We’ve done all the hard work, so you don’t have to! Read on for our top ten travel industry news stories of the day we think you need to know.
1. $12 MIL. deal to deepen tourism ties between Australia and Singapore
Singapore Airlines is the official airline partner for Restaurant Australia.
Tourism Australia and Singapore Airlines have announced plans to deepen their existing commercial partnership by signing a new, three-year strategic marketing deal worth a total of AUD $12 million.
The agreement will see the two parties jointly fund a range of tourism campaigns and promotional activities in seven of Australia’s key inbound markets – Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, UK, Germany and China.
Singapore Airlines will be the exclusive airline partner for all Restaurant Australia campaigns in Singapore, India, Indonesia and Malaysia as well as provide international flights for Tourism Australia’s key Corroboree Europe trade event, taking place in Adelaide in 2015.
Mr Mak Swee Wah, Singapore Airlines’ Executive Vice President Commercial, said that the strategic partnership with Tourism Australia continues to be key in driving inbound tourism.
“As the world competes to attract visitors from key growth markets, Singapore Airlines continues to invest in promoting Australia, building on its long-standing presence and ongoing expansion across the country’s key gateways,” he said.
Read on for more.
2. Queensland set to wow the world during G20
Pictured: Colour Me Brisbane bathing the CBD in a glow of colour.
Representatives from the world’s developed economies will head to Brisbane for this year’s G20 leadership summit held on the 15 and 16 of November.
This year’s summit will focus on further addressing the global growth challenge and promote economic recovery after the Global Financial Crisis left state economies ravished and many incapable of breaking their low growth cycle.
While the gathering of heads of state, delegates and representatives may be good news for struggling economies, it is even better news for Queensland’s tourism sector.
In an interview with the ABC, Daniel Geschwind, CEO of the Queensland Tourism Industry Council, claimed that the main benefit of the G20 summit will be the global attention it delivers.
“We can hopefully demonstrate that we are very good at hosting an event, that we’re very good at looking after (the delegates) when they’re here and we have the quality of product,” he said.
The key strategy to turning global attention, generated by roughly 8000 delegates and media, will be the the dissemination of Queensland’s offering through the social media accounts of opinion leaders present at the summit.
“We will leave them with memories that they take home and broadcast to their own personal audience…we do know that they have literally hundreds and millions of followers on social media,” Geschwind said.
Read on for more.
3. Emirates increases flights to JFK
Emirates has announced it is to launch a fourth daily service from its home and hub, Dubai International Airport to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York commencing 8th March 2015.
The new service, EK 207 will depart Dubai at 14:50 hours and arrive in JFK at 20:35 hours. The return flight, EK 208 will depart JFK at 16:30 hours and arrive in Dubai at 13:15 the following day.
“This new service will allow passengers the convenience of an afternoon departure from both Dubai and New York, to complement the existing morning and evening departures of our existing three services”, said Emirates’ Hubert Frach, Divisional Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations – West.
“New York is one of our busiest and most popular routes in the United States. Adding this fourth service will give our passengers even more choice of connectivity when flying from any part of our global network, in particular the Far East and South Asia. Once in the US, our partnership with JetBlue adds even more seamless connectivity onto their network of 65 destinations from JFK.”
Passengers from New York will be able to enjoy convenient connections on to destinations such as Johannesburg, Nairobi, India and many cities on Emirates’ Middle East network with connection times under four hours.
4. Nanuku Resort & Spa Fiji appoints World Resorts Of Distinction
Pictured: Luxe looks at Nanuku Resort & Spa Fiji.
Nanuku Resort & Spa Fiji has appointed World Resorts of Distinction as its Australian and New Zealand sales representative with immediate effect.
Announcing the appointment, Nanuku Resort & Spa Fiji General Manager, Karen Taylor said the Queensland-based representative company would manage all elements of the resort’s sales activity in the Australian and New Zealand markets under the guidance of Sales Manager, Angela Hassan.
“World Resorts of Distinction needs no introduction to the Australian and New Zealand markets where the company is very well established,” she said.
“More to the point, the company provides Nanuku Resort & Spa Fiji with a great fit given its strong industry profile on both sides of the Tasman, its immense contact base in both markets and its proven focus on lead and sales generation.
The World Resorts of Distinction appointment follows hot on the heels of the resort’s recent appointment of Sales Manager Angela Hassan and Front Office Manager Ms Kini Saukuru.
5. Tigerair’s $48 for 48 summer deal returns
Tigerair’s two-day 4,800-seat sale returns with late summer travel deals on offer to some of the airline’s most popular destinations from just $48 each way.
With fares available from the end of January to the end of March, this sale will allow Australian travellers to plan a late summer break after the busy school holiday period has ended. The 48-hour sale is on now until midnight Wednesday 12 November, or when the limited number of fares are sold out.
Today’s sale will give those people who have yet to decide on a summer break and have the freedom to travel outside of the peak summer period a chance to plan ahead and avoid the summer rush, says Tigerair Australia’s Head of Communications Vanessa Regan.
“Tigerair is committed to being the consumer champion when it comes to providing value and choice for all Australian consumers, and this week’s sale is designed to help 4,800 customers save more on their fare and have more on their pocket when they get to their destination for a late summer break,” she said.
“We’re all about rewarding those who plan ahead and book early and that’s the key to securing the best value deals with Tigerair.”
6. Destination Queenstown partners with Tourism NZ
Destination Queenstown and Tourism New Zealand have partnered to deliver a marketing campaign that encourages more Australian’s to visit New Zealand’s leading four season resort over summer.
Tourism New Zealand and Destination Queenstown (DQ) will again undertake a joint marketing campaign to drive summer visitation to the region, showcasing the adventurous side of a Queenstown holiday.
The campaign, “Every day a different journey,” delivers a unique Queenstown summer story and is being rolled out in Sydney and Melbourne markets. The focus of the campaign is to attract more Australian visitors to the Queenstown region over the January to April 2015 period
DQ CEO Graham Budd said Destination Queenstown was excited to partner with Tourism New Zealand once again on a campaign to showcase the region as the ideal summer getaway and motivate more Australian visitors to discover Queenstown for themselves.
“Queenstown is a perfect summer getaway for Australians. With a year round beach culture at home, a mountain holiday in Queenstown offers something that seems a world apart yet is only a three hour flight from all main East Coast ports.
7. Trafalgar offers guided trips for Better Homes and Gardens readers
Guided holiday company, Trafalgar, has strengthened its partnership Australian monthly, Better Homes and Gardens, introducing three guided readers’ trips in 2015, all of which will be hosted by the magazine’s editors.
Off the back of a successful inaugural trip to Italy earlier this year hosted by the magazine’s Editor-in-Chief, Julia Zaetta, Trafalgar is offering Better Homes and Gardens readers exclusively-tailored guided holidays that take the art and crafts scene of America’s southern states, castles and countryside of Ireland and Scotland, and the legendary Christmas markets of Europe.
“When we began our partnership with Better Homes and Gardens, we really wanted to create a unique opportunity for their readers to go beyond the pages of the magazine and experience art, history, food and homewares in a different yet authentic cultural setting,” Matthew Cameron-Smith, Managing Director, Trafalgar Australia said.
“The results of our first reader trip have been overwhelmingly positive and have allowed us work very closely with Julia and her team to create three bespoke guided holidays for 2015.”
The three reader trips on offer for next year include the 13-day Arts, Crafts & a Little History guided holiday, 16-day The Isles of Kilts and Crafts guided holiday and the 15-day Christmas Market Magic guided holiday.
8. ACCOR adds a Pullman to Melbourne CBD
Pictured: Pullman in Albert Park, Melbourne.
Accor has added a Melbourne CBD property to its burgeoning Pullman brand after signing the 419-room landmark Pullman Melbourne on the Park.
Currently trading as Hilton on the Park Melbourne, the hotel is located at 192 Wellington Parade. Pullman Melbourne on the Park will join Australia’s largest 5-Star brand on 1 January 2015, complementing the existing network of 12 hotels and resorts nationally.
Chief Operating Officer of Accor Pacific, Simon McGrath, said growing the Pullman network in Australia continues to be a key priority for the group.
“The Pullman brand holds such a rich history and is highly regarded throughout Asia and Europe, and it makes sense for us to grow this brand in Melbourne where there is clear demand for quality internationally-branded hotels aimed at the corporate and upscale leisure markets,” he said.
“Melbourne has established itself as the events capital of Australia hosting a large number of international events annually as well as being a top choice for meetings and conventions. The city has performed consistently well over a long period of time and we have been eager to find the right opportunity to expand the Pullman brand in this market.”
9. World’s first smartship docks at NYC
Royal Caribbean International’s newest cruise ship, Quantum of the Seas has arrived into her homeport of Cape Liberty Cruise Port in Bayonne, NJ, bringing with her a wave of unprecedented first-at-sea features and amenities.
Super fast wireless connectivity, the world’s first robotic bartenders, a skydiving simulator, bumper cars, futuristic entertainment, and partnerships with celebrated chefs Jamie Oliver, Michael Schwartz and Devin Alexander, are just a small sample of what the modern age of cruising looks like onboard Quantum of the Seas.
“Quantum of the Seas isn’t just changing cruising, it’s changing how today’s traveller holidays,” said Richard D. Fain, chairman and CEO, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
“It’s not just how you travel; it’s the experience from start to finish. With Quantum we are empowering our guests to customise every aspect of their journey, providing them an unprecedented level of freedom and flexibility.”The official naming ceremony for Quantum of the Seas will take place on Friday, 14 November during the pre-inaugural celebration hosted by the ship’s godmother, Kristin Chenoweth.
10. Virgin Atlantic announces new sales manager in Australia and NZ
World Aviation Systems (WAS) has announced the appointment of Alan Wilcock as sales manager for Virgin Atlantic Airways in Australia and New Zealand, effective 17 November 2014.
Alan joins Virgin Atlantic Airways from InterContinental Hotels Group, where he held the position of Corporate Business Development Manager for Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania.
With over 25 years of experience in business management, Alan has held a number of senior management roles in the travel industry including, National Sales Manager at Sri Lankan Airlines for Australia and New Zealand, and Sales & Marketing Manager at Garuda Indonesia Airways in New Zealand. Alan has extensive knowledge in sales, marketing and business development.