TravelBulletin for March 2019 - Qantas channels the future of fares - what does it mean for you?

March 2019

Imagine.

A place where tequila sunrises are more than just a drink.

Daydream Island, reopening April 2019.

Book your stay at daydreamisland.com

reservations@daydreamisland.com | daydreamisland.com

Escape Escape To a place where the reefs sway with living colour and your mind is free to wander. Daydream Island, the secluded resort in the middle of the Whitsundays, is reopening in April.

Unveiling its new-look, premium resort, Daydream Island will reopen to the public on the 10th April 2019. The resort will have 277 contemporary suites and rooms for guests to relax in after a day in the sun, with garden, pool and ocean view rooms providing the perfect retreat.

Three signature restaurants and three new bars will each be defined by their own distinct design and flavour.

The Living Reef, will be making its return to the island in an even bigger and better way, further cementing its eco-friendly and educational focus. The free form coral lagoon will wrap 200m around the central building and hold over 1.5 million litres of water. Guests will be able to join the team of marine biologists who live on the island and feed baby stingrays who live amongst over 100 species of marine fish, coral and invertebrates such as starfish, sea cucumbers and crabs.

A new underwater observatory will also allow guests to view 4 metres below the water’s surface to watch the marine life in action. Kids will have the chance to become eco-warriors at Kids Club as they explore and learn about the Living Reef while playing and feeding the animals who call it home, amongst a range of other activities around the island.

reservations@daydreamisland.com | daydreamisland.com

March 2019

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Contents

14

28

50

48 Features

Cover story

20 Business Events News

28 Thailand

14 Qantas channels the future

of fares

26 Industry in Focus

Get away from the crowds and find the hidden gems of Thailand

36 Europe Brian Johnston discovers the beauty and history of Flanders

46 Africa Adam Bishop uncovers the weird & wonderful animals of Madagascar

50 Private touring Private touring offers unique local experiences, writes Ben Groundwater

The new channel claims to offer a range of benefits for users, but what are the changes and what do they mean for you?

Monthly

22 Cruise 35 Brochures 62 Last Word

Columns 02 From the publisher

02 State of the industry

06 Steve Jones

08 Issues and trends

08 AFTA View

18 Business view

28 CLIA View

This month’s contributors Steve Jones, Joel Katz, Jayson Westbury, Michelle Ashcroft, Brian Johnston, Kristie Kellahan, Ben Groundwater, Dianne Garbin, Sarah Beyer Bottom left – ©Visit Mechelen; bottom right – Samarkand image ©Wendy Wu Tours

EDITORIAL Editor in Chief and Publisher – Bruce Piper Co-ordinating Editor + Production – Sarah Beyer Ph: 1300 799 220 or 02 8007 6760 sarah.beyer@travelbulletin.com.au

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This publication is independently audited under the AMAA's CAB Total Distribution Audit.

1 Apr Reporting Period: 16 Apr2018 2016––30 16Sep Sep2018 2016 - Publisher Statement

Editorial team – Jasmine O’Donoghue, Adam Bishop, Anastasia Prikhodko, Sarah Fairburn

Advertising National Sales Manager Lisa Maroun Ph: 0405 132 575 or 02 8007 6760 lisa.maroun@travelbulletin.com.au

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travelBulletin March 2019

1

State of the industry

From the publisher Bruce Piper

IN BRIEF

2

Last month’s release of the outcome of the Hayne Royal Commission into the Australian banking sector prompted what seemed to me to be some extremely misguided commentary from the travel industry.

In a true “what on earth were you thinking” moment, at least one senior industry figure took the unfortunate opportunity to link travel industry remuneration to some of the dodgy financial practices highlighted by the Commission’s report.

At a juncture when anyone with a grain of sense would be scrambling to distance the sector from the shocking revelations of wilful exploitation of financial institution customers, a story covered in the Australian Financial Review suggested that travel agents would be well advised to boost their transparency and shift the industry business model to become based on fee income from clients, rather than commissions paid by suppliers.

The banking royal commission has recommended sweeping changes to how financial advisors and mortgage brokers are remunerated, including banning trailing and upfront commissions, which “could have transferable impacts for travel agents,” the report claimed. Within days the story had been picked up elsewhere, including in marketing newsletter Mumbrella where highprofile industry commentator Tim Burrowes noted “the travel industry is already talking about the conflict

Helloworld hits the political headlines The close Liberal Party ties of Helloworld Travel CEO Andrew Burnes have become an issue in the upcoming Federal Election, after a series of explosive revelations last month were seized on by the Opposition. First came a Nine Publishing report about Finance Minister Mathias Cormann, confirming that he booked his holidays by simply calling Burnes, with Helloworld subsequently failing to charge his credit card due to a claimed administrative oversight. The report included a leaked extract from the Air Tickets booking system confirming the purchase, providing plenty of opportunity for political point-scoring as Senator Cormann's department oversees the Whole of Australian

travelBulletin March 2019

it faces in recommending holidays to clients while taking commissions on those holidays”.

Why on earth should travel agents, among all retailers, be forced to expose their margins? When you buy a new car, or a washing machine, or a TV, or do some home improvements, do the middlemen in all of these transactions tell you how much they are making, or the incentive trip they might win, in the interests of transparency? Of course not – this is how business works – you sell something which generates a profit. The timing of the commentary really couldn’t have been worse, with AFTA already involved in a battle with the NSW government where Minister for Better Regulation, Matt Kean, is attempting to lump travel agents alongside insurance brokers, real estate agents, financial advisors and “comparator sites” for electricity and health insurance, by mandating disclosure of commissions to consumers.

AFTA has lodged a comprehensive response to this NSW proposal which has, hopefully inadvertently, captured the travel sector.

Comments such as those reported in the AFR are completely counterproductive, and the industry would be well-advised to be seen to be working together rather than pulling in different directions – no matter how desperate some people are to get a mention for their brands in mainstream media.

Government (WoAG) contracts held by Helloworld for TMC and accommodation services.

That was followed a few days later by claims Burnes had facilitated a meeting between former QBT/Air Tickets chief Russell Carstensen and Joe Hockey, former Federal Treasurer and now Australian Ambassador to the USA, relating to travel management services for the Washington Embassy. Evidence tendered to a Senate committee cited Carstensen's misgivings about the meeting, given that Hockey is a good friend of Burnes and also a top 20 shareholder in Helloworld. ALP Leader Bill Shorten seized on the issue, promising that Helloworld would be the "first item" on a proposed new National Integrity Commission should he be elected to power later this year.

Burnes emphatically denied any impropriety, and noted that AOT had won the WoAG contract in 2012 under the then Labor Government.

Carstensen, who has flown under the radar since his abrupt departure from Helloworld in May last year, has suddenly returned to public view and it is intriguing to note that both Air Tickets and QBT are involved in the controversies. Revenge, as they say, is a dish best served cold.

APT partners the OperA

Qantas takes strategic stake in Alliance Airlines QANTAS has ruffled the feathers of rival Virgin Australia by purchasing a 19.9% stake in regional charter operator Alliance Airlines, which operates leases on behalf of VA. Virgin Australia was vocal in its concerns, suggesting the move may lead to changes in competition in the Australian market.

The board of Alliance confirmed it had not received any approach from Qantas prior to the acquisition, which cost the carrier an estimated $60 million – paying an average of $2.40 per share. QF said it planned to “ultimately seek regulatory approval from the ACCC to build on its current shareholding with a longer-term view of taking a majority position in Alliance Airlines in order to better serve the charter market”.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) launched a “Public Informal Merger Review,” encouraging stakeholders to comment so it could determine if there had been a breach of section 50 of the Competition and Consumer Act.

Lake pardoned after prison stint AUSTRALIAN travel identity Trevor Lake, who was imprisoned in Cambodia four years ago over allegations of having sex with underage girls has been granted a full pardon.

Lake told travelBulletin that his legal team had finally been permitted to present his case to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, who subsequently declared he had no case to answer and ordered his release effective immediately.

“So, life starts afresh,” Lake said.

APT celebrated their new partnership with Opera Australia last month by hosting a special VIP event at a performance of La Boheme at the Sydney Opera House.

The agreement means APT guests on selected Kimberley departures in September this year will be treated to a special one-off Opera in the Kimberley event, while the company is also the Production Partner for the national tour of Madama Butterfly.

Pictured are Debra Fox, APT Travel Group (ATG); Rory Jeffes, CEO Opera Australia; Rob McGeary, ATG; Lyndon Terracini, Opera Australia Artistic Director; Sarah Lock, APT Brand Manager; and Chris Hall, ATG CEO.

“

Lake believes he was framed and convicted for “underage sex” when he attempted to expose a local charity for “corrupt and criminal” conduct.

His roles in the local industry included heading up The Travel Corporation’s former Asian specialist business Classic Oriental Tours, after which he established Discover Asia, on-selling to the McLachlan Travel Group when he relocated to Cambodia back in 2013.

Lake said he intends to remain in the country and marry his long-term girlfriend, with whom he runs a Siem Reap jewellery store.

Cameron-Smith said he was thrilled to take the next step in his career while remaining within the Travel Corporation family.

The Travel Corporation CEO John Veitch said Cameron-Smith had “played an integral role in the triumphs of Trafalgar over the last eight years.

“His strong commercial skills and business acumen, strategic thinking, internal and external stakeholder relations, motivational leadership style and passion for our brands will be a real asset to AAT Kings and Inspiring Journeys,” Veitch added.

TTC has commenced a search for a new MD for Trafalgar.

and New Zealand portfolio of guided holidays, short breaks and day tours, alongside the Inspiring Journeys small group offering.

alleged swindle as the pair visited NSW Police.

[Qantas planned to] ultimately seek regulatory approval from the ACCC to build on its current shareholding with a longer-term Cameron-Smith to AAT view of taking Long-time Trafalgar Australia chief CMV $2.4 million a majority Matt Cameron-Smith will step into the alleged theft position in position of Managing Director of AAT Susanne Hunter, the wife of former Kings and Inspiring Journeys, following Alliance the resignation of Hans Belle after just Cruise and Maritime Voyages Australia Airlines in CEO Grant Hunter, is facing court after over two years in the role. being charged with misappropriating Cameron-Smith has led Trafalgar order to more than $2.4 million from the cruise Australia since 2011 will take up his better serve company. Susanne Hunter was a new role on 1 April. the charter Director of CMV Australia, with Seven He will lead AAT Kings’ team of News revealing in mid-February the over 400 staff across an Australian market

”

Continues over page

travelBulletin March 2019

3

State of the industry Continues from previous page

HEADLINES 24 Jan EK revamps bag allowance 24 Jan Bestjet activist stirs the pot 25 Jan AAT Kings on Rezdy 25 Jan Qantas upgrades Bali 29 Jan Tourism Aus content deal 29 Jan OAM for Botanica founder 30 Jan Air NZ to review network 30 Jan Travel Team ceases trading 31 Jan Silversea’s world expedition 31 Jan ANA takes a PAL stake 01 Feb QF takes stake in Alliance 01 Feb Bestjet to be liquidated 01 Feb Travelport steps up NDC 04 Feb Pardon, release for Lake 04 Feb TTC highlights Treadright 05 Feb AAT’s Red Centre growth 05 Feb Concierge Travel Group sale 06 Feb Scurrah takes top VA job 06 Feb Airport regulation okay 07 Feb QF launches new channel 07 Feb Solomons opens expo to all 08 Feb Serko seals CWT US deal 08 Feb Entire lifts staff expertise

The report confirmed multiple fraud and money laundering offences are being investigated, involving allegations of hundreds of money transfers from the company to Susanne Hunter’s bank account over a period of three to four years. CMV issued a statement confirming that an “internal investigation into accounting irregularities uncovered some concerns regarding the handling of company funds while the business was under the management of Mr Grant Hunter, CEO and his wife, Mrs Susanne Hunter, Passenger Service & Office Manager between 2013 and 2017.

“The matter was referred to police and is now the subject of a formal criminal investigation, on which Cruise & Maritime Voyages is unable to comment further.”

Grant and Susanne Hunter have not been involved with CMV since September 2017, when Dean Brazier was appointed as Managing Director.

Vail buys Hotham, Falls American snowsports giant Vail Resorts has doubled down on its investment in the Australian market,

last month confirming the acquisition of Victoria's Falls Creek and Mt Hotham ski resorts from their current owner, Merlin Entertainments.

The properties will operate alongside Vail's local flagship, Perisher Ski Resort in the NSW snowfields, with the company's Epic Pass product expected to provide unlimited access to all three ski/snowboard areas.

Vail is paying Merlin AU$174 million for the resorts, with the deal expected to be finalised before the start of this year's winter ski season in June.

The acquisition includes ski school, retail, rental, reservation and property management operations at both resort areas. Vail CEO Rob Katz said he was thrilled to expand the company's presence in Australia "which is one of our most important international markets". He said the acquisitions were part of Vail's continued strategy to drive season pass sales and build loyalty with guests around the world.

Once the deal settles, the 2019 Epic Australia Pass and 2018-19 Epic Pass will provide access to Falls Creek, Hotham and Perisher in Australia, Whistler/Blackcomb in Canada, the Vail portfolio in Colorado and other US states plus partner properties in Japan including Rusutsu and Hakuba Valley.

11 Feb Journey Beyond expands 11 Feb Bestjet chargeback fury 12 Feb Eclipse delayed again 12 Feb New AAT, Trafalgar MDs 12 Feb QF, CX defend codeshare 13 Feb Lefebvre, Kent buy A&K 13 Feb Virgin turns the corner 13 Feb InterCon takes Six Senses 14 Feb Malindo plots ADL flights 14 Feb $2.4m CMV alleged theft 15 Feb A380 to cease production 15 Feb QF Chauffeur Drive cuts 18 Feb Helloworld lifts TTV 6.1% 18 Feb Bestjet creditors mount 19 Feb HLO hits the headlines 19 Feb BW acquires WorldHotels 20 Feb CTM strong H1 results 20 Feb Aussie travel growing: ABS 20 Feb HLO rejects Hockey claim 21 Feb QF profit slides, fuel bill rises 21 Feb FC delivers record sales 21 Feb Webjet marks record H1

4

travelBulletin March 2019

Select smiles for New Year Select Travel Group celebrated Chinese New Year late last month with a seven-course banquet plus entertainment for members and suppliers.

The group welcomed in the Year of the Pig with $100,000 worth of prizes given to guests.

Details of the upcoming Express Travel Group conference were also revealed, with Select, Independent and italktravel networks all combining for the first time. The event will take place at the Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park, with the Travel Corporation as the welcome sponsor.

Pictured at the banquet dinner are Derek Morris, Quynh Giang and Ari Magoutis from Express Travel Group.

Data Room

All the latest statistics from the ABS and BITRE to keep you in the loop.

Domestic On Time Performance

ARRIVALS

January 2019

Jetstar 79.1% 76.5% 2.7%

Arrivals on time Departure on time Cancellations

Top 10 destinations, December 18

Source

Destination

Trend (000)

New Zealand 115.9 UK 60.8 China 121.1 USA 67.9 Singapore 38.6 Japan 41.4 India 31.2 Malaysia 32.2 Hong Kong 26 Germany 17.3 All inbound 780.3

Qantas

Arrivals on time Departure on time Cancellations

86.1% 86.8% 1.5%

RETURNS

Top 10 destinations, December 18 Original (000) 126.9 117.9 115.3 100.9 58.2 49.9 39.3 38.9 37.5 28.9 1,057.9

Trend Nov 18/ Dec 18 % -0.3 +0.5 +0.0 +1.3 +0.0 +1.0 +0.6 -3.6 -0.4 +1.3 +0.1

Trend Dec 17/ Dec 18 % +1.3 -3.4 +3.7 +0.5 +8.1 +12.4 +13.3 +0.8 +5.7 -2.4 +3.3

Trend (000)

New Zealand 123.7 Indonesia 114.4 USA 91.6 UK 57.0 China 49.6 Thailand 47.3 India 33.6 Japan 39.7 Singapore 32.7 Fiji 28.2 All outbound 944.6

Source: ABS

Original (000)

Trend Nov 18/ Dec 18 % +0.7 +1.7 +0.5 +1.3 +0.3 -0.4 -0.9 +0.9 -1.9 -0.8 +0.5

121.8 87.6 75.5 36.7 36.5 35.1 32.6 28.6 28.6 24.2 732.8

Trend Dec 17/ Dec 18 % +4.5 +20.8 +4.5 +6.7 +6.8 -4.0 +3.3 +9.9 -5.0 +0.6 +6.4

Source: ABS

ENDED DECEMBER 2017 All airlines

Arrivals on time Departure on time Cancellations

84.4% 84.7% 1.9%

-4.1%

85.5% 85.8% 1.4%

.3%

Virgin Australia

Arrivals on time Departure on time Cancellations

+5

International Passengers Carried (thousands) - December 2015 to December 2017

+3

DOMESTIC AIR MARKET

.4 %

December 2018

- 0. 4

Dec-17

Nov-17

Oct-17

Sep-17

Aug-17

Jul-17

Jun-17

May-17

Apr-17

Mar-17

Feb-17

Jan-17

Dec-16

Nov-16

Oct-16

Sep-16

Aug-16

Jul-16

Jun-16

May-16

Apr-16

Mar-16

Feb-16

Jan-16

+7 .7%

.9 %

*Percentage points difference

+2

Dec 18

% +3.0

Total pax carried Revenue pax km (RPK) Avail seat kms (ASK) Load factor (%) Aircraft trips (000)

Growth Yr to Yr to Growth % Dec 17 Dec 18 % INBOUND OUTBOUND 5.25m 5.14m -2.0 59.97m 61.08bn +1.9 6.20bn 6.07bn -2.1 70.01bn 71.26bn +1.8 7.65bn 7.53bn -1.6 88.19bn 88.45bn +0.3 81.0 80.6 -0.4* 79.4 80.6 1.2* 52.7 51.8 -1.7 638.2 629.5 -1.3

-3.2%

Dec 17

+1.8%

%

-1.9%

Source: BITRE

International Air Market Share

INTERNATIONAL AIR ROUTES

International Passengers by Major Airlines - Year ended December 2017

International passengers by major airline – year ended Nov 2018

Top 10 city pairs, November 2018

Qantas Airways, 17.1% Qantas Airways,

City pair

16.4%

Others, 31.8%

Others, 30.7%

Jetstar, 8.9%9.1% Jetstar,

Emirates, Singapore Airlines,8.3% 8.0%

Etihad Airways, 2.9% China Southern Airlines, 3.1% Etihad Airways, AirAsia X,3.2% 3.1%

Singapore Emirates, 7.8% Airlines, 8.1%

X, 4.0% ChinaAirAsia Southern Airlines, 3.2%

Cathay Pacific Air New Cathay Pacific Air New Zealand, 6.6% Airways, 4.4% Zealand, 6.6% Airways, 4.6% Australia, 6.1% VirginVirgin Australia, 6.0% Source: BITRE

Auckland- Sydney Singapore-Sydney Singapore-Melbourne Auckland-Melbourne Hong Kong-Sydney Singapore-Perth Auckland-Brisbane Denpasar-Perth Los Angeles-Sydney Singapore-Brisbane Top 10 City Pairs Other City Pairs ALL CITY PAIRS

Year ended

Year ended

Year ended

Passengers % of total % change YE Nov 18 18/17 1,554,504 3.8 -1.9 1,529,941 3.7 +2.9 1,527,078 3.7 +7.7 1,254,569 3.0 +1.8 1,131,844 2.7 +5.3 1,121,133 2.7 -3.2 962,312 2.3 -0.4 872,202 2.1 +3.0 851,232 2.1 -4.1 847,042 2.0 +3.4 11,651,857 28.1 +1.5 29,798,877 71.9 +6.5 41,450,734 100.0 +5.1

Source: BITRE

International Passengers by Uplift/Discharge City Pairs Australian

Passengers YE Nov 17 1,584,522 1,486,982 1,418,240 1,232,408 1,074,609 1,157,992 966,292 846,712 887,682 819,474 11,474,913 27,971,477 39,446,390

travelBulletin March 2019

% of

% Change

5

State of the industry MAIN DOMESTIC ROUTES Top 10 domestic city pairs, December 2018

City pair

MelbourneSydney Brisbane-Sydney BrisbaneMelbourne Gold CoastSydney AdelaideMelbourne Melbourne-Perth Gold CoastMelbourne Adelaide-Sydney Perth-Sydney Hobart-Melbourne

Passengers Passengers % change YE Dec 17 YE Dec 18 (000) (000) 9,097.1

9,250.9

+1.7

4,746.3

4,825.7

+1.7

3,541.1

3,569.2

+0.8

2,740.7

2,722.8

-0.7

2,456.4

2,498.3

+1.7

2,033.2

2,113.2

+3.9

2,012.6

2,064.2

+2.6

1,898.3 1,716.5 1,630.3

1,906.5 1,716.6 1,652.8

+0.4 +0.0 +1.4

Most popular websites in travel - agencies Oct 18 compared with Sep 18

Rank Website

1

Webjet Australia

2 3

Expedia Australia Skyscanner Australia Wotif.com Flight Centre Velocity Frequent Flyer Luxury Escapes Cheap Flights Aus & NZ Lastminute.com.au Google Flights AU

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Visits % share Oct 18

Relative % dif Oct to Sep

12.69

-1.45

9.84

+3.38

9.59

+4.27

6.94 6.28

-8.47 -0.79

4.78

+7.08

3.00

-10.43

2.46

-13.29

2.06 1.84

-3.94 -3.24

Rank Sep 18 1

Source: Hitwise

Source: BITRE

Steve Jones’ Say Businesses don’t get any murkier than Bestjet. And I’m afraid it’s another grubby stain on the reputation of the travel industry.

Regardless of where the blame lies – and I think we have a good idea where that is – the industry has again faced with the very public fall out of a major failure.

Every industry suffers its share of collapses. Where travel can often differ, of course, is the high profile emotional nature of the consumer stories. It resonates with the Iikes of A Current Affair which revels in the tearful tales of wrecked

6

travelBulletin March 2019

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

AUSTRALIAN AIRPORTS

International passengers through major international airports, November 18 City pair Sydney Melbourne Brisbane Perth Gold Coast Adelaide Cairns Darwin Canberra (a) Townsville (b) Sunshine Coast (c) Port Hedland Newcastle (d) Norfolk Island (e) ALL AIRPORTS

Passengers YE Nov 17 15,952,084 10,264,557 5,694,364 4,399,394 1,080,194 961,476 658,160 278,178 82,498 48,846 13,719 7,359 ..

5,561 39,446,390

(a) Scheduled services recommenced Sep 2016 (b) Scheduled services ceased Sep 2018 (c) Seasonal services only

family holidays and elderly parents denied the joy of travelling to their daughter’s wedding.

Like it or not, Bestjet was part of the travel industry, and it’s the industry that must pick up the pieces. The reputational damage impacts everyone. Online agencies in particular will be seething at those responsible for the circus that ensued, and the damage to consumer confidence in the sector.

One of the most frustrating strands of this story is that none us should have been surprised at Bestjet’s unravelling. Did any of us truly believe that Michael James, the husband of Bestjet owner Rachel James, and the man behind the disastrous Air Australia debacle, was not involved in the business?

This, a man who had been disqualified by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) for “failing to act with care and diligence” as he drove his airline into financial oblivion.

The Australian Federation of Travel Agents certainly had its doubts, having kicked Bestjet out of the ATAS accreditation scheme in 2016 because of James’s association with the business.

It’s a shame the wider public weren’t aware of his behind-thescenes involvement. I can’t imagine many consumers would have booked flights with this company had they

“

What is equally frustrating is that a thorough investigation into the shady dealings at Bestjet might never happen

”

Passengers YE Nov 18 16,716,186 11,194,134 6,089,008 4,357,024 1,036,637 1,020,814 667,094 230,170 96,884 19,709 14,303 8,197 574 ..

41,450,734

% of total % change 18/17 40.3 +4.8 27.0 +9.1 14.7 +6.9 10.5 -1.0 2.5 -4.0 2.5 +6.2 1.6 +1.4 0.6 -17.3 0.2 +17.4 0.0 -59.7 0.0 +4.3 0.0 +11.4 0.0 .. .. ..

100.0 +5.1

(d) Scheduled services recommenced Nov 2018 (e) Scheduled services ceased May 2017

Source: BITRE

known its ownership structure.

What is equally frustrating is that a thorough investigation into the shady dealings at Bestjet might never happen. That would be scandalous in itself. But for starters, administrators Pilot Partners indicated they have little financial resources to delve much deeper into the various business activities of Bestjet.

And then we have the business regulator, ASIC. Frankly, I have little faith in them. Shortly before Christmas, a financial services royal commission identified what we knew. ASIC has failed to keep the big banks in line. If it didn’t take a stand against dubious practices from the likes of NAB, is it really going to spend the time and money investigating the failure of what, in the grand scheme of things, is a small online travel agent?

It’s hard to know what structural changes can be made to avoid the kind of negativity we’ve experienced with Bestjet. The Travel Compensation Fund kept many unsavoury headlines to a minimum. But that is long gone.

The best AFTA, and the wider industry can do, is to keep banging the ATAS accreditation drum.

Accreditation doesn’t meant companies are failsafe. But it would have spared many consumers the misery of the Bestjet collapse.

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Issues & trends

AFTA view

Airports and airlines remain at loggerheads THE chasm between Australian airports and airlines is no closer to being bridged after the Productivity Commission (PC) handed down a draft report which endorsed existing airport regulations. The report found that the four airports monitored – Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth – had not exercised their market power to their advantage, this despite claims from airlines that “monopoly airports” had acted unfairly in regard to pricing and negotiating disputes with a range of airport users.

The PC’s findings contend each airport generated returns sufficient to promote investment while not earning excessive profit and most of the airports’ operational and financial performance was within “reasonable bounds”.

Airline industry groups such as Airlines for Australia and New Zealand (A4ANZ) and the Board of Airline Representatives of Australia (BARA) slammed the conclusions, with the former calling for an urgent rethink by the Productivity Commission, stating “It beggars belief that the PC could simply set aside such highly credible evidence from experts both in Australia and internationally in their choice not to suggest real change”.

“The Australian public knows there is an enormous problem with our monopoly airports. They are the ones paying for it,” said A4ANZ Chair Professor Graeme Samuel.

“This report – unusually for the PC – appears to ignore important evidence clearly showing this, from credible sources,” he added.

BARA also weighed in, adding it was “disappointed and surprised [the report] downplayed the problems international airlines have with the provision, management and pricing of airport services”.

“BARA has spent a disproportionate amount of its time dealing with the airport operators’ ambit-claim commercial terms, rather than focusing on the improvements necessary to deliver better service outcomes,” BARA Executive Director Barry Abrams added.

The Commission did however flag concerns about some aspects of the airports’ performance, and questioned whether some clauses in contracts between airports and airlines were anticompetitive, citing a recommendation for the four airports to be required to separately report revenues and costs of providing domestic and international services to airlines.

8

travelBulletin March 2019

Jayson Westbury, chief executive AFTA

Election fun and games At the time of writing this month’s travelBulletin column, the date of the Federal Election was not known, but it was very clear that Australia is in election mode.

During the first week of the Federal Parliament resuming after the long summer break, an historic defeat for a sitting Prime Minister took place in the form of the legislation passing with the support of Labor and the cross bench, demonstrating that the Government does not have control of the lower house of Parliament. This is something that has not happened since the 1920s, and demonstrates to all Australians the problem with not having a Government who is running the country.

As the election battle lines are drawn it is becoming very clear that the issue of border control and protection will be a very serious fighting ground for both major parties. There are likely only between 11 and 15 days of parliament sitting before the election. With the federal budget slated to be delivered one month earlier than normal on 2 April, I expect that the election date will be called not long after that. So a late April or early May election is likely.

For our industry the key statement, and one that we always look forward to, is the tourism policy that I hope both major parties released sooner rather In past elections we than later.

In past elections we have have had times when had times when a tourism a tourism policy did policy did not get released not get released and and this in part caused the Passenger Movement Charge this in part caused (PMC) changes, when the the PMC changes coalition did not commit to a policy in advance of the election. This meant they were able to do as they wish, which you might recall is what they did.

The current PMC is set at $60 per passenger, for a five-year period. In the lead up to the election, the industry at large will be hoping to see a pre-commitment or pre-election policy statement from both the Coalition and Labor as to what their policy plans are for the travel and tourism industry.

These documents are important as they provide a strong statement of support (one would hope) for the industry. They also spell out specifics for support for Tourism Australia and other activities and policy areas that impact upon our industry and enable us as an industry to hold the government to account.

For this reason AFTA and many other travel and tourism bodies will be calling on both sides of the political fence to have a pre-election tourism policy.

We shall see if this happens and I hope for the sake of the industry that neither party dream up any new regulations or red tape that might impact upon our international competitiveness or stymie the ability for Australian travel and tourism businesses to prosper and thrive.

“ ”

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Issues & trends

Travellers Choice deals in success The exclusive partnership between Travellers Choice and “deals provider” TripADeal continues to go from strength to strength, and has been a key driver in attracting new members to the cooperative, according to MD Christian Hunter. Launched in late 2017, the arrangement has also seen strong results for agencies to embrace the platform, exemplified by Brisbane-based Travellers Choice member Ucango Travel & Cruise, which last month became the first

agency to surpass one million dollars in annual TripADeal bookings.

Hunter told travelBulletin sales were increasing month-on-month, with members giving great feedback on TripADeal which had been very proactive in working with the agents. “The bundled offers provided through TripADeal are perfect for database marketing, meaning agents are able to attract new bookings and opportunities for add-on sales,” he said. And as these

clients see the service and expertise provided by the agent, many return and make repeat bookings of other products.

“Our agents end up with new customers they would otherwise never have come across,” Hunter added.

He said the fact that TripADeal is ATASaccredited was also a key benefit. Travellers Choice has been highly supportive of the AFTA accreditation scheme, and requires all members to be part of the program – not

“

The bundled offers provided through TripADeal are perfect for database marketing, meaning agents are able to attract new booking and opportunities for add-on-sales

”

Christian Hunter, MD Travellers Choice

Travellers Choice’s Justin Michael, Robyn Mitchell, Trent Bartlet, Christian Hunter and Nicola Strudwick.

just to ensure their financial stability but also as a key differentiator and marketing advantage. ATAS accreditation is also highly relevant to the new TC Pay payments platform, launched at the Travellers Choice conference late last year in partnership with Zenith Payments. TC Pay is aligned with the AFTA Chargeback Scheme (ACS), protecting agents from chargebacks when their clients make bookings with any ATAS-accredited supplier. The comprehensive financial solution is another key benefit of Travellers Choice membership, Hunter noted, and as well as simplifying credit card processing with no monthly fees, also includes a B2B payment portal enabling agencies to earn thousands Qantas points on their own regular bill payments.

Hunter said key initiatives for Travellers Choice in the last few months had included gaining a better understanding of member businesses so the group can continue

10

travelBulletin March 2019

to offer highly relevant services and membership benefits. “We have found that members who are most engaged with our offerings are more likely to be successful – we want to broaden our services to meet any gaps,” he said. Many of the organisation’s benefits are available at no extra cost as part of the regular membership fee, including comprehensive marketing support, training and in-house digital expertise.

Marketing Manager Robyn Mitchell highlighted the wide range of options offered by her team. “We support our members across the full extent of their businesses, giving support in areas like graphic design, signage, social media and more,” she said. Three recent webinars for members, part of a newly introduced ongoing program to boost agent skills, have focused on a “new year, new marketing,” better engaging with CLIA

cruise training, and a “Facebook Page Health Check” which have been very well received, Mitchell added. “We’re now basically a mini-marketing agency for our travel agency members, supporting them across the full extent of their businesses”.

Also new to the Travellers Choice offering is the Wetu Itinerary Builder, allowing agents to quickly create “alluring, content-rich, interactive travel itineraries that are proven to increase sales conversion rates”.

All of these benefits are on top of the financial advantages of Travellers Choice membership, with its mutual structure seeing members share in rebates and receive an annual dividend, Hunter noted. The group is actively recruiting new member-shareholders, with a dedicated website outlining Travellers Choice’s features and benefits at www.travelagentschoice.com.au.

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Issues & trends

Entire Travel Group - A wholesale success

The digital transformation of the travel sector has caused significant disruption to the traditional wholesale model, with technology making it much easier for suppliers to connect directly with customers. However strong growth at Entire Travel Group is proving the ongoing value of a trusted, expert advisor, as the company pursues a highly successful “multi-niche” strategy.

The last few years have seen the familyowned business grow from its beginnings as France Travel Connection to add multiple destinations and products, while still offering

“

The last few years have seen the family-owned business grow from its beginnings as France Travel Connection to add multiple destinations and products

”

the same ethos of deep product knowledge and expertise in support of the company’s travel agent clientele. Destinations covered now include island luxury holidays in Tahiti, New Caledonia and the Maldives, while in Europe the business also offers specialist product in Spain and Portugal as well as barge holidays complementing its foundation France range.

12

travelBulletin March 2019

SWITZERLAND

Entire’s Brad McDonnell (left) and Greg McCallum

A step change in the business took place in 2018 when Entire Travel Group merged with longtime Italy specialist wholesaler CIT Holidays, also bringing with it product in Switzerland. CIT had been acquired by industry veteran Peter Newsom in 2015 from the Kernot family, and while it had a great history and strong product range, was by all accounts struggling with the evolution of technology. A merger was a logical step, and after several months of intensive work last year the CIT range went live on the Entire Travel Group platform – cementing the company’s strong presence in popular destinations across Western Europe.

Integration with Entire’s technology suite has in turn seen a dramatic change in CIT’s customer service levels, with CEO Brad McDonnell telling travelBulletin that processes previously taking more than 30 minutes had been reduced to just five minutes. That’s also led to a dramatic reduction in phone wait times, which are now less than two minutes on average. The CIT team has moved into the Entire offices in North Sydney, and the business has brought new connections and preferred agreements with major agency consortia.

The growth of Entire has seen the expansion of the company’s sales and support teams, including the appointment of industry veteran Greg McCallum as Sales and Marketing Director. travelBulletin can also exclusively reveal that McCallum is so

CANADA & ALASKA

committed to his new role that he has put his money where his mouth is by taking an equity stake in the business. Entire now has a sales team expanding across the country, with representatives showcasing the full range of product – including newly released brochures covering Canada & Alaska and Switzerland.

McDonnell said Entire’s philosophy is to focus on destinations and products where its model of expert support can truly add value. “We’re not trying to be all things to all people,” he said, meaning high volume, low-yield destinations are not likely to be added to the portfolio any time soon. Entire has dedicated teams for each of its product ranges. “The French team is the French team, Italy is Italy, and so on,” he said, with

2019

this philosophy ensuring travel agents always speak to someone with deep expertise of the destination their client is interested in. Each brand also has its own website and brochure.

The company is putting its money where its mouth is, offering an extensive, generously company-funded “self-famil” program under which its in-house specialist consultants all travel annually on a ten-day educational to experience key products. McCallum said the initiative helped Entire attract and retain top staff, as well as ensuring the company’s agent partners reap the benefits from fresh, specialist expertise.

“It’s the difference between speaking to someone who ‘went there once’ and someone who ‘just got back,” he said.

“Ultimately we believe that unless a wholesale company has a credible, structured program in place to ensure its consultants are getting regular on-the-ground experience then it is really just ‘talking the talk’.”

Virgin names Scurrah as top dog Virgin Australia has ended months of speculation by naming Paul Scurrah as its new CEO and MD. The news comes a decade after Scurrah was first mooted as a “frontrunner” to lead Virgin Australia when founder Brett Godfrey vacated the position.

He will take to the helm on 25 March, the same day current CEO and MD John Borghetti will step down.

Scurrah brings more than 20 years of experience to the role, with his varied career including roles with Ansett, Tourism and Events Qld, Flight Centre and the AOT Group, and as a former AFTA Director.

“Paul’s highly relevant transport and logistics expertise and strong commercial background make him the ideal candidate to consolidate the group’s achievement and continue to build strong momentum into the future,” Virgin Australia Group Chairman Elizabeth Bryan said.

Paul Scurrah

NZ GPT fly free

State of Qatar seals EU deal The State of Qatar has officially concluded negotiations with the European Union for a landmark Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement, marking the first deal of its kind between the European Union and a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member state.

The agreement, which was announced during the CAPA Qatar Aviation, Aeropolitical and Regulatory Summit in Doha early February, aims to provide a “significant competitive edge” to

air carriers on both sides by offering unlimited and unrestricted access to their respective territories.

As part of the agreement, the State of Qatar and the EU have taken steps by agreeing to articles on fair competition, environment, consumer protection, social aspects, and transparency, as well as the inclusion of a doing-business provision, which exempts EU carriers from hiring a local sales agent in Qatar.

New Zealand coach holiday specialist, Grand Pacific Tours, has launched a fly free deal for 2019.

Passengers who book selected itineraries before 31 March will be able to fly from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Coolangatta to New Zealand for no additional cost.

Travellers departing from Adelaide, Perth, Launceston, Hobart, Canberra or Cairns will save $600 per couple off the brochure price for tours 16 days longer or more.

The deal is available on certain Ultimate Small Group and Fully Escorted Tour trips.

For more information visit www.gptnz.com/flyfree or call 1800 622 768.

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Cover

Qantas channels

the

future of

fares

Last month Qantas unveiled one of the biggest changes to the distribution of its products in the last 50 years.

When it is implemented later this year, the new “Qantas Channel� has the potential to revolutionise the way the airline deals with the travel industry, GDS and customers. Bruce Piper looks at the implications of the new paradigm and what it means for travel agents.

14

travelBulletin March 2019

The

promises of the brave new world of IATA’s New Distribution Capability (NDC) have been lurking in the wings for some years, but until now it has seemed to be a far-off dream bearing little relevance to the day-to-day activities of travel agencies and airlines. Sure, tech-heads have been enthusiastic about the potential for delivering richer content to travel agent desktops, and there have been plenty of three-letter acronyms (TLAs) bandied about like XML, API, QDP and EMD (not to mention old favourites like PNR, SSR and the dreaded ADM), but it has all seemed to be completely separate to what is actually going on in the real world.

That all changed last month, when Qantas Chief Customer Officer, Vanessa Hudson, unveiled details of the new Qantas Channel, with a firm timetable which will see the new platform implemented effective from 1 August 2019. This change is coming, and it’s coming fast, and the industry needs to act now to be ready. And like all change, the introduction is a two-sided coin, with some seeing it as a threat to the status quo, while others are looking forward to embracing the opportunities afforded by this technological revolution.

What is the Qantas Channel?

The Qantas Channel is the culmination of a huge amount of intensive work by the carrier, building on last year’s launch of the Qantas Distribution Platform (QDP). The QDP is an implementation of IATA’s NDC, which essentially provides the ability for anyone with suitable technical expertise to access all of the functionality offered

by Qantas.com, the airline’s direct to consumer distribution channel. The rich data on many customers held by Qantas – such as frequent flyer status and key preferences – can become available to third parties too, while the platform also facilitates other functionality such as seat selection and the purchase of ancillaries like extra bags. Much more information can be Continues over page

travelBulletin March 2019

15

Cover

Continued from previous page

“

The Qantas Channel will allow recognition of our most loyal customers via our trade partners, who will all of sudden be presented with so much more inofrmation that they will be able to promote our products for what they are

”

Igor Kwiatkowski, Executive Manager Sales & Distribution, Qantas

16

travelBulletin March 2019

provided at the point of sale, including fine details of products and services, potentially allowing QDP users to better tailor offers to customers, service bookings and ultimately provide the right recommendations.

For large agencies or groups with significant technical expertise, the QDP provides an Application Programming Interface connecting Interface connecting directly into the Qantas reservation system. Early adopters of the functionality have included Serko and Corporate Travel Management, which have both touted their technology leadership as they have linked their own systems with the QDP. However most of the industry doesn’t have the money or IT resources to develop these direct connections with the QDP, and that’s where the Qantas Channel comes in. In stark contrast to some of its European peers, notably Lufthansa and British Airways, Qantas has taken a remarkably collaborative approach in implementing its NDC solution, in particular working alongside key GDS providers in order to minimise the disruption for its travel industry distribution partners.

Clearly Qantas sees significant benefits in implementing the QDP, but looks determined to bring the industry along with it into the new technology landscape.

Essentially, the Qantas Channel is a new agreement between the airline and its agency partners. Those who sign up – expected to be the overwhelming majority of third party distributors including TMCs, agency consortia and online travel agents – will gain access to the widest range of Qantas fares, products and information. In the past, GDS providers negotiated so-called “full content agreements” with airlines who guaranteed to provide full fare and schedule information to GDS agent partners across the globe. This arrangement shifts somewhat under the Qantas Channel, with the agreement about content provision also now involving individual agents who must opt into the program in order to ensure access.

And while Qantas is offering the “carrot” of enhanced functionality, smoother processes

and its full product range, there’s also a “stick” in the form of a hefty $17.50 per sector fee which will apply to third party distributors who don’t opt into the new program. Those who decline to take part will also no longer be able to access the “widest range of traditional fares made available via indirect channels, or new content via the Qantas Distribution Platform,” the airline said.

What does it mean?

For Qantas The new Qantas Channel opens up a completely new digital distribution platform for the carrier, enabling it to “manufacture” innovative product offerings and have them available seamlessly no matter how a customer wishes to purchase them.

Nobody is more excited about the change than Qantas Executive Manager Sales and Distribution, Igor Kwiatkowski, who told travelBulletin he is full of anticipation about the possibilities afforded by the Qantas Channel.

“My biggest headache is what to do first,” he said. “The Qantas Channel will allow recognition of our most loyal customers via our trade partners, who will all of a sudden be presented with so much more information that they will be able to promote our products for what they are”. He sees this as a key way that a legacy carrier like Qantas can differentiate itself from its competitors, with the platform clearly calling out product features and benefits that simply are not available through a traditional GDS screen.

Kwiatkowski said the initial roll-out would provide client frequent flyer information to agents through the Qantas Channel along with richer product content, but that’s just the start, with the platform potentially providing a host of options such as allowing agents to offer “points plus pay” bookings, targeted incentives with bonus commission on particular routes, booking of ancillaries, and customised offers for the airlines’ most loyal customers. “The sky is the limit,” he enthused.

For agents There’s no doubt that agents adopting the Qantas Channel will have a plethora of new sales opportunities available to them.

They will know much more about client preferences, and current kludgy processes for purchasing of ancillaries such as seat selection and extra bags will all become part of a single, smooth workflow. When she launched the platform, Hudson hinted at a host of possibilities, saying it would “empower trade partners to access Qantas’ most compelling products and deliver enriched, personalised experiences to customers”.

Agents will be able to engage with their clients in new, innovative ways, and the Qantas Channel actually brings third party distribution into line with what consumers already widely expect when dealing with the carrier via its website.

And QF has also promised to introduce new offers that will be exclusive to agents that have registered for the Qantas Channel, including more price points than the 26 fare classes currently offered by the GDS. Tier-based offers for members of the Qantas Frequent Flyer program will become available via travel agents, who may also be offered bonus commissions for bookings of selected flights and/or routes.

Qantas has already worked hard to explain the benefits of the program to key trade partners, many of whom have signed up. Flight Centre, Helloworld, Express Travel Group and Consolidated are all on board, along with a host of major TMCs such as Corporate Travel Management, Carlson Wagonlit and ATPI Voyager.

Online Travel Agencies are also in, including Webjet and Expedia, and the carrier said it was working closely with other agents to register them over the coming months.

Flight Centre welcomed the opportunities afforded by the Qantas Channel, with Greg Parker, Executive General Manager of the company’s global air business, saying it

would “deliver a new level of modernised air content to our customers”.

Helloworld is running a series of statebased Q&A sessions to answer any questions its members may have, and also confirmed that its Air Tickets consolidation operation would participate in the Qantas Channel to allow seamless support of all Qantas bookings.

The carrier has also confirmed that the Qantas Channel terms and conditions will not impact on base commission, with the new agreement separate to the airline’s Agency Sales Agreements with agents. Further details of the terms and conditions are set to be unveiled this month, Qantas has promised.

There will be significant impacts for agents that do not sign up to the new platform, with Qantas set to remove some of its fares from the standard GDS platforms effective from August this year, and impose a $17.50 per sector fee as a YR tax for any bookings by those who are not participating in the Qantas Channel.

our customers as they prepare for this new distribution era to ensure it provides seamless, integrated travel choice through access to the broadest range of content”.

Sabre said it was pleased to partner with the airline to deliver the Qantas Channel, and also welcomed Qantas as the newest member of its Beyond NDC program, which would see the carrier “act as strategic partner to an innovation initiative chartered to drive the industry forward through the development and integration of end-to-end capabilities to process NDC-enabled offers”.

For GDS

Wrapping it up

The collaborative approach taken by Qantas has seen it partner with all three major Global Distribution Systems – Sabre, Amadeus and Travelport – to make the Qantas Channel available to agents globally.

Amadeus confirmed that it had signed a new distribution agreement that included the Qantas Channel – ensuring agents who sign up can continue to access QF’s present and future content, “while enjoying the efficiencies and servicing capabilities of the Amadeus system when booking, changing or cancelling trips”. Travelport has also joined up, saying its new agreement with Qantas “includes a commitment to continued collaboration on the future of distribution”. Travelport MD Australia and NZ, Scott Barber, said “as the first GDS operator with an NDC booking solution available to a small group of customers, we have proven our capability to deliver this new standard. We are supporting

The global aviation industry will be watching Australia closely in the coming months, with the innovative, inclusive approach taken

by Qantas seen as a benchmark for other markets. AFTA CEO Jayson Westbury noted that the Qantas Channel would see the carrier able to take control of how it chooses to price and provide access to its content itself – something that no airline has been able to do in the indirect channel.

Westbury hailed the “significant planning, investment and clearly defined strategy” articulated by Qantas.

Long-time NDC skeptic, Sydney-based Martin Cowley, put it well when he told travelBulletin that “Qantas has played this one beautifully. Inclusive, collaborative, working with all partners at launch – including GDS. No surcharges.

No restricted content.

No blunt instruments.

Very different from European competitors”.

Roll on 1 August 2019.

For consumers Finally, as with most innovations of this type, consumers look set to be the big winners.

The Qantas Channel ensures they will be offered the same, rich, personalised content and offers no matter how they book, with their loyalty able to be recognised whether booking through a travel agent, TMC, OTA or with the airline direct.

travelBulletin March 2019

17

Business View

Career in

focus Michelle Ashcroft

who not only shine in the good times, but roll their sleeves up in the hard times, and are relentless in their vision of success.

General Manager Phil Hoffmann Travel

5. What are some of the greatest challenges you’ve faced in your career?

Challenges generally appear when expectations aren’t met, and for over 20 years we have been faced with many.

Whether it be world events, the economic climate, changing technology, client trends and expectations, or a skills shortage, I have always found that clear and consistent communication is the key to moving forward.

1. What does your role involve and how long have you been in your current position?

I have been in my role of General Manager with Phil Hoffmann Travel (PHT) since 2013.

Leading a team of over 200 staff, my focus is to build an engaged performance culture and continue to grow our business through strategic planning, staff development and supplier relationships.

2. How did you start out in your career?

Were you always destined to work in the travel industry?

My love of travel started when at age 15 I went to Germany on a student exchange. I loved the freedom and excitement of experiencing new cultures and meeting new people. I never wanted that feeling to stop. I started my career in 1997, and back then there were not many opportunities for inexperienced consultants. I started my career doing full time work experience, where I focused on customer service, product knowledge and building relationships. I was then offered a role with Phil Hoffmann Travel as a junior consultant and have never looked back.

3. Did you complete formal qualifications, and do you think they are important?

I started an Arts degree at Flinders University after school, but after a year I deferred and completed a travel course. Since then I have completed various certificates and business courses for development and inspiration.

Whilst it hasn’t had an impact on my career, I do wish I had completed my B.A. degree for myself. I think times have changed, and that formal qualifications are now more important than ever, and an expectation 18

travelBulletin March 2019

“

I love the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives, both our clients and our team through travel experiences and career progression

”

from employers. Regardless of the content, a qualification shows a commitment and an ability to learn.

4. What do you love about your job?

I love the strategy, the pace, the competitive environment, and of course the travel! I love the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives, both our clients and our team through travel experiences and career progression. But most of all I love the relationships I have built, both with our supplier partners and our team – who are the most passionate and talented bunch,

6. What factors were central to your success?

I have always had the drive and hunger to succeed, and I have been lucky to work in an environment that has supported this. I have worked with amazing leaders who have mentored and inspired me, whilst giving me feedback and empowerment to grow. I think an important factor in any longevity is the ability to adapt (think Charles Darwin) and have an open mind to change; so working in a business that is agile and constantly pushing the boundaries to innovate and futureproof, inspires a culture of success.

7. Did you have a mentor, and if so, how did you find them?

I have been extremely fortunate to have had many mentors over the years, some whom maybe don’t even know they sit in this space.

Different people offer different things, so knowing who to go to for what can offer the growth and development needed. More than anything, it is trust that is critical for any mentoring relationship.

8. What are the keys to good business?

The key to good business starts with relationships and trust. If you can surround yourself with capable and driven people, both staff and supplier partnerships, who share the same values and vision of success, you will be unstoppable.

Is your website not performing?

By Richard Hall

“

C

rikey, how do you get so many visitors, we’re lucky to get this many a month? Did you say you get around 1,000 every day with no advertising or paying for adwords?�

Many website owners will relate to this.

Having built an advertising site, I’m happy to show how it was possible to get this number without paying a cent.

Selling what customers are looking to buy is the secret to getting more sales and not necessarily from searching for your company name.

Here’s the secret. Have a website/ page which delivers a search result for what people want to buy. Notice there is a difference to searching for your company name. Read that again. ‘Airfares’ is the highest travel search term with millions of results. Getting a first page listing is almost impossible, so narrow it down. Try cheap airfares or discount airfares.

Get even more specific – ‘Airfares To Die For’, ‘Wallet Busting Airfares’. What about ‘cheap airfares to Bali’, ‘Discount airfares to Bali’, ‘cheap airfares Sydney to London’ for example. List all the popular destinations.

Each hemisphere will generate sales all year round, so if it’s quiet Down Under, it should be busy Up Over.

We’re recommending having two websites.

One being your business name and the other for what you sell. Link them to each

other. The second site must have a killer domain name.

Create a page for each offer/special inside your own company site but having a standalone site will bring more visitors.

Important • Never put a link on your home page that takes visitors to another site unless it earns you money (airfares and accommodation affiliates highly recommended). • Navigation should be no more than three clicks from wherever you are on your site to get to where you want to go. • Update specials weekly as a minimum or as required. Search engine spiders like change. • Link to similar sites but avoid linking to accommodation sites.

• Never, ever put your email address on the site. Trust me, you’ll get spammed.

Use a form. • Always Include T & C’s. • Ensure your business card looks the same as the banner on your home page with your ABN and reassure customers you operate a trust account. • List any official travel consumer groups you belong to and the benefit to the customer.

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business events news

Artist’s impression of what the final convention centre will look like

NZICC on its way forward

T

he bustling city of Auckland will soon welcome its largest conferencing space, in reponse to the increasing demand and continued interest in New Zealand’s largest city.

The New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC), a new 4,000 guest venue due to open in 2020, has commenced the installation of the first set of glass art work covering the exterior top of the building.

Works by two New Zealand artists, Sara Hughes and Peata Larkin will span a total of 5,760m2 once fully installed on the four external walls of the NZICC. First to be fitted will be 98 glass fins that will adorn the western and eastern exterior, followed by the southern side of the NZICC where another glass artwork feature with over 500 panels of varying size will wrap the top level of the structure.

“The artwork reflects the experience of walking through the New Zealand bush and looking up through a canopy of trees to see the unique light and colour of the forest,” said artist Hughes.

The imagery uses 60 different colour tones and is inspired by

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travelBulletin March 2019

Glass panels beginning to be installed

Hughes’ upbringing in rural Northland near the Waipoua kauri forest.

Warren and Mahoney, who designed the NZICC together with Moller Architects and Woods Bagot, say the highly collaborative design process has leveraged the NZICC’s original design brief to create a building with “enduring civic presence and identity”.

“In many ways we’ve been speaking ‘on behalf’ of the building over the last few years,” said Richard Archbold, Project Architect.

“That’s why it’s so exciting to see the building increasingly start to speak for itself, and the installation of the first of the Sara Hughesdesigned fins will see a powerful and distinctive part of the project’s identity assert itself on the skyline.”

Over 500 panels of different sizes, shapes and colours will be installed into the building over the next six months. The panels are lifted in by mini crane or tower crane at an average of six to eight per day.

General Manager NZICC Callum Mallett said the challenge of lifting something so large, heavy and delicate on a busy construction site is significant.

“Some of these glass panels are up to 9m high and weigh as much as 1.3 tonnes, and they have very specific placements, so the team on site have a delicate and challenging job ahead of them,” he said.

Once Hughes’ glass installation is completed, work will begin on the installation of Larkin’s terracotta wall. Around 13,500 terracotta tiles in eight different colours are set to form a “complementary relationship with the glass artwork, softening and adding movement and life to what would have been a straight plain wall”.

The 105m-long tile wall will span from Hobson Street to Nelson Street through the future laneway of the NZICC and will wrap back into the building.

Sitting on a 1.4-hectare CBD site the NZICC, set to be five times larger than the current largest convention facilities in New Zealand, will feature 33 meeting spaces of various sizes including a theatre with capacity to seat 2,850 people, along with lifts that are able to carry up to 11.2 tonnes.

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Cruise

Coffee at sea For many Australians, morning coffee is a vital part of their routine and they would never contemplate dropping the habit while on holidays. Here’s a rundown of some of the options at sea to give you your caffeine buzz.

Oceania Cruises On board Oceania Cruises travellers will find Illy coffee, the Italian coffee maker which sources its beans from select farms across four continents.

Oceania Cruises, Nautica General Manager Giuseppe Bagnato says more passengers are now ordering lattes and cold coffee.

“Coffee has become an all-day refreshment versus just a morning or after meal drink,” he said.

“Guests are becoming more coffee connoisseurs and choosier these days – which makes us happy because Italians are famous for great coffee.”

Seabourn Princess Cruises Princess Cruises offers a New Grounds Coffee menu, prepared by a trained barista.

Guests can enjoy the New Grounds Crafted Coffee menu featuring a variety of specialty espresso-based drinks made from a custom blend of coffee beans, as well as iced tea fusions. The menu varies slightly from ship to ship but contains a selection of Princess special reserve espresso and barista coffee fusions.

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Seabourn offers passengers freshly roasted coffee aboard its ships at Seabourn Square. The line orders raw coffee beans from single origins such as Columbia, Guatemala and Peru, along with Indonesia and Vietnam to provide guests with “a local and authentic experience”.

The introduction of the roastery on Seabourn Encore “has been a huge hit”, the cruise line said.

Passengers can also choose between the daily selection of its home roast versus Segafredo, with “90% choosing the home roast”.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises Located on Deck 5 on board Regent Seven Seas Cruises ships, Coffee Connection offers travellers an informal destination to relax and meet. Coffee Connection uses Illy coffee for espresso, cappuccino, café latte and macchiato but for French Press coffee the cruise line uses La Rica, a boutique coffee roaster from Miami.

Norwegian Cruise Line A Starbucks can be found on board Norwegian Bliss, offering passengers the chance to warm up with a caramel macchiato or a chai latte and a scone. Guests can start their day with Starbucks coffees, teas and bites available a la carte. Additionally, Coco’s is another destination for coffee with a side of savoury chocolate pralines, crepes, and other treats.

P&O Cruises P&O Cruises offers its guests Nestle’s premium Buondi coffee beans, a blend of Arabica and Robusta varieties sourced from various quality crops around the world. The cruise line’s passengers typically gravitate towards the traditional favourites such as cappuccinos, flat whites and lattes.

P&O takes its cup of joe pretty seriously, recently boosting on board access so that now 60% of its bars and lounges offer espresso, as well as implementing a rigorous training program for its baristas.

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Cruise Cunard ups Aussie focus CUNARD’S confidence in growing its share of the Australian market has continued with the cruise line recently announcing its biggest program ever in 2020/21.

Queen Elizabeth will undertake a record 118 days in local waters featuring more than 60 itineraries.

Cunard President Simon Palethorpe was in Australia last month to talk up the company’s recent success and what factors are fuelling demand.

“The growth is predominately coming from Australian guests, if you look at how much our Australian numbers have grown from 2016 to 2019, Australian passenger numbers have increased by 62% – which we are obviously delighted by,” Palethorpe said.

Silversea flagship down under Silversea Cruises showcased a momentous rendezvous in Sydney Harbour last month, with its flagship Silver Muse meeting Silver Whisper – the first time two of the ultra-luxury line’s vessels have been together in Sydney in 20 years. The arrival was part of the inaugural Australian season of Muse, which cruised into local waters in late December 2018 before undertaking a series of trans-Tasman itineraries.

The local debut of Silver Muse was celebrated at a gala event featuring the Australian Girls’ Choir, where the cruise company unveiled a campaign to support Australia’s drought-stricken farmers and their families – including a generous donation made in lieu of a fireworks display.

Uniworld’s awesome four Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection has revealed more details regarding its four new “Super Ships”, with CEO of parent The Travel Corporation Brett Tollman suggesting the vessels would maintain the brand’s “exclusive positioning as offering the absolute best in the river cruise industry”.

New vessels launching in 2020 include the SS Satet in Egypt; the SS Sao Gabriel on Portugal’s Douro river; the Mekong Jewel in Vietnam and Cambodia; and the SS La Venezia which will be a complete bow-to-stern transformation of the existing Venice-based River Countess.

The announcement means that by next year more than half of the Uniworld fleet would be made up of “Super Ships”.

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CLIA view Joel Katz, Managing Director CLIA Australasia

Industry celebrates Down Under With Australia and New Zealand both hitting the peak of their summer cruise seasons, there couldn’t have been a better time to celebrate cruising than last month. CLIA’s 18th annual Cruise Industry Awards once again coincided with the busiest month of the year – and this year it was an especially big one.

In all there were 44 cruise ships in Australian and New Zealand waters during February, making more than 350 calls at 55 ports. Together they carried a total of 400,000 passengers.

It provided a magnificent reminder of the success and economic significance of our industry – worth almost $5 billion annually to Australia alone – and it set the stage perfectly for the CLIA awards.

Many of the 500-plus guests who joined our gala dinner on February 23 had already celebrated at a string of other events that helped mark a successful cruise season. With so many new and returning international vessels passing through local waters, the major cruise lines held a succession of ship inspections and welcome events that provided an opportunity to see the latest product developments first hand.

It meant that the CLIAs were the culmination of an especially festive season, one that still has many highlights to come. It also helped maintain a level of enthusiasm that was already evident in the passion with which travel agents approached this year’s awards.

CLIA’s Cruise Industry Awards attracted a record number of entries this year, with around 500 submissions put forward for consideration. Having created an updated nomination and judging process, we were delighted with the response and the standard of entries that we received.

The level of engagement and creativity shown among travel agents was a sign of the increasing potential they see in cruise, and the investment they are making in developing their cruise business is more professional and sophisticated than ever before.

One of the ways we now recognise these additional efforts is through the new Cruise Champion category, offered for the first time this year. This award recognises the efforts that travel agents are making not just as a sales force, but as passionate advocates for cruising.

It’s an area we plan to focus on more in the future – to help fuel the passion of cruise advocates, ensure they’re well equipped with information and insight, and allow them to step forward as champions for the cruise industry and our collective interests.

Our congratulations to all the successful winners from this year’s CLIA Cruise Industry Awards. The levels of energy they showed in the past year were a sure sign we’re going to see many more super months like February in the future.

Headlines January & February 2019 25 Jan Tauck launches Douro cruises 30 Jan CLIA announces 2018 finalists 01 Feb Aurora’s 2nd ship underway 04 Feb Uniworld reveals 4 ‘Super Ships’ 06 Feb “Mega cruise terminal” for Bris 06 Feb Diamond sparkles after reno 08 Feb Dream to cruise out of Bris 08 Feb Jupiter formally drops

11 Feb Perusing Le Laperouse in Syd 13 Feb Another delay for Scenic Eclipse 13 Feb Small ships to surge 15 Feb CMV confirms $2.4m alleged theft 15 Feb A&K committed to Ponant 18 Feb Double the width AmaMagna arrives 18 Feb Industry gears up for CLIAs 20 Feb A new Oasis for Royal Caribbean

NORTHERN EUROPE ENCHANTMENT LET US TAKE YOU CLOSER TO THE AUTHENTIC BEAUTY OF THE WORLD

Scenic can see the light

Red Rorbu Fishing Hut, Norway

A RE-IMAGINED SPIRIT

Long-suffering travel agents with Bulic, issuing a tribute to Moroney and his passengers booked on Scenic Eclipse have team for the “trust and support shown during been assured that a further revised delivery past collaboration constructing the ultradate for the highly anticipated Discovery luxury polar cruiser Scenic Eclipse”. Bulic Yacht is “most definitely achievable”. Last added: “We would like to emphasise that month fears of a third delivery delay were the support of the Scenic Group is of great confirmed, with Scenic Chairman Glen importance for the survival of the shipyard Moroney saying the first scheduled cruise and the continuation of the business had been amended to 15 processes at Uljanik”.

August 2019 – almost Moroney confirmed that exactly 12 months later than Scenic had signed a letter initially planned. of intent with the consortium A restructuring Scenic has been the to form a joint venture proposal for the victim of financial issues to design and projectshipyard...has seen manage the expansion of at the Uljanik shipyard in Croatia, where months of Uljanik under new the Discovery Yacht fleet. construction time have been “Production of Scenic Eclipse ownership, with lost because staff were II will commence as soon as not being paid. Despite the restructuring program Scenic confident herculean efforts by Moroney that this will bring is approved, and we have and his team – including already commenced detailed “stability and focus design of an entirely new directly employing more than 110 on-site specialists who series of Scenic Discovery to current and in turn were supervising he said. future ship builds” Yachts,” over 500 contractors – the Scenic apologised for the Eclipse project has suffered inconvenience the repeated ongoing issues, but recent delays had caused to guests developments are likely to put the newbuild and agents. “As a company we have on a much firmer footing. done everything possible to complete the A restructuring proposal for the shipyard, ship within the time limits that were set involving Italian shipbuilding giant Fincantieri previously, but a series of events that are and Croatian firm DIV, has seen Uljanik outside our control have put us in a position under new ownership, with Scenic confident where we must delay,” a spokesperson said. that this will bring “stability and focus to “Please be assured we are working hard to current and future ship builds”. Scenic’s complete the delivery of Scenic Eclipse – a ongoing commitment to the project is also whole new benchmark in design, innovation likely to produce long-term goodwill for the and luxury – to bring you this amazing company, with Uljanik’s Chairman, Emil cruising experience”.

Explore lands where centuries of history intersect with a vibrant mixture of culture.

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Embrace the exquisite natural beauty that is Flåm from a unique perspective during a panoramic ride aboard the Flåm Railway.

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Industry in Focus

These Travellers Choice agents enjoyed some close encounters with African wildlife including elephants, hippos and leopards on a famil trip hosted by The Africa Safari Co. to Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana.

Uniworld River Cruise s used a special presen tation at the Art Galler New South Wales to rec y of ognise MTA - Mobile Tra vel Agents’ Wendy Gu for delivering an outst nther anding sales performa nce, gifting her Tiffany jewellery.

Tom Beadle explored Intrepid’s Brett Mitchell and t of out the destination as par Antarctica recently, sussing . our eav End ean charter of Oc the planning for the 2020

SeaLink recently hosted its inaugural SeaLink Summer Sundowner event where 120 industry representatives were provided with updates on the company’s WA portfolio.

Corporate travel management company Globetrotter held its annual gala awards event in Perth, with the theme of Havana nights. The awards were designed to recognise and reward the achievements of its team.

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Key Flight Centre AccorHotels partners are pictured aboard the Infinity Pacific Yacht on Sydney Harbour as part of Accor’s Valentine’s Day celebrations last month.

March 2019 The latest wave of Travel Industry Mentor Experience (TIME) mentees graduated at a ceremony at the Four Seasons hotel in Sydney last month.

Qantas Holidays hosted movie nig hts in January for 1,500 travel agen over cy clients across the country to se Academy Award e 2019 Best Picture Nom inee, Green Book .

n as South Brisbane Brisbane’s Pulse Travel (formerly know y this year. The ersar Travel) is celebrating its 30th anniv ond for every 10 diam carat one a staff its ds company awar one carat, three on bers years of service, with six team mem diamonds. three ved recei g havin one and on two carats,

Nicholas Janzen, CYCA; Monique Ponfoort, PONANT; Eddie Moore, CYCA and Eva Robert, PONANT were all present when Le Laperouse visited Sydney for the first time. The cruise line hosted agents on board the new ship.

1000 Mile Travel Group & their families are pictured celebrating four years of being in business, also announcing plans to launch into the UK.

The APT Travel Group’s hea d office recently welcome d a host of Canadian representative s who were in Australia to promote the many must-see attract ions the country has to offe r. travelBulletin March 2019

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Thailand

Thailand but not as you know it

Getaways for all

Been to Bangkok? Seen Samui? Then it’s time to discover more of Thailand’s gems, writes Kristie Kellahan. here’s so much more to Thailand than the average tourist ever ventures to see.

Beyond the sky-high bars of Bangkok and the beach clubs on Samui and Phuket, this inviting, diverse country beckons with tranquil beaches, jungle adventures and world-class wellness retreats.

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Krabi, on the west coast of southern Thailand, is a hotspot for action-adventure enthusiasts.

Blessed with limestone cliffs that were made for rock-climbing, and ideal conditions for divers and snorkellers, this is a destination where it’s hard to sit still. If you decide to do just that, the islands of Ko Phi Phi have sun lounges and cocktails at the ready.

Devoid of full-moon parties and doof-doof beach clubs, the tropical islands in the Trang archipelago offer a sleepy, appealing charm. On Ao Kham beach, for example, crab tracks tend to outnumber human footprints on the sand. Take a look at Sivalai Beach Resort for upscale lodging at the water’s edge.

Island-hoppers come to the eastern city of Trat on their way to the gorgeous islands of

Thailand

Mu Ko Chang National Park. With 52– mostly uninhabited – white sand islands to explore, there’s plenty to see and do. But first, take the time to check out what Trat city has to offer. A lively night market, interesting architectural styles, great food and the informative Trat Museum make this destination a worthy stopping point before diving in to the big blue.

Into th e Golden Triangle Chiang Mai, Thailand’s northern rose, has enjoyed a well-deserved tourist surge of interest in the past decade. While those of us who loved the city when it was quieter and less ‘discovered’ lament the construction boom and long lines at popular restaurants, we can understand why so many have fallen

in love with the gentle Lanna culture, amazing food and thriving arts scene.

For an upcountry adventure with a bit more space to breathe, head further north to Chiang Rai province. It’s here you’ll find some of Thailand’s best trekking, rafting and jungle adventures. Home to many hilltribe communities and bordered by Myanmar and Laos, it’s an ethnically and culturally diverse region. Explore the temples, try the northern food, visit an elephant safari camp or do nothing at all in a laidback guesthouse on the banks of the Mekong River.

Easy-to-reach resorts A lesser-known fact about Thailand’s favourite beach spots is that many of them are within easy reach of Bangkok. To get to the charming

resorts of Hua Hin, there’s no need to hop on another flight.

Regular bus departures service the area, or simply take a private car transfer from the airport. The journey is less than three hours.

The area is popular with members of the Thai royal family and Bangkok high society seeking a reprieve from the heat and rush of the big city. The beaches are pretty, the seafood is fresh and scrumptious, and the resorts are top-notch.

Also not too far from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport is Pattaya.

Although it has a reputation as a party town and the red-light capital of Thailand, there’s another side to the beachside destination with family-friendly resorts and attractions.

Avoid the centre of town unless you’re looking for all-night clubs, and head instead for the quieter Jomtien Beach area. travelBulletin March 2019

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Thailand

Dive and explore Pimalai Resort & Spa on Thailand’s Koh Lanta has launched a threenight scuba diving program.

The initiative allows guests to discover the marine life of the Andaman Sea, including the whale shark. The package includes accommodation with daily breakfast, Krabi Airport transfers, a three-course dinner, along with a one-hour aroma massage spa program.

“Koh Haa offers fantastic visibility and great conditions throughout the season,” said Saffron Kiddy, founder and CEO of Scubafish Dive Centre, who operates several PADI dive centres on Koh Lanta, including one at Pimalai, adding that even in high season, it’s possible to share Koh Haa exclusively with marine life.

More flight options

Agent Know How We spoke to Thailand Authority of Tourism (TAT) about how agents can bump up their knowledge of the ‘land of smiles’.

How can travel agents improve their product knowledge of Thailand?

We have a training portal at thailandtraining.com.au. There are 10 modules available with topics ranging from beaches, shopping & food, beyond the big cities, to luxury.

What kind of training is available to Australian agents wanting to sell Thailand and how can they sign up for it?

In addition to our training portal, every year TAT holds Amazing Thailand Roadshow, bringing 50+ Thai suppliers and airlines to Australia’s major cities. This year’s dates are Melbourne on 15 May, Sydney on 16 May and Brisbane on 21 May. What activities would you recommend for first time visitors?

Bangkok is a great gateway to Thailand, with fabulous rooftop bars, wonderful food options (from street food to Michelin stars) and great shopping. If you’d like to combine Bangkok with a beach destination, you don’t necessarily need to fly. Pattaya (two hour drive south east) and Hua Hin (three hour drive south west) are fabulous destinations for couples and families. In Phuket you must experience the hustle and bustle of Patong Beach and Bangla Road. Koh Samui is another popular island destination. For those who want to explore culture, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai are great destinations that you can do in one trip.

What makes Thailand a unique destination?

Thai people truly are what make the destination unique. Thai people believe in Karma, therefore by nature they want to do good to receive good. And have we mentioned the beautiful beaches, wondrous temples, luxurious spas, diversity of cities and countryside offerings, paddy fields and flavourful Thai food? The combination of these makes Thailand a yearround favourite holiday for many Aussies.

How can travel agents join a famil?

Keep your eyes out for TAT events, incentives and our annual roadshow. Keep your knowledge updated with our training portal.

We announce these through trade media, so you can’t miss it.

Travellers have even more ways to make their way to Thailand, with AirAsia X launching flights from Brisbane to Bangkok from 25 June this year.

The flights will operate four times a week on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, with return flights on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

AirAsia X also flies Sydney to Phuket and Bangkok direct.

Passengers can also head to Thailand with Jetstar, Qantas and Thai Airways, with many of these airlines flying Melbourne to Bangkok or Phuket direct, Sydney to Phuket or Bangkok direct and Brisbane to Bangkok direct.

For schedules and pricing, check your GDS. 30

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Bangkok

Thailand

Small group touring specialists Back-Roads Touring has unveiled its new Asia brochure for 2019-20 travel, featuring a range of tours, each including improved itineraries, brand new culinary discoveries and handpicked boutique accommodation.

“We place huge value in customer feedback and have used this to develop revised itineraries and a new brochure that reflects both our new and loyal Back-Roads travellers’ desire to explore South-East Asia,” Back-Roads Touring General Manager – Global Sales, David Gendle said.

New culinary discoveries are included in the 13-day Wonders of Thailand, where travellers will get to visit a tea plantation, pluck their own Assam tea leaves and learn the ancient art of making tea by hand.

Other highlights from the tour include Bangkok and Kanchanaburi, before catching a train ride along the Death Railway, where travellers pay visits to the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery and the River Kwai bridge. Additionally, travellers will go on a dinner river cruise along the Sakae Krang River and visit the forest temple of

Chuifong Tea Plantations, Chiang Rai

KO TAO, SURAT THANI Ko Tao may be small in size, but it has a lot to offer; easy-to-reach and diverse diving right off its shores.

Discover the veriety of the marine life and underwater scenery.

Swim alongside the largest fish in the sea.

A toast at the end of the day with sunset cocktails on a white beach, then get up and do it all over again.

Hugthailand

www.amazingthailand.com.au

Wat Phra That Doi Din Kiu. The itinerary is priced from $3,849 per person.

“Adjusting some of the timings of our itineraries and their inclusions has ensured the tours offer a more leisurely paced feel, providing our guests with plenty of time to explore each destination at their own pace and indulge in one-of-a-kind experiences usually reserved for locals,” he said.

Gendle also said the revised Wonders of Thailand will now see guests stay at the charming Sibsan Resort in northern Chiang Mai.

Thailand

In th e spirit of things For visitors to Thailand, travelling to see one of these festivals is one of the best ways to experience authentic Thai culture.

Songkran Thai New Year 13-15 April

Songkran Festival is Thai New Year’s national holiday and an event where water parties and fights break out in the streets of towns and villages day and night. For locals, it is a time for family, paying respects to the past while welcoming the new year and visiting temples. Some of the best locations to celebrate the Songkran Festival are Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen and Hat Yai.

Loi Krathong

November

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Loi Krathong is celebrated on the full moon night of the 12th lunar month, which is usually November. The annual festival comes from the tradition of making krathongs or decorated baskets, from banana stalk and leaf or coconut shell and decorated with incense, offerings, flowers and candles. The boats are then floated out to pay respect and thank the water spirits as well as to apologise to rivers and streams for pollution and for their use of water. In Chiang Mai, Loi Krathong is also celebrated alongside Yi Peng, a lantern festival.

Bun Bung Fai (Rocket) Festival May or June

The rocket festival is celebrated in the Northeast as the rainy season begins. Known as Bun Bung Fai, the festival is seen as a way of encouraging the rains to fall and to help the local rice crops to grow. The celebrations involve the firing of homemade rockets up into the sky with teams competing against each other. There are also parades with floats and displays of traditional costume and dancing.

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Thailand

Travel through kingdoms

Cape Fahn Hotel

New luxury in Koh Samui Thailand’s Koh Samui has recently welcomed two new accommodation options with the opening of Avani Hotels and Resorts’ upscale property Avani+ Samui, and Cape & Kantary Hotels’ luxurious hotel located on a private island, Cape Fahn.

Avani+Samui features 25 guest rooms, 27 private pool villas, and six beachfront pool villas, all with large terraces and balconies. The resort has free high-speed internet, spa, dining options and activities such as mountain biking,

beach yoga and stand-up paddleboarding.

Cape Fahn Hotel, part of the Luxury Small Hotels of the World collection, has 22 one-, and two-bedroom private villas, each with their own plunge pool and sun deck.

The two on-site restaurants offer local and international dishes, along with 24-hour room service. The hotel can be reached by a short boat ride from Choeng Mon Beach, or if the tide is low, guests can walk across the 200m strait to the private island.

Boutique tour operator, Backyard Travel’s cultural experiences through Thailand and Myanmar focus on the cultures and traditions of each destination, from Bangkok’s city to Bagan’s plains. The 10-day “Thailand and Myanmar Cultural Exploration” begins in Bangkok, where travellers explore the Grand Palace and Wat Po. The journey then continues through its former capital, Ayutthaya, before travelling to Yangon, Myanmar.

“This tour provides expert insight into the history and culture of two former rival kingdoms,” said Backyard Travel General Manager, Trystan Trestchenkoff.

Guests can also enhance their tour with optional insider activities along the way.

Thailand

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Postcard from...Thailand

I recently attended an educational hosted by Viva Holidays to Thailand. As this was my first trip to the country, I was keen to see what it had to offer. We flew with Thai Airways, via Bangkok then to Phuket. We stayed at the very popular Graceland Hotel, which was directly opposite Patong Beach and a very short distance to the local shops.

Next stop was Khao Lak. This was a 2.5 hour drive up north transferred by Tour East and totally worth the trip. Here we stayed at the very luxurious Sands Resort. This resort consisted of three separate wings and had one of the best water parks for kids of all ages that had tuk a very “Disney” impression. From here it was a very short, cheap tuk ere atmosph ride to the local pub, the Monkey Bar which had a fantastic for both adults and kids. Khao Lak had a variety of hotels, from the very contemporary X10 to the beautiful more traditional La Flora and the Laguna. In Khao Lak, there were several waterfall locations to visit.

We then headed back to Patong where we completed our educational staying at the Patong Merlin where we were hosted with an amazing buffet. Food was amazing and so much variation. One of the biggest selling points of Phuket is the Phi Phi Island locations accessible by speedboat. If you like looking at white sandy beaches and beautiful blue seas you will understand why Phuket has so much to offer.

From Mary Maljevac, Altitude Travel

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Brochures Evergreen Cruises & Tours has launched its 2019/20 European River Cruising brochure, showcasing a range of itineraries from eight to 15 days. Highlights include the eightday Secrets of Douro, Porto to Porto tour, featuring stops at six different towns and villages along the Douro River as well as dinner at Douro Valley wine estate.

Speciality lodgings and journeys to the lesser known regions of the USA are key features in the latest brochure release from Adventure World Travel. The 2019/20 USA Collection gives travellers the chance to visit all five of Utah’s “Mighty 5” National Parks, as well as the opportunity to take part in ranch life at the Lone Mountains Ranch in Yellowstone County.

Fiji cruise specialist Blue Lagoon Cruises has launched its 2019/20 brochure, featuring photography taken around the country’s popular Mamanuca and Yasawa Islands. New for the release is the “Moments at Malamala” optional shore excursion, which is offered on three- and seven-night itineraries, allowing guests to enjoy time at the Beach Club with a bonus FJD$50 to spend.

Insight Vacations is showcasing a number of tours available through autumn, winter and spring in its new 2019/20 Seasons brochure.

Two new itineraries feature in the collection, including the Glories of Greece & Three Continents Cruise, as well as the Athens & Three Continents Cruise. The 32-page collection also offers options through Europe, Britain and the Eastern Mediterranean.

Passengers looking to travel the world by sea can now take their pick of itineraries from the new 2019/2021 World Cruises and Grand Voyages collection from Viking Cruises. The new publication features journeys of between 37 and 245 days in duration, as well as a range of special offers including free Business class flights.

Sealink has released a new 63-page “Discover the Best of Kangaroo Island and South Australia” brochure, which offers a range of overnight Kangaroo Island coach tours, two-day adventure tours plus personalised 4x4 Kangaroo Island Odyssey Tours. A major focus is on self-drive holidays, which include ferry transfers and accommodation, as well as the Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail package.

Youth travel expert Topdeck Travel has launched its new Europe Winter 2019/20 brochure. Travellers can choose from a range of destinations, from skiing in the Baltics to Christmas celebrations in Brussels, with the operator’s popular 10-day Big Red to Red Star Finland, Estonia and Russia journey also making a comeback in the new publication.

Fijian adventure travel company Awesome Adventures has released its latest brochure, which includes a major design overhaul to reflect a more contemporary look and feel.

Included in the updated offering is new pass durations of five, seven, nine, 11 and 13 days, plus new accommodation rating names, Simple Stays and Relaxed Resorts.

LIVE MORE | WORRY LESS | MORE SMILES | NO STRESS

travelBulletin March 2019

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Europe

Antwerp ©Brian Johnston

© Visit Mechelen

© Visit Mechelen

Flanders in northern Belgium is mostly off the beaten tourist trail, and yet offers one of Europe’s loveliest and most history-dense destinations. Brian Johnston explores this European treasure.

Canal houses in Bruges ©Brian Johnston

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ost Australians associate Flanders with the cataclysm of the First World War, the battles fought in Ypres and Passchendaele, and the endless rows of white headstones that now poignantly mark the graves of the fallen.

Yet while a visit to the monuments and museums that tell the story of the Australian and other soldiers who died here is moving and insightful, there are plenty of reasons to linger longer in Flanders.

For centuries Flanders prospered at the heart of European affairs. In the fifteenth century, its cities were immensely wealthy centres of trade, education and innovation.

Architecture and arts flourished. The result?

Listed buildings fill entire late-medieval and Renaissance-era old towns that are neither grand or pompous. Instead of palaces you

St Michael’s Bridge in Ghent ©Brian Johnston

get ornate town halls and agreeable squares and the trading houses of wealthy burghers.

This isn’t history dominated by kings but ordinary men – and women. Almost every old town has a beguinage, or convent-like ensemble of houses, chapels, breweries and hospitals in which remarkably independent medieval women lived in self-sustaining collectives. They’re among the prettiest places in Flanders – many are World Heritage listed – and give a fascinating female voice to a male-dominated world.

For density of delights, you might want to make a start in Flanders’ two best-known cities. Bruges (or Brugge to the Flemish)

St Nicholas Church in Ghent ©Brian Johnston

Europe

© Visit Mechelen

Leuven © Brian Johnston

Bruges © Brian Johnston

has a famously pretty old town that sits astride swan-paddled moats and canals. It’s especially notable for the Gothic architecture of its guildhalls, gabled houses and belfries, and for its very impressive dining scene – 15 of its restaurants have been awarded Michelin stars. Ghent, meanwhile, has an almost equally impressive old town but, being also an industrial city, a much livelier local feel and good shopping.

Bruges and Ghent are the only places in Flanders where you’ll encounter large numbers of tourists. You’ve done yourself a disservice, though, if you only visit Bruges and Flanders’ war sites, because several unsung cities are very rewarding and a lot of fun. The Flemish have always been rebellious and festive, with a liking for beer and hearty meals; the sort of folk you see partying in paintings by Breughel.

Hard to say which is its merriest city.

Antwerp has great nightlife. On summer evenings the entire city centre hums with the energy of a thousand restaurants, bars, beer cafés and dance clubs. Look up as you crawl from one to another and you’re surrounded by fantastic facades where the Gothic, half-timbered and Renaissance styles collide. Grote Markt, the main square, is a gilded delight of delicately sculpted facades fluttering with colourful flags.

Bonifcacius Bridge in Bruges ©Brian Johnston

Leuven also has quite the reputation for its fun-loving lifestyle. This is an ancient yet youthful university town of 50,000 students.

Oude Markt lays claim to being the ‘longest bar in Europe’ – an uninterrupted row of outdoor tables belonging to 42 bars that runs around the entire square. Historically, this was also Belgium’s beer-brewing capital. You can visit the enormous Stella Artois factory – the famous brand was first produced in Leuven in 1366 – and lunch at boutique alternative Domus, whose beer is piped straight from vats into an old-fashioned pub front.

Leuven is one of those underrated European towns that gets no tour-group visits and has no big-name sights, but provides a glorious opportunity to escape from castles and cathedrals. Kick back at a terrace table, wander the streets – student accommodation now fills the ancient beguinage – and admire the architecture. Its town hall is the best on the continent, a medieval gem of ornate

Vrijdagmarkt square in Ghent ©Brian Johnston

arched windows, statuary and cascading geraniums. If it were the only thing in Leuven, it would still be worth the journey.

Not that you need to journey far. Leuven is just 17 minutes by train east of Brussels airport. Another of Flanders’ wonderful towns is about the same distance north. Few people have heard of Mechelen, but it too provides many satisfactions. From the train station, you walk over canal bridges and down the main shopping street and arrive at Grote Markt, a dainty scaled-down square of unsurpassed loveliness, surrounded by gabled houses and anchored at each end by town hall and cathedral.

Mechelen has 300 listed monuments: an archbishop’s palace, a fabulous cathedral tower that allows you to clamber among the bells, a church hung with Rubens paintings, dozens of lopsided, gingerbread houses along canals. If such a place were in Italy, you’d be jostling the tourist hordes for overpriced pizzas at café tables, and feeling frazzled. In Flanders, you just pick your spot and join the locals over pots of steaming mussels and a good beer. Overhead, saints and weathervane roosters cavort on rooftops, and you just feel mighty satisfied that you’ve found this delightful and peaceful place.

©Visit Flanders

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Glenfinnan Viaduct ©VisitBritain/Guy Richardson

Europe

Globus rejigs Europe The Globus family of brands has refreshed its Europe offering with new options across the Globus, Cosmos and Avalon Waterways brands. Seven new Britain tours have been added for 2019, including Cosmos’ new seven-day “Scottish Outlander Adventure” tour where guests will be able to visit Glenfinnan Viaduct; the sky-high archways which Harry Potter fanatics will recognise as the track for Hogwarts express.

The trip sets off from the cultural city of Glasgow before travelling through the worldfamous Highlands with highlights including Dornoch Firth, the Kyle of Sutherland, the Falls of Shin, the Mountains of Assynt, and

Q&A

Cosmos is also introducing new a la carte touring style for 2019 departures with “Cosmos Lite”. The offering is designed to combine the essential features of Cosmos tours with a personalised approach to daily itineraries, providing the freedom to tailor a trip to individual interests, budget and pace.

Meanwhile, in April Avalon Waterways will launch its newest ship, the Avalon Envision, with a five-day inaugural cruise along the Danube River. The new ship will be christened by Elizabeth Gilbert, acclaimed author of the award-winning, New York Times-bestselling EAT PRAY LOVE.

Europe is a huge area with a massive variety of cultures, climates and activities. We asked Travellers Choice member, Dianne Garbin from Floreat World of Travel what how agents can sell this ever-popular region.

Which areas of Europe are most popular to travel to at the moment?

Australian travellers are really loving Croatia, Italy and Greece.

Europe is a huge area. What are the mustsee highlights for first time travellers?

My advice to first time travellers to Europe is to concentrate on one or two countries and to do these in depth. While small in size compared to Australia, European countries have much more in the way of sights, history and population – it’s better to focus on a couple of places than try to do everything in one trip. And you can always explore another region on your next trip.

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Knockan Crag.

Globus’ new 12-day “Britain Uncovered” tour allows visitors the chance to explore the southern and western shores of Britain including the historical cities of Exeter and Plymouth in Devon, the magnificent scenery of Cornwall, Bath, Wales’ capital Cardiff and Scottish beauty, Glasgow.

Other highlights include the unspoiled Devonshire village of Widecombe-in-theMoor, Welsh village of Tintern where guests can visit the magnificent Cistercian Abbey in Wales’ beautiful Wye Valley and Stratford-Upon-Avon, birthplace of William Shakespeare.

travelBulletin March 2019

Are FIT or tour groups more popular?

Currently FIT is more popular than tour groups although we are selling both.

With so many transport options, Europe is easy to get around, and English is widely spoken which helps independent Australian travellers too.

What is your favourite place in Europe?

Croatia. I love that there are places where you can get away from modern life and experience the authentic way of life, like a local, without any other tourists. Croatia is also so naturally beautiful, both on land and at sea. There’s such a variety of experiences and you can immerse yourself

in nature through hiking and sailing.

Is there any particular time of year that is best or most popular to travel to Europe?

Spring, autumn and early summer are the most popular. The weather is more favourable but the big crowds haven’t arrived yet.

What are your top three tips for selling Europe?

1. Qualify what your client really wants 2. Make sure you understand the destination 3. Less is more

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Rotating Trips Many of our tours are circular.

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Many of our tours operate every week, all year-round meaning you can take a break from the tour and return later on to continue your journey.

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Europe

Finnair’s new initiatives Finland’s flag carrier Finnair has increased its capacity to London and is introducing a CO2 offsetting service for its customers.

The airline has also upped capacity between Helsinki and London Heathrow for the northern summer season, adding a new We want daily frequency to be operated with an to offer A320 aircraft. the best The new flight will solutions for leave Helsinki at responsible 11:40 and the return from London will air travellers flight depart at 13:50 and the service will provide good connection opportunities from London with Finnair’s oneworld partners.

In addition, Finnair will further increase its capacity on the London route by upgauging the 16:00 flight between Helsinki and London, as well as the 18:10 flight from London to Helsinki, with an Airbus

“ ”

A330 wide-body aircraft. The change will provide more than 50 additional seats per flight compared to the current A321 narrowbody aircraft.

Meanwhile, the airline has announced a new “Push for Change” service allowing customers to offset the CO2 emissions of their flights by funding emissions reduction projects or carbon sinks, or by supporting the use of biofuels.

For sustainable biofuels, Finnair will partner with the Dutch SkyNRG company and for emission reduction projects, Finnair will work with the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation, an international financial institution backed by the Nordic states.

“We want to offer the best solutions for responsible air travellers,” said Finnair CEO Topi Manner.

“Aviation has several positive economic and social impacts, and it is important that we work hard to build a more responsible air travel.

The service can be purchased through Finnair’s website.

iVenture’s expansion iVenture has added Athens and Stockholm to its portfolio, offering visitors cash-free entry into a choice of attractions and experiences across the destinations.

The Athens iVenture Card offers two different attraction passes, allowing visitors to create a unique tailored itinerary to suit their schedule and taste while saving up to 50% on gate prices. Travellers using the “Athens Unlimited Attraction Pass” can enjoy as many of the 40 included attractions as they might choose from €223, while the “Athens Museum Pass” allows visitors entry at eight of the city’s top Museums and is priced at €55.

The Stockholm Unlimited Attraction Pass starts at €57 and covers 24 attractions, including the leisurely Royal Bridges and Canal Tour and the Vasa Museum. iVenture also has attraction passes available in other European cities Barcelona, Madrid and London.

Get to know your BDM Name and job: Leanne Willmot, Scenic Senior Sales Development Manager QLD/Northern NSW. How long have you been working as a BDM for Scenic?

8 ½ years (but in April I will have been in the travel industry for 30 years total).

What is your favourite destination?

Salzburg has always had a special place in my heart. I am a Sound of Music fanatic. I also recently I had the opportunity to travel to South Africa. Amazing safaris and animals, but the landscapes and people are certainly “some of my favourite things”.

What do you love about your job?

The diversity and challenges I encounter every day. I am proud to be working with an amazing innovative company and group of people.

Stockholm

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travelBulletin March 2019

What destinations are on your bucket list?

Antarctica and France. Or anywhere I have not experienced yet.

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Europe

U by Uniworld’s plan B

T H E N O R D I C WAY

U by Uniworld has cancelled the second season of one of its ships, The B, to reposition it from the Seine to Central Europe for the 2020 season.

In 2020 The B will sail from Brussels to Amsterdam and Amsterdam to Frankfurt, while U by Uniworld’s other ship, The A, will

cruise from Nuremberg to Vienna and Vienna to Belgrade.

U by Uniworld said the decision was due to “increasing demand for the region”.

“As we look forward, the demand is, overwhelmingly, pointing towards Central Europe, where guests can experience a new

city – and sometimes a different country – each day, which simply isn’t feasible on the Seine,” said U by Uniworld President and CEO Ellen Bettridge.

U by Uniworld was originally announced as the first river cruise for 18-40 year olds, but later adjusted its age bracket to 21-45 before shedding it completely, rejigging its pitch to “the first river cruise dedicated to a new generation of adult travellers”.

In October 2017, U by Uniworld said it was looking to double its fleet to four ships, with two vessels in Europe, one on the Mekong and the location of a fourth ship “to be announced shortly”.

U by Uniworld told travelBulletin the Mekong was still a river it was targeting but noted it had not set a date for a third ship. The company also said last month’s announcement of an order of a new vessel to sail on the Mekong for its sister brand, Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, “has no bearing on future ships for U in that region”.

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For bookings and more information, visit globus.com.au or call 1300 130 134 *Terms and conditions: All care is taken to promote correct pricing at time of printing (15/02/19), is subject to tour availability and will be confirmed at time of reservation. All prices are per person, twin share and include any applicable charges and the 5% Early Booking discount. 5% Early Booking discount applies to new bookings made and deposited by 30/04/19. To secure reservation, a non-refundable deposit of $250 per person per tour is required within 7 days. Not combinable with any other offer except Second Tour discount (may be applied when multiple tours are booked at the same time for travel within the same calendar year) and Welcome Back Credit. All discounts based on land-only portion of core tour on twin share price, not including extra night accommodations, upgrades, extensions, taxes/fees, tips and, supplements/reductions. Valid for Singles (single supplement applies). Offer can be withdrawn or amended at any time without notice. Additional restrictions may apply. For full terms and conditions, see the 2019 Globus Europe brochure or visit www.globus.com.au.

Europe

Today’s travellers are more and more often seeking out new and different experiences.

If you have a client who has already ‘done’ Europe, why not suggest one of these more active cycling adventures?

Bolzano to Venice Starting in the Dolomites, this route is thankfully mostly downhill making it an easy ride for all ages.

Riding from Bolzano, the route heads south and then across to the coast, passing through Trento, Verona and Padova and ending in Venice. On the way, cycle along the shore of Lake Garda, ride through vineyards and stop and visit Padova’s muscle-easing thermal springs. The route is 280km long with plenty of places to take a break.

Lake Garda

Lake Sörmland, Stockholm

Näckrosleden This route runs through Sörmland, a region just outside of Stockholm. The terrain is mostly flat with a few short climbs and takes riders past castles, lakes, meadows full of flowers and quaint Swedish towns. You can visit ship burials, runic stones and cliff drawings as well as sampling Smorgasbord and Loganberries. The route is helpfully marked out with bright yellow sign posts, making it easy to do a self-guided trip in summer.

Portuguese Coast Cycle along the coast of Portugal’s Algarve region, following a path from the Spanish border to the most southerly part of the country, Cape St Vincent. The trip can be ridden at any time during the year, thanks to Portugal’s mild climate.

The route takes you through quiet fishing towns, away from tourist crowds, and along the stunning coast past popular beach resorts. A highlight is the old Roman town of Tavira, where churches outnumber hotels.

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travelBulletin March 2019

Algarve coastline, Portugal

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Africa

Africa is globally renowned for its amazing safari tours and unique wildlife, but perhaps there is nowhere in the region that offers quite the diverse range of unusual fauna than Madagascar. Adam Bishop steps into the weird and wonderful world of this isolated wonderland to meet the many quirky inhabitants that call its forests home.

An animal shelter like no other S HE tightens her grip slightly on the tree’s branch as the tour group meanders along the rugged trail. Her bulbous, unflinching eyes show no sign of wavering from the possible danger entering her secluded domain. A curious pup takes up her concern, swinging down from a nearby bough to join its mum in collective gaze before coiling an arm affectionately around her neck. Twitchy and zestful by nature, the ring-tailed lemur is also capable of maintaining moments of steely concentration. One awestruck tourist spots the pair and carefully reaches for her camera bag, but before it can be unzipped the duo of distinctive primates swing away from branch to branch, bouncing through the tree tops at lightning haste. One photo opportunity missed. But deep in the thick wilderness of Madagascar you can be assured there will be more to come.

Outside of its golden sandy beaches and fascinating tribal diversity, Madagascar boasts a swathe of national parks from coast to coast – all teeming with arguably the most intriguing collection of idiosyncratic wildlife on the planet. Most notably, more than 105 species of lemur call the island nation home,

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from the iconic ring-tailed variety renowned for its long black and white striped tail, to the distinctive red ruffed lemur found in the rainforests of Masoala in the country’s northeast. But perhaps illuminating the country’s reputation for faunal uniqueness most of all is the fact that approximately 90% of all animal species found in Madagascar are endemic. Naturalists have so far accounted for 300 individual species of bird, 100 different types of fish, and 297 separate species of butterfly, and it is this sheer heterogeneity of wildlife that has so many adventure tourists clambering to immerse themselves in the country’s sentient landscape – one that has been more than 88 million years in the making.

Andasibe-Mantadia National Park Located 150 kilometres from the capital Antananarivo, the Andasibe-Mantadia National Park is one of the most easily accessible nature reserves in the country, with safe road conditions available for travel throughout the year. Visitors are required to hire a local guide to explore the 155km² forest, but once paired with an expert and

trekking through park’s dense tropical beauty, adventurers are advised to be on the lookout for the impressive indri – one of the largest members of the lemur family. Standing at an average height of 70cm and weighing in at 10kg, it’s koala-like face is instantly recognisable, as is its peculiar sounding call which can be heard from the early morning until midday and once again in the late afternoon. Referred to as a babakoto in the local native tongue, the imposing black and white coloured primate generally traverses its habitat in groups and is considered a sacred animal by the Madagascan people.

For birdwatchers, the Andasibe-Mantadia National Park is also home to more than 100

Africa

bird species, such as the cheeky rufousheaded ground roller, the peculiar looking longeared owl, and the Madagascan Cuckoo-hawk, the last of which is often observed gliding between patches of trees and hunting small chameleons and geckoes on the forest floor.

Ranomafana National Park One of the most popular woodlands in the country is the Ranomafana National Park, sprawling over a large mountainous terrain of dense humid forest and situated about 60km north of the city of Fianarantsoa.

The reserve is characterised by numerous small streams which plummet down to the

spectacular Namorona River. Perhaps the park’s most famous furry resident is the critically endangered golden bamboo lemur, a species that laid undiscovered until 1986.

As the name suggests, this shy variety of lemur subsists on a diet of giant bamboo shoots and is most active at dawn and dusk.

The rare species travels in small groups of two to six and typically relocate up to 400 metres per day.

There are five different walking circuits for tourists to choose from in the Ranomafana, with the shorter journeys proving the most popular – especially during the high season.

For those who have an advanced level of fitness and are seeking true immersion,

there’s the Soarano Circuit, a two- to threeday 20km trek through the primary forest. This longer pilgrimage increases the chance of spotting rare wildlife and also offers a cultural visit to a pair of traditional tanala villages located deep in the heart of the forest. The Varibolomena Circuit on the other hand is the most traversed route in the reserve and can be completed in less than four hours.

The walk can be made during the day or night and passes by a picturesque waterfall, an opportune location to search for the 98 separate species of frog which inhabit the park’s marshy wet regions. The Ranomafana is best visited during the dryer months of May, September, October and November. travelBulletin March 2019

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Africa

SETTING THE BENCHMARK IN KENYA AFRICAN travel specialists Bench Africa has revealed a new signature safari package for travellers wishing to explore the fascinating wildlife of Kenya. The brand new curated package has been designed to celebrate its 50th anniversary of operation.

The Connoisseur Signature Safari Special tour showcases the country’s many engaging cultures and iconic wild landscapes.

Two full days of exploring the popular 104km² Samburu National Reserve is included, with guests afforded the opportunity to trek through the park’s rounded and rugged hills, tracking along the impressive Ewaso Nyiro river, the primary lifeline for the extraordinary diversity of local fauna that call the reserve home such as the beisa oryx, the long-necked gerenuk, the reticulated giraffe and blue shanked Somali ostrich.

The adventure also includes a threeday trip to the Masai Mara nature reserve

located near the Tanzanian border. The park is renowned for its wildlife tours, presenting the opportunity to spot lions, cheetahs, elephants, zebras and hippos, to name just a few. This leg of the journey also involves a stay at the small and intimate Mara Ngeche Camp, luxurious accommodation that provides panoramic views of the Talek River and a hippo pool. The eight-day trip is priced from $6,960 per person.

In other news, Bench Africa has also recently announced a new agent portal which boasts a wealth of updated content including marketing collateral, videos, and virtual reality training modules. The site is accessible at agents.benchafrica.com.

The operator has also introduced new help functionality, a simple way for agents to qualify clients correctly and ensure a higher hit rate with bookings. Visit benchhelp.com.

Kenya safari near Masai Mara

See Botswana at a glance BOTSWANA is considered one of Africa’s most exclusive safari destinations, a fascinating world home to popular attractions such as the Kalahari Desert and the Chobe National Park.

Trafalgar’s five-day Botswana Delta Experience is one great way to experience the essence of the country in a flying visit, traversing three cities and boasting a day trip to the Moremi Game Reserve and a guided nature walk of the Okavango Delta. Highlights include day fishing for bream and tiger fish, as well as bird watching tours along the country’s many peaceful waterways.

The trip is priced from $7,395 per person twin share with the next available departure due out on 23 Apr.

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SINGITA REVEALS new LOOK TANZANIA’S Singita Faru Faru Lodge recently unveiled a stylish new aesthetic inspired by the breath-taking wilderness found along the riverside slopes in the Serengeti. The makeover presents a minimalistic approach, using natural textures and materials to create a rich and cosy feel.

Now boasting a “back-to-basics colour palette” of bone, ivory, nude and clay, the resort’s updated contemporary feel is intended to be a doff of the cap towards the evolution of the modern design on the continent. Further enhancements include more expansive living and dining areas, new enclosed areas to drink and dine in the shade, and the installation of more central areas such as a new Singita signature bar-deli.

Singita Faru Faru Lodge is located in the northern region of Tanzania, not far from the border of Kenya and enjoys exclusive access to 350,000 acres of the Serengeti Mara ecosystem.

Singita owns a large network of 12 luxury lodges across five regions of Africa.

Africa

TAKE THE DUNE LESS TRAVELLED IN NAMIBIA LOCATED on Africa’s south west coast, the less publicised nation of Namibia borders its more high-profile neighbours of Zambia in the north, South Africa in the south and Botswana to the east. In this sparsely populated country, it is not uncommon to find the Namibian people living side by side with the wildlife, including large predators such as lions and leopards, such is the nature of the symbiotic relationship that its people share with the land.

One great way to see this amazing culture up close is to take the 13-day Namibia Discovery tour with Intrepid, a package that promises to explore the country’s beautiful coastline, soaring sand dunes, and savanna grassland areas. Highlights of the journey include a full-day game drive safari in the Etosha National Park, strolling the rugged coastline of Swakopmund, and gazing upon the staggering Fish Canyon Canyon, the largest canyon in Africa and spanning a width of 27km and a depth of 550 metres.

The adventure culminates in a visit to the

capital Windhoek, a quaint German-rooted city teeming with old-world European architecture.

Notable landmarks to check out are the Lutheran church of Christuskirche, The Independence Memorial Museum housing many artefacts from Namibia’s national

liberal struggle, and the old fortress and museum The Alte Feste which served as a headquarters of the imperial German military during its colonisation of South West Africa.

Trips departing in June are priced from $5,200 per person twin share.

WWINNER I N N E R 2018

BENCH AFRICA

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1300 AFRICA (237 422) | benchafrica.com.au | or contact your travel agent TAILOR-MADE SAFARIS | HONEYMOONS | LUXURY TRAIN JOURNEYS | SMALL GROUP TOURS | FAMILY SAFARIS | ADVENTURE SAFARIS | SPECIALIST SAFARIS | ESCORTED TOURS J497

Private touring

Shah i Zinda in Samarkand, ©Wendy Wu Tours

Shafkat on a roadside break, ©Ben Groundwater 50

travelBulletin March 2019

Gur Emir mausoleum in Samarkand, ©Wendy Wu Tours

Private Touring

Local host prepares plov ©Ben Groundwater

©Wendy Wu Tours

Homestay in Ukham ©Ben Groundwater

Local touches on private adventure Ben Groundwater discovers that a tour all by yourself offers unique experiences not possible as part of a group.

S

hafkat grins, his gold teeth flashing, his face a picture of genuine joy. “To your career,” he says, raising a glass of vodka and then putting it to his lips and draining it in one go. I take a deep breath and do the same.

The vodka is local stuff, made here in Uzbekistan, an entire bottle of which has been placed on our dining table in the same way water would be in other cultures. The food in front of us is distinctly local too, cooked by women from this village just a few minutes earlier. The setting is the basement of a small house, our home for the evening, a drab den with concrete floors and frilly tablecloths.

Shafkat is my drinking buddy, and my private driver. The two of us have been together since my tour began in Samarkand, the ancient Silk Road hub, the thriving modern-day metropolis that’s now about a day’s drive from the village we’re currently relaxing in. Shafkat’s English isn’t perfect, but his smile is universal, and his entreaties for me to partake in this Uzbek ritual just can’t be turned down.

“To your family,” I say to Shafkat, following the Russian-style custom of making a toast before every drink. We raise our glasses, tip them back.

This is really Shafkat’s time to shine.

Up until now he’s been the silent guy up the front of the car, steering us through Samarkand’s bustling traffic, parking and

waiting while I’ve visited mosques and museums and other sights with the help of a professional, English-speaking guide called Ruslan.

You feel like you’re getting the royal treatment in a situation like that, being ferried around in a private car, being shown the sights in a party of one. There’s no tour leader here carrying a flag on a stick and speaking into a microphone: it was just me, Shafkat and Ruslan. We toured the city together, we took tea breaks together, we ate meals together, just the two or three of us at local restaurants.

This is a tour, but not as I know it. It has the itinerary of a tour, but with no other passengers. It’s organised through Wendy Wu Tours. My accommodation is booked, my transfers included, many of my meals are provided and I have the services of a guide and driver at my disposal. What I don’t have is any fellow passengers to deal with: no one turning up late, no one complaining, no one wanting to change the itinerary. Just me, Ruslan and Shakfat.

It frees us up to do things we otherwise wouldn’t have been able to. A few nights ago, rather than dine at a local restaurant, I had dinner at Ruslan’s house in Samarkand. This was his family abode, a classic old home in the suburbs of an ancient and fascinating city.

It was a strange evening in some respects, a clash of cultures that I’m not sure I properly understood.

The two of us ate dinner together in an ornate dining room at a huge long table filled with delicious Uzbek food, far too much for the pair of us to ever finish. We drank Pepsi from big two-litre bottles. We ate sweets and

finished with tea. Then we went downstairs and I saw the rest of Ruslan’s family – mother, father, brothers, sisters – sitting in the kitchen, all sharing their own, far more modest meal.

The private tour allowed us to visit far more of the tourist sites as well, unencumbered by people who show up late or want to stay in certain places longer. Ruslan and I were given special access to climb one of the minarets at Registan, Samarkand’s spectacular main square, ascending endless stairs that wound up through the narrow tower, to eventually enjoy a stunning view over the city from a pedestal that’s only big enough for two.

And we were able to visit a place like this, Ukhum, a village of about 100 people set high up in the mountains in the north of Uzbekistan. They don’t get tour groups up here. They don’t get much of anyone, in fact.

After bidding goodbye to Ruslan in Samarkand, it took some white-knuckle driving over high mountain passes for Shakfat and I to get here. We’re doing a homestay in the village, bunking down with an ethnic Tajik family, enjoying their hospitality while experiencing their way of life.

We went for a walk with the local farmers earlier, watching as birds of prey circled high above, listening as the area’s big-horned sheep bleated from all points of the rocky terrain. We watched, too, as the local women made plov, the classic Uzbek rice pilaf, cooking over fire the traditional way.

And now Shafkat and I are sharing another local tradition, the drinking of vodka over a good meal. “To your good time in my home,” says Shafkat, raising his glass once again.

Now that, I will drink to.

travelBulletin March 2019

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Private touring

Experience Asia with Insider Journeys

Wellness in Kenya

Abercrombie & Kent lifts mind, body and spirit Luxury tour company Abercrombie & Kent has released a series of new wellness-inspired journeys that take private journey travellers into the spiritual heart of India, Kenya, Asia and Peru.

“These new wellness-inspired luxury small group journeys to some of our favourite destinations are designed to enrich mind, body and spirit,” said Sujata Raman, Abercrombie & Kent Regional Managing Director Australasia Asia Pacific. “A balance of cultural appreciation, time for reflection and rejuvenation interspersed with active elements and local insider interaction set these journeys apart,” she added.

New is the Wellness India: Ancient Traditions and Inspiring Icons tour, which takes travellers through Rajasthan and Varanasi including three nights in Udaipur with a guided meditation. Guests will also have the chance to have a private consultation with a traditional Ayurvedic doctor.

The Wellness Southeast Asia: Timeless Rituals of Indochina takes guests deep into Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam where they can take part in inspirational local ceremonies, enjoy a baci “good luck” ceremony in Luang Prabang, or join in a Khmer cooking class as part of the Design Your Day tour feature.

Travellers heading to Africa can now book the Wellness Kenya: Cultures & Wildlife tour, which takes guests on an active safari in the Masai Masai Game Reserve and Tsavo National Park, as well as offering a range of spa experiences.

A&K’s Wellness Peru: Spirit of the Incas journey delivers travellers to remote villages and working farms, where they can unlock the secrets of the medicinal ayahuasca, as well as experience a coca-leaf fortune reading conducted by a shaman.

For more information call 1300 590 317.

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Asia travel specialist Insider Journeys has released three new Private Journeys brochures highlighting a range of itineraries and options for private travel through China, India and Japan in 2019/2020.

The 2019/20 Private Travel brochures features ready-to-book private itineraries and city explorer packages, along with a variety of accommodation and sightseeing that can be tailored to suit each holiday.

The brochures, covering China, India and Japan, take travellers deep into the culture of these Asia countries, while offering flexibility to discover wonders such as the Army of Terracotta Warriors and the Taj Mahal at their own pace.

Independence and knowledge combined Specialist in the world of private touring, Monograms is hitting the high notes among travellers following the addition of its unique range of YourWay itineraries.

The YourWay offering was created to allow travellers to tailor their vacations to suit their specific likes, interests and travel style. It takes the Monograms concept one step further by allowing travellers to choose the number of nights they wish to stay in select European cities.

Since the introduction of the YourWay concept, the Mongrams brand has seen a 43% growth in overall bookings. Agents are also enjoying the perks of YourWay, with many saying the customisable option is making packages even more appealing for clients seeking an independent holiday incorporated with local guidance.

PIONEERS OF THE EXTRAORDINARY Handcrafted Private & Small Group Journeys | Luxury Expedition Cruises Born on safari in East Africa in 1962, Abercrombie & Kent has been reinventing luxury travel for more than half a century. Now with 55 offices and more than 2,500 travel experts on the ground around the world, we take the world’s most discerning travellers to the ends of the earth on unforgettable adventures. This is luxury travel redefined – exquisite, creative, courageous and enriching journeys – taking travellers out of their comfort zones, in comfort, to more than 100 countries and all seven continents. Your clients will see the world in a new light and find themselves somewhere amazing on an A&K private or small group journey or expedition cruise.

Call Abercrombie & Kent on 1300 851 800.

www.abercrombiekent.com.au

Last word

The Fake News Pull up a wheelie bin and stay a while with Adam Bishop

The latest person to cash in on the sharing economy has some sobering advice for budding Aussie entrepreneurs; “don’t be afraid to get down and dirty with your business model”.

Larry Morgan, 42, has spent the last six months renting out a suite of dilapidated wheelie bins to tourists seeking cheap short-term accommodation in Sydney.

“The great thing about this whole

sharing economy boom is that people don’t seem to care where they stay so long as they can tell their friends they travel around using an app of some sort,” Morgan said.

“As soon as I started advertising my bins as ‘unique accommodation’, that’s when things really took off though – now I’m flooded with requests to bunk down for the night in my disgusting refuse,” he added.

Not one to rest on his bin lids for too

HOW many words can you make out of these nine letters? Every word needs to include an ‘N’, have four letters or more and not be a proper noun or a plural. You can only use each letter once.

There’s also one word that uses all nine letters.

Good – 30 words Very good – 48 words Excellent – 64 words

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travelBulletin March 2019

V

of tax-free income.”

Got any fake news? Send us your tips to fakenews@travelbulletin.com.au.

I E

H N R T O G

Answers: gent, given, gone, goner, govern, grin, groin, heroin, heron, hinge, hint, hone, horn, hornet, hovering, ignore, inert, ingot, inter, into, invert, iron, neigh, nigh, night, nite, nitre, nitro, north, note, oven, ovine, OVERNIGHT, region, reign, rein, rent, ring, riven, roving, tenor, tern, then, thin, thine, thing, thong, thorn, throne, throng, tine, ting, tinge, toeing, tone, toner, tong, torn, vein, vent, vetoing, vine, vino, voting

Unscramble

long, Morgan has recently rolled out an additional upmarket offering catering for a more discerning type of bin chicken.

“I’ve recently moved towards leasing out larger skips now,” Morgan enthused.

“The extra space gives our guests far more diverse types of rubbish to play around with and they can even invite friends over if that’s what they’re in to,” he added.

So, what’s next for Morgan? Well, it’s funny you should ask that, he is already hatching the next incarnation of his innovative wheelie bin plan.

“Here’s an exclusive for you travelBulletin, next month my company will be launching special land excursions exploring the giant compost heap I have fermenting in the backyard,” an excited Morgan beamed.

“After guests have finished sorting out the egg shells from the avocado skins, they can report back to me for orders… errgh, I mean adventures, yes adventures.”

It just goes to show Morgan concludes, “one man’s trash is certainly another man’s treasure, in this case the treasure just so happens to be a fair bit

presents

30th April 2019 Primus Hotel, Sydney

Speakers include: The Sustainability Summit is a one-day event providing the opportunity for the Australian travel and tourism sector to share best practice, discuss initiatives and encourage one another to ensure future generations can continue to enjoy exploring the globe.

Register now to attend Earlybird tickets on sale until 15 March Visit eventbrite.com.au and search ‘Sustainability Summit’

Giles Hawke Global Lead Sustainability, CEO UK, Cosmos Tours & Avalon Waterways

Daniel Skjeldam CEO, Hurtigruten

More speakers to be announced soon

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