Air NZ adds 27th domestic destination
Air New Zealand has announced the launch of flights to Paraparaumu - the carrier's 27th domestic airport. Paraparaumu, located in the southwest of New Zealand's North Island,…
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Tourism Australia gets musical in new online campaign
Tourism Australia has teamed up with Google and YouTube in a new digital marketing campaign, which will showcase many of Australia's most iconic visitor attractions to an international…
Best Western supports Australian flood victims
Best Western Australasia will be supporting Australia's flood victims by donating 10% of each Australian and New Zealand hotel booking on www.bestwestern.com. When guests book the new…
Australian hotels boosted by Ashes
The Ashes Test cricket series allowed hotels in host Australian cities to post performance increases in occupancy and average daily rates (ADR) and revenue per available room (revPAR),…
Accor’s Pullman brand debuts in New Zealand
The Hyatt Regency Auckland has be rebranded as the Pullman Auckland Hotel & Residences. Accor management took over at the hotel following its sale to new owners. The change-over also…
Suntec partners Adelaide Convention Centre
Suntec International, the new Singapore-based MICE management company, has signed a contract with Adelaide Convention Centre (ACC).Under the terms of the deal, Suntec…
Perth on track to seal US$100m MICE business
The Perth Convention Bureau (PCB) is on track to exceed AU$100 million (US$100 million) in the value of business events for the 2010-11 financial year, according to Tourism Minister Dr…
Cunard plans ‘Royal Rendezvous’ in Sydney
Cunard has announced details of a 'Royal Rendezvous' in Sydney this February, when Queen Mary 2 and the new Queen Elizabeth will meet in Sydney Harbour for the first time.The Royal…
Domestic demand boosts NZ hotels
Total guest nights at hotels and other accommodation providers in New Zealand increased 2.0 percent in November 2010 compared with November 2009, Statistics New Zealand said today. The…
New Zealand braces for cyclone
A tropical cyclone packing winds of up to 120kph is expected to hit New Zealand today. The NZ Herald reported that Tropical Cyclone Zelia, which lashed Vanuatu and New Caledonia…
Cruise boost for Queensland
Seven cruise ships from Carnival Australia's global fleet will make nearly 30 calls at Queensland ports before the end of March, giving the Queensland tourism sector much needed…
Great Barrier Reef island appoints Asian PR rep
Hayman, Australia's private island destination in the Great Barrier Reef, has appointed Grebstad Hicks Communications (GHC), a specialist in the promotion of luxury…
Accor to revive classic NSW resort
The famous Fairmont Resort in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales is to be revived following the purchase of the iconic property by new owners and a new management agreement to join…
Queensland tourism trade supports flood victims
With the Gold Coast escaping unscathed from the flood disaster which has affected much of Queensland, many residents and businesses of the tourism capital are now turning their good…
Qantas agrees to pay US$26.5 million in cargo case
Qantas has reached a settlement to resolve its liability under a class action in the United States. The class action brought against a number of airlines regarding the activities of their…
Virgin Atlantic, Air NZ announce codeshare routes
Air New Zealand and Virgin Atlantic have signed a code sharing agreement offering more flexibility and choice on routings between the UK and New Zealand for both carriers' passengers.This…
China Southern to expand Australian charter flights
Having more than doubled its scheduled flights into Australia, China Southern Airlines is now preparing to operate an extensive programme of charter flights from China.On Thursday this…
Carnival Spirit to be based in Australia
Carnival Cruise Lines has announced that it will base one of its cruise ships fulltime in Australia.The 88,500 tonne Carnival Spirit will be the largest cruise ship ever to sail year…
Record numbers of Aussies flock to Fiji
Fiji has closed off Q3 chalking up yet another new Australian visitor arrival record with 30,253 Australians - an average of 1008 people per day - visiting the destination…
Captain Cook returns to the Murray in 2011
With the Murray River once again full of water, Captain Cook Cruises has reverted back to its high water itinerary for its four and seven night cruises, making 2011 the best year…
Queensland hit by deadly flash floods
Eight people have been confirmed dead and a further 72 are still missing in Queensland after flash floods swept through the Toowoomba region yesterday. Floodwaters were so strong they washed…
Wilderness Retreat opens in Tasmanian forest
A new secluded forest camp has opened in Tasmania. Established by tourism operator Tarkine Trails, the Tarkine Rainforest Retreat is located in the ancient forests of Tiger Ridge and…
Pan Pacific launches in Perth
Pan Pacific Hotels Group has launched its Pan Pacific brand in Australia with the opening of Pan Pacific Perth in Western Australia on 6 January 2011.Australia represents an exciting growth…
Man threatens to sue over Oprah’s Aussie tour
A man has threatened to sue Tourism Australia after claiming that the tourist board stole his idea to bring US talk show host Oprah Winfrey Down Under. Australian newspaper The Age reported…
New Zealand unveils new tourism campaign
Tourism New Zealand's long-running 100% Pure New Zealand marketing message is evolving with a new campaign being unveiled today (Sunday, 9 January 2011) that puts visitors' unique…
Hyatt Regency Queensland completes bed upgrade
Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove is delighted to announce they have just finished upgrading the beds in all of their Regency Club accommodation rooms to offer Regency guests even more comfort.…
Airnorth boosts Darwin-Gold Coast services
Australian carrier Airnorth has announced plans to double its services on the Darwin-Mount Isa-Gold Coast route. The northern Australian regional airline will add one extra weekly flight on…
North Queensland open for business, says tourism chief
The CEO of Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ), Rob Giason, has said that the area is still open for business despite the floods that have affected other parts of the…
St Regis Bora Bora reopens
14TH June 2010, London: The St. Regis Bora Bora is set for its much awaited re-opening on 14th June with new updates and under the direction of a new team led by newly appointed General…
Australia tourism up, but spending declines
09 Jun 10 (TravMedia.com): The impact of the global financial crisis and the strong Australian dollar are apparent in the spending habits of international visitors to Australia,…
Etihad codehsares to Australia’s ‘Red Centre’
8 June 2010: Commencing this week, a new codeshare arrangement between premium airline Etihad Airways and Qantas has created new connecting flights from Manchester to Alice Springs and…
Mantra adds new BreakFree resort in Queensland
Mantra Group has announced the addition of the 98-room Rainbow Shores Resort at Rainbow Beach to its BreakFree portfolio.BreakFree Rainbow Shores Resort has joined the group as a fully…
Sydney Harbour Marriott comes to light
07 Jun 10 (TravMedia.com): This year Sydney Harbour Marriott is lighting up Circular Quay with a spectacular explosion of light and colour as part of the Vivid Sydney festival celebrations.…
Novotel teams up with Penfolds vineyard
Novotel Barossa Valley Resort and Penfolds have blended together to indulge guests in the ultimate sensory experience this winter.The 'Make Your Own Blend package'* allows frustrated…
The Marque hotel opens in Christchurch
A new state-of-the-art hotel designed to meet the specific needs of business travellers has been officially opened in Christchurch today by New Zealand's Associate Minister of Tourism, Dr…
‘Green Me, Plant Me, Fiji Me’
Building on its 'Clean Me, Green Me, Fiji Me' low carbon travel initiative, the Fiji government has announced a scheme to plant one million trees across the destination by…
Fiji arrivals climb 26.5% in Q1
Fiji's international visitor arrivals figures for Q1 2010 have shown a marked increase over the same period in 2009, with the country's Minister for Tourism, Aiyaz…
Grand Hyatt Melbourne unveils revamped rooms
Grand Hyatt Melbourne is pleased to announce that the interior redesign of the hotel's premium suites, the Grand Club Lounge and the Club floors (the hotel's top seven floors) are now…
Young business leaders attend forum at Sofitel Sydney Wentworth
Almost 200 young professionals in the 20-35 year-old demographic attended last week's Young Business Forum at the Sofitel Wentworth Sydney where Ralph Norris, Chief Executive Officer,…
Air NZ to offer in-flight email and SMS services
28 May 10 (TravMedia.com): Air New Zealand will be enabling its new Boeing 777-300 aircraft with mobile phone and data capability, with the first aircraft due for delivery in November this…
New hotels open across Oz
Yet more accommodation options are now available in Australia with the opening of four new properties across the vast country.Argus Apartments has opened in Darwin in the Northern Territory…
Frisky hotel guests go green
A decade after the first Novotel Survey was conducted in Australia and New Zealand, the new survey of in-hotel habits reveals that guests of both sexes are leaving their rooms cleaner and…
Tourism NZ launches film contest
New Zealand will be the star of a new project that is offering aspiring film-makers the chance to get their work in front of Academy Award
NZ tourism gets much-needed boost in December
The beleaguered New Zealand travel industryhad a lift in December when the number of short-term overseas visitors arrivingin the country hit a record for any month, NZ Herald…
Fiji braces itself for worst ever tourist season
A combination of torrential rains and theglobal financial crisis has put Fiji on course for its quietest tourist seasonon record, according to a Sydney Morning Herald report.Tourism…
Pan Pacific and Parkroyal open Australian GSO
Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts and ParkroyalHotels & Resorts have announced the opening of their new Global SalesOffice in Sydney, Australia. This is the sixth Global Sales Office for…
Emirates launches A380 services to Australia
Emirates has launched Airbus A380services from Dubai to Australia and New Zealand for the first time. Sydney andAuckland become the third and fourth destinations in Emirates' A380 network.…
“Laughing my head off” – Branson sees funny side of complaint
Sir Richard Branson has said he "laughed his head off" after reading the now infamous complaint letter regarding the food aboard a Virgin Atlantic flight.
The Sydney Morning Herald…
Hertz Australia announces pricing increase
Hertz has increased vehicle rental rates throughout Australia by an average AU$5 (US$3.26) per day or AU$30 per week, effective immediately.The rate increase has been made necessary by…
Voyages Heron Island Resort gets eco boost
Voyages Heron Island Resort has been given a further boost to its strong eco-tourism credentials following a US$9 million refurbishment of the Heron Island Research Station.
Located next…
Bushfire deaths may rise to 300
As many as 300 people may have died in the bushfires sweeping across the Australian state of Victoria. While the toll stands at 173, police fear the number may rise as they enter new, hard…
TravelConsult hosts Indian workshop for Gold Coast resort
With tourists from India becoming increasingly important to Australia's tourism industry TravelConsult is conducting interactive Workshop on Indian Culture and Customer Service for staff at…
Kiribati may buy land to relocate population
The south Pacific island nation of Kiribati is considering buying land elsewhere so that its population can relocate if rising sea-levels submerge the country, Bloomberg reported. Kirbati's…
Melbourne faces worst heat wave in a century
Melbourne is preparing for its longest and hottest heat wave in a century, Bloomberg reported. The Victorian capital may have four days of temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius from today,…
Hilton adds three South Pacific resorts
Hilton Hotels has announced that it has entered into franchise agreements for three hotels on the islands of Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora, in French Polynesia. Three existing…
ZUJI powers new Telstra BigPond travel section
ZUJI has delivered its online 'TripSaver' dynamic packaging technology, which allows packages to be created with a range of flight and hotel choices, seamlessly to BigPond's…
KLM accidentally sells US$27 NZ-Europe tickets
Nearly 650 New Zealanders have snapped KLM flights to Europe for just NZ$50 (US$27) after a data inputting error on the airline's website, The Age reported.Their joy may be short-lived…
Norfolk Island launches lifestyle mag
Norfolk Island has a new glossy lifestyle magazine extolling the virtues of the picture perfect South Pacific destination, 1,600km off Australia's East Coast. 2899 Magazine is…
Renovation completed at Pullman, Cairns
A two-year, multi-million dollar overhaul of the Pullman Reef Hotel Casino, Cairns, has been completed.The renovation of the 128-room property follows its rebranding…
1/16/09
Nearly 2,000 staff and passengers were evacuated from Perth International Airport yesterday aftersmoke caused by a cigarette butt caused an emergency, the Sydney Morning…
Scientists map Tasmanian tiger genes
Scientists have detailed a significant proportion of the genes found in the extinct Tasmanian tiger, according to a BBC report. The international team extracted the information from the…
Spate of shark attacks hits Australia
A 24-year-old man has been attacked by a shark off the New South Wales (NSW) coast yesterday - the third such attack in the past two days. The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the…
Qatar Airways eyes Australia expansion
Qatar Airways is looking to expand in Australia and the Americas as part of a long-term growth plan, Bernama has reported.The airline's Executive Vice President, Ali M. Al…
Qantas sale to celebrate A380
Qantas invites you to celebrate the arrival of the A380 in Singapore this month. The Qantas sale offers flights to eight destinations including Sydney, Melbourne and London from now until 27…
Aussie hotels hopeful over 10-minute bar law
The Australian hotel industry is hopeful that the government will to overturn a law designed to curb excessive drinking, the Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) reported. The new rule forces 48 pubs…
Starwood launches Flying Fish in Fiji
Starwood Hotels & Resorts has announces a partnership with the Flying Fish Restaurant in Australia, to launch a Flying Fish-branded restaurant at the newly-refurbished Sheraton Fiji…
Westin Melbourne bought for US$109 million
Malaysian property developer, TA Enterprise Bhd, is buying the Westin Melbourne Hotel, for MYR389 million (US$109.5 million), the Business Times has reported.The…
Major airlines charged in NZ price-fixing case
Thirteen major airlines, including several Asian national carriers, have been charged with price-fixing in New Zealand, Bloomberg has reported.The airlines "colluded to…
Auckland to improve airport infrastructure
Moutter said company was focusing on improvedretail, food and beverage and property, including a high-end hotel, for whichit hopes to have an agreement by mid-2009, the…
New look for Hilton on the Park
All 419 guest rooms andsuites have been upgraded with a contemporary new look, new bedding andfurnishings, flat screen TVs and high speed internet access. New…
Huge traffic plan unveiled for Victoria
A multi-billion dollar expansion of Victoria's road and rail network are expected to be unveiled, The Age has reported. The plans include a "metro-style" rail tunnel system,…
Outrigger Noosa well underway
Construction of the five-star Outrigger Little Hastings Street Resort & Spa, Noosa, Queensland is well underway, according to the Hawaii-based hotel operator.
The US$300 million project…
Qantas merger "desirable" says out-going Qantas chief
Qantas' departing Chief Executive Officer, Geoff Dixon, has said he believes the Australian carrier needs to merge, according to a ChannelNews Asia report. Dixon made the…
New Ibis set for Sydney launch
Accor will launch the first new-build inner-city hotel in Sydney for over a decade, with the opening of the Ibis King Street Wharf on 18th December. The 8-storey, 91-room property…
Further Qantas cuts likely
Qantas Airways may further cut passenger capacity or defer orders of new planes if the global recession continues to reduce demand for air travel, according to a Bloomberg report. Alan…
Australian exhibitors gear up for AIME 09
The Australian business events industry is getting ready for next year's Asia Pacific Incentives & Meetings Expo (AIME 09), with a view towards boosting inbound business. AIME's…
Qantas to boost WA services
Qantas has announced that it will increase capacity between Perth and the Western Australian (WA) regional destinations of Broome and Karratha. In addition it will introduce Boeing 737-800…
Australian Alps to be protected
The Alps of southeast Australia have been placed on the country's National Heritage Register, the Independent has reported. The 1.5 million hectare region encompasses 11 national parks…
NZ tourism braces for impact of downturn
New Zealand tourism operators are bracing themselves for "a summer like we have never seen before" as the global downturn bites, The Age has reported.Tourism New Zealand (TNZ) was…
Accor offers Tahiti on a budget
Accor Hotels has teamed up with Tahiti Travel Connections to offer two affordable holiday packages to the exotic islands of Tahiti and Bora Bora.The Sofitel Tahiti Maeva Beach Resort is…
Fiji gov’t agrees tourism funds
Fiji's government has said that its 2009 budget would meet the financial needs of the tourism industry to revitalise the brand Fiji, the Fiji Times has reported the Fiji Visitors Bureau…
Aussie capital least popular
Canberra has been voted Australia's least popular holiday destination, according to a new travel survey. News.com.au has reported the results of a www.totaltravel.com online survey, which…
Art on display at Darwin airport
Northern Territory Airports' CEO Ian Kew, has officially opened the expanded Public Art Precinct at Darwin International Airport (DIA). Pieces of both indigenous and non-indigenous art,…
Jetstar boosts Perth services
Jetstar has announced plans to expand operations to Perth. From 2 February, the carrier will launch direct daily Perth-Adelaide services, with thrice-weekly Perth-Cairns services starting…
Time to cherish SMEs: study
The ongoing financial and economic crisis is again threatening the survival of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Asia Pacific's travel and tourism industry, according to a new…
THAI launches ‘Follow Your Dreams’ Promotion
Thai Airways has introduced its 'Follow Your Dreams' the winter promotion, offering international round-trip special fares from Bangkok to THAI's destination worldwide from now until the end…
Central hits new heights in Melbourne
Brisbane-based hotel chain, Central Apartments & Hotels has announced plans to launch a new property in the heights of Melbourne. The brand new Centr@l Sky Lounge Apartment Hotel in…
Australians warned over Bali
Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) updated its travel advice for Indonesia on Friday, warning the imminent executions of the Bali bombers could increase the risk…
Aussies travel despite dollar slump
The plunging Australian dollar is not deterring the country's travellers, who are now tailoring their trips to suit the new economic order, news.com.au has reported on-line booking…
Green light for X-rated X-rays
Airport authorities in Australia a new high-tech body scanner that shows passengers' most intimate parts will be trialled at Melbourne airport. The Australian newspaper has reported that the…
Noosa Resort launches Link@Sheraton
The Sheraton Noosa Resort & Spa on Queensland's Sunshine Coast has launched a new space in the resort's lobby that will include the Link@Sheraton, powered by Microsoft. The communal…
Qantas flies A380 to NZ
Qantas has flown its new A380 aircraft into New Zealand. The plane, named, named Nancy-Bird Walton in honour of the Australian aviation pioneer, touched down at Auckland…
New Aussie tourism campaign to kick off
Tourism Australia has launched a new AU$40 million (US$29 million) global marketing strategy, replacing the much maligned "So Where the Bloody Hell Are You?" campaign, news.com.au…
Select grows in Australia, NZ
Select Hotels & Resorts International has announced the addition of five new properties to their rapidly expanding Australian and New Zealand portfolios.In Australia the new additions…
InterCon boost for Fiji jobs
The Natadola Intercontinental Beach Resort currently being developed in Fiji, will provide up to 400 jobs for the local community when it opens its doors in May next year, the Fiji Times has…
Kuoni makes further acquisitions
Swiss travel company, Kuoni Reisen Holding AG, has made two acquisitions of up-scale tour operators in as many days, Bloomberg has reported. On Tuesday, Kuoni agreed to buy Australian Tours…
BridgeClimb Sydney celebrates 10th anniversary
137 climbers scale Sydney Harbour Bridge yesterday to celebrate the 10th anniversary of BridgeClimb Sydney. Each climber carried a flag onto the arch of the iconic Australian landmark to…
Mass evacuation at Brisbane airport
A security error at Brisbane airport yesterday caused thousands of passengers to be evacuated, news.com.au has reported. Security staff at the airport's Qantas domestic terminal…
Australian fruit farm tempts Japan tourists
Tropical Fruit World, an agri-tourist farm, research park and tourist attraction located on Australia's Gold Coast, is attempting to lure more Japanese tourists.Aymon…
Accidental tourist ends up in wrong continent
An Argentine tourist got the city name right, but the continent wrong when she booked a vacation to Australia, and found herself in Canada this week.
News.com.au has reported that Monique…
Pacific Blue commences Melbourne-Auckland
Virgin Blue's international subsidiary Pacific Blue has launched its first non-stop service from Melbourne to Auckland. The move makes Pacific Blue the first low-cost carrier to operate the…
Tourism body slams Air Fiji
Fiji's Levuka Tourism Association's has described Air Fiji as a "hindrance to local tourism", the Fiji Times has reported. The attack follows the carrier's decision to cancels flights…
"Exciting new era" as Qantas gets A380
Qantas Airways has taken delivery of its first Airbus A380, hailing the event as "the start of an exciting new era". The plane, which will initially serve the trans-Pacific route…
Record numbers for Sydney event
Sydney has followed through on an impressive year of bid wins by hosting its biggest ever seminar on winning and holding international conventions.Held late August, the Platform08…
Pullman Sydney opens
New South Wales Tourism Minister Jodi McKay officially opened the Pullman at Sydney Olympic Park on Thursday. The AU$70 million (US$56.3 million) hotel was developed by Tourism Asset…
New species of Iguana discovered
A new species of iguana has been discovered in the Fiji, the Fiji Times has reported. Australian and US researchers made the discovery of 'brachylophus bulabula' in a recent study…
Dolphin-watching may be killing species
Australia researchers fear that tourists of dolphin-watching trips could be harming the mammals, news.com.au has reported. A study is underway in Port Stephens, New South…
More spending in Australia
New research released by Tourism Research Australia reveals international travellers are spending more during their visits to Australia.In the year ending June 2008, spending by…
FCm pushes ahead for 2009
FCm Travel Solutions has launched an aggressive global growth strategy for the next 12 months, with targets including a 30% expansion of its worldwide sales force.
FCm's Global Executive…
88% of professionals take PDA to bed – Starwood survey
It's official; in the new age of 24-hour technology there is no rest for the wicked! Work-addicted professionals around the world are never disconnected to the office, according to a new…
Aboriginals bid for Uluru resort
Australian aboriginal landowners at Uluru are planning a AU$440 million (US$358 million) bid for the nearby Ayers Rock Resort, The Australian has reported. Communities of…
Samoa gets approved by China
China has signed an agreement with Samoa granting the Pacific island state Approved Destination Status (ADS) for Chinese visitors. Xinhua has reported that the two governments will now…
FCm launches CiEvents in China
FCm Travel Solutions has introduced its CiEvents business to China's event management industry.
The event specialist business of FCm Australia, which handles group travel, conference…
Leaking wrecks threaten Micronesia
Australian scientists are warning of an environmental disaster in Micronesia as World War 2 wrecks leak fuel into the region's seas, the BBC has reported. The wrecks - tourist…
Australian carbon targets seen too weak
Climate scientists have criticized the Australian government, saying its recommended targets for carbon emissions are too weak and would not help avoid catastrophic climate…
NZ airline offers the bald facts
New Zealand's national airline is planning to give the bald facts on plans to speed up check-in queues for passengers - literally, a Reuters report said.Air New Zealand said it was…
Shark towed surfer ‘like jet ski’
A surfer has said that a large shark towed him out to sea like "a powerful jet ski" after becoming entangled in the leg rope of his surfboard. The Australian newspaper has reported that John…
Freak wave hits whale watchers
Eleven whale watchers have been taken to hospital after a freak wave hit their boat off Australia's Gold Coast, the Herald Sun has reported. One man was reportedly thrown overboard in…
New Aussie travel company launched
A new 'experience travel' company has been launched in Sydney. 'Anthology, the Travellers' Collection', plans to build a portfolio catering to the growing demand for premium…
TD ads work!
London's Royal Garden Hotel is singing the praises of Travel Daily after a brief advertising campaign earlier in the year produced immediate results from the Australian market.The hotel's…
Four Seasons opens in Bora Bora
Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts has announced the opening of their new property in the French Polynesian islands of Bora Bora. The Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora becomes the 79th property…
Murray-Darling drought recovery may take years
Australia's Murray-Darling Basin river system will take years of above-average rain to recover from the recent drought, Bloomberg has reported. The rivers' inflow during August was less…
Polynesian Blue posts record profits
Polynesian Blue Airlines has announced a record pre-tax profit of NZ$9.2 million dollars (US$6.4 million) for the financial year 2007/08, up 71% from the previous year. The…
NZ beaches closed by bacteria
High levels of harmful bacteria in the waters off Dunedin have forced the closure of two beaches, the NZ Herald has reported. Local authorities have issued a warning against swimming at…
East Timor instead of Bali for Aussies?
East Timor would one day rival Bali as a draw card for Australian tourists, its Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao has claimed.He told the Herald Sun that drawing Australian tourists to East…
US mulls Pacific preservation plan
Huge areas of the Pacific Ocean could be protected as marine sanctuaries if US plans materialise, Reuters has reported. The US government is assessing whether 2.3 million km
Southern Cloud yacht sails into Whitsundays
The newly-refurbished, 40m luxury yacht, Southern Cloud, is now available for charter in Australia's Whitsundays and Great Barrier Reef. The yacht includes accommodation for…
Australia pushes for medical tourism
A tourism lobby group says Australia should build a health travel sector in the same way it has developed education tourism. According to ABC News, the Australian Tourism Export Council…
Qantas report record profits
Qantas has announced record profit of AU$969 million (US$847 million) for the full year ending 30 June 2008. The gains represent a 44% rise from the previous 12-month period. However Qantas…
Record snow depths for Aussie ski resorts
Record snowfalls are providing Australian ski resorts with a bumper season, news.com.au has reported. Officials announced that snow levels in New South Wales' Snowy Mountains are 20cm…
Australia-Thai links to strengthen tourism
Australia's Minister for Tourism, Martin Ferguson, has said that strong air links to Thailand are providing opportunities for further tourism growth between the two countries,…
Engine failure grounds Qantas jet
A Qantas plane suffered engine failure while landing at Auckland, news.com.au has reported. The aircraft's pilots were able to restore power and land safely, but the plane was…
Drought hits Aussie vineyards
Grape growers in Australia's wine regions have predicted severe harvest shortages following severe droughts, the BBC has reported. Winemakers have said conditions are the driest they…
Qantas to up WA services
Qantas yesterday announced that it would increase services to hubs in Western Australia. The airline's Regional General Manager for Western Australia, Mr Ian Gay, said the…
Qantas grounds 6 planes over "irregularities"
Qantas grounded six of its Boeing 737-400 fleet yesterday after an "irregularity" was found in maintenance paperwork, news.com.au has reported. The move is likely to seriously impact…
Kirketon Boutique Hotel reopens
Eight Hotels Australia is re-opening the Kirketon Boutique Hotel following an extensive refurbishment programme to all rooms, common spaces, bar and restaurant. Originally opened…
Tiger to fly Melbourne-Perth twice a day
Tiger Airways has announced that it will fly twice daily services between Melbourne and Perth, the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation has reported. Starting 2 October, Tiger will add…
Aussies duped in Olympic ticket scam
Dozens of Australians have reportedly been conned into buying non-existent Olympic tickets, according to ChannelNews Asia. The scam appears to involve tickets brought via a US online…
Air NZ to power plane with nut oil
Air New Zealand will trial flying a jumbo jet partly powered by nut oil later this year, the Sunday Mail reported. It said the company was testing the power of the jatropha curcus,…
Marshall drops in on TMS conference
Never one to do things by halves, TMS Asia-Pacific Chief Executive Officer, Gary Marshall (pictured) opened the company's Australia/New Zealand conference at Club Med Lindeman…
P&O cruise passengers caught in storm
P&O Cruises has said it will hold an inquiry following an incident in New Zealand which left passengers more than 40 passengers injured, the New Zealand Herald has reported. The…
New Zealand revises tourism predictions
New Zealand looks set to welcome fewer tourists than previously expected for the three-year period ending December 2010. Bloomberg has reported that New Zealand's Tourism Ministry has cut…
Stars to help Oz tourism
Hollywood director Baz Luhrmann is to direct a new advertising campaign for Tourism Australia.ABC News said it would be in partnership with 20th Century Fox, capitalising on Luhrmann's…
Preferred Hotel Group launches Sydney office
Preferred Hotel Group has made marked the arrivals of their new Sydney office with a lavish party. Over 130 travel industry executives and media attended the event at the Star City Hotel…
Oxygen cylinder focus for Qantas investigators
Investigations into the likely cause offuselage damage on a Qantas passenger jet are centring on a possible oxygencylinder explosion, the BBC has reported. No-one was hurt in the…
New South Wales expects more MICE business
New South Wales is forecastinga significant hike in its share of the international business events market,following a new partnership between the Australian State'stwo major event…
Formule 1 comes to Sydney
Accor have announced the launch of its budget property Formule 1 at Sydney Olympic Park. The AU$19million, 156-room development will open on 13 August. The new propertywill add to existing…
Tiger creates jobs
Tiger Airways will be opening up a further 120 new jobs atits Melbourneheadquarters, Bernama has reported. The budget carrier will add up to 60 newflight crew the signing of a contract…
Action adventure for Accor
Kuwait-based ActionHotels and hospitality giant Accor have completed the development of theirfirst partnered hotel outside the Gulf region with the opening og the Ibis GlenWaverley in…
Aussie hotel outlook bright - report
A report byhotel consultancy company Horwath HTL has found that the hospitality industryin Australiaremains strong, despite perceived concerns about the impact of the creditcrisis on…
Accor expands in NSW
AccorVacation Club has announced the opening of the Grand Mercure Apartments Heritage Park, Bowral. The 126-luxury apartmentdevelopment is located in the southern highlands district of…
Preferred Hotel Group’s new sales chief
Carolyn Holmes has been appointed Director of Global Sales - Australia, New Zealand and Pacific for the Preferred Hotel Group. Ms Holmes comes from Wiltrans International and has experience…
Australia may rethink travel advisories (lead)
Australian travel advisories may be reviewed after calls for change was support from Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, the Bangkok Post has reported. The controversial warnings have long been…
Sydney wins more conferences
Sydney has won its third major conference in as many weeks, adding a A$15.6 million (US$14.7 mil) insurance congress to its June score card.The Sydney Convention and Visitors Bureau…
South Australia’s Hollywood connection
South Australian tourism industry is set to leverage off a recent partnership between Tourism Australia and Twentieth Century Fox to promote Australia the movie, starring Nicole Kidman…
NZ not milking "Indian cash cow’
Cash-rich Indian travellers are being stopped from taking their dream trip to New Zealand by expensive and inaccessible airlines, The Domonion Post reported. The market for…
TRENZ heads to Auckland next year
TRENZ (Tourism Rendezvous New Zealand) 2009, New Zealand' s biggest annual tourism business event, will be held in Auckland next year.Tourism Industry Association (TIA)…
Tourism NZ changes focus
Tourism New Zealand has tweaked its marketing mix to reflect the increasing reality of economic factors that are affecting tourism markets, a report said. According to The Dominion…
New Gold Coast terminal
With its 300m runway extension complete, the Gold Coast Airport at Coolangatta is gearing up for more expansion, Courier Mail reported. Gold Coast Airport said work had…
More calls on Australia to lift warning
The Little Bali Hotel & Resort Company is asking the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade to rethink its current Indonesian travel advisory following the US government's…
Australia under pressure to lift Indonesia warning
Australia is under pressure to lift its travel warning to Indonesia after the United States cancelled a similar alert, a report said. The US cancelled its travel warning over the…
New Zealand spa report
A report on New Zealand's spa industry has shown that spa numbers have grown 88% over the last five years.Managing Director of independent research company, Intelligent Spas, said…
Queensland’s tourism needs rethink: report
These must be addressed if the state was to turn around lagging visitor numbers, the Queensland Tourism Network Review, has said, Sydney Morning herald reported.The report…
Aussie corporate famil
Twenty corporate buyers and four media from seven Asian countries will have the opportunity to experience the diversity and flexibility of Australia as an incentive destination.
London wants to copy Sydney’s bridge climb
Visitors could walk across the 365m-diameter dome, 50m above ground, for views across the capital, the repot said. However, even the owners had admitted it would be…
The truth about 4WD tourists
According to Northern Territory News, the 4WD tourism study by Charles Darwin University expert Dean Carson revealed most drivers have relatively high incomes and affluent lifestyles.…
Calls for 2nd Sydney airport
It said Virgin and other airlines were becoming increasingly vocal about problems at Sydney Airport and the need to start planning for a second one.According to the report, Chief…
Darwin ready to host the world
Darwin Convention Centre has to date secured 29 major conventions and two exhibitions, among others, before it opens this June. Australia's newest convention venue said the…
Australia’s tourism income soars
Australia's controversial and recently axed "Where The Bloody Hell Are You?" tourism campaign appears to have paid off with Australia posting its strongest tourist spending in close to a…
Global warming "good for Aussie tourism"
Global warming is driving demand for green tourism destinations, according to former Queensland premier Peter Beattie. "There is a silver lining to global warming in…
V Australia, Sabre sign deal
V Australia, the international airline of Virgin Blue, and Sabre Travel Network have signed a multi-year distribution agreement that will allow the airline's fares and inventory to…
Perth plans ferris wheel
Perth plans to add a giant observation wheel to its skyline, AAP reported. The 60-metre high observation wheel with 42 gondolas is awaiting final approval that could come next…
Amway incentive in Melbourne
Amway Greater China is rewarding 7,000 of its top sales people this month in Melbourne. This is the seventh incentive from Amway's operations in Asia since 2005. In the past three years…
A new jewel in the Crown
Peter Crinis, Executive General Manager for Crown Hotels, said a new name for the hotel would be unveiled in the next few months. The current two Crown properties are the Crown Towers and…
Mercure offers taste of Australia
Travellers to Australia will now be able to get a real taste of their destination with the launch of "Grands Vins Mercure", a range of wine lists that showcase some of the most…
Pandaw Cruises rep for Australia/NZ
Pandaw Cruises, operators of luxury cruises on the Mekong River between Ho Chi Minh, Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, and on the Irrawaddy River in Myanmar has appointed Aviation…
Australia may ban laser pointers
Laser pointers could be declared "prohibited weapons" in Australia after a series of "attacks" on pilots of airliners coming in to land at Sydney airport, officials were quoted…
New campaign for Sydney
A tourism campaign will highlight the biggest events in Sydney's calendar to attract more visitors to the city, the Sydney Morning Herald said.State Tourism Minister Brown officially…
Branson vows cheap Sydney-LA flights
Richard Branson has vowed to take Qantas on with bargain A$400 (US$364) airfares between Sydney and Los Angeles on his new V Australia."Our philosophy is never to leave with an empty…
Stella consolidates
The Stella Hospitality Group has consolidated its corporate and leisure properties under the Mantra banner to create one of Australia's largest 4 - 4.5 star hotel, resort and apartment…
No more queues
New Zealand and Australian travellers with electronic passports will be able to put themselves through passport control without having to queue, The Dominion Post reported.Passengers…
Registry Collections add NZ property
Luxury exchange programme, The Registry Collection, has added The Cashmere Villas in Queensland, New Zealand, to its network of more than 100 exclusive high-end leisure properties.
Aloft hotels open for bookings
Starwood has opened the reservations lines for its new lifestyle brand of hotels - aloft. The hotels are now taking reservations for five of its U.S. properties: Charleston Airport and…
Another Mantra in Australia
Mantra Hotels Resorts and Apartments is to launch a resort in Wollongong in New South Wales, Australia.
When it opens in August, Mantra City Beach will offer 168 rooms and conference…
Ascott opens Somerset in Melbourne
The Ascott Group (Ascott) has officially opened Somerset Gordon Heights in Melbourne's Central Business District. It said residents at Somerset Gordon Heights stand to enjoy "two…
More Quality in Wellington
Quality Hotel Wellington has opened recently in lively Cuba Street as part of the Choice Hotels chain.
The 62-room property, in lively Cuba Street, is part of the Choice Hotels chain, and…
Pullman reserves bank building for NZ hotel
Accor is to introduce its new Pullman brand to Auckland with a Pullman hotel being developed out of the former New Zealand Reserve Bank in Customs Street. The hotel is due to open in the…
Swiss-Belhotel buys first hotel in Australia
Swiss-Belhotel International has acquired its first hotel property in Australia, The York by Swiss-Belhotel located in Sydney.
"We are delighted our portfolio has expanded to include…
A futuristic boardroom
Sofitel Wentworth Sydney has unveiled a sophisticated hotel boardroom as part of a multi-million dollar enhancement of the hotel.
The new Executive Boardroom caters for up to 16 people and…
New NZ resort caters for carbon conscious
Karapiro Wellness Resort is New Zealand's first hotel to adopt a carbon offset programme for its guests.
Set to open in May this year, the five-star resort is located near Cambridge, on…
Sheraton Fiji Resort renovates
Starwood Hotels & Resorts said Sheraton Fiji Resort will undergo a refurbishment next year that will set new standards in family and conference resort choices in Fiji. The extensive…
Hilton to open in Cook Islands
Hilton Rarotonga Resort & Spa - on the island of Rarotonga in the Cook Islands - is scheduled to open in 2009.
Koos Klein, President Hilton Hotels Asia Pacific said the…
Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre opens in NZ
The Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre will have a state-of-the-art 3D theatre, a planetarium and a museum.
''This centre has been designed to become a 'must see' icon of New Zealand…
Emirates develops Blue Mountains property
Emirates Airline had started work on the US$69 million Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa in Australia's Blue Mountains.
It said the project would see the transformation of 4,000 acres of…
Aussie state in bank deal to boost Chinese tourism
ABC News reported that credit card transactions with China Unionpay would be available across the state under the agreement, signed by Premier Morris Lemma on a trip to China.
According…
Hilton goes surfing
The Hilton Surfers Paradise Hotel and Residences will house about 170 rooms and 340 apartments. It will comprise dual beachside towers, one (32 storeys) fronting Surfers Paradise Boulevard…
A new resort in Hamilton island
Called qualia (pronounced "kwahleea"), it's two to three hours non-stop flight time from Australia's major east coast cities.
Tourism Queensland CEO Anthony Hayes said "qualia will set a…
Rialto to become Intercon
The property's owner, Eureka Funds Management, confirmed plans to close the hotel on 14 October for a multi-million dollar upgrade.
Constructed in 1891, Rialto Hotel on Collins consists…
See ‘Miss Saigon’ for a song
The award winning producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh's production of Miss Saigon will be at the Lyric Theatre from 23 September. All packages include overnight accommodation and two Areserve…
Novotel gets wild
The package includes overnight accommodation for a family of four, full buffet breakfast plus a family pass to Sydney Wildlife World for up to two adults and two children. Sydney Wildlife…
