Tuesday 09 August 2016 Issue 3368

I n c o r p o r a t i n g Ta b s o n Tr a v e l

6 Pages This Issue

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Australia on sale.Flights to Australia from $189* economy one way. Visit qantas.co.nz/agents for details.

Cashing In With AirbnbWellington locals are expected to cash in on the 27 Aug Bledisloe Cup rugby test by renting out their homes on Airbnb to rugby fans desperately seeking accommodation in the capi-tal city.The company’s New Zealand man-ager Sam McDonagh was quoted in a Stuff.co.nz report as saying that the number of Airbnb listings booked for the game weekend were expected to be about three times more than the surrounding weekends. Of the more than 16,000 Airbnb listings in New Zealand (said to be a 156% increase in the past year), some 1000 of those are in Wellington, adds the report.

Turtle Or Burger? A man has tried to smuggle his ‘beloved’ pet turtle onto a flight by stuffing it inside a burger and dis-guising it as KFC. Reports say the passenger was passing through Chi-na’s Guangzhou international airport ahead of his flight to Beijing, when an X-ray detected ‘odd protrusions’ stick-ing out of the burger wrapper. On fur-ther inspection, it just so turned out those protrusions were turtle legs. The turtle was not allowed on the plane, so the man begrudgingly agreed to leave it in the temporary care of a friend.

Famil SpaceDue to cancellations, World Journeys has a space on its Sri Lanka famil 03-13 Sep; and one on its Eastern Canada famil, 17-25 Sep. Prefer-ence will be given to agents with a solid sales record with World Jour-neys, and selection will be subject to airline approval. Details, e-mail meredith@worldjourneys.co.nz

One of the major GDS companies has flagged the travel agent distribution as a key player for airlines moving forward—despite the ongoing pressure from direct sales channels.Speaking at the Sabre second-quarter results presentation Sabre chief exec-utive Tom Klein told those attending that the real opportunity for airlines to increase their ancillary revenue is through the trade distribution—and went on to say airlines should be offering agents an incentive to sell those ancillary products.While some products, like bag fees, will continue to be sold at the air-port, Klein says the vast majority of ancillary sales currently come from direct airline bookings. He says as airlines evaluate the potential growth

of ancillary revenue they should be looking to drive sales of ancillary products through travel agencies. Sabre says it has built the technology to allow airlines to be more savvy about how airlines push their ancil-lary offers out to the market. Locally Sabre southern region di-rector Richard Morgan says most bookable air content in Sabre al-ready comes with an ancillary and/or branded fare offering which he says is the highest in market. “As [Klein’s] pointed out, the next move for airlines is to find ways to drive further ancillary revenue through the agency channel,” says Morgan. “That’s one of the key areas we’ll be supporting with the new Sabre Red Workspace, launching in New Zealand next year. It’s been designed to give the airlines even more advanced merchandising ca-pabilities.”

Marriott Merger DelayMarriott and Starwood have ex-tended the time period for China’s Ministry of Commerce to review their proposed merger, at the re-quest of the ministry. The extra re-view period could last up to 60 days, say the pair. China’s approval is the only remaining clearance needed for the deal to close, with it having received clearance from regulatory authorities of more than 40 coun-tries worldwide.

GDS: The Future For Airlines Is Agents

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Delays and cancellations are continuing after Delta Airlines was struck by a power outage at its Atlanta hub, causing airport chaos and affecting flights across its en-tire network.As of 1540 local time, DL had oper-ated 2340 of almost 6000 scheduled flights, and as of 1700 local time, it had cancelled more than 650 flights due to the power outage, which oc-curred around 0230 (local time).

Travel has been impacted to all cit-ies served by DL, it says.The carrier says some ‘critical systems and network equipment’ didn’t switch over to DL’s back-up systems following the loss of power, and it’s investigat-ing why.DL chief executive Ed Bastian has posted a video apologising to cus-tomers about the delays, and says the carrier is working around the clock to restore system capability.A travel waiver is in place for custom-ers booked to fly with DL on 08 Aug (local time), with the carrier offering the opportunity to change their flight once without fee, even if their flight isn’t cancelled.

. . . Legacy SystemsMeanwhile some commentators have questioned how a power outage could have such a major impact, and say the issue highlights that legacy systems haven’t kept up with the changing and growing industry. Other airlines in-cluding United, American Airlines and Southwest have also had to deal with IT problems that have caused delays in recent years, according to reports.

Airbus Fraud ProbeAirbus is being investigated for al-legations of fraud, bribery and cor-ruption by Britain’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO).Airbus says it has been informed about the criminal investigation, which relates to irregularities con-cerning third party consultants, and is continuing to co-operate with the SFO. The aircraft manufacturer said earlier this year that it was speaking with British authorities over inac-curacies found during an internal re-view, related to applications made for UK government credit guarantees.

Major Delays After Delta Outage

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SQ Sale ExtensionSingapore Airlines has extended its Wellington to the World fares for sales to 24 Aug. See krisport.co.nz

Pax RestrainedCabin crew and passengers were forced to strap a man into a seat, with his hands tied behind his back after allegedly punching a flight at-tendant in the face. Reports say the Aeroflot passenger was intoxicated and disruptive on the flight, so much so that the captain came out of the cockpit to resolve the situation—which was when he punched one of the attendants. The man also swore at cabin crew and challenged them to a fight. He was taken into custody upon landing in Moscow.

Banff Gondola OpeningThe new state-of-the-art upper ter-minal at the Banff Gondola begins opening from 20 Aug, with a full opening from Sep, says World Jour-neys. The new terminal at the top of Sulphur Mountain will feature floor to ceiling windows with 360 degree views of the Canadian Rockies. It also offers an interpretive centre, multi-sensory theatre, open rooftop, and two restaurants.

Ireland Culture NightIreland is gearing up for Culture Night 16 Sep which will see mu-seums, galleries, cathedrals, stu-dios, observatories, libraries, parks, government buildings and theatres open their doors for free visits, tours, workshops, readings, performances and demonstrations. Over 1400 ven-ues are expected to take part, says Tourism Ireland. See culturenight.ie

New Travel AssociatesFlight Centre’s boutique Travel As-sociates brand has opened its sixth store. Martin and Grigg Travel As-sociates is on Jervois Rd in Ponsonby, with Martin Grigg having previously worked for Flight Centre and Sue Grigg for Cruiseabout. Travel As-sociates stores are established by long-standing consultants within the Flight Centre group, usually with around 10 to 15 years experience.

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Some $19 million is being invested in modernising and transforming Customs’ workforce model over the next four years, says Customs Minister Nicky Wagner.“Air passenger volumes are forecast to increase by 21% between 2015 and 2020. Trade volumes are forecast to grow by 30% for the same period. We need to ensure that Customs is ready for this growth,” she says.The government will support the re-shaping of the workforce by investing $4.7m a year to increase its opera-tional effectiveness and productivity. The new structure will allow staff to be deployed in priority areas, and experienced officers will focus on border risks and law enforcement.

It will be the most significant change to the Customs workforce in 20 years, and has the support of the Customs Officers’ Association, E tu, and PSA unions, says Wagner.

Tourism Boss Steps DownTourism New Zealand chief execu-tive Kevin Bowler has resigned after nearly seven years leading the Crown Entity. “During his tenure, Kevin has reinvigorated the way the coun-try is marketed . . .,”says chair Kerry Prendergast, with particular success leveraging international attention gained from the Rugby World Cup and The Hobbit films, overseeing the expansion into new markets and sectors as well as building partner-ships with aviation and digital media partners. “He and his team have subsequently presided over some of the most extraordinary growth the industry has ever seen with visitor spend rising 25% to $10.2 billion in the past 12 months alone.” Bowler will officially leave his position 28 Oct to join Frucor Beverages Limited as its New Zealand chief executive. The board will begin to look for a replacement immediately.

Kimpton For ParisA 149-guest room Kimpton hotel is set to open in the Opéra district of Paris in 2020. An existing building will be fully transformed with Kimp-ton’s ‘signature bold and playful de-sign’ and will also include 27 suites, luxury spa and fitness facilities and a state-of-the-art meeting space. The Kimpton Paris is the second Kimpton hotel to be signed in Europe by InterContinental, which recently announced the signing of a hotel in Amsterdam.

City To Surf In PERThe 2016 Chevron City to Surf marathon is on over the Perth Race Day weekend 26-29 Aug. The Pan Pacific Perth has race packages from AUD285pp per night for two people including accommodation in a refur-bished Premier Room, buffet break-fast, Wi-Fi and race entry passes for one or two people for their desired run distance (42km marathon, 21km half marathon, 12km, 4km fun run and walk events and a 4km wheel-chair event). See panpacific.com

Customs To Get A $19 Million Boost

Real America On FBThe Real America states, which in-clude Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming, have launched a Facebook page for the Kiwi and Aussie market. The page will have regular updates on the four states. Check it out HERE

Rail Plus, Sabre AppRail Plus and Sabre have teamed up to create the Rail Plus Red App which will give agents and corporate travel managers the ability to search and book Rail Plus products in the Sabre travel marketplace and then integrate all rail booking details seamlessly within the Sabre PNR. The app is a major development for international rail merchandising in New Zealand and Australia, says Rails Plus chief executive James Dunne, specifically designed to meet the needs of agents here. “More consum-ers are looking to high-speed rail as an option within their trip itineraries today, and the advantages it offers. . . the launch of this new app will improve agent productivity by em-bedding rich rail content within the agent workflow, alongside air and other non-air content in the Sabre travel marketplace, making shopping and comparing travel options faster and more convenient,” he adds. See sabreredappcentre.sabre.com

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S m a l l L u x u r y Ho -tels of the World has welcomed four new boutique hotels to its collection this month. This includes The Edi-son George Town hotel in Penang, which opened 16 Jul. It features 35 rooms and suites built around a central court-yard, comple te w it h shady cabanas; Seoul’s Hotel28, which opened its doors 28 Jul and is home to a restaurant, three bars, a cinema, gallery, library and secret rooftop bar. Its décor cel-ebrates the city’s cinematic heritage; Guangzhou’s LN Hotel Five which

New To SLH Hotel Collection

is located on the banks of the Pearl River and features 32 south-facing guest rooms, inspired by the tra-ditional Chinese ‘Theory of Five Elements’ which promote the spirit of balance, harmony and inclu-sion; and Buenos Aires’ 1828 Smart Hotel which has 14 rooms and is located within the Palermo district. See slh.com

SYD Hotel Tops AwardsFour Seasons Hotel Sydney has been named in the global top 10 list of luxury hotels in this year’s Loved by Guests Awards by Hotels.com, featuring at number two on the list.

Stamford AppointmentPhillip Pharo is the new director of sales and marketing at the Stam-ford Plaza Auckland. He has previ-ously been marketing manager New Zealand at Millennium Hotels and Resorts and director of sales and rev-enue management for Rydges Hotels and Resorts.

Oaks Glenelg RefurbOaks Liberty Towers in the coastal suburb of Glenelg has refurbished its one-, two- and three-bedroom self-contained apartments in an AUD1 million investment. The new-look accommodation features new bedding and bed heads, new couches, carpet, win-dow furnishings, modern décor and a fresh coat of paint. A cel-ebratory deal starts from AUD139 per night (midweek; minimum two night stay) for a one-bed-room apartment, including an AUD20 food and beverage vouch-er, Wi-Fi and a bonus midday late checkout. See oakshotels.com

Fairy Dinners In NamibiaT h e a n d B e y o n d S o s s u s v l e i Desert Lodge in Namibia is offering a unique chance to dine in the Nami-bRand Nature Reserve’s famous ‘fairy circles’. The circles are bare patches of soil surrounded by a ring of grass, and while there’s various theories about what causes them, they’re still a mystery. The lodge will set up an al fresco dinner in the middle of the circles, says World Journeys, which adds it’s an experience best enjoyed in the warmer months. The lodge is featured in the Best of Southern Africa tour or can be added to tailor-made itineraries.

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IndustryDiaryAUGUSTSPANTO roadshowPalmerston North: Tue 09, The Distinction Hotel. 1730.New Plymouth: Wed 10, Novotel Hobson Hotel, 1730.

‘California Dreaming’ Agent BreakfastAuckland: Mon 22, Ostro Brasserie, 0700-0900

Lindblad Expeditions Agent BreakfastsAuckland North: Tue 23, Takapuna Boating Club, 0715.Auckland South: Wed 24, Urban Soul Cafe, 0715,Wellington: Thu 25, Amora Hotel, 0715,

SEPTEMBERBula Marau Fiji Roadshow - Couples & LuxuryTauranga: Mon 05, Mills Reef Winery, 0700-0930.Hamilton: Mon 05, Ferrybank Reception Centre, 1730-2015.Christchurch: Tue 06, Peppers Clearwater Resort, 1730-2015.Wellington: Wed 07, InterContinental Hotel, 1730-2015.Auckland: Thu 08, Pullman Hotel, 1730-2015.Auckland North Shore: Fri 09, QBE Stadium, 0700-0930.

Discover AmadeusAuckland: Tue 13, Rydges, 59 Federal Street, Cnr Kingston Street, 0800-1115.

The Travel Corporation 2017 Launch EventAuckland: Wed 21, venue tbc.

Destination NSW Agent Quiz NightsAuckland: Tue 27, Albion, 119 Hobson Street, CBD, 1730-1900.Christchurch: Wed 28, Lonestar Riccarton, 364 Riccarton Road, 1730-1900.

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Mantra FoundationMantra Group properties and its team members from around Aus-tralia have raised AUD79,265 in the past year to the Luke Batty Founda-tion, its official charity partner. The FY16 donation will help the foundation continue their work of building awareness of family violence.

In a first for Western Australia, tours to swim with humpback whales are now being trialled out of Ningaloo’s Exmouth and Coral Bay, and clients have until 30 Nov to get amongst the action, advises Tourism WA. The world’s largest humpback whale population, estimated at 30,000, will migrate south along the Coral Coast during this time, and clients will have the chance to interact with the whales as spectators from a close distance onboard a boat, or while in the water, with snorkellers permitted to approach within 30 metres of a humpback. Ningaloo marine businesses have reported plenty of interest from those looking for a unique and exciting experience; while one of the first to swim with the whales, Exmouth

Diving Centre crew member Patrick Horgan, says ‘time stood still for a moment’ as the whales approached him in the water. “We watched for a few moments, before the whales slowly roused and swam off at a re-laxed pace.” For further information, CLICK HERE

QF Aussie SaleQantas has one-way fares ex New Zea-land to Australia from $189 economy and $599 business, valid for sales to midnight 10 Aug. Fares are available in the GDS.

WA: Swim With Humpback Whales

Malaysia ShoppingMalaysia’s 1Malaysia Year-End Sale is staged 01 Nov-31 Dec in markets, malls and shopping districts. Some of the best bargains can be found in Kuala Lumpur, home to over 120 malls, say the experts, with places like the Pavilion and Suria KLCC shopping centres offering privilege cards for tourists on top of the bargains. Those in the know say work up an appetite at the Pavilion (168, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Bukit Bintang) before refueling across the road at Lot 10 Hutong (LG Floor, Lot 10 Shopping Centre, 50 Jalan Sultan Ismail), which houses over 30 of KL’s best hawker stalls under one roof. Then take a 10-min stroll along the undercover walkway to the Suria KLCC at the base of the Petronus Towers for more shop-ping and then a restorative cocktail at Marini’s on 57, the 57th floor of Petronus Tower 3.

MGallery Brazil tipsThe Hotel Santa Teresa Rio de Janeiro MGallery by Sofitel is the brand’s first address in Brazil. Located near attractions such as the Christ the Redeemer statue, Sugarloaf Mountain, Copacabana beach and the Ipanema coast, it’s a convenient base to explore the city. The hotel has 43 rooms, all with super king size beds, a spa, swimming pool with a panoramic view, Jacuzzi and a restaurant with a panoramic view of Ganabara Bay in the background.

The three-storey, 52-room Mercure Tamworth will open in Dec at the West Tamworth League Club on Phillip Street. The new-build with swimming pool and gym is within the Club’s precinct, which includes entertainment venues, a stadium, food and beverage outlets and gam-ing and conferencing facilities. The property is 12km from the main regional airport and five hours drive north of Sydney.

Pic: Coral Bay Eco Tours

More Beds For Tamworth

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Travel Today, Tuesday 09 August 2016 Page 6