FRANCE – April Mobilité assure les voyages de groupes

L’assureur a conçu un produit pour les voyages organisés par les écoles, les comités d’entreprise, les associations ou les municipalités.

Avec « Ulysse Spécial Groupe », April Mobilité propose une solution d’assurance destinée spécifiquement aux groupes de plus de 10 personnes ayant réservé un séjour d’une durée maximum de deux mois en France ou à l’étranger. Ce produit s’adresse aux écoles, aux comités d’entreprise, aux associations ou aux municipalités.

Il est décliné en trois formules, de l’assurance annulation classique avant départ au package complet comprenant aussi des garanties pour perte, vol ou destruction de bagages, l’assistance rapatriement, le remboursement des dépenses de santé, la responsabilité civile ou l’interruption de séjour.

Quatre extensions complètent la panoplie, pour faire face aux hausses de carburants et de taxes d’aéroport, aux prolongations de séjour en cas de cyclone ou aux conséquences de la grippe A (annulation ou rapatriement). Cette assurance permet enfin aux organisateurs de voyages de modifier la liste des voyageurs jusqu’à la veille du départ en cas de désistement de dernière minute.

(Source : lechotouristique.com)

GERMANY – Lufthansa introduces unique travel solution for global meetings & events industry

Lufthansa, Europe’s leading premium airline, has introduced a unique online booking tool that makes planning and booking individual group travel for global meetings and events easier and more flexible. The new Lufthansa “Meetings and Events” product provides both event organizers, and individual travelers with an event-dedicated webpage containing exclusive offers for participants from anywhere in the world.

The online booking tool displays the negotiated discounted fares as well as any applicable sale fares in the participants’ local currency. Meeting participants are therefore assured of finding the best value to meet their individual travel needs. Travelers can also take advantage of several flexible options, including booking a companion ticket, or choosing travel dates up to one week before or after the event. Participants continue to have access to Lufthansa’s global network of more than 200 cities in 80 countries to choose from – and with the new online booking tool, code-share flights operated by Lufthansa partners are also eligible.

Event organizers who are hosting their participants’ travel can use either the online tool, or book through their preferred travel management company.

“Previously, booking travel for meetings and events was a time-consuming, often costly process for both the event organizers as well as the participants, who travel from many different cities to the same destination, often at different negotiated rates. Our new Meetings & Events product simplifies this process by providing one global offer in an easy-to-use online booking tool, thereby saving our customers valuable time and money,” explains Don Bunkenburg, Director of Corporate Sales and Regions, North America at Lufthansa.

The Lufthansa Meetings & Events product can accommodate groups large and small, from corporate meetings to association gatherings, trade fairs, sporting or cultural events.

Lufthansa, Europe’s leading premium airline, has introduced a unique online booking tool that makes planning and booking individual group travel for global meetings and events easier and more flexible. The new Lufthansa “Meetings and Events” product provides both event organizers, and individual travelers with an event-dedicated webpage containing exclusive offers for participants from anywhere in the world.

The online booking tool displays the negotiated discounted fares as well as any applicable sale fares in the participants’ local currency. Meeting participants are therefore assured of finding the best value to meet their individual travel needs. Travelers can also take advantage of several flexible options, including booking a companion ticket, or choosing travel dates up to one week before or after the event. Participants continue to have access to Lufthansa’s global network of more than 200 cities in 80 countries to choose from – and with the new online booking tool, code-share flights operated by Lufthansa partners are also eligible.

Event organizers who are hosting their participants’ travel can use either the online tool, or book through their preferred travel management company.

“Previously, booking travel for meetings and events was a time-consuming, often costly process for both the event organizers as well as the participants, who travel from many different cities to the same destination, often at different negotiated rates. Our new Meetings & Events product simplifies this process by providing one global offer in an easy-to-use online booking tool, thereby saving our customers valuable time and money,” explains Don Bunkenburg, Director of Corporate Sales and Regions, North America at Lufthansa.

The Lufthansa Meetings & Events product can accommodate groups large and small, from corporate meetings to association gatherings, trade fairs, sporting or cultural events.

(Source : Travel Daily News)

USA – Losses by Students of 2009 Summer Trips Should Alert Parents & Teachers

The loss by 42 high school groups of student trips to France this summer due to an educational tour operator’s bankruptcy should serve notice to parents and students. Protect school trips with Student Group Plans from Travel Insured.

The widely-reported bankruptcy of a New England-based educational tour company last May left 42 high school groups across the country with cancelled, prepaid summer trips to France and other countries. There were no refunds available for the approximately $5,000 paid and lost by each student. Most regrettably, protection plans purchased directly from the tour operator were worthless because they did not cover that company’s default or bankruptcy. As an attorney for the bankrupt operator told the media at the time: “There is no money left. I don’t take this lightly. This affects kids everywhere.”

The loss by 42 high school groups of student trips to France this summer due to an educational tour operator’s bankruptcy should serve notice to parents and students. Protect school trips with Student Group Plans from Travel Insured.

The widely-reported bankruptcy of a New England-based educational tour company last May left 42 high school groups across the country with cancelled, prepaid summer trips to France and other countries. There were no refunds available for the approximately $5,000 paid and lost by each student. Most regrettably, protection plans purchased directly from the tour operator were worthless because they did not cover that company’s default or bankruptcy. As an attorney for the bankrupt operator told the media at the time: “There is no money left. I don’t take this lightly. This affects kids everywhere.”

(Source : prweb.com)