DATELINE MONDAY 11TH APRIL 2016

Oh no, it can’t be, it was only Friday a couple of days ago and it’s Monday already, where did the weekend go. Anyway, it is what it is, time for work.

I hope you had a great weekend, I’m in the office this week and then next it’s IMEX and a trip to Frankfurt which actually, I’m quite looking forward to IMEX I get to meet up with lots of the DMCs MM and Company represent, IMEX is a little early this year it’s usually in May.

DMC News* MM and Company News * Destination News* MM and Company News*

South Africa

Shaun and Brad of The Inside Edge Southern Africa have told us that now is a good time to consider a trip to South Africa – maybe to take in Cape Town, explore the wine regions and see the Big Five in Kruger National Park. In the past five years costs have fallen sharply for British visitors, thanks to a better exchange rate. You’ll now get around 21.8 South African rand to the pound – about 23 per cent more than a year ago although it is worth noting that exchange rates fluctuate big time these days. Your pound goes further which has got to be good news. Plus did you know the Thomas Cook Airlines now fly to South Africa from Gatwick offering excellent cost effective fares.

Iceland

Anna Valdimarsdóttir of Nordic Visitor tells me of a funky new location for events and product launches. The creative Icelandic people have only gone and created an ice tunnel under their famous 15 meter deep glacier. This ice tunnel is large enough for 80 people for an event, the photographs I have seen are quite outstanding and it’s a totally unique venue. If you want photographs of it please let me or Anna know at Nordic Visitor.

IMEX Frankfurt 19th April 2016

IMEX is rapidly approaching, I will be attending, will you be going to IMEX? If you are going to be in Frankfurt and you want to meet with any of our awesome DMCs please let me know, the runners and riders so far announced for IMEX are as follows;

+39 Italy on Stand F705

Davina Naiken of Connections DMC Mauritius on Stand G660

EPIC Group Cancun Mexico are on Stand B100

Germany Insight are on Stand F100 & F110

Honeywell Incentives Cyprus on Stand C380

Habib El Fassi of Visit Morocco DMC on Stand D480

Anna Valdimarsdóttir of Nordic Visitor Iceland are on Stand F230

Quetzal Motivo Central America on Stand B140

Russian Event Russia are on Stand D430

SNTTA Emir Incentives & Conferences Dubai and Abu Dhabi are on Stand E520

TA DMC Spain & Portugal are on Stand F655

Leyla and Hannah’s twitter and witter bit of the Monday morning e mail

Leyla was in France all week last week, she left by coach on Monday and returned Thursday night completely exhausted. No sooner had she left the school premises she was on the phone to me updating me on her progress. She arrived in France and was allocated a room where they were staying. Leyla was not too impressed with the standard of accommodation in her room, which was one bunk bed and one single bed for her and two other girls. Apparently the bathroom was disgusting and that of course was my fault. I think she was comparing her accommodation to her last overseas trip which was with me and my Mother (her Grand Mother) staying at the Four Seasons in St Petersburg. The conversation went something like this; “It’s disgusting Daddy, come and pick me up” I did explain that she was in France and I was in London and she said “Come on a business trip, pick me up, you have a fast car”. You will be relieved to know I didn’t go and pick her up. Things improved the next day until she ran out of data on her phone yes you guessed my fault again her call was something like this “Daddy I have run out of data on my phone, fix it” I had planned to fix it big time and call the teacher in charge of the trip to ask her to confiscate the phone. Apparently the school like them to have their phones as a sort of comfort security thing.

Hannah was an only child for four days, what a different home scenario, there was not a single fight over the television except when I wanted to watch the news, there were no fights over the hairdryer, straighteners, tights or the bathroom. There were no lumps or bumps on Hannah no scratches either a good few days, it was almost pleasant going home after work. I guess Leyla had a good week too although we will NEVER find out, when Leyla got home the first thing I asked was “how was France?” OK thanks Daddy, that was it.

That’s it you are now totally up to date here is wishing you an amazing week.