This wrap has something in it for agents who love Star Wars and Eurovision, so bad news for those who hate both.

How to win the second spot on the Journey to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Mega-Fam

Disney Destinations, Virgin Australia and Delta Air Lines have announced how agents have the chance to win the second spot on the Journey to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Mega-Fam.

Between Saturday 25 May and Friday 7 June (by 11:59pm AEST), agents just need to sell and log at least one qualifying Virgin Australia and/or Delta Air Lines return airfare ex Australia or New Zealand to the US into the www.journeytogalaxysedge.com.au incentive portal for their chance to win.

Plus, the more qualifying Virgin Australia and Delta Air Lines flights they sell between the 25 May and 7 June mini-incentive period, the more chances they have to win this second spot. The lucky winner will be notified via email the week commencing 10 June 2019.

As a reminder, there are still an additional 13 spots up for grabs as part of the Journey to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Mega-Fam incentive, and agents are encouraged to visit www.journeytogalaxysedge.com.au to register and learn more about how they could win a spot.

Agents wrap up at Oregon Road Rally

Twenty-five travel agents and tour operators from 10 countries, including Australia, gathered in Oregon during the second week of May for a seven-day road trip of the state.

The famil was an opportunity for the group to gain further knowledge of the destination and focus on expanded itinerary development beyond the traditional US gateways.

Australian trade included Jan Copeman from Travel Associates and Jessica Johnson of Intepid Travel Group, along with Karen McCardle and Corey Marshall from Canuckiwi (Travel Oregon’s Australian trade representatives).

Tourism Tasmania hosts TravelManagers competition winners

Tourism Tasmania recently offered personal travel managers the opportunity to qualify for one of 10 spots on a specialist famil.

The famil, which was exclusive to TravelManagers, delivered the winning PTMs a six-day, five-night itinerary that allowed them to experience the best of the West Coast, as well as Hobart, Cradle Mountain and Launceston.

The group were hosted throughout by Tourism Tasmania, having qualified for to enter the famil competition by completing Tourism Tasmania’s Tassie Specialist Program.

Agents win big in Viking’s ‘Dare to Dream’ Eurovision contest

Viking Cruises has congratulated all the Aussie and Kiwi agents who took part in the line’s ‘Dare to Dream’ Eurovision guessing competition.

Erin Kramer, trade marketing manager at Viking, said: “After all the glamour and kitsch of arguably the world’s greatest singing competition, today we say congratulations to a very special group of 21 travel agents, who together have taken home a share of 150,000 Rewards by Viking points.”

Fifteen people correctly guessed the Netherlands as the winner of the song contest, while eight correctly guessed the UK would come in last.

Roland Kautzky from Travel Associates Toorak and Carissa Johnson at Spencer Travel Southside picked both the first- and last-placed countries.

While no one guessed the trifecta of first, second and third place in the correct order, two people received honourable mentions for guessing the correct countries: Shelley Jacquemin from Travel Associates Toorak and Kieran Van Bunnik from Cruise Express Balmain.

Mobile Travel Agents: Advisor’s Fiji study tour, staffer’s baking skills raise money for charity

Mobile Travel Agents’ Claudia Laming (pictured below) recently visited Fiji’s Treasure Island Resort as part of a Tourism Fiji ‘Matai’ specialist sales agent famil to the Mamanuca Islands.

Laming’s busy program included visits to several of the region’s best-known properties including Castaway Island, Lomani, Malolo Island, Matamanoa Island, Musket Cove, Plantation Island and the floating Cloud 9.

In other news, MTA assistance team member and cupcake whizz Miranda Barclay (pictured below in the back row, third from right) recently raised more than $100 for pre-natal and depression-oriented charity PANDA at a special morning tea.

Barclay’s homemade cupcakes attracted many of her colleagues to the event, all very keen to sample her legendary baking skills while happily contributing gold coin donations to the charity.

Travellers Choice equips BDMs to help members embrace technology changes

Pictured, back row (L-R): Lyndal Johnston (Air Tickets), Tim Bolton (Travellers Choice), Nicola Strudwick (Travellers Choice), Kim Tomlinson (Travellers Choice), Graham Smith (Travellers Choice) and Robert Klingelholler (Air Tickets). Front row (L-R): Paula Moylan (Travellers Choice) and AJ Moore (Travellers Choice).

Travellers Choice brought its business development managers together this month for high-level briefings designed to ensure the national retail network’s members are ready for the changes being ushered in by IATA’s New Distribution Capability (NDC) and the soon-to-be-unveiled Qantas Channel.

The BDMs were also apprised of developments in Travellers Choice’s expanding suite of member support services, including recent additions such as the Wetu Itinerary Builder and TC Pay, the group’s package of cost-effective payment solutions.

In addition, this year’s gathering saw BDMs receive updates on key preferred suppliers, including Qantas, Sabre and Air Tickets, along with the group’s digital and local area marketing support services.

Luxperience and Ahoy Club host exclusive event for premium agents

The Luxperience team recently hosted an exclusive superyacht experience, in partnership with luxury charter yacht specialists Ahoy Club, for a selected group of premium agents on the Gold Coast.

The evening aboard superyacht ‘Sophia’ was an opportunity to showcase Ahoy Club, a first-time Luxperience exhibitor, and to update the buyers from southeast Queensland on this year’s ‘Experience is Everything’ event.

Agents take part in Rocky Mountaineer Learning Journey

Pictured (L-R): Helen Hersom (Rocky Mountaineer), Evelyn Cassar (Mosman Travel), Millie Browne (Rocky Mountaineer), Kelly Gainsford (House of Travel)

A group of Aussie and Kiwi agents recently got the chance to participate in a Rocky Mountaineer Learning Journey.

The Learning Journey program follows a specialised tour, modelled after one of Rocky Mountaineer’s most popular packages, ‘First Passage to the West Excursion’. The itinerary is seven days, including two days on the train, and one day in Vancouver, Banff and Calgary.

Rocky Mountaineer will host four Learning Journeys in 2019, welcoming close to 400 trade partners across the trips.