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. STA Contiki bus update: 30 lucky winners
Remember that epic STA Contiki bus giveaway competition KarryOn reported on ten days ago?
Well, 30 lucky buggers recently scored a seat on the #STATRAVELSQUAD trip to Europe in April next year – which includes a Contiki Western Quest Tour – after camping out overnight in the cold at the front of the STA Travel George Street store in Sydney on Friday night. How’s that for dedication?!
The Contiki tour will start in London and include stops in Barcelona and Paris. If you’d like to join in on the guaranteed fun next year, there’s still time, with a further ten places on the #STATRAVELSQUAD up for grabs online.
Visit www.statravel.com.au/
2. Sabre celebrates year of growth in APAC
Sabre Travel Network, one of the leading travel technology and GDS companies in the industry, is happy to report a year of growth since first expanding into APAC through its acquisition of Abacus International in July 2015.
According to Roshan Mendis, senior vice president for Sabre Travel Network Asia Pacific, the company has done really well and “come a long way” since first establishing itself in the region a year ago.
Click here to read the full story.
3. The Travel Industry Exhibition kicks off today
One of the key events on the travel industry calendar this year, the Travel Industry Exhibition, kicks off today in Melbourne at the Docklands, running until Tuesday 12 July.
The Travel Industry Exhibition is the place to be for anyone working in travel, as well as those who are interested in investing into this growing industry.
Visit www.travelindustryexpo.com.au for more information.
4. Winter Magic with Air New Zealand
To celebrate the official start of the 2016 New Zealand ski season, last week Air New Zealand celebrated in style with a Winter Magic themed event, treating guests to winter-inspired cocktails, canapes, mulled wine and traditional kiwi beef pies.
Together with trans-Tasman alliance partner Virgin Australia, Air New Zealand will operate over 120,000 seats between Australia and Queenstown over the July to September winter period – giving Australians even more reasons to visit the New Zealand slopes this year.
Click here to read the full story.
5. Princess Cruises celebrates still being in love
To celebrate its 30-year partnership with its global ambassador and actor Gavin MacLeod, who played Captain Merrill Stubing on the iconic “Love Boat” TV show, Princess Cruises proclaimed July 6 to be “Gavin MacLeod Princess Cruises Ambassador Day.”
The special ceremony was held in Santa Clarita, California, home of the world headquarters of Princess Cruises, and was attended by hundreds of Princess employees and fans.
Mr MacLeod has now served as the cruise line’s celebrity ambassador for three decades, exclusively promoting the premium cruise line to millions of consumers through thousands of media interviews, public appearances, travel industry conferences and onboard the Princess Cruises’ fleet.
6. Celebrity Chefs cook-off at Pan Pacific Perth
Kicking off the 2016 Perth Good Food and Wine Show, celebrity chefs Alastair McLeod and Miguel Maestre treated a lucky bunch of cookers to a special VIP invite only cook-off event at Pan Pacific Perth last night.
During the cook-off, Miguel made Paella A La Maestre, whilst Alastair made roasted salmon with caramelised beetroot, goats curd and green sauce. Mmm!
This is the second consecutive year for Pan Pacific Perth to be the official hotel partner of the show.
Click here for some mouth watering images from the event.
7. Rail Europe’s Free Travel Days
Great news for your clients heading over to Europe soon with the announcement that Rail Europe will be offering free travel days on the Eurail Select and Global Passes.
Agents are advised that purchases of any Eurail Select Passes will be granted one extra travel day, while purchases of the 15, 22 or one month Eurail Global Pass will grant travellers two, three and five extra travel days respectively.
Rail Europe’s Free Travel Days is on offer until 30 September.
See www.raileurope.fr/wheretobuy for more details.
