Best Holiday Lettings

Category: News

  • Hotelrez announced as latest GTMC partner

    The GTMC, the UK’s leading professional industry body representing travel management companies, has welcomed global hotel representation company HotelREZ as a partner.  The corporate provides hotel GDS distribution and internet distribution, revenue, sales and marketing support to over 1,000 independent hotels and small groups of hotels.

    GTMC chief executive Paul Wait said: “The GTMC is growing in strength both with an expanding membership and with its partnerships with key, quality industry suppliers.  HotelREZ has the advantage of being our only hotel representation partner, giving the corporate unique access to a strong group of travel management companies with formidable buying power.”

    HotelREZ executive director Daniel Simmons said:  “HotelREZ, as an expanding hotel representation company, is delighted to be an official partner of the UK’s leading professional body for travel management companies, The Guild of Travel Management Companies. This relationship outlines our commitment to the company travel industry and our goal is to constantly improve the experience and repair offered to the agents and travelers.”

    The GTMC now has thirty partners drawn from a various range of suppliers including airlines, hotel companies, rail and car rental companies, technology companies and several ancillary service providers.

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  • News: Branson launches Virgin Atlantic domestic services in Scotland

    Sir Richard Branson has landed in Edinburgh to celebrate the launch of Virgin Atlantic’s first ever domestic service, Little Red.

    The new airline will carry as much as 1000000 passengers a year, create 375 jobs within the UK and generate £75 million in visitor spend for the Scottish economy.

    Almost 30 years after starting his long haul service to shake up a stagnant monopoly market, Branson is now bringing that challenge to UK air travel by restoring competition on three routes that have faced a monopoly because the takeover of bmi by British Airways’ parent company IAG.

    Little Red might be flying 26 domestic flights an afternoon on Heathrow flights to and from Manchester, Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

    The launch will bring greater choice for consumers, with wider flight schedules, and competition in prices.

    Virgin Atlantic is currently offering tax and charge only fares for travel on Little Red in May and June as a distinct celebratory rate.

    Branson, president, Virgin Atlantic said: “Today marks the beginning of an exhilarating new chapter in Virgin Atlantic’s history. Our product, service and flair are known within the world, and we’re thrilled to be bringing that to domestic flying.

    “Virgin Atlantic Little Red is your next step on our exciting journey, allowing us to present a more connected network to be able to deliver sustained and effective competition at home and around the globe.

    “We’re really waiting for welcoming on board millions of passengers between Heathrow, Manchester, Edinburgh and Aberdeen and to restoring consumer choice at these routes.”

    It was on the UK’s busiest route of London Heathrow to Edinburgh that Sir Richard officially celebrated Little Red’s arrival.

    Greeted by deputy first minister Nicola Sturgeon, the airline confirmed its commitment to Scotland and said it expects to bring 1 / 4 of 1000000 visitors to the rustic – generating £75 million in revenue for the economy.

  • Hyatt Regency Dallas announces completion of $50m renovation

    Hyatt Regency Dallas announced completion of the $50-million makeover and upgrade of its 1,120 guest rooms, bathrooms and corridors, lower than a year after construction began and just in time to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the hotel. Dallas-based Woodbine Development Corporation, original developer and asset manager of the hotel and adjoining landmark Reunion Tower, managed the project.

    Seeking to capture the identity and personality of “new Dallas,” while aligning with the hotel’s timeless exterior, the team of EDG Interior Architecture and Design and CamargoCopeland Architects took a creative and interpretive solution to creating the hot sleek, sculptural guest-room design.

    The re-designed and re-configured rooms offer different options for both work and relaxation, incorporating a lounge chair for reading and watching television, a cozy desk chair, and a chaise lounge where guests can stretch out and luxuriate in the town skyline views or the Texas sunset. To boot, a sculptural, metallic wall screen extending from the headboard and a linear “river mirror” made from an abstracted image of the Trinity River replaced traditional framed art. The mirror integrates with the clean-lined taupe-finished millwork wall. The framed, flat-screen, high-definition TV is flanked by a satin-lacquered tower that offers a tidy storage unit for room accessories.

    A richly colored landscape image featured inside the art mirror is also woven into the hotel corridor carpeting. The carpet combines with new sidelight towers on the door drops to create a warm, glowing “candlelight” effect within the hallways. New graphics, signage and a state-of-the-art swipe entry system are also included inside the transformation. The guest-room entry transitions from ceramic tile to neutral-colored carpet that includes a tailored, urban pattern. The completely transformed bathroom is accessed via sliding, modern “barn doors” and features a backlit mirror, a latest, freestanding vanity and an art collage of Dallas-inspired imagery screen-printed onto metal.

    “This hotel has become an iconic portion of the Dallas skyline because the first guest checked in here on April 22, 1978. We wish to celebrate that, but together we’re always looking forward,” said Fred Euler , general manager of Hyatt Regency Dallas. “And our new ultra-modern guest rooms not just reflect our city, but in addition they make our guest experience the foremost high-tech and elegant in North Texas.”

    Clark Contractors, based in Little Rock, Ark., managed the phased construction project. The Dallas office of Neil Locke & Associates provided FF&E procurement.

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  • News: Expedia rolls out luggage tag campaign

    Expedia’s is launching a luggage tag campaign, which uses airport luggage tag IATA codes to create travel related messages.

    Fans of the Expedia.co.uk Facebook page can create their very own code combinations, using over 9,500 available IATA codes. Individual combinations and messages may be shared with friends, with stand-out creations having the likelihood to add as portion of the continued advertising campaign and win a vacation.

    Each week, a submission chosen at random will win a £250 holiday voucher and on the end of the four week campaign the fan with the phrase most creative and relevant to travel will win a £2,000 Expedia holiday, and can see their combination changed into an above-the-live advertisement.

    “With thousands of IATA codes to choose between, there are such a lot of funny and travel-related combinations that may be made three letters at a time. At one point we had over 30 combinations mocked-up, but not them all can make the cut,” said Rebecca McKee, Senior Marketing Manager, Expedia.co.uk.

    The luggage tag creative, inspired by copywriter Jon Morgan and art director Mike Watson at Ogilvy & Mather,  offers strong opportunities for more responsive and tactical advertising.

    Next month, 100 weather-enabled Digital 6 sheet posters could be introduced, showing luggage tag phrases in keeping with the elements, e.g. GRY SKY for bad weather and ELO SUN inside the rare occasion of the British summer turning up. This activity will support the LAT-ERS and HOP-ORF tube gate takeovers which have taken place at 10 London stations including Waterloo, King’s Cross, London Bridge and Euston, in conjunction with strategic media buys in print and online media.

  • Focus: Oasis of the Seas is coming to Europe and Southampton!

    The world’s biggest cruise ship is coming to The Med in 2014, and you may now pre book your amazing Med cruise on Oasis of the Seas with Cruise1st.co.uk.

    On sale from Tuesday 9th April to Crown and Anchor members and on general sale on Thursday 11th April you’re able to pick from the ensuing cruise only prices:

    ‘Maiden’ sailing to the Mediterranean – 1st September 2014; 12nights – From £739pp
    Embark Oasis of the Seas in Fort Lauderdale and revel in the vast sort of facilities onboard before visiting Malaga, Spain then being welcomed to her ‘first’ European port Barcelona.

    ‘Maiden’ Western Mediterranean Delight – 13th ,18th September 2014; 5nights – From £599pp
    Sailing on 13th or 18th September, Embark Oasis of the Seas in Barcelona as she commences her ‘First Ever’ European sailings visiting Rome (Civitavecchia) and Naples before returning to Barcelona.

    ‘Maiden’ Spanish Medley – 23rd September 2014; 7nights – From £699pp
    Embark Oasis of the Seas in Barcelona as she bids farewell to this spectacular city then makes her maiden calls to the ports of Malaga and Vigo before arriving Rotterdam.

    Spectacular Southampton send off to the Caribbean – 15th October 2014; 12nights – From £729pp
    Embarking Oasis of the Seas in Southampton, you’re certain to be overwhelmed by the numerous people wishing her farewell as she sets sail on her ‘Maiden voyage’ voyage from Southampton as she sets sails for the hotter climes of the Caribbean.  Enroute she will be able to visit Nassau, Bahamas and Cozumel before arriving at her home port of Fort Lauderdale .

    Many of those sailings are expected to sell out with 72hrs, so don’t delay. For additional info or to book your cruise, visit: www.cruise1st.co.uk/cruises/oasis_of_the_seas.phtml