News in Brief: Thursday May 16
Singapore Airlines' South West Pacific load factor dipped 4.3 percentage points in April t0 79.4%, with the airline attributing the decline to the shift in Easter holidays to March as compared to April last year.
The carrier experienced an overall dip in load factor of 1.9 percentage points as capacity increases of 3.2% outpaced passenger traffic rises of 1.1%. It carried 1.52 million passengers for the month.
Etihad flew its inaugural Abu Dhabi-Amsterdam service yesterday with the flight also carrying the KL code of its Dutch codeshare partner KLM.
The new codeshare service is the latest step in the strategic partnership between the two carriers that began in October.
Travel Counsellors has revealed its consultants have seen an average increase of 14% in comission over the first four months of 2013 compared with the previous corresponding period.
Cruise Lines International Association Australasia has closed reservations for this year's Cruise3sixty conference with almost 40 Australian and New Zealand travel agents set to attend.
The event takes place in Vancouver between June 19 and 23 with CLIA general manager Brett Jardine saying it will help participating agents grow their sales.
"There are lots of lessons that can be learned from the US given that it's a far more mature cruise market," he said. "The knowledge and experience gained from events such as cruise3sixty will help savvy agents grow their cruise business here."
Cruise line True North has relaunched its website with a freshened design and a range of technological enhancements in cluding interactive video content and mobile-optimisation.
The new site can be found at www.northstarcruises.com.au.
Serviced apartment firm, Ascott, has appointed Lee Chee Koon as its new chief executive, effective June 1.
He replaces Ching Kee Hiong who has resigned to "pursue other opportunities".
Analysis of 2012 Sydney hotel bookings from Lastminute.com.au reveals that although business travel is still in full swing during June and July, the months offered the lowest average hotel room night costs compared to the rest of the year.
A four-to-five star hotel was on average $201 per night in July and $212 in June, compared to $256 per night in March and November 2012 respectively – representing a saving of up to $55 per night on average.
Japan's ski fields will be on show next week as the Japan National Tourism Orgnsation participates in the annual Snow Travel Expos in Melbourne on May 19 and Sydney on May 26.
The three main ski regions of Hokkaido, Nagano & Niigata and Tohoku, will be represented at the events by local tourism boards, resorts, accommodation properties and travel companies.
Tempo Holidays is offering free return flights from Quito to the Galapagos when booking voyages aboard the Santa Cruz, La Pinta and Isabella II ships by June 30.
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
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