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The Daily Travel Agent Bite: Mon 1 Aug

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.

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. Book a flight to Abu Dhabi because they’re only $999 return

epic-hip-bump-xd-o

So far, 2016 has been pretty generous when it comes to the cost of flying, with record low international fares to holiday hot spots in the South Pacific, US and even Asia.

But watch as Etihad bumps all those destinations out of the way with its own attractive offer of $999 return fares to Abu Dhabi.

That’s cheaper than buying a new 11″ MacBook Air, a top of the line fridge and it’s about half the price of a 4K ultra high definition LED LCD TV.

Read on

 

2. Flight Centre gives travellers the ‘Key to the World’

Travel Agent Key to the World

Who needs the key to the kingdom, the key to someone’s heart or even Alice’s key to Wonderland when Flight Centre is offering the ‘Key to the World’.

Flight Centre Group’s Travel Money Oz with Cover-More and MasterCard, has just helped launched a first-of-its-kind digital travel wallet that combines itinerary, travel insurance, prepaid currency and SIM details.

The ‘Key’ allows users to login with a single password (oh thank goodness) or an app to view their itinerary, contact an Agent for support, see their current and past travel insurance policies, manage foreign currency and take care of their international phone and data needs.

Read on

 

3. It’s official, China Southern is flying to Adelaide

Travel Agent China Southern feautre

Adelaide Airport has confirmed speculations that China Southern is planning on operating the South Australian city’s first direct flights to mainland China.

According to the gateway, a deal was signed between with the airline last month for three weekly Adelaide-Guangzhou flights commencing from 12 December this year.

The new route will operate during the summer peak period to 0ffer 1,300 seats each week on the carrier’s A330-200 aircraft offering four classes – Economy, Economy-Plus, Business and First Class.

Read on

 

4. Qantas & Air Niugini increase Australian services

Travel Agent Air Niugini

PNG’s national airline, Air Niugini, has announced extra services to and from Australia in a bid to catch some of that growing South Pacific travel demand.

The announcement comes after an adjustment in the carrier’s code share arrangement with Qantas, which created an opportunity to add flights between Cairns, Brisbane and Sydney to Papua New Guinea.

Effective 30 October, Air Niugini will fly double daily to Brisbane. One of those daily services will be operated by the carrier’s wide body Boeing 767 aircraft, and the other by Qantas’ Boeing 737.

Read on

 

5. oneworld expands online training for Agents

oneworld

oneworld® is making it easier for Agents to sell the alliance group’s fares by expanding its online training to include its full suite of fare products.

The oneworld Training Academy now offers consultants the chance to complete three extra modules including Global Explorer – oneworld’s miles-based round-the-world fare; Circle Fares, which enable travellers to fly to the other side of the world and then back, without going all the way round the world.; and Visit Passes, offering travel within one continent or region, with options covering every continent (apart from Antarctica).

Once successfully completing a module, the “oneworld Fares Specialist” diploma can be downloaded and printed. Participants successfully completing all modules will receive a ‘master’ certificate, proclaiming them a “oneworld Fare Products Expert”.

Click here for more information.

 

6. Australia’s most trusted cruise operators are…

Scenic-Azure,-Douro-Valley-7_Portugal

Scenic and P&O Cruises have once again been named Australia’s most trusted cruise brands in this year’s Reader’s Digest 2016 Trusted Brands Survey, which asks consumers to rank their most valued products and services.

P&O received the title of most trusted brand for the fourth year running, while Scenic came ‘highly recommended’ for the second consecutive year.

Scenic’s GM of Sales and Marketing, Michelle Black, said it was a “great honour” to see Australians putting their trust in the company, and P&O Cruises’ President, Sture Myrmell, said the company works hard to offer “a quality, contemporary product that speaks to Australian cruisers”.

 

7. Singapore Airlines profits up $82 million

Travel Agent Singapore Airlines 2

Singapore Airlines Group has reported an $82 million increase in profits made during the second quarter of 2016, with $193 million made in operating profit.

The increase came despite a $79 million drop in group revenue and a 2.6 percent dip in passenger revenue, which the Group attributed to the lower revenue from the parent airline.

Group expenditure also decline by around $161 million and net fuel costs dropped an average of 28 percent. Group net profit for the quarter was $257 million, an improvement of $166 million (+182.4 percent) over last year.

 

8. Agents explore virtual reality with New Caledonia

Travel Agent New Caledonia virtual reality feature

Over 240 agents attended ‘soirees’ in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane last week as part of New Caledonia Tourism’s (NCT) 2016 Trade Roadshow, where they discovered a new way to sell the destination to their clients – virtual reality.

Consultants enjoyed sailing around the Isle of Pines aboard a traditional outrigger, exploring the Loyalty Islands with the lands’ chief and touring the “Paris of the South” – all without needing their passport.

In addition to getting a whole new perspective on the destination, they also took part in an educational game of trivia, won prizes and enjoyed French champagne.

Click here for more pictures, or here to read more about the virtual reality.

What are your thoughts on today’s travel news?