ATOL and all that !!

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

Another Airline Failure

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

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.

Zoom Airlines cancels all flights

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

Amro joins IGLTA Peru Symposium

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.