Road & rail wrap: Europcar fined over credit card fees, Railway Adventures’ Sri Lanka initiative + MORE!
![Road & rail wrap: Europcar fined over credit card fees, Railway Adventures’ Sri Lanka initiative + MORE!](https://www.travelweekly.com.au/wp-content/themes/bandtv1/img/default.png)
Toot toot, chugga chugga! It’s the road and rail wrap! Get amongst all the latest overland news and deals while we desperately try to avoid being sued by The Wiggles for using their trademark toots and chuggas.
Europcar fined for excessive credit card fees
Europcar has been fined $350,000 after the Federal Court of Australia found it charged its customers excessive fees for using credit and debit cards to rent a car.
The rental car company admitted it shared Visa and Mastercard customers fees that were higher than the cost of processing payments in 2017 after the ACCC took the company to court in July last year, the The Australian Financial Report reported.
Railway Adventures encourages Aussies to come back to Sri Lanka
Railway Adventures is encouraging Australians to contribute to rebuilding the tourism industry in Sri Lanka, after recent incidents caused a major downturn in numbers, by joining the company’s owner as host on the 15-day ‘Sri Lanka on the Viceroy Special’ tour.
Departing on November 5, this roundtrip from Colombo includes travelling on the highly acclaimed steam train, the Viceroy Special, and includes a selection of art workshops and creative experiences by Sri Lankan-born Australian artist and art tutor, Chan Dissanayake who will accompany the group on this adventure.
This tour is priced from $10, 475 per person twin share and includes accommodation, mostly five star, with daily breakfast and many local meals, luxury charter coach with luggage transport on rail travel days, entry fees on a vast variety of guided sightseeing excursions and even includes all tips and gratuities plus visa fees (if applicable) Airport transfers may be included on select flights from Australia.
Rail Europe releases two-for-one France-Spain connections
For a limited time only, Rail Europe is offering two-for-one deals on selected France-Spain High Speed connections between the two countries.
The connections are between Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse, Carcassonne, Valence, Aix en Provence, Avignon, Nimes, Montpellier and Madrid, and Barcelona.
Bookings must be made by 10 September 2019 and travel completed between 5 September and 14 December 2019. There are no black-out dates, but terms and conditions apply.
15 per cent discount off overland journeys that actively avoid overtourism hotspots
Whilst overtourism is a relatively new term, Dragoman has been fighting against the very essence of it for the past 38 years.
Avoiding the typical tourist trail is part of its DNA, and they have been taking curious travellers off the beaten track since starting way back in 1981.
With the spotlight firmly on sustainable and responsible travel and a strong push to discourage travellers from places heavily affected by overtourism, overland travel has once again come to the forefront.
Dragoman is taking this opportunity to further encourage travellers to step away from the norm and support the fight against overtourism by offering a 15 per cent discount on 15 of their more remote Overland journeys.
New Budapest-to-Prague private train Tour unveiled
On this new private train journey being offered by MIR Corporation, guests will enjoy the pleasures of Old World rail travel aboard the luxurious Golden Eagle Danube Express from Budapest to Prague.
On the way, they’ll stop in Slovakia’s capital, Bratislava, to admire the imposing Bratislava Castle, explore Vienna’s historic centre, visit Krakow, tour four UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and end the tour at a five-star hotel in Prague. This Budapest to Prague private train tour is scheduled for 5 to 12 July 2020. Prices range from $6,895 to $21,995 per person.
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
Dragoman europcar MIR Corporation rail europe Railway AdventuresLatest News
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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?