News in Brief: Thursday October 23
![News in Brief: Thursday October 23](https://www.travelweekly.com.au/wp-content/themes/bandtv1/img/default.png)
International Rail has launched a range of Japan rail passes to welcome the snow season.
There are special rail passes for various regions such as the Japan East Pass, which includes metropolitan Tokyo as well as popular ski regions such as Nagano, Niigata, Sendai, Morioka, Misawa and Akita.
This pass is available for five days of flexi travel over a 14 day period. For pricing and more information click here.
Vancouver Photo Walks are becoming an extremely popular way for visitors to explore the city.
Ranked #11 out of 145 activities in Vancouver and awarded the TripAdvisor 2014 Certificate of Excellence for consistent, great reviews by travellers from around the world, visitors have their cameras at the ready as they explore beautiful Vancouver while learning the basics of photography.
For more information click here.
APT recently partnered with South African Airways to treat a group of its top performing travel agents to an African adventure.
The group of APT Diamond and Platinum agents spent ten days exploring the country, sampling some of the outstanding luxury accommodation and APT Signature Experiences featured as part of the award winning luxury tour operator’s 15-day South Africa Highlights itinerary.
Uniworld will close its “Sip. Savour. Sail” incentive on October 31, 2014.
With less than ten-days remaining, agents are encouraged to finalise any new bookings to be in with a chance to experience Uniworld’s newest cruise, the eight-day Bordeaux, Vineyards & Chateaux cruise for two.
Car Next Door a ‘car matchmaking service’ that connects people who have a car with people who need to borrow one, will offset every kilometre that its customers drive by helping Greenfleet plant native forests.
Greenfleet’s chief executive officer Wayne Wescott said, “There is a strong alignment of values between Greenfleet and Car Next Door – with both companies providing a practical solution that empowers people to take action on climate change."
The RWR Group has announced the appointment of Mandy Scotney as Group CEO.
Mandy brings a strong track record of success to the RWR Group with more than 10 years senior management experience gained in both the recruitment and travel industries.
“I’m so excited to be taking this step in my career,” stated Mandy. “Recruitment is an industry that combines my passion for helping business’ grow with my love of seeing careers flourish. I’m thrilled to be here! ” Scotney said.
Belmond is launching two new journeys onboard the Eastern & Oriental Express in 2015.
The five night ‘Fables of the Peninsula’ from Singapore to Bangkok on March 29, 2015 and the two night ‘The Ancient Temples of Lanna’ on October12, 2015 from Bangkok to Chiang-Mai.
For pricing and more information head to their website.
Royal Brunei Airlines has just celebrated the airline’s return to Ho Chi Minh City with the inaugural flight on October 17, enabling Australians to fly from Melbourne to Ho Chi Minh City via Brunei.
Virgin Australia will be offering a range of unique and personalised services between Sydney and Melbourne in time for this year’s Spring Racing Carnival.
The airline has announced porters will again be on standby ahead of Derby Day and the Melbourne Cup to offer eligible guests a personalised Hat Valet service, ensuring premium handling of the most important part of any race day outfit.
Pre-flight pampering options will also be offered including professional blow-dries and hair styling, make-up kits by ModelCo as well as a dedicated shoe-shining service, all designed ensure guests arrive in Melbourne race-ready.
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
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Low-cost Indian carrier SpiceJet continues to burn cash
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SAKA Museum recognised in TIME magazine’s World’s Greatest Places 2024
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Journey Beyond launches first brand-led campaign during Paris Olympics
Journey Beyond is pushing the boundaries. On The Ghan, you can't even see them!
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Ascott Australia partners with Hotels for Trees
Hoteliers can take a 'Lyf' out of this book and improve their green credentials.
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Victoria’s TAC Top Tourism Town Award winners for 2024
Keep looking in our own backyard. There are plenty of places to go.
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Uniworld partners with Camilla Franks with Egyptian-inspired collection
We are in de-Nile about making puns combining Crocs and leopard prints, given this luxe partnership.
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Aussies at Paris Olympics anxious about travel risks, with incidents already recorded
Fortunately one of our biggest gold medal hopes still held onto his pedals.
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Banyan Tree Seaview Villas elevates Laguna Lang Co
If you've ever played golf in the tropics, start early. LIke way early. It's hot! Damn hot.
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Silversea taps Barbara Biffi as senior vice president for global sales
Ultra-luxury and expedition cruise travel brand, Silverseas, has announced Barbara Biffi as its new senior vice president of global sales. Biffi joined the company in 2007, holding numerous positions and gaining a deep understanding of the brand, the preferences of its guests and its strategic goals, the company said. An Italian national with a wealth […]
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Wendy Wu unveils new Japan travel brochure and itineraries
Get outta town! Off-beat Japan will be a lot less congested we figure than the usual tourist hotspots.
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UK and Europe event organisers look to venues with sustainability integrity, ICC Sydney survey finds
Here in Sydney, you can even eat the table centrepieces. Although we advise they be cooked first.
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Renos Rologas new general manager ANZ for FCM Travel
Two decades in the travel game! Let's hope Renos is in for the long haul at FCM.
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Untamed Escapes to offer Cultural Day Tour from Port Lincoln in partnership with Maba Idi
International visitors travel thousands of kilometres for this experience. Time to share.
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Luxe Finish Line Penthouses offer the best vantage point for the finish of the Sydney-Hobart
Long have we been following the yachts leavings Sydney Harbour and one day, we will see the finish, from this place!
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In a busy world, proximity to nature is the new luxury
Forget Raffles, treat your nearest and dearest to a stay at the local campsite. They'll be super close to nature.
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Circular Quay welcomes new Korean dining experience to Sydney Place
We once took Korean-American chef David Chang around Koreatown, Eastwood. Not happy about driving rain, loved the food.
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MSC Cruises unveils a new outdoor kid-friendly attraction on World America
Drop your kid down the jaws of a shark and they come out 11 decks below. Sounds good to me.
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Amadeus welcomes FCM Travel as new reseller partner of Cytric Easy
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Australian travellers abandon peer-to-peer stays and gravitate back to big hotels, survey finds
Doom scrolling Airbnb for the best-possible stay options two days out from departure was wearing us down, apparently.
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Quark Expeditions launches the Ultimate Summer in the Arctic sweepstakes for travel advisors
Summer in the Arctic still means it's freezing. But hopefully a winning sweepstakes tickets will warm your cockles.
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‘I bet it smells weird’ – Internet divided over floating restaurant in China
I you are still feeling peckish at the end of your meal, their fish tank is full. But can you eat koi?
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‘Turn up in the Northern Territory this Spring’ campaign deals
Agents and airlines get all hot and sweaty over these enticing deals. Or did someone just turn the air-conditioning up?
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‘Like nothing on earth’: Saudi Arabia’s new Treyam resort set in a Star Wars-style landscape
As long as Jar Jar Binks is not there, we would like a seat at the Mos Eisley Cantina please.
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Raffles Hotels and Resorts is set to open in Tokyo in 2028
Time to get your vision boards at the ready! Raffles is landing in Tokyo!
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‘A true honour’ – Andrew Stark wins Flight Centre Director’s Award for the second time
Congratulations Andrew! If you're a fan of British reality TV you might notice a familiar face.
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Club Med debuts travel agent portal 2.0 with bonus prize for tops sales
See those people by the pool. That could be you. Start selling through the portal people!
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Envoyage announces 2024 Australian Icons and rewards event in the Maldives
We were going to edit our name into the list but we chickened out.
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HIF Global signs collaboration agreement with Airbus on eFuels
We know it's a good thing but can a jet fuel geek out there send in a diagram explaining this please.
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Crystal announces release dates for 2026 itineraries
If you have started collecting 2026 itineraries then here is another one for you.
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Cairns Airport unveils display of support for FNQ youth
If you were craving some winter sun now you have a cultural reason for booking a flight to Cairns.
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Viking announces six new cruise itineraries
Now's the time to start learning Putonghua, Nihongo and Lhasa. Or maybe even know where these are spoken.
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Join Qatar Airways, Celebrity Cruises & Klook – Showcase Your Brand at Click Frenzy Travel August 2024!
Clicking calmly will also be welcome when it comes to this particular deal. Click calmly here to find out more.
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InsideAsia Tours launches new incentive that doubles agent commission
Double commission! We like the sound of that. Hope their system doesn't crash as a result.
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Push to revive Parramatta’s iconic Roxy Theatre into entertainment destination
Long have we wished for this iconic heritage cinema to be revived as a tourist destination. Still waiting.
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Qatar Airways signs an expansion to Boeing 777-9 aircraft order
Known as a quiet rural town in England, the entire global aviation industry now has its eyes on Farnborough.
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Flight Centre shares down following revised profit guidance
The stock market moves fast. What will the rest of the week hold for Flight Centre?