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Travel Agents searched for treasure in Fiji & discover hidden highlights in the Holy Land

You consultants go on so many famils and attend so many events that we’ve had to create a whole new section dedicated to your awesome adventures.

You consultants go on so many famils and attend so many events that we’ve had to create a whole new section dedicated to your awesome adventures.

Check out what Travel Agents got up to over the last seven days below, including a famil to the Holy Land or click here to check out last week’s pics and snaps.

 

1. SPOTTED… searching for treasure in Fiji

Qantas Holidays famil 3

Qantas Holidays and Air Tickets, recently hosted a group of South Australian Travel Agents to Fiji.

Taking in many of the sights and getting well acquainted with the Pacific gem staying at the Naviti Resort on the Coral Coast, Sofitel Fiji Resort and Spa in Denarau and experienced island life on Treasure Island.

Highlights included fire dancing and a cooking class in Denarau with Flavours of Fiji that everyone said was a “must do” for their clients.

 

2. SPOTTED… exploring the best of Bangkok & Vietnam

Qantas Holidays famil

Bangkok and Vietnam played host to five Agents from WA, NSW, QLD and VIC earlier this month, thanks to Insider Journeys. Taking off with Thai Airways, and in conjunction with Tour East Thailand, the group set out for a seven day journey exploring the best that Bangkok and Vietnam have to offer.

Giving Agents a taste of Thailand’s capital, the group spent one night in Bangkok taking in the City and Temples Tour before heading on to Vietnam the following day. A walking tour through Hanoi allowed Agents to sample the unique and delectable street food, before a visit to the food markets kicked off the Vietnam leg of the journey.

A City Sights Tour took the agents in to the Presidential Palace, Hanoi Hilton Prison, One Pillar Pagoda and Temple of Literature. However, the highlight for all was a two night Halong Bay tour on board Au Co Cruises. Agents cycled on Tuan Chau Island, kayaked around the bay and participated in Sunrise Tai Chi, finding their inner balance at the end of the insightful famil. For all of those on the tour, it was the perfect first time experience in Bangkok and Vietnam.

 

3. SPOTTED… discovering hidden highlights in the Holy Land

TravelManagers

Israel and Palestine are among the less well-known destinations in the Middle East, so when six personal travel managers (PTMs) were invited to represent TravelManagers on a Crooked Compass seven-day hiking famil, they were quick to sign up.

For all participants, this was their first visit to this part of the world, but they were all captivated by the chance to step back in time and visit historic sites that are of great significance to millions of people.  Karen Doyle, representative for South Yarra in Victoria, likens her experience to stepping back into history, and says she was equally surprised and delighted by the warmth of the Palestinian people everywhere they went.

“They are very warm, friendly and welcoming, wanting to know where we were from and offering us sweet tea and food. They were a generous people, who often had very little in terms of material possessions, but were always very generous to us as their guests,” she says.

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Doyle chose to make the most of her time in Palestine by adding on a side trip to neighbouring Jordan, and says it was relatively easy to reach Palestine, flying via Dubai and Amman to Tel Aviv.  However, she warns that patience is required when crossing borders as the process can be quite time-consuming.

“Be prepared for lengthy questioning from Israeli officials about your intended visit on entering and leaving Israel after visiting Palestine: it can take a long time to get through immigration on arrival and departure, with multiple checkpoints and a lot of questions asked.”

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Personal travel manager Kerstin Rheinlander representative for Sinnamon Park in Queensland, describes herself as a huge fan of the Middle Eastern countries in general, but even so was also amazed by the welcoming kindness of the Palestinian people and their generous hospitality.

“They shared everything they possibly could, even though they had so little for themselves,” she explains. “Strangers walking in the street called out, ‘Welcome to Palestine’ to us, shopkeepers beckoned us to hear their stories. A family with young children even stopped harvesting their olives to chat with us and invited us to join them for tea but unfortunately we had to continue on our path!”

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For Theresa Kwong, representative for Hughesdale in Victoria, along with the wonderful hospitality they experienced at every turn, the main highlights included taking a drink from Jacob’s well, floating in the Dead Sea, hiking across mountains and discovering and exploring hidden valleys and ancient secrets.

“This was my first time visiting Israel and Palestine, and there was so much to learn about both countries’ political and religious history,” she says. “But the feeling when we reached the end of our walk to view the cliffside Mar Saba Monastery in Palestine, and visiting Nativity Church in Bethlehem to touch the spot where Jesus was believed to be born, were truly awe inspiring.  For me these were two remarkable experiences in a trip packed with highlights.”

For Doyle, the local cuisine was another highlight of the trip.

TravelManagers 5“I enjoyed Palestinian tea, which is sweet and strong, and also the cardamom-spiced coffee which is by far the best option for coffee in Palestine.”

Doyle adds the food was simple but delicious, with a focus on fresh, locally-produced ingredients, “spiced flat bread with hummus, baba ganosh, tabbuleh, fried chicken, yoghurt and soft cheese with olive oil and zaatar spice – yum.”

The seven-day itinerary, which started and ended in Tel Aviv, took the group through remote but beautiful terrain in the Nablus region, hiking on remote trails shared by shepherds and their flocks, and saw them visit iconic sites in and around Bethlehem.  They also visited the ancient city of Jericho and swam in the Dead Sea.

Travel Agents, have you taken any recent pics from a roadshow or famil? Send them in to editor@karryon.com.au