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Press
contacts: Sue
Lowry / Adriena Daunt / Harriet MacPhail
Magellan
Public Relations
Tel:
020 8875 2850; Fax: 020 8875 2851
Email:
[email protected]
FACT
FILE
OVERVIEW:
Kindred Spirits is a new travel venture, brainchild of 2001 Travel
founder Dorothy Tsitouras, to fill the gap in the UK travel market created
by independent travellers who do not find holidaying alone a wholly
enjoyable experience.
Standing
on a Barbados beach as the sun sets or marvelling at the majesty of the
Pyramids in Egypt can be amongst the most enduring of travel experiences.
Yet it is likely to be eminently more satisfying if there are
friendly travel companions to enjoy the moment with you.
Hence the concept of Kindred Spirits – a collection of
small-group holidays and trips from weekend breaks to longer stays, in the
world’s smartest hotels and most desirable destinations, created with
like-minded individual travellers in mind.
LAUNCH:
Trips to
commence May 2003.
MISSION/
PHILOSOPHY:
Kindred Spirits’ mission is to provide exclusive luxury holidays
to select destinations for independent travellers who are looking to
travel with like-minded individuals.
AUDIENCE:
Kindred Spirits envisage their clientele including professionals
with partners who have conflicting schedules or indeed interests, golfing
widows, couples who are not looking to holiday à deux but who enjoy the
company of like-minded individuals as well as those who, for whatever
reason, have simply found themselves with no one to enjoy their time off
with and to share the experiences that make a holiday.
UNIQUE SELLING
POINTS:
The trips featured have been selected and
constructed in accordance with the calibre of the location and
accommodation, and each of the hotels and resorts has been personally
researched by Dorothy Tsitouras.
Each group will be accompanied by a host to provide help and
advice as required.
Each trip participant will be treated as an individual guest,
rather than a “group member”.
Each guest is guaranteed a double room for sole occupancy.
All guests can elect to upgrade to premium class air travel and
superior category hotel accommodation.
Care will be taken, in advance of departure, to obtain information
from each guest of his or her personal likes and dislikes so as to ensure
that their preferences are given consideration within the organisation of
the trip.
On the first evening of each trip, guests will meet their
fellow travellers at a cocktail reception, followed by a dinner. The
seating plan (five tables of six people each) will ensure that guests are
seated with others with the same interests.
Travel documentation will be beautifully presented in a leather
document wallet. If
requested, any partner or family member will be provided with a copy of
the itinerary.
Each guest will be presented with a specially selected memento at
the end of the trip.
Holiday prices will be comparable with those offered by all the
major tour operators. Kindred
Spirits is the only tour operator that does not penalise single travellers
for sole occupancy.
KEY
PERSONNEL:
Dorothy Tsitouras, Managing Director - Dorothy was
determined to travel from an early age and indeed, started her career by
travelling across Europe, taking employment as a holiday “rep” for
various companies. On her return to the UK, she decided to make a fulltime
career out of her interest and started 2001 Travel in September 1983.
2001 Travel is now one of the most respected and successful
independent travel agencies in the UK with a reputation for excellence
both within the local market and with her peers in the travel and
hospitality industry. 2001
Travel was also a finalist in the years 2001 and 2002 ‘Agent’s
Achievement Awards’ for the ‘London
and South
East England, Best Small Agency’. In
addition to the retail travel business, 2001 Travel organises specialist
group trips to various destinations worldwide.
Dorothy’s pre-eminence within the travel industry has led to her
six-month stint on TalkRadio as their resident travel expert.
Roger Craggs, Design & Development - Roger will
be assisting Dorothy on the structure and positioning of the product, as
well as helping to formulate the corporate design and create a brochure of
unique style. With 35 years
tour operating experience and familiar with both retail and wholesale
sectors, Roger was for many years part of the Speedbird Holidays team.
During fourteen of those years as Head of Planning, he was
instrumental in placing the company at the forefront of long haul product
development in the UK. In
1989, he was a founding partner of the highly successful upmarket
specialist Airwaves, subsequently becoming Divisional Director following
the company’s acquisition by the Kuoni Travel Group.
He is now an independent travel industry consultant.
Catherine
Castel, Market Development
– formerly Director of Transport for Saga Holidays, Catherine was
responsible for the negotiating and the buying of the companies total
transport requirements worldwide. She previously managed an engineering
distribution company in the Midlands and also worked as Marketing Manager
for British Airways in Southern Africa. Catherine now works independently
as a marketing consultant for various companies, mainly in the travel
industry.
OPENING
TIMES:
9.30am – 5.30pm
Monday to Friday
ADDRESS:
Kindred Spirits Travel
20 Heath Street
London
NW3 6TE
CONTACT
DETAILS:
Tel: 020 7431
3727
Fax: 020 7794 2862
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.kindredspiritstravel.com
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