MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY $5.50 | OCTOBER
Volume 40 Issue 27
Pacific
pride Hawaii, Samoa, Vanuatu, Fiji, Tahiti, Cook Islands
Get to know
Spain The best of Madrid and Barcelona
Access all areas What you need to know when booking clients with special needs
P&Oislands 9 nights
Island Gems
P&Oseaaustralia
Vila Lifou Noumea
15 nights
Mare
$50
Whitsundays
aud
Norfolk Island
Brisbane
AUCKLAND
Quad pp from*
2013 29^ Apr
Sunshine Odyssey
15 Jun
Twin pp from*
Inside limited Inside
Sydney
$150
Newcastle
$1,529
aud AUCKLAND
Outside $1,079 Outside $1,599
Fares based on 15 Jun 13 only1. 2013
10 nights
Island Charms
21 May
Quad pp from*
Twin pp from*
$1,599 Inside $2,549 Outside $1,799 Outside $2,599 Inside
Champagne Bay Pentecost Vila
P&Oseabreaks
Mystery Island
$50
aud
up to
Quad pp from*
2013 19 Apr
Twin pp from*
Inside limited Inside
$1,879 Outside limited Outside $1,949
aud
AUCKLAND
Quad pp from*
2013
10 nights Noumea
4 nights
Isle of Pines
Twin pp from*
Inside limited Inside Outside
Vila Mystery Island
$549
Outside
$679 $669
SeaBreaks
$50
9 nights from
$1,079
18 May
Island Fiesta Lifou
aud
SYDNEY
*
re
Food and Wine
AUCKLAND
$150
per person quad sha
3 nights
AUCKLAND AUCKLAND
Quad pp from*
2013 8^ May
5 Jun
Twin pp from*
$1,169 Inside $1,829 Outside $1,209 Outside $1,899 Inside
2013
Quad pp from*
24 Jun
Inside
Fares based on 5 Jun 13 only1.
Outside
$399 $439
Twin pp from* Inside Outside
$499 $599
^Itinerary varies. ยนFare shown is for specified date. Other fares apply to different departure dates shown. Visit pocruises.co.nz or see your travel agent for details.
k booow
nor 2013 f
*Fares are cruise only, per person in NZD, in complete quad cabin or twin cabin as specified, based on lead categories at publication date, inclusive of all discounts, charges and taxes (which are subject to change). If you book with P&O Cruises a 1.5% fee applies to credit card payments. Travel agents may charge additional fees - check with your travel agent. #Cashback is allocated as an onboard credit of AUD$50 per cabin for cruises of 7-10 nights , AUD$100 per cabin for cruises 11- 13 nights and AUD$150 per cabin for cruises 14 nights or more. Where your onboard account is in surplus unused onboard credit will be redeemed onboard for cash at the end of the cruise. Valid for new bookings and not combinable with any other offer. Offer ends 31 October 2012 unless sold out prior. Once this offer ends, fares may revert to a higher fare but also may be further discounted. Offers subject to availability. Supplements apply for other cabin categories. Some outside cabins have obstructed views. To be read in conjunction with the P&O Cruises Australia Booking and Passage Conditions available at www.pocruises.co.nz (http://www.pocruises.co.nz) which passengers will be bound by. Whilst all information is correct at time of publication offers are subject to change or withdrawal. Carnival plc trading as P&O Cruises ABN 23 107 998 443, 2TA 5580.
contents
Subscribe online today www2.mediaweb.co.nz/shopping MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY $5.50 | OCTOBER
VOlumE 40 IssuE 27
Pacific
12
Pride
16
Hawaii, Samoa, Vanuatu, Fiji, Tahiti, Cook Islands
Get to know
SPain The best of Madrid and Barcelona
acceSS all areaS What you need to know when booking clients with special needs
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22 4 Auckland welcomes second EK A380
7 Antarctica flights cancelled and Eurolynx offerings to tick off the bucket list 8 Cruise news
PROFILE 10 Rohan Garnett from Qantas Airways
FEATURES
Job Title:
16 Pacific pride A snapshot of the most popular Pacific Islands for Kiwis as well as new airline offerings
Suburb: Tel:
Fax: E-mail:
22 Access all areas The Cruiseabout Merivale team offers tips on accessible cruising and DriveAway Holidays gives us a rundown on its specially adapted rental vehicles 26 Cover up Don’t let your client book without knowing the risks of travelling without insurance
EXPERT PANEL 29 Business development: Adrian Caruso 30 Human resources: Diane Hallifax
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October 2012
12 Spain Traveltrade uncovers Madrid’s top eateries and bars and lists Barcelona’s top 10 activities
Address:
5 New travel folk 6 AIME targets business travel
Mr/Mrs/Ms:
Company:
NEWS 3 New era for Accor’s Ibis
Type of Business:
31 Dollars and sense: Paul Davies Social media: James Hacon
Photo Credits || www.mediaweb.co.nz/services/photography; Hawaii Tourism Authority; Photodisc
1
editorial
Hawaii awaits Cover shot courtesy of Hawaii Tourism Authority
www.traveltrade.co.nz a Mediaweb magazine editor: Hayley Barnett P: +64 22 030 0472 E: hayleyb@mediaweb.co.nz Group SALES MANAGER: Lisa Morris ad sales: Tracy Fairey P: +64 275 174 574 E: tracyf@mediaweb.co.nz ADVERTISING/SALES CO-ORDINATOR: Pip Maclean P: +64 9 419 2259 E: ads@mediaweb.co.nz DESIGNER: Bex Mikaere PRODUCTION MANAGER: Fran Marshall P: +64 274 304 559 E: franm@mediaweb.co.nz CIRCULATION/SUBSCRIPTIONS: Sue McDiarmid P: +64 9 300 2671 E: subscriptions@mediaweb.co.nz aCCOUNTANT: Pam King P: +64 9 300 2670 E: pamk@mediaweb.co.nz
This month, Traveltrade delves into the best of the Pacific with our annual Pacific Guide. Fiji and the Cook Islands have been dealing with some stiff competition from their neighbours this year, but it’s Hawaii that everyone has their eye on. While Hawaiian Airlines’ arrival next year will be good news for Kiwi holidaymakers, the South Pacific travel industry is waiting with bated breath to see how much of an effect the extra flights will have on their Kiwi visitor numbers. Air New Zealand’s increased capacity will also no doubt take its toll. In the meantime, Vanuatu, Samoa and Tahiti have all reported strong growth this year. Read up on news around the Pacific on page 16. Also in this issue we introduce a new feature, Access All Areas,
which offers advice on booking holidays for the more mature market and those with special accessibility needs. With a focus on cruising, the Cruiseabout Merivale team give us some guidance on what to look out for in terms of mobility access and safety. See page 22. Don’t miss the special guide on travel insurance looking at how to convince clients to be safe and not sorry on page 26. Last, but certainly not least, Spain proves it’s still a top travel destination despite its economic woes. Check out the spread from page 12. Hayley Barnett NZ Traveltrade editor Email: hayleyb@mediaweb.co.nz Phone: 022 030 0472 facebook.com/nztraveltrademagazine
PUBLISHER: Toni Myers
WIN a Kiwi Kids Road Atlas
mediaweb: Mediaweb,
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Prepress AND PRINT: PMP PRINT ISSN – 0113 – 4043 All material published in traveltrade is copyright but may be published provided written consent is obtained from the publisher and that traveltrade is acknowledged as the source. Opinions are the authors’ and do not necessarily represent those of Mediaweb.
Publisher’s statement of distribution Traveltrade magazine distribution figures can be supplied by way of a publisher’s statement which can be verified, if required by print and postal information. This is the same data reviewed under the ABC system. The guaranteed minimum distribution for Traveltrade is 1400.
October 2012
Symbols of Integrity in Publishing
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The Kiwi Kids Road Atlas and Holiday Activity Book is an engaging atlas for young travelling Kiwis that’s sure to keep them content for both short breaks and long road trips. Suitable for children aged four and over, the atlas contains a mix of puzzles, activities and word and number games that each possess a distinct New Zealand flavour. All of New Zealand is displayed over 12 pages along with wildlife experiences and things to see and do, with wipe-clean pages and a free reusable pen. To enter, simply visit www.traveltrade.co.nz. Congratulations to last month’s winners John Sumner of Travel Managers Group in Auckland and Rachel Carr of House of Travel Dunedin.
news
New era for Ibis Good things come in threes according to Accor. The hotel group’s economy chain Ibis has expanded into a triple-tier brand with the addition of Ibis Budget (formerly the Formule 1 brand) and Ibis Styles (from the former All Seasons brand). Following the rebrand of Formule 1 Auckland Airport to Ibis Budget Auckland Airport and All Seasons Auckland to Ibis Styles Auckland, Ibis will grow to seven hotels in New Zealand and 1600 worldwide. All Ibis hotels now boast new signage and, in the future, new lobby, restaurant designs and a bed concept will be part of the brand’s global overhaul. A new Sweet Bed by Ibis, featuring a 7cm topper, will be introduced progressively into Ibis hotels around the network. Changes to the brand followed a recent survey which showed that some 70 per cent of guests ranked comfortable beds as “the single most important factor when they choose an economy hotel”, and as a result the group consulted a team including sociologists and doctors to create a new bed from scratch. To coincide with the new portfolio, the group has launched a new-look website at www.ibis.com, where guests will be able to book rooms at Ibis, Ibis Styles and Ibis Budget properties in one place. But Accor Vice President New Zealand and Fiji, Garth Simmons, stresses that while Accor is bringing three separate brands under the Ibis umbrella, it is not merging the brands. “The new-look brand will highlight the shared DNA through three concepts - modernity, simplicity and well-being - while clearly differentiating the distinct offers of each separate sub-brand,” says Simmons. “The implementation of the new triple-tier segmentation will increase the clarity, consistency and strength of the three economy brands, and will enable Accor to achieve critical mass in several markets, particularly New Zealand and Australia, where Ibis will become the region’s largest economy hotel network.”
Agent low down
Megan Lowish
Remarkables Park Flight Centre How long have you been a travel agent? Since Remarkables Park Flight Centre first opened five and a half years ago. Tell us what you love most about your job. I love sending people to places they never thought they would go to and then hearing what an amazing time they had. I also love famils. What are the most challenging parts? Changes to systems and rules. Which top three countries do you tend to sell most during spring? UK/Europe early bird deals, last minute South Pacific getaways and Australia for the January school holidays. Are there any travel trends you've noticed emerging in the past year? People seem to be booking their travel at the last minute. They tend to think they will get an amazing last minute deal, but they need the assurance that they can do the trip. Normally the prices are not cheaper and the availability is harder to get so the price can put people off –
especially travel from regional airports. What has been the strangest request you've ever received from a client? A diplomat holidaying in Queenstown sent an employee to Singapore monthly to buy special milk! What has been your favourite place to visit so far and why? Cambodia on a Peregrine famil. It was such an amazing trip. Griff and Stan from Korean Air were awesome to travel with and Cambodia had so much to offer. The locals were so lovely and I got the most beautiful photos. What can't you travel without? My camera! Do you have a favourite airport? I loved Seoul Airport. It’s so clean and functional, and there’s free internet. Do you have any packing tips? If you roll everything up you can fit a lot more into your bag.
October 2012
3
news
Auckland welcomes second EK A380 Auckland Airport saw double recently as the second Emirates (EK) A380 officially became part of the New Zealand schedule, replacing a B777-300ER on the Auckland service via Melbourne. Auckland has become one of only a few destinations on the airline’s network to welcome the A380 twice daily. On board the first A380 flight from Dubai via Melbourne into Auckland Left to right: Auckland Airport chairwoman Joan Withers; was EK’s senior vice president associate minister of transport the Hon. Simon Bridges; commercial operations Far East and Emirates senior vice president Far East and Australasia Salem Obaidalla; and Emirates vice president for Australasia Salem Obaidalla. Australasia Barry Brown Obaidalla said the growth in EK’s business in New Zealand had given the airline the confidence to introduce Obaidalla. “EK A380 services to Melbourne a second daily A380. He also expressed and Auckland are a key component to the his gratitude to the Auckland Airport Global Aviation Partnership announced company for creating the facilities for with Qantas in September. Pending multiple A380 arrivals. regulatory approval, from April 2013 “We are grateful for the approach of New Zealand travellers will experience the New Zealand Government, which seamless connectivity across the Emirates has allowed us to grow our capacity as we and Qantas networks, exclusive frequent create demand and grow the market,” said flyer benefits, plus greater choice of flights
W O N
Recruiting Travel Brokers Call or email Wendy in confidence:
“There was never a better time to join the Team”
October 2012
OUR POINTS OF DIFFERENCE INCLUDE: • Commission splits up to 95% • Monthly overrides & variety of incentives • Brokers have total ownership of their client base • No monthly Brokerage technology bills • Personalised website with E-Newsletter link • Intranet & ‘chat’ room • Great Team Dynamics • Annual Broker Conference & Regional Forums
4
and the launch of new city-pairs, connecting the Emirates and Qantas’ Trans-Tasman networks to 10 daily flights from Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney to Dubai – four of which will be non-stop A380 services - connecting to over 70 destinations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.” Among the key guests at the reception marking the occasion were New Zealand’s associate minister of transport, the Hon. Simon Bridges, Auckland Airport chairwoman Joan Withers and Emirates vice president for Australasia Barry Brown. In August next year, EK will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its services to New Zealand. Since starting services in 2003, EK’s expenditure and investment in the New Zealand market has totalled over $750 million, and the airline spent more than $11 million on marketing Destination New Zealand in the last financial year.
(09) 307-1849 0274 778 144
or
wdarcy@thetravelbrokers.co.nz www.thetravelbrokers.co.nz
Cele
“Judged Best Travel Broker Group”
Photo Credits || www.mediaweb.co.nz/services/photography
10 byreaatinrsg
A member of Just Tickets Ltd. Just Tickets Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of Stella Travel Services, 66 Wyndham Street, Auckland
news
new trAvel folk Dennis Weatherall
Battlefields tour specialist DENNIS WEATHERALL has joined the New Zealand and Australian university-owned Odyssey Travel. Weatherall is one of Australia’s earliest IATA-registered travel agents, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Qualified Travel Licence Holders and a member of the International Guild of Battlefield Guides. Weatherall’s career as a battlefield guide is now branded operationally as Battlefields of the World and his tours have covered fields of conflict from Africa, the Western Front, the Western Desert, to South East Asia and
the Far East. A former sailor with the Royal Australian Navy, he has used his background with the RSL, Ex Navalman’s Association of Australia, Royal United Services Institute and the Royal Military College at Duntroon to build his specialist battlefield career. – Kathy Ombler Sarah Clark
Youth travel operator Topdeck introduces SARAH CLARK as its new general manager Australia/New Zealand. Clark will have overall responsibility for
sales ex Australia and New Zealand for the company’s entire tour portfolio as well as overseeing the operation of the company’s domestic range of youth tours. Clark commenced her travel career as road crew in Australia and New Zealand for Connections Adventures which was acquired by Topdeck in 2009. Clark was then employed by Topdeck’s London Office in internal sales before joining Tasmanian-based hotel chain Innkeepers as national sales manager and then international sales and marketing manager. Returning to Topdeck in 2008, Clark took up the Toronto-based post of VP sales and marketing North America. In 2011 Clark joined STA’s North American Division as VP product, marketing and online.
Tony Howlett
Heritage Hotel Management has appointed TONY HOWLETT as the new general manager sales and marketing, based at the Heritage Hotel Management corporate office in Auckland. Howlett has been the general manager for the Heritage Hanmer Springs for the past four years. Originally from the UK, he worked for a number of British luxury hotels, working his way up to general manager level before moving to New Zealand with his family in 2003. On arrival he worked in hotel operations before joining Heritage as a sales manager for Heritage Hotel and CityLife.
WHITEMAN PARK . PERTH
sales@cavershamwildlife.com.au October 2012
0061 8 9248 1984
open everyday (except xmas day) 5
news
AIME targets business travel The business travel industry will be the focus of next year’s Asia-Pacific Incentives and Meetings Expo (AIME) to be held in Melbourne. Event organisers are actively targetting the sector for the first time, in addition to introducing a new US Pavilion. The two-day show is taking place on February 26 and 27, 2013 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC). AIME will be building on 2012’s business travel exhibitors which included a number of airlines, hotel chains and corporate travel agencies. This time, US organisations will also be given the opportunity to share space on the exhibition floor with the new US Pavilion. Ranked by Australians as the second most popular destination to place business, with 48 per cent of hosted buyers at AIME 2012 looking to North America for their conferences and events, the US Pavilion will become a one-stopshop for buyers looking to book business in the USA. Exhibitors already signed
up include San Francisco Travel and Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board. AIME will also introduce the Future Events Experience – a section on the show floor where the latest event technologies and innovations will be presented. This exhibit will also provide a forum to discuss the latest trends and challenges of the industry as well as demonstrating emerging products and technologies. Organisers are urging those interested
in attending AIME 2013 to take advantage of the hosted buyer early bird offer, which closes on October 26, 2012, a saving of 10 per cent off the normal application fee. Hosted buyers will be offered the opportunity to attend the Education Programme, which will take place on Wednesday morning between 8.45am and 9.45am. This seminar will provide buyers with professional development and knowledge to help them in their roles. In addition, all buyers are welcome to attend the Saxton Ultimate Event Experience, to take place on the Tuesday morning before the start of the show. New AIME pre-tour options have been announced for hosted buyers to experience the Victoria region. Some of 2013’s pre touring programmes include Mildura and the Murray River, The Great Ocean Road, Yarra Valley winery tour, experiencing Ballarat’s rich history and wines and seeing the penguins of Phillip Island. ➦ www.aime.com.au
Asia-Pacific Incentives & Meetings Expo Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre Melbourne, Australia 26-27 February 2013 | aime.com.au
Now in its 21st year, the Asia-Pacific Incentives & Meetings Expo (AIME) is recognised as the premier event in the Asia-Pacific region for event and business travel organisers. As a buyer in the industry, we would like to invite you to apply today. Benefits of being an AIME Hosted Buyer include:
You can attend AIME in a number of different ways:
Complimentary airfares, airport transfers, 4 to 5 star accommodation, Pre Scheduled Appointments with exhibitors you choose to meet with, pre and post touring options around Victoria and Australia, unrivalled networking opportunities and much, much more.
• As a Fully Hosted Buyer (with airfares included) • As a Semi Hosted Buyer • As an Appointment only Buyer - NEW!
*
Australian buyers can choose to attend either one or both days
Visit aime.com.au for qualification details
Apply today for AIME’s VIP Hosted Buyer Program at aime.com.au/apply Early bird discount applies when you register prior to 26 October.
October 2012
AIME IS PART OF THE REED TRAVEL EXHIBITIONS MEETINGS, EVENTS AND BUSINESS TRAVEL INDUSTRY PORTFOLIO
6
Photo Credits || X;
AIME IS OWNED BY MCVB
AIME IS MANAGED BY RTE
news
Antarctica flights cancelled
A tasty read This month, Lonely Planet released its Food Lover’s Guide to the World - a delicious escape into the best dishes around the globe. Sectioned off into countries and then regions, the guide provides more than 50 authentic recipes and offers cultural tips and eating etiquette amongst stunning photography. Even if you’re not much of a cook, this is a great educational read on some of the most intriguing cultures around the world. In the foreword, James Oseland (editor-in-chief of Saveur magazine) puts it best when he says: ‘There is no better way to understand a place – to literally get it inside you – than by eating its food.’ One of the best features has to be contributions by celebrity ‘food lovers’ who share with us their greatest foodie travel memories and favourite exotic dishes. This is armchair travelling at its best. The Food Lover’s Guide to the World retails at $59.99.
Antarctica Sightseeing Flights has cancelled its planned flight from Auckland to Antarctica in February. Antarctica Sightseeing Flights founder and managing director Phil Asker says, although there has been strong interest in the proposed flight, bookings have been insufficient to justify the flight with a chartered B747-400. Less than 100 passengers were booked on the Auckland service. “We are very disappointed that our Auckland flight has not attracted the level of interest we anticipated,” Asker says. “We know from our research that there is strong Kiwi interest in Antarctica sightseeing flights, but with only one third of the seats sold so far, it would be uneconomical for us to proceed.” Over the ditch, Asker says the five scheduled flights are selling well, particularly in Perth, where one flight has sold out and a second has now been scheduled. Asker says his company will provide full refunds to those passengers who booked to travel on the Auckland service, and will also offer a discount of A$250 off the price of any Antarctica sightseeing flight departing from Australia. “We regret having to cancel this service, and apologise to those who have been disappointed or inconvenienced by our decision,” he says.
Mix’n’match for bucket list success Eurolynx Travel is offering new cruises to mix’n’match for clients hoping to tick multiple destinations off their bucket list. New to the range is the Venice to Stockholme ‘Venice Simplon-Orient-Express’ (VSOE) due for departure in April next year. “Escape into a bygone, golden age when the ‘getting there’ was as important as the ‘being there’ with all the vibrancy and zest of today’s contemporary world,” says Eurolynx manager David Franklin-Ross. The VSOE leaves Venice for an overnight journey to Budapest (via Vienna) and arrives when embarkation starts on a 10-night River Cruise to Prague or a 17-night cruise to Paris. Eurolynx Travel is offering many itineraries in 2013 to link in with the VSOE including the five-star River Cruises and Hotel Barges. “A great VSOE match is leaving Saturday in Venice, arriving Sunday in Paris and then private transfer to the Burgundy region to board a fully crewed, beautifully restored Luxury Hotel Barge,” says Franklin-Ross. Along with the VSOE, Eurolynx has access to the Orient-Express collection including Eastern and Oriental Express, The Royal Scotsman, Afloat in France and cruising the rivers of Myanmar on the ‘Road to Mandalay’ and the new Orcaella.
Take the Puzzle out of EUROPE, UK & IRELAND Let Us Piece Together The Itinerary
✪ RIVER CRUISING ✪ CANAL BOATS – SELF DRIVE ✪ HOTEL BARGES ✪ MOTOR HOMES ✪ LUXURY TRAINS ✪ WALKING & CYCLING ✪ COACH TOURS
Photo Credits || Lonely Planet
October 2012
Eurolynx Travel Ph: 09 361 3661 or Email info@eurolynx.co.nz
www.eurolynx.co.nz 7
cruise news
Seabourn heads south Seabourn will combine its South American itineraries with landings on the Antarctic continent for the first time in 2013. Seabourn Quest, the newest ship in Seabourn’s fleet, will begin a series of 21 to 24-day voyages sailing between Valparaiso, Chile and Buenos Aires, Argentina visiting the white continent starting in November of 2013. Seabourn has seen significant growth in sales from New Zealand in the past couple of years and is urging agents to be ready to take advantage of growing demand. The release of Seabourn’s 2013/14 cruise brochure offers a host of opportunities for agents to make commissions. As a prelude to the release of the main cruise brochure, Seabourn has released a 16-page 2013 Europe brochure with value fare
Seabourn
Seabourn Odyssey
savings up to 50 per cent off. The brochure features cruises to Honningsvaag at the North Cape to Istanbul’s Golden Horn and Europe in between with cruises from seven nights through to 21 nights with various combinations allowing in-depth exploration of both the eastern and western Mediterranean. Other highlights for 2013 include Seabourn Quests’ 2013 World Cruise and Seabourn Odyssey, spending time in New Zealand and Australia in January and February 2013, offering a selection of 14 night cruises. Seabourns’ New Zealand GSA Cruise World has support staff and dedicated sales managers around the country ready to assist agents with training, cruise evenings and generally to help agents take advantage of the product.
NEW – ANTARCTICA & PATAGONIA begins November 2013
The World’s Best Small Ship Cruise Line
Exceptional Savings Extraordinary Travel experiences
Save upto 50%
or more on 2013 cruising
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The
Seabourn Difference • Intimate ships with just 104 or 225 suites • Unique itineraries to must-see cities and hidden gems where larger ships cannot go • Spacious, all-suite accommodations with sweeping ocean views • Fine wines poured at lunch and dinner, and open bars throughout the ship • All dining venues are complimentary – guests dine where, when and with whomever they wish • Intuitive, gracious service provided by a staff passionate about pleasing our guests • Gourmet dining experiences that rival the finest restaurants • Complimentary welcome champagne and in-suite bar stocked per the guests’ preferences • Tipping is neither required nor expected
October 2012
New Zealand GSA – Cruise World 0800 500 732 or info@cruiseworld.co.nz
8
Photo Credits || Seabourn
Pacific Pearl sets sail The youngest P&O Cruises ship, Pacific Pearl, will sail out of Auckland in 2013 from April to June, travelling around New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific Islands. The ship was welcomed in 2010 with a focus on entertainment, offering Pacific Cirque acrobatic shows; a big screen where clients can play outdoor bingo, watch recent release movies and TV shows or take part in Playstation and Wii tournaments; a pool bar; and the Atrium which transforms into a three-storey entertainment venue showcasing events like the ViZion Laser Light Show Its on-deck BBQ offers a down-under dining experience and the Waterfront Restaurant with wine room can cater to private parties and also offers a degustation menu. There’s also signature celebrity chef restaurant Salt Grill by Luke Mangan and MIX for cappuccinos during the day and cocktails at night. The Orient pub offers a selection of cocktails and boutique beers, and the venue is furnished with chesterfield lounges, wingback chairs and pub stools, recalling the historic Orient Line.
P&O Cruises Pacific Pearl
For some pampering, clients can head to Aqua HealthSpaFitness, which offers a range of treatments including facials, body scrubs and acupuncture, as well as medi-spa treatments like teeth whitening. Pacific Pearl offers cruises to and from Auckland and Sydney to Tasmania, the Pacific Islands and New Zealand, as well as a number of P&O SeaBreak cruises.
named Cruise Holidays ‘Cruising Holidays’ and listed Insignia on its range of cruise offerings. From this year Oceania Cruises no longer offers Insignia. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.
Photo Credits || Carnival Cruises; Cruise Holidays
Sail Sri Lanka with Swan Hellenic Clients can now sail on the refurbished Minvera to Sri Lanka with Swan Hellenic this summer. The 15-day To Sri Lankan Shores cruise is available from $4235 per person
Silver Cloud’s new silver lining Silversea’s all-suite Silver Cloud will welcome guests to a newly renovated shipboard environment with many new enhancements from November 2012. The new interior decor will include all suites, public spaces and dining venues. The renewed lobby will have new carpets, wall treatments and artwork in the corridors, staircases and public spaces. The Bar will feature new furniture, carpet, curtains and reconditioned wood flooring, while The Spa and Beauty Salon will also get a makeover. Inside the suites, all carpets, headboards, curtains and outside veranda furniture will be replaced. Each suite will have a new mattress custom-made exclusively for Silversea.
October 2012
Explore with Oceania Cruises Out now is the new Oceania Cruises’ Explore Your World brochure, which was recently released to New Zealand agents. This is the fourth issue and provides trade with the best offers from Oceania Cruises. The bonus issue features all 2013 cruises from April to November in date order. Shipboard credits are available over particular sailings, up to US$500 per stateroom and clients can take advantage of bonus savings of up to $5000 per guest on select sailings. Extra brochure orders can be made by emailing cruise@cruising.co.nz CORRECTION: In last month’s Cruise Guide, Traveltrade mistakenly
Avalon Europe savings River cruise operator Avalon Waterways is offering a new round of earlybird deals on its 2013 river cruises. Combine any 2013 Avalon Waterways European river cruise with a Monograms city stay or Globus tour and receive a discount of $600 per couple, and save $300 per couple when booking any 2013 Avalon Waterways European river cruise of 11 days or more. Avalon’s 2013 selection of river cruises offers itineraries of between eight and 23 days on the Rhine, Main, Danube, Moselle, Seine and Rhône rivers. Popular itineraries include the 15-day Magnificent Europe between Amsterdam and Budapest, priced from $6426 per person twin share, and the eight-day Romantic Rhine between Amsterdam and Zürich, priced from $3282 per person twin share.
(based on two people sharing an inside Category L cabin). The itinerary departs from Singapore and calls at Port Klang, Malaysia; Penang, Malaysia; Langkawi, Malaysia; Port Blair, Andaman Islands; Chennai, India; Trincomalee, Sri Lanka; Galle, Sri Lanka; and Colombo, Sri Lanka. Price is based on a February 13, 2013 departure. Price includes a tailor-made programme of shore excursions, talks by guest speakers, meals and entertainment on-board, all gratuities and all relevant cruise taxes/fees.
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profile
Rising to the challenge Since turning his hobby into a career, Rohan Garnett has spread his wings across four airlines on five continents. Now, as Qantas Airways (QF) regional general manager New Zealand and Pacific Islands, Garnett has been busy dealing with the various challenges thrown at his country’s national carrier this past year, whilst settling into the Kiwi lifestyle. Here he talks to Traveltrade about QF’s future and how he’s dealing with a rugby-mad nation.
October 2012
Give us an idea of your career background
I have worked in the airline business my entire professional life – for four airlines (Ansett Australia, British Airways, Qantas, Jetstar) on five continents. It was a childhood hobby that ultimately became my career. I guess you could say I have never actually been to work for a single day. I have been fortunate enough 10
to hold a vast array of positions from Human Resources, Airport Operations, Freight, Customer Service, and Sales and Marketing during this time. Combining all these portfolios into being the manager responsible for an entire region such as New Zealand and Pacific is a real highlight.
How long have you been in this role and what have been the biggest challenges so far?
I have been in this role since October 2011. The biggest challenges are largely to do with harnessing the greatness of the Qantas brand and all attributes associated with it, such as safety, security and customer service and bringing this to a broader customer audience. We want to reach out not only to the existing loyal customer base but create new customer streams at all levels. I am grateful to have such an exceptional team of professionals in New Zealand and the Pacific as well
as being supported by our Head Office teams in Sydney who share this outlook and work tirelessly to deliver it every day.
What are your priorities going forward?
We have many priorities, but our main one is to maximise our position on the Trans-Tasman. We have the best on time performance, the best product for business and leisure and the best service delivery combined with fares and offerings at all levels of the customer spectrum. It is about how we communicate these to potential customers and how they in turn experience our offering. Moving forward I see other potential opportunities for Qantas to develop its Pacific business further. I think this, combined with the Emirates partnership (subject to approval), will really be defined here in the Tasman.
lounges, are also the best in their class. The combination of all these factors, working together will produce the results we need to be a profitable business.
Give us an overview of the business transformation programme QF is embarking on
Rohan Garnett
QF reported a A$244m loss for the last financial year. How does the airline plan to turn this around?
How do you expect the programme will benefit QF in the long run?
I believe that if we successfully offer and deliver the products and services outlined above we will play a small but significant part in QF’s return to international profitability. Our alliances and partnerships are also critical here – I have mentioned Emirates above and whilst we welcome the opportunities this association will bring, our existing arrangements in this region with organisations like Jetstar, Air Tahiti Nui, Air Calin, Air Pacific and Air Vanuatu to name a few, will also be important to our long-term success in the region.
How has the appreciation of the Australian dollar affected QF?
I think the real question here is the appreciating New Zealand dollar, which
How are you finding life in New Zealand?
It is far more diverse and international than I think people give it credit for. I have been privileged to live all over the world and I must say my opinion of New Zealand has been enhanced by the global outlook that your leaders in government, the community and industry are using to put New Zealand on the global stage in a way that will build a solid future for the country. That said I am getting a little bit weary of everything revolving around the All Blacks... Go Qantas Wallabies.
What do you like to do in your spare time? My hobby became my career so I enjoy discovering my region, in particular other parts of New Zealand and the Pacific, with my wife and two sons. We think Queenstown is one of the most remarkable places to be explored as is the Bay of Islands and areas north of Auckland. We want to spend more time exploring parts of the Pacific and Antarctica at the end of the year which will be great. Our children take up much of my spare time and in New Zealand there is such a vast array of activities that are safe and enjoyable. Any given weekend involves a combination of the following: sailing, basketball, flipper ball, cricket, rugby and piano practice.
What are you reading?
I’m reading Paul Holmes ‘Daughters of Erebus’. This is a topic that has fascinated me for 30 years and his personal account of the impacts of such a lasting tragedy I found extremely moving.
Do you have any guiding principles? I think that life is to be enjoyed and everyday is different. I have had an amazing time to date but I have had my share of good days and bad ones. Rising to the challenges, engaging with others and forever questioning why things are done the way they are and cannot be done better are some principles of mine.
October 2012
I think it is fair to say that some things are beyond our control such as surging fuel prices. Throughout my career they have ranged in price from $19 a barrel to over $150. No other industry I can think of is subject to such a massive swing in such a large part of its fixed costs. That said, there are many things we can do that customers value which ultimately assists profitability. For example: our On Time Performance across our four New Zealand airports (AKL, CHC, WLG, ZQN) is frequently 100 per cent every week. This is an outstanding result. Also we offer complimentary food, drinks and checked baggage on every flight, every day, every time at fares that are often the best in the market. At the other end of the spectrum our business class product, including
We are currently engaged in a programme that will restore profitability over the next few years. This is about operating the right aircraft on the right routes at the right times and also the reverse. An example of the latter includes the termination of our AKLLAX services earlier this year. This route was simply not economically sustainable for us and given our dominant position of SYD/MEL/BNE to LAX we have been able to retain significant portions of our US business ex-New Zealand by better allocation of aircraft, schedule and fare structure that meets customer’s needs and expectations. Similarly we are embarking on a strategy for the Tasman that combines frequency with products and prices to match all customer segments and can feed our other international routes. We also believe we have the best travel solutions for corporate customers in New Zealand who until recently were not a major focus of our local activities but are now firmly in our sights. It would also be remiss not to mention our trade/industry support service which we manage in-house to the benefit of all those agents who seek assistance from us.
means more Kiwis are choosing to fly internationally. We are well positioned to offer the products and services they expect of a full service, safe and reliable international airline. There are also over half a million expatriate New Zealanders living in Australia who are also benefiting from both appreciating currencies.
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Surprising, inspiring,
October 2012
Eating and drinking have become an art form in Spain, and nowhere is this more true than Madrid. Hayley Barnett uncovers some of the city’s top eateries and bars. Tapas, jamón, paella, gazpacho – the Spanish cook up some tasty treats. But the food and drink themselves are just the beginning. Where you eat, how you eat, and who you eat it with are all equally important factors in the art of consuming Madrid’s sumptuous cuisine. Moving about the capital city you never quite know what you’re going to get. A simple snack can easily turn into a tapas bar hop and even a quiet drink can lead you astray, sending you out the door with a handful of new friends and a recipe for the best gazpacho you’ll never make. If clients are looking for a real insider’s guide to Madrid, set them up 12
Photo Credits || La Cocina de San Anton
indulgent Madrid on a personal tour with English local Joanna Wivell who is sure to lead them astray. Having lived in Madrid for more than 10 years, Wivell uses her local knowledge to show off areas that clients wouldn’t normally see on an average city tour. Tours can be tailor-made to suit certain preferences – Wivell covers everything from gourmet tapas to flamenco and fine art, while dropping facts at every opportunity. For example, did you know that tapas, meaning ‘cover’ or ‘lid’, were originally used to place on top of glasses to keep flies away from the sherry? And, apparently, bar owners decided to create the snacks for punters when it was
discovered that salt increases thirst. The Madrid Gourmet Tapas Tour is available for both small and large groups in different formats to still appear as if clients are experiencing the city as an individual. For those who want to get out and about on their own, there’s plenty of amazing food centres which are easy to find. The markets in Madrid are something of an experience. Although the Spanish like to stick to tradition, the details often change. The modern Madrid marketplace is no longer a place of necessity but one of social indulgence, where locals tend to gather after work to eat and drink their
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seventy percent of its client base locals. Mixologists are on hand to offer original creations and punters have the choice of sitting outside on the large terrace or inside at the bar to watch the masters at work. Of course, clients cannot leave Madrid without experiencing the famous flamenco. One of the best flamenco clubs in the city is Corral de la Moreria, where clients can view the show over dinner or go during one of the meal-free sessions. This raw and honest dance form will give them a true taste of Spanish culture. Stay Hotel Ritz Dripping in Old World opulence, Hotel Ritz Madrid transports you back in time to the early 1900s. Not a lot has changed
Photo Credits || www.mediaweb.co.nz/services/photography; Hotel Ritz Madrid
since then. Although maintained regularly, the design and trimmings have stayed frozen in time. If clients are only visiting for a peek, the restaurant is great for celebrity spotting and the outdoor garden terrace is the perfect place for day or night time cocktails. Goya Restaurant offers a mix of Spanish delicacies and avantgarde creations, influenced by French and Basque cuisine. Getting there Singapore Airlines operates 12 flights per week from Auckland and daily from Christchurch via Singapore, then onto Barcelona direct with four flights per week departing on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday; and three flights per week via Milan on Monday, Thursday and Saturday. Hayley Barnett travelled to Spain courtesy of Singapore Airlines, Spain Tourism Office and Rail Europe. A La Cocina de San Anton B Bodega de la Ardosa C Goya Restaurant, Hotel Ritz Madrid D Gazpacho
October 2012
way into the night. Suggest clients head to San Miguel and San Anton markets to start the night off. Both are modern, buzzing and perfect for a few drinks and some light snacks. Upstairs at San Anton is La Cocina de San Anton – a restaurant and bar that specialises in jamón ibérico – black hoof ham cured with a layer of sea salt and hung in a factory with open windows to catch the breeze for one to four years. In Spain, the devil is in the detail. San Miguel is one of the few iron buildings still standing in Madrid and is located right in the middle of town. With its floor to ceiling windows, this one-level space is worth a visit for the building alone. Once there, clients can make their way around the array of treats, sampling the various wines and savoury tapas on offer, and finish with delectable chocolate treats available at specialty sweet stalls. For daily shopping, tell clients to check out the regular markets of La Paz, Chamartín or Chamberí. When ready to kick on, make sure clients check out DRY Cosmopolitan Bar by Javier de las Muelas. DRY has been described as the ‘Vatican’ of the cocktail scene in Madrid, with
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SPAIN
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The sun rises over Barcelona
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Moo Restaurant chef Felip Llufriu at Hotel OMM
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October 2012
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Barcelona’s top 10
There’s plenty to do in Spain’s second largest city. Whether clients are looking for a relaxed beach holiday, a shopping extravaganza, a historical feast for the eyes, or a cuisine-focused break, Barcelona caters to even the most critical tourist. Hayley Barnett takes in Barcelona’s cultural explosion of art, history and trendy sophistication. 14
Photo Credits || www.mediaweb.co.nz/services/photography
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La Sagrada Familía
La Sagrada Familía might be a work in progress, but it sure feels complete when you find yourself standing inside Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí’s ancient yet modern work of art. Gaudí began constructing the giant church more than a century ago and it is expected to be fully completed around 2020. Tip: Take a walking tour for just €4 to get an idea of the church’s rich history. Getting there: Take the Metro via Sagrada Familía station on lines 2 and 5, or walk 1.5km from Passeig de Gracia.
El Born
The epitomy of cool, El Born is a pocket of authenticity in a city that has largely become one giant tourist attraction. This is a district best known for its tapas and bar-hopping options which are popular with the locals. Suggest clients begin on Passeig del Born where the people-watching alone is worth the trip. Tip: Suggest a mojito at Cactus Bar. Getting there: Take the Metro to Jaume I.
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La Pedrera
Situated on Passeig de Gracia, otherwise known as the Champs Elysées of Barcelona, Gaudí designed this building as an apartment block. The originality of the design with its blurred lines and rippling twists attracts a large crowd every day. Advise clients to get there early to avoid the crowds. Opening times are from 9am to 8pm. Tip: To avoid getting up early, clients should consider staying a few doors down at Hotel Majestic. Sitting on Passeig de Gracia, this property is perfectly located for tourists who want to stay in the heart of one of Barcelona’s best shopping and sightseeing districts. Getting there: Take the Metro to Diagonal station.
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Casa Batllό
To experience another side of Barcelona’s architectural beauty, suggest clients head to the northern European Gothic-style church, La Catedral. The building of the church began in 1298 and wasn’t completed until the 1870s. The crypt of one of Barcelona’s patron saints, Santa Eulalia, is located beneath the main altar. Tip: Entry is free in the morning, but if clients pay €5 during the afternoon it should be relatively crowd-free. Getting there: Take the Metro to Jaume I.
Mercat de la Boqueria
This bustling food market is an historic Barcelona landmark where locals and travellers alike come to stock up their cupboards and hang about for a quick bite to eat. This market prides itself on countless jamón stalls as well as its fresh seafood and fish market. Most of the market closes on Sundays and Mondays. Tip: The constant hum of activity can make it hard to move around freely so watch your belongings and don’t keep anything in your pockets or the front/ top of your backpack. Getting there: Take the Metro to Liceu on line 3.
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Moo Restaurant and Bar, Hotel OMM
Moo is the place to be seen in Barcelona. This sleek, open plan bar oozes sophistication and the gastronomic menu in the Michelinstar restaurant is to die for. The dishes are inspired by Catalan cooking, and if clients are only after a quick bite to eat it also offers tapas in the lobby area. For clients looking to splash out during their stay in Barcelona, suggest staying in one of the suites at Hotel OMM where Moo is located. After taking in the city’s historic sites, it’s nice to come back to a modern and chic environment that allows clients to experience the trendy side of Barcelona. Tip: After Moo, suggest clients head around the corner to The Boca Chica Bar and Lounge, where professional mixologists will make any cocktail under the sun and then some. Getting there: Take the Metro to Diagonal.
Park Güell
Yes, Gaudi even designed a park. This fantasy land is made up of mosaic furniture, fountains and slanting columns, and is also where the CasaMuseu Gaudi is located. This is where the architect lived out the majority of his last 20 years. Admission is free to the park, but adults will pay €5.50 to enter the house. Tip: Avoid weekends during the summer season. Getting there: Take the Metro to Vallcarca or Lesseps stations.
Tapas 24
A local institution, this tapas bar is one of the best. Located in a basement setting and offering a range of fare, with everything from flatbread to soft shell tacos, this affordable eatery often has queues out the door so try to get there during an off hour. It is open from 9am to midnight. Tip: Try the Bombes de la Barceloneta - creamy, spicy potato – and a fish bowl-sized gin and tonic – the drink that seems to have a mesmerising effect on the Spanish. Getting there: Take the Metro to Passeig de Gracia on lines 2, 3 and 4.
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Barceloneta and Sant Sebastià
There are two main beaches that are particularly popular in Barcelona: Barceloneta, near the fishing district, and Sant Sebastià. Barceloneta Beach stretches more than 1km, and is the place for clients looking for seafood dishes and tapas. It also offers a beach library where beach-goers can borrow books during their sun baking session. Next to Barceloneta Beach is Sant Sebastià Beach, which is popular with tourists as it is closest to the Passeig de Colom, La Rambla and the Port Vell where there is a variety of restaurants and shops. Tip: Clients will get great waterfront views aboard the Transbordador Aeri, a cable car running along the Torre de Sant Sebastià. Getting there: Take the Metro to Barceloneta on line 4 or buses 17, 39 and 64. Editor Hayley Barnett travelled to Barcelona courtesy of Singapore Airlines and Spain Tourism Office. 15
October 2012
Just down the road from La Pedrera on Passeig de Gracia is Casa Batllό, another Gaudí-designed apartment building similar to its neighbour yet much more playful and welcoming. Tip: To get another take on the building’s facade, walk past after the sun has set. Getting there: Take the Metro to Passeig de Gracia.
La Catedral
Pacific pride PACIFIC GUIDE
Fiji and the Cook Islands are still in the lead when it comes to Pacific favourites for Kiwis, but Hawaii, Samoa, Vanuatu and Tahiti are nipping at their heels. Just make sure clients get there before the deals run out, writes Hayley Barnett.
October 2012
Hawaii
Kiwis holidaying in the Pacific are extending their breaks, but many are waiting for last-minute deals that might never come. Despite a resurgence in international journeys, House of Travel has found clients are still booking holidays to the Pacific Islands very late in the piece, resulting in many clients missing out on their chosen break altogether. “We have found due to some markets having limited room and/or seat capacity, for example the Cook Islands, a lot of people have missed out or decided it is not affordable to go on holiday this year,” says HOT director of product Carmen White. White says there are times when particular markets should take advantage of the deals but clients need to be aware of the repercussions. “The couples getaway market 16
may benefit from last-minute accommodation deals, but they still have to look at whether they can get a cheap enough airfare to warrant the accommodation savings,” she says. “Last-minute booking will mean high additional costs, especially in peak periods for the islands like New Zealand and Australian school holidays. Often there is also a lack of appropriate accommodation available at these times as well.” HOT has also noticed an extension in the duration of Pacific Island getaways. “With the exception of Denarau Island shortbreaks, we are seeing our customers booking Pacific Island holidays for a week or more,” says White. “This may be in part due to the growing popularity of destinations such as Vanuatu, Samoa and Tonga.” This year, Vanuatu and Samoa
Photo Credits || Hawaii: Hawaii Tourism Authority
have been rapidly rising in popularity amongst Kiwis. Vanuatu Tourism Office New Zealand representative Jacquie Carson says Vanuatu experienced a 15 per cent increase in New Zealand arrivals, followed by Cook Islands with eight per cent growth and Samoa with 3.4 per cent growth. “This is a direct result of the ongoing presence that Vanuatu has had in the Kiwi market this year, with the Vanuatu Tourism Office investing in six more tactical campaigns than in 2011,” says Carson. But both HOT and Flight Centre say the big one to watch over 2013 is Hawaii. Hawaiian Airlines will begin flying direct in March next year and, due to soaring demand, Air New Zealand recently announced increased capacity to Hawaii.
“We expect to see an explosion in the popularity of Hawaii as a destination in 2013, especially with the introduction of the new services,” says White. Flight Centre South Pacific product manager Melissa Bramley says the agency has seen strong interest already but it’s unclear whether this will negatively affect other Pacific destinations. “There has been high demand for travel to the United States in general, largely due to the strong Kiwi dollar,” says Bramley. “While this hasn’t had a huge effect on the number of travellers heading to the Pacific Islands, we will be watching to see what effect, if any, the increasing competition of Hawaii might have on the South Pacific.” Right now, however, Tahiti is Flight Centre’s number one growth destination in the Pacific. “Tahiti has been steadily growing year on year,” says Bramley. “We believe this is due to our commitment to advertising and the investment the destination has made to tourism.” Tahiti Tourism New Zealand representative Raumati Wikaire
says there has been a significant increase in Kiwis travelling there in the past year and the tourism office aims to further increase this through trade education. “We’ve had an increasing number of incentive groups attracted to Tahiti this year and Kiwi leisure travellers aren’t putting things off,” says Wikaire. “Tahiti has always been a bucket list destination for a lot of them and we’re finding many now have the means to realise this.” Wikaire says the tourism board’s focus now is on increasing knowledge and understanding of how to sell the destination with the trade, educating the consumer about the value and quality of the product and increasing the presence of Tahiti in the New Zealand market. As for selling the Pacific, HOT’s Carmen White says there are no hard and fast rules for the Pacific as a whole. “The Pacific Islands each have their own identity, culture and history, and each offers a different holiday experience,” says White. “An understanding of the type of
Hawaii
best of both worlds, by la e h t e v a h u o nd or by sea N ow y Every trip with Pacific Island Air & Seaplanes is a scenic flight over land, water and reefs, you might even see a whale or some dolphins on your flight!! PIA has a reputation for on time departures!! Our check-in counter is in the Domestic Terminal at Nadi International Airport!
Come join us in Fiji, you’ll have a wonderful time!!!
Nadi Airport, Nadi, Fiji Islands, PH: (679) 672 5642 FAX: (679) 672 5641 Email: reservations@pacisair.com.fj www.fijiseaplanes.com
October 2012
Pacific Island Air & Seaplanes
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PACIFIC GUIDE experience you will take away with you from each island is imperative when selling to your client. Some locations are perfect for short breaks, others are ideal for adventurers, some are far more suited to older families, and some are more suitable if great cuisine is a key imperative. Consultants need to qualify their clients so that they can best pair their needs with the unique attributes of each island group.� White adds the best time to head to the Pacific Islands is from April through to November.
Hawaiian Airlines upgrade
Hawaiian Airlines will upgrade to A330
October 2012
Samoa
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Strong demand from Kiwi travellers has convinced Hawaiian Airlines (HA) to launch new Auckland to Honolulu flights with its flagship A330-200 aircraft, instead of the smaller B767-300ERs it was planning to use. The new flights, which will operate three times weekly from March 14 next year, have taken off quickly in the New Zealand market, with strong bookings to both Hawaii and the US mainland. The A330 seats 294 passengers in a two-class cabin – 18 in business class and 276 in economy, 30 more passengers than the B767. The decision to upgrade to the A330 coincides with a special fare sale from Auckland to Hawaii and the US mainland. Return fares from Auckland to Honolulu, including taxes and surcharges, are priced from $1117 economy and $3317 business, while fares to the neighbour islands of Maui, Kauai or Hawaii Island start at $1223 for economy and $3423 for business. HA is also offering economy fares to 11 US mainland cities - Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Seattle, Portland, Sacramento, San Jose, Oakland, San Diego and Phoenix from $1535 in economy and business from $4135, and New York City from $1735 in economy and $4435 in business. These are low season fares, available for departures between March 14 and April 18, and again from May 6 to July 11 and from July 29 to 31. Flight HA446 will depart Auckland at 11:55pm every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, cross the international dateline and arrive in Honolulu at 9:45am the same day. The return flight to New Zealand, HA445, will depart Honolulu at 1:45pm every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, cross the international dateline and land in Auckland at 9:55pm the following day. Photo Credits || Samoa: Samoa Tourism Authority; Hawaiian Airlines: Walshe Group
Aggie Grey’s Le Meridien drops in
Aggie Grey’s Le Meridien Tahiti is centrally located with close proximity to Papeete and the international port. Aggie Grey’s Le Meridien Tahiti also provides a base from which to explore a variety of scenic excursions or adventure tours on offer.
Niue gets second weekly flight
Aggie Grey’s Le Meridien Tahiti
Following the recent purchase of Le Meridien Tahiti by Aggie Grey’s Samoa, the Aggie Grey’s Le Meridien team got together with Tahiti Tourism to pay Auckland a visit recently. Le Meridien director of leisure sales Elsa Fernicle says as well as promoting the new purchase in New Zealand she wants to change Kiwis’ perception of Tahiti. “We need to destroy the myth that Tahiti is too expensive,” says Fernicle. “It is much more affordable than people think and there’s a lot more to it than coconut trees and beaches. There’s something for everyone, including culture, adventure and family friendly activities.”
Air New Zealand has added a second weekly flight ex Auckland to Niue. The fortnightly mid-week flight will commence in April 2013, increasing capacity by 50 per cent through the island’s peak holiday season until October 2013. The new flight option will also allow time-poor holiday goers to enjoy Niue as a short break destination. “Opening up a mid-week fortnightly flight will increase the viability of Niue as a holiday and conferencing destination to new markets as well as build on our traditional and well established markets of New Zealand and Australia that are yielding excellent growth for Niue,” says Niue tourism development manager Hayden Porter. Developments in Niue over the previous two years have included infrastructure projects on the island including increased signage, walking tracks and viewing platforms as well as a new visitor centre. There has also been a significant increase in accommodation options through the building of new properties like the Matavai Motel – scheduled to open in December, and expansion and upgrading of existing properties including the major renovation of Niue’s Matavai Resort.
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Photo Credits || Le Meridien
STAY YOU.™ October 2012
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PACIFIC GUIDE
The new Fiji Airways’ A330
Air Pacific chairman Nalin Patel with Prime Minister Commodore Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama and Air Pacific CEO Dave Pflieger
October 2012
Air Pacific reveals new look Air Pacific (FJ) recently revealed livery and features for its three new A330s to be introduced from March 2013, when the airline returns to its former name of Fiji Airways. Held in Suva on Fiji Day, guests were treated to a viewing of the launch video, which unveiled the new look as well as the meaning behind the three Masi symbols, specially created to represent the rebranded airline. FJ chief executive Dave Pflieger says feedback from the recent reveal has been overwhelming. “Fijians are excited about finally aligning the name of their country with the airline, because at the end of the day we are a destination carrier and we’re an 20
Photo Credits || Air Pacific
amazing island destination to go to so we should be a flying billboard for the country,” he says. “The comment that really struck home with me was ‘I’m so proud’ – that really gets you.” The aircraft are the first brand-new, wide-bodied aircraft the company has purchased and the A330s are the first flown with fuel-efficient, lowCO2 emission Rolls Royce Trent 700 engines. They are equipped with economy and business class seats designed by Zodiac Aerospace/ Weber. Each seat will have 110v in-seat power for electronic devices, including laptops, games, iPhones and iPads. The in-flight entertainment systems are designed and installed by Panasonic.
Of the three Masi symbols used to represent Fiji Airways, the Teteva motif, designed by Fijian Masi artist Makereta Matemosi, is to be featured at the centre of the airline’s new brandmark and on the tail of the new aircraft. It represents the friendliness of Fijians and their caring nature. The Rova symbol, on the aircraft engine, symbolises the greeting Fijians extend to visitors, while the Makare symbol, which appears on the front and underside of the plane, evokes clear water on a beach. The full re-branding of Fiji Airways will be complete by the end of 2013, by which time the new brand will roll out across the international marketplace, ticket offices, check-in counters, airport lounge facilities, uniforms and the airline’s official website. FJ soars higher Air Pacific is continuing to do well since its successful turnaround since new CEO Pflieger came onboard two years ago. Pflieger told Traveltrade that this year financially FJ is doing better than expected and looks forward to taking on low-cost competitors with an improved product. “Right now we’re holding our own as Air Pacific with what I would argue is a dated product,” says Pflieger. “Now with new airplanes, new product, new seats, and our first ever customer servicefocused training, I think we can do pretty well against the competition.” Virgin Australia and Jetstar rolled into town within months of each other as Pflieger took the reins at FJ. “In the face of that adversity, I’ve been impressed with what our team has been able to achieve, which is not just survive but succeed,” he says. Pflieger adds that within a two-year time frame FJ has gained additional revenue and kept non-fuel costs constant, while adding 85,000 additional passengers last year with the same number of aircraft, albeit with slightly less capacity. “Initially, I was viewed as the saviour, then I was the bad guy because of all the restructuring and now hope is here,” says Pflieger. “We’ve shown that we can add a B737 with six months’ notice, we can go double daily into Sydney and now we can buy brand new airplanes when there were seemingly none available.” FJ will return to its former name Fiji Airways when its first of three A330s arrives in March next year.
World Heritage Site celebrates 25 years
To commemorate the silver anniversary of its World Heritage Site status, and the 40th anniversary of the international World Heritage Convention, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is offering two events – one at the park and one at The Fairmont Orchid on the Kohala Coast. Twenty-five years ago, the park was acknowledged as a World Heritage Site for having “superlative attributes of universal value important to the common heritage of humanity”. Today, there are 21 World Heritage Sites in the United States (including two in Hawaii, the other is Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument) and 962 sites worldwide. After Dark in the Park Join National Geographic Traveller editor Jonathan Tourtellot for an overview of World Heritage Sites, how World Heritage grows jobs, four common myths about World Heritage and America’s position in the global quest for World Heritage sites. No registration required. Part
Hula
of Hawaii Volcanoes’ ongoing After Dark in the Park series. Free (but park entrance fees apply) When: October 24 at 7pm Where: Kīlauea Visitor Centre Auditorium World Heritage Anniversary Roundtable The park, Big Island Visitors Bureau and The Fairmont Orchid present a destination roundtable with National Geographic Traveller editor Jonathan Tourtellot, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park staff, and travel industry leaders. Learn why having a World Heritage Site on the island is important, what it means to your organisation, and how you can leverage this status in your outreach efforts. Free admission and free parking at The Fairmont Orchid; RSVP online at http://www.eventbrite. com/event/4450461450/eorg or email jessica_ferracane@nps.gov When: October 25 from 1pm to 4pm Where: The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii Plaza Ballroom
Hulihee Palace, Kona
Hawaii has joined the National Scenic Byways Programme, a programme that represents many of the most distinct and diverse roads of the islands. These corridors embody intrinsic qualities such as archaeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational and/or scenic that community sponsors and government agencies work in partnership to preserve, enhance or promote. Each community sponsored byway page shares points of interest, stories and pictures that make their byway unique. There’s also a searchable index of traveller amenities along each route, and a monthly calendar of local events taking place along the byways. ➦ www.hawaiiscenicbyways.org
ALL THE WAy TO THE U SA
N O N - S TO P TO H AWA I‘ I F R O M AU C K L A N D & O N TO 11 U. S . C I T I E S C O M M E N C I N G 14 M A R C H 20 13
Your complimentary inclusions HawaiianAirlines.co.nz
2 x 32kg baggage allowance pp
Hawaiian Inspired Meals
Island Beverages
Authentic Hawaiian Hospitality
Entertainment, blanket & pillow
October 2012
Contact Hawaiian Airlines for more Information, Tel 09 977 2227 or email hawaiian@walshegroup.com
Photo Credits || Hawaii Tourism Authority
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ACCESSIBLE TRAVEL
Access all areas
October 2012
There are so many factors to consider when booking a holiday for mature clients or those with special accessibility needs. Here, the Cruiseabout Merivale team have put together a list of tips on accessible cruising, and offer handy advice for booking air travel. It isn’t just mature clients booking cruises these days. This vacation choice can be just the ticket for those with special accessibility needs. But how do you know which cruise line to choose and what to look out for? Let’s start at the very beginning. “For airfares, premium economy or business class are great options, budget depending, because the extra room provides much easier access to seats and on-board amenities,” says Cruiseabout Merivale manager Stefan Brown. “The additional crew assistance in business class can also help to make the journey a more pleasant experience.” Agent Annalea SewHoy says it’s important to pre-seat customers whenever possible. “Making sure they are seated in a centre aisle seat will provide them with much easier access while still allowing other travellers access from other directions,” she says. Agent David Wylde says it’s a good idea to break up an air journey and to make sure a stopover is stress free. “Try to break up a long journey into two or more shorter and more 22
manageable trips to reduce stress on the body. It’s also great to have transfers and pre and post-cruise accommodation booked before they depart, making the journey as stress-free as possible.” TIPS FOR ACCESSIBLE CRUISING Consider the mobility access of the cruise line It is really important to get to know your client and what their needs are. Some cruise lines are more accessible than others with some even offering specialised equipment onboard such as hoists for pool access. Most cruise lines will have elevators and be wheelchair friendly so all travellers can enjoy a vast range of cruising options. While river cruises offer clients a fantastic experience and are an amazing way to see Europe, the smaller size and the nature of the ports they visit may not offer the ease of access that is available on the larger and more traditional cruise lines. Some of the modern cruise lines also have onboard medical centres, offering elderly passengers, or those who require extra assistance, peace of mind.
Consider the cruise cabin size Cruise cabins are traditionally compact by nature so it’s recommended that clients book the largest cabin that suits their needs and fits within their budget. Adding a balcony to your cabin helps to provide easy access to the amazing scenery and climate that a cruise holiday can offer, without having to negotiate the corridors and decks if you’re just after a few minutes of fresh air. This also allows clients with special requirements to enjoy the destinations they visit from the comfort of their own cabin if they wish. Consider cabin accessibility Most cruise lines now have wheelchair accessible rooms offering wider doors and bathrooms that are fitted with extra facilities, making it as accessible as possible for the passenger. Consider the ports and whether the ship docks or tenders Larger cruise ships may not be able to get in to shallow ports, especially in the South Pacific, so smaller boats often shuttle passengers back and forth from the cruise ship to land.
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ACCESSIBLE TRAVEL
In some cases, wheelchairs or scooters may not be able to be taken on board the transfer boat so it’s really important to check any limitations for all of the port stops. Consider the port destination Older Mediterranean ports such as Santorini are often hard to get around. While charming, the narrow
cobblestone roads of some of the older ports may not be suitable for all passengers. It is very important to research each port to determine its suitability for customers’ requirements. Insurance Insurance is essential for any holiday. Many insurance companies will cover clients for pre-existing medical requirements but the levels of cover and costs can vary depending on the
Engaging the senses
October 2012
Emma Bennison and her husband are both visually impaired. When they decided to take a cruise holiday with their children, aged eight and four, it wasn’t a decision that either of them took lightly. They eventually chose to take a P&O Cruises tour of the Pacific Islands. “Though P&O Cruises were sure they had never had a blind couple with children onboard previously, they were confident they could assist us,” says Bennison. “Once onboard, we had a guided tour and realised that getting around wouldn’t be the challenge we’d feared. We did get lost, of course – as did most of our fully sighted fellow cruisers – but that
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Photo Credit || Photodisc
was really half the fun and a great conversation-starter. “We enjoyed seminars, evening shows, massages, swimming and sun baking, and the kids had a blast – enticing them out of the children’s centres was a challenge. “We also went ashore in Port Vila, Vanuatu on a tour which included a water music demonstration and a visit to a local resort. This was a wonderful and safe way for us to experience a new culture and was a real highlight of our trip. Bennison says they will definitely be taking to the high seas again. “If you have a disability, I would encourage you to plan ahead as much as possible and then go for it.”
destination a customer is travelling to. It’s important to match the best insurance product to your clients itinerary and suggest alternative destinations if necessary. Safety A cruise offers the convenience and peace of mind without the surprises – travellers can visit exotic ports while still having the peace of mind of knowing that they will have English-speaking staff and guides at hand. Shore excursions allow cruise travellers the ability to explore the varied ports and countries visited and most offer experiences for clients with differing degrees of mobility.
Tailor-made freedom Top destination choice for mature travellers, the United Kingdom is small enough to explore in a short amount of time and large enough to offer a diverse range of experiences. DriveAway Holidays offers the freedom of specially adapted rental vehicles for drivers with disabilities in the UK. With collection and drop-off options at London, Manchester, Luton and Stansted rentals can be tailor-made to suit specific drive requirements. Modifications include pedal extensions, hand controls, swivel seats, wheelchair transportation, top boxes and wheelchair ramps. A range of vehicle sizes are available ranging from the Nissan Micra to the VW Transporter. Rental prices include unlimited kilometres, 24-hour roadside assistance, collision and loss damage waiver, theft protection, additional liability insurance and tax. Note: Depending upon the supplier, there may not be any upper age restrictions although drivers could possibly be subject to an insurance surcharge at the time of collection. Meet the new BDMs DriveAway Holidays, New Zealand recently introduced its new sales team. For the North Island, Candace Swale possesses almost 10 years travel industry experience. Swale joins DriveAway Holidays from Contiki where she spent several years working in
Driveaway Holidays’ pedal extension option
the role of sales rep and sales support; with previous experience with Holiday Shoppe, Tokoroa as a travel consultant. Looking to move away from the youth market, she jumped at the opportunity to promote self-drive holidays. In the South Island, meet Sue Mitchell who joins DriveAway after many years specialising in Adventure Travel. Her travel industry career commenced at the age of 21 years in London managing an adventure overland company after having travelled with them for 12 months through Africa. Based in Christchurch, Mitchell is enjoying developing relationships with the South Island trade. Seeing the devastation first hand from the recent earthquakes, Mitchell has proactively joined the Red Cross Emergency Response Team. Her dream is to take a road trip across Africa. ➌ driveaway.co.nz
Your Road to Freedom with DriveAway Holidays World Wide Car and Motorhome Rental Search through over 60 suppliers in 135 countries to get the prices on your next car or motorhome hire
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Photo Credit || DriveAway Holidays
October 2012
Book online now at www.driveaway.com.au or call us on 1300 723 972 24 hours a day 7 days 25
travel insurance
Cover up
The best part about working as a travel agent can be hearing those successful stories from a client whose trip went off without a hitch. But that’s not always the case. The sad fact about travelling abroad is that sometimes things can go horribly wrong. So it pays to talk your client into thinking of insurance as a necessity, not just an extra cost. Travelsure estimates that an alarming 25 per cent of New Zealanders travel overseas each year without travel insurance cover in place. Travelsure Travel Insurance general manager Scott Tasker says travelling overseas without adequate travel insurance cover can at one end of the scale be inconvenient and, at the extreme end, life-threatening and financially devastating. “At the lower end of the scale a non-insured traveller could suffer the inconvenience of a lost or stolen item such as a mobile phone, which is not financially ruinous but certainly having to replace a $1000-plus phone is going to make a traveller regret not Continue page 28❱
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October 2012
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Photo Credits || David De Lossy
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10.10.12 16:39
travel insurance
Here are Travelsure’s top five tips for staying safe on holiday: 1. Protect yourself with quality travel insurance coverage and buy it at the time you book your trip.
❱ Continued from page 26
taking insurance,” says Tasker. “At the other end of the scale, falling seriously ill in a country where the cost of medical care is very high, such as the USA or Canada, could result in medical bills in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. In a recent case, a 50-year-old traveller contracted pneumonia in China and could have faced a medical bill of more than $600,000 without insurance.” Tasker says it is imperative to ensure that clients understand the major financial and health ramifications of not taking travel insurance when travelling overseas. “To overcome objections to purchasing travel insurance, consider giving examples of real life claims stories for the destination that the customer is travelling to in order to highlight the risks of not taking travel insurance,” says
Tasker. “Tell clients they need to take out travel insurance at the time of paying for their trip as that is when they are at risk of cancellation and amendment costs. It’s about protecting the investment they have made in their trip.” Once booked, offer advice on how to stay safe in order to avoid making a claim. Travelsure recommends travellers carry as little cash as practical and advise that clients consider using safer options such as pre-loaded foreign currency cards, credit or debit cards when travelling. If a traveller’s money or possessions are stolen, getting a police report is almost always required when it comes to claim time. It is also important to understand the policy limits and conditions of coverage for money under travel insurance policies so make sure you go through it with your client.
2. Make sure you know the health warnings and vaccination recommendations for the destination you are travelling to. 3. Check the New Zealand government’s safetravel.govt.nz website for any warnings on worldwide destinations. 4. Upload your important travel documents to a traveller safe, eg passport/credit card/ itinerary so that you have these details easily accessible via the internet in case of loss or theft. 5. Keep your travel insurance emergency assistance card with you at all times when travelling so that you can call for assistance or people assisting you can contact your emergency assistance provider on your behalf.
Hahn Air’s insurance offering
October 2012
Every year, millions of passengers travel between 4000 airports using electronic HR tickets (e-Tickets). Hahn Air (HR) is the only airline worldwide that offers free and comprehensive insolvency insurance cover for all of its partners’ transport services. HR is a German scheduled airline that has been specialising in
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Photo Credits || David De Lossy
distribution services for other airlines since 1994. The world's largest company of its kind, HR covers 190 countries and cooperates with 250 airlines. HR’s services are exclusive to airlines and travel agents, and are not offered directly to air passengers. Although not well known among the general public, HR, a member of the International Air Transport
Association (IATA), is a globally connected stakeholder playing a leading role in the airline industry. HR is 100 per cent owned by Saspo Holding GmbH, an internationally active group headquartered in Dreieich near Frankfurt. Among others, the Group also has offices in Minneapolis, Montevideo, Paris, Casablanca, Johannesburg and Sydney.
news
b u s i n e s s d e v e l o p m e n t
Sell yourself first Adrian Caruso is founder and CEO of New Zealand’s leading travel business improvement and marketing firms TA Fastrack and Fastrack Digital.
October 2012
You probably don’t consider car dealers to be great marketing and sales role models. But there is at least one thing we can learn from them: how to sell ourselves, not just the product. Whether you thrive, or even survive in this business will, to some degree, depend on your ability to let the customer know why they should buy from you. Think about local car dealer ads. They spend very little time selling the vehicle. They assume you’re already interested in that Ford or Jaguar. They spend most of their precious airtime or ad space selling you on why you should buy that car from them. Price, service, marketplace longevity, best selection, love their customers, hometown boys, convenient location and/or hours? They’re all legitimate value propositions but the point is that they’re differentiating themselves from other Ford or Jaguar dealers and creating a sense of urgency to buy now. You should do the same. Most of you have probably sent out print or electronic marketing embedded with gorgeous pictures of destinations and travel products. Sometimes it’s a formally-dressed, good-looking, well-tanned (and annoyingly slim) couple clinking champagne glasses on a balcony overlooking the Mediterranean sunset. The accompanying copy extols the incredible virtues of the destination and the product. Of course your marketing has to be inviting and visually appealing, but 95 per cent of the time there is virtually no information about you and your skills (your address and phone number are not enough). If the customer finds the destination or product attractive, are they equally clear that the only intelligent way to purchase such travel is by calling you? That will only happen when you market your story, not just the supplier’s product.
Here’s what you need to do: Determine your unique positioning: if you can’t describe what’s unique or unusual about yourself, it’s impossible to effectively communicate a compelling message about why the prospect should buy from you. What’s great or unusual about you? What do you do (or know) better than anyone? What’s truly different about what you do? Will it pass the consumer’s “so what?” test? Market yourself to the right customer: exclusively pursue the customer who needs you and promote only those products you want to sell. The longer and more complex the holiday, the more your customers are apt to require your expertise, so be sure that you’re promoting your unique capabilities as well as the product or destination. Get more comfortable selling premium and luxury products. Make yourself the local expert: you can market and sell anywhere on the planet, but most business is still relatively local or regional. Other than top 10 market media, most media outlets are hungry for content. Find the editor or producer who handles travel stories at your local paper or television station. Introduce yourself. Tell them about your experience and let them know you would be delighted to help them. Keep in touch, sending occasional notes about relevant or intriguing topics. Respond immediately when they do call since they’re likely under deadline. If you’re knowledgeable and responsive, they will call you semi-regularly. It’s free, priceless exposure and it validates you as the travel expert. Leverage social media, but don’t abandon the basics: handwritten notes and cards stand out since very few actually send them. Mail a relevant newspaper article to a prospect (or email an electronic version). A brief but informative monthly newsletter will enable you to remain in touch while promoting yourself. Call people! The all-important personal relationship will grow exponentially faster if you speak to your prospects at least quarterly. Use any contact opportunity to at least subtly remind them why they should purchase travel from you. The purpose of your marketing is to get the customer to buy from you, not to highlight a particular travel product or destination.
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h u m a n r e s o u r c e s
Giving that little bit extra ■ Diane Hallifax Human Resource Advisor Everest Group Limited
October 2012
Have you ever worked with someone who just seems to always give that little bit extra? You know the ones. Often they are referred to as the “stars” or “high achievers” or “team players”. Typically in NZ we often shun tall poppies and think they’re sucking up to the boss. Realistically, does that little bit extra just come naturally to some people or has someone figured out what makes them tick? This month I want to talk about a concept called “discretionary effort”. In basic terms this is the extra that people give voluntarily. It’s the effort or energy that an employee chooses to exert at work or not. It’s the employee’s willingness to perform over and above the basic requirements of the job. From an employer’s point of view, the more employee discretionary effort that you can tap into, the better your potential for happy customers is and overall workplace productivity improves. Happy staff + happy customers = improved bottom line. The trick, of course, is unleashing that discretionary effort. Who is responsible for that? Yes, that’s right – it’s you, the leader! Recently, UK employee research experts Shine carried out a study of feedback from 5000 staff members on 1500 of their managers. The research was carried out over a 12-month period and covered 40 different companies in 25 different sectors. In all but one sector, feedback showed managers are becoming increasingly remote from the people they are tasked with leading. In 83 per cent of the appraisals, staff complained that their managers were not coaching them to help improve
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their performance. They said they wanted more feedback and engagement from their bosses, so they could see “what good looks like”. Failure to set clear goals was the second biggest grievance, but this was easily eclipsed, only appearing in 19 per cent of appraisals. The top five concerns workers voiced about their managers were: 1. Failure to coach 2. Failure to set clear goals 3. Failure to delegate 4. Failure to celebrate success 5. Inability to show flexibility in leadership style If you’re tasked with leading a team or an organisation, can you truly say you’re carrying out these five tasks with enthusiasm or are you just letting your team get on with it, hoping they’ll produce the results you want? So what are the benefits of unleashing discretionary effort? • Higher return on assets • Higher sales per employee • Employees more likely to stay with the organisation • Improvement in systems and processes • More satisfied customers • Greater customer loyalty These benefits seem like a pretty good reason to look for ways to unleash discretionary effort in your team – don’t you think?
D O L L A R S A N D S E N S E
Taxman helps travel agents ■ Paul Davies pauldavies@travelaccounting.co.nz ➥ www.travelaccounting.co.nz
Adapt and survive ■ James Hacon is an international speaker, writer and consultant in marketing for travel and tourism. ➥ www.jameshacon.com Since beginning to write this column about online tools and digital trends in the travel trade, I have had a few confrontations with travel agents and wholesalers who see that it is irrelevant to them, as their clients are older and don’t research online. Whilst others say they get frustrated that their clients don’t trust their opinion and will still research online themselves. A recent US study shows that whilst 50 per cent of consumers are now planning and booking online, almost 30 per cent of consumers are researching their travel online and booking offline (with an agent); with only 15 percent leaving both up to the agent. This suggests to me that there is still a massive market for retail travel sellers. I believe the perception of ‘online’ being an archenemy are the hang-ups of retail travel sellers who won’t or don’t know how to adapt to changing technology. With the average consumer spending 68 hours per month online, it would be odd for you to expect your customers not to be researching themselves on the millions of sites dedicated to travel. In many cases the direct consumer sites will have far greater levels of information than closed systems used by the travel trade, particularly internal systems that rarely have more than the provided information by the wholesaler and a few photographs. Consumers are mature in the way they use online and want to look at reviews, compare offerings, browse images and watch videos. Rather than fighting this change in consumer behaviour, my suggestion is to embrace these sites, use them yourself and provide an even better service to your clients by pointing them in the right direction online. Whilst you might think price is the most important factor for most consumers, you’d be wrong. In a recent poll by TRAVELSAT, it was revealed that price was in fact only the fourth most important factor in travel booking, with recommendations and access to in-depth travel information coming in on top. With this knowledge, be sure to use the online resources available to you and your client in helping to prove your worth and the added value you offer, even if it does work out your offering is more expensive.
October 2012
As a travel agent you have to work hard to earn a reasonable salary. You are under constant pressure to perform and meet targets. Your clients are demanding, wanting value for money as well as first-class service. There are not too many perks left as you can buy fares on the internet cheaper than airline discounted fares. So how can you travel and stay within budget? Believe it or not they are here to help you get an education. Reference an Australian case “SANCHEZ v Federal Commissioner of Taxation”. Sanchez was a travel agent who worked for both Flight Centre and STA Travel. As well as educational trips paid for by his employer, he undertook trips on his own account. These trips were found by the court to be tax deductible. The trips involved an around the world trip and a trip to the USA. Sanchez took these trips in his holiday and paid for them himself. He then claimed them as a deduction in his tax return. This is an excerpt from the Australian Tax Office web site: Whilst the knowledge and experience gained on any overseas, interstate or local trip undertaken by a travel consultant could be of benefit to, and may be utilised in their employment, that alone is not sufficient to make the expense deductible. The 2008 decision in the Sanchez case shows that if you claim a deduction for some or all the expenses of the trip you need to be able to demonstrate that the trip was something more than a holiday. The court in the Sanchez case relied upon the records of Sanchez. He kept detailed records of where he went and what he saw. The court allowed all of his travel expenditure but disallowed some of his food and incidental expenditure because he did not keep adequate records of these. Sanchez was able to demonstrate that there was a link between his trips and his ability to earn an income. The judge stated that “the improved proficiency Sanchez gained from the skills and knowledge developed from his overseas travel experience has enabled me to conclude that the required nexus exists between the overseas travel expenses and the derivation of his income”. He also concluded that the travel expenses were not of a private or domestic nature even though there was a small personal element to the travel. Important in this case was the attitude of his employers to his travelling. STA provided encouragement for Sanchez to travel to his own destinations in his own time at his own expense. If you need more advice upon this, please contact us.
s o c i a l m e d i a
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PARTY PIX
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amadeus team
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Amadeus hosted its Discover Amadeus event at its Auckland office recently for Kiwi agents. The Amadeus team showcased key solutions including Amadeus Offers, OneClick, e-Power and SMS.
October 2012
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Colleen Ryan, Accent on Travel; Marie Pusinelli and Helga Kloppers, Orbit Corporate Travel
south african tourism
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Kiwi agents and wholesalers were treated to some Friday night fun at the Hilton in Auckland recently for the South African Tourism Roadshow. Two lucky winners received seats on their 2013 famil.
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Shirley Taylor, Taylor Made Travel; Lee-Anne Moverley, Amadeus; and Sue Sutherland, Harvey World Travel
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Emma Donovan, Amadeus, and Paul Collins, Fine Travel
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Nimeshkumar Amin and Leo Puthur, PanWorld Travel
7. Suzanne Conradie, South African Airways (2nd left) and Lalie Ngozi, South African Tourism (2nd right), presented Helen Moffit (l) and Zonja Kriel (r), both Harvey World Travel, with a seat each on the 2013 South Africa famil
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Bruce Hudson, Pukekohe Travel; Nan Sima and and Gerald Patterson, Harvey World Travel
8. Suzzanne Ramm, Adventure World; Ange Pirie, World Journeys; Eve Pope and Karen Bowring, Globe Travel
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Emil Cattoir and Stuart Broom, Amadeus
9. South Africa High Commissioner Anthony Lck Mongalo and wife Lillian
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Photo Credits || www.mediaweb.co.nz/services/photography
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Incredible India
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India tourism industry representatives showcased the country’s diverse offerings at the Incredible India roadshow held at The Langham in Auckland recently. 10. Virender Bakshi, Sky Travel, and Richard Baker, Singapore Airlines
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Aggie Grey’s in -off contiki dance
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town
11. Madhu Dubey and Renu Bamrara, India Tourism; Usha Sharma, Ministry of Tourism; and Amar Singh, India Tourism
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12. Madhu Mathen, Air India, updates agents on new routes
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13. Gerard Smith, Destinations PR, and Jasmine Saini and Narendra Nedungadi, ITC Hotels
Contiki Holidays launched its 2013/14 Europe programme to agents in Auckland recently with an innovative dance-off and Tweet-off for the chance to secure a trip to Europe.
14. Runeep Sangha, PATA India, and Vikram Madhok, Abercrombie and Kent
16. The Contiki team: Tony Laskey, Chelsea AistonRoss, Sam Symmans and Sara Rabone 17. The two winning agents: Kelvin Ngim, Flight Centre Manukau, and Amy McKinley, Flight Centre Ellerslie; flanked by Tony Laskey, Contiki, Heidi Janssen, Flight Centre (second left) and Sara Rabone, Contiki (far right)
Photo Credits || www.mediaweb.co.nz/services/photography
18. Misa Telefoni, TeleConsult; Laura Wadsworth, Sunseeker Travel Marketing; and Fred Grey, Aggie Grey’s 19. Laura Wadsworth, Sunseeker Travel Marketing; Elsa Fernicle, Aggie Grey’s Le Meridien Tahiti; and Mel Bramley, Infinity Holidays
October 2012
15. Kerren Knighton and Natalie Tambolash, World Expeditions, and Therese Brooking, A Walker’s World
The Aggie Grey’s Le Meridien team got together with Tahiti Tourism to pay Auckland a visit recently. Here they are at Euro with Kiwi wholesalers.
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