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. Feeling homesick on holidays? Here’s the most Australian hotline to cure you
Almost everyone can agree that there’s nothing quite like spending a year travelling across Europe and meeting new people with just a few outfits, your passport, cash and a backpack to carry it all.
But being away from home for long periods of time can trigger that gnawing yearning to fly back Down Under and be amongst hundreds of fellow Aussies.
We all know it as homesickness. It can hit at anytime and generally when you least expect.
2. Virgin Australia restructure hits full-year profits
Virgin Australia expects its finances to have taken a bit of a hit over the last 12 months due to the cost of the its three-year ‘Better Business’ restructure designed to reduce debt.
In a quarterly update, which also addressed the carrier’s full year results scheduled to be released next month, Virgin revealed $224.7 million statutory loss after tax for FY16.
Virgin has been upfront about its expected losses over the last few months, saying the charges related to the Better Business program and “other efficiency activities” would prevent the carrier from seeing the benefits of its efforts until 30 June 2019.
3. Qantas ‘Links’ Melbourne to the Sunshine Coast
Domestic travellers will have more access between Victoria and Queensland during the upcoming holiday period with QantasLink’s new seasonal Melbourne-Sunshine Coast services.
Running between 16 December to 21 January, the Qantas subsidiary will operate four return flights per week between the two destinations using the two-class Boeing 717 aircraft.
According to the airline, the seasonal service come after the success of the direct Sydney flight launched last year, which will increase with two extra return services on Saturday and Sunday from 30 October.
4. Travelmarvel launches first Russian River Cruising brochure
Travelmarvel has responded to strong interest in its Russian land and cruise journeys by launching a new stand alone brochure for 2017.
The company’s Executive General Manager, David Cox, said Travelmarvel is hoping to fill the “appetite” for Russia by delivering a program dedicated to the destination.
Available from tomorrow, the brochure will have a choice of three itineraries, all of which feature an 11-day river cruise aboard the ms Surikov. The lead in itinerary is the new 11-day ‘Treasures of Russia Cruise’ sailing from St Petersburg to Moscow via Lake Lagoda, Lake Onega, White Lake, the Volga River and the Moscow Canal, guests will experience an in depth discovery of Russian history and culture.
5. SLH adds three new boutique hotels
Small Luxury Hotels of the World has welcomed three new boutique hotels to its luxury collection in July.
Among the new properties is French Coco: Tartane, Martinique, a laid-back luxury Caribbean escape featuring 17 elegant suites decorated in raw and natural materials.
There’s also The President by Akaryn Vientiane in Laos, which brings new level of luxury to Vientiane with traditional Laotian design mixed with French neoclassical influences, plus there’s the Madrid city-centre gem, Hotel Unico, fitted with 44 soundproof rooms and suites featuring quirky and contemporary designs blended with aristocratic charm.
6. Travel Oregon says ‘cheers’ to Kiwi & Aussie trade
Australian Travel Agents have the chance to experience real Oregon craft beer and food without even leaving their cities at this year’s Travel Oregon Travel Mission.
Bridgeport Brewing and Hopworks, two breweries and their Brewmasters from Portland, Oregon will join Travel Oregon, Travel Portland, Jupiter Hotel, Mt. Hood Territory, Tualatin Valley, the Oregon Coast, Brewvana and Ninkasi on an August trade mission that will showcase Oregon beer and food pairings in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland.
The mission is a way for these Oregon partners to say ‘cheers’ to the Agents for all the business.
In addition to taste testing quality alcohol and food, the event will also see the Chair of the Board for US Travel and current CEO of Travel Oregon, Todd Davidson in attendance to educate consultants on the of the destination.
Dates for mission events are: Brisbane (Aug 1st, 6pm at Brisbane Brewing Company), Melbourne (Aug 2nd, 6pm at Crafty Squire), Sydney (Aug 4th, 6:30pm at Waterfront Restaurant The Rocks) and Auckland (Aug 9th, 6pm at Ponsonby Central).