TECHNOLOGY MERGER
Astralogic managing director Steve Watson is still hoping to merge his company with competitor Travel Options despite teething troubles. Travel Options managing director Michael Johnson said the merger had been stalled because Astralogichad failed to organise required meetings with shareholders. Watson said his firm had just undergone a radical restructure. He claimed the merged firm would be “the largest supplier of tour operating systems in the UK”.
BA GREEN PRIZES
An initiative to conserve and regenerate rainforest in Ghana has scooped the top award at the British Airways Tourism for Tomorrow awards. Judging panel chairman Professor David Bellamy picked the Ghana Central RegionProject, which also won the Southern area section, ahead of 150 worldwide entries. Special awards went to Madikwe Game Reserve in South Africa; the Half Moon Golf, Tennis and Beach Club, Jamaica; and Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust for its scheme to conserve heritage and landscapes. BA chairman Lord Marshall presented the awards at the Banqueting House in central London last Wednesday. Full picture coverage of the awards will be in next week’s Travel Weekly.
RCI APPOINTMENT
Timeshare exchange firm RCI Europe has appointed Nelson Hitchcock group managing director from 1 April, following the retirement of Ron Haylock. Hitchcock is the firm’s market and business development director. He joined in 1994 as group marketing director.