Jet2.com pilot Paul’s Everest mission
Jet2.com pilot Paul James will be leaving the cockpit behind to climb 8,850
metres to the summit of Everest for Cancer Research UK in May. His target
is £8,850 – a pound for every metre of Everest’s height. To sponsor Paul,
go to pauljameseverest.co.uk and follow the link to his Just Giving page.
Thailand to promote value
after visitor numbers fall
Edward Robertson
in Bangkok
The Tourism Authority of
Thailand is to launch a campaign
promoting the destination’s
value after a drop in
visitor numbers last year.
TAT London assistant director
Worapa Anghsasirisap
said around 700,000 Brits
visited the destination in 2008,
which is 50,000 less than 2007,
although offi cial fi gures are yet
to be confi rmed.
Thailand suffered from political
protests late last year
which saw Suvarnabhumi airport
in Bangkok close for sev-
www.travelweekly.co.uk
“We remain the
best destination for
value for money”
eral days. The result was a 30%
drop in visitors in December.
But it is the state of the world
economy that has had a greater
impact on tourism. The authority
has determined to attract
750,000 UK visitors this year
and will launch its value campaign
in September, focusing
on offering deals to consumers
via the trade. It believes this tactic
will be more effective than
brand awareness advertising.
Tourism Authority Thailand
chairman Weerasak Kowsurat
said: “We remain the best destination
for value for money
[in the region] and that counts
for a lot, especially when the
world economy is going bad.”
Thailand, he added, currently
has 37,000 international
visitors arriving each day.
Plans are also afoot to reward
Thais living in the UK
with fl ight deals if they can
prove they have persuaded
friends to visit the destination.
For daily news go to
www.travelweekly.co.uk
Opinion O’Leary knows that grumbling
passengers will fl y Ryanair again: page 37
NEWS IN BRIEF
PROFiT GROUP PLANS
FRAUD MEETING
The Prevention of Fraud in
Travel Group (PROFiT),
supported by Travel Weekly,
will be holding its next
meeting in a Parliamentary
building. The members will
meet at Portcullis House on
March 25, with MP and chair
of the All Party Group on
Identity Fraud Nigel Evans
as a guest speaker.
ABTA TO OFFER A
RECESSION TOOLKIT
ABTA is to off er a Recession
Toolkit for members.
Available on abta.com from
March 16, the tool will point
agents to useful information
on fi nance, HR and technology
on the association’s
website and direct them to
ABTA’s partner companies.
PRINCESS TO GIVE
SHIPS A FACELIFT
Princess Cruises is to embark
on a multi-million pound
upgrade of its fl eet of 18
ships. New innovations,
including poolside movie
screenings and an outdoor
spa, will be added across the
fl eet. Guests will also be
off ered a behind-the-scenes
tour of the ships.
NCL UNVEILS FIRST
IMAGES OF EPIC
Norwegian Cruise Line has
revealed computer-generated
images of its next-generation
ship Norwegian Epic. The
19-deck ship boasts the fi rst
ice bar at sea. Due to be
completed by May 2010, it
will go on sale to key trade
partners later this month and
on general sale in the spring.
Meanwhile, NCL’s sale has
been extended to March 31.
PARR SET TO LEAVE
HOLIDAY TAXIS ROLE
Holiday Taxis sales and
marketing director Russell
Parr (pictured) is to leave the
company this summer. Parr,
who will have been with the
transfer specialist for two
years in August, plans to do
consultancy work or set up
his own travel business. He
is leaving to be closer to his
family in the Midlands.
‘CONSUMERS NEED TO
ESCAPE THE GLOOM’
Scottish Passenger Agents’
Association president Jimmy
Martin (pictured) has called
on agents to rise to the
challenges of the recession.
Speaking at the association’s
annual dinner, he urged
agents to get the message
out that consumers need a
holiday to escape the doom
and gloom.
March 6 2009 | Travel Weekly | 5
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