> Hague’s Mauritshuis is embarking on a<br />
collaboration with the Gemeentemuseum<br />
Den Haag. From 24 April 2012, around 70<br />
highlights from the Mauritshuis collection<br />
will go on display at the Gemeentemuseum<br />
for a about two years. <strong>The</strong> paintings<br />
include View of Delft by Johannes<br />
Vermeer, <strong>The</strong> Bull by Paulus Potter and <strong>The</strong><br />
<strong>An</strong>atomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp by<br />
Rembrandt van Rijn.<br />
<strong>The</strong> collaboration is the result of the<br />
Mauritshuis’s plans for expansion and<br />
renovation, which is due to take place<br />
between 2 April 2012 and mid-2014.<br />
Mauritshuis Director Emilie Gordenker said<br />
“We have always said that the core of the<br />
collection would remain on display in <strong>The</strong><br />
Hague during the Mauritshuis’s renovation.<br />
We are very happy that this will be at the<br />
Gemeentemuseum – two Hague museums<br />
combining forces so they can offer the<br />
public a magnificent combination of art.”<br />
Benno Tempel, Director of the Gemeentemuseum<br />
Den Haag: “As a result, <strong>The</strong> Hague<br />
will be home to Europe’s most beautiful<br />
museum.”<br />
www.mauritshuis.nl /<br />
www.gemeentemuseum.nl<br />
War Horse<br />
Mamma Mia Three Days In May Ideal Home Show<br />
Dreamboats and<br />
Petticoats<br />
Noises Off<br />
Zoo Lates!<br />
All group enquiries should go through to...<br />
the Groups department groups@encoretickets.co.uk or 020 7492 1525<br />
<strong>On</strong> the <strong>Road</strong> issue 201 Page 12
Options and Attractions news ...continued<br />
Buck Palace extended opening<br />
<strong>The</strong> dates for the 2012 annual Summer<br />
Opening of Buckingham Palace are 30<br />
June to 8 July and from 31 July until<br />
7 October. During the 22-day closure<br />
in July, <strong>The</strong> Queen, as Head of State,<br />
will host a number of events around<br />
the launch of the London 2012 Games.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Summer Opening of Buckingham<br />
Palace includes a visit to the 19 State<br />
Rooms and the special exhibition,<br />
‘Diamonds: A Jubilee Celebration’.<br />
<strong>The</strong> exhibition shows the many ways<br />
in which diamonds have been used<br />
by British monarchs over the last<br />
200 years. It includes a number of<br />
<strong>The</strong> Queen’s personal jewels – those<br />
inherited by Her Majesty or acquired<br />
during her reign.<br />
Throughout August and September,<br />
visitors may also join a guided tour<br />
of the State Rooms after the Palace<br />
has closed to visitors for the day. <strong>The</strong><br />
Exclusive Evening Tour introduces the<br />
history of the Palace and the works of<br />
art from the Royal Collection on display<br />
in the State Rooms. <strong>The</strong> tour ends with a<br />
glass of champagne on the West Terrace<br />
overlooking the famous garden.<br />
Alternatively, a visit to the State Rooms<br />
can be combined with a guided tour of<br />
the Palace garden. Described as ‘a walled<br />
oasis in the middle of London’, the<br />
garden boasts more than 350 types of<br />
wildflower, over 200 trees and a 3-acre<br />
lake. <strong>The</strong> Highlights Garden Tour includes<br />
the main features of the garden - the<br />
Herbaceous Border, the summer house<br />
and Rose Garden, the enormous Waterloo<br />
Vase and the Palace tennis court.<br />
Advance tickets and visitor information:<br />
www.royalcollection.org.uk or<br />
(+44) (0)20 7766 7300.<br />
Queen Victoria’s Small Diamond Crown, 1870, R.& S. Garrard<br />
NT 2012 Guide<br />
Group excursion planning couldn’t be<br />
simpler with the National Trust Groups<br />
Guide 2012 for England, Wales and<br />
Northern Ireland. <strong>The</strong> guide features<br />
all new highlights for 2012. <strong>An</strong>d if your<br />
group is looking for something a little<br />
bit different, the guide includes all the<br />
National Trust’s Special Interest Tours<br />
too. From behind the scenes to below<br />
stairs; Victorian kitchens and walled<br />
gardens; fine art and quirky ceramics;<br />
conservation in action to ghostly goings<br />
on; there is something to suit every taste.<br />
This year, new tours give visitors the<br />
opportunity to walk in the footsteps of<br />
famous film locations or get close to<br />
magnificent wildlife, plus much more.<br />
To get hold of your one-stop shop for<br />
planning a group day out, order your<br />
free copy of the Groups Guide 2012 by<br />
contacting the travel team directly on<br />
0844 800 2329*, or traveltrade@nationaltrust.org.uk.<br />
For more information,<br />
and to download a copy of ‘Where Next’,<br />
the newsletter for groups, visit www.<br />
nationaltrust.org.uk/groups.<br />
Warner Brothers<br />
opening<br />
<strong>The</strong> Studio Tour in London -‘<strong>The</strong> Making<br />
of Harry Potter’ is due to open on the<br />
31st March. <strong>The</strong> model of Hogwarts<br />
castle was revealed earlier this month.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Hogwarts castle model was built<br />
for the first film, Harry Potter and the<br />
Philosopher’s Stone. It took 86 artists<br />
and crew to construct the first version<br />
which was then rebuilt and altered many<br />
times over for the next seven films.<br />
<strong>The</strong> work was so extensive that if one<br />
was to add all the man hours that have<br />
gone into building and reworking the<br />
model, it would come to over 74 years.<br />
<strong>The</strong> model, which sits at nearly 50 feet<br />
in diameter, has over 2,500 fibre optic<br />
lights that simulate lanterns and torches<br />
and even gave the illusion of students<br />
passing through hallways in the films.<br />
To show off the lighting to full effect a<br />
day-to-night cycle will take place every<br />
four minutes so visitors to the Tour can<br />
experience its full beauty.<br />
To make the model appear even more<br />
realistic, artists rebuilt miniature versions<br />
of courtyards from Alnwick Castle and<br />
Durham Cathedral, where scenes from<br />
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone<br />
were shot.<br />
In addition to the Hogwarts castle model<br />
the attraction will contain some of the<br />
most iconic Harry Potter film series sets<br />
including the Great Hall, Diagon Alley,<br />
Dumbledore’s office, the Ministry of Magic,<br />
Harry Potter’s famous cupboard under the<br />
stairs, 4 Privet Drive, Gryffindor common<br />
room, the boys’ dormitory, the Potions<br />
classroom, Professor Umbridge’s office, the<br />
Weasley kitchen and the Hogwarts bridge.<br />
Tickets available through approved tour<br />
operators or www.wbstudiotour.co.uk<br />
Tickets will not be on sale at the attraction<br />
and spaces are limited.<br />
Queen’s Gallery Edinburgh<br />
A mysterious golden crown, the symbol<br />
of a long-lost empire, is to take centre<br />
stage in an exhibition to celebrate the<br />
Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.<br />
<strong>The</strong> crown was given to Queen Victoria<br />
by the President of Ecuador in 1862.<br />
Despite its name the origins of the ‘Inca<br />
Crown’ are unclear. All that is known for<br />
sure is that it was made by the Cafiari of<br />
southern Ecuador, a people who resisted<br />
the spread of the Inca Empire until the<br />
15th century.<br />
<strong>The</strong> crown will be displayed alongside<br />
more than a hundred treasures from<br />
the Royal Household collected over four<br />
centuries by successive monarchs.<br />
Opening with the magnificence of<br />
Renaissance paintings collected by<br />
Charles I, the exhibition moves through<br />
the glittering delights of the Royal<br />
Household’s Faberge silverware, before<br />
it comes up to date with Peter Blake’s<br />
depiction of Puck, and a compelling selfportrait<br />
by Lucian Freud.<br />
Along the way there are drawings by<br />
Michelangelo and Leonardo, and a pendant<br />
worn by Mary Queen of Scots.<br />
Also on display at the exhibitions, which<br />
opens at the Queen’s Gallery in Edinburgh,<br />
is a silver cup and lid given as a wedding<br />
present by Queen Elizabeth I more than<br />
500 years ago and bought back by the<br />
present Queen at auction in 1957.<br />
<strong>On</strong> the <strong>Road</strong> issue 201 Page 13
Options and Attractions ...continued<br />
Napoleon<br />
Napoleon Exhibition<br />
A collection of Napoleon’s personal belongings<br />
and his carriage, captured by Prussian<br />
troops on the eve of the Battle of Waterloo,<br />
has gone on show as an ensemble for the<br />
first time.<br />
<strong>The</strong> star of the exhibition, at the Musee de<br />
la Legion d’Honneur in Paris, is the carriage<br />
said to have been used by Napoleon to<br />
sleep and refresh between battles.<br />
Also on display are his hat and long grey<br />
coat, a sword, coins, jewels and an array of<br />
imperial medals and military decorations<br />
never before shown in France. <strong>The</strong> exhibition<br />
is open until July 8.<br />
For rent -<br />
the Wolf’s Lair<br />
<strong>The</strong> massive 32-acre fortified site is situated<br />
in a secluded forest in eastern Poland.<br />
During WWII it was part of Germany’s East<br />
Prussia. From 1941 to the end of 1944,<br />
because of its proximity to the Eastern<br />
Front, the Wolf’s Lair was the nerve centre<br />
of the Nazi war machine. <strong>The</strong> Nazis built<br />
huge bomb-proof bunkers at the base,<br />
which also housed 2,000 staff and security<br />
personnel.<br />
<strong>The</strong> base was the scene of the July 1944<br />
assassination attempt when a bomb<br />
concealed in a briefcase by Count Claus von<br />
Stauffenberg, just failed to kill Hitler during<br />
a staff meeting.<br />
Hitler’s life was saved by a chance decision<br />
to hold the meeting in an outbuilding rather<br />
than the usual confines of a bunker, and<br />
by the fact that the briefcase was moved<br />
away from the Nazi leader seconds before<br />
it exploded.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Polish Forestry service started looking<br />
for a tenant after the old 20-year lease<br />
expired. “<strong>The</strong>re is no way you can rebuild<br />
the bunkers,” said Zenon Piotrowicz, of<br />
the forestry service. “But we are concerned<br />
about having the place made more attractive<br />
to visitors, including the renovation of the<br />
hotel and restaurant.”<br />
Although retreating German forces dynamited<br />
most of the bunkers in November<br />
1944, their shattered shells remain a prime<br />
attraction with 180,000 visitors a year.<br />
<strong>An</strong>d it can be yours for £90,000 a year.<br />
Vatican & Rome<br />
A new card - <strong>The</strong> OMNIA Vatican & Rome<br />
allows visitors in three days to discover<br />
the religious and cultural heritage of the<br />
Eternal City. Includes visits to historically<br />
and spiritually significant basilicas and<br />
monuments, and the use of the Roma<br />
Cristiana Open Buses, as well as the city’s<br />
public transportation system. www.omniavaticanrome.org<br />
Milan of Leanardo<br />
It is now possible to purchase just one ticket<br />
to cover entry to “Leonardo’s Last Supper”<br />
in the Santa Maria delle Grazie Church, the<br />
Bramante’s vestry (a splendid example<br />
of Renaissance art hosting paintings by<br />
Leonardo, Botticelli, Caravaggio among<br />
others) and the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, a<br />
collection of original Leonardo’s Atlantic<br />
Code sketches. Price for all three venues is<br />
€26 www.ambrosiana.it<br />
Failed Hitler Assassination Attempt ~ July 20, 1944<br />
Faith Tourism news<br />
Avenue of Sphinxes<br />
<strong>The</strong> ancient Avenue of Sphinxes connecting<br />
Luxor and Karnak is to become open to the<br />
public this month.For thousands of years,<br />
the area has been linked to many powerful<br />
dynasties as well as to Egyptian gods. It once<br />
possessed a very deep spiritual and religious<br />
importance. For five years, a project has<br />
been under way to restore the once grand<br />
Avenue of Sphinxes.<br />
Luxor was once the city of <strong>The</strong>bes and the<br />
city of the god Amon-Ra. In the 15th century<br />
B.C. Queen Hatshepsut built six chapels<br />
there, dedicated to the god, that became<br />
part of the avenue, which was 2.7 km long<br />
and featured hundreds of sphinxes.<br />
Her aim was to stress the religious status<br />
of the city. In the 4th century B.C.Pharaoh<br />
Nectanebo I had the avenue reconstructed<br />
and rebuilt.<br />
For centuries,<br />
parts of the<br />
avenue<br />
have been<br />
visible, but the<br />
majority of the<br />
Avenue had<br />
been destroyed<br />
or covered<br />
in sand.<br />
A lifelong atheist himself, he suggests that<br />
one can enjoy the attributes of religion<br />
without subscribing to their doctrines, and<br />
thereby enjoy their “music, buildings, prayers,<br />
rituals, feasts, shrines” etc.<br />
Craig Brown wrote in <strong>The</strong> Mail on Sunday:<br />
“In his 20’s, de Botton suffered a ‘crisis of<br />
faithlessness’, brought on by exposure to<br />
the sublime art of Bach’s cantatas, Bellini’s<br />
Madonnas and Zen architecture. He felt that<br />
atheists, in their eagerness to get away from<br />
God had, ‘thrown the bathwater out with<br />
the baby’. This book is an attempt to scoop<br />
the bathwater back, “without as much as<br />
a backward glance at the baby. Personally<br />
I view de Botton in much the way he views<br />
religion – keep all the good bits, discard all the<br />
nonsense.”<br />
Stephen Cave of <strong>The</strong> Financial Times felt that:<br />
“This is a timely and perceptive appreciation of<br />
how much wisdom is embedded in religious<br />
traditions. De Botton admires communal<br />
prayer, ritual and religious art, along with the<br />
sense embodied in so many religions that man<br />
is a vulnerable, conflicted creature – not the<br />
rational, self-sufficient figure of our modern<br />
scientific view.”<br />
Chris Ramaswamy of the Scotland in Sunday<br />
said: “He thinks we should have ‘temples to<br />
perspective’, (very tall to make us feel small);<br />
Old synagogue<br />
wins award<br />
<strong>The</strong> Old Synagogue in Erfurt, Germany has<br />
been named as the best new European<br />
tourist project for 2011 by the British Guild of<br />
Travel Writers.<br />
‘Lost’ for centuries, the ‘Alte Synagoge’<br />
was rediscovered a decade or so ago in the<br />
capital of the German province of Thuringia.<br />
Now recognised as Central Europe’s oldest<br />
synagogue, this fine old building and its<br />
museum open a window into daily life 650<br />
years ago.<br />
Much of the structure survives, from the<br />
outer walls to the 13th century Gothic rose<br />
window. Inside, the museum (opened in<br />
October 2009) displays an extraordinary<br />
medieval treasure: 3,140 silver coins, 14<br />
silver ingots, 6,000 pieces of 13th<br />
and 14th century jewellery and<br />
an intricately worked wedding<br />
ring - one of only three known<br />
to survive in the world. New<br />
discoveries continue to be made.<br />
Last September the 13th century<br />
Mikveh (Jewish ritual bath)<br />
opened.http://alte-synagoge.<br />
erfurt.de<br />
<strong>The</strong> Wedding Ring, one of the many treasures<br />
of Erfurt. Photographer: <strong>An</strong>dreas Weise.<br />
Religion without God - de Botton<br />
museums with galleries devoted to love<br />
and suffering; and universities with<br />
departments for relationships. Inspired by<br />
the Eucharist, he has come up with the<br />
idea of ‘agape’ (divine love) restaurants,<br />
where strangers dine together and guidebooks<br />
coax them towards sincerity<br />
and tolerance.<br />
Quite bluntly John Carey in <strong>The</strong> Sunday<br />
Times asks, “Can de Botton be serious?<br />
Apparently he is! De Botton badly underestimates<br />
the strength and comfort that religions<br />
bring.”<br />
In <strong>The</strong> Guardian Terry Eagleton wrote, “<strong>The</strong><br />
work is impudent and unoriginal – people<br />
have been saying this for centuries. As a<br />
Christian I would rather read Dawkins or<br />
Hitchens.”<br />
But perhaps Dr. Diane Carpenter best<br />
summed up de Botton’s book when she<br />
wrote to <strong>The</strong> Times, “This reminds me of<br />
my then 8-year-old daughter declaring one<br />
Christmas that she no longer believed in Santa<br />
Claus. When confronted with the possibility<br />
of not receiving gifts she declared: ‘But I do<br />
believe in presents.’ She later studied philosophy<br />
of religion and ethics at university.”<br />
By Mary Holland<br />
<strong>On</strong> the <strong>Road</strong> issue 201 Page 14
Travel Industry news<br />
ECM 2nd edition launch<br />
Targeting travel operators and intermediaries,<br />
this digital brochure presents you<br />
with what you need to know about 36 city<br />
cards from 22 countries. <strong>The</strong> guide has<br />
been assembled by a collaboration of 36<br />
city tourism organisations working under<br />
the auspices of the European City Cards<br />
Knowledge Group.<br />
As well as offering a succinct overview of<br />
how the cards can work for operators and<br />
intermediaries, the e-brochure provides<br />
practical information, including details of<br />
commissions and contact details for each<br />
and every city.<br />
<strong>The</strong> travel trade will be able to make optimum<br />
use of city cards so as to create new<br />
business and at the same time enhance the<br />
customer experience.<br />
<strong>The</strong> cards offer free and/or discounted<br />
admission to leading visitor attractions,<br />
combined in many cases with public<br />
transport options, as well as discounts at<br />
shops, bars and restaurants.<br />
<strong>The</strong> cities and City Cards you can find out in<br />
the e-brochure are: Amsterdam, <strong>An</strong>twerp,<br />
Barcelona, Belfast, Berlin, Bruges, Brussels,<br />
Copenhagen, Dijon, Dublin, Dubrovnik,<br />
Geneva, Gijon, Gothenburg, Helsinki,<br />
Innsbruck, Krakow, Lisbon, Ljubljana,<br />
London, Lyon, Nantes, Nice, Nuremberg,<br />
Oslo, Prague, Reykjavik, Split, Stockholm,<br />
Tallinn, Turku, Valencia, Vienna, Vilnius,<br />
Zagreb, Zaragoza.<br />
<strong>The</strong> e-brochure is available for free here,<br />
on www.europeancitiesmarketing.com or<br />
by directly contacting individual cities. City<br />
Cards are also available on www.europeancitycards.com,<br />
and their mobile phone<br />
applications are downloadable for free at<br />
the Appstore and at the <strong>An</strong>droid Market.<br />
ECM digital brochure<br />
Groupon hits<br />
back<br />
<strong>The</strong> head of Groupon in the UK<br />
has rejected claims that major<br />
companies risk “trashing their<br />
brands” by working with the<br />
discount-deals site. MD Roy<br />
Blanga said: “Our model offers<br />
incremental sales to existing<br />
business - 50% of offers come<br />
from existing partners, so it is<br />
working for them.”<br />
Blanga’s retaliation came following<br />
comments from BA UK<br />
Head of Sales Richard Tams said:<br />
“Evidence of repeat purchases<br />
through Groupon is appalling.” Tui Travel<br />
specialist and activity sector Managing<br />
Director John Wimbleton said: “<strong>The</strong> danger<br />
with Groupon is you allow someone to trash<br />
your brand.”<br />
Blanga said: “Our offers are limited and<br />
unannounced. We target people who are<br />
not necessarily thinking of going, say, to<br />
Barcelona - so they think ‘if the price is right,<br />
why not? Companies are not cannibalising<br />
their own sales. It is incremental to existing<br />
business.” Blanga conceded: “<strong>The</strong> model<br />
could be brand damaging. You need to<br />
structure the offer right to make it work.”<br />
Groupon users sign up for daily offers<br />
according to where they live or work and<br />
subject areas such as food, beauty, travel<br />
and leisure. Offers consist of discount<br />
vouchers on the price of a product or<br />
service. <strong>The</strong>se may be for purchase on a<br />
set date or over a period, but the offers are<br />
available for just 24 hours.<strong>The</strong> deals site<br />
developed in the US and launched in the<br />
UK in 2010. It set up Groupon Travel and<br />
launched Groupon Getaways last year.<br />
Welcome Days<br />
for Greatdays<br />
UNWTO results 2011<br />
Greatdays Travel Group, the Cheshire based<br />
travel wholesaler and tour operator, in<br />
late 2011 acquired the day trips business<br />
“Welcome Days Out” from Bob and<br />
<strong>An</strong>ne Sanderson. Welcome Days Out was<br />
established in 1995 and operates a large<br />
programme of day trips around the North<br />
West of England and a Christmas event<br />
programme for groups offering clients a<br />
festive lunch with live entertainment.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Sandersons are continuing with<br />
Greatdays acting as consultants in the<br />
development of Greatdays UK day trip<br />
market. In addition Greatdays are currently<br />
strengthening their Day Trips team by<br />
recruiting a dedicated Day Trips Manager<br />
to be based at their Altrincham Head Office.<br />
Paul Beaumont Executive Director said<br />
“there are a couple of other interesting<br />
acquisition opportunities on the horizon for<br />
the future and hopefully these will bring<br />
International tourist arrivals grew by over 4% in 2011 to 980 million, according<br />
to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer. With growth expected to<br />
continue in 2012, at a somewhat slower rate, international tourist arrivals are on<br />
track to reach the milestone one billion mark later this year.<br />
International tourist arrivals grew by 4.4% in 2011 to a total 980 million, up<br />
from 939 million in 2010, in a year characterised by a stalled global economic<br />
recovery, major political changes in the Middle East and North Africa and natural<br />
disasters in Japan. By region, Europe (+6%) was the best performer, while<br />
by subregion South-America (+10%) topped the ranking. Contrary to previous<br />
years, growth was higher in advanced economies (+5.0%) than in emerging<br />
ones (+3.8%), due largely to the strong results in Europe, and the setbacks in<br />
the Middle East and North Africa. http://mkt.unwto.org/en/barometer<br />
John Beaumont, Bob Sanderson, Paul Beaumont, <strong>An</strong>ne Sanderson, <strong>An</strong>dy Beard<br />
further diversity and strength to our product<br />
range for the benefit of our clients”.<br />
Tour Providers has moved<br />
Coach tour wholesaler Tour Providers have<br />
moved to larger premises in Worcester.<br />
Tour Providers have now set up tours for<br />
over 120 coach operators to 13 countries.<br />
Additional help has been given with copywriting,<br />
itinerary planning, market research<br />
and brochure printing. Tel: 01905 312385<br />
Fax: 01905 501177<br />
E-mail: tourproviders@tiscali.co.uk<br />
National Trust of Scotland<br />
NTS are holding their 2011 group rates at<br />
85% of their historic visitor attractions until<br />
31 December 2013. Group rates can save<br />
you up to 40% on standard admission<br />
prices. For more information email<br />
traveltrade@nts.org.uk<br />
Windsor Castle by Bike<br />
Mind <strong>The</strong> Gap Tours are offering a new<br />
Windsor Castle by Bike day tour.<br />
<strong>The</strong> ride is suitable for all ages and ability,<br />
offering guaranteed departures and small<br />
groups. Groups will meet in central London<br />
before taking a short train ride to the heart of<br />
the English countryside. Using easy-to-ride<br />
vintage-style bikes with bells and optional<br />
baskets, the morning ride is traffic-free and<br />
gentle (under 12km), allowing visitors to<br />
enjoy the gourmet & historic sites en-route.<br />
After a traditional English pub lunch, the<br />
afternoon is spent inside the amazing Windsor<br />
Castle. <strong>The</strong> £69 ticket includes return train<br />
transport from central London, an English<br />
speaking guide, bike hire, entrance to Windsor<br />
Castle and a complimentary audio guide.<br />
For more information<br />
email info@mindthegaptours.com<br />
<strong>On</strong> the <strong>Road</strong> issue 201 Page 15
European Eccentrics<br />
Ewes in brief<br />
We’ve had Babe, the movie about a sheep pig. Now meet Champis, the dwarf rabbit<br />
who also thinks he’s a sheepdog. Champis learnt to round up sheep by watching<br />
border collies on a farm in Ornskoldsvik, Sweden, and his skills have been admired by<br />
more than 700,000 people in one week on YouTube.<br />
“He has learnt these skills himself; we had nothing to do with it,” said farmer Greta<br />
Vigren. “He has seen the dogs doing it. Champis thinks he is the king of the farm. He just<br />
likes to be in charge.”<br />
<strong>An</strong>d it’s all over ewe known!<br />
<strong>The</strong> world’s oldest sheep, Methuselina, has fallen off a cliff on the Scottish island of<br />
Lewis. She died a month short of her 26th birthday. Her owner, John Maciver, said<br />
“She passed away and I wouldn’t say peacefully.”<br />
Scotland’s<br />
dimmest thief<br />
A teenager has earned the reputation as<br />
‘Scotland’s dimmest thief’. He broke into his<br />
neighbour’s house and stole a distinctive<br />
stripy top and was seen wearing it at home<br />
an hour after committing the crime. Jarnie<br />
Alexander, 18, admitted theft.<br />
His victim, Jason Rendall, told Stirling sheriff<br />
court: “I walked in after work and noticed<br />
there was a hole in the window. <strong>The</strong>re were<br />
only cables where the television had been. I<br />
went into the garden, looked at my neighbour’s<br />
house and there he was - wearing my<br />
jumper and trying to tune in my TV. He was<br />
also wearing my jeans, so I knew he was the<br />
thief. I was really angry but I had to laugh at<br />
his stupidity!”<br />
<strong>On</strong>e<br />
sexexpresso please<br />
A barista who started serving customers in<br />
risqué outfits to increase trade has caused<br />
deep divisions in her local town of Bagnolo<br />
Mella, Italy.<br />
Laura Maggi’s ‘marketing plan’ has proved<br />
highly popular with men, who travel from<br />
over a 100 kilometres away to get a glimpse<br />
of her. As a result, the roads have become<br />
so congested that the mayor of Bagnola<br />
Mella has threatened to bring in a by-law to<br />
limit the traffic.<br />
But local women are apparently furious;<br />
pointing out that Bagnolo Mella is a<br />
respectable town. <strong>The</strong> mayor laughingly<br />
said she has banned her own husband from<br />
visiting Laura’s bar, but she would like to<br />
know why he wants to go there.<br />
Laura herself says she is bemused by the<br />
fuss. “It’s not like I’m nude. Sure, I wear short<br />
skirts and bra-tops but nothing worse than<br />
that. I am a single mother with two children<br />
- what do these people expect me to do -<br />
sell cocaine?”<br />
London’s moved<br />
<strong>The</strong> American news channel CNN has<br />
apologised for featuring a map of Britain on<br />
which London was placed 100 miles away<br />
in Norfolk.<br />
“CNN apologises for a map error, which shifted<br />
London from its correct location,” said the TV<br />
station.<br />
<strong>An</strong>d...<br />
<strong>On</strong>-the-job training<br />
Dozens of Australian men have applied for a<br />
£50,000-a-year job testing brothels.<br />
Lyonswood Investigations, a private detective<br />
agency, is advertising for single men to<br />
expose illegal prostitution.<br />
“Some jobs require the offering of sexual<br />
services,” said Lachlan Jarvis of Lyonswood.<br />
“Some actually require the partaking of<br />
sexual services ... because it is considered the<br />
most convincing evidence. We had dozens; if<br />
not more than that, apply. It was certainly a<br />
popular position.”<br />
Italians tire of boars<br />
<strong>The</strong> seaside town of Alassio, on Italy’s<br />
Ligurian coast, has lost patience with dozens<br />
of wild boars that have taken up residence in<br />
the town; the authorities have told hunters<br />
to shoot to kill. Initially seen as charming<br />
visitors, the boars lost their appeal after causing<br />
traffic accidents, destroying gardens and<br />
scaring children and members of the public.<br />
By coincidence, boar meat is a delicacy in<br />
Liguria!.<br />
Batman or Joker?<br />
A former convict is hoping to turn his life<br />
around by dressing up as Batman and<br />
patrolling the streets of his town.<br />
Zoltan Kohari, 26, goes out in Dunajska<br />
Streda, Slovakia - dressed in his homemade<br />
Batman outfit to tidy up, help old<br />
people and alert police to crime.<br />
In return, his neighbours give him food. “I<br />
have decided to do good for the people,” he<br />
said. “I take care of order and help clean up.”<br />
<strong>An</strong>d in China you can<br />
literally “Shop ‘till you<br />
drop”<br />
Customer Li Wen walked out of a shop door<br />
marked exit and suddenly found herself<br />
clinging to the door handle and dangling<br />
over a 25ft drop. “I thought it was a quick<br />
way out of the shop,” said Li, 26, “but I didn’t<br />
realise how quick.”<br />
Lu Fen, the owner of the shop in Tianjin, said<br />
the door was an emergency exit and ‘Health<br />
and Safety’ regulations said it had to stay<br />
unlocked. It should have had stairs but the<br />
builders had left without providing any.<br />
“<strong>The</strong>ir contract said one emergency exit in<br />
shop, but it didn’t specify any stairs, so they<br />
were never built,” she said. “I try to keep an eye<br />
on customers but on a busy day it’s not easy.”<br />
No pyjamas<br />
A benefits office in Dublin has warned<br />
claimants against turning up in pyjamas.<br />
‘Pyjamas are not regarded as appropriate<br />
attire when attending Community Welfare<br />
Service,’ reads a sign at Damastown social<br />
welfare office.<br />
UFO!!!!!!<br />
A man spotted a UFO hovering above his<br />
home and did what anyone else would do,<br />
he called 999. “It was coming towards us,<br />
at first I thought it was an aeroplane, but<br />
now it is just hovering over us with all these<br />
lights on, I don’t know what the hell it is” he<br />
told officers at the emergency services at<br />
Hertfordshire police control office.<br />
He called back a couple of minutes later,<br />
apologised as he had now identified the<br />
frightening object – as the moon<br />
No dying - by order<br />
Exceeding his authority slightly, the mayor<br />
of an Italian town has banned residents from<br />
dying. Giulio Cesare Fava said there was no<br />
more room in the cemetery of Falciano del<br />
Massico, north of Naples, and issued the<br />
following order:<br />
“It is forbidden for residents to go beyond the<br />
boundaries of earthly life and to go into the<br />
afterlife”. According to the newspaper La<br />
Stampa, two residents are currently in breach<br />
of the order.<br />
Paw Pamela<br />
Pamela<br />
Followed in her owner’s footsteps and<br />
boarded a train in her Tuscan hometown<br />
of Arezzo on Monday, headed towards the<br />
Emilia-Romagna capital of Bologna.<br />
Unlike previous journeys, she was all on<br />
her own.<br />
<strong>The</strong> female pooch walked herself to the<br />
train station in the town’s centre, waited on<br />
the appropriate platform at the right time,<br />
then boarded the regional line towards the<br />
home town of her owner’s girlfriend, seated<br />
in the carriage she habitually took with her<br />
human companion.<br />
After the dog disappeared during a walk,<br />
Luca, the dog’s owner, plastered his<br />
hometown of Arezzo with fliers and posted<br />
‘missing’ bulletins on Twitter and Facebook.<br />
Three sleepless nights later, the owner was<br />
contacted by an animal shelter in Florence<br />
where train staff left Pamela after noticing<br />
the unaccompanied dog on the train.<br />
<strong>The</strong> canine was identified thanks to her<br />
microchip and the four-day search ended<br />
happily when the tawny Labrador mix was<br />
returned safely to her owner.<br />
“We can finally sleep in peace now that she is<br />
back,” said the dog’s elated owner.<br />
Classified. Mad<br />
<strong>The</strong>se are classified ads, which were actually<br />
placed in U.K. Newspapers:<br />
• FREE YORKSHIRE TERRIER. 8 years old.<br />
Hateful little bastard bites!<br />
•FREE PUPPIES.1/2 Cocker Spaniel, 1/2<br />
sneaky neighbour’s dog.<br />
•FREE PUPPIES. Mother is a Kennel Club<br />
registered German Shepherd. Father is<br />
a Super Dog, able to leap tall fences in a<br />
single bound.<br />
•COWS, CALVES: NEVER BRED. Also 1 gay<br />
bull for sale.<br />
•JOINING NUDIST COLONY! Must sell<br />
washer and dryer £100.<br />
•WEDDING DRESS FOR SALE . Worn once<br />
by mistake. Call Stephanie.<br />
<strong>An</strong>d the WINNER is...<br />
•FOR SALE BY OWNER. Complete set of<br />
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 45 volumes.<br />
Excellent condition, £200 or best offer. No<br />
longer needed, got married, wife knows<br />
everything.<br />
Italian babe<br />
<strong>On</strong> the <strong>Road</strong> issue 201 Page 16
GRAZ 2012<br />
Advent is coming!<br />
With its normal and to be<br />
expected efficiency, Graz<br />
has finalised details for the<br />
plethora of options for its<br />
Advent season. This lovely<br />
City really comes alive for<br />
the festive season.<br />
THE HIGHLIGHTS:<br />
Advent Calendar<br />
Every evening the Graz City Hall is transformed into a<br />
giant Advent calendar. From December 1st, Advent motifs<br />
projected onto the façade prepare the way for Christmas.<br />
4.30p.m. to midnight.<br />
Christmas Markets<br />
<strong>The</strong> Graz Christmas markets in the picturesque Old Town<br />
(Franziskanerviertel, Faerberplatz, Mariahilferplatz,<br />
Mehlplatz, Glockenspielplatz and Hauptplatz) all lie<br />
within comfortable walking distance of each other.<br />
Christmas Market<br />
in front of the City Hall - Hauptplatz<br />
Each year a small village square iscreated, offering<br />
something for every taste: from traditional handicrafts<br />
to treats for body and spirit. <strong>The</strong> children’s carousel<br />
has become a much-loved tradition, as is the<br />
“Feuerzangenbowle”, a fire tongs punch bowl.<br />
23rd November – 24th December 2012<br />
Traditional Christmas Market<br />
in the Franciscan Quarter<br />
Here is the oldest Christmas market in Graz.<br />
Styrian handicrafts, farm-produced specialities,<br />
punch and mulled wine provide heart-warming<br />
cheer. At the entrance to the church - a carousel,<br />
toys and nativity scene, complete with real<br />
sheep, makes kids and adults eyes light up.<br />
23rd November – 24th December 2012<br />
Arts and Crafts Market on Faerberplatz<br />
<strong>The</strong> Styrian Arts and Crafts Initiative has been<br />
running this market for over 25 years. - no<br />
longer a secret rendezvous. For lovers of genuine<br />
handicrafts made from cloth, clay, wood, metal,<br />
paper, wax and glass. A great tip for connoisseurs.<br />
30th November – 23rd December 2012<br />
Christmas Stands at the Eiserne Tor<br />
(in the centre of the pedestrian zone)<br />
<strong>The</strong> glühwein stands at the Eiserne Tor has<br />
become THE place to meet during Advent.<br />
Proceeds go to a good cause. Advent-Treff stands<br />
are all run by charitable organisations.<br />
23rd November – 23rd December 2012<br />
Crafts from all over the World on Tummelplatz<br />
For over 15 years now, Tummelplatz has attracted<br />
a colourful gathering of artisans, bohemians and<br />
globetrotters selling an equally colourful selection of<br />
glassware, silver, candles and wax, pottery, joss-sticks,<br />
cloth and much more. <strong>The</strong>ir stands are set up on a<br />
daily basis and so the market changes constantly.<br />
19th November – 23rd December 2012<br />
Christmas Market<br />
on Glockenspielplatz and Mehlplatz<br />
New 2012 - “Wonderlend” on Mariahilferplatz<br />
Christmas in Lend, the new creative hub of Graz, adopts<br />
art and creativity as its theme for the first time this year.<br />
A forest of Christmas trees designed by young artists<br />
and light angels are set to create a relaxed atmosphere.<br />
Visitors will enjoy the DJ line-ups serving up a chilled-out<br />
scene on Mariahilferplatz. <strong>The</strong> pavilion at the heart of the<br />
Christmas tree forest will provide punch, alcohol-free hot<br />
drinks and also beer and the Graz lemonade “Makava”.<br />
23rd November – 23rd December 2012<br />
Children’s Christmas Market Kleine Neutorgasse<br />
A village of 1,000 lights, with a carousel, a nostalgic big<br />
wheel and toys – a little paradise! Every Wednesday:<br />
Children’s Day (discounted rides on the carousel,<br />
big wheel etc.)<br />
23rd November – 23rd December 2012<br />
Christmas Market<br />
at the new Joanneum’s Quarter<br />
A new, urban location for modern art and culture<br />
in the heart of Graz. During Advent the architecture<br />
of the inner courtyard, adds luminous Christmas<br />
market stalls and culinary treats.<br />
23rd November – 23rd December 2012<br />
“Aufsteirern” Christmas Market on Schlossberg<br />
Yet another Christmas Market in the City Centre. Ride<br />
on the Schlossbergbahn funicular railway. Visitors can<br />
warm up in the Schlossberg Restaurant, where all<br />
manner of tasty treats. Dates tba<br />
Ice Nativity Scene in the Landhaus Courtyard<br />
<strong>The</strong> well-known ice sculptor Gert J. Hoedl and his<br />
international ice-sculpting team will create a magical<br />
Christmas nativity scene out of ice in the Landhaus<br />
Graztourismus - Hans Wiesenhofer<br />
courtyard again in 2012. Made with about 50 tons<br />
of crystal-clear ice, the crib is sure to be an amazing<br />
– if short-lived – work of art again this year.<br />
Start of work: Fri 22nd Nov / Completion: Sat 1st Dec, 2012<br />
<strong>The</strong> Office for Christmas Carols...<br />
...A unique service run by the Styrian Center for Folk<br />
Music in Graz, offering information on Christmas songs,<br />
texts and tunes. <strong>The</strong>ir motto is “really singing again”,<br />
because “everyone can sing!” and with this aim they<br />
provide a free range of around ten thousand songs, texts,<br />
poems, tunes and sayings that are just waiting to be sung,<br />
read, listened to and enjoyed by family and friends.<br />
Over 1,100 visitors come in person not to mention<br />
countless requests by phone and email from Austria<br />
and abroad. <strong>An</strong>d if you want to find out how it<br />
should really sound you can even have it sung to<br />
you, so that you get it just right on Christmas eve!<br />
3rd – 23rd December 2012 – Mon-Sat<br />
10a.m. to 6p.m., Sporgasse 23<br />
Christmas Train<br />
Travel through the Graz Old Town in the comfort and<br />
warmth of the little Advent train! <strong>The</strong> ‘track’ runs from<br />
the Hauptplatz through the city centre at the familyfriendly<br />
price of € 1,50 for adults and € 1,00 for children<br />
23rd November – 24th December 2012, daily 11a.m. –7 p.m.<br />
By Karen Kelly-Moore<br />
To talk about your<br />
group requirements:<br />
For detailed information on Christmas Markets<br />
and all events around Christmas please visit our<br />
website: www.adventingraz.at/en<br />
Graz Tourist Office / Incoming<br />
Department<br />
Tel.: 0043/316-8075-59<br />
Fax: 0043/316-8075-35<br />
e-mail: touristik@graztourismus.at<br />
<strong>Website</strong>: www.incoming.graz.at/en<br />
<strong>On</strong> the <strong>Road</strong> issue 201 Page 17
Concerts<br />
Gifts/Souvenirs/Hotels<br />
Restaurants<br />
Crystal & Glass<br />
Motorway Restaurants<br />
Museums<br />
Restaurants<br />
Shopping<br />
Museums<br />
Gifts/Souvenirs<br />
Perfumerie/Museum/Boutique<br />
Gifts/Museums<br />
Travel<br />
Gifts/Souvenirs/Leather<br />
Souvenirs/Restaurant<br />
Museums<br />
Clothing<br />
Shopping<br />
Watches/Jewellery/Gifts<br />
Associations<br />
“We Welcome Groups”<br />
Page 18