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FTG event wraps up, high achievers lauded
First Travel Group’s 2026 frontliners’ conference wrapped up on Saturday night with a gala dinner and awards at the Grand Millennium Auckland.
Earlier in proceedings, FTG’s general manager John Willson told member delegates to firmly believe that they are the best at what they do. ‘If you believe that you will be.
‘Tonight we celebrate the work you do every day – that work matters and you deserve recognition.’
Major awards included: Supplier of the Year, Viking; Broker Excellence Award 2026, Jane Hanson, YOU Travel & Cruise Bethlehem; Aspiring Consultant Award 2026, Olivia Harter, YOU Travel & Cruise Orewa; Cruise Excellence Award 2026, Lydia Haydon, YOU Travel & Cruise Bethlehem; Top supporter Award for 2026, dual winners – Sandra Rasmussen, YOU Travel & Cruise Bethlehem and Steph Dale, YOU Travel & Cruise Mairangi Bay; Travel Advisor Excellence Award 2026, Morgan Wright, Pukekohe Travel; Manager Excellence Award 2026, Monett Johnston, YOU Travel & Cruise Whitianga; Agency Excellence Award 2026, YOU Travel & Cruise Orewa.
First Travel Group’s John Willson, Kim Beere and Amy Davidson at the FTG Hive Conference’s supplier appreciation evening at Grand Millennium Auckland on Friday
Kellie Mackenzie, Scenic and Emerald Cruises; Vanessa Fornell, Belinda Wilson, both Pukekohe Travel
Kim Hoogstraten, Jane Hanson, YOU Travel & Cruise Bethlehem; Matt Jenkins, Paige Myocevich, Air New Zealand
Olivia Harter (who was later awarded Aspiring Consultant 2026), Celise Reed, both YOU Travel & Cruise Orewa; Sue Pearce, Zest4Travel
Samantha Martin, Wendy Wu Tours; Jeremy Shanahan, YOU Travel & Cruise Takapuna; Jenny Galliven, Zest4Travel
Derren Mcaneaney, YOU Travel & Cruise Mairangi Bay; Sarah Hunter, GO Holidays; Sarah Peck, YOU Travel & Cruise Napier
Michelle Denysschen, Total Holiday Options; Sian Loh, YOU Travel & Cruise Bethlehem; Anita Thomas, THO Erin Graham, Zest4Travel Dunedin
Steve Parker (third from left), Viking; with Frazer Best, Kiri Best and Jacqui Quilliam, all Best Travel & Cruise (Viking was named Supplier of the Year at the awards function)
Out at about at Cruise360
We snapped a few delegates out and about at Cruise360 in Sydney last week.
Caroline Edwards, YOU Travel & Cruise Bethlehem; Mandy Herd, YOU Travel & Cruise Orewa; Kathryn Manihera, Fortis Travel; Kiri Martin, YOU Travel & Cruise Orewa; Monett Johnston, YOU Travel & Cruise Whitianga
Astrid Richardson, Envoyage Australia; Andrew Bowman, Guy Flynn, both NZ Travel Brokers; Danielle Galloway, Flight Centre Travel Group
Kelly-Ann Thomas, House of Travel Lower Hutt; Anji Montgomerie, Regent Seven Seas Cruises; Fay Atkins, House of Travel Wellington City
At the Crusie360 cocktail event in Doltone House… Julia Hindman (centre), Flight Centre NZ, with Rachel Harrigan and Lauren McAlpine, both Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
At Cruise360 last week – Steve Labroski, itravel Australia; Steve Richards, AmaWaterways; Jeff Leckey, House of Travel
Annabelle Brown, Alan Wilcock, both PONANT Explorations; Richard Fletcher, Fine Travel
The Walshe Group Marks 50 Years with Team Celebration
The Walshe Group recently brought together over 60 employees in Fremantle, Western Australia for a team-wide celebration marking the organisation’s 50th anniversary.
Founded in 1976 by Rodney Walshe, The Walshe Group has grown into New Zealand’s largest specialist aviation and destination representation company. ‘Shared Success’ was the weekend’s theme, reflecting on the people, partners, and relationships that have shaped
The Walshe Group over five decades.
The weekend brought together team members from across the company’s international network in Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the Philippines, including the team from sister company Southern Travelnet.
The second panel conference takes on the topic of ‘The Next 50 Years of Travel’
Cheers to the next 50 years!
The Southern Travelnet team from Australia, New Zealand and Japan
The Walshe Group destination team
Exploring Rottnest Island by bike
Jacqui Walshe marks 50 years of The Walshe Group
The team took on photo challenges during a treasure hunt around Fremantle
The Walshe Group Leadership Team and special guest Michael Hall, South African Airways
Nigel Bale, Lufthansa Group’s GM and board member Dave Simmons at the panel discussions
Another photo challenge at the famous public art installation Absorbed by Light
Team New Zealand
Updates, welcomes, farewells and appreciation at World Travellers event
Updates on TVNZ Breakfast plans from GM marketing Gordy Bayne and an overview of the company by chair Wendy van Leishout were among the highlights on a busy programme at World Travellers’ Partner Appreciation event on Wednesday night.
The function at Advieh Restaurant in InterContinental Auckland also served as a welcome for new GM Jodie Burnard and farewell to former general manager Dave Nicholson. In amongst that there was still plenty of time to enjoy some of the especially prepared food and beverage and some lively networking.
Dave Nicholson, former GM World Travellers; Selina McGowan, Cover-More; Tori Courtney, World Travellers Board; Jodie Burnard, GM World Travellers; Will Ashcroft, Cover-More
Karl Bradford, Malaysia Airlines; Peri McCardle, Canuckiwi; Chris Ingram, Memphis Tourism; Karen McCardle, Canuckiwi
Becs Laker, World Travellers Navigators; Rachel Williams, Viva Expeditions; David Wallace, Allianz
Jodie Burnard (centre), World Travellers; with Tourism Fiji’s Ana McKearney and James Leslie
Kristy Wei, Infinity Holidays; Melissa Brooks, Destination New South Wales; Angela Webber, Globus family of brands
Emily Rose, Qantas; Dan Wright, Tourism Australia; Sam Cameron, Destination New South Wales
Kim du Plessis, G Adventures; Jen Staples, Flight Centre Travel Group; Jo Rendell, Infinity
Leanne Cheesman, United Airlines; Gordy Bayne, World Travellers; Paula Kerr, Singapore Airlines
Joelle Talbot, Fortis Travel; Wendy van Lieshout, World Travellers; Elaine Patton, Luxury Escapes
Envoyage hands out awards on big night
Individual member of the year Lynaire Monnery with New Zealand manager Jason Buckley (Photo: Charlie Conybeare)
The two Galloways (who may or may not be related)… Robyn and Dani
Like your jackets… Miles Turner, Envoyage; Frank Gibbons, Air New Zealand
Co-champion 2026 Bryce Read (centre) with Jason Buckley and Natasha Crowle
Viking Sprit Award winner Kelly Bowater with Viking’s Steve Parker (Photo: Charlie Conybeare)
PONANT Spirit of Exploration award winners Tori Keating and Claire Thomas with PONA NT’s Alan Wilcock (Photo: Charlie Conybeare)
High Flyers line-up (Photo: Charlie Conybeare)
Chelsea Fowler (fifth from left), Singapore Airlines with the multi award winning team from xtravel (Photo: Charlie Conybeare)
Envoyage New Zealand celebrated its high achievers at a gala dinner and awards night in the Playford Hotel, Adelaide on Saturday night. Lynnaire Monnery and xtravel among the big winners at the event.
Monnery was named (among other achievements) as Individual Member of the Year, while multi award winning team xtravel earned the Division of the Year title, Brooker Travel Dunedin won Agency Member of the Year, and Branch of the Year was Travel Professionals.
Sarah Rogers and Bryce Read were both recognised as Brand Champions while Travel Collective picked up Marketing Excellence in Brand Building. Kelly Bowater, another regular on stage, was named Cruise Member of the Year while Lesley McLeod won Tour Member, Peter Cox of Travel Encounters picked up Niche Focus of the Year and Richard Brewer was Travel Entrepreneur of 2026. Tanya Chaffey, Beoyond the Bazaar was named Emerging Entrepreneur, and Hiromi Sone, Head Office Support Team Member.
As is now customary at the Envoyage awards, highlights included the naming of the brand’s All Stars and Icons as well as recognising high achievers and high-flyers along with partner award recipients.
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Agents lap up the lowdown on QF highlights
Agents were given plenty of information at the Qantas information sessions around New Zealand last week including the news that the airline is bringing back its Qantas agency support by phone in New Zealand. The 5% commission bonus on NDC bookings, announced last week, was also highlighted.
Rebecca Slee, QF’s senior manager sales, says that she felt humbled by the turnout – over 200 agents total in two Auckland sessions, 40 in Queenstown and 80 in each of Christchurch and Wellington.
‘The engagement is really high, people want to be here and a lot of them have been coming early.’
Presenters emphasised Project Sunrise, which will see the new A350 connecting Sydney and London non-stop from October 2027. They also reiterated messages around the Boeing 787 service to Las Vegas, three times weekly between 29 December and 12 March, and various ways to get to Europe with Qantas via Perth, Singapore or the USA.
From the ‘interesting fact’ department came the reminder of clients’ ability to connect through DFW (with QF through SYD and MEL or direct from AKL seasonally with oneworld partner Amercian Arlines) and have the ability to check bags all the way through to UK/Europe.
‘Flying international to international through DFW clients do not need to collect their bags in the (US) airport. That’s a game changer,’ says Koby Jonas, national account manager.
Ettie Shany Robinson, Travel Managers; Rebecca Slee, Qantas; Sarah Grut, Wanderlust Travel Experts
Planet Earth team members at the QF update… Victoria Vital, Janet Joe, Edith Carpenter, Peter Carpenter, Cora Sitchon, Sheena Cabrera
Shirley Taylor, Taylor Made Travel; Katie Meek, Qantas; Alison Sharp, Travel Managers
Koby Jonas, Qantas; Sylvia Liang, Worldwide Holidays; Camille Patel, xtravel
The ballet with Viking
Agents and their ‘plus-ones’ were among the audience when Viking hosted a group to the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s Winter Season production in Auckland, a triple bill exploring the past, present and future.
The event, on Thursday night, reinforced Viking’s partnership with RNZB and its commitment to culturally enriching experiences.
Guests had an hour of networking over canapés and drinks in the Aotea Centre’s Circle Bar before settling in to the Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre for the performance.
Steve Parker, Viking; Vanessa Parker, House of Travel; Gerard Murphy, Bon Voyage Cruises & Travel
Steve Parker, Viking, Dave Fordyce, House of Travel; Michelle Black, Viking; Debbie Summers, ID Tours; John Willson, First Travel Group
Cath McLeod, Wanderlust Travel Experts; Steve Parker, Viking
Ambassadors and positive World Cup vibes at Brand USA events
Agents around the North Island have had their knowledge of the USA tested (in a fun way) this week while also hearing more about Brand USA’s Ambassador programme and gaining an insight into some key locations.
Brand USA hosted trivia quiz events in Auckland and Hamilton, plus a breakfast club get-together in Tauranga this week.
Lexie Miliatis, trade manager ANZ for Brand USA says the response to all three functions was enthusiastic.
‘The World Cup has been great and it gave people the chance to see some of the authentic and special experiences that the US can provide. We’ve had a lot of positive vibes out of that.’
Miliatis emphasised the Get Facts Get Going resource that trade can use to provide accurate and up to date information about entering the United States to the their clients.
‘I think there are clear opportunities when it comes to rebuilding visitation to the USA from New Zealand. Of course the dollar (exchange rate) will be a challenge but the US delivers for clients in so many ways and there are special life-changing experiences to be had.’
Four of New Zealand’s eight new Brand USA Ambassadors were at the Auckland trivia event on Wednesday as were Kiwi representatives from Anaheim, Memphis, Hawaii, Grapevine, Washington DC and Utah as well as Qantas.
New Brand USA Ambassador Swapnil Bhate, Flight Centre LynnMall; Koby Jonas, Qantas; Marilo Harpley, Flight Centre LynnMall; Aaron Brako, Flight Centre St Lukes
Darragh Walshe, Hawaii Tourism; Peri McCardle, Destination DC/Grapevine Texas; Lexie Miliatis, Brand USA
Jessica Oswald, Holly Cliff, Zoe Faldo, all House of Travel Auckland City
Karen McCardle, representing Utah; Brand USA Ambassador Kimberley McCormick, House of Travel Botany Junction
Travel industry joins US birthday celebration
Members of the travel industry were amongst the guests at last night’s 2026 US Independence Day reception at Hilton Auckland, hosted by US Embassy & Consulate in New Zealand.
Speakers emphasised the close bonds between the two countries, sang a waiata (Take me Home Country Rd in both Te Reo and English), enjoyed a few drinks and nibbles and mixed and mingled with some ‘time travelling’ celebrities.
Lisa Linn, Visit Anaheim, George Washington, Leanne Cheesman, United Airlines
Janet Coulthart, commercial specialist at the US Embassy in Wellington; Karen McCardle, Corey Marshall, both Canuckiwi
Alison Hopkirk and Steve Tanner of Delta Air Lines with Abraham Lincoln
