Meet Max, the somewhat cynical, not so cuddly bear that meta-search company HotelsCombined has chosen to unify its site branding and also help consumers through the booking process. Max now appears on all HotelsCombined owned properties, including several newish market-specific sites – DetectaHotel.com (Latin America), Biyi.cn (China) and RoomGuru.com (Russia). It’s another step in the evolution of HotelsCombined, which is now […]
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Coronavirus hits Australian hotel performance
Australian hotels have been severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic and related bans on Chinese travellers. STR data shows Melbourne and Brisbane were the only two major Australian markets to report year on year RevPAR growth between 24 Jan and 9 Feb, 2020, a two week stretch encompassing Chinese New Year. All other markets were […]
Changes ahead for GDS business model
President and CEO of Abacus, Robert Bailey, admits that the rise and rise of low cost carriers will inevitably lead to changes in the 40-year-old business model of Global Distribution Systems. “Low cost carriers will be a catalyst for change,” Mr Bailey said. “What the change will be I don’t know.” Mr Bailey said low […]
Brendan Murphy believes Australia’s international borders will stay closed for 2021
Australia’s highest profile medical professional, Dr Brendan Murphy, pictured, says he doubts that Australia’s international borders will reopen this year. Dr Murphy acknowledged ABC News Breakfast yesterday it was a “big question” and that “I think that the answer is probably no. “I think that we’ll go most of this year with still substantial border restrictions, even […]
Resort Reviews – Treble Cone and The Remarkables
This is a tale of two South Island NZ ski resorts: Treble Cone and The Remarkables. They are very different but each does their job well with a recent trip confirming that neither actually conforms to their popular stereotype. For example, Treble Cone has a rep that it’s an experts-only mountain, while The Remarkables is […]
Rachel Argaman, CEO, Toga Hotels
A visionary leader who believes in “encouraging the heart,” Rachel is currently the CEO of Toga Hotels. With over 20 years international experience at senior management level in the travel and hospitality industry, Rachel has a passion for creating a results-oriented, responsive and market-driven culture within companies. This is backed by a driving belief that the […]
Booking.com launches new cleanliness standards for short term rentals
Booking.com has decreed that short term or holiday rentals will have to meet a minimum cleanliness standard by May 4, 2021, or have their properties delisted from the world’s biggest online travel agent. “We’re asking partners to commit to a Minimal Cleanliness Score of 6 out of 10,” Booking.com has advised properties. “A property that’s […]
Will Deague, CEO Art Series Hotel Group
William Hunter Deague is the Chief Executive Officer of Asian Pacific Group (APG), the parent company of Australia’s hottest hotel group – Art Series Hotel Group. Educated at Melbourne Grammar, Will holds a Domestic Builders Licence (unlimited) and a private fixed wing and helicopter licence. Joining APBC in 1996, Will worked on a range of […]
Sue Badyari, Chief Executive Officer, World Expeditions
Sue Badyari, is CEO of the World Expeditions Travel Group, operator of small group adventure tours all over the world. World Expeditions is Australia’s longest established adventure travel company and offers more than 500 stand-alone itineraries, escorted by expert leaders and meticulously designed for those travellers who want to take the ‘paths less travelled’. Under […]
AFTA left hanging after Prime Minister promises
Australian Federation of Travel Agents CEO Darren Rudd appears to have awkwardly misjudged the political climate by prematurely announcing a funding package that has yet to eventuate following a conversation with Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Rudd, pictured, who had asked the Federal Government for $250 million emergency funding over 18 months for travel agents, wholesalers […]