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TRAVEL AGENTS SPOTTED CRUISING IN FRANCE, COOKING THAI MEALS & MORE

You Travel Agents go on so many famils and attend so many events that we’ve had to create a whole new section dedicated to your awesome adventures. And we’re jealous just reading it.

You Travel Agents go on so many famils and attend so many events that we’ve had to create a whole new section dedicated to your awesome adventures. And we’re jealous just reading it.

Check out what consultants got up to over the last seven days below, or click here to check out last week’s pics and snaps.

 

1. SPOTTED… cruising between Avignon and Lyon

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Viking Cruises recently hosted 17 travel agents from Australia and New Zealand on board Viking Heimdal and Viking Delling to experience Viking’s popular 8-day Lyon & Provence itinerary cruising between Avignon and Lyon in the beautiful summer month of August.

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During the trip, the two different groups enjoyed included excursions to Les Arènes amphitheatre and the Pont du Gard.

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They also tapped into their inner van Gogh at an Arles painting class, witnessed the beauty that inspired artists like Cézanne and Chagall, and explored Avignon’s Palace of the Popes.

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The groups indulged their taste buds in the capital of French gastronomy, Lyon, savoured Beaujolais wines, went truffles hunting and saw how chèvre cheese is made.

Viking Cruises

Plus they experienced the Viking difference including its exclusive Culture Curriculum onboard program of lectures, port talks and enriching performances; destination focused dining; and central docking along the waterways.

 

2. SPOTTED… cruising southern France

Riviera Cruises

“The cruise and tour directors went out of their way – going above and beyond – to help passengers.” That’s the stand-out, take-away impression for two WA Travel Agents who recently joined a European river cruise famil with  Australian market newcomer, Riviera Travel.

Michele Fraser and Dani Armstrong from Bicton Travel in Perth were hosted aboard Riviera Travel’s five-star, 140-guest river ship, Lord Byron, for an eight-day ‘Burgundy, The River Rhone and Provence’ between Lyon, Chalon and Avignon in the south of France.

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Michele said that aside from exceptional service, she and Dani were also impressed by how knowledgeable the crew were about destinations on the itinerary and how many repeat passengers there were aboard.

“Many passengers were repeat guests – some on their sixth cruise – and there were some Australians onboard also,” Michele said.

“The itinerary was fantastic but we also liked how there were cabins which solo travellers could use without paying single supplements and the fact that tips were not automatically included in fares – so you could tip who you wanted. That will appeal to Australians.

“Riviera Travel offers very good value for money.”

 

3. SPOTTED… cooking authentic Thai food

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Excite Holidays in conjunction with the Tourism Authority of Thailand, recently held two exclusive Agent dinner events in both Sydney and Perth to celebrate their ‘Create your Thailand’ campaign, which wrapped up earlier this month.

Two groups of twenty five top-selling agents were invited to spend a night cooking up a storm and learning a variety of Thai cooking tricks, as well as hearing all about the incredible Southeast Asian destination that is Thailand.

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First off the rank was Sydney, where the consultants descended upon VIVE Cooking School in Rosebery and learnt how to make Pandan Pannacotta and authentic Pad Thai from scratch, before sitting down to enjoy the meals they had created.

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A few days later, it was Perth’s turn, where the Agents visited the Salt & Company Cooking School and were shown how to make a delicious Banana Prawn & Thai Basil Penang Curry with a homemade paste, as well as Kai Yang (a smoky lemongrass grilled chicken), a fresh papaya salad and sweet sticky rice with mango. To say it was a feast would be an understatement.

Excite Holidays Thailand

Whilst cooking up a storm, the Agents chatted amongst themselves and enjoyed a variety of beverages, and even had the chance to chat to Sherly Handjojo from the Tourism Authority of Thailand, who attended both events and made a short presentation about the exciting travel opportunities on offer in Thailand.

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The Agents were treated to canapés and welcome drinks on arrival, and both venues were decorated in a Thai-theme, with fresh coconuts, pineapples, colourful fans, fresh flowers, gold lanterns and candles adorning the tables.

 

4. SPOTTED… at ‘Treasures of the South Pacific’

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The second instalment of ‘Treasures of the South Pacific’ has just concluded with successful events held in Brisbane and Gold Coast.

The South Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) hosted over 80 travel agents in Brisbane on Tuesday, 22 August 2017 and another 60 agents on Wednesday, 23 August 2017 at the Gold Coast event.

Travel Agents enjoyed presentations from representatives of the tourism offices of Cook Islands, New Caledonia, Norfolk Island, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tahiti, Vanuatu and from hidden treasures including: Kiribati, Nauru, Marshall Islands, Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, Tonga, Tuvalu and American Samoa.

The series was conceived as a platform for representatives of South Pacific destinations to inform and inspire Australian travel agents about the extensive range of tourism product and experiences available within the region.

Treasures of the South Pacific

During the Brisbane event, Jonica Gilbert from Mobile Travel Agents was the lucky winner of Return flights to Papua new Guinea thanks to Air Niugini and accommodation at Rondon Ridge Lodge thanks to Trans Niugini Tours.

The other major prize winner in Brisbane was Harley Wright from Flight Centre VIP who won Return flights to Port Vila thanks to Air Vanuatu, three nights accommodation at Iririki Island Resort & Spa, three nights at Bokissa Private Island Resort, three nights at the Havannah Vanuatu and three nights at Sunset Bungalow Resort.

The final Treasures of the South Pacific events will take place as follows:

Sydney, 24 October 2017
Newcastle, 25 October 2017

Have you taken any recent pics from a roadshow or famil? Send them in to editor@karryon.com.au