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. ‘Fire upper management’
Shoppers are calling for grocery giant, Woolworths, to ‘fire upper management’ and revoke the decision to terminate its partnership with Qantas Frequent Flyer after eight years.
Over the weekend, Woolworths confirmed a new $500 million customer loyalty program which excludes Qantas Frequent Flyer in favour of rewarding shoppers with ‘Woolworths Dollars’ – points that can be used on food and liquor discounts.
To compensate for removing people’s chances of shopping their way up to free flights, the new program offers a higher earn rate or discount of 1.25 percent compared to the current 0.42 percent.
2. Australian missing in Canadian boat accident
A 27-year-old Australian man is missing and feared dead after a whale-watching boat sank near Vancouver Island yesterday.
The Sydney-based traveller was with his girlfriend and her family in Canada when the vessel started to sink off the Canadian coast, Sky News reported.
He is the only passenger out of 27 still unaccounted for.
3. Tempo Holidays returns to…
Image: Facebook/Iran Tourism
Tempo Holidays has become the latest tour operator to announce it’s taking its guests to experience the amazing culture and delicious flavours of Iran.
The tour operator revealed this week it would return to the often destination after a five-year hiatus.
The announcement comes as other operators launch or return to the country, including APT which added Iran’s capital, Tehran, to a brand new Jewels of Persia itinerary.
4. Farewell Dawn Princess, hello Pacific Explorer
It happens once, maybe twice and sometimes even three times in every cruise ship’s life – they’re transferred to a new line and receive a complete identity makeover.
As part of the makeover, their insides are completely ripped out and replaced, their livery repainted and they’re given a new name.
It’s happening to Holland America’s Ryndam and Statendam as I type this, they are both being converted into P&O’s Pacific Aria and Pacific Eden.
5. How travel agents can capitalise on sports
Major sporting events are a huge money maker for travel agents thanks to increased demand and subsequent higher hotel rates and airfares.
Prior to the event fans are willing to spend whatever necessary to ensure they’re able to cheer on their faves in person.
But did you know travel agents can still make a profit from these sporting ‘stans’ while the games are taking place?
6. $20 million renovations for Bacara Resort & Spa
The 358-room, Bacara Resort & Spa will undergo a $20 million makeover to receive a number of changes including a Foley wine tasting room, a new coffee bar, a refreshed seaside restaurant, an upgraded poolside bar, as well as an extensive guestroom renovation while still honouring the resort’s signature Spanish Colonial look and feel.
Guestroom renovations include stylish four poster platform beds, iPad minis with a Bacara branded mobile app for ordering hotel services, and four-fixture marble bathrooms with deep soaking baths.
The new guestrooms will further complement the resort’s sustainability program, using automated lighting and climate controls to aid energy conservation, donated bed and bath linens repurposed into medical bandages by Direct Relief (one of the largest natural disaster relief organisations in the world), and new entertainment systems allowing in-room collateral to go digital whereby saving paper.
During the renovation process, more than $150,000 worth of the previous guestroom furnishings was donated to Habitat for Humanity, Catholic Charities, Hands and Feet and other local organizations.
7. P&O to Fraser Island
P&O Cruises will make its first calls to Fraser Island next year, during two itineraries.
Pacific Aria and Pacific Eden will make the visits to the island on 3 April and 12 December.
The first two Fraser Island cruises will be on the 1500-guest Pacific Aria on a roundtrip itinerary from Brisbane in April and on the 1500-guest Pacific Eden on a roundtrip cruise from Sydney in December.
Both cruises are being conducted in conjunction with the world renowned Kingfisher Bay Resort which offers a range of eco-friendly four wheel drive tours of the island along its beaches and 1500km of tracks.
8. Vanuatu film premiers in Sydney
Vanuatu Tourism invited a group of wholesalers to the movies over the weekend for the Sydney premiere of ‘Tanna’, a movie filmed entirely in Vanuatu.
The film, a romantic tale, was made in close collaboration with the people from the Kastom village of Yakel to showcase their land’s beauty and unique culture.
Wholesalers were treated to a live dance performance before the screening and an insightful Q&A session with the Vanuatu cast and Australian film makers Martin Butler and Bentley Dean afterwards.
‘Tanna’ will open in Sydney (Dendy Newtown), Melbourne (Cinema Nova and Sun Theatre) and Brisbane (Regal Twin Boutique Art-House Cinema, Graceville) from 5 November.
Pictured [L-R]: Paul Forbes – Air Vanuatu; main character ‘Dain’ from the film; and Anne Morris – Vanuatu Tourism Office, Australia.
9. APT delivers the Kimberley to agents
APT sent one of its more experienced drivers across the country to deliver first-hand knowledge to agents about the company’s outback touring options.
Driving one of APT’s custom built 13-tonne Mercedes 4WD coaches, Kimberley and Outback Wilderness Adventures (KOWA) Tour Operations Manager, Jane has driven from Darwin via the Red Centre and Great Ocean Road to Melbourne, covering thousands of kilometres in the process.
Jane’s journey has been punctuated with stops at APT’s consumer travel expos, the APT head office in Melbourne and also at travel agencies along the way to demonstrate the specially designed vehicle to prospective guests considering a trip with the award winner travel operator to the Outback.
“As well as being on hand to answer questions, Jane has been able to take them on board our vehicle to demonstrate that as well as experiencing our exciting itineraries, they will also travel the Outback in style too.”
Rob Tandy, APT Kimberley and Outback Wilderness Adventures General Manager
Pictured at APT’s head office in Melbourne [L-R]: Erin Nicholas, Kayla Dehaan, Jane Ballantyne, Michelle Lester Smith, Nick Davies, Carley Browncombe, Ashley Cooper and Tuesday Carruthers; and kneeling Angela Lee and Rob Tandy.
10. A baby is coming
A baby was close to being born while flying from Paris to North Carolina this month when the mother went into premature labour.
According to reports, she started experiencing contractions on the American Airlines A330-200.
An on board doctor was able to administer medical attention, however, the pilot made an emergency landing in Dublin where she was taken to Rotunda Hospital.
It’s unclear if she gave birth at the hospital or en-route.
