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Mon 19 Jan: 10 travel stories you need to know today

We’ve done all the hard work, so you don’t have to! Read on for the top ten travel stories you need to know today.

We’ve done all the hard work, so you don’t have to! Read on for the top ten travel stories you need to know today.

1. Inside Qantas’ refitted A330

Alan Joyce on Qantas A330 business seat

Qantas’ first upgraded A330 took off for Singapore over the weekend, sporting a new standard of luxury on the route.

Passengers on flight QF35 from Melbourne to Singapore were the first Qantas customers to fly on the reconfigured international aircraft, which underwent a major makeover to include new lie-flat Business Suites.

Designed in collaboration with Marc Newson, the seats have a unique feature that allows customers to recline in their seat from take-off through to landing.

Read on

 

2. Melbourne tourism to leap with new ‘super tall’ building

Melbourne Tower 3

Melbourne will finally have one-up on Sydney when it comes to tourist attractions, with plans to build a new ‘super tall’ building that will take the title for being the highest in the southern hemisphere.

Located at 70 Southbank Boulevard, the 100-level ‘Australia 108 Tower’ will cost over $900 million and house around 4,000 people when completed.

Designed by Fender Katsalidis – the same architects that designed the 297.3-metre Eureka Tower in 2006 – the building will comprise of around 1,105 apartment over 80 levels, two levels of high-end residents on properties and a podium with car park, retail and amenities.

Read on

 

3. New Mauritius online training – WIN a trip for 2

Mauritius

Mauritius’ tourism bureau is enticing agents to update their knowledge of the destination by offering the chance to win a trip for two.

The new modules are targeted at front line sales consultants to help them understand how best to sell this exotic island paradise off the coast of Africa.

The workshop covers the basics of where the destination is and how to get there as well as looking at the tourism infrastructure across the island – from resorts to activities.

Agents will then be equipped with the skills and knowledge to confidently consult and sell this destination.

Consultants who complete and pass the modules before then end of February 2015 will be entered into the draw with a chance to win a 6 night trip to Mauritius flying with Air Mauritius and staying at the following two luxurious properties: Centara Poste Lafayette Resort & Spa and Centara Grand Azuri Resort & Spa.

Click here to WIN!

 

4. Agents are invited to Experience Alberta and Calgary

Calgary

Travel Alberta and Calgary Stampede will showcase a taste of their ranch, rockies and rodeo holiday experiences at an exclusive travel agents’ event on 7 February 2015 at Australian Outback Spectacular – High Country Legends show, on the Gold Coast, from 5.30pm till 9.30pm.

Agents will be presented with their own Calgary Stampede cowboy hat and be given an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of Australian Outback Spectacular. They will meet the cast and hear all the latest news from the 2015 Calgary Stampede, combined with Ranch and Rockies experiences in Alberta, Canada.

The Experience Alberta evening also includes a dinner and show at Australian Outback Spectacular, featuring the all new High Country Legends theme, with an exclusive performance by Calgary based Country & Western Singer, Jake Mathews.

All agents who attend will have the chance to win the ultimate Ranch, Rodeo and Rockies experience with a trip for two to the 2015 Calgary Stampede, staying at the Fairmont Palliser Calgary, including a day trip to the Badlands visiting indigenous lands at Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump and dinosaur fossils at the Royal Tyrrell Museum.

Key Australian tour operators selling both escorted holidays and FIT holidays are supporting the event by producing flyers highlighting specific 2015 touring options aligned with the Canadian Rockies of Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper and Canmore, plus rail experiences with Rocky Mountaineer and Via Rail, Calgary Stampede, and city stays in Edmonton or Calgary.   Some operators will also showcase extended day trips into Southern Alberta highlighting Waterton Lakes National Park.  Sample itineraries will be presented to agents attending on the night.

Click here for registration and to RSVP.

 

5. KarryOn travel deals of the week

deals of the week feature

Get some inspiration for your next holiday or your client’s next trip, with some of the best travel deals of the week.

There’s only a few days left on Emirates’ global sale, which could see your clients travel to the UAE from $1,883. There’s also a special Easter itinerary with Carnival, book five nights but only pay for four in Bali and Scenic’s best river cruise deals ever.

Read on

 

6. Contiki brings Japanese restaurant to Sydney

Konichiwa! To celebrate Contiki’s first tour in Japan this year, the tour operator is bringing Japan’s kind-of-quirky, world renowned Robot Restaurant to Sydney for two nights.

The pop-up version of the restaurant will be set up on 23 and 24 February to offer guests ‘the weirdest, wackiest and most wonderful dinners’.

As well as feasting on authentic Japanese food and beverages, the restaurant will offer entertainment including Japanese dance sensation J-Pop beats. Huge futuristic robots will also ‘do battle’ as they attempt to destroy mankind and the room will be fitted with as many lasers as can possibly fit.

Registrations are now open for this one-of-a-kind experience atwww.contiki.com/robotsunrivalled. Spaces are limited with first access to tickets (when they go on sale later this month) given to those who have registered.

Meanwhile, Contiki’s first tour in Japan ‘Robots Unrivalled‘ will be a 13-day itinerary starting in Tokyo and travelling to Hakone, Takayama, Hiroshima, Kyoto, Wakayama and Osaka.

 

7. Royal Caribbean goes green

qantum of the seas - karryon

Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas was fitted with the new system before she launched late last year.

Royal Caribbean Cruises is retrofitting 19 of its ships with advanced emissions purification (AEP) systems to exceed environmental standards.

Installation started earlier this month, with the new system rolling out on Freedom of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas, Radiance of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas, Enchantment of the Seas, Grandeur of the Seas and Adventure of the Seas.

There’s also seven Celebrity Cruises ships receiving the AEP they include Celebrity Constellation, Celebrity Infinity, Celebrity Millennium, Celebrity Summit, Celebrity Eclipse, Celebrity Silhouette and Celebrity Solstice.

These AEP systems, also known as scrubbers, will remove more than 97 percent of the sulphur dioxide emissions generated by the ships’ diesel engines.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. has been involved in development, testing and planning for the use of AEP technology since 2010. Two newly built RCL ships that entered into service this year, Royal Caribbean International’s Quantum of the Seas and TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 3, were among the first cruise ships to be built with AEP systems installed during initial construction.

Royal Caribbean International’s Liberty of the Seas has been operating one of its six engines with a retrofitted AEP system for two years. AEP systems “scrub” exhaust gases by injecting high volumes of water spray into the exhaust stream, removing more than 97% of sulphur dioxide emissions.

 

 8. Instant Tours4fun bookings on Rezdy

Yosemit

Tours4fun has agreed to integrate with global tour operator software company, to allow agents and customers to book a tour and one of Rezdy’s other travel suppliers in one bookings

Going live in February, Rezdy chief executive Simon Lenoir said the company’s goal is to integrate with all the leading OTA’s selling tours and activities to bring more bookings to suppliers using the Rezdy platform.

“Providing real-time availability from suppliers using Rezdy will improve customer satisfaction levels as they will be able to instantly book and confirm both activity and package bookings.  We are also very excited about expanding Tours4Fun into the Pacific market further as it’s a key growth region for us.”

Kelly Chen, Tours4fun marketing and merchandising director

In 2014, Tours4fun introduced hotels to its product range. Travelers and agents now have access to a worldwide inventory of more than 85,000 hotel properties and can book any discounted hotels immediately online.

 

9. PTMs Cash-in at the tennis

PTMs meet Pat Cash

Personal Travel Managers Cathy Moir and Lisa Metzl scored a meet and greet with Australian tennis legend Pat Cash at the APIA Sydney International Tennis Tournament hosted by Emirates.

As much as the on court matches provided a thrilling air of excitement, it was meeting the tennis superstar, which really proved to be the highlight of the day.

Having retired in 2014, Cash is one of the most iconic tennis players in the world, most known for winning Wimbledon in 1987. He is currently in Sydney taking part in exhibition matches with fellow greats Henri Leconte, Mansour Bahrami and Fabrice Santoro.

Following their candid moment with Cash, the two PTMs enjoyed watching the Juan Martin de Petro vs Fabio Fogning and Sveltana Kuznetsoava vs Tsvetna Pron Kova matches.

“Having the opportunity to be so close to the action and part of the courtside atmosphere is truly amazing. At times we were simply on the edge of our seats, the excitement and tension was nail-biting.”

Lisa Metzl, Personal Travel Manager

 

 10. P&O brings the festivities & the gifts to Mystery Island

NTK featured image

Guests on Pacific Dawn’s Christmas cruise were able to join Santa’s helpers during their holidays with the P&O Cruises’ ship delivering gifts to children on Vanuatu’s Mystery Island.

Members of Pacific Dawn’s crew and passengers handed out presents to 120 children during the ship’s Christmas Day call to the island, creating special memories for all involved.

P&O volunteering

The gifts were donated by P&O Cruises staff and crew from Pacific Jewel, Pacific Pearl and Pacific Dawn.

Did you do anything charitable over Christmas? Share your stories below.

 

 

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