“It’s an important conversation to have”: Crystal Australasia boss talks sustainability + MORE
Travel Weekly caught up with Crystal Australasia’s senior vice president and managing director, Karen Christensen, to talk about the cruise line’s approach to sustainability, its continued support of The Travel Awards, and more.
Why is Crystal Cruises continuing its support as principal sponsor of The Travel Awards?
Crystal was very proud to be the inaugural principal sponsor of The Travel Awards, and what a fantastic first year it was. These awards highlight an ever-growing and dynamic industry, which is the result of incredible work by travel agents, travel industry groups, tour operators, tourism boards and all those that make up Australia’s travel sector. Awards like these, decided by experts in the field and travel advisors who actively work alongside Australian travellers, are great to be a part of.
What is Crystal most looking forward to at this year’s awards?
We are most looking forward to celebrating our industry’s top-performing trade partners who are the backbone of this growing industry, as well as suppliers recognised across all aspects of this field.
Environmental sustainability has been a big talking point in the cruise space this year. How is Crystal improving its sustainability practices?
Yes, and it’s an important conversation to have. The world is precious, and Crystal is continually enhancing our environmental management systems to minimise and reduce environmental impact. Crystal’s commitment to complying, and in some regards exceeding, worldwide environmental regulations is key to our keeping ‘Crystal Clean’ mission. This covers areas including greenhouse gas reduction, fuel reduction programs, energy and water conservation, and recycling. Most recently, coinciding with World Oceans Day this year, Crystal announced that all plastic straws had been eliminated across the entire fleet. This initiative, part of our Crystal Cares program, ensures that we are continuing our focus of caring for our world in meaningful ways.
On a conservation level, Crystal recently announced a partnership with ORCA, a leading conservation organisation dedicated to the protection of whales, dolphins and porpoises. ORCA is placing wildlife experts on board Crystal Symphony at the end of this month to train Crystal’s bridge crew in the protocol for collecting scientific data about the animals’ behaviour as well as best conservation practices.
(Sustainability is the focus of this year’s Travel DAZE conference. Find out more here).
How is Crystal continuing to build its relationship with travel agents? How important are they to the company?
Crystal globally understands the importance of the luxury travel advisor community and has been heavily supportive of the trade. When we opened the office in Sydney, we had a big task of building the awareness of Crystal and the cruise line’s multiple experiences, from ocean and river to yacht and expedition. The travel advisor was an important part in this, as they can be great ambassadors for a brand that they have confidence in, and an established distribution channel. We’ve always asked, ‘how can we build your Crystal business and profits?’, and looked at the relationship as a true partnership. Our team of business development managers tailor sales and marketing plans with agents to drive this.
What does the future hold for the cruise industry and, in particular, Crystal?
The future for the industry is an exciting one – we have seen an incredible period of growth and Australian travellers especially have benefited from the amount of choice now available to them. For Crystal, this time next year, Crystal Endeavor will launch under the Crystal Expedition Cruises brand with her inaugural season in the Asia Pacific. From in-depth exploration of the Great Barrier Reef, to immersive New Zealand voyages, to Antarctica via the Ross Sea in early 2021, departing from Hobart and Christchurch.
Crystal is also currently finalising plans for the new ‘Diamond Class’ ships, which will elevate the company’s ocean offering with more choices and new experiences that will take luxury to the next level.
The Travel Awards are designed to celebrate wholesalers, destinations, airlines, tourism boards, cruise lines, retailers and the myriad of other companies that make the travel industry so amazing.
Judged by more than 50 of Australia’s most experienced travel industry alumni and experts from the marketing sector, 37 categories cover the full gamut of the travel industry.
We also have some new and updated categories this year, so be sure to review the criteria document closely before submitting your entry (or entries).
And, of course, the highly coveted Grand Prix Award will shine a light on one company making the biggest, most impressive splash in the industry.
Get cracking on your entry/entries now simply by clicking HERE! We’ve also provided a few handy tips on impressing the judges, which you can check out here.
This year, the Travel Awards will be held on Friday 29 November at The Venue Alexandria in Sydney, marking the perfect time to celebrate a year of hard work and to recharge your batteries for another year ahead.
Click HERE to secure your spot at the awards and take advantage of the early bird ticket special! The dress code for the sit-down-dinner affair is black tie.
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
the travel awards The Travel Awards 2019Latest 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.