Skill up on all you need to know with bite sized travel news designed specifically to help you, the Travel Agent, be your best today and tomorrow.
1. Guess who’s back. The Wendy Wu animation is back
*Lowers sweats so underwear ‘Bonds’ band is visible, spins hat brim to the back, clears throat* “guess who’s back, back again. Wendy Wu’s back, tell a friend”.
“She’s created a monster, cause nobody wants to see average pictures no more they want Wu, she’s the real seller.”
Okay I’ll stop. Don’t want to offend Marshall with my weak rap game.
2. Air New Zealand confirms another season of Vietnam
Air New Zealand has confirmed it will operate a second season of non-stop services between New Zealand and Vietnam after successfully launching to the destination earlier this year.
Between June and October next year, the carrier will utilise its Dreamliner aircraft on two non-stop services a week between Auckland and Ho Chi Minh.
Around 302 seats will be available per flight in a choice of lie flat Business Premier, Premium Economy, Economy and Economy Skycouch™ seating.
3. Did you see what Celebrity is doing to Solstice?
Celebrity Solstice may be ‘Australia’s highest rated ship’ (according to the Berlitz Guide), but even she needs a little touch up now and then.
And by a little touch up, we actually mean an $11.25 million revitalisation, which will see the vessel fitted with a Japanese sushi restaurant called ‘Sushi on Five’; new alcove-style Lawn Club Cabanas for additional seating along the real grass lawn; ‘A Taste of Film’ cinema experience under the stars; and an all-new digital photo gallery.
The ship will enter drydock for nine days after she launches Australia’s international cruise ship season on 8 October. She’ll then return to Sydney to home-post from the city from 14 November.
4. State of Emergency declared in Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte braces for more riots after police shooting https://t.co/H3LztRRK1X pic.twitter.com/JgodMXg3IC
— Reuters (@Reuters) September 21, 2016
A ‘State of Emergency’ has been declared for the largest city in USA’s North Carolina after a fatal shooting of a black man sparked two nights of violent protests.
Nine people have been injured and 44 arrested in looting and protests around Charlotte, including four police officers.
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has advised Aussie travellers to avoid areas of protests and demonstrations while also urging them to adhere to any movements and curfews that may be in place.
5. The winner of Princess Cruises’ Academy promotion is…
Congratulations to Elle Dalton from Flight Centre Randwick North in Sydney who has not only invested in herself by becoming an expert in Princess Cruises, but also won herself a $200 Visa Gift Card.
Dalton was one of 10 winners in the Princess Cruises Academy promotion, which offered any World’s Leading Cruise Lines’ registered agent from Australia or New Zealand, who signed up for the Academy, an opportunity to win.
Also taking home a gift card from the promotion was Ashleigh Alexander, Flight Centre Cardiff; Erin Buscombe, Flight Centre; Nicky Cope, Travel Counsellors; Cassandra Gronwald, Everywhere Travel; Cetina Illies, Chrisakis & Turner Travel Associates; Rebecca Mullaney, Flight Centre Erina Fair; Tristan Ortega, Escape Travel Walkerville; Dilip Parag, Helloworld Lower Hutt and Katherine Ridge, Flight Centre Morayfield Megastore.
6. Additional APT information sessions
APT has added a series of extra Information Sessions designed to help Travel Agents generate increased sales.
APT will be showcasing its award winning travel styles and destinations at the events, ranging from its luxury river cruising in Europe and Asia, to Small Ship Cruising around the globe and luxury land touring to destinations such as Canada and Alaska, South America and Africa.
The free events will take place at Maroochy RSL, Sunshine Coast in Queensland on 6 October; Novotel Glen Waverley on 11 October; Quality Inn Ambassador in Orange on 27 October; and Crown Perth on 3 November.
Click here to register.
7. P&O teams up with the South Sydney Rabbitohs
Hey P&O, does this mean we could potentially bump into a few of those gorgeous jocks on your ships?
The cruise line has announced it is hopping onboard as an Official Membership Partner of the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
Members and supporters will be able to celebrate P&O’s new status as the Rabbitohs’ Official Cruise Line on a special four-night roundtrip cruise from Sydney to Moreton Island departing 4 May as the 2017 season gets underway.
Onboard the cruise, League fans will be able to meet with Rabbitohs’ legends (oh, there’s our answer) as well as current players and coaching staff, and take part in a range of special events including a cocktail function, a Q&A and a Rugby League themed trivia night.
Plus, during the day on Moreton Island, guests will be able to enjoy a special Rabbitohs Legends Touch Football game in addition to plenty of exciting activities from quad-biking to parasailing.
8. Complete Travel Marketing has moved
Sydney-based Travel and Tourism Marketing representation company Complete Travel Marketing have made the move across the bridge into The Rocks.
Now with a larger team to accommodate, Complete Travel Marketing left their North Sydney home of the last four years, to new digs south side in Harrington St, The Rocks, a stone’s throw from Circular Quay.
“With just two of us only four years ago we have now expanded to seven, and our North Sydney office was becoming a bit crowded, so it was time to find a bigger space,” Charlie Ridout, Director and co-founder of Complete Travel Marketing, said.