Hot Topics
Fulfilment vs ticking sites
Research just released by G Adventures shows 86% of Kiwi respondents agree that travel contributes to their long-term happiness, and 80% report feeling happy in everyday life when they have a trip booked, compared to only 35% without a holiday on the horizon.
All part of the cycle: More options to match clients to right bike tour
Keeping up with cycling trends can help travel agents get the most out of the growing bike tourism sector, says an international proponent of the activity.
New rail online booking system
International Rail (IR)has launched its new online booking system for The Rest of the World rail services, now available to travel professionals across New Zealand and Australia.
Prioritising travel will continue, while scrutiny on impact set to increase
The travel industry is set to grow at a faster pace than the global economy over the next 10 years, according to the World Travel Market (WTM) Global Travel Report.
Biz travel confidence rises but concerns remaim
Confidence among global industry professionals is rebounding, according to the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) which has released findings from its 37th Business Travel Industry Outlook poll.
Adventure travel evolution and expansion provides growing potential for agents
Adventure travel continues to be one of the fastest growing segments in global tourism and is continually evolving as travellers seek to connect with local communities, according to one of New Zealand’s leading advocates in the sector.
Check emails, will travel: More connectivity leads to longer journey uptake
Improved internet connectivity is a major factor in the strong trend towards slower travel and longer journeys, particular at the high end of the market, according to Milly Haimberger, global director of sales at Aqua Expeditions.
Get the fee mindset right: It’s not about a booking, the value is in your service
Travel advisors need to divorce the charging of fees from factors like reservations, commissions and product prices and instead set them on the value of the service they provide to clients, delegates at Luxperience 2025 in Sydney heard on Wednesday.
Kiwis important part of Luxperience mix
New Zealanders are increasingly making their presence felt at the Luxperience show in Sydney, both in terms of travel trade buyers and exhibitors / industry partners, says event director Lynn Ormiston.
Travel's coming workforce shortfall
The tourism and travel sector is on course to support one in three new jobs worldwide by 2035 and demographic and structural shifts could create a workforce shortfall of more than 43 million people if left unaddressed, according to just released research.
Luxury sellers expect more demand in 2026, despite sector facing rising costs
Luxury travellers are willing to spend more but remain mindful of rising costs, seeking value that enhances their experiences. This makes their relationship with a trusted travel advisor even more essential, according to the just released 2026 Virtuoso Luxe Report.
Maher move reflects trade demand
Maher Tours has launched a new department dedicated to FIT Africa and South America wholesale arrangements. The move comes as the company sees increasing demand from retail agents.
New Signature travel collection
G Adventures and National Geographic Expeditions have launched a new venture into the high-end travel market with the introduction of National Geographic Signature with G Adventures.
Client tip: watch those overseas ATM fees
The most expensive places to withdraw cash overseas have been revealed – and some of New Zealand’s favourite travel hotspots are the worst offenders.
Topdeck’s 50-seaters to go: New product suits next gen preferences and ‘easy to sell’
Topdeck is retiring its fleet of 50-seater coaches as part of a full brand refresh and product transformation.
Intrepid predicts 20% growth from NZ – new opportunities for already supportive trade
Intrepid sees opportunities both near and afar for the Kiwi market, according to company executives who visited New Zealand last week.
AAT Kings to expand small group tours, refresh A-Listers
New Zealand travel agents should watch out for an expansion of AAT Kings’ small group touring portfolio over the next 12 months, says Michael Woods – the brand’s industry partnerships and marketing manager ANZ.
Envoyage Icons to Vietnam in 2026
Envoyage has revealed that Vietnam will host the 2026 Icons event from 2-6 November with Intrepid Travel partnering as key sponsor.
Travel ‘resilient’ but UN report highlights inflation, geo-politics, importance of managing growth
Almost 690 million tourists travelled internationally between January and June 2025, about 33 million more than in the same period of 2024, though results were mixed among regions and subregions, according to a just released report by UN Tourism.
Innovative's new brochure
Innovative travel has heralded 12 months of celebrations to mark its 35th anniversary with a number of brochure releases and a function at the Northern Club in Auckland.
Professionals continue to add active travel to business trips
The Bleisure Effect (mixing business with leisure) is alive and well amongst New Zealand professionals, says active travel specialist UTracks.
Being future fit, adopting new tools, plus member support highlighted at Envoyage event
Being future fit was the key theme at Envoyage’s two-and-a-half day summit in Queenstown over the weekend with general manager Envoyage NZ Jason Buckley referencing an idustry continuing to change at a rapid rate.
Surcharge ban an uneven playing field for agents
The Travel Agents’ Association of New Zealand (TAANZ) has joined various voices speaking out about the Government’s proposed Retail Payment System (Ban on Surcharges) Amendment Bill.
HoT launches AI platform
House of Travel Group has launched HoT Brain, an AI-powered platform that puts essentials that consultants need at their fingertips.
GTN emphasises loyalty, celebrates success as BNE event wraps up – KUL next
Mondo Travel Mt Eden and Hawera, YOUR Travel and Tours and Aspire Travel Group were among the multi-winners of supplier awards at the Global Travel Network (GTN) conference in Brisbane over the weekend.
Agents take an F1 Pitt stop with Williment and Qantas
By Megan Singleton
Williment Travel and Qantas hosted customers and partners to the premiere of ‘F1 The Movie’ at Event Cinemas Newmarket in Auckland late last week, complete with a life-sized cutout of Brad Pitt.
FC sees rise in leisure, corporate, regions from Tasman capacity boost
Flight Centre says Kiwi consumers heading across the ditch this summer will benefit from a more competitive trans-Tasman market, as tens of thousands of extra seats have been added during the busiest travel period of the year.
TTC Tour Brands launches 16 new tours
TTC Tour Brands has launched 16 new itineraries for travel in 2026, marking the largest introduction of new trips in the past seven years.
Company keen to work with trade on offering high-touch sports experiences for clients
A new company specialising in personalised sports travel is keen to collaborate with travel agents to build exclusive itineraries for their clients based around an event.
Value of digital nomads
Destinations with established digital nomad schemes are seeing strong increases in interest from travellers seeking to combine work and leisure, according to analytics company ForwardKeys.
Luxperience 2025 to have 65% new products in partner line-up, prime forum for NZ luxury trade
New Zealand-based luxury travel advisors will be a key part of the target audience at Luxperience when it returns to the International Convention Centre (ICC) Sydney from 7 to 10 October 2025.
Momentum builds for mentoring programme as eight more inducted for Intake 17
The Travel Industry Mentor Experience (TIME) is reaching new levels of success and momentum continues to build in terms of people wishing to join the programme.
Regional spread makes sense as Marriott close to revealing further plans for New Zealand
Marriott International is set to reveal more development in New Zealand before too long, according to a senior executive who was in the country late last week.
Young business travellers confident with AI (but there’s some concern)
Millennial and Gen Z business travellers are confident in AI’s potential to improve the corporate travel experience, according to data compiled by Corporate Travel Management (CTM).
WJ's new women-only tours
World Journeys has introduced a range of hosted tours, designed specifically for women.
Back-Roads serves up trade incentives, names new BDM
Back-Roads Touring introduced newly appointed business development manager, Gabby Oliver – stepping into her role on 3 June – when it hosted key partners this week at Main Course cooking school.
Elevating Club Med – new BDM sees potential in NZ
A series of one-on-one meetings with retail agents and brokers has convinced Club Med’s new business development manager New Zealand that there is still plenty of scope and potential for growth in this market.
Works both ways – CTS reports positive moves both into and out of China
The quick response from New Zealand agents keen to attend a major trade show in China later this month is just one sign the destination is gaining traction out of this market, says Lis Li, managing director of China Travel Services (CTS).
TBO seeks feedback
TBO’s commercial director, APAC, Vijayeta James says her extensive visit to New Zealand is evidence that the company is taking this market seriously and is keen to have face to face meetings to determine what works here and what could be improved.
Back-Roads Touring – price freeze promo and brand refresh
Back-Roads Touring has unveiled it first brand refresh in more than 10 years, heralding a new phase of growth in the company’s almost 40-year history.
Minister praises united industry as awards celebration proves the point
Attendees at the National travel Industry Awards on Saturday night were reminded that they are people who will inspire the next generation to join the travel industry.
Education to employment ‘disconnect’
Difficulty attracting new talent to the sector as well as high staff turnover and retention issues have been identified as major challenges in the Asia Pacific tourism industry.
Biz travel expected to decline
Buyers of business travel around the world are expecting activity to decline as a result of recent US government actions including tariffs, cross-border policies and entry restrictions, according to a new poll conducted by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA).
Personalised approach to trade key part of Club Med strategy to build on success from NZ
Club Med is streamlining its approach to the trade on this side of the Tasman and meeting the specific needs of individual chains and other key partners, reports Michelle Davies, general manager for Club Med Pacific.
New and enhanced resorts provide agents with extra opportunities to sell Club Med
The launch of sales for new resorts later this year, combined with the refresh of existing properties, provide new opportunities for the New Zealand trade – both in luring new clients and offering repeat guests a new and different reason to visit, says Michelle Davies, general manager for Club Med Pacific.
Retail still buoyant, though politics, economy causing some clients to rethink
New Zealand travel retailers contacted by TRAVELinc Memo this week say they are noticing a softening in bookings from middle income clients – or at least a change in destination choice and the way they travel – but are also reporting that the market remains reasonably buoyant despite global politics and domestic economic pressures.
Retail still buoyant, though politics, economy causing some clients to rethink
New Zealand travel retailers contacted by TRAVELinc Memo this week say they are noticing a softening in bookings from middle income clients – or at least a change in destination choice and the way they travel – but are also reporting that the market remains reasonably buoyant despite global politics and domestic economic pressures.
House of Travel: NZ dollar value drives Asia bookings up
While Kiwi travellers have locked in their destinations for the current school holidays travel, habits are shifting, with several Asian hotspots gaining popularity and shaping more itineraries, according to House of Travel.
Europamundo’s range
Promoting Europamundo’s private tours, new river cruises and extensive range of destinations to trade is a key objective for Pack Ya Bags this year.
JAWS+ success solidifies expanded format for next year – planning underway
The expanded version of JAWS+, which saw some 26 suppliers tour New Zealand over February and March this year, looks set to be repeated and maybe even slightly expended in 2026.
TAANZ releases sneak peek of new brand
Driving more consumer confidence and accentuating the benefits of using an accredited advisor is the key objective behind new branding soon to be launched by the Travel Agents Association of New Zealand (TAANZ).
Aussie expansion for NZ Fine Tours
Fine Tours Group is marking 20 years of helping independent travellers explore New Zealand and Australia.
Message of growth from FC co-founder
Flight Centre Travel Group co-founder, Graham ‘Skroo’ Turner, visited the national head office in Auckland last week, where he connected with Kiwi Flighties and shared updates on the future of the business.
WJ’s new guide to Luxury Rail Journeys
Unprecedented growth in demand for luxury rail has led World Journeys to launch a new Guide to Luxury Rail Journeys.
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Travel awards finalists named
The Travel Agents Association of New Zealand (TAANZ) has released the list of finalists for the National Travel Industry Awards, which will be presented during a celebration in Auckland on 3 May.
Desire for multi-component big value itineraries a boost for travel agents, says NCL
Travellers are continuing to prioritise value over price, thus opening extra opportunities for agents to sell inclusions and upgrades as well as to package up cruising with other experiences, attendees heard at panel sessions during the Norwegian Aqua inaugural from Lisbon over the last few days.
AKL travel show delivers fresh take, interactive features
By Faye Spooner
Travel industry leaders have lauded the Auckland Travel Show held over the weekend as an innovation for the sector.
Entrepreneurs share thoughts at A Force for Good
Wendy Wu, founder of Wendy Wu Tours would do things ‘faster, bigger and even more energetically’ if she was starting her business today, the audience at A Force for Good in Auckland heard last week.
