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Smart
Travel Update
December 2004
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 As
2004 comes to a close, a moment to reflect and a
moment to visualise on what travel management
holds for 2005 if I may.
The
continuing strong economic climate in Australia
and recovering markets in the US and Europe
coupled with only small incidents of terror has
seen a general increase in business traveller
confidence back to pre-September 2001 levels.
Advances in technology and changes in travel
booking behaviours to maximise the lowest
logical fares have driven impressive results in
travel cost containment.
All
business outlooks for 2005 predict strong
economic conditions will continue and business
travel will continue to grow.
Credible sources have heralded 2005, Asia
Pacific's season of opportunity in business
travel. With the increasing liberalisation of
economies across the region, as well as further
outsourcing of business activities from Europe
and North American to the region, all indicators
suggest that business travel will grow faster
than air travel overall.
Suppliers
have indicated that airfares and hotel rates
will increase and this will threaten to offset
travel cost reduction results. At
Travelogic, we will focus, more than ever, on
fine tuning travel policies and proactively
driving their objectives through all levels of
business to enable companies to continue to
maximise the lower fares and rates, where ever
possible. Additionally continuing to drive the
travel transaction cost down by increasing our
offering in next generation, innovative online
travel management tools.
Thankyou
and we will continue to be of value and service
through these newsletters in 2005. |
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British
Airways is so confident that its Club World service
provides travellers with a good night’s sleep that it
is making them an offer few airlines could even dream
about: a Sleep Well Guarantee. This unique guarantee was
launched by the airline in Australia today and is part
of an Asia Pacific wide campaign. More...
Source =
British
Airways
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| VIRGIN
BLUE unveiled
its "Blue Check"
self-service kiosks at Brisbane
(Australia) Airport, allowing
passengers to check themselves in More...
Virgin
Blue has launched Newcastle-Gold
Coast flights, making it the only
airline operating a
direct jet service between the
two. More...
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Virgin Atlantic Airways has opened
a new 5000 square foot Clubhouse
at Hong Kong Airport to provide
its passengers with a fusion of
contemporary and traditional Hong
Kong creating another unique
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse interior
with the highest level of service
and facilities for passengers. The
newly constructed lounge has a
capacity for over 100 passengers
to enable it to cater not only for
the airline’s passengers
travelling to the UK each year,
but also those flying to Virgin's
newest destination Sydney. More...
Source
= v-flyer
"Touchdown" for Virgin
Atlantic
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 The
wait for Virgin
Atlantic to service
Australia is finally
over, with the
inaugural flight of
their new daily
service from Sydney
to Hong Kong and
London landing at
Sydney Airport
yesterday. More... |
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| Australian
travellers can now use Stockholm
as a gateway to Europe and USA
following Malaysia Airlines'
recent introduction of its first
online service to Scandinavia. More...
Source
= e-Travel
Blackboard
Malaysia
Airlines passengers will soon experience
an exciting new level of comfort, luxury
and convenience in global travel when
the newly reconfigured Boeing 777-200
and the retrofitted 747-400 aircraft
begin operations. More...
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| AIR
NEW ZEALAND
stopped taking reservations October 18
2004 for first-class cabins aboard
747-400 aircraft for flights on or after
June 10 2004, as the airline embarks on
a cabin refit designed to create three
new classes More...
Source
= Air New Zealand
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There
is always something new to experience
when travelling. Why not start with how
you fly? Emirates
offers the ultimate in luxury travel to
New Zealand, providing you with non-stop
flights from Sydney, Melbourne and
Brisbane to the naturally beautiful
cities of Auckland and Christchurch. More...
Source
= Emirate
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| The
Los Angeles City Council on
Wednesday approved an USD$11
billion plan to modernize Los
Angeles International Airport -
the first upgrade of the world's
fifth busiest airport since
1984. More...
Source
= Airwise
News
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Qantas
will significantly boost
capacity between Australia and
the United Kingdom with the
introduction of new Sydney-Hong
Kong-London and
Perth-Singapore-London services.
More...
Source
= Qantas
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| Singapore
Airlines has said it will further expand
its network with that of Virgin Atlantic
Airways through a route code-sharing
agreement. More...
Source
= Airwise
News
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| Never
before, in its 44 year history, has THAI been
engaged in such a dynamic phase of innovation
and change as it is now, with a diversity of
projects in hand to upgrade and improve every
aspect of the airline’s in-flight service
operations. More... |
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Boulevard Hotel - Summer Special $175
More...
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| SINGAPORE
continues
to enhance and revitalize its Chinatown
neighbourhood, one of the country's
oldest and unique places of interest.
More than 3,000 visitors a day are
flocking to the new Chinatown Night
Market more... |
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Travelogic
Leisure website
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 Michelle
Hemingway Travel Journal:
My trip to Egypt
“Walk like an Egyptian”,
this is true for me after returning from a
mystical trek through Egypt.
This country is full of intrigue and
every step of this trip I was in awe, from the
great Pyramids to the treasures of Tutankhamen
in the Egyptian Museum. More... |
Fireworks
Herald Christmas Gem for Australia
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A
huge fireworks display over Sydney Harbour
on December 23 will welcome to Australia
the biggest and youngest cruise liner ever
to sail Down Under – Sapphire Princess.
More than
2½ times bigger than the Titanic and
towering four metres higher than the road
deck of the Harbour Bridge, the
116,000-ton Sapphire Princess will sail on
her first cruise from Australia at 9pm on
December 23 accompanied by a 10-minute
fireworks show over her berth at Circular
Quay. More... |
Disneyland
Hong Kong - opening earlier than
expected
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HONG
KONG DISNEYLAND
will open on Sept. 12, earlier than
previously expected More...,
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| The
direct route to discounts.
Time
is money and expertise is
key," says Claire
Gray,
executive director of
Travelogic, a specialist in
corporate travel management.
"What businesses need is a
reliable and efficient means of
booking the lowest logical fare
across all airline
services." More...
Publication:
Sydney Morning Herald
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| Carriers
are wooing customers with
cheaper flights and more
comforts.
Airlines
come and go, joint venture deals
fall through, global political
upheavals and health scares
knock the stuffing out of the
industry, but nothing deters the
business travellers who just
keep getting on planes -
especially in the Asia Pacific
region. More...
Publication:
Sydney Morning Herald
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Taking the aches out of
travelling
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Orthopaedic
Surgeons Provide Luggage Lifting and Carrying
Recommendations
Everyone
travels -- whether it is around the world, cross-country
or to a neighbouring town -- and loading the suitcase
with everything one might need seems to be the norm. But
these days, travelling can be a pain in the neck,
literally. The heavier and larger the luggage, the more
susceptible a traveller is to orthopaedic injuries,
including the back, shoulder and neck. The American
Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons urges people to use good
judgment when packing, lifting and carrying luggage to
avoid injury. More...
Source =
American
Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
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Bucks
without borders
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Cash
in Japan, traveller's
cheques in China, ATMs in
the US ... Barbara Drury
looks at what funds to use
overseas.
More... |
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Travellers
from countries which have Visa
Waiver arrangements with United
States must now have
machine-readable passports to
gain entry to the US. More...
Source
= Airwise
News
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Survey
Finds American Business
Travellers Like Online Booking,
But A Third Still Frequently Use
"Offline" Services to
Meet Their Needs More...
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| It's
that time of year again. Now (if
you have not already!) is the
time to look at negotiating or
renegotiating your hotel
suppliers for the coming year.
for the 2005.
For
you to get the best from your
program we recommend you look at
the following to ensure you
maximise the best possible rates
for your company: More...
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The
Editor, Travelogic, Level 11, 15 Castlereagh Street, SYDNEY
NSW 2000 Tel:+61 2 9230 7500
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GlobalStar partners deliver worldwide, culturally
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