We’ve done all the hard work, so you don’t have to! Read on for our top ten travel news stories we think you need to know today.
1. Nepal update: Australians to be airlifted + 35 stranded in Lukla
Australians stranded in Nepal since Saturday’s 7.9 magnitude earthquake are expected to be airlifted later today in two Royal Australian Air Force jets.
The Federal Government revealed it had decided to airlift Australians out of the capital city Kathmandu in response to limited seating on commercial aircraft and major airline delays.
The aircraft has been waiting in Bangkok since Tuesday for an opportunity to safely fly into Nepal.
2. Connect to Travelport’s ‘Agentivity’ to save time & earn more
Travelport is hoping to increase agents’ revenues, with a new web-based business intelligence product called ‘Agentivity’.
Unveiled by General Manager – Pacific, Kaylene Shuttlewood in Sydney yesterday, the new business solution focuses on bringing relevant booking data and business insights to the forefront, so agents can make more informed and tactical business decisions.
The product is the company’s newest technological solution and joins Robotic Ticketing – a fully web-based program designed to reduce costs – and Search Control Consule – a new search filter that provides results based on value to customer as well as price – as part of its multimillion dollar technological upgrade.
3. Have Aussies already been boycotting Bali?
Image: SIHASAKPRACHUM/Shutterstock
They may be taking to social media to pitch for a ban on Bali or Indonesia in general, but are Australians actually standing by it?
Yesterday, we saw hundreds of Twitter users adopt the newly created hashtag ‘Boycott Bali’ after the execution of two Australians in Indonesia – Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran,
The two men were convicted by the Southeast Asian country for drug smuggling and spent the last decade in an Indonesia prison before meeting a firing squad in the early hours yesterday morning.
4. Hotels to sleep on a ‘cloud’ with IHG & Amadeus
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has entered a strategic relationship with Amadeus to bring the ‘cloud’ to the hospitality industry.
Coming in the form of a next-generation Guest Reservation System (GRS), it is the first-of-its-kind model for the hotel sector and will allow hotels to offer guests more personalised and revolutionised service.
IHG’s CEO, Richard Solomons, said it will deliver a platform for hotels to manage guest interaction, will be intuitive for hotel teams and help accelerate work.
As launch partner, IHG will work with Amadeus on the design, functionality and evolution of the system, which will ultimately replace HOLIDEX, IHG’s proprietary reservation system.
It can be operated alongside HOLIDEX and the transition to GRS, which is due to be rolled out globally in 2017, will be undertaken in phases to minimise risks.
The community model is a highly innovative and cost-effective approach for IHG and the hospitality industry, with Amadeus taking responsibility for funding and maintaining the reservation system and each member paying for usage on a transaction fee basis.
IHG will continue to work with Amadeus to evolve and future-proof the system over time.
5. Scoot increases Aus services
Australians will have more choice when flying between Singapore and Australia, as low-cost carrier, Scoot, increases services Down Under.
The announcement comes as the airline reveals it will exclusively operate the Dreamliner on all its local routes.
Commencing 1 May, the airline’s third 787 named ‘Inspiring Spirit’ will commence serving the Gold Coast.
Perth and Sydney are already exclusively served by 787s, as will be Melbourne when flights start November.
With more 787s entering service in the coming months, Scoot said it will be able to increase frequencies to Australia.
Sydney and Perth will increase to daily, and Gold Coast will operate five times weekly.
Melbourne will commence with five times weekly from 1 November 2015.
All flights will be non-stop to and from Singapore.
6. Gold Coast to host first ATE
Industry professionals will be getting some sun between travel updates, as the Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE) heads to the Gold Coast in 2016 for the first time.
The announcement was made this week by Tourism Australia’s Managing Director John O’Sullivan, and will be the second time Queensland hosts the industry trade show in three years, following ATE14, which was held in Cairns.
Mr O’Sullivan said it was great to see Australia’s premier trade event returning to one of Australia’s key regional tourism destinations and injecting some $10 million into the local economy.
7. Build to WIN your own bucket-list holiday
London, Los Angeles or snorkeling in Fiji? Always dreamt about planning your own bucket-list holiday? Now you have the chance to take it without paying a cent…
To celebrate the launch of their new website, Creative Holidays is offering agents the chance to create and then WIN their own dream holiday.
For the chance to win, agents are being invited to design their dream holiday to the value of $15,000 at creativeholidays.com/win by adding flights, hotels, transfers and tours into the shopping cart and saving the quote.
8. Byron Bay gets Elements of Australia’s new resort
Byron Bay is set to receive its first world-class beachfront resort, with the opening of ‘Elements of Byron’ in December this year.
Development of the new $100 million property has commenced on Belongil Beach – a site that encompasses rainforest, lakes and two kilometres of beach frontage.
The hotel will offer 193 individual one and two bedroom villas. Ninety-four of the villas, along with the central resort and leisure facilities are due for completion by Christmas.
9. Fast & Furious INCENTIVE for agents
Travel agents could be getting ‘Fast & Furious’ in Hollywood, with a new incentive to drive up Universal and United Airlines sales.
Commencing 1 May, agents simply sell United and Universal to earn points.
Once points are earned, you log into a website (website details coming soon), which won’t go live until tomorrow, to enter your details and booking number.
10. First look: Scenic Aura
The recently rebranded tour operator, Scenic, is giving travellers a sneak peek at its second Myanmar-based vessel, Scenic Aura.
The ship will join Scenic Spirit (launching January next year) on the Irrawaddy River in September next year, where she will sail 10-night itinerary between Mandalay and Pyaya.
Fitted with the luxury and five-star standards of the line’s European vessels, but with a touch of Asia, the ship will be purpose built with new ‘cutting edge design’ and enhanced safety and sustainability features.