Travel Agent - November 26, 2007 - (Page 96)

TR ANSPORTATION The Orient-Express Deluxe rail travel remains an exclusive product offering BY JENNIFER MERRITT ORIENT-EXPRESS HOTELS TRAINS & CRUISES (WWW.ORIENT-EXPRESS. COM) HAS RELEASED ITS 2008 RAIL ITINERARIES, and trips both old and new are scheduled, including the classic LondonIstanbul via Paris or Venice journeys aboard the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, the company’s most fabled train. To agents, deluxe rail travel remains a truly exclusive product, and Orient-Express has long been at the forefront of the market. The train was made famous by Agatha Christie’s detective novel Murder on the Orient Express and its 1974 star-studded film adaptation. According to agents, today’s deluxe rail clientele are not much different from those Christie chronicled in her 1934 book: affluent, leisurely tourists. “It’s an expression in luxury,” says George Tobias, a travel consultant with Linden Travel Bureau in New York City. On some itineraries, he says, “the experience only lasts about 24 hours…and it does not offer you enough of a contrast from other, less expensive options unless money is no object. You can do the same thing for less, just minus the gourmet meal.” In other words, the purpose of such a trip is to live glamorously. A table in dining car Etolle du Nord on Venice Simplon-Orient-Express Target Clientele and New Offers Michele Hoey, president of Pennsylvania Travel outside Philadelphia, agrees with Tobias’ assessment. “If you have a client who is welltraveled and looking to do different things around the world, that’s who you promote this trip to,” she says. “It could also appeal to a history buff, because you can experience a piece of history firsthand.” One of Orient-Express’ most popular trains, The Royal Scotsman, operates two- to sevennight journeys out of Edinburgh. Of all the company’s itineraries, Tobias says this may appeal most to those outside the typical demographic. “It’s a relatively easy and interesting way to see Scotland without having to be motor-coached around,” he says. 96 | TravelAgent November 26, 2007 Making its debut with Orient-Express next year is an “Afloat in France,” program, which combines Paris-originating rail travel with a barge cruise through Burgundy or Provence. The company is also introducing weeklong Venice Simplon-Orient-Express trips from Venice that spend two nights in Krakow. Outside Europe, Orient-Express operates luxury trains in Peru (to Machu Picchu) and Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand (the Eastern & Oriental Express). Travel agents sending clients on an OrientExpress journey can call 800-524-2420 and speak with one of the three reservation agents.I CONNECTING YOU For more information on booking rail travel, visit www.travelagentcentral.com/railtravel http://www.orient-express.com http://www.orient-express.com http://www.travelagentcentral.com/railtravel

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Travel Agent - November 26, 2007

Travel Agent - November 26, 2007 Online Now Contents From the Editor From the Publisher Contributors Europe: InterContinental Geneva Puts Forth a New Look and a New Way to Get to Know the Swiss City London’s Soho Hotel Pacific/Asia: Taichung: Taiwan’s Third Largest City Pacific/Asia Briefs and Packages Tanzania Travel Specialist Mexico: A Roundup of Premier Hotels in Mexico City Q&A with U.S. Director of the Mexico Tourism Board Mexico Deals Las Vegas: A Three-Day Itinerary for Gen-X couples Creating a Kid-Friendly Vacation for Gen-X Clients that Still Includes Alone Time for Parents Richard Harper of Mandalay Bay Caribbean & Bahamas: What’s Happening in St. Kitts Puerto Rico’s Other Rainforest, Toro Negro Hawaii: The Big Island: First-Class Resorts and Native Culture Hotels: The Sky Lodge in Park City; The Lodge at Vail Tours: American Safari Cruises in Alaska’s Inside Passage Pacific Northwest: Suncadia, Eco-Friendly Resort Near Seattle Cruise: The Added Lure of Sailing with a Celebrity Onboard Small Ships Offer Up-Close Experience Cover Story: Hip Hotelier, Social Scientist Supplier Profile - Maximilian Brockmann: The New Face of Auto Europe Agent Profile: Sigrid Carter of Envoyé Travel The Orient-Express: Fabled Train Remains an Elite Product Agenda: Fam Trips, Deals & Incentives, Calendar Europe Bookings as Dollar Falls Freestyle Cruising Casinos On the Rise in the Caribbean Maui’s Grand Wailea Resort Prepares for Major Renovation Visit Europe Media Exchange In the Spotlight Editorial Index Advertising Index Classified Marketplace Trendwatch

Travel Agent - November 26, 2007

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