Flavour of the week

Have you noticed a shortage of car parks and biro pens in your office lately? These new hires could be to blame.

Ormina Tours continues to strengthen their in-country presence

Team Photo

Ormina Tours has hit the ground running in 2019 as the company continues to grow rapidly. Highly regarded as the experts in luxury and FIT travel across Europe, with a key focus on Italy, Ormina Tours has continued to solidify their in-country presence with the employment of a new Product Manager based in Italy.

Having worked in the travel industry for more than 25 years, Sonia Speroni brings a wealth of European expertise to the team and will ensure that Ormina continues to offer their clients the best itineraries, prices, services and insights for travellers.

Enabling Ormina to stay ahead of industry trends, her local knowledge will allow for the development of more bespoke travel services, especially across Italy.

U.S. Travel Association Welcomes Destination DC President and CEO Elliott L. Ferguson II as new National Chair

Elliott Ferguson July 2017 Headhsot-Horizontal

The U.S. Travel Association has announced the election of Elliott L. Ferguson II, president and CEO of Destination DC, as its new National Chair. Ferguson, who served on the board for seven years, succeeds Wyndham Hotels and Resorts’ president and CEO Geoff Ballotti.

As national chair of U.S. Travel, Ferguson will guide the board and association’s efforts to:

Make clear travel’s vital benefits to the economy and people of the US;
Champion policies and pursue partnerships to expand domestic travel; and
Advance policy reforms that drive growth in international travel to the United States.

Top travel PR man passes

Veteran travel industry public relations consultant David Ellis passed away in his sleep at his Southern Highlands home at Burradoo last Friday evening.

He was a former journalist who joined the ABC in 1959 to begin a 20-year career as a reporter, correspondent in Papua New Guinea for several years and editorial executive before establishing David Ellis Associates in 1979.

He represented numerous overseas and local travel groups until his semi-retirement in 2012, when he continued his old craft as a freelance travel and wine writer for a variety of newspapers and magazines across Australia.

For many years he looked after the media interests of groups such as the Tahiti Tourism Board, Anaheim Visitors Bureau, Finnair, Berlin Convention Centre, Vanuatu Tourism and a variety of Aussie agencies; and at his passing was keeping his hand in as PR for the luxurious Sea Dream Yacht Club.

Ellis was 79. He leaves his wife of 55 years, Gwenda, a son Bradley (deceased 2011), Steven, a noted archaeologist in the U.S., daughter Kimberley and eight grandchildren.

Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced shortly for Thursday, March 14, 3.00pm at South Chapel, Woronora Cemetery and Crematorium, Sutherland.

New General Manager appointed for Sunshine Coast’s Mary Valley Rattler

David Thompson, Mary Valley Rattler

The Mary Valley Rattler Railway Company is delighted to announce today it has appointed a new General Manager, David Thompson, to oversee operations at the popular Gympie-based tourism attraction.

Mary Valley Rattler Chairman Ian McNicol said Mr Thompson, formerly the long-time General Manager at the Sunshine Coast’s Aussie World theme park one hour south of the heritage rail experience, will start in the role on Monday 4^th of March 2019.

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industry appointments