Skill up on all you need to know with bite sized travel news to help you be your best today and tomorrow.
1. KarryOn is coming to you LIVE from the Adina Apartment Hotel Melbourne, North Bank
KarryOn is delivering your daily dose of travel news from a different location today – the comfortable and spacious Adina Apartment Hotel Melbourne, Northbank.
Although the team was displaced from the familiarity of their Surry Hills office for the inaugural facetime event in Melbourne, they’ve felt right at home thanks to the warm hospitality and cosines of this TFE Hotels property.
In addition to offering a portion of free Wi-Fi and large rooms, the hotel has kept us in healthy with a heated pool, fully equipped gym and generous-sized breakfasts.
Be sure to checkout KarryOn next week for more on the Adina Apartment Hotel Melbourne, Northbank.
2. Did Melbourne just party harder than Sydney at facetime?
Melbourne’s travel industry may have given Sydney a run for its money in the party department last night at facetime.
A large cool crowd of agents and other industry friends filled Melbourne’s hottest venue, the Emerald Peacock, for the first KarryOn event hosted in the City by the Bay.
Specially-made KarryOn Kocktails, which were described by some as ‘almost too good’, greeted attendees as they entered the funky venue, while gourmet canapes ensured everyone maintained a healthy food-alcohol ratio.
3. ‘A number’ of airlines want to get their hands on Virgin Australia
Virgin Australia has no reason to stress about Air New Zealand ditching its shares, because apparently there’s a whole line up of other potential buyers.
That is, according to Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson, who said the Australian brand is currently in discussions with several keen parties.
While the entrepreneur didn’t name any of these suitors, there’s been talks that several Asian airlines are keen to get their hands on a slice of the carrier.
4. Amadeus unveils new itinerary app
The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Amadeus have launched a new itinerary management app available to the consulting firm’s entire workforce worldwide.
MyBCGTrip is a versatile and intuitive itinerary management app offering instant access to all trip details, easy check-in, calendar synchronisation, flight notifications and instant alternatives in case of a last-minute change in plans.
Rebooking is as simple as a single tap that connects the traveller directly to a travel agent. Upon booking a trip, the traveller doesn’t need to do anything either: the trip links automatically to their profile within the app.
5. Royal Caribbean to build three new ships
Royal Caribbean has announced it will build three new ships – one additional Oasis-class and two Edge-class ships.
Scheduled for delivery in 2021 and 2022, the vessels will meet passenger demand, especially from those who want to sail on new ships with modern technology.
The Oasis-class ship will join the Royal Caribbean fleet and the Edge-class ships will be new to the Celebrity fleet and will “usher in a new era of design for modern cruise ships,” according to Celebrity Cruises’ President and CEO, Lisa Lutoff-Perlo.
6. Scenic launches the Cycling and Culinary Wonders of Europe
Scenic has launched The Cycling and Culinary Wonders of Europe, its first Europe river cruising mini brochure for 2017 and a new addition to the supplementary suite of A5 brochures which have been designed to assist agents with selling to their clients.
The 44-page brochure includes four new river cruises that focus on the wealth of picturesque cycling routes in France and Europe, and the culinary delights of the South of France and Bordeaux. Plus there are three extended itineraries which encompass extensions including, Prague, Barcelona, Champagne and Madrid.
The brochure features itineraries ideal for guests seeking more active time onshore. Bordeaux cycling routes include the Arcachon Bay coastal region; plus there’s a full day cycling the historic Saint Émilion wine region with lunch and wine tasting in one of the world’s oldest wine regions; and along the Danube guests can travel one of the most famous cycling paths in Europe, the Danube Path, through the beautiful Wachau Valley, as well as a full day tour from Regensberg cycling a trail of five rivers.
7. Meanwhile in New Zealand…
The latest installment of Air New Zealand’s ‘Meanwhile in… New Zealand’ campaign is giving us major dairy cravings by reminding Australians that ‘winter is coming’ to the Land of the Long White Cloud and the carrier’s daily services to Christchurch are the easiest way to explore the Mt Hutt alpine.
In the video, well-known Christchurch ice cream makers George and Raewyn Taylor have sold their pure old fashioned ice cream from Victoria Square for 17 years, continuing a tradition since 1907.
Naturally, when winter descends, their customers desert them to enjoy the snow on Mt Hutt – so George started to hatch a big plan to sell winter ice cream up on the mountain.
Air New Zealand will arrange for the ice-creams to be sold on the slopes of Mt Hutt in July, during the Australian school holidays.
Check out the video above.
8. TravelManagers’ second annual charity golf day exceeds expectations
TravelManagers managed another hole in one last week, during another successful charity golf day at the Mornington Golf Club on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula
TravelManagers’ Kellie Browning, Business Partnership Manager for Victoria for the second year organised the charity event, inviting personal travel managers, their clients, preferred suppliers and the national partnership office team to participate in the day.
Around $4,350 was made on the day and donated to the Cancer Council. This was well over $1,000 more than last year’s donation of $3,036.
Great work TravelManagers!
9. Centara Hotels & Resorts treats Flight Centre agents
Eleven lucky Flight Centre agents from Victoria were recently treated to experience a ‘Culinary Adventure’ on a seven-day famil highlighting the best of culture, food, nature and top quality accommodation in Bangkok and Chiang Mai.
First stop for the group was northern Thailand’s cultural hub, Chiang Mai, where the agents experienced traditional Lanna style accommodation at Centara Khum Phaya Resort & Spa, part of Centara Boutique Collection.
Part of the Chiang Mai itinerary was also a Flight of the Gibbon Adventure Tour where the agents had a chance to zipline over the forest canopy as well as tea-tasting, the visit of an eco-mountain village and a hands-on cooking class.
In Bangkok the group was hosted by Centara Watergate Pavilion Resort, a modern 4-star property set in the very central and renowned Pratunam.
On the last night of the trip, the group was treated to enjoy stunning panoramic city views from UNO MAS restaurant, a brand new dining venue located 54 floors above Bangkok at Centara Grand at CentralWorld.