Planning a domestic escape for your clients? Lucky for you, we’ve got a mix of deals, offers and openings to suit all tastes in this wrap.

Event hotels launch new campaign giveaway

Event hotels have launched the ‘From our Family to Yours’ campaign, giving away 1,200 hotel nights across Rydges, Atura and QT Hotels in Australia and New Zealand.

The campaign is geared toward locals who have supported their communities throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to help contain its spread – be it a healthcare worker, bus driver, local shopkeeper, teacher, neighbour, or friend.

Australians and New Zealanders are invited to nominate a local community member for the chance win one of 1,200 nights across Rydges, Atura and QT Hotels, with entrants also going in the draw to win one of four five-night, all-inclusive stays at a QT, Rydges or Atura for themselves.

The initiative will run until 7 July 2020 for stays between 1 August 2020 and 30 June 2021.

Cairns hotel to give away $100 bar tab to interstate guests

Five-star Riley, a Crystalbrook Collection resort in Cairns, Queensland, is toasting the return of its interstate friends with a $100 bar tab for every hotel direct online booking from neighbouring states (excluding Victoria) using promo code MATESHIP.

Non-Queenslanders need no longer feel left out in the cold from 10 July, with domestic travel restrictions lifting.

To celebrate this step forward, and in a gesture of Aussie mateship, Crystalbrook’s Riley is opening the bar and inviting guests to relax and share a ‘socially distant’ drink (or two) poolside or at the bar with a complimentary $100 tab for every new interstate booking.

The $100 bar tab can be used at any operating Crystalbrook restaurant or bar in Cairns.

Daydream Island welcomes back guests

Daydream Island Resort King Room (supplied)

Iconic Australian resort, reef and wildlife destination Daydream Island has begun welcoming guests, as of Wednesday, ahead of the Queensland borders re-opening.

As the first island in the region to open back up to intrastate and interstate travellers, this marks an exciting moment for Australian tourism following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Come July 10, Daydream Island Resort and Living Reef will begin welcoming guests from beyond the Queensland border, both new and returning, to experience all that the island has to offer.

With its doors re-opening, Daydream Island Resort and Living Reef will also continue to implement their ‘COVID Safe Health Management Plan’, in line with Queensland government regulations.

The resort is the first in the Whitsundays to officially be accredited as a ‘COVID CLEAN’ resort, meaning it has developed and initiated business practices specifically aimed to maintain high hygiene standards and stop the spread of COVID-19.

Byron Bay’s new address opens with rooftop bar

Image credit: Amy Whitfield

The Surf House, Byron Bay has now opened its doors, boasting the town’s first and only open-air rooftop bar – The Rooftop.

Located just two streets back from Main Beach in the heritage-listed Byron Council Chambers building, The Surf House combines the building’s original architecture with modern design.

The Rooftop draws inspiration from old school Californian beach towns, decked out with beach-chic bric-a-brac and vintage Aussie surf posters and photos, including one featuring a young Bob Hawke.

The Surf House will be the third Byron Bay property from family-owned and operated Millett Group, which also owns The Lord Byron boutique hotel and premium hostel Wake Up! Byron Bay.

Club Med secures $423 million loan

Club Med has announced it has signed a €260 million ($423 million) loan agreement, enabling the company to significantly secure its cash position during the COVID-19 crisis.

France has guaranteed a €180 million ($293 million) loan agreement with the support of a pool of French banks, and an €80 million ($130 million) shareholder loan agreement from Fosun Tourism Group.

NSW government launches COVID-19 safety guidance materials for hotels

The NSW government has launched a new suite of guidance materials to help all types of businesses manage the risk of COVID-19.

The hotels and accommodation plan can be tailored to reflect an individual business’ response to the risks that may arise in their workplace. Hotel and accommodation businesses could consider:

• Flexible cancellation or booking policies to ensure guests that are unwell or awaiting test results can cancel or change dates
• Monitoring local community transmission, travel restrictions and changes in public health orders to ensure employees and customers are kept informed
• Displaying conditions of entry prominently and sharing key health messages across via all available communication channels (website, social media, email, reception)
• Using contactless check in to reduce crowding and face to face contact with front desk workers
• Frequently cleaning high touchpoints including counters, door handles and lift controls.

The new campaign materials, which include social media tiles, downloadable posters and checklists for all NSW offices are available here.

Soneva unveils new guidelines, processes and procedures

The Maldives and Thailand-based luxury resort operator Soneva has released a helpful video explaining what you can expect from its properties in the wake of COVID-19, going forward.

All procedures highlighted in the video, which is led by Soneva founder Sonu Shivdasani, are to ensure the highest standards of safety and wellness for the operator’s guests and hosts.

These decisions were made following the best practices recommended by the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as well as numerous consultations with leading experts in virology and infectious diseases in the United States, Singapore, India and the United Kingdom.

Ovolo unveils OC/DC cleanliness protocols

Ovolo Hotels is putting the needs of its guests as its top priority, and is upholding its commitment to hygiene with its new ‘OC/DC’ commitment, which stands for ‘obsessive commitment to deep cleaning’.

The new campaign incorporates musical undertones – as any Aussie would recognise – with a factsheet riffing off of popular songs and artists, but maintaining an important message on safety and hygiene.

You can check it out here.

Royale Takitumu withdraws from PRHG partnership

Pacific Resort Hotel Group (PRHG) has advised that Motu (formerly Royale Takitumu) will withdraw from the PRHG Partner Resort program, effective from 30 June 2020.

This decision comes after PRHG’s stewardship through Motu’s modernisation, PRHG said, and the resort is “now ready” to relaunch and move into the next phase independently.

Hotel managers Tim and Lucile Meyer will now become the direct contact for all things Motu moving forward.

Pro-invest Group opens first NZ hotel, plans for two more

Pro-invest Group has opened its first New Zealand hotel, the 227-room Holiday Inn Express & Suites Queenstown hotel, which is found on the corner of Stanley and Sydney Streets in Queenstown.

The hotel is a stone’s throw from restaurants, bars and shops, and within easy reach of the region’s attractions – snowfields, Lake Wakatipu, the Otago wine region and outdoor adventures such as mountain biking, hiking and bungy jumping.

It officially opens to guests on Friday 10 July ahead of the school holidays and the start of ski season next month, and offers spacious suites which are a Holiday Inn Express first in Australia and New Zealand.

Pro-invest Group has also made plans for additional New Zealand properties. The group has acquired a prime site in Auckland to continue its international growth, with New Zealand’s second Holiday Inn Express hotel, and Pro-invest and New Zealand’s first voco hotel in 2021.

RARE India launches three new initiatives

RARE India has launched three initiatives with the aim of growing its community of earth loves and travel enthusiasts who believe in sustainable living.

Two of the initiatives, RARE Travel Agency Network (RATAN) and RARE Influencer Network (RAIN), are directed towards inviting partnerships from travel agents as well as independent influencers to jointly promote conscious luxury travel.

While the ‘Beautiful Planet’ initiative is directed towards children and young adults and is calling out to them to preserve and protect planet earth.

Under RATAN, RARE India is inviting travel agencies that believe in responsible tourism to be a part of the network.

RATAN is targeted at the discerning and evolving Indian traveller who can book through “RARE” travel agency partners, equipped with knowledge and training. RATAN partners will have preferred access to the RARE India community, RARE India events, FAMs and knowledge sessions.

Corinna Wilderness Experience offers new commissionable stay deal

https://www.instagram.com/p/CA_m7vUBw3i/

Corinna Wilderness Experience, an eco-conscious retreat located in Tasmania’s pristine Tarkine region, is offering a tempting stay deal from June to August 2020, commissionable for general bookings and on its new deal.

The Tarkine is home to unique plants and animals, including rare quolls, healthy Tasmanian devils, wedge-tailed eagles and giant freshwater lobsters.

With a new package, guests can make the most of:

• Three nights’ accommodation in a Queen Eco Retreat Cottage
• Hearty breakfast packs daily (enjoyed in room at your leisure)
• A dinner pack (first night only – enjoyed in room at your leisure)
• A bottle of Corinna Wine (Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Noir) to celebrate an awesome day in the wilds of Tasmania
• One free coffee in the bar daily per guest.

Book your stay with the following costs and details:

• Single – $650.00 (save $181)
• Double – $700.00 (save $237)
• Range – 1 April to 1 September 2020
• Promo code – WINTERWARMER2020.

Easing of NSW restrictions a step in the right direction: TAA

Tourism Accommodation Australia national chief executive Michael Johnson said easing of restrictions in New South Wales and the re-opening of the Queensland border were steps in the right direction for the struggling accommodation hotel sector.

Johnson said that a blanket one person per four-square-metres limit can be applied across venues as a whole and there was no longer any limit on group numbers or group bookings.

He added that the 1.5-metre physical distancing limits are still to be observed, however, they now no longer apply to households or groups who are seated together in restaurants or bars of a hotel.

“These changes are not huge, but they are another step in the right direction,” Johnson said.

“They are particularly good for accommodation hotels with larger rooms used to host conferences and events.”