JAL shuns Delta for American tie-up
Japan Airlines is to maintain its business relationship with American Airlines and the oneworld alliance, shunning a rival offer to tie-up with Delta Airlines and the SkyTeam alliance.
The dawn of space tourism, the launch of Tripadvisor, online check-in, and jetting off to Dubai for sun and shopping, are among the greatest travel triumphs of the Noughties, according to the World Travel Awards.
The French have emerged as the main contenders to buy the Port of Dover, following speculation that Prime Minister Gordon Brown could rubber stamp the sale within days. Nord-pas-de-Calais regional council, which also owns the port of Calais, could bid up to £350 million for the largest passenger port in Northern Europe.
The new owners of Gatwick Airport have ruled out plans to build a second runway, saying there was “not a shred of interest”.
An airline entrepreneur dubbed “Baby Branson” after launching a low-cost carrier as a teenager is back in business following the collapse of his first venture. Martin Halstead is launching Varsity Express next month, offering flights between Oxford and Edinburgh.
Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Sultan wins AHIC Leadership Award
Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman of ADAC and one of the key players in developing Abu Dhabi as a world-class tourism destination, has been announced as the winner of the AHIC 2010 Leadership Award.
The Mövenpick Hotel Istanbul won “Europe’s Leading Business Hotel” at the 2009 World Travel Awards. Located in the heart of Istanbul’s commercial district, it offers easy access to Istanbul Atatürk International Airport whilst also being a stone’s throw from Taksim Square and the historic Old City and Grand Bazaar.
There has been a considerable growth in the number of suppliers providing e-commerce solutions, as selling online has become a ‘must-do’ activity for tour operators. The Travel Technology Consultancy Genesys says there are no longer any excuses, and that your product is never too complex, too tailor-made or too expensive to sell online. If you cannot close the deal online there and then, you run the risk of your customer booking elsewhere.