TravelBulletin for May 2018 - Bruce Piper explores fairness and the gender pay gap, features on

May 2018

CRUISE THE KIMBERLEY ABERCROMBIE & KENT STYLE

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“I come from the saltwater people, We always lived by the sea.”

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CRUISE THE KIMBERLEY IN A&K STYLE Explore the pristine Kimberley coastline aboard the all-new, all-luxury ‘Le Laperouse’, exclusively chartered and reimagined by Abercrombie & Kent. Specially configured for only 150 guests, with beautifully-appointed cabins and spacious suites, all with balconies, plus a fi rst-of-its-kind underwater lounge, infi nity pool, and exquisite dining.

A&K’s elite Expedition Team includes award-winning naturalists, conservationists and photographers, who will be with you throughout the voyage to bring to life some of Australia’s and the world’s most spectacular landscapes and seascapes. Soak it all in while you meander through far-flung islands, ancient cultures, stunning tidal waterfalls, and biodiverse coral reefs.

Highlights of the 12 night journey from Broome to Darwin include the extraordinary Horizontal Falls, Montgomery Reef, the cave art at Raft Point, frequent Zodiac excursions, sea turtles and saltwater crocodiles, a helicopter fl ight to Mitchell Falls, and a fi xed-wing fl ightseeing experience over the Bungle Bungles, all included.

Don’t miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to experience one of the world’s last great wildernesses in incomparable A&K style.

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abercrombiekent.com.au

*Terms and Conditions apply. See website for details.

MAY 2018

FAIRNESS AND THE GENDER

?

PAY GAP

CANADA & ALASKA CARIBBEAN SKIING IRELAND ARABIA

The Ultimate Territory Adventure in Style The Northern Territory is a land of striking contrasts, from the Red Centre’s ancient secrets and majestic natural wonders to the Top End’s vibrant floodplains and hidden waterfalls. All are waiting to be explored with Inspiring Journeys on the new Ultimate Territory Adventure in Style.

Travelling with a group of no more than twenty like-minded guests, you’ll visit the heartland of Australia and experience it’s most sacred landscapes, view beautiful rock art dating back thousands of years, sample delicious and authentic bush tucker and hear stories of the Dreamtime.

DISCOVER

IMMERSE

World Heritage listed Kakadu & Litchfield National Parks

Learn about rock art at Ubirr and Uluru

Uncover the Mary River on a safari cruise Iconic Uluru (Ayers Rock)

Enjoy an exclusive Aboriginal cultural experience Hike to the top of Kings Canyon for magnificent views

EXPLORE

RELAX

The 36 mystical domes of Kata Tjuta (the Olgas)

Toast an Uluru sunset with sparkling wine

Climb Nourlangie for spectacular views over Kakadu National Park

Experience a spectacular Red Centre sunrise

Get off road on the Marrakai 4WD track

Swim at Gunlom Falls and Wangi Falls

10 Day Inspiring Journey from

Quintessential reasons to choose Inspiring Journeys

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12643a

CONTENTS

16 30 42

48 FEATURES

COVER STORY

30 Canada & Alaska

16 Fairness and the gender pay gap

Brian Johnston paddles the Sunshine Coast in Canada

48 Skiing Uncover the ski resorts which are hidden gems with Emma Lovell

54 Ireland Kristie Kellahan gives us eight reasons to visit the Emerald Isle

58 Arabia Ben Groundwater discovers Iran

Find out about all the newest river ships launching in 2018

28 Industry in Focus

Bruce Piper investigates the gender pay gap in the travel industry

42 Caribbean Ben Piper explores the huge variety of islands that make up this region

24 Cruise

47 Brochures 62 Last Word

MONTHLY

COLUMNS

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

02 State of the industry 08 Issues and trends 20 Business view 22 Business Events News

06 Steve Jones 08 AFTA View 10 ATEC View 23 PCMA-ICESAP View 27 CLIA View

This month’s contributors Steve Jones, Joel Katz, Jayson Westbury, Peter Shelley, Nigel Gaunt, Mark Carter, Bruce Piper, Ben Groundwater, Kristie Kellahan, Brian Johnston, Ben Piper, Emma Lovell, Natasha Glazenburg, Michael Pound, Andrew Clark, Andy Roberts, Sarah Fairburn, Jasmine O’Donoghue, Adam Bishop, Jon Murrie, Guy Dundas Above – Canada image © Destination BC / Danielle Hayes; Skiing image © Silent A photography, courtesy of the West Shore Cafe & Inn

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

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Avg Net Distribution per Issue

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

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 MAY 2018

1

STATE OF THE INDUSTRY

From the publisher Bruce Piper

IN BRIEF

2

WHO needs a Mills & Boon novel when you can watch the ups and downs of the love affair between Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia?

It has been captivating to watch the evolving relationship between the carriers over the last eight years.

Like many now estranged couples, they started off as best friends, and after some tentative hand-holding ended up in a committed partnership with a wide-ranging metal-neutral trans-Tasman alliance launched in 2010. The pair took the romance to the next level shortly thereafter, becoming “friends with benefits” as Air New Zealand took a 26% shareholding in the Australian-based carrier, alongside other cornerstone airline investors including Singapore Airlines and Etihad.

All seemed rosy, but behind the scenes there were some problems brewing, most notably about what each carrier’s approach should be to other markets such as North and South America. Tensions in the boardroom erupted into the public arena in 2016 when NZ CEO Christopher Luxon put his money where his mouth was and sold out of Virgin Australia after what seems to have been a strong disagreement with VA CEO John Borghetti.

The trans-Tasman alliance

Tourism Australia casts net TOURISM Australia’s long running “There’s nothing like Australia” marketing tagline looks set to be replaced, with the agency last month making requests for Expressions of Interest from brand and creative agencies “to help evolve its brand strategy and creative direction”. TA said it wanted to develop a compelling and differentiated brand positioning to attract high-value travellers, along with a robust creative platform on which to base “engaging global and local/regional campaigns”. Speaking with travelBulletin at Australian Tourism Exchange in Adelaide, TA MD John O’Sullivan said “we are open-minded about how best to position the country”.

During his ATE presentation O’Sullivan also showcased the highly successful campaign run during the recent Superbowl football final in the USA, which was the culmination of various teasers about a prospective movie sequel to Crocodile Dundee. The tongue-in-cheek promotion

travelBulletin MAY 2018

continued, but the pair were now more like “frenemies” (perhaps holding things together for the sake of the kids?) as Air New Zealand pursued its Americas strategy which heavily targets Australian traffic to Canada, the USA and South America – focussing on many of the same passengers sought by Virgin Australia for its chopping and changing Los Angeles services.

NZ’s heavily trade-focused approach has borne significant fruit, and now sees the carrier operating one-stop via Auckland from across Australia to Vancouver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, Buenos Aires and the soon-to-launch Chicago.

Like many stories of great passion, the love affair has now ended in tears, with the carriers deciding not to seek renewal of the Tasman alliance, which was set to expire in October 2018. With each airline going its own way, in the short term it looks like a bloodbath on routes between Australia and NZ, as both aggressively boost capacity and frequencies in a market where they previously enjoyed a reasonably strong combined position.

And the future? Continuing on the relationship theme, the industry is naturally keen to see who each carrier ends up in bed with next.

was ultimately revealed as a tourism promotion, and acheived record results with more than 13,000 media articles and 101 million video views on social media. As 2020 approaches O’Sullivan noted the success of the Tourism 2020 targets, with future aspirations for the industry currently being developed by a newly constituted tourism steering committee headed up by former Sydney Airport CEO Kerrie Mather.

Air NZ, Virgin Australia split AIR New Zealand and Virgin Australia last month confirmed they would not renew their long-running trans-Tasman alliance – and shortly thereafter began announcing capacity increases and new routes which indicate the route between Australia and New Zealand has become a new aviation battleground. Air NZ chief commercial officer Cam Wallace told travelBulletin the decision reflected the changing dynamics of the market, along with a recognition that the

withdrawal of Emirates flights between Australia and Auckland was likely to make ACCC reauthorisation of the alliance difficult, given that NZ and VA have a combined market share of more than 50% on the Tasman.

Virgin Australia group executive Rob Sharp said the change “allows us to capitalise on an opportunity,” with the carrier set to lift frequencies on key business sectors and also launch new routes from Melbourne to Queenstown and between Sydney and Wellington. There’s also widespread speculation that VA will deploy its low-cost Tigerair Australia brand on the Tasman. The existing alliance terminates from 27 October, with the carriers continuing to work on the fine details of the split including whether they will continue to codeshare or interline on feeder traffic to and from their respective domestic networks.

TMS TAKES OVER INPLACE

LAST month veteran travel industry recruiter Sandra Chiles started a new chapter, handing over the baton of inPlace Recruitment to TMS Talent’s John Terry. Chiles recently celebrated 37 years in travel recruitment and said she was thrilled at the acquisition of her business. “I couldn’t be happier with the new direction and exciting opportunities that lie ahead,” she said. Terry has driven recent expansion of the TMS brand, initially founded by Gary Marshall and Phil Hoffmann and now owned by Steve Hamblin. TMS has acquired London-based New Frontiers and also in recent years opened offices in Brisbane, Melbourne and Bangkok.

Flight Centre fined $12.5 million THE long-running stoush between Flight Centre and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission culminated in the imposition of a whopping $12.5 million fine last month. The penalty was the latest twist in the saga which saw Flight Centre lose an initial judgement in 2014 and fined $11 million – which was later reversed on appeal in 2015. The ACCC appealed again and won in the High Court, with a subsequent penalty hearing resulting in last month’s fine. The basis of the case was allegations that Flight Centre attempted to influence some airlines, including Emirates, Singapore Airlines and Malaysia Airlines, not to offer cheaper fares direct to consumers than it made available via the Flight Centre agency channel.

Speaking to travelBulletin prior to the penalty being handed down, Flight Centre MD Graham Turner slammed the case as a “waste of everyone’s time and money” and said it had made little difference to the way the company worked with airlines. He said he wasn’t sure “what technicality they got us on in the end,” but suggested it may relate to the language used in negotiations. “We may have told airlines on a handful of occasions that we would not be undercut...the other

“

We may have told airlines on a handful of occasions that we would not be undercut... the other 990 times we said we want access to the same fares you have on your website or which other people have

”

Graham Turner, MD Flight Centre

990 times we said we want access to the same fares you have on your website, or which other people have.

That has been our story forever and [this ruling] hasn’t changed that. We’re not going to support someone who won’t give us their best fares,” Turner added, concluding: “the company is not in the business of attempting to make airfares more expensive”.

Millions owed to Si Holidays creditors THE bad news around the collapse of Si Holidays continued last month, with revelations from the company’s administrators that the business owed suppliers, travel agent clients and employees more than $5.5 million.

Of that grim total $831,000 was due to agents, while the company’s long-suffering staff missed out on entitlements worth almost $650,000.

Administrator Damian Hodgkinson from Dem Asia Group gave a rundown on the reasons for the collapse, including the revelation that when the business was purchased by Tui Eruera from Mastercard in late 2016 it was recording losses of more than $2.2 million annually.

Almost 200 hotels and accommodation wholesalers are owed $4 million, including Outrigger Hotels Hawaii which had $415,000 outstanding and Dubai-based Destinations of the World which was owed around $600,000. The creditors list included 192 travel agencies including iTravel which was owed over $43,000, Destination HQ owed $48,000 and $36,000 outstanding to American Express Centurion.

Hodgkinson said the business had revenue of $22 million for the year to 31 December but had “insufficient capital to support its transition from a high volume low margin wholesaler to a high margin wholesaler”.

Fiji cancels annual trade show THE timing of this year’s Fijian Tourism Expo turned out to be rather unfortunate, with a pending cyclone forcing the abrupt cancellation of the event just two days before it was set to take place. An official communique advised the show had been called off “because of safety concerns for Continues over page

travelBulletin MAY 2018

3

STATE OF THE INDUSTRY Continues from previous page

HEADLINES 23 Mar QF, EK hail ACCC ruling 23 Mar Record year for Australia 26 Mar ATAS charter for review 26 Mar Qantas enters new era 27 Mar Fiji Airways record profit 27 Mar HLO’s Tango enhanced 28 Mar Air NZ confirms Chicago 28 Mar Staycations nudge 100m 29 Mar Si Holidays owes $5.5m 03 Apr

Virtuoso regional growth

03 Apr

Seychelles targets Australia

04 Apr

Royal revamps deposits

04 Apr

$12.5m Flight Centre fine

05 Apr

Air NZ splits with Virgin

05 Apr

Turner on ACCC ‘waste’

06 Apr

Agents key for international

06 Apr

Uniworld plots waitlisting

09 Apr

U by U average age rising

09 Apr

Tourism Fiji cancels FTE

10 Apr

NZ reveals Tasman plans

10 Apr

Fiji battens down hatches

11 Apr

Cover-More adds CFAR

11 Apr

Etihad plots Perth pullout

12 Apr

Tech driving agent bookings

12 Apr

Aus Govt pro QF/AA jv

13 Apr

Google booking insights

13 Apr

Donghai confirms Darwin

16 Apr

Nothing Like Australia to go?

16 Apr

VA upping the Tasman ante

17 Apr

QF ramps up agent site

17 Apr

HLO inbound riding high

18 Apr

Air Canada MEL increase

18 Apr

Costsaver set to expand

19 Apr

Outbound travel slowing

19 Apr

AC grows support team

20 Apr

NSW backs transPacific JV

20 Apr

Dubai blockchain vision

4

travelBulletin MAY 2018

all delegates due to the deteriorating and serious weather conditions”.

The storm, which developed into the Category 3 Cyclone Kani, passed about 200km from Viti Levu leading to heavy rain and strong winds, along with localised flooding and the cancellation of all flights to and from Nadi.

The show had been scheduled to take place 10-12 April at the Sheraton Fiji on Denarau Island, and following the cancellation full refunds of registration fees were being provided. However the timing meant that hundreds of exhibitors and delegates were already in Fiji, meaning that after the storm passed on the Monday they were able to reconfirm appointments. The show had been set to feature about 100 exhibitor booths showcasing their wares to 150 international buyers, although Tourism Fiji confirmed that hosted buyer slots for the event had been “cut down dramatically” this year.

QF ramps up agent connection QANTAS last month relaunched its industry sales operations under a new “Qantas Agency Connect” brand,

including a revamped agent website and the renaming of the former Qantas Industry Centre as the Qantas Agency Connect Team. The initiative will evolve throughout the year, with the aim of providing consultants with a one-stop online shop where they can manage bookings, find information and service customers 24/7. Name corrections, waitlisting, fare quotes, ticket requests and bookings (at this stage for domestic and trans-Tasman sectors) can be made on the site, which also offers intuitive navigation and a modern look and feel.

Access to the site is available for consultants using an IATA or TIDS number along with an agency password. Agency managers are required to register this month to ensure access to full functionality, with passwords required from the beginning of June. Agencies that were already registered for the previous Qantas Industry Sales site don’t need to re-register. Along with the new site, the carrier has also launched a range of benefits for agents who complete training on the ‘Learning Hub’ including access to discounted fares, Qantas Shop discounts and tickets to sports games, concerts and events.

BERNARDI’S INBOUND VENTURE

ONE of the new exhibitors at Australian Tourism Exchange in Adelaide last month was Australia and Beyond Holidays, which is chaired by Simon Bernardi. Bernardi, who also continues his close involvement with Travel Partners, has wide experience in inbound operations. Australia and Beyond offers a sophisticated FIT online booking platform,

is ATAS accredited and holds Approved Destination Status for the inbound Chinese market. Last year the company welcomed more than 400 groups to Australia and is currently experiencing strong growth, Bernardi told travelBulletin. He’s pictured at left with Duncan Choo of Holiday Tours & Travel Singapore and Australia & Beyond GM Leon Ellas.

DATA ROOM

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

DOMESTIC ON TIME PERFORMANCE

ARRIVALS

February 2018

Jetstar

Qantas

Arrivals on time Departure on time Cancellations

81.3% 79.0% 1.1%

Arrivals on time Departure on time Cancellations

DEPARTURES

Top 10 destinations, Feb 18

87.7% 88.9% 1.0%

Source

Trend (000)

Original (000)

China UK United States New Zealand Japan Hong Kong Singapore Malaysia India South Korea ALL INBOUND

115.2 64.3 70.2 113.4 37.5 23.9 34.4 29.3 27.8 24.1 752.7

226.9 85.7 84.1 83.7 42.6 34.1 32.3 30.6 28.0 26.2 914.5

Trend Jan 18/ Feb 18 % +0.0 +0.8 +1.3 -0.1 +0.4 -1.2 -1.5 -3.2 +0.6 -3.4 +0.0

Top 10 destinations, Feb 18

Trend Feb 17/ Feb 18 % +6.8 +5.1 +10.3 +1.0 +3.3 +7.4 -5.2 -9.4 +19.3 -0.2 +4.8

Source: ABS

Destination

Trend (000)

New Zealand Indonesia United States India Japan Thailand China Singapore Vietnam UK ALL OUTBOUND

116.9 94.9 88.8 32.8 36.2 49.1 43.8 33.2 27.9 55.0 888.1

Original (000)

Trend Jan 18/ Feb 18 % -0.3 +0.5 +0.0 +0.4 +0.2 -0.5 -1.1 -1.7 -0.7 +0.9 +0.1

116.9 77.0 61.0 47.2 45.6 37.9 34.0 24.9 23.8 23.0 1,336.7

Trend Feb 17/ Feb 18 % -2.5 -5.6 -2.4 +12.7 +13.1 +5.9 -0.7 -5.0 +23.0 +3.0 +2.6

Source: ABS

ENDED DECEMBER 2017 All airlines

Arrivals on time Departure on time Cancellations

84.3% 85.5% 1.3%

-1.5%

86.8% 88.6% 1.2%

1%

Virgin Australia

Arrivals on time Departure on time Cancellations

-0.

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

+4

DOMESTIC AIR MARKET

.6 %

January 2018

+3 .3%

+ 0.

Dec-17

Nov-17

Oct-17

Sep-17

Aug-17

Jul-17

*Percentage points difference

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

5.08m 6.06bn 7.63bn 79.5 51.7

.6 %

4.98m 5.98bn 7.56bn 79.1 51.5

Yr to Yr to Growth Jan 17 Jan 18 % OUTBOUND 59.12m 60.08m +1.6 69.52bn 70.09bn +0.8 89.11bn 88.26bn -0.9 78.0 79.4 1.4* 644.0 638.9 -0.8

+1

INBOUND

Growth % +2.1 +1.5 +0.9 0.4* +0.4

-5.3%

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

Jan 18

+1.5%

Jan 17

+2.5%

8%

-2.2%

Source: BITRE

INTERNATIONAL AIR MARKET SHARE

INTERNATIONAL AIR ROUTES

International Passengers by Major Airlines - Year ended December 2017

International passengers by major airline – year ended Jan 2018

Top 10 city pairs, Jan 2018

Qantas Airways, 16.4% Qantas Airways,

City pair

16.4%

Others, 30.7%

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 3.9% AirAsia X,X,4.0%

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

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

Year ended

Year ended

Year ended

Passengers YE Jan 18 1,567,653 1,485,298 1,415,468 1,230,816 1,147,829 1,078,194 972,864 885,031 839,802 822,848 11,445,803 28,253,609 39,699,412

% of total % change 18/17 3.9 -2.2 3.7 +1.6 3.6 +3.3 3.1 +2.5 2.9 +1.5 2.7 -0.1 2.5 +0.8 2.2 -1.5 2.1 -5.3 2.1 +4.6 28.8 +0.5 71.2 +6.7 100.0 +4.9

Source: BITRE

International Passengers by Uplift/Discharge City Pairs Australian

Passengers YE Jan 17 1,603,531 1,462,385 1,369,762 1,200,946 1,131,327 1,079,454 965,575 898,603 886,884 786,519 11,384,986 26,473,609 37,858,595

travelBulletin MAY 2018

% of

% Change

5

STATE OF THE INDUSTRY AUSTRALIAN AIRPORTS

MAIN DOMESTIC ROUTES

International passengers through Australia’s major international airports, Jan 18

Top 10 domestic city pairs, Jan 2018

City pair

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

Passengers Passengers % change YE Jan 17 YE Jan 18 (000) (000) 8,915.5

9,130.4

+2.4

4,668.4

4,738.6

+1.5

3,501.0

3,539.2

+1.1

2,697.8

2,747.1

+1.8

2,404.3

2,459.8

+2.3

2,076.1

2,031.8

-2.1

1,974.3

2,021.5

+2.4

1,874.4 1,754.0 1,568.8

1,895.4 1,712.1 1,628.5

+1.1 -2.4 +3.8

City pair

20 575 273 210 1,077 656

ATAS A AT TAS locations: TAS 2,920 total

69

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 COMPANIES come and go. Some flourish and expand. Some tick over, unremarkably. Others fizzle and flounder. Such is the nature of business. Not everyone succeeds.

But at what point do you call it a day? When is there no way back?

When do you owe it to your suppliers and industry partners to pull the plug?

Si Holidays was one such venture that withered on the vine. In early March, after weeks of uncertainty, it ceased trading and was placed into voluntary administration.

The writing had been on the wall weeks earlier when the operation

6

travelBulletin MAY 2018

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 Jan 17 15,214,160 9,727,392 5,467,082 4,381,844 1,101,200 934,029 649,171 276,333 31,839 42,092 15,318 8,088 10,047 37,858,595

Passengers YE Jan 18 16,064,967 10,364,406 5,750,592 4,369,747 1,079,272 974,282 664,820 271,810 85,359 49,294 13,719 7,439 3,705 39,699,412

% of total % change 18/17 40.5 +5.6 26.1 +6.5 14.5 +5.2 11.0 -0.3 2.7 -2.0 2.5 +4.3 1.7 +2.4 0.7 -1.6 0.2 +168.1 0.1 +17.1 0.0 -10.4 0.0 -8.0 0.0 -63.1 100.0 +4.9

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

Source: BITRE

put up the ‘for sale’ sign after confessing the travel wholesale market was proving to be a “very challenging environment”.

It was a sentiment no doubt shared by plenty of wholesalers who have struggled to maintain their relevance in a splintered and disorderly market.

Consolidation, Si Holidays said, was the logical step forward. But a deal did not materialise. The rest is history.

We now learn that Si Holidays owed $5.5m at the time it closed its doors, including nearly $1m in staff salaries and entitlements and $900,000 to Australian travel agents.

Should owner Tui Eruera have called time earlier and prevented the accumulation of such debts? After all, the business had been losing money ever since Eruera acquired it from Pinpoint Travel Group in October 2016.

Until administrator Dem Asia Group delves deeper into the finances of Si Holidays it is impossible to say with any authority, or clarity, and I am not for a moment suggesting Si Holidays traded while insolvent.

But it does raise the question of whether companies, and individual directors, push the boundaries too far in the struggle to stay afloat. In many cases, they undoubtedly do, with little regard to the financial damage their continued trading inflicts on others.

“

It does raise the question of whether companies, and individual directors, push the boundaries too far in the struggle to stay afloat

”

Whether it’s desperation, panic or sheer blind hope that keeps firms trading, it’s no excuse for the trail of financial chaos they leave behind.

In Si Holidays case, the temptation to keep trading even as the cash wells ran dry would have been particularly overwhelming. Its transition from a high volume, low margin business to low volume, high margin appeared to have been making progress as gross margins had climbed from 7.5% to 10.5%.

But it was too little, too late.

Some agents turned to social media channels to express their anger. That is to be expected.

Retailers are often at the sharp end – blamed in other words – when travel plans go awry, so the frustration was inevitable and understandable. Their reputations are also on the line and, through no fault of their own, consumer trust would have been dented.

If there is one positive to emerge from this mess, it’s that it may provide the wake-up call for more agents to join AFTA’s Insolvency Chargeback Scheme. According to the liquidator, only a few retailers stung by the collapse of Si Holidays were part of the program which was heralded at its launch last year as the “missing link in the travel industry reform agenda”.

I suspect a few more will be signing up soon.

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Just another way TAAP makes you the best agent.

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ISSUES & TRENDS DATA PROTECTION KEY

AFTA VIEW

THE implementation of strict new data protection laws in the European Union later this month is likely to have global impacts, with businesses in Australia being warned of the implications and urged to prepare for the changes. The new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into force on 25 May and represents a “once-in-a-generation tightening of privacy and data protection rules,” according to Sasha Kalb, vice president of compliance in Asia Pacific for American Express Global Business Travel.

Speaking to travelBulletin in Sydney last month, Kalb said the aim of GDPR is to ensure that businesses are transparent about how they handle individuals’ information – and the fines are massive for non-compliance. The rules apply to businesses of any size conducting any sort of transactions with customers or suppliers in the EU. “Under GDPR it’s essential for businesses to have Under GDPR it’s confidence that other firms to which they essential for businesses transfer personal to have confidence that data also meet other firms to which global protection regulations,” Kalb they transfer personal said, noting such data also meet global details would include protection regulations names and passport numbers involved with day-to-day Sasha Kalb, vice president of travel bookings. compliance in Asia Pacific, She said to deal American Express Global with GDPR, businesses Business Travel need to undertake a range of steps including maintaining a written report with details of all their data processing activities. They must ensure they are effectively and transparently communicating what happens to customer data, including having a “complete and compliant privacy notice” and ensuring that they have confidence in businesses to which they transfer personal data. Another key regulation mandates notification of any data breaches within 72 hours of their occurrence.

Kalb noted that Amex GBT’s legacy as part of a financial services company has placed it in a good position to meet the accountability requirements for GDPR, having since 2015 created, conducted and improved its Privacy Risk Management Programme which operates seamlessly with its other operations to ensure full accountability.

Jayson Westbury, chief executive AFTA

“

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8

travelBulletin MAY 2018

GENDER equality and diversity in the work place is without doubt a number one issue in the Australian commercial landscape this year.

That’s not to suggest that companies within the travel and tourism industry have not been consciously thinking about this and addressing issues that relate to this topic already, there is just clearly more focused attention this year.

For the Australian travel industry gender diversity is more likely a polar opposite to almost all other industries, apart from perhaps health, in that our workforce is 75% female. Even the leadership positions of the travel industry have an equality and diversity that most industries would love to have and are working towards.

When you look to the travel agency community this gender diversity is even more pronounced and I say this for the following reasons. The leadership teams of the largest travel agency companies in Australia at the most senior level are made up of both men and women. Flight Centre, CTM, Helloworld Travel, TTC, Webjet, MTA and Travel Counsellors just to name a few all have a balance at the top of both men and women.

In the agency environment there are hundreds of female agency owners, in fact our records would support more female agency owners than men. I often find myself in conversations within government where this fact comes as a surprise to politicians and bureaucrats and even more broadly across the globe.

So what does that really mean as a contribution to this debate?

Nothing more than that the The Australian travel Australian travel industry stands out as very gender diverse and industry stands we should be proud of the fact out as very gender that we are ahead of the game. diverse and we When it comes to pay equality then sadly I don’t have the stats should be proud of to support a strong view either the face that we are way and perhaps others who ahead of the game have done the research on this are able to contribute, but the Australian agency community may need to think about how we can attract more males into our entry and junior roles so that we don’t see a further gender inequality develop in our workforce.

The male-female debate in Australia is bound to continue for some time to come as many industries are yet to think about how to honestly address this. Education and training, career prospects and pathways, acceptance of diversity are all factors which ensure that an industry and its workforce are well-balanced.

It is an important topic which needs to be discussed both within the industry and across the Australian economy.

The travel industry is always on the lookout for good people to join it, we need a pipeline of people coming into our industry to ensure that our future workforce has the skills it needs and that we are known to be an industry that is open to all, always.

It might be time to just have a think about what you are doing in your workplace about this subject.

“

”

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ISSUES & TRENDS

UNIWORLD EUROPEAN FLEET MODERNISATION

INCREASING demand for more suites on its ships and refreshed interior spaces has seen Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection commit to making a “significant investment” in the overhaul of the company’s fleet of Europe-based vessels.

Last month, after 140 days at the Van Tiem shipyard in Druten in the Netherlands, Uniworld’s River Beatrice emerged following a top-to-tail transformation to become the company’s fifth “Super Ship” – and first existing vessel to receive the enhancement. Uniworld currently has a dozen ships operating on European waterways.

From Wolfgang’s bar and lounge aboard Super Ship Beatrice on the Danube during the ship’s maiden voyage from Budapest to Giurgiu under her new branding, Uniworld’s CEO Ellen Bettridge detailed the level of work involved in the overhaul to travelBulletin.

“Everything is new here. The yacht-like finishing, this style of ceiling was not here, the lighting was not here – this whole room was gutted and redone,” Bettridge explained.

“Downstairs and the dining room, completely gutted and redesigned. This nose, this room right here [she said pointing to the bow of the ship at Schubert’s café], didn’t exist at all.

“Previously the ship didn’t have a nose, so we now have a whole new space as well.”

“We’ve taken some cabins out [seven in fact] and we’ve added larger suites. We also added in Max’s at the back.

That used to be a little lounge at the back which really wasn’t utilised very much and so now we’ve made it into a fantastic space with a bar and restaurant, and there’s an outdoor sitting area right at the stern which is pretty cool,” Bettridge said.

While in drydock, SS Beatrice was also fitted with a new marble staircase, lavish Murano chandelier in the foyer, and an outstanding collection of artwork from Pablo Picasso, Alexander Calder and Pino Signoretto throughout.

Bettridge was tight-lipped about the specific spend Uniworld has ploughed into SS Beatrice’s refit, confirming it was a “multi million dollar investment”.

She said demand for suites across the line’s fleet was robust. “Over and over again we’ve heard from past guests that they want suites. We’ve also heard they want adjoining rooms, so that has been added on the Danube Deck for the family and multi-generational markets”.

During the voyage, Bettridge also confirmed to travelBulletin that Uniworld would be upgrading two additional ships in its fleet to the Super Ship status for the 2019 season, River Empress and River Royal, with the remaining five vessels in its European fleet also expected to receive multi-million dollar overhauls in coming years.

10

travelBulletin MAY 2018

ATEC VIEW Peter Shelley, managing director ATEC

TOURISM has become a international economic powerhouse as more and more of the global population looks to travel. Australia holds a strong place in the global market, with international tourism spending now delivering more than $40b to our economy.

But this is a highly competitive market and travel trends are changing quickly. People are seeking out unique experiences, bespoke itineraries and new frontiers. In a time-poor society, travellers want ease and convenience of access, and they want great service too. As ATEC has identified in its policy priorities, the key issues in maintaining our competitiveness as a destination include our ability to provide great visitor access and exceptional visitor experience.

Every contact a visitor has with a destination – from the first point of research, to the booking process, including in some cases applying for a visa – every touch point – is a ‘moment of truth’ between the intending traveller The key issues in and our wonderful destination.

And every ‘moment of truth’ must maintaining our be a positive experience. competitiveness as These experiences can a destination include make or break our destination our ability to provide appeal and being known as a friendly, streamlined and great visitor access quality destination is a and exceptional marketing asset we should visitor experience focus on. Tourism Australia has done this with the resurgence of the ‘Dundee’ campaign which elevates one of our greatest assets – good humoured, welcoming and friendly Australians.

While the Federal Government has done a great deal to deliver more efficiencies for international travellers, we are still seeing some issues in the system that are having an immediate negative impact.

One of these issues is how we are managing the growing Indian market. In the past few years, India has gone from ‘one to watch’ to a clearly growing market and in the 12 months to December 2017, this was our strongest growing market in both visitor numbers and spend.

At the same time, our members report increasing frustration with the visa approval system which is failing to keep up with these increasing volumes. Long visa processing times are now having a detrimental impact on decisions for not only Indian travellers, but also the Indian travel wholesaler and the inbound operators who facilitate their travel to Australia.

We now have Indian travel wholesalers thinking twice about putting Australia on their destination list. And the truth is that with so many other destinations competing aggressively for the Indian tourism dollar, we risk our destination being put in the too hard basket.

With so many first-time visitors, particularly those from nonEnglish speaking backgrounds, engaging with Australia, we need to make sure we get this visa equation right and that every touch point in the travel planning experience is a positive ‘moment of truth’.

“

”

FAKE NEWS: IS THE TRUMP SLUMP A STATISTICAL ERROR? FALTERING international tourism figures have plagued the US since the height of Donald Trump’s presidential election campaign, yet a surprise admission by statistical chiefs has raised the possibility it might have all been a terrible dream.

With arrivals down across most of America’s major markets – with the notable exception of Australia – observers had been blaming everything from the tone of Trump’s anti-immigrant tirades to the rhetoric around his attempts to impose travel bans on several Middle Eastern countries.

America’s overseas visitor numbers in the first nine months of 2017 were down 6.3% on the previous year, adding to a decline of 2.1% in 2016.

Now the US National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) says it is investigating discrepancies in its statistics, announcing it will not release any new data while it addresses “underlying technical issues”.

The move leaves the US travel industry

with no official figures to consider since the month of September, leading to observations that the government has effectively stiffled any analysis of the so-called “Trump Slump”.

But the NTTO has raised the possibility that arrivals might in fact be much higher than those reported, saying the discrepancies stem from international visitors being incorrectly counted as returning American citizens “resulting in a probable undercount for 2017”.

The US Travel Association welcomed the NTTO’s move to clarify the situation, but was cautious in its outlook.

“Even if changes to the official federal data reveal stronger numbers of visitors to the US in 2017 than previously reported, the fact will remain that while international travel is spiking globally, the US is losing share of that growing market to our competitors around the world,” said US Travel Association senior vice president for government relations Tori Barnes.

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ISSUES & TRENDS

INDUSTRY UPBEAT ON TOURING SALES The results are in, and they look good! There appears to be general optimism among travel agents selling group touring products, with 90% of respondents to the 2018 travelBulletin/Travel Daily Group Touring Survey saying they believe their sales of tours during the last year have increased or stayed the same.

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Similar patterns were seen when we asked agents for their own favourite brands, with APT coming out as the leader, followed by Scenic, Intrepid, Contiki, Trafalgar, Wendy Wu and G Adventures. The tours themselves were the main drivers of this preference, with “excellent product” cited by 68% of respondents as their reason for selecting a favourite. However “excellent service” came in a close second when it came to agents’ most favoured touring brands – significantly higher than “excellent reps” with 21%, “knowledgeable staff” with 14% and “value for money” at 12%.

Other key metrics measured in the poll

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sold by more than half of the respondents.

Other popular products included Intrepid, Insight Vacations, Contiki and AAT Kings, with Cosmos, Wendy Wu Tours and Globus rounding out the top 10 in terms of agent sales. In terms of brand recognition, Contiki was the brand most likely to be asked for by name, cited by 82% of respondents. That was fractionally ahead of Scenic and APT with an 81% brand recognition rating, dropping to 69% for Trafalgar, 58% for Insight Vacations, 54% for Wendy Wu Tours and 50% for both Globus and Topdeck.

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WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE?

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THE survey, which was conducted in late March, saw a stronger response than last year, possibly reflecting an increasing recognition of the potential of the group touring sector for agents. Just 12% of the agents polled said their sales had dropped, while almost half (43%) reported an increase.

By contrast in the 2017 survey only about a third reported that their group touring sales had risen.

Key insights from the agents included their perceptions of challenges for the touring sector, with 48% citing negative impacts from the “image of the group touring category”. Others said they were seeing strong competition from ocean and river cruising, while almost a third said there was “too much choice” given the plethora of generalist and niche operators covering the globe. Curiously, others perceived a lack of specialisation or differentiation among tour operators, while some said their clients considered group touring to be an ‘old fashioned’ type of holiday.

The study collated details on the actual tour brands sold by participants over the previous six months, with APT, Trafalgar and Scenic coming at the top of the table,

included excellence in sales representation, training and development, customer documentation and call centre service, with the top five in each category tabulated below: • Sales representation: APT (88.8%), Luxury Gold (88.6%), Travelmarvel (87.4%), The Africa Safari Co (85.3%) and Insight Vacations (82.5%) • Training & development: Trafalgar (55%), APT (52%), Contiki (48%), Wendy Wu Tours (44%) and Insight Vacations (43%) • Customer documentation: Scenic (82%), APT (79%), Abercrombie & Kent (68%), Grand Pacific Tours (66%) and Bench Africa (63%) • Call centre service: Asia Escape Holidays (76%), APT (76%), Grand Pacific Tours (74%), Bunnik Tours (70%) and Contiki (70%) The full report also details agent preferences when it comes to operator support for local area marketing, familiarisations, custom tours, innovation and trade incentives.

DEPARTURES A DRAMA Intriguingly, agents continued to cite cancellations of departures as a key issue they have to deal with. Despite lots of work in recent years to help balance supply and demand, respondents perceived Trafalgar

as the worst offender, with 40% of agents saying the operator “cancels tours the most”.

Other offenders in this area included Cosmos and Globus, cited by 23% and 21% of respondents respectively, followed by Insight

at 18% and Contiki with a 10% rating.

By contrast when asked which operators were “reliable in fulfilling advertised departures” the top rated company was APT with a 73% result. Albatross Tours and Bunnik

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The full 2018 travelBulletin/Travel Daily Group Touring Survey report is available for purchase - for details contact research@travelbulletin.com.au.

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A WAY TO GO FOR CATO The final section of the survey looked at perceptions of the Council of Australian Tour Operators (CATO). Compared to the 2017 survey, little appears to have changed in terms of awareness, with just 37% saying they knew about the organisation. Of those who knew about CATO, we also asked whether they had seen the CATO logo which is now being included on the advertising of many CATO member suppliers. Just 40% of those who were aware of CATO said they had seen the logo – and dishearteningly only 5% of respondents had actually used the CATO website to find suitable product for their clients.

Reliable in fulfilling advertised departures (%)

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Tours each achieved a 70% rating in this area, just ahead of Wendy Wu Tours with 67%, Grand Pacific Tours at 66% and Scenic at 64%.

PHILIPPINES GRAPPLES WITH SURPRISE SHUTDOWN THE Philippines tourism industry has been thrown into turmoil by the shock decision of President Rodrigo Duterte to close the country’s best-known holiday island for six months, putting the future of hundreds of hospitality businesses in doubt.

The island of Boracay – a 7km sliver of land in the Western Visayas region – is often cited on lists of the world’s top beaches, yet controversy around its inadequate sewage systems has led to a sudden shut-down that will affect up to a million visitors.

President Duterte last month described the island as a “cesspool” and accused businesses of dumping raw sewage into the surrounding sea. Tourism operators have complained for months about poor sewage

infrastructure, yet none had expected the drastic action ordered by the President, who said the move would allow rehabilitation of Boracay’s environment.

The bone-shaped isle caters to about one sixth of the Philippines’ total international tourists, having welcomed just over one million foreign visitors last year, as well as a million domestic arrivals. Total visitor spending equates to about $1.3 billion.

With the island abruptly closed from 26 April – and guards stationed at piers to prevent tourists landing – the island’s hotels have been forced to cancel thousands of bookings and establish new refund and rebooking policies. The island’s highest profile resort, the Shangri-La Boracay Island Resort & Spa, said it was

also working on a plan to care for its employees, but the longer-term fate of the island’s workers is uncertain.

Carriers including Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific have drastically scaled back their services to the gateways of Caticlan and Kalibo, reducing schedules to a handful of flights catering mostly to locals.

While the shut-down is promised to last a maximum of six months, Philippine media have been grappling with the President’s past comments to decipher his long-term goals. Duterte has in the past remarked upon re-designating land on Boracay for agriculture, leading to fears the island’s tourism industry will be caught up in the President’s land reform agenda, aimed at benefitting farmers.

travelBulletin MAY 2018

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COVER

FAIRNESS AND THE

PAY I

NTERNATIONAL Women’s Day in March this year became a focus for a range of travel industry events looking at issues of equality and fairness – in particular around the so-called “gender pay gap”. Polls such as the annual travelBulletin Travel Industry Salary Survey have repeatedly highlighted the fact that, as in many industries, women in travel are paid less on average than their male counterparts. On the face of it this looks deeply unfair – and more than that, it doesn’t seem to make sense. How can it be that in the travel sector, which is so heavily dominated by a female workforce at all levels, such discrimination continues to exist in this day and age?

Amid all of the emotion it is easy to be confused about what the actual issues are.

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travelBulletin MAY 2018

GENDER

GAP

Women get paid less than men, and we must do something about it! That’s the emotive catchcry being heard with increasing volume in the Australian travel industry – but is it accurate? And if it is true, why is it so and what is the answer? Bruce Piper tackles the touchy issue to untangle the facts of the matter from the fiction.

There is no question that in Australia pay rates should be equal for men and women – in fact it is illegal to discriminate between staff on the basis of gender, age, race, sexual orientation, political opinion, disability, pregnancy or marital status. There are strong provisions to enforce this and a host of government bodies and other organisations poised to battle unfairness in the workplace. So let’s look a little deeper to see if we can understand the basis of all the angst.

IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT PAY The Australian Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) is a government organisation formed to address this very issue, and provides some good insights into what is behind the phenomenon.

Workplace gender equality is not just about pay – it’s about ensuring that people are able to access and enjoy the same rewards, resources and

travelBulletin MAY 2018

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COVER opportunities regardless of gender. The fact that the pay gap exists does have long term implications for women – in particular it means that they are able to accumulate less retirement or superannuation savings. But there’s more to the issue than that.

The agency says the aim of gender equality is to achieve “broadly equal outcomes” for men and women, but notes that doesn’t imply identical outcomes. What is right for one person is not necessarily the solution for another – but the key is to provide the same opportunities regardless of gender. The WGEA says to achieve equality in outcomes requires four key actions: ■ Workplaces to provide equal pay for work of equal or comparable value; ■ Removal of barriers to the full and equal participation of women in the workforce; ■ Access to all occupations and industries, including leadership roles, regardless of gender; and ■ Elimination of discrimination on the basis of gender, particularly in relation to family and caring responsibilities.

Interestingly, the agency also notes that while achieving gender equality is important because it is the “right thing to do” it is also good because it is linked to the country’s overall economic performance.

Gender equality has been linked to improved productivity, better company results and an enhanced ability for businesses to attract talent and retain employees.

DOES THE PAY GAP EXIST? No Australian employer is legally allowed to pay females less than males. Yet the evidence is clear – women do earn less on average in the Australian travel industry than men. Last year’s travelBulletin industry salary survey found that the average income of respondents was $66,603. However women, who made up 73% of those surveyed, averaged $62,003 each annually, compared to almost $80,000 for men. That was a repeat of the pattern from the travelBulletin salary survey the previous year, where women averaged $50,494, versus men who earned $67,074.

Our survey results are mirrored by official figures gathered by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency. Legislation mandates that all non-public sector employers with 100 or more staff must lodge an annual report with the WGEA, summarising their performance on a number of “gender equality indicators” such as workforce and board composition, equality of remuneration between women and men, policies around flexibility and support for employees with family responsibilities,

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consultation with staff on gender equality and sex-based discrimination.

For 2017 there were 16 organisations which submitted figures which are collated under the “Travel Agency and Tour Arrangement Services” division of the WGEA report – covering a total of 16,247 employees.

70.8% of staff in the industry are female, and there was a 23.3% “total remuneration gender pay gap” for full-time industry employees.

But interestingly across most sectors of the industry, for senior staff the pay gap in the travel industry was significantly lower than other industries. For example, for key

“

Interestingly across most sectors of the industry, for senior staff the pay gap in the travel industry was significantly lower than other industries

”

management personnel, the pay gap across all industries was 24.9%, versus 14% for the travel industry. Similarly female senior managers in the travel industry earned 11.2% less than their male counterparts – compared to a 21.1% pay gap across all industries. As the graph below indicates, the travel industry gender pay gap is significantly smaller than the rest of the economy.

While the WGEA doesn’t make public the details of the actual gap between different companies, it is possible to access the individual performance of large travel

industry organisations which is tabulated in the scorecard opposite. On this basis the best performers in the industry on a gender equity basis are Helloworld Travel, American Express Global Business Travel and Expedia Australia which have all analysed their payroll for gender gaps, have a gender equality policy for recruitment and offer full company-funded parental leave for staff.

IN A PERFECT WORLD… Economists have done lots of analysis of the gender gap in the workplace, with one of the most interesting studies recently involving millions of records courtesy of ride-sharing giant Uber. The disruptive innovator is part of the so-called “gig economy” which allows its workers to have complete flexibility in setting their hours. Uber’s fares are set by a completely gender-blind algorithm. When a driver is selected to pick you up the system doesn’t know whether they are male or female, and the pay structure is completely transparent, based on the length and distance of the ride and potentially a “surge multiplier” at times of peak demand.

When presented with this scenario, researchers expected the transparency and simplicity of the Uber model would intrinsically eliminate the gender pay gap. But amazingly the scientists from the University of Chicago found that male Uber drivers make about 7% more per hour than females.

How could this be? Further analysis aimed to determine why the women earned less, and after correlating a host of possible factors, they found there were three key influences.

The first was based on the time and location of trips. Male drivers were slightly more likely to

GENDER PAY GAP 2017 – TRAVEL INDUSTRY VERSUS ALL INDUSTRIES Clerical and Administrative Sales Senior managers Professionals Key management personnel All non-managers Other executives/general mgrs Full-time All managers 0%

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Total female staff

Total male staff

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Gender equality policy for recruitment

Analysed payroll for gender gaps

Company funds parental leave

American Express GBT

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APT

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Carlson Wagonlit Australia

242

99

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Consolidated Travel

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Corporate Travel Management

408

148

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Expedia Australia

204

165

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7,943

2,624

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GTA/Travelcube

59

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Helloworld Travel

698

300

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Hogg Robinson Group

142

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Intrepid Travel

151

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JTB Australia

104

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Sabre Travel Network

45

40

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Scenic

203

50

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SeaLink

464

630

17%

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STA Travel

343

126

50%

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The Travel Corporation

395

250

28%

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✔

✖

TravelEdge Pty Ltd

75

27

40%

✖

✔

✖

Travelex Limited

441

244

17%

✔

✖

✔

Company

Flight Centre Travel Group

choose neighbourhoods and destinations that generated more income – such as trips to the airport during peak periods, which were found to be completed by more men than women Uber drivers. Men were more likely to drive the overnight shift – but conversely in the USA female Uber drivers were more often working on a Sunday afternoon during the football season, which was also a high-yielding period.

The second driver of the difference was experience. The more trips an Uber driver had done, the higher their income because they were better at making money on the platform.

Men were much more likely to have been driving for Uber for more than two years, while the attrition rate of female drivers was higher as many ceased driving on the platform after about six months on average. Finally, there was a slight difference in driving style – in that the male Uber drivers were likely to drive about 2% faster than females. Together these three factors accounted for the 7% gender pay gap. The researchers noted that after stripping away all the other determinants, the Uber data revealed that just as in other industries, men and women are making different choices in the labour market so there are perfectly reasonable explanations for the pay gap.

WRAPPING IT UP During the 2018 International Women’s Day event in Sydney hosted by JITO Connected, the more than 500 female and male attendees were united in their pursuit of equality. There is no doubt the groundswell is completely in support of eliminating the gender gap – not just in pay but in advancement and seniority. The bottom line is that the Australian travel industry is a leader in gender equity when compared to the rest of the economy. The incredible flexibility the industry offers – including the huge array of home-based opportunities which allow workers to create an optimal work-life balance – makes it highly appealing to people who are caring for other family members, so no wonder there are so many women in travel.

As one of the speakers at the event noted, one of the best ways for males in the industry to help achieve equality is for them to say no – no to working on weekends, no to late night events, no to trips that take them away from their families. If men push back because of their responsibilities outside of the workplace, ultimately that will help to level

the playing field for everyone in the industry.

The Uber data shows that even under a perfect gender-blind economic model the pay gap still exists. If female Uber drivers adopted the patterns of their male counterparts – worked longer hours, stayed on the platform for longer to gain more experience and drove just a little bit faster – the research confirms that they would earn the same hourly rate as the men. But the reality is that they don’t, because men and women make different choices as drivers.

The same is true of the wider economy, and in particular the travel industry. Different choices made by women and men clearly do result in a gender pay gap, but the data indicates that in fact travel is significantly ahead of other sectors when it comes to a level playing field of opportunity.

By all means let’s continue to push for change. Let’s support women (and men) as they combine jobs with family responsibilities, and let’s make sure we remove barriers to equality in pay and opportunity.

But at the same time it’s important to recognise that in the end, having the freedom to choose how you balance your own work and life is the greatest equality of all.

travelBulletin MAY 2018

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BUSINESS VIEW

CAREER IN

FOCUS ANDREW CLARK

media, through to our colleagues and industry partners in Hong Kong.

Regional Director – Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB)

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

I’ve have just passed 15 years with the Hong Kong Tourism Board. Primarily, it is a marketing role promoting Hong Kong across Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific region, as a leisure and business destination.

We collaborate with various stakeholders across multiple sectors, not just tourism, to create marketing campaigns that show the destination in a positive light and inspire travellers to go there.

2. How did you start out in your career?

Were you always destined to work in the travel industry?

Having graduated in Biological Sciences at London University, I started my career as a graduate business trainee with Unilever’s agricultural division. After around four years, I decided I wanted to enter the burgeoning leisure sector and joined Ladbroke’s casino division, where I worked as a croupier in Knightsbridge, in London’s West End. Following this I moved to France to work for a tour operator. This ignited my passion for the travel and tourism industry and since then I haven’t felt the urge to change industries.

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

Yes, I hold a degree from London University.

However, in today’s workplace I don’t feel that formal qualifications are an absolute necessity for many roles in our industry. When looking for staff, I first and foremost look for the right attitude, enthusiasm and a desire to learn and be the best they possibly can be.

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

SARS and our subsequent recovery in 2003 is a standout and tested our crisis management and resilience.

Also, the demise of Ansett when I was with the Northern Territory Tourist Commission (NTTC), now Tourism Northern Territory (TNT), given that air access was so critical to the Northern Territory.

Anthony Lau, HKTB executive director (right) and Becky IP, HKTB deputy executive director (left) commemorating Andrew Clark for 15 years of service to HKTB.

“

In today’s workplace I don’t feel that formal qualifications are an absolute necessity for many roles in our industry

”

4. What do you love about your job?

Working with my team in particular.

Also, the ever changing marketing and tourism landscape and how consumers continually evolve the way they research, plan and book their travel. Then, how this impacts what strategy and resources are required to effectively inspire and influence them, through to not only the point of purchase but also so they share their experience with friends and family.

Lastly, dealing with a wide variety of stakeholders from airlines, travel trade and

6. What factors were central to your success?

Key factors which have contributed to my career growth have included having good colleagues working alongside me, being reliable and consistent, and also under promising but then over delivering.

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

No, but I did learn a lot from a number of managers and colleagues along the way. I found it was more a case of taking on board the better aspects of the corporate culture within some of the organisations for whom I’ve worked.

8. What are the keys to good business?

Recruit the best possible staff, and allow them to shine. You also need to provide clarity in the organisation’s direction and individual roles, and foster a positive “can do” and collaborative work culture.

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

I’m not sure about following in my footsteps; but as it’s a small industry, don’t BS – you’ll soon get found out! Deliver on your promises and go the extra mile when possible. People may not thank you directly but it is always noted.

PRESENTATION SKILLS HAVE SQUAT TO DO WITH DIGITAL

W

E MAY be in a technological era, yet the best presenters require nothing digital to engage their audience. Why? Because you have to remind yourself we are human beings living in a technological era.

Not technological beings living in a slightly human period. And humans experience their world through all the senses. Senses powerfully triggered and brought to life through skill and stories.

As a training manager with Contiki, for many years, presentation skills was one of the fundamental gifts I’d have to ensure trainees could leverage as powerfully as possible.

Great presentations (facing your audience, using no notes) made a massive difference to the customer experience. Think about it.

Every tourist destination on the planet is merely a municipality of a different size fused from the same elements of mud, bricks, mortar, water, people and, yes, perhaps some amazing architecture. Yet ultimately what would bring those cities to life would be the stories binding it all together. Knowing succinct facts, dates and detailed academic knowledge is great, yet what wakes people up are the stories you can hypnotically submerse their full senses in.

History is built on storytelling. Legends are created by storytelling. Cultures are bonded by it. Tribes flock around it. You’ll spend money-watching movies (stories) brought to life by directors and actors playing their parts. We read books (well edited, descriptive stories) and spend time with friends in the pub or at barbeques sharing exploits (even more stories) from the week or month that’s passed or our hopes and dreams relating to what’s about to transpire.

In his coffee table book, A Recipe For Dreaming, the author Bryce Courtenay, captures this same concept well. “Each of us is designed for one of two immortal functions, as either a storyteller or as a cross-legged eager listener to tales of wonder, love and daring. When we cease to tell or listen then we no longer exist as people.”

So I’ll say it again, we are human beings, living in a technological era, so our ability to deliver powerful presentations requires mastering the most powerful, unique,

technological component in every instance; ourselves. Start to see tech, (slides and aides) as icing on the cake to bring senses to life. Audio visual is especially easy to manipulate visual, auditory and kinaesthetic senses. But better still, do the same without.

Yes, there are skills to editing. Instructional design is a specialty within my field. Yet the delivery, presentation skills, is all you. I’ve got a complete program, ‘Orator’, targeting this gift. Here are 7 quick tips: 1) Appeal first to the heart then the head.

2) Master stories. Stories appeal to all the important senses.

3) Simple, succinct facts take care of the common sense and logic. Simplify facts to the core.

4) Keep flowing. Don’t get stuck on specifics. You’re the only one who knew what you were going to say.

5) Your energy is the ignition to spark the fire. How engaged do you want your audience? Throw that zest on the fire!

6) Be authentic and candid. An original, truthful you is better than any kind of fake, puppet mouthpiece or copy.

7) Nerves are normal. Nerves show you care. Embrace your nerves and have fun.

You can access some of this program content, including modules and tools from ‘Orator’ presentation skills program, via a complimentary profile in my online academy and learning management system: http://portal.markcarter.com.au/planRegister

Twenty years ago, Mark Carter worked for Contiki Holidays as industry trainer and leader across Europe. Today he’s a sought after speaker with global experience. He’s accredited in a plethora of behavioral science, leadership and sales tools in addition to two decades hands on global experience as a leading professional in the field of human development. You can access more of Marks content via his website & social channels: www.markcarter.com.au

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business events news

ACB SETS ITS SIGHTS ON ASIAN INVESTMENT

T

HE arrival of Steven Marshall as Premier of South Australia following the Liberal Party’s election win in March could trigger a swathe of new international investment opportunities, according to the Adelaide Convention Bureau (ACB).

Although the industry body has always prided itself historically on working with governments on a bipartisan basis, its chief executive officer Damien Kitto believes the change of public office will herald a greater level of support for the state’s business events sector.

“As part of the Marshall Government’s new policy platform moving forward will be a greater mandate for the ACB which will mean a greater level of investment in terms of bid funding to enable the city to compete globally in attracting international conventions and Asian incentives,” Damien Kitto told travelBulletin.

Kitto believes attracting Asian incentives will form a major pillar of South Australia’s strategic growth plan.

“The new government will provide additional resources to the Bureau for research business development activity… to help us bid for Asian incentives with a key focus on China and Indonesia in the shortterm,” he said.

“The key market will be China and Greater China, which includes Hong Kong of course, and the reason why the government is providing additional resources to lure these incentives is because they see Adelaide as the new opportunity in Australia, the city can be easily accessed, and our food and wine is exceptional,” he added.

“Chinese incentives alone are worth about $400 million to the Australian economy.”

Adelaide is no stranger to Asian events after landing the major health incentive Perfect China in June last year, one that Kitto believes exceeded even his lofty expectations.

“We had just under 3,000 delegates from Perfect China attend that incentive and the rating that we had from the client and the destination management company was 22

travelBulletin MAY 2018

exceptional – we were given a nine out of 10 rating,” he said.

Another important aspect of the ACB’s Asian incentive plan will be working on improving access from Asia to Adelaide.

“We already have great support from China Southern, eventually we would like to see them extend the number of flights per week and the SA Government and the Adelaide Airport are always trying to look for opportunities to grow access from Asia,” Kitto said.

“We also have loyal supporters like Singapore Airlines, Malaysian Airlines and Cathay Pacific and that access is good, but with further improvement to that access it will greatly assist our chances of securing more Asian incentives.”

Outside of its Asian focus, Adelaide has posted some very impressive numbers over the last five years, securing $725 million in business during that time and undertaking more than $5 billion worth of infrastructure development.

“With all of that investment it has also encouraged lots of private investment, so things like private hotel refurbishment and new hotels are now on the horizon from brands like Sofitel, Sheraton, Crowne Plaza, and the Adelaide Casino is also going through a $300 million redevelopment,” Kitto said.

In the last 12 months alone, the ACB reported the acquisition of 137 events which are estimated to attract more than 60,000 delegates to the city and generate $274 million into the South Australian economy.

When asked what set Adelaide apart from the rest of the country, Kitto said it was down to the city’s unique appeal.

“We’re basically a small city with a big city infrastructure which can deliver a boutique experience,” he said.

“Adelaide’s river bank is Australia’s best-connected business events precinct… and we call Adelaide the 20-minute city, it’s very walkable around the CBD and that really promotes a convenience aspect to prospective events.”

© SATC

© Tourism Australia © SATC

© Tourism Australia

business e Government grant to aid event growth A REPORT released by the Association of Australian Convention Bureaux (AACB) in April showed a decline in the number of international events to be hosted in Australia.

According to the Forward Calendar of Business Events, only 361 events are scheduled to take place, compared to 396 events six months ago.

While the loss – which equates to $1 billion in delegate expenditure – is significant, the Government’s $12 million Boosting Business Events Bid Fund program is on track to help secure more international business events.

“We are confident that the decline in our international positioning can be reversed with this increased investment from the Australian Government,” AACB chief executive officer Andrew Hiebl said.

Sibos to shine in Sydney THE world’s largest financial services event Sibos will take place for the third time in Sydney this year, when 7,000 delegates from around the world will converge on the International Convention Centre Sydney on 22-25 October.

Secured by BESydney, Sibos is a worldclass forum where attendees can debate global trends and challenges, as well as collaborate on solutions that have scope to shape the industry.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian applauded the event’s acquisition. “This is a huge event and one we have only secured because the NSW Government built a world-class convention and exhibition centre,” she said, adding that the scale of the event would “boost Sydney’s profile on the world stage.”

Novotel South Wharf opens MELBOURNE’S booming South Wharf has a new resident, with the opening of the Novotel South Wharf Hotel.

Located adjacent to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC), the $150m development will offer muchneeded support to the complex, which recently underwent a $350m expansion in response to the city’s growing business and events industry.

Novotel South Wharf general manager Glen Erickson said the hotel would play an important role in supporting these changes.

PCMA-ICESAP VIEW Nigel Gaunt, president, Professional Convention Management Association – The Incentive Conference & Event Society Asia-Pacific

TIME TO LIFT OUR COLLECTIVE GAME WHEN senior executives at one of Australia’s leading banks stand accused of conspiring with the owner of a business events agency to defraud their employer, it is hard to pick which industry comes off worst; the banking industry or the business events industry.

In the case of the banking industry it is already the subject of a Royal Commission, so it is probably just another piece of bad news to add to the pile of bad press the major banks have been attracting recently.

However, for the business events industry things are different, generally we are the good news industry. Steve Ciobo, Australia’s Minister for Trade, Tourism & Investment Tourism Minister, recently announced increased business events bid funding of $12 million through Business Events Australia. Inbound business events from places like China keep growing and show no sign of slowing. Domestically, more and more companies are turning to business events as a platform to educate, motivate & reward employees, channel partners and customers.

So, what is our multi-billion-dollar sector doing to impose some self-regulation on intermediary agencies like the one currently under investigation? Not much.

PCMA-ICESAP (Professional Convention Management Association – The Incentive Conference & Event Society Asia-Pacific) has developed intermediary agency accreditation, which is a voluntary scheme for agencies to be able to readily and cost effectively undertake accreditation.

It involves a probity check, a competency check, a code of conduct and a set of best practices.

Developed in consultation with the APEC Tourism Working Group over a two-year

business events news 28 Mar 28 Mar 04 Apr 04 Apr

Int’l events in decline: AACB ACB posts record event wins Sydney lands Sibos hat-trick Canberra flies ahead

period, we thought it was a no-brainer for agencies to get on board. I was wrong, with few beyond the large global agencies taking up the opportunity. Those who have are now enjoying the first-mover advantage. However, we wanted to ‘level the playing field’ between the larger and smaller agencies as, with ever increasing procurement protocols and processes, small agencies were being put off from bidding.

To date, little has been done to regulate agencies that are small to medium sized businesses. In real terms, agency accreditation offers the following benefits: it does a probity check on the business and its owners/directors, competency check on managers and staff and it sets in place a code of conduct and best practices that agencies need to adopt.

Whilst these conditions apply to all agencies, big and small, the benefit to smaller agencies is greater, as they have more work to do in achieving these. As well as this, we envisage this scheme will build confidence for all small to medium agencies across the incentive travel, conference, corporate meetings and business events planning space.

I have been privileged to serve as the inaugural president of ICESAP, now fully owned and integrated into PCMA. My time in this industry is rapidly coming to an end, but I can say, if there was ever an organisation with the scale & resources to run what is initially a pan Asia Pacific Agency Accreditation scheme, and have the ability to take it global, it is PCMA. All it needs is agency owners to get on board without further delay, and agency clients to ask one more question; “Are you PCMA-ICESAP Accredited?”

Visit www.icesap.org/accredited.

HEADLINES MARCH AND APRIL 2018 11 Apr 11 Apr 18 Apr 18 Apr

NZ rides international wave Great Lawn open Adelaide on stage for ATE Event focus for TIE

travelBulletin MAY 2018

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CRUISE

THE FRESHEST RIVER SHIPS IN 2018 THE newest addition to the AmaWaterways fleet, AmaLea, set sail on her inaugural journey from Amsterdam in March. The 156-passenger vessel began her Danube itineraries this month, sailing between Vilshofen and Budapest and will close her inaugural season with four Christmas markets cruises on the Danube.

AmaLea is a sister ship to AmaKristina, AmaStella and AmaViola, and features triple occupancy staterooms and a twin-balcony in most staterooms. The vessel offers a heated sun deck pool with swim-up bar, hair and massage salons, a fitness centre, complimentary wi-fi, a fleet of bicycles carried on board and multiple dining venues, including The Chef’s Table specialty restaurant with a wine-paired tasting menu.

igo Sa Av alo n

AMERICAN Cruise Lines is introducing a series of five contemporary riverboats, with the first to begin sailing this year. American Song will be an 184-passenger vessel and the first modern riverboat in US history. It will operate Mississippi River itineraries, starting with its inaugural eight-day Lower Mississippi CruiseNew Orleans to Memphis, departing on 6 October.

American Song is designed to offer views throughout the ship, from a four-story glass atrium through to six spacious lounges.

It is being promoted as offering the largest staterooms in the industry, with 83.6m² Grand Suites providing a wraparound private balcony. Next year American Cruise Lines is set to introduce a sister ship to American Song called American Harmony and will then reposition Song to the Columbia and Snake rivers for 2019.

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River cruise ships are once again reappearing on the shores of European waterways as the 2018 northern summer river cruise season gets underway. As cruising’s popularity continues to grow, the industry has responded by providing a number of fresh vessels to choose from this year – and they’re not just in Europe. Jasmine O’Donoghue rounds up some of the newest river cruise vessels to grace waterways around the world this year.

THE all-suite Avalon Saigon will begin sailing along the Mekong River from Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh (and vice versa) in September. The 36-passenger vessel has been designed to maintain the colonial charm fitting to its surroundings of Vietnam and Cambodia, combined with the modern features that travellers expect. Despite its small capacity, Avalon Saigon will be 60m long, offering spacious public areas including the air-conditioned Panorama Lounge and open-air observation lounge. It will also feature an open seating restaurant, fitness equipment and a library.

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CRYSTAL Cruises has brought its fleet of river ships to five, with the launch of Crystal Debussy and Crystal Ravel. Crystal Debussy debuted in April and sails seven- and 10-day itineraries between Amsterdam and Basel along the Rhine and Moselle rivers, visiting Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands and Belgium. Crystal Ravel begins sailing on 10 May with her maiden voyage from Basel to Vienna, and will offer cruises along the Rhine, Danube, Main and Moselle rivers stopping by Austria, Hungary, Germany, Switzerland and Slovakia.

Crystal’s new 106-guest river ships are all-suite, all-butler vessels with every room located above the water line. Multiple open-seating eateries on board include Waterside Restaurant, Bistro cafe and the Palm Court for entertainment, presentations and views.

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Crystal Debussy pictured

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The B pictured

Viking Ra pictured

VIKING Cruises is introducing two new ships in 2018, with Viking Ra sailing in Egypt and Viking Herja to debut in Europe. The all-suite Viking Ra carries 52 guests on the Nile and offers a 12-day Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary. Its features include a pool and two jacuzzis, a sun deck, lounge and bar and laundry service. In Europe, Viking Herja will sail an eight-day Rhine Getaway itinerary from Amsterdam to Basel and a 10-day Tulips & Windmills roundtrip from Amsterdam.

The ship will be a Viking longship, and therefore its features will offer 95 staterooms, a sun deck, Aquavit Terrace, Observation Lounge and bar and a library.

THE new youth-focussed brand from Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, U by Uniworld, made its debut last month, with its ships The A and The B. The A has made her home on the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers, flowing through the Netherlands and Central Europe, while The B cruises down France’s Seine river, both offering sevennight itineraries.

The former Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection vessels have been completely refurbished, with The A offering a “sleek and sophisticated” design, while The B has Parisian style. On the top deck, both ships feature a rooftop lounge and an Ice Bar with hydraulic walls which can be lowered to fit under bridges. The Ice Bar is home to cocktails, craft beers and silent discos. The U Lounge is touted as the main hub of the ship, where guests can meet up with friends, stop by for a drink or take part in mixology and painting classes. U by Uniworld cruises include two meals a day at the onboard restaurant Dine and the vessels are also equipped with a spa, gym and laundry.

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CRUISE

ROYAL CARIBBEAN’S MIGHTY TRIO RETURN IN 2019/20 ROYAL Caribbean International has revealed it will send Ovation of the Seas, Radiance of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas down under for the 2019/20 season.

The deployment marks the second year running that the cruise line will have three ships in local waters, after it last year announced it had to scale back its deployment from the five ships in 2016/17 to three in 2018/19 due to berthing constraints.

The announcement confirms speculation that Explorer of the Seas will not return to Sydney and instead be deployed in Europe and the Caribbean.

Explorer of the Seas’ regular South Pacific routes will instead be serviced by Voyager of the Seas, which will return following a onemonth hiatus spent cruising in Asia.

Voyager of the Seas will arrive fresh from a multi-million dollar revitalisation in late 2019 with a some yet-to-be-revealed new features under the “Royal Amplified” fleet modernisation program.

All three ships will be based out of Sydney, with Ovation of the Seas sailing a range of South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand itineraries.

Radiance of the Seas will return for her ninth season to offer her usual New Zealand program along with an expanded range of South

© Ross Fowler

Pacific sailings calling to destinations such as Noumea, Mystery Island and Port Vila.

Other highlights of Radiance’s season will include a three-night sampler cruise, a 16-night Top End sailing from Sydney to Fremantle, and an 18-night Bottom End sailing from Fremantle to Sydney.

Royal Caribbean International has also revealed a new “nonrefundable deposit program” offering best available rates for passengers who have confirmed travel dates when making a booking. The program will be offered in addition to Royal Caribbean International’s refundable deposit option.

DISCOVER YOUR KIMBERLEY 23 years of Kimberley stories Coral Expeditions is the Australian pioneer of expedition cruising and a specialist in the Kimberley since 1996. In 2019, we will have three Australian flagged and crewed ships operating in the Kimberley.

What makes us the best choice for guests seeking to discover the Kimberley experience? > Renowned for our relaxed and friendly Australian hospitality

> 10 NIGHT EXPEDITION CRUISES > MARCH TO SEPTEMBER EVERY YEAR > FROM $8,690pp SPECIAL OFFER

Book your clients a balcony stateroom on Coral Adventurer’s Explorer Deck and they will enjoy a premium Australian wine and cheese experience on their private balcony *. *Conditions apply

> The largest fleet with the longest season in the Kimberley > Overall guest satisfaction “excellence rating of 94%” > A team of expedition leaders and guest lecturers with unsurpassed knowledge of the Kimberley > Daily Xplorer excursions all-inclusive in price > No queues, dress codes or assigned seating Let us share our stories and help your clients discover their Kimberley.

> 1800 079 545 > www.coralexpeditions.com > kimberleyreservations@coralexpeditions.com

Princess’ biggest yet PRINCESS Cruises has set course for its largest Australian and New Zealand deployment, with five ships set to homeport out of six cities in the 2019/20 season.

Local cruise passengers will have over 125 departures to choose from across Sydney, Perth (Fremantle), Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland.

Two out of four of Princess Cruises’ newer ships, Ruby Princess and Majestic Princess, will be based in Sydney, generating a 25% increase in capacity on the 2018/2019 season.

The extra capacity has allowed Princess to send Sun Princess to Western Australia to spend a record 121 days homeporting from Fremantle.

The move doubles the line’s capacity in the state and will include 28 cruise ship visits, including 18 to regional port destinations in WA.

Scenic Eclipse 2019/20 SCENIC has released its Scenic Eclipse 2019/20 brochure offering new destinations and itineraries.

The addition of a second ship to the fleet has opened up new possibilities for the cruise line, allowing it to introduce Northwest Passage and the Russian and Canadian Arctic and expand itineraries in the European Arctic.

New summer departures for the Antarctic in Depth cruise have been added, along with another date for the Antarctica, South Georgia & Falkland Islands itinerary.

World’s biggest cruise ship delivered THE title of “world’s biggest cruise ship” was ceremoniously handed from one Royal Caribbean International ship to another, with delivery of the 228,081 gross registered tonne Symphony of the Seas.

The vessel has capacity for 5,518 guests at double occupancy and features seven distinct neighbourhoods, the tallest slide at sea and a collection of new culinary offerings including an upscale eatery called Hooked Seafood, the Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade and El Loco Fresh, offering made-to-order tacos and burritos.

The ship is home to the “Ultimate Family Suite”, a two-level suite with an in-room slide, private cinema, floor-to-ceiling LEGO wall, table tennis table and a whirl pool.

CLIA VIEW Joel Katz, managing director CLIA Australasia

A PANORAMIC VIEW OF CRUISING THE largest cruise conference in the southern hemisphere – Cruise360 Australasia – will return to Australia in August. Following last year’s sold-out conference, more than 500 delegates are expected to attend the fifth Cruise360 conference, which will take place on Friday August 31, in Sydney.

Cruise360 Australasia is a great opportunity for cruise-focused travel professionals to get together and share insights and knowledge about the booming cruise industry. The new conference format introduced last year will continue to be enhanced and will see further networking opportunities and professional development breakout sessions, as well as seminars and analysis into current cruise and travel industry trends. Cruise360’s dynamic trade show will give conference attendees the chance to meet with cruise line representatives as well as other significant cruise-related suppliers while also offering plenty of opportunities for networking and relationship-building.

For the first time, CLIA is extending Cruise360 to two days, with delegates having the opportunity to join a ship inspection of Carnival Spirit on Thursday August 30 on a first come first served basis. This will be followed by an exciting new addition to the Cruise360 Australia program; a Destination Showcase offering

delegates to learn about the many and varied destinations and ports that CLIA Cruise Line members sail to.

Cruise360 2018 will once again feature an incredible speaker line-up of global industry leaders. CLIA is very excited and honoured to announce that two of our industry’s top leaders will participate with CLIA president and CEO Cindy D’Aoust, and Norwegian Cruise Line president and COO Andy Stewart, confirmed as the first keynote speakers. Their addresses will be a highlight of Cruise360 so we’re thrilled they’ve agreed to share their knowledge with our delegates.

Cruise360 has grown into a must attend event on the cruise calendar. But don’t just take our word for it. We surveyed delegates who attended last year’s event and almost all (98 per cent) rated Cruise360 as a worthwhile event to attend, while most (88 per cent) said they were likely to recommend the event to a colleague.

Attendees at Cruise360 include travel agency owners, travel agent members as well as cruise lines, ports and destination representatives, industry suppliers and CLIA executive partners.

Early bird tickets are now available for a limited time at www.cruising.org.au and online bookings can also be made for the Cruise360 ship inspection with CLIA urging agents to act quickly given limited space and last year’s conference selling out.

HEADLINES MARCH & APRIL 2018 22 Mar Viking and HLO feud extends to NZ 22 Mar Youth eye polar regions 27 Mar 2019/20 to be Princess’ biggest 27 Mar Symphony delivered 27 Mar Medallion rollout delay 29 Mar Carnival takes delivery of Horizon 29 Mar Beatrice now a super ship 29 Mar AmaLea makes debut 04 Apr Scenic Eclipse 2019/20 brochure 04 Apr Heritage Line’s addition

06 Apr Royal Caribbean reveals 2019/20 06 Apr Viking expedition deal?

10 Apr Uniworld invests millions in Super Ship fleet 10 Apr One Ocean to Chile 12 Apr Uniworld open to ocean combos 12 Apr CLIA river cruise conf 12 Apr Ritz-Carlton inaugural 17 Apr Crystal’s 5th river ship delivered 19 Apr Oceania unveils Tropics & Exotics

travelBulletin MAY 2018

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INDUSTRY IN FOCUS This group of Flight Centre agents experienced Thailand on a recent Infinity Holidays famil, visiting the island of Ko Yao Noi and the boutique 5-star Cape Kudu Hotel.

Macao has team ed up with the Ch inese province of a joint promotion Fujian to mount in the Australian market, beginnin launch event in M g with a watery elbourne’s Sea Lif e aquarium last m onth.

Specialist rail travel agents and distributors from around the world headed to Montreux, Switzerland last month for the 2018 Rail Europe International Distribution Event (RIDE), which was hosted by Rail Europe.

Thirty agents had a chance to try out the “big mountain scale” of Canada’s Silver Star Mountain Resort recently as part of Sno’n’Ski’s annual Mega Famil.

to one big adventure d’s top sellers were treated Five small groups of Intrepi embarked on five ms tea The il. pany’s mega fam enture Summit. recently as part of the com Adv the ich culminated in Goa for small group adventures wh

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MAY 2018

The third annual Mumbrella Travel Marketing Awards were held in Sydney last month and the Trafalgar team is pictured celebrating their win, named as “Travel Brand of the Year”.

These four lucky travel agents visited the Italian region of Tuscany on a famil hosted by Back-Roads Touring, Qatar Airways and Air Tickets, which saw the jet-setters tasting gelato and visiting true back-road locations.

A group of award-winni ng Travellers Choice me mbers ventured to Ecuador’s interior last month on an Adventure World itinerary.

They’re pictured jumpin g for joy after conquering the Andes.

a agents have just returned from This group of Australian travel p was able to grou the e, rism Tou ti Tahi by luxury famil in Tahiti. Hosted Tetiaroa. ds of Rangiroa, Bora Bora and sample five resorts on the islan

Addicted to Maldives hel d its first “Barefoot & Bea utiful” event on board super yac ht Quantum in Sydney bringing together 10 luxury Maldiv es resort partners with luxury travel advisors to showc ase the destination.

Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) teamed up with Virgin Australia and Hong Kong Airlines last month to educate Canberra agents on the latest developments in Hong Kong and updates from both airlines.

travelBulletin MAY 2018

29

CANADA & ALASKA

The other

Sunshine Coast © Dest

ination BC / Danielle Hayes

Canada’s Sunshine Coast stretches north from Vancouver, offering an easy getaway into national parks, ancient cedar forests, islands and indented bays.

Brian Johnston explores this wondrous wilderness.

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travelBulletin MAY 2018

I

KNOW I’m happy when I start talking to seals. How can I resist: they loll on the rocks, fat bellies distended, and indolently wave their flippers as if saying hello. Their whiskers bristle like a sergeant major’s when I veer too close to their pups. But I’m only inspecting giant starfish on the rocks, and summer dragonflies with iridescent wings. Above me, cedars tower and eagles flap in their nests.

This piece of British Columbian coast north of Vancouver is called the Sunshine Coast, which fits my sunny mood. I’m kayaking on the cold blue waters. I pull up on a stony island and eat salads and wild blackberries popping with flavour. Later, plenty of late summer light remains to sit in a waterfront restaurant and eat prawns and Pacific salmon. The sun doesn’t slump behind the

islands until 11 o’clock.

Taking to a kayak – or any sort of boat – is the best way to appreciate the Sunshine Coast. Dozens of companies offer kayak rentals, or take you out with an instructor for a lazy paddle. You can join larger vessels for whale-spotting trips. The bays are haunted by killer whales, carving their way gracefully through the water.

Just getting to the Sunshine Coast involves a car ferry at Horseshoe Bay, 20 minutes’ drive out of Vancouver. I wake up in the city with rain at the hotel windows, but once I’m onto the water magic happens. Suddenly the mist breaks open, the sun pushes through, and the bay fizzes blue at the ferry’s wake.

Passengers emerge from the ferry’s interior, unfolding from their cocoons of clothes and turning their faces up to the warmth.

The Sunshine Coast lies in a rain shadow, protected by the mountains of Vancouver Island which provide such a pretty backdrop across the water. This short stretch of happiness has the longest frost-free season

CANADA & ALASKA Waterfront restaurant in Lund © Destination BC

© Destination B

C

in Canada. You could visit the 180-kilometre coast on a day trip, just about, but there are dozens of inlets and indentations to explore. To really appreciate the region, spend at least two or three days, and stay in a secluded lodge or B&B off the main road.

The road is Highway 101, which twists and turns as it skirts inlets and peninsulas, and twice takes to ferries at Horseshoe Bay and Earls Cove. The highway finishes at the township of Powell River, from which you can backtrack to Vancouver or – highly recommended – take another ferry across to Vancouver Island, which is well worth a visit, especially for Victoria, the marvellous little capital of British Columbia. Another highly scenic car-ferry ride will take you back to Vancouver.

There are only three small towns of consequence along the Sunshine Coast. The first is Gibsons, a quiet seaside community where the morning catch is unloaded from fishing smacks. It’s a good place to charter a boat for salmon and trout fishing. Thirty kilometres on, Sechelt is twice as big. I find an interesting museum devoted to the Sechelt Indian Nation, and a salmon hatchery that gives an insight into the life cycle of Canada’s famous fish.

The town is lively with cafés and art galleries.

In contrast, Powell River at highway’s end is a lumber milling centre with few cultural pretensions and little appeal beyond a harbour for diving and kayaking trips.

Don’t stick just to the highway and towns though. Venture down side roads. I find the Sunshine Coast is a place to breathe deep, smell the pine trees, gaze across the water, hike, kayak or (one morning when I’m feeling frisky) brave a chilly swim. There are hundreds of small islands, some linked by passenger ferries like Gambier Island near Gibsons, a tranquil retreat for writers and artists.

You can also hike some of the 180 kilometres of Sunshine Coast Trail through alpine meadows and ancient forests of cedar and Douglas fir, inhabited by coyotes, racoons and eagles. Sargeant Bay is a magnet for birdwatchers, home to redwings, mallards, Canada geese, kingfishers and herons.

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Ch

atte r b o ark x Fal ne P ls in Pr incess Louisa Mari

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Princess Louisa Marine Park has a spectacular fjord with roaring waterfalls and pristine wilderness, best seen by boat or seaplane.

You’ll also find excellent cold-water diving: check out the sunken warship off Porpoise Bay Provincial Park, now transformed into an artificial reef.

Skookumchuk Narrows Provincial Park has a tide that flows back and forwards through the narrow inlet so fiercely you hear the sea roar. The whirlpools are big enough to swallow a ship. There are people kayaking here too: mad Canadians who surf the tidal waves, hurtling seawards with impressive skill, paddles flying. I’m just happy to kayak the bays and enjoy the sun and seals. Somewhere under my boat, I like to think that whales are singing, happy like me to be here.

trail

th on i sh un eS ne

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©B

rian J ohnston travelBulletin MAY 2018

31

CANADA & ALASKA

EMERGING CANADIAN DESTINATIONS HELP FUEL AUSSIE EXODUS

Kluane National Park, Yukon

THE number of Aussie tourists deciding the time is right to jet off to Canada has spiked significantly in recent times, with visitation in the 12 months to December 2017 increasing by 12.58% on the previous year.

Donna Campbell, managing director at Destination Canada, told travelBulletin one of the primary drivers for this upturn had been the increasing popularity of previously untapped markets.

“For many years visitors have known about places like Vancouver and the Rockies but there is so much more to Canada to explore and that’s really one of the things that we are looking at,” Campbell said.

“Australian visitation to the Yukon for example is booming right now to the point where they are bordering on being the number one group of visitors to the territory…

Australians have gone from being not even

on the radar to one of the top contenders for visiting the Yukon,” she added.

Although many of the less traversed provinces and territories clearly represent important growth opportunities for Canada’s tourism industry, some of the findings of recent research conducted by the body were unexpected. “The number one attraction on the bucket list for people when they travel to Canada is the Northern Lights, which surprised us a little actually,” Campbell said.

“And then you have the Atlantic provinces like Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia which have started to be packaged, we are beginning to see more and more exposure for these areas… the TV shows that we take over are focusing on those areas as well, so we are starting to see a real awareness grow.”

Outside of a curiosity for some of the

less explored delights of Canada, Campbell believes much of the future success of the Canadian market for Australia rests in improved access.

“Air Canada’s nonstop services out of Brisbane and Melbourne have all pointed a new light…but Australians to Canada don’t just come in the spring or the winter, they come in all four seasons,” she said. “Qantas cherry-picks their seasons and comes in and out of the market, they do operate a nonstop Sydney to Vancouver seasonally… we’re hoping that everything that Air Canada is doing and growth in the market that other airlines will see that opportunity as well.”

Imparting some final words of wisdom explaining why Canada continues to capture the imagination of the Aussie traveller, Campbell quipped, “If it includes a bear, Australians will be there.”

APT 2019 SNEAK PEEK APT recently released its 2019 Canada and Alaska Pre-Release brochure to the market, offering a range of early-bird deals including a Companion Fly Free promotion for customers who book before 17 May. The brochure previews a 27-day Sparkling Rockies & Alaska Expedition Cruise which explores Alaska’s Inside Passage on Ponant’s Le Soleal vessel. The trip includes stops at British Columbia’s Butchart Gardens and wine tasting in The Okanagan Valley, priced from $26,295 per person.

Also on offer is the 18-day Rockies Highlights & Alaska Cruise which gets travellers up close and

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travelBulletin MAY 2018

personal with resident wolfdogs in Calgary, takes them for a ride on Canada’s luxurious Rocky Mountaineer, and walking through the unspoilt wilderness of Alaska’s Misty Fjords National Monument. The trip is priced from $12,697 per person.

“Cruising up the inside passage of Alaska combined with staying at the majestic Fairmont hotels which are linked together by the breath-taking Rocky Mountaineer rail journey through the Canadian Rockies, these trips offer a totally unique experience which Australians have rightly placed firmly on their bucket list,” said APT’s CEO Steve Reynolds.

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CANADA & ALASKA

ADVENTURE CANADA BREAKS MORE ICE WITH AUSTRALIA

ALASKA HOTEL SCENE HOTS UP

The Sheldon Chalet

ALASKA’S frosty Denali National Park has a new place to shield you from the winter chill after The Sheldon Chalet opened its doors earlier this year. Located close to North America’s tallest mountain Denali and perched on an exposed hill surrounded by a glacier, The Sheldon Chalet offers guests many of the creature comforts you would expect to find at a metropolitan hotel such as fine dining, sauna facilities, and plush bedding.

Interestingly, this remotely located hotel promotes its lack of mobile coverage as a major selling point, encouraging guests to indulge in “luxurious disconnecting”, by enjoying a holiday with “No more buzzing, ringing, vibrating, and pinging”.

Alaska’s largest city of Anchorage will also see some major hotel brands invest in sprucing up their offerings in 2018.

The 370-room Sheraton Anchorage Hotel and Spa has recently undergone a refurbishment to update its interiors and decor. Significant tech investment has been carried out across town at The Westmark Anchorage which has equipped its 200 rooms with improved lighting, USB charging stations, and new flat-screen TVs. Despite a challenging period for the Alaskan economy of late, tourism in the US state continues to grow, recording 1.86 million visitors in the summer of 2017.

REMOTE northern travel specialist Adventure Canada was recently in Australia to talk up its latest 2019/20 brochure featuring itineraries exploring the remote regions of Atlantic Canada.

The company’s product manager Sam Patton told travelBulletin that its Northern Canada packages represented one of its strongest points of difference in the market. “From meeting the local Inuit peoples to spotting polar bears from the bow, there is really nothing like it anywhere else on planet Earth,” Patton said.

Travelling aboard the Ocean Endeavor, one of the slated itineraries provides travellers with the opportunity to complete a circumnavigation of Newfoundland, where they will have the chance to hike the tablelands in the UNESCO world heritage Gros Morne National Park, visit remote outpost fishing villages, and tour the French island of Saint-Pierre.

From meeting the The trip starts and terminates local Inuit peoples to in Newfoundland’s capital of St and is available either from spotting polar bears John’s 2-12 October 2019 or 26 June to from the bow, there 06 July 2020 with prices ranging is really nothing like from US$3,395-US$16,095 per person. it anywhere else...

Another trip listed in Adventure Canada’s 2020 schedule is the Mighty Saint Lawrence itinerary which tours four Canadian provinces and Saint-Pierre. Highlights of the cruise includes observing the stunning red sandstone cliffs of the Magdalen Islands, Zodiac trips to Perce Rock, and witnessing the unique birdlife that reside on Bonaventure Island.

The Australian appetite to traverse the remote northern reaches of Canada is one that continues to show signs of improvement, claims Adventure Canada.

“We have seen a steady increase in Australian travellers to the Canadian arctic over the last three years,” the company’s director of business development Matthew James Swan said.

“It is now our third largest market after Canada and the United States with Australians making up 10% of our clientele,” he added.

“ ”

SLEDDING INTO THE WILD WITH TOPDECK TOPDECK is currently offering a nine-day Alaskan Adventure taking in some high-octane activities in Denali National Park. Travellers can saddle up for a sled ride led by Alaskan huskies before hitting the white-water rafting circuit through some of the uncompromising glacial mountain regions. This year has two departure dates in July and August with tickets priced from $3,349.

For those wanting the ultimate ski holiday experience, Topdeck has a raft of “Snow-fari” trips available throughout 2018 and 2019. The 10-day Great White North package takes visitors through the world renowned ski resorts of Whistler Blackcomb, the Big White, Sunshine Village and Mount Norquay. Departures commence from 9 December right through to 17 March 2019, with prices starting at $1,899 per person.

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travelBulletin MAY 2018

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ROCKY MOUNTAINEER’S COMFORT UPGRADE ICONIC Canadian rail company Rocky Mountaineer has revealed it is currently undergoing a multimillion dollar refurbishment with the aim of improving passenger comfort and experience.

The company’s vice president of global sales, Karen Hardie, told travelBulletin she believed the modifications would help the rail operator evolve to the needs of customers and enable further growth opportunities.

“Everything from the soft furnishings, the seats, and the lighting are all being replaced,” Hardie said. “There are new seats that recline into themselves, improved technology like plugs in the seat because everybody wants to plug in, and we’re also building new GoldLeaf domes because of demand… the first of those will arrive in Canada in 2018 and through the balance of 2019,” she added.

Continuing to improve the consumer technology capabilities on board the Rocky Mountaineer will also form an important pillar of the company’s five-year strategic plan.

“We are reviewing, restructuring and reimplementing technology that will support scalability and growth over that period of time,” Hardie said.

“Wi-fi is also a very hot topic… we should have it available to guests in the next couple of years.”

Australians continue to show strong interest in jumping aboard the Rocky Mountaineer, representing the largest market for the company outside of Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

“This market has really been a foundation for many years… despite the GFC we have been really lucky to have experienced double digit year-on-year growth,” Hardie said. “People are starting to see Canada as more than just the immediate iconic experiences and that is certainly reflected in what you will start to see in our programs, you will see more experiential activities.”

© Rocky Mountaineer

Q&A

Canada and Alaska are both booming, attracting more and more Australians to visit each year. travelBulletin asked Travellers Choice travel specialist Michael Pound from Unique Destination Travel how agents can cash in on this market.

Is there much interest among Australians for travel to Canada and Alaska?

Canada and Alaska are both alive and well and there is plenty of interest in both destinations as more and more Australians realise the vast variety of destinations and attractions that are on offer in “the Great White North”. The majority of travellers tend to combine an Alaska and Inside Passage cruise with British Columbia, Alberta and The Rockies on their first visit, while repeat travellers tend to explore beyond by visiting the largely unexplored Yukon Territory and Alaska by land or a trip to the Eastern Provinces of Ontario and Quebec. Alaska in general is very popular with cruise enthusiasts.

Is there any particular time of year that is best to travel to Canada & Alaska?

Being the second largest country in the world, Canada is a panoply of geoclimatic

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travelBulletin MAY 2018

regions. The interior offers everything from boreal forest, Arctic regions, dramatic coastlines, the Rocky Mountains, the Prairies, the Great Lakes and the Appalachian Mountains. With this comes a myriad of wildlife, culture and activities which cater to different seasons, making it an all year-round destination.

What do you love about Canada & Alaska?

There’s really not enough space for me to describe what I love about Canada and Alaska. In a nutshell, it’s the expansive and diverse landscapes, the superb wildlife, and the contrast in size and culture between each city.

Are FIT or tour groups more popular?

Here at Unique Destination Travel, FIT options are more popular than group travel. Whilst tour groups include the main attractions of Canada and Alaska with

peace of mind knowing that most things are included, in my opinion, FIT offers the opportunity to take the road less travelled, possibly meet more locals and uncover some of the hidden secrets on offer.

What are your top tips for selling Canada and Alaska?

Source as much training and do as much research on Canada and Alaska as possible. I belong to the Canada Specialist Program, have visited Canada and Alaska countless times and have years of experience in selling the destinations.

They’re not difficult destinations to sell if you have the knowledge and passion. I believe my success in selling Canada and Alaska comes from my ability to promote the hidden secrets and unique experiences that both destinations offer.

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CANADA & ALASKA

CANADIAN RAIL MORE ACCESSIBLE

INTERCITY rail service provider VIA Rail Canada has awarded a C$54 million contract to train manufacturer Bombardier to upgrade 17 of its train cars to enhance accessibility for disabled passengers. The reconfigured cars will feature two wheelchair lifts, two accessible spaces with anchoring devices, and announcement display screens.

“Thanks to the federal government funding received by VIA Rail, we are ensuring that we remain the most accessible intercity transportation service in Canada by offering universal accessibility based on the highest standards,” said VIA Rail president and chief executive officer, Yves Desjardins-Siciliano.

AC CRANKS UP MEL JUST weeks out from the commencement of new year-round services linking Vancouver with Melbourne, and citing strong forward demand, Air Canada has confirmed it will boost frequencies from three to four times weekly towards the end of this year. The move is part of Air Canada’s medium-term strategy to eventually take the Melbourne route daily, said Air Canada’s general manager Australia/New Zealand Vic Naughton.

Air Canada introduced seasonal nonstop flights to Melbourne over the recent Northern winter season (from December through early February), but from 3 June will fly year-round, cementing the Victorian capital as its third Australian gateway. From 5 November, it will induct a fourth weekly frequency.

The change will see AC’s weekly schedule from Melbourne shuffle from its initial Tue/Fri/Sun departures to Mon/Wed/Fri/Sun. Naughton heaped praise on agents for endorsing the new route, saying “our Australian trade performance has been amazing and they are really backing it”.

“On our sales calls, every shop we visit is aware of the route and were excited for its launch.”

Sales were particularly strong on the Newark route from Melbourne, through Vancouver, with Naughton saying Victorians are relishing not having to transit via Sydney or Los Angeles.

CANADA & ALASKA

INTREPID BACKS GREAT WHITE HOPE INTREPID Travel has recently launched a suite of new trips to Canada in 2018 in a bid to capitalise on the growing demand for new adventures to the country affectionately referred to as the Great White North. The last 12 months has witnessed 150% sales growth for Intrepid on its most popular Canadian trips, leading to a decision to introduce three brand new tours to the country including a 12-day US and Canada Discovery Winter package that features activities such as ice skating in Ottawa.

“These new trips let travellers experience the magic of a North American winter like a true local,” said Intrepid Travel’s regional director Asia Pacific, Brett Mitchell.

“With its pristine wilderness and friendly people, Canada has always been popular, but the ‘Justin Trudeau effect’ has made Canada even cooler this year.”

New itineraries also include a six-day Highlights of Vancouver Island adventure and 11-day Canadian Rockies and Northern Lights exploration. To take advantage of the lack of crowds and the beauty of the north in the winter, Intrepid has added new departures in the off season including December and January departures for its Canadian Rockies and Northern Lights tour. Encompassing the best of Canada from Lake Louise to Calgary, Jasper and Banff, the 11-day trip starts from $4,760 per person.

CANADA & ALASKA

ALASKA’S WINTER APPEAL Think Alaska might be a little too brisk for a winter visit? America’s iciest state comes into its own during the colder months, presenting snowy options almost unimaginable to those of us from warmer climates. Suit up and explore the best of Alaska’s winter wonderland.

DOG MUSHING

NORTHERN LIGHTS

© Visit Anchorage / JodyO Photos

© Visit Anchorage / JodyO Photos

SNOWMOBILING

FESTIVALS

© Visit Anchorage / Snowmachine Group

DOG MUSHING

SNOWMOBILING

Canine-based transport is about as Alaskan as it gets, and winter is a key time to witness the state’s official sport. Visitors from around the world gather to see sled dog races like the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race from Anchorage to Nome, or the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race in which elite dogs can cover between 60 and 160 kilometres at a time.

A snowmobile is often the best way to explore the Alaskan wilderness when it’s blanketed in pristine snow, and numerous tour operators offer both guided and unguided treks into the backcountry. Locals often call them “snowmachines” and top locations include Fairbanks, Denali National Park, Talkeetna, Valdez, Haines, the MatSu Valley, Girdwood and the Kenai Peninsula.

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travelBulletin MAY 2018

© Visit Anchorage / Savanah Evans

NORTHERN LIGHTS

WINTER FESTIVALS

The surreal lights of the aurora borealis are best viewed during the northern winter months and are most active around the time of the autumn and spring equinoxes. It generally means rising in the wee hours – and on clear nights when temperatures plunge – but many hotels offer northern lights wake-up calls.

Visitors can track activity on the University of Alaska website: auroraforecast.gi.alaska.edu

Alaska’s winter festivals offer a quirky mix of arts and culture.

The Anchorage Fur Rendezvous Festival, or “Fur Rondy”, coincides with the Iditarod Dog Sled Race and includes events like snowshow softball and snow sculpting. Those braver may opt to jump into frigid waters in the Polar Bear Jump in Seward, while in Fairbanks, the World Ice Art Championships features the work of top ice sculptors.

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CARIBBEAN

DISCOVERING THE CARIBBEAN EACH year around 30 million tourists visit the Islands of the Caribbean, more than 50% of those visitors are from the United States, with the rest being made up of mostly Canadians and Europeans. The appeal is obvious, escaping the cold winter months to a warm neighbour that isn’t too far from home. But despite the distance, the Caribbean also offers lots of appeal for Aussie travellers.

The island nations of the Caribbean Sea present some of the world’s most stunning beaches, vibrant cultures and welcoming people. The string of islands stretching south west from Miami to the northern coast of Venezuela have beach weather year round; but they’re good for more than just a flop’n’ drop, with a long history resulting in a rich assortment of vibrant cultures and colonial traditions. Settled by various European nations, each destination is a unique mix of cultures resulting in distinct experiences from island to island. And despite the recent hurricanes ploughing through, the region still has plenty to offer, writes Ben Piper.

BAHAMAS Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas, is a charming city that brings together old-world elegance and the convenience of a modern day city. The laid-back vibe with a special island rhythm is something that has to be experienced to be understood.

The streets are lined with beautiful colonial buildings, yet the beachside city offers all the modern day comforts you’d expect from such an active metropolis. But if you’re looking for something a little less urban, the Bahamas are made up of more than 700 different islands, all surrounded by some of the world’s most pristine beaches.

Cuba

Haiti

THE CAYMANS The Caymans offer a large selection of world class accommodation, nightlife and adventure. First settled by shipwrecked sailors, you can experience the colourful culture of the islands’ seafaring ancestors.

Comprised of three islands, most of the population and activity is on the largest island Grand Cayman, where you’ll find much of the shopping, dining, nightlife and accommodation is all conveniently located and easy to explore. However all of the islands have stunning beaches, scenery, and natural beauty. Surrounded by healthy coral reefs and unique ocean topography they offer the ideal conditions for snorkelling and diving.

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JAMAICA Arguably the most famous of all of the Caribbean islands, Jamaica offers a combination of big, bustling cities, to slow, small towns, but all of it is beautiful and uniquely Jamaican.

The home of Bob Marley, Usain Bolt and the infamous Bobsleigh team, the main appeal of Jamaica is its diversity.

This is reflected in the people, culture and destination. From the pristine beaches of the island’s north, to the rugged towering mountains of the south coast, to the reggae, rum and rafting in between, ‘Jamaica has it all!’ With countless cultural and natural attractions, not to mention the kind, laid back people, Jamaica is not one to miss.

Dominican Republic

CARIBBEAN

PUERTO RICO Because Puerto Rico is a part of the US, it makes sense that it’s the regional hub for flights from the America, making it one of the most convenient Caribbean Islands to get to. The island is home to golf courses, casinos, a whole range of hotels, and of course hundreds of beaches, and there is no limit to the variety of activities on offer. With a long Spanish history, the capital San Juan has a distinct European feel with art galleries, boutiques and fine dining all within walking distance, but the rest of the island is unmistakably West Indian, with the lush mountains sprinkled with old world plantations and surrounded by almost 450km of coastline. Puerto Rico is the perfect mix of Latin flavour and Caribbean cool.

ST MARTIN/ ST MAARTEN St Martin is the smallest island in the world that is shared by two sovereignties, with the northern Half (St Martin) occupied by the French, and the southern (St Maarten) by the Dutch.

This blend of very different European cultures and Caribbean charm creates a unique experience. The dining, which ranges from traditional French bistros to Caribbean rib houses serving chicken, ribs and fresh lobster, is second to none, as are the destination’s shopping and beaches.

There’s plenty more to the Caribbean, with hundreds of islands, all with unique and colourful personalities. With such a diverse mix of sights, people, history and culture, there’s something here to suit anyone’s needs.

ST BARTHLEMY The retreat of the rich and famous, “St Barths” as it’s known, can be described as small, sophisticated and sexy.

The perfect place to wind down, with plenty of beautiful beaches, and some of the best dining options in the Caribbean, it’s impossible not to relax here. But the thing that makes it especially unique is its intrinsic French flair. Walking through the streets of the island’s capital Gustavia, you can smell fresh croissants wafting out of cafés and patisseries. ‘The Paris of the Caribbean’, St Barths offers the best in both elegance and relaxation.

BARBADOS Barbados offers two very different coastlines. The rugged eastern coast offers big waves and winds, making it a highly popular surfing and windsurfing destination for the adventurous traveller.

Contrastingly the western coast offers pink sand beaches and gentle, clear waters for those who prefer a slower pace. In between is a lush rolling landscape with old sugar plantations and towns full of character.

There are still very recognisable elements of British colonisation; from English architecture, to an unbridled passion for cricket, to Trafalgar Square in the capital city Bridgetown. The perfect mix of stately colonialism and island casual, Barbados is one destination you’ll never forget.

Map by Free Vector Maps travelBulletin MAY 2018

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CARIBBEAN

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO HOW TO GET THERE? There aren’t any direct flights from Australia to the Caribbean, so the US the easiest gateway to the Caribbean. While it’s possible to get flights to the main islands from hubs like New York and LA, the best way to get to where you need to go is through Miami. Flight destinations aren’t necessarily based on size but popularity; the larger airlines go to popular destinations such as Jamaica or Puerto Rico, but if your client is going somewhere more isolated they might have to travel via one of these hubs and get a regional flight their final destination.

HOW TO GET AROUND? Island hopping is a fantastic way to see some of the different islands and experience the diversity within the region. In some cases, there are ferries that offer regular services between the islands; making daytrips a cheap and easy option to explore some place new. However for those islands that are further apart, the best way to get around is to fly. There are a number of regional airlines that facilitate regular and reliable inter island travel such as LIAT or Caribbean Airlines. Another great option is hopping onboard a cruise, with most of the major cruise lines operating in the region including Royal Caribbean International who has up to twenty ships sailing the area.

HOW TO DEAL WITH CURRENCIES? There are as many as 17 different official currencies across the Caribbean, so dealing with money can get confusing. Luckily the US dollar is widely accepted throughout the region, even if it is not the official currency. A good idea is to take USD but be prepared to accept change given in the local currency. It also doesn’t hurt to double check which currency prices are listed in, to avoid getting ripped off. Of course there are ATMs and exchanges if you need to access local cash.

and tours all run at peak rates to take advantage of the seasonal boom. A great time for Australians to visit is during the low season, from June to November. The rates are cheaper and the islands quieter, meaning that your clients can have the beach to themselves whilst escaping the Aussie winter.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS As with any international destination, you’ll need a valid passport and a return ticket. However for most of the islands, if you have an Australian passport and you plan on staying less than 3 months, you won’t need a visa. But always double check before your client leaves as some nations such as Cuba might require a visa.

LANGUAGE Because of the varied colonisation of the Caribbean, there are a large number of languages spoken on different islands within the region. The official languages are usually Spanish, French, English or Dutch, but you’ll find that English is the unofficial “language of tourism” and is spoken as either a first or second language almost everywhere.

SEASONALITY

FINAL TIPS

With temperatures averaging around 25-30°C year round, there is no bad time to visit. The high season is from around midDecember to mid-April, and the islands fill up with Americans and Europeans trying to avoid the winter cold. Whilst it is drier at this time of year, the popularity means that hotels, cruises

Out of the 33 island nations that make up the Caribbean, no two are the same; so the best way to make the most of the Caribbean is to take it slow. Maybe visit two or three islands, and make sure not to rush! It’s important to remember that each nation offers a different experience; so tailor the trip to fit in with how your client likes to travel.

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CARIBBEAN

OUTLOOK UPBEAT AS ISLANDS WEATHER THE STORM

high as 90%.”

Despite the devastation, the CTO says vast areas of the Caribbean were unscathed, allowing key destinations to continue trading amid strong tourism demand.

The most popular destinations posted strong growth – Dominican Republic up 3.8% and Jamaica up 7.8% – while others came close to record results, including St Lucia (up 11%), Belize (up 10.8%) and Bermuda (up 10.3%).

With the majority of resorts back up and running – and billions in investment still to come – the CTO is confident of sound growth this year.

“For 2018, tourist arrivals to the Caribbean are projected to grow between 2% and 3%, but growth will be uneven among the destinations,” the CTO says.

© Royal Caribbean

THE enduring appeal of the Caribbean has helped the region weather two of the most destructive storms ever to emerge from the North Atlantic, putting its island territories on track for a year of growth in 2018.

In its first major analysis since hurricanes Irma and Maria ploughed through the area last year, the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) says its members managed to achieve modest overall growth in 2017, despite widespread devastation in several key destinations.

Visitation was up 1.7% on 2016 figures, with an estimated 30.1 million tourists visiting the 26 destinations covered by the CTO last year. But overall annual growth fell way short of the 6% increases seen in several months before the storms hit, dashing hopes of a boom year.

Irma, which emerged in early September, was the strongest hurricane ever recorded in the open Atlantic before it hit the Caribbean with winds peaking at 285km/h. It was followed two weeks later

by Maria, which packed winds of similar intensity and became the deadliest storm of the season.

Hit hardest were Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas (particularly the southern Islands), the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Puerto Rico, St Maarten, St Martin, the Turks & Caicos Islands and the US Virgin Islands.

“Each destination suffered severe disruption to its growth in the months which were to follow,” the CTO said in its recent review.

“Monthly declines (in arrivals) typically exceeded 30% and reached as

Necker set for October revival RICHARD Branson’s private island is scheduled for reopening in October, just over a year since it was obliterated

by Hurricane Irma.

The luxury retreat, Necker Island, bore the full brunt of the hurricane as it passed through the British Virgin Islands, stripping away vegetation and reducing Branson’s residence to a shell.

The billionaire entrepreneur has now announced his island will soon be ready to accommodate guests in 11 bedrooms within the island’s “Great House”. It can cater to groups of up to 22 adults, plus six children in a bunkhouse.

More rooms will be added in December and at later stages of redevelopment throughout 2019.

Rates start at a cool US$57,500 per night for up to 22 adults – see www.virginlimitededition.com

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PUERTO RICO BOUNCES BACK PUERTO Rico is looking to the booming cruise sector to help drive its recovery from the devastating impact of Hurricane Maria last September.

Six months after the return of its first cruise ships, the American territory is confident of welcoming more than 1.7 million cruise passengers during 2018.

Cruise lines including Royal Caribbean International, Norwegian Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises and Viking Cruises were among the first to return to the port of San Juan late last year, laying the foundation for a recovery the island hopes will translate to longer-stay visitors throughout this year.

The Puerto Rico Tourism Company (PRTC) says more than 80% of hotels, lodgings, and restaurants were fully functioning by the start of the year, while flight schedules from both the US and Europe were expected to reach prehurricane levels in the first half of 2018.

“Tourism is fundamental in the recovery efforts of Puerto Rico and, with the island officially ready to receive tourists, the best way that travellers can contribute to these efforts is by visiting, staying at hotels or other properties, eating at restaurants and shopping in local shops,” said PRTC interim executive director Carla Campos.

BROCHURES

CANADA

&

City Stays • Rail & Coach • Self Drive • Small Ship Cruising • Wildlife & Adventure

ALASKA

www.momentotravel.com.au

2019 BOUTIQUE RIVER CRUISES

BROOME & THE KIMBERLEY WESTERN AUSTRALIA NORTHERN TERRITORY SOUTH AUSTRALIA

2018/2019

MOMENTO Travel has launched its 2018/19 brochure, designed to “open the imagination to new experiences.”

Specialising in tailor-made rail, coach, self-drive and small group tours and cruises across Canada and Alaska, the latest brochure has expanded to accommodate 148 pages of exciting options for travellers. New itineraries on offer include glamping safaris, helicopter wilderness adventures, more options for Northern Lights viewing and dog sled tours, as well as small ship and expedition-style cruising.

SEE the best of what Kangaroo Island has to offer with the latest brochure from SeaLink. The new 63-page brochure features SeaLink’s day and overnight Kangaroo Island Coach tours; one, two and three-day personalised 4x4 Kangaroo Island Odysseys tours; two, three and six-day Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail packages and the two-day/one-night Kangaroo Island Wilderness Explorer Tour. Two-day food and wine tours are also featured, along with a range of self-drive camping and holiday house options.

THE brand new brochure from Lindblad Expeditions has landed, celebrating the Year of the Bird with exciting new travel options to Antarctica, South Georgia and The Falklands. The three new in-depth itineraries offer a range of experiences, including a cruise with renowned international bird expert, David Sibley on the South Georgia and the Falklands expedition. A range of other cruises will see passengers mingle with veteran naturalists as they explore the wilderness in Antarctica.

SPECIALIST in the 18-35 touring category Contiki has released its 2018/19 Australia & New Zealand brochure, which includes three new and improved itineraries in New Zealand plus exciting foodie experiences across the South Pacific. The Big Tiki, Kiwiana Panorama and Sweet as South tours all have added trips to Te Anau and Milford, with Milford Sound cruise and southern country farm experience, while wine and craft beer tasting in Queenstown has also been added to the free time add-on options.

LUXE river cruise specialists Uniworld have released their 2019 brochure, which includes three new European river cruises, enhanced itineraries, a new ship in China as well as the debut of the recently renovated River Royale. New itineraries in Europe include the 15-day Alluring Amsterdam & Vienna, 10-day Magnificent Moselle & Rhine and 10-day Authentic Danube & Prague while the eight-day Holland & Belguim at Tulip Time itinerary has also been enhanced.

THE latest touring brochure from Travelmarvel has been released, highlighting the beautiful Apple Aisle in all its natural glory. Travellers on the premium coach tours have the option to stay in a range of hotels hand-picked for their unique design and central locations, while taking in the unmissable sights and lesserknown gems of the southern region. A featured highlight is the 10-day Grand Tasman itinerary which includes stops at Cradle Mountain, Port Arthur and Freycinet National Park.

THE latest edition of Broome, Kimberley & Beyond has launched, with a fresh new cover design and more than 20 new products set to grab the attention of those travelling to the region. The new-look pages cover the destinations in more detail than ever before, with additional maps, event dates and handy travel hints providing the essentials for holiday makers. The book features a strong focus on the Kimberley region, and highlights 12 cruise operators.

TRAVELLERS to Asia can explore the region’s history, culture and landscape via a range of exciting new packages available in Cruiseco’s latest Asia brochure. The pages feature 28 unique holidays across 13 different cruise brands, including an inspired selection of bespoke itineraries operating across Indonesia, Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia and Singapore. The brochure also offers travellers advice on currency and weather patterns throughout the year. travelBulletin MAY 2018

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SKIING

Ski the run less travelled There are ski resorts all over the world that are must-sees. The places in the magazines that all your ski buddies have on their bucket list. Emma Lovell finds the resorts near to those with famous names, slightly off the tourist track, who offer some truly unique skiing experiences.

USA: Homewood, Lake Tahoe

Photo by silent A photography, courtesy of the West Shore Cafe & Inn

LAKE Tahoe has a natural beauty that cannot be missed. Located on the border of California and Nevada, Tahoe offers exceptional panoramic views wherever you go.

For years I’d heard friends rave about Perisher’s sister resort in the USA named Heavenly, offering exquisite views of the vast lake.

I soon discovered that Lake Tahoe has no fewer than 13 amazing ski fields, all spread around the lake and mountainous ranges of this region.

For the best view, and the best skiing, head over to the western shore of Lake Tahoe where you’ll find Homewood. It’s the best value ski field with lift passes sometimes 70 per cent less than others in the region. It also offered some of the most breathtaking views I’ve ever experienced on a ski run.

Homewood feels like a family operated resort and locals say it has the feeling of “Old Tahoe”. You can have the whole piste to yourself and on some runs it feels as if you will ski directly into the pristine waters of Emerald Bay below. This is one resort that I simply cannot get out of my mind.

Australia: Falls Creek, Victoria THERE aren’t many mountains to choose from in Australia, but everyone has a favourite. I’ve been to all the major resorts, but for me Falls Creek has some of the most challenging and interesting runs on offer and the most welcoming community vibe.

For some diversity in your day and the ultimate ski perk, take a helicopter over to Falls Creek’s sister resort Hotham and make the most of your lift pass. Within minutes you’ll be skiing a whole new resort and enjoying a different style of mountain.

At night, this mountain comes to life with countless bars to choose from, including the never-ending party at The Frying Pan. For a quieter chalet après experience, make sure to visit Astra.

Indulge with a few aperitifs by the fire place while chatting to your friends about the incredible runs of the day.

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© Falls Creek

SKIING

:

Austria: Kuhtai, Austrian Tyrol THE Austrian alps are famed for their brilliant skiers, cross country enthusiasts and of course the après scene. One of the world’s most famous ski resorts is St Anton in the Arlberg region, known for its challenging slopes and active nightlife.

However, a little skiing town tucked away in the Austrian Tyrol has captured my heart. Kühtai is Austria’s highest ski resort located just 45 minutes from the charming city of Innsbruck.

Looking for the quintessential ski chalet snow holiday? Why not stay at the AlpinLodges Kühtai, an imposing wooden façade that greets you as you drive through the village. Enjoy stepping out into the powder on your balcony and admiring the crisp peaks that surround you. Then challenge yourself with days of incredible skiing in the quiet, natural beauty of this charming Austrian ski town.

Typical Tyrolean delicacies are available at a number of local restaurants. Some are high up on the piste, providing great lunch views. Spend your nights sampling the quintessential Austrian schnapps and meeting the locals.

© Emma Lovell

© Emma Lovell

Canada: Big White, British Columbia

© Emma Lovell

ONE of the most well-known resorts in North America, and possibly the world, is Whistler. Endless runs, the party town atmosphere and accessibility make it a big draw card for visitors.

In Canada, it’s known as little Australia for the number of Australian residents who’ve made it their skiing playground.

However, the charming resort of Big White nestled in the mountains of Kelowna, British Columbia, is wooing Aussies over from its more famous counterpart. The village-like atmosphere of this quaint ski resort builds a sense of community that is instantly inviting to travellers. Offering more than 116 runs, this is no small fry when it comes to resort skiing.

Big White’s town centre, lit up with fairy lights, dotted with pointed roof cabins and surrounded by snow dusted pine trees is like a Christmas card. This winter wonderland will charm its way into your heart.

With après ski areas named things like Happy Valley, you’re assured of a good time. Remember to stop along your run and enjoy some famous Canadian fare such as poutine. Don’t miss the fireworks on Saturday nights, lighting up the whole mountain and adding to the magic.

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RUAPEHU TO TARGET AUSTRALIAN MARKET NEW Zealand’s Mount Ruapehu has set out to overcome the relatively low profile of North Island skiing with a winter marketing campaign targeting the Australian market.

Led by Tourism New Zealand, the NZ$750,000 initiative is backed by Ruapehu Alpine Lifts (RAL), Ruapehu and Taupo District Councils, Auckland International Airport and Rotorua, and follows the success of a winter marketing campaign conducted last year.

Visit Ruapehu trade and marketing manager Jo Kennedy said central North Island tourism operator activity together with RAL’s investment in on-mountain facilities had lifted the profile of the area in Australia.

“Leading Australian ski travel wholesalers

© Tourism New Zealand/Peggy Eggleton

are now keen to work with RAL and other Ruapehu operators,” she said.

RAL general manager of sales and marketing Michelle Caldwell said Ruapehu was punching above its weight.

“There has traditionally been very low visibility and awareness of our North Island ski areas in Australia,” she said.

“However, through the joint efforts of the regional partners we have managed to get

Ruapehu recognised as a new ski destination for Aussies to experience.”

Situated on an active volcano in a UNESCO World Heritage area, Mt Ruapehu is home to two ski areas – Whakapapa and Turoa – which form New Zealand’s largest ski terrain. The area also offers off-mountain activities like hiking, biking and golf year round, as well as other nearby adventures like jet boating, sky diving, bungy jumping and white-water rafting.

Hakuba Valley joins Epic Australia Pass VAIL Resorts has struck a partnership deal with Japan’s Hakuba Valley in the northern part of the Nagano prefecture, allowing its nine ski resorts to be covered by the Epic Australia Pass.

Beginning with the 2018-19 winter season in the northern hemisphere, the pass will offer five consecutive complimentary days with no blackout dates at Hakuba Valley resorts.

The Epic Australia Pass now covers 24 mountain resorts, connecting Vail’s local resort Perisher with ski fields in Japan, Canada and the US. "We’re excited to announce a long-term alliance between Vail Resorts and Hakuba Valley, Japan, offering Australian adventure-seeking skiers and snowboarders access to a part of the world that is legendary for its endless powder and incredible guest experience,” said Kirsten Lynch, chief marketing officer of Vail Resorts.

For $839, pass holders will receive Hakuba access as well as unlimited access to Perisher during the 2018 season, and access to Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin in Colorado; Park City in Utah; and Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood in Lake Tahoe, California. They also receive 10 days at Whistler Blackcomb, Vail, Beaver Creek and/or Stowe, combined, during the 2018-2019 season.

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© La Rosiere

NEW RUNS AT LA ROSIERE LA ROSIERE ski resort in Savoie region of the French Alps is ploughing ahead with a multi-million euro expansion that will add two new chair lifts and a network of new pistes in time for Christmas.

The high-altitude resort is close to big name sites like Val d’Isere and Les Arcs, with 160km of pistes on sunny south-facing slopes close to the Italian border. It is linked with the Italian resort of La Thuile and claims to receive amongst the best snowfalls in the northern Alps.

The two new six-seater chair lifts will allow the resort to open a new bowl-shaped area below the summit of Mont Valaisan, offering 6km of additional runs.

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For more information and sales tools for all-inclusive ski resorts, call 1800 258 263 or visit CLUBMEDTA.COM.AU

SKIING

CLUB MED PLANS RAPID SKI EXPANSION

Artist impression of Les Arcs Panorama

CLUB Med has embarked on an ambitious international development strategy that will see it open new ski resorts each year while aiming to boost its share of the Australian outbound ski market.

The group already lays claim to the title of the world’s biggest ski resort operator with more than 20 destinations in Europe and Asia and says it will increase that number as part of a wider development plan that will involve between three and five new Club Med properties each year until 2020.

Club Med Australia and New Zealand general manager Madeleine Clow-Suares said the group was aiming to grow Australasian markets by 50% over the next three years.

“These are ambitious targets which come

in response to the strong appetite of Australians for the relaxing, active, social and carefree holidays Club Med offers,” Clow-Suares said of the all-inclusive concept.

The group’s current ski sites are located in France, Italy, Switzerland, Japan and China, and were added to recently with the opening of Club Med Tomamu Hokkaido in Japan and Club Med Grand Massif Samoens Morillon in the French Alps.

These will be joined later this year by the opening of Les Arcs Panorama in France, a modern retreat located within a forest close to high-altitude mountains and due to open in December. Club Med is also planning to renovate its Club Med Sahoro property in

Japan which will be ready by November with updated rooms, bar and reception areas and main restaurant.

Discussions are also progressing for new openings in Tignes, France, as well as Valloire, La Rosière and San Sicario in the Franco-Italian domain Vialattea and SaintGervais, Montgenevre, France. Club Med says it will settle its first resort in Canada, in Charlevoix’s Massif, Quebec, and is continuing discussions on projects in China and South Korea.

“These additional development projects will offer more exciting opportunities for families, groups and couples when travelling to snow destinations with Club Med,” Clow-Suares said.

Ikon pass unites North American resorts THE Alterra Mountain Company has united 26 destinations across North America to create the Ikon pass in a challenge to other multiresort season passes in the market.

The Ikon Pass covers the 12 destinations of the Alterra Mountain Company with 14 other partners, giving skiers and boarders access to more than 25,000 skiable hectares in nine US states and four Canadian provinces. The pass offers options ranging from full unlimited access to a set number of days that vary by destination.

Passes are priced from US$599 for a five-day option.

“The Ikon Pass is a collaboration of like-minded mountain destinations across North America where incredible terrain, unique character and local traditions are celebrated,” said Erik Forsell, Chief Marketing Officer for Alterra Mountain Company.

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“We’ve curated a community of iconic destinations. We believe this new pass offers tremendous opportunity and appeal to mountain enthusiasts who have a passion for outdoor adventure.”

Alterra Mountain Company’s destinations are Steamboat, Winter Park Resort, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, Mammoth Mountain, June Mountain, Big Bear Mountain Resort, Stratton, Snowshoe, Tremblant, Blue Mountain, Deer Valley Resort, and CMH HeliSkiing & Summer Adventures.

Ikon Pass partner destinations are Aspen Snowmass, Copper Mountain Resort, Eldora Mountain Resort, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Big Sky Resort, Killington Resort, Sunday River, Sugarloaf, Loon Mountain Resort, Alta Ski Area, Snowbird, SkiBig3, Revelstoke Mountain and Sugarbush Resort.

SKIING

rds 20

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Postcard from...Canada

postca

When they said MEGA-fam they sure as hell weren’t kidding!

From the true Canadian hospitality and delicious food & drink, to the most important of it all “Okanagan Champagne Powder” snow, which really lived up to it’s rep. Seriously though, you couldn’t even make snowmen because the snow was that light and fluffy, it would just disappear like magic.

I will always remember the way that we were greeted by Big White Resort on the first day; literally a “Big White-out” constantly spewing snow in preparation for our first ski day – Bluebird, perfectly groomed runs, ending in the outdoor hot tub.

It’s hard to pick the best moments when everyday was memorable but just to recall a few awesome activities; the guided ski lessons through the stunningly scenic trails at SilverStar, dog-sledding at SunPeaks, and zip-trekking through the treetops in Whistler.

Moving between the four different resorts over eight days, was a great way to compare the uniqueness of each, and how to best match what a the destination has on offer with the needs of clients. I actually learnt hand. first ce experien is so do to way best the and holidays, ski lot about Everything about this Sno’n’Ski famil was done to the nth degree, feeling super blessed to have been apart of it. Thanks for everything!!

From Natasha Glazenburg, Helloworld Circular Quay

NOW’S THE TIME

TO BOOK A NORTH ISLAND SKI HOLIDAY

What you need to know: - NZ’s two largest ski areas situated an active volcano inside a UNESCO dual world heritage national park.

- Longest ski season in NZ. - Happy Valley is the premier beginners’ area in NZ. - $100m development plan.

- Close to geothermal wonderlands.

- Awesome après ski.

- Discover Middle Earth.

- Stay Taupo, Turangi, National Park, Whakapapa Village or Ohakune – loads of options for all budgets.

Book with your favourite ski wholesaler.

MTRUAPEHU.COM

8 IRELAND

REASONS TO VISIT IRELAND IN 2018 There’s never been a better time to visit the Emerald Isle, writes Kristie Kellahan.

Irish Immigration Museum (©Tourism Ireland)

ENJOY your stout? At the Guinness Storehouse, at the home of the worldfamous Guinness Brewery, visitors learn how to pour (and sip) the perfect pint. Rambling through 250 years of drinking history can sure build up an appetite, so it’s a good thing the on-site restaurants and bars serve up delicious food with a kick. Tuck into the sticky Guinness chicken wings or hearty beef and Guinness stew.

©Tourism Ireland

DISCOVER that good things come in small packages. At the Little Museum of Dublin, learn about the city’s history and nose around a beautiful example of an 18th Century Georgian townhouse. With more than 5,000 artifacts over three floors, it’s perhaps not as little as the name suggests. Temporary exhibits present plenty of new reasons to visit, while the permanent collection includes a room dedicated to the enduring legacy of U2. Entry is by guided tour only.

SAMPLE the new tastes of Irish fare. Local chefs are upping their game with clever fusion concepts, sophisticated restaurants and creative, tasty ways with classic dishes.

If it’s gastro pub nosh you crave, head to Walled City Brewery in Derry-Londonderry, or The Exchequer in Dublin. Former Irish rugby international Keith Wood has opened Upstairs at Wood & Bell, in his native County Clare. With a menu focused on classic, French-influenced dishes, the restaurant proudly boasts herbs and many fruits and vegetables grown in the on-site garden.

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©Tourism Ireland

LEARN about the immigrant/emigrant experience at Epic: The Irish Emigration Museum. Modestly touted as a place to learn about all the ways the Irish have influenced and shaped the world, this new museum is a game-changer. Since opening its doors two years ago, the museum’s high-tech exhibits and thoughtful exploration via interactive displays has been a hit with visitors from around the world. Many plan a trip with the hope of researching their own Irish roots, an endeavour the museum staff can help with at the Irish Family History Centre.

IRELAND

©Tourism Ireland/Caspar Diederik

EXPLORE Belfast and the Causeway Coast. Lonely Planet has voted it the Best Region for Travel in 2018, citing the great restaurants, some of the country’s best chefs, Titanic history and dramatic landscapes that have wowed Game of Thrones audiences. In Belfast, take a Black Taxi Tour for a look around town with running commentary from a local cabbie, then check out St George’s Market for an abundance of fresh food choices. Rent a car and tour the scenic route between Belfast and Derry-Londonderry for a road trip with a slice of history.

©Tourism Ireland

YOU can save money at the Titanic visitor experience in Belfast. Discount tickets are sold one hour before closing: 10 pounds, rather than the usual 18.50. But with so much to see, it’s worth paying full price to stay a while longer. Nine interactive galleries bring together rides, reconstructions, special effects and virtual reality technology to bring to life the story of that fateful voyage. The White Star shipping line has one remaining ship, the SS Nomadic, open for tours.

Stay at the Titanic Hotel Belfast and enjoy sweeping views of the Harland & Wolff shipyard, where the Titanic was designed.

TREK along the scenic Causeway clifftops on a three-hour guided hike. The striking basalt columns of the Giant’s Causeway are one of the most popular sights in Northern Ireland, dramatic in any season. Game of Thrones fans will want to sign up for the filming locations tour.

Be aware that along the Antrim Coast, timed tickets are now required to cross the rickety Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge.

In an effort to manage the flow of traffic, local authorities have enforced this new system. They’re only available in person on the same day, so arrive early before they sell out.

©Tourism Ireland

ENJOY the summer feels. The warmer months in Ireland are celebrated with festivals and music tours by big-name international artists. This year sees Ed Sheeran tour the biggest stadiums throughout the country, followed the next month by The Rolling Stones and Taylor Swift. Head to Dublin to catch Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds in a rare performance on 6 June, or rock out to Alanis Morrisette on 5 July. Still cool after all these years, Roxy Music’s Bryan Ferry plays Dublin on 27 July. Electric music fans will have an abundance of festivals to choose from, while Summer in the City, a two-day open-air event, will be headlined by The Chainsmokers. The family-friendly Groove Festival will rock it 90s-style with fan favourites from the decade of R&B and girl-band hits.

©Tourism Ireland

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IRELAND LURES AUSSIES © Tourism Ireland

GETTING to Ireland has never been more accessible and affordable, with the increased air links inspiring many Australians to start or finish their Europe trip in the destination, Sofia Hansson, regional manager Australia and New Zealand, Tourism Ireland told travelBulletin.

The Australian market has seen positive growth in recent years, on the back of a more than 60% boost in Australian visitor numbers between 2011 and 2016.

“The outlook looks positive and with new air access, we’re positive with this market,” Hansson said.

But it’s not simply access which is luring travellers to the destination, with Hansson explaining that upon arriving in Ireland, visitors enter a land of warm welcomes and great storytellers.

“Some people say the Irish are the best storytellers in the world and it’s just the friendliness and openness which kind of brings everything to life… you could ask for directions and make a friend along the way.”

The tourism board is focussing on drawing travellers to three touring routes: The Wild Atlantic Way, The Causeway Coastal Route and Ireland’s Ancient East.

The Wild Atlantic Way has the allure of being the world’s longest defined coastal touring route, exploring soaring cliffs, buzzing towns and cities and hidden beaches and bays.

It ventures from Donegal down to Cork through nine counties, offering visitors the opportunity to connect with the friendly locals

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in the little villages and feast on locally grown food and freshly caught seafood right from the Atlantic.

“It’s about the dramatic, unique landscapes.

The very edge of Europe,” Hansson added.

The Causeway Coastal route allows travellers to begin or end their journey in Belfast to spend some time soaking up the sights of the historic city before embarking on the journey.

Tipped by Hansson as “one of the most spectacular routes in the world in terms of scenery”, the itinerary wraps around the Atlantic coast to finish in Derry (Londonderry) and is speckled with unique landmarks including the Giant’s Causeway and the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge.

Game of Thrones fans can also delight in the many Game of Thrones locations such as Cushendun Caves, where the “shadow baby” scene was filmed, while whiskey fans can settle in for a whiskey tasting at the Old Bushmills Distillery.

The third route in Tourism Ireland’s sights is the Ireland’s Ancient East itinerary, which focusses on the history and heritage of the destination.

“It’s a journey through 5,000 years of history in a very unique, beautiful landscape,” Hansson said.

The four-day journey travels from Dublin to the plains of Kildare, and meanders through the counties of Meath and Westmeath, zoning in on the castles, myths and legends of the area.

Tourism Ireland’s initiatives target the core

audience of the “culturally curious traveller”, who Hansson said was “very interested in culture heritage and getting off the beaten track and experiencing really unique locations”.

The destination is also popular with a younger audience looking for adventure, to explore cities and get off the beaten track.

Agents looking to update their knowledge on Ireland and be in the running to win a spot on a famil can take part in Tourism Ireland’s recently revamped Ireland Specialist program, which has been refreshed with content detailing what’s new in 2018.

FEATURED TOUR Tick off some Irish locations on your bucket list with Back-Roads Touring’s The Emerald Isle tour. Travelling in a small group of no more than 18, the 12-day itinerary starts in Dublin before heading to Belfast where travellers visit the Titanic museum. They then journey onwards to the Giant’s Causeway, followed by Londonderry where guests learn about the devastating Irish Famine.

Free time in the buzzing city of Galway, and the Dingle Peninsula allows guests to refresh and explore as they wish, before visiting the stunning Killarney Lakes, Blarney Castle and Kilkenny.

Prices for The Emerald Isle start from $4,699 per person, twin share.

IRELAND

IRELAND AIR SERVICES SKY ROCKET TRAVELLING to the Emerald Isle has become more convenient, with a number of carriers announcing services to Ireland.

Cathay Pacific is set to launch non-stop flights between Hong Kong and Dublin next month, which the airline is touting as the only direct flights between the destinations.

The airline indicated the move would further strengthen the carrier’s network and provide new trade and tourism opportunities between Asia and Europe.

Cathay Pacific chief executive officer Rupert Hogg said that the announced services would help to meet customer demand and provide Europe-based passengers with more convenient access to key destinations in Asia and Southwest Pacific through Cathay’s home in Hong Kong.

“Growing our reach to new destinations that aren’t served from Hong Kong boosts the city’s status as Asia’s largest international hub and enables us to capture new and important sources of revenue,” Hogg said.

The direct flights will take to the air from 2 June, offering departures on Tue, Thu,

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Sat and Sun. They will be serviced by Airbus A350-900 aircraft, which feature the latest seats and cabin design and will be fitted with an enhanced entertainment system and wi-fi on board.

Also launching next month are four times

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REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

CLIFFS OF MOHER

© Cathay Pacific

MIDDLETON KINSALE

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weekly direct flights with Hainan Airlines from Beijing to Dublin from 12 June.

The new additions will join Qatar Airways, which added Dublin to its network last year and Etihad and Emirates, which also currently offer Dublin services.

ARABIA

Iran - beyond Ben Groundwater explores a country many only know by its news headlines and discovers there is a whole other world to see there.

T

HERE’S an old saying in Iran: “Isfahan is half the world”.

It’s a play on words, if you speak Farsi, something of a rhyme: “Isfahan nesfe jahan”. It’s also a point of pride for the inhabitants of that fine city, an idea that was coined during the reign of Shah Abbas the Great in the 1500s when so many beautiful mosques, so many bridges, so many gardens and so many palaces were erected there. And it stuck.

Isfahan is half the world. It sounds like a fanciful notion until you arrive. Until you take a seat on a park bench in Naqsh-e Jahan square, surrounded by those ancient mosques and amid those beautiful gardens built in the time of the Shah, until you take in the city at a play as kids yell and splash water on each other in the fountains, as women rush back and forth from the bazaar,

Shiraz

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as groups of teenagers take selfies, as families gather to relax, and as the sun sets and the shadows lengthen and everything seems so beautiful and peaceful and right, you can’t appreciate that when you’re in Isfahan, it’s actually more than just half the world. Isfahan feels like the whole universe.

And this is Iran – the real Iran. Forget what you’ve seen on the news, what you’ve assumed to be true. Forget the scare campaigns about nuclear armament and the tussles between world leaders. Concentrate instead on what’s on the ground, on what you’ll experience as a guest in this ancient, civilised and amazing place, on what you’ll see and feel and come to know.

Iran is safe. It’s welcoming. That’s the first thing travellers should realise. Attacks on foreigners are so rare in this country as to be non-existent. Yes, you’ll walk past antiAmerican murals in Tehran, you’ll see on the news that Iran and the West are officially not friends, but that’s not what you’ll feel once you’ve spent some time there.

Iran is one of the warmest, friendliest places in the entire world. There’s a culture of hospitality in this country that runs deep. It

ARABIA

Shah Mosque, Isfahran

the headlines manifests itself in the welcomes you receive from strangers on the street; in the genuine offers to drink tea or share meals with new friends; in the frequent enquiries you get from random people checking to make sure you’re enjoying yourself in their country, that you’re comfortable, that you feel wanted. And you do.

That’s the Iran that travellers will experience.

It’s the Iran everyone should experience.

The city of Isfahan, obviously, is the highlight of any visit to the country, an ancient and yet cosmopolitan city, a place filled with mosques so beautiful you almost won’t believe they’re real, huge edifices tiled with intricate designs that flow through elaborate niches and contoured walls.

Isfahan’s main square, Naqsh-e Jahan, is one of the world’s great urban spaces, a 500-metre-long park surrounded by arched walls and domed mosques.

You can stay in a former palace in Isfahan, in the Abbasi Hotel. You can shop for carpets in the 11th-century Grand Bazaar. You can eat modern Persian food in the hip Armenian Quarter. You can spend long evenings sitting by the magnificent 16th-century Si-o-se-pol Bridge. And during all of these activities

Si-o-se-pol Bridge

you’ll be surrounded by friendly, well-meaning people who will check repeatedly to make sure you’re having a good time.

There’s more to this country, however, than just Isfahan. Spend time in Yazd, a desert community in the country’s east, a place

“

You’ll be surrounded by friendly, well-meaning people who will check repeatedly to make sure you’re having a good time

”

of mud-brick homes arranged haphazardly around narrow alleyways, where teahouses and artisans’ shops abound. As the sun sets each day in Yazd in a fire of orange, as the call to prayer rings out from the minarets and the desert air begins to cool, there’s no place in the world you’d rather be.

Leave time, too, for Shiraz, if for no other reason than to explore Nasir-ol-molk

mosque, perhaps the most picturesque religious monument on the planet. Though the exterior is impressive, it’s what’s inside Nasir-ol-molk that counts: sunlight that pours through thousands of stained-glass windows, lighting the pink-tiled interior in a riot of gorgeous colour.

Shiraz is also close to the ruined city of Persepolis, a tangible sign of just how far back Iran’s history spreads. These ancient ruins were built in the 6th century BC, and much of the magnificent stonework there remains intact: huge columns topped by carved figurines; vast bas-reliefs; imposing city gates.

And then there’s the nation’s capital, Tehran, big and brash, a city that may take a little time to get to love, but its appeal is there. This is Iran at its most cosmopolitan and liberal, a place where intellectuals swap ideas in cool cafes, where groups of women relax in restaurants, where it seems so difficult to believe that these people you’re surrounded by are supposed to be your enemy.

They’re not, of course. They’re far from it, and that’s a thing only those who’ve visited Iran will truly get to know. If this is half the world, then it’s one everyone should see.

Yazd

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QE2 REBORN AS HOTEL IN DUBAI CUNARD’S former Queen Elizabeth 2 has relaunched as a floating hotel in Dubai, more than 10 years after it was purchased by local investment company Istithmar World.

Originally inaugurated in 1967, the iconic 13-deck ship was sold to the Dubai government in 2007 and departed on her swansong cruise from the UK to Dubai in November 2008.

Queen Elizabeth 2 has since been converted into a maritime museum and hotel, while holding onto “the authentic elegance of her former years”.

QE2 features 224 refurbished rooms and suites ranging from

Standard, Superior and Deluxe Rooms (offering either Arabian Gulf or Dubai skyline vistas, some from the original portholes) through to the Captain’s Club Room with Balcony. The ship has more than a dozen food and beverage venues and 25 meeting and conferencing facilities. Queen Elizabeth 2 also contains a shopping centre and theatre.

“Docked permanently at Dubai’s Mina Rashid, she has been lovingly restored to her former glory – revitalised with all the latest in smart technology,” the www.qe2.com website boasts.

Rates are priced from AU$290-$1,150 per room per night.

Oman e-visa system TRAVELLERS bound for the Sultanate of Oman are now required to apply for an electronic visa prior to entering the country after visas on arrival were discontinued by the country in late March.

The e-visa system is in line with the Oman Tourism Strategy aimed at attracting more tourism and investment in the country.

Aussies can register for the 30-day tourist e-visa at evisa.rop.gov.om/home where they can submit their details and pay the fee of 20 Omani Rials (approximately AU$70).

A reciprocal visa arrangement with Dubai and Qatar enables Australians access to one visa free entry when stopping (not transiting) in those Arabian countries prior to entering Oman.

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Get to know your BDM Name: Andy Roberts How long have you been working as a BDM for Inspiring Journeys?

I’ve been a BDM within The Travel Corporation for eight years working in both Melbourne and Sydney, having just recently joined Inspiring Journeys to head up the team in Australia and New Zealand.

What is your favourite destination?

Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory is truly something. Aside from the Crocodile Dundee references, it’s one of the most breath-taking places on Earth. Whilst Australians often pay thousands of dollars to travel overseas, they can often miss the best of their own backyard!

What do you love about your job?

I love interacting with my travel agents, working with them towards success and sharing with them the many amazing experiences we offer.

What destinations are on your bucket list?

New Zealand, I would love to experience more of the South Island. I was inspired by the amazing scenes from ‘Lord of the Rings’. And Uluru and the Red Centre. As an Englishman, I can liken Uluru to our Stonehenge for its iconic status. I actually never went to Stonehenge until recently, it’s one of those things where you think ‘it’s local, I’ll get around to it later’ and since living in Australia it became 26 hours of flying away. I wouldn’t want to be in the same situation with Uluru particularly while the Field of Light installation is such a focal point for the region and it’s more accessible than ever.

ARABIA

AVANI’S PLANS FOR THIRD DUBAI PROPERTY THE rapidly expanding AVANI brand will establish a third location in Dubai by 2020, having announced plans for a 48-storey newbuild hotel adjacent to the Dubai Marina.

The 527-key property is being constructed

by Dubai conglomerate Alfahim and will involve both AVANI hotel suites and residences overlooking the city’s iconic Palm Jumeirah.

The suites and residences will offer floor-to-ceiling windows and living areas with private terraces that provide sweeping views of The Palm or the city. They will range from 45m2 to 180m2, catering to a mix of leisure, corporate and extended stay guests.

“When it opens in 2020, the impressive AVANI Hotel Suites & Branded Residences will be our third property in Dubai, signalling the brand’s steady growth in the region as well as around the world,” said AVANI vice president Alejandro Bernabe, referring to the existing AVANI Deira Dubai and the planned AVANI Ibn Battuta Dubai, due to

AVANI Hotel Suites & Branded Residences Bedroom

open in late 2019.

Facilities at the new property will include a gym and lap pool, an AVANISPA, an all-day dining restaurant, a casual dining outlet and a bar connected to a swimming pool. Its 263 residences will be marketed to investors as

a sale and lease-back product, with a mix of one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom options.

Launched by Minor Hotels in 2011, AVANI Hotels & Resorts currently has 23 properties in operation in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Portugal and Australasia.

IN FLIGHT Qatar Airways – SYD-DOH The plane Airbus A380, Business Class A380 Business Class seat

A380 Business Class cabin

A380 Sanctuary Lounge

The seat Qatar Airways’ Business Class was named the world’s best in the 2016 Skytrax ratings, and the sweeping design of its lie-flat seat shows this is a well-conceived, contemporary product. Arranged in 1-2-1 configuration, each seat has aisle access and can be partitioned from neighbours with a sliding screen. The electronically controlled seat adjusts in multiple directions, including the armrests. Storage compartments are within easy reach, while a panel of sockets provides for USB, Apple iport and headphone connections. By night, the beds are fitted with an underlay quilt and top-quilt, and guests are provided with pyjamas. The seats offer 56cm between arm rests and extend to 2m when reclined. Guests can also relax in an on-board lounge, an intimate space fitted with leather lounges and a central bar.

Entertainment A 43cm flat screen provides Qatar’s Oryx One in-flight entertainment with up to 4,000 choices of movies, TV programs, music and games. It can be controlled as a touchscreen or with a hand-held screen that clips into the armrest. Our flight coincides with Oscar season, and the movie menu includes top nominees.

Inflight wi-fi is available and noisecancelling headphones are provided.

Service and food Crew were friendly and attentive, introducing themselves personally after boarding and explaining the services ahead of a pre-flight champagne. Qatar offers a full a-la-carte meal service – available on request any time. Dishes are elegantly presented and include a series of light options, while the wine list includes a good range of champagne and wines from France, California, Australia and South America.

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LAST WORD

We love trawling through the Travel Daily Window Seat archives. Here are some gems from 1999:

SUDOKU

The aim of Sudoku is to complete the entire grid using the numbers 1-9.

Each number can only be used once in each row, once in each column, and once in each of the 3×3 boxes.

A MERCHANT in the Egyptian tourist haunt of Giza, home of the pyramids, has been charged with cheating and endangering public health after using boot polish to turn green olives black. The shopkeeper told police he was able to charge a higher price for the black ones.

THE 5,000 or so tourists visiting temples in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings each day produce 50 pints of sweat as they queue for hours in intense heat. The figure comes from a US conservation group which said yesterday that when the moisture combines with dust and bacteria it produces a pollution cocktail that is slowly destroying the treasures.

BRITAIN’S Virgin Group is threatening a Welsh carpenter with legal action over his use of the name Virgin, claiming that its confusing.

Roger Virgin, 53, of Virgin Building Services, Tongwynlais, says: “I was called Virgin long before Branson”.

Gadget: Blue Microphones’ Raspberry THE demand for portability is paramount in today’s day and age, particularly within the travel industry. Blue Microphones have just released the Raspberry, a portable microphone that doesn’t compromise on quality.

The microphone is incredibly versatile, whether you’re video calling someone important, or recording a new podcast, it will provide a high quality recording wherever you are.

It’s designed for portability, so its ‘plug and play’ compatibility with any recording software on either your phone or computer means there’s no mucking around; and thanks to world class tech and well thought out design the quality of recording is the best in its class.

The Raspberry uses an Internal Acoustic Diffuser, the sort of tech found in high end recording studios; that is able to focus on recording a voice or instrument and block out background noise, making it perfect for recording on the go.

The mic also has a built in stand which folds out to minimise the sort of vibrations you might experience in transit that can ruin a recording, the stand also doubles as a bit of extra protection when collapsed.

The Raspberry allows creators to set up wherever they need to, and capture high quality audio without having to compromise.

To check it out head to www.bluedesigns.com

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MEDIUM

www.sudokuoftheday.com – visit them and get a new Sudoku every day!

Funnies Flashback

The drinks are on us!

On a Paul Gauguin Cruise you can kayak, snorkel or wade your way up to the floating bar on our private island.

Sip your tropical drink while enjoying 5-star service on your all-inclusive luxury voyage in paradise.

2019 Brochure Now Available TAHITI | FRENCH POLYNESIA | FIJI | SOUTH PACIFIC

For more information contact Wiltrans International 1800 251 174 (AU) 0800 446 376 (NZ) travel@wiltrans.com.au