Amro Worldwide

GayDays@DisneyWorld Orlando from £599pp inc flights, accom and car.

2011-04-20T16:01:00.008+01:00

How times flies and it seems hardly possible that the annual GayDays@DisneyWorld Orlando will be on us again on Saturday 4 June.

What started as a quiet affair 20 years ago with 3000 gay men and women arriving at Disney's Magic Kingdom wearing red so they would recognise each other has now grown to nearly a week of events. It is arguably the US largest gay festival attracting around 150,000 gay men and women and Amro Worldwide is pleased to be GayDays agent in the UK

Although neither Disney nor any of the other theme parks or tourism organizations in the Orlando area actually produce this event, they do sanction and support this week-long series of social gatherings at the area's various theme parks and hotels as well as both circuit-style parties and concerts along with more laid-back revelry such as pool parties and bear events at countless venues throughout the region. A major and ever growing feature is the GayDays Expo held in the Host Hotel from 2 - 5 June with entertainment and over 100 vendors.

And it is not just gay men who are catered for, over past years a lot of effort has been put into organising events for lesbians with a full programme called Girls at GayDays including a Literary Festival as well as chill-out pool parties.

But key to all the fun is "Doing the Parks" in the company of new friends. Thursday 2nd June is GayDay at Animal Kingdom, Friday 3rd GayDays@ Hollywood Studios with Saturday being the 20th Anniversary of GayDays@ The Magic Kingdom. If that isn't quite enough then Sunday 5th is GayDays@Epcot.

So if all sounds fun to you then why not join Amro Worldwide's special flight to Orlando departing on 2 June from London Gatwick. Fly direct to Orlando Sanford and collect your FREE rental car which is yours for your entire seven night stay. Drive to your 4* hotel just minutes from the centre of all the action in the GayDays Host Hotel. And the price - an extra special £599 pp based on two sharing. This offer is not available on line so contact us or call 01462 434633 for more details.

Plus we have tickets for all the events and bargain value passes for access to the GayDays events and DisneyWorld parks plus more info about Orlando. And in early June, Orlando's weather is nothing short of stunning with clear blue skies and temperatures around 29C.

2011-03-30T14:01:00.008+01:00

It’s always great fun when Amro launches a new destination and following my trip to Mexico’s Yucatan at the end of February, we are delighted to launch our new holidays to the Riviera Maya. Based on direct flights to Cancun Airport, our prices start at just £889 per person for 7 night’s room and breakfast in September.

The Yucatan is pretty special – the weather is truly perfect year round with clear blue skies and bright sunshine. Plus there is a great mix of beach, cultural and adventure for your holiday. Try exploring Mayan Ruins such as Chichen Itza and discover this civilisation which was conquered by the Spanish in the 16th Century. Learn about the Sisal and Rope industries which gave the Yucatan its wealth in the late 19th Century and gave rise to the amazing plantations and their Haciendas which are now luxury boutique hotels. Gasp as you ride the zip wires over the jungle or explore, by swimming or raft, the network of underground rivers accessed through the cenote sink holes and marvel at the stalactites and limestone caverns.

Or you could just laze on a pristine white powder sand beach watching the azure Caribbean Sea anticipating a gourmet dinner in one of the foodie restaurants that proliferate in the area.

During my trip I found a truly fabulous 5* all inclusive gay resort – Adonis Tulum. Right on the ocean and a couple of hundred yards walk to two gay naturist beaches, Adonis offers a relaxing holiday in high class style. And all-inclusive really means that here, all alcoholic drinks are complimentary, even in the Spirit night club and you have a choice of three gourmet restaurants for dinner. The only extras are spa treatment in the luxury Japanese spa.

If you prefer to be in the centre of town, try our Hacienda Paradise in Puerto del Carmen. A 4* accommodation, gay managed, with a shady pool and a welcoming atmosphere. Just ten minutes walk to either the gay beach club in Puerto del Carmen or 69 Club gay bar, this hotel richly deserves its Amro Little Gem classification.

For those who want to explore a little more widely, we have a 14 night self-drive tour – Mexico’s Yucatan Explorer. Enjoy the mix of history, culture and adventure as you visit several Mayan Ruins including the famed Chichen Itza, swim with pink flamingos on the Gulf Coast wetlands, enjoy the restored buildings of Maerida’s Paseo de Montejon and swim or raft in the cenotes before relaxing in our Adonis Tulum resort on the beach.

You’ll also stay in one of the famed Hacienda enjoying life as the wealthy plantation owners did a century ago.

I am excited by the Riviera Maya as a different gay destination which offers so much variety and with prices based on the US dollar, it offers great value for your 2011 holiday

More Winter Flight Disruption

2010-12-20T11:30:00.003Z

Here we are again ! Snow falls and flights get disrupted or for rather too many people, cancelled and their holidays lost. We all moan and complain but until the authorities get their act together and find ways to keep airports open, that's about the best we can do - or is it?

John Tangey - Chairman of the Association of Independent Tour Operators Aviation Committee - said yesterday

" ... passengers who booked with a tour operator are fortunate. Anybody who has made their own travel arrangements are on their own and now have to rebook flights, car-hire and hotel accommodation, not an appealing prospect for stressed travellers. "

As a Tour Operator, Amro is monitoring all flights for our customers during the current disruption. Where possible we are contacting both those at home and overseas to ensure they are fully informed of what is happening and re-booking at no additional cost.

So whilst we can't stop the snow, we can minimise the inconvenience and stress - yet another benefit of booking with a tour operator.

The Nightmare of Non-Stop Confusion !!

2010-10-04T14:22:00.000+01:00

‘According to EU figures, more than half of all people who buy flights, hotel rooms and car hire online risk being left without compensation if companies fail’ said Fiona Jeffery, chair of World Travel Market – the UK’s largest travel trade fair - speaking about the EU’s Package Travel Directive. This is the Europe wide directive which was supposed to ensure that when you bought a holiday and someone went out of business, you were fully financially protected.

‘A staggering 56% of all travellers are now estimated to use the internet rather than high street travel agents to organise their trips, but protection safeguards have not been put into place to deal with the digital age’ she continued. It’s time to end the Nightmare of Non-Stop Confusion!!

Here at Amro, we agree the whole business is nothing short of confusion and even we have to stop and think sometimes. But let’s keep it simple, book a flight and accommodation at the same time with Amro – either online or through our call centre – and you’ll be fully financially protected. Moreover when something goes wrong, like last week when flights were cancelled, we’ll change your flight and, if necessary, extend your holiday at no extra cost.

But what about waiting for the Last-Minute Deals ?

2010-08-30T11:09:00.002+01:00

So ran a headline in yesterday’s Sunday Times Travel Section written by no less than Chris Haslam, the editor. He describes looking for a deal this year as a barrel scrapping exercise and outlines how most holiday companies, Amro Worldwide included, have honed their stock-management skills from the art of guesstimate to that of laser sharp precision to ensure minimal unsold holidays which are sold off at a discount.

Irritatingly, he continues, the best way to get a deal now is to book early and with some 2011 holiday offers due to expire by 31 August – that’s tomorrow – he’s probably right. But you don’t really have to book that early with Amro Worldwide to secure a good priced deal.

Book 8 - 12 weeks out – that’s now for November - and you should find plenty of choice at a fair price. Look for September and there’s not much left although we do have some space at the all-gay male Beach Boys or Tenesoya in Gran Canaria on 18 September with flights for around £400 each. But it is not going to get any cheaper !!

It’s difficult in the current economic climate to plan far ahead but just a few more weeks planning ahead for your holiday could save you a lot of money.

Another travel company goes out of business

2010-08-18T09:17:00.005+01:00

That’s the third medium sized company to fail in the past month after the much publicised Goldtrail and the less publicised Sun 4 U. So what is going on in the travel industry this summer and how can you be sure that both your money and holiday are safe ?

The former is easy – book an ATOL protected holiday that includes not just the flights but accommodation, transfers and anything else – in other words, a traditional holiday package. Breaking it up into individual elements can leave you financially exposed if any one element fails.

But getting your money back is little consolation if you loose your holiday. Travel companies succeed by mixing the number of holidays they sell with the margin they make on each holiday. Get this mix wrong and there can be problems.

Most of the recent failures have been mid-sized companies where the margins are small and the number of holidays sold is less than expected. So stick with the smaller specialist companies such as Amro Worldwide for the gay and lesbian traveller where volumes are less critical. Or book with the big two who pile it high and sell it cheap and go for volume. They also have the financial strength to survive a difficult year. And of these two options, Amro Worldwide gives both security with its ATOL Protection and service with its wide product knowledge and promptly answered phones - a comforting combination in these difficult times.

Beware of Fake Breaks

2010-08-03T14:26:00.003+01:00

I was browsing the computer magazine ComputerActive over the weekend and a picture of a sandy beach and the headline Beware of Fake Breaks caught my eye.

It seems that ABTA and an organisation called Get Safe Online have carried out research that shows that travel buyers are ignoring basic online crime prevention measures. They get caught up in the excitement of a bargain dream holiday and caution goes out of the window, making them prime targets for fraudsters.

One in three fail to check the authenticity of travel providers by looking for contact information such as landline phone numbers or street addresses, let alone checking for the company name rather than brand name from whom they are buying.

One in five don’t check that the payment website is secure with an https:// URL. It is easy to put the secure padlock logo on an unsecure website misleading the buyer into thinking their card information is encrypted when it is really open for all to see.

Everyone wants a bargain but do check these simple things first as there seem to be fraudsters out in cyberspace. I am pleased that Amro Worldwide is up there with the best in transparency for our online bookings and if you search, you can even find a photo of Andrew !

2010-07-19T11:43:00.001+01:00

I was saddened to see the pictures over the weekend of Goldtrail holidaymakers at airports and overseas having their precious holidays spoiled or even cancelled.

In some senses, the Goldtrail holidaymakers were the lucky ones as Goldtrail held an ATOL licence. Their holidays have been spoilt but the CAA will ensure that those still to go will get their money back in due course and those overseas will be flown home at no additional costs. If they had not booked a package holiday but had created the holiday themselves either online or with a non-ATOL travel agent, they would have been left to fend for themselves.

Holiday companies are failing all the time - Monster Travel failed earlier in the week with almost as much disruption but failed to hit the headlines. I can’t understand why anyone would not book an ATOL Protected holiday these days – it might cost a few pounds more but at least you won’t loose any money if things turnout not the way expected. And with ash clouds and bad weather, strikes and walkouts, that seems to be happening quite a lot this summer.

IGLTA and Gran Canaria

2010-02-05T17:33:00.007Z

Ever since Amro Worldwide started selling holidays to Gran Canaria, I have been puzzled as to why Europe's most popular gay destination had so few members of the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association. I mused about why, with around 150 gay business with bars, restaurants, clubs and saunas plus a wide range of exclusively gay and gay-friendly accommodation, so few decided that membership of a worldwide gay travel network was not important.

So I decided that IGLTA needed some wider publicity on the Island and last autumn, approached Carlos Kytka, the European Ambassador who led me to Dario Jaen the Local Maspalomas Tourism Manager. The outcome after several meetings and phone calls was a presentation about IGLTA held on Tuesday 2 February. We were delighted that ExpoMeloneras - the local conference centre in Maspalomas - made a room available for us.

And so representatives from over 30 businesses including the local hospital gathered for a presentation by Carlos about IGLTA membership, an outlining of the benefits of working together to develop Gran Canaris to retain its leadership in the European Gay Travel Market from Dario and me explaining how membership of IGLTA had helped Amro to develop into the worldwide gay travel company it is today.

It was an excellent afternoon and I felt a real buzz about gay travel in the air. I am confident we will see many new members at the IGLTA Annual Convention in Antwerp at the end of June

Price Match Promise

2010-01-28T12:49:00.006Z

It's good to see that the Euro has weakened against sterling this week by around 2.5% meaning we have been able to reduce the price of the accommodation element of your holiday cost. It's not a huge saving but after all the bad news of 2009, it is a small step in the right direction.

It has enabled us to have some really cracking good pricing deals for holidays going away over the next few weeks. So check out our Home Page offers.

We've also upped our Price Match Promise so you can be sure that you never pay more for your holiday than you need.

Gay Cruise Discounts

2010-01-14T17:04:00.004Z

Gay Cruising has justifiably become very popular over recent years whether it be on whole ship charters or as part of a gay group on a traditional cruise. The idea that you can mix with like-minded people and meet new friends whilst enjoying visiting several destinations whilst only unpacking once is catching on fast. Plus it is great value as well.

Amro Worldwide is now making it even better value by offering discounts on gay cruises around the world. Plus we offer the financial protection of our ATOL 5826 and our unrivalled expertise in booking flights and pre and post cruise packages to make your cruise a holiday to remember.

Another airline fails leaving thousands potentially stranded:

2009-12-17T14:17:00.004Z

It was sad to learn that Fly Globespan, Scotland’s Largest Airline, had gone into Administration last evening with all flights cancelled. This leaves many disappointed holiday makers hoping to go away for Christmas and thousands potentially stranded abroad.

Amro used Globespan for many of our Scottish departures. Last night, we contacted all our passengers overseas, many of whom were unaware of the demise until we called, to advise them of their new return flights which we had re-booked on alternative carriers. This was all at no extra cost to them as they are fully protected under our ATOL.

This morning, we have contacted passengers due to go away over the next few months. Rather than simply cancel and refund their money, we have worked to re-book them and ensure they can still enjoy their holiday – again at no additional cost.

By lunchtime, everyone was sorted – we even helped some clients who had not booked with us but were staying in the same resorts – and we have had some great emails of thanks. We celebrated our success with mince pies!

Thanks everyone !

Tenerife & Gran Canaria - Two Centre Holidays

2009-12-07T11:50:00.003Z

Possibly the most popular question we are asked is "where else is there to go besides Gran Canaria that isn't going to cost the earth?"

Well, the answer is a two centre holiday combining a few days in the south of Tenerife with a few days in Gran Canaria. And by flying out on Saturdays and returning on Mondays, you can have 9 days holidays for no more than your usual annual holiday leave in going to Gran Canaria only.

Our resort in the south of Tenerife is Playa de las Americas. Here you'll find all the fun and frolics of Gran Canaria but on a slightly less frenetic scale but still with gay bars and discos and a super chill-out bar/resort at Playaflor. There are several gay beaches and cruising areas and the mix of golden and black volcanic sand adds a certain "je ne sais quoi" to lying on the beach.

And did we mention the weather? We have a sneaky feeling that Playa de las Americas beaches are slightly warmer in the winter as they don't seem to get that chilly wind off the sea that you can get in Gran Canaria.

It's great value too, adding around just a £100 to a 7 night holiday in Gran Canaria for the extra two nights and the short flight transfer between the two islands.

New Exclusively Gay Guest House in Spain

2009-08-26T13:19:00.008+01:00

Last weekend I stayed a few days at Steve and Paul's new home in the rural Spanish coutryside outside Alicante on the Costa Blanca. The accommodation comprises four guest bedrooms, each with trendy and luxury en-suite bathrooms. There is also a comfy sitting room and cosy dining room for lunches and dinners..

As is common in this part of Spain, there are loads of outdoor terraces and shady gardens - one with a hammock - to enjoy the outdoor living and a wonderful clothing optional pool with plenty of sun loungers.

The location is great being surrounded by farms and vineyards yet less than a mile from the nearest town and just twenty minutes from Alicante Airport with its excellent flight links to major and regional UK airports. Gay beaches are around half an hour away and there is a lively gay scene in both Alicante and the nearby town of Elche.

Steve and Paul offer accommodation with breakfast at 4 Points as well as airport transfers. Complimentray drinks are available all day around the pool and lunches and dinners are available on request.

Cheap Gay Holidays to Gran Canaria

2009-08-11T14:15:00.004+01:00

I was idly chatting the other day with a gay industry colleague who started to bemoan that there were no longer any cheap holidays to Gran Canaria.

We talked around this and concluded that there were, in fact, still plenty of cheap holidays available.

I highlighted that Amro has 7 nights with flights in a Carmen studio on 11 December for just £225 per person and plenty more in October and November at under £300.

It’s just that these sort of prices are no longer available for last minute deals.

This reflects the structural changes in the way travel is bought and packaged with much less whole aircraft and accommodation chartered and then dumped at rock bottom prices at the last minute, if unsold. The emphasis is now very much book in advance for the best deals and expect the price to rise as departure date approaches.

Having said all that, Amro still has a few September offers available at £322 per person but only on a few dates and you’ll have to be quick.

So the cheap Gran Canaria holiday is far from over – just plan a bit ahead and you'll bag a great bargain.

More Flights to Gran Canaria

2009-07-22T18:06:00.007+01:00

We're pleased to announce that we have now contracted with more airlines operating from regional airports such as Jet2 from the North-East and Globespan from Scotland to give you local departures on flights to Gran Canaria

We've also got a wider range of timings and availability from Thomson, Thomas Cook and other charter airlines out of Gatwick to provide an even greater choice of flights on this popular route.

But we can't display everything on line, so if you need specific timings, maybe to maximise the length of your holiday or combine with another trip, just call us on 01462 434663 or use our email link.

sv Star Clipper Greek Islands Gay Cruise with Armisted Maupin

2009-06-25T10:46:00.005+01:00

This is a very special gay cruise around the Greek Islands aboard the three masted sailing ship Star Clipper in the company of writer and raconteur Armisted Maupin. What makes it very special is the price - just £1499 per person - and that includes return flights from London Gatwick to Athens, transfers to the ship and 7 nights full board accommodation. That's a full 30% discount on the normal price.

We'll follow the routes of ancient Greek mariners, taking you from Athens, the seat of democracy, to Kusadasi on the Turkish coast and on to Santorini and Mykonos. A mecca for the rich and famous, Mykonos has long been a favorite gay travel destination. This magical island has it all; beautiful people, vibrant nightlife, world class dining and pristine white sand beaches.

Download a brochure for more details...........

Gran Canaria for £299 each for 7 days

2009-06-12T16:00:00.002+01:00

Did you see our "Legs" advert which ran throughout May in the gay magazines that are given away free nationally in bars and clubs ?

We ran a few special offers including a week in Gran Canaria for £299 based on two sharing accommodation and including flights. We sourced this back in April and we have now obtained additional capacity so this great deal is still available to book on line NOW.

Just search for Gran Canaria on the last three Wednesday's in September and look for the Carmen in a studio room. The price came up at £299 or even less when we checked today.

If you can't find this deal just ring our Call Centre and we'll book it for you.

More BA flights bookable online

2009-06-02T16:16:00.004+01:00

Our online booking technology has just received a tremendous boost with the introduction of more British Airways flights which can be booked online through our website

So now, many long haul destinations such as New York, Los Angeles and Miami have a wider range of flights available and also a choice of classses from Economy through Premium Economy to Business Club. In addition, many destinations such as Bangkok, Rio de Janeiro, Cape Town or Sydney have BA flights bookable online to combine with hotel accommodation into a great value ATOL protected package holiday with transfers and excursions included as you wish.

And all the European destinations including Barcelona for Sitges and city breaks such as Prague or Berlin also have a greater selction of flights available.

Sterling strengthens to US Dollar

2009-05-26T09:19:00.005+01:00

A few days away and on return, I see that the US Dollar has weakened by over 10% during the past week meaning a pound now buys just over USD1.53.

That's great news for anyone thinking of flying anywhere as aviation fuel is priced in dollars and will be that little bit cheaper, possibly reducing some long haul flight surcharges. Plus most long haul destinations price their hotels and ground arrangements in US dollars and we have already reduced the prices for our hotels available through online booking.

But best of all those popular gay destinations such as Ft Lauderdale, Palm Springs and San Francisco are starting to look affordable again. Besides the pound buying more US Dollars, there are some great bargains to be had as many restaurants and bars are making special offers for overseas visitors - plus we'll give you an 11% discount voucher when you go shopping at Macy's - great for Dockers, Levis and other designer goods.

So start searching online for a great holiday buy to the US and further afield

Spain's Costa del Sol

2009-05-24T09:16:00.004+01:00

I've just returned from spending a few sunny days on the Costa del Sol checking out all our hotels as part of our due diligence process to see they continue to meet our high standards and current management and staff remain gay welcoming.

It is so easy to forget what a great gay destination this area makes. There's a wide choice of UK departure airports, just over 2 hours flying time and with 15 minute train transfers costing around €1.00, it's easily accessible. Our top-end August Saturday flights from Gatwick with 7 nights B&B in a 4 star Hotel start at £640 per person, this has to be great value.

The main gay town of Torremolinos enjoys its own gay beach opposite the Posiedon Beach Bar and there are four others within easy access. Night life in the La Nogalera shopping centre is pretty hectic in the summer months with bars, clubs and saunas. Our 4 star Hotel Cervantes is between the two – ten minutes to the beach and five minutes to the bars and clubs.

Malaga is just 25 minutes away by train and offers excellent shopping in the Calle Larios, the culture of Picasso birth place and museum, a sense of style and history as befits an ancient roman city plus some fun gay bars on the Plaza Merced and a good beach at the Malagueta. It's a handy place to stay - our 4 star Malaga Centro hotel has just been refurbished and is within 20 minutes walk of all that Malaga has to offer plus its roof top terrace and pool is a great place to cool off and top up the tan.

So if you feel you’ve done the Yumbo but are still looking for a reasonably priced holiday break, why not check out our Costa del Sol web pages and search for a holiday deal.

Gay Ski-ing:

2009-04-07T11:36:00.006+01:00

I have just returned from a few days in the Alps looking at possible options for gay ski-ing in 2010. It’s been a really exciting few days visiting some spectacular ski resorts with plenty of après-ski and evening night life plus some amazing ski and snowboarding opportunities. Best of all everyone has been offering a very gay welcoming experience with hoteliers keen to host gay snow fun lovers with some pretty special prices.

So Amro Worldwide will be looking at some very attractive options over the next few months for gay ski-ing and snowboarding in 2010. If you’d like a sneak preview with some early booking discounts, why not register now for our Winter Sports newsletter at

http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001Nw62mjI74CiacZdzn17yaA%3D%3D.

and you’ll be the first to know.

Travel Firm Failures Continue

2009-03-01T09:12:00.008Z

"Drastic action can save struggling travel firms" was a headline in this week's Travel Industry press. The report was based on some research carried out by Plimsoll Publishing that out of the 1000 top travel firms, 213 are at high risk of failure. It continued with some actions those companies should be thinking of taking to avoid failure.

Travel firms continue to fail. Just last month, three firms failed in February 2009 leaving over 5000 travellers either without a holiday or stranded abroad.

The average traveller can be forgiven for letting the pain and anguish of a failure fade into distant memeory, but particulary for those who lost either their holidays or money - or in some cases both - the memory remains strong and somewhat painful.

Amro Worldwide holds ATOL5826 which fully protects any flight included holiday package which we sell. Unlike some companies, our ATOL is a real ATOL - it can be checked on the CAA website. It's not just a logo used to entice your booking and give confidence but provides real protection. So when buying your next holiday, do check that the ATOL protection information you are told about really does exist.

European Symposium on Gay & Lesbian Tourism

2009-02-14T17:50:00.005Z

A bit of a mouthful for what was a very succesful day yesterday spent looking at gay tourism and how it is developing. I was delighted to be asked to make a presentation on how Amro Worldwide works with destinations and suppliers, as a summing up on much of the morning and early afternoon's discussions and presentations.

Our "So Gay" campaign on the London Underground during last summer's London Pride certainly hit the headlines then and it continues to rumble on especially when Adweek.com suggested it was the most talked about travel industry ad of 2008. The "legs" of the campaign certainly gave superb publicity to our partners of Atlanta, Boston, Las Vegas, New Orleans and Washington DC and as of last week two posters were still displaying - that's seven months after the campaign officially closed.

So, some great opportunites and unique ideas for destinations and suppliers to work with Amro Worldwide to maximise opportunities.

Some 2009 Predictions...

2009-01-08T14:07:00.009Z

It's been interesting reading the papers over the past week with all their predictions for 2009 so I thought I'd record here my thoughts on travel and gay travel in particular for 2009.

Firstly, I think the currencies have been over done and we will see the pound recover against the Euro and US Dollar. This has already started to happen with the Euro showing clear ground over parity. I predict we'll see the 1.20 Euro and the 1.50 USD by Easter - not quite what we have been used to but enough to tempt travellers back to these destinations. All our prices are based on these rates of exchange so why not go ahead and book your holiday now whilst there is good choice and prices are competitive?

I don't think we will see a repeat of airlines such as Silverjet, Zoom, Nationwide and XL failing this year as the price of oil has fallen substantially. But I do think a number of niche holiday companies, including possibly some gay specialists, might be in trouble as booking volumes fall as a result of the economic downturn. This means understanding the Financial Protection included with the holiday and checking that it really is as good as the sales team promote, is absolutley vital. For Amro Worldwide that's easy. We hold ATOL 5826 which ensures full protection for your holiday and re-patriation if the airline goes out of business.

As for destinations, the swing to European destinations will continue but I predict that our gay resort at Dalyan in Turkey will be very popular, offering superb value for being outside the Eurozone. For those venturing to Spain, Gran Canaria will remain a top destination but the greater variety and lower price of flights to Barcelona and Malaga will make Sitges and the Costa del Sol resorts of Torremolinos and Malaga more popular than in the past. I suspect that short weekend city breaks will be less popular and the ability to book other than 7 or 14 night holidays through Amro Worldwide will mean more 8 or 9 night holidays to maximise holiday leave and value.

Gay cruises will continue to grow in popularity but I doubt this is the year for the increasing range of gay adventure holidays that we are offering simply due to economic circumstances. One Off celebration holidays such as honeymoons will continue to grow with evermore exotic destinations starting to feature - we've already sold a China, Vietnam and Cambodia trip.

Now for prices. Whilst there will always be bargains to be found and we have plenty on our website, the overall trend in 2009 will be for prices to rise simply as a result of capacity reductions across the entire industry. All holiday companies are keen to get the bookings in now so they know where they stand, so now is the time to search the deals and get booking. Late deals will still be there but the days of last minute distress pricing sales is gone and they will almost certainly be more costly as the year passes by.

So, Happy Travelling to you all in 2009.

Up to 70% OFF!!

2008-12-31T13:58:00.003Z

We’ve all read that Woolies are closing down and had a wonderful 50% Off sale which was much publicised. Woolies were great for CD’s and other small gifts so off I went into town to buy stocking fillers. Sadly very little was actually discounted by more than 15 -20% and there wasn’t even this off many of the CD’s. I left feeling disappointed and somewhat misled.

This week I fancied a new winter coat as it has been so cold and wandered into a High Street chain offering upto 70% off. Sure discounts on last summer's styles but on what I really needed it was full price. I left empty handed and feeling not only misled but a little cheated.

Sadly this habit is creeping into travel. As Amro Worldwide offers a price match guarantee, we regularly mystery shop amongst other holiday companies not only the gay specialists but all the big names. Whilst we all know to look for the little word “from” when we see an apparent holiday bargain, sadly, this week our mystery shoppers have been finding that headline prices are not just “from”, they are simply not available - not even on any date. Explanations have ranged from that must have sold out (even on the day the advert appeared!) to that must have been an error and it isn’t in our database.

To me, this isn’t just misleading or cheating, it’s plain dishonest trading!

So rest assured, the price you see on the www.amroworldwide.com is the price you pay. The only extra is if you pay be credit card rather than debit card. And if you book a flight, we know you want to take all your outfits with you so there is no extra to pay to take a suitcase with you – it’s all included in the price.

So shop around, you’ll find Amro Worldwide prices to be honest and fair plus you get the full ATOL Financial Protection for your holiday at no extra cost.

Gay Cruising

2008-12-14T14:40:00.006Z

A Christmas Greetings arrived this week from Atlantis Events - it was a timely reminder of just how popular cruises have become for gay men and women. Atlantis now owns RSVP and between them have a dozen cruises for 2009. There's still space available on the Freedom Caribbean cruise on 25 January - the most popular gay cruise of them all (so they claim) with prices from £999 per person including all taxes and tips.

But it's not just about the huge mega cruise ships. There are plenty of groups which take over just a small number of cabins, special interest cruises for full moon lovers or try sailing the Greek Islands aboard a real sailing ship. That's right many cruises are now starting in Europe with a few even from our own shores plus there are all-women cruises from Olivia. And contrary to popular belief it's not all speedo-clad muscle hunks, the age range and diversity is wide with something for everyone.

It's easy to see why cruising is so popular - all the fun, accommodation, meals and entertainment are included in one price With our worldwide knowledge, we can get you to the departure port and return you home with minimal hassle and for the lowest possible cost.

Where are Prices Heading for 2009

2008-12-04T10:36:00.005Z

Earlier this week, I was reading the Travel Trade Press and an article on prices written by Amanda Willis, the MD of Virgin Holidays, caught my eye. Of course, the bigger companies are always talking up the price of holidays but this was a lot more sanguine.

We're all aware that the pound has fallen in value over the past few months and as I write, has dropped another 2% against the Euro and 3% against the US dollar. What we often don't appreciate is that this means that the average apartment rental in Gran Canaria has gone up by over £50 for a week in the past year.

But she explained, property owners have largely fixed overheads, If they think they will sell less rooms, then the price per room has to rise to cover these costs.

Finally, she went on, there are also huge flight capacity reductions. Popular gay destinations, such as Mykonos and Gran Canaria were well served by XL and its capacity is not being replaced. On the long haul sectors across the Atlantic and to South Africa and Australia, we're already finding the number of flights reduced often to less than daily. With less competition and choice, prices are slowly but steadily creeping up.

Reflecting on this, the key to me is the flight capacity. If seats are sold out early there will be none that are available for late bookers whatever price they are prepared to pay. And with the economy in such a mess, that price is not very much.

I have just been updating our offers for our Newsletter and was quite horrified to see how much supplier prices have risen in the last month. A US week up over a £100 and even Gran Canaria up around £60.

So where does this leave us all ?

There is no doubt that those who book early are the winners. We have a lot of clients travelling long haul this Christmas. They paid at a USD rate of 1.85 to 1.95, today's rate is 1.40. They've saved literally £100's by booking early. Even our Christmas clients to Gran Canaria are saving over £70 on their week by booking as recently as October.

The moral is clear - don't leave it too late to book. My prediction for 2009 is that prices will continue to rise and reduced capacity will mean that late cheapies will be few and far between. Book early for the best deals in 2009.

Los Almendros is Back !

2008-11-19T10:38:00.005Z

We're really delighted to announce that the gay resort of Los Almendros in Gran Canaria is now back and on sale for bookings made either online at http://www.amroworldwide.com/ or through our call-centre on 01462 434663.

This popular gay owned and managed resort, formerly known as Respect Los Almendros, went straight for the winter but is re-opening as an exclusively all-male resort on Wednesday 29 April - that's just in time for Maspalomas Pride week.

As a welcome back gift, just book Los Almendros online before 30 November 2008 and enter promotional code GRAN. We'll then knock £25 off any booking over £500 as you make payment.

And remember, no longer are you locked into 7 night stays. With our daily flights, you can now enjoy a long weekend or mid-week break at a great price too.

World Travel Market

2008-11-15T15:23:00.007Z

Wow - a month since my last post on here but what a week this has been. World Travel Market is over 5000 travel stands from destinations all around the world crammed into ExCel with 45000 visitors. It's manic but great fun !

I normally go just on Wednesday which has become known as GayDay as there is a masterclass given by Ian Johnson of OutNow Consulting. This attracts all the boyz and girlz from the industry plus a lot of our friends from IGLTA and we all decamp to Profile afterwards.

But this year was special. Monday is reserved for invitees only and I got four invites ! So here I was, with the good and the great of World Travel, mingling with Ambassadors promoting their countries and me, talking up gay travel. It's amazing that less than two months after starting to sell Gran Canaria holidays, I am welcomed by the Head of the Local Tourist Board and a queue is formed from accommodation owners wanting to work with Amro Worldwide.

But it's sad that even in mass market Spain, places like Torremolinos and even Sitges fail to recognise the size and spending power of the gay consumers at these difficult times. Contrast this with Barcelona and Sevilla - both of whom publish gay guides packed with information and readily available in local tourist information booths or from us.

But it's in our niche destinations that we are especially warmly welcomed. Martha from Peru, Carlos from Costa Rica and Merina from Buenos Aires all have great track records of giving the gay traveller exactly what they want and their party at the In & Out was wonderful again.

I suppose it's a reflection on changing trends that I spent less time on the US stands than at any time since I started Amro back in 2002. But here there was a huge optimism that a new president would revive the travel industry fortunes. Our New Orleans partners were particularlty keen to point out that the largest number of British visitors to the US was in 2001 when the pound bought just 1.40 dollars - so don't despair yet and with £199 fares to New York don't hold back either !

So busy was the week, I actually spent three full days in ExCel and judging by our enquiries travel is very much on everyone's mind as the winter nights set in.

Andrew

Iceland and The Financial Crisis

2008-10-16T11:15:00.005+01:00

One of the interesting side effects of the Icelandic Financial Crisis is that their currency, the Icelandic Krona has devalued dramatically losing over a third of its value in the past few weeks. This once fabulously expensive destination is now back in the ranks of affordability.

That £6 glass of beer is now around £4 and we have 3 star hotel rooms from under £40 per person per night including breakfast. Plus we have direct flights from London from around £200.

It's a great destination for a winter weekend away. Visit the waterfalls and gushing geyzers, the volcanoes and glaciers or go snow mobiling or whale watching by day, before exploring Reykjavik's exciting night life with it's gay clubs and bars. Then chill out to recover in the Blue Lagoon - the world's largest hot tub! - before heading back to the airport after an exciting few days away.

Sydney Mardi Gras - 7 March 2009

2008-10-13T16:59:00.009+01:00

Amro Worldwide is delighted to launch its programme for Sydney Mardi Gras 2009 with its world famous gay extravangaza parade on Saturday 7 March.

Our lead-in package is just £1499 per person based on two sharing. Depart on Sat 27 Feb and with flights to Sydney via Hong Kong - why not stop off the buy your party outfits ? Then stay 9 nights at a 3 star hotel within walking distance of Oxford Street, Darling Harbour and Circular Quay for the Opera House and Ferries before returning overnight on 10 March.

This package also includes the Mardi Gras Party Pack of tickets for the Gay Harbour Cruise on Fri 6 March , a reserved Grandstand Seat overlooking the Parade and a ticket for the Closing Party - both on Sat 7 March. This pack of tickets is also available as an add-on to hotel bookings through our website or as a stand alone pack direct from us at £209.

Why not follow the crowd to Cairns for the Post-Mardi Gras Recovery week in one of our exclusively gay resorts ? Prices start at just £449 per person for a five night stay and really low-cost flights from Sydney can be added to your international fare.

Or travel more widely in Oz to see Ayers Rock or Melbourne - both readily accesible from Sydney and with Amro Worldwide's local knowledge, you'll have a great trip, created to do exactly what you want, at a bargain price.

A Reflection on the Last Two Weeks for Gay Travellers

2008-09-28T17:32:00.002+01:00

Sadly, I haven't been able to keep this blog up to date over the last two momentous weeks for gay travellers as life has been very hectic indeed.

As I last wrote, we lost Aspire - a small upmarket brand and brought down in the overall demise of XL Airways and the whole XL group. What I did not know then was that Throb and Respect also had large parts of their flying programme with XL Airways and have now ceased trading. The future of Sensations a brand merged with Respect in January 2008 is currently in doubt.

From our perspective at Amro Worldwide, the old holiday company model of pre-buying and paying for flight seats and accommodation before selling it was well past its sell-by date. Online booking and demand for tailor-made holidays of variable duration had taken over from the once traditional 7 or 14 night holiday package with fixed departure dates. I'm surprised it took XL to push these brands over the cliff especially in the light of all the recent rumours and blogs on the subject. Amro has never followed this model and will not do so.

Gay Travellers are entitled to expect their travel arrangements to be financially sound and backed by the Civil Aviation Authority ATOL scheme, to provide knowledgeable advice, feature a wide range of flexible holiday options plus excellent service as well as great value either through online internet booking or a promptly answered call-centre. Over the past six years, Amro Worldwide has striven to meet these objectives and I believe we are well placed to serve the community of which we are members into the future.

Andrew

Gran Canaria

2008-09-28T17:25:00.004+01:00

The last week has seen a flood of enquiries for Gran Canaria from people who two weeks ago had never heard of Amro Worldwide. This is terrific news for us so its perhaps worth explaining how we fit into the GC gay travel scene.

Until this year, Amro never had a GC programme - this was a very deliberate choice. Respect, Sensations, Throb etc had good product and Amro could offer very little that was different. But around a year ago, our established clients, suffering under the credit crunch, asked us about holidays in Europe. We appointed a local agent on the island and introduced a small programme of 3/4 star hotels. It far exceeded our sales expectations.

To cope with those whose holidays were cancelled, we have now expanded this programme to include many of the self-catering properties previously featured by those companies - apartments such as Valaparaiso, Carmen and Barbados are all now searchable and bookable online or through our call-centre. We also have a deal into Los Almendros over the next few weeks - the former exclusively Respect property - although don't expect the cute staff you fancied on your last visit to still be there! Phone our call-centre for more information.

In addition, we're off shortly to review and expand our range of places to stay, ensuring they fit within our brand values of Gay Travel: Tried and Trusted. So look out for a great new gay travel programme.

ATOL and all that !!

2008-09-28T17:21:00.001+01:00

I make no apology for plugging time and time again, at this difficult time, that Amro Worldwide holds ATOL5826 issued by the UK Civil Aviation Authority for your holiday protection. Nearly seven years ago when I was planning the launch of Amro, I decided that we should aspire to provide the very highest standards and levels of financial protection for our holidaying travellers. It was simply nothing more than I expected when I travelled and I failed to see why the gay community should expect anything less.

Getting an ATOL isn't easy. All the Director's of Amro Holidays Ltd were personally vetted by the Civil Aviation Authority Consumer Protection Group. I was interviewed for over an hour about how I would run the business and my background. A financial bond was taken meaning if Amro failed, I would loose my home - not an easy thing to agree to! To cap it all, I had to find £50,000 in cash.

With those sort of financial penalties around, I don't take chances with Amro and that's why I believe we remain and prosper in the business of gay travel. Our holidays are no more expensive than any others and in a lot of cases far cheaper, so I often wonder why anyone takes a chance and books their precious holiday with any holiday company which does not hold an ATOL.

Andrew

Aspire Holidays in Administration

2008-09-12T12:58:00.002+01:00

Further to my blog earlier today, I am delighted that the CAA have advised that Amro Worldwide is now able to re-book all disappointed Aspire Holidays customers without their having to go through claiming a refund from the CAA. In many cases, we can book these cutomers into exactly the same hotels on the same dates as before so really minimising the inconvenience to them.

Just give us a call, we'll just need a faxed copy of your Aspire Holiday invoice and payment and we'll then get you away.

Andrew

Another Airline Failure

2008-09-12T10:59:00.003+01:00

Woke up to the news that XL Airlines had entered administration and all flights were grounded. Worse still, this had pushed their parent XL Group also into adminstration and to cease trading. This leaves over 250,000 passengers either stranded or without their expected holiday. XL Group was the third largest UK tour operator after ThomasCook/MyTravel/Airtours and Tui Travel (Thomsons/FirstChoice) and is a mega blow to the travel industry. It's on par with the Intasun/ILG failures of the early 90's and the Clarkson/CourtLine of the 70's.

One of XL group's brands was Aspire Holidays - a competitor of ours in the gay & lesbian market. We're sorry for all their customers, particularly those who are yet to travel and will have had their holidays cancelled. As all Aspire Holidays were ATOL Protected - as are Amro Worldwide's - those currently away will be able to continue their holidays and be brought home at no extra cost. Those still to travel will need to make a claim and will eventually get their money back.

We're happy to help any Aspire customers with this process and to re-book their holiday.

But as I said in my blog just a two weeks ago - why does anyone book any travel in the current climate without being absolutely sure they are financially protected.

Andrew

Searching for a Cheap Holiday Deal

2008-09-05T17:22:00.008+01:00

If one thing has characterised the last week, it's that plenty of people are fed up with the terrible weather and are looking for spot of sunshine over the next few weeks before the dark winter nights set in. Sadly, though, those last minute cheap deals just aren't that cheap with the increase in aviation fuel and the fall in the pounds exchange rate. This is really starting to impact on the price of that essential holiday break plus overall supply and demand is in balance as a result of widespread capacity cuts. But that's not to say that searching through our website doesn't reveal some enticing bargains particularly if you are prepared to be a bit adventurous.

In the £350 - £400 pp price bracket we have good availability at our Queens Hotel in Dalyan, Turkey. Not the most obvious destination but the Queens is gay owned and run and the small town of Dalyan welcomes us boyz and girlz with open arms. There's a great beach, some interesting local culture and excellent restaurants. Best of all it's outside the Eurozone so your pound buys a lot once you are there.

Just a little more at £599 pp are our clutch of gay guest house properties in Ft Lauderdale on Florida's sunshine atlantic coast. You'll be guaranteed superb weather here in the low '80s over the next couple of months and the pound still buys excellent value here. This price has to be a bargain as it includes return flights on Virgin Atlantic to Miami and 7 nights room and breakfast.

Financially Protecting your Holiday

2008-08-30T10:31:00.003+01:00

With the demise of Zoom Airlines and many passengers losing not only their holiday but their money also, I thought I'd post some guidelines on how to best Financially Protect your Holiday. So here are our tips.

Buy your flight and accommodation from an ATOL holder such as Amro Worldwide. Yes - we would say that wouldn't we but then you are fully protected from the minute you book. Any combination of flight and hotel can be put into your travel plans- not just our advertised package holidays. The ATOL holder will either re-book or refund any part your holiday where the supplier ceases trading. As the post below shows, Amro Worldwide has an established procedure for handling such events.

If you really must put your travel together yourself, don't buy your flight directly from the airline but through an ATOL holder. That way, at least, you will be protected against the Airline failing.

If you really, really positively must buy from the airline directly because it is such a fantastic deal, firstly check it really is as good as it looks. Most airline direct booking websites have hidden costs such as checking in luggage or getting something to eat/drink on the flight. If it really is a good deal - and we're happy to admit there are some out there - then book using Visa or Mastercard and avoid debit cards even though the surcharge is less. Provided the value exceeds £100, protection may be offered by the Credit Card company and you should, after a lot of form filling and arguing, eventually get your money back. But it won't be fast enough for you to re-book. It has taken me as long as four months to get a refund in the past.

Finally, don't kid yourself that travel insurance is the answer. None of the currently available travel policies offer you protection although some may try to sell you Airline Failure Insurance as an add-on. This is not necessary if you book through an ATOL holder.

Zoom Airlines cancels all flights

2008-08-30T10:06:00.005+01:00

Yesterday, all Zoom Airlines flights were cancelled and the airline went into Administration to join the growing list of failures this year. Eos, Maxjet, Silverjet, Nationwide, Oasis Hong Kong and now Zoom have left passengers stranded overseas and many more disappointed at home. Many will have lost large sums of money and their holiday.

It's days like yesterday when I wonder why anyone books any travel other than through an ATOL holder such as Amro Worldwide. Both the clients' money and the holiday are fully protected and our well-oiled plan swung into action. By lunchtime all our Zoom passengers had been identified and re-booked onto other airlines - their holiday and money were safe. Many didn't even know Zoom had failed before we contacted them including one passenger in a Ft Lauderdale gay guest house. He woke up to find our fax under his door telling him he is flying back tonight on Virgin from Miami and his transfer pick-up time was now an hour later - more time in the sun was his reaction !!

Zoom was not a bad airline - far from it. It offered very high standards of service and had run a punctual and safe airline since it started flying four years ago. But when the price of jet fuel doubles in under year, only the most financially strong airlines can cope. Sadly, I don't believe it is the last.

Andrew

Terrific Torremolinos

2008-08-28T12:36:00.004+01:00

After a few years decline, it seems that Torremolinos on Spain's southerly Costa del Sol is firmly back on the gay destinations' map. Last week, I spent a few days checking out Amro Worldwide's variety of places to stay on the Costa and was pleasantly surprised to see so many boyz and girlz about.

Playa Poseidon, Torre's gay beach, was postively heaving with boyz and there was a really friendly atmosphere in the bar as Stephen bustled around keeping everyone happy with San Miguel and local tapas. Up in the La Nogalera shopping centre, the clubs were newly decorated, many of the bars had received a facelift and several new ones with pleasant terraces had opened, many offering early evening happy hours. Even Cosmo - the trendy boyz wear shop - seemed to have smartened up with new stock. Could this be the new Yumbo Centre for those fed-up with the long, often red-eye, flight down to Gran Canaria.

The Cervantes hotel's renovation are now complete and this 4 star hotel, just two minutes from La Nogalera and 10 minutes from Playa Poseidon, is welcoming many of our clients to a great value holiday. If you're on a budget, check out our 3 star Jardines de Parasol down on the beach.

Elsewhere on the Costa, it was Feria week in Malaga so it was wall to wall partying in both the Old Town and Calle Larios shopping street as well as the fun fair and casitas out on the feria ground. The roof-top pool around our Malaga Centro hotel was busy as was the Malagueta Beach with parties running through until dawn.

With the the temperature a very pleasant 30 degs C and plenty of not too strong sunshine, under three hours flying time from the UK with plenty of regional departures, our Costa del Sol holidays offer plenty of variety at prices starting at £320 per person for September departures for 4 star accommodation.

Andrew

Amro joins IGLTA Peru Symposium

2008-03-11T12:12:00.005Z

This years IGLTA symposium in Peru was in one word AMAZING!

When I thought about Peru the only thing that constantly kept coming to mind was Paddington Bear from darkest Peru and of course pictures of Machu Picchu. But there was so much more to this country and even though I was told on arrival that they'd never heard of Paddington Bear, this did not deter me from finding out more.

Lake Titicaca (the worlds highest navigable lake) sits at approx 12500 ft and I could only hope that altitude sickness didnt kick in, but of course I became another statistic. Although it wasn't as bad as I had thought it would be (just a hammering migraine for the afternoon) it does slow your pace down, which actually was a bonus because it made you stop and look at things in detail rather than rush around trying to see everything. A tip that's definitely the Real Peru is to drink the coca tea - an infusion of (legal!) coca leaves that many people find helps them adjust.

Of course the highlight to this trip was experiencing one of the New 7 wonders of the World, Machu Picchu. Trying to describe this place is so difficult because how many different ways can you use the word Breathtaking! My partner and I bravely took on Huayna Picchu for a different perspective and were greatly rewarded with magnificent views.

The weather was perfect, the people were gracious and the ruins were mind-blowing!

Amro Holidays has trips departing all year round to Peru . Click here for details.