News in Brief: Friday January 25

News in Brief: Friday January 25
By admin


The holiday island of Koh Samet has been added by New Horizon Holidays to its Thailand program. The newly-released brochure also features 30 new accommodation options including Destination Patong Hotel and Spa, Rayavadee at Railay Beach and Dusit Island Resort just outside Chiang Rai.

Managing director Chris Evans predicted another "positive year" for Thailand after a strong sales increase in 2012.

 

Two travel agents who had their participation in The Travel Compensation Fund terminated in December have been reinstated. They are Molnar Travel in Heidelberg, Victoria and Duck Travel in Wooloomooloo, NSW.

 

Silversea has launched its 2014 Voyage Calendar featuring more than 500 destinations across 200 voyages. Twelve new ports have been added: Melilla and Almeria in Spain; Haugesundm Norway; the Icelandic ports of Eskifjordur and Djupivogur, Koror, Palua; Ponce, Puerto Rico; Trujillo in Honduras; Alotau, Papua New Guinea; Kavala, Greece and the Canadian destinations of Sept-Iles and Trois-Rivieres.

 

The International Air Services Commission has given Virgin Australia the all clear to collaborate with Etihad on services to Thailand and with Delta on flights to Indonesia.

 

Park Hotel Group has launched its GDS chain code "PG" which aims to make it easier for travel agents to locate and book hotel rooms at its properties. To mark the launch, the firm is offering 18% commission on bookings of GDS promotional rates at a number of its properties across Asia.

 

Webjet has confirmed it will scale back applications for its Share Purchase Plan to fund its acquisition of Zuji, following an "overwhelming" response.

Applications totalling $26 million were received, significantly higher than the plan's $5 million cap.

"We have unfortunately had no alternative but to instigate a scale back of approximately 19% of the total value of applications received," a statement said.

The scale back will be pro rata's based on the dollar value of each application with the difference to be refunded by cheque to all applicants "as soon as practicable".

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

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