People
Not where but how for HOT store’s clientele
Consultants at House of Travel Te Awamutu say one of the biggest changes they’ve seen since the store first opened 35 years ago isn’t where people are travelling, but how they want to experience a destination.
Wanderlust Travel Experts adds five
Wanderlust Travel Experts (WTE) has five more brokers in its network.
Ambassador recognises company’s contribution
Türkiye’s Ambassador to New Zealand, Melih Karalar congratulated New Zealand destination specialist Innovative Travel on the company’s continued support of tourism to Türkiye during a visit to Christchurch last week.
Corporate Traveller wins
Corporate Traveller New Zealand has taken home the award for Excellence in Marketing at the 2026 2Degrees Auckland Business Awards.
New director of sales for Capella Hotel Group
Capella Hotel Group has appointed Lauren Tesch as regional director of sales, Australia and New Zealand.
Based in Sydney, Tesch joins the group with more than 20 years of experience spanning luxury hospitality, aviation, travel, loyalty and commercial partnerships.
Orbit adds to client and growth teams
Orbit World Travel has made three appointments to its client partnership and business development teams as it embeds its new national operating model and expands its senior team to support growth.
Williss to lead PX sales in New Zealand
The Walshe Group has appointed aviation industry veteran Russell Williss as sales and marketing manager for Air Niugini in New Zealand, ahead of the airline’s return to the Auckland-Port Moresby route.
Flight Centre back in Kilbirnie with new store
Flight Centre has a new store in Kilbirnie, after flash flooding impacted the team’s previous location in Newtown earlier this year.
Located at Unit 9, Bay Road, Kilbirnie, the new store marks a return for Flight Centre, which previously had a presence in Kilbirnie six years ago.
Travel Associates in Havelock North
Travel Associates has opened its newest location at 1 Napier Road Havelock North, marking the occasion with a special event with customers.
Giving clients confidence – 36 years on
Travellers have never had more travel information at their fingertips, yet many are finding it harder than ever to decide what to book, says Brendon Maguire, senior travel consultant for House of Travel Nelson.
Record numbers at HOT’s 20th CHC expo
House of Travel’s Christchurch Travel Expo drew 4,400 people through the doors just over a week ago, its biggest crowd in the event’s 20-year history, with the Japan and Vietnam and Cambodia information sessions among those reaching full capacity.
HOT a finalist in work place awards
House of Travel has been named a finalist in the Extra Large Workplace (250+ employees) category of New Zealand’s Best Places to Work Awards, for the third consecutive year.
Intrepid apppointment
Intrepid Travel has appointed Kate Cropper to its executive leadership team in the newly expanded role of group general counsel and corporate governance, reporting to CEO James Thornton.
Travel PR move
Travel and lifestyle PR agency Eight Communications has appointed Leanne Fonagy as account director.
NSBT appointment strengthens lux offering
Experienced luxury travel and cruise specialist Craig Martin will join North Shore Business Travel in September as senior luxury travel consultant, bringing almost two decades of industry experience to the team.
New GM for Travelwise
Travelwise has appointed Adam Leslie as its new general manager, following a recruitment campaign that attracted a strong field of candidates.
New tourism rep venture
Tourism marketing stalwart Henry Horne has launched a new representation company.
Hd Tourism Solutions is representing both Whakawerawera Thermal Village in Rotorua and remarkable Scenic Tours, a small group touring company operating out of Queenstown. Horne says Hd has capacity for a couple more clients.
Kiwis turn up for major Virtuoso event
A New Zealand contingent is amongst attendees at the 38th annual Virtuoso Week in Las Vegas. The event, which concludes today, is Virtuoso’s premier global event and involves 4,800 significant players from 105 countries.
Victoria Courtney’s World Travellers role
World Travellers has appointed Victoria Courtney as an independent director, strengthening the cooperative’s governance with her commercial expertise and a proven track record across the travel, corporate and product sectors.
Journey Beyond MD appointment
Journey Beyond has appointed Jennifer Vandekreeke as managing director, experiences and attractions.
WEKA’s open house and new GM
Heading into a 20th anniversary in 2027 and marking some significant developments over the last 12 months, WEKA Travel hosted an ‘open house’ evening on Friday that included guests from the travel agent and wider industry among other friends of the company.
Kiwi Holiday Insurance trade focused appointment
Jo Austin has been appointed partner development manager at Kiwi Holiday Insurance. Austin has extensive experience in business development, account management and partner engagement.
Cath O’Brien to Jetstar
Jetstar has appointed Cath O’Brien as head of commercial New Zealand, bringing more than a decade of aviation leadership to the role.
New DG for IATA
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has appointed Saadia Zahidi to the position of director general from 1 November 2026. Zahidi will be IATA’s ninth director general and the first woman to hold the position.
Herald heads for ‘chill out’ time after 48 years
Aviation veteran Ian Herald says it didn’t take long after he joined the travel industry to start having experiences he still fondly remembers 48 years later.
New Zealand success at global event
Flighties from across the globe gathered over the weekend for Flight Centre Travel Group’s annual Global Gathering in Bangkok – a two-day conference and event for FCTG’s top performing people and teams worldwide. Hosted in a different destination each year, the 2026 event included 97 team members from New Zealand.
HOT looks for leader of new Hamilton East store
House of Travel has opened its new Hamilton East store at 707 Grey Street. Jayne Alldred, House of Travel Group retail director, says since the doors opened the team has been busy settling into the premises and connecting with locals.
Global Touring increases trade support with new structure
Global Touring, home to Back-Roads Touring, Topdeck Travel and Grasshopper Adventures, has reintroduced dedicated brand teams and increased trade support across key markets.
The new structure marks a positive investment in Global Touring’s brands and reflects growing confidence in the small group touring category, particularly across Australia, New Zealand and North America.
HOT CHC City marks 30 years
When the team at House of Travel Christchurch City marks the businesses 30th anniversary this year there will be plenty of proud moments to reflect on.
Aviation stalwart to retire next month
Ian Herald has made the decision to retire from his role as sales account manager New Zealand with Malaysia Airlines.
Changes at World Travellers
Dave Nicholson is stepping down as general manager of World Travellers after eight years at the helm. Nicholson has guided the cooperative through industry disruption, growth, and transformation. He now leaves for what he describes as ‘travel – and then absolutely nothing involving a laptop.’
New chapter as Visa Assist changes hands
Visa Assist has been purchased by Hemal Jani, well known in the New Zealand travel sector as owner operator of Beyond Holidays.
Winning HoT agent shares Peru tips
Jessica Oswald from House of Travel Auckland City has returned from Peru after winning a Mountain Lodges of Peru prize trip for two at a Viva Expeditions breakfast event last year.
New Virtuoso Australia New Zealand general manager
Virtuoso has appointed Kara Glamore as general manager, Australia and New Zealand.
Ultimate Kimberley Adventure winner
Wild Earth Travel has announced Travel Managers’ Bec Harrison as the winner of its Ultimate Kimberley Adventure competition.
Pacific aficionado for Tourism Fiji NZ trade partnership role
Tourism Fiji has appointed James Leslie as trade partnership manager, New Zealand, in its Auckland office.
New head of global markets at TA
Tourism Australia has appointed Kathryn (Kath) O’Brien as the organisation’s executive general manager (EGM) global markets, bringing more than 20 years of industry experience in tourism and aviation to the role.
New at Hawai‘i Tourism
The Walshe Group has appointed Emily Watters as trade and public relations account manager for Hawai‘i Tourism Oceania.
New role at GFOB
Globus family of brands (GFOB) managing director Asia Pacific, Chris Hall, is moving into a newly created advisory role, which reflects its ongoing investment into long-term growth within the APAC region.
Viva BDM appointment
Viva Expeditions has appointed Carrie Gallagher as Auckland-based business development manager.
The Walshe Group marks 50 years
Destination and aviation company The Walshe Group, Australia and New Zealand’s just celebrated its 50th anniversary on 1 February.
Senior appointment at House of Travel
House of Travel is investing further in its bricks and mortar footprint to support continued growth, appointing Jan Cox as national business partnerships manager.
Ackerman joins THO as ANZ GM
Total Holiday Options (THO) has appointed of Troy Ackerman as general manager for Australia and New Zealand.
Breakfast included – World Travellers is back
World Travellers Group has returned to TVNZ 1 Breakfast for 2026.
Familiar face joins Exotic Holidays
Jonas George has joined the Exotic Holidays team as business development manager, supporting sales across key areas of New Zealand.
Return of Helloworld Whangarei
Helloworld Whangarei reopened this week as the team rejoins Helloworld Travel Group.
Envoyage: new faces and developments
Envoyage Group has begun 2026 with new members in the network and a number of entrepreneurial developments among its existing personnel.
Envoyage appoints familiar industry face
Jane Hawkins has returned to the travel industry, joining the Envoyage NZ team as national sales leader.
GTN: Still growing 10 years on
Global Travel Network (GTN) is heading into its second decade of business with a growing number of agents and increasing diversity, says director Rob Beecher.
Travel specialist rebrands to reflect a broader vision
A new chapter begins for travel specialist Anita Gatley as her well-known wedding and honeymoon travel business, Wedding Travel Anita Gatley, officially rebrands to Desire to Travel.
Flight Centre NZ’s new leadership structure
Flight Centre Travel Group New Zealand (FCTG NZ) has announced its new country leadership structure, with the appointment of a country leader and deputy country leader from within its NZ leadership team.
New managing director at Tourism Australia
Robin Mack is Tourism Australia’s new managing director. He has almost 30 years of multi-sector global experience within the travel industry.
Holy Viking! – HLO agent wins big incentive
Debbie Natoli from Helloworld Miramar in New Zealand has won the ultimate Viking self-famil - a prize that will take her on all three Viking products.
NZTB conferences in the Bay
NZ Travel Brokers’ annual conference attracted 130 brokers and supplier partners when it was held in Hawke’s Bay recently.
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Flight Centre reopens in Paraparaumu
Flight Centre has reopened its doors in Coastlands Shopping Centre in Paraparaumu, marking another step in its expansion across New Zealand.
Weka Travel launches small group journeys
Weka Travel, known for personal bespoke itineraries, has launched Weka Small Group Journeys – a new commissionable category of immersive small group travel that focuses on connection, culture and authenticity.
TAG opens new WLG office
Global travel and event company TAG (The Appointment Group Pty Ltd), has officially opened its new Wellington office, marking a milestone in its New Zealand growth story.
Clear goals, learning from quakes and covid all part of Innovative Travel’s 35 years
Innovative Travel’s managing director Robyn Galloway says a key to her company’s longevity is in large part due to clear goals and firm pillars of business right from the start.