Category: News

  • News: Norwegian Cruise Line launches 2014-15 cruise highlights brochure

    Norwegian Cruise Line’s Cruise Highlights Brochure is out now, showcasing the exciting year-round cruises in Europe, with four Freestyle Cruising® ships, and previewing the opposite great destinations travelled from Alaska to the Caribbean. With the primary full season of Norwegian Breakaway included, it’s the perfect time to book with the top availability at the widest range of itineraries.

    To celebrate the launch of the Cruise Highlights brochure Norwegian has launched a “Great Choice, Great Price, Great Times” introductory offer which applies to chose 2014-15 brochure and non-brochure itineraries. Under the offer travel partners give you the chance to save lots of their customers as much as £600 per stateroom on European cruises, including the new and exciting 10-night Canary Islands & Morocco from Barcelona itinerary and Atlantic Crossings, and as much as £500 on all other destinations including the Caribbean, Alaska, Panama Canal, Hawaii and New England and Canada.

    The introductory offer starts from £100 per stateroom and increases in accordance with the length of cruise, grade of stateroom and destination of cruise for bookings made before 12 June 2013.

    Solo travellers can benefit from as much as £100 savings per stateroom within the popular Studios and guests in search of some luxury can save as much as £600 per stateroom on Suites (where available).

    Francis Riley, vice chairman and general manager international, Norwegian Cruise Line said: “We’re thrilled if you want to continue to deliver an exceptional range of cruises in our 2014-2015 programme. Yet again we’ll bring four ships to Europe, offering an awesome range of itineraries to fit each cruiser, in addition to celebrating the primary full season of Norwegian Breakaway and introducing Norwegian Getaway to the Eastern Caribbean.

    “The wide selection of itineraries is something we’re really happy with, yet we remember that it’s important for our trade partners to secure early bookings. Therefore we have now developed an interesting introductory offer that provides spectacular savings to assist drive early bookings.”

  • News: Gray Dawes keeps Travelport as technology provider

    Travelport, the business services provider to the worldwide travel industry, has today announced a brand new multi-year agreement with Gray Dawes, a number one travel and expense management company, and member of the Guild of Travel Management Companies (GTMC), inside the Uk. Apart from this renewal, Gray Dawes also intends to integrate Travelport Universal Desktop into its roadmap. 

    “We thought hard and long about what we wanted from our travel technology provider and decided that Travelport’s product suite and rich content fitted perfectly with our requirements and growth strategy,” said Suzanne Cockburn, CEO of Gray Dawes. “We’re very excited to be moving to Travelport technology so that it will deliver increased efficiency to our business and enable us to present an excellent better service for our clients.”

    “We are delighted to be continuing our strong working relationship with Gray Dawes. Travel Management Companies must put money into leading point-of-sale solutions, and grey Dawes is a brilliant example of a forward-looking business,” said Simon Ferguson, Regional Director UK & Ireland, Travelport. “With their excellent service model and support infrastructure paired with our technology, content and support, we glance forward to continuing our strong relationship going forward.”

  • Accor seeks to expand luxury offering in emerging markets

    French hospitality group Accor has outlined its ambitions for the posh/upscale market, stating it hopes to extend its current network of 300 hotels within the segment to 400 properties by 2015.

    The group has adopted an extra strategy to luxury, in keeping with its French origins, that places boldness on the heart of hospitality.

    On a highly segmented market, each of Accor’s complementary brands – including Sofitel, MGallery and Pullman – is punctiliously positioned to satisfy the complete range of clients’ and owners’ needs.

    “One can now assume a powerful European voice within the luxury and upscale market.

    “Our brands combine one of the best of international standards and an audacious interpretation of the universal essence of luxury as a result of our French origins,” explained Yann Caillère, Accor president.

    “Our ambition for our brands and their network are immense and we’re perfectly tailored to expand rapidly in this market.”

    With strong leadership positions in Latin America, Middle East Africa and Asia Pacific, Accor is amazingly well positioned to capture the brand new and rapidly growing demand from emerging market clients, searching for an additional experience of luxury and high-end hospitality.

    Currently, 42 per cent of the group’s luxury/upscale hotels can be found in Asia Pacific and 35 per cent are in key
    European cities.

    Development can be conducted in asset light with a prominence of management contracts, the group’s preferred model at the luxury/upscale segment.

    Focus may be on emerging markets, including Latin America, Middle East and Asia Pacific which counts, by itself, over 60 per cent of the present pipeline (key countries include China, Vietnam and Indonesia).

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  • News: Car-sharing/rental services: Affordable and reliable alternative to owning a car

    Americans spend some huge cash on cars. To satisfy the growing need for flexibility, convenience and affordability in driving, short-term car-sharing/rental services are quickly becoming a competent driving option. Truly, 15 percent of U.S. adults have used a service like ZipCar, Car2Go or Scoot before or plan to one day. A couple of-third (35 percent) of these who don’t have a brief-term rental service of their city or town wish they did. This survey was conducted online in the U . s . a . by Harris Interactive on behalf of CouponCabin from February 27th – March 1st, 2013 among 2,111 adults ages 18 and older.

    For those U.S. adults who would think about using a quick-term car-sharing/rental service, the head cause of doing so cited by nearly one-third (32 percent) is the chance to economize on gas. When asked for what other reasons they’d think about using a brief-term car-sharing/rental service, U.S. adults said right here:

    *  Overall, it’s inexpensive – 31 percent
    *  It’s convenient – 29 percent
    *  For when family/guests visit – 24 percent
    *  To prevent public transportation – 24 percent
    *  So I wouldn’t ought to own a car – 19 percent
    *  For making purchases wherein i want a car to move the object (s) – 17 percent
    *  Another reason – 25 percent

    Even though the overwhelming majority (91 percent) of U.S. adults currently have a car of their household, 11 percent don’t own one personally. As well, 9 percent don’t have personally own a car or have one of their household, that means they should turn to other ways to getting from point A to indicate B.

    Taxis and public transportation are an option for some people, but short-term car-sharing/rental services may be more appealing. Of course, 74 percent of U.S. adults agree that short-term car-sharing/rental services are less costly than taking taxis, and 70 percent agree they seem to be a practical option to get around.

    “Regardless in their car situation, most people will are realising the big variety of advantages to short-term car-sharing/rental services,” said Jackie Warrick, senior savings advisor at CouponCabin.com. “Not only do these services offer a cheap option for anyone to get around, they could make life easier and feature a favorable environmental effect.”

    With 86 percent of U.S. adults spending no less than a while in a car every day, and nearly one-third (32 percent) spending greater than hour driving or as a passenger, it is able to mean a large carbon footprint. Nearly seven-in-ten (69 percent) agree that short-term car-sharing/rental services can reduce the general variety of cars at the road, resulting in less traffic jam and overall pollution.

  • La Plage Casadelmar in Corsica celebrates grand opening

    Sometimes all you wish is a touch private beach, some white sand under your feet and perhaps a few mood-enhancing cocktails so that you don’t cry on the beautiful sunset. When that spot is in Corsica, it means a colourful sea-side chic and a spirited nightlife in addition. The hot La Plage Casadelmar in Porto-Vecchio, celebrating its grand opening in April, boasts its own exclusive piece of this paradise and with just 15 rooms, off-the-menu service is a given.

    Nurture in Nature
    The crisp sunlight, the colors of the encompassing landscape and the nice and cozy hospitality of the folk were all used because the ingredients to create a property that enhances its unspoilt location. Award-winning French architect Jean-François Bodin used natural materials to create an unobtrusive structure that doesn’t interfere with the views of the landscape. In and out, old stone was blended with volcanic rock, resin, glass and 300 year-old oak, while the colour scheme draws from the Corsican shoreline, with moss and olive couches, bright turquoise cushions, sandy browns, white and cream. The rooms follow the identical colour palette and are decorated with lush plants and lush furnishings. Everything this is inspired by life at the beach, from the outdoor day beds to the natural woven fibers and pastel colors. Decorative pieces, collected from world travels, and the casual, savoir-vivre lifestyle of Porto-Vecchio enhance this sense. The intimate selection of rooms allows the hotel to give guests personal attention.

    Whether dining with ocean views on the beach grill, which serves uncomplicated Mediterranean cuisine, or toasting to the day’s end on the lounge bar – guests would be surrounded by the riches of this extraordinary island. Within easy reach is the charming old town, teeming with glitzy boutiques, international dining, lively bars and quaint architecture. Despite some of these temptations, the sight, smell and sound of the sea from the terrace, and the heated pool and a lounge bar, ensure that guests might be content right where they’re.

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