Skill up on all you need to know with bite sized travel news designed specifically to help you, the Travel Agent, be your best.
1. YOU’RE INVITED: Aloha Down Under Workshops 2017
Travel Agents are invited to register for the 2017 Aloha Down Under Workshops, Hawaii Tourism’s dedicated Hawaii roadshow.
Running from 7-9 August across Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, the event will feature a number of Hawaiian festivities such as food, entertainment and prizes. There’ll also be the chance to gain valuable destination knowledge from 26 industry partners from Hawaii ranging from airline to attraction suppliers.
Click here to check out the full list of suppliers, or click here to register.
2. itravel welcomes its first link affiliate
itravel has welcomed its first Link affiliate in Port Douglas. Nannette Gledhill at Red Skies Travel is excited to be promoting her own brand.
“I’m loving my new lease on life. Being a Link affiliate I really do get to run my business my own way. itravel makes me competitive with the bigger players and I’ve got one-on-one support if I need it. It’s the best of both worlds,” says Nannette.
itravel has dubbed its Link affiliate model as ‘Friends With Benefits’. MD Steve Labroski says, “We are small enough to know our network on a personal level but big enough to provide a competitive package for mobiles, affiliates and franchisees.”
3. Air NZ touches down at Sunshine Coast Airport for 2017 season
The first 2017 non-stop Auckland–Sunshine Coast Air New Zealand flight touched down on last week at Sunshine Coast Airport, bringing the first of thousands of visitors for the season from across the Tasman.
In its sixth year of operation, services will be available to and from the Sunshine Coast up to four times per week until October 29, 2017.
New Zealand is the number one international visitor market for the Sunshine Coast, with a total of 66,000 New Zealanders visiting the Sunshine Coast in the year ending March 2017, a 5.5 percent increase on the previous year.
4. Cathay Pacific adds 5th service to Adelaide
Supporting the growth in tourism to Adelaide, Cathay Pacific will re-commence its fifth weekly service to South Australia on 5 July 2017. The additional flight will see the airline increase its capacity on the route by 25 percent and brings the weekly number of seats to 2,500.
Richard Jones, Sales and Marketing Manager of Cathay Pacific Airways Australia, said: “For over 20 years, Cathay Pacific has served passengers travelling between Adelaide and Hong Kong, and beyond to over 170 destinations worldwide. We’re delighted to expand our Adelaide services, showing our dedication to the region and our continued commitment to supporting the growth in tourism.”
“It’s a great time for South Australians to be travelling, whether they want to capture a glimpse of the forever evolving skyline of Hong Kong, experience the culinary delights of Asia or explore the wonders of Europe, our fifth flight offers our passengers more choice and flexibility.”
5. Solomon Airlines partners with Air Kiribati for new Brisbane service
Solomon Airlines and Air Kiribati have announced the commencement of a new service linking Brisbane with Tarawa via Honiara commencing 30 August 2017.
The new service, which will operate ex-Brisbane every Wednesday and ex-Tarawa every Thursday, has been scheduled to depart Brisbane at 11.00am to arrive in the Solomons at 3.15pm and then travel onward at 4.15pm to arrive in Tarawa at 8.00pm.
The return flight will depart Tarawa at 10.00am to arrive in Honiara at 11.45am and then travel onward at 1.00pm to arrive in Brisbane at 3.15pm.
Welcoming the commencement of the service, Solomon Airlines’ CEO, Brett Gebers underlined the importance of the aviation partnership as a catalyst for both nations’ economic development.
6. 8% commission when you book a Peruvian foodie tour
Travel Agents will earn eight percent commission when they book their clients on Experiential Traveller’s new Peru tour focusing on the country’s gastronomy.
Guided by globally acclaimed food blogger, Lorraine Elliot a.k.a. Not Quite Nigella, this 14-day itinerary is packed with highlights including stays at luxurious boutique hotels, a visit to Machu Picchu and a series of signature dining experiences at selected top restaurants including Central and Maido (currently ranked the 5th and 8th on San Pellegrino’s World’s Best Restaurants).
The crème de la crème of the itinerary, however, lie in the money-can’t-buy experiences. They include exclusive VIP access to the Mistura Food Festival Opening Day Event (Latin America’s largest food festival) to meet Peru’s best chefs and taste the best dishes the country has to offer; a private dinner in one of Lima’s historic colonial mansions, Casa Aliaga; and an exclusive cooking class at the private residence of a leading local chef.
The tour is priced from $10,995 per person twin share, the package includes private transfers, internal flights, a personal tour concierge for the small group of 10, 13 nights’ accommodation in luxurious boutique hotels and more.
Click here for more information.
7. Viking Cruises releases 2019 Egypt departures
Due to overwhelming demand for their new ship Viking Ra and for Egypt as a cruise destination, Viking Cruises has opened its 2019 Egypt sailing season early.
The move comes as the cruise line’s 2018 Egypt departures reach near capacity.
Some 40 departures will be available in 2019 from January to May and August to December, including the 12-day Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary, during which guests will experience Egypt’s cultural treasures across seven ports.
The itinerary begins with a three-night stay at a first-class hotel in Cairo, where guests visit iconic sites such as the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Citadel of Saladin and Mosque of Muhammad Ali. Guests will then fly to Luxor, where they will board Viking Ra for a seven-day roundtrip sailing on the Nile River to Aswan. The journey concludes with a flight back to Cairo for a final night in this historic city.
8. 2018 trips at 2017 prices through Contiki
For those that are dreaming about a summer in the Mediterranean or Baltic seas, Contiki is offering Europe Summer 2018 trips at 2017 prices PLUS an additional 10 percent discount.
The Europe Summer Preview deal gives travellers an unrivalled saving across a range of product, catering to every type of wonderluster – Discover, High Energy, In-Depth Explorer, Easy Pace or Sailing & Cruise. This offer is available on select seven day or more itineraries, departing 28 March 2018 – 29 October 2018.
With a variety of trips to choose from across five travel styles, Contiki travellers have the opportunity to explore the culture, food and adventures of some of Europe’s most sought after destinations. Just think what your clients could do with the money saved! Preview offers are live now on Contiki.com until 5 September 2017.
9. 10% off Globus’ American & European tours
Globus is celebrated the launch of its 2018 Americas and Europe programs with an earlybird discount of 10 percent on its tours.
The offer is valid on new bookings made before 12 September 2017 from the 2018 brochures including the Globus North America, Cosmos North America, Globus & Cosmos South America, Globus & Cosmos Europe Preview, Globus & Cosmos Religious and Globus and Cosmos Europe Preview.
New to Globus in 2018 is the 17-day Western Canada Explorer from Vancouver to Victoria; the seven-day Seattle, Victoria & Vancouver tour; as well as the seven-day Music Cities: Nashville & Memphis trip.
10. $50 per night for a La Dolce Vita break
Your clients can see Venice in a different light on their very on Le Boat. The historic Venice awaits with its subtle charm on a Dolce Vita Long Break canal boat hire. Leave the busy waters of the big city behind in favour of quiet seaside villages, seabirds and sand dunes, quaint shops and osterias (café/bars). This 14-night itinerary takes in a selection of towns and villages including the following.
Prices start at just $3,885 for 14 nights for eight people, which is less than $50 per night per person including your accommodation, and your transport.
Also included are linens, a boat handling demonstration, technical support, on board cruising information and locks. This price is for the 13.5 metre Minuetto canal bloat for October 2017. Prices vary per boat and per month.
11. A&K’s Philanthropy expands biking enterprises into Jordan
Abercrombie & Kent Philanthropy (AKP) has launched a large scale presence in Jordan with the arrival of two shipping containers full of bikes. Jordan is the fourth country to benefit from a biking enterprise, with shops previously established in Zambia, Botswana and Tanzania.
Rather than establishing full-fledged shops selling bikes, AKP is working with partners to establish seven different bike rental businesses in Jordan, located in prime and emerging tourism destinations around the country. Each of the new ventures will be managed by young Jordanian entrepreneurs who will receive training tailored for the bike rental business, including tour guiding, guest safety and security, route identification, marketing and promotion of their new businesses. Staff from the Abercrombie & Kent (A&K) Jordan office are among the professional resources being made available to these young entrepreneurs.
A&K travellers will have the opportunity to experience a bike tour at any of the project locations, especially in Madaba, a town where 90 percent of all A&K tours to Jordan stop.
With three to four jobs created by each bike rental business, the two containers of bikes are projected to create between 21 and 28 new jobs and enrich the tourism profile of Jordan as a biking destination along the way.