With new figures showing New Zealand cruise passenger numbers at record highs, the International Cruise Council Australasia (ICCA) has launched two new training modules to help travel agents
boost their cruise sales skills.

A group of top selling Kiwi travel agents recently returned to New Zealand after Rocking Around the World with their counterparts from Contiki’s other worldwide selling regions. Participants hit up the three-day Coachella festival, before travelling through San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, Paso Robles, ending up in Las Vegas for a Contiki celebration weekend.

More travellers are seeking volunteer-type experiences, but are not prepared to give up their traditional flop and drop holiday abroad, so they are doing both in one trip. Student Flights area leader, Heidi Janssen, said social media was increasingly playing a part in influencing people’s travel decisions and had led to the new style of travel, known as voluntourism.

Destination Queenstown’s current general manager of marketing Graham Budd was recently appointed the new chief executive of the regional tourism organisation.

Qantas (QF) and Tourism New Zealand (TNZ) have announced a new marketing partnership worth $4 million over two years, aimed at boosting visitor arrivals into New Zealand on QF flights.

Plans for a five-star, 28-storey hotel to be built on Dunedin’s waterfront were revealed recently, destined for completion by 2015. The proposed hotel will be the tallest building in Dunedin and will comprise both hotel and apartment accommodation, a swimming pool, a rooftop restaurant, car parks and a penthouse presidential suite.