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. Powerful quake kills two in New Zealand
A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake has ripped through New Zealand’s South Island, killing two people, damaging buildings in the area, and causing a 2.5 metre tsunami.
The epicentre of the quake was located 93 kilometres north-east of Christchurch in a rural area dotted with small towns. However, it was felt as far away as Wellington on the North Island, some 200 kilometres away.
Residents said the shaking went on for about three minutes, and was followed by a number of strong aftershocks.
2. Emirates moves to an all Airbus A380 & Boeing 777 fleet
In a continued effort to offer passengers a superior experience at 30,000 feet in the air, as well as to do its part for the environment, Emirates is moving to an Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 fleet.
In breaking news, Emirates has just retired the last Airbus A330 and A340 aircraft in its fleet from active service, making the airline the first and only carrier in the world to operate a fleet of all Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft for its passenger flights.
3. Qantas launches new virtual reality app – Qantas VR
The Flying Kangaroo is giving customers the chance to discover and explore a destination before they physically travel there, thanks to a cool new virtual reality app called Qantas VR.
Available for iPhone, Android, Samsung Gear VR, Oculus Rift, and HTC Vive devices, Qantas VR showcases Australia’s distinctive landscape through a series of immersive videos, including never before seen aerial footage of Uluru and Kata Tjuta.
The app offers two modes: split screen for those who have a compatible headset or Google Cardboard and 2D landscape for viewing directly on a smartphone. Users can also book Qantas flights to the featured destinations directly from the app.
The app launched last week with thirteen videos with additional content to progressively roll out over the weeks, and can be downloaded for free from the App Store, Google Play, or compatible headset app stores.
For more information, visit Qantas.com/VR.
4. Topdeck launches flights to Europe for $499
Available only on select trips, Topdeck is giving customers the chance to score flights to Paris for just $499 return on trips that last 25 days or more. Topdeck has also broadened the offer for customers wanting to travel between 14 to 24 days with an accompanying fare to Paris return for $799.
The deal has already received an overwhelming response with enquiry and will benefit consultants with an increased enquiry for Topdeck products.
This special flight deal expires on 30 November 2016, and is expected to drive additional enquiry for the month of November.
Click here for more information.
5. Win a trip to Los Cabos by eating tacos!
Los Cabos Tourism has partnered with Mad Mex, Delta Airlines and Virgin Australia to launch a dead-set awesome campaign with five trips for two to Los Cabos in Mexico up for grabs.
Inspired by the annual Mexican celebration Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in November, the Mad Mex Deadly Days promotion kicked off on 24 October and runs for four weeks. Each Mad Mex store will get into the spirit with the iconic bright, colourful sugar skulls and fiesta decorations.
All amigos have a chance of winning when they purchase any main meal at participating Mad Mex locations around the country and enter online at madmexdeadly.com.au. There’s no limit to how many times you can enter either!
Los Cabos is the spiritual homeland of Mad Mex and the inspiration behind its fresh and healthy food philosophy.
6. HAWAI‘I TOURISM LAUNCHES EXPERIENCE ALOHA CAMPAIGN
Hawai‘i Tourism Oceania has launched a new consumer campaign pairing Australian influencers with Hawai‘i locals to help them get “under the skin” of the destination.
The influencers’ experiences were captured on film and will be shared with Australian audiences over the next month through a social and online campaign.
Kerri Anderson, Country Manager for Hawai‘i Tourism Oceania, said the brand campaign aimed to build greater awareness of the Hawaiian Islands by showcasing the more unexpected and unknown elements and experiences on the islands of O‘ahu, Maui, Kaua‘i and the Island of Hawai‘i.
7. Sydney welcomes Air China’s new Chengdu service
Sydney’s first direct route from China’s fourth largest international airport touched down at Sydney Airport today.
The new service, which will utilise an A330-200 aircraft with 237 seats, and operate three times a week, is expected to bring 23,000 Chinese visitors and $89 million in additional visitor expenditure per year.
Sydney Airport is the world’s leading airport for Chinese long haul routes, serving 13 Chinese cities by the end of November.
8. Etihad’s Taste the World competition winner
Etihad Airways’ Taste the World’ competition has come to a close, with Dutchman André Gerrits taking out the top gong.
Gerrits not only takes home the ‘Taste the World’ trophy and full bragging rights, but also two Etihad Airways First Class tickets to a destination of his choice on the Etihad Airways network. He will also get a profile piece in the Etihad Inflight magazine and the opportunity to host a cooking demonstration at next year’s Taste Festival in The Netherlands.
André Gerrits is a Michelin Star chef and owner of ‘t Amsterdammertje in Amsterdam, Holland. He and his team take diners into a world of gastronomy, design, culture and expertise where innovative international culinary dishes are served with a warm Dutch welcome.
Finalists were selected at Taste Festivals held during 2016 in 14 cities and included local chefs Nelly Robertson (nel., Sydney) and Scott Bridger (Bib & Tucker and May Street Larder, Perth).
9. TIME alumni dominate in Travel Awards
Two TIME alumni and mentors have been named as finalists in seven award categories in Australia’s Inaugural Women in Travel Awards, and two TIME sponsors are also competing in the Employer of the Year category, reinforcing the calibre of participants on both sides of the Travel Industry Mentor Experience (TIME) mentoring program.
Speaking of the alumni and sponsor nominations, Founder and Chair of the TIME program, Penny Spencer, said she wasn’t surprised at all with the announcement.
The TIME program attracts the industry’s brightest and best both as mentors and mentees. It’s wonderful to see so many fabulously capable women being recognised in this way. We’re also thrilled to see a pair of TIME’s valued sponsors – Excite Holidays and The Travel Corporation – recognised in the Employer of the Year category. Quite simply, without their support, TIME wouldn’t be the program it is today.
Penny Spencer, Founder and Chair, Travel Industry Mentor Experience (TIME).
Australia’s Inaugural Women in Travel Awards will take place at the Ovolo Hotel, Woolloomooloo on 17 November.
10. Choice Hotels partners with Chinese OTA
An exciting new partnership between Choice Hotels and Ctrip, China’s biggest online travel agency, will allow Chinese tourists to find, book and stay at any of Choice Hotels’ 230 Australian properties, quickly and easily.
Choice Hotels Asia-Pac CEO, Trent Fraser, said he was excited about what this new global partnership will mean for the company’s franchisees.
“China is, and will continue to be, a major market for inbound tourism in Australia and this new initiative shows that we are dedicated to welcoming Chinese tourists to our properties.”
Trent Fraser, CEO, Choice Hotels Asia-Pac.
The announcement comes on the back of new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showing that more than one million Chinese tourists have visited Australia in the past year – a huge increase of 21% compared to 2014-15.
11. Don’t miss out on Luxperience Early Bird Deals
There’s less than four weeks until the Luxperience early bird exhibitor deals expire, and so those interested in participating in the largest luxury and experiential travel industry forum in the southern hemisphere will need to act fast and register by Friday 09 December 2016 to gain significant savings.
The early bird deals offer savings of up to 12 per cent and are the most cost effective way to meet coveted travel curators from around the globe and hand-picked premium travel specialists from around Australia.
After 9 December the rates will continue to increase until the final exhibitor participation closing date on 21 July 2017.
12. Hilton Sydney’s Concierge Team Celebrates Win
Hilton Sydney concierge, Lance Birkett, has won the annual Tony Facciolo Award of the prestigious Les Clef d’Or society, coming out on top of seven other competitors to take out the title.
Lance now joins three of his colleagues at the hotel who already wear the globally renowned gold keys badge pinned to their lapels.
“Lance has proven to be an outstanding ambassador for the hotel representing impeccable service skills and a level of professionalism befitting his position as concierge here at Hilton Sydney. We are very proud that he follows in the footsteps of three of his colleagues who are members of the coveted Les Clef d’Or.”
Ronald van Weezel, General Manager, Hilton Sydney.
The annual award, which is also known as the “Concierge Rising Star Award,” is named after Tony Facciolo, who was one of the founding members of Les Clefs d’Or Australian chapter, and it is voted on by the 26 Members of Les Clefs d’Or NSW and ACT.
13. Agents explore L.A. with QF & AA
In partnership with Qantas and American Airlines, Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board (L.A. Tourism) took nine lucky travel agents on a whirlwind trip of L.A, uncovering the incredible depth of the city one neighbourhood at a time.
Starting in Sydney, the agents flew into LAX and before making their way to their hotel, the Millennium Biltmore, which is located within the revitalised Downtown district, and just minutes away from iconic L.A. attractions, such as The STAPLES Centre, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) and Dodger Stadium.
After visiting some of the city’s museums, the group indulged their tastebuds at the DTLA institution, Grand Central Market, which houses famous vendors including Eggslut and Wexler’s Deli, before tackling the hair raising SkySlide at OUE SkySpace, some 70 floors above the city.
Agents were then given the chance to experience some movie magic first hand on the Warner Bros. Studio Tour, home to many classic films and TV shows including Casablanca, Friends and Batman. The group also experienced the Starline Movie Stars Home Tour and sampled local food and drink and discovering some of the city’s hidden gems through Urban Adventures’ Sips of Old Hollywood tour.
For a quick break from the hustle and bustle of the city, the group made their way to L.A’s famous beachside neighbourhood of Venice. Here they spent the afternoon cycling the famous boardwalk up to Santa Monica and exploring the area’s shops and boutiques, including the famous Abbott Kinney Boulevard, before ending the trip with an iconic burger from L.A. icon In-N-Out Burger.
THIS WEEK’S COMPETITIONS
Sell Italy & See Italy
This is your chance to earn a place on a famil to Italy and Abu Dhabi with Etihad Airways Alitalia and Trafalgar Travel.