The Big Fat Agent Wrap

Destination NSW - Mercedes Fashion Week Media Call

Tuesday is Latin for one less day away from the weekend.

Ok, not really, but you can understand our sentiments.

The long weekend and the short week is far behind us, and it’s tough to stick it out for another full week. But our Agent Wrap is set to perk you right back up.

Go forth and prosper, agents!

Sydney is all about the fashion

Destination NSW - Mercedes Fashion Week Media Call

Destination NSW – Mercedes Fashion Week Media Call

Sydney will be the global destination for the fashion industry’s first Fashion Week dedicated to showcasing Resort Collections, with a new strategic vision for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia (MBFWA) announced today, that sees the event shift to May in 2016.

Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events Stuart Ayres said the NSW Government, through its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW, has worked closely with IMG, owner and promoter of Australia’s premier fashion trade event, to deliver the new strategy which further reinforces Sydney as a global fashion capital.

“The world’s most influential buyers and media travel to Sydney for Fashion Week Australia and the event promotes both the NSW fashion industry and our harbour city to audiences worldwide. It is a boon for both trade and tourism,” Ayres added.

 

Vietnam travel to surge

Combining natural beauty, rich cultural experiences and a wealth of history, Vietnam is a major growth destination for Australian tourists with visitor numbers soaring over the past two years, and McLachlan Tours reporting a 600% spike in travel bookings to the region. With 2016 marking the 50th anniversary commemoration of the Battle of Long Tan, Mr Peter Smith, General Manager of McLachlan Tours, anticipates a surge in travel by Australians to Vietnam wishing to retrace the steps of Anzacs – providing a major opportunity for travel agents.

As the preferred battlefield tour supplier to Australia’s leading travel agency groups, Mat McLachlan Battlefield Tours is committed to supporting agents in coordinating their own group tours to coincide with the anniversary of Long Tan (August 2016), offering a travel protection guarantee for all group tours.

Agents interested in coordinating their own group tours to coincide with the 50th Anniversary Commemoration of Long Tan (August 2016) are invited to contact Mat McLachlan Battlefield Tours on (phone): 1300 880 340.

 

What’s on at World Journeys?

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World Journeys have Stay/Pay deals on the Elewana Collection of luxury safari lodges and camps in Kenya and Tanzania.  Stay 4/Pay 3, Stay 6/Pay 4 or Stay 10/Pay 7 deals (Park fees are still payable) are available at top safari camps including Elsa’s Kopje, Joy’s Camp, and Elephant Pepper Camp in Kenya, which are featured in World Journeys’ 11-day Adamson’s Footsteps itinerary.

World Journeys also have 2 for 1 deals, when staying 7 nights, at AfroChic and Kilindi, both boutique beach hotels in Kenya and Tanzania. Both deals are valid on new bookings only until the end of May 2016, when booked and deposited by 30 November 2015.

World Journeys are also offering free return flights to the Galapagos Islands from mainland Ecuador for all new bookings of any duration departing before 31 December 2015 aboard cruises of the MV Santa Cruz, Yacht Isabela II or the Yacht La Pinta.

Offer available on all sailings in 2015, of any duration. Expeditions on La Pinta start from $3,900 per person share twin.

 

Collette partners with Save the Children

Collette is partnering with Save the Children to help in the largest refugee crisis which has occurred since World War II.

The Collette Cares Foundation has donated over $22,000 to this cause and is also running a campaign to match all donations up to $5,000 on a one to one basis.

Refugee children are frightened, homeless and many have witnessed unspeakable horrors. Collette is encouraging its employees and members of its travel community to dig deep and help those affected by this crisis.

All donations will go to Collette’s partner organisation Save the Children, who is working on the ground across Europe and the Middle East to provide food, clean water, clothing, infant care and psychosocial aid to those who need it most.

Collette’s one to one match campaign will run through to October 20, 2015. If you’d like to donate and participate in our matching campaign, please visit www.collettefoundation.org and click on the ‘Get Involved’ tab.

 

Score incentives with some Spice

Raja Ampat

Coral Expeditions, Australia’s pioneering expedition cruises, is offering agents additional AU$200 cash per client booked on the Spice Islands Expedition during the 2016 season.

This 12 night voyage through some of the most intriguing parts of the world has guests embarking the state-of-the-art Australian-flagged 72 passenger Coral Discoverer in Darwin.

A highlight is an in-depth exploration of the famous Raja Ampat islands. Home for over 75% of the world’s total coral and fish species, Raja Ampat’s pristine and brightly coloured reef systems offer perhaps the very best snorkelling and diving in the world today.

 

Global Achievers 2015 about to kick off!

The countdown is almost over for 170 of Australia’s top travel agents attending Qantas Holidays’ prestigious annual Global Achievers Gala Event to be held in Darwin this year October 16-18.

Global Achievers is Qantas Holidays’ preeminent annual industry reward recognition program for Qantas Holidays, Viva! Holidays and their associated brands Rail Tickets, Ready Rooms for Agents, the Cruise Team and Insider Journeys.

This year the Qantas Holidays team has joined forces with Tourism NT and Qantas Airways to reward agents with an adventurous trip discovering the culture and history of Darwin and the best of the Australian outback.

For agents participating in one of the pre Global Achiever famils, the excitement will begin on Tuesday October 13.

For the first time in Global Achievers history, 20 top sellers of The Cruise Team brand will be attending the celebrations and the new category of “International Cruise Consultant of the Year” will be introduced at the 2015 award ceremony.

Other Award categories include the 500 Club, individual state winners, Domestic Consultant of the Year, and the International Consultant of the Year for 2015.

 

Industry long-timer releases book

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After sixteen years in business, Zoe Sparks knows a thing or two about what makes small business tick and what’s involved to enduring longevity and success.

Her passion for small business, women in business and reward and recognition is extraordinary, and after years of people asking her to mentor or share her tips, Zoe has finally decided to put them all into a book – ‘Strive & Thrive’ – to share her knowledge and expertise with all that may be interested.

Writing a book to share her tips on business success was a natural progression and ‘Strive & Thrive’ covers business fundamentals and gives tips, advice, thoughts and suggestions on all areas of Vision & Leadership, Marketing, Customer Service, Sales, Administration, People/Staff.

 

Holiday the Samoan way

Keegan Milford of Bayfair Flight Centre in Tauranga, New Zealand has won an eight-night holiday in Samoa after completing the South Pacific Specialist program.

The eight-night’s holiday includes a two night’s stay at Sinalei Reef Resort, Aga Reef Resort, Return to Paradise and Coconut Beach Resort and Spa. Transfers and a tour will be provided by Samoa Scenic.

The European Union supported South Pacific Specialist program, implemented by the South Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) teamed up with the Samoa Tourism Authority (STA) to encourage travel agents to complete the online specialist program as well as to assist the STA to increase awareness on how to ‘Holiday the Samoan Way’.

 

InstaMeet you in Christchurch

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Christchurch and Canterbury Tourism (CCT) will be hosting the InstaMeet event, where photographers who use social media sharing platform Instagram gather to learn new skills and take photos of the area, alongside a line-up of some of the best instagrammers in the business.

The free to the public event will be held on Saturday 17 October in Kaikoura, and will include a question and answer session with the photographers, followed by a photoshoot at sunset.

Professional Instagrammers Lauren Bath, Jarrad Seng, Craig Parry and Jewels Lynch from Australia will be attending the meet, along with New Zealand based Young Adventuress, Bare Kiwi and the Stoked for the Saturday team. Collectively, the group have more than 1,000,000 followers over their social channels.

 

Camp & Care for kids with cancer

Camp Quality and BIG4 Holiday Parks are returning with their annual Camp & Care charity event on Saturday 7 November to help raise awareness of and funds for the more than 600 children aged 0-13 years old – the real ‘hidden heroes’ – who are diagnosed with cancer each year in Australia.

By partnering with BIG4 Holiday Parks, children’s cancer charity Camp Quality aims to take another step closer in achieving their goal of helping every child in Australia living with cancer.

Campers are invited to come dressed as their favourite superhero to help raise vital funds while enjoying a variety of super activities, games, and entertainment under the stars with friends and family at more than 90 participating BIG4 Holiday Parks across Australia. For $20, campers can book a powered site, with all funds raised going directly to Camp Quality.

 

Africa Showcase returns to Aus

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The Africa Showcase returns to Australia in November this year bringing an impressive line-up of over 20 African suppliers to meet with the Australian travel trade.  South Africa-based organisers, On Show Solutions have again partnered with South African Tourism and South African Airways to present a busy trade evening filled with meetings, networking and travel prizes.

Registrations will close shortly for the Africa Showcase in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth.

The Africa Showcase is designed for travel specialists who book holidays to Africa, to discover new hotels and safari products and learn the latest trends to increase sales.

The roadshow is designed to be educational and entertaining; the trade evenings provide travel sellers with an opportunity for personalised meetings with the finest products from Southern and East Africa, incorporating offers from 15 African countries.

The dates for Africa Showcase 2015 in Australia are:

  • Sydney, 18 November 2015
  • Brisbane, 19 November 2015
  • Melbourne, 23 November 2015
  • Perth, 25 November 2015

For more info and how to register, please contact Lauren Jansma on lauren@luxurytravelmanagement.com.

 

Can’t beat that view!

Book a client on a selected 2016 journey on the world famous Rocky Mountaineer and give them a chance to receive up to $800 per couple in added value to help you tailor make the perfect holiday but you must secure the booking by October 30, with packages now available through International Rail.

This credit can be used towards a variety of products such as pre and post accommodation, meal plans, extra activities or towards a pre or post Rockies Alaskan cruise itinerary.

International Rail offers a variety of Rocky Mountaineer packages such as the popular Canadian Rockies Highlights Tour, which can be done in SilverLeaf or GoldLeaf service.

For more details on all packages visit: http://www.agent.internationalrail.com.au.

 

 

Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

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