Selling Travel June 19

JUNE 2019 • SELLINGTRAVEL.CO.UK 

TRAVEL TRADE PUBLICATION OF THE YEAR 2018 

HOME 

GROWN 

Demand for UK holidays is up, 

but many travellers don't know 

agents can offer staycations too 

Be inspired 

RIVER 

CRUISING 

Page 81 

how to sell... 

Abu Dhabi 

Indochina 

New Zealand 

Indian Ocean for wellness 

and more...

Fly to Latin America 

with Air Europa 

Discover the wonders of Latin 

America and experience some 

of the most diverse landscapes 

and vibrant cities in the world. 

Choose from a range of over 

20 destinations from London 

Gatwick via Madrid

contents 3 

this issue 

WE TRAVEL FURTHER TO BRING YOU MORE 

FEATURES 

08 Indochina: A tantalising 

trio for multi-centres 

22 E-Learning: The very 

latest online training 

30 Indian Ocean: A focus 

on wellness breaks 

40 Abu Dhabi: Cash in on 

culture with the opening 

of the Louvre 

44 UK Holidays: Why the 

staycation is still strong 

66 New Zealand: How to 

sell to the niche markets 

75 US Space attractions: 

Why 2019 is the year to 

go to infinity and beyond 

44 

40 71 

8 

28 

50 

30 

66 

QUICK READS 

28 My journey: Malaysia 

43 6 of the best: Quirky 

wedding ideas 

50 Introducing: Davao 

City, Philippines 

71 48 hours in: Hong Kong 

TALKING SHOP 

13 Competitions, agent 

opinions, fams and 

DNSW Roadshow report 

THE REVIEW 

53 News, show reports and 

an Experience Latin 

America event preview 

HONG KONG 

71 

ABU DHABI 

40 

INDOCHINA 

8 

SPACE ACTIVITIES 

75 

RIVER CRUISING 

81 River cruise trends 

90 New beginnings: 

What's new on the water 

94 Five: River cruise suites 

98 At a glance: Essential 

guide to river cruise 

NEW ZEALAND 

66 


81 

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e-magazine published by SMP Training Co. 

and based in British Columbia, Canada. The 

latter online publication focuses exclusively on 

sales skills and all aspects of professional 

selling within the travel and tourism sectors. 

To benefit from this travel industry sales 

training resource visit sellingtravel.net 

sellingtravel.co.uk

WINNER 

TRADE PUBLICATION OF 

THE YEAR – PRINT & ONLINE 

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DEPUTY EDITOR 

welcome 

I 

t struck me, as I was dancing with a cowboy at midnight in 

Cody, Wyoming last month, that simply hanging out with the 

locals is the best way to really experience a different culture. 

I was in the state with seven travel agents for a week-long tour which 

you can read about later this summer in a supplement which will 

document our journey. 

And what a tour it was! We experienced truly awe-inspiring scenery at 

every turn, but top of my list are the snow-topped peaks of the Tetons 

and the little-known Flaming Gorge Scenic Byway, with its red rock 

canyon and vast sea of rolling sage brush. 

Wildlife spots, in Yellowstone and beyond, included soaring ospreys 

and eagles, lumbering grizzly bears, big horn sheep, hairy bison and 

one lonely otter. 

We ate an awful lot of meat and tasted many varieties of craft beer; 

we immersed ourselves in the history of the Old West, in all its gun-slinging, whiskey 

guzzling glory. But standing at the bar and talking to Jerome, a 

real cowboy, in town to buy a horse, is 

what I'll remember most 

of all. 

It seems this kind 

of experience is what 

travellers are looking 

for and agents who can 

point them in the right 

direction – to the truly 

local bar or the hiking trail 

which avoids the crowds – 

may well find themselves 

getting more business. 

Our 48 Hours in Hong 

Kong feature (page 71) 

covers some of its lesserknown 

neighbourhoods 

– proving that even well 

trodden places evolve and 

there is always more to learn. 

I attended the Destination 

New South Wales UK Roadshow last month and found many of the Aussie suppliers talking about 

how their tours or hotels offer local insights - you can read about that on page 14. 

This month we have a special section dedicated to river cruising, one of the fastest-growing 

sectors in travel and one which has always sold itself as a way to access local culture. Turn to page 

81 to discover exotic new ports of call, revolutionary new ships committed to balancing luxury 

with environmental concerns and much more. 

Enjoy this issue and the start of the British summer – according to my colleague Jessica, writing 

about UK holidays on page 44, we're in for a long and hot one again. I do hope she's right! 

WITH THIS ISSUE 

Florida Official Travel Guide: 

This year's edition focuses on the experiences rather than just the destination, 

whether that's wildlife encounters, fine dining or designer shopping. Get some bright 

ideas for two-centre holidays, romantic spots or festivals. Learn how to sell Florida for 

LGBTQ clients, culture vultures or families looking for fun.

The countdown is on… 

It’s only a month until 

Spirit of Discovery sets sail 

on her maiden voyage 

• No more than 999 guests • All cabins have a private balcony 

• Included chauffeur service up to 250 miles 

• Speciality dining at no extra charge 

Book online at sagaagents.co.uk, call FREE on 0800 074 8021 

or contact Agency Sales FREE on 0800 068 8732 

Visit our new online training platform at sagaexperts.co.uk 

Find us on social media Saga Trade Team 

Saga holidays are for anyone aged 50+. A travel companion may be 40+. NTA-AP6050

the big picture 7 

Costa Rica 

Victory for tree 

huggers 

Costa Rica could be the first country 

to achieve zero emissions by 2050. Its 

new National Decarbonisation Plan 

aims to establish an integrated waste 

management system, zero emission 

public transport and a focus on 

nature-based solutions to ensure that 

Costa Rica, which houses 5% of the 

world’s biodiversity, will protect its 

wildlife and forests for years to come. 

visitcostarica.com/uk 

sellingtravel.co.uk

8 

Indochina 

Vietnam 

Cambodia 

Laos 

sellingtravel.co.uk

Indochina 9 

three of a 

Kind 

HIEP NGUYEN 

Culturally rich, scenically beautiful and 

numbering idyllic beaches and a raft of new 

luxury hotels among other attractions, the 

countries of Indochina deserve an extended 

look, says Kathryn Liston 

It’s virtually pitch-black as we leap off 

the wooden fishing boat and plunge 

into the warm sea - but that’s how 

we want it, the darker the better. 

I move my arms and legs rapidly through 

the water. No, I’m not drowning, just 

witnessing the amazing light show that 

erupts before my snorkel-masked eyes. 

Darting shards of gold and electric blue light 

dance all over my limbs - it’s like a starry sky 

all around me. Only visible in the dark, the 

bioluminescent plankton glow when the 

water is disturbed.The more rapidly I thrash, 

the brighter the light display. 

The experience is so mesmerising that 

we have to be called 

waters and beachside barbecues where we 

dine on sea bass and barracuda with the 

sand between our toes. Bliss. 

Moving on up 

New luxury island resorts are contributing 

to Cambodia’s growing success as a 

standalone destination. 

Lucy Howard, Marketing Executive at 

Exsus Travel, says that exciting new hotels 

such as Alila Villas Koh Russey, Six Senses 

Krabey Island and Shinto Mani Wild, have 

moved Cambodia from being a “book-end 

tour location” to a “sole destination in its 

own right,” while existing hotels have also 

had to up their game. 

from the boat to “Visit quaint fishing Chris Greener, 

return to shore. The 

Senior Southeast Asia 

village Hoi An, join a 

engine thrums as we 

Product Executive 

market tour and cooking 

are whisked back to 

at InsideAsia Tours, 

the soft powder-white class and sample its agrees: “Cambodia is 

sands of Saracen Bay, 

the main resort of 

signature cao lau 

noodles and white-rose 

now seen much more 

as a full destination, 

Samloem, a Robinson- 

rather than just the 

dumplings” 

Crusoe-like island in the 

historical Siem Reap 

Richard Keeling, Pettitts Travel 

Koh Rong archipelago, 

add-on to Vietnam 

an hour’s flight from 

Siem Reap. 

Samloem is the perfect place to kick back 

bare-foot on pretty-much deserted beaches. 

Sister island, Koh Rong, the filming location 

for TV show Survivor, is far busier with 

backpackers and party bars. 

There are no roads on Samloem, just 

white-powder sands, turquoise bath-warm 

or Thailand. With the 

wealth of idyllic Cambodian island beach 

options, the increase in exposure and 

high-end properties in Phnom Penh and the 

improved road network, Cambodia is an 

incredible country to spend two weeks in.” 

Mekong river cruises are also selling 

strongly, particularly between Saigon 

(Vietnam) and Siem Reap (Cambodia). 

sellingtravel.co.uk

10 

Indochina 

LUANG PRABAG NIGHT MARKET, LAOS 

explore 

BUDDHIST TEMPLE IN PHNOM PENH 

PHOTO BY MANDY FRANCIS 

HOI AN SNACKS 

Cruises in the Mekong Delta and 

northern Mekong in Laos also feature. 

John Warr, Global Head of Sales at Wendy 

Wu Tours, says cruises on its new ship 

Mekong Victoria are “in high demand” for 

2020. “Shorter itineraries give clients a more 

immersive experience and with our current 

free upper deck cabin upgrade offer, we’re 

certain sales will continue to grow,” he says. 

Filippos Venetopoulous, General Manager 

for Intrepid’s Adventure Cruise, says the 

operator expanded its adventure cruises 

to Southeast Asia at the end of last year. 

“We are the only small ship operator in this 

region and as clients start looking for more 

authentic and sustainable ways to travel, 

our ships offer a greener alternative to a 

traditional cruise,” he says. 

Cambodia 

The magnificent Angkor temples, relics of 

the once-great Khmer Empire, in bustling 

Siem Reap are a big draw along with Phnom 

Penh, where the Killing Fields are a sober 

reminder of the brutal Khmer Rouge era. 

The Koh Rong archipelago’s beautiful 

islands off the coast of rapidly developing 

Sihanoukville offer a relaxing laid-back vibe. 

New Private island resort Alila Villas Koh 

Russey (alilahotels.com) offers experiences like a 

pepper and wildlife tour and Khmer cooking 

class ($95 each), and new Six Senses Krabey 

Island (sixsenses.com) features 40 villas with 

private plunge pools, an organic market 

farm and herb garden, and an observatory 

with an astronomical telescope and 

stargazing sessions led by an expert. 

New to the Cardamom Mountains is the 

Bensley Collection’s luxury tented Shinto 

Mani Wild (shintamani.com/wild.php), which offers 

patrols with Wildlife Alliance rangers, a 

380-metre zip-line to access the camp, 

trekking, foraging with the chef, and 

waterfall-side spa treatments. 

Bamboo Travel (bambootravel.co.uk) has

Indochina 11 

history 

ANGKOR WAT SIEM REAP 

PHOTO BY MANDY FRANCIS 

introduced electric bikes so clients can 

explore the Temples of Angkor with ease. 

E-bike tours can be added to existing 

itineraries such as the 11-day Highlights 

of Cambodia which visits Phnom Penh, 

Battambang, Udong and Sambor Pre-Kuk. 

Avani Hotels (avanihotels.com) has opened the 

60-room French colonial-style FCC Angkor 

by Avani - its first property in Siem Reap. 

Laos 

Culturally rich and incredibly beautiful, 

Laos offers a more relaxed experience 

than its neighbours. The former royal 

capital of Luang Prabang and its present 

capital, Vientiane, boast gilded temples and 

charming French colonial architecture - plus 

great French bread and coffee too. 

Scenic gems include Vang Vieng on the 

Nam Song River and southern Laos with its 

impressive waterfalls and temple Wat Phu, 

which pre-dates Angkor Wat. The remote 

north features colourful hill-tribes, dense 

jungle and mountainous scenery. 

Avani Hotels & Resorts (avanihotels.com) 

has opened its first property in Laos, the 

53-room Avani+ Luang Prabang close to 

the Royal Palace and night market. It offers 

“I recommend Nam Et Phou 

Louey, north-east Laos, for 

challenging trekking, the Pu 

Luong nature reserve, 

Vietnam, for walking and 

stunning vistas and Koh 

Rong for an island escape” 

Chris Greener, InsideAsia Tours 

visits to waterfalls, cooking classes and 

daily and overnight Mekong River cruises 

onboard the two-cabin Gypsy. 

Vietnam 

Attractions run fom Sapa’s lush valleys and 

Halong Bay’s mesmerising limestone islands 

in the north to the fertile Mekong Delta 

in the south, plus: charming Hue with its 

Nguyen dynasty tombs, elegant Hoi An with 

its UNESCO-rated Old Town, and the historic 

Cu Chi tunnels, a relic of the Vietnam war. 

Intrepid (intrepidtravel.com) has added a 15-day 

Vietnam cruise to its Adventure Cruising 

collection which includes a visit to the caves 

in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. 

Avani Hotels (avanihotels.com) will open three 

new properties in the country by 2022 in 

Vung Tau, Saigon and Cam Ranh, the latter 

featuring 315 private pool villas 

The new Anantara Quy Nhon Villas (anantara. 

com) on the south central coast offers 26 

luxury villas with private pools and in-room 

butler services. 

Fusion Resorts (fusionresorts.com) has opened 

the Hideaway at Fusion Resort Cam Ranh, 

now manages the Alba Wellness Valley in 

Hue and will open The Darwin - A Fusion 

Original hotel in Saigon and Fusion Resort 

Quang Binh, in 2020; 

The luxury Melia Ho Tram Beach Resort 

opened in April. 

Grasshopper Adventures (grasshopperadventures. 

com) has a nine-day Mekong Bike and Boat 

adventure onboard RV Toum Tiou, starting in 

Ho Chi MInh City and finishing in Siem Reap. 

Where to book it 

WENDY WU – 0808 239 2197 

A 23-day tour of Laos, Vietnam and 

Cambodia is priced from £4,490pp and 

includes a cruise on Victoria Mekong, flights, 

tours, four-star accommodation and all 

meals. Departures start in February 2020. 

wendywutours.co.uk/agents 

VIETNAMESE STYLE 

TOMAS MALIK 

culture 

THAM KONG LO CAVE, LAOS

12 

spotlight on 

Talking... 

Ritz- 

Carlton 

In conversation with Cristiano Moulin, Associate Director of 

Marketing & Communications at The Ritz-Carlton, Ras Al Khaimah 

Tell us about your two Ritz-Carlton 

Q resorts in Ras Al Khaimah. They are 

both ideal holiday destinations. Whether 

clients are looking for a beach break 

or secluded desert dune retreat, the 

properties have every traveller covered. 

One is set among desert dunes and the 

other is on the Gulf’s blue shores, just 45 

minutes from Dubai. 

On a 500-hectare nature reserve, 

with private infinity-pool 

villas, The Ritz-Carlton Ras 

Al Khaimah, Al Wadi 

Desert is home to 

indigenous wildlife 

and offers wellbeing, 

adventure, 

curated dining 

and unique 

experiences for 

the entire family, 

A short drive away, 

set on its own island 

and overlooking the 

Arabian Gulf, The Ritz- 

Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al 

Hamra Beach, has just 32 luxurious 

private pool villas, each with an infinity pool. 

Guests arrive via a complimentary boat ride 

and a stay includes breakfast, private beach 

access and transfers to Al Wadi. Plus, kids 

stay free. 

QIs the UK market a strong one 

for you? The UK is the largest 

international source market for both 

Al Wadi Desert and Al Hamra Beach. 

Visitor numbers from the UK are growing 

significantly year-on-year. 

QWhat do you put the growing interest 

down to? More people are looking for 

those ‘money can’t buy experiences’ and 

are willing to spend more to have them. 

Guests are choosing us for the unique 

experiences both resorts offer. Aside from 

the luxurious surroundings, other 

draw cards include adventure 

options, authentic 

Arabian culture and 

history, and easy 

access to and from 

Dubai and Abu 

Dhabi. 

QTell us more 

about these 

‘experiences’. The 

Ritz-Carlton offers 

a diverse range of 

desert and beach 

experiences. Among 

the options are: stargazing, 

heading into the desert on a fat 

bike, riding a horse surrounded by dunes 

or cooling down doing some watersports 

off a pristine private beach. 

Or they can enjoy a tranquil wellness 

sanctuary at the newly-opened 

Rainforest, a healing water oasis with 16 

different stations combining European 

hydrothermal culture with Middle Eastern 

bathing rituals. Signature spa treatments 

are also available at The Ritz-Carlton Spa. 

QWhat makes Ras Al Khaimah stand 

out as different from the other United 

Arab Emirates? The northern-most 

emirate of the UAE, it offers desert, beach 

and mountains in a single destination. You 

can enjoy the adventurous, historical and 

peaceful vibes of an emirate that is within 

easy reach of the shopping hubs in Dubai. 

QWhat else might help agents ‘switch 

sell’ to Ras Al Khaimah. from other 

destinations? It offers its visitors a truly 

authentic Arabian experience – from 

golden beaches to lush mangroves 

to terracotta deserts and the Hajar 

Mountains. Along with natural attractions 

and activities, a number of ancient 

archaeological sites offer an insight into 

its history and rich culture. It is home to 

artisanal textiles, delicious traditional 

cuisine and the tallest mountain in UAE, 

the Jebel Jais. Then there’s the longest zip 

line in the world, those horse rides on the 

sands, sailing on the waters of the Arabian 

Gulf, golf and hiking in the mountains. 

QHow do you assist and work with 

travel agents? We work closely with 

the travel trade across the globe. We offer 

exclusive offers via our tour operator 

partners and direct packages. Agents 

booking via GDS get commission. Growing 

business via the travel trade is a focus 

as we build our reputation as one of the 

world’s leading experiential destinations. 

ritzcarlton.com/alwadidesert 

ritzcarlton.com/alhamrabeach 

sellingtravel.co.uk

Talking Shop 

INSPIRED BY YOU 

The inside track on travel 

Read the latest from 

Sydney and New South 

Wales in our event 

report, on p16 

Sarongs for 

sign-ups 

TOURISM Thailand 

is getting agents in 

the mood for summer 

bookings by giving away 

500 sarongs. To win this 

beach staple, agents 

must register for the 

Thailand Expert training 

programme in June 

and July. By signing up, 

agents will have access 

to webinars, training, industry offers 

and monthly competitions to win a £50 Love2shop voucher or 

a Thai meal worth £25. thailandexpert.co.uk 

Pride inspires Funway 

TO celebrate Pride month, Funway Holidays 

has given their monthly deals brochure 

‘DEPARTURES’ a mini makeover, with a Pride 

theme. The ‘Holidays with Pride’ section highlights resorts 

in California, New Orleans, Canada and Curacao, as well as 

details of Pride events in those destinations. funway4agents.co.uk 

Contents 

17 

IN THE OFFICE 

Earn vouchers 

with Shearings 

18 

July 9 & 10 

SELLING TRAVEL DIALOGUE: RIVER CRUISE 

Join us and six river cruise specialists in Manchester (July 9) 

or London (July 10) to find out more about the latest in river 

adventures and to sell them. Food and drink included and great 

prizes up for grabs. Sign up here: sellingtravel.co.uk/events 

SHEARINGS HOLIDAYS 

is giving agents the 

opportunity to earn a £25 

Love2Shop voucher for 

every 2020 river cruise 

booking made before June 

30, 2019. Agents can also 

save up to £100 per couple 

if they book before June 

14. shearingsagent.com 

BEEN THERE DONE THAT 

FOUR-SIGHT 

20 

sellingtravel.co.uk

14 

DNSW ROADSHOW 

Liverpool & London 

The event 

WHAT: Destination New South 

Wales Roadshow, UK 

WHERE: Liverpool’s Royal Liver 

Building and Stephen Street 

Kitchen, London 

WHEN: May 2019 

WHO Destination NSW, Qantas 

and 11 top suppliers 

WHY: To educate agents on 

Sydney and beyond 

An Aussie delegation ranging from 

hoteliers to activity companies and 

attractions met with agents to talk about 

their business over an array of Australian 

wine, specially-selected by Master of 

Wine Laura Jewell, craft beer from Byron 

Bay and a delicious spread of NSWthemed 

food like calamari, pies and 

chocolate lamingtons. Two agents even 

went home with a holiday to NSW! 

The take-away 

New South Wales is a region which 

encompasses all the factors that travellers 

want from a holiday to Australia, in one 

state. Persuade your clients to stay a little 

longer and they can find not only world 

class dining, shopping and urban 

attractions in cosmopolitan Sydney, but 

miles of beautiful coastline with stunning 

beaches; fascinating nature and wildlife in 

areas like the Blue Mountains; red sand 

outback landscapes in Mungo National 

Park; award-winning vineyards in the 

Hunter Valley, and much more. 

Meet the suppliers… 

Let’s Go Surfing 

This family-owned surfing school 

has been at Bondi Beach for 25 years 

but is also in Byron Bay. It’s Eco 

Tourism Australia-certified and offers 

daily small group lessons to all. 

Tourism Solutions 

This DMC offers a range of tours 

including half- and full-day Blue 

Mountains visits; a Panoramic City 

Tour of Sydney and a Hunter Valley 

chocolate and wine pairing day. 

Sydney Opera House 

Iconic, UNESCO-listed Sydney 

Opera House is as stunning inside as 

it is out but visitors can’t go in unless 

they purchase a tour or performance 

ticket. Tours last one hour and 

uncover the stories behind the 

building from $42. 

Hunter Valley Resort 

Independent and family-owned, this 

35-room four-star resort in NSW’s 

famous wine region offers fun 

activities like wine tasting, barrell 

rolling and candy making. 

sellingtravel.co.uk

DNSW ROADSHOW 

Liverpool & London 

The 

event 

15 

Byron Bay and Beyond 

Experiences on offer include 

kayaking with dolphins, touring Stone 

and Wood Brewery and exploring the 

hinterland. BB&B also represents an 

array of accommodation. 

Arts Hotel Sydney 

The last family owned hotel in 

Sydney, this 62-room property is 

located in hip and historic Paddington 

with a garden and heated pool plus 

triple rooms for families. 

The evening was 

well organised 

and I had fun while 

learning lots from the 

suppliers and enjoying 

some good food! 

GLORIA GILBERT, COLLETTS TRAVEL 

BridgeClimb Sydney 

This thrilling but accessible 

adventure sees travellers walk over 

the Sydney Harbour Bridge for 

stunning city views. There are three 

climbs from 3.5-1.5 hours in duration. 

The Old Clare Hotel 

This 62-room, design-led, five-star 

boutique is across two heritage 

buildings in cool, arty Chippendale, a 

15-minute walk from Darling Harbour 

with a rooftop pool and bar. 

Four Seasons Hotel Sydney 

Currently being refurbished, 65% of 

this hotel’s rooms offer iconic views 

of the Opera House and Harbour 

Bridge and its on the doorstep of 

Sydney’s historic Rocks area. 

Dreamtime Southern X 

This aboriginal-owned company 

offers immersive indigenous 

experiences of Sydney, taking in 

sacred spots and teaching travellers 

about aboriginal culture. 

Merlin Entertainments 

There are four attractions in 

Sydney: Sea Life Sydney Aquarium, 

Wild Life Sydney Zoo, Madame 

Tussauds Sydney and Sydney Tower 

Eye. Agents can buy passes to one 

for $44, two for $50, three for $60 or 

four for $79. They last 30 days. 

Two ways to get to 

NSW with Qantas 

Last year flag carrier Qantas switched its 

hub from Dubai to Southeast Asia and 

launched its ultra-long haul service from 

London Heathrow to Perth. So now there 

are two ways to get to Sydney and NSW: 

the award-winning A380 same-plane 

service via Singapore or the non-stop 

service to Perth on a new Dreamliner, 

with a hassle-free, same-day connection 

between Perth and Sydney which can 

mean as little as an hour in transit. 

sellingtravel.co.uk

16 

agents talk 

Selling Travel listens 

This month #agentstalk about... 

Get social with us: SellingTravel SellingTravelmag @sellingtravmag 

Travel Agent rants & raves 

This month Jenny Jackson asked: "8.6 million Brits will travel without insurance 

this summer. What can we do to ensure our clients are covered?" 

Agents 

overheard 

Jenny Jackson 

Founder of Luxury 

Travel Guru 

“I guess they think nothing will 

happen to them, in particular 

the young who participate 

in dangerous activities and 

the elderly who are always at 

risk!” 

“Again, something only a 

travel agent can advise 

on..booking on the faceless 

internet leaves travellers so 

exposed!” 

“If they can afford to go on 

holiday, then they can afford 

travel insurance!" 

"There are so many with the 

attitude that if anything major 

were to happen, someone 

would set up a Go Fund Me 

page and it will all be ok?" 

“I had a client who said it will 

cost a fortune "because she 

is 70 plus". We recommend 

Just Travel Cover who did two 

weeks insurance for two 

people for £43...some just 

expect high prices.” 

"Wow potentially 8.6 million 

Go Fund Me requests!" 

"We can only remind clients 

about the huge hospital bills 

that people have had to pay 

as a result. It's only when 

something bad happens that 

people really understand why 

insurance is so important." 

"It's just as bad if people 

don't declare their medical 

conditions, otherwise the 

insurance won't be worth 

the paper it's written on! 

"One word...Idiots" 

"Client seriously 

asked whether they 

could change planes 

in the air. 

“Can I take my 

expensive 

fishing knife 

onboard the 

plane? I don't 

want to lose it.” 

"Client asked: "What does the 

sand sound like on Phuket 

beach?" I replied: "Which 

beach on Phuket?" Their 

response: "Oh the one the 

dreamliner flies too." 

"Will I get a refund if 

it rains? is a good one" 

India Tours 

0208 585 4020 

holidays@travelpack.com 

fr£1855pp fr£1699pp fr£1999pp 

7nts, Golden Triangle 7nts, Call of the Wild 5nts, Tour of Kerala - Spice & Backwaters

IN THE OFFICE 

17 

with Sharon McConway - Kuoni 

Fresh demand for wheels and waterways 

Sharon McConway, a Personal 

Travel Expert at Kuoni, describes 

why she prefers demanding 

customers and how her specialist 

knowledge is beating the internet. 

"A big part of my job is handcrafting tailormade 

trips by providing a personalised 

service from start to finish. Having specialist 

knowledge is vital today and is something 

that the internet cannot compete with. 

"I see a huge increase in specialist travel, 

particularly relating to families weddings, 

wellness, LGBT, special mobility and dietary 

needs. No matter how educated a customer 

is in their decision making, they'll always 

need advice with these requirements. 

What's trending 

"People are more demanding when it 

comes to holidays, they want an educational 

experience or more activities and are being 

influenced by social media and 

celebrities. 

"In terms of trends, 

Japan is very much in 

Having specialist 

knowledge is vital 

with demanding 

customers 

demand and I expect 

this will continue 

in 2020 with the 

Olympics. I'm seeing a 

confidence build back 

for Egypt and Turkey. 

Latin America will also 

see huge growth and I am 

very excited about our new Columbia small 

escorted group tour. For relaxing, Ajman 

offers the best beaches in the UAE and is a 

great year-round mid-haul destination. 

"More clients are asking about motorhome 

rentals, river cruises, rail journeys and even 

cycling tours – everyone wants to be on the 

move! Ocean cruising is also evolving, with 

options to suit every ones' taste. 

"Growing up in Ireland I 

have always been inspired by 

North America, particularly 

its music heritage, literature 

and culture. I have the 

music cities of Portland, 

Austin, New Orleans, 

Memphis and Nashville all on 

my radar and I hope to see more 

exploration of the US and Canada 

beyond the popular destinations. 

"I encourage all my clients to be as 

demanding as they like. This is their trip 

and it should be exactly as they want it. It’s 

important to discuss their requirements, 

which can be unrealistic, and a face-to-face 

consultation is best. I get enormous support 

from the suppliers I work with and I know my 

team will do what they can to help too. 

What's trending 

"Over the years I've had some weird and 

wonderful requests but I can’t say anything 

has phased me. One of my favourites was a 

gentleman who wanted to do a world trip to 

study wild fungi, visiting remote locations in 

Tasmania, Argentina, Canada and Greenland. 

I learnt a lot of new airport codes that day! 

"I put my heart and soul into my job and it 

is critical to me that my clients don’t just have 

a lovely holiday but have made memories to 

last a life time. That's what makes working in 

travel so worthwhile." 

kuoni.co.uk 

0208 585 4020 


fr£5189pp fr£3999pp fr£4999pp 

12nts, Grand Rail Circle 9nts, Journey through the Clouds at Leisure 7nts, Coastal Passage Getaway Circle

18 

BEEN THERE, DONE THAT 

Training, events and fam trips 

Not Just Travel’s fast and 

fascinating fam 

A group of 43 Not Just Travel 

homeworkers descended on the slopes of 

Banff, Canada for one of this past winter's 

biggest ski educational trips. 

Supported by the Travel Alberta, Banff 

and Lake Louise Tourism, Inghams, 

JTA Travel and Air Canada, the agents 

enjoyed skiing and snowboarding on 

the province's famous ‘Champagne 

powder’, ice-skating on Lake Louise, 

dog-sledding, and snowmobiling. They 

also completed the Johnston Canyon 

Ice Walk and a spot of star-gazing at the 

top of the Banff Gondola. One agent 

even took part in a local 5km ice race 

when it was minus 17C – and won! 

notjusttravel.com 

Sweet success 

for TUI 

Tui Doncaster in St. 

Sepulchre Gate celebrated 

with some sugary treats 

after being awarded 

Super Break’s Agent of the 

Month for the Yorkshire, 

Humberside and North West 

region. 

The agency was 

commended for its efforts 

in promoting the operator's 

Tutankhamun packages 

and Super Break’s show 

of the month, Joseph and 

the Amazing Technicolour 

Dreamcoat. tui.co.uk 

Question time for Qatar 

The Qatar National Tourism Council's 

UK & Ireland team hosted two London 

events as part of the tourism board’s first 

European roadshow. Agents learnt about 

the destination's first-class museums, 

including the recently-opened National 

Museum of Qatar and its UNESCO World 

Heritage Sites, before participating in an 

interactive quiz run by Live the City, with 

the winner and runner-up both winning 

holidays to Qatar. Shana Rohn, Qatar NTC 

and Navdeep Hoonjan, Qatar Airways, 

presented the prize. 

visitqatar.qa 

New heights 

for Headwater 

team 

The team from Headwater 

Holidays, specialists in selfguided 

walking tours, put 

aside their sales pitches 

and instead tested their 

brawn with an eight-mile 

hike on Kinder Scout in the 

Peak District. The ramble 

marked the anniversary 

of the ‘mass trespass of 

Kinder Scout,’ a 1932 event 

in which walkers disputed 

being denied access to 

areas of open country. 

headwater.com 

Have you enjoyed an interesting trade event or been on 

a trip or fam that you would like to see featured on this 

page? Email editorial@bmipublishing.co.uk 

sellingtravel.co.uk

Making history 

Meet... MALCOLM DAVIS 

Product Destination Manager 

at Funway Holidays 

Anguilla celebrates top figures 

The Anguilla Tourist Board celebrated a record-breaking 

winter season as part of its 'Beyond Extraordinary' events 

in Manchester and London. Tourist arrivals hit an all time 

high this year with 1,184 UK arrivals between January and 

March, representing a 113% increase year-on-year. 

The tourist board has also launched its month-long 

Health and Wellbeing campaign which includes a series 

of pop-up activities, classes, bespoke menus and offers. 

ivisitanguilla.com 

Hurtigruten cleans up north Wales 

The Global Travel Group was on hand to spruce up Talacre 

Beach in North Wales as part of Hurtigruten’s Beach Clean. 

The team collected two full bin bags of mainly plastic waste, 

a full section of a wire fence, a large fishing net and one 

huge tarpaulin. Global Travel Group’s team included Sian 

Webster, Laura Mitchell, Kirsty Lilley and Rob Griffiths, plus 

Mark Walter (Hurtigruten's Head of Sales). 

hurtigruten.co.uk; globaltravelgroup.com 

A JOURNEY BACK IN TIME 

As I enter the formidable walls of Brimstone Hill, a military 

fortress built at the top of a steep volcano, I'm transported 

back to the 1700s. I can just imagine what it was like here as 

a young British soldier, waiting for the French to attack in 

the struggle to colonise St. Kitts. 

Although the island is now independent, it was a former 

British colony, where sugar cane production was the 

dominant industry for more than 350 years. 

In my opinion, it's this rich history that sets St. Kitts apart 

from any other Caribbean island. Yes there are great beaches 

and food, but seeing such impressive 

military architecture on 

this tiny island adds that 

character and uniqueness. 

Today, Brimstone Hill is 

recognised as the best 

preserved site in the 

Americas and has earned 

UNESCO World Heritage 

status. 

A VIEW WORTH 

FIGHTING FOR 

As I venture to the top 

of the fortress I'm struck by the most fantastic 

panorama of the Caribbean, with unobstructed views of Sint 

Eustatius, St. Barts and Nevis in the distance. It suddenly 

becomes very clear why the British fought so hard to protect 

this island! Another photo opportunity presents itself in the 

form of the 24-pounder cannons that are dotted around the 

site, still poised as if to warn off intruders. 

It's the perfect place for families and multigenerational 

groups to relax surrounded by the history and heritage that 

is at the heart of St. Kitts. As someone who's visited for both 

work and pleasure I can honestly say it's unforgettable. 

Become a specialist and reap the rewards 

at stkittsspecialist.co.uk 

sellingtravel.co.uk

20 

FOUR-SIGHT 

Our columnists 

TV programmes 

and protests 

seem to have 

brought climate 

change up the 

agenda. But is 

sustainable 

travel a priority, 

and if not, 

should agents 

make it so? 

Paperbark Camp is 

Anneka's top eco pick... 

...it's in Jervis Bay, 

New South Wales 

Key is striking 

the balance 

between 

sustainable 

and affordable 

SUSTAINABLE tourism is a must in this age 

of travel, but it's still a relatively new concept 

for our clients and we don’t yet have many 

enquiries for it. I think it's something we 

should promote and where possible I try to 

include a eco-friendlier hotel in itineraries. 

The key is striking the balance between 

sustainable and affordable – not all of our 

customers can afford a top-end, eco-friendly 

holiday but do want to enjoy themselves 

whilst reducing their footprint on the earth. 

A good example of something we sell is 

Paperbark Camp in Jervis Bay, Australia. 

We really love the ethos of this property 

as it offers an authentic Australian bush 

experience for customers, who sleep in 

stilted safari tents amongst the gum trees, 

whilst trying to limit damage to surroundings. 

It was pleasing to see that Qantas flew the 

world’s first commercial ‘zero waste’ flight – 

something all airlines should be striving for. 

I do struggle with the idea that the travel 

industry plays a part in damaging the places 

we send people to, but travel does also 

benefit individuals, and if we can make it 

sustainable, that's a more ethical approach to 

our profession and our passion. 

This May has seen some lovely bookings for 

Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Greece, 

and we’re looking forward to a busy summer! 

Trevor and Penny (Southern Cross Travel's 

owners, and my parents!) are off on a small 

ship cruise with Prestige Holidays and I’m 

thinking about what to pack for my Greek 

holiday - and how to make it eco-friendly too! 

IN OVER 12 years of selling river cruises – 

which is the bulk of my business – I have 

yet to have a single client make a purchase 

decision based on sustainable travel. This 

cannot be because the sort of people 

who book river cruises are not in any way 

environmentally conscientious - in fact, to the 

contrary, they are typically people looking to 

choose a holiday that is, by its very nature, 

part of the slow travel movement. 

Despite not being driven by explicit 

client demand, river cruise operators are 

continually looking to create more fuel 

efficient, less-polluting ships, investing in 

battery-powered options when entering and 

leaving mooring locations. River authorities, 

though, are the driving force in demanding 

River cruise 

ships are now 

more fuel 

efficient and 

less polluting 

that the older ships are bought up to 

modern emission target levels. Also, as many 

European river cruise itineraries are viable 

by rail, a 'rail and sail' river cruise is worth 

offering to clients who are looking to match 

sustainable lifestyle objectives. 

River cruising was well represented at the 

British Travel Hall of Fame awards when 

Rudi Schreiner and Kristin Karst, co-owners 

of AmaWaterways, were inducted into it. I 

was honoured to be invited to the ceremony, 

and noted that the venue was changed from 

the Brunei-owned Dorchester to the Four 

Seasons, following the news of Brunei's 

homophobic laws – credit to all concerned. 

THE FAMILY BUSINESS 

Anneka Desrosiers 

Southern Cross Travel, 

East Sussex 

THE CRUISE SPECIALIST 

James Hill 

Go Cruise, Cruise specialist, 

Worcestershire 

sellingtravel.co.uk

FOUR-SIGHT 

21 

Our columnists 

Booking flights 

with reduced 

emissions 

could turn into 

a USP 

WHILE we are all aware that flying is a major 

contributor to carbon emissions, I don't 

believe it is currently at the forefront of most 

travel agents' mind. Ultimately, increasing 

sales and passenger numbers comes first. 

And to be honest, who can blame us? If 

a customer is wanting to book a specific 

holiday then they will do it, regardless of if we 

agree with the booking or not. 

However, as travel agents there are three 

immediate ways we can help encourage 

eco-friendly travel. The first is to become 

paperless. At Venture Travel we only email 

booking confirmations, receipts and tickets to 

our customers. This not only saves us money 

in postage and printing costs but also helps 

the environment so it's a great win-win. 

The second is to upgrade your back-office 

systems. With such great advancements in 

technology, gone are the days where you 

need to print enquiries, store brochures or 

track sales data. Google Docs is a fantastic 

tool to share spreadsheets, word documents 

and enquiries to everyone in your team 

without having to print these out. 

Thirdly, promote to your customers ecofriendly 

flights and hotels. This is something 

we can definitely improve on at Venture 

Travel, especially working in such a price 

competitive market. 

One useful tool I found recently is 

Skyscanner. It show flights with reduced 

emissions which is definitely worth 

mentioning to your customers and be a 

unique selling point for your business. 

THE ONLINE AGENCY 

Ben & Hugh 

Venture Travel, Mold, 

North Wales 

SUSTAINABLE travel is of great importance 

to me and has been brought to everyone's 

attention, along with other environmental 

issues, thanks to the recent protests. 

But what can we, as travel agents, do to 

improve things, if anything? Should our focus 

continue to be just selling the holidays our 

clients want or should we be championing 

more environmentally-friendly travel? 

I find it’s not something clients mention 

unless you say something, so I think it’s up to 

us to remind them that sustainable tourism 

is about visiting somewhere as a tourist and 

trying to ensure it makes a positive impact on 

the environment, society and economy. 

We could all start with reducing plastic in 

our hotel room. There is usually a bin in the 

bathroom and in the bedroom, both with 

plastic bags in – do you use both bins? I only 

use one. That means if you're sitting on your 

bed you will have to get up and walk to the 

bathroom, but just think how many plastic 

bags that will save if a hotel has 100 rooms. 

That's 100 bags a day, 700 bags a week and 

36,400 a year! And that is just one saving in 

one hotel. My thought of the month: ‘One 

thing you can’t recycle is wasted time’. 

I'm just back from Cyprus where I stayed at 

the peaceful Casale Panayiotis in the Troudos 

Mountains, enjoying its wonderful spa, food 

and activities like walking and biking, and the 

five-star St Raphael in Limassol, which has a 

lovely beach, marina and beautiful gardens 

of olive trees. But the best thing was that they 

also look after the local cats, including feeding 

stations. I wish more hotels would do this! 

We can all 

reduce the use 

of plastic bags 

in hotel rooms 

THE HOME WORKER 

Sandy Murray 

Sandy's Travel Escapes 

James with 

AMAWaterways at the 

Hall of Fame 

Sandy fruit 

picking in 

Cyprus 

Next month 

our columnists 

talk about: 

Overtourism 

and how to help 

spread the love 

sellingtravel.co.uk

22 

e-learning 

Knowledge 

boost 

The world is a big place but luckily the virtual world 

of online training is accessible to all, 24/7. Laura 

Gelder looks at the latest training out there 

ASelling Travel survey conducted 

last month showed that online 

training is still held in high regard 

- 78% said web courses are ‘very useful’ 

or ‘excellent training for agents’. 

In fact, 80% of agents surveyed had 

participated in online training courses and 

they were listed as the second most popular 

training resource after trade magazines. 

We last spoke about online training in 

the December issue, tying in with the peak 

season for agents pursuing professional 

development, just prior to the peak selling 

months in the New Year. But as peak 

holiday time looms, many agents will 

be knuckling down to training over the 

summer months too and there is a 

raft of new options out now. 

Brand updates 

The Tobago Tourism Agency has released 

new online training in line with its recent 

‘unspoilt, untouched and undiscovered’ 

rebrand. Tobago101specialist.co.uk has six 

modules covering brand pillars 

like sea and beaches; eco 

sellingtravel.co.uk

SPONSORED PROFILE 

Kennedy Space Center 

Visitor Complex 

onlinetraveltraining.com/uk/courses/ 

themeparksattractions/ 

The all new Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex UK agent 

training programme (with OTT) is designed to enhance the 

knowledge of KSC across the Trade. KSC is much more than a US 

Space Flight experience, it is an interactive full day adventure 

surrounded by the heroes and legends of the US Space Programme. 

The course is split into three modules, each with a short multiple 

choice quiz, to give a overview of KSC in no more than 30 minutes. 

You'll be amazed at what's on offer! 

The modules 

Module 1: KSC More than a Museum, Beyond the Basics: This is 

an introduction to KSC, including its location and how to get there, 

what clients can do there and how to sell it. This gives agents a solid 

foundation and the confidence to answer basic customer questions. 

Module 2: The Visitor Complex: This explores the variety of 

attractions and exhibits and helps agents understand how visitors 

can best spend their day. Agents will brush up on top attractions 

such as Space Shuttle Atlantis, Saturn V Center, Heroes and Legends, 

The Rocket Garden, The Astronaut Hall of Fame and the KSC Bus 

Tour amongst others. The new IMAX film showing, Touch the Stars: 

The Journey has begun 3D, is also included. 

Module 3: Enhancing the Stay: This builds on Modules 1 and 

2, with details on upgrading to the Space Pass and the chance to 

'Dine with an Astronaut'. New add on experiences include the ATX 

(Astronaut Training Experience) and Mars Base 1. The best is saved 

till last with details of the Rocket Launches at KSC. 

Did you know? 

On completion of the 

course all agents are entered 

into a monthly draw to win 

a goodie bag with an item of 

signed astronaut merchandise, 

and everyone can claim 

Complimentary General 

Admission tickets. 

sellingtravel.co.uk

DARWIN 

JOURNEY BEYOND 

SPECIALIST ONLINE 

TRAINING PROGRAM 

AUSTRALIAN-OWNED JOURNEY 

BEYOND IS THE COUNTRY’S LEADING 

EXPERIENTIAL TOURISM GROUP. 

The Journey Beyond Specialist online training 

program tells you everything you need to know about 

our suite of incredible tourism experiences, including 

The Ghan, Indian Pacific and Great Southern rail 

expeditions, as well as Cruise Whitsundays and 

Rottnest Express. 

Learn more about our unique selling points and how 

you can curate the perfect Australian holiday for 

your clients. Access images and videos for your next 

campaign, including amazing 360 photography of 

our trains and destinations. 

ROTTNEST ISLAND, WA 

New modules for Cruise Whitsundays and Rottnest 

Express are now live. Find out how your clients 

can capture the perfect quokka selfie at Western 

Australia’s Rottnest Island or learn more about the 

incredible experience of sleeping under the stars on 

the Great Barrier Reef. 

Watch this space as new modules for Darwin 

Harbour Cruises and Sal Salis are launched over 

the coming months. 

NINGALOO 

REEF 

ROTTNEST 

ISLAND 

PERTH 

ULURU 

ALICE SPRINGS 

ADELAIDE 

AIRLIE BEACH 

BRISBANE 

SYDNEY 

CANBERRA 

MELBOURNE 

JOURNEY BEYOND GROUP MAP 

SIMPLY GO TO JOURNEYBEYONDSPECIALIST.COM 

TO START YOUR NEXT JOURNEY WITH US.

e-learning 25 

VALLETTA, MALTA 

adventures and nature; romance and 

weddings; and local culture, people and 

heritage – plus tips and sample itineraries. 

Stephen Smith, Sales & Marketing 

Manager for the Tobago Tourism Agency 

says, “Our content highlights all the key 

selling points of the destination and also 

encourages agents to log their bookings 

towards rewards including places on a 

mega-fam trip which is being planned for 

the end of the year.“ 

The Cayman Islands Department of 

Tourism has just launched an updated 

programme with a new easy-to-navigate 

design, selling tips and revised information 

on each island. 

A new section on events and festivals 

has also been added and in a step to 

be considered an ongoing resource, the 

programme matches individual customer 

profiles with the ideal island to visit and 

includes a full list of UK tour operators and 

airlines which feature the Cayman Islands. 

Agents who complete caymanislands-training.co.uk 

by June 15 could win £100 of vouchers. 

The San Diego Tourism Authority has 

a new Specialist Certification (sandiego.org/ 

travel-trade/san-diego-specialist.aspx) which can be 

obtained by taking a 25 multiple-choice 

question interactive quiz designed to help 

raise awareness of the key drivers of travel 

to the city. Upon completion, agents can 

download the certificate. 

TIPTO’s (tipto.co.uk) latest training incentive 

runs until June 18. Agents need to complete 

all supplier training modules online, 

including its latest ones from relatively new 

members, Gold Medal and Travel 2. On 

completion, agents will gain gold star status 

and be entered in to a draw to win West End 

theatre tickets. 

New pastures 

This spring the Setouchi Tourism Authority 

launched a new e-learning platform 

(training.setouchitrip.com) for agents to learn 

about the little-known region in West 

Japan. It describes its portal as delivering 

“a complete suite of online training and 

engagement tools using the latest principles 

in e-learning.” 

The platform uses interactive maps to 

guide agents through Setouchi, highlighting 

key information from each location as 

TOBAGO HAS REBRANDED TO FOCUS ON ITS UNSPOILT ATTRACTIONS 

“80% of agents surveyed had 

participated in online 

training courses and they 

were listed as the second 

most popular training 

resource after trade 

magazines” 

sellingtravel.co.uk

26 

e-learning 

MAHE ISLAND, SEYCHELLES 

SAN DIEGO MARINA 

TRADITIONAL JAPANESE SUSHI 

well as allowing agents to learn about 

the destination through themes like art and 

culture or food and drink. 

Niche areas 

Online training increasingly focuses on niche 

markets and the Malta Tourism Authority 

demonstrated this recently when it teamed 

up with Online Travel Training to create a 

programme dedicated to LGBTQ+ travel. 

Same sex marriage was legalised in 

Malta in 2017, gender-neutral passports 

introduced last year, the island retained its 

top spot on the European Rainbow Index 

for a fourth consecutive year in 2019, and 

learnlgbtmalta.org aims to educate agents on all 

this plus the accommodation, activities and 

places to visit for this market. 

Peter Vella, Director UK & Ireland, Malta 

Tourism Authority commented: “It’s 

important for the trade to be equipped with 

the right facts about LGBTQ+ travel to help 

travellers make an informed decision.” 

Agents who complete the course will 

receive a certificate and be entered into a 

prize draw to win a £50 iTunes voucher. 

Expert status 

SeaWorld Parks’ agent training (seaworldagents. 

co.uk/myseaworld/training) has been updated with 

a conservation module. It has information 

about the professional accreditations the 

parks have, the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens 

Conservation Fund, SeaWorld Rescue and 

more. Agents who complete the training get 

a goodie bag, park ticket and entry into a 

competition with prizes like Bose speakers. 

Carnival Cruise Line is launching a new 

Gold Level ‘Loyalty Rocks Club: Carnival 

Cruise Line University’ training programme 

at loyaltyrocksclub.com, which is designed to 

reward agents for investing in professional 

development. The content is video-based 

and will be followed by Platinum and 

Diamond levels later in the year. 

Agents completing the Gold training by July 

1 could win a place on the inaugural sailing 

of Mardi Gras as well as a Merlin annual pass 

and £50 worth of Loyalty Rock Club points. 

To enter, agents must complete the training 

and post their certificate on social media 

with the hashtag #MARDIGRAS2020. 

Future-proof 

While reading followed by multiple-choice 

quizzes are still the most-used mode of 

travel training, webinars are on the up. 

The Seychelles Tourism Board recently 

reported plans to expand its training to 

include virtual reality fam trips. The videos 

will be available on seychellessuperstar.co.uk later 

this year and will cover a range of topics 

from how to travel around the islands to 

airport transfers and accommodation. 

For more training updates, sign up to 

Selling Travel’s weekly e-newsletter. 

For news from our training partner Travel 

Uni, see page 72. 

sellingtravel.co.uk

SPONSORED PROFILE 

Crystal Cruises Training 

onlinetraveltraining.com 

Voted the 'World’s Best' more times 

than any other hotel, resort or 

cruise line, Crystal is more than just a 

luxurious way to explore the world. 

It is an adventure, opening up the globe 

just for you. Whether by ocean, river or 

yacht, Crystal are taking luxury travel 

further than ever before. And when 

you’ve completed all three modules, you’ll 

receive your certificate and a celebratory 

bar of chocolate – what could be better! 

The modules 

Module 1: Designed to bring you 

up-to-date on Crystal’s all-inclusive 

product and just why Crystal continues 

to win ‘World’s Best’ awards. After 

completing this course, you will be able 

to comfortably describe the All-Inclusive 

Crystal Experience to your guests. Whether 

you are booking your first guest, or your 

one hundredth, you will understand how 

the cruise line continues to find ways to 

offer the best value afloat and why it is the 

perfect choice for your discerning guests. 

Module 2: Welcome to our Crystal 

Yacht Expedition Cruises module, a 

mini-course designed to teach you 

everything there is to know about the 

Crystal Esprit and Crystal Endeavor. Your 

clients can pursue their quest for nautical 

adventure in an extraordinary new way. 

Designed for just 62 guests who seek 

privileged access to some of the world’s 

most beautiful maritime destinations, 

Did you know? 

The Crystal experience 

is available across many 

different cruise experiences 

– ocean, river, yacht and 

expeditions – we have 

it all! 

CRYSTAL CRUISES 

the new Crystal Esprit offers the most 

exciting cruise alternative in decades. 

And debuting in 2020, Crystal’s first foray 

into luxury expedition cruising begins 

with the inaugural voyage of Crystal 

Endeavor. The world’s largest and most 

spacious premium expedition yacht, 

Crystal Endeavor boasts a sleek design 

built to PC6 polar class specifications, 

she will explore the farthest reaches of 

Earth, from the Arctic to the Antarctic 

and far-away lands in between - far past 

destinations frequented by most ships. 

Module 3: Welcome to our Crystal River 

Cruises module, a mini-course designed 

to teach you everything you need to 

know about Crystal River 

Cruises. Six-star service. 

Superior dining. The 

largest suites in river cruising aboard 

an exquisite new class of river vessel, 

and so much more. Guests can explore 

the Danube, Rhine, Main and Moselle 

rivers with ever-changing panoramas of 

enchanting villages and lush landscapes. 

In-depth explorations and overnight 

stays in the heart of Europe’s cities and 

towns provide a vibrant and memorable 

experience. The hallmarks of the Crystal 

brand – service, space, quality and 

choices – usher in a new era in European 

river exploration. Crystal offers a butler 

service for every suite; six-star service 

and exceptional food; unique Crystal 

Complimentary Adventures and Crystal 

(Optional) Adventures which all contributes 

to redefine luxury river cruising. 

Our Crystal training 

modules are designed to 

educate our travel advisors on all 

Crystal experiences and ensure 

they’re confident in selling the 

World’s Best to their clients.”

28 

my journey 

National Park 

canopy walking 

trip 

magical moments in 

Malaysia 

Exploring ancient rainforest, strawberry and tea-planted highlands, idyllic 

beaches and a steamy city, Martin Steady is fascinated by Malaysia 

Orangutans are so cool 

MY MAGICAL MOMENTS 

I 

step off the Bukit Merah ferry and enter a 

caged walkway. I feel captive, but look out 

on the freedom of the island beyond where 

the most beautiful inhabitants imaginable are 

happily wandering around, lazing, eating, playing 

and generally getting on with their lives. I think 

I’ve just fallen in love with orangutans! 

“This is their island, not ours,” says our guide. “We 

are the caged ones, not them.” 

Here, at this world-class sanctuary, 

these serene ‘creatures of the 

forest’ live like kings, mostly 

untouched by the outside 

world. I crouch down in 

front of an impressive 

young male and we look 

at each other, curiously. 

He notices a piece of 

apple on my side of the 

fence and lazily finds himself 

a stick. With almost bored ease, 

he shoves it under the netting to hook 

the tasty treat back towards him. 

I’m impressed and honoured – but also feel 

sad and angry that human greed for palm oil is 

decimating the natural habitat of these creatures. 

The clash and contrast between modern-day 

life and nature is always closeby in Malaysia. 

I’d arrived in Kuala Lumpur, courtesy of British 

Airways, days earlier and been whisked into the 

heart of the city for a restful night high above 

the hubbub at the towering Hotel Istana. Just 

hours later I swapped the noise of the 

metropolis for the sounds 

of Taman Negara. 

This vast national park covers 

more than 4,300sq km - a sprawling, 

steaming wilderness that dates back 130 million 

years. It’s the oldest primary rainforest on the 

planet and, as such, offers the ultimate jungle 

experience. 

Kuala crossing 

I have just fallen 

in love with some 

orangutans 

It takes more than two hours to venture into 

the forest, and during the zippy boat ride I learn 

the meaning of ‘Kuala’ that features in 

so many local place names. And 

rather unsurprisingly for a 

nation criss-crossed by 

waterways, it’s ‘the point 

where two rivers join’. One 

loud and exhilarating trip 

later and we’ve reached 

our home for the night. 

My cabin certainly isn’t 

five-star, but is all the better 

for it. The local monkeys don’t 

seem to mind much either and merrily 

practice their gymnastics on the roof. 

Lost amongst the endless greenery, there’s 

nothing to do but marvel at the sheer abundance 

of life around us. The park is home to tigers, many 

different types of birds and thousands of plants 

found nowhere else in the world. 

The canopy walkways high above the jungle floor 

are the best way to immerse yourself in nature’s 

bounty and my guide explains the many uses for 

the diverse flora. 

There are also trips to indigenous villages where 

it’s possible to learn the skills needed to survive in 

the wilderness. I discover that making fire without 

matches and hunting food with a blowpipe aren’t 

things you can master in an hour or two. 

The dreamy tranquility of San Pedro 

town and waterfront...Snorkelling in 

shark ray alley, surrounded by nurse 

sharks... Ethereal Garifuna singing and 

drumming on the beach complete with 

a humbling history lesson about the 

nation’s tortured past 

sellingtravel.co.uk

my journey 29 

Straits Chinese 

dining, KL Central 

Market 

Pure nature – Taman 

Negara jungle walk 

The boat trip and trek to Kuala Trengga is as 

ethereal and idyllic as it is wet – and my camera 

needs to be safely tucked away as we weave and 

splash our way home via the rapids. 

Tea in the Highlands 

It’s a mark of Malaysia’s rapid pace of development 

that I exit the jungle entirely by road – which was 

not possible when I was here many years ago. 

Heading north west, towards Penang, into the 

Cameron Highlands, we enjoy a memorable lunch 

at the well-known Golfer’s Café that overlooks the 

beautiful Cameron course. This is a tea-growing 

region, and we include a stop at the vast BOH Tea 

Plantation. Founded back in 1929, the enterprise is 

the biggest of its kind in the country. The Visitors 

Centre tells the fascinating tale of jungle clearance 

on steep slopes (with just mules and a steamroller). 

Hidden in the hills on a seven-acre site between 

Tanah Rata and Brinchang, and making the most of 

the region’s cool temperatures, is Strawberry Park 

Resort. With rates from £45, the modern resort is a 

perfect base for activities like nature walks and visits 

to the many apiaries and strawberry farms. Gunung 

Brinchange – or ‘Mossy Forest’ – is a must-do trek 

and it’s easy to see how the place got its name. 

Sam Poh Tong Cave Temple, close to Ipoh, is 

equally wonderful. Chinese Buddhists built it within 

an enormous raw limestone cave in the 1950s, and 

nuns and monks still live here today. It is filled with 

impressive art, including a reclining Buddha. 

Penang itself has enough to fill a holiday on its 

own, with soft sandy beaches, cultural sites and 

stunning scenery. The charming nooks and crannies 

of George Town, Tropical Spice Gardens and Habitat 

Penang Hill Rainforest Experience are ticked off my 

list, along with Komtar Tower – a funky high-rise 

hosting a skywalk and observation deck. 

Back in Kuala Lumpur Precious Old China Café in 

the Central Market offers the best in Straits Chinese 

dining, while the Petronas Twin Towers reveal the 

city in all its chaotic beauty. 

But it’s up in the clouds with the orangutans, 

where I feel at home in ‘Natural Malaysia’. 

tourism.gov.my • 

Chinese 

Buddhist cave 

temple 

Stunning street 

art in Penang 

WHERE TO BOOK IT 

Abercrombie and Kent has a sevennight 

Highlights of Belize package 

from £2,890pp and includes return 

fl ights, accommodation and transport. 

abercrombiekent.co.uk 

Explore Worldwide’s 14-day Discover 

Belize trip starts at £2,659pp 

and includes fl ights, transfers, 

accommodation, some meals plus an 

Explore leader. explore.co.uk 

sellingtravel.co.uk 

Perak Cave 

Temple

30 

indian ocean 

feeling 

Good 

There is an increasing range of wellness and good 

health-inspired options available in the Indian Ocean. 

Clare Walsh investigates 

sellingtravel.co.uk

indian ocean 31 

PEDICURE, CONSTANCE LEMURIA SEYCHELLES 

BEACHCOMBER RESORTS’ SPA STAFF 

A 

palette of colour surrounds 

me as I take a deep breath and 

stretch my arms towards the 

awakening sky. Standing in a vivid, multihued 

garden, the setting of my usual 

weekly yoga class in an uninspiring gym 

hall is a world away. Here, in Mauritius, 

I ponder how rewarding sun salutations 

are when there’s actually a sun to salute! 

The calming voice of the teacher guides 

us through a gentle vinyassa flow class, a 

perfect match for the dreamy pace of island 

life. Ahead of me, the sparkling cerulean 

ocean is lapping the sand, the only sound 

breaking the magical morning stillness. 

Balaclava, where I am staying, lends itself 

perfectly to therapeutic practices like this. 

Blending extraordinary natural beauty with 

sumptuous spa and wellness classes, it’s the 

perfect place to recharge my batteries and 

focus on self-care. 

Healthy options 

Like many people, I had arrived in Mauritius 

frazzled from work and in desperate need of 

a break. Recent years have seen a marked 

shift away from fly-and-flop holidays as 

a way to recharge. Instead, clients now 

want to experience wellness practices and 

indulge in spa treatments that will ensure 

they return home feeling better than when 

they arrived. 

Resorts of the Indian Ocean are an 

ideal match – their paradisiacal and selfcontained 

setting is matched by impressive 

facilities. Many resorts have offered 

world-class spas and gyms as standard for 

years, but what they now offer is a much 

more holistic and tailored approach, which 

extends to the whole resort experience. 

George Morris, Regional Manager 

of wellness and active holiday brand, 

Robinson, said: “Holiday seekers are 

continuing to search for transformative and 

wellness breaks that will leave an impact 

long after the holiday is over. 

“Whereas previous wellness escapes 

focused on one particular aspect of health 

and wellbeing, an increasing number of 

people are now looking for more holistic 

wellbeing holidays which incorporate fitness 

and nutrition plans to help develop a more 

active lifestyle.” 

The wellness world is constantly moving 

and expanding to target client groups with 

everything from ‘mumcations’ to ‘divorce 

retreats’ on offer. 

And while many resorts have moved 

towards a very personalised approach to 

wellness, they are all tapping into that same 

desire to slow down, recharge and return 

home feeling renewed. 

Mauritius & Reunion 

Heritage Resorts in Mauritius hosted a 

Wellness Festival in May. The first of its kind 

in the region, it saw international wellness 

leaders offer workshops and ‘nature 

connection’ outings, while artists’ areas, 

healthy food stations and relaxation zones 

were designed to awaken the five senses. 

“The festival addressed the expectation 

and need for experiential travel in wellness 

which is our fastest growing sector,” said 

Candice Yon, Heritage Resorts. 

“Our festival is crafted for travellers whose 

choice to holiday and choice of destination 

is motivated primarily by wellness, as well 

as those seeking to maintain wellness or 

engage in wellness activities as part of a 

general holiday,” she added. 

A personalised approach to health has 

been adopted by LUX* Resorts, which states 

that its desire is to be a wellness pioneer in 

Mauritius. Its philosophy is based around 

LUX* Me and at the Grand Gaube resort 

guests can enjoy a re-imagined spa 

sellingtravel.co.uk

32 

indian ocean 

VEELA PRIVATE ISLAND 

YOGA AT KANUHURA 

A TUI ROBINSON CLUB PROPERTY 

and tailor-made plan designed by their 

wellness concierge. 

Meanwhile, LUX St Giles is the only fivestar 

resort in Reunion. Here guests have a 

range of options from yoga garden sessions 

to outdoor spa treatments, while more 

active clients can enjoy tennis and volleyball. 

Beachcomber’s spa concept is also based 

on a holistic approach, with treatments 

personalised to offer a bespoke experience. 

Treatment programmes include massages 

and the practice of arts such as Santa Yoga, 

Qi-Gong and other traditional wellness 

techniques, as well as lifestyle advice for 

health-conscious guests to take home. 

The clue is in the name at SALT – a 

newcomer to Mauritius that features the 

first salt room on the island. A range of saltbased 

treatments invites clients to match 

their mood and create a personalised 

scrub from oils, butters and salts. Further 

holistic highlights include a sunrise run 

club, morning sun salutations and dawn 

photography tour. With a sustainable food 

ethos, the resort is also getting its own farm 

which will cultivate hydroponic fruit and 

vegetables for the hotel restaurant. 

Attitude Hotels’ Spa Attitude bases its 

care rituals based on the natural elements 

of Mauritius: its soil, its sea, its sun and 

its plants, combined with essential oils. It 

has a range of massages, body care and 

facials plus four signature treatments: Earth 

Attitude regenerating care, Sea Attitude 

purifying care, Sun Attitude stimulating care 

and Flora Attitude relaxing care. 

Paradise Cove Boutique Hotel by Attitude 

is currently undergoing major renovations 

and will opens September 2 with an 

enlarged and refreshed spa. 

Book it: Beachcomber Tours (beachcombertours. 

co.uk) offers seven nights full-board in a junior 

suite at Dinarobin Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa, 

from £1,715pp, for two adults sharing. This includes 

return economy flights with Emirates, a one-hour 

Discover Massage, various complimentary land and 

water sports and private transfers in Mauritius. 

Departs September 3 2019. 

Maldives 

In a move to support diet-conscious clients 

in their food choices, Huvafen Fushi will 

soon welcome RAW (Revitalising Addictive 

Wellness), which will feature a range of 

plant-based, protein-rich foods as well 

as organic cold-pressed fresh juices and 

smoothies. The resort is known for boasting 

the world’s first and only underwater spa, 

where rituals and treatments such as crystal 

singing bowls can be experienced. 

Having opened its doors in April last 

year, Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi 

has just launched its Fairmont Fit

Step inside our new rooms 

A totally transformed place, allying a timeless, exotic-chic decoration and a contemporary touch. 

The fourposter bed and the wallpaper, both reminders of the colonial past, merge beautifully with the more actual rattan, 

wood and white colour. The new bathrooms with their double shower heads are spacious and comfortable. From the terraces 

or balconies, just gaze at the Cove, settle down together for a drink, write a postcard or read the latest best-seller. 

REOPENING 1 ST SEPTEMBER 2019 

paradisecovehotel.com

A tropical oasis that weaves its way 

into your wildest dreams… 

A destination you could never forget! 

KANUHURA.COM

To book contact your 

preferred Tour Operator. 

For further information contact 

info@srlmarketing.com 

or call +44 (0)7585 660350

36 

indian ocean 

FAIRMONT MALDIVES SIRRU FEN FUSHI 

LUX GRABD GAUBE 

KEMPINSKI SEYCHELLES BAYE LAZARE 

package. Guests will start their day with 

complimentary workout wear delivered 

to their accommodation before choosing 

from fitness options such as tennis lessons 

or aerial yoga where a soft parachute-silk 

hammock is suspended from the ceiling to 

support the body as guests move from one 

position to the next. 

Velaa Private Island has just launched 

its Energising and Body Transformation 

Programme. Promising to cleanse the body 

from toxins, improve BMI, body water 

balance and visceral fat levels, it combines a 

mixture of spinning, HIIT, circuits, yoga and 

meditation. The highlight of the programme 

is the use of GenSmart which includes a 

DNA test for each client to ensure a tailored 

programme. 

Kanuhura’s Kokaa Wellness Retreat and 

Spa was named Best Luxury Island Resort 

Spa in the World Luxury Spa Awards and 

consists of nine nature-inspired treatment 

rooms (three of which can be used for 

couples), a beauty salon, a steam room, 

a dry sauna, plunge pools, Jacuzzis, an 

air-conditioned fitness centre and an 

outdoor beachside spa pavilion. Yoga and 

meditation are incorporated into packages 

to ensure mind and soul are renewed as 

well as body. 

Book it: Inspiring Travel Company 

(inspiringtravelcompany.co.uk) has a seven-nightsfor-the-price-of-five 

deal at Velaa Private Island, 

priced from £6,799pp and based on two adults 

sharing a deluxe pool villa. The deal includes 

breakfast, return economy flights with Emirates 

from Heathrow and seaplane transfers and 

represents a saving up to £1,949pp. It is valid for 

travel between May 15 to October 15 2019. 

Seychelles 

Clients visiting Azure Spa on Alphonese 

Island can experience treatments from Yi- 

King products that are classified according 

to each guest’s ‘master element’ and 

determined by their date of birth. Products 

are native to the Seychelles and each 

element corresponds to the hormones, 

meridians and organs of the body. 

Those visiting the spa at Kempinski 

Seychelles Baye Lazare will also be treated 

to a variety of treatments infused with local 

fragrances and oils and inspired by the 

seasons. Six treatment rooms including 

a couple’s treatment room are located 

in traditional bungalows set in a serene 

relaxation garden. 

It’s into the wild at Hilton Seychelles Labriz 

Resort & Spa where six treatment rooms 

are dotted throughout the rainforest. 

Guests are promised they will ‘reconnect 

with self and emerge brighter’ and can 

choose from the ‘Escape journey’ or the 

‘Essentials Journey’ which span a range of 

treatments from Chinese acupressure to 

Egyptian reflexology. 

At Constance Lemuria Resort, the spa 

centres around Shiseido’s Qi method. 

In-suite massages, beauty treatments and 

steam baths will soothe stressed-out clients, 

while indulgent therapies such as Shiatsu, 

Ayurveda, aromatherapy and reflexology 

are also on offer. 

Book it: If Only (ifonly.net) has seven nights at 

the Kempinski Seychelles resort including daily 

breakfast, return flights with Eithad Airways, 

accommodation in a Hill View room and private 

transfers from £1,805pp based on Manchester 

flights. Valid for stays September 1-30, 2019. 

BEACH MASSAGE WITH ATTITUDE HOTELS 

“While many resorts have 

moved towards a very 

personalised approach to 

wellness, they are all 

tapping into that same 

desire to slow down, 

recharge and return home 

feeling renewed”

LUX* NORTH MALE ATOLL 

THE MALDIVES. 

ELEVATED. 

You first notice its otherworldly 

beauty when you arrive by seaplane. 

As you draw closer to Olhahali 

island, LUX* North Malé Atoll 

appears like a mirage. A vision in 

white. This isn’t the Maldives as you 

know it, with its beachy huts over the 

water, thatched roofs, and laid-back 

charm. LUX* North Malé Atoll 

is something else. 

You could spend hours floating in the infinity pool if it 

weren’t for the house reef or the individual rooftops. 

Early-risers can get a jolt of caffeine at Café LUX*, the 

resort’s in-house coffee shop, before scuba-diving at the 

nearby underwater caves. Indulging in caipirinhas and 

grilled fish at Beach Rouge is basically a rite of passage. 

You wake up from your nap sun-kissed and in time for your 

treatment at LUX* Me spa. You walk along a wooden jetty 

to the spa, which consists of six astonishing glass cubes set 

over the turquoise water. For dinner, you settle on INTI, 

which serves Nikkei cuisine, a cross between Japanese and 

Peruvian cuisines. The flavour-packed dishes are beautiful 

to both the eye and the taste buds. 

The resort oozes with modern luxury; each villa is inspired 

by South Beach, Miami, or a yacht. Yet, somehow the 

iconic contemporary architecture doesn’t strip the island of 

its natural beauty. After dinner, you walk along the shore, 

where the sea meets the sand. If it’s a full moon, the vast 

Indian Ocean will look like the resort’s swimming pool. 

To most, this sounds like a dream. LUX* North Malé Atoll 

doesn’t just live up to the Maldives' promise. It elevates it. 

LUXRESORTS.COM 

stay@luxnorthmale.com

advertorial 

Abu Dhabi is a great 

winter sun 

destination, but did 

you know hotel rates 

are fantastic during 

summer months too, 

and attractions and 

hotels have great airconditioning 

Prepare to be suprised 

by extraordinary 

Abu Dhabi 

Gone are the days when Abu Dhabi was just a stopover 

city en route to the East.Today’s Abu Dhabi is a ‘mustsee’ 

destination in its own right, regularly surprising 

visitors with its astonishing diversity. 

Where else on earth can you ride the 

world’s fastest rollercoaster, or spend 

a night in a hotel that straddles an F1 

racetrack? Where else can you walk on the 

world’s largest carpet beneath the domes 

of the majestic Sheikh Zayed 

Grand Mosque, or track cheetahs in the 

morning on a 4x4 safari before 

snorkelling in the afternoon in the warm 

waters of the Arabian Gulf? 

Abu Dhabi City Must-Sees 

Abu Dhabi’s stunning Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is one of 

the destination’s most popular attractions and is placed third in 

TripAdvisor’s list of the world’s top 25 landmarks. 

Able to accommodate more than 40,000 worshippers, it features 

“Looking for the best 

views in the city? Direct 

clients to the Observation 

Deck at 300, a sky-high 

restaurant and bar on the 

74th floor of the Jumeirah 

at Etihad Towers hotel” 

82 domes, more than 1,000 marble columns and the world’s 

largest handmade carpet, which weighs 35 tonnes and took 1,200 

women two years to make. 

Louvre Abu Dhabi, on Saadiyat Island, 

is home to more than 600 pieces of art, 

drawn from civilisations around the 

world, displayed across 23 state-of-the-art 

galleries. It tells the story of shared human 

experience from ancient times to the 

present day. The permanent collection is 

complemented by around 300 masterpieces 

on loan from major French institutions, 

including works by Monet, Picasso and da 

Vinci. 

Abu Dhabi city’s oldest stone building, 

Qasr Al Hosn, has recently opened to visitors following extensive 

restoration and provides a fantastic opportunity to learn more 

about Abu Dhabi and its Emirati heritage, through historical 

artefacts, photographs and memorabilia. 

Viewed as Abu Dhabi’s entertainment district, Yas Island is

advertorial 

Golfers can tee off at 

three championship 

golf courses, all of 

which have PGA 

professionals on 

their books 

Guests of Etihad 

Airways can use their 

boarding pass to gain 

discounts for 

attractions, restaurants 

and leisure activities, 

as part of the 

‘Extraordinary Abu 

Dhabi Pass’ 

home to an array of exhilarating attractions, including the Yas 

Marina Circuit, which plays host each year to the final race of the 

Formula One season. Away from the track, Yas Island offers three 

theme parks – Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld, 

and Ferrari World Abu Dhabi – home to the world’s fastest 

rollercoaster, Formula Rossa. 

Yas Mall – Abu Dhabi’s largest shopping centre – the Yas Links 

Golf Course, Yas Beach and Yas Marina (with its promenade of 

shops and licenced eateries) round off this fun-filled island. 

Explore Al Ain And Al Dhafra 

The green city of Al Ain - just 90 minutes east of Abu Dhabi city - 

is home to a number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including 

the tranquil and shady Al Ain Oasis. 

Built in 1891 to defend the city’s palm groves, Al Jahili is a picturepostcard 

fort with an inspiring exhibition about British adventurer 

Sir Wilfred Thesiger, who crossed the deserts of the Empty 

Quarter. 

The modern museum of Qasr Al Muwaiji recounts the history of 

this fortress and its famous residents, as well as the wider history 

and archaeology of Al Ain. All three are open daily and entry is 

free of charge. 

The desert island of Sir Bani Yas (170 kilometres southwest of 

Abu Dhabi city) is home to the Arabian Wildlife Park, where guests 

can take safari drives to see the 10,000 free-roaming animals, 

including Arabian Oryx, gazelles, giraffes, hyenas and cheetahs. 

The Empty Quarter is the world’s largest uninterrupted region 

of desert sand and home to the iconic five-star Qasr Al Sarab 

Desert Resort by Anantara. 

Afternoon trips into the desert from Abu Dhabi city are also 

popular, with guests able to experience dune bashing in 4x4s, 

camel trekking, sand surfing and dinner beneath the stars before 

being dropped back at their hotel. 

How To Get There? 

Etihad Airways offers three flights a day from London Heathrow, 

increasing to a maximum of five flights during the summer and 

autumn months. A twice-daily service operates from Manchester 

and Dublin, while British Airways also offers a daily service from 

London Heathrow. visitabudhabi.ae

40 abu dhabi 

the art of 

attraction 

Louvre Abu Dhabi is luring culture-loving visitors to the capital 

of the UAE, says Lauren Jarvis – and there are more worldclass 

attractions to come 

ALL IMAGES: DEPARTMENT OF CULTURE AND TOURISM - ABU DHABI 

Before me stands a stone stelle, 

carved with hieroglyphs, 

dating back to the time of 

Tutankhamun. To my right looms an 

imposing sculpture of a seated King 

Ramesses II from 1279–1213 BCE. 

And in a dark antechamber beyond, 

lies the ornate, gilded mummy case of 

Egyptian Princess Henuttawy. But I’m not 

in the Valley of the Kings, or even London’s 

historic British Museum, I’m in the heart of 

ultra-modern Abu Dhabi, wandering one of 

the world’s newest and most spectacular 

art spaces: the Louvre (louvreabudhabi.ae). 

Known for its soaring skyline and 

luxurious resorts, the capital of the United 

Arab Emirates sprung up from the desert, 

watered by money from the oil discovered 

in the 1950s. 

In the beautifully restored Qasr Al 

Hosn (qasralhosn.ae) – Abu Dhabi Island’s 

oldest building – I see black-and-white 

photographs of the fortress from the early 

1900s and the difference is eye-popping. 

The skyscrapers are absent and sand, 

palms and camels surround its bleached 

coral and stone walls. 

Built around the 1790s by settlers from 

the Bani Yas tribe, with a watchtower to 

protect their fishing and pearling pursuits 

in the Arabian Gulf, Al Hosn is now home 

to a museum which follows Abu Dhabi’s 

rise from a small, coastal settlement to the 

thriving, global city it is today. 

High-brow meets high-rise 

Abu Dhabi has been more than keeping up 

with its dazzling neighbour Dubai, focusing 

on all that is bigger, faster and, they would 

no doubt say, better – from the thrills of 

Ferrari World on Yas Island (yasisland.ae) 

to shopping Meccas like the Marina Mall 

(marinamall.ae). But the opening of Louvre 

Abu Dhabi in late 2017 has marked a shift, 

with ancient wonders of the international 

and Arabian kind on the rise and culture 

and the arts now flourishing. 

Attracting a different kind of visitor to 

the Emirate’s Gulf shores, the Louvre will 

be joined by the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi 

and Zayed National Museum – worldclass 

additions to the city’s Saadiyat Island 

Cultural District. 

Throughout the capital, old meets new. 

The stunning Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque 

(szgmc.gov.ae) displays traditional Islamic 

architecture and design, created using 

modern techniques and explained in a 

smart e-guide in 11 languages. 

At Qasr Al Hosn’s freshly refurbished 

House of Artisans, we watch women 

dressed in hijabs and burqa demonstrate 

ancient skills of weaving, palm braiding 

sellingtravel.co.uk

abu dhabi 41 

LOUVRE ABU DHABI 

and embroidery. Nearby, a skilled barista 

prepares freshly roasted Arabica infused 

with saffron and rose in the contemporary 

Bait al Gahwa or House of Coffee – it’s a 

tradition that was added to UNESCO’s List of 

the Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2015. 

Perhaps most surprisingly for oil-rich 

Abu Dhabi, it’s building the world’s first 

carbon-neutral eco-city, Masdar (masdar. 

ae), powered by renewable energy, just 10 

miles from downtown. 

Outdoor lifestyle 

There’s much here for families to love 

too. Abu Dhabi Island’s glistening towers 

rise above the Corniche, a five-mile-long 

esplanade with restaurants, cycle paths, 

playgrounds and parks, fringing the white 

sands and turquoise waters of the Gulf. 

Yas Island offers thrills of the 

amusement-park kind at Warner Bros. 

World and Yas Waterworld. And 90 

minutes from the city, the Arabian 

Nights Village (arabiannightsvillage.com) 

offers a touristy but fun glimpse into 

life in the desert, complete with camels, 

bellydancers, sandboarding and heartracing 

4WD tours of the dunes. 

Alongside its cultural pursuits, Saadiyat 

Island is home to the Saadiyat Beach 

Golf Club (sbgolfclub.ae), nesting hawksbill 

turtles, passing dolphins, and some of 

Abu Dhabi’s most luxurious yet familyfriendly 

resorts. Here, guests will find 

palatial properties including the St. Regis 

Saadiyat Island Resort (marriott.com) and 

the Jumeirah at Saadiyat Island Resort 

(jumeirah.com), offering plenty to keep 

parents and kids entertained on the 

island’s beautiful beach. 

Opened in October 2018, Rixos Saadiyat 

Island (saadiyatisland.rixos.com) is Abu 

FALCONRY IN THE DESERT 

sellingtravel.co.uk

42 

abu dhabi 

Dhabi’s first and only all-inclusive resort. 

Set on a sweep of pristine sand, the Rixos 

has 366 rooms and suites, 12 luxury villas 

– the Superior Villas offer a private pool – 

seven restaurants serving international and 

local cuisine, watersports and a kids’ club. 

“Until now, Abu Dhabi’s hotels have 

“Abu Dhabi offers 

the best of both worlds. 

Culture and art await at 

the Sheikh Zayed Grand 

Mosque and Louvre 

Abu Dhabi, while fun and 

excitement are guaranteed 

at Warner Bros. World 

and Ferrari World” 

Jessica Harris, Product Manager, Elegant Resorts 

SHEIKH ZAYED GRAND MOSQUE 

only offered half- or full-board options, 

so we’ve successfully filled the gap for 

an all-inclusive experience,” says Burcak 

Orak, General Manager at Rixos Saadiyat 

Island. “The concept has been incredibly 

well received here. With all drinks (both 

alcoholic and non-alcoholic), dining at all 

our restaurants and cafés, an array of 

fitness and water sport classes, as well as 

our evening entertainment programme 

included in the price.” 

What’s new 

Hotels: Jumeirah Al Wathba Desert 

Resort & Spa (jumeirah.com) opened 

in February, set in Abu Dhabi’s desert, 

40-minutes from the city. 

Two new Radisson Blu (radissonblu.com) 

properties have opened on the Abu Dhabi 

Corniche and in the city of Al Ain, home to 

several UNESCO World Heritage Sites. 

The new Beach Rotana Residences 

(rotana.com) offers 314 serviced studios and 

apartments, with fully-equipped kitchens 

and sea views. 

Yas Island will become home to the 

Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island Resort (hilton. 

com), due to open in 2019. 

Attractions: Yas Island will see CLYMB 

(miral.ae/en/destinations/clymb) open later 

this year, bringing the world’s widest flight 

chamber and tallest indoor climbing wall 

to Abu Dhabi. 

Al Maryah Central mall (gulfrelated.com) 

CITY SKYLINE 

will open in late 2019 on Al Maryah Island, 

housing more than 400 international 

brands, a multi-screen cinema, restaurants 

and amphitheatre. 

The Presidential Palace, Qasr Al Watan 

(QasrAlWatan.ae), opened to the public for 

the first time in March this year, with a 

multimedia show and historic artefacts 

from the Arab world. 

Airlines: Etihad Airways (etihad.com) is 

offering passengers booking flights to 

and from all their destinations via Abu 

Dhabi a complimentary two-night stay 

at a choice of hotels. Visitors flying with 

Etihad can also save money on attractions, 

restaurants, shopping and more with the 

Abu Dhabi Extraordinary Pass. 

Where to book it 

DESTINOLOGY – 01204 823762 

Enjoy seven nights all-inclusive at Rixos 

Saadiyat Island from £2,440pp in a Deluxe 

Double Garden View Room, including 

return flights with Etihad Airways. 

destinology.co.uk / saadiyatisland.rixos.com 

ANANTARA’S QASR AL SARAB DESERT RESORT 

THE LOBBY, RIXOS SAADIYAT ISLAND 

FERRARI WORLD 

ALL IMAGES: DEPARTMENT OF CULTURE AND TOURISM - ABU DHABI

six of the best 43 

quirky destination 

Weddings 

Sasha Wood finds somemore unusual ideas agents can 

suggest for couples looking to tie the knot abroad 

Back to nature, 

Costa Rica 

Couples seeking to 

get hitched with 

nature as their 

witness can channel 

Costa Rican Pura Vida 

(Pure Life) with a 

tailor-made rainforest wedding at Tabacon Thermal 

Resort and Spa, where the hot springs are fed by 

Arenal volcano. Wedding venues include a floral 

marquee in the heart of the jungle, a sweetheart 

bridge over the cascades and tropical gardens. 

tabacon.com 

Eastern 

promise, Bali 

Bursting with exotic 

flora, the lush ‘Land of 

1000 temples’, or Bali, 

is a heavenly place to 

say ‘I do’. Set at the 

heart of the 

Indonesian island, between the rice terraces and 

palms of Ubud, The Chedi Club Tanah Gajah offers 

traditional Balinese marriage blessings in one of five 

locations, including the water garden or the flowerfestooned 

amphitheatre flanked by Hindi ganeshas. 

ghmhotels.com/en/tanah-gajah 

Beach bubble, 

the Maldives 

Many tropical island 

resorts have wedding 

chapels, but luxe 

resort Finolhu in the 

Maldives’ idyllic Baa 

Atoll recently 

launched its Bubble Starlight package offering beach 

destination weddings with a difference. Following a 

boho-barefoot ceremony at sunset, newly-weds can 

retreat to a glass Beach Bubble for a starry night 

cocooned on a secluded stretch of palm-tufted sand. 

finolhu.com 

Underwater 

love, Australia 

Fans of the 

underwater world will 

be hard pressed to 

find a more 

spectacular wedding 

location than a subaquatic 

chapel on the Great Barrier Reef. Daydream 

Island Resort in the Whitsunday Islands has an 

underwater observatory where couples can seal the 

deal in the presence of stingrays and lobsters, 

followed by a photo call at a heart-shaped reef. 

daydreamisland.com 

Snow castle, 

Lapland 

For a truly white 

wedding in a 

magical setting of 

snow-dusted firs, 

frozen sculptures 

and aurora-lit skies, 

couples can head to the Lavattumaa snow castle 

in Finnish Lapland between December and April 

for a fairytale come true. The snow chapel is the 

perfect place to exchange vows before hopping on 

a reindeer sleigh and overnighting in a glass igloo. 

luvattumaa.fi/en 

Shamanic 

ritual, Peru 

Adventurous 

travellers can 

combine bucket-list 

Machu Picchu and 

one of the biggest 

days of their lives 

with a marriage ceremony at the Sumaq Hotel at 

the foot of the Inca Trail. The Peruvian hotel 

offers traditional Incan weddings conducted by an 

Andean Shaman who calls upon the ancient Incan 

gods to witness, bless and guide the relationship. 

machupicchuhotels-sumaq.com 

sellingtravel.co.uk

SUTTON BANK, NORTH YORKSHIRE 

44 

UK Holidays 

GIANT’S CAUSEWAY, NORTHERN IRELAND 

home 

turf 

With another long, hot summer predicted for 2019, 

agents need not look far to find the perfect break. 

Jessica Pook looks at coast and country options 

sellingtravel.co.uk

ISLE OF SKYE, SCOTLAND 

UK Holidays 45 

BIRLING GAP, EASTBOURNE 

I’m hauling this bucket of ‘nuts’ 

across the farm and I can already 

hear the bleating of hungry ewes 

and their newborn lambs - it’s almost 

deafening! I’ve not even entered the 

barn before silence ensues and bulging 

eyes are following my every move. I don’t 

think I’ve ever had such a presence! 

It’s lambing season, the busiest time 

of the year in the Yorkshire Dales, and 

I’m attempting to help out whilst the 

farmer attends to his pregnant ewes. 

I’ve just about survived feeding time 

when he calls: “You’ve got small hands 

haven’t you lass? I might need a hand 

with this one”… I convince myself he’s 

joking but thankfully I’m too deep in a 

sea of wool to be considered useful! 

Being able to transport myself to this 

haven of rolling hills and fresh air is like a 

form of therapy for me. The tiny village of 

Askrigg, where I’ve taken refuge in a cosy 

cottage, consists only of the necessities (a 

shop and three pubs), and yet I couldn’t 

be more content. And it seems I’m not 

the only one, the Dales was among the 

top five regions for UK bookings in 2018, 

dubbed the year of the ‘staycation’, 

and it looks set to remain that way. 

Close means comfort 

According to research from Sykes Cottages, 

two-thirds (66%) of Brits enjoyed a UK break 

last year, up from 56% in 2017. These rising 

figures will continue into 2019 as 50% plan 

to spend their main summer break here. 

Jane Atkins, Managing Director at 

Shearings Holidays says: “Demand for 

holidaying in the UK has been high this 

“We’ve seen a 20% year-onyear 

hike in higher-end 

accommodation with 

features such as a hot tub 

and fireplace” 

Sally Henry, Sales Director, Hoseasons 

year. The timing of the warm Easter was 

fantastic in encouraging customers to 

firm up the UK summer holiday plans. 

She adds: “Many customers don’t 

realise that they can book UK breaks 

through their local travel agent so this 

is often incremental commission.” 

Similarly, Gary Gillespie, Head of 

Trade Sales at SuperBreak, encourages 

agents to make the most out of 

existing customers as each will take an 

average of three UK breaks a year! 

“For many agents, selling a UK short 

break provides an additional revenue 

stream which can be profitable as 

the UK is not often discounted. 

“Many customers who book their cruise, 

summer sun or long haul holidays will also 

take a few UK breaks a year. It is up to the 

agents to talk to their existing customers 

about what plans they have alongside 

their main holiday. It can be a great way 

to boost earnings”, adds Gillespie. 

Coasting along 

When the weather warms up, there’s 

nothing more appealing than a trip to 

the seaside, which is why Cornwall’s 

clear waters and sandy beaches are a 

popular draw for British holidaymakers. 

In fact, the South West of England topped 

the list for bookings in 2018, with seven 

out of the 10 most popular locations 

close to the sea. The coastal resorts of 

Llandudno, Eastbourne, Torquay and 

Bournemouth are all top summer sellers 

for SuperBreak while Whitstable remains 

a favourite for those looking to sample 

local English wines and fresh oysters. 

sellingtravel.co.uk

46 

UK Holidays 

With families among the most popular 

clientele for a seaside holiday, operator 

Bourne Leisure has invested in its coastal 

resorts for 2019. Last month Butlin’s 

officially opened its new £40m pool facility 

in its Bognor Regis Resort, thought be one 

of the largest UK coastal investments in 

2019. Haven is also fulfilling its £100 million 

vision of future investment with extensive 

developments at five of its coastal parks. 

Meanwhile, according to Hoseasons, 

luxury properties have seen a 39% growth 

since 2017, with glamping and seafront 

studios proving popular with millennials. 

“Younger travellers should be a focus 

when it comes to selling the UK,” says Sally 

Henry, Sales Director at Hoseasons. “Recent 

research suggests that millennials are 

increasingly open to the idea of going on 

a staycation, so there’s a real opportunity 

for tech-savvy agents to invest in the right 

marketing channels, including social media, 

to attract a new generation of customers.” 

Sell it: SuperBreak offers a stay at the 

four-star Grand Hotel in Torquay priced from 

£62 per person, per night on a B&B basis in 

early September. 

superbreak.com/agents 

Escape to the country 

A retreat to the countryside isn’t only 

reserved for those looking for an active 

walking holiday, it can be enjoyed just as 

much via a scenic rail journey or sold to 

those that just want to cosy up next to 

the fire in the colder months. The hot tub 

appeal or ‘Bubble breaks’ as they’re known, 

“Selling a UK short 

break provides an 

additional revenue 

stream which can be 

profitable as the UK is 

not often discounted” 

Gary Gillespie, Head of Trade Sales, 

Super Break 

are proving popular autumn/winter sellers, 

with agency sales up 21% compared to 

2018. Opening in July 2019 is Ullswater 

Heights in Cumbria, part of Hoseasons’ 

Evermore Lodge Holidays Collection. The 

accommodation offers views across the 

Lake District and is priced from £308 for a 

three-night stay for four. “We’re continuing 

to see strong demand for higher-end 

accommodation, with a 20% year-on-year 

hike for lodges with features such as a 

hot tub and fireplace,” says Sally Henry, 

Hoeseasons. “The couple planning their 

honeymoon in Bali may be open to the 

idea of a relaxing post-wedding mini-moon 

just a few hours from home. Similarly, a 

weekend away in the Cotswolds with the 

grandchildren might be a good suggestion 

for the customers who are counting 

down to the cruise they’ve just booked.” 

Luxury rail travel is also on the up, Arena 

Rail Holidays has added several new UK 

itineraries for 2019 including a five-day 

summer break to the Cotswolds and the 

Avon Valley. The tour journeys on the 

Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam 

Railway through sleepy hamlets and the 

Malvern Hills. It even serves cream tea 

onboard... is there anything more British? 

Sell it: The Great West Way has added a 

‘Royal Journey’ to its portfolio of rail 

holidays, including visits to 

Windsor Castle and Eton. 

greatwestway.co.uk 

WOODHALL FARM, ASKRIGG 

SWALEDALE IN YORKSHIRE DALES 

VISIT BRITAIN AARON JENKIN 

LANDS END, CORNWALL 

COVERACK, CORNWALL 

sellingtravel.co.uk

Get more from 

a short break with 

Super Break... 

With over 35 years’ experience working with Travel Agents across the UK, Super Break stands 

rmly at the centre of all things worth visiting. We pride ourselves on helping your customers 

get the most for their money and the best experiences from their ideal short breaks. 

Create your own break with: 

London & Regional Theatre 

UK Rail, Eurostar, Flights & 

Mini Cruises 

Dinner Deals 

Spa Breaks 

Afternoon & Cream Tea 

Friday Night Out 

Concerts & Events 

Attractions 

Visit: www.SuperBreak.com/agents 

Join us on Facebook at Superbreak for Travel Agents 

for exclusive deals, incentives & product news!

Visit USA News 

THIS MONTH'S TOP STORIES FROM VISIT USA MEMBERS • VISITUSA.ORG.UK 

MIAMI NICE 

FOR 

AMERICAN 

American 

Airlines is to 

launch a new 

daily flight 

between 

Heathrow and 

Miami in October. 

American’s 

Miami hub serves 

as the airline’s 

gateway to the 

Caribbean, 

Mexico and Latin 

America, At the 

same time, joint 

business partner 

British Airways 

will add three 

additional weekly 

flights between 

London and 

Philadelphia. 

aa.com; ba.com 

Safety first for Maverick 

MAVERICK Helicopters, which operates flightseeing tours in Arizona 

and Hawaii, has received a major industry safety award. 

The award is Maverick Helicopters’ eighth in a row for its Las Vegas 

and Grand Canyon South Rim locations and the fourth consecutive 

award for its Maui, Hawaii, facility since it launched there in 2015. 

“Receiving one of the FAA’s highest honours for so many consecutive 

years is evidence of our dedication and standards to ensuring the 

safety of our guests,” said John Buch, President of Maverick Aviation 

Group, parent company of Maverick Helicopters. 

Maverick, which flies more than 250,000 guests combined each year 

from its various North American locations, says it holds the top safety 

record of any tourism-based aviation company in the world. 

Maverick offers commission to UK travel agents through key tour 

operator partners and also by contacting the UK office on Maverick@ 

ttmworld.co.uk. maverickhelicopters.co.uk 

Premium New York 

New York City has its firstever 

outlet shopping centre. Empire 

Outlets has opened its doors on Staten 

Island. Just steps away from the 

Staten Island Ferry the 100-plus retail 

experiences include a Nike store, a 

Banana Republic store and Levi's. 

nycgo.com 

Orlando's new ride 

Hagrid's Magical Creatures 

Motorbike Adventure opens at 

Universal Orlando on June 13. The park 

says the latest addition at The 

Wizarding World of Harry Potter site 

will become the 'most highly themed, 

immerse rollercoaster experience at the 

resort.'. During the coaster 'flight' guests 

will twist, turn and rush backward as 

they travel through a dark forest with 

'live' trees at speeds of 50mph. 

universalorlando.co.uk 

Free in Baltimore 

Baltimore is again running a 

series of free events this summer, 

from festivals to music events to free 

entry into city museums. Artscape the 

largest free arts festival in the U.S. will 

feature over 150 vendors, and 

craftspeople and three outdoor stages 

with live music. capitalregionusa.org 

BLOG The car might be king in the U.S. 

but travel by train to experience some 

breathtaking journeys across the country. 

Whether its the scenic Great Smoky 

Mountains Railroad, the historic Durango 

& Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad or 

Amtrak's contemporary California to 

Chicago, the options are numerous. 

More Blog content at visitusa.org.uk/Blog 

Look out for our Visit USA (UK) online Travel Update for the pick of members' news

SPOTLIGHT 

ON... 

SESAME STREET HAS OPENED AT 

SEAWORLD ORLANDO. THE SIX-ACRE 

INTERACTIVE ATTRACTION FEATURES 

THE SESAME STREET NEIGHBOURHOOD AND 

RESIDENTS, STORYTIME WITH BIG BIRD AT 

HIS NEST AND SIX THEMED RIDES. 

seaworldparks.co.uk 

LOOKING TO 

HIT THE 

OPEN ROADS 

OF THE USA? 

Then check 

out our Visit 

USA UK 

members 

• Apollo 

Motorhome 

Holidays • 

Cruise America 

and Canada RV 

Rentals Inc 

• EagleRider • 

El Monte RV 

• Road Bear RV 

• The 

Motorhome 

Experts 

Trade key for U.S. specialist 

USA specialist Vacations to America is again running a concerted trade 

campaign to increase bookings through agents in 2019. 

After being a direct-sell operation for several years, the Hertfordshirebased 

luxury tour operator has embraced the trade in recent times – and 

that has helped boost sales, says Managing Director, Richard Wimms. 

“Sales are significantly ahead on this time last year. Our engagement 

with the travel trade and our passion behind the product we sell is what 

has kept us strong in the current market,” he added. 

The operator plans to visit 200 travel agents – both agencies and 

homeworkers - during April and May. It is also distributing a new 

monthly e-newsletter to the trade with features such as Property Of The 

Month, Agent Support, Destination Discovery and more. 

Agents can sign up via the Vacations to America website homepage. 

The operator is also planning a second edition of its agents’ reference 

guide, Buddy Book. vacationstoamerica.com 

Bradley International 

Airport (Hartford) 

MICHAEL COLLINS 

When did you become a 

Visit USA member? Bradley 

International Airport (BDL) 

became a member of Visit 

USA in September 2018. 

What are the main benefits 

of your membership? 

Visit USA gives us access to 

trade events and one-onone 

time with agents we 

would not get to meet. We 

will be part of the Visit USA 

Road Show in October, 

where we will meet with 

agents in Glasgow, Leeds 

and London. 

What flights serve the 

airport from Ireland/UK? 

BDL is the second largest 

airport in New England. Aer 

Lingus operates a yearround 

service from Dublin. 

Passengers complete preclearance 

in Ireland; they 

land at BDL like a domestic 

passenger, which means a 

speedy passage through 

Immigration and Security. 

Where is the airport located? 

BDL is located in the heart 

of New England, between 

New York and Boston, and 

is easier and less stressful 

than some of the larger 

airports in the region. 

Agents should suggest it 

as a gateway to the entire 

New England region. 

Tell us about the airport's 

catering/retail opportunities. 

There's a great range, 

including national brands 

and regional favourites. 

bradleyairport.com 

Subscribe to the Visit USA (UK) online Travel Update at visitusa.org.uk

SPONSORED FEATURE 

Davao City 

Capital of the Philippines’ second-largest and southernmost island, Davao City is Qatar 

Airways' newest destination, launching June 18. Laura Gelder finds out more 

The sprawling city of Davao is the capital 

of Mindanao, a province known as the 

bread basket of the Philippines as well 

as being home to the country's most 

ethnically diverse population, including 

many indigenous tribes. 

It’s a relatively modern city in a troubled 

region and agents should check for the 

latest Foreign and Commonwealth Office 

advice on Davao and Mindanao before they 

book a holiday. But with its cosmopolitan 

attractions surrounded by unique nature 

and some of the country’s most beautiful 

beaches, Davao is sure to be a tourism star 

of the future. 

DURIAN ON SALE 

City life 

For a quick history lesson, visitors should 

head to Davao Museum to peruse galleries 

on local tribes and Muslim communities, 

historical landmarks and memorabilia which 

will give cultural context to the region. 

Davao has a number of shopping malls 

but for local goods Aldevinco, next to the 

People's Park, is crammed with stalls where 

Mindanao's locals sell their handicrafts, 

including colourful malong blankets and 

batik-dyed clothing. 

Local coffee chain Blugre is a good spot 

for a snack and visitors can try its famous 

durian coffee and durian cheesecake - 

durian being the world's smelliest fruit! 

Green themes 

Davao is a city of superlatives. Towering 

over it is the Philippines’ highest mountain, 

Apo, it’s home to the largest eagle in the 

world and you’ll find some of the world’s 

largest fruit in its markets. 

THE RARE PHILIPPINE EAGLE 

In fact, nature is never very far away in 

Davao. The Davao Riverfront Complex 

houses the Crocodile Park, one of the 

city’s most popular attractions which 

houses a variety of wildlife as well as the 

Davao Butterfly House and the Tribu 

K’Mindanawan cultural village. 

The Philippine Eagle Center is home to 

these huge and critically endangered birds, 

who are cosseted in a forested enclosure 

in the foothills of Mount Apo along with an 

COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE 

array of other reptiles and birds. 

Parks and gardens are abundant in Davao. 

If you’re just looking for a quick stroll, the 

expansive and breezy People’s Park is a 

good choice. The Malagos Garden Resort is 

home to many beautiful blooms including 

the endemic Waling-Waling orchid. Visitors 

can also explore the Malagos Chocolate 

Museum, visit the bird watching deck or bird 

feeding dome or relax in the Zen Garden or 

Waling Forest. 

THE DETAILS 

TIME ZONE: GMT +8 

CURRENCY: Philippine peso 

(PhP) £1-65.86 PhP 

VISAS: No, British passports 

holders can stay 60 days 

LANGUAGES: Tagalog 

Cebuano, English 

CLIMATE: Tropical and humid. 

Rainfall is highest May–Oct. 

Dec–May is peak travel time. 

POPULATION: 1.633 million 

Davao is the largest city by 

area in the Philippines and 

the largest on Mindanao 

island where it's located. 

USEFUL CONTACT: tourism. 

davaocity.gov.ph 

GETTING THERE: cathaypacific. 

com; philippineairlines.com; 

etihad.com; qatarairways. 

com, all with a stop. 

DID YOU KNOW? The current 

President of the Philippines, 

Rodrigo Duterte, was the 

former mayor of Davao City 

for two decades and still has 

a home there today. 

Filipino fun 

Eden Nature Park is centred on activities, 

such as camping, trekking, horse riding, 

fishing and a zip line. Selling itself on its 

fresh mountain air, it has a bird walk, deer 

park and forest walking trail as well as 

Tinubdan, a cultural village. 

For more thrilling fun there is the Davao 

Wild Water Adventure where tourists can 

try river rafting down a 10km stretch of 

the mighty Davao River, zip lining with 

panoramic city views at Outland Adventure, 

or Deca Wakeboard Park. 

sellingtravel.co.uk

Explore more 

of the Philippines 

Embark on a memorable adventure to the heart of South East Asia and discover what 

makes the Philippines so magnificent. From the popular island getaways outside of 

Davao to the historic sights in Manila and Clark, visiting the Philippines is a spectacular 

journey with unlimited possibilities. 

Fly with us to any of our three gateways in the Philippines, including 

our newest destination Davao, launching 18th June. 

qatarairways.com

52 

48 hours in 

Edmonton 

A blend of city bustle and rural charm makes for the perfect 

itinerary in Alberta's capital, says Jessica Pook 

URBAN PEDAL TOUR 

A HEARD OF BISON 

SEGWAY TOUR 

Day 1: City living 

Morning: With so much to see in 

such a short space of time, a 

Segway tour is the perfect way to 

explore leafy Edmonton, home to North 

America’s largest urban parkland. The 

two-wheeled tour will guide you through 

buzzy cityscapes and the scenic River 

Valley, which offers over 150km of trails 

attracting cyclists, walkers and Segway 

riders alike. 

Afternoon: Once you’ve found 

your bearings, it's time to delve 

into Edmonton’s history at the new 

Royal Alberta Museum. With a collection 

of 2.4 million artefacts, visitors can learn 

about Edmonton's archaeological and 

cultural background, from its changing 

landscapes to its indigenous people. And 

if you’re travelling with children, the new 

interactive bug room 

and digital sandbox 

“Spend an afternoon 

admiring the West 

Edmonton Mall, 

complete with the 

world’s largest indoor 

zipline and over 800 

shops!” 

is sure to be a hit. 

Fast forward to 

the present with 

an on-trend Urban 

Pedal Tour to 

explore Edmonton’s 

top craft beer 

taprooms and 

breweries. Use 

your pedal power 

on this 15-person 

U-shaped bike to take in views of the River 

Valley before stopping for a refreshing 

brew. If there’s still time, hop over to Old 

Strathcona, one of Edmonton’s trendiest 

neighbourhoods, and explore the local 

boutiques, art galleries and music shops 

on offer. 

Evening: For those that like to learn 

a thing or two in the kitchen, 

Kitchen by Brad offers cooking classes 

which use ingredients sourced from the 

surrounding area. Groups can partake in a 

three-hour class to create a custom menu 

with the help of some talented local chefs. 

Finish the evening with a stroll around 4th 

Street Promenade, a sophisticated 

neighbourhood featuring fine food, hip 

boutiques and even a neon sign museum. 

Day 2: The wild and wacky 

Morning: Leave the bright lights of 

the city behind and go in search of 

some of nature’s most iconic creatures – 

the bison. Less than an hour from 

Edmonton city, Elk Island National Park is 

home to the bison conservation facility 

where visitors can take part in the Bison 

Backstage Tour and learn about these 

shaggy giants with demonstrations, 

hands-on activities and a tour of the 

reserve. Whilst in the national park there’s 

plenty of opportunity to explore by foot or 

by water with a kayak or paddleboard. 

Afternoon: Spend an afternoon 

immersing yourself in the West 

Edmonton Mall, complete with the world’s 

largest indoor zipline! With over 800 

shops, a waterpark and countless 

restaurants, it’s easy to while away the 

hours. 

Evening: Spend an 

evening at Prairie 

Gardens and Adventure 

Farm. At a Fire Roasters 

Long Table Dinner diners 

share a gourmet fivecourse 

meal made with 

organic produce from this 

35-acre farm, cooked over 

an open fire. Listen to 

Farmer Tam's stories 

gathered from over 60 

years of farming and promoting 

sustainable agriculture and responsible 

tourism. 

RIVER VALLEY 

sellingtravel.co.uk

THE TRAVEL NEWS THAT REALLY MATTERS 

INTERNATIONAL ROUND-UP SHOW REPORT 

60 

58 

62 

65 

EXPERIENCE LATAM 

A SHOW PREVIEW 

ADVANTAGE CONFERENCE 

ALL THE NEWS FROM CADIZ 

TRENZ SHOW REPORT 

NEW ZEALAND IN FOCUS 

GET ONLINE – READ ALL OUR MAGAZINES PLUS BONUS BLOGS AND INTERVIEWS AT SELLINGTRAVEL.CO.UK 

sellingtravel.co.uk

54 

the review 

Off-season 

itineraries for 

Insight Vacations 

INSIGHT Vacations is offering 

an early payment discount 

for its 2019-20 brochure 

trips, which includes two 

new itineraries in the 

Mediterranean. 

The new 15-day Glories of 

Greece and Three Continents 

Cruise and 11-day Athens 

and Three Continents Cruise 

explore Greece by land before 

setting sail on a seven-night 

cruise, starting in Athens and 

taking in the coast of Egypt, 

Israel, Cyprus, Rhodes and 

Kusadasi in Turkey before 

disembarking in Athens. 

The tours form part of Insight 

Vacations’ 2019-20 brochure, 

a collection of escorted 

journeys departing between 

October 2019 and April 2020. 

Agents can save 5% on any 

2019-20 booking when paid 

in full by August 29, 2019. 

insightvacations.com/uk/ 

Funway unlocks Florida 

BY STEVE HARTRIDGE 

FUNWAY Holidays has launched 

a three-month ‘Florida Unlocked’ 

campaign, designed to provide 

agents with destination training on 

the less familiar areas of Florida. 

The eight state partners 

highlighted in the campaign are 

Bradenton, Sarasota, Tampa Bay, 

St. Pete/Clearwater, Panama City 

Beach, Daytona Beach, SeaWorld, 

Fort Myers and Sanibel. 

Key features include an 

interactive website and app - a 

first for Funway Holidays - with 

product quizzes, videos, ‘fun facts’ 

and events. 

Agents also have the opportunity 

to create their own version of 

Florida Unlocked, to then promote 

with their customer database. 

Prizes include Red Letter Days, 

vouchers, a stay in Tampa Bay, 

goody bags and an Apple Watch. 

Agents must complete all 

destination quizzes, including on 

the website, to be entered into the 

prize draw. 

Commenting on ‘Florida 

Unlocked’, Malcolm Davies, 

Funway’s Product Destination 

Manager, said: “The campaign 

has been developed based on 

feedback from our 500 Club of 

Preferred Partner Travel Agents. 

Our research revealed that one of 

the priorities for travel agents was 

more destination training.” 

Funway says it is planning to 

roll out the Unlocked concept to 

other destination, with ‘Caribbean 

Unlocked’ likely to be next. 

funwaya4agents.co.uk 

If Only and Abu 

Dhabi’s prize draw 

IF ONLY has teamed up with 

the Abu Dhabi Department 

of Culture and Tourism to 

offer agents a prize every 

month until December. 

Agents who make a booking 

to Abu Dhabi for three nights 

or more will be automatically 

entered into the draw to win 

Ferrari driving experiences, 

Jo Malone goodies and 

pampering sessions. 

The incentive is part of 

the ‘Abu Dhabi – find your 

amazing’ campaign, designed 

to highlight the destination’s 

appeal to couples, families, 

thrill-seekers, nature lovers 

and culture enthusiasts. 

If Only is also offering 

themed goody bags to agents 

who post their ‘amazing 

Abu Dhabi’ experiences 

by using the hashtag - 

#myamazingabudhabi. 

ifonly.net 

Travelpack 

Bangkok, Elephant Hills & Phuket 

Travelpack has a 

special deal for 9nts 

in Thailand starting 

fr£1499pp, includes 

flights, accommodation, 

transfers 

and 

excursions. For Travel 

between 5 Aug - 30 Sep 

19. To book contact 0208 

585 4020 or email - 


Virtual reality training from the Seychelles 

THE Seychelles Tourism Board 

plans to expand its training tool kit 

to include virtual reality fam trips. 

The videos will be available at 

seychellessuperstar.co.uk later this 

year and will cover topics from 

transport to accommodation. 

Christine Vel, Director UK & 

Ireland, Seychelles Tourism Board 

said: “The trade account for 90% 

of total sales to the Seychelles, 

so it’s important they can sell the 

destination as if they have been 

there themselves.” seychelles.travel 

sellingtravel.co.uk

Win a journey to Jersey 

ATMOSPHERE KANIFUSHI MALDIVES 

FESTIVE SEASON & 2020 NOW ON SALE! 

Book 60 days prior and receive 15% Discount on Rates! 

PLUS Book now for a minimum of 7 Nights and receive 

50% OFF Return Seaplane Transfers! 

Valid for stays between 

01 Nov 19 – 19 Dec 19 and 01 May 20 – 31 Oct 20 

BY JESSICA POOK 

PREMIER HOLIDAYS is giving 

agents the chance to win 

a trip to Jersey, including 

accommodation and travel, to 

celebrate the launch of its latest 

Channel Island campaign. 

The promotion includes 

special deals to encourage 

clients to travel with Condor 

Ferries, such as complimentary 

meals, free afternoon tea 

packages, free half -board 

upgrades and five nights for the 

price of four. 

For example, agents can book 

Jersey from £445pp for fivenights 

at Beachcombers Hotel, 

staying between July 1-18, 

including a free three-course 

dinner on the first night. 

There’s also a seven-night 

package at the Pandora Hotel 

from £545pp between July 1-18 

and September 1-30, with a free 

bottle of wine on arrival. Agents 

can also book offers to both 

Jersey and Guernsey flying from 

Gatwick and regional airports. 

Those who book one of the 

offers will be entered into a 

prize draw to win a three-night 

holiday to Jersey, staying at 

the Radisson Blu Waterfront 

Hotel and including sea travel 

with a car. To enter, agents 

should email their booking 

reference and ABTA number 

to condorbreak@premierholidays. 

co.uk before June 30, 2019. 

Posters, flyers and social 

media assets are available 

to download from Premier’s 

website at: 

trade.premierholidays.co.uk 

ADAARAN SELECT HUDHURANFUSHI 

MAY OFFER NOW BOOKABLE! 

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15 % OFF all bookings arriving from now – 31 Oct 19 

PLUS FAMILY OFFER 

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Valid for all stays between 01 Jun – 31 Jul 19 

Osborne & Ebel 

TRADE-FRIENDLY wholesaler 

Osborne & Ebel has a special 

deal for the Sheraton Full 

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nights start from £375pp on 

a full-board basis, including 

return speedboat transfers. 

For travel May 1 to September 

30 2019. The resort is a short 

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diving spots, pristine beaches and great F&B options. For 

details contact: sales@osborneandebel.com 

REETHI BEACH RESORT MALDIVES 

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All above offers are subject to availability | Terms & Conditions Apply 

sellingtravel.co.uk

56 

the review: cruise 

Cruise Update 

Cruise focus for Shearings 

CRUISE NEWS IN BRIEF 

ANDY HARMER, 

CLIA UK & 

Ireland Director 

I’M PLEASED to say that last 

month was a very busy and 

exciting one here at CLIA. 

We held our annual 

flagship 

three-day 

conference in the port of 

Southampton, where a 

record-breaking 750 CLIA 

delegates attended. 

All agents had the chance 

to visit two of three ships - 

Celebrity Edge, MSC Preziosa 

and Queen Mary 2 - hear 

from expert speakers both 

in and outside of the cruise 

industry, and even had 

a surprise visit from Sir 

Richard Branson who spoke 

about his exciting plans for 

Virgin Voyages. 

CLIA also announced it will 

hold a Cruise360 event in 

Malta from October 28-30. 

The event offers a 

panoramic view of the 

cruise industry by bringing 

together travel agents, ports 

and destinations, cruise 

lines and industry suppliers. 

Four amazing ships will 

be docked in the beautiful 

cruise port of Valetta, with 

delegates able to visit 

Holland America Line’s 

Koningsdam or Regent Seven 

Seas’ Voyager as well as 

Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity 

Edge. There’ll also be time to 

enjoy the destination. 

Cruise360 is open to all 

CLIA agents across Europe. 

For more information and 

to register for a space, visit 

cruiseexperts.org. 

AGENTS can take advantage 

of early booking discounts and 

earn Love2Shop vouchers when 

booking a 2020 river cruise with 

Shearings Holidays. 

The offer follows the launch 

of the operator’s largest river 

cruise brochure to date, with a 

14-page worldwide rivers section 

and detailing sailings on its new 

partner line Amadeus Cruises. 

Early booking prices, as well as a 

discount of £100 per couple, can 

be got until June 14. In addition, 

agents will earn a £25 Love2Shop 

voucher for every 2020 river cruise 

booked before June 30, 2019. 

Agents can offer a luxury eightday 

itinerary such as Classic Cities 

of the Danube, Danube Rhapsody, 

Spring Gardens Extravaganza 

or Classic Rhine to Switzerland 

onboard the five-star Amadeus 

Silver II, Amadeus Star, Amadeus 

Silver III or Amadeus Imperial. 

Prices start from £1659pp and are 

bookable with coach, air or rail 

connections and its Home Connect 

domestic transfer service. 

A-Rosa also features heavily 

within the brochure, with 10 new 

itineraries including a five-day Paris 

and Versailles itinerary, priced 

from £789pp. Various departures 

on A-Rosa Alva, the newest ship 

to join the fleet on the Douro, 

are featured and CroisiEurope 

will focus on themed and special 

event-based cruises for 2020. 

Shearings also has its first Ocean 

Cruises mini brochure, which 

includes Hurtigruten and Holland 

America Line. 

shearingsagent.com 

New ocean and river cruise brochures from Titan Travel 

WITH 48 new ocean cruises and 

13 new river sailings, Titan Travel’s 

latest brochures showcase the 

best in luxury cruising, immersive 

experiences and new paddlewheeling 

tours. 

For 2020, clients can set sail on 

a Fred. Olsen worldwide fly-cruise 

itinerary such as the new Vietnam, 

Hong Kong and Singapore with 

Phuket itinerary. 

Six new Azamara Club Cruise 

itineraries will also depart in 2020 

CELEBRITY CRUISES is 

offering double rewards and 

double the cash on any Edge 

Class booking made before 

August 28, 2019. 

As part of the campaign, 

clients staying on the Celebrity 

Edge in Edge Class or in an 

Ocean View stateroom can 

enjoy a complimentary classic 

drinks package for the first 

two guests, worth £55 a day, 

and pre-paid gratuities. A 

third guest will also receive 

50% off the cruise-only fare 

as well as the drinks package 

offer and pre-paid gratuities. 

Agents will receive their 

Celebrity Rewards points at 

the time of booking. 

celebritycentral.co.uk 

AGENTS can save a 

guaranteed £1,000 per couple 

when booking a 2020 Europe 

river cruise with Scenic. 

The full collection includes 

bestselling journeys along the 

Rhine and Douro as well as 

new sailings along the lower 

Danube and South of France. 

Clients will enjoy free door-todoor 

chauffeur transfers on 

any itinerary as well as return 

flights from UK airports, 

five-star ships with a Scenic 

Sun Lounge Butler service 

for all and complimentary 

beverages all day. 

avaloncruisies.co.uk 

including a 16-day South Africa 

Voyage and Safari. 

River cruising is up 40% and 

Titan has partnered with 

Uniworld for all luxury river 

cruise 2020 departures. It has 

added Enchanting Towns of 

the Rhine, Scenic Sights of the 

Beautiful Moselle and Voyage to 

the Danube Delta to its portfolio, 

along with a new paddle-wheel 

river cruise along the Loire Valley. 

titantravel.co.uk 

sellingtravel.co.uk

Ottawa 

the review: trade show report 57 

CANADA 

Canada’s dream team on a mission 

Canada’s indigenous tourism came centre stage at a landmark mission to the 

UK, as WestJet launched its Dreamliner service to Calgary Julie Baxter reports 

APRIL 30 

2019 

Development dreams... 

Keith Henry, President and CEO, of 

the Indigenous Tourism Association 

of Canada led the indigenous tourism 

delegation. He said: ”Visitor interest in 

indigenous experiences is very strong from 

the UK and the mission was designed to 

help connect travellers to product they will 

love, via the trade. We now have over 1800 

indigenous tourism businesses in Canada 

and over 130 of those are export-ready 

with 30 ready-to-go, flexible packages. We 

can offer once-in-a-lifetime opportunities 

ranging from high-end boutique hotels to 

remote cultural centres and rural activities. 

We have product and experiences for every 

type of traveller, yet currently less than 1% 

of UK sales includes an indigenous tourism 

experience, so there is huge room for 

growth. Indigenous sales are up 23% and 

out-pacing general tourism sales, something 

is really beginning to change but the research 

shows, demand is far greater than the current 

purchasing figures would suggest. We’re 

not talking about rewriting itineraries, but 

rather building diversity into them by adding 

indigenous experiences along current routes. 

Once people visit Canada they are seven 

times more likely to go back, so extending the 

product is not just about selling product today 

but building longer term repeat visits.” 

Hot competition... 

WestJet’s new Dreamliners feature new 

long-haul Business, Premium and Economy 

cabins with enhanced seats, catering and 

service. Flights depart daily from London 

Gatwick to Calgary, and vice versa. 

westjet.com 

DAVID GOLDSTEIN, ARVED VON ZUR MUELHLEN & KEITH HENRY 

Dreamliner debut... 

Arved von zur Muehlen, EVP and Chief 

Commerical Officer at WestJet which 

hosted the mission onboard the inaugural 

Calgary-Gatwick Dreamliner service. He 

said: “WestJet is transforming from a classic 

low cost carrier to a full-service business 

and leisure airline. We are doing that by 

enhancing our popular Economy product, and 

adding best-in-class Premium and Business 

cabins. We believe our new Dreamliner cabins 

now offer the best product flying across the 

Atlantic. It’s a competitive market but we have 

some key advantages. Firstly, the hardware 

– the seats and the food; secondly the staff – 

delivering WestJet’s unique service and culture 

of care which comes from the fact that all 

staff are shareholders. Our’s is an airline with 

personality, with a fun attitude and a deep 

connection to the community we come from. 

That is why working in partnership with the 

members of Treaty 7 of Southern Alberta 

and other indigenous groups has been so 

important. A meaningful connection with the 

communities we serve is key to all we do. The 

feedback we get is exceptional, the challenge 

is to make sure everyone considering a trip to 

Canada knows about it too.” 

WELCOME ADDRESS BY METIS ELDER 

“The pathway to a traveller’s 

wallet is through their 

hearts. They want 

transformative experiences” 

David Goldstein, Destination Canada 

Dream destination... 

David Goldstein, President and CEO 

Destination Canada He said: “I have a 

passion for telling Canada’s story and that 

story is not complete without the stories of 

our indigenous people. Telling it is vital as we 

reconcile our history but also to differentiate 

ourselves. The pathway to a traveller’s 

wallet is through their hearts. They don’t just 

want an experience but a transformative 

experience. Transformative tourism has to 

begin with the essence of the place and the 

people, and for Canada that has to include 

our indigenous people. People talk about the 

‘value proposition’ of tourism, but ours is a 

values proposition, and our values are based 

around inclusion of all. This new WestJet 

route is an important pathway between 

the consumers and the indigenous tourism 

product and stories of Alberta, and beyond.” 

sellingtravel.co.uk

58 

the review: show preview 

Experience Latin America 

Europe’s only trade event dedicated to Latin America takes place this June 10-12 and will 

join 145 exhibitors and 400 buyers, including agents, at Chelsea Football Club 

Organised by the Latin America Travel 

Association (LATA) Experience Latin 

America (ELA) is an exclusively B2B 

event which aims to showcase the best 

Latin American product and connect 

key European buyers with exhibitors. 

LATA and ELA’s mission is to expand and 

diversify the UK travel market to Latin 

America and the event will encompass 

meetings, networking opportunities, 

seminars covering important issues in the 

industry and social events. 

Growth update 

Up until the end of April 2019 there has 

been a 2.2% decrease in UK departures 

to Latin America compared to 2018, and 

that’s despite total UK outbound figures 

dropping by 3.7% during the same period! 

The data, provided by Forward Keys, 

indicates that top LATAM destinations 

for UK travellers are Mexico, accounting 

for around 22%, followed by Brazil (17%), 

Peru (8.9%) and Colombia (8.8%). 

Key growth areas are Brazil (+5.1%), 

Peru (+3.7%), Argentina (+7.4%) and the 

Dominican Republic (+17.7%). Niche 

destinations have also seen significant 

growth such as the Galapagos Islands 

(+20.6%), Guyana (+8.2%), Guatemala 

(+10.9%) and Honduras (+8.8%). Bookings 

for May to October show Dominican 

Republic, Chile, Argentina, Costa Rica and 

Ecuador as hotspots. 

The seminar 

programme 

There will be a new, improved 

and interactive format to ELA’s 

seminar programme, aimed to engage 

with attendees and create a dialogue 

about key trends and issues in the region. 

New for 2019, each day will kick off 

with a breakfast seminar. Themes, from 

Monday to Wednesday, are: 2019 Latin 

America booking statistics and trends, 

working with the UK travel industry and a 

LATA Sustainability Charter update. 

The main seminar topics are: going 

beneath the surface of wellness and 

wellbeing, choice, challenge and change 

in adventure travel and transformation 

at the intersection of luxury and 

sustainability. 

Each will start with an informative 

presentation before participants are 

divided into groups to discuss and debate 

key topics. Speakers include Dr. Raj Joshi 

an adventurer, expedition leader and MD 

of the Transformational Travel Council. 

LATA Achievement Awards 

Recognising individuals and 

companies who have made 

exceptional contributions to 

the development of travel to 

Latin America, the ten 2019 

categories will recognise 

the best airline, cruise 

operator, destination, DMC, 

hotel, marketing campaign, 

tour operator and product 

launch. There’s also an accolade for 

sustainability and a ‘people’ award. 

Winners are selected by a judging 

panel of key figures, including Danny 

Callaghan, General Manager of LATA, and 

announced on the Monday. 

ELA TAKES PLACE 

JUNE 10-12, 2019 

AT CHELSEA 

FOOTBALL 

CLUB, LONDON 

This year 

travel agents 

will attend for 

the first 

time, around 

80 are 

registered 

Topics cover 

themes like wellness, 

adventure, luxury 

and sustainability 

sellingtravel.co.uk

the review: ela interview 59 

Still going for green 

Laura Gelder speaks to Colin 

Stewart before the sixth 

Experience Latin America - his 

second as Chairman of LATA 

QWhat’s new for ELA 2019? 

A: After five years we’re moving from 

Canary Wharf to Chelsea Football Club, an 

internationally-recognised venue that will 

give us room to grow. I think it’s a great 

showcase for what London and LATA have 

to offer. 

In the past our seminars overlapped with 

meetings but this year, every day between 

1-2pm, there will be a break in meetings 

so that everyone can benefit from the 

programme, which was put together after 

consulting members and covers themes 

like wellness, adventure, luxury and 


We’ve also really focused on social 

activities and have scheduled an event 

for every evening in an effort to keep 

everyone together. There’s the ninth 

LATA Achievement Awards, an informal 

barbeque hosted by Procolombia, and 

the ELA Fiesta which will take place in a 

unique venue under Stamford Bridge. 

QWhat are you most looking forward 

to? A: I’m excited about meeting our 

exhibitors – we’re 10% up in numbers 

this year but my objective is to meet with 

all 145 of them. I like to think of us as a 

family and I want to engage with everyone 

- hear about their experiences and learn 

about their products. 

WILDLIFE-RICH GUYANA IS A RISING STAR 

ANDAZ PENINSULA PAPAGAYO RESORT, COSTA RICA - JUST ONE OF THE GROWING NUMBER OF LUXURY OPTIONS IN THE REGION 

“We are seeing growth to 

Latin America in 2019, to 

Brazil, Peru, Argentina and 

the Dominican Republic 

especially 

QWhat does ELA offer attendees? 

A: Our exhibitors come for our 400 

quality buyers from 18 countries. We offer 

the value of networking and the potential 

to connect with new business and 

increase traffic to Latin America. Our aim 

is to be Europe’s prime B2B LATAM event. 

QAre you still majoring on 

sustainability?A: Since we launched 

the Sustainability Charter last year we’ve 

attracted 90 members, ranging from 

tourist boards to DMCs to tour operators. 

The idea of it was to put a mark in the 

sand and make sustainability part of 

our core values. For ELA we’re looking 

at ensuring all brand materials and 

goodie bags are recyclable and we’ll have 

hydration stations with glass bottles. 

QWhat big issues are on the agenda? 

A: Brexit, of course, and how it might 

affect travel to the region, and overtourism 

– how we can work together to be careful 

about what we promote. A number of 

members target the luxury market and I 

think there’s real opportunity to tap into 

that and compete with Asia and Africa. 

QHow is the region faring this year? 

A: We’re seeing growth, to Brazil, 

Peru, Argentina and the Dominican 

Republic especially. Niche destinations 

such as the Galapagos, Guatemala and 

Guyana are also doing well. Norwegian 

has a new flight into Rio and Air Europa 

opens a new route to Panama in June and 

a codeshare with COPA will also opens up 

countries like El Salvador and Guatemala. 

It’s a region that’s growing and there are 

still undiscovered places. 

sellingtravel.co.uk

60 

the review: trade show report 

High five on show out west 

The 25th International Roundup (IRU) took place in Spearfish, 

South Dakota, in the state’s Black Hills country. Steve Hartridge, 

the only UK trade journalist at the show, rounds up the news 

APRIL 28- 

MAY 1, 2019 

IRU is ‘essential’ 

REGIONAL tourism shows 

like IRU remain an essential 

shop window for some of 

the U.S.’s less-visited states, 

said tourism officials. 

James Scoon, Director of 

Global Sales and Services at 

the Wyoming Office of 

Tourism, said: “Many 

excellent tourism products 

just can’t afford to travel 

over to meet with tour 

operators in their own 

countries. Through the 

Great American West 

consortium and IRU, 

Wyoming can do so much 

more in terms of outreach.” 

Nancy Richardson, 

International Trade Specialist 

for Idaho Department of 

Tourism, said: IRU is an 

essential show as it brings 

tour operators with a 

“proven passion for the 

region” together with 

destinations and products 

looking to attract more 

international visitors. 

“Our Great American West 

country offices (including KBC 

in the UK) do a great job in 

bringing buyers here that 

understand the region. That 

makes our own tourism 

suppliers very comfortable 

and focused in the meetings.” 

On the tourism trails 

TOUR operators from 10 important to South Dakota and 

countries gathered in Spearfish, 

South Dakota (April 28-May 1), to 

the region. We are not the bestknown 

area in the U.S. but we 

discover the latest tourism want to share the state with the 

products and attractions in five world. We have great things here: 

states: South Dakota, North national parks like the eerie 

Dakota, Wyoming, Montana and 

Idaho, a region collectively known 

as the ‘Great American West’. 

Badlands, where Mother Nature 

is at her best; real Wild West 

towns like Deadwood; wildlife in 

The suppliers represented Custer State Park; and kayaking 

interests that included hotels, and fishing on the Missouri River.” 

ranches, scenic train rides, Marlee Iverson, International 

museums, reptile parks, motor Travel Trade Manager for 

cycle tours, Native American 

attractions and even the largest 

mountain carving in progress in 

the world, the Crazy Horse 

Memorial in South Dakota. 

Montana Office of Tourism, said: 

“IRU is always really good for us. 

As a five-state association, we 

collectively use our resources at 

this show. We know that UK 

UK tour operators at visitors interested in say, our 

International Roundup (IRU) cowboy culture, Mount Rushmore 

included America as You Like it National Memorial or Yellowstone 

and Discover North America. National Park don’t really 

Cole Irwin, Global Travel Trade recognise state borders.” 

Director, South Dakota International Roundup 

Department of Tourism, said IRU 

provides the perfect showcase to 

talk about “the many great things” 

the state offers visitors. 

“International tourism is very 

contributes around $127 million 

dollars in future visitor spend in 

the five-state region, said Mathias 

Jung, CEO of show organiser,Rocky 

Mountain International. 

SHOW SHORTS 

GUNSLINGERS still 

roam the streets of 

Deadwood, South Dakota, 

in the summer. Three live 

‘shoot-outs’ take place 

daily (except Sunday) on 

Main Street. And each 

evening sees a familyfriendly 

re-enactment of 

the capture and trial of 

Jack McCall, who shot Wild 

Bill Hickok, the famous 

lawman and gambler. 

deadwoodalive.com 

RIDE the West Tours 

offers guided Harley- 

Davidson excursions – 

from five to 10 days – on 

the backroads of the 

Northwest U.S. “We will be 

making a big push in 2020 

to attract the attention of 

UK tour operators and 

their agents,” said owner 

Todd Godfrey. 

ridethewesttours.com 

HOT Springs, South 

Dakota, is home to the 

largest concentration of 

mammoths in the world. 

Visitors can tour an indoor 

active dig and view fossils 

that date from the Ice Age. 

There’s also a hands-on 

learning area for children. 

mammothsite.org 

IDAHO State Museum in 

Boise explores the link 

between Idaho’s people 

and the landscapes they 

live in via a series of 

interactive galleries. history. 

idaho.gov/location/museum 

sellingtravel.co.uk

the review: trade show report 61 

Rich North Dakota 

PERHAPS the least-known of 

the five Great American West 

states, “North Dakota is big 

on natural beauty, legendary 

trails, small-town charm and 

outdoor adventures,” said 

Fred Walker, International 

Marketing Manager for North 

Dakota Tourism. 

“From wagon trails, Native 

American pow wows, 

ranches, Fort Abraham State 

Park – where General George 

Custer was stationed and 

there is a reconstruction of 

his home and barracks – 

towns like Bismarck and 

Fargo, great golf courses and 

mountain biking in beautiful 

Theodore Roosevelt National 

Park, we have plenty to 

offer… and invariably visitors 

comment on our big skies, 

clean air, open spaces, 

uncrowded attractions and 

roads,” he added. 

Join a pow wow 

THERE are more than 30,000 

Native Americans living in 

North Dakota today and 

there are plenty of ways 

visitors can learn all about the 

many tribes’ cultures and 

traditions. There are several 

pow wows year round, with 

the best-attended being the 

United Tribes International 

Pow wow in Bismarck, which 

takes place September 6-8 

2019. The weekend features 

singing, dancing and 

drumming competitions, arts 

and crafts, and both 

traditional and modern foods. 

ndtourism.com 

Wild times live on in Cody 

AGENTS should recommend Museum charts his life and those 

Cody, Wyoming, to clients looking 

for a genuine taste of the Wild 

Wild West days; The Whitney 

Western Art Museum features 

West, says the destination’s works by some of the first artists 

Marketing Director. 

Close to Yellowstone National 

Park, the town was founded by 

Buffalo Bill Cody and is also known 

for legendary sharpshooter Annie 

Oakley (of Annie Get Your Gun 

fame) – and that history is told in a 

who headed west to capture 

Native Americans and Yellowstone 

scenes on canvas and through 

bronze pieces and sculptures; the 

Plains Indian Museum tells the 

story of Native Americans when 

the West was being settled, and 

number of first-rate visitor how they live today; the Firearms 

attractions, says Claudia Wade. 

“We put a real emphasis on 

authenticity and being genuine. 

Our top attraction, the Buffalo Bill 

Center of the West, is a worldrenowned 

Museum features weaponry used 

in the settlement of the West; and 

the Natural History Museum 

explains the eco-system and 

wildlife around Yellowstone in a 

facility. 

way that enhances guests’ 

A Smithsonian affiliate musuem, 

it tells the story of the legends and 

peoples of the West. 

The center is actually five 

museums in one: The Buffalo Bill 

understanding of the park. 

From June 1 to August 31, Cody 

also features a nightly rodeo, 

starring bulls, steers, cowboys 

and cowgirls. codyyellowstone.org 

1880 Train steams through the Black Hills 

THE 1880 Train is a scenic steam 

engine ride through the Black 

Hills of South Dakota. It travels 

the one-mile route between Hill 

City and Keystone in about one 

hour. Along the way an onboard 

host points out scenic 

attractions and talks about the 

history of the area. 

1880train.com 

BUFFALO BILL CENTRE OF THE WEST 

SHOW SHORTS 

320 GUEST RANCH, near 

Big Sky in Montana, 

provides cowboy 

experiences suited to all 

levels of riders. Located 

just 45 minutes from the 

West Entrance to 

Yellowstone National 

Park, the ranch also offers 

Blue Ribbon Fly Fishing 

and a weekly Chuckwagon 

BBQ in the summer, as 

well as trail rides. 

320ranch.com 

UNDER CANVAS offers 

upmarket glamping close 

to some of the USA’s most 

popular parks. The safariinspired 

tents come with 

king-size beds and even 

housekeeping and a 

wood-burning stove. “We 

are perfect for those UK 

visitors looking to wake to 

the sounds of nature just 

minutes away from 

beautiful parks like 

Yellowstone, Glacier, 

Mount Rushmore and 

many others,” said Guest 

Experience Manager 

Stephen Nelson. 

undercanvas.com 

THE world’s only ‘Corn 

Palace’, featuring 

elaborate oversized 

murals made from maize, 

is the premier attraction 

in Mitchell, South Dakota. 

On Main Street, it was 

built in 1892 to illustrate 

the state’s booming 

agricultural sector. 

Those who visit for the 

annual Corn Palace 

Festival in late August will 

find food trucks, live 

music and more. 

cornpalace.com 

THE next International 

Roundup will be held in 

Casper, Wyoming, from 

April 26-29 2020. 

internationalroundup.com 

sellingtravel.co.uk

62 

the review: trade show report 

SPAIN 

‘Vivolution’ in Cadiz 

Advantage members gathered in Cadiz for the consortium’s annual 

conference, where the emphasis was on adapting for tomorrow 

MAY 

17-19 2019 

Make most of 

change 

APPRENTICE SCHEME 

MEMBERS were advised to 

ADVANTAGE is looking 

tap into a new generation of 

to entice new staff into the 

customers by offering 

industry – and boost the 

personal service and selling 

training of those already 


working – with the launch 

Panellist and BBC Scotland 

of its Apprenticeship 

Editor, Sarah Smith, said the 

Solutions programme. 

next generation of travellers is 

The scheme, which is 

more eco-conscious than ever 

being operated as a 

and looking to minimise its 

partnership with Travilearn 

carbon footprint. 

and TrainingStation, offers 

“There is a shift in consumer 

potential leisure and 

priority where the 

corporate 

travel 

environment is of upmost 

importance,” Smith told 

delegates. “Environmental 

stories are the most popular 

Focus on repackaging 

employees the chance to 

gain the skills they need to 

progress within their 

chosen sector. 

at the BBC, especially for the 

MEMBERS at the Advantage 2019 

further improve their margins. 

The new programme 

20-35 age bracket. It’s the 

conference in Cadiz were told they 

The initiative is part of the 

incorporates a blend of 

story of a generation and 

will be able to sell competitive fly- 

consortium’s ongoing Vision 2020 

one-on-one 

coaching, 

something we must respond 

cruise and cruise and stay packages 

strategy, which will see improved 

classroom teaching and 

to.” 

from autumn 2019. 

engagement with its members 

self-study online learning 

Steven Esom, Non-Executive 

The repackaged fares, available 

alongside new commercial 

modules, with two key 

Chairman at Advantage, said 

from Advantage Holidays, will 

opportunities and improved digital 

qualifications available for 

that trust between the agent 

enable members to design, 

solutions. A new Regional 

students: the Travel 

and customer is vital to clinch 

customise and purchase a 

Communities Programme will also 

Consultant Standard and 

a sale: “A holiday is the single 

Mediterranean or worldwide ocean 

be implemented with monthly calls 

Pathway to Business 

biggest disposable purchase 

cruise including flights and 

and regional Facebook groups, as 

Travel Professional. 

for the consumer, so ensuring 

accommodation. 

well as a buddy system whereby a 

you have their trust can make 

In 2020, worldwide luxury and 

new Advantage member will be 

IT might have celebrated 

all the difference.” 

river cruise fares will become 

partnered with an existing member 

its 40th anniversary this 

He added: “Larger brands 

available, allowing members to 

for mentoring. 

year, but Advantage is 

are struggling to engage with 

already looking to the 

their existing customer base. 

future with the news that 

This is where the independent 

agent has the edge.” 

Cruise and touring training tools 

next year’s annual 

conference will be held in 

Madeira, Portugal, from 

ADVANTAGE has launched two 

May 15-18, 2020. Sticking 

new B2B magazines to further 

with tradition to unveil the 

support members with training 

destination 12 months in 

tools. ‘Navigate’ targets cruise 

advance, the group will 

and ‘Explorers’ has a focus on 

head to the five-star Savoy 

touring. The 

magazines are 

Palace Hotel, which is due 

available to download in digital 

to open at the end of 2019. 

format from the Advantage 

Accommodation will be 

website. 

advantagemembers.com 

available at the Savoy and 

properties nearby. 

ORNELLA BINNI 

sellingtravel.co.uk

the review: checking out 63 

Checking out... 

HOTELS / RESORTS 

TRAIN JOURNEYS / CRUISES 

AIRPORT REVIEWS 

MAGDALENA GRAND BEACH & GOLF RESORT, TOBAGO 

BY ALAN ORBELL 

THE BACKGROUND: Tobago’s 

largest resort hotel offers 200 

THE VERDICT 

For an all-inclusive stay in 

rooms and suites, all with a 

one of the Caribbean’s 

terrace or balcony overlooking the 

most appealing islands, 

island’s Atlantic coast. It was fully 

the Magdalena Grand ticks 

modernised in 2012. 

THE LOCATION: The resort is just 

a short transfer from the airport, 

all the boxes. And if your 

clients are golfers, it’s the 

only place to stay. The 

on the Tobago Plantations Resort. 

resort offers classic all- 

This includes a PGA-designed 18- 

inclusive benefits such as 

hole golf course as well as many 

all-day food and 

beautiful private houses, and the 

bottomless drinks. For time 

grounds make for a delightful stroll 

out of the resort, it’s easy 

or cycle ride. Bikes can be hired 

to organise trips to see the 

free of charge. 

THE ROOM: Spacious, with kingsized 

beds and all amenities 

worth booking a south side room 

where your clients might be lucky 

enough to see nesting turtles. 

Two ‘satellite’ pools at either end 

of the crescent-shaped complex 

complete the amenities. A free 

island’s lush rainforest and 

secluded beaches. 

such as TV, mini-bar, tea/coffee- 

THE FACILITIES: As well as the 

shuttle operates to nearby Pigeon 

RATES: £1799 for seven 

making items, and a balcony 

golf course, there are three 

Point on the Caribbean coast, if 

nights’ all-inclusive 

overlooking one of the resort’s 

restaurants, a pub, lounge, café, 

your clients want to explore. 

including Virgin flights 

three swimming pools. The 

gym, extensive spa, art gallery, 

THE DETAILS: Tobago Plantations Estate 

from Gatwick, based on a 

en-suite bathroom had both a 

shops and swim-up bar in the 

Lowlands, Tobago, West Indies. : 001 868 

September 8 departure. 

walk-in shower and bath. It’s 

main swimming pool complex. 

660 8500 : magdalenagrand.com 

THE SAPPORO PRINCE HOTEL, HOKKAIDO, JAPAN 

BY LISA YOUNG 

THE BACKGROUND: There are fewer 

hotel options in Sapporo than other 

THE LOCATION: Sapporo is Japan’s 

fifth-largest city and the capital 

of Hokkaido, the country’s most 

should aim for rooms on the higher 

floors. The views are spectacular, 

especially on a snowy winter’s 

THE VERDICT 

The hotel’s location is 

Japanese cities, which makes this 

northerly island. It’s a short drive 

day. Royal floor suite guests have 

within walking distance of 

reasonably-priced property a popular 

from the airport to the cylindrically 

exclusive access to the peaceful 

shops, restaurants and 

choice. The 587 rooms spread over 

shaped hotel in the heart of Sapporo. 

28th-floor breakfast lounge. 

downtown attractions. 

28 floors are all within the hotel’s eye- 

THE ROOM: For a panoramic 

KEY FACILITIES: Rooms have all 

Rugby fans will 

catching, white, round tower. 

mountain backdrop, your clients 

mod cons including free wifi, flat 

appreciate the short drive 

screen TVs and room service. 

to the Sapporo Dome 

There’s also an open-air hot spring 

when England and Tonga 

bath and spa. 

play their first match 

RESTAURANTS/BARS: The hotel 

during the Rugby World 

uses Hokkaido’s local, sustainable 

Cup in September. The 

and seasonable food in its 

hotel is slightly dated but 

restaurants that include the Le 

clean and comfortable 

Trianon French restaurant, as well 

and with friendly service 

as the Sky Lounge, where your 

and spacious rooms. 

clients can enjoy a cocktail while 

watching the sun set over the city. 

RATES: Standard twins 

THE DETAILS: 11 Chome Minami 2 Jonishi, 

start from £83, deluxe 

Chuo Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8615, 

double rooms from £248. 

Japan : +81 11-241-1111 

: princehotels.co.jp/sapporo 

sellingtravel.co.uk

your 

CARIBBEAN NEWS 

THIS MONTH’S TOP STORIES FROM THE CARIBBEAN 

HOTTEST NEWS 

MEET THE CTO MEMBER 

JOHN GREEN 

Founder and MD 

at JG Collection 

QWHAT don’t readers 

know about your 

company? JG Collection 

has become a touchstone 

for high-quality hotel 

representation in the travel 

sector. We’re not in just the 

Caribbean, we work with 

hotels in London, Scotland, 

New York, France, Italy, 

Spain, Switzerland and the 

Czech Republic. 

QWHAT are the 

benefits of being a 

CTO member? Community, 

communication and access. 

The CTO is a very proactive 

organisation, in fact, I’d go 

as far as to say that Carol 

and her team are one of the 

best tourist boards we’ve 

had the pleasure of working 

with! 

QWHAT CTO activities 

do you get involved 

in? We attend training 

days with Virgin and BA as 

well as WTM and ITB. We 

also keep up-to-date with 

the CTO’s social platform 

interactions. 

QWHAT’S your top 

Caribbean tip? 

We frequently hear that 

the Island of Bequia is how 

customers imagine the ‘real’ 

Caribbean to be. It’s the 

location, the people and 

the authenticity that have 

impact. And if you are going 

you must stay at The Liming 

& Plantation House! 

Saint Lucia is more than just a fly and flop destination 

Adventure fam to Saint Lucia 

SAINT LUCIA TOURISM is hosting a Dive & Adventure 

fam to showcase the island’s adventurous side. 

The seven-night trip, which departs on September 23, 

2019, is aimed at agents who specialise in diving or 

experiential holidays. Ten agents will have the 

opportunity to explore Saint Lucia’s natural wonders, 

including visiting the UNESCO World Heritage status 

Piton Mountains, diving with exotic fish and hiking 

through the rainforest. 

To apply, agents must complete the online training 

programme at stluciaexpert.co.uk, which includes modules 

on the island’s history, nightlife, events, 

weddings and more, and log a 

minimum of two bookings made 

within in the last 12 months. A 

contribution of £200 is 

required to cover costs. 

stlucia.org 

More luxury is coming to St. Kitts 

ST. 

KITTS 

will add to 

its collection of 

high-end hotels 

with a Ritz- 

Carlton, due to 

open in November 

2020. Situated on 

don’t miss 

the southeast peninsula, the hotel will feature 

125 rooms and 25 luxury villas and residences 

with a spa, swimming pools and indoor and 

outdoor dining facilities. It follows the 

opening of the Park Hyatt at the end of 2017. 

stkittstourism.kn 

The CTO Roadshow 

heads to Jersey on 

June 12 and Guernsey 

on June 13. RSVP at 

caribbeantravelguru. 

com 

HEALTH AND 

WELLNESS FOCUS 

Hotels In Anguilla will 

offer special promotions, such as 

free hotel nights, throughout 

June to celebrate Health and 

Wellbeing month. The Anguilla 

Tourist Board has partnered with 

the ‘Move ya Body’ campaign for 

the island-wide programme 

which will feature events such as 

the Colour Me Happy Walk on 

June 6, a group beach yoga 

class on Saturday 22, and 

bespoke healthy menus. 

ivisitanguilla.com 

Send clients on their own mission 

CARIFESTA BRINGS 

THE CULTURE 

Trinidad and Tobago will 

host the Caribbean’s largest art 

and cultural festival from August 

16-25, 2019. The theme of the 

festival is ‘Connect, Share, Invest’ 

and it will feature expressions of 

music, dance, theatre, film, visual 

arts, literary and culinary arts, 

fashion, folklore and craft. The 

main event will be the Island 

Beats Super Concert, with 

performances from international 

acts such as Shaggy and 

French Caribbean Zouk band 

Kassav. More information can 

be found at carifesta.net 

AGENTS can now 

book a James 

Bond-themed tour 

in Jamaica with 

Sandals Resorts 

and Island Routes 

Caribbean 

Adventure Tours. 

With the 25th 

James Bond film due to hit cinemas next 

spring, clients may want to revisit Bond 

scenes such as Dunn’s River Falls which was 

the setting for Ursula Andress’ white bikini 

scene in Dr. No. Tours start from £75pp. 

islandroutes.co.uk 

caribbean.co.uk 

Sign up to the CTO’s training programme at caribbeantravelguru.com

the review: show report 65 

NEW ZEALAND 

Kiwi Trenz 

Lisa Young reports from New Zealand’s premier tourism event 

MAY 13-16 2019 

Maori welcome 

A sustainable agenda 

NEW TOURISM HEAD 

TRENZ guests gathered at a 

traditional Maori meeting 

JAMIE 

TUUTA, 

house on the shores of Lake 

Tourism 

New 

Rotorua to hear the local tribe 

Zealand’s 

new 

announce the official opening 

Chair, commented on his 

of the event. Local mayor 

new role, the importance 

Steve Chadwick said: “This is 

of TRENZ to the country’s 

our primary meeting place 

travel sector, and the 

and we consider it to be like a 

unique attractions of 

house of parliament. It is 

Rotorua, in New Zealand’s 

where we welcome royalty, so 

North Island. 

it was appropriate for us to 

“I’ve been a board 

welcome TRENZ here, too.” 

member of Tourism New 

Integrating Maori culture is 

Zealand (TNZ) for a few 

a top priority for New 

years now. The role of TNZ 

Zealand’s travel industry. 

in market is promoting 

New Zealand as a 

destination 

for 

SUSTAINABILITY and integrating 

of New Zealand’s future tourism 

international visitors. 

Maori culture into tourism product 

framework, Tourism Industry 

“TRENZ is such an 

topped the agenda at New 

Aotearoa Chief Executive Chris 

important event because 

Zealand’s largest annual tourism 

Roberts released a new report, 

it’s an opportunity to invite 

trade event, TRENZ, last month. 

Tourism 2025 & Beyond, at the 

not only our local 

Around 300 New Zealand 

event, which helps to grow the 

operators, but also some 

tourism operators, international 

country’s $39.1 billion tourism 

of our international buyers 

travel buyers and media from the 

industry. Roberts also highlighted 

and media, to come here 

country’s key established and 

the importance of embracing 

to understand what our 

emerging tourism markets 

‘Tikanga Maori’, which translates as 

proposition is. 

gathered for this year’s event at 

‘behaviour guidelines for daily life 

“The Maori name for 

the Energy Events Centre, Rotorua, 

and interaction in Māori culture’, 

New Zealand is Aotearoa, 

Eco economics 

from May 13-16, with delegates 

from around the world filling up 

into the industry. 

According to the latest tourism 

and it means the Land of 

the Long White Cloud. 

TOURISM New 

Zealand’s 

most of Rotorua’s big hotels. 

figures, NZ has seen a 35% growth 

Rotorua is the birthplace 

Chief Executive Stephen 

Placing sustainability at the heart 

in visitors in the last five years. 

of tourism in Aotearoa, or 

England-Hall announced at 

New Zealand, and when 

TRENZ that the country’s 

you think about what 

travel industry will increase 

its focus on sustainable 

New international travel requirements 

attracted people to this 

place, it was both people 

growth: “As New Zealand’s 

and place. 

top export earner, tourism 

NEW Zealand is introducing a 

“Rotorua has quite an 

is the beating heart of New 

new travel requirement for 

amazing landscape in 

Zealand’s economy and we 

visitors from visa waiver 

terms of geisers, forests, 

all have a role to keep it 

countries, including the UK, from 

and the lake but also the 

that way,” he said. “Tourism 

October 1 2019. Request the 

cultural element. It is a 

New Zealand is working 

NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic 

good example of blending 

closely with government 

Travel Authority) via the official 

our natural and 

MOURAD SAADI 

and industry to ensure the 

sector gives back more 

than it takes.” 

mobile app or website: 

immigration.govt.nz/documents 

environmental aspects 

with our Maori culture.” 

sellingtravel.co.uk

66 

new zealand 

hobbits and 

Hobbies 

New Zealand may be a country of two halves but, 

when it comes to special interest holidays, it is 

anything but half-hearted, says Jo Gardner 

New Zealand’s varied topography 

provides the perfect habitat for 

nature, the perfect playground 

for adrenaline junkies and the most 

succulent bounty for foodies. And with 

new product coming on stream all the 

time, there has never been a better time 

to sell the country to the niche markets. 

For food & drink lovers 

Put the diet on hold: Kiwis absolutely love 

their food and it’s easy to help your clients 

taste their way around the country. 

Book-end each day with a cup of coffee 

at a cool café and a craft beer at a local 

brewery; in between, there are street 

vendors, farmers’ markets, waterside dining, 

vineyards, top-notch restaurants, cooking 

courses and food festivals. 

For lunch, Auckland Harbour is hard to 

beat, or try some street food in Wellington’s 

hip Cuba Quarter. Celebrating an occasion? 

Many of New Zealand’s fine dining 

restaurants can be found in luxury lodges 

in remote (and frankly stunning) locations. 

Imagine arriving by helicopter and dining in 

front of dramatic snow-capped mountains. 

When it comes to produce, the vast 

coastline (all 14,000 kms of it) can only 

mean one thing: seafood… tuck into greenlipped 

mussels, scallops, crayfish or oysters 

during a casual lunch or posh dinner. Not 

a seafood lover? Try the succulent New 

Zealand lamb. 

There are more wineries in the country 

than you can shake a grape at - try the crisp, 

fresh Sauvignon Blanc or the light Pinot 

Noir at a pretty vineyard, before buying 

some to take home. For a complementary 

snack, dairy farming New Zealand has many 

award-winning cheese varieties, including 

blues, vintages and cream soft cheeses. 

With its inventive menu of fine dining 

using traditional Maori cooking techniques 

(in a pit under the ground), Wellington’s 

newest restaurant, Haikai, is already a hit. 

Where to stay 

HAWKE’S BAY is a large wine region near 

Napier with vineyards, cellar doors, 

accommodation and places to eat and 

drink. Fans of stylish period architecture 

should set up camp at Omaruni Valley, a 

great base for touring the vineyards and 

within easy reach of the Art Deco town of 

Napier. (hawkesbaynz.com) 

Book it: Bridge & Wickers (bridgeandwickers.co.uk) 

has a 19-day self-drive New Zealand Food & Wine 

Odyssey tour from £3,375pp including flights, car 

TREKKING THE TONGARIRO CROSSING 

SWIMMING WITH DOLPHINS, KAIKOURA 

sellingtravel.co.uk

new zealand 

67 

VINEYARDS, WAIHEKE ISLAND 

“Kiwis may be relaxed by 

nature but New Zealand 

has more adventure sports 

and activities on offer 

than anywhere else in 

the world” 

DRINKS IN AUCKLAND’S TRENDY SPOT, PONSONBY CENTRAL 

SKIING TREBLE CONE ABOVE LAKE WANAKA 

TAKEAWAY CRAYFISH IN KAIKOURA 

hire and accommodation, as well as a Food and 

Wine Lovers’ Delight tour of the Esk Valley, Te Mata, 

Clearview, Craggy Range and Trinity Hall estates in 

the Hawke’s Bay area. 

For adrenaline junkies 

Head for heights? After an adrenaline rush? 

You’ve come to the right place. Kiwis may 

be extremely relaxed by nature but they 

have a head for thrills and spills, with more 

adventure sports and activities on offer than 

anywhere else in the world. 

As for adrenaline rushes, Zegos (quad 

bikes on water), Seabreachers (waterbased 

whale-shaped pods) and Riverbugs 

(inflatable armchairs on river rapids) are the 

newest crazes to hit the country. 

Visitors to New Zealand can bungee 

jump, sky dive, white-water raft, ski, heli-ski, 

jet-boat, zip-line, abseil, climb and Zorb. 

You can even jump head first off Auckland 

Harbour Bridge. 

With its high mountains and fast rivers, 

Queensland still wears the adrenaline 

capital crown, however. This is where 

the original (Kawarau) and highest (Nevis) 

bungee jumps can be found, as well as 

plenty of places to white water raft, jet-boat, 

skydive, ski and heli-ski. 

Canyoning – abseiling down mountain 

faces, leaping into waterfalls and basically 

scrambling to safety - takes place in remote 

mountain locations in Auckland, Nelson, 

Canterbury and Wanaka, while zip-lining – 

flying through the air on a wire – is popular 

in Waiheke Island and Rotorua. Rotorua is 

also where Zorbing can be done – rolling 

downhill in a big plastic ball (of course). 

Where to stay 

STONERIDGE ESTATE is a five-star 

boutique lodge with majestic mountain and 

lake views. Built using reclaimed iron, stone 

and slate, the grand property has just 10 

rooms, each with beamed ceilings and 

floor-to-ceiling windows letting the outdoors 

in. After a day of adrenaline-fuelled pursuits 

sink into the outdoor hot tub with a glass 

sellingtravel.co.uk

68 

new zealand 

WILD STEWART ISLAND 

ABEL TASMAN NATIONAL PARK 

MONTEITH’S BREWERY GREYMOUTH 

of wine from the local vineyard. 

(stoneridge.co.nz) 

Book it: The Roadtrip (otheroadtrip.co.nz) offers an 

18-day Best of New Zealand Ultimate Adventure 

small group tour, taking in both islands, from 

£7,577pp based on two sharing, and including 17 

nights’ four-star accommodation, a private driver, 

most meals and activities including river rafting, 

zorbing, skydiving, heli-skiing and jet-boating. 

For nature & wildlife 

Very few countries can rival New Zealand 

for scenery – think snow-capped mountains, 

glaciers, waterfalls, volcanoes, geysers, 

forests, lakes, beaches, fjords and gushing 

rivers. Over one third of the landscape is 

located in nature reserves and national 

parks (of which there are 14), too ensuring 

their preservation for generations to come. 

One trip here could see visitors dousing 

themselves in volcanic mud in Rotorua, 

riding a helicopter over Franz Josef Glacier, 

joining a whale-watching exhibition in 

Kaikoura, standing on picture-perfect beach 

in Abel Tasman National Park and setting 

up camp under a 51-metre Kauri tree in the 

Waipoua forest. 

Binoculars at the ready for the local 

wildlife too, with many rare birds and 

creatures that have survived since 

prehistoric times. Stewart Island is the 

best place to spot the country’s national 

bird, the kiwi, a flightless bird that was 

once nocturnal but which can now be 

spotted hunting for food. The world’s 

rarest penguin, the yellow penguin, can 

be seen in nearby Dunedin, while the 

Takahe bird, once thought to be extinct, has 

been boosted to a population of 300 off 

the coast of Auckland thanks to intensive 

management. 

In Wellington’s Te Papa museum a new 

permanent exhibition showcases New 

Zealand’s natural heritage and has a rare 

Moa egg on display, one of only 36 in the 

country. 

The Hector’s dolphin and Hooker’s sea 

lion, meanwhile, can only be found in New 

Zealand waters. 

Where to stay 

THE RESURGENCE is a remote, 

adult-only eco-lodge set in the outskirts of 

two national parks and within 50 acres of 

native bush. Close to Abel Tasman National 

Park, the lodge offers access to Golden Bay 

and the migratory birds of Farewell Spit. 

Dining is a communal, sociable affair. 

(resurgence.co.nz) 

Book it: Prestige Holidays (prestigeaustralia.co.uk) 

offers a nine-day Volcanoes and Vines fly-drive 

tour from £2,127 per person based on two sharing, 

including international fights, transfers from 

Auckland, car hire, eight nights’ accommodation and 

guided touring. The tour includes guided tours of 

Rangitoto Island, White Island (New Zealand’s only 

active marine volcano) and a half-day experience on 

the Tongariro Track. 

A RARE KIWI BIRD 

“Stewart Island is the best 

place to spot the country’s 

national bird, the kiwi, a 

flightless bird that was once 

nocturnal but which can 

now be spotted hunting 

for food” 

sellingtravel.co.uk

spotlight on 69 

Talking... 

Premier 

Holidays 

In conversation with... Nikki Hain, Product Manager, 

Premier Holidays 

QWhat are Premier Holidays’ USPs? 

We are a small, privately owned, 

independent company, which enables 

us to give agents the widest choice of 

destinations, accommodation and airlines, 

plus greater flexibility. We pride ourselves 

on offering that personal touch and creating 

affordable tailor-made trips – we believe 

every holiday should be as individual as the 

customer. More than half the team 

have been with Premier for 

more than 10 years and 

we have excellent trade 

relationships. 

QHow do you 

work with 

agents? Agents are 

so important to 

us - around 90% 

of our holidays 

are sold through 

the trade. We never 

direct discount and 

offer competitive prices 

with added-value extras. 

We run incentives to coincide with 

campaigns and brochure launches and our 

Sales Managers, Carly Charteris and Karen 

Milward, travel all over the UK to meet 

agents. We also run training events with 

tourist boards and host fams, with Borneo, 

Guernsey and Thailand coming up. 

QWhat is selling well? Short haul 

has been selling very well for 2019, 

especially the Channel Islands and Isles 

of Scilly, which we’re putting down to 

Brexit. Sales to Canada and the USA 

have increased, the former helped by 

TV coverage like Great Canadian Railway 

Journeys with Michael Portillo, which has 

boosted sales for Rocky Mountaineer. In the 

U.S. there’s demand for self-drive. Also on 

the up are Indochina, the UAE, Seychelles 

and Caribbean. 

QWhat’s new and 

in the pipeline for 

Premier’s product? 

Agents will receive 

our new Faraway 

and Beaches 

brochure in July, 

both with a new 

design and new 

resorts and multicentre 

itineraries. 

We’re excited to be 

adding Ajman to our 

Middle East portfolio. 

A 45-minute drive from 

Dubai and less expensive, it’s 

excellent for a relaxing beach break 

or a stopover and has authentic Arabian 

culture. We’ll be featuring the stunning 

Oberoi Beach Resort, Al Zorah, framed by 

mangroves, lagoons, white sand and a Jack 

Nicklaus championship golf course. 

QIs Premier onboard with the trend 

for experiential travel? Definitely! 

We place a huge emphasis on offering 

local experiences and giving people a real 

flavour of a destination, whether it be a 

night under the stars in a traditional desert 

camp in Oman, cooking classes in Indochina 

or spending time with a native tribe in the 

Borneo jungle. Clients want to experience 

things rather than just relaxing on a beach. 

One of our most popular itineraries is a 

South Africa and Mauritius twin-centre 

where clients can get their safari and 

sightseeing fix followed by a beach stay. 

QWhat’s new to your job? Premier have 

been promoting the Caribbean for 

many years but it’s relatively new to my 

portfolio. Having worked with the Indian 

Ocean for over 20 years, I was surprised at 

how different the islands are and how much 

repeat business hotels have. We feature 

Barbados, St. Lucia and Antigua, and I’m 

keen to promote island hopping. 

QWhat’s your most memorable travel 

experience? There are so many, but 

the first time I visited Vietnam, 25 years 

ago, I was invited to a local house in Hoi 

An for tea and and looked through their 

photo album at all the foreign people they’d 

met over the years. There’s something 

really magical about visiting a place before 

tourism hits, when locals just want to talk to 

you out of fascination! 

sellingtravel.co.uk

RIVER CRUISE 

YOUR INVITATION 

WIN A 

FAM TRIP 

Tap into one of travel’s fastest growing trends and join us 

for an informative evening with top suppliers and the chance to 

win prizes including a fam trip. 

MANCHESTER 

JULY 9 

LONDON 

JULY 10 

Suppliers include: CroisiEurope, Emerald Waterways, Fred. Olsen, 

Leger Holidays, Pandaw Cruises, Sanctuary Retreats, Scenic and Titan 

Register to attend at sellingtravel.co.uk/events 

sellingtravelmag

48 hours in 71 

Hong Kong 

With hidden neighbourhoods and rural communities, Hong kong 

is so much more than its iconic skyline, says Jessica Pook 

Day 1: Fuel up 

Morning: Start by taking a walking 

tour around the Sham Shui Po district, 

located in Kowloon just north of Boundary 

Street. Traditionally a working class 

neighbourhood, tours here introduce 

visitors to shops that have been passed 

down through several generations, and 

some of the best family-run eateries in the 

city. And it's never too early for noodles in 

Hong Kong! There are also tours that focus 

on history, local textiles, crafts or a 

combination of all the highlights. 

Afternoon: Head to Tim Ho Wan for 

lunch, a wonderful dim sum 

restaurant loved by locals and one of the 

world’s cheapest Michelin-starred 

establishments. The trick is to get there 

early, take a number and ask a local to listen 

out for your number 

as when you are 

called to eat, they call 

in Cantonese! 

Once you've 

refueled, jump on 

the MTR and head 

to Victoria Dockside, 

the new art and 

design district of the 

harbour front. Here 

visitors can explore the Avenue of Stars, 

modelled on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, 

and the adjacent Salisbury Garden. 

Jump aboard Hong Kong's iconic Star Ferry 

for stunning views of the skyline, and a 

connection to the Central district for some 

cultural attractions. The Man Mo Temple 

is one of the oldest and largest temples in 

the city. Built in the 1800s, the temple pays 

tribute to the god of literature (Man) and 

the god of war (Mo), both of whom were 

worshiped by students in Imperial China. 

Today the temple is still frequented by 

students and their families who pray for 

good fortune in exams. 

Evening: Take a stroll around PMQ – 

a design hub which opened in 2014 

in the old Police Married Quarters. This is 

now a hub for Hong Kong’s creative 

industries, and visitors can browse the 

studios of up-and-coming local talent as well 

as joining creative workshops. 

Grab dinner at Little Bao, a modern 

Chinese diner, before heading for drinks at 

Tai Kwun, home to some of the city’s coolest 

new bars and restaurants, and the perfect 

place for a post-dinner nightcap. 

Day 2: Step out 

“Take in the stilt village of 

the Tanka people, a 

community of fisher folk 

who’ve built their houses 

over the tidal flats of 

Lantau Island ” 

Morning: Embrace the day with 

a Hongkonger's favourite pastime 

- hiking. Tung O Ancient Trail on Lantau 

Island is a scenic coastal hike following what 

was once an important commuter route 

between the two rural fishing villages of 

Tung Chung and Tai O. It offers a taste of 

rural Hong Kong and fabulous photo 

opportunities. 

Afternoon: Tai O is known as the 

'Venice of Hong Kong' for its stilt 

village inhabited by the Tanka fishing 

community for 

generations. The 

unusual, interconnected 

stilt 

structures are set 

over the tidal flats. 

Villagers living here 

continue to sun-dry 

their catch and 

makes shrimp paste 

on their balconies. 

Evening: A bar with a view is a must in 

Hong Kong so start the evening right 

with roof-top drinks at Piqniq, one of the 

newest rooftop bars in the Central area. It is 

located in H Queen’s arts venue, the first 

vertical gallery in the city. 

For traditional Cantonese cuisine, Ding's 

Club won't disappoint. Resembling a classic 

Chinese quadrangle, here celebrity chef 

and kung fu star, Steve Lee Ka Ding, offers 

nostalgic menus with a fine dining twist. 

BOOK IT WITH WENDY WU 

A three-night Hong Kong in Focus tour 

includes a full-day coach tour of Lantau 

Island and half-day tour of Hong Kong 

Island, with time to explore at leisure. Priced 

from £380pp, it includes airport transfers, 

meals and entrance fees. wendywutours.co.uk 

TAI O FISHING VILLAGE 

LANTAU'S BIG BUDDHA 

STREET FOOD IN SHAM SHUI PO 

sellingtravel.co.uk

traveluni.com 

Training, competitions, events 

GDS | TRAINING | REWARDS 

THIS MONTH'S TOP STORIES June 2019 

Cruise with Jools 

NEWS 

News 

The Seychelles 

goes virtual 

Quick Quiz 

Are you a 

Newmarket 

Expert? 

1. Newmarket 

Holidays do not 

offer river 

cruises 

TRUE / FALSE 

2. Newmarket 

Holidays is the 

only operator to 

sell tickets to 

Wimbledon 

Tennis 

TRUE / FALSE 

SAGA has confirmed that 

Jools Holland will sail on a trio 

of cruises aboard new ship Spirit of 

Discovery in 2020. 

Playing a mix of boogie-woogie, 

r&b, jazz and soul, Jools and his 

band of musicians will sail the 

following: A Baltic Fable, stopping at 

six Baltic cities; Sounds of Spain, 

influenced by the Spanish guitar 

and with flamenco performances; 

and Western France and the Costa 

Verde, where music and 

gastronomy feature heavily. 

sagaexperts.com 

Seychelles superstar I Modules: 5 

The Seychelles Tourism Board plans to expand its 

training tool kit to include virtual reality fam trips. 

The videos will be available on the online training 

programme later this year and will cover 

topics ranging from transport to 

accommodation. 

Christine Vel, Director 

UK & Ireland, Seychelles 

Tourism Board said: 

“The trade accounts for 

90% of total sales to the 

Seychelles. To continue to 

provide the most engaging 

training we are introducing 

dedicated virtual reality 

videos, as if you were there 

on a fam yourself.” 

Since the launch of the direct 

British Airways flight this year, 

the Seychelles has experienced 

a 16% increase from UK visitors. 

seychellessuperstar.co.uk 

powered by 

training.newmarketholidays. 

co.uk 

1: False 2. True 

Pride for kids 

News 

New York State is hosting 

a summer of Pride events 

aimed at families, including Pride 

on the Beach (June 21-23), Long 

Island’s biggest pride celebration. 

Along with the annual Long 

Island Pride Parade, families can 

also enjoy the Pride Pet Parade, 

Pride Family Fun Run and Pride 

Market Fair on the boardwalk. 

ilovenewyorktraining.com

Training courses to help travel agents and advisers sell more! 

Working in partnership 

Qatar summer deals 

Incentive 

Agents can take advantage 

of 25% off flights and hotels 

as part of Qatar National Tourism 

Council's (QNTC) 'Summer in Qatar' 

programme. 

Qatar Airways is offering 25% off 

all flights to Doha for travel 

between now and August 16, 2019. 

There's also the option of Qatar+, a 

stopover package designed to give 

travellers transiting through Qatar 

the chance to stop and discover 

Doha with free luxury hotel stays 

and transit visas. 

Also taking part are eleven hotels, 

including Marriott International 

Hotels, Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels 

by Tivoli and Ritz-Carlton, will offer 

up to 25% off for stays between 4 

June – 16 August, 2019. 

tawashqatar.com 

Lunch on the water 

News 

TIPTO is inviting agents to 

join an exclusive lunch 

onboard Cruise & Maritime 

Voyages' Magellan ship, on July 9, 

2019 in Liverpool. 

Agents will enjoy a full ship tour 

and a three-course meal and drinks 

while networking with TIPTO'S 25 

supplier members. Agents can sign 

up now by visiting tipto.co.uk. TIPTO 

registered agents can also email 

tipto@fore-uk.com 

incentive 

Yas Island I Modules: 4 

Yas Island 

appeals to kids 

YAS ISLAND, Abu Dhabi's 

leisure and entertainment 

hub, is appealing to families 

this summer with its Kids Go 

Free packages, available until 

September 30, 2019. 

To qualify for the deal, 

agents must first book a 

hotel stay for one night or more 

through experiencehub.com. Each child under the 

age of 12 will then be entitled to stay and visit the island's 

theme parks free when accompanied by a paying adult. 

Families visiting Yas Island can enjoy its three theme parks: 

Ferrari World, Yas Waterworld and Warner Bros. World as 

well as Yas Marina's latest attraction, the Serdal Pearl Diving 

Expedition. yasisland.ae 

COURSE LIST 

A-Z of available 

courses 

ABTA 

Alaska 

Aruba 

Amtrak Vacations 

Beaches Resorts 

Bourne Leisure 

Butlins 

Centara Hotels & 

Resorts 

Cirque de Soleile 

Costa Rica 

Elegant Hotels 

Essential Detail 

Fiji 

Finland 

Flanders 

Fort Myers & Sanibel 

Haven Hotels 

Hawaii 

Heritage Resort 

Jerusalem 

Jumeirah Hotels 

& Resorts 

Journey Beyond 

Las Vegas 

Macao 

Melia Hotels & 

Resorts 

New York state 

Newmarket Holidays 

Ontario 

Qatar 

Railbookers 

SAGA 

Saint Lucia 

Sandals Resorts 

Seychelles 

Simon Malls 

St Kitts 

Thailand 

TIPTO 

US Airtours 

Veranda Resorts 

Windjammer Landing 

Hotel 

Yas Island 

traveluni.com 

Win a sarong! 

Throughout June and July the first 500 people that register will win a sarong. Register by going to thailandexpert.co.uk

SPONSORED CONTENT 

Musical trails 

Have your clients hit the wide open roads of the U.S. to 

unlock its legendary musical heritage, from rhythm and 

blues to country; rock ‘n’ roll to soul 

Rhythms of the River 

From the Midwest to the South via the 

Mississippi River! Begin your trip in 

Chicago, Illinois with over 200 live 

music venues and clubs to suit every 

taste. Head out on Route 66 for a true 

slice of Americana and hit Springfield, 

Illinois before continuing onto St Louis, 

Missouri and Nashville, Tennessee. Don’t forget Memphis, Tennessee, 

a pilgrimage city for music lovers followed by Cleveland, Mississippi, 

Natchez, Mississippi and of course, the famous New Orleans, 

Louisiana! 

Pacific Coast Music Trail 

Discover Seattle, Washington, the home 

of the grunge movement (birthplace of 

Nirvana and Pearljam!) before enjoying 

the diverse ecosystems of Olympic 

National Park. Then, head to America’s 

mecca for Indie Rock, aka Portland, 

Oregon, to see the city that produced 

The Dandy Warhols. This itinerary will have you exploring Oregon 

wine country and the coast, before reliving the ‘Summer of Love’ in 

San Francisco, California. Finish your journey taking in the California 

coast, Palm Springs, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada. 

Musical Roots of the 

South 

If your client is looking for Southern 

charm and musical heritage, this 

itinerary is the one for them! From the 

metropolitan cities of Dallas and Austin, 

Texas to road tripping on the Mississippi 

Blues Trail and exploring Tupelo, 

Mississippi, the birthplace of Elvis Presley, this route caters to all! 

Continue on to the Great Smoky Mountains, Chattanooga, 

Tennessee, and Atlanta, Georgia before finishing up in beautiful 

Charleston, South Carolina! 

Great North Music Tour 

Follow the sounds of the USA’s trendy 

cities on this route, from Chicago, 

Illinois to Detroit, Michigan, and from 

Cleveland, Ohio to Pittsburgh, 

Pennsylvania. Immerse yourself in Jazz 

and Blues while in Chicago before 

hitting the Motown Museum in Detroit. 

For the more adventurous clients, don’t forget Cedar Point 

Amusement Park in Cleveland, Ohio. Head to Philadelphia, 

Pennsylvania to enjoy street art and history galore before finishing 

up in New York City and Boston, Massachusetts! 

To win a Brand USA tool kit to promote these itineraries and 

host an awesome, fun-filled musical event for your customers 

right in store, visit USADiscoveryProgram.co.uk/music 

sellingtravel.co.uk

space attractions 75 

Spaced 

out 

The story of U.S space exploration and NASA’s role in it are told 

in visitor attractions across America. Michelle Jackson explains 

why 2019 is the perfect time to visit them 

Washington DC and Virginia 

For clients flying into Washington Dulles 

International Airport in Virginia with a few 

hours to spare, recommend The Steven F. 

Udvar-Hazy Center. It is free to enter and 

there is a free shuttle bus taking people 

there from the airport. 

The space shuttle Discovery is in situ 

there, along with a vast array of iconic 

aircraft, including an Air France Concorde 

and the original Enola Gay aircraft. There’s a 

spectacular observation tower, and displays 

include the Space Science exhibition which 

showcases satellites, orbiters and space 

probes. The Human Spaceflight exhibition 

celebrates the 500 men and women who 

have flown in space. 

airandspace.si.edu/udvar-hazy-center 

For those staying in Washington DC, the 

Smithsonian National Air and 

Space Museum has a 

spectacular exhibition this year 

marking the historic moon landing of 

1969. The display includes Neil 

Armstrong’s spacesuit – made available 

via a kickstarter campaign called Reboot 

the Suit. 

On July 19 the museum will host 

Discover the Moon Day during which 

visitors will be able to discover lunar 

science past and present, and follow a 

display that traces the footsteps of the 

Apollo 11 astronauts. The following day, a 

late-night celebration will see the museum 

mark the exact moment the first steps 

were taken on the moon with activities 

running until 2am. 

airandspace.si.edu 

Kennedy Space Center, 

Florida 

As the departure site for Apollo 11, the 

Kennedy Space Center, on Merritt 

Island, is one of the most important 

sites for space enthusiasts this year. 

Here the Astronaut Encounter gives 

visitors the opportunity to speak to a 

veteran NASA astronaut about their 

experiences, take photographs with 

them and collect autographs. 

The Center’s Rocket Garden 

houses replica rockets, which 

tower over visitors, and there is a new 

Heroes & Legends exhibition, and the U.S 

Astronaut Hall of Fame where films and 

exhibitions celebrate and honour the 

astronauts. There are also IMAX films 

showing footage of earth taken from space, 

and interviews with astronauts. 

To mark the 50th anniversary of NASA’s 

Apollo programme, there is a two-day 

admission pass offering two full days at the 

Center complex (to be taken within 14 days), 

priced $75 per adult, $65 per child. 

kennedyspacecenter.com 

sellingtravel.co.uk

76 

space attractions 

Rocket City, Huntsville, Alabama 

Huntsville, aka Rocket City, is home to the 

Marshall Space Flight Center where scientists 

developed the first spacecrafts to go to the 

moon. It is also the earliest home of 

pioneering NASA scientist Wernher Von Braun 

who worked here on those initial rockets and 

he’s a big hero in the town, even having his 

own beer - a brown ale, of course - served at 

the Straight to Ale Brewery. 

Throughout the year there will be daily 

re-enactments of the moon landing at the U.S 

Space and Rocket Center – the largest space 

museum in the world – culminating with a 

Guinness World Record rocket launch attempt 

on 16 July, the date Apollo 11 was launched. 

The centre aims to launch 5,000 rockets into 

the sky that day, before a street party in 

downtown Huntsville. The site includes the 

historic shuttle park and rocket park, and a 

world-premiere exhibition, Apollo: When We 

Went to the Moon. 

Rocket City is getting ready to party like 

it’s 1969 and throughout 2019, it will 

combine commemoration of the Apollo 

11 anniversary with Alabama’s 

bicentennial state celebrations. The key 

anniversary week in July will also 

include a Celebration Car Show and a 

concert. rocketcenter.com/apollo50 

Visitors can also sit in a lunar module 

simulator as Neil Armstrong, Buzz 

Aldrin, Michael Collins and the five 

female astronaut alumi have done. 

Attending a three-day adult Space 

Camp experience costs $549pp including 

food and accommodation. 

spacecamp.com 

“July 20, 2019 it will be 50 

years since Apollo 11’s 

lunar module Eagle landed 

on the moon, marking the 

very first moon landing” 

Space Centre, Houston, Texas 

The Texan city of Houston is home to the 

Apollo Mission Control Center at Nasa 

Johnson Space Center, now owned and 

operated by the Manned Space Flight 

Education Foundation, a non-profit 

educational foundation offering extensive 

science education programmes and a 

space museum. 

On site visitors get a behind-the-scenes 

look at human space exploration, touring 

astronaut training facilities and Mission 

Control, the historic room that brought the 

aborted Apollo 13 safely back to earth. 

Key events include an all-day and evening 

celebration of the 50th anniversary of 

the first steps on the moon. 

The Center’s Starship Gallery Museum is 

home to multiple flown spacecraft, national 

treasures and artifacts. Tickets cost adult 

$30, child (age 4-11) $25. 

To celebrate the anniversary, the Space 

Center, along with a community of backers 

from around the world, have worked to 

restore Mission Control so as to accurately 

portray how the area looked when the 

landing took place on July 20,1969. The 

restoration of Mission Control features 

authentic consoles used to monitor all 

Apollo Moon missions, including the 

famous moon landing of Apollo, and the 

emergency of Apollo 13, along with small 

details, like the controllers putting out their 

celebratory cigars. spacecenter.org 

sellingtravel.co.uk

space attractions 77 

The Museum of Flight, Seattle, 

Washington 

The Museum of Flight, Seattle, is hosting 

The Smithsonian’s Destination Moon: The 

Apollo 11 Mission exhibition from April 13– 

September 2, in its only west coast 

appearance. The exhibition is enhanced 

with The Museum of Flight’s own space race 

displays which include rare objects such as a 

Soviet Sputnik satellite, an early cosmonaut 

spacesuit and the world’s only display of 

rocket engine remains from the engines 

that boosted Apollo missions. 

There is also a unique gallery focused on 

the legacy of astronauts, engineers and the 

space programme to the 

Seattle area. Choose the 

Destination Moon add-on 

during checkout when 

purchasing tickets to The 

Museum of Flight, and the 

exhibition costs $10pp. 

Elsewhere in the city, the Space 

Needle, one of the world’s most 

recognisable landmarks has a 

360-degree spacelift so visitors 

can take in Seattle views from 

floor-to-ceiling glass 

windows. 

museumofflight.org 

IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT LANGUAGE YOU SPEAK 

WHEN YOU’RE SPEECHLESS 

Feel the power of a rocket launching from Earth. Come witness humanity’s 

greatest achievements. Only at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. 

Book Now via your Florida Attraction Ticket provider. 

LOOK UP 

KennedySpaceCenter.com 

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Readers Offers 

0800 619 0900 

holidays@touchdown.co.uk 

Dreams Resorts & Spas 

please visit our website. 

For up to date arrivals sign / 

www.touchdown.co.uk 

Worldwide Getaways 

Unlimited-Luxury ® for couples and couples with children. 

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from 

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FREE child places & friends & family rates available, 

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Portugal - FREE child places 

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Many other resorts available, please call for more details. 

Luxury Cruises 

6 night France & Spain Cruise 

05 Oct 19 - Explorer of the Seas ® 

Southampton, Vigo, Gijon, Le Havre (Paris), 

Southampton. 

13 night Caribbean Fly Cruise 

10 Dec 19 - MSC Preziosa 

from 

£695 

7 night Active Discovery on the Rhine 

10 Aug 19 - Avalon Panorama 

Balcony 

Mainz, Rudesheim, Engers, Cologne, Dusseldorf, 

Nijmegen, Amsterdam (overnight). 

£445 

Balcony 

£1879 

Balcony 

Fly to Barbados, Bridgetown (overnight), Port-of-Spain, 

Saint Georges, Kingstown, Fort-de-France, 

Pointe-a-Pitre, Road Town (Tortola), Philipsburg, Roseau, 

Basseterre, St. Johns, Fort-de-France, Pointe-a-Pitre, 

Castries (overnight), return flight from St. Lucia. 

from 

£839 

10 night Alaska Adventure Voyage 

04 Jun 19 - Azamara Quest 

Oceanview 

Vancouver, Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Sitka, Seattle, 

Vancouver. 

2 night Hamburg Shortbreak 

21 Jun, 01 Nov 19 - Queen Mary 2 

Hamburg, day at sea, Southampton. 

£799 

7 night Tilbury - Tromso 

12 Jun 19 - Silver Spirit 

Vista Suite 

Tilbury, Hellesylt, Geiranger, Trondheim (Trøndelag), Leknes 

(Vestvågøy), Tromso. 

All-Inclusive Lifestyle: All-Inclusive ultra-luxury suite accommodation, 

butler service in every suite, all beverages, gratuities, port charges, 

taxes and more. 

£99 

Balcony 

Amari Havodda 

Maldives 

from £145 All-Inclusive 

Based on staying in an over water villa 

Staff's family may travel independently. Staff's family & friends may also travel at these rates. 

Book with confidence 

Hotel prices are per person per night and based on 2 adults sharing unless otherwise stated. Cruise prices 

are per person and include all taxes and port charges. Offers subject to availability and maybe withdrawn 

without notice. Terms & conditions apply. 

ACCREDITEDAGENT

the final word 79 

the quirky side of travel 

Gryll and Bear it 

Adventurous types can put their skills to 

the test as part of the Bear Grylls Survival 

Academy, described as 'the world's most 

challenging and empowering course'. 

Suitable for all ages and fitness levels, the 

academy will first operate in Jebel Jais, Ras 

Al Khaimah, from early 2020 in the form 

of half-day (five to six hours), 24-hour and 

48-hour courses. Participants will learn 

extreme survival techniques including 

how to make a fire in the wilderness, build 

emergency shelters, deal with a medical 

trauma, and gain training in navigation 

techniques, rock climbing and extreme 

weather survival. 

Ras Al Khaimah is one of 20 locations to 

offer the course along with mountainous 

locations across the UK, USA and China. 

rasalkhaimah.ae 

Endangered encounters 

Mexico has topped the list of countries 

with the highest number of endangered 

species, with 665 in total. Those wishing 

to sight a baird’s tapir, the largest 

indigenous mammal in Central America; 

a volcano rabbit; or an ocelot, a small 

wild cat, should do so before it's too late. 

Indonesia is a close second with 583 

followed by Madagascar (553) and India 

(542). alphatravelinsurance.co.uk 

Elusive Europe 

The David Hasselhoff Museum in 

Berlin and Amsterdam's Floating 

Cat Sanctuary have been voted 

‘Europe's Most Underrated Tourist 

Attractions' by rail specialist Trainline. 

Other overlooked highlights include 

Germany's ‘Teledisko’- a nightclub 

housed within a telephone box and 

Starkenberger Brewery’s Beer Pools, 

a place where you could quite literally 

drown in beer! trainline.com 

Top 5... fairytale castles 

in Europe 

According to accommodation booking site, 

HomeAway.com, staying in palaces and 

castles is shaping up to be the hottest travel 

trend of 2019. Requests for fairytale hotels 

are up 55% on last year. Here are the top 

five royal retreats... 

1 Hotel Pacai: Vilnius, Lithuania 

2 Gstaad Palace: Switzerland 

3 Esplanade Zagreb Hotel: 

Croatia 

4 Häckeberga Castle: Genarp, 

Sweden 

5 Hotel Dukes' Palace Bruges: 

Belgium 

THE JULY/AUGUST 2019 ISSUE OF SELLING TRAVEL WILL FEATURE: Cruising the Caribbean • Middle East • Mediterranean • 48 hours in Bangkok • South Africa • 

Luxury Australia • Plus: special sections on Canada and escorted touring 

CONTACT US: editorial@bmipublishing.co.uk ONLINE reviews • blogs • features • incentives • interviews 

sellingtravel.co.uk

CRYSTAL 

WHERE LUXURY IS PERSONAL 

TREASURES OF THE DANUBE 

ROUND-TRIP VIENNA | CRYSTAL MOZART 

30 SEP 2019 | 10 NIGHTS | VOYAGE RMZ190930-10 

GERMANY 

CZECH REPUBLIC 

Passau 

Wachau 

Valley 

Dürnstein SLOVAKIA 

Bratislavaa 

Linz 

VIENNA 

Danube River Melk 

Budapest 

AUSTRIA 

HUNGARY 

Michael Dupont 

Head of Sales 

Tel: 07921 949469 mick@cruiseportfolio.co.uk 

Natalie Read 

Regional Sales Manager 

South 

Tel: 07896 971316 

natalieread@cruiseportfolio.co.uk 

Jon Schofield 

Regional Sales Manager 

North & Scotland 

Tel: 07841 921533 

jon@cruiseportfolio.co.uk 

CRUISE ONLY FARES FROM 

Deluxe Suite with Fixed Window (W2 Grade) from £3,735 per person 

Deluxe Suite with French Balcony (S1 Grade) 

from £6,240 per person 

Itinerary Highlights: 

Vienna (overnight), Dürnstein, Melk, Linz, Passau (overnight), 

Bratislava, Budapest (overnight) and Vienna (overnight). 

Nan Short 

Representative 

Northern Ireland & Eire 

Tel: 02890 642252 

nanshort@btopenworld.com 

Megan Saunders 

Trade Sales Support 

Executive 

Tel: 020 7399 7602 

megan@cruiseportfolio.co.uk 

2018 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR TO MAKE A BOOKING, PLEASE CALL: 

020 7399 7604 www.crystalcruises.co.uk 

ABTA No.V8548 

Fares are per person, cruise only in UK sterling based on double occupancy in the specified stateroom grade for the first two full-fare guests and include port, security and handling charges, which vary by departure. All fares, offers and itineraries are subject 

to change and availability and can be withdrawn at any time. Fares may fluctuate and should be used as a guide only. Prices may go up or down. You should contact us on 0207 399 7604 before booking, or visit our website www.crystalcruises.co.uk. The 

fares are available to new bookings only and are only available to UK & Eire residents. Restrictions apply. See crystalcruises.co.uk for complete terms and conditions of all offers. (c) 2018 Crystal Cruises, Inc., Ships' registry: The Bahamas.

Be inspired by... 

River 

Cruise 

Trends in River Cruise • New Beginnings: New Product on the World's Rivers 

• Take Five: Suites • At a Glance

82 


TRENDING ON THE RIVERS... 

The river cruising industry continues to grow and innovate, hoping to attract 

further customers with updated styles and experiences. Jeannine Williamson 

looks at how the sector is channelling change 

New and refurbished ships, more 

itineraries and exciting shore 

excursions coupled with increased 

onboard attractions are among the 

innovations contributing to a boom in 

river cruising, which has seen a record 

number of UK passengers take to the 

world’s waterways. 

Andy Harmer, CLIA UK & Ireland 

Director, says: “The UK river cruise sector 

is seeing continued growth year-on-year. 

In 2017, the UK river cruise market reached 

210,400 passengers, against 174,000 in 2016. 

Figures for 2018 won’t be published until 

June but CLIA is confidentially predicting 

another year of strong growth. 

“European river cruises, which account 

for almost 90% of bookings, were the 

driving force behind this exceptional 

growth. The Rhine and Danube lead the 

way, however, it is eastern and southern 

European rivers such as the Douro and 

Russian waterways which are seeing the 

most growth.” 

David Sharman, Commercial Director 

at Newmarket Holidays, agrees. “We have 

recently launched our 2020 river cruise 

programme which is dedicated entirely to 

the A-Rosa portfolio across the key rivers 

of Europe. We are delighted to be featuring 

the Douro for the first time next year, with 

the A-Rosa Alva, the line’s newest ship. This 

river is growing in popularity and we are 

now able to offer agents a destination we 

haven’t featured before. It is a perfect choice 

for customers who have sailed the popular 

rivers such as the Danube and the Rhine 

and are now looking for something a little 

different.” 

Guests are also looking for new 

experiences. John Fair, UK Sales Director 

for CroisiEurope, says: “We’ve added 

an additional ship on the Rhone, which 

continues to grow in popularity thanks to 

the combination of beautiful landscapes, 

world class vineyards, iconic cities and time 

in France’s gastronomic capital, Lyon. Our 

gourmet-themed cruises on the Rhone and 

our Beaujolais cruises are in great demand, 

as are rivers such as the Guadalquivir 

and the Loire which are unique to 

CroisiEurope.” 

Once the realm of mature clients, 

there’s a growing trend towards cruises 

aimed at younger travellers and multigenerational 

families. Tauck spearheaded 

dedicated family sailings and A-Rosa 

offers free cruises for children under 15 on 

every departure. U by Uniworld - recently 

rebranded U River Cruises - pushed the 

boat out with its eye-catching ships Th e A 

and Th e B aimed at the “young at heart”, 

and this year Amadeus River Cruises has 

sailings for millennials. 

Ship-shape new vessels 

Larger and greener ships are among the 

latest developments in the new generation 

of river cruise vessels. The big news, 

quite literally, is AmaWaterways’ recently 

launched AmaMagna. The 196-passenger 

vessel, double the width of standard river 

ships, has four restaurants, five bars, a pool, 

watersports platform and private speedboat 

American Cruise Lines has named the 

third ship in its Modern Riverboat Series, 

American Jazz. American Song is already 

sailing on the Columbia and Snake Rivers 

and American Harmony begins cruising the 

Mississippi in August. The line claims the 

industry's smallest carbon footprint. 

sellingtravel.co.uk

RIVER CRUISING 83 

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The River Cruise Line's MS Arena; Avalon Waterways' Avalon Envision; American Cruise Line's American Song; Amadeus River Cruises, Keukenhof Gardens, Netherlands 

sellingtravel.co.uk

The Very Best River Cruises 

in Europe & Southeast Asia 

Let Scenic and Emerald Waterways take your customers 

on the river cruise of a lifetime, from the Danube in 

Europe to the Irrawaddy and Mekong in Southeast Asia. 

We 

Travel 

Agents 

Great Commission 

Earn rewards for EVERY booking 

with River Rewards & More 

Online training with Agent Academy 

Dedicated Trade Team to support 

Impeccable Service 

Innovative Ships 

Once-in-a-lifetime Excursions 

Award-winning Value 

Find out more about Scenic & Emerald Waterways from your dedicated Trade Team 

agencysales@scenic.co.uk | agencysales@emeraldwaterways.co.uk


ABOVE: AmaWaterways' AmaMagna 

Avalon Waterways, which recently 

launched its latest all-suite ship Avalon 

Envision on the Danube, is providing 

agents with new ‘cruise only’ pricing 

options across its fleet-wide programme. 

Additionally, in 2020 the line will introduce 

shorter three, four and five-day itineraries 

which are ideal for first-time river cruise 

clients looking to test the water. 

Also next year, APT Travelmarvel is 

introducing three new Contemporary 

River Ships with features including a 

garden terrace and pub-style McGeary’s 

Bar. And a significant development for the 

River Cruise Line will be the launch of the 

96-passenger MS Arena, a four-star ship 

with hotel-style beds in every cabin plus 

French balcony staterooms. 

Onboard activities 

River cruising will always be a leisurely way 

to travel, however a key trend to attract 

active passengers is onboard wellness. 

This year Avalon Waterways introduced 

Adventure Hosts on its European ships 

to run fitness classes and other heartpumping 

activities. These complement the 

Avalon Fresh menu, available across the 

fleet, which focuses on healthy eating. 

AmaWaterways has also rolled out a 

fleet-wide fitness programme, with up 

to six daily exercise classes. At APT there 

are new multi-tasting entertainment 

duos responsible for organising daytime 

fitness sessions alongside more traditional 

entertainment such as trivia quizzes. 

Once a rarity on rivers, an increasing 

number of ships have pools and spas. Steve 

Goodenough, Managing Director of the 

River Cruise Line, says: “In keeping with the 

provision of fitness and wellbeing facilities 

in hotels and resorts, there is a growing 

trend towards an expectation that river 

cruise ships are similarly equipped. We are 

delighted that our new ship MS Arena has 

its own well-equipped wellness suite and 

clients can book a premium package that 

includes free use of the suite.” 

Following an eight-month refurbishment 

Uniworld’s River Royale has re-launched 

in France as SS Bon Voyage, the line’s sixth 

Super Ship which features an infinity pool. 

Rivers and ports of call 

The Douro is this year’s hottest destination. 

CroisiEurope launched the MS Amalia 

Rodrigues as its sixth vessel and third 

premium-rated ship on the ‘River of Gold’ 

and A-Rosa recently inaugurated its first 

Douro vessel, A-Rosa Alva. 

Rob Stapley, Senior Cruise Product 

Manager at Titan Travel, says: “We’ve seen a 

huge growth in popularity for the beautiful 

Douro River in Portugal for 2019. Titan has 

exclusive sailings onboard MS Gil Eanes and 

the brand new MS Amalia Rodrigues, and for 

a more luxurious and intimate experience 

guests can take a trip on the 28-passenger 

Spirit of Chartwell, the royal barge used for 

the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations.” 

Further afield, there’s growing interest 

in Asia. Pandaw has launched three 

sellingtravel.co.uk

CRUISE LINES INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION 

86 

river cruising 

new routes on the Ganges, plus a 

combination India itinerary taking in the 

Ganges and Brahmaputra. The small ship 

specialist also has a new 14-passenger ship, 

Kanee Pandaw, capable of sailing to remote 

stretches of Myanmar’s Irrawaddy and 

Chindwin rivers. Heritage River Journeys, 

which sells through Kuoni and Abercrombie 

& Kent, predicts demand for Ganges 

cruises after its riverboat Ganges Voyager II 

starred in Cruising with Jane McDonald. 

ABOVE: Cocktails with U by Uniworld 

Shearings has a range of new worldwide 

tours that include a cruise element on 

rivers including the Amazon, Yangtze 

and Mekong. And later this year Emerald 

Waterways launches custom-built Emerald 

Harmony, which can sail into Vietnam’s Ho 

Chi Minh City, unlike larger vessels. 

Shore excursions and activities 

Flexible shore tour programmes and 

active options are setting the pace for the 

latest excursion programmes. In addition 

to dedicated Cruise & Walk itineraries, 

CroisiEurope offers flexible excursion 

packages so guests can choose to do as 

much or as little as they want. Another line 

with á la carte excursions is Amadeus River 

Cruises where passengers can ‘pick and 

mix’ shore tours to suit their interests. 

For inclusive lines that include shore 

excursions in the fare there are plenty of 

options for guests that want to get up and 

go. Avalon Waterways was the first line to 

offer Active & Discovery itineraries and the 

sailings on the Rhine and Danube have been 

ABOVE: Emerald Waterways can sail into Ho Chi Minh City 

extended to the Rhone for 2019. Passengers 

can head off on guided jogging tours, hikes, 

bike rides and kayaking trips. 

Uniworld is offering more active 

excursions with 'Let’s Go', featuring golf, 

gondola rowing and more. APT offers 

'Freedom of Choice' where tours are split 

into four categories with active options 

including a Bavarian dance class or hike to 

the Petrovaradin Fortress over the Danube. 

RIVER DOURO 

NEW FOR 2020 

SAVE 

£50 * 

BOOK BY 

30 JUNE 

All-Inclusive European River Cruises 

The Douro Explorer 

8-days from £1,769 

Jun - Sep & Nov 2020 

Flying from 3 UK airports 

or cruise only 

Lisbon & the 

Douro Explorer 

11-days from £2,179 

Jun - Sep & Nov 2020 

Flying from 2 UK airports 

or cruise only 

For bookings, personalised posters, brochure requests & more, visit 

www.newmarketholidays.co.uk/agent-login or call us on 0330 160 7999 

*See our website for terms and conditions

ADVERTORIAL 

Exotic waterways 

CroisiEurope, Europe’s largest river cruise operator, is 

expanding its worldwide river cruise programme in 

2020, giving passengers a taste of the exotic as they 

sail through waterways in Asia and Africa. 

By spending time on a country’s waterways, guests are able 

to tour a mix of small towns and villages, as well as the bigger 

cities and get an insider look at how the country developed. Just 

as rivers played an important part in the growth of Europe’s 

capitals, they fuel the economy and history in Asia and Africa 

too. Some of the greatest structures of antiquity were built 

along the Nile! Also, there’s the bonus of wildlife sightings on 

India’s Ganges River and Africa’s Zambezi and Chobe rivers. 

What to expect 

An exotic river cruise differs from a European river cruise in 

several aspects. For one, the trip is usually at least nine days to 

two weeks or more, which makes sense when one factors in the 

long flights. 

Many exotic river cruises are more like ‘cruise tours’ with 

stops and overnights in different cities. For example, on African 

Safari cruises only a few days are spent on the water and guests 

experience stays at beautiful safari lodges, where they can 

explore national parks and the marvellous landscapes of Africa. 

Into Africa 

Following popular demand, a second ship will sail on Lake 

Kariba in Southern Africa. The MS Zimbabwean Dream is the 

sistership to MS African Dream and both vessels are a central 

components of an exciting Safari itinerary that offers cruising 

experiences through Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe. 

The MS JAZ Royal will return to the Nile in Egypt as part of the 

seven-night Cruise on the Nile: The Land of the Pharaohs round 

trip from Luxor. This cruise sees passengers step back in time 

to explore majestic temples, tombs, pyramids, and the lively 

villages that dot the Nile Valley landscapes from Luxor to Aswan. 

Oriental shore time 

Clients can also set sail on a nine-night Cruise of the Ganges 

aboard a luxury ship which is decked out with romantic 

canopy-style beds and journeys through bustling Kolkata and 

its Victorian memorials and finishes in Varanasi, a sacred city 

that attracts millions of pilgrims a year. 

On a Mekong cruise in Vietnam and Cambodia, guests on 

board RV Indochine I and II, can discover silk towns, fishing 

villages, monasteries and floating markets, with optional preor 

post-cruise hotel stays in Hanoi, Siem Reap and 

Ho Chi Minh. 

Learn more at trade portal: pro-uk.croisieurope.com/login-b2b

The World, by Water 

Unrivalled choice for 2020 from the 

UK’s largest Escorted tour provider 

Choose from an extensive range of 62 itineraries, across 32 ships! Our 

2020 programme includes a new range of worldwide river cruises, 5 

star premium cruises and 25 new itineraries across the rivers of Europe. 

Your customers can enjoy lazy days on the water or take advantage of our full programme of 

included and optional excursions to tailor their cruise and truly make it unique. With travel options 

including by air, coach and rail – ease and flexibility are key. We pay close attention to the fine 

details so that they can simply sit back, relax and soak up the experience. 

facebook.com/groups/shearingstradeteam 

Need to talk to us online – visit shearingsagent.com 

and talk to us via webchat

SHEARINGS 

OUT 

NOW 

NEW 2020 BROCHURE 

NEW 2020 BROCHURE 

Why choose 

Shearings? 

The UK’s largest escorted 

tour company 

Over 100 years of 

experience 

Award-winning 

holidays 

Low deposits, 

from £65pp ∆ 

Up to 20kg luggage 

included in price † 

Over 600 pick up 

points nationwide 

Trusted hotels in 

excellent locations 

Over 200 destinations 

worldwide 

Flexible travel options 

by coach, car, air 

and rail 

17 DAYS 

FROM 

£2,842 

PER PERSON 

10 DAYS 

FROM 

£1,689 

PER PERSON 

10 DAYS 

FROM 

£1,412 

PER PERSON 

Indochina’s Rivers & Treasures 

Touring cruise itinerary 

From the beautiful bays of Vietnam to 

the mighty rivers of Cambodia, immerse 

yourself in the colour of daily life of these 

two vibrant countries. 

17 DAYS • SEPT 2019, MAR & SEPT 2020 

A Danube Rhapsody 

On board MS Amadeus Star 

FREE WINE WITH DINNER 

Enjoy a journey of discovery on the 

Danube and take in sights including 

spectacular Vienna, the hidden gem of 

Bratislava and magnificent Budapest 

10 DAYS • AUG & OCT 2020 

Scenic Rhone to the 

Mediterranean All Inclusive 

On board MS A-ROSA STELLA 

Discover Roman cities, marvel at the 

ancient architecture of the Pont du Gard 

and admire the natural beauty of the 

Camargue with its wealth of wildlife. 

10 DAYS • JULY 2020

90 

RivER CRUiSiNG 

NEW BEGiNNiNGS 

Pandaw 

KiDS SAiL FREE 

This luxury river cruise operator is 

offering free travel for under 18s on 

selected dates during the UK school 

holidays. it offers sailings along iconic 

Asian rivers including the Mekong, 

irrawaddy and Ganges and each trip 

has activities suitable for all ages, 

including daily excursions and cultural 

performances as well as low-key movie 

nights and free mountain bike hire. 

pandaw.com 

sellingtravel.co.uk

RivER CRUiSiNG 

91 

A-Rosa 

E-MOTiON SHiP 

This is the first look at A-Rosa’s 

groundbreaking new vessel, due 

for delivery in spring 2021. With 

140 cabins, it will be the first cruise 

ship on the Rhine sporting four 

decks, and comes packed with 

sustainable technology including 

battery power propulsion and airbubble 

technology to reduce fuel 

consumption. There will also be 

dedicated family facilities including 

large cabins, a dedicated kids’ club 

area and a separate children’s pool. 

arosa-cruises.com 

Riviera Travel 

THE DANUBE 

New for 2020 is the vienna, 

Bohemia and Treasures of The 

Danube itinerary, taking in the 

vine-clad Wachau valley, medieval 

towns like Regensburg and rolling 

Bohemian countryside – all with 

a classical quartet on board, Also 

launching is the 169-capacity 

all-suite MS Geoffrey, with a 

sundeck, splash pool, putting 

green and spa. rivieratravel.co.uk 

American Queen Steamboat 

Company 

THE ULTiMATE USA 

RivER TRiP 

A new ‘Around the States in 40 

Days’ cruise combines the Mighty 

Mississippi cruise from New Orleans 

to Red Wing, Minneapolis on American 

Duchess, with a Great Lakes cruise on 

Victory I from Chicago to Toronto plus 

two nights in New York. Other stops 

include Memphis, Detroit and Niagara 

Falls. From £11,695pp with flights, 33 

nights onboard and six hotel nights. 

americanqueensteamboat 

company.com 

sellingtravel.co.uk

92 River cruising 

The Douro 

CroisiEurope 

OBERAMMERGAU 

The French line has announced 

details of its last Oberammergau 

departures, which combine a six-day 

Danube cruise with two nights in 

Oberammergau, Bavaria and the 

best seats for the 2020 Passion Play. 

The famous event, which takes place 

every ten years, goes back to 1634 and 

involves 2,000 villagers performing on 

a vast stage. croisieurope.co.uk 

pORTUGAL 

This river goes from strength 

to strength. A-Rosa Alva was 

christened in Porto this April and 

2020 departures are available now, 

either direct or via Newmarket 

Holidays or Shearings Holidays. 

Meanwhile, Tauck will set sail on 

the river for the first time next 

year with its new ship, Andorinha. 

Shearings Holidays 

AMADEUS 

Shearings' 2020 river cruise 

brochure is its largest to date, 

featuring 62 itineraries across 32 

ships. Demonstrating the operator’s 

focus on premium cruising, it has 

partnered with Amadeus Cruises. 

Amadeus Silver II, Amadeus Star, 

Amadeus Silver III and Amadeus 

Imperial are featured, with four 

eight-day itineraries on sale 

covering the Danube, Rhine and 

Dutch Waterways. shearings.com 

sellingtravel.co.uk

ADVERTORIAL 

Quintessentially British 

A 

traditionally British experience, Fred. Olsen’s 

sumptuous menus, attentive service and exciting 

shore tours have all been specially tailored for British 

tastes. And the cruise operator is expanding its tours in 2020 

to include even more incredible European destinations. 

Typically & familiarly British... 

A river cruise onboard Fred. Olsen’s compact Brabant is a distinctly 

British experience. Unlike some European river cruise ships, Fred. 

Olsen’s friendly, attentive crew speak English and guests can pay 

for any purchases made on board in pound sterling. What's more, 

the food and fantastic service enjoyed on board, as well as the 

shore tours in each port of call, have been specifically tailored to 

suit British tastes. You’ll even find a kettle and tea in all the rooms, 

and familiar British condiments like marmite and tomato ketchup 

in the ship’s restaurants. So, while you journey through Europe via 

its scenic rivers, you'll always feel right at home aboard Brabant. 

Close to home 

Carrying around 150 guests, the stylish and comfortable Brabant 

has the intimate home-from-home atmosphere for which Fred. 

Olsen is renowned. Brabant’s compact dimensions allow for 

mooring as close as possible to the heart of the city, town or 

village to ensure the local attractions are within easy reach. 

Scenic cruises 

Almost all Fred. Olsen’s expertly-planned itineraries include 

daytime scenic cruising. Clients can capture all the mesmerising 

sights as they pass by picturesque countryside, historic castles, 

terraced vineyards and charming towns. Fred. Olsen has a choice 

of holidays to suit all types of traveller. 

What’s new? 

For 2020, the cruise tour operator has introduced an all-new 

programme of European river cruises aboard Brabant – 

immersive adventures combining enchanting destinations with 

some of the most spectacular landscapes in Europe. 

Sailing the beautiful Rhine, Main, Moselle and Danube rivers for 

another momentous river cruising season, Fred. Olsen will once 

again showcase the springtime splendour of the Netherlands; the 

highlights of attraction-packed capitals, and much more. Brabant 

will take exploration to the next level in 2020 too, uncovering 

rarely-visited regions such as Luxembourg and the Lower Danube. 

What’s new? 

Join Fred. Olsen in Manchester (July 9) or London (July 10) for a 

Selling Travel Dialogue: River Cruise to find out more about its 

fantastic range of river adventures and maybe win a cruise aboard 

Brabant. Sign up here: sellingtravel.co.uk/events 

fredolsencruises.com/travel-agent-centre

94 


2 

FIVE RIVER SUITES 

MEKONG JEWEL: Uniworld has some of 

the most luxurious ships on the market but 

launching in Vietnam and Cambodia for 2020 

is its new Mekong Jewel, an all-suite ship 

constructed with sustainable, eco-friendly 

materials. The ship will also feature a pool, spa, 

sauna and steam room, gym, hair salon, nail 

bar, two lounges and a library. 

3 

CRYSTAL BACH: One of four Crystal River 

Cruises vessels, the first and only all-suite and 

all-butler ships in Europe, with every room 

category positioned above the water line. All 

suites feature Panoramic Balcony-Windows, 

walk-in closets, king-sized beds, ETRO 

amenities and flat-screen HD TVs. 

1 

AMAMAGNA: Nearly twice the width of 

traditional European ships, AmaWaterways' 

new AmaMagna has a watersports platform, 

four restaurants, a wellness studio and 53 suites 

from 355 to 710 square feet. All have full-width 

step-out balconies and a marble bathroom with 

a walk-in multi-jet shower and separate bath. 

SCENIC ROYAL OWNER'S: The latest 

version of these suites will be on Scenic's 

'Space-Ships' sailing the Rhine, Main and 

Danube rivers in 2020. The 505-square-feet 

suites will feature a large balcony, soaking tub 

with river views, oversized bathroom and 

queen-sized Scenic Slumber beds with 

Egyptian cotton sheets and a pillow menu. 

AVALON ENVISION: New this year, 

this all-suite ship has two decks of its 

award-winning 200-square-feet Panorama 

Suites, featuring wall-to-wall and 

floor-to-ceiling Panoramic Windows which 

turn the living space into an open air balcony 

and has beds turned to face the views too. 

5 

4 

sellingtravel.co.uk

early bird 

best price 

New River Cruise 2020 brochure is out now 

Low 

£99PP 

deposit 

Book by 

28 June 2019 * 

River Cruise 2020 

TITAN’S EXCLUSIVE RIVER SHIPS - MS SERENADE 1 • MS BELLEJOUR 

CROISIEUROPE • SPIRIT OF CHARTWELL • A-ROSA • LUEFTNER 

UNIWORLD • RUSSIAN RIVER CRUISES • PANDAW RIVER EXPEDITIONS 

AMERICAN QUEEN STEAMBOAT COMPANY • CENTURY CRUISES PLUS MORE... 

Booking early guarantees your customers the best price possible. If we drop 

the price of their holiday later on, we’ll automatically refund the difference. 

• VIP door-to-door travel service † • Price Promise 

• Fly from an airport near you • Guaranteed departures 

£99pp deposit 

Book by 28 June 2019 

Fly from an 

airport near you 

VIP door-to-door 

travel service 

£20 Lifestyle voucher for every online booking ‡ 

Book online at titanagents.co.uk 

*£99pp deposit is available on the majority of Titan holidays. †Mainland UK 

only. ‡For full terms and conditions please visit www. titanagents.co.uk 

007201-TT Untitled-5 1Selling Travel - River cruise special.indd 1 23/05/2019 22/05/2019 09:32 16:45

SO MUCH MORE 

INCLUDED 

FULLY PROTECTED 

BY ABTA & ATOL 

PRICES THAT FEEL 

JUST RIGHT 

2020 

ON SALE 

NOW 

RIVER CRUISES 

THAT TICK ALL THE BOXES 

SO MUCH IS INCLUDED 

Spacious suites and cabins 

Return regional flights or Eurostar, with over 50 regional connections 

Overseas transfers 

Fascinating daily excursions led by knowledgeable local guides 

Services of our experience cruise director and concierge 

All meals on board 

Complimentary tea and coffee in your cabin, plus on board Wi-fi 

All port charges and airport taxes 

Price-parity across all channels 

NEW FOR 2020 

VIENNA, BOHEMIA & TREASURES 

OF THE DANUBE 

8 days from £1,599PP 

Departures from July to September 2020 

THE BLUE DANUBE 

VIENNA, BUDAPEST & SALZBURG 


Departures up to October 2019 & April to October 2020 

BUDAPEST TO THE BLACK SEA 

GEMS OF EASTERN EUROPE 


Departures up to September 2019 & April to October 2020 

CONTACT OUR AGENCY SALES TEAM: 

Call for support: 01283 744307 | Email: agencysales@rivieratravel.co.uk 

CALL RESERVATIONS 7 DAYS A WEEK: 

Call to book: 01283 744370 | Book online: www.rivieratravel.co.uk/agents 

Prices are based on two people sharing and are correct at time of print. Single supplements may apply. Operated by and subject to booking conditions of 

Riviera Travel, ABTA V4744 ATOL 3430 protected. Subject to availability. Additional entrance cost may apply. Images used in conjunction with Riviera Travel. 

ABTA No. V4744


THE GANGES 

From the roof of the world to its biggest 

delta, this sacred river begins as an icy 

torrent from a Himalayan glacier and flows 

into the warm Bay of Bengal. It's seeing 

huge growth in cruising thanks to timeless 

rural landscapes, temples and palaces. But 

its crown is Varanasi, Hinduism's holiest 

and most colourful city, which smokes with 

cremation fires but thrums with human 

energy and religious devotion. 

sellingtravel.co.uk

98 


AT A GLANCE 

CRUISE LINE RESERVATIONS LEAD-IN CRITERIA 

Amadeus River Cruises 

A-ROSA River Cruises 

AmaWaterways 

APT River Cruises 

Avalon Waterways 

Belmond 

CroisiEurope 

Crystal River Cruises 

Emerald Waterways 

European Waterways 

Fred.Olsen River Cruises 

Fred.\River Cruises 

Great Rail Journeys & Rail 

Discoveries 

Insider Journeys 

Mekong Prestige River Cruise 

Newmarket Holidays 

Pandaw 

Riviera Travel 

Saga 

Sanctuary Retreats 

Scenic 

Shearings Holidays 

Tauck River Cruises 

Titan 

The River Cruise Line 

Uniworld 

Viking 

Wendy Wu Tours 

0800 035 6411 

amadeus-rivercruises.co.uk 

02922 672 600 

arosa-cruises.com 

0800 520 2252 

amawaterways.co.uk 

0800 012 6686 

aptouring.co.uk 

0330 058 8237 

avaloncruises.co.uk 

0845 077 2222 

belmond.com 

020 8328 1281 

croisieurope.co.uk 

020 7399 7604 

crystalcruises.co.uk 

0808 115 0469 

emeraldwaterways.co.uk 

01753 598 555 

europeanwaterways.com 

0800 0355 131 

fredolsencruises.com 

0800 021 3172 

fredrivercruises.co.uk 

0800 240 4470 

greatrail.com 

raildiscoveries.com 

01865 268 944 

insiderjourneys.co.uk 

0808 168 1458 

ewaterways.co.uk 

0330 160 7999 

newmarketholidays.co.uk 

020 8396 7320 

pandaw.com 

01283 744 370 / 744 390 

rivieratravel.co.uk/agents 

0800 074 8021 t 

saga.co.uk/rivercruises 

+44 (0)1242 546609 

sanctuaryretreats.com 

0808 115 0463 

scenic.co.uk 

01942 416123 

shearings.com/rivercruises 

0800 810 8020 

tauck.co.uk 

0800 988 5800 

titanagents.co.uk 

01858 438 466 

rivercruiseline.co.uk 

0808 168 9231 

uniworld.com/uk 

020 8780 7985 

vikingcruises.co.uk 

0800 902 0888 

wendywutours.co.uk 

£1149pp, 7-night Treasures of Burgundy & Provence, including flights, non-UK transfers and port 

charges 

£1509pp, 7-night Classic Danube Explorer (via Newmarket Holidays) including flights, meals and 

drinks 

£2,029pp, 7-night Melodies of the Danube, incl. all meals with drinks plus excursions 

£2,095pp, 15-day European Gems incl. flights, sightseeing, meals and drinks with lunch & dinner 

onboard, tipping and more 

£1,525; 8 days Tulips of Northern Holland, flying from Gatwick, including all transfers and private 

home pick-up 

£990pp, 2-night cruise on Road to Mandalay with transfers, meals with wine 

£332pp for a 4-day short break in Paris 

£1,765pp, 7-night Danube cruise, Budapest to Vienna incl. all meals and drinks onboard 

£1,470pp, 8-day The Charms of Holland and Belgium river cruise incl. flights, excursions & meals 

on-board with drinks 

£2,590pp, 6-night all-inclusive hotel barge cruises UK, France, Italy, Holland & Ireland 

£999, 7-night Rhine and Moselle Marvels 

£999pp, 7-nights Tulip Cruise including flights, non-UK transfers and port charges 

£795, 5-day The Path of the Seine, Paris to Normandy including rail, 11 meals and drinks 

£3,093, 16-day Mekong & Beyond small group journey. 7 nights’ cruise, 8 hotel) 

£1,149pp, 8-night cruise only between Saigon and Siem Reap, full-board including drinks 

£799pp, 5-night Paris, Normandy & the Seine at Christmas (incl. flights, meals & drinks) 

£3149pp 7-night Classic Mekong including flights, transfers and pre/post cruise accommodation. 

£799pp for the lead-in Amsterdam & Dutch Bulbfields cruise 

£399pp 4-nights Holland in Bloom 

£714pp, 3-night cruise from Bagan to Mandalay, based on two people 

£1,695pp, 8-day Gems of the Danube five-star river cruise, including flights, excursions, meals and 

drinks 

£429pp, 2-night Keukenhof Gardens Weekend Cruise, full-board with return coach travel. 

£3,070pp, 8-day ‘Holland & Belgium in the Spring’ incl. flights & category one cabin 

£799pp 6-day Tulips and Windmills cruise including meals, transport and VIP transfers 

£429pp, 4-day Amsterdam & Bulbfields Spectacular aboard the three-star MPS Lady Anne 

£2,089, 8 day all-inclusive Castles Along the Rhine cruise from Basel to Amsterdam 

£1545pp, 8-day Romantic Danube incl. wifi, meals with wine and beer & daily excursions 

£2,890pp, 14-day fully-inclusive Majestic Yangtze tour with flights and guided touring 

sellingtravel.co.uk


99 

Danube, Central 

Europe 

Douro, Portugal 

Elbe, Czech Republic 

to Germany 

Main Danube Canal, 

Germany 

Moselle, France, Lux, 

Germany 

Rhine, Switzerland 

to the Netherlands 

Dutch Waterways 

French Waterways 

Po, Italy 

Russian Waterways 

Chobe, Botswana 

Mekong, Cambodia, 

Laos, and/or Vietnam 

Indian Waterways 

Irrawaddy/ Chindwin, 

Burma 

Nile, Egypt 

Yangtze, China 

Mississippi, USA 

Murray River, Australia 

Amazon 

UK TRANSFERS 

ALL INCLUSIVE 

OPTION 

WI-FI 

INCLUDED 

 

Available on 

request 

 

 

 

 

Selected 

cruises 

Selected 

Cruises 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Upgrade 

onboard 

 

 

 

Selected 

cruises 

Pre-paid 

drink packages 

Selected 

cruises 

 

Selected 

cruises 

 

Rail - local 

station only 

 

 

Selected 

cruises 

 

 

 

Pre-paid 


 

 

Pre-paid 


 

 

Selected 

cruises 

Selected dates 

Selected 

cruises 

 

 

Pre-paid 


Selected 

cruises 

 

Selected 

cruises 

Selected 

cruises 

Selected 

cruises 

Selected 

cruises 

 

 

Selected 

cruises 

Selected 

cruises 

 

Coach/ 

Air/Rail 

In Europe 

Selected 

cruises 

 

 

sellingtravel.co.uk

JAMAICA • ANTIGUA • SAINT LUCIA • BAHAMAS • GRENADA • BARBADOS 

OVER-THE-WATER 

I N T H E 

CARIBBEAN 

Over-the-Water Villas 

at Sandals Royal Caribbean 

2 0 1 8 

VOTED THE WORLD’S LEADING ALL-INCLUSIVE RESORTS 

23 

23 Years Running 

YEARS IN A ROW AT THE WORLD TRAVEL AWARDS 

Sandals introduces new innovations in luxury that invite guests 

to leave the everyday world behind. Our new Over-the-Water 

Villas and Bungalows aren’t just one-of-a-kind, they’re the first 

of their kind in the Caribbean. Extraordinary cuisine is served 

in over-the-water restaurants, while at the new Over-the-Water 

Latitudes Bar, your clients can enjoy a cocktail whilst relaxing in 

a hammock suspended over the sea. Newlyweds can turn their 

vows into wows at the spectacular Over-the-Water Serenity 

Wedding Chapel featuring a “sea-through” glass floor aisle. 

Even our commissions and support are over the top! It’s all 

exclusively at Sandals. 

LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED 

CALL 0808 164 3459 

VISIT SANDALS.CO.UK/AGENTS 

Over-the-Water Dining 

Over-the-Water Serenity 

Wedding Chapel 

Over-the-Water Bar 

MASTERS OF 

EXCELLENCE 

IN THE 

CULINARY 

ARTS

Selling Travel June 19

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