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 returns to Sydney-Beijing route before Virgin can launch its inaugural flights to the city
Before Virgin Australia could get its first flights to Beijing off the ground, Qantas has pounced on the competition with plans to resume Sydney-Beijing services after a seven-year break.
The carrier announced today it’s flying back on the Sydney-Beijing route for the first time since 2009, with direct daily flights taking off on 25 January 2017.
This comes less than four months after Virgin Australia confirmed plans to launch flights to Beijing as well as Hong Kong in the coming years.
2. Air New Zealand officially washes its hands of Virgin Australia shares
Image: NZ All Stars Famil 2015
Just like Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, the VirgLand relationship has come to a sad end, with Air New Zealand selling the last of its Virgin Australia shares this week.
The Kiwi carrier sold its remaining stake in the Aussie airline for AU$65.7 million in an off-market transaction to the Nashan Group – the same investors that purchased 19.98 percent of Virgin in June this year.
The sale of the final shares comes seven months after Air New Zealand announced its decision to part with Virgin Australia in order to focus on its growth.
3. Los Angeles tells Aussie millennials to ‘Get Lost’ in a really fun way
Telling someone to ‘Get Lost’ doesn’t have to be offensive, on the contrary it’s exactly what millennials want to do when they go travelling and Los Angeles tourism leaders know this.
That’s why the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board is taking the ‘Get Lost’ message to Aussie millennials in the group’s first Australia-wide advertising campaign.
It’s actually called ‘Get Lost in L.A.’, and it harnesses on the younger traveller’s love of discovering, feeling like a local and of course, the City of Angels.
4. Wendy Wu Tours is now ‘preferred’ by Express Travel Group
Wendy Wu Tours has entered a new partnership to be the preferred Asia supplier for the entire Express Travel Group (ETG).
Wendy Wu Tours General Manager Andrew Mulholland said the companies complemented each other, with both looking to ensure they grow market share to the core destinations of China, Indochina, India and Japan.
He added the tour operator was impressed by ETG’s “model, quality of Agents and aggressive stance towards owning Asia as a core market”.
Express Travel Group executive general manager, Ari Magoutis, commented that the company is excited to be partnering with Wendy Wu Tours, whom they consider a leader in product, service and innovation.
5. andBeyond unveils new photographic safari vehicle
First G Adventures adjusted its African ‘Lando’ for better photo snaps, and now andBeyond is joining the operator with its own safari vehicle designed for optimum photo-taking.
The new andBeyond vehicle has been fitted with state-of-the- art camera mounts and cater for a maximum of four guests, ensuring exclusivity during your safari experience.
Photographic safari vehicles accommodate a maximum of four guests and has an expert photographer guiding the group.
6. Aussies go from sensible to self-confessed wildcards
New research shows Aussie travellers are leaving their inhibitions at the boarding gate, switching from sensible, to self-confessed ‘wildcards’ on holiday – regardless of the consequences.
Around 68 percent of respondents admit to being ‘wildcards’ when on holidays, with research conducted by Southern Cross Travel Insurance showing 39 percent of travellers took their tastebuds for a whirl, munching on bugs and insects, while over a third (35 percent) got their adrenalin pumping with cliff jumping, river tubing and bungy jumping.
Feeling the repurcussions of their holiday wild streak, more than half (54 percent) had to seek medical treatment, with 36 percent of travellers falling unwell or being injured as a result of their behaviour.
Despite 14 percent having to make a travel insurance claim as a result of doing something on holiday they wouldn’t do at home, Aussies are still skimping on travel insurance. Almost a quarter (23 percent) of those surveyed are going overseas with no travel insurance at all.
7. It’s TIME for that Silent Auction
Get out those wallets and get ready to bid, because the 2016 TIME Silent Auction will open from 14 October 2016 to 28 October 2016.
The auction provides a range of items from air tickets, accommodation, car hire, rail tickets and experiences for all.
Profits will go towards helping TIME, the not-for-profit organisation, to continue delivering on its valuable work in supporting the future of the Travel and Tourism and Hospitality industry.
Click here for more information.
8. DriveAway will have the ‘best deal in the history of Peugeot Car Leasing in Aus’
DriveAway Holidays (DAH) Managing Director Chris Hamill attended the annual Paris Motor Show for the unveiling of the new Peugeot 3008 and 5008 car models, which he says will feature in DAH’s most competitive pricing ever for his Peugeot car leasing services in 2017.
Mr Hamill revealed that the eagerly awaited DriveAway Holidays 2017 Earlybird special rates have been finalised with Peugeot Leasing and added ‘it will be the best deal sent to the market in the history of Peugeot Car Leasing in Australia’.
The deal will be offered to trade next week and can save clients up to $1,000 per booking. DAH agent partners will receive advance information before it is released to the general market.
9. 6 amazing escapes & how to get your hands on them
Six different travel brands under the one TTC roof are set to rock the worlds of over 100 Travel Agents right across Australia, in another uber-awesome display of why it’s so cool to work in the travel industry!
Hear ye! Hear ye!
Calling all Travel Agents keen on composing their out-of-office email alerts and setting off on an epic adventure to some of the most alluring corners of the globe.
10. Lucky PTM takes a trip to Louisiana
Personal travel manager Kylie Gretener representative for Mooloolaba in Queensland recently experienced the best Louisiana has to offer during the #tasteUSA mega famil hosted by Brand USA and Air New Zealand, which celebrated the commencement of Air New Zealand’s relatively new flights from Auckland to Houston.
Participants on the recently ten-night mega-famil were split into six groups, each enjoying a multi-itinerary famil experience. Gretener had the privilege of experiencing the historical and cultural state of Louisiana.
Gretener said it exciting to see Louisiana on her first trip to the USA, because she’d “heard so much about its southern hospitality”. AS part of her trip she took in the destination’s history with visits to beautiful plantation homes of Houmas House and Oak Ally Plantation while also enjoying Cajun and Creole flavours during cooking classes at the New Orleans School of Cooking and local restaurants.
11. AGENTS: Learning about Los Angeles has never been so cool
The new ‘Neighbourhoods of L.A Interactive’ tool is about as cool as the City of Angeles itself, finally giving agents a destination training program that’s easy to use, fun, and won’t cut into their 9 to 5 work time.
Los Angeles has always been so uber cool, often setting the stage – literally – for the world to follow.
And now with the new ‘Neighbourhoods of L.A Interactive’ tool, it’s super easy for agents to learn all about this thriving metropolis at their own convenience.
12. 5 Aussie road trips you’ve just gotta drive
Embarking on a great Aussie road trip should be a rite of passage for all Australians. After all, it’s our vast southern land – easily navigable by road – that attracts visitors from all around the world to our shores.
From misty rainforests, arid deserts, sparkling oceans abutting stretches of sandy beach, and quaint country towns, Australia’s diverse topography is legendary, and its multi-dimensional nature is definitely worth exploring – easily done on a self-drive holiday!
Hiring a car or motorhome and getting behind the wheel allows you to cover vast distances in your own time, and gives you the freedom to stop and appreciate the continent’s beauty from whichever angle takes your fancy.
13. WIN Westfield Gift Cards with Trafalgar
Trafalgar are giving you a chance to WIN simply by checking out their new brochure and seeing for yourself just how easy and enjoyable travelling with Trafalgar can be.
Showcasing a brilliant range of effortless, authentic and fun travel experiences, Trafalgar’s 2017 Europe and Britain programme sets the global standard for travel for 2017.
PLUS, Trafalgar are offering an unprecedented air deal of return flights for only $499 on all 2017 Trafalgar Europe or Britain guided holidays – but only until 23rd October, or until sold out.
14. So, what’s new with Wendy Wu Tours?
*Cue Chinese gong* Wendy Wu Tours has entered the ring and she’s totally awesome, launching a new trade website, scouring the region for exciting new tours, and much more, all part of its #TheNewWu campaign.
Wendy Wu Tours – Australia’s leading Asian tour operator – isn’t a company to sit on its laurels.
In a quest to continually improve its Asian tour game, the company that lives by the motto “make booking Asia easy” has been busy tweaking its fully inclusive tours to help Travel Agents sell their impressive range of authentic Asian travel experiences with ease.
