20091113 www.travelmemo.co.nzPage 1

For Bookings call

0 8 0 0 8 7 2 4 6 80800 TRAIN TRAVEL

The Finest Rangein Noosa

Accommodation

Ph: 09 - 444 2298

CLICKHERE

Click HereOn our

website

Tel: (09) 360 7311 or 0800 11 73 11Email: info@worldjourneys.co.nz • www.worldjourneys.co.nz

A Cruise Journey - Apr 201033 days China, Korea, Russia, Alaska and Canada Click here to view itinerary

China to Canada

Let your clients experience Warbirds over Wanaka with a Kirra Tours Coach Tour or Self Drive Package. Several itineraries to choose from which incorporate South Island Sightseeing with the 3 day Airshow.CALL KIRRA TOURS NOW FOR BROCHURES!

Warbirds Over Wanaka 2010

For further information contact Kirra Tours on 0508 3675 4772

LaitSC

For further in

MACAU GOVERNMENT TOURIST OFFICE

Level 17 Town Hall House

456 Kent St

Sydney NSW 2000 Australia

T: 02 9264 1488

Email: macau@worldtradetravel.com

www.macautourism.gov.mo

Macau Government Tourist Office

Email: macau@aviationandtourism.co.nzWeb: www.macautourism.gov.mo

Ph: (09) 308 5206

CLICK HERE

New Zealand wins ResponsibleTourism Awards – twice!

For the second year running, New Zealand has taken thetop spot at the prestigious Virgin Holidays ResponsibleTourism Awards.Whale Watch Kaikoura was named as overall winner at theawards announced on Wednesday at the 30th anniversaryof the World Travel Market, held annually in London.They also won the marine environment category.YHA Wellington City was also announced as winner of thebest large hotel/accommodation category.Tourism New Zealand chief executive George Hicktonsays “Already, Whale Watch Kaikoura has beeninterviewed by media, including BBC news, providingfantastic coverage for New Zealand to millions in the UKand overseas.“Last year, New Zealand became the first country to winthe overall award as well as ‘Best Destination’. For NewZealand operators to have featured in the ResponsibleTravel Awards again this year shows our industry’s strongcommitment to the environment and local communities,”he says.

Friday 13NOV09 Issue TM943F

TRAVEL

UPLOADED OVERNIGHT MON & THU

TRAVEL &

TOURISM

ONLINE

NEWS

DIGEST

20091113 www.travelmemo.co.nzPage 2

NEW ZEALANDTRENZ 2010 invites operators to applyTourism operators looking to grow theirinternational business are invited to apply toattend TRENZ 2010 – the New Zealandtourism industry’s annual internationalshowcase.TRENZ 2010 will be held at Auckland’sASB Showgrounds, 24-27MAY10.It will be a great opportunity for tourismoperators to meet over 200 internationaltravel and tourism buyers at a single event,says Tourism Industry Association NewZealand (TIA) chief executive Tim Cossar.Over four days, the New Zealand operatorsmeet the buyers in a series of 15-minutebusiness appointments, where they negotiateagreements on accommodation, transport,tours and activities they can sell to theirclients over the next two or three seasons.All New Zealand’s major tourism markets,including Australia, UK, USA, China andJapan, will be represented.

TRENZ 2010 will be of a similar size to the2009 event, with exhibitors being capped atabout 270 to ensure that TRENZ showcasesonly the best New Zealand tourism productsavailable. Attendance fees have been kept atthe same level as this year.New exhibitors and those with new productsto offer to the international marketplace willbe sought, as buyers are always looking fornew products for their clients.“Together with our event partners, we’ll befocusing on attracting new buyers and morebuyers from emerging markets. We are alsoplanning some changes to the TRENZprogramme to provide more opportunities foroperators and buyers to do business. Therewill also be more opportunities for operatorsto meet international and local media,” MrCossar says.Applications to exhibit at the event openedyesterday and will be open until 02DEC.

Go to www.trenz.co.nz to apply.

Cycle Trail carries Nga Haerenga brandWork has begun on the Prime Minister’s pettourism project, a $50 million, 1400kmnational cycle trail, and it now has a brandname – Nga Haerenga or “the journeys”.John Key this week turned the first sod on a$3 million job that will complete the final41km piece of a 100km South Waikato trackalong the river from Lake Karapiro south toWhakamaru.The Waikato Times says the aim is tocomplete the job by next October in time forthe world rowing champs, and the SouthWaikato District Council and Waikato RiverTrails Trust are already looking at linking thetrail with Rotorua. The trust is proposing a120km extension using the old rail trackfrom Rotorua to Putaruru and linking it withthe 100km river trail at Horahora.Mr Key said it was the first of seven ‘quickstart’ trails picked to get Nga Haerenga underway, and the Ministry of Tourism projectteam is now consulting with other regions inNew Zealand about funding under phase twoof the cycle trail project.

High tea goes up Auckland’s Sky TowerHigh Tea will soon be served up the SkyTower. Starting 28NOV, SKYCITY islaunching ‘High Tea in Orbit’ in the tower’spremium Orbit Revolving Restaurant,providing a unique way to spend a Saturdayor Sunday afternoon.High Tea in Orbit, with the first sittingbeginning at 2.30pm, will be a kiwiana affairwith a mix of delicacies like lamingtons,chocolate dipped strawberries, chicken &tarragon mini pies and cold-smoked Akaroasalmon sandwiches. The afternoon delight

will include a range ofexotic teas and espressocoffee, with a range ofbubbles and wines alsoon offer.High Tea will be servedfor $30 per personincluding the ride upthe Sky Tower andcomplimentary carparking. Early bookingis recommended.

Tourism Holdings Ltd,which owns RuakuriWaitomo Caves, andthe Maui and Britzcampervan businesses,is forecasting a first-half loss of up to $1million, squeezedbetween rising costsand a slide in visitornumbers.

Tekapo night sky on short listUnesco’s World Heritage Committee will decide next yearwhich of five night sky sites around the world will bedeclared a World Heritage site. Among the six is the Tekapo-Aoraki/Mt Cook night sky, whose case has been championedby former Labour cabinet minister Margaret Austin.The other sites also to be considered for world heritage statusare in Austria, Spain, Chile, and Hawaii.NZPA reports that only the New Zealand and Austrianlocations have been recognised as “mixed sites” -acknowledging not only their pristine night sky but also theirsurrounding landscape and the opportunities for astro-tourism.

20091113 www.travelmemo.co.nzPage 3

Ph

oto

| A

nn

a C

am

pb

ell

Staged introduction soughtfor ACC levy hikesTourism operators will face substantial levy increases ofbetween 30% and more than 100% if proposed changes to ACCgo ahead, putting significant strain on an industry alreadytrading through difficult times, says Tourism IndustryAssociation chief executive Tim Cossar.In its submission to ACC on its proposed levy increases, TIA hasasked for a staged introduction to give tourism businesses moretime to manage and adjust to the higher levies.Mr Cossar says a snapshot of the industry reveals that sport andphysical recreation, amusement and outdoor guiding businesseswill face levy increases of around 100%, accommodation, cafesand restaurants more than 80%, and bus transport 63%.TIA understands the financial difficulties ACC is facing withvery high liabilities, but operators need time to adjust to the levyrises, explains Mr Cossar.“Tourism operators set their prices up to two years in advance.Sudden increases in compliance costs such as those beingproposed by ACC are difficult to factor into product pricing.”In its submission, the NZ Hotel Council which represents manyof the country’s large hotel chains and privately-owned,independent hotels, says the proposed increases will result in aprolonged downturn in demand.Hospitality Association NZ (HANZ) Chief Executive BruceRobertson says while it understands the need for ACC to balanceits books over time, there are other measures it should belooking at, “rather than the draconian increases proposed”.HANZ is urging ACC to undertake a rigorous cost-cuttingapproach prior to imposing levy increases.“In the past 12 months we have had 100 members close theirdoors and many more are marginal at best and struggling tosurvive. Given the labour intensive nature of the hospitalityindustry and the level of these increases, others are likely tofail,” Mr Robertson says.A full copy of the TIA submission is available on the policysection of the TIA website: www.tianz.org.nz

Southern flightseeing operation spreads its wingsA new flightseeing aircraft that delivers sustainablepractice innovation and increased passenger comfort is thefinal purchase in a $6 million, six-year fleet upgrade forone of New Zealand’s largest scenic flight airlines.Central South Island based Air Safaris has invested$800,000 in the country’s first brand new turbochargedGippsland GA8 Airvan, an eight-seat Australian-builtaircraft.The company chose the Airvan because of itsenvironmentally-friendly innovations and performanceadvances, while at the same time achieving the veryhighest levels of comfort and visibility for its sightseeingcustomers.The inaugural commercial flight was on Monday and the50-minute return flight between Lake Tekapo and FranzJosef Glacier over some of the South Island’s most strikingscenery drew an “Awesome!” verdict from the sevenpassengers on board.The Airvan is the first turbo charged version to feature thequiet three-bladed propeller and engine combination whichsignificantly reduces noise emissions. The aircraft alsoprovides more leg room and better passenger viewing thanthe smaller Cessna aircraft which is the current aircraft ofchoice for flightseeing.Air Safaris Director Tim Rayward said he strongly believesthat flying is the one way people can get to see the majesty

of New Zealand’s national parks without a lasting effect onthe environment.“We live and work in some of the most pristine scenery inthe world so it’s really important to us to continually findways to minimise our footprint and the effect of our aircraftnoise.“As well as ongoing investments in newer larger aircraft,we also plan to retro-fit our other aircraft with the newtechnology propellers,” said Mr Rayward.www.airsafaris.co.nz.

Nelson-Tasman midnight trainingOver 40 travel agents mainly from the UK, Germany, andother European markets logged on to receive a live trainingsession last Thursday, presented by Nelson Tasman Tourism.The PowerPoint training session, which took place atmidnight NZ time, aimed to refresh the agents’ knowledgeof the region and update them on new accommodation andexperiences that they can sell to their customers.The seminar, co-ordinated by Tourism New Zealand’s UKoffice, using Webex software, is part of a monthly seriesfeaturing a different NZ region each month. KatherineHerbert from Tourism New Zealand reported that the NelsonMarlborough seminar received a record number ofattendees, and may be the first to be repeated the followingThursday due to demand.

20091113 www.travelmemo.co.nz Email : reservations@jetpark.co.nz Page 4

Big $$ from Winter Games NZEarly estimates from Winter Games NZorganisers reveal an economic impact ofthis year’s inaugural event on the Otago andQueenstown Lakes regions of anywherebetween $42 million and $103 million.Games chairman Sir Eion Edgar told theOtago Daily Times that “even the mostcautious interpretation of the figures isextremely positive.”TV coverage of the games action reached apotential global audience of 765 millionpeople and the event’s chief executive,Arthur Klap, values this at between $30million and $40 million. Internet coverageand image downloads were worth another$5 million or more.A web-based survey of participants, supportcrews, officials, media and others directlyinvolved in the games showed a local spendby them totalling $15 million.The ODT says the financial estimates willbe part of reports the chief executive andboard are working on, which Sir Eion saidwill be the basis for talks with governmentrepresentatives, local councils, TourismNew Zealand and sponsors about the futureof the games.The board has yet to decide if the gameswill be held every two years as intended, orevery four years as a lead-up to the WinterOlympic Games.Destination Queenstown marketing generalmanager Graham Budd told the paper hewas delighted with the financial impact.“The marketing effect of the games will befelt for a long time. But this effect couldvery well be diluted if the momentum is notmaintained. So I am keen on having thegames every two years.”

AUSTRALIANT famil takes in

Outback, Top EndNine agents from aroundNew Zealand have just spenta week exploring the vastlandscapes of Darwin andKakadu National Park, beforetravelling Gold Service onthe Ghan from Darwin toAlice Springs and on toexplore Ayers Rock / Uluru.The group got a taste ofDarwin’s cosmopolitanatmosphere with a City Tourthat took them to visit theDarwin Museum and WWIIhistorical sites.Wilderness 4WD Adventure Tours tookthe group into World Heritage-listedKakadu National Park, a three-hour drivefrom Darwin. They experienced thesunrise boat cruise on wildlife-rich MaryRiver, and visited the ancient Aboriginalrock art sites at Ubirr and NourlangieRock, before heading to Jim Jim andTwin Falls for fresh water swimming.The famil group then experienced thecomfort of The Ghan. As Jane Carruthersput it – an unequalled way of travellingbetween the jewels of the NorthernTerritory - the Red Centre and thetropical Top End. The famil ended with asmall group tour of Alice Springs andUluru with Tailormade Tours, and theystayed at the five star Voyages Sails in the

The Famil participants were:Dale Fluit – House of Travel WanakaIan Collier – Adventure Travel ChristchurchLibby Cossens – The Travel PracticeChristchurchJody Rossiter – Searle Travel NapierGeoffrey Carre – House of Travel KapitiCoastDiane Pomfrey – Ironbark EventsKarl Millington – House of Travel LowerHuttBill Kwan – Harvey World TravelGeoffrey Hebditch – House of TravelBrowns BayJane Carruthers – Tourism NT / TerritoryDiscoveries Sales and Marketing Manager

(L to R): Diane Pomfrey, Geoffrey Carre,Dale Fluit, Ian Collier, Libby Cossins,Jane Carruthers, Bill Kwan, Karl Millington,Geoffrey Hebditch and Jody Rossiter

Desert.

Gold Coast events website Gold Coast City Council has launched a newevents website with a calendar of upcomingevents for the month, calendar of majorevents, links to event websites and locationmaps of where events are held.www.eventsgoldcoast.com.auGold Coast Tourism’s Samantha Cameronhas put together a one page summary of themajor events and it can be downloadedhere.

Giant dinosaur fossilattractionAs reported in Tuesday’s TravelMemo, aPaleo Tourism Trail is being developed inQueensland to link dinosaur fossilexcavation sites and museums at LightningRidge, Eromanga, Winton, Hughenden andRichmond.The Queensland Government has allocatedA$100,000 to develop the state’s newestdinosaur attraction at Plevna Downs nearEromanga. Covering 100,000ha, PlevnaDowns encompasses 13 dig sites includingthe finds of dinosaurs nicknamed Cooper,Zac and George, but is currently closed tothe public. Five metres tall and up to 30metres long, the plant-eating Cooper is amember of the Titanosaurus family. He isamong the top 10 largest dinosaurs in theworld, rivalling a T-rex or gigasaurus.Rather than ship the dinosaur bones off toa museum in the city, a field museum willbe established at Plevna Downs to prepare,preserve and store the fossils where theywere discovered. It is expected to cost upto $2 million and be completed in twoyears.

20091113 www.travelmemo.co.nzPage 5

The Aussies are coming to town!

OZTalk 2010 – LAST CHANCE FOR EARLY BIRDS!If you’re serious about maximising your Australian sales you NEED to be at OZTalk 2010, 19-20 March!

It is the key training opportunity for all agents to learn and experience Australian product.

Early Bird special rate $149+gst ends Fri 13th Nov. Don’t miss out!

Register here now!

Royal taste of luxuryat Wolgan Valley ResortEquestrian champion Zara Phillips, who also happensto be the Queen’s granddaughter, had a taste of thequintessential Australian landscape during a stay atEmirates’ new luxury conservation-based resort,Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa.Miss Phillips, the reigning world champion ineventing, relaxed at the Blue Mountains resortafter attending the Emirates Melbourne Cup,viewing the racing from the Emirates Marquee.The resort will officially open on 03DEC in thepresence of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed binSaeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and ChiefExecutive, Emirates Airline & Group.

Do the Great South West Walkwith AuswalkTour operator Auswalk has just launched anew guided walking holiday along the GreatSouth West Walk, a 250km circuit trackalong the Victorian coast near the borderwith South Australia.Known for its stunning coastal scenery andforests rich with wildlife, the 7-day walkstarts in the volcanic landscape of TowerHill, near Port Fairy, and takes in thepeaceful Glenelg River; the sandy beachesand rocky outcrops of Discovery Bay; andthe magnificent Three Capes section of track.The tour area is a prime whale and seal-spotting location and walkers can also expectto see kangaroos, echidnas, koalas, emus andother native birds. Accommodation, meals,two tour guides and transport to and fromMelbourne are included.An alternative self-guided Great South WestWalk - including accommodation, markedmaps and walking notes - is also availablefor groups of two or more.www.auswalk.com.au

New Murray region food and wine trailEchuca-Moama, best known for its paddle-steamers and scenic Murray River location, haslaunched an Echuca Food and Wine trail.Featuring more than 40 operators, the Echuca-Moama Food and Wine trail includes restaurants,cellar doors, wine tour operators and more. Twotrail maps – wine and food – are available fromvisitor information centres in the area.

vineyard, established in the 1860s to serve thethriving riverboat trade, and Monichino Wines,opened by one of the first Italian immigrants tothe area and famous for its barbera andsangiovese varietals.The food map highlights more than 30 diverseeateries, from the award-winning Oscar W’sWharfside to on-the-water dining aboard thepaddlesteamers Emmy-Lou and MV Maryann.The wine map includes the historic Cape Horn

20091113 www.travelmemo.co.nzPage 6

Tiger Woods a Big Eventfor VictoriaTiger Woods’ sell out appearance at theAustralian Masters is set to reap Victoria farmore than the A$19 million originallyforecast, according to Premier John Brumby.The Australian quoted Mr Brumby as sayingWoods’ appearance at the tournament,reputedly at a cost of US$3 million, was“…fantastic for our state of Victoria”.“We now estimate the economic benefit toVictoria will comfortably exceed the $19million forecast,” he said, noting that 35 percent of 100,000 ticket sales had gone tooverseas and interstate visitors.

SOUTH PACIFIC

New Penguin Paradeaudio toursEducational and informative MP4 self-guided audio tours have been introduced atPhillip Island Nature Parks to providevisitors with a deeper insight into theirunique nature experience.Visitors are guided around the famousPenguin Parade, located around 90 minutes’from Melbourne, with simple commentaryand educational information. Tours arecurrently available in English, Mandarin,Japanese and Korean, with more languagesdue to be launched soon.Audio tours are included free in the price ofa Penguins Plus ticket. Alternatively, patronswith general admission tickets can hire anMP4 player for an additional A$5.PINP plans to integrate the audio tour intothe Phillip Island Nature Parks website, aswell as introduce similar MP4 tours to theirnearby attractions The Koala ConservationCentre and Churchill Island Heritage Farm in2010. www.penguins.org.au

Cook Islands Tourism Suzuki winnersThe winners of the three Suzuki Swift carsup for grabs in the Cook Islands TourismSuzuki sales incentive promotion learned oftheir good luck yesterday.The first car was won by Corrina and RickDennison of Albany, who were sold theirCook Islands holiday by Sandra Darlingtonof Flight Centre Mairangi Bay.The second Suzuki Swift was won byDorothy & Denis McNally of Kaiapoi, whobooked their Cook Islands holiday withJanelle Jones of House of Travel, UpperRiccarton.The winner of the third car, the travelconsultant with the most valid entries in thecompetition, was Malcolm McAlpine of theAir New Zealand call centre at North Shore

City’s Smales Farm. Malcolm submitted 54entries, even managing to outgun theairline’s travelcentre sales people.“A lot of this can be attributed to himutilising the additional entries of the outerislands, the CHC/RAR direct flight andgroup bookings,” says Tourism Cook Islandssales and marketing manager, Kelly Hansen.“We had over 500 entries during the July-September sale period, booking well over1000 pax to the Cook Islands through toMarch 2010,” Kelly adds. “Feedback wereceived from agents is that this promotionwas a great incentive to sell the Cook Islandsto their clients and supported our otherislands as well as the Air NZ’s CHC/RARdirect flight.”

Suzuki Swift surprise deliveryMalcolm McAlpine was taken by surprise byCook Islands Tourism and Suzuki when he wastold he had a delivery for collection out thefront of the building where he works as an AirNew Zealand call centre consultant.His snazzy new car was parked up by theentrance for him to see as he emerged, andCook Islands Tourism’s Kelly Hansen wasthere to hand him his keys.Keri Edmonds from Air NZ Holidays made thetrip over to Auckland’s North Shore from headoffice to congratulate him personally, and hismanager Mary Miller was also in on thesurprise and asked his fellow team members towalk him down from their office.CIT Sales and Marketing Manager, KellyHansen says “Malcolm winning was meant tobe a big surprise. I had emailed Keri and herteam to see how we could get Malcom’s detailsto register the car in his name without himknowing he had won.“It was a mission but with team work we did it.However the cat was accidentally let out of thebag this weekend when Malcolm received acopy of his new car registration papers in thepost. He called me a bit confused and asked ifhe had won. I was lost for words and finallytold him that indeed he had won, but the carwouldn’t be ready for a couple of weeks. Thatwas a couple of days ago. My boss ChrisIngram suggested that although Malcolm knewhe had won, we could still surprise him withthe delivery of the car!”Malcolm was extremely elated with his prize.“Taking part in this competition waseasy for me as I just love the Cook Islands somuch. Thankyou Cook Islands Tourism for thiswonderful prize!”

Kelly Hansen with car winnerCorrina Dennison and her travelagent Sandra Darlington from

Flight Centre Mairangi Bay

CIT’s Kelly Hansen at left, with sales incentive winnerMalcolm McAlpine (in white shirt), surrounded by

others from the Air New Zealand call centre team whocame down to inspect the Suzuki Swift’s racy trimmings.

20091113 www.travelmemo.co.nzPage 7

ASIA

Norfolk Island’s2009 Tourism Award winnersThe Norfolk Island Tourism Award winners were named thisweek at a ceremony held at the All Seasons Colonial of NorfolkIsland. The winners were:Category Gold WinnerVisitor Attraction Two Chimneys WineryEnvironment, History and Heritage Norfolk Island National Park and

Botanic GardenTour or Activities Norfolk Touring CoFestival or Event International Golf PromotionsF and B – Casual Dining Governor’s RestaurantStandard Accommodation Daydreamer Holiday CottagesDeluxe Accommodation Governor’s Lodge ResortLuxury Accommodation Forrester Court Cliff Top CottagesRetail B.J’s JewellersNew Business Burnt Pine PharmacyTourism Support Services Norfolk OnlineTransportation Services Borry’s Rental CarsWholesaler The Travel Centre

The Tourism Champion for 2009 was the Travel Centre, whileNorfolk Online, Borry’s Rental Cars and Two Chimneys Wineryall made the Hall of Fame for winning the same award threeyears in a row.The local businesses were judged by national tourism veteransNoel Wootton, Kris Major and Glenis Jay.

WallyBeadman, Norfolk Island Tourism chairman andacting general manager, with Agnes Hain, owner of the

Travel Centre, the Tourism Champion for 2009.

Free wedding packageat SonaisaliFor couples wishing to get married betweennow and 15JUN10 Sonaisali Island Resorthas just released a package where they couldget their wedding for free.The offer applies to guests who book fiverooms or more, with a minimum 5-night stay,between now and 15JUN10.Guests who book 10 rooms or more, with aminimum 10-night stay, between now and15JUN10 will receive the Standard DeluxeWedding Package free.

Nadi-Tarawa flights beginThe inaugural Air Kiribati flight fromTarawa to Nadi last Saturday was seen as anair transportation milestone by the airline.The weekly round trip from Kiribati uses achartered Our Airline B737 and Nauru-basedOur Airline has entered into an interlinearrangement to market Fiji-Nauru servicesusing a combination of its own and AirKiribati flights.

Te Manava Luxury Villas & Spa, CookIslands has been voted “Australasia’sLeading Villas” and “Cook Islands LeadingVillas” at the World Travel Awards 2009regional finals held in London onSaturday.

Pacific Resort Aitutaki, CookIslands has been voted the“World’s Leading BoutiqueIsland Resort”, for thesecond yearrunning at theWorld TravelAwards 2009.

Singapore offers Christmas in the TropicsSingapore’s Christmas in the Tropics spectacular – now in its 27th year –sees the Lion City ablaze with festive cheer from now to 03JAN.World-famous shopping boulevard Orchard Road has again beentransformed into a fairytale wonderland, draped with even more glitteringlights and larger-than-life decorations.Visitors can take advantage of the free open-top bus tours which offer anunbeatable view of the Christmas Light-Up from Orchard Road to MarinaBay, where they’ll be greeted with thousands of twinkling fairy lights,giant Christmas presents and beautiful lanterns.Adding to the festive atmosphere, carollers will serenade shoppers as theymake the most of late-night trading and take advantage of special visitorpromotions and discounts.

Christmas in the Tropics discount dealsSingapore’s Christmas in the Tropics spectacular offers big discounts too.This year, 13 hotels along Orchard Road have come together with a Stay 3Pay 2 nights “Celebrations Hotel Deal”, including a free Christmas Light-up night tour for two, food vouchers and discounts off selected attractions.Valid to 03JAN10.There are buy two-get two free deals on an array of Singapore attractionsand chances to win big with the STB’s “Grab & Win” retail promotion.Visit www.visitsingapore.com/celebrate2009

20091113 www.travelmemo.co.nzPage 8

Cruise Tokyo skies in a Zeppelin AirshipNippon Airship Corporation (NAC) is offering air cruisesover Tokyo and neighbouring cities in its Zeppelin NT airshipbetween 21NOV09 and 04JAN10, to commemorate the 80thanniversary of the famous LZ127 Graf Zeppelin’s worldvoyage via Tokyo.There will be cruises above the eastern Japan cities of Tokyo,Yokohama, Kamakura and Saitama, in a Zeppelin NT (newtechnology), one of only three operational Zeppelin airshipsin the world.Cruise prices range from 126,000 yen for a 1½ hour Tokyocruise to 188,000 yen for 2¾ hours over Yokohama. Allcruises depart from and return to Honda Airport in OkegawaCity, Saitama Prefecture. www.nac-airship.com/english

THE AMERICASUS Customs launches NZ pilotprogram to automate arrival formU.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announcedthis week the launch of a pilot program to automate thearrival/departure form (CBP Form I-94W) for VisaWaiver Program (VWP) travellers from Auckland to LosAngeles International Airport. The pilot will support theautomation of the paper I-94W form for visitors to theU.S. who travel under the VWP with an approved travelauthorisation via the Electronic System for TravelAuthorization (ESTA).The pilot program was first tested on Air New ZealandFlight NZ6 yesterday and will last 30 days. Passengerstravelling on this flight with an approved ESTA will notneed to fill out the paper I-94W form. CBP will evaluatethe success of the pilot program and consider expandingit to additional Air New Zealand flights to Los Angelesduring the testing period.“CBP has received more than 13 million ESTAapplications from nationals of VWP countries andcompliance continues to grow daily,” said CBP ActingCommissioner Jayson Ahern. “With the Form I-94WAutomation Pilot Program, we are facilitating the traveland entry process for our VWP visitors from NewZealand and for VWP travelers arriving from othercountries in the near future.”Air New Zealand, with the support of the NZgovernment, volunteered to test the process using theirflights into Los Angeles. NZ6 was selected because itarrives as a stand-alone flight and will create lessconfusion for travellers.Congress required through the ImplementingRecommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007that DHS develop and implement an automated systemto determine, in advance of travel, the eligibility ofvisitors to travel to the U.S. under the VWP, and whethersuch travel poses a law enforcement or security risk.

USASevens in Las Vegas on sale nowLas Vegas tourism authorities are reminding agents that theNew Zealand rugby Sevens team will be competing at theinternational USASevens tournament in Las Vegas.Thousands of fans will flock to the entertainment capital ofthe world to watch 16 countries participate in the two-daycompetition. Tickets are on sale now and start at US$35 forthe event, which is to be held at Sam Boyd Stadium 13-14FEB10.Las Vegas is to become the new destination for USA Sevensin America from February 2010 as part of a multi-yearagreement. For the first time, rugby fans will be able toindulge in their passion for the sport and revel in the LasVegas party scene at the same time.“Sevens and Las Vegas are a perfect fit - Sevens is greatsport but also a great party and Vegas is obviously a greatparty town, so I see the two complementing each otherperfectly,” said Mike Miller, chief executive of theInternational Rugby Board.The popularity and global support of Rugby Sevens is on therise, particularly on the back of its recent announcement asan official sport for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.New Zealand will be looking to stamp its name on the gameand the USASevens in Las Vegas will continue to be anincreasingly important part of the development plan.Tickets and information on the USASevens are available atwww.usasevens.com/

Galapagos SpecialsWorld Journeys would like to remind agents about currentGalapagos Islands specials on remaining 2009 GalapagosCruises.New bookings for 7-night expeditions will receive free returnair tickets from mainland Ecuador and free fuel surcharge;and 3 or 4-night expeditions include a 20% discount and freefuel surcharge. Valid until 21DEC09.New bookings for 2010 will also receive free return airtickets from mainland Ecuador (valid on selected expeditionsfrom JAN-MAR10, when booked by 20DEC09.Call World Journeys on 0800 11 73 11.

20091113 www.travelmemo.co.nzPage 9

California briefingCalifornia Tourism’s Tristan Freedman wasin town this week from Sydney to update keyindustry partners on the state of the market,recent research results and the future outlookfor outbound tourism to California from NZ.Kiwi visitations to California stand at around90,000 a year, 11% down, year on year, butare trending back up. Freedman said that theSTO intended increasing its efforts in NewZealand and had the budget to back it up. Hesaid he was keen to work with the chains ongetting more product brochured and to helpsponsor their conferences and to host famils.Market research shows that there is aninterest in California travel experiences of upto five hours’ driving beyond the gatewaycities of LA and San Francisco, and the STOwill be looking to encourage brochuredproducts for four segments – Self Drive;Food & Wine; Active Outdoors and Skiing &Snowboarding.The big opportunity destination experiencesare Highway 1 up the coast; SequoiaNational Park; Yosemite National Park; Napa

& Sonoma Valleys; Lake Tahoe;Mammoth Lakes; and Palm Springs &Joshua Tree National Park.The intense transpacific airlinecompetition had also opened up a newmarket for Los Angeles visits andFreedman says it is important for agents tobone up on the distinct tourist areas of thesprawling metropolis. There are uniquedifferences in these main areas – VeniceBeach, Hollywood, West Hollywood,Beverly Hills, Downtown, Santa Monica,the OC Beaches, and Anaheim - that needto be explained to clients, he emphasises.Snow holiday opportunities are also worthtapping, says Freedman.The state has 30 ski resorts across threeregions – North Tahoe, South Tahoe andMammoth Lakes. They representexceptional value when compared to otherUS snow areas and have a season that runsfrom DEC-MAY, with best skiing anddeals in APR.http://tourism.visitcalifornia.com/B2B/

Canada 2010 Early Bird SpecialHot off the press: Brewster’s Canada hasreleased a 2010 Early Bird special for travel15MAY to 15OCT10, says Adventure World.Save $165pp on these selected Brewstertours only: Rockies Discovery; Peaks &Parks; Western Vistas; Alpine Journey;Rockies Treasures; Western Canada atLeisure; Majestic Circle; Rockies CircleWest; Western Canadian Circle; WesternCanada Rail Journey; Pacific Frontier Circle;Canadian Collection; Canadian Treasures;and Mountain Memories.Must book and deposit between now and20DEC09, based on share twin.Phone Adventure World on 09-539 8102.

SKIMAX – Kids Ski FreeInnovative Travel advises the 2009-10 SKIMAX programme is offeringsome fantastic deals for kids in bothCanada & USA. Most of the resortsfeatured in the brochure for Canadaare providing for kids under 13, andsome under 16, to ski free, althoughclose-outs apply for peak periods insome instances.Sun Peaks, featured on page 40 of theprogramme, has an offer for theunder-19s to ski free (excl 21DEC-02JAN). The US ski resorts are alsoproviding great deals for children toski free – applies to various agesfrom 5 years up to 13 years forselected resorts.Bookings, enquiries and brochurestocks from Innovative Travel on0508 100111 or email:info@skimax.co.nz

AFRICA / MID EASTCyclone signs withOne Ocean Club for2010 FIFA World CupSpecialist global sporting events touroperator, Cyclone Group, which has officesin NZ and South Africa, says it has beenappointed official agent for Australia and NZto the One Ocean Club “cruise flotel”concept on board Holland America Linecruise ships during 2010 FIFA World CupSouth Africa™ next year.Sister ships, MS Noordam and MS Westerdamwill be sailing between the ports of CapeTown, Port Elizabeth and Durban during theWorld Cup, serving as a prime location foraccommodation, entertainment andrecreation. Cyclone Group guests will benefitfrom the complete set of infrastructure inplace, including 24 hour transfers, shuttleservices and VIP security.The operator is an authorised sales agent forAustralia and NZ for MATCH Hospitality forthe Official Hospitality Programme of 2010FIFA World Cup South Africa™www.cyclonegroup.com

TRAVEL

UPLOADED OVERNIGHT MON & THU

TRAVEL &

TOURISM

ONLINE

NEWS

DIGEST

Obviously we ‘click’ with you. . .

TRAFFICRESULTS

AVERAGE HITS PER ISSUE

NOV09 17,270

OCT09 15,848

SEP09 15,789

20091113 www.travelmemo.co.nzPage 10

Top NZ fashion designer reports on EgyptJane Daniels, iconic NZ fashion designer andInnovative Travel’s Brand Ambassador, hasjust returned from visiting Egypt.An experienced, discerning traveller andavid reader of travel literature andbiographies, Jane has a real passion for thisexotic region of the world and chose to visitEgypt on a grand scale. “Exploring thebustling city of Cairo with its population of20 million was hassle-free and a fascinatingexperience, thanks to the professional,invaluable guides of Innovative Travel’ssuperb ground operator in Egypt,” says Jane.“Cruising the Nile on the deluxe cruisevessel ‘Tu Ya’ provided a relaxing andwelcome tonic after the excitement of Cairo.Like being in a floating picture gallery, Ilapped up the picturesque scenes and longsunny days from the comfort of my poolsidelounger on the top deck of Tu Ya visiting, atintervals, the magnificent temples built forthe ancient Gods.“One of the temples, Abu Simbel, sets itselfapart in structure and magnificence and iswell worth the short flight from Aswan. Theinterior of this temple is a total surprise andthe story of saving the entire complex fromlying beneath the waters of the Aswan Dammakes it an all the more special site to visit.“Elhamy El Zayat, Innovative’s businesspartner and CEO of their ground operation inEgypt, is an extraordinarily cultured andpersonable gentleman, and has an enormouspassion for his homeland. This attitudefilters through his team and not only are allarrangements carried out with ease and likeclockwork, but also with a smile and warmththat makes you feel truly welcome andtreasured as a visitor.

“I left Egypt wondering how the numerousand astonishing engineering feats, such asthe construction of the Great Pyramids ofGiza, took place so long ago – anachievement which seems to sit apart fromtime.“With Innovative Travel’s Ancient KingdomsHolidays there are many more mysteries tounravel and I look forward to future travelswith this inspiring company, which providesunique and rewarding travel experienceswith commitment and style.”Supplies of the new Ancient KingdomsHolidays 2010 brochure and earlybirdcatalogues are now available from InnovativeTravel by calling 0508 100111 or emailinginfo@innovative-travel.com

EUROPEEarly opening in Val ThorensThe winter has definitely arrived in ValThorens, France – the highest resort ofEurope: with 55cm of snow in the heart ofthe resort (at 2300m) and 85cm on thesummits, the snow is now there in sufficientquantity.Served by 5 ski lifts (2 chairlifts, 2 drag liftsand the Funitel de Péclet), some 10 slopes(green, blue and red) located between 2300mand 3000m high, have opened up to the skienthusiasts.

Stay in a stately summerhouseQueen Anne’s Summerhouse is an 18th-century follyon the Shuttleworth Estate in Bedfordshire. TheLandmark Trust has spent a year renovating theproperty and it is now available as self-cateringholiday accommodation. It was probably built – andnamed – to commemorate the owner, a rich draper,being knighted by Queen Anne in 1712. It is a fineexample of the extravagant estate buildingsfashionable among wealthy landowners at that time,and was used as a venue for picnic excursions.Queen Anne’s Summerhouse will be available allyear round for two people. Click here for details.

NZPA reports from London that theNew Zealand News UK newspaper,which has been distributed thereweekly since 1927, may have beenpublished for the last time, hit bythe recession and internet-basednews. Its website remains inoperation.

Bed and Breakfastin London homesAt Home in London is a network ofprivate homes offering bed andbreakfast accommodation in the capital.The homes are independently assessedfor quality by VisitBritain. Most ofthem have achieved a 4-star rating andthe network includes a Gold AwardB&B.There are more than 70 homes inpopular areas, including Knightsbridge,Mayfair, Belgravia, Kensington,Notting Hill and Chiswick. Hostsinclude lawyers, teachers, architects, awriter, an interior designer, an artist anda photographer. Prices for double/twinrooms including private bathroom,breakfast and tax are from £55 to £105a night per room. There are some familyrooms available.www.athomeinlondon.co.uk/

20091113 www.travelmemo.co.nz

Oxford Circus, the heart of London’s WestEnd shopping and entertainment district,has been given a “Barnes Dance”pedestrian crossing like those onAuckland’s Queen Street or in Tokyo,where pedestrians can cross diagonally ina free-for-all. The design has seen barriersand street clutter ripped out in movesaimed at cutting crowd congestion andthe lengthy traipse round the interchange.At peak periods, up to 32,000 pedestriansper hour pass through Oxford Circus, theintersection of Regent Street and OxfordStreet.

AVIATION

TOUR PRODUCTForget the worms – get greatEarlybird savings with ContikiWhile the early bird may catch the worm, theearly Contiki traveller gets up to $644* offtheir next holiday.Encourage your clients to get their 2010European adventure off the ground early andsave with Contiki’s Earlybird – Just bookyour clients before 18DEC09 and they canchoose from two great deals:Deal 1: Get 7.5%** off the cost of a 2010Contiki Europe tour when your clients bookand pay in full by 18DEC09.Deal 2: Get 5%** off the cost of a 2010Contiki Europe tour when your clients bookand pay a deposit of NZ$200 by 18DEC09.Contiki’s 2010-11 Europe brochures are outnow.* $644 saving based on European Explorer (MykonosOption) booked and paid in full by 18 December 2009.** For full details of the Earlybird deal refer to page 20 ofthe 2010/11 Contiki Europe brochure or go to http://contiki.co.nz/deals

Headwaters, Tauck, Explore 2010prices now availableAdventure World now has access to 2010 prices forHeadwater’s Walking and Cycling Holidays,Explore Worldwide, plus Tauck World Discovery(including Europe, River Cruising, Small ShipCruising, Exotics and Bridges). While the 2010brochures are due out any time over the next fewmonths, rates can be obtained in the meantime bycalling 09-524 5118.

The world’s next generation premium airline revealedQantas ceo Alan Joyce this week toldaviation journalists in Australia thatreports of the ‘death of premium travel’have been greatly exaggerated. He toldthe gathering that Qantas and Jetstar bothhad a major role to play in the next era ofaviation. He said they had exciting plans

for premium carrier Qantas and amongthe initiatives is what it calls Airports ofthe Future. It incorporates next-generationcheck in and is designed to innovativelyspeed frequent flyers through the airportand onto their plane.Read the speech here.

Flying start for PacBlue out of HLZHamilton International Airport reports asuccessful first month for PacificBlue’s international services, with thecarrier flying nearly 5,000 passengersbetween the Waikato and Australiaduring SEP09.Airport Chief Executive Chris Doakstated that total passenger numbers toSydney and Brisbane were up on thesame month last year.He also points out that the percentageof overseas arrivals was significantlyhigher than 2008 when Air NewZealand was flying internationally intoHamilton.“I believe that a major contributor tothe failure of the Air New Zealandservices was the drop in Australian

passengers though Hamilton. So it waspleasing to see a high percentage ofoverseas arrivals which I think reflectsthe pulling power of the Pacific Bluebrand in Australia and Virgin Blue’sdomestic Australian network.” Mr Doaksaid.“We have seen passengers travelling toour airport from locations all over thewider region including Gisborne, theBay of Plenty and even South Auckland,which just reiterates the fact that peoplereally do value low-cost fares.”Mr Doak also says the airport is seeingpassengers going to and coming from allregions of Australia, including Perth,Adelaide and Melbourne, and headingfurther afield to the likes of Bali.

Mexicana and its subsidiariesMexicanaClick and MexicanaLinkbecame part of the oneworldalliance this week. Mexicana bringsoneworld 67 destinations in 14countries in Central, North andSouth America and Europe,including 37 points in Mexico. Theairlines’ main hub is Mexico City.

Page 11

Etihad Airways, the national airlineof the UAE, has taken the top awardat this year’s World Travel Awards,being voted World’s Leading Airlineby more than 180,000 travel industryprofessionals from over 175countries. Etihad is the first MiddleEastern airline to win thisprestigious award.

New from Gap: You Only Live OnceSmall group adventure travel operator GapAdventures has announced a new trip style –YOLO – which it says is designed to suit the 18 to30-something market’s appetite for energetic andunforgettable adventure.Described as authentic, exciting, affordable andfun, Gap Adventures’ YOLO (You Only Live Once)trips cater for a perceived ‘Gap’ in the outboundmarket between fully catered bus / caravan toursaimed at a younger travelling clientele and theirown traditional small group adventure offering.YOLO focuses on providing the authenticity ofsmall group adventures: No big bus caravans, justsmall, personal groups of like-minded sociabletravellers hitting the road together.They are designed to cater for a novice traveller’sfirst trip abroad or an experienced thrill-seekerlooking for their next country to conquer andYOLOs include accommodation, transportation andtour leader—allowing travellers the freedom toexplore as much or as little as they like based ontheir time, tastes and budget.New YOLO trips include:17 days Marrakech to Paris Adventure9 days Java Adventure31 days Central America Express from Mexico toCosta Rica.For more info visit www.gapadventures.com/yolo

20091113 www.travelmemo.co.nzPage 12

Jetstar to testSMS boarding passesThe Age reports that Jetstar is about to trial amobile phone technology that issuesboarding passes via SMS. These can then bescanned electronically from the phone’sscreen at the departure gate.Developed by Melbourne company, SissitGroup, it is exclusively available to Jetstar inAustralia and New Zealand, and the systemis compatible with “at least 98 per cent” ofmobile phones in the market.Unlike other electronic boarding passsystems, the Sissit SMS pass does not carryall the passenger’s information but relatesthe pass number to details in the airlinedatabase. This, Sissit says, makes the systemmuch more secure. Some airlines use asimilar system but require passengers to havemore expensive and less common WAP(Wireless Application Protocol) or internet-enabled smartphones. The Jetstar system willwork with any mobile handset capable ofreceiving SMS texts.Trials will start this month with passengerson domestic flights originating atMelbourne’s Avalon airport. The Age reportsthat a successful trial would see the systemrolled out across the full Jetstar Australiandomestic network by the end of the year,quoting an airline spokeswoman. Later, itcould be introduced in other markets,including Jetstar’s domestic services in NewZealand.

Pacific Blue recorded a strong on-timeperformance result in October, with 93% ofdomestic New Zealand flights departingon time. It has maintained an OTP of 90%or better for nine of the past ten months.

Royal Brunei to enhancedirect services, connectiontimesFrom 28MAR10, Royal Brunei Airlinespassengers departing from Auckland willenjoy shorter connection times whenflying to the carrier’s Asian destinationsas well as to the Middle East and to theUK.The current 3pw services via Brisbanewill be discontinued and direct flightsfrom Auckland will increase from four tofive times per week, arriving in Brunei1hr40mins faster.Flights from Auckland to Bruneideparting in the morning will connect toBangkok, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Jeddah,Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Manilaand Singapore. Midday flights fromAuckland will arrive at Brunei in theevening and connect to Dubai andLondon flights with additionalconnections to Kota Kinabalu, KualaLumpur and Manila.

Tiger to add anotherBrisbane routeTiger Airways, having just announced flightsbetween Melbourne and Brisbane, has nowsaid it will also fly to BNE from Adelaide,with a daily service commencing 28MAR10.Tiger is also doubling its Adelaide-Melbourne frequency to four per day, andadjusting timings on its Adelaide-Sydneyservices to provide day-trip options.

Etihad Airways will increase its AbuDhabi-Frankfurt services from 10 to 13per week from 12DEC, increasing to adouble daily from 28MAR10.

Emirates has opened a sprawling 9000sqm lounge (its 25th, and the largest suchlounge in Germany) at Hamburg, theGerman city responsible for the finishingwork on the EK’s A380s.

Infrastructure investment group Infratil Ltd.this week sold its 3.87% stake in AucklandInternational Airport for $87.25m, saying ithad better uses for the capital.Infratil, which holds 66% of WellingtonAirport, teamed up with the New ZealandSuperannuation Fund in 2007 to take whatwas then a strategic 6.2% stake in AKL, whichwas considering a takeover offer fromDubai Aerospace. BusinessWire reports thatInfratil subsequently supported a partialtakeover proposal from the CanadianPension Plan Investment Board last year.

20091113 www.travelmemo.co.nzPage 13

CRUISING

Combined Cathay Pacific and Dragonairtraffic figures for OCT09 show bothpassenger numbers and cargo and mailtonnage down on the same month lastyear. The pair carried a total of 2,010,739passengers in OCT09 – down 3.9% againstthe same month in 2008 - while capacityfor the month, measured in available seatkilometres (ASKs), was down by 10.1%. Themonth’s load factor was 82.3% - a rise of6.8 percentage points. For the year todate, the number of passengers carriedhas fallen by 3.8% compared to a capacitydecline of 4.5%.

Pacific Sun cruise tomorrowcancelledP&O Cruises had to cancel Pacific Sun’sseven-night cruise from Brisbane tomorrowdue to an unavoidable delay to the ship’s dry-dock, where the ship has been undergoingscheduled refurbishment and routinemaintenance. While in dry-dock, it becameapparent that a replacement part was neededfor Pacific Sun’s propulsion system. The partneeds to be custom made and then fittedbefore the ship can depart the dry-dock.Passengers affected by the cancellation arebeing given an immediate refund and a 50%credit on their current cruise fare to use onany future booking with P&O Cruises.The cancellation has been caused by a delayin Pacific Sun’s release from dry-dock inBrisbane where she has been undergoingscheduled refurbishment and routinemaintenance.Pacific Sun’s next cruise is scheduled todepart Brisbane on 21NOV.

P&O Cruises raises the bar with new 2010-11 programP&O Cruises has released its new 2010-11program packed with cruising firsts,including two ships sailing from Brisbane in2011 and a new season of summer cruisingfrom Newcastle.The growing popularity of cruising fromBrisbane has prompted P&O Cruises tointroduce a second ship, with Pacific Sunjoining superliner Pacific Dawn fromMAR11 to offer 16 cruises from theQueensland capital, boosting capacity by50% for the first half of 2011.The new program also features P&O Cruises’Pacific Pearl’s first seven months of cruisingfrom Auckland and Sydney, with highlightsfrom Sydney including a new 10-night cruise

to New Zealand in MAR11 and a 28-dayvoyage to Tahiti in July, following thesuccess of Pacific Dawn’s cruise this year.P&O Cruises has expanded its offering ofthemed cruises following the sell-outpopularity of its shorter “sampler” cruisesthis year, with the latest program featuringmore three-night Comedy and Food & Winecruises as well as new four-night Lifestylecruises from Sydney, Newcastle andAuckland.Meanwhile, Pacific Sun will offerNovocastrians a longer season of summercruising in 2011, sailing eight cruises fromNewcastle to the South Pacific, New Zealandand around Australia in February and March.

Oceania dinner reservations onlineOceania Cruises is introducing a new online portal thatwill let booked guests make advance reservations for themultiple specialty restaurants on Regatta, Insignia andNautica from the comfort of home.Reservations can be made 90 days in advance of sailing,once final payment has been received, and will remainavailable until 10 days prior to departure.Guests may now access the Dining ReservationsCalendar beginning with the 2009-10 Winter Collectionvoyages of the ships to Asia and Australia, SouthAmerica and the Caribbean. To access the calendar,guests must register in the “Already Booked” section ofOceaniaCruises.co.nzOceania Cruises’ brand new, 1,258-guest Marina, scheduledto launch in winter 2010, will offer 10 different diningvenues, six of which will be gourmet restaurants includedon the Dining Reservations Calendar.For more information visit www.OceaniaCruises.co.nz orto order a brochure, contact Cruise Holidays on 0508CRUISE (278 473)

Free Air Creditswith Cruise WestWorld Journeys advisesthat an air credit ofUS$750pp (based ondouble occupancy) isavailable on bookings paidin full by 18DEC09 on anyof Cruise West’s 24Voyages of the GreatExplorers sailings aboardSpirit of Oceanus. Earlybooking discounts alsoapply to these sailings.Conditions apply.For more informationcall 0800 11 73 11 orinfo@worldjourneys.co.nz

Balcony cabin savings– China to CanadaWorld Journeys advises a pricing amendmentin its 2010 Journeys brochure. OutsideBalcony Cabins are now NZ$13,099pp twinshare on the China to Canada Cruise Journeydeparting 24APR10. This is a saving ofNZ$1900pp. This Cruise Journey featureson pages 16 and 17 of the World Journeysbrochure. Click here for details.

Early Booking extensionCruise West has extended its currentEarly Booking Discounts for 2010Alaska cruises until 18DEC09. Clientscan save US$500pp on Alaska InsidePassage and Gold Rush cruises, andUS$300pp on all 4-night cruises ofGlacier Bay and Prince William Sound.Previously the deadline for thesesavings was 20NOV. Agents areadvised to urge clients not to miss thisgreat savings opportunity.Download details here and call WorldJourneys on 0800 117311 orinfo@worldjourneys.co.nz

20091113 www.travelmemo.co.nzPage 14

Athena sets sail for her second Australian cruise seasonClassic International Cruises is poised tobegin its sixth successive season in Australia,with its flagship, Athena, leaving Athens on15NOV, with a ship-load of Australians forher voyage Down Under and a summerprogram out of Perth and Adelaide.Athena’s season in WA and SA will be hersecond, following her highly successful debutthere last summer.Originally a transatlantic liner, the classic-styled, 600-passenger Athena offers atraditional liner experience with two-sittingdinners, streamers at bon voyage parties, theescorting of passengers to their cabins onembarkation, late night buffets, a wrap-around promenade deck, traditional woodendeck chairs, pool, fitness centre, five bars andlounges, casino, library, boutiques, dedicatedcinema, internet café and a bath in each ofthe 276 spacious cabins.Travel Marketing Cruise World’s CherrylBrowne says Athena is a lovely boutiquetraditional small ship, and Kiwis areresponding well to the onboard experienceand the opportunity to enjoy small shipcruising close to home.“We have a group of New Zealandersonboard the Southbound repositioning cruisefrom Athens to Singapore, and great interest

and forward bookings for the repositioningcruise from Fremantle to Portsmouth.“Cruise World is marketing a fly/cruisepackage for this 40-night cruise fromNZ$11,429pp inclusive of port charges, andtaxes, estimated airline taxes, and onboardcruise gratuities. This represents excellentvalue and the ship arrives into Europe in theNorthern European spring.”CIC also offers on Athena the opportunityfor a same gender cabin share for passengerstravelling on their own who want to avoidsingle supplements.Download the Fly/Cruise flyer here and foravailability and pricing of this and othercruises, call Travel Marketing Cruise Worldon 09-917 4440 or 0800 500 732, or emailinfo@cruiseworld.co.nz

ACCOMMODATION

Cruise West theme cruisesCruise West is offering two themed cruises inearly 2010, giving clients the opportunity tosail in the company of a Steinbeck scholarand learn of the extraordinary journeys offamed author John Steinbeck and marinebiologist Ed Ricketts, whose voyage ofexploration and understanding sparked the

creation of the book The Log from the Sea ofCortes. Their 7-night Sea of Cortés Whales& Wildlife cruises, roundtrip from Cabo SanLucas departing 02JAN and 09JAN10 arepriced from US$2599pp twin share.For more info contact World Journeys on0800 11 73 11 or info@worldjourneys.co.nz

Christchurch to get first MarqueRendezvous Hospitality Group (RHG) willlaunch The Marque Hotel brand in NewZealand with the re-branding of theplanned Rendezvous Christchurch, whichwill now be The Marque HotelChristchurch, due to open early in 2010.RHG, which already operates The MarqueHotels in four Australian cities; Brisbane,Canberra, Perth and Sydney, has decidedthat the Christchurch property provides theperfect opportunity to introduce TheMarque Hotel brand as a contemporary andstylish hotel concept to the New Zealandaccommodation market.Iqbal Jumabhoy, CEO of RHG says: “TheMarque Hotel brand encompasses RHG’s

smaller, contemporary, youthful and stylishhotels, where guests receive hassle-freeservice and value for money. Rendezvoushotels, however, are larger, with a fullrange of services and targeted to the moreupscale traveller.“The contemporary style of thisenvironmentally friendly 171-room hotelfits perfectly with The Marque Hotel brandand will appeal to the demographic andbusiness orientated clientele visitingChristchurch.”The property, which will be the tallestbuilding in the South Island, will maintainthe 4½ star quality and service positioningas originally planned.

Tanoa Hotels‘house-warming’The Reddy Group, owner/operators of the TanoaHotels chain, celebrated themove to stylish newpremises in Auckland’sGrafton this week with afunction for key suppliersand trade clients. GordonWilson, chief executive forTanoa Hotels flew in for theoccasion to co-host the partywith directors Rohit and Kalpana Reddy andNZ director of sales Richard Crouch.Mr Wilson told the gathering that the TanoaHotels chain now totals eleven properties inFiji, New Zealand, Vanuatu and Samoa, withplans for more as opportunities arise.

Pictured at the function are from left:

Richard Crouch, Gordon Wilson and

Lindy Christian from Stella Group.

20091113 www.travelmemo.co.nzPage 15

Amora Hotels and

Resorts has appointed

Catharine Power as

Director of Sales Duxton

Hotel Auckland and

Duxton Okawa

Bay, Rotorua.

Catharine comes from a

strong hotel sales

background with over 20

years experience in the

industry in inbound, corporate and

conference markets.

SKYCITY Hotel refurb progressThe significant SKYCITY Hotelrefurbishment programme has passed thehalfway mark, with over 160 of the 242rooms now complete. The programme, whichbegan last November is scheduled forcompletion in mid-2010.The $12 million project sees the 13-year-oldhotel being restored to pristine conditionwith the addition of new galleries, artworkand corridors to complement the new rooms.A new gymnasium offers guests the latestcardio equipment with built in personal TVsand i-pod docking stations. This month alsosees the opening of the pool bar on theluxurious pool deck just in time for thesummer months.Among the guest room improvements:• Premium Rooms feature an L-shaped sofa• LED clock with CD player, an iPod dock

and iPhone charger• One Philips plasma TV in Premium

Rooms; two Philips plasma TVs inPremium Suites

• Elegant high-backed chair and ottoman inDeluxe Suite bedrooms

• Complete black-out curtains

Choice Hotels International and onlinetravel company Expedia, Inc., haveannounced they have signed a new three-year agreement to include Choice HotelsInternational properties on the more than80 Expedia and Hotels.com-branded sitesthat Expedia operates worldwide.

GREEN MATTERS

NZ retreat chosen for globalecosphere projectNorthland’s Tahi Retreat has beenhandpicked as one of Zeitz Foundation’s nineGlobal Ecosphere Retreats.The Zeitz Foundation has been set up byformer PUMA ceo Jochen Zeitz to supportretreats that embrace sustainability, ecologyand social responsibility as part of theircommercial imperative and Tahi is the onlyretreat in Australasia to be chosen to date.Located just north of Whangarei, Tahi is a742-acre, privately owned, intimate retreatfor the environmentally aware. Recentlyawarded Qualmark’s EnviroGold mark, Tahioffers upscale eco-accommodation in tworefurbished bungalows, with construction ofbeachfront accommodation set to start in theNew Year. www.tahinz.com

INDUSTRY

United Travel Newmarket’s

Deanna Tolj was named

‘Manager of The Year’ for the

United Travel Group at their

annual Managers Conference

in Wellington last weekend.

United’s John Willson says ”as

always there was a high

calibre of nominations, but

Deanna was a true stand

out.”

Innovative Travel MDelected to Canty EmployersChamber of CommerceBoardRobyn Galloway, managing director ofInnovative Travel, has been newly electedto the Canterbury Employers Chamber ofCommerce Board.Robyn says she is very pleased to havebeen elected, given that there were 19nominations, 12 positions and only twonew members appointed. She says thatafter 20 years in business she would liketo become more involved in the nationalissues for business owners andspecifically SMEs.“There are common concerns which facemany small companies, including the costof Government compliance,” says Robyn.“Sometimes our voice is not heard veryeffectively, but I hope by taking a steptowards being more active in decisionmaking, that long term this may change.”

Industry deals from FJ, SB, COAir Pacific has industry fares from AKL toNAN starting from NZ$240 return. Travelmust be completed by 31MAR10. Levels exCHC are also available.Visit Noumea ex AKL on AirCalin’s specialagents’ rates starting from NZ$259 return forindustry employees. You must completeyour travel by 10DEC.Ever wondered what Guam is like? Now’sthe time to find out. From NZ$370 you canfly ex Nadi (or Cairns) to Guam return onContinental’s new industry rates. This farealso applies to companion and up to 3children under 12 yrs. Be one of the first totry the new NAN-GUM service starting inDecember.Contact TATS or WIT for full details.

One year ago there were 443 TAANZlocations (head offices and branches)whereas today there are 421.Approved Salespersons (TravelBrokers) have jumped to 346compared to 317 one year ago.

20091113 www.travelmemo.co.nz

Kevin Blackford, Editor/Publisher, The Memo Limited

21c Commodore Parry Rd, Milford, Auckland 0620

Copyright. No part of thispublication may be copied,reproduced or duplicated,in whole or in part, withoutthe prior written approvalof the Publisher.

editor@travelmemo.co.nz

TRAVEL

UPLOADED OVERNIGHT MON & THU

TRAVEL &

TOURISM

ONLINE

NEWS

DIGEST

www.travelmemo.co.nz

Tel: 64-9- 449 1449Mob: 021 - 183 3 643Fax: 64-9-449 1436

PEARL’S PEARLER

Get forgiveness now -tomorrow you may no longer feel guilty

Peregrine Europe 2010/11Peregrine Africa 2009-2011Hawke’s Bay Visitor Guide 2010Sunshine Coast, the Only Way to HolidayIreland Holiday Planner 2010

In the next Stocklink Travelbag:

Page 16

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD

Bay of Islands

Spas & Wellness Retreats in Victoria

Taranaki

Queensland’s Dinosaur Trail

New Products from NSW Vol 1

New Products from NSW Vol 2

India - World of Adventure

TRAVEL

SPECIAL FEATURES

�

�

�

�

�

�

... more destinations soon

�

It pays to deal with aTAANZ bonded agentTAANZ, in its latest member newsletter saysit terminated the membership of ParnellTravel Ltd trading as Harvey World TravelParnell, Shop 6, 177 Parnell Road, Parnell,Auckland on 29OCT after defaulting onsupplier payments. A number of claims havebeen made against the TAANZ BondingScheme by both consumers and airlines.This is the third member default this yearfollowing the demise of International YouthHolidays Ltd in May and Becking Tours NZLtd in September.The full extent of any losses will not beknown until at least six months after eachmember was terminated as claims can bereceived up until this time.“These three defaults underline the difficulttrading conditions being experienced by manytravel agencies in the current economicdownturn,” says TAANZ chief executive PaulYeo. “It also demonstrates the value of theTAANZ Bonding Scheme with over $130,000having been paid out in consumer claims tocustomers of the three defaulting members sofar. Prompt payouts and relieved customershelp our industry retain its integrity andensure that such problems don’t becomeoverblown in the consumer media. Membersare reminded of the value in advising theircustomers of the advantages in dealing with aTAANZ bonded travel agent.”

TAANZ has terminated the membership ofHarvey World Travel Hamilton East Ltd,trading as Harvey World Travel HamiltonEast, Shop 314 Grey Street, Hamilton East,Hamilton, effective Tue 10NOV. The memberhas gone into voluntary liquidation.

SATC famil takes agents to ‘Australia’s Galapagos’The SouthAustralian TourismCommission(SATC), inconjunction withAir New Zealand,recently hosted ninetravel agents on a 7-day famil of SouthAustralia.The famil focusedon food and wineexperiences inAdelaide andMcLaren Vale.Also included wasan extended stay onKangaroo Island,which lived up to itsreputation as ‘Australia’s Galapagos’. Thegroup spotted wild koalas on a morningwalk, fed pelicans, attended a bird of preyshow, watched penguins come ashore forthe night, visited a sheep dairy and enjoyeda beach walk with fur seals. Not to mentionexperiencing the ‘creature comforts’ of theisland’s most popular accommodation,including the luxurious Southern OceanLodge.Back in Adelaide, the Central Market Tourand Temptation Sailing’s swim withdolphins cruise at Glenelg proved verypopular.The agents were surprised at the range ofactivities and attractions available within a20min drive of Adelaide CBD, and wereimpressed by the quality accommodationoptions available.

The group is pictured at Seal Bay Conserva-tion Park on Kangaroo Island (from left to

right): Daniel Nightingale (Flight Centre,

Napier), Illaina Van Veen (Flight Centre, AKL),

Natalie te Dorsthorst (Go Holidays, AKL),

Stacey Wisnewski (Air New Zealand Business

Direct, WLG), Lynne Sinclair (Brooker Travel,

Oamaru), Megan Batterton (Travel Managers

Group, Paihia), Ruth Westgate (United Travel,

Matamata), Stacey Cant (SATC). Below: NicolaDeane (House of Travel, Richmond), OrlaPettman (Flight Centre, Palmerston North).