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 […]
Tag: Australia
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 […]
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 […]
Border openings drive car hire bounce back at Hertz
After a tough year in which demand slumped through COVID by up to 90 per cent, Hertz Asia Pacific boss Eoin MacNeill says demand is bouncing back with the car hire giant starting to rebuild its fleet after cutting it by almost 40 per cent during the height of the pandemic. MacNeill says corporate has […]
Booking fees, questions, lawyers and Webjet
Flight booking fees – now eliminated at Zuji and Expedia – appear to be a sensitive topic at Webjet, which charges up to $49.90 in fees to process international airline bookings ($29.95 processing fee, $19.95 price guarantee), and $29.90 for domestic airfares ($19.95 processing fee, $9.95 price guarantee). Lawyer Paul Zawa from Minter Ellison got in touch with TravelTrends.biz on behalf […]
Taking the road less travelled – who knew it could be so much fun?
As scenic drives go, the 836km between Sydney and Melbourne along the Hume Highway is, for many people, exciting as a TV test pattern. The sprawling country between Australia’s two largest cities is always dry and the weather hot, with a midday glare that somehow lasts for hours. Sheep, cattle, hills, grass, dirt, rocks, drought. […]
TFE Hotels left with Travelodge COVID quarantine mess, guests evacuated
The reputation of TFE Hotels, one of Australia’s largest accommodation groups, has taken a hit after 366 guests quarantined in the Travelodge Hotel Sydney were last night evacuated by NSW Police who determined that complaints about poor standards of cleanliness and hygiene at the property were valid. Guests, some of whom had had vigorously complained about […]
James Baillie, Co-Founder, Baillie Lodges
James Baillie is a 20-year veteran of high profile Australian luxury lodge properties. Having (almost) grown up on Heron Island, James became the founding managing director for P&O Resorts in the 1998 and steered Australia’s first portfolio of premium experiential properties including Lizard, Bedarra & Wilson Islands and Silky Oaks Lodge. When P&O sold to […]
Hertz cuts Australian fleet by 40%, calls for border openings, launches #backontheroad
Hertz wants to get Australia moving again. Eoin Macneill, Vice President, Hertz Asia Pacific, today called on Australian governments to start opening borders and encouraging travel, revealing a lack of demand has forced the car rental giant to cut its Australian rental fleet by 40 per cent, from 35,000 vehicles to an estimated 20,000 sedans, […]
Geoff McGeary, Founder, Australian Pacific Touring
The McGeary family have owned Australian Pacific Touring – APT – since it was founded as De Luxe Motors in 1927 when Geoff’s father, Bill, built a bus body on a tray truck to cover part of the tram route during a tram strike in Melbourne. The company made steady progress until 1961 when Bill […]
Tony Cannon, Co-Owner, Komune Resorts
An avid surfer, Tony Cannon graduated with a civil engineering degree from the University of Adelaide embarking initially on a career in construction and development. After several years in project management of major engineering, petrochemical and retail development construction, Tony started a property development company in the late 90’s building and selling apartments and townhouses […]
Paul Fischmann, Founder and CEO, 8Hotels Collection
Paul Fischmann is the Founder and CEO of 8Hotels Collection, Australia’s leading Boutique Hotel Operators. In 2004, Fischmann formed the company with the intention of developing and operating boutique hotels in prime locations that focused on value, service, design and charm. Just eight years later he has turned a business that began with three Sydney […]
Rob Smith, Divisional Director, Merlin Entertainments
Rob Smith is the Divisional Director of Merlin Entertainments Australia and New Zealand, the second-largest attraction operator in the world. With over 17 years’ experience in the tourism and attraction industry across Europe, the US and Asia-Pacific, Rob leads the overall management, regional strategies and financial/non-financial responsibilities for Merlin’s 13 attractions in Australia & New […]