clients can cruise the mississippi f ea tur sli 2015 ... uk features... · clients can cruise the...

27.02.201438

TTG Features River Cruising

Journeys’ eight-day Tulips Cruiseincludes first-class rail travelonboard Eurostar and stops up tothree times per day when navigatingthrough the Netherlands, givingguests plenty of time to becomeacquainted with their surroundings.The River Cruise Line also pays a

visit to Keukenhof Gardens. PaulSharp, head of sales at The RiverCruise Line, says spring is the“perfect” time for clients to take tothe Dutch waterways, especially fora flora-themed trip. He adds thatpassengers onboard the operator’sAmsterdam & Bulbfields Spectacularare treated to a camera masterclassbefore arriving at Keukenhof, sothey can take blooming goodphotos. According to Caroline Brown,

commercial director at Shearings,the trend for horticulture-themedbreaks shows no signs of abating.“After the huge popularity ofFloriade [an international exhibitionof flowers and gardening, held every10 years in the Netherlands] in 2012,horticultural cruises are becomingever more successful,” she says.“Agents can use seasonal attractions,such as the Keukenhof Gardens, as ahook to encourage customers to trya cruise for the first time, perhapsupselling to customers who wouldtraditionally choose coach touringpackages.” Shearings’ seven-dayTulips and Windmills break leads infrom £479pp.

Book it: Fred.\’s new Tulip Cruisestarts from £1,085pp, including seven nights onboard the AmadeusElegant, return flights to Amsterdam,transfers, all meals and drinks withdinner. Price based on March 28,2014 departure.� fredrivercruises.co.uk

Food and wineWhile culinary offerings onboardcruise liners may once have been anafterthought for many companies, onsome river cruises they are now thelynchpin. Uniworld, sold exclusively through

Titan, offers a selection of wine-

With the specialist river cruise marketblossoming, from wine tasting tours to dancing lessons, there’s somethingout there to please every client –whatever floats their boat. Chloe Cannrounds up some options

As the trend for rivercruising develops – it isnow considered one ofthe fastest growing

sectors of the UK travel market – sothe product continues to diversify. The range of river cruises now

available provides agents with agreat opportunity to reel in clientswho might otherwise have sniffed atthe idea of a river cruise, and indoing so get new blood into thecruising market; within thisburgeoning niche sector clients canindulge their passions while taking inthe towns and cities of the riverbank.

HorticultureThe gardening market has come intofull bloom in the river cruise sector,thanks in part to its prevalence inpopular culture; from AlanTitchmarsh tending to pegonias onTV show Gardeners World to theplethora of horticultural magazinesstacked on newsagents’ shelves. Many flower-focused breaks

traverse the heart of Europe, with avisit to Keukenhof Gardens in Lisse,the Netherlands included in mostitineraries. Keukenhof is the world'slargest spring garden, with morethan seven million tulips, daffodilsand hyacinths across 32 hectares;river cruise breaks by Shearings,Great Rail Journeys and Fred.\ allmake time for the famed gardens,which are open daily between March20 and May 18 this year. Great Rail

Float ideas,gain clients

Uniworld, sold via Titan, offers wine-focused tours on the river Douro

Flower power in Keukenhof, Holland

Holland produces more than three billion tulips a year

winemaking heritage with visits toCote du Rhone and Beaujolaisvineyards as well as a stop atcontemporary wine museum,Hameau du Vin.

During the Gastronomic Delightson the Moselle tour, operated by TheRiver Cruise Line, guests are treatedto two culinary demonstrations,provided by the ship’s chefs. Asidefrom a trip to the river’s wine capital,Bernkastel, the cruise also includeswine lectures and tastings led byexperts from Moselle wineries. Book it: The River Cruise Line offersseven-day tours along the MoselleRiver, leading in from £699pp, on afull-board basis. Price includesreturn ferry crossings and coachtransfers.� sellingrivercruises.com

Music and dance Strictly Come Dancing fans will bethrilled to hear that the show is nolonger confined to their living room

TV – instead enthusiasts of the dancecompetition can participate onboardThe River Cruise Line’s own StrictlyRiver Cruising trip. Gliding along theRhine and Moselle rivers, guests canwatch demonstrations onboard theliner from professional danceteachers and participate in afternoontea dances as well as eveningdancing sessions at ports of callalong the route. The eight-dayitinerary leads in from £819pp.

Sharp, from The River Cruise Line,says that although the boat only hasa small dance floor the focus is onthe dances at local ports of call. “Thedances take place at little Bavariandance halls, and wherever possiblewe involve local folkloric bands,” hesays. “The guests come back onboardafter two to three hours for a partyand a drink. Dancing is the commonthread but it’s also about thedestinations.”

For clients in search of a music-themed river cruise on

focused tours. All of the operator’sEuropean tours include beer-pairingdinners and culinary demonstrationsonboard, but the new eight-dayBordeaux, Vineyards and Chateauxcruise also allows passengers tosample some of the region’s winesen-route and meet local winemakers.For clients who straddle the bordersof both foodie and wine connoisseur,there’s also oyster tasting, a cannele-making demonstration, an onboardset-dinner designed by two Michelin-star French chef Philippe Etchebestand a menu that features delicaciessuch as duck confit and caviard’Aquitaine.

Food is king onboard CroisiEurope’sMS Mistral, which pays a visit toMichelin-starred chef Paul Bocuse’srestaurant L’Abbaye de Collonges.Three and four-course lunches anddinners are prepared onboard byFrench chefs and are designed tocomplement the region. The cruisealso gives a nod to the local Turn to 40

27.02.2014 39

CroisiEurope’s Mistral visits Paul Bocuse’srestaurant L’Abbaye de Collonges

The River Cruise Line takes in CastleDrachenburg, Bonn, on Rhine cruises

Clients can cruise the Mississippion American Queen with Titan

Suggest a river cruise with aclassical theme with Lueftner

Features list 2015

29.05.2014 ttgdigital.com £3.00

TTGLUXURYAgent bounces back afterflooding ordeal, p20

TOOLKITFocus on Machu Picchuin new ethical series, p34

ON OUR RADARFoodie revolution on theparty island of Ibiza, p39

OPINIONClia chair Jo Rzymowska looks back on cruise, p25

Meet the wildlife of the Galapagos, tour CrystalSerenity, learn to sell summer Caribbean itinerariesand more in our 20-page cruise feature, plus all thenews from the Clia Selling Cruise conferencep12, 14 and 41-59

Escape claws

Eurosceptic?Fears over how the MEP electioncould impact PTD, p4

End of the trail? Goldtrail defendants found liable, p5

Taking flight MSC’s Giles Hawke talks agents, expansion and commission, p8-9

Full steam ahead Trade boost as cruise lines

unveil commission rise, p4 & 16

Up in the airCAA reveals changes to

the Atol scheme, p5 &12-13

Leading the way Haiti’s road to recovery, p8

Stoke up clients’ imaginationswith our round-up of some of the world’s most iconic train journeys p43

Train ofthought


CITYJet2 packs a punch withits operator arm, p14

TTGLUXURYThe epic renovation ofa Parisian classic, p18

TOOLKITInnovative technology totackle transport crisis, p27

TTG INTERVIEWTravelzoo boss raises barfor deals specialist, p10-11

SEB’S TOP SLIDES…AdrenalinSpeed Furious, at WaterworldLloret de Mar, accessed fromRosamar Garden Resort, CostaBrava, Spain“My heart was beating like crazy.”ChildrenAqualand Village, Aghios Ioannis, Corfu“I really liked it. There were somany slides there and lots ofdifferent areas for kids and amassive lazy river as well.”RacingCoral Sea Water World, Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt“The Windigo is a massive orangeand white slide with four lanes. Thisone starts off in a tunnel, curvesround and you don’t know whichlane you will finish the ride in.”LocationAqua Fantasy Aquapark Hotel &Spa, Izmir, Turkey“This park is amazing. It’s set withmountains and forest all round and it’s also by the sea. Coral SeaWater World in Sharm el Sheikhalso has some great sea views.

LengthSiam Park, accessed from ParqueCristobel, Playa de la Americas,Tenerife“The longest lazy river in the worldis at this Thailand-themed park. Ithas waterfalls, tropical trees andflowers, and you go up a conveyorbelt eight metres high, then throughthe shark pool where you see peopleshooting through on the slide.”

30.01.201446

TTG Features Summer special

summer notched up 186 water slidesacross 15 different countries, visiting18 of First Choice’s all-inclusiveSplashWorld resorts.“It’s been a bit surreal,” he says.Seb got the job following a selection

process involving a video application,interview and presentation. “It wasan attractive prospect because I wasstraight out of university and I wouldbe paid to travel. I have always wantedto travel as much as possible,” he says. Having sped his way down multiple

slides, chutes and tubes, Seb has afew favourites. “I really likedTenerife’s Siam Park as all the

waterslides are so over the top. TheTower of Power is about 27 metreshigh and you end up flying in a tubethrough a shark pool. Resort-wise, Ireally liked Bulgaria and I likedMorocco because I went toMarrakech and looked around thesouk, which was incredible. I lovedthe old town in Corfu as well.”

Other thrillsTaking excursions was another aspectof Seb’s job – he went white-waterrafting in Turkey, downhill biking inCosta Dorada and underwaterwalking in an old

Imagine spending all day in the sun playing water games andracing on slides, and getting paid for it. First Choice madethat a reality for Seb Smith, who chats to Debbie Ward abouthis summer of fun as an official SplashWorld ‘slide tester’

Turn to 48

Making a splashall summer long

It may sound like a dream jobbut First Choice “slide tester”Seb Smith spent his firstmoments in his new role

wondering if he’d made a mistake. “The first water park I visited was

Waterworld Lloret de Mar in CostaBrava, where they have SpeedFurious. You start in a capsule so youcan see out in front of you, but youcan’t look down. Once the trap dooropened, I was pretty much screamingall the way down that one,” he says.Happily, despite admitting a

nervousness of rollercoasters, Sebsettled into his job and over the

Seb tested 186 water slides during his stint with First Choice

TTG_FEATURES_LIST_2015_Layout 2 27/10/2014 16:18

JANUARY.8 Cruise

Including luxury, mainstream, niche and river cruises15 Weddings & Honeymoons

Including Caribbean, Mediterranean and Indian OceanAsia Including China, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Macau, Korea and beyond

22 Summer PreviewA preview of summer 2015, including the Mediterranean and Atlantic Islands

29 CanadaIncluding culture, activities and touringMiddle EastBeach, cultural, active, luxury and touring holidays

FEBRUARY.5 USA

Including cities, culture, attractions and touringNorth Africa & Red SeaIncluding Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Morocco, Tunisia

12 Air TravelIncluding airlines, airports, lounges, transfers, airportparking and seat-only suppliersLatin AmericaCovering Brazil, Peru, Central America and beyondCRUISE SUPPLEMENT

19 CaribbeanIncluding family holidays, luxury, activities and cultureAustralia & New ZealandIncluding cities, activities and touring

26 UK & IrelandFamily holidays, culture, cities and activitiesMalta, Italy & Mediterranean IslandsIncluding Malta, Italy, Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily

Features list 2015: January – June

Over and outEndacott admits defeat on PTD, p5

Farage barrageITT defends decision to let

Ukip leader close conference, p7

Atol bustingWhy more overseas moves

could bankrupt fund, p12-13

As the poaching crisisescalates in Africa, we look

at how tourism can helpprotect wildlife p37

Lead thecharge


CRUISEMSC sets its sights on theMed for next year, p18

TOOLKITSecrets of rising to the topas a homeworker, p30

ON OUR RADARExplore the Bay of Naplesduring low season, p35

INTELLIGENCESurvey finds staycationsare so last year, p14

p1 Cover Mar6_Cover copy 9 04/03/2014 19:30 Page 1

Accommodation TTG Features

grounds, I feel slightly better at thesight of a fruit basket and pot of nuts(emergency rationsnoted) andbetter stillwhen Idiscoverthat itemone on theagenda islunch. Over atasty steamed curried chicken dish, Imeet my fellow MOTers and mentorsfor the weekend, Matt Kendrick andJamie Hodgkinson of MK Lifefit. The pair start off by asking us

about our lifestyle habits such aswhat exercise we do and what viceswe may have. Despite a flush of guiltwhen admitting to 3pm office biscuits,

years’ experience in the health andfitness sector and celebrity clientsincluding the Royal Ballet and JLS onhis roster, Matt is well-versed on thesubject. He explains that 30% of beinghealthy is based on exercise while theremaining 70% depends on nutrition. He says lots of the food we eat is

acidic, which can cause the pH of ourbodies to become unbalanced leadingto inflammation and ultimately illness.To stay healthy we should eat lots ofalkalising foods such as greenvegetables and citrus fruits.Matt adds we should aim to live

by the 80:20 rule – as we can’t beperfect all the time: “Have what youwant 20% of the time but make sureyou live healthily for the other 80%.”

Stepping up a gearWith all this new information to digestit’s time to get into active mode. We start with screening which

involves measuring our vitalstatistics then performing exercisesin front of Matt so he can determineour strengths and weaknesses. Before we launch into a Tabata

session, Matt gives us all some of hispowdered supergreens mixed withwater which he says we should aimto drink every day to boost ouralkaline levels – it tastes like orangesquash, not bad at all.Tabata is a bit like

A health and fitness overhaul can put a productive spin on a weekend away, as Abigail Challenor discovers on a trip toCheltenham Park Hotel in Gloucestershire

Cheltenham Park Hotel is one of 21 properties in the UK belonging to Puma Hotels Collection

Afew days before I’m dueto head to the Cotswoldsfor a taster of new healthand fitness venture,

Body MOT, an email pops into myinbox. It lists essential items for mytrip: trainers, exercise kit, swimwearand outdoor exercise gear, notforgetting a waterproof jacket. I panic about imminent starvation,

crawling through frozen muddypuddles and military-style personaltrainers bellowing from the sidelinesas the two-hour journey from LondonPaddington flies by. All too soon I’mstanding outside the CheltenhamPark Hotel, clutching my Pac-a-mac,resigned to my impending fate.As I’m shown to my room, with its

sweeping view over landscaped

Mixing fitnesswith pleasure

Turn to 42

20.03.2014 41

Buffet with a difference

it’s so far so good. Even Matt andJamie decide a post-lunch workout

might be pushing it, so theybegin with a talk onnutrition. With 10

Time to appealGoldtrail case in new twist, p5

Jet regrets?Could Jet2 ruling lead to spate

of compensation claims? p8

Independents day Aito Agents overseas conference

round-up, p10-11

Dive into the real Caribbean as we meet thelocals in Antigua’s Stingray City, feel the vibeat the Tobago Jazz Experience, explore historicCuba and much more p41-53

Rays the bar


TTG INTERVIEWJo Rzymowska on herplans for Celebrity, p12

TTGLUXURYAzure Collection’sfam trips for kids, p20

TOOLKITBoost sales by speakinga foreign language, p32

TTG ANALYSISThe big airline alliances fight it out in the sky, p14

13.02.201448

TTG Features Florida

behind-the-scenes experiences,reserved show seating and themedmerchandise. Spontaneous entertainment

such as pathway performances and up-close animal encountersincluding Magellanic penguins and a flamingo parade will add extraexcitement to the park experience.Visitors can also discover giantsealife sculptures created fromocean debris by environmental art group Washed Ashore as they

stroll around the parks.The milestone year will also be

marked by the launch of two newrides: Falcon’s Fury and Ihu’sBreakway Falls.Busch Gardens Tampa welcomes

Falcon’s Fury, a drop tower thatmimics the dive of a falcon, thefastest animal on earth. The ride,which stands at 102-metres-high sees riders pivot 90 degrees inmidair to a face-down dive positionfrom which they’ll plunge

downwards at speeds of 60mph. At Aquatica Orlando, a new free-

fall water slide, Ihu’s Breakway Falls,will be the tallest and steepest rideof its kind to hit Orlando. Finally as an extra little gift

SeaWorld is offering UK visitorsthree parks for the priceon two until the end of theyear, with both AttractionWorld and DoSomething-Different.com currentlyoffering this deal. The

3-Park Ticket offers 14 daysunlimited entry to SeaWorld Orlando,Aquatica and Busch Gardens Tampa. With so much going on in this 50th

anniversary year we speak to twotop SeaWorld sellers about their ownexperiences of the parks and theirtop tips for selling the brand.

Matthew Bowercustomer service andsales executive,

Attraction World“I’ve been a couple of times withwork and it’s my job to sell it as well.I can sell 10 to 15 tickets a day toSeaWorld parks.

SeaWorld’s newest attraction Antarctica – Empireof the Penguin recently hosted its first wedding

Turn to 50

True devotionto SeaWorldIn SeaWorld’s 50th anniversary year, Abigail Challenorlooks at what the Orlando parks have in store, and we speak to two trade fans about why they love SeaWorld so much

USASPECIAL

It’s been 50 years sinceSeaWorld opened its gates tothe public with the launch of its first park in San Diego.

To commemorate this half-centuryanniversary, a Sea of Surprisescelebration will take place in the San Diego, Orlando and San Antonioparks this year.From March 21, visitors can expect

giveaways throughout the parks withthe SeaWorld Surprise Squadhanding out spot prizes such as

MARCH.5 Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa including Kenya, South Africa, Botswana,Namibia and beyond, plus GambiaBermudaHotels, resorts and activities

12 Holiday EssentialsIncluding insurance, travel money and car hireHotels, resorts and spasIncluding bed banks, hotels, villas and all-inclusives

19 Touring and adventureEscorted tours and small group adventuresIndia & Indian Ocean Including India, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Maldives and Seychelles

26 Greece & CyprusSummer holidaysHoliday parks and camping holidaysBoth domestic and overseas

APRIL.2 Cruise

Including luxury, mainstream, niche and river cruises9 Attractions & Tickets

Including theme parks, shows and attractions in the UK, USand worldwideBalkansIncluding Croatia, Bulgaria and Serbia

16 North Africa & Red SeaIncluding Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Morocco, Tunisia WellbeingSpotlight on holidays dedicated to fitness and wellbeing

23 TurkeyBeach, cultural, active, luxury and touring holidaysPacific IslandsFiji, Samoa, Vanuatu, Cook Islands and Papua New Guinea

30 Middle EastBeach, cultural, active, luxury and touring holidaysGermanyIncluding city breaks and tours

MAY.7 Asia

Including China, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Macau, Korea and beyondGroupsSpotlight on booking groups travel and associated packagesCRUISE SUPPLEMENT

14 Weddings & HoneymoonsIncluding Caribbean, Mediterranean and Indian OceanMediterranean specialSummer holiday hotspots, with a focus on Turkey –To be distributed at Advantage 2015 in Turkey

21 Cities and short breaksShort-haul city breaks and long-haul stopover destinations

28 Air TravelIncluding airlines, airports, lounges, transfers, airportparking and seat-only suppliersEastern EuropeA regional focus including Poland, Lithuania, Slovenia,Bulgaria and the Czech RepublicITT special supplement – to be distributed at the ITT conference in Ras Al Khaimah

JUNE.4 Caribbean

Including family holidays, luxury, activities and culture11 Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa including Kenya, South Africa, Botswana,Namibia and beyond, plus GambiaHomeworkingFocus on the homeworking market with selling tips andhomeworker profiles

18 USAIncluding cities, culture, attractions and touring

25 Australia & New ZealandIncluding cities, activities and touring MediterraneanSummer holiday hotspots including Spain/Spanish Islands, Portugal, Cyprus, Greece and Turkey


Features list 2015: July – December

JULY.2 Cruise

Including luxury, mainstream, niche and river cruisesResponsible tourism Focus on sustainable holidays

9 Middle East Including the UAE, Oman, Egypt, Israel and beyondAttractions & TicketsIncluding theme parks, shows and attractions in the UK, US and worldwide

16 NO ISSUE

23 Touring and adventureEscorted tours and small group adventuresRailHolidays by train around the world

30 NO ISSUE

AUGUST.6 Hotels, resorts & spas

Including bed banks, hotels, villas and all-inclusivesHoliday EssentialsIncluding insurance, travel money and car hire

13 NO ISSUE

20 Air TravelIncluding airlines, airports, lounges, transfers, airportparking and seat-only suppliersCities and short breaksShort-haul city breaks and long-haul stopover destinations

27 Brochure launchpadIn-depth content and teasers for 2015 brochuresTechnologyAgent systems and innovations

SEPTEMBER.3 Caribbean

Including family holidays, luxury, activities and cultureCRUISE SUPPLEMENT

10 North Africa & Red SeaIncluding Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Morocco, Tunisia Ski & snowShort-haul and long-haul destinations, product news and selling tips

17 USAIncluding cities, culture, attractions and touringWinter sunPreview of 2015-16 winter sun hotspots

24 River cruiseA focus on the river cruise market

OCTOBER.1 Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa including Kenya, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and beyond, plus GambiaNordicA focus on Scandinavia including Norway, Finland, Sweden and Denmark

8 Cruise Including luxury, mainstream, niche and river cruises

15 Weddings & HoneymoonsIncluding Caribbean, Mediterranean and Indian OceanTouring and adventureEscorted tours and small group adventures

22 CanadaIncluding culture, activities and touring

29 WTM PreviewA preview of WTM 2015, including exhibitor profiles andagent events

NOVEMBER.5 Middle East

Including the UAE, Oman, Egypt, Israel and beyondAir TravelIncluding airlines, airports, lounges, transfers, airport parking and seat-only suppliers

12 Australia & New ZealandIncluding cities, activities and touring Attractions & TicketsIncluding theme parks, shows and attractions in the UK, USand worldwide

19 CaribbeanIncluding family holidays, luxury, activities and culture

26 Food and wine tourismSpotlight on culinary tourism around the worldIndia & Indian Ocean Including India, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Maldives and Seychelles

DECEMBER.3 USA

Including cities, culture, attractions and touringAsia Including China, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Macau, Korea and beyond

10 Cruise Including luxury, mainstream, niche and river cruises

17 2016 previewA look ahead to new product and predicted trends for 2016

Caribbean TTG Features

swim with them.When they get close, we jump in to

do just that. And coming nose tosnout with these porcine torpedoes –their snouts skimming the waves,hairy ears pricked up like radarantennas, tails resembling curly littlerudders and trotters going like theclappers – is one of the funniest andmost memorable experiencesimaginable.We heed warnings to keep our

fingers away from the snapping jawsas we hold out bread rolls andfrankfurters. I also discover you haveto be careful of flailing trotters afterone catches me in a very delicateplace amidships as its owner swimspast in search of more food. The treats gone, our piggy pals

abandon us and head back to theirisland home. But our journey isn’tover. The half-day Ocean Safari boat tour from Great Exuma alsoincludes stopping off at other cays to explore picture-postcard beaches,hiking up to a coral cliff for apanoramic view of the

Never mind thislittle piggy going to market; in theBahamas they goto the beach. PeterEllegard has someunusual swimmingcompanions on arecent trip to checkout developmentsin the Bahamiantourism industry

Pigs were introduced to the Exumas five years agoOur speedboat skips across

the sea as we approachthe tiny Bahamian desertisland, the captain killing

the engines to let us drift throughthe gin-clear aquamarine watersuntil the anchor bites into the sandyseabed, holding us fast.“There they are; they’re coming

out to meet us,” the captain yells,and we all follow his pointing fingerto the crescent-shaped beach justahead.Sure enough, the five-strong

welcoming party of island residentshave already scampered down thesands into the water and are heading straight for us. But theseislanders are unlike any I have ever encountered before… they are pigs.In the Bahamas, pigs don’t fly, they

swim – and it is no fanciful flight ofimagination.The paddling porkers were put on

the uninhabited cay in the Exumasisland chain five years earlier aspiglets, to forage among its tropicalvegetation. They quickly learnt toassociate visiting boats with foodwhen they were fed titbits and beganswimming out to meet them. Today,boats visit daily, bringing visitorsfrom all over the world who come to

Trot off to paradise

Turn to 44

10.04.2014 43

Fishing for conch shells at Paradise Island

A deserted beach on one of the 360 isles and cays that make up the Exumas island chain

Junior Junkanoo on Grand Bahama

Photos: P

eter Ellegard

CARIBBEAN 2-4 Apr10_Layout 1 08/04/2014 11:19 Page 43

Attractions & Tickets TTG Features

folklore, the water park has becomea must-attend for visitors to Dubai inand out of season.

Wild Wadi has been open since1999 but it feels much fresher than its15 years following regular additionsover the years. Jumeirah Sceirah itself was updated in 2012, with theaddition of a second lane, capsuleand a collapsing floor accentuatingthe nerve-wracking start of the ride.

Other more recent attractions

include Tantrum Alley and the BurjSurj, the latter enabling all thefamily to take to the same inflatableand enjoy two large sections ofdownhill waterslides and two large“bowls” – think being washed down agiant plughole and you are halfwaythere.

The park is very well organised,with each attraction easy to find, and spending money in the two giftshops, snackbars and restaurantsmade easy via a wristband youcharge with funds at the entrance.

Food was reasonably pricedalthough the on-site entrance fee, aswith everything in Dubai, isn’t cheapat about £40.50 for visitors over 1.1 metres in height, and £30.50 forthose under. Guests staying at anyJumeirah hotel in Dubai have freeentry at any time though – a realbenefit, and one that many hotelguests make the most of, with directentry to the park from the JumeirahBeach Hotel.

The excellent staff really made theplace flow on the day we were there.As well as being friendly andattentive – at one point they draggedme back when I was in danger ofbeing flushed down a plughole and

away from my kids – there weresimply so many of them, perhaps notsurprising on a quieter February dayoutside of Dubai’s high season. I wasparticularly impressed by the medicalfacilities, when we had to search outa doctor for a minor issue.

And by the way, that wasn’tanything to do with the JumeirahSceirah. I survived to tell the tale.

I‘m not sure all dads will thank forme saying for this, but it’s worthadvising your own Dubai-boundclients to give Wild Wadi a go too, ifonly to give them a chance to proveto their kids they’re not wimps either.Book it: DoSomethingDifferent.comsells Wild Wadi day tickets for £39.� dosomethingdifferent.com

Wild Wadi is one of Dubai’s majorattractions, with a range of water slides.Daniel Pearce shows his mettle on thenerve-jangling Jumeirah Sceirah

Sandy beach wave pool at Wild Wadi

There are those who do andthose who don’t. Thosewho boldly join the queuefor the tallest and scariest

rides at theme parks. And those whoprefer to stand and hold the bags.

It was when I had children that Idecided I was firmly in the formercamp – purely for vanity reasons, as Iwanted to feel more like Sean Beanthan Mr Bean in the eyes of my kids.

This was the reason why, on asunny Dubai day in February, I’mstood at the top of Jumeirah Sceirahin Wild Wadi water park, staring at a32-metre vertical drop, and almostcertain death, below.

The stomach-churning 50mphslide is just one of 30 slides andattractions at the Wild Wadi, thehuge outdoor water park attached tothe Jumeirah Beach Hotel and nextto the famous Burj Al Arab in theJumeirah area of Dubai. Themedaround the tale of Sinbad and Juha,well-known characters from Arabian

Wadi wonders

03.04.2014 43

One cool addition to Dubaiattractions this year is the SnowBullet, the latest thrill ride to beadded to the Ski Dubai complexat the Mall of the Emirates.

While visitors can already takea toboggan run, ride in a giantsnowball and ski the slopes, nowthey can also fly on what isdescribed as the world’s firstindoor sub-zero zip line.

Visitors can take a ride onthe 150-metre line, whichtouches a sky-high 16-metres off the slopes, by purchasing asingle ticket of two runs forabout £28. The Snow Bullet isalso included on the Ski DubaiPower Pass, which offersunlimited chair-lift rides, giantsnowball rides and slides downthe Mountain Thriller tobogganrun for about £55.� skidxb.com

SNOW BULLETWORLD-FIRSTAT SKI DUBAI

Jumeirah Sceirah

TTG INTERVIEWCook’s Peter Fankhauserreveals latest plans, p10

CRUISEQuantum leap forwardwith fun-filled ship, p21

TOOLKITTravelling responsiblyaround Cambodia, p41

ON OUR RADARBotswana’s exclusive safari options, p49


Colours of the CaribbeanFrom art, craft and vodou in Haiti to climbing Gros Pitonand sun-downer inspiration, paint the perfect scene for your clients with our Caribbean special p51

Pie in the skyBoris defiant as airport

scheme is scrapped, p4-5

Direct sell Former trade favourites to

cut out agents? p5

Caribbean comebackA look at the islands’ recovery, p14

Inspire customer loyalty byrecommending our pick of hotelswith specialist concierges from bee butlers to dog walkers p39

Nectarpoints


INTELLIGENCEFeelgood factor rulesamong cruise agents, p14

CITYBarrhead on lookoutfor 90 new recruits, p18

ON OUR RADARFarming legacy informsAdelaide’s food scene, p37

TOOLKITOperators unite to visitthe Isle of Man, p32


Features: contactsEDITORIAL.Katherine Lawrey, features [email protected] 3714 4112@katherine_ttg

Chloe Cann, features [email protected] 3714 4113@ChloeCann

Abigail Challenor, special projects [email protected] 3714 4111@achallenor

To get involved in Features:The editorial team normally has a synopsis prepared for each feature four-to-six weeks ahead of publication. Email Katherine torequest it. Synopses include deadlines and freelancer contactdetails. Freelancers generally submit copy to us three weeksahead of publication date. We send our pages to press on Mondaysand Tuesdays; Wednesday is a better day to contact us.

Features list 2015

COMMERCIAL.Louise Napier, sales director020 3714 [email protected]

Anna Slater, sales manager020 3714 [email protected]

Jemini Kukadia, account manager020 3714 [email protected]

Jon Magnus, account manager020 3714 [email protected]


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