Wooleen Station has relocated a historic shearing shed kitchen to the entry of the property to provide a focal point for visitors with its curved, domed tin roofline.

The Great Southern returns on 1 December 2023 for the 2023-24 summer season, marking the rail journey’s fifth season exploring the east coast of Australia by train.

AAT Kings has launched its new Aboriginal Culture & Australia Highlights tour, as part of the group’s new 2024/2025 touring season.

The limited season guided holiday features destinations from city to outback across Melbourne, Uluru, Sydney and Cairns over 13 days, with a focus on local connection, cultural immersion, sustainable footprints and wildlife and nature.

Journey Beyond has flagged its intention to appoint a business development manager in New Zealand next year, probably around March.

The news came at trade events held by the company in Christchurch and Auckland last week to reconnect with a market that is showing considerable growth for the Australian-based operator.

Travelmarvel has released its Australian holidays for 2024.

Its Kimberley cruise programme leads a diverse range of tours which also feature land, rail and remote 4WD adventures across the country.

Journey Beyond has introduced Gold Premium, now available to book on The Ghan and Great Southern for 2024.

Sitting between Gold and Platinum, Gold Premium includes a twin cabin with a lounge seat to convert to a sleeper each evening; premium amenities in the en-suite bathroom and extra features.

Out of the Ordinary Outback is offering a three-day package including town tours and subterranean accommodation in the opal mining town of White Cliffs.

Until the end of September, guests at the White Cliffs Underground Motel can experience the daily campfire at sunset, overlooking the plains of far west NSW, with complimentary snacks available.

Sports Travel & Hospitality (STH) NZ has launched a website and division dedicated to the Australian Open.

Head of premium experiences, New Zealand for STH, Philippa Beams says AO Travel is the official travel agent here for the 2024 event and the new online platform gives the trade here an opportunity to book clients and earn commission at the click of a button.

Journey Beyond has launched a package that combines two iconic rail journeys – The Ghan and the Indian Pacific – with a cruise provided by Silversea Cruises.

The Ultimate West by Land and Sea package is an 28-day journey that laps half of Australia, with only one departure for 2024.

Kingfisher Bay Resort has launched a new package focusing on the marine-based experiences available to guests staying on K’gari (formerly Fraser Island).

Kingfisher Bay Resort’s Cruise K’gari Your Way package coincides with the beginning of whale season and aligns with Fraser Coast Tourism’s Marine Mecca, an initiative to recognise the water-based activities available in the region.

Tourism WA has released the top reasons for clients to visit the state in winter.

These include swimming with the largest fish on the planet at Ningaloo Reef (Nyinggulu) where, from March to August, the reef becomes a natural habitat the whale shark.

Five Aussie Specialists recently travelled to the Northern Territory’s Top End on a special six-night famil hosted by Tourism Australia and Tourism Northern Territory. The trip was supported by Qantas with the group travelling from different ports around New Zealand to Darwin via Sydney.

A Kiwi travel trade group has been experiencing some of the best on the Gold Coast this month.

Experiences have ranged from a Treetop High Ropes Adventure in Currumbin to meeting super heroes at Movie World, bubbles and power shopping at Harbour Town and taking a walk through Burleigh Headland.

Gutsy Kangaroo Island is a new food and drink event which celebrates, and pays tribute to, the island’s producers. It is set to take place from 8-12 June 2023 with 19 events scheduled over five days.

The extra-long weekend will start with Mulled at The Shy Wren, an evening of live music, fire and feasting, and cooking with ancestral charcoal techniques.

Now is the right time to be spiking the curiosity of the New Zealand market and providing premium options for clients seeking something different, says Karen Fitzgerald, Tourism Australia’s general manager experiences.

‘We speak to the curious. People may have looked further afield in the past but one thing Covid has done is made many of us look differently at our backyards. They realise there are many experiences they hadn’t considered in the past and now they are keen to discover them.’

Following the early pre-release of several popular rail packages for 2024, Journey Beyond has announced the full 2024 season for bookings across all rail journeys.

Packages pair the trains and Journey Beyond’s sister brand Outback Spirit touring. New rail and rail offerings, along with Opera on the Harbour with Opera Australia, helicopter flights, and a host of wineries are available.

Kiwi travel agents have just returned from a Destination Gold Coast / Expedia TAAP famil.

Kate Fulton, of Destination Gold Coast says the purpose of the famil was to not only rewards the top selling Gold Coast TAAP agents following on from a November incentive, but also to showcase a range of new hotels, tours and experiences on offer.

Rangelands Outback Camp, 10 kilometres from Winton, Queensland is targeting the New Zealand market with trade ready product.

The canvas hideaways in the adults-only retreat are placed to deliver uninterrupted views and maximum privacy. Full guest capacity is 12 in six tents.The retreat includes an expansive sunset deck, guest lounge, dining room, cocktail bar and more.

Region X in Batemans Bay, South Coast New South Wales, has launched a new website for its range of nature-based experience products.

Director Josh Watersson says this coincides with the release of two new experiences which fill a gap for adventure products but also recognise travellers’ desire to get away from crowds.

A famil undertaken recently by seven Aussie Specialist Agents out of New Zealand held extra significance in being the first trade famil hosted by South Australia since the Covid pandemic began.

The South Australia itinerary was designed to showcase the state as a one stop destnation for world-class wine, gourmet food and produce, natural scenery and wildlife.

The Pink Lake Tiny House in South Australia’s Clare Valley offers eco-friendly ‘tiny houses on wheels’ accommodation in Lochiel, opposite the pink salt lake – Lake Bumbunga.

The self-contained tiny houses are a 95-minute drive north from Adelaide.

Tourism NT has launched its first international marketing campaign in New Zealand since Covid-19 travel restrictions ended.

Titled Seek Different, the multi-platform campaign champions the individuality of travellers while highlighting the many facets that make the Northern Territory intrinsically different as a holiday destination – from culture and history to spirituality, landscapes and wildlife.

Murray River Paddlesteamers will build a new A$6.75 million, 35-metre, five-star river vessel offering year-round, all-inclusive, overnight cruises from the Victorian river town of Echuca.

The vessel is expected to make its debut journey along the Murray in late 2024 and has been supported with A$2.25 million in funding by the Victorian Government’s Regional Tourism Investment Fund which has brought the project forward by three years.

South Australia’s visitor economy is charging ahead to recover its once $8.1 billion high.

A sharp increase in international tourism and a new post-pandemic record interstate spend have helped drive the total value of the state’s visitor economy to A$6.2 billion – the highest it has been since its Covid-induced low point of A$4.4b in March 2021.

Murray River Paddlesteamers has launched its biggest-yet programme of overnight cruises for 2023-24, with a new brochure detailing an entire year of back-to-back cruises.

It has also added longer journeys in response to record- demand for multi-day cruises on the river.

Innovative Travel’s Robyn Galloway has just returned from Tasmania where she researched the finishing touches for the upcoming hosted Travel Companions Club Tasmanian tour. 

Tasmania is a new closer to home destination, added in repsonse to feedback from some Travel Companions members. Galloway says the island offers a diverse touring experience.

ANZCRO’s Reward Your Wonder holiday collection sale has been extended until the end of October.

The collection includes four packages showcasing South Australia. They range from city breaks to food and wine safaris at cellar doors, wellness retreats in the hills and outback adventures in the Flinders Ranges.

IHG Hotels & Resorts is marking 60 years since an InterContinental property opened in Australia.

US airline Pan Am, founder of the InterContinental brand, opened the InterContinental Southern Cross Hotel Melbourne, on 14 August 1962 – lauded as one of the most luxurious hotels of its time.

Offering something completely different and private on the Murray River, as well as a base from which to explore other parts of South Australia, are key selling points that have come into their own since the pandemic for The Frames, say owners Rick and Cathy Edmonds.

Travel agents who attended Wednesday’s Tourism Tasmania Meet Your Neighbours event say the presentations from operators has opened their eyes to new opportunities in the destination – as well as some long-standing attractions they were not
aware of.

The response from both New Zealand travel agents and Tasmanian tourism suppliers to a full day of meetings in Auckland today augurs well for the developing relationship between the two destinations, says Tourism Tasmania.

Some 100 Kiwi travel advisors and 15 Tassie suppliers are expected at the Meet Your neighbours sessions at The Glasshouse in Morningside.

InterContinental Hayman Island Resort will add 12 Beachfront Pavilion suites for an adults-only experience in the the Whitsundays.

The stand-alone pavilions feature a spacious bedroom with separate living area and covered outdoor balcony out to a private heated plunge pool.

Warner Bros. Movie World, Gold Coast will open THE WIZARD OF OZ™ themed precinct featuring two new family-friendly rides in 2024.

The two new rides will include the world’s first THE WIZARD OF OZ™ themed suspended family coaster and a family boomerang racer, both with commensurate height restrictions that will allow younger Movie World guests to experience their first roller-coaster.

Travel agents, consultants and brokers are being invited to join Tourism Tasmania and Tasmanian operators in Auckland in August to learn more about the destination for clients.

There will be an opportunity for members of the travel industry to enjoy a little Tasmanian hospitality on Tuesday, 2 August 2022 at a daytime event being held in Auckland at the Glasshouse.

Luxury off-grid accommodation ESCA Nest & Nature has officially opened its doors on a hilltop in South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula

Nest & Nature is in the beautiful Inman Valley 75 minutes’ drive from Adelaide. The self-contained, studio-style suites are completely off-grid and have expansive views over the valley. 

One of the world’s last untapped tourism destinations is now open to travellers through a new tour that packs six iconic Torres Strait experiences into one big day out from Cairns. 

A Strait Day allows visitors opportunity to experience a place where ancient culture is still part of everyday life. They can depart Cairns by plane in the morning, then hop-scotch between Waibene (Thursday Island) and Ngurapai (Horn Island) some 800 km away to learn about Torres Strait culture, food, history, and tradition – all in one package. 

Travelmarvel has released its Kimberley & Outback Queensland by 4WD 2023 holiday programme. The launch includes a range of small group 4WD journeys to remote locations in Travelmarvel’s custom designed 4WD vehicles.

Earlybird offers include savings of up to $1,000 per couple.

The Margaret River region has become the first ECO Destination for Western Australia – one of only four in Australia.

Through this certification programme, visitors are assured the region has a range of high-quality nature-based tourism products and a commitment to improving sustainable practices.

Despite last year’s trans Tasman travel bubble being ill-fated, one Aussie destination saw enough to gain new optimism in the Kiwi market.

Cat Carey, head of industry and partnerships at Tourism Tasmania, says the destination saw enough last year to  be excited about the potential from New Zealand when Air New Zealand relaunches Auckland-Hobart services early July.

Now is an ideal time for Kiwis to discover that they don’t know Australia as well as they think they do – and for the trade here to take advantage of that, says Tourism Australia’s executive general manager commercial and business events, Robin Mack.

Nine New Zealand wholesalers / product managers plus five ‘lux buyers’ and a small media contingent were in in Sydney now for the Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE 2022).

A new consumer attitude to travel arising from being locked down and having savings to spend is one of the key trends being focused on by Tourism Australia, says managing director Phillipa Harrison.

Speaking at a press conference during the Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE 2022), Harrison noted that people don’t want discounts, they want experiences.

TFE Hotels expected to open its Adina Apartment Hotel Pentridge Melbourne in the back half of this year.

The transformation of Australia’s historic Pentridge Prison site into a mixed-use lifestyle precinct has breathed new life into the suburb of Coburg.

Journey Beyond’s Great Southern will return this summer, with the rail journey running for an extended 12-week season from 2 December 2022 to 23 February 2023, with a new offering – the Southern Wines & Wildlife package.

Travelling from Brisbane to Adelaide, guests on the Great Southern will travel down the coast, pausing for a beachside dinner in Coffs Harbour, exploration of the Hunter Valley, Port Stephens or Newcastle, and a choice of Melbourne city experiences or time in the Moorabool Valley. Once in Adelaide, guests depart on a journey through South Australia’s wine region. The package is rounded out with two nights on Kangaroo Island.

Tourism Australia yesterday launched a new campaign in New Zealand to encourage Kiwi travellers to book their next big holiday in Australia, now that two-way quarantine-free travel has resumed across the Tasman.

Tourism Australia managing director Phillipa Harrison says the Come and Say G'Day - Don't Go Small. Go Australia campaign will run across TV, print, digital and social channels in New Zealand and feature some of the country's most iconic destinations and hidden gems.

PONANT will restart its Kimberley 2022 expedition season following the statement by Western Australia to welcome small interstate and international expedition ships with a maximum of 350 persons to its waters.

With operations resuming 28 April 2022, PONANT will offer multiple departures between April and October including two new departure dates for its 10-night Australia’s Iconic Kimberley between Broome and Darwin, onboard Le Soléal.

ANZCRO has released a Warm Up In Australia collection for Kiwis looking to escape the colder months.

Nate Gordon, ANZCRO’s trade marketing manager, says the collection focuses on Queensland, showcasing luxury lodges, coastal towns and islands that clients may not have considered.

Leisure Time Travel has launched a number of tours to Australia and the Pacific. They include a 16-day Western Australia: Discover the Coral Coast programme priced from $11,950.

It includes return Air New Zealand flights Auckland to Perth, Broome to Perth flight with Virgin Australia, and 15 nights accommodation – twin/double rooms (single rooms available with surcharge) – and meals where indicated.

Food and wine fans can enjoy some of Western Australia’s best delights at the Taste Great Southern festival . 

The annual festival, which takes place in May each year, celebrates the lifestyle, premium food and award-winning wine of WA’s Great Southern region.

More than 20 leading chefs from across the state will participate in over 30 events that will showcase the produce of the region.

Australia’s Journey Beyond has opened its 2023 rail season for The Ghan, Great Southern and Indian Pacific earlier than ever before, giving guests greater choice and flexibility when planning a rail holiday.  

Chief commercial officer for Journey Beyond, Peter Egglestone says guests are showing increased interest in planning and booking holidays for 2023. 

Lindblad Expeditions says the National Geographic Orion will be returning to Australian waters in 2023 with two new itineraries – Kimberley Expedition: Australia’s Wild Northwest and Kimberley Expedition: Northwest Australia and Indonesia.