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. Industry responds to Creative Holidays’ departure
It was a shock to many (including KarryOn) when Creative Holidays confirmed yesterday it would cease operations after more than 30 years in business.
In case you missed it: The Travel Corporation (TTC) revealed it will shut down its Creative Holidays brand from 31 December 2015.
The decision came after an ‘exhaustive review’ of the business, during which TTC Australia Chief Executive, John Veitch, said the company found Creative Holidays was operating in a ‘fiercely competitive’ environment and it was difficult for a mass generalist FIT independent wholesaler.
2. Travellers told to stay indoors as Beijing pollution rises
Image: Bloomberg Business
Aussie travellers holidaying in Beijing are being advised to stay in doors as much as possible over the next three days as smoke in the city reaches deadly levels.
Overnight, the Chinese government issued its first ever ‘red alert’ for pollution – the highest possible caution when it comes to air.
The alert is predicted to be in place for the next three days as severe smog hovers over the highly populated city.
3. Expedia TAAP rolls out book & hold functionality
Expedia TAAP is extending its trail of a new ‘deferred payment’ functionality, which will allow agents to hold a booking for a client and submit payment at a later date.
The system allows agents to guarantee rates up to 12 months in advance, with payment due a few days prior to travel.
Expedia tested the new offering with around 100 Australian agents in mid-November and received great response within a few days. The scope of the pilot is now being extended to a limited number of additional retailers.
4. OTAs jumping on the ancillaries
Online travel agencies are becoming a major player in the merchandising market, according to a new Amadeus study.
The tech company found that in the first three quarters of this year, there was an 85 percent increase in the amount of ancillaries being sold via travel agencies.
Pedro Espin, Associate Director for Merchandising and Personalisation at Amadeus, said the increase is being fuelled by passenger demand and by the additional content available airlines are making available through the GDS.
“The selling of merchandising is the first step that OTAs are taking in offering travellers great personalisation in their air bookings.”
Pedro Espin, Amadeus Associate Director for Merchandising and Personalisation
“This trend will benefit everyone: travellers, OTAs and airlines” he said.
5. Emirates adjusts Brisbane services
Emirates says it will temporarily pause its Brisbane and Singapore (EK432/EK433) services from 9 May to 29 September 2016 while routine construction takes place at Brisbane Airport.
According to the carrier, construction work will take place during its arrival and departure times.
Instead, during this period, Emirates will operate EK432 and EK433 as direct flights between Dubai and Brisbane on an Emirates 777-300ER aircraft. EK432 will depart Dubai at 02.45hrs and arrive in Brisbane at 22.30hrs, while EK433 will depart Brisbane at 05.00hrs and arrive in Dubai at 13.20hrs.
Emirates also operates a direct daily A380 service, EK434 and EK435, between Dubai and Brisbane. EK434 currently departs Dubai at 10.25hrs and arrives in Brisbane at 06.40hrs, while EK435 departs Brisbane at 20.45hrs and arrives in Dubai at 05.20hrs.
Emirates will resume services between Brisbane and Singapore and onwards to Dubai when the runway works are completed at the end of September.
6. Tigerair launches new service
Tigerair is officially flying between Melbourne and Coffs Harbour, with the first A320 flight taking off this morning.
The direct service adds 1,080 additional seats weekly to both destinations and is estimated to provide around $8 million a year to the Coffs Harbour region.
According to Tigerair Commercial Director Adam Rowe, new flights are part of the airline’s new phase of growth and act as a major drawcard for travelling families.
“We’re confident these new services will prove popular for Melburnians wanting to escape to a warmer and more temperate climate and also for Coffs residents wanting a break away or to visit friends and family down south.”
Adam Rowe, Tigerair Commercial Director
7. Carnival offers international cruising support
Carnival Cruise Line’s local team is expanding its services to Aussie agents, by providing support to those booking the cruise line’s international itineraries.
Commencing from 1 January 2016, the move will give consultants access to a central sales team, phone number and website domestic and international cruise queries and bookings.
Carnival Cruise Line Vice President Australia, Jennifer Vandekreeke, said since the line launched in Australia three years ago, it had focused on local operations, however, with the local team established it makes sense for the line to expand its support to internationally based ships.
Until 1 January 2016, agents will be able to continue using Travel the World (Carnival’s international GSA). After that existing and new international bookings should be directed to Carnival International’s trade only number 1300 857 037.
8. TravelManagers head to Alaska
One lucky Personal Travel Manager had the opportunity to witness Alaska’s startlingly beautiful nature during a recent famil hosted by Travel Alaska.
Darren Christensen, TravelManagers’ representative for Victoria’s Narre Warren South, took a 12-day journey to the USA’s largest and least populous state where he took in a non-stop buffet of breathtaking hotspots.
Highlights of his trip included the glacier landing on the continent’s highest mountain, Mt McKinley (Mt Denali) and cruising the Kenai Fiords.
Christensen said Alaska is full of ‘wow’ factors and experiencing them first-hand gave him a new passion for selling the destination.
“The passion I now have for selling Alaska as a destination could never be expressed without having experienced it personally.”
Darren Christensen, Personal Travel Manager
9. A beer or two at the German Christmas Markets
A group of agents experienced what Christmas is like in Germany during a recent famil.
The educational, organised by the German National Tourist Office, Lufthansa and Design Hotels took the group to some of Germany’s most vibrant cities before stopping by the annual Christmas Markets.
Among the cities on the itinerary included Cologne, Hamburg and Berlin.
The group stayed in exclusive Design Hotels properties throughout the trip, and visited beautifully decorated and romantic Christmas markets, enjoying plenty of traditional mulled wine and German Christmas treats.
The journey also included must-see sights such as the Cologne Cathedral, Hamburg’s Miniature Wonderland and of course the remains of the Berlin Wall – the East Side Gallery – and Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.
Click here to tag you or your friends on Facebook.
10. The worst places to pick up? Planes, obviously
While we love the idea of travelling next to a hot stranger, we couldn’t imagine anything worse than having to flirt when your hair is slowly deflating, makeup smudging, you’re feeling a little motion sickness and getting more and more exhausted by the mile.
A large number of other travellers seem to agree with us, because a new study found planes were the fifth worst place to hit on someone.
“They don’t want to talk to you, especially since there’s no chance to escape.”
Meetville, dating website
The least desirable place to flirt was a funeral followed by a job interview.
Hospital emergency rooms also made the top five along with gyms.
Have you ever been hit on while flying?
