TravelBulletin for September 2015 - The future of Travel Insurance, Europe and UK, China, Ocean

September 2015

Selling travel insurance has always been part of a travel agent’s arsenal, but what of the future?

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contents

From the managing editor Bruce Piper

COVER STORY

16

Risky business

features 34 44 50 54 58

Europe Middle East China Hong Kong and Macau Ocean Cruising

monthly 02 10 22 26 27 28 30 32 72

State of the industry Issues and trends Careers Brochures Travel management Business events news Cruise report Industry in focus Last word

columns 02 06 10 29 31

Ian McMahon Steve Jones AFTA View Linda Gaunt CLIA View

www.travelbulletin.com.au Travel Bulletin is part of the Travel Daily family of publications

Anyone who wants an example of the ongoing relevance of travel agents to the distribution landscape need only look to the Virtuoso luxury travel network, which last month held the 27th annual Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas. The massive conference attracted almost 5000 travel professionals from across the globe to the Bellagio Resort & Casino.

Australia is a key part of the Virtuoso network, which has enjoyed a higher profile in the last couple of years since the organisation appointed Michael Londregan as its Asia-Pacific managing director. The group’s visionary founder, Matthew Upchurch, has continued to drive Virtuoso to ever greater heights, with recent expansion into Europe, the UAE, Hong Kong and Singapore meaning it now comprises 373 travel agencies with almost 700 offices in 30 countries, all focused on providing extremely high levels of service to their upmarket clientele.

As if more than US$14 billion in sales wasn’t enough to underline the importance of Virtuoso, the group also enjoys serious muscle when it comes to marketing luxury travel – an opportunity which has been grabbed with both hands by Tourism Australia. TA md John O’Sullivan announced a groundbreaking partnership during Virtuoso Travel Week, with the aim of helping “build greater connection between the international luxury market and Australia’s highly desirable luxury offering”. It’s not clear exactly what Virtuoso is getting out of the deal, but O’Sullivan confirmed Tourism Australia would be investing to ensure Australia’s “premium story is told and sold well in the US”.

Londregan is likely to have had a key part in brokering the pact.

He knows the US market well, having spent many years based in Los Angeles both as head of Tourism Australia’s North American operations as well as running Stella Travel’s Qantas Vacations, before returning to Australia as head of JTG wholesale. During his US stint Londregan moved in rarefied circles, making frequent appearances alongside celebrities on the G’Day LA red carpet, so he’s certainly well versed with the ultra-luxury consumer.

Whatever sparked the connection between Virtuoso and Tourism Australia, it is clear that the luxury network is a beacon for what travel agents can achieve when they single-mindedly focus on the value they add. Despite the rise of the internet and OTAs, Virtuoso chief Upchurch warmed the hearts of travel consultants across the world during his opening address at Virtuoso Travel week when he reminded delegates that “as technology continues to spread into every facet of life, there is a desire – even a craving – for real human connection”.

This month’s contributors Steve Jones, Brett Jardine, Jayson Westbury, James Kavanagh, Gary Walsh, Kerry van der Jagt, Linda Gaunt, Jasmine O’Donoghue

EDITORIAL Managing Editor – Bruce Piper bruce.piper@travelbulletin.com.au Co-ordinating Editor – Kris Madden Ph: 02 8090 3125 kris.madden@travelbulletin.com.au Editor at Large – Ian McMahon Ph: 03 9568 4464 or 0414 320 321 imcmahon@travelbulletin.com.au

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travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2015

1

STATE OF THE Industry Gurney to head EK USA

Ian McMahon’s perspective

Flight centre’s win for all agents WELL over three years ago, in March 2012, when the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) hauled Flight Centre before the Federal Court and accused the company of price fixing, I wrote: “The principle at stake is one that affects all travel agencies”.

As travelBulletin reported at the time: “At the core of the ACCC’s prosecution of Flight Centre … is an issue that causes angst for travel agents around Australia – airline websites offering fares direct to the public at prices that undercut fares available through their agents”.

Of course, airlines have always been free to offer the public deals unavailable through agency channels.

But are agents entitled to negotiate preferred supplier deals that require airlines to give them access to all such deals? As I put it at the time: “Does a travel agency which has invested in premises, people, technology and marketing to provide an airfare distribution network have the right to insist on access to all of an airline’s fares when it negotiates a deal for preferred sales through its network?”

No, said the ACCC. The competition regulator said this amounted to retail price maintenance.

Agents would not agree. They would say they just want a level playing field. But this

was a legal issue. As I wrote at the time: “Learned lawyers and judges will decide the outcome of the case”.

The lawyers have taken their time – more than three years – and at one stage things looked grim for Flight Centre. In December 2013, the Court found against the company and fined it $11 million.

But on July 31, the Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia overturned the initial judgement and found against the ACCC. The Full Court ruled that the $11 million fine, plus interest, be refunded to Flight Centre and it ordered the ACCC to pay the company’s legal costs.

Flight Centre managing director Graham Turner summed up the impact of the decision with the statement that “it is a logical and natural business request” for an agent to ask airlines for “reasonable access to all deals that they release to the market”.

Apart from anything else, Turner pointed out, such an approach ensures that agents’ customers, comprising around 80 per cent of people who purchase international air fares, are not disadvantaged.

Indeed. And while agents will no doubt continue to experience the frustration of airlines and other suppliers using their websites to undercut agents’ prices, at least Flight Centre has established that agents can attempt to negotiate a level playing field.

Aviation is most definitely in Rob Gurney’s blood, with the Emirates Australasia chief this month relocating to New York where he will take up the role of Emirates senior vice president for North America. Before heading up Jetset Travelworld Group (later Helloworld) Gurney was head of commercial operations for Qantas, and there was therefore little surprise that after his controversial detour into the travel agency business he turned up as Emirates vice president Australasia – albeit with speculation that this was likely part of a bigger plan.

Less than a year later he’s moving on within Emirates, where he will take on the gargantuan task of overseeing the carrier’s rapid expansion in the US, at the same time battling the entrenched opposition and lobbying power of the “Big Three” legacy airlines, United, American and Delta.

Replacing him in Australasia will be Barry Brown, who is returning to Sydney from Dubai where he has been Emirates senior vice president Commercial Operations East for the last two years. Brown will continue to report to EK chief commercial officer Thierry Antinori, with senior industry sources speculating that his return is evidence of the importance EK places on the Qantas relationship where having an Australian who knows both businesses well is a key asset.

Rich Virgin Australia content Travelport claimed a major coup last month when it announced that Virgin Australia had signed up to its “Rich content and Branding” merchandising solution which allows airlines to showcase their full suite of offerings via the GDS channel. It’s a significant evolution for

business monitor OUTBOUND MARKET

INBOUND MARKET

MAIN DOMESTIC ROUTES

Top 10 domestic city pairs at June 2015

Top 10 destinations, June 2015

Top 10 sources, June 2015

Destination Trend Seasonally Original Trend Trend May 15/ Jun 14/ Adjusted

Jun 15 Jun 15

000 000 000 % % Indonesia 93.9 93.6 104.0 -0.2 +2.6 USA 80.7 81.4 95.7 -0.6 +2.2 New Zealand 107.3 110.9 90.6 +0.8 +8.9 UK 45.8 47.5 84.2 +0.3 -0.9 Thailand 45.9 45.9 49.7 +0.3 -3.9 China 37.7 37.8 34.5 +1.5 +14.9 Fiji 28.6 27.9 32.6 -0.1 +3.3 Italy 15.4 15.5 32.6 -0.7 +0.2 Singapore 29.4 30.5 29.2 -0.1 -5.5 France 12.7 12.9 25.3 +1.4 +0.0 All outbound 777.6 782.0 899.1 -0.1 +2.4

Source Trend Seasonally Original Trend Trend Adjusted May 15/ Jun 14/

Jun 15 Jun 15

000 000 000 % % 102.9 +0.5 +6.8 New Zealand 109.3 108.5 China 85.1 83.6 55.1 +1.3 +21.2 USA 49.9 51.4 47.5 +0.5 +11.9 Singapore 32.3 31.7 42.2 +0.7 +3.0 Malaysia 29.4 30.1 27.2 +2.3 +4.9 UK 56.7 55.9 27.0 -0.4 +3.5 India 19.1 18.5 17.9 -1.7 +12.7 Japan 27.0 27.2 16.5 +0.3 -3.1 Hong Kong 18.1 18.4 14.0 +1.2 +5.8 Indonesia 12.5 12.2 13.8 -1.0 +0.1 All inbound 612.7 609.0 488.3 +0.2 +6.6

City pair

Passengers Passengers % change YE Jun 14 YE Jun 15

Melbourne-Sydney Brisbane-Sydney Brisbane-Melbourne Gold Coast-Sydney Adelaide-Melbourne Melbourne-Perth Adelaide-Sydney Perth-Sydney Gold Coast-Melbourne Hobart-Melbourne

(000) (000) 8,275.0 8,454.5 +2.2 4,454.2 4,408.2 -1.0 3,276.2 3,320.1 +1.3 2,587.3 2,583.2 -0.2 2,242.4 2,282.9 +1.8 2,193.9 2,131.7 -2.8 1,778.7 1,817.0 +2.2 1,805.3 1,774.6 -1.7 1,713.4 1,759.6 +2.7 1,391.8 1,452.7 +4.4

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics

Source: BITRE

2

travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2015

STATE OF THE Industry VA, which only embraced GDS distribution four years ago, with Travelport’s Asia-Pacific vice president Damian Hickey telling travelBulletin he expects other carriers in the region to follow Virgin’s lead.

Virgin enthused that the Travelport offering would particularly help it promote its new A330 business class seat, as well as the soon to be revealed long-haul business class offering and new premium economy cabin on its Boeing 777 flights to Los Angeles and Abu Dhabi. As well as enabling ancillary sales via GDS, Travelport’s merchandising solution also facilitates easier up-selling by travel consultants and provides the same detailed information as is available on airline direct websites. More than 110 airlines worldwide have signed up for the system, including Lufthansa which announced its participation in late July.

Royal Brunei committed Royal Brunei Airlines’ Melbourne services have proven so successful that the carrier has doubled the space in its city offices, with deputy chairman Dermot Mannion highlighting the airline’s “very strong commitment to the Australian market” during the recent CAPA Centre for Aviation conference in Sydney.

Mannion, who’s pictured with country manager Brett McDougall, told travelBulletin that although its local ports have changed over the years, BI is celebrating more than three decades of continuous operation to Australia.

The airline can offer 787-8 flights all the way from Melbourne to London, with the service stopping in Brunei and Dubai along the way – an option which is “attractive to a particular constituency,” Mannion said.

Also popular is a “two centre” holiday product combining a stay in Brunei with a couple of nights in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia’s fastest growing tourism destination.

Travel Counsellors ups ante

The appointment of industry veteran David Hughes as the Australian managing director for Travel Counsellors is likely to only increase activity in the home-based sector, which was pioneered by the group when it launched here more than eight years ago.

Since then the group has had a succession of leaders, with inaugural local chief Peter Watson abruptly departing in 2010, followed in succession by Cathy Burke, Samantha Hutton and Deb Duncan before current YEAR general ENDED MAY Tracy 2015 founder David Speakman about 12 months manager Parkinson stepped ago to to May private up in 2013.

Chart I International Passengers Carried (thousands) - May 2013 2015equity group Equistone Partners, sees Australia as a key growth Parkinson remains in the GM role, working 1950 market, and Hughes will be expecting to alongside Hughes whose INBOUND extensive industry OUTBOUND capitalise on local fundamentals which resume includes senior positions with Jetset 1700 are seen as key for the group, including a Travelworld Group, Qantas and the Global 1450 buoyant outbound market and a large pool of Business Travel Association. professional travel consultants.

Travel Counsellors, which was sold by 1200

The airline executive wouldn’t be drawn on future expansion, with Mannion saying “right now we’re concentrating on putting the best product possible into the market”.

The carrier will take delivery of the first of ten A320neo single aisle aircraft in 2017, which will provide further flexibility for its south east Asian network, he added.

Signature targets Australia Another US agency group has turned its sights on the Australian market, with Signature Travel Network confirming it’s “currently in discussion with several interested travel agencies” here.

Continues over page

950

business monitor

International passengers by major airline – year ended May 2015 Chart II

Apr-15

May-15

Mar-15

Jan-15

Feb-15

International Air Market Share

Dec-14

Oct-14

Nov-14

Sep-14

Jul-14

Aug-14

Jun-14

Apr-14

May-14

Mar-14

Jan-14

Feb-14

Dec-13

Oct-13

Nov-13

Sep-13

Jul-13

Aug-13

Jun-13

May-13

700

International Passengers by Major Airlines - Year ended May 2015 Qantas Airways, 15.7% Others, 26.5% Emirates, 9.8%

*Percentage points difference

Domestic On Time Performance – June 2015 Jetstar, 8.8%

AirAsia X, 3.6% Malaysia Airlines, 4.2% Air New Zealand, 7.4%

Departures on Time Arrivals on Time Cancellations No. % No. % No. %

Jetstar 5,359 Qantas 8,694 QantasLink 8,649 REX 5,066 Tigerair 1,764 41,555 All Airlines

Singapore Airlines, 8.6% Virgin Australia, 7.8%

Source: BITRE Table I

Jun Jun Growth Yr to Yr to Growth 14 15 (%) Jun 14 Jun 15 (%) 4.49m 4.47m -0.6 57.72m 57.25m -0.8 5.30bn 5.28bn -0.2 68.08bn 67.47bn -0.9 7.24bn 7.26bn +0.3 89.54bn 88.34bn -1.3 73.2 72.8 -0.4* 76.0 76.4 +0.3* 51.7 52.5 +1.7 640.9 635.9 -0.8

Source: BITRE

Etihad Airways, 2.5%

Cathay Pacific Airways, 5.1%

DOMESTIC AIR MARKET – June 2015

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

81.8 5,460 83.4 91.4 8,626 90.7 87.4 8,518 86.1 88.1 4,906 85.3 89.5 1,725 87.5 88.8 41,128 87.9

102 113 252 15 14 702

1.5 1.2 2.5 0.3 0.7 1.5

International Passengers by Uplift/Discharge City Pairs (a)

Foreign

Australian

Port

Port

Year ended

Year ended

Year ended

% of

% Change

May 2013

May 2014

May 2015

Total

2015/14

travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2015

3

STATE OF THE Industry Continues from previous page California-based Signature has long been focused on North America, and announced an international push in late 2014.

The group describes itself as a “memberowned travel cooperative” and has almost 200 member agencies and 440 retail locations in the US and Canada. Signature added its first member in Brazil last year, and also recently expanded into New Zealand with the addition of Auckland-based Quay Travel.

Signature’s Kimberly Waters told travelBulletin members have access to the Signature Hotel & Resorts Collection, a Destination Specialists program and “cutting-edge technology solutions” as well as the group’s annual conclave in Las Vegas attended by over 2,100 travel professionals.

Last year US based Ensemble Travel launched operations in Australia with a fanfare under the leadership of American Express agency Trish Shepherd; however the organisation is yet to publicly announce any new members here.

CX earlybirds early again There were a few red faces early last month when Cathay Pacific continued the tradition of recent years by being the first carrier to release its 2016 earlybird fares. Although the announcement appeared to imply they were available to all, it turned out that there was a “pre-earlybird” period during which the deals were offered via Flight Centre and Helloworld only, with the carrier swiftly issuing a corrective statement saying it had chosen to work with “selected trade partners”.

However as travelBulletin goes to print the CX deals have been opened to everyone, and for the first time there are Cathay

Avis Scholarship turns 20

The Avis Travel Agent Scholarship of Excellence continues to break boundaries, with this year’s $40,000-plus prize package expanding to include 12 months of individual Cruise Lines International Association membership and two tickets to next year’s Cruise3sixty Australasia.

Qantas has continued its strong support of the program, providing two business class tickets to New York, while the winner will also receive two tickets to the 2016 National Travel Industry Awards gala dinner, Polonius Resources professional coaching and a scholarship to study at Southern Cross University with financial support up to $8000.

Now in its 20th year, applications for this year’s scholarship must be lodged by the close of business on 28th September at www.avisscholarship.com.

Pictured above at the Sydney launch are Avis Travel Industry manager Russell Butler; Adele Sheers, Qantas manager national agency development; CLIA commercial director Brett Jardine; Robyn Sinfield from Tasmania’s Home Travel Company, the inaugural winner of the Avis Scholarship; and Rob Harrison, Qantas head of agency partnerships.

earlybirds to North America as well as the UK and Europe.

CX is also allowing passengers to mix and match Premium Economy and Economy legs, as well as offering open jaw flights which

are ideal for Australians touring or cruising in Europe. Cathay has also increased its economy class luggage allowance under the deals to 30kg, “so there is plenty of room for shopping and souvenirs”.

business monitor INTERNET AGENCY MARKET SHARES July 2015, compared with June 2015

Rank Company

Market share Rank July 2015 Relative diff

1 Webjet Australia 15.55 2 Wotif.com 8.84 3 Expedia Australia 8.51 4 Skyscanner Australia 7.25 5 Flight Centre 6.98 6 Lastminute.com.au 3.42 7 Cheap Flights Aus & NZ 1.77 8 Luxury Escapes 1.68 9 CheapOair 1.62 10 FareCompare 1.48

Jul to Jun

-1.66 -7.68 -7.24 +16.46 -6.17 -3.67 +16.58 +11.45 +33.19 +8.96

Rank June 2015 1 2 3 5 4 6 8 9 * 10

* Not in top 10 Source: Experian Marketing Services’ Hitwise – www.experian.com.au/hitwise

4

travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2015

SHARE PRICES

INTERNATIONAL AIR ROUTES

18 August 2015

Top 10 city pairs (at May 2015)

City pair

Passengers YE May 14

Passengers YE May 15

% of % change total 14/15

Flight Centre (FLT)

$33.51

Helloworld (HLO)

$0.31

Auckland-Sydney 1,460,420 1,503,310 4.5 +2.9 Singapore-Sydney 1,379,154 1,377,125 4.1 -0.1 Singapore-Melbourne 1,122,716 1,160,696 3.4 +3.4 Auckland-Melbourne 1,011,738 1,085,847 3.2 +7.3 Singapore-Perth 1,042,890 1,007,655 3.0 -3.7 Auckland-Brisbane 891,820 949,182 2.8 +6.4 Hong Kong-Sydney 943,105 925,024 2.7 -1.9 Denpasar-Perth 838,935 908,105 2.7 +8.2 Los Angeles-Sydney 899,997 899,564 2.7 +0.0 Kuala Lumpur-Melbourne 884,516 872,476 2.6 -1.4 Top 10 city pairs 10,479,291 10,688,984 31.7 +2.0 Other city pairs 21,789,180 23,064,682 68.3 +5.9 ALL CITY PAIRS 32,268,471 33,753,666 100.0 +4.6

Webjet (WEB)

Source: BITRE

Disruptive Investments (DVI)

$4.06 $0.022

Qantas (QAN)

$3.79

Virgin Australia (VAH)

$0.45

Ardent Leisure (AAD)

$2.18

Air New Zealand (AIZ)

$2.45

Auckland International Airport (AIA)

$4.65

Sydney Airport (SYD) Corporate Travel Management (CTD)

$5.63 $10.50

Cover-More Insurance (CVO)

$2.18

Regional Express (REX)

$0.95

Sealink (SLK)

$2.40

STATE OF THE Industry Destination NSW looks abroad Destination NSW has sealed a landmark two year agreement with Air New Zealand, which is believed to be the first time a state tourism organisation has directly targeted a marketing partnership with a foreign carrier. The two year deal aims to attract Kiwi visitors to the state, with Destination NSW ceo Sandra Chipchase saying major events are a key focus.

“The close proximity of our countries means that Sydney and regional NSW are fantastic short break destinations where New Zealanders can come to enjoy our spectacular scenery, food and wine and many of the best major events in Australia,” she said. Air New Zealand ceo Christopher Luxon, who inked the deal with NSW state premier Mike Baird, said the carrier flies “more seats from New Zealand to Sydney than to any other international destination on our network”.

Destination NSW is also looking to China, with another two year pact sealed with Ctrip, the country’s largest online travel agency – cementing a partnership which has been in place since 2013. Ctrip senior vice president Li Xiaoping said the alliance “represents the start of a new chapter for tourism destination marketing in China, which will see NSW benefit from the scale of our platforms and customer base”.

Low fuel boon for airlines Airlines around the world are enjoying a respite from high fuel prices, and Australian carriers are no exception. Qantas and Virgin both reported significantly improved financial results for the 12 months to 30 June, with both also benefiting from the détente from the previous year’s domestic capacity wars.

With fuel being one of the biggest costs

AUSTRALIAN AIRPORTS

International passenger through Australia’s major international airports – May 2015 Airport

Passengers YE May 14

Sydney 13,218,403 Melbourne 7,610,666 Brisbane 4,802,950 Perth 4,049,046 Adelaide 884,480 Gold Coast 872,905 Cairns 472,951 Darwin 336,985 Norfolk Island 11,680 Sunshine Coast* 8,405 Port Hedland~ n/a All Airports 32,099,997

Passengers YE May 15

% of total

13,478,092 39.9 8,361,540 24.8 5,122,389 15.2 4,168,334 12.3 943,618 2.8 876,163 2.6 483,391 1.4 296,714 0.9 12,043 0.0 10,248 0.0 1,134 0.0 33,668,868 100.0

% change 15/14

+2.0 +9.9 +6.7 +2.9 +6.7 +0.4 +2.2 -12.0 +3.1 +21.9 n/a +4.9

* Sunshine Coast operated services from Jul 2013-Sep 2012, Jun 2013-Oct 2013 and Jun 2014, ~ Port Hedland services recommenced Apr 2015.

Source: BITRE

of operating an airline the sub-US$50 per barrel price automatically flows through to the bottom line - but nevertheless Virgin’s result was still a $49.5 million net loss, which the carrier highlighted as a $213 million improvement on the previous year, as it continues its Virgin Vision evolution and claws back on the poor performance of Tigerair.

Qantas on the other hand met expectations by reporting a $789 million pre-tax statutory profit, with every part of the business in the black, according to CEO Alan Joyce.

The Qantas announcement also saw the carrier confirm it would not invest any more in the failed Jetstar Hong Kong venture, while the turnaround of its international division has allowed it to finally make firm fleet plans with the acquisition of eight 787-9s (see page 9).

Quest looks internationally Home-grown accommodation group Quest Serviced Apartments is spending $10 million for what on the face of it seems to be a fairly simple name change, evolving to become Quest Apartment Hotels.

CEO Zed Sanjana told travelBulletin the move would “ensure we remain relevant,” with “lots of terminology globally for what our segment reference is called. Some say Apartment Hotels, some say Apart’hotel and some say Residences...it’s all over the place,” he said, with the new name seen as more appropriate to a global company, as opposed to one focused on Australia and New Zealand.

Sanjana said Quest was looking to build a pipeline of growth in the UK, as a key milestone in exporting its successful model.

Plans for the new operation would primarily involve newbuild properties, he said, because in building a new brand in a new market “consistency is critical”.

ATAS ACCREDITED AGENTS As at 18 August 2015

NSW 1003 VIC 731 QLD 658 WA 321 SA 230 ACT 50 TAS 40 NT 23 total 3056

Got something to say?

We’re all ears, so share your thoughts at haveyoursay@travelbulletin.com.au

HEADLINES 22 Jul Tourism Aus, Expedia JV 22 Jul Qantas returns to Sunshine

Coast plus MEL-OOL flights 22 Jul QF revises ADM disputes 23 Jul Discounted QF SME fares 23 Jul WA agent strands clients 24 Jul TransPac fares set to rise 24 Jul Changing of guard at TTC 24 Jul AA trans-Pacific services to debut

19 Dec 27 Jul ATAS submissions sought 27 Jul Scholarship cruise boost 28 Jul New Travel Counsellors MD 29 Jul Tigerair Aus losses halved 29 Jul Star Alliance adds Y+ RTW 30 Jul AFTA and GfK launch

‘Travelscan’ partnership 30 Jul Radisson Red Aus-bound 31 Jul Flight Centre vindication 31 Jul BYOjet TTV increases 46% 03 Aug VA boosts Travelport pact 03 Aug HX confirms Australia flights 04 Aug Indo AirAsia X to Sydney 04 Aug Helloworld $205m write-off 05 Aug Loyalty key to AccorHotels 06 Aug QF rallies for MU alliance 06 Aug Qantas adds POLi payment 07 Aug Virgin Australia to revamp

international operations 07 Aug Arrivals up 6.6% in 2014/15 10 Aug CX pre-earlybirds launch 10 Aug TA studies high spenders 11 Aug TA Virtuoso partnership 11 Aug Flight Centre most used 12 Aug Axis says goodbye to HLO 12 Aug HA’s claim ‘inappropriate’ 13 Aug Crown regional growth 13 Aug STB sport event strategy 14 Aug ACCC reauthorises Virgin/Delta

trans-Pacific alliance 14 Aug Virgin/Etihad seek 10yrs 14 Aug Signature targeting Australia 17 Aug ACCC launches freight probe 17 Aug Kiwis keen on QF/AA ties 18 Aug SYD takes control of T3 18 Aug Border Big Brother plan 19 Aug Quest gets export-ready 19 Aug NSW boosts China profile 20 Aug $975m profit for QF, will order eight Boeing 787-9 aircraft

20 Aug Webjet profit jumps 10%

travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2015

5

steve’s say

Unfortunate goodbye for Helloworld

By Steve Jones By the time you read this issue of travelBulletin, Helloworld Limited will have publicly opened its books and reported its 2015 full year financial results.

At the time of penning this column, the results were some days away, but we already know what the top line figures were going to be, courtesy of an update to the market in early August.

In disclosing details of a $205m non-cash impairment charge, Helloworld revealed it was reporting an adjusted pre-tax profit of $7m, with earnings before interest and tax of $27m to $28m.

But if outgoing chief executive Elizabeth Gaines can rightly leave the business pretty satisfied having steadied the listing ship and presided over a pre-tax profit, she will have been less pleased with the news that another high profile agency, Axis Travel, has quit the group.

The charismatic Max Najar, whose agency has been part of the fabric of Travelscene American Express for more than 30 years, blamed too many management changes, poor transparency and a lack of focus on the Amex blue box as his reasons for calling it a day.

Helloworld may have reported an improvement in its financial performance

but it can ill afford to lose agents of Najar’s experience and profile. And if he is concerned about those issues, you wonder how many more agents are asking questions.

While the business has unquestionably settled after the initial upheaval of Helloworld’s launch and the management issues surrounding Rob Gurney, there is still much work to be done, notwithstanding its impressive showing at the AFTA awards.

ill afford ‘toHelloworld...can lose agents of Najar’s experience and profile ’

The Helloworld board uses earnings as its key metric of assessing the financial performance of the group and that being the case you have to assume the $27m-$28m it achieved in 2015 would be viewed with some concern, given it was more than $40m last year.

This year’s figure has been impacted by a number of factors, namely increased investment in marketing, improved incentive payments and a smaller agency network.

But there is no question the board will want

a marked improvement as it moves through this current financial year.

Then, of course, there is the small matter of the share price, currently languishing at around 31c. Over the past 12 months, the share price peaked in May at 41c, but it has generally hovered just above 30c, half what it was in early 2012. And it is a far cry from the relatively heady days of early 2011 which investors must view with misty-eyed wonder.

Then, the share price was a dizzying $1.

But even that is nothing compared to 2007 and 2008 when JTG was reporting record profits and the share price hit a now unthinkable $3.24.

That was in the days before JTG and Stella Travel Services struck their uneasy merger which ultimately morphed into Helloworld.

The JTG back then and the Helloworld of today are, of course, unrecognisable and there have been any number of twists and turns that have impacted the various agency networks.

Let’s not forget that Travelscene American Express and Harvey World Travel also traded through the MFS debacle.

With all that in mind, you have to conclude that it’s little wonder Max Najar has called it a day.

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ISSUES & TRENDS

Roy Morgan: Time to give tourism a rev How will Australia fare in the new, increasingly competitive environment of travel and tourism? That was the question posed at Roy Morgan’s State of the Nation: Spotlight on Tourism seminar held recently in Sydney.

The event suggested the commercial models for airlines, travel agents, tour operators, accommodation providers, destinations and business events are in a ‘state of flux’ with shifting consumer leisure and lifestyle preferences, politics, economics and technological advances all disrupting and fragmenting the tourism and leisure world and shaping the Australian tourism industry’s 21st-century evolution.

Michele Levine, CEO of Roy Morgan, said with the end of the commodities boom, the need to identify long term sustainable industries is imperative, providing a golden opportunity for sectors such as tourism, if they play their cards right.

“With an estimated $100 billion of aggregated expenditure in 2014, tourism can be the industry that stays the distance,” said Levine. “Having adapted to the enormous challenges thrown at it by digital technology and globalisation, it is currently the country’s fifth-most valuable export industry.”

Levine added that the economy is the single most important factor that shapes consumer confidence and determines discretionary spend. A higher unemployment rate tends to curtail consumer sentiment, while fluctuating interest rates, the price of

data indicates that ‘it Our is not all doom and

gloom for bricks-andmortar chains; not only do Australians still use them, but many are open to the idea of using them for their next trip

’

oil and the affordability of airfares all have a big impact upon whether people decide to go on holiday or not. Terrorism was also cited as a significant factor in more recent years as influencing consumer sentiment; counterbalanced by Australia’s progressive and multicultural society and how this is influencing our destination preferences.

So who within the market represents strong 8

travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2015

Michele Levine, CEO Roy Morgan

long term potential? According to Roy Morgan Research, the age group that’s growing the fastest and has the largest spending power is the Baby Boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964), so Levine advises commercial operators to “follow the money”.

However she issued the caveat that there could be some short term softening with consumer travel intentions, particularly retirees, as low interest rates impact their savings.

That said, with a reported more than 123 million accumulated days of annual leave accrued within the Australian workforce, it’s a question of providing the right impulse to get people travelling, Roy Morgan Research suggests.

The figures confirmed that travel agents are still a considerable influencer on customer choice where complex bookings are involved, with the internet being cited as the number one source for information gathering and customer purchases for younger travel segments.

“Our data indicates that it is not all doom and gloom for bricks-and-mortar chains: not only do Australians still use them (albeit to a much lesser extent than ten years ago), but many are open to the idea of using them for their next trip. Particularly for overseas travel, when specialist knowledge and personal service are often required, bricks-and-mortar agents have the edge over their strictly online rivals,” said Levine.

“Focus on the dollars; focus on the business, tourism is not just fun and games.

The big dollars are in the affluent market, socially aware with in excess of $12 billion being spent in that segment,” claimed Levine.

We must stop thinking ‘ageing population and therefore conservatism; they are now spending big dollars

’

“We must stop thinking ageing population and therefore conservatism; they are now spending big dollars. It’s not just the snappy, young and cool – they stay at friends’ places on couches,” she said.

While inbound and outbound travel will continue to be affected by worldwide factors such as exchange rates, global unrest, engagement with Asia, and consumer confidence, the industry has already shown that it is up to the challenge of these tumultuous times.

“Our view is that now is the time to put all our effort into the tourism industry. We no longer have to sit back, it’s time to give it a real rev,” Levine concluded.

More direct flights on ultra-efficient B787-9 deliver superior network and competitive cost base •

4 x B787-9 to arrive in FY18 and 4 x in FY19

•

Base plan for 8 x B787-9 to replace 5 x older B747, maintaining flexibility for growth

Increased Direct Range of B787-91 & TRENDS (Range shown fromISSUES East Coast Australia)

New QF Horizons There was reportedly spontaneous applause in Qantas offices • B787-9 provides flexibility around the country and thelonger-term world last month when CEOtoAlan Joyce increase frequencies on existing routes or of add confirmed firm plans for the carrier to finally take delivery new Boeingnew 787-9services aircraft. Announced part of the airline’s blockbuster to longer,as thinner routes profit turnaround, the next generation planes “overcome the tyranny Ultra with longa range, unit of•distance,” base plan for cost eight reduction of the 787s presents to replace five of the carrier’s older 747-400 workhorses, conservatively maintaining future opportunity for growth into markets existingpresently capacity but offering new optionsfrom for the airline. unserved directly Australia Joyce said the Dreamliners would provide longer-term flexibility to increase frequencies on existing or add new services to longer, • Smaller aircraft gaugeroutes, provides greater level of thinnerprotection routes. The ultra-long range of themarket aircraft “presents a future against potential downturns opportunity for growth into markets presently unserved directly from Australia,” he added.

The order has been a very long time coming. Almost exactly ten years ago Qantas announced its first big deal for Dreamliners, which at the time would have made it the largest customer in the world for the aircraft type. The massive announcement by former CEO Geoff Dixon included 45 firm orders, 20 options and 50 purchase rights.

1.

Based on modelled 787-9 cabin configuration.

However with the delivery of the 787 repeatedly delayed due to technical issues at Boeing and the subsequent global financial crisis in 2008, the plans evolved, eventually seeing the order significantly reduced to incorporate fewer 787-8s, directed to Jetstar’s long-haul operations - and none at all for Qantas International mainline which was incurring deep losses.

This year’s profit turnaround has changed all that, and QF mainline will now finally be able to spread its wings. An intriguing graph included as part of the presentation (pictured) provided a titillating

glimpse into what might be possible using the new aircraft. Detailing the direct range of the 787-9 from the Australian east coast, non-stop flights will be possible to destinations such as Santiago, Cape Town, Addis Ababa or Chicago. Moscow is just out of range from Sydney, but 37 would be accessible non-stop from Perth.

Eight 787-9s could be just the start, with Qantas still having 15 remaining options and 30 “purchase rights” for the aircraft type which offers a 20% lower fuel consumption than a 747, significantly lower maintenance costs and a range of passenger comfort enhancements.

The new planes will arrive from late 2017, with the timing also helping the Qantas bottom line by avoiding expensive Boeing 747 maintenance checks. The business case for the acquisition was also supported by a new Enterprise Bargaining Agreement accepted by QF’s long-haul pilots which delivered a 30% productivity improvement.

ISSUES & TRENDS

AFTA view Jayson Westbury, chief executive AFTA

The strength of atas

Rail Plus on track for growth Technology has been a key driver of activity for rail specialist wholesaler Rail Plus in the last year, with feedback from travel consultants seeing the addition of several significant new offerings.

The popular Live Chat online support service has been extended to 7am-7pm AEDT, while Rail Plus systems have been amended to allow agents to copy and paste invoice details into their back office systems.

Also new is a series of online training webinars which agents can complete at their own pace, with new modules on Canada’s Via Rail and Rocky Mountaineer to be released shortly.

James Dunne, Rail Plus CEO Australasia, who is pictured above with Rail Europe’s Ingrid Kocijan, told travelBulletin the wholesaler has also just added a direct connection to Germany’s Deutsche Bahn network, giving agents 24/7 access to point-to-point fares. And while Amtrak sectors in the US can be currently booked via Rail Plus manually, automating this process is also a priority, with live availability expected to be announced in the coming weeks. Dunne said he’s also focused on increasing the visibility of rail via the GDS. “Currently we have a tab in Amadeus, and are now looking at working more closely with other GDSs to create similar solutions for consultants.”

In terms of industry trends, Dunne said Rail Plus is seeing more Australian passengers opting for rail passes covering a single country.

“Once people are travelling on three or more sectors in one country, a national pass offers particularly good value,” he said. As the European rail network continues to expand there are ever more options for passengers such as the new Eurostar route between Lyon and Provence, as well as a new direct service from London to Amsterdam which will come online next year. Eurostar is significantly expanding its fleet, with 17 new high speed e320 trains to be added from late 2015.

Further reducing travel time between London and Paris and offering free wi-fi for all passengers, the extra rolling stock is “inter-operable” meaning the trains can run across diverse European signalling systems opening up the potential for many more direct services between the UK and city centres across the Continent.

Rail Plus has also seen strong growth of its Great Train Journeys program, with a new brochure just released. As well as popular favourites such as the Rocky Mountaineer, the program includes a range of additions including Ireland’s first luxury rail journey, the Belmond Grand Hibernian, which debuts next year with three itineraries ranging from two to six days.

Once people are ‘travelling on three or

more sectors in one country, a national pass offers particularly good value

’

10

travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2015

Firstly, congratulations to Kris Madden for taking on the new role at travelBulletin. I am sure Kris will continue the good work and in depth stories that travelBulletin is so known for.

As we come to the end of the third quarter for 2015 and what feels like another sprint to the end of the year, I am pleased with the outstanding support that ATAS continues to receive as members renew and provide their feedback. It is also very pleasing to see how the industry has made its own mind up about the best way to address consumer compensation as opposed to consumer protection. More on that in a moment.

ATAS is designed to be the mark that travel agents can be proud of and consumers can look to as a sign of quality and integrity and consumer protection. ATAS is about being an industry-led accreditation scheme for travel businesses of all sizes to use as a sign of third party endorsement for their business. The fundamental promise that ATAS participants make is to conform to the national consumer protection laws via the Australian Consumer Law (ACL). For consumers it also means that they can identify in a de-regulated industry a point of difference between businesses that are and are not accredited by the industry scheme.

The strength of this endorsement will grow over the year ahead and with the continued support of the industry, so will the importance of ATAS to both travel agents and consumers. As for compensation or the protection of consumers monies there are a raft of options now available and in market across the industry.

For small agents the simplest way to protect client funds is to open an interest bearing trust account. There is no cost to do this and in fact the account attracts interest, which means that agents can earn money on the funds held in trust and should something go wrong, the client’s funds are safe. Simple!

On top of this very simple approach a range of options have evolved and been developed by the insurance industry for travel agencies and consumers to chose from. No doubt there will be more options that find their way into the market as the new industry-led environment matures.

The new environment has also brought with it some innovation with long standing and experienced agency owners looking to capitalise on the simplified environment by opening new stores like the example of the Hunter Travel Group (an NTIA 2015 winner) moving into Costco, and the future growth of the mobile agency groups increasing their national penetration. All good signs of growth and prosperity for the travel agency community in Australia and signs that the industry remains robust and confident. The future looks very bright for travel agents across the country.

is designed ‘toATAS be the mark that

travel agents can be proud of and consumers can look to as a sign of quality and integrity…

’

d a e h a r a o S

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In this month’s copy of travelBulletin.

ISSUES & TRENDS

Tours venture back into Nepal

By Jasmine O’Donoghue Months after the devastating Nepal earthquake, the iconic mountain trekking region needs a little help from the tourism industry to get back on its feet.

The 7.8 magnitude 25 April earthquake and a powerful aftershock on 12 May claimed the lives of over 8800 people, destroyed 600,000 homes and damaged a further 280,000 in 14 districts, including the capital Kathmandu.

A report commissioned by the Government of Nepal has identified some minor hazards on the main trekking routes and in select villages, but has confirmed that there was ‘minimal damage’ to the majority of accommodation and trails in the Everest region.

Recommendations include rerouting a section of the Everest trail, as well as relocating buildings in the villages of Tok Tok and Benkar to the opposite side of the river in order to reduce risks in the region to tourists and to locals. The report also recommends a follow up engineering assessment after the monsoon season.

However, a new International Organization for Migration (IOM) report released on 24 July showed that aid and security gaps remained.

The third IOM Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) showed that survivors are moving to larger aid sites, with the number of aid sites hosting over 50 households dropping from 77 to 66, while their population has grown from roughly 49,000 to over 53,000. Some 104 of the 286 locations assessed in May remain open, suggesting many people are opting to return to the places where their homes once stood.

The DTM reports that one-third of the sites have no electricity, and lighting around latrines and public spaces is inadequate or non-existent in 84 per cent of sites assessed.

It also reveals that women in over a third of the settlements do not feel safe, and just seven of the sites surveyed had designated

12

travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2015

safe/social areas for women. The report said 26 per cent of men and 30 per cent of children felt they were unsafe.

The IOM has made debris removal and opening transport corridors a priority in the three areas it is focusing its operations – Gorkha, Chautara and Charikot. To date, 61 badly damaged buildings have been demolished by IOM-led crews.

of Nepal… ‘hasGovernment confirmed that there

was ‘minimal damage’ to the majority of accommodation and trails in the Everest region

’

Much of Nepal’s health infrastructure was also destroyed by the quake. An IOM health team has been helping over 700 patients and caregivers to leave hospitals in Kathmandu for secondary care facilities. But for many there is little surviving infrastructure to provide physiotherapy or counselling when they return home. Planning has begun on the creation of a transitional or step-down facility in Sindhupalchok, one of the worst affected areas.

But none of this is deterring tour operators, who less than five months on, are promoting the region.

Intrepid Travel worked with the government of Nepal to co-ordinate the logistics and provided the local guides for the assessment of the safety of the region’s trekking routes.

The tour operator also launched a campaign to help Nepal get up and running.

The Nepal Earthquake Appeal has already raised nearly AUD$400,000 for children’s charity Plan International (including AUD$100,000 donated by Intrepid itself).

Intrepid now has its sights set on getting travellers to return to the mountains and will be donating all profits from its 2015/16 trekking season from Nepal trips back to rebuilding efforts on the ground.

SpiceRoads Cycle Tours is also back on track and encouraging riders to visit Nepal by offering to donate $340 (US$250) for every rider booked on a Nepal tour from now until the end of March 2016. Funds will be donated to WeHelpNepal, and organisation made up of a network of people from various industries who have lived or are currently living in Nepal. WeHelpNepal projects include delivering six tons of food and solar lighting to Sindupalchowk district, supplying tin roofing materials, rebuilding bamboo homes and schools and setting up a community kitchen in Kathmandu and Gorkha to feed earthquake victims.

“Tourism is Nepal’s lifeblood and it is important we support Nepal more than ever. Every person who visits Nepal this coming season will be directly contributing to rebuilding the country,” says Struan Robertson, CEO SpiceRoads Cycle Tours.

World Expeditions will also be operating all of its scheduled treks in the Annapurna and Everest regions from September, with a further final review to be conducted after the monsoon. The company has had staff reviewing some of the main trekking regions, while the Radisson Hotel in Kathmandu has received an official ‘green sticker’, confirming the hotel is structurally sound.

The tourism industry is Nepal’s largest source of foreign exchange and the biggest employer. It’s vital to the country’s economic recovery that tourists get their boots on the ground and get trekking.

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ISSUES & TRENDS

New data service

TTF view

Margy Osmond, CEO, Tourism & Transport Forum Australia

THE Australian travel industry is set to gain significantly better insight via a new AFTA-backed collaboration with data firm GfK. Under the initiative GfK will anonymously collate booking data from participating travel agents - via an automatic process linked to back office systems - to produce the new Travelscan report, providing insight into forward demand and industry trends.

Described as “a new travel industry market currency” by GfK Australia general manager, Gwenno Hopkins, participants will have access to the regular report which is already well established in Europe where it has become the ‘must-have’ business tool for travel retailers. “We are certain the Australian travel community will benefit from an aggregated read of outbound and domestic trends,” Hopkins said.

There has long been a paucity of data about the industry, with many agents bemoaning the fact that it is difficult to find benchmarks for them to measure against. One useful metric is IATA BSP data, which the airline group used to publish on a regular basis but has not been made public for some years. The annual report of the Travel Compensation Fund also gave a useful insight into the size of businesses in the industry, but of course the demise of the TCF means this is no longer available.

AFTA ceo Jayson Westbury said the GfK initiative was part of the Federation’s work to help travel agents understand their businesses better. “As the travel community becomes more selfsufficient and less reliant on government in this industry-related environment, important travel data will be key to help maintain and build good travel agents across Australia,” he said.

ASIAN VISITORS SEEK UNIQUE AUSTRALIAN EXPERIENCES Growth in Australian tourism is being driven by increasing demand from Asia. In the past 12 months we welcomed more than seven million international visitors – 920,000 from China alone.

If this trend continues, we should soon achieve the one million Chinese visitor milestone. And in a few years’ time, China may very well overtake NZ as our largest source of short-term arrivals.

But it’s not just China. Other markets in South East Asia like Malaysia and Vietnam are also seeing record growth, while the massive Indonesian market on our doorstep is poised to become a major source of visitors to our shores.

Over the past 12 months, more than 320,000 Malaysian visitors came to Australia. This represents an increase of 20 per cent – the highest of any of our major tourist markets.

Traditionally, the Australian experience of many tourists comprised of trips to our great natural icons at Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef. But times are changing. While many Asian visitors still follow the ‘Rock and Reef’ model, they are also looking for more diverse and personalised experiences, especially on return visits.

The grand old Australian past-time of caravanning has taken off with the Chinese in a big way. As a result, our rental car companies and caravan parks are seeing a boost in the number of Chinese visitors renting their vehicles and staying in their facilities. With the freedom and flexibility provided by caravanning, it’s little wonder the Chinese are embracing the quintessentially-Aussie road trip.

Another group of visitors chasing the unique Australian experience are those from Malaysia. Many of our alpine resorts are experiencing huge growth in the number of international visitors coming from Malaysia to take in the unique pleasures of skiing amongst the snow gums.

Altogether, Malaysian visitors last year spent $1.1 billion in Australia. According to Tourism Australia, this market segment has even greater potential for growth. By 2020, it could be worth $2-2.5 billion to the Australian economy annually.

And with more than 200 million Chinese forecast to take international holidays this year alone, there is a great opportunity for our tourism industry to take advantage of this growth and convert it to jobs and income for generations to come.

To do this, we need our governments to reduce taxes and charges on tourism, streamline visa processing and invest substantially in destination marketing and tourism infrastructure.

Doing this will encourage more visitors from places like China and Malaysia to visit our country, and make it easier to come to our shores, stay in our hotels and – increasingly – ski our slopes.

The grand old ‘Australian past-time of caravanning has taken off with the Chinese in a big way

’

14

travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2015

FORIMMEDIATE IMMEDIATERELEASE RELEASE FOR

among Australians of all ages and technological inclinations, traditional travel agents retain among Australians of all ages and technological inclinations, traditional travel agents retain an important place in the nation’s tourism industry. Not only do several agents with bricksan important place in the nation’s tourism industry. Not only do several agents with bricksand-mortar presences feature among the most popular travel agents/tour operators used by and-mortar presences feature among the most popular travel agents/tour operators used by Australian holiday-makers, but many Australians say they would consider using them for Australian holiday-makers, but many Australians say they would consider using them for their next trip, according to the latest Roy Morgan Research State of the Nation report. their next trip, according to the latest Roy Morgan Research State of the Nation report.

ISSUES & TRENDS

In the 12 months to June 2015, 13 million Australians 14+ (or two-thirds of the population) In the 12 months to June 2015, 13 million Australians 14+ (or two-thirds of the population) took at least one holiday. Data from the latest Roy Morgan Research State of the Nation — took at least one holiday. Data from the latest Roy Morgan Research State of the Nation — which contains an in-depth spotlight on the tourism industry — reveals that Flight Centre was which contains an in-depth spotlight on the tourism industry — reveals that Flight Centre was the top travel agent/tour operator used by holidaying Aussies during this time. the top travel agent/tour operator used by holidaying Aussies during this time.

Flight Centre on top with Aussies Although booking holidays and accommodation online is now mainstream among Australians of all ages, traditional travel agents retain an important place in the nation’s tourism industry, according to Roy Morgan Research’s recent State of the Nation report.

Not only do several agents with bricks-and-mortar presences feature among the most popular travel agents/tour operators used

by Australian holiday-makers, but many Australians say they would consider using them for their next trip, according to the report.

In the 12 months to June 2015, 13 million Australians 14+ (twothirds of the population) took at least one holiday. The data reveals that Flight Centre was the top travel agent/tour operator used by holidaying Aussies during this time.

With a comfortable lead over both its online and bricks-and-mortar rivals, Flight Centre was used by 9.4 per cent of the population for a holiday at least once between July 2014 and June 2015. In second place was accommodation-focused OTA Booking.com, used by 5.8 per cent of Australians; ahead of booking websites Wotif.com (5.2%), Webjet.com.au (3.7%) and Expedia.com.au (3.2%).

Centre] has a comprehensive online offering on top of its traditional stores

’

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Having such a strong brand presence ‘certainly helps, as does the fact it [Flight

Well down the list (in eleventh place), helloworld was the secondmost popular travel agent with a bricks-and-mortar presence, used by 1.3 per cent of Australians; with other chains Harvey World Travel (1.3%) Escape Travel (1.1%), and STA Travel (0.7%) following.

Flight Centre’s lead is even more resounding when it comes to the travel agents/tour operators that Australians would consider using for their next trip. Almost a quarter (23.6%) of the population said they’d consider using the chain, well ahead of Wotif.com (10.9%), Booking.com.au (10.0%), Webjet.com.au (9.4%) and Expedia.com. au (7.2%). Other bricks-and-mortar agents also feature among the top 15 spots.

“The latest State of the Nation [research] confirms that Flight Centre’s long-standing position as Australia’s leading travel agent remains unchallenged. Having such a strong brand presence (more than two thirds of the population have heard of the company) certainly helps, as does the fact that it has a comprehensive online offering on top of its traditional stores, said Roy Morgan Research CEO, Michelle Levine.

With a comfortable lead over both its online and bricks-and-mortar rivals, Flight Centre was With a comfortable lead over both its online and bricks-and-mortar rivals, Flight Centre was used by 9.4% of the population for a holiday at least once between July 2014 and June 2015. used by 9.4% of the population for a holiday at least once between July 2014 and June 2015.

In second place is dedicated online agent Booking.com, used by 5.8% of Australians; ahead of In second place is dedicated online agent Booking.com, used by 5.8% of Australians; ahead of booking websites Wotif.com (5.2%), Webjet.com.au (3.7%) and Expedia.com.au (3.2%). booking Wotif.com (5.2%), Webjet.com.au (3.7%) and Expedia.com.au (3.2%).

Top 15websites travel agents/tour operators used for holiday,

last 12 months Top 15 travel agents/tour operators used at least once for holiday, last 12 months Top 15 travel agents/tour operators used at least once for holiday, last 12 months 10% 10% 9% 9%

Base: Australians 14+ Base: Australians 14+

9.4% 9.4%

8% 8% 7% 7%

5.8% 5.8%

6% 6%

5% 5%

5.2% 5.2%

4% 4%

3.7% 3.7%

3.2%

Well downthe thelist list(in (ineleventh eleventhplace placeoverall), overall),helloworld helloworldwas wasthe thesecond-most second-mostpopular popular travel 3.2% 3% down Well travel 3% agentwith withaabricks-and-mortar bricks-and-mortarpresence, presence, usedby by1.3% 1.3%ofofAustralians, Australians,with withother otherchains chains Harvey 2.1% 2.0% agent used Harvey 1.9% 2% 2.1% 2.0% 1.6% 1.9% 1.6% 2% World Travel(1.3%) (1.3%)Escape EscapeTravel Travel(1.1%), (1.1%),and andSTA STA Travel (0.7%) bringing the rear.

1.3% 1.3% 1.3% 1.6% 1.6%bringing World Travel Travel (0.7%) upupthe rear.

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FlightCentre’s Centre’slead leadisiseven evenmore moreresounding resoundingwhen whenititcomes comestotothe thetravel travelagents/tour agents/tour operators Flight operators thatAustralians Australianswould wouldconsider considerusing usingfor fortheir theirnext nexttrip. trip.Almost Almosta aquarter quarter(23.6%) (23.6%)ofof the that the populationsay saythey’d they’dconsider considerusing usingthe thechain, chain,well wellahead aheadofofWotif.com Wotif.com(10.9%), (10.9%), population Roy Morgan(10.0%), Holiday Tracking Survey (Australia), July 2014 – June 2015 (n=15,867).

Source: Booking.com.au Webject.com.au (9.4%)and and Expedia.com.au (7.2%).

Booking.com.au (10.0%), (9.4%) Expedia.com.au HolidayWebject.com.au Tracking Survey (Australia), July 2014 – June 2015(7.2%). (n=15,867).

Source: Roy Morgan Roy Morgan Research Ltd. A.B.N. 91 007 092 944 Quality System Certified to AS/NZS ISO 9001

RoyCollins Morgan Research Ltd. A.B.N. 91 007 092 944 Quality System Certified to AS/NZS ISO 9001 Again, other agents with bricks-and-mortar stores feature among the top 15,but butnone none come 401 Street, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000 – GPO Boxstores 2282U, Melbourne, Victoria, 3001, Australia Again, other agents with bricks-and-mortar feature among the top 15, come 401 Collins Street, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000 – GPO Box 2282U, Melbourne, Victoria, 3001, Australia Tel: (03) 6888 Fax: (03)in 9629 1250of (03) 9224 5387 melbourne@roymorgan.com www.roymorgan.com close to9629 Flight Centre in terms of popularity. close to Flight Centre terms popularity.

Top 15 travel consider using Tel: (03) 9629 6888 Fax: (03)agents/tour 9629 1250 (03) 9224 5387operators melbourne@roymorgan.com www.roymorgan.com

for next holiday or leisure trip Top 15travel travelagents/tour agents/tour operators considerusing usingfor fornext nextholiday holidayororleisure leisuretrip trip Top 15 operators consider 25% 25%

23.6% 23.6%

Base: Australians Base: Australians 14+14+

20% 20%

15% 15%

10.9% 10.9% 10% 10%

10.0% 10.0%

9.4% 9.4%

7.2% 7.2%

6.7% 6.7%

6.4% 6.4%

5.8% 5.8%

5% 5%

5.5% 5.5%

4.6% 4.6%

3.7% 3.7%

3.2% 3.2% 3.1% 3.1% 2.9% 2.9% 2.8% 2.8%

0% 0%

(n=15,867).

Source: Source:Roy RoyMorgan MorganHoliday HolidayTracking TrackingSurvey Survey(Australia), (Australia),April April2014 2014– –March March2015 2015 (n=15,867).

Michele MicheleLevine, Levine,CEO, CEO,Roy RoyMorgan MorganResearch, Research,says: says: “The asas “Thelatest latestState Stateofofthe theNation Nationconfirms confirmsthat thatFlight FlightCentre’s Centre’slong-standing long-standingposition position Australia’s Australia’sleading leadingtravel travelagent agentremains remainsunchallenged. unchallenged.Having Havingsuch sucha astrong strongbrand brand

“Other bricks-and-mortar travel agents such heard as Harveycompany) World Travel presence certainly presence(more (morethan thantwo twothirds thirdsofofthe thepopulation populationhave have heardofofthe the company) certainly and Escape Travel haven’t done as well, even though the former helps, as does the fact that it has a comprehensive online offering on top helps, as does the fact that it has a comprehensive online offering on topofofitsitsalso traditional stores. traditional stores. has a high recognition rate (almost six per cent of the population have heard it). With Australians increasingly booking part ifEscape notTravel all “Other bricks-and-mortar travel such and “Otherof bricks-and-mortar travelagents agents suchasasHarvey HarveyWorld WorldTravel Travel andEscape Travel done though the also recognition rate (almost of theirhaven’t holidays online, it is imperative that travel agents adapt and haven’t doneas aswell, well,even even though theformer former alsohas hasa ahigh high recognition rate (almost of have Australians part if if 60% ofthe thepopulation population have heard ofit). it).With With Australians increasinglybooking booking part evolve 60% to remain relevant inheard theofdigital age,” sheincreasingly said.

Roy AS/NZS ISO 9001 RoyMorgan MorganResearch ResearchLtd. Ltd.A.B.N. A.B.N.91 91007 007092 092944 944Quality QualitySystem SystemCertified Certifiedtoto AS/NZS ISO 9001 401 3001, Australia 401Collins CollinsStreet, Street,Melbourne, Melbourne,Victoria, Victoria,3000 3000– –GPO GPOBox Box2282U, 2282U,Melbourne, Melbourne,Victoria, Victoria, 3001, Australia Tel: (03) 9629 6888 Fax: (03) 9629 1250 (03) 9224 5387 melbourne@roymorgan.com www.roymorgan.com Tel: (03) 9629 6888 Fax: (03) 9629 1250 (03) 9224 5387 melbourne@roymorgan.com www.roymorgan.com

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travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2015

Cover

Selling travel insurance has always been part of a travel agent’s arsenal, but what of the future? Will more direct-toconsumer products spell the end of this lucrative revenue stream? Steve Jones breaks a leg to find out.

N

o one would have been unduly surprised at the observations of Mark Fitzgibbon, chief executive of insurance company NIB, following his firm’s acquisition of World Nomads in July this year.

Speaking about the travel insurance market following the announcement of NIB’s $95m deal for the company founded by Michael McAuliffe and the late Wayne Tregaskis, Fitzgibbon said what you might expect the boss of a direct-to-consumer business to say.

“The future,” he told analysts and investors on a conference call, “is very much moving beyond buying travel insurance from a travel agent.”

It was a remark – one which NIB has since downplayed – sure to have ruffled the feathers of some industry players, especially those committed to working through the agency channel.

Yet Fitzgibbon’s views are not out of step with common thinking.

For some time the glut of online players and their aggressive marketing tactics, as well as the rise of travel insurance policies attached to credit cards, have intensified competition in a product sector that has traditionally generated sizeable revenues and generous margins for travel agents.

Fitzgibbon declined a request to speak to travelBulletin, but NIB rejected suggestions Continues over page travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2015

17

Cover

Continues from previous page the comments carried any sinister overtones regarding future travel trade distribution.

Fitzgibbon, a spokesman said, was merely articulating the realities of today’s market, namely there are several distribution channels and several ways for consumers to purchase. Travel agents are just one of those channels.

But according to international market research by consultancy Finaccord, which specialises in the study of the financial services sector, travel agents should prepare to see their market share continually eroded by these competitive pressures.

A survey of 1000 consumers conducted in Australia last year revealed a potentially worrying trend: more than half bought direct from insurance companies, with only one in five purchasing through the trade.

Other channels included airlines, automotive associations, banks, Australia Post, insurance brokers and comparison sites.

Finaccord was unable to provide comparisons as last year was the first time Australia has been included in its Travel Metrics research program. But consultant David Bowles, Finaccord’s international research expert, said he would expect Australia to follow the same patterns found in European markets where sales through the trade have fallen in four of the five countries it has studied since 2010.

“It’s worth adding that in 2014 the proportion of purchases through the travel trade channel in Australia was actually relatively high, but given the trends we’ve

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18

travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2015

seen in Europe, I’d agree with the [Mark Fitzgibbon quote]. I would certainly expect the same pattern to be the case in Australia as people move increasingly to direct purchases online, and companies increasingly offer their products in this way.”

Bowles added that its research identified a trend to buy annual, or multi-trip policies, which, he suggested “are naturally better suited to buy through banks or direct from insurers rather than being ‘packaged’ with holidays or flights”.

While this snapshot of consumer booking habits may make uncomfortable reading for retailers, it is at odds with a breakdown of sales by distribution channel, also compiled

by Finaccord and re-produced by NIB in a presentation to investors.

According to the figures, sales through travel agents represented more than half the market between 2008 and 2012, way

see travel agents ‘asWea thriving channel ... we don’t see that trend cooling off in any way

’

ahead of the next largest channel, classed as “financial institutions, airlines etc.”

Observers believe the true figure is likely to be somewhere in the middle. However, Bowles urged caution, emphasising the dated nature of the 2008-12 figures and explaining they were based sometimes on older written submissions from those within the industry.

In short, they are too old to be reliable.

“In future work on the Australian market, and other markets, we would certainly use the consumer research figure as the basis for understanding the market,” he said.

But, as always, there is another side to the story. Brad Smith, chief sales officer at Allianz Global Assistance (AGA), said almost half its total travel insurance policies are sold through the trade, and claimed it was witnessing growth, not a decline, despite the blow of losing preferred status with helloworld towards the end of last year.

“We see travel agents as a thriving channel and the growth for us has been double digit year on year so we don’t see a trend cooling off in any way,” Smith told travelBulletin.

“Online and direct sales are of course an important space and it’s there for a reason, but consumers want to have the ability to speak to a specialist and get the advice on a whole travel package and that includes the

But there are plenty of ‘people who want peace

of mind and want to talk to someone who can give them the right advice and make sure they are sold the right product for their needs

’

insurance component.

“There are those who jump online and do their own comparisons and shop purely on price and there is a market for that. But there are plenty of people who want peace of mind and want to talk to someone who can give them the right advice and make sure they are sold the right product for their needs.”

Smith described the online environment as “noise” which, far from working against travel agents, can often have the opposite effect and convince consumers to buy their insurance when they book their travel.

Smith says the online space has become overpopulated, which has created the need for clarity, particularly over the interpretation of the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS).

“We are not seeing a trend of declining sales,” he said, adding that agents can simplify what can be a complex purchase.

“There are millions of iterations of what can be contained within a policy and to go through the quagmire of a PDS online can be quite difficult as they can be extensive in nature and difficult to interpret.

“Part of our agent training is explaining a PDS in simple terms. Allianz Global Assistance regard agents as an irreplaceable pillar in the distribution and sale of travel insurance and we’ll continue to support them.”

Michael Callaghan, head of distribution for World Nomads Group, which includes other travel insurance brands including SureSave and Travel Insurance Direct, acknowledged it was a competitive market, but claimed it too was not witnessing a sales slowdown through agents.

“Sales under the SureSave brand climbed 10 per cent over the past 12 months so we are very pleased,” he said. “Agency distribution is a very important part of our business.”

SureSave produced consumer survey results of its own, which showed an increase in travel agent insurance sales over the past three years. According to the SureSave data, pulled together from interviews with 1000 consumers, 27 per cent purchased

Cover

insurance from an agent in 2013. That climbed to a little under 31 per cent in 2014 and 31.3 per cent this year. It also revealed optimism within agency ranks, with 77 per cent of retailers believing they can increase sales of insurance over the next 12 months.

Conversely, those booking directly with an insurance provider fell from 25.5 per cent to 23 per cent; while purchases through comparison sites climbed marginally.

“The travel industry is constantly changing and SureSave is evolving with it,” said Callaghan. “We have focused on developing a new strategic direction for the business to strengthen our offering to agents and travellers through a range of unique innovations,” he said. “It’s our goal to be positioned as experts in travel safety in the industry and to be more than just an insurance provider. This is an exciting time for SureSave as we look to stand out from the sea of corporate blue in this channel and change the way travellers view travel insurance.”

Comparison site, Compare Travel Insurance, dedicates an entire page to attacking the prices offered by travel agents, with warnings from a range of online players how expensive policies bought through the trade can be.

Natalie Ball, associate director at comparetravelinsurance.com.au, dismissed it

would love to list ‘theWetravel agents’ policies within our comparison site to allow consumers to compare the entire market, however the agents don’t want to be openly compared

’

was a deliberate attempt at scaremongering and claimed agents are wary of comparing their prices to those of online players.

“We would love to list the travel agents’ policies within our comparison site to allow consumers to compare the entire market, however the agents don’t want to be openly compared,” she told travelBulletin.

“There is definitely no scaremongering.

In fact, it is quite the opposite. We arm consumers with information to assist them to purchase the right policy for their trip. We encourage consumers to compare policies, cover levels and price and we suggest they get a quote from their travel agent and compare with other policies in the market.”

Ball said travel agents will always have

a role for complex itineraries, the seniors market, and “the more traditional traveller” but claimed agents’ market share of the sector has declined sharply over the last two years, falling from 50 per cent to around 42 per cent.

“This drop is a combined result of the change in consumer behaviour when booking their travel, along with Aussies wanting to make well informed decisions in their own time,” she said. “More and more Australians are turning to online flight and accommodation booking sites to do their research and to book, and purchasing insurance is the next step in their online purchase journey.

“Purchasing through an agent will generally only provide one choice of provider and doesn’t allow for any kind of product comparison.”

Flight Centre rejected the notion that the future was “moving beyond” buying insurance from a travel agent, suggesting it was hardly surprising such a strategy was being furthered by a direct-to-consumer business.

The retailer insisted sales of its preferred partner Cover-More “have been going well”.

“I don’t think the travel agency sector will be waving the surrender flag just yet,” a spokesman said. “We get really good Continues over page travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2015

19

Cover

The historically generous ‘margins may not be what they were, as agents have had to eat into their margin to present a more compelling and competitive price

’

attachment at the point of sale and we believe it’s a product that is vitally important for our customers.

“The reality is that most international travel is booked via agents and that creates opportunities to explain and promote the virtues of the products that are on offer, including insurance, to millions of travellers each year.

“For customers the key is to make sure they understand the product and the benefits it offers because the inclusions can vary widely. And the consequences can be severe if you get caught out,” Flight Centre added.

Helloworld also talked up its relationship with Cover-More – who, in light of its forthcoming financial results felt unable to comment on the issue – with outgoing chief executive Elizabeth Gaines highlighting recent events as a reason to book through an agent.

“The partnership with Cover-More has allowed us to work closely with them to develop the right insurance solutions that our agents need to deliver the best value product for their customers,” Gaines said.

“The Nepal earthquake and the Bali ash cloud have provided powerful triggers for our agents to highlight the importance of choosing insurance based on coverage rather than opting for the cheapest policy and paying the price when things go wrong.”

Despite Helloworld and Flight Centre’s bullish words there is recognition from senior figures within the agency community that revenues and margins for agents are under intense pressure.

Gil McLachlan, chief executive of McLachlan Travel Group, said credit card and online policies started to see significant 20

travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2015

growth after changes to the financial services laws made it illegal for agents to advise customers on insurance.

“The following year the insurance ombudsman came out criticising agents because of a dramatic increase in complaints from consumers about their policies,” he explained. “The reason of course was the new prohibition on agents giving advice and a consequent increase in credit card and online policies.

“There is now a greater reliance on credit card “free” policies whilst actual paid insurance sales are much more thinly spread... even the post office sells them.”

The justification for ‘taking a more expensive

product is possibly that you don’t know the price of a premium until you have a claim

’

Credit card insurance policies were also identified by National Network Travel and Cruise managing director Kevin Dale as a major contributor to a drop in insurance sales through the trade.

“The coverage of credit card policies has improved. There was a time when they weren’t so good but you need to look at credit cards rather than the online suppliers as a major reason for any fall in insurance sales,” he said.

Although acknowledging that increasing distribution channels have seen an inevitable decline in sales through agents, McLachlan said his own group’s insurance business has lifted, partially because of consumer “issues” with alternate sources.

“I think the main reason passengers who have stuck with agents have done so, even when they have duplicated policies through credit cards, is an expectation that the agent preferred policies may be more reliable,” McLachlan said.

“The justification for taking a more expensive product is possibly that you don’t know the price of the premium until you have a claim.”

It is the element of trust, and the reassurance that consumers still get from face-to-face transactions that is likely to hold them in reasonable stead. After all, we’ve all been here before.

“It’s similar to the way the industry adapted to online competition in general the disruption to the traditional retail model occurred long ago and is now just a routine part of the mix,” McLachlan said. “The bottom line is that online insurance sales have been part of the mix for a long time and I doubt if many agents have much concern about it these days.”

That said, it is clear the historically generous margins may not be what they were as agents have had to eat into their margin to present a more compelling, and competitive price.

To some in the industry, Mark Fitzgibbon’s prediction of a future “beyond travel agents” is already with us, and it is not quite as worrying a prospect as it might once have been. It is clear that agent margins have eroded as they have fought to stay competitive, but in a world where travel agents have already shown themselves willing and able to fight in their corner in a competitive and cut throat landscape, the words are like the proverbial water off a duck’s back and regarded as little more than a sales pitch. Time will tell.

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careers

Career in

focus

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

I have a lot of people I talk to – I support Sheryl Sandberg’s views in ‘Lean In’ that your mentors do not have to be formally assigned. Over the years I have found many people willing to give me advice.

Jacqui walshe Managing director of the Walshe Group What does your role involve?

I am Managing Director of both the Walshe Group – a company that specialises in airline and tourist board representation, and its parent company Southern Travel Holdings which owns an inbound tour operator and an online retail travel business. I am also a board director; one of the boards I sit on is the Australian Tourism Export Council.

How did you start out in your career?

Were you always destined to work in the travel industry?

In my case yes I was always destined for this.

I was brought up in a travel industry family in New Zealand and my father always actively encouraged my brother and I to get involved.

Leaving university, the travel industry seemed a good place to start.

Did you complete formal qualifications, and how essential are these for those who want to reach the top? How important is ongoing education?

I am a definite believer in ongoing education.

I started straight out of university with a Bachelor of Business degree and then did an MBA about 10 years later, once I had had some business experience. Last year I completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors course. Taking the time to do the study when you are working is challenging, however there is definitely a benefit in getting up to speed with the latest thinking in business. I am also a great believer in using education as a means of networking with people in equivalent roles in other industries. That being said, it’s essential to put any formal qualifications into practice as there is so much to be learnt from hands on experience.

22

travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2015

How have you seen attitudes to women change during your career?

The “old boys network” was very prevalent when I started in the late 80s but, as the latest disruptive businesses have shown, you can ignore the entrenched view and get on with doing something your way and succeed just as well. There are now many successful women in senior roles in the industry, though still not enough on boards.

What were some of the greatest hurdles you’ve had to overcome?

Dealing with major setbacks in the business cycle, such as September 11 2001, were really challenging. I’ve had enough difficult periods in the business to know you have to just buckle down and work through it.

We were for a long time a small player competing against some of the industry giants in Australia so finding a way to achieve competitiveness and grow the business was not always easy. Especially with my New Zealand accent!

What factors were central to your success?

Resilience, no question. Any long-term business has its ups and downs and to be sustainable you have to cope with the setbacks and keep finding your way forward.

I have always actively consulted with my colleagues and peers and reflected on what is occurring in our environment, which I do think has made a real difference to how our business has performed. We have always pursued growth but never let ourselves be complacent or arrogant about any of our successes along the way.

What are the keys to good business?

Be willing to change and always adaptable.

Intelligently assess your own business’s performance and the market you are working in. Surround yourself with people who are good at what they need to be good at and who have the values and qualities that fit your particular business culture.

business ‘hasAnyitslong-term ups and downs

and to be sustainable you have to cope with the setbacks and keep finding your way forward

’

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

Given how many competitors we have already I am not sure I even want to answer that question! But in all seriousness, don’t let yourself get stagnant, keep evolving, have a good team around you and take challenges in your stride.

careers

The battle for hotel talent AccorHotels is gearing up to meet the employment challenges that will come with the largest hotel development boom in Australia and New Zealand for two decades.

The addition of over 130 new-build hotels for the hospitality industry in the next five years will see a vast increase in demand for skilled labour, resulting in a major challenge for hotel groups to attract and retain top talent.

AccorHotels currently Simon McGrath, AccorHotels CEO employs over 10,000 employees across Australia, and anticipates it will require a further 2,000 staff to meet the needs of its own development pipeline of 14 major new-build hotel projects.

The situation is even more pressing for AccorHotels across the wider Asia-Pacific region, with up to 10,000 new employees required to fill roles in new and existing hotels over the next three years.

Ten years ago, the group had more than 120 hotels and resorts and inventory of some 18,499 rooms. Since then more than 100 new hotels and nearly 12,000 rooms have been added, creating thousands of job opportunities in the industry.

“The next five years will see a vast battle for talent within the Australian hotel industry. We not only have to increase our numbers, but increase the skill levels if we are to meet the 5-star service standards that will be required in an increasingly competitive marketplace,” said chief operating officer, Simon McGrath.

“As the company expands there will be considerable career and mobility opportunities for current staff, and AccorHotels recognised some time ago the imperatives of ‘growing our own’ by establishing its own registered training organisation, as well as introducing programs to substantially increase the number of women in senior leadership roles and significantly develop our level of indigenous talent.

“Developing senior management positions that can enhance service and performance standards will be critical, and we are committed to growing not only hotel general managers but also the top five high performing executives in each hotel.”

The company has also set ambitious targets to increase its number of women in senior leadership and executive positions, from 27 per cent to 50 per cent by 2018.

“AccorHotels is also very focused on finding and developing new talent to fill new roles, and we believe that with our regime of training and development programs, and strong commitment to diversity that we will attract a new breed of hospitality professionals over the next five years,” McGrath said.

Developing senior management positions that can enhance service and performance standards will be critical

‘

’

travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2015

23

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careers LinkedIn has solidified its place in the recruiter’s toolbox, with around 90% of companies now using it for recruitment purposes.

However, with around 260 million users on the books, many are clouded with confusion when it comes to recruitment. Here are a few pointers to bring you up to speed.

LinkedIn for starters

Get advanced

Join groups

LinkedIn for business does carry a price tag but the advanced search function is available even on the most basic level. Keyword searches bring up suitable jobs, but they also list potential candidates who can then be contacted directly using InMail and introduction requests.

LinkedIn Business Plus costs $59.99 per month. A premium plan also exists for those companies constantly hiring, called Recruiter Lite and costs $119.99 per month. One month free trials are also available for all the paid plans.

LinkedIn groups allow users to find like-minded professionals, join discussions and share content relevant to their industry. Users can also create their own groups which will send updates to their daily feed when new content has been uploaded. Even if a member in the group isn’t the right person for the job, chances are they are likely to know someone who is.

Share status updates Recruiters who are on the lookout can request that people in their network share status updates if anyone is searching for new opportunities. It’s the quickest way to find prime candidates without the hassle.

Learn about potential candidates The way potential candidates use LinkedIn can provide a sneak peek into their suitability in the role employers are looking to fill. The quality of their contacts and their interaction with others can be clear indicators of personality and ability. Also, the level of effort they’ve put into developing a complete profile can indicate their openness to considering new positions.

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“Travel Counsellors gives you the chance to put your years of travel industry experience and passion for travel to work to finally earn what you’re worth”. Travel Counsellors empowers all agents to reach for the sky and earn what they’re worth. “If you want to find out more about

the possibility of uncapped earnings and the flexibility that comes with being a Travel Counsellor then give me a call”.

Have an informal, confidential chat on 03 9034 7079 24

Find out more at www.travelcounsellors.com.au connect@travelcounsellors.com.au

travelBulletin 2015 or emailSEPTEMBER the team at

MEMBER

BROCHURES

26

Scenic has launched The Oriental Wonders of China and Japan 2016/17 brochure, covering its 2016 China & Japan Program. The program has four new itineraries, eight new destinations and a number of new Enrich experiences and Freechoice activities.

The two new itineraries for China are the 13-day Natural Wonders of China, which travels from Chengdu to Shanghai and the 20-day China Revealed tour, which is a land only tour. New for Japan is the 12-day Japan Highlights and 17-day Essential Japan tour.

The 2016 Le Boat brochure has new suggested itineraries in multiple destinations, including France, Italy, Holland, Belgium, Germany, England, Scotland and Ireland. Also new for 2016, Le Boat has added more holiday options for couples, single travellers and groups looking for a social travelling experience.

Le Boat offers the widest selection of self-drive boating holidays in Europe and no experience or boat licence is required.

Bookings of 16 days or more paid 10 months before departure receive savings of up to $800 per couple.

Voyages of Discovery has introduced 13 new cruises in its 2016/17 brochure. The new cruises will see the Voyager leave the Mediterranean in 2016 to sail to the waters of South East Asia. Voyager will then return to Myanmar before heading to the African continent and exploring the Maldives, Madagascar, Mauritius and Seychelles and South Africa. After that Voyager will then journey to the UK via Namibia, in time for the European spring 2017.

Globus has released its first brochure for South America, with over a dozen holidays in destinations including Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Easter, Costa Rica and the Galápagos Islands. The program also includes a selection of itineraries in Brazil timed in the weeks before and after the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Itineraries in the new brochure range from seven to 19 days and include three new tours. The brochure includes itineraries from Globus sister brands – Cosmos and Avalon Waterways.

Captain Cook Cruises Fiji has launched a 2015/16 brochure for its Fijian Small Ship Cruise operations.

The ten-page program, titled Fiji Islands Discovery Cruises, features the three, four and seven-night Mamanuca and Yasawa Island cruises and the Remote North and Lau Group Cruises including the seven-day 4 Cultures Discovery Cruise, the sevennight Colonial Fiji Discovery Cruise and the 11-night Lau and Kadavu Discovery Cruise. It also features information on the cruise ship, MV Reef Endeavour.

Evergreen Tours has put out its latest 2016 Africa Touring & Cruising brochure with the addition of a new 20-day South Africa & Victoria Falls Cruise Tour. The new tour is similar to the 18-day South Africa & Victoria Falls Tour, but with the addition of a two-night Chobe River cruise on the Chobe Princess. Both trips explore South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe’s attractions from Cape Town to Victoria Falls. Other highlights of the brochure include a 10-day Kenya Safari Tour and 29-day Ultimate Africa Tour.

Hidden Italy has introduced seven new walking routes and three guided walking tours to its 2015/16 brochure. Trieste and Friuli, one of the new guided tours, runs for 13 days and explores Friuli Venezia Giulia. Trails to Freedom is a nine-day hike in Piedmont and Gardens of Tuscany is a 13-day tour which explores the Tuscan landscape.

The brochure also presents a new eight-day self-guided walk around Piedmont’s Alba and Le Langhe wine region. Three self-guided walking tours in Provence, Spain and Scotland have also been added.

CIE Tours International, the Ireland & Britain specialists, present their fully escorted coach tours for the 2016 season. There is a selection of over 30 unique itineraries from five to 24 days in length. It’s also possible to combine several itineraries for an unforgettable holiday. All journeys are fully inclusive and there are no optional extras meaning no hidden costs. CIE Tours is also offering a saving of 10 per cent on the land portion of any tour, if it is booked by 15 January 2016.

travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2015

Your travel business

the business travel

evolution

I

n a review of traveller data from a recent global and national customer survey, FCm identified that clients are viewing travel more holistically in 2015 – taking an end-to-end approach to incorporate all aspects of travel from intent to travel, proactive approvals, booking, policy, data, duty of care data and reconciliation.

General manager for FCm Travel Solutions Australia, James Kavanagh, said that whilst the market has seen a strong return of travel and entertainment (T&E) spend since the GFC, companies continue to remain focused on cost and in some cases show more caution than pre-GFC. “This is all dependent on individual organisations and the pressures they face.

Whilst some organisations are still very focused on cost, we see others where cost is less of a factor and other considerations take precedence,” he said.

He also noted that duty of care is another key area of focus.

“Our customers are wanting accurate, up to the minute information on hot spots and emergency situations. With further responsibility and in some cases legal requirements on employers to ensure a duty of care, companies are working hard to focus on this area.”

When asked about other current trends James explained that increasingly, corporations are looking to find productivity gains in the travel process.

“The traditional method of booking via travel bookers seems to be changing based on various factors. Technology is one, as tools become more mobile enabled and with greater functionality, allowing travellers to manage the process.”

“We are seeing many customers evaluate the role the travel booker has in the booking process and some customers are changing the process to allow travellers to make bookings.

“Our recently completed annual client

survey shows trends that continue to focus on the traveller and their ability to have total mobility throughout the travel booking experience. Whilst the upfront booking experience is designed to be quick and

We are seeing many ‘customers evaluate the

role the travel booker has in the booking process and some customers are changing the process to allow travellers to make bookings

’

simple, travellers accept the fact that they will often need to make multiple changes to their travel once they are on the road.”

To meet this need FCm offers the FCm Mobile application which can be used by travellers globally via their mobile device. The app provides travellers with access to their itinerary details and enables them to receive flight status notifications. It also allows

them to check in and view airport guides, a currency converter, and weather forecasts.

FCm will continue to update the application in response to customer feedback as the company looks to refine its strategy and update its mobile technology to deliver more interactivity and functionality for travellers on the road.

Overall results have so far been “very positive” and FCm is currently in the process of reviewing qualitative feedback to determine areas for improvement.

James Kavanagh is the general manager of FCm Travel Solutions Australia and has previously held roles including travel manager, account manager, and tourism lecturer across the Asia Pacific and Europe. Kavanagh joined the Flight Centre Travel Group in 2004 and has more than 16 years’ experience in the corporate travel industry.

travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2015

27

business events news

LET THE SUNSHINE IN

Aussie World, Sunshine Coast

By Jill Varley

Spoilt for choice

Auguring well for the Sunshine Coast is the news that Qantas will reintroduce its Sydney flights after an absence of almost a decade.

It means customers are now able to book straight through into the Sunshine Coast from anywhere in the world with Qantas and Emirates, thus opening up business, tourism and business events opportunities.

Sunshine Coast Destination Ltd (SCDL) ceo Simon Ambrose described the reintroduction of Qantas services as great news.

“It gives us the opportunity to attract one of our biggest interstate markets from Sydney straight into the Sunshine Coast. It also means we can plan ahead to attract major conferences and events.”

Sunshine Coast services will start with a leisure-based schedule on 21 December to meet Christmas and school holiday demand.

Business flight timings will get underway from 8 February 2016.

One hour north of Brisbane, no trip to the Sunshine Coast would be complete without a visit to Australia Zoo. Apart from the infectious enthusiasm of the staff, the cuddly koalas, waddling wombats, slithering snakes and the other 1200 animals, this interactive zoo with its own Wildlife Hospital and Animal Rescue service looks after and funds a variety of conservation projects. It also offer plenty of venues for animal encounters, team building activities and catering options.

A short drive from Australia Zoo is Aussie World and The Pub. This theme park, with a capacity to take groups from 15 to a maximum of 4000, has a newly renovated event space – The Shed – with space for up to 1100 cocktail-style. It also features a mini golf course, a variety of event spaces and more than 30 rides, making it ideal for a fun night out with the troops.

Australia Zoo 28

travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2015

Beyond the known Noosa may be the most recognisable sub-region of the Sunshine Coast with its Sheraton, Peppers, Sebel, RACV and Outrigger resorts, however the region’s lesser known areas have as much to offer at very favourable price points.

Caloundra for instance has the Sunshine Coast’s oldest and largest venue, Event Centre, with an indoor flat floor space of 1432sqm making it able to cater for events for up to 1800 guests. Key improvements over the next two to three years include new seating in the Main and Playhouse Theatre, an upgrade of air-conditioning and improved disability access.

Caloundra is also home to Rumba Beach Resort with 65 luxury 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments and suites overlooking the tranquil waters of the Pumicestone Passage protected from the ocean by Bribie Island.

Follow around the bay to Golden Beach and metres from the water is the four-star Oaks Oasis Resort, Caloundra. Set amongst 10 acres of gardens, lagoon and a water park, it recently completed a multi-million dollar renovation. Four air-conditioned conference rooms can accommodate up to 250 people.

In Maroochydore, Novotel Twin Waters Resort, a hot spot for conferences, has ten purpose-built function rooms for up to 1400 delegates. It recently hosted a four-day event for a major retail sports group, with the 600 delegates using the resort’s new team building activities area – Corporate Xperiences, while Summersault Productions set up a 350sqm big top marquee in a newly cleared 1000sqm event space.

Head for the hinterland Twenty five minutes from the region’s coastal resorts in Yandina is the Spirit House, a must on the team-building menu. In a Thai jungle setting this legendary Cooking School caters for everything from learning Stir Crazy Thai dishes to BBQ ‘Dude Food’. Classes take a minimum of 16 and a maximum of 18, while cocktail style corporate functions cater to maximum of 30 people at $120pp, for a duration of three hours.

Also in Yandina is The Ginger Factory where ginger has been processed since 1942.

A working factory and a theme park, it is available for functions and dinners after hours.

AIME back to its roots The organisers of next year’s Asia-Pacific Incentives & Meetings Expo (AIME) have confirmed that the format of the event will once again include several elements which were omitted from the 2015 show.

After “actively listening to feedback” from participants this year, AIME 2016 will once again include a welcome function on the Monday night, replacing the gala dinner which was introduced for the first time last February.

Other back-to-the-future changes will see the Tuesday evening “free from official obligations” (apart from a one hour cocktail event) so exhibitors can run their own private functions, while the Hosted Buyer appointment system will transition to the platform which successfully managed some 75,000 appointments at ibtm world in Barcelona last year.

And the long-standing Saxton Speakers Showcase event will once again take place on the Wednesday morning of the show, which takes place at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre on 23-24 February 2016.

MEANWHILE rumours are swirling about some big names not taking part in AIME 2016, with at least one high profile destination exhibitor (who didn’t want to be named) who has taken a large space in the show for many years telling travelBulletin they won’t be continuing next year.

DMS expanding roadshows DMS Destination Management Services will expand its popular destination showcase to include events in Perth and Auckland as well as Sydney and Melbourne next year.

Rather than being timed to coincide with AIME, the “DMS Connect” events will take place in March, bringing senior executives from a wide range of DMCs to meet a targeted audience of business events and high-end leisure clients.

headlines 23 Jul Qantas flies into Sunshine 27 Jul Tassie DMAI prize winner 30 Jul Wyndham launches rewards 03 Aug AIME returns to its roots 06 Aug 10,000 delegates for ICC 10 Aug ICC team now onboard 10 Aug Capri launches in Brisbane 13 Aug Funktionality turns 15 17 Aug DMS showcase to expand

MEA View Linda Gaunt, chief executive officer Meetings and Events Australia

What keeps me awake at night?

Penny Lion from Tourism Australian recently reported that Australia’s business events industry is going from strength to strength, with infrastructure development across the country, new and developing convention centres, and hotel inventory leading the charge. Penny added that Australia’s growing global reputation in key industry sectors including creative services, the digital economy, medical and scientific research and education ensured that the Australian industry has a positive outlook.

Sounds fabulous and it is all very true.

Australia has such a positive outlook in the events industry. So what is keeping me, Linda Gaunt, awake at night?

Simply, I hear, see and believe all of this positivity and as a proud member of the events industry I could not wish for more, except, and here is the million dollar question, how do we propose to service all of this business?

My five year on-going rant has been and will continue to be that I believe that the events industry is in a skills shortage.

At MEA we believe this to be very true and have come to this conclusion as a result of ongoing feedback from our members and many relevant industry examples.

is no such thing ‘asThere a nine to five job and we all have to put in to the highest level to ensure the top end results that we require

’

As any practitioner within the industry will attest we work in a busy and dynamic industry. There is no such thing as a nine to five job and we all have to put in to the highest level to ensure the top end results that we require.

Am I stating the obvious? Yes I am, however the rest is not so obvious. In an industry that is 24/7 and demands so

much of all employees, we fall short of the mark in regard to the service we provide.

Sadly many believe that because when they recruit and they receive hundreds of applications this means we are not in a skills shortage.

We are in fact not in a ‘labour shortage but in a skills shortage ’ In actual fact this is not the case. Yes we do get lots of applications, however in dissecting them we do find that there are not many qualified applications at all.

This means we are in fact not in a labour shortage but in a skills shortage.

If we can convince the industry to understand this we will make inroads.

Currently there are many training providers in Australia offering relevant training to the industry. They try hard to capture people at entry level and on another sphere they also try to capture people working within the industry who have little or no qualifications.

As an industry with no barriers to entry this is often the case.

The problem is there is a reticence from industry to invest in training and education.

The reasons for this vary from not enough time, non-traditional hours, no budget to the sad reason being “if I support my staff member in training I will lose them to a competitor”.

This in itself attests that we are in a skills shortage. I continually plead to our industry to think hard and invest in training and education as we need passionate and educated people in our industry in order to thrive.

I beg the question to our hard working Convention and Visitor Bureaux across the country. “No matter how hard you work, nor the degree of success you achieve, please don’t expect repeat business if our once off visitors don’t receive the standard of service they expect”.

At MEA we ask that you give this consideration and act accordingly.

travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2015

29

CRUISE REPORT

Barriers to making NZ ‘cruise friendly’

Auckland Port. Credit Jo Brehaut

T

he New Zealand cruise sector is looking forward to record seasons ahead, but is warning of the need to address several big challenges if it’s to achieve its potential, according to industry association, Cruise New Zealand.

Chairman Kevin O’Sullivan, said a bullish approach had resulted in some good wins for the sector.

“We are a well-established cruise destination, benefitting from the continued growth of Australia as a source market, as well as leveraging off the big growth we are seeing in the Chinese cruise market.

“Our continual work to encourage the cruise lines to bring more and larger ships to New Zealand ports was strongly reinforced by the

decision to base the new Quantum-class Ovation of the Seas in our region from December 2016,” he said.

However, O’Sullivan said the lack of berthing for larger ships means Ovation can’t be accommodated at Auckland port.

With capacity for almost 5000 passengers and 1300 crew, this will be the largest cruise ship to visit New Zealand – the equivalent of 12 Airbus A380s arriving at the same time.

“Ovation is still coming to Auckland but will be using tenders to ferry passengers between the ship and the port. This can impact negatively on the visitor experience, including limiting the amount of time they spend on shore.”

O’Sullivan said Cruise New Zealand is advocating for improved cruise infrastructure in all ports, and reduced barriers to ensure New Zealand is ‘cruise friendly’.

“It’s not a dissimilar situation to Auckland Airport which needed to build new infrastructure to accommodate the new A380s,” O’Sullivan said. “Cruise New Zealand has been warning that ever-bigger cruise ships want to come to New Zealand. Cruise lines plan three to five years ahead so if we cannot accommodate these newer, bigger ships, we are unlikely to see them for several years, if at all. We face immense harm to our economy if we are unable to deliver a positive big ship experience,” he concluded.

The Government’s ‘new and unheralded’ travel tax was also an unexpected and unwelcome barrier that will detrimentally affect the whole of the tourism sector, and cruise in particular, he said.

“We estimate this ill-conceived ‘border levy’ could knock almost $90 million off cruise sector earnings in 2018-19, compared to the NZ$7-8 million the government expects to collect from this new tax.

“We are proactively fighting this tax as part of a tourism and travel coalition led by the Tourism Industry Association New Zealand.”

One of Cruise New Zealand’s goals for the coming year will be to significantly raise the profile of the sector with decision makers and the public. “The cruise sector is a fast growing and valuable part of the New Zealand economy – contributing NZ$436 million in value added earnings in the 2014-15 season and supporting 8365 jobs. We have the potential for huge growth over the coming decade, however it will require the support of government, ports and communities around the country to achieve,” O’Sullivan said.

Cruise New ‘Zealand has been

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warning that ever bigger cruise ships want to come to New Zealand

’

30

travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2015

cruise report

CLIA view Brett Jardine, commercial director CLIA Australasia

INDUSTRY’S CHANCE TO SHINE The first week of September 2015 will see the delivery of CLIA Australasia’s fourth annual Cruise Week promotion.

Just as many associations and charities have a special day or week to raise awareness, Cruise Week is the cruise industry’s chance to shine.

At CLIA, we’re very proud to have our Member Cruise Lines pulling together to raise the profile of cruising at this special time and deliver a call to action focused on CLIA Accredited Cruise Specialist Agents.

Cruise Week is celebrated around the globe by CLIA offices and aims to deliver on two primary objectives: 1. To spread the word about cruising to a “new to cruise” audience that is yet to be convinced about the great value a cruise holiday delivers.

2. To create Cruise Week Deals which are primarily aimed at the “already committed” cruiser. For this audience, our goal in creating a buzz and generating a high level of anticipation (without eroding other ongoing campaigns) will be achieved by releasing ‘the deals’ at the last moment.

For many retail agents, deals are an important tool to hook new customers. But I believe many benefits can flow from taking a less tactical approach to Cruise Week and using it as a chance to build rapport with clients and highlight your knowledge and experience in the cruise industry. Either way, the critical ingredient for any agent is proactive participation – this means co-ordinating your own local promotions and activity in conjunction with the wider national promotion.

This year, Cruise Week will be promoted through a new interactive online magazine (e-zine) which will be supported by a dedicated marketing campaign featuring a mixture of EDMs and social media as well as banner advertisements and native advertising across popular mainstream sites.

us this means ‘“oneForindustry, one

COMMUNIQUÉ FROM… KAREN CHRISTENSEN General Manager & Director Sales/Marketing, Australasia

SILVERSEA’S EUROPEAN ENCOUNTERS. DESIGNED TO COMBINE.

voice” so let’s all get talking about cruising

’

With people spending more time online today than they do reading the newspaper, watching TV or listening to the radio, it makes good sense to take Cruise Week into the digital space. For agents the e-zine will be a fantastic way to attract prospective passengers as it will enable readers to experience life onboard a wide range of ships through content, images and video designed to immerse them in the magic of cruising.

Whilst traditional promotional activity such as film nights and window displays are still encouraged, distribution of the Cruise Week e-zine electronically via database and social media platforms will be very powerful.

Why promote Cruise Week when everyone else is doing the same? There are many clichés that capture the spirit of such an event – the best one may be “the power of one”! For us this means “one industry, one voice” so let’s all get talking about cruising and make Cruise Week the biggest week of the year.

Silversea’s European voyages are purposely designed to be combined as consecutive sailings, and rarely repeat a port. With back-to-back sailings, your clients will enjoy more overall value and more of this magnificent region.

Book by 31 December 2015 and save up to 15% on the following combination voyages.

Barcelona to Civitavecchia (Rome) aboard Silver Wind 34 days. Departs 13 April 2016.

London Roundtrip aboard Silver Wind 24 days. Departs 27 June 2016.

Civitavecchia (Rome) to Lisbon aboard Silver Cloud 18 days. Departs 1 July 2016.

Istanbul to Venice aboard Silver Spirit 14 days. Departs 29 July 2016.

Copenhagen to Montreal aboard Silver Whisper 28 days. Departs 26 August 2016.

headlines July & august 2015 21 Jul NTIA recognises cruising 21 Jul Four offshoots for Crystal 23 Jul Princess dines with Stone 28 Jul Tiered pricing for Celebrity 30 Jul Bratton praises Ponant buy 30 Jul Port Kembla Navy study 04 Aug Norwegian confirms Aus

04 Aug Hawaii seeking cruise reps 06 Aug CLIA Aus changes captain 06 Aug Fathom allotment for Aus 11 Aug Yacht designs for Crystal 11 Aug Astor confirms its return 13 Aug Fathom promos in market 13 Aug RCI launches Suite program

travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2015

For more information or to book call 1300 306 872 or visit silversea.com Visit silversea.com for full terms and conditions.

31

industry in focus

Nicole McGann, Rebecca Nassau and Brooke Hyde were just some of the attendees at the recent helloworld frontliners conference held in Cairns.

t recent Princess iday Travel was one of the mos Dominique Grams of Seniors Hol Diamond Princess. on se with a 10-night Hokkaido crui Academy graduates rewarded

Barry Parsons, South African Airways; Malaysia Airlines ceo Christoph Mueller and CAPA chairman Peter Harbison rubbed shoulders at the CAPA conference held in Sydney.

India played host to this group of top-se lling Globus Family of Brands’ agents wh o visited the exotic country last month .

Andy Collings, Rachel McDermott and Timo Nieuwout from Booking.com were just some of the hundreds who turned out for the annual AccorHotels showcase in Sydney last month.

P&O Cruises NSW bdms Angus Mackay and Jess O’Brien were on hand and all dolled up for Hunter Travel Group’s special cruise expo in Newcastle.

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travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2015

september 2015

e Graham from CT Air Canada and Su m th. fro n ea cL M ul Pa Sydney last mon PA conference in Partners at the CA

Contiki recently held their Rock Around the World agent trip. The agents started in Toronto, Canada and then travelled to Montreal to experience the legendary 3 day Osheaga music festival before finishing up in Boston.

Personal travel managers Karen Doyle and Penny Meallin experienced stunning Broome as part of a famil hosted by North West Tourism.

Oliver Philpot , Brand USA; An ne Madison, Br Consul General and USA; Mrs of Llorens, wife of Palmer, Gate 7/ the USA; Karen Ballard, US the Dep Brand USA wer e all at the rece artment of Commerce and Jo nt Brand USA function in Sy dney.

These World Leading Cruise Lines representatives look like they had the time of their lives at the helloworld frontliners conference in Cairns. travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2015

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EUROPE/UK

Great

expectations

H

AVING focused on the commemoration of World War I in the past couple of years, the UK in 2016 will be looking much wider afield, with anniversaries for William Shakespeare, Charlotte Bronte, Roald Dahl, Agatha Christie, landscape gardener Capability Brown, and even London’s famous Blue Plaques.

It is the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, with a host of activities in Stratfordupon-Avon in 2016 as part of the celebrations of the playwright’s legacy. These include a new immersive theatrical experience at the Royal Shakespeare Company; a reimagining of New Place (Shakespeare’s final home) following a major restoration project, and Shakespeare’s school room, open for the first time at King Edward VI School.

When the aristocrats of the 18th Century 34

travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2015

were building their mansions, there was just one person they wanted to landscape their gardens – Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown, whose 300th birth anniversary is celebrated in 2016. Brown got his nickname by assuring the owners that their land had ‘capability’.

He then set about creating a landscape that looked natural, but was more perfect than nature could be. He built more than 170

Credit visitBritain.com

By Gary Walsh

Shakespeare at Stratford-upon-Avon

gardens in Britain and most of them can still be seen and enjoyed today as idyllic places to relax, contemplate nature, and picnic – just as Brown planned for the original owners.

The Brontë Society’s contemporary arts programme has recently been awarded a grant to help with celebrations surrounding the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charlotte Brontë, more details of which will be released throughout the year.

Born in London in 1866, Helen Beatrix Potter was best known for her imaginative children’s books such as The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Potter drew inspiration from the magnificent beauty and plentiful wildlife of the Lake District in Cumbria, north-west England, and fans of her enduring tales will be delighted with the World of Beatrix Potter in Bowness-on-Windermere.

Born on September 13, 1916, Roald Dahl captured the imagination of children around the world with his tales including

EUROPE/UK

LONDON: FIVE FOR FREE You could spend days in the British capital enjoying its many museums and galleries. Here are five your clients can experience at no charge.

British Museum Unquestionably one of the world’s finest museums, and one of its oldest, the British Museum is home to millions of objects. Among the must-sees for first-time visitors are the Parthenon friezes from the Acropolis in Athens, the Egyptian mummies, the Rosetta Stone (which enabled the translation of Egyptian hieroglyphics), the Lewis chessmen and the Sutton Hood burial ship.

Natural History Museum (credit visitBritain.com)

also countless creepy crawlies, stuffed birds, gemstones, crystals and more.

Victoria & Albert Museum Named in honour of Queen Victoria and her consort, the V&A is now one of the world’s great repositories of creative arts, highlighting furniture, ceramics, sculpture, paintings, posters, jewellery, metalwork, glass, textiles and dress from across the centuries.

British Museum (credit visitBritain.com)

James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, The Witches, Fantastic Mr Fox, The Twits and The BFG. The film, The BFG, is also coming to the silver screen in 2016 and visitors to Britain can learn more about the author at the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre in Buckinghamshire, south-east England, or visit Cardiff and visit the Little Norwegian Church in Cardiff Bay where Roald Dahl was baptised.

Although October 2015 marks the 125th birthday of the world’s most popular crime writer, Agatha Christie, Britain offers many ways to celebrate into 2016, from taking a comprehensive tour of the locations that inspired the Queen of Crime, to even staying in her holiday cottage. The Agatha Christie Tour of Britain takes in an extraordinary breadth of landmarks around Britain associated with the world’s best-selling author. Then find out whodunnit at Greenway House in Devon, her family holiday home.

London’s famous Blue Plaques turn 150

Imperial War Museum The museum was renovated for the 100th anniversary of the beginning of World War I in 2014, and features displays and memorabilia from various conflicts in which Britain has been involved. There are some bleak displays that focus on the Holocaust and crimes against humanity that are not suitable for younger visitors.

National History Museum This museum is massively popular with school groups, and can be incredibly busy, but it is worth the wait. The dinosaur skeletons and animatronic dinosaurs are the most popular exhibits, but there are

next year. The homes and workplaces of figures as diverse as Jimi Hendrix, Charles Dickens, John Lennon and Oscar Wilde have all been honoured with one of London’s blue plaques. The first was unveiled in 1867 to commemorate Lord Byron at his birthplace, 24 Holles Street, Cavendish Square in London. This house was demolished in 1889 so the earliest blue plaque to survive – also put up in 1867 – commemorates Napoleon

Victoria & Albert Museum (credit visitBritain.com)

National Gallery The gallery was inaugurated in 1824 to house just 36 paintings, but now it is home to more than 2000 artworks. It covers periods from early Italian (Giotto, Pierro della Francesco) through Italian Renaissance and the Old Masters to the French Impressionists and the Post-Impressionists.

III in King Street, St James’s. Since 1986, English Heritage has run the scheme, which now comprises around 880 plaques.

And finally, the Queen will celebrate her 90th birthday next year with 7000 people, 600 horses and 1500 performers at a spectacular equestrian-themed party in Windsor Castle’s Home Park, the centrepiece of a series of national events marking the monarch’s personal milestone. travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2015

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EUROPE/UK

EARLYBIRDS CATCH BEST DEALS

WITH the recent decline in the value of the Australian dollar, and fears that it will continue its downward spiral, the impact of earlybird deals for Europe and the UK is more significant than ever. While the AUD’s value has slumped against the pound sterling over the past two years from a high of almost 69 pence to the dollar to about 47 pence, it has been less volatile against the Euro, but still has declined in value from a high of 85 Euro cents to 67.

These significant declines mean the earlybird deals for 2016 now available in the market make perfect sense for Australian travellers. As well as offering attractive discounts on normal airfares and tour prices, they lock in an exchange rate so that clients can be sure of what they are spending on some key components of their holidays.

Earlybird deals are also important measuring sticks for national tourism organisations. Mark Haynes, marketing manager Australia for VisitBritain, said earlybird promotions acted as “a barometer on the state of demand” and were significant in converting bookings for Britain six to nine months ahead of travel.

“They are also a gauge on potential traffic into regional Britain gateways as they highlight a range of entry point destinations. With a large number of carriers offering one-stop direct services from Australia to multiple regional Britain gateways, the promotional report card on earlybird sales can help refine and tweak our marketing activities.”

Regardless of the slump in the dollar’s value, airlines and operators report strong forward bookings to the UK and Europe.

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travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2015

“Our FIT revenue is up over 20 per cent compared to same time last year,” said Sujata Raman, managing director of A&K Europe. “This growth is effectively even higher, because it has been negatively impacted by the drop in sales to Russia.

“The balance of Europe has seen growth in every country, with Italy and Croatia strongest for A&K,” Raman said. “A&K’s Luxury Small Group Journeys have also been strong to European destinations.

are finding that ‘theWelower AUD is a

consideration ... many customers are choosing to trade down from 5-star to 4-star

’

We anticipate that Europe will continue to be an extremely attractive destination for Australian travellers. The trend is to focus on single destinations rather than trying to cover a wide range in one trip.

“There’s no question that a declining dollar has some impact on sales. However, the fall in the Aussie dollar has been expected for some time and has come as no surprise. We believe that most travellers have anticipated and factored in the falling dollar.”

Justine Lally, head of marketing for the APT Group, said that as a global tour and cruise operator APT was aware how important currency fluctuations could be.

“Our advice to travellers is that while one

currency might be in flux, there is always another that is holding strong, so don’t be afraid to book. In fact there has never been a better time to do so, especially in destinations such as Europe, where the Euro is performing well and offering excellent value for money.

“At APT we are one of just a few travel operators who have put in place measures to ensure that guests’ holiday prices are protected. For example we offer a guaranteed fixed price. Simply pay your deposit and that secures the price of your trip, regardless of currency movement.”

Fiona Dalton, head of sales for Qantas Holidays said, “Travel bookings to the UK and beyond to Europe have been very strong for us in 2015, buoyed to some extent by the upcoming Rugby World Cup in September. In fact, our forward sales to the region are up 30 per cent on the same time last year.

“We are finding that the lower AUD is a consideration for Australians, but in our experience many consumers are choosing to trade down from 5-star to 4-star hotels to compensate for this. The earlybird fare levels to the region again look very enticing and as a result we expect bookings to remain robust over the coming months,” she said.

“One idea for Australians to make the trip more affordable is to consider flying to the less popular regional airports across UK and Europe such as Manchester and Nice in France, to take advantage of the lower airport taxes on the air tickets. Consumers can then look to facilitate their travel plans across the region by utilising the excellent rail network available for pre-purchase either as point-to-point tickets or passes before departure.”

EUROPE/UK

Back-roads goes off the beaten track THE Back-Roads Touring Co is true to its name – it’s all about avoiding the motorways of the UK and Europe and delving into the quiet lanes off the beaten track. Established in London 28 years ago, the company has had a presence in Australia for the past five years, and has seen sales here boom.

Brisbane-based brand manager, Hugh Houston, said the company began initially selling trips to the Chelsea Flower Show and the World War II battlefields of Western Europe, but has expanded in recent years to cover much of Europe, including the Balkans and Russia. In each place, Back-Roads relies on its small group sizes (a maximum of 18 in some countries, but frequently a maximum of 15) and the maneuverability of its small Mercedes coaches to provide a unique experience.

“The back roads are very much what we are about,” Houston said. “Because of the size of our Mercedes coaches we can go anywhere a car can. Wherever we can get off a freeway, we get off.” The focus is on regional touring, with plenty of flexibility – not attempting to tackle too much in too short a time. “We really explore and delve deeply into the areas we visit, with authentic local

Dijon, France (image: Back-Roads Touring Co)

experiences and eating in local restaurants.”

Accommodation is generally in smaller hotels, not chain properties or high-rise hotels, and mostly right in the heart of small towns and villages. “We call our touring an immersion,” Houston said.

The most popular tours with Australians are in the UK, Ireland and France, with the company’s two tours in Spain also emerging as strong sellers. Another strong performer is Italian Indulgence, a 12-day trip that covers

large cities such as Florence and Venice as well as remote Tuscan villages, the Cinque Terre and Lake Maggiore’s Borromean Islands.

The best-selling trips are the seven-day Corners of Cornwall, priced from $2745 pp; the nine-day Heart of England, priced from $1925 pp; nine-day Highlights of Britain, starting at $3265 pp; and La Belle France, a nine-day trip focused on the northwest of the country and priced from $3535. n www.backroadstouring.com

STORIES TO TELL YOUR ENTIRE LIFE ——— EUROPE WITH LINDBLAD EXPEDITIONS ———

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EUROPE/UK

AFFORDABLE CAR HIRE

Affordable Car Hire, one of the UK’s leading independent car rental brokers, is expanding its presence in the Australian market where agents can benefit from a fully inclusive rate with no hidden extras Affordable works with 500 car rental partners through a network of 200 countries in over 15,000 worldwide locations, providing agents and their customers with a wide choice of car hire options.

The company is committed to offering good value for money and excellent customer service through its easy threestep online booking process, ARTS training academy, and many special offers which include free upgrade, additional driver and zero excess offers. European prices start from just $9 per day. n www.affordablecarhire.com

Great Scenic savings SCENIC has a range of earlybird deals for its cruises in Europe, all of which are valid for booking by the end of October.

The first is a fly free deal that promises savings of up to $6090 per couple.

Clients who book a standard suite on a cruise of 11 days or more throughout 2016 can fly free to Europe including taxes. The next deal offers the chance to fly for $995 and save up to $3640 per couple – book any balcony suite on a cruise of 11 days or longer travelling from May to September and fly to Europe for $995pp including taxes.

In the third deal, clients who book any suite on selected cruises of 11 days or longer departing in March, April, October or November can fly business class to Europe from only $2995pp including taxes.

“Earlybird fares are still hugely popular with our guests who value the benefits of booking early with us and the great savings they can make with fly-free and other offers. Over the years we have educated consumers on our Earlybird philosophy and it still works extremely well for us in terms of driving sales,” says Scenic’s Aleisha Fittler.

“At Scenic we set the pricing and do not adjust or surcharge consumer prices based on currency fluctuations. The decline in the AUD is predominantly to the USD, which has been unnaturally high in the recent times.

So, costs of travel to these destinations is not as cheap as it has been, however it is still affordable and once booked there is no need for a Scenic guest to be concerned with any further fluctuations.”

Orion sets sights on Europe Much-loved with Australian cruisers, Lindblad Expeditions’ National Geographic Orion, is setting sail for Europe, with the company recently announcing its inaugural 2016 European program commencing April next year.

After many successful seasons sailing across the seas of Indonesia, the South Pacific and Australia, the National Geographic Orion will embark on its maiden voyage of Portugal, Spain, France, England, Ireland, Holland, Belgium, the Baltic Republics and Scandinavia with 11 one-week itineraries and 22 sailings.

“National Geographic Orion holds many fond memories among Australian travellers, some of whom have travelled aboard the ship on repeat seasons,” said Jeremy Lindblad, business development director for Australia.

“Each itinerary will be highly curated to provide travellers with a more enriching and authentic European holiday, taking them beyond the usual tourist experience as led by experts in ancient and modern history, political science, art, viniculture, photography and music,” he said.

Itineraries remain true to National 38

travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2015

Geographic’s adventurous character, with experiences such as ‘Wild and Windswept: Exploring the Coasts of England and Wales’, where passengers can join a local astronomer from the Astronomical Society for a night of stargazing on the island of Sark; or ‘Norway and Scotland: Fjordlands to the Inner Hebrides’, where they have the chance to dive historic wrecks.

Guests have the option to ‘hop on-hop off’ and those that book more than one voyage will receive a savings of 10% off each trip.

They can take two or more back-to-back, or enjoy one journey, disembark and then rejoin Orion for a journey in a different region.

Authentic food experiences form an integral part of the 2016 program, with cuisines influenced by the flavours of each region, such as the ‘Culture and Cuisine’ voyage from Oporto to Basque Country, where guests can spend the day discovering Galicia, collect mussels with local fisherman and listen to traditional music. On the ‘London to Copenhagen’ voyage, they can work alongside local artisans to make Belgian chocolates in Brugge and sculpt marzipan in Lubeck.

Degustation and fine dining menus on board will be prepared by international chef, Serge Dansereau – principal of Sydney’s The Bathers’ Pavilion.

The first European deployment commences with the ‘Portugal and Spain: From the Algarve to Catalonia’ expedition departing 24 April 2016, and concludes with ‘Culture and Cuisine’ from Oporto to Basque Country departing 18 September 2016. Prices for all voyages start from $9,990 per person, which includes bar tab and staff gratuities. n www.expeditions.com

EUROPE/UK

Q&A

With its wide variety of experiences, and large VFR market, a European or UK holiday should be an easy sell for agents. Michelle Barker, managing director of Jayes Travel, Newcastle shares her tips for selling the destination.

How well do Europe and the UK sell at your agency?

Europe and the UK are a large part of our annual sales, especially new bookings coming through the earlybird season.

It’s important for us to capitalise on the enquiries during the launch/sale periods so that we have those forward sales in place for the upcoming year.

Which forms of travel are especially popular?

For our agency it is a real split, from independent self-drive or rail holidays, to river/ocean cruising and escorted tours.

We would love to increase our coach touring sales, and so this has become a focus for our agency. Last year saw a turn towards rail and FIT holidays, so we want to highlight how the traditional coach tour has evolved over the past few years with many focusing on local experiences that people won’t find on an FIT holiday.

Is the decline of the Australia dollar having an impact on sales?

At this stage we aren’t seeing a negative impact on sales, or seeing clients compromise on the standards or length of their holiday. We are actually seeing people book more before they travel and locking in tours at the AUD rate, protecting themselves against any further falls. Many touring companies are offering 2016 travel at 2015 prices, people can secure the main components of their holiday at the same rate when the dollar was much higher.

BRITAIN’S BEAUTIFUL ISLES

Is there enough training from NTOs for agents selling Europe and the UK? There is always room for more training but I understand it’s hard to roll this out to agents. As part of the recent Qantas Holidays ‘Race Around’ famil in the UK, we had the opportunity to take part in training sessions with the tourist boards of Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England. I picked up more tips in these sessions than selling the destinations for years.

What advice would you give to other agents in selling Europe and the UK? Make sure you have the local tips and know the unique products that will make the holiday memorable. First hand experience of a country or style of travel through Europe and the UK will improve your sales beyond a doubt.

DALMATIAN, VENETIAN & GREEK WONDERS

11-night cruise, departing 9 June 2016

13-night cruise, departing 13 September 2016 SLOVENIA VENICE KOPER

LERWICK

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ITALY

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Contact Discover the World on 1800 OCEANS (623 267) or visit au.voyagesofdiscovery.com *All prices are per person in Australian Dollars based on double occupancy. Prices are inclusive of port charges, pre-paid airport and government taxes, service fees and on board gratuities for your cabin steward, dining room waiter and his assistant. Single occupancy double cabins are subject to availability and rates will be quoted on request. Prices shown are inclusive of fuel supplement where relevant. All rates and prices are subject to change and are based on known costs for fuel and currency as of June 2015. For full terms and conditions please visit au.voyagesofdiscovery.com

PIRAEUS

KATAKOLON

MONEMVA

EUROPE/UK

agent know-how David Reid, head of distribution in Australia, NZ & Asia Pacific for Le Boat, shares his tips for selling this one-ofa-kind European holiday.

What are the advantages of a self-skippered boating holiday?

Self-skippered boating holidays offer the freedom and flexibility to cruise and sight-see at your own pace. They eliminate the stress of keeping up with a tour group and enhance your ability to linger at those spots where you want to stay longer, and move on when you’re ready.

How popular are these types of holidays with Australians?

Year on year we are experiencing 15 per cent growth; so the product is proving very popular, particularly with more independent travellers.

Which is the most popular region for Australians?

The historic Canal du Midi in southern France offers easy access to the vineyards of one of France’s largest wine regions,

Languedoc-Roussillon. Travellers can also explore medieval towns, ancient castles, museums and galleries, and enjoy the diverse food of the region.

What advice do you have for travel agents selling your product?

For clients who are looking for something different that is off the beaten track and water based, you could not choose an easier holiday to recommend. And remember, clients do not need a licence or any previous boating experience to operate our boats.

What is the average price of a weekly seven-night rental?

We offer short breaks (from 3 days) up to long breaks (14+ days) and these range from $600 to $12,000.

Where can they find out more information and do you run product training courses?

We have just launched our new 2016 brochure which includes a group flotilla cruise in Italy, and a new two-person luxury cruiser. Call 1800 118 940 with any questions. We are also happy to conduct a webinar session on request. n www.leboat.com.au

Fly the

to Europe

Earlybird Fares

Return fares starting from

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Rome

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Hotel accommodation provided on outbound at Delhi Airport airside Hotel Eatonsmart.

Indian Visa not required for transiting passengers.

SYDNEY: (02) 9283 3370 | Email to syd.reservation@airindia.in MELBOURNE: (03) 9021 8720 | Email to mel.reservation@airindia.in

Terms and Conditions: Offer ends on 30th September 2015 unless sold out prior. Advertised fares are all inclusive for travel on the route Melbourne-Europe-Melbourne via Delhi, priced as on 13th August 2015 for outbound travel on 03rd March 2016 and inbound travel on 03rd April 2016, with 8 kg carry-on luggage and 30 kg check-in baggage. For travel out of Sydney an additional tax of A$19.00 is applicable.Outbound travel is permitted from 15th Feb 16 to 15th June 16.Travel must be completed within 3 months from the date of departure. Prices are correct as on 13th August 2015 and small variations in prices may occur as a result of changes in airport taxes or currency fluctuations. Offer is subject to availability and fares are valid on Air India operated flights only. Basic fare and fuel surcharge are non refundable and change/ no-show fees apply. For full terms and conditions, please visit www.airindia.com or contact your local travel agent or call Air India on (03) 90218720 / (02) 92833370.

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* To be eligible for our European early bird savings your client need to book, pay a deposit and applicable airfare payment by 18 December 2015. All prices shown are per person based on twin share. Singles rooms are available at a supplement, check our website for details. Prices are correct at time of printing but are subject to change. Note air supplement may apply depending on airline availability and departure cities. Bunnik Travel Pty Ltd. ATAS accreditation #A10484. Ask your consultant for details.

EUROPE/UK

APT rewards first in line APT says its Europe River Cruising SuperDeals are a great way to reward guests who like to be first in line to book for the following year.

These guests often know which dates and cruises they want and are also keen to secure their preferred cabin.

“SuperDeals tend to feature one-off special deals which we often don’t repeat and that’s another attraction for clients; but we continue to offer compelling offers to ensure our industry partners have exciting incentives for those clients who prefer to book at a slightly later stage,” said APT’s head of marketing, Justine Lally.

APT’s first round of earlybird offers for Europe – SuperDeals 1 – ended on 31 July.

SuperDeal 2 offers, which run up until 31 October, include a $795 flight deal, with taxes covered by APT – a saving of up to $4610 per couple. Customers booking a cruise of 15 days or more departing March and October to December 2016 can fly business class from $2995 per person, including taxes of up to $1200 per person.

“We are also offering free return flights on all of our Magnificent Europe April 2016 departures, alongside a range of solo travel deals,” Lally said. “We also offer a range of SuperDeals for our small ship coastal cruising program in Europe. These run until October 31 and include Companion Fly Free deals on popular European cruises such as our 12-day ‘Britain & Ireland Explorer’ and our Mediterranean cruises in Italy and between Venice and Istanbul.”

As with APT, sister operator Travelmarvel offers earlybird savings across a range of European river cruises. These run until sold out, which, depending on the product, is often around mid-year. n www.aptouring.com.au

Affordable Car Hire offers: Fully Inclusive pre-paid prices with ‘no hidden extras’ Australia Call Centre with 24 hour assistance Dedicated Australia Sales Team Competitive prices in 193 countries & 15,210 locations throughout a network of 500 car rental suppliers Competitive Commission Rates

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Bunnik’s Earlybird savings Small group touring specialists Bunnik Tours have launched their 2016 European program, with four new itineraries and an earlybird special. New amongst the 14 itineraries are Norway & Iceland; Alpine Discovery; Eastern Europe; and Italy and France.

“The new tours travel to some of my favourite European destinations including the stunning lakeside city of Interlaken in Switzerland and the charming Bavarian countryside surrounding Munich,” said managing director Dennis Bunnik.

Clients booked before 18 December 2015 will receive a $250 per person earlybird saving. n www.bunniktours.com.au

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Telephone 1800 331 582 www.outdoortravel.com.au

middle east

By Kerry van der Jagt

Scents of

Salalah

Grand Mosque (credit The Sultanate of Oman Tourism)

44

travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2015

I

n Salalah’s perfume souq the sweet, yet astringent smell of frankincense fills the air as women weigh portions of teardrop-shaped pearls, from oatmealcoloured orbs to amber clumps. The Sultanate of Oman has always been famously fragrant, with locals using frankincense daily; dissolving it in water to treat upset stomachs, burning it to freshen their homes or chewing it like gum. Omani men even dip the tassel of their robes in the perfume to maintain the aroma throughout the day.

A product of the Boswellia tree, frankincense was a prized possession of the ancient world, with the finest incense coming exclusively from Oman’s Dhofar region. I’d started my foray into frankincense in the capital Muscat, an easy one-hour flight from Dubai or Abu Dhabi, where I’d sniffed my way through the Muttrah Souq, visited the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, ridden a bicycle along the elegant corniche and eaten my body weight in dates, dahl and biryani. One day I sailed aboard a luxury catamaran, past centuries-old villages and swimming with sea turtles, with Clara Zawawi, owner of Ocean Blue.

From Muscat it is another hours’ flight to Salalah, the coastal capital of the Dhofar region, home to four key archaeological sites, registered jointly as the ‘Land of the Frankincense’ by UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage list.

Summer sees the annual monsoon (or Khareef) wash over Salalah, cooling the air significantly and turning the landscape a totally unexpected and startling lush green colour. The city is going through a renaissance, with a brand new international airport (opened June, 2015); plans for more hotels and resorts, such as Alila, Anantara and Club Med; and an upgrade of Salalah’s harbour, including a cruise ship port.

Last year 17,000 Australians visited Oman, which was a nine per cent increase on 2013.

This trend is expected to continue as more Australians travel to the UK/Europe through the UAE and Qatar, with convenient airline tie-ups (like Qantas-Emirates, and Virgin Australia-Etihad) driving this relatively new route for Australians.

Oman has a modern, integrated road system, so it is easy to use Salalah as a base and visit each UNESCO site as a day trip with a private guide and driver.

Suhail Amer El Mahri picks me up from my beachside hotel for the drive to the Sumhuram Archaeological Park, an excavated port city that once controlled the entire frankincense trade. On the way we pull into the fishing village of Taqah for an unscheduled stop at Suhail’s cousins’ place.

middle east “Come in,” says our host, his long white dishdasha swishing at his ankles as he ushers me inside his mud brick home. “You must be thirsty.” After introductions I’m handed a delicate glass of cinnamon-infused tea, while a tray of dates appears as if summoned by Aladdin.

Suhail explains that the Omani form of Islam is neither Shiite nor Sunni, but Ibadism, renowned for its hospitality and acceptance of all religions, races and creeds. Ruled since 1970 by a benevolent and much-loved leader, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, Oman is a safe and welcoming country. In 2015 the World Economic Forum ranked Oman #9 in the world for Tourism Safety and Security

Last year 17,000 ‘Australians visited Oman, which was a nine per cent increase on 2013

’

out of 141 countries (Australia was ranked #13). This ranking is based on factors such as crime and violence, reliability of police services and incidence of terrorism.

On the second day we travel to Shisr, passing Bedouins driving their camels to the coast, through the dusty Dhofar Mountains

and into the southern edge of the Rub’ al Khali (the Empty Quarter) to the ruins of Ubar, known as the ‘Lost City’. What was a famous trading city now lies in ruins, spread across the desert like an abandoned sandcastle.

On another day we visit the Museum of the Frankincense Land and the adjacent Al-Baleed Archaeological Park, site of the 12-century port city of Zafar.

To visit the groves where the frankincense is harvested requires a sturdy 4WD and a knowledgeable guide. The frankincense tree (Boswellia sacra) is a squat, Dr Seuss-like bush, with curly green leaves and a paper-thin bark. Suhail draws his knife and makes a small incision across one tortured limb, causing milky droplets to bleed from the wound.

“Taste it,” he says, handing me a sticky pearl of resin. “This is the finest in the world.” I close my eyes, savouring the gum with its warming kick of pepper and pines, thinking of the Queen of Sheba, who hand-delivered Dhofari frankincense to King Solomon; or Emperor Nero, who burned a year’s supply at the funeral of his wife; and those wise men, who carried gifts so far.

Blessed with natural beauty, from windblown deserts to 2500 kilometres of coastline, welcoming people and a rich heritage, Oman is one of the best places in the Gulf to experience traditional Arabia and to get close to its ancient spirit.

INSIDER’S GUIDE TO MUSCAT Clara Zawawi, an Omani Australian, Gold Ambassador of Tourism for Oman, and owner of Ocean Blue, shares some of her insider secrets on the Omani capital.

1

Don’t miss our cooking school, Bait Al Bilad (the Village House) at Qantab, run by Ocean Blue and starring our village ladies, who still can’t quite believe that people come from all over the world to learn how to make ‘their’ food. Meet the challenge of ‘rohkhal’, the wafer-thin bread that is made using your bare hands on a red hot griddle ... while being instructed in Arabic. It’s great fun for adults and kids alike and a delicious meal to boot. n www.oceanblueoman.com

2

Best buys for pashminas are from the Souk in Sabco Center, Qurum.

These guys have been in business for more than 30 years and everyone in the know buys from them. They

will tell you the difference between qualities and prices, and you are guaranteed to leave paying a fair price and being happy. Don’t be afraid to bargain a bit if you’re buying more than two or three, but don’t go too hard, they are really fair in their pricing.

Do go to Muttrah Souk to buy 24-carat gold or frankincense.

It’s one of the oldest trading posts in the world and although the main drag is a bit average, head off

3

Salalah frankinsense souq

into the little alleys and explore; better still, pass the main entrance on your left and head down half a block. Enter where it says ‘Gold Jewellery’ and you will have arrived in seventh heaven. Go at night; the people watching is as much fun as the shopping.

If you’re on the Corniche, consider lunch or dinner at Kor Kum restaurant, a tiny and very pretty place serving some of the best Indian food (Oman’s ‘other’ national cuisine).

4 5

Pop into one of the bigger supermarkets – Lulu or Sultan Center – to buy packaged dates and spices that you are allowed to take back to Australia - just make sure there are no whole seeds or pieces of cinnamon bark. Prices are amazing, and if you want to make an Omani style biryani you will need the ubiquitous ‘Chicken Masala’ or ‘Meat Masala’ spices that gives it just the right flavour.

travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2015

45

middle east

The Dubai difference

By Gary Walsh

E

VEN from the air, Dubai city is a staggeringly impressive sight. Flying into the airport, the unmistakable outline of the world’s tallest building, the 830m Burj Khalifa, dominates the city skyline.

Spectacular by day, with desert spreading in all directions to the horizon, it is more striking by night, with millions of lights twinkling under the pitch-black sky, and the Burj Khalifa spearing into the heavens.

Dubai has grown exponentially as a destination in recent years, largely due to the growing global significance of Emirates Airline, which is now the seventh largest carrier in the world in terms of revenue, even though it was established only in 1985.

Emirates’ alliance with Qantas, which was launched in April 2013, has seen a massive increase in Australian arrivals into the UAE. “The Qantas and Emirates partnership has opened up the region to many more Australians travelling through to Europe. Over the two-year period since the launch we have seen 39 per cent increased visitation from Australians,” Dubai Tourism’s Asia-Pacific director, Julie King, told travelBulletin.

Dubai Tourism plans to double current tourism numbers and increase the average length of stay from today’s 2.8 nights to four nights by 2020.

“The diversity of attractions and experiences on offer to all segments (families, couples, girls’ and boys’ getaway, young couples and business travellers) means consumers simply cannot experience all that Dubai has to offer on a two-day stopover,” King said.

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travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2015

“A four-night stay is recommended, and even with that, as Dubai continually adds new products and experiences you can be guaranteed to experience a new Dubai each time.”

Much of the tourism product in the market is stopover focused, given that the majority of visitors to Dubai are in transit to somewhere in Europe or other parts of the Middle East.

Major operators such as A&K and Intrepid, which offer tours virtually everywhere in the world, have only day or half-day trip options.

Dubai continaully ‘adds new products and

experiences you can be guaranteed to experience a new Dubai each time

’

Part of Dubai’s long-term plan for tourism development is to strongly boost the number of attractions it offers, especially to families, and encourage longer stays.

Among them are the Middle East’s first LEGOLAND theme park, scheduled to open in 2017; IMG Worlds of Adventure (an indoor theme park focused on Cartoon Network and ‘Marvel’ characters including Ben 10, Power Puff Girls, Spider-Man, Hulk, Captain America and Iron Man); and Dubai Safari, which will house more than 1000 animals from throughout the world in Arabian and Asian safari villages.

Further afield are a Six Flags Theme Park, set to open in late 2017 and the first

expansion of the brand outside of North America; and Aladdin City, inspired by the legends of Aladdin and Sinbad. Dubai also will host World Expo 2020, which is expected to significantly increase tourism when in opens in November 2019.

Other new developments set to open in the next couple of years include Deira Fish Market, which will feature hundreds of fish, fruit and vegetable stalls, spice shops and restaurants, replacing the old fish market that has stood in Deira since 1988. It will occupy a prominent location on the Deira Corniche, and is designed to promote traditional and heritage activities in “modern and sophisticated” ways. There will be a dedicated area for fish auctions so tourists can see the traditional way of selling fish.

Getting around Dubai city will become easier later this year with the opening of the Dubai Tram system, which will run from Dubai Marina to Al Sufouh in 42 minutes. It will be linked with the Dubai Metro system and will have a cycle path running beside it, with every station equipped with bicycle racks for those keen – or mad enough – to ride in the Middle East heat.

Dubai Tourism sees a range of key indicators that will drive visitation, including Dubai’s affordability, with hotels ranging from budget boutique to five-star luxury, a diverse and affordable culinary scene (with Dubai home to more than 200 nationalities); a thriving arts and culture scene and guaranteed warm weather, with more than 300 days of sunshine each year. Importantly, Dubai Tourism highlights the fact that many of the emirate’s attractions are air-conditioned and therefore visited comfortably year-round.

middle east

Q&A

Airline partnerships have resulted in a massive increase of Australians travelling to the UAE. Steven Green, owner of Olive Tree Travel in Melbourne, shares his thoughts on the appeal of Dubai as a destination and the key elements of selling the destination to Australian travellers.

What is the appeal of Dubai as a destination?

Its geographical centrality, its impressive infrastructure and the fact that there is something for everyone.

budget, and there are very cool festivals and events to enhance the experience.

What were your own Dubai highlights?

Skiing in Dubai; my amazing hotel Jumeirah Zabeel Saray on the Palm; and water sliding at the Atlantis resort on the Palm.

How do you convince clients that it is worth more than a brief stopover en route to Europe?

Where else in the world could you be on the ski slopes in the morning and be 4WD-ing in the sand dunes of the desert in the afternoon? The main connecting EK flight from Dubai to Melbourne stops in Kuala Lumpur and gets back at a terrible time so you may as well break the journey, spend a few days and see what all the fuss about Dubai is about.

What are the biggest challenges in selling the destination?

The (incorrect) perception of being expensive, tacky and unsafe.

How can agents improve their Dubai product knowledge?

Attend seminars, do online training, but most importantly just get to Dubai!

What are the key elements to selling Dubai to the Australian market?

There is literally something for everyone, it’s totally safe, there’s a place to suit any

What tips would you give to other travel agents who want to sell Dubai?

Package up a two- to three-night night hotel stay with transfers and one or two activities and make it easy for your clients.

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Abu Dhabi Tour The Abu Dhabi Tour is an international bike race which will be introduced to the events calendar for the first time on 8 – 11 October. The Tour consists of four stages around the capital and the surrounding desert, beginning at Yas Marina and covering a total distance of 555km. In the evening after the Abu Dhabi Tour’s final stage, the tour will host the very first UCI Cycling Gala. The event will celebrate the end of the UCI professional road cycling season and its stakeholders in Abu Dhabi.

Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority

What’s on the calendar

The Abu Dhabi Art Programme runs 18 - 21 November in the Saadiyat Cultural District and is Abu Dhabi’s annual event for modern and contemporary art, design and cultural programmes. It features a set of art, talks and experiences for all audiences to enjoy. The Programme this year includes performances, panels, workshops, exhibitions, design presentations and artist installations featuring artists, curators, collectors, gallerists and scholars from around the world.

18 - 21 Nov

It may be the tail-end of summer for Abu Dhabi, but the capital city’s events calendar is showing no signs of cooling off, with a series of high-profile events coming up before the end of the year.

27 -29 Nov

Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Taking place on the 27, 28 and 29 November, the 2015 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is the Middle East’s biggest international sporting event and the final race of the 2015 season.

For the seventh year, Abu Dhabi will host Formula 1’s only twilight race. The Grand Prix is set on Yas Island, on the Eastern side of Abu Dhabi and the track runs alongside the island’s marina and passes under the 5-star Yas Viceroy hotel. When the races end the party begins, with four nights of after-race performances for F1 ticket holders.

Al Ain Air Championship The eleventh edition of the Al Ain Championship will take to the skies on December 17 to 19, with a new competition format and an expanded programme of on-the-ground entertainment. Pilots will compete to be named the Grand Champion at Al Ain International Airport, 14.8km from Al Ain. The event will feature gravity-defying wingwalkers, parachutists and a new-to-the-region aircraft line-up, while the 60,000 square metre Championship Village will offer a wide range of aircraft displays, interactive stands, runway demos and parades, a dedicated family area and a new line-up of food trucks.

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Abu Dhabi Art

Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority

Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority

8 - 11 Oct

travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2015

17 - 19 Dec

Kurush Pawar, Red Arrows, bit.ly/1E6Ks4A

middle east

Abu Dhabi arrivals surge Nearly two million visitors arrived into Abu Dhabi in the first six months of 2015, putting the destination on track to achieving its goal of 3.9 million guests for the year, according to the latest figures released by Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority.

The arrival numbers signalled a 17 per cent rise on the corresponding period in 2014, with a collective 5,728,765 guest nights generated in the emirate’s 163 hotel and hotel apartment properties, an increase of 11 per cent on last year.

Total revenues for hotel establishments jumped eight per cent to $1.25 billion, however the average length of stay decreased five per cent when compared to the first six months of last year.

Australia ranks in the top 12 of Abu Dhabi’s international source markets, with the top spot being taken out by India, closely followed by the UK and China.

“We set ourselves a challenging guest arrivals target of 3.9 million hotel guests for this year, which we are very confident

of achieving, especially given that our highly impressive half-year figures show double digit growth,” said Jasem Al Darmaki, acting director general of the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority.

“We remain committed to actively improve the average length of stay of our guests which has fallen by five per cent over the comparable period in 2014.

“We have a series of high-profile events coming up to entice our guests to spend more time here including our new extended 2015/16 season of Abu Dhabi Classics, the annual F1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and Abu Dhabi Art, and anticipate the traditionally strong second half of the year performance will pull average length of stay back up closer to three nights.”

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CHINA

On top

of the

world

By Kris Madden

T

ALES of magic and mystery have long attracted visitors to Tibet, and despite its challenges, the allure of this once forbidden land remains strong for the adventurous, cultural and spiritually-inclined traveller.

I’m about to board the T27 train at West Beijing Station for the 3760 kilometre, 44 hour journey to Lhasa.

Top Tours to Tibet Wendy Wu Tours’ 24-day ‘Tibetan Wonders’ group tour explores ancient trading routes, before flying to Lhasa and visiting a number of Tibetan cities.

Highlights include Mount Everest Base Camp and an overnight stay in the world’s highest monastery. n www.wendywutours.com World Expeditions currently offers 11 itineraries which incorporate Tibet. A 19-day Beijing to Kathmandu journey travels through China, Tibet and Nepal, including a flight to Xining and overnight train to Lhasa, then by vehicle to Kathmandu, diverting to view the north face of Mount Everest. n www.worldexpeditions.com Helen Wong’s Tours has a 20-day ‘Tibet and Yangtze’ guided tour priced from $6970pp twin share from Australia until June 2016. The tour begins in Beijing followed by Xian, before heading to Lhasa for three nights. An overnight rail journey to Xining follows, along with a Yangtze cruise. n www.helenwongstours.com

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There are three classes in each carriage: soft sleeper, hard sleeper and hard seat.

My advice would be to always book your clients in soft sleeper - but even though this is the highest grade of accommodation, the bunks beds (two upper and two lower) still sleep four people per compartment, and are often shared with strangers.

It’s a little bit of a squeeze, but quite comfortable, as far as train travel in China goes. Travelling by train in China does require a sense of adventure. For a start, most are not equipped with Western-style toilets, facilities can be basic, and because

clear day, the view ‘ofOntheaHimalayas from the top is magical ’

most locals travel this way, the train can become quite cramped.

The main advantages of travelling to the capital of Tibet this way are that you get a real feeling for just how vast the country is; you experience some of the world’s most unbelievable scenery; and most importantly, it allows you to slowly adapt to the high altitude conditions, as opposed to the sudden shift if you were to fly.

More than 80 per cent of the railway is higher than 4000 metres - the highest point is a lofty 5072 metres above sea level - almost as high as Everest Base Camp. As if that isn’t impressive enough, the Qinghai-Tibet railway holds nine world records, including highest railway in the world; highest train station (Tanggula Station, at 5068 metres above sea level) and highest railway tunnel (the 1.3-kilometre Fenghuoshan tunnel, at 4905 metres).

As we pass Golmud, 33 hours later,

and approach the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, a whooshing sound comes from a small vent in the wall, pumping oxygen-enriched air through the carriages. This is a safeguard against altitude sickness, a real threat to travellers in these areas. Those with medical conditions should seek their doctor’s advice before travelling.

The closer we get to Lhasa, the more Tibetan our surroundings become. There are prayer flags strung across fast-flowing glacial rivers and streaming colourfully down steep hillsides; people are harvesting barley or hand-ploughing their fields.

Known as the ‘Roof of the World’, Tibet is a barren wind-swept land of yak-herders, red-robed lamas, nomadic pilgrims and women with waist-long plaited hair wearing extraordinary amounts of turquoise jewellery.

Lhasa, the world’s highest city, is not for the faint-hearted. Translating as ‘Abode of the Gods’, it is literally, breath-taking.

Once we’ve acclimatised to the altitude, we venture through the old town, a labyrinth of crowded streets and noisy bazaars that reveals typical Tibetan city life. The city’s public plaza, Barkhor Square, is home to the Jokhang Temple. Built in 642, it’s considered the most sacred and spiritual temple in Tibet. If there is one thing Tibet is not short on, it’s temples. It’s one of the main reasons why people visit.

We watch the pilgrims, who have travelled from far and wide, walk in a counter-clockwise direction around the square, complete with goats, chickens, and laden with knapsacks you wouldn’t even attempt to carry.

The towering Potala Palace, former home of the Dalai Lama, and once the seat of the Tibetan government, is a now a UNESCO World Heritage site, home to precious relics.

On a clear day, the view of the Himalayas from the top is magical. Norbulingka, the

CHINA

Dalai Lama’s summer palace, is not quite as spectacular as the Potala Palace, but also holds a great deal of significance.

On weekday afternoons, the monks at Sera Monastery participate in philosophical debates and tourists are welcome to find a spot and watch. It’s an entertaining battle of spiritual prowess not to be missed.

There’s no doubt that travel can be challenging in Tibet – rules about access can change in a heartbeat, and if your permits are not perfect to the letter, you can find yourself hightailing it back to Beijing.

However, the ‘Roof of the World’ is unlike anywhere else on earth, and most travellers agree, any minor discomforts are well worth it.

Need to know

IMAGES CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Mt Everest Tibetan side (photographer Kris Madden); Monks debate at Sera Monastery Lhasa (Kris Madden); Tibetan woman (Richard l’Anson); Potala Palace Tibet (Helen Wong’s).

Getting There

All areas of the Tibet Autonomous Region require foreign travellers to be part of an organised tour that includes travel permits and an authorised tour guide, even if just staying in Lhasa. Special permits are required to travel in Tibet in addition to a valid China visa. Foreign travellers to Lhasa must pay a tour deposit in advance before they will process travel permits.

The deposit depends on the length of the tour and cost around $500 USD. Regulations change often so make sure to check for updates.

Currently, seven cities in mainland China offer direct trains to Lhasa, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu,

Chongqing, Xining and Lanzhou. All trains cross the Qinghai-Tibet Railway from Xining to Lhasa.

Air China flies daily to Beijing from most Australian capitals, with frequent connections to Chinese cities, including Lhasa. n www.airchina.com.au

Staying there Although some facilities can be basic, Lhasa is not without its star-rated properties including Four Points by Sheraton; Shangri La Hotel Lhasa; The St. Regis Lhasa Resort; and InterContinental Lhasa Paradise. The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Qinghai – Golmud is a slice of luxury in the middle of nowhere. n Further information www.cnto.org.au travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2015

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CHINA

Q&A

Long-time China specialist Helen Wong from Helen Wong’s Tours took some time out of her busy schedule to share some of her top tips for selling Tibet with travelBulletin.

Is there much interest in Tibet from Australian travellers?

Interest in Tibet is minimal on a world scale.

It is mainly for people with a special interest or high level of fitness.

What type of traveller would Tibet appeal to?

The adventurous kind, although the high altitude rail link has made access a little easier.

Is it safe? Has the recent Nepal earthquake had an effect on travel to Tibet?

Definitely safe, although the earthquake did have an effect on numbers of visitors.

The main roads have improved.

Is it possible to do Tibet in luxury?

Yes, as there are many five-star hotels now located in Tibet, The Banyan Tree among them.

Which areas of Tibet require an organised tour?

To apply for a travel permit into Tibet foreign travellers need to be on an organised tour with a confirmed itinerary that includes permits, a tour guide and a private vehicle with a driver.

What places and activities would you recommend?

On our Tibet and Yangtze group tour we focus on the capital Lhasa, with a free day to take it easy and acclimatise to the high altitude. Inspirational Potala

Boqiang Liao, http://bit.ly/1hHg0UM

Palace is the main focal point as well as the magnificent monasteries of Jokhang, Drepung and Sera and the tranquillity of Norbulingka, once the summer palace of the Dalai Lama. The Barkhor Bazaar, found near the old section of the city, is where you can appreciate the lifestyle of the Tibetan people. The scent of yak butter is prominent everywhere.

What are your top tips for agents wanting to sell Tibet?

Advise travellers of the dangers of travelling into a highly elevated region. They need to have a certain level of fitness in the thinner than usual air. Advise travellers of the need for a travel permit which can only be possible by being on an organised tour with itinerary; and lastly, clients should be prepared for a very different experience in a very different world.

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from $1,830 per person twin share Quality Accommodation Professional Tour Director First-class motorcoach Visits to must-see sights Many meals Ample free time

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To book call 1300 130 134 or visit cosmostours.com.au

*Terms & Conditions apply: All care is taken to promote correct pricing at time of printing, is dependent upon availability, and will be confirmed at time of reservation. From $1830 per person, twin share departing 15/08/16 includes tour, internal airfares and airport taxes. A non-refundable, non- transferable deposit of $250 per person/per tour is required within 14 days of booking to secure reservation. Early booking 2.5% discount: requires full payment four months or more prior to departure. Discount based on tour including extra night accommodations, extensions and transfers. Second Tour discount – multiple tours must travel in the same calendar year. Repeat Traveller Discount: must be a Journeys Club member and quote membership number at time of booking to receive 5% discount on the land-only portion of the core tour and twin share price, not including extra nights’ accommodations, extensions, taxes/fees, tips and supplements/reductions. Offer can be withdrawn or amended at any time without notice. Additional may restrictions apply. For full terms and conditions refer to the 2016 Cosmos Asia brochure. Licence Number 2TA000637.

HONG KONG & mACAU

A tale of...

TWO CITIES

By Gary Walsh

H

ONG Kong and Macau have so much in common, yet are so wonderfully different. Both are autonomous regions of China that were colonies until surprisingly recently - Hong Kong of Britain until 1997 and Macau of Portugal until 1999. They are physically close, just an hour apart by boat, and ethnically dominated

by Chinese people, speaking the same language, and sharing a dazzling food culture. But there are extraordinary contrasts between the two near neighbours.

Hong Kong has long been a major destination for Australian travellers - and it remains so, with visitation up 9.2 per cent in 54

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the first four months of this year over 2014 - either as a traditional stopover on the way to Europe or as a destination in its own right. Macau has been less in Australia’s consciousness until more recently, but is now firmly on the map, and not just among gamblers attracted by its Las Vegasstyle casinos.

Hong Kong’s glories are in-your-face - the beauty of the harbour with its endless activity, the majestic skyline, Victoria Peak and its panoramic views, the charm of the Star ferries and the double-decker trams.

And these days Macau doesn’t hide its appeal either - the brilliant light shows and feverish activities of the giant casinos along the Cotai Strip contrasting with the stately beauty of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed

historic centre, highlighted by the iconic ruins of St Paul’s.

While Hong Kong’s tourism figures remain strong, with more than 69,000 Australians arriving in April this year - a rise of almost 20 per cent over the previous year - Macau is struggling somewhat, with Australian visitation down by 20 per cent in the first four months of the year compared with the same period in 2014. Australia, however, remains Macau’s seventh-biggest market, which is dominated by mainland Chinese and visitors from Hong Kong.

Macau also suffers from what might be called ‘short-term syndrome’ - the average length of stay is just one night, compared with four nights for Hong Kong. Most of its visitors other than mainland Chinese

HONG KONG & mACAU

and Hong Kong citizens focused on its gambling attractions are on day trips from Hong Kong.

Both destinations continue to grow their accommodation options. Hong Kong is set to add about 4000 hotel rooms to its inventory this year, taking the total to almost 75,000.

The Hong Kong Tourism Board has identified a trend towards boutique hotel openings with properties such as Swire Hotels’ East and The Upper House, The Mira, Hotel LKF, Lan Kwai Fong hotel, Hullett House, The Jervois, The Putman, J Plus, Hotel Icon and The Luxe Manor.

Macau’s hotel focus is on big-is-best casino/hotels and themed properties, typified by the recent opening of the 1015room JW Marriott Macau in the massive

Galaxy Resort complex. The Ritz-Carlton Macau opened on the same day in the same complex, but by contrast is a small, all-suite property with just 254 rooms. May also saw the opening of Broadway Macau, a recreated hawker style street market that also features a 320-room hotel. It is also part of the Galaxy development. Future projects will take Macau’s inventory to more than 40,000 rooms by the end of 2018.

Hong Kong, too, has the appeal of theme parks at Disneyland Hong Kong and Ocean Park. Both are constantly expanding.

Disneyland Hong Kong is preparing a new Iron Man Experience, Disney’s first themed area focused on a Marvel Comics character, while Ocean Park is developing a new allweather water park, with three new hotels

also in the pipeline.

The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge at Lingdingyang in the Pearl River Estuary is set to open in 2017, designed to assist both passenger and freight traffic between the three cities. It will be a 29.6km dual three-lane carriageway that will include a 6.7km tunnel. Hong Kong will also open a new 26km section of the GuangzhouShenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link that will enhance its role as the southern gateway to the Chinese mainland. It will slash travel time to Guangzhou (Canton) to just 45 minutes when it opens at the end of 2017.

And the runway of the infamous former Kai Tak Airport is being turned into a new cruise terminal, able to berth the largest cruise vessels. travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2015

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HONG KONG & mACAU

TOP Hong Kong 5 Avenue of Stars

Ruins of St Paul’s

Hong Kong has long styled itself as the ‘Hollywood of the East’ and this tribute to the local film industry on the promenade at Tsim Sha Tsui is also a nod to the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame. Some of the movie identities will be unfamiliar to most Western audiences, but there is no mistaking the bronze statue of kung fu hero Bruce Lee.

The façade of this 16th century church sits regally atop a hill at the heart of Macau’s historic centre, and is its most recognisable feature. The stone façade was carved by exiled Japanese Christians and beneath are crypts and a museum. The view is outstanding.

The Peak

Macau Tower

The view from Victoria Peak is iconic spectacular at any time, but unforgettable at night. There are several vantage points, but among the very best is from Sky Terrace 428 on top of the anvilshaped Peak Tower. Getting there is half the fun with the Peak Tram, which has trundled up the mountain since 1888.

The 338m tower offers much more than stunning views of Macau and the Pearl River Delta. It is a mecca for the adventurous, with bungy jumping, Skyjump, Skywalk and Tower Climb options. There is also a revolving restaurant and observation decks.

Temple SREEt Night Market

Senado Square

This chaotic market in Yau Ma Tei in Kowloon is the place to spend an evening of haggling over copy watches, clothes, antiques both genuine and fake, gemstones and electronics while being entertained

by Chinese opera singers and fortune tellers.

The UNESCO-listed colonial heart of the Macau is characterised by elaborate mosaic footpaths – with no vehicles to disturb the peace – and gracious old buildings. The beauty is best appreciated at Senado Square (Largo do Senado), a public square featuring a charming fountain and ringed by historic structures including the former senate.

Man Mo Temple

Cotai Strip

This temple, which dates to the 1840s, is devoted to both the god of war and the god of literature. Its most distinctive sight is the hundreds of giant incense coils that hang from its ceiling. It is on Hollywood Road in the Shueng Wan district.

This is one of the main casino districts and probably the most spectacular, especially at night. Among the casinos is the absurdly big Venetian Macau, which has 3000 rooms and an odd recreation of Venice within, complete with Chinese gondoliers. It’s all a bit over the top, but fun to suspend belief.

Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple

Coloane Village

This dazzlingly-coloured temple is sacred to three religions - Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism - and promises to make every wish come true on request. It is, understandably, very popular. Along with the vibrant temple buildings there is a striking Good Wish Garden decorated with chinoiserie.

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Much of Macau is new, with the mega hotels and casinos on areas such as the Cotai Strip dazzling the senses.

A visit to this lovely old fishing village is quite a contrast and hints at what Macau was once like. There is a charming square, temples and churches and make sure you buy a Portuguese tart from Lord Stow’s Bakery.

HONG KONG & mACAU

HKTB launches ‘My time for Hong Kong’ THE Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) recently launched its new branding ‘My time for Hong Kong’, with the aim of providing a personal connection between travellers and the destination so they can explore beyond its iconic attractions and discover its hidden gems.

The HKTB says this new direction is a move away from a focus on product to showcase “an emotional connection and engagement with the destination, enabling visitors to shape and share their unique and personal Hong Kong travel experiences with friends and family”.

The new branding will focus on inviting visitors to explore the many different worlds in Hong Kong, and via word of mouth and content generation, share these experiences with their networks.

The ‘My time for’ brand tagline can be tailored depending on the key messages and focus of each campaign to highlight a variety of themes including ‘My time for inspiration’ and ‘My time for exploration’.

The HKTB has invested in a master photography project to produce a series of new destination images which capture the city’s sights, sounds and stories and clearly portray the ‘My time for’ branding. These new images will be used across the HKTB’s advertising, events, publicity, social media and online promotions globally.

Q&A

The HKTB has also revamped its trade website – PartnerNet, which is designed to provide travel trade partners with the most up-to-date information on Hong Kong’s tourism industry. The website aims to contact trade partners around the world and includes interactive features, such as industry news, research and statistics, e-Marketplace, events calendar, photo image library and publications plus access to the HKTB’s online training tool, Hong Kong Specialist.

Registration to PartnerNet is free and provides members with the opportunity to promote their business to a global network and make contact with potential business partners in Hong Kong. To register for PartnerNet visit http://partnernet.hktb.com Agents can direct clients to the ‘My Hong Kong Guide’ website and smartphone app, a customised “virtual travel guide” which visitors can use to plan, explore and share their personal itineraries with friends across social media. The guide provides travellers with content from local experts as well as information on popular tourist attractions and events. An added feature for visitors, when in the destination, is the ability to ‘shake’ their phone to automatically highlight additional attractions nearby. n Visit http://guide.discoverhongkong.com/au

Often considered stopover destinations, Hong Kong and Macau have plenty to offer in their own right. Mobile Travel Agent Anne Coombes shares her tips for selling these two Chinese pearls.

How well do Hong Kong and Macau sell in your business?

Generally my clients see Hong Kong and Macau as a great way to break their European journey, enjoying some of the vibrancy of Hong Kong and Macau on their way to or from Europe or the UK. What are the key selling points for Hong Kong and Macau?

Both destinations are well served by many airlines and the flying distance is shorter than Dubai, making the trip to Europe seem shorter. The excellent airport train makes getting into the city easy so the client’s Hong Kong holiday can start within 90 minutes of landing. Hong Kong and Macau are also great value. Macau has five-star hotels at incredible prices and the nightlife is amazing. Hong Kong offers a broader

range of activities whether it’s parks, The Peak, fantastic shopping, or outstanding food - too many great places to list. There is so much to do in Hong Kong.

Are there any challenges with selling the destinations?

Not really. Because the variety of accommodation and eating options is so broad in each location, any traveller’s budget can be accommodated.

Are Hong Kong and Macau seen (and sold) mainly as a stopover, or are they viewed as destinations in their own right?

As I mentioned before, most of my clients want to use Hong Kong and Macau as a stopover on the way to Europe, however I do have one client group that returns to Hong Kong every year as a destination.

How can agents improve their product knowledge of Hong Kong and Macau?

Just as I do with any destination, by visiting. My clients really appreciate it when I can tell them some of the highlights and also let them know about some of the lesser known parts of a city, drawing from personal experience.

What advice would you give to other agents selling the destinations?

Try to shift the mentality from stopover to destination. For clients having their first taste of Asia, Hong Kong and Macau are safe and fun with something for everyone.

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Ships salsa to south america

Ocean cruising

By Kris Madden

S

outh America is a hot destination for Australians at the moment, not only for exploration by land, but by sea. Cruising is emerging as an alternative for travellers wanting to experience multiple destinations on this vast continent, with the most recent industry statistics [2013] showing a 75 per cent rise in the number of Australians cruising South American waters.

Encompassing thousands of kilometres, with 14 countries and territories extending from the equatorial tropics to the subAntarctic, there’s a lot of ground to cover, and much of it is best seen by ship.

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Ecruising.travel product manager Carina Mullen says interest in South America is high, and growing, with multiple cruise lines operating in the region and expanding their offerings.

“South America can be a daunting destination and navigating different modes of transport, airports and organising an independent itinerary can be challenging. A cruise is a stress free way to experience this part of the world. There are different styles of cruising on offer from large ships, to mid-size ships and smaller expedition style vessels, so there is an option to suit most people and budgets.

“The most popular itinerary is a cruise between Santiago, Chile and Buenos Aires,

Argentina with highlights being the Chilean Fjords and travelling around Cape Horn.

Many people choose to add on an Iguazu Falls trip from Buenos Aires which can be easily arranged,” she says.

Princess Cruises VP Australia & New Zealand, Stuart Allison says more Australians are recognising that cruise ships present a very comfortable and affordable way of visiting these remote and exotic areas.

“Our new South America circumnavigation has attracted huge interest and is the only one of its kind from Australia. To tackle an itinerary like this from land would be a real feat – but we’re giving Australians the chance to see all these places in a very relaxed and comfortable way as they cruise between ports.

OCEAN CRUISING

No airports, no repacking, no long bus trips – they just have to sit back and unwind as the destinations come to them,” says Allison.

Princess’ round trip voyage to the continent includes Chile’s Amelia Glacier, Tierra De Fuego, sailing around Cape Horn, Salvador during the Carnival, a full transit of the Panama Canal and overnight stays in Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro and Lima. There are also overland excursions to Iguazu Falls, Machu Picchu and the Galapagos Islands.

On board, passengers are immersed in the colours and cultures of the region with regional cuisine, tango dancing and expert presentations on each destination.

Karen Christensen, Silversea’s general manager Australasia, says the luxury cruise line has seen a steady increase in the number of Australian guests seeking information about cruising within South America, and ultimately booking.

“Feedback from our guests is that an attractive itinerary is the key decision maker when booking a South America holiday,” says Christensen.

“Our guests can indulge in the beaches of Brazil, the icy majesty of Argentina and the breathtaking fjords of Chile, all in one luxurious trip. For adventurous travellers, voyages to South America’s more remote destinations provide guests with the opportunity to travel from Guayaquil, Ecuador to Valparaiso, Chile and beyond to Ushuaia, Argentina. Our itineraries also enable guests to experience the stark beauty of the Atacama Desert and its Valley of the Moon; the ‘White City’ of Arequipa; or the coasts of Chile and Argentina.”

Gareth James, general manager of Lindblad Expeditions Australia, says South America holds mass appeal as it is still home to relatively untouched landscapes and

wildlife, therefore enhancing the cruise and travel experience for guests.

“Lindblad Expeditions - National Geographic have been exploring this part of the world for almost 50 years - we send more Australians to the Galápagos Islands than any other overseas destination that we offer,” says James. “Our focus is on enrichment, onboard and onshore, and visits to offbeat ports in South America with naturalists, historians and undersea specialists on each trip.”

For customers in search of natural beauty and breathtaking scenery, mountains, fjords and tropical rainforests that seem to stretch forever, cosmopolitan cities, and indigenous peoples and cultures, South America is a cruise revelation. South America is, of course, too big to sample on a single cruise, creating a wealth of opportunities for repeat sales to clients enchanted by the destination.

HOT PRODUCT Oceania Cruises has a total of 13 South American cruises in 2015/2016. The 21-day ‘Alluring Andes and Majestic Fjords’ cruise from Lima to Buenos Aires aboard Regatta visits the Nazca Lines in Peru; a number of ports in Chile including the Chilean Fjords; Argentina and Uruguay.

Prices start from $7520 pp, with bonus savings of $4,700 per stateroom. n www.oceaniacruises.com Princess Cruises’ 84-day ‘Circle South America’ voyage aboard Sea Princess departs Sydney on 11 January 2017, visiting 28 ports across 18 countries including Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador and Uruguay. Prices start from $17,999 pp twin-share. The cruise is also available from Auckland and Brisbane. n www.princess.com Silversea’s 66-day ‘Grand Voyage South America’ departing Florida on 15 January 2016 aboard Silver Spirit takes guests on an epic circumnavigation, cruising to Brazil’s world heritage listed cities, before continuing to Argentina, Patagonia, Chile’s west coast, and Peru. Includes a pre-cruise overnight stay at the Boca Raton Resort, as well as two Silversea Experiences in Devil’s Island and Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. Prices start from $35,910 pp. n www.silversea.com

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Ocean cruising

IN THE PIPELINE: BIGGER, BOLDER, BETTER Bigger, more technologically-advanced than ever, and with a host of never-seen-before facilities; more and more ships are coming online to meet ever-growing demand in the burgeoning cruise industry.

BY THE SEASIDE MSC Cruises has cut the first steel on MSC Seaside, marking a new generation of ships and a seven-ship investment plan that will double its capacity by 2022. The 5,179-passenger MSC Seaside will be the biggest ship built to date in the Italian Fincantieri shipyards. The ship, set to debut in November 2017, will be based year-round in Miami and sail a wide range of Caribbean itineraries. A second identical ship will enter service in 2018. MSC Cruises also has an option for an additional Seaside generation ship to be delivered by 2021.

In other news, also two years ahead of its inaugural cruise, MSC Cruises recently announced the opening of sales for MSC Meraviglia, the line’s other next-generation ship. n www.msccruises.com.au

LUXURY ON THE WATER

NORWEGIAN BREAKS AWAY SCHEDULED to debut in October, the 4,200-passenger Norwegian Escape will have the largest aqua park at sea; largest ropes course at sea, a miniature golf course, a full-size basketball court and a bocce ball court. The vessel is an expanded version of Norwegian’s popular Norwegian Getaway and Norwegian Breakaway, and will be the line’s largest ship to date. NCL is also currently building two new Breakaway-Plus class cruise ships for delivery in the second quarter 2018 and fourth quarter 2019. n www.norwegiancruiseline.com.au

THERE’S much excitement about the new vessel for Regent Seven Seas that’s being billed as the most luxurious ever. Regent Seven Seas’ 750-passenger Seven Seas Explorer is scheduled to debut in July 2016, and claims the highest ratio of space to passengers in the history of cruising, along with some of the most opulent suites at sea. n www.rssc.com.au

STANDING OVATION

VIKINGS AT SEA

Ovation of the Seas, the fourth largest cruise ship in the world (eclipsed only by sister ships Harmony of the Seas, Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas) and the largest and most technologically advanced ship to ever call Australia home, has had one of her blocks floated out of the construction hall at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany.

Delivery is expected to be in mid-2016.

Bookings are open for Ovation’s first Australian season, with three Australian and New Zealand sailings and a repositioning sailing all departing Sydney in December 2016. n www.royalcaribbean.com.au

A little more than a month after Viking Ocean Cruises christened its first ship, Viking Star, a second ship, the 930-passenger Viking Sea, has been floated out at Fincantieri’s Ancona shipyard in Italy. Viking Sea is set to launch in early 2016; while the company’s third ship on order, Viking Sky, is also currently under construction and will debut in 2017. All three ships will sail popular routes in Scandinavia, the Baltic, and the Western and Eastern Mediterranean. n www.vikingcruises.com.au/oceans

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OCEAN CRUISING

Cuba opens up as new cruise hotspot

MSC Cruises has announced that from December, the newly refurbished 2,120 passenger MSC Opera will homeport in Havana for the northern winter 2015-16 season. MSC will be the first global cruise line to offer travellers the opportunity to visit Cuba and set sail on one of 16 Caribbean itineraries.

The first cruise will depart from Havana on 22 December 2015, following MSC Opera’s

Life

Grand Voyage to Cuba from Genoa, departing 2 December 2015. On 12 April 2016, the ship will leave Havana for Europe.

During their two-and-a-half-day stay in Havana, MSC Opera’s guests can explore the city’s UNESCO World Heritage-listed old centre; discover its history, culture and architecture; and stroll along the famous Malecón seafront promenade, where the island’s renowned laid-back lifestyle is in full effect.

“The move to Cuba attests to our commitment to offer our guests the best and most sought-after destinations as they become accessible – thus further enhancing our global offering while providing travellers best-in-class experiences and service,” said Gianni Onorato, chief executive officer of MSC Cruises.

The company says it expects strong demand for the product due to the attractiveness of Cuba as a culture-rich destination. MSC Cruises will partner with locally-based Cubanacan to offer ground services and shore excursions.

Meanwhile, Carnival Corporation has received approval from the U.S. Treasury

2016

Department to sail its new Fathom brand to Cuba. The cruises will focus on voluntourism, thereby falling into the category of social, cultural and humanitarian travel, one of the current 12 criteria for authorized travel to the country.

Cuba cruises sailing out of Miami will begin in May 2016, a month after the Fathom brand launches with sailings to the Dominican Republic. Carnival has priced the sailings at US$2,990 per person, nearly double the cost of Fathom’s Dominican Republic cruises, however the cost includes pre arrival social impact immersion experiences and cultural activities in Cuba.

Tara Russell, president of Fathom and global impact lead for Carnival Corporation, said “We’re incredibly excited and humbled by this potential opportunity to help travellers experience the amazing beauty and culture of Cuba, while being able to provide educational and cultural exchange activities that will benefit both the traveller and the Cuban people. Cuba represents an important step for us to expand our ability to offer meaningful and enriching experiences to purpose-driven travellers.”

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Ocean cruising

Australia gears up for bumper cruise season

Australia is already the ‘fourth-largest region in the world for cruise ship deployment and it looks like this season is a sign of even bigger things to come.

’

The 2015-16 summer cruise season will be the biggest on record for Australia, with the added bonus of some great bargains for Australian cruisers.

P&O is headlining a stellar season with five ships converging on Sydney Harbour in November. The line’s newly expanded fleet – which includes the new Pacific Aria and Pacific Eden – will create a spectacular sight when all five ships sail into the harbour on 25 November, bringing with it 15,000 interstate and local passengers and crew.

The cruise line said its 2015-16 program will feature 250 cruises from eight different homeports across the five-ship fleet, which also includes Pacific Dawn, Jewel and Pearl. Four of theships will return to Sydney Harbour to celebrate Australia Day in

New Zealand.

Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Solstice will also be in town; while Azamara Club Cruises, will base its first ship ever in Australia, with Azamara Quest offering five voyages in the region between December 2015 and February next year.

Carnival Australia is also looking forward to a big year, with 17 ships cruising in local waters in addition to the five P&O vessels.

In November, Carnival Spirit, Pacific Dawn and Pacific Jewel will sail from Sydney to Melbourne for the Melbourne Cup, with Pacific Dawn joining them from Brisbane.

Princess Cruises will welcome a fifth ship to its Australian-based fleet in October 2015 when the Golden Princess debuts Down Under. The ship will be deployed in Melbourne for her maiden Australian season from October 2015 to March 2016, claiming the mantle of the largest cruise ship ever to be based in the Victorian capital. Sun Princess will sail from Brisbane through to November 2015 before relocating to Fremantle; while Sea Princess will offer cruises from Brisbane from November 2015 to April 2016 and Diamond Princess and Dawn Princess will cruise from Sydney over the summer months.

Australia is already the fourth-largest region in the world for cruise ship deployment and it looks like this season is a sign of even bigger things to come.

January. In total, the ships will make a record 96 sailings from Sydney in 2016.

Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines Australia is counting down to its biggest season yet, which will see the cruise line’s local capacity increase by almost 50 per cent. This year will see all three brands based in local waters for the very first time, with six ships offering diverse itineraries from local ports.

Royal Caribbean International will homeport its mega-liner, Explorer of the Seas, in Sydney from November this year, and will base Legend of the Seas in Brisbane for the summer. RCI’s two other liners Voyager of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas, will also call Sydney home during the season.

Together, the four ships will offer more than 70 itineraries in Australia, South Pacific and

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*Conditions apply. SUPER SAVER DISCOUNT must be booked and deposited by 30 September 2015. Valid new bookings only. Subject to availability at time of booking. Combinable with loyalty discounts however not combinable with any other offer or promotion.

MSC Poesia prices based on 17, 24 Apr & 06, 13 Nov 2016 departures. MSC Orchestra prices based on 24 Apr 2016 departure. Northern Europe prices based on 20 and 27 Aug 2016 departure. All details, prices, itineraries and maps are correct as at 21/08/15 and subject to change or withdrawal at anytime without notice. ^Children under 13 years cruise free when sharing one cabin with two full paying adults and only pay port charges from $AU175 per child per cruise.

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AD01 21 Aug 15

OCEAN CRUISING

FACELIFT FOR AN OLD QUEEN New kennels for four-legged travellers feature among the new improvements to be made to the world’s most iconic ocean liner, Queen Mary 2, when she spends 25 days in dry dock at the end of May 2016.

Just as families are holidaying across the generations, pets are increasingly seen as integral to the family group. Queen Mary 2 is already the only cruise liner in the world to offer dedicated kennels and currently carries up to 12 dogs and cats on its transatlantic crossings, with kennel places frequently selling out.

With an eye to the detail that differentiates Cunard, both a lamp post (for English dogs) and a fire hydrant (for American dogs) will be installed on the area of deck reserved for dog walking as part of the development, so that dogs from either side of the pond will feel equally at home. This was previously a feature of the kennels on Cunard’s former flagship, QE2, and was first introduced on board Queen Mary at the suggestion of The Duke of Windsor.

Other changes include the introduction of single staterooms in response to the increasing numbers of guests either travelling solo; or in multi-generational groups, where

one member of the family is typically travelling as an individual.

Thirty additional Britannia Club balcony staterooms will be created reflecting the growing trend for balcony staterooms and for guests wishing for more flexibility in dining arrangements. Guests in these staterooms will be able to dine at whatever time they choose in the dedicated Britannia Club restaurant, which will also be expanded.

Cunard director, Angus Struthers, said extensive research had informed a series of further developments which will be revealed

over the coming months, building on the flagship’s strengths as the epitome of luxury on a grand scale.

Australians can experience the newly refurbished Queen Mary 2 on a number of seven-night east or westbound transatlantic crossings in 2016 and 2017 including a New York departure on 9 August 2016 with fares from $1539 per person twin share.

A Southampton sailing for New York on 19 November 2016 is priced from $1399* per person twin share. n www.cunardline.com.au

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last word

UNUSUAL EXPERIENCES

GET YOUR SKIS READY Congratulations to Tina Millington from Travel Counsellors who has been selected as the lucky winner of the French ski trip, courtesy of Club Med and Air France, featured in the July issue of travelBulletin.

Thanks to Air France, Tina and a friend will be flying to France in economy class. They’ll then enjoy seven nights accommodation in one of Club Med’s ski resorts at Val d’Isere, Valmorel or Peisey Vallandry. During their stay at the all-inclusive resort they will experience gourmet dining, all day snacking and an open bar including beer, wine and delicious cocktails.

Ski passes, ski/snowboard lessons and nightly entertainment are all also part of this fantastic trip.

Tina wowed our judges with this winning entry: Air France, the only way to fly, to the Alps, the pistes are high...

Club Med you’ll have a ball, ‘cause, they have it all!

crossword puzzle

ACROSS 1. Rescued (5) 3. Schemes (5) 6. Lower jaw (4) 7. Chinese labourer (6) 9. Bloodsucking worm (5) 10. Rude dwellings (4) 11. Admiration (3) 13. Is not (4) 15. Land along the edge of a sea (5) 18. Pressed (6) 19. Pre Easter season (4) 20. Shouts (5) 21. Natural talent (5) 64

travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2015

DOWN 1. Largest island in the Mediterranean (6) 2. Communication medium (5) 3. Foretell (8) 4. Young owl (5) 5. Goes to law (4) 8. Breaks (8) 12. Zone (6) 14. Ruin (5) 16. Musical drama (5) 17. Greasy (4)

Journeying on the Underground in London is an essential experience for any traveller, but for those clients who are a bit more adventurous, why not suggest taking part in a treasure hunt throughout the city’s bustling metro network?

The London Underground Treasure Hunt is available through Virgin Experience Days and runs every Thursday night in London, though it has to be prebooked. The challenging and fun experience will test your logic and deduction skills as you undergo the treasure hunt while competing against other teams. The Treasure Hunt takes two hours to complete (if you get back on time) and includes mental and physical tests as you seek the treasure.

Included in the £25 price is a gift pack with official London Underground merchandise and prizes for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th placed teams (as well as consolation prizes for those who were less proficient). n www.bit.ly/tblondontreasurehunt

Monument Entrance, Andrew Bowden, bit.ly/1IRpvLg

> win MOVIE TICKETS!

Where in the World?

Almost one third of the earth’s surface is counted as desert, but where is this one located? If you have any idea, send your answer to comps@travelbulletin.com.au and go in the draw to WIN a double pass from HOYTS. Congratulations to last month’s winner of a Marco Polo guide book, Melodie Helberg from Tripaway Cruise & Travel. She correctly answered that the island was Le Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy, France.

travelBulletin SEPTEMBER 2015

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