Pretty in pictures

Fantastic Focus: Cook Islands Tourism has wrapped up its Focus Cook Islands Trade Roadshow, having educated more than 400 agents across the country in 11 different locations. Cook Islands Tourism’s acting New Zealand manager Kelly Hansen said she was thrilled with the outcome. Plus, agents attending the Wellington Roadshow were in for a bonus when All Blacks Ma’a Nonu and Victor Vito made an appearance. “It was hugely exciting and great for them being Samoan, to learn about the beautiful Cook Islands, although Ma’a has visited the Cooks before. Of course we had to have our photo taken with them,” Hansen said. The next stage for CIT is the trade famils in October to the Cook Islands. “Registrations and dates will be advertised shortly but preferential selection will be given to our Cook Island specialists who attended one of our seminars across the country.”     Pictured are top (l to r): All Blacks at the Cook Islands Roadshow Wellington – All Black Victor Vito, Karamea Matthes, CIT; Kelly Hansen, CIT; and All Black Ma’a Nonu. And bottom (l to r): The Cook Islands team in Tauranga – Kath Holt, Kelly Hansen, Teresa Reed, Melanie Hall, Ngawai Walden and Karamea Matthes.

A world of Accor: Sofitel Sydney Wentworth hosted the largest-ever World of Accor showcase recently, with more than  1300 delegates.  And Daisy Melwani was the lucky winner of the major prize of a new Peugeot 207 XR valued at $25,000. Hosted by  Melissa Doyle and Natalie Barr of Aussie morning TV show Sunrise, the event saw almost 300 Accor hotels represented from across the Asia Pacific region. Pictured are top (l to r): ATEC’s Asheligh Cormack, Jessica Quinlan and Belinda Herbert with Sofitel’s Stephane Laguette. And bottom (l to r): Accor Australia VP Simon McGrath with Rebecca Maitland Accor and Sherida Honeysett, Qantas Holidays.

Cure Kids Fiji: Fiji Water donated $FJ30,000 plus to the 2010 Accor Extreme Challenge for Cure Kids.  The bi-annual adventure challenge held by Accor in support of Cure Kids Fiji this year also includes an ‘Extreme Makeover’ to NadiHospital’s maternity ward.  Fiji Water will also transport kayaks from New Zealand, provide in-country logistics support with its trucking fleet and provide water to the 34 Accor Hotels teams involved in the event from August 28 to 31. Pictured are (l to r): Paul Davies, managing director Fiji Water; Adam Laker, general manager Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa; Simon Harper, general manager Mercure Hotel Nadi; and Vicki Lee, CEO Cure Kids.

Best foot forward: World Travellers at Best Travel has won the EIT (Eastern Institute of Technology) Excellence in Professional Services award at the annual Hastings business awards. Pictured at the ceremony are team members (l to r): Paula Coppell, Bill Sheppard, Christine Sheppard, Brenda Chapman (EIT Hawke’s Bay marketing director) and Alison Cunningham.

Kiwi agents rock in Penang: A group of New Zealand agents recently returned from a Malaysia Airlines famil where they stayed at the new Hard Rock Penang Hotel. The agents took in the local sights of Penang including the National Park, temples, beaches and the popular night markets, which are located just outside the Hard Rock Penang. Feedback about the Hard Rock was that it was especially well-suited to families, honeymooners and young people. Hard Rock Penang is located at Batu Ferringhi beach and has 250 rooms and suites with views of the sea.   Pictured (l to r) are: John Primmer, Hard Rock Penang GM; Michael Franklin, Malaysia Airlines; Rowena Dickson, HOT Product Parnell; Anne Hessell, Business World Travel Newmarket; Lisa Carew, HOT Papakura; Pamela Cowley, Mondo Chartwell; Daune Ireland Travel Broker Taupo; Hannah Foster, Flight Centre Oamaru; Nicola Donaldson, Corporate Traveller Auckland City; Lance Mould, Active Asia Auckland; and Tatsiana Matselskaya, HOT Onehunga.

Nobel dinner: Globus took 20 of its top Aussie and Kiwi travel agents to Scandinavia for its annual SuperTour, in conjunction with Singapore Airlines. Highlights of the trip included a tour of the Carlsberg Brewery in Copenhagen, a mountain-top picnic surrounded by the snowy peaks of Norway, a cruise on the Sognefjord, the scenic Flam Railway and a Nobel Peace Prize-themed gala dinner at the Grand Hotel in Oslo. The five-course meal was a recreation of the one served to Barrack Obama at last year's Peace Prize Banquet. Pictured here are the Aussie and Kiwi agents at the gala dinner.

Incredible India: India Tourism held a roadshow in Auckland recently, where trade were updated on development of infrastructure for the Commonwealth Games as well as new tourism products. Pictured at the roadshow are (l to r): India Tourism Sydney assistant director Gajendra Kumar; India Tourism regional director Krishna R. Arya; and India Tourism information officer Malti Dutta.

All Thai-d up: The 2010 Tourism Authority of Thailand roadshow was held in Auckland recently. Hoteliers and operators came from Thailand to update trade over table-top presentations, which was followed by a dinner. Pictured at the roadshow are top (l to r): House of Travel corporate director Katrina Cole and Classic Asia director Marianne Mannering. And bottom (l to r): AUT Diploma in Travel students Shayni Hawkins and Zoe Crosland.

Blind-sided:   Kumuka held a screening of The Blind Side movie in Auckland recently. Pictured at the event is Kumuka New Zealand sales manager Ruth Dewerson on the left with HarveyWorld Travel Mairangi Bay manager Len. They're flanked by Sue, Barbara and Margaret all from HWT Mairangi Bay.

Marlborough wins: Scenic Group Convention Services and a range of local tour operators hosted a group of 13 conference organisers and reps from national associations and corporate companies recently. Famil guests were wined and dined with local fare, cruised the Marlborough Sounds and also enjoyed coastal rail excursions and private tours of the Omaka Heritage Aviation Centre over two days. Pictured is the group enjoying some sunshine and a drink on their cruise.

Cruise control: New Zealand cruise travel consultants have picked up top honours at the International Cruise Council Australasia’s 2009 annual awards event held in Sydney on January 23. Fourteen awards were presented at the gala night with New Zealanders taking home six in recognition of their contribution to the region’s growing cruise market. House of Travel, Howick picked up the award for Gold Cruise Agency of the Year. Pictured (l to r) for the Gold Cruise Agency award are: Channel 9 Today presenter Steve Jacobs with Alison Kearney, House of Travel Howick and Cruise Passenger Magazine's Fergus Stoddart.

Whack from the Track: Etihad Airways, a diamond sponsor of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, hosted European Ryder Cup star Sergio Garcia at its inaugural Whack from the Track golf challenge at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit. Sergio was invited to drive a golf ball along the longest straight of the Yas Marina Circuit, attempting to beat the Asian long drive record of 721 yards set by Sweden’s Henrik Stenson in 2007. Sergio was unsuccessful in beating Henrik’s record, but still drove a massive 675 yards.

Garuda goodness: Garuda Indonesia and Garuda Orient Holidays took a group of New Zealand agents to Indonesia to check out the best of Bali and Java.  GA escort Elodie Hazera said highlights included lots of hotel and resort options, friendly people, cheap massages, great factory shopping at Bandung and artworks from Ubud, activities like white water rafting and Bali Safari Park.  The group was also impressed with GA’s new A330 on the direct flight JKT to SYD.   Pictured is the famil group. Top (l to r):  Sandi, Flightworld United Tauranga; Alyson, Harvey World Travel Papakura; Megan, Travel Trenz Rotorua; Marie, United Cambridge; guide Natha; Judith, Mondo Travel Motueka; and GA escort Elodie Hazera. And bottom (l to r): Ririn Low, Ubud Village Resort and Spa director sales and marketing; Haiyanto, Ubud Village Resort and Spa sales executive; Andrew, House of Travel Whangarei; and Vicky from House of Travel Merivale.

Doing good deeds: Two Flight Centre consultants decided to help out with the Red Cross relief efforts in Samoa. Claudette Howearth, St Lukes Flight Centre team leader and Teryl Tukuitonga, Westgate Flight Centre assistant team leader, raised $1500 tala and took four suitcases, four bags and one large box (93kg in total) to Samoa for the Red Cross. They booked their own flights, travelled in one day and used their own annual leave. Pictured (l to r) are: Cisco Fido, Red Cross volunteer; Claudette Howearth; Teryl Tukuitonga; Viona Tuta'ia and Tala Mauala, the Red Cross secretary general in Samoa.