Home-Based Travel Agent - February 2008 - (Page 38)

Portugal FOR THE AGENT Continued from page 37 added 17 wine tours to its repertoire, including an October 6-10 trip to Douro hosted by Charles Metcalfe, an editor of Wine Magazine and an opera singer. This trip visits vineyards during the harvest season, with exclusive dining invitations and exceptional port and wine tastings at world-class port lodges and quintas (farmhouses). Prices start at £1,899 (approximately $3,720) per person, which includes accommodation, tastings and some meals. Agents can contact Maureen at sales@wine tours.co.uk. Arblaster & Clarke pays a minimum 5 percent commission. Wine Tours of the World (www. winetoursoftheworld.com) operates trips for groups or for customization. On its Portugal programs, clients visit several port lodges, enjoy wine-pairing dinners, go to historical sites and landmarks and take private wine tours and cooking classes. Special options include a VIP tour and tasting at a port house, visits to the oceanside towns of Viana do Castelo and Praia, culinary tours of Lisbon and tastings at an Alentejo wine estate. Packages can be tailored to budget, preferred accommodation or even a client’s favorite wines. Contact Brian Olson, tour and travel reservations manager, at 888-635-8007 or brian@winetoursoftheworld.com or Denise Smith, tour and travel group specialist, at 888-635-8007, denise@ winetoursoftheworld.com. Commission is 12 percent on package tours, excluding travel insurance and air. Airlines flying to Portugal from the U.S. include the national carrier, TAP Portugal (www.flytap.com), plus American (www.aa.com), Continental (www.continental.com) and US Airways (www.usairways.com). Most major European carriers—such as British Airways (www.britishairways.com), Air France (www.airfrance.com) and Lufthansa (www.lufthansa.com)— fly to Portugal from points within Europe and, after “open skies” goes into effect in March, perhaps from the U.S. as well. —JM classes for both beginners and experienced wine lovers. From October 22 to 26, Karlsson will host a four-night tour to the Douro region, with two nights (the first and the last) in Porto and the second and third nights close to Pinhão. The trip will focus both on port and red table wines from Douro and include several private wine tastings. Guests will visit famous wine producers like Symington, Quinta de la Rosa and Dirk Niepoort, as well as some high-quality newcomers. Lunches will be primarily at the wine estates. As the program has not been finalized, it is not certain if dinners will be included in the program or if evenings will be free for clients to explore on their own. BK Wine also develops customized tours with agents and offers a 10 percent commission on all bookings. Call 011-33-6-8045-3570 or e-mail info@bkwine.com. The British company Arblaster & Clarke (www.winetours.co.uk) has A Panoramic Suite at Aquapura Douro Valley on the south bank of the Douro River 38 Home-BasedTravelAgent F EB RUARY 2008 http://www.flytap.com http://www.aa.com http://www.winetoursoftheworld.com http://www.winetoursoftheworld.com http://www.continental.com http://www.usairways.com http://www.britishairways.com http://www.airfrance.com http://www.lufthansa.com http://www.winetours.co.uk

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Home-Based Travel Agent - January/February 2008 Editor's Note Publisher's Note Your Lifeline Agent Spotlight: Tracy Dennis News Hot Deals Reader Survey All-Inclusive Resorts Home-Based Travel Agent Expo Portugal New York Bermuda Cover Story: Singapore Cruise: What's New Tours: Adventure New Products

Home-Based Travel Agent - February 2008

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