Easter holidays with Thomson

Easter holidays with Thomson
Thomson offers easter holidays for a well earned break built with you in mind
Easter is just a few short weeks away and is a great time to take a richly-deserved break. Whether you want to spend your Easter holidays lazing in the sunshine, walk through stunning countryside or lounge on a terrace and drink in a spectacular view along with a cocktail – Thomson has it all.

Costa Del Sol – Spain
For a last minute holiday that offers sun, sand and sangria, why not travel to the Costa Del Sol. It takes less than three hours to travel to Spain’s mainland so you can say goodbye to the UK’s temperamental spring weather in the morning and be lying on the beach by the afternoon. The Hotel Nerja Club is a great hotel from which to discover Nerja and surrounding villages. Enjoy the British-style pubs and restaurants as well as Spanish tapas restaurants and bars or simply relax in this friendly, traditional style property on the outskirts of the resort. Live music is a regular fixture here and the weekly flamenco show is unforgettable!

Thomson offers seven night holidays in Spain staying at the 3T Hotel Nerja Club in the Costa Del Sol on a half board basis from £305 per person departing Doncaster-Sheffield Airport, 16th April, 2009 based on three sharing. Price includes return flights, all-inclusive accommodation, resort transfers and fuel supplements.

Madeira – Portugal
A relatively small island, Madeira has much to offer and is the perfect destination to welcome in the spring. From many historical monuments, squares and streets in the capital of Funchal to enchanting gardens, picturesque villages, amazing landscapes, impressive volcanic caves, rugged coast lines, beautiful natural beaches and, last but not least, breathtaking views, there is so much to see. This April also witnesses the annual Flower Festival, taking place on the 25th and 26th of the month, filling the streets of Funchal’s centre with floats displaying a myriad of flowers and colours. The area around Canico in particular is well-known for being a walker’s paradise as the vast network of levandas lead into the green hills and valleys of the countryside. Two championship courses also offer a haven for golf enthusiasts. Thomson offers seven night holidays in Madeira, staying at the 4T Pestana Village Hotel in Funchal, on a B&B basis from £639 per adult based on two sharing. This price is based on departure from London Luton Airport on 6th April, 2009 and includes accommodation, return flights, transfers and taxes and charges.

Paphos – Cyprus
If you want to experience some culture this Easter, then visit the harbour town of Paphos, on the Western coast of Cyprus. It is so rich in historical interest that the whole town is included on UNESCOS’s World Heritage List. Adventure can also be experienced here with paragliding, jet skiing, diving and water skiing just some of the activities on offer.

The trademark of holidays in Paphos has to be the harbour at Kato Paphos, famous for its resident pelicans. Lined with bars, cafes and tavernas, it’s a great spot to while away an hour or two with a beer or a chilled glass of ouzo.

Thomson offers seven night holidays in Paphos, staying at the Hotel Louis Phaethon Beach Club on an all inclusive basis from £545 per adult based on two sharing. This price is based on departure from London Gatwick Airport on 16th April, 2009 and includes accommodation, return flights, transfers and taxes and charges.

Red Sea Cruise
If you can’t decide on a destination for your Easter break, then why not take a look at cruises which will whisk you away to several different places in one week. Thomson’s ‘Red Sea Magic’ Cruise has an itinerary that includes ancient wonders and sun-drenched shores as you take in the sights of Cairo, Luxor and Jordan – not to forget the Red Sea itself with its world famous reefs.

Thomson Cruises offers a seven night ‘Red Sea Magic’ cruise onboard Thomson Spirit from £619 per adult based on two adults sharing. This price is based on departure from London Gatwick, Birmingham or Manchester on 16th April, 2009 and includes accommodation in an inside cabin on a full board basis, and all taxes and charges.

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Dr Sunshine to help brighten Thomson Holidays

Dr Sunshine to help brighten Thomson Holidays
Dr Sunshine joins forces with Thomson
Dr Robert Mighall, aka Dr Sunshine, has joined forces with leading UK travel company Thomson to help the company better understand how the Sun plays a part on its customers state of mind – and help ensure that the company offers sunshine holidays abroad that genuinely offer that all important rest and relaxation…

For many years, Thomson has been listening to its customers’ feedback with a view to making holidays that much more special. With a heritage of offering differentiated experiences to suit all tastes and budget’s, from holidays in Spain and Cyprus, to further afield holidays in Cape Verde and Barbados the company’s ‘Innovation’ department is now looking at the reasons why taking a holiday abroad is good for you – and that’s where the relationship with Dr Sunshine was born.

Robert, a self-confessed sun worshipper, has even written a book called Sunshine. The book attempts to explain the reason behind the British fascination with the sun. Research for the book has taken Robert to many sunny destinations, allowing him to be seen as an expert in sunshine.

To herald his collaboration with Thomson, Robert Mighall commissioned a survey to see just how big a role the sun plays on our psyches and holiday habits. The survey shows that the sun plays a more important role in our lives than we perhaps believed, with:

97% of people feeling that the weather is important to them in their holiday choice

Three quarters thinking sunshine makes them feel happy and only 3% don’t think that sunshine affects their mood

92% of people stating that a holiday abroad to the sun is simply the best way to beat stress, indicating that sunshine really does make people feel good

73% of Thomson customers consider at least one foreign holiday as essential each year

Sunshine is a huge factor in general, strongly affecting the self-reported mood of 70.41% of the sample, bringing happiness to 75% (five times the other possible emotions)
“The survey results clearly show how sunshine is a genuine tonic for UK residents, illustrating the essential role it plays on their minds and bodies and the key ingredient to providing happiness and relaxation,” explained Dr Mighall. “Sunlight triggers the hormone serotonin (the malfunction of which is behind SAD), which is responsible for regulating so many vital functions in the body, from sleep patterns to appetite and libido. With only the weekends or summer holidays offering Brits a chance to see the sun, the UK sees holidays abroad as second nature to a country with the least reliable weather in the world.”

And, with the British Summer’s of the last few years proving a bit of a damp squib, and the economic downturn showing no signs of abating, Thomson believe that the only way of adding almost guaranteed sunshine to your life is to seek a holiday abroad this summer.

“Inviting Robert to become our very own Dr Sunshine is another step in Thomson’s commitment to building holidays with our customers in mind”, said Luke Gaskins, General Manager of Thomson’s Innovation Team. “Even without Robert’s input, we know that people need escapism, that little ray of light to give them something to focus on and look forward to that can be found by hopping on a plane and heading abroad for some guaranteed sunshine. Our collaboration with him will help us develop even more great holiday experiences. After all, by taking a holiday in the sun, you really can switch off, forget about your every day worries and relax – now that’s truly special.”

Thomson offers a range of sunny destinations around the world, from Madiera to the Maldives, Cyprus to Cuba For more information on the range of holidays offered visit http://www.thomson.co.uk

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Up to 25% off summer 2009 flights with Thomson Airways

Up to 25% off summer 2009 flights with Thomson Airways

Flights from £41.49 one-way including taxes and charges
Take advantage of a summer flights promotion with Thomson Airways and book now to save up to 25%. This offer applies to hundreds of flights to popular sunshine destinations with Thomson; the largest carrier from a wide range of UK airports. For the best flight prices, customers can use the Farefinder application on the Thomson website which displays live flight prices across a range of dates at the very best prices.

The following flights are included in the summer promotion and are based on web bookings:
Malaga – from £41.49 one-way from Birmingham airport
Alicante – from £46.49 one-way from Bristol airport
Majorca – from £46.49 one-way from Cardiff airport
Tenerife – from £73.99 one-way from London Gatwick airport
Orlando – from £148.49 one-way from Manchester airport

All customers booking a flight with Thomson can enjoy pre-allocated seating at check-in and are now covered under the government backed ATOL scheme, meaning that customers can book in the knowledge that their money is safe. Prices include all airport taxes and charges.

For further information and to view other great last minute deals available visit http://www.thomson.co.uk/flights or call 0871 231 4787

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Thomson Links with Linguaphone For Exclusive 30% Discounts

Thomson Links with Linguaphone For Exclusive 30% Discounts

Learn the local langauage for less
Thomson has teamed up with Linguaphone, a world-leading provider of language courses, to offer their customers an exclusive 30% discount on Linguaphone’s range of self-study courses.

Whether customers want to learn how to order a ‘cerveza’ on their holidays in Spain or some ‘meze’ whilst in Greece, Linguaphone has a course for everyone. With a wide range of courses on CD and MP4 formats available, customers will be able to choose where and when they study – at the gym, on the way to work or relaxing at home.

Senior Innovation Manager for Thomson, Andrea Josse, is delighted with the partnership and explains: “This partnership highlights our commitment to heighten our customers’ holiday experiences. Even being able to speak just a few words of a foreign language can make a huge difference and we hope that our customers take advantage of this. ”

Derek Price, Chief Operations Officer for the Linguaphone Group, commented: „With a little help from Linguaphone, asking for directions, shopping and eating out abroad will become second nature for all Thomson and First Choice customers. We are very pleased to be working with TUI Travel plc, and look forward to a strong partnership with them in the months and years to come.”

Get more information on Linguaphone language courses

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Thomson Al Fresco bucks the downturn

Thomson Al Fresco bucks the downturn
Impressive growth for luxury mobile home holiday to Europe
Thomson Al Fresco’s luxury mobile home holidays to Europe are really bucking the downturn reporting an impressive growth of over thirty percent in bookings. The most sought-after accommodation is Venice and Lake Garda in Italy and the Languedoc and Roussillon areas of France.

‘Our customers want some sun in the south of France and they prefer to opt for the less expensive Languedoc rather than the more expensive Cote D’Azur’ said Darren Marsh, MD Thomson Al Fresco. ‘With our flexibility to arrival days and durations of stay we will always have a holiday to suit most budgets.’ he concluded.

Al Fresco offers the customers a range of destinations to whet their appetite for an outdoor lifestyle and all of the 3 and 4 star parcs offer swimming pools, some with lazy rivers, water slides and wave pools. For the grown ups in the party there is the opportunity to explore some of the hidden corners of Europe, sample the local food and wine or just lay by the pool and plan what to BBQ in the evening.

The accommodation is fully equipped for self catering for all the family and all the parcs offer restaurant or snack bar facilities giving families the options to eat in or out.

Up to 31st March 2009, Thomson Al Fresco offers two-mobile-homes-for-the-price-of-one at May half term (21 – 30 May). The offer includes a week in two Puccini mobile homes at the Parc Le Clarys Plage in Northern France for £449 for up to 10 people travelling (includes off-peak mid-week Dover to Calais ferry crossing).

For those wanting to travel a little later and a little further afield then the Parc Le Pianacce near Castagneto Carducci in Tuscany might be an option. A week in a Puccini mobile home arriving between 10-16 August costs only £784 for a family up to five (includes off-peak mid-week Dover to Calais ferry crossing).

Holidays are selling fast and with an additional discount of £50 coming to an end 31st March, families need to book soon.

Call 0871 231 3293 or visit http://www.thomsonalfresco.co.uk

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Thomson Airways to stop flying to Tel Aviv

Thomson Airways to stop flying to Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv flights cancelled from May 2009
Thomson Airways has today confirmed that it will not operate its routes to Tel Aviv from London Luton and Manchester this summer.

The Tel Aviv flight-only route has been popular since its launch in November 2007. However, for summer 2009 Thomson Airways needs to maximize the efficiency of its fleet of aircraft and this means focusing on more traditional holiday destinations for this season. As a result the Tel Aviv routes will not feature for summer 2009. The inclusion of the Tel Aviv routes for winter 2009/2010 operations has not been ruled out and remains under review. An announcement will be made on winter 2009/2010 later this year – and these plans are in the early stages of discussion.

Flights to Tel Aviv for travel until the end of April 2009 are still available to book at http://www.thomson.co.uk/flights, with the last flights between both UK airports to Israel flying on Thursday 30 April 2009.

David Burling, Commercial Director, comments: “As a consumer-focused organisation, Thomson Airways constantly reviews its operations and adapts flights accordingly. For summer 2009 we need to prioritise our aircraft to more traditional holiday destinations.

We would like to thank all those passengers who have travelled with us to Tel Aviv and hope they will continue to enjoy the Thomson Airways service to other destinations.”

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Turkey holidays are a real Delight

Turkey holidays are a real Delight
Turkey is proving to be a real holiday hotspot for 2009, seeing a huge increase in bookings for this summer. To cope with demand for holidays in Turkey, Thomson has not only increased its capacity for Summer 2009, but also added four extra flights a week from the UK to Turkey this summer.

Holidaymakers seeking some Turkish delight can now depart from Birmingham and Bristol to Dalaman on a Saturday, and Cardiff to Dalaman and Birmingham to Bodrum on a Monday, offering customers more choice and flexibility. This is in addition to the 72 flights currently departing a week.

Holidays in Turkey offer great value for money with affordable, large all-inclusive 4 and 5 Star resorts featuring great facilities such as watersports and spas, infinity pools and other little luxuries. It offers a fantastic alternative for those who like to enjoy the indulgence of the Caribbean, but with a shorter flight time of just four hours. By booking all-inclusive, you’ll have paid for all of your meals up front, but those preferring self catering will find the local restaurants offer more for your money, making Turkey a win-win destination.

Sizzling temperatures, Roman ruins, charming towns and a striking coastline, make Turkey a great alternative to Greece. Turkey is also very in vogue with the likes of Kate Moss who enjoyed a holiday there last summer. This year, families and couples alike will be able to grab a slice of the high life and enjoy the reasonably priced hotspot, even if their budget doesn’t match that of a celebrity’s.

Thomson offers a range of fantastic Turkish holidays aimed at couples, or for a group of friends looking to get away from it all. A seven night holiday in Turkey, staying on a self catering basis at the 4T Club Candan, part of the Turkey collection, from £259 per person based on two people sharing, departing from Bristol to Dalaman on the 4th May 2009.

All holidays are subject to availability and booking terms and conditions. Prices include flights, fuel charge and air passenger duty and are correct at the date of issue.

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Thomson Airways is UK’s most punctual airline

Thomson Airways is UK’s most punctual airline

Thomsonfly and First Choice Airways (now Thomson Airways) have been named the most punctual UK charter airlines for flights summer 2008*.

According to the Summer 2008 UK Charter Airline Punctuality report, the combined airlines were specifically the most punctual out of all carriers servicing Edinburgh, Glasgow, Newcastle and Stansted airports this period.

Chris Browne, managing director of Thomson Airways commented: “These great results are an outstanding tribute to our staff and to their hard work, dedication and focus in this important area. Our strong punctuality record means that people booking their 2009 summer holidays can be confident we’ll get them direct to their destination as quickly as possible.”

Full details of the report are viewable on http://www.FlightonTime.info, which shows punctuality and average delay data for UK charter airlines over the period 1st April 2008 to 31st October 2008 inclusive. All the data is taken from UK airports departures records for the airport users council (AUC), who are sponsored by the CAA to promote customer policies within aviation.

All customers booking a flight on Thomson Airways are now covered under the government backed ATOL scheme, meaning that customers can book in the knowledge that their money is safe.

For further information about Thomson Airways visit http://www.thomson.co.uk/flights

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First Choice and Thomson introduce new environment charter

First Choice and Thomson introduce new environment charter

First Choice and Thomson encourage their retail teams to become more environmentally friendly
First Choice and Thomson are embarking on a new initiative to encourage their retail teams to become more environmentally friendly. Across all First Choice and Thomson UK branches, a new charter has been introduced to raise agents’ awareness of environmental issues and encourage them to make a difference at work.

The Environmental Charter introduces simple yet effective actions that colleagues can take in the workplace to reduce carbon emissions and conserve natural resources. The initiative focuses on three key areas – brochures & printing, energy, and waste & recycling. Some of the actions in the charter include proactively offering to email customers quotes and hotel information rather than printing them out in-store; reducing energy consumption by switching off lights and heating when they are not needed; and reminding colleagues to make use of all the recycling facilities available, such as those for brochures and printer cartridges. Retail colleagues will receive environmental information in their regular team meetings to supplement the information in the charter. Incentives are also to be introduced in the next few weeks to maximise interest and participation in the charter.

The charter is just one of a number of initiatives that Thomson and First Choice retail shops have committed to. Thomson, First Choice and their customers have so far raised over £2 million for the World Care Fund. Money raised for the joint fundraising scheme is split between ClimateCare and The Travel Foundation, who run project that tackle climate change and support local people in holiday destinations. Retail teams are to receive regular updates on World Care Fund supported projects, so customers can see how their contributions, matched by the company, are changing lives overseas.

Kathryn Ward, Retail Director for Thomson and First Choice, said: “We want to tap into and drive enthusiasm for environmental issues throughout our retail teams. By engaging and educating our colleagues on how to be more environmentally responsible, we hope to build a team of environmental advocates who can pass on their knowledge to our customers. Sustainable development is a key focus for First Choice and Thomson, and with initiatives and improvements such as this new Environmental Charter for Retail teams, we hope to set the benchmark for the industry.”

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Great low fare flights for summer 2009 with Thomson Airways

Great low fare flights for summer 2009 with Thomson Airways

Thomson Airways is currently offering great low fares flights for summer 2009 (1 May – 31 October), as well as a special deal offering up to 50% off long haul Premium upgrades, meaning holidaymakers can upgrade to Premium luxury from just £99 per person, return!

Customers can book these flights in the knowledge that their money is safe as all Thomson Airways flights are now ATOL protected.

Thomson Airways’ Premium service provides a number of additional benefits which include:

At least 36 inch seat pitch
Priority check in and boarding
Dedicated Premium cabin crew
Four course Aldo Zilli meal
Pre-take off drink and complimentary drinks throughout the flight (excludes champagne)
Choice of at least 12 movies and 10 interactive games
In-flight entertainment on a personal nine inch seat back screen, with individual control over what you watch

Examples of these fantastic flight offers include:

Florida from £349 per person return economy, or upgrade to premium for an extra £99 return, departing from London Gatwick airport
Cancun, Mexico, from £519 per person economy, or upgrade to Premium for an extra £149 return, departing from East Midlands airport
Maldives from £599 per person economy, or upgrade to Premium for an extra £219 return, departing from Manchester airport

Lowest prices are sure to sell out fast for peak summer holiday, so customers should book early to bag the best deals. All prices are return, valid for a 14-night stay, for travel between 1 May – 31 October 2009.

For further information or to book, visit http://www.thomson.co.uk/flights or call 0870 1900 737.

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