You Travel Agents 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 consultants got up to over the last seven days below, including a famil in the NT or click here to check out last week’s pics and snaps.
1. SPOTTED… experiencing America’s music cities
Collette hosted Flight Centre Agents, in conjunction with United Airlines, to experience their best-selling US tour – America’s Music Cities.
The selected Agents travelled on a scheduled departure and were joined by Collette passengers.
The tour operator’s Melbourne-based BDM, Diego Iraheta, said the trip gave consultants the chance to see first-hand “how the product runs and understand how to sell it to the right prospective traveller”.
2. SPOTTED… ending the year on high in South Africa
On The Go Tours had much to celebrate at their annual Global High Achievers and Leaders Conference in South Africa in mid-November.
The Global High Achievers Conference is an initiative to acknowledge all On The Go staff who have achieved their KPIs for the year. Travelling from New Zealand, Canada, UK, US, Australia and South Africa, the group spent 4 days immersing themselves in activities such as game drives and coming together to workshop ideas for the approaching year.
The Global High Achievers Conference was preceded by a Leaders Conference Day joined by On The Go Tours’ senior management team. Here they discussed the product pathway for the year ahead, promotion plans and the direction of the sales team under the newly appointed Global Head of Agency Sales, Di Bignell.
On The Go’s top visiting region this year was Asia, followed by the Middle East. The top selling destination was Southeast Asia. During the conference, they were also able to identify that the solo travel market is on the increase from all territories.
Next year’s Global High Achievers Gathering will be held in Southern Cambodia.
3. SPOTTED… giving spirit at Traveleague
My Travel Group were out in force at Crown Palladium Melbourne this week for Traveleague, the biggest travel industry festive networking event of the December calendar.
For the third year running, the table of My Travel Group Agents took out the top place for donating the most in the room (this year consisting of 850 attendees) to aligned charity the Pancare Foundation, which is Australia’s only charity fighting pancreatic, liver, biliary, oesophageal and stomach cancers.
Other Helloworld Travel networks were well represented in the prize draw with four agents from the HLO networks taking home prizes including trips to Bali, Queensland, tours and packages.
4. SPOTTED… hitting Hollywood
Twelve lucky travel consultants won their place on an exclusive Helloworld Travel and Qantas incentive famil, that included three nights in West Hollywood staying at the Ramada Plaza West Hollywood and three nights in Los Cabos staying at the ME Cabo.
The group flew Qantas Airways from various Australian cities into Los Angeles, where the adventure began with highlights including a VIP Universal Studios Hollywood full day tour and Halloween Horror Nights experience, tour of Flora Farm and cooking class in the foothills of the Sierra de la Laguna Mountains, as well as a luxury sailing experience with Cabo Adventures.
5. SPOTTED… exploring the Cook Islands
Last month Cook Islands Tourism invited eight Travel Agents from Flight Centre New South Wales to explore the Cook Islands on a famil to both Rarotonga and Aitutaki.
The group were able to experience the sites, culture, food and hospitality of the destination, which consultants, Luke Jones, described as “fantastic”.
6. SPOTTED… high up in Rio
Pictured perched on the shoulder of the world-famous statue of Christ the Redeemer at the summit of Mount Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro, a helmeted MTA – Mobile Travel Agents CEO, Don Beattie.
In Brazil to attend the annual Belmond Travel Agency Advisory Board meeting, the MTA CEO was granted a very rare opportunity to be allowed to scale the 30-metre high statue via an internal staircase for a chance to view ‘Cidade Maravilhosa’ (the Marvellous City) 710 metres below.
London- based Belmond is a global collection of exceptional hotel and luxury travel adventures in some of the world’s most inspiring and enriching destinations.
MTA made Australian travel industry history in 2014 when it became the first-ever Australian travel agency group to be invited to have a representative join the Belmond Travel Agent Advisory Board.
7. SPOTTED… getting a taste of Globus brands
Berry picking at Chappies U-Pick, chocolate sampling in the Yarra Valley and wine tasting at Dominique Portet Winery – that’s how 23 lucky Victorian Agents got to spend a day recently.
Designed to showcase Globus family of brands’ ‘local favourites’ offering, which allows its guests to experience a destination like an insider with access to hidden gems and behind-the-scenes activities; but in this case, in their own backyard.
Alongside an experienced local guide, agents discovered, and in some cases, rediscovered local hotspots and attractions, gaining a deeper understanding and new insights into the destination.
To qualify for the chance to experience Globus family of brands Day of Discovery firsthand, Agents were required to book six or more guests on one of Globus family of brands’ escorted tours, during a defined period.
8. SPOTTED… kissing crocs in the NT
TravelManagers’ personal travel managers (PTMs) were recently reminded you don’t have to travel overseas to enjoy a wonderfully diverse holiday destination. A total of 20 PTMs enjoyed a 3 day famil in Australia’s Northern Territory experiencing Kakadu and Litchfield National Parks hosted by Marcel Mafli, National Sales Coordinator for AAT Kings.
Participants included New South Wales based PTMs Alma Araullo, Dana Brown, Lana Kanchik, Michelle Schulze, Tanya Tyler, Teresa Reyes; PTMs Bev Fitzsimons, Sharon Wright, Nicole Edgar, Luky Wilson, Daniel Price from Victoria; Queensland based PTMs Timo Bohlender, Simon Tinkler, Sarah Harington, Kylie Gretener, Deborah Davies, Cassandra Zayonce; PTMs Kathy Millett and Carolynne Cannon from Western Australia and John LaBella from South Australia.
For Brown representative for Moonee Beach, the Top End experienced didn’t disappoint, who had the expectation that the parks would be beautiful but was still “blown away”.
Edgar found it difficult to choose a single highlight from their adventure packed itinerary, but it was the crossing off a bucket list item that proved most memorable.
For Millett, it was visiting the World Heritage Area of Ubirr in Kakadu that was a highlight.
9. SPOTTED… exploring the Amazonas region of Peru
Last month, eight lucky Travel Agents were given the opportunity to travel to Peru on a spectacular 11-day itinerary as part of a larger partnership with PromPeru and Adventure World.
The group first travelled to the Amazonas region of northern Peru, a lesser known part of the country, that is home to some of its most important archaeological and natural treasures. These include Kuélap fortress, the most important archaeological site in the northern Peruvian Andes; Gocta Falls, one of the largest waterfalls in the world (more than double the height of New York’s Empire State Building); and Revash Archaeological Complex, a collection of ancient tombs carved into precarious positions on a rock face.
Following the visit to the Amazonas region, the group flew south via Lima to reach Iquitos, the gateway to the Peruvian Amazon and the largest city in the world that can only be reached by air or boat. From here, the group boarded a four day luxury cruise aboard the Delfin III, travelling through the mighty Amazon jungle to the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, Peru’s largest protected wildlife refuge.
The reserve is home to various Indigenous communities, 450 species of bird, thousands of fish, pink and grey dolphins, turtles, manatees, caimans, monkeys, jaguars and other large mammals. Whilst on the cruise, the group was treated to exquisite Amazonian cuisine in a luxury setting, dramatic scenery and wildlife spotting opportunities. They also took part in day time hikes and night safaris, and even tried piranha fishing.
10. SPOTTED… lunch-ing in South Africa
Leading Wholesaler The Africa Safari Co has just returned from South Africa after another successful trip with Travellers Choice Agents.
This small group of ladies discovered the best that South Africa has to offer including time at Singita Lebombo where the group encountered – up close and personal a wonderful pride of 18 lions plus 3 different sightings of Rhino plus much more.
Then it was a luxurious trip on board the Blue Train from Pretoria to Cape Town – relaxing in comfort as the South African Countryside slipped by. Now it was time for food and wine in Cape Town with a night at Tintswalo and a night at the Table Bay.
Two days full of food and wine a trip on board the wine tram in Franschhoek plus a visit to Sir Richards Branson’s Mont Rochelle Estate for a magnificent lunch and plenty of fine South Africa wine. A trip full of fun and wonderful memories.
11. SPOTTED… discussing cutting edge tech
At their September Conference in Perth, The Magellan Travel Group launched an unprecedented number of member services and tools which provide members with additional support and drive significant differentiation. Initiatives in the digital marketing and email space, a cutting edge digital itinerary platform, a brand-new Magellan Member Portal and an exclusive partnership with the Signature Travel Network are just some of what was launched.
Magellan’s Manager for Corporate & Business Development, Scott Darlow has spent the last month travelling over 22,000 kilometres and conducting member roadshows in 18 cities and towns across 7 states and territories. The purpose of the roadshow was to facilitate face to face meetings with Magellan member owners and their staff to assist them in embracing all of these new initiatives and maximizing their positive impact.
The roadshows in Sydney and Melbourne were headlined by a visit from Signature Travel Network’s Vice President Member Acquisition & Engagement, Kimberly Waters. Waters flew out from Atlanta specifically to meet Magellan members and showcase the new and exclusive partnership between Magellan and Signature. Many Magellan members are in Las Vegas this weekend to attend Signature’s annual conference.