Longwood Holidays is opening an office in central Hurghada in the first week of August. The specialist operator have already appointed Mr Stephan MacNab, currently undergoing extensive training, as Resort Manager. The office will cover the areas of Hurghada, El Gouna, Soma Bay, Abu Soma and El Quseir.
Longwood currently has offices in Sharm el Sheikh, Taba Heights, Eilat and
“We are renowned for our in-resort service.” commented Rafi Caplin, MD “For our customers it’s important to have someone at hand who is knowledgeable, highly capable and experienced. For this reason we employ representatives who reside permanently in resort, rather than changing them on a seasonal basis. They know the area and the people better, and are able to offer an unparalleled level of service to all our customers. We already have local representatives in Hurghada, but by adding a regional office we are adding a focal point and an extra level of management.”
Longwood offers a range of accommodation in Hurghada leading in at £399 for 7nts BB at the 5* Marriott.
Longwood Launches Single Traveller Weeks in new Red Sea Diving brochure
Longwood Holidays, the UK’s leading specialist Tour Operator to the Red Sea has launched the new season 2005-2006 Red Sea Diving brochure, offering the great value holidays, dive packages and comprehensive range of hotels the company is renowned for, as well as a number of exciting new features.
New for the 2005-2006 season are single traveller weeks, perfect for divers travelling alone. Designed to bring like-minded individuals together, these packages offer affordable single packages. Single traveller diving courses are only open to other Longwood single travellers, and the hotels included (in Sharm el Sheikh and Dahab) have been selected for their friendly, sociable atmosphere.
“There’s a greater demand for single packages amongst divers than in most other areas of the travel industry,” commented Daniel Lion, Longwood Holidays Dive Product Manager “These are not just single people keen to meet others with similar interests, but also regular divers whose partners or families don’t share their passion. This programme we’ve set up is fairly unique and meets the specific requirements of this area of the market.”
The new single traveller weeks are available as either of 2 options; for learners, the ‘Learn to Dive’ package, including PADI Open Water course; and for qualified divers a 5-day diving package with options including boat diving, wreck diving, shore diving, night diving and technical diving.
Longwood has consolidated its popular liveaboard programme in 2005 with exclusive UK representation of the illustrious VIP ONE. The luxury motor yacht offers exceptional first-class service on its tour of the Red Sea’s most exciting and remote locations. With fully air-conditioned interior comprising large double cabins with private en-suite and shower, saloon, dining room, bar and outside deck for sunbathing or barbecuing, the VIP ONE offers a high level of comfort to complement an exhaustive itinerary.
Following last year’s successful introduction, the exclusive Diamond Diving Service is also back for the 2005-2006 season, and with features such as free nitrox, hostess service and limited places, is bound to be popular with regular divers.
The philosophy behind Longwood’s diving brochures has always been the point of difference between the specialist operator’s service and that of other operators. Designed as a travel guide to diving in the Red Sea rather than as a promotional publication alone, the brochure offers practical advice, destination information and detailed reviews of all dive courses, sites and carefully selected dive centres & schools. The brochure also features a number of attractive offers and incentives designed to save divers money when pre-booking courses and packages.
To book a holiday, the Red Sea Diving brochure should be referred to in conjunction with Longwood’s 2005-2006 Egypt & Jordan brochure, which provides information on accommodation and a range of packages.
Prices are from £299 per person per week, staying Half Board at the 3* Sea Star Hotel. Courses start at £29 with the Bubblemaker, while packages for qualified divers start from £39 for 1 day’s diving consisting of two boat dives.
Single Traveller weeks start at £509 for 7nts BB at the 2* Bedouin Moon, including flights, accommodation and PADI Open Water course with full equipment.
A week’s diving on the liveaboard VIP One starts from £759 per person per week, including flights, transfers, full board and six days of diving.
Alexandria features for the first time in Longwood’s 05-06 Egypt & Jordan brochure
Longwood’s new 2005-2006 Egypt & Jordan brochure expands the specialist operator’s already comprehensive range of hotels in Taba, Sharm el Sheikh, El Gouna and Dahab. Several of these are offered on all-inclusive basis.
We’ve seen rapid expansion over the last couple of years, and this year is shaping up to be even bigger for the Egyptian resorts,” commented Rafi Caplin, Longwood Holidays Managing Director “We’ve listened to our agents and in response to their feedback have introduced extra flights, and a new flight from Birmingham. The new hotels offer an even greater choice and provide options suitable for all pockets.”
The brochure also features Alexandria for the first time, to support Longwood’s growing tailormade service. Several suggested itineraries are suggested in the brochure, allowing customers to combine elements from the operator’s wide choice of beach holidays, Nile Cruises, excursions and Nasser Cruises.
“Our tailormade programme is steadily growing.” Said Rafi “We’re able to offer a range of options in Egypt and Jordan, and many customers are taking advantage of our range to find a holiday that combines culture and history with relaxation and sun.”
Prices lead in from £299 for 7nts HB at the 3* Sea Star, Taba, while luxury holidays start from £379 for 7nts HB at the 5* Hyatt Regency, Taba Heights. Nile cruises from £559 on for 7nts FB on the 5* Presidential Cruises.
Longwood Response to Sharm el Sheikh Incidents
Following news of the Sharm el Sheikh incidents in the early hours of Saturday morning, Red Sea specialists Longwood Holidays responded by calling an immediate meeting of its emergency response team.
“It became quickly apparent that none of our guests or staff were amongst the casualties, and establishing that fact with our representatives in resort was obviously our very first priority.” said Rafi Caplin, MD “We knew from our experiences following the Taba incident last year that we would have a lot of very concerned customers looking to us for advice and information, and for that reason we set up an emergency call centre first thing Saturday morning.”
“We are very saddened by the incidents but we are very aware that for us, as well as all the major tour operators, we must continue with our Egypt holiday programmes as usual. The actual percentage of guests who were in Sharm at the time of the attacks and who chose to return home early was very small; the majority of our customers chose to stay on and continue with their holiday. I think most people are being philosophical; as we’ve witnessed recently in Turkey, Spain and even London, these attacks are indiscriminate and can happen virtually anywhere. Today there is no tourist destination in the world that can guarantee safety.”
All Longwood’s holidays are continuing as usual. The flight which departed Sunday 24 July operated and many customers travelled, although Longwood offered all customers booked on it an amendment or cancellation free of charge.
“Security measures have been stepped up in all the Red Sea Resorts.” said Rafi “Most of the hotels are only accessible through a single gate which is manned at all times by security staff, and the checks they do before allowing a vehicle to enter are very thorough. Resorts like Taba Heights are extremely security conscious, with multiple road checks and a ban on parking any vehicle within hotel grounds. We are trying to stress to our customers that while we cannot claim that there is no threat of danger in Egypt, that the country, and especially the Red Sea resorts, are by no means a soft target.”