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. It’s official, Brisbane is getting a major makeover
After months of negotiations, Echo Entertainment has received the green light to completely upgrade parts of Brisbane’s CBD.
The announcement comes seven months after both the Echo Entertainment Group and James Packer’s Crown Resorts put forth individual proposals to change the city’s waterfront and make it a more appealing tourism destination.
As part of the win, Echo will redevelop state-owned land located between the Brisbane River and George Street and between Alice and Queen Streets.
2. Global Achievers will fly to the Top End
Qantas Holidays’ Global Achievers will be rewarded for all their hard work this year with a trip to one of Australia’s most picturesque destinations, the NT.
The wholesaler will take top Australian travel consultants to the state in October for the annual reward and recognition trip.
The Global Achievers program celebrates the contributions for helloworld’s wholesale brands, incorporating Qantas Holidays, Viva! Holidays, Rail Tickets, Ready Rooms for Agents, the Cruise Team and Travel Indochina.
3. Did Crystal just become the first cruise airline?
First airline operator Virgin announced it was crossing over to the cruise sector with Virgin Cruises and now Crystal Cruises has unveiled plans to take off out of the water and into the skies.
The cruise line announced it will undergo a major brand expansion to enter new areas of cruising (river and yacht) and become the first luxury cruise line to own its very own Dreamliner.
The announcement comes as more holidaymakers book cross over trips combining river and ocean cruises into a single itinerary.
4. Creative Holidays launches website 2.2
As part of its ongoing commitment to make travel simple, Creative Holidays has rolled out version 2.2 of its agent booking engine.
Updates in the new version include improved search functionality; simplified guest/passenger number input; and on request hotels.
Managing Director, James Gaskell, said changes come after listening to agent partners and honing in on their specific needs.
“These enhancements make it even simpler for agents to search and book the thousands of hotels, wholesale and retail airfares, packages, transfers and incredible experiences now on offer through Creative Holidays, while being rewarded with great commission.”
James Gaskell, Creative Holidays Managing Director
Click here to check out the site.
5. KLM works with aircraft AHEAD of their time
There’s no doubt that over the next 40 years the look and feel of aircraft will change, but exactly how much of our beloved planes will alter?
Some engineers predict travellers will soon fly in triple-decker aircraft that can carry up to 800 people; others say planes will have retractable wings; and others predict they will be designed to fly on runways raised above cities and urban streets.
There are also some designers that say lavatories onboard will be even smaller and others suggest there’ll be a new seat configuration, which sees the middle passenger in each row flying backwards.
6. Scenic voted one of our most trusted brands
Scenic has been named one of Australia’s ‘most trusted cruise operators’ in Reader’s Digest 2015 Trusted Brands Survey, an independent annual survey which recognises the products and services most valued by Australian consumers.
The leading global luxury tour company was voted highly commended in the most trusted cruise operator category which makes Scenic the most trusted river cruise operator in Australia.
“After 29 years in the travel industry it’s wonderful to know that Australian consumers recognise our consistently high level of service.”
Michelle Black, Scenic GM Sales and Marketing
This is Scenic’s third award win of the year, after picking up ‘Best Cruise Company’ and ‘Best Tour Operator’ in Luxury Travel Magazine’s 2015 Gold List Awards in April.
7. US opens Cuban embassies
It’s good news for American travellers, but maybe not so good news for other Caribbean destinations as the US and Cuba take a step towards establishing a new commercial relationship.
The two governments announced overnight that they would reopen the US Embassy in Havana and the Cuban Embassy in Washington.
This comes after Cuba’s Tourism Ministry reported a 36 percent increase in visitors from the US alone during the first half of this year compared to the same period 2014.
American Airlines welcomed the reopening of embassies, saying it is an ‘important step’ towards reestablishing air services between the destinations.
“American Airlines has operated charter flights to Cuba for nearly 25 years and we stand ready to begin scheduled service when it’s allowed.”
Doug Parker, American Airlines Chairman and CEO
Travel between Cuba and the US is taking off in the cruise sector, with two cruise lines recently receiving permission to cruise from Florida to Cuba.
Click here for more information.
8. Your chance to WIN a car
AccorHotels’ annual exhibition may have a new name and a new logo but one big thing remains the same, agents still have the chance to win a car.
Formerly known as World of Accor, AccorHotels Showcase will take place at Sofitel Sydney Wentworth on 4 August.
The annual event provides travel agents, wholesalers, corporate clients, tourism partners and MICE organisers the opportunity to discover AccorHotels accommodation trends, news and stunning resorts from across the world.
9. CLIA takes Cruise Week online
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Australasia has announced it’s taking this year’s Cruise Week to a new platform, with the popular consumer event to be promoted through a new interactive online magazine.
CLIA Australasia General Manager Brett Jardine said the new approach would make Cruise Week – to be held from September 7-14 – even more accessible to consumers and agents.
Mr Jardine said the e-zine would be supported by a dedicated marketing campaign featuring a mixture of EDMs and social media as well as banner advertisements and native advertising across popular mainstream sites such as the Women’s Weekly in Australia and New Zealand, Australian Gourmet Traveller, Cruise Critic, Trip Advisor and Fairfax media.
“People spend more time online today than they do reading the newspaper, watching TV or listening to the radio – so it makes good sense to take Cruise Week into the digital space.”
Brett Jardine, CLIA Australasia General Manager
Mr Jardine said while agents would still be encouraged to undertake traditional promotional activity such as film nights and window displays, they would also be able to promote Cruise Week by simply sending their customers an email with a link to the Cruise Week e-zine.
The e-zine’s content will include interviews with cruisers and celebrities about the appeal of cruising, coverage of different styles of cruising and destinations, as well as an overview of onboard product from dining to enrichment programs.
10. MTA agents score with Manchester City
Mobile Travel Agents co-managing directors, Karen and Roy Merricks scored a couple of personal goals when they met members of the Manchester City team at Cbus Stadium at Robina on the Gold Coast last week.
The MTA co-MD’s met the players while attending a function organised by Etihad Airways, the Manchester club’s major sponsor since 2009, at the Gold Coast stadium where the English Premier League team was in training for its clash with Melbourne Victory on the weekend.
Karen is pictured with several members of the team including skipper Vincent Kompany (on far right) and the club’s record breaking signing, Raheem Sterling (second from left).
Roy too had the opportunity for a one-on-one with Sterling who recently transferred from Liverpool FC to the ‘Sky Blues’ for a staggering £49 million (AUD130 million).
NTK Extra: Abandoned airport could sell for $14,000
Image: BBC News
An abandoned airport in Spain is on the market and a group of investors are hoping to pick it up for $14,000, roughly 0.0009 percent of what it cost to build seven years ago.
A group of Asian and British investors from Tzaneen International put in the purchase bid for Ciudad Real Central Airport, but the offer was rejected because according to a commercial court, it was ‘too low’, News.com.au reported.
However, according to the investors, they were only ones bidding to purchase the abandoned gateway which is located roughly 200km south of Madrid.
In a statement from the group, they said they’d hoped to invest around $125 million into the abandoned site and turn it into a hub for Chinese imported gods.
But if they want the property that bad they’ll have to look at forking out a little extra, because the commercial court in Ciudad Real has set a $40 million euros minimum price for the airport, despite it having been abandoned for nearly three years.
