One&Only resorts to assume management of Hayman Great Barrier Reef

Mulpha Australia has entered into an agreement with Kerzner International Holdings Limited, a leading international developer and operator of destination resorts, casinos and luxury resorts, to assume management of the highly acclaimed luxury island resort Hayman, Great Barrier Reef.

Hayman will undergo a multi-million dollar renovation and be re-launched as One&Only Hayman Island in April 2014 – One&Only’s first resort in Australia. Mulpha continues to maintain full ownership of the island and the resort.

“Hayman has long been acclaimed as an iconic Australian resort and Kerzner is the perfect partner to herald in a new era for the resort under their One&Only brand,” said Mulpha Australia’s Executive Chairman Seng Huang Lee.  “The transformational refurbishment combined with One&Only’s innovation and commitment to delivering an extraordinary level of service will redefine resort luxury in Australia.”

Positioned in the most beautiful locales in the world, One&Only offers an unparalleled commitment to the finest holiday experiences on every possible level, catering to the most discerning travellers around the globe. Each award-winning One&Only resort offers memorable experiences through a distinctive style and personality borne of its local culture, genuine hospitality and vivid energy that is unrivalled.

Hayman is located in the very heart of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, surrounded by an amazing natural ecosystem of pristine coral reef formations and diverse marine life.   Showcasing the natural elements of the iconic location, One&Only will present a number of unique guest experiences, enhanced accommodations, new culinary options and signature One&Only service throughout the resort.  The introduction of One&Only to Hayman will bring a renewed sense of vitality to the island underpinned by a strong sense of place through design and ambiance.   DBI Design, in partnership with the Kerzner International Development Team, has been engaged for the interior design and landscape architecture for the resort’s rebirth.

“I am thrilled to introduce One&Only to Hayman Island. It is the perfect destination for the first One&Only in Australia and I know the resort will be well received by our many loyal One&Only guests, as well as guests that have been enjoying Hayman for years,” said Alan Leibman, CEO, Kerzner International.  “My personal commitment is to make One&Only Hayman Island a ‘must stay’ for the well-travelled to explore the wonders of this magnificent destination.”

The Pool Wing will be redeveloped and feature new all-suite living spaces offering either one or two bedrooms. New Hayman rooms and Hayman suites, featuring ocean and lagoon views, will be introduced with reimagined interiors and amenities.  The iconic pool will offer a renewed life and energy, complete with cabanas and day beds.  Some suites will provide direct access to the pool, allowing guests to enjoy the water straight from their private terrace.  The exclusive Beach Villas, with secluded second bedroom Retreat rooms, as well as the one, two and three-bedroom Penthouses, including the Owner’s Penthouse, will continue to offer the ultimate in exclusivity, privacy, personalized service and experience.

True to the brand’s heritage, One&Only Hayman Island will offer a variety of world-class cuisines overseen by internationally acclaimed chefs. The resort will also house an indulgent One&Only Health Spa incorporating the incredible natural environment by utilising elements that are represented in the surrounding botanical gardens in addition to offering the latest in health and beauty. A new Beauty Salon concept will be introduced adjacent to the Spa. In keeping with the latest fitness advancements, a state-of-the-art fitness centre with expert personal training will be added for a comprehensive health and wellbeing offering.  

As with all One&Only properties, One&Only Hayman Island will cater to couples and families alike - preserving privacy and serenity for those who seek it whilst also providing engaging activities for all ages. Innovative offerings for families include the KidsOnly Club and Teens Club, plus a separate family pool and children’s beach area.  In addition, a new adult-only pool and chill-out lounge area will be introduced.

Guests will be able to enjoy a host of unique sporting facilities to discover the island and the Great Barrier Reef - one of the most complex natural ecosystems in the world with over 33,000 species found off the coastline.  Guests will have the opportunity to explore the reef and all the wonders around it through special programmes led by One&Only dive experts and marine biologists, as well as hiking and private island exploration.  Private weddings, events and conferences will be catered for in style with ample space for both intimate and larger groups.

As part of the ongoing development and investment programme, Mulpha Australia will continue a staged rollout of the ultra-luxury Hayman Private Residences and Hayman Marina Residences offering private ownership opportunities for select clients and guests.

Hayman is located on the northernmost of the Whitsunday Islands in the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Queensland. The island covers 726 acres and is named in honour of Thomas Hayman, the sea navigator who charted the island’s waters and has been an oasis for guests since the 1950s.

Virgin Atlantic, VisitBritain and London and partners announce partnership for 2013

Virgin Atlantic, VisitBritain and London & Partners announced today a new partnership between the three organisations to entice more Australians to visit Britain. Following strong numbers from Australia over the last five years with high spend levels (up 52%); the partners have now combined to continue to drive more tourism to London and beyond.

The partnership launches with a co-branded marketing campaign 'Flying in the face of ordinary to Britain' on 02 September 2013, offering a special fare to London with a bonus trip to Manchester, Edinburgh or Aberdeen. Fares start from $1799 per person, including taxes.

Virgin Atlantic General Manager Australia and New Zealand, Luke Fisher commented: "Last year was a record year for Virgin Atlantic on the Kangaroo route. Our passenger numbers travelling through to the UK increased by more than 20,000 people and we saw a marked improvement in our market share to London. We have developed a strong partnership with Visit Britain in this time and we are excited to be working with Visit Britain again this year and to also welcome London & Partners on-board for this year's campaign as well. I look forward to the possibilities the partnership can offer."

 

Virgin Atlantic celebrated a landmark year in 2012 with the Australian dollar at an all-time high against the British pound. With significant opportunities in the Australian market to grow holiday tourism to Britain; Virgin Atlantic and VisitBritain stood strong in market with the co-branded 'Britain is GREAT campaign. 

 

VisitBritain's Marketing Director, Joss Croft, commented: "We've seen spend levels grow 52% from the Australian market over the last five years so it's hugely important to extend our partnership with Virgin Atlantic, our key  airline partner linking the UK to Australia."

 

"London is one of the most inspirational and diverse capitals in the world and the gateway to Britain. Visit Britain and London & Partners are the perfect partners to help Virgin Atlantic capitalise on the increased global awareness and attention this exciting destination has received following the success of the London Olympics and the Diamond Jubilee celebrations."

In the last five years the price tag on a London trip from Australia has become more affordable,  allowing more travellers to venture further afield to destinations within Great Britain. We've seen more than 3 million Australian visits to London over the past five years, spending around £2.2 billion in the capital.

 

London & Partners Director Consumer Marketing and Digital Channels, Julie Chappell commented: "The kangaroo route has brought many millions of Australian residents to London since the 1930s and last year Australia was London's 4th biggest market for tourism expenditure, generating £470 million and the 7th biggest visitor market with 600,000 visitors coming to London from Australia. This new partnership with Virgin Atlantic and Visit Britain will further build on our strong ties with Australia by attracting more visitors keen to experience London's rich cultural offering, world class events and shopping." 

 

The bespoke multi-platform, integrated marketing campaign has been designed by Virgin Atlantics creative agency RKYR London and GPYR Sydney, with media planning and buying by OMD Sydney.

 

The campaign will feature;

•             Online primarily with Yahoo! 7, BBC.com and Ninemsn Gourmet Traveller

•             Weekend travel sections of all major metropolitan newspapers

•             Radio live reads

•             Social media presence on Facebook

•             Travel trade media

 

 

Through this collaboration, the 'Flying in the face of ordinary to Britain' campaign communicates each organisations' commitment of inspiring Australian travellers to visit London and Britain not just in 2013 but beyond into 2014.

Accor proud to announce management of Qantas domestic lounges

Accor is pleased to announce it will take over the operations for the majority of Qantas Domestic Lounges, bringing the group's hospitality expertise to further enhance the customer experience. Having successfully managed Qantas' First/Business Lounges in Sydney and Melbourne Airports for over five years, Accor will now also oversee the domestic lounge portfolio in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra and Perth, with a roll-out from November this year.

Earlier this year, Qantas relaunched its newly refurbished Lounge in Singapore, also managed by Accor, which has received excellent reviews from customers.

Simon McGrath, Accor's Chief Operating Officer Australia and New Zealand said the deal brings together the two biggest names in tourism and hospitality in Australia to provide the best possible service to Qantas Frequent Flyers.

Qantas domestic lounges will be run under the auspices of Accor's upscale Pullman brand, which has grown in the past few years to become Australia's largest five-star hotel network. Accor's involvement extends to providing staff training, lounge management and food and beverage services across six key domestic ports.

"Both Qantas and Accor put the customer first in their operations and we are proud to introduce Qantas flyers to the Pullman standards of hospitality which will see greater personalisation of services, enhanced dining experiences and the warmest welcome in the industry," he said.

Alexi Vrontamitis, Regional General Manager Qantas International Lounges, said the extension of Accor's relationship with Qantas is testament to the success of the partnership.

"This partnership brings Accor's extensive knowledge and expertise to the domestic lounge product for Qantas and means we can bring Accor's national reach and resources to the forefront to enhance the customer experience," he said.

"We are very excited to extend the Qantas/Accor partnership further and look forward to creating an even better service standard for Qantas customers into the future."

 

www.accor.com | www.accorhotels.com

 

Don Beattie joins MTA Management Team

Mobile Travel Agents Managing Directors, Roy and Karen Merricks have announced the appointment of Don Beattie as CEO with immediate effect.

 

Breaking the news from MTA head office, the Merricks said that having Mr Beattie on board in this key management role represented a major coup for the company.

 

"Given his substantial experience in the home-based travel consultant sector and his broad understanding of the business model, Don represents an exceptional fit for MTA as we move forward," Mr Merricks said.

 

"Don is recognised industry-wide as one of the most experienced and highly regarded executive administrators of the MTA concept in Australia and we are delighted to have him on the management team."

 

Mr Beattie's travel credentials speak for themselves. Aside from his considerable experience in the home working consultancy model, his travel industry experience extends to senior sales management and operational roles with IATA, Sabre Pacific and more recently with software specialist Travel Who.

 

In his new role Mr Beattie will have responsibility for overseeing the MTA management team and the company's day to day operation while working closely with the Merricks on a direct report basis.

 

The Merricks have been quick to point out that the Beattie appointment does not signal they are taking a backward step in the business they founded over 13 years ago when they pioneered the home working model with Mobile Travel Agents.

 

"Karen and I have valued our contact with all MTA consultants and that contact remains very important along with helping consultants on every step of their journey with MTA Travel. We always get a great thrill in seeing our consultants develop with the company," Mr Merricks said.

 

"In the early days, it was not uncommon to see us driving from home to the office in the middle of the night to make sure a ticket has been reissued for an MTA consultant needing help for a client. You can imagine the bond that develops.

 

"Karen and I are really keen to get back and re-kindle that closeness but to do so we need to ensure that the day to day business is being taken care of.

 

"Further more with so much growth we need to concentrate on the strategic direction of the company so that we can take advantage of the many opportunities that are being presented to us.

 

"Having Don on board represents a major development for MTA and we are delighted to have him on the team."

W:       www.mtatravel.com.au 

Turtle Watching in Oman: Season Commences

Did you know that thousands of sea turtles migrate annually from the shores of the Arabian Gulf, the Red Sea and Somalia to lay their eggs on the Sultanate's shores?  The best time in fact to witness this beautiful phenomenon is now.  July –October is the peak time for turtle watching in Oman as approximately 20,000 turtles or more lay an estimated 50,000-60,000 eggs each year in the Sultanate.

Oman has five of the world's  seven species of sea turtles: The Green Turtle, found on most Omani beaches and plentiful in Ras Al Hadd, Ras Al Jinz, Masirah Island and Daymaniyat Islands; the Loggerhead Turtle that nests on Masirah Island, the shores of Dhofar and Daymaniyat Islands; the Hawksbill Turtle that nests on the shores of Muscat and Daymaniyat Islands; the Olive Ridley Turtle that nests on Masirah Island; and the Leatherback Turtle which is found in Omani waters but does not nest in the Sultanate.

At night carrying their heavy shells on their backs these turtles drag themselves out of the water to the beach. Strenuously and with great difficulty, they dig a hole in the sand using the tips of their paws so as to bury their eggs and then return to the sea. After about 55 days, the eggs hatch and baby turtles come out to start the most dangerous journey of their lives, trying to avoid hungry foxes, crabs and birds and pushing their way towards the sea where they can find safety in the waters. Watching the turtles' night dash to the sea is among the most popular tourist activities, especially at Ras Al Hadd Turtle Reserve.

About Ras Al Jinz

Ras AI Jinz is a fishing village located in the Ras AI Hadd Turtle Reserve, http://www.rasaljinz-turtlereserve.com , on the eastern shores of the Arabian Peninsula. The Ras AI Jinz beach is world renown for the nesting endangered green turtle, Chelonia mydas, probably the most important nesting concentration on the Indian Ocean. This is the only place where the public can watch the nesting process of these amazing sea giants. The Turtle Reserve was established by Royal Decree in 1996. The Ras AI Jinz Turtle Centre, an ecotourism project, was established in 2008 to help monitor the fascinating and amazing nesting processes of these giants of the marine turtle world. Whilst the Centre cannot control the natural threats to marine turtles such as, birds, crabs and fish preying on the hatchlings or adult turtles being attacked by sharks or foxes predating on the eggs and hatchlings the Reserve, in conjunction with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs can educate and control the human induced threats, such as: •   Commercial harvesting for turtle meat and shells •   Loss of Habitat •   Disturbance while nesting •   Litter/pollution such as plastic bags and bottles, glass bottles, soda cans, tissues, fishing line, rope and so on •   Throwing any rubbish into the sea or onto the beach •   Artificial light such as flash photography and car lights •   Vehicles driving on beaches The centre conducts guided excursions every night to view the turtles and witness the nesting process. All the Centre guides have a commitment to the preservation of the turtle and are very knowledgeable on the topic. Overnight tours are available to book through your local travel agent or visit www.tourismoman.com.au for more information. For flights to Muscat, keep an eye out on the soon to be released Early Bird Specials with Qatar Airways, Oman Air, Emirates and Etihad Airways.

Quest opens new property in flourishing regional Queensland

Quest Serviced Apartments has continued its ambitious expansion plans - opening a property in the thriving regional Queensland town of Rockhampton.

The 4.5 star, $20 million Quest Rockhampton is centrally located in the Rockhampton CBD, overlooking the Fitzroy River.

Quest Chairman Paul Constantinou said the opening of Quest Rockhampton is a direct response to the region’s growth, and increasing the available business accommodation in Rockhampton was the logical next step.

“Rockhampton has become one of Australia’s economic hubs with $146 billion dollars worth of investment planned for completion before 2020,” said Mr. Constantinou.

“Quest is committed to meeting the demands of its customers and seeking out growth corridors, particularly in regional and suburban Australia, where quality accommodation is highly sought,” Mr. Constantinou added.

Quest Rockhampton has 73 brand new one and two bedroom serviced apartments and studios. Each apartment is fully equipped with kitchen and laundry facilities, Foxtel, Wi-Fi and multi-unit desk chargers.  The property also houses a guest gym, and a multi-purpose conference room facility.

Quest Rockhampton Franchisees, Graham Archer and Mandy Fallon, recently relocated from Brisbane to Rockhampton, and are thrilled to be joining the lively sunny regional town.

“We are very excited about being a part of Quest’s further expansion and investment into regional Queensland. We were fortunate enough to be offered the opportunity to be the franchisees for Quest Rockhampton. We’re looking forward to this exciting new venture,” Mr Archer said.

Mr. Archer and Ms. Fallon have partnered with established Quest Franchisees Mark Peterswald and Michelle Fallon, who have been part of the Quest network for seven years, operating Quest on Story Bridge and Quest Chermside in Brisbane.

The ideal location of Quest Rockhampton allows for easy access to many of the city’s first-class facilities, such as the Victoria Park Regional Tennis Complex, the South Rockhampton Pool, the Rockhampton Art Gallery and the Pilbeam theatre.

Over the next 12 months Quest will open an additional seven properties: three in Queensland, and one each in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and the Northern Territory.

For reservations at Quest Rockhampton please call 1800 334 033 or visit www.questrockhampton.com.au

Second Medical Clinic Opens in Bali, Thanks to Generous Tour Group - Fair Future Foundation Clinic Helps Balinese Gain Much Needed Treatments

Spirit Quest Tours and Life Soulutions are pleased to announce the opening of a second Fair Future Foundation medical clinic in Ubud, Bali, which will serve up to 500 underprivileged Balinese people a week.

The clinic was entirely funded by well-known speaker and author Mary Morrissey and her tour guests on a MaryMorrissey.com tour to Bali.

Fair Future Foundation was started by Swiss doctor Alex Wettstein, who came to Bali on a vacation and eventually relocated to the island to help the underserved Balinese. This clinic was his dream, and he was surprised and grateful that Life Soulutions was able to raise the money so quickly. “You have to know that your action will help more people to cure their diseases, their injuries, their problems, and help them overcome various disabilities as well, as the clinic will be partly staffed by young locals who have emotional disabilities and who are healing through training and working in a productive environment. So the clinic’s purpose is two-fold.”

Spirit Quest Tours created the Bali tour especially for Life Soulutions, but at first, the fund-raising was not a part of the trip. A chance meeting between the owners of the Las-Vegas-based tour operator and Fair Future Foundation’s Wettstein, where he explained his need for another clinic, was shared with Morrissey, who took the project on immediately. Speaking from her Simi Valley, CA home, Morrissey expressed her own gratitude. “We all felt very blessed in being given opportunity to support the good work Fair Future is doing under the leadership and vision of Alex Wettstein. We also felt very grateful to Spirit Quest Tours for their caring for the peoples of the country they take us to. Without them, we would not have been given this opportunity."

For information on travels with Spirit Quest Tours, including their upcoming Eat Pray Love tour to Bali this October, visithttp://www.spiritquesttours.com.