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. Welcome to Intrepid’s new digs… it has a beer garden
Intrepid may have discovered the secret to a happy and productive working environment… beer.
On the same week Flight Centre opened the doors to its out-of-the-box HQ, the tour operator moved its staff into a funky new space featuring a beer garden.
Friday night drinks? Pfft, Monday to Friday Intrepid staff be like…
2. ‘Better Business’ is going to pay off for Virgin Australia
Virgin Australia says it’s already seeing financial savings thanks to its restructure program, Better Business.
In an ASX update, the airline said the program is “already generating savings” in the 2017 financial year and is likely to contribute to net free cash flow savings increasing to $300 million per annum by the end of the 2019 financial period.
However, the airline did acknowledge that charges of Better Business combined with a soft domestic market have impacted the airline’s first quarter profits for 2017.
3. ‘Stand up, speak out!’ Virgin Australia fights for women’s safety in Australia
Did you know, that one in three Australian women have experienced physical or sexual violence by someone she knows?
Or that according to White Ribbon Australia, one in four Australian children is exposed to domestic violence?
If those figures aren’t scary enough, how about that in a year, on average one Australian woman will be killed EVERY WEEK as a result of initiate partner violence?
4. Flight Centre employees will be as fit as Arnie & Halle Berry & here’s why
Next time you see one of those Flight Centre employees based in the new head office, they’re probably going to look a little Arnie Schwarzenegger circa ‘Commando’ or Halle Berry circa… all the time.
Why? Because the new HQ, which officially opened on Monday, doesn’t just have a slide, plane-shaped meeting rooms, picnic-inspired lunch spaces and incredible views of Brisbane, no, it’s also got one of the city’s best gyms.
And it’s completely free for Flight Centre employees to use.
5. Princess Cruises makes longest World Cruise in 2018
As it prepares to celebrate 10 years of world cruises from Australia, Princess Cruises has announced its longest and most exciting world cruise yet, with Sea Princess offering a 106-night voyage in 2018.
The historic circumnavigation of the world will depart Sydney on June 5, 2018, visiting 40 destinations in 27 countries over a distance of 32,000 nautical miles (about 1.5 times around the Earth).
Highlights include a range of exciting new ports across Greenland, Newfoundland and Eastern Canada as well as overnight stays in some of the world’s most sought-after destinations such as New York, Barcelona and Venice.
6. Three new agencies join the Virtuoso network
Virtuoso luxury travel network has added three new Australian based agencies to its network – Victorian based Peninsula Travel, Adelaide’s Enhance Travel and Frontier Travel from Sydney.
By joining, the three companies bring their clients additional features and upgrades offered exclusively to Virtuoso member advisors.
“These great Australian travel agencies have now joined Virtuoso’s exclusive list of luxury travel specialists, allowing them to deliver their clients added services, expanded experiences and exclusive amenities,” Virtuoso Asia Pacific Managing Director, Michael Londregan said.
“Virtuoso’s invite-only membership gives advisors direct relationships with the world’s finest hotels, resorts, spas, cruise lines and tour operators allowing them to secure VIP treatment for their clients.”
7. Emirates double-deckers make it to New Zealand double-header
Emirates notched up a momentous double-header this week, when it introduced its flagship A380 double-decker aircraft on two New Zealand routes on the same day.
The airline’s step-up in capacity on both its Christchurch service – making it the only airline with regular scheduled A380 services to the city – and its non-stop Dubai-Auckland flight means that Emirates now has an all-A380 offering across its five daily New Zealand services.
The two new A380 services flew to New Zealand on Monday night, with the Christchurch flight arriving to an enthusiastic crowd who had waited for the aircraft in a viewing area especially set up for the day by Christchurch International Airport near the runway touchdown point, dubbed Planespotters Park.
8. Ray Martin reps for Norfolk Island
Five-time Gold Logie winning TV personality Ray Martin is the new face of Norfolk Island’s tourism campaign.
Ray Martin – who had previously travelled there on assignment for 60 Minutes – returned to the island earlier this year with an open brief to capture the island’s quirkiness and charm.
In addition to Martin’s feature on the island, the campaign includes a four-part content series called My Island Home that profiles four residents who play a tourism role on Norfolk Island. The profiles include local photographer Zach Sanders who has the Instagram account @stuckonarock, local charter fisherman Dave Bigg, cattle farmer Robyn Menghetti and publican Matt Zarb, who used to headline for Willie Nelson and Keith Urban prior to moving back to Australia.
The new destination campaign was launched to local Norfolk Island Tourism operators last week and launches today in Australia with an outdoor bus campaign in Sydney. Next week, the island will play host to Channel 7’s Sunrise program with weather presenter James Tobin hosting live from various locations around the Island. Norfolk Island Tourism will also launch a major social media campaign and competition to reach a broader market who may have never considered Norfolk Island as a holiday option.
9. MTA’s big ‘thank you’ to partners
Leading in to what now represents one of the most significant periods in its 17-year-long history, MTA – Mobile Travel Agents’ senior management last week made a whistle-stop tour of Australia to turn the tables for a change and personally thank the company’s many industry partners and suppliers for their ongoing support.
Addressing their guests at evening functions held in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney, the MTA team led by co-managing directors Roy and Karen Merricks and CEO, Don Beattie also used the opportunity to update MTA Members joining them at the events on new internal product and innovations including soon to be rolled out IT.
By way of personally saying thank you to their supporters, the Merricks, joined by the MTA Marketing team and MTA Business Development Managers responsible for each state, also gave away lavish hampers to several of their guest suppliers as part of a lucky door prize conducted at each venue.
10. Agents experience Traditional Japan
Walking around like Geishas in Kyoto, exploring samurai secrets in Kanazawa and enjoying an Onsen in Kaga City – they were just some of the many experiences a group of 10 Australian Travel Agents (and one journalist) were given during a recent famil in Japan.
Organised by the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO), the ‘Traditional Japan’ itinerary took consultants from the cool Nagano City to the top of the Tateyama Mountain Range. They joined a tea ceremony in the ancient city of Kanazawa and relaxed in an Onsen in Kaga. The trip continued with a quick visit to Kyoto’s popular temples and Osaka’s vast shopping district before it all came to a close in the bustling city of Tokyo.
Click here for the full gallery of pictures.
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