Travel Managers - Alicia Clark

01/03/2024

01/09/2023

I wanted to share with you, a true story.
Yesterday my clients flight from Perth to Hong Kong was cancelled due to the Super Typhoon that was approaching Hong Kong. All flights in and out of Hong Kong were cancelled. This was the first flight of a multi leg itinerary to get them to Milan.

As many of you may know getting availability for a flight out of Australia is horrendous unless booking in advance so there was no alternative options with the same airline for my clients from any Australian city. So, employing my 30 plus years’ experience I was able to rebook them with a far better option than they had paid for with a single stopover to Milan, leaving 24 hours after their original flight but only arriving Milan 4 hours later than the original flight!!

This would not be something that could have been achieved if my client had booked online or even with the airline directly. Booking online and there is no one to call, no one to help and no one who cares. Booking direct with the airline and you are just a number, and they only have their interests at heart. They don’t want to offer the best solution to the passenger, they want to offer the cheapest solution for the airline.
My client is now flying business class to Milan with Qatar and it has not cost them a cent more, they didn’t need to call anyone, sit on hold or stress about this at all, I handled it all.

Moral of the story book with a reputable, professional and experience Travel Agent, otherwise you are on your own!!

29/10/2022

Sorry for the language but this one was too good not to share...

02/09/2022

No testing required post arrival for Fiji for vaccinated travellers 🏖🏝✈️🦀🐟🌞

Post-Arrival Tests Removed as Entry Requirement to Fiji

Over the past six weeks, Fiji’s health system has continued to provide community-wide protection through a widespread immunisation campaign, which has led to a persistent decrease in COVID-19 cases.

Taking into account our high levels of community-wide vaccine protection, the expansion in vaccination coverage to children, the increasing uptake of booster doses, and the lessening caseload, we are able to relax more of our public health measures.

From 5 September, 2022, we are removing the requirement for post-arrival testing for international travellers. No test results or proof of test bookings will be required to board flights to Fiji. Although mandated post-arrival COVID-19 testing will be lifted, testing will be required for anyone who develops COVID-19 symptoms which individuals arriving in Fiji will be asked to self-report on a single immigration arrival card. Those who test positive will now be required to isolate for a minimum of five days, as opposed to the previous period of seven days.

In the interest of offering greater protection to those most vulnerable, healthcare workers and aged care facility workers will still be required to isolate for a minimum of seven days in the event they test positive for COVID-19. Additionally, any individuals in isolation who still display COVID-19 symptoms after five days will also be required to complete the full seven days.

This move follows similar steps taken by Australia, the USA, the UK and European countries such as Germany. These changes are expected to strengthen Fiji’s economic recovery and streamline airport processes.

Our strategic application of COVID-safe measures, as informed by community health data, has paved the way for Fiji’s economic recovery. Visitor numbers for the first seven months of 2022 stand at half compared to the same period in 2019. July 2022 showed an 82 per cent recovery — recording the highest number of Australian visitors in a given month.

We know vaccine protection remains critical, therefore, our entry requirement of being fully vaccinated remains until we achieve heightened border and community surveillance.

We will continue to be guided by local and global expert advice in safely navigating this and any future infectious disease threats. The Ministry of Health and Medical Services maintains that, in addition to Fiji’s extremely high vaccination rates, as more eligible Fijians receive booster doses, greater levels of community protection will lend greater confidence in relaxing public health measures.

22/07/2022

Another day and another cruise ship. There has been one in port every day. Travel is well and truly back in Europe. Get out there and explore...it's a fabulous world!!! (View from our room in Kefalonia Greece)

03/07/2022

BREAKING NEWS!!!
Digital passenger declaration (DPD) no longer required to enter Australia from midnight 6 July 2022 🎉🎊🎊

01/07/2022

I thought I would share a story with you.
I had a call today from a client due to fly British Airways London to Berlin, on a Qantas ticket (already flew Sydney to London on Qantas) she was already at Heathrow and her flight had been cancelled. No notification from the airline.

She called me (without knowing what to do) and I dropped everything and tried to find alternative flights for her. Everything to every city in Germany fully booked. Eventually found her two seats on a flight to Hamburg, then booked her a train from Hamburg to Berlin. All in the background without her having to be involed too much at all.

So she's now due to arrive Berlin at 6:00 PM this evening local time.
She's got her new flight tickets and her train tickets on email, checked in for her new fight and sitting in the lounge relaxing.

Agent to the rescue again, I’d liked to have seen the Qantas call centre pull this one off!! If you ever need a reason to book with a Travel Agent this is it!!

23/06/2022

I've said it before, without a Travel Agent you are on your own. The peace of mind, expertise and support a travel agent offers is invaluable.

10/06/2022

❤🤍💙US TO LIFT INBOUND TESTING REQUIREMENT
No more COVID-19 tests for passengers into the USA effective 12 June.
The US Government is expected to shortly announce the lifting of its requirement for air travellers to test negative to COVID-19 prior to entering the United States.

A "senior administration official" cited by CNN has confirmed that the US Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention will remove the requirement this Sunday after finding it is no longer necessary "based on the science and data".

The measure has been in place since early 2021, and the removal will be subject to a 90 day review which could see testing reintroduced if new variants arise.

America's tourism industry has been heavily critical of the requirements, saying they were a significant disincentive to travel and impacted the country's international competitiveness.

07/06/2022

I've spent untold hours at my desk recently, searching to get my clients the best possible deals. Can I please say if you are wanting to travel in 2022 or 2023 PLEASE BOOK EARLY!!!
I have never seen flights so heavily booked as what I am now finding and it will only get worse. To get the BEST price, please book as early as possible!!!!
Oh and don't forget to apply for your passport if you need a new one. Waiting time is blowing out to over 3 months now.

01/05/2022

18/03/2022

I can help you "take off".

11/03/2022

Time to celebrate!! 🤩🥳💃🍾🍹🎂🎉🎁 I'll be back in the office on Monday. Have a great weekend everyone.

23/02/2022

That moment when you realise life is too short not to travel. I've been booking trips for so many clients over the past month or so. It's fabulous to be doing what I love again and making dreams come true for my clients. The world is your oyster, get out there and explore!!

21/02/2022

If you return to Australia with items you’ve previously claimed a TRS tax refund on, you must now declare these and repay the tax in full. This includes items worth less than the $900 duty-free concession for inbound arrivals.
https://www.executivetraveller.com/news/watch-out-for-this-sneaky-change-to-the-tourist-refund-scheme?fbclid=IwAR0jyWEIPZYrGfZRi9sGJkHZo2YuIxLd2HTmXzKq6fYzVVDz0t1I0Wlq2Kc

The Government has quietly closed a loophole in the TRS airport rebate program, and travellers will pay the price.

18/02/2022

GREAT NEWS!!! From 21 Feb 2359 hrs (SGT), passengers transiting through Singapore will not be required to take a pre-departure test.
https://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/singapore-removes-transit-testing/?fbclid=IwAR2g5AK1R9zrEUaz5pAmoHua3bz-X0FnQhmp4qVCwPQleMWO0aP23FSHMi8

Passengers travelling via Singapore in international transit will no longer need a pre-flight COVID-19 test from 22 February 2022.

04/02/2022

Emirates have just updated their transit requirements through Dubai for passengers travelling ex UK. All PCR testing requirements removed for all pax irrevlant of where travel commences. Destination requirements still in place but no requirement for PCR to transit Dubai. As of 1503 GMT 4 FEB
https://www.emirates.com/uk/english/help/covid-19/dubai-travel-requirements/tourists/

Read our detailed travel requirements for Dubai tourists travelling to and from Dubai during COVID-19.