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. She’s here! Go onboard P&O’s Britannia
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth officially named the vessel.
Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh made their way to Southampton yesterday to officially name P&O Cruises’ new flagship, Britannia.
In a glittering ceremony, Queen Elizabeth II used her gloved hand to push a button that dropped a bottle of British Wiston Estate Brut NV against the hull of the 3,600-passenger cruise ship.
It’s the second time Her Majesty has named a P&O ship, and her fifth vessel overall.
2. Agents urged to value their customers
Travel agents are being advised to offer unique and highly personalised service to their clients in order to increase their earning potential.
Kirsten Hughes, Travel Counsellors’ Commercial Director made the statement at the company’s annual conference held in Canberra last week.
During her speech she told agents that they need to master three areas in order to increase their earnings.
3. Are you one of Visit USA’s quiz winners?
Congratulations to Kathy Wilson from MTA in Brisbane; Lauren Perrow from Escape Travel Bendigo; and Sydney-based Leslie Jennings from helloworld for winning this year’s Visit USA questionnaire.
Visit USA National Expos were held last month in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.
The three lucky winners had the most correct answers to the 20 question Disney Parks and Resorts quiz, which was based on presentations given by suppliers.
And what did they win? They each won three nights’ accommodation at the Disneyland Hotel and two four-day Park Hopper Passes courtesy of Disney Parks and Resorts.
Congratulations (take us with you)!
4. Sydney lights to woo Japanese visitors
The bright lights of Vivid Sydney 2015 is key to the second phase of Destination NSW and Qantas’ joint campaign to drive more tourism from Japan into Sydney and Regional NSW.
Major events such as the Vivid light show in Sydney will be at the centre of the campaign, which will run from 1 April to 30 June 2015 in print and digital advertising platforms.
The campaign will also promote Regional NSW including the Blue Mountains, Port Stephens and the Hunter Valley.
Destination NSW’s Sandra Chipchase said tourism to Regional NSW is a top priority.
“We are very proud of this innovative campaign with Qantas, and are confident the promotion of the new Qantas service will help drive visitation to Sydney and Regional NSW and encourage Japanese visitors to experience Australia’s number one State.”
Sandra Chipchase, Destination NSW CEO
The campaign is part of a $30 million three-year partnership with Qantas, which was announced in April 2013.
5. Wake up with Today on Queen Victoria
While Kochie and Sam move their breakfast stage to Hawaii, the Today Show’s Lisa Wilkinson and Karl Stefanovic will head out to sea.
The popular breakfast duo will broadcast their entire show live from the decks of Cunard’s Queen Victoria during her visit to Sydney tomorrow.
The two will be onboard as she sails from Circular Quay to anchor at Athol Buoy in time for the historic early morning Royal Rendezvous with sister ship Queen Mary 2 – the first time the two Queens have met in Sydney
Live broadcast is part of a week-long Australian celebration in conjunction with Tourism Australia.
The breakfast broadcast will be the start of a big day for Cunard in Sydney with a photo exhibition marking the line’s 175th anniversary launching at the Opera House and a spectacular send off for Queen Mary 2 at 9pm with fireworks lighting up the night sky as she sails by Queen Victoria on her way to circumnavigate New Zealand for the second time.
6. First eco-lodge for Wilsons Prom
Wilsons Prom in Victoria will receive a new four-star eco-resort to accommodate visitors looking for alternatives to camping, caravans and huts.
Located at the entrance to the Prom, the Lodge will be the first ‘comfort in nature’ accommodation of its kind servicing the area.
Initially the property will feature forty luxury accommodation units, a restaurant and a central lodge.
Eco-architects, EME Designs, have designed the Prom Wilderness Lodge to optimise sustainability, comfort and scenery, creating a tranquil retreat nestled amongst 250 acres of indigenous forest and coastal wetlands, all in just two and a half hours drive from Melbourne.
Known for its pristine wilderness, temperate rainforests and hidden beaches, Wilsons Prom attracted nearly 400,000 visitors per year.
Announcement of the new lodge coincides with growth in the wilderness tourism sector and the Victorian government’s recent commitment to regional tourism development.
7. New agreement to drive tourism around the world
The World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and AVIAREPS signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote international tourism to destinations around the world that are in need to destination marketing assistance.
The groups haven’t revealed which destinations the agreement will support. KarryOn is awaiting comment.
UNWTO’s Secretary-General Taleb Rifai said the two groups look forward to supporting destinations and improving their international presence.
“Through these actions we aim to make a positive difference with tourism providing tangible results for people on the ground.”
Michael Gaebler, AVIAREPS Chairman and CEO
8. Pics from PTMs’ deliciously, cultural Peruvian famil
Julie Lunn, Kerrin Poupos, Alexa Petherick, Julianne Gazal-Rizk, Manuela Nielsen (Prom Peru), Karen Doyle, Kirsty Whittaker, Claire Kilcullen, Deborah Davies and Nagiba Nagpal (Lan Airlines) discover the city of Cuzco, Sacsayhuaman.
Eight personal travel managers were invited to experience the best of Peru on a ten-day exclusive famil organised by LAN Airlines and PromPeru.
Participating on the trip were Victoria-based Julie Lunn, Kerrin Poupos, Karen Doyle and Claire Kilcullen; New South Wales representatives Julianne Gazal Rizk, Alexa Petherick; Deborah Davies from Queensland; and Kirsty Whittaker from Tasmania.
With Peru offering over 5000 years of history, it stands to reason the first stop on the famil agenda was a visit to the ruins of Pachacamac, the most important pre-Inca religious center on the Peruvian coast.
9. A potential clue to finding MH370
Earlier this week, officials said they were practically blind in the search for the missing aircraft, but now a towelette that has washed up on a WA beach could be a clue to finding flight MH370.
A report released by investigators over the weekend revealed the battery on an underwater locator beacon had run out more than a year before the aircraft disappeared.
The find indicated that the searchers have even less of a chance of finding the plane without the locator.
That was until a couple found a small Malaysia Airlines towelette on a beach in Cervantes.
Handed into local police and the unopened towelette is now undergoing tests in Canberra to determine if it came from the Boeing 777.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau said they’re not sure what tests will find and stressed the towelette has no ‘unique identifier’ that would connect it to the missing plane.
This week, families of passengers onboard MH370 commemorated the one year anniversary since the plane went missing during a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.
10. Don’t strip in public: Thai’s new tourism message
Chinese travellers are back under the spotlight after the Thai government released plans to create a two-minute video educating them on the do’s and dont’s of travelling.
The video comes after an image of a woman topless in the toilets at Don Mueang airport in Bangkok went viral across social media.
Although Thailand is known for its bright colours and people, it has a strict ban on public nudity. This rule extends to taking clothes off in the public bathrooms.
The woman in the picture is believed to have been Chinese – although this is yet confirmed.
Originally posted to the Facebook page of CSI LA, it was accompanied with the comment: Chinese tourists are terrible! I saw a group of Chinese tourists stripping in the ladies’ room. Some were topless, some bottomless. So disgraceful!
A spokesperson for the airport confirmed the incident took place but stressed Chinese tourists in Thailand are relatively ‘well-behaved’.
However, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports has decided a message needs to be sent to tourists to ensure they’re following local laws.
The video will be posted to tourism websites and blogs in the coming weeks.
Need to Know Extra: IHG’s Formula partnership
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) signed multi-year partnership between its industry leading loyalty programme, IHG Rewards Club, and the Mahindra Racing Formula E Team.
Formula E is the world’s first all-electric powered motor racing Championship consisting of a series of races known as ‘ePrix’ all held on city-centre street circuits.
The partnership will be officially launched at the inaugural Miami Formula ePrix on March 14th 2015, where IHG Rewards Club branding will be unveiled on the Mahindra Racing Formula E Team’s uniforms and cars raced by Bruno Senna and Karun Chandhok.
As part of the strategic partnership, IHG will also become the preferred hotel partner of Mahindra Racing Formula E Team worldwide.
The partnership will offer IHG Rewards Club’s valued members various levels of access to the Mahindra Racing Formula E Team and its drivers, both at ePrix and other exclusive member events, in some of the world’s most exciting cities from Miami to Beijing and London.
This latest enhancement is in addition to the other existing industry leading benefits of IHG Rewards Club such as, Reward Nights with no blackout dates and access to a wide selection of offerings in the new global redemption catalogue.
The partnership also gives IHG Rewards Club members more opportunity to share rewarding experiences such as these, with their family and friends.
