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20081118 www.travelmemo.co.nz
Travel
Do I have news for you! Issue 8.44T
Tuesday18NOV08
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IN THIS ISSUE:
Page 1
Friendliness Expected & FoundQueenstown Gains from Word of MouthHilton Man Behind Kingston FlyerNevis Arc Customer Goes for SecondsBest Day Adventure in Far NorthRotorua, Auckland Score ConventionsSelect to Manage Braemar LodgeAnzcro’s Domestic BlissGolden Backpack WinnersMaking Oz Arrivals EasierSizzling Emirates Oz FaresAFL Local Host ToursDunk, Silky Oaks SpecialsTourism Australia MD ResignsAustralian Muster ExperienceAdelaide’s Clarion Hotel SohoTweed Valley Tours from Twin TownsTreasure Island GuaranteeTreasure Gets Five StarsNew Caledonia Screens for DengueClock Ticks on Subsidy DecisionYOURTravel’s SE Asia 2009Changes at STBNew Adv World Vietnam BrochureMeetings & Exbns Office for HKAmbassador’s Residence VenueClub Med Kani Extends DealSriLankan Airlines London-MaliLas Vegas a Bigger Bargain
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Adv World’s Canada, Alaska & USAIntrepid Museum Reopens in NYCCityPass Half Price USA OfferNth America Ski Resorts OpenCamel Polo in DubaiDubai Awaits QE2Turkey on SaleSave 25% on Overland ToursEarly Snow in EuropeVisitBritain Closes NYC ShopAir France StrikeMore A380s to LHRPay to Queue-JumpKingfisher Wants Foreign EquityBoeing Fasteners Behind More DelaysNo Joy Over Delayed FlightsUS Drags Chain on Fuel Saving ATCChanges Possible Under ObamaUS Pre-clearance at ShannonCathay OCT FiguresAustralia Carrier Delay StatsTourism AKL Ambassadors Visit ShipsAuckland Cruise Terminal Squabble25th Anniv Milford Sound CruiseCarnival Splendor in AmericasCelebrity Changes Ground RulesOrion’s Voyages of DiscoveryAccommodation NewsAnna Friend Joins A Team
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TANOA INTERNATIONAL HOTEL
FIJITanoa International is Nadi’s premier hotel, just 3
minutes from the airport. Set in 6 hectares of tropical
gardens it is the only 4 star (AAA rated) hotel in the area.
There is a range of room types, including suites, a pool,
spa, gym, flood-lit tennis, 24 hour airport shuttle and
Nadi’s only 24 hour restaurant.
Our great staff will ensure your clients have a great stay.
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Broome’s Cable Beach, with 22 kilometres of white sand, is the ideal place to watch the sunset on a balmy, tropical night.
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20081118 www.travelmemo.co.nzPage 2
NEW ZEALAND
For more information contact:
[email protected] (09) 965 1944
Cape Reinga via 90 Mile BeachThe Best Day Adventureto the Far North
Friendliness Expected and FoundData released last week shows that alongwith the quality of New Zealand’s scenery,international visitors to New Zealand havevery high expectations around thefriendliness of the people they will meet.The Regional Visitor Monitor (RVM)confirms that a quality landscape is thehighest expectation of an international visitorto New Zealand. It also finds that meeting‘friendly and welcoming’ people is a keyexpectation, particularly amongst our US andGerman markets.Ministry of Tourism Research Manager,Bruce Bassett, said that findings like thisreinforce our understandings of why NewZealand appeals as a quality visitordestination.“We know our landscape is a key driver forthe decision to travel New Zealand, but thisresearch clearly demonstrates that thewelcome we extend to our visitors is anessential element of our offering.
Manaakitanga (hospitality) is a core value ofthe New Zealand Tourism Strategy 2015.”“While all markets share many attributes,certain markets have different expectationlevels. For North Americans (81%) andGermans (77%), this research shows thatfriendliness is a key expectation. It is alsovery encouraging to see that satisfactionlevels around finding ‘friendly people’ areextremely high, with an average score of 8.3out of 10.”The November release of the RVM focuses onmarket differences in expectations, methodsof generating awareness, information soughtprior to travel, sources of information usedand factors influencing choice of destination.The RVM is a partnership between theMinistry of Tourism, Tourism New Zealandand the Regional Tourism Organisations forAuckland, Rotorua, Wellington, Canterbury,Queenstown and Dunedin.www.tourismresearch.govt.nz/rvm.
Queenstown’s Great – Pass the NewsMore than half of visitors to Queenstown areinspired to visit by the opinions of othersaccording to the latest Regional VisitorMonitor (RVM) research.The research shows that word of mouthendorsement is important to the entire NewZealand visitor industry with 41% ofinternational visitors learning about thecountry through this means. But it’sparticularly important to Queenstown with
54% attributing their awareness of the resortto word of mouth.The RVM found guidebooks were the secondsource of information at 20% for the countryand 16% for Queenstown.
Qualmark has just awarded a five starrating to Carrington Resort A HeritageHotel, which is set on a 3000 acre estateon Northland’s Karikari Peninsula.
Hilton Developerbehind Kingston FlyerThe Kingston Flyer vintage steam trainoperation is being sold for $3 million plusGST by Kingston Acquisitions, whosespokesman shareholder is Dan McEwan.His McEwan Group is behind the proposed$85 million redevelopment of Dunedin’sformer Chief Post Office into apartments,offices and a Hilton hotel.Mr McEwan has told the Otago DailyTimes that the train business is beingoffered as an “excellently managed” goingconcern and not on a piecemeal basis.“We would love to see it sold to someonewho will love it, look after it and bepassionate about it,” he told the paper.He said that the Kingston Flyer was not acore business for a development companyand later told Newstalk ZB that he wants toconcentrate on developing the KingstonVillage concept, a multimillion-dollardevelopment in Kingston to include aboutique hotel, shopping area, restaurantsand foreshore landscaping on the southerntip of Lake Wakatipu.The Otago Daily Times reports that all 34apartments in the Dunedin Hilton projectwere now sold, and the company hadplaced a large advertisement in Saturday’spaper calling for expressions of interest inother parts of the building.Mr McEwan denied that the Kingston Flyerwas being sold to provide investment fundsfor the hotel development or the Kingstonvillage project. He told the paper that heheads a number of companies, and eachproject had to stand on its own two feet.
20081118 www.travelmemo.co.nzPage 3
Phone ANZCRO reservations Team Now on0800 269 276, 03 379 5586 or E Mail [email protected]
Brochures available via Brochurenet.
Welcome to the ANZCRO Newsletter designed to keepyou up to date with happenings in the Domestic market.
Domestic
Bliss
Bed & Breakfast from only $155 pppn,including complimentary use of theoutdoor pool, spa pools and sauna.
Rotorua – Wai-Ora Lakeside Spa Resort
Be pampered at the this 5 StarLakeside Spa Resort with a “Wai Ora”massage based on traditional MaoriMassage techniques of Miri Miri.Exclusive beachfront location withtwo acres of beautifully landscapedgrounds on the eastern shores ofLake Rotorua.
Queenstown – Queenstown Park Boutique Hotel
Queenstown’s newest 5 Star accommodation located just 2minute walk away from the action of downtown Queenstown.A major point of difference is that guests can enjoy agenuine hosting experience with complimentary pre-dinnerdrinks and canapés yet all rooms have their own kitchenetteensuring guests can also enjoy a private breakfast ifpreferred.
Motorhomes
We have some great specials with up to 10 Days Free butavailability is getting tight. Remember the minimum 10 dayHire at peak times and Book Early !!
Enjoy the fantastic location & serviceBed & Breakfast from only $ 240 pppn
Spoil your clients (or yourself!) at these fantastic locatio
Luxury Getaways
First Nevis Arc Customer Goes for SecondsAJ Hackett Bungy’s Nevis Arc highvelocity thriller activity was so goodits first paying customer, 26-year-oldPaul Officer from Peterhead, Scotland,opted to do it all again.His comment: “so exhilarating – itwas unreal!”Within the hour, he’d also bungyjumped from the adjacent NevisHighwire and over the course of twodays had also jumped from AJ HackettBungy’s Kawarau Bridge and TheLedge sites.When asked to compare the Nevis Arcwith a bungy jump, he said it was“completely different.”
“On the Arc you feel weightless andget a chance to look around, and thebungy is all about the dive. They’reboth scary but so awesome.”The Nevis Arc is the highest swing inthe world. Located alongside theworld-famous 134m Nevis HighwireBungy, it stands at 120m.The 125km/h ‘flying trapeze’ isaccessed from a 70m-long walkwayand launch pad suspended over theDoolan’s Creek Gorge spanning theHorn and Carrick mountain ranges.People can choose their own fearfactor (80m or 120m) and can goforwards, backwards, alone or with a
friend. They are swung out over thevalley in a massive arc with a 6½-secondacceleration towards rock faces, reachingspeeds of 125kmh or more.
Paul Officer ready to go, watched byHenry Van Asch and AJ Hackett CEOMichelle Trapski.
Best Day Adventure to the Far NorthDune Rider, a member company ofExplore NZ, has a new and uniquepurpose-built airconditioned off-roadvehicle for its full day adventure tourfrom the Bay of Islands to CapeReinga via 90 Mile Beach.Taking in all the highlights of the FarNorth, the interactive, informative and
fun tour provides a fascinating andinformative commentary from DuneRider’s local drivers, and entry fees toattractions like the Gumdiggers Park areincluded in the price.The new Dune Rider vehicle is fitted withcomfortable reclining seats and a slopingfloor to give everyone optimal viewing ofthe stunning Northland scenery.
Rotorua Scores Big ConventionRotorua has won selection as the venue for the 2013 Altrusa Internationalconvention ahead of Auckland and Wellington. The 650 local andinternational delegates will spend up to seven days at the convention, andmany of them will extend their stays to explore other parts of the Rotoruaregion and New Zealand.Altrusa International is an international association of professional womenand men who volunteer their energies and expertise in projects dedicatedto community betterment.
Tourism Auckland – in conjunction with theStarship Organising Committee, Conventionsand Incentives New Zealand and TheConference Company – has won a bid to hostthe 43rd Société Internationale d’OncologiePédiatrique (SIOP) Annual Congress in OCT2011. The conference is expected to beattended by 1700 delegates.The congress fortuitously commencesstraight after the Rugby World Cup final.
20081118 www.travelmemo.co.nzPage 4
Golden Backpack WinnersVotes from 11,000 backpackers haveresulted in Queenstown’s Shotover CanyonSwing being named the ‘Best Experience’ inNew Zealand for the second year running.The Kiwi Experience ‘hop-on, hop-off’backpacker transport network also took outan award in Australia’s 2008 TNT GoldenBackpack awards. It was declared ‘BestTour Operator in New Zealand’, afterwinning ‘Best Package Tour in NewZealand’ last year.In addition, its Explore More car andcampervan rental product, aimed atbackpacker travellers, was also nominatedfor a Golden Backpack award; somethingconsidered a real accomplishment for theshort time the company has been operating.Votes from backpackers allow TNTMagazine to annually issue GoldenBackpack awards for ‘Highly Commended’and ‘Winner’ for categories like ‘BestHostel’, ‘Best Experience’ and ‘Best Bar’,for each state and territory within Australia,and for New Zealand.
ShotoverCanyonSwinggm MattHollyersaidtheirawardwasvoted bythe menandwomeninsandalsand t-shirts.
“In winning this award we would like toacknowledge that we weren’t assessed byjudges in suits, there was no swankysubmission document, no enlighteningPowerPoint and no animals harmed - justinternational travellers voting with theirheads and hearts.”
AUSTRALIA
Making Arrivals EasierAust Aviation Express reports thatAustralia Customs will roll out itsSmartGate automated border processingsystem nationwide from mid 2009following successful trials in Brisbane andCairns.The SmartGate system allows passengerswith ePassports from Australia and NewZealand containing an electronic chip toself-process their way through passportcontrol. The system uses facial recognitiontechnology to identify the passport holderagainst the stored data on the ePassport’sencrypted chip.SmartGate is now also operational atMelbourne Airport and travellers departingAuckland Airport for flights to Australiacan complete the first stage of theSmartGate process there. Passengersarriving at SmartGate airports will be ableto watch an inflight video demonstratingthe use of the system on incoming flights.
Sizzling SummerBusiness Fares from EmiratesEmirates is offering hot fares for businesstravellers on the Tasman this summer.The special business class return fares are fordepartures to 31MAR09 and are on sale to27NOV. The round-trip fares, inclusive oftaxes, are CHC-SYD $1449, AKL-SYD$1575, AKL-BNE $1584, and AKL-MEL$1561.Travel blackout periods apply to the AKL-MEL route.Full terms and conditions are available on GDSs.
Your clients can become a
Melburnian for a day in the best seats
in the house at Victoria’s favourite
game. Their local host will explain
the rules, bumps & bruises of AFL
football. Melbourne Sports Tours
has released fixture details for its
2009 Aussie Rules Football with a
Local Host Tour.
Click here to see the full list. PM John Key has confirmed he will be Minister of Tourism and has named Dr Jonathan Coleman as Associate Minister.
Linda McIntosh, Destination
Queenstown’s Market Manager for
Australia (centre), accepts the
award on behalf of Shotover Can-
yon Swing from former Australian
cricket player and comedian KerryO’Keefe (left) and Paula Mendes of
ATTA (Adventure Travel Trade Assn).
20081118 www.travelmemo.co.nz
Adelaide’s NewClarion Hotel SohoAdelaide’s new Clarion Hotel Soho isdescribed as a designer hotel evoking theeclectic, arty vibe of London’s Soho district.Located just metres from Adelaide’s trendyEast End, the 30-room Soho’s contemporaryexterior is matched by an “uber-chic”interior décor, stylish Decant restaurant andluxurious guestrooms, including balconyand spa suites with views over the cityskyline.Rooms feature Italian marble bathrooms,king-size beds, 42-inch LCD televisions,iPod docking stations, cable broadbandinternet and iconic 20th century designerfurniture.Rooms also have bi-fold windows withelectronic external louvre shutters admittingnatural light and fresh air.
Page 5
Dunk, Silky Oaks SpecialsVoyages Resorts has released new specialsfor Queensland’s Dunk Island and SilkyOaks Lodge which will package nicely withthe current Air New Zealand special fares toCairns for travel to 30JUN09, but bookingsneed to be made by tomorrow 19NOV.The sales period for the Dunk and SilkyOaks offers are actually for a much longersales period, so agents can still offer theirclients these land-only deals even after theairfare initiative has expired.Voyages Dunk Island - Stay 7 / Pay 5Nights - valid for travel to 31MAR09 *Kids Stay & Eat Free. Priced from A$830per adult (7 nights), including breakfastdaily.Some blockouts & conditions apply.Voyages Silky Oaks Lodge - 50% offregular rates - valid for travel 01JAN-30JUN09 *Minimum three-night stay. 3 nights fromA$447 per adult, including breakfast daily.Book via your preferred wholesaler, orcontact Hogan & Associates for any generalqueries.Voyages brochures are all available viaBrochurenet.* Some blockouts & conditions apply
Australian Muster ExperienceParker Travel Collection has announced anew A$10 million tourism venture inTropical North Queensland called theAustralian Muster Experience.As one of the region’s largest land owners,the attraction’s owner and creator GordonPringle aims to provide a ‘true-blue’experience through not one, but severalhands-on, activities based at one of hisbiggest properties outside Port Douglas.For the past five years, Mr Pringle has beenfocused on the development of the AustralianMuster Experience, a spectacular showstaged at a purpose-built facility on hisMiallo property, off the Mossman DaintreeRoad. The show, seating up to 400, is set tolaunch mid 2009 and features an accurateportrayal of daily life for cattle stationworkers, including mustering by stockmenand women.
Tourism Australia Boss ResignsTourism Australia managing directorGeoff Buckley has resigned from theNTO, reports Australia’s Travel Daily.Buckley has agreed to stay on in the roleuntil 30JUN09, a position he has heldsince mid-2006.
“The mustering experience is punctuatedwith whip cracking, stunt riding, traditionalcountry songs and bush poetry, all managedbeautifully by the authentic narrator whotalks onlookers through the trials andtribulations of life on a cattle station,” saysParker Travel Collection’s Todd Parker, whois responsible for Leisure, Wholesale andRetail Travel Trade sales.Email [email protected]
SOUTH PACIFIC
Tweed Valley Tours fromOutrigger Twin Towns ResortOutrigger Twin Towns Resort on theQueensland/NSW border has partnered witheco tour operator Australian Wild Escapes tooffer guests day tours of the Tweed Valley.The product coincides with the classificationby Tourism Australia of the Tweed Valley asa ‘must-see destination’, and one of onlyeight areas on its National Landscapesregister.The Tweed Valley is more correctly the MtWarning Wollumbin Caldera - the largestextinct shield volcano in the world - formed20 million years ago.The tours cater for groups from 2 up to 14pax, and stop frequently at river towns andvillages with guests sampling everythingfrom local arts and crafts, to tropical fruitsfrom the many roadside produce stallsdotting the Valley.The Australian Wild Escapes full day tour(0830-1700) operates four days per week (oron demand) and departs from Outrigger TwinTowns Resort. The A$185*pp price includesall meals and refreshments. Combinedaccommodation and tour packages are alsoavailable.*Terms and conditions apply.
Treasure Island GuaranteeTreasure Island has introduced a specialguest guarantee. If any guest is not satisfiedwith their holiday and wants to move toanother resort, Treasure Island will refund infull the guest’s unused accommodation and
waive any cancellation fees. Treasure Islandstaff will also assist the guest make thenecessary arrangements to change resorts*.*Guests must advise staff within 24 hours of theirarrival on Treasure Island Resort and pay for anyadditional charges related to transfers.
20081118 www.travelmemo.co.nzPage 6
Treasure Island Awarded Four StarsAAA Tourism, Australia’s peakaccommodation rating agency, has upgradedTreasure Island to a four-star propertyfollowing completion of the resort’smultimillion dollar program of product andservice enhancements.Over the past two years Treasure Island hassignificantly enhanced facilities includingadding three swimming pools; launching aKids Club Buré, the centerpiece of anextensive program of children’s activities;refurbishing all 66 beachfront bures;introducing a new-look restaurant and bar,and upgrading its cuisine; and appointing thefirst dedicated Environmental Officer in theMamanucas.
New Caledonia Screens for DengueInbound international passengers comingfrom neighbouring countries like Fiji (whichis affected by type 4 dengue fever outbreaks,with over 2,100 cases so far reported) arenow been screened for possible symptomsupon arrival at New Caledonia’s La Tontoutaairport, according to a report in OceaniaFlash. Airport screening involves use of aheat-sensitive camera, which monitors allpassengers for unusually high bodytemperature.New Caledonia is currently facing a denguetype 1 epidemic, with over 1,000 casesreported, and has stepped up its surveillanceand awareness system, because an outbreakof the type 4 dengue fever, combined withthe current type 1, would have a disastrousimpact – the much more dangerous denguehaemorrhagic fever.
Clock Ticking on Subsidy Decision
ASIA
A fire last week reportedly gutted a largepart of the Paradise International Hotel’sadministration block in Neiafu, Vava’u.
The Cook Islands Government has until theend of this week to decide on whether toenter into a new 12-month contract toprovide Air New Zealand with a cashsubsidy of its Rarotonga-Los Angelesservice.Cook Islands Tourism was last weekexpected to present Cabinet with aneconomic analysis of the service conductedby NZ company Airbiz. While visitornumber for the year to OCT08 showed USnumbers were down 17% and Canada down3%, visitor numbers from Australia and NewZealand had been growing, and total
numbers were down just 3%, which CITourism boss John Dean told CI NewsOnline was “not a significant decline” giventhe current world economic pressures.Cooks tourism minister Wilkie Rasmussenhas indicated his government will notincrease its current subsidy of $2.9 million ayear for the service. The airline hasreportedly been asking for the subsidy to beincreased to up to $8 million annually.
YOURTravel’s SE Asia 2009Lee & Josee Amor’s YOURTravel haslaunched its 2009 South East Asia brochurefeaturing Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia andLaos.YOURTravel, which positions itself as anEscorted Group and Corporate Specialist,offers a wide range of unique specialtytours including cooking classes, golf, non-golfing companion , health and beautypampering tours, massage and wellnessclasses, jungle experiences, shopping, andcultural tours through to tropical islandtours.Other tours include a 14-day Vietnam HoChi Minh to Hanoi; an 11-day CambodiaExperience and an 11-day Laos Discovery.“A total of 29 guaranteed departure datesfor 2009 give agents the security of
knowing that there’s no last-minute tourcancellation worries,” says Lee Amor.“All tours are designed to deliver to theclient an inspiring, diverse experience with ahigh level of comfort and safe, worry freetravel.”Lee points out that, within each of the tours,as well as an emphasis on massages, beautytreatments, herbal health therapies andpampering, there is the flexibility to choosefrom a range of alternative options shouldany item in the scheduled itinerary not suit.“This flexibility gives the client theconsiderable advantage of having bothfreedom of individual travel within the funenvironment of group travel.”Brochures are available on Brochurenet.www.yourtravel.co.nz
Changes at STBKevin Leong has been appointed seniordirector of international marketing for theSingapore Tourism Board.Leong, based in Sydney since APR02 asregional director Oceania, moves to STBheadquarters in January where he willoversee all regional offices.STB’s regional director ASEAN (Islands),Yee Choong Chooi, responsible forIndonesia, Brunei and the Philippines, willnow also take on the title regional directorOceania.Chooi will continue to be based in Jakartaand the STB manager in Sydney, Carol Lian,will become area director Oceania.
New Adventure World 2009Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos BrochureThis week sees a new 2009 brochure fromthe Adventure World collection arrive inoffices - Vietnam, Cambodia & Laos.The AW Vietnam brochure features two newshort cruises, a 2-day/1-night Mekong Deltaby sampan from $550pp share twin; and a 3-day/2-night Toum Tiou cruise of Tonle SapRiver, from $912pp share twin. Vietnam,Cambodia and Laos have much to offer thetraveller, from visiting remote hilltriberegions, to cruisingHalong Bay by traditionaljunk, to exploring thetemples of Angkor Watand the region’s cities.There’s also a range ofaccommodation andsightseeing options.Call 09-524 5118.
20081118 www.travelmemo.co.nzPage 7
Are you the Lucky 8?Chinese culture is steeped in superstition with numbers playing a major role in weddings dates,birthdays etc. One of the luckiest numbers is number 8 and on the 28th September 2008 Viking’sLucky 8 Sweepstakes opened for our valued travel agents in Australia & New Zealand!
Book one of Viking’s award winning cruisetours to China, send in the couponbelow and you are in the draw for a magical cruisetour to China valid for 8 luckypeople*! Yes, you read right – 8 lucky people!
Viking River Cruises is the leading cruisetour operator in China with five-staraccommodation throughout, award-winning service, highly educated English-speaking guides as well as “East meets West” dining introducing regional specialties with gourmet tastes from home always available on the menu.
Increase your chances of winning, we are extending the sweepstakes – last day for entries is 12 December 2008!
Viking’s current Early Booking Discounts for China are:
China’s Cultural Delights, 17 days, Beijing to Shanghai
Imperial Jewels of China, 12 days, Shanghai to Beijing
Book and pay in full before 18 December 2008 and save $500 per person, valid on 2009 sailings only.
For more information on these cruisetours please go to vikingrivercruises.com
Good Luck!
SWEEPSTAKES ENTRYPlease send to: Viking River Cruises, Level 4, 350 Kent Street, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia or fax to +61 2 9299 9226 or email scanned copy to: [email protected] Coupon valid until 12 December 2008.
GUEST NAME: BOOKING NUMBER:
YOUR NAME: AGENCY NAME:
ADDRESS:
CITY: STATE: POSTCODE:
EMAIL: TELEPHONE NUMBER:
*Note: Valid for new bookings only. Valid for bookings made between the 28 September and 12 December 2008. Prize is valid for 8 guests; 4 staterooms on Viking RiverCruises’ Imperial Jewels of China cruisetour. The cruisetour is 12 days and includes: 6 day Yangtze river cruise in a balcony stateroom, 3 nights in Beijing, 1 night in Xian,2 nights in Shanghai, all intra-China flights, all meals, fully escorted. Winners must all travel together on the same departure. International air and spending money arenot included. The prize is non-transferable, non-redeemable for cash and travel must be commenced and completed in 2009.
Entry restricted to travel agents operating in Australia and New Zealand. Valid for bookings directly through Viking River Cruises: Australia:[email protected] or 1800 829 138, New Zealand: [email protected] or 0800 447 913 or through Viking’s Preferred Wholesale Partners;Beyond Travel, cruiseagents.travel, Cruiseco, Eastern European Travel, MyBentours and World Journeys. The prize will be drawn on the 15 December 2008 and the winnerwill be notified and the result of the lottery will be announced in The Cruise Weekly (16 Dec ‘08), TravelWeekly (19 Dec ‘08), Travel Memo (16 Dec ‘08) and Travel Today (16 Dec ‘08).Vic permit no: 08/5177, NSW permit no: LTPS/08/11011, ACT permit no: ACT TP 08/03658.3, SA permit no: T08/3769
Click Here to download
Meetings and Exhibitions Officefor Hong KongThe Hong Kong Tourism Board has announcedthe establishment of a “Meetings andExhibitions Hong Kong” office tasked withproviding one-stop professional support toMICE organisers. Headquartered in Hong Kongas a division of HKTB, the new office willconsist of three teams to offer dedicatedservices for the Meetings and Incentives, theConventions and the Exhibitions segmentsrespectively.In its 2008-09 budget, the Hong KongGovernment earmarked an additional HK$150million for the HKTB to strengthen its MICEpromotions over the next five years, enablingthe establishment of the Meetings andExhibitions office.
Ambassador’s Residence VenueTrails of Indochina is offering Vietnam-boundMICE groups a conference venue with adifference for their next Ho Chi Minh City visit– the residence of the former US Ambassador toSouth Vietnam during the Vietnam War.Completely restored to its original 1960’s glorywhen it was the home of Ambassador HenryCabot Lodge, the residence located in Ho ChiMinh City’s District Three is described as a‘living museum’.
SriLankan Airlines, catering to growing
demand from UK holidaymakers, has
become the first airline to operate non-stop
return flights direct between London and
Male in the Maldives.
More than 850,000 tourists visited the
Maldives in 2007, mainly from Europe.
THE AMERICAS
Club Med Kani in the Maldives has
extended its special ‘second person stays
for free’ offer to 30JAN09 for travel up to
NOV09. Conditions apply to the ‘second
person stays free’ offer, including a
minimum 7-night stay.
Las Vegas a Bigger BargainNew numbers show the biggest drop in visitorsto Las Vegas since the months following theSeptember 11 attacks. The decline in tourists isjust over 10% and no one is predicting an instantrecovery, particularly as international arrivals arewell down.The Las Vegas Convention Center and Visitor’sAuthority reports that not only are there fewervisitors but even those still coming to the gamingmecca are budgeting their spending. Word has itprices are plummeting and customers are gettingdeals that haven’t been seen for decades, withrooms on Vegas.com going for US$80 at theMGM Grand, US$58 at the Monte Carlo andUS$30 at the Sahara. At the Trump Tower, asuite is now US$138 and they’ll also throw in aUS$50 restaurant or spa credit.Casino winnings are also down – for the ninthconsecutive month.
The building features much of the originalartwork, photographs and furniture in placeduring Lodge’s residence, much of whichremained in the building following its purchaseby Trails of Indochina. [email protected].
TO GET YOUR OWN FREE SUBSCRIPTION
visit www.travelmemo.co.nz
20081118 www.travelmemo.co.nzPage 8
New Canada, Alaska & USA BrochureThis week sees a new 2009 Canada, Alaska& USA brochure from the Adventure Worldcollection arrive in offices.It features the best of what Canada has tooffer, along with AW’s most popular coachtours, Rocky Mountaineer and VIA Railjourneys, city stays, sightseeing tours,Calgary Stampede, wildlife tours, car andmotorhome rentals, winter tours; and inAlaska – cruises, self-drive holidays andcoach tours.Some unique Canadian travel experiencesfeatured in the brochure are a CanadianFishing Adventure from $1179* staying atthe exclusive Painters Lodge with two 4-hour guided fishing trips. Homeplace Ranchis a year-round working ranch in the RockyMountains, with daily trail rides part of the
4-day programpriced from$1444*. BritishColumbia GrizzlyBear viewing, 2days from $1199*.Polar Bears, 6 daysex Churchill, the‘Polar Bear Capitalof the World’ from$7208*. In Alaskayou can ride the White Pass & Yukonrailway; spend a day in Nome or Barrow;self-drive the Yukon, explore Denali NationalPark or cruise the Inside Passage.*Prices are per person share twin.
For reservations phone Adventure World on09-524 5118.
Intrepid Museum Reopens CityPass, the attraction booklet of the best
sightseeing in North America, beefs up its
money-saving and queue-jumping appeal
with a Winter Special that stretches the use
of CityPass booklets in five of its big cities.
For visitors to New York, Boston,
Philadelphia, Seattle and Hollywood,
CityPass is valid all winter for maximum
sightseeing at about 50% of the cost.
Many North American resorts are open
early including Snowbird in Utah and
Mammoth in California. Breckenridge and
Arapahoe Basin in Colorado are also now
open, as is Banff in Canada which was the
first Canadian resort to open this winter.
Jasper in Alberta, Canada, was set to open
last weekend.
The Intrepid Sea, Air & SpaceMuseum has reopened to the publicafter nearly two years of restorationin which it underwent a 22-month,US$120 million drydock overhaul.The museum is housed in the WorldWar II aircraft carrier permanentlyberthed at a Manhattan pier on theHudson River.After WWII, the USS Intrepid sawservice in the Korean and Vietnamwars and was twice a recovery shipfor NASA astronauts.Since 1982, it has become a populartourist attraction, drawing 750,000visitors yearly over the past decade.
AFRICA / MID EAST
Latest in Team-Building – Camel Polo in DubaiFirst there was polo, the sport of kings. Thenthere was elephant polo, the sport ofmaharajahs. Now in Dubai there is camelpolo - the sport of sheikhs?Leading Middle East travel managementcompany, Dnata, has just launched adistinctive Dubai version of the traditionalpolo game played not with horses, but theUAE’s iconic camels. And it is seen as theideal team-building activity for visitors.Adrian Sime, Manager, BusinessDevelopment at Dnata Travel Services (partof the Emirates Group), says: “Camel polo isa great fun, exciting and safe activity thateveryone, regardless of size, age, gender,strength or skill can participate in. When youput that together with the fantasticenvironment that is offered by Dubai and theDubai Polo & Equestrian Club at ArabianRanches, it makes an experience people willnever forget.”No previous experience is needed as fullinstructions are given on the day by theprofessional polo coach.There’s also a strong team-work aspect astwo players work together on eachparticipating camel. The player to be thedriver sits in front of the hump, in charge of
direction and the second player, sittingbehind the hump, is responsible for hittingthe large, inflatable ball. The rules follow thetraditional game with some minor variations,so camel polo retains a strong competitiveelement, increasing the excitement for bothplayers and spectators.Camel polo is fun to play and hilarious towatch, making it a great corporate team-building event and a tourist attraction in itsown right. It can accommodate groupsranging in size from eight to up to a hundred,playing “knock-out” competitions. Anyonewishing to try it out for themselves can [email protected]
Dubai’s master-developer Nakheel, which isset to take over the operations andmanagement of the Cunard liner QE2, sayspreparations are underway for its arrival inthe emirate’s Port Rashid on 26NOV.
Once refurbished, QE2 will be moored onthe eastern side of the trunk of PalmJumeirah transformed into an ultra-luxuryfloating hotel. A heritage museum and a WestEnd/Broadway-style theatre will also be partof the precinct.
Dubai Awaits QE2
20081118 www.travelmemo.co.nzPage 9
Turkey on SaleTurkey specialists Fez Travel are offering a 10% savingon all tours departing in 2009, applying to new bookingsonly for sale from 16NOV to 17DEC08. Clients simplybook and pay in full within 7 days to receive 10% saving.Fez’s best selling 10-day Magic Carpet tour is now pricedfrom $1304 (saving $145) and is perfect for first timevisitors to Turkey as it takes in all the hot spots –Istanbul, Gallipoli battlefields, Troy, Pergamum, Ephesus,Kusadasi, Pamukkale, Konya, Cappadocia and Ankara.Even better value for money is the 16-day ShoestringTurkey tour that visits the same places as the MagicCarpet tour but features a three-night gulet cruise fromFethiye to Olympos, now priced from $1043 (saving$115).Combine Turkey and Greece in 15 days, travel fromIstanbul to Kusadasi, where you board the ferry for yourGreek Island odyssey via Samos, Mykonos, Delos, Iosand Santorini to Athens. Now priced from $2213 (saving$246).See the 2008 Fez Travel brochure for itineraries or phonethe NZ GSA Adventure World on 09-522 5946.
EUROPE
Save 25% on Overland ToursAcacia Africa has announced a 25% saving on 2009Overland tours. Travellers can choose from over 18different overland safaris, to popular destinations viaroads less travelled to experience the ‘real’ Africa. The21-day East African Explorer from Livingstone toNairobi is now priced from $1594 (saving $531) pluslocal payment. The African Insight is a great introductorysafari from Johannesburg to Kruger National Park,Botswana’s Chobe National Park and Victoria Falls, nowpriced from $623 (saving $207) plus local payment.Saving applies to new bookings only, for sale 16NOV to31DEC08. Travel must commence by 30JUN09.Phone the Acacia Africa GSA Adventure World on09-522 5941.
Early Ski Snow in EuropeHeavy snowfalls across Europe meansthat a number of ski resorts were due toopen early last weekend.Obergurgl (Austria), Flims/Laax(Switzerland), Lenzerheide(Switzerland) and Hemsedal (Norway)were all due to open, according to theSki Club of Great Britain.Heavy snowfalls across Austria,France, Italy, Switzerland and
Scandinavia have allowed someresorts to already open, includingBormio in Italy and Geilo in Norway.The snow depth at Zermatt is reportedas 220cm on upper slopes, while SaasFee has more than 1½ metres.There is a blanket of white snowacross Tignes, with 10cm on thelower slopes, according to the SkiClub.
VisitBritain ClosesNew York ShopVisitBritain is to close itsNew York walk-in visitorcentre because people nowrely on the web for theiranswers. This year, 98% ofVisitBritain’s globalcustomer business wasconducted online comparedto 40% eight years ago.Each month, nearly250,000 visitors turn to theVisitBritain website fordestination information,and its online shop allowscustomers to purchase avariety of travel cards,attraction passes and eventtickets. Its best sellingproduct is the Oyster Cardfor London publictransport.
Ireland Eco ToursIreland Eco Tours, the first bio fuelled coachcompany on the island of Ireland has launched anumber of tours that not only include the localhistory, ecology, culture and traditions, butencourages visitors to be more conscious of theenvironment. The maximum number on anytour is 16 giving guests a more personalexperience. www.irelandecotours.com.
AVIATION
Air France StrikeThe four-day strike called by French pilotunions to protest a potential change in theretirement age from 60 to 65 has causedsevere disruption to Air France’s scheduleand may cost the carrier up to €100 million.The pilots voted on Saturday to continue astrike after 65% of members backedcontinuing the strike until midnight onMonday.
More A380s to LHREmirates is to start services from London toDubai from 01DEC using its third AirbusA380.Qantas has confirmed that it too will operatethe Airbus A380 via Singapore into LondonHeathrow, from mid-JAN09. The delivery ofthe airline’s third A380 will see Qantasoperate three return flights a week.
Pay to Queue-JumpTREND-News.com reports that LondonLuton Airport is to begin work on creating anew pay-and-pass security priority lane at theairport to give passengers a choice of takinga priority lane to the security search point.It is introducing a Priority Lane option andwill be making a charge of £3.00 perpassenger for the service; only passengersthat choose to use the Priority Lane will becharged. The airport says that once complete,passengers will be able to purchase ticketsfor the new Priority Lane using kiosks in theterminal.
20081118 www.travelmemo.co.nz
RESERVATIONS/
TICKET OFFICEIf you love Fiji and would like to work
with our friendly motivated reservations/
ticket office team representing Fiji’s
national carrier Air Pacific, then we have a
full time, temporary position (covering
maternity leave) available. This may
become a permanent position dependent
on circumstances.
You would preferably have the following
qualifications:
Previous airline/travel industry
reservations and ticketing experience.
A good knowledge of AMADEUS.
Excellent communication and
organisational skills.
If the answer is “yes” to most of these
then we would love to hear from you.
Please forward your application and CV
to:
Air Pacific
Reservations/Ticket Office Position
World Aviation Systems
PO Box 3883
Auckland 1140
Or email:
BUSINESSDEVELOPMENT
EXECUTIVE
We require a dynamic self-
motivated person with previous
field sales experience in the New
Zealand Travel Industry.
The successful applicant will be
based in Auckland as part of the
national sales team, reporting to
the Sales & Marketing Manager.
The position includes servicing
wholesalers and travel agents in
selected North Island Centres plus
generating business from other
industry related partners.
CRS experience in AMADEUS
would be an advantage .
If you would like to be part of our
friendly team please email your
application and CV to:
Page 10
Kingfisher BossWants Foreign Carrier EquityVijay Mallya, chairman of privately-ownedKingfisher Airlines, has urged the Indiangovernment to allow foreign airlines to takestakes of up to 25% in Indian carriers to helpthe ailing aviation industry survive pressingfinancial difficulties.New Delhi prohibits international airlinesfrom taking stakes in Indian carriers, eventhough it allows the likes of investment fundsto take stakes of up to 49%.
Boeing FastenersBehind More DelaysAero-News.net reports that Boeing hasannounced a delay in the delivery of its 737airliners to replace fasteners that weremanufactured without a required anti-corrosive cadmium coating, and is makingplans to inspect 394 of the 737s already inservice with the defective parts with a view toreplacing the fasteners. Used to fastenbundles of wires and other items to the insideof fuselages, each plane has thousands ofthem.As reported in TravelMemo last week, Boeinghas reported delays in the assembly of its 787Dreamliners due to issues with fasteners and,in March, a B757 enroute from Orlando toPhiladelphia lost a 2ft x 4ft wing panel whenfasteners failed due to metal fatigue.
US low cost carrier Southwest Airlines aims
to sell travel to Mexico in 2010 with Mexican
partner carrier partner Volaris and has
already said it would team with WestJet to
offer US-Canada travel by late 2009.
No Joy over Delayed FlightsAngry US passengers who have beenstranded for hours on airport tarmacs havehad no joy from a federal task forceassembled nearly a year ago to study theproblem, according to a report in theWatertown Daily Times.The Bush administration created thetarmac task force with the idea ofdeveloping guidelines for airlines andairports to address passenger needs duringlengthy delays. It was a response tocomplaints from passengers forced to waitin planes for up to 10 hours at a time, oftenwithout basic amenities such as food,water and clean rest rooms.The problems drew congressional scrutinywith an unsuccessful push for Congress toenact a federal passenger bill of rights thatwould mandate airlines and airports toprovide such necessities so passengerscould wait in greater comfort.The task force report says that airlinesshould “make every reasonable effort” tokeep aircraft rest rooms usable, but whatconstitutes reasonable effort is open todebate. Similarly, the task force saidrefreshments and entertainment should beprovided when practical, which is left opento interpretation.Last year, the federal TransportationDepartment’s inspector generalrecommended a limit be set on how longpassengers can be kept waiting on planes.The task force set no limits; in fact it couldnot even agree on what constitutes a“lengthy delay.”
20081118 www.travelmemo.co.nzPage 11
US Drags Chainon Fuel Saving MeasureAn Associated Press report says America’sWorld War II-era air traffic control networkthat often forces planes to take longer,zigzagging routes is costing US airlinesbillions of dollars in wasted fuel while anupgrade to a satellite-based system –NextGen – has languished in the planningstages for more than a decade.The US$35 billion plan would replace thecurrent radar system with GPS technologywhich supporters say would allow a triplingof air traffic capacity, reduce delays by atleast half, improve safety and curbgreenhouse gas emissions.The NextGen system could offer airlines a10% savings in fuel costs (or a total of US$5billion) per year. If the network were in placetoday, it would essentially pay for itself injust seven years.But funding delays and the complexities ofthe switchover have kept the projectgrounded. Washington does not expect tohave it up and running until the early 2020s,and without a major commitment, supporterswarn that even that goal might be not beattainable.Airlines are expected to contribute US$15billion toward the US$35 billion project, andthey must equip their fleets with GPS at acost of more than US$200,000 per plane.Given the parlous state of the US economyand the airlines themselves, NextGen won’tbe happening anytime soon.
Changes Possibleunder ObamaPresident-elect Barack Obama is likelyto appoint a new Dept. of Transportationsecretary and the whole structure of theFederal Aviation Administration, whichhas been funded since its authorizationexpired in 2007 by a series of temporaryextensions, is expected to bereexamined.A former FAA Administrator, LanghorneBond, is quoted by ATWOnline as saying“The place is unmanageable as it existstoday,” he said. “One of the first thingsthe new administration should look at iswhether … ATC should be separatedinto a freestanding institution.” Hecommented that while FAA has hadtremendous success in safety oversight,“as a technology development institutionit is a failed entity” and is poorly suitedto lead the transition to the NextGensatellite-based Air Traffic Controlsystem.“We can’t afford to have NextGen slipany further,” former US TransportationSecretary Norm Mineta says, noting thatthe program has been slowed by thefailure to reauthorize FAA. “So thepriority really has to be to. . .getNextGen funded.”But there are concerns a new team willwrite off NextGen owing to failure ofoutcome and dismiss all the work thathas been done in the last 10 years.
Virgin Atlantic has confirmed it may team up with Easyjet to bid for Gatwick.
The airport’s owner BAA is hoping to sell Gatwick for £2.5 billion.
Cathay OCT FiguresCathay Pacific Airways has releasedcombined Cathay Pacific and Dragonairtraffic figures for OCT08 that showpassenger growth falling behind capacitygrowth, together with a significant fall in theamount of cargo and mail carried comparedto the same month last year.In October, Cathay Pacific and Dragonairbetween them carried a total of 2,091,339passengers – up 2.6% on the same month in2007 but some way behind the 11.6% growthin capacity, measured in available seatkilometres, for the same period. The loadfactor for the month was down 5.3percentage points at 75.5%. For the year todate, the number of passengers carried hasrisen by 9.2% compared to a capacity rise of14.2%.
US Pre-Clearance in ShannonBusiness passengers using a new British Airwaysflight from London City airport to New York willbe able to clear both US customs andimmigration at a Shannon airport stop-over.The airline is to start the twice-daily 32-seat allbusiness class A318 transatlantic service viaShannon in autumn 2009. Eastbound flights willbe non-stop.The arrangement means that passengers will beallowed to bypass the normal arrivals checkswhen they land at JFK as Shannon is the firstEuropean airport to be granted pre-clearancefacilities for transatlantic services to the US.Dublin is expected to offer the same facility in2010.Flights from Shannon and Dublin airports will betreated like domestic flights in the US andairlines will be able to fly into less congested andless expensive domestic terminals at US airports,while passengers will be able to check theirbaggage through to their final destination.At present only airports in Canada and theCaribbean offer full US immigration services.
Australian Delay StatsAlmost a quarter of all Australian flightshave been delayed or cancelled so far thisyear, setting 2008 on course to become theworst year for punctuality since figuresbecame public in 2004.Records to the end of SEP08 show 77% ofall flights arrived on time (that is, within 15minutes of timetable), down from 84% forthe same period last year. A further 2.2% offlights were cancelled, up from 1% last year.
Qantas says that its own investigations
confirm the f indings of the Australian
Transport Safety Bureau’s preliminary report
into the QF72 event in OCT when one of its
jets unexpectedly lost altitude. The likely
cause was a manufacturer fault involving a
flight system computer component.
Hawaiian Airlines has acquired another new wide-body Airbus A330-200 aircraft,
which joins two other A330s announced two weeks ago. HA has also negotiated
delivery of two of the new aircraft in the second quarter of 2010 - beginning its
transition to a new long-range fleet two years earlier than originally planned.
20081118 www.travelmemo.co.nz
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Page 12
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CRUISING
Auckland Cruise TerminalSquabbleAuckland’s politicians continue to squabble overthe city’s waterfront. Auckland Regional Councilchairman Mike Lee wants to see a cruise shipterminal, freight facilities and public accesscombined on Queens Wharf.The construction of a second cruise ship terminal tosupplement the existing one at Princes Wharf haslong been championed by Cruise New Zealandchairman Craig Harris and involves AucklandRegional Holdings — a statutory investment entityaccountable to the ARC and the 100% shareholderof Ports of Auckland.Auckland City Mayor John Banks sees the mixed-use idea as a mishmash and wants the wharfdevoted to the public and the cruise industry. He ispushing for the port’s banana storage and importedvehicle parking activities moved elsewhere.
25th Anniv – 12-night Milford Sound -AucklandCoral Princess Cruise foundersand directors, Vicki and TonyBriggs are hosting a special ‘25thAnniversary Celebratory Cruise’- a 12-night voyage from MilfordSound to Auckland, departing28FEB09.The itinerary follows the eastcoast of both the North andSouth Islands, affording manyopportunities to explore the land,meet the locals and interact withwildlife accompanied by expertnaturalists, experienced marinebiologists and local guestlecturers Malcolm Anderson andKerry Howe.
Book Award Winner ‘VakaMoana-Voyages of theAncestors’, a Massey UniversityLecturer in Pacific History andculture. He will guide passengersin retracing Captain Cook’s pre-European navigation of NewZealand.Malcolm Anderson rejoins theexpedition this year, a leader insustainable tourism and offeringan interpretive experience ofNew Zealand’s two scientificreserves and with stories behindcultural, natural and historicheritage sites.http://www.coralprincess.com.au/nz12.htmlKerry Howe is the 2007 Montana
Tourism Auckland Ambassadors get onboard Cruise ShipsVisiting cruise ship passengers are to have access to on-boardTourism Auckland ambassadors in a first for the region.The RTO has secured the agreement of major cruise lines totake information direct to transit passengers.Two ambassadors will board a total of 22 transit cruise shipsthis summer, armed with the official Auckland Guide, genericAuckland information and directions to Auckland’s visitorinformation centres. The first ship will be the ClipperPacific, which will be berthed at Queens Wharf on 29NOV.Chief executive Graeme Osborne is delighted TourismAuckland has been given the green light to assist passengerswho have not pre-booked shore excursions.“We will use this opportunity to raise the profile ofdestination Auckland and ensure visitors receive positive andpractical information when they arrive,” he says.Tourism Auckland will continue to meet and greet theadditional 59 ships expected to visit Auckland this season.
20081118 www.travelmemo.co.nz
Carnival Splendorin the AmericasCarnival Splendor has made its US debut,arriving at Port Everglades following a 16-day Atlantic crossing from Europe.The 113,000gt ship, Carnival Cruise Lines’newest, will kick off its Fort Lauderdale–based program with a series of three one-time voyages before embarking on 29NOVon a series of ten seven-day EasternCaribbean cruises.Carnival Splendor debuted in Europe in July.Following its Florida program, the ship willoperate a series of South America cruises – afirst for the line – prior to beginning year-round seven-day Mexican Riviera cruisesfrom Long Beach, Calif., in MAR09.
Windstar Cruises has been recognized
by Porthole Cruise Magazine as the Most
Romantic Cruise Line and the Best Tall
Ship. This is the fourth time Windstar
Cruises has won Most Romantic Cruise
Line and the second time that Wind Surf
has won Best Tall Ship.
Several thousand readers cast their
ballots in the 10th Annual Reader’s
Choice Awards which are featured in the
DEC08 issue of what is the world’s
leading cruise travel magazine.
Orion’s Voyages of DiscoveryVoyages to destinations not previouslyvisited by Orion Expedition Cruises aredesignated ‘Voyages of Discovery’.Orion ventures to places often far from wellworn tourist tracks; remote backwaters fullof genuine experiences, untouched bytourism and far from the madding crowd.These expeditions represent far more thanmere holidays, they are experiences of alifetime providing enduring memories. Onebecomes involved in the people and thedestinations – intellectually and physicallymore satisfying than merely being adeckchair spectator.But how are these adventures developed?The team at Orion, headed by ExpeditionProgram Manager Justin Friend, (picturedleft) continuously seeks untoucheddestinations to satisfy the urge of new andrepeat passengers’ desire to explore a furtherpath less travelled - journeys which require a
flexible attitude by passengers and crewalike, adding a certain frisson unique toVoyages of Discovery.Justin (who was married to a PNGhighlander, securing her hand in marriage bythe traditional method of establishing thenumber of pigs required as suitableexchange), searches the South Pacific andAsia for new and exciting destinations forOrion to visit. Working closely and co-operatively with local communities Justinoften travels for weeks at a time in remotelocations searching for that special place orevent that defines an Orion expedition.To obtain insight into Orion’s range of 2009itineraries, or read about Justin’s adventuresas he filters out the passé (and plainunsuitable) to capture the magic that is thehallmark of every Orion voyage, readJustin’s travel notes by visitinghttp://www.orionexpeditions.com/pathways/justins_blog
GREEN MATTERS
Orion’s Justin Friend at Watam Village in PapuaNew Guinea where he has been made a villagechief, attending council of chief meetings twicea year as an advisor to the whole village on“worldly affairs”
United Airlines operated its firstASPIRE flight last Friday betweenSydney and San Francisco.ASPIRE (Asia and South PacificInitiative to Reduce Emissions) isa joint program betweenAustralasian and US aviationauthorities which aims to reducecarbon emissions optimally-operated flights.
Page 13
More than 300 tourist operators willdiscuss the future of tourism in anenvironmentally-conscious world atthe Green Travel, Climate Changeand Ecotourism conference inAdelaide this week.It is the first time the conferencehas been held, amid increasedclimate change awareness andrising carbon emissions.
Celebrity, Azamara and RoyalCaribbean Cruises have advised CruiseVacations (NZ) Ltd that, withimmediate effect, the booking windowfor reserving shore & land excursionsonline and for making online specialtydining reservations, has been changedfrom 10 days prior to sailing, to up to 4days prior to sailing.The only exception to this rule is forthose guests taking Alaska Cruisetourswhen booking land excursions duringtheir cruisetours. These still must bebooked 10 days in advance. Shoreexcursions for the Alaska cruiseportion, however, may still be bookedon-line up to 4 days in advance.
20081118 www.travelmemo.co.nzPage 14
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PEARL’S PEARLER
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ACCOMMODATION
YHA NZ ExpansionIn a mark of confidence forthe backpacking and budgettravel sectors, YHA NewZealand has purchased thefive-star Rotorua propertyTreks Backpackers. Theacquisition of the 187-bedfacility enables YHA NewZealand to manage its ownpresence in Rotorua for thefirst time since 1999.YHA’s purchase of Treks,together with the acquiringAction DownunderBackpackers in Taupo lastyear, represents a significantinvestment in central NorthIsland tourism for theorganisation. The CEO ofYHA Mark Wells says“Despite pessimism abouttourism in general, it’s anexciting time for YHA.“We’re confident about thebackpacking market holdingup better than some of theupper end and oldermarkets,” he says. “We’vejust had a very strongOctober and our forwardbookings are good - notonly that but we feel we’veonly just begun to scratchthe surface of the domesticmarket.”
Grand MercureNelson Monaco OpensDamien O’Connor’s final task asMinister of Tourism was to open themultimillion-dollar Grand MercureNelson Monaco on Friday night.About six years in the making, the $60million luxury hotel and resort villageprovides hotel-style accommodation andself-contained cottages for up to 280guests.It features 20 hotel rooms, 36 one-bedroom studios, six one-bedroomcottages and 40 two-bedroom cottages,as well as a restaurant, shops andrecreation facilities.The project has won widespread acclaim.Last month it won the overall award andthe best accommodation hotel category atthe Hospitality Association of NewZealand awards.
Northland’s Carrington Resort A
Heritage Hotel is offering a special
rates of $395 double for a night in a
lodge room with a la carte cooked
breakfast for two, plus a bottle of
Karikari Estate wine and a round of
golf for two, valid until 23DEC08.
INDUSTRY
Anna Friend to A TeamThe A Team has announced that Anna Friend ofWildblue Group has joined them as their GroupSpecialist.Anna has many years of industry experience with abackground in sales and marketing and more recently asrepresentative for her own clients located in Asia and thePacific.Her role will be to handle and facilitate all aspects of thegroups, conference and incentive business on behalf ofThe A Team – Anne Radonich’s RAD Marketing &Lesley Perrie’s Planet Travel Marketing.
tats clubThree FantasticChristmas PrizeDraws!
www.tats.co.nz
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A Taste of TaiwanRetail agents enjoyed a Taste of Taiwan last night atAuckland’s Grand Harbour Restaurant, hosted by TaiwanTourism Bureau in conjunction with Fathom Asia.The specialist Asia wholesaler used the occasion to launchits new brochure, the only such selling tool in the NZmarket dedicated to Taiwan.The brochure contains useful visitor information on thedestination, a selection of hotels in Taipei, Kaohsiung andSun Moon Lake, half- and full-day tours from Taipei, andan array of one to six-night Taiwan tours.Email [email protected] for a copy.
Fathom Asia’s Penny Henderson and VickiMcCoy with the new Taiwan brochure.