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. Aussie travel professionals have the WORST work/life balance
Uh oh, someone’s been doing a lot of overtime and neglecting their personal life. Sound familiar? Well, it should because apparently Australian travel professionals have the worst work/life balance.
The new Happiness Index study conducted by Progressive Personnel on Aussie trade found that we’re the most stressed, the most overworked and the most overwhelmed travel professionals in the world.
Well, that explains those unwanted facial lines popping up on the daily.
2. Why Air Vanuatu guests are falling asleep much faster
Air Vanuatu may have just discovered the secret to helping passengers fall asleep on flights a lot sooner, and it’s surprisingly simple.
According to local Manager of Commercial, Paul Forbes, flights attendants have reported a shift in guest behaviour over the last four months, since the airline rolled out its Dreamliner on flights from Sydney.
Speaking at the Vanuatu Roadshow in Sydney last night, Paul Forbes (Manager Commercial, Australia) said crew have noticed that the Boeing 737-800 is really bringing the ‘Dreams’ onboard, thanks to wider economy seats and their leather covering that are putting passengers to sleep a lot sooner than before.
3. American Airlines, Qantas challenge Air NZ with new LA flights
Together they chased traffic from Oceania to San Francisco and tapped into that Sydney business to Hollywood, but now Qantas and American Airlines are going after Air NZ with new Auckland-LA flights.
Operated by American Airlines and codeshared by Qantas, the new service takes off this evening to increase competition on the trans-Pacific route.
It’s the third trans-Pacific route launched by the two carriers over the last year, since they expanded their partnership to flights from Sydney-LA; Sydney-San Francisco; and now Auckland-LA.
4. INCENTIVE: WIN a Brooklyn gift pack
NYC & Company with Transmission Films is giving 30 Travel Agents the chance to WIN a Brooklyn gift pack simply by becoming a New York City Specialist.
Valued at $150.00, the prize includes a Macy’s mug featuring the Macy’s iconic red star and famous marquis, a leather luggage tag from Trump International Hotel & Tower and Trump SoHo, entry to the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation including a complimentary session with a genealogist, a Royalton New York fireplace sachet your very own copy of the movie Brooklyn on DVD.
To be in the running, complete the NYC & Company Travel Training Academy and become a New York City Specialist before 8 July 2016. Click here for more information.
5. Hold the door! Game of Thrones character is coming to Aus
‘Hold the door’ at the club (too soon?)! This is one evening gig Game of Thrones fans won’t want to miss out on.
Fan favourite, Hodor, may have fulfilled his destiny on the fantasy series [spoiler alert: he had one purpose and we’re still burning about it], but he’s found another calling off-screen and in the form of DJing.
Kristian Nairn aka Hodor is bringing his house beats from the cave Beyond the Wall to the Land Down Under (again – yes, he’s partied here before) for a series of dance gatherings, fittingly (and creatively) named ‘Rave of Thrones‘.
6. New exhibitors at Travel Industry Expo
Exhibitors from India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Africa, Sarawak, Maldives, Croatia and Boracay plus more have signed up to engage with Australian trade at this year’s Travel Industry Exhibition (TIE).
Held at Peninsula Docklands in Melbourne on 11 and 12 July, followed by Luna Park in Sydney on 18 and 19 July, the annual event gives bureaus and operators the opportunity to showcase their products and services to more than 1,000 Aussie Travel Agents.
Special Holiday Travel is a new exhibitor that has recently come on board for both the Melbourne + Sydney event. Other companies also exhibiting for the first time in 2016 include Special Holiday Travel, Mountain Designs, Rodrigues Tourism, Excite Holidays and Breakaway Travel.
Click here for more information and to register.
7. There’s still time to book a booth at the Macao Travel Industry Expo
A limited number of exhibition spaces remain for this year’s 4th Macao International Travel Industry Expo.
The trade expo, to be held at Cotai Expo, within the Venetian Macao, from September 2-4, 2016, will have tourist bureaus from destinations like mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan heavily represented along with Macao and a number of long haul markets.
Already, more than 300 stalls have been booked at an event which will also showcase Macao’s capability in hosting professional travel fairs. Major tourism categories such as food and beverage, accommodation, transport, entertainment, shopping and general travel will feature at the expo along with e-business tourism and tourism-related technologies.
Click here for more information on how to book a booth.
8. Aircalin’s ‘Melbourne Flash Sale’
Aircalin is helping Melbourne Travel Agents sell flights to New Caledonia with $499 return flights to the destination.
The offer is only valid until 29 June 2016, for travel between 10 July to 3 August.
For more information email: brett.walsh@aircalin.com.au
9. PTM explores the ‘happiest place on Earth’
New South Wales personal travel manager (PTM), Louise McCarthy, was given the opportunity to discover a new and exciting destination in Huntington Beach during her recent CT Partners’ incentive famil to Los Angeles hosted by American Airlines, Qantas Airways and Hyatt.
McCarthy earned her place on the famil by achieving the highest revenue sales growth as part of a CT Partners’ incentive, to celebrate the commencement of American Airlines flying from Los Angeles to Sydney.
As part of the trip, she stopped by Disneyland, went shopping at the Citadel outlets, trialled property in Anaheim and laid under the sun on Huntington Beach.
10. ANA & Starwood take Agents to Japan
All Nippon Airways (ANA) along with Starwood Hotels and Resorts gave four Travel Agents the chance to experience the warm spirit of Japan during a recent three-day corporate famil.
Travelling from Tokyo to Osaka, the group visited the UNESCO World Heritage Site; Himeji Castle and experienced tradition Japanese cuisine. The foursome also had the chance to try ANA’s Business Class and Premium Economy product between Sydney and Tokyo.
Co-hosted by Starwood meant consultants stayed in the group’s Japanese properties, including Kobe Bay Sheraton Hotel & Towers and The Westin Tokyo.
P.S. Book a flight & WIN with Etihad’s ‘Your Flight, Our Shout’ incentive
Etihad is giving agents and their customers the chance to win back the cost of their flights.
The ‘Your Flight, Our Shout’ incentive celebrates the carrier’s new A380 operations from Melbourne and 787 services to Perth.
Every day over four weeks (ending 4 July), Travel Agents who book their clients on an Etihad flight will have the chance to win the cost of the flights back for both themselves and their customer.