Winter sun market hots up

What’s new for 2000/2001 by Teresa Machan

Winter sun market hots up

New faces join established programmes

Roll up, roll up for Israel: that’s the message coming from operators, who say last year was good and winter 2000/2001 should be better still.

New operators for winter 2000/2001 include Virgin Sun, which is offering a lead-in price of £299 for a week at the Moon Valley hotel in Eilat. Virgin Sun general manager, tour operations, Chris Woodbridge-Cox said: “We are still developing our range of winter destinations and Eilat offers a good alternative to the Canaries.”

Pullman Holidays has launched an expanded Eilat and Israel brochure, together with a four-page seat-only supplement – heralding the operator’s significant expansion plans.

Additional product includes the Mediterranean Beach Resort Bat Yam, just south of Tel Aviv, with prices leading in at £329.

Pullman managing director Simon Blutstein said: “Israel offers such a host of holiday options and we intend tapping into this market to the full by offering the widest possible product range at the most competitive prices.”

To assist projected demand in the region Pullman has added an extra flight from Gatwick for winter 2000/2001, and hopes to operate from Manchester next winter.

Also included for the first time is the Holy Land Discovery tour – available with flights into Eilat that combine Israel’s principal attractions with a week’s beach holiday; pre-bookable flydrive kibbutz holidays from £434; and health-and-beauty packages in selected Dead Sea properties.

Prices in the new Eilat and Israel brochure lead in at £269 for seven-nights’ self-catering at the Nova hotel in Eilat.

Cosmos’ recently launched Tropical Paradise 2001 brochure also debuts a seven-night Holy Land Tour combined with Eilat. It combines sites and monuments with a choice of three beach hotels. Prices lead in at £1,024 at the Hotel Caesar.

Eilat remains Longwood Holidays’ top seller, the company captured 46% of the holiday market there last winter.

The new Eilat winter season brochure features take-off slots in September – extending the season by two months. Managing director Rafi Caplin said: “Longwood has traditionally sold Israel as a resort destination, not a historical one, and it’s finally paying off.”

Israel tailor-made specialist Peltours has seen demand for classical and Holy Land tours rise by 30% and the operator is planning to introduce more scheduled flights into Eilat for winter 2001.

Marketing director Darren Panto said: “We’ve got between 3,500 and 4,000 seats on our Eilat programme – it’s not huge but it’s still a big commitment given that many operators leave at the first sign of trouble.”

Jerusalem continues to be a popular destination for Cox and Kings, and the operator’s third most successful Middle East tour for this year is the new 10-dayJourney to Jerusalem, St Catherine’s and Petra.

sample product

Superstar: a seven-night fully guided tour of thebird-watching sights in northern Israel. Prices are from £899 based on flights and half-board accommodation. Three-night Jerusalem city break at the Tower Hotel from £299. Three-night Tel Aviv city break at the Grand Hotel starts at £315.

Cox and Kings: is offering a 10-day Journey to Jerusalem, St Catherine’s and Petra, including three nights in Jerusalem and two in Eilat. The tour visits Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Eilat, St Catherine’s Monastery, Mount Sinai, and Petra and Wadi Rum in Jordan. Prices for 2001 start at £1,395 per person including flights, twin-shareaccommodation, bed and breakfast in Israel and half-board in Jordan.

Pullman: one-week Discovery Tour to Haifa, Safed, Golan Heights, Tiberias, Sea of Galilee, Nazareth, Jericho, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Qumran, Massada, the Dead Sea, Megiddo, Caesarea and Jaffa. Prices from £659 based on return flights and bed and breakfast in twin-shareaccommodation.

Cosmos: a seven-night stay at King Solomon’s Palace, Eilat. The five-diamond hotel offers wining and dining, pampering facilities and water sports at the nearby beach. Prices from £529 including return flights and bed and breakfast in twin-shareaccommodation.

Jerusalem: Cox and Kings’ third most successful Middle East tour includes a stay in the Holy City

Petra: a popular choice for historical excursions from Israel