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. Arriba! Flight Centre sets up in Mexico
Flight Centre Group (FLT) has announced it is expanding into Latin America – one of the fastest growing travel markets – with a preliminary agreement to acquire a corporate travel business in Mexico.
The non-binding agreement was revealed today and is still subject to further work and approval by the FLT board. However, FLT expects the deal will be complete within the next few months.
Flight Centre has not revealed how much the acquisition will cost, however, expects the business to contribute a small profit to FLT’s 2015/16 results.
2. Air India tweaks Australian flights
Air India has made minor changes to its Australian services as a means of cutting back on financial losses.
Revealed this week, the airline will replace its Delhi-Sydney-Melbourne triangular flight with four times weekly direct flights to Sydney and three times weekly flights to Melbourne.
The change will kick in from 16 May and means the airline will no longer fly daily to both cities.
3. What the industry said about helloworld’s business Summit
Industry professionals from Australia got their thinking caps on and headed to Hong Kong over the weekend for the rebranded helloworld business Summit.
Held over Saturday and Sunday at the The Langham Place Hotel, the event – formerly known as the Corporate Symposium – invited delegates to delve into conversations around leadership and technology.
Attendees were also treated to world renowned speakers and a workshop selection.
4. How Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana will boost UK tourism
She may be less than a week old, but the young Princess and her slightly older brother are expected to be major draw cards for UK tourism, according to local leaders.
No pressure kids.
It’s common knowledge that with the royal title comes royal responsibility, but before she could even be named (which reminds me, how much do you love her name), UK’s tourism leaders have said Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana and Prince George will be responsible for a surge in visitors to the region, particularly the capital.
5. Month-long INCENTIVE with Rail Plus
Rail Plus is rewarding travel agents with a $20 gift voucher every time they book a Eurail Global or Eurail Select pass in May.
Agents will receive a $20 Coles Group and Myer Gift Card for every Eurail Global or Eurail Select pass booked and paid for during the month.
Rail Plus CEO James Dunne said that with Eurail Global and Eurail Select passes valid for six-months after the day they are issued, agents can take advantage of the new incentive to book passes now for customers travelling in Europe as late as November 2015.
Click here for more information.
6. Americans wake up Today with Sydney
If they didn’t have the desire to visit Sydney before Today, then they do now, as millions of Americans woke up to the Harbour City with NBC’s popular morning show.
The wake-up series, NBC Today, sent its Australian-born host, Savannah Guthrie, to Sydney this week, for a special live broadcast.
Savannah and her mother arrived at Sydney Airport on Sunday – over forty years since the two left Australia to relocate in the US.
7. Scenic whisks agents to Europe
The recently rebranded tour operator, Scenic, invited over 100 Australian and New Zealand travel agents and media for a week-lone famil aboard the company’s newly launched vessel, Scenic Jasper.
The famil started in Vienna with an Austrian Tourism Board hosted event at the famous Spanish Riding School then headed west via Durnstein to Melk, where guests could opt to cycle the 35km path along the river.
That evening the stunning Wachau Valley played host to Scenic Sundowners – Scenic’s exclusive cocktail reception to toast the day’s end.
Next stop was Linz, for an excursion to the mountain town of Salzburg before sailing back east to Vienna for a day of Scenic Freechoice activities including Schönbrunn Palace; Shop with a Chef at the local food markets; and a trip to the Slovakian capital of Bratislava.
The evening was spent at the beautiful Palais Liechtenstein for the hugely popular Scenic Enrich experience – a private classical concert playing the music of Mozart and Strauss.
Then onto the final stop, Budapest, where guests chose from a number of Scenic Freechoice activities throughout the city including exploring the fascinating Hospital in the Rock; a guided city tour; and a visit to the traditional steam baths.
This week-long cruise was part of a three week co-ordinated global famil trip which saw over 300 media and agents from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and North America sail aboard Scenic Jasper to celebrate its launch in Europe.
Click here for nine reason why Scenic Jasper will put you off cruising.
8. Hōkūleʻa heads to Australia
Hawaii is expanding its relationship with Australians, by sending its famous voyaging canoe Hōkūleʻa and her crew to Australia this month.
On her first voyage outside the familiar waters of the Pacific will see the vessel sail into Darling Harbour on 15 May.
Hōkūleʻa uses traditional Polynesian navigation techniques to sail – pushed by the wind navigating by the stars.
The journey is part of Hōkūleʻa’s 47,000 nautical-mile sail around the world to bring attention to the importance of protecting environmental and cultural treasures for future generations. The voyaging canoe, is a state treasure of HawaiʻI.
It will be based at Sydney’s National Maritime Museum until 23 May.
Visit KarryOn tomorrow for more information.
9. Zebra selfie!
Nothing quite compares to a selfie with a zebra.
The stripped animal got in on some camera action with a German tourist after coising up to him in his car.
The tourist was driving through a safari park in Germany when the animal popped in to say hello.
Matle Woestefeld said at first he was astonished but decided to take a series of pictures after realising the animal was friendly.
The 24-year-old managed to get a few shots in before the animal – even one with the zebra sticking his tongue out – pulled is head out.
10. Next gen luggage – it checks itself in
Imagine travelling internationally without having to drag your luggage or check it in.
Samsonite is reportedly currently working with Samsung to make this a reality with next generation luggage that not only moves on its own, but is capable of checking itself in.
The line of ‘smart suitcases’ would be equipped with GPS systems to give travellers real-time updates on their bags’ location.
It will also send an alert when it appears on the baggage carousel.
But that’s not the best part.
Ramesh Tainwala, the CEO of Samsonite said he also working with airlines including Emirates, Lufthansa and Air France, to develop a bag that could identify itself at the airport after being programmed with the owners’ travel information.
Then the bag would wheel itself over to the conveyor belt, while the passenger heads straight to security.
Sounds like a great idea, but we’re not sure how airport security will feel about passengers letting their luggage roam around airports on their own.
