Southern World Vacations

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Southern World Vacations

Premier inbound tourism operator for Australia, New Zealand and Fiji Islands
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Southern World is a highly regarded and industry recognised provider of a wide range of inbound services across the three major South Pacific destinations. Our dedication to service and quality is combined with destination knowledge second to none. The Southern World team are carefully selected for their destination passion, product knowledge and industry experience, with on-going training and edu

cational style famils to ensure the full team keep pace with changing quality and new opportunities within the market. We are proud to have a focused and loyal team who take pride in using their wealth of knowledge to showcase the best of their country and ensure your clients have an unforgettable South Pacific experience. Southern World's dedicated Customer Service Managers ensure superior levels of customer support and welfare whilst in destination. We spend the time to ensure your clients feel welcomed and have the facilities available to contact any of our offices 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days of the year should the need arise. Southern World does not promote services direct to the consumer, our focus is support to travel industry partners through a full range of ground services and products, with 24 hours personalised service to ensure complete satisfaction for their travelling clients. Southern World is privately owned with all company directors involved and working in the business on a daily basis. We remain one of the very few commonly owned and branded Inbound Tour Operators that have full service operations in New Zealand, Australia and Fiji as well as Sales Teams in North American and UK/Europe. We are full members and active participants in our respective inbound associations and have representatives on the Australia & New Zealand national boards.

08/11/2024

While the Humpridge Track has made waves as New Zealand’s newest Great Walk, have you heard about the Hollyford Wilderness Experience? Nestled in Fiordland National Park, the Hollyford is a team favourite—a top multi-day guided walk that offers an unmatched blend of rugged beauty, rich Māori heritage, and pristine wilderness.

This 4-day, 3-night guided journey through the Hollyford Valley is ideal for clients seeking a unique, immersive experience. The track leads through ancient forests, along glacier-fed rivers, and out to the stunning coastline of Martins Bay. With experienced guides, cozy accommodations, and hearty meals, this all-inclusive adventure provides a true wilderness experience with a touch of luxury. Plus, new hot tubs at Waitai Lodge offer the perfect way to unwind after a day of tramping! Alongside breathtaking tramping trails, clients will also enjoy a thrilling jet boat ride and a scenic helicopter flight over Milford Sound.

With group sizes capped at 16 (compared to 50 on the Milford Track), guests can expect a more intimate, personalized adventure. There’s still space available this summer—reach out to learn more about why the Hollyford is the perfect choice for nature lovers, history enthusiasts, and thrill-seekers!

29/10/2024

Proudly supported by Destination NSW, Belgian surrealist René Magritte (1898–1967) has taken centre stage at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. David and Sian attended the official opening last Friday, which is exclusive to Sydney. Magritte features more than 100 works mainly from private collections, with the majority never been seen in Australia. It journeys from the artist’s first avant-garde explorations and commercial works in the 1920’s, to his groundbreaking contributions to surrealism, his surprising provocations of the 1940’s, and the renowned paintings of his final years, before his death in 1967. The amazing collection of works is showing until Sunday 9 February 2025. Contact our Reservations Team for more information.

17/10/2024

David and Sian recently stayed at the stunning 5 star adults only located just 20 minutes from Adelaide and only 30 minutes from Adelaide Airport.

The Lodge sits on the side of Mount Lofty, high above the Piccadilly Valley in the Adelaide Hills, and has been designed as a private sanctuary with many exclusive amenities and bespoke onsite and personalised offsite activities. Part of the Lodge’s philosophy is to connect you with the land and its people through a range of intimate and curated on-site experiences that are included in your stay. As part of these daily and seasonally changing experiences, guests can listen to ancient dreamtime stories, savour and learn from artisan winemakers, enjoy a sunrise yoga session or join a guided nature walk of the Mount Lofty Botanic Garden, or simply sit back and relax in one of our artesian spring-fed hot pools overlooking the breathtaking Piccadilly Valley.

The 14 suites curve graciously along the ridgeline and have been brought to life by local suppliers, craftsmen and artisans, creating a tranquil oasis with a calming colour palette punctuated by warm accents of wood and stone. They exude a refined elegance with a sunken lounge room with stone-clad gas fireplace, and an East facing panoramic balcony with expansive daybed, perfect for a allowing the 180-degree valley views to take centre stage.

The three chef’s hatted Fine Dining Restaurant, Hardy’s Verandah, is less than a 100 metres stroll from the guests suites. David and Sian indulgenced in the degustation menu and explored the wines from the Adelaide Hills, Barossa and McLaren Vale wine regions, curated by the in-house Sommelier. Afterall, nowhere else in the world are there four world-class wine regions found within a 50 kilometre radius.

This is a property that should be in your client’s itineraries, when they are visiting South Australia.

09/10/2024

In September, one of our Destination Specialist’s Olivia, was fortunate enough to partake in the West Coast Little Luxuries Famil hosted by Development West Coast. The week began with a hosted dinner at The George hotel in Christchurch, a good opportunity for the group to get to know one another before the hectic week ahead! They visited properties and key stops throughout the week: Punakaiki, Hokitika, Greymouth, Franz Josef, Fox Glacier and Haast. The true nature of the West Coast put on a show for the group as they were immersed in the untamed weather of the rainforest; rain, sun, wind, rainbows and snow.

03/10/2024

In case you missed The Kelly Clarkson Show last week, something BIG is opening in Bluey's home town of Visit Brisbane in November! Wackadoo!

The voice of Bluey's Mum Chilli, Melanie Zanetti, has been shouting it from the rooftops of New York !

24/09/2024

The Auckland office has been busy the last couple of weeks with hotel site inspections. Pictured at Nesuto Stadium: Rie, Sherry, Nathan, Yaelle and Sue.

The groups department also had a site visit at JW Marriott, pictured: Ange, Ian and Manuela.

Meanwhile over in Chicago Pete and Aidan welcomed some Kiwi RTO’s (Regional Tourism Organizations) for a visit!

18/09/2024

The Southern World Sydney office has been out and about recently undertaking a hosted breakfast site inspection at Swissotel Sydney. This 5 star property is located in the heart of Sydney’s city centre, surrounded by the city’s finest shopping destinations, the Queen Victoria Building and the State Theatre as well as being a short distance from the Light rail Station. The 369 guest rooms are generous in size, with large windows to let in the natural light, blackout curtains and optimal sound-proofing.

12/09/2024

Last week, Sherry one of our Destination Specialists in our Auckland office embarked on an unforgettable journey through the Top of The South Famil, exploring five breathtaking regions—West Coast, Nelson Tasman, Marlborough, Kaikoura, and Hurunui. The adventure began with a scenic ride aboard the TranzAlpine, where the stunning views and irresistable food set the tone. Along the Pounamu Pathway, she immersed herself in the rich Māori culture. The next day she travelled to Abel Tasman. As the morning sun rose over the Tasman, Sherry and the famil group paddled a waka, sharing in the ocean’s ancient rhythms. In Picton, the magic continued aboard the Lady Ann Cruise, where playful dolphins danced beside the boat and amazing views along Queens Charlotte Track. But Kaikoura truly stole Sherry’s heart—with exhilarating ziplines that made her feel like a bird soaring through mountain skies, and the awe-inspiring sight of majestic s***m whales from above, it was a journey that left her breathless and deeply connected to nature’s wonders.

09/09/2024

Last Thursday, our Auckland team had the opportunity to explore a few properties in the wider regions of Auckland. Kicking off the day with a visit to the Rewarewa PurePod in Helensville, a stunning off-grid eco-luxury experience surrounded by native bush and overlooking the Kaipara Harbour in the distance. Next, they headed to Te Arai Links, a world-class golf destination offering breathtaking coastal views. Featuring luxury suites along with two-bedroom cottages, providing premium accommodations nestled into the oceanfront dunes. Their last stop was Takatu Lodge & Vineyard in Matakana, a charming boutique stay on a working vineyard. Feeling inspired? Reach out to our team for all the details on these properties!

06/09/2024

hosted 5 of the Southern World Australia Team last weekend on a fantastic famil of our nation’s capital.

Lots of surprises and delights were had, including a Walk in Country at the National Arboretum, lunch by the lake at The Marion, truffle hunting followed by a degustation lunch at The Truffle Farm, the Cultural Attractions of Australia Signature Experiences at the Australian War Memorial and Australian Parliament House, a walking tour of Canberra’s hidden history with She Shapes History, and exploring a few cellar doors with the Canberra Wine District.

28/08/2024

From snowy peaks to cityscapes and tranquil waters, our NZ team has had a winter full of adventures! As we say goodbye to winter and embrace the warmth of spring, check out these stunning sunrise shots a few members of our team took from across New Zealand. Can you guess where each photo was taken? Looking forward to the exciting summer season ahead!

15/08/2024

Andrea, our product executive in the New Zealand office was down in Invercargill last week for the annual TECNZ conference. After the conference she had an opportunity to attend a post famil on Rakiura/Stewart Island with RealNZ. Experiencing kiwis in the wild, marvelling at the stunning night sky, enjoying local fish and chips, explored on the village and bays tour and got a sneak peak of the upcoming Guided Wilderness Walk coming in December with a special welcome at Oneke. RealNZ’s dedication to highlighting the natural beauty and uniqueness of Stewart Island is truly inspiring. If Stewart Island isn't yet on your radar for off-the-beaten-path destinations in New Zealand, it should be. With direct flights from Auckland, Christchurch, and Wellington to Invercargill, it's more accessible than you might think. From Invercargill, you can reach Stewart Island/Rakiura either by a quick 20-minute flight or a short one-hour ferry ride from Bluff.

08/08/2024

While most of Australia slept, Paris 2024 became the most successful Olympic Games in Australian history.

The foundations of Australia’s Paris path to history were laid on Day One when cyclist Grace Brown, delivering Australia’s first-ever gold medal in the Women’s Time Trial.

Pole vaulter Nina Kennedy wrote herself into history last night, as she delivered the record-breaking 18th gold medal in front of a rapturous crowd at the Stade de France. She became Australia’s first-ever gold medal in Women’s Pole Vault and was the only competitor to clear 4.90 metres.

One of the best stories from the swimming pool belonged to Cam McEvoy who clinched his first gold medal at the age of 30 and at his fourth Games. He became the first Australian to ever win gold in the 50 metre Freestyle. Kaylee McKeown also rewrote the record books becoming the first Australian athlete across any sport to win four individual gold medals when she won the 100 metres and 200 metres Backstroke double.

Jess Fox then won the Canoe Slalom Women’s K1 gold medal and by successfully defending her C1 gold medal from Tokyo just days later, the Australia’s Flag Bearer became the most decorated canoe slalom athlete in Olympic history. Jess then watched her sister Noemie win gold on Olympic debut in the Women’s Kayak Cross.

Saya Sakakibara became the first Aussie - male or female - to win a BMX Racing title, clinching gold.

Arisa Trew won Gold, and the hearts of our nation, in the Skateboard Women’s Park with an extraordinary final run. She became Australia’s youngest ever Olympic gold medallist at just 14 years and 86 days.

While we celebrate our Gold, Silver, and Bronze winning athletes, no matter where the Olympic athletes across all nations finish they win our hearts and become role models with their inspirational stories, their dedication to their chosen sport, and the masterclass of what it takes just to compete at this level.

It’s definitely the time for your clients to discover this amazing country !!!!!

02/08/2024

In true Sudima fashion, the sales team at Sudima Hotels rolled out the red carpet for us not on one but two occasions this past week! The SW Auckland team was treated to a hosted lunch by Michel and James at Sudima Auckland City’s East restaurant (next level vegetarian cuisine – highly recommended!) and a few of the team enjoyed a glamorous night out at Sudima’s consultant appreciation event last night with a timely Paris Olympics theme.

Group photo at last week’s team lunch, left to right: Pratishma, Sherry, Andrea, Sue.

25/07/2024

The Southern World Directors gathered in Sydney and on the stunning Hamilton island to plan for the future. With the recent retirement of Trevor Fernandes from our company, Southern World is now owned and operated by Peter Askin, David Armour, Martin Horgan and Tim Reid. These won’t be new names to most of you, but something we really wanted to achieve was having all 4 Directors having ownership across our 3 destinations. So now this is a reality, we feel we are stronger than ever and able to offer more consistency in our service delivery. We have an awesome team in each country who are passionate about creating once in a lifetime itineraries for your clients, so we look forward to working with you to make this a reality.

16/07/2024

Denise, and her fiancee Chris, have been enjoying a well earned holiday in Western Australia. They have ticked off one of their bucket list items…swimming with the Whale Sharks at Ningaloo Reef! Such an amazing experience to enjoy during the whale shark migration (March to August).

28/06/2024

Ruben de la Fuente our Latin Sales Manager has recently being in South America, visiting our partners in Argentina, Brazil and Chile. He provided valuable updates on our B2B reservations system, special events as well as new products and experiences in Australia and New Zealand.

20/06/2024

Last weekend the Australian based team at Southern World enjoyed a staff weekend away at and

The team saw a huge turtle and lots of colourful fish as they snorkelled the Tangalooma Wrecks - such an amazing must do experience! We also got to see which staff member had a bit of a lead foot on the ATV Quad Bikes and a few of the team had some stacks as we attempted to sand toboggan on the Afternoon Desert Safari Tour. A great island for soft adventure experiences and families, so close to Brisbane. It was wonderful to spend time with Chad in this piece of paradise.

Then it was back to Brisbane for a night at

We spent a wonderful Sunday morning with Caelen and Allegra from .com.au on their Brisbane Donuts & Discovery Walking Tour. After a quick bite to eat for lunch in Queen Street Mall, we spent the afternoon with Tim from who showed us around the many fantastic locations he takes our mutual clients to on his private tours.

It was safe to say, we packed a lot in during our quick visit !

For more information on our weekend please reach out to our amazing team !!!

Address

38 Ireland Street
Auckland
1011

Website

http://www.southernworld.com/

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Videos

Rush hour on the West Coast of the South Island… Many of you will remember Geoff Marks from his days at Lake Wanaka Tourism… Geoff recently joined Development West Coast and encountered these Tawaki (Fiordland Crested Penguins) on his commute. You can spot Tawaki at Munro Beach, near Lake Moeraki 30km north of Haast on the West Coast. A walking track leads from Lake Moeraki to the beach, and guided tours are conducted from Wilderness Lodges of New Zealand (the Lake Moeraki property). Tawaki can also be seen at Jackson Bay, further south. The best time of year to see Tawaki is during the breeding season from July to November. They can sometimes be seen during the moulting season from mid-January to early March. Tawaki are very timid, so do not approach birds, nests or areas of beach where penguin tracks are common. Photo/video credit: Geoff Marks

Emma in our New Zealand team made the most of the sunny weather last weekend and headed to Waiheke Island for some zip lining high above the vineyards and ancient forest canopies with stunning views of Auckland and the Hauraki Gulf. Emma’s clip shows a snipped of the full experience. Not only does EcoZip Flying Fox Adventures offer an award winning, adventurous, state-of-the-art flying fox experience (three separate twin cable ziplines allow two people to fly side by side). Conservation is at the heart of their visitor experience and EcoZip Flying Fox Adventures contributes a portion of each visitor fee directly to the preservation and protection of the rainforest beneath their ziplines. Ziplining is followed by a guided nature walk through the said forest with commentary on the its restoration and preservation. A great activity for nature lovers, adventure-seekers, families and couples alike.

Waterfalls in Litchfield National Park, Northern Territory: March 2021

The stunning beauty of waterfalls in Litchfield National Park

Welcoming in the New Year on stunning Sydney Harbour ! 🎉🎉 #NYE #sydney #sydneyharbour #seeaustralia

Great Golf Courses of Australia

Great Golf Courses of Australia, is a collaborative marketing partnership between Tourism Australia and the Golf Industry. Boasting a rich golf tradition, Australia’s spectacular golf tracks include seven courses that are listed in the top 100 in the world, works by acclaimed golf architects – including Dr Alister MacKenzie, Tom Doak, Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw – coastal links courses and the championship routes of the prestigious Melbourne Sandbelt.