Flavour of the Week
To us, impressive means being able to fit as much food in your mouth at one time, which we will demonstrate at lunch. But these industry guns are a different version of impressive. The classier kind.
New BDM for NSW North at DriveAway
DriveAway is pleased to announce the most recent appointment of Mike Hall as their new Business Development Manager for New South Wales North.
To accommodate for all our industry partners and to ensure that we get to visit all our agents, DriveAway has allocated two BDM’s for the NSW territory.
Blake Wiggins will continue to look after NSW South whilst Mike Hall will be the point of contact for NSW North.
Mike has been part of the DriveAway family for five years. He has spent time in a number of departments throughout his journey with DriveAway. He has completed a Bachelor of International Studies with Honours at the Western Sydney University which lead him to his passion to travel around the world. Mike has travelled to Asia, the Americas and Europe where he spent an extensive amount of time in France, Italy and Germany where he developed a distinct love for different cultures and exploring the unknown.
World-renowned designer appointed creative director of new Cunard ship
Luxury cruise company, Cunard is proud to announce that world-renowned designer, Adam D Tihany has been appointed Creative Director of its upcoming new ship.
Tihany will oversee the entire interior design process of the much-anticipated, but still unnamed ship, which will join the Cunard fleet in 2022.
Widely regarded as one of the world’s most talented designers, Tihany has made his name creating beautiful spaces for luxurious and iconic hotels, restaurants and resorts across the globe, including The Beverly Hills Hotel, Belmond Hotel Cipriani and The Oberoi New Delhi.
Qantas Vacations welcomes new President
Qantas Vacations and parent company Helloworld Travel Limited have today confirmed the appointment of Stephen Marshall to the role of President following the departure of Mark Punshon from Helloworld Travel’s USA Wholesale division, following 10 years of service with the brand.
Stephen Marshall brings with him an extensive international travel career most recently as Director of Sales and Marketing – North America at Diethelm Travel Group in Washington D.C.
His previous roles have included multiple positions within Tourism New Zealand, where he was Special Projects Manager and Premium Sector Trade Manager, both based in LA, and prior to that was General Manager for the New Zealand division of The AOT Group, also a Helloworld Travel Limited business.
Stephen’s career also includes Rydges Hotels & Resorts in Auckland as well as Tui, British Airways and Thomas Cook, all in the UK.
Outrigger Enterprises Group Appoints Scott Miyasato Senior Vice President and General Counsel
Outrigger Enterprises Group announced today that it has appointed Scott Miyasato as its senior vice president and general counsel, reporting to Outrigger Hotels and Resorts’ CEO Jeff Wagoner and serving as a member of the company’s executive team.
Miyasato will head Outrigger’s legal department and support the company by representing its interests in a diverse portfolio of legal matters, including commercial contracts, real estate transactions, labor and employment, compliance, intellectual property and litigation.
Miyasato comes to Outrigger from Hawaiian Airlines, where he served as its associate general counsel with a focus on commercial transactions – including Hawaiian’s expansion into new routes and aircraft types. Prior to Hawaiian Airlines, Miyasato spent more than 10 years with the local law firm Cades Schutte LLP and also served as general counsel for a medical device company.
New Director Appointed to the AFTA Board of Directors
The Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Grant Wilson to the AFTA Board of Directors.
In his capacity as Executive Manager with CT Partners, Grant will fill a casual vacancy on the Board and will stand for election at the 2019 AGM.
Ian Edwards, as General Manager of CT Partners will act as an alternate director to Grant Wilson.
AFTA continues to develop policies and advocate for many issues that impact upon travel agents in Australia and the Board remains totally committed to the ongoing successful future of travel agents for decades to come.
Grant will take up his position as a director with immediate effect and will join the Board at the next meeting scheduled for early December.
Noosa Food and Wine welcomes new festival director
The Noosa Food & Wine Festival team has expanded, welcoming new Festival Director, Sheridah Puttick.
Joining the festival team early last month, Sheridah is a seasoned professional with more than ten years’ experience in event management.
Sheridah was most recently the Program Executive at Regional Flavours Queensland for the 2018 event and prior to that, Project Manager at the Good Food & Wine Show, responsible for the event delivery nationally.
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
industry appointmentsLatest News
Collette goes off the beaten track with Canyon Country tour
To be clear TW is not advocating actually walking off the beaten track. Avoid the coyotes. Stay on the beaten track.
Intrepid & Korean Tourism Organisation team up to give agents a cooking masterclass
These guys learnt that Korean cooking is more than just putting kimchi on 2-minute noodles (as we once thought).
Winner, winner! Intrepid reveals the 9 lucky agents that won $2k
Who won the incentive? Which Intrepid trip will they spend it on? What day of the week is it again? Where am I? Huh?
Corporate Traveller reports 42% increase in Easter traffic this year
Business travellers just love Easter! Expect plenty of chocolate stained documents returning to the office on Tuesday.
Turbulent year wiped $384m off Qantas brand value: Report
Meanwhile, eating tuna at your desk can damage your own personal office brand value by several thousand dollars.
FAMIL: Room-Res & Singapore Tourism Board shows agents the Lion City’s roar
Click this article to see a man very impressed by a 20-layer chocolate cake. We're not kidding, he loved it!
Oceania Cruises offers sailors free pre-cruise hotel stay
Looking for ways to make your holidays as long as possible? Look no further.
Bonza launches new website to compliment app, agent portal
Does news about an airline's website fill you with ecstasy, glee and joy? Get your hit of the good stuff here.
MTA agents attends ‘Lunch ‘n’ Learn’ with AMA Waterways
When organising the event, Lunch 'n' Learn beat out Dinner 'n' Divulge and Breakfast 'n' Banter. Understandably so.
Travelmarvel reveals 2025 South America tours
If you spot any typos in the newsletter today it is because TW became distracted Googling images of Machu Picchu.
Tourists from 5 countries could be BANNED from visiting Australia
Anthony Albanese's immigration laws could impact tourism from certain countries.
Just how many passengers will Qantas & Jetstar hop around this Easter?
Airline workers are ready for gleeful Easter travellers! Also prepared for sticky children with chocolate on their face.
Air New Zealand gets ready for bumper Easter weekend
Air NZ gears up for travelling passengers this Easter, while TW looks to beat our egg eating record. 117 here we come!
Four Seasons Yachts reveals first itineraries to the Caribbean & Mediterranean
These trips look so good we wish there were five seasons! Alright, we'll see ourselves out...
FAMIL: Travellers Choice treats top agents to the wonders of Rotorua
This one's got plenty of famil pics and no one looks shockingly hungover in them! Clearly no TW staffers were there.
European Waterways celebrates 50th anniversary with week-long founders cruise
Plan on celebrating your 50th anniversary with a bottle of Moët and fairy bread? European Waterways has better ideas.
100th route! Jetstar celebrates the launch of Brisbane-Avalon with 12 hour sale
Jetstar knocks a ton and celebrates with a sale while TW once scored a ton and celebrated with about 17 beers.
Record-breaking year for NSW as visitor expenditure soars past $50 billion
Enjoy running round the Opera House? Be prepared to elbow even more tourists out the way.
Norwegian Cruise Line makes play for solo travellers
NCL ensuring you don't have to go trawling Tinder to find a cruise partner. Thank goodness, we were sick of catfishing.
Entire Travel Group’s Canada and Europe 2024/25 brochures are out now
Entire's new brochure is bittersweet; it both informs your clients and makes you envious of the holiday they'll take.
Malaysia Airlines adds 3 new destinations & A330neo seats
More seats means cheaper airfares and more money to spend on overpriced airport sandwiches. Woohoo!
Two divine days onboard Crystal Serenity
It's only pure serenity onboard this ship. Anxiety, agitation and anguish have been rejected by the bouncer.
How the Globus Family of Brands elevates coach touring: Travel Weekly TV with Chris Fundell
Chris' here so you don't think coaches mean peeling your thighs off a sticky leather seat every time you stand up!
The Flight Centre Foundation gears up for massive 2024 with 3 new board members
The foundation looks to invest $200k this year, spurring the TW journos to figure out how to qualify as a charity.
Barking Owl Communications to head up Anantara & Avani in ANZ
Fellow PR competitors had been barking up the wrong tree even thinking of bidding for this job!
Amex GBT to purchase CWT for $871m
It's big deals like this that get a firm handshake - hence the sore hands over at the CWT and Amex GBT offices.
1000MTG’s second global conference reminds agents to ‘strive and thrive’
Alongside messages to 'strive' and 'thrive' were those to 'survive', 'drive', 'arrive' and 'jive' (when appropriate).
Qantas A330 makes “loud bang”, pilots forced to shut down one engine
Qantas refusing to let Boeing have all the headlines in aviation world today!
GX Community Tourism Summit 2024 location revealed!
The new location has arrived and it'll blow your socks off! Time for another trip to Target for more socks then.
Visiting the destination my Mum didn’t want me to
Yet again, this journo has been a stress to his mother. Discover how this trip spurred his mother's anxiety here.
Agents come out of their shells at P&O’s turtle hatchery event
For some, it's a few glasses of bubbles to lure them out of their shell. For these agents, it was a bit more literal.
Boeing cleanout: CEO, chair to go as safety crisis plagues the manufacturer
CEOs are falling thick and fast these days. We should have started up a bingo game with their headshots in the office.
Virgin looks to swap MAX 10 order for MAX 8s amid Boeing delays: Reports
Virgin has changed its order for something smaller. Much like we have to at Maccas following a worrying doctor's visit.
Club Med unveils newest luxury yacht for 2024/25 early bird sale
This yacht is preserved for the early birds! Night Owls may also get onboard depending how late they stay up.
Abercrombie & Kent 2024 Asia Portfolio is here
Round up the family and get planning an Asia jaunt. Or, if they're hard to handle, brush them all and go it alone!
Elevate your earnings: Final days to secure double commission with Inspiring Vacations’ March offer
What could inspire you to sell more Inspiring Vacations? Double commission of course! That's all the inspiration needed.