Home » News » Agent wrap: TravelManagers conference kicks off, Learn more about Peru + MORE!

9 August, 2019

Agent wrap: TravelManagers conference kicks off, Learn more about Peru + MORE!

By Alexandra Coulton

You travel agents sure have been up to a lot this week, and we’ve got the pictures to prove it!

TravelManagers’ Conference Concentrates on the Customer

TravelManagers’ annual National Conference has officially kicked off this morning, with more than 395 participants expected to descend on Perth.

Executive General Manager, Michael Gazal, has revealed the theme for this year’s conference will be ‘customer’, which he says is a natural progression from that of last year’s focus on ‘success’.

“In Honolulu we spent a lot of time discussing the tools, skills and innovations required to help our PTMs and industry partners achieve success in their business and personal lives – from improving work-life balance to developing functional and personal skills. This year it’s about applying all of that to our already-obsessive focus on our personal travel managers’ (PTMs) customers – how we connect with them and how we can further enhance their travel experiences to deliver on their travel needs, hopes and dreams.”

Although official conference proceedings were scheduled to get underway at 10am Friday morning, Perth time, conference attendees have been arriving in Perth since the start of the week to participate in various pre-conference events including optional tours of Margaret River, Rottnest Island and Perth and the traditional golf tournament, which this year will be held at Wembley Golf Course.

TravelManagers’ 2019 conference concludes on Sunday night with a gala awards dinner in the Crown Perth’s Grand Ballroom that Gazal describes as a glamorous, fun-filled evening with colleagues and friends, celebrating an inspiring weekend and honouring the achievements of the past year.

Trish Shepherd joins the TIME board

AlexObleshchuk_TrishSherperd+_AndrewMacfarlane

The Travel Industry Mentor Experience has announced Trish Shepherd, a seven-time TIME mentor, has joined the TIME board.

Trish Shepherd is one of Australia’s most respected travel industry veterans with a well-deserved reputation both here and abroad. She now joins Penny Spencer (chair), Sue Graham, Oliver Tams and Fiona Dalton on the Board of the respected travel-tourism-hospitality industry mentoring organisation.

Viva Holidays agents embark on incentive famil to Island of Hawaii

file1

Twelve Viva Holidays agents from Australia and New Zealand travelled to the Island of Hawai‘i last week on an incentive famil hosted by Hawai‘i Tourism Oceania and Hawaiian Airlines.

With agents from both Australia and New Zealand eligible to attend, spots on the incentive famil to the Island of Hawai‘i were coveted.

The 6-day itinerary saw agents exploring the island of Hawai‘i, enjoying snorkelling, learning to roast coffee, ziplining through the treetops and taking a volcano tour through Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

Wildlife Safari hosts exclusive Lion King movie night

1. Anthea Hunter. Wildlife Safari & Melyne Hovasapian- Sydney

“Hakuna Matata…what a wonderful phrase,” sang Timon.

The Swahili words Hakuna Matata loosely translates to no worries and travel consultants who attended the screening of The Lion King had no worries as they enjoyed pre-theatre canapes and beverages prior to relaxing in generous platinum class seats with the essential movie snacks of popcorn and ice cream to watch the remake of the classic movie with its memorable wildlife characters and iconic African landscapes.

Wildlife Safari, the luxury Africa safari company recently partnered with South African Tourism for a series of exclusive cinema screenings of The Lion King to select travel consultants in Perth, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.

Become a connectivity expert on travelling to Peru with PROMPERU’S latest e-learning badge

Learn more about connectivity to and within Peru with the latest badge on PROMPERU’S e-learning platform. All agents are invited to complete this interactive badge and learn more about navigating Peru for their clients. The badge covers flights from Australia and New Zealand to Peru, as well as flight connectivity within the country. Furthermore, you can learn about the various train options that your clients can use throughout Peru, including those going out to Machu Picchu.

The final step of the badge consists of various sample itineraries that agents can refer to when providing guidance to clients.

Go here to complete the new badge and become an expert on travelling to Peru.

Personal Travel Managers flying high with the high rollers in Las Vegas

Heli Tour 10

From shopping on the Miracle Mile to an evening helicopter flight over The Strip, Las Vegas offers plenty of rockstar moments for anyone who comes to play in this exciting, 24-hour city. TravelManagers recently sent eight personal travel managers (PTMs) to experience its highlights over the course of a four-night, five-day whirlwind famil hosted by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, in conjunction with Delta Airlines.

To qualify for the famil, which was exclusively available to TravelManagers, PTMs participated in a Las Vegas-focused incentive with the opportunity to experience the city for themselves as the reward.

Advantage Travellers Choice as UK bond offers market insights

They may be on opposite sides of the world but Travellers Choice and independent UK retail network Advantage Travel Partnership (ATP) share a unique bond. The relationship was further strengthened recently when Travellers Choice managing director Christian Hunters travelled to Spain to attend ATP’s annual conference, where digital disruption and a resurgence in support for traditional travel agents was high on the agenda.

Hunter travelled to Cadiz, a port city in the Andalucía region of southwestern Spain, for the ATP conference, which each year attracts travel agents from across the UK and in the past has drawn speakers such as Joanna Lumley and Martina Navratilova.

Among this year’s keynote speakers were former Special Forces soldier, TV presenter and best-selling author Ant Middleton, who addressed business leadership skills, and BBC Scotland Editor Sarah Smith, who highlighted consumers’ demands for ever more immediate and flexible product delivery.

Advertise with us

Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

personal travel managers promperu time travellers choice Viva Holidays Wildlife Safari