News

The Puerto Rico Tourism Company (PRTC) says that the Island is open for business and fully operational for tourists after Hurricane Irene passed through earlier this week.

All hotels, casinos, airports and ferries are operating as normal on the main island as well as on the islands of Culebra and Vieques.? Cruise ships and airlines are arriving and departing as scheduled.? Beaches are open and the water is safe for swimming.? The majority of roads have been reopened and electricity has been restored across most of the Island.

PRTC?s tourism service line (001-800-981-7575) will operate on its normal schedule (Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. until midnight and Saturday - Sunday 9:00 a.m. until midnight, all times Eastern Time) and tourist information centres on the Island are available during regular business hours to offer support to tourists who need it.

PRTC continues to recommend that arriving and departing passengers call their airline regarding any changes, delays or cancellations that may be caused by Hurricane Irene passing through the East Coast of the United States.

All hotels, casinos, airports and ferries are operating as normal on the main island as well as on the islands of Culebra and Vieques.? Cruise ships and airlines are arriving and departing as scheduled.? Beaches are open and the water is safe for swimming.? The majority of roads have been reopened and electricity has been restored across most of the Island.

PRTC?s tourism service line (001-800-981-7575) will operate on its normal schedule (Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. until midnight and Saturday - Sunday 9:00 a.m. until midnight, all times Eastern Time) and tourist information centres on the Island are available during regular business hours to offer support to tourists who need it.

PRTC continues to recommend that arriving and departing passengers call their airline regarding any changes, delays or cancellations that may be caused by Hurricane Irene passing through the East Coast of the United States.

In the run-up to the submission of its full response to the Department for Transports ATOL Reform proposals, ABTA is repeating its call for airlines to be included in the scheme, and expressing its concerns about the feasibility of a January 2012 launch.

Early analysis of results from ABTAs recent questionnaire among members shows that there is widespread support for airlines to come within the scope of ATOL financial protection.??

? 95 per cent of respondents agreed that airlines should be included in ATOL, so that consumers receive the same protection for all Flight-Plus and flight inclusive holidays sold in the UK.

Key areas of concern around the January implementation timescale include the current lack of definition regarding the protection to be offered by the Air Travel Trust Fund, and hence the backup insurance requirements for Flight-Plus arrangers; the mechanism for implementing the ATOL Certificate; and the bonding requirements for new ATOL licensees. In recent weeks, ABTA has contacted the Department for Transport on behalf of its members, seeking to clarify critical elements regarding these and other practicalities of the reforms.

Mark Tanzer ABTA chief executive said: ?"We have called on the Government to ensure that the reforms are both fair and workable. ?There is overwhelming support for airlines to be included because without them, the scheme will not provide a truly comprehensive and fair system of consumer financial protection. ?We are also concerned about the lack of clarity regarding key elements of the reform proposals. ?It is absolutely essential that principles are clear and mechanisms affordable, if the trade is to be able to support the Governments objective of providing better protection for consumers."

Early analysis of results from ABTAs recent questionnaire among members shows that there is widespread support for airlines to come within the scope of ATOL financial protection.??

? 95 per cent of respondents agreed that airlines should be included in ATOL, so that consumers receive the same protection for all Flight-Plus and flight inclusive holidays sold in the UK.

Key areas of concern around the January implementation timescale include the current lack of definition regarding the protection to be offered by the Air Travel Trust Fund, and hence the backup insurance requirements for Flight-Plus arrangers; the mechanism for implementing the ATOL Certificate; and the bonding requirements for new ATOL licensees. In recent weeks, ABTA has contacted the Department for Transport on behalf of its members, seeking to clarify critical elements regarding these and other practicalities of the reforms.

Mark Tanzer ABTA chief executive said: ?"We have called on the Government to ensure that the reforms are both fair and workable. ?There is overwhelming support for airlines to be included because without them, the scheme will not provide a truly comprehensive and fair system of consumer financial protection. ?We are also concerned about the lack of clarity regarding key elements of the reform proposals. ?It is absolutely essential that principles are clear and mechanisms affordable, if the trade is to be able to support the Governments objective of providing better protection for consumers."

Journey Latin America has teamed up with a select number of high-end boutique hotels in Costa Rica to come up with an unusual special offer to grab the attention of the more mature travelle

The operator is offering clients a percentage discount based on the age of the oldest passenger. The offer applies exclusively at a selection of hotels including Lapa Rios, where a three-night breakfast stay starts from ?720 per person including flights from San Jos?; Arenas del Mar, where a three-night stay starts from ?237 including breakfast; La Finca Rosa Blanca, where three nights lead-in at ?350 with breakfast; and The Harmony, with prices from ?258 including breakfast for three nights.
The offer is valid for new bookings travelling by November 15 and is based on two people sharing a room.It applies to all room categories and is subject to availability.
For more information visit www.journeylatinamerica.co.uk or call 020-8747 8315.

Shearings has launched its cruise brochures for 2012 which feature seven new ocean cruises and 13 new river cruises, bringing its total number of itineraries to 45.

Four new exclusive ocean cruise itineraries on the newly chartered MV Athena include Historic Spain, Portugal and Morocco, Gardens of Cornwall and Normandy, Jewels of the British Isles and Norway and Land of the Midnight Sun. For the first time, the operator is also offering two Med cruises with MSC Cruises and a world voyage on the MV Athena, taking in three continents, Australia, Africa and Europe.

New river cruise itineraries include journeys through Switzerland, Holland, Belgium and Germany as well as an exclusive trip centred around Floriade 2012, a once-a-decade horticultural expo based in Holland.

Prices lead in at ?499 for a five-day Gardens of Cornwall and Normandy taster cruise.

To help agents capture early sales, the operator is offering a guaranteed 15% off no-fly ocean cruises and 10% off other ocean cruises and all ?exclusive to Shearings? river cruises if booked before November 15.

For details call 01942-823449 or visit www.shearingsagent.com

Four new exclusive ocean cruise itineraries on the newly chartered MV Athena include Historic Spain, Portugal and Morocco, Gardens of Cornwall and Normandy, Jewels of the British Isles and Norway and Land of the Midnight Sun. For the first time, the operator is also offering two Med cruises with MSC Cruises and a world voyage on the MV Athena, taking in three continents, Australia, Africa and Europe.

New river cruise itineraries include journeys through Switzerland, Holland, Belgium and Germany as well as an exclusive trip centred around Floriade 2012, a once-a-decade horticultural expo based in Holland.

Prices lead in at ?499 for a five-day Gardens of Cornwall and Normandy taster cruise.

To help agents capture early sales, the operator is offering a guaranteed 15% off no-fly ocean cruises and 10% off other ocean cruises and all ?exclusive to Shearings? river cruises if booked before November 15.

For details call 01942-823449 or visit www.shearingsagent.com

In the past two months, Appi Holidays has secured the web content of 25 different travel companies in its pre-launch drive to deliver an app for operators and travel agents to showcase their deals.

The Dubai Tourism & Commerce Marketing (DTCM) has launched a new online strategy with a redesigned Dubai Expert online training programme incorporating a trade resources Website, as well as revamping its monthly Dubai Update e-newsletter.

P&O Ferries is laying on extra Dover - Calais sailings over the Bank Holiday weekend in response to threatened industrial action at Eurotunnel.

Cosmos Holidays has launched its largest Greece programme for summer 2012 to offer a wider and varied range of destinations including new islands and resorts.