We’ve done all the hard work, so you don’t have to! Read on for the top ten travel stories you need to know today.
1. Why Taylor Swift? NYC explains
“New York kind of pulled me here like a magnet,” – Taylor Swift
She may not be a New Yorker by birth, but country singer turned pop star, Taylor Swift has the city’s fiery spirit, making her the perfect person to sell the destination to a younger audience.
When NYC & Company – the official marketing organisation for the city of New York – appointed Swift as the city’s first global ambassador last year, it was met with cynicism, mainly from locals who said the Pennsylvania-born singer was the wrong celebrity for the job.
Some questioned the decision asking how a ‘foreigner’ could adequately represent the city, while others said she’d be better off passing the job on to New York-based artists such as Alicia Keys.
2. This new hotel brand promises more ‘heart’
Off the back of reopening the renovated Langham Sydney, the Langham Hospitality Group announced it is set to launch a new global hotel brand that promises to be more upscale and all about the guest.
The announcement comes less than a month after Hyatt Hotels revealed it is looking at launching a new brand targeting ‘modern travellers’. Read on
Named ‘Cordis’ – derived from the Latin word for ‘heart’ – the new generation of hotels will be created with holistic concepts that focus on guests’ needs and well-being through intuitive service, connectivity, sophistication and a sense of community.
3. Coming soon: more seats to South America
The new deal will allow for increased seats from Australia to Santiago. Image: Maciej Bledowski/Shutterstock
Australians will soon have increased access to South America, as the federal government signs off on a new deal to double air seats between Chile and Australia.
Extra air capacity is likely to be given to Qantas and its codeshare partner LAN.
Qantas currently flies to Santiago three times weekly from Sydney and uses its partnership with LAN to offer passengers access to flights throughout the continent.
According to Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss, the partnership would allow the airlines in either country to offer up to 4,000 seats a week between the two destinations, The Australian reported.
“It will now be possible for Qantas to build on its existing code share relationship with the LATAM Airlines Group to link Australia with even more destinations across South America, via Santiago.’’
Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss
Meanwhile, Qantas this week announced it is giving travel agents the chance to win a share of $30,000 worth of flights as part of a new incentive.
4. Two new Sebel hotels for Aus
The Sebel Yarrawonga will be a completely new 120-room hotel-serviced apartment facility.
Australia is set to be home to two new Sebel properties, as the hotel group announces new addresses in Victoria and Queensland.
The two new properties will being the hotel’s network in Australia and New Zealand to 23.
The group’s expansion will start in Queensland, when the The Sebel South Brisbane opens its doors this month at 50 Water Street.
5. Carnival’s Mystery excursions
Your clients will be able to take shore excursions at Mystery Island during a Carnival Australia cruise as the line launches its first four experiences in the destination.
According to Carnival, cruise ships have been calling at Mystery Island for some 30 years, but tours have only just been introduced in the remote region because of an absence of satellite communication, fuel supply, insurance coverage and management structures.
The line’s first excursions include a glass bottom boat tour over the aqua waters, a guided snorkel safari on the reef, a glass bottom kayak excursion and stand up paddleboarding along the bay between the uninhabited Mystery Island and nearby Aneityum where the local community lives.
Two cultural tours will also be added in time, with highlights including a visit to a fish bone hut and the ruins of the Presbyterian church (once the largest in the South Pacific) where missionary John Geddie helped bring an end to cannibalism.
The announcement comes after five years of community consultation, which Carnival director Michael Mihajlov says was necessary to ensure the destination was able to provide the necessary resources.
Last month, Carnival Australia’s brand P&O Cruises helped deliver a medical facility in the remote Vanuatu island, Aneityum.
6. What’s on: Visit USA + helloworld’s Mackay Travel Expo
The industry has been invited to ‘rock in the USA’ but in Australia, at this year’s Visit USA Nationwide Expos.
Taking place this month, more than 55 US-based representatives will travel to various states to give agents the chance to learn about their cities, hotels and attractions.
The tour kicked off yesterday in Brisbane and makes its way to Melbourne today and then Sydney on 18 February.
Visit USA Expos are a major interactive roadshow designed to help to educate the Australian travel industry to be more confident in selling the USA to their client base.
There will be entertainment at each expo as well as prize giveaways on the night.
Meanwhile, helloworld Mackay & Mt Pleasant are gearing up for their annual Travel Expo on 21 February at the Mackay Entertainment and Convention Centre.
The expo is designed to provide customers with the information they need for their next getaway including local, domestic and international holidays.
There’s also the chance to speak with industry experts and attend 24 detailed travel seminars.
Based on the success of previous expos, the locally owned and operated business has been approached by many leisure and lifestyle businesses, to join the event. The event has been renamed to represent the new and improved offering – with “Travel & Lifestyle Expo Sale” being the official name of the event.
7. CLOSING SOON: NTIA nominations
There are only three days left to get your nominations in for this year’s AFTA National Travel Industry Awards.
AFTA will stop taking forms from 5.00pm on 20 February 2015.
There are three nomination forms used in the NTIA process – one form for the travel agent to nominate a supplier and another for a supplier to nominate a travel agent in the various categories.
The third form is for the Emirates Travel Consultant Scholarship, which is a self nomination application.
Nominations will only be accepted via an online form and each nomination will be verified prior to proceeding to the voting stage of the award process.
Click here for more information on how to select your industry favourites.
8. A taste of Tahiti
Bora Bora – Tahiti Tourisme Regional Director Robert Thompson are Tahiti Travel Connection staff L-R: Lea Granado, Product and Marketing Manager; Camilla MacInnes, Business Development Manager; Emilie Genton, Tahiti Travel Specialist; Robert Thompson; Tina Heyer, Sales Manager; Cassandra Nee, Tahiti Travel Specialist; Brad McDonnell, Managing Director; Goran Dragicevic, Tahiti Travel Specialist.
Australian Tahiti specialists were whisked off to paradise, to experience the islands they represent.
Hosted by Tahiti Travel Connection (TTC), the five-day famil saw the group travel to Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora.
During their stay, they enjoyed a canoe and dolphin excursion in the beautiful lagoon near Le Meridien Tahiti and a quintessential Bora Bora lagoon tour including snorkelling with stingrays and a motu picnic, followed by a cocktail party.
The group also experienced a night out at Tahiti’s popular food trucks, les roulottes, and visited a range of stunning properties in Moorea and Bora Bora.
The trip, attended by TTC’s entire staff, was organised as part of a hands-on training initiative.
9. Airport pax greeted with a flash mob
Just when you thought the flashmob phase was over, employees at Jackson Airport in Mississippi welcomed guests with a spontaneous (yet prepared) dance performance.
The flash mob greeted guests arriving for a flight on Friday.
Check out the dance above.
Yesterday KarryOn shared a viral video of a group of students filling in time during flight delays with a choreographed dance routine to Beyonce’s ‘Flawless’.
The best part of the dance was that it was performed on the travelator.
If you haven’t already, click here to check it out.
10. Frustrated traveller gets naked at airport
Taking it a little too far or the best solution?
There was no modesty at Pulkovo Airport in Russia this week, when a man decided that he’d strip off all his clothes to ensure he didn’t set off the metal detector.
As he headed towards the security area the man nonchalantly started removing his shoes and then his belt.
But it didn’t stop there. He then whipped off his trousers (taking any under garments with them) and then went for his shirt.
Placing them all in the bucket, he then casually walked through the metal detector.
As he passed he made eye contact with security, who just stood by and watched.
The man then picked up his items and walked off.
Ummm what the?
