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Tues 1 Sep: 10 travel news stories you need to know today

We’ve done all the hard work, so you don’t have to! Read on for the top ten travel news stories we think you need to know today.

We’ve done all the hard work, so you don’t have to! Read on for the top ten travel news stories we think you need to know today.

1. Australian watchdog ‘disappoints’ Flight Centre

Flight Centre 3

Just when you thought it was over, the three-year battle between the ACCC and Flight Centre over alleged price-fixing could be heading back to court.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) this week sought out special leave from the High Court to appeal an overturned judgement issued by the Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia earlier this year that cleared Flight Centre of any alleged wrong-doing.

The long-running competition case was initiated back in 2012, when the ACCC accused Flight Centre of price fixing its international fares.

Read on

 

2. What has TravelManagers’ complete focus?

Joe TravelManagers

You could say 2014/15 was the ‘year of change’ for TravelManagers. They redesigned their brand, moved to a new back office system (Tramada Next Gen) and adopted a new GDS system (Amadeus Connect).

But now that nearly 470 Personal Travel Managers’ profiles, systems have been updated and migrated and business is moving along nicely, what’s left for the company to do?

Well, according to CEO Joe Araullo and Executive General Manager Michael Gazal, they could just sit back and watch the dollars roll-in but that’s not the TravelManagers way.

Read on

 

3. Jetstar adds regional New Zealand to its network

Jetstar NZ

Kiwis were so excited by Jetstar’s expansion into regional New Zealand that the airline’s special launch fares caused the budget carrier’s website to crash.

Three months after revealing plans to expand its New Zealand network, the Qantas off-shoot this week announced the addition of services to Nelson, Napier, Plymouth and Palmerston.

The new services are in addition to the airline’s existing flights to Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Queenstown. Altogether, the airline now has nine New Zealand destinations in its network.

Read on

 

4. The countdown is on to Luxperience

travel news Luxperience

Less than one week to go until the Australia Technology Park in Sydney is bursting with exhibitors and buyers for this year’s Luxperience trade event.

The event will kick off on 6 September with the Thought Leaders Forum and Welcome Cocktail Party held at the Sydney Town Hall. Respected journalist, author, columnist, news presenter, blogger and mother (what can’t she do!), Jacinta Tynan will be the Master of Ceremonies.

Jacinta is introducing a galaxy of keynote speakers from Anouche Newman, the passionate and fascinating customer experiences expert from the Customer Service Institute of Australia and award-winning cinematographer Corey Baudinette from LUXHD, to Dr Matthew McDougall, CEO of Digital Jungle, the renowned digital marketing expert advising organisations on how to the work through and succeed in the often perplexing social media platform.

Also presented at the Thought Leaders event will be the initial findings of the latest trends, opportunities and challenges facing the luxury travel industry uncovered in the research initiated by Luxperience with respected market research specialists, MyTravelResearch.com.

Following the cocktail party, the event will see hundreds of buyers and supplier discuss luxury and experiential products. According to organisers some 30,000 meetings have been booked over event.

 

5. Check-in is one click away with Fiji Airways

travel news Fiji Airways staff

Fiji Airways is bringing its check-in system in line with other major international airlines by introducing online check-in for all its overseas services.

The new service is available on the airline’s website and allows flyers to do the flight paper work 24 hours before departure. Online check-in closes four hours before take-off.

Once online check-in is complete passengers then need to print out the boarding pass and present it at the Express Bag Drop Counter to drop off checked-in luggage.

As well as speeding up travel formalities, online check-in also gives Fiji Airways customers the ability to purchase seats with extra leg-room (exit row or bulkhead seat) on select international flights at the airport.

 

6. One week + Excite = two lucky winners

travel news Excite 1

Lorinda Hollis from Excite Holidays and prize winner Hannah Duong, from Hannah Travel.

Excite Holidays has given away two prizes to two travel agents as part of a series of incentives the company is hosting over the next few months.

The first winner was Hannah Duong from Hannah Travel who, after selling the highest number of room nights in Thailand, has won a five night luxury holiday, staying at the Avista Hideaway Resort and Spa, Phuket.

The second winner was Francesca Labbozzetta from Marconi Travel, who sold the highest number of room nights across the state of Nevada and has been rewarded with the honour of being the only travel agent in Australia to take part in an action-packed famil taking in the highlights of the Silver state, including Las Vegas.

Excite 2

Nevada famil winner Francesca Labbozzetta from Marconi Travel, and Andrew Loving from Excite Holidays.

Francesca will be joined on the famil by Excite Holidays’ NSW sales and account manager, Andrew Loving, as well as a number of other agents from around the world, courtesy of Nevada Tourism.

Excite Holidays will be offering a number of famils and incentives to travel agents in the coming months, so travel agents should keep an eye out for updates from the online travel wholesaler for their chance to win.

 

7. WIN a $1,500 marketing voucher

travel news APT incentive

In conjunction with APT’s marketing campaign #APTtheBest, the company will launch two new industry incentives to run throughout September – one for travel agencies and one for consultants.

Travel agencies will be granted an automatic entry into a special weekly draw for each and every APT booking made and deposited in September. Each weekly winner will receive a $1,500 marketing voucher with APT.

Meanwhile consultants are also invited to join the celebrations, with APT giving away a luxury all inclusive Europe or Mekong river cruise every week to the winning entrant of a special photo competition.

To enter, agents need to take a photo incorporating the campaign hashtag #APTtheBest and send it, along with an explanation as to why they think APT is the best (must be 25 words or less), to competitions@aptouring.com.au.

Entries should include entrants’ contact details.

The #APTtheBest incentive campaign and photo competition runs from 1-30 September 2015 inclusive.

 

8. Qantas working to remove fake Facebook page

travel news Qantas scam

Qantas says it is working with Facebook to remove a fake Qantas page that has attracted attention.

The Facebook page is pushing a competition post urging followers to ‘like’ the post and wish the airline a Happy Birthday by commenting in the comment section.

Readers are encouraged to notify friends and clients that the competition and the Qantas Airlines Facebook are fake. Click here to visit the real Qantas Facebook page.

 

9. PTMs get handsy in Adelaide

travel news TMs feature

What better way to kick-start the third day of a conference than by getting your hands a little dirty for charity.

Hundreds of TravelManagers Australia showed off their creative skills in Adelaide today to not only let off a little steam but help decorate a new Robotic and Rehabilitation Centre for children.

The Centre, which is being built by the Little Heroes Foundation will support young ones through the tough times with a little physical and mental assistance.

Check out the full gallery here.

 

10. Titanic’s last lunch menu on auction

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Grilled Mutton Chops, Chicken a la Maryland and Custard Pudding – they were just some of lunch items passengers aboard the Titanic enjoyed on their final day at-sea.

One of the ship’s last lunch menus was saved by one of the passengers who was lucky enough to have received a place on a lifeboat when the ship hit an iceberg and tragically sunk on 14 April 1912.

The item is one of three artefacts from ‘Lifeboat 1′ that will be up for auction on 30 September through New York-based Lion Heart Autographs’ website.

The lunch menu is estimated to be sold for between $50,000 to $70,000.

R.M.S. Titanic is printed at the top of the menu before a list of food items that were available for order on 14 April 1912.

In addition to the dishes above, the menu also featured Mashed Fried & Baked Jacket Potatoes, Salmon Mayonnaise, Potted Shrimps, Corned Ox Tongue and more.

The menu came from Abraham Lincoln Salomon who is believed to have dined with another first-class passenger, Isaac Gerald Frauenthal, who escaped on another lifeboat.

Salomon also took a printed ticket from the Titanic’s Turkish baths, which recorded a person’s weight.

The third artifact up for auction is a letter written by a Mabel Francatelli to Salomon on New York’s Plaza Hotel stationary six months after the tragedy.

What are your thoughts on today’s travel news stories?