Flavour of the Week: Ann Sherry’s new gig, Bench Africa welcomes new state manager + MORE!
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Lost track of who’s recently been hired and fired in the industry? Let this Flavour of the Week edition get you back up to speed.
Former Carnival boss joins Enero Group as chair
Former chair and chief executive of Carnival Australia, Ann Sherry AO (pictured above), has a new role.
Sherry will join Enero Group as an independent non-executive director and the new chair from 1 January 2020 to replace the outgoing chairman John Porter.
As a recognised business leader in Australia, Sherry currently holds roles as the director of ASX-listed National Australia Bank, as chair of its customer committee and a member of its remuneration committee. Sherry is also a director of Sydney Airport, chair of its remuneration and nomination committee, as well as a member of its safety, security and sustainability committee.
Sherry is also currently chair of UNICEF Australia and a director of international advisory firm The Palladium Group, Infrastructure Victoria, Cape York Partnerships, and the Museum of Contemporary Art.
The former Carnival boss will also continue as an adviser to the cruise company.
Bench Africa welcomes new state manager
Bench Africa has welcomed the latest addition to its team, with Anji Johnson joining as Queensland’s new state manager.
Johnson has travelled Africa extensively and visited the continent on multiple occasions, including gorilla trekking in Uganda, and travelling through the game parks of the Southern Africa. She joins Bench with previous BDM experience and a prior successful appointment at Flight Centre.
Bench Africa is thrilled to have someone of Anji’s experience and abilities join its growing family.
TripAdvisor announces new creative agency appointment
TripAdvisor has announced Mother, an independent creative company with offices in London, New York, Los Angeles, and Shanghai, will be the brand’s new global creative agency of record.
The new creative platform is scheduled to coincide with TripAdvisor’s 20th anniversary in 2020. The business will be led out of its New York office.
TripAdvisor also recently named Havas Media as its global media buying agency of record, responsible for developing an integrated approach to both offline and digital brand building.
Sun Island Tours appoints NSW and ACT brand development manager
Sun Island Tours has welcomed Marilu Vitale as BDM for NSW/ACT.
Vitale joins Sun Island Tours with three decades of industry experience and knowledge, having previously held similar positions at Bentours and Tempo Holidays, and Discover the World Australia.
International executive chef joins Outrigger Resorts’ Castaway Island, Fiji
Hicham Mneimneh has joined Castaway Island, Fiji, as executive chef, bringing 20 years of experience with dozens of different cuisines to the role.
A Lebanese national born in Kuwait, Hicham is fluent in German, French, English, and Arabic and has worked throughout Africa, the Middle East and Europe.
Hicham has been involved in the opening of eight hotels and five fine-dining restaurants; while in 2004, he received an award for running the best consumer cuisine Asian-fusion restaurant in Beirut.
He has served presidents and Arab royalty, including Saudi Prince Al Waleed Bin Talal and the former president of Ghana, John Koufur.
He has also been involved with the Alain Ducasse education training programs and is passionate about developing people and business.
Emirates announces Europe, Middle East, Far East management reshuffle
Emirates has made several key management movements across its commercial operations team in the Middle East, Far East, Europe and Emirates Skywards. These appointments will reinforce the airline’s presence across these strategic markets, and is in line with its commercial strategy to deliver strong business performance.
The new appointments, effective 1 November 2019, will see 12 UAE National commercial managers take on new leadership roles at Emirates across the Middle East, Far East, Europe and Emirates Skywards. They are as follows:
- Khalid Al Haddad, currently vice president Saudi Arabia, will take on the role of vice president for Skywards members and operations
- Mohammed Alnahari Alhashmi, currently holding the role of corporate sales manager UAE, will be appointed as vice president, Saudi Arabia
- Abdalla Al Zamani, currently manager Malaysia, will take on the role of country manager Indonesia
- Rashid Al Ardha, currently country manager Indonesia will be rotated as manager Singapore
- Mohammad Al Attar, manager Cyprus, will take up the new role of manager Malaysia
- Mohammed Al Wahedi, commercial manager Myanmar will embark on the role as manager Vietnam
- Haitham Al Battawy, manager Vietnam will be rotated as manager Thailand, Myanmar & Cambodia
- Talal Al Gergawi, commercial support manager Cambodia to take up the role of manager Cambodia
- Mohammed Al Qassim, commercial support manager Bangkok will take on the role of manager Cyprus
- Khalid Hassan, business analysis manager Far East, will take up the role of manager Sharjah and the Northern Emirates
- Omar Al Banna, manager Sharjah and Northern Emirates will be rotated as commercial corporate sales manager in Dubai
- Asma Al Rahma, business analysis manager will take on the role of Emirates Skywards programme manager.
No1 Lounges appoints Discover the World as exclusive sales rep
Premium airport lounge operator, No1 Lounges, has appointed Discover the World, a global travel industry sales and marketing specialist, as their exclusive sales representation partner across Australia and New Zealand.
The agreement will see Discover leverage its travel sales capability and travel trade relationships to raise awareness of No1 Lounges’ premium airport offering; the agreement also aims to introduce the benefits of No1 Lounges’ portfolio of airport lounges to a wider audience.
UK-based No1 Lounges operates 15 premium airport Lounges across the UK and Australia, under the ‘No1 Lounges’, ‘The House’, ‘Clubrooms’ and ‘My Lounge’ brands.
These include lounge locations in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Birmingham, Edinburgh, and Luton.
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Low-cost Indian carrier SpiceJet continues to burn cash
It’s not just low-cost Australian carriers that are facing hardship. SpiceJet, India’s version of Bonza, recently announced a 72 per cent reduction in its net loss versus last year. But, despite this improvement, the airline has posted losses for six straight years. But it has secured board approval to raise up to INR 30 billion […]
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SAKA Museum recognised in TIME magazine’s World’s Greatest Places 2024
AYANA Resort Bali’s newly-opened cultural and events centre, SAKA Museum has been recognised in TIME magazine’s World’s Greatest Places list for 2024. Part of AYANA Bali’s resort destination, the museum integrates Bali’s rich history with state-of-the-art facilities, making it the centrepiece for the island’s spiritual and cultural heritage. TIME magazine’s inclusion of SAKA Museum in […]
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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
Cytric Easy, the travel management tool embedded in Microsoft Teams, is to be integrated into FCM Travel portfolio. Amadeus and FCM Travel have extended their Cytric distribution agreement to include Cytric Easy. With this new agreement, global travel management company FCM Travel, becomes a reseller of the innovative travel management collaboration solution embedded into Microsoft […]
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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?