Qantas moving to percentage-based card fee system.

source: Travel Daily

Qantas has just announced it will move to a new percentage-based card payment fee from 01 September, replacing the existing flat fee structure.

All credit card payments - including Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Diners Club - will attract a 1.3% fee, with the costs capped at $11 for domestic and trans-Tasman fares, and $70 for international fares.

For an average domestic return fare of $400 the fee would be $5.20, compared to the current flat fee of $7. A $2000 international fare will have a $26 fee imposed, compared to the current $30 flat fee.

"The majority of Qantas customers will pay the same or less in fees than they do under the current system, and there'll continue to be low-fee and fee-free options for customers who prefer not to pay with a credit card," the carrier said.

The percentage-based fee means Qantas can keep recovering some of the costs that come with accepting payments by card, according to a spokesperson. Capping the fees "gives passengers certainty about the maximum they'll pay before they start booking, and is in line with Qantas' consistent position that it doesn't profit from card payment fees".

A statement confirmed that Jetstar is also working through changes to its own card payment system which will also see it shift to a percentage-based process which will be rolled out in time for the 01 September cutover.

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BOALI THREDBO Offers Quintessential Alpine Lodge Hospitality

and suggests some local adventures

• Kick your shoes off and discover the joys of lodge life
• Year round stay appeal
• Delicious meals prepared for you
• A home away from home

Located in a prime setting offering breath-taking views of Thredbo and the Crackenback Range, near the heart of the Village, Boali Lodge offers comfortable, spacious, bright, mountain accommodation all year round. Its friendly welcoming atmosphere attracts members and guests for weekends, special events and longer stays. In particular it is ideal for families of all ages with its 4 loft rooms.

The fully managed and recently refurbished 14-room Boali Lodge is renowned for its quality dining experience, attractive rooms and central location. The team provide delicious, nutritious meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Close proximity to the Kosciuszko Express Quad Chair provides easy access for winter and summer adventures on Australia's highest mountain and best ski terrain. Outside of the ski season, Thredbo offers a wide range of activities - both physical and cultural.

Located in the spectacular Snowy Mountains of Southern NSW, Boali's home Thredbo Alpine Village is Australia's premier year round mountain retreat. In winter the resort is home to not only Australia's best alpine skiing and boarding but a village atmosphere that's second to none.

As the winter snow melts the beauty of the mountains reveals itself. When the rest of Australia seriously heats up and the grasses burn off Thredbo is ever green with the average daily temperatures ranging from 14-21 degrees. The warm days and cool nights of summer make a perfect climate for a wide variety of activities in summer.

As the closest point of access to Mt. Kosciuszko, Thredbo is the ideal place to begin your exploration of Kosciuszko National Park.

"Our guests love our unique lodge experience and many return year after year. The communal dining set up allows all the local news and adventure tips to be shared across the table and guests often make new lifelong friends," said Maureen French, Chairperson of Boali Lodge.

"Our hospitable team have an understanding of what our winter and summer guests need after a day's skiing or hiking in the mountain air. The lodge menus are richly comforting with beautiful fresh ingredients and mountain flavours that are often a highlight of the stay," Maureen said.

Kylie Hayes has been visiting Boali Lodge for over 20 years and loves the fact that all food is included.

"I always look forward to the food, it's just amazing. It's so expensive to eat out in the snowy mountains, so to have all the meals prepared for you and included in your package is a really affordable and economical option, plus it frees up your time for more relaxing," Kylie said.

"I think the big difference with Boali compared to other lodges is that you're treated to a high end lodge experience. It's not like a hotel - you get to spend your day out enjoying all that Thredbo has to offer knowing you can come home to a delicious lunch and dinner, and the bonus is you get so socialise with the other guests – it's like a home away from home", Kylie said.

Amelia Buchhorn loves escaping from her busy city life to the tranquillity of Boali.

"We usually arrive late on a Friday night after a hectic week at work and it's just great to be able to park right at the front door and not worry about trying to find a car space or catch the shuttle bus. The lodge has a lovely relaxing atmosphere, there's plenty of space for the kids and there's the beautiful lounge with the fire where you can take in the mountain views," Amelia said.

"It's a true holiday in that everything is done for you. Whereas with other lodges you have to self cater and bring your own linen we love the fact that we only need to bring our suitcase and that everything else is taken care of."

Swissôtel extends reach into Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with second hotel in Makkah

Swissôtel Al Maqam, Makkah to open in time for Hajj

Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts announced on July 5 that it has entered into an agreement with Sarah Towers For Real Estate Investment Company to manage the 1,624-room Swissôtel Al Maqam, Makkah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.


Becoming Swissôtel's second property in the religious city, Swissôtel Al Maqam will be situated in the prestigious Abraj Al Bait complex, part of the King Abdul Aziz Endowment Project, overlooking the Masjid Al Haram. With an imminent opening in September 2016, it will join the existing Swissôtel Makkah and is poised to become an iconic symbol of genuine hospitality for Muslim travellers visiting the Holy City.

Approximately one hour from King Abdulaziz International Airport, the property is footsteps away from the Masjid Al Haram, the largest mosque in the world, and the Ka'aba, known as the most sacred site in the Muslim faith. Swissôtel Al Maqam will be flanked by other properties already within the FRHI Hotels & Resorts (FRHI) portfolio, Raffles Makkah Palace and Fairmont Makkah Clock Royal Tower, in addition to Swissôtel Makkah, with the entire complex currently housing the largest number of guestrooms within the Abraj Al Bait complex.

"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is one of the fastest growing tourism sectors in the Middle East and is a country that continues to diversify with a strong focus on religious and business opportunities," said Sami Nasser, senior vice president, operations, Middle East, Africa and India for FRHI. "Given the success we've enjoyed within our tri-branded hotel complex in Makkah, we are delighted to be expanding our footprint in this region with another extraordinary property."

In addition to 1,624 guestrooms and suites, which range from 32 to 84 square metres in size, with the majority providing direct and unfettered views to the Haram area and Ka'aba, Swissôtel Al Maqam will also offer a variety of restaurants and dining experiences. Al Khayraat, an all-day dining restaurant can seat upwards of 3,000 guests in one seating, effectively becoming one of the largest restaurants in the world. Masharif Tea Lounge will serve a selection of classic oriental and worldwide culinary options with a panoramic view of the holy city. It will also boast the city's only hotel to have two entrances within the complex; from Um AL Qura Tunnel and Ibrahim Al Khalil Street.

The addition of Swissôtel Al Maqam complements a growing portfolio of FRHI-managed hotels currently under development in Saudi Arabia, including Swissôtel, Raffles and Fairmont hotels in Jeddah all slated to open before 2020, in addition to Fairmont Riyadh, Business Gate which will open in early 2017. Swissôtel flags will also be raised throughout the Middle East within the next five years with Swissôtel Citystars Sharm El Sheikh and a property in 'New Cairo' - Swissôtel Katameyah in Egypt.

In total, Swissôtel's parent company operates 19 hotels and more than 7,000 guestrooms in the Middle East, Africa and India region with another 19 hotels in varying stages of development. Swissôtel Al Maqam becomes FRHI's ninth project in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Vibe Hotel Canberra Airport Wins Three Top Gongs at Master Builders Association Awards

The cool new design hotel turning airport stays on their heads, Vibe Hotel Canberra Airport, took out three top awards at the prestigious 2016 Master Builders and Cbus Excellence in Building Awards in Canberra last week.

Building company Construction Control was presented with Project of the Year award for its work on the $44 million Vibe Hotel Canberra Airport – the third time the company has won the title in just four years.

Kirk Coningham, Executive Director of Master Builders ACT, said the judges were impressed with the architecture, design and construction of Vibe Hotel Canberra Airport, which reflected Canberra's history, urban setting and natural surroundings.

“Construction Control's expert delivery has resulted in a new destination that will attract visitors and residents with its timeless design, attention to detail and high quality finishes,” Mr Coningham said.

“Vibe Hotel Canberra Airport was an economic driver for our city at a time when the construction sector was slowing and created 600 jobs during the construction phase. The hotel adds strength to the case for direct international flights into ACT and demonstrates the enduring value our industry delivers to the community.”

Construction Control's work on Vibe Hotel Canberra Airport was also recognised with the award for a commercial project valued between $20 million and $50 million, while J&J Interiors took out the award for best use of material in a commercial interior for the hotel's striking black and white atrium.

TFE Hotels CEO Rachel Argaman said since this latest addition to Canberra's hotel scene opened in November 2015, just 100 metres from the airport terminal and a 10 minute drive from the city centre, travelling to and from Australia's Capital had become a whole lot more exciting.

“The hotel is really something to behold,” she said. “Its striking and extraordinary design and interiors make it a destination in itself. At its heart is Helix Bar & Dining, which with its 1950s-style retro interiors has a Mad Men feel and a wonderful ambience. It offers a chic alternative to a long wait in an airport lounge. You can relax here in the cocktail bar with its circular snug bar and cosy fire pit or enjoy a fine meal at a friendly shared dining table knowing you'll make your flight on time.”

The hotel's striking Bates Smart design gives guests as they walk into the vast lobby the impression they could be in Frank Lloyd Wright's extraordinary Guggenheim Museum in New York. The soaring seven-storey interior atrium, around which the whole hotel is built, provides a dramatic visual while naturally inviting guests to better connect with each other and with their Vibe Hosts.

In keeping with the hotel's flight theme are its spacious Lower and Upper Deck rooms, First Class rooms and apartments. Each of the 191 sound-proof rooms have stunning sunrise and sunset views, some all the way to Old Parliament House – you can even watch flights taking off as you work out in Vibe Fit gym.

www.tfehotels.com/vibe
Facebook @VibeHotels
Twitter @VibeHotels
Instagram @VibeHotels

Traveloscopy | 

Wonderful Indonesia Sales Mission - agents invited to register

Indonesia's Ministry of Tourism sales mission targets 1.4 million Australian arrivals in 2016

As part of an ambitious five year target to attract 20 million arrivals to Indonesia by 2019, the Ministry of Tourism has embarked on a wide-scale sales mission across one of its most important tourism markets; Australia.

With 1,035,325 arrivals in 2015, Australia represented 15 per cent of Indonesia's inbound market, its fourth largest market behind China (17%), Malaysia (18%) and Singapore (23%). The Ministry is targeting an ambitious 1.4 million Australian arrivals in 2016 and has commenced a nation-wide sales mission with this aim in mind.


The first two programs of the Wonderful Indonesia Sales Mission took place in Pullman Albert Park Hotel, Melbourne (15/06) and Wrest Point, Hobart (17/06) last month, attracting over 140 travel agents across the two cities. More sales programs are planned later this month, in Sydney on the 20th July and in Canberra on the 22nd July.

Indonesia is continuing its wide-reaching program to promote 10 priority tourism destinations "Beyond Bali", which include Lake Toba in North Sumatra, Bangka and Belitung Islands east of Sumatra, Tanjung Lesung, Thousand Islands, Borobodor and Mount Bromo in eastern Java, Mandalika and Labuan Bajo in Nusa Tenggara, Wakatobi in South Sulawesi and Morotai in North Maluku.

The Ministry's ambitious target of 20 million arrivals by 2019 is helped by the recent approval of free visas for 169 countries, including Australia. Increased flight connectivity from Australia is also expected to assist the Ministry's target of 1.4 million Australian arrivals, with over 180 flights connecting Australian ports with either Bali or Jakarta each week.

The Sydney tabletop event will be held at Amora Hotel, 11 Jameson St between 530pm and 830pm on the 20th July, and the Canberra event will be at the Hyatt Hotel, 120 Commonwealth Avenue between 530pm and 830pm on the 22nd July, 2016.

Guests will be invited to join the delegation for cocktails before a press conference and tabletop presentations take place. There are plenty of door prizes up for grabs, including a free stay at Bali Tropic Resort, including return airfare.

Travel agents can register their interest to attend by emailing info@vitomelbourne.com.au

#justanotherdayinWA - Tourism Western Australia Campaign Launches Live from a Camel Train on Cable Beach

#justanotherdayinWA

Utilising technology usually only reserved for TV news broadcast – Tourism Western Australia today beamed live footage of two tourism operators on the job in regional WA, to guests in attendance at the Perth launch of the new Just Another Day in WA campaign.

After viewing the official campaign assets (a collection of films shot across the State), in a PR-first, live interviews were conducted with Matt Moreton-Deakin from Broome Camel Safaris and Frazer McGregor from Ningaloo Marine Interactions – two examples of people living and working in paradise, promoting the wonders of Western Australia to the world.

Western Australia is a large and diverse State, with extraordinary experiences found in every corner. From visiting the Kimberley, one of the true last wilderness areas in the world; to swimming with the biggest fish in the sea, the whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef; or sampling world-class Chardonnay in the Margaret River Wine Region – local residents have a lot to boast about. But to West Australians – It's Just Another Day in WA.

Tourism WA's Chief Executive Officer Stephanie Buckland said Just Another Day in WA, was developed with advertising agency Cummins&Partners to show people around the world the extraordinary experiences that can be found in Western Australia.

“Western Australia has so many extraordinary experiences that cannot be found elsewhere in Australia, or in some cases the world, but those of us who are lucky enough to live in the State tend to be blasé about its uniqueness and beauty,” Ms Buckland said.

“The premise behind the campaign is to highlight all these experiences that West Australians take for granted but visitors find memorable and extraordinary.”

The campaign also provides a platform to promote all the changes that have happened in and around Perth over the past couple of years.

“Our recent tourism marketing campaigns have focused almost exclusively on regional WA but greater Perth has gone through some dramatic changes and has a lot to offer as a destination in its own right,” she said.

“As Perth continues to evolve, so will the campaign and we will be able to share more Perth stories with the world.”

Some of the changes that are happening around Perth include:

• Opening up the Swan River through the development of Elizabeth Quay
• 2,000 new hotels rooms to open by 2018
• $1 billion redevelopment of Perth Airport
• Construction of a 60,000-seat stadium
• Redevelopment of Fremantle
• Upgrades at Scarborough Beach with $78 million for a beachside swimming pool, cafes, restaurants, kiosks and public art
• Rottnest Island upgrades including include a luxury refurbishment of Hotel Rottnest as well as an upmarket “glamping” experience, which will open next year.
• Ms Buckland said the groundbreaking campaign marked a fundamental shift in the way Tourism WA promoted the State as a holiday destination.

“Under the Just Another Day banner, Tourism WA and the tourism industry will create and distribute appealing content that will inspire people to travel to our State,” she said. “It will be distributed across the globe through our cooperative advertising campaigns with airlines, travel agents and tour operators.

“We are calling on all visitors and West Australians to contribute to the campaign by sharing their own extraordinary WA moments using the hashtag #justanotherdayinWA.”

In 2016, more than 18 films presenting personal experiences in WA will be created along with other supporting materials including photography and a microsite. Many more will be produced over the life of the campaign.

Tag your social media posts with #justanotherdayinWA and @mention the Tourism WA social media channels you are posting them to:
www.instagram.com/westernaustralia
www.facebook.com/ExtraordinaryWesternAustralia
www.twitter.com/WestAustralia
www.youtube.com/user/westernaustralia

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Boutique Line Azamara Club Cruises - Best Of Both Cruising Worlds – Ocean And River

Boutique cruise brand, Azamara Club Cruises is known for its destination immersion, smaller ships that can berth in ports other large ships can't, and a style of cruise that offers more included in every fare. Lesser known, but no less unique, is the fact that Azamara's 686-passenger ships can offer the best of both cruising worlds – ocean as well as river cruising.

Both Azamara Quest and Azamara Journey recently emerged from multimillion dollar makeovers that overhauled the jewel-box ships from bow to stern. They offer a range of unique itineraries with longer stays, more overnights and night touring so guests can experience the authentic culture of the destinations they visit, including those on the banks of some of the world's most famed rivers.

Travellers can cruise the storied River Thames right up to Tower Bridge in London, or visit New Orleans via the mighty Mississippi River. Azamara's ships can sail the Garonne River to Bordeaux in the heart of one of France's prime wine-making regions, and to the dynamic Canadian city of Montreal via the St. Lawrence River.

Or, choose to navigate Russia's Neva River en route to the czarist treasures and grand palaces of St. Petersburg, or the Iberian Peninsula's Guadalquivir River to the Spanish city of Seville, where passengers can explore the charming, historic Santa Cruz Quarter.

The River Liffey flows right through Dublin, and Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest can cruise a part of this waterway to enter the Irish capital. One of Dublin's top attractions, the Temple Bar district, has been developed along the south bank of the Liffey. This neighbourhood is considered the city's cultural heart, with restaurants, lively pubs and outdoor markets lining the cobblestone lanes.

Destinations truly are the hero of Azamara's itineraries on every cruise. Wherever adventure presents itself, Azamara's unique Land Discoveries programs, including Insider Access, Nights and Cool Places and Cruise Global Eat Local, set the brand apart by inspiring guests to think outside the ship by offering special access to museums, iconic and exclusive attractions, hidden gems, tours, intimate meals and more. Azamara's signature AzAmazing Evening events also bring guests a unique cultural experience – which is complimentary on all voyages seven nights or longer.

While destinations are the highlight, what's onboard keeps guests coming back for more. Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest guests receive exceptional and personal service and enjoy fine cuisine and boutique wines from around the world. More is included in each cruise – such as beverages, gratuities, self-service laundry, English Butler service for suite guests, shuttle transportation to city centres in ports, where available, as well as Azamara's signature AzAmazing Evening Events. 

To experience Azamara's unique hybrid ocean and river cruise offering, fares start from $3,359 for the first guest and just $1,677 for the second guest in an interior stateroom when booked by 31 August 2016, for a 10-night Thailand and Vietnam voyage. Departing Singapore on 30 November 2016, this itinerary lets guests sail Thailand's Chao Phraya River to Bangkok where the ship docks overnight. Here, passengers can tour the Royal Barges Museum, which showcases elaborately carved and decorated teak vessels used only for special ceremonies on the river. The voyage also includes calls to Thailand's famed Ko Samui for some of the world's best beaches as well as an overnight in Ho Chi Minh City, before concluding in Hong Kong.

To make a booking or for further information visit www.azamaraclubcruises.com, phone 1800 754 500 or contact your local travel agent. Travel professionals can call 1300 754 500 or visit cruisingpower.com.