September 2016
September 2016
Leading The
WAy
Europe Arabia Asia Events & Festivals Steven Ciobo comment
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CONTENTS
From the managing editor Bruce Piper
COVER STORY Leading the way
14
features 34 Europe 42 Arabia 46 Asia 50 Events
monthly 02 State of the Industry 07 Issues and Trends 19 Brochures 20 Technology 22 Your Travel Business 23 Careers 26 Business Events News 28 Cruise Report 32 Industry in Focus 54 Last Word
columns 02 06 08 28 31
Ian McMahon Steve Jones AFTA View Minister’s View CLIA View
www.travelbulletin.com.au Travel Bulletin is part of the Travel Daily family of publications
After years of focusing exclusively on its direct-to-consumer operations, enforcing strict fare and check-in procedures and eschewing the travel agency distribution channel, Jetstar has begun to reveal a new, softer side. Attendees at last month’s CAPA Centre for Aviation conference were intrigued at the rhetoric in a keynote address by Jetstar chief executive officer Jayne Hrdlicka, who hinted strongly at an imminent push into the corporate market. She admitted the airline had not been good at catering to the flexibility required by business travellers, adding: “We’re working closely with Qantas to change that”. The initiative apparently follows an analysis of the mountains of data gathered by the Qantas Group, which has been closely looking at who is wanting to fly on Jetstar for the purpose of business. “We want to make that as easy as possible for them,” Hrdlicka said. In the absence of further details, it’s expected this will involve a range of new flexible fare options, perhaps with the ability to earn Qantas points, change and cancel flights and retain the value of unused tickets for future use. Such a move will be welcomed by travel management companies and businesses alike, particularly given that a significant amount of corporate traffic continues to use leisure-focused routes only served by Jetstar. Jetstar is also showing the love to travel agents on the leisure side, releasing a new ‘Sales Kit’ for the travel trade which urges agents to register with the carrier. Innovations include a new travel agent support hub and – shock horror – “remunerable gross fares” under which agencies will receive payments for fares sold via the Jetstar Agent Hub and the airline’s direct-connect API. The carrier hasn’t gone all the way – yet – with no agent payment for GDS bookings. But for those who purchase with the carrier agents receive $10 for domestic short-haul bookings, or $25 for international long-haul widebody services. Hrdlicka took questions after her talk, with a number of respondents asking whether the corporate push was a move to squeeze Virgin Australia, which has been successful in attracting some of the business travel market, particularly at the price-sensitive end. She remained coy, but clearly this is an area where the much-touted Qantas Group ‘two-brand strategy’ can add significant value. However given Jetstar’s longstanding animosity to travel agents – particularly when it was led by now Qantas ceo Alan Joyce – it remains to be seen whether the newfound affection results in a long-term romance, or ends up being more like a one night stand.
This month’s contributors Steve Jones, Brett Jardine, Jayson Westbury, Steven Ciobo, Nina Karnikowski, Sarah Piper, Bonnie Tai, Brian Johnston, Jenny Piper, Bruce Piper, Maxine Wiggs, Guy Dundas, Nathalie Craig, Ben Groundwater, Jasmine O’Donoghue, Christian Schweitzer
EDITORIAL Managing Editor – Bruce Piper bruce.piper@travelbulletin.com.au Co-ordinating Editor – Sarah Piper Ph: 1300 799 220 or 02 8007 6760 sarah.piper@travelbulletin.com.au Editor at Large – Ian McMahon Ph: 03 9568 4464 or 0414 320 321 imcmahon@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 Piper Ph: 1300 799 220 or 02 8007 6760 sarah.piper@travelbulletin.com.au www.travelbulletin.com.au
DESIGN TEAM Sarah Piper, Wendy St George CREATIVE INSPIRATION 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)
travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2016
1
State of the industry Chinese visa slowdown
Ian McMahon’s perspective
MAGELLAN’s stellar year THE Magellan Travel Group agents assembling in New Zealand this month for their 2016 annual conference will certainly be able to claim they have achieved another landmark year. But I wonder if in the years to come they will not also look back at 2016 as a watershed year. Landmark? Magellan’s chief executive Andrew Macfarlane will tell the group’s members that they achieved double digit growth in turnover during the 2015/16 financial year. They will see how this flows through to the bottom line in the form of a $10 million-plus profit that, in accordance with the group’s business model, will be fully and transparently passed on to them in proportion to their contribution to the result. Magellan has planted similar landmarks in each of the eight years since it hired Macfarlane. That was shortly after a small coterie of agents, comprised mainly of less than gruntled Travelscene American Express members, met in Werribee, Victoria, and agreed the time was right for the launch of a group such as Magellan. That is to say a group of established agents, usually with turnovers of $5 million or more who have no need to pay large sums of money to franchised chains for centralised branding, training and other support. The growth of Magellan so far has vindicated the vision of those agents who
came from round Australia to be at the Werribee gathering. Indeed that growth has, in some respects, outstripped the original vision. Magellan directors initially said they wanted only about 100 members. Currently the group comprises 120 members. And I note that, with a good number of franchise contracts coming up for renewal in 2016/17, Macfarlane is talking about getting “growth ready”. Meanwhile the group has also expanded beyond the largely retail plus some corporate business mix of its founding members with the formation of a specialist corporate group – a move that saw Penny Spencer and Carl Buerckner joining the Magellan board. The development adds a new dimension to the group (and incidentally it also boosts the volume of premium air traffic generated by Magellan, presumably enhancing its negotiating clout with airlines). All this has necessitated some expansion of Magellan’s famously bare-bones administration, notably the hiring of Scott Darlow to take responsibility for the corporate group and to give it a presence in Sydney. These developments are indicators of success but expansion, however prudently handled, also presents challenges. It will be interesting to see how successfully Magellan can move forward.
It’s not clear what has prompted a change in procedures at the Chinese Embassy in Australia, but the new arrangements will certainly impact last minute travellers. Most likely to affect business passengers, China has cancelled all ‘Rush’ and ‘Express’ visa lodgements, which previously offered a three- or two-working day turnaround – while the former four-day standard processing time has been extended to a six day minimum. In addition, applicants with passports issued on or after the 1st of January 2014 must also supply their previous passport as part of the visa application process. According to Luke Crawford of The Visa Machine, if the previous passport is not available due to being lost, stolen, or destroyed, applicants must provide a letter addressed to the Chinese consulate explaining the circumstances. “There is a chance their visa application could be rejected,” Crawford warned.
Scoot off to Europe Scoot Airlines will nab the title for the longest flight operated by a low-cost carrier, with the airline confirming non-stop Singapore-Athens flights are set to debut on 20 June 2017. Despite Greece’s economic instability and rowdy neighbours, the airline has chosen Athens as its first destination in Europe. The move is part of Singapore Airlines Group’s strategy to prod passenger traffic between Asia Pacific and Europe into action and boost connectivity through the Singapore hub. Travelling more than 10,000km, the flights will be operated on Boeing 787 aircraft on a total of 329 seats including 18 in the
business monitor OUTBOUND MARKET
INBOUND MARKET
MAIN DOMESTIC ROUTES
Top 10 domestic city pairs at June 2016
Top 10 destinations, June 2016
Top 10 sources, June 2016
Destination Trend Seasonally Original Trend Trend May 16/ Jun 15/ Adjusted Jun 16 Jun 16 000 000 000 % % Indonesia 112.7 116.3 121.7 +1.8 +23.1 USA 86.9 89.5 105.6 +0.1 +3.8 New Zealand 106.6 109.2 89.3 +0.0 +0.6 UK 48.8 49.9 85.1 -1.2 +1.1 Thailand 47.1 47.3 49.4 +1.7 +0.4 Italy 15.9 16.6 36.2 +0.9 +3.4 China 37.3 37.9 34.5 -0.2 +2.7 Fiji 26.3 26.6 30.9 -1.6 -8.0 Singapore 31.1 31.9 30.4 +0.6 +3.3 Japan 31.3 31.2 25.7 +1.6 +28.9 All outbound 824.3 843.2 952.8 +0.4 +5.3
Source Trend Seasonally Original Trend Trend Adjusted May 16/ Jun 15/ Jun 16 Jun 16 000 000 000 % % 108.7 +1.0 +1.6 New Zealand 111.7 115.0 China 101.7 103.8 65.5 +1.0 +19.7 USA 58.1 57.8 53.6 +0.5 +17.6 Singapore 39.4 37.2 49.6 +1.6 +21.6 UK 58.7 59.4 28.6 -0.1 +2.9 Malaysia 31.0 30.0 26.9 +0.3 +6.8 India 21.7 21.7 21.6 +1.6 +14.3 Japan 35.2 35.1 20.2 +0.8 +29.3 +22.6 Indonesia 14.8 16.8 20.0 +4.9 South Korea 23.4 23.7 18.1 -0.1 +32.6 All inbound 687.5 693.2 555.8 +0.9 +12.0
City pair
Passengers Passengers % change YE Jun 15 YE Jun 16
Melbourne-Sydney Brisbane-Sydney Brisbane-Melbourne Gold Coast-Sydney Adelaide-Melbourne Melbourne-Perth Gold Coast-Melbourne Adelaide-Sydney Perth-Sydney Hobart-Melbourne
(000) (000) 8,454.6 8,796.2 +4.0 4,408.3 4,608.1 +4.5 3,320.1 3,438.7 +3.6 2,583.2 2,702.3 +4.6 2,282.9 2,362.7 +3.5 2,131.7 2,122.0 -0.5 1,759.6 1,898.6 +7.9 1,817.0 1,869.8 +2.9 1,774.6 1,760.0 -0.8 1,452.7 1,526.1 +5.1
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics
Source: BITRE
2
travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2016
State of the industry ScootBiz cabin. Perth travellers with a spare $369 can claim launch Economy fares to Athens, while flights to Athens from Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast start at $419. Extra charges apply for baggage, food and in-flight wi-fi and streaming entertainment. The route will operate four times weekly, departing Singapore at 0200 and arriving into Athens at 0830, while the return service leaves Greece at 1200 and arrives into Singapore at 0425 the following day.
Nevada comes to town
Vanuatu crippled by runway The ongoing issues with the runway at Port Vila have hit the Vanuatu economy hard, and there does not appear to be a resolution in sight at this stage. The poor condition of the tarmac saw Air New Zealand suspend its weekly flights in January this year, while Qantas has ceased its codeshare with Air Vanuatu which continues to operate to Port The impossibly good-looking Governor of Nevada, Brian Sandoval, visited Australia last Vila. Virgin Australia initially suspended month, leading the first ever trade delegation from Nevada to Australia. With the US state services, then resumed flights after an home to Las Vegas and its multitude of tourism attractions, travel was a key part of the interim repair in April – but then pulled visit which included a major trade reception at Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art. the operation again last month for a few Sandoval, who has led a significant economic recovery for Nevada, was joined by days while an emergency patch-up job was representatives from United Airlines, Cirque du Soleil, the Las Vegas Convention and undertaken. Visitors Bureau and Nevada Tourism at the event. The governor is pictured between VA is now continuing to fly to Port Vila but two Cirque du Soleil cast members after a mesmerising performance, along with Corey has warned passengers that if conditions Marshall, Nevada Tourism; Julie Reid of United Airlines; Cirque du Soleil’s Alma Derricks; deteriorate “this could mean changes to their and Adreian Matanza from the LVCVA. travel plans at short notice”. Vanuatu prime minister Charlot Salwai – who has been in the job for less than six YEAR ENDED MAY 2016 months having been elected after 14 of his exactly inspire confidence last MPs werePassengers convicted Carried of bribery – says - MaySalwai Chart I fellow International (thousands) 2014 todidn’t May 2016 month when he said “we hope that real the problems have “affected the whole 2200 Crystal Cruises, which seems to have works will start by February next year”. economy of the country”. INBOUND OUTBOUND 1950 extremely deep pockets as it pursues an Interestingly Air New Zealand did attempt While regular sweeping of the runway is 1700 being undertaken to ensure asphalt is not aggressive strategy of expanding its to operate a Port Vila charter flight during Aug, but was refused permission by Vanuatu sucked into aircraft engines, the long term 1450 Continues over page authorities. answer is apparently a $59 million overhaul.
Christensen to Crystal
1200 950
business monitor
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700
DOMESTIC AIR MARKET – June 2016
International Air Market Share
Chart II
International passengers by major airline – year ended May 2016
Total pax carried Revenue pax kms (RPK) Avail seat kms (ASK) Load factor (%) Aircraft trips (000)
International Passengers by Major Airlines - Year ended May 2016
Qantas Airways, 15.9% Others, 28.6% Jetstar, 9.5%
Growth Yr to Yr to Growth (%) Jun 15 Jun 16 (%) +3.3 57.23m 58.40m +2.1 +3.0 67.44bn 68.83bn +2.1 -3.4 88.26bn 88.88bn +0.7 +4.8* 76.4 77.4 +1.0* -2.2 633.3 637.1 +0.6
Source: BITRE * Percentage points difference
Domestic On Time Performance – June 2016
China Southern Airlines, 2.7% Etihad Airways, 3.1%
Emirates, 9.2%
AirAsia X, 3.3% Cathay Pacific Airways, 5.1% Virgin Australia, 7.0%
Air New Zealand, 7.1%
Departures on Time Arrivals on Time Cancellations No. % No. % No. %
Jetstar 4,661 Qantas 7,379 QantasLink 8,403 REX 5,051 Virgin Australia 9,948 All Airlines 37,509
Singapore Airlines, 8.4%
Source: BITRE Table I
May May 15 16 4.46m 4.61m 5.28bn 5.44bn 7.25bn 7.01bn 72.8 77.6 52.3 51.2
73.4 4,503 70.9 84.8 7,530 86.5 84.3 8,500 85.3 81.5 5,252 84.8 85.4 10,216 87.7 82.5 38,143 83.9
145 148 252 94 307 1003
2.2 1.7 2.5 1.5 2.6 2.2
Source: BITRE
International Passengers by Uplift/Discharge City Pairs (a)
Foreign
Australian
Port
Port
Year ended
Year ended
Year ended
% of
% Change
May 2014
May 2015
May 2016
Total
2016/15
travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2016
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State of the industry Continues from previous page ocean-based operations into river cruising, luxury yachts and even its own fleet of widebody aircraft, has Australia firmly in its sights. Having been represented locally for more than 26 years by Wiltrans International, the company has now appointed cruise industry veteran Karen Christensen to head up a new local office. Christensen joins Crystal after a decade with rival Silversea Cruises, a role in which she also established the company’s Australasian operations. “We are thrilled to further solidify our presence in Australia and New Zealand as our company grows and offers more options for travellers throughout the world,” enthused Crystal ceo and president, Edie Rodriguez. “Karen’s depth of knowledge of the Pacific market and its travellers’ wishes, habits and preferences will help ensure that our vast portfolio of luxury travel offerings is effectively communicated and expertly sold to the discriminating travellers in the region,” she added. Christensen, whose cruise career also saw her establish CLIA Australasia under its former incarnation as the International Cruise Council of Austalasia, will report directly to Rodriguez. Meanwhile Amber Wilson, formerly of Cruiseco, has been appointed to replace Christensen at Silversea.
SureSave “revolutionary” PDS SureSave Travel Insurance is claiming an industry first with a new Product Disclosure Statement which aims to make it easier for customers to understand what is covered by their policy and select an option that is right for them. Policy cover is described in terms of ‘events’ that can happen before or during
a trip, with SureSave national sales director Talbot Henry saying the redesign stems from the company’s annual consumer research which reveals that a “significant section of the population has only a ‘general idea’ about what their travel insurance covers them for”. A full range of policies and optional addons are available under the revised PDS, and all plans include 24 hour emergency assistance and free ‘travel safety app’. Interestingly the smartphone app also includes the policy details so travellers can refer to it while on the road. “The new PDS breaks down otherwise complicated policies into a simple and easy guide to travel insurance,” Henry said, urging agents to engage with SureSave to see how different it is. “The role of the agent is crucial when selecting the right policy,” he added.
Magellan ready for growth The Magellan Travel Group is getting set for an expected surge in membership interest, with the expansion of its team including the appointment of Scott Darlow to the newly created role of national manager, Magellan Corporate. Darlow, who joins Magellan from Singapore Airlines, will also be the group’s first NSW-based employee, tasked with “developing the value proposition for our corporate members and help them to grow their business, as well as attracting more corporate agents to the group,” according to Magellan ceo Andrew Macfarlane. David Stafford has also now been confirmed in a permanent role as Magellan’s commercial and operations manager. Stafford will work to strengthen the commercial return for both members and suppliers under the group’s preferred partnerships. Macfarlane confirmed to travelBulletin that
with a significant number of existing franchise agreements at other agency groups up for renewal this year, “Magellan is chasing growth and our doors are open to new members”.
Qantas wifi revolution The bold Qantas plan to integrate in-flight internet access with Austalia’s National Broadband Network is set to revolutionise not just the carrier’s in-flight offering for passengers, but also enable key efficiencies for the carrier’s operations. According to a blog post about the rollout of the service, planned for fleetwide domestic implementation from next year, the internet access will also assist the crew with some key tasks that should really improve the travel experience. For example, in the case of disruptions where passengers miss connections it should be possible for revised itineraries to be sent through during their journey, meaning once they land they know what’s happening. Maintenance issues on board can be flagged in advance to make repairs faster. And in-flight medical emergencies are also likely to result in less diversions, with the use of monitoring equipment which can send vital signs to teams on the ground who can advise whether it is better to just get the patient to their final destination.
US win for Gulf carriers The concerted campaign by US airlines against their Middle Eastern rivals appears to have come to an end, with the State Department last month confirming it would not be taking any action. American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines joined together in a ‘Partnership for Open & Fair
business monitor INTERNATIONAL AIR ROUTES
MOST POPULAR WEBSITES IN TRAVEL
Top 10 city pairs (at May 2016)
July 2016, compared with June 2016 Rank Position Visits Share Websites Jul 16 Webjet Australia 15.95 Expedia Australia 10.45 Wotif.com 8.46 Skyscanner Australia 7.61 Flight Centre 7.28 3.04 Velocity Frequent Flyer Lastminute.com.au 2.83 2.38 Luxury Escapes Cheap Flight Aus & NZ 1.89 FareCompare 1.18
Relative Diff Jul to Jun +0.00 +8.71 +2.63 -7.08 -0.61 -30.71 -3.17 +12.28 -0.19 +4.58
City pair Rank Jun 16 1 2 4 3 5 6 7 8 9 *
Source: Hitwise, a division of Connexity * denotes not in top 10 previous month
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travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2016
Passengers YE May 15
Passengers YE May 16
% of % change total 15/16
SHARE PRICES at 17 August , 2016
Flight Centre (FLT)
$36.47
Helloworld (HLO)
$3.69
Webjet (WEB)
$8.05
Disruptive Investments (DVI)
$0.14
Auckland-Sydney 1,503,310 1,577,291 4.4 +4.9 Singapore-Sydney 1,377,125 1,474,716 4.1 +7.1 Singapore-Melbourne 1,160,696 1,279,562 3.6 +10.2 Auckland-Melbourne 1,085,847 1,167,525 3.2 +7.5 Singapore-Perth 1,007,655 1,116,775 3.1 +10.8 Hong Kong-Sydney 925,024 1,042,048 2.9 +12.7 Auckland-Brisbane 949,182 970,116 2.7 +2.2 Los Angeles-Sydney 899,564 925,024 2.6 +2.8 Denpasar-Perth 915,925 852,527 2.4 -6.9 Kuala Lumpur-Melbourne 872,476 794,463 2.2 -8.9 Top 10 city pairs 10,696,804 11,200,047 31.1 +4.7 Other city pairs 23,064,682 24,811,383 68.9 +7.6 ALL CITY PAIRS 33,761,486 36,011,430 100.0 +6.7
Regional Express (REX)
Source: BITRE
Sealink (SLK)
Qantas (QAN)
$3.35
Virgin Australia (VAH)
$0.245
Ardent Leisure (AAD)
$2.28
Air New Zealand (AIZ)
$2.08
Auckland International Airport (AIA)
$6.69
Sydney Airport (SYD)
$7.40
Corporate Travel Management (CTD) $15.87 Cover-More Insurance (CVO)
$1.48 $0.785 $4.79
State of the industry
Hands On makes a difference There’s no doubting the goodness behind boutique small group operator Hands On Journeys, with Sydney-based founder Simla Sooboodoo (pictured) saying she has built the business “on the foundations of love and passion”. At last month’s launch of the latest Hands On program, Simla told travelBulletin about the company’s philosophy which integrates volunteering with development and tourism. She chooses ground partners in each destination very carefully, giving travellers an authentic experience while assisting the locals to tangibly improve their lives. Hands On Journeys takes travellers to Cambodia, Vietnam and India, with trips including all the must-sees but also empowering change in local communities. “We are here to offer our travellers a touring experience that adds meanings to their travels,” the inspirational Sooboodoo said. n See www.handsonjourneys.com or 1300 653 766.
HEADLINES 22 Jul Flight Centre appoints CDO 22 Jul Wicked Campers banned 25 Jul QTIC rallies travel career 25 Jul A&K sold to Chinese firm 26 Jul Webjet bags agents, again 26 Jul Vic’s $36.5b tourism goal 27 Jul Burnes blasts Webjet ad 27 Jul Qantas Queensland pact 28 Jul Virgin takes $210m impact 28 Jul USA quash Gulf air concern 29 Jul FCTG unlocks the world 29 Jul Asia Escape Hols add Fiji 01 Aug Earn QFFF points with A&K 01 Aug Tourism WA seals China deal 02 Aug HNA boosts VA stake to 19% 02 Aug Global Plus Hols collapse 03 Aug Scoot plot Europe routes 03 Aug VA pulls Port Vila flights 04 Aug Jetstar to target corporates 04 Aug Keep borders open – WTTC
Skies’, seeking to counter the rapid growth of flights by Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways to the USA under the guise of “restoring a level playing field”. The State Department confirmed it had investigated the matter and engaged with authorities in the UAE and Qatar. According to a spokesperson for the US government, while taking the concerns of its home-grown airlines seriously, “we also remain committed
to our US Open Skies policy, which has greatly benefited the travel public, the US aviation industry, American cities and the broader US economy through increased travel and trade and job growth”. When the anti-Gulf carrier campaign was at its height twelve months ago Emirates president Tim Clark colourfully described the claims by the American carriers of illegal UAE state subsidies as “flim flam and tosh”.
05 Aug QF Helloworld commitment 05 Aug Airlines ‘polarised’ on cards 08 Aug Magellan targets corporate 08 Aug Flight Centre home loans? 09 Aug Rail Plus Red App debuts 09 Aug Virgin revamp fare types 10 Aug China buys South Molle 10 Aug QF boosting cyber safety 11 Aug Qantas to leverage wi-fi 11 Aug SeaLink sees profit surge 12 Aug Aussie US visitation jumps 12 Aug FCM adds HRS Hotel content
AUSTRALIAN AIRPORTS
International passenger through Australia’s major international airports – May 2016 Airport
Passengers Passengers YE May 15 YE May 16
% of total
% change 16/15
Sydney 13,478,092 14,461,459 40.2 +7.3 Melbourne 8,361,540 9,201,856 25.6 +10.0 Brisbane 5,122,389 5,305,833 14.7 +3.6 Perth 4,176,154 4,256,551 11.8 +1.9 Gold Coast 876,163 1,006,678 2.8 +14.9 Adelaide 943,618 854,644 2.4 -9.4 Cairns 483,391 603,618 1.7 +24.9 Darwin 296,714 257,652 0.7 -13.2 Townsville^ n/a 26,877 0.1 n/a Sunshine Coast* 10,248 17,376 0.0 +69.6 Norfolk Island 12,043 10,811 0.0 -10.2 Port Hedland~ 1,134 8,075 0.0 612.1 All Airports 33,761,486 36,011,430 100.0 +6.7 * Operated scheduled service from Jul 2012 to Sept 2012, June 2013 to Oct 2013 and Jun 2014 to Oct 2014. ~Scheduled services recommenced Apr 2015. ^Scheduled services recommenced Sept 2015.
ATAS ACCREDITED LOCATIONS 19 August 2016
New South Wales 995 Victoria 709 Queensland 596 Western Australia 297 South Australia 227 Australian Capital Territory 51 Tasmania 42 Northern Territory 23 total 2940
Got something to say?
15 Aug Qantas seasonal Bali boost 15 Aug Aussie biz events kudos 16 Aug Scoot confirms Athens route 16 Aug AFTA Webjet price attack 16 Aug QBT opens Darwin office 17 Aug SureSave transforms PDS 17 Aug Crown ‘solid performance’ 18 Aug Online booms for Webjet 18 Aug Alliance, Virgin team up
We’re all ears, so share your thoughts at: haveyoursay@travelbulletin.com.au travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2016
5
Issues & Trends
Steve Jones’ Say The toys are in the pram, dummies put back in place and, one could imagine, apologies mumbled while the adversaries stared at the floor, hands thrust in pockets. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the children have made up. But a petty playground squabble this was not. This was the end of a rather undignified, tatty and very public four-year spat between Australia’s national flag carrier and the country’s peak tourism agency. That someone thought it time to bang the collective heads together of Qantas and Tourism Australia is to be welcomed. That it took so long is alarming. The two organisations fell out in late 2012 when TA’s then-chairman Geoff Dixon, a former Qantas CEO, became so disillusioned with the airline that an influential consortium to which he belonged began briefing against its strategy. Amid cries of treachery, Alan Joyce, who had been close to Dixon when he took over as Qantas CEO in 2008, promptly picked up
his bat and ball and headed home - ending a decades-long association. Qantas said it just could not work with an agency whose chairman was “committed to unravelling Qantas’ structure and direction”. You could hardly blame them. That it has taken so long to bury the hatchet when Qantas and TA have such common interests is harder to fathom. Even more bewildering is that while Joyce remains at the helm of Qantas, Dixon left TA 15 months ago, and a new MD, in the form of John O’Sullivan, has been in situ at TA for well over two years. In truth, the rift did begin to heal before now, with tactical efforts between Qantas and TA in Japan. The airline’s onboard safety video also involved the agency. But only now, with a $20m three-year deal, have they entered a formal agreement and ushered in a “new era of partnership”. Fortunately, the split does not appear to have hampered Australia’s tourism, although it’s tempting to wonder what
additional growth there may have been. Be that as it may, tourists have continued to arrive in increasing numbers, from both traditional western markets and Asia. That is partly down to the sterling work of Tourism Australia - but in addition, the days when Qantas was the only player in town have long gone; TA struck deals with many of Qantas’s competitors. And ultimately eventually - that may have been telling. QF has been injecting money into state and territory campaigns, so it can hardly be accused of neglecting its tourism duties. For all that, it may have looked at the high profile marketing campaigns that come with working with the country’s national tourism body and concluded it was missing out, or at least handing its competitors a needless advantage. Either way, images of John O’Sullivan and Alan Joyce smiling over a handshake, and with $20m on the table, can only be good news for the tourism industry. It just should never have dragged on so long.
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Issues & Trends
Webjet ‘misleading’ says AFTA
T
he relationship between AFTA and Webjet reached a new low last month when the Federation lodged a formal complaint with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, alleging the OTA had engaged in misleading and deceptive practices. A number of issues are highlighted in the complaint letter, including a claim that Webjet is “seeking to gain market share through the use of misleading comparative advertising”. Certain to hit the hot button at the ACCC, the suggestion is that the heavy promotion of Webjet’s “Exclusives” holiday packages, which seem to imply massive discounts, has used deliberately inflated ‘typical price’ comparisons to exaggerate the potential savings to consumers. AFTA has highlighted a major promotion in News Limited newspapers early in August where Webjet showcased an 11-day luxury Botswana private safari, a 21-day China Uncovered tour & Yangtze River Cruise, a 16-day Discover Japan tour and a 16-day Treasures of Indochina holiday. “Given the competition and consumer preferences in the Australian market, travel products are
One of Webjet’s “misleading” advertisements, which appeared in the Weekend Australian Sat 06 August.
not typically sold at the RRP level…AFTA is of the belief that the typical prices listed for the [packages] are false and misleading resulting in unfair comparison,” the letter from AFTA CEO Jayson Westbury to ACCC chairman Rod Sims reads. While acknowledging that price comparison is a “legitimate marketing strategy if the comparison is truthful,” AFTA notes that the ACCC’s own advice on the matter is that comparisons must take into account the typical price of a product, beyond that of the Recommended Retail Price. “AFTA has conducted research of the varying elements of the packages and is unable to find the typical price presented by Webjet Limited,” Westbury wrote. AFTA has also taken exception to Webjet’s continued promotion of itself as a “licensed travel agent” and a member of the now defunct Travel Compensation Fund. “Ensuring compliance with the Australian Consumer Law is of the utmost importance for AFTA…we therefore have been partnering state consumer affairs departments on strategies for AFTA members. Webjet Limited is not an AFTA member nor do they hold accreditation with the AFTA Travel Accreditation Scheme (ATAS) and as such we believe it is important to refer this matter to the ACCC,” Westbury wrote. AFTA says Webjet’s claims it is a member of the TCF and a licensed travel agent mean it is “seeking to mislead the consumer by implying that its service is of a higher value than non-licensed travel agents,” demonstrating a “business decision to promote webjet.com.au as a licensed travel agent and member of the TCF to mislead the consumer to drive sales”.
The Federation also reiterated its previous complaint about Webjet’s controversial television commercials, which generated a storm of outrage from travel agents when first revealed by Travel Daily. AFTA said the most recent ‘Webjet – Never Out of Date’ television commercial (TVC) provides an incorrect and misleading representation to consumers that the OTA has a unique booking system that other travel agents do not. “Webjet uses fabricated testimonials in each TVC to imply a real experience of consumers [which] creates factually incorrect information to mislead consumers,” Westbury said, urging the ACCC to order that the commercial be removed from all online platforms and television networks. Webjet has declined all opportunities to comment on any of the controversy.
is of the belief that ‘theAFTA typical prices listed for the [packages] are false and misleading resulting in unfair comparison Jayson Westbury, CEO Australian Federation of Travel Agents
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Issues & Trends
Qantas FF points with A&K Members of the Qantas Frequent Flyer (QFFF) program can now amass points when booking top-dollar, luxury holidays through travel company Abercrombie & Kent. The new alliance took effect at the start of August and enables Qantas’ loyalty club members to earn one Qantas Point for every dollar spent on an A&K domestic and international tours of seven nights or more, excluding flights. QFFF members with Qantas Points earning credit cards could accrue even more points. Abercrombie & Kent says the partnership with Qantas provides “even more value” to customers. Regional Managing Director of Abercrombie & Kent Sujata Raman said the arrangement was a “logical fit”. “Through the program we can reward our loyal customers with Qantas Points that they already collect for redemption on a wide variety of rewards,” Raman said. Members are required to supply their Qantas Frequent Flyer number at the point of booking, with non-members able to join the scheme free of charge via the qantaspoints.com/AANDK website. Points will be awarded based on the final amount spent on eligible itineraries. If the tour is purchased in currencies other than AUD, the amount of Qantas Points earned will be calculated based on the exchange rate of the day when final payment was made. Qantas Loyalty CEO Lesley Grant acknowledged that tours are often a significant portion of a holiday budget, “so we’re excited to be able to reward our members with another opportunity to earn Qantas Points on their holiday spend. It also means members can beat the post-holiday blues knowing they’ve already earned points towards their next trip,” Grant added.
New Brand Ambassadors for Tourism Authority of Thailand The recent Miss World Australia 2016, Madeline Cowe, and the four runners-up (Esma Voloder, Amy Lee Dixon, Tasha Ross, and Anna McEvoy) travelled to Thailand recently as the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s new Brand Ambassadors. They are part of the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s newest campaign ‘Women’s Journey Thailand’, which is aimed to promote and encourage female independent travelling throughout Thailand. The group journeyed through Bangkok, Hua Hin, Ayutthaya, and Phuket to discover the true beauty of Thailand. The hope is that the trip will encourage Australians to not just see Thailand as a beach getaway but also a place to explore temples, national parks and Thai culture.
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travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2016
AFTA view Jayson Westbury, chief executive AFTA
Not all doom and Gloom Outbound travel from Australia may have been looking a little light over the past few months with all sorts of commentators and reporters wanting and hoping to be able to write stories of pending doom and gloom, but from where I sit the future looks bright. Last December, when one million outbound passengers left Australian shores just in that one month, it was a record. Then over the past six months or so the growth rate for outbound travel has been tipping a 3% growth rate off the back of a dip in departures in June of this year compared with last year in June. Now this is not the type of growth rate we have had over the past few years and that may be because Australians are basically in shock and are just not sure about what they are doing. Or in other words they have lost the confidence to spend money on overseas holidays. But the inconvenient truth for many of the would be doomsayers is that growth is still happening. There is nothing bad about a 3% growth rate. Most businesses would be rapt if they had a 3% annual growth rate and sure we would all love it to be more, but growth is growth. What I also think this points to is that there is some lagging demand meaning that people may have held off making their plans and this demand should start to find its way into the industry over the coming months. I think this is particularly relevant as we start the race to the end of the year and people start to think about what they might want to do for their next holiday. I also think this will bolster the corporate travel space as companies now start to take stock of their situation and plan for the year ahead. With the federal election now behind us, interest rates at record lows and the little Aussie dollar holding well with many of the currencies in destinations we like to travel to, I think the tail end of 2016 shows excellent signs of further growth. As various destinations change in terms of where people want to go and cruise continues to be a real growth category, travel agents and the broader travel industry should be more confident that the outlook is a positive one. Destinations like the USA, China, Japan and India all appear to be showing above average growth rates, this will help drive the outbound numbers. Even Indonesia continues to surprise everyone with the continued and sustained desire by Australians to travel to Bali and other parts will all help drive the performance. I for one am always a glass half full type of person and it seems to me that there are plenty of people around who want to talk the industry down and default to being negative. It’s a state of mind and if we all focus on doing our best and being positive, then we might just be surprised how well 2016 turns out to be.
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Issues & Trends
Rail Plus on board Sabre Red Travel agents in Australia connected to Sabre now have access to the full suite of Eurail and point-to-point international rail products accessed through Rail Plus via a new Sabre Red App. Launched early last month, the ‘Rail Plus Red App’ is seen as instrumental in elevating agent awareness of high-speed rail as a transportation option within trip itineraries booked through the GDS, particularly so for business travellers. Rail Plus Red App users will be able to incorporate passive rail segments into a PNR, alongside air, hotel and other non-air content within the Sabre travel marketplace, “making shopping and comparing travel options faster and more efficient,” Rail Plus Chief Executive James Dunne said. Dunne told travelBulletin the arrangement with Sabre increases the visibility of rail components which traditionally sit outside the GDS space. “Given that Sabre has a very strong presence in this market, especially in the corporate segment, we think this will really draw that attention to rail that perhaps has been missing locally,” he said. “I think habitually, people still use air and other forms of transport before realising how practical high-speed rail can be, particularly for a corporate client because you can be productive the entire journey,” Dunne explained. Some product sold through Rail Plus, such as Rocky Mountaineer and Orient Express, will continue to be booked manually by Rail Plus, Dunne added.
Nexus plots Asia expansion Value-oriented tour operator Nexus Holidays is eyeing deeper penetration into Asia, with new itinerary options in Southeast Asia, India and Sri Lanka on the radar. The privately owned firm has only been in the Australian market offering English-speaking tours for four years, but has been in business for more than 20, primarily focused on Chinese-speaking tours. Locally, Nexus Holidays has gradually built its destination portfolio from a base of Asia and Japan to now include the UK, USA and Canada, Nexus Holidays Head of Western Division Derek Lam told travelBulletin. Its range of touring itineraries tend to include flights from Australia, accommodation, some sightseeing and attractions and meals, while its luxury program includes everything. Nexus also offers holiday stopovers and add-on packages. “Our pricing is very attractive, but it doesn’t mean quality is low,” Lam explained. “We still prioritise a really high quality and standard of customer service for around half the price of some competitors. For the price difference, customers can fly Business class with Nexus. Our quality and value is unbeatable,” he added. The self-proclaimed “Asian expert” will ramp up its product offering across Asia in the future. “Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and also India/Sri Lanka, a bit of Nepal and Malaysia & Borneo are regions we are planning to develop,” Lam said. “We’ll also tap into regions in Indonesia beyond Bali.” Lam told travelBulletin the company “only sells destinations we know and can deliver outstanding service.” n More at nexusholidays.com.au
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travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2016
CATO view Dennis Bunnik, chairman Council of Australian Tour Operators
Tis The Season To Be Busy September is traditionally one of the busiest months for tour operators and wholesalers. The current season is still in full swing so operationally they’re operating at full steam. Then there’s next year. For many operators September is the month new brochures are released so the sales teams will be out in force hosting launch functions and training travel consultants all over the country. For those who released their programs earlier, September marks the start of the serious selling season. This is when the early bookers start to come out. Booking patterns have changed over the years with more early and late bookings – beautifully illustrated this week when we received two bookings within an hour on the same tour for late September. One was for this year and the other for next year. This polarisation of booking patterns is making life interesting for those of us involved in predicting demand and ensuring there is enough supply. The move of the ‘middle bookers’ to the ‘late bookers’ category can mean a nervous wait for operators. Many are tempted to release last minute specials which in some ways exacerbates the problem as it trains consumers to wait for the inevitable deals. Also keeping tour operators and wholesalers busy this September is the imminent launch of the new CATO website. This project is directly focused on the travel agent and is designed to make their job easier. It does this by providing an easy to use search tool to identify the most suitable supplier for a particular destination, activity or type of travel. This is particularly useful as the Australian market continues to mature and travellers seek out more out of the way destinations and activities. The new website solves two problems. The first is it provides a quick and easy answer to the question asked by consultants every day “do you know who does….?” And secondly it helps CATO members highlight their incredible array of products and experiences thereby encouraging them to keep developing new product. The website is part of CATO’s strategy of working closer with the travel agency community for the mutual benefit of Australian travellers and the Australian tourism industry. As I’ve stated in previous columns our industry works best when the airline, travel agency and land supplier sectors are all strong and working in harmony. This website is part of that process and we look forward to working even more closely with our travel agency colleagues in the future. The website will be launched in late September – stay tuned. CATO will be holding meetings followed by dinner in both Sydney on Wednesday 23rd and Melbourne on Thursday 24th November. These are always popular events so make sure you make note of the dates and for further details contact Peter Baily email: pahbaily@bigpond.net.au
polarisation ‘ofThis booking patterns
is making life interesting for those of us involved in predicting demand
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Issues & Trends
Whitsundays consolidation Chinese buyers continue to snap up islands off the coast of Queensland, with China Capital Investment Group last month announcing the acquisition of South Molle Island in the Whitsundays. South Molle’s “perpetual lease” was up for grabs and proved attractive to the company, which already operates the adjacent Daydream Island Resort & Spa after purchasing it in early 2015. The Shanghai-based company said the acquisition of South Molle “reflects the confidence we have in Australian tourism assets, Queensland and the tourism industry”. According to Daydream Island CEO Scott Wilkinson, “South Molle has a long history as a tourism destination. As such this was a great opportunity to acquire one of the last large-scale development opportunities in the Great Barrier Reef”. The perpetual leasehold interest in the island features more than 12 hectares of absolute beachfront land available for development, including a 600m frontage to one of the only sheltered north-facing white sand beaches in the region. There’s also a
15 hectare parcel in the middle of the island, surrounded by national park. Wilkinson said owning two island resorts in the Whitsundays would also provide economies with regards to staffing and resources, as well as ultimately providing opportunities for diversified guest experiences. “The investment and tourism potential from both domestic and international visitors is strong and coupled with infrastructure development in the region is an exciting prospect,” he said, adding that the owners look forward to providing local employment opportunities through the creation of more tourism jobs. China Capital Investment Group was founded in 1995 and specialises in China’s real estate, mining and infrastructure sectors. Chinese interests also own Lindeman Island, the home to the former Club Med resort, with advertising and media company White Horse Group currently working on a major redevelopment after acquiring Lindeman for about $12 million some years ago.
South Molle Island, Tourism Australia
AirAsia X wants more capacity AirAsia X’s newly appointed chief commercial officer, Arik De truly meets the definition of a “whiz kid”. For a start he looks like he’s about 16 years old, and has joined AirAsia from a career as a self-confessed airline network nerd with Canadian low-cost carrier Westjet. De spoke to travelBulletin at last month’s CAPA Asia Pacific Aviation Summit in Brisbane, and made it plain that the carrier has strong ambitions to boost its Australian presence. With AirAsia’s extensive network across Asia and shortly into Europe, the “network is key,” he said. “No other airline delivers Asia like AirAsia - If you have a piecemeal approach you are set up for failure.” De admitted AirAsia X had previously expanded too quickly, but with consolidation and a more measured approach is ready to start building its Australian connections again. Now there is no longer a point-to-point mentality, with one of his first actions on taking the role to ‘tweak’ the network to improve connections. Australia is key – and first cab off the rank is a seasonal increase to three daily Melbourne-Kuala Lumpur flights, with Brisbane also possibly on the agenda following the withdrawal of Malaysia Airlines from the Queensland capital. But the carrier also has ambitions for secondary ports such as Townsville, with De effusive about the economic benefits that direct AirAsia X flights could bring to regional destinations.
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travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2016
Solomons targets Aus The Solomon Islands government is determined to reshape the destination’s economy around tourism, with a concerted push to attract inbound investment, improve infrastructure and boost its appeal to Australian travellers. A senior delegation visited Australia last month, led by Minister for Culture and Tourism, Bartholomew Parapolo, who told travelBulletin a number of major tourism-focused infrastructure developments are under way. These include upgrades to six domestic airstrips to improve connectivity, roadworks to open up rural areas and ongoing reform in civil aviation – as well as new legislation to encourage foreign investment. “We want to upgrade our standard of product, developing our natural, historical and cultural assets…we are changing legislation to be more tourism friendly,” Parapolo said.
Issues & Trends
Keep on travelling – WTTC The recent spate of global terror attacks has not significantly dampened overall demand for travel, but has seen many holidaymakers switch to alternative destinations, according to World Travel and Tourism Council CEO David Scowsill. Speaking to travelBulletin during a flying visit to Australia last month, Scowsill confirmed that some parts of Europe are suffering badly, with Turkey, Tunisia and Egypt particularly hard hit. However, rather than staying at home, short-haul European holidaymakers are instead looking elsewhere, with Spain, Malta, Portugal, Italy and even Bulgaria up as much as 20-30%. Scowsill also noted the recovery pattern after an attack, which appears to be much shorter if the terrorists aren’t directly targeting tourists. “On average it’s taking 13-14 months to recover,” he said. An exception is the situation in Tunisia and Egypt, both of which have seen tourists directly targeted rather than the general population. Interestingly, given the repeated attacks in France the country’s long haul arrivals are “down a bit – but not as much as we expected”.
He urged governments around the world not to overreact in terms of tightening visa requirements in the wake of the attacks. Scowsill said almost every recent case has been a matter of ‘home-grown’ terrorism, and tighter visa requirements will only harm tourism and economic activity while having little impact on the security situation. WTTC closely monitors political and economic conditions across the globe, with Scowsill downplaying the travel impact of one of the biggest surprises this year – the shock Brexit vote which saw the UK decide to leave the European Union. Rather than having a kneejerk reaction, Scowsill suggested the industry adopt a wait-and-see attitude, with the highly complex withdrawal process not even passing its first stage yet. “The UK is a full member of the EU for another two years,” he said, adding that there are hundreds of laws affecting the tourism industry alone, which would require repeal. With hundreds of thousands of Europeans working in British hospitality – and vice versa for Britons in Europe – it is “inconceivable that the UK would take the stance that would have to change,” Scowsill said.
‘thatIt istheinconceivable UK would take the stance that would have to change
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David Scowsill, CEO World Travel and Tourism Council
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Cover
THE days of the travel industry being dominated by a ‘boy’s club’ are long gone. Women are on the rise right across the sector, from travel agents to suppliers and everywhere in between. Nathalie Craig spoke to five industry leaders about their journey to the top from a female perspective.
Leading The WAy
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travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2016
Cover
LESLEY GRANT CEO OF QANTAS LOYALTY BREAKING out of your comfort zone and being clear about your aspirations are two key pieces of advice CEO of the Qantas Loyalty Business, Lesley Grant gives young women. “Early on in my career the industry was very male dominated and in my early career I thought if I worked hard, kept my head down and delivered results someone would notice me,” she recalls. “Then I realised the important thing is to let other people know what it is you want to do in your career”.
Early on in my career the ‘industry was very male
dominated and in my early career I thought if I worked hard, kept my head down and delivered results someone would notice me
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Grant champions approaching mentors both within your company and externally. She herself is a mentor and says she is “dedicated to developing the next generation of leaders” – especially female leaders in her company. “I’ve always made sure I’m active in mentoring and providing sponsorship,” she smiles. Grant’s enthusiasm for Qantas, and for the aviation industry is infectious, so it’s surprising to learn she started out in workforce as a business manager for a financial services company. “A relative in the airline industry actually convinced me a career there would be good for me,” she explains. Her initial foray into aviation was as a senior flight attendant for Air New Zealand. “My first five years in the industry provided such an amazing foundation for me because I was right out at the front line in a customer delivery role, leading teams and getting a good grounding in the operation of an airline,” she recalls. She flew for five years and then someone else convinced her to step into management. She was appointed senior vice president, customer service, at Ansett-Air New Zealand Group and hasn’t looked back since. To Grant, the industry is addictive: “It’s dynamic, it’s competitive,
it’s ever changing, it’s incredibly demanding, it’s complex and it just presents so many challenges,” she enthuses. She joined Qantas in 2002 as Group Executive, Customer and Marketing, moving into her present role in 2012. She says she finds her current position as CEO of the Qantas Loyalty Business where she drives the evolution and growth of Qantas Loyalty extremely fulfilling. “The role I’m in today for me just brings together all the things I’m passionate about and that excite me,” she says. A highlight within her time at Qantas has been seeing Alan Joyce appointed as CEO in 2008. She believes he is providing the right kind of climate for his staff to excel. “I love the fact that he champions diversity in all its forms. He’s very focused on gender diversity,” she says. Supporting women in the workplace is a matter Grant is passionate about. While her stepson is now an adult himself, she knows the competing pressures mums can feel. “I have always ensured I’ve been able to provide arrangements for them when they’re bringing up young families,” she said. “It’s always important to strike that work life balance and here at Qantas we’re focused on providing flexibility for everyone”. First job Business manager in a financial services company in New Zealand Years of travel experience 38 years Any key mentors? Throughout my career there are any number of people who have been willing to help and support me to achieve my career goals. Career highlight My current role Most memorable travel experience? Ice driving in Lapland. Learning to rally drive on the ice was one of the most exhilarating experiences.
travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2016
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Cover
CINZIA BURNES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR HELLOWORLD IT’S not a man’s world any more, says Executive Director of Helloworld Cinzia Burnes. “The world has changed a lot,” she enthuses. “We may have a president of the USA that is a woman, the Prime Minister of England is a woman so there is a lot of advancement of women in positions of great power and they should be an example to the younger generations that are trying to make a career and know that it is very possible”. Burnes believes the key thing women trying to advance themselves in their career should remember is to believe in themselves as individuals and never be scared of speaking their mind. “People that know me know that’s certainly not an issue I have ever had,” she laughs. Italian born and bred, Burnes has spent her whole life in the travel industry, starting out with an internship in Rome with the Italy Australia Association looking after Italians travelling to Australia to see friends and family. Her life took an unexpected turn when travelling to Australia to attend the Australian Tourism Exchange where she met her husband-to-be, Andrew Burnes. “A few years later our friendship became more, we got married in Rome”. She then moved to Cairns where he had founded the Australian Outback Travel
Company which ran 4WD adventures from Cairns to surrounding destinations. Now known as the AOT Group, their small business has gone on to become an industry heavyweight, employing more than 2,000 staff and providing travel services for over 750,000 travellers each year. “We were very lucky in securing some strong, powerful accounts out of Europe and the UK that trusted us in handling their business in Australia,” she says. “And these relationships are all still in place 20 plus years later”. By 1998 the business had outgrown Cairns, seeing them relocate to Melbourne. Since then the business has grown astronomically. “We’ve always looked at opportunities to continue to grow the business both organically and through acquisitions,” she explains. Burnes says she is proud to have a large percentage of women working within the business. “We run the business totally based on merit and in our management team there is an equal number of women and men without any difference or discrimination”. Her advice to women who may experience a smart comment or remark in the workplace about their sex, is not let it get under their skin.
“I think if you’re happy to rise above them your career can progress in the same way a man’s career would”. For her, the biggest highlight of her career is the interaction with her staff at all level of the business. “My door is always open,” she said. “I’m very hands on and I enjoy knowing the challenges and successes that the various divisions experience”. Years of travel industry experience? 33 years Career highlight? The merger with Helloworld and seeing the successes of my staff and of the various visions of the business. Any key mentors? The main mentor in my life and career would be my husband. Most memorable travel experience? We just came back from three weeks in Greece, a holiday we had been looking forward to for a long time.
FIONA DALTON MANAGING DIRECTOR UNIWORLD SUCCESS is not necessarily achieved by following a linear path, says Uniworld’s managing director Fiona Dalton. “Sometimes you will need to take a step sideways or even back as part of broadening your skill set or capability,” she says. Dalton advises woman looking to succeed in their careers to “be okay with that” and to build a skill set that is transferable. “Don’t let yourself get pigeon holed in a single category,” she offers. The travel industry is a far cry from where Dalton started her career. In fact, her first job was working for a stockbroking company in Sydney and from there she progressed to the
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stock exchange trading before becoming a foreign exchange for a merchant bank floor. Just seven years into her career she was an incredible success, becoming the only female bullion trader in Australia, working for Rothschild Australia before heading over to London. While she thrived on the fast pace of the dealing room, she realised she wasn’t passionate about her chosen profession and the spark for a career in travel was ignited. Her first role was with Spring Street Flight Centre in 1993 along with Qantas Holidays and more recently she has moved up into corporate travel roles with Macquarie Group running their Global Travel program and
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JACQUI WALSHE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE WALSHE GROUP ‘WOMEN peak in their careers at age 50” is a concept Jacqui Walshe heard that resonated strongly with her. “I think women can allow time out for children in those early years as long as they get back in or keep their hand in if possible,” the managing director of Walshe Group says. “You can still achieve the career goals you want. You might be a few years older than your male equivalent but it will still happen”. Walshe knows full well it isn’t always easy for career women. “I found I was dismissed, particularly in Australia when I first moved here in 2000, because I was a woman and I was a New Zealander so I think I was completely disregarded,” she recalls. But with perseverance and “doing things her own way” she was able to continue building The Walshe Group, a key player in providing dedicated airline and destination representation services to travel brands. “It’s the same way you might look at disruptors now, they just ignore the industry and do their own thing,” she offers. A career in the travel industry came naturally to Walshe with her father and industry stalwart Rodney Walshe founding the Walshe Group in New Zealand in 1976. After completing her studies in Business
American Express looking after customers across the region before coming back to leisure about five years ago as the General Manager of Sales for Qantas Holidays under what is now Helloworld. While working her way up in the industry, she has also brought up her who two children Alistair, 17, and Lucy, 14. “I am a single mum so that adds a layer of complexity sometimes, but if you love what you do and you are doing it for your family then you simply find ways to make it work,” she smiles. “They really don’t remember me not working full time and the three of us make a great team together”. Dalton says she has seen first hand the roadblocks women can encounter when building their career. “Many women I know have missed out on promotions and opportunities by taking the time to have a
at Massey University she started with the company in Auckland in 1987 as a reservations agent, moving into the role of reservations manager before heading up the operation from New Zealand. In the year 2000 when her hands were full with her five-year-old daughter Brigette and newborn Riona an existing customer expanded and the company urgently needed to send someone to Australia and so she went, young family in tow. “The timing wasn’t ideal but my husband was very supportive,” she said. “Most of the successful women you meet will have supportive husbands”. She found establishing herself in Sydney a challenge, but one that she thrived on. “It’d been in a family business in NZ where everyone knew everyone. Here no one knew who I was and that was a lot more challenging but I found that a lot more enjoyable,” she reflects. Going from to strength to strength the company expanded into Asia in 2007, setting up offices in Hong Kong and Singapore. Walshe has seen the tourism industry go from a ‘boys club’ culture to one where women are have a healthy representation. One observation she makes though is that there are still not enough women on boards.
family,” she said. “Although it is against the law I have certainly witnessed this type of discrimination many times over the years”. She believes this has been less so in the past decade as organisations become more aware of their responsibilities. Dalton said she is now living the highlight of her career in her role as managing director of Uniworld which she stepped into earlier this year. Her key focus is communicating the strategic direction for the Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection and the global strategy for all The Travel Corporation brands in Australia. “What inspires me is the incredible guest feedback we receive from those returning home from a luxury Uniworld River Cruise,” she says.“The staff at every level on board our fleet is truly inspiring and their commitment to service delivery excellence is unwavering”.
“I’ve been on different boards since 2003 and I would recommend to the young women in my organisation to get involved on boards because you gain profile, you learn different skills and get to cooperate with other organisations,” she says. First job? Internship at Bord Failte in Dublin Years of travel industry experience? 29 years Any key mentors? My father initially and then multiple people I talked to along the way – colleagues and peers. Career highlight? Move to Australia from New Zealand in 2000 – the industry here was far more challenging but really rewarding. Most memorable travel experience? If I had to single out just one, a family holiday to New York City with my teenage daughters.
First job? Junior office clerk at McIntosh Hamson Hoare Govett stockbroking. Years of travel industry experience? 23 years Any key mentors? Yes, quite a few but I don’t want to make them public! I definitely admired and respected working for John Borghetti at Qantas in the 1990s – he showed me what real leadership looked like. Career highlight? Right here, right now. Most memorable travel experience? Trekking in 1992 to visit the endangered Mountain Gorillas in the Virunga region on the border of Uganda and the Congo at a time right before the civil war in Rwanda. Simply life changing. That’s when I realised I had won the lottery of life.
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Cover
LAURA RUFFLES AUST AND NZ CEO AND GLOBAL COO OF CORPORATE TRAVEL MANAGEMENT BETWEEN being mother of four and working as the Australian and New Zealand CEO and global COO of Corporate Travel Management (CTM), Laura Ruffles is proof that women can have it all. Both roles are integral to her life and she fervently believes there’s no need to choose between the two. “Personally I don’t think you have to make a choice between family life and work life,” she tells travelBulletin. “ I think women can actually have it all. You can work smarter, be flexible and be sure you know what your priorities are within the workplace and within your home life”. Another secret weapon helping her to juggle both so well is her supportive husband Brian Ziolkourski. When the couple had their last two children he decided to give up his role as a global financial controller to become a stay at home dad to nine year-old Izabella, seven year-old Ariana, four-year-old Xavier and 18-month Bodhi. “He has been an amazing support in doing that which obviously does help for my travel commitments and my role,” she says warmly. Ruffles first dipped her toe into the travel industry at age 16 doing work experience for British Airways where she greeted passengers as they came off the plane. Shortly after she finished school and took a job at a holiday shop just west of London where she grew up. “That taught me from the get-go how important customer service was and being able to listen and ask people questions”. The holiday shop then sponsored her to study at The University of Westminster whilst working. By the time she was 19 she had already taken over a few offices and had a company car. She says this experience gave her integral skills in people management and being able to work and lead teams. She then went on to look after sales and business development for Forte Hotels before taking a job with American Express (AMEX) where she would stay for the next 10 years travelling the world rolling out travel policies and online booking tools and products. It was during her time at AMEX that she met her husband-to-be on a business trip to Sweden and the pair eventually wound up living and working in Australia. Business trips proved auspicious for Ruffles as it was on another to London that she met Jamie Pherous, the man behind CTM. Ruffles has been with CTM for the past seven years, climbing the ranks from general manager to her current local CEO and
I think women can ‘actually have it all. You can work smarter, be flexible and be sure you know what your priorities are within the workplace and within your home life
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global COO roles. On her journey to the top Ruffles said she has not once encountered any prejudice for being female. “I’ve been lucky, every company I’ve worked for has really promoted women in the workplace and I’ve never come across any issues with my career or felt like there was a glass ceiling,” she smiles. Day-to-day Ruffles drives and manages CTM’s sales performance, service delivery, client satisfaction, employee retention and profitability as the business works to provide cuttingedge travel management solutions to the corporate market. “We like to be first to market with a lot of things and what actually drives that is our customer feedback and seeing what we can do that can help people,” she says. At the end of the day Ruffles still loves nothing more than meeting with her customers. “I love going to a customer pitch. It’s the life blood of our innovation”. And of course returning home to her family. “I don’t walk out the door and just go to work. I go out to work and I walk out the door as a mother of four and when I come home I come home still as leading a company and making sure that it works for everyone”. First Job? Work experience at British Airways, meeting and greeting people from the plane then stamping brochures in a holiday shop. Years of travel industry? Over 20 years. Any key mentors In life my parents. They both had amazing work ethics. I was brought up in a family where my dad commuted to work a lot so he would be up early and back late but still had time for bike rides at the weekends and my Mum did a lot of night shifts caring for people. Career highlight? Being able to be the first with things and seeing CTM’s growth. Most memorable travel experience? For a birthday my boyfriend at the time surprised me and had booked a weekend city break in Venice only telling me the night before. We went on a gondola ride there and that’s where he proposed to me.
Brochures
Tempo Holidays has just launched its latest brochure, Latin America 2017, with an exciting new range of product on offer for travellers such as Cuba cruising, the salt flat experience in Bolivia and a mini stay at an Estancia in Uruguay. Packages and tours can be tailored to offer clients cultural experiences which can include cooking classes, horseback riding and wine tasting, dancing at Carnivale in Rio or trekking the famous Torres del Paine National Park.
®
Australia’s Leading Small Group Tour Company
SMALL GROUP TOURING
EUROPE includes Cruise & Tour
MAXIMUM GROUP SIZE
2017
www.bunniktours.com.au
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Adventure World’s Small Ship ‘UnCruise Adventures’ 2017-2018 brochure is now on agency shelves. With expeditions lasting from one week to 21 nights, the fleet of ships only carry between 22 and 88 guests to such spectacular destinations as The Galapagos Islands, Costa Rica and Panama. Adventure activities, tours and presentations are all included. New itineraries are available including the seven night Costa Rica Beaches and Jungles tour.
Azamara Club Cruises has released its 2017-2018 brochure showcasing an array of sea, river and land adventures on offer around the world. The brochure features more than 100 cruises and 200 ports including new destinations for Azamara such as The Whitsunday Islands, Queensland and Portimao in Portugal, as well as special events and cruises for the discerning traveller like the Cannes Film Festival, Monaco Grand Prix plus a New Year’s Eve Party on Sydney harbour.
NEWLY rebranded Africa specialist Bench Africa has just released its latest brochure – Africa 2017, with brand new and exciting product. These include locally escorted safaris in Namibia and Ethiopia, additional walking safaris in Zambia, exotic safaris in Rwanda as well as a new 29-day Highlights of Africa tour. Prices for tours on average are remaining the same as 2016.
Hot off the presses is the 2017 Europe program for Bunnik Tours. The new brochure includes eight new itineraries, with added destinations for 2017 including Spitsberg in Norway, Lago Maggiore in Italy, Greece’s Saronic Islands as well as Santiago de Compostela in Spain at the end of the Camino Trail. As with all Bunnik small group tours a maximum of 20 passengers allows for an intimate experience for guests.
Perfect for the 60 plus travellers, the new 2017 Kimberley Top End and West Coast brochure from Seniors Coach Tours has loads of great itineraries on offer. With all prices including return airfares, admittances, quality meals, 3-4 star accommodation, luxury coaches and easy pace itineraries. Some of the new top-end tours include a 13-day Kimberley, Kakadu & Darwin trip, 10-day Northern Territory tour and a 25-day West Coast Adventure.
Luxury travel operator Scenic has launched its Wild Wonders of Africa 2017 brochure, covering destinations in South Africa as well as Namibia and Botswana. It features a new independent extension, the Mozambique Escape, a 5 day tour from Johannesburg staying at the luxury Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort & Spa, which can be added to any South African itinerary. There are a number of earlybird offers available for bookings made by 31 December.
River cruising is as popular as ever with Australian travellers and the release of Travelmarvel’s standalone Russia River Cruising 2017 brochure will offer them more options in this exciting destination. There is a choice of three itineraries all featuring an 11 day river cruise aboard ms Surikov, between St Petersburg and Moscow where guests will experience an in depth discovery of Russian history and culture. A Fly Free deal with Singapore Airlines is available for a limited time.
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Technology
CTM invests in tech
C
orporate Travel Management has long touted the benefits of technology, with CEO Jamie Pherous and other senior executives regularly highlighting the company’s innovative, proprietary and patented systems as a key selling point. Like all TMCs, Corporate Travel Management aims to improve the travel booking and management experience for its clients, at the same time reducing costs - and technology is a key enabler. Last month travelBulletin sat down with CTM’s Chief Technology Officer, Tom Clark, who gave a glimpse into the company’s ongoing push to be at the leading edge. Clark, who is responsible for CTM’s technology strategies, has a strong travel industry heritage, having worked for Andrew and Cinzia Burnes as AOT’s Director of Marketing in the mid-2000s as well as overseeing the development of a major e-commerce travel website. While some of Corporate Travel Management’s offerings are based on Serko systems, the company is also making a concerted push to develop more of its own unique product via its Sydney-based ‘Technology Hub’. The CTM Technology Hub, which accounts for the majority of the company’s capital expenditure, aims to enable its in-house team of whiz-kids to develop the latest and greatest software, both clientfacing and for internal company use to strengthen CTM’s competitive advantage. As well as creating the Corporate Travel Management SMART technology, the team has developed the business-to-consumer system which is the backbone of CTM’s alliance with supermarket giant Coles. The innovative Fly Buys Travel site, powered by “CTM Loyalty Travel,” allows members of the Coles loyalty program to earn and redeem points on a full range of travel product. Corporate Travel Management’s SMART technology ecosystem is a great example of Australian software development being exported to the world as CTM’s global footprint continues its relentless expansion, Clark said. A string of acquisitions has given the company a presence in most major markets, and CTM continues to look at new additions particularly in the USA which it sees as a key growth region. Much of the technology is proprietary and Clark wasn’t able to share specific details, but the product suite includes traveller tracking, real-time risk alerts, an “end-to-end mobile-optimised approval process” and the SMART Portal which centralises access to travel tools. One product often talked about is CTM’s SMART Taxi solution which empowers staff to catch a cab together if they are flying to the same city at a similar time – but that’s just a small example of the offering. CTM describes itself as a leading producer and exporter of technology, with Clark saying the CTM Mobile smartphone app is “Australia’s first locally developed end-to-end corporate mobile booking application”. CTM Mobile enables corporate travellers to book air,
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hotel and car hire from their personal mobile device, while at the same time remaining within company policy. “CTM Mobile delivers the functionality and booking experience you’ve come to expect from leisure travel apps whilst supporting companies with risk management and cost control strategies,” Clark said. He said the team is “feverishly working on the app’s next release of enhanced features,” with the technology to be rolled out to clients across the globe. While CTM continues to play its technology cards close to its chest, the company does indeed hold a public patent which can be accessed through an IP Australia search. The patent, based on an invention of Tom Clark himself and first filed in 2013, covers a ‘Travel product selection and booking method, device and system’ where fares for a prospective trip are displayed in a “time series graphical display” to allow the user to quickly see how prices vary depending on the date and time of booking.
CTM Mobile delivers the ‘functionality and booking experience you’ve come to expect from leisure travel apps whilst supporting companies with risk management and cost control strategies
Tom Clark, Chief Technology Officer Corporate Travel Management
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Technology
Travelport rolling out Smartpoint
Agents across Australia are currently in the process of adopting Travelport’s latest Smartpoint desktop, with general manager Kaylene Shuttlewood telling travelBulletin the system is gaining “really good traction”. Travelport’s staff are training agents on the desktop nationally, with the new version featuring
the company’s Rich Content & Branding air merchandising solutions as part of its push to “redefine travel commerce”. Now offering product from around 170 airlines, Rich Content & Branding complements the traditional cryptic GDS booking systems with a graphical display of ancillaries, add-ons and up-sells, enabling agents to quickly view the full range of fare families and air products available from a particular carrier. Shuttlewood said this boosts conversion and yield, while at the same time increasing consultant productivity. Agents can view a choice of fares in a single screen, enabling them to provide better service and a more comprehensive offering to their customers. The Travelport system offers a full API giving access to the rich content, along with
Zingle partners with Amadeus Amadeus is continuing to expand its focus on the hospitality sector with a new partnership with mobile messaging provider Zingle. The partnership will see Zingle’s technology integrated with Amadeus’ hospitality service optimisation solutions, giving hoteliers the ability to communicate better with their guests via any mobile channel. “At every point during the guest’s stay, staff can communicate with them through an integrated two-way platform,” the companies said. That means guests can text staff directly, without having to download an app, making interactions direct, instant and hasslefree. Options range from ordering room service through to housekeeping requests and even room repairs. The solution transforms messages from guests into “actionable requests” via Amadeus’ open API to integrate with text app providers, with hotel staff able to easily manage interactions via a simple inbox shared between all departments. Amadeus’ ongoing hospitality innovations include replicating the technology firm’s highly successful airline ‘software as a service’ model into the accommodation sector via a major partnership with InterContinental Hotels Group, which will be the launch partner for a next generation Guest Reservation System (GRS) set to roll out globally next year. The new system will replace IHG’s existing in-house Holidex software, providing a “huge leap forward in the flexibility and functionality available to hoteliers” according to Amadeus ceo Luis Maroto.
live schedules and availability. Travelport is actively working with a number of online travel agents to interface their systems to the enhanced offering, with an Australian OTA set to shortly launch its solution based on the Travelport back end. Recent airline participants in Rich Content and Branding include Regional Express. Fiji Airways and Air Tahiti Nui, joining other carriers such as Etihad, Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific and Virgin Australia. Travelport’s global head of product and marketing, Ian Heywood, said the system enables airlines to clearly differentiate themselves. Formerly with British Airways, he said when BA launched its first flatbed the carrier’s business class was a major innovation – but the GDS technology of the time “reduced all that work to a single letter – J”. Heywood said Travelport’s merchandising solutions “make sure airlines get the maximum value out of the GDS channel”.
Sabre conference heads east Sabre will for the first time ever hold its annual B2B travel and technology convention in the Asia Pacific region next month, with the Travel Technology Exchange (TTX) being hosted in Beijing, China from 21-24 September. More than 500 travel agents and suppliers from 30 countries across the region will gather for updates from senior Sabre executives, with topics ranging from ‘big data’ through to the latest research on traveller behaviours and preferences. Delegates will also be given a sneak peek at Sabre’s biggest technology launch for 2017, the new Sabre Red Workspace agency booking tool. Other recent developments for Sabre include an agreement with Expedia Affiliate Network, which will see the company add more than 63,000 new hotel properties to its travel marketplace.
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Your travel Business
Getting a helping hand By Maxine Wiggs
T
he industry has changed a lot in the last decade, hasn't it? Technology has disrupted the traditional bricks-and-mortar model of business. Home-based agency networks are booming, delivering client and agent flexibility. New distribution channels seem to emerge daily. Talented people are finding their skills are valued across a range of areas and are eschewing the traditional conventions of employment. Technology platforms are emerging that connect the needs with the haves, the time poor with the time rich. As Rachel Botsman - author of 'What's Mine Is Yours: The Rise of Collaborative Consumption' - puts it, "That power drill of yours will be used for around 12 to 13 minutes in its entire lifetime. It's kind of ridiculous, right? Because what you need is the hole, not the drill. So why don't you rent the drill, or, even better, rent out your own drill to other people and make some money from it?" And more and more, people are viewing their own skills like that. I've either got time or expertise or some kind of idle capacity that I can switch on as required to generate income. Why commit to a single employer, when I can open myself up to multiple opportunities? People are starting to see jobs more as gigs, and they'll have a bunch of them on the go at once. There's great flexibility in terms of what, where and how you might work, but there's a cost, of course. Income consistency, superannuation, doing your own books, tax and the like are all things
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that someone plugged into the gig economy will typically have to navigate. Likewise, for the employer, there can be some pitfalls. It's not for everyone, but plenty are making it work. I started Resource in response to my own professional experiences in the travel industry, those occasions when I needed someone to plug into my team and fill a short term gap. That might have been project related, a consequence of someone being on extended leave, or even just being under the pump and wishing we had an extra pair of hands quick-smart.
platforms ‘areTechnology emerging that connect the needs with the haves, the time poor with the time rich
’
I find myself networking a lot, meeting people and asking them about their business challenges. It seems that, at the centre of every issue, sits time. There's never enough of it. In fact, my opening question now when I approach a prospective client is "What don't you have time for?" Their responses now see us supplying talented people to create and execute content marketing plans; collaborate on LinkedIn articles and blog posts; develop communications strategies and plan product launches; create and curate content for social media; writing, proofing and editing newsletters; building
simple websites; crafting web copy; writing press releases; event production; video and even providing recruitment services. In particular, with content marketing being what it is today, the story-tellers on our books are busy, busy, busy. Local task-outsourcer Airtasker claims that tasks worth $3.5 million are posted to its community each month and confidently says its Taskers can earn up to $5,000 a month completing odd-jobs for people who increasingly recognise the value of their own precious time. A recent US study by Intuit predicts that by 2020 just around the corner 40% of American workers will be independent contractors. The trend towards a gig economy has begun. As Botsman says, "We are no longer passive consumers but empowered participants who can create, share, collaborate and exchange in ways never possible before." And as I see more businesses outsource work to talented people who choose to operate outside traditional employment structures, I couldn't agree more.
Maxine Wiggs has worked in many different roles in the travel industry, including retail, wholesale, airlines and tour operators in Australia and abroad. She bottled all her experience and started Resource in April last year - a stable of professionals ready to fill the expertise and project gaps in your business quick-smart.
Careers
Career in
focus Steve Odell
6. Is having a mentor an essential part of getting ahead in a career? Do you have one? Yes most definitely. There are several leaders within the travel and cruise industries that one can look up to and strive to emulate, but it is incredibly important to have someone to call for advice, guidance and words of wisdom. I don’t think anyone ever stops learning, and mentoring is a really enriching exercise for all professional levels including for business leaders who are often busy managing the day-to-day. I have an executive coach and have been working with him for the past few months - he has taught me how to look at things from a different perspective. In business, addressing the ‘people factor’ is critical. Companies are wise to invest in this.
Managing Director & Senior Vice President, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Asia Pacific
1. What does your role involve and how long have you been in your current position? I joined Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings in October 2015 to launch and expand activities for the company’s three cruise brands – Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises – within the Asia Pacific region. Since October last year, I have overseen the establishment of offices in Sydney, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Singapore, Mumbai and Delhi. 2. How did you start out in your career? Were you always destined to work in the travel industry? Growing up in the south of England my family owned a small hotel, so hospitality has always been part of my DNA. Being close to Southampton (UK), as a child I loved watching ocean liners and cruise ships pass by - looking back, I see this as the start of my attraction to the cruise industry, but at the time I never imagined I would eventually spend my career in the cruise business. While studying for a my first degree in Business Management, I undertook an internship with P&O Cruises in the UK and after graduating, joined P&O full time in a regional sales role. 3. What do you love about your job? I work in a very dynamic and exciting industry that makes dreams possible. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings’ has three very diverse brands that cater to different audiences, so I am privileged to operate across both the excitement of big ships, as well as the ultraluxurious experiences of Regent Seven Seas Cruises at the very top of the market. My job is different every day!
anyone ‘everI don’tstopsthinklearning, and
mentoring is a really enriching exercise for all professional levels including for business leaders
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4. What were some of the greatest challenges you’ve had in your career? The greatest challenge of my career was during the time of the Global Financial Crisis in 2009 when trading was incredibly difficult even for the best and sharpest of sales and marketing people. 5. What factors are central to a successful career? It’s important to have the confidence to do anything you set your mind to do. Strong communication skills are essential especially when it comes to leading people, and it is important to be decisive when circumstances require it.
7. What are your principals for doing good business? Integrity is the key - be honest, fair, candid and forthright, and treat everyone in the same way that you yourself would want to be treated. Always do what you say. The relationships with agent partners is high on my list. 8. How do you achieve a work life balance? Working in a 24/7 business and being based in Australia in a different time zone from corporate HQ has its challenges. For me, having full support from my partner at home is central to the life-work balance. I prefer early starts and as much as possible quality time in the evening. I make it my rule to spend at least one day of the weekend at home relaxing. 9. What advice would you give to others in the industry who would like to follow in your footsteps? Learn the business from the bottom up. That way you have a real understanding of what happens at the very sharp end of the customer interface. Engage as much as possible with customers to listen and learn from them. Always seize the opportunity to learn and expand your skillset. travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2016
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Careers
walk this way with Angliss training Tourism graduate Shanan Kovacic is going from strength to strength with his new business, Walk This Way Melbourne which offers walking tours around the city of Melbourne. After completing his Advanced Diploma of Tourism and Travel at William Angliss Institute in 2015, Shanan started his own business to offer unforgettable walking tours, driven by incredible stories, and quirky experiences. “Most of all we aim to offer walking tours with a personal touch: an ‘in-the-know’ experience that only passionate locals can offer. Next year I am planning to offer walking tours three days a week with three main tours available in both English and Mandarin. This includes a foodie tour, cultural tour and one that is designed for immigrants and people new to Melbourne and Australia. Shanan said he chose to study at William Angliss Institute because of its strong reputation specialising in tourism and strong industry links. “This industry is all about networking which has also helped my business, plus the course gave me the flexibility to continue working while I studied. Since completing his Diploma, Shanan has also received a promotion at his fulltime employment at Greenhouse Backpackers to Duty Manager. “Studying my tourism qualification gave me lots of help in my career including the business and marketing subjects. Also using Excel for accounting and business
spreadsheets has been critical to the success of my business. “Also I still use the business plan I wrote at the Institute and continue to update it.” “After travelling abroad in search of new culture and experiences overseas, moving back to Melbourne made me realise that one of the world’s best-kept secrets was right here in my own backyard. The city’s world-class café culture and street art cemented this love affair, a great career in the local tourism industry helped me make Melbourne home for good. “At William Angliss, it was also wonderful to have teachers who care about their students and want you to succeed in your career and some of my teachers are still mentors for me today,” Shanan said.
It was wonderful to have ‘teachers who care about
their students and want you to succeed in your career and some of my teachers are still mentors for me today
Shanan Kovacic Walk This Way Melbourne
Escalate your career. Upgrade from travel agent to personal travel manager Inspire your clients by becoming a Personal Travel Manager Call for a confidential chat or email Grace 24 019 travelBulletin 2016 P 1800 599 E SEPTEMBER join.us@travelmanagers.com.au W join.travelmanagers.com.au
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Industry in focus
ted this ond and Virgin Australia hos Broome, Kimberley & Bey where they nds Isla ling Kee os Coc il to the group of agents on a fam al operators. loc h wit g etin ped, as well as me snorkelled and island hop
These top selling agents were hosted by Consolidated Travel, Sichuan Airlines, Hilton Hotels and Mandarin World Tours on a trip to the Chongqing region. Highlights including cuddling a panda and visiting the Three Gorges museum.
The recent CAPA Asia Pacific Aviation Summit included a panel discussion with Graham Turner, Flight Centre; David Scow sill, WTTC; John O’Sullivan, Tourism Australia; Michael Burke from Hong Kong Airlines; and CAPA’s Peter Harbison.
SKAL International Albany celebrated their 10th birthday recently with cake and celebrations as the group reminisced on achievements past and present.
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Beth Butzlaff, Virtuoso Global Cruise; Karen Christensen, Crystal Cruises; Anthony Cooper, Seabourn & Holland America Line and Cathy Tees, Silversea were captured enjoying the Cruise White Pool Party on the last night of the recent Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas.
Zimbabwe, Cape Town and Kapama Private Game Res erve were all on the itinerary for these nine Aussie agents who were hosted by Dragonfly Africa on a recent educat ional.
Septmeber 2016 Ben Voigt, Kristy Meudell, Visit California; Chris Forshaw, Amanda Bolger, from Qantas and Chris Bolger, with Abbie Wheeler, also from Visit California all got their running shoes on for the 14km City2Surf in Sydney.
Travellers Choice welcome d 70 consultants and 40 preferred suppliers to the ir ‘Frontliners’ gathering in Brisbane recently, includ ing Jacinta Lane and Lyn Worthey from Coolum Travel & Cruise.
and Visit USA president Excite Holidays’ Andrew Yell among the attendees at re Kylee Kay from APTMS we update in Sydney recently. Visit USA’s annual market
These agents enjoyed their recent trip to Botswana so much they were hiding out so they didn’t have to leave! They were lucky enough to see a leopard, hyenas, jackals, lions and even had a elephant wander through their camp.
These Malaysian travel agents got to experience some of the highlights of Perth thanks to Malindo Air, Tourism Western Australia and Tourism Australia.
USA has certainly been the flavour of the month recently with many representatives including this team from Travel Oregon visiting Australia to mee t with the trade.
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New York, New York
E
verything is bigger and better in New York City – even the destination’s approach to attracting business events from Australia. Last month NYC & Company, the Big Apple’s official marketing organisation, hosted the city’s first ever business events showcase for Australian meeting organisers, with a large delegation led by Fred Dixon, chief executive officer. NYC & Co markets its MICE offering with the tag-line ‘Make it NYC – Meet Where You Want To Be’ – and the city’s status as one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world is a key factor in its business events success. Meetings held in the Big Apple frequently yield record high attendance, and the cosmopolitan culture, strong business environment and wide variety of entertainment options all combine to make New York an ideal option for incentives, meetings and trade shows. Dixon told travelBulletin the decision to target Australia for New York business events was a natural evolution from the destination’s strong appeal to leisure travellers. Australia is one of the largest inbound international markets for New York, which offers a full array of assistance for meeting and event planners. “NYC & Company is a free and unbiased resource for planning any event or meeting in the city,” he said, with services including narrowing down venues and hotels, distribution of RFPs to appropriately qualified suppliers, advice on the best times to visit and
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even coordination of city services for possible on-site events. “Our staff will accompany you on any site visits,” he said, with NYC & Co offering ‘Conference Express’ support for groups as small as 10-100 guest rooms – right through to massive events supported by a dedicated ‘Conference Development team’.
The cosmopolitan ‘culture, strong business
environment and wide variety of entertainment options all combine to make New York an ideal option
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As well as the perennially popular Manhattan, NYC & Co is working to grow awareness and visitation of all five of the city’s boroughs, which offer a huge variety of options to create one-of-a-kind events. Dixon noted that although at certain times of the year the city is exceptionally busy (and therefore seen as an expensive option), if meeting planners coordinate their activities well it’s actually possible to create something very costeffective. “We can advise on the best time to hold your event – whether you want to coincide with one of the city’s major festivals or prefer a time when occupancies are lower,” he said, urging meeting planners to make the most of the services offered by NYC & Co.
Participants in the inaugural NYC & Co business events mission to Australia included a host of hoteliers such as the Hotel Edison, Hotel Metro, Marmara, Marriott, New York Hilton Midtown and the InterContinental New York Barclay. Also making the trip were representatives of attractions including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Broadway Inbound showcasing its personal show booking services for groups, Disney Theatrical, and the new One World Observatory which sits atop the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere and showcases the city’s “invincible spirit”. Notable features of New York include more than 110,000 hotel rooms, its easy accessibility via three international airports servicing 1,500 daily non-stop flights, 24,000 plus restaurants and 14 professional sports teams. There are of course over 100 theatres both on- and off-Broadway and the shopping is pretty amazing too, with almost 340,000 retailers. All of that is only set to grow, with further accommodation in the pipeline building hotel inventory to 135,000 rooms by 2019. NYC & Company also offers a Delegate Discount Pass to all meeting and convention attendees, providing savings at a host of attractions, restaurants, shops and more. And to top it all off, earlier this year the city confirmed the planned expansion of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center which will add more than one million square feet of event space.
ICC Sydney, TAFE NSW deal The soon-to-open International Convention Centre Sydney is investing $250,000 over two years on the next generation of business events and hospitality professionals, forming a partnership with TAFE NSW – Sydney Institute to train staff to the venue’s “world class standards”. The arrangement aims to deliver nationally recognised qualifications for part-time and casual workers, as well as facilitate “firm career progression opportunities” for both staff and select TAFE NSW – Sydney students. Up to 2,000 ICC Sydney team members will receive training through the project. ICC Sydney CEO Geoff Donaghy said the pact will deliver education programs developed for students spanning hospitality, commercial cookery, audio visual, business administration and security. “The result will be a raft of talented individuals, trained to our world leading benchmarks in both capabilities and mindset,” Donaghy remarked.
New ceo for MEA Robyn Johnson has been announced as the incoming chief executive officer of Meetings & Events Australia, replacing Linda Gaunt who is stepping down after 11 years. The highly experienced Johnson has worked at Business Events Sydney, owned her own event management company and also been a PCO, with MEA chairman Simon Baggs saying she will work with the board to develop a new strategic plan to “maximise benefits for members, revitalise existing programs and ensure MEA’s voice is heard in government for the benefit of the industry”. Baggs also foreshadowed the development of a new logo, graphic look and feel and website as part of a new MEA digital strategy.
British business events strategy The shock Brexit decision has had a silver lining for the UK business events sector, which will be able to access a new funding pool of £4 million set aside by the government to help secure international meetings and conferences. The four year initiative aims to encourage organisers to increase the value of existing events by boosting delegate numbers and length of stay. Marketing activity to help lock in events will be supported, as well as the establishment of new events, with a key focus being not to fund “business as usual” activity, according to VisitBritain.
Minister’s view Steven Ciobo, Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment
The value of research The Turnbull Government is supporting Australia’s travel and tourism industry to remain competitive on the world stage. In our most recent Budget we announced a record level of funding for Tourism Australia. This is great news for the industry after tourism funding was cut under the previous Labor Government. While this record funding will support Tourism Australia’s marketing campaigns, it can also mean more money for research.
these natural ‘andI know built advantages are matched by the passion of the people working in the travel and tourism industry
’
I think it’s important the research Government provides is research you can use in your business. Business events travellers are already the highest daily yielding of any visitors to Australia and industry and government have jointly agreed on the ambitious target of $16 billion in business event delegate expenditure by the year 2020. In the last year 479,000 international visitors attended a business event in Australia and we want to see even more.
headlines July to August 18 Jul 21 Jul 21 Jul 25 Jul 28 Jul
SkyTeam boosts meetings offering New York – check your dates The Star shows off new renos ICC Syd recruitment drive Vivid Syd 2017 EOI open
Last month (Aug 2016) I released new international research on conference delegate behaviour which will assist Australian businesses in attracting higher delegate numbers to association conferences held in Australia. The research found Australia is the most exciting destination for conferences. Australia also ranked first for scenery, sight-seeing, and being a destination worth travelling to. I know these natural and built advantages are matched by the passion of the people working in the travel and tourism industry. To help the Australian industry make the most of these competitive advantages, the research examined the ‘path to purchase’ behaviour of potential international association conference delegates. It provides insights to help industry understand the best channels and messages to use in order to convince potential delegates to travel to Australia for their business events. With this in-depth information on delegate behaviour, Australian businesses can ensure their marketing efforts are directed to the most effective activity to convert business and boost meeting attendance. The full research is available on the Tourism Australia website. n www.tourism.australia.com/statistics/ business-events.aspx
28 Jul 01 Aug 01 Aug 04 Aug 04 Aug 08 Aug 11 Aug 11 Aug 15 Aug 15 Aug 18 Aug
IHG sets sights for NZ Hamilton 15/16 MICE surge MCEC boon for Vic economy TAFE/ICC Sydney p’ship Queensland MICE gains VisitBritain funding pool SOH $202 million renewal Hilton Hawaii event appeal Aussie ranked number 1 TCEB says business as usual New chief exec for MEA
travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2016
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Cruise Report
But what about the room? Booking a journey between Amsterdam and Budapest is a sure-fire way to get clients addicted to river cruising. A plethora of ships are set to make the journey in 2017, so we’ve put together a simple comparison of mid-class suites. The following seven ships are from cruise lines Aussie agents are most regularly selling, according to the Travel Daily 2016 Cruise Survey.
SCENIC Scenic Jasper is one of eight Scenic vessels sailing between Amsterdam and Budapest in 2017. There are 11 Private Deluxe Balcony Suites on the Sapphire Deck (middle) and seven on the Diamond Deck (top) which are a size of 21m². Guests can lounge on a full-length outdoor balcony with a Scenic ‘Sun-Lounge’ system and get some shut-eye in a queen size slumber bed with a choice of pillows from Scenic’s menu. Suite features include marble bathrooms, a mini bar, Mac-mini infotainment system, Nordic walking sticks and L’Occitane bathroom amenities. Also included are laundry, concierge, butler, shoeshine, early morning tea/coffee and beverage service.
Avalon Waterways Avalon Illumination will sail five times between Amsterdam and Budapest during the season. The vessel has 65 Panorama Suites spread across two decks. Split up into A, B and P categories, each is priced according to preferred position on the ship. The Comfort Collection Beds in the suite face the wall-to-wall windows, not into the cabin as in most other river cruise lines. These windows draw back to transform the suite into an open-air balcony. At 18m², they are 30% larger than the industry average and offer a living area large enough to entertain. The room boasts marble bathrooms with a full size shower, along with under-bed luggage storage and a flatscreen satellite TV with a movie channel.
Travelmarvel Travelmarvel Diamond, Travelmarvel Jewel and Travelmarvel Sapphire will all spend equal time cruising between Amsterdam and Budapest in 2017. Sister ships Jewel and Diamond have two more suites and an extra stateroom when compared with Sapphire. Jewel offers 34 French Balcony Staterooms in category A or A+ and 40 across category B and C. Each 16m² room, true to its name, has a French balcony and floor-to-ceiling windows, along with queen or twin bedding, a flat screen TV with complimentary movies, mini-bar and an ensuite bathroom. All staterooms are serviced twice daily and laundry and pressing services are available at an additional cost. 30
travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2016
Floor Plan
Travelmarvel Diamond & Travelmarvel Jewel
Safe
Closet & Shelves
reen
Flatsc
TV
Desk & Vanity
Mini Bar
Entry
Deluxe Queen-size Bed
Shower
Floor-to-ceiling Sliding Glass Door (French Balcony)
Bathroom
Floor plan of a French Balcony Stateroom Categories: C, B and A
172 square feet/16 square metres
MS A MA V enitA | MS A MA R einA | MS A MA V eRde | MS A MA B ellA
Cruise Report Twin Balcony Suite Categories: T and T+
APT
Twin Balcony Suite Categories: P and P+
Concerto river ships are exclusively sailing Magnificent Europe itineraries. The Twin Balcony Suites include both a panoramic balcony with a sun-lounge and an outside balcony area providing a table and chairs. There are 25 twin balcony suites in category T and T+, each of which are 19.5m². The room includes a queen size DreamBed, a flat-screen TV with an infotainment System, a personal computer and the suites are serviced twice daily. Room service, Silver butler service and laundry service are also available.
Uniworld Boutique River CruiseS The River Princess is one of four Uniworld ships cruising the route during the 2017 season. She offers 22 Riverview Staterooms across category two and three. The 14m² rooms come complete with a handcrafted Savoir of England beds, flatscreen TV with an infotainment centre and satellite and bottled water. The marble bathroom has LÓccitane en Provence bath and body products, plush towels and a backlit magnifying mirror.
Evergreen Tours, exclusive operator of Emerald Waterways, will have five ‘Star Ships’ sailing the route in 2017, all of which have the same design. There are 37 Emerald Balcony Suites on the ships’ Vista Deck (middle) and 23 on the Horizon Deck (upper), all with 16.7m² of space. Floor-toceiling windows drop down to create a balcony at the touch of a button. The rooms include a queen size bed, flat screen TV with an infotainment system, an ensuite bathroom and a mini bar.
INNOVATIVE DROP DOWN GLASS WINDOW
Evergreen Tours
WARDROBE MINI BAR DRESSER SAFE FLAT SCREEN TV
QUEEN BED BATHROOM CHAIR
SHOWER
Viking River Cruises Viking River Cruises operates the route using sister ships including Viking Longship Aegir, Viking Longship Baldur, Viking Longship Bragi, Viking Longship Embla, Viking Longship Lif and more. The 39 Veranda Staterooms on each vessel are 19m² and offer queen beds and floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors which open up to a full-size veranda. The rooms have space under the bed for storing suitcases and a 40” flat screen TV with an entertainment package.
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HOLIDAY RIVER CRUISES AT EXTR A SPECIAL PRICES! WE INCLUDE
Shore Excursions in every port of call • Deluxe hotel stay before every voyage, including breakfast, taxes, porterage and
transfers to the American Queen • Complimentary wine and beer with dinner • Complimentary cappuccino, espresso, bottled water and soft drinks throughout your voyage • Country Club Casual Ambiance, no formal wear required • Daily lectures by the Riverlorian, our on board history and culture expert…….plus more
CHRISTMAS & NEW YEARS CELEBR ATIONS
NEW ORLEANS TO MEMPHIS
MEMPHIS TO NEW ORLEANS
8 Nights/9 Days –Voyages depart: 4 & 18 Dec 16
8 Nights/9 Days – Voyage departs: 25 Dec 16
Experience the best of the Antebellum South during a magical time of the year. Delight in a traditional Southern Ball with an elegant four-course meal at Nottoway Plantation followed by a grand Holiday Gala aboard the American Queen...
The celebration carries throughout the week, but a special New Year’s Eve Gala in the marvelous Grand Saloon will surround you in elegant decor, confetti, champagne, new-found friends and the uplifting refrains of “Auld Lang Syne.”
CHRISTMAS MARKETS
Visit: New Orleans, LA; Oak Alley, LA; St. Francisville, LA; Natchez, MS; Vicksburg, MS; River Cruising; Helena, AR; Memphis, TN INSIDE CABIN OUTSIDE STATEROOM WITH OPEN VERANDA
$2,298*^ per person twin share ^ from $3,548* per person twin share from
NEW YEAR’S CELEBRATION
Visit: Memphis, TN; Greenville, MS; Vicksburg, MS; Natchez, MS; St. Francisville, LA; Baton Rouge, LA; Nottoway, LA; New Orelans, LA INSIDE CABIN DELUXE OUTSIDE STATEROOM WITH BAY WINDOW
$2,298*^ per person twin share ^ from $2,948* per person twin share from
REQUEST A BROCHURE 02 9959 1355 INFO@AQSC.COM.AU | WWW.AQSC.COM.AU TERMS & CONDITIONS: All fares listed are cruise only in US dollars, per person twin share based on the lowest category available & include all known port charges & all promotional savings and offers (subject to change). ^Prices for New Orleans to Memphis sailing are from pricing based on 18 Dec 16 departure. Offer expire 30/11/2016 or when sold out. Offers are only valid on new bookings. Offers open to Australian residents only. Not valid on Group bookings or existing reservations; cannot be combined with other promotions or discounts. Promotional fares and amenities are capacity controlled, may vary by sailing and may be withdrawn without notice. Cruise fare does not include government taxes and fees, gratuities, airfare, insurance, personal expenditures, and transportation costs incurred while traveling to and from embarkation ports. Not responsible for errors or omissions. Please request a brochure for full Terms and conditions, or ask your local Travel Agent for details.
Cruise Report
CLIA view Brett Jardine, commercial director CLIA Australasia
2017 KIMBERLEY EXPEDITION VOYAGES
A DIFFERENT KIND OF SHIP Less than twelve months ago our global cruise industry association – Cruise Lines Industry Association (CLIA) – threw their support behind a very important charity which uses ships to help millions of people in some of the world’s poorest nations. Mercy Ships, which are floating hospitals that provide training for medical professionals and curative surgical interventions, has become CLIA’s charity of choice. With their ships delivering healthcare to people in need all over the world, it’s a fitting and worthy cause for our global association. Through the partnership, CLIA will raise awareness of Mercy Ships’ great work, helping the charity gain increased visibility in the cruise industry as well as lead to collaborations with CLIA and its members around the world. Mercy Ships uses hospital ships to deliver free, world-class health care services, capacity building and sustainable development to those without access in the developing world. To date, Mercy Ship volunteers have assisted in 81,000 life-changing operations such as cleft lip and palate repair, cataract removal, orthopedic procedures, facial reconstruction and obstetric fistula repair, as well as more than 377,000 dental procedures. Over the years, Mercy Ships has directly helped more than 2.5 million people. In addition, tens of thousands of locals have been trained in areas of expertise including anesthesiology,
In the northwest corner of the world’s smallest continent is a land of overwhelming vastness and stunning natural splendour. Silver Discoverer is the perfect platform for exploring the Kimberley, with an expert team of guides and lecturers, 12 Zodiacs and a swimming pool.
midwifery, sterilisation, orthopedic and reconstructive surgery. Meanwhile the organisation has contributed to community development projects focusing on water and sanitation, education, infrastructure development and agriculture and offered basic health care education classes for nearly 200,000 local people. As part of its work, Mercy Ships also builds medical capacity in the countries it serves. In Madagascar, 95 medical workers have received many hundreds of hours of mentoring and 1,400 people at 22 hospitals were trained in paediatric anaesthesia, surgical skills, trauma care, pain management, newborn resuscitation, the World Health Organisation’s Surgical Safety Checklist and many more lifesaving techniques. Earlier this year, a group of CLIA Executives travelled to Madagascar to witness the work first hand. While Mercy Ships’ floating hospital Africa Mercy was docked in the port of Toamasina the group inspected the dockside screening of thousands of patients needing care and saw volunteer doctors performing life-changing operations. The hospital deck was home to no less than five operating theatres, 82 patient beds, a blood lab, an X-ray machine, CAT scan and remote diagnostic equipment. It was a fit-out vastly different to what modern cruise ships offer and a reminder of the importance of giving back to the communities our member lines visit.
Silversea Expeditions 10-day Kimberley voyages depart April to May 2017. Silver Privilege fares from AU$11,750pp include a complimentary flight over the Bungle Bungle Range.
Ask about our Early Booking Bonus and SAVE 10%.
headlines juLY to August 2016 21 Jul 26 Jul 26 Jul 28 Jul 02 Aug 02 Aug 04 Aug
Lindblad’s Aussie push Sydney docking charges Cruise outlook “uncertain” Lines weigh in on IPART More Cruise360 details Crystal backs off France Silversea’s $170m refurb
INTO THE WILD
UNTOUCHED LANDS ABOARD SILVER DISCOVERER For a copy of the Silversea 2016 brochure, visit tifs.com.au. For more information or to book call 1300 306 872.
04 Aug Royal Caribbean growth 09 Aug Crystal’s port overhaul 09 Aug Smooth sailing for cruise 11 Aug Gambling on cruise ships 11 Aug Uniworld’s 2017 Fly Free deal 16 Aug CLIA sales MasterClass 16 Aug Asia tops cruise growth
travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2016
Terms & Conditions apply.
33
Europe
Looking backward & forward in Berlin Berlin’s complex history and bright future meet in the northeastern suburb of Prenzlauer Berg. Ben Groundwater explores this diverse area.
T
here’s no place that epitomises the new Berlin quite like the Mauerpark. From afar it looks just like any other green space in the city, a long, wide strip of grassland on the western edge of the suburb of Prenzlauer Berg. Every Sunday afternoon it’s abuzz with activity as flea markets pop up on one side, these endless stalls selling bric-a-brac and collectables, souvenirs and junk. You could spend hours just walking up and down there checking out the Soviet-era trinkets, the printed T-shirts, the dusty antiques and the hippie jewellery. But there’s more action off to the other side, in the field near the football stadium. There, some of the world’s best buskers ply their trade to huge crowds. There’s usually an open-mic karaoke set-up. There’s always a rock band, and sometimes a folk act, or a tin-can drummer, or any other entertainer you can think of, playing to the masses. What makes the Mauerpark truly different, however, and what gives it its name – “mauer” in German means “wall” – is the strip of heavily graffitied concrete that looms on a hillside behind the buskers. It’s a small leftover section of the Berlin Wall, a barrier that 34
travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2016
once separated this eastern part of the city from the richer west. Today that infamous barricade is more art space than obstruction, a place where tourists pose for photos, a constant reminder of what has been overcome for the people who gather in the park every Sunday to listen to music and shop for little treasures. There are plenty more of these reminders of the old east throughout Prenzlauer Berg, a once decrepit suburb of the Soviet territory that has become one of the united Berlin’s trendiest locales. Even the Mauerpark itself, a long rectangular space, is a subtle cue. This was once no-man’s land, the section of earth that separated the two sides of the city until 1989. Some 27 years on, however, Prenzlauer Berg is getting towards the end of a remarkable change. Most of the old buildings these days look as good as new. Gone are the Soviet shops below them, replaced by cafes and fashion boutiques and homewares stores. Gone are the old inhabitants, most of whom fled to the west when the wall came down. Even the artists and musicians, the drifters and the hippies who moved into this area to fill up the free, empty space in the early 90s have grown up with their new suburb – these days you’re far more
Europe
likely to be mowed down by a group of mums with prams as you are to cop stares from groups of punks hanging out on street corners. But the remnants of old Prenzlauer Berg’s past are there if you know where to look. Near the Mauerpark, buildings that abutted the wall display murals showing scenes of what once took place there. There’s a picture of a woman running to cross no-man’s land; a watchtower looming above a city street. At your feet there’s a thick band of steel set into the bitumen to mark the old course of the wall. You can follow it down Bernauer Strasse, past the memorial to all those who died trying to cross to the west – ghostly faces set into a glass wall – and then a small section where both sides of the wall have been left standing. It’s a sobering experience to peer at no-man’s land through cracks in the concrete, to feel what Prenzlauer Berg once felt like – but that’s not what the modern-day suburb is all about. This place isn’t just a memorial to the people that once lived there. It’s living and breathing, and it’s one of Berlin’s most
enjoyable places to visit. An afternoon here should start at Konnopke’s Imbiss, a classic fast-food stand under the train tracks near Eberswalder Strasse station that is always full of people
are plenty more ‘ofThere these reminders of
the old east throughout Prenzlauer Berg, a once decrepit suburb of the Soviet territory that has become one of the united Berlin’s trendiest locales
’
lining up for currywurst – a bratwurst sausage drowned in spicy-sweet curry-flavoured sauce – and chips with mayonnaise. Once you’re full, it’s time to hit the pavement, checking out the street art splashed on the
old buildings, and walking down Oderberger Strasse, with its fancy boutiques and a bustling café called Bonanza that serves pretty much the best coffee in the entire city. At night the area thrives, as the KulturBrauerei – a former brewery turned cultural centre – throws its doors open to host film screenings, art exhibitions, bands and DJs and the drinkers who want to enjoy them. There’s also the cheekily named Zu Mir Oder Zu Dir (My Place Or Yours), a tiny, smoky little bar that perfectly represents the Prenzlauer Berg scene, fashionable and yet unpretentious. And there’s Prater, one of the city’s oldest beer gardens, a place for solid German food and as much beer as you can handle. This is the new face of Prenzlauer Berg. It’s modern, it’s fun, and it’s friendly. But it won’t forget where it came from.
Images (clockwise from left): graffitied remains of the Berlin Wall in Mauerpark (Marcel Strum); karaoke in Mauerpark; Mauerpark’s flea market (Emanuele); Oderberger Straße travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2016
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Europe
Uniworld commits to France The Travel Corporation’s Uniworld Boutique River Cruises has shown its solidarity with France, with the launch early next year of its newest European river ship, the SS Joie de Vivre proceeding on schedule despite recent attacks which have dampened demand. The commitment is a contrast to the reaction of Crystal Cruises, which has delayed plans to deploy two of its new vessels on rivers in France and will instead shift focus to the Rhine. Uniworld managing director, Fiona Dalton, said “there has never been a more important time to reaffirm our commitment to France, the French people and French tourism. We want both the travel industry and the
Australian traveller to know just how much we genuinely value our relationship with France. The best way to demonstrate our unrelenting solidarity is to ensure the successful launch of this unquestionably elegant and luxurious river ship”. Uniworld has also debuted its 2017 European program with an “unprecedented” fly free offer, with complimentary air provided in conjunction with all itineraries of 13 days or longer. The air deal for shorter cruises is also a bargain $899 per person, with economy travel provided on Etihad, Qatar Airways and Cathay Pacific. Business class add-ons start at $3,999 per person for 13
days plus voyages, or $4,299 for cruises of up to 12 days. The program expands Uniworld’s ‘all inclusive’ offer, with 24 hour room service and on-board concierges in addition to top shelf beverages, gratuities on and off the ship and transfers. The 2017 program includes a new 10-day ‘Rhine-Main Discovery and Munich’ trip, along with a 10-day ‘Paris & Impressions of the Seine’ voyage which delves into France’s artistic heritage, including visits to Monet’s famous gardens at Giverny as well as the Versaille Palace. The SS Joie de Vivre will sail the popular ‘Paris & Normandy’ itinerary, docking in the heart of the City of Lights.
Albatross guarantees 2017 Albatross Tours has released its 2017 Europe, Britain and Ireland program, with almost a third of departures already guaranteed. New for 2017 are the 17-day ‘Northern Spain & the Pyrenees’ trip and the 11-day ‘Normandy, Brittany & the Loire Valley’ tour, with Albatross managing director Euan Landsborough saying he believes the company’s small group size, longer stays and inclusive prices are very attractive for travellers seeking a “more fulfilling European holiday experience. “Every Albatross tour has the same formula
and has been designed with the Australian and New Zealand traveller in mind, small groups travelling fewer kilometres per day allowing more free time for sightseeing. A more leisurely pace with two to five night stays in each location, and categorically no later charged optional excursions,” he said. Trips are guaranteed to depart with just a minimum of ten passengers “which means agents and travellers can book our tours with confidence,” Landsborough added. Earlybird discounts of up to $1,000 per couple are also on offer.
Europe Britain & Ireland ESCORTED TOURS 2017
Small Groups | Longer Stays | Genuinely Inclusive
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travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2016
2017 UK & EUROPE PREVIEW
TOURS FROM JUST
$
HURRY - MUST BOOK & DEPOSIT BY 13 SEPT 2016 TO GUARANTEED BEST
69
SAVE UP TO 1,192 PER COUPLE #
$
DEALS OF THE YEAR
FROM
FROM
$99
FROM
$169
PER DAY
$180
PER DAY
PER DAY
IRISH EXPLORER
THE GRAND EUROPEAN
SOUTHERN ITALY & SICILY
Dublin, Belfast, Sligo, Ennis, Killarney, Tramore
London, Amsterdam, Rhineland, Lucerne, Venice, Rome, Florence, French Riviera, Carcassonne, Barcelona, Madrid, Bilbao, Poitiers, Paris
Rome, Capri, Sorrento, Taormina, Agrigento, Palermo
Was $999
Was $4,326
Was $3,193
per person, twin share (02/03/17 Departure)
per person, twin share (10/12/17 Departure)
per person, twin share (31/03/17 Departure)
9 Days | Dublin to Dublin
23 Days | London to Paris
Now From 899 EARLYBIRD DEALS
SAVE 10%
Early Booking Discount*
PER* DAY
Now From 3,894
SAVE $200
Per couple Second Tour Discount*
16 Days | Rome to Rome
Now From 2,874
SAVE $200
Per couple Airfare Discount*
SAVE 5%
Repeat Traveller Discount*
For bookings & more information, Call 1300 130 134 | Visit CosmosTours.com.au *Terms & Conditions: All care is taken to promote correct pricing at time of printing, is dependent upon availability, and will be confirmed at time of reservation. All 2017 itineraries are based on 2016 and will be confirmed in September 2016. From $69 per day is based on Grand Tour of Turkey departing 19/02/17 and includes 10% Early Booking discount. #Save up to $1,192 per couple based on European Masterpiece departing 16/09/17. Discounts applicable on new 2017 Europe preview tours booked by 13 September 2016. Only the following offers are combinable - they may not be combined with any other offer: Save 10% Early Booking discount, Second Tour discount, Journeys Club discount & Airfare discount. 10% Early Booking Discount is based on land-only portion of core tour on twin share price, not including extra night accommodations, extensions, taxes/fees, tips and supplements/reductions. Second tour discount may be applied when multiple tours are booked at the same time for travel within the same calendar year. Airfare discount applies to international air ticketed through Cosmos reservations/air desk. Final air payment deadlines will be advised at time of booking. 5% Journeys Club repeat traveller benefit (must be a Journeys Club member and present member number at time of booking and before full payment is made). Discount is based on land-only portion of core tour on twin share price, not including extra night accommodations, extensions, taxes/fees, tips and supplements/reductions. A non-refundable deposit of $250 per person per tour is required within 7 days or by 13 September 2016 (whichever comes first) to secure reservation. Offer reliant on space availability. Offers not applicable to group bookings. Offers applicable to singles – single supplements apply. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions apply. For full terms and conditions refer to the 2017 Cosmos Europe Preview brochure. Licence 2TA00637.
Europe
Agent Know-How The German National Tourist Office let us in on some insider knowledge on how to sell Germany.
Boutique bouquets from Odyssey Special interest operator Odyssey Travel has expanded its range of garden-focused Europe tours for 2017, with the addition of new Gardens of Britain and Gardens of Ireland itineraries. The new trips complement other tours in the Odyssey range such as the Dutch Tulip, Italian & French Gardens and Chelsea Flower Show small group journeys. The new 18-day British trip departing from Edinburgh includes the opening of the Royal Horticultural Show at Chatsworth, as well as visits to a showcase of gardens designed by iconic names such as Humpry Repton, Gertrude Jekyll and the famous Capability Brown. Meanwhile ‘Gardens of Ireland’ is a ten day trip taking in Dublin, Killarney and the Connemara exploring gardens in the Wicklow Mountains, Waterford, Limerick, Galway and Ulster. Odyssey’s 7-day Chelsea Flower Show trip sees participants taking part in ‘members day’ at the event, and runs back to back with the Dutch Tulip Tour allowing travellers to enjoy both programs consecutively. For those with more time the 23-day Italian & French Gardens tour, limited to a maximum of 15 passengers, stays in just five locations en route between Rome and Paris - leaving plenty of time to soak up the atmosphere. n See www.odysseytraveller.com
Globus preview strong This year The Globus Family of Brands debuted its European programs with the first ever preview brochures for both the Globus and Cosmos 2017 Europe itineraries. By all accounts the move was a success, with marketing manager Chris Fundell telling travelBulletin early sales of 2017 Europe tours had been very strong. “At the moment, bookings for both Globus Europe and Cosmos Europe are more than double the levels we had recorded at this time last year, so we’re upbeat about 2017,” he said. The preview brochures have been in the market since mid-June, and were backed with what Fundell said were “very competitive early booking offers”. He said the results had been very good, “and we’re aiming to maintain this momentum once the full Globus and Cosmos Europe programs are released in the coming weeks”.
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How can agents improve their knowledge of Germany? The German National Tourist Office is very keen to train and support agents wherever possible. One of our best tools is our Germany destination page www.germany.travel which provides agents with valuable information, videos, images and an individual destination planner. Agents can call or email us anytime for further product support. What training is available to agents to improve their knowledge? We host a range of product updates and an annual roadshow that is announced in our newsletter. To sign up, please email: Stefanie.eberhard@germany.travel. In addition we will shortly release a series of live & recorded webinars and cheat sheets that will also be communicated through our newsletter. Any recommendations for first time travellers? We recommend allowing yourself at least one week in Germany. Germany is one of the most diverse countries that will certainly make you want to go back. Mingle with the locals and be part of Germany’s unique cultural events such as our fantastic wine & beer festivals, concerts, historical events and other cultural festivities such as the famous Octoberfest, Carnival in Cologne or the international film festival, Berlinale. You’ll also want to ensure you have enough time to soak in all the art galleries and explore German street art. What makes Germany a unique destination? Germany fits 21 times into the size of Australia and travelling through the country feels like a trip around the world. Germany offers diversity like almost no other country. There are more than 10,000 towns and cities in Germany between the North Sea and the Alps. Thanks to an incredibly efficient infrastructure you can easily combine different natural landscapes from rivers, lakes, canals and valleys to the beautiful beaches and islands in the North. And finally, how can travel agents join a famil? Germany’s annual famil will be advertised in the newsletter and the trade media. Additionally there are various trade partners who host Germany famils.
HURRY AND BOOK TO
SECURE A STATEROOM UPGRADE 2017 WATERWAYS OF THE TSARS: Moscow – St. Petersburg, 13 days, 11 guided tours, from $9,799pp FOR BOOKINGS MADE BETWEEN 1 A U G U S T A N D 30 S E P T E M B E R 2016 O N L Y Book Viking’s 13-day Waterways of the Tsars cruise and receive a complimentary stateroom upgrade. Choose from select departures between May and October 2017. Complimentary cabin upgrade is available from Deluxe Stateroom (DX) to Deluxe Stateroom (CX), an upgrade which normally costs $300 per person; and from Veranda Stateroom (BX) to Veranda Stateroom (AX), normally a $400 per person cost.
For the full range of Viking Cruises Itineraries and offer details
CALL
1800 845 464
CLICK
vikingcruises.com.au
*Conditions apply. Prices are listed in Australian Dollars, per person, based on double occupancy, subject to availability. Visit the website for full details of the discount offers and airfare offer at http://www.vikingcruises.com.au/. Offer is strictly limited
Europe
Buying fireworks Imagine walking into your local supermarket to pick up some bread, milk and fireworks. In some parts of Europe, it’s possible. Many countries which allow it have an age restriction on who may buy the fireworks, at what time of year (such as in the days leading up to New Year’s Eve) and they must be fired between certain hours, on private land.
4 acts
Speeding It’s pedal to the metal on Germany’s Autobahn...in sections, at least. While many places allow drivers to pick whatever speed they feel comfortable at, many stretches, such as construction sites or motorway junctions are reduced speed areas. And no doubt those areas will be swimming with cops who have their ticket book at the ready. Speedsters should remember to only pass a vehicle on their left - overtaking on the right is a big no-no, punishable by law.
Riding a bike without a helmet Going for the just-cycled hairdo – without the helmet hair? Many European countries (such as Amsterdam) do not require cyclists to wear a helmet. These cycling-friendly cities have dedicated lanes to cyclists, and some even have traffic lights which give priority to cyclists over motorists.
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travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2016
which aren’t
Illegal
in Europe Part of travelling is experiencing new things. These few ideas are sure to get your adrenaline pumping with the knowledge that although they are illegal in Australia, they aren’t in Europe.
Buying soft drugs If you walk into a coffee shop in Australia and ask for a joint, they most likely won’t hand you a menu with their “drugs of the day”. Despite what some might believe, as of January 2013, only residents of the Netherlands aged 18 years or older can visit coffee shops and purchase cannabis there (read: not tourists).
Expect MORE from Lufthansa Group
Offering more choice to your customers is as easy child’s play More destinations. More partners. More connections. More gateways. More hubs. More flexibility. More comfort.
www.lufthansaexperts.com
Arabia
I
t’s the need for speed that draws me to Dubai Autodrome. Timid folk watch the pros hurtle around the track here at regular motor-racing events, but I reckon I should give it a go myself, and see whether I match up behind the wheel of a Formula 1-style 180bhp singleseater. A briefing by a race instructor is enough to get me behind the wheel and into Lewis Hamilton mode in no time. The car doesn’t have the power or the grip of a real F1 racer, but you won’t get much closer to the Grand Prix experience. The engine screams like a banshee as I hit a speed of 200kph – which seems a whole lot faster given how low I’m sitting to the tarmac. My adrenaline surges at every bend, and the physicality and mental concentration required to zip around the course leaves me exhausted after 20 minutes. From Dubai I nip up the highway – at regular speed – to Abu Dhabi’s Ferrari World, where the world’s fastest rollercoaster promises to simulate an F1 racing car. The Formula Rossa hurls me from zero to 42
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©Farrari World
Dubai and Abu Dhabi have become well-established destinations for Australians. But it isn’t all just about shopping and resorts: adrenaline activities favour the brave. By Brian Johnston
240kph in five seconds; the nearly 4.8G of force would make my eyes pop out of their sockets if I weren’t wearing goggles. Another rollercoaster replicates being in a Ferrari F430 Spider. In a final fit of madness, I rocket up (and worse, plunge back down) a tower known simply as G Force. As activities go, this is certainly more amusing than shopping. Abu Dhabi and Dubai are known for their malls, but adventure activities add excitement and variation to a stopover in the Emirati cities. I flick through the magazine What’s On for information on what I can do. Standard sporting activities include windsurfing, water-skiing, fishing, sailing and scuba-diving. Actually, you can even scuba dive inside Dubai Mall, where a
Aerial view of Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi
vast 10-million-litre aquarium hosts 33,000 marine creatures, and where you’ll come faceto-face with huge rays and tiger sharks. Dubai Mall may have a giant aquarium, but Mall of the Emirates boasts one of the world’s largest indoor ski fields. It might be 45°C outside, but inside Ski Dubai I find a temperature below zero, ice-coated fir trees, and local kids rolling snowmen. It’s a big attraction among tourists from the sun-baked Gulf states, but even I find it curiously entertaining. I rent ski boots and skis and slide down the 400-metre slope made from 6,000 tons of snow before enjoying a mulled wine on the chilly terrace of the Avalanche Café. Of course, the UAE is more about desert than snow. I pass on the daggy ‘desert experiences’ that offer 4WD excursions beyond the city that end in dodgy belly dancing and BBQs, and opt instead for proper dune-bashing. After some basic instruction, I’m offered the wheel of our 4WD. The heat soars, the engine roars and my instructor screams ‘Accelerate! Accelerate!’ as I lurch, helplessly out of control, down dunes the size of Uluru. My spine is more bashed than the dunes, but we scream a happy day away. Next afternoon, I head to Wild Wadi. The water park, themed on Arabian folklore, has its sedate family side such as floating down a lazy river, Flowriders and the largest wave pool in the Middle East, but more dramatic rides include the Tunnel of Doom and Master Blaster, in which high-powered jets propel me
Arabia
Dune bashing in the desert beyond Dubai © Desert Safari Dubai
Wild Wadi water park ©Dubai Torism
Horse racing in Dubai ©Dubai Torism Ski Dubai at Mall of the Emirates
©Dubai Tourism
upwards on an inner tube. I bravely tackle the Jumeirah Sceirah, a 33-metre slide on which you can reach speeds of up to 80 kilometres an hour: certainly fast enough to get my stomach lodged somewhere in my throat. Then I travel down the Burj Surj on another tube, on which I’m hurtled into a bowl and experience two spiralling spins before I’m dumped into the pool below. Afterwards, I totter off to the fish spa to calm my nerves, although I discover that having fish eat your feet isn’t actually that calming. If all this sounds too exhausting, you can get your kicks from the sidelines in Dubai: spectator sports include soccer, hockey, tennis and horse racing. For maximum thrill, head out to the camel racetrack on Al Ain Road and enjoy a morning of camel racing, usually held on Thursdays or Fridays in winter. You might want to bring binoculars, since races are run over long distances. Thoroughbred camels command huge fees, and compete for prizes such as money or a 4WD car. It’s the best free entertainment in Dubai, and a very sociable occasion. The camels are fast and noisy (they show their annoyance by bellowing), and very young jockeys clinging to their humps like ticks as they career along a 10-kilometre track. Sometimes remote-controlled robot jockeys are used instead. Owners follow the race in 4WDs, adding to the dust and the danger. It isn’t quite a Grand Prix race, but hitch a ride in the back of a 4WD as it hurtles beside galloping camels and you can be sure you adrenaline levels will achieve another satisfying spike.
The Formula Rossa ride at Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi
Flow Rider at Wild Wadi water park ©Dubai Torism
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Arabia
Dubai makes play for family market Motiongate Dubai
The multifaceted appeal of Dubai will expand further at the end of next month, with the much-anticipated opening of the Emirate’s new theme park offering scheduled for 31 October. Dubai Parks and Resorts is the region’s first integrated resort destination which features three world-class theme parks as well as a waterpark and a Polynesianthemed family resort. Almost 100 rides
and attractions will feature, including a new themed retail, dining and entertainment precinct titled Riverland Dubai. Legoland Dubai and the adjacent Legoland Water Park sees the famous building block brand expand into the Middle East, targeting kids aged 2-12 with a range of hands-on experiences, interactive rides, water slides and models.
Those a little older will be attracted to Motiongate Dubai, a “cinematic journey into the fantasy world of films”. Inspired by Hollywood, Motiongate showcases Sony Pictures Studios, DreamWorks Animation and Lionsgate movies with characters from franchises such as the Smurfs, Ghostbusters, the Green Hornet, Shrek, Kung Fu Panda and even the Hunger Games. The third element of the project is Bollywood Parks Dubai, the first ever Bollywood themed park in the world, giving guests a flavour of Indian culture via rides, food, live performance and entertainment. Although annual passes are currently on sale, prices for daily visitation have not been revealed at this stage with Dubai Parks and Resorts promising they will be announced soon. CEO Raed Kajoor Al Nuaimi said the development had been a long time coming. “I can’t say enough about how excited we are to welcome our guests to the destination to ‘Experience Amazing’. Nothing of this magnitude has ever been done before…as the largest entertainment destination in the region Dubai Parks and Resorts will create jobs in Dubai, support the UAE’s tourism vision and grow the family leisure industry in the region”.
GMTC offering full Arabia programs Greece and Mediterranean Travel’s product portfolio includes a full range across the Middle East including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Jordan, Oman and Israel. There are dedicated Israel and Jordan brochures, along with a combined Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Oman program complementing other GMTC product covering Turkey, Greece, Egypt, Croatia, Spain, Italy, Adriatic and escorted tours in Europe. GMTC CEO Halina Kubica told travelBulletin the wholesaler can sculpt the ultimate package for clients, combining luxury boutique accommodation in Dubai, Oman and Abu Dhabi with tours and activities across the region. Itineraries are flexible and Kubica’s insider knowledge and outstanding service ensures a good result for both discerning clients and those with a limited budget. The Jordan program offers extensions into Egypt and Israel, with options including an overnight stay in a Bedouin tent, floating in the Dead
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Sea, diving in Aqaba and visits to stunning historical monuments. The company’s brochures include ‘Halina’s Hints,’ giving tips and ideas to enhance
clients’ experiences of the regions with hidden secrets, travel suggestions and general information. n See www.greecemedtravel.com.au.
Arabia Grand Hyatt, Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi development Some 2,400 additional new hotel rooms will open in Abu Dhabi by the end of the year, according to a report released by real estate group Jones Lang Lasalle. The additions include the Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel & Residences Emirates Pearl, the recently softopened Four Seasons on Al Maryah Island, the Bab Al Qasr and the Gloria Downtown Hotel. The 677-room Bab Al Qasr is part of the Millennium & Copthorne group, and evokes Moroccan influences to provide a “truly unique Middle Eastern experience”. The Abu Dhabi Hotel Market Summary report forecasts hotel supply in Abu Dhabi will reach almost 26,000 rooms by the end of 2019. The report notes that “with increased supply and a decline in corporate demand, hotel room rates have fallen to historical lows”. Despite a 12% decline in revenue per available room, occupancy rates have been more stable and remain similar to 2014/15 levels. Tourism arrivals into Abu Dhabi jumped 11% for the five months to May 2016 – however the strong increase in leisure visitation has been offset by a decline in corporate demand. The Abu Dhabi government is also imposing a new 4% municipality fee and an AED15 charge per night per room, with JLL saying the medium term outlook for the market remains positive driven by “wide ranging government initiatives to increase tourism”.
Hot Product Oman is one of the hidden secrets of Arabia, and what better way to uncover its treasures than with CROOKED COMPASS’ 10-day Whispers Through the Empty Quarter. The tour is available both as a scheduled departure from October 10, 2017, but also as a private tour on request. The trip highlights include authentic cooking class and dining with locals, a visit to Oman’s spectacular Grande Mosque, home to the world’s largest carpet, overnight desert luxury camping in Jebel Shams and Sugar Dunes, and exploring the vast empty desert of the Empty Quarter. GLOBUS offers you the chance to experience some of the rich heritage of Jordan on the Wonders of Jordan tour. The seven-day tour starts from $2,447, including most breakfasts and three course dinners. The tour starts off in Amman, one of the world’s continuously inhabited cities. Explore the Roman amphitheatre and make a visit to Jerash. A visit to Jordan wouldn’t be complete without seeing Petra. Enjoy a unique Globus experience sipping tea in a Bedouin tent and do some desert bashing in a 4WD.
Do online booking engines offer you these in Greece? • Personalised product knowledge, suggestions & comparisons? • 24/7 local assistance? • Ferry tickets delivery/amendment/reissue? • Tours, restaurants & local experiences suggestions? • One stop shop & peace of mind?
Greece Med Travel do. You know your clients, We know the hoteliers... Vangelis Daktylides - Managing Director of Myconian Ambassador & Halina Kubica - Managing Director of Greece Med Travel
Phone: 1300 661 666
Email: info@greecemedtravel.com.au
www.greecemedtravel.com.au
Asia
Mongolia Journey into the unknown
All photos Š Nina Karnikowski
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Asia
By Nina Karnikowski
M
ongolia is not for the faint of heart, our group leader warns us as we depart for the central Asian nation. Squeezed between China and Russia, it’s one of the harshest and most remote landscapes on earth. It’s a land that created warriors so fierce they conquered the largest empire the world has ever known. A land that still sees 40% of its population living as tough nomadic shepherds in gers (the Mongolian version of a yurt) year-round, despite temperatures that drop below minus 40 in winter. It’s a land that breeds wrestlers and archers, more horses than people, and the most skillful and resilient cowboys in the world. Visit this wild land and prepare to be tested, we’re told, in the best possible way.
CULTURAL CAPITAL Our Mongolian journey begins in the capital city, Ulaanbaatar. On the drive from the airport we see streets lined with boxy Soviet-era buildings, a reminder of pre-democratic revolution times when the Soviet Union ruled Mongolia. It’s one that’s echoed as we explore Gandan Monastery, one of just three of 800 monasteries that weren’t looted, destroyed or both during Mongolia’s communist regime from the 1920s to the 90s, when more than 18,000 Buddhist lamas were killed. The following morning, our group is driven 54 kilometers east of the capital to see the 40-metre stainless steel equestrian statue of Genghis Khan, the man who ruled the world from what is now Russia right down to India over 800 years ago. We climb up inside the enormous statue, a symbol of the Mongolian’s reverence for Khan, and get superb views over the ger-smattered landscape. Our Mongolian introduction is topped off with a night of traditional entertainment: throat singing, a contortionist display and music and dancing by the Tumen Ekh performance ensemble, followed by a hearty meal of stir-fried vital organs (yes, seriously) at Nomad restaurant.
JOURNEY INTO THE UNKNOWN We need the sustenance, because for the next few days we explore the sprawling southern Gobi desert in a procession of ex-Russian military vans. We trek through lush Eagle Valley, where craggy rock faces descend steeply into grasslands upholstered with purple wildflowers. We climb the enormous Khongoryn Els sand dunes, laying on the hot sand to gaze up at the outrageously vast sky dotted with the occasional spiraling eagle. We ride loping Bactrian camels across the dunes then spend time
with the nomadic family who owns them, learning about Mongolian rituals and etiquette and eating tart yak cheese and vodka. We drive east across the relentlessly arid steppe to climb the Flaming Cliffs, monolithic red sandstone formations that are set ablaze by the setting sun, where the world’s first dinosaur eggs were discovered in the 1920s. By night, we sleep in cozy ger camps under an upturned salt shaker of stars.
GOING NOMAD Eventually we reach the Orkhon Valley, where we spend two nights with a nomadic family. Surrounded by larch trees, yaks and wild horses, we get an intimate insight into a way of life that’s still a reality for a large proportion of Mongolia’s population. We’re set to work immediately. First we help the family erect a ger, setting in place the door, pillars and accordion-style walls, which we cover in layers of sheep’s felt and canvas. The result is simple yet cosy, and can all be packed back up again on a yak’s back in one hour when the family move to their winter camp. The next day we help the family milk their mares to make cheese, clotted cream and airag (fermented mare’s milk), and assist in the gruesome task of slaughtering a goat for dinner. We ride into the wilderness on the nomads’ horses, and spend the evening drinking yak vodka and singing folk songs around the bonfire. The feeling of tranquility that permeates everything in our nomadic hosts’ lives follows us when we leave, and we take with us a reminder of how little in life you really need to be happy.
HORSING AROUND There are 3.4 million horses in Mongolia for fewer than three million people, and Mongolian horsemen are known to be the most skillful and resilient in the world. We witness their unique skill at the Tsaidam naadam, or horse festival, in the northern Orkhon Valley. “We’re born in the saddle, it’s in our blood, probably because our mothers ride horses when they are pregnant with us,” our guide whispers as we watch kids as young as three race thundering horses bareback. The naadam is also a chance to witness the fascinating art of Mongolian wrestling, and to see the talented horsemen catching and riding bucking, whinnying wild horses using an urga (a Mongolian lasso attached to a stick) with a hypnotizing level of balance and strength… until they’re hurled off into the dust with nothing more than a hearty chuckle. Our journey ends at Ögii freshwater lake, smattered with fishermen and boaters and stretching towards the horizon. We swim out into the glassy waters, washing the desert dust off our bodies and failing to remember a time when we felt so open and so free. travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2016
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Asia
Luxury Yangtze river cruising Sanctuary Retreats has stepped up its partnerships in the Australian market, offering upmarket Yangtze river cruising options in China in partnership with a range of operators including APT, Wendy Wu Tours and Abercrombie & Kent. The luxuriously appointed Sanctuary Yangzi Explorer sets “a new standard of cruising in China,” according to Sanctuary Retreats’ director of sales for Australia, New Zealand and Asia, Michael McCall. The vessel carries a maximum of 124 passengers – less than half of the capacity on ships used by some other operators – giving guests a much more intimate experience, McCall said. The Explorer also has a one:one crew to guest ratio, meaning “the on board atmosphere is more private club than cruise ship”. There are 38 deluxe cabins and 20 suites, all featuring private balconies and floor to ceiling picture windows. Offering three and fournight cruises between Chongqing and Yichang, highlights of the voyage include the Three Gorges Dam project, local markets in Fengdu, villages and more. On-board there is 24 hour room service and complimentary wi-fi, as well as delectable east-meets-west cuisine in the on-board Dynasty Dining Room. There’s an on-board spa with six treatment rooms and a range of free activities including tai chi, Chinese medicine master classes, dumpling making and calligraphy. Sanctuary is offering discounts and free cabin upgrades for bookings made and paid in full three months prior to any 2017 sailing. The Sanctuary Yangzi Explorer is part of the extensive Sanctuary Resorts portfolio which includes luxury safari lodges and camps in Botswana, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia as well as Nile River cruises in Egypt. There’s also the Sanctuary Ananda which cruises the Ayeyarwady River between Bhamo and Yangon in Myanmar.
Wendy Wu’s 2017 dedicated earlybird brochure
Discover China with InterAsia
Wendy Wu Tours has stepped it up this year, releasing a dedicated brochure covering its 2017 earlybird offers. The deals on offer cover trips to China, Vietnam, India, Japan, Cambodia, Laos, Tibet and Nepal, with WWT backing the initiative with an ‘Early Bird lowest price promise’ meaning “customers and agents can book in confidence knowing that they will secure their preferred tour at the lowest rate possible,” according to recently appointed general manager Andrew Mulholland. More than 330 departures on 40 tours are part of the offer, with savings of up to $1400 per person on sale until 16 September. As well as Wendy Wu’s standard trips the special brochure includes a variety of the operator’s Discovery Tours such as the Vibrant India and Silk Road Explorer. There are also land-only stopover packages in Hong Kong and Singapore, which are available both as a pre- and post-tour add-on.
See these and more on interasia.com.au Small Group Tours - 4 star hotels, many meals, ex Aust CHINA ESSENTIALS – 11 days ex Aust, from $3289* pp CHINA WISHLIST - 18 days, incl 5 star cruise, from $6437* pp
Private Journeys - incl Singapore Airlines flights ex Aust CHINA IN STYLE–16 day, 5 star hotels & cruise from $10848* pp IMPERIAL BEIJING - 9 day spectacular city showcase, $3999* pp *Plus air taxes of approx. $790. Valid for departures to 31Mar17.
River Cruising Small Group Tours Tailored Private Journeys Family Holidays
Great value air & land packages with Singapore Airlines
1300 133 001 info@interasia.com.au ATAS Accreditation No: A10633
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Asia
InterAsia tours evokes Vietnam memories InterAsia Tours last month conducted a trip down memory lane, with a special Vietnam tour personally escorted by director Dan Nebauer. As a Vietnam veteran himself, the Long Tan Battlefield tour explored the length and breadth of the country with a special focus on Vung Tau, Nui Dat and Long Tan – coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the famous battle on Vietnam Veterans’ Day on 18 August 2016. Before moving into travel Nebauer was with the Royal Australian Air Force for 25 years. That’s just one of the innovative itineraries currently on offer from InterAsia which also features a full portfolio of trips across Asia including China & Mongolia, Myanmar, India, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Korea, Taiwan, Laos, Japan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and even Tibet. InterAsia’s Vietnam programs include family holidays, Mekong cruising and a 12-day culinary tour. As well as small group tours, InterAsia offers a portfolio of “short stops” offering four or five days in destinations such as Angkor, Saigon or Hanoi which can be added onto
Statuary in Hue, Vietnam
other itineraries as required by independent travellers. InterAsia can also create custom itineraries for special interest groups, as well as coordinating high speed rail travel across China and taking passengers on the high altitude train into Tibet. n See www.interasia.com.au
Discover Mongolia with A&K Explore Mongolia’s rugged landscapes and trek through its wideopen plains, on a private Abercrombie & Kent’s Nomads and Gers tour. The seven-day program is based in Ulaanbaatar, the Buddhist capital of the country. Tour highlights include morning visits to monasteries, hikes through Yol Valley National Park, an exploration of the mysterious Motsog Els sand dunes on camelback, and a visit to the world’s largest status of Genghis Khan. Prices start from AU$7,295 per person twin share or $13,015 for solo travellers. As the itinerary is part of A&K’s Private Journeys collection, the itinerary can be personalised to your specific requirements. Call 1300 851 800 for more information.
Events & Festivals
Put your hands up in the air:
The World’s Best Music Festivals By Bonnie Tai
“
T
ake my hand and don’t let go.” Those were the words my friend uttered to me as we zig-zagged through thousands of scantily-clad festival goers lining up to get into FYF Fest at the LA Sports Arena & Exposition Park just a year ago. The air pulsed with energy and the feeling of the deep, dirty bass in the distance reverberated through my entire body – a sensation I will never forget. Throughout the two-day festival I danced with 30,000 strangers to the likes of Grimes, Future Islands, Caribou and
Coachella Without a doubt one of the largest music festivals in the world, Coachella draws in massive crowds of around 200,000 people every year across the two weekends. It has become a somewhat cultural
: Perfect for e ar ts Ac y! Anybod multi-genre in icassim, Spa : Where Ben s ticket n o nds Get your ha out as well as from: Busab com www.fiberfib. , 14, 15 3 1 : s 2017 Date and 16 July
Heralded as Spain’s most intense event, the four-day Festival Internacional de Benicassim (commonly referred to as FIB) is beloved by both music fans and artists alike. Situated on the beach town of Benicassim, 50
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Little Dragon; sharing many a corn dog with both new friends and old friends alike. What makes these kinds of events so thrilling and addictive is the crowd. It’s hard not to feed and bounce off everybody’s energy. And the music? Well, that’s a given. Since then, I have become a bona fide festival convert, ready to cross off as many as possible from the list. But going to a festival can be time consuming, with many of the world’s best events taking place in faraway lands. So to ensure that you choose the right festival to match your style, we’ve taken the guesswork out for you and compiled a quick hit list of some of the world’s most popular festivals to ensure a guaranteed good time.
Haven for : Fashion bl oggers, celebrities an d lovers of ro ck, indie, hip ho p and EDM Where: Indi o, California Get your ha nds on ticket s from: splash.coach ella.com 2017 Date s: April 14, 15 & 16 an d Apr 21, 22, 23
phenomenon, with those that are lucky enough to make the pilgrimage to the festival wearing it almost like a badge of honour; ensuring their Instagram feeds are spammed with selfies from the cult event.
Set out in the middle of the Californian desert and played out across five enormous stages, past headliners at Coachella include Madonna, Paul McCartney, Muse, Jay-Z and Florence and the Machine.
Festival Internacional de Benicassim party-goers will be entertained by some of the biggest names in music, with past guests including the likes of: Kendrick Lamar, Leonard Cohen, Major Lazer, Massive Attack and Iggy Pop.
Most acts begin around sundown, with the party going on until about 7am. What makes this festival unique is its campsite which is available for nine days in total and famed for its inviting atmosphere.
Events & Festivals
Burning Man : Perfect for rs ge -a w ne , es Hippi for d -minde (not and the open t) ar he the faint of er t in ck Rock Des Where: Bla A Nevada, US s from: ticket n o nds Get your ha rg .o ngman tickets.burni 28 August to : s 2016 Date r (2017 05 Septembe dates TBC)
Burning Man is a little different from the others we’ve listed. It’s less music-centric and more of an experiment in people and art, though the festival does boast a large electro music culture. Over the course of the week-long gathering, attendees erect a temporary community dubbed ‘Black Rock City’ where they live by the festival’s 10 principles: radical inclusion, gifting, de-commodification, radical selfreliance, radical self-expression, communal effort, civic responsibility, leaving no trace, participation and immediacy. More than 60,000 people make their way
to Burning Man every year, and as one of the key principles of the festival is embracing a gifting culture - regular money won’t get you very far, nor will bartering. “The value of a gift is unconditional,” reads the site, “Gifting does not contemplate a return or an exchange for something of equal value”. The art theme for this year’s event is da Vinci’s Workshop, with past themes including fertility, hell, outer space, the body, the floating world, beyond belief and more. At the end of the seven days a 12-metre high wooden effigy of a man is ritualistically immolated, hence its namesake: Burning Man.
Exit Festival Pass the diffraction glasses and glow sticks guys, because Exit Festival is the place to be for mesmerising trance and electro-grooves. Don’t have much love for EDM? No worries. Exit’s guest roster is jam-packed full of some of the world’s most influential artists including The Prodigy, Arctic Monkeys, Faith No More, Motorhead and many others. The festival started as a university student protest, fighting against Yugoslavia’s then
president Slobodan Milosevic. Following the Yugoslavian general election in 2000, Exit moved to the 35,000-capacity Petrovaradin Fortress where it has lived ever since. Welcoming around two million people from more than 60 countries since its inception, Exit has been proclaimed ‘Best Major European Festival’ at the EU Festival Awards for several years running - an accolade considered one of the most prestigious in the world.
Perfect for : Rave cultu re enthusiasts, electronic-m us ic lo vers Where: Nov i Sad, Serbi a Who can g et you there : Busabout or www.exitf est.org 2017 Date s: 6 – 9 July
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Events & Festivals
The Edinburgh Fringe Festival sees the 500,000 strong population of the Scottish capital more than triple, with visitors from across the globe converging for what is undoubtedly the world’s largest arts event. Last year the festival, often referred to simply as ‘The Fringe’, comprised more than 50,000 performances in 313 different venues. It takes place each August and features theatre, comedy, dance, physical theatre, circus, cabaret, opera, music and more. A 2011 study found Edinburgh’s year-round festival program – which also includes the iconic Military Tattoo – generated more than $500 million worth of additional tourism revenue for Scotland annually, with a host of other benefits such as boosting national pride, discovering new talent and contributing to culture. The festival started in 1947 when eight theatre groups turned up uninvited to take part in the then Edinburgh International Festival. Not being part of the official program they performed on the “Fringe” of the event anyway, and in the ensuing years more performers followed their example. The huge variety of genres means there’s truly something for everyone, and the balmy Scottish August nights make it an ideal time to experience the destination.
Edinburgh’s fringe revolution
A 2011 study found ‘Edinburgh’s year-round
festival program... generated more than $500 million worth of additional tourism revenue for Scotland annually, with a host of other benefits...
’
In keeping with its quirky tradition, some of the performers at last month’s festival included a ‘poetry-spouting sommelier’, a hairdressing-focused musical called Bleach for the Stars and a comedy game show called WiFi Wars. It also featured the Fringe’s youngest ever performer – a daily half-hour appearance of a seven month old baby who entertained festival goers “by simply being on Granny’s lap” in a so-called “anti-theatre commentary on how people treat babies in public”. n See www.edfringe.com ©Edinburgh Fringe Festival
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Events & Festivals
Orange pops the festival cork
©Taste Orange
The annual F.O.O.D. Week in the western NSW city of Orange is an example of how regional events can help put destinations on the tourist map. Australia’s longest running regional food festival, F.O.O.D. (Food of Orange District) marked its 25th anniversary this year, having been established in 1991 by a group of “passionate and committed local foodies” with the aim of celebrating local producers. Since then the ten day event, held every April, has grown as a key gourmet festival, showcasing farmers and wineries alongside restaurants, caterers, chefs and cooks. Over the last 25 years the
culinary offerings of the region have evolved considerably, with 38 vineyards, 42 cafes and several fine dining establishments including the hatted Lolli Redini, Tonic and Racine restaurants. There are six key activities during the week, with more than 90 satellite events hosted at local restaurants, cafes, cellar doors and more. Orange F.O.O.D. Week has been recognised as a ‘flagship event’ by Destination NSW, and the region has leveraged it with a series of ‘Taste Orange’ activities through the year in the key market of Sydney. The region also now operates the Orange Wine Festival in October.
US events are just the ticket Australian travellers to the US can now easily coordinate their trip with attendance at a major sporting event, through the Keith Prowse Travel-backed US Sports Tickets website. Offering simple, secure online purchases the portal has an easy search function enabling fans to choose a city or team and crossreference with their travel dates to see what’s available. A full range of sporting spectacles is on offer – such as NFL, basketball, baseball and hockey leagues along with college competitions, fighting and even motor sports like Nascar and monster truck racing. US Sports Tickets currently exclusively services customers from Australia and New Zealand heading to the USA, with transactions in Australian dollars. There’s Australian-based customer service and 24/7 support for travellers while overseas via a freecall US phone number. The company has offices in Sydney and Perth, with bookings available at USSportsTickets.com or by calling 1300 878 425.
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Last Word
Unscramble
APP HAPPY
How many words can you make out of these nine letters? Every word needs to include an ‘L’, have four letters or more and not be a proper noun. You can only use each letter once. Good - 14 words Very good - 20 words Excellent - 32 words
Flying is one of those things that you either love or hate and the experience at the airport pre or post embarkation has the tendency to amplify those emotions. Ever been caught in long queues or had flights delayed because of bad weather? It’s enough to make your blood boil. A solution is available via a handy app. GateGuru, backed by the team at TripAdvisor is a mobile friendly app that provides a door-to-door solution for travellers on their day of travel. Open up the app and you’re provided with a number of options via an easy to navigate menu. Your JourneyCard will keep you posted in real time on any updates to your itinerary such as security wait times, flight delays, gate changes or layover time adjustments. Tap the AirportCard and you’re provided a wealth of airport information including a visual representation of the airport as well as being able to quickly access amenity information, maps, weather forecasts, airport tips and much more. Perhaps the best part of this app is to know in advance where all the restaurants and bars are located at each airport so that you can get a decent feed and forego the often less-thanimpressive airline food. The app is available as a free download from the App Store, Google play and the Windows Store.
B A C M L E A U N Funnies Flashback There’s always something kooky going on in the world of travel. We took a trip down memory lane and uncovered these gems from that day in the Travel Daily Window Seat archives: 30th May 2001 FROM the US State of Oregon today comes the story of Vera Anderson, an emphysema sufferer who wanted to travel for most of her 78 years, but was forced to stay at home, close to her oxygen supply. In death, however, she has become a jetsetter. Responding to her mother’s dying wish, daughter Ross Anderson is now sending portions of her mother’s ashes in sealed plastic bags to 250 cities worldwide, including all 50 US States. Recipients (a report doesn’t say how they were chosen) are asked in an accompanying note to “find a nice place” for the ashes. 10th October 2002 THE Romanian village of Horea, which opened a sex theme park to encourage couples to have more children, has achieved its objective - the birth rate has doubled in the last few years, Libertatea newspaper reports. The Valley of Happiness was designed to bring an increase in population, lifting Horea’s status from village to town and thus boosting its tourist appeal. Couples are encouraged to have sex at the park, which has cabins with cooking facilities, a music system and even a phone for calling erotic lines.
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travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2016
CONGRATULATIONS Congratulations to last month’s winner of the Where in the World competiton. Liza Galbraith from Donna Barlow Corporate Travel correctly identified that the colourful building was indeed the Australian National Maritime Museum in Darling Harbour, Sydney. For her keen eyes, Liza is taking home a family Big Ticket to the museum, which gives her unlimited access to everything open at the museum on the day of the visit, including the fleet of historic vessels (submarine, destroyer and tallship HMB Endeavour when in port).
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