UAE’s national airline Etihad Airways confirmed its equity stake in Virgin Australia Holdings reached 19.9 per cent

Abu Dhabi, UAE, 2013-10-11 — /travelprnews.com/ — Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, today confirmed its equity stake in Virgin Australia Holdings had reached 19.9 per cent. This follows a series of on-market purchases of Virgin Australia shares over recent weeks. The Abu Dhabi-based airline now holds more than 515 million shares in… Read the full press release

Hamilton Island Yacht Club confirmed as the Challenger of Record for the 35th America’s Cup

Australia, 2013-10-02 — /travelprnews.com/ — Just 5 days after the 30th anniversary of Australia winning the America’s Cup in 1983, Hamilton Island Yacht Club has been confirmed as the Challenger of Record for the 35th America’s Cup. Hamilton Island Yacht Club’s Australian team will represent all challengers in dealings with the defender Oracle Team USA of Golden… Read the full press release

Tourism Australia’s Instagram profile @Australia now with over 200,000 followers worldwide

2013-09-04 — /travelprnews.com/ — Tourism Australia has confirmed its Instagram profile, @Australia, is the most followed holiday destination globally with more than 200,000 followers worldwide. New data released today highlights the most popular features of Tourism Australia’s Instagram profile, which is powered by its followers who hashtag their own images with #seeaustralia. The best of these… Read the full press release

Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) expand codeshare agreement in Europe, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand

2013-08-30 — /travelprnews.com/ — Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) today announce an expansion of their codeshare agreement to cover more destinations in Europe, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Codesharing has been expanded with immediate effect to SAS-operated flights from Copenhagen to: Alesund, Bergen, Stavanger and Trondheim in Norway; Gothenburg in Sweden; Aalborg, Aarhus… Read the full press release

Lonely Planet released its 7th edition of Perth & West Coast Australia Travel Guide

2013-07-26 — /travelprnews.com/ — “An expanding number of multi-billion-dollar mines”, “a well-preserved lifestyle with all the bells and whistles”, and “a feeling of confidence borne of isolation” are some of the findings in the latest edition of Lonely Planet’s Perth & West Coast Australia Travel Guide, released today. The new guidebook describes Perth as “the engine room of… Read the full press release

The international yachting event Audi Hamilton Island Race Week to celebrate 30 years of sailing in 2013

2013-07-26 — /travelprnews.com/ — 30 years of sailing will be celebrated from 17 to 25 August at Audi Hamilton Island Race Week 2013. The international yachting event, now the largest offshore regatta in Australia, has evolved over the past three decades into a spectacular display of on-water racing paired with the finest epicurean cuisine, exclusive fashion… Read the full press release

Concur Managing Director Australia Matthew Goss appointed GBTA Australia & New Zealand Advisory Board

Sydney, Australia, 2013-07-24 — /travelprnews.com/ — The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) — the voice of the global business travel industry — today announced a new appointment to the GBTA AUS/NZ Advisory Board. Matthew Goss, Managing Director Australia, joined Concur in 2002 where he has held a number of senior management positions including that of Regional… Read the full press release

Jet Airways and Air New Zealand form reciprocal frequent flyer partnership

MUMBAI, 2013-07-19 — /travelprnews.com/ — Jet Airways, India’s premier international airline, has entered into a reciprocal frequent flyer partnership with Air New Zealand. Air New Zealand an international and domestic airline group provides flights within New Zealand, to and from Australia, the South West Pacific, Asia, North America and the United Kingdom. JetPrivilege members may now… Read the full press release

airberlin and Virgin Australia to start codeshare flights as of 1st August 2013

Six new destinations in Australia added Linking of the topbonus and Velocity frequent flyer programs 2013-07-17 — /travelprnews.com/ — Effective 1st August 2013 and subject to government approvals, airberlin and Virgin Australia will commence a range of codeshare services in Australia and Europe, in addition to offering reciprocal frequent flyer benefits for members of the respective… Read the full press release

Matthew Taverner appointed General Manager of Australia’s foremost luxury resort qualia

2013-07-15 — /travelprnews.com/ — Hamilton Island has today named Matthew Taverner as the new General Manager of Australia’s foremost luxury resort; qualia. Commencing 1 August 2013, Taverner has 28 years experience in the hospitality and tourism industries, including over 20 years in managerial roles. His skill, knowledge and expertise transverses three continents, with positions previously held… Read the full press release

Agoda.com offers great deals on Southern Australian hotels for adventure-seeking scuba divers

2013-06-21 — /travelprnews.com/ — Agoda.com, Asia’s leading hotel booking site and part of Nasdaq-listed Priceline Group (Nasdaq: PCLN), is offering great deals on hotels in southern Australia that will suit scuba divers who are seeking a bit of adventure. Both the city of Adelaide and the town of Port Lincoln in southern Australia are known for… Read the full press release

Tourism Australia’s ‘Best Jobs in the World’ Winners Announced

2013-06-21 — /travelprnews.com/ — An American finance graduate, a Brazilian travel photographer, an Irish internet entrepreneur, a French tourism graduate, an English film costume designer and a Canadian adventure tour guide have beaten off more than 330,000 competitors from 196 countries to be awarded Tourism Australia’s ‘Best Jobs in the World’. The global competition drew to… Read the full press release

Holiday Inn hotel to open at Warwick Farm in Sydney’s south west

Sydney, Australia, 2013-06-19 — /travelprnews.com/ — InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) and Oscars Hotels have signed a franchise agreement for a 146-room Holiday Inn hotel at Warwick Farm in Sydney’s south west. Oscars Hotels purchased the Sunnybrook Hotel in April 2011 and with this agreement will undertake a multimillion-dollar refurbishment of the guest rooms and restaurant, after… Read the full press release

Australia’s ‘Best Jobs in the World’ finalists have finally arrived Down Under

2013-06-12 — /travelprnews.com/ — After a tough contest involving more than 600,000 applications worldwide, the 18 finalists in the running for Tourism Australia’s ‘Best Jobs in the World’ have finally arrived in Australia to complete their applications for the six dream jobs. The contestants will enjoy some of Sydney’s most popular sights and attractions before embarking… Read the full press release

Macau Government Tourist Office Promotes 60th Macau Grand Prix in Seoul and Sydney

2013-05-23 — /travelprnews.com/ — Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) is holding a week-long promotion in Seoul, Korea, and other special themed activities in Sydney, Australia, to promote the 60th Macau Grand Prix, along with the long history and excitement of Macau through its main signature event. “2013 Experience Macau Festival” kicked off on Tuesday (May 21),… Read the full press release

Australia has been voted the “Best Country in the World” by readers of one the UK’s top luxury travel magazines

2013-05-22 — /travelprnews.com/ — The country’s latest tourism accolade was awarded by the readers of the Telegraph’s Ultratravel magazine as part of their annual reader survey. Tourism Australia Managing Director Andrew McEvoy said Australia had finished ahead of Italy, New Zealand, Thailand and the United States and confirmed the country’s continued desirability amongst the Brits as… Read the full press release

Tourism Australia has enlisted Asian celebrities to promote Australia in Greater China

2013-05-21 — /travelprnews.com/ — Tourism Australia has enlisted the support of popular Hong Kong actor and ‘cantopop’ singer Ekin Cheng to showcase Cairns and Sydney’s best tourism experiences in a new television travel series aimed at encouraging more visitors from Greater China. The star will be joined by fellow Asian celebrities Andy Chan Siu Chun, Jacqueline… Read the full press release

‘Best Jobs’ candidates seek support for their application including influential figures willing to endorse them

2013-05-10 — /travelprnews.com/ — Two US talk show hosts, an Olympic gold medallist, an Academy Award winning actress, a former Australian cricket captain, a German supermodel, a Welsh world champion boxer, a Bollywood actor and a Canadian celebrity chef are amongst the international figures who have provided support for the candidates still in the running for… Read the full press release

Agoda.com: Great Deals on Sydney Hotels for the Annual Vivid Sydney Light, Music & Idea Festival

2013-05-08 — /travelprnews.com/ — Agoda.com, Asia’s leading hotel booking site and part of Nasdaq-listed Priceline Group (Nasdaq:PCLN), is illuminating great deals on hotels in Sydney, Australia for the annual Vivid Sydney Light, Music & Idea Festival, which takes place this year from May 24 – June 10. For the past 5 years, the festival has been… Read the full press release

Australian Tourism Exchange will be hosted in Cairns in 2014

2013-04-30 — /travelprnews.com/ — Australia’s only trade show dedicated to exclusively promoting Australian tourism products and experiences to the global travel market, the Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE), will be hosted in Cairns for the first time in 2014 – helping to further bolster the country’s $107 billion tourism sector. Organised by Tourism Australia, the annual event… Read the full press release

Philippine Airlines launches 12 new destinations

2013-04-26— /travelprnews.com/ — Philippine Airlines (PAL) announced today (April 26, 2013) the launching of 12 new destinations in Australia, China, Malaysia and Middle East, including a new domestic service to Northern Luzon in the continuing expansion of PAL’s route network. In a kick-off ceremony at Diamond Hotel, Ang unveiled the 12 new destinations – Kuala Lumpur… Read the full press release

COUNTRY LEAGUE TABLE REVEALS NEW RECORDS FROM 2012 VISITORS

2013-04-23 — /travelprnews.com/ — Detailed market by market figures released today(1) show the increasing popularity of Britain from emerging tourism powerhouse China, a French inbound market which is stronger than ever and record spend figures from Australia, Canada and the UAE. In the year London hosted its third Olympics, Britain achieved solid overall results with a record… Read the full press release

Tourism Australia participates in Travelweek and increases focus on Brazil’s affluent travel market

2013-04-16 — /travelprnews.com/ — Tourism Australia will participate in luxury travel trade show, Travelweek, this week as part of its efforts to strengthen relationships with leading travel operators and encourage more Brazilians to experience Australia’s unique attractions for themselves. Brazil is a priority growth market for Tourism Australia as it pursues a goal of tripling Brazilian… Read the full press release