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Travel peeps SPOTTED in Jordan, Peru, Estonia & 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… soaking up Middle Eastern history in Jordan

On The Go Tours Flight Centre

On The Go Tours, an award-winning tour operator specialising in locally led group tours and tailor-made holidays to over 60 worldwide destinations, recently hosted a group of Agents from Flight Centre Travel Group on their ‘Totally Jordan’ eight-day tour.

With an increase of Australian travellers choosing Egypt and Jordan tours, On The Go Tours were keen for agents to experience one of their key signature destinations. 2016-17 showed a 40 percent tour booking increase on the previous year which encouraged On The Go Tours to take the select group of agents to experience the ‘lesser-known’ Jordan.

The Agents from NSW and ACT Flight Centre stores were hosted by On The Go Tours’ Jana Elia and local guide Ogla.

The unique, adventurous 8-day itinerary took the group through the very best parts of Jordan such as; the well-known icon, the once-lost city of Petra, camping Bedouin-style in the vast desert of Wadi Rum and wading in the therapeutic waters of the Dead Sea.

The group started and ended in Jordan’s capital city Amman, taking in incomparable landscapes of the Middle East; with Crusader castles, incredible views of the Promised Land from sacred Mt Nebo and the Roman ruins of Jerash.

 

2. SPOTTED… hunting the Auroras in Estonia

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50 Degrees North recently hosted an educational to Estonia and Finland with Finnair, Consolidated Travel and 50DN, where consultants witnessed amazing Aurora displays on two nights.

The image above was taken when they were about to go for an Aurora hunting trip on a horse sleigh. And they did see the Auroras!

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The highlights of the itinerary included Tallinn, manor house stay in Estonian countryside, Helsinki, riverboat trip in Lemmenjoki National Park in Lapland, exploring indigenous Sami culture and a stay in a glass igloo with Northern Lights dancing above our heads.

3. SPOTTED… getting to know the ‘Real America’

Real America

The ‘Real America’ States of Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming’s AUNZ Sales Mission rolled into New Zealand on 1 October for a busy round of trade and media appointments in Auckland and then on to Melbourne, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and Sydney in Australia, over the course of a very successful 12 days.

The team hosted functions for industry and media on Monday night 2nd, at Degree Bar at the Viaduct in Auckland, Bluestone Bar & Restaurant in Melbourne on 4th, Bar Pacino in Brisbane on 6th  and its always well-attended Manly Wharf Bar event in Sydney on Tuesday night 10th October.

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These four States have been coming to Australia and New Zealand to market their region since 2009, participating in the Visit USA and Discover America Expos, then holding their own sales missions every two years.

The region is represented in Australia by Caroline Davidson of Davidson Communications and her team, as account managers for the global marketing company Rocky Mountain International, based in Wyoming. Davidson won the prestigious ASTW Award for best representation of a Tourism Board or Product for her work with the region in 2016.

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The consistent support for the AUNZ market has really begun to pay off with more Aussies and Kiwis visiting the region than ever before and more interest and product available from trade.

Highlights for visitors are the National Parks like Yellowstone, Glacier, Theodore Roosevelt and Badlands National Parks, the authentic western and Native American culture and towns, ranches, rodeos and of course the unique wildlife- just to name a few.

 

4. SPOTTED… perusing Peru

Bunnik Tours Peru

Bunnik Tours recently hosted a 13-day famil for 8 lucky agents to experience the many sides of incredible Peru, flying LATAM Airlines.

The group landed in Lima then travelled south to the white city of Arequipa. They discovered the volcanic scenery of the spectacular Colca Canyon, where they were lucky enough to get great photos of llamas and alpacas.

It was then across to majestic Lake Titicaca, home to the amazing floating reed Uros Islands. Their journey continued to the ancient Inca capital of Cusco and through the magical Sacred Valley to spectacular Machu Picchu.

No tour to Peru would be complete without an adventure in the Amazon Jungle and the group experienced 2 different properties in the Puerto Maldonado region. They were lucky enough to spot capybara and the famous giant river otters on Oxbow Lake.

 

5. SPOTTED… celebrating the release of Wendy’s new brochure

Wendy Wu Tours feature

Wendy Wu may not be in town often, but when she is the entire Wendy Wu Tours team will put on a little celebration to welcome her arrival.

During her latest visit (when she revealed exclusively to KarryOn that the business plans to become a GDS-type for China and beyond holidays), the group gathered to commemorate her arrival and celebrate the release of their new brochures featuring seven major changes.

Click here for more information.

 

6. SPOTTED… celebrating an Excite-ing move

Excite Holidays

Excite Holidays celebrated its 15th birthday by throwing a party to remember earlier this month.

Attended by 150 members of staff, trade media, partners and key suppliers, the celebration was a huge success.

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With red and white balloons covering the ceiling to endless platters, customised lollipops, gift bags galore and an impressive cake acting as the main centrepiece, the celebration coincided with the official launch of the company’s brand spanking new Sydney city office and the announcement of their highly anticipated launch into the US market.

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Founders Nic Stavropoulos and George Papaioannou were in attendance to cut the ceremonial ribbon and officially mark the opening of the new office space.

Nic and George thanked all those who have supported and continue to support their vision to continue to innovate and disrupt the travel industry.

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They also gave a yet heartfelt speech detailing their triumphs over the last 15 years, from Excite’s beginnings in a one-bedroom apartment in Brighton Le-Sands to now being a global brand with offices in Sydney, Athens, Bangkok and soon, the USA.

Here’s to the next 15 years!

Click here for more pics.

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