Need a reminder of why being a travel agent is the best job ever? Check out this round-up of incentives and famils to rekindle your spirit.

Brand USA’s Arizona specialist badge incentive has been extended!

Brand USA Australia, in partnership with Arizona Office of Tourism, has announced that their exciting trade incentive has been extended, giving users more time to enter!

To celebrate the newly launched Arizona Specialist Badge on the USA Discovery Program, The Arizona Office of Tourism is giving away an Apple iPad.

The incentive has been extended for two weeks and will now end on Friday 15^th November 2019. The winner will be announced on Friday 22^nd November 2019.

To be in the draw to win an Apple iPad, agents will simply need to register for the USA Discovery Program and complete the Arizona Specialist Badge. Registered users who have already completed the Arizona Specialist Badge will automatically be entered.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to improve your Arizona knowledge and to go in the draw to win an Apple iPad!

The incentive is only open to travel trade representatives in Australia who are registered users on the USA Discovery Program.

Share your thoughts on Club Med to win 1 of 4 agency prizes

Club Med has launched its annual industry survey asking travel agents across Australia to share valuable feedback on the business. As a thank you for their time, all participating travel agents will go in the draw to win one of four festive prizes for their travel agency from the choice of:

• OPTION 1: Bottoms up – Office fridge packed full of your booze of choice – your Christmas party sorted!
• OPTION 2: Go green – Green up your office with festive foliage for the silly season.
• OPTION 3: Dig in – Christmas grazing table delivered to your office, for everyone to enjoy.
• OPTION 4: Ca-ching – Kris Kringle sorted: share a $500 gift card among your team.

The results of the 2019 survey will help shape future Club Med communications and ensure all tools and resources are completely optimized for agent needs across the following themes:

• Travel agents’ knowledge and understanding of Club Med
• Club Med and its corporate social responsibility and sustainability actions
• Club Med travel agent booking engine
• Club Med sales tools and resources (brochure, factsheets, travel agent portal etc.)
• Club Med training
• Club Med’s sales team
• Club Med travel agent loyalty program
• Club Med’s call centre
• Meetings and Events by Club Med

Complete Survey here.
More Details on the competition & Survey here.

A taste of southern hospitality for personal travel manager

Drive through the small, northern Mississippi city of Tupelo and you’ll quickly start to notice a recurring theme. From a huge mural on the wall of a department store to a trail of commemorative guitars, Tupelo won’t let you forget that it’s best known as the birthplace of Elvis Presley. TravelManagers’ Kristie Peters was one of five Australian travel advisors who took in Tupelo’s sights on a recent Air New Zealand famil to Memphis.

The famil was exclusive to members of the CT Partners network, who were selected following a ten-day incentive run by Air New Zealand. The five Australians who won a spot on the famil were joined by five New Zealand-based advisors, along with Air New Zealand’s West Australian Business Development Manager, Janelle Philpott, and Chris Ingram, who is Memphis Tourism’s representative for Australia & New Zealand.

Travel Partners to intensify client acquisition at 2020 World Travel Expos

After upping the ante for this year’s World Travel Expos featuring Cruise by attending Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne editions, Travel Partners will add the Perth and Gold Coast World Travel Expos to its 2020 roster.

The increased commitment reflects the strong growth of the Travel Partners independent model.

Initially only attending the Brisbane and Sydney World Travel Expos, the business has expanded to include mobile agents in Melbourne. Next year, Travel Partners will be represented at the Perth and Gold Coast events too, anchoring their presence at these important public events.

Viva Holidays Exclusive YOT Club!

Viva Holidays recently hosted their Premium Agencies in Queensland on an exclusive event at “The YOT Club” in Brisbane.

Custom designed and built from the water up, The YOT Club is the world’s first Super Yacht Entertainment Venue with two luxurious levels.

Everyone in attendance had a great evening and danced the night away as The YOT Club sailed along the Brisbane River.

MTA Advisers treated to exclusive Hayman Island by InterContinental experience

A helicopter flight to world-famous Whitehaven Beach, a speedboat tour of Langford Island and Blue Pearl Bay, a classic Aussie barbecue and an island hike were just some of the highlights a lucky group of MTA – Mobile Travel Agents experienced as part of an intensive two-night study tour as guests of Hayman Island by InterContinental.

Pictured from left to right, enjoying a pre-dinner cocktail at the Hayman Residences, Jan Bracey, Robin Stevens, Tamara Henderson, Katrina Casey and Nadine Newport.

CT Partners celebrates in Bangkok

CT Partners this week celebrated another year of strong growth, success and independence with its annual business meeting at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Bangkok.

Over 75 owners and key senior supplier management attended the event with a theme focusing on ‘working together to create exceptional success.’

CT Partners Interim Chairman Barry Mayo welcomed 2 new CT Partners members to the Board this year, Fiona Prosser of Globetrotter in Perth, and David Greenland, of Concierge Travel Group, Sydney.

TIME SCHOLARSHIP: Are you looking for 2020 career clarity?

The first Travel Industry Mentor Experience (TIME) scholarship opportunity for 2020 has been announced.

The scholarship includes a significant contribution to the renowned mentoring program’s fees funded by the ‘Doing Time for TIME’ efforts of high-profile industry figures and TIME Board members Fiona Dalton and Trish Shepherd.

Fiona and Trish’s generous efforts follow hot on the heels of those of prominent travel industry figures, Martin Cowley and Steve Mackenzie of The Lido Group, now HRS. Martin and Steve presented their funds to TIME in February 2019.

The 2020 scholarship applies to TIME intake no. 37 commencing on 19 February 2020, and applications are now open!

Applications close on Friday 10 January 2020.

Each TIME mentoring program runs for six months. Participants in intake no. 37 will graduate on 26 August 2020.

This is a nationwide opportunity as the successful applicant may be from any state or territory.

Helloworld says hello to Townsville 

The multi-award-winning team at Helloworld Travel Mackay and Mt Pleasant are proud to expand their operations to Willows Shopping Centre, Townsville.

The travel agency offers an extensive range of holidays through their Hosted Journeys product, which has been in operation for over 10 years. Hosted Journeys are experts in offering travellers unique, hand-picked holidays to destinations all over the world. Their itineraries are designed to ensure customers have a hassle-free and seamless holiday experience with a professional tour host travelling with the group to take care of all the details.

Virtuoso Travel Week on tour Australia – cruise show

This week, global luxury travel network Virtuoso held its annual Virtuoso Travel Week On Tour Australia – Cruise Show. Over 350 luxury travel advisors attended sell-out sessions in Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast, with market updates from 17 luxury cruise lines.

The sessions were opened by Virtuoso’s VP Cruise Sales Beth Butzlaff, who joined the Virtuoso Asia Pacific team in delivering the program.