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Tourism Ireland: Ensuring Ireland is “Top Of Mind”

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The second in a series of four Tourism Ireland workshops was held that will take place in France during 2019 to highlight ease of access from France to Ireland and deliver more business to Ireland’s regions in the off-peak season. The first workshop took place in Toulouse in January, with other workshops planned to take place in Lyon and Nice in the coming months.

Tourism businesses from the island of Ireland and France came together in Bordeaux this week to take part in a B2B workshop and networking event organized by Tourism Ireland. The businesses met with local travel agents to inform and educate them about the island of Ireland and, in particular, its lesser-known attractions and hidden gems.

Tourism Ireland’s manager for Southern Europe, Monica MacLaverty, commented, “Our workshop and networking event was an excellent opportunity to meet, and do business with, travel agents in Bordeaux, ensuring that the island of Ireland is ‘top of mind’ for the travel agents this year when recommending and booking holidays for their clients.

“With Aer Lingus and Ryanair flights from Dublin to Bordeaux, our aim is to highlight ease of access to Ireland for people living in this part of France. We are also aiming to drive growth to the regions and to encourage French holidaymakers to travel to Ireland in the shoulder season months.”

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Cunard cruise line uncorks line-up of speakers for 2019 Wine Voyage

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Luxury cruise line Cunard has announced that three of the leading wine connoisseurs and oenologists, will join Queen Victoria’s second annual ‘Voyage Du Vin’ on board Queen Victoria, setting sail in September. This round trip, 14-night voyage departs from Southampton, England, on September 6, and returns on September 20, 2019.

Oz Clarke, Will Lyons and Charles Metcalfe will headline the two-week voyage, which will sail to some of the leading wine regions of France, Spain and Italy including calls to Vigo, Mallorca, Livorno (for Florence) Cannes, Barcelona and Gibraltar. Guests will have numerous opportunities to go ashore and explore the diverse cultures, tastes and experiences each destination has to offer. Wine experts include:

• Oz Clarke is one of the world’s foremost wine connoisseurs, has written several award-winning books, and is generally regarded as leading Britain’s wine revolution in the 1990’s and 2000’s. Clarke said: “Whether you’re an existing wine buff, or simply have a love of fine wine, fine holidays and good times, the Voyage du Vin 2019 is sure to delight. I’m already looking forward to joining Queen Victoria in September.”

• Will Lyons is an award-winning columnist and broadcaster who has publishes a weekly column on wine, formerly in The Wall Street Journal and now The Sunday Times. His humorous, informed, down-to-earth writing has been recognized in both the Glenfiddich and Roederer wine writing awards.

• Charles Metcalfe is the International Wine Challenge’s co-chairman and is one of the best-known wine critics in Britain.

“We are delighted to have this group of experts join the second annual Voyage du Vin,” said Josh Leibowitz, SVP Cunard North America. “This is an extraordinary way for wine enthusiasts to taste some of the world’s leading wines and visit the regions where they were made, all while travelling in style on board the iconic Queen Victoria – only on Cunard.”

Along with talks from the experts, guests will experience daily wine tastings, pairings and fine dining, featuring over 400 wines from 23 countries.

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International Happiness Day: How Abu Dhabi Airports celebrates

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In celebration of International Happiness Day on March 20, Abu Dhabi Airports has announced the results of the Abu Dhabi Airport’s “happiness index” for 2018. The company’s happiness indicator revealed that 82% of passengers were happy with their experience at Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) last year. In addition, 89% of passengers reported their happiness with the airport’s services in March 2018, and 88% in October 2018, which are exceptionally high monthly figures for an international aviation hub.

Abu Dhabi Airports also measures its customers’ satisfaction through its implementation of the Airports Council International’s (ACI) Airports Service Quality (ASQ) survey program since 2006. The company officially started measuring happiness in October 2017 with the implementation of the Interactive Feedback system and additional surveys, where both results are combined and averaged with the aim of achieving a passenger happiness rate of more than 75% by 2019.

Abu Dhabi Airports records the happiness of its customers by requesting their input at feedback mounts installed throughout Terminals 1 and 3 at AUH, in addition to conducting monthly surveys in the terminals. Both the feedback mounts and surveys ask passersby if they are happy or unhappy with their overall experience at the airport.

Bryan Thompson, CEO of Abu Dhabi Airports, said: “Providing our customers and passengers with an exciting experience and making sure they are happy with our services and their overall travel experience is among our foremost priorities. We continue to launch initiatives to ensure the happiness and comfort of our passengers and staff, as this is an important part of our commitment to excellence and forms a part of our vision of becoming the world’s leading airports group.”

Abu Dhabi Airports is committed to enhancing its customer experience by celebrating national holidays, providing travellers with special services and the opportunity to win prizes, and making available exceptional offers at its retail and food and beverage outlets. Furthermore, the company launched last year its Customer Happiness Ambassador Program designed to showcase Abu Dhabi’s unique brand of Arabian Hospitality.

In addition, Abu Dhabi Airports continues to ensure a seamless travel experience through the provision of premium and exclusive services such as ultra-fast Super-Fi internet access, remote check-in, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection pre-clearance services, available exclusively in the region at Abu Dhabi International Airport.

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Older travelers still want adventure

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While much adventure travel information is aimed at young backpackers, recent research revealed travel is not just the domain of the young with middle-aged Brits still working their way through a wish list of destinations.

Older travelers haven’t lost their adventurous spirit

The poll of 2,000 adults aged 40 and above showed the average 40-something still has 7 countries to visit on their travel bucket list. In fact, over 40s reckon they have only visited a quarter of the countries they dream of going to around the world with popular backpacking destinations New Zealand, Canada, and Australia top of the list.

It also emerged that more than 6 in 10 are already looking forward to at least one trip abroad in 2019. Three in 10 over 40s even reckon they are more adventurous with their holiday choices now than they ever used to be with 38 percent preferring to go off the beaten track when they travel abroad. And rather than sitting by the pool, a fifth of over 40s have tried snorkeling on a trip abroad and more than one in 10 have been on a safari.

Why it’s better to travel in the later years

The study also found nearly half of over 40s polled say they go on more holidays now than at any other point of their lives with 6 in 10 putting this down to having more money now than they did in the past. And a quarter think it’s easier to get away and go jet-setting around the globe because their kids are older, while 46 percent have more time, according to the research.

Another 40 percent think their lives have simplified enough so they now have more freedom – in their 50s or beyond – to see the globe. And more than one in 5 have also gone travelling and taken a month or more off from work to visit different countries.

Aimee of Rough Guides who conducted the research said: “Travel is no longer the sole preserve of the young. It is important that the travel industry gives older travelers the same opportunities to have adventurous travel experiences as younger people if they want to and not dismiss them as being too old or boring.”

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