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. Online Agents strike a deal with Aussie watchdog, but is it enough?
Australia’s consumer watchdog has struck a deal with online Travel Agents, that will allow accommodation providers to offer lower rates than those available on online booking sites.
The arrangement came after an investigation by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) into parity clauses that were preventing hoteliers from beating prices advertised on online platforms.
ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said the clauses were “anti-competitive” and stopped consumers from “getting different prices from competing online sites”.
2. China Eastern opens up another China mainland city to Sydney
New connections between Australia and China continue to open up as China Eastern announces a new direct service from Hangzhou to Sydney.
Commencing from 16 November this year, the airline will operate three weekly services between the two cities on its A330-200 aircraft with 234 seats split in Business and Economy class.
With the new route, China Eastern will serve three mainland China cities from Sydney along with Nanjing and Shanghai.
3. Sydney, Canberra & now Brisbane Airport has an ‘Uber Zone’
Uber, has managed to steer its way into a third major Australian city gateway, with Queensland confirming a dedicated ‘Uber Zone’ at Brisbane Airport.
The decision follows similar zones set up at Canberra and Sydney airports earlier this year and allows travellers to book and board an Uber straight from the gateway.
Getting its drivers into Australia’s major airports is a big deal for the company, which has struggled to win over state governments since launching in the country in 2012.
4. Airlines adjust credit card surcharges
In line with new Australian Competition and Commerce Commission (ACCC) directives, a number of airlines have adjusted their credit card booking fees.
All credit card bookings will now incur a 1.3 percent charge.
The change into effect on 1 September this year.
5. Aussie arrivals into Peru continue to climb
Photo Credit: PROMPERU Gihan Tubbeh
That Aussie passion for Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley and Lima continues to burn strong amongst Aussies, with five percent more Australians travelling to Peru during the first half of this year compared to the same period last year.
In total, around 20,000 Australians travelled to the country during the first six months, making us one of the destination’s top 20 international markets.
Peru’s overall foreign tourist arrivals jumped by 6.2 percent during the same period, making it a total of 1.7 million foreigners visiting the country within the six-month period.
6. TourRadar plans bigger Online Expo
Travel Agents won’t need to leave their home or offices to access great travel deals as TourRadar bring its expo online from 15 to 22 September.
According to TourRadar CEO, Travis Pittman, this expo is expected to be one of the biggest with huge savings of up to 60 percent.
September’s Online Expo is sponsored by Intrepid Travel who are offering discounts along with a trip giveaway to Cambodia for two. Other tour operators offering great deals at the Online Expo include Contiki, Free and Easy, G Adventures, Globus, Topdeck, Trafalgar and more.
For more information on the Online Expo please contact Katie Stanwyck via email at katie@tourradar.com or by phone at +1 (416) 6604659.
7. MSC takes virtual reality & Cirque du Soleil to sea
It’s hard to imagine cruise lines getting any more creative with their on board entertainment, when robot bartenders, dancing robots, giant slides and surf simulators already operate on the big blue.
But then out comes MSC Cruises’ newest vessel MSC Meraviglia from the shipyard with a range of ultramodern features including augmented reality.
In at-sea first, the cruise line is bringing virtual reality on board to give cruisers an escape from their… escape.
8. New luxury travel company makes its mark
New luxury elite travel company, Latitude 33, has been announced as a finalist for the prestigious annual Australian Luxperience Awards, being one of three operators in the running, after many submissions were judged, for the ‘Luxperience Buyer Inspiring Award’.
Owner and founder Brett Dudley said that the nomination was a great honour after Latitude 33 only being in operation for less than 12 months. The nomination is for the inaugural Latitude 33 ‘Seven Wonders of Africa, an exclusive high-end tour that ran in January this year. The 32-day immersive tour utilised only the most prestigious partners for accommodation, transportation and immersive experiences that reflect a degree of difference for all that participated.
After such a positive humbling response to the 2016 tour, the 2017 departure has already been sold out for some months with the release of the 2018 version eminent and is expected to sell out in weeks.
