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. Air New Zealand staff get a slice of the surplus
It’s a good day to be employed by Air New Zealand.
The airline’s bosses are so happy with the record-breaking 2015 annual results, they’ve decided to give some of the surplus to its hard-working team.
Revealed this morning, Air New Zealand earned some $496 million in normalised earnings before taxation, up 49 percent on the prior year.
2. CTM overcomes global challenges
A spike in transaction values helped deliver a strong profit growth for Corporate Travel Management (CTM), according to the group’s latest financial report.
Total transaction value for the year to June 2015 almost doubled, reaching $2,656 million – up 92 percent on the prior 12 months.
As a result of the increased value per transaction, the group’s revenue and other income spiked by 79 percent to reach $197.9 million.
3. Aussies answer the City of Angels’ calling
Bright lights, celebrities, film and TV backlot tours and one-of-a-kind attractions, the City of Angels is calling for more tourists and Aussies are answering.
According to the destination’s 2016 tourism market outlook, LA is expected to welcome some 45 million visitors next year.
The record breaking forecast is an increase of 2.3 visitors this year and is likely to be driven by international travellers, especially those from Australia.
4. Mobile hotels: this company is making it a thing
Conventional accommodation is sooooo last year, pop-up hotels and suites are the new fad and could even potentially be the future of the accommodation industry.
Okay they may not exactly be the future of the industry (fixed properties will always be a necessity), but you have to admit the idea of staying in a room set up for a couple of nights in an ideal location is incredibly attractive.
It taps into the modern traveller’s desire for unique, thrilling and spontaneous travel experiences. Additionally, pop-up suites are like having your favourite hotel follow you around to new destinations.
5. NSW gets a big online push
Destination NSW has signed a new one-year strategic agreement to promote Sydney and NSW globally through the Expedia Group.
The agreement follows on from a previous partnership with Expedia, which according to Destination NSW CEO Sandra Chipchase resulted in strong results for the State.
“This agreement formalises our partnership and allows us to promote Sydney and NSW as Australia’s premier tourism and events destinations to millions of potential visitors in our priority international markets.”
Sandra Chipchase, Destination NSW CEO
This is the second major agreement the tourism group has signed with an online company this month. Last week, Destination NSW secured a two-year agreement to promote the State through China’s largest online travel agency, Ctrip.
6. Silversea releases new brochures
Silversea has released two new brochures detailing the luxury cruise line’s comprehensive collection of ocean and expedition cruises sailing in 2016 featuring 800 destinations on seven continents.
The 192-page brochure details Silversea’s ocean-voyages, while the 157-page brochure showcases the line’s expedition cruises.
Among the ocean itineraries is the ‘Circle South America’ Grand Voyage, which sets sail in January for 66 days on a round-trip cruise from Fort Lauderdale. The cruise includes three days in Rio de Janeiro during Carnival.
There’s also two Silver Shadow voyages in Myanmar next year with multi-day stopovers, giving guests more time to explore famous golden pagodas and ancient temples.
In the expedition brochure, there’s an inaugural 12-day ‘White Sea, Russia’ cruise taking passengers to the White Sea and Kanin Peninsula in Russia’s extreme north.
Plus travellers can enjoy a seven-day expert guided tour of the Galapagos Islands aboard Silver Galapagos. The cruise will take guests to pristine and biologically diverse islands in the north central and western isles.
7. Travel back to the 20s with P&O
P&O is changing the party-scene aboard its vessel with the addition of another theme night.
This week the cruise line officially launched its throwback Gatsby evenings, taking guests back in time to the roaring 20s.
The evenings, which will be held on P&O cruises of three nights or more, is completely decked out to represent the era including a DJ, live music and a specially crafted menu of cocktails featuring a Manhattan, Gin Gimlet and Kir Royal.
Art deco theming includes a show-stopping chandelier, feather boas and even a shoeshine boy.
Twenties dance lessons and workshops to make Gatsby-style headpieces are held in the lead up to the party and accessories including bow ties, hats and feather boas are available onboard.
The Gatsby evening is one of four new P&O party concepts. It joins the already popular ‘Bianco’ night.
8. An epic Australia ski pass
Monday Perisher will officially replace its Freedom Pass with the new Epic Australia Pass, giving guests unmatched access to unlimited, unrestricted skiing and boarding at Perisher for the 2016 ski season, plus access for the 2016-17 ski season to nine world-class ski resorts in the U.S.
Available for just AU$749 for adults, AU$429 for students and AU$499 for seniors, the pass pays for itself in just six days.
Pass holders gain access to over 35,000 acres, at Perisher; Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin in Colorado; Park City in Utah; Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood in the Lake Tahoe region of California and Nevada.
9. New Zealand a corporate goldmine for TravelManagers
Five of TravelManagers’ top performing PTMs were taken on a three-day tour of Auckland after achieving increased trans-Tasman corporate sales during a designated period.
The trip was sponsored and hosted by Langham Auckland Hotel, Jet Park Hotel & Conference Centre at Auckland Airport, Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia. The group flew to Auckland with Virgin Australia and returned with Air New Zealand.
According to TMs Executive General Manager, Michael Gazal, corporate agents are the group’s highest-performing consultants and New Zealand is fast becoming one of their big sellers.
“New Zealand is a growth destination for our corporate clients and we believe it’s essential that the National Partnership Office (NPO) provide the necessary support to ensure that our corporate PTMs’ knowledge of key destinations is up-to-date.”
Michael Gazal, TravelManagers Executive GM
10. Globus’ Supertour in Machu Picchu
Globus took 30 lucky Australian and New Zealand-based agents to Peru for this year’s ‘Peruvian Supertour’.
Twenty Aussies and 10 Kiwis helped spread knowledge of the destination and Globus’ product.
The photo above was taken at Machu Picchu – one of the highlights of the trip.
The ‘Supertour’ will return again in 2016. Globus said it will announce the destination soon.
Keep an eye on KarryOn for more.