 Estraveller
is printed in 11,000 copies. The summer issue of Estraveller
contains material about many facets of Estravel, the change
in its shareholders, the services and products offered. |
 Finland
Travel Bureau (FTB/SMT), the largest travel agency in Finland
and an American Express Travel Network partner, has recently
acquired 72% of Estravel"s shares from the previous owner Finnair.
"We could not be happier," says Aivo Takis, president and shareholder
of Estravel: "We are keeping all benefits of being a Finnair
Group member, and getting new competitive advantages of being
with the market leader of Finland." |
 Estravel"s
sales during the fiscal year 1999/2000 increased by 5 % compared
to the previous one, reaching a new record level of 385 million
EEK. That is appr. 5 million more than the planned. The pre-tax
profit grew by 17% and amounted to 5.9 million EEK. Estravel
retained its position as the market leader among the top 5 IATA
travel agents in Estonia - its gross sales volumes of travel
services equals to that of the next four competitors. |
 Etumatkat,
operated by FTB, has long been Finland"s market leader in city
break packages. "We have lots of new interesting destinations,"
says Sari Viljamaa, FTB"s marketing manager. "And all estonian
travellers are very welcome to join our tours." |
 Paris
is the most popular tourist destination of the world. "Quality
of accommodation and other services is much higher today than
it once used to be," says Leena Uurala-Corbion, managing director
of Norvista Paris, Estravel"s sister company in France. "Everybody
coming to Paris this summer will fall in love with the city."
|
 Finnair
Plus the frequent flyer program has an impressive membership
of over 15 thousand in the Baltic States Sirje Talisainen, manager
of Finnair Plus Service Centre in Tallinn, introduces the program
and its benefits to the readers of Estraveller. |
|
Copterline is a new helicopter service between Tallinn and Helsinki.
"We took the travel time to a new record," says Tõnis Lepp,
managing director of Copter Action Estonia, "just 18 minutes
from centre to centre." Estravel"s Mauri Saarend takes a ride
and confirms that everything is running smoothly. |
 Visit
USA air passes, available outside the US only, are a smart way
to visit multiple cities in the US. Mauri Saarend, Estravel"s
vice president and one of Estonia"s top specialists in air fares,
explains what makes "VUSA tickets" so special. |
 Sandals,
the famous Caribbean resort consortium, has given the travel
trade the concepts of "All-Inclusive" and "Couples Only". What
does it mean, and where does Estravel fit in, explains Merike
Hallik, Estravel"s sales director of leisure travel, after visiting
some of Sandals resorts herself. |
| The main
subject of our large Hotel Gallup is the changing hotel situation
in Tallinn. We asked the major hotels and hotel chains in Tallinn,
what their news are for this summer season and what their position
on the highly competitive market is. In their answers, all the
hotels were unanimous in their dissatisfaction with inadequate
measures taken by the state and municipality to promote Estonia
as a travel destination. |
 The
leading business organisations in Estonia have established Travel
Manager positions to control cost and quality of travel service
purchases. "Executive travellers" time is too valuable to be
wasted on trip preparation," says Aet Kaljuste from Hansapank,
the leading Bank in the Baltic States and one of Estravel"s
oldest and largest commercial accounts. "This is why we need
a professional travel agency who also provides training to our
travel managers." |
 Optiva
Bank is offering Reisilaen, the new and easy travel-related
consumer loan to the general public via Estravel. "16% interest
may seem high at first look," says Erki Urva, director of retail
and private banking of Optiva Bank. "But it is lower than most
other small consumer financing products in the market if you
count all costs and use actual interest." |
 Esmofon
Group is the leading retailer of mobile phones in Estonia, and
also a valued discount partner of Estravel Kuldkaart. Esmofon"s
president Aivar Sirelpuu tells Estraveller readers about his
company and says that 60% of all new accounts to EMT (the largest
GSM operator) are subscribed at Esmofon shops. |
|