SPAA SUMMER BALL TO TAKE PLACE IN EDINBURGH'S ASSEMBLY ROOMS

Generally viewed as a great time to relax and enjoy the atmosphere, the ever popular SPAA Summer Ball -sponsored this year by Air Canada, Edinburgh Airport and Travelport, with Classic Collection sponsoring the entertainment, will return to Edinburgh in 2013.

The event will be held in the totally refurbished Assembly Rooms in George Street on Thursday 27th June.

Tickets will be available at a cost of £98 + VAT (£980 + VAT for a table of 10) and they go on sale early next week. Contact SPAA Secretary Janice Hogarth at jhogarth@spaa.org for more details.

MTB 28/04/2013

CHAS - THE SPAA'S DESIGNATED CHARITY + THE WORTHIEST OF CAUSES

Introducing CHAS (Children's Hospice Association Scotland) - the SPAA's newly designated charity - to Members and guests at the recent Spring Networking Lunch, charity fundraiser Kirsten Dougan provided both an overview of its day to day activities and funding requirements, and a personal and moving story of one family helped by the charity through a heartbreaking time in the past year.

CHAS operates Scotland's only hospices specifically designed for children with life-shortening diseases - Rachel House in Kinross and Robin House in Ballater. The charity provides respite care - from 3 days to 3 months - for affected families; emergency care for when family carers are indisposed; end of life care and bereavement care for up to 500 families, all at an annual cost of around £8 million. Funding comes solely from donations from the general public.

To illustrate the charity's day to day work, Kirsten related the story of a young family - a couple in their thirties with a daughter of 4 years and a younger son with a life-threatening illness - whose symptoms included almost constant seizures. CHAS provided the family with a nine week stay in Rachel House, during which the calm, empathetic and supportive atmosphere largely eliminated the boy's seizures. Following his passing, the family returned to Rachel House for a bereavement counselling visit - accommodated in the same bright, airy and comfortable room as previously, and helped to recover from the trauma of his loss.

The SPAA will be supporting CHAS at a number of its events during the coming year, and more information on the charity and how to help can be requested by emailing Kirsten at kirstendugan@chas.org.uk

MTB 21/04/2013

SPAA TRAVEL QUIZ 2013 - CALLING ALL QUIZ FANS!

From SPAA Secretary Janice Hogarth

Calling all you Quiz fans!

SPONSORS : Virgin Atlantic  /  Aberdeen, Edinburgh & Glasgow Airports  /  Superbreak

It's that time of year again and I hope you're ready to take on the challenge of this year's Quiz!

We're extremely grateful to our sponsors who this year will be :

Virgin Atlantic
Aberdeen, Edinburgh & Glasgow Airports
Superbreak

We're delighted to announce the launch of the Quiz, which includes some great prizes, including :

First Prize - 2 return transatlantic flights from Virgin Atlantic
Second Prize - A state-of-the-art Kindle Fire from your three favourite Scottish airports
Third Prize - A weekend mini breaks voucher from Superbreak

All Members and Associates are invited to enter teams of three at our evening heats in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen, and the runners-up and winners of each heat will battle it out at the final in Glasgow on Thursday 13th June at Travel 2's offices.

The heats are being held as follows : -

Glasgow        -  Tuesday 14th May at Travelport's offices
Edinburgh   -   Tuesday 21st May at the Hilton Grosvenor Hotel
Aberdeen     -  Tuesday 28th May at the Aberdeen Douglas Hotel

Our sponsors will be providing some great prizes for the heat winners - including tickets on Virgin's new Little Red domestic network - and there will, of course, be tickets for the top three teams to the SPAA Travel Awards 2013 Dinner on Thursday 7th November.

So ... get your team together for this fun - but serious - competition, and let either our QuizMaster Aman Kohli (akohli@spaa.org), or Janice Hogarth (jhogarth@spaa.org) know the names by e-mail as soon as possible.

Further details will then be sent to you relating to the times, venue and formats for each heat - once all the entries are in. Please note that at each heat there will be a bar and light buffet at 6.30pm before the Quiz starts at 7.00pm - and all supporters will be welcome!

JH 06/04/13

futureSPAA NEWS - MARCH 2013

For a change, it is nice to be writing April’s newsletter without snow, or, indeed, the threat of snow!! Dare we think that spring is on the way?? However, even if spring decides not to show face yet, there is, as always, lots happening in the world of Scottish Travel.

The time has come for all you quiz fanatics – yes it’s that time of the year get your teams ready for the ever popular SPAA Quiz. Heats will be held in Glasgow on the 14 May, Edinburgh on the 21 May and Aberdeen on the 28 May with the grand final taking place in Glasgow on 13 June 2013. This year our sponsors are Virgin Atlantic, Aberdeen Glasgow and Edinburgh Airports and Superbreak. Prizes up for grabs are 2 x transatlantic flights with Virgin, state of the art Kindle Fires and weekend break vouchers! Get your teams together and email jhogarth@spaa.org or akohli@spaa.org with the names asap! Remember you got to be in it to win it!!

Lufthansa – Did you know that, as of 08 April 2013, clients will have a choice of six non-stop flights per week from Glasgow to Dusseldorf , offering both comfortable economy and spacious business class cabins. This service, which, with effect from June 2013, will increase to seven times a week, will enable passengers to connect to Lufthansa’s extensive European network from Dusseldorf . For more information, take a look at http://www.lufthansa.com/

Air France is delighted to offer a new service of five weekly flights, with effect from 16 April 2013, between Paris and Uruguay ’s capital city of Montevideo (via Buenos Aires ). This service will bring the total South American cities served by Air France/ KLM to fifteen. Also, your clients will now benefit from improved connectivity & flying options, as the frequency will increase to four times daily from Edinburgh to Charles de Gaulle and five times daily from Glasgow to Amsterdam.

Easyjet – Scotland’s largest airline has officially announced six brand new routes from Edinburgh Airport, i.e. Hamburg, Reykjavik, Berlin, Prague, Copenhagen and Dubrovnik. In order to service these new routes, two new aircraft will be added to its Edinburgh base and 160 new jobs will be generated!

Flybe - something from MY local airport!! Flybe has a brand new service commencing this winter from Inverness to Geneva. This service will operate on Saturdays starting 21 December and run until 23 February 2014. Now, there’s a wee alternative when all the Glasgow & Edinburgh ski charters are full! Also, don’t forget, packages from Inverness can now be sold through Inghams.

Remember, as of 27 March, the rate of the economy plus product has increased to £23.00 for domestic routes and £24.00 for international routes.

All Flybe flights are now on sale through to 23 Feb 2014.

Classic Collection - Earn M&S vouchers: - £5.00 per passenger on all Summer/Winter bookings & £10.00 on all new Zante booking; £20.00 Café Rouge vouchers on all France & Monaco bookings, plus, a gorgeous bouquet or chocolate hamper on all bookings over £8000.00

Red Sea Holidays – Have you booked your summer holiday yet? If not, fancy the Red Sea, log onto http://www.redseaholidays.com/, use your agent log in, click on the blue button “agents concessions” on the right hand side and the agent will receive 50% discount (t’s&c’s apply) With prices from only £449.00 for 4* all inclusive from Glasgow it’s well worth a look!

Superbreak - Who would like to win a couple of tickets to see Runrig on their 40th Anniversary tour at the Black Isle Showground (near Inverness ) on10 August? To be in with a chance of winning tickets (which includes entrance to the private after show party) and, also, a chance to meet the band, all you need to do is book as many clients with Superbreak throughout the month of April to this gig and your clients will also receive 25% discount on the ticket element of the package!

Norwegian Cruise Lines – To celebrate the launch of the 2014-15 preview brochure, Norweg ian Cruise Lines is giving guests the opportunity to save up to £500.00 per stateroom on European cruises and Atlantic crossings and up to £400.00 on all other destinations. Norweg ian Breakaway, which is the newest and most innovative ship to date, has successfully completed her technical and nautical sea trials off the coast of Norway and Denmark .

Glasgow Airport is delighted to announce new exciting routes to Warsaw and Gdansk with Wizz Air. Also, look out for new and exciting destinations from Jet2, including Croatia . Flybe will also add Shannon to its network. Don’t forget, this Airport appreciates travel agents and offer great discounted rates for car park & lounge access. For further details contact glatradesupport@glasgowairport.com

Crystal - By booking your customers on selected Summer departures from Glasgow to Verona you can earn £10.00 Love2Shop vouchers. This incentive is valid for bookings made between 6 and 20 April, with qualifying departure dates being18, 25, 29 May and 01 June. Just e-mail Susan.allan@specialistholidays.com by 01 May with booking details.

Hurtigruten has extended its £120.00 onboard credit per cabin until 31 May for selected departure dates. Also, there are still prizes available on the “120 prizes over 120 days” promotion - just visit http://www.hurtigruten.agents.co.uk/. There is a new webinar system which offers staff training and consumer presentations so, if you would like to reserve a slot, please contact Daniel.giles@hurtiguten.com

Emirates – If you book Emirates between now and 30th June you could be jetting off to Dubai , all you need to do is book flights from Newcastle or Glasgow and you will be entered into the weekly draw to win a pair of economy tickets. Simply email scotlandsls@emirates.com with ‘Spring’ and your Emirates locator in the subject line before 30 June 2013.

Who fancies a wee night out at the SPAA Summer Ball? Just book anywhere on the Emirates network from Glasgow during April & May and send your details to scotlandsls@emirates.com with “SUMMER BALL INCENTIVE, EK LOCATOR OR EK FLIGHT NUMBER DATE AND NAME” in the subject line and you will be entered into the draw to win a place at this year’s event. Get booking!

Virgin Atlantic Remember, this airline is starting from Edinburgh and Aberdeen , so make sure you have a look at the attached Key Selling points, which contains lots of interesting information!

Now, finally, I would like to introduce two new ladies to you all - starting with Amanda Middler who has been appointed as the new Sales Manager for Scotland with Silversea Cruises and, bmi Regional, has appointed Jenna Donaldson as its Regional Sales Manager. I have no doubt these ladies will be visiting you all very soon!

Well that is all for now. I hope you all have a great weekend!

Gayle - Future SPAA
06/04/2013