DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020 Explore Norway with the experts M11478 HUR Travel Bulletin FPx2 ad A4 v6.indd 1 14/11/2019 10:40 New Expedition Cruises Norway ––– With more than 125 years’ experience exploring Norway, this coastline is our home. Join us on our new Expedition Cruises and we’ll take you on an immersive, authentic voyage to the heart of Norway. Our year-round voyages on our new hybrid-powered expedition ­eet include nine handpicked, exclusive ports, and a passionate team of expedition experts to help you explore this extraordinary coastline. WHY Summer (May - September): HURTIGRUTEN? Fjords and Midnight Sun Expedition Norway In Handpicked itinerary Winter (October - February): Longer port stays Arctic Winter and Northern a Nutshell Included daily activities and a wide Lights Expedition range of optional excursions Spring (March - April): Each ship features a Science Center one, two or three day White Winter Expedition TRIPS oslo to bergen where you can interact with our via flåm and voss Expedition Team New Expedition Fleet Three onboard restaurants serving MS Otto Sverdrup For an immersive Norway delicious cuisine that refl ects our MS Eirik Raude add on coastal experience Norwegian heritage MS Maud Save AU$1,000 on selected 2021/22 departures go to hurtigruten.com.au call 1300 322 062 EMAIL [email protected] M11478 HUR Travel Bulletin FPx2 ad A4 v6.indd 2 14/11/2019 10:40 DEC 2019/JAN 2020 AIRLINE UPDATE USA SOLO TRAVELLERS LUXURY AUSTRALIA WINNERS AND LOSERS OF 2019 18 Part 2 Welcome to Sydney Explorer Dream Explorer toSydney Welcome Expressing the brand Expressing the brand the Expressing Part 2 Part 18 CONTENTS 16 30 54 59 FEATURES 59 Australia 20 Business view With so many wonderful wineries 24 Business Events News 36 Airline update in Oz, Adam Bishop asks why would you travel anywhere else 26 Cruise Nick O’Donoghue takes a look at the future of aircraft 42 Brochures 44 USA COVER STORY Myles Stedman checks out some of COLUMNS 14 Winners and losers of 2019 the hiddens gems of big US cities Bruce Piper looks at what 2019 has 02 From the publisher 48 Solo travellers brought the travel industry 06 Steve Jones Emma Lovell explains why travelling solo may be the best experience MONTHLY 08 AFTA View 54 Luxury 10 TTF View Jenny Piper discovers luxury 02 State of the industry 26 CLIA View doesn’t always mean having a butler 08 Issues and trends This month’s contributors Steve Jones, Joel Katz, Jayson Westbury, Margy Osmond, Emma Lovell, Jenny Piper, Mike Kavanagh, Divinity Kefu, Craig Owens, Rhona Rodgers, Sharon Wood Bottom left – ©Tourism Australia EDITORIAL ADVERTISING Suite 1, Level 2, 64 Talavera Rd Editor in Chief and Publisher – Bruce Piper National Sales Manager Macquarie Park NSW 2113 Australia Lisa Maroun PO Box 1010 Epping NSW 1710 Australia Co-ordinating Editor + Production – Ph: 0405 132 575 or 02 8007 6760 Tel: 1300 799 220 (+61 2 8007 6760 Sarah Beyer [email protected] Ph: 1300 799 220 or 02 8007 6760 [email protected] ART www.travelbulletin.com.au Design – Sarah Beyer, Wendy St George 6,8305,355 Avg Net Distribution per Issue travelBulletin is part of the This publication is independently audited under the AMAA's Editorial team – Jasmine O’Donoghue, Adam CAB Total Distribution Audit. Business Publishing Group Reporting Period: 161 Apr Apr 2018 2016 to – 3116 MarSep 20192016 - Publisher Bishop, Nick O’Donoghue, Myles Stedman, Publishing Director – Jenny Piper Statement family of publications Sarah Fairburn, Janie Medbury travelBulletin DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020 1 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY IT’S attracted plenty of predictable we want to welcome all tourists to From the criticism, but I believe we should our shores – but particularly targeting reserve judgement on the new the ones with deep pockets, who will publisher Tourism Australia “Come share spend more in the local economy, our Philausophy” campaign which is what will keep the tourism sector Bruce Piper was unveiled early last month. really ticking along well. International tourism marketing is an As far as actual campaign art, not a science, and the kneejerk execution goes, we are yet to see negative reaction of many to the what’s going to be produced for launch showed just how difficult it each market, but Harrison noted that can be for an agency like Tourism bespoke iterations would be created Australia to manage the expectations for our top 15 tourist sources – so of its many stakeholders. criticism that ‘Philausophy’ won’t Any campaign concept has to be translate well is meaningless. It acceptable and appealing to the is literally the concept behind the organisation’s purse string-holding campaign, rather than what will political masters, not to mention actually roll out. the local tourism sector – and that’s And let’s face it, everyone loves before taking into consideration the Chris Hemsworth, right? The varied tastes, cultural nuances and megastar presence of the Avengers’ purchase drivers for the international Thor himself at the launch event markets we are trying to attract. was a highlight, with the Byron Bay In the lead-up to the revelation of local’s laconic interview with radio the new concept, Travel Daily was personality Michael “Wippa” Wipfli urged to point out to the industry really evoking what it was all about. that the Philausophy campaign If tourism continues its trajectory was “not our new advertisement” to being a more and more important – but more a celebration of the part of our economy, it will be industry operators who are taking increasingly necessary for the part. At the launch event recently community to recognise that every appointed Tourism Australia MD, one of us is actually an ambassador Phillipa Harrison, highlighted the for the country. extensive research which had gone It’s a bit like the cleaner at NASA, into the concept. While Australia’s who when asked what his job is landscapes, wildlife and world- says “I’m putting someone on the famous cities create aspiration for moon”. Similarly we all need to be travellers from across the globe, putting out the welcome mat – and high-value, big spending tourists recognise that for the tourism and also want to experience the unique travel industry to flourish globally it Aussie character – and this is what is vital that inbound and outbound ‘Philausophy’ is all about. Of course traveller flows are balanced. South Africa ups and downs showing their consent was required. IN Understandably, many families wanting to travel to MIRRORING the theme of this month’s travelBulletin cover South Africa found it all too difficult and chose alternative BRIEF story, it’s been a very mixed few weeks for South Africa. destinations for their holidays, and the impact on the There would have been jubilation among the country’s country’s tourism sector has been significant – not to tourism industry at the announcement of the relaxation of mention the travails of airline staff forced to deny boarding the requirement for anyone travelling with children to have to holidaymakers without the required documentation. The original copies of birth certificates. Initially introduced in waiver applies to citizens of all countries who are able to 2015 to combat child trafficking, the measure required visit South Africa without a visa – but is still in place for families wanting to visit the country to provide full, South African families. unabridged birth certificates showing the names of both Unfortunately the sweetness of that moment was rapidly parents – and in the case of one parent travelling alone dissipated by a walkout by South African Airways staff. The with their children, a signed affidavit from the other parent industrial action grounded the carrier, including its flights 2 travelBulletin DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020 from Perth to Johannesburg, with TRICKS AND treats FROM USA officials warning that the future of the airline is at stake. SAA has lost more than $2 billion over the last 13 years. Workers, who do not wish to bear the burden of what they say is years of mismanagement, have rejected a 5.9% pay offer, and unrest appears likely to continue as the South African government attempts to rein in its underwriting of the airline’s ongoing losses. QF drops Beijing - again QANTAS last month announced it NINE delegates from Arizona and Colorado took to the road last month would cease flying to Beijing in March for a series of agent events in Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland. Aiming 2020, saying the route from Sydney to showcase the “Spirit of Adventure” that a road trip through both states was not commercially viable due to can bring, the trip coincided with Halloween – providing the perfect excuse excess market capacity and weak for a dress-up, not that they needed any encouragement! demand for premium seats. It’s the Participants included Andrea Blankenship and Liz Birdsall from Colorado third time Qantas has attempted a Tourism Office; Jessica Mitchell Remington and Becky Blaine from Airzona direct service to the Chinese capital, Office of Tourism; Tracey Ward of Discover Flagstaff; Steamboat and having first operated Beijing flights Winter Park’s Jenny O’Farrell; Floy Kennedy from Visit Colorado Springs; between 1984 and 1987, and then and Katy Schneider of Visit Fort Collins. again between 2006 and 2009. Announcing the latest suspension of the route, which has been operating this time since 2017, Qantas International CEO Tino La Spina cited expectations of $86 million to $90 flight to Auckland from Dallas Fort a 20% overall increase in competitor Our trans- million for the 2019/20 financial year. Worth, which provides new one-stop capacity between Beijing and Australia “ The month also saw Helloworld in connections to NZ from more than 70 – in contrast to broader international Tasman the political headlines once again, with cities across the USA.