News in brief from Holiday Inn, British Airways, Mexico's hotels, Air New Zealand and Uniglobe
Holiday Inn for London 2012
Olympic organisers have named Holiday Inn as the official hotel partner of the London 2012 games.
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) said Holiday Inn will give advice on housing at the Athlete's Village.
Holiday Inn, part of InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), will supply team members to work with LOCOG's own accommodations team.
LOCOG and its partners will stay in Holiday Inns as well as other IHG hotels.
www.ihg.com www.london2012.com
BA to drop Gatwick to New York
British Airways is ending its London Gatwick to New York route, again.
BA, which restarted the service just one year ago, made the announcement at the same time as announcing new routes to the Maldives and Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt.
The Gatwick-New York service will cease operating on October 25.
BA is still on course to launch its first all-business class flights to New York from London City Airport later this year.
www.ba.com
Swine flu hits hotel figures
Hotels in Mexico saw occupancy slump by 40% in April, the latest figures from STR Global have revealed.
The decline was the largest in the Americas region, almost twice the next sharpest drop seen by Buenos Aires at -25.5%.
The figures reflect a fall in travel to Mexico which was hit by an outbreak of swine influenza in April and May.
www.strglobal.com
ANZ plans further cuts
Air New Zealand is to cut capacity a further 3%, reports said today.
The airline said it was facing a "difficult demand environment" over the next six months.
Cuts will affect routes between London and Hong Kong, which will go from daily to five days a week from October.
Domestic routes served by regional airlines will also see cuts in frequency.
www.airnewzealand.com
Uniglobe signs Pakistani partner
Uniglobe, the UK's largest network of independent travel management companies (TMCs), has signed its first partner in Pakistan.
Bonds Travel Bureau has agencies in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, and specialises in business travel and pilgrimage tours.
Derek Hearl-Maunder, president and coo of Uniglobe in the UK, said Bonds was a welcome addition given the UK's growing trading relationship with Pakistan.
www.uniglobetravel.com