Manx residents will be able to take a direct flight to Italy in TT 2014, Business News can reveal today. (Monday)
Mann Link Travel in Ramsey and Richmond Travel in Douglas have signed an exclusive deal with the Italian tour operator, Charme and Adventure, to operate a direct flight between Milan and Ronaldsway.
The flight will originate in Bergamo, Milan, and bring more than 100 Italian motorcycling enthusiasts to the Isle of Man for the TT.
Holidays are being offered to Manx residents on the return journey to Milan.
The direct flight will leave the island early in the morning on Friday, May 30, and return late in the afternoon on Wednesday, June 4, giving passengers five full days’ holiday.
The plane being chartered is a Boeing 737 jet.
The airport at Bergamo is about 45 minutes drive from the centre of Milan and there are good transport links.
Charme and Adventure has been promoting direct flight TT holidays to the Isle of Man since 2012, and is intending to begin promoting breaks to the Festival of Motorsport in 2014.
Bergamo is said to be a fantastic destination, giving visitors access to the whole of Northern Italy. As well as being a culturally fascinating city itself, it is a short train ride away from the cosmopolitan city of Milan (25 miles), the foothills of the Alps and Lake Como.
Both Mann Link Travel and Richmond Travel will be selling return flights for £279 per person, which they say represents fantastic value. .
Passengers will be able to check-in one hold bag up to 15kg and take one hand luggage bag up to 5kg, and will receive an in-flight meal each way.
Mann Link Travel and Richmond Travel, which are part of a body called the Online Regional Travel Group, can arrange accommodation, car hire and other excursions for passengers in any Italian city or resort of their choosing, or work with Charme and Adventure to arrange bespoke ‘experience’ breaks led by local experts.
These include activities such as rock-climbing, walking, mountaineering, trekking, canyoning, motorcycling and wine tasting.
Chief executive officer of Mann Link Travel and Richmond Travel, Brian Kelly, said: ‘Aside from being a beautiful country, Italy is a very popular destination with our clients.
‘It has so much variety to offer, whether it is a short city break or a longer holiday in the picturesque Italian Lakes.
‘It is also a fantastic destination for a multi-centre trip thanks to its excellent transport infrastructure.
‘Coupled with the fantastic food, wine, shopping and culture on offer, it is the perfect destination for Manx residents to explore and I expect this will be very popular.
‘I am also delighted that we are able to offer another direct ‘‘TT escape’’ to Manx residents who may be looking for a different type of holiday to the traditional sunshine break TT escape.
‘It is especially important we provide as many strong air links for Manx residents as possible given recent events, and I am excited that we are able to offer this direct flight opportunity to Italy.’
Roberto Cepparo, chief executive officer of Charme and Adventure, said: ‘I am delighted that we will be working with Mann Link Travel and Richmond Travel to facilitate a direct flight to the beautiful Italian city of Bergamo.
‘We are proud to be able to bring Italian motorsport fans to the Isle of Man TT and experience first-hand the thrill of racing, and equally we welcome the opportunity to provide Manx residents with a direct link to Italy and everything it has to offer.
‘I hope this is the beginning of a long-standing relationship between Charme and Adventure, Mann Link Travel and Richmond Travel.’
TT 2014 direct flights to Milan are available exclusively through Richmond Travel in Douglas and Mann Link Travel in Ramsey.
Charme and Adventure is a division of Cinehollywood Group, a multimedia company with more than 30 years’ experience in multimedia communications. The Group is a partner of National Geographic, the History Channel and the Discovery Channel.