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. Qantas’ Alan Joyce is one of the most online stalked CEOs in Australia
Everybody wants to know more about Qantas’ head honcho, Alan Joyce, and they’re all (okay, maybe not all) turning to LinkedIn for the goss.
According to the business social networking platform, Joyce was one of the ‘Most Viewed CEOs on LinkedIn’ this year… or as we liked to put it, one of the most stalked CEOs in 2016.
Like online stalked. We all know it. Don’t pretend you haven’t done it before. It looks a little like this…
2. Making customers happy is making Travel Counsellors money
Travel Counsellors thinks it may have found the trick to earning more of the big bucks, and it’s as simple as making customers happy with the latest technology.
The home-based agency group this week announced latest financial results have experienced a 22 percent increase over the last 12 months compared to the same period last year.
This growth is attributed to the adoption of the latest technology to enhance its services, enabling Travel Counsellors to provide the best possible customer experience.
3. Jetstar’s new Adelaide-Sunshine Coast service takes off
Characters from Aussie World, The Ginger Factor, Big Kart Track and Australia Zoo greeted a planeload of travellers who were on Jetstar’s first flight from Adelaide to the Sunshine Coast.
The three-times weekly service will provide some 56,000 seats between the two destinations each year and according to Sunshine Coast Mayor Mark Jamieson, will make it easier for friends an families in the two regions to connect.
“Jetstar’s investment in the region is outstanding.”
Mayor Mark Jamieson
4. Self drive? Try self-cruising around Europe
There’s an emerging trend in the Australian market, and it’s growing off the back of that major boom in river and ocean cruising.
It’s called self-drive European boat holidays (although we like to refer to it as self-cruising).
They’re essentially like self-drive holidays, except instead of driving for hours on land, you rent out a boat and cruise down a canal to the heart (and often less visited) destinations in Europe.
5. INCENTIVE: WIN a spot on a Sri Lanka famil
Agents are really going to love ‘The New Wu’ because she’s giving them the chance to WIN one of eight spots on a famil to Sri Lanka.
Celebrating the launch of Wendy Wu Tours’ new trade concept and 2017 program, the tour operator has several incentives on offer, including the opportunity to experience The Teardrop of India.
Consultants will be in the running to win a spot on the famil with every Wendy Wu Tours booking made between now and 31 December.
6. Velocity goes live with Keith Urban
Velocity Frequent Flyer has launched Velocity Live – a new hub for live experiences and event offers, exclusively for Velocity members. The launch was marked with a special acoustic performance by multiple Grammy and ARIA Award winner Keith Urban, whose #1 gold certified album ‘RIPCORD’ is still a Top 20 ARIA Album twenty weeks after its release.
Through Velocity’s new partnership with TEG Live, the Velocity Live hub will offer members access to great events and pre-sale tickets, the ability to earn Velocity Points, premium seating allocations and money-can’t-buy competitions and experiences.
For launch, Velocity members can purchase premium tickets to Keith Urban’s ripCORD tour in December, KINKY BOOTS, PAW Patrol Live! Race to the Rescue, Sesame Street presents Elmo’s Super Fun Hero Show and, coming soon, more exciting Brickman LEGO® exhibitions.
7. Women in Aviation host inaugural Australian Conference
If you or someone you know is aspiring for a career in aerospace engineer, pilot, airline executive or working at an airport, air traffic control or in any area of aviation, then don’t miss the inaugural Women in Aviation Australia Conference being held in Brisbane next month.
Running for two days from 28 October, delegates will not only hear from leaders in the industry, but get an exclusive look behind the scenes at Brisbane Air Traffic Control, RAAF Amberley and Boeing Flight Services.
Speakers will touch on a diverse range of areas within the aviation industry. They include RAAF squadron leader Samantha Freebairn who flies C-17s for a living; Marilyn Andre who heads Boeing Flight Services in Brisbane; legendary acrobatics pilot Paul Bennet and geophysicist Dr Zara Dennis, from FlySCI, a Monash University program that aims to take STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) to rural and remote communities around Australia.
The conference is sponsored by AirServices, Panair, The Boeing Company and the Royal Australian Air Force.
Click here for more information about the conference, Women in Aviation organisation and membership.
8. United sends 10 Agents to ski in the US
Ten top performing Travel Agents will board a United Dreamliner and heading to the USA in March next year after being named the winners of United Airlines, Utah Office of Tourism and Travel Nevada’s US ski incentive.
As part of the prize, they’ll get to try out United’s 787-9 before skiing in Reno-Lake Tahoe and Salt Lake City.
Julie Reid, United’s director of sales for Australia and New Zealand, said: “This year has been an overwhelming success for our ski incentive campaign and we appreciate the amazing efforts of all the participating agents.”
9. Agents see more of the Mekong with Travelmarvel
Travelmarvel recently hosted a group of its top performing Agents aboard its impressive Mekong river cruise ship, RV La Marguerite.
Sailing from Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam to Cambodia’s Siem Reap, the group immersed themselves in the local culture, enjoyed the delicious cuisine, visited local markets, learned about the riverside community and took a rickshaw tour of the small island of Tan Chau.
The trip concluded with a two night stay at the boutique Shinta Mani Resort in Siem Reap.
10. Wendy Wu kicks off new major campaign
It started with the return of the company’s popular animation (she made her comeback on Friday) and continues on with a new major campaign.
The Asia company’s new-look 2017 brochures are on their way to Agents and come with the promise of making it easier for consultants to book Asia for their clients.
Agents can also expect a few treats of their own, with a few upcoming competitions – keep an eye on KarryOn to find out how you can be in the running.
Click here for more information.
