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. TTF & AFTA back Labor’s fight against PMC hike
Travel industry leaders have praised Labor’s decision to move against a Federal Government proposal to increase the holiday tax on travellers visiting Australia.
Federal Labor Oppositions has requested a Senate inquiry into the proposed nine percent increase in Passenger Movement Charge (PMC) to $60 per person.
According to Tourism & Transport Forum Australia’s (TTF) CEO, Margy Osmond, the current tax already raises some $1 billion per year, $750 million more than the cost required to provide passenger facilitation services at airports.
2. Shiza, travellers are waiting how long before they book tours?
Talk about cutting it thin! There’s are growing trend amongst travellers leaving their tour plans and bookings to the very last minute.
And by last minute we mean they’re actually waiting until after their holiday has started.
According to figures released by Rezdy, some 37 percent of travellers booked their tours or attractions within 24 hours after commencing their vacation.
3. Club Med sets its sights on happy couples
Club Med is chasing the lucrative wedding market, with the launch of a new dedicated all-inclusive destination wedding package to the trade market.
The announcement comes after seeing a 30 percent growth in the number of loved-up Aussie couples tying the knot in tropical destinations such as Bali.
Teaming up with wedding provider, SE7EN, the packages aim to make planning an international wedding as smooth as possibly by covering everything from a dedicated wedding planner, a honeymoon, private dinners and more.
4. And the first Plan A Cruise Month incentive winners are…
Congratulations to Tonia Timmins, Sarah Fenton, Roslyn Savio and Andy Thompson who were announced as the first round of winners in Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Australasia’s Plan A Cruise Month promotion.
Timmins from Bon Voyage Travel & Cruise NZ won the first of four cruise giveaways, a voyage to Tasmania onboard Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Legend. The agency was awarded the first major prize for their nationwide promotion of Plan A Cruise Month including a 16-page “What’s in Port” guide to the NZ summer cruise season in the New Zealand Herald.
Mobile Travel Agent Sarah Fenton has received $1,000 in marketing co-op funds following her strong Plan A Cruise Month social media campaign. Since the start of the month, Sarah has been busy promoting CLIA member cruise line deals and offerings on Twitter and Facebook using #cruisemonth.
Meanwhile Roslyn Savio from Atour Travel Cherrybrook and Andy Thompson from House of Travel Takapuna NZ are toasting their Plan A Cruise Month efforts with a bottle of champagne.
Click here for more prizes Agents can win during Plan A Cruise Month.
5. INCENTIVE: ‘Book 3, Sail Free’ with Uniworld
There’s now less than three weeks left for consultants to score themselves a free Uniworld cruise through the cruise line’s latest ‘Book 3, Sail Free’ incentive.
Travel Agents have until 31 October 2016 to receive their complimentary 8-11 day European cruise with every three 2017 bookings or a 13-15 day cruise for every six 2017 bookings.
For more details, please contact your Uniworld Sales Manager or Uniworld Reservations.
6. Applications open for Japan Incentive Travel Awards 2016
Did you send an incentive trip of over 100 room nights to Japan between 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2016?
Then you might want to submit your application for the Japan Incentive Travel Awards, which recognise outstanding practices among incentives to Japan and to showcase the charm and appeal of Japan as an incentive destination to the world.
Applications will be taken from now until 5.00pm 25 October 2016 (UTC+9), with winners being announced at the Award Ceremony being held on 7 December 2016 during the IME2016 26th International Meetings Expo held at PACIFICO YOKOHAMA.
The Grand Prize winner will be invited to Japan for the awards ceremony (business class airfare provided) and will explore the incentive possibilities Tokyo can offer on the “Deep Tokyo Trip” – a fam trip of the Tokyo metropolitan area. Click here for more information.
7. New look for Freestyle’s 2017/18 Maldives brochure
Freestyle Holidays has released its 17/18 Maldives Mini Brochure and it’s looking mighty different with a careful selection of more than sixty resorts in the Freestyle Holidays range, plus two brand new resorts.
To celebrate the launch, Freestyle Holidays has released a suite of Maldives offers featuring reduced rates, free nights, transfers, breakfast, free dinners and more. Five night resort packages start from $2,329 per person, twin share.
The brochure is out now.
8. Agents go to Central America with Scenic
Have you ever been more envious of a group of travellers?
These lucky Agents were given the chance to experience real Havana nights in Cuba with Scenic.
Their visit was part of a nine-day famil to Santiago, Panama City, Havana and Lima and showcased part of the new 14 Day Central American Treasures tour which link with the Antarctica cruises on board Scenic Eclipse from 2019.
Starting their journey with an overnight stay in colourful Santiago at the Intercontinental Hotel they then flew to Panama City for three nights, where they explored the World Heritage-listed Casco Viejo historic centre. Next they headed to Cuba, where they spent three nights discovering the vibrant city of Havana with its faded façade and architecture. Plus they enjoyed two Scenic Enrich experiences – cruising the streets aboard a 1950s vintage car, and dining in a delightfully appointed Paladar restaurant.
They finished their trip in Lima by visiting the Museo Larco and their private collection.
Click here for more images.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. 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.
