• APTC will be participating in the World Travel Mart 2008 in London fom November 10th to 13th. Please visit us at The Destination Fiji booth AS1200 in the Asia Pacific hall for an update on our products and the latest news from Australia, New Zealand and the Fiji Islands. 
  Christopher Voss will be representing the APTC group and is looking forward to welcoming you at the stand. Please contact Christopher if you wish to set up a meeting aptcfijigerman@connect.com.fj

Product of the Month

Balloon Hot Air

Did you know that Cairns & Tropical North Queensland is the ballooning capital of the world?

Have you always dreamed of floating in a hot air balloon?

Then this is the ultimate romantic experience in the tropics for you! HOT AIR, it’s one of Australia’s best kept secrets and really is a must do, so fly with Australia’s biggest fleet of balloons where it’s just like a balloon festival everyday!

Start your day by watching the sun rise over the rolling hills of the majestic Tablelands then experience the wonder, silence & romance of floating in a hot air balloon. Enjoy the 360 degree panorama, before coming gently back to earth.

 Afterwards, relax in the historic outback café, drink in the tranquillity while you enjoy a delicious hot breakfast, washed down with a glass of crisp, cold champagne. Be surrounded by the sounds of the bush waking up & the local birdlife all around.

Door to door transfers, choose to connect after ballooning to Kuranda or the Great Barrier Reef. Whichever way, start your day on a high, Balloon with HOT AIR Cairns & Port Douglas.

Some FACTS about Ballooning with HOT AIR -

• Daily departures from Cairns, Palm Cove, Port Douglas
• Daily departures from Gold Coast for FIT’s and Brisbane for Groups
• Ballooning in TNQ is the most reliable in the southern hemisphere, with a 94% take off rate and one of the best places in the world to hot air balloon.
• HOT AIR launched the world’s first shaped balloon for commercial flights - the Koala balloon
• Balloon flights in Queensland with HOT AIR are up to 60% cheaper than elsewhere in Australia
• Excellent value. Most balloon rides in the northern hemisphere are priced for flight & a glass of wine only. HERE in Queensland, return transfers + flight + full breakfast + champagne toasts are all included in the tour price
• HOT AIR has the biggest private fleet of balloons in the southern hemisphere
• Full Itinerary details & downloads are at http://www.hotair.com.au/
• 9.30am to 10am - Tour finishes - Balloon tours provide guaranteed connections & transfers to over 30 local tours - Great Barrier Reef, Kuranda, Adventure tours

What’s New

Billy Tea Bush Safaris - Chillagoe

• Billy Tea Bush Safaris are launching a new tour - Chillagoe in a day.
• Embark on a fascinating journey back in time of history, spectacular savannah landscapes, limestone caves and early mining towns.
• The tour includes morning and afternoon tea, Tropical BBQ lunch and return transfers and runs three days a week.

Coconut Grove

• Coconut Grove is an exciting new 5 star resort in Port Douglas.
• Situated on Macrossan Street just 140m from world renowned Four Mile Beach, Coconut Grove offers 3 bedroom suites over 3 levels.
• Ground floor terraces and rooftop penthouse apartments both feature private plunge pools & spas for the ultimate in tropical indulgence.

The Oaks, Broome - Opening 1 March 2009

• The Oaks resort will combine hotel and apartment style holiday accommodation and will surround 3 swimming pools in landscaped gardens.
• Facilities will include a bistro, bar, spa and lush tropical gardens.
• The Oaks is officially taking bookings for its opening on 01 March 2009!

MGallery: Vision, Design, History and Location

• Accor has announced the launch of MGallery, a collection of distinctive, high-quality upscale hotels that have an exceptional personality through one or more of four principal elements: Vision, Design, History and Location.
• The MGallery label enables Accor to respond to a rapidly growing group of travellers who prefer boutique-style hotels with genuine character, often a destination in their own right
• Accor has two hotels in the Pacific under this banner.
• Grand Mercure St Moritz Queenstownhas become Hotel St Moritz, Queenstown - a member of the MGallery Collection.
• The Grand Hotel Melbourne, managed by Sofitel,has become Grand Hotel Melbourne - a member of the MGallery Collection.

Nitmiluk Tours

• Nitmiluk Tours has acquired the management of Maud Creek Country Lodge, an exclusive outback property situated on the banks of the Majestic Katherine River, just 6 kilometres from the Nitmiluk National Park, home of Katherine Gorge.
• The property will be part of an all inclusive package that has been tailored to the themes of “Australia the Movie” and includes a station stay.

Captain Cook Cruises

To celebrate the launch of Baz Luhrmann’s new movie “Australia”, Captain Cook Cruises is delighted to offer the following Sydney Harbour cruise & dining special - perfect for your clients wishing to “depart feeling like the only two on earth”

• Sydney Harbour Gold Dinner Cruise
• Guaranteed Window seats for two
• Star Deck Welcome
• 7-course degustation menu
• Vintage Australian wines to complement each course

Mirrabooka cultural experience

• Meet the local Brisbane Aboriginal Tribe Riverlife Mirrabooka and share an Aboriginal cultural experience like no other.
• Participate in traditional Aboriginal song and dance with descendants of the local Yuggera Tribe as they perform indigenous stories and dance skills passed on for thousands of years.

Aboriginal Experience - Aries Tours

• Behind the Gold Coast in the World Heritage-listed rainforests of Springbrook National Park lives the largest colony of glow-worms in Australia. Join an expert environmental guide from Aries Tours to discover these beautiful creatures on an evening bush walk through sub-tropical rainforest.
• The highlight of the tour is the Natural Bridge cave where sparkling glow-worms light up the roof above a stunning cascading waterfall.

On the dinosaur trail

• One hundred million years ago, parts of the Queensland Outback lay under ancient inland seas alive with marine reptiles, while prehistoric creatures roamed the land.
• Now you can follow Australia’s Dinosaur Trail linking Winton, Hughenden and Richmond where some of the world’s most amazing fossils are still being found.
• Discover fascinating displays and fossil collections - including some of the best-preserved fossils in Australia and visit the site of the world’s only preserved dinosaur stampede.

Mercure Lake Macquarie Rafferty’s Resort

• A new Mercure resort has joined the Accor network.
• Mercure Lake Macquarie Rafferty’s Resort is a 142 room resort comprising of spacious 2 level villas and terrace buildings, located on the waterfront of Lake Macquarie.

Specials

Rendezvous Reef Resort Post Douglas

• Rendezvous are offering a special summer rate valid for travel from 11^th October 2008 - 31^st March 2009
• Based on 4 night minimum stay
• Full hot daily breakfast for 2 children and 2 adults
• Please contact us for rates.

Cable Beach Club Resort & Broome Broome Car Rentals

• Cable Beach Club Resort and Broome Broome Car Rentals are offering any new guest who books the current Stay 5, Pay 4 summer special, complimentary 2 days car hire during their stay.
• This offer is valid for stays from the 13th of October 2008 to 31st March 2009 for all new bookings, effective today.
• Please contact us for details.

Lady Elliot Islands

• Eco hut special- Great Rate!
• Rate Includes: Full buffet breakfast and dinner daily, one free glass bottom boat/guided snorkel tour per person, free use of snorkel equipment (mask, snorkel, fins) and a range of free Island activities/tour
• Valid 13 October TO 5 December 2008

Sydney Tower Restaurant

• Sydney Tower are offering spring special rates for lunch and early dinner.
• Valid until 30th November 2008

Park Regis City Quays Cairns

• This property is offering a not to missed special rate for their Hotel room.
• Valid for travel until the 23rd December 2008

Sebel Cairns

• TheSebel Cairns are delighted to offer a special rate, effective for new FIT bookings only
• For travel to30 June2009.

Citygate Central Sydney

• Special rate available until 31^st January 2009
• Please contact us for details.

Mantra

The following Mantra properties are offering special rates for a limited time only:

• Mantra Legends Hotel
• Mantra on Southbank
• Mantra Sun City
• Mantra Circle on Caville
• Q1 Resort & Spa
  

Voyages

The following Voyages properties are offering Stay pay deals:

• VoyagesDunk Island- Stay7 Pay5
• Voyages HeronIsland - Stay6 Pay4
• -oyages Brampton Island- Stay7 Pay5

Please contact us for more information on the above offers.

Changes & Refurbishment

CHANGES & REFURBISHMENTS Properties & Touring closed for wet season
Due to the wet season in the North West region some properties and touring product will limit or close their operations during this time. Please find details as follows:

• El Questro - Closed after 31 October 2008.
• Home Valley Station - Will be closed in November and December and will re-open in January 2009.
• Triple J Tours - Ord River afternoon tour will be the only tour running during the wet season.
• Alligator Airways - Only 2 hour scenic flight to the Bungle Bungle Range will be operational.
• Slingair - 2 hour scenic flight to the Bungle Bungle Range and Argyle Diamond Mine tour will be operational during the wet season. The full day tour to the Bungle Bungle Range may be operational in November.
• East Kimberley Tours - Camp will be closed as of mid October. Limited Bungle Bungle Range tours will be run in November in conjunction with Slingair.
• Kimberley Wilderness Adventure & APT Camp - Closed on the 31st October 2008.

Captain Cook Cruises

• As of 1st February 2009 all Matilda Sailing products will cease to operate.

Doherty’s Ballarat Hotel and Convention Centre

• Doherty’s Ballarat Hotel and Convention Centre has been re-branded from 1 November 2008 to Mercure Ballarat Hotel and Convention Centre.

Ferntree Rainforest Lodge

• Please be advised of the temporary closure of Ferntree Rainforest Lodge from January 4 2009 to 31 May 2009.
• The resort will re-open on 1st June 2009.
• Any existing bookings will also be upgraded to Cape Tribulation Resort & Spa.

Grand Mercure Hunter Valley Gardens

• Lazzarini’s Restaurant at Grand Mercure Hunter Valley Gardens has closed indefinitely.
• Hunter Valley Steakhouse will be the hotels only Restaurant

Terraces on Wickham

• Terraces on Wickham has been re-branded to Urban Brisbane

Aqualuna Beach Resort Coffs Harbour

• The current management agreement between Mirvac Hotels & Resorts and Aqualuna Beach Resort Coffs Harbour has ceased.
• The new owners have advised they will honour all existing bookings contracted under Mirvac for travel until the 31 January 2009 only.

Australasian Jet update

• From the 1^st of January 2009, Australasian Jet air transfers between Brampton Island and Mackay will increase.
• In addition, from the 1st of January 2009 Australasian Jet will cease the regular flight operation sector between Hamilton Island to Brampton / Brampton to Hamilton Island

Manly Pacific Sydney managed by Novotel

• The refurbishment of bars & conference areas are now complete.
• The new expected completion date of the Ocean View rooms is early November 2008.

Medina Executive Brisbane

• Soft refurbishments of all rooms are expected to be completed by March 2009.

Citigate Sebel Sydney

• The hotel is undergoing an extensive refurbishment, the expected completion for the lobby is December at which time the hotel will be rebranded The Sebel Surry Hills Sydney.

Kangaroo Island Seafront Resort

• Seafront Resort’s new garden Villas are now completed.
• Heritage rooms are currently undergoing complete refurbishments.

Cairns International Hotel

• The iconic Cairns International Hotel is rebranding as The Sebel Cairns effective from 1 November, having completed a $3 million dollar soft refurbishment of the hotel’s lobby, Coco’s Restaurant, Lobby Bar, Port Cochere and the pool deck.

Great Southern Rail

• The Great Southern rail has amended both the Southern Spirit & Platinum service timetables.
• Please contact us for more details.

Holiday Inn Cairns

• Delays in the building of the new residential apartments adjacent to the hotel continues.
• Units on the Esplanade side of Holiday Inn Cairns are in the final stages of completion. The remaining work to be completed is minimal and occurring internally.
• Minimal noise is expected with possible delays of 8-10 months.

Quicksilver Low Isles

• Quicksilver would like to advise that the introductory diving service provided by Quicksilver at their Low Isles destination will no longer be available from 1 November 2008.

Crowne Plaza Surfers Paradise

• Crowne Plaza Surfers Paradise would like to advise refurbishments to theirTerrace Cafe and Bar from20 October 08 to 28 November 08.

Crowne Plaza Alice Springs

• Crowne Plaza Alice Springs would like to advise of refurbishments in the lobby area, guest rooms and hotel exterior. Commencing on 25 October 08 and concluding by 30 January 09

Tropical Wet Season approaching

• Wrotham Park Lodge and El Questro Wilderness Park will close on October 31, 2008 for the annual tropical wet season.
• Both properties will re-open for business on April 1, 2009.

Orient-Express Hotels Australia

The Observatory Hotel have introduced a “Stay 3 / Pay 2″ offer for the remainder of the current 2008/9 season. (Maximum 2 complimentary nights - offer not valid 27th December to 3rd January)

Destination Management Company