SPOTTED! It’s a section we usually reserve for our Weekly Travel Agent Bites, but this week we’ve received so many industry images, we just had to give them their own article.
1. MTA Members score Super Netball double header tickets from Hawaiian Airlines
A special treat for mad netball fans MTA – Mobile Travel Agents’ Kisane Salib and Kim Newton who attended the first-ever Super Netball double header in Sydney as guests of Hawaiian Airlines.
Pictured enjoying the action court-side at the Qudos Bank Arena (from left to right) Kisane Salib, Hawaiian Airlines Business Development Manager Northern NSW/QLD, Janis McDonald and Kim Newton.
2. Aussie & Kiwi Gold Reward famil wraps up
In an epic event to rival even a Peter Jackson film, this year’s Infinity Holidays‘ Aussie & Kiwi Gold Famil descended on Rotorua, New Zealand’s Coolest Hot Spot! With over 60 retail agents (representing all of Flight Centre Travel Group’s major brands), as well as almost 30 Australian and New Zealand travel industry reps along for the ride, this year’s Aussie & Kiwi Gold was a huge success!
Representatives of the FCTG’s Top 12 stores at selling Infinity‘s Australia and New Zealand products got a head start on the main group, with an exclusive 2-night visit to Auckland’s best-kept secret – Waiheke Island. After a helicopter transfer out to Waiheke Island, the Top 12 group enjoyed the comforts of Delamore Lodge and fine dining at the Cable Bay Vineyard on the first night, followed by dinner at the famous Mudbrick Vineyard & Restaurant.
A little bit of fog in Auckland last Thursday delayed the arrival of the main group slightly, but Infinity‘s largest reward famil was still able to set sail for a first night adventure on board the Hauraki Blue Cruise on Auckland’s famous harbour. Staying overnight at The Langham Hotel in Auckland, the group was treated to the first of 3 “recovery” breakfasts, before boarding coaches heading to Rotorua.
Other highlights included a visit to Te Puia Geothermal Park, the Luge and Giant Swing at Skyline Rotorua, 4WD adventures with Off Road NZ, a flight of fancy with Rotorua Canopy Tours and an up-close experience of New Zealand’s natural beauty and wildlife at Rainbow Springs & Mitai Maori Village.
3. Mega fun for Agents at Intrepid’s first-ever Mega Famil
Following a three month incentive run by the Intrepid Group, 70 of the top performing Flight Centre Travel Group agents from Australia and New Zealand were taken on a combination of five Intrepid Travel and Peregrine Adventures itineraries around South East Asia for the first-ever Mega Famil. The Mega Famil included trips through Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand to experience Intrepid Travel’s itineraries first-hand.
At the end of the tours, the five groups met in Bangkok for a two day travel summit on the best way to grow the ‘small group experiences’ market within Australia and New Zealand, with a key focus being on responsible and sustainable travel.
The ‘small group experiences’ travel market is growing in popularity globally and the initiative is intended to further grow the sector’s market, which is estimated at being worth $750m in the Australia and New Zealand Region. The event ended with a Private VIP party on the roof-top of Heaven nightclub in Bangkok, where attendees enjoyed cocktails and danced until the early hours, with DJs Brooke Evers and DJ Horizon providing the entertainment.
4. Agents soak up Northern Cali with Delta
Delta Air Lines in conjunction with Gate 7 hosted eight Travel Associates staff on a seven-night famil touring around Napa Valley, Sacramento & South Lake Tahoe in Northern California.
Agents experienced activities such as the Napa Valley Wine Train, breakfast at Michelin restaurant Auberge Du Soleil, a stroll around the Midtown Farmers Market in Sacramento, a gondola ride up Heavenly Mountain in South Lake Tahoe (to experience the last day of the ski season) and a morning out on chilly Lake Tahoe sport fishing!
Pictured from top-down: Penny Brand (Gate 7 Host), Fiona Boileau (Gunther & Turner), Milly Stendrup (Low & James), Stephanie Darcy (Reis & James), Kylie Mcfarlane (Trendell & Turner), Megan Hill (Stepnell & Turner), Donna Grant (TA National Brand Leader), Tara Wheeler (Dare & Turner), Heidi Adams (Egan & Turner) and Jamie Bunn (Delta Air Lines Host).
5. Consultants hit the slopes with Korea Tourism
Some 140 consultants gathered at L’Aqua in Darling Harbour for the annual Korea Tourism Roadshow where they were able to meet with five ski resorts visiting from Korea for the Sydney Snow Travel Expo.
The focus of the evening was on the upcoming 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympic & Paralympic Games which will be held from 9-25 Februayr 2018.
6. Buffalo Tours hosted Agents on a 5-star famil of Vietnam
Buffalo Tours, together with Paradise Cruises and Entising Asia, hosted ATAC Agents on a 5-star famil of Vietnam, which included Ha Long Bay cruising with La Vela Paradise Cruise, followed by an unforgettable tour of all that Hanoi including a memorable dinner at Home Hoi An, an exquisite French townhouse.
Topped off by a couple of days exploring the UNESCO World Heritage town Hoi An whist be pampered at Almanity Hoi An and totally indulged at Fusion Maia Danang where they were treated to body massages, facial and more. Finishing off with a breakfast on the beach and more massages.
7. MTA’s Gina Edwards springs into Dutch tulip time
Joining Avalon Waterways 2017 National Familiarisation, MTA – Mobile Travel Agents’ Gina Edwards had the opportunity to cruise from Brussels to Amsterdam aboard the Avalon Passion as part of the cruise company’s ‘Holland & Belgium with tulips in Early Spring’ program complete with an unusual ‘beer themed’ departure.
Gina is pictured (centre) enjoying the Spring tulips with Avalon Waterways’ Josh Galea (left) and Greg Morris at the famous Keukenhof Gardens in Holland.
8. Agents experience Bavarian country side & castles in Germany
This lucky group of agents has just returned from a famil to Germany, courtesy of the German National Tourist Office, Lufthansa Airlines and Albatross Tours.
Travelling Premium Economy, the troupe explored vibrant cities including Munich and Dresden and the wonderful Bavarian country side with its famous King Ludwig castles.
The group stayed in traditional and modern properties enroute. Highlights of the trip also included visits to Zugspitze, the highest mountain of Germany, the passion play theatre and Meissen near Dresden.
9. 2017 Amazing Thailand Roadshow the biggest yet
Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) recently hosted its annual ‘Amazing Thailand Roadshow’ in Auckland, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.
The Roadshow kicked off in Auckland with 115 travel agents attending, before crossing the ditch to Brisbane for the first time where 100 agents were in attendance. Melbourne followed with 115 attending before the Roadshow wrapped up in Sydney with a massive turnout of 160 agents.
This year also saw an increase in the number of Thai suppliers participating, with operators such as Siam@Siam Design Hotel, Bangkok Hospital Phuket, Bangkok Hospital Pattaya, Manathai Hotels and Resorts and Foto Hotel Phuket all taking part for the first time.
Guest speaker ‘Miss World Australia 2016’, shared her Thailand holiday experiences with the audience and Mrs. Srisuda Wanapinyosak, TAT Deputy Governor for International Marketing (Asia and South Pacific) thanked agents for their support which has seen Thailand enjoy even more growth.
10. Category 4 Cyclone no barrier to PTM’s attending state meeting
As TravelManagers gears up for its annual national conference in September, Australia’s leading personal travel manager network has enjoyed a pre-cursor with their first quarter round of state meetings across Australia.
TravelManagers experienced strong personal travel manager attendance with record numbers achieved in both Adelaide and Sydney with a 35 percent and 10 percent increased attendance respectively.
Michael Gazal, TravelManagers’ Executive General Manager believes consistency and providing relevance and adding value is the reason for maintaining extremely high participation rates across all states.