Flavour of the Week

Break the maracas out and join the conga line! It’s time to celebrate this week’s industry movers and shakers.

Japan National Tourism Organization Sydney welcomes new executive director

Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) Sydney Office has welcomed a new executive director to head up the team, with Kana Wakabayashi taking over from Mariko Tatsumi.

Wakabayashi, who hails from JNTO’s head office in Japan, has moved from Tokyo to Sydney to take up her second overseas posting.

With a background of over 15 years promoting Japan as an inbound destination, Wakabayashi brings vast experience and in-depth knowledge. She intends to work closely with her team and local partners on JNTO Sydney’s marketing activities to drive more tourism to Japan, to help meet the Japanese government’s new target of 40 million overseas visitors by 2020.

“I’m excited to build on the momentum of my predecessors to show what makes Japan such a wonderful travel destination,” Wakabayashi said.

“JNTO Sydney office has been receiving great support from the travel industry and media in promoting Japan, and we’ve seen the results.

“This momentum shows no sign of stopping as more and more Australians learn about Japan’s diverse attractions. With the 2019 Rugby World Cup and 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics approaching, awareness is continuing to grow,” she said.

New Head of Marketing for A&K

Luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent has appointed Anthony O’Shea as its new Head of Marketing.

After studying law, and working briefly as a journalist, copywriter and then as a legislative drafter in NSW, O’Shea has worked in marketing and communications roles for more than 25 years, most recently in the Victorian ski fields, where he was the Director of Marketing & Communications for Hotham and Falls Creek ski resorts.

Prior to working in the ski industry, Anthony held senior marketing roles for global wealth management and financial services firms.

O’Shea is an avid reader, accomplished skier and competitive surfer, passionate about family, food, travel and adventure.

AYANA Resort and Spa, BALI gets new PR rep

Anne Wild & Associates (AWA) has been appointed as Australian PR and media representatives for Bali’s largest and only fully integrated resort, AYANA Resort and Spa, BALI.

Named after a ‘place of refuge’ in Sanskrit, AYANA Resort and Spa, BALI enjoys majestic ocean views along its 1.3km coastline on cliffs above majestic Jimbaran Bay, just 12km from Bali’s airport. Guests enjoy unrivalled sanctuary from the resort’s location within the 90-hectare Karang Mas Estate, which is also home to RIMBA, a 403-room resort, and the 5-star The Villas by AYANA Resort.

Together, the combined resort offers 693 guest rooms and suites, 78 luxurious villas complete with private plunge pool and spectacular ocean backdrop, 12 swimming pools, and 18 restaurants and bars including the world famous Rock Bar BALI.

There are 15 purpose-built wedding venues including the avant-garde Champa Garden for grand-scale events and SKY, a unique walkway seemingly floating 35 meters above the Indian Ocean with endless views melting into the horizon, and 19 MICE and meeting venues.

Additional resort highlights include the 22,000sqm Thermes Marins Thalasso spa with one of the world’s largest Aquatonic Seawater Therapy Pools, and the Spa on the Rocks villas set amidst the Indian Ocean. Leisure seekers can also take delight in the 18-hole golf putting course, 2 tennis courts, jogging path and 2 fitness centers, while our young guests have a pick of 2 fun kids clubs.

The resort is fully accessible by complementary shuttle service, together with stunning design details and unsurpassed service and amenities, including extensive spa and recreational facilities.

Sabre’s Rakesh Narayanan to lead Asia Pacific supplier commerce

Sabre Corporation has named Rakesh Narayanan vice president of supplier commerce, Asia Pacific, for Sabre Travel Network, its B2B travel marketplace business.

Reporting to Sabre Travel Network senior vice president of airline commerce, Chris Wilding, Narayanan will lead commercial activities serving Sabre’s Asia Pacific airline customers.

“Rakesh brings a wealth of knowledge about the airline industry to his new role. During his 20 year career at Sabre he has worked with many airlines to improve their operational performance and optimise their strategies to grow revenue and profitability,” added Wilding.

Narayanan was most recently regional director for Sabre Airline Solutions in South East Asia and the Indian Sub-Continent with responsibility for sales and account management. Prior to this he held various global management, business development and consulting positions.

Narayanan has a Bachelor of Technology degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Calicut in Kerala, India. He also holds a Master of Management Information Systems and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas, Arlington. In his new role, effective April 1, he is based in Singapore at Sabre’s Asia Pacific regional headquarters.

Anne Wild & Associates appointed as PR representatives for VisitScotland

Anne Wild & Associates (AWA) has been appointed for a project as PR and Media Relations representatives in Australasia for Scotland’s national tourist organisation, VisitScotland.

Over 1.8 million Australians can claim Scottish ancestry, with many more boasting strong and lasting connections through friends, business or personal travel experience – and we really look forward to bringing the VisitScotland story to life over the coming months.

From fascinating folklore about tribal Clans, fallen monarchs, red-headed Vikings and mysterious standing stones through to exciting explorations of pristine landscapes, island retreats, cobblestone castles, lavish homes, world-famous festivals and an award-winning cuisine scene – Scotland has it all!

A destination for all seasons, anytime is a good time to visit Scotland – now even easier from Australia via new one-stop connections when flying Qatar, Etihad and Emirates.