Aussies like the Gota Canal

Cruising leisurely along the locks and lakes of Sweden’s Gota Canal is a journey many Australians have taken to their hearts, with Scandinavian specialist, MyPlanet, announcing a record year in Gota Canal bookings from Australia during 2007.

If clients book and pay in full before 01 March 2008 you will receive 10% Early Bird commission.

Greg Arnott, General Manager MyPlanet said, “We are extremely pleased to see this positive development since we started representing the Gota Canal in Australia and New Zealand in 2006.”

“Many are familiar with the term ’boutique hotel’ which we would adapt to ‘boutique cruising product’ to describe the Gota Kanal experience.”

“We are confident increasing numbers of Australian travelers interested in cruising will discover this delightful attraction in Scandinavia in the years to come.”

The Gota Canal Steamship Company sails its three vintage ships along the 190km route between Gothenburg on the North Sea and Stockholm on the Baltic.

Gaily painted seaside towns, picturesque villages, medieval castles and ancient Viking sites are some of the sights cruisers experience. Half the journey is spent sailing across several lakes, the other half is through the canal dug by hand in the early 1800s and completed in 1832.

The Gota Canal is a designated International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, in the company of the Eiffel Tower in Paris and San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge.

Its remarkable construction can be appreciated at many points, especially the 11-lock Berg staircase and Motala’s Canal Museum.

Each of the steamers was built especially for use on the Gota Canal, with M/s Juno, built in 1874, the world’s oldest registered passenger boat with sleeping accommodation. All three boats feature beautiful period detail, which is maintained in pristine condition, a dining room and lounge and around 25 cabins.

Scandinavian specialist, MyPlanet offers four-day and six-day cruises from May until September. Four -day cruises from Stockholm to Gothenburg or vice versa, start from $1755 per person (main deck, category C, twin share).

Book and pay in full before 01 March 2008 and receive 10 % Early Bird commission.

For more information on MyPlanet please visit http://www.myplanetaustralia.com/ or call 02 90205800.

MyPlanet Australia Pty Ltd operates as a retail arm for Bentours product. Bentours is a wholesaler and a Scandinavian cruise specialist for Australian and New Zealand travel industry.

A Report by The Mole