Thomson is to reintroduce Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast for summer 2015 after a gap of more than eight years and increase flight capacity to Dubrovnik.
The last time the operator featured the region was for one season in 2006 and before that in 1991, when it was part of the former Yugoslavia, officially broken up in 1992.
Thomson already features Dubrovnik and Pulia. The new region will be serviced by two flights a week into Split from Gatwick and Manchester.
The operator will initally offer the Adriatic Beach Hotel, close to Igrane town and the third property in Croatia to come under its adults-only Couples brand. It includes swim-up rooms.
Product director Mark Hall said: “Demand for Croatia is increasing. The Dalmatian Coast is a less explored region of Croatia on the Adriatic Sea, but we needed to find the right hotel in order to offer it. This is the right hotel and the right time to go back.”
The region stretches from Trogir in the north to the islands of Brac and Hvar in the south along the coastline known as the Makarska Riviera. The city of Split, also part of the Dalmatian Coast, is home to the UNESCO-protected Roman ruins, Diocletian’s Palace.
Thomson is also increasing capacity into Dubrovnik for next summer with six additional flights per week.
The new flights will be out of Gatwick, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle, Glasgow and Bristol. Cruise and stay holidays will be offered in Dubrovnik, with Thomson Celebration sailing out of the port for the summer 2015 season.
All long-haul Thomson flights to include free drinks in economy
Drinks will be complimentary for the first time for passengers in economy seats on all Thomson’s long-haul flights from this winter.
From November 1, 2014, Thomson will include drinks free of charge in Economy Club seats on long-haul flights, and in-flight entertainment will be improved with a wider choice of films updated each month.
Thomson managing director Dave Burling said the lack of free drinks was currently the company’s “weakest link” in terms of its competitiors.
He added: “Our main competitors are British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. We think our hardware is better but where we are not as good as the competition is on the drinks. We recognise we need to compete against them. It’s quite a big change for our business.”
From summer 2015, all long-haul flights with Thomson will be on the Dreamliner 787 aircraft.
Thomson flight prices to drop following APD reform
Prices will reduce by a “noticeable” amount as a result of the recent changes in Air Passenger Duty.
From 2015 UK APD is to be restructured with the abolition of the two most expensive bands and charging of all long-haul passengers at the lower band B rate of duty.
This will reduce the cost of long-haul flights, making destinations such as Australia, India and Brazil more accessible to Britons and vice versa, while travellers to the Caribbean will no longer face competitive disadvantage compared with destinations such as Hawaii.
Product director Mark Hall said the changes would allow the operator to reduce its prices for next year by a “noticeable” amount.
He said: “We are looking to pass on these savings to customers and we are seeing favourable exchange rates so that on average our prices will be lower when we launch for 2015 than they were for 2014.”