Keep updated on what the wholesalers you use are doing to stay abreast of the current situation with our trusty wrap.

Intrepid Group COVID-19 update

Intrepid Group is suspending Intrepid Travel and Peregrine Adventures tours globally from Monday 16 March until Thursday 30 April 2020.

At this stage, Intrepid’s Australia tours will go ahead as planned.

Customers booked to travel on an Intrepid Travel or Peregrine Adventures tour during this time will receive a credit valued at 110 per cent, which will be valid for two years.

Intrepid Travel and Peregrine Adventure tours that are currently operating will continue until 3 April 2020. Any customers that opt to leave their tour early will receive a credit for the remainder of their itinerary.

Go HERE for more details on Intrepid and HERE for more details on Peregrine.

G Adventures COVID-19 update 

Due to the evolving COVID-19 global pandemic, G Adventures has taken the difficult but necessary decision to suspend all tours departing between 16 March and 30 April 2020.

Any traveller booked on a tour departing between 16 March and 30 April 2020 will be eligible for a 110 per cent travel credit of all land services, including pre or post nights and transfers, which can be used on any tour departing within the next two years. G Adventures will be proactively notifying all travellers regarding their tour suspension and are advising travellers with flight bookings to contact their insurance and air provider directly for details on refunds or relaxed cancellations policies.

Any tours already in operation or due to depart before 16 March 2020 will run as scheduled.

Select itineraries will be disrupted and G Adventures will notify these travellers to offer a pro-rata travel credit for the remainder of their tour experience.

Travellers and agents with questions are asked to contact our sales team by telephone or email at 1 300 796 618 or experience@gadventures.com.

Wendy Wu Tours COVID-19 update

Wendy Wu Tours has advised that it will suspend all tours until 15 April with immediate effect.

As Australia’s largest tour operator to Asia, the suspension has come at the one of the busiest travel periods for the company.

Wendy Wu Tours will offer customers 100 per cent credit towards a future tour taken prior to December 2021 less any third-party payments that are unrecoverable

More details HERE.

Globus family of brands COVID-19 update

The Globus family of brands – consisting of Globus, Cosmos, Monograms and Avalon Waterways – has announced it is voluntarily suspending travel across all destinations through to 30 April 2020.

For travellers affected by the suspension, the company has also unveiled a NEW Peace of Mind plan.

This Peace of Mind plan provides Globus family of brands’ travellers booked on affected holidays from now through to 30 April 2020, the freedom to reschedule their holiday in 2020, 2021 or 2022, to any destination, on any brand, without incurring cancellation fees. The plan also offers travellers a credit of up to $300 per person when they reschedule their plans.

For more info details regarding Globus trips, go HERE, for Cosmos, go HERE, for Monograms go HERE and for Avalon Waterways go HERE.

Collette COVID-19 update + Easter trips

Collette’s president Jaclyn Leibl-Cote has updated agents in a video you can watch HERE.

Collette is also offering guests a chance to experience the culture of Easter across the oceans.

The colourful traditions of Orthodox Easter can be enjoyed in Greece: In the Footsteps of Paul the Apostle, Easter markets also provide a great opportunity to discover local traditions and crafts in Discover Switzerland, Austria & Bavaria or another option is Collette’s tour to the heart of pilgrimages in Europe Pilgrimage-to-Portugal-Spain-France includes the UNESCO World Heritage site, the Cathedral of Burgos, Lourdes, Fatima and Barcelona.

Prices for the tours range from $2,499 to $3,017 for April 2020.

Bunnik Tours COVID-19 update

Bunnik Tours has taken the difficult decision to suspend all tours departing between 16 March and 30 April 2020.

Bunnik representatives are in the process of contacting all clients travelling with them during this period either directly or through their travel agent – the priority being to make arrangements for those due to depart in the next 48 hours and then to work through tours in departure date order from there.

Tours currently in progress will continue to run as planned however the company will be providing options for travellers wanting to return home to Australia early.

As many tours include airfares and other transport provided by third parties, Bunnik will also work with these third parties to minimise costs and maximise credits. Due to the large number of airline and land suppliers across the touring programs, Bunnik has advised clients that this will take some time to finalise.

All suspended tours will have the funds placed on hold for future travel on a Bunnik Tour.

Bunnik Tours will continue to monitor the situation taking their lead from the relevant health authorities and the Australian Government. At this time, they are not recommending that anyone who has a booking post 1 June make any decisions to cancel.

The situation will likely alter significantly in the next three months and making any changes to those bookings right now might result in unnecessary amendment fees.

Bench Africa COVID-19 update 

Whilst so far Africa has been largely spared the effects of the virus compared to Europe, Asia or the US the atmosphere of fear and the travel restrictions put in place by various governments around the world have made international travel a tricky proposition.

Bench will be contacting all travellers departing between now and the 30 April (via their travel agent if applicable) over the next few days to run through options for their upcoming travel. This includes suspension of travel and the holding of funds for rebooking once the crisis has cleared.

Travellers currently in Africa will continue on their itinerary as planned however we will be in touch to ensure their peace of mind.

Exodus Travel unveils ‘Mountain Lioness’ scholarship

Exodus Travels has announced The Mountain Lioness Scholarship, an extension to their Kilimanjaro Porter Project, that will see the company further support women within the Kilimanjaro region.

Since the inception of the Kilimanjaro Porter Project in 2018, women in the Kilimanjaro area have already made great strides towards equality; gaining the same recognition as their male colleagues and breaking out of the traditional mould and out-dated way of thinking for women within their region.

The objective of the scholarship is to empower 30 women working on the mountain with the required qualifications, knowledge and skills to seek employment as professional guides working in the Kilimanjaro National Park.

Over a three-week training period, the scholarship will cover:

• Introduction to Tourism and Protected Areas
• Biological Resources Identification and General Mountain Ecology (birds, mammals, reptiles, insects and plants)
• Interpretation and identification of Mountain Physical Resources
• Tour Guiding Techniques (including ethical guiding)
• First Aid, Emergency Care and Wilderness Rescue

After the course, each participant will receive a guide license, enabling them to work as a guide in Mt Kilimanjaro National Park.

For further information on The Mountain Lioness Scholarship, go HERE.

Sun Island Tours launches ‘Sun Island Seminar Series’

Sun Island Tours has launched a brand new series of agent training seminars specifically designed to keep agents up to date with the latest news and information on all its destinations and products.

Each hour-long breakfast seminar will be co-hosted by a guest supplier or destination representative, meaning agents will receive the latest, most accurate product and destination news and information.

In addition, participating agents will also be generously rewarded with incentives after each seminar, including spot prize giveaways and the chance to experience the destinations firsthand.

The first Sun Island Seminar Series will be held on Thursday 26 March from 07.30am at the stunning, centrally located Primus Hotel on Pitt St, near Town Hall where the focus will be on Egypt. Timely, given the experts and media are calling 2020 ‘Egypt’s big comeback year’, this seminar will be co-hosted by one of Sun Island’s Egypt suppliers.

Agents who attend will automatically go into the draw to win an amazing 8 Day ‘Magnificent Nile Tour’.

The next seminar on Tuesday 31 March will focus on Croatia Cruising. Co-hosted by one of Sun Island’s long term Croatia cruise partners, all attendees will again be in the draw to win a fabulous cruise along the Croatian coast.

Latitude 33 harks the call of the wild

In August 2021, join Latitude 33 for the ultimate expeditionary journey – a unique and in-depth tour of Alaska.

The just-released, once-in-a-lifetime, 18-night Ultimate Alaska – Chasing Lights & Brown Bears tour is limited to just 20 guests and incorporates a stay at the stunning Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge on Vancouver Island plus a 10-night cruise onboard the ultra-luxury Seabourn Odyssey, topped and tailed by stays in 5-star accommodation in Vancouver and Alaska.

50 Degrees North sets sights to winter travel

In the midst of these unusual times, Nordic travel company 50 Degrees North is looking forward to the Nordic winter 2020-21, introducing a new 11-day winter tour, the Lapland Circle Escorted Tour.

This is a small-group tour for up to 12 people, visiting the northern regions of Norway, Sweden and Finland.

The tour has the following key features and inclusions:

• All accommodation in a shared double/twin room (single supplement also available)
• 50 Degrees North Scandinavian Escort
• One night in ice room at ICEHOTEL
• Three nights in a glass igloo
• Daily breakfast and two dinners
• Airport transfers
• Snowmobile safari with ice fishing and Husky Safari in Finland
• Tromsø city walk
• Northern Lights Cuisine Cruise
• Northern Lights Snowmobile ride and ice sculpting in Sweden
• Night visit to the Aurora Sky Station
• Sami and Reindeer experience in Sweden
• All transport between destinations, 50 Degrees North minibus/scheduled transfer between Kittilä and Tromsø, and Harstad to Björkliden/Abisko.

The trip starts from Kittilä, Finland, with six departures between December 2020 and March 2021. Prices start from $9,562 per adult.

TTC’s weekly deals

TRAFALGAR

Britain and Ireland Panorama

Special offer: Save 10per cent off Britain & Ireland 2021 with Trafalgar.

Name of tour and length:  Britain and Ireland Panorama (16 days)

Price and price inclusions: Starting from $4,495.50* per person, twin share (discount included).

Travel dates­: This offer is on sale now until 1 September 2020 for departures from April to September 2021.

CONTIKI

Mykonos and Santorini Island Escape

Special offer: Save up to 20 per cent off worldwide trips with Contiki!

Name of tour and length: Mykonos and Santorini Island Escape (nine days)

Price and price inclusions: Starting from $1,994 per person, twin share (discount included).

Travel dates­: This offer is on sale now until 31 March 2020 for departures between 31 May to 9 June 2020. Other departure dates are available but prices may vary.

COSTSAVER

Canyon Country Showcase

Special offer: Get Ready to Go with Costsaver’s Best Price Guarantee

Name of tour and length: Canyon Country Showcase (12 days)

Price and price inclusions: Starting from $215 per person, per day (Lowest Price Guarantee).

Travel dates­: Book now to guarantee this lowest price before it rises, valid for travel until November 2020.

INSPIRING JOURNEYS

A Journey to the West

Special offer: Save up to 10 per cent off with Inspiring Journeys Last Minute Deals.

Name of tour and length: A Journey to the West (seven days)

Price and price inclusions: Starting from $3,038 per person, twin share (including discount).

Travel dates­: This offer is on sale now until sold out or departed for travel on the 4^th of April 2020. Other departure dates are available however prices may vary.

INSIGHT VACATIONS

Easy Pace Russia with Christmas Markets

Special offer: Experience the magic of the seasons in Autumn, Winter and Spring. Book early and save 5 per cent with Insight Vacations’ Early Payment Discount.

Name of tour and length: Easy Pace Russia with Christmas Markets (eight days)

Price and price inclusions: Starting from $2,943 per person, twin share (discount included).

Travel dates­: This offer is on sale now until 27 August 2020 for departure on 13 December 2020. Other departure dates are available but prices may vary.