February 2010

Re-launch of Aussie Specialist website

Tourism Australia has launched a new version of the award-winning Aussie Specialist Program website. The site helps and supports more than 23,000 travel agents in over 110 countries who specialize in Australia as a holiday destination and assists in increasing their expertise to better sell the destination to potential holidaymakers.

The new website includes the Aussie Specialist training program and new motivational materials including downloadable itineraries and video footage on Australia’s seven key tourism experiences. The new website is available at www.aussiespecialist.com

Luxury on Magnetic Island / Tropical North Queensland

Lotus House, only 20 minutes from Townsville per ferry, is an exclusive retreat offering a world of luxury. It features three spacious bedrooms each with king size beds and ensuites, exotic tropical gardens, an oceanfront temperature controlled swimming pool, air conditioning, spa bath, plasma televisions, fully equipped laundry facilities, and a host of other luxuries like your very own in-house chef who whips up dishes. With Lotus house also available for wedding receptions, intimate dinner functions, cocktail parties and corporate events. www.lotusonmagnetic.com

New ferry service / Whitsundays

Hamilton Island Airport passengers can now transfer direct to and from Airlie Beach using a new ferry service offered by Fantasea Adventure Cruising. The service connects with all arriving and departing flights from Hamilton Island, cutting at least 15 minutes from the transfer time to the mainland. It is the fastest and most direct service to and from Hamilton Island.
www.fantasea.com.au

Novotel takes flight at Brisbane Airport / Brisbane

The Novotel Brisbane Airport hotel opened its doors to become Brisbane’s first dedicated airport hotel. The hotel can be accessed via road or AirTrain utilising a complimentary bus transfer loop running between the domestic and international terminals and hotel. The four-and-a-half star property offers accommodation in 157 rooms located over six levels. It includes conference facilities, a restaurant and bar, gymnasium, sauna and rooftop lap pool. www.novotel.com

Haven for koalas at Couran Cove Island Resort, South Stradbroke Island/ Southern Queensland

The Resort has opened a new koala enclosure. It started with two young koalas in residence and another two are due to arrive shortly. It is located amongst the gum trees, the koala’s only food source. Guests can join a tour of the enclosure and learn all about these remarkable animals in a 45-60 minute session limited to a maximum of 25 people. Couran Cove is a 40 minute ferry ride from the Gold Coast.
www.couran.com

Helicopter heaven at Mission Beach / Tropical North Queensland

North Queensland Heli WorX has begun helicopter adventure tours out of Mission Beach offering an exhilarating way to discover the hidden wonders of Tropical North Queensland. The helicopter adventure specialists provide a wide range of personalised heli-tours from Mission Beach to suit every budget including scenic flights, day tours, lunch tours, island transfers, beach picnics, photography tours and heli-sports. The company also offers heli-white water kayaking for those more experienced adrenalin junkies.
www.nqheliworx.com.au

Watching the Minke Whales with Galaxy Charters / Tropical North Queensland

Each year, during the months of June and July, the Minke whales enter their winter playground of the Great Barrier Reef. In 2010, the luxurious 26 meter yacht Galaxy I will again be offering a "once in a lifetime" adventure - dive and swim with the Minke Whales. We advise that the window for these expeditionary itineraries is only very small (6 weeks) during late June and July. Please register your interest for an exclusive charter as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
www.galaxycharters.com/expeditions.html

New City to Straddie Tour / Southern Queensland

A new tour of Brisbane’s coastal Redlands region combines the natural beauty of North Stradbroke Island ("Straddie") with a visit to Australia’s first environmental centre for indigenous plants. The City to Straddie Tour includes beach fishing, a barbecue lunch, a bush tucker Tour through the themed native botanical gardens and afternoon tea. The tour runs from 7.15am to 5.30pm and includes pick-up and drop-off from hotels in the Brisbane CBD, morning and afternoon tea, a barbecue lunch and ferry transfers.
www.straddiekingfishertours.com.au

New animal experiences / Gold Coast

Dreamworld’s Guest Croc Feeding experience will offer a handful of guests the chance to pole feed one of the theme park’s seven crocodiles. The experience includes a briefing session, crocodile feeding, a cuddle with a baby crocodile, souvenir photographs of both activities, certificate of achievement and conservation showbag. The 90 minute wildlife encounter is held on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Underwater World’s new seal show, Seal Management, sees the resident seals take six humans into captivity and teach them the importance of protecting our waterways and marine life.
www.dreamworld.com.au
www.underwaterworld.com.au

On your bike for hinterland tour / Gold Coast

Bunyip Bike Tours are bringing a touch of Europe to the Tamborine Mountain at the Gold Coast with the first bike tour of its kind. Owner Cody Francis guides the bike tours around a 10km circuit of the mountain, with a visit to a local vineyard, picturesque waterfall and to the underground Glow Worm caves. Participants learn about the region’s wine making, and enjoy a tasting direct from the cellar door during their leisurely exploration of some of the Gold Coast’s finest natural wonders. The tour includes morning tea.
www.bunyipbiketours.com.au

New Cairns-Great Barrier Reef website

The new destinations website will provide the consumer with the latest technology to research a holiday in the region and book directly online with members or the region’s Visitor Information Centres. Tourism Tropical North Queensland members’ product information have been integrated with quality online product videos, consumer feedback and real time visuals of our sub-regions using webcams and live weather information to provide an extensive one-stop research and booking site for business and leisure travellers.
www.cairnsgreatbarrierreef.org.au

Changes to Kingfisher Bay Resort Groups’ Marine Operation

From 01 February 2010 onwards Kingfisher Bay Resort relocated its Marine Headquarters from Urangan Boat Harbor to nearby River Heads, Hervey Bay. Kingfisher Bay Resort will provide regular scheduled pick up / drop off guest courtesy transfer services between key locations such as Hervey Bay Coach Terminal and Urangan Harbour to River Heads to meet the ferry departures - for all passengers including walk-ons. These transfers must be pre-confirmed at time of booking. Ferry Timetables can be found under
www.fraserislandbarges.com.au

Changes to Dunk Island and Bedarra

Hideaway Resorts are the new owners of Dunk Island Resort and Bedarra, taking over both islands from Voyages in September 2009. Hideaway Resorts recently appointed Claudia McFadden as their new Director of Sales & Marketing.

Australia Walkabout - Win a travel guide!

Australia Walkabout is the first German edition of this travel guide. It features organized packages, ground operators, accommodation, restaurants, boat trips, cultural tours, hunting trips, bush tracking, beach vacation and many other activities offered by indigenous tour operators. It is a guide about traveling the indigenous Australia and how tourists can experience the Aboriginal culture. A calendar of Aboriginal and Indigenous Festivals and Events as well as a guide who tells the reader how to identify and buy Aboriginal Fine Art from fair trade dealers and communities is included.
To take part just send an email to germany@tq.com.au

Brisbane Airport welcomes Philippine Airlines services

Philippine Airlines will launch flights at Brisbane from March 2010, flying twice weekly through Brisbane, departing every Thursday and Saturday on the Manila-Melbourne-Brisbane route. There is also the option for passengers to travel beyond Manila to other destinations served by Philippine Airlines, such as Macau, Japan, China and Guam. The new flights, served with an A330 aircraft boasting 42 business class seats have the potential to provide up to 1,200 additional passengers per week.
www.philippineairlines.com

Singapore Airlines will launch a new direct service to Munich, Germany, effective March 28, 2010

The five times weekly flights will operate Singapore-Munich-Manchester, departing Singapore on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, using a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. Munich will be the airline's second destination in Germany after Frankfurt, which is served with two daily flights.
www.singaporeair.com