Organisations & Operators,

Specialist tour operator Journey Latin America has refreshed three of its Private Journeys offering visitors even better value for money in 2024 as well as the opportunity to explore some of the region’s off-the-radar locations.
COSTA RICA
Value Costa Rica: The Essential Highlights showcases the country’s top attractions: Tortuguero National Park, Arenal Volcano, Monteverde Cloud forest and Manuel Antonio in just 12 days. The holiday costs from £1,750 per person, almost £250 per person less than last year, and includes additional wildlife excursions in the Santa Elena Reserve and Manuel Antonio National Park. The price includes good-quality accommodation in beach and wilderness lodges, breakfast daily, two dinners, transfers and excursions. International flights are extra.
MEXICO
The enchanting silver cities that lie Northwest of Mexico City and are easily accessible by road yet are almost always overlooked by first-time visitors to Mexico. Each city has its own character: the university town Guanajuato built in a narrow gorge is a centre for music, theatre and dance, while the homely little town of San Miguel de Allende with cobbled streets and leafy plazas is a magnet for artist and Querétaro is renowned for its impressive colonial aqueduct. Journey Latin America’s 12-day Explore and Relax: Silver Cities to Pacific Coast holiday has been revamped to focus on San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato and Querétaro before ending on the jungle-fringed beaches of Zihuatanejo. The holiday costs from £3,830 per person and includes first-class hotels on a B&B basis, transfers, a domestic flight and excursions. International flights are extra.ADVERTISEMENTANTARCTICA
A holiday to Antarctica will offer a dazzling display of larger-than-life landscapes, a kaleidoscope of colours and a symphony of sounds. Along the shores and among the hauntingly beautiful bergs and glaciers thrives vociferous and always entertaining wildlife. Journey Latin America’s 14-day Signature Antarctica: Highlights of the Antarctic Peninsula has been refreshed to include a 10-day mid-range expedition cruise on board the Ocean Endeavour allowing guests the chance to camp on the ice, kayak and take a photography course. This excellent value-for-money holiday costs from £8,250 per person and includes an expedition cruise to Antarctica, full board during the cruise, domestic flights in Argentina, mid-range hotels on a B&B basis pre and post cruise, excursions and transfers. International flights are extra.
For further information contact Journey Latin America (020 8747 8315, journeylatinamerica.com)

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Villa Select launches its first ever collection of Crete villas with nine beautiful private-pool properties in the north of the Island – in the resorts of Rethymnon, Hersonissos, Prines, Armeni and Elounda. The beautiful new Crete collection is available for agents to book now, for stays in April 2024, through to end October starting from just £657* per week.
Becci Aldridge, Villa Select General Manager, said: “We are delighted to be expanding into a brand-new destination for 2024.  Our initial nine Crete Villas are all based in the North of the island and offer spacious modern living with private pools and there is a property for everyone, ranging from family bolt holes near the beach, to picturesque countryside villas. We plan to add further Crete properties in the coming months and our destination experts have been working hard to get to know the properties and resorts first hand – an invaluable resource for both customers and agents who may not be entirely familiar with the destination themselves”.
Villa Select specialists have visited every resort in the collection, so holidaymakers can be assured of first-hand knowledge and personal recommendations. From flights to car hire and local advice, Villa Select offers the highest level of service – recently achieving a Silver award in the 2023 British Travel Awards for ‘Best Travel Company for Villa Holidays’, for the third year running.
Trade friendly sample package: Joy of The Sea, Elounda, Crete. Sleeps 6 | 3 Bedrooms | 4 Bathrooms. Fri 05 Apr 2024, 7 nights. Accommodation only total Price £1,188 per week (Based on 6). With flights (return from London Gatwick inc. luggage) £5,496.

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Airport Handling, a majority-owned subsidiary of leading global air and travel services provider dnata, has been awarded a seven-year ground handling license by Aeroporti di Roma and will establish operations at Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO). The company is targeting to launch operations in the Italian capital in the second quarter of 2024.
Airport Handling will provide a range of quality and safe ramp and passenger services to airlines in Rome. It has already committed an investment of over €20 million to purchase new ground support equipment (GSE), including advanced electric vehicles. Having recruited a local senior management team, which is very familiar with the Rome market, Airport Handling is targeting to employ over 1,800 customer-oriented aviation professionals at FCO.
Airport Handling’s expansion into Rome further strengthens its position as a leading air services provider in Italy. A trusted partner of over 60 airlines, the company’s dedicated teams already handle more than 22 million passengers and 82,000 flights annually at the two Milan airports, Malpensa (MXP) and Linate (LIN).
Alberto Morosi, CEO of Airport Handling, said: “We are proud to have secured operating license at another leading Italian airport as a result of a highly competitive tender process. Expanding into Rome Fiumicino is a significant milestone that aligns with our growth strategy and underlines our commitment to consistently enhancing our operations.
“We look forward to working with the airport to deliver high quality and safe services for our airline customers and their passengers travelling to or through Rome. I thank our partners for their continued trust in our services and our team for their hard work and dedication.”ADVERTISEMENTThe majority stakeholder of Airport Handling is dnata, a global player in the combined air services industry, which operates at over 120 airports globally. Besides its ground handling business, dnata also provides catering & retail services at all major Italian airports, including Rome Fiumicino.
Serving over 300 airline customers, dnata’s customer-oriented teams handled more than 710,000 aircraft turns, moved over 2.7 million tonnes of cargo and uplifted 111.4 million meals in the financial year 2022-23.

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Frank Dobbelsteijn will join Swissport International AG on 1 January 2024 as Global Head of Operations. In his former role as Vice President for the Heathrow operation of Menzies Aviation and other senior roles in the aviation and logistics sector, he gained the frontline operational experience and the managerial credentials for this key position on Swissport’s Global Management team.
Swissport appoints Frank Dobbelsteijn as Global Head of Operations. With over 30 years of experience in several senior roles in the aviation and logistics sectors in Europe and the United States, Frank brings a wealth of expertise to his new role at Swissport. He will be responsible for aligning the company’s operational priorities with the overall strategic goals, while ensuring a consistent service delivery and above all safe operations.
“We are delighted to welcome Frank Dobbelsteijn aboard as Global Head of Operations,” says Warwick Brady, President & CEO of Swissport International AG. “With his vast experience in airport ground operations and the logistics sector, Frank is ideally prepared to take Swissport’s service delivery to the next level in terms of safety, reliability, customer centricity and consistent operational excellence.”
Frank Dobbelsteijn succeeds Richard Male, who has served as Swissport’s interim Director of Global Operations since April and recently decided to accept a job offer outside of the company.
Frank Dobbelsteijn’s background in logistics, aviation ground handling and passenger services will allow him to make quick progress towards even more stable operations while further enhancing the quality of Swissport’s service delivery to airline customers across the globe. Prior to joining Swissport, he played a pivotal role as Vice President of Menzies’ single largest station at London Heathrow Airport. He had previously served the company as Vice President USA West Coast and Vice President Los Angeles, start-up project manager Europe and General Manager low-cost division Amsterdam. He also served as Senior Station Manager at Amazon in Los Angeles, where he oversaw the company’s third-largest US distribution center in Los Angeles.ADVERTISEMENTAs the global leader in aviation ground services, Swissport is also setting the industry benchmark for safe airport operations and overall employee health and safety. The company sees its uncompromised commitment to safety as the key prerequisite for delivering superior operational excellence for its airline customers.

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Civitatis, the leading technological platform for booking Spanish-speaking activities, day trips, guided tours, and excursions worldwide – both in the B2C and B2B channels – has today announced a substantial growth in the number of products and supplier partnerships, projecting a significant increase in activities and partners by the close of 2023.
Comparing data from 2019, Civitatis has experienced exceptional growth of 200% in its product portfolio, rising from 29,000 to 87,000 activities available.
In a similar vein, the supplier partnership network has undergone a remarkable transformation, witnessing a rise from 3,500 providers in 2021 to over 6,000 at present, marking an impressive 71% increase.
This expansion has been driven by the internationalisation strategy of Civitatis, particularly targeting Spanish-speaking markets like Latin America, enabling access to superior suppliers, and amplifying the diversity of offerings available to customers.
The growth in product offerings and partnerships is also backed by the commitment of Civitatis to meeting evolving market demands and amplifying their global footprint, together with significant staff growth and increased investments in marketing efforts.ADVERTISEMENTAlberto Gutiérrez, Founder and CEO at Civitatis, commented, “The exponential growth in our product range and supplier partnership network is a testament to the dedication and hard work of the entire Civitatis team – but I’d also like to thank all those new supplier partners who have placed their trust in our global distribution capabilities. Our strategic focus on expanding our portfolio, particularly in LATAM, and forging strong alliances has positioned us one of the top handful of tours & activities online sellers in the world. We remain committed to furthering our international presence and enriching the travel experiences of our customers.”
This announcement follows recent news of remarkable growth in traveller numbers for Civitatis, predicting reaching a milestone of roughly 10 million travellers for 2023 by the close of the year, based on current year-to-date sales of almost 9 million.

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Global ferry operator DFDS has sailed to victory once again after being named the ‘World’s Leading Ferry Operator’ at the prestigious World Travel Awards.
Voted for by passengers and travel industry peers, the award acknowledges, rewards, and celebrates excellence in the travel, tourism and hospitality industries and represents DFDS’s commitment to unrivalled service, unparalleled reliability, and an unwavering dedication to passenger satisfaction.
The win wraps up a successful awards season for DFDS, having already secured the following accolades:
Europe’s Leading Ferry Operator 2023Europe’s Best Ferry Operator Website 2023World’s Best Ferry Operator Website 2023The grand final took place in Dubai at the iconic Burj Al Arab with DFDS taking home the highest honour in ferry travel at the landmark celebrations.
While reflecting on the record-breaking win, DFDS’s Vice-President and Head of Passenger, Kasper Moos, said: “The World Travel Awards represents the pinnacle of excellence in the travel industry, and to be named as the World’s Leading Ferry Operator for the 13th year running is an incredible honour.ADVERTISEMENT“Above all, it is testament to the passion and dedication demonstrated by each and every member of our team across the globe and the exceptional service they provide to our passengers.
“I am proud that our passengers choose DFDS time and time again and want to express my gratitude to everyone who voted for us. Their belief in our service inspires us to continually strive for excellence.”
DFDS operates a diverse network of ten passenger routes across Europe, carrying more than 4.7million passengers between:
Amsterdam-NewcastleCopenhagen-Oslo and Frederikshavn-OsloDover-Calais, Dover-Dunkirk, Dieppe-Newhaven and Rosslare-Dunkirk on the ChannelPaldiski- Kapellskär, Klaipeda-Karlshamn and Klaipeda-Kiel in the BalticsFor more information about DFDS’s ferry services please visit www.dfds.com

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Universal Destinations & Experiences, a division of Comcast NBCUniversal, officially introduces Universal Kids Resort – the company’s first-ever theme park designed specifically for families with young children. Located in Frisco, Texas and first announced earlier this year, this imaginative, original resort brings the company’s innovative style of storytelling to a new, younger audience.Universal Kids Resort will include a theme park featuring immersive themed lands that celebrate Universal’s iconic brand of entertainment, humor and fun – bringing to life its beloved characters and stories in ways that will wow the youngest theme park goers. It will feature family-friendly attractions, interactive and playful shows, unique merchandise, fun food and beverage venues and character meet and greets. The resort area will also include a 300-room themed hotel giving families a place to stay and to play following their day of adventure.
“Universal Kids Resort will inspire the unbridled creativity of kids through imagination, discovery and most importantly – play,” said Molly Murphy, President, Universal Creative. “We’re designing the resort so kids and families can feel the thrill of being physically immersed in their most beloved stories and characters.”
Set in lush green landscape with a distinctive look, feel and scale specifically for younger kids, the park will deliver the quality the Universal brand is known for worldwide.
Progress on the new concept is well underway following a groundbreaking in November. Universal Kids Resort will drive immediate economic impact for the region, creating thousands of jobs including more than 2,500 new construction jobs. Throughout the project, the company will remain focused on ensuring the resort adds value and positively serves the community.
Additional details about Universal Kids Resort will be revealed over time. To stay updated on all the company’s newest developments, visit corporate.universaldestinationsandexperiences.com.ADVERTISEMENTAbout Universal Destinations & Experiences (UDX)Universal Destinations & Experiences, a unit of Comcast NBCUniversal, offers guests around the world the most innovative, immersive and popular entertainment experiences. Our portfolio is comprised of world-class theme parks featuring the industry’s most thrilling and technologically advanced attractions, exceptional hotels and resorts, unique merchandise, games, virtual and live entertainment experiences. We use our rich collection of stories and franchises – from Universal Pictures, Illumination, DreamWorks Animation and more – to take people to places they couldn’t imagine while creating memorable and emotionally fulfilling moments for people of all ages.

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A total of 28 international airlines are now fully operational from the state-of-the-art Terminal A at Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH). All airlines operating from Abu Dhabi international Airport have now fully transitioned to Terminal A, marking a significant ramp up in capacity from the new terminal.
Terminal A is now the primary terminal serving Abu Dhabi International Airport, with flights arriving to and departing from the emirate, set to use the cutting-edge facilities available. The successful transition to Terminal A will facilitate a major increase in aviation capacity in Abu Dhabi, with the terminal able to process up to 45 million travellers annually and handle 79 planes at once.
Terminal A will enhance the passenger experience, providing seamless connectivity. The leading facilities available at Terminal A include biometric technology to streamline the screening and boarding process, and 35,000 square metres of retail and F&B space.
In November as a whole, it is forecast 7,669 flights will operate from Terminal A with already 1,557 flights operating in the first two weeks of operations. The number of flights operating from Terminal A is set to further increase in December to 12,220, as will the number of passengers using the new terminal projected to be 2.29 million.
Elena Sorlini, Managing Director and Interim Chief Executive Officer at Abu Dhabi Airports said: “With all airlines now operating from Terminal A, I’m pleased to announce a new era for operations at Abu Dhabi International Airport. Bringing new state-of-the-art facilities and a major increase in aviation capacity , Terminal A will greatly enhance the passenger experience, whilst enabling international airlines to further increase their presence in Abu Dhabi.”ADVERTISEMENT

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