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. China Southern plans direct flights to Adelaide
China Southern is allegedly ready to expand its Australian network with direct flights between Guangzhou and Adelaide from December this year.
The carrier, which already operates from Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth, is reportedly looking at a three-times weekly non-stop service to tap into the growing South Australian market.
The news was pretty much confirmed when South Australian Premier, Jay Weatherill, told media the China Southern service would be the city’s first non-stop link to mainland China.
2. Express Travel Agents CONNECT on the Gold Coast
Express Travel Group (ETG) consultants got their first taste of the #conferencelife at the company’s inaugural CONNECT Consultant Conference on the Gold Coast.
Around 100 Agents from all three brands – Select Travel Group, Independent Travel Group and italktravel – gathered at the RACV Royal Pines where they not only enjoyed 28-degree winter days, but received company and travel product updates in a fun and interactive way.
For the inaugural conference, ETG settled on the theme ‘Learn. Engage. Succeed’, to reflect the company’s ethos in assisting consultants on their journey to success.
3. Qantas returns to Bali for the summer
The Flying Kangaroo is heading back to one of Australia’s favourite travel destinations for the second time this summer in order to meet demand over the peak period.
Commencing 14 December 2016 to 5 February 2017, Qantas will fly five times weekly between Sydney to Denpasar.
The resumption of the seasonal service is part of a demand-led Asia-Pacific capacity increase that will see the airline fly four extra services between Perth and Singapore from 12 December to 6 February as well as one extra flight per week between Sydney and Manila from 15 December to 19 January.
4. Aloft is coming to Melbourne
The funky and modern Aloft brand is coming to Melbourne with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide announcing the opening of Aloft Melbourne South Yarra in early 2019.
The property will be located at 402 Chapel Street in South Yarra and will feature the brand’s signature high ceilings, oversized windows and large walk-in showers. Other features include the signature Re:mixSM lounge and W XYZ SM bar providing guests with buzzing, atmospheric public spaces to meet friends, play pool or catch up on emails.
Guests will be able to re-energise in the Re:chargeSM fitness centre and grab a bite to eat at Re:fuel by AloftSM a one stop, 24-hour grab-and-go food and beverage area. The hotel will also feature a roof top terrace, swimming pool, parking facilities and 300 sqm of function rooms, all equipped with the latest generation of audio-visual hardware.
5. Etihad remains ‘fully committed’ to Virgin
An Etihad spokesperson has responded to reports that the airline would lose half its Virgin Australia stake if it was unable to contribute to the airline’s $852 million capital raising, by saying it remains committed to the Australian airline.
In a statement, the spokesperson assured that Etihad is a “long-term strategic investor and commercial partner to Virgin Australia, and remains fully committed to the partnership as a shareholder”.
As a result, Etihad Aviation Group board has endorsed a proposal to take up its pro-rata entitlement in the Non-Renounceable Entitlement Offer for new shares in Virgin Australia which closes at 5pm AEST today. This means the airline will retain its 21.8 per cent shareholding in Virgin Australia and its seat on the board of directors.
6. ATDW launches new website
The Australian Tourism Data Warehouse (ATDW) has launched a new corporate website to compliment its redesigned and rebuilt technology platform ‘ATDW-Online’.
Mark Williams, ATDW CEO, said the new website was developed off feedback to take tourism operators to the next level by “giving them greater marketing exposure across 150 web channels”.
“The new website is clean and uncluttered, modern and far easier to navigate,” he said,. “In addition, the site is mobile responsive and primarily targets Tourism Operators and Distributors sharing their success stories and case study examples of how they have successfully partnered with ATDW.”
Other features of the site include helpful blogs with tips and a search system to sift through the product listings database.
7. Ibis Sydney Airport gets a $4M refurbishment
Around $4 million was spent to upgrade the 200 guests rooms and soon to be exterior at Ibis Sydney Airport.
All rooms received new furnishings, bed heads, carpet, bathroom fixtures and wall-mounted TV units as well as ibis’ signature Sweet Beds. The external facelift continues and will be complete by August.
Natalie Bussenschutt, the property’s General Manager, said the refurbishment had “lifted” the look and feel of the rooms plus increased comfort levels of guests.
8. TravelManagers get an interactive lesson on Thailand
Personal travel managers received an interactive lesson on Thailand this month in order to prep them for their upcoming national conference being held in Bangkok between 19-22 August.
Sixteen Sydney-based PTMs attended the training sessions, which involved product and destination updates from Thai Airways and Tourism Authority of Thailand.
Feedback from consultants was that they were impressed by the range of new attractions in the country, as well as the delicious Thai lunch after their lesson.
9. 10 lucky Agents are going to the East Coast of USA
Agents in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Auckland are now inspired to sell New York, Philadelphia, Washington DC and New England after attending this year’s East Coast USA Mission.
The event attracted the largest East Coast contingent to-date, with 26 destination and product partners inspiring and educating trade in the breadth of experiences on offer.
Additionally, 10 lucky Agents won a place on the East Coast USA familiarisation, departing on 23-29 October with American Airlines. They were; Shernaz Engineer – Flight Centre NZ; Thaddeus D’Souza – Flight Centre NZ; Erica Slutzkin – FBI Intelligent Travel; Di Decker – Escape Travel; Kate Turner – Flight Centre; Samantha Neill – Flight Centre; Karlee Sinderman – Helloworld Circular Quay; Louise McCarthy – Travel Managers; Cheryl Perkins – Redcliffe Cruise and Travel; and Larry Sayer – Cruise About.
Click here for more images, or click here to find out why you should think of New York as Italy.