Ride the world’s steepest cogwheel railway, enjoy a tasting session at Nestle, hike in Davos, summer ski in the Valais, abseil down a glacier, paraglide off a mountain peak, cruise glistening lakes or luxuriate in heavenly spas
The Swiss Alps have come alive in Kuoni’s dedicated Switzerland summer brochure for 2010, with a pulsating collection of soft adventure as well as R&R. Lead-in prices kick off at £369 per person for four sharing a studio, room only, for seven nights at the four-star Eurotel Victoria in Les Diablerets, Lake Geneva.
Valid from May to October next year, the brochure includes active holidays amid the breathtaking scenery of the Valais, Lake Geneva, Bernese Oberland, Graubünden, Central Switzerland and Ticino.
There is summer skiing and snow activities in the new resort of Les Diablerets. In addition, Kuoni is the first UK tour operator to feature the new resort of Lenk near Adelboden, the introduction of the region of Eastern Switzerland and 17 superb new hotels including Le Mirador Kempinski perched on Mont Pelerin by Lake Geneva.
Highlights of the new brochure include:
· Sunset cruise on a steamboat across Lake Lucerne
· Heart-pumping canyoning experience in Interlaken and St Moritz
· Discovery of the Jungfrau region on foot during a guided walking week staying in most of the Bernese Oberland resorts
· Nostalgic lake steamer from Lucerne to Alpnachstad then by train to Mount Pilatus to view 73 alpine summits and lakes
· Stunning views of the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau from the top of Schnige Platte and exploration of the botanical gardens
· Free travel passes offered around Switzerland
· Huge range of twin-centre trips, including Zermatt and Grindelwald, Lucerne and Lugano and Montreux, Interlaken and Lucerne
· Daily departures on the famous Bernina Express and Centovalli trains to three different regions of Switzerland: Graubünden, Ticino and the Valais
· Escorted options for the less independent traveller
· Free nights, room upgrades and children go free places offered on many of the hotels in the brochure
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EDITORS NOTES
History and track record
Kuoni was established in 1906 in Switzerland by Alfred Kuoni, a visionary adventurer and explorer of his time who opened some of Europe’s first travel agencies. Today it has branch operations in over 40 countries. For 103 years Kuoni has been creating holidays with a spirit of adventure and has been recognised consistently , winning coveted awards such as: ‘The World’s Leading Tour Operator’ for the past 11 years at the World Travel Awards; The Daily Telegraph’s Ultratravel, Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Daily Mail readers all voted Kuoni ‘Britain’s favourite’. Kuoni has been ‘Britain’s Best Longhaul Tour Operator’ for the past 26 years as voted by Travel Agents.
Ethical Performance
Kuoni is committed to being a good corporate citizen, empowering people to protect the natural environment and local populations. The broader aim of Kuoni’s Corporate Responsibility (CR) policy is to minimise the adverse impact of tourist travel. Kuoni has over 32 active global CR projects and four priority areas: protecting children from sexual abuse in tourism; promoting fair working conditions; finding solutions for water scarcity and mitigating the consequences of climate change.
Kuoni’s Unique Selling Points
1. Concierge service
The Kuoni Concierge service offers all the usual facilities of booking theatres, concerts, restaurants, festival or cultural occasions and overseas sporting events. It also manages private airport transfers, late check-outs, private tours and personal guides.
2. Kuoni Personal Travel Experts
Kuoni Personal Travel Experts are knowledgeable staff passionate about travel and ready to tailor-make the perfect holiday and offer a personal touch by building a relationship with customers so they can call on the same travel expert each time they book.
3. At Home with Kuoni
Launched this year, At Home with Kuoni offers complimentary champagne, canapés and a Kuoni personal travel expert for individuals able to host a small gathering of friends and family in their home to learn about exciting holiday options. Guests are offered exclusive discounts.
Customer Assurance
Kuoni is ABTA and ATOL protected, giving customers financial protection and ensuring they won’t be stranded abroad. And customers are safe in the knowledge while they are abroad that Kuoni have professional ground agents and English speaking guides to ensure they have any enjoyable stay.
ENDS
For further press information, please contact Kuoni PR: -
Fiona Blaszkowski on 01306 744 194/ fiona.blaszkowski@kuoni.co.uk
Anne-Marie Hansen on 01306 744 173/ anne-marie.hansen@kuoni.co.uk
Jemma Purvis on 01306 744 006/ jemma.purvis@kuoni.co.uk
For images please download from http://www.kuoni.co.uk/pr/images.html
Editor’s Notes: Highlights from the Switzerland 2010 brochure
Swiss classic experiences (pages 20-32)
· Travel by cable car from Stechelberg or Murren to the 2,970m high summit of Schilthorn for the finest views of the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau and 200 other mountain peaks. Dine in Piz Gloria restaurant made famous in the James Bond film, Her Majesty’s Secret Service
· Whizz downhill on snow scoots, sledges and snow tubes from the stunning glacier paradise of the Titlis Glacier Park, having reached it by three cable cars including the world’s first revolving cable car
· Enjoy a day on the Chocolate Train from Montreux via Gruyere to Nestle in the town of Broc
· Travel by nostalgic lake steamer from Lucerne to Alpnachstad then hop on the world’s steepest cogwheel railway to Pilatus Kulm some 2,132m above sea level
· Nestle on classic wooden benches inside a classic train for an hour to scale Schynige Platte and a beautiful glacial panorama and hikers’ paradise
· Take advantage of seven free travel passes to stretch your budget in Switzerland
Bernese Oberland (pages 38-62)
· Take a guided walk in the Jungfrau region, Grindelwald, Wengen or Murren’s valley. Three days of organised walks are punctuated with days to relax in between
· Stay in the four-star family-run hotel Seiler au Lac on the shores of Lake Brienz with the steamer stop right outside the hotel. Exclusive to Kuoni in the UK
Lake Geneva (pages 66-74)
· Languish in the Cinq Mondes Spa inside the Belle Epoque buildings of the five-star Beau-Rivage Palace Hotel set in ten acres of private gardens on the banks of Lake Geneva
· Take a wellness break in the alpine hotel Hotel du Golf in the quintessentially Swiss village of Villars. Enjoy its Jacuzzi, sauna, Turkish bath, solarium, sun terrace, tennis court, fitness centre, massage and Reiki treatments
Valais (pages 78-82)
· Check out Switzerland’s tallest mountain peaks, colossal glaciers and countless alpine passes: picture-book Zermatt under the shadow of the Matterhorn or summer skiing in the high alpine village of Saas Fee
Central Switzerland (pages 86-94)
· Explore medieval Lucerne and enjoy its annual International Music Festival in August and September
· Discover the hikers paradise of Brunnen which includes the 22-mile Swiss Way around Lake Lucerne and more trails up Mount Rigi
Graubünden (pages 98-106)
· Explore over 200 miles of trails in the famous Alpine resort of Davos
· Hike around the quiet village of Klosters and conquer its 430 miles of walking trails
· Cycle the 150 miles of bike trails in Flims and cool down in its many lakes
· Play a round of golf at one of five golf courses in elegant St Moritz
· Up the pace and try glacier trekking and abseiling, paragliding, canyoning or white water rafting in St Moritz or Interlaken
Ticino (pages 110-112)
· Splash out with some retail therapy in Lugano’s Milan-style boutiques
· Soak up the sun on the shores of Lake Maggiore, in the beautiful lakeside resort of Locarno