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. 7 powerful ways the travel industry is celebrating women today
International Women’s Day may sound like a day reserved for the ladies, but it actually requires both men and women working together towards making the call for gender equality a reality.
In 2017 – over 108 years since the first Women’s Day celebration was held – the world is being encouraged to ‘Be Bold for Change’, a theme the Australian travel industry has embraced by recognising female colleagues, announcing new appointments and fighting for equal pay.
Here are just a few of the ways the industry is celebrating International Women’s Day today…
2. Women are earning billions from tourists
Detailed descriptions of their homes, a couple of decent images, great organisational skills and a whole lot faith – that’s all it took for women across the world to earn over US10 billion through tourists.
According to Airbnb, females are leading in the home-sharing community with women now making up more than 50 percent of superhosts worldwide.
A special International Women’s Day reported compiled by the home-sharing site found that over the last five years the number of females hosts has grown by 40 times and in Australia is alone, women make up 65 percent of all hosts.
3. Trump takes time out from tweeting & travel bans to meet tourists
Image: Evan Vucci/AP
The United States’ new President took time out between bringing back “JOBS, JOBS, JOBS”, releasing the new Healthcare Bill and making minor adjustments to the travel ban, to meet with travellers.
Donald Trump greeted a group of tourists at the White House this week, the first wave of visitors since he was inaugurated into the role.
The social media savvy leader walked into the East Wing of the Presidential house where a group of tourists were standing, including several fifth graders who were on an excursion from Alabama.
4. Qantas & Neil Perry celebrate 20 years of mile high foodie lovin’
Qantas and Neil Perry are celebrating their 20th anniversary as culinary partners – remarkably the longest relationship of its kind in aviation industry.
Mr Perry and the Rockpool Group joined Qantas as consultants in 1997, long before Masterchef came along and celebrity chefs were universally a ‘thing’.
Indeed, back in 1997 most other airlines were dishing out food so bad it was only superseded by the worst kind of all – ‘hospital food’.
5. Jetstar & Virgin forced to pay for breach of the Australian Consumer Law
The Federal Court has ordered Jetstar to pay $545,000 and Virgin Australia to pay $200,000 for breaches of the Australian Consumer Law with false of misleading advertised airfares.
An Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) statement revealed that Jetstar was pulled up for misleading fares on its website in 2013 and its mobile site in 2014, while Virgin was found to have made false or misleading representations about specific advertised airfares on its mobile site in 2014.
“The ACCC was concerned that Jetstar and Virgin’s ‘drip pricing’ conduct drew consumers into an online purchase process with a headline price, but failed to provide adequate disclosure of additional fees and charges that are likely to apply,” ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said.
“As a result of the ACCC’s enforcement and compliance actions, businesses across several industries, including ticketing and accommodation, have now improved their online booking practices to provide adequate disclosure of additional fees and charges that are likely to apply.”
The penalty imposed on Virgin was ordered following joint submissions to the Court by Virgin and the ACCC.
6. TMS moves into Melbourne
TMS Talent is taking its skills further along with East Coast of Australia, with the opening of its new offer in Melbourne headed up by Managing Director John Terry.
“Melbourne is such a large hub for the travel industry, making it an ideal city for TMS Talent to expand into,” Terry explained. “With us having grown a large number of national accounts the need for a local office to service the market across Victoria is essential to fulfill our client’s needs.”
“Over the past few years TMS Talent has transformed, introducing innovative technology and dedicated brands for both the executive and graduate markets. This is all down to client demand and we will continue to innovate and tailor our solutions to remain the leading recruitment supplier to the industry.”
Join us in congratulating TMS on the expansion and contact the group if you’re looking for your next opportunity.
7. INCENTIVE: Receive a $50 Visa pre-paid gift card
Agents can earn a $50 Visa pre-paid gift card for every Eurail Pass of $2,000 of more they make online before 31 March.
International Rail is currently running a Eurail offer for your clients to receive free ‘rail travel days’ when a Eurail One country, Two country, Select or Global Pass is purchased before the end of this month.
Passes can be validated up to 11 months after the issue date and are available in adult, youth and saver categories. The popular Eurail Global Flexi Pass is available for 10 and 15 days over two months- all will receive two extra free travel days.
Alternatively, Agents can sell the one month consecutive Global Pass and the client will receive five extra travel days. There is a maximum one gift card per booking.
8. INCENTIVE: WIN a pre-Christmas market tour
Albatross Tours has just released their 2017/18 European Christmas, New Year and Winter Wonderland Tours brochure, with tour prices lower than in 2016.
With a massive 28 unique festive tours on offer, each and every tour has been designed to bring alive the nostalgia, joy and romance of the Festive Season. New for 2017/18 are 8 superb European festive tours including an innovative range of ‘Winter Wonderland’ tours.
For Travel Agents, Albatross are offering an amazing opportunity to WIN a magical Pre-Christmas Market tour for two, with one entry per passenger booked before 31 July 2017. Full competition details are available at albatrosstours.com.au/agent-competition.
9. Agents stretch out on the beach with Excite
Image: Matt Leedham
Excite Holidays treated 25 lucky Queensland agents yesterday to an energising brekkie yoga session on Mermaid beach on the Gold Coast as part of their new Los Angeles Tourism Campaign.
On what was a truly gorgeous Gold Coast (and aptly rather Venice Beach like) morning, the blissed out yoga session was followed by an L.A health inspired breakfast at uber cool café and Yoga Studio by the beach, BSKT Café.
Pic: Matt Leedham
Pic: Matt Leedham
Even our very own Matt (KarryOn Founder) donned his Lululemon hot pants to join the session and take some snaps whilst in his downward dog pose. Sadly no one snapped a pic of him in his hot pants. Which is probably a good thing.
Excite Holidays are tonight hosting a second event in Melbourne for agents which will feature a ‘hip hop yoga’ activity and plenty of Los Angeles themed surprises. We’re jealous we can’t be there too.
Agents walked away with a cool yoga mat each too. Pic: Matt Leedham
Love L.A too? Sell any Los Angeles room nights via Excite Holidays and be in the running to WIN a return flight to L.A., three nights at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel and two nights at the Hotel Erwin Venice Beach, plus three tours, including Cupcake Tour of Beverly Hills, Hollywood Hills Hiking Tour, and Hollywood Behind the Scenes Walking Tour.
Click here for more images.
10. Agents see Seattle with Delta
Five HRG consultants were invited to see the fifth-highest peak in the US, enjoy surreal art and architecture and take in some incredible history in Seattle with Delta Air Lines.
The group spent three nights at the Grand Hyatt Hotel while lapping up popular sights and experiences such as the top of Space Needle, a race around the Pike Markets dodging the “flying fish”, a tour of the CenturyLink Field and a visit to the Boeing Factory to see the manufacturing process of several aircraft.
Click here for more images.