Keep up to date with all the latest famils and agent deals with our handy agent wrap! It’s the best way to kick off your weekend, paired with a sneaky wine.

Mega Friends with Benefits Incentive: Win a private tour for you and three mates! 

GRAND PRIZE WINNER: Paul Bayyouk from Helloworld Forestville 

Alison Watts, Business Manager NSW, Helloworld; Shoots the Panda, Wendy Wu Tours; Paul Bayyouk, Helloworld Forestville; Lisa Farrugia, BDM New South Wales, Wendy Wu Tours, and Tamba Lebbie, National Sales Manager, Wendy Wu Tours.

One lucky agent has won the ultimate gift of mega happiness – a MEGA PRIVATE HOLIDAY TO ASIA, VALUED AT UP TO $12,000.

Paul Bayyouk from Helloworld Forestville will now choose 3 friends and head off on a private tour to India, Vietnam, Cambodia or China.

On awarding this incentive prize to Paul, Tamba said: “I’m so happy to welcome Paul and three of his friends to experience Asia personally, on behalf of Wendy Wu Tours. The four private tours that he can choose from for his prize are an exciting example of our Tailormade product suite, something that more and more agents are taking advantage of.”

To date in 2018, Wendy Wu Tours has awarded travel agents over $40,000 in incentives, as well as over $10,000 in Bambu Club rewards.

There is still one week left to take advantage of any last minute 2018 bookings in Wendy Wu Tour’s Mega Asia Sale. Agents can book online in only 2 minutes and earn Bambu Points with every booking.
For further information about Bambu Rewards, or any of the Wendy Wu Tours suite of products, see your Business Development Manager.

Flight Centre agents fly to Kuala Lumpur on relaunched Malaysia Airlines route

To celebrate the relaunch of flights from Brisbane, Malaysia Airlines hosted a group of Flight Centre agents on a trip to Kuala Lumpur.

The group stayed at Berjaya Times Square Hotel for two nights while enjoying the sights of the Malaysian capital.

Pictured at the Hotel’s Central Park Swimming Pool during the inspection are: Aaron Willis, Robert Caldwell, Chelsea-Lee Small, Storm Clark, Jacinta Mullins, Brodie Lewis, Abigail Hubbard, Alicia Laker and Gabrielle Dorman, along with Calvin Lim, Director Business Development – Berjaya Times Square Hotel.

The group enjoyed seeing the latest room developments, along with the new Club Lounge before sitting down to a seasonal buffet spread at the Big Apple Restaurant.

Globus family of brands rewards its superstar sellers

Globus family of brands continues to celebrate the ongoing support and success of their trade partners by hosting their 30 top-selling AU/NZ agents at the annual 2018 Supertour – this year in stunning Croatia.

The delighted agents have returned to Australia this week following the stellar tour having experienced an itinerary that included historical sightseeing, nature, adventure activities as well as local and traditional cuisine.

Highlights of the Supertour itinerary included exploring the natural beauty of Plitvice National Park, where agents discovered its famous lakes, waterfalls and forests; donned the apron for a traditional Croatian cooking class; and ventured south to the spectacular Konavle Valley where they indulged in traditional wine, olive, and liqueur tastings.

The group was also lucky enough to visit nearby Slovenia to take in the sights of Ljubljana and discover the picturesque surrounds of Lake Bled, Predjama Castle and Postojna Caves, before being treated to delicious local coffee and Kremsnita cake.

Following three final relaxing days at their private beach resort in Dubrovnik, the tour ended on a high with the agents attending a special gala dinner. Agents were gifted with beautiful masks and whisked to Dubrovnik’s Old Town for a masquerade ball inside the 16th century built Revelin Fortress – the culmination of an outstanding year.

Agents enticed by these tales of the Supertour can earn their place on the 2019 trip by selling any of the Globus family of brands products including Globus coach tours, Cosmos value-based coach tours, Avalon Waterways river cruises and Monograms independent travel packages.

Bunnik Tours Sri Lanka Famil

Bunnik Tours, Australia’s Small Group Touring specialists, recently hosted a famil to Sri Lanka on 7 June 2018, where 16 lucky travel professionals spent 7 days exploring beautiful Sri Lanka the ‘Bunnik Way’.

Starting in Negombo, the group climbed Sigiriya, also known as ‘Lion Rock’, and were rewarded for their efforts with a deliciously refreshing King Coconut. They also made a visit to the Minneriya National Park and enjoyed an elephant safari by jeep.

On their way to Kandy they stopped at a local village to learn some of the many ways the resourceful locals use coconuts, from extracting the coconut water and flesh to making ropes from the husks. They were also treated to facials and massages at a spice plantation in Matale before finally arriving in Kandy, where they enjoyed a city tour, traditional dances, dressing up in Batik sarees and, of course, some beautiful Sri Lankan cuisine.

The famil concluded in Colombo, where they enjoyed guided tour of the city. In the afternoon they explored Gangarama Temple before enjoying a group farewell dinner.

City Sights, Spectacular Food and Stunning Scenery on TravelManagers’ Exclusive Famil

A team of six personal travel managers (PTM) who qualified for a famil in Northern California spent six memorable days exploring the highlights of Sonoma County, Yosemite National Park and San Francisco.

The famil, which was exclusive to TravelManagers and hosted by the tourism boards of Yosemite/Mariposa County, Sonoma County and San Francisco, was the culmination of a sales incentive that rewarded six PTMs as high achievers either for Qantas ticket sales or accommodation bookings via roomsXML in each of the three destinations featured on the famil.

Lyndy Burston, representative for Werribee, VIC, was among the qualifying PTMs, and says the trip was her first visit to San Francisco in twenty years.

“It definitely refreshed my appreciation for San Francisco,” explains Burton, “and as I had never been to either Sonoma County or Yosemite National Park, I can now confidently sell all three Northern California destinations to my clients and tailor-make itineraries with activities and experiences to suit.”

Rounding out the group were four more PTMs from around Australia: Merran Anderson (representative for Mitchelton, QLD), Debbie McLean (representative for Narrandera, NSW), Ally Casey (representative for Long Jetty, NSW), and Kerry Reading (representative for Wahroonga, NSW).

All the PTMs mentioned the local food experiences as another highlight of their time in Northern California: “the food on the whole trip was fabulous, but particularly in Sonoma County,” Burston says.  “The food and wine experiences this county has to offer are definitely a secret which needs to be shared!”

TravelManagers’ Executive General Manager, Michael Gazal, says the famil is another example of the close partnership the company enjoys with its partner suppliers and tourism industry representative offices – in this case Qantas Airways and Gate 7, the marketing and public relations agency representing all three destinations to the Australian market.

“Having worked hard to earn a coveted spot on the famil, our PTMs are focused on soaking up as much in-depth knowledge as possible from the moment they step on the plane.  Our business partners are able to provide them with experiences and opportunities that our PTMs wouldn’t necessarily be able to access on their own.”

MTA Members bear up on Rocky Mountaineer study tour

Pictured  cosying up to one of Alberta’s better- known tourist attractions, the crystal bear which greets travellers reaching the top of Banff’s world-famous mountain gondola ride, MTA – Mobile Travel Agents Members Wanita Thompson and Michelle Brown.

The pair visited Banff as part of a Rocky Mountaineer learning experience travelling on board the world-famous train’s first departure of the year from Vancouver to Calgary via Kamloops with a Rocky Mountains helicopter tour included in their overall itinerary.

Contiki launches brand new agent site 

The wait is over, Contiki have launched their brand spanking new agent website and it’s about to make your life a whole lot easier. With a totally new and streamlined design you’ll find accessing trips, content and tools a total breeze. We’ve improved the search function, making it easier to find trips with searchability of region, dates and price. You can even add more filters on the results page to include deals and travel styles so it’s easy to find the perfect fit for your client.

Once you’ve found the ultimate trip, sharing and printing itineraries is simple thanks to our new and improved PDF layouts plus you can easily view and manage your bookings. Enjoy all the new features including easy access to deals and incentives plus marketing tips and tools for you to use.

Head to the new site and have a play, if you need any further help, we’ve put together a cheat sheet and user guide so you can get around all the great new features.

Your First Look of Trafalgar’s Europe & Britain 2019 Trips

Trafalgar is continuing its commitment to always put #AgentsFirst, as it unveils its exclusive new concept, First Look. After a sell-out past two seasons, this agent-focused initiative enables industry partners to offer their clients an exclusive First Look to book and save 10% on 2019 Europe & Britain guided holidays.

With first access to the trip your client wants from the 104 strong entire Europe & Britain portfolio, for when they want to travel, and with the guarantee that there will be no more to pay if the price increases (and that clients will reimbursed if the trip cost decreases), there’s every reason to plan ahead and secure that summer spot as soon as possible.

From shopping with a local chef and cooking up a storm in his kitchen in Tuscany, to family fun following in the footsteps of the boy wizard with a visit to platform 9 ¾ and uncovering the magic of a medieval castle in Britain, there has never been a better time to lock in next year’s trip and live The Good Life whilst enjoying the excitement of the European summer.

With a 10% early bird saving across every trip** for clients that pay in full by 31 January 2019 and the greatest selection of guided holidays available, right now is simply the best time for clients to book ahead and ensure they secure their preferred spot for summer 2019.

Go here for more. 

Agents celebrate Carnival Cruise line’s biggest program launch with hole in one 

This week, travel agents from Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne had a ball celebrating Carnival’s 2020 program launch with a whole lot of putt-putting FUN at Holey Moley venues across the three cities.

The 2020 program will see Carnival offer a record number of cruises from Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne on Carnival Spirit and Carnival Splendor, with 77 sailings to the South Pacific, New Zealand and Australia.

Highlights of the 2020 program include:

• The first full year of sailings for Carnival Splendor, Australia’s newest and largest ship home ported year-round in Australia, sailing from Sydney
• Following the news that Carnival Spirit will become the brand’s first-ever ship to home port in Brisbane in 2020, Queenslanders will benefit from unique itineraries including 7-day cruises to the tropical wonderlands of Espiritu Santo, Mystery Island and Noumea
• In yet another first for the brand, the new program also boasts a record number of 28 short cruises, giving Aussies and Kiwis the chance to sample all of the fun that Carnival has to offer, in five days or less

Sailings from Sydney and Melbourne will open for sale in Polar in July, with Brisbane to follow.

TTC weekly deals 

INSIGHT VACATIONS

Amazing Spain & Portugal

Insight Vacations presents its PREVIEW of 2019 European trips. NOW is the BEST time to Book to get this trip at the lowest price offered for 2019 travel, including the 10% Early Payment Discount. Book your travellers on Insight Vacations 9 Day Amazing Spain & Portugal travel itinerary and allow them to delve beneath the surface of these two amazing countries. They’ll get the chance to sample their signature dishes, share their culture and marvel the legacy of their rich sea-faring history through Madrid, Granada, Seville, Lisbon and Salamanca. Starting from $2,768* per person. This offer is on sale from now until the 9^th of September 2018 for select departure dates between April and October 2019, until sold out. For more information or to book call 1300 727 767 or visit www.insightvacations.com *Conditions Apply.

ADVENTURE WORLD TRAVEL

Antarctica XXI Express Air-Cruise

Save up to $2110 per person when you book select trips with Adventure World Travel. Leaving from Ushuaia, the ANTARCTICA XXI takes you through the Beagle Channel and to legendary Cape Horn on Adventure World Travel’s 6 day Antartica XXI Express Air-Cruise. Cross the mythical waters of the Drake Passage and explore one of the most spectacular places on earth, the coldest, highest, windiest, driest and most inhospitable continent – Antarctica. Starting from $5,475* per person twin share. This offer is on sale now until the 30^th of September 2018 for select departure dates between the 29^th of November 2019 and the 16^th of January 2020. For more information or to book call 1300 363 055 or visit www.adventureworld.com *Conditions Apply.

TRAFALGAR

European Highlights

Guarantee your clients 10% early bird saving on all Europe and Britain holidays when you book early with Trafalgar. From the White Cliffs of Dover to the lush Burgundy vineyards of France, delve into the mesmerising landscapes of Europe on Trafalgar’s 7 day European Highlights. Guests will explore Amsterdam from its labyrinthine canals, soak up Lucerne’s fresh Alpine air, and say bienvenue to the sophistication and splendour of Paris. Starting from $2,385* per person. This offer is on sale until the 10^th of September 2018 for departure on the 15^th & 22^nd of April 2019. For more information or to book call 1800 787 878 or visit www.trafalgar.com *Conditions Apply.

UNIWORLD

Castles Along the Rhine

Fly Free to Europe in 2019 with Uniworld. Cruise along the Rhine with Germany on one side and France on the other on Uniworld’s 8 day Castles Along the Rhine luxury river cruise from Basel to Amsterdam through Strasbourg, Mannheim, Koblenz and Cologne. Discover Alsace, whose dual French and German heritage has given it fabulous food and a winemaking tradition that goes back to the Romans. Marvel at castles that were once mighty fortresses and get an insider’s look at one of the only castles on the Rhine that has never been destroyed, Marksburg Castle. Starting from $7,099 (including free flights) per person, 8 days of an all-inclusive cruise in a French Balcony stateroom, including captivating escorted excursions, services of an experienced Uniworld Cruise Manager and more! This offer is on sale now until the 30^th of June 2018 for departure on the 24^th of March 2019. Other departures available, prices may vary. For more information or to book call 1300 780 231 or visit www.uniworld.com *Conditions Apply.

AAT KINGS

New Zealand Magic

Save your clients 7.5% when they choose to Discover New Zealand with AAT Kings on the 17 day New Zealand Magic travel itinerary. Guests will journey across patchwork plains, over shimmering blue waters, through mist-shrouded forests and along roads hand carved into sheer mountainsides. A trip through glorious New Zealand features almost every type of natural landscape imaginable, as your clients make their way to Auckland in the North Island from Christchurch in the South Island. Starting from $4871* (including discount) per person. This offer is on sale from now until the 3^rd of July 2018 for departure between the 1^st of October 2018 and 30^th of September 2019. For more information or to book call 1300 556 100 or visit www.aatkings.com *Conditions Apply.

CONTIKI

PROST! 15% off Oktoberfest!

Be part of the biggest beer festival in the world; Munich’s much anticipated Oktoberfest. Think 7.5 million litres of Munich brew, approximately 500,000 roast chickens, 120,000 pork sausages and 6 million festival go-ers including you and your Contiki crew. Get 15% off select Oktoberfest festival trips with Contiki when you book before 10^th July 2018. If your clients are looking for an excuse to a traditional Lederhosen or dirndl and celebrate at the biggest folk festival of them all, Germany’s Oktoberfest will give them so much more than they can imagine. Parties, pork, playgrounds of amusement rides, this is festival like no other. Travellers will crash out each night in the comfort of a hostel & save their pennies on a flight by hitching a ride with Contiki from London on the 7-day Oktoberfest (hostel) festival trip, start and ending in London – Priced from $850 (including discount). Travel to Oktoberfest with Contiki for more than just a festival experience. This offer is on sale from now until the 10^th of July 2018 for departure on the 20^th of September 2018 (other hostel and camping departures available for an alternate price). For more information or to book call 1300 266 845 or visit www.contiki.com *Conditions Apply.

BUSABOUT:

La Dolce Vita

Save on Busabout’s 11 day La Dolce Vita trip. Was $1399. Now $1189! La dolce vita is ‘the sweet life’. It means drinking wine with beautiful people, falling in love with art, eating lots of ice creams, and living life to the fullest. Your clients can do all this and more with Busabout as they travel through Germany, Italy & Switzerland and visit Munich, Rome, Florence, Lucca, Pisa, Lake Como and Lauterbrunnen. On this journey, they can embrace this idyllic lifestyle, ponder over the ancient gods in the stunning piazzas of Rome and Florence, hike and drool over the beautiful vistas of Lake Como and Lauterbrunnen, and stuff their belly with sausages and beer in mighty Munich. This is a trip where you’ll learn how to live ‘la dolce vita’. Starting from $1,189* per person. This offer is on sale now until the 30^th of June 2018 for departure on the 1^st & 23^rd of September 2018. For more information or to book contact http://www.busabout.com or call 1300 287 226.