Air Canada has launched a flash sale until 29 October, reducing business class fares to Vancouver and Toronto by up to 33% in a new Companion Fare sale. 

Prices for a Sydney-Vancouver Business Class ticket start from $4497 per person (plus taxes of approx $1080) – a saving of more than $2200 on the standard published 90-day advance purchase fare. Sydney-Toronto business class starts from $5897 per person. Discounts are based on two people travelling together between 2 December 2014 and 31 January 2015.

Fans of Harry Potter can now check-in to the Wizard Chamber at London’s Georgian House, complete with cauldron, fireplace and an owl figurine. Travellers who book the Harry Potter Tour Package will also enjoy a “Muggle Walking Tour” and a Warner Brothers Studio Tour on the making of the popular film franchise. Guests are advised to BYOW – bring your own wand. Pic: Georgian House.

AAT Kings will be rewarding the top 15 sellers with a trip to Tasmania in March 2015.

Agents need to book any AAT Kings guided holiday or Inspiring Journey from the 2015/16 Australia brochure with an Early Payment Discount before  February 9, 2015. 

For every new guest booking, consultants will receive a ‘Tassie Devil’ icon and once they’ve collected four, they’ll go into the running to win a place on next year’s coveted famil.

Bench International has announced it will allow customers to defer travel without penalty if they find the Ebola disease has affected the areas to which they planned travel.

The offer applies to those who have already booked and paid either in full or paid deposits, and have discovered that Ebola has affected the region before departing, while the operator encourages travellers to south and east Africa to continue with travel plans as these regions remain unaffected.

Sunshine Coast Destination Limited (SCDL) and seven local tourism operators recently held a trade mission in Auckland and Christchurch, providing updates and training to over 150 retail and wholesale travel agents, product managers and key industry and media contacts.

With the aim of increasing visitation from New Zealand, the trade show also launched the new Vacation Migration campaign, giving guests a sneak peak of what they can expect in market from early next year.

Excite Holidays has reported a huge increase in bookings from its agent network for Aussies who are heading abroad for Christmas and New Year, with many travellers heading to destinations including Oahu, New York, Las Vegas, London, Singapore and Paris.

Even taking into account fluctuations in the Australian dollar, the per night spend with Excite Holidays for bookings to Oahu has so far increased by 24%, 32% for Las Vegas and 17% for Los Angeles. 

Sunlover Holidays recently announced TravelManagers as its number two best-selling Megastar travel agency for highest value sales for the 2013/2014 year, making it the second consecutive year the company has won this title.

Sunlover Holidays celebrated with its top 15 high performing travel agencies at a Gala Dinner hosted on both Hayman and Hamilton Islands, with TravelManagers also receiving an award at the STARS Gala Dinner for being third-best selling travel agency for Territory Discoveries.

Organised by the Hong Kong Tourism Board and title-sponsored by China Construction Bank (CCB), the Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival  is set to open with a four-day party from October 30 to November 2.

Offering over 1000 culinary items, including wine, award-winning Chinese dishes and Michelin-starred meals, the event will transform the runway of the former Hong Kong International Airport into wine-themed streets and villages to celebrate the beginning of the month-long festival.

In preparation for the Boxing Day release of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, five of Australia’s most dedicated Hobbit fans will be treated to a five-day adventure to New Zealand to meet director Peter Jackson, watch a preview screening and visit some of the filming locations.

The five Australians – Alex O’Brien, Jennifer Fancett, Robery Audet, Michael Hudson and Amy Earl – are among 75 global winners of The Hobbit Fan Fellowship Contest, which is a collaboration of Warner Bros. Pictures, New Line, MGM, Air New Zealand and Tourism New Zealand.

Wendy Wu Tours has reported an increase in passenger numbers for 2014, as well as a boost to forward bookings for 2015, following the introduction of ‘Deluxe India Holidays’ and new fully inclusive group tours.

Also included in the 2015-16 India brochure is a dedicated family section, with itineraries that highlight child-friendly activities while educating them on different cultures, including Bollywood performances and jeep safaris in Ranthambore National Park.

Peregrine Adventures is expanding its itineraries as it puts the focus on Bangladesh and Ladakh in its new program for 2015.

Venturing into Bangladesh for the first time, Peregrine is one of the only tour operators offering travellers trips here, while the Ladakh Explorer trips will run during cultural festivals, allowing travellers to celebrate with the locals.

Peregrine’s Bangladesh trip is 12 days long, while the Ladakh Explorer is 10 days, with four departures available for each in 2015.