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Lead Story
Travellers concerns
Fears over
travelling and personal security are, apart
from the weather, the greatest concerns for
Britons holidaying abroad, according to
research published by Leger Holidays.
The company, one of the UK's leading
European coach holiday operators, polled
1,000 people and, climate aside, the journey
to the destination (16.9%) and personal
safety and security (15.6%) were consumers'
greatest concerns.
Leaving a home vacant (12.2%), injury or
illness (9.7%) and an inability to
communicate with foreigners (6.7%), were
other worries troubling holidaymakers.
Contact Adrian Johnson at
adrian.johnson@poultergroup.com or 0113
285 6428
Opportunities
Destination Czech
Republic
Last call for
the Destination Czech Republic at the Czech
Embassy in London on Thursday 16 September
from 18.00 to 21.00.
The networking event will bring together
journalists, commissioning editors and
representatives from those transport,
travel, tourist and business organisations
with an interest and involvement in the
Czech Republic.
Destination Czech Republic
will be the first in a series of UK based
Destination events organised by the CIoJ
Travel Writers’ and CECTA. Others will look
to focus on Slovakia, Austria, Germany,
Poland and Hungary.
These will also act as a lead in to
Destination Central Europe, a major travel
event to be held in Bratislava in May 2005.
There is no cost for attending Destination
Czech Republic but places are limited.
Journalists with an interest in the Czech
Republic who would like to attend should
contact Ashley Gibbins, Chairman of the CIoJ
Travel Writers’ at
Ashley@williamjack.co.uk
SeeAmerica media marketplace at WTM
TIA will host the SeeAmerica Media
Marketplace on the first day of WTM (8
November 2004).
The event is designed to provide an
opportunity for journalists to meet
face-to-face in an informal "marketplace"
setting with USA public relations
representatives and internationally based
representatives of American travel companies
and destinations.
Contact Mike Pina at
MPina@tia.org
to register.
Adventure travel lectures
Nine of
Britain’s leading explorers are to headline
a new lecture series that aims to capture
the essence of adventure travel. The High &
Wild, Itchy Feet Adventure Travel Lecture
series has been created for an audience for
whom sun and sand conjures up the Sahara,
while ice and snow means a tilt at Everest.
Contact Daniel Johnson at
daniel.johnson@rooster.co.uk or 020 7691
3939.
Travel and Tourism Media
Masterclass
The Tourism
Society are staging a Travel and Tourism
Media Masterclass
Monday 27
September 2004 at the Berners Hotel, Berners
Street, London W1A 3BE.
CIoJ travel
writers can attend at the members price of
£30.
For more information contact Flo Powell on
020 7488 2789 or
email
flo@tourismsociety.org. Visit
www.tourismsociety.org/event_calendar.htm
for a booking form.
Industry news
Virgin and BA
support London Olympics bid
Virgin Atlantic
Airways has joined BA in becoming an
official sponsor of London 2012 making the
capital unique among the cities bidding to
host the 2012 Olympics Games and Paralympic
Games in that it has the full support of two
international airlines. Contact
pressreleases@fly.virgin.com
San Fransisco
To receive regular
What’s new in San Fransisco information
email Tim Zahner at
tzahner@sfcvb.org
Trailfinder Magazine
The autumn edition of the Trailfinder
Magazine has a 730,000 print run – the
biggest ever There are over 30 Trailfinder
specials and exclusive offers. Contact Lisa
Warner at
lisawarner@trailfinders.com or 020 7937
6544.
London TV
London TV, a 24 hour TV
channel dedicated to what to do and where to
go in the Capital is now previewing on Sky
Digital Channel 166 between 3pm and 9pm.
London TV is created by
VisitLondon and produced by Enteraction TV.
The channel will broadcast proper from
September 2004. Contact Zoe Anderson at
zoe.anderson@freud.com or 0207 580 2626.
National Conference on
Business Tourism
The Rt Hon. Richard Caborn MP, Minster for
Tourism is to attend the 2nd
National Conference on Business Tourism,
taking place from the 15th - 16th
November 2004 at the Nottingham Royal Moat
House. The Business Tourism Partnership
represents the leading trade associations
and government agencies involved in
conferences, exhibitions, meetings and
incentives. Contact Andrew White at
andrew@triggerfish.co.uk or 020 7251
6789.
Sky Travel's
'World Live'
Sky Travel hass launched
World Live a weather and travel service on
the Sky Travel channel. The service provides
viewers with first-hand experience of the
weather at a particular destination.
Each 90 second programme
delivers footage from the world’s largest
and fastest growing unmanned broadcast
camera network, delivering live views from a
selection of 65 destinations on 5
continents.
Up to 12 times a day, Sky
Travel’s World Live will also provide
viewers with temperatures, wind speed and
humidity details alongside live shots from
destinations worldwide.
Sky Travel is
available on Sky digital channel 139, NTL
channel 931 and Freeview channel 11. Contact
Anna Ridgewell at
anna.ridgewell@cpn.co.uk or 020 7853 2211.
So British magazine
VisitBritain has launch
So British, its new dedicated luxury
consumer magazine, Contact Elliott Frisby at
elliott.frisby@visitbritain.org or 020
8563 3035.
Storyboard
Autumn In The Tirol
Every Autumn
Austria’s Tirol region resounds to the sound
of cattle returning from their summer
pastures. The is also the colours of the
Autumn leaves, the festivals and feasting
and the winter’s first skiers with the
glacier slopes opening throughout October.
Contact : Mary Stuart-Miller at
mary.stuart-miller@virgin.net or 01403
738844.
World Rugby Classic,
Bermuda
|
ermuda plays
host to the annual World Rugby Classic,
widely recognised as the Seniors’ World Cup,
from 6 -13 November 2004. The World’s top
former international players flock to the
tournament which is unique mix of
World-class rugby and the traditional
camaraderie of the old amateur era. Contact
Alex Bergin at
alexbergin@hillsbalfour.com or 020 7922
1100
Bologna Tourist Day
The 2nd
Bologna Tourist Day takes place from 24th to
27 September in Bologna. The Tourist Day has
a rich programme specifically designed for
tourism and its aim is to present the
friendliness of Bologna and its province to
an international public. Contact Stefania
Gatta at
stefaniagatta@italiantouristboard.co.uk
or 020 7399 3555.
Elvis Is alive in
Porthcawl, Wales
The Porthcawl
Elvis Festival takes place over the weekend
of 1, 2 and 3 October 2004. Highlight of the
festival is 'The Elvies,' an award ceremony
for Elvis Tribute Artists, being held at the
Grand Pavilion on the Saturday night. Award
Categories include Young Elvis, GI Elvis,
'68 Special Elvis, Vegas Elvis and
International Elvis. This is the first event
of its kind in the World. Contact Mike
Evans at
travel@southernwales.org or 01656 672931
Eurochocolate Festival , Perugia
The “City of
Chocolate” will be the theme of the 11th
Eurochocolate Festival which takes place in
the beautiful medieval city of Perugia in
Umbria from 16th to 24th October 2004.
Contact Stefania Gatta at stefaniagatta@italiantouristboard.co.uk
or 020 7399 3555.
New arrivals at Longleat
Keepers at
Longleat Safari Park are celebrating after
the birth of two strapping six-foot baby
giraffes and one tiny ostrich chick. The
new arrivals are particularly unusual as
both species are record holders - giraffes
are the tallest animals in the world and
ostriches the tallest birds. Contact Dot
Williams at dot.williams@greatwesternenterprise.co.uk
or 01225 712 311
Libra Holidays launches
new Taba Flight
Libra
Holidays has launched a new Taba flight to
Egypt beginning. Contact Paul Riches at
p.riches@libraholidays.net or 020 8370
6516
Free stopovers in
Singapore
Austravel are
offering a free stopover in Singapore with
any Singapore Airlines flight booked to
Australia or New Zealand for travel before
31st March 2005. Flights start from £699 and
the offer includes hotel, airport transfers,
free city bus tour, free admission to top
attractions, and shopping discounts. Contact
Veronica Wheen at
veronica@annscott.co.uk or 020 7823 9988
Low Fares to Hong Kong
and Dubai
Flights with Emirates to Hong Kong start
from £399 return departing from Glasgow,
Manchester or Birmingham and stopover in
Dubai for free. Contact : Lisa Warner at
lisawarner@trailfinders.com or 020 7937
6544.
Getting to grips with
mountain iron
'Via Ferrata'
or 'iron ways' are becoming more and more
popular in the Swiss Alps as non-climbers
queue up to experience the thrill of a
vertical ascent. Contact : Natalie Kenmeugni
at Natalie.Kenmeugni@valaistourism.ch
Eden Rock re-Opening
December
Eden Rock,
the Relais & Chateaux resort on St
Barthelemy, will re-open before Christmas
after the completion of a major
refurbishment. The resort, considered by
many to be one of the top three in the
world, has been closed since the spring.
When it opens its doors again in
mid-December it will feature, amongst other
additions, a new luxury suite to be named
‘The Howard Hughes Loft’. Contact : Kate
Oliver at
kate@oliverrelations.co.uk or 01273
818112.
Zoom
Zoom Airlines
are offering low-cost full scheduled flights
to Halifax, Canada at prices starting from
£89 one way including taxes. Direct weekly
flights operate from Gatwick on Monday's
from October and from Glasgow fortnightly on
Saturday's from September.
Contact Lorna Inglis at
Lorna@mediahouse.co.uk
or 0141 226 3700
Russia
The world’s
largest country is becoming known for its
array of smart new shops, cafés and jazz
clubs. Prices starting at £539 for a getaway
with the Russian Travel Company. Contact
Janine Passley at
janine.passley@rooster.co.uk or 020 7691
3920
The Sanctuary, South Carolina
The Sanctuary, an ultra-luxurious oceanfront
resort, at Kiawah Island, South Carolina has
opened.
Owned and operated by Kiawah Island Golf
Resort, it has been designed to reflect the
style of a grand southern seaside mansion
and is located along 10 miles of pristine
beach 30 minutes from Charleston.
In November, some of the world's finest
golfers will stay at The Sanctuary during
the UBS Cup. In 2007, they will return when
The Ocean Course hosts the 2007 Senior PGA
Championship.
The Sanctuary has two historic, sister
properties: The Jefferson Hotel in
Richmond, VA and The Hermitage Hotel in
Nashville, TN. Contact Matt Owen at
media@thesanctuary.com
Hotel Convento do
Espinheiro, Portugal
The exclusive
Hotel Convento do Espinheiro to join The
Luxury Collection in mid- 2005. The 59-room
hotel in Evora, Portugal is part of a 15th
century convent that is currently undergoing
complete renovation and conversion for use
as a hotel. Contact Carla Burt at
carla.burt@starwoodhotels.com.
Le Méridien announces
stay and save campaign
Hotel group,
Le Méridien is offering free night stays at
its luxury resort properties around the
world available from September 2004 until
February 2005. Contact Julia Clark
julia.clark@lemeridien.com or 020 7301
2553.
Davidoff Swiss International Tennis
Tournament
The Davidoff Swiss international Indoor
tennis tournament takes place in Basel from
23 to 31 October. Contact Katrin
Dürrenberger at
k.duerrenberger@baseltourismus.ch
UK
Seafood Week
UK Seafood Week (www.seafoodweek.co.uk)
which is organised by the Sea Fish Industry
Authority takes place from 1-8 October 2004
under the banner of Feeling Good with
Seafood. The week will involve including
tastings and promotional activity within
supermarkets, hotels, restaurants and other
outlets throughout the UK. Contact Alex Orr
at
aorr@3x1.com or 0141 353 5131.
Procession of cattle
Flower
decorated herds and cowherds in traditional
costume (bredzon) return to the flat
lowlands on Saturday 25 September after
four months spent in the mountains. Cows,
heifers, sheep and goats pass through the
villages of Charmey and Albeuve from 09.00
hours onward. A folklore market with musical
entertainment and displays round off the
traditional side of this event. Contact :
Natalie Kenmeugni at
Natalie.Kenmeugni@valaistourism.ch
Welcome Card For Cardiff
Visitors to Cardiff can save money at the
city's top attractions, restaurants and
shops with the launch of a new discount and
all-day travel card. The Cardiff Welcome
Card offers unlimited travel around Cardiff
and Penarth and discounts at the city's
attractions. Contact : Mike Evans at
travel@southernwales.org or 01656
672931
Nevada
The Nevada Commission on Tourism has
produced a new edition of its pocket-size
Adventure Guide. Contact : Melanie Jones at
melanie@celletpr.co.uk or 0207 491 1112
Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines (SIA) is giving all
passengers travelling to Singapore from the
UK and Ireland free onward flights to over
25 destinations in Southeast Asia.
Destinations Bali, Langkawi and Phuket and
the bustling cities of Bangkok, Manila and
Jakarta.
Holidaymakers can also choose to travel
further a field and visit the Ban Gioc Falls
of Vietnam, gaze at the famous Banaue Rice
Terraces in the Philippines, soak up the
culture of the ancient temples of Cambodia,
or cruise down the mighty Ayeyarwaddy River
in Myanmar. Contact Louise Briggs at
louise@keenepa.co.uk.
Language learning abroad
Virgin
Atlantic has begun offer language learning
courses as part of its inflight
entertainment system. The airline has
teamed up with Linguaphone to offer courses,
which teach passengers to understand and
speak a new language by listening with no
need for written material. The first
courses to be introduced are Spanish for
English speakers and English for Spanish
speakers. Contact
pressreleases@fly.virgin.com
Five star hotel in Buckhead, Atlanta
InterContinental Hotels will open its new
21-story property in November 2004 in
Buckhead, Atlanta. The hotel will feature
423 rooms, 23 suites, 2418m2 of meeting
space and more. Contact Lauren Kenworthy, at
lkenworthy@atlanta.net.
Greece
The Sani Resort at Halkidiki, Greece has
launched an offer to appeal to all the
senses. When booking the “Sani Senses
Package” guests will be offered, as
complimentary, a gourmet six course dinner;
a Korre massage; aromatic and international
coffees and teas; a sunset cruise on the
Sani yacht to see the shores of the
Kassandra peninsula at sunset and the Sani
Classic Quartet will play harmonies over
breakfast. Contact Claire Griffin at
Claire@grifcopr.com or 0207 736 9718.
Basel
The
Kunstmuseum in Basel stages an exhibition on
Donald Judd from October 2004 to January
9.Mounted in cooperation with Tate Mordern,
the retrospective exhibition shows a
representative selection of sculpture by one
of the most important exponents of Minimal
Art. Basel has more than 30 museums of
renown. Contact Katrin Dürrenberger at
k.duerrenberger@baseltourismus.ch
The Czech Republic
The 14th annual European Heritage
Days (www.ehd.cz)
takes place from 10 to 19 September in Tábor
in South Bohemia, a town famous for its
Hussite past. The opening ceremony forms
form part of the international Tábor
festival (www.tabor.cz)
where each year power over the town is
handed over to the legendary Hussite warlord
Jan Žižka of Trocnov and his men. Visitors
are transported back to the 15th
century and can experience real medieval
revelry with sword fighting, feasting, a
medieval market and music and theatre
performances. Contact Marc Di Duca at
diduca@czechtourism.com or 020 7631 0427
Why Write About...Jazz
in the Czech Republic
The first
Philips International Jazz Festival (http://philipsjazz.ami.cz)
takes place in Prague’s new cultural and
sports complex Sazka Arena (www.sazkaarena.com)
on 18 September, 2004
The Prague
International Jazz Festival (Mezinárodní
jazzový festival Praha) (www.jazzfestivalpraha.cz),
celebrates its 40th anniversary
from 23 to 28 October, 2004 in Prague’s
Lucerna Music Bar, Reduta and the Nostic
Palace Concert Hall. The festival will
feature the best of the Czech and foreign
jazz scene.
Karlovy Vary, the largest Czech spa town,
hosts Jazzfest, from September 30 until
October 2.
Jazz lovers can
enjoy jazz clubs in Prague including: Reduta
Jazz Club (www.redutajazzclub.cz), Agharta
Jazz Centrum (www.agharta.cz),
Jazz Boat 2004 (www.jazzinprague.com), Jazz
Club U staré paní (www.jazzinprague.com),
Jazz Club Železná (www.jazzclub.cz).
Contact Marc Di Duca at
diduca@czechtourism.com or 020 7631 0427
On the Box
Travel Channels
South Africa week
Monday 20
September to Sunday 26 September at 1900
One of the
world’s most beautiful and fascinating
countries, South Africa has become an
increasingly popular holiday destination in
recent years. Offering everything from
amazing wildlife to Las Vegas style leisure
facilities, it has a wealth of attractions
for budding visitors or armchair travellers
of all kinds.
The Travel
Channels South Africa week includes :
South Africa
& Lesotho. Justine Shapiro's journey begins
in Cape Town. She visits Robben Island where
Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in prison,
tastes some of South Africa's great wines,
goes deep sea fishing in Coffee Bay and
hangs out with National Surf champ Shane
Thorn.
Cape Town.
Belgian globetrotters Chris and Gilda are in
Cape Town where they discover that the
area's become a huge draw for movie-makers
the world over due to a combination of low
overheads and fantastic scenery. Chris also
visits a radio station broadcasting from the
middle of a township and meets an ex-inmate
of Robben Island - and good friend to Nelson
Mandela. Gilda finishes her trip by learning
a word or two of Afrikaans and takes in the
tranquility and smells of the National
Botanical Gardens.
Sun City. Keith
Floyd continues his gastronomic tour of
Africa with a visit to Sun City.
GO 2: Cape Town.
The wine district around Paarl Franschhoek
and Stellenbosch, the Garden Route, the
spectacular landscapes and the mild climate
are just a few of the many delights South
Africa has to offer to visitors.
A rainbow
journey. Celebrating 10 years of democracy,
the Travel Channel team take a special tour
of Africa's most colourful country, South
Africa. En route we take in the often
turbulent history, vibrant contemporary
culture, stunning landscapes, the wildlife
and of course the people that have made
South Africa one of the world's most
welcoming destinations.
Going Places : South Africa.
Going Places takes us to South Africa the
latest hot tourist spot providing a mixture
of attractions to suit all tastes. From
wildlife safaris to beach holidays the
spectacular scenery and dramatic diversity
of South Africa has something to please
everyone.
The Travel
Channel launched in February 1994 as
Europe's first dedicated travel and holiday
TV channel. Now broadcasting 18 hours a day
in 10 languages to over 80 countries across
Europe, Africa and the Middle East, Travel
Channel can be viewed in the UK on digital
satellite TV - EPG positions 148 and 149.
Contact Petra
Shepherd at
petra@travelchannel.co.uk.
Flight
Lines
Phuket Airlines
Phuket Airlines now operate direct overnight
flights from Gatwick to Bangkok on
Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Contact :
Lisa Warner at
lisawarner@trailfinders.com or 020 7937
6544.
Zoom
Zoom Airlines has become the first north
Atlantic operator to announce its 2005
programme. Flights from Gatwick will operate
three times a week to Toronto, twice weekly
to Vancouver and weekly to Calgary, Ottawa,
Halifax, Edmonton and Montreal. Flights from
Glasgow will operate twice weekly to
Vancouver and Toronto and weekly to Calgary,
Ottawa and Halifax. Contact : Lorna Inglis
at
lorna@mediahouse.co.uk or 0141 226 3700
SAS Scandinavian
SAS Scandinavian Airlines has announced six
new routes from Copenhagen from October,
including Aberdeen and Newcastle. The other
destinations are Szczecin, Poland, Kleipéda
(Palanga), Lithuania, Lyon, France and
Vesterås, Sweden. Two further routes are
still under discussion. The Aberdeen and
Newcastle services are expected to be
daily. Contact
Frances Knox
at
frances@keenepa.co.uk or 020 7287 0652.
Lufthansa
Lufthansa has launched a new, international
image campaign under the theme All for this
one moment, which will focus on the airlines
quality, innovation and confidence. The aim
is to intensify the emotional appeal of the
Lufthansa brand and to position Lufthansa
more clearly as the 'Airline of trust'.
Contact
pressestelle@dlh.de
Airbaltic
Airbaltic has introduced direct flights from
Manchester to Riga.This is airBaltic's 21st
non-stop flight destination in the airline's
route network out of Riga, and the second,
after Heathrow, from the UK. Visit :
www.airbaltic.lv
Bangkok international airport
Bangkok's new international airport is on
schedule to officially open on 29 September
2005. It will have two runways and have a
maximum capacity of 45m passengers per year.
Visit :
www.bangkokairport.org
Flights to the Cook Islands
The Cook Islands, one of the world's most
remote spots, is to get a weekly air service
from New Zealand's South Island from
December. Air New Zealand has announced a
new direct non-stop service between
Christchurch and Rarotonga. Visit :
www.airnewzealand.co.nz
Nexus
Airways
Nexus Airways is the name of a new airline
planned to operate out of Liverpool John
Lennon Airport for summer 2005. Visit
www.nexusairways.com
Skybus
Skybus, probably the British mainland's
smallest and least known airline has
celebrated its 20th anniversary. The Skybus
service is centred on the Scillies with
flights to Bristol, Exeter, Newquay,
Plymouth and Southampton airports. Visit :
www.islesofscilly-travel.co.uk
song
song, Delta Air Lines' new low fare
subsidiary, is to launch its first
international route, from New York's JFK to
Nassau, Bahamas from December 2004. The new
route will feature personal video monitors
at each seat, an onboard food deli bar and
an in-flight fitness programme. Visit :
www.flysong.com.
The next issue
The next issue of the
CIoJ Travel Writers’ bulletin will be out in
October. Send your
contributions to
ashley@williamjack.co.uk.
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