Zuma deluxe [30 October 2017] serial key or number

FIFA
Genre(s)	Sports, simulation
Developer(s)	Extended Play Productions (–) EA Vancouver (–present) EA Romania (–present)
Publisher(s)	EA Sports
Platform(s)	Amiga, DOS, N-Gage, 32X, Mega-CD/Sega CD, Master System, Game Gear, Mega Drive/Sega Genesis, Sega Saturn, GameCube, Gizmondo, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, , PlayStation 5, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation Vita, Super NES, Nintendo 64, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, Wii, Wii U, Nintendo Switch, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, 3DO Interactive Multiplayer, Microsoft Windows, iOS, Java Platform, Micro Edition, Android, Xbox , Xbox, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Windows Phone, macOS, Zeebo, Stadia[1][2][3][4]
Original release	Annually, –present
First release	FIFA International Soccer 15 December
Latest release	FIFA 21 9 October

FIFA is a series of association football simulation video games developed and released annually by Electronic Arts under the EA Sports label. Football video games such as Sensible Soccer, Kick Off and Match Day had been developed since the late s and already competitive in the games market when EA Sports announced a football game as the next addition to their EA Sports label. The Guardian called the series "the slickest, most polished and by far the most popular football game around".^[5] As of , the FIFA franchise has been localised into 18 languages and available in 51 countries.^[6] Listed in Guinness World Records as the best-selling sports video game franchise in the world, by , the FIFA series had sold over million copies.^{[7][8][9][10]} It is also one of the best-selling video game franchises.^[11]

When the series began in late , it was notable for being the first to have an official licence from FIFA, the world governing body of football. The latest installments in the series contain many exclusively licensed leagues including leagues and teams from around the world, including the German Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga, English Premier League and EFL Championship, Italian Serie A and Serie B, Spanish La Liga and La Liga 2, French Ligue 1 and Ligue 2, Portuguese Primeira Liga, Turkish Süper Lig, Dutch Eredivisie, Scottish Premiership, the Swiss Super League, Russian Premier League, Polish Ekstraklasa, Mexican Liga MX, American Major League Soccer, South Korean K-League, Japanese J1 League, the Chinese Super League, Saudi Professional League, Australian A-League, Chilean Primera División, Brazilian Campeonato Brasileiro Série A and Argentine Superliga Argentina, allowing the use of real leagues, clubs and player names and likenesses within the games. Popular clubs from around the world, including some teams from Greece, Ukraine and South Africa, are also included, without those nations' entire leagues. The main series has been complemented by additional installments based on single major tournaments, such as the FIFA World Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA European Football Championship, as well as a series of football management titles.

As of FIFA 21, Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappé is the face of the franchise, appearing on the front cover of the series and in promotional campaigns and advertisements. He takes over from Eden Hazard of Real Madrid who was the face of the previous cover. Lionel Messi appeared on four straight covers from FIFA 13 to FIFA 16. Wayne Rooney has appeared in the most covers being on the cover of every game from FIFA 06 to FIFA 12. Since the release of FIFA Mobile in , forward Marco Reus, Eden Hazard, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, and Paulo Dybala have appeared on the cover.^[12]

FIFA 12 holds the record for the "fastest selling sports game ever" with over million games sold and over $ million generated at retail in its first week of release.^[13] The franchise's latest release, FIFA 21, has been released worldwide on 9 October It is available for multiple gaming systems, including the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and on PC. An enhanced version of the game is to be released on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S and Google Stadia at some point in the future.

History[edit]

While FIFA 95 did not add much other than the ability to play with club teams, FIFA 96 pushed the boundaries. For the first time with real player names by obtaining the FIFPro license, the PlayStation, PC, 32X and Sega Saturn versions used EA's "Virtual Stadium" engine, with 2D sprite players moving around a real-time 3D stadium. FIFA 97 improved on this with polygonal models for players and added an indoor soccer mode, but an early pinnacle was reached with FIFA: Road to World Cup 98. This version featured much improved graphics, a complete World Cup with qualifying rounds (including all national teams) and refined gameplay. Months later, World Cup 98, was EA's first officially licensed tournament game.

John Motson was the first commentator for the FIFA series, and has worked alongside Ally McCoist, Andy Gray, Des Lynam, Mark Lawrenson and Chris Waddle. Motson first joined the franchise for FIFA 96; he and McCoist were replaced by Gray and Clive Tyldesley for FIFA 06 but later returned for FIFA Manager 08. Martin Tyler has been the default commentator for the FIFA series since , alongside Andy Gray between and and Alan Smith from –present.^[14]

FIFA games have been met with some minor criticism; such as improvements each game features over its predecessor. As the console market is expanding, FIFA is being challenged directly by other titles such as Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer series.^[5] Both FIFA and Pro Evolution Soccer have a large following but FIFA sales is rising as much as 23 percent year-on-year.^[13] In , the FIFA series had sold over million copies, making it the best-selling sports video game franchise in the world and the most profitable EA Sports title.^[11][13] With FIFA 12 selling million copies in the first week after its 27 September North American debut in , EA Sports dubbed it "the most successful launch in EA Sports history".^[13]

In , EA Sports signed Lionel Messi to the FIFA franchise, luring him away from the competitor Pro Evolution Soccer. Messi's likeness was then immediately placed on the cover of FIFA Street. In , the Spanish professional women's footballer Vero Boquete started a petition on cromwellpsi.com, which called upon Electronic Arts to introduce female players in the FIFA series. The petition attracted 20, signatures in 24 hours.^[15]FIFA 16, released on 25 September , included female national teams.^[16]

Calling it "the slickest, most polished and by far the most popular football game around", and "football [video] games’ equivalent of the Premier League", The Guardian praised the game’s FIFA Ultimate Team, which "encourages you to purchase Panini-sticker-like player packs to build up a dream team", adding the series has "an excellent Journey mode that lets you control an aspiring pro and build him up to an international superstar, and a Career mode that lets you control your favourite team on and off the field."^[5] One of the best-selling video game franchises, by , the FIFA series had sold over million copies.^[7][8]

Games in the series[edit]

s[edit]

FIFA International Soccer[edit]

• Cover athlete: David Platt and Piotr Świerczewski (Packie Bonner and Ruud Gullit in some versions)
• Released for: PC, DOS, Amiga, Sega CD (as FIFA International Soccer Championship Edition), 3DO, SNES, Mega Drive/Genesis, Master System, Sega Game Gear, Game Boy
• Release date: 15 December

Known as EA Soccer during development and sometimes subsequently also known as FIFA '94,^[17] the first game in the series was released in the weeks leading up to Christmas This greatly hyped football title broke with traditional bit era games by presenting an isometric view rather than the more usual top-down view (Kick Off), side view (European Club Soccer), or bird's-eye view (Sensible Soccer). It only includes national teams, and real player names are not used. A notorious bug allows the player to score by standing in front of the goalkeeper so that the ball rebounds off him into the net. The game was number one in the UK charts, replacing Street Fighter II Special Champion Edition, and staying there for a full six months.^[18]Mega placed the game at #11 in their Top 50 Mega Drive Games of All Time.^[19] The Sega Mega CD version was released under the title "FIFA International Soccer Championship Edition" it includes some features used in the next title, and is a highly polished version of the original. This version was ranked #7 on the Mega list of the Top 10 Mega CD Games of All Time.^[19] The game on the 3DO console sported pseudo-3D cameras and it was the most graphically advanced version.^[20] Also, the game is playable on the PlayStation 2 version of FIFA 06. It was made in celebration for the FIFA World Cup held in the United States – especially noticeable in the Super NES version which, despite having a smaller team selection than the Genesis version, had three exclusive teams which qualified for the real-life tournament: Bolivia, Saudi Arabia and South Korea. The game was called International Soccer so EA could sell the game successfully in Europe, after assuming Americans would have no interest in the game.^[21]

FIFA 95[edit]

Using the same engine with only minor touch-ups,^[22]FIFA 95 introduced club teams to the series within eight national leagues: Brazil, Germany's Bundesliga, Italy's Serie A, Spain's La Liga, England's Premier League, France's Ligue 1, Netherlands' Eredivisie and the United States. Most of the leagues have team lineups based on the –94 season, and the teams, although recognisably real, all still have generic players, many of them even returning from the previous game. The USA League consists of teams and players from the A-League, the country's second division – subsequent editions would feature "artificial" division one leagues, a feature not corrected until the edition, when Major League Soccer was included for the first time. In addition, the Brazilian league contained only teams from São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro states, with the exception of Internacional, from Rio Grande do Sul—it would not be until FIFA 07 that Campeonato Brasileiro represented the country. The game eliminates the one-touch passing seen in the original FIFA International Soccer.^[22] This was also the only game in the main series not to be released in more than one platform (counting spin-offs, only FIFA 64 and certain versions of the FIFA Manager series share this distinction).

FIFA 96[edit]

This is the first FIFA game to feature real-time 3D graphics on the Sega Saturn, PlayStation and PC versions, using technology called "Virtual Stadium". It is also the first in the series to present players with real player names and positions, with ranking, transfer and team customisation tools. However, the Brazilian teams had mostly inaccurate rosters, some of them even featuring long-retired players (this would only be corrected in FIFA 99), and the American league consisted of entirely fictitious teams and rosters (Major League Soccer had been inaugurated for only a few months as of the game's release, but it would only start to appear in the games as of FIFA ). The SNES and Mega Drive versions use an updated version of FIFA 95's engine with new teams and graphics. It is also the first FIFA game to contain a player/team editor (in the Mega Drive and fifth-generation versions only). Also, in addition to the eight national leagues of the previous game, three leagues debuted in the game: Scottish Football League Premier Division, Allsvenskan and Super League Malaysia, a lineup that would stay for the next two editions as well. This was also the first FIFA game to have a proper introduction.

FIFA 97[edit]

The biggest change in FIFA '97 was the inclusion of 6-a-side indoor soccer mode and polygonal players, with motion capture provided by David Ginola. The game features a much higher number of playable leagues from England, Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany and Malaysia. These versions also feature commentary by John Motson, partnered by Andy Gray, with Des Lynam introducing the matches.

FIFA: Road to World Cup 98[edit]

This game marks the start of an upward trend in the series. It boasts a refined graphics engine, team and player customisation options, 16 stadia, improved artificial intelligence, a "Road to World Cup" mode with all FIFA-registered national teams, and a licensed soundtrack featuring popular musical artists of the time. The game features many accurate team squads for national call up when playing in the round robin qualification modes. Another new feature was the ability to manually change the referee's strictness, allowing some fouls to go un-noticed or without punishment.

Additionally, for the first time in a FIFA game, the offside rule is properly implemented. In previous games, when a player was in an offside position doing anything except running, that player was penalised for offside even when the ball was passed backwards. The bit version of FIFA 98 corrects this so that the game would only award a free kick for offside if the ball was passed roughly to where the player in the offside position was.

FIFA 98 was also the first of the series to feature a licensed soundtrack, with "Song 2" by Blur used as the intro track for the game. It was the last FIFA game to be released on the bit consoles that the series had originated on.

FIFA 99[edit]

FIFA [edit]

This version of the FIFA series contained over 40 "classic" teams, so that gamers could play as retired football legends.

It marked the introduction of Major League Soccer, replacing the fictitious "American" league previously included, as well as national leagues from Denmark, Greece, Israel, Norway and Turkey (though Galatasaray is not present in the game).

The game features over 40 national sides, fully integrated seasons, set piece selections, increased physical contact, new facial animations, shielding ability and tougher tackling.

The game received mixed reviews due to its cartoonish graphic engine and shallow gameplay, a brand new engine was implemented in an attempt to give more "emotion" to the 3D player models. The game was generally considered to be much inferior than its rival.

The opening video for FIFA features Sol Campbell performing motion capture duties for the game, then having his likeness computer-generated to play against a retro side from , the year of the inauguration of FIFA. The game also included Port Vale, the club supported by Williams, in the "Rest of the World" section (they were in the Football League First Division at the time, and while the concept of post-season promotion and relegation was introduced in this edition, teams from lower league tiers were only selectable starting with FIFA ).

s[edit]

FIFA [edit]

This title had a new graphics engine from FIFA Soccer World Championship which allows each team to have its own detailed kit, and for some players, their own unique faces. Doing away with ordinary coloured pennants as club emblems, the license includes official club emblems for the first time, although certain leagues, like the Dutch league, are unlicensed. Slightly tweakable physics made the game a modding favorite for its fan community. The game also includes the entire Austrian Bundesliga and Korean K-League as playable leagues for the first time, albeit removing the Portuguese Liga and the Turkish Premier League. A "hack" feature is included, where the player can press R1 to attempt an intentional foul, such a high sliding tackle. This title was the first game of the series with a power bar for shooting (such a feature already existed in the Super NES version of the first game, but it was not in all versions of the game). FIFA was the first version (for the PC) that could be played online, which was revolutionary, and the first game in the franchise on a 6th generation video game console in USA and Europe.

The PlayStation version of FIFA received a "Gold" sales award from the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA),^[23] indicating sales of at least , copies in the United Kingdom.^[24]

FIFA Football [edit]

For FIFA Football , power bars for passes were introduced, and dribbling reduced in order to attain a higher challenge level. The power bar can also be customised to suit the gamer's preference. The game also includes club emblems for many more European clubs as well as for major Dutch clubs such as PSV, Ajax and Feyenoord, although there was no Dutch league of any kind (they were under the "Rest of World" header). This game also features, for the first time, the Swiss Super League, at the cost of excluding the Greek League. A card reward system licensed from Panini was also introduced where, after winning a particular competition, a star player card is unlocked. There is also a bonus game with the nations that had automatically qualified for the World Cup (France, Japan and South Korea), in which the player tries to improve the FIFA ranking of their chosen team by participating in international friendlies. Playing with other national teams will allow the player to play through their respective zones' qualifying rounds (except for Oceania and Africa, whose confederations are not represented in full).

FIFA Football was the final game in the main series to feature the Japanese national team, as the Japan Football Association would sell its exclusive rights to Konami during , thereby depriving not only FIFA, but all other football games in the market (with the exception of EA's World Cup spin-offs), from using its lineup and likeness (Japanese players in foreign markets continued to be featured in the series, though) until FIFA 17.

FIFA Football [edit]

• Cover athlete: Roberto Carlos, Ryan Giggs, and Edgar Davids (in the United States, only Landon Donovan appeared)
• Title song: "To Get Down (Fatboy Slim remix)" by Timo Maas
• Released for: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, PlayStation, Game Boy Advance, Mobile phone
• Release date: 5 November

FIFA Football added features completely new gameplay from the previous titles. EA revamped the outdated DirectX 7 graphics used in FIFA and , and introduced new graphics featuring more detailed stadia, players, and kits. Club Championship Mode was introduced with the feature of playing against 17 of Europe's top clubs in their own stadia and the fans singing their unique chants and songs. A TV-style broadcast package gave highlights at half-time and full-time, as well as comprehensive analysis. One of the most anticipated new features was EA Sport's "Freestyle Control" which allows the user to flick the ball on and lay it off to teammates. Other additions include greater likenesses of players such as Thierry Henry and Ronaldinho, as well as realistic player responses. An Xbox version was added to the Windows and PlayStation 2, whereas the original PlayStation version was dropped. FIFA Football was also the first game in the series to use the EA Trax. EA Trax is the exclusive music menu system that has been used ever since in all FIFA titles.

FIFA Football [edit]

While not adding much to the game engine, the biggest new inclusion in FIFA Football is secondary divisions, which allow the player to take lower ranked teams into the top leagues and competitions (a promotion/relegation system was present since the edition, but none up until this one featured second-tier leagues). A new gameplay feature dubbed "off the ball" was introduced, which is the ability to simultaneously control two players, in order, for example, to move a second player into the box in anticipation of a pass. The online mode was touted as the main feature. Another key feature is "Football Fusion", which allows owners of both FIFA and Total Club Manager to play games from TCM in FIFA . This is also the first FIFA game to feature Latin American club teams aside from those of the Brazilian League; there are four from Mexico (América, Toluca, Monterrey and UNAM; a fifth team, Tigres UANL, is present only in the Game Boy Advance version) and two from Argentina (Boca Juniors and River Plate). The title sequence, featuring Ronaldinho, Thierry Henry and Alessandro Del Piero, was filmed at St James' Park, the home ground of Newcastle United.

FIFA Football [edit]

• Cover athlete: Patrick Vieira, Fernando Morientes and Andriy Shevchenko (in North America, Oswaldo Sánchez replaced Patrick Vieira)
• Released for: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, PlayStation, PlayStation Portable (America only), Game Boy Advance, Nokia N-Gage, Gizmondo, Mobile phone
• Release date: 11 October

FIFA Football was released much earlier than the usual late October date to obtain a head start over Pro Evolution Soccer 4 and avoid clashing with EA Sports' own FIFA Street. The game features the return of the create-a-player mode, as well as an improved Career mode. The biggest difference compared to previous titles in the series is the inclusion of first-touch gameplay which provides gamers with the ability to perform real-life tricks and passes. It is also the first version to feature the full Mexican League. The game has no opening video, but its soundtrack is headlined by British DJ Paul Oakenfold, who composed the FIFA Theme especially for the game, using some sounds from the game such as artificial crowd noise and commentary. This was the last title released for the original PlayStation in the US. The game also features authentic crowd chants edited by producer Dan Motut.

FIFA 06[edit]

FIFA's developers made a complete overhaul of the game engine for this installment of FIFA, claiming a dramatic increase in the control of play, having rewritten more than half the game's code. In addition to a renovation of the engine, which discards the "off the ball" system, the developers boasted a significantly more involved Career mode and the introduction of "team chemistry" which determines how well team members play together. This installment breaks with the long tradition of commentary from Match of the Day's John Motson and (more recently) Ally McCoist, who are replaced by ITV's Clive Tyldesley and former Sky Sports pundit Andy Gray, who had already worked in the series as guest commentator.

One of the new features in FIFA 06 was a special "retro" which features nostalgia of the game. Inside it includes an unlockable classic biographies section, a memorable moments video compilation, which features ten of the most memorable moments as judged by the FIFA 06 developers, a video compilation with a retrospective view of every game in the FIFA series and the chance to play the first ever game in the FIFA series which was titled as "FIFA 94". The game also features for the first time a Classic XI team consisting of great football legends and a World XI team consisting of current great superstars. Both teams have the CardiffMillennium Stadium as their primary ground. These clubs must be unlocked in the "Fan Shop".

The Xbox version, titled FIFA Road to FIFA World Cup, featured only national teams and a brand-new engine taking advantage of the Xbox 's graphical capabilities. It was the first FIFA game on a seventh-generation console.

FIFA 07[edit]

• Cover athlete: Wayne Rooney and Ronaldinho (worldwide); Ronaldinho and Lukas Podolski (Germany); Ronaldinho, Landon Donovan and Francisco Fonseca (North America); Ronaldinho and Juninho Pernambucano (France); Ronaldinho and David Villa (Spain)
• Released for: Microsoft Windows, Xbox , PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS, Game Boy Advance, Java ME
• Release date: 27 September

The main differences from the previous game are a new "Interactive Leagues" function, new stadia such as the new Wembley Stadium and Emirates Stadium, and the ability to create custom teams and Turkcell Super League returns after seven years of absence from the series. The game's front-end and graphics engine remain largely the same. The Xbox version uses a completely new game engine which was created from scratch for the system. This Xbox version also features a much reduced team line-up, completely removing all lower division teams and focusing on the four main European leagues, plus the Mexican Clausura and national teams. This was the last title released for the GameCube, Xbox and Game Boy Advance.

FIFA 08[edit]

FIFA 08 introduced a new game mode called "Be a Pro", in which the player controls only a single player on the field. This version also introduced a larger club section including the League of Ireland, and the Hyundai A-League of Australia, for the first time. Unlike FIFA 06 and 07 however, FIFA 08 does not include any memorable moments or season highlights.

It was the first game in the franchise for PlayStation 3 and Wii, the latter introducing motion controls for shooting, as well as three mini-games that make use of the Wii Remote.

FIFA 09[edit]

• Slogans: Are You Ready For FIFA 09?
• Cover athlete: Wayne Rooney and Ronaldinho (worldwide); Wayne Rooney and Sergio Ramos (Spain); Ronaldinho and Kevin Kuranyi (Germany); Ronaldinho and Balázs Dzsudzsák (Hungary); Ronaldinho and Daniele De Rossi (Italy); Ronaldinho, Maurice Edu and Guillermo Ochoa (North America)
• Released for: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox , Wii, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS, Java ME, Zeebo
• Release date: 3 October

FIFA 09 features a revamped collision system and an option for 10 versus 10 "Be a Pro" online matches, and the new "Adidas Live Season" feature, which updates all the players' stats in a particular league based on the player's form in real life. Although the feature is activated through microtransactions, gamers have access to one free league of their choice from the moment they activate the service to the end of the –09 season. Online play has also been improved in FIFA 09, with a feature called "FIFA 09 Clubs" allowing players to form or join clubs and field their strongest team online. The game is the first in the FIFA series to feature user-controlled goal celebrations.^[25]FIFA 09 has met with generally positive reception from reviewers.

Clive Tyldesley and Andy Gray again provide the commentary in the English version. However, in the PS3 and Xbox versions of the game, Tyldesley is replaced by Martin Tyler. For the first time, users can also purchase extra commentator voices in different languages from the PlayStation Store (PlayStation 3) and Xbox Live Marketplace (Xbox ).^[26] Another option for the English language is Tyldesley and Andy Townsend.

s[edit]

FIFA 10[edit]

• Slogans: Lets FIFA 10
• Cover athlete: Theo Walcott, Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney (UK); Wayne Rooney and Tim Cahill (Australia); Wayne Rooney and Andreas Ivanschitz (Austria); Wayne Rooney and Balázs Dzsudzsák (Hungary), Wayne Rooney and Robert Lewandowski (Poland); Ronaldinho and Giorgio Chiellini (Italy); Karim Benzema, Steve Mandanda and Guillaume Hoarau (France); Wayne Rooney and Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany); Frank Lampard and Simão (Portugal); Karim Benzema and Xavi (Spain); Frank Lampard; Sacha Kljestan and Cuauhtémoc Blanco (North America); Sergei Semak (Russia)
• Released for: Microsoft Windows, Xbox , PlayStation 3, Wii, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS, iOS, Android, Java ME
• Release date: 2 October (Europe), 20 October (USA)

FIFA 10 has an extended Manager Mode which includes a new Assistant Manager that can be used to take care of the team's line-up and to rotate the squad based on importance of the upcoming match and improved finances. The "Player Experience and Growth System" has changed. Player growth will now be determined by in-game performance, demands placed on the player, and achievements based on the player's particular position. The games also features 50 stadia and 31 leagues, among which the Russian Premier League is introduced to the series (except for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox versions). It also includes degrees player control instead of the 8-direction control in previous games.

FIFA 11[edit]

• Slogans: We Are 11
• Cover athlete&#;: Kaká (World), Wayne Rooney (United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland & Australia), Mesut Özil & René Adler (Germany), Tim Cahill (Australia), Jakub Błaszczykowski (Poland);
• Released for: Microsoft Windows, Xbox , PlayStation 3, Wii, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS, iOS, BlackBerry OS, Java ME
• Release date: 28 September (USA), 1 October (Europe)

FIFA 11 was released 28 September in North America and 1 October in Europe. It features a new replacement to Manager Mode called Career Mode; the player is able to play a career as a Manager, Player or a new feature as a Player Manager. Other new features include an improved passing system, improved player likenesses, the ability to play as a Goalkeeper for the first time, and other various other tweaks and additions. The English commentary is provided for the fourth time by Martin Tyler and Andy Gray. Landon Donovan, Kaká and Carlos Vela feature on the cover of the North American version of the game, while Kaká and Wayne Rooney feature on the cover of the UK and Irish version. Aside from Kaká and Rooney, Petr Čech and Andrés Iniesta are also prominently featured in the game, appearing in in-game screens like the menus of the PC version.

FIFA 12[edit]

• Slogans: Love Football, Play Football
• Cover athlete: Wayne Rooney and Jack Wilshere (UK and Republic of Ireland), Landon Donovan and Rafael Márquez (North America), Jakub Błaszczykowski (Poland);
• Released for: Microsoft Windows, OS X, PlayStation 3, Xbox , Wii, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Vita, Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation Portable, iOS, Java ME
• Release date: 27 September (USA), 30 September (Europe)

David Rutter, the line producer for FIFA 12, has promised "a revolutionary year for FIFA especially in the gameplay department."^[27] The first screenshot was revealed on 11 April, featuring Brazilian midfielder Kaká running through the field.^[28]

FIFA 12

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CONTENTS

From the publisher Bruce Piper Last month a Darwin court case gave an insight into Flight Centre’s involvement in the controversial long-running Northern Territory pensioner travel rort. While the company has long affirmed its cooperation with authorities over the matter, the conviction of former Flight Centre staffer Vanessa Barrett came with some graphic testimony about “common practice” within the branch where she worked in Palmerston between and Barrett admitted to submitting false invoices with inflated flight costs for reimbursement by the NT Health Department, when the actual cost of tickets purchased on behalf of pensioner clients was actually much cheaper. The fraud in this case amounted to $,, with the prosecutor claiming the additional income went to Flight Centre, and Barrett receiving a $4, bonus as a result. The court also heard that Flight Centre had already repaid $ million to the NT government to settle a separate civil dispute about the practice of submitting inflated invoices. Previous convictions relating to similar activity have included high profile Darwin agent Xana Kamitsis and Travelworld Katherine owner Tennille Foley – who at her sentencing last year said she had been “first introduced to the process of submitting inflated invoices” when she had worked with Flight Centre in the early s. The NT government probe only looked at activities since During the most recent case, Barrett’s lawyer described the false invoicing practice as “widespread” and often discussed at Flight Centre staff meetings – while the prosecutor noted that “everyone was doing it, but that doesn’t make this individual less culpable”. For her part, Barrett is said to be “absolutely devastated and destroyed” by the situation. If, as is claimed, the practice was widespread within Flight Centre, the company’s NT staffers should be feeling fairly nervous at the moment. Despite the company’s cooperation with investigators, this conviction confirms that police continue to aggressively pursue cases against individuals who, if the evidence is correct, were following procedures acquiesced to (at the very least) by Flight Centre middle management. MEANWHILE on a happier note, I am thrilled to confirm that the Business Publishing Group – owner of travelBulletin, Travel Daily, Cruise Weekly and Business Events News, will now produce the annual AFTA Travel Pages. This long-running annual publication, officially endorsed by AFTA and circulated to travel agents, suppliers and key industry stakeholders across the country, will be revamped before we release the next edition early next year – including the welcome addition of an industry supplier directory which will make it an indispensable reference.

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This month’s contributors Steve Jones, Joel Katz, Jayson Westbury, Richard Lindsay, Penny Lion, Bruce Piper, Brian Johnston, Caroline Gladstone, Kristie Kellahan, Christine Retschlag, Ben Groundwater, Jasmine O’Donoghue, Guy Dundas, Jon Murrie, Matt Bell, Sarah Beyer

EDITORIAL Editor in Chief and Publisher – Bruce Piper cromwellpsi.com@cromwellpsi.com Managing Editor – Jon Murrie Ph: or 02 cromwellpsi.com@cromwellpsi.com Co-ordinating Editor – Sarah Beyer Ph: or 02 cromwellpsi.com@cromwellpsi.com

Advertising National Sales Manager Lisa Maroun Ph: or 02 cromwellpsi.com@cromwellpsi.com Production Co-ordinator Sarah Beyer Ph: or 02 cromwellpsi.com@cromwellpsi.com cromwellpsi.com

DESIGN TEAM Sarah Beyer, Wendy St George ART DIRECTION and FINANCE Jenny Piper cromwellpsi.com@cromwellpsi.com Suite 1, Level 2, 64 Talavera Rd Macquarie Park NSW Australia PO Box Epping NSW Australia Tel: (+61 2 )

Reporting Period: 16 Apr – 16 Sep - Publisher Statement

travelBulletin JULY

1

State of the industry Queen’s Birthday honours

Atas in ATAS locations: 2, total

22

As of 31 March

accredited

cancelled

42

0

New ATAS applications in total

10 outstanding

49

instances of insolvency

27 declined

$63,

returned to Australia consumers in

Last month’s Queen’s Birthday honours list was particularly notable for the inclusion of travel industry doyenne Anna Guillan, who was named as Member (AM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia. Guillan, who is regional director of sales and marketing for Kerzner International, is a director of Tourism Australia and has long been associated with Hayman Island in the Whitsundays. She was also honoured for her long-running commitment to charity including co-founding the Nelune Foundation which has raised more than $18 million to help cancer patients since Two Australian aviation leaders were also cited for their contribution in the Queen’s Birthday list, with Qantas ceo Alan Joyce receiving a Companion of the Order of Australia for “eminent service to the aviation transport industry” and outgoing Etihad chief James Hogan cited for “distinguished service to the aviation transport industry, to the development of tourism and trade linkages between Australia and the Gulf States, and to international airline associations”, receiving an AO. Finally Canberra tourism luminary and long-time Australian Tourism Awards judge Garry Watson received an AM for significant service to the tourism industry in the ACT.  

EK/QF’s Tasman shuffle

Emirates surprised the industry in recent weeks by announcing the suspension of its long-running A flights between Sydney and Auckland. The change means EK will leave the superjumbo on the SYD tarmac each day after arriving from Dubai, rather than flying onwards to New Zealand. At the same time alliance partner Qantas is

business monitor OUTBOUND MARKET

INBOUND MARKET

MAIN DOMESTIC ROUTES

Top 10 domestic city pairs at April

Top 10 destinations, April

Top 10 sources, April

Destination Trend Seasonally Original Trend Trend Adjusted Mar 17/ Apr 16/ Apr 17 Apr 17 % % New Zealand + + USA + + Indonesia Thailand + China + UK + Japan + + Singapore + + Fiji Hong Kong + All outbound + +

Source Trend Seasonally Original Trend Trend Adjusted Mar 17/ Apr 16/ Apr 17 Apr 17 % % + + New Zealand China + + USA + + UK + + Singapore + + Hong Kong + + Malaysia + + India + + South Korea + + Japan + + All inbound + +

City pair

Passengers Passengers % change YE Apr 16 YE Apr 17

Melbourne-Sydney Brisbane-Sydney Brisbane-Melbourne Gold Coast-Sydney Adelaide-Melbourne Melbourne-Perth Gold Coast-Melbourne Adelaide-Sydney Perth-Sydney Hobart-Melbourne

() () 8, 8, + 4, 4, + 3, 3, + 2, 2, + 2, 2, + 2, 2, 1, 1, + 1, 1, + 1, 1, 1, 1, +

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics

Source: BITRE

2

travelBulletin JULY

State of the industry

British Airways flags GDS fee

BNe’s first “show and go”

Brisbane Airport is strengthening ties with the travel trade, last month hosting a gala “Show & Go” event at which two lucky travel agents won an instant three night holiday in Hawaii. Dena Griffiths from Helloworld Travel Albany Creek and Kylie Gretener of TravelManagers were selected from among the crowd during the festivities to wing their way to Honolulu courtesy of Hawaiian Airlines, Hawaii Tourism, Plaza Premium and the Outrigger Waikik Beach Resort. Pictured celebrating the success of the event are Brisbane Airport Corporation’s Denise Brown, Toni Kasch and Oliver Philpot.

boosting operations on the route, with QF partnership benefit. Emirates’ recently deploying its A international product introduced non-stop flights between Auckland between Sydney and Auckland. One of QF’s and Dubai are meeting much of the need for YEAR ENDED MARCH daily flights will also be upgauged to an travel to the Middle East and Europe from Chart I International Passengers Carried (thousands) - March to March A, with the revised schedule ensuring the New Zealand, while the expanded Qantas schedule provides higher frequencies for airlines have the “right amount of capacity in INBOUND OUTBOUND the market to match demand”. trans-Tasman corporate travellers. Brown  Emirates vice president Australasia, said previously changes had been discussed Barry Brown, told travelBulletin the changes with QF, but at the time the carrier didn’t showed EK and QF were using their anti-trust have sufficient wide-body availability to make immunity authorisation to the maximum the change.

British Airways is likely to face significant headwinds in the Australian market, with the proposed introduction of a new € (A$14) per sector fee for all bookings not made via the airline’s own websites or direct sales channels. The impost will be applied for bookings made from 01 November , with the carrier promising to continue to work with GDS providers to distribute content to “valued agency partners”. The new fee will be automatically collected via a Q charge on ticketing, and will be visible as a distinct line item within the fare quote line on the ticket. The carrier helpfully pointed out that the charge can be avoided by using an IATA New Distribution Capability (NDC) direct connect solution or a new BA Booking Portal – which doesn’t actually exist yet. AFTA CEO Jayson Westbury slammed the carrier for its approach, reminding the industry that the pending introduction of NDC is meant to be a partnership rather than a unilateral pronouncement. With travellers between Sydney and London currently able to access more than 50 airlines for their journey, it will be intriguing to see what the effect is on yields and loads aboard BA’s single daily flight on the route.  

Qatar Airways under a cloud

Qatar Airways insists it’s business as usual for its operations from Australia, despite a major diplomatic rift between Qatar and its Middle Eastern neighbours which erupted last month. The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt and Saudi Arabia have accused Qatar of supporting extremism and undermining Continues over page

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DOMESTIC AIR MARKET – April

International Air Market Share

Chart II

InternationalPassengers passengers major airline – year ended March International by by Major Airlines - Year ended March

Total pax carried Revenue pax kms (RPK) Avail seat kms (ASK) Load factor (%) Aircraft trips ()

Qantas Airways, %

Others, %

Jetstar, %

Cathay Pacific Airways, %

Table I

Domestic On Time Performance – April

Singapore Airlines, % Air New Zealand, %

AirAsia X, % Virgin Australia, %

Source: BITRE

Jetstar 5, Qantas 7, QantasLink 8, Virgin Australia 9, All Airlines 38,

Foreign

Australian

Year ended

Year ended

Year ended

% of

% Change

Port

Port

March

March

March

Total

/16

Auckland

Sydney

%

%

1

Arrivals on Time Departures on Time Cancellations No. % No. % No. % 5, 7, 8, 9, 38,

Source: BITRE

International Passengers by Uplift/Discharge City Pairs

1

Yr to Yr to Growth Apr 16 Apr 17 (%) m m + bn bn + bn bn +*

Source: BITRE * Percentage points difference

Emirates, %

China Southern Airlines, % Etihad Airways, %

Apr Apr Growth 16 17 (%) m m + bn bn + bn bn +*

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travelBulletin JULY

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State of the industry Continues from previous page regional unity, closing embassies and borders and banning overflights by Qatar Airways aircraft. All Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways flights to Doha have been suspended, and as travelBulletin went to print there appeared to be little likelihood of a swift resolution as the dispute rolled into its fourth week. While QR says flights are operating normally, at the launch of its new nonstop Doha-Dublin route in mid-June a spokesperson admitted the overflight restrictions were resulting in longer flying times for the carrier’s long-haul services. That will also impact fuel burn and profitability – not to mention the fact that the ongoing publicity around the stoush will certainly impact Australian consumer perceptions of the carrier which has significant operations from Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide. Qatar Airways is responding proactively, with a new video commercial proclaiming “no borders, only horizons” and urging that “travel is a right for all”.  

One&Only, Hayman part ways The industry was shocked last month when Travel Daily exclusively revealed the cessation of the partnership between Kerzner’s One&Only Hotels & Resorts and Hayman Island in the Whitsundays. The split came just three years after the resort relaunched under the One&Only brand following a stunning $80 million upgrade. Hayman closed earlier this year after being smashed by Cyclone Debbie and is currently undergoing further refurbishment – but One&Only won’t be there for the

planned reopening in mid, with resort owner Mulpha Corporation confirming it would undertake a formal process to select a “qualified luxury operator to assume the future management of the island”. Mulpha said it was disappointing to have to close the resort after achieving record trading, but the significant capital works planned would “once again position Hayman as one of the most prestigious luxury resort properties in the Australian market”. For its part One&Only said it remains committed to the Australian market, both via its long-term agreement to manage Emirates’ Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa west of the NSW Blue Mountains, as well as the ongoing growth of Australia and New Zealand as outbound markets to all of the group’s properties across the globe.  

Crystal AirCruises repositions The ambitious growth aspirations of Crystal Cruises appear to have taken a minor detour, with the cancellation of all trips planned for Crystal Skye, the company’s new luxury Boeing aircraft, which will now be deployed to the “special interest charters” market in China. The plane has been chartered for an inaugural day “Golden Week Holiday AirCruise” ex Hong Kong this September, managed by parent company Genting Hong Kong, and thereafter Crystal Skye will be “available for charters and other special interest AirCruises”. Travellers booked on all previously scheduled Crystal AirCruises journeys in and will receive a full refund and a complimentary Crystal Ocean or River Cruise. Crystal president Edie Rodriguez said she was delighted about the deployment of Crystal Skye in the Asia-Pacific region,

saying the charter option serves the vast luxury travel market in China and increases Crystal’s brand presence in the region. “As Crystal expands its portfolio of global travel experiences, the shift of Crystal Skye to special interest charters provides a distinct luxury option that is in great demand and is unmatched by any hotel, resort or cruise line in the world,” Rodriguez said.

Cartel case continues

There has been a further development in the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s long-running case alleging collusion between airlines on cargo surcharges in the early s, with the High Court of Australia finding that price fixing agreements entered into by Air New Zealand, Garuda Indonesia and other carriers breached Australian competition laws. A range of airlines including Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Emirates have already paid a total of almost $ million to settle the case, but Garuda and Air NZ lodged appeals based on whether the relevant market is “in Australia”. The High Court dismissed the appeals, with ACCC Commissioner Sarah Court saying “How a market is defined, including considerations of whether conduct occurs in Australia, are critical issues to the understanding and interpretation of Australian competition law”. She said the judgement sends a “clear message that the ACCC is committed to pursuing cartel conduct that impacts on Australian business and consumers”. The cases against Air New Zealand and Garuda will now return to the Federal Court for a hearing which will consider any penalties to be levied against the airlines.

business monitor INTERNATIONAL AIR ROUTES

INTERNET AGENCY MARKET SHARES

Top 10 city pairs (at March )

April , compared with March Rank Websites Visits Share Apr 17 1 Webjet Australia 2 Expedia Australia 3 Skyscanner Australia 4 cromwellpsi.com 5 Flight Centre 6 Velocity Frequent Flyer 7 Luxury Escapes 8 cromwellpsi.com

City pair

Relative Diff Apr to Mar + + + + +

Rank Mar 17 1 2 3 4 5 6 9 8

9 Cheap Flights Aus & NZ

7

10 I Want That Flight!

10

Source: Hitwise, a division of Connexity

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travelBulletin JULY

Passengers YE Mar 16

Passengers YE Mar 17

% of % change total 17/16

SHARE PRICES at 20 June

Flight Centre (FLT) $ Helloworld (HLO) $

Auckland-Sydney 1,, 1,, + Singapore-Sydney 1,, 1,, Singapore-Melbourne 1,, 1,, + Auckland-Melbourne 1,, 1,, + Singapore-Perth 1,, 1,, + Hong Kong-Sydney 1,, 1,, + Auckland-Brisbane , , Los Angeles-Sydney , , Denpasar-Perth , , + Kuala Lumpur-Melbourne , , + Top 10 city pairs 11,, 11,, + Other city pairs 24,, 26,, + ALL CITY PAIRS 35,, 37,, +

Webjet (WEB) $

Source: BITRE

Mantra Group Limited (MTR) $

Qantas (QAN) $ Virgin Australia (VAH) $ Ardent Leisure (AAD) $ Air New Zealand (AIZ) $ Auckland International Airport (AIA) $ Sydney Airport (SYD) $ Corporate Travel Management (CTD) $ Village Roadshow (VRL) $ Regional Express (REX) $ Sealink (SLK) $

State of the industry

NZ All Stars hit the road Tourism New Zealand, Air NZ and Virgin Australia held a series of events around the country last month, with the All Stars roadshow held in Australia for the first time in more than a decade with the aim of “bringing New Zealand to the world”. Maori cultural performances complemented opportunities to dress up as a Hobbit, jump on a bike to evoke the NZ cycle network, participate in Dunedin’s Jaffa race and much more. Pictured in their best Hobbit-wear are Ayla Downing and Sarah Lewis from Flight Centre.

Departure cards depart From this month travellers leaving Australian airports will no longer have to complete Outgoing Passenger Cards. The move has been mooted for some time following the rollout of departure SmartGates, and just two weeks ago the Department of Immigration and Border Protection confirmed the cards would no longer be required effective 01 July Travel agents have been told to no longer provide the cards to passengers leaving from that date, and to remove all existing signage and stocks. Travellers must still report currency movements in excess of $10,, the department advised.

AUSTRALIAN AIRPORTS

International passenger through Australia’s major international airports – March Airport Passengers Passengers % of % change YE Mar 16 YE Mar 17 total 17/16 Sydney 14,, 15,, + Melbourne 9,, 9,, + Brisbane 5,, 5,, + Perth 4,, 4,, + Gold Coast , 1,, + Adelaide , , + Cairns , , + Darwin , , + Canberra` n/a 44, n/a Townsville^ 20, 42, + Sunshine Coast* 17, 13, Norfolk Island 11, 10, Port Hedland~ 7, 7, All Airports 35,, 37,, + ^Scheduled services recommenced September *Seasonal services only `Scheduled services recommenced September ~Scheduled services recommenced April

The changes will also result in a significant revamp of the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ monthly arrival and departure figures. The ABS confirmed that this month’s figures (to be released in September) will be collated based on incoming passengers and reported as “Short Term Visitor Arrivals” and “Short Term Resident Returns”. The changes will also see some details no longer available, including country of disembarkation and stay for departing travellers, permanent departures for Australian residents, and “main reason for journey”. An amended Incoming Passenger Card will be used to collect new data as an alternative to this information.

ATAS ACCREDITED locations at 20 April

New South Wales Victoria Queensland Western Australia South Australia Australian Capital Territory 49 Tasmania 42 Northern Territory total

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HEADLINES 22 May 22 May 23 May 23 May 24 May 24 May 24 May 25 May 26 May 29 May 29 May 30 May 30 May 31 May 31 May 31 May 01 Jun 01 Jun 02 Jun 02 Jun 05 Jun 05 Jun 06 Jun 06 Jun 07 Jun 07 Jun 08 Jun 08 Jun 09 Jun 13 Jun 13 Jun 14 Jun 14 Jun 14 Jun 15 Jun 16 Jun 16 Jun 16 Jun 16 Jun 19 Jun 19 Jun 20 Jun

HLO wholesale evolution Cathay to slash workforce Regent, Oceania sales soar Backpacker tax recovery Tauck Oz outpaces world Trump to axe Brand USA? New MGallery by Sofitel for Sydney Malindo plots Au growth Japan Airlines eyes MEL SriLankan KKs Melbourne BA, IB plan $14 GDS fee Batik Air appoints CVFR as GSA Plenty of Sydney capacity Scots to launch Aus push EK drops A SYD-AKL flights VA updates GDS policy GC authorised agents EK/JQ Tasman seat surge Federal Group expansion VA/HNA jv draft approval TC outlines growth plan New China-Australia flts Qatar hit by Gulf dispute Brand USA delivers ROI Mandatory Thai insurance Visitor dispersal growth Norwegian Joy unveiled Hayman, One& Only split BNE “leakage” concerns Guillan, Joyce, Hogan hailed Thai insurance a way off Google Flights has landed High Court dismisses NZ, GA appeals ABS flags travel stats shift CATO maps out its future ATAS cinema ad package FC releases travel insights report HLO appoints new global director of corporate sales AFTA annual report out OPC winding up on 01 Jul Luxury Escapes adds tours TD wins AFTA Travel Pages

We’re all ears, so share your thoughts at: haveyoursay@cromwellpsi.com travelBulletin JULY

5

Issues & trends

Steve Jones’ Say Forgive what may appear a self-indulgent topic, but I recently found myself wondering how the industry views the trade media and what role it believes we have. Is it to entertain and inform? To protect the industry and promote it? To criticise and analyse? It’s a conversation, or argument more accurately, I’ve had several times over the years. Following the attack at the Ariana Grande concert in the UK, I was drawn to an editorial in the digital pages of one of the industry websites which said it would no longer report terrorist atrocities. Such reporting is “not really helping the travel cause”, it explained, adding there are more than enough national and international media outlets providing blanket coverage of such tragic events. Furthermore, it did not want to “unwittingly help spread fear and particularly people’s propensity to travel because of it”. As you might expect, it was an approach welcomed by the industry. I partly agree. I don’t believe the role of the travel trade media should extend

to reporting directly about terrorist attacks. Not because it’s unhelpful for the travel industry, but simply because regurgitating details and lifting eye witness accounts that we’ve already read in mainstream media is worthless. Fundamentally, terrorist attacks are not travel trade stories. Either add something of pertinence to the travel sector, or don’t bother at all. Yet such events clearly impact the industry. They can and do have short, mid and long term implications for the sector and cannot simply be ignored on the basis the subject matter is too negative, confronting or painful. “Nothing to see here” does not cut it. Which is why reflection, analysis and commentary is very much the media’s role on this and any other issue, however unpalatable it may be. If that analysis presents a sobering, less-than-optimistic outlook for travel, well, so be it. It is not the media’s job to blindly talk up the industry in the face of unfolding challenges. As it happens, the public have so far demonstrated admirable resolve and

Google Flights takes off Consumers looking for travel inspiration now have a new tool from internet giant Google, which last month debuted its “Google Flights” product in the Australian and New Zealand markets. Previously when asked about flights between two cities Google was able to return details of the various services and their frequencies - but now the results include details of pricing and the ability to make a booking. 6

travelBulletin JULY

Users can enter departure dates for each sector, with one-way, return and multi-city itinerary planning possible. Searches can be filtered by price, airline, flight duration, stops, departure time and connecting airport - and once a result is returned users are invited to “book, track or share this flight” with booking buttons linked to directly to airline, OTA or travel agency websites. Google Flights also features an

resilience, and that should be reported. But let’s not ignore or sugar coat issues just because the alternative is inconvenient. Not everything in the garden is rosy, and it should not be presented as such. Least of all by the media. I suspect most people understand that. Yet there has always been a school of thought – hence my arguments down the years - that trade journalists should be an extension of the industry’s PR machine; talking up the positives, promoting destinations, spruiking company growth, showcasing brochures. Of course all those stories play an important part in the mix. There is a wealth of helpful, informative and engaging content – not least in this publication – and championing the success of companies and individuals at the NTIA awards for example, is part of our role. But self-censorship, or the suppression of news or issues because it’s somehow awkward for the sector or individual companies, is not the way to go. The trade media should explore the good and the bad, not be its blinkered cheerleader.

inspirational ‘Explore’ option for those dreaming about their next trip. They can simply specify a month and holiday duration to see a list of popular destinations and fares. Prior to booking, Google enables prices for a particular trip to be tracked, with email notifications when ticket costs change. Google Flights is fully integrated with Google Maps and also presents hotel options in the selected destination, including pricing for the selected dates. Interestingly, the tag-line on the Google Flights website states “Book flights with confidence” indicating the web behemoth is clearly looking to gather bookings from consumers.

Issues & trends

AFTA records one of its best years AFTA last month released its /17 annual report, celebrating an array of achievements over the last 12 months particularly including the ongoing success of the AFTA Travel Accreditation Scheme (ATAS). AFTA CEO Jayson Westbury noted that along with continued strong support for the scheme, not a single ATAS accredited agent had entered insolvency during the year. “This fact is very pleasing as it does show that travel agents across the country have continued to run profitable and successful businesses - which is something that AFTA has always aspired to,” he wrote in the report’s reveiw of the year. He said ATAS had been instrumental in elevating standards across the industry, with the accreditation program now standing as the “mark of quality and professionalism” for the sector.

Finances AFTA chairman Mike Thompson noted the organisation had lived within its means despite a number of extraordinary expenses including a difficult Supreme Court challenge by former member Bestjet. The success of ATAS has seen membership numbers and overall revenue increase during the year, with the Federation reporting an operating surplus of $9, for the year. Membership and accreditation fees accounted for the lion’s share of income, amounting to $2, million - an increase of more than $,

on the prior year. The National Travel Industry Awards recorded a net profit of $70, and AFTA also received income from some marketing activities such as the afta@mail newsletter, website contributions and email distribution services, worth about $30, overall. Other income included an $85, grant from the Tasmanian government, which was utilised for education processes for consumers and travel agents. Key costs included employment expenses worth $ million, marketing and advertising amounting to $,, $, in representation costs and $, worth of legal expenses. AFTA also received more than $30, of interest income during the year.

ATAS ATAS grew to a total of 2, locations across the country, with the report also detailing a range of activities around the scheme. During the year there were new applications for participation but the majority of these failed to submit the required documentation to warrent an assessment of the application. New applicants joining the scheme totalled , while 27 applications were declined and a further ten were still outstanding as at 31 March During the year several existing members had their accreditation cancelled, including four which

failed to demonstrate they were ‘fit and proper persons’ as described in the ATAS charter. A further two members had their accreditation cancelled due to solvency concerns, while 14 members closed down and 13 decided not to renew. AFTA noted that this data only referenced individually accredited entities and excludes Flight Centre and STA branches. Interestingly 31 ATAS participants were placed on “Monitoring Agreements” requiring them to supply quarterly trading updates including cash balances, net asset positions and net profit data. Monitoring Agreements are required for a minimum of 12 months in most cases, and evaluated on an ongoing basis - and all new ATAS participants classified as start-up businesses are now required to adhere to a Monitoring Agreement as part of conditional approval for ATAS accreditation.

Complaints The other interesting area covered by the report was the outcome of complaints against travel agents in the ATAS procedures. A total of $63, was returned to Australian consumers via the ATAS complaints escalation process, relating to 47 complainants. In all complaints were received during the year, but were ineligible as they related to non-ATAS participants. travelBulletin JULY

7

Issues & trends

Norwegian brings Joy to Asia Norwegian Cruise Line has firmly set its sights on the Asian market, with the deployment of its brand new Norwegian Joy to sail out of Beijing and Shanghai year-round. The vessel was showcased in a series of preview events across the region last month, cruising from Singapore to Hong Kong and onward to Shanghai with key industry partners - including Australian agents and wholesalers taking part. travelBulletin travelled to Hong Kong to check the ship out, and it’s certainly a game-changer. Said to be the first vessel expressly designed for the Asian market, Joy actually has a very wide appeal with 28 on-board dining options, a host of activities and entertainment and accommodation to suit people of all ages, including extended family groups. There’s plenty of action, with the ship featuring a two-storey go-kart track on the top deck, along with a laser tag arena and a “serenity garden” for those who want a bit of peace. Inside there’s the ‘Galaxy Pavilion’ - an area hosting a range of interactive games including a virtual reality roller coaster, video consoles and much more. There are dedicated Karaoke rooms, a large theatre, a tea room and plenty of other spaces to make the most of passengers’ time on board. Our host during the ship tour said a key feature for the Asian market was the array of on-board gambling options which include gaming floors and two VIP casinos, one of which is in the exclusive “The Haven” on-board enclave which features its own bar, lounge and restaurant. There’s also a huge array of shopping available for those wanting to exercise their retail muscles. An extensive spa complements on-board beauty treatment options, and there’s also a large gym for those trying to stay in shape between all those delicious meals. While Norwegian Joy is primarily targeting the Chinese market, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings is also offering the product to Australian travellers, with a number of cruise specialist wholesalers bundling short cruises ex Shanghai or Beijing as part of wider Chinese travel packages.

AFTA view Jayson Westbury, chief executive AFTA

Terrorism, deadly destinations, arrests, hospitalisations, doom and gloom appear to be the current mantra of our beloved consumer media at the moment with more requests for comment and interview over the past few weeks and this month than any other topic. I guess bad news makes for good stories and as is often the case AFTA does what it can to make sure the stories being told are factual, balanced and sending the right message to consumers. Misguided fear can lead to re-thinking a holiday and that is not good for the industry, nor frankly warranted. When DFAT released its report about deadly destinations it included some big numbers. Australians who died last year include; deaths in Thailand, deaths in Philippines. 97 in Indonesia and 94 in Vietnam. That started the commentary and then there has been the terrorism events in London and the government challenges with Qatar. The issue that we face is that the horrifying statistic needs to be balanced with the number of people travelling. In so many cases, travellers to these named destinations are likely to be younger and first timers which presents all sorts of risks and risks being taken resulting in tragedy. When we turn our minds to terrorism this is much more difficult to respond to and explain. In fact, you can’t explain it, which is why our message is that people should be aware, be alert, be careful of their environment at all times and ensure that someone back home knows where they are at any given time. It’s good reason to use a travel agent and this point has not been lost when talking with the various media outlets about minimising risk. All of this can’t be talked about without reference to the government run Smartraveller program that continues to deliver travel advisories and provide the opportunity for Australian travellers to register their travel with the government website. Sadly, the take up rate for this is still relatively low compared with the almost 10 million outbound trips that are being taken by Australians each year. However, the need for travel insurance is getting through to travellers with reports that now only 8% of outbound Aussie travellers don’t hold travel insurance. It is only some four years ago that this number was more like 28%. These are complex issues and a melting pot of topics for the thirsty consumer media to talk about. Good thing we are in the conversation. On a final positive note, news that from 1 July (that is this month) the green outbound departure card is abolished and is no longer required to be completed by people leaving the country is indeed good news. As the smart gates get smarter and the experience of departure gets faster, simpler and even more enjoyable, Australia will be leading on this process and it is worth congratulating Peter Dutton, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection along with his department for this excellent outcome.

These are complex ‘issues and a melting

pot of topics for the thirsty consumer media. Good thing we are in the conversation

’

8

travelBulletin JULY

PARTY ON

THE NILE WITH THE BUNNIKS 24 October - 3 November Cairo • Luxor • Aswan • Nile Cruise • Abu Simbel • Great Pyramids • Egyptian Museum • Valley of the Kings • Karnak & Luxor Temples • Edfu & Kom Ombo

The Bunniks behind Bunnik Tours - Marion, Sacha and Dennis - are going to Egypt and they’d love you to join them. 45 lucky agents will experience one of the world’s most iconic travel destinations with the Egypt experts and the founders of one of Australia’s most innovative travel companies. For more information visit cromwellpsi.com

“Join us and stand in awe at the sight of Ancient Egypt’s most famous monuments and enjoy a series of money-can’t-buy exp eriences on this day mega famil.”

®

Issues & trends

Auschamber view Richard Lindsay, manager of Australian Chamber – Tourism

Booming tourism needs policies to match

Tassie tells a story Tasmania’s Federal Tourism Group last month opened what it describes as “the world’s first storytelling hotel”. Perfectly located on Hobart’s waterfront, each of the rooms at MACq01 (for Macquarie Wharf #1) is themed on a famous Tasmanian, with the aim of creating a unique experience for guests which will keep them coming back again and again. Federal’s portfolio also includes Hobart’s Henry Jones Art Hotel and the Saffire luxury lodge at Freycinet National Park, with the group overseen by Matt Casey who told travelBulletin that unlike the other properties there was no natural “sense of place” for the MACq01 building. “It could have been just another three- or four-star hotel - our hope is by creating a storyline for the property we can get a higher yield and maintain customer loyalty,” he said. The hotel has been a labour of love for Casey, with many of the stories developed by his parents as they explored the Tasmanian countryside, or propped up a bar to hear some of the locals’ tales. MACq01 has a team of full-time in-house “storytellers” who conduct tours both of the hotel and the Hobart surrounds, while the themed rooms also in many cases include genuine artefacts related to their namesake. The characters are classified into five key types: The Fighting Believers; The Hearty and Resilient; The Colourful and Quirky; The Grounded, yet Exceptional; and The Curious and Creative. Every room also features an original artwork by Tasmanian artist Troy Ruffels, and there’s a cosy and inviting bar and restaurant featuring stunning Tassie cuisine. Federal continues to set its sights on expanding its tourism operations. Currently the group is developing the Port Arthur Luxury Lodge, and Casey also confided that he believes the concepts used to develop MACq01 could be applied to properties on the mainland too.

Tom Wootton, Federal Group marketing manager for tourism; Federal Group managing director and CEO Greg Farrell; MACq01 general manager Jake Smith; and Matt Casey, GM of tourism for Federal Group at the opening.

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At a time when many Australian industries are struggling, tourism is booming. The latest International Visitor Survey shows once again that the tourism industry is Australia’s unsung economic hero, with international tourists staying longer and spending more when they come to Australia. The million visitors that came to Australia in the year ending March spent a record $ billion and stayed million nights – both up by 5%. Despite the current healthy figures, we cannot take the future growth of tourism and the visitor economy for granted, particularly at a time of uncertainty for the global economy and fluctuating currency movements. Government forecasts tell us that international visitors to Australia are likely to rise from million in to million in , and by that year inbound tourism expenditure could generate $ billion in today’s dollars. So with domestic tourism expenditure also expected to grow substantially, the visitor economy could be one of the biggest drivers of new jobs over the next decade – but only if the policy settings are right in this highly competitive international market. That’s why Australia Chamber – Tourism was disappointed to see the recent Federal Budget miss the opportunity to support growth in the tourism sector, hurting efforts to attract more visitors to Australia. In particular, the decision to not quarantine Tourism Australia’s funding from broader cuts means its government funding will fall % next financial year. This will reduce Australia’s ability to compete in the market to attract international visitors. This impact will be exacerbated by the decision to index visa fees, including fees for tourist visas, making Australia a more expensive destination for international tourists. This will hurt the hundreds of thousands of small businesses that rely on Australia welcoming visitors from abroad. These businesses will also be hit by the new training contribution fees for temporary and permanent skill visas, which will exceed $1, per annum for each temporary skilled migrant and $3, for each permanent migrant. Inevitably this will reduce local job numbers by limiting the ability of local businesses to grow. The significant per cent increase in award wages from July will also affect the many sectors in tourism that are heavily reliant on awards to regulate wages. The importance of tourism to the economy means that we need to ensure that policy decisions support and enable the sector, rather than add costs to Australian tourism operators and potential international visitors. We need to ensure Australia is effectively marketed to potential overseas visitors, the costs of visas are internationally competitive, and that our tourism businesses are not slugged with unsustainable wage increases.

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Issues & trends

AFTA’s new credit card solution There’s a major revolution brewing in credit card payments for travel in Australia, with billions of dollars in bookings through travel agents expected to shift away from traditional banks to new merchant providers in what will become a very competitive and agent friendly environment in the future. The change is being driven by the launch of the new AFTA Insolvency Chargeback Scheme (AICS). Under development for some time, AICS debuted late last month and will be fully operational before the next round of changes to credit card acceptance become mandatory on 1 September. The scheme is the culmination of years of work by AFTA, prompted by the Reserve Bank review of credit card surcharging rules which kicked off with the release of an Issues Paper in March AFTA provided detailed submissions to the review which highlighted the unique features of the travel industry and the implications of third party supplier collapses for travel agents acting as the merchant. The outcome of the Reserve Bank deliberations included a provision suggested by AFTA which allows the cost associated with protecting the business against supplier chargeback to be included in the rate of surcharge when accepting card payments.

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travelBulletin JULY

The new program puts to rest the key issue run under contract by Gow-Gates. To access of chargebacks, which have left travel agents the scheme travel agents will need to be “caught in the middle” between consumers ATAS accredited, but there will be very few and collapsed suppliers, all the way back other requirements. “As new and innovative to the failure of Ansett in the early s. merchant services become available to ATAS travel agencies across the country will agents I am confident that not only will this be able to access “solid industry owned scheme answer the questions on credit protection against chargebacks” via the charge chargeback, they will also provide scheme, which will be a Mutual Beneficiary agents with better access to affordable Fund operated similarly to an insurance and innovative merchant facilities for their product, but without the profit requirements businesses,” Westbury said. and insurance policy complexities. AFTA has already ramped up its staff AFTA CEO Jayson Westbury said the numbers in preparation for the launch launch of AICS means “we have finally found of AICS, with long-time Cruise Lines an appropriate vehicle to solve the missing International Association staffer and link in the travel agency reform agenda”. He former travel agent Amanda Rixon joining said the issue of chargebacks had frustrated as Partnership Executive. Dean Long, AFTA and concerned travel agents, and that AICS National Manager Strategy and Policy, will would be levied as part of the eligible credit/ hold the key management responsibility debit card surcharge. within AFTA for the new scheme. “Each time a supplier has collapsed the “I am really proud that AFTA has managed agent has been left holding the debt and to negotiate a reform of the credit card the concern of covering the chargeback surcharging arrangements that enables from the customer. Now AICS resolves this travel agents to resolve this long-standing matter once and for all, and it will come problem,” Westbury added. AFTA members at next to no cost to the travel agent,” he will shortly receive an information pack on said. AFTA has confirmed that the new the scheme, with the aim of making the credit card rules, which require that only the transition to AICS and the new merchant costs of processing the cards be passed service providers as simple and seamless onto consumers, will also allow the cost of as possible. “forward delivery risk” (i.e. chargeback coverage) to be included in the overall permitted surcharge. Owned by AFTA and operated as a separate Limited by Guarantee nonJayson Westbury, chief executive officer, AFTA profit entity, AICS will be

We have finally found an appropriate ‘vehicle to solve the missing link in the travel agency reform agenda ’

Issues & trends

Rebounding Egypt inspires mega-famil Egypt’s tourism recovery appears to have hit its stride, with Bunnik Tours the latest operator to signal a strong resurgence. Six years after the country’s political upheaval, managing director Dennis Bunnik says tour bookings are on track to reach 60% of their pre levels, ending a long stagnation. “When the revolution hit, Egypt bookings dropped 90%,” Bunnik said. “They stayed 80 to 90% down since then, but this year they’ll be back up at 60% of pre-revolution levels. The increase in the last year is massive.” Bunnik was the only Australian tour operator on the ground at the time of the revolution and won praise for his efforts in managing and evacuating guests. Having visited the destination at least a dozen times since, he says the time is now right to launch a major re-education initiative for the trade in the form of the company’s first “mega famil” for 45 agents. “Egypt has always been very close to our hearts,” he said. “We never abandoned Egypt, as soon as it was safe we got back in and continued selling tours. Now we’re working with Egypt Tourism to rebuild tourism – it’s the one industry that helps all

AFTA Travel Pages has found a new home in

levels of society.” The Bunnik Tours’ mega famil will operate from 24 October to 3 November and will be the first famil hosted by the company’s full family contingent – Marion, Dennis and Sacha Bunnik. With the support of the Egyptian Tourism Authority, Bunnik says it will include “money-can’t-buy experiences” such as access to key museums ahead of public opening.

From , Travel Pages, the only publication endorsed by AFTA, will be published by the Business Publishing Group, owners of travelBulletin and Travel Daily Daily. To request a media kit email travelpages@cromwellpsi.com or call

Issues & trends

Travel Counsellors targets Australia for growth By Jon Murrie Travel Counsellors has set its sights on a bigger share of Australia’s home-based agency sector, announcing ambitious growth plans and a renewed focus on recruitment. As its members gathered at the Melbourne Cricket Ground last month to celebrate their 10th Australian conference, chief executive officer Steve Byrne declared the group was ready to expand both globally and locally, and predicted Australia’s growth would out-strip that of other markets. “This is about building a future without limits,” Byrnes said. “We currently have 1, Travel Counsellors - we want to have 3, Travel Counsellors globally within the next three years,” he said. “We’re going to double it.” “We have , customers at the moment who book with us regularly. We want to get to a million.” The Australian division, currently involving home-based Travel Counsellors, was earmarked for growth to around , Byrnes said, including an additional new recruits this year. “We expect a disproportionate amount of our global growth to come from Australia,” he said. “So if Australia is 8% of our numbers at the moment and we’re going to double our numbers globally, we don’t expect to just double our numbers here - we’d expect to do more growth proportionally in Australia than the other markets. “In all the research we’ve done both from a customer point of view and from an agency point of view, (the Australian division) should be bigger than it is.” Byrnes believes several key factors give Australia greater potential for the UK-based group. “There’s the propensity to travel,” he said. “There’s the richness of the travel experience because it’s longer. Average booking values 14

travelBulletin JULY

Travel Counsellors chief executive officer Steve Byrne with managing director Australia Fred van Eijk at last month’s conference at the MCG

are higher and there’s a really rich mix of product on offer. “Then you’ve got a large pool of experienced travel agents, comparatively, for a country of the population size you’ve got. You’ve also got a sound economic basis, and it’s a market that doesn’t have deep online penetration. And there’s a strong corporate market. “It’s got all the ingredients to say we should be and will be doing much better. And being much better also includes being much bigger.” Having recently expanded its Melbourne regional headquarters, the group has embarked on a three-pronged strategy it calls RR2P, focussed on recruitment, referrals & re-bookings, and the expansion of its in-house technology platform Phenix. Recruitment will draw from several key areas, including experienced travel agents and tour operator tailor-made specialists working in established businesses. Other new recruits will come from among agents who have had a career break from travel and are looking to return – a pool considered ideal for the home-based model. Travel Counsellors’ recently appointed managing director for Australia Fred van Eijk has been charged with leading the recruitment process, having previously forged the group’s successful establishment in the Netherlands and Belgium, markets he still manages remotely from Melbourne. He said agents coming back into the industry would be supported through a new “return to travel program”. “The return to travel program is very exciting,” van Eijk said. “It’s very much for people who have been out of the industry for several years and are now looking for worklife balance. “They want to return to travel, but also

recognise the industry has totally changed,” he said. “It’s a different ballgame, so we spend more time training them and renewing their skills, using their passion and travel expertise and their foundation and traditional knowledge as a travel agent to come back and set up their own business.” As the smaller of the home-based groups operating in Australia, Byrnes acknowledges Travel Counsellors hasn’t impacted the Australian industry to the extent it might have expected as it approaches its 10th anniversary, but he believes the group is now better placed to expand. “We’re much better at setting out how our business proposition is best, how we’re different from the rest,” Byrnes said. More generous commission splits offered by other groups were offset by higher levels of support offered by Travel Counsellors, Byrnes said, which meant an agent could earn more by being freed from administrative burdens. “It’s a full service model,” he said. “You don’t want to be doing admin or chasing money or debts. Our model takes care of that. You do the job that you love best, which is looking after your customers, and you can be more productive.”

much better ‘atWe’re setting out how our

business proposition is best, how we’re different from the rest

’

Steve Byrne, chief executive officer Travel Counsellors

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Issues & trends

A meeting room sponsored by Air New Zealand

The famous in-house slide - usually enjoyed by new hires as they travel from the 14th floor down to the the 12th.

Flight Centre HQ a stunner

The in-house gym

Flight Centre is a multi-billion dollar company, but its Brisbane head office features innovations you are more likely to hear about in a Silicon Valley startup. In operation for about six months now, the South Bank premises occupies a 15 storey building which has enabled the company to consolidate operations and create a funky collaborative environment where it really looks like fun to come to work. travelBulletin was treated to a tour last month, with ceo Graham Turner who pointed out some of the key aspects of the design. The centre of most floors features themed meeting rooms - some sponsored by key Flight Centre suppliers and shaped like aircraft cabins, cruise ships or coaches which are surrounded by open-plan desks arranged in functional groups. Turner himself doesn’t have an office, with his desk out on the floor alongside his colleagues - indicative of the open and egalitarian nature of

Profiles of Flight Centre leaders also grace the walls.

The very approachable finance and administration department including MD Graham Turner’s desk.

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relationships within the company. Yes, there really is a slippery dip, which takes adventurers in two stages from level 14 down to 12, alongside an internal staircase. The top floor features an al fresco canteen with an outdoor barbecue area overlooking the Brisbane River, where staff drinks are served every Friday afternoon. Turner confirmed that the infamous Flight Centre Christmas slip-and-slide also takes place in the canteen - overlooked by about 20 of the company’s famous life-sized ‘Captain’ mannequins. One floor of the building is dedicated to the in-house gymnasium which offers a full array of exercise equipment, in-house trainers and other facilities operated by Flight Centre’s HealthWise offshoot - part of the company’s holistic approach to looking after its staff. There are also two floors of parking, and the building is conveniently located right next to South Bank railway station.

Themed meeting rooms hark back to the company’s early days.

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Rocky Mountaineer’s new brochure features over 65 holiday packages and four unique rail routes through the Canadian Rockies and WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING Pacific Northwest. Rail journeys include their newest three-day route Rainforest to Gold Rush from Vancouver to Jasper, plus classics such as the Coastal passage from Seattle, the First Passage to the West from Vancouver to Lake Louise and the two-day Journey through the Clouds. Guests can also take part in a range of optional tours.

Beyond Travel’s newly added India & Beyond featuring Sri Lanka page brochure features a selection of private tours, pre-and post-land packages for cruise and rail products and river cruises. Escorted tours will take in the sights of the Golden Triangle, which connects Delhi, Jaipur and Agra. Guests can also choose the heritage package and stay in an old fort or opt for a mansion as part of the luxury accommodation range.

Contiki has six new trips and departure dates through to within its Latin America- brochure. Three new itineraries have been introduced in Bolivia and Chile, as well as a Munch Mexico foodfocused trip to Central America. The Lava line and Ecuador and Galapagos Island Hopper trips include working with social enterprise ME to WE at its project deep in the Amazon jungle, accessible only by boat.

Infinity has unveiled its page /18 USA West Coast featuring Mexico brochure. This marks the first time Infinity has combined Mexico and the USA West Coast offerings into one program. Inside, there are a number of cruising, rail, self-drive and extended tours available. Highlighted is a number of seven-day sailings on Carnival Miracle that depart from Los Angeles and explore the Mexican Riviera, with stops at Cabo San Lucas and Mazatla.

Skimax Holidays newest /18 ski brochure covers popular northern hemisphere ski hot spots including Canada, USA, Japan, Korea and Europe. The brochure also features an early bird special for travellers. The guide includes savings of up to 50% on accommodation, lift tickets, lessons, non-ski activities and transfers. There are also facts for each ski destination such as a rough percentage of the number of beginner, intermediate and advanced/expert runs on the terrain and transport options.

Scenic’s page French river cruising brochure for features upgrades to five-star Scenic Diamond and Scenic Sapphire ‘Space-Ships’. Scenic Culinaire is a new feature where guests can be taught by experts in private cooking areas and enjoy seasonal produce. There are also sample itineraries and Freechoice options ranging from active, moderate and relaxed depending on people’s preferred style of travel. The brochure highlights itineraries around Lyon and Bordeaux and many of France’s famous wine regions.

DriveAway Holidays brochure contains details on hiring cars in France. There’s info on important road rules, licence requirements, driving laws in France, handy rental tips, attractions, events and road trip ideas. The latest brochure goes into detail on the number of self-drive tours that are available within all the different French regions, including Paris, Picardy Nord Pas-de Calais and Normandy in northern France. DriveAway also covers self-drive tours in the south of France around Provence Alpes-Cote d’Azur.

Evergreen Cruises & Tours explores Canada, offering various itineraries on the country’s east coast including sailings up close to Niagara Falls or cruising the waters of New England past villages and rugged islands. Guests stay at the five-star Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise hotel - offered on most west coast tours. “Discover More” are extra sightseeing options such as a guided bear viewing or whale watching tour.

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Issues & trends

Xi’an exclusive for Australians The China National Tourism Administration has confirmed a major initiative for Australian travellers as part of the China-Australia Year Of Tourism (CAYOT), which will see an exclusive ‘Tang Dynasty Grand Ceremony’ staged for customers of nine local operators. Normally reserved for visiting dignitaries and world leaders, the one-off event will include a formal Tang-style emperor’s welcome, a reception at the Xi’an Grand Park Hotel for participants, as well as a “unique multimedia live action performance” for the lucky Australian visitors. Up to 1, Aussies are expected to take part, with participating wholesalers including Insider Journeys, Wendy Wu Tours, Helen Wong’s Tours, Scenic, China Best Tours, China Travel Service, Travman Tours, LaCity Travel and PTT Travel. The event takes part on 14 September , with key partners including Hainan Airlines which will operate a dedicated ‘Chang’an Express’ non-stop flight from Sydney to Xi’an on the day preceding the ceremony. Xi’an - formerly known as Chang’an - was China’s capital city for 13 dynasties between BC and AD. The intricate costumes used by the performers are almost exact replicas of those from ancient times. For more information see cromwellpsi.com

IN FLIGHT Cathay Pacific The route Sydney to Hong Kong The plane A Class Business Class The seat Cathay Pacific currently operates its A aircraft on this service, with the aircraft featuring economy and premium economy cabins alongside its flagship business class product. The business class cabin is ideally arranged in a herringbone configuration, meaning every passenger has aisle access. The seats have all sorts of nooks and crannies, with cleverly arranged storage for just about everything - even a shoe cupboard underneath the seat. Noise-cancelling headphones are provided for the extensive array of in-flight entertainment, and in a neat touch they are stored in a small compartment, already plugged into the correct socket. Adjacent to this is a USB charger and in-seat power point - meaning it’s easy to attach a smartphone or tablet for charging and keep it in the same spot. There’s also plenty of

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room for a laptop, which came in handy when I needed to get some work done during the day flight up to Hong Kong. Service and Food In flight the meal service was excellent, with a good selection of Western and Asian dishes complemented by top class wines. After a suitable repast the seat reclines to a fully flat bed for a snooze, while intermediate positioning makes it a very relaxing place to catch up on a movie. While the Cathay Pacific product is excellent, what really set this flight apart was the exceptional service from the attentive crew. They knew my name from the start, perfectly anticipated my needs and even made sure I got my first meal choice. The cabin manager even had a pack of playing cards on hand when I asked him for some CX merchandise. This was only my second flight to Hong Kong this year and I was very impressed at the recognition. Lounge Prior to the flight I had access to the Qantas International Business Lounge at Sydney Airport, and on the return CX service the next day enjoyed several hours in Cathay Pacific’s flagship ‘The Wing’ lounge at Hong Kong International Airport - plenty of dim sum!

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Cover

Stars of the

Ntias Theyâ€&#x;re the stand-out performers of the Australian travel industry, earning high praise from judges and the respect of their peers. But what happens after the names are called and the celebrations end? With the National Travel Industry Awards upon us, travelBulletin spoke to some of the high-profile winners from past years and asked the question, where are they now?

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Cover

Tina Killeen Location: Sydney, NSW NTIA award: Best Travel Consultant Corporate in , and (joint winner). Then position: Corporate Travel Specialist, Spencer Travel Current role: General Manager, Spencer Travel Tina Killeen couldn’t stop at just one award. When Killeen won her first NTIA in , she said it helped her realise she was good at what she did and that she wanted to strive for more. “Each year I had to push myself and make sure I was doing different things and just changing it up a bit really, it keeps you on your toes,” she said.

Each year I had to push ‘myself and make sure I

was doing different things and just changing it up a bit really, it keeps you on your toes

’

She worked to really understand her corporates and film and entertainment clients, venturing out on set and keeping her eye out for all things new. “Especially when it comes to film and entertainment, if you’ve got an understanding of their environment it makes dealing with the travel a lot easier and a lot more things start to make sense, she explained. Setting her sights on the (now discontinued) NTIA Hall of Fame, Killeen went on claim the award for Best Travel Consultant – Corporate again in and in , earning her place in the coveted hall. “It’s the same feeling every time, it just doesn’t get old, it’s so nice to be recognised by the industry,” she said. Killeen said the awards helped to bring in new business for Spencer Travel, and provide her with self-satisfaction and affirmation. “It wasn’t something that I did to move into the next position, it was something I did to push myself to try and make sure that I was being the best that I possibly could,”

she explained. As for the application process, that feeling doesn’t change either, with the team at Spencer Travel banding together to support one another during the “mind-consuming” process. “It’s quite a heavy weight because there is so much in your mind to get up to present. It’s 30 minutes but it feels like you’re up there for three hours, so it doesn’t get any easier!” Killeen admits. The team help ensure all the hard work is worthwhile, celebrating together on the night as well as with a team lunch after the event. Killeen joined the Spencer Travel team – and the travel industry – straight after completing her Diploma in Travel, fresh out of school. She started in reception and as a trainee domestic consultant and 16 years later after progressing from a domestic and international consultant, as well working as the operations manager, she’s now the general manager. “When you’re onto a good thing why would you move?” she said. Killeen is also a finalist for this year’s award for Best Travel Agency Manager – Corporate Single Location.

What did the NTIA win mean to you? The first year I won was in and I had only been in the industry since Winning the award helped me to realise that I was good at what I did and although I was relatively new in the industry, it helped me

to realise that I wanted to strive for more, to keep pushing my boundaries and apply my best to everything that I do.

Why do you think you won? It’s hard to say really but I do put hours into the presentations to ensure my personality, hard work and love for what I do is very clear.

How has your career developed since then? I am now the general manager for Spencer Travel and still love what I do. Although I don’t consult as much anymore, it is still an exciting industry to be a part of.

Advice to others? Just go for it! Step out of your comfort zone and aim for the top.

travelBulletin JULY

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Uschi Howard

Mohammad Nasiry

Location: Yass, NSW NTIA award: Best Corporate Travel Consultant, Best Retail Agency Manager, single location, Then position: Travelcorp, Manager (); The Travel Authority Northern Beaches, Manager (). Current role: Managing Director, The Travel Compass, powered by The Travel Authority. Having made a recent “tree change”, Uschi Howard is relishing a new life in rural surrounds, not far from Canberra and the NSW town of Yass. “I’m so much less stressed and so much more satisfied,” she said. “Country people are very different. They are so much more vested in my personal success, they care about it. Back in Sydney it’s dog eat dog and nobody cares.” Having shifted from Sydney’s Northern Beaches 15 months ago, Howard has quickly developed new clients and new relationships in a location closer to her Canberra-based daughter, an upheaval she’s entirely glad to have made. It’s the second time she has uprooted her life, having moved from Germany at the age of 19 when her engineer father brought his family of eight to Australia. “I started at Concorde Travel in , it was my first job, in the ticketing office,” she said. “I didn’t have much English. When I think about it now it was very hard, but when you’re young you just get on with it, it doesn’t faze you.” That confidence held her in good stead, taking her to NTIA wins in when she worked for Travelcorp and again in when she was the manager of The Travel Authority Northern Beaches. Both wins provided an endorsement for her personal style – which she readily admits is sometimes against the grain when a corporate culture imposes blanket rules. “I don’t adhere to the norm,” she said. “It can potentially conflict with the company way of doing things, but you have to do what’s best for your client. “You’re not just selling travel, you’re selling a service and you have to be able to include real service in your practices. The service does not stop when you get payment or take the deposit.” 22

travelBulletin JULY

Location: Sydney, NSW NTIA award: Best Sales Executive, Industry Supplier, Then position: Business Development Manager, Concorde International Travel Current role: State Manager NSW/ACT, Express Travel Group

What did the NTIA win mean to you? I do not always adhere to the standard or norm in my pursuit of excellence. I am however passionate about travel, the travellers, the suppliers and the people working within this industry. Winning the award gave me the justification and confidence to pursue things “my way”.

Why do you think you won? Several reasons. The main one’s probably a combination of passion, knowledge and experience. The respect of my peers got me to the finalist stage and I think the sheer passion and being able to demonstrate a deep fundamental knowledge of the industry gave me the edge. The testimonials from my clients most likely were the thing that brought it over the line.

How has your career developed since then? For me, the awards gave whatever I tried to achieve, develop or change substance. It helped in creating long term, reliable and valuable relationships within the industry. Without those, I would not be able to look after my clients as well as I do.

Advice to others? Do not discard it as not a viable achievement. If nothing else, it will make you look at what have been doing, are doing and intend to be doing in your career as a travel professional. There are a lot of brilliant people in our industry. Not everyone can win an award. That does not mean you can’t or should not pursue it.

Mohammad Nasiry was headed for a career in the building industry before the travel bug took a bite and diverted him onto an entirely different path. “I wanted to be a builder when I left school, I even had an apprenticeship with a builder,” he said. “But I travelled a bit and I loved it, so I wanted to get into travel after that.” It was a spell in the Middle East and Canada that provided the inspiration, leading to a new path through college and a first job at the Globus family of brands as an office assistant in , “back when email was just coming in and everyone was changing the way things are done”. By , he was a business development manager at Concorde International Travel and had developed a loyal backing from among travel agents he served, earning him a surprise nomination in the NTIAs and eventual success. That endorsement reinforced an ethic that still carries him today in his role as state manager for NSW and the ACT at Express Travel Group. “I go out of my way to assist my agents, and they really appreciate that,” he said. “After work or after hours, being there to help and getting back to people right away – that’s the key. Even now as a state manager, I still work the same way and still like to answer my calls and respond to people right away. They notice.” After his NTIA win, Nasiry joined Etihad for a direct involvement in the airline industry, taking up a position as national account manager at the time the carrier was launching in Australia. Though an exciting time, the launch presented big challenges for an airline that had little in the way of brand recognition in the Australian market. “A lot of people would say ‘Eti-what’, is that in Africa?” he said. “I would go to see people and they wouldn’t have heard of Etihad, and so we’d always have to go through the whole presentation and introduce them. There was some reluctance, but it was a great product to offer.”

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Julie Rogers Location: Brisbane, QLD Award: Best Sales Executive Industry Supplier Then position: Area Sales Manager Queensland North, Globus family of brands Current role: National Business Development Manager, Ponant Triathlons, cycling and paddle boarding are just some of the exercise regimes that will prepare Julie to tackle part of the Tour de France route and climb Mount Kilimanjaro in the months ahead. It seems that tenacious commitment to performance; setting goals and the dedication needed to achieve them has provided Julie with the right foundation for an illustrious sales career. Entering the industry at 21 years of age, Julie has just about experienced it all from corporate, MICE and retail to airline and touring. She has now found her sea legs at luxury cruise expedition company Ponant.

What did the NTIA win mean to you? I was over the moon and it was the best feeling ever as I believe this is the highest achievement for a sales person in the travel industry.

Why do you think you won?

I demonstrated to the judges that I wasn’t just a “rep”, I had great rapport with the owner/managers of each of the businesses I looked after and I could show how I would go beyond what was required to help them achieve sales success.

What did the NTIA win mean to you? I was incredibly honoured and proud. I thanked my managers, my travel agent partners that nominated me and my husband. I was so excited to win.