Skill up on all you need to know with bite sized travel news designed specifically to help you, the Travel Agent, be your best.
1. YOU’RE INVITED to the Wendy Wu Tours brochure launch
Asia’s leading tour operator, Wendy Wu Tours, invites Travel Agents to join them in a celebration of their brand new 2018-2019 brochures at their upcoming brochure launch events in Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne, Hobart , Adelaide and Canberra.
Agents who attend on the night will benefit from a host of great prizes on offer, as well as updates to product. Plus, there’ll be an exciting new incentives to learn about, and even new offers to help drive your business.
Dates are:
Brisbane – Wednesday 11th October at The Fox Hotel
Perth – Wednesday 11th October at The Aviary Lounge Bar
Melbourne – Thursday 12th October at The Park Hyatt Hotel
Hobart – Tuesday 17th October at Hadleys Orient Hotel
Adelaide – Tuesday 17th October at The Richmond Hotel
Canberra – Thursday 19th October at White Rabbit
Click here to RSVP.
2. INCENTIVE: Earn bonus Excite rewards points
Following on from their previous campaign success in June, Visit Dubai have launched a brand new campaign and rewards point incentive with Excite Holidays – Dubai: More Than You Can Imagine .
For the next two weeks, they will showcase to agents all of the incredible once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, unique experiences and world-class eateries on offer that make this city a must for all wanderlust-seekers.
A bustling mecca in the Arabian Desert, Dubai is unlike anywhere else in the world. A city that combines affordable out-of-this-world luxury with endless sand dunes, Dubai will take your breath away. Boasting the perfect mix of culture, glamour, fun and adventure, Dubai is much more than a stopover destination.
Click here to check out the guide.
Excite Holidays are also offering agents the opportunity to earn 500 bonus rewards points for every night booked in Dubai, between Monday 9 and Sunday 22 October, 2017.
3. Tune into the ‘Discover the Solomon Islands’ webinar
With the Solomon Islands continuing to attract ever-growing numbers of Australian and New Zealand travellers – and with ever more expected to travel to the Hapi isles in 2018 – the Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau has announced it will stage a timely Solomon Islands Update Webinar on Tuesday, 31 October 2017.
Subject matter to be covered will include the destination’s unique culture, diving, history, fishing, surfing and romance/weddings.
The webinar will also cover the latest developments on the wholesale product and accommodation scene including an update on the 30-plus rooms and bungalows recently opened at the new Coral Seas Resort & Casino in Honiara.
Click here to register ASAP.
4. Mint announced as new AICS payment partner
The Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA) is pleased to announce that Mint Payments Limited has become an approved AFTA Insolvency Chargeback Scheme (AICS) payment provider.
AICS is currently providing protection to hundreds of ATAS Travel Agents since its launch in September 2017 and securing Mint Payments as the Scheme’s newest payment partner is another strategic milestone.
Mint has a network of banking partners, enabling Mint to easily on-board ATAS accredited travel agencies and transition them onto Mint. Mint also currently offers a seamless integrated payment solution through mid-office systems such as Tramada and TravelPartner, as well as other travel software leaders like OTALabs. Mint’s integration with these travel partners enables Travel Agents to take payments directly from the mid office, eliminating keying errors, improving reconciliation and overall efficiencies.
5. Helloworld Travel – a new store in Essendon Fields
Last week a Grand Opening Event was held to commemorate the opening of the brand new Helloworld Travel at Essendon Fields. A celebratory function was held on site with staff, suppliers and partners toasting the occasion.
We wish store owner Vas and his team all the very best.
6. Let Qantas Holidays take you to the UK & Ireland!
Qantas Holidays has now released their brand new 2018 UK & Ireland brochure (previously combined with UK & Europe) featuring a significantly expanded selection of accommodation and tour options.
The brochure features a great range of Stopover packages, as well as new London and Edinburgh City Break packages. Check out the wide range of accommodation and tours available in Regional England, Scotland and Ireland sections.
Also new hotels are featured in the Welsh towns of Caernarfon, Conwy and Tenby.
Click here for more information.
7. Contiki adds spice to Asia with new India product
Adding a little spice into the mix of things, youth travel operator, Contiki have introduced a new Southern India itinerary following the incredibly popular Eternal India trip through Northern India that launched in 2016.
The new 10-day Southern itinerary will take travellers from Chennai through Pondicherry, Kumbakonam, Madurai, Periyar, Kumbakonam, Kerala Backwaters and Cochin.
Travellers can expect a special stay in a Contiki exclusive overnight house boat on the beautiful Kerala Backwaters, as well as exciting No Regrets Experiences to tick off their bucket lists – like viewing a Martial Arts Performance in Kalaripayattu and a taking a Rickshaw ride to Meenakshi Temple in Madurai. Whilst included visits to a spice plantation, tea factory, silk weavers home and bronze casting school ensure Contiki travellers are fully enriched by the colourful Indian culture.
8. Intrepid Travel wins tour guide Oscars, again
Intrepid Travel celebrated winning Gold and Bronze at the Wanderlust World Guide Awards 2017, the tourism industry’s equivalent of the ‘Oscars for tour guides’. The adventure travel company has had more finalists than any other in the history of the awards.
This year saw Khalid Lamlih (pictured above), an Intrepid Travel leader who grew up in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains, clinch first place at the ceremony at London’s Royal Geographical Society on Thursday 5 October 2017, receiving his Gold Award from legendary travel writer Bill Bryson.
Meanwhile, Intrepid Leader Dinesh KC’s dedication to sharing his love for his native Nepal over the past decade has been rewarded with the Bronze Award.