The Auckland weather came to the party after a damp morning for yesterday afternoon’s Travel Industry Bowls, with 12 teams competing in 30-minute bursts and some individual prizes going too. The first winner of the day was the Broken Mash team, who took out a $50 bar tab for being best dressed.

Organised and sponsored by Skal Auckland, the tournament included lunch and prize giving. The event was held at West End Bowling Club. Major prizes included stays at Park Hyatt and a trip with KiwiRail.

• Best dressed… Sally Brasell, Peter... Best dressed… Sally Brasell, Peter...
• Mighty Mentors meet Vikings …... Mighty Mentors meet Vikings …...
• Burglars and Butchers…. Tim Butcher,... Burglars and Butchers…. Tim Butcher,...
• Skip meet skip… Pail Hailes,... Skip meet skip… Pail Hailes,...
• Not playing but looking flash…... Not playing but looking flash…...
• Winning the Lloyd Tremain cup... Winning the Lloyd Tremain cup...
• Taking out second place: Burglars... Taking out second place: Burglars...
• Taking out the winning 'silverware'... Taking out the winning 'silverware'...
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Strong interest in the new Park Hyatt Auckland as a venue added to the strong turn out at yesterday ‘travel and tourism lunch with friends’, SKAL Auckland’s monthly function. But there was also an obvious desire for travel industry people to catch up again after a trying couple of months in the city.

President Michael Shah says the 50 available spots sold out in record time, with 21 guests joining the contingent of SKAL members. ‘We had a waiting list very early on,’ says Shah.

The occasion included the opportunity to look around the hotel, which opened with last month with views over the viaduct and back towards the CBD.

• Anna Black, General Travel; Danny... Anna Black, General Travel; Danny...
• Young Skal member Alba Kamberi... Young Skal member Alba Kamberi...
• Alan Wilcock, Oceania Cruises; Rachel... Alan Wilcock, Oceania Cruises; Rachel...
• Jo Saunderson, Innovative Travel; Marija... Jo Saunderson, Innovative Travel; Marija...
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A New Zealand travel and tourism industry tradition will return this year, with the Auckland Skal bowling tournament scheduled for Thursday 3 December.

It was a Skal lunch to suit the Covid times yesterday – good networking and tasty traditional food at Matamata Memorial RSA, but planned to suit a budget. The venue also meant Skaleagues from Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty could all meet at one place. The day included raffles, a two course meal and cash bar (all at RSA prices), with sponsored transport from Auckland, with Hallmark, for those who wanted it.

• Auckland Skal club president Michael... Auckland Skal club president Michael...
• Jo Saunderson, Ifnnovative Travel and... Jo Saunderson, Ifnnovative Travel and...
• Richard Froggatt and Gay Wood,... Richard Froggatt and Gay Wood,...
• Megan Singleton, Blogger at Large... Megan Singleton, Blogger at Large...
• David Boyce, Mondo Travel, Anna... David Boyce, Mondo Travel, Anna...
• Debbie Summers, ID Tours and... Debbie Summers, ID Tours and...
• Sally Attfield, Skal NZ president;... Sally Attfield, Skal NZ president;...
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It was less formal and possibly a bit more subdued than usual, but at least SKAL Auckland found a bit of normality with a catch up at The Good George bar at North Wharf late last week.

About 20 members of the travel fellowship and friendship organisation shared Covid lockdown stories and talked about what the future has to hold.

• Gaye Wood, Regency Tourism; Megan... Gaye Wood, Regency Tourism; Megan...
• Anmole Gulati, Park Hyatt Auckland;... Anmole Gulati, Park Hyatt Auckland;...
• Richard Froggatt, Regency Tourism; Tony... Richard Froggatt, Regency Tourism; Tony...
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Popular Mission Bay restaurant, Mamma Mia was the venue for Skal International Auckland’s annual Italian lunch last week.

More consultation and work between the travel and tourism industries and educators is necessary to make real change in the teaching of the subject in schools – and in the perception people hold towards travel and tourism as a career path, the SKAL Auckland club heard yesterday.

Memphis and Nashville are two destinations that agents should be promoting to clients who have already done the West Coast and major cities in the United States, Consul General Melanie Higgins told SKAL Auckland yesterday.

But when it comes to a place a little more off the beaten Kiwi track, Savannah, Georgia comes up tops for the diplomat.

Higgins was a guest speaker at the SKAL Auckland lunch, which had a 4^th of July theme, despite being held a couple of days later.

Skal International Christchurch is hosting it’s first charity event for Māia Health Foundation.
Taking place on Bastille Day this Mid Winter Charity Dine and Dance will have a touch of the red, white and blue.
Christchurch Club president, Bruce Garrett says the club felt it was time to have a fun evening of wining, dining and dancing.

Christchurch Skal opened its arms to new members during a luncheon yesterday.
The fresh faces are Cathy Hemsworth from Luxury Touring Lake Tekapo and Avonmore Tertiary Academy’s Juliet Chilton. The lunch, hosted by Mantra’s Graeme Back at the BreakFree on Cashel, had an ANZAC Day theme. Vic Allen, CEO of Christchurch and Canterbury Tourism and Tom Hooper, CEO of Canterbury Development Corporation talk,
attended the event. They discussed the merger of the two organisations into a single entity called ChristchurchNZ Ltd.

• Vic Allen, Tom Hooper and... Vic Allen, Tom Hooper and...
• Skal Christchurch President Bruce Garrett... Skal Christchurch President Bruce Garrett...
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