Aphrodites Hill Paphos

Agents' anger over Aphrodite Hills 'farce'

By Juliet Dennis

Apr 16, 2014 08:32AM GMT

 

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Independent agents have reacted with fury to news that Aphrodite Hills Resort Hotel in Cyprus could become a Thomson Sensatori hotel in 2015.

Agents warned they would no longer proactively sell the resort if it were sold exclusively through Thomson in the UK. One agent put the property on stop-sale.

Thomson announced it would open three more hotels under its five-star Sensatori brand for summer 2015, including Aphrodite Hills, which it said would close for refurbishment this winter.

The move provoked an angry reaction from the trade and the hotel, currently part of InterContinental Hotels Group.

The group denied a deal had been signed and called Thomson’s statement “premature”. The hotel recently hosted 50 independent agents and operators on a fam trip.

In a statement it said: “Our aim is to conclude discussions within the next few weeks, during which Thomson Sensatori will not be able to offer this product for sale in its new summer brochure or on the web.”

Agents branded the lack of clarity a “complete farce”, saying they would not sell the resort as a Sensatori hotel because

Thomson’s online discounting made it impossible to compete on price.

Nick Harding-McKay, managing director of Travel Designers, attended last month’s fam trip. His agency has put the resort on stop-sale.

“Either a deal has been signed or it hasn’t,” he said. “It’s a brilliant resort, but if they knew they were going to sell it through Thomson why did they waste lots of agents’ time?”

Miles Morgan, owner of Miles Morgan Travel, added: “We will not actively promote this if it is Sensatori because nine times out of 10 the client will find it cheaper online; you lose the booking or have to match it and lose money.”

Colletts Travel managing director Roy Collett said: “If Aphrodite Hills goes down that road we just will not promote it.”

Thomson will also offer the Sensatori Resort Ibiza (currently Insotel Club Tarida Beach) and build a Sensatori Resort Fethiye in Turkey, for summer 2015.

Thomson was unable to comment as Travel Weekly went to press.

Aphrodites Hill Paphos

Aphrodite Hills denies Thomson Sensatori deal

Apr 15, 2014 08:23AM GMT

 

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One of the best-known hotels in Cyprus has denied that a deal has been struck to rebrand it as a Thomson Sensatori property.

The Aphrodite Hills Resort in Paphos was responding to an announcement by Thomson that it will become one of three new Sensatori hotels to become exclusive to the Tui flagship operating brand.

A spokesman for the hotel described the Thomson announcement as “premature” as discussions were still ongoing.

“Our aim is that these discussions be concluded within the next few weeks, during which Tui (Thomson Sensatori) will not be able to offer this product for sale in their new summer brochure or the web,” the spokesman said.

“In the meantime sales for the InterContinental Aphrodite Hills Resort Hotel continue to grow, with sales increasing year on year.

“Until these discussions are finally concluded the operation of the InterContinental hotel will remain as normal throughout the year and will continue to serve the UK market with our worldwide renowned high standards, ensuring customers enjoy a unique and fantastic experience.”

The spokesman said: “We would like to confirm that discussions are still in progress and will continue in this direction for a period of time.

“However, as Aphrodite Hills Resort and Tui continue talks, we wish to stress that no conclusive agreement has been reached, hence the reason that that no official announcement has been made by either Aphrodite Hills or IHG to this respect.”

Unlicensed wedding planners in Cyprus

Warning over unlicensed wedding planners in Cyprus

By Chloe Berman

Apr 11, 2014 08:21AM GMT

 

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The founder of Planet Holidays has called for a crackdown on the growing number of wedding planners in Cyprus offering no financial protection.

Mathilde Robert, managing director of wedding specialist Planet Holidays, said she had witnessed a steep increase in former operator employees setting up as wedding planners in Cyprus.

She said: “It seems like anybody who’s ever worked for a tour operator is becoming a wedding planner. They take clients’ money with no security or protection.

“These are people working from a laptop in a room somewhere – they could collect the clients’ money and disappear.”Robert has spoken to Antigoni Kapodistria of the Cyprus Tourism Organisation, who is in charge of wedding tourism in Cyprus, about establishing an association for wedding planners and suppliers in the destination.

The CTO confirmed it was looking into the idea.

Robert also urged agents to advise clients to book with a reputable wedding operator.

She said there were instances of couples buying a holiday with Thomson or Thomas Cook but booking their wedding with local photographers, florists and caterers.

Deputy Paphos mayor Marios Papis recently told the local press that he had received complaints from several companies, including Thomson and Thomas Cook, which said they were losing tens of thousands of pounds each year to unlicensed wedding planners in Cyprus.

Robert said Planet and other operators had to step in when things had gone wrong in the past.

She said: “It’s getting worse all the time, especially with the economic situation meaning a lot of people are out of a job. It’s Cyprus’s reputation that will suffer, and therefore we will suffer.”

London Hotel Attack

Police have arrested four people after three women were attacked with a hammer in a central London hotel.

The women were bludgeoned after a man entered a room on the seventh floor of the Cumberland Hotel in Marble Arch where they and three children were sleeping, in the early hours of Sunday.

Three men from Islington aged 56, 34, and 32 have been detained on suspicion of attempted murder, the BBC reported.

A woman, 31, has also been arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods.

All four remain in police custody.

One of the victims remains in hospital in a "critical condition" while the injuries of the other two women, who are also in hospital, are not believed to be life-threatening.

Following the assault the Metropolitan Police said the attacker had targeted the tourists, believed to be from the United Arab Emirates, shortly before 2am.

Police believe the victims had deliberately left their door unlocked because they were staying in the hotel as part of a large family group. They had been on a shopping and sightseeing tour on Saturday.

German Tourist Shot Dead in Venezuela

Police probe fatal shooting of German cruise passenger

By Phil Davies

Feb 10, 2014 08:32AM GMT

 

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Officials are investigating the murder of an elderly German cruise passenger who was shot dead on the Venezuelan island of Margarita.

Goldhahm Hors Kurt, 76, was shot on Friday afternoon near a shopping centre "resulting in his immediate death," a statement from the office of the public prosecutor said.

Local media reported that the victim, a passenger on the German ship Aida Luna, was shot during a robbery as he and other tourists shopped for handicrafts on the Caribbean island.

Two armed robbers on a motorcycle are reported to have tried to rob passengers on a shore excursion from the ship. There was a struggle and Kurt was shot and killed.

"Security forces are after the criminals," tourism minister Andres Izarra said on Twitter.

Ryanair opens more Greek destinations

Ryanair creates new Greek bases to challenge 'high fares'

By Phil Davies

Jan 15, 2014 08:25AM GMT

 

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Ryanair is establishing a bridgehead in Greece with the launch of low fare flights from new bases in Athens and Thessaloniki.

The creation of the budget carrier’s second and third bases in the country, in addition to Chania in Crete, are part of a $280 million investment which will see nine new routes being opened from April.

Six new Athens routes and three from Thessaloniki go on sale today (Wednesday).

Two aircraft will be based in Athens running flights to Chania, London, Milan, Paphos, Rhodes and Thessaloniki.

A total of 154 flights a week are planned as the airline aims to carry 1.2 million new passengers from the Greek capital.

New routes to Athens, Pisa and Warsaw will run from Thessaloniki, bringing the total up to 16, including London, Brussels and Milan.

Ryanair commercial director David O’Brien said: “These six new Athens routes with multiple daily frequencies to Chania, London, Milan, Paphos, Rhodes and Thessaloniki, are ideal for business passengers or families booking getaways from summer 2014.”

The carrier claims the move will enable Greek consumers and visitors to “escape Aegean/Olympic’s high fares”.

O'Brien added: “Only Ryanair, with its 175 new aircraft order, can deliver the capacity, new markets and low costs demanded by Greek consumers and visitors, and looks forward to working with Athens airport to unlock the vast potential currently suppressed by high access air costs.”

Cyprus offers more than just beaches

It's in the papers, Cyprus offers more than just beaches.