Paparazzo
Make it Malaga, trade hears
Malaga, Spain was in the spotlight during a trade function at Park Hyatt Auckland this week.The city’s general director of tourism, Jonathan Gomez says that Malaga is not currently top of mind for New Zealand agents or their clients and Monday’s update was a step towards changing that. He highlights the city as the birthplace of Pablo Picasso, the gateway to Andalucia, home to 30-plus museums, the Silicon Valley of Europe and a key cruise port (among other things).
The Malaga Tourism Board function was held in partnership with Tourspain (Turespana – Spain Tourism Board) and Qatar Airways, which flies into the city as well as into Madrid and Barcelona.
At the function in Park Hyatt Auckland this week…Marta Fernandez, Tourspain; Man Nghi Luong, Aspire Travel Group; Jonathan Gomez, Malaga Tourism Board
Thusan Mudiyanselage, Qatar Airways; Therese Brooking, Walk this Way Travel; Aurelie Schmidt, Brooker Travel; Christopher Paykel, Qatar Airways
Cathy Crawford, Bucketlist Travel; Jill Ryan, Hayley Thompson, both YOU Travel Manly; Michelle Downey, Bucketlist Travel
Bowled over in travel industry event
There was a distinctly Pacific feeling about the top of the leader board at last Friday’s Skål Auckland Delta Air Lines Travel Industry Bowls Tournament. Bula Bowls, a team (mostly) made up of Fiji representatives, took out the top prize, with last year’s winners, Pacific Fliers coming in second. Third spot was taken by a group of tournament stalwarts under the team name Steelballs.
The afternoon started with a Christmas lunch at Pt Chevalier Bowls Club before moving out to the greens for a fun tournament that saw abilities range from ‘never played before’ through to ‘we’re a little bit serious'. As always, everyone took a prize of some sort home and there was plenty of time to network before, during and after the bowling action.
Where’s 360Edge? At the Skal Auckland Delta Air Lines Travel industry Bowls tournament of course. Sally Brasell, Kristin Edgeworth, Stacey Heaphy and Shelley Richdale took out the best dressed team award
That’ll do nicely say tournament winners Ana Mckearney, Sonya Lawson, both Tourism Fiji; Sheryn Ambler, Fiji Airways, Mandy Veale, Skål Auckland committee member
The Island Fliers team put together by Island Time… James Leslie, Fran McDermott, Jonas George, Matt Taylor. The team went on to win second prize after a play-off with Bula Bowls
Niue Coasties team member Sarah Jamison, Travel Associates at home; and Mentee Bowlers Lauren Baclig, ATPI; and Emily Rose, Qantas
Third place getters Steelballs… Paul Leigh, Eurovista; Tony Smith, Tim Butcher, both retired; Adam Butcher, guest
In the shade… Paul Leigh, Eurovista; Isabel Stiehr, Britomart; Brendan Fleming, Hospitality New Zealand
Lunch, gifts and views for Aspire’s Xmas
Aspire Travel Group marked the end of another strong year with its annual Christmas function for brokers and suppliers at Origine in Commercial Bay Auckland on Saturday.
Director Ian Peddie says the company had shown further growth and increased its broker numbers slightly. ‘For us it is really about the quality of our brokers, not quantity,’ he says.
Managing director Man Nghi Luong was on hand to welcome guests and also to help hand out Christmas gifts after the three course lunch.
Alka Thapar, MSC Cruises; Alison Hopkirk, Delta Air Lines; Man Nghi Luong, Aspire Travel Group; Grace Yang, Air New Zealand
Thomas Malgapo (left) and Rob Beecher, both Global Travel Network with Leena Bhikharidas, Aspire Travel Group
ATG brokers Angela Lin, Phuong Ngo, Vivian Wang and Sharon Yee
Sarah Porter, Niue Tourism; Ian Peddie, ATG; Sonia Francis, GTN
Aussie on Tour 224
Australia on Tour wrapped up in Queenstown with about 40 ‘super-engaged’ agents attending the event at QT Hotel. Agents travelled from Dunedin, Invercargill and Wanaka. The roadshow also visited Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, allowing Tourism Australia and its state and territory partners to connect with more 220 travel sellers across the four cities.
‘Working with airline partners, Air New Zealand and Qantas, we were able to give away eight pairs of return tickets to Australia so even more Kiwi agents can see Australia first-hand,’ says a spokesperson from Tourism Australia.
(Earlier coverage page 1 Tuesday 26 November travelmemo.co.nz/memos/20241126.pdf and page 7 Friday 29 November travelmemo.co.nz/memos/20241129.pdf)
At the Auckland event in the Park Hyatt… Jo-Anne Khor, North Shore Business Travel; Melanie Mutch, Tourism Northern Territory; Angelene Haslem, North Shore Business Travel
Tara Baxter, Helloworld; Grace Yang, Air New Zealand; Sincere Wong, Hellworld
At Naumi Hotel, Wellington Adelaida Brooks, Tourism and Events Queensland; Stacey Leitch, NZ Travel Brokers
At the International Antarctic Centre, Christchurch… Sam Cameron, Destination New South Wales; Caitlyn McAuliffe Gardiner, Kaci KLane, both Flight Centre Riccarton
Allianz Christmas get-together
Allianz Partners’ Christmas function at Wynyard Pavilion in Auckland served as an opportunity for the trade to catch up with some familiar faces and also meet new members of the team.
Mike van Beekhuizen, head of intermediated distribution at Allianz, says the evening was a chance to show the company’s continued support for travel partners and to introduce a strengthened New Zealand team.
‘It’s really about celebrating the year and looking forward to the 12 months ahead of us.’
Meet the greeters… new Allianz team members Tahlia Crocker and Harriet Kesterton
Thais Lous, Allianz with Helloworld’s Fergus Clark and Brooke Jamieson
Stu McKay, Fuzion Travel; Dee Noir, Allianz; Rob Macready, travel&co
Angela Mills, Fuzion Travel; Sidh Mahdia, Helloworld, Jacquie Harvey and Kylie Rutland, both House of Travel
Shaun Muller, Helloworld; Krista Lange, Kevin Blythe, both Allianz
Dave Nicholson, World Travellers; Thais Lous, Mike van Beekhuizen, both Allianz
More...
Hotties meet in Brisbane
TRAVELinc Memo was out and about at House of Travel's Partnership Conference in Brisbane this week.
On a walking tour of Brisbane...Monica Sawant, House of Travel, Parnell; Kate Imrie, Globus; James Stafford, Jetstar at Old Government House
Rachel Dickey, Queensland Tourism and Events; Katie Meek, Qantas; Jenna Servantie, HOT HQ
Fig tree in the CBD,,, Vanessa Parker, HOT HQ; Cheryl Robinson, Urban Tours
David Coombes, House of Travel; Angela Webber, Globus family of brands; Dennis Payne, HOT Orewa
Brett Simon, Globus family of brands; Mike van Beekhuizen, Allianz; James Douglas, Singapore Airlines; Danny Hooper, HOT Hobsonville
Peta Aberhart, HOT Calder & Lawson; Kelly-Ann Patterson, HOT Lower Hutt; Debbie Monk, Princess Cruises
Julia Pavey, Tourism & Events Queensland; Sarah Radtke, Hot HQ; Kylie Smith, Brisbane Economic Development Agency; Daniel Wright, Tourism Australia
Sheryn Ambler, Fiji Airways; Angela Webber, Globus family of brands; Jo Inglis, Air New Zealand
Tracee Buckingham, HOT Christchurch HQ; Jayne Alldred, HOT HQ; Buzz Thomson, HOT Hobsonville
Love, ghosts and wild Irish scenery
A travel trade group joined Tourism Ireland for the screening of Irish film, Four Letters of Love at Rialto Cinema in Auckland this week.
Part of the British and Irish Film Festival, the movie had a star-studded cast (headed by former James Bond, Pierce Brosnan) and feature plenty of wild Irish scenery. It also had a touch of the ghostly – coinciding nicely with Halloween.
(Tourism Ireland points out that the tradition started in Ireland over 2,000 years ago as part of a festival known as Samhain.)
Catching up before the movie…. Darragh Walshe, Tourism Ireland; Paige Wright and John Crouch, both The Travel Corporation
Vikki Bell, Terri Small, Sonia Tollemache, all Supreme Tours & Travel
Kate Moriarty, Infinity and guest Siobhan Fitzpatrick
Trade gets Uniworld update
Uniworld Boutique River Cruises will debut its latest ship, the SS Elisabeth in March next year, when the vessel sails for the first time from March. The line will also introduce six new itineraries next year in Italy, France, Portugal and beyond. These were some of the updates given to travel trade at a function in the VYC, Auckland this week.
Ellen Bettridge, president and CEO of Uniworld was at the function and says themed cruises are giving travel advisors more to sell. These include Music on the Danube, Golf in Burgundy and Women Only cruises.
At the Uniworld function in VYC Auckland this week Louise Levesque (second from left), The Travel Corporation with Victoria Keating, Jodie Burnard and Gemma Brown, all Flight Centre
Kerry Graham, The Private Travel Company; Grant Bevin, ATPI Travel; Leith Sisson, North Shore Business Travel
Scott Cleaver, The Travel Corporation; Mandy Herd, YOU Travel Orewa
John Willson, First Travel Group; Caryn Young, Adventure World; Shaun Muller, Helloworld; Paula Watson, House of Travel
Welcome to the Uniworld function, TTC’s marketing team as meet and greeters … Kirsten Lee, Paige Wright, Molly Shaw
Louise Levesque, The Travel Corporation; Ellen Bettridge, Alice Ager, both Uniworld
FTG embraces Elevate theme at frontliners’ event
Delegates at the First Travel Group’s frontliners’ conference in Grand Millennium Auckland over the weekend were reminded that their advantage over technology will always be personal knowledge.
‘You have really grasped the last 12 months and produced fantastic results,’ FTG’s general manager retail, John Willson told attendees on Saturday morning. ‘Technology will never replace experience, talent and knowledge.’
He says the conference theme of Elevate encompassed a number of areas, including the need to adapt. ‘One thing we know about this industry is that it is constantly changing and that we have to work smarter, not harder.’
The conference included an afternoon dedicated to cruise last Friday plus a welcome function, then supplier booth sessions, panel discussions and a keynote speaker during the day on Saturday.
Proceedings wrapped up with an awards night. Among the major achievers were Top Broker Award 2024, Jane Hanson, YOU Travel & Cruise Bethlehem; Top Cruise Consultant, Lisa Wharfe, Pukekohe Travel; Top Corporate Consulant, Kirstin Dickens, Fortis Travel; Top Retail Consultant, Lydia Haydon, YOU Travel & Cruise Bethlehem; Thrive Award, Gail Littin, Pukekohe Travel.
More than 170 FTG delegates were joined by 50 supplier representatives during the event.
First Travel Group’s Paul Smith (left) and John Willson with Supreme Award winners Kirstin Dickens, Jane Hanson, Gail Littin, Lisa Wharfe and Lydia Haydon
From Holland, Clarke and Beatson, Christchurch…D’Arne Haines, Anne Jory, Emma Dennison, Charlotte Zijlstra, Holly Turner, Mitchell Holland, Jacquie Holland, Jo O’Neill at the welcome function on Friday night
Nikki Brown, YOU Travel & Cruise Feilding; Alka Thapar, MSC Cruises; Julie Sievwright, YOU Travel & Cruise Taupo
John Willson, First Travel Group; Stu Jones, Air New Zealand; Nigel Seidelin, Express Tickets
At the elevate conference trade/supplier event….Mya Dunlop and Michelle Berett, both YOU TRAVEL & Cruise Warkworth; Amaan Khan, Total Holiday Options; Stephen Jennings, YOU Travel & Cruise, Napier
Jana Schleehauf, ITA Network; Amy Crossen, Janelle Buchanan, Brittany Frost, all YOU Travel & Cruise Ferrymead
Francois Guionn, Mel Dearing, Paul Smith, Ada Leger, Debra Phillips, all Lifestyle Holidays
Gianna Pfenniger, YOU Travel & Cruise Manly; Dennis Day, YOU Travel & Cruise Manly; Tracey Brennan, Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Pam Hardy, Cody Fifield, both YOU Travel & Cruise Levin; Brittany Homan, Fiji Airways
James Douglas, Singapore Airlines; Sam Fowler, Travel Connections; and Paul Dymond, Wendy Wu Tours
Jenny Galliven, Zest4Travel; Katie Meek, Qantas; and Emma Dennison, Holland, Clarke & Beatson
Steve Parker, Viking; Kylie Crouch, First Travel Group
