TravelBulletin for April 2018 - Exclusive interview with Skroo Turner, Small group touring,

e n o

April 2018

...and then there was

fully independent and integrated national franchise

Part of the Express Travel Group

Melbourne | Sydney | Adelaide | Brisbane | Perth Australian Owned & Operated

one ...and then there was

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Part of the Express Travel Group Melbourne | Sydney | Adelaide | Brisbane | Perth Australian Owned & Operated

APRIL 2018

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CONTENTS

32

18

52

44

FEATURES

COVER STORY

32 Small group touring

18 Flight Centre’s latest evolution

Discover what makes a small group trip great with Craig Tansley

44 River cruising Cruise Bordeaux with Brian Johnston

58 Romance Fall in love with these top romantic destinations, writes Dilvin Yasa

34 Industry in Focus 39 Brochures 62 Last Word

MONTHLY

63 Royal Brunei Airlines comp

02 From the publisher Bruce Piper gives his perspective on this month’s news

52 Macao Caroline Gladstone explores the many sides to this city

Marvel at Silversea’s ambitious lengthening project

Steve Jones sits down for an exclusive interview with Graham ‘Skroo’ Turner

40 Thailand Kerry van der Jagt uncovers the other side of Phuket

28 Cruise

02 State of the industry 08 Issues and trends 22 Business view 24 Business Events News

COLUMNS 06 Steve Jones 08 AFTA View 10 TTF View 25 EEAA View 32 CLIA View

This month’s contributors Steve Jones, Joel Katz, Jayson Westbury, Margy Osmond, Joyce Di Mascio, Oliver Tams, Bruce Piper, Craig Tansley, Dilvin Yasa, Kerry van der Jagt, Brian Johnston, Caroline Gladstone, Amelya Grey, Dennis Basham, Lyn Watkins, Ben Piper, Sarah Beyer, Jasmine O’Donoghue, Adam Bishop, Jon Murrie, Guy Dundas

www.travelbulletin.com.au travelBulletin is part of the Business Publishing Group family of publications

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

www.travelbulletin.com.au

ADVERTISING National Sales Manager Lisa Maroun Ph: 0405 132 575 or 02 8007 6760 lisa.maroun@travelbulletin.com.au Production Co-ordinator Sarah Beyer Ph: 1300 799 220 or 02 8007 6760 sarah.beyer@travelbulletin.com.au

DESIGN TEAM Sarah Beyer, Wendy St George ART DIRECTION and FINANCE Jenny Piper jenny.piper@travelbulletin.com.au Suite 1, Level 2, 64 Talavera Rd Macquarie Park NSW 2113 Australia PO Box 1010 Epping NSW 1710 Australia Tel: 1300 799 220 (+61 2 8007 6760)

1 Apr Reporting Period: 16 Apr2017 2016––30 16Sep Sep2017 2016 - Publisher Statement

travelBulletin APRIL 2018

1

STATE OF THE INDUSTRY

From the publisher Bruce Piper

IN BRIEF

2

EXCITEMENT is already building towards the 2018 National Travel Industry Awards, with the voting phase having just wrapped up amid concerted lobbying from across the industry. The investment being made by suppliers and travel agents to highlight their NTIA nominations is testament to the high regard in which these awards are held – in turn reflecting the rigorous processes underpinning the selection of winners. travelBulletin is proud to be involved in the upcoming NTIA judging phase which follows the announcement of finalists early next month. It’s a significant commitment and we see it as an important contribution to the process which culminates in the industry night of nights on Saturday 21 July at Sydney’s International Convention Centre. Tickets go on sale on Friday 4 May and are sure to be snapped up quickly given the overwhelming interest in the event.

MEANWHILE by the time you are reading this Qantas will be operating its new daily 787-9 services direct from Perth to London – eliminating the “hop” in the Kangaroo Route.

The innovation has led to significant changes in the Qantas network and indeed its newly re-authorised alliance with Emirates, with QF

Flight Centre cuts brands FLIGHT Centre last month announced a major restructure of its Australian retail operations around three new “super networks”. The move will see the demise of the Escape Travel and Cruiseabout brands, with existing stores to be rebranded as either Flight Centre or Travel Associates. The company revealed the chops alongside its first half results, which included record TTV of $10.16 billion for the six months to 31 December, an increase of almost 9% on the previous corresponding period. Underlying pre-tax profit was $139.4 million, up a healthy 23%, with the group upgrading full year guidance to be “within reach” of its previous record $376.5 million result in 2014.

The “Rebrand and Grow” plan foreshadowed a strong push to grow Flight Centre’s market share in Australia, shifting the company’s focus locally after turning around loss-making businesses overseas. The three new networks will respectively aim at the mass market (Flight Centre and

travelBulletin APRIL 2018

London passengers from Sydney and Melbourne once again flying via Singapore rather than Dubai.

An interesting new side effect of the QF-EK alliance has been the impact on Tasman operations, where Emirates has suspended all flights from Australia to Auckland. That in turn has seen it align its Tasman offering with that of Qantas, notably by removing travel agent base commission on all of its services to NZ – both codeshares on QF and on its sole remaining Tasman route between Sydney and Christchurch.

FINALLY last month saw a longstanding stoush between Flight Centre’s FCM Travel and a former major client, National Australia Bank, bubble into the public domain. Rumours of a rift had been circulating since September last year but neither party would confirm.

The story finally broke after with Flight Centre MD Graham Turner confirming a “commercial disagreement” when Fairfax Media reported the dumping of FCM in favour of American Express GBT as the bank’s TMC. It’s understood that in the end the bank decided not to pursue further action, with the contract not clearly specifying the fee structure on some types of transactions.

BYOjet/Aunt Betty), premium travel (Travel Associates and Travel Partners) and youth (Student Flights/StudentUniverse).

A Flight Centre spokesperson confirmed that the majority of the company’s existing Escape Travel franchisee members would become part of the Travel Associates network, although there are also affiliate opportunities under the Travel Partners offering if they prefer. See this month’s cover story for more.

QF-AA warn of DFW cut QANTAS and American Airlines are hoping the new political climate in the USA will allow them to get their expanded cooperation alliance over the line, last month formally lodging a new application with the US transportation regulator. They claimed the proposed partnership, which was previously knocked back in 2016 under the Obama administration, would “significantly improve service, stimulate demand and unlock more than US$300 million annually in consumer benefits that are not achievable

through any other form of cooperation”.

If the pact is knocked back again, a sting in the tail was a threat to down-gauge or even cancel QF’s daily A380 service between Sydney and Dallas/Fort Worth, as well as AA’s flights from Los Angeles to Sydney and Auckland. “If the joint business is not approved, American and Qantas will have no choice but to further reduce codesharing on their networks...this will jeopardise the number of services and routes each carrier flies between the US and Australia and NZ,” they said. On the flip side, the proposed arrangement would potentially allow AA and QF to introduce additional routes on the Pacific, including “new city pairings,” they said. The application remains under consideration by US authorities.

ALL SMILES AT MAGELLAN

THE Magellan Travel Group’s corporate members gathered in Melbourne last month for their second annual Corporate Forum, bringing corporate agents and preferred partners together to demonstrate how Magellan members can maximise the opportunities presented to them.

A welcome event was hosted by Qantas, while other presenters during the Forum included Singapore Airlines, Virgin Australia, Serko, Uniglobe, Hertz and AccorHotels. Magellan GM Andrew Macfarlane is pictured above at left with Rob Harrison, Qantas; Scott Darlow, Magellan; Trevor Reid, Qantas; and Stu Milne, Qantas.

Helloworld tech buy HELLOWORLD’S rampant appetite for acquisitions continued unabated last month with the announcement the company was purchasing Flight Systems Pty Ltd, the parent of online travel agency skiddoo.com.au.

Skiddoo was established about five years ago by 33-year-old Mirza Juddani and has operations in Australia and Singapore. While Helloworld said the deal would boost its overall TTV by more than $80 million, a key driver of the acquisition is software, with HLO CEO Andrew Burnes saying it gives the company a “low risk and low cost entry to some sophisticated distribution technologies to incorporate into the rapidly developing ResWorld agency platform” which is set to roll out this year.

Burnes said the tech move would empower Helloworld Travel members to offer 24/7 bookability via their own branded websites, making it easier for customers to book and interact with the company. It’s certainly a “back to the future” deal for Helloworld, with the benefits sounding surprisingly close to those touted by the company’s now defunct technology agreement with Orbitz which previously powered the helloworld.com.au website. Ironically, after founding Skiddoo, Juddani was also quoted as saying he was specifically targeting customers of Helloworld’s former Best Flights operation, the OTA business

which was closed down by former CEO Rob Gurney in 2014.

Travel Partners growth

“

[It’s a] low risk and low cost entry to some sophisticated distribution technologies to incorporate into the rapidly developing ResWorld agency platform

”

Andrew Burnes, Helloworld CEO

TRAVEL Partners managing director Jeff Hakim last month revealed expectations that the company could double in size over the next twelve months, after last year’s acquisition

by Flight Centre which has presented multiple avenues for expansion. He spoke to travelBulletin at the 2018 Travel Partners conference in Sydney, hailing the wide array of product now available. “[Flight Centre’s] Infinity product is fantastic, and everyone is earning more,” he enthused.

There’s also strong potential to boost numbers through the major restructure of Flight Centre’s brands, with the closure of Escape Travel and Cruiseabout likely to see more consultants and franchisees shift to Travel Partners. Hakim confirmed that 15 Flight Centre consultants had already switched to the Travel Partners mobile model, with significantly more likely to join the pipeline. The Travel Partners conference also included a presentation by Infinity, which is restructuring its offering around Flight

Centre’s new mass market, premium and youth networks, with dedicated consultants for each division. Infinity business leader Richard “Sticky” Glew confirmed the imminent launch of a new Infinity Rewards loyalty scheme for agents, estimating a typical consultant could earn about $1,000 worth of points each year.

VA to boost Hong Kong VIRGIN Australia is continuing its focus on growth into Asia, confirming the launch later this year of non-stop flights between Sydney and Hong Kong. Fine details of the new service haven’t been revealed at this stage, but it’s understood VA has managed to secure flight slots at HKG which also provide convenient connections to onwards services into China – as well as through to London with sister brand Virgin Atlantic which withdrew online service from the Australian market some years ago. VS plans to return to the local market via a codeshare with the new Virgin Australia operation. The new route announcement coincided with the release of VA’s results for the Continues over page

travelBulletin APRIL 2018

3

STATE OF THE INDUSTRY Continues from previous page

HEADLINES 23 Feb 23 Feb 26 Feb 26 Feb 27 Feb 27 Feb 28 Feb 28 Feb 28 Feb 01 Mar 01 Mar 01 Mar 02 Mar 05 Mar 05 Mar 06 Mar 06 Mar 07 Mar 07 Mar 07 Mar 08 Mar 08 Mar 08 Mar 08 Mar 09 Mar 09 Mar 12 Mar 12 Mar 12 Mar 13 Mar 13 Mar 14 Mar 14 Mar 15 Mar 15 Mar 16 Mar 16 Mar 19 Mar 19 Mar 20 Mar 20 Mar 20 Mar 21 Mar 21 Mar 22 Mar 22 Mar

4

Call for action on OTAs Local in-house ops for VS FC US home-base move CostSaver focuses of GIT AA, QF reapply to DOT ATPI takes Serko global Virgin back in the black VA to launch SYD-HKG flts Rex 1H profit soars 60% Orphanage crackdown Dundee campaign delivers Helloworld takes Magellan QF PER visa requirements MTA rated ‘best partner’ JQ CEO flags SIN rethink VA block QF/PX c’share IATA allowing agent cards Viking takes 6 ocean ships Sabre, FCTG confirm deal Livn expands into Asia FC ‘abnormalities’ claim ACCC won’t oppose Mantra purchase Aurora global expansion AFTA pulls ACS coverage from Si Holidays Si Holidays ceases trading U by Uniworld for all ages FC purchase propels TP NTIA 2018 nominees unveiled Si Holidays in liquidation Infinity brand phase out Qantas Singapore drive New Qantas trade head LOT appoints local GSA $12m Federal events fund Qantas SME payment push Ireland specialist relaunch Travel to Vietnam surges Vietjet commits to BNE SeaLink takes app stake HLO to buy Flight Systems HLO takes aim at Viking QR ready to go to BNE QF/EK alliance push back McArthur new Tiger CEO HLO interest free holidays WA deploys action plan

travelBulletin APRIL 2018

six months to 31 December which for the first time in many years saw the carrier in the black, with a $4.4 million after tax profit.

Virgin Australia chairman Elizabeth Bryan also dampened speculation that the company planned to delist from the ASX, saying that after discussion with major shareholders it had been decided not to privatise the group.

She noted that the company had more than 21,000 shareholders with small stakes worth less than $500 and announced an “unmarketable parcel buy-back facility” offering 30c per share. The minnow shareholders – many of them believed to be current or former Virgin Australia employees who bought in at then discounted prices (believed to be significantly more than the 30c on offer) – will have their shares acquired at the BuyBack Price unless they choose to opt out of the facility by 13 April 2018.

HLO takes aim at Viking HELLOWORLD executive director Cinzia Burnes flexed her considerable corporate muscle last month when she launched a broadside at Viking Cruises, urging travel agent members of the group to stop selling the popular line. The move was sparked by the termination of a wholesale contract with HLO’s The Cruise Team,

which Burnes claimed had been cancelled with “no cause and with very little notice”. She noted that Viking was not a preferred supplier to Helloworld’s retail network, “nor will it become one” meaning agents wanting to sell the product will end up going direct to the cruise line.

The HLO executive director described the Viking move as “unilateral cherry picking” and accused the cruise line of unfairly targeting the Helloworld Travel Group in Australia. “Bullies need to be dealt with...let’s ‘sink’ Viking and stop selling it,” she said.

Viking responded, saying The Cruise Team contract was a legacy agreement established in 2009, when the line had no call centre or sales representation in Australia. “Our strategy moving forward is to move away from wholesale agreements as this no longer reflects our business needs,” said Viking’s local GM Michelle Black. She confirmed all wholesaleonly agreements had been terminated.

“We have made significant changes to our business over the past 12 months which agents would have benefited from, and as the only cruise line with no non-commissionable fees we firmly have the financial success of our agent partners in mind,” Black said, promising that Viking would continue to maintain significant investment in consumer marketing to drive customers into agents’ stores “regardless of the name above the door”.

SKAL’S NEWEST SYDNEY MEMBER EMILY Kadinski from iTravel Carlingford in NSW was formally inducted as a member of industry networking club Skal International at a special event on board Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas last month.

She’s pictured receiving her official certificate from Skal Sydney vice-president Melinda Brown, GM of SkillsIQ Limited.

DATA ROOM

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

DOMESTIC ON TIME PERFORMANCE

INBOUND MARKET

January 2018

Qantas

Jetstar Arrivals on time Departure on time Cancellations

79.5% 76.3% 1.9%

Arrivals on time Departure on time Cancellations

OUTBOUND MARKET

Top 10 destinations, Jan 18

87.2% 87.0% 1.6%

Source

Trend (000)

Original (000)

China New Zealand UK United States South Korea Japan India Germany Canada Hong Kong All inbound

111.6 113.6 64.3 69.9 26.3 37.9 28.2 17.7 15.4 24.2 753.7

118.1 87.8 77.1 70.0 34.3 31.5 23.5 19.4 18.5 15.8 702.5

Trend Dec 17/ Jan 18 % -2.0 -0.2 +1.9 +1.9 -1.2 +1.2 +1.2 +1.1 +2.8 -1.4 +0.0

Top 10 destinations, Jan 18

Trend Jan 17/ Jan 18 % +4.2 +0.7 +5.6 +11.9 +8.8 +4.5 +23.2 +0.3 +12.9 +10.6 +5.7

Source: ABS

Destination

Trend (000)

New Zealand United States Indonesia India UK Japan China Thailand Vietnam Singapore All outbound

117.4 89.6 90.1 32.7 54.7 36.5 45.7 50 28.2 35.5 888.1

Original (000)

Trend Dec 17/ Jan 18 % +0.0 +0.4 -1.9 +0.7 +1.4 +1.6 +0.4 +0.2 +0.0 +0.8 +0.1

191.7 126.3 115.2 84.3 77.8 73.1 62.6 62.4 44.1 43.3 1,336.7

Trend Jan 17/ Jan 18 % -1.0 -2.0 -10.8 +13.8 +3.4 +16.2 +5.8 +9.6 +28.0 +1.5 +2.6

Source: ABS

ENDED DECEMBER 2017 All airlines

85.0% 85.1% 1.5%

-2.1%

Arrivals on time Departure on time Cancellations

87.9% 89.0% 1.1%

.0%

Virgin Australia

Arrivals on time Departure on time Cancellations

+0

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

DOMESTIC AIR MARKET December 2017

+ 0.

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

*Percentage points difference

+4 .3 .5% %

.1 %

5.25m 6.20bn 7.65bn 81.0 52.8

+4

5.14m 6.11bn 7.70bn 79.4 53.7

Yr to Yr to Growth Dec 16 Dec 17 % OUTBOUND 58.97m 59.98m +1.7 69.34bn 70.01bn +1.0 89.08 88.2 -1.0 77.8 79.4 1.5* 643.3 638.7 -0.7

+2

INBOUND

Growth % +2.1 +1.5 -0.1 1.6* -1.7

-6.9%

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

Dec 17

+2.7%

Dec 16

+3.0%

7%

-1.6%

Source: BITRE

INTERNATIONAL AIR MARKET SHARE

International Passengers by Major Airlines - Year ended December 2017

International passengers by major airline – year ended Dec 2017 Qantas Airways, 16.4% Qantas Airways,

Others, 30.7%

Jetstar, 9.1%9.1% Jetstar,

Emirates, Emirates, 8.3%8.3%

China Southern

China Southern Airlines, 3.1% Airlines, 3.1% Etihad3.2% Airways, 3.2% Etihad Airways,

Singapore Airlines, 8.1% Singapore Airlines, 8.1%

AirAsia 4.0% AirAsia X,X,4.0%

Top 10 city pairs, Dec 2017

City pair

16.4%

Others, 30.7%

INTERNATIONAL AIR ROUTES

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

Passengers YE Dec 16 Auckland-Sydney 1,604,944 Singapore-Sydney 1,455,015 Singapore-Melbourne 1,362,099 Auckland-Melbourne 1,193,283 Singapore-Perth 1,124,742 Hong Kong-Sydney 1,075,353 Auckland-Brisbane 964,067 Los Angeles-Sydney 906,403 Denpasar-Perth 896,951 Kuala Lumpur-Melbourne 787,326 Top 10 City Pairs 11,370,183 Other City Pairs 26,246,570 ALL CITY PAIRS 37,616,753

Year ended

Year ended

Year ended

% of total % change 17/16 4.0 -1.6 3.8 +2.1 3.6 +4.3 3.1 +3.0 2.9 +2.7 2.7 +0.0 2.5 +0.7 2.2 -2.1 2.1 -6.9 2.1 +4.5 28.9 +0.8 71.1 +7.3 100.0 +5.3

Source: BITRE

International Passengers by Uplift/Discharge City Pairs Australian

Passengers YE Dec 17 1,579,904 1,485,919 1,420,841 1,229,495 1,154,838 1,075,624 970,776 887,004 834,897 823,139 11,462,437 28,153,377 39,615,814

travelBulletin APRIL 2018

% of

% Change

5

STATE OF THE INDUSTRY AUSTRALIAN AIRPORTS

MAIN DOMESTIC ROUTES

International passengers through Australia’s major international airports, Dec 2017

Top 10 domestic city pairs, Dec 2017

City pair

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

Passengers Passengers % change YE Dec 16 YE Dec 17 (000) (000) 8,904.6

9,097.1

+2.2

4,658.1

4,746.2

+1.9

3,493.3

3,541.1

+1.4

2,704.4

2,740.7

+1.3

2,393.6

2,456.4

+2.6

2,072.8

2,033.2

-1.9

1,966.1

2,012.6

+2.4

1,872.0 1,753.7 1,555.5

1,898.3 1,716.5 1,630.3

+1.4 -2.1 +4.8

City pair

20 575 273 210 1,077 656

ATAS locations: 2,920 total

39

As of 21 February 2018

(a) Scheduled services recommenced Sep 2016 (c) Seasonal services only (e) Scheduled services ceased May 2017

Source: BITRE

Steve Jones’ Say SO, TWO more retail brands are set to vanish from Australia’s towns and shopping centres. While not quite on the scale of the mass cull that wiped out Harvey World Travel, Jetset and Travelworld, the imminent demise of Cruiseabout and Escape Travel signals further consolidation in the retail sector.

To some extent, Flight Centre’s reasons for whittling down its number of brands are similar to those behind the creation of Helloworld.

Maintaining and marketing numerous brands is onerous and expensive.

Merging most of Escape Travel’s

6

travelBulletin APRIL 2018

69

Sydney Melbourne Brisbane Perth Gold Coast Adelaide Cairns Darwin Canberra (a) Townsville (b) Sunshine Coast (c) Port Hedland (d) Norfolk Island (e) ALL AIRPORTS

Passengers YE Dec 16 15,111,977 9,642,586 5,449,744 4,379,175 1,093,558 924,179 642,293 272,069 23,771 41,479 17,506 8,521 9,895 37,616,753

Passengers YE Dec 17 16,038,186 10,323,782 5,729,341 4,385,467 1,080,098 962,975 662,173 274,964 84,435 48,535 13,719 7,339 4,800 39,615,814

% of total % change 17/16 40.5 +6.1 26.1 +7.1 14.5 +5.1 11.1 +0.1 2.7 -1.2 2.4 +4.2 1.7 +3.1 0.7 +1.1 0.2 +225.2 0.1 +17.0 0.0 -21.6 0.0 -13.9 0.0 -51.5 100.0 +5.3

(b) Scheduled services recommenced Sep 2015 (d) Scheduled services recommenced Apr 2015

Source: BITRE

127 shops into Flight Centre seems logical enough. Both operate in the mass market and Escape’s brand awareness is not particularly strong, or loved. With the exception of staff who will be attached to the brand, its passing will not be mourned. To that end, Escape’s demise is unlikely to result in lost sales.

The same can’t be said about Cruiseabout, a business acquired alongside Turramurra Travel in 2002 for under $400,000.

Will customers who booked with Cruiseabout view Flight Centre or Travel Associates as a natural alternative? Some will, of course.

But equally, Cruiseabout’s specialist nature will inevitably have lured many would-be cruisers. In the absence of the brand, it is certainly possibly, likely even, that more than a few bookings will slip through the net.

To mitigate such a scenario, Flight Centre is promoting a message of continuity. The brand name above the door may be different but the consultants and their specialist knowledge will remain.

Yet that in itself has created issues internally, with Travel Associates consultants concerned the high-end nature of the brand may somehow be tarnished by the influx of new agents and rapid growth of the network.

But such unrest will settle.

Furthermore, it’s not hard to conclude that complementing Flight

“

To some extent, Flight Centre’s reasons for whittling down its number of brands are similar to those behind the creation of Helloworld

”

Centre’s mass market appeal by ramping up efforts to target highspending customers with high-margin luxury products is a sound strategy.

Not quite so sound has been Uniworld’s ageism strategy.

I could see what it was trying to achieve when it banned over 45s from its U by Uniworld product. I could also see it was completely flawed. Unsurprisingly, those age restrictions have now been lifted.

Only now, according to the company, have they understood that feeble and decrepit over 45s like myself also enjoy a lie-in, funky on-board decor and exploring the nightlife of a city. Who knew?

I had assumed the absurd notion of pigeonholing “older” travellers, or, indeed, millennials, was a marketing blunder of the past.

Remarkably, it seems not.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the U-turn was more a response to consumer backlash than consumer demand, as Uniworld is claiming.

Think about it. A 49-year-old makes enquiries about a U by Uniworld cruise only to be informed they’re too old and patronisingly advised to book a different itinerary with a sister brand more suited to their advancing years. I know what my response would be, and it wouldn’t be a positive one. I suspect many people of my vintage would share such sentiments.

ENCHANTING M O S EL L E

CRYSTAL INSIGHTS WITH KAREN CHRISTENSEN

Karen Christensen Senior Vice President & Managing Director Australia & New Zealand

Your clients will fall in love with the scenic beauty of the Moselle, a river less travelled, on this new Crystal River Cruises’ itinerary. Aboard the all-suite, butlerserviced Crystal Bach, the focused itinerary features five new ports – Dusseldorf, Bernkastel, Trier, Bonn and Arnhem – conveniently sailing round-trip from Amsterdam, May through December 2019. Visit the birthplace of Beethoven in Bonn; trace the path of the Romans in first-century Trier; feel the energy of Dusseldorf’s thriving fashion, art and culinary scenes; taste the region’s renowned wines in Bernkastel; and walk the garden promenades in Arnhem.

ENCHANTING MOSELLE VOYAGES AMSTERDAM Arnhem Rhine River

Dusseldorf

GERMANY

Cochem Bernkastel

Bonn Koblenz

Trier FRANCE

Moselle River

10 days, Amsterdam Round-trip May – December, 2019 • Explore Amsterdam’s Jewish Quarter and famous Anne Frank House.

• Taste the flavours of the region’s wine capital in Bernkastel, surrounded by rolling, vine-covered hillsides.

• Visit the diverse historical monuments in Bonn, from Poppelsdorf Castle to the German National Museum of Contemporary History and World War II exhibits.

• Spend an overnight in Trier and discover why the city is dubbed “Second Rome” for its first-century beginnings, or venture to nearby Luxembourg for the day.

ALL

TAKEN CARE OF All-suite with butler service Acclaimed dining† Unlimited select fine wines, champagne and spirits Complimentary transfers^ Complimentary Crystal Adventures in every port Gratuities for housekeeping, dining and bar staff Complimentary WiFi

PETITE SUITE FARES FROM US$5,195pp* | DELUXE SUITE FARES FROM US$6,690pp*

FO R M O R E I N FO RM AT IO N , TO B O O K O R TO R E C E I V E A B R OC H URE, CO N TAC T C RYSTA L .

1300 059 262

C R Y S TA L R I V E R C R U I S E S . C O M

TERMS & CONDITIONS: *Your Exclusive Fares are cruise-only, per person, in U.S. dollars, based on double occupancy, apply to new bookings only, and include taxes, fees and port charges. Fare shown applies to category S5 and S2 on RBA190727, vary by stateroom category and are correct at time of printing. Solo Fares are available upon request. ^Complimentary transfers between airport and river yacht on embark/disembark days. †Optional dining in the Vintage Room attracts an additional fee. All offers may not be combinable with other promotions, apply to first two full-fare guests in stateroom or suite, are capacity-controlled and subject to availability and may be withdrawn or changed at any time without notice. All fares, itineraries, programs, policies and shore excursions are subject to change. Restrictions apply. For complete Terms & Conditions, visit crystalcruises.com/legal. ©2017 Crystal Cruises, LLC. Ships’ registry: Amsterdam. Malta.

ISSUES & TRENDS

TP DECLARES THE FUTURE IS NOW THE Park Hyatt Regency in Sydney was the venue selected to host Travel Partners’ (TP) annual conference last month, a gathering which saw hundreds of agents and partners from across the country in attendance.

The theme of the conference was “The Future is Now”, a slogan which encouraged the company’s staff to chase the many new opportunities on offer thanks to Travel Partners’ recent acquisition by Flight Centre (travelBulletin September 2017).

TP’s managing partner Jeff Hakim told travelBulletin that its agents were happy because they now had access to a “plethora of new product” and were now also benefiting from an “increased buying power” thanks to the purchase.

“Flight Centre’s Infinity product is fantastic, everyone is earning more and we also now have access to expos,” Hakim said.

“I come from that part of the travel industry that aren’t ‘Flighties’ and wasn't aware that the airlines gave special deals and that people even wait for their expo,” he added.

The two-day event also saw many speakers take to the stage to provide a brief snapshot to agents regarding the state of play of their respective brands and businesses.

Infinity Holidays’ events and touring leader Richard Glew told attendees the brand “recently restructured” its business to fit into three new streams; Premium, General and Youth, with “specialist consultants now in place” to manage the needs of each. Expedia also used the forum to reinforce its travel booking tech credentials, touting a US$620 million increase in technology investment between 2005-2010.

Travel Partners’ annual meeting concluded with a lavish Gala Awards ceremony honouring the best performers in 2017, including our very own Travel Daily, which picked up the gong for Most Outstanding Media Partner award.

AFTA VIEW Jayson Westbury, chief executive AFTA

THE failure and liquidation of Si Holidays (and associated brands under Freestyle Travel Pty Ltd) has come at a time when travel agents across the country have not perhaps fully prepared themselves for this event.

By this I mean, many AFTA members who have been impacted by this liquidation have not yet signed up for the protection offered by the AFTA Chargeback Scheme (ACS). This has meant that once again travel agents have been caught in the middle of a chargeback by the client with no way of recouping the money.

Fortunately, some agencies have signed up for the scheme and are smiling all the way to the end of this mess as ACS will be paying out claims from this liquidation.

For those agents that have clients who paid by something other than a credit card, AFTA is urging them to have the customer file a complaint with the authorities against the principal of Si Holidays in the hope that they pursue further investigations.

The simple fact is that when a customer buys a holiday from a travel agent – who in good faith passes those funds onto the supplier of the holiday – and the company does something with the funds other than providing the holiday, you have to question if this is misappropriation of funds.

Time will tell as to the verdict in the case of Si Holidays and what ultimately happens to the principal. It is just not good enough that travel businesses and their owners think it is acceptable to use clients’ money for something other than the purpose for which it was given.

For the record Si Holidays was not ATAS accredited and while It is not good that does not help the outcome, enough that travel it does indicate that the company was unable to make businesses... think the cut and meet the criteria to it is acceptable to obtain ATAS accreditation. use clients’ money Not to shy away from the fact that we have had one for something other ATAS accredited travel agent go than the purpose for into liquidation in the past 12 months, the same circumstances which it was given may prevail over the outcome of that principal also.

As an industry there is no question that we have had far fewer collapses and liquidation events in the past three years since deregulation than we had in the three years leading into deregulation. What does that mean? Well for my money it says that travel business owners have to think long and hard before they move into this situation and need to find ways to manage themselves out of trouble better as there is no longer a slush fund to bail them out.

If you own a travel agency and have not yet signed up for the new chargeback scheme, I would highly recommend taking another look and you can do this at: www.afta.com.au/acs.

I wish all those caught up in the Si Holidays mess all the best as the situation unfolds.

“

”

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travelBulletin APRIL 2018

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ISSUES & TRENDS

ON THE EXPRESS TO SUCCESS EXPRESS Travel Group has launched a concerted appeal to travel agent owners, highlighting its technology, consumer protection and multi-brand offering for independent agencies. The cleverly-themed “...And Then There Was One” campaign reflects the ongoing consolidation within the market, following in the wake of Helloworld’s shock acquisition of Magellan Travel Group which was finalised last month. ETG is particularly highlighting the italktravel branded “fully independent and integrated national franchise model” which operates alongside its Select and Independent Travel Group divisions.

Express Travel Group CEO Tom Manwaring told travelBulletin the company was continuing to grow strongly, approaching 800 travel agent members across the Select, Independent Travel Group and italktravel “silos” within the business.

“We are Australia’s most exciting travel network,” he said, stressing the importance of longstanding partnerships on both the supplier and agency side of the business, despite the rapidly evolving industry landscape. “In the end it’s those relationships that are important,” he said.

The company, which bases its offerings on the Express Ticketing and Express Fares platforms, is offering new italktravel franchises across the country, with guaranteed exclusive terrritories, We take into account a unique profit share that ‘one size model and a fully does not fit all’... integrated support program covering no onerous and marketing, IT and expensive conditions business assistance. are placed on ETG also offers members of Select, members and no Independent and demands are made italktravel its exclusive on how our services Book Safe Agent insurance product for are to be used consumer protection, which Manwaring said Tom Manwaring, Express was significantly better Travel Group CEO than anything else in

“

”

the market.

Other core tools offered to members include the Express Cruise platform, powered by Creative Cruising, as well as Express Hotels and the in-house Express Rewards consultant loyalty scheme.

Manwaring highlighted the customised partnership model offered by Express. “We take into account that ‘one size does not fit all’...no onerous and expensive conditions are placed on members and no demands are made on how our services are to be used,” he said.

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travelBulletin APRIL 2018

TTF VIEW

Margy Osmond, CEO, Tourism & Transport Forum Australia

AS TREASURER Scott Morrison prepares to put the final touches on next month’s Federal Budget, the Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF) will be urging the government to recognise the importance of tourism and transport investment across Australia.

The phenomenal growth of Australia’s visitor economy over the past few years has led many to proclaim we are currently in the midst of a new golden age of Australian tourism. This growth looks set to continue for some time yet, with increased numbers of international visitors predicted to flock to our shores and domestic travel more popular than ever. However, despite the increasing importance of the visitor economy to the budget bottom line, there are concerns from many in the sector that tourism is still treated as a cash cow.

The reality is that despite the record spending level, spending growth has cooled to its slowest pace since 2013. This suggests that while spending may have hit record highs, we can’t afford to be complacent and need to continue to have strong policies in place to drive the sector’s growth.

Against the backdrop of an economy in transition, it is absolutely critical that the Federal Government uses its 2018-19 Budget to support the sectors of the economy that can produce growth and drive prosperity; to this end, investing in tourism and transport should be a no-brainer.

Last year, we were extremely disappointed to see the government jeopardise the growth of Australia’s visitor economy by significantly reducing funding for Tourism Australia over the forward estimates.

The government must seize this opportunity to recognise the importance of tourism marketing to the visitor economy, as we saw with the hugely successful recent Crocodile Dundee marketing campaign during the US Super Bowl, which directly translated into increased US interest in visiting Australia.

Through our 2018-19 Budget submission we are also calling on the Government to reform the skilled visa system. Recent changes to the skilled visa system have had a negative impact on the Australian tourism sector and the industry is crying out for changes to be made to streamline the system and make it more attractive to highly skilled workers.

It is absolutely vital that the government also uses its Budget to finally allow the private sector to operate the Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS). It is abundantly clear that the scheme is not being sufficiently resourced or developed to meet the demands of growing visitor numbers, particularly from China, Australia’s highest-spending visitor group, for whom shopping is an integral part of the travel experience.

As a budget saving and efficiency measure, we believe that the TRS should be automated and operated by the private sector at Australia’s international airports. This will ensure that traveller expectations are met as well as reduce congestion in refund queues at airports.

With the countdown well and truly on to the 2018-19 Budget, the sector is hoping the government will not get cold feet and instead push forward with these job creating and economy boosting opportunities. The measures we propose are strategic investments in the future prosperity of our nation and we are urging the government to think carefully about the possibilities that lie within our grasp and back our tourism and transport sectors.

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ISSUES & TRENDS

MTA TAKES ITS MODEL ON THE DINNER TABLE WHEN CEO Don Beattie took the stage at the MTA – Mobile Travel Agents annual conference on the Gold Coast last month, he did so under tough numerical constraints.

“No statistics,” proclaimed MTA co-founder Karen Merricks to the group’s CEO. “If we sat around the table for dinner, would we be discussing statistics?”

Certainly not. At least not where MTA consultants dine, Beattie conceded.

“That was a light-bulb moment for me in understanding the concept of working differently in this model,” Beattie said of the home-based agency group.

“This is not a business-to-business organisation in the true sense of the term,” he said. “I am here because of the family feel of what we do, and that family feel is central.”

Had he allowed himself even a handful of numbers, they’d have been delivered with pride. Beattie told travelBulletin the group had achieved yet another record profit in the past year and had further boosted its ranks of consultants.

“We have, in the last six years, had record year-on-year growth (in profit, each year),” he said.

“And that’s double digit.”

Since last year, the group’s membership had grown from 360 to more than 380, while the Gold Coast conference attracted a record attendance of more than 400 people, made up of 240 members as well as suppliers and industry partners.

Among the guests was Helloworld CEO Andrew Burnes who was similarly upbeat about MTA’s performance. Just over a year since Helloworld took a 50% stake in MTA, Burnes proclaimed it his best business partnership of the past three decades.

“I’ve been involved in a lot of business partnerships over the years, some great operators, but this is the best business partnership that I’ve been associated with in my more than 30 years of travel,” Burnes told the conference.

“Fifteen months into that partnership, it couldn’t be going better,” he said. “The MTA business is going fantastically well.”

Despite the high-profile new stakeholder, MTA insists there has been no impact on dayto-day operations.

“Fundamentally, nothing’s changed,” said

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travelBulletin APRIL 2018

Cofounders Karen and Roy Merricks

Karen Merricks. “We still run the company how we’ve always wanted to run it.”

Co-founder Roy Merricks agreed, saying the new partnership had been forged out of “likeminded people” and was winning the support of member agents.

“I think, understandably, members might have been a little apprehensive or nervous with where we were positioning MTA for future decades,” he said.

“

I’ve been involved in a lot of business partnerships over the years... but this is the best business partnership that I’ve been associated with in my more than 30 years of travel

”

Andrew Burnes, Helloworld CEO “But (Burnes) is definitely winning people’s hearts and minds.”

Other elements winning hearts and minds at the MTA conference included a series of new services and initiatives outlined to members, including plans for an interest-free payment plan that will be offered to clients through the HSBC bank, starting within the next few months.

The group is also planning an online insurance option through Allianz that can be sold via members’ websites. Offered alongside existing premium policies, it will be a low-cost, self-serve option for clients who wouldn’t ordinarily arrange their insurance via an agent, giving members a commissionable product designed to compete with other online offerings.

An accreditation program will be launched on 1 July, involving training modules that allow agents to undertake additional voluntary education in order to achieve extra recognition and status, while a mentoring program will be piloted from 1 August to allow more experienced agents to provide input and business coaching for other members.

In keeping with the organisation’s family focus, MTA this year tapped one of its members’ family links to secure a memorable keynote speaker at the conference.

Saroo Brierley – the man behind the movie Lion starring Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman – took to the stage at the request of his aunt, Adelaide Hills-based MTA agent Christine Fensom.

With barely a dry eye in the house, Brierley recounted his incredible true-life tale of being separated from his mother in India at age five before being adopted by Tasmanian couple Sue and John Brierley. Decades later, he spent countless nights combing the satellite images of Google Earth to rediscover his home town and reunite with his birth mother Fatima Munshi.

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ISSUES & TRENDS

ADIOS TO SI HOLIDAYS INDEPENDENT wholesaler Si Holidays was finally put out of its misery last month, with voluntary administrators appointed to the company which had been the centre of rumours about cancelled bookings and payment problems for some time. Managing director Tui Eruera, who bought the former Pinpoint Holidays business from Mastercard in late 2016, had previously acknowledged complaints from agents over “customer issues” and flagged a potential acquisition of the business (travelBulletin March 2018).

He said challenges included high operating costs, with the travel wholesale market having “proven to be a very challenging environment...consolidation seems like the logical step forward for the company”.

However the takeover did not eventuate, and in the meantime Si Holidays was facing several court actions including a formal statement of claim from Express Travel Group which was owed more than $110,000. Si Holidays also had a $58,000 default judgement registered against it by IVE Group Australia Limited, the parent company of brochure printing firm Bluestar.

Agents were repeatedly assured they would receive refunds in relation to cancelled bookings, including Melbourne agency Josh Zuker Travel, which eventually initiated legal action in an attempt to recover tens

“

In some cases cancellations were discovered only when clients attempted to check in, and promised refunds allegedly “bounced” when processed through eNett

”

of thousands of dollars. In some cases cancellations were discovered only when clients attempted to check in, and promised refunds allegedly “bounced” when processed through eNett.

It’s understood that amid the furore, all of the major groups dealing with Si Holidays suspended their preferred agreements, and eventually AFTA also cancelled the Supplier Failure Benefit coverage under the AFTA Chargeback Scheme (ACS) for Si Holidays and its associated brands, including Freestyle Holidays, The Collection and Waitui.

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“Members should not accept credit or debit days to assist agents. All flight bookings prior card payments for this supplier,” ACS said, to 11th March were paid in full via Expedia, with the move aiming to limit the scheme’s while hotels operating on a prepaid basis with exposure to the South Pacific wholesaler.

Si Holidays were also said to not be impacted.

Rosie Holidays, which had previously For future departures, however, been represented by Si in the hotel portion and any Australia but split with the transfers or tours group some months were not paid and previously and agents receiving now operates chargebacks separately, was were asked unaffected and to complete continues to a Proof of be covered by Debt, and the scheme. expected It all came to join the to a stop on queue as 9th March, unsecured when Damien creditors.

Hodgkinson of The liquidator DEM Australasia warned that s e was formally named while he was t im Si Hol er i as liquidator of the working to minimise p p i da y s MD T u i E ru e ra i n ha business. Eruera told the impact on clients, travelBulletin the previously no refunds would be made on mooted sale had stalled, forcing the already deposited bookings. appointment of the administrator with the DEM subsequently invited “urgent aim of minimising further disruption to expressions of interest” for the assets of travel agents and their clients. Interestingly, the business including trademarks, brands, on the same day documents lodged with software, forward bookings and a customer the Australian Securities and Investments database of more than 7,000 travel agents.

Commission indicated a name change for Si While it’s understood that a number of EOIs Holidays’ parent company Freestyle Travel Pty were lodged, no further information – or even Ltd to the somewhat less memorable “ACN a list of creditors of the collapsed company 615 188 746 Pty Ltd”.

– had been forthcoming as travelBulletin The company ceased trading but the went to press, with the industry continuing to liquidator kept its call centre open for a few evaluate the fallout.

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ISSUES & TRENDS

ROUTES ASIA PUTS BNE ON THE MAP LAST month’s airline route planning event for this region, Routes Asia, provided a golden opportunity for the Queensland capital to raise its profile with decision makers from close to 100 airlines.

Routes Asia coincided with the announcement of firm and pending new air deals into Brisbane, including Virgin Australia’s new twice weekly Brisbane-Alice Springs regional service starting 19 June, to be operated in partnership with Alliance Airlines. There was also a Memorandum of Understanding inked between Vietjet Air and Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) which will see the development of non-stop flights from Ho Chi Minh City. The only things missing from Vietjet’s decision to be the first low-cost international carrier flying into Brisbane was a launch date (sometime in 2019), planned frequency and details as to which aircraft will be used to operate the service.

Qatar Airways also used Routes Asia as a platform to publicly put forward the case on why it should be granted an expanded bilateral air agreement with the Australian Government, which would enable the carrier to open-up the Doha-Brisbane route.

Fathi Atti, Qatar Airways’ advisor of aviation & air transport matters all but suggested the oneworld carrier had aircraft on standby awaiting an expanded air services agreement.

In his presentation, Atti declared “Brisbane is the last point in Australia which is not covered and our most

important point not on our route map”. He said that in the last 12 months the number of Queenslanders flying with Qatar Airways to destinations around the world from other Australian hubs had jumped from 16,000 movements to 23,000. Indeed, QR has done the maths and estimates that up to 50,000 visitors would fly the BNE-DOH route annually. “And it’s not only passengers that Qatar Airways would bring to Brisbane, it’s cargo, culture and investment,” Atti said.

Atti highlighted the “disadvantage” Qatar Airways was facing compared to its Gulf rivals from the UAE – namely Emirates and Etihad Airways which have approval for 84 and 63 frequencies respectively into Australia, versus Qatar Airways’ 21. He argued that the Doha-based airline offered 137 more “unique” global destinations than Qantas has on its network, including 53 in Europe and 19 in Africa.

Aside from city-pairing talk, Routes Asia also gave Brisbane Airport Corporation the opportunity to spruik the development of its second runway (now just a little over 24 months from opening), and showcase the south east corner of Queensland.

BAC general manager airline and retail management Andrew Brodie, the brains behind securing Routes Asia

2018 for Brisbane about four years ago, admitted the region of Queensland was largely “unclear” to wholesalers in north and southeast Asia. He told travelBulletin that feedback suggested they knew the Great Barrier Reef and the Gold Coast well, but not so much Brisbane.

“On the back of that I pulled our partners together. Tourism Australia, Tourism & Events Queensland, Brisbane Marketing, the convention centre, the Star Entertainment Group (which is developing the $3 billion Queen’s Wharf precinct), Tangalooma Island, all the key corporates around town and said ‘okay, how do we change the knowledge of Brisbane and the south east corner in those really key markets?’,” Brodie explained. And the decision was made that an event be held.

“Brisbane is one of those cities where seeing is believing, and on the back of that we went on this journey with all those partners hand-in-hand.”

He said that through their joint investment, Routes Asia attracted nearly 1,000 delegates from over 100 airlines for the event with many given the opportunity to explore the south east corner of Queensland first-hand, visiting locations such as Tangalooma Island Resort and Lady Elliott Island.

©Brisbane Marketing

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CRUISE INDUSTRY SPARKLES THE cruise industry’s biggest celebration of the year brought together more than 500 people at the end of February for the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Australasia 17th Annual Cruise Industry Awards in Sydney.

Top achievers from across Australia and New Zealand were honoured in 16 categories, including cruise pioneer Ted Blamey who joined the association’s Hall of Fame in recognition of his 30-year contribution to the industry including as president of Sitmar International, CEO of Ansett Retail/Traveland and chairman of Sydney Ports.

Some of the top honours went to Bicton Travel in WA which was named Australia’s Gold Cruise Agency of the Year for the fifth year in a row, and to Kathy Pavlidis of Cruiseabout Kew in Victoria who won the award for Australian Cruise Consultant of the Year.

travelBulletin APRIL 2018

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COVER

FLIGHT CENTRE’S

EVOLUT This month, Steve Jones sat down for an exclusive interview with Flight Centre’s Graham (Skroo) Turner, covering the company’s latest big decisions including the shut down of two brands.

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I

T CAN get quite noisy in here, warned Graham Turner, as we took our seats in the aircraft fuselage. Yet it wasn’t the whirring of engines or chattering of passengers which created any din.

It was laughter, drifting in from the corridor and adjacent reception, that occasionally punctuated our conversation.

Where we chatted was not quite at 39,000ft. We were in a mocked-up office space, in the shape of an aircraft fuselage, on the fifth floor of Flight Centre’s new Sydney headquarters.

And the cackles seemed to substantiate what Turner, or Skroo as he is universally known, later explained.

“Believe it or not, we do have a lot of fun one way or another,” he said.

The comment came in response to questions about his longevity, and his plans to remain at the helm for at least another 10 years.

In fact, far from calling it a day in 2028, Turner has previously suggested he can’t imagine retiring before he hits 90, two decades from now.

Only when it is no longer fun, or becomes “too easy”, will Turner consider passing on the baton. And both scenarios, it would seem, are not about to happen any time soon.

“The main thing is the business is still challenging and fun,” he told travelBulletin.

“If it was too easy – and I can’t see that happening – that might get boring. And if it

LATEST

ION wasn’t fun, if it was just hard work … in the past, now, and for the foreseeable future, our business will be challenging but it’s also fun and really exciting.”

Glancing at Flight Centre’s results over the past few years you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s already relatively easy for the Flight Centre founder.

Certainly the current financial year is shaping up well. Three months from its end, 2018 is within reach of the record $376.5m underlying pre-tax profit that so delighted shareholders in 2014.

Yet Turner’s assessment is typically understated. “Not too bad,” was his analysis of the first half results, which it reported in late February.

Occupying much of Turner’s time, and that of his management team, is a geographical region that has for so long underpinned Flight Centre’s success: Australia.

While continuing to generate the lion’s share of profit – it pulled in $104m of the company’s $139m first half pretax profit – Australia “is still our flat spot”, observed Turner.

The problem, if such a word is appropriate for what is still a highly profitable region, is leisure where TTV struggled for growth, creeping up only 1%. That Australia’s overall TTV climbed 4% was largely down to corporate travel where

transactions rose sharply.

“Our overseas results are going pretty well and what’s really pleasing is that it’s becoming a bigger proportion of our profits.

But we’ve been reasonably flat for the last few years in Australia so that is one of the things we need to work on,” Turner said. “Our margins are under a bit of pressure for a whole range of reasons and we are not seeing a lot of growth.”

Among the reasons for the plateauing are the competitive nature of the marketplace in Australia and the growth of online players.

But he also referred to the thinking of revered US economist Michael E Porter, an expert on competitive strategy.

travelBulletin APRIL 2018

19

COVER Continued from previous page “I’ve been reading his work lately and generally industries become more commoditised as time goes on,” he explained. “Competitive forces have probably been more significant and over time that’s what happens. One of the things we need to do is reinvent ourselves a bit and our strategic positioning.”

And how do you do that? “That’s the million dollar question,” Turner said.

It’s a question Flight Centre has set about answering through the reconfiguration of its shop portfolio and creation of three “super networks” targeting the mass, premium and youth markets.

Such a rejig falls under the auspices of Flight Centre’s global transformation plan, so designed to bring “scalable and profitable growth throughout the economic cycle”.

So is he worried about Australia? “No, not really but worried enough to make the changes we are making.”

Whether such a retail restructure is the right answer remains to be seen. But the rebranding by the end of April of Cruiseabout and Escape Travel will deliver an even stronger footprint for its core Flight Centre network and build a greater presence for Travel Associates, its premium retail brand.

Turner said Escape and Cruiseabout, despite the latter’s specialist nature, were essentially operating in the same mass generalist space as Flight Centre and draining resources which could be better deployed elsewhere. While not unsuccessful – Escape produced sales around the $750m mark and delivered a $10m profit – a more streamlined brand portfolio was considered prudent in driving growth and market share.

“Flight Centre is by far the best-known brand in Australia so we believe we need to focus on that and get our market share up,” he said.

Turner was predictably confident of retaining the vast majority of the $1b worth of business generated by Cruiseabout and Escape, emphasising the importance of staff continuity to that goal.

“It’s about the consultants, keeping them and making sure they are happy,” he said.

“We have looked at it shop by shop, person by person, to ensure consultants move into the right brand and generally the people who will go to Travel Associates will be those who have a significant customer database and they will take that database with them.”

The changes, once bedded down, will create around 120 Travel Associates sales

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teams, up from 50, while Flight Centre will grow from 780 to more than 900.

Describing Travel Associates as “very successful”, Turner outlined plans to grow the brand “a lot more than we have” and suggested the retail trade had yet to capture the high end traveller in any meaningful, coherent way.

“

Flight Centre is by far the best-known brand in Australia so we believe we need to focus on that and get our market share up

”

“The reality is there is not a lot of unified competition in that premium travel space,” he said. “There are pockets – some Helloworld and Magellan agents would put themselves in that category – and Phil Hoffmann Travel probably operates in that area to a certain extent, but there isn’t much.

“The Flight Centre brand does have premium travellers but is probably not as good at keeping those customers year after year.”

Operating in tandem with its bricks and mortar business are online brands BYOJet and Aunt Betty which will sit under the “mass market” banner, along with Flight Centre.

Both are performing “pretty well”, said Turner, with TTV of $180m in the first half, up 87%, and a pre-tax profit of around $2.5m.

“They’re getting reasonable growth. It’s a really competitive field,” said Turner. “It’s mainly an adjunct to bricks and mortar where we don’t want to destroy our margins.”

While BYOJet caters exclusively for the price-sensitive flight-only consumer, Aunt

Betty will increasingly expand into land packages. But how do you stitch together two online brands, the core bricks and mortar network and flightcentre.com? The risk of cannibalising sales appears obvious.

“Flightcentre.com is important to us and we want to make it a very transactional site.

But essentially we want to direct consumers into our bricks and mortar shops and our customers are generally people who, whenever there is a degree of complexity, would prefer to book offline,” Turner said.

BYOJet and Aunt Betty, on the other hand, will target those who predominantly want to book online, who, to follow Turner’s logic, are generally not core Flight Centre customers.

“It’s a different marketplace so they don’t really conflict,” he said.

If operating the right mix of brands is one challenge, another dilemma is equally as fundamental: where to put the shops. After all, when you’re shelling out between $80m and $100m in rent each year, you don’t want shops tucked away in a pedestrian-free side street.

And here Flight Centre “dropped the ball”, admitted Turner.

Late last year executives met with several major landlords. What emerged was a realisation that Flight Centre had many shops in the wrong location, the result of an overly decentralised system of network planning where decisions were handed to managers, some of whom it transpired, did not possess the necessary expertise.

“The message I got very clearly was our network planning wasn’t very good. We had opened stores in poor locations,” Turner said. “There is no doubt, having had a good look at this and working with our network planning guys, that we dropped the ball.

“There is a reasonable amount of science behind the location of stores and there’s

probably 200 we would like to relocate. That will make a big difference.”

Unsurprisingly, future shop planning will be centralised and meticulously scrutinised.

Since those conversations with landlords, Flight Centre shut around three dozen stores in January alone, with a handful of new shops opening the following month. Turner stressed his plan was not to shrink the number of shops but to “re-plan” the network.

“

Turner stressed his plan was not to shrink the number of shops but to ‘re-plan’ the network

”

“But as the landlords pointed out, getting shops into the right locations could take a couple of years because they have to move tenants around,” he said.

“One of the things shopping centre owners are meant to deliver is customers on a walk pass basis. Most of the larger ones are delivering pretty well on that but some of the smaller ones are struggling.”

Other changes on the horizon impact in-house wholesaler Infinity Holidays, a business which exceeds $1b in TTV for Flight Centre and generates a “significant” net profit.

As part of the “super network” strategy, and as reported in Travel Daily in March, Infinity will be progressively rebranded with brochures to bear the name of shops in which they sit. However, it will be retained for external use and through FCTG’s unbranded affiliates, contractors and franchises.

Elsewhere, “we’ll be tending to brand our product more by Flight Centre, Travel Associates and Student Flights rather than Infinity”, Turner said.

The move, he added, will make those brands “more powerful”.

Power, of course, is already something Flight Centre possess in spades. Its TTV in the first six months of the financial year hit a record $10b, almost $6b of that in Australia. By comparison, Helloworld, its nearest bricks and mortar competitor, reported TTV of a shade under $3b, itself an encouraging performance.

Yet Turner, as you might expect, played down Flight Centre’s commercial and distribution muscle and the negotiating power it holds over suppliers.

“You can ask them, but we try to make it a win win,” he said, adding, somewhat unconvincingly, that Flight Centre “doesn’t

necessarily get that much better a deal than a lot of smaller players”.

“I like to think we’re not overly tough with this sort of thing, but some suppliers might disagree of course. Some of the airlines that have a lot of market power can be quite difficult and that is the same in every country.

“Generally the aim of the game is to work with your suppliers because we are really in the same game and everyone needs to make a margin out of it.”

Meanwhile, Flight Centre’s own product range is continuing to expand, partly a response to an understanding – still seemingly underestimated in the industry – of the need to add value.

Asked, following the collapse of Si Holidays, what the future was for independent wholesalers, Turner said: “You’ve got to ask what sort of value you add, and it’s the same for re-sellers which is one of the reasons we do have some of own product.

“You’ll certainly see us using more and more of our own package content. I just think the industry needs a bit more imagination rather than just being a re-seller of someone else’s product.”

Not that Flight Centre is pursuing an aggressive UK-style vertically integrated model where operators control beds, aircraft and everything in between. At least not according to Turner.

But, through its Travel Experience Network, it’s hard not to draw the conclusion that Flight Centre is preparing itself to control the chain as much as possible.

Its acquisition of Thailand-based Bespoke Hospitality Management Asia will, by Turner’s admission, not be its last foray into the accommodation sector, while the addition of its second Destination Management Company, Mexico-based Olympus Tours, is

another sign of things to come.

It also operates Top Deck and Back-Roads Touring, which carry in the region of 55,000 and 11,500 passengers respectively.

“Thomas Cook and TUI are large vertically integrated companies. We’ll do some vertical integration but our goal is not to fully go there,” Turner said. “When it comes to cruising and most touring we’ll still be supporting third party suppliers.”

What is abundantly clear when exploring the various inter-connecting parts of Flight Centre is the ever-evolving nature of the businesses and the pressures associated with continuing to drive profits. Such is the nature of a publicly listed company – and a high profile one at that – where the critical gaze of shareholders, analysts and competitors is a constant.

“

Thomas Cook and TUI are large vertically integrated companies. We’ll do some vertical integration but our goal is not to fully go there

”

So 45 years after creating Top Deck, and 36 years after the first Flight Centre shop opened in Sydney, what remains the motivation for the Flight Centre founder?

Surely he wakes up on a Monday morning in Brisbane and, just occasionally, thinks: “It’s time”.

“No, I don’t actually,” Turner laughed.

“We have got so many things we want to do.

And in the end, people enjoy working here. I certainly do.”

Any why stop if it’s still fun?

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BUSINESS VIEW

CAREER IN

FOCUS BRIDIE COMMERFORD

“

Use any missteps along the way as a learning experience. If you don’t fail sometimes, you’re not trying hard enough

Vice President Marketing & Communications Australia, AccorHotels

”

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

I manage marketing, communications, social media and guest experience for AccorHotels in Australia. My team set the direction and assist the hotels to implement our key projects across 13 brands from luxury to economy. We also manage the PR and communications for AccorHotels corporate team, hotel openings, key events and new product initiatives. I’ve been in my role for four years (including a year on maternity leave).

2. How did you start out in your career?

Were you always destined to work in the travel industry?

I started in marketing for Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), then moved to fast food and advertising. I have always had a love of travel – hotels in particular. I was always researching the hotels we were going to stay in before I booked flights, so in a way, I suppose I was destined to be in hospitality.

“

...There is no substitute for experience, so I would encourage any ambitious individual to seek experiences that develop them professionally

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

Juggling parenthood with the demands of the role. I’m not sure I have the answer yet, but I’m working on it.

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

I have an undergraduate degree. I think it depends on your role whether a degree is important. I have seen it benefit people, giving them the theory from which to base their work. However there is no substitute for experience, so I would encourage any ambitious individual to seek experiences that develop them professionally.

4. What do you love about your job?

My team. They are incredibly passionate and I have complete faith that they not only strive to do their best every day, but that they bring their best selves to work.

I also love that no two days are the same.

We might be thinking about how to optimise guest experience for a hotel (or the group) in the morning, working on our luxury portfolio and PR plans at lunchtime and speaking to a guest or working on the latest advertising concept in the afternoon.

6. What factors were central to your success?

The courage to try different industries and to step well outside my comfort zone. Also the training in FMCG provides a great commercial grounding. Ultimately what we try to do every day is deliver commercial results to our hotels and owners.

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

I have a few people who I strive to emulate across different areas as I’ve seen them do wonderful things in very different organisations. There are also a few who I’ve tried not to emulate!

8. What are the keys to good business?

Understand other people’s objectives and needs, know how to drive commercial outcomes, take calculated risks, be good to people.

9. What advice would you give to others in the industry who would like to follow in your footsteps?

Find an organisation whose values align with your own. Use any missteps along the way as a learning experience. If you don’t fail sometimes, you’re not trying hard enough.

DO YOU REALLY KNOW YOUR CLIENT?

E

VERYBODY thinks they know their client best. But translating this knowledge into loyalty is becoming a rare commodity these days, as far as the product and service supplier is concerned.

To know your client you need touch-points, research, staying connected and insights not intrusions. I’m amused every week when Qantas sends me a marketing email on their latest wine offers. They’ve been sending them for the last decade and haven’t worked out I don’t drink. Yet they have plenty of touch-points to find out more about me, at the lounge, in the airport, online and even onboard and still I get the emails.

The best possible client scenarios are about creating environments where your client feels comfortable and safe consuming your product or service and where you know everything there is to know about them but you keep researching because their circumstances could change at any minute. The best examples of such closed client environments, include companies

connection will eventually engender trust and motivation to buy, something Qantas hopes to take advantage of with its new Fliggy relationship.

If you don’t have the platforms it all becomes about research (not stalking), made simpler nowadays with social media sites and internet search capabilities, where you can find out things your clients may not discuss in business settings. Don’t ever

stop asking questions after the initial client integration or on-boarding. My favourite start to a client conversation is always “so has anything changed since we last talked?”

Give your clients every opportunity and as many touch-points as possible to interact with you and the insights will come naturally.

A good benchmark result of all of this is when you end up on your client’s Christmas card list, not the other way around.

“

The best possible client scenarios are about creating environments where your client feels comfortable and safe consuming your product or service....

”

such as Apple, Alibaba and Tencent who research and collate what their clients buy and consume, what they use, how they do things and how they pay. They exploit that knowledge and insight to stay connected with their clients everyday. If I lived in Northern China today and bought sunscreen, a new pair of thongs and a snorkel set on all on Alibaba, they would then turnaround (via their Fliggy site) and send through some great deals on beach resorts. All because they own all the touch points and are able to provide insightful recommendations based on those touch points.

Longevity of platform use and constant

Oliver Tams has over 35 years’ experience in travel. He was part of the original 30 travel agents that started UTAG (which then became Travelscene Amex and now Helloworld). Since then he has owned retail and corporate agencies, taught travel at TAFE, worked with franchisees as part of head office teams, and been on greenfields GDS projects with Amadeus. Today he works on e-commerce solutions for a tech start-up.

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business events news

MELBOURNE GOES BIG IN QUEST FOR EVENTS DOMINANCE THE battle to assume the mantle as Australia’s premier events city is well and truly heating up with the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre’s (MCEC) $200 million expansion set to make it the largest venue in the country when works are finally completed in July.

Among the list of impressive specs that will accompany the 20,000m2 development is 9,000m2 of multi-purpose event space, brand new exhibition halls, an increased number of meeting rooms and a new banquet room.

The extension forms part of a wider strategy for the Victorian Government, whose South Wharf development project encompasses a new 347-room Novotel Melbourne South Wharf and a new 1,150space multi-level car park.

“Our expansion is an absolute gamechanger, we’re talking three and a half MCGs of new space to attract more events and thousands more visitors to Victoria,” said Victorian Minister for Tourism and Major Events, John Eren.

“Not only will this redevelopment boost tourism, it will also create more than 900 new jobs and provide a massive boost to our local economy each year,” he added.

The sheer size of the project is something the Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) believes will create a valuable point-ofdifference with competitors, particularly when vying for major large-scale events.

“MCEC’s expansion represents a powerful vote of confidence in the state as a destination that has the infrastructure and capacity to continue hosting large prestigious association and incentive events,” said MCB

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chief executive officer Karen Bolinger.

When the ribbon is finally cut on the project in a few months’ time, the facility will boast several venues inspired by the Garden State’s “gold rush” history, from the Goldfields Theatre, Sovereign Room, Eureka Rooms and Goldfields Cafe and Bar. However, it’s not only the scale of Melbourne’s ambitions that have rival locations sitting up and taking notice, with the city also undertaking a significant upturn in investment in the digital sphere to ensure meeting planners understand the full extent of its value proposition.

One example of this technology offensive is the MCEC’s recent launch of an online portal called myMCEC, with the new tool designed to create a “seamless experience” for meeting planners who can create a centralised location for all event documentation, which can be accessed at any time, on any device.

“We encourage creativity and innovation… and are constantly looking for ways to create new experiences and develop innovative

“

Our expansion is an absolute gamechanger, we’re talking three and a half MCGs of new space...

”

John Eren, Victorian Minister for Tourism and Major Events

products to ensure the best possible experience for our customers and their guests,” said MCEC’s director of customer experience & optimisation, Anne Jamieson.

“We created myMCEC, a digital solution, in collaboration with our customers which ensures their needs are met from the initial event planning stage through to its completion.”

This pro-technology mindset is nothing new for the MCEC, having previously snaffled the prestigious INCON Digital Infrastructure Award in 2015 in recognition of its investment in upgrading its IP network and cabling infrastructure.

The spoils of this reputation as a leading adopter of digital innovation in the events sector has culminated in MCEC landing some highly regarded digital events in 2018.

These have included winning the bid to host the annual Magnify World Expo and Business Summit in August. This event brings together leading minds and influencers from around the globe in the virtual and augmented reality space and is considered the most esteemed event of its kind in the Asia Pacific region.

Another major feather in the cap for Melbourne was landing the world’s largest online conference for video creators called VidCon for the next two years. The MCEC had already successfully hosted the gig in 2017, generating a seismic social media ripple of over two million Twitter impressions, nearly 200,000 Instagram posts and just under a whopping four million minutes of video consumption on VidCon’s YouTube channel for the month.

business e Brisbane’s big start THE Brisbane Convention Bureau (BCB) has scored the hosting rights for an impressive 15 events in only the first two months of 2018.

The events list spans a diverse crosssection of industries including health, education and technology, representing a healthy $22 million injection into the city’s economy.

The BCB believes the latest string of winning bids are a reflection of the Queensland capital’s rapidly expanding list of facilities and attractions.

Aiming for a new direction NEW operators of the Asia-Pacific Incentives and Meetings Expo (AIME) have signalled a new direction for the longrunning exhibition, recently unveiling a new schedule and branding.

Talk2 Media will manage the event for the first time next year, taking over the reins from Reed Exhibitions and pledging a “clearer path to a return on your investment” and a complete “overhaul” of the event’s Hosted Buyer program.

Big ticket changes to AIME’s program next year will include a new networking event, an additional conference on professional development opportunities, and structural changes to reduce “time wasters and time wasted”.

AIME 2019 will run from 18-20 February.

$12 million fund to propel business events AUSTRALIA’S business events industry has received a major shot in the arm with news the Australian Government has invested $12 million to help attract international events over the next three years.

The Boosting Business Events Bid Fund program will be managed by Tourism Australia through its Business Events Australia unit and seek to put Australia top of mind with international event organisers.

“Business event visitors spend, on average, twice as much as those visiting for leisure and they often extend their stay to regional parts of Australia and are likely to return for a holiday in the future,”said Australia’s Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Steve Ciobo.

Applications for the program will open on 1 May with funds accessible to successful applicants from 1 July 2018.

EEAA VIEW

Joyce DiMascio, chief executive Exhibition and Event Association of Australasia

THE big news in recent weeks has been the Federal Government funding boost for business events – $12m over three years from 1 July. It will be administered

by Business Events Australia (BEA) within Tourism Australia.

Getting extra funding hasn’t come easily. It has been a slog over many years – and I know this from personal experience as I was once the head of Business Events Australia. I understand the effort required to get extra resources.

It started way back and while there have been incremental increases to BEA funding, this injection is a significant boost which could not have come at a better time.

It will be open to all parts of the business events sector – as Tourism Australia managing director John O’Sullivan said – it’s “agnostic”. The key is that applicants can demonstrate that the support will help to attract events that are new to Australia, will drive international visitation and will come with spending that will help fuel the Australian economy.

The achievement of securing this funding calls for a big pat on the back of many individuals and organisations who collectively agreed this would be the major focus of business events advocacy by all organisations. Those involved know who you are. But it speaks to the importance of having a strong collective voice for business events in Australia.

State Governments across the country are big investors in our sector – they generally build the infrastructure and through the convention bureaux, are behind the procurement of meetings and incentive events. In the exhibition sector, the industry does not “bid” for an event.

The events are generally owned by the

business events news 21 Feb 21 Feb 28 Feb 28 Feb 07 Mar

ICC Syd beats expectations AIME off to a flyer Regional NSW gets support AIME wraps in Melbourne Brisbane turns up the heat

organisers and associations who take the entrepreneurial risk to create the opportunity for buyers and sellers to come together.

So it was very pleasing to hear the Federal Minister, Steven Ciobo, and Tourism Australia MD, John O’Sullivan, say that the business events bid fund will be to support the attraction of all types of business events. This shift of the dial is a monumental breakthrough and will reflect the model of our competitors across Asia who value all kinds of business events. Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Korea, India, China – all put an enormous value on the exhibition industry for its capacity to drive industry development and trade – as well as the visitor economy.

So from the members of our association, we say a big thank you to Minister Steven Ciobo, John O’Sullivan and Penny Lion – and all our industry colleagues who worked over many years to make the business case for this investment.

On another matter – to help bring more young people into the business events industry, our association has developed two new traineeships in partnership with TAFE NSW and Apprenticeship Support Australia. They will soon also be available in Victoria. I urge you to look into hiring school leavers through this fantastic Government supported program. Check out the details on www.eeaa.com.au.

And finally, key dates for your diaries: on 6 and 7 June 2018, the EEAA will be holding its annual Leaders Forum, Conference, AGM and Global Exhibitions Day Dinner. Check out www.eeaa. com.au or for details or contact us on memberservices@eeaa.com.au.

HEADLINES FEBRUARY AND MARCH 2018 07 Mar 14 Mar 14 Mar 21 Mar 21 Mar

Mel zooms on tech New era for AIME in 2019 Women celebrated by EEAA Industry welcomes funding Brisbane taps experts

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CRUISE

P&O SELLS EDEN TO CMV P&O Cruises Australia has taken the next step in its plan to refresh its fleet, and has sold Pacific Eden to CMV Travel & Leisure Group.

Pacific Eden will become Cruise & Maritime Voyages’ sixth ship in early April 2019, with delivery in Singapore following a livery change, rebrand and some preparatory works.

P&O said the move made way for the addition of Princess Cruises’ Golden Princess to the brand in 2020 and was in line with its comments over the past

six months that the P&O Cruises Australia fleet was ready to be refreshed over time.

Pacific Eden joined P&O’s fleet at the end of 2015 and her final voyage with the cruise line will depart on 16 March 2019.

Local fans of the vessel won’t have to bid farewell to Eden, with the ship to be dedicated to both the German and Australasian cruise markets under CMV. After her refurbishment, she will head to Northern Europe via the Suez and spend the May-October northern summer season

operating under CMV’s German brand, TransOcean Kreuzfahrten, homeporting from both Bremerhaven and Kiel.

In December she will return to Australian waters to homeport from Perth’s Fremantle and Adelaide until Mar, offering more traditional scenic cruises.

CMV chairman and CEO Christian Verhounig said “as part of our mid-term growth plans the ship will provide the requirement level of extra capacity needed in Australia and Germany as we continue to grow our international business”.

CUNARD BOOSTS AUSSIE COMMITMENT LUXURY cruise line Cunard has announced it will be extending its Australian season to a record 101 days over the 2019-20 summer period.

The company’s Queen Elizabeth vessel will make six sailings between December 2019 and March 2020, departing from Sydney and Melbourne during that time and exploring a varied list of itineraries including trips to South Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.

News of the 2019/2020 season extension sees Cunard almost double the length of the ship’s scheduled 54-day stay in early 2019, a decision the company says was fuelled by continued uptake in the Aussie market for its products.

“Over the past few years we’ve seen unprecedented growth in demand for the Cunard experience in Australia so it made sense for us to invest further in the market and extend the sailing season,” said Cunard senior vice president Simon Palethorpe.

“Our new 2019-20 summer season will not only feature more cruises, it will also offer some exciting new itinerary options,” he added.

Cunard has experienced solid sales traction in Melbourne recently, driving a decision to have the Queen Elizabeth homeport in the city for two months.

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©Business Wire

SILVERSEA’S SHIP-SPLITTING FEAT

By Jon Murrie AS SHIPYARD theatrics go, it was an impressive show. Beneath the rugged peaks of western Sicily in the ancient harbour of Palermo, Silversea Cruises last month heralded its latest cruising evolution with a spectacular feat of engineering.

The line’s eight-year-old Silver Muse, a 36,000-ton luxury vessel with capacity for 540 guests, was sliced in half before onlookers at the Fincantieri shipyards and separated into two parts like a vaudeville magician’s assistant.

The next day, local dignitaries and industry guests returned for a sequel performance,

in which a new 15m section of ship weighing 1,000 tons was manoeuvred through the drydock upon computer-controlled rollers and eased into the middle of the ship as neatly as a book being returned to a shelf.

It was the highlight of a process costing more than US$70 million that will lengthen the ship to 210m and add 34 new cabins.

Coming with an end-to-end interior upgrade, it will boost the ship’s capacity to 608 guests and allow the introduction of four new restaurant concepts.

Construction of the new section began in October and work to strip the ship’s interior started as it sailed towards Sicily from the Middle East in February. The act of slicing

the vessel took just four days, and work is now underway to re-join the ship’s segments and complete the interior fit-out in time for its hand-back on 1 May. In just over six months – and after 450,000 hours of labour – Silver Spirit will have been taken to a new level of luxury in what Silversea’s chief marketing officer Barbara Muckermann says will be an emulation of the line’s flagship Silver Muse, launched last year.

“Silversea is the leader in the luxury and expedition sector – we have a market share of 19.2% and we’re the biggest player in the market,” Muckermann told guests at the shipyard.

“ ”

Luxury is really about choice...

Barbara Muckermann, chief marketing officer, Silversea Cruises

“It’s fundamental for us on one side to always consider our current customers… but also to start working towards a product that can more and more intercept the desires of the baby-boomers, who will be our customers of tomorrow.”

While existing guests preferred intimacy, Muckermann said increasing numbers of baby-boomers were expecting greater variety in their cruise offering.

“Luxury is really about choice. That’s why we’re increasing the number of restaurants, we are increasing the variety of cabins to be

able to accommodate all of their desires, and through the addition of ships we will increase the range of itineraries we can offer at the same time,” she said.

Mirroring Muse, the revamped Silver Spirit will dispense with its main dining room in favour of two new fine dining restaurants, Atlantide and Indochina. They will be joined by two other Muse-inspired additions, Silver Note and Spaccanapoli, as well as an Arts Cafe that doubles as exhibition and performance space, and four existing restaurants.

New cabins include six Silver Suites, 26 Veranda Suites and two Panorama Suites, while a redesigned Balsorano Suite will be the ship’s pinnacle accommodation, fitted with items chosen by Silversea Chairman Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio di Balsorano de Clunieres.

Even the ship’s pool has been sliced in two and extended, increasing from 30m2 to 40m2.

Guests will get their first look at the extended Silver Spirit on 6 May when she commences a seven-day cruise from Rome’s port of Civitavecchia to Barcelona.

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CRUISE

ACCC GIVES DRAFT SUPPORT TO BRISBANE PORT THE ACCC last month gave a preliminary green light to a proposal issued by the Port of Brisbane and Carnival Cruise Line that would see a new $158 million cruise terminal constructed in Brisbane.

A plan was submitted by both parties for ACCC approval back in October last year, with the bid outlining a commitment from Carnival to adhere to a “take or pay” obligation, meaning the cruise line would need to pay a fixed yearly amount to the port over the term of a 15-year agreement in exchange for preferential berthing rights.

The ACCC believes the project represents a positive economic opportunity for Brisbane.

“A new dedicated cruise terminal in Brisbane, capable of berthing the increasingly popular ‘mega’ cruise ships, would be a real public benefit to the community as this is infrastructure that is currently lacking in Brisbane,” said ACCC commissioner Roger

Featherston said.

“Of course, the ACCC recognises that commercially, having a foundation customer

“

The ACCC recognises that commercially, having a foundation customer helps to underwrite the projected $158 million investment for the Port of Brisbane to build the new terminal

”

Roger Featherston, commissioner, ACCC

helps to underwrite the projected $158 million investment for the Port of Brisbane to build the new terminal,” he added.

Despite the positive returns, the ACCC has also expressed concerns over the proposal.

“Carnival is proposed to have preferential access…this may limit or prevent competition from other cruise liners wishing to dock at the terminal in Brisbane during the peak summer cruising season,” Featherston said.

The ACCC also conveyed trepidation over the prospect of Carnival being granted the right of first refusal over a possible future second berth at the terminal.

“We are concerned this will block other cruise operators from being able to offer alternate cruise options to consumers in Brisbane,” Featherston added.

A final determination on the plan will be handed down by the ACCC this month.

VIKING GETS SHIPSHAPE WITH NEW SIX PACK VIKING Cruises has significantly shored up its growth plans moving forward by ordering six additional ocean ships to be delivered in stages from 2024.

The deal struck with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri will raise Viking’s total ocean ship order and options to 16, with the six new additions scheduled to be rolled out over 2024, 2025, 2026 and 2027.

“This new order speaks to the positive response we have received from our guests and the industry,” said Torstein Hagen, chairman of Viking.

“As we continue to expand our brand, we look forward to

Viking Star and Viking Sea meet in Santorini

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bringing guests to more destinations around the world and introducing them to the Viking way of exploration,” he added.

The news accompanies a recent announcement from Viking that it will be bulking up its river fleet by adding 24 more vessels.

The rapid expansion strategy would see Viking build 14 river vessels in addition to the seven already announced for 2019.

“On a relative size basis, our market share has continued to grow year after year and we will absolutely intend to ensure our market share outpaces any of the other river cruise providers,” said Viking Cruises senior vice president of marketing, Richard Marnell.

Royal change of chief A NEW head will take to the helm of Royal Caribbean’s local operations, following the revelation that Adam Armstrong will step down in Aug. Armstrong will leave his role of associate vice president and managing director for Australia and New Zealand to “pursue other interests” and will be replaced by Susan Bonner, currently based in Miami as Celebrity Cruises’ vice president of revenue management and onboard revenue.

Armstrong has been with the company since it opened its local office in Sydney in 2009 and was praised by RCL Cruises senior vice president international Gavin Smith, who said Armstrong’s contribution to the company had been tremendous.

Scenic acquires Mayflower SCENIC Luxury Cruises & Tours has furthered its plans to grow its presence in the North American market with the acquisition of United States operator Mayflower Tours.

The sale sees Scenic add to its portfolio tours to 52 different countries including Europe, Australia, Cuba, Mexico, Tanzania, Belize, Panama and China that could be linked with the operator’s cruise offerings.

As part of the purchase, Mayflower will have greater access to the river and ocean itineraries offered by Scenic and sister brand Emerald Waterways.

Mayflower will continue to operate as a separate entity, called Mayflower Cruises & Tours.

Cruise Centre moves into home-based BOUTIQUE cruise agency, The Cruise Centre, is marking a move into the homebased space.

The agency was acquired by The Goldman Group last year, which is planning to expand the Brisbane-based brand into Sydney and Melbourne.

“Offering flexible work conditions enables The Cruise Centre to tap into cruise experts regardless of where they are based,” explained Anthony Goldman, joint managing director of Goldman Group.

The company said cruise specialists would “work on their own terms but have the backing of the Goldman Group’s industry expertise, connections and buying power, without the need for a bricks-and-mortar shopfront”.

CLIA VIEW Joel Katz, managing director CLIA Australasia

QUESTIONS OF SAFETY & SECURITY FOLLOWING on from our previous column in travelBulletin dealing with onboard health questions, this edition we will focus on Safety and Security in order to assist you to better address your clients’ questions about some of the major news stories affecting our industry.

As travel agents, you are on the front line with consumers, and in a world of internet access and a 24- hour news cycle, it’s important that you have factual answers to your customers’ questions, and are able to reassure them that cruising remains a wonderfully safe holiday option.

While any safety or security incident aboard a cruise ship is extremely unlikely, for CLIA cruise lines a safe and secure cruise ship environment is paramount, and our cruise line members have no higher priority than the safety of guests and crew.

With the advice and consent of its cruise line members, CLIA advances policies intended to enhance shipboard safety and security, in some cases calling for best practices in excess of existing legal requirements. Annually, the chief executives of CLIA oceangoing cruise line members verify their line’s implementation of every CLIA policy.

Although any sort of crime onboard a cruise ship is exceptionally rare, unlike any comparable industry ashore, CLIA’s cruise lines are subject to strict legal requirements for the reporting of crimes onboard cruise ships. Serious incidents are to be reported to the ship’s flag State, and are also to be reported to local law enforcement.

While CLIA cruise lines make every effort to deter criminal activity on board their ships, ship security staff are prepared to effectively respond to any alleged incident.

Cruise Lines take a zero-tolerance approach to any excessive behaviour that affects the enjoyment of other passengers, and take a strict approach to the responsible service of alcohol, including preventing under-age drinking.

CLIA policies identify steps to be considered in response to a security incident, and how to effectively preserve incident evidence for investigation by proper law enforcement authorities, the safety and wellbeing of all involved persons, and victim assistance and support as appropriate.

A frequent question for first time cruisers is about the risk of falling overboard.

All cruise lines adhere to strict rules for minimum railing and balcony heights, as well as structural barriers, and it is almost impossible for someone to fall overboard if they are not climbing the railings.

You can also reassure your clients that cruise ship accidents are very uncommon.

All cruise ships (regardless of where they sail) operate under international rules, known as Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), which regulate everything from fire safety to navigation and maritime security, and as such are subject to annual audit by the ship’s independent class society.

More information to help you address your clients’ questions on a variety of topics can be found on the CLIA website www.cruising.org.au

HEADLINES FEBRUARY & MARCH 2018 22 Feb 22 Feb 27 Feb 27 Feb 01 Mar 01 Mar 06 Mar

Scenic acquires Mayflower Tours Serenity World Cruise revealed Change of chief for RCI Bicton takes five in a row at CLIAs ACCC flags Brisbane port go-ahead Third new ship for AIDA Celebrity Edge’s big culinary reveal

08 Mar P&O Cruises Australia sells Pacific Eden to CMV 08 Mar Viking orders six ships 13 Mar Silversea extends its Spirit 13 Mar Cruise Centre home move 15 Mar Viking plans for 24 more river ships 20 Mar Helloworld sets out to “sink” Viking

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INDUSTRY IN FOCUS Australian Travel Agents Co-operative (ATAC) and Total Holiday Options recently teamed up to send ATAC’s best performers on a seven-day famil trip to India.

Entire Travel Group (ETG) held a soiree at Palais, Luna Park for travel agents, to update them on the latest news, developments and activities in the company’s key destinations.

Susan Haberle, APT; Jaculin Low ien, Travel by Wyndham and Lisa Myers from Wow Travel wer e all part of the My Travel Group conference held at Elem ents at Byron last month.

k’s Day in style, from the These Magellan agents celebrated St Patric d, as part of an all-expenses Irelan viewing stand at Eyre Square in Galway, annual conference. last any’s comp the at won paid trip the group

Infinity Holidays’ Aussie & Kiwi Gold famil program last month treated nearly 100 topselling retail travel agents and supplier partners to an adventure on Hamilton Island.

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APRIL 2018

Windstar Cruises VP of sales Steven Kona Simao visited Australia last month to update agents on the line’s offering.

He’s pictured with Andrew Millmore and Sharon Hando from Windstar’s local service provider Travel the World.

hered for the recent cruise line partners gat ht Cruiseco members and included and awards nig nt in Brisbane. The eve d hel e ty. enc Par fer ail con y ckt compan ht Cruises Co nks at the Ponant Yac with pre-conference dri

These industry members got a chance to create their own LAinspired cocktails to celebrate Excite Holidays’ recent campaign.

If you can’t stand the heat... these My Travel Group were treated to an and Helloworld As exclusive behindsociate agents the-scenes cooking RACV Club courte experience at Melb sy of Back-Roads Touring, Silversea, ourne’s Tauck and HSBC .

Tourism Ireland hosted Irish Minister for Justice and Equality Charles Flanagan in Sydney for a special St Patrick’s Day breakfast. He’s pictured with Tim Harrowell of Emirates, Karen Deveson of Insight Vacations and Tourism Ireland’s Sofia Hansson.

ad from Fred van Ejk and Jill Me Kaylene Shuttlewood, Inspiring JITO the at re all smiles Travel Counsellors we nt. eve y Da n’s me Wo al Greatness Internation

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SMALL GROUP TOURING

(JUST ENOUGH)

SAFETY IN NUMBERS On an adventure tour of Spain, Portugal and Morocco, Craig Tansley discovers why more Australians are opting for small group travel.

HE bees of Morocco have come together on this day to kill me, it seems. Inside Chefchaouen’s old medina, they’re bombing the juice in front of me, and coming in closer. The buildings of the medina shimmer in the insane heat and I’m sweating so hard my sunglasses have fogged up, so I toss them aside.

But we’re here right now for a very important meeting: “Tomorrow is going to be 47 degrees,” our Spanish guide (who’s accompanied us across our entire journey) says. “We need to vote, but my choice is that we take the cheap bus. We’ll be sitting next to locals and their chickens, with no air-conditioning. It’s a four hour bus trip to Fes, or we can pay more and get a five-star, airconditioned Mercedes Benz bus with the other tourists. It’s your decision.”

I’m travelling with Intrepid Travel – a small group of Australians of all ...I like that this ages are expiring beside me; I’m allows me to feel thinking they’ll vote for the Mercedes; like an adventurous given there are couples in their 60s and inner-city professionals amongst traveller, while the group. “Let’s vote,” the guide enjoying the says. “Who wants to go on the Mercedes Benz?” Not a single hand comfort − and goes up. “Who wants to go on the safety − of a tourist hot bus and meet some Moroccan chickens?” All 12 hands shoot up.

Adventure wins out against creature comforts: not for the first time on this trip.

We’re at the tail end of a 15-day trip through three countries and two continents. We’re essentially travelling like backpackers (Intrepid asks that clients bring backpacks over suitcases) – though with a well planned itinerary. I like that this allows me to feel like an adventurous traveller, while enjoying the comfort – and safety – of a tourist. There are people in our group who wouldn’t travel alone, but travelling in a small group

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SMALL GROUP TOURING

All images courtesy of Craig Tansley, except where stated

Kollyn Lund

allows everyone to feel safe. It also allows us to choose just how much adventure we really want to be part of.

For that part is largely up to us.

The adventure started the moment I landed in Madrid. Through its cobbled streets, I walked with my new travel mates to a restaurant where we could dine al fresco, at a table under fairy lights in a huge tree, looking down across the whole city. Each day we travel together as a group, but when we stop moving and find a new destination we have the choice of staying together, or going solo. We travel to the festival city of Salamanca where we siesta to allow ourselves to stay up late in the city’s lively old quarter. We head onwards by van to Portugal, and the grossly I begin to see that under-rated city of Lisbon. Lisbon is the benefit of a small a Mecca for foodies – its seafood comes straight from the fishermen group tour is that it in their old boats in the harbour beside the city. Our guide asks us offers the adventure to trust him: he knows the best and fun of a seafood restaurant in all of Portugal, backpacking trip, but he says. And so we follow; first on the underground train guarding with a pre-booked our packs against pick-pockets, up bed each night narrow laneways, before scaling a winding staircase to an old seafood restaurant which looks across the city centre, that’s known for charred octopus.

Through Spain and Portugal we journey onwards, and I begin to see that the benefit of a small group tour is that it offers the adventure and fun of a backpacking trip, but with a pre-booked bed each night (remember the perils of turning up to a European city in high season with no accommodation booked?).

No-one holds up a sign with our name on it at airports, and we won’t follow a single guide with a flag all trip (God forbid!). Soon, our guide becomes a buddy, just another travel companion in the group (though one who saves our hide, time and time again). I can also leave the group behind when it suits. One afternoon in Morocco, it’s just me climbing the slopes above Chefchaouen watching farmers guide donkeys and goats around me, blending in as much as I can within a world so different from my own.

But I’m grateful for safety in numbers when we ride the ferry across the Strait Of Gibraltar from Spain to Morocco, and we’re set upon by the infamous touts of Tangiers. Hundreds of the city’s residents come at us from all angles, spruiking accommodation, tours and taxi rides. But our guide negotiates our way through the anarachy, and we find a van which takes us through the city, and out to the high grounds of Chefchaouen.

It’s time like these – in countries like Morocco – that travelling with a small group lets you forget that adventure travel comes with a long list of dangers and annoyances. Instead we get to pretend that a life of adventure on the road is as easy as it looks in the movies.

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SMALL GROUP TOURING

EIGHT WORLD WONDERS IN A MONTH TICK off the new seven wonders of the world and the sole-surviving ancient wonder with up to 24 like-minded travellers aboard On The Go Tours’ 31-day World Wonders itinerary.

Previously sold as a private itinerary, the month-long journey sets out from Italy, visiting the Colosseum in Rome, followed by the Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, and the Rose City of Petra, Jordan. After the Middle East, the trip takes in the Taj Mahal in India, then onto the Great Wall in China before heading to Mexico to explore the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza. Then heading south to Latin America, the itinerary incorporates visits to Machu Picchu in Peru and winds up in Rio de Janeiro at Christ the Redeemer statue.

“We had a huge amount of interest in the World Wonders

tour when it was launched as a private itinerary,” On the Go Tours managing director Carl Cross said.

“A lot of this was from solo travellers who couldn’t afford it as a private itinerary and wanted to enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime adventure with the joys of travelling with a group,” Cross added.

Three departure dates have been scheduled for 3 October 2018 and 6 March & 8 May 2019.

Accommodation is a mix of 3- to 5-star hotels. While numbers are capped at 24 guests, On The Go suggests each trip will have around 12 participants.

It’s priced at $13,495 per person twin share. There’s a single supplement of $4,960 which is refunded should the traveller be paired up with someone of the same sex.

BACK-ROADS TARGETS ASIA ASIA has been earmarked as the latest frontier for Back-Roads Touring, with the small group touring specialist releasing a program of eight itineraries through Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Trips vary in length from the five-day Bangkok & The River Kwai, to the 11-day

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Spirit of Cambodia and the 13-day Wonders of Thailand.

Back-Roads Touring says its Asian itineraries have been designed to focus on exploring the lesser-known side of each destination, showcasing cuisines, ancient temples and one-of-a-kind experiences

usually only available to locals.

Highlights of the new tours include getting up close with rescued elephants in a rehabilitation facility in Chiang Mai, exploring Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious monument and visiting Buddhist nuns for a traditional lunch in Vietnam.

The 12-day Flavours of Vietnam explores Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh City, and includes cooking classes, street food tours, papier-mache mask making and a show at the Saigon Opera House.

Country manager Dennis Basham said the company was thrilled to expand Back-Roads Touring’s product beyond its core Europe and UK program.

“We know mature travellers have an interest in exploring Southeast Asia in a small group setting, but in the past there have been few opportunities to do so with a company they know and trust,” Basham commented.

“Our tours provide the perfect combination of guided introductions to experiences and sites along with opportunities to explore the destination at leisure,” he said.

Tours through Asia are capped at just 14 passengers.

®

Maximum Group Size 20

Airfares Included

Tailored for Australians by Australians

SMALL GROUPS UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCES EUROPE | SOUTH & CENTRAL AMERICA | ASIA | AFRICA | EGYPT & THE MIDDLE EAST

www.bunniktours.com.au

MAXIMUM GROUP SIZE

MIDDLE EAST EARLY BIRD - SAVE $250PP For details visit bunniktours.com.au/Egypt-Middle-East-Tours To be eligible for our Middle East early bird saving of $250 per person, your clients need to book and pay a deposit by 27 April 2018. Savings are applicable to new bookings with travel dates from 2018/19 program only.

Applies to air and land bookings only.

20 ®

SMALL GROUP TOURING

AGENT KNOW HOW travelBulletin sat down with Back-Roads Touring’s Dennis Basham to find out how agents can improve their sales.

How can travel agents improve their product knowledge of Back-Roads Touring?

Back-Roads Touring has an amazing team of business development managers nationally who would love to hear from you to lock in training. Use our experienced team who can help you convert sales. We also suggest simply flicking through our brochure, agents will be surprised to see a range of destinations they didn’t realise we offered.

PUT RWANDA ON THE COMPASS BOUTIQUE tour operator Crooked Compass – a specialist in “deeper travel experiences” – has introduced a women’s only tour that delves deep into Rwanda’s recent history.

The 11-day Remarkable Rwanda small group itinerary goes well beyond the African nation’s highly sought gorilla experiences, providing travellers with an opportunity to meet, learn and work alongside inspiring women who have helped reshape the country over the past two decades.

“To travel through Rwanda is unlike any other African nation,” said Crooked Compass founder & director Lisa Pagotto.

“A country so devastated by the genocide in 1994, where a large majority of the male population was wiped out, left behind a female heavy nation to cope with loss, grief and the unknown. A country that was deemed ‘ruined’ has re-emerged due to the resilience of the incredible women who dominate the population making this one of the most inspiring nations to visit,” Pagotto said.

“Rwanda has gone from ruins to riches and is now dubbed one of the safest countries in Africa and the most progressive leader in East Africa due to the skill and community rebuilding from the country’s women.”

Naturally, being Rwanda, the tour includes viewing mountain gorillas, along with chimpanzee and golden monkey, safari animals and the land-locked country’s stunning scenery. Among the trip inclusions are a visit to the Gorilla Doctors, the Nyamirambo Women’s Centre in Kigali, the Gisoziand Ntarama Genocide memorial site, hands-on culturally immersive village experiences and more.

Accommodation on the trip is a mix of hotels, resorts, home stays and tented lodges, and the tour culminates with a two-night stay in Volcanoes National Park at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge.

Based on a minimum of two and maximum of 12 guests, the tour is priced from $12,427 per person twin share and is scheduled to depart 8-18 October 2018 and 2019.

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

We believe the best training is to experience the product therefore we offer a sell 12 get 1 free tour incentive. If agents are not on track for this we offer up to 50% off our tours for agents and great companion deals.

What is the advantage of travelling in a small group over a larger tour bus?

The truth is you can’t appreciate the landscape or architecture of a country from a dreary motorway. This is why we take the scenic back-roads to reach each destination. Our minicoaches’ large windows allow you to admire the spectacular landscapes that you pass through along your way.

What makes Back-Roads Touring unique?

The feedback we receive is our intimate groups allow our expert tour leaders to dedicate time to each and every one of our guests. Whether they are travelling as a couple, with friends or individually, our small group tours bring together like-minded individuals to share dinner tables, experiences and memories in the making.

How can travel agents join a famil?

Back-Roads Touring runs a number of famils per year with various preferred partners and to be considered agents simply need to express their interest with their business development manager. Our agent incentive and offers are available across our UK, Europe and Asia tours.

SAIGON TO ANGKOR SMALL GROUP JOURNEYS

With a guaranteed maximum of only 16 travellers, our Small Group Journeys offer you the chance to experience Asia like an insider. With the perfect balance of organised experiences and flexibility, you will have an authentic travel experience within Asia.

TEMPLES OF ANGKOR

ITINERARY~: START: SAIGON FINISH: SIEM REAP DAY 1: SAIGON (VIETNAM) Hotel: Renaissance Riverside Hotel or Saigon Prince Hotel (or similar) DAY 2: CU CHI TUNNELS Hotel: Renaissance Riverside Hotel or Saigon Prince Hotel (or similar) DAY 3: CAI BE Cruise: The Jahan or Jayavarman DAY 4: SA DEC Cruise: The Jahan or Jayavarman DAY 5: TAN CHAU Cruise: The Jahan or Jayavarman DAY 6: PHNOM PENH (CAMBODIA) Cruise: The Jahan or Jayavarman Valid for Travel: Price based on low season 2018 travel and will vary depending on date of travel.

Angkor Wat & Siem Reap (2 nights)

Kampong Chhang Phnom Penh

12 DAYS FROM

person 3,713*per twin share

$

Finish

VIETNAM

Kampong Cham

Tan Chau

(7 nights on boat) Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) (2 nights) My Tho Cai Be

DAY 9: KAMPONG CHHNANG Cruise: The Jahan or Jayavarman

DAY 12: SIEM REAP you departure transfer.

CAMBODIA

Tonle Sap Lake

DAY 8: PRE-ANGKORIAN TEMPLES Cruise: The Jahan or Jayavarman

DAY 11: TEMPLES OF ANGKOR Hotel: Shinta Mani Angkor or Victoria Angkor Resort & Spa (or similar)

F

Road route Boat cruise

DAY 7: KAMPONG CHAM Cruise: The Jahan or Jayavarman

DAY 10: TONLE SAP LAKE Hotel: Shinta Mani Angkor or Victoria Angkor Resort & Spa (or similar)

S Start

LAOS

THAILAND

INCLUDES

• • • • • • • •

4 nights hotel accommodation 7 nights cruise accommodation Breakfast daily, 7 lunches, 7 dinners Transport in air-conditioned vehicles (except tuk-tuk and cyclo touring) Private and join-in touring Entrance fees Local English-speaking guides Return transfers from Saigon airport to hotel and from hotel to Siem Reap airport in a private vehicle

Visit insiderjourneys.com.au | Call 1300 138 755 | See your local Travel Agent IMPORTANT INFORMATION: *Agents may charge service fees and/or fees for card payments which vary. A fee will apply for payments made by debit and credit cards. Please check this fee with us or your travel consultant when booking. Conditions apply. Prices correct as at 8 Mar 18 but may fluctuate if surcharges, fees, taxes or currency change. Prices are based on low season 2018 departures and will vary depending on date of travel. Offers subject to availability. Amounts payable to third parties not included. Please check all prices, availability and other information with your travel consultant before booking.

Bookings must be made direct with Insider Journeys or a travel agent. Package cancellation fees apply. All savings and bonus nights (if applicable) are included in the advertised price. Offers may be withdrawn without notice and are not combinable with any other offers unless stated. ~Itinerary is based on the high water season (approx. Aug to Dec) and may vary depending on season. The Insider Journeys General Bookings Conditions apply. View at http://www.insiderjourneys.com.au/ booking-conditions. Insider Journeys ABN 84 003 237 296.

SMALL GROUP TOURING

EPIC RAIL ODYSSEY ADVENTUROUS travellers and fans of extended train journeys are in for a treat on Travel Director’s small group Epic Rail Odyssey itinerary from Moscow to Singapore. At 12,500km, the 34-day itinerary traverses a quarter of the earth’s land surface and encompasses eight countries including Russia, Kazakhstan, China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Singapore.

Designed to be more than a rail journey, the trip passes through vast steppes, deserts, mountain ranges and fertile valleys. The itinerary includes a mix of hotel stays and overnight rail sectors. Highlights of the journey include visits to the Aral Sea, Baikonur (the busiest space port in the world) and the Charyn Canyon, before entering China at Alatau where the train is raised by giant hydraulic lifts and the wheel bogies are changed to fit the narrow-gauge tracks used in China.

There’s also a high-speed train ride from Urumpi to Lanzhou that skirts the Gobi Desert, explorations of the Stone Forrest in Kunming, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Phnom Penh, Angkor Wat, Penang’s Reclining Buddha and much more.

The one-off, fully-escorted Epic Rail Odyssey departure is limited to 24 guests, commencing on 5 September 2018 from Australia. It is priced from $18,950, which includes all flights.

See www.traveldirectors.com.au for more details.

©BBC World Serivce

BROCHURES A SELECTION of interesting tours throughout the popular Southeast Asian trio of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos are available via Qantas Holidays’ latest brochure featuring the region. The 2018/19 edition provides a host of travel options including a selection of short-term stays in major cities and a raft of bespoke tours such as foodie trails, Vespa journeys and cycling treks. The volume of accommodation choices for Vietnam’s capital Hanoi has also been boosted.

VIKING Cruises’ 2019 river cruise brochure covers wide range of destinations including France, Portugal, Russia, China, Southeast Asia, Ukraine and Egypt. New explorations include a 10-day jaunt from Amsterdam to Antwerp as part of the Holland and Belgium in Bloom trip. Two new European itineraries have also ben added, including the eight-day Rhone Explorer, a roundtrip from Lyon which follows old trade routes along the Rhone.

AMERICAN Queen Steamboat Company has launched its latest brochure detailing the many luxury river cruise journeys in the United States on offer including some new additions on the Ohio, Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers. Staple trips are still available however, such as the Mighty Mississippi sailings that are available to book as either 16- or 23-day cruises. These trips boast sailings down the entire length of the iconic Mississippi.

TRAVELLERS keen on checking out the best of Western Australia are encouraged to view Sunlover Holidays’ 2018/19 Perth and West Coast brochure. The latest itineraries drill down on the city of Mandurah on the state’s southwest coast, with prospective travellers able to access info on sightseeing, accommodation and houseboats options. For those looking for a bit more of an adrenalin rush, day trips are available to the Ningaloo Reef where people can choose to swim the whale sharks.

2018/19 HOTEL REVIEWS PROVIDED BY

18 9 –1

AN ARRAY of culinary delights are on show in the latest foodie brochure from Intrepid. Whether it’s your penchant for dumplings, naan or gyros, the best places to go in a diverse range of countries are mapped out and served on a silver platter. Selections include a 15-trip tour of India and a 15-day trek eating you way through Peru. The world is literally your oyster with this one.

MARGARET RIVER • NINGALOO REEF • GOLDEN OUTBACK

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THE latest circular from APT features a range of small-scale cruise journeys across three popular northern regions.

Travellers can either grab a Zodiac and cruise between the glaciers of Antarctica, follow the trail of the Vikings by launching off from the remote outpost of Spitsbergen, or relax on the pristine fjords of Norway before disembarking to explore the many gothic medieval towns of the Baltic.

PERTH & THE WEST COAST

WESTERN FRONT • GALLIPOLI VIETNAM • THAILAND • SINGAPORE THE PACIFIC • EUROPE • AUSTRALIA

2019 EUROPE RIVER CRUISING PRE-RELEASE

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ST B I R T H DAY AWARDS WINNER BEST RIVER CRUISE LINE

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FLIGHTS INCLUDED TO EUROPE

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2019 at 2018 PRICES

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scenic.com.au

Call 138 128

THE tour operator created by battlefield historian and author Mat McLachlan has released its latest brochure to the market. The 2018/19 edition features a range of group and independent tours in Europe, Asia, the Pacific and Australia, most notably a special centenary tour walking in the footsteps of the Anzacs. Battlefield tours offer itineraries to various battlefields in France, Belgium, the UK, Gallipoli, Germany, the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia.

SCENIC Luxury Cruises and Tours offers a comprehensive range of explorations across Europe in its latest pre-release brochure such as voyages along the Rhine, Danube or Moselle rivers. One itinerary is the 14-day Jewels of Europe package which sets sail from Amsterdam before meandering down the Rhine, Danube and Main rivers and making many interesting stops along the way. Trips include free use of the company’s e-bikes on land tours and complimentary wifi on board. travelBulletin APRIL 2018

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THAILAND

PHUKET

TH E A LT E R N AT IV E SID E

By Kerry van der Jagt

CALL OF THE WILD

ENTION Phuket and a couple of clichés spring to mind – a fly-and-flop holiday where you never leave your resort; or beach parties, Singha beer singlets and designer knock-offs. But that’s only a fraction of Phuket, explore the island in detail and you’ll find much more. Step into the highlands and you can walk with elephants, gambol with gibbons and wade under waterfalls. Phuket Old Town is filled with Sino-Portuguese shophouses, galleries and museums, and enough authentic street eats to give you a rounded Buddha belly for days. Further afield there are hidden beaches to visit and sea caves to discover. The only problem is fitting it all in.

Phuket boasts not one but two national parks. Sirinat National Park on the island’s northwest coast is best known for its white sand beaches, coral reefs, coniferous trees and turtle-nesting sites. Khao Phra Thaeo National Park on Phuket’s northeast encompasses one of the island’s last remaining stretches of virgin forest. Home to wild boars, monkeys, langurs, gibbons, barking deer and squirrels the 23km2 park is the island’s green heart. Hike one of the many trails, swim under Bang Pae waterfall or visit the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project.

If you’re after an ethical elephant experience, which doesn’t involve riding or watching elephants perform, head to the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary where rescued

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and retired elephants are free to live out their days in peace.

For adventures of the adrenalin kind Flying Hanuman will have you zip-lining through the jungle, abseiling from platforms and walking across suspension bridges. After all of that you might be glad to flop back at your resort for a few hours.

HISTORY AND HERITAGE Before Phuket became a holiday mecca it was a quiet province with a prosperous tin industry. Today Sino-Portuguese shophouses built by 19th-century Chinese immigrant merchants have been restored and repainted in their original gelato colours. Pick up a Phuket Town Treasure map and stroll the streets of the historic Old Town stopping at

All images courtesy Thailand Authority of Tourism

THAILAND

shrines, temples, museums and mansions.

The Peranakan Museum is the place to learn about Baba culture, while the Thai Hua Museum housed in a 1930s colonial-style mansion tells the general history of Phuket.

For an even bigger dose of culture don’t miss the 45-metre tall Big Buddha near Chalong, or Wat Chalong, Phuket’s oldest and most important temple. If shopping is your salvation, the Old Town weekend night market is a favourite of locals, expats and visitors, selling everything from clothing and food to homewares. For handmade arts, crafts and textiles head to Thalang Road, where rows of shophouses have been repurposed as eclectic stores, guesthouses and cafes.

PHUKET ON A PLATE The various cultural influences – Chinese, Malay, and Singaporean – are reflected in the local food, giving Phuket a unique cuisine not found in other parts of Thailand.

So step away from the ubiquitous Pad Thai and give some other dishes a try. There’s gaeng som blah, a fish curry prepared using curry paste without the rich coconut milk, khao mok gai, a Phuket version of Indianstyle chicken biryani, and bak kut teh, Hokkien-style pork ribs in tea and spices.

Those with a sweet tooth will enjoy southernstyle mooncakes, crispy coconut crepes and the signature dessert of Phuket Town, Oh-aew, made from jellied banana flour mixed with boiled red beans (yes, it tastes better than it sounds).

The best place to try these local delicacies is from a street food vendor or hawker centre.

The Old Town and weekend night markets serve some of the best food on the island with fresh produce, great atmosphere and high turnover. Seafood lovers will be in their element at the strip of food markets on the beachfront at Rawai, or for something classier make a reservation at the Blue Elephant Restaurant and Cooking School in Phuket Town.

PARADISE FOUND There is more to Phuket than the party town of Patong Beach. The 11km straight Mai Khao Beach in the north is part of the Sirinat National Park and is blessedly undeveloped.

Three other beaches popular with in-the-know locals include Kata Noi, a peaceful arc on the west coast, Layan Beach on the northern tip of Bangtao and tiny Banana Beach on the northwest of the island.

While the Phi Phi Islands are Thailand’s movie star islands, thanks to scenes from The Beach starring Leonardo DiCaprio, there are other more peaceful, and equally beautiful islands and bays easily accessed from Phuket. Head to Phang Nga Bay in the north for a sea kayaking adventure among sheer limestone karsts and hidden caves.

If you prefer snorkelling or diving over coral reefs, the Racha Islands, Similan Islands and Coral Island make easy day trips.

Or stay overnight and spend a laid-back evening in a beach bungalow, the perfect end to a perfect day.

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THAILAND

Thailand’s silver lining

© Visordown

THE last few years have seen a concerted push by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to up the ante in finding new ways to attract tourist dollars. The subsequent brainchild of this mission has been The Amazing Thailand Tourism Year 2018 promotion, a reenergised calendar of international events TAT has put in place in a bid to enhance the country’s overall tourism appeal.

One exciting fruit of this labour has been the country’s very first Bangkok Art Biennial due to kick off 19 October and carry through to early February 2019. The city-wide art exhibition will bring together a pastiche of influences from around the world to be showcased in pavilions throughout the city. The imaginative event has been predicted to see a flurry of art lovers

postca

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Postcard from... Thailand

converge on Bangkok, as well as the work of many virtuosos in the international art scene such as Serbian performance artist Marina Abramovic and the respected Japanese pop artist Yoshitomo Nara.

For quite literally a change of pace, Thailand has also landed some major sporting events including a stage of the prestigious MotoGP World Championship superbike event. The Thailand motorcycle Grand Prix will make its debut on the international MotoGP calendar in October and will be raced on the country’s Buriram International Circuit, located about 400km northeast of Bangkok. The track is specifically designed to please the high-octane appetites of velocity lovers, featuring few corners and many long straights.

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GUESTS aboard Silversea Cruises’ Singapore to Hong Kong journey on the Silver Shadow can take in the serenity of Koh Samui and the bustle of Bangkok during an 11-day voyage through several Asian countries. The vessel stops off in two of Thailand’s most popular tourist spots along the way, with passengers disembarking to enjoy the tranquil aqua waters of Koh Samui before saddling up on the back of an elephant to trek to the extravagant Big Buddha Temple. Later in the voyage guests can enjoy a full day excursion in thriving Bangkok, The Venice of the East. The outing transports travellers via tuk tuk, minivan and riverboat to explore city attractions such as the Grand Palace, the Wat Arun temples and the Chao Phraya River. The trip is priced from $9,100pp and departs 11 April.

AMAZING EVENTS LINED UP IN 2018

food, and “Land of smiles”. With friendly people, great offer every to thing some has nd amazing scenery, Thaila and a range of ping shop in barga hes, beac traveller. Beautiful to be visited more than once. cultural experiences make it a destination into town to our first stunning Upon arrival in Bangkok we were whisked d with rooms on the Club level spoile Banyan Tree property, where we were truly an afternoon rice-barge tour After ! much – lounge access included, thanks very it was time for a highlight, dinner at along the canals and klongs of Bangkok, on the 61st floor!

Vertigo, the hotel’s own rooftop restaurant Banyan Tree Phuket. Situated in the the to and day, ing Off to Phuket the follow property offers elegance and serenity in manicured Laguna complex, this all-villa plunge pool. This rock-star lifestyle is its public areas, and each villa has its own definitely for me! and fun way to learn a little about A half-day cooking class was an interesting the results. The following day was Thai cuisine, and best of all you get to eat g Nha Bay, through sea caves and Phan of s spent kayaking around the island an awesome experience! Then sadly, open areas in the middle of the islands – Can’t wait to visit again! time to head homeward, after a full few days.

From Darren Baker, Helloworld Travel Portland VIC

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THAILAND Chiva-Som International Health Resort in Hua Hin

HOTEL SECTOR CONTINUES TO BOOM FOLLOWING on from a record $700 million in hotel investment for 2017, this year promises to be just as strong for Thailand’s hotel sector, with many notable properties recently opening their doors and many more in the pipeline for 2018.

One recent high-profile opening was the launch of the Holiday Inn Vana Nava Hua Hin in late February, the first Holiday Inn water park resort to open its doors (and slides) in Asia. The 300-room hotel is located only a 15-minute drive from the seaside town of Hua Hin and features a suite of child-friendly selling points including KidSuites decked out with bunk beds and games, a host of children’s pools,

a maze of connected water attractions, and the added thrifty benefit of free food and accommodation for kids under 12.

The resort also offers free shuttle buses catering for adult interests including trips to nearby beaches, golf courses and wineries.

Keeping with the theme of family-focused accommodation is the Movenpick Asara Resort and Spa Hua Hin that is set to open to the public in the next few months. Marking the seventh property for the Movenpick brand in Thailand, this hotel will boast impressive views overlooking the Gulf of Thailand and features 54 pool villas and 42 suites. Other attractions include two restaurants serving a combination of French bourgeois and

modern Thai cuisine and an extensive list of leisure and meeting facilities. Veteran hotel executive Simon Dell was recently announced the general manager of the new luxury seaside resort.

The Chiva-Som International Health Resort in Hua Hin will soon offer guests a host of new features thanks to some major renovations and upgrades at the property, most notably major refurbishments to the Thai Pavillion room and new Thai Pavillion Suite which are scheduled to open to the public this November. Further remodelling and enhancements will also be undertaken to upgrade the resort’s fitness area, Emerald Room and Orchid Lounge.

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#ThisIsSilversea *T&C’S APPLY

RIVER CRUISING

Vineyards near Blaye © Tourism Aquitaine

A veranda stateroom on board Viking Foresti

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Vineyards below the old walls of Saint-Émilion town (©Office de Tourisme de St-Emilion/Heurisko)

RIVER CRUISING Who wouldn’t want to sail through the fabled wine country around Bordeaux? Brian Johnston steps aboard a Viking river cruise on a stylish French journey.

V

IKING Foresti is sleek and gleaming white, with parasols unfurled on its rooftop deck and a red carpet rolled out in jaunty welcome. Yet beautiful as the Longship might be, it’s the Bordeaux waterfront that steals the show. The river here is a long crescent of grandly theatrical nineteenth-century buildings flanked by promenades in a kaleidoscope of flowerbeds. I’ve only just arrived, and already I’m beginning to think this is one of the best places in Europe to be tied up on a river. Later, I wander and find that, even away from the waterfront, the city is lovely.

It has gargoyle-studded churches and pretty squares, fountains where bare-breasted nymphs cavort, and cafés dense with locals.

Next morning we’re already sailing away, but I’m relieved to see there’s plenty more time in Bordeaux at the end of our itinerary.

In the meantime, we’re off along the Garonne and Dordogne rivers and their union at the estuary of the Gironde. Distances are short, and we’ll backtrack and meander through some very agreeable countryside, cooled by Atlantic breezes and dotted with limestone villages and charming châteaux.

Small islands float past over breakfast, and the famous vineyards of the Médoc region are soon pegged out across hillsides. Before long, we’re docked at Pauillac and off by coach through vineyards that produce some of the world’s most famous (and expensive) wines: Château Latour, Lafite Rothschild, Mouton Rothschild. Surely there could hardly be a better way to spend the day than at Château Lynch Bages for wine tasting, followed by Château Kirwan for an elegant dinner.

Next day we’re docked in Blaye under a rocky outcrop crowned by fortifications built by Vaubun, Louis XIV’s fabled military engineer.

I wander around the pleasant town, where bakeries smell of croissants and grandfathers shuffle. Then we’re off by ship to the lovely riverside town of Libourne on the Dordogne.

It’s symptomatic of the region’s temptations that we have to make an impossible choice here: a roam around the lovely riverside town, or optional excursions in search of truffles or wine. I opt for the town, where I get the chance to explore the local market, rich with the colours of peaches and strawberries.

A shore excursion to the Bordeaux vineyards (© Viking River Cruises)

Just inland from the river lies Saint-Émilion, surrounded by more of France’s most prestigious vineyards – Petrus, Pomerol, Cheval Blanc. The World Heritage-listed town itself is delightful, elegant in golden limestone against its background of dark green vines. We enjoy an excellent tour of its cobbled streets, cloisters and ancient church under which catacombs extend. Gravelled

“

We have to make an impossible choice here: a roam around the lovely riverside town, or optional excursions in search of truffles or wine

”

terraces supply views over red roofs and wine country: just the place to nibble on a macaroon, a Saint-Émilion speciality, soft and golden as the limestone from which the whole town is built.

I’ve signed up for an optional excursion to nearby Château Siaurac, where we’re greeted by its talkative owner Paul Goldschmidt. The vineyards and villa have been owned by his wife’s family since the eighteenth century, and Paul seems scarcely to believe his good luck in marrying so well.

“We have three vineyards and one beautiful château, how lucky we are! And many marvellous trees. I’ll show you my green oak, planted by the founder of the château, isn’t that extraordinary?”

Paul shows us his vineyards before we taste three of his wines, all Merlot and

Cabernet-Franc blends from 2011, but all with distinct flavours thanks to the different terroirs on which the grapes are grown. The first is fruity and generous, the second tender but intense, the third floral and delicate. For a wine amateur like myself, it’s a neat little lesson in how soils affect the flavour of the final product, and I begin to understand how different conditions affect the taste of the same wine grapes.

Next day we’re floating along the Garonne to Cadillac where, across the river at Château d’Arche, we get an introduction – and another taste – of Sauternes, the famous dessert wine. Fortunately, Viking’s passengers aren’t a pretentious, sip-and-spit lot. We listen, learn and enjoy a laugh, and spirits are high as we re-board for the journey back to Bordeaux. We have two more days to explore, and more good times await.

Viking Foresti is one of the company’s Longships, first launched in 2012 as the largest and newest river-cruise ships in Europe. It has a sleek, minimalist Scandinavian design, and the public areas are flooded with light from floor-to-ceiling windows. I pace the huge sundeck, where the chef grows herbs, and watch the river slowly widen, before a casual lunch on the Aquavit Terrace, my favourite spot at the bow of the ship from which to watch the passing landscape.

When we sail under the Pont de Pierre, a multi-spanned orange stone bridge built under Napoleon, we’re in the heart of Bordeaux. A crescent moon of promenades is flanked by gracious neoclassical buildings.

Behind lies a grand, theatrical city of cast iron and sculptures. I’m impatient to arrive, as more discovery awaits. travelBulletin APRIL 2018

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RIVER CRUISING

U BY UNIWORLD MAKES ITS BIG DEBUT The B on the Seine

THE highly anticipated new river cruise brand from Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, U by Uniworld, has set sail on European waterways this month.

The new cruise line’s two ships are now offering cruises along the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers on The A and roundtrip departures from Paris on The B. “What we are offering on the rivers is so fundamentally different to everyone else today,” U by Uniworld managing director Fiona Dalton told travelBulletin.

The river cruise brand is pouncing on the “next generation of travellers”, offering “hassle-free” experiential travel aimed at “those with a passion for exploring and a taste for authentic adventures”.

On board passengers can choose from activities including yoga, painting and wine tasting classes, mixology and chef’s table cooking classes, or kick back and watch the sunset on the rooftop lounge then let loose at the onboard silent disco.

Itineraries focus on longer stays in destinations, including the chance to explore the nightlife scene, paired with active adventures such as kayaking on the Seine, rock climbing in Germany and white-water rafting in Slovakia.

The brand was originally promoted as “the world’s first millennial river cruise”, but the company dropped its 21-45 age restriction less than six weeks out from its first sailing.

At the time, U by Uniworld declared in its marketing that “U is now for all of you”, pushing the change as “the same great experience, more people to share it with”.

U by Uniworld managing director Fiona Dalton confirmed the company had faced pressure over its age restriction “for some time”.

The brand was initially launched as a cruise line for 18-40 year-old travellers, but it shifted its market to 21-45 last year, just

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days before launching its Australian website.

Dalton told travelBulletin the latest change was due to the company’s commitment to listen to its consumer and agent base and refuted speculation it was prompted by a lack of sales.

“Originally U by Uniworld was really specific about defining our target market but we learned along the way that it’s less about a number and more about attracting a whole new generation of adult travellers to river cruising,” she said.

Dalton assured nothing about the experience was changing as a result of the shift. She said the cruises would still revolve around getting up later and going to bed later, exploring the nightlife, challenging how travellers spend their time in each location, and be more about guests using the ship the way they want to, in order to experience the destination how they want to.

“We thought we understood that was 21-45 but there are lots of people who have that mindset,” Dalton explained.

“There are so many brands out there whose success has been completely reliant on their ability to evolve and innovate and that’s exactly what we’re doing at U by Uniworld.”

Although all adult travellers can travel with the brand, Dalton identified U by Uniworld’s “sweet spot” as those aged in their late 20s to 50. She said U by Uniworld guests included couples without children as well as those with a young family who were able to get away for a week or two with friends. It was also proving popular with honeymooners and women in their 20s and 30s who are working full time and travelling on “girl’s trips”.

The eight-day Rolling on the Rhine sails from Amsterdam to Frankfurt and is priced from $2,249 per person twin share.

U by Uniworld is planning on expanding beyond Europe and launching its experience on the Mekong River in Vietnam in 2020.

The B Restaurant

The B Studio

The B Rooftop

ACTIVE DISCOVERY CRUISES Bike, hike, cook & paint your way through Europe.

Everyone travels to see new things, but many travel to do new things as well. Avalon’s Active Discovery cruises are designed for guests to choose the activities that appeal to them most.

Guests can take an archery lesson, go underground in a salt mine or take a painting class – to name a few.

This truly is European travel with a focus on enjoying every moment of the journey.

For 2019, Active Discovery itineraries are available on the Rhine, Danube and Rhone rivers – and operate on Avalon’s award winning one-of-a-kind Suite Ships.

For more information or to book:

CALL 1300 230 234 Visit avalonwaterways.com.au

Luxurious accommodations

|

All meals on board

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Beer & wine with lunch & dinner

|

Choice of daily sightseeing

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Port charges & gratuities

RIVER CRUISING

RIVIERA TAKES A DIFFERENT APPROACH THERE’S a newcomer in the Australian market which likes to do things differently.

European river cruise line, Riviera Travel, began navigating the Australian market in 2016, offering a lower cost approach to river cruising.

Riviera Travel promotes itself as offering five-star cruises on its fleet of 11 ships at fares up to 50% lower than competitors.

The company excludes gratuities and drinks but guests have the choice to opt for packages for beverages with lunch and dinner starting at $99pp for a four-night cruise.

It also promises its fare structure “is simple and transparent” and has committed to set commissions for Australian travel agents and to take all bookings through the trade.

Riviera said it avoided discounting, so guests didn’t discover fellow passengers had paid less for the same cabin, and offered upgrade fares between cabin types at between A$200 and A$600 per person.

This year the cruise line is set to operate 300 cruises across 12 different itineraries in Europe.

Q&A

A seven-night Blue Danube cruise with Riviera Travel, inclusive of relaxed-pace daily shore excursions, dining and afternoon tea is available from $2,099 per person twin share or for solo use, with the company offering solo-use cabins with no supplement on every cruise.

Australians love to travel, and it seems like they particularly enjoy experiencing Europe on a river cruise. We sit down with PTM Lyn Watkins to get the scoop on how agents can get in on the action.

How popular is river cruising compared to ocean cruising?

At this stage I would say 60/40, 40 being river cruising. While the river cruising market continues to grow, there are fewer river cruise itineraries compared to ocean cruise itineraries.

What sort of travellers are interested in river cruising?

River cruising does not attract the wide age range that ocean cruising attracts because of the sheer size of an ocean cruise ship compared to a river cruise ship. In the past, river cruising has not attracted the younger age market, however, we are seeing the average age coming down. I’m now finding those interested in river cruising range from 50 to 90 years, with the average age somewhere in between, especially the baby boomers. I always sell river cruising as an all inclusive relaxing way to see a country/ countries without having to pack and unpack as you would on a coach tour.

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The company also varies from the norm in its itineraries, operating cruises on the traditional Amsterdam to Budapest route which instead start in Cologne.

It says this is to “eliminate less scenic landscapes and allowing more time in towns further along the route”.

travelBulletin APRIL 2018

Which destinations are most popular?

River cruising itineraries around the world are expanding all the time as it is such a popular and relaxing way to travel. At the moment I would have to say that the traditional Europe river cruise between Amsterdam and Budapest is still the most popular, followed by the French river cruises.

What do you love about river cruising?

The fact that you can take a trip through the heart of a country (instead of a coach tour), and unpack only once for the duration of your cruise. River cruises tend to be quite casual, most do not have formal nights and you also get to know quite a few of your fellow passengers.

What advice do you have for other agents selling river cruising?

It is an all-inclusive package – cruise, gratuities, all meals, open bar or depending on which cruise line – beer, wine and soft drinks served with lunch and dinner,

shore excursions, airport transfers, and fly deals. If you compare the cost to a coach tour, in most cases the coach tour is much cheaper, but by the time you add on all extras (meals, optional tours, gratuities) the price is similar to the river cruise.

What are the biggest challenges in selling river cruising?

Probably the higher cost of the river cruise compared to coach tour. This is where the difference and benefits between these options need to be pointed out. There are a lot of marketing and special offers out there on river cruising, it is often hard trying to compare one to the other, apples with apples. Also, a lot of potential river cruise clients think they are going to get better deals by going direct – as the market is flooded with river cruise deals. They are also not sure when they should be booking – do I book now to get an early bird or do I wait for the price to possibly drop?

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RIVER CRUISING

American Duchess leaving Prairie-du-Chien

AQSC STEAMS INTO ITS EIGHTH SEASON US-FLAGGED cruise line American Queen Steamboat Company (AQSC) has entered its eighth season of operation and packed a comprehensive range of itineraries and river

cruise offerings into its 2019 deluxe brochure.

The line’s American Queen, American Empress and American Duchess riverboats offer a unique experience as they are inspired

by the steamboats of the 19th century but equipped with modern amenities.

“After our record setting 2017 season we’re excited to move full steam ahead as we welcome back many returning guests and share our experience with others for the very first time,” said AQSC COO Ted Sykes.

Next year’s season highlights include 16and 23-day Mighty Mississippi cruises which cover the length of the river from Red Wing to New Orleans, stopping at storied ports including Natchez, Hannibal, Memphis, St. Louis and Paducah. The season will see new itineraries introduced on the Ohio, Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers and Upper Mississippi River including stops in Pittsburgh.

Other new additions include Cincinnati to Memphis; Louisville to Pittsburgh and vice versa, and Nashville to Chattanooga and vice versa. The season also includes 46 sailings on the newest ship to the fleet, a paddlewheeler called American Duchess, which can carry up to 166 guests.

Avalon expands into India AVALON Waterways will offer its first river cruises in India next year as part of its recently released 2019 program, adding to its cruises across Europe, Asia and South America.

The line has announced a new 13-day itinerary on the Ganges which will join its other Asian offerings on the Mekong, Irrawaddy and Yangtze rivers. Called Colourful India and the Ganges, the new itinerary includes a five-night cruise on the 28-cabin Ganges Explorer, travelling between Kolkata and the city of Murshidabad.

At 56m, the ship carries just 56 guests and will provide an opportunity to visit the colourful temples, markets and historic sites along the lower reaches of the river. Travellers will be able to visit craftsmen in their villages, seeing the work of brass makers, silversmiths and sari weavers.

The itinerary also includes six nights on land travelling between the cities of New Delhi, Jaipur and Agra to see unforgettable landmarks like the Red Fort and Taj Mahal.

Departures begin in February and are priced from $8,118 per person.

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Artist’s concept of Crystal Ravel

CRYSTAL ADDS DEBUSSY, RAVEL CRYSTAL Cruises is preparing to introduce two new European river cruise ships to its luxury fleet, with Crystal Debussy and Crystal Ravel increasing the line’s river contingent to five vessels in coming weeks.

Debussy was handed over to Crystal last month at a ceremony at Wismar in Germany, while Ravel is due for delivery later in April.

Sailing itineraries between Amsterdam and Basel, the 106-guest Crystal Debussy will travel along the Rhine River, beginning with her 9 April maiden voyage round-trip from Amsterdam.

Guests will visit ports in the Netherlands and Belgium on the seven-day itinerary, with 10-day voyages also calling in Germany.

Throughout 2018 and 2019, the ship will sail routes of seven and 10 days between Amsterdam and Basel along the Rhine and Moselle rivers, visiting Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands and Belgium.

Crystal Ravel will make its debut on 10 May and will offer a varied selection of itineraries along the Rhine, Moselle, Main and Danube Rivers, embarking from Vienna, Budapest and Basel and calling at historic locales in Germany, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia and Switzerland.

Having first entered the river cruise arena in 2016, Crystal’s fleet involves the industry’s first and only all-balcony, all-suite, all-butler vessels in Europe, boasting every category of accommodation above the waterline.

The ships offer the recently released Crystal Collection of more than 200 inclusive shore excursions. Each river itinerary also features inclusive Signature Events – special experiences that offer rare access and musical performances in iconic landmarks including Vienna’s Belvedere Palace, Linz’s St Florian Monastery and Rudesheim’s Monastery Eberbach, among others.

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MACAO

St Pauls Ruins ©Caroline Gladstone

© Caroline Gladstone

MACAO

Altira hotel ©MGTO

City of cultures

By Caroline Gladstone

W

E’RE told the view from the 10th floor Aurora restaurant at Macao’s Altira hotel is captivating.

The steel and glass eyrie on the island of Taipa is perfectly located for a panorama across the Outer Harbour to Macao Peninsula, the historic heart of the former Portuguese colony.

Unfortunately, it’s wet and misty on the day we arrive for lunch, obscuring the view of Macao’s unusual geography.

For a place measuring a mere 32km2, Macao packs a punch and a first-time visitor might be surprised to learn it’s comprised of three separate entities – the peninsula and the two islands of Taipa and Coloane, all connected by bridges and parcels of reclaimed land.

What you get is a handful of distinct precincts and an amazing collection of restaurants from the dazzling to the tiny hole-in-the-walls.

Aurora belongs to a group of 12 restaurants to have recently been awarded five stars in the 2018 Forbes Travel Guide – more than any other city in the prestigious global guide – while the Altira Hotel is also one of a dozen Macao hotels to have earned the five-star gong.

These awards outnumbered those bestowed on hotels and restaurants in Paris and Hong Kong, and tourism folks are jubilant.

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Aurora’s delicate Italian cuisine, crafted by Michele dell ’Aquila, more than compensated for the lack of views on our visit and after days of eating the legendary hearty Portuguese fare, it was a pleasure to savour the renowned chef’s subtle flavours reflected in dishes like the delicate entrée of braised beef tortellini. A traveller could do well to book at table on a clear day to nab the view and the exquisite four-course lunch menu for around A$66.

Eating one’s way around Macao is an excellent way to uncover the unique character of each precinct in what’s known as the Special Administrative Region (SAR) and home to some 650,000 residents.

MACAO PENINSULA Start at the city’s icon, the early-17th century Ruins of St Paul’s, one of the 22 UNESCO World Heritage sites and wander downhill to the wave-pattern Senado Square lined with pastel-coloured neo-classical buildings.

Start early to avoid the hordes of daytrippers from nearby China and enjoy free tastings of little treats offered by competitive eateries like pork chop buns, almond cookies, beef jerky and the famous egg tarts. The buttercup St Dominic’s Church and the Holy House of Mercy built in 1539

Taipa © Caroline Gladstone

by Macau’s first bishop are two of the most impressive sites. At the A Ma Temple hop on a three -wheel pedicab for an old-world tour of the flat regions near the harbour before taking a bus over to Taipa.

TAIPA Colonial traces linger in the cobblestone alleyways of old Taipa Village along with excellent Portuguese restaurants and quaint shops that specialise in an eclectic range of food items. We called into a store selling countless tubs of fish paste and bought a few bottles of the popular white port, a liqueur only made in Portugal’s Douro Valley.

From the beautiful mint-green Taipa Houses, a group of five 1920s former government residences, there’s a clear view across to the Cotai Strip, a reclaimed piece of land that joins Coloane and Taipa and houses a glitzy

MACAO

© Caroline Gladstone

© Caroline Gladstone

Coloane © Caroline Gladstone

all the pizzazz and head to the sophisticated St Regis bar to sample the acclaimed Bloody Mary. Each St Regis Hotel across the globe creates its own version of the famous drink and Macao’s is fashionably “deconstructed” and accompanied by an egg tart.

Studio City ©MGTO

ride the crazy Golden Reel Ferris Wheel at the Hollywood-inspired Studio City resort and check out the amazing roof top wave pool and fivepool complex at the fanciful Galaxy Resort that resembles a golden sultan’s palace. Or eschew Venetian Macao

array of casino-resorts, many of which are Las Vegas copycats.

COTAI STRIP It’s worth splashing out for a night or two’s stay at one of the four or five-star resorts that have earned the Forbes Travel Guide awards, or at least take a wander around these beguiling complexes. Take a gondola ride along the canals inside the Venetian hotel,

“

For a glimpse of another life beyond the high-rise and traffic, take a stroll along the laneways of Coloane Village to discover a pastel coloured church around one corner and a fishmonger hanging out his daily catch to dry in the sun

”

COLOANE The sleepiest precinct of all, Coloane is where the locals head for a day at the beach or a hike along the wooded hills. It can however get busy when tourists queue for the famous egg-custard tarts at the original Lord Stow’s Bakery, a tiny outlet started by English entrepreneur Andrew Stow 30 years ago, or when diners pack two of Macau’s most popular Portuguese restaurants, Fernando’s and Miramar.

For a glimpse of another life beyond the high-rise and traffic, take a stroll along the laneways of Coloane Village to discover a pastel coloured church around one corner and a fishmonger hanging out his daily catch to dry in the sun.

It may be a cliché but Macau is truly a fascinating clash of cultures.

travelBulletin APRIL 2018

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MACAO

MACAO’S FIVE STAR HOTELS

©MGTO

MGM Cotai, a US$3.3 billion hotel resembling a stack of nine glittering Chinese jewellery boxes on top of each other, is the latest five-star hotel to open in Macao. Following several years of delays, the hotel opened 500 of its planned 1,400 rooms on the eve of lucrative Chinese New Year this year.

The remaining suites and opulent villas will be released in phases over the coming year and next.

Complete with the Spectacle, a dazzling foyer where images change as a guest walks through the space, the hotel brings the number of rooms in tiny Macao to almost 37,000 of which 60.1 per cent are five-star.

Another hotel with an eccentric design, the 780-room Morpheus is also due to open on the man-made Cotai Strip later this year. Billed as the world’s first free-form exoskeleton hotel design, it is part of the City of Dreams Complex part-owned by James Packer.

Other extravagant properties, such as The 13 – with 200 villas each said to cost US$7 million – and the Lisboa Palace, which will include a Palazzo Versace hotel and the first Karl Lagerfeld hotel, are also on the horizon.

Macao Government Tourist Office (MGTO) says occupancy rates across Macao stand at a healthy 87.4 per cent, with five-star properties leading the way at 87.8 per cent.

While glitz, glamour, spectacular entertainment and 24-hour casinos are the drawcards at these integrated resorts, it is the “flawless service” that has garnered a record 12 five-star awards for Macao hotels in the 2018 Forbes Travel Guide awards, a ratings system where a team of inspectors anonymously evaluate the world’s best hotels and in-house restaurants and spas.

The 12 hotels include the Altira, Banyan Tree, MGM Macau (on the Peninsula), Conrad and the Ritz-Carlton, while another six hotels, including the Galaxy and St Regis scored four stars.

MGTO ENTICES TRAVELLERS MACAO Government Tourism Office is confident Australian tourist arrivals will return to previous high levels as the former enclave hosts dozens of festivals in a new promotion, “2018 Macao Year of Gastronomy”.

The celebrations mark Macao’s recent designation as a UNESCO Creative City in the Gastronomy category, an elite group of 26 global cities.

Australian visitor numbers were slightly down last year following Typhoon Hato, which struck the region in August. The worst

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typhoon to hit Macao in 53 years, Hato claimed 12 lives and caused severe flooding across the 32km2 territory. Australian arrivals decreased by 3 per cent to 90,000 in 2017; down from 93,000 the previous year.

The new UNESCO title, awarded last November, recognises Macao’s 400 years of developing Macanese cuisine, a fusion of dishes from Portugal and its former colonies in India, Malaysia and Africa.

This year’s events include Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants promotion and the 18th Macao

Food Festival.

MEANWHILE, the long-awaited Hong KongMacau-Zhuhai Bridge, which will link the three via a 55km series of bridges and tunnels, is tipped to open after 1 July. In response, competition has intensified between ferry companies Turbojet and Cotai Water Jet, with the latter announcing an agreement with Cathay Pacific where international passengers can book ferry tickets along with their flight reservations and have baggage checked through to Taipa ferry wharf.

MACAO

Macao’s historic sites In a city known for its glitzy modern hotels and casinos, there are still plenty of remarkable sites that showcase Macao’s colourful history and beautiful colonial architecture. Here are just a few.

©Tom Page

St Paul’s Ruins

Fortaleza do Monte

The ruins of St Paul’s Church have become the symbol of Macao and provide a postcard-perfect backdrop at the heart of the city’s historic centre. Built by the Jesuits between 1602 and 1640, St Paul’s was the largest Catholic church in Asia until it was destroyed by fire during a typhoon in 1835.

Today its freestanding façade survives, sitting proudly on a hilltop like a theatre set and intricately carved by Japanese Christians who lived in exile in Macao during the 17th century.

This imposing hilltop fortress dates from 1617 and was originally built to protect the Jesuits from invaders and pirates, but was later taken over by the Portuguese administrators to defend the fledgling colony. It remained a military site right up until 1965 when it was converted into a weather observatory and a museum. Today its leafy grounds and battlements provide an excellent viewing point from which to survey the city.

©Caroline Gladstone

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©Edwin11

Senado Square

The A-Ma Temple

If colonial Hong Kong was a bastion of Britishness in Asia, then Macao’s Senado Square telegraphs a distinctly Portuguese contrast. Its grand buildings are embellished with arched colonnades and the square’s cobbled paving is patterned with sweeping waves in a style familiar in other Portuguese centres like Lisbon and Rio de Janeiro. Its buildings date from between the 16th and 18th centuries, while its name is taken from the Leal Senado, the seat of the Portuguese administration.

One of the oldest temples in Macao, A-Ma is dedicated to the sea goddess Mazu and is said to have provided the origin of Macao’s name. It dates from 1488 and is located in São Lourenço, where the first Portuguese sailors came ashore.

When they asked the locals for the name of the location, the sailors were supposedly told “Magok”, meaning the “mother’s pavilion”, which was interpreted as “Macao”. Today this beautiful temple consists of several parts, including the Hall of Benevolence, its oldest section.

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ROMANCE

Top Romantic Destinations

Whether you’re looking for the perfect place to pop the question, celebrate your love or rekindle the flames of passion, there’s a perfect escape for everyone, writes Dilvin Yasa.

F

ROM cobblestone streets filled with cosy cafés to crystal-clear lagoons dotted with tiny private islands, there are worse ways to celebrate your love for your partner than by surprising them with a trip to one of the most romantic locations on the planet.

Stuck for ideas? Consider heading to one of the following:

Florence One need only to look at pictures of Italy’s national soccer team to ignite the flames of

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passion, but nothing sustains that heartthumping feeling quite like spending time in the country’s most romantic city, Florence.

Filled to the brim with architectural masterpieces and galleries, this destination is all about drinking chianti in quaint cafes, taking walks along the Arno River and watching the sun set daily at Piazzale Michaelangelo, which with its terracotta-tiled cityscape views is arguably one of the best lookouts in the world.

The icing on the cake? Checking into the super-romantic Portrait Firenze, a luxury boutique property located next to the Ponte Vecchio, making it the best located hotel in all of Florence.

(hint: it doesn’t get much better than Four Seasons Bora Bora or St Regis) and fill sunbleached days with leisurely swims, kayaking a deux, sunbathing on deserted motus and, oh yes, clinking Champagne glasses over endless romantic meals.

Bora Bora

Kyoto

Got money to burn and a desire to live out the ultimate castaway existence, albeit in complete luxury? The French Polynesian island of Bora Bora has long remained the honeymoon destination of choice for the society set, and with its white sand private beaches and azure lagoons teeming with a rainbow coloured fish, it’s easy to see the island’s appeal for romantics the world over.

Insist on a luxurious over-water bungalow

Dig if you will a boat ride under a canopy of cherry blossoms, the artist formerly known as Prince most certainly did not sing, but it’s worth considering anyway – especially if you colour it in with the vision of you and your partner snuggling as your boat slowly makes its way down the blossom-lined Okazaki river.

Considered by many to be the epitome of traditional Japan, Kyoto appeals to romantics for its multitude of tranquil gardens, majestic

ROMANCE

Florence

palaces and old-school ryokans (Japanese guest houses) – quiet spaces which allow reflection on what’s really important in life.

Aim to visit in spring (end of March/ early April) when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom and romance (as well as a few allergies) are in the air.

Paris It will never make it into any tourism brochures, but you’d have to be dead inside to not have your heart fluttering in what really is the city of love (or lights, depending on who’s doing the talking).

Check into the Shangri-La Hotel with its sweeping rooftop views of the Eiffel Tower

Maasai Mara

and remember that it’s all downhill from there. On the bright side, downhill in Paris can only ever mean meandering the cobblestone streets of Montmarte, picnicking along the Seine (complete with bottles of surprisingly cheap wine, cheese and baguettes), candlelit dinners in dark and decadent Michelin-star restaurants, and strolling hand in hand in gardens which look as though you’re painted into a Monet masterpiece. Now that is copy worthy of a tourism spiel.

Fes Stealing the ‘movable feast’ title well away from Paris (who, let’s face it, already has more than enough monikers to lean on) is Fes, a city which overwhelms each of your senses with its striking souks, fragrant spices and melodic calls to prayer around every which corner.

Maasai Mara They say that in space, no one can hear you scream and some might say that might also be true of Maasai Mara National Reserve, a preserved savannah wilderness in Southwestern Kenya.

Here, in a landscape of rolling hills dotted with distinctive acacia trees, the only nosy neighbours you’re likely to encounter are lions, elephants and zebra and let’s face it, they’re likely to stay quiet.

Check into one of the many luxury tented accommodations sprinkled around the reserve and give yourself over to a daily routine of traversing the plains, vino in hand as you view all manner of game prowling under a fiery sunset. Enjoy sunrises from your private plunge pool and enjoy long dinners under a heavy blanket of stars.

If you can, time your visit so that it falls during The Great Migration (estimated to be late July/early August in 2018).

Considered to be both the cultural and spiritual heart of Morocco, Fes offers those looking for a little romance stunning riads in which to stay (try Riad Fes, a Relais and Chateaux property), opulent spas in which to relax, covered markets in which to shop, and stunning scenery encompassing colour and electricity as far as the human eye can see. travelBulletin APRIL 2018

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THE ROMANCE OF SABI SABI SABI Sabi’s exclusive Selati Camp in South Africa’s Sabi Sand Reserve comprises a handful of thatched luxury suites, each beautifully designed and furnished in celebration of the grand old steam train era around the Selati Line, built to transport gold to Lourenco Marques in Mozambique (now known as Maputo).

The camp, an ideal refuge for nature lovers, exudes a sense of history, oldworld charm and romance, perhaps felt at its strongest in The Lourenco Marques Honeymoon Suite – a must for newlyweds, anniversaries and other celebrations.

Sophisticated and luxurious, this splendidly upgraded suite with its modern-day comforts and opulence, is breathtakingly beautiful.

Antique artefacts and authentic memorabilia – sourced from railway museums and antique stores – beautifully complement the custom made décor, with natural elements such as wood, thatch, stone and leather.

The billowing king-size bed of cool linen and rich fabric is draped from above

with fine netting, creating a deliciously enclosed cocoon. Artfully made furniture instils interest in every direction. The large stone walled courtyard leads off the living area and is absolutely private, featuring an outdoor Victorian-style bath, where you can immerse yourself into soothing warm water – your only company the birds flitting

around the enclosed bush garden. Cool off in complete safety and seclusion under the double al-fresco showers in the heat of the day, or experience the spray of warm water under the star-studded African sky in the dark of night.

■ Contact your preferred African wholesaler or Ynot Concepts for more information.

HONEYMOON POOL BURE IN THE TROPICS TROPICA Island Resort Fiji has introduced a newly renovated luxury Honeymoon Pool Bure “designed specifically for romance and relaxation”. Perched overlooking the boutique property and offering sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean, the bure provides couples with a generous space, inclusive of open plan bedroom and living area. Extending from the revamped room category via bifold doors is an expansive deck, itself featuring a 3.5m x 2.5m infinity

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edge pool. An indoor bathroom with raintree benchtop and double vanities opens to an outdoor shower beneath the stars.

The adults-only property is located on Malolo Levu in Fiji’s Mamanuca Island group.

Tropica Island Resort can also coordinate elopements and weddings for up to 80 guests, with at least four weeks’ notification. The Au Domoni Iko (I love you) wedding package is FJD$3,600 and includes a Beachside ceremony, wedding

licence, traditional Fijian warrior escorts of the bride, serenaders during the ceremony and more.

Couples booking a honeymoon for a minimum of four nights also receive a complimentary spa treatment per person, a bottle of sparkling wine and a His & Hers Tropica sulu. Rates are priced from FJD$1,299 per night, inclusive of breakfast and nightly turndown service.

■ See www.tropicaisland.com.

ROMANCE

HAWAI’I TUGS AT THE HEARTSTRINGS AMERICA’S ‘Aloha State’ witnessed increased growth from the couples segment out of Australia in 2017, with just over one third of travellers to Hawai’i falling within that visitor category, according to data collated by Hawai’i Tourism Oceania. The ‘couples’ market was five percentage points ahead of Hawai’i’s ‘other family or friends & family’ (28.7%) and ‘family with children’ segments (22.3%).

Hawai’i Tourism Oceania country manager Australia, Giselle Radulovic said the US island state offered something for every type of couple. “With six different islands to explore, couples can choose to kick back on O’ahu’s Waikiki Beach, hike across lava fields on the Island of Hawai’i, discover Maui’s farm to table foodie scene or enjoy the natural beauty of lush Kaua’i,” she said. That as well as boasting the service

Makena Beach ©HTA

and amenities of a US destination, all in a tropical setting unique to Hawaii.

After Oah’u, Hawaii’s second most frequently visited island by Australian couples is Maui, which so happens to be the most popular Hawaiian Island for destination weddings too, Radulovic said. The picturesque seaside resort community of Wailea is a great option for couples. “It exudes a sense of privacy, serenity and freedom spread across an area three times the size of Waikiki”.

Couples visiting the area are spoilt for choice when it comes to romantic hotels and resort options. The exquisite Hotel Wailea, part of the Relais & Chateaux collection, is Hawai’i’s only adults-only resort. The resort features 72 luxurious one-bedroom suites spread across 15 acres, and it offers guests a variety of complimentary activities

throughout the week. Other properties on Mau’i that are geared towards couples as boutique “adults-preferred” accommodation include The Plantation Inn and Hoolio House B&B, Radulovic suggested.

On Kaua’i’s sunny south coast there’s the popular Plantation B&B Inn, while on Hawai’i the intimate Island Goode’s ticks the boxes for newlyweds, honeymooners and partners.

There are great options for luxury properties on O’ahu. “Halekulani and The Royal Hawaiian which overlook Waikiki Beach are stand-outs for couples,” Radulovic added.

For couples considering tying the knot or eloping, most Hawai’i resorts & hotels are well equipped to host ceremonies and receptions. And being a state of the US, those in the LGBT community are also able to marry in Hawai’i.

Get to know your BDM Name: Amelya Grey How long have you been working as a BDM for Crystal Cruises?

Since the opening of the Australian Crystal office – approximately 15 months.

What is your favourite destination?

One of my favourites would have to be Papua New Guinea – the islands on the outskirts are just so picturesque, very calming with beautiful clear blue waters to snorkel and explore. I loved the sheer rawness of the culture and every village had its unique existence. Meeting the friendliest locals and

falling in love with the cutest kids – biggest smiles and the fuzziest hair.

Second to that would be New York – the city that never sleeps. Two completely different experiences.

What do you love about your job?

Meeting and staying connected with interesting people and being able to share my passion for cruising on a daily basis along with being part of an exciting company like Crystal which is forever evolving.

What destinations are on your bucket list?

Anywhere in the Arctic, South America and sailing in Croatia.

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LAST WORD

UNUSUAL EXPERIENCES IF YOU have clients heading to Seoul in the next few months and wanting something a bit quirky then point them to the JW Marriott Dongdaem Square.

Here until the end of May 2018 they can try the Strawberry buffet at The Lounge – called ‘Salon de Ddalki with BARBIE’. Yes that Barbie!

The buffet of strawberry themed desserts makes the most of South Korea’s soft, sweet and vibrant in season harvest, with

cupcakes, strawberry tiramisu, macarons just a few of the sweet treats on offer. Also included are a main dish and drinks.

The drinks include strawberry smoothies or rose sparkling wine plus tea and coffee.

Every table has it’s own vintage Barbie doll even a few Ken’s can be seen!

This will be a thrill for anyone who loves Barbie, pink or strawberries. Beware it is popular so bookings do need to be made in advance.

APP HAPPY SEARCHING for wifi overseas can be quite an ordeal, especially when you’re lost or need it quick, and no-one really wants to use their data and incur those outrageous overseas usage charges.

This can mean we find our location being dictated by where there is strong free Wi-Fi (think the touristy areas with a Starbucks or McDonalds), instead of immersing ourselves in the local stores or hidden gems in cities.

Enter WiFi Map, a fantastic app with a database of over 120 million free Wi-Fi hotspots, all over the world. The crowdsourced app allows users to add, update and comment on the quality of individual WiFi hotspots based on personal experience. It also means that the hotspots are not just in the big cities of the world but also the small towns, villages and remote areas.

Its creators believe that internet has become a basic human right, and want to give everyone access to it, wherever you are.

So how does it work? By harnessing the power of the sharing economy, users add new WiFi locations as well as any extra information such as passwords or quirks with the network.

The community of users can then access these networks, comment on the quality, and update any details that may have changed.

The hot-spots can be viewed on the map or in a list form, with passwords and details clearly displayed. It also tracks which hotspots you’ve been to, submitted and rated, and lets you interact with other travelers doing the same.

Don’t worry about needing WiFi to get WiFi either, it can store the map completely offline… as long as you remember to download it before you leave.

The app is free so download it and stop worrying about those pesky roaming charges. It’s available for download on the App Store or get it on Google Play store.

RIDDLE ME THIS A Japanese cruise ship was sailing in the Pacific Ocean. Before going to have a shower, the captain of the ship took off his diamond chain and his Rolex, and placed them on a shelf in his cabin.

When he returned from his shower ten minutes later, both the chain and the watch were missing! He called together the four members of crew who had access to his cabin, to try and get to the bottom of it.

The first to arrive was the ships food and beverage manager. As soon as he walked in, the captain asked him “where have you been for the last ten minutes?” He answered “I was in the cold storage room to select the meat for lunch!”

The next to arrive was the ship’s first mate, the captain repeated his question to him, and learnt that the First Mate was at the top of

the ship correcting the flag which had been put upside down.

After this, a housekeeper arrived. It turned out that he had been sleeping, after working the night shift cleaning many of the ships common areas.

The last to arrive was the Chief Engineer. When asked where he had been, he responded that he had been in the generator room ensuring that the ship generators were working correctly.

After a couple of moments the captain grabbed the thief and demanded his goods back.

Who was the thief and how did the captain figure out who he was?

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A: It was the first mate: the Japanese flag is the same upside down as it is right way up

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Win flights to anywhere on Royal Brunei Airlines’ network Royal Brunei Airlines is celebrating four years of flying from Melbourne to London with the 787 Dreamliner.

Show us in a photograph or meme how you would best celebrate with Royal Brunei Airlines on the 787 Dreamliner to London.

Make sure you include the RBA Dreamliner in your entry.

The most creative entry will win two return Economy Class tickets from Melbourne to anywhere on the Royal Brunei network.

Send your entries to rba@traveldaily.com.au by COB 30 April.

Royal Brunei Airlines Business Class offers forward facing seats which convert to a 180 degree lie-flat bed in an intimate cabin of only 18 seats.

Royal Brunei Airlines Economy Class offers a very generous 33 inch pitch seat with a 9 inch touch screen in seat entertainment system.

Terms and conditions apply. See travelbulletin.com.au for details.

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*Conditions apply. SEE: travelmarvel.com.au/specialdeals for full conditions. Price is per person (pp), AUD, twin share, and includes savings. Price is correct as at 13 March 2018. EUTCR15 price based on 2 December 2019. Cat. E window stateroom including a Bonus Early Payment Discount of $500pp. BONUS EARLY PAYMENT DISCOUNT: Tour must be paid in full 10 months prior to travel. OFFERS: Limited seats on set departures are available and are subject to availability. DEPOSITS: A non-refundable deposit of $1,000 pp is due within seven days of booking. Australian Pacific Touring Pty Ltd. ABN 44 004 684 619. ATAS accreditation #A10825. TM4300