Latest news with #BritishColombia
TTG
05-08-2025
- TTG
8 things I've learned by booking rail holidays for my clients
I've had quite a few rail bookings this year; it's my older clientele in particular who like to travel by train and they appreciate a bit of extra support. At times I've had disruptions to their itineraries with substantial changes made and it's caused more headaches than I think were necessary, had I planned less for each day or more two-night stops. Here are eight things I'd advise my fellow agents to do when booking a rail itinerary. 1. Plan with a purpose Start with why. Is there an event or experience your clients are looking for, are they trying to see more of a region, or simply avoiding the pain of airport queues and potential delays? Understanding the 'why' helps narrow down the options and add those unique experiences that will make your service stand out. Whilst planning a solar eclipse trip recently, I suggested travelling by rail. Bringing a new dimension to the trip, rail would allow them to see more of Europe, interacting with locals along the way. Their tour was all about experiences and they were delighted with the suggestion, even more so because they hadn't considered it. The Rocky Mountaineer was the highlight of my clients' tour of British Colombia. It wasn't on their to-do list, but as soon as we talked about the huge windows and stunning scenery they were sold. They still talk about it now: 'The scenery left us speechless, and the entire experience felt world-class.' 2. Leave some wriggle room When it comes to day plans, less is more. I thought I had the perfect itinerary for my client, until with a month's notice, I learned the direct train from Paris to Zurich wasn't running and his journey would take over 12 hours. I'd crammed too much into one day, assuming everything would run smoothly. It was a stressful couple of hours, but by adding a night in Geneva en-route we were able mitigate the delays. Fortunately, it didn't cost extra, and the client was relieved I'd found a work-around for him. It was a great lesson that rail travel should be enjoyed slowly. Moving forwards, I'll keep journeys to a half day where possible and including more two-night stays to provide the wriggle room needed when things don't go to plan. 3. Offer upgrades – they are cheaper than you think It's surprisingly good value to upgrade from second to first class on several European rail routes. I'd arranged a scenic trip taking in Berlin, Prague and Vienna and included upgraded journeys between Brussels and Cologne. The clients were thrilled with the unexpected upgrade. It's all part of a unique journey and a story to tell when they get home.
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cermaq buys three salmon plants from Norway peer Grieg Seafood
Cermaq plans to acquire three salmon processing facilities from Norwegian peer Grieg Seafood for Nkr10.2bn ($988.6m). The purchase of the sites – one in Finnmark, Norway, and two others in Canada in British Colombia and Newfoundland – is subject to approval by the 'relevant' competition regulators, Cermaq, a European subsidiary of Japan's Mitsubishi Corp., said in a statement today (17 July). Separately, Grieg Seafood said the disposals also include its sales organisation in North America as the salmon processor seeks to focus operations on Rogaland in Norway. Cermaq CEO Steven Rafferty said the plant acquisitions will 'strengthen our competitiveness and contribute to growth'. He added: 'We have profound respect for Grieg Seafood and their pioneering initiatives as a global company with a long-lasting legacy. 'With dedicated employees and operations in several regions where Cermaq operates today, we believe the companies are an excellent match with a common goal for sustainable and innovative operations.' Asked by Just Food to confirm the processes conducted at the three facilities and whether any jobs will be lost, or in fact retained, a spokesperson for Oslo-based Cermaq declined to comment, saying the company was restricted by the regulatory proceedings. Grieg Seafood confirmed the plant sales and transaction price in its own statement from Nina Willumsen Grieg, who took on the CEO role on an interim basis in March to replace Andreas Kvame. 'This transaction will position both Grieg Seafood and the regions for the future. It allows us to concentrate focus and resources in Rogaland,' she said. 'We aim to continue to be a strong actor in the advancement of sustainable aquaculture in Norway.' This publication has also asked Grieg Seafood to confirm the nature of the three operations, the future of employees, and whether Ms Grieg has taken on the CEO role on a permanent basis. In a Euronext filing, Grieg Seafood said the transaction with Cermaq is expected to close in the final quarter of this year subject to regulatory approval. The company will provide more information on its 'strategic direction' when second-quarter results are issued on 26 August. Meanwhile, in a separate presentation, Grieg Seafood said the transaction will have no impact on its 'ownership' in Tytlandsvik Aqua and Årdal Aqua, while its new value-added processing site in Gardermoen, Norway, will remain with the business. First-quarter results issued in May showed Grieg Seafood booked sales of Nkr2.18bn, down 4.8% from a year earlier. Harvest volumes fell to 20,770 tonnes GWT, from 21,075. EBITDA declined 14% to Nkr381m, while profit before tax remained in the red with losses widening to Nkr603m from Nkr301m. Issuing the fiscal 2024 results in February, Grieg Seafood said it booked a Nkr1.74bn impairment 'due to changes and uncertainty in Canada'. Kvame, still CEO at the time, explained: 'While Rogaland continued to deliver strong operational and financial performance, the fourth quarter continued to bring difficult operating conditions and adverse biological events in Finnmark. 'In Canada, we maintained a cautious approach in British Columbia given the persisting political uncertainty and worked to find a good way forward for our operations in Newfoundland.' For the full year, sales revenue at Grieg Seafood rose 5.1% to Nkr7.38bn. Harvest volumes climbed 7.9% to 77,704 tonnes GWT. However, EBITDA slumped to Nkr659m from Nkr1.33bn. The company delivered a net loss of Nkr2.45bn versus a Nkr560m profit in fiscal 2023. "Cermaq buys three salmon plants from Norway peer Grieg Seafood" was originally created and published by Just Food, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
