May 2008 Archives

Entitled 'Some sad news . . .', this is what Silverjet is sending out to travel agents. The message is from Ann-Maria Stacey, Silverjet's corporate sales manager.

I really hope this hits your email before you read it or hear it from anyone else, but I'm really genuinely upset to tell you that unfortunately we have not been able to come to an agreement with our potential new investor and have had no choice but to suspend operations this morning and appoint an administrator who will take over the running of the company from later today.

They are trying to develop a rescue package but as you hopefully know I like to be honest with you, and I am not sure if that will have any chance of happening, but we will know for definite in a few days, I will of course keep you updated on this, but in the meantime all Silverjet employees duties have officially come to an end today. However if you need me please do call me or email me and I will do the best I can to help you.

The business-only airline has ceased operations today. From a statement on the Silverjet homepage:

Your belief in us was shared by our investors - but regrettably, due to unforeseen circumstances, they were unable to unlock the finance that we needed. As a result, we are very sad to announce that from 30 May 2008, we will cease operations and we are no longer able to honour flight reservations.

We extend our sincerest apologies to those of you who have travel plans with Silverjet in the future and at present. You are advised to seek alternative travel arrangements with other carriers, and contact your credit card company or travel agent directly for information on obtaining refunds.

Apparently Silverjet is seeking alternative investment, so all is not irretrievably lost - but with Eos and MAXjet also gone, and oil prices continuing to rise, surely only die-hard risk takers will be willing to invest in a business-class-only airline right now.

Is it time to say Sir Richard Branson called it right on business-only airlines?

This story explains some traffic spikes over the last week.

Not sure why a fashion magazine is called New Travel Weekly. And not sure what possessed the mag to run the story in the first place.

Martin Couzins, managing editor

Craig Daniels and Mads Kristensen are due to start an epic tuk-tuk journey this weekend. Here is how they describe it on their site 2crazynuts.com.

Through 4500km of the roughest terrain from Kathmandu, Nepal to Pondicherry, Southeast India....A path through the ancient, and at times vertical, donkey dirt-tracks across the Himalayas....Then down south through India's unpaved roads, jungle tracks and complete lack of roads, towards the end destination.

I cannot quite believe a tuk-tuk will make it up and down mountainous tracks, especially in monsoon. The aim is to raise money for The Prostate Cancer Charity.

Can't arguw with the cause, but can't help there is something of the Max Gogarty/Mark Boyle about this.

We've had some great pics in from Azamara Cruises - this is the 593-foot Azamara Journey sailing into London for the first time. It's one of the largest cruise ships that has ever docked in central London.

Nathan Midgley, web producer

It might sound goofy, but the story that Frontier Airlines is increasing its antler fee to $100 is indicative of the fee mania that is sweeping passenger aviation as fuel prices and a wobbly global economy put airlines under pressure. (Spot: Jaunted.)

The fees argument needs little retreading: passengers hate paying more for services they consider standard, but airlines argue that by 'unpackaging' prices they are allowing customers to opt out of paying for services they may not need.

This is logical enough, but comes unstuck in practice: unpackaging implies removing the cost of a service from the baseline price and making it optional, not adding it and making it optional. Customers see the distinction very clearly, and the attempt at sleight-of-hand only makes them angrier.

They also don't like it when the extra service they pay for fails to materialise. The Trading Standards Authority isn't keen either, and recently warned easyJet and Ryanair that failure to deliver priority boarding to those who have paid for it verges on fraud.

Anyway, apparently Frontier is not the first airline to charge a specific antlers fee - a spokeswoman told Forbes that it is common for passengers to check them in during hunting season.

I would love - love - to see a pair of antlers at the airport. Photos and stories of oddities on the baggage carousel will always be welcome at TW Blog...

Nathan Midgley, web producer

TW Group editor-in-chief Penny Wilson sends this from last night's Travel Weekly Midlands Travel Trade Ball at the Birmingham Hilton Metropole hotel.

This industry clearly knows how to enjoy itself! But not so much for Lisa Mcewan, First Choice manager in Redditch, who took one look at the night's main entertainer, a snake charmer, and announced: "If he comes near me with that thing I am orf." He did. And she was.

More pictures and reports from the event to come on Travel Weekly.

Martin Couzins, managing editor

TW's Louise Scott recently joined Texas Tourism and a group of travel agents to see a production of Buddy at the Duchess Theatre in London's West End to celebrate the life of the legendary singer songwriter who hailed from Lubbock, Texas.

Pictured are Texas Tourism staff backstage with the award-winning cast.

Martin Couzins, managing editor

If you've been following Google's pay-per-click advertising changes - which allow brands to bid on each others' trademarks, a practice not previously allowed - take a look at this open post over at Travolution.

Commenters Small Mystery Operator and Ivan Izikowitz argue that bidding against a competitor's trademark will never take off because it just isn't cost-effective:

• Firstly, costs are driven up by competition for the big-ticket trademarks (not least from the brands which own them).
• Secondly, you are paying to reach users who are less receptive. (Someone who searches for 'Paris short break' is yet to make a brand decision, but someone who searches for, say, 'Superbreak' already has.)

Of course, there are situations in which you might convert the latter - but you're pretty much relying on your search result entry to do so. Unless you have killer copywriters working on your SEO, it isn't going to be worth the outlay.

Travolution reported last week that a number of consumer brands have met to consider a class action against Google. ABTA head of legal Simon Bunce was also present.

Looks like there is plenty of mileage in this story yet. Travo has a Google trademark coverage page with links to all the relevant stuff.

Nathan Midgley, web producer

For all the talk about how the credit crunch may or may not be affecting travel, the latest CBI Services Sector survey shows that travel is faring better than other service sectors. This is line with what the likes of TUI and Thomas Cook are telling us.

This is what the survey says . . .

Looking at the sub-sectors, the only consumer services sector to report growth in business volumes over in the past 3 months was travel services. However, these firms incurred rapid cost rises and, with limited ability to pass these onto customers, their profitability fell at the fastest rate for five years.

But there has been a huge slide in profits so costs are a problem for the travel industry even though the demand is there.

NOTE: The survey sample was not big - it was conducted between 23 April and 7 May 2008 and 143 firms responded.

Martin Couzins, managing editor

Ever wondered what it would be like to go to a romantic couples' resort on your own? Travel Weekly chief sub Megan Turner knows...

Sandals likes to brand its Caribbean resorts as 'created for two people in love', so you can imagine the suspicion I aroused on a recent Sandals fam trip to Jamaica when I requested a table for one at breakfast.

I was shown to my table, which was surrounded by several other breakfasting couples - in love.

I sensed that all eyes were on solitary me. From a distance I could hear the cogs whirring as my fellow diners' imaginations went into overdrive: "I bet she's had a ruckus with her hubby and she's left him to stew while she contemplates divorce over a toasted waffle."

"Evil cow," I imagined another onlooker whisper, "she's only been married five minutes and she's killed him already. She probably buried him on the beach."

As I self-consciously slurped my tea, the sound of Chic's song 'Soup for one' played out in my head. This was depressing.

I got up and headed for the toaster, where I was accosted by a British woman who, without seeing fit to greet me first, asked: "Are you getting married?"
"No," I replied, with an amused look.

"Oh. It's just that we were wondering why you were eating breakfast alone. We thought you might have been avoiding the groom on your wedding day."

I explained why I was there and she returned excitedly to her husband with her toast to tell all.

"She's a journalist..." I heard the woman say.

"Ohhhhhhhh..." I imagined the other listening-in couples say, their fun ruined, before returning to their petit dejeuner a deux.

Megan Turner, chief sub-editor

Just been commenting on Hotel Blogs, which has flagged up TUI Travel's garish Youtube page.

Hotel Blogs author Guillaume is aghast, but one commenter reckons the page was designed to mesh with the 'make everything look awful' aesthetic common among MySpace users.

My take is that aping the folly of teenagers - if indeed that is what TUI was attempting - looks more like desperation than considered design. Harsh?

[Usage note: 'an epic fail' is fine on the internet...]

Nathan Midgley, web producer

Travel Weekly reporter Edward Robertson attended Cox & Kings' 250th anniversary bash last night...

Cox & Kings celebrated their 250th anniversary in style last night by throwing a dinner for their 100 top-selling agents.

Held at The Royal Garden Hotel Kensington, the event proved to be a lively affair with pre-dinner drinks, dinner, a band and more post-dinner drinks all taken care of by the operator.

A prize draw with seven luxury trips given away also guaranteed certain guests had mile-wide smiles by the end of the evening.

The evening proved a lot of fun, and agents were quick to explain what makes Cox & Kings stand out:

World Market Travel co-owners Peter and Tim Giles, who had travelled up from Bath:

It's really down to the places that they go to like South America or India that means you can't beat them. They have the best guides who know 100% what they're talking about and with the small groups they organise they're very different from other companies.

We know our clients will be treated in the manner they expect which you don't always get with other operators.

...and Bailey's Travel managing director Chris Bailey:

They take customers to places like India and South America that you can't send people to yourself.

Edward Robertson, reporter

So: the Ladbrokes vs BA row, in which boss Chris Bell ends his company's relationship with the airline over an attempt to bump his 14-year-old daughter and her friend from a flight.

Never mind the diva overtones - private matters influencing boardroom decisions is just not the cool, dispassionate behaviour we expect from our businesspeople - it was British Airways' response that raised my eyebrows.

A spokesperson told the BBC that:

As soon as staff realised that Mr Bell was travelling with the two girls, the issue was resolved.

So... if they were unaccompanied 14-year-olds, booting them off their flight after check-in would have been okay?

Or perhaps we should read it as, "When staff realised it was Mr Bell, and not some ordinary punter, they made an effort to accommodate him."

Neither interpretation does the airline much credit, does it?

Nathan Midgley, web producer

Is this a good or a bad thing? Go holiday hunting on Flexibletrips and then hit search. While you wait for the results you get a minimal version of the classic video game Breakout.

See the dot and paddle at the bottom of the screen grab - told you it's minimal.

I enjoyed the game, but then wondered why it took so long to return the search results.

Good thing: a great way to while away the time waiting for the search results
Bad thing: the search results should not take so long you can squeeze in an old school video game.

Martin Couzins, managing editor

Just had this press release in from Aeroflot.

Aeroflot on top of its game as English football fans flock to Moscow

Aeroflot has made preparations to ensure a safe and timely arrival for some of the 50,000 English football supporters attending the UEFA Champion's League Final in Moscow tonight.

The Russian airline has announced that the influx of English visitors to Moscow, spurred by what is set to be a historic match between archrivals Manchester United and Chelsea, *will not lead to any delays* or congestion at its base airport Sheremetievo.

* This is the bit I liked.

We have been told!

I am trying to imagine BA taking the same tone . . .

Martin Couzins, managing editor

We reported recently on the launch of Locate, a Foreign and Commonwealth Office initiative that allows travellers to register their holiday plans online. Here's where I've been commenting...

Travolution: Kevin waxes sceptical, arguing that few will want to give their personal details to a Government department.

Musings on Travel Ecommerce: Alex Bainbridge backs the service, citing a couple of instances in which he has needed FCO assistance - but he adds that the service needs a 'registration API' so retailers can bring it into the booking process.

Nathan Midgley, web producer

The Virgin boss talks to journalists about his space tourism business on a Virgin Atlantic and Kenya Tourist Board trip to the Masai Mara in May 2008...

Video by Travel Weekly's news ed Michelle Perrett

Prime minister Gordon Brown is appealing to the masses by asking them to upload questions to the PM's Youtube site - Ask the PM.

He will answer the most popular questions. We had a quick chat in the TW office and decided to ask Gordon about 'green' taxes on airlines and why they aren't spent on green initiatives.

The most voted for questions get answered, so we need your votes. Voting starts on 26 MAY so be sure to vote then. We will remind you!

Martin Couzins, managing editor

More from news editor Michelle Perrett's trip to Kenya with Virgin...

Esther Ranson was basically the best dressed woman on the whole trip. At every event she had a new gorgeous outfit and looked stunning, putting the rest of us messy lot to shame.

We left the Maasi Mara on Saturday, having eaten some of the best food, had some of the most amazing service, seen prides of lions literally metres away and been treated like royalty by the Kenyan people and the Sarova Mara Lodge.

We all tried to get our photo taken with Esther, who showed us a pose which her Strictly Come Dancing partner Anton du Beke had taught her. Apparently it takes 10 years and 10 pounds off you. All the female journalists agreed to use it in future...

Michelle Perrett, news editor

Thanks to Gadling for pointing us to the work of scientist Charles Ehret who has developed a diet to beat jet lag.

Not sure how it works - it costs a few quid to get your bespoke diet - but it has been proven to work on servicemen.

I'm just casting around the office to see who will be the TW guinea pig.

Martin Couzins, managing editor

I've just been commenting on a post about fast food chains coming to Cusco, Peru (jump-off point for most Macchu Pichu tours) over on Travel Rants.

It's a good topic for discussion. As tourists we can all rehearse the reasons for not wanting KFC, McDonalds and Starbucks to move in, but not wanting them to come is the easy part. You also have to justify keeping them away.

See also: my post on Prague's culture debate last week.

Nathan Midgley, web producer

More from news editor Michelle Perrett in the Masai Mara...

The big news on Saturday was that Richard Branson had arrived in the Masai Mara - naturally, everyone was excited to meet him.

Branson has been very supportive of Kenya during its troubles, and had come to open a new school which has been partly funded by Virgin Atlantic frequent flyers.

Sir Richard approached me with a kiss on the cheek. I managed to get one of the guys to take a photo of us (above), telling Branson it's for my mum. He said it was typical: women's mums now fancy him!

Later hundreds of locals gathered at the official opening ceremony of the Sekenani Primary School. I sat in the press area, only to find I was sitting directly behind the man himself and thus had a good chance of making it onto Kenyan TV.

The children celebrated by singing about how important education is to them. They were so happy and so excited to have a school. Many of us got a little teary as we realised what a big event this was for the community

Michelle Perrett, news editor

Wired has a brief article about Tracks4Africa, a non-profit devoted to mapping Africa for travellers.

Its products include user-content driven GPS maps:

Today's trekkers can simply rent a Land Rover, set off into the bush, and put their trust in the wisdom of the 1,400 people who have submitted GPS data to Tracks4Africa, a nonprofit that maintains the Traveller's Africa software.

The full set of maps includes 50,000 points of interest, and covers 300,000 miles of road. T4A vets user submissions and releases an upgrade three times a year, so there's little danger of the kind of information vandalism that Wikipedia sometimes suffers from.

Would readers trust the software, or is a human guide essential if you want to go exploring?

Nathan Midgley, web producer

I won't name the company. From the press release:

As TV's favourite series, Benidorm, comes to a close this Friday, viewers are clearly yearning for more as Benidorm is experiencing a revival both on and off screen. The number of nights booked in Benidorm has almost doubled since ITV1 launched the sitcom...

From the Wikipedia entry for post hoc ergo propter hoc (Latin for "after this, therefore because of this"):

The fallacy lies in coming to a conclusion based solely on the order of events, rather than taking into account other factors. Many superstitious beliefs and magical thinking arise from this fallacy.

Other factors... perhaps something about cheap, known-quantity holidays having strong appeal in a floundering economy. But I'm speculating.

Also, TV's favourite series? Benidorm? Did I miss a meeting?

Nathan Midgley, web producer

News editor Michelle Perrett has joined tour operators and journalists on a trip to the Masai Mara, hosted by Virgin Atlantic and Kenya Tourist Board...

To get to the Maasai Mara takes another 35 minutes by plane to Keekorok airstrip after landing at Nairobi. Then there is another 30 minute jeep ride to Sarova Mara Lodge.

The view is unbelievable as the convoy of jeeps make it through to long grass on tracks and dirt roads to the safari resort.

Our driver points out the wildlife in the distance telling us the long grass is rife with both black mambo and green mambo snakes.

He stops to point out the Sausage Tree - it has a strange array of sausage shaped fruit - which the locals ferment and make into a potent alcoholic drink.

The Sarova Mara Lodge greets us with a row of Maasi warriors who sing and dance to welcome us.

The luxury tents we are staying in are amazing allowing you to see the bush and national park through your mosquito netted windows.

My tent is on the edge of the resort backing onto the park - where some of the staff tell me excitedly I could spot and elephant or a lion. I'm thinking it could be a long night...

Michelle Perrett, news editor

More from chief reporter Juliet Dennis, on a Bahamas Flavours fam trip in Nassau...

Good news to report from our fam trip in the Bahamas - the missing red bag has been found!

The reason? Pure holidaymaker error (and there we were, all prepared to blame British Airways...).

As suspected, another holidaymaker had picked up Helen's bag in error.

Fortunately both Helen and the lady who had decided to bring a similar red bag on holiday were re-united with their respective luggage.

So we could all enjoy rum cocktails and a nice bit of nosh courtesy of the Sheraton Cable Beach Resort in Nassau without Helen worrying about what she'd wear the next day, and without us all having to lend her a spare T-shirt!

News editor Michelle Perrett has joined tour operators and journalists on a trip to the Masai Mara...

Arriving by limo and being checked in at the special Virgin entrance at Heathrow is a spectacular way to start a trip to Kenya.

Through the genius of technology the driver contacts Virgin detailing the expected time of arrival and amount of luggage I need to check in making the arrival smooth and stress-free.

One of the most awful things about getting a flight is the queuing to get food and rush around duty free. But the Virgin Clubhouse is a treat in itself, designed like a trendy London bar or restaurant.

You can have a spa treatment, get a haircut, eat from the menu and have a glass of champagne while waiting to board.

I have a glass of champagne while waiting to interview the Minister for Tourism for Kenya, who has been on a 10-day trip in Europe promoting the country.

He wants to tell tourists that Kenya is now safe after the recent troubles, but is running late as he has been called to No. 10 for a meeting with foreign ministers.

On the eight-hour flight I managed a few hours sleep in the Upper Class beds, which are heaven.

In typical British style, everyone queues for the toilets to change and freshen before landing. That's Life TV presenter Esther Rantzen, who I'd spotted in the Clubhouse earlier, is now in the queue behind me. In typical non-British fashion she decides queuing to change is not the way forward - and decides to strip off her top.

I wasn't expecting to see so much of her on this trip. It turns out she is a travel writer and is going to be on the trip for four days with the other 35 journalists and operators.

More soon...

Michelle Perrett, news editor

A while ago I posted something speculative about the the destination marketing potential of big-ticket video games.

To recap, I reckon that the increase in video game penetration, combined with the bigger and better-looking game worlds made possible by modern hardware, mean that titles which represent or mimic real-world locations could boost visitor numbers in the same way blockbuster films traditionally have (Miss Potter for Cumbria, Moulin Rouge for Paris: you know the drill).

So I was interested when a friend forwarded me a flickr gallery making explicit the similarities between Liberty City, the setting for open-world masterpiece Grand Theft Auto IV, and New York. Here's a sample (original spot by Kotaku):

GTA IV is not the only one: forthcoming title Alone in the Dark is set in a meticulously recreated Central Park (albeit one full of zombies), and the climax of Legendary will apparently take place at our own Durham Cathedral (though that kind of thing can land you in trouble, as Sony recently found...).

Nathan Midgley, web producer

Martin has already posted a pic of this imposing gadget, which delivers a flying Google Maps tour of the Eurostar destination of your choice, but I managed to grab some video of it in action...

Nathan Midgley, web producer

A second dispatch from chief reporter Juliet Dennis, who has joined a Bahamas Flavours fam trip in Nassau...

It's not every day you get to hug and snog a dolphin. But that's exactly what we got to do yesterday as part of Bahamas Flavours' educational.

Dolphin Encounters is a centre that is accessed from Nassau on a short boat ride and intends to look after dolphins and sea lions as well as allow them to show off their party tricks - and some close encounters with their human friends. It's a great day trip for agents to recommend to customers planning on visiting the Bahamas.

For our part, we got to go into the water to meet one of the dolphins, who was so tame he gave us all a hug, several kisses (okay I got four!) and provided he was given plenty of fish, let us stroke him too, bless him.

One of the sea lions we met had been rescued from an aquarium after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans. The poor creature has been so traumatised by the hurricane that he's lost the sight of his eyes and is deaf in one ear.

But clearly he's improving fast - he wasted no time in showing us a few choice spins and loud coughing noises. And word has it he has been intimate with at least two pregnant sea lions at the centre, so clearly he's got his mojo back too.

Meanwhile, we also visited a few properties in the Nassau area, the funkiest of which was Compass Point. It has huts of every colour - so a real Caribbean feel to it - some of which are on stilts.

The huts, which have a lovely rustic feel, sit right next to the beach and there's also all the usual facilities (pool, restaurant, Internet).

Definitely worth booking for clients who want a smaller property that offers an alternative to a hotel. There's even self-catering facilities there too, not to mention a view to die for.

Juliet Dennis, chief reporter

Budget Travel reports that many US airports are to install 'StepScape' interactive floor ads by Reactrix.

Jaunted "can totally imagine groups of people hovering over 'em, cluttering up already crowded concourses." But look at the doggy...

Placement will obviously be an issue, but frankly I'd rather spend my wait time playing pretend football than wandering around another shop full of perfume, giant Toblerones and Johnnie Walker gift boxes.

Nathan Midgley, web producer

JetBlue Airways Corporation is facing a £1m lawsuit over allegedly ordering a passenger to sit in the toilet (reports the Sydney Morning Herald).

Gokhan Mutlu was travelling on a standby pass and bagged the last seat after a flight attendant agreed to take the crew 'jump seat'.

But he claims that she found the jump seat uncomfortable, and that the pilot subsequently told him to give up his own.

Mutlu says he was told that passengers are not allowed to sit in the jump seat, and instructed to 'go hang out in the bathroom'.

Hang out. Almost makes it sound fun, no?

Nathan Midgley, web producer

A nice spot from Bill Geist: apparently a new Beijing hotel called The Opposite House has 'eliminated the check-in counter' and will 'greet guests at their cars and escort them to their rooms, producing keycards with a handheld unit'.

Slick and sensible. Pinch me.

Opposite House is due to open in summer 2008 - ehotelier has more details on what to expect from the architecture and interiors.

The good news is that this is just the first property from Swire Hotels, which will open more in 'regional English towns and cities' (are there any other kind?) in 2009. So hopefullly the no-check-in innovation will reach these shores too.

Nathan Midgley, web producer

The Guardian reports that Prague's intellectuals are hitting back at the commercialisation of the city. They are two main (but related) complaints: first, the arrival of McDonalds, Starbucks and the rest; second, cuts to funding for the arts.

Here are the two sides of the argument in quotes:

'One of Prague's few legitimate claims to world-class status is its vibrant cultural scene, which in turn attracts a steady stream of international performers,' [said Prague Post editor Frank Kuznik]. 'That city officials are so willing to gut Prague's cultural life, while encouraging mindless commercial development, suggests at the very least a warped set of priorities.'

Officials and owners of Prague's popular music hall theatres have struck back at the intellectuals. One impresario said: 'We attract the tourists, we get the biggest local crowds, why should the difficult arty stuff get all the help?'

One answer? Because without a healthy fringe, the mainstream stagnates. The arrival of McDonalds, Starbucks and stage show franchises such as Mama Mia is inevitable - all the more reason to counterbalance them by protecting what is idiosyncratic and distinct.

For good or ill, that synthesis of global and local seems to be the only option available to major cities. And I'm playing devil's advocate here, but less confident travellers may even find it rather appealing...

Nathan Midgley, web producer

Juliet Dennis reports from Bahamas Flavour's fam trip to Nassau...

As most travel agents would no doubt agree, no fam trip would be complete without a few hitches along the way.

But none of our party of agents expected it to get off to a such a flying start when we arrived in lovely hot Nassau in the Bahamas on tour operator Bahamas Flavour's first educational trip for the trade.

We spent an hour in the arrivals hall waiting for luggage (thank God, only the Caribbean would have a bar next to the carousel serving up rum punch for us needy Brits), and then discovered one of our bags (and it would be the bright red one) had not turned up.

Poor Helen, from Universal Reservations travel agency, put on a brave face but even her patience was tested when the lady at the British Airways desk said she would file a report but there was very little she could do as she didn't have a phone. No phone? No computer? ...where are we?!!

After a bit of detective work we found a similar bag to Helen's with a different name on it - and concluded that another holidaymaker has walked off with her bag.

And so the search begins. Helen is now off at another resort, with our fantastic host Kim from Bahamas Flavour at her side, who is determined to track down the naughty Brit who picked up her bag.

(We have it on good authority from Jane, from Global Star Travel, that the party who have picked up Helen's bag were getting into the holiday spirit on board the flight and have already had a few drinks...)

Let's hope she finds it - the other scenario is that the bag's stayed on the BA flight and has gone to Turks and Caicos for the week. We all like to buy a few new clothes on holiday, but a whole new wardrobe?

Meanwhile, the hotel's business centre is shut on Sundays and it's taken me 40 minutes to find an Internet cafe (via a vast casino that is like a mini-Vegas, and I nearly got lost in there alone) and then the computer wouldn't accept my work American Express card... looks like I'll be needing a few rum punches myself later.

Juliet Dennis, chief reporter

The Metro reports today that Europe's biggest indoor ski slope Snoasis has got the go-ahead 'as long as problems with its environmental impact are sorted out'.

Hmm, still some way to go then. In the meantime, here is a picture of what it might look like.

The forums on the Snoasis site are very quiet, which is odd considering the amount of noise the anti-Snoasis protestors are making.

Martin Couzins, online editor

So you're in Ghent. You'll be needing some of that world-famous Belgian beer, but where's the best place to drink it? This is far from exhaustive, but I uncovered a couple of gems on my recent jaunt:

Dulle Griet

On Vrijdagmarkt. Dulle Griet claims to offer 250 beers - and while we didn't count 'em, the menu was very extensive. And delicious.

It speciality is 'Kwak Max', which is a large Kwak served in a glass so desirable that customers are asked to leave a shoe as a deposit. I didn't get a picture of it, but found one on flickr:

Mosquito Coast

Hot Club de Gand

A small, rootsy music venue down an alley off Groentenmarkt. There's a small courtyard out front and another room upstairs. We turned up just before midnight to find three young people doing remarkable things with a piano, double bass and drum kit.

Here are all three bars on a Google Map...

View Larger Map

Nathan Midgley, web producer

Travel Weekly's Flora Ioannou was in Ibiza at the the annual Pirates Charity Premiere which raised over €100,000 for Great Ormond Street Hospital.

While there, Flora asked some of the British soap stars - Tom Chambers, Rebecca Grant, Gaynor Faye, Linda Robson, Charlie Condou and Sue Cleaver - about their favourite and least favourite holiday destinations.

Martin Couzins, online editor

Following on from the news Cadogan Holidays is offering customers haggling lessons, we decided to cast around for examples of haggling.

Here we have a haggle over shoes. I had a similar experience in Marrakech a few years ago, which was remarkably similar to this . . .

Martin Couzins, online editor

I passed through Brussels on the way to Ghent over the weekend and snapped these pics:

A large-scale vending machine called 'Self Supermarket'. One of our party observed that it should have been called 'Roboshop'.

A television with isolated listening points. You can't hear a thing unless you stand on the orange spot.

...and this is Graslei, in the heart of Ghent itself. There are more Ghent pics in my Travel Weekly photo gallery.

(If you want to help us test the photo galleries by setting up one of your own, email jackie.david@rbi.co.uk.)

Nathan Midgley, web producer

No more headaches for travellers to Morocco who fancy some souk shopping.

Cadogan Holidays is offering travellers a unique addition to its Morocco Souks tour – haggling classes.

Its Marrakesh tour guides will run through the essentials of haggling with market traders and offer top tips on shopping hotspots, handicrafts and how to get the best deals.

Martin Couzins, online editor

BA's chief exec has told the House of Commons transport select committee that with hindsight he would not have moved into T5 when he did. TW's Ian Taylor was at the committee and here is his story.

Martin Couzins, online editor

Watch the House of Commons transport select committee grill BAA and BA on the Heathrow Terminal 5 fiasco live. BAA's Coiln Matthews and Nigel Rudd are currently being quizzed and BA's Willie Walsh is up at 4pm.

Watch the fun here.

Martin Couzins, online editor

Not often you get to see behind the scenes on a cruise ship but TW was shown the engine room and galleyon Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas. Here we have the engine room footage - six enormous diesel engines are used to power the ship (not all at the same time).

When we dropped in one engine was operating and the heat and noise was quite something.

Martin Couzins, online editor

This week is Sun Awareness Week - a part of the British Association of Dermatologists' campaign to raise awareness of skin cancer.

Good timing - this is the week in which the UK is getting warmer (it feels like summer - hoorah)and the press is full of tips on getting in shape for the beach.

Add to this the fact that half of Brits are unable to recognise changes to skin that could indicate cancer and that every four hours someone in the UK dies of skin cancer and you have some compelling reasons to think about the effects of tanning.

And here is a publicity stunt picture for a self-tanning product taken at St Pancras station to mark the start of Sun Awareness Week.

Martin Couzins, online editor

We like this picture because airport chaplains do not get a lot of press. This picture was taken at an airport chaplains event held recently at Southampton Airport.

Martin Couzins, online editor

Could French coastal resorts be hit by mosquitoes this summer? Apparently so . . .

Martin Couzins, online editor

Merlin Entertainments Group, owners of legoland, is working with Tatweer, a member of Dubai Holdings, to create Legoland Dubailand. This will be the first Legoland Park to be built outside of North America and Europe.

The news follows hot on the heels of the announcement of Dubailand's develeopment of a Super Heroes park.

So, what next for the developing super park?

Martin Couzins, online editor

FINAL UPDATE: They got to Paris and got there first.

8 May 8.08: Ed has just texted to say they have made it and were first over the finish line - this is a very different outcome (see last message from Ed) to the one he predicted!

Ed sent a picture. I was expecting a shot of a physically ruined man but this is what I got . . . well done to all the rowers.

UPDATE: I have been in text communication with Ed. Here is what he has been saying . ..

6 May 9.35: Still racing but not a chance of us winning. Don't really care as getting so much out of it but that probably leaves me at a bit of a loss for the 21st century [sic].

5 May 22.34: Started rowing at 4am and rowed 13 hours since then. On a rest right now but expect to be back in the boat within an hour and will remain there until 4am when we hope to reach Ampreville. Will thenn sleep a few hours in any space on the suppport boat. Amazingly still enjoying myself.

4 May 20.00: For me to even try and class this as a race is to degrade it utterly. i shall have even more of a thousand yard stare in the future! (Ed sits opposite me in the TW office).

4 May 20.35: We've arrived! ten minutes late after 32 hours rowing from Ramsgate to le havre.

4 May: 20.26: 5 hours early on first leg. Channel like a mill pond but hands f***ed already. These artist's tools will never work again.

TW's reporter Ed Robertson is rowing in the London to Paris challenge. A race between two cutter rowing boats. The fun started this morning at 11am when the race started at Westminster Bridge.

We'll be following Ed over the next six days to see how the team is doing. Received a text from Ed half an hour ago which read:

Having lost sight of the others we are now overtaking them as we reach the sea.

Today's leg from Westminster Bridge to Dover is 105 miles and should take 24 hours.

The race is non-stop . . . so don't peak too early, Ed.

Martin Couzins, online editor

BBC2 is kicking off a six-part series Wild China on Sunday 11 May at 8.05pm. The series has a nature/history slant but there will be some great footage of this vast nation.

And here is a list of the latest China travel posts on Travelblog.

Martin Couzins, online editor

TripAdvisor has just announced the results of its 2008 Travellers’ Choice Destinations - based on TripAdvisor user opinions.

Here are the top 10 best destinations in the world . . .

Milford Sound, New Zealand

Queenstown, New Zealand

Philipsburg, St. Maarten

Cayo Largo, Cuba

Rhodes, Greece

Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas

Cruz Bay, St. John

Bridgetown, Barbados

Banff, Canada

Lake Tahoe, California

Eurostar has unveiled a 'Google wall' at St Pancras Station which will allow travellers to experience 'fly-through views' of Eurostar destinations using its mapping technology.

The interactive screens will enable travellers to get a bird’s eye view of anywhere in Europe, and then to swoop down and fly in 3D through the centres of London, Brussels, Paris, Disneyland Paris, Lille, Avignon and Bourg St Maurice.

Travellers can also hover over famous landmarks, follow high-speed rail routes, head for the mountains, or even search for their own homes.

Martin Couzins, online editor

See what agents think of Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines' Independence of the Seas. And it looks as if size really does matter :-)

Martin Couzins, online editor