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Opportunities
The
American West Steamboat Company
The American
West Steamboat Company (AWSC) is offering
two new Food & Wine cruises aboard the
luxury sternwheeler Empress of the North.
The cruises depart November 21st and
December 12th, round trip from Portland,
Oregon and include over 1000 miles of
cruising along the Columbia, Willamette and
Snake Rivers.
To participate in a familiarization trip,
please email your contact information to
Robert Ferguson at
JaweaH@awsc.us.
Guide to cruising in North America and
Alaska
The new Insight Guide: North American &
Alaskan Cruises is the only cruising guide
on the market to cover the breadth of
destinations that North America has to
offer, from the Gulf of Alaska to the Gulf
of California and Hawaii, from New Orleans
to Newfoundland.
The guide includes features and essays
designed to give the reader an in-depth
understanding of the region and of the
cruising phenomenon. A "Places" section
describes the main sights and attractions on
dry land, and a "Travel Tips" section lists
recommended hotels and restaurants in the
ports of call as well as essential contact
details.
Insight Guide: North American & Alaskan
Cruises is available from all good bookshops
priced at £16.99. For further information or
to obtain a review copy contact Charlotte
Scott at
charlotte.scott@trimediauk.com or 020
7471 6802
Arizona press
trips schedule released
The Arizona
Office of Tourism’s Media Relations Division
has released its press trips schedule
through June 2005. Included in the schedule
are Canyon Wonderland, Arizona’s Pioneers &
Settlers, Juan Bautista de Anza Trail and
Sky Islands of Southeastern Arizona. To be
considered for these tours, visit
http://pressroom.arizonaguide.com or
contact Heather Wright at
hwright@azot.com.
Aspen snowmass
international fam
The Aspen Skiing Company and International
Property Alliance invite the British media
to participate in the 9th Annual
Aspen/Snowmass International FAM. For
information contact Kim Edwards at
kedwards@aspensnowmass.com.
Arts & culture in Little
Rock
The Peabody
Alliance for Arts & Culture is organizing
and hosting a 5-day FAM trip in Little Rock
from October 20-25. Contact Maureen Brigid
Gonzalez at
Mgonzalez@peabodyorlando.com
for a booking form.
Industry news
Opening offer at Le Méridien Stuttgart
Le Méridien, Stuttgart, is re-opening in
November following a €19 million
refurbishment. Contact Julia Clark at
julia.clark@lemeridien.com or 020 7301
2553.
International Group
Leisure & Travel Show
The International Group Leisure & Travel
Show 2004 runs at Wembley Exhibition Centre
on 7 and 8 October. The UK’s leading group
travel organisers and tour operators has
over 300 exhibitors, including destinations,
attractions and suppliers. Register at
www.leisureshow.com.
Travelsavers Launch
Premium Cruise Club
Travel
marketing and technology company,
Travelsavers, is launching a premium cruise
club, specifically for its UK and Irish
members. Contact Jos Dewing at
jdewing@travelsavers.com or 07773
455497.
Media training for travel industry
A new service to help the travel industry
fight back from the effects of damaging
press coverage, resulting from everything
from international crises to airline
failures, has been launched by travel PR
agency Rooster. The Rooster Media
Masterclass suite of courses provides
professional training to help companies
communicate effectively through the media,
and gives participants a series of golden
rules for providing proactive and reactive
press comment. Contact Ryan Levitt at
ryan.levitt@rooster.co.uk nor 020 7691
3939
Car park check in from First Choice Airways
From summer 2005
holidaymakers flying on First Choice Airways
from London Gatwick will be able to check in
with their luggage at the NCP Flightpath
Long Stay North Terminal car park.
Passengers will park in Zone W of the car
park and proceed to the check-in reception
building with their luggage, passports and
tickets, where check-in will take place.
They will then be able to catch the first
available transfer bus from stop 5, over to
the North Terminal building and proceed
directly to passport control and through to
departures. Contact Sandra Pitcher on 01293
588101 or
sandra.pitcher@firstchoice.co.uk
Premium Travel 2005
Premium Travel 2005 takes place at the Royal
Albert Hall on 16 and 17 May 2005. Visit :
www.realityhouse.co.uk/premiumtravel
Independent holiday study
More than 30% of British travellers who have
booked an independent holiday have
experienced problems and
higher-than-expected costs. Research from a
Leger Holidays study showed hidden costs was
the main concern for 16.8% of travellers,
while holiday disruption forcing travellers
to resolve problems themselves was the
second biggest complaint for 13.9% of
people.The difficulty and stress of
self-booking a holiday was a concern (6.5%),
as was feeling isolated without a travel rep
(5.1%). Contact Adrian Johnson at
adrian.johnson@poultergroup.com or 0113
285 6428.
Spanish Tourist Office
address
The Spanish Tourist Office is moving from
Manchester Square to New Cavendish Street
and will be at the new offices from Monday
27th September. Contact Margarita Caton at
press.london@tourspain.es or 020 7467
5505
Storyboard
P&O Cruises
P&O Cruises has published its new World
Voyages 2005/6 brochure offering worldwide
cruises on a choice of three different
superliners for the first time. The new
programme features a total of 90 varied
destinations worldwide from the major
‘must-see’ cities of Sydney and San
Francisco to lesser-visited locations such
as Philip Island and Pago Pago as well as
new destinations Eden (Australia), Exmouth
(Australia) and Richard’s Bay (South
Africa).
Contact Clare Cole at
clare.cole@pocruises.com or 023 8052
5203.
The
Cheetah’s Fight For Survival
To celebrate
the launch of the final book in the Big Cat
Diary Series, 'The Cheetah', BBC Big Cat
Diary presenter Jonathan Scott, will be
talking about these unique and beautiful
cats at 7pm on Tuesday 9th November at the
Royal Geographical Society, London, SW7.
contact Jonathan Sloan at
jonathansloan@hillsbalfour.com or 020
7202 6370
First Choice sponsors
Celebrity
First Choice
is to sponsor the fourth series of “I’m A
Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here!” hosted by
Ant & Dec. Contact Emma Waddell at Emma.Waddell@firstchoice.co.uk
or 01293 588714
Trailfinders Ski USA &
Canada
Trailfinders
has published its new Ski USA & Canada
brochure for 2004/05. Contact Lisa at
lisawarner@trailfinders.com or 020 7937
6544
Active Hotels and Air
Polonia European Distribution Deal
Active Hotels
has signed a distribution deal with Air
Polonia, the low cost airline operating out
of Poland to European and international
destinations. Contact Mandy Zakhour at
mandy@activehotels.com or 01223 578134
Go Travel holidays to
Mexico and Florida from Scotland
Go Travel
Direct have announced low-cost summer
holidays to Mexico and Florida from Glasgow
starting in May 2005, expanding their
current service offerings which include
all-inclusive Caribbean holidays to Cuba and
the Dominican Republic. Contact Lorna Inglis
at
lorna@mediahouse.co.uk or 0141 226 3700
New Le Meridien Resort
Hotel in Cambodia
A new five-star Le Méridien resort has
opened in Angkor, Cambodia. The destination
has seen a marked increase in demand from
luxury travellers worldwide. Contact Julia
Clark at
julia.clark@lemeridien.com or 020 7301
2553
Turner And Venice
An exhibition of 120 works charting the
relation between Yurner, the great English
artist, and Venice runs at the Correr Museum
in Venice until January 2005. It is
organized by Musei Civici Veneziani and the
Tate Britain. Contact Stefania Gatta at
stefaniagatta@italiantouristboard.co.uk
or 020 7399 3555
Sunsail
spends on Watersports Beach Club
Refurbishment
Sunsail’s watersports beach clubs in the
Mediterranean have undergone a major £5
million refurbishment. Contact Chris Clode
at
chris.clodepr@ntlworld.com 044 1243
431343.
Learn
to dive in Grenada
Dive holidays in the UK are growing in
popularity as people are looking to do
something more active on holiday rather than
just lazing on the beach. Learning to dive
in the Caribbean is far more fun than in a
cold swimming pool in the UK and the Spice
Island of Grenada is one of the best places
in the Caribbean to learn with its warm,
clear waters, amazing reefs and coral
gardens. Contact Karin Jones at
karin_jones@flightcentre.co.uk or 07990
553 839
BA to Crete
British
Airways franchise partner GB Airways
announced in Athens today that is to
introduce a twice-weekly summer service to
Heraklion, Crete next May. The airline,
which is the first to operate direct
scheduled services to the island from the
UK, will operate on Tuesdays and Fridays
from London Gatwick. Contact Ali Rigby at
Ali.Rigby@gbairways.com or 01293 664631
Belle-gravia
Beautie
The Sheraton
Belgravia has launched Belle-gravia, an
exclusive pampering package developed for
female guests - or anyone else who would
like to indulge themselves with some 'me
time'. Working in partnership with Origins,
the leaders in multi-sensory beauty and
wellness products, The Sheraton Belgravia
has put together a luxurious selection of
Belle-gravia treats - chosen following
research into what female guests wanted when
they stay at a hotel. Contact Carla Burt at
carla.burt@starwoodhotels.com or 020
7290 7106
Sheraton
Asunción –Paraguay
Paraguay’s
first international hotel, the Sheraton
Asunción, has opened. The newly built
hotel, located in the heart of Asunción,
Paraguay’s fast-growing capital city, is
designed to attract both the regional
corporate market as well as international
business travellers. Contact Carla Burt at
carla.burt@starwoodhotels.com or 020
7290 7106
Winter
News From Sweden
The latest
news from Sweden including: Take in the
leading lights of Scandinavia; new winter
adventures; skiing news; what's new in
Sweden; autumn breaks; Christmas news; new
Swedish events. Contact Madeleine Meech at
m.meech@travelpr.co.uk or 0208 891 4440
A
Victorian Christmas present from Tower
Bridge Exhibition
During
December 2004, Tower Bridge Exhibition will
be offering pre-booked groups a
complimentary, seasonal talk by a Blue Badge
Guide, describing Christmas in London in
Victorian times. Contact Liz Rice at
enquiries@towerbridge.org.uk or 0207 407
9191
Blue Train to relaunch
The Blue
Train that was damaged by fire in March 2003
will be re-launched on 2 December 2004 in
Pretoria, South Africa. Contact Claire
Roadley at
claire@ethosmarketing.co.uk or 01403 243
619
Nine great national parks
for fall photography
Spectacular
colours and the departure of summer crowds
make fall a great time to take your camera
to America’s national parks, according to
AAA. To help shutterbugs pick the best park
for their autumn getaway, AAA has teamed
with a renowned nature photographer to
recommend some top destinations. Contact
Justin McNaull at
jmcnaull@national.aaa.com.
Irish Ferries fares under
£100
Irish Ferries
has created a new five-day Autumn fare with
a car and two adults starts at £99 return
when travelling between Pembroke and
Rosslare. Contact Tom Williams at
tom.williams@flagshipgroup.co.uk or 020
7886 8446
Florence
And Edinburgh
In 2004 the
City of Edinburgh celebrates the 40th
anniversary of the twinning agreement with
the City of Florence. A series of events has
been organized in Edinburgh. Contact
Stefania Gatta at
stefaniagatta@italiantouristboard.co.uk
or 020 7399 3555
War And
Peace In Wiltshire
Those
interested in Military history will enjoy a
short break in Wiltshire to visit some of
the locations that were closely connected
with military movements in the first and
second World Wars. Contact Dot Williams at
dot.williams@greatwesternenterprise.co.uk
or 01225 712 311
Destination America Golf Guide 2005
Emap Active,
publisher of Golf World and Today’s Golfer,
is to publish a Destination America Golf
Guide 2005. Contact Ken Gill at
Ken.Gill@emap.com.
Le
Méridien Angkor
The new five
star Le Méridien resort has opened in
Angkor, Cambodia. Le Méridien Angkor is
located one kilometre from the city centre
of Angkor, six kilometres from the World
Heritage site of the legendary temples of
Angkor Wat and 14 kilometres from the
international airport of Siem Reap. Contact:
Julia Clark at
julia.clark@lemeridien.com or 0207 301
2553
New York
harbour Cruise
Circle Line
is offering a convenient 75-minute cruise of
New York Harbour The 12 mile narrated
nautical tour gives passengers the
opportunity to see some of the most
beautiful scenery in New York City. Contact
Claire Blacknell at
tmp.uk@btinternet.com.
A book at bedtime
The De Vere
Cavendish St James’s hotel in London has
created a new concept for its regular
travellers who enjoy a bit of bedtime
reading. By working with Waterstones
Piccadilly the new ‘Book at Bedtime’ service
enables the Cavendish to hand deliver the
book of choice to the guest’s room. Contact
Sarah-Louise Robinson at Sarah-Louise.
Robinson@davies-tanner.co.uk.
Casino gaming hits sunny
Florida
Visitors to Florida can experience the
thrill of casino gaming, live entertainment
and luxury accommodations at the new
Seminole Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos in Tampa
and Hollywood, Florida. Each resort features
a health club, spa and fitness centre.
Contact Lena Sadiwskyj, at
Lena_Sadiwskyj@ypbr.com.
Starr Pass Resort & Spa
opens in the Tucson Mountains
The JW Marriott
Starr Pass Resort & Spa opens in the Tucson
Mountains on December 15th. As Southern
Arizona’s largest resort, the property will
feature 575 rooms including 35 luxury
suites, a spa, seven dining options, a
27-hole Golf at the Starr Pass Marriott Golf
Club and more than 88,000 square feet of
meeting space. Located in the Sonoran
Desert, the resort is a sanctuary for nature
lovers with views stretching to the horizon
and hiking trailheads located right on
property. Visit
www.jwmarriottstarrpass.com.
Emirates Palace,Abu Dhabi
The new
Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, is set to open
in 2005. Built by the government of Abu
Dhabi, it joins a number of other ‘Palaces’,
some newly built for guests to stay in,
others the product of spectacular
restoration products. Contact Claire Griffin
at
claire@grifcopr.com or 020 7736 9718
Opening of Wannado City
Wannado City,
Florida’s newest interactive entertainment
concept for children has opened. Located at
Sawgrass Mills, one of Florida’s largest
retail and entertainment centers, in Fort
Lauderdale, Wannado City is America’s first
indoor role-playing theme park for kids.
Visit
www.sawgrassmills.com.
Muthaiga
Golf Club, Kenya
Kenya’s $1 million Muthaiga Golf Club has
opened to become one of the top championship
courses in East and Central Africa. Contact
Jonathan Sloan at
jonathansloan@hillsbalfour.com or 020
7202 6370
Why Write About...
The Classic News Zealand Wine trail
The Classic New Zealand Wine Trail (CNZWT is
one excellent way to experience New Zealand
writes Chloe Groser.
The route begins in Hawke's Bay Wine
Country, travels through Tararua and into
the fertile plains of Wairarapa.
It then continues on to New Zealand's
capital, Wellington, across Cook Strait into
Marlborough Sounds and finishes in Nelson.
This brings together more than 70% of New
Zealand's wine production, the country's
finest food, great culture, outdoor
adventure and boutique accommodation - all
in a unique self-drive experience spanning
several days.
The part of New Zealand covered by the trail
is far less touristy but no less enjoyable,
the distances aren't long and the wine and
food are of staggering quality.
Contact Chloe Groser at
Chloe.Groser@WellingtonNZ.com or visit
www.wellingtonnz.com
A Texas Dude Ranch - Inviting Press
Inquiries
We are a dude ranch in Bandera, Texas
(Cowboy capital of the world). We offer a
vacation package that is geared to giving
the consumer a unique Texas experience. The
ranch is a working cattle ranch located
adjacent to a state natural area. There are
over 40 miles of trails,
And riders of every ability can be
accommodated. Riding lessons are available,
from basic western, to barrel racing. The
package includes lodging, 3 meals a day and
2 hours of horseback riding a day. In
addition there are hayrides, campfires,
bar-b-ques, overnight trail rides. The guest
quarters are very luxurious, and there is a
pool and spa on site.
We have just recently acquired the ranch,
although it has been in existence for many
years. One of our problems is the fact that
we had to change the name of the ranch (the
last former owner owned 2 ranches with
identical names) and we can't use the old
name in our advertising. The ranch has had 4
names in the past 12 years.
The guests that we have had are impressed by
the beauty of the ranch, the quality of the
horses and the accommodations, and the
individual attention that they receive. The
ranch is operated by my husband and me. We
live and work on the ranch with our 2 young
children.
The ranch is only 1 hour from downtown San
Antonio, which offers the Alamo and the
Riverwalk. We are only 10 miles from
Bandera, which has plenty of cowboy
shopping, saloons, restaurants.
All summer from Memorial Day until Labor Day
there are local rodeos, which guests can
participate in. Several of our guests have
taken barrel-racing lessons during the week,
and then participated in The Friday night
rodeo. The weather is quite mild here in
south Texas, and we are open year round.
In the State Natural Area, which is located
next to us, there are mountain biking and
hiking trails. Wildlife is abundant, and
guests often see deer, wild pigs, wild
turkey, skunks, and plenty of birds. Tubing
is offered nearby, as well as fishing and
golfing. There is a gun club down the road,
which offers skeet shooting.
In addition to our regular guest quarters,
we also have a bunkhouse to accommodate
groups. Our regular rooms are actually
suites, and can sleep up to 6 people. We
also have group meeting facilities that
could handle up to 125 people comfortably.
Rancho Cortez invites travel writers to
inquire about special press rates and fam
trips.
Contact Mary Cortez at
info@ranchocortez.com
Flight
Lines
Easyjet
Easyjet is to
expand into the Baltic States with flights
to Tallinn (Estonia) from Berlin Schönefeld
(27 October) and Stansted (1 November) and
Riga (Latvia) from the German capital (18
November).These are easyJet's first services
to this part of the former Soviet east made
possible with Estonia and Latvia joining the
European Union. Visit :
www.easyjet.com
Bristol Airport
Bristol Airport is to be Continental
Airlines’ latest regional gateway. The
Houston-based carrier will introduce daily
services to its Newark-New York hub (called
Liberty International Airport) from next
May. Visit :
www.bristolairport.co.uk
Tbilisi
Tbilisi, the
Georgian capital, is again to be linked
non-stop to London. British Mediterranean
Airways, operating as a BA franchise, will
re-introduce twice weekly services on 1
November after a break of 18 months. Visit :
www.ba.com
Trondheim, Norway
Trondheim, the ancient capital of Norway is
to be linked to London for the first time
thus avoiding an awkward connection via
Oslo. Norwegian Air Shuttle, the privately
owned budget carrier is to introduce a four
times weekly non-stop service from Stansted.
Earlier this year the airline introduced
services from Stansted to Bergen, Oslo and
Stavangar. Visit :
www.norwegian.no
The next issue
The next issue of the
CIoJ Travel Writers’ bulletin will be out in
November.
Send your contributions to
ashley@williamjack.co.uk.
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