Like an over-stacked dishwasher, Travel Weekly’s Wholesaler Wrap is definitely full, albeit with its own greasy, baked-on sludge.

NSW Tourism Operators are showcased Sydney, Rural and Regional NSW in China

The State’s tourism operators travelled to China to showcase Sydney and rural and regional NSW to more than 150 travel trade representatives at the Greater China Roadshow. The event, organised by the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW was held from 29 October until 2 November.

“NSW is home to some of the country’s most spectacular scenery, world-class food and wine and unique accommodation and it is initiatives such as these which help ensure that the spotlight remains on Australia’s number one tourism and events State,” Minister for Tourism and Major Events Adam Marshall said.

Among the 21 businesses that attended the mission included AAT King Tours, BridgeClimb Sydney, Destination Port Stephens, Scenic World Blue Mountains, Australian Cruise Group, Sydney Opera House and Fantasea Cruising.

Tempo Holidays launch Signature discount

Tempo Holidays’ new Signature Range focuses on experience-rich and market competitive packages with a special discount for travellers available until 31 December 2017.

There are huge savings up for grabs, like the Signature tour Sri Lankan Highlights with savings up to A$285//NZ$305 per person twin share.

Prices are starting from A$2110//NZ$2255 per person (originally A$2395//NZ$2560), with the all encompassing package includes nine nights’ accommodation in superior hotels, breakfast daily and six dinners, touring by air-conditioned private car and sightseeing and entrance fees.

All discounts are valid on departure dates between 01/11 to 19/12/2017 and 11/01 to 30/04/2018.

Frasers Hospitality Australia launch Summer fun deals

Frasers Hospitality are offering a Summer Fun package across all four Australian hotels for stays between 15th of December 2017 and 4th of February 2018, seven days a week.

Stay in Brisbane CBD’s Capri by Fraser from $209, and the Fraser Suites in Sydney from $244. The packages at both properties includes overnight stay in a Studio Deluxe suite, buffet breakfast for two, complimentary bottle of wine, car parking for one car and late check out at 12pm.

Fraser Suites Perth are offering a package from $195, which includes overnight stay in a Studio Deluxe suite, buffet breakfast for two, welcome drinks for two in the hotel’s Lobby Bar and late check out at 12pm.

Stay in a Studio from $169 in Fraser Place Melbourne. The boutique laneway property offers a package including buffet breakfast for two, complimentary bottle of wine and late check out at 1pm.

Troovo wins 2017 Start-up of the year

The Australian tech start-up, Troovo, a virtual robot company, was crowned 2017 Start-up of the Year by the prestigious Web In Travel (WIT) conference in Singapore last week.

WIT is the online travel industry’s leading annual conference made up of the industry’s leading entrepreneurs, innovators, investors and established players.

Troovo’s virtual payments solution was chosen as pitch of the year and voted by attendees of the WIT Conference as the Industry Choice winner. The award package included Seed capital and a 3-month accelerator program at Travelport Labs’ headquarters in Denver, USA.

Troovo’s virtual payment solution will launch in February 2018 at the Business Travel Show / Travel Technology Expo in London.

Bentours release Scandinavian Summer Tour discount

Bentours are offering A$250//NZ$265 off per person on their escorted small group tour “Follow The Midnight Sun” through Scandinavia for travellers who book before 30 November 2017.

The twelve-day tour will capture the very best of a Scandinavia summer. Sites include Helsinki, Rovaniemi, Honningsvag, the Geographical North Pole where travellers will witness the Midnight Sun. Then travelelrs will head to Norway’s fjords on a five-night Hurtigruten cruise from Kirkenes, south to Bergen.

Prices for the tour start from A$5990//NZ$6395 per person.

TravelManagers bring a smile to Adelaide Sick Children

A collage of art mosaics have brightened the foyer of the Centre for Robotics and Innovation at the Adelaide Women and Children’s Hospital (AWCH). The art was completed as part of the 2015 TravelManagers conference community event supporting the South Australia-based charity, Little Heroes.T he delay in displaying the artwork was simply due to following Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) requirements.

TravelManagers through a charity auction and dinner have also raised a whopping $16,000 in funds which were donated to Little Heroes during the company’s 2015 conference in Adelaide.

“The money raised from TravelManagers allowed us to complete the Robotics Centre and have it up and running as soon as possible,” Chris McDermott, founder of Little Heroes said.

“The AWCH has also been approached by doctors in Australia wanting to do research with the use of the Robotic Centre and we are also looking at purchasing other Robotic equipment for the Centre which helps children with neurological disabilities to improve their motor skills and get them out of hospital more quickly.”

Scenic unveils new experiences

The debut of Scenic Eclipse is drawing closer and details of the shore excursions available during the ship’s inaugural season of cruises have been revealed.

Scenic’s 21 Day Falkland Islands, South Georgia and Antarctica cruise departs Buenos Aires on 17 December 2018. Guests will have the opportunity to spend Christmas Day 2018 exploring breathtaking South Georgia Island, and retrace the footsteps of famed explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton from his first arrival point.

Scenic’s 2019 11 Day Ultimate Arctic journey departing Bergen on 16 and 26 June and 6 July, will feature a number of wildlife-themed excursions by Zodiac and by foot. During the cruise guests will be able to take their first steps on land as they search for Svalbard reindeer, hike to the upper reaches of the area to witness flora unique to this part of the world.

Guests will get the opportunity to view the famed Fakasel Horse Show near Reykjavik during Scenic Eclipse’s 10 Day Iceland Discovery, departing Reykjavik on 6 August 2019. The 45-minute show The Legends of Sleipnir weaves together tales of Iceland’s history and Norse mythology to tell the story of Sleipnir, the eight-legged horse of the Norse God Odin.

Tempo Holidays debut exclusive tours in France

Tempo Holidays have launched two new small group tours that include experiences that are away from the usual tourist haunts and utilise boutique accommodation.

The Grand Tour South, takes travellers from Paris to Nice for 10 days, including highlights such as tasting French Champagne straight from the source and view the Rhone valley while venturing from the Alps to the sea. Prices start from A$5490//NZ$5865 per person and includes 9 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 4 dinners, private luxury vehicle with driver and 9 nights’ accommodation in 3 and 4 star boutique hotels.

The Grand Tour North, takes travellers on the reverse route from Nice to Paris. Tour the medieval grandeur of La Cite in Carcassonne, walk the streets of Bordeaux and visit the changing scenery of the Normandy coast. Prices for the tour start from A$6675//NZ$7125 and includes 11 nights in boutique hotels, 11 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 5 dinners, and extensive sightseeing with wine and food tasting.

Albatross Tours Announce New Early Bird Special and 2018 Departures

Albatross Tours have launched new Early Bird Special, offering travellers a $200 per person discount on any 2018 Europe/UK Small Group tour booked and deposited by 22 December 2017.

Albatross have also released three new 2018 departures for their flagship 18 day Italian Grande tour – including 9 June, 26 August and 12 September.

iVenture Card launches in Seoul

visitors can experience  Seoul for less with a new range of Seoul attraction passes from iVenture Card, offering 28 top attractions, tours and experiences with savings up to 50% off. Experiences include tour of Seoul Palace tours, Korean Folks Village, Lotte World and Everland theme parks, city night walking tour,  a firework cruise, and a K-Pop a show.

The ‘Seoul Unlimited Attraction Pass’ allows travellers to enjoy as many of the 28 top attractions. It starts at US$209, and visitors can choose either a 2, 3 or 5 day pass to be used across consecutive days.

The ‘Seoul Flexi Attraction Pass’ allows visitors to pick 3, 5 or 7 experiences from the 28 available. Starting at US$123 the flexi pass is valid for 1 month from issuance allowing travellers to see Seoul at their own pace.

Rome2rio Continues Global, Multi­modal Focus With A Range Of New Booking Partners

Rome2rio has launched rail bookings for travel within a number of major marketplaces, including France, Germany, Canada and Sweden. The company also announced plans for booking of Japanese high speed rail, a range of new coach operators across Western Europe, and bookings for ferries in multiple countries across Europe and Asia, all scheduled for Q4 2017.

“Our key advantage is global coverage. On Rome2rio you can book a bus in Scotland, a rideshare in Germany, then a train in Canada, all with a consistent booking experience look and feel,” Rome2rio CEO Michael Cameron said

By the end of 2017, the company will offer surface transportation bookings ­­ rail, coach, ferry and rideshare ­­ in over 100 countries worldwide.

Adventure South NZ celebrates 25 years with new itineraries for 2018

Adventure South NZ launched in 1992 and is based in Christchurch, now part of the World Expeditions Travel Group. The company has grown into one of New Zealand’s most trusted active adventure brands, offering more than 40 small-group active holidays. To celebrate,  Adventure South NZ has launched a range of new itineraries for 2018 including a one-week walking adventure of a lifetime, deep in New Zealand’s south, home to some of the country’s most pristine and spectacular landscapes.

The “Fiordland, Hollyford and Stewart Island Trails” trip is the ideal itinerary for time-poor, Australian travellers looking for a “best of adventure” trek in New Zealand. The itinerary packs  adventure into seven days; trekking in the rugged wilderness to spectacular lookouts, a ferry ride across Foveaux Strait to Stewart Island to spot wildlife, a magical helicopter ride over Milford Sound to the Hollyford Track, a jet boat ride up Lake McKerrow and trekking a section of the iconic Routeburn Track.

Graded “introductory”, the new Adventure South NZ Fiordland, Hollyford and Stewart Island Trails is priced from AU $3720 per person and departs from Queenstown.

Grand European Tour’s River Cruise and Flight deal

Viking Cruises is offering guests on its 15-day Grand European Tour in 2018, a special price of $6,745 per person inclusive of return airfares to Europe. The 15-day itinerary takes guests through four countries including Hungary, Austria, Germany and The Netherlands.

Guests will visit nine UNESCO World Heritage sites and embark on 12 guided tours. One of Viking’s most iconic itineraries, guests will trace the legendary Danube, Main and Rhine Rivers between the stunning landscapes of Hungary and the windmill-dotted waterways of Holland.

As part of Viking’s Culture Curriculum, guests will enjoy concerts on board and ashore, ranging from Austrian classics to baroque organ music, attend lectures, learn how to make Rüdesheim Coffee, and experience Viennese markets.

Guests fly free and save up to $6,500 per couple when booking the Grand European Tour from Amsterdam to Budapest or vice versa staying in a  Standard Stateroom on the 16 and 18 March 2018 departures.

Trafalgar’s $699 Air Offer to Europe/UK has been extended

Trafalgar’s $699 air offer across all of its 95 trips through Europe and Britain for 2018 has been extended until the 14 December 2017 or until sold out. The deal includes return flights and taxes from all major capital cities on trips between 1 April to 30 November 2018.

Clients can choose to either make the most of this exclusive air deal for just $699 return, including taxes on all 95 Europe and Britain trips, or to book with the current 10% Europe and Britain 2018 Early Payment Discount if paid in full before 14 December 2017.

Learn ethical shopping with Urban Adventures

Urban Adventures wants to teach travellers to be ethical shoppers with its newest product line-up, called Made In…, as a way to turn the typical tourist’s shopping experience on its head. The Made In line-up offers tourists the chance to not just find unique souvenirs on their travels, but to find souvenirs that are ethically produced and authentic to local culture.

Urban Adventures’ new Made In tours are designed to educate travellers on the importance of shopping locally, so that artisans, employees and entrepreneurs can make a proper living from their work. Made In tours are the next effort in Urban Adventures’ mandate to only offer tours that are socially responsible.

This year, Urban Adventures will raise close to $100,000 supporting women workers’ rights in Cambodia; the money is going to support ActionAid’s Safe Cities program, which promotes advocacy and action for women globally.

Opening Launch offer for African Photo Safari

Pangolin Photo Safaris has released savings of up to $US400 per person twin share on its ‘Two Iconic Rivers Safari’ package to celebrate the new Pangolin Khwai Camp in Botswana that opens in March 2018. The new Meru-style tented property is located in the Okavango Delta ecosystem on one of the Northern fingers of the Delta on the Khwai Private Reserve, a 200,000ha private concession.

This seven day itinerary includes use of Pangolin’s custom built flat bottomed photo boats with fully rotating chairs and camera mounts. At the Pangolin Khwai camp has four game viewers which take a maximum of four guests per vehicle on off road and night drives. Guests travelling without a camera can use complimentary state of the art DSLRs and telephoto lenses.

Priced from US$2750 per person twin share, it includes three nights’ accommodation and full board on the Pangolin Voyager Houseboat, use of Pangolin photo boats and all activities, three nights’ accommodation at Pangolin Khwai Camp with full board, twice daily game drives, night drives, walking safaris and a Mokoro cruise, all transfers and all park, conservancy fees and tourism levies. The offer is valid for bookings made before 31st December 2017, for travel from April 1st until June 15th, 2018.