Up to 70% OFF!!

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

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

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.