Home Travel News

The Daily Travel Agent Bites: Fri 25 Nov

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. Tsunami alert issued for Central America

Travel Agent el-salvador

A tsunami warning has been issued for parts of Central America after a powerful 7.2 magnitude quake shook southwest of Puerto El Triunfo in El Salvador.

Around 300 kilometres of coastline in Nicaragua, El Salvador and Honduras is on alert, with El Salvador’s Environment Minister, Lina Pohl, saying waves as high as three metres may reach land.

Locals and travellers in the area have been urged to move to higher ground or at least one kilometre away from the coastline, News.com.au reported.

 

2. $189 flights to Beijing – Black Friday Sales touch down in Australian travel

Travel Agent giphy-1

If you thought Black Friday was an American day of deals, then you’d be partially right.

The US national days of retail sales may have originated in the US, but just like Halloween (did you see the costumes and candy available earlier this month!), Australians have adopted the tradition this year with our very own set of bargains and sales.

Retailers have discounted their fashion items, while the travel industry has hopped on board with their own set of sales that are expected to send shoppers and travellers into a frenzy (hopefully, not the kind of frenzy that results in stampedes and hour-long register lines).

Read on

 

3. Welcome to a new era of China Eastern services from Australia

Travel Agent china-eastern-feature

There’ll be no shortage of choice for Australians looking to travel to China in the coming year, nor will be there a lack of options for Chinese holidaymakers hoping to visit the land down under.

Why? Because China Eastern Airlines is drastically expanding its presence across the country, with new routes between Australia and China.

Come February 2017, and the airline, which has been operating in Australia for some 60 years, will enter a new era on the ‘boomerang route’ with flights from three Australian locations to six mainland China cities.

Read on

 

4. Ensemble Travel to unleash unique portfolio in New Zealand

Travel Agent travel-handshake

In a market first, Travel Managers Group (TMG) New Zealand including Executive Travel Limited, HRG NZ and all their affiliate groups are partnering with North America-based Ensemble Travel Group, a leading global provider of luxury and experiential travel products and services.

Commencing from 1 February 2016, the partnership will unleash the power of Ensemble’s superior amenity program and unique holiday portfolio as well as special benefits and savings for TMG NZ’s clients.

Trish Shepherd, Ensemble Senior Vice President and General Manager, described the alliance as “ground-breaking”, saying it would help New Zealand partners tap into the company’s “relationships with industry leading suppliers”.

“Given the rate of change and evolution in the travel industry, keeping pace with global offerings is fundamental to meeting client needs and having access to the Ensemble Travel Group portal of benefits and relationships reinforces our commitment to being market leaders.”

Dave Wallace, Travel Managers Group Managing Director

 

5. Which city is hot for 2017?

korea-seoul-cityview

Seoul, Korea has been named as one of the top cities to visit in 2017 by both Lonely Planet ‘Best in Travel 2017′ and the National Geographic Traveller Magazine’ Best of the World List for 2017′.

Recent statistics show good increases for Australian travellers to Korea for the period January-October 2016 with 124,250 Australian travellers visiting Korea, showing an increase of 12.7 percent over the same period in 2015.

In 2017, Seoul will launch the latest in Seoul’s urban renewal projects, the new Seoul Skygarden near Seoul station. Designed by the Dutch architecture firm MVRDV the Skygarden will be similar to New York’s High Line. The elevated garden promenade will be built on an old almost one kilometre long, 17 metre tall highway overpass next to Seoul’s main transport hub of Seoul Station. It will become a platform on which trees, shrubs and flowers will grow to create an arboretum of local species.

Despite its rush to modernise, Seoul has maintained the beauty of its ancient past, the royal palaces and  shrines, Buddhist temples and ancient city walls are still there to enjoy alongside all the latest urban design wonders.

 

6. 10 things Hawaiian Airlines is thankful for in 2016

Travel Agent hawaiian-airlines-feature

New uniforms, lie-flat Business Class, expanded services, a new team and so much more – there’s practically a whole new Hawaiian Airlines in town and there’s certainly a lot to be grateful for.

Over the last 12 months, the carrier has undergone a bit of a renaissance, particularly in the local market where passengers numbers just continue to climb.

Aussies want that Hawaiian experience, and as the destination’s largest airline, Hawaiian Airlines has quickly adapted to meet that desire before guests even touch down in Waikiki.

Read on

 

7. Where can you find the world’s sexiest man?

Travel Agent

The definition of sexy varies depending on the individual – some like tall, others like short, some of us like a wider set and others prefer a slimmer frame.

Each to their own.

But when it comes to the sexiest man alive, I think a fair few of us would agree that Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson is more than worthy of the title.

Read on

 

8. Egypt, Sri Lanka & Iceland are hot for 2017

Travel Agent hero

The award-winning travel operator On The Go Tours, specialising in holidays for those who wish to combine culture and adventure, is predicting Egypt, Sri Lanka and Iceland has hot destinations for 2017.

On The Go Tours is an award-winning travel operator, specialising in locally-lead group tours and tailor made holidays to over 480 worldwide destinations, in over 60 countries.

Founded in the U.K 1998 and established as a small global company, with a purposeful local ethos, On The Go Tours operates flexible group tours, tailor-made getaways, fun family holidays as well as walking and sailing itineraries.

Read on

 

9. Travel Agents tour Texas

Travel Agent texas

Texas Tourism in partnership with American Airlines this month invited eight travel agents from Australian Flight Centres to experience the best of Texas, in a bid to inspire and educate frontline agents about this great US state.

The seven day adventure, which ran from 13 to 20 November, 2016, saw the agents take part in a classic American road trip throughout the state stopping to explore iconic towns including Grapevine, Wildcatter Ranch, Fredericksburg, San Antonio, Austin, Fort Worth and Dallas. They also sampled the iconic Texan cowboy culture while horse riding at Wildcatter Ranch and sported foam fingers as they cheered on The Dallas Mavericks at a NBA game.

Travel Agents and wholesalers interested in learning more about Texas can register for the upcoming roadshow in Melbourne on Tuesday 6 December, 2016 and Sydney on Thursday 8 December, 2016.

 

10. Asia Escape Holiday’s Top Achievers celebrate in Bali

Travel Agent asia-escapes-feature

Wondering what this lot above has to be excited about? They were Asia Escape Holiday’s 2016 Top Achievers and that picture captured them celebrating their success in Bali last week.

The group had a lot to be happy about, because not only did they meet and exceed their targets they were thanks with accommodation at Double-Six Luxury Hotel, sun and a party at Double-Six Rooftop Bar.

Tuxedos and cocktail dresses were donned at the group’s annual Awards Night, which was held at Double Six’s Robert Marchetti Plantation Grill. Travel Agents’ hard work was celebrated throughout the evening and was followed by a pool party was held at the Alila Seminyak Penthouse.

Click here for more pictures.

 

THIS WEEK’S COMPETITIONS

Pimp your scooter and WIN it!

e454f7ca-nicole-dobson-hellow-world-esplanade-mall-fw_09x0et09x0et000000

Thanks to TravelCube and its new ‘pimpmyscooter’ promotion, one of these chic chariots – valued at $400 each – could soon be yours.

Lugging a heavy bag through an airport terminal can be a real drag… but not with a fabulous luggage scooter!

These nifty, light-weight contraptions combine a sleek carry-on bag with a top-quality scooter, allowing you to glide effortlessly past fellow passengers and get to your flight on time and in style.

To celebrate the launch of its fresh new brand, the company is giving away eight micro luggage scooters.

Read on

 

WIN wedding celebrations in Thailand

Movenpick Thailand

The Tourism Authority of Thailand is inviting Australian couples to celebrate their memorable wedding moments in Thailand through a new competition.

Couples need to send their best couple moment pictures and describe their interesting couple story to: info@thailand.net.au, and tell the tourist bureau why Thailand is your dream wedding destination. 

One couple will then be selected to win a wedding package including two roundtrip economy ticket (Bangkok Airways) from Australia to Thailand; two roundtrip domestic economy tickets to the wedding destination; one deluxe room for five nights in Bangkok and Samui; transportation; meals; spa treatment; rental of Thai costume and wedding dress; VDO presentation and photography on the wedding ceremony; professional wedding organiser; and hairstylist and make up artist on the wedding day.

Entries need to be in before December this year with travel for 8-13 February 2017 (wedding ceremony is on 10 February 2017).

 

Sell Italy & See Italy

screen-shot-2016-11-08-at-1-56-36-pm

This is your chance to earn a place on a famil to Italy and Abu Dhabi with Etihad Airways Alitalia and Trafalgar Travel.

Enter now…

What are your thoughts on today’s travel news?