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. Female only rows – is this the solution to combating on board sexual assault?
A man swaps his seat to sit next to a female passenger and then touches her while she sleeps – how do you stop this kind of sexual harassment from happening in the sky?
You segregate the men and women, according to Air India.
India’s flag carrier is planning to introduce women-only rows on its aircraft from 18 January in order to combat an increase in sexual assault on its flights.
2. Flight Centre on board for Burleigh pro surf event
Flight Centre is dropping in this summer to partner with Surfing Queensland as the naming rights partner of the 2017 Flight Centre Burleigh Pro.
The travel experts are well familiar with sending travellers to the surfing mecca of the Gold Coast, so it was a natural fit to rip it up with Queensland’s stand-alone World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) event.
The Qualifying Series takes place at one of the world’s most iconic waves at Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast, running over four days during the Australia Day weekend.
3. This may be the last time Kiwis hold this title in Australian tourism
New air services between Australia and China were launched practically every other week last year, but that wasn’t enough to make the Asian market Australia’s largest inbound market in 2016.
No, the Kiwis held onto the title for another year, but according to experts, it’s likely to be the last.
Figures released by The Tourism & Transport Forum Australia (TTF) this week found Australia welcomed some 8.2 million visitors for the year to November 2016, up 11.3 percent on the prior 12 months.
4. Agents lives are about to “get easier” with these Excite-ing changes
Excite Holidays says it’s out to make Travel Agents’ lives easier in 2017 with a range of changes and new features coming over the next few months.
The online wholesaler kicked off its upgrades this week when it unveiled its new-look website.
Agents who log onto the Excite Holidays website will find a whole new look and feel homepage, which Head of Marketing, Vanessa Richards, says is designed to make the visitor experience “authentic” and inspiring.
5. 4 tourists dead in Mexico nightclub shooting
Image: @PlayaDelCarmen/Twitter
Five people, including four foreigners, have been killed and another 15 wounded in a shooting at a nightclub in Mexico’s Playa del Carmen.
Two Canadians, an Italian, a Colombians and a local were at the BPM electronic music festival when a man entered the Blue Parrot nightclub armed in the early hours of Monday morning.
Quintana Roo State Attorney General Miguel Angel Pech told media that a festival-goer attempted to stop the shooting, which sparked a gunfight.
Of the 15 people injured, 10 are believed to still be in hospital, while police managed to arrest four people suspected to be involved in the incident.
6. France stays in a ‘state of emergency’
Attacks in France have the government taking extra precautions to keep locals safe, including an extension to the country’s state of emergency.
The state of emergency, introduced after an attack in 2015, have been extended until 15 July.
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), said during the state of emergency there’ll be limited large public gatherings and restricted access to public areas.
7. Flying to Vanuatu is cheaper than going to Adele’s concert for Travel Agents
Would you rather spend two hours squinting at a tiny spec with big vocals from your nosebleed seat in the ANZ Stadium or a week on a Vanuatu beach soaking up sun and dining on incredible island dishes?
If you answered the former, then what are you doing on a travel website?
Air Vanuatu is giving Travel Agents the chance to ‘discover what matters’ firsthand in Vanuatu for just $99 return (plus taxes).
8. Partner flies free with Wendy Wu Tours
Want to get away with the hubby, but struggling to afford two sets of airfares? Wendy Wu Tours has you covered with a Partner Flies Free offer on 40 itineraries to China, Indochina, India and Sri Lanka.
The offer is on new bookings made between 17 January and 16 March for travel between 12 March and 30 November. An example of the savings is first person paying from $3,790 and the partner only forking over $2,990.
Solo travellers can also save during the period, with Wendy Wu Tours offering 50 percent on single supplement on selected tours.
9. More options for travel from Canada to Mexico
Aeromexico is making it easier for travellers to connect to Mexico via Canada with new direct services between Mexico City and Calgary,
Commencing 1 June, Calgary becomes the fourth Canadian destination for Aeromexico and will be serviced by the carrier’s Boeing 737-800, carrying some 160 passengers.
Flights will depart daily and according to the carrier’s Chief Revenue Officer, Anko van der Werff, will help continue to build relations with Canada, which is Mexico’s third largest trading partner.
10. Get a taste of Indonesia in Melbourne
The rich culture of Indonesia will take over St Kilda Beach next weekend at the two-day Wonderful Indonesia Beach Festival, which aims to showcase Indonesia’s rich multicultural heritage through arts and craft, music, dance performances and food.
Marine Tourism, Wellness Tourism and Culinary Tourism will all be on display at the festival and will be represented through various activities such as Yoga on the Beach, cooking demonstrations and more.
Helloworld is also coming on board to manage a Travel Fair at the Festival with 14 hotels and resorts taking part, providing information and exclusive deals on holidays to Indonesia, so attendees will be able to sample the Indonesian experience and book their next holiday at the same event.
The Wonderful Indonesia Beach Festival will be held on 21 and 22 January from 11.00am-5.00pm at St Kilda Beach precinct. The parade will commence on Saturday at 10.00am, starting at the Beachcomber Cafe, St Kilda Beach.
11. Go inside Scenic’s new Irrawaddy vessel
All balcony suites, extra-large bathtubs, vitality pool and more – Scenic is really spoiling its guests in Myanmar with its new, intimate 44-passenger Scenic Aura.
The 5-star vessel is fitted with generous sizes rooms that feature separate bedroom, living room and balcony and range in size from the 24sqm Balcony Suite complete with Scenic Sun Lounge up to the impressive 70sqm Royal Panorama Suite which is the largest suite on the Irrawaddy, and features four separate zones – bathroom with extra-large bathtub, rainfall shower and walk-in dressing room; bedroom; living room and outdoor forward facing deck complete with daybed and Jacuzzi.
Also onboard there are a choice of dining venues offering a la carte to casual dining made from the freshest local produce, a vitality pool and bar area, spacious bar and lounge, Sun Deck with open air cinema, complimentary beverages, butler service for all guests, an almost 1:1 guest-to-staff ratio plus a guest laundry.
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