Air Vanuatu is looking to increase services to New Zealand even further, following the announcement this week that the carrier will add a fourth weekly service to its New Zealand schedule starting 2 November.

Speaking at the Tok Tok trade event, which is being held in Port Vila now, Air Vanuatu’s executive manager commercial, Greg Wilson says that the airline is ‘strongly considering’ direct flights to Christchurch as well as having a fifth VLI-AKL in its sights.

Direct flights between Christchurch and Guangzhou will resume later this year.

The president of China Southern Airlines announced the airline’s return this week and says the service that was paused during the pandemic will re-start on 10 November with three flights a week.

Skal Christchurch began its 2023 events yesterday with lunch in the sun at the Commodore Hotel; where the Patterson family has just celebrated 50 years of the hotel. 

Ironically, the last time the club meet at the hotel was the club’s 50th - also celebrating member Peter Morrison as Skal  World President 2020 with the Skal International executive in attendance.

Celebrations were again order of the day this week, with Leighton Cameron being presented with the Christchurch Skalleague of the Year award. Club president, Victoria Wales says Cameron has taught her all about the Skal spirit and is dedicated to everyone in the club.’

Wales also welcomed new members to the club including Emma McDonald, ChristchurchNZ; Greg Cooper, Christchurch Casino; Thomas Patterson, Hotel Montreal; and Jo Simpson, HIND Management.

• Christchurch Skalleague of the Year,... Christchurch Skalleague of the Year,...
• Briar Nash, Christchurch Airport; Mel... Briar Nash, Christchurch Airport; Mel...
• Jo Simpson, HIND Management; Rick... Jo Simpson, HIND Management; Rick...
• New members… Thomas Patterson, Hotel... New members… Thomas Patterson, Hotel...
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The Innovative Travel ‘catch ups’ started this week with two events in Christchurch and another two set for Auckland next Tuesday 30 June. 

Managing director Robyn Galloway says the catch ups start with an overview of the company’s key destinations and how each has responded to Covid-19.  ‘Key destinations such as Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Greece and Israel have managed the crises relatively well, with a planned opening of borders, in controlled stages.’

On the local front she says Innovative’s domestic programmes in conjunction with Inspired NZ coach tours have met with a positive response. ‘This is in terms of both FIT bookings and agents putting together their own group departures, utilising the travel agent FOC offer, for 14 plus paying passengers.’  Galloway says the tours were designed with New Zealanders in mind, so are reasonably priced, with a focus on regions, and varying from six to nine days.  

On the other side of the globe, CroisiEurope 2021 earlybird cruises are now available to book. Galloway says 2021 is already fairly heavily in demand with clients transferring to next year. CroisiEurope will commence sailing in Europe next month, with stricter hygiene measures in place.

• Front: Debra Carnahan, Robbie Mehlhopt,... Front: Debra Carnahan, Robbie Mehlhopt,...
• Jenaya Soster, helloworld Travel Avonhead;... Jenaya Soster, helloworld Travel Avonhead;...
• Karen Bradshaw, World Travellers broker;... Karen Bradshaw, World Travellers broker;...
• Beth Yates, House of Travel... Beth Yates, House of Travel...
• Ron Montgomery, Spirit Travel; Sharon... Ron Montgomery, Spirit Travel; Sharon...
• Carolyn Marks, World Travellers broker;... Carolyn Marks, World Travellers broker;...
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Singapore Airlines will resume scheduled passenger services to Auckland and Christchurch as part of its minimum connectivity network. 

The re-instatement of twice-weekly services to Auckland and once-weekly services to Christchurch from Tuesday 9 June, will mark the first scheduled passenger flights to the cities since SQ ceased operations in March following the closure of New Zealand and Singapore’s borders due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

Regional tourism office, ChristchurchNZ, has launched a campaign to promote the city, Canterbury and the West Coast to the wider domestic market.

It follows recent analysis from Deloitte that showed Canterbury has the potential to retain $1b in tourism spend that typically goes overseas.

Christchurch Skal opened its arms to new members during a luncheon yesterday.
The fresh faces are Cathy Hemsworth from Luxury Touring Lake Tekapo and Avonmore Tertiary Academy’s Juliet Chilton. The lunch, hosted by Mantra’s Graeme Back at the BreakFree on Cashel, had an ANZAC Day theme. Vic Allen, CEO of Christchurch and Canterbury Tourism and Tom Hooper, CEO of Canterbury Development Corporation talk,
attended the event. They discussed the merger of the two organisations into a single entity called ChristchurchNZ Ltd.

• Vic Allen, Tom Hooper and... Vic Allen, Tom Hooper and...
• Skal Christchurch President Bruce Garrett... Skal Christchurch President Bruce Garrett...
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