30/11/2024
AS THE WORLD TURNS, The week in Travel ...
Give the gift of a Disney Cruise this Christmas - on now: Black Friday % off cruise sale. We will be experiencing the MAGIC of Disney in late January as she ends her 24/25 cruise season. She will be back though 25/26 and beyond! Stay tuned in Jan for some Disney spam!
Etihad Airways offers Aussie travellers a fast track to Gold Status, with an exclusive status match program
ATIA's Dean Long announced as World Travel Agents Associations Vice Chair
Disney debuts new ship Disney Treasure in glitzy NYC ceremony
Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas arrives in Singapore for Asian debut
Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara should be on your next Qatar Stopover
Cruise Whitsundays continues partnership with Hamilton Island, signing 10-year deal
MSC World America unveils a plethora of stateroom options
Journey Beyond investing into Cruise Whitsundays
IATA slams Spanish government over multi-million fines imposed on airlines for cabin baggage and seat selection fees
Record sales for Club Med’s summer 2025 season
Sad news: ‘A prolific contributor’ – Tourism Australia mourns the sudden loss of ex-CMO Lisa Ronson after an ATV accident on her farm. She was the Chris Hemsworth Tourism Australia era.
Royal Caribbean plans to build first Royal Beach Club on Aussie doorstep
Over 55s travel trends: Maldives hot, Cook Islands not
Webjet Group reports slump in bookings year-on-year, cites ‘slow’ economy
Longer visits! China doubles visa-free stay period for Australian travellers
Expedition line Albatros joins CLIA in Australia
Princess partners with Kylie Minogue's new drinks line
Heritage Line finishes makeover of its Violet ship
The irony! Ten pound poms now need to pay ten pounds to enter the UK. Registrations open: UK’s ETA launches soon - Heading to the UK next year? Get ready to add one more thing to your checklist. You can now register for the UK ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation), to be introduced on 8 January 2025. “Australians who don’t currently need a visa for short stays or don’t already have a UK immigration status will need an ETA to travel to the UK,” states the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
According to DFAT, “an ETA permits multiple visits to the UK for stays of up to 6 months at a time over 2 years or until the holder’s passport expires, whichever is sooner”.
The cost of the UK ETA is £10 (around AU$20).
Qantas welcomes findings on slot use at Sydney
Celestyal Discovery debut and F1 race mark busiest week in Qatar, since 2022 World Cup
New in Disneyland Resort: A first look at Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
Hurtigruten ranks top in sustainability report - The company is positioned number one in Friends of the Earth’s 2024 Cruise Ship Report Card
The ACCC had accused Webjet Group Limited of breaching Australian Consumer Law when it allegedly made statements on its app, in marketing emails, on social media and on its website about the minimum price of airfares, which omitted compulsory fees charged by the business. "A statement about the lowest price must be a true minimum price, not a price subject to WebJet further fees and charges before a booking can be made,” ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said
Windstar launches Canada 2026 season with new ports
On Wednesday, Qantas unveiled a major update to how travel agents will access fares, with a new distribution model to launch in mid-2025. Qantas says the rollout of the New Distribution Capability (NDC) will bring significant benefits for agents and consumers alike. But many travel advisors aren’t convinced! Here’s a snapshot of what they said:
“I would love to support our national carrier however the hoops I need to jump through when THEY change something is time needed elsewhere.”
“I have spent collectively over 6 hours the past week (4 hours of that was on hold) trying to get a reasonable fare assessment
Many travel agents no longer book Qantas due to all the hoops they request agents jump through and further add:
“The most user-unfriendly system ever”
“Only ever benefits the airline not the agent”
Jetstar unveils new uniform and Australian-first A320neo jet
394% growth: How Intrepid Travel became Australia’s second-fastest growing company
Emirates takes delivery of its first new aircraft type in 16 years
South Korea rises as a must-visit for 2025. Wendy Wu Tours has reported a surge in interest and bookings to the destination already
Hurtigruten has been acquired by a consortium of existing investors, who have pledged to contribute hundreds of millions into the cruise line
Cruise Month October drives a surge in consumer engagement
Great news! And the longest time in the making (previously blocked by the Government/Qantas) – ACCC has granted interim approval on the Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways codeshare partnership to commence selling 28 weekly return flights between Doha and Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney
More great news… Slot reform to punish airline misbehaviour passes Senate. Unfortunately the reform too late for Bonza and Rex. Lets hope it helps the next airline startup from being bullied by our major carriers
Madame Tussauds Sydney honours the Irwin’s with new figures of Steve and Robert
Aviation’s answer to Shark Tank? Emirates hosts three-city pilot recruitment show
More Black Friday Offers (updated from the last two weeks):
- Insight Vacations offers 30% off deals for Black Friday
- Air New Zealand Black Friday on now
- United Airlines On Sale – LA from 1,337.00 per person
- Qantas LA from 1,199 / 7,599 per person, JFK from 1,699 / $8,699, Tokyo from $1,149 / $5,299, Auckland from $559 / $1,199
- Fiji Airways Pacific on sale – from 298 per person + tax ex Sydney
- Virgin Australia - SYD to Byron - $112 return, SYD to Fiji - $619 return, MEL to Bali - $611 return
- Qatar Airways fares from SYD - London from $1,156, Rome from $998, Paris from $1,083
- Singapore Airlines Mega Sale – Paris from 1,255/1,433 per person, Asia from 442 / 621 per person
- Europe Holidays 10% Off Early Bird Bookings to Spain & Portugal
- Exciting New Adventures with Coral Expeditions - enjoy up to 50% off selected voyages when booking from 29th November to 2nd December 2024
- Outback Spirit Black Friday offer includes a ‘fly free’
• Save 30% off select 2025 sailings with Uniworld, plus their 12 days of Christmas offers have started
• Intrepid launches Cyber Sale with up to 20% off
• sail with Azamara with up to $6,000 off staterooms & USD$750 OBC
• up to 25% on all worldwide tours during Collette’s Black Friday Sale
• up to 50% off Outrigger resort stays
• Celestyal offers seven-night cruises from $579 in Black Friday deal
• Princess Cruises - Enjoy free 3rd and 4th guests and a low $99 deposit per person! This offer is available from 27 November to 03 December 2024
• Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours - Gold is the new black with Scenic! Enjoy incredible savings on a variety of offers when you book by 06 December 2024
• Avalon Waterways - Book before 13 December 2024 to save up to $9,000 per couple on select 2024 and 2025 cruises
• Entire Travel Group - Save $3,150 per couple when you book by 05 December 2024 on the Rocky Mountaineer and experience four stunning North American rail routes!
• Aurora Expeditions Black Friday Savings are available from 18 November - 3 December 2024, giving expeditioners two weeks to lock in savings up to US$6,000pp*! T&Cs apply
• Book MSC Cruises by 2 December 2024 and get up to 25% EXTRA OFF select 2025 cruises—on top of the Seasational Sale discounts! Plus, up to $1000 onboard credit per cabin
• Celebrity Cruises offers 75% off second guest + up to $600 stateroom savings new bookings
• NCL drops 2024 Black Friday Sale with up to 50% off all cruises - bookings made from 15 November – 3 December 2024
• Heritage Expeditions Black Friday sale savings for new bookings booked by 6th December
• ANZCRO Black Friday Savings – on now, Scenic Tours also on until 6th December
• Emerald Cruises - Save up to $3,350 per person on our selection of 2025 Black Friday gems sailing through Central Europe, Southeast Asia, or the Mediterranean. Sale ends 13th Dec
• Save up to 50% with Chimu's Black Friday Deals! These limited-time specials to Antarctica, South America, the Arctic and the Sub-Antarctic Islands are hot off the press!
• 'Sale Away' with Silversea's most generous offer ever inviting you to save up to A$10,000 per suite* on more than 550 worldwide Ocean and Expedition voyages
• Witness the Northern Lights or the awe-inspiring beauty of the Midnight Sun at a price that’s just as amazing. Or as the locals would say... ‘‘Spektakulært!’ Via Hurtigruten’s (up to 50% off sale) - offers extended
• Save $300 per couple on ALL 2025 Cosmos tours* booked with us by 9 December
• Wendy Wu tours unmissable offers end 2 December 2024
• A huge 25% off all Titan tours
• On the go tours - Biggest Ever Black Friday Offers – 2 for 1 limited time only
• Globus Tours until 9th December - Save up to $800 per couple on all 2025 tours of 7+ days
• Virgin Voyages have launched a Black Friday deal offering 40% off all voyages including the company’s newest itineraries and up to $455 in free drinks. The special deal is available to book from now until December 3 on all voyages through to 2026
• Oceania Cruises Sale with cabin upgrades, Choice of either UNLIMITED WINE, BEER, SPIRITS OR Shipboard Credit up to $1,000 on until December 11th
For all the details and to book, contact TravLin Travel -
📞:0415355851, ✉️:[email protected]
🧳🌎✈️⚓️🚂🚙😎👌
