| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 21/08/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 25 |
| Copyright: Other |
Market update
Airtours to offer Egypt and Holy tours
Report by TANYA JEFFERIES
AIRTOURS has reintroduced cruises to Egypt and the Holy Land to its programme after a gap of three years.Seawing will operate a series of three and four-night cruises out of Limassol in May 2001. The three-night itinerary includes stops at Port Said and Haifa, while the four-night cruise calls at Alexandria and Ashdod.
The mini-cruises can be added together to make a seven-night itinerary and/or combined with a stay in Cyprus. Prices start at £429 per person for a three-night cruise plus a four-night stay at the Arsinoe Beach Hotel in Limassol.
Senior marketing manager for specialist products Vicky Wilby said: “Instead of going to Turkey and Greece, passengers will have a chance to visit the Holy Land. This is Airtours’ latest innovation for the affordable cruise market.”
Airtours has been offering agents tours of Sundream on its weekly stopovers in Southampton over the summer.
The total number of agents to visit the vessel this summer is expected to total 1,000, the majority of whom have never set foot on a cruise ship before. The operator is also planning educationals for around 200 agents on its four-star ship Sunbird this Autumn.
Wilby said the company is considering appointing a second member of staff to provide training to the trade.
The new recruit would work with cruise sales manager Colin Currie. The operator is also looking to send ship staff to help conduct training sessions.
Meanwhile, Airtours has announced plans to introduce an Internet cafe on Sunbird.
It will cost 47p a minute to go on-line. “Sunbird is probably the only ship we want to do this on, because it has the right clientele for it,” said Wilby.
Seawing: to operate cruises out of Limassol next May
Seawing: to operate cruises out of Limassol next May