Corporate Travel News

Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) announced (10-Jul-2017) it will now use the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) as a tool to complement their oversight of non-Australian registered airlines operating to/from Australia. CASA will use IOSA following the signing of a MoU with IATA. IOSA will help reduce the number of audits foreign airlines need to undergo in order to operate to and from Australia, while maintaining a high level of safety oversight through adhering to the global standards and recommended practices which are the basis of IOSA. Australia is the first country in the Asia Pacific region to use IOSA as part of its safety oversight of airlines. [more - original PR]

Tourism New Zealand launched (10-Jul-2017) a new North Island touring campaign focused on marketing driving tours and attractions of New Zealand's North Island. Tourism New Zealand manager Australia Tony Saunders stated: "The North Island touring campaign is all about promoting the themed highways in New Zealand's central upper North Island. The campaign highlights great experiences and activities along the main routes while showing more of New Zealand's stunning scenery during commentary about safe driving". As part of the North Island touring campaign, Tourism New Zealand has secured segments on Channel 9's Garden Gurus programme. [more - original PR] [more - original PR - II]

Tourism Fiji plans to conduct a tourism roadshow in India over late Jul-2017/early Aug-2017, travelling to six cities: Mumbai, Kolkata, New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Chennai and Bengaluru (Tourism Breaking News, 05-Jul-2017).

Sydney Airport, via its official Twitter and Facebook account, announced (07-Jul-2017) the Mantra Hotel at Sydney Airport will be opening in Jul-2017. As previously reported by CAPA, the 136 room hotel is located near Domestic Terminal T2/T3 precinct.

Queenstown Airport technology manager Wayne Stiven stated (07-Jul-2017) the introduction of car park barrier arms and 'Tap & Go' solution was "just the start" of a new wave of technology advancements being unveiled at the airport. The airport said its parking facilities "felt the pressures" of significant passenger growth "over the last few years". Following public feedback, the airport launched a NZD4.6 million (USD3.3 million) ground transportation upgrade project. [more - original PR]

Tourism Tasmania reported (08-Jul-2017) it recently undertook a comprehensive review of its international marketing operations and activities, to ensure it is engaging in markets with the best prospects for Tasmania and investing in marketing and other activities which will best position the state to participate in the growth of global tourism. Tourism Tasmania's goal is to increase the number of international leisure visitors coming to Tasmania from 215,000 in 2016 to around 241,000 by 2020. [more - original PR]

Air New Zealand resumed (07-Jul-2017) seasonal Auckland-Sunshine Coast service on 07-Jul-2017, operating up to four times weekly until 29-Oct-2017. Visit Sunshine Coast CEO Simon Latchford stated New Zealand is Sunshine Coast's number one international visitor market, and the direct service helps enhance this traffic. According to OAG, Air New Zealand is the sole carrier with direct services between Sunshine Coast and New Zealand. [more - original PR]

Regional Express (Rex) and the City of Albany signed (07-Jul-2017) a three year partnership agreement, assuring Rex will continue to offer its 'Rex Community Fare' through to 30-Jun-2020. This follows a similar agreement made with the Shire of Esperance which was signed in May-2017. Rex GM network strategy & sales Warrick Lodge said the carrier has sold 16,000 Community Fares "just in the first full year of the trial of the scheme", and it now accounts for 15% of the total passenger numbers travelling on the Albany and Esperance to Perth routes. Mr Lodge said the carrier believes that the take-up rate "will be even stronger in the years ahead". [more - original PR]

Alliance Airlines confirmed (08-Jul-2017) it will operate its first Bundaberg-Brisbane service from 17-Jul-2017. Alliance Airlines will operate 80 seat Fokker 70 jet aircraft on the route. [more - original PR]

Queenstown Airport announced (07-Jul-2017) it will issue radio-frequency identification (RFID) cards to commercial ground transportation drivers/vehicles operating at the airport by the end of Jul-2017. RFID cards are uniquely coded to contain individual driver's information such as company name, vehicle registration, billing history and usage among others. Drivers can present their card upon arrival at the barrier gate to enable automatic entry. Airport technology manager Wayne Stiven stated the technology "will enable us to more efficiently manage our commercial operations". The airport plans to expand the technology "to offer our other visitors similar services such as creating online personal car parking accounts" before the end of 2017, added Mr Stiven. [more - original PR]