AITO elects new council members

Six new members have been elected to the ruling body of the Association of Independent Tour Operators, including our very own David Wickers.

Bridge & Wickers are proud to be members of AITO, here's a summary of what it is and why we think it's so important to be a member:

AITO, the Association of Independent Tour Operators, is an organisation representing over 140 of Britain's best specialist tour operators.

AITO members are independent companies, most of them owner-managed, specialising in particular destinations or types of holiday; this means that they are uniquely placed to provide personalised advice based on first hand experience. Every AITO member is passionate about its chosen destinations or activities and keen to share that enthusiasm with discerning holidaymakers.

The common aim of all AITO membersis to provide the highest level of customer satisfaction by concentrating on three main pillars: Choice, Quality and Service, enshrined in the association's Quality Charter. It is a source of pride to the Association that AITO companies dominate the consumer-voted travel awards every year in various categories.

Companies admitted to AITO are financially assessed and provide 100% consumer financial protection in the unlikely event of the business failing. They are also bound by AITO's own code of business practice which includes provisions for the clear and accurate descriptions of holidays and the use of customer questionnaires for monitoring standards. AITO members are also encouraged to participate in raising awareness among staff, customers and suppliers of the importance of responsible tourism.

Sydney For Free!

If you are spending time in Sydney on your holiday to Australia, you’ll find an amazing array of activities and attractions that won’t cost a single cent.

Our top six city freebies include:

* The collection of Aboriginal paintings in the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

* The Rocks Discovery Museum, housed in a restored 1850s sandstone warehouse, tells the story of Sydney’s oldest quarter from pre-European days to the present, with lots of interactive exhibits to amuse the kids.

* The spectacular 70 acre Royal Botanic Gardens is home to an outstanding collection of plants from Australia and overseas, orchestrated by cackling kookaburrahs and chattering mynahs.

* Explore Sydney’s harbour foreshore, rocky coastlines and sandy beaches by following the Spit to Manly Scenic Walkway. The magnificent 10 kms trail takes you along the harbour foreshore, through a national park of native bush, past beaches, yacht marinas and panoramic promontories.

* Walk across the Harbour Bridge for Sydney’s most inspiring views, then continue past the clown face of Luna Park to Lavender Bay.

* Paddington, the prettiest of Sydney’s neighbourhoods, all pastel Victorian houses with wrought iron balconies, hosts a great Saturday morning market where local designers and craftsmen set up their stalls.

If you like to find out more, please contact us to discuss your plans, or to order a brochure

5 day First & Business Class Special to OZ/NZ

Qantas & British Airways have released a short life special in First & Business Class for return flights to Australia/New Zealand via Asia.

As long as you are travelling between 05MAY09 – 31AUG09 and book by 21 April you have a chance to get a fantastically discounted rate. To check availability and to speak to a consultant for your detailed quote Down Under give us a call now!

Stopover in Singapore for a $1.00 a night!

For bookings up until 15 May and travel until 31st of March 2010, travellers on Singapore Airlines services will be able to spend a stopover night in Singapore for a US$1 - dubbed the Fabulous Singapore Stopover package.

On top of the accommodation, travellers will also receive a SGD50 voucher for use at Changi Airport, free admission to several tourist attractions and various other discounts.

To take advantage of this fantastic offer when travelling via Singapore to Australia/New Zealand speak to one of our consultants who will be happy to put together a quote for you.

Matt's whirlwind trip of Melbourne and Sydney

Landing in Melbourne after 24 hrs travelling we thought the best way to avoid jet-lag and stay awake would be to stand in a glass cube as it moves outwards from the tallest tower in Australia 300 metres above the ground. This new attraction called The Edge certainly got the adrenaline pumping and the views were fantastic.

After coming back down to earth we then enjoyed an excellent meal onboard the Colonial Tram Car Restaurant. This has turned into a bit of a Melbourne icon and combines great food with a piece of Victoria’s history and is a great way to see the city.

Having spent 3 days exploring Melbourne it was time to hit the open road. We spent 3 days exploring the Mornington Peninsula and Great Ocean Road regions. The coastal scenery was inspiring and the wineries of the Mornington Peninsula very welcoming, however, the highlight had to be a convincing win over my travelling companion at The Sands Golf Course. Just outside Torquay, this Stuart Appleby designed Championship Course was pretty challenging (and if signs were to be believed fairly well populated by snakes), and as the name suggests there was quite a lot of sand!

After dropping off our hire car and a short flight to Sydney it was time to try a few of the trips we recommend here at Bridge and Wickers. The first being the ‘Cruise like a Local’ trip offered by Sea Sydney Cruises. After being collected by Shawn, our guide for what was a perfect summers day, we were handed a beer and settled down for a splendid afternoon leisurely cruising around Sydney Harbour. The trip took in the many bays of the harbour and quite a few celebrities houses were pointed out. After couple of hours we dropped anchor in a quiet bay looking back at the Opera House and had a swim before being served a wonderful lunch. A little more cruising and it was time to be dropped back at Circular Quay.

The next day we headed out of the city on a wine tour of the Hunter Valley with Australian Wild Escapes. Again, perfect weather and after a couple of hours driving and a morning tea stop we arrived in the Hunter. As well as tasting some fantastic wines we were treated to a full culinary experience with cheese, chocolate and beer tasting also included. The guide was very knowledgeable and although it is a fair drive from Sydney (the journey back was much quicker as everyone seemed to enjoy a wine inducing snooze) it was a great day out.

Our final day in Australia was the 5th day without seeing a cloud and at this stage we weren’t looking forward to being back in London in March in a few days. Luckily for us we could make the most of the fantastic weather as we had arranged to do the Sydney Harbour Bridgeclimb. After undergoing the safety procedures and donning rather attractive outfits we set out onto the bridge for some amazing views of the harbour, the city and the ocean beyond. It was a great way to end our time in Australia and there can’t be many better views in the world.

If Matt's trip has inspired you to book a trip Down Under and you want to find out more, please contact him by email mattl@bridgeandwickers.com or call his direct line 020 7483 6565

Here's what David Wickers had to say about his recent trip to Phuket....

Although Phuket is Thailand ’s single most popular island, it would be wrong to imagine an Asian version of the Spanish Costas, all high rise and heaving hotels, its beaches jammed with sunbeds and its roads convoyed by coaches ferrying folk between the airport and their resort.

There is a pocket of excess, in the shape of Patong, but the rest of the island has some wonderful, barely trod beaches and several superb hotels.

Last month I visited fifteen, any one of them worthy of recommendation but some - in my book - deserving a Bridge & Wickers Oscar.

My two top stars are the Anantara, built to look like a traditional Thai village with just 70 very private villas, and the Sarojin which is actually located just north of Phuket, across the causeway, with 56 rooms spread around a superb pool. Both have terrific beachfront locations, superb food and a blissful spa. Close contenders include the cutting edge Sala and, a good bet for families craving plenty of on-site activities, the Banyan Tree and Indigo Pearl.
The Thailand Tourist Authority, keen to stimulate business after demonstrators closed the airport last year, is currently waiving tourist visa fees throughout this month and next and cutting entry fees to its national parks by 50%

Australia the Movie

Baz Luhrmann's 'Australia' is coming out on DVD in the UK on 24 April. If you haven't already seen it, we'd highly recommend it for some inspiration on your next trip to Australia

We have a dedicated microsite featuring many of the Outback areas that appear in the film.

Click here to take a look!

We also have an 'Australia On Location' brochure that you can order here along with other brochures which include Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Asia.

Latest client feedback

What a fantastic journey we have just had in New Zealand, Australia, Singapore and Dubai. It really did exceed all our expections. The itinerary, accommodation was brilliant. During the trip, it all went like clockwork with no problems at all.
We shall everlasting memories of this for years to come. We would like to thank you for all your advice and guidance and helping us to select the places we have visited. I will write a formal letter to David Wickers informing him of our appreciation to Bridge and Wickers for making the last four weeks of our lives so unforgettable.

Tony & Janet Cook.