News in Brief: Tuesday September 2
‘Sidetember’, the national campaign to raise awareness and funds for brain injury, kicked off on Monday, encouraging Australia’s travel industry to get behind the various fundraising activities.
The campaign provides a number of ways for people to get involved, from growing sideburns for the month, wearing the official jewellery, or doing ‘something on the side’ such as holding a morning tea or participating in sporting or family events throughout the month.
Sidetember co-founder and director Stuart Matthewman said few people realise that acquired brain injury actually affects up to one in 12 Australians, with many people having an ‘it won’t happen to me’ attitude.
“The results of 2013’s Sidetember fundraising assisted Brain Injury NSW in hosting a respite camp for 35 people in early August,” Matthewman said, encouraging people in the travel industry and beyond to rally behind the cause in 2014.
Sasy n Savy has teamed up with Dubai Tourism to offer a Luxe Pamper Lounge experience in conjunction with Dubai Tourism at the Luxurious Travel Show in Sydney.
The Pamper Lounge will have an Arabian theme with large sofas, ottomans, relaxing music and cocktails, as well as a range of Sasy n Savy products for everyone to use and therapists on hand to offer ten minute treatments.
The event will be held at Pier 3 and 4 at Hickson Road Walsh Bay from September 1 to 3.
Hong Kong-based Shangri-La International Hotel Management has unveiled a new brand of hotel today, known as Hotel Jen, which caters to a market of independently minded business and leisure travellers.
The brand launch expects to take off quickly, with ten Hotel Jens opening in major cities in Asia Pacific by March 2015, and the first property, Hotel Jen Orchardgateway, opening in Singapore on September 15.
Tigerair is gearing up for Father’s Day by offering a two for one ticket sale, available until midnight on Wednesday September 3.
The offer extends across the airline’s network, including Adelaide to Melbourne, Gold Coast to Sydney, and Melbourne to Hobart, with prices starting from $49 for two people travelling each way.
The Telekom National Tourism Forum (NTF) was held recently at Heritage Park Hotel in Honiara, marking the biggest tourism conference in the Solomon Islands over the last three years.
Officially opened by the Minister for Culture & Tourism the Honorary Samuel Manetoali and attended by more than 200 delegates, the event focused on the tourism challenges facing the Solomon Islands as it moves into the future.
The forum involved a series of presentations, a Q&A session and intensive workshops, and despite an overall successful event, several contentious issues, including accommodation supply and the development of international cruise market potential and regional air access yet to be resolved.
Queenstown’s jet boat Shotover Jet has once again been rated amongst the best in the world for tourism experiences, with CNN recently publishing an article listing the top 19 most amazing travel experiences in the world.
Shotover Jet was the only New Zealand activity to make the global list, with the 85km per hour ride topping the charts amongst other experiences such as swimming with blue whales, sledding in Antarctica and renting Richard Branson’s private island.
P&O Cruises has revealed that its three ships Aurora, Arcadia and Oriana will sail a total of 90,000 nautical miles and visit more than 20 countries as part of its World Cruising’s 2016 World Journeys Program.
The three special voyages around the globe include the adults-only 115-night roundtrip voyage on-board Arcadia, stopping at destinations such as Salvador, Santiago, Papua New Guinea and South Korea, the 114-night world cruise aboard Aurora, from Southampton to Sydney, Malaysia and Hawaii, and the 50-night cruise on Oriana taking in the best of the Caribbean and America.
Prices range from $6449 per person to $22,949 per person, with the cruises on sale from September 10.
The Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) Sydney office has launched its annual E-learning Workshop ‘Extraordinary Japan’ for travel agents.
The online training program consists of a few short modules that ensure consultants become experts in Japanese products and experiences, allowing them to sell Japan confidently.
To celebrate, Jetstar is giving one lucky travel agent the opportunity to win two return economy tickets from Melbourne to Tokyo, with agents eligible if they complete the program by 5pm on Friday October 17.
Tucan Travel has released three new Budget Expeditions group tours to India and Nepal, with the trips building on a range of tours already operating in the area.
The Budget Expeditions tours are designed for the younger traveller between the ages of 18 and 35, with travellers able to pick and choose activities to do, with the tours including accommodation, transport and tour leader.
Rocky Mountaineer has announced the addition of Julie Rogers to the APAC Sales Team in the role of group sales manager.
The role has been created to accommodate the company’s vast growth in the APAC market, with Rogers to focus on growing group sales as well as maintaining relationships in the industry.
Four Points by Sheraton Perth has announced that the multi-million dollar refurbishment of the hotel’s guest rooms and public areas is now complete, including the latest addition of new bar and dining venue The Best Brew Bar & Kitchen.
Since entering the Perth market in 2012, the property has transformed the hotel, with all 278 guest rooms and suites reflecting an interior design inspired by Western Australian landscapes, and featuring Wi-Fi access, a large walk-in shower and a work desk.
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
Latest 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.