Launch of the 2009-2010 Transat Holidays Europe season (departures from Toronto, Halifax and Fredericton)

The Transat Holidays Europe 2009-2010 brochure is now available
Montreal, January 19, 2009

Transat Holidays is pleased to launch its second 2009-2010 Europe season with loads of vacation ideas in Austria, France, the UK, Ireland, Germany and the Netherlands. The new Europe 2009-2010 brochure contains 168 pages packed with new offerings, including the all-new Bike & Boat package in the Netherlands, along with attractive promotions.

The ever-popular Transat Holidays City Package, which includes flights, accommodation, breakfasts or kitchenette and transfers, is being offered in London, Dublin, Vienna, Paris, Frankfurt, Munich and Amsterdam. Several new hotels have been added to this offering.

Transat Holidays has also added the new City Package + Excursions (flights, accommodation, breakfasts, transfers and excursions): Vienna Getaways, featuring guided tours of Vienna, Salzburg, Budapest and Bratislava. Those who desire a luxurious European holiday can opt for Transat Holidays’ top European packages, The Paris Experience and The London Experience. The London Experience offers travellers a chance to enjoy an extraordinary vacation in London that includes luxury accommodation, afternoon tea at a 5-star hotel, an evening of theatre, and a champagne flight on the London Eye – little extras to make a vacation truly memorable.

For those who enjoy a little sightseeing with their beach holiday, Transat Holidays suggests the Nice & the French Riviera Seaside Package + Excursions (flights, accommodation, breakfasts or kitchenette, transfers and excursions). Travellers will be treated to a visit to Èze, a cliff-side town featuring breathtaking views, as well as to Monaco, Saint-Paul-de-Vence, Grasse, and Cannes.

A long-time Transat Holidays favourite, the Two or Three-City Package (flights, accommodation, breakfasts or kitchenette and train transfers) is offered as a Duo: Paris & London, Paris & Nice, Vienna & Prague, Vienna & Budapest, or Vienna & Salzburg, and as a Trio: Vienna, Salzburg & Graz, Budapest, Prague & Vienna, and Vienna, Salzburg & Munich. In Germany, vacationers can choose from Hamburg, Berlin & Cologne, Munich, Stuttgart & Cologne, Frankfurt, Munich & Vienna, Frankfurt, Berlin & Dresden, or Munich, Innsbruck & Salzburg. To vary this concept, Transat Holidays has developed the Vienna & Salzburg Duo, a Two-City Package with excursions and other activities. Travellers who opt for this version will enjoy a fiacre ride, entrance to the Hofburg Palace, coffee and cake at the famous Café Sacher in Vienna, as well as the “Sound of Music” and “On the Traces of Mozart” tours in Salzburg.

Formerly known as the Car or Train Tour, the City Hopping Package (flights, accommodation, breakfasts and car rental or train travel) is perfectly suited to travellers who wish to visit towns and attractions at their own pace. These packages are available from London, Dublin, Glasgow, Paris, Amsterdam, Vienna, Frankfurt and Hamburg.

For a novel way to visit the Netherlands, Transat Holidays has a new offering this season, the Bike & Boat Package (flights, accommodation, boat, breakfasts, bicycle and train), departing from Amsterdam. This holiday option enables travellers to explore the region’s picturesque countryside as they cycle along country roads, or sit back and relax onboard the boat as it glides through magnificent landscapes. They can choose between the Southern Tour and the Northern Tour. The Northern Tour begins in Amsterdam and moves on to Volendam and Enkhuizen via Texel Island and Alkmaar, exploring fishing villages, forests, dunes and beaches.

Coach Tours provide the perfect opportunity to discover the best of Europe in the company of an experienced guide. Transat Holidays offers Paris & the French Countryside, an itinerary that takes travellers through some of France’s most glorious landscapes and introduces them to fascinating cultural sites such as Versailles and the chateaux of the Loire Valley. The Imperial & Romantic Capitals coach tour through Austria and Central Europe presents the riches of Vienna, Budapest and Prague, along with their beautiful surroundings.

Transat Holidays also offers a wide selection of à la carte hotels in Austria, Germany, Hungary, Czech Republic, France, Britain, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Switzerland.  In England, Scotland and Wales, travellers can also choose from a wide variety of Bed & Breakfasts. Numerous à la carte excursions are available in most of the bigger cities.

Air Transat and Transat Holidays continue to offer direct flights to the main European destinations such as London and Manchester (daily flights in summer) and Paris (five weekly flights). The UK and Ireland are as accessible as ever with Air Transat offering direct flights from Toronto to Newcastle, Exeter, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dublin, Shannon, Frankfurt, Hamburg and Munich. From June 2008, passengers have enjoyed greater legroom for a more comfortable travelling experience, along with online seat selection, the comfort and personalized service of Club Class and the Air Transat Kids Club for children between the ages of 2 and 11.

Rental cars are a good option for those wishing to explore Europe’s highways and byways. Transat Holidays has partnered with Hertz and Peugeot EuropAuto in order to provide a broad selection of rental cars.

The 2009-2010 Europe brochure also features magnificent cruises departing from Nice, Amsterdam and London. Many of the itineraries connect with Air Transat’s direct flights departing from Toronto. Vacationers will travel with the best cruise lines in the world: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, MSC Cruises, Costa Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line, to name just a few, with itineraries in the Mediterranean, the Baltic Sea, and along the Atlantic Coast.

Finally, vacationers can take advantage of several promotions listed in this brochure that offer savings of up to $700 per couple. They can save $500 per couple when they book a coach tour 60 days before departure. When booking a package before March 31, 2009, they can also save $200 per couple. Passengers booking a cruise that includes an Air Transat flight will save up to $400 per couple. In addition, by booking a package, a cruise, or a coach tour before April 19, 2009, passengers will receive a gift certificate worth $100 per person, valid on their next Transat Holidays Sun vacation.

Transat Holidays is dedicated to making the Canadian traveller’s European dream vacation come true. The tour operator offers a wide selection of packages and unique itineraries for people seeking an exciting European holiday. Whether it’s walking in the footsteps of an Empress, enjoying an English-style afternoon tea, or strolling along some of Europe’s most magnificent avenues, with Transat Holidays, it’s a beautiful world. For further details, travellers should consult with their travel agents.

About Transat Holidays
Transat Holidays provides its customers with a full range of holiday products. During the winter season, it focuses on sun vacations, offering a choice of more than 140 hotels, mainly in the Caribbean, Mexico and Cuba; in summer, it offers an impressive array of flights, packages and tours to some 30 European destinations. Transat Holidays also offers a year-round selection of more than 100 cruises.