Starfish Travel Corporation Team

This week, the premier global travel network specialising in luxury and experiential travel, Virtuoso, hosted its inaugural Connects event in Edinburgh. Over forty members and preferred partners from across the network gathered in the Scottish capital for an invaluable day of networking at Cheval The Edinburgh Grand. This is the second European Connects event hosted by Virtuoso in 2023, following the success of Connects Rome in May, with Barcelona and London events scheduled for 13 September and 11 October, respectively. The day consisted of partner presentations and networking sessions, allowing members to hear the latest news from partners, forge new relationships, and learn about the most recent client offerings. Following the event, Cheval The Edinburgh Grand, in partnership with The Johnnie Walker Experience Prince Street, hosted a cocktail reception. Nineteen European Virtuoso member agencies, including owners, managers, frontline advisors, and independent contractors, as well as twenty-one preferred partners representing hotels, experiential travel experiences, cruises, and tourism boards from around the world, including One&Only Resorts, EDITION Hotels, Rocco Forte Hotels, and Aurora Expeditions, were in attendance. Kieran Smith, Owner and Travel Advisor at HORIZONTALLY Luxury Travel Concierge, says, “Virtuoso events bring together like-minded peers and hospitality professionals and provide the chance to learn, grow, and network.” This is gold dust for me, as it allows me to provide exceptional value to my clients by forging personal connections around the world and ensuring that when I book, my travelers are a priority for all Virtuoso partners. General Manager of the U.K., Ireland, Middle East, and Africa who is a virtuoso Karen Joyce exclaimed, “We are ecstatic to have been able to host our inaugural Connects event in Edinburgh, and for our members and preferred partners to experience the city. The events provide an excellent opportunity for networking and learning the latest industry news. While we continue to concentrate on growth in this region, the Connects series is of paramount importance to us, and we are excited to host events in Barcelona and London later this year.” Source: traveldailymedia

Travel start-up Byway, a company committed to reducing the environmental impact of tourism by facilitating flight-free travel, has introduced an intriguing new collection of eco-friendly vacations for dog owners. These one-of-a-kind experiences have been meticulously curated to account for every detail, from pet-friendly lodging to transportation options. Byway, which offers vacations across the United Kingdom and Europe by train, bus, ferry, and bicycle, has seen an increase in inquiries from travellers eager to bring along their four-legged companions. Flight-free trips can be significantly more comfortable for canines than car/air-based alternatives, but researching and planning a pet-friendly vacation can be extraordinarily difficult. Byway’s team of sustainable travel specialists has hand-selected vacation routes that offer simple and stress-free experiences for dogs and their owners, such as: Dog-friendly – hotels are not merely tolerant, but also accommodating. Consider treats, dog bowls, comfortable couches, and restaurants that welcome pets. Locations for walking – meticulously chosen stops with dog-friendly beaches and parks Pooch-friendly Europe – Due to the fact that dogs are not permitted on the Eurostar, Byway has included excellent alternatives for European adventures, such as dog-friendly sleeper ferry cabins and cross-channel minibuses that permit dogs to travel alongside their owners. “Dogs make excellent travel companions, and flight-free vacations are a joyous and environmentally friendly way to explore with your furry friend. Our dog-centric vacations are designed to make it simple for dog owners to avoid the kennels and bring their pets along on vacation. We remove the burden of researching and reserving pet-friendly journeys and accommodations, and offer on-demand support from our pet-loving team (with free dog-friendly disruption rerouting if necessary)!” said Byway founder and CEO Cat Jones. Source: traveldailymedia

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) air connectivity index ranked the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia thirteenth in 2023, up from twenty-seventh in 2019, a 14-place jump in the classification of over 200 countries. It attained a record high due to its flight connections to 131 destinations. Saudi Arabia aspires to foster a favourable environment for global investment and to spearhead the future of aviation, ruling the Middle East region and increasing its GDP contribution. In addition, the Kingdom seeks to establish itself as a logistical gateway connecting three continents and a global hub for air transport and goods. The Kingdom’s 94.4% score in the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) safety audit report and its seventh-place ranking among Group of Twenty (G20) nations in aviation safety are among the Kingdom’s significant achievements in its economic diversification voyage. In the first four months of 2023, Saudi aviation traffic increased by 42% when compared to the same period in the previous year. This expansion is part of the Kingdom’s ambitious Vision 2030, which seeks to attract 100 million tourists by 2030. Ease of access and connectivity will help transform the country into a leading tourist destination. New SAUDIA London Gatwick and Birmingham to Jeddah flights As part of a collaboration with the Saudi Air Connectivity Programme (ACP) and the Saudi Tourism Authority (STA), the national airline of Saudi Arabia, SAUDIA, will offer new flights from London Gatwick and Birmingham to Jeddah this summer. Jeddah to Gatwick: 09:05-13:30 (6h 25m); Gatwick to Jeddah: 14:55-23:05 (6h 10m). Jeddah to Birmingham: 08:10-13:00 (6h 20m); Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays; Birmingham to Jeddah: 14:30-22:40 (6h 10m); Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. These new direct flight routes are a response to the increase in traveller demand in the United Kingdom. With the inclusion of these routes, SAUDIA will serve four UK airports, Birmingham, London Heathrow, London Gatwick, and Manchester, with 45 weekly flights. In addition, SAUDIA is paving the way for the future of aviation with a new partnership with the AI company Accenture, which will personalise the visitor experience and increase operational efficiency. More than 260 new digital and electronic services will be developed by SAUDIA over the next couple of years, facilitated by the incorporation of AI technologies. Source: traveldailymedia

Today, Eurostar, the high-speed passenger rail service connecting the United Kingdom and continental Europe, begins a three-day promotion. From the 20th to the 22nd of June, 2023. Customers can purchase Standard class tickets for weekday travel between 10 July and 7 September 2023 for as little as £35 one-way. With 29,000 available tickets for travel between London and Lille, Paris, and Brussels, tourists can enjoy a cheaper summer city vacation. During the promotion period, Eurostar will offer up to 16 daily return trips between London and Paris and 10 daily return trips between London, Lille, and Brussels. Eurostar provides seamless travel from city center to city centre and a generous cargo allowance with no weight restrictions. Travelers can book with confidence knowing that all tickets, including sale fares, are flexible with no exchange fees up to seven days prior to departure, providing peace of mind in the event that travel restrictions or plans change. Source: traveldailymedia

Travelex, the market leader in foreign exchange in New Zealand, has launched an FX affiliate referral programme with long-term bank partner BNZ, allowing 1.2 million BNZ customers to access discounted travel money. By presenting a valid BNZ bank card or bank statement, BNZ customers can access discounted travel money on the Travelex website or in one of Travelex’s New Zealand stores. Within the first few months of the partnership, more than 3,000 BNZ consumers have already received a discount on their foreign currency purchases. The discount applies to both cash and currency loaded onto the Travelex Money Card, which can be loaded with nine different currencies, has no ATM withdrawal or conversion fees, and is accepted at millions of locations worldwide. The new programme with BNZ is the result of Travelex’s sustained development in New Zealand. Recent months have seen the company announce contract extensions at Auckland Airport and Queenstown Airport, as well as the opening of additional stores in Albany and Nelson. Travelex has also expanded its 20-year partnership with House of Travel, the largest privately owned travel agency in New Zealand and the third largest travel company in the Asia-Pacific region with over 50 branches. Dominic Mesiti, Head of Commercial Partnerships ANZ at Travelex, states: “Travel plays an essential role in creating lifelong memories and experiences, and Travelex aims to provide peace of mind when it comes to travel money so that our customers can concentrate on the good stuff. Being able to support BNZ and its community of 1.2 million customers with a discounted travel money solution – at any of Travelex’s airport and off airport branches in New Zealand, or when ordering online – is therefore very special for us, and something we’re very proud of as the global leader in travel money.” Karna Luke, Executive, Customer, Products and Services, BNZ, explains, “At BNZ, we are committed to serving our consumers with excellence, whether they are at home or abroad. We are pleased to extend our long-standing partnership with Travelex, which provides our consumers with additional access to quality products and services.” Source: traveldailymedia

With the unveiling of the brand-new Utopia of the Seas, Royal Caribbean is divulging the next big thing to hit the holiday scene, where shorter Caribbean cruises meet the revolutionary. Looking to incorporate a Bahamas cruise and Royal Caribbean’s private island Perfect Day at CocoCay into your journey to the United States? On the new 3-and 4-night escapes, the variety and exploits of the original game-changing Oasis Class ships are available. Beginning in July 2024 from Port Canaveral (Orlando), Florida, Utopia brings an unmatched combination of vitality to long-distance vacations, making it the ideal addition to any US vacation itinerary. Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas, which has been named “Best Private Island” for three consecutive years, offers more than 40 dining, drinking, and dancing options, more pools than days to count, more ways to delight and relax, and even more of all of the above. Firsts and reimagined experiences such as the Pesky Parrot, a vibrant Caribbean tiki bar as soon as you enter the doors; a first-of-its-kind immersive dining experience; the latest and greatest – and longest – dry slide at sea; and newly designed resort-style pools, among others, will make this vacation the world’s largest weekend – regardless of whether it begins on a Monday or Friday! The Utopia of the Seas will be available for booking on Royal Caribbean’s website beginning on Friday, June 23. Crown & Anchor Society members can book in advance on Thursday, June 22. Source: traveldailymedia

Almosafer, Saudi Arabia’s travel company (part of the Seera Group), and Klook, Asia’s premier travel and experiences platform, have launched Almosafer Activities, the first-ever comprehensive tours and activities platform for the KSA market. The launch follows the signing of an agreement between the two travel industry titans in early 2022 to establish the joint venture with the purpose of creating a holistic B2B marketplace for activities in the Kingdom, filling a void in a market that has largely seen fragmented options for bookable ‘things to do’. Almosafer Activities is a one-stop digital platform with end-to-end content and inventory management solutions that enables tourism and leisure activity merchants in Saudi Arabia, as well as distributors around the world, to offer an unprecedented selection of products to visitors to, from, and within the Kingdom. The platform, which will go live for distributors in the third quarter of 2023, will leverage Klook’s position as the foremost global distributor of experiences and services and make it easy for domestic and foreign tourists to book activities. Almosafer Activities will connect Saudi Arabian travellers to global platforms, beginning with Klook. The introduction of Almosafer Activities supports the Saudi Vision 2030 tourism strategy by promoting both international and domestic tourism. Additionally, the platform will support small and medium-sized merchants by providing them with a platform and access to additional distribution channels. Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO and Board Member of the Saudi Tourism Authority, stated, “Saudi Arabia is at the forefront of global tourism growth. We are enduring a remarkable transformation and experiencing unprecedented growth, positioning ourselves as the world’s largest investor in tourism – this presents an exciting opportunity for both our current and prospective partners. “The inauguration of Almosafer Activities represents another significant step towards establishing world-class standards for travellers and empowering the tourism ecosystem in accordance with Vision 2030’s objectives. Through this cutting-edge digital platform, Almosafer Activities will provide travellers with effortless access to a vast array of activities and one-of-a-kind experiences. Our goal is to encourage visitors from all over the globe to discover the genuine essence of Arabia, our cherished homeland.” The CEO of Almosafer, Muzzammil Ahussain, stated, “We are thrilled to launch Almosafer Activities with Klook. Our new platform functions as a dependable marketplace for activities, tours, events, attractions, and experiences, while providing merchants and distributors with an abundance of opportunities. Almosafer Activities will empower the travel and tourism ecosystem as a whole while supporting the Kingdom’s strategy to continuously improve its domestic tourism offering and expand its inbound tourism footprint. C.S. Soong, Vice President of Corporate Development at Klook, stated, “The launch of Almosafer Activities represents a substantial step forward for the industry and will play a vital role in propelling Saudi Arabia towards Vision 2030. This new platform seamlessly connects the experience sector and promotes the digital transformation of merchants by leveraging Klook’s technological prowess and innovative merchant solutions. Moreover, we are confident that this strategic partnership will inspire and attract a greater number of international tourists to the Kingdom, thanks to our extensive global network.” Almosafer Activities offers a state-of-the-art app for merchants to administer their products and make them accessible to distributors on Almosafer Activities. Distributors will have access to exclusive activities and experiences in Saudi Arabia. The joint venture will reflect Almosafer’s digital-first approach, offering advanced digital solutions to merchants and distributors to help unlock selling opportunities as well as convenient payment cycles and seamless online payments. Source: traveldailymedia

The famed InterContinental Bali Resort, which is well-placed in Jimbaran Bay’s gorgeous setting, has lately undergone a stunning facelift. The InterContinental Bali Resort has raised the bar for luxury and convenience for its visitors with a significant refurbishment that includes 425 rooms and suites as well as the addition of a state-of-the-art convention centre. The InterContinental Bali Resort also offers impressive renovations that emphasise the resort’s top-notch amenities, such as its five fine dining options, swanky lounges, a designated kids club, and the recently launched convention centre with cutting-edge technology.The 425 rooms and suites of InterContinental Bali Resort have been updated to provide visitors with an opulent hideaway. Modern facilities, opulent furnishings, and contemporary decor are all included in the recently refurbished apartments. Each hotel and suite exudes luxury and elegance, offering a peaceful refuge for unwinding after a day of sightseeing or attending meetings. The five exceptional food and beverage outlets at InterContinental Bali Resort complement the updated lodging by providing a gourmet excursion. Visitors can indulge in a wide variety of culinary experiences, from traditional Balinese fare to international gourmet treats. The restaurants in the resort offer stunning views of the surrounding tropical scenery, which enhances the whole dining experience. To get the day off to a good start, the Taman Gita offers a huge breakfast buffet. Sumptuous seafood is available in Jimbaran Gardens, which has the best view of Jimbaran Bay. The Sunset Beach Bar & Grill offers a tranquil environment together with delectable grilled meats and exotic drinks. If you prefer sophisticated dining, Bella Cucina is a classy establishment that serves authentic Mediterranean fare. In the meanwhile, KO Restaurant serves traditional Japanese cuisine. Source: traveldailymedia

According to recent data from Royal Caribbean International, 64% of Brits agree that being on vacation makes them feel more courageous to attempt new activities. Therefore, the cruise company has partnered with freestyle football world champion Liv Cooke for a truly exceptional world record attempt onboard Symphony of the Seas in Barcelona, in the spirit of being daring and breaking personal travel objectives. The freestyler broke the previous record by successfully landing 76 alternating reverse crossovers in 30 seconds. All of this takes place in front of the breathtaking AquaTheater on Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas. Liv is urging everyone to push themselves beyond their comfort zones as a special way to celebrate her first voyage on board. Her accomplishments come in the wake of a recent survey* conducted by the cruise line, which revealed that 44% of Britons use travel to experience new things. The top five travel objectives for individuals this year were as follows: Travelling to a new nation(29%) Eating strange and novel meals (28%) Fitness improvement (23%). Learning a new language or culture (22%) A theatre performance (22%) Source: traveldailymedia

The Airbus A350 has been in flight for ten years today, and the aviation analytics company Cirium has released data demonstrating the success of the Airbus aeroplane. A350 Cirium Data There are currently 495 Airbus A350s in operation worldwide, with 91 carriers including the aircraft in their fleets. The success of the aircraft is demonstrated by the fact that 435 more A350s are currently on order and will be delivered in the upcoming years. There are now only 46 A350s in storage. Over 8.9 million seats are expected to be filled on 28,388 flights by A350 aircraft in June. The month’s most A350 flights will depart from Singapore, followed by Doha, Hong Kong, Tokyo-Haneda, and London Heathrow. Source: traveldailymedia