We’ve done all the hard work, so you don’t have to! Read on for the top ten travel news stories we think you need to know today.
1. Virgin Australia’s boss takes home a $1 million bonus
Virgin Australia’s flight attendants aren’t the only ones rolling around in extra dough – CEO John Borghetti just received a very generous bonus for all his hard work last year.
As the airline slowly creeps back into the black, Virgin’s annual report this week revealed Borghetti earned some $2.84 million during the 2014/15 financial year – up from $2.776 million the prior 12 months.
The also figure included a short term incentive payment of $1 million, which was in recognition of Virgin’s slow return to profitability.
2. More Cathay flights for Adelaideans
Two new hotels and now additional services – with so many upgrades and increased accessibility it’s no wonder Adelaide was named one of the ’52 Places to go in 2015′.
Cathay Pacific today announced a fifth weekly service to The City of Churches commencing 2 December this year.
The move will see the airline increase its capacity on the Hong Kong to Adelaide route by 52 percent, bringing the total number of seats up to 2,500 per week.
3. 7 things we learned at the Magellan Conference
The 2015 Magellan Group National Conference has been hailed a success by all that attended. Here’s 7 things we discovered over the three days that tell the Magellan story.
The Magellan National Conference was held at The Sofitel in Melbourne from Wednesday 16th Sept to Saturday 19th Sept.
Attended by 300 delegates include members and suppliers from all over Australia, it was the biggest turnout in the companies history and included a first in inviting travel media to attend.
4. Brisbane gets a newbuild hotel
Brisbane is on its way to becoming the next tourism capital of Australia, with the first foundation laid on its newbuild luxury hotel.
Commencing construction of the luxury hotel this week, the property is scheduled to open in 2017, just in time for the Gold Coast Commonwealth games in 2018.
Part of a mixed-use development, which will cost more than one billion Australian dollars to complete, W Brisbane marks the re-entry of the W brand to Australia.
Located on 300 George Street by the Brisbane River, the mixed-use development is a joint venture between Shayher Group and Pau Jar Group of Taiwan and comprises three unique towers – W Brisbane will occupy one tower, while the other two towers will be used for premium office and commercial space and high-end residences. The development will also feature podium level retail outlets.
Redefining luxury with innovative design, signature amenities and unique style, W Brisbane will offer 305 stylish guestroom, including 25 suites and an Extreme Wow Suite®, the W brand’s reinterpretation of the traditional Presidential Suite. The smallest guest rooms will be 40 square metres; the largest room size in Brisbane currently.
W Brisbane will also feature more than 960 square metres of ultra-modern meeting and event space, as well as a 24-hour WIREDSM business centre, spa, FITSM state-of-the-art workout facility, WETSM indoor heated swimming pool, and W Hotels The Store. In addition, the hotel will house three unique restaurants and bars, including an all-day dining restaurant, Pool Bar and the W Lounge. Guests can expect the W brand’s iconic Whatever/Whenever® service philosophy, providing them with whatever they want, whenever they want it.
The new hotel will compliment new aircraft flying into Brisbane such as the Dreamliner, which will fly in via Thai Airways and Air Canada. Read on
5. P&O is making us hungry with these new menus
A travel agent needs to book us a ticket for one of P&O‘s new ships ASAP because the cruise line’s two new restaurants’ menus sound legen (wait for it) dary!
The cruise line this week unveiled the treats and cuisine guests can expect to dine on at Pacific Aria and Pacific Eden’s Angelo’s and Dragon Lady.
Joining the cruise line in November this year, the two ships will offer more international flavour with Angelo’s specialising in Italian dishes while Dragon Lady offers passengers a taste of the Orient.
6. Rail Plus goes live with Amtrak
Rail Plus unveiled an exclusive connection to live Amtrak inventory on its website, giving Australian travel agents the ability to search, book and ticket Amtrak’s North American services online, 24/7.
Amtrak’s network connects more than 500 destinations in 46 US states and three Canadian provinces. The company’s fleet of more than 300 trains includes 20 Acela Express high-speed trainsets, which operate the fastest passenger service in the Western Hemisphere.
Until now travel agents booking Amtrak journeys had to contact a Rail Plus specialist, but with the new live connection consultants are free to quickly and efficiently complete bookings whenever they wish.
Rail Plus CEO James Dunne said the online booking and payment process is easy and familiar to any agent who has booked a European point-to-point fare through the Rail Plus website.
“Agents simply choose the desired departure and arrival cities and accurate fares are displayed in Australian dollars.”
James Dunne, Rail Plus CEO
“Additional information is available on the selected service, the facilities in each class and the fare conditions. Once a booking is completed, all documents are issued as e-Tickets.
Click here for more information.
7. Expand your USA knowledge into Oregon
Travel agents can expand their USA knowledge into new areas of the country with Brand USA’s specialist module on the USA Discovery Program.
This week, the group added Portland, Oregon to its online training platform for travel agents in Australia and New Zealand.
The new module provides travel agents an in-depth look at the destination, located in the Northwest United States.
As the largest city in Oregon, Portland is home to nearly 60 craft breweries, famous farm-to-fork dining, excellent food carts, and has a city park five times bigger than New York City’s Central Park. Travellers can explore Portland’s pioneer origins and Native history at the many monuments and museums located in and around the city. Become familiar with unspoiled terrains and a bustling year-round events calendar.
Once users have completed the Portland badge, agents can then take other Specialist modules, which focus on various experiences and holiday themes. With the addition of the Portland specialist badge, there are a total of 16 badges available for completion.
To celebrate the launch, Travel Portland has an added incentive in place for four weeks from September 23 – October 21, 2015. Agents who complete the Portland specialist badge after first completing the Regional Expert Badge will qualify to go into the draw to win a Portland Tax-Free Shopping Spree at “Made Here in PDX”, valued at $500 USD. There will be one winner from each market, and these lucky winners will be announced on Monday, 22 October 2015.
Click here for more information.
8. Agents get behind the Red Boot Rally
[L-R]: Lisa Story World Travel Partners Founding Partner & Director, Michael Chase-Smith, Russell & Julia Ingall
World Travel Professionals revved their engines earlier this week as the sponsors of V8 racing identity and Foxtel commentator, Russell Ingall in this year’s ‘Audi Red Boot Rally’.
Held at the Gold Coast, the event raises funds for Ronald McDonald House Charities, the World Travel Professionals team has received sponsorship from a range of supporters including Virtuoso Luxury Travel.
World Travel Professionals Executive Director, Michael Chase-Smith said Ronald McDonald House is a highly regarded charity that the organisation was happy to be supporting.
The three day rally will raise funds specifically for RMH SEQ and its two houses located in Herston and Mater as well as family rooms at the Gold Coast University Hospital and other services at Lady Client Children’s Hospital.
They will participate in an Audi performance vehicle supplied by Audi Australia.
Last year the Rally raised $302,525 mostly through the generous donations of corporate sponsorship of the vehicles.
Click here to learn more about the rally.
9. Venture-ing further into Africa & Madagascar
New tours, new treks and discounted prices – they’re just some of the spoils you can find inside Venture Holidays’ new look Africa and Madagascar 2016/17 brochure.
Released this week, the programme features a great range of small group tours in Southern and East Africa; private safaris in Kenya and Tanzania; game reserves in Kruger National Park; gorilla treks in Rwanda & Uganda; a special family safari in Tanzania; plus a couple of choice itineraries for Madagascar, Venture has delivered an exciting programme for 2016.
New tours include a fully guided six day Garden Route Safari and Winelands tour, which explores the scenic splendour of the Cape Winelands, Klein Karoo and the spectacular Garden Route.
In Mandela’s Footsteps is another new tour for Venture. Spend eight days on an inspired discovery of Mr. Nelson Mandela’s life. It takes guests from Johannesburg to Cape Town including a visit to the Apartheid Museum as well as a visit the prison where Mandela spent 18 years. This tour also visits Pilanesberg National Park for an opportunity to see the ‘Big Five’. This tour departs from Johannesburg once per month in 2016 excluding December.
To complement the release of the brochure, the following tours are discounted by 15 percent for travel in 2016. Discount applies for bookings made between 7 September – 31 Oct 2015. A 30 percent deposit is required by 31 October 2015, with full payment due by 25 December 2015.
Click here to view the brochure.
10. Team Falcon explores Abu Dhabi’s mosques
Team Falcon on the Etihad Mega Famil to Abu Dhabi were treated to seven days of culture, incredible food and high-end luxury in the UAE capital.
Over the week, consultants took part in a number of activities including a visit to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Manarat Al Saadiyat, Capital Gate Building, Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital and the Etihad Innovation Centre.
It was nothing but relaxation and luxury as attendees stayed at the Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort located two hours from Abu Dhabi before heading to the St Regis Abu Dhabi.
There was even a Gala night event held in the ‘Abu Dhabi Suite’ at St Regis is on Level 48 (the world’s highest suspended suite).
Consultants on trip were Nikki Russell – Reho Travel; Ryan Pedrotti – Travel action Bendigo; Erin Dunn – Helloworld Penrith; Maryam Hosseini – Persia Travel; Edwin Butler – Andrew Johns Travel; Abbe Burrows – Concierge Business Travel; Fabricio Leiva – Air Tickets; Susan Durrington – Sylvanian Travel; Ronnie Binder – STA; Cheryl Chiswell – Bayview Travel; Kris Taute – Abu Dhabi Tourism; Lachlan Conn – Etihad Airways; Chien Wei Lan – WB Travel; Mele Foliaki – Adventure World; Lexi Hartmann – Creative Holidays; and Jilda Jack – Verve Travel Management.
Click here for more Etihad news.
