YOU HAVE the chance to win a $25,000 all-inclusive 10-day safari vacation for two in South Africa, including international flights.
The prize is being offered by Go2Africa, the multi-award-winning African-based travel company, as part of its 25-year anniversary celebrations.
We are so grateful to be celebrating this milestone, said Maija de Rijk-Uys, Managing Director Go2Africa.
Over the past 25 years, we have seen our company grow from a small startup created at the advent of the internet to a leading luxury travel and tourism provider.
The company revealed recent data showed a 60 per cent increase in international visitors seeking safari adventures in the past year. This surge underscores a renewed fascination with Africa’s natural beauty and wildlife.
According to Go2Africa’s annual safari trends report, the top destinations in 2022 were Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa, collectively accounting for 68 per cent of all safari-related trips.
It’s been a privilege to connect people from all over the world with the beauty and wonder of Africa while enabling the promotion of sustainable tourism practices that benefit local communities and protect wildlife and the environment.
We remain committed to supporting positive impact so that tourism is used as a powerful force for good.
To enter Go2Africa’s 25th Birthday Giveaway, simply sign up for the company’s newsletter. The competition closes on September 30 (T&Cs apply).
THIRD ROUTE ADDED TO FLIGHT NETWORK
REX HAS announced the airline will begin daily direct flights between Adelaide and Brisbane on October 30 with launch fares from $149 one way.
This is the third new route Rex has launched in the last few months and follows the additions of Adelaide-Sydney and Melbourne-Hobart to the domestic network.
It means Adelaide is now connected to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, while Brisbane has direct flights to Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.
Step by step, our footprint is gradually growing as we continue to spread our wings so we can achieve our goal of flying to, and between, all of our capital cities, said John Sharp, Rex Deputy Chairman.
The new route, operated by a Boeing 737-800NG, will provide an additional 128,000 seats a year between Adelaide and Brisbane.
Rex was recently named Airline of the Year’ and Safety Innovator of the Year’ at the prestigious Australian Aviation Awards.
MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT FROM MINOR HOTELS
MINOR HOTELS has announced plans for its first NH hotel in Australia with the upcoming launch of a $55 million new-build upscale property.
NH Sydney Airport is set for completion in 2026 and will be in Mascot, just seven kilometres from the Sydney CBD and close to Sydney International and Domestic Airports.
Joining NH Hotels’ existing portfolio of more than 330 hotels in 30 countries globally, the property will be an ideal base for corporate and leisure travellers seeking a retreat close to the airport.
The hotel will contain more than 90 rooms, a lobby restaurant and bar with all day dining options and contemporary communal spaces.
A high-profile brand throughout Europe and Americas, we are confident that NH Hotels’ easy-going, urban and fresh service offering will be very well received by Australian travellers, said Craig Hooley, Chief Operating Officer for Minor Hotels Australia and New Zealand.
GIFTS GALORE AS AIRLINE RETURNS
AFTER A gap of almost three and a half years due to the pandemic, LATAM Airlines has finally resumed flights to Melbourne.
Flight LA805 landed recently with 292 passengers on board. They were greeted with a celebratory gift from both the airport and airline.
LATAM Airlines will now offer three direct flights per week between Melbourne and Santiago. This service will be operated on a Boeing 787-9 aircraft, allowing up to 900 passengers a week to travel to South America in under 13 hours.
The airline currently offers daily flights from Sydney via Auckland to Santiago and with the addition of the Melbourne-Santiago direct route, it will operate 10 flights per week between Australia and South America.
LATAM Airlines is the leading airline in South America, serving over 144 destinations. Whether it’s for leisure or business, there is so much to explore in this remarkable part of the world, said Chris Ellis, LATAM Airlines Country Manager Oceania.
L TO R: PHIL LOCKYER, AUNTY MARGARET, NICOLE MITCHELLE, MATT CAMERON-SMITH AND BEDE FENNELL
RECORD TOTAL REACHED AT FUNDRAISER
A RECORD $90,000 has been raised by Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia (Voyages) at its second annual fundraiser.
Held at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Hotel and attended by 150 guests, the event marked the 20th anniversary of the A?angu Communities Foundation, for whom the money was raised.
The record total was driven by silent and live auction prizes donated by companies such as Accor, Penfolds, Lion, Baillie Lodges, Jetstar, Breville, Journey Beyond, Hamilton Island and Holidays of Australia.
Corporate box tickets to Taylor Swift’s Sydney concert, an extensive range of Indigenous artwork from the Gallery of Central Australia at Uluru as well as a stay at Southern Ocean Lodge set to re-open this year following bushfires on Kangaroo Island were the standout items for the night.
20 years ago, Voyages created the Anangu Communities Foundation with a special focus on education and economic outcomes as the most powerful way to build community capacity, said Matt Cameron-Smith, CEO of Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia.
Thanks to the generous support of our team, guests and corporate partners, we’ve now raised over $3 million to help create a positive future for Anangu communities.
CRUISE BRAND IS BACK ON DECK
FLIGHT CENTRE is set to bring back its cruising-focused agency network some five years after shutting it down.
The specialist Cruiseabout retail brand will have a new national network of stores, a local call centre and dedicated wholesale division rolling out cruise package offers for the wider FC network.
We’re able to offer a modernised and refreshed retail cruise brand to customers who have been missing out for years now, said James Kavanagh, FCTG’s CEO of Leisure Brands.
Our model, with its national footprint, Australian based-call centre and online booking functionality all serviced by specialst cruise experts, will be the only one of its kind in Australia.
CLIA’s 2023 Industry Report states the global industry is on track to carry approximately 31million passengers in 2023, growing to 39million by 2027.
“The global cruise industry is thriving once more, rebounding faster than international departures and arrivals, added Mr Kavanagh.
We want to be part of the cruise industry’s growth story with our revived offering.
Customers will have access to deals via three core channels including centrally located concept stores, online’ bookability’ and a Gold-Coast based call centre.
