Big Fat Hotel Wrap
Is everyone in your office ‘Bachelor-ed’ out and looking for new conversation topics? There’s at least 7 tidbits to impress colleagues with here.
Golden beaches, local fare and family fun – experience the Gold Coast with Oaks Hotels & Resorts
The Gold Coast is a vibrant sun-soaked city with long stretches of white-sand beaches, easy-going and fine dining eateries to satisfy any hard-to-please palate, a lush ancient hinterland, and world-famous theme parks to excite the whole family.
The Coast has long been considered, and continues to be, one of Australia’s premier holiday destinations with its evolving blend of city and sea activities, elegant beachfront dining and quirky cafes, along with friendly wildlife and easy-going locals forever tempting travellers to its golden shores.
Located on the southern tip of the city, nestled in the relaxed beachside suburb of Coolangatta, Oaks Calypso Plaza is inviting travellers to book a One Bedroom Apartment from $396* per night or a spacious Two Bedroom Apartment for $550* per night (minimum five-night stay).
Louis T Collection Signs Agreement with H&M Capital Pty Ltd to Manage Perth’s Historic New Esplanade Hotel
Louis T Collection and H&M Capital Pty Ltd have announced the signing of a management agreement pursuant to which Louis T Collection will oversee the operation of the New Esplanade Hotel. The hotel is located in Elizabeth Quay, Perth’s vibrant, newly developed mixed-use zone along the Swan River.
In addition to providing full management services, Louis T Collection, drawing upon extensive building solutions and architectural design expertise, will oversee the renovation of the 80-room property that will reposition the hotel in the market by returning it to its leading place among Perth’s top-tier hotels.
The original Esplanade Hotel, that opened on the site in the early 1900s, was for many years one of the city’s most prominent hotels.
International visitor count to the region increased by 12 per cent in 2016, with nearly a million tourists touching down in Western Australia, according to Tourism Western Australia. 95 per cent of those inbound travellers visited Perth. The number of travellers from neighboring Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore, all increased as well as visitors from further afield such as those from China, India, and the USA.
IHG Achieves “2017 Aon Global Best Employer” Accreditation by Aon Hewitt
IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), one of the world’s leading hotel companies, has announced its “Aon Global Best Employer” accreditation by Aon Hewitt. The acclaimed accolade comes in the company’s first year of participation in the global survey and is complemented by country-level accreditation in 46 out of the 64 countries assessed by the professional services firm, representing 97 per cent of its workforce.
The accreditation is part of the “Aon Best Employers” programme which evaluates an employer’s effectiveness in creating a workplace environment that engages and enables its people to deliver competitive advantage. Assessment is done from survey data collected directly from colleagues based on four indices: Engagement, Leadership, Performance Culture and Employer Brand.
IHG participated in the global survey for the first time this year, contributing more than 126,000 responses from colleagues around the world. The survey results were then benchmarked amongst the industry by Aon Hewitt to determine whether it qualifies for the “Aon Best Employer” accreditation.
QT Hotels & Resorts Launch Travelshoot Staycations
Gone are the days of the blurry holiday selfies thanks to Travelshoot Staycations at QT Hotels and Resorts. Guests now have the chance to travel like a famous blogger and build an Instagram feed full of professionally shot photos.
Guests are invited to stay in a photo-ready QT guestroom for a two night Travelshoot Staycation and enjoy a complimentary breakfast for two adults.
During the stay, Travelshoot’s expert team will take guests on a one-hour photo shoot with a professional photographer which will result in a minimum of 20 high-resolution and very Insta-worthy shots.
Atlantis, The Palm launches AquaTrek by Night in the Ambassador Lagoon
Atlantis, The Palm announces the launch of another thrilling underwater activity this summer with AquaTrek by Night. Offering guests an experience of a lifetime, daring divers will descend into the world-famous Ambassador Lagoon for the unique opportunity to walk with 220 different species and 65,000 marine animals, as darkness approaches.
With sharks being notorious for their preference to nocturnal hunting, The Ambassador Lagoon comes alive once the sun sets, giving AquaTrek by Night guests 30 thrilling minutes exploring The Ambassador Lagoon as it’s never been seen before. Starting from AED650 and offering two walks per evening, trekkers will be amazed by the brilliant colors of the schooling fish and illuminated eyes of the marine predators as they pass by the beams of an underwater torch.
Perfect for anyone from ages 8 to 80 and with no previous dive or swimming experience necessary, AquaTrek by Night will see guests descend a ladder to a 3 metre shallow ledge in The Ambassador Lagoon, whilst wearing a specially designed helmet that supplies a continuous supply of air. As they walk along the bottom, the lagoons 65,000 marine animals are visible as they swim by the helmets “tri-view” lens, designed to give guests a clean, undistorted view through the flat front, left and right panels.
Perfect for non-swimmers and non-divers and with a minimum age limit of 8 years old, AquaTrek by Night will run two walks daily, starting from 19:00pm, with a maximum capacity of 4 guests per walk. As well as a professional underwater photographer on site, a GO-PRO can also be hired for AED 60 for guests who want to capture their own experience and take the raw footage with them.
Suite Temptation for Guests with Grand Hotel Tremezzo’s unique fine dining accommodation package in the heart of Lake Como
The Grand Hotel Tremezzo, a true Art Nouveau palace with a decades-long history of welcoming guests in opulence and glamour, is delighted to announce its newest accommodation package, Suite Temptations.
A memorable gastronomical holiday on the shores of Lake Como in northern Italy awaits with the Suite Temptations offer, staying in one of Grand Hotel Tremezzo’s luxury Suites overlooking the water.
Here, a dedicated Lifestyle Manager is on hand to satisfy guests’ every whim, and there is no shortage of the finest gourmet delights to tempt with every meal throughout the day and night.
The hotel’s menus are conceived by star Italian chef ‘Maestro’ Gualtiero Marchesi and change with the seasons to take advantage of local produce and fresh water fish, serving traditional dishes enlivened with a touch of creativity.
Travel the World Chiva-Som Speciality Retreat Offer for August and September
Guests booking a Speciality Retreat for a minimum seven-night stay at Chiva-Som in Thailand for travel until 30 September 2017 will receive an additional complimentary night and an exclusive VIP Fast Track Service at Bangkok International Suvarnabhumi Airport with guests to be met on arrival by a personal porter and hostess and escorted through immigration for collection of luggage and transfer to the resort.
Chiva-Som is situated within seven acres of tropical gardens in the Royal city of Hua Hin on the Gulf of Thailand, 185 km south of Bangkok.
This pioneering Thai health and wellness resort is a popular destination for Australians offering guests a total lifestyle transformation to achieve wellness and longevity with a full range of health and wellness Speciality Retreats, integrating naturopathic and conventional medicines, including A Taste of Chiva-Som, Optimal Performance, Spa Wellbeing, Yoga for Life, Fitness, Natural Renewal, Weight Management, Cell Vitality, Cranial Relief, Emotional Wellbeing, Tension Release and Sustainable Slimming.
The Library, Thailand, Travel Agent incentive August and September 2017
The Library in Thailand is offering 15 per cent travel agent commission on bookings made in August and September for minimum three-night stays until 20 December 2017.
Guests will also receive a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine during these stays at The Library which is set against the stunning backdrop of Koh Samui’s Chaweng Beach.
A member of Design Hotels, The Library presents 26 studios and suites and will unveil 20 fabulous Secret Pool Villas in November 2017.
Celebrate the House of Dior’s 70th anniversary with a collection of couture cocktails at Sofitel
This spring, the country’s leading fashionistas will flock to Melbourne to experience the never-before-seen The House of Dior: Seventy Years of Haute Couture exhibition at the National Gallery Victoria’s (NGV).
In celebration of the 70th anniversary of the House of Dior, Sofitel Melbourne On Collins, NGV’s Official Accommodation Partner, will serve a series of couture cocktails created by master mixologist and Atrium Bar Manager, Marc Dasan.
Sofitel’s Atrium Bar will serve the signature Code of Conduct Cocktails Thursday – Saturday from 1 September until 4 November 2017, coinciding with NGV’s The House of Dior: Seventy Years of Haute Couture exhibition.
Ratings Record Set By Best Western Australasia
The lift in standards across Best Western’s hotel network in Australia and New Zealand has continued with a record 54 per cent of its properties rated four stars or above by consumers on TripAdvisor and awarded a coveted Certificate of Excellence for 2017.
It is the third consecutive year that the Best Western Australasia (BWA) network has improved its TripAdvisor ranking, up an impressive 17 per cent since 2015, when 46 per cent of BWA properties received a Certificate of Excellence.
A major factor in the sustained improvement has been BWA’s new Quality Assurance Program, lifting standards across all member properties, which now offer free high-speed internet, healthy breakfasts and the ability to earn or redeem Best Western Rewards points.
AccorHotels is giving away three million Rewards points to Le Club AccorHotels members!
AccorHotels is giving guests the chance to win their share of three million Le Club AccorHotels Rewards points.
Guests who book and stay at participating hotels, across the Pacific region before 23 October 2017, can enter the draw to win one of 15 prizes of 200,000 Rewards points. Each prize is valued at almost $6,000 and there are also monthly prizes, including overnight accommodation packages.
To be in the running, members simply register for the promotion and book to stay at any of AccorHotels participating hotels across Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and the Islands of Tahiti via accorhotels.com/win. Guests who aren’t yet members of Le Club AccorHotels won’t miss out! It’s simple to join when booking at accorhotels.com/win.
North Stradbroke Island adds a touch of glam to the great outdoors with launch of permanent ‘flash camping’
Following the success of last year’s ‘pop up’ Flash Camp on North Stradbroke Island, Straddie Camping has launched a permanent flash camping site on the beachfront near the island’s most popular tourist village, Point Lookout.
The mini-village of 10 flash camping tents is located at Adder Rock on the northern coast, in a shady area, sheltered behind native tea tree and pandanus forests, with a beach directly in front of the camping ground.
The glamping tents offer high-quality bedding, cotton sheets, fresh towels, two bamboo chairs and power, and are fully made up and ready for the arrival of guests, who also have access to the Adder Beach Camping Ground’s communal facilities. Restaurants and shops are within easy access of the camp site.
The launch of the permanent glamping tents is perfectly timed for visitors to take advantage of the whale migration season – with whales passing by North Straddie throughout the season to November – and also the annual Quandamooka Festival, which offers a packed itinerary of events on North Stradbroke Island, including many on weekends, till September.
Immersive Wellbeing Retreats with Balance Wellness by Anantara
Anantara Hotels and Resorts is giving travellers the option of healthy, immersive experiences across its award-winning resorts in Thailand, Maldives, Sri Lanka and the Middle East with the launch of Wellbeing Retreat packages.
Find tranquillity in the Arabian Desert. Draw inspiration from Indian Ocean panoramas. Achieve balance in the emerald jungles of Thailand. Guests who stay for a minimum of two nights can embark on a personal journey of transformation under the guiding principles of Balance Wellness – Anantara’s global wellbeing initiative. Launched as a flexible approach to feeling good on holidays guests split their holiday time between comprehensive wellness activities as well as time to spoil themselves.
Each package is uniquely designed to showcase the resort’s own indigenous experiences and dynamic wellness offerings. Strengthen, tone and cleanse with both gentle and vigorous exercise and healthy cuisine. Heal and rejuvenate with spa journeys that draw on time-tested therapies of the Thai disciplines, fundamental to the ethos of Anantara.
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
AccorHotels anantara hotels and resorts best western hotels chiva-som retreat H&M Capital house of dior 70th anniversary ihg Louis T Collection new esplanade hotel oaks hotels and resorts QT Hotels sofitel the grand hotel tremezzo the library thailandLatest News
Collette goes off the beaten track with Canyon Country tour
To be clear TW is not advocating actually walking off the beaten track. Avoid the coyotes. Stay on the beaten track.
Intrepid & Korean Tourism Organisation team up to give agents a cooking masterclass
These guys learnt that Korean cooking is more than just putting kimchi on 2-minute noodles (as we once thought).
Winner, winner! Intrepid reveals the 9 lucky agents that won $2k
Who won the incentive? Which Intrepid trip will they spend it on? What day of the week is it again? Where am I? Huh?
Corporate Traveller reports 42% increase in Easter traffic this year
Business travellers just love Easter! Expect plenty of chocolate stained documents returning to the office on Tuesday.
Turbulent year wiped $384m off Qantas brand value: Report
Meanwhile, eating tuna at your desk can damage your own personal office brand value by several thousand dollars.
FAMIL: Room-Res & Singapore Tourism Board shows agents the Lion City’s roar
Click this article to see a man very impressed by a 20-layer chocolate cake. We're not kidding, he loved it!
Oceania Cruises offers sailors free pre-cruise hotel stay
Looking for ways to make your holidays as long as possible? Look no further.
Bonza launches new website to compliment app, agent portal
Does news about an airline's website fill you with ecstasy, glee and joy? Get your hit of the good stuff here.
MTA agents attends ‘Lunch ‘n’ Learn’ with AMA Waterways
When organising the event, Lunch 'n' Learn beat out Dinner 'n' Divulge and Breakfast 'n' Banter. Understandably so.
Travelmarvel reveals 2025 South America tours
If you spot any typos in the newsletter today it is because TW became distracted Googling images of Machu Picchu.
Tourists from 5 countries could be BANNED from visiting Australia
Anthony Albanese's immigration laws could impact tourism from certain countries.
Just how many passengers will Qantas & Jetstar hop around this Easter?
Airline workers are ready for gleeful Easter travellers! Also prepared for sticky children with chocolate on their face.
Air New Zealand gets ready for bumper Easter weekend
Air NZ gears up for travelling passengers this Easter, while TW looks to beat our egg eating record. 117 here we come!
Four Seasons Yachts reveals first itineraries to the Caribbean & Mediterranean
These trips look so good we wish there were five seasons! Alright, we'll see ourselves out...
FAMIL: Travellers Choice treats top agents to the wonders of Rotorua
This one's got plenty of famil pics and no one looks shockingly hungover in them! Clearly no TW staffers were there.
European Waterways celebrates 50th anniversary with week-long founders cruise
Plan on celebrating your 50th anniversary with a bottle of Moët and fairy bread? European Waterways has better ideas.
100th route! Jetstar celebrates the launch of Brisbane-Avalon with 12 hour sale
Jetstar knocks a ton and celebrates with a sale while TW once scored a ton and celebrated with about 17 beers.
Record-breaking year for NSW as visitor expenditure soars past $50 billion
Enjoy running round the Opera House? Be prepared to elbow even more tourists out the way.
Norwegian Cruise Line makes play for solo travellers
NCL ensuring you don't have to go trawling Tinder to find a cruise partner. Thank goodness, we were sick of catfishing.
Entire Travel Group’s Canada and Europe 2024/25 brochures are out now
Entire's new brochure is bittersweet; it both informs your clients and makes you envious of the holiday they'll take.
Malaysia Airlines adds 3 new destinations & A330neo seats
More seats means cheaper airfares and more money to spend on overpriced airport sandwiches. Woohoo!
Two divine days onboard Crystal Serenity
It's only pure serenity onboard this ship. Anxiety, agitation and anguish have been rejected by the bouncer.
How the Globus Family of Brands elevates coach touring: Travel Weekly TV with Chris Fundell
Chris' here so you don't think coaches mean peeling your thighs off a sticky leather seat every time you stand up!
The Flight Centre Foundation gears up for massive 2024 with 3 new board members
The foundation looks to invest $200k this year, spurring the TW journos to figure out how to qualify as a charity.
Barking Owl Communications to head up Anantara & Avani in ANZ
Fellow PR competitors had been barking up the wrong tree even thinking of bidding for this job!
Amex GBT to purchase CWT for $871m
It's big deals like this that get a firm handshake - hence the sore hands over at the CWT and Amex GBT offices.
1000MTG’s second global conference reminds agents to ‘strive and thrive’
Alongside messages to 'strive' and 'thrive' were those to 'survive', 'drive', 'arrive' and 'jive' (when appropriate).
Qantas A330 makes “loud bang”, pilots forced to shut down one engine
Qantas refusing to let Boeing have all the headlines in aviation world today!
GX Community Tourism Summit 2024 location revealed!
The new location has arrived and it'll blow your socks off! Time for another trip to Target for more socks then.
Visiting the destination my Mum didn’t want me to
Yet again, this journo has been a stress to his mother. Discover how this trip spurred his mother's anxiety here.
Agents come out of their shells at P&O’s turtle hatchery event
For some, it's a few glasses of bubbles to lure them out of their shell. For these agents, it was a bit more literal.
Boeing cleanout: CEO, chair to go as safety crisis plagues the manufacturer
CEOs are falling thick and fast these days. We should have started up a bingo game with their headshots in the office.
Virgin looks to swap MAX 10 order for MAX 8s amid Boeing delays: Reports
Virgin has changed its order for something smaller. Much like we have to at Maccas following a worrying doctor's visit.
Club Med unveils newest luxury yacht for 2024/25 early bird sale
This yacht is preserved for the early birds! Night Owls may also get onboard depending how late they stay up.
Abercrombie & Kent 2024 Asia Portfolio is here
Round up the family and get planning an Asia jaunt. Or, if they're hard to handle, brush them all and go it alone!
Elevate your earnings: Final days to secure double commission with Inspiring Vacations’ March offer
What could inspire you to sell more Inspiring Vacations? Double commission of course! That's all the inspiration needed.