OCTOBER 2018 THE WORLD OF CRYSTAL® ILLUMINATES EVERY JOURNEY Beyond destinations. Past expectations. Shines a world that redefi nes what it means to travel. OCEAN RIVER YACHT EXPEDITION AIR CRYSTALCRUISES.COM E ARN QANTAS CAPTIVATING POINTS EUROPE CRYSTAL INSIGHTS WITH KAREN CHRISTENSEN From ancient monuments lining the shores of the Mediterranean and yacht- spangled harbours of the Dalmatian Coast to fairy-tale castles crowning cities along the Danube, Rhine and Moselle rivers, Europe’s iconic wonders have long tugged on the heartstrings of the world’s most ardent travellers. Your clients will be spoiled with the renowned Crystal Experience as they discover the romance and wonder of Europe, whether by ocean, river or yacht expedition. Karen Christensen Senior Vice President CRYSTAL. CLEARLY DIFFERENT. & Managing Director Australia & New Zealand 2019 FEATURED EUROPEAN VOYAGES ALL TAKEN CARE OF Acclaimed farm-to-table dining† Select fi ne wines, champagne & spirits PENINSULA PANORAMA ENCHANTING MOSELLE AEGEAN YACHTING IDYLLS CRYSTAL SERENITY CRYSTAL BACH CRYSTAL ESPRIT Gratuities for OCY190529-12 RBA190729-10 YES190818-07 housekeeping, Barcelona to London (Dover) Amsterdam Roundtrip Athens to Dubrovnik dining and bar sta Dates 29 May – 10 Jun, 2019 Dates 29 Jul – 8 Aug, 2019 Dates 18 –25 August, 2019 Days 12 days Days 10 days Days 7 days Unlimited WiFi Fares from US$6,660pp* (A2) Fares from US$6,115pp* (S5) Fares from US$7,496pp* (S3) FOR MORE INFORMATION, TO BOOK OR TO 1300 059 262 RECEIVE A BROCHURE, CONTACT CRYSTAL. CRYSTALCRUISES.COM *Fares are cruise-only, per person, in U.S. dollars, based on double occupancy, apply to new bookings only, and include taxes, fees and port charges. Crystal Serenity Fare includes Book Now Savings, must be booked by 31/10/18. Solo Traveller Fares available on request. †Crystal Serenity o ers each guest the opportunity to dine at least once on a complimentary basis in Prego and at least once in Umi Uma or the Sushi Bar. Additional reservations including “walk-in” visits are subject to a US$30 per person fee, subject to availability. Optional dining in the Vintage Room attracts an additional fee. Cruise-only fare does not include land programs. All o ers may not be combinable with other promotions, apply to fi rst two full-fare guests in stateroom or suite, are capacity- controlled, subject to availability and may be withdrawn or changed at any time without notice. All fares, itineraries, programs, policies and shore excursions are subject to change and correct at time of printing. You must be a Qantas Frequent Flyer member to earn Qantas Points. A joining fee may apply. Membership and points are subject to the T&Cs of the Qantas Frequent Flyer program available at qantas.com/terms. Restrictions apply. For complete Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy, visit crystalcruises.com/legal. ©2018 Crystal Cruises & Crystal Yacht Expedition Cruises, LLC. Ships’ registries: The Bahamas. Crystal River Cruises ships’ registry: Malta. OCTOBER 2018 The million dollar club JAPAN EUROPE SOUTH & CENTRAL AMERICA SRI LANKA There is a better way to sell travel... Tired of the rat-race? Want the freedom to provide a better service to your clients? Looking for greater flexibility and a work/life balance? Start your own home-based travel business with Travel Counsellors and enjoy: Being your own boss | Excellent support | Unlimited earning potential Access to the best technology | Greater flexibility to choose your own hours Change your life. Call now... 1300 889 123 recruitment.travelcounsellors.com.au/opportunities CONTENTS 14 30 38 52 FEATURES COVER STORY 20 Business view 24 Cruise 30 Japan 14 The million dollar club 28 Industry in Focus Brian Johnston discovers what to do Find out which industry execs can when not watching World Cup rugby buy a private jet with their earnings 62 Last Word 38 Europe Jenny Piper explores Croatia from MONTHLY COLUMNS the sea 02 06 Steve Jones 52 South & Central America From the publisher 08 Craig Tansley uncovers the best 02 State of the industry AFTA View time to visit Torres del Paine 08 Issues and trends 12 TTF View 58 Sri Lanka 19 Business Events News 27 CLIA View Awaken your senses in Sri Lanka This month’s contributors Steve Jones, Joel Katz, Jayson Westbury, Leonie Spencer, Margy Osmond, Ana Pedersen, Brian Johnston, Jenny Piper, Emma Lovell, Craig Tansley, Harry Sargant, Jacqui Tufala, Sarah Beyer, Lisa Meyers 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 Design – Sarah Beyer, Wendy St George Contributing Editor – Jon Murrie Director – Jenny Piper www.travelbulletin.com.au 5,355904 Avg Net Distribution per Issue This publication is independently audited under the AMAA's CAB Total Distribution Audit. Editorial team – Jasmine O’Donoghue, Adam FINANCE travelBulletin is part of the Business Reporting Period: 161 Apr Apr 2017 2016 – – 30 16 Sep Sep 2017 2016 - Publisher Statement Bishop, Anastasia Prikhodko, Sarah Fairburn [email protected] Publishing Group family of publications travelBulletin OCTOBER 2018 1 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY WELCOME to the October 2018 loyalty and other personal data. From the issue of travelBulletin, which For example, in the case of a contains our annual round-up of business traveller who generally publisher some of the big earners in the flies with a particular airline, surely it Australasian travel industry. The would be a temptation for the carrier Bruce Piper Million Dollar Club feature is very to present a higher price based popular each year, and in 2018 we on the fairly certain assurance the have represented the fat pay packets client will buy that fare regardless of with a comparison of the number of the cost – in contrast to a potential private jets they can all buy. new customer that the airline is It should be noted, however, that attempting to woo? NDC would the Million Dollar Club only highlights enable this, versus current platforms the income of the senior executives where fares are the same regardless who have the first world problem of of who might be purchasing them. their packages being exposed due The new Sabre AirVision Fares to working at ASX-listed companies. Optimizer product “generates fare Many of the largest businesses in recommendations by estimating each the industry are privately held, and I customer’s potential willingness to would not be surprised at all to find pay”. It suggests pricing structures that similar figures are being racked based on customer segmentation, up by their owners too – without and is part of a broader Sabre the annoying scrutiny that a public strategy to build a Digital Commercial annual report brings. Platform that “delivers end-to-end MEANWHILE a recent technology personalised retailing for airlines”. launch by Sabre has rung alarm Some fear a future where flight bells among stakeholders concerned pricing uses Facebook-like algorithms about the propensity for IATA’s New based on personal details like age, Distribution Capability standard to address, employment status, family reduce transparency in flight pricing. situation, investments and even Because NDC has the ability to gross income to adjust fare offers provide deep customer insight, some based on the client’s ability to pay. have been concerned it may result in Current technology already enables prices charged to passengers varying some of this to happen, and the rich based on such elements as their data provided by NDC will facilitate a previous purchasing patterns, carrier further evolution of this possibility. Dream Cruises to come to Sydney construction of her sister ships with acclaimed service that IN is Asian at heart and international in spirit,” he said. AUSTRALASIA will welcome its first Dream Cruises ship in Explorer Dream will be fitted with new facilities including BRIEF spring 2019, with the cruise line revealing it would bring The Palace, Dream Cruises’ luxury private enclave featuring sister brand Star Cruises’ ship, SuperStar Virgo, into the 50 suites and butler service. The ship will also sport all Dream fleet. To be renamed Explorer Dream, the ship will new food and beverage options “combining the best of East undergo a US$30 million dollar transformation in March meets West” and a new Crystal Life Spa. 2019, and then from October next year the vessel will Prior to her Australian season, the ship will homeport in homeport out of Sydney and Auckland, operating a series of Shanghai and Tianjin during the northern summer of 2019. 21 week-long itineraries. Explorer Dream will be followed by a Global Class ship Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, executive chairman of both cruise “soon after,” with the line telling travelBulletin earlier this line’s parent company, Genting Hong Kong, said the move year it planned to bring a Global Class vessel to operate in accelerated the company’s vision to “develop Dream Australasian waters in 2021. Cruises into Asia’s Global Cruise Line” by sailing outside of Asian waters. Wollongong flight revival “With her strong heritage in the Asian cruise landscape and history in the region along with her world-renowned REGIONAL carrier Fly Corporate will re-establish direct links German engineering, SuperStar Virgo’s transformation into from Wollongong to Melbourne and Brisbane after the Explorer Dream will combine the best-in-class design and recent failure of rival JetGo. 2 travelBulletin OCTOBER 2018 The airline announced it would launch new services from 12 WENDY WU ENTRANCES xI’AN November, with a 6.15am weekday departure from Wollongong to Melbourne’s Essendon Airport and a four times weekly 1.55pm departure to Brisbane.