HOUSE PROUD - J U LY 2 0 1 6 I S S U E -
IN THIS ISSUE:
• B R A N D C A M PA I G N
• N T I A A WA R D S F I N A L I S T S
• ON THE MOVE
• C U S TO M E R E X C E L L E N C E AW A R D S
• REGIONAL ROUND UP
• C U S TO M E R F E E D B A C K
• FAMIL S
• L E T ’ S C E L E B R AT E -1-
- MOD’S FOREWORD -
Can you believe we are already over halfway through 2016? And what a year it has been so far! With HOT Conference and Awards still fresh in our minds, I’d like to open this latest edition of House Proud by reiterating a huge congratulations to all our award-winners. If you’re anything like me, awards night probably feels like a distant memory, especially since the following months have been so full on. Not only is this an incredibly busy time for us all, in the last month alone we have rolled out a new brand campaign. After a five year journey, we went public the same weekend as the Business Partnership Conference and announced HOT’s newest (and most strategic) point-of-difference ‘The best holidays are created together.’ I am delighted to say that the feedback has been incredibly positive, with key suppliers complimenting the launch and several OO’s reporting that their clients love our new branding. A really special part of the weekend was the recognition given to Ian Welsh who has recently retired from HOT Blenheim after 28 years with the company. On the night, Chris’s speech, coupled with a few colourful stories and Ian’s reaction were suitably all legendary. It played out to be a very touching addition to the weekend. Congratulations to those who were nominated for this quarter’s Customer Excellence Award, as well as to the wider team who I know all work tirelessly to create the best holidays for
our clients. With a focus on customer service excellence, these awards celebrate all those who meet the ever-increasing demand to deliver personalised holiday experiences. It’s been wonderful to read the nominations, and the positive feedback I continually receive from customers is always incredible. It’s also been a huge few months for Orbit World Travel. We opened our London office on 13 June and on 1 July we rebranded WTP in Australia to Orbit World Travel. These are two momentous occasions for Orbit in the corporate market, creating a significant point of difference and opportunities for the brand in both New Zealand and Australia. I have no doubt that more exciting news is yet to come. The National Travel Industry Awards are coming up in September and we are finalists in ten categories. Well done to all those who are finalists. I wish you all the best of luck when the results are announced. It is awesome to have industry recognition for the fantastic people that work across both HOT and Orbit. Continuing with the theme of fantastic, for the 5th year running we have been named one of NZ’s most desirable places to work in the Randstad Awards. Not only were we the highest ranked travel company, but Randstad made special mention of HOT, as we are the only company that has consistently been in the Top 20 for the last 5 years. It’s an outstanding achievement we should all be proud of.
The regional activity highlighted in this issue is phenomenal. From duck races, to representing HOT in the community and our incredible support of Hospice, it’s all really pleasing to see. And last but not least, congratulations to all the new parents, newlyweds and recently engaged, it’s certainly been a memorable six months in more ways than one! Enjoy the rest of House Proud. MOD During Hospice Awareness week 16-22 May staff got behind and supported the cause. MOD joined in the collection efforts along Queen Street, Auckland.
IN THIS ISSUE:
08 ON THE MOVE
2 0 C U S TO M E R F E E D B A C K 21 FAMIL S
03 GENERAL NEWS
0 9 C U S TO M E R E X C E L L E N C E AWA R D S
0 6 N T I A A WA R D S F I N A L I S T S
10 REGIONAL ROUND UP
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2 3 L E T ’ S C E L E B R AT E
- GENERAL NEWS -
House of Travel brand campaign On Friday, 27 May we unveiled our new brand campaign to business partners and a small handful of suppliers at Villa Maria in Auckland. We received really positive
feedback on the night, with everyone loving the authenticity of the campaign – and the amazing food and wine at Villa Maria!
Customer Experience
S I N G L E P R O F I L E I N D O L P H I N & V O I C E O F C U S TO M E R Two exciting projects are launching in the coming weeks – Single Profile in Dolphin and Voice of Customer Single Profile in Dolphin will mean our customers exist once in our database, making it easier for us to know our customers and
tailor the way we communicate with them. Our Voice of Customer programme allows customers to give us feedback on different parts of their interactions with HOT, both in store and online. It will be a key tool to help each of us ensure we continue to deliver
life enriching travel experiences for our customers. Keep an eye out for more information and training for each of these programmes in the coming weeks.
Ian Welsh
R E T I R E S F R O M H OT B L E N H E I M Over the Business Partnership weekend the group celebrated the amazing career of recently retired Ian Welsh. Ian has been a part of the New Zealand travel industry for the last 45 years - 28 of them with House of Travel - working in airlines and retail travel before joining House of Travel and opening the Blenheim store in 1987. Over the last 28 years the business has grown considerably and has been recognised for its
performance featuring some of HOT’s top consultants. Ian has played an integral role within the group and states that one of his biggest achievements from when he started, “was morphing from a seat of the pants operation to being part of a highly respected, very successful and much loved brand.” Here are some thoughts Ian thinks are worth sharing:
‘Value and grow your people’ ‘Every problem has an answer but you may need to think differently to find it’ ‘Actively embrace Holdings and the abilities and wisdom that lie within’ ‘Make sure that you lead a balanced life that includes your family and other interests’ ‘Constantly build and nurture relationships’
Randstad Award House of Travel has been named one of New Zealand’s Most Attractive Employers in the annual Randstad Award for 2016. On top of that, it’s the 5th year that we’ve placed in a top 20 position – something we are incredibly proud of. With over 35% of all New Zealanders claiming they would like to work for us, we fought off fierce competition from over 150 of New Zealand’s largest employers. The Randstad award is unique in that it’s based purely on public perception and recognises which organisations New Zealanders perceive as the most attractive employers in the country. -3-
- GENERAL NEWS -
Orbit goes international On 13 June Orbit World Travel celebrated its first global office opening the doors of Orbit London. The London office, managed by Orbit staff from NZ, will manage all of Orbit’s after hours services for clients, as well as offering specific UK and Europe travel management solutions. A key focus for the Orbit business is to ensure travellers are continually receiving unique and personalised travel experiences, every time they travel. With duty of care and traveller safety being more relevant than ever, having Orbit’s after hours service managed from the London office will allow Orbit to offer clients a true and fresh after hours approach. Clients need the peace of mind and confidence that their
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travellers are being looked after and managed 24/7. ‘Normal business hours’ are not set in stone anymore – the London office is a direct response to this need for business clients. Orbit travellers will receive the same 24/7 service that they currently receive, but rather than the New Zealand based staff working through the night, London staff will cover this time as part of their normal working day. The London team will support all of Orbit’s offices. This new approach to supporting clients after hours is something that is yet to be matched by anyone else in the market. Pretty exciting news!
- GENERAL NEWS -
Orbit NZ’s first beacon technology In a New Zealand-first, an innovative technology solution that communicates directly with travellers via an app was recently launched to improve the level of service New Zealand business travellers receive. The ‘beacon’ technology is being used by Orbit World Travel and will provide travellers with an extra level of personalised service. The key driver behind the use of the beacon technology is to ensure our travellers are continually receiving unique and personalised travel experiences, every time they travel. By introducing beacons, travellers can now enjoy the added extras offered by Orbit’s preferred hotel partners. When a traveller arrives at a selected Orbit hotel the beacon technology will recognise them through the Orbit App, via bluetooth. A notification will then be sent to that traveller’s phone (like a text message) as well as to the inbox of the Orbit Travel App. What the message says and offers is completely up to the hotel and could be anything from a personalised greeting, to details about inclusions for their stay at the hotel, to additional services or a free drink, exclusively for Orbit travellers. Investing in innovative technology and travel solutions for our travellers is a huge part of the Orbit business – we are always looking for ways to make business travel that little bit easier, less stressful and more inspiring.
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- N T I A AWA R D S F I N A L I S T S -
A big congratulations to the finalists of the 2015 National Travel Industry Awards. Between House of Travel and Orbit we have been named in 14 categories. The awards ceremony will be held at the Sky City Convention Centre on Saturday 10 September.
“
We’re incredibly excited to be a finalist for Best Travel Agency Brand, after having
B E S T T R AV E L A G E N CY -BRAND-
H O U S E O F T R AV E L
won this prestigious award for the past three years. We believe we have a great story to tell about everything we did as a brand in 2015 - delivering life enriching travel experiences for our customers, along with all our community involvement,
”
particularly for the tenth anniversary of our relationship with Hospice. - K e n F r e e r, M a r k e t i n g D i r e c t o r -
- B E S T B R A N D R E TA I L S I N G L E L O C AT I O N -
NEWMARKET
House of Travel Newmarket has added another couple of award nominations to their collection, being named as a finalist in the
“
Best Brand Retail – Single Location category and Best Travel Consultant – Retail at this year’s National Travel Industry Awards.
HOT Newmarket has been in operation for 30 years now – the fact that we are still
winning and being nominated for awards is a tribute to the staff’s drive to always be
looking for ways to do things better. We are here for our customers first and foremost,
”
and that comes through in everything we do. - C l a r e J a c ks o n -
- B E S T T R AV E L C O N S U LTA N T R E TA I L -
TO N Y JAC KS O N , N E W M A R K E T
“
I am stoked to have been nominated for the Best Travel Consultant Award. Obviously having recognition from your peers in the industry is the ‘icing on the cake’ as such.
Just to be nominated is great - so fingers crossed! We work in a very demanding (and ever changing industry) – so any award is special. I work with an amazing team in
”
Newmarket. I am lucky to have a number of long-standing loyal clients. - To n y J a c k s o n -
- B E S T B R A N D R E TA I L M U LT I L O C AT I O N -
H AST I N G S A N D H AV E LO C K N O RT H Jenny Nilsson House of Travel in Hawke’s Bay is a finalist for the Best Brand Retail – Multi Location award. Owner operator Jenny Nilsson attributes this to strong
“
staff development and engagement with customers, along with always looking for new opportunities for growth.
Our stores may be close in terms of location, but they are poles apart in travel
destinations and client expectations. Figuring out a different approach for the two stores and their communities was extremely challenging,
”
but has provided more reward than I could have imagined. - Jenny Nilsson -
-BEST ROOKIE OF THE YEAR-
CHRISTINE GIBB, L AKERS INVERCARGILL Christine Gibb of Lakers Invercargill is one of the finalists for Best Rookie of the Year. Her nomination comes after receiving HOT Rookie of the Year at our annual awards.
“
I’m excited because I have only been in the industry for two years and the nomination
confirms to me that I am heading in the right direction. Working in the travel industry was my dream and being surrounded by a great team and manager that have really supported
”
and believed in me, has made all the difference. -6-
- Christine Gibb -
- N T I A AWA R D S F I N A L I S T S - B E S T T R AV E L A G E N CY M A N A G E R R E TA I L -
PA U L A W A L D E C K , H O R N BY
Paula Waldeck of House of Travel Hornby is in the running for the title of Best Travel Agency Manager – Retail. Her nomination follows
House of Travel Hornby being named as the Best Performing Small Outlet at the House of Travel Awards earlier this year.
“
I’m very humbled to be named as a finalist at this year’s NTIA awards, particularly as HOT Hornby hasn’t even celebrated two years in operation yet.
“We’ve come off an incredible first year in business in terms of growth, including more staff and more customers. I count myself as extremely lucky to be surrounded
”
by such a fantastic group of people.
“
- P a u l a Wa l d e c k -
I am really pleased that Orbit was voted as finalists in four categories this year.
B E S T B R A N D C O R P O R AT E - M U LT I L O C AT I O N -
This is a real credit to Orbit and how well respected it is in the TMC market space. Best of luck to all the presenters, I look forward to September
”
O R B I T W O R L D T R AV E L
to see how we have gone.
- Niall White, Group Strategy Director -
- B E S T T R AV E L A G E N CY M A N A G E R C O R P O R AT E -
MEGAN SEWELL
O R B I T W O R L D T R AV E L W L G
“
What another fantastic year for Orbit World Travel Wellington – wow, I am so excited
to be in the finals again for this award. I am honoured to have been nominated and I am so
proud to have such an amazing hard-working team supporting me in my role each and every day. At Orbit Wellington we all focus on working with our clients to deliver top service,
”
best pricing and to make travel easy and seamless. - Megan Sewell -
- B E S T B R A N D C O R P O R AT E S I N G L E L O C AT I O N O R B I T W O R L D T R AV E L W L G Orbit Wellington is made up of an exceptional experienced team of travel management specialists led by Paul and Adrienne Rennie, in the Wellington, Palmerston North and Albany regions. It has played a large role in establishing the brand in NZ, and most recently, instrumental in establishing the London office.
“
The passion and commitment from our
staff to the brand, and to our clients remains unquestionable – that’s why this nomination
is a reflection of our people and how much of
”
an important part of our business they are. - Paul Rennie -
- B E S T T R AV E L C O N S U LTA N T C O R P O R AT E -
PA U L J O H N S O N
O R B I T W O R L D T R AV E L C A L D E R & L AW S O N Paul Johnson of Orbit World Travel Calder & Lawson, is a finalist for Best Travel Consultant – Corporate. His nomination comes after
receiving Orbit Consultant of the Year at our annual awards.
“
Being nominated for the TAANZ NTIA Best Travel Consultant Corporate is an amazing
feeling! The industry has so many talented people and to be nominated for the third year in a row is very humbling and an extraordinary honour. I strive to provide the best possible
experience and service for my clients. I absolutely love the travel industry, 22 years later I’m still loving it, if not more than I ever have. This is testament to everyone in the industry I work
”
with and the fantastic team at Calder & Lawson. - Paul Johnson -
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- ON THE MOVE -
Hello...Shorty Street! AUCKLAND OFFICE MOVE
The Auckland team at Tangihua Street will be saying farewell to their offices at the end of July. With the lease coming to an end they will be moving to new offices down the road at Level 5, 51 Shortland Street in the heart of the CBD. Many of you will remember this building from when HOT was previously located here.
House of Travel Manly M O V E S TO W H A N G A PA R A O A
HOT Manly (now HOT Whangaparaoa) are enjoying their new offices in Whangaparaoa, moving from their Manly home after more than two years. The new store is located in a busy
“Everyone is so friendly and customer focused – it feels just right for us. Having worked in the vicinity of Whangaparaoa for the past 12 years, since moving to Stanmore Bay in 2004, HOT Whangaparaoa have many friends and business colleagues in this area, as well as our local hospice. It’s wonderful to have our new roots in a community we already know and love.” - D e n n i s & Yv o n n e -
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modern development with a New World supermarket and surrounded by cafes, restaurants and a few other stores operated by local owners. Owner operators, Dennis and Yvonne
Payne, who own HOT Orewa, Browns Bay and Whangaparaoa, say they are excited to be in a vibrant new store.
- C U S TO M E R E X C E L L E N C E AWA R D -
Customer Excellence Award This quarter we’ve had some fantastic nominations for our Customer Excellence Award.
build a deep, trust based relationship and deliver the best possible holiday for that traveller….and the risk of not doing so.
The Customer Excellence Award is given to someone who has displayed outstanding customer service or made a significant contribution to HOT’s customer offerings. To nominate a colleague simply email details to annette@hot.co.nz
The feedback from these customers highlights the importance and long-term value of taking the time to fully understand customer needs,
We have profiled three of our nominees below.
-AL ANA ALDRIDGE-
- P E N N Y- L E E TAT E -
-SARAH CROWE-
H O T M E R I VA L E
H O T TA K A N I N I
H O T M E R I VA L E
We know from research that for a customer to publicly advocate for you, service delivery needs to be 10/10. From the glowing review below posted on Facebook, it is clear that Alana has built a strong, long-term relationship with this customer, taking the time to get to know them and fully understand their needs while travelling. Being that rock-solid support if there are challenges on the holiday is clearly much appreciated and has resulted in not only multiple bookings from this customer, but happy referred customers too.
Well done to Penny-Lee who has brought a new customer on board for HOT Takanini after delivering a fantastic customer experience. Reading the comments we are sure you will see repeat bookings in the future from this customer. We are very lucky as a business that this customer persevered as two other HOT stores did not deliver to the same high standard – it goes to show how important every customer contact is and gives us food for thought.
Genuinely caring about our customers and being ready to act when plans change, is the type of service that sets us apart from our competitors. Well done Sarah for being there for these customers in their time of need.
“One of our first overseas journeys to the
“Thanks so much for all of your help on
land of pasta and spaghetti was organised
Saturday. I had been trying to organise
through our (FB) friend Alana who is a Travel
something since Wednesday last week through
Consultant at House of Travel, Merivale. It
multiple House of Travel outlets, all with very
“I am writing to advise how brilliant Sarah has been during my recent trip to the UK. She has sorted out my flights prior to going, during the trip, our family pet dog, Bruce, was taken ill and had to have emergency surgery.
was seamless and we have used her time and
poor results either through lack of knowledge,
time again. Other friends we have referred to
poor customer service, or just pure laziness.
Alana have spoken highly of her helping them
Once contacting you the process was much
with their travel dreams becoming a reality.
more simple and pleasant, and we got the
What is significant is that we know that she
exact package we were after.
is there if we need to call on her to help us
So again, thank you genuinely for
with situations we get ourselves into when
your help over the weekend!”
My wife decided to come home ASAP and I emailed Sarah to request if/how/when we could change. She responded same night (day in NZ) and after a couple of frantic emails ( flights had gone), our flights were changed and tickets reissued. As we know in business, bad news travels quickly and good news is not always delivered, so I wanted to let you know Sarah did a fantastic job for me and my wife, she is a credit to HOT Merivale!”
we venture off the beaten track. Although our relationship has been one of a business nature, conversations shared are more in tune with friendship chats.” Congratulations Alana You are this quarter’s
CUSTOMER EXCELLENCE AWARD winner.
A $200 prezzy card will be with you soon.
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- REGIONAL ROUND UP -
Help with the Fiji recovery Cyclone Winston was the strongest tropical cyclone to hit Fiji on record, devastating some of Fiji’s remote islands. The House of Travel Group stepped in to support the recovery efforts, helping families in the eastern maritime islands of Fiji. A number of residents were left homeless, without access to local supermarkets or hospitals. HOT partnered with one of our key suppliers, Rosie Holidays, to provide essentials to areas that needed them the most.
housing for up to two years following Cyclone Winston, House of Travel has focused on purchasing high quality tents with help from Kathmandu. Phase two in the recovery of the eastern maritime islands saw a second delivery of essential items, including basic building supplies, clothing, baby formula, nappies, insect repellent, candles, matches and soap.
With Rosie Holidays, the HOT Group stocked a number of yachts with supplies, each transporting around a tonne of essential items to the directly hit Makogai, Koro and Yadua islands. Supplies included tents, tarpaulins, water making machines, water purification tablets, basic medical supplies and staple foods such as rice, dhal and tinned food. After hearing that some Fijians could be without
HOT Stephen Parsons encourages Palmerston North to support Fiji HOT Stephen Parsons recently held an information evening at the Distinction Hotel in Palmerston North to support Fiji and to update customers about travelling there in the aftermath of Cyclone Winston. Steve says Fiji has long been a favourite holiday destination for Kiwis and his business is fully invested in supporting their recovery. “We hosted Tourism Fiji and a number of our Fijian suppliers at the Distinction Hotel to give Palmerston North first-hand information on Fiji holidays following Cyclone Winston.” “Tourism Fiji and our suppliers have told us one of the best ways we can support Fiji is to keep travelling there – they are reliant on the income brought in by tourism and many of the main tourist centres were not affected by the cyclone,” adds Steve. The team at Stephen Parsons also worked to support Fiji by providing an emergency response kit to Fiji through the Rotary Club of Palmerston North. The response kit was sent together with donations to the eastern maritime islands of Fiji from the House of Travel Group. The kit, which is a response to civil emergencies, includes a number of essential - 10 -
supplies including toiletries and medicine, clothing, tools, cooking utensils and blankets.
- REGIONAL ROUND UP -
HOT on Victoria The team from HOT on Victoria / HOT Events were treated to a stunning autumn day in Akaroa for their recent social club outing. While on Black Cat Cruises the group were treated to plenty of sightings of the protected Hector’s Dolphin and White Flippered Blue Penguin, the smallest penguin in the world. Once back on dry land a hearty lunch was enjoyed before the team headed back to Christchurch (with their own version of ‘carpool karaoke’).
House of Travel
Browns Bay FRESHEN UP
HOT Browns Bay has recently updated their office with new purple and white chairs. Yvonne says “We first decorated the new look office after our move in 2011. It was purple and charcoal with orange accents and used the old tagline ‘Powered by People’. Now we have updated to purple and white chairs and the office looks very HOT! “The team and customers are loving the refresh. It even makes our artwork look bright and new.”
House of Travel Whangarei
E M I LY AT T E N D E D T H E N O RT H L A N D W E D D I N G E X P O 2 0 1 6 Emily Johnson from HOT Whangarei had a booth at the recent Northland Wedding Expo on May 8th. On the day, two competitions were held. The first, to win a Delonghi coffee machine and the second, to win a hamper of goodies. Entrants were asked to either sign up for the newsletter or ‘Snap to Win’. By entering via the Snap to Win challenge, participants took a selfie in front of our Bora Bora setting and uploaded it to Facebook. Emily says the event was a great success
with a steady flow of visitors throughout the day. “I targeted destination weddings and honeymoons. I provided advice on the various destinations for honeymooners, using our Inspire magazine as a tool with ‘Which island is right for you’, as well as offering the use of the honeymoon registry as an option”. HOT Whangarei also sponsored a $200 travel voucher towards the Honeymoon Package in Rarotonga.
House of Travel Broadway S U P P O R T S M A N AW AT U WOMEN’S GOLF OPEN
Al Yesberg presents Jo Bannister (the recent winner of the 2016 Manawatu Women’s Open) with her prize - courtesy of principal sponsor, HOT Broadway.
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- REGIONAL ROUND UP -
House of Travel Motueka C E L E B R AT E S 2 0 Y E A R S W I T H H OT
In March, Linda and Jason Kroupa of HOT Motueka celebrated 20 years with House of Travel. Opening on 1 March 1996 they have been in the same location for the past 20 years. Linda says “We highly value our local customers and have built some fantastic relationships over the years. Getting to know our customers and working with them to create fantastic holidays has always been a really important facet of our business.
“Over the years we have been privileged to have amazing team members, who truly believe in House of Travel’s purpose ‘To enrich people’s lives through travel’. We are all proud to be part of the Motueka and surrounds community.” - Linda Kroupa -
CELEBRATING 20 YEARS! A big congratulations to these four outlets celebrating 20 years over the last six months:
HOT Balcluth a HOT M ot ueka HOT Parnel l HOT on Vic tor i a
We used to discuss how we never sold the advertised packages, as it felt like we always made changes to better suit the client using our combined office knowledge. Ironically that is now a group focus!” During the 20 years HOT Motueka have received various awards, including Motueka Top Shop 2004, Cruise Holidays top agency for the past five years and in 2012, Jason received Travel Agent of the Year. The current team are also award-winners with Tanya and Dianne both recipients of Gold Consultant awards.
House of Travel Stephen Parsons
Steve got a valuable 10 minutes in Palmerston North with Astronaut Colonel Rick Seacross catching up on the latest Virgin Galactic
progress. Colonel Rick Seacross has flown to space four times, including as shuttle commander.
In 2015, Steve took part in the ANZAC 100th year commemoration tour in Gallipoli. On ANZAC day this year, Steve was invited to share his experience with residents of the Olive Tree Complex in Palmerston North. It was a great opportunity to connect with the community and encourage attendees to share their ANZAC stories as well. Joanna Dargie from HOT Stephen Parsons, at the most recent IPU New Zealand Tertiary Institute spring festival day, wearing a traditional Indonesian dress. - 12 -
- REGIONAL ROUND UP -
House of Travel Masterton The annual Wairarapa Balloon Festival took place in February, and this year HOT Masterton were the proud sponsors of the finale event ‘Bon Voyage Balloons’. Owner operator Sam Hepburn sat on the organising committee and the team at HOT Masterton did such an outstanding job, they grew the event attendees from 4,000 to 10,000.
HOT Masterton sponsored the Annual Duck Race organised by MediaWorks. They were voted as one of the best dressed ducks. Well done guys!
Masterton also got behind the Annual Hospice Appeal, by holding a ‘shorts day’ where the catch phrase was ‘life is short, live every moment’. Those wearing shorts helped collect donations in front of the shop. They also put on a BBQ and a raffle to create awareness and generate further fundraising.
House of Travel Ski
H OT S K I O N M O U N TA I N T R A V E L SY M P O S I U M ( M T S ) The team at HOT Ski recently travelled to Keystone in Colorado for the Mountain Travel Symposium (MTS) Conference. MTS is the single largest and longest running gathering of mountain travel professionals. Over the two days, 120 key meetings took place with ski suppliers from the US, Canada and Europe to negotiate some great
wholesale rates for the upcoming season. In true American style the two days finished off with a night time prom. If you have clients looking for that next ski adventure, don’t hesitate to give HOT Ski a call to take advantage of the deals they can negotiate for you.
On 12 March HOT Ski held its second annual ski expo at Tamaki Yacht Club. The event was a great success and was attended by 12 suppliers from the USA & Canada, as well as Air New Zealand. It was a fantastic evening to inspire both agents and the public. The Hot Ski team are encouraging everyone to book early to avoid disappointment – Canada & USA are hot destinations this year and with even more choice entering the market, it gives customers exceptional value for money. - 13 -
- REGIONAL ROUND UP -
Orbit Award Success Orbit World Travel offices throughout the country are being recognised for their commitment to local business. Orbit Christchurch has been nominated in the Champion Canterbury Business Awards, with finalists set to be announced on 29 July followed by an awards ceremony on 16 September.
Orbit Auckland has been announced as a finalist in the AUT Business School 2016 Excellence in Business Support Awards, in the Fuji Xerox Large Business category. The winners will be announced at a gala dinner on 5 October.
Christchurch clothing drive for Hospice During Hospice Awareness Week (16-22 May) the Christchurch outlets got behind a big clothing drive for Hospice. HOT Hornby, HOT Barrington and HOT Upper Riccarton encouraged all their local businesses and
residents to drop off surplus clothing. These clothes will be making their way to Hospice for them to on-sell and raise funds to continue their very worthwhile cause. Fantastic effort from all!
H O T H O R N BY
H OT B A R R I N G T O N
H O T U P P E R R I C C A RTO N
Congratulations New Adventure Travel and House Maxine of Travel Featherston St stores Congratulations on your long service achievement with House of Travel Balclutha, Maxine Agnew celebrates 20 years with House of Travel.
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HOT Wellington’s Adventure Travel and House of Travel Featherston Street, who have up until now shared a store on Featherston Street, are about to go their separate ways - but in a positive way! Both teams have grown to such a point that co-locating is no longer an option, so come early September Adventure Travel will open its own new store on Willis Street. This provides Wellington with two opportunities, firstly to further grow Adventure Travel to eight staff, managed by Tim Cox and secondly to transform the HOT Leisure store into a larger store with 13 staff who will be managed by Rebecca Keegan.
- REGIONAL ROUND UP -
Orbit Wellington S U P P O R T S W I L D B A S E R E C O V E RY C O M M U N I T Y T R U S T One in three of New Zealand’s native bird species are in trouble – Orbit Wellington has stepped in to help do something about this terrible statistic. Orbit Wellington is sponsoring the Wildbase Recovery Community Trust which aims to provide shelter and world-class care for native wildlife to rehabilitate from illness and injury after treatment at Wildbase Hospital. Still in the construction stages, once completed the Wildbase Recovery facility will be run by Massey University wildlife vets and will offer the public an up close and personal experience with the recuperating patients such as Kaka, Takahe, Yellow-Eyed Penguin and Morepork. Set in Palmerston North’s Victoria Esplanade, the facility will be a New Zealand first – and is an initiative we are wrapped to be able to support.
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- REGIONAL ROUND UP -
House of Travel Contact Centre AT PA R I S M A R AT H O N
Jeff and Ruth Leckey from the HOT Contact Centre recently completed the Paris Marathon. It was Jeff ’s second marathon and Ruth’s first. Ruth says “It was an amazing city to compete in a marathon, you get to visit some beautiful parts of Paris that should easily be on the tourist circuit.”
They also managed to get a photo of Jeff ’s nemesis, the Pink Flamingo! “My main motivation at the end of the 42km race was to beat this crazy pink bird. Thankfully I finished well before him” says Jeff.
Congratulations Steve! NEW ZEALAND AGE GROUP T R I AT H L O N T E A M
Steve Marshall, from House of Travel Barrington has qualified and been selected in the New Zealand Age Group Triathlon Team to compete at the World Championships, which will be held in Cozumel, Mexico in September this year. Congrats Steve!
Great Wall Marathon
SOPHIE RUSSO AND SUZANNE HARDIE Sophie Russo HOT Calder & Lawson (left) and Suzanne Hardie Orbit Tauranga (right) escorted a group to the Great Wall Marathon. - 16 -
Both girls also successfully completed the full and half marathons respectively. Well done girls!
- REGIONAL ROUND UP -
House of Travel Cambridge When Air New Zealand launched their new non-stop service from Auckland to Houston, consultants had the opportunity to enter a competition that involved creating an itinerary using the new service and some online training. And who took it out? Our very own Amanda Tunley from HOT Cambridge! Big congrats to Amanda who will be heading off to Houston and adding a self-drive from NYC to Boston.
Meet the new additions CHANGES IN THE FINANCE TEAM
The finance team at HOT has seen a lot of change over the last 12 months so we thought we’d introduce you to a few people who have started new roles. We have new finance managers in each of HOT Holdings, HOT Limited, Retail and Orbit. In this issue, we are showcasing two of them: Previous roles/ places you have worked? Before moving to HOT I worked at KPMG as an Audit Supervisor, where I gained a heavy addiction to energy drinks due to months of 16 hour days. After peer pressure from the finance team at HOT, I am now at a more socially acceptable number of eight cups of coffee. In your own words – what are you aiming to achieve in your new role at HOT? HOT Holdings finance manager means that each day brings new and exciting challenges. As HOT works to increase its prominence in the NZ market, I am aiming to add as much value to the group as possible. The travel industry is very exciting as there is constant change. What are your top five travel destinations and why? Either on your wish list or ticked off already. My Wish List Nick Frost Finance Manager HOT Holdings Limited
• South America is on the cards for Christmas next year. Highlights will be The Inca Trail, Machu Picchu, Iguazu Falls and The Previous roles/ places you have worked? Director of Finance and Business Support for Crowne Plaza Auckland and IHG New Zealand – looking after the accounts of Crowne Plaza Auckland and the combined five New Zealand IHG Hotels. Flight Centre – six and a half years of finance roles across wholesale, contracting and ticketing. Deloitte – where it all began as an auditor In your own words – what are you aiming to achieve in your new role at HOT?
Rebecca Farmiloe Finance Manager HOT Limited
Build great relationships with our operational partners to support them in making the best decisions for HOTL.
Galapagos. • UK – To visit relatives and watch Man City win the Premier League. • Europe Contiki – Because every young man needs to experience Contiki before settling down! Already ticked off • South East Asia (Malaysia) – Great food and super cheap to travel around. I have been three times so far. • Islands - Relaxing and enjoying island time. What are your interests outside of work? • Getting outdoors around Christchurch and the South Island as much as possible (during summer). • Travelling/planning the next trip. • Social sports, squash, mountain biking, drinking (responsibly).
What are your top five travel destinations and why? Either on your wish list or ticked off already. My Wish List • Thailand – My most favourite holiday yet – sun, relaxing, food, shopping, and the accountant in me loved the conversion back to NZD. • Melbourne – Shoes and food! • Las Vegas – Destination that just needs to be experienced. • Spain – I’ve only spent a couple of days in Barcelona and would love to see more. • Fiji – I’m heading there in a few weeks so it’s top of my mind. What are your interests outside of work? Wine and food, shopping and good books. - 17 -
- REGIONAL ROUND UP -
House of Travel Merivale AT H A N M E R S P R I N G S
The HOT Merivale team enjoyed a weekend away in Hanmer Springs last November. They visited Conical Hill, enjoyed pampering at the spa and celebrated Annie’s birthday at Pegasus Bay Winery. Spoilt ladies!
House of Travel One Team House of Travel Cambridge, Hamilton City, Matamata, Morrinsville, Te Awamutu and Taupo came together as One Team on April 28. They all had a fabulous night at the Boatshed Café in Karapiro where they held their ‘Values Awards’.
C O N G R AT S T O T H E AWA R D W I N N E R S !
T E A M H A M I LT O N
T E A M – Te a m Ta u p o O P E N & H O N E S T C O M M U N I C AT I O N – E m m a Ly o n s PA S S I O N F O R P E O P L E – M i c h e l l e Ta y l o r PA S S I O N F O R L E A R N I N G – A l i c i a S u t t o n FUN – Joan TO P 5 Y T D B O B C a r o , K i r s t y, Tr u d i , B e t t y & P e n n y MOST IMPROVED SALES YTD BOB Aaron, Darryl & Sarah Q A N TA S L O N G W E E K E N D I N SY D N E Y W I N N E R – P a d d y
TEAM CAMBRIDGE
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- REGIONAL ROUND UP -
House of Travel
Morrinsville
Orbit Nelson Orbit Nelson had a client mention how much Matt Roberts looks like our Orbit model!
HOT Morrinsville have new uniforms. Pictured, Dominic Sutton and Luke Keightley were so pleased with the new uniforms that they took it upon themselves to dress-up and send a photo around the office to show how good they looked!
House of Travel
Matamata
In February Luke Keightley won best dressed consultant at the USA Seminar for his Marilyn Monroe outfit. Luke won flights for two to San Francisco and will be travelling in August. Have a great time Luke!
House of Travel Roydvale Congratulations to April Tennant and her horse Wentworth MacMillan (Mac) who won several awards at the NZSSA (New Zealand Side Saddle Association) South Island Championship Show on 14 February. Her awards included:
Jessie Osborne O R B I T H A M I LT O N
Jessie Osborne of Orbit Hamilton has received the City & Guilds Medal for Excellence. This is an international award that recognises the achievements of those who have great exceptional results, and go above and beyond what is expected. Jessie is one of only three recipients in New Zealand.
• C H A M P I O N O P E N C O M B I N AT I O N A N D T H E C L A U S E N S A LV E R ( T R O P H Y ) • S U P R E M E C H A M P I O N C O M B I N AT I O N EMBROIDERED RUG • MOST P OINTS OVERALL
House of Travel Orewa
In February Yvonne from HOT Orewa escorted 50 people on the Art Deco Cruise to Napier. Having lived in Napier, she also hosted 36 people on her own Art Deco Personalised Day Tour which included the Architectural Art Deco walk, a mini movie on the earthquake and lunch at lovely Mission Estate.
Congrats Jessie! - 19 -
- C U S TO M E R F E E D B A C K -
Pat on the back
H O U S E O F T R AV E L S T E P H E N PA R S O N S Brent Haines, House of Travel Stephen Parsons recently received this wonderful email from one of his clients. Hi Brent Well what can I say but ‘fabulous’. My husband and I had an amazing 6 weeks away. Everything you arranged for us on our itinerary was ‘perfect’, ran to plan, smooth as a baby’s bottom! Loved Singapore and would go back in a flash. Our time in London, Ireland, Edinburgh & York was just amazing. The Trafalgar London to Rome ‘European Traveller’ coach trip was just awesome. Full on every day but hey we were not the oldest and we kept up. We did every single excursion on that trip! Our guide Steve Pearse was fantastic. I think we struck the jackpot there. I would have to say at the end of each day after dinner and on the way back to our accommodation we were the ‘party bus’. Great bunch of fellow travellers. Our accommodation was superb on the whole trip. The 11 night MSC Fantasia cruise from Genoa visiting Barcelona, Casablanca, Tenerife, Malaga and Rome was amazing. The ship was just beautiful. We met a Kiwi couple from Queenstown and apparently (although we didn’t meet them) there was a couple from Palmy on the ship as well. The cabin was perfect and even better than we imagined. You were so right - we really needed that trip after our full-on Trafalgar tour. We didn’t do every excursion from the boat but opted for hopon-hop-off buses which were just as good. The days at sea were super and we took advantage of R&R and as many cocktails as we could. We purchased the drinks package! Well worth it and I’d recommend this
Kelly to the rescue H O U S E O F T R AV E L M E R I V A L E Owner Operator Annie Crombie was pleased to find out that consultant Kelly Gainsford had gone above and beyond for a client. “I met a women at my kid’s netball last night and I found out that Kelly was her travel agent. She had booked them a month in Vietnam. Unfortunately on the way they left their son, Jack’s (aged 8) teddy bear on the plane in a bag. They tried the airline and failed to get the teddy bear back and went to Kelly for help. Kelly pulled some strings and managed to get the teddy back to them in Hong Kong for the flight home! The client said they loved Kelly and what a lifesaver she was.”
option to anyone who likes a tipple! Thailand was completely different and I would certainly go back there in a flash but for ‘longer’. Accommodation at the Centara Watergate Pavilion Hotel was ‘tops’. We ate on the street, walked miles, sweated profusely as it has been one of the hottest summers they have had and were humbled by the most beautiful Thai people we met. There is so much more there that we need to see. Wow, I could go on forever but in short, thanks Brent for doing all the hard work and organising for us the most amazing experience that we will remember forever. I took 4,027 photos and my husband 900. As you would expect, I now have the travel bug. It’s not too late is it at 59?? Just have to convince the boss. Should we plan anything we will definitely be coming back to Stephen Parsons House of Travel.
Final trip H O U S E O F T R AV E L R OTO R U A “We have a lovely client in her late 70s who has done some major cruise holidays with us over the years and today she came in and told Ken and I that she has left instructions with her lawyer that Ken and I are to be pall bearers at her funeral because we have done all of her travel for her and she wants us to be the ones to take her on her final trip….we thought she was joking but she is totally serious. We felt quite privileged to be asked.” - P a m Tu r n e r -
Better to be safe H O U S E O F T R AV E L R OTO R U A
Director, Pam Turner also had great success helping a client to claim on travel insurance, she was really pleased that the turnaround time for insurance claims have improved significantly. “A client purchased travel insurance in April 2015 for a trip to South America, departing on January 6. The day before travel he came down with a viral infection and was advised not to travel by his doctor. He submitted a claim on January 20, with all of his documentation, including the letter from his doctor and the condition he was treated for. This was all settled by Allianz by February 4. We were really happy with the outcome and the service he received. Without insurance he would have been out of pocket by $10,800.” - 20 -
- FAMIL S -
Africa M AY 2 0 1 6
The famil to South Africa is still fresh in the mind of Claire Harre from HOT Shirley. The trip included Johannesburg, Pretoria to join Rovos Rail, Kimberley, Cape Town and Kruger National Park. Claire shares her highlights from the trip: “My personal highlight was the Rovos Rail and the Safaris in Kruger, especially the Safaris at the Sabi Sabi Bush lodge. Seeing the animals in their own environment is such an amazing feeling and completely different to seeing them in a zoo. The whole experience in Kruger is something I will never forget and can’t stop raving about it to people. Seeing a pride of lions (including two cubs) and a sleepy leopard, who had just been munching on a baboon, were definitely the highlights. The food was seriously good too!”
Back row L-R: Howie Yee, Danielle Moroney, Kylie Sutherland, Duncan McKenzie (SQ), Fernando De Rito, Belinda Fifield, Billy Ballantine. Front row L to R: Monica Sawant, Neroli Sail, Anne Millard, Claire Harre, Lisa Dorreen
Buenos Aires & Iguazu Falls APRIL 2016
Nicholas Rhodes from HOT Lakers Invercargill said that this was the best famil he had ever been on! Here are his highlights from both sides of the Iguazu Falls. Iguazu Falls Argentinean side: “You hear of breath-taking moments and that something is a ‘must see’ - Iguazu is both. The grand scale of the falls is almost impossible to put into words.” Arriving early is the best tip I can give, as the platform can get covered with swarms of tourists armed with selfie sticks. The Iguazu shower, a boat ride under and into the waterfalls has now entered into my top five travel experiences. I was soaked through with the biggest grin on my face. For only an extra $100 per person, it’s a
From left: Paddy Kapoor, Nick Rhodes, Jayne Johnston, Katie Searle, Crystal Steele, Kelly Gainsford (front), Anne Lee (Air NZ), Jan Crooks, Bronwyn Wooding, Susan Bernard, Louise Stephens, Sujata Annavarapu.
case of take my money!” The Brazilian side: “It’s hard to describe the falls from neighbouring Brazil, underwhelming is an unfair term to use, but the battle is one-sided after the experience yesterday. It does however give you another idea of just how grand scale the falls are. It offers some great panoramic shots that are worthy of snapping and a good calorie burn with the few hundred steps required to walk down (don’t panic there’s a lift for the way back up) to view the falls.”
From left: Jayne Johnston, Kelly Gainsford, Paddy Kappor, Nick Rhodes, Crystal Steele, Susan Bernard, Jan Crooks, Sujata Annavarapu, Katie Searle, Anne Lee, Louise Stephens. (Bronwyn Wooding got lost in the back).
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-FAMIL S -
South West England Tour MARCH 2016
Leeza Young of HOT Product shares her experience of the South West England Tour. “In March, myself and nine HOT agents were lucky to have the opportunity to travel to the lovely South West England. We got a real feel for the different counties and the sightseeing activities these regions offered. From left: Jan Cook (Whangarei), Leeza Young (Product AKL), Sharon Hall (On Victoria), Kylie Masters (Matamata), Bronwyn Menefy (Botany Junction), Steve Lawson ( Jenny Nilsson), Alana Aldridge (Merivale), Joanne Raven (New Lynn), Amanda Tunley (Cambridge), Brent Haines (Stephen Parsons)
My personal trip highlights included the Eden Project, dinner at Allium
Restaurant (inside the Abbey Hotel Bath), and visiting Thornbury Castle Hotel. The Thornbury Castle Hotel is a grand Tudor castle once occupied by Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. This is a truly amazing part of England and a destination well suited for all, with charming market towns, spectacular coastlines and aweinspiring landscapes. Can’t wait to go back! ”
Rocky Mountains Canada M AY 2 0 1 6
The group of eighteen went to Vancouver, Kamloops, Jasper, Lake Louise, Banff and Calgary with Mark from Rocky Mountaineer. Jessica Rodgers (HOT Northlands) was on the tour and shares her highlights: “Rocky Mountaineer train experience was fantastic and is a special way to travel. The day from Jasper to Lake Louise was filled with stunning scenery including seeing a bear, wolf and going on the Columbia Ice fields. Finishing at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise and our time there was a dream come true, the lake was still frozen and something we will never forget. This truly is a bucket list trip and Rocky Mountaineer think of everything from luggage appearing in your room to helicopter trips.” From left: Rebecca Lucas (HOT Longhaul), Jessica Rogers (Northlands), Maxine Chisnall (Ashburton)
Samoa
MARCH 2016 Desiree Dick from HOT Product shared her highlights from the trip: “Samoa exceeded my expectations, I particularly loved the authentic culture and stunning landscapes. A few of the many amazing experiences the group encountered on their Samoa famil were Sua Trench, Piula Cave Pools, Savai’i blowholes, multiple waterfalls and Lalomanu beach.” From left: Janine (HOT Product), Michelle (Hamilton City), Maritza (Botany), Kylie ( Jenny Nilsson), Rebecca (Riccarton), Des (HOT Product), Caitlin at front (Orbit CHC) - 22 -
From left: Des (HOT Product), Maritza (Botany), Michelle (Hamilton City), Janine (HOT Product), Caitlin (Orbit CHC), Kylie ( Jenny Nilsson), Rebecca (Riccarton)
- C E L E B R AT I O N S -
WEDDINGS & E N G AG E M E N TS N ATA S H A C U R R I E -ORBIT DUNEDIN-
J U L I A PA L E Y - H OT P R O D U C T-
G E M M A PA S S E Y - H OT M E R I V A L E -
Married Jeff Bozich in Taupo on 30 January 2016. They spent the month of June in Italy on their honeymoon.
Recently announced her engagement to Steve. Very exciting for Gemma who joined HOT in January this year. Gemma is from the UK, so is very excited to have family coming out for the wedding next year.
M E L A N I E LOW E N - H OT F E R RY M E A D -
CRAIG JENKINSON & LARA MULES - O R B I T C H R I S TC H U R C H -
Said “yes” to Rob. “Rob finally decided to drop a knee the night before we were due to depart on our five-week European trip and we celebrated with diamonds in Dubai,” says Natasha.
T R A C E Y- L E E R I D D E R H O F -PRODUCT AUCKLANDGot engaged to Conrad Lombard.
S A R A H O ’C A L L A G H A N - H OT H O R N BYMarried Brad Davy on the 2nd April at Trents Winery in Christchurch.
Married Lynton Hubber at Lake Tekapo on January 23
The office sweethearts got engaged on the 24 March. Craig Jenkinson proposed to Laura Mules in a stunning setup at Harpers Homestead.
RACHAEL SMITH - H OT P R O D U C T-
A LYS H A M A C I N N E S - H OT W H A N G A R E I -
Was married earlier in the year in the Caitlin’s. She recently moved from HOT Northlands to HOT Product in Auckland.
This announcement was a little while coming, but in March last year Alysha from HOT Whangarei team got married to Shamus. Now pregnant, we can look forward to her new baby in the next addition of House Proud.
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- C E L E B R AT I O N S -
B I RT H S LU GAO -ORBIT AUCKLAND-
T I M , L I S A & L U C Y PA U L S E N -HOLDINGS AUCKLAND-
Welcomed baby girl Eloise on 23 May 2016. It is the first child for Lu and his wife.
Welcomed adorable Penelope May Paulsen (Penny) to the world on 4 March 2016 at 12:17pm. Weighing a dainty five pounds 11 ounces. Both mum and baby are doing well, and big sister Lucy looks proud as punch!
AMANDA NANKIVELL -ORBIT AUCKLANDAmanda Nankivell from Orbit Auckland and her partner Dave welcomed baby boy Beau Michael on 1 April 2016 at 11am weighing in at seven pounds four ounces.
EMMA - H OT C A L D E R & L AW S O N -
L AU R E N WA L S H - M C D O N N E L L -HOLDINGS HR-
Emma and Waylon welcomed their baby girl, Frankie Raukura Bowker, into the world on 28 April 2016 at 9.45am, weighing seven pounds and 12 ounces
Lauren and her partner Jonny, welcomed Henry Hart on 25 May 2016, weighing nine pounds, five ounces.
CHANTELLE - O R B I T C H R I S TC H U R C H Chantelle and Michael Davis welcomed a gorgeous girl, making LaDanian a very proud big brother. Kiara Manaia Davis was born 19 December 2015, weighing eight pounds and one ounce.
- 24 -
“They knew the way to get closer to myself, was to send me far from home.�
The best holidays are created together. - 25 -