We’ve done all the hard work, so you don’t have to! Read on for our top ten travel news stories we think you need to know today.
1. Revealed: Australia’s tourism legends
[L-R]: Ray Stone, Voyages Executive General Manager Sales Marketing and Distribution; Karena Noble, Voyages Director of Public Relations, Andrew Williams, Voyages CEO; John O’Sullivan, Tourism Australia Managing Director.
The best of the best in Australia’s tourism industry have been recognised for their efforts in promoting and building the country’s appeal to international and domestic travellers.
Qantas’ Australian Tourism Awards are the tourism industry’s most prestigious awards event, respected for its commitment towards recognising and celebrating the Australian tourism operators that have demonstrated excellence and outstanding achievement.
This year, the gala awards ceremony was held in Adelaide with hundreds of industry professionals waiting to find out who would walk away a winner.
2. Fiji Airways, Air Vanuatu expand South Pacific networks
Fiji Airways and Air Vanuatu have expanded their South Pacific network, through a new codeshare agreement on seven flights per week.
Announced this week, the codeshare will apply on services between the two island nations.
Fiji Airways will place its ‘FJ’ code on Air Vanuatu services from Port Vila to Suva and Nadi.
3. How to sell Hong Kong
Escape the big smoke and discover Tai O, a village famous for its generations of fisher folk who build their houses on stilts.
Hong Kong has long been popular as a stopover destination for Australian travellers but there are now more reasons than ever to visit Hong Kong for longer…
Selling Hong Kong has never been easier with products and services to suit any traveller. Together with Creative Holidays we’ve listed your go-to-guide to help you get that sale across the line.
4. One dead in Disney crash
A 36-year-old tourist has been killed in a car racing crash at Walt Disney World in Florida.
The man was a passenger in a Lamborghini when it crashed into a guardrail.
The driver was hospitalised with minor injuries, while the passenger experienced fatal injuries, police said.
Called ‘The Exotic Driving Experience’, it allows park visitors to get inside luxurious cars such as Lamborghinis, Porsches or Ferraris.
Experienced racecar drivers then take them around the track a few times.
The driver has been identified by the Florida Highway Patrol as Gary Terry, 36 from nearby Davenport and the passenger was identified as Tavon Watson, 24, of Kissimmee, Florida.
Although investigations are still ongoing, a spokesperson from the Florida Highway Petrol said the Lamborghini crashed when the driver lost control.
The ride can cost anywhere between $200 and $400 for five or six laps around the track with the professional driving instructor.
5. Oman takes roadshow around Aus
Agents will have the chance to learn everything they need to know about Oman at this year’s roadshow.
The Australian tour comes after a five-year hiatus, and will see Oman’s tourism bureau travel to Sydney (25 August); Melbourne (26 August); Brisbane (27 August); Adelaide (31 August); and Perth (1 September).
Further event details will be released closer to the roadshow.
6. Travelport expands hotel content
Travelport and HRS, a global hotel solutions provider, have today announced a multi-year global distribution agreement to increase hotel content through the Travelport platform.
The new agreement will add up to 70,000 hotels from HRS’ properties, the majority of which are independent hotels, to Travelport’s Travel Commerce Platform.
This gives the private hotel providers access to Travelport’s 67,000 connected agencies worldwide and the additional independent hotel content will help travel agents provide more choice and service to both leisure and business travellers.
The HRS inventory will be fully integrated later in the year into the agent’s normal workflow, eliminating the time-consuming and inefficiency of booking across different channels.
The agreement also gives Travelport-connected agents access to the HRS Business Tariff program which provides special corporate rates for more than 35,000 hotels globally.
7. Whiskey, beer & more food! See what’s coming to Dawn Princess
Princess Cruises won’t just be the first to circumnavigate South America from Australia, the line will also be the first to host a beer and wine festival out in Australian seas.
The festival will be held aboard Dawn Princess when she sails out of drydock in May.
As part of the multi-million refurbishment in Singapore from 11 to 24 May, the Australian-based superliner will become the first ship in Princess Cruises’ worldwide fleet to offer a Beer and Wine Garden Festival experience at sea.
To be held twice during every cruise of more than seven days, the new offering will see the top deck transformed into a lively mini festival with marquees showcasing regional beers and wines plus live music.
In line with the growing trend towards whisky appreciation across all generations, Dawn Princess will also emerge from dry dock with a renovated Wheelhouse Bar offering a comprehensive menu of 56 whiskies including five local tipples: Larks Single Malt and Hellyers Road from Tasmania, Western Australia’s Limeburners Single Malt and Bakery Hill’s Double Wood and Classic whisky from Melbourne.
A new Italian café called Amuleto will be added to the Horizon Court Buffet, which will become known as the World Fresh Marketplace, offering a new range of cuisines from destinations the cruise line visits, such as Mexican, Brazilian and Asian street food.
Meanwhile the ship’s Lotus Spa will receive a makeover with new treatment rooms, a refreshed reception area and an upgraded sauna.
8. Fly Solomon’s A320 return delayed
The return of Solomon Airlines’ A320 has been pushed back, as she continues to undergo annual maintenance.
The Airbus was expected to return to the skies on 13 April, but was delayed as necessary plane parts are delivered from Germany and Singapore to the factory in the Philippines.
Now, the airline says the plane will be back in service by 30 April.
In the meantime, the carrier will continue to operate a chartered Boeing 737-300 on its four weekly Honiara-Brisbane services and weekly services to Port Vila and Nadi,Fiji.
Earlier this year, Solomon Airlines announced it will launch its first direct services between Sydney and Honiara.
The new route will give travellers more options, particularly those from the US that currently travel via Fiji or Brisbane to get to the island nation.
9. APT”s ‘Royal Invitation’ to agents
A group of lucky Australian travel agents were invited to experience Europe with APT on an exclusive rail and cruise famil.
The most sought after ‘Royal Invitation’ saw agents take a rail journey on the Majestic Imperator through Austria before hopping on MS AmaDante for a cruise from Nuremberg to Budapest.
The Majestic Imperator is modelled on one of the finest relics of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Imperial Train originally built for Emperor Franz Josef I and Empress Elisabeth of Austria.
10. Personal TravelManager walks away a winner
TravelManagers’ Luke Vaughan (left) collects his David Jones gift cards over coffee with Finnair’s Toni Kosmarikas.
Personal Travel Manager, Luke Vaughan has $200 to spend up in David Jones after winning CT Partners’ gift card incentive.
The reward was offering to the travel who sold the most business class tickets over a two-month period.
For Mr Vaughan, TravelManagers’ representative for Hawthorn East in Victoria, a problem with availability on a client’s preferred airline represented an opportunity to capitalise on the Finnair incentive and keep his clients happy at the same time.
“I had a corporate client who was hosting an event in Europe but due to tight availability, business class fares on their preferred carrier exceeded the client’s budget. Because Finnair is a Oneworld member, my client was still able to travel on their preferred dates, within their budget and obtain their Qantas frequent flier points.”
Luke Vaughan, Personal Travel Manager
As an added bonus, Vaughan’s proactive and creative approach to solving his clients’ problem meant he also qualified for a total of $600 of the coveted David Jones gift cards.
NTK Extr: Hello cuteness! Koalas fly to Singapore
Welcome to #KoalaClass!
Qantas is helping Singapore celebrate its 50th anniversary of independence this week, by sending four koalas to a new life in the country.
Originally from a Brisbane zoo, the four cuddly bears were sent to Singapore Zoo yesterday as a gift to commemorate the country’s separation from Malaysia.
Four gifted koalas from Brisbane will travel in #KoalaClass to mark the #Singapore anniversary of independence pic.twitter.com/KTotjGaUwM
— Qantas (@Qantas) April 13, 2015
The Australian airline shared pictures of the adorable marsupials enjoying Qantas customer service and being treated to fresh gum leaves.
However, the luxury was short lived, the koalas were eventually transferred to plane’s cargo for the trip to Singapore.
NTK Extra: 5 weirdest travel cancellation excuses. You won’t believe #2
As industry professionals and organisers of travel you’ve probably heard all the cancellation excuses in the book.
It’s hard to believe anyone would want to cancel a holiday – it’s not a chore like when you were in school and were quick to use the excuse ‘my dog ate it’ (aka you just weren’t bothered to do it) to get out of homework.
Holidays are meant to be an enjoyable getaway from everyday life and most of us can’t wait to escape.