MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY $5.50 | NOVEMBER VOLUME 40 ISSUE 28 Move outside your comfort zone TEE OFF, GET HOOKED Golf and fishing in Brunei, Vanuatu and Hawaii COLOMBIA: BACK IN BUSINESS TRAVEL ADVENTURE
NZ Traveltrade November 2012
Mar 14, 2016
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MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY $5.50 | NOVEMBER VOLUME 40 ISSUE 28
Move outside your comfort zone
TEE OFF, GET HOOKEDGolf and fishing in Brunei, Vanuatu and Hawaii
COLOMBIA: BACK IN
BUSINESS
TRAVELADVENTURE
LAN Airlines flies six times a week from Auckland to Santiago, Chile. From Santiago LAN offers connections to over 80 South American destinations, taking you closer to some of the most extraordinary wonders of the region.
SOUTH AMERICA HAS NEVER BEEN CLOSER
09 3083 352 lan.com
MACHU PICCHUPeru
RIO DE JANEIROBrazil
BUENOS AIRESArgentinaEASTER
ISLANDChile
GALAPAGOS ISLANDSEcuador
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Photo Credits || Sportfish Vanuatu; Dubai Tourism, Commerce Marketing; World Journeys
CONTENTS
NEWS
3 China Airlines takes off
4 Sample Sydney Destination NSW is rolling out its strategy to
develop new venues and events to drive new visitors to the state
5 Hot properties
6 New pre-touring options for AIME
7 Cruise news
PROFILE
8 Graeme West from Cook Islands Tourism
FEATURES
10 Golf and fishing Traveltrade uncovers the best golf courses in Brunei
and Hawaii, and gets the low down on fishing operators around Vanuatu
16 Adventure travel Adventures for the 55 plus market, Dubai thrills,
South African safari combo, zip lining in Hawaii and Active Asia’s new Mekong tour
24 Bali beckons The best destinations in and around Bali 26 Colombia: back in business After decades of civil conflict, Colombia now offers a
plethora of tourist activities, from Amazon safaris to archaeological tours
EXPERT PANEL
28 Careers and training: Kathy Wolfe
29 Business development: Adrian Caruso
30 Dollars and sense: Paul Davies Social media: James Hacon
31 Human resources: Diane Hallifax
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Be kept in the loop!Subscribe to Traveltrade and stay ahead of your industrywww.traveltrade.co.nz or phone Sue on 09 529 3000 or email [email protected]
*subscription includes 2013 Directory *subscription offer ends 20th Dec 2012
Mediaweb, Subscriptions Dept, Freepost 288, PO Box 5544, Wellesley Street, Auckland 1141. Fax: (09) 529 3001
MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY $5.50 | NOVEMBER VOluME 40 IssuE 28
Move outside your comfort zone
Tee off, geT hookedGolf and fishing in Brunei, Vanuatu and Hawaii
ColoMbia: baCk in
business
TraveladvenTure
Subscribe this month and save 20% - normally $100...this month only $80.00
2
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www.traveltrade.co.nz a Mediaweb magazine
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All material published in traveltrade is copyright but may be published provided written consent is obtained from the publisher and that traveltrade is acknowledged as the source. Opinions are the authors’ and do not necessarily represent those of Mediaweb.
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Cover shot courtesy of World Journeys
The Air New Zealand (NZ) / Jetstar (JQ) price war is becoming a tad cringeworthy.
NZ group general manager Australasia Bruce Parton commented recently on JQ’s one-cent domestic sale, saying the low cost Australian airline is just mimicking our national carrier’s every move. That’s probably a fair comment but what do they expect? JQ are a competitive, low-cost airline. That’s their business model, so who is really mimicking who here?
The one-cent sale came days after NZ cut the price of tickets between Auckland and Wellington to $7 each way on late-night flights in the week before Christmas.
In a press release recently, Parton said: “We expect JQ will have no choice but to continue to be a follower, especially given…its recently declining on-time performance.”
JQ might occasionally have timing issues, but the fact of the matter is that Kiwis continue to fly with them because, for the most part, they offer a reasonable service for the lowest price.
I’ve personally never had a problem when flying JQ. Always
looking to save a buck, I’m like the majority of Kiwi flyers when choosing a domestic carrier – cheap and cheerful – and JQ has provided this for me time and again.
Of course, NZ is an amazing airline which I usually choose to fly internationally (good service always helps on longhaul), but when flying domestically comfort and service is just not a priority for me. I will choose NZ if the fare is lower than JQ’s, but most of the time that isn’t the case.
In saying that, NZ’s recent crackdown on carry-on luggage does make me wonder if we will see a decline in the airline’s service if it continues down this path.
While the price war might be good for consumers like me, the decline in service would be a travesty for some.
What do you think? Do I need to be more patriotic? Send your comments to [email protected]
Hayley BarnettNZ Traveltrade editor
Email: [email protected]: 022 030 0472
facebook.com/nztraveltrademagazine
The human desire for adventure is showcased in Lonely Planet’s new hardback, Great Adventures, published this month.
Following in the footsteps of last year’s Great Journeys, Great Adventures introduces classic challenges, takes you by boot, pedal or paddle to natural spectacles, and provides the resources to plan your own trip of a lifetime.
Great Adventures assembles these experiences thematically, with chapters devoted to: hiking, diving, biking, canyoning, climbing, ice climbing, animals, water, rowing and driving.
Win your own copy of Great Adventures! Simply visit www.traveltrade.co.nz.
Congratulations to last month’s winner, Ros Chapman from Fielding United Travel.
WIN Lonely Planet’s Great Adventures
It’s war
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China Airlines (CI) now flies daily from Auckland to Taipei. From October 29 Taiwan’s national carrier increased its frequency from three to seven days a week by adding in an Auckland/Sydney/Taipei service.
It now has three flights per week via Brisbane and four via Sydney. The airline has been providing an Auckland/ Brisbane service since January 2011.
CI sales manager New Zealand Gareth Williamson says the new daily service signals an increased ability to unlock the New Zealand business travel sector.
“Until now the market up to Asia has been primarily leisure,” he says. “With one flight every day leaving at approximately the same time we now have an opportunity to attract more business customers.”
Schedules are optimised so evening departures from Auckland ensure a 6am arrival in Taipei for connections to most Asian destinations.
“There are good business links between Taiwan and New Zealand, and strong and growing links between China and this country,” says Williamson. “To sell that as a dual destination is really important.”
CI’s A330-300s on the Auckland/Taipei route are configured with 30 business and 277 economy class seats.
Williamson says the airline’s onboard experience is a fusion of Asian and Western culture. Onboard meals and beverage options across business and economy cabins reflect this approach.
The airline also aims to empower agents through personal contact and
sharing information with them. “We have a very effective mix of
Taiwanese and local staff in the New Zealand operation,” says Williamson. “So we’re able to speak with our supportive ethnic agents or New Zealand agents in their own languages. It’s quite powerful to be able to do both.”
Williamson adds CI’s global strategy for the South Pacific region has identified potential for more development in the Australian market. The airline currently services Brisbane and Sydney.
“Melbourne is of interest to the airline and it remains to be seen if we do commit to that some time in the future,” he says.
In the coming year, CI also plans to increase its promotion of its network in Europe. It currently serves Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Rome and Vienna with its own aircraft, and links in with KLM
and Air France in Europe through the Sky Team alliance.
Williamson acknowledges the “ultra-competitive” nature of the New Zealand/Australia to Europe market. He says many people are less familiar with the option of Taiwan as a stopover point en route to Europe.
“And as the national flag carrier of Taiwan we want to support tourism in that market as well.”
Williamson says he wants to engage in more joint marketing campaigns with local wholesalers and travel agents.
CI currently has 20 A350s on order. Williamson says a decision as to whether the A350s will fly into New Zealand “has not been made one way or the other”.
CI flies to around 65 points in Asia with a strong focus on northern Asia. The airline flies to 24 cities in Mainland China and 12 cities in Japan. – Ruth Le Pla
CI daily flights take off
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Photo Credits || www.mediaweb.co.nz/services/photography
WESTERN AUSTRALIA AND THE NORTHERN TERRITORY
2013/14
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From hit musicals to festivals, an expanding hotel scene, food, wine, shopping and more shopping, Sydney continues to pull Kiwis across the Tasman to sample its attractions.
Destination NSW CEO Sandra Chipchase says the organisation is rolling out its strategy to develop new venues and events, aiming to both drive new visitors to the state as well as provide repeat visitors with plenty of reasons to return.
Opened in mid-September this year, the QT Sydney designer hotel is already drawing the crowds.
Crafted from the bones of the historic Gowings department store and State theatre buildings, QT sits on the corner of Market and George Streets in Sydney’s CBD.
The 200 guest room hotel features the original tiled stairwell and wooden floorboards. In the QT junior suites bespoke beds weigh a solid 84kg a piece.
Food and beverage sales manager Briony Longhurst says the 110-seat Gowings Bar and Grill markets itself as a venue “that happens to be in a hotel rather than the other way round”. Two private dining areas on either side of the bar seat 26 and 44 respectively.
Round the corner, the art deco Grace Hotel has been elegantly restored. Built by Grace Bros in the 1920s as a showpiece of their retail business, the hotel now offers 382 guest rooms, a rooftop recreation centre, 17 function rooms, a business centre and the Grace Brasserie.
Half of the hotel has been refurbished within the past 12 months.
China Airlines sales manager Gareth Williamson; Destination NSW escort
Duglass Hocking; and QT Sydney ‘s Briony Longhurst at QT Sydney
Across the harbour, Taronga Zoo opened its newest attraction on November 1. Dinosaurs in the Wild showcases moving, roaring (and spitting) life-sized mechanised dinosaurs. Zoo guide Leanne Hayter says the exhibition pairs each beast with a modern-day animal “to remind us of the fate of the dinosaurs and how some animals today also face extinction”.
Dinosaurs in the Wild runs through to February next year. According to Sandra Chipchase, NSW received 387,000 visitors
from New Zealand in the year to June 2012. Together they spent 4.3 million visitor nights in the state with an average stay of 11 nights.
Sydney remains the most visited part of NSW for the New Zealand traveller (86.4 percent) followed by Northern Rivers (4.7 percent).
The VFR market in particular remains strong, accounting for 41.5 percent of all New Zealand visitors to the state.
Chipchase says new product and events gaining popularity with the New Zealand market include hit musicals such as Legally Blonde, which is currently playing, and The Addams Family which will kick off its Australian season in Sydney on March 9 next year.
“The newly-developed Bledisloe Festival – a week of sporting activities featuring the All Blacks and the Wallabies leading up to the annual Bledisloe Test in Sydney – will prove very popular with the New Zealand market,” says Chipchase.
On the accommodation front, The ADGE Apartments in Surry Hills, due to come online later this year, suits those who prefer self-catering.
“And 1888 Hotel, Pyrmont, which is due to open in early 2013, will be another welcome addition to the Sydney boutique hotel scene,” says Chipchase. – Ruth Le Pla
Sample Sydney
Destination NSW escort Duglass Hocking; Taronga Zoo media relations officer Danielle McGill; China Airlines sales manager Gareth Williamson; and Taronga Zoo dinosaur guide Leanne Hayter
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FAMILY FUN IN QUEENSLAND
Peppers Beach Club and Spa, Palm Cove
Peppers, Mantra and BreakFree hotels and resorts are offering families a mix of fun and accommodation in Queensland this summer.
Mantra PortSea in Port Douglas is giving families one night free when staying for three nights. A two-bedroom apartment is priced at $288 per night. The property features a lagoon pool, spa and swim-up pool bar, lap and plunge pool, barbeque facilities, a day spa, gym and tennis court.
Peppers Beach Club and Spa at Palm Cove is offering a family getaway from $490 per night in a two-bedroom lagoon room including full buffet breakfast. The resort features a sandy beach lagoon pool, formal pool and tennis court.
BreakFree Rainbow Shores in Rainbow Beach is offering the third night of accommodation free when clients pay for the first two nights. A two-bedroom apartment is priced from $180 per night.
Book five nights at BreakFree Alexandra Beach (at Alexandra Headland) in a two-bedroom apartment from $150 per night including a family ticket to UnderWater World for two adults and two children.
Mantra Sun City in Surfers Paradise is offering a five-night getaway from $196 per night in a two-bedroom apartment. The resort has a saltwater lagoon pool complete with sand and dragon waterslides, as well as a lifeguard on duty every day.
BreakFree Diamond Beach has designed a summer family break where guests will stay one night free when booking on their Stay 6, Pay 5 deal. For a family of four, the resort boasts two-bedroom apartments from $170 per night and for a family of up to six, choose a three-bedroom apartment from $213 per night.
WESTIN INDUSTRY RATEThe Westin Melbourne has a special travel industry rate available for the stay period from December 14, 2012 through to January 13, 2013. The offer is $199 including breakfast for two guests in Allegro and complimentary access to the Wellness Centre.
Blackout dates and other restrictions may apply. Agent ID and a signed letter of introduction on agency letterhead are required. Without ID and letter, the flexible rate of the day will be charged.
HERITAGE WELCOMES VICEROYThe Heritage Boutique Collection (HBC) welcomes the new Viceroy Hotel Napier.
The hotel, set in the former Tennyson Hotel building, is currently completing a multi-million dollar transformation and is due to open in December 2012.
The hotel has 40 completely refurbished rooms and suites furnished with an Art Deco theme, as well as an 80 cover restaurant and conference facilities for 50 people.
The restaurant will be called Delmonico’s Bistro and Wine Bar and will be presided over by chef Pip Andrews who has worked at Shed Five, Logan Brown and Bouquet Garni. The restaurant will be bistro-style with an Italian-Mediterranean influence and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Bookings can be made for the hotel from December 1 and will open with a special of $150 for an overnight stay in a deluxe room with breakfast for two. The offer is available for stays before 24 December, 2012.
CITYGATE TO MERCURECitygate King George Square Brisbane has rebranded to Mercure Brisbane King George Square.
Situated in the heart of Brisbane, opposite City Hall, the hotel is in walking distance to the corporate, financial and shopping precincts.
Facilities include a restaurant cafe and bar, fully equipped gymnasium, rooftop swimming pool and Brisbane’s largest hotel conference and meeting space.
SHERATON RENO OFFER
Four Points by Sheraton Sydney, Darling
Harbour’s Premium Maritime Suite
As part of its $20m refurbishment Four Points by Sheraton Sydney, Darling Harbour has refurbished rooms and enhanced the Corn Exchange Restaurant and The Grand Ballroom.
The new rooms have renovated bathrooms featuring walk-in showers, contemporary furnishings, wireless access and iPhone/iPad connectivity.
The hotel is now offering a New Rooms Introductory Accommodation Package with premium rooms down to $235 per night. Clients will receive accommodation for two, free wireless internet access and buffet breakfast for two.
HOT PROPERTIES
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A member of Just Tickets Ltd. Just Tickets Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of Stella Travel Services, 66 Wyndham Street, Auckland
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Asia-Pacific Incentives and Meetings Expo (AIME) 2013 is launching new options in the pre-touring programme for 2013, which gives hosted buyers the chance to explore Melbourne and the state of Victoria.
From the Twelve Apostles to pampering houses in Daylesford, hosted buyers attending AIME next February will be given five new additions to choose from. The new tour options include:
Daylesford and Macedon RangesVictoria’s home of indulgence is an easy 90-minute drive from Melbourne and boasts the highest concentration of mineral springs in Australia. This pre-tour will showcase some of the region’s conference facilities which double as spa retreats.
MilduraThe contrast of cosmopolitan Mildura from the surrounding landscape of desert and farmland make it a unique conference destination. Hosted buyers
will explore the region’s historic venues which enjoy close proximity to the mighty Murray River.
GippslandJust an hour from Melbourne, Gippsland offers unspoilt beaches and mountain ranges all within range of performing arts centres and large-scale conference facilities. On this pre tour, hosted buyers will have the opportunity to test their surfing skills before visiting venues which boast spectacular coastal views.
WangarattaKnown as one of Victoria’s most
progressive provincial centres, Wangaratta is only a stone’s throw away from the Victorian Alps and has a range of new conference and business event facilities. Hosted buyers will discover them all with this pre tour that combines wine and fresh produce tasting with a leisurely bike ride.
Great Ocean RoadVictoria’s iconic Great Ocean Road is famous for its ocean views and stunning beaches, making it a premier destination for conferences and business events. This pre tour allows time for outdoor yoga and rainforest walks, finishing with a lunch at one of the region’s wineries.
These new options will join existing tours including Phillip Island, Mornington Peninsula, Bendigo, Ballarat and Melbourne and will take place between Friday, February 22 to Sunday, February 24, 2013. Hosted buyers can select from 15 different pre tour programme options. ➦ www.aime.com.au
New touring options for AIME
Now in its 21st year, the Asia-Pacific Incentives & Meetings Expo (AIME) is recognised as the premier event in the Asia-Pacific region for event and business travel organisers.
As a buyer in the industry, we would like to invite you to apply today.
AIME Is MANAGED by RTE
AIME Is PART of ThE REED TRAvEl ExhIbITIoNs MEETINGs, EvENTs AND bUsINEss TRAvEl INDUsTRy PoRTfolIo
AIME Is owNED by MCvb
benefits of being an AIME hosted buyer include:
Complimentary airfares, airport transfers, 4 to 5 star accommodation, Pre scheduled Appointments with exhibitors you choose to meet with, pre and post touring options around victoria and Australia, unrivalled networking opportunities and much, much more.*visit aime.com.au for qualification details
you can attend AIME in a number of different ways:
• As a fully hosted buyer (with airfares included)
• As a semi hosted buyer
• As an Appointment only buyer - NEW!Australian buyers can choose to attend either
one or both days
Apply today for AIME’s vIP hosted buyer Program at aime.com.au/apply
Asia-Pacific Incentives & Meetings Expo
Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
Melbourne, Australia
26-27 february 2013 | aime.com.au
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Photo Credits || Silversea Cruises; Avalon Waterways; North Star Cruises
NEWS
AVALON ADDS MISSISSIPPI
American Queen
Avalon Waterways has added Mississippi to its collection of river cruises, introducing two new itineraries.
To be operated by steamboat American Queen, the new itineraries are on sale now and will offer journeys through the American heartland between March and December, 2013.
‘America’s Heartland: From Music City to the Big Easy’ is a 12-day journey from Nashville to New Orleans, travelling through Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana. Priced from $5690 per person twin share (departures from March to December).
‘Fall Foliage Spectacular: From the Windy City to the Twin Cities’ is an 11-day seasonal journey from Chicago to St Paul, travelling through Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Iowa and Minnesota. Priced from $5230 per person twin share (departures September to October, 2013).
The Mississippi cruises join Avalon’s existing
selection of more than 40 itineraries on the rivers of Europe, on the Nile, the Yangtze, the Mekong and among the Galapagos Islands.
MS OOSTERDAM MAKES DEBUTHolland America Line’s ms Oosterdam has joined ms Volendam for her inaugural season in the Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific region.
Ms Oosterdam’s arrival into Sydney Harbour last month also marked the first time one of Holland America Line’s Vista-class ships is based down-under for the entire southern cruising season.
The 2012-13 season offers guests 10 to 28-day voyages onboard ms Oosterdam.
Embarking Sydney January 26, 2013, ms Oosterdam will venture to the South Pacific islands for an 11-day cruise round trip to Sydney. Guests will enjoy six full days of exploration in Fiji, Vanuatu and New Caledonia.
Eleven-day Pacific Treasures start at A$1099 per person, based on double occupancy.
The 14-day New Zealand Discovery departs January 12, 2013. ms Oosterdam will make its way to Hobart before venturing across the Pacific to the South and then North Island. This cruise starts at A$1599 per person, based on double occupancy. Similar itinerary offered as one-way Sydney to Auckland and reverse.
CHRISTMAS CRUISES
True North
North Star Cruises is promoting its luxury short sailing from Sydney Harbour to the Hawkesbury.
With a 5pm departure on Christmas Day (or a second departure on December 30) aboard adventure cruise ship True North clients will cruise for four days from Sydney Harbour along the northern beaches, into Pittwater and onwards to the Hawkesbury River and return. There are 20 crew members and 18 cabins, aboard the 150 foot cruiser.
True North is equipped with six expedition boats to take passengers exploring where and when they want. Activities include horse riding, kayaking, bushwalking, abseiling, fishing and tasting oysters at one of Hawkesbury's oyster farms.
They can also take a seat on the True North helicopter for lunch in the Blue Mountains or a wine tasting and lunch in the Hunter Valley.
CRUISE
Silversea celebrations
Silversea Cruises has unveiled a new line-up of voyages for 2014, which includes 10 per cent extended voyage savings to celebrate its 20th anniversary.
Available on most 2014 voyages, clients can save an additional 10 per cent on each voyage when combining two or more consecutive voyages.
Highlights for 2014 are Silver Whisper’s 113-day World Cruise – three voyages that feature extended stays in Myanmar, and Silver Explorer’s first expedition cruise through the Northwest Passage, the Russian Far East, Japan, South Pacific and French Polynesia.
Silversea is offering 95 new ports of call, which include 83 for Silver Explorer. Collectively, the line’s other ships will offer 12 new destinations: Melilla and Almeria, Spain; Haugesund, Norway; Eskifjordur and Djupivogur, Iceland; Koror, Palau; Ponce, Puerto Rico; Sept-Îles and Trois-Rivières (Québec), Canada; Alotau, Papua New Guinea; Kavala, Greece; and Trujillo (Banana Coast), Honduras.
In addition to World Cruise 2014, Silversea will offer 20 sailings to destinations in Asia, Africa and India,
including Silver Wind’s three 10-day roundtrip sailings from Cape Town, two cruises along the west coast of Africa, and an end-of-year Asia programme that includes a three-night stopover in Myanmar on Voyage 2438. Silver Shadow’s Asia schedule, which focuses on Indonesia, China, Vietnam, Thailand and Japan, also features a three-night stopover in Myanmar on Voyage 3404.
The schedule and fares for Silver Galapagos will be available when the ship’s expedition cruises open for sale in the coming weeks.
Silver Wind, Venice
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Photo Credits || www.mediaweb.co.nz/services/photography
PROFILE
Graeme West
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CookingThe Cook Islands still draws scores of Kiwis over each year with its clear waters, friendly locals and continually improving accommodation options. Some even consider it their home away from home with a large proportion return visitors.
Eighteen months ago Graeme West joined the Cook Islands Tourism team representing its largest market share – New Zealand.
Drawing on his wealth of experience in the tourism sector, both within New Zealand and abroad, West’s biggest challenge now is getting that market beyond Rarotonga and onto the lesser known islands of Aitutaki, Atiu and Mangaia.
Here, West updates Traveltrade on his largest market and shares his love of the Cooks.
Q Give us an idea of your career background.
I have been in tourism and hospitality most of my career, working in international markets and living in North America for nearly ten years. I have worked in inbound, wholesale, hotels, attractions and motorhomes, but this is the first time working for a tourism corporation. It’s great to have knowledge of the different segments of the industry as I can draw on my experience to hopefully make good decisions when it comes to initiatives we are planning and ways we want to operate for the benefit of all the segments.
Q Who is your biggest market?New Zealand contributes the
largest number of visitors to the Cook Islands by a long way and that market share continues to grow.
Q How much are Kiwi arrival numbers growing?
Fortunately, visitor arrivals from New
Zealand have continued to increase month on month for the past couple of years which is testament to the continuing appeal of the Cook Islands. We have a high repeat visitor rate, which shows that once people come they return again and again, sometimes staying in the same accommodation year after year and sometimes returning and staying in a holiday home with their family for a different experience.
Q Are Kiwis venturing further than Rarotonga? Where are
they going?Travel to other islands within the Cook Islands is growing, but we still have a lot of work to do. Many Kiwis have been to Rarotonga before, but haven’t ventured further afield and we need to ensure that they are aware of what is on offer. Aitutaki is the best known destination outside of Rarotonga, known for its lagoon and exceptionally laid back pace of life. There is a fantastic variety of accommodation available, from budget to deluxe and, only being a 40-minute flight from Rarotonga, it is very easy to access. The other two more well known islands would be Atiu and Mangaia. Atiu has a raised coral reef with limestone caves, birdlife and hikes through virtually untouched territory and is a must for people who relish spending time in the pristine outdoors. Mangaia is perfect for travellers wanting to immerse themselves in a ‘village’ environment and interact with the locals on a real level.
Q How is Cook Islands Tourism promoting the outer islands
to visitors?You will begin to see more activity promoting the outer islands in the New
Year, showing people how different they are from Rarotonga, how easy they are to access and how they complement each other beautifully. For example, Aitutaki is a stunning and absolutely spectacular destination, but a lot of people don’t realise the variety of accommodation available. It is a destination for everyone, not just the rich and famous! It really is a must see, especially for those who have been to Rarotonga before.
Q What are your top five favourite activities to do in
the Cooks?Visit Aitutaki and Atiu (preferably for a few days). They are both incredible in very different ways; do the cross-island walk; scuba dive and snorkel; take a lagoon cruise – I love looking back from the water at the mountains; and dine out on Ika Mata, a Cook Islands’ favourite.
Q Do you have any guiding principles?
Every decision is made as though I own the Cook Islands. I think like an accommodation provider, an attraction or restaurant/café owner. Every decision on how we operate, what we do, where we spend money is based on what will generate the best return for the Cook Islands as a whole. I treat it as an honour that the New Zealand office is charged with delivering such a major part of the Cook Islands’ visitor arrivals annually, and I do everything in my power to ensure we operate in the most effective way possible. I guess I try to do what’s right and be guided by what will help the big picture. It can get difficult when you have so many people who depend upon you and are affected by tourism. Trying to deliver to them all can be tricky sometimes but we do our best.
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A little known fact: Brunei is great for golf. World class championship golf
courses, along with large meeting and conference facilities and a rising number of integrated luxury resorts means golf tourism is rapidly growing in the Sultanate.
There are five golf courses in Brunei with most of the golf played by visitors to the country.
Pantai Mentiri Golf Club is 15 minutes from downtown and looks out over Brunei Bay. This par 72,6105m course has a large number of water hazards, fairways are undulating and the greens well manicured. It provides a reasonable challenge for golfers of all levels. There is a small Pro Shop and a restaurant perfect for replenishing clients after their round.
Royal Brunei Golf and Country
Club is a club that was built to cater for the Sultan and his guests. Situated in Jerudong Park the course is 6172m long and is well maintained. This demanding course is a challenge for everyone, with its narrow fairways and fast greens nestled amongst the jungle that surrounds the area. Water hazards are not a problem, but bunkers are strategically placed, particularly protecting the greens. Walk in players are welcome.
Panga Golf Club, a links-style course located down the coast between Seria and Kuala Belait in Western Brunei is a par 70 course open to members of reciprocal clubs.
Royal Brunei Airlines Golf Club, located next to the international airport, features a few water hazards and is
open to the public, with a driving range, putting and chipping greens, pro shop and restaurant.
Last but not least is The Empire Hotel and Country Club. Brunei’s newest course is where the 2012 Royal Trophy is to be played in December this year. The course winds along the coast with the sea providing hazardous winds across tight fairways. Clients can soak in the sea view as they line up their first tee shot on this 6427m Jack Nicklaus designed championship golf course. Strategically placed bunkers catch the off-guard and the ambitious. The signature par five 15th stretches along the beach dotted with sprawling bunkers. The 18th green is tucked right up to the cliffs presenting a view of the sea and the hotel’s six-storey glass atrium.
The Empire Hotel and Country Club
GOLF AND FISHING
Tee time in Brunei
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11Photo Credits || Kirklandphotos.com
THE ROYAL TROPHYThe Royal Trophy originated from the vision of five-time major winner, the late Severiano Ballesteros, who intended to gift the Asian continent with the same golf growth impetus the European continent experienced in the 1980s and 1990s as a result of the Ryder Cup.
The Royal Trophy is a series of matches played between the continents of Asia and Europe. Featuring a total of sixteen foursomes, four-ball and singles encounters played over three days, the team match-play championship showcases eight of Europe’s and Asia’s best golfers representing their respective continents.
The sixth edition of this series of matches will be hosted for the first time in the Sultanate of Brunei at the Empire Hotel and Country Club on December 14 to 16, 2012.
The Empire Hotel and Country Club is the jewel in the crown of Brunei’s man-made attractions. An integrated golf, spa and family seaside resort, the property also features a private beach, golf course, children’s playground, theatre, Cineplex, bowling alley, six food and beverage
outlets, and shopping gallery.The resort, one of Asia’s largest with
523 rooms and suites spread over 160ha of greenery fronting the South China Sea, also boasts a marine sports centre and 2000 dinner-style capacity Grand Banquet Hall which complements the exhibition and conference infrastructure available nearby in the Jerudong Park area.
BRUNEI OVERVIEWBrunei is one of those places where one can be a tourist without feeling like one. Being an oil rich country where most people enjoy comfortable lives at an unhurried pace, and where hospitality is part of deeply embedded cultural traditions, tourism is seen as a new activity to help diversify the economy and create jobs, but not at the cost of the nation’s soul, social harmony or environment.
And the small country is not short on attractions. All easily accessible, many tourists like to combine a short stay in Brunei with the Malaysian states of Sabah and/or Sarawak for a complete
Borneo experience. For those visiting the region, Brunei is connected to most regional capitals with a short two-hour flight, making Brunei a good starting point for a trip around South East Asia.
Among its most interesting attractions are the expanses of tropical rainforests that can be easily explored in short day trips, or overnight at lodges or resorts for a stronger experience. Minutes away from the capital, bands of frolicking Borneo endemic proboscis monkeys can be spotted by the riverbank, while fronting the capital is Kampong Ayer or Water Village, the world’s largest settlement on stilted houses.
The capital itself offers a number of interesting museums, including one dedicated to celebrating Brunei’s centuries old monarchy, as well as some modern mosques. Low rise architecture, palaces including Istana Nurul Iman, the world’s largest residential palace and home to the Sultan of Brunei, lively day and night markets, and traffic jam-free roads make the capital a unique place to visit.
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12 Photo Credits || Hawaii Tourism
GOLF AND FISHING
Hawaii offers a variety of golf course layouts on its six geographically distinct islands, from greens lined with volcanic rough to seaside water hazards. And with more than 70 golf courses to choose from, it won’t be difficult to find the perfect course for your clients.
One of the world’s most challenging courses is the Ko’olau Golf Course on Oahu. It is a public course located in Kaneohe and considered the toughest course in the nation; the course is carved out of a tropical rainforest on the windward side of the 2000-foot Ko’olau Ridge mountain range.
Ko’olau encompasses three climate zones and features views of waterfalls, extreme elevation changes and winding ravines.
Check out some of the islands’ other golf offerings.
HAWAII’S BIG ISLAND Hawaii’s Big Island presents an array of resort courses plus an assortment of independent (non-resort-affiliated) daily fee courses in Hawaii. Sixteen publicly accessible golf courses are spread throughout the Big Island. The Kohala Coast resorts of Waikoloa, Mauna Lani and Mauna Kea feature courses that have given the Big Island the nickname, ‘Golf Capital of Hawaii’.
OAHU Oahu is home to over 40 golf courses, including five private clubs and nine military courses. In fact, there are 29 courses accessible to visitors at 25 different venues. These range from the very first golf course built in the islands (in 1898) – the Moanalua Golf Club’s nine-hole hill-and-dale affair, which
operates on a semi-private basis – to golf resorts that play host to the PGA. Oahu also presents an array of independently operated daily fee tracks that range from par-three courses to two of the world’s most challenging layouts.
MAUI The Magic Isle is known for its beauty and so are its golf courses. Maui has two distinct areas where most of the accommodation and golf resorts are situated. West Maui, which features the bustling old whaling village of Lahaina, offers 36 holes at both the Kaanapali Beach Resort and the Kapalua Resort. South Maui, which lies in the wake of Haleakala, is home to two resorts, Wailea (54 holes) and Makena (36 holes). Four other Maui courses are located between Wailuku and Pukalani.
Hawaii: golfer’s paradiseKoele at Lanai
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Hooked on HawaiiHawaii is one of the world’s top deep sea fishing destinations and it’s the geography of the Hawai’i island that makes Kona famous.
Five mountain masses protect the Kona coast from the winds resulting in sea conditions that are usually as calm as a lake.
The steep slope of the ocean bottom puts the deep sea sport fishing within a short distance from the shoreline. Just three miles straight out of the harbour, it’s over 6000’ deep.
Six species of billfish roam the Kona coast along with six species of tuna, mahi mahi, ono (wahoo), and a wide variety of big-game bottom fish.
➦ www.fishinkona.com
KAUAI Kauai offers nine courses at seven golf venues ranging from Kukuiolono’s nine-hole layout with views of Niihau to resort courses that have once hosted LPGA events and the PGA of America’s Grand Slam of Golf. Three major resorts dominate the Kauai golfscape: Princeville on the North Shore, which offers 45 holes at two locations (Prince and Makai), Kauai Lagoons’ 36 holes (Kiele and Mokihana) nestled near the Lihue airport, and the 18-hole Poipu Bay Golf Course along Kauai’s
southern coastline. Independent daily fee courses are found in Poipu at Kiahuna Golf Course and in Lihue at the Puakea Golf Course.
LANAI Lanai features The Experience at Koele, an 18-hole championship course designed by Greg Norman and Ted Robinson. The signature 17th hole drops into a valley more than 60 metres below the tee-box. Along the southern coast, Jack Nicklaus created one of his most famous
masterpieces, The Challenge at Manele. Set along sea cliffs, this target-style course offers views of the Pacific Ocean.
MOLOKAI The golf on laid-back Molokai is as unassuming as you might expect it to be. At the Ironwood Hills Golf Course, a nine-hole public track built in 1928, clients are welcome to just show up for a tee time. There are no golf pros. Not even a clubhouse. Just 2800 metres of upcountry pasture.
Nov
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12NEWS
14 Photo Credits || Sportfish Vanuatu
GOLF AND FISHING
Air Vanuatu - The ONLY airline providing business class seats between Auckland and Port Vila.
The ONLY airline offering convenient middle day arrivals and departures at Auckland every Wednesday and Saturday plus limited seats on a Sunday ensuring connections to and from all NZ domestic airports.
7% commission on all ticket sales! plus special add-on fares to Santo and Tanna for Air Vanuatu passengers. Agents and companion discount fares available, just ask!
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FREE Meals..FREE Drinks..FREE Headsets..23kg Baggage allowance..
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Reeling inVanuatu
Vanuatu is known for its huge range of game fishing options. Shared charters offering three, four and eight-hour day trips, live aboard game fishing, sightseeing trips and sport fishing charters provide equipment for light game fishing tackling to test clients’ skills against tuna, mahi mahi, wahoo, albacore and marlin, and more.
Here’s a handy guide to refer to when offering your clients the best fishing options around Vanuatu’s islands.
CORAL QUAYS FISH AND DIVE RESORT, SANTOAbsolute Adventures offers light to medium and large game fishing charters to beginner and experienced anglers
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around Santo. Target species are wahoo, mahi mahi, yellow fin tuna, GT’s, dog tooth tuna, sailfish and marlin.
Absolute Adventures has two vessels – Blossom, a 5.7m Southwind, and Broady, a 7m ally Marlin Broadbill – which cater for single anglers and groups of up to six. Half-day and full day charters are available leaving from a private jetty. Clients can also take their catch to the resort restaurant and have the fish cooked to their liking.
Also on offer are accommodation/fishing packages, fish and dive packages and accommodation/fish and dive packages.
CRUSOE FISHING ADVENTURES, EFATEVanuatu’s largest game fishing operator caters for all anglers offering experienced crews for outer islands game fishing or leisure cruises either for a day or an extended live aboard charter. Boats are custom built for game fishing in all weather and sea conditions and include vessels Horizon 40Ft Flybridge, Nevagivup 34Ft Blackwatch and Reel Capture 34Ft Kevlacat.
They cater for different styles of fishing such as bait and switch, deep sea
jigging, popper fishing and saltwater fly fishing, whether clients prefer stand-up heavy tackle or fighting from game chairs. Vessels are moored at the Waterfront Bar and Grill.
All fishing equipment is new and includes Shimano Tiagra reels and Ian Miller cobalt rods, as well as a variety of lures.
SPORTFISH VANUATU, EFATESportfish Vanuatu offers a range of
fishing options, from casting poppers along the coastline and breaking reefs, and jigging on drop offs, to trolling the currents and fly fishing or light tackle casting in shallow lagoons.
The boat was designed by a fisherman for fishermen, with features such as a bow casting platform, tuna tubes and a live bait tank. Its shallow draft enables it to reach areas of the reef that are almost never fished, giving the angler the opportunity to cast lures at a range of species such as giant trevallys, blue fin trevallys, red bass, coral trout, green jobfish, yellow lippers and long nose emperors.
Sportfish use rods from Shimano and Ian Miller and a range of reels from Shimano, Sarragossa’s, Tallica’s and Susstain’s.
The boat departs from the Wahoo Bar in Havannah Harbour and clients are given the option of having their fish cooked at the bar.
WILD BLUE FISHING CHARTERS, EFATEWild Blue Fishing Charters, also known as Game Fishing Vanuatu, has been in operation for more than eight years in Port Vila. It specialises in day trips to week-long live aboard or live away trips, and has three vessels available with a range of charters and charter/accommodation packages on offer.
The vessel line up begins with Shogun, a 34ft Black Watch suitable for targeting marlin and all the other pelagic species that frequent Vanuatu’s waters, and caters for live aboard trips carrying up to three guests or live away for up to five.
Recently added to the fleet is Inshallah, a 30ft Black Watch similar to Shogun and suitable for live aboard for up to two guests or live away for up to five.
Wild Blue is a nine-metre Reef Master suitable for day trips out of Port Vila and is popular for groups of up to six (note: there is no on board toilet).
Whether it’s a romantic escape or a fun family holiday, the new Holiday Inn Resort Vanuatu will impress you.
60 acres of tropical palms, private beach frontage, kids club, swimming pools, daily activities, watersports, plus secluded quiet
zones and a day spa await you.
Plus kids stay, eat and play free. (conditions apply)
Call +678 22040 or visit www.holidayinnresorts.com holidayinnresorts.com
STAY YOU.™
StayImpreSSed.
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16 Photo Credits || World Journeys
ADVENTURE TRAVEL
Adventure travel isn’t just for the young. Kiwi tour operators are finding more and more travellers in the 50 plus age bracket are throwing themselves into overseas adventures catering for more discerning clients.
“We find a lot of our clients are waiting until the kids have left home to seek those adventure type holidays,” says World Journeys representative Caroline Clegg. “They’re looking to more adventurous destinations which offer exciting new experiences, but wish to do so with a higher level of comfort and security than perhaps they would have tolerated in their youth.”
World Journeys offer a range of product aimed at the discerning adventure-seeking market.
ARCTIC ADVENTUREWorld Journeys recently launched a new section on its website dedicated to experiences in the true Arctic – above the Arctic Circle. Using Arctic Kingdom Polar Expeditions, who operate small group (4 to 12 guests) trips throughout the entire Polar region including Greenland, Russia, Svalbard and the North Pole, the aim is to put as little as humanly possible between clients and the Arctic experience, and intentionally guide them “comfortably out of your comfort zone where your pulse will quicken and senses sharpen”.
The Arctic boasts vast stretches of treeless tundra, icebergs, abundant wildlife, Inuit culture and isolation from the rest of the world.
“To truly experience the Arctic is to understand the essential Inuit belief that everything in nature is infused with the spirit of life,” says World Journeys director Ange Pirie. “Gaze into the wild eyes of a snow-white polar bear that no other human being has ever seen and listen to the humbly told stories of someone who was born in an Igloo and has never lived below the Arctic Circle.”
World Journeys suggest the best time to see polar bears is in July and August, or in March when the newborn cubs are around. Narwhal are best seen late May to July, Belugas June and July, and the Northern Lights March and early April.
For an introduction to the true Arctic, World Journeys recommend a four-day Taste of the Arctic Spring package which includes activities ranging from dog sledding and igloo building to snowmobiling and ice fishing, visits to Iqaluit’s museums and art galleries, and the possibility of seeing the Northern Lights. Priced from $3122 per person share twin plus Ottawa to Iqualuit return airfares of $2204 per person, this includes pick up/drop off at Iqaluit airport, three nights accommodation, all day trips for igloo building, snowmobiling, fishing licences, all lunches, a town tour, entrance to museum, cultural performance, designated guide/town escort and local Inuit guides. Departures run in the last two weeks of April.
For a more in-depth wildlife experience, an eight-day Narwhal and Polar Bear Safari takes clients to a high-end tented base camp at the remote Pond Inlet, from where they can witness pods of narwhal feeding metres from the floe edge. It includes
A Narwhals in the Arctic B Spirit Bear C Robin Pope Walking Safari, Luangwa National Park, Zambia D Reservas Amazonica canopy E King Pacific Lodge
Young at heart
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Photo Credits || World Journeys
Narwhals in the Arctic Spirit Bear Robin Pope Walking Safari, Luangwa National Park, Zambia Reservas Amazonica canopy King Pacific Lodge
snowmobiling to traditional Inuit hunting grounds, plus hiking on Bylot island to see an old whaling station, a shipwreck, Inuit tent rings and flowering spring fauna. Priced from $12,912 per person share twin plus flights Ottawa to Pond Inlet from $5007 per person, this includes all transport, Inuit Guides, use of kayaks, two nights Pond Inlet, five nights arctic luxury base camp, all meals, and hotel transfers in Pond Inlet. Departures are late May through June.
Other packages available include: a 10-day Polar Bear Mothers and Newborn Cubs Photography Safari, allowing clients to witness newborn polar bear cubs emerging from their dens; a nine-day Great Migrations of the Northwest Passage with luxury ice camping in polar bear country, and the opportunity to snorkel or dive along the ice floe edge, seeing narwhal and beluga swim below; a five-day Polar Bear Migration Fly-In Photo Safari, staying in a remote cabin camp on the coast of Hudson Bay, with polar bear viewing opportunities; and a seven-day Walrus and Bowhead Safari with a focus on the walrus, and the bowhead whale in the waters of the Foxe Basin.
THE ANTARCTICWorld Journeys has new offers on Antarctic cruises with Quark Expeditions. For the 2013/14 season, their 10, 11 or 12-day cruise-only Antarctic Explorer: Discovering the Seventh Continent cruises have savings of up to 25 per cent when booked by November 30, 2012.
SOUTH AMERICAThe whole of South America is often viewed as an ‘adventure’ destination, but tourism infrastructure has now improved to a state whereby much of the continent can be visited with relative ease.
World Journeys tailor-make itineraries to suit the client, so can adjust any of the packages on their website to suit the level of adventure the client is comfortable with, and personally greet them at each airport with private transfers and private guided sightseeing with local English speaking guides throughout.
For those who do prefer the added security of travelling with a group, World Journeys offer small group (maximum 24 passenger) hosted journeys to South America. Tours include Wonders of South America, The Grand Tour of South America, and for 2013 - Mexico, Cuba and Guatemala.
AFRICAFor those looking for a more adventurous African safari, or for those on their second or third visit to Africa, Clegg recommends Robin Pope Safaris who are renowned for their knowledge of Zambia’s Luangwa National Park, in which they operate walking safaris.
“Walking through big game country is a truly exciting experience,” says Clegg. “A typical day on safari has you waking with the dawn to enjoy breakfast round a camp fire before heading out on your morning activity. A lunch is enjoyed on the bank of the lagoon, which is frequently visited by local wildlife. The afternoon is the quiet part of the day - for siesta or swim in the pool. In the mid-afternoon you meet up with your guide before heading out for an evening adventure, finding a beautiful location to watch the sun go down with a well earned drink in hand.”
Priced from $4410 per person share twin, a six-day package includes independent touring with game rangers and local guides, internal flights Lusaka/Mfuwe return, five nights safari
lodge accommodation, transfers and transport, all meals, and National Park fees.
For another completely different safari experience, suggest &Beyond’s mobile camping safari – the Botswana Explorer. Clients will sleep in tents (albeit with all the comforts – cosy duvet’s, private showers etc), the location of which move according to where the best wildlife viewing spots are. This allows clients to get in amongst the most pristine wilderness areas, getting as close to nature as possible. The mobile camping safari is a guided journey through the most remote wildlife areas in Botswana including the Okavango Delta, Moremi Wildlife Reserve, Savute Channel and Chobe National Park, ending at Victoria Falls. Game drives are taken with guides in specially customised 4x4 safari vehicles, by mokoro and on foot. Departures are every three days year round, and operate with a minimum of two and a maximum of six participants. Next year’s prices start from $5317 per person share twin including transport by light aircraft and safari vehicles, all meals and beverages (excluding premium brands). Children aged 12-16 are welcome, with rates from $2658 per child.
CANADAIn Canada, the World Journeys’ bear viewing lodge options are only accessible by floatplane and helicopter.
Lodge choices include Nimmo Bay Resort Heli Adventure; Langara Island Lodge, a fishing and wildlife resort; King Pacific Lodge, an eco-wilderness resort; and Spirit Bear Lodge, where clients can not only see grizzlies and black bears, but also the rare white spirit bear.
World Journeys offer tailor-made independent
travel to world’s most exciting destinations
• from 3 star to 6 star
• expert knowledge
• personalised service
Adventure
Make adventure a part of your world.Call now on 09 360 7311 or 0800 117311
www.worldjourneys.co.nz
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18 Photo Credits || Dubai Tourism, Commerce Marketing
ADVENTURE TRAVEL
Dubai may be a modern metropolis, but just outside Dubai’s city centre is expansive red desert and rugged mountains.
Off-road driving in the dunes, camping under the stars, camel riding, skydiving over The Palm, and sandboarding are all exciting ways to experience this unique environment. Even around the city itself clients can go indoor skiing or ice skating, kitesurfing or diving among wrecks in the warm Gulf waters.
DESERT SAFARIS Leave the air-conditioned shopping malls and hotel swimming pools behind – Dubai’s biggest adventure is outside the city limits in the sea of sand that encompasses the deserts of the UAE. Local tour companies have sturdy 4WDs and can take clients out into the dunes. Tours often include some ‘dune bashing’, a sunset camel ride and a night in a Bedouin-style camp complete with Arabian barbecue dinner.
WADISIn addition to sand dunes and beaches, the city is just a short drive away from the Hajjar Mountains. These mountains play host to one of the locals’ favourite past times – ‘wadi bashing’. Wadi is the Arabic word for valleys or dry riverbeds formed by streams that flow through the mountain range. A bumpy 4x4 drive through the wadis is great fun, and isolated rock pools filled with water provide a place to cool off.
These terrains are best for adrenaline seekers who can enjoy exhilarating drives and a range of action adventure activities. The landscape is also ideal for exploration
through trekking, mountain biking, abseiling or rock climbing.
SAND BOARDINGThere are some decent-sized dunes out in the Arabian Desert and what better way to get from top to bottom than sand boarding?
Sand boarding and sand skiing are very similar to snowboarding and skiing, only slower, hotter and scratchier. There are plenty of local operators in Dubai that will get clients out on the sand.
CAMPINGIs there anything better than a night under the stars? Many locals, expats and travellers camp freely in the desert, and if you’ve got a 4WD, the possibilities are endless. Clients can head to the windswept sand dunes of Al Faqa the wadis near Hatta, the mountains of Ras al-Khaimah or the East Coast beaches around Dibba. If they don’t have a 4WD, they can still find some beautiful spots within walking distance of well-paved roads, or organise a camping trip with a tour company.
SKI DUBAIThe city’s most incongruous attraction, Ski Dubai is a faux winter wonderland built right into the gargantuan Mall of the Emirates. It comes complete with ice sculptures, a tiny sledding hill, five ski runs (the longest being 400m) and a Freestyle Zone with jumps and rails. Gulf Arabs especially are fascinated by this snowy display, especially the Snow Park with its igloo filled with carved-ice penguins and dragons.
Skiers and boarders whiz down a forking slope, which at 60m may be
an ant hill compared with a real ski mountain, but if clients have never skied or boarded before, it’s a good place to learn the basics – and at -1degree celcius, it’s a great place to escape the desert heat.
GULF DIVINGIn the warm Gulf waters clients can nose around shipwrecks submerged on seabeds at a depth of between 10m and 35m and encounter clownfish, sea snakes, Arabian angelfish and possibly even rays and barracuda. Dubai has plenty of dive operators that are ready and willing to get clients out in the water.
WATER SPORTSWith calm waters and predictable winds, Dubai has a huge range of water sports. Water lovers can water ski, jet ski, parasail, kite surf, wakeboard, wind surf, scuba dive, snorkel, or go deep sea fishing.
For a waterborne adrenaline rush, clients should try their hand at kite surfing off Kite Beach, water-skiing at the Dubai Marina or sailing aboard a skippered yacht from the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club.
HOT-AIR BALLOONING AND SKI DIVINGA dawn balloon ride will see clients drift high above the Arabian Desert and Dubai. The tranquillity is a sharp contrast to the chaotic city and the views are amazing. Thrill seekers can also sky dive over the desert or the Palm in Dubai.
Beyond modernity
A Sky diving in Dubai
B Dubai’s wadi bashing experience
AB
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20 Photo Credits || Ulusaba Safari Lodge
ADVENTURE TRAVEL
To celebrate the release of the new 2013 Adventure World Africa and Arabia brochure, Adventure World is giving away five copies of the Lonely Planet Insider’s Guide to South Africa. The guide presents a contemporary insight into South Africa as a travel destination. The concise booklets will help travellers discover a different side of South Africa to the one they might have imagined: one where you can explore, hike, relax, surf, go on safari, eat, drink, dream and delve into the history of this beautiful country and its people.
Go in the draw to win your own Insider’s Guide to South Africa! To enter, simply email [email protected] with your name, DX address, phone number and answer to the question below.
Name three countries which are featured in the Adventure World Africa and Arabia brochure.
WIN one of five guides to South Africa
The Innovative Travel Co’s Ancient Kingdoms Holidays 2013 brochure is now available for agents, along with a selection of companion deals and earlybird offers. The new brochure includes the 14-day Glories of Turkey, currently priced from $2060 first person and $1490 for a companion, including accommodation, all transfers, transport, English speaking local guide, entrance fees and most meals.
Brand ambassador and New Zealand fashion designer Jane Daniels describes her recent experience touring Morocco. Daniels will be sharing this experience in more detail with trade at Innovative’s annual brochure launch coming up at the end of November.
A new Ancient Kingdoms Holidays’ Asia programme has been launched for holidays in India, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.
Add to this Innovative’s GSA cruise programme with CroisiEurope river and coastal cruises in France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and through Europe. Cruises range from 3 to 14 days and clients have the opportunity to create a mix of holiday options with two different cruises back-to-back or to break up two short cruises with a city stay, self drive, coach tour or special event. Cruises are priced from around $1200 for five days in the Bordeaux region including accommodation, sightseeing (subject to minimum numbers), French cuisine, local beer, wine and juice with lunch and dinner. A selection of active-based holidays is also among Innovative choices including walking holidays, and cycle and sail holidays in Croatia, Turkey, Greece, France, Italy, Morocco and more.
Innovative adventures
Clients can combine two African reserves and get two nights free, when on safari for eight nights or more.
Ulusaba Private Game Reserve in South Africa has joined forces with Azura at Benguerra to combine a four-night safari adventure in the game rich Sabi Sand Reserve, with four nights of relaxation and pampering on Benguerra Island in Bazaruto Marine National Park, Mozambique.
The offer is valid for new arrivals before March 16, 2013.
Clients have the opportunity to spend four nights on safari at Ulusaba for the price of three, based on current rates in South African Rand. Stays at Safari Lodge start from ZAR5000 per person per night, stays at Rock Lodge start from ZAR6900 per person per night and stays at Cliff Lodge start from ZAR12,600 per person per night.
Ulusaba rates include
accommodation, all meals and drinks, wines and champagne.
Then they can go on to spend four nights on the coast at Azura for the price of three.
This offer is based on current rates, priced in US Dollars. Rates in a beach villa start at US$525 per person per night. Valid for stays in a beach villa, luxury beach villa or infinity beach villa.
Azura rates include accommodation, all meals, local and house beers, wines and spirits and soft drinks, butler service as well as laundry and EVAC medical insurance.
Experience Ulusaba
Bespoke Options Stopovers
Escorted Tours Small Group Tours
Coastal Cruises River Cruises Rail Journeys
Sightseeing
Special Offers Available Now!
Toll Free 0508 100111 www.innovative-travel.com
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Photo Credits || Hawaii Tourism; Skyline Eco Adventures22
ADVENTURE TRAVEL
Hawaii is becoming a zipline adventurer’s mecca with courses opening up on four of Hawaii’s major islands – Kauai, Oahu, Maui and Hawaii Island.
Clients can jump into the action and experience Hawaii’s diverse terrain, from the waterfalls of Hawaii Island to the tropical rainforests of Kauai, the Garden Isle.
Here’s a rundown of what clients can expect from each zipline operator.
SKYLINE ECO-ADVENTURES, MAUI AND HAWAII ISLAND Most recently, family owned and operated Skyline Eco Adventures introduced its Akaka Falls experience on Hawaii Island; a scenic zipline tour
soaring nearly 250 feet over one of the island’s largest waterfalls.
This company also offers two other ziplines – one at Maui’s Haleakala Crater which combines a short hike through a forest, an Indiana Jones style swinging bridge and five ziplines. The other is above Maui’s Ka’anapali Resort, amidst the valleys of Mount Kahalawai. This adventure contains eight ziplines which allow clients to soar above streams and waterfalls.➦ www.zipline.com
GO ZIP OAHU In addition to 36 holes of miniature golf, Bay View Mini-Putt and Zipline features Oahu’s first zip line. It is located in Windward Oahu along Kaneohe Bay Drive, about 18 miles from Waikiki.
The 400-foot dual zip line starts from a suspended tree house in a banyan tree and provides views of Kaneohe Bay. The zipline gets up to speeds of 25mph.➦ www.gozipoahu.com
OUTFITTERS KAUAI The Kipu Zipline Safari is a new
adventure for Outfitters Kauai. Clients
will start with a two-mile kayak on the Hule’ia River, then they’ll hike from the riverbank to swimming holes and waterfalls then climb aboard a farm wagon for views of Kipu Ranch where Jurassic Park and Raiders of the Lost Ark were filmed. Next stop is the new Keko Kai zipline course. Two ziplines will land them a short hike from the opening of a recently discovered tunnel through the jungle. Then they’ll hike a treetops walkway and come face-to-face with a tandem, centre dismount zipline. Then it’s onto the Waterzip Zipline which goes into a mountain stream-fed swimming pool. Lastly, clients will return aboard a Hawaiian double-hulled motorised canoe.➦ www.outfitterskauai.com
KAPALUA ADVENTURES Kapalua Adventures offers a zipline that flies across gulches on the West Maui Mountains. Clients will zip across nearly two miles of forest on a parallel zipline. There’s also a high ropes course, perfect for teambuilding activities, a giant swing and Hawaii’s longest suspension bridge. ➦ www.kapalua.com/adventures/
Hawaii reaches new heights
A Kalalau Valley Napali Coast Kaua B Skyline Eco Adventures
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Mekong ExplorerOverland from Saigon to Siem Reap
4 star - small group tour
Traversing two countries in 8 days – the all NEW Mekong Explorer small group tour offers a wonderful opportunity to discover an exciting overland journey.
NEW
TOUR
Only $1590 pp Twin share
For itinerary and details contact Active Asia via their trade website www.activeasia.co.nz/agents or phone 09 360 7669.
Active Asia’s new Mekong Explorer tour is already proving popular with regular departures starting from March next year.
Traversing two countries in eight days, the Mekong Explorer small group tour offers an opportunity to discover the natural appeals of the Mekong Delta.
Named ‘the mother of all rivers’, the Mekong Delta in Vietnam is a region where the Mekong River exits to the sea after traversing through six countries. From the Tibetan Plateau, the river is home to millions of people.
As it arrives in Vietnam the river spreads into thousands of waterways and secluded canals lined with vegetation,
mangrove swamps and rice fields. Active Asia managing director Paul
Safe says to witness the tastes and sounds of a floating market in the Mekong Delta at dawn is the experience of a lifetime.
“The region is famous as a large rice growing area as it produces about half of Vietnam’s rice output,” says Safe. “Fish farms and fruit production is high and clients will witness home industries and taste fruits rarely seen in our country.”
Active Asia has just released this new small group tour for 2013 which takes clients overland from Saigon to the temples of Angkor in Siem Reap, Cambodia via the Mekong Delta.
The tour of eight days/seven nights departs Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and spends the first two days travelling deep into the Mekong Delta with boat trips that offer an insight into home industries and a visit to the bustling floating market, while evenings are spent on the river banks in four-star comfort.
On the fourth day clients will enjoy a morning visit to Sam Mountain, renowned for its traditional pagodas secluded in caves - the site where devout local Buddhists make their annual pilgrimage. Then it’s on-board a speed-boat for the journey up river from Vietnam into Cambodia.
Clients will encounter tiny villages, bamboo-stilt houses, colourful floating markets, farmers at work and children.
“Phnom Penh was once considered one of the most beautiful cities in the Orient, and despite its recent turbulent history it still retains a colonial charm,” says Safe. “A tour of the city and the ‘killing fields’ can be emotional but highlights the different parts of this country’s history.”
The tour then continues, this time by high-speed catamaran across Tonle Sap Lake to the home of the Angkor Temples – Siem Reap.
Here visits are made to the ruins of Bayon, Baphoun, the Royal Enclosure Phimeanakas and the Elephant terraces, before Angkor Wat.
This tour is priced from $1590 per person twin share.➦ www.activeasia.co.nz/agents
Mekong charm
A Vietnam
B Cantho Cairang floating market
C Angkor Wat
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24 Photo Credits || Flight Centre
BALI
Since Air New Zealand (NZ) announced a second season of direct flights to Bali next year, Kiwi agents have been busy preparing for a flurry of bookings to the Indonesian beach destination.
Infinity Holidays and House of Travel have seen numbers from New Zealand to Bali double during 2012 when the direct flights first launched.
“The direct services offered by NZ have really opened up a whole new holiday destination for Kiwis because of the accessibility it offers combined with competitive pricing,” says Infinity Holidays product manager for Asia Cindy Kapea. “They’re realising that Bali is great value for money, particularly with the stay/pays and value adds.”
House of Travel representative Brent Thomas says the time of year is perfect for
New Zealand travellers, especially families.“We have doubled our growth over the
dates of the direct schedules and see a lot more interest again for Bali as a holiday destination,” says Thomas. “The direct services are right over our winter so it’s a perfect time to get those sunrays with temperatures around 30 degrees and there’s little rain and humidity as it isn’t monsoon season.”
While Kuta is popular for families, both Thomas and Kapea say visitors are starting to look further afield to places like Legian and Lombok.
“We have seen a shift in the number of people now travelling to the areas of Seminyak and Legian, as opposed to basing the majority of their holiday in Kuta as Kiwis look to travel a bit further from the main tourist destination and get
the true experience of Bali,” says Kapea.Thomas expects next year will see return
visitors seeking new destinations again.“We’ve noticed families are going
back – a direct service makes a huge difference for families travelling longhaul,” says Thomas. “Clients have refamiliarised themselves with Bali last year and I think we will see another shift in 2013 with clients returning and then exploring other parts of the island, extending to Ubud or potentially hopping over to Lombok.”
Here’s an overview of popular areas in Bali, as well as a rundown on outer regions.
KUTAKuta is known by locals and tourists alike as a surfing paradise. It has grown in popularity over the years and can become
beckonsBali
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25Photo Credits || House of Travel; Flight Centre
crowded during holiday times, but it still attracts a large number of Kiwi families and young backpackers.
There’s plenty to do in Kuta including parasailing, banana boat riding, shopping, and eating at the many restaurants and bars. There’s also a wide range of nightlife options to choose from and the nightclubs don’t stick to any prescribed dress code.
Top tip: The amazing Kuta sunsets have to be seen to be believed. Make sure clients don’t skip town too soon.
LEGIANNorth of Kuta, Legian is a small relaxed beach that offers an escape from the hoards of people in Kuta. It still has easy access to shops and bars and is popular with surfers.
There’s not as much to do here in the way of activities apart from sunbathing, surfing
and market shopping, but its laid back vibe can be appealing after a stay in Kuta.
UBUDUbud is arguably the most tranquil part of Bali. It was made famous recently by the release of the American film ‘Eat, Pray, Love’, where Julia Roberts’ character found peace and the love of her life.
It’s here clients will find a range of health and wellbeing spas and retreats set amongst paddy fields and temples, and also a thriving local community who make up the town.
Art galleries are also abundant here with many sculptures, paintings and crafts on offer.
Many people arrange to stay in Ubud for a day or two and end up booking longer so advise clients to be flexible on
dates during their stay.
LOMBOKThe island of Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara is popular with hardcore surfers and adventure seekers. Clients can hike up steep volcanoes, cycle through rice paddies, surf massive waves, fish and even take part in numerous religious festivals.
Located east of Bali, Lombok is known for its South Sea cultured pearls, grown in waters around the island, as well as woven cloths and pottery. The best pottery is produced in Banyumulek and the village of Sukarare is known for its hand-woven textiles.
Seafood lovers can enjoy grilled fish and crabs freshly caught from the sea at a number of restaurants and resorts, most of which can be found in the town of Senggigi.
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26 Photo Credits || World Journeys
COLOMBIA
After decades of civil conflict, Colombia now offers a plethora of tourist activities, from Amazon safaris to archaeological tours.
World Journeys says increasing interest from Kiwis for travel to Colombia reflects the progress the country has made in tourism infrastructure and security issues.
“This country has seen many years of conflict, but is now back in business,” says World Journeys’ director Chris Lyons. “Its extraordinary and fascinating history dates back to the Spanish conquistadors and far before that, with ruins and relics that have inspired the likes of Indiana Jones movies. Highlights include the Amazon jungle, the Zona Cafetera coffee growing region, the colonial city of Cartagena, and the
incredible museums, architecture and nightlife of Bogotá.”
Four members of the World Journeys team have now visited Colombia, and each has their favourite experiences to share.
Director Kate Gohar was particularly taken by Cartagena.
“I was unprepared for the musicality, colour and excitement of Cartegena where I found myself based for much of the time,” she says. “The Old City is surrounded by 400-year-old stone walls that stretch for more than three kilometres. Charming, medieval streets crowded with Spanish colonial buildings pack the interior while bright flower boxes, cool church naves and the caress of a Caribbean sea breeze make walking in the city a delight, despite the heat.”
Must-sees include the imposing Castillo de San Filipe, a fort overlooking the city with its labyrinth of underground tunnels, the Museum of Modern Art and the Gold Museum.
“Do take time to explore on foot, be led by the music wafting from cafes and bars to wile away the hours as a never-ending procession of characters pass you by.”
Travel designer Kirstine Dawson ventured into the Zona Cafetera region and enjoyed coffee tastings at one of the region’s coffee plantations.
Dawson says she was pleasantly surprised by Bogota and how untainted it is by the tourist dollar.
“We took some time to visit Monserrate, a colonial retreat in the hills above Bogota,” says Dawson. “You can take
A Bogota Cathedral B Monserratt C Salt Cathedral, Zipaquira D Coffee tasting
back in businessColombia
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27Photo Credits || World Journeys; LAN Airlines
LAN Airlines continued its expansion within South America, launching a new affiliate carrier, LAN Colombia, last year.
Colombia is the second biggest passenger market in South America after Brazil. It is also the second most populated country in the region, and the fourth largest economy in Latin America.
To enter the Colombian market, LAN acquired 98.94 per cent of the shares in AIRES, a Colombia-based airline, rebranding it as LAN Colombia.
The latest LAN affiliate has added 23 destinations to the group’s South American network, including 22 domestic destinations in Colombia and the international destination of Fort Lauderdale, Florida from Bogota D.C.
LAN Colombia joins LAN Peru, LAN Argentina, LAN Ecuador and LAN Express, not only as affiliates of the LAN Airlines but as part of the new LATAM Airlines group, formed by LAN and Brazil’s TAM Airlines.
LAN Airlines operates six flights per week from Auckland to Santiago, Chile, with onward connections throughout South America, including to Bogota, Colombia, the hub of the LAN Colombia network.
LAN’s flights from New Zealand are operated with two-class A340-300 aircraft while flights within South America re-operated with a mix of B767-300 and A320 family twinjets.
The addition of LAN Colombia has lifted the LAN group’s network from almost 60 destinations within South America to more than 80. ➦ www.lan.com
LAN expands to Colombia
LAN A320
the funicular or the cable car to see the 17th Century Catholic Church at the top which is a wonderful spot for lunch with spectacular views.”
Sales executive Judith Wesley has just returned from escorting an agent educational to Ecuador and Colombia, and reports highlights for her included the famous underground salt cathedral at Zipaquiera, 40 minutes out of Bogota, the crystal clear waters of the Rosario Islands, and the colonial architecture of Cartegena.
The best time to visit Colombia is in the dry season months from December to March, or in July and August. This also happens to coincide with many
local festivals.World Journeys’ 11-day History
and Culture of Colombia is a private small group tour exploring Bogota, the coffee region, Cocora National Park, and Cartagena, and is priced from $2945 per person share twin including 10 nights four and five-star accommodation with breakfast, transfers and transport, sightseeing with English speaking guides, entrance fees, five lunches and three dinners.
Shorter and longer itineraries can be tailor-made to suit. World Journeys recommend Colombia as an extension before or after travelling to Ecuador and Peru.
E Kiwi agents at San Felipe Castle, Cartagena. Back (l-r): Ian Collier, Adventure Travel Christchurch; Lynda Nolan, United Travel St Heliers; Morwenna Williams, Calder and Lawson House of Travel; Judith Wesley, World Journeys; Sandy Connolly, House of Travel Merivale; Margo Searle, Fortis Travel. Front (l-r): Kath Mason, LAN Airlines; Kim Whittaker, Counties United Travel; Kelly Showler, Accent on Travel; Craig Boyt, Pukekohe Travel.
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It’s party time for ATTTO
It’s been a busy few months for all of us at ATTTO, and as we begin the process of becoming the Service Skills Institute in 2013, I thought I’d take the opportunity to share some of our highlights.
ATTTO recently had the honour of being named Best Registered Travel Industry Training Institution at the inaugural 2012 New Zealand Travel Industry Awards.
It was fantastic news for us to win this prestigious new award and is great recognition of the work all the team at ATTTO put in to help ensure the travel industry is highly skilled and well recognised with relevant qualifications and training.
It is wonderful to have our work recognised in this way, and is a great endorsement for the approach we have taken with the sector for recognising the skills of those who are experienced in the travel sector as well as supporting those
who are relatively new to their roles. As a result of this we have seen engagement in training and achievement of qualifications in the travel industry rise significantly in 2012 with around 400 consultants achieving qualifications.
This ethos of being industry focused and responsive to change is something our staff will carry forward as we begin the work to come together with our partners at the Hospitality Standards Institute and the Retail Institute to form the Service Skills Institute (SSI).
We had the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of ATTTO and our trainees this month with our prestigious annual A+ awards, which were held on November 2 at Te Papa in Wellington.
The A+ Awards is our chance to recognise trainees who have displayed excellence in their commitment and achievement in their training, while
making a valuable contribution and inspiring others within their workplaces.
The awards were open to anyone in our sectors who had successfully completed an NZQA national qualification during the past year.
Atlantic Pacific American Express travel consultant at Palmerston North Hospital, Joyce Raven, is the travel sector winner for 2012, taking the title of TAANZ Travel Trainee of the Year. She was awarded a stone taonga carved by Wellington artist, and talented ATTTO staff member, Elinor Van Geet.
Previous 2011 travel category, and overall 2011 Supreme Award winner, Sam Chambers from United Travel Mairangi Bay came back to pass on the award on the night. This went to Air New Zealand engineer Michael Short, who was awarded $2000 towards his career development.
As well as recognising success through our A+ Awards, we also
send a big thank you to all the employers, trainers and workplace assessors who support training in the workplace. We realise that training is a major investment for employers, and through the joint commitment to training with ATTTO and the workplace supporting trainees, that investment is realised in individual staff success and enhanced business capability.
There is a whakatauki which was pertinent to the awards night, and I think extends to all travel businesses: He aha te mea nui? He tangata. He tangata. He tangata. What is the most important thing? It is People. It is People. It is People.➦ www.attto.org.nz
■ Kathy Wolfe ATTTO chief executive
C A R E E R S A N D T R A I N I N G
2012Congratulations!
Take your greatest journey /
Congratulations to Joyce Raven from APX Travel, Palmerston North Hospital on being named 2012 TAANZ Travel Trainee of the Year at the A+ Awards.For more information about how ATTTO can help you get the most out of your career, visit www.attto.org.nz
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Databases and assets
■ Adrian Caruso Founder and CEO of travel business improvement and
marketing firms TA Fastrack and Fastrack Digital
Do you remember the good old days when airline commissions generated the bulk of your travel agency revenues? Well times have changed with the agency community now focusing their efforts on selling increasingly complex, high-margin products such as cruises and holiday packages. This type of travel holds far more financial opportunity than air ever did back then.
This is an area in which agents have a big advantage over online mega-agencies. That advantage is the personal relationship agents have with their clients. Agents know their clients. They see them at rugby games and churches and in the local grocery store, and have relationships with them that many online players don’t have.
But the online agents do have one advantage over traditional travel agents: A single database that aggregates the purchasing and travel history of all of their clients. All their automation is in place. They automatically have every client’s email address. They can easily go back and pull up travellers who have booked a trip, but who may not have purchased travel insurance or car hire or day tours. Now that’s what I call the ‘one database benefit’. Online agents and suppliers can look at that single database, see its purchasing power, segment that database to see what kind of products will appeal to the various types of customers in that database and design customised campaigns made to appeal to those clients.
But why aren’t agents doing this and still failing in marketing? The first reason is that agents simply don’t communicate with their past clients. Our research shows that one in five agents make no contact whatsoever with their clients during the year with a further 45 per cent contacting them only once over a 12-month period. Your customer database is the most valuable asset an agency has for it has no stock. Even agents that do market don’t know enough about their customers to target a product that would appeal to them. They just market anything to everyone on the database. Which brings me to the second reason why agents are failing in travel marketing.
I feel it is at times the fault of the major GDS’s and the back and mid-office systems they have been selling agents for years as a bolt on to their GDS. These systems simply do not do enough with the client data that is captured by the agent. If they do, the agent has never been shown how to extract the information and what to do with it – with the exception of client base users, which I feel is the clear leader in the New Zealand market for a mid-office programme with a CRM programme as a bolt on.
Agents still have total ownership and control of these databases for it’s your programme and you choose the suppliers, you choose which clients get what, and you are in control. This is the future of marketing in the travel industry – targeted and niche marketing based on a client’s interests and desires. But for this to happen the agent has to have a good hard look at their existing mid-office system and see if it is giving them all the information they want about their customers, including purchasing history, preferences and interests. This usually involves having a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) programme within their mid-office system or as a bolt on. The agent then must learn how to use this valuable CRM programme and decide to start more targeted marketing to their database of customers on a more frequent basis, otherwise others will and they will profit – not you.
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Analysing the statistics
■ Paul Davies [email protected] ➥ www.travelaccounting.co.nz
Even this consultant has room for improvement – insurance sales are very low.
Compare your figures with these and look for ways to improve your performance.
Is it time for a six-monthly review of your results? How does your travel business compare with the Department of Statistics departure stats?
PURPOSE OF TRAVEL APRIL UNTIL SEPTEMBER 2012 2011 % Change
Business 154,700 153,292 0.9%Conventions / Conference 39,940 37,756 5.8%Education 16,620 15,308 8.6%Holiday / Vacation 504,540 495,072 1.9%Unspecified 60,780 56,832 6.9%Other 31,060 28,964 7.2%Visit Friends / Relatives 384,200 361,608 6.2%Total 1,191,840 1,148,832 3.7%
Source: Department of Statistics
Are you in the right travel sector to enjoy growth?The above departure statistics compare the six months from April to September of 2011 with those of 2012.
Both Education and VFR have shown strong growth compared to last year. Business is almost stagnant but Conventions and Conferences have grown.
Naturally being in a growth sector makes your job easier but analysing where the growth is may be a way to move your business to a better place.Margins, margins, marginsDo you want to know the quickest way to increase your salary or increase your profits?
Analyse your margins – it’s where the money is.This is one of our client’s top consultant’s figures for
last year – April 2011 to March 2012.
SALES CATEGORY Sales Comms % GM % Sales % CommInternational Air 831,911 66,318 8.0% 56.3% 46.6%International Package 240,176 26,034 10.8% 16.3% 18.3%International Cruise 153,639 18,790 12.2% 10.4% 13.2%International Tours 99,030 11,138 11.2% 6.7% 7.8%International Hotels 70,499 7,912 11.2% 4.8% 5.6%Additional Fees 5,225 5,225 100.0% 0.4% 3.7%Domestic Air 22,660 2,189 9.7% 1.5% 1.5%Cancellation Fees 1,510 1,510 100.0% 0.1% 1.1%Insurance 5,346 1,357 25.4% 0.4% 1.0%International Cars 6,015 640 10.6% 0.4% 0.4%International Other 5,802 599 10.3% 0.4% 0.4%International Rail 5,014 402 8.0% 0.3% 0.3%Visa Fees 1,857 160 8.6% 0.1% 0.1%Travelex 26,493 137 0.5% 1.8% 0.1%Domestic Other 386 35 9.1% 0.0% 0.0%Domestic Rental Cars 123 13 10.6% 0.0% 0.0%Domestic Land 756 - 0.0% 0.1% 0.0%Other Income 400 - 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%Total 1,476,842 142,459 9.6% 100.0% 100.0%
Pinning travel dreams
■ James Hacon is an international speaker, writer and consultant in marketing for travel and tourism
➥ www.jameshacon.com
S O C I A L M E D I A
This month’s feature Adventure Travel takes my mind off to my various adventurous trips galavanting the globe and, in turn, how I love to share these experiences on social media.
When considering the biggest growing market of the big social media sites is still 50+ females, don’t think your customers are not using these sites, they are!
It is almost certain your clients are sharing their travel photos and experiences online, whether it be on Flickr, Facebook or the latest craze of Pinterest.
Interestingly, nearly three quarters of Pinterest users are female, bucking the trend of all but equal gender user ratios of other sites. When you consider that statistically it is usually women that take charge of travel booking, this is a site you should really consider looking at. It’s good fun personally, even if you don’t end up using it professionally.
In simple terms, Pinterest is an online pinboard, where you can ‘pin’ all the visual content that takes your fancy and sort it into categories through the use of multiple boards. I love the way you can’t ‘lose’ content as I’m hopeless with organising those online gems and would love to be able to share them and look at them a few weeks later.
Alongside fashion and food, travel pinning is one of the more popular themes. With users choosing to create visual itineraries of where they want to visit on an upcoming trip or using it as an inspiration tool, pinning aspirational destinations – a kind of travel bucket list.
How can you be using it as an agent or broker? You can pin your favourite destinations, perhaps even some of the places your clients are visiting or places on sale. You can then connect with your clients and learn where they aspire to travel – all good market research, helping you to know when to contact them about relevant deals.
If you want to get really social, go one step further and create shared boards that you and your clients can jointly populate. Perhaps encouraging people to share their favourite photos and videos from destinations on dedicated country boards. You’ll soon find friends of friends will start following and pinning too. Then bingo, potential new leads who are already connecting with you on a social basis.
Happy pinning!
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■ Diane Hallifax Human Resource Advisor Everest Group Limited
Is your workplace a killer?
Every year, thousands of New Zealanders are killed or injured at work, or suffer from a work-related disease, resulting in huge personal, social and financial costs. The statistics are staggering. In the past 12 months there have been 85 deaths, 445 serious non-fatal injuries and 30,800 ACC entitlement claims with construction, agriculture, fishing and manufacturing being the industries with consistently high tolls.
The cost on the nation as a whole is huge, and the cost to individual businesses can also be high. So what can you do to ensure that your workplace is safe?
As an employer it is your responsibility to maintain a safe and healthy workplace. If you are a small business with minimal risk this may be as simple as identifying potential risks, listening to your employees’ concerns and ensuring that any concerns are addressed. However, if you have a bigger business in a hazardous industry it may be that you need much more robust systems and processes in place to keep your people safe.
Over the years we have seen many businesses implement successful health and safety systems which have stood the test of time. Many of these programmes are made up of the following elements:
1. Commitment from senior management to make the programme work• Health and safety has to be led from the top.
If you and your management team aren’t committed to the programme then chances are your staff won’t be either.
2. Ensuring employees are involved• Health and safety is everyone’s responsibility
and by involving staff you will get a higher level of engagement.
3. Putting systems in place for the identification and control of hazards• If you haven’t identified hazards it makes it very
difficult to control them. And once you have identified them you need to determine how you will eliminate, isolate or minimise the risk.
4. Providing training on safe work practices• Ensure people are provided with relevant
training at all stages of their employment journey – it shouldn’t be a one-off session when they first join.
5. Promotion of a safety culture• Foster trust by responding and addressing
employee concerns when they are raised so employees go beyond the call of duty to ensure workplace safety.
6. Continually improving systems• Review your health and safety programme
regularly, evaluate your statistics and document your safety efforts to promote continuous improvement.
It is important that your system works for your business and that you take that into account when putting policy and process into practice. Getting your staff involved in auditing the workplace for hazards and asking for ideas to promote awareness assists with people getting on board and ensuring that as managers or business owners you are walking the talk when it comes to health and safety.
H U M A N R E S O U R C E S
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32 Photo Credits || www.mediaweb.co.nz/services/photography
PARTY PIX
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Travel Oregon and Travel Portland were in town to promote their ‘weird’ offerings to Kiwis recently. Strong growth from New Zealand has prompted the tourism bodies to increase promotional activity down under.
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Tourism Tasmania hosted a Tasmanian Whisky Masterclass at The Whisky Shop in Auckland recently. Travel industry guests were treated to four top class Tassie bottles of whisky.
1. Corey Marshall, Travel Oregon; Heather Anderson, Travel Portland; Lisa Itel, Travel Oregon; and Marcus Hibdon, Travel Portland
2. Glennis Kneale and Kay McKirdy, The Tour Company
3. Russell Williss and Stephen Tanner, The Walshe Group
4. Cherryl Browne and Donal O’Sullivan, Cruise World
5. Lisa Paulson, House of Travel; and Caryn Young, Adventure World
6. Louise Sutton, Infinity Holidays; Kim Houston and Sue Barnaby, World Journeys; and Karen McCardle, Travel Oregon
7. Kim Houston, winner of the trip to Oregon (centre) with Lisa Itel and Corey Marshall, Travel Oregon
8. Gerard Smith and Carolyn Guthrie, Destinations PR9. Nate Beale and Jeremy Pourau, Air New Zealand Holidays10. Anna Redwood, Colmar Brunton, and Shelly Reilly, Destinations PR11. James Reddy and Jamie Milne, Many Miles for Mary, with Tania Reynolds, Touch of Spice (centre)12. Tassie whisky
For a free sample copy contact Sue McDiarmid P: 09 529 3000 E: [email protected] or subscribe go to www.justgoodbusiness.co.nz
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See Colin Montgomerie and Namoichi Ozaki in action as Europe and Asia battle for the sixth edition of The Royal Trophy at The Empire Hotel & Country Club in Brunei, 14-16 December 2012.
Experience the most spectacular golf course in Asia or play a round on one of the many golf courses in Brunei. Watch the excitement on course while discovering the pristine nature and opulence of this unique corner of Borneo.
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The Empire Hotel & Country Club in Brunei, 14-16 December 2012
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