A long term relationship with the New Zealand and Australian markets and the trade here continues to pay off for the US state of Oregon, says Todd Davidson, chief executive officer of the Oregon Tourism Commission. Davidson says Australasia is now the fifth largest overseas market for Oregon, spending US$42 million dollars a year there. Traffic from the combined markets grew by 53% from 2013 to 2018.

The opportunity for more yield by utilising increased connectivity to and beyond Vancouver was highlighted at the Canada Eh! event in Auckland this week.

Jared Jamison, sales account manager for Air New Zealand, says a move to the 787-900 (rather than the 777-200) in December also puts more Business Premier and premium economy on the AKL-YVR route. Both cabins are in demand with New  Zealanders heading to Canada, he says. ‘We’ve got 29 connections within domestic Canada working with Air Canada, United Airlines and WestJet Airlines that can be accessed via our North American gateways and there will be connections from New York into Canada as well.’

On the back of its busiest snow season in more than a decade, Canada’s Panorama Mountain Resort is making significant investments to enhance the visitor experience.

travel&co. and Air Canada have launched an incentive that will see six Kiwi travel agents jetting off to Canada in March 2020.

Excite Holidays is partnering with Disneyland Resort in California for its ‘Dream a Little Longer’ campaign.

Washington DC’s neighbourhoods were to the fore at SO Auckland this week when the city’s tourism organisation invited agents to ‘Discover the REAL DC.’

travel&co has a new ski/board group tour for the 2019/20 season.

Clients who head to the Big Island of Hawaii now can see a new black sand beach, formed by the volcanic eruption last year.

Busabout has launched its 2020 USA & Canada brochure with three new guided adventures and a 3 Stop Hopon Hop-off Pass on its West Coast coach travel network.

The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) will feature the work of internationally celebrated Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama as its major exhibition in 2020.

Running from 2 May through to 1 November, the works will cover the spectrum of Kusama’s multifaceted practice and introduce major new works, including immersive experiences created specifically for this exhibition.

A range of new tours has been launched in Vancouver this year, encompassing bikes, beer, food and the rainbow community.

Excite Holidays and Brand USA have launched a new series of itinerary-style guides, themed around popular destinations for music across the USA.

Globus Family of Brands’ top ten performing agents across all brand categories in the 2018/19 year have just returned from a Supertour of the US.

The United States travel industry wants agents’ clients to get into America quicker and easier – that was the message from industry leaders at IPW, the USA’s travel and tourism showcase, last week.

The German – Texas culture of Fredericksburg is being highlighted to Kiwis as an easy road trip (about four hours) from gateway Houston.

California has just launched a major global campaign focused on road trips and urges travel agents and brokers to swot up on the opportunities the programme provides.

NYC & Company visited Auckland and Wellington for agent training events last week.

Contiki has launched five new trips to Patagonia and Colombia and 13 improved trips across Latin America in its latest product release for the region.

New festival experiences are available in Peru through Viva Expeditions. Inti Raymi and Qoyllur Rit’I are two annual religious festivals in Inca/Andean tradition that take place during the winter solstice in Cusco.

Clients looking to gain insight into the day-to-day lives of local Andean people, and make a difference to their lives, can include a visit to Misminay community in Peru.

• Jess Ogg, C&I Specialists (fourth... Jess Ogg, C&I Specialists (fourth...
• Adam Leslie, Event Travel Management... Adam Leslie, Event Travel Management...
• Adam Leslie, Event Travel Management... Adam Leslie, Event Travel Management...
• Megan Hornblow, Hawai’i Tourism; Bonnie... Megan Hornblow, Hawai’i Tourism; Bonnie...
• Karishma Chowfin, Oahu Visitors Bureau;... Karishma Chowfin, Oahu Visitors Bureau;...
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Rain didn’t diminish the aloha spirit on Friday when an Hawaiian contingent hosted groups agents to Auckland’s Soul Bar.

by Aleisha Moore
Auckland agents joined Choose Chicago, Chicago Airport and Air New Zealand mid-November to celebrate the launch of Air New Zealand’s direct Auckland to Chicago service.
Fiona Love from The Travel Corporation won the major prize of the night, which included return flights on Air New Zealand to Chicago, five nights’ accommodation, sight-seeing excursions and more.
The evening was a chance for Chicago promoters to share insider tips, allowing agents to better sell the destination.

Masterchef winners Karena and Kasey are embarking on a one-off trip to the USA with Costsaver on Friday 3 May 2019.

With options to suit a variety of travel preferences, The Travel Corporation brands are promoting a limited time savings of up to 17.5% off selected USA & Canada trips in 2019.

Adventure World’s destination expert Jorja Stone has just returned from hosting an agent educational trip to Argentina with Andy Stock, where seven kiwi agents experienced the cultural, artistic and architectural heritage on offer in the region.

Destination DC, the official destination marketing organisation for Washington DC, has appointed Canuckiwi Ltd to represent it in New Zealand and Australia.

Having witnessed the detrimental effects of overtourism around the world, priorities are shifting towards offering a more beneficial, sustainable and less-invasive form of tourism.

AIM Holidays has tickets on sale for five new shows in New York this autumn/winter:

Excite Holidays has launched ‘What’s Your Santa Monica Soul’, in conjunction with Santa Monica Travel & Tourism.

Viva Expeditions, Chimu Adventures (flights courtesy of Air New Zealand) took six Orbit Travel Agents plus an Air New Zealand representative on an in-depth tour of Bueno Aires.

Agents have the chance to win a fam trip place on a Ski British Columbia Agent Famil planned for early 2019.

Although the Inca Trail is an amazing hike, the arduous journey is not for all clients.

It was yet another successful Aloha Down Under event with interest as always in Aqua-Aston Hotels and Resorts’ extensive portfolio of properties across Hawaii.

World Journeys says clients can receive one free night at the boutique Casa Gangotena hotel in Quito, when booking a two-night stay there in conjunction with a Galapagos Cruise.

World Journeys has late availability savings of 15% on stays at the Alto Atacama Desert Lodge & Spa in Chile, for travel in October 2018.

World Journeys can now offer in-depth touring options in Rio de Janeiro, for travellers who want to see beyond the usual tourist sights.

World Journeys has savings of 25% on select 2018 departures of its five-day Australis Cruising in Patagonia itinerary in southern Chile, when booked by 30 August 2018.

Melanie Bartram, House of Travel Ferrymead, is the big winner in South America Tourism Office’s Latin Escapades sales incentive.

The upgrading, relaunching and rebranding of properties, especially around Waikiki, was a big part of the message at Aloha Down Under in Wellington and Auckland this week.

A final call is out for agents to RSVP for the Buenos Aires and Beyond event.

Eclipse Travel is reminding agents that from 30 August this year, Peru’s Chachapoyas and Kuélap will become more accessible, with domestic airline LC Perú announcing direct flights between Lima and Chachapoyas each Thursday and Sunday.

Whistler’s newly named Cloudraker Skybridge will open year-round (although it will only be accessible to skiers and snowboarders in the winter.)

Rachel Williams, founder of Viva Expeditions, recently had a date with Latin American ambassadors to discuss tourism trends and ways to grow travel to their countries.

Adventure World Travel is encouraging guests on its USA itinerary to take up an insider’s view into the West Village, a walkable urban living, dining and shopping district in the heart of Dallas.

Agents are being urged to suggest Colombia to clients seeking an emerging destination in South America.

Adventure World has savings of up to $1855pp on its best of Two Worlds Patagonia itinerary if booked before 31 December 2018.