Down Under’s sub-standard performance

Last week’s Association of British Travel Agents convention in Cairns, Australia was in many ways a complete wash-out, with event after event curtailed in some way because of torrential rain.

Given that the conference was attended by tour operators looking to include Cairns in future packages, not to mention the travel agents who would be selling them, the weather was a little unfortunate.

Not, however, as unfortunate as an all-too-revealing comment made by ABTA public relations supremo Keith Betton as he attempted to get convention attendees in the mood at the opening press conference.

Betton compared flying to Australia to sex. “You get really nervous before you do it, but after a bit it becomes boring,” he said.

Speak for yourself, Keith. The Diary’s preferred analogy involves turbo-charged jet engines and 27-hour stamina.

Recommended

Mars thinks big with mini M&M’s

Marketing Week

Mars is launching a mini version of M&M’s to raise the sweet’s profile in the UK chocolate market. The company is keen to repeat the success of M&M’s in the US, where the brand leads the sector. Mini M&M’s – to go on sale early next year – will be packaged in refillable tubes and […]

BT to offer unmetred Net access

Marketing Week

BT is to offer US-style unmetred Internet access for the first time with the launch of “BT surftime” in the spring. UK Net enthusiasts have long been pressing for unmetred access instead of having to pay per minute charges to surf the Web. “BT surftime” – to be backed by an ad campaign – will […]