TravelBulletin for October 2021 - Access denied to the million dollar club, a tourism hub like no by Travel Bulletin

OCTOBER 2021

ACCESS DENIED TO THE MILLION DOLLAR CLUB… After 18 months of the COVID-crisis the formerly fat pay packets of the industry’s top executives are looking decidedly skinny

PLUS, A TOURISM HUB LIKE NO OTHER

CONTENTS

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COVER STORY 16 Access denied to the Million Dollar Club Every year travelBulletin publishes The Million Dollar Club - but in 2020/21, after 18 months of facing the biggest crisis the sector has ever known, the formerly fat pay packets of those at the top are looking decidedly skinny. As Bruce Piper uncovers, some previous high flyers can no longer get past the velvet rope letting them into the VIP section of the club.

New

MONTHLY 02 State of the industry 06 Issues and trends 24 Cruise 28 Last word

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COLUMNS

02 From the publisher 08 AFTA View 27 CLIA View

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This month’s contributors Joel Katz, Tom Manwaring Image bottom left: The Old Sydney Town Tourism Precinct ©WCTV Image bottom right: Fridtjof Nansen ©Andrea Klaussner/Hurtigruten

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travelBulletin OCTOBER 2021

STATE OF THE INDUSTRY

From the publisher Bruce Piper

IN BRIEF

I COULD barely believe my eyes last week at Qantas’ reaction to an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission report into the aviation sector. The wide-ranging coverage of Australia’s airlines and airports noted the distress everyone had been under due to COVID-19, with ACCC Chair Rod Sims citing “concerns from some airlines that airports may seek to significantly increase charges to airlines in order to recover lost profits from the pandemic”. Warning airport operators not to take advantage of the situation, Sims said higher costs “could limit an already vulnerable sector’s ability to recover, and impact on both consumers and the economy”. Qantas chief Joyce weighed in, pontificating that airports are only able to lift their prices because they are “unregulated monopolies...there’s nothing really stopping them charging whatever they like”. By contrast, he insisted “we can’t say to our passengers ‘we’ve lost $20 billion in revenue due to COVID so we are going to increase airfares accordingly to recover our losses’ because it’s highly competitive between airlines - and it’s not the right thing

Helloworld gets set for tech HELLOWORLD Travel Limited has laid out a vision for a technology-enabled future, with ongoing investment in IT through the pandemic period across its retail, corporate, consolidation and accommodation offerings. The HLO annual report detailed the imminent launch of ‘Mango’, an in-house portal based on Tourplan NX for the company’s wholesale

travelBulletin OCTOBER 2021

to do,” with Joyce seemingly blissfully unaware of the irony, since Qantas had done exactly that to travel agents by unilaterally cutting commission. Back in May this year, Qantas Executive Manager of Global Sales & Distribution, Igor Kwiatikowski, tried to justify the carrier’s position on the cuts, telling travelBulletin “like all airlines, Qantas is working to recover from the biggest crisis our industry has ever faced”. “Maintaining the status quo around our commission structure is no longer viable and the changes we’re making form part of the work under way right across the business to reduce our costs by $1 billion a year. “Given the billions of dollars of extra debt and lost revenue due to COVID, these cost reductions are central to our recovery plan,” he said. Joyce’s comments about airports using their strong position to raise charges should ring pretty hollow in the ears of QF’s thousands of third party distributors whose survival is threatened by commission cuts. As the QF CEO blithely noted, changing commercial arrangements to recover COVIDrelated losses is simply “not the right thing to do”.

operations, promising greater functionality and a wider array of product for the company’s retail networks. In cruise, Helloworld has rolled out a uniformed version of the Odysseus platform for the Seven Oceans and Cruiseco businesses, while the ResWorld retail midoffice system has now been rolled out in almost half of the company’s branded network in Australia, with a corporate version

to be deployed from this month. The new ReadyRooms accommodation platform, based on technology from the collapsed Excite Holidays, will shortly launch under the “Athena” brand, while Helloworld also intends to reintroduce the Skiddoo OTA which has been “temporarily closed due to the complete lack of international travel at present”.

Vale Jo Tuamoto THE tourism sector across the South Pacific is in mourning after the death of Tourism Solomons CEO Josefa ‘Jo’ Tuamoto last month after a bout of ill health. Tuamoto suffered a medical incident in Honiara and had recently returned to be close to family in Fiji, where he sadly died. As well as leading Tourism Solomons since 2013 - and leading its rebrand from the former Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau - the visionary Tuamoto had previously been global CEO for Tourism Fiji and was instrumental in developing the destination’s high profile. He was also well known to the local industry as Tourism Fiji’s Regional Director for Australia, as well as a stint in the Americas, and prior to that as MD of Blue Lagoon Cruises.

ACCC denes QF/JL THE Australian Competition and Consumer Commission isn’t letting the short term pain of COVID-19 cloud its vision for aviation, last month

QR KICKS SOME AFL BEHINDS

“

Airlines have been severely impacted by the pandemic and this has been a very difficult period for them. But preserving competition between airlines is the key to the long-term recovery of the aviation and tourism sectors.

”

Rod Sims, Chair, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission

QATAR Airways hosted some of its key Western Australian industry partners at the AFL Grand Final last month, with pandemic restrictions seeing the event played in Perth for the first time ever. Pictured in front of the hallowed pitch are Lisa from Corporate Traveller along with Felicity and Jess from Globetrotter Travel, with QR’s Country Manager Australia West, Yen Kho.

formally knocking back a proposed alliance between Qantas and Japan Airlines. The carriers had strenuously argued that they should be allowed to cooperate in order to rebuild the Australia-Japan route, but ACCC Chair Rod Sims said the Commission had found the deal would “likely lead to reduced competition as international travel resumes, to the detriment of passengers travelling between Australia and Japan. Airlines have been severely impacted by the pandemic and this

has been a very difficult period for them. But preserving competition between airlines is the key to the long-term recovery of the aviation and tourism sectors, once international travel restrictions are eased,” he said.

Grants frustration boils over AFTER months of genuflecting to Government officials over the bungled roll-out of the $258 million Continues over page

travelBulletin OCTOBER 2021

STATE OF THE INDUSTRY

“

More agency moves

MAIN DOMESTIC ROUTES

VISITOR ARRIVALS

Top 10 domestic city pairs, July 2021

City pair

Passengers Passengers % change YE Jul 20 YE Jul 21 (000) (000)

Melbourne-Sydney Brisbane-Sydney Brisbane-Cairns Brisbane-Melbourne Gold Coast-Melbourne Brisbane-Townsville Adelaide-Melbourne Brisbane-Mackay Hobart-Melbourne Adelaide-Brisbane ALL CITY PAIRS

5,875.3 3,196.8 904.9 2,347.2 .... 712.9 1,628.9 563.8 .... 590.8 40,520.1

1,709.1 1,154.6 980.1 811.3 778.4 662.3 581.7 500.0 463.5 452.3 22,159.9

RESIDENT RETURNS

Top 10 destinations, July 2021 Country of residence

Jul 2019

New Zealand USA UK India Singapore Vanuatu Philippines China Unit Arab Emir Hong Kong All visitors arrivals

-70.9 -63.9 +8.3 -65.4 N/A -7.1 -64.3 -11.3 N/A -23.4 -45.3

133,630 61,530 39,300 26,040 34,020 850 12,670 150,390 6,950 31,110 790,380

Jul 2020

Jul 2021

500 13,190 540 770 410 740 120 380 140 320 0 310 140 260 130 260 100 200 150 190 3,530 18,750

Top 10 destinations, July 2021

change original Jun 21/ Jul 21 -1,120 +470 +20 +100 +100 +470 +60 0 +170 +180 -18,020

Source: ABS

Country of stay

Jul 2019

New Zealand 123,510 UK 93,350 USA 104,010 India 21,480 China 42,070 PNG 8,800 Japan 34,690 Singapore 37,410 Unit Arab Emir 2,980 Timor-Leste 2,040 All resident returns 1.122m

Jul 2020

Jul 2021

1,230 35,990 960 560 1,160 520 390 520 610 300 350 240 190 200 350 200 270 150 0 140 10,280 41,800

change original Jun 21/ Jul 21 -7,150 +20 -440 -150 -70 -70 +100 -80 -50 -60 -8,690

Source: ABS

Source: BITRE

NZ border fee hike THE New Zealand Government has doubled its Border Processing Levy to NZ$43.73 per airline passenger return trip from 01 December, and also lifted its fees for cruise passengers to $36.72. Tourism and travel businesses in NZ are said to be devastated at the move.

-9

DOMESTIC AIR MARKET July 2021

Total pax carried Revenue pax km (RPK) Available seat kms (ASK) Load factor (%) Aircraft trips (000)

Jul 20

Jul 21

0.73m 0.75bn 1.28bn 59.1 14.9

1.35m 1.69bn 3.34bn 50.6 27.3

.5 %

”

Tom Manwaring, Interim Executive Chairman, AFTA

DATA ROOM

-87

THE expiry of various travel agency franchise agreements in recent months has seen a shuffling of membership deals, with the welcome addition of Savenio to the ranks of Helloworld’s Magellan Travel Group last month. Owner David Brandon said Magellan was a “perfect fit,” adding another layer to the business success of Savenio’s 30-plus luxury travel agent affiliates across the country. Other changes have

The projected start of international travel by December... does not diminish the need for continued support for the travel sector

seen CT Partners further expand with the addition of Melbourne-based Mogul Ski World/Jigsaw Travel and The Travel Agency, while the Australian Travel Agents Cooperative (ATAC) has added eight new members including equestrian specialist Snaffle Travel. ATAC GM Michelle Emerton said new members were attracted by the group’s complete absence of fees, meaning they were able to use their funds to “invest in their own future, rather than a brand’s future”.

0% .6% -94

COVID-19 Consumer Travel Support program, the travel industry’s peak bodies have finally expressed their utter frustration at a lack of progress in finalising the second round of the scheme, as well as pleading for further support. The Council of Australian Tour Operators blasted the Government for shortsightedness in its approval of a further $183 million in assistance for airlines, saying while the help was welcomed it needed to be spread right across the travel and tourism sector. And responding to confirmation that almost 200 applications from the second round of the grants scheme still remained outstanding - despite the program opening for applications five months ago - AFTA Chairman Tom Manwaring told travelBulletin “we remain frustrated by the

ongoing delays in Grant 2 finalisation, given the dire situation in our industry”. “The projected start of international travel by December, along with the greater than 80% double vaccination target achievements, does not diminish the need for continued support for the travel sector,” he said.

-93.4%

Continues from previous page

Growth % Year end Year end Jul 20 Jul 21 +83.8 +124.0 +161.6 -8.5* +83.1

Growth % 40.52m 22.16m -45.3 47.03bn 25.68bn -45.4 59.95bn 40.64bn -32.2 78.4 63.2 -15.3* 450.9 338.9 -24.8

-9 6.1 %

*Percentage points difference

Source: BITRE

-8 3

.1 % -81. 2% -87.6% -88.7%

-78.1%

INTERNATIONAL AIR MARKET SHARE Share of passengers carried – July 2021

HEADLINES 01 Sep 02 Sep 06 Sep 07 Sep 08 Sep 09 Sep 10 Sep 13 Sep 14 Sep 15 Sep

HLO targets break even Savenio joins Magellan New Helloworld tour brand HLO tech double-down ATAC adds seven members Overseas travel in Nov? Helloworld exec pay revealed ACCC rejects QF alliance Digital declarations deal Journey Beyond joins CATO

travelBulletin OCTOBER 2021

INTERNATIONAL AIR ROUTES

Others, 17.9%

Top 10 city pairs, year end July 2021

Air New Zealand, 30.8%

17 Sep 20 Sep 21 Sep 22 Sep 23 Sep 27 Sep 28 Sep 29 Sep 30 Sep 30 Sep

Tasman closure slams NZ QF exec pay “discipline” Over 50 new AFTA members Industry mourns Tuamoto Vaccine passport detailed Austrade grant update NIB travel insurance pause DFAT releases VDS app Vale Stanley Tollman Experience Co branches out

City pair Etihad Airways, 2.1% Cathay Pacific Airways, 2.1% United Airlines, 2.8% China Southern Airlines, 3.5% Jetstar, 3.6%

Emirates, 6.1%

Singapore Airlines, 9.4%

Qantas Airways, 11.7%

Qatar Airways, 10.1% Source: BITRE

Auckland-Sydney Auckland-Brisbane Auckland-Melbourne Auckland-Gold Coast Doha-Sydney Los Angeles-Sydney Singapore-Sydney Guangzhou-Sydney Auckland-Perth Dubai-Sydney Top 10 City Pairs Other City Pairs ALL CITY PAIRS

Passengers YE Jul 20 1,040,824 612,948 820,860 211,183 386,234 579,483 988,174 238,989 129,884 506,221 5,514,800 21,555,541 27,070,341

Passengers YE Jul 21 129,114 103,693 93,080 39,613 38,630 38,160 38,091 29,899 28,499 27,157 565,936 637,820 1,203,756

% of total % change 21/20 10.7 -87.6 8.6 -83.1 7.7 -88.7 3.3 -81.2 3.2 -90.0 3.2 -93.4 3.2 -96.1 2.5 -87.5 2.4 -78.1 2.3 -94.6 47.0 -89.7 53.0 -97.0 100.0 -95.6

Source: BITRE

travelBulletin OCTOBER 2021

Invest In Australia’s Next Tourist Destination

Your Opportunity To Be Part Of The Next Big Tourism Destination World Village presents Australia’s most unique tourism destination. Old Sydney Town Tourism Precinct is seeking investment and operator interest. Contact us for more information. The overall project consists of various tourism sub-projects, offering diversity in experience, ensuring repeat visitation and continued relevance. Combining a wide range of tourism uses and experiences from theme parks to shopping outlets and botanical gardens to theme hotels, the redevelopment of the Old Sydney Town precinct will create Australia’s first and largest comprehensive multicultural tourism destination. With an opportunity for investors and operators of entertainment, cultural and creative attractions, the project serves to leverage the established location and visitor base whilst creating a new outlet for revenue, employment and tourism growth.

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1800 954 226

Expected forecast of over 1.5 million people per year

One hour drive from Sydney on NSW’s sought after Central Coast

120ha Overall project size of 120 hectares

business@wctv.com.au

The area, which is located at the Gosford exit of the Pacific Highway, boasts easy access to the Sydney CBD and features 120 hectares of stunning, high priority land. The development of the tourism destination will be an integral part of the Central Coast Regional Plan 2036 and feature a broad range of tourism elements, bringing an abundance of people to the area both domestically and internationally. Home to Sydney’s famous Australian Reptile Park, which will continue to operate as it currently attracts upwards of 300,000 visitors annually, the proposal of fourteen tourist sites forecasts visitation soaring in excess of one and a half million people per year. Further to this, the scale of the development will create significant employment opportunities and economic benefits to the region. From operators of local attractions to equipment manufacturers and designers, World Village is currently seeking expressions of interest from people of all entertainment backgrounds to take part in an unprecedented opportunity for investment within the Australian tourism industry. Enquire now with World Village.

Combining 14 unique tourism elements, creating a new destination for Australia’s Cultural Tourism Industry 1

Theme Park Super Lot

The Australian Reptile Park

Community Outdoor Spaces

Destination Shopping Outlets

Theme Hotel and Function Centres

Cultural Industry Quarter and Museums

Eco Adventure Zones

Botanical Gardens and Cafes

Global Immersive Short Stay District

10 Water Shows and Recreation Area 11 Wave Park 12 Potential Residential Development 13 Eco Leisure Tourism Area 14 Eco Conservation Area

ISSUES & TRENDS

AAPA’S ZERO CARBON PLEDGE MORE serious strides are being made by the aviation sector regarding the reduction of carbon emissions, with the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) recently pledging to reach zero carbon emissions by 2050. A major pillar of the environmental strategy will involve sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), however AAPA DirectorGeneral Subhas Menon believes the Asia Pacific region still needs more resources and support to create SAF for carriers, with the region to account for roughly 40% of the total biofuel demand. Members of the alliance include Singapore Airlines, Japan Airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways, All Nippon Airways and Malaysia Airlines.

Amadeus/Etihad reach new heights TRAVEL tech company Amadeus scored a major client win last month, securing a multi-year deal with UAE-based airline Etihad. The agreement sees the carrier implement Amadeus’ Altea PSS suite, incorporating web booking, revenue management, merchandising, data management and passenger servicing solutions, a move Etihad believes will result in a more optimum digital experience for clients, including an easier way to book and manage flights, as well as the extra option to customise their travel options as they go. Etihad also signed for Amadeus Altéa NDC, revealing plans to make its full range of NDC offers available to Amadeus travel sellers.

AFTA VIEW Tom Manwaring, Interim Executive Chair Australian Federation of Travel Agents

FINALLY, the green shoots of recovery are starting to appear. We have dates for Sydney’s lockdown restrictions easing so that’s a good start. The point we have continued to make when talking to Government and media is that it’s going to take a while for that to translate into a boost in confidence. It’s not simply a matter of flicking a light switch and everything returns to normal. Our sector has been through 600 long, hard days of lockdown and it’s going to be over the next 12 to 18 months before our industry can finally recover. Our core message is and remains – we need support now and on an ongoing basis. Austrade have confirmed finalisation of those claims still outstanding under Round 2 of the Consumer Travel Grant is very close. We need this resolved and continue to provide this feedback to Government while pushing for finalisation of the Round 3 approach. AFTA also continues to flag the urgent need for Banks to recognise the value of the Federal Government’s 80% Loan Guarantee to everyone and anyone who will listen including Government, the Small Business Ombudsman and the Australian Banking Association. Behind the scenes, the work continues to future proof our sector and organisation. As part of this, AFTA’s Consitutional Review is underway. As flagged in our AFTA Annual Report, the Board Sub-Committee to oversee the evolution of our Constitution and the review of our membership structure is now in place. This evolving of AFTA will be one of the immediate priorities for our new CEO Dean Long who will start in the role shortly. It’s also been a big month for AFTA’s National Mobilisation Campaign as our members amplify the need for support with their local Federal MPs. This approach has already delivered results in the form of the Grant Support and the timing is important in driving home the importance of ongoing support. So let’s finish on a positive note. If you look back to where we were two months ago, we’ve come a long way towards opening up. You’ve got to believe that, in another two months time, it’s going to look dramatically different around the country.

New Zealand. Where the Wild Things Are. Legendary and Limitless. Purveyors of luxury adventure in New Zealand for more than 30 years, Abercrombie & Kent reveals the Land of the Long White Cloud in rare and singular style: landscapes at their most raw, world-class food and wine, a rich creative vibe and the mythical Maori culture. This is travel at its most inspiring.

Active Fiordland Adventure

An action-packed small group journey exploring the South Island’s awe-inspiring mountain peaks, lakes, ancient forests and fiords. There are visits to artisan studios, hiking the Kepler Track, private wine tasting, a cruise to Mou Waho Island and tramping the Milford Track for a day. Maximum 8 guests Queenstown – Te Anau 6 days from $7,475 per person twin share Departs 18 March 2022

Top of the South Cycling Adventure

A small group cycling tour through the spectacular Nelson Tasman region of New Zealand’s South Island. Highlights include visits to studios and galleries, boutique wine tasting and sailing through the Abel Tasman National Park on an overnight luxury catamaran cruise. Maximum 8 guests Nelson – Abel Tasman National Park 6 days from $7,950 per person twin share Departs 22 February & 8 March 2022

To learn more about A&K’s range of travel options in New Zealand for your clients, call 1300 851 800 or visit www.abercrombiekent.com.au

Tailor-Made Adventures | Small Group Journeys | Luxury Expedition Cruises 8

travelBulletin OCTOBER 2021

Terms & Conditions apply.

ISSUES & TRENDS

HELLOWORLD MINIMISES LOSSES

A&K IN TASSIE

HELLOWORLD Travel Limited’s 2020/21 results reflected the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a roller coaster of TTV as borders closed and opened throughout the year. The overall $49.5 million pre-tax statutory net loss was the result of “very tight cost management across all our business divisions,” according to CEO Andrew Burnes. Helloworld’s workforce was slashed from 1,578 people to just 885 during the 12 month period, with the remaining staff working reduced hours or placed on stand-down. The remnant was less than half the 2,150 personnel on the Helloworld team at 31 December 2019. However “across our business divisions, Helloworld has maintained an outstanding network of leaders and business development personnel who are working on our post-COVID-19 strategies for 2022 and beyond,” Burnes said.

ABERCROMBIE & Kent’s ‘Tasmania: Wine, Wildlife & Wilderness’ Small Group Journey explores the best of the state across 11 days. This immersive escape allows the maximum 16 guests to experience the culture and history of Tasmania, while indulging in a healthy dose of adventure. From $11,445 per person, travellers will marvel at the myriad of spectacular landscapes and heritage-listed natural wonders, from Lake St Clair and Cradle Mountain to Flinders Island and Freycinet National Park. Travelling roundtrip from Hobart, passengers will also taste a cornucopia of epicurean delights from award-winning whisky to Bruny Island’s celebrated cheeses.

As well as the staff cuts, key cost reduction achievements also included lowering occupancy costs through renegotiations with landlords, and eliminating a wide range of discretionary variable expenditures across the business. “The focus remains on cost reductions due to significant lockdowns in Australia and New Zealand,” the Helloworld CEO added. The results announcement included a detailed breakdown of Helloworld’s retail networks across Australia and New Zealand (pictured), with many business owners consolidating outlets and scaling businesses down into home-based operations until international travel resumes. While some Helloworld agencies had chosen to cease trading altogether, almost all had “done so in an orderly and professional manner and in accordance with their legal and financial obligations”.

Total transaction value was down almost 80% on the previous year, which had itself been impacted by three months of pandemic-era trading. However there is light on the horizon, with the report citing expectations that state borders would be largely reopened by Christmas. “With our long track record in domestic travel in Australia and New Zealand, open borders between our States and transTasman is sufficient to generate break-even TTV levels across our business,” Burnes noted. “As international borders re-open and cruising in both Australia/New Zealand waters and then beyond comes back we expect to see very positive trading conditions evolve throughout 2022 and beyond. This will be greatly helped by the resilience of our retail travel agency networks who have made it through so far and will come out the other side of this pandemic stronger than ever.”

Helloworld Retail Networks in Australia and New Zealand Australia

Change Mar 20 - Jun 21

March 2020

December 2020

June 2021

Helloworld Branded and Associate Networks

502

430 + 52 home based

417 + 71 home based

-2.8%

Magellan Travel

121

105

-30.6%

-6.3%

My Travel Group

777

568 + 205 home based

539 + 213 home based

-3.2%

MTA (all home based)

432

438

454

-5.1%

1323 + 572 home based 1166 + 695 home based

1099+738 home based

-3.1%

Helloworld Business Travel

Total Australia

New Zealand

March 2020

December 2020

60 + 10 home based

My Travel Group

128

Travel Brokers (all home based)

291

Helloworld Branded and Associate Networks

Total New Zealand

Grand total

Change June 2021 Mar 20 - Jun 21 47 + 18 home based

-20.7%

107

-31.3%

236

234

-19.6%

210 + 291 home based

167 + 246 home based

135 + 252 home based

-22.8%

1533 + 863 home based

1333 + 941 home based

1234 + 990 home based

-7.2%

Views over Wineglass Bay, Tas ©Matthew Donovan

Qatar gets StreetSmart QATAR Airways donated thousands of material aid items during winter to support local charities through its national partnership with StreetSmart Australia. The airline worked with StreetSmart to support disadvantaged communities and combat homelessness. Qatar launched a winter donation drive which includes thousands of amenity kits, sleepsuits and blankets for 17 charities Australia-wide. The expanded drive saw the airline work closely with StreetSmart to connect with local organisations in all five mainland Australian states. The charities cover a range of services for communities in need, including homelessness support, youth and women’s services, and support for Indigenous communities.

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ISSUES & TRENDS

A TOURISM HUB LIKE NO OTHER AN EXCITING tourism project is brewing on the Central Coast in NSW, with developer WCTV unveiling plans to create Australia’s largest integrated multicultural destination over the next several years. Set to be constructed on a 120-hectare parcel of land, the Old Sydney Town Tourism Precinct will be comprised of multiple entertainment elements to create a truly multifaceted tourism experience, including ambitions for several theme parks, a host of accommodation options, large-scale retail precincts, an indigenous precinct, museums and much more. The project is now on the hunt for suitable investors and tourism operators, big or small, willing to partner in one of three key ways, either by purchasing or leasing land in the project, or by forming strategic joint ventures regarding selected tourism programs. Discussions are already underway with several operators, with WCTV confirming it is currently working with the Central Coast Government extensively in the hopes of getting the planning proposal off the ground. The masterplan for the site would also incorporate the existing Australian Reptile Park in the first development stage, an attraction that sees 300,000 visitors attend annually. A number of infrastructure upgrades are flagged to take place at the popular attraction, as well as the construction of an Aboriginal and cultural indigenous precinct, a wave park, a paddock-to-plate concept and a range of overnight accommodation options. Further planned tourism

Combining 14 unique tourism elements, the Old Sydney Town Tourism Precinct will be the ultimate tourist destination ©WCTV

drawcards in time are slated to include a reuse of former elements of the Old Sydney Town project, multiple community outdoor spaces for performances and cultural exchanges, colonial style shopping areas, eco adventure zones such as rope swings and adventure walks. The developer may also potentially look at creating a water-based recreation area down the track, featuring waterfront restaurants, fishing activities and an open-air cinema. The Old Sydney Town Tourism Precinct has its sights set on becoming one of Australia’s largest tourism attractions, forecasting annual visitation in excess of 1.5 million visitors a year, revealing post-COVID ambitions of accommodating mainly local visitation in the short-term, with a view to attracting more international tourists at a later date.

WCTV foresees strong growth potential from overseas visitors, as the site will boast tourism themes designed to resonate with an international audience, in particular the site’s Aboriginal cultural precinct, various Australian culinary attractions and unique wildlife exhibits. While tourists to Australia can seek out these types of experiences independently, the Old Sydney Town Tourism Precinct will be one of the few places in the country offering a condensed one-stop tourism shop all in the one site. Moving forward, the goal is to get the detailed planning for stage one of the project off the ground by the early part of next year, with a view to kicking off construction towards the end of 2022. Full construction of all stages is expected to take around five years to complete.

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travelBulletin OCTOBER 2021

ISSUES & TRENDS

CATO SCHEME ON TRACK

MENTAL WELLBEING: SUPPORT YOURSELF AND YOUR SMALL BUSINESS By Tim Hoopmann AS A small business owner, I am aware of the need to take care of my mental health. In doing so I put myself in the best position to then support others around me. Taking care of my mental health means I will be in a better frame of mind to deal with life and business challenges in this ever-challenging world. I make this a daily priority so I can then go about supporting others around me. In late 2020, a significant development for small business by Beyond Blue was to launch the free ‘Mental wellbeing: support yourself and small businesses course’. It was launched at a time when two thirds of Australia’s small business owners reported the pandemic had negatively affected their mental health. The course, which can be accessed by all small business in Australia on Beyond Blue’s HEADS UP website and covers four key topic areas: • An introduction to mental health and how to recognise when someone needs support • How small business owners can look after their own wellbeing in the workplace and at home • How to have a conversation with a small business owner you are worried about • How you can proactively support small business owners If you work with small business owners, this is a great resource and a must complete for any business and their teams.

Journey Beyond’s Indian Pacific travelling through the Blue Mountains, NSW ©Journey Beyond

THE Council of Australian Tour Operators’ (CATO) new accreditation scheme for land supply operators unveiled in June this year has received a major boost following news that Journey Beyond has hopped aboard as a founding member. The decision by the experiential operator to join CATO’s new program will also see the company exit the AFTA Travel Accreditation

Scheme (ATAS), with Journey Beyond Chief Commercial Officer Peter Egglestone reassuring the decision in no way diminishes its commitment to travel agents. “CATO’s new accreditation scheme is specifically designed for the land supply sector and thus provides a far better fit for our business and its iconic products,” he said, adding that the travel trade had played an

“instrumental” role in its COVID growth strategy. Last month saw almost 20 participants withdraw from ATAS, a combination of voluntary withdrawals and travel businesses going bust. Meanwhile, the Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA) has accepted and accredited over 50 applications from new members in recent months.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ISSUES AFFECTING SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS?

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• Working long hours, cash flow issues, social isolation and balancing work and domestic responsibilities. Not surprisingly, these factors can also affect a business owner’s mental health and wellbeing. • The fallout caused by COVID-19 has exacerbated these stressors while adding enormous uncertainty. • We’re seeing businesses face the immediate financial stress of closing down or trying to manage with reduced turnover.

WHAT CAN SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS DO TO IMPROVE THEIR MENTAL HEALTH? • Make sure you are getting accurate information from credible sources. • Try and structure your days and establish a routine as best you can. • Keep regular sleep patterns and make sure you get enough rest. • Look after your physical health, and find a way to stay active if you can. • The news can get a bit much at times – take regular breaks from screens and social media. • Try to do something each day that makes you feel good. The Mental wellbeing: support yourself and small businesses course is available free of charge across Australia and aims to provide small business with the skills to support the mental health of themselves and other small business owners. I encourage everyone to complete the course. Share with your teams and learn how to take better care of yourselves. Then learn about how best to support others around you.

MEET THE WRITER Tim Hoopmann is a speaker, mentor and coach, with a passion for growing small business through using technology to increase productivity and reduce costs. He is also a volunteer speaker for Beyond Blue, working to raise awareness of anxiety and depression, reduce the associated stigma and encourage people to get help.

travelBulletin OCTOBER 2021 * T&C’s apply.

COVER

ACCESS DENIED TO THE MILLION DOLLAR CLUB… Every year travelBulletin publishes The Million Dollar Club - a list of the top earning executives across Australia’s publicly listed travel and tourism companies. But in 2020/21 there’s something different for those at the top, because after 18 months of the biggest crisis the sector has ever known, those formerly fat pay packets are looking decidedly skinny. In fact for some previous high-flyers they can no longer get past the velvet rope letting them into the VIP section of the club. BRUCE PIPER investigates.

here’s no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has led to belt-tightening right across the travel and tourism industry. Thousands of jobs have been lost, while many of those who remain within the sector are scraping by on savings or meagre scraps of business, as border closures and restrictions continue to impact the ability to trade. Profitability has been slashed, and as companies preserve cash the thought of dividend payments from those on the ASX has been a far-fetched dream - and that in turn has had a direct impact on the take-home pay of some of our key industry leaders who were previously heavily remunerated as they took their share of the bounty.

travelBulletin OCTOBER 2021

COVER Nowhere is this more apparent than in the listed travel agency sector, where the former high flying heads of Flight Centre, Helloworld and Corporate Travel Management have all taken a massive haircut. This year’s analysis of the remuneration reports of these companies shows that Flight Centre MD Graham Turner, Helloworld CEO Andrew Burnes, Helloworld Executive Director Cinzia Burnes and Corporate Travel Management CEO Jamie Pherous took home less than a tenth of their income in 2019/20 - which was itself already impacted by three months of pandemic trading. Their 90%-plus pay cuts reflected the significant

equity holdings in their respective businesses, which previously meant even a small dividend payment resulted in a nice cheque every time it was allocated. You’d almost have to feel sorry for Flight Centre’s Graham Turner this year, who in percentage terms has taken the biggest hit of those who regularly appear in the list. His $651,000 total package for 2020/21 was just 4% of the previous year, when thanks to a pre-pandemic dividend from Flight Centre which was at the time trading extremely strongly he earned almost $17 million. And incredibly, that in turn was only a fraction of his 2018/19 income which was an

eye-watering $47 million, due to a one-off special dividend announced by the company in response to threatened changes to the treatment of franking credits. He received no bonus, no share-based payments and no dividends this year, meaning he had to survive on his relatively parsimonious $650,000 base salary. Turner’s senior executive team all received significantly more than he did this year, including CFO Adam Campbell ($2 million), CEO Leisure Melanie Waters-Ryan ($1.9 million), CEO Corporate Chris Galanty ($1.8 million), MD Australia James Kavanagh ($1.27 million), MD The Americas Charlene Leiss ($1.21 million) and MD EMEA Steven

Norris ($1.1 million). It was a similar story at Helloworld, where a controversial dividend payout in March last year announced at the same time as the company’s Board was formulating plans to stand down hundreds of staff - meant that Andrew and Cinzia Burnes each took home more than $4.5 million despite the onset of the pandemic. This year, with dividend payments and bonuses suspended, not to mention the impact of voluntary pay cuts, the pair were lucky to scrape into the top 20 travel agency top earners. CEO Andrew Burnes’ remuneration was just $421,271 for the year, a 91% decline on the 2019/20 figure,

while Executive Director Cinzia Burnes received $388,040, down 92%. In fact the pair earnt less than two of their direct reports, with Helloworld CFO David Hall the company’s top earner this year with a $580,000 package, followed by Group GM Corporate, Nick Sutherland, who was paid around $490,000. Corporate Travel Management CEO Jamie Pherous was also among those who were relatively poverty-stricken by the lack of dividends. His 2019/20 income was a pretty healthy $5 million including dividends in the company where he is one of the largest shareholders. It was different in 2020/21, where despite

“

Again his subordinates did better than the boss, with Global Chief Operating Officer Laura Ruffles receiving more than $1.6 million including $850,000 in share-based payments.

”

TRAVEL AGENT TOP EARNERS 2021 (TOP 20) - TABLE 1

“

You’d almost have to feel sorry for Flight Centre’s Graham Turner this year, who in percentage terms has taken the biggest hit of those who regularly appear in the list.

”

travelBulletin OCTOBER 2021

Name

Title

Base salary

Cash bonus

Other payments (shares, leave etc)

Total salary

Dividends

Total income

Total for 2020

Difference to 2020

John Guscic

Webjet Managing Director

$719,800

$1,725,310

$2,445,110

$2,908,841

-16%

Adam Campbell

Flight Centre CFO

$935,813

$1,064,040

$1,999,853

$1,335,851

50%

Melanie Waters-Ryan

Flight Centre CEO Leisure

$1,164,375

$743,244

$1,907,619

$1,251,551

52%

Chris Galanty

Flight Centre CEO Corporate

$1,086,272

$725,750

$1,812,022

$1,514,164

20%

Laura Ruffles

Corporate Travel Management Global COO

$682,498

$938,757

$1,621,255

$197,508

721%

James Kavanagh

Flight Centre MD Australia (from 01 Jan 2020)

$696,563

$574,153

$1,270,716

$358,570

254%

Charlene Leiss

Flight Centre MD The Americas (from 01 Jan 2020)

$712,451

$497,100

$1,209,551

$417,108

190%

Steven Norris

Flight Centre MD EMEA (from 01 Jan 2020)

$674,703

$449,859

$1,124,562

$375,446

200%

Shelley Beasley

Webjet Group Chief Commercial Officer

$373,786

$429,221

$803,007

$774,765

Tony Ristevski

Webjet Chief Financial Officer

$333,415

$364,134

$697,549

$697,547

Kevin O'Malley

Corporate Travel Management CEO North America (from 01 Nov 2020)

$384,661

$292,224

$676,885

Graham Turner

Flight Centre Executive Director

$646,875

$4,110

$650,985

$16,804,688

-96%

Greg McCarthy

Corporate Travel Management CEO Australia/NZ

$385,761

$210,529

$596,290

$179,174

233%

David Hall

Helloworld CFO and Company Secretary

$360,000

$220,161

$580,161

$322,502

80%

Debbie Carling

Corporate Travel Management CEO Europe

$343,213

$204,543

$547,756

$108,362

405%

Jamie Pherous

Corporate Travel Management Managing Director

$460,955

$31,949

$492,904

$5,114,726

-90%

Nick Sutherland

Helloworld Group GM - Corporate

$336,462

$152,200

$488,662

$571,101

-14%

Neale O'Connell

Corporate Travel Management CFO (to Mar 2021)

$297,879

$182,357

$480,236

$449,564

Andrew Burnes

Helloworld CEO and Managing Director

$373,423

$47,848

$421,271

$4,837,280

-91%

Cinzia Burnes

Helloworld Executive Director and Group GM Wholesale & Inbound

$330,289

$57,751

$388,040

$4,724,261

-92%

N/A

travelBulletin OCTOBER 2021

COVER seemingly navigating the pandemic in reasonably good shape, with the CTM share price having seen a significant rebound, there has again been a prudent approach to conserving cash and not paying dividends, meaning he subsisted on his base package of $492,904, down 90% on the prior year. Again the subordinates did better than the boss, with Global Chief Operating Officer Laura Ruffles receiving more than $1.6 million including $850,000 in share-based payments. Corporate Travel Management CEO North America Kevin O’Malley took home $677,000; the company’s CEO for Australia/NZ, Greg McCarthy, received $596,000; while Debbie Carling, CEO Europe was paid $548,000, so all of these executives received more than the company’s founder and CEO. Webjet rounds out the listed travel agency businesses, and its CEO John Guscic actually appears at the top of the table for travel agent top earners this year, with a statutory remuneration package

of just over $2.4 million. Direct comparisons are tricky, because Webjet has a different reporting schedule to most of the other travel businesses on the ASX, and its most recent annual report covers the 12 months to 31 March. Guscic’s statutory income included more than $1.6 million in share-based compensation, with the company’s board rejigging his package to include a grant of Webjet options, after all legacy long-term incentives were forfeited in 2020/21. Webjet’s Group Chief Commercial Officer, Shelley Beasley, had a total income of $803,000, while the company’s CFO Tony Ristevki received almost $700,000 for the year. We’ve summarised the top 20 travel agency earners in table 1.

those most senior in our airlines continue to receive most of their remuneration in the form of salary rather than as dividends. Yes, they all took pay cuts during the darkest days of the pandemic, but it’s hard to feel sorry for those in the top 10 where the lowest package was still worth

“

With Qantas not paying any dividends, the carrier’s CEO had to be content with just sitting on his 2,980,810 shares this year.

”

FLYING HIGH-FLIERS IN THE aviation sector the packages received by those at the top were not as heavily impacted last year, primarily because

AIRLINE TOP EARNERS 2021 (TOP 10) - TABLE 2 Name

Title

Base salary

Cash bonus

Other payments (shares, leave etc)

Total salary

Dividends

Total income

Total for 2020

Difference to 2020

Alan Joyce

Qantas CEO

$1,778,000

$3,510,000

$5,288,000

$ 2,120,022

149%

Greg Foran

Air New Zealand CEO (from 03 Feb 2020)

$1,650,000

$907,500

$1,019,152

$3,576,652

$ 618,000

479%

Unnamed Air NZ executive

?Leanne Geraghty (Chief Customer and Sales Officer)

$2,450,000

$ 2,310,000

Unnamed Air NZ executive

?Richard Thomson (Chief Financial Officer)

$2,360,000

$ 2,060,000

15%

Unnamed Air NZ executive

?Carrie Hurihanganui (Chief Operating Officer)

$2,130,000

$ 1,850,000

15%

Gareth Evans

CEO Jetstar Group

$1,005,000

$878,000

$1,883,000

$ 1,285,059

47%

Unnamed Air NZ executive

?David Morgan (Chief Operational Integrity and Safety Officer)

$1,860,000

$ 1,440,000

29%

Andrew David

CEO Qantas Domestic and International

$936,000

$868,000

$1,804,000

$ 1,123,812

61%

Vanessa Hudson

Qantas CFO

$875,000

$761,000

$1,636,000

$ 818,653

100%

Olivia Wirth

CEO Qantas Loyalty

$802,000

$782,000

$1,584,000

$ 930,660

70%

travelBulletin OCTOBER 2021

OTHER LISTED COMPANIES TOP EARNERS (TOP 15) - TABLE 3 Name

Title

Base salary

Cash bonus

Other payments (shares, leave etc)

Total salary

Dividends

Total income

Total for 2020

Difference to 2020

Todd Nisbet

Crown Limited EVP Strategy & Developments (former)

$2,327,862

$230,029

$4,042,956

$6,600,847

$3,040,478

117%

Ken Barton

Crown Limited CEO and MD (former)

$1,985,537

$230,029

$4,054,306

$6,269,872

$2,632,178

138%

Barry Felsted

Crown Limited CEO Australian Resorts (former)

$1,157,991

$230,029

$3,301,915

$4,689,935

$2,432,058

93%

Matt Bekier

Star Entertainment Group CEO

$1,988,464

$1,075,733

$3,064,197

$2,385,882

28%

Chris Morris

Ardent Leisure CEO Main Event

$802,658

$1,203,987

$1,024,314

$3,030,959

$1,037,583

192%

Jane Hastings

Event Hospitality Managing Director and CEO

$1,278,306

$1,539,149

$2,817,455

$2,435,704

16%

Clint Feuerherdt

Sealink CEO (from 16 Jan 2020)

$788,149

$756,202

$480,712

$2,025,063

$580,080

$2,605,143

$1,733,753

50%

John Alexander

Crown Limited Executive Director (former)

$1,984,752

$383,381

$151,806

$2,519,939

$3,708,203

-32%

Greg Hawkins

Star Entertainment Group Chief Casino Operator

$1,304,268

$349,486

$1,653,754

$1,417,920

17%

Darin Harper

Ardent Leisure Group CFO

$481,595

$361,196

$430,831

$1,273,622

$662,772

92%

Mathew Duff

Event Hospitality Director Commercial

$589,275

$609,808

$1,199,083

$1,000,043

20%

Gregory Dean

Event Hospitality Director Finance and Accounting

$577,637

$531,668

$1,109,305

$992,391

12%

Harry Theodore

Star Entertainment Group CFO (commenced 1 Sep 2019)

$851,943

$254,699

$1,106,642

$690,580

60%

Alan McGregor

Crown Limited CFO

$893,002

$62,461

$43,719

$999,182

John Osborne

Ardent Leisure Former CEO Theme Parks

$476,678

$440,000

$75,833

$992,511

almost $1.6 million. The relaunch of Virgin Australia as a privately owned company has been a disappointment from the point of view of us fat cat voyeurs, because we no longer have insight into what those at the top of our second largest domestic carrier receive. Unfortunately at the moment we have to be content with Qantas and the frustratingly opaque information from Air New Zealand, which under NZ listing rules does not have to specifically report what individual key management personnel receive apart from the CEO. Like almost everyone in travel and tourism, last year perennial

aviation top earner Alan Joyce took a cut to his cash take home pay, with a base salary of $1.78 million. However, because of the way share-based payments are reported his overall package actually increased and was worth more than $5.2 million, including $3.5 million for options which will vest in the future under the Qantas Long Term Incentive program for its top brass. With Qantas not paying any dividends, the carrier’s CEO had to be content with just sitting on his 2,980,810 shares this year. Others at the pointy end of the Qantas executive cabin included Jetstar CEO Gareth Evans with a $1.9 million income, up 47% on

N/A $606,960

64%

the previous year, as well as CEO Domestic and International Andrew David who received a total package worth $1.8 million, a 61% yearon-year increase. CFO Vanessa Hudson received a total package worth $1.64 million (almost double her 2020 income), just ahead of Qantas Loyalty CEO Olivia Wirth on $1.58 million, up 70%. Similar to their boss, much of the increases came through share-based long term incentive payments. Over at Air New Zealand, CEO Greg Foran’s first full year at the company saw him receive just over $3.5 million, including a $900,000-plus cash bonus. Apart from spelling out the CEO’s

travelBulletin OCTOBER 2021

COVER

”

THE rest of the travel and tourism ecosystem suffered as well, with almost no sign of a dividend. The one exception was Sealink Travel Group, which underwent a well-timed merger with Transit Systems Group in early 2020. The

THE 2021 MILLION DOLLAR CLUB - TABLE 4 Name

Position

Income

Todd Nisbet

Crown Limited EVP Strategy & Developments (former)

$6,600,847

Ken Barton

Crown Limited CEO and MD (former)

$6,269,872

Alan Joyce

Qantas CEO

$5,288,000

Barry Felsted

Crown Limited CEO Australian Resorts (former)

$4,689,935

Greg Foran

Air New Zealand CEO (from 03 Feb 2020)

$3,576,652

Matt Bekier

Star Entertainment Group CEO

$3,064,197

Chris Morris

Ardent Leisure CEO Main Event

$3,030,959

Jane Hastings

Event Hospitality Managing Director and CEO

$2,817,455

Clint Feuerherdt Sealink CEO (from 16 Jan 2020)

$2,605,143

John Alexander

Crown Limited Executive Director (former)

$2,519,939

Unnamed Air NZ executive

?Leanne Geraghty (Chief Customer and Sales Officer)

$2,450,000

John Guscic

Webjet Managing Director

$2,445,110

Unnamed Air NZ executive

?Richard Thomson (Chief Financial Officer)

$2,360,000

Unnamed Air NZ executive

?Carrie Hurihanganui (Chief Operating Officer)

$2,130,000

Adam Campbell

Flight Centre CFO

$1,999,853

travelBulletin OCTOBER 2021

At the exclusive Hakkasan nightclub in Las Vegas, a bottle of Jay-Z’s ‘Ace of Spades’ champagne doesn’t come cheap, with the 30-litre ‘Midas’ costing a cool $500,000 per bottle. So to put the salaries of the top execs into real terms, this chart shows how many bottles they could buy on a big trip to Sin City.

Jamie Pherous Corporate Travel Management Managing Director

$421,271 Andrew Burnes Helloworld CEO and Managing Director

diversification of its income base to now include public transport coach operations across the globe has put Sealink in good stead, meaning its new CEO Clint Feuerherdt was paid $2.6 million for the year, including $580,000 in dividends. And as well as suffering through pandemic restrictions and lockdowns, resort giant Crown Limited faced its own significant challenges through various enquiries in NSW, Victoria and Perth. Crown didn’t pay any dividends, but even despite that, the top three earners in this year’s travelBulletin Million Dollar Club were former Crown executives who departed amid the controversy with some pretty handy golden handshakes. Todd Nisbet, former Crown Limited Executive Vice President of Strategy and Developments walked away with $6.6 million for the year, just ahead of the company’s former CEO and MD, Ken Barton on $6.27 million, and CEO Australian Resorts Barry Felsted, with $4.7 million. Matt Bekier, CEO of Crown’s rival Star Entertainment Group earnt $3.06 million, while other top earners included Ardent Leisure’s

$650,985 Graham Turner Flight Centre Executive Director

-90%

$388,040

-91%

Cinzia Burnes Helloworld Executive Director and Group GM Wholesale & Inbound

Chris Morris with $3.03 million and Event Hospitality CEO Jane Hastings on $2.82 million. Again the lack of dividends meant former top achievers in this miscellaneous sector like Luke and Karl Trouchet from Apollo Tourism and Leisure were in relative penury, with packages worth $530,000 and $252,000 respectively. Experience Co’s John O’Sullivan received just under $750,000 for the year, meaning he was just outside the top 15 list (pictured in table 3).

≤

$492,904

-96%

≤

ACCOMMODATION, ACTIVITIES, TECHNOLOGY AND MORE

THE BIGGEST LOSERS

≤

were once again non-existent in 2020/21. Alliance Airlines, which has certainly made the most of the pandemic, saw its CEO Scott McMillan receive just over $700,000 for the year, including about $25,000 in dividends.

≤

“

...the top three earners in this year’s travelBulletin Million Dollar Club were former Crown executives who departed amid the controversy with some pretty handy golden handshakes.

remuneration Air NZ’s annual report only details the number of employees in specific income bands, but although we don’t know exactly who’s who, we do know there were senior executives who received $2.45 million, $2.36 million, $2.13 million and $1.88 million. We’ve had a stab at who’s who in the zoo in our table of Airline Top Earners (pictured in table 2). Other listed airlines include Regional Express and Alliance Airlines. For the second year running, Rex Executive Director Lim Kim Hai took nothing whatsoever home for the carrier. He generally takes no salary at all, and bases his income on dividends which

-92%

many predicting a massive rebound - which should ultimately lead to profitability and some of those precious dividend payments - it’s likely that next year’s Million Dollar Club will look decidedly different. We can only hope.

THE 2021 MILLION DOLLAR CLUB SO WRAPPING it all up, the 15 top earners in travel, tourism and aviation this year (pictured in table 4) were heavily weighted towards the gaming operators, with Crown’s Nisbet and Barton even outstripping Qantas CEO Alan Joyce. In fact the only travel agency personalities in this illustrious company were Webjet’s John Guscic who came in 12th, while Flight Centre CFO Adam Campbell scraped in at 15th position. With the uncertainty of COVID-19 it’s unclear how the league tables will change over the next year, but with

travelBulletin OCTOBER 2021

CRUISE

MY CRUISES HEADS UPSTREAM THE younger demographic is already leading the way in bookings of Ignite Travel Group’s new My Cruises River Collection, General Manager Michael Middleton has told travelBulletin. The new product offering is already seeing dividends on its mission to dispel misconceptions about river cruising, with Middleton

adding the presentation of the merchandise had thus far helped My Cruises win over non-conventional clientele. Keen to allay misunderstandings that river cruising is costly and only caters toward older customers, Middleton said the changing nature of the industry and its product offering over the past 18-24 months showed the

direction the sector is heading in. “We’re actually seeing a younger demographic of passenger than we are on some of our ocean bookings,” he said. “A lot of the river operators now are focusing on not just the standard style of travel; they’re offering more active shore excursions as well.”

My Cruises has partnered exclusively with Avalon Waterways for its first suite of river journeys. Avalon Artistry II is pictured above along the Rhine ©Avalon Waterways

Nurture your return. Your bookings are secure.

Your deals are amazing.

Your customers love you.

NCL’s big step forward NORWEGIAN Cruise Line has announced a new target of 1,000 total enrolments in its Walk for Wellness, after it was inundated with almost 600 registrations in its opening week. This year’s challenge will run for the month of October and encourages travel advisors to get active and track their steps toward a combined goal of 100,000km. Participants will take part in fun weekly challenges, with over 50 prizes on offer, such as Apple watches, Bose wireless earphones, and more.

travelBulletin OCTOBER 2021

Norwegian Cruise Line AsiaPacific Vice President Ben Angell told travelBulletin the initial plan this year had been to do the Walk for Wellness as a celebration of freedom after 18 months of COVID strictures. Angell acknowledged the campaign is now even more relevant, as many Australians find themselves back in even stricter and steeper lockdowns. Walk for Wellness coincides with a number of mental health events, including World Mental Health Day on 10 October.

Expedia TAAP, we’ve got your back. NCL’s Damian Borg (top) and Ben Angell (bottom) limber up

ENJOY TODAY

www.expedia.com.au/taap

CRUISE

FRIDTJOF NANSEN JOINS THE FLEET HURTIGRUTEN has conducted the world’s northernmost naming ceremony for a passenger ship, with the battery-hybrid-powered Fridtjof Nansen officially joining the fleet at latitude 78˚ north in Svalbard. The local community joined in the celebrations of one the greenest and most advanced cruise ships ever built, with the traditional bottle of champagne replaced with a chunk of ice for her christening, in a continuation of a Hurtigruten ritual invented by Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen. In the naming of Fridtjof Nansen,

godmothers and environmental advocates Hilde Falun Strom and Sunniva Sorby quoted Amundsen’s words from when he named Maud, a ship specifically built for his second expedition to the Arctic. “It is not my intention to dishonour the glorious grape, but already now you shall get the taste of your real environment,” the pair said. “For the ice you have been built, in the ice you shall stay most of your life, and in the ice, you shall solve your tasks.” The traditional godmother gift was also replaced by a joint

donation to Sorby and Strom’s Hearts in the Ice project and the Hurtigruten Foundation. Hurtigruten Group Chief Executive Officer Daniel Skjeldam said the company “couldn’t be prouder” acknowledging the milestone by naming Fridtjof Nansen on the island where the firm’s founder Richard With helped pioneer modern-day expedition cruising. In honouring the cruise line’s century-plus-long Svalbard heritage, Fridtjof Nansen is also the first cruise ship ever to be registered in Longyearbyen.

IT COULD BE CHILE! SILVERSEA Cruises has confirmed its 202122 Antarctica season will see three ships departing from Chilean ports, with the line having collaborated closely with Chile’s authorities, industry bodies and other stakeholders to lead the return of travel to the Antarctic. Silver Cloud and Silver Wind guests will now fly into Santiago, where they will enjoy an overnight

travelBulletin OCTOBER 2021

hotel stay before flying into Punta Arenas the next day, from where they will set sail. Meanwhile, Silver Explorer will continue with her scheduled plan to depart from Puerto Williams from Nov, except those utilising Silversea’s Antarctica Bridge - the first fly-cruise service to the continent - which will see travellers fly directly from Punta Arenas to King George Island.

Fitzgerald in, Myrmell out as Carnival President Australia MARGUERITE Fitzgerald will take over as President of Carnival Australia and P&O Cruises Australia from 10 Jan, as incumbent Sture Myrmell transitions to a new role within the company. Myrmell will relocate to be the Carnival UK President from 18 Oct, and will be replaced by Fitzgerald, who most recently served as the lead for Boston Consulting Group’s global lodging & leisure practice.

Celebrity to get an Edge in fly-cruise market THE development of Celebrity Edge’s inaugural Australian season is focused heavily on flycruise and new-to-industry/new-tobrand, Vice President & Managing Director, Australia & APAC Tim Jones told travelBulletin. Celebrity Cruises late last month revealed Edge will make her first trip to the Southern Hemisphere in 2023/24, undertaking a series of voyages from Sydney between Dec 2023 and Apr 2024.

Quark banks expedition veteran Halfpenny IN A significant expansion of Quark Expeditions’ local sales operations, Robert Halfpenny has been appointed as the cruise line’s new Director of Sales for Australia. Most recently Aurora Expeditions Managing Director, Halfpenny’s local career also includes senior roles with Virgin Australia, Globus and Rocky Mountaineer. Halfpenny’s new role commenced at the beginning of this month.

CLIA VIEW

Joel Katz, Managing Director CLIA Australasia

POSITIVE SIGNS BUT ACTION IS NEEDED RECENT weeks have brought further positive acknowledgement from political leaders that Australia needs to prepare for a cruising revival in our region, another sign that our industry’s calls are being heard. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet and Federal Tourism Minister Dan Tehan have all spoken publicly about the need to plan a careful resumption of cruising in local waters, particularly as targets for reopening international borders move closer. “It doesn’t make sense when we open our international borders for people to fly overseas to go cruising without being able to do so here,” Mr Perrottet said in an online forum hosted by the Daily Telegraph. “I’ll work closely with the Federal Government to ensure that as part of our plan to reopen borders, cruising can steam ahead alongside all aspects of the tourism industry.” These and other remarks show that our industry’s efforts to change the political

conversation around cruising are gaining traction. Alongside the lobbying efforts of CLIA and cruise lines, our Ready, Set, Sail campaign has resulted in around 50,000 emails being sent from travel agents and other supporters to Australian politicians – each one a demonstration of the personal impact of the cruise suspension on thousands of local jobs. Though we’re encouraged by the public comments politicians are making, we need to see this translated into firm action. We need to keep the pressure on and achieve more detailed discussions about a pathway to resumption. As CLIA and cruise lines continue to lobby directly and maintain a presence in Australian media, we’re urging our supporters to send a new message to politicians - this time highlighting our industry’s proposals for a careful, phased resumption of cruising as vaccination rates rise and travel restrictions ease. Please visit www.ReadySetSail.com.au and send a new message to leaders.

HEADLINES SEPTEMBER 2021 08 Sep 16 Sep 23 Sep 29 Sep

Tehan pushing for cruise resumption Halfpenny joins Quark Celebrity Edge to cruise down under Myrmell heads to UK

travelBulletin OCTOBER 2021

LAST WORD

The Fake News

Anti-vaccination tourism in full swing

McGowan claims hard border too soft

with Adam Bishop

RECEIVING the COVID vaccine remains a vital ingredient in the resurrection of the Australian travel sector, however it may come as a shock for some to learn there is a growing travel trend among anti-vaxxers emerging around the country. “With more than 90% of the population expected to get the jab, we know we are only a small bunch, but I can tell you we are very vocal,” jokes QAnon enthusiast and vaccine sceptic Karen McPherson. “While some brands have gone down the path of mandating vaccines in order to travel on their itineraries, we are providing the consumer with a viable health travel alternative, the complete prohibition of any jabbed people on our trips,” McPherson explains. While most Aussies have adhered to the empirical studies and the science when it comes to determining the safety of COVID jabs, a smaller cohort of people led by McPherson’s tour company, Liberty Science Adventures, have delegated that important task to a random phrase generator app created by Facebook.

“We trust the app more than the FDA or the WHO, choosing an illogical means of information extraction is the only true way to dodge fake news,” McPherson argues. However, using the same random method to choose future travel adventures has not been all plain sailing for the tour company. “It was difficult to follow the app initially because the first phrase was something about yellow porcupines dancing in mustard,” McPherson recalls. “It basically instructed our guests to French kiss one of those spiny creatures while wearing a pair of old pantaloons, which after several minutes of emphatic displeasure, we quickly realised was a cherished travel experience we would never forget.” McPherson promises future anti-vaxxer travellers the most exhilarating holiday experience they could ask for, whether the app required the group to dance with Roald Dahl on the tip of a hair pin, or simply make fairy floss designed to smell like Winston Churchill – it’s all in good fun, McPherson giggles. Left: McPherson shared a recent holiday snap, enjoying the experience of rugging up while wearing 3D glasses to truly experience the Maldives in all dimensions, as encouraged by the app.

travelBulletin OCTOBER 2021

WESTERN Australian President Mark McGowan is taking his commitment to hard borders to new levels this week, laying down plans to build a 1,900km cement wall to keep out future COVID cases. “I would love to see a virus circumnavigate a wall of this scale,” a confident McGowan declared to WA reporters earlier today. “The virus would have to be pretty darn clever to get around a wall like this, it would need to find a way to travel in the air or something, which I can only assume it could never be capable of.” After receiving approval from the newly formed WA Congress, McGowan laid the first cement brick personally at Cottesloe Beach, hinting that after the coastal border is complete, the state may even consider an inland wall. Got any fake news? Send us your tips to fakenews@travelbulletin.com.au.

Below: McGowan shared the early plans for WA stating “The key is to keep going up. As you can see, we know what we’re doing.”

The WA President encourages proud citizens to come on down and contribute to the wall, brick by brick.

travelBulletin OCTOBER 2021

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