Hotel Wrap: Accor grows Queensland presence, Six Senses’ new opening in Italy + MORE
Here’s all the freshest hospitality news prepared and delivered to your computer screen, free of charge.
Accor grows presence in regional Queensland
Accor has announced the Travelodge Hotel Rockhampton has been rebranded to Mercure Rockhampton under a franchise agreement.
Refurbished in 2008, Mercure Rockhampton is located in the heart of the city, just a short drive from the Rockhampton Airport.
The eight-storey, 74-room resort overlooks the picturesque Fitzroy River and features six versatile conference spaces, an outdoor swimming pool, fitness centre, 24-hour reception, and easy access to Great Keppel Island and many other spectacular locations along the Capricorn Coast.
The hotel giant is also providing vital aid for employees and partners in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis thanks to its ‘ALL Heartist Fund’.
Across the globe, several million Euros have been awarded to help 14,000 people, and, in the Pacific region alone, Accor has supported 1,300 beneficiaries by awarding over $2.3 million in grants.
Six Senses announces second new opening in Italy
Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas has announced its second Italian property, Six Senses Antognolla.
Set to open in 2023, Six Senses Antognolla will be housed within the 12th-century Castello di Antognolla, which is located on the site of a 10th-century Benedictine monastery and crypt, with traces of a Roman settlement.
The property is 20 kilometres north of Perugia, close to the regional border of Tuscany.
In line with Six Senses brand values, the castle, borgo and estate are being reincarnated with a sustainable focus and will feature 71 rooms and 79 residences, a diverse wellness and cultural offering, 18-hole golf course, equestrian centre, cookery school, and organic farm.
New five-star hotel opens in Croatia
Despite the challenges of the global coronavirus pandemic, the five-star Rixos Premium Dubrovnik has just opened its doors in Croatia’s trendy beach destination.
Following a €20 million ($32.8 million) renovation, upgrade and rebranding, the property – formerly known as Hotel Libertas – is the eighth in the world by Rixos Premium Hotels.
Featuring 310 luxury rooms and suites, Rixos Premium Dubrovnik is a slick, contemporary beach resort built into a cliff in a secluded bay.
Facilities spread over 14 cascaded floors and include three bars and restaurants, a casino, a 2,000-sqaure-metre spa, and a large indoor and outdoor pool.
JA Ocean View Hotel Dubai reopens
Vibrant beachfront property JA Ocean View Hotel in Dubai has welcomed back international tourists after a brief three-month hiatus.
Popular with European tourists, the multi-award-winning hotel has 346 rooms and suites from 39 to 75 square metres, all boasting ocean views from elegant balconies.
Lifestyle hospitality chain launches in Vietnam
New lifestyle hospitality chain Wink Hotels is poised to redefine affordable luxury across Vietnam, as it readies to open its debut hotel later this year.
The first Wink-branded hotel will be the 237-room Wink Hotel Saigon Centre (pictured below), opening in the fourth quarter of 2020.
Properties to follow include the 243-room Wink Hotel Danang Centre and a third in riverside Danang as part of a mixed-use complex with a 60-metre façade along the Han River.
Lydia Nzayo promoted to GM of Singita’s lodges in Rwanda
Singita has announced the promotion of Lydia Nzayo to general manager at Singita Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda.
Nzayo was among the first members of the team when she joined as assistant GM in January 2019.
She was involved in the opening of Singita Kwitonda Lodge and Kataza House, and has enjoyed success and global recognition alongside the Singita team in the year it has been open.
Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort and Castaway Island feel the love from locals
Outrigger’s two Fijian resorts will be operating as of 31 July for the domestic market, and the demand from locals has been extremely encouraging.
Opening on 1 July, Outrigger Fiji Beach initially released 47 bures for sale for the first week of this, but due to increased demand, have opened a block of rooms online each week.
The successful reopening of Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort has brought forward the much-anticipated reopening of the renowned Castaway Island to 31 July, giving locals the opportunity to stay at the luxury property.
Both of the Outrigger properties have released local offers in support of Tourism Fiji’s ‘Love our Locals’ campaign in a boost to stimulate the struggling industry across the country. This campaign has paved the way to allow locals, who may not have experienced either Castaway Island, Fiji or the Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort in the past, a chance to experience Outrigger Hospitality Group warmth with a Fijian smile.
Soneva unveils August and October activities
Luxury resort group Soneva has announced its line-up of activities for August and the October half-term periods at Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani in the Maldives, and at Soneva Kiri in Thailand.
The program of activities includes a Summer Camp at Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani in the Maldives. Making worm farms, glassblowing classes and pizza making classes are just some of the activities on offer.
To find out more, visit Soneva’s website.
Pacific Resort Hotel Group shares message of safety
As it remains hopeful of the day drawing closer to being able to welcome guests back, Pacific Resort Hotel Group has shared how it plans to be COVID-safe in a new video.
The Cook Islands hotel group is also offering a free date change or full cancellation up to 24 hours prior to arrival for any bookings made for travel to 31 March 2021.
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
accor Castaway Island hospitality hotel wrap hotels JA Ocean View Hotel Lydia Nzayo Mercure Rockhampton Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort Pacific Resort Hotel Group resorts Rixos Premium Dubrovnik Singita Singita Volcanoes National Park Six Senses Six Senses Antognolla Soneva Wink HotelsLatest 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.