Construction of the first runway of Dubai World Central International Airport (JXB) - scheduled to be the world’s largest airport - is on target for completion in October 2007. “Over 70% of JXB’s first four and a half kilometre CAT III runway is complete with the target month for completion set for October 2007,” said HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Aviation Corporation – Dubai World Central (DWC), Government of Dubai.

“This first runway - of a final six - will enable JXB to commence operations in mid-2008 as the world’s largest passenger and freighter airport and cargo hub.” “The progress, achieved in just over a year, is a reflection of Dubai government’s commitment to the region’s burgeoning aviation infrastructure development. With US$ 82 billion earmarked for this growth in Dubai, the emirate is leading the way across the Middle East, African and South Asian markets, part of a global aviation market which will be worth US$ 2.6 trillion by 2025,” continued Sheikh Ahmed.

With the gathering of many airport suppliers from these markets at the Airport Show currently underway at the Airport Expo Dubai, JXB, which is a Greenfield development, has grabbed the spotlight as trade visitors and exhibitors alike are updated about the project’s progress.

JXB is at the core of the massive 140 square kilometre Dubai World Central (DWC) urban aviation community being built in Jebel Ali just 40 kilometres from Dubai city centre. Al Nabooda Contracting Company, which is building the runway – labelled Runway 12/30 – is also working on three parallel taxiways and associated rapid exits – 40% complete so far, the airside road network and infrastructure services such as airfield lighting, power, water, fire fighting and drainage network.

The US$8.1 billion JXB airport will have a capacity to handle between 120-150 million passengers and 12 million tons of cargo annually upon completion.

Ryanair has defied an Office of Fair Trading instruction to include all taxes and charges in advertised prices despite claiming it had complied.

The carrier has changed the advertised prices on its home page to include non-optional extras, but the headline fares displayed during a flight-search do not include tax and charges.

As such, a £6.99 Stansted-Berlin one-way fare incurs additional charges of £23.98 at the booking stage – giving a price more than four times what the OFT considers the published fare.

In a statement on May 9, the Irish carrier said: “From today, all Ryanair’s fares will be quoted inclusive of taxes.”

ABTA has begun enforcing its code of conduct on inclusive pricing following a guarantee of tough action from the OFT, and has written to 12 operators it has found to be in breach.

It has warned the 12 to include non-optional extras in headline prices by June 13. Failure to do so will lead to a fine. ABTA is depending on the OFT to act equally tough.

An OFT spokesman insisted: “We are going to ensure airlines comply.” However, a Ryanair spokesman said: “We have written to the OFT saying it has no jurisdiction.”

EasyJet has also yet to comply, but a spokeswoman backed the move, saying: “We are talking to the OFT and will show all-inclusive prices in the summer.”

Thomson, which has campaigned on the issue, is among those ABTA has written to. Sales director Derek Jones said: “On one part of our website, in the late deals section, we don’t include Air Passenger Duty due to a technical glitch. It will be compliant within 14 days. We are happy there has been movement to bring the industry in line on this.”

ess than one in ten UK consumers would be willing to change their travel plans to greener alternatives, according to a new Travel Weekly survey.

TNS Travel & Tourism which carried out the research found that just two per cent of respondents were ‘very likely’ to change their travel plans and a further seven per cent would be ‘quite likely’ to do so.

The survey also revealed a very small take up in carbon offsetting, with just four per cent of respondents stating they had made a payment to offset their travel in the last 12 months.

TNS, which polled over 1,000 UK consumers, called on the travel industry to do more to educate the public in a bid to counter consumer apathy and enable them to make better informed decisions.

Amongst those who expressed a willingness to change their travel plans nearly a quarter (22 per cent) said they would choose an airline with a reputation for fuel efficient planes.

One in seven (15 per cent) said they would choose a tour or holiday operator which was involved in a carbon offset scheme or switch from travelling by plane to another form of transport (14 per cent).

TNS’s UK head of travel and tourism Tom Costley said: “It may well be that this reflects a belief amongst travellers that their one or two flights a year will make no real difference – and demonstrates a need for the travel industry to work to counter the apathy amongst consumers.”

Consumers were also unconvinced by individual travel firms’ track records on green issues, with the vast majority of respondents answering ‘don’t know’.

Top of the pile were Virgin Atlantic (18 per cent) and British Airways (12 per cent), with no-frills operators Ryanair and Easyjet topping the list of companies consumers thought were not taking environmental issues seriously, with 30 per cent and 28 per cent respectively.

Costley said: “This again calls for the travel industry to make more noise on this subject, and give consumers sufficient information for them to offer an educated opinion on companies’ attitudes to the environment.”

Over nine-tenths of UK travellers consider hotel brands to be the least important factor when booking hotel accommodation for business or leisure trips.

In a survey of over 1,600 business and leisure travellers in the UK, commissioned by Utell Hotels and Resorts, 92 per cent said they were not concerned about hotel brands. One in seven (15 per cent) actively preferred to stay in independent hotels, with the trend highest amongst the over 55s (19 per cent).

The president of Utell Hotels and Resorts Peter Fitzgerald said: “The survey demonstrates that UK consumers want originality and choice in their accommodation, as well as flexibility and security in how they book.”

Location was the prime concern for business travellers when choosing accommodation (84 per cent), with hotels offering an easy reservation process also in demand (36 per cent compared to 27 per cent for non-business travellers).

Of those polled, more than half (57 per cent) preferred to book their hotel accommodation online, either directly or via a travel booking website.

The survey also revealed that women were much more concerned about inaccurate product descriptions online, with a third (31 per cent) citing this as a reason for not booking accommodation online, compared to just 19 per cent of men.

Families heading for Spain this summer face long airport delays because of a new security regime.

The Spanish system, which comes into effect in three weeks, will require every one of millions of travellers to provide detailed personal information before they fly.

Some airlines will be able to collect these details via their websites or travel agents. But others, including big package holiday companies, do not have this facility, meaning that check-in staff must take down the information using pen and paper.

It will also cause major difficulties for budget airlines, which rely on a quick turnaround of their aircraft and do not have any spare time built in to their schedules for the added bureaucracy.

The system is similar to that introduced for travellers to the U.S. in 2004, which resulted in long delays on both sides of the Atlantic.

Under the Advance Passenger Information (API) regime, which starts on June 13, all travellers must give their full name, nationality, date of birth and passport number. The impact will be immense. Spain is Britons' leading holiday destination with 12.5million visitors a year, ahead of France on 9million and the U.S. on 4million.

Around two thirds of British visitors to Spain will be travelling during the summer months, which means the new regime is being introduced at the busiest time of the year.

Sean Tipton of the Association of British Travel Agents said: 'This is absolutely appalling. We first heard about it in February and we said there was not enough time to warn people.

'It is inevitable that we will have longer check-in times. We can't see why Spain would want to alienate British tourists in this way. During the peak periods of July and August, we may have to tell people to turn up at airports earlier than normal.'

Currently, travellers with scheduled airlines are advised to check in two hours before departure, while the figure is three hours for most holiday flights.

ABTA said several appeals to the Spanish authorities asking for the introduction to be delayed had been rejected.

The travel industry trade body, which speaks for the package holiday giants, has warned Spain that holidaymakers might decide to go elsewhere, such as Turkey or resorts in eastern Europe.

European governments agreed at a summit in London last August to set up a pan-European system for exchanging passenger information, including iris scans and fingerprints. However, the Spanish government has introduced the new regime a full year ahead of the EU's required

date. In theory-the latest generation of British passports carry all the required information which can be read with a scanner at the check-in. However, only half of Britain's airports have the scanners installed.

Mr Tipton said: 'Very few airlines have the scanners and even if they wanted to buy them there is a waiting list which is currently three months. Even with the best will in the world, the airlines cannot get hold of them.

'Given the circumstances, check-in staff will have no choice but to collect the details using pen and paper.'

While Spain is the first European country to require the collection of API for visitors, the policy will be introduced in other member countries over the next 12 months.

British Airways and Virgin Atlantic are trying to head off delays by encouraging travellers to enter the information via their websites.

However, the airlines run by the big holiday companies such as MyTravel, Thomas Cook, Thomson and First Choice do not have this facility.

British Airways is encouraging travellers to Spain to provide the information on its website or to give the details to their travel agent.

BA said: 'At some airports, a third option of providing API via a self-service kiosk may be available. This method is not guaranteed at all airports.

'Staff at check-in desks will also be able to collect API data but passengers are strongly advised to supply the information-before arrival at the airport-or at a self-service kiosk where available, to avoid unnecessary delays.'

The budget airlines are keen to play down any potential disruption for fear of a negative effect on bookings at what is a crucial time for the industry.

A spokesman for Ryanair insisted that punctuality will not be affected. 'We are workimplementationing with the Spanish authorities on this and will comply fully with the new regulations,' she said. 'We are likely to get people to complete a form online before they come to the airport. We are confident that everything will continue without delays.'

EasyJet said it would comply with the new regulations and did not envisage problems.

A Spanish government spokesman said anti-terrorism measures were being given the highest priority, particularly in the wake of the Madrid train bombings of March 2004 which claimed 191 lives.

Holidaymakers from around the world were rated in Expedia's 2007 Best Tourist League, with the French and British making the worst two.

The league, based on the views of 15,000 European hoteliers, criticised the French for their unwillingness to speak the local language, lack of generosity and impoliteness. Brits appeared in the top five worst nationalities because of their noisy and untidy holiday habits, bad behaviour and miserly tipping.

Americans and Brits were marked as the worst-dressed tourists. While tourists from Italy, France and Spain lead the way in the holiday style stakes.

The biggest holiday spenders were rated as the Americans, Russians and British.

According to the hoteliers, the best tourists in the world are the polite and tidy Japanese, who secured 35% more votes than the Americans who came in second. New to this year's list were the Swiss who came in third and were commended for being quiet and considerate.

A new European Union (EU) law comes into force on 15 June for travellers declaring cash, to help combat money laundering.

People who are either entering the UK from a non-EU country, or are travelling from the UK to a non-EU country and are carrying €10,000 or more (or the equivalent in other currencies), will be required to declare the cash to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) at the place of their departure from, or arrival in, the UK.

The obligation to declare applies to the person carrying the cash, regardless of whether that person is the owner. Forms on which to make the declaration will be available at ports and airports and will also be downloadable online (website: www.hmrc.gov.uk).

Travellers could face a penalty of up to £5,000 if they fail to comply with the obligation to declare, or provide incorrect or incomplete information. An information leaflet is available online (website: http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/resources/documents/customs/ customs_controls/cash_controls/leaflet_original.pdf) or from HMRC (tel: 0845 010 9000).

Millions of British holidaymakers heading to Spain this summer are being told they could face long airport delays with the introduction of new security measures.

European governments agreed at a summit in London last August to set up a pan-European system for exchanging passenger information. Within the next year all European Union member countries will have to introduce the policy, which requires gathering Advance Passenger Information (API) from every person before boarding.

Spanish authorities have opted for early adoption of the new rules, provoking concern that this will cause chaos at airports during the country's busiest season.

British Airways admitted for the first time today that it had broken competition guidelines over fuel pricing surcharges. It said that staff had breached its policy, which "requires all staff to comply with the law at all times".

Britain's flagship national carrier said that it would take a £350 million provision to cover the outcome of a criminal investigation into the issue it has been battling since last June.

In a statement today the airline said: "British Airways has a long-standing, clear and comprehensive competition compliance policy.This policy requires all staff to comply with the law at all times. It has become apparent that there have been breaches of this policy in relation to discussions about these surcharges with competitors."

This came as Willie Walsh, the chief executive, was forced to report falling annual profits and tell shareholders that they would be receiving no dividend this year.

The OFT began its probe, which is ongoing last June. The investigation is also being conducted by the US Department of Justice and the European Commission.

The charges investigated by the watchdog were imposed by BA, Virgin Atlantic, American Airlines and United Airlines.

Last October, Martin George, the commercial director, resigned his position at the airline in the wake of the investigation.

In his letter of resignation, Mr George acknowledged that there may have been inappropriate conversations in violation of company policy in relation to long haul fuel surcharges, but emphasised that he was not personally involved in such conversations. The Board of BA found that he had not behaved in a dishonest way.

It was widely reported last year that Virgin, BA's rival, had been helping the OFT with its investigation.

If it finds a company guilty of criminal activity, the watchdog has the power to levy a fine of up to 10 per cent of turnover, in BA's case some £850 million.

Both Virgin and BA have claimed that their surcharges were set in response to the surging cost of fuel, which has soared thanks to consistently high oil prices. However, the regulator began investigating after the two airlines either raised their prices by the same amount on the same day, or matched each other's surcharge rises within 48 hours.

BA said that the £350 million was its "best estimate" of the cost of any criminal or civil claims that may result from the investigation.

That figure would represent half BA's annual pre-tax profits which last year fell from £616 million to £611 million in the 12 months to the end of March.

Operating margins slipped from 8.5 per cent to 7.1 per cent. And although revenues were up 3.4 per cent at nearly £8.5 billion and the £350 million provision meant operating profits fell compared with last year.

Today's events mark the end of a dismal year for BA, which has come under renewed competitive pressure from low-cost airlines such as easyJet and Ryanair. The new "Open Skies" policy that will enable full competition on transatlantic routes leaves it vulnerable to cheap New York flights offered by its budget competitors.

Richard Hunter, the head of UK equities at Hargreaves Lansdown, the stockbroker, said: "BA seems determined to do things the hard way and today's figures summarise a difficult year."

The international airline industry is preparing for a raft of mergers and acquisitions in the wake of Open Skies, with BA seen as ripe for an approach, possibly from a private equity firm.

Owners of timeshare units at Legends say they are outraged and weary of being jerked around, ripped off, and lied to by Hillel Meyers of the Metairie Corp., the company t hat owns the deteriorating Legends Resort and Country Club on Route 517. After having spent thousands of dollars to purchase the Legends timeshare and a significant amount of money for maintenance fees, owners say conditions at the building have continued to worsen.

In the most recent stanza of a saga that’s been going on for nearly two years, the owners received an unsigned, undated letter from the “Legends Team” in which they were offered a chance to trade their unit at Legends for a “trade-in purchase price of only $1,500 to $3,000” for a week in Metairie’s resort in Star Island, Fla. They also were offered “a complimentary membership in “ICE Platinum Rewards,” which promises discounts on “cruises and resort purchases,” according to its Web site.

Throughout the letter, the “Legends team” refers to itself as “the Developer,” spelled with an uppercase “D.”

“The ‘Legends Team’ is offering us a poor excuse for an equitable substitute,” said Robin Barron, who owns a timeshare unit at the deteriorating resort on Route 517. “This ICE program is simply a discount vacation program. We still would have to pay for these cruises, rather than be able to trade our Legends timeshare for another one.

“We have never received one letter of explanation or apology from ‘the Developer’ concerning the reasons why the ‘resort’ was allowed to fall into such disrepair.”

The writer of the unsigned letter also blames an unspecified lawsuit for “stymieing attempts to redevelop the resort for the past five years.”

Only a few of the 1,400 members know that one of Metairie’s own past partners, Marvin Keith, had filed the lawsuit in question, Barron explained.

“This is ‘the Developer’s’ excuse for why 1,400 of us have been left with nothing to show for our money. This is the excuse to the town of Vernon for why Legends has become blight on our town and a safety and health hazard for those who visit and use the facilities,” Barron continued.

In 1998, Metairie purchased the resort on the condition that fire codes and other safety violations were brought up to code. Recently, township officials received a list of fire code violations some 25 pages long from state inspection officials who oversee safety at hotels.

The “Legends Team” also cites the $33 million they say they have poured into the renovation of the dark hulk of a building. But Barron says she and other timeshare owners wonder where the money has gone. Most of the owners have continued to pay their maintenance fees, but have seen no improvements.

“The hotel could serve as a set for ‘The Shining,’ a horror film based on the Stephen King novel,” Councilman Austin Carew said.

Timeshare owners have observed filthy, unflushed toilets, ceilings spotted with green mildew, swimming pools murky enough to hide a dead body, doors sprayed with graffiti, sinks fallen off the walls, and nails protruding from walls and floorboards. The only visible improvement was the removal of a collection of derelict cars from the parking lot.

After years of repeatedly being in violation of what the N.J. Department of Community Affairs deemed mandatory repairs, Metairie was requested to set aside reserve funds to fix up the resort. In a class action suit a group of timeshare owners has filed recently, they demand to know what has become of the reserve funds.

In the letter, the “Legends Team” entreats the timeshare owners to abandon the lawsuit, which, they say, would prevent the desired renovations from taking place.

Although timeshare owners say they had been disturbed for years to see the resort going from bad to worse, they trusted the owners to make good on their promise of repairs and renovations. But in August 2005 they found out that their timeshare exchange privileges were worthless when RCI, the company that had that had been managing the timeshare exchanges for Legends, backed out of the agreement, citing the need for multiple repairs and renovations.

Now, owners have gone for help to the N.J. Real Estate Commission, which began regulating timeshares in August 2006.

Commission spokesman Marshall McKnight said that the commission couldn’t comment on or confirm ongoing investigations until an administrative action has been taken. Metairie Chief Operations Officer Al Warrington didn’t return telephone calls.

Last year, Vernon designated the McAfee region where Legends is as a redevelopment zone. Today, township officials are thrashing out the terms of a redevelopment proposal for the area by unnamed developers. The plan, described as “nightmarish and grandiose” by several councilmen, took township officials and residents by surprise

Proposed for the 633 acres that encompass the Legends property are five 8.5-story hotels with a total of 3,000 rooms, a 125-foot waterpark tower with an accompanying indoor waterpark, and a 27-hole golf course n in addition to a hospital, game arcades, amusement park rides, shops, nightclubs and restaurants.

But township officials are worried that the owners of Legends might be trying to use redevelopment as the means to get around the zoning ban imposed on the property in 2005. The board then told Legends owner Metairie to complete the hotel renovation before it would consider allowing the building of 398 to 438 condominiums near the golf course. Metairie since has filed suit against Vernon demanding that the zoning board’s decision be reversed.

Legends also is embroiled in a welter of other lawsuits.

“We implore you not to allow ‘The Developer’ to continue to manipulate the Town of Vernon and to look hard and fast at his track record before ever considering to allow him to develop anything other than to renovate the Legends hotel,” Barron wrote in a letter to township officials.

Terry and Melissa Byrum of Vonore were on their honeymoon celebrating their Saturday wedding by staying several days in her mother's Laurel Ridge timeshare unit. Shortly after 1 a.m. Tuesday Melissa was awakened by popping sounds and thick smoke filling up their bedroom.

The couple escaped in their sleeping clothes, dashing through a fire-enveloped front entrance. Fire was consuming the area of the front door as they ran to the safety of the parking lot.

"The unit beside us was empty but the next one had an older couple and I knew they were in there," Terry said as investigators sifted through the ashes of their unit. "I pounded on the door and pounded it on it. I was going to kick that door like a mule. I was going through that door if I had to. If I had just had a garden hose, I might have been able to put it out."

In that unit, Bobby and Peggy Dawson of Kinston, NC, were celebrating their anniversary by spending a peaceful week in Fairfield Glade. Byrum's effort woke the sleeping elderly couple and he led them to safety as well, again only with the clothes they could grab and put on as they fled into the night air.

Two units down golf buddies William Brown and Gene Saywill of Decatur, AL, were sleeping in anticipation of a morning tee time. They, too, escaped from the fire sans a favorite putter.

Tuesday four investigators from the Tennessee Fire Marshal's Office joined Cumberland County Sheriff's Arson Investigator Scott Griffin in sifting through the charred ruble for clues as to the cause of the fire that could easily have been fatal. Samples were packaged up in silver metal buckets to be taken to the state crime lab for analysis.

They also fanned out through the subdivision of timeshares canvassing all the visitors they could locate.

All investigators would say is, "It is under investigation."

However, sources have confirmed that part of that probe will be searching for a connection with a fire two nights earlier at a timeshare unit at Oak Knoll. One unit suffered fire damage to an outside wall, Fairfield Glade fire officials confirmed, and the fire was quickly extinguished by the Glade fire department without damage to other units.

Tuesday morning Fairfield Glade Fire Department volunteers were rousted out of bed around 1:14 a.m. and some 40 volunteers responded to the scene. That effort along with an ample water supply kept the fire from being worse than it was.

Flames that lit up the night sky destroyed six of the eight units in that section. Glow in the sky could be seen as far away as Tuttle Lane on Peavine Rd. Three of the six units, located off Kingsboro Dr. which runs off Stonehenge Rd., were occupied.

Crossville and Cumberland County Fire Department were called for mutual aid assistance and arrived in time to relieve the hot and tired Glade firefighters and together the three departments attacked and knocked down the blaze. Water was spayed on nearby units to keep them cool and to prevent the fire from spreading.

Cumberland County Emergency Medical Services had an ambulance on the scene. Byrum was treated for heat and smoke along with two or three firefighters who became overheated. None were transported from the scene.

In addition, Crossville/Cumberland County Emergency Management Agency Director Keith Garrison responded to the scene to provide drinking water and coffee for the weary firefighters and the Cumberland County Chapter of the American Red Cross had a representative on the scene to offer assistance to the victims, most of whom lost everything which they brought with them to Fairfield Glade.

However, employees of Wyndham Resorts, the management company under the umbrella of Fairfield Glade, had representatives on the scene immediately who provided emergency lodging and provided for other emergency needs of the six victims and stayed and sprang into action, providing comfort and remaining at the scene throughout the night and most of Tuesday.

In the case of Brown and Saywill, all they wanted was the favorite putter so they could make their tee time.

Melissa Byrum worried about how guests at her wedding would understand not getting thank you notes for gifts the couple was given. Along with purse, billfold and all their personal identification, the couple lost their list of wedding gifts and the family and friends who gave them. They left Tuesday afternoon for their home in East Tennessee.

Investigation is continuing.

Forget binary liquid explosives, a British Airways stewardess has shown how it's really done by popping her curry ready meal into a 747's club class microwave, with explosive results.

The spicy blast - caused by the supermarket-bought nosh's inability to withstand the might of the double-strength airborne microwave - provoked crew on the Heathrow to Miami jaunt to deploy a fire extinguisher "to douse the blazing oven".

The jumbo subsequently needed days of repairs totalling £20,000, The Sun notes. This prompted BA to circulate details of the incident in a secret email memo to long haul crews, chillingly entitled "Microwave incident". The missive notes that food intended for high-altitude reheating needs "special packaging" since the aircraft's ovens have twice the power output of your ground-based domestic model.

Accordingly, staff are now banned from preparing their own tucker in 747s' club class microwaves. One BA employee lamented: "Many cabin crew like to bring their own meals to eat. At first we thought the microwaves were a godsend. But this unfortunate incident has left us with egg on our faces."

BA stressed that at no time during the curry-based emergency were passengers or the aircraft at risk.

A Denver District Court judge has barred Louis Welt from the securities industry in Colorado and ordered him to pay $1.6 million in connection with a resort timeshare scheme, state Securities Commissioner Fred Joseph said Tuesday.

Welt, a resident of Boulder, sold condominium timeshare investments to Colorado investors -- mostly seniors -- in a company called Resort Holding International (RHI), according to a complaint filed by Joseph against Welt in Denver District Court in April.

Welt told investors that RHI owned 11 resort properties, mostly in Cancun, Mexico. Under the company's so-called "Universal Lease Program," the investor also hired a third-party management company to rent and manage the condominium. Welt allegedly guaranteed investors a 9 percent annual return for 25 years.

But none of the investors ever saw a 9 percent return, and most lost their entire investment, Joseph said.

RHI has also been known as Yucatan Resorts, Avalon Resort, Majesty Travel, World Phantasy Tours and Galaxy Property Management, Joseph said.

Michael Kelly, the purported owner of RHI, was indicted by the U.S. Attorney's office in Chicago and arrested by the FBI in December 2006 for operating RHI in what the FBI called a $400 million Ponzi scheme, the state securities commissioner said.

"I encourage investors to call our office," Joseph said in a statement. "With a simple phone call, we could have told investors that Mr. Welt was not licensed to sell securities in Colorado, and provided to the investor information about the numerous cease-and-desist orders from other jurisdictions that were in effect against RHI at the time."

A controversial resort and spa development was given the go-ahead last night by council.

Council voted 6-1 in favour of allowing a development permit for Island Coastal Resorts to build a 72-unit timeshare resort and spa on the old Marina Inn site, along the old Island Highway south of Rockland Road. Only Coun. Morgan Ostler voted against the development. She said the project’s impact on views from the ridge above were the most important issue with the project, particularly the sight lines from the top of the ridge. She wasn’t satisfied her concerns had been met and wanted to see the building have less of an impact on views from above.

Earlier this month council barely allowed the project to squeak ahead, voting 4-3 in favour of granting the rezoning the developers would need to build the five-storey building. At the time, councillors told the developers the project needed to address some of the concerns of the community and the residents living on the ridge above the proposed development before the city would consider approving a development permit. Last night, most councillors agreed the developer had met those concerns by setting the building deeper in the ground and terracing the top two floors of the towers at the north and south ends of the resort. The floors are actually cantilevered into the bank of the hillside, allowing for more bank stability and still allowing the floors to have the same number of rooms as the original design, the developer explained last night.

The city and the developer are planning to work together to make use of a city-owned property north of Rockland Road for parking. The site, when developed, would be used primarily by the public during the day to access the waterfront and would be used by the resort at night as overflow parking for large functions such as wedding receptions.

Island Coastal Resorts says the project will be a $70 million investment in the local economy and will provide hundreds of year-round jobs.

The news about timeshare keeps getting better.

Not only is it a profitable industry, but consumers are more interested in owning timeshare properties than before, according to new research released at the American Resort Development Assn.'s 2007 Conference & Expo, held here in March.

The U.S. timeshare industry contributed an estimated $92 billion to the country's economy in 2005, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers' latest research. Timeshare owners took about 5.7 million timeshare vacations in 2005, contributing $410 billion in local spending.

"The economic benefits the timeshare industry conveys to communities surrounding resorts and the nation as a whole are documented and substantial," said Rip Gellein, ARDA chairman and president, global development group, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide.

In addition, the industry achieved significant growth of 24 percent over the past three years in salaries, wages and related income for its employees, and timeshare employment increased 11.5 percent from 2002 to 2005.

At the same time, travelers are more aware of and more accepting of the sales process involved in buying timeshare properties. Fourteen percent of pleasure travelers familiar with the concept of vacation ownership are interested in buying a timeshare during the next two years, according to Interval International's "Future Timeshare Buyers: Market Potential 2006" survey.

Eighty-two percent of those interested in purchasing said they would be interested in attending a sales talk or take a mini-vacation that includes a sales presentation for timeshare.

In a variation from what some in the industry might believe, many consumers attending sales presentations are really interested in buying a timeshare, according to the Interval "Market Potential" report, which was prepared by YPBR/Yankelovich.

During interviews of 800 consumers who were neutral or positive about timeshare, 29 percent said they attended the sales presentation because they were considering buying a timeshare, and 43 percent said they attended because of the gift offered.

"I wasn't surprised by that. Given the demand on people's time today, for people to take two hours, there has to be some interest," said Franz Hanning, president and c.e.o. of Wyndham Vacation Ownership, speaking on ARDA's State of the Industry panel.

"People are more receptive to our product than we realize," said James Lewis, president of Disney Vacation Club.

In the survey, 32 percent of travelers attending the timeshare presentation bought a property. Among those who did not, 11 percent said the salespeople were too pushy. A 54-percent majority said they could not afford it.

Howard Bendell, director of market research and analysis for exchange company Interval International, said consumers' enhanced awareness is due to many factors, including well-known hotel brands entering the industry, consumer education programs provided by trade associations and positive press.

"Timesharing today is really regarded as a mainstream vacation alternative," Bendell said.

Wyndham Hotel Group, a member of the Wyndham Worldwide family of hospitality companies, and Grupo Mayan? of Mexico today announced that four Grand Mayan? and five Mayan Palace? resorts in Mexico will become allied with the Wyndham Hotels and Resorts brand.

Eight of the resorts, totaling more than 3,000 rooms, are in Riviera Maya, near Cancun; Acapulco; Puerto Peñasco; Puerto Vallarta; and Nuevo Vallarta. The ninth property, The Grand Mayan Los Cabos, is expected to open during the fourth quarter.

Steven A. Rudnitsky, Wyndham Hotel Group president and chief executive officer, said the agreement will “significantly increase our footprint in Mexico” and represents “a major commitment to that country,” where Grupo Mayan maintains one of the resort industry’s largest portfolios.

“We are very pleased to enter into this alliance with Grupo Mayan,” he said. “Its prime beachfront locations, spectacular architecture and unsurpassed service and amenities have made it a leader in Mexican tourism for more than 25 years. Grupo Mayan is a proud organization dedicated to providing the highest level of services and amenities that exceed guest expectations.”

Felipe Ramirez, Grupo Mayan vice president of administration, said the Wyndham Hotel Group alliance will enhance his company’s access to North American and international markets. “This relationship builds on our demonstrated success in attracting vacationers from the United States and Canada, ensuring our leading position in Mexico,” he said.

Grupo Mayan has enjoyed a longstanding relationship with Wyndham Worldwide’s RCI Global Vacation Network, which will continue to handle services for the group’s timeshare properties. Grupo Mayan’s relationship with Wyndham Hotel Group bolsters the Grupo Mayan-RCI relationship by facilitating the distribution of Grupo Mayan's open-market room inventory through Wyndham reservation channels.

The agreement covers the following open properties, all of which feature European plan rates:

The Grand Mayan Acapulco, a 354-unit resort, is situated along a half mile of beach, five minutes from Acapulco International Airport and 20 minutes from the city’s downtown. The resort’s facilities include an 18-hole, par-72 golf course with clubhouse restaurant and pro shop; beach club; lighted tennis courts; Brio Health Spa & Fitness Center? offering facials, massages, body treatments and beauty salon; gym with cardiovascular equipment; two full-service restaurants; room service; snack bar; lounges; convenience store; and boutique.

In addition to the beach, the resort’s water attractions including Aqua Park featuring waterfalls, slides and toboggans; swimming pool; and lake and navigation canal with pedal boats and kayaks. Family activities include Turtle Camp and Kids Club.

The Grand Mayan Nuevo Vallarta, a 496-unit beachfront resort, is situated 15 minutes from Puerto Vallarta International Airport and 20 minutes from downtown Puerto Vallarta. The resort’s facilities include three restaurants; room service; an 18-hole, par-71 golf course designed by Jim Lippe with clubhouse, restaurant and pro shop; Brio Health Spa & Fitness Center; illuminated tennis courts; tobacco shop; convenience store; boutique; and handicraft market offering merchandise from different regions of Mexico.

In addition to the beach, the hotel’s water attractions include a “lazy river” pool with waterfalls; wave pool; swimming pool; and lake and navigation canal with pedal boats and kayaks.

The Grand Mayan Riviera Maya, a 386-unit beachfront resort, is situated along Riviera Maya on the Caribbean Sea, 35 minutes from Cancun International Airport and 45 minutes from downtown Cancun. The resort’s facilities include an 18-hole, par-54 golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus with clubhouse, restaurant and pro shop; Brio Health Spa & Fitness Center: illuminated tennis courts; two restaurants; room service; lounge; and boutique.

The hotel also features a swimming pool with poolside bar. Family attractions include Turtle Camp, Crocodile Farm and children’s activities.

The 354-unit Mayan Palace Acapulco is situated along a half mile of beach five minutes from Acapulco International Airport and 20 minutes from the center of Acapulco. The resort’s facilities include an 18-hole, par-72 golf course with clubhouse, restaurant and pro shop; 12 lighted clay tennis courts; gym with cardiovascular equipment; Brio Health Spa & Fitness Center, specializing in facials, massages and body treatments; two restaurants that serve local specialties and continental cuisine; room service; lobby bar with nightly entertainment; and convenience store.

The resort also features a Kids Club; kayaks and pedal boats; swimming pool; and poolside bar.

The 520-unit Mayan Palace Nuevo Vallarta is situated on more than a half mile of beach along Banderas Bay, 15 minutes from Puerto Vallarta International Airport. The resort’s facilities include a 5,382-square-foot interconnected swimming pool with poolside bar; an 18-hole, par-71 golf course designed by Jim Lippe; kayaks; pedal boats; electric boats; gym equipped with cardiovascular machines and free weights; and the Brio Health Spa & Fitness Center, offering relaxing facials, massages and body treatments.

The resort also features two restaurants that serve local specialties and continental cuisine; room service; sports bar; wine bar; lobby lounge with nightly entertainment; Kids Club; convenience market; and boutique.

The 171-unit Mayan Palace Puerto Peñasco is situated on four miles of beach along the Estuary La Pinta, 60 miles from the U.S.-Mexican border, approximately a four-hour drive from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Arizona and Mexicali Airport in Baja Calif. An airport under construction in Peñasco is expected to open in 2009.

Recreational facilities include an 18-hole, par-72 golf course, designed by Jack Nicklaus and Jack Nicklaus II; two hard-surface tennis courts; indoor and outdoor swimming pools with poolside bar; and Brio Health Spa & Fitness Center. Additional hotel features include a café restaurant, room service, coffee shop, lobby bar; boutique, convenience store and Internet café.

The 210-unit Mayan Palace Puerto Vallarta is situated on a marina, five minutes from Puerto Vallarta International Airport and 15 minutes from the center of town. The resort’s facilities include two restaurants that serve local specialties and international cuisine; room service; two swimming pools including a two-level pool with poolside bar; gym with cardiovascular machines and professional trainers; clay tennis court; boutique; jewelry store; convenience market; Internet café; and lounge.

The 598-unit Mayan Palace Riviera Maya is situated along the beach on the Riviera Maya, 35 minutes from Cancun International Airport and 45 minutes from downtown Cancun. The resort’s facilities include two restaurants that serve local specialties and continental cuisine; room service; an 18-hole, par-54 golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus; three interconnected pools with poolside bar; two tennis courts; kayaks; snorkeling; diving; Kids Club; Internet café, boutique; and beauty shop.

Holiday Resales, a timeshare resale company, celebrates its 15th anniversary this month. Starting with just two employees in 1992, Holiday today employs over 100 people in offices in Seattle and Las Vegas. During that time, Holiday has grown into one of the largest and most respected timeshare resale companies in the U.S.

"It seems simplistic today to say, 'We saw a need and filled it,' but that is exactly what we did. We just had no idea that the need was so very large," said David Skinner, founder and President of Holiday.

"Holiday's growth mirrors that of the entire timeshare industry," said C.O.O. Alan Renberger, "but as retail prices increase, more people are discovering the bargains in resale timeshares, and that is one reason we have been so successful."

In its 15 years in business, Holiday has sold over 30,000 timeshares representing over 1,600 resorts. Customers credit Holiday's competitive pricing (60% to 80% below retail), consumer-friendly focus, and innovative marketing approaches such as its comprehensive Web site and informative webinars as reasons they buy -- and continue to buy -- from Holiday.

"Many of our customers have told us that what sets us apart is the honesty and caring service of our salespeople," said Gail Bennet, Holiday's Director of Sales. "We are also the only resellers in the industry that offer a complete satisfaction guarantee."

Holiday's customer commitment is evidenced by the fact that 25 percent of its business comes from repeat buyers. "I think the fact that we concentrate on building personal relationships with our customers rather than merely selling them a product that they might not be able to use is probably one of the biggest reasons our customers keep coming back to us," said Marketing Director, Geoff Klein.

"We take the time to determine what our customers' vacation goals are and help them research if timeshare is going to meet their vacation lifestyle," said Klein. "If we merely sold them products they couldn't use, we wouldn't still be doing business after 15 years."

Noting that Holiday was one of the first timeshare companies to host a comprehensive Web site, David Skinner acknowledged the role that the Internet has played in his company's success. "The Internet was a pivotal point in the company's as well as the whole industry's growth," said Skinner. "One can only wonder what the future will bring."

At a recent awards celebration in Honolulu, Robert Foster, R.R.P., Regional Director–Hawaii for Shell Vacations Club Hawaii named Sequan Redrick a Million Dollar Sales Agent for its Waikiki Marina Resort at the Ilikai.

Adds Foster, Sequan sold well over a million dollars in timeshare sales in less than nine months, an amazing feat for anyone, let alone someone in their first year of sales. But with his personal drive and deep determination, it is not surprising. This is a most unusual young man and we are extremely proud to have him on our team.”

In addition to his sales commissions, Sequan was awarded a cash bonus of $15,000, a week’s vacation at any Shell Vacations resort, round-trip airfare to the property, and a luxurious rental car. Additionally, he was given a special Shell Vacations gold and diamond ring, symbolizing his success. He was also named to fifth place in the entire Hawaii region for Shell Vacations Club.

Now 25, Sequan left home in Chicago at the age of 14. He has been supporting himself selling things ever since, staring with mittens in the winter and cocoa butter in the summer. By his freshman year in high school, he had his own apartment and paid for his tuition at a prestigious boys school in Chicago. “I was headstrong and made it work,” he says.

Through high school, he continued to sell jewelry, did catering, and hosted music parties, establishing contacts everywhere, constantly learning how to sell to an ever-changing variety of customers. Soon he was reaping financial rewards from his efforts. By anyone’s standards, he was a success. To please his stepfather, who raised him, he attended college, completing almost enough for a degree.

“But I knew if I stayed,” he reminisced, “I was going to stop growing. It would have been my finish line. I had promised my mom I would finish school but I wanted more and longed for new horizons. I was debating between the Bahamas and Hawaii and saw a video on Hawaii that featured a Monarch butterfly. A few days later, the same kind of butterfly landed right in front of me. I knew it was a sign.”

He moved to Hawaii without a job, confident that he would land on his feet and attended college for about a year, studying genetics. “But I wanted to eat,” he says, so I worked in landscaping and at the Ritz, giving myself more goals along the way. Honestly, I had no fears. Being from the streets of Chicago, all my fears had been tested. More importantly, I learned how to read people and that you can never project weakness.”

After a series of jobs in Honolulu, he did OPC work with a branded timeshare developer, becoming their top producer for three years on Waikiki, setting all records and winning Million Dollar Plus awards. He maintains that one of his secrets to success is being able to read people and having gone through what he calls the “boot camp” of supporting himself selling and being taught high values from his parents. While he was in the process of “lining up” his future, Shell Vacations came into the picture and he obtained his real estate license and began selling after only a week of “riding” with others.

Explained Joyce Fahey, Senior Sales Manager at the Waikiki Marina Resort at the Ilikai, “Sequan is successful because he always follows the steps of the presentation, remains focused and stays centered. He is an anomaly. If I could clone him, I would. He is committed to remaining balanced and will not work more than a five-day week. What people do not know about Sequan is that he is using much of his earnings to fund an entire family in Africa, sending six children through school and college, including paying for his sister’s college tuition. He has also bought a new home for his mother and is very busy taking care of others. In the timeshare sales business, when someone is this successful it is often about THEM. Not Sequan. There are no “prima dona” cards here. Never in my decade in this business have I met someone as humble and balanced.”

Shell Vacations is one of the nation’s most respected independent vacation ownership developers, with 23 resorts in seven states, Mexico and Canada. The company’s other Hawaii resorts include the Holua Resort at Mauna Loa Village and the Kona Coast Resort on Kona; the Kauai Coast Resort at the Beachboy and Paniolo Greens on the Big Island.

Although some Planning Board members have reservations about allowing another big building on the beach, a proposal to build 219 timeshare units on the site of the old Radisson Hotel is now in the hands of the city council. A proposal by the Marriott Vacation Club International was approved Friday afternoon by the city's Planning Board.


Demolition of parts of the old Radisson Hotel building
continues as plans for a new timeshare on the site move forward.

"We're very pleased that they took the time to review the plan and that it's moving forward to city council," said attorney Craig Woodward after the decision was reached. He represented Marriott officials at Friday's meeting.

Concerns about the project included architectural design, traffic safety, beach access, concurrency and construction phasing.
A few Planning Board members expressed concern with the phasing of the development.

"(I'm) very concerned about phasing," Planning Board member Monte Lazarus said. Marriott compromised by moving up its finish date and plans to have all exterior construction completed by Dec. 31, 2011 - including the beach access - and 157 of the 219 timeshare units will be ready for purchase at that time. The plan was sent on to city council on a 5-1 vote, with Brian Moss opposing. Planning Board member Bill Patterson was absent.
"The project is a work in progress," City Planner Bryan Milk said during the meeting.

The plan will be presented to the Marco Island City Council at a later date. Stormwater drainage remains one area that city staff still must address with the developer.
Specific plans about stormwater retention will be discussed with city staff during the project's site development plan process, according to Marco Island Community Development Director Steve Olmsted.

Olmsted said he was "generally comfortable" with the project during the meeting and added that he is "confident issues can be resolved" as the project moves forward. "We will continue to refine this project," he said. "Every time we get feedback, it helps us.
Woodward expressed a desire to discuss the issues holding up the project. "We want to get this resolved and put to bed," Woodward said in his opening remarks.

Subtle design changes
Architect Bob Coleman gave a PowerPoint presentation with updated design changes.

The adjustments, which he referred to as a "subtle differation," included a roof garden on one tower, a trellis with plants on another tower, a louvre shuttering system to hide all mechanical equipment atop the buildings, and a palmetto tree pattern to break up the blank wall design similar to the other Marriott building along Collier Boulevard. After Coleman finished his presentation, the Planning Board asked Olmsted for his assessment. "... (The project) still has a boxy look, but progress has been made," Olmsted said. "I'd like to see more enhancements made."

Making progress takes time
At one point during the meeting, the project appeared to reach a standstill, with comments about compatibility, architectural style and phasing leading the discussion. "You cannot unscramble an egg," Planning Board member Jim Riviere said. "... It's going to be six or seven years before it's complete and we realize (our) concerns. It's time to take this project and move it to the next level."
Chairman Marv Needles saw construction phasing as a major concern for the proposal. "We're never going to please everyone architecturally," Needles said. "Phasing ... I do have a big problem with that ... Where do we go from here? I'm not sure."

Intensity
City staff calculations for the peak number of people on site were 994 people, based on 291 units with more than 400 beds. According to their data, the Radisson at full capacity had 1,169 people.
Planning Board member Brian Moss had concerns with the intensity the development would bring to the South Collier/Winterberry area.
"This whole issue of intensity keeps spinning around my head," Moss said. "The numbers just don't work for me." Moss also didn't feel the project, which is on about 7.55 acres, was compatible with the area.

"This building is large, imposing, close to the street," he said. "We're setting a precedent for other projects in the future."
Planning Board member Dave Caruso said the progress since the last meeting was a "significant improvement from where we were" but also used "very cold" to describe the design concept.
"I like the improvements you've made," newly appointed Planning Board member Vincent Magee said. "You might be able to spruce it up a little."

Former Planning Board Chairman Everett Van Hoesen submitted architectural designs for the project and also said via e-mail that it would be more advantageous to the city if the construction process were accelerated.

More than one-third of those in attendance were there on behalf of the Marriott proposal. Eight of the 22 in the audience represented Marriott at the start of the discussion.

Marriott officials first presented their plan on March 23 and again on March 30. Several private meetings between Marriott and city staff took place to discuss project concerns.

Hotel operator Wyndham Worldwide Corp. has partially purchased a luxury resort on the northeast shore of Puerto Rico, company officials said at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday.

The Parsippany, N.J.-based operator recently secured a partial ownership interest in the 600-room Rio Mar Beach Golf Resort & Spa in the northeastern coastal town of Rio Grande. The price was not disclosed.

Wyndham will invest in and manage the resort, situated on 500 acres along a section of tropical beach by the Caribbean National Forest, and develop an adjacent 26-acre tract as a timeshare development.

New York-based Tishman Realty & Construction Co. Inc., which opened the Rio Mar in 1996, will co-own the resort, according to Robert Snyder, Tishman's executive vice president.

The resort, which features a 7,000-square-foot casino and two 18-hole golf courses designed by Tom and George Fazio and Greg Norman, will undergo a $36 million redevelopment, with some $15 million in capital improvements planned for 2007.

The owners of Stormy Point Village, a Cape Cod-style resort in Branson, have added a $4 million clubhouse and resort center.

VPG Partners LLC opened the timeshare resort in June 2005 just west of Branson off Missouri Highway 265 in Stone County, according to J.T. Nangle, resort manager and director of hospitality services.

About 60 Cape Cod cottages have been built, with another 15 under construction in what’s designed as a “Nantucket-like fishing village,” Nangle said.

The clubhouse, completed March 1 at 132 Cape Cod Drive, is the latest phase of Stormy Point Village, a development of Branson-based VPG Partners LLC. The clubhouse has 13,000 square feet of space, including an indoor-heated pool, meeting space, gift shop, fitness center, sauna and locker rooms. It also includes the Lighthouse Lounge and an entertainment center with $25,000 invested in video game equipment.

Adjacent to the clubhouse is an outdoor pool and a 70-foot lighthouse with a view of Table Rock Lake from its observation deck.

Developers started Stormy Point Village in 2004 with a plan to build 300 cottages on 40 acres. Managing partner Pat Joyce leads VPG Partners, along with Richard Dowdell, executive administrator of development, and Darren Abbott in Branson and Dawn Joyce in Colorado.

Pat Joyce said Asheville, N.C.-based Festiva Resorts has been purchasing the cottages as they are built. Festiva, a timeshare resort management company, contracted with Summerwinds Resorts, also owned by Joyce, to provide timeshare sales and on-site operations. He said the timeshare sales of cottages at Stormy Point Village were about $38 million in 2006 and are expected to be about $40 million by year’s end.

Nangle added that at an undetermined date, Cedar Resort, which sits on the Stormy Point property, would be leveled to make room for lakefront cottages, a marina and a beach.

The 1,400 square-foot Stormy Point cottages come in four floor plans with two or three bedrooms. The interiors are decorated with a nautical theme, and the exteriors are each one of five color schemes.

Stephen Busch, of Tulsa, Okla., provided the conceptual design, and Allen Johnson of General Design of Branson is the architect for Stormy Point Village. The project is being built by WoodStone Builders of Nixa and financed through First Community Bank in Branson.

With Memorial Day approaching and summer not far behind, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) is advising consumers on how to spot and avoid the threat of vacation and travel-related fraud.

Vacation scams cost consumers over $10 billion each year. Out of the 3,900 industries the BBB monitors, the travel industry consistently ranks in the top 25 for number of complaints.

“The BBB System continues to see vacation and travel-related fraud cases in every one of our 128 BBBs across the United States and Canada,” said Beverly Baskin, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Eastern North Carolina. “Before booking travel plans, consumers need to do their research and check with the BBB for trustworthy advice on dependable businesses to keep from getting burned this summer.”

Signs of a Scam
Unscrupulous marketers make their pitch via unsolicited telephone calls, e-mails and direct mailings, and some also use Internet pop-up advertisements.

Bait-and-switch tactics account for many of the travel-related complaints filed with the BBB. Promotions advertise rock-bottom prices, but hide fees until contracts are signed or initial payments are made. Some firms promise luxurious accommodations and services, but deliver far less.

Still others don't reveal that deals include hidden restrictions such as blackout dates at resorts and fees on certain travel dates, or a requirement to sit through a timeshare pitch at the destination. Some pitches go so far as saying consumers have won a “free” trip and must call a number to claim prizes, while others will offer “free” travel club memberships, allegedly worth thousand of dollars, but ultimately worth nothing.

“The BBB evaluates businesses using our time-tested set of standards,” said Baskin. “There are many reputable travel agents, bureaus and clubs to choose from, and we want consumers to know they can start their search for these reliable companies with the BBB.”

Protect Yourself

~Gather Information. Don’t be fooled by professional looking Web sites or e-mails. Few legitimate businesses can afford to give away products and services of real value or substantially undercut other companies’ prices. Visit the BBB Web site, www.bbb.org, or call the BBB for a free reliability report on the travel company making the offer.

~Ask detailed questions and get it in writing. Get names of airlines, hotels, car rental companies and travel providers. Consider contacting these businesses directly to verify arrangements. Always ask for confirmation of your travel arrangements in writing and ensure you receive copies of cancellation and refund policies.

~Pay with a credit card and avoid deals that require you to book 60 days in advance. Credit card companies may allow consumers to dispute a charge within 60 days of purchase. Representatives from eBay also caution consumers against paying with personal checks and strongly recommend paying with a method such as PayPal that has built-in protection measures.

~Contact the BBB if you are a victim of fraud. The BBB helps consumers and businesses through complaint and dispute resolution services. Victims of travel-related scams can visit www.bbb.org or call the BBB to file a complaint. Ultimately, consumer complaints expose bad businesses and help other consumers avoid becoming victims of vacation and travel-related fraud.

For more tips on avoiding vacation fraud visit www.bbb.org

Dubai-based developer, Aqua Dunya LLC, and its sponsor investor, Al Sharq Investment, have broken ground on the first phase of the US$ 1.8 billion water-themed family entertainment destination in Dubailand. Aqua Dunya’s centerpiece, the iconic Desert Pearl, themed as the largest cruise ship in the world anchored at its desert oasis, will create a new landmark for Dubai’s growing tourism market when it opens in January 2010. Aqua Dunya aims to become one of the largest theme park resorts in the Middle East, attracting over three million visitors annually at build-out.

“The arrival of the bulldozers on site marks another major milestone in the realization of our vision for Aqua Dunya”, said Mr. Ali Al Shehri, Chairman of Al Sharq Investment.

Aqua Dunya Resort and Residences will be developed in three phases to address the growing demand as tourist arrivals increase to Dubai. The first phase comprises the Aqua Dunya Theme Park, Jumeirah Desert Pearl Hotel and Port District, 170 timeshare apartments, and 1,000 freehold residences.

In deference to the Middle East culture, Steve Tight, CEO of Aqua Dunya, explained, “What’s unique about Aqua Dunya is the combination of wet and dry rides in the same park. Unlike traditional water parks, our guests can enjoy Aqua Dunya while dressed in a swim suit or in street clothes to encourage the whole family to experience the excitement together.”

The theme park is comprised of three islands, each themed around the tales of Rakaan and his adventures on the high seas, and a number of rides inside the ship itself.

The first phase theme park will have 35 rides and shows at opening expanding to 55 at build-out, and will appeal to all demographic segments from young children to adults.

Jumeirah, the operator of landmark luxury hotels in Dubai and throughout the world and the renowned ‘Wild Wadi’ water park in Dubai, will be operating the first phase of the resort, including the Aqua Dunya Theme Park, Jumeirah Desert Pearl Hotel, and the Port District.

The five-star Jumeirah Desert Pearl Hotel in the stern of the authentic turn of the century cruise ship will offer 400 luxurious staterooms and suites with views to the surrounding oasis, innovative themed restaurants, a top quality spa, and a variety of recreational facilities.

The Port District offers unique merchandise from around the world in a traditional Arabian souk setting and exotic international dining overlooking the massive 330 meter long cruise ship which forms the backdrop for world-class nightly entertainment.

Aqua Dunya also includes a family-oriented timeshare development with themed one to four bedroom vacation apartments bordering the theme park and canal. The first phase of the residential community sits at the end of the canal with freehold apartments and townhouses fronting an esplanade of waterfront shops and restaurants.

At build-out, Aqua Dunya will include two world class theme parks, three themed hotels, a retail and dining district, a 1,400 seat waterfront theater, a nine-hole golf course, 755 timeshare apartments, and an adjacent residential community with over 2,600 freehold residences.

Aqua Dunya Resort & Residences is themed around the Adventures of Rakaan, the son of a poor Bedouin family that lived in the late 1800’s by an oasis in the desert now known as Dubai.

The Adventures of Rakaan:
While the family tended their goats and camels, the youngest son, Rakaan, was fascinated with the sea and the activity of the thriving port. Rakaan spent his days by the waterfront watching the pearl divers unload their oysters and the massive trading vessels come and go, while dreaming of one day, sailing away to exciting far off lands.

Finally, unable to resist the temptation, Rakaan stowed away aboard a tea schooner heading east. Two days later the captain discovered the young boy, but it was too late to return to port. The captain was charmed by the boy’s energy and enthusiasm and took him under his wing. As the boy grew to become an experienced sailor, he made his own trading fortune in distant lands and collected magnificent treasures from the four corners of the globe. Over time, however, he longed to see his family once again, and returned to find them still at their camp by the desert oasis.

As Rakaan sat around the campfire recounting stories of his amazing travels, the family was spellbound by his tales and the fascinating gifts that he brought. He decided that his family must experience the world’s wonders for themselves. A port was constructed and Rakaan began construction of a spectacular sailing vessel, the largest in the world, to take his family and friends to see the world. While his father didn’t have a great deal of money, he did have family and friends who together dug a canal from their oasis to the Gulf to launch his ship, named “The Desert Pearl”. After many years traveling the world, the Desert Pearl returned to the family’s oasis where it has sat at port, awaiting its next adventure.

The Desert Pearl is now being restored to its original splendor, and will once again be ship-shape and ready to set sail. With the help of a little bit of Aqua Dunya imagination, families and friends will embark on an adventure of a lifetime to the exotic island destinations that Rakaan explored.

The Bermuda II treaty that constricts flights from Heathrow to US airports has 10 more months to run before the "Open Skies" agreement comes into effect. At present only two US and two UK airlines may fly between Europe's busiest airport and the US: American, United, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.

With competition still stifled, fares across the Atlantic this summer are soaring. At weekends in July and August, fares for the benchmark Heathrow-New York JFK route are reaching £700 return on these four carriers, and rising.

The very cheapest London-New York fares travelling out on peak dates such as 21 July, back on 4 August, are for connecting flights via Montreal or Toronto on Air Canada, typically £475 through www.expedia.co.uk.

In addition, though, two "ethnic" carriers are allowed to sell tickets for non-stop flights from Heathrow that are continuations of intercontinental routes.

Air India serves JFK daily, with peak fares at £577 return through www.travelocity.co.uk for departures on 21 July, returning 4 August. In addition, Kuwait Airways operates to New York JFK; note that the airline is "dry".

Tickets on these airlines tend to be less restrictive, without the usual insistence on a Saturday-night stay for cheaper fares.

Air India also has a thrice-weekly flight to Chicago. The Indian carrier has good business-class deals, charging £1,247 return to Chicago when booked through www.airindia.com. This is about £40 less than Virgin Atlantic's Premium Economy on the same date.

To Los Angeles, Air New Zealand has daily non-stop flights from Heathrow. An economy ticket is available on peak weekend dates in summer for under £800 through www.opodo.co.uk, significantly less than other non-stop flights on BA, Virgin, United and American Airlines.

The gap between economy and business fares is narrowing for travel in July and August. BA has unveiled some bargain fares for Club World tickets to North America. You can reach California for £1,598 return through www.ba.com - less that twice the airline's economy fare. In retaliation, Virgin Atlantic will this morning match the fare with an Upper Class seat sale from Heathrow to LA.

After four years at the Anfi del Mar resorts in Gran Canaria as head of security, Alberto Garcia, is taking up a new post with the Organisation for Timeshare in Europe (OTE). For some time he has spearheaded the OTE enforcement project and logged significant
successes, working closely with the trade body and regional and national police agencies. His efforts have contributed to closing down fraudulent operations and securing the arrests of the principals involved in these criminal activities.

In his new role Mr Garcia will work closely with the Legislative Council and seek to build on his achievements to date, reinforcing OTE’s commitment to combat fraud at every given opportunity.

To do that, he needs the active support of industry professionals in identifying businesses that are operating in a fraudulent way in order to pursue his investigations.

Jon Fredricks, president of Welk Resorts, an independent timeshare company, has been elected chairman of the American Resort Development Association (ARDA), the national body representing the vacation ownership industry.

He is a leader in timeshare, fractional, and private residence club development, with a track record as an active member of the ARDA Board of Directors and chairman of the ARDA California Legislative Committee.

For more than 20 years Welk Resorts has been active in the timeshare business with properties in Maui, Hawaii; the Palm Desert area; Branson, Missouri; Cabo San Lucas and its flagship property, the Welk Resort-San Diego.

With his team, Mr Fredricks has established his company as one of the most respected independent brands in the U.S. industry.

Of his new ARDA post he said: “I intend to support the leadership of the organisation while looking at opportunities to improve industry education, partner with other associations, meet the challenge in State and Federal legislative advocacy, and expand our marketing communications to improve perceptions of shared vacation ownership.”

Diamond Resorts, LLC today announced that, following the successful completion of its affiliate’s $16.00 per share tender offer for all outstanding shares of Sunterra Corporation (Pink Sheets: SNRR) common stock, its affiliate has successfully completed the acquisition of Sunterra Corporation.

Following the purchase of all shares of common stock of Sunterra Corporation duly tendered and delivered in such tender offer (the “Delivered Shares”) and pursuant to a merger agreement among Sunterra Corporation, Diamond Resorts, LLC and DRS Acquisition Corp., DRS Acquisition Corp., an affiliate of Diamond Resorts, purchased 4,300,000 newly issued shares of common stock (the “Top-Up Shares”) from Sunterra Corporation at a purchase price of $16.00 per share, which aggregate purchase price was paid through the issuance of a promissory note payable by DRS Acquisition Corp. to Sunterra Corporation. Immediately following the purchase of the Delivered Shares and the Top-Up Shares, DRS Acquisition Corp. owned over 90% of the outstanding shares of common stock of Sunterra Corporation.

Promptly following the purchase of such Delivered Shares and Top-Up Shares of Sunterra Corporation, DRS Acquisition Corp. merged with and into Sunterra Corporation pursuant to a short-form merger under which shares of common stock of Sunterra Corporation (other than shares held by Sunterra Corporation, Diamond Resorts Holdings, LLC, DRS Acquisition Corp. or any of their respective subsidiaries) not otherwise purchased in the Offer were cancelled in exchange for a merger consideration of $16.00 per share.

As a result of the merger, Sunterra Corporation will be a wholly owned subsidiary of Diamond Resorts Holdings, LLC. The transaction was financed through capital contributions by Diamond Resorts and its partner in the transaction, Soros Strategic Partners LP, and through borrowings under senior secured credit facilities.

About Diamond Resorts, LLC

Diamond Resorts has over 25 years of experience in the successful development, management, marketing and sales of vacation ownership properties and has been a consistent leader in the vacation ownership industry. Diamond Resorts’ premier properties include Polo Towers, the first purpose built, high-rise vacation ownership property in the industry. Diamond Resorts most recently spearheaded the design of Marriott’s Grand Chateau vacation ownership resort. The Diamond Resorts properties include some of the first vacation ownership properties in Las Vegas, such as the Jockey Club and The Carriage House, as well as Kona Reef in Hawaii. For more information, please visit www.diamondresorts.com.

Anne Pember, controller of CUC International Inc. before that company merged with HFS Inc. to form Cendant in 1997, has agreed to pay $100,000 and cancel her stock options at the company to settle accusations that she played an important role in an accounting fraud at the company now known as Avis Budget Group Inc.
The Securities and Exchange Commission filed civil charges against her almost seven years ago, alleging that, in 1998 alone, Pember was responsible for implementing directives that inflated the company's annual income by more than $100 million.

SEC charges remain outstanding against two other former Cendant executives, ex-Chief Executive Walter Forbes and ex-Vice Chairman Kirk Shelton. Forbes was sentenced to 12 years and seven months in prison, while Shelton received a 10-year sentence. Both were ordered to pay $3.275 billion in restitution in the criminal case.

Earlier this year, Pember was sentenced to 200 hours of community service and two years of probation in a related criminal case. Her settlement with the SEC didn't include a civil penalty. She agreed to be permanently banned from practicing before the SEC as an accountant, and accepted a ban on serving as an officer or director of a public company.

For agents looking for options to stratospheric hotel rates and cookie-cutter resorts, a new category of holiday accommodation is emerging in fast-growing markets like Dubai: short stay apartments and villas.

While several small-time players are already in this market segment, timeshare giant RCI Global Vacation Network has launched Arabian Breaks, a region-specific product to target the sector.

RCI aim to use this as a platform to build a large portfolio of four- and five-star equivalent properties in the Gulf’s main tourist and business centres, according to the company’s managing director for the Middle East, Nick Turner. As a brand, he said, Arabian Breaks will be marketed to the travel trade and consumers alike, across the Middle East and North Arica.

“Whilst holiday rentals are a well established international trend, it’s quite a new concept in the Middle East. With more and more visitors to the region, their demands are changing and reflect different needs from different cultures. Typically these include more space for family or friends, more flexibility; the opportunity to enjoy home cooked meals and, most importantly, offer better value than comparable hotel accommodation,” he said.

Arabian Breaks also serves the needs of the business travel market. RCI’s research, according to a statement, proved that the concept has great appeal to business visitors who plan on spending longer than a just few days in one place. It’s especially ideal for people attending exhibitions, conferences and training courses or those who simply want their own home from home in preference to a hotel. It also provides the chance of bringing family or friends on a well earned break at a much reduced cost than staying in an equivalent hotel.

“Arabian Breaks has a selection of one to six bedroom units, from modern apartments near to the sea to luxury villas in exclusive developments. All are furnished and equipped to the most exacting standards, and available on a weekly basis,” said Turner.
Holidays are priced at $1700 retail per week for a one-bedroom apartment.

Initially focusing on Dubai and the surrounding area, Arabian Breaks will soon offer a range of destinations including Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, Muscat, Bahrain and Doha.

Most properties benefit from a variety of services and amenities, from nearby restaurants and shops to, access to swimming pools, health clubs and night life. All benefit from weekly maid service included in the basic rental charge, but this can be arranged on a daily or twice weekly basis at an extra cost should guests require it.

Transfers from the airport will be organised and a receptionist will greet guests upon arrival, explain about the inventory of equipment and provide a list of local attractions.

THE RSPB is poised to add its weight to growing environmental opposition to Donald Trump's plans for the "world's greatest golf course" on the Aberdeenshire coast, The Scotsman has learned.

The bird charity, which has more than one million members, is said to fear potential damage to a reserve on which the course would be sited.

Mr Trump's £1 billion plans for Foveran Links, north of Aberdeen, include two courses, a five-star hotel with 450 bedrooms, 738 homes and timeshare apartments in blocks up to eight storeys high, and a convention centre.

However, the site covers sand dunes protected as a site of special scientific interest.

The expected RSPB protest follows formal objections to Mr Trump's ambitious project being lodged by the Ramblers Association and the Scottish Wildlife Trust.

Scottish Natural Heritage, the Scottish Executive's wildlife body, which is due to submit its views this month, is likely to play an even more key role in the fate of the scheme, as it is a statutory consultee.

Official figures released show that low cost airline Jet2.com had its busiest start to summer trading ever – year-on-year passenger figures for holidaymakers flying out on May 1 are up 58 per cent on 2006. It was also revealed the company expects to carry more than 4m customers in the current financial year.

The Leeds Bradford Airport-based company has sustained rapid growth since launching, but passenger figures for May 1, and pre-bookings for the remainder of May, are already in excess of 50 per cent up on 2006.

The airline said that the successful launch of its unique package holiday business Jet2holidays.com had boosted trading.

Mandy Round, General Manager of Jet2holidays.com, said: “May 1 was the day we officially started taking customers on holidays packaged together using our own low cost flights. The take-up for our packaged holidays has been fantastic and has contributed to such a strong start to summer trading – the sales growth is even more remarkable at a time when there has been such a huge amount of consolidation in the package tour sector.”

“We have managed to outmanoeuvre the bigger tour operators by sticking to three very straightforward principles. Firstly, we are ultra-competitive on price and we can do this by providing ‘market rate’, as-it-happens pricing, not brochure prices which may have been set and published last year. Secondly, our properties are three to five-star only, which is not typical for package holidays, especially low-priced deals, so our customers can be assured of excellent accommodation when they arrive in their named hotel, apartment or resort. Finally, we take customer service extremely seriously and we believe that just because we offer excellent value for money, our standards should not be compromised.”

The company also said that it was on schedule to smash its annual passenger figures – the company, incorporating Jet2.com and Jet2holidays.com, said that it expected to carry around 4.4m in this financial year.

International passenger traffic demand rose 7.8% year–on-year according to new traffic results released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) for March 2007. This is the largest year-on-year single month increase recorded in a year. Average international passenger load factors remained high at 76.4%.

Comparing the first three months of 2007 to the same period in the previous year passenger demand was up 7.0% with average load factors of 74.9%.

“The story for passenger traffic is based on strong economies driving the demand to travel for both business and leisure markets," said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

Carriers in the Middle East continued their 3-year trend of double-digit passenger demand growth in March with a year-on-year increase of 20.4%. This was driven by rapid route and capacity expansion and strong economic growth. Since 2001, Middle Eastern carriers have increased their overall share of global traffic from 5% to 8%.

All other regions also saw year-on-year increases for passenger traffic in March. African carriers reported an 11.9% increase boosted primarily by new and expanded routes to the Middle East and Asia. Strong economies drove demand for carriers in Europe (8.2%), Asia (6.9%) and North America (5.0%). Latin American carriers, which continue to be affected by industry restructuring, reported the smallest increase at 0.5%.

“People want to travel and they are doing it in record numbers,” said Bisignani. “The fact that airlines are meeting that demand with newer, more fuel-efficient aircraft and near-record load factors bodes well for the bottom line and should lead to an industry profit of US$3.8 billion in 2007.”

Sharaf Travel, the accredited space office of Virgin Galactic in Dubai welcomed Carolyn Wincer, Head of Astronaut Sales (from London) to launch the official start of selling space travel with a training session to ten especially selected travel consultants.

During the training session with Carolyn Wincer, the team were provided with an in depth presentation which addressed the history of Virgin Galactic, the technology and the client experience.

In brief, space travelers will have a mandatory three days of preparation which includes bonding with the other spaceship passengers and training. The Virgin Galactic experience involves boarding SpaceShipTwo which is attached to a mother-ship known as WhiteKnightTwo.

Following a run-way take-off the space craft will climb to an altitude of 50,000 feet where the spaceship will be released and the rocket ignited. The rocket burn acceleration powers the spaceship to the speed of sound in just 10 seconds, and over three times the speed of sound in under 30 seconds.

The G-force surge will push the clients back into their seats as they head into the darkness of space to an altitude of 70 miles (110km) above the earth’s surface. When the rocket motor shuts down, all passengers, who by this stage are officially ‘astronauts’, will experience the silence of space, and majestic views earth as they float around the large cabin in zero gravity. The spaceship returns to earth, passing back through the atmosphere using a unique wing feathering technology to ensure stability and to minimize heat intensity, before making a normal runway landing. In total the space flight will last for around two hours.

“It’s not your everyday kind of training session, and our consultants are now very enthusiastic about selling space travel. The animation DVD presentation was a highlight for our team – it made the entire concept tangible,” said Mr V Jayaram, General Manager, Sharaf Travel.

The union representing 1,500 Thomsonfly staff has warned of strike action in protest at compulsory job losses.

The TUI UK carrier has been involved in talks on redundancies resulting from a current restructuring, but the union alleges the company is already preparing for the proposed merger with First Choice.

Thomsonfly and First Choice Airways currently duplicate operations at Gatwick, Manchester, Stansted, Bristol, Cardiff, Luton, Glasgow, Newcastle, Birmingham and East Midlands.

The T&G, now part of the new union Unite, said talks with Thomsonfly at conciliation service Acas have so far failed.

T&G industrial organiser Kevin Hall said: "We have already seen closures at Leeds Bradford and have been advised of Thomsonfly's intention to close the Stansted and Bristol crew bases.

"We understand First Choice has announced the closure of its Cardiff and Luton bases from November 1."

The union wants a guarantee of no compulsory redundancies and, without one, will ballot on a strike. A consultative ballot of cabin crew has already found that 98% support a walkout.

Hall warned: "Thomsonfly should be under no illusion. Our members' jobs and their customers' holidays are at stake."

Unite revealed this week it has signed a recognition deal on behalf of cabin crew at Thomas Cook Airlines.

By the US tourism industry's own admission, it is finding it increasingly hard to attracting foreign holidaymakers.

The perception that the country has a tough entry policy is dissuading customers from traditional markets, causing a drop in its market share of international tourism from 7.5% in 2000 to 6.1% last year.

However, with paranoia about border security seeming to dominate US policy, a pilot scheme to be introduced towards the end of the year will see each visitor to the country have all 10 fingerprints digitally scanned on their arrival - an additional measure that can only lengthen the process of clearing customs.

US Department of Homeland Security US-Visit director Robert Mocny said: "The increased finger-printing may appear Big Brother-ish if we don't explain it properly.

"But if you agree biometrics are a security advance for international travel you'll want to make sure you're doing it the best way possible.

"When a system has 10 fingerprints it says more and it should improve the system. It is another step on a long journey of trying to make travel to the US more secure."

US authorities are keen to get the message out that increased security will not necessarily mean additional problems when clearing immigration - a job that the Discover America Partnership is tackling.

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts chairman and US Travel Industry Association chairman James Rasulo said: "The Partnership was set up to debunk the myth that security and efficiency can't live together - we firmly believe they can."

However, he added issues other than US security demands have led to the current problems at US borders that are being blamed for the drop in tourism figures.

Rasulo said: "At most points of entry they are understaffed, we are aggressively campaigning to get that changed and we've made some progress."

Discover America Partnership executive director Geoff Freeman said the US Congress recently passed a number of measures that will see more countries added to the US Visa Waiver list.

More importantly from the UK perspective, it will also see the recruitment of an additional 200 border control officers and the creation of a simplified entry processes.

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts has been drafted in to advise immigration officials on how best to welcome visitors and manage large queues - addressing two long-held gripes of tourists.

Rasulo said: "These efforts will result in a friendly and more welcoming experience for visitors and we expect it to attract more people. But negative perceptions have a way of lingering long after the problem has gone."

One way of countering this - a $200 million worldwide marketing campaign - has long been on the table and was once again raised as a possibility at last week's International Pow Wow in Anaheim.

However, with the US government driving the project, it could be as long as a decade before the campaign launches.

Rasulo said: "We'd need to think of what kind of agency would be set up to administer it as well as the make up of the board."

In the meantime the TIA is calling on US agents to support a suggestion that would raise $300 million through a tax on visitors to pay, among other things, for the training of immigration officials to make them more customer friendly.

Population changes and an oversupply of aircraft will fuel a travel boom in coming decades, it has been predicted.

This year's Pow Wow International keynote speaker, Hilton Hotels Corporation chief operating officer Matt Hart, said the growth will be largely thanks to global population reaching eight billion by 2030, the development of market-based economies and a steady flow of new aircraft into the market.

He added increasing use of the Internet is enabling consumers to find out more about tropical destinations - and as a result "hundreds of millions of people are going to be travelling globally".

He said: "We are in the early stages of a travel boom. In many parts of the world the population is ageing, becoming more affluent and more inclined to travel.

"All around the world, market-based economies are spurring development, connecting the needs for productivity with requirements for efficiency.

"With the all-out competition between Airbus and Boeing, there is an over-capacity of aircraft and a resulting explosion in discount carriers. People will have more accessibility to flights at affordable fares."

Hart said Hilton is already making plans to meet the growth with 75 new hotels planned for India and another 50 in China with more developments in the pipeline.

The new hotels are part of a development programme that will see 1,000 hotels added to its portfolio in North America in the next decade, along with a further 1,000 properties around the rest of the world.

He added: "Our plan is to aggressively roll out our very successful service-focused, mid-priced brands around the world - brands such as Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton Inn - and our upscale Doubletree brand, mostly through converting existing properties."

The Government has signalled its partial acceptance of industry criticism of Air Passenger Duty by proposing changes to the rating system.

It issued a consultation document this week on options to change the way APD is levied, but the move sparked fury at business-only carrier Silverjet.

The current system, following the doubling of APD in February, levies £80 in duty on long-haul premium economy fares, but only £40 on business-class only flights.

The consultation assumes two APD rates will remain and proposes three options for changing how these apply: the rates could be based on seat pitch or on a combination of seat pitch and services, or the definition of business-only flights could be amended.

This last option would double APD levied on business-only carriers, leaving the rate on premium economy fares unchanged. The first two would see the premium economy levy halved.

The Treasury will only consider proposals that maintain the £2 billion a year it collects from APD.

Silverjet chief executive Lawrence Hunt said: “Why should we pay another £40? Since we set up this business, all the Government has done is raise tax and the only reason is to plug holes in its finances.”

The consultation will not affect the Federation of Tour Operators’ High Court case against the Government’s doubling of APD, which is scheduled for July.

FTO director-general Andy Cooper said: “We’re pleased the Government has come up with something, but this fails to address the more pressing issue for operators.”

The FTO hopes for a refund of the £50 million it cost the sector to pay the increased APD on advanced bookings. The industry has until July 31 to respond to the consultation.

A new report from Holiday Which? has uncovered the high cost of visiting theme parks and the importance of planning ahead to save time and money.

The study of the six most visited theme parks in the UK found that at the most expensive, Alton Towers, a family ticket for two adults and two children can cost up to £89 on the day just to enter the park. Additional expenses like travel, food and extra charges for some attractions can send the true cost of a visit spiralling.

Most of the parks make children aged 12 years and over pay the full fare. Of the six the one exception to this rule is Legoland but at £24 they have the most expensive child ticket.

“If you’ve got teenagers, a family of four could end up spending almost £130 - and that’s just to get in!” said Holiday Which? editor Lorna Cowan. “To make sure this Bank Holiday weekend will be full of thrills and spills, plan ahead and make sure you get the best deals.”

To help avoid stress and ease pressure on the wallet, Which? advises visitors to consider buying a Fast Track ticket to avoid queues, pack a picnic and arrive early to avoid queues at popular rides.

All the theme parks allow visitors to take food inside, four of the six offer better rates for online bookings and almost all offer deals on group or family tickets.

The report was based on visits to Alton Towers, Chessington World of Adventures, Drayton Manor, Flamingoland, Legoland and Thorpe Park last summer.

The European Commission has today approved the proposed merger between Thomas Cook and MyTravel.

The agreement allows the merger to go ahead for next month as timetabled, providing the deal wins the agreement of MyTravel shareholders on May 29 before a court hearing to sanction the scheme on June 18.

If everything goes to plan, both companies will merge becoming the Thomas Cook Group on June 19 when its shares would be listed on the London Stock Exchange and dealings would be commenced.

MyTravel Chief Executive Peter McHugh said: “I am delighted we have received this clearance. This is a significant milestone on the way to completing the merger. The merger is clearly in the best interests of our shareholders and the European Commission Phase I clearance will allow us to accelerate the merger process.”

Manny Fontenla-Novoa, Group CEO of Thomas Cook AG, said: “This is a very important development for us in the process of merging these two businesses and we are very pleased that the Commission has decided to clear the transaction.

"We are now one step closer to being able to deliver the substantial benefits of this merger to all our staff, customers, business partners and shareholders.”

The approval of the deal by the EC would suggest it will also green-light the proposed First Choice/Thomson deal when it comes up for consideration next month. An announcement concerning the deal was expected to be made within the next two weeks but it has now been delayed until June 4.

The delay has been caused following a meeting with the Competition Case Team of the European Commission yesterday (May3) when the issue of potential dominance post-merger in the Republic of Ireland was raised.

First Choice Holidays PLC and TUI AG have agreed to consider specific undertakings to address this issue, including the potential sale of one of their Irish businesses.

Despite the delay both operators remain confident the proposals will ultimately be given the go ahead.

Police investigating the disappearance of a three-year-old British girl from a Portuguese holiday resort say it appears she has been abducted.
Officers say they have a suspect in mind, and believe Madeleine McCann remains in the area and is still alive.

Her parents, from Leicestershire, left her at their apartment at Mark Warner's Ocean Club in Praia da Luz on Thursday, while they were at a nearby restaurant.

Doctors Gerry and Kate McCann have spoken of their "anguish and despair".

In the first official briefing on the case, Guilhermino Encarnacao, director of the judicial police in the Faro region, said officers are working on the assumption she is being held between 3km and 5km (1.8 and 3.1 miles) from the resort.

They had about 30 calls from potential witnesses and have created an artist's impression of a suspect.

Responding to criticism that the police had been slow to respond, Mr Encarnacao said officers arrived at the scene 10 minutes after being alerted to the disappearance.

An investigation unit began work within 30 minutes, he added.

Police are expected to provide a further update on their investigation later.

Window opened

Relatives have flown to the Algarve to be with the couple, who were holidaying with their three children.

Speaking to press on Friday evening, Mr and Mrs McCann, from Rothley, pleaded for the return of their "beautiful" Madeleine.

Mr McCann, with his wife at his side, read out an emotional statement outside the holiday apartments on Friday evening.

"We cannot describe the anguish and despair we are feeling as parents of our beautiful daughter Madeleine," he said.

"We request that anyone with any information relating to Madeleine's disappearance, no matter how trivial, contact the Portuguese police and help us get her back safely."

The Ocean Club resort offered a creche service but the couple decided to leave Madeleine and two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie sleeping in the apartment.

They had taken turns to return from the restaurant to check on their children.

Madeleine, who turns four next Friday, was last seen by her father at about 2100 local time.

When Mrs McCann went to check on her about an hour later, she found the bedroom's outside shutter and window had been opened and her daughter missing.

Resort staff and guests helped the McCanns search the complex grounds into Friday morning and police were notified.

Pictures of Madeleine have been widely distributed, and ports and the Spanish police put on alert.

British Ambassador John Buck, who is with the McCanns in the Algarve, said they have been joined by three Family Liaison Officers from Leicestershire Police.

Mr McCann's sister Philomena, criticised the Portuguese police for initially "playing down" their response to the disappearance.

She has been in phone contact with her brother.

Speaking from her home in Glasgow, she said: "He thinks it's just too little, too late.

"It was hours before the local police turned up and we're talking two bobbies that totally downplayed the incident and said that Maddie had maybe just wandered off."

However, she said that the family was elated to hear the police believed Madeleine was still alive.

"There was a distinct feeling of elation, you know - but it's been a while since we actually heard it and it's really important to keep your emotions in check," she said.

The Mayor of Lagos, Julio Barraso, defended the police from accusations that they had been too slow to act.

He told BBC News 24: "During all the night of Thursday until Friday they have been here and they started the investigation and I believe that humanly it's not possible to ask for more."

The Marco Island Planning Board will continue talks with Marriott Vacation Club representatives on a development plan for the former Radisson site. The Planning Board's regular meeting is set for Friday, May 4, at 9 a.m. in the Mackle Park meeting room.

Marriott is hoping to develop up to 219 timeshare units on the 7.55-acre site. In order to do so, a conditional-use permit must be obtained.

Marriott also wants to get a permit to increase its buiding height to 150 feet.

At previous meetings, Planning Board members were concerned with the architectural design of the complex, intensity issues and wanted to know when a public beach access point could be completed. Marriott officials last appeared before the Planning Board at a March 23 meeting.

If the proposal is approved by the Planning Board, it will move forward for consideration by city council.