Layne BeachleyTravel Counsellors announce keynote speaker Layne BeachleyWorld Champion Layne Beachley AO is set to wow the crowd as keynote speaker at the annual Travel Counsellors conference to be held in Cairns next weekend.Widely regarded as the most successful surfer in history, by the age of 22, Layne was ranked number 3 in the world. She is the only surfer, male or female, with 6 consecutive World Titles, and the only female with 7 World Titles. Aside from her fame in surfing, Layne is the director of her own events, charity, clothing brand and Chairperson of Surfing Australia.Layne’s story is one of sheer determination that propelled her from humble beginnings to becoming a consistent and dominant force on the professional world tour for almost two decades. The skills required to achieve sustained success as a world champion athlete are translatable to business and all industries. Through sharing her experiences, Layne ignites human potential and helps others to become more focused, accountable and motivated to achieve both professional and personal aspirations.Regional Managing Director Kaylene Shuttlewood said: “We are thrilled to have secured Layne Beachley at our 2018 ‘A Future Without Limits’ conference. Layne’s story is an incredible story of grit, determination and success. At Travel Counsellors, we truly believe that with the right focus, positivity and ambition, you can achieve anything and Layne’s experiences truly encapsulate that.”In just 8 days, The Travel Counsellors Annual Conference will be held over 3 days in Cairns Australia. This year’s conference is set to be an inspiring weekend of sharing and learning with Travel Counsellors coming together with Australian Head Office Staff, Global Business Directors, Sponsors, Partner Suppliers and members of the media.If you’re interested to learn more about Travel Counsellors; please get in touch with our Careers team by calling 1300 889 123, emailing connect@travelcounsellors.com.au or visiting http://recruitment.travelcounsellors.com.auSource = Travel Counsellors read more

One of the most popular summer festivals of South Korea will be held on the west coast at Daecheon Beach in Boryeong. The Festival will begin on July 15 for ten days at the Daecheon Beach Mud Plaza. The Boryeong mud rich in mineral component is collected from the yellow sea and has elements, which prevent skin aging.Every year, this festival attracts youth from different parts of the world.  The side events like mud bath games, mud wrestling, swimming in the mud mega tub and the vibrant music nights offer the visitors to have fun.Visitors feeling particularly energetic can try the marine mud-training course, whilst those looking for something more chilled can relax in the mud massage zone. In the evening, music and fireworks continue the party on the beach.The admission tickets to experience zone range from INR 450-600 approximately. The Festival is open to all from 10:00 am till 6:00 pm at the Daecheon Beach and Downtown area. The beach is easily commutable through train and intercity buses or car from Seoul.According to Byungsun Lee, Director, Korea Tourism Organization, India, the Boryeong Mud Festival is one of the offerings from the land of festival, South Korea. “It attracts the biggest number of foreign visitors during the season. I would like to invite the Indian visitors to experience this enjoyable and exciting mud experience in South Korea this summer,” he said. read more

Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) New Delhi along with luxury travel concierge company- Abercrombie & Kent and the Chiva-Som International Health Resort in Huahin organised an exclusive lunch event for about 40 HNI ladies at Neung Roi (Thai restaurant), Radisson Blu Mahipalpur.The event titled ‘Discover Thainess Ladies Lunch’ was aimed at promoting all women holidays to Thailand, with a special focus on health and wellness tourism.It was a fun filled afternoon showcasing Thai techniques of fruit carving, live Som Tum (raw papaya salad) making and Thai desert making (Tub Tim Krob). Apart from this, the ladies were treated to traditional Thai massage by professionals from Thai Spa- Sawasdee. The afternoon ended with a presentation on activities and attractions in Thailand that women traveller’s specifically would enjoy.Isra Stapanaseth, Director, TAT New Delhi, updated the ladies on the various offerings of Thailand for Health and Wellness Tourism. “From shopping, flower arrangement classes and cooking classes to world class spa, meditation, yoga and wellness retreats, Thailand is a perfect getaway for the ladies to pamper themselves,” he said.Travellers have long considered Thailand as an ideal destination for medical and wellness procedures in Asia. World class hospitals, top notch medical facilities, reputed doctors, excellent post operative care along with the renowned Thai hospitality, makes the kingdom a preferred option the same. read more

The Sharjah Tourism board recently conducted a tourism promotional roadshow across four Indian cities- New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chandigarh. The aim of the shows was to increase visibility of the emirate of Sharjah as a leisure & business destination amongst Indian travellers, policy makers and business sector.H.E. Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman, Sharjah Commerce & Tourism Development Authority, Government of Sharjah, said, “India is a very lucrative market and we are aware of the potential it holds in terms of inbound visitor traffic into Sharjah. We are happy to be tapping this important market through our four-city roadshow. We received an overwhelming response from travel agents and stakeholders and we look forward to doing more activities in near future.”Working with the Sharjah Tourism Board on this four city promotional trip was Khalid Waleed Al Mansoori from Overseas Promotions Department and Sachin Nene, Regional General Manager from Air Arabia. The delegation also spoke about cultural legacy between both the countries and the need to promote Sharjah as a new holiday destination.The four city roadshow of Sharjah Tourism board in India was promoted by Outbound Konnections. Outbound Konnections is a specialist in the fields of representation and marketing of tourism products and offers services such as consultancy, sales and public relations, mainly B2B. read more

Online Travel Agent Cleartrip has launched ‘Cleartrip Instant Search’ for its mobile app on both Android and iOS platforms. The new search and improved feature aims to significantly reduce the time taken to search and book hotel rooms on the Cleartrip mobile app.The ‘Cleartrip Instant Search’ feature is innovative yet simple and can be accessed by going to the hotel search form, selecting the city/locality and entering the dates. The search is fired in the background and the number of hotels that match the criteria shows up in the ‘Show hotels’ button. By clicking on the ‘Show hotels’ button the results are served instantly!Speaking on the announcement, Subramanya Sharma, CMO and Head of Products, Cleartrip, said, “At Cleartrip, we’ve always aimed to make travel decisions fast and easy for our users. Today, when time-strapped travellers are seeking on-the-go options for planning travel, showing the most relevant accommodation results in the shortest time span is integral to optimising the booking experience, particularly on mobile, which is where most of the traffic comes at the present time. This thought has led to the launch of Cleartrip ‘Instant Search’ feature on our mobile app. We believe that the time a traveller spends making holiday plans is precious and making every second that a Cleartrip user spends on our app count is a priority for us.” read more

The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) has joined forces with National Geographic to promote its 10th annual ‘Great Outdoors’ campaign. The campaign will include an authoritative guidebook and collaborative content with insights from National Geographic photographers and trail experts.Visitors to Hong Kong can now discover Hong Kong through the contrasting lenses of the ‘One Place, Two Perspectives’ narrative. Contrasting city views with verdant mountains, and traditional villages with natural flora and fauna, the stories will present Hong Kong as a jaw-dropping visual dichotomy.These tales of contrasts will celebrate the hard-to-believe fact that about three-quarters of Hong Kong’s landmass is actually the countryside, and the hiking trails are easily accessible from any corner of the city.“We are delighted to be working with a powerful brand like National Geographic, which has a huge number of followers, who enjoy travelling and adventures,” said Anthony Lau, Executive Director of the HKTB. “In this fresh attempt to showcase Hong Kong’s natural beauty through stunning photography and inspiring stories by some of the world’s top photographers, we hope to encourage visitors to discover another side of cosmopolitan Hong Kong during the hiking season from November to March.”“As a community of bold explorers with an insatiable curiosity, there’s nothing we like more than showing people new perspectives on the world around them,” said Con Apostolopoulos, Senior Vice President, National Geographic Partners, Asia Pacific and the Middle East. “Partnering with HKTB is a fantastic opportunity to transform the way people think about Hong Kong; showing off its contrasting urban and rural beauty in a new light through the lens of talented photographers and explorers.”‘One Place, Two Perspectives’ will be presented by French photographer Matthieu Paley, one of the Nat Geo contributing photographers, who will capture Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark; National Geographic award-winning photographer Tugo Cheng, whose background in architecture gives his work a unique aesthetic, who will take his camera to Plover Cove Country Park; and trail runner Wyan Chow Pui-yan, who placed 17th in the Ultra-Trail World Tour, will lead the Nat Geo team into Tai Mo Shan, the city’s tallest mountain. read more

The Maldives wins the prestigious position of the World’s Leading Dive Destination 2018 at the Grand Final of The World Travel Awards held at Pátio da Galé in Lisbon, Portugal. The Maldives once again secured the prestigious position after fierce competition with top tourist destinations such as Seychelles and Mauritius.World Travel Awards are well-known as the highest and most exclusive award ceremony in the Travel and Tourism Industry. It is also renowned as the ‘Oscars of the Travel Industry’.Today, the World Travel Awards brand is recognised globally as the ultimate hallmark of quality, with winners setting the benchmark to which all others aspire. Hospitality leaders from across the globe were presented during the colourful ceremony held in recognition of the best travel destinations of 2018.In addition to the Destination award, the Maldives won the following awards in a stunning 5 categories:World’s Leading Airport Resort 2018 – Hulhule Island Hotel, MaldivesWorld’s Leading Honeymoon Resort 2018 – Jumeirah Vittaveli, MaldivesWorld’s Leading Luxury Private Island Resort 2018 – Cheval Blanc Randheli, MaldivesWorld’s Leading Water Villa Resort 2018 – Sun Aqua Vilu Reef, MaldivesWorld’s Most Romantic Resort 2018 – Baros MaldivesThe Maldives had won prestigious positions in various categories over the years. This year’s awards are yet again another tremendous achievement for the Maldives as a tourist destination. In 2017, over 1.3 million tourist arrivals were recorded to the Maldives which is an increase of 8%. Maldives Tourism visitor survey shows that over 65% of these tourists visit the Maldives for its underwater beauty. read more

In yet another landmark achievement, India’s nomination of the Jaipur city, Rajasthan got inscribed on the World Heritage List of UNESCO during the 43rd Session of the World Heritage Committee held at Baku, Azerbaijan. The nomination of Jaipur City has successfully been done by complying with the various UNESCO guidelines of 2017. With successful inscription of Jaipur city, India has 38 world heritage sites that include 30 cultural properties, seven natural properties and one mixed site.India’s nomination was initially recommended by the ICOMOS (advisory body of World Heritage (WH) Centre for cultural sites) as Deferral, but the 21 nation World Heritage Committee debated it and after discussion decided to inscribe it on the World Heritage list.Union Minister for Culture (IC) Prahlad Singh Patel expressed his happiness about the inclusion of Pink City Jaipur in the world heritage list and congratulated people of Jaipur for this prestigious tag. The Minister thanked the global community for recognising the historic and cultural importance of Jaipur.The excerpts of proposed statement of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) before the World Heritage Committee presented by India are as follows:The city of Jaipur is an exceptional urban example in indigenous city planning and construction in South Asia. Unlike other medieval cities of the region, Jaipur was deliberately planned as a new city on the plains open for trade as opposed to hilly terrain and military cities of past, though its planning still ensured a response to the surrounding hill tops in all directions. The site selected within the valley that lay to the south of Amber hills was comparatively flat and unmarred by any previous construction. Besides an exemplary planning, its iconic monuments such as the Govind Dev temple, City Palace, Jantar Mantar and Hawa Mahal excel in artistic and architectural craftsmanship of the period. Jaipur is an expression of the astronomical skills, living traditions, unique urban form and exemplary foresighted city planning of an 18th century city from India. Jaipur is an exemplary development in town planning and architecture that demonstrates an amalgamation and important interchange of several ideas over the late medieval period.The countries that supported India’s nomination are Brazil, Bahrain, Cuba, Indonesia, Azerbaijan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Zimbabwe, China, Guatemala, Uganda, Tunisia, Burkina Faso, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Angola, St. Kitts and Nevis. Australia and Norway initially proposed referral but after the debate they agreed for inscription of Jaipur city. read more

The GSEs remain a mainstay in debates over the role of the government in housing, but some now say the “”Federal Housing Administration””:http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/housing/fhahistory (FHA) may take a turn as the next agency in need of bailout funds. [IMAGE]A “”new study””:http://real-estate.wharton.upenn.edu/documents/research/FHA-AEI_11%2010_for%20posting-final_jgedits.pdf by “”Joseph Gyourko””:http://real-estate.wharton.upenn.edu/people/faculty.cfm?id=805, a University of Pennsylvania real estate and finance professor, highlights future peril for the agency, predicting that it may need as much as $50 billion in federal funds over the next several years just to stay solvent.He describes the FHA’s financial forecasts as overoptimistic, and faults a growth strategy undertaken by officials during the financial crisis for a “”precarious”” position that may well now lead it to insolvency.He wrote that the “”FHA has become a much riskier organization”” as a result of the very insurance-in-force policies that grew the organization to cover more than 7 million mortgages ├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔé¼┼ô all told worth about $1 trillion ├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔé¼┼ô by August this year.Add to a growing list of delinquencies the push by lawmakers to restore upper limits for conforming loans, which expired in early October, some say, and an agency historically accustomed to reaping funds for federal coffers may soon find itself in need of them.[COLUMN_BREAK]The FHA is “”building up a very large book that has a lot of assumptions,”” “”Edward Pinto””:http://www.aei.org/scholar/100080, a resident fellow with the “”American Enterprise Institute””:http://www.aei.org/home, tells _MReport_. “”If anything happens ├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔé¼┼ô if the FHA’s projections are based on inaccuracy, or the circumstances change ├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔé¼┼ô they’ll go into the red and the taxpayers will be on the hook.””He says that a bill recently passed by lawmakers to again raise the threshold for conforming loans to $729,750 would further dent a progressively weakened capital position for the FHA.Recent figures from the agency reveal that it carried more than 600,000 seriously delinquent single-family loans by August 2011 ├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔé¼┼ô a staggering figure for an organization once known for raking in revenue for the federal government.By September, “”HUD””:HUD reported that the numbers for delinquencies had increased to about 635,000, roughly 8.7 percent of all loans backed by the FHA.Gyourko said that a few wider problems in the market could lead to a FHA bailout, explaining that declining home prices could crimp the agency by substantively increasing negative equity by household across the country.He also wrote that a housing recession that sees more homeowners default on their loans would force lenders to call in for their federal insurance.A HUD spokesperson could not be immediately reached by e-mail for comment.Paul Miller, a financial analyst with “”FBR Capital Markets””:http://www.fbr.com/, dismisses concerns over a FHA bailout.├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├àÔÇ£The real concern is that political pressure [from Congress] will mean higher costs for FHA borrowers,├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├é┬Ø he says. ├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├àÔÇ£It would limit the availability of credit for the housing market, and that├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔÇ×┬ós going to have negative implications for the housing market at a time of limited credit and liquidity.├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├é┬Ø Share Agents & Brokers American Enterprise Institute Fannie Mae FHA Freddie Mac HUD Investors Lenders & Servicers Processing Service Providers Treasury Department Unemployment Valuation 2011-11-11 Ryan Schuette November 11, 2011 420 Views in Data, Government, Origination, Secondary Market, Servicing FHA May Soon Need $50B in Bailout Funds: Study read more

Agents & Brokers Attorneys & Title Companies Carrington Investors Lenders & Servicers Movers & Shakers Processing Service Providers 2013-08-02 Tory Barringer New,Carrington Names EVP for Communications Share in Data, Government, Origination, Secondary Market, Servicing “”Carrington Holding Company””:http://www.carringtonhc.com/default.aspx selected Christopher Whalen to head communications.[IMAGE]As EVP, Whalen will take responsibility for media relations and communications for the group. He will also continue to lead industry research and support Carrington’s corporate finance activities.[COLUMN_BREAK]””Our lending, real estate, loan servicing and asset management business all address different audiences and have equally diverse communications needs,”” said Bruce Rose, founder and CEO of Carrington. “”And because Chris is also responsible for industry research and public policy affecting the mortgage sector, he can represent Carrington very effectively in his role as company spokesman.””Whalen is an investment banker and author with more than 30 years of experience working in Washington, London, and on Wall Street. He is the author of the 2010 book, “”Inflated: How Money and Debt Built the American Dream”” and currently writes a twice-weekly column for Breitbart.com.””Chris has the perfect set of skills to take responsibility for the communications portfolio at Carrington,”” Rose said. “”His background as a writer and investment banker will help him to manage the communications needs of our consumer and institutional business units.”” August 2, 2013 416 Views read more

Share in Daily Dose, Data, Headlines, News Another Housing Bubble? Maybe Not September 19, 2016 531 Views Housing Bubble Housing Fundamentals 2016-09-19 Seth Welborn Significant post-crisis home price appreciation is not necessarily a sign that another housing bubble is imminent, largely due to the “healthy fundamentals” that the housing market is currently experiencing, according to Nationwide’s quarterly Health of Housing Markets Report released Monday.Whereas a majority of housing markets showed signs of trouble at least two years before the bubble burst in 2008, things are different this time around because the fundamentals are keeping homes affordable in the face of home prices that have risen to pre-crisis levels in many areas. In a handful of regional markets, home prices have risen above their pre-crisis peaks.“Home prices reaching or even passing their pre-crash highs of a decade ago does not signal a bubble in the near future,” said David Berson, Nationwide SVP and chief economist. “Even with record-high prices in some markets, housing remains relatively affordable, and we are not concerned about a national bubble.”The fundamentals driving housing affordability are continued job growth, income growth, and near-record low mortgage rates. Additionally, tighter mortgage underwriting criteria and a lack of overbuilding should support housing in the year ahead, Nationwide reported.Housing metrics such as steady declines in delinquency rates, foreclosure inventory rates, and the number of underwater homeowners are all indicative of a healthier housing market. Only about 7.1 percent of homeowners are currently underwater, according to Berson.“We’re optimistic that the housing market will continue to boost the U.S. economy,” Berson said.Nationwide’s report, which covered 400 U.S. metro areas, indicated sustainable housing activity in the next year for a majority of local housing markets, with little chance of downturns.The report found six markets where incomes are not keeping up with home prices, however: Dallas, Houston and Austin, Texas; Denver, Colorado; and San Francisco and San Jose, California. Several markets where home prices experienced the biggest increases during the housing boom remain more than 20 percent below their peak, including Bakersfield and Fresno, California; Las Vegas, Nevada; Orlando, Florida; and Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona. read more

Share Studying the New Generation of Homebuyers 14 days ago 311 Views As someone who has been in the lending business for more than two decades, how have you seen the industry change and where do you project the housing market heading in 2020?The industry has evolved tremendously—just look at the transformation from paper to digital. Beyond that, and perhaps more importantly, is the focus on responsible and sustainable lending, as well as accessible opportunities for our diverse communities. We know that saving for a down payment and closing costs is the biggest hurdle to becoming a homeowner. Recognizingthe challenge this can bring to otherwise eligible buyers, we just announced a $5 billion affordable homeownership initiative to help 20,000 additional people purchase homes, all in a comprehensive effort to help people who can afford monthly mortgage payments overcome the hurdle of coming up with the initial costs of homeownership.Programs like these can help individuals who may have never thought homeownership was possible. My role as head of Consumer Lending is to help people who dream of homeownership make it a reality. As these inclusive programs take effect, I believe the housing market in 2020 will see additional growth, particularly as interest rates stay low and consumer financial health remains solid. What can homebuyers expect from the market in the months ahead?It’s a great time to buy. The economy is doing well, the overall consumer appetite is healthy, and potential homebuyers can expect continued low interest rates. However, we are seeing home prices driven market by market, so it could be more challenging depending on where you are making your purchase. Ultimately, the market has plenty of room to grow.The most recent Bank of America Homebuyer Insights Report indicated a new generation of homebuyers were coming into their own. How is Gen Z different from millennials and Gen-Xers?While it may be surprising given their age, more than half of prospective homebuyers between the ages of 18 and 23, Gen Z, have already started saving to buy a home. And 59% of Gen Zers are looking to buy within the next five years, which means they’d own a home before the age of 30. While some may see Gen Z and millennials as similar, the interesting difference that’s coming to light is how intentional Gen Zers are being about preparing to own a home. In fact, Gen Zers said that if they had $5,000, they’d rather save it for a down payment (80%) vs. plan their dream wedding (20%).Both Gen Zers and millennials are willing to make sacrifices to buy a home (Gen Z 94% vs. millennials 93%), but Gen Z is willing to make more drastic changes. Compared to millennials,Gen Z is more willing to get a second job (48% Gen Z to 38% millennials) and more than twice as likely to attend a university that will leave them with less student loan debt (34% Gen Z vs15% millennials). How important is it for lenders to have that personal touch in an increasingly technology-driven lending environment?A personal touch is key. At Bank of America, we frequently refer to “high-tech high-touch” to describe the ideal combination of digital and personal interaction, based on individual desires and needs. We’ve seen the value of this integrated approach through our Digital Mortgage Experience. To complement digital tools, borrowers can receive customized guidance and advice by consulting a lending specialist. Often we find that our clients prefer to complete most of their loan application through a digital tool, but then they choose to have a conversation with a lending expert who will assess the homebuyer’s needs and loan choices and help them feel confident in their decisions.What are some of the steps that mortgage lenders can take to streamline and enhance the lending experience for borrowers?Get rid of all the paper. For example, we’ve digitized almost all of the document and data collection, reducing the 330 fields of data entry on a standard 1003 to less than 10 fields of input for our borrowers. We also recently introduced prequalification and preapproval capability in our Digital Mortgage Experience to give clients an earlier look at what they can afford and how much they can qualify for … before they go house-hunting. With this information in hand, they can be more knowledgeable and competitive buyers when they find a property.Self-directed tools are also important. They include educational platforms that provide access to calculators, videos, and other easy-to-digest information that reinforces the guidance theirlending officer provides. Lastly, communication channels should be wide open. Clients consume information and transact in a variety of ways, so offering them multiple options is vital. Forexample, we know that people rely on texting to communicate in their everyday lives. So, we launched “Text Us,” which gives clients quick, easy mortgage, auto, or home equity financing info by simply texting the word “mortgage,” “auto loan,” or “home equity,” depending on their needs, to 226 526.” 2019-07-19 Mike Albanese Editor’s note: This feature originally appeared in the July issue of MReport, out now.D. Steve Boland, Head of Consumer Lending at Bank of America, also heads the bank’s retail segment for Consumer and Small Business and is a member of Bank of America’s Management Committee. With over three decades’ experience in the industry, Boland is also one of the Vice Chairs for Bank of America’s Global Diversity and Inclusion Council. He began his career in financial services at NCNB, a predecessor of Bank of America and has since then served in various positions including Home Loans Fulfillment and Underwriting executive, National Mortgage Outreach executive, and Global Wealth and Investment Management Mortgage Solutions Group executive.Over the course of his career, Boland has been recognized with several prestigious professional honors including being named to Black Enterprise Magazine’s 2017 list of the Most Powerful Executives in Corporate America, the 75 Most Powerful Blacks on Wall Street in 2011, and 75 Most Powerful African-Americans in Corporate America in 2005. Most recently, he was awarded Bank of America’s Black Executive Leadership Council Vanguard Award for being at the forefront of advocating, sponsoring, promoting, and overall investing in Black talent.Boland spoke to MReport on the new generation of homebuyers, what it means to be a sustainable lender, and how lenders can balance the digital experience with a personal touch. in Daily Dose, Featured, News, Origination read more

Las VegasMelbournesnapchatVirgin The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) has created a Snapchat geofilter targeting Melbourne travellers who would rather be flying to Las Vegas!The special graphic overlay is aimed at showcasing Las Vegas as a leading holiday destination, allowing Snapchat users at Melbourne Airport to open the app and create a ‘snap’ using the geofilter, a fun visual that states where they would rather be: in Las Vegas, of course.The geofilter launched ahead of Virgin Australia’s inaugural service from Melbourne to Los Angeles, which started yesterday (4 April 2017) and will be available throughout April.“Vegas is synonymous with innovation, and our geofilter provides social media users with additional creative power to capture and share their affinity with Las Vegas,” said Cathy Tull, senior vice president of marketing for the LVCVA.“Australia is an important market for Las Vegas. We recognise and understand our Australian guests, and this filter reflects their personality and sets the tone for ongoing visits to our destination.”The LVCVA encourages all passengers passing through Melbourne Airport in April to use its geofilter and share where they would rather be travelling. read more

Cruise About agent, Emma de Vos, of Mount Eliza in Victoria, has won an 8-day Avalon Waterways European river cruise for two, with a total value of up to $12,000.Avalon Waterways extended its consumer marketing campaign to give agents the chance to win the holiday by describing in 25 words or less why they thought Aussies should choose to travel with Avalon Waterways.Emma’s full score and creative prose detailed delicious Amsterdam cheeses and Basel fondue, and her win came as a real surprise.“I didn’t understand why Alexandra [Morton, Area Sales Manager at Avalon Waterways] was here and then I realised I had won. I can’t wait to go on my European cruise with Avalon Waterways, a brand that I know so well,” Emma said. agent incentiveAvalaon WaterwaysCruise About read more

fijihotelsNadi BayRamadaRamada SuitesRamada Suites by Wyndham Wailoaloa BeachWyndham Hotels & Resorts Furthering its South East Asia/Pacific Rim expansion strategy, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has opened the doors on Fiji’s newest hotel, Ramada Suites by Wyndham Wailoaloa Beach Fiji, the debut for the Ramada®by Wyndham brand in Fiji. “Fiji has long been a favoured destination among travellers from Australia and New Zealand, and we are also seeing growing visitor numbers from China and greater Asia. We are proud to bring the iconic Ramada brand to Fiji and are confident that its distinctive style and service will resonate with visitors,” said Mr Joon Aun Ooi, president & managing director, South East Asia and Pacific Rim, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. The absolute beachfront, 40-room all-suite property is located at Nadi Bay, a 12-minute drive from Nadi International Airport and Port Denarau Marina. Ramada Suites by Wyndham Wailoaloa Beach Fiji offers a mix of studios, one- and two-bedroom suites, along with a day spa, a gym, a swimming pool, an onsite restaurant, and a conference room. A rooftop bar is also planned to open later this year providing the perfect venue to experience Fiji’s famous sunsets. Ramada Suites by Wyndham Wailoaloa Beach Fiji was developed by the hotel’s owner, Smugglers Cove Beach Resort Limited, who will also manage the resort under a franchise agreement with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. Guests of the resort can also enjoy the facilities offered by the neighbouring Smugglers Cove Beach Resort, including its onsite restaurant and bar along with activities like diving and water sports. It is the third Ramada to open in the South Pacific, joining Ramada Hotel & Suites by Wyndham Noumea in New Caledonia and Ramada Resort by Wyndham Port Vila in Vanuatu. read more

Patrick Peterson of the Arizona Cardinals was named as oneof the five finalists for 2011 Pepsi NFL Rookie of theYearFriday. Peterson, drafted fifth overall out of LSU, tied an NFLrecord by returning four punts for touchdowns, includinganelectrifying 99-yarder in overtime to clinch a Week 9 winagainst the St. Louis Rams. The amazing special teams play helped Peterson earn a spotas the NFC’s kick returner for the Pro Bowl. Nevada officials reach out to D-backs on potential relocation Cardinals expect improving Murphy to contribute right away D-backs president Derrick Hall: Franchise ‘still focused on Arizona’ On defense, Peterson started all 16 games at cornerbackandhad two interceptions. Other finalists include: Broncos linebacker Von Miller,Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, Bengals quarterback AndyDalton, and San Francisco linebacker Aldon Smith.Fans can vote for the winner on www.nfl.com/rookies through9:00 PM EST on Tuesday, January 31. The winner will beannounced during a two-hour primetime awards special inIndianapolis, which is the site of Super Bowl XLVI. What an MLB source said about the D-backs’ trade haul for Greinke Top Stories Comments   Share   read more

[View the story “Rewind: Cardinals lose 7th straight” on Storify] Grace expects Greinke trade to have emotional impact Derrick Hall satisfied with D-backs’ buying and selling The 5: Takeaways from the Coyotes’ introduction of Alex Meruelo Top Stories Former Cardinals kicker Phil Dawson retires Comments   Share   read more

Top Stories Former Cardinals kicker Phil Dawson retires 0 Comments   Share   – / 43 Check-in for the camp will begin at 8:00 a.m., and lunch will be served at 1:00 p.m.It will be the 11th annual running of the camp, and it will be held on Lawn C on the south side of University of Phoenix Stadium. The 5: Takeaways from the Coyotes’ introduction of Alex Meruelo The Arizona Cardinals announced they are hosting a “Football Skills and Education Camp” on Saturday. Dignity Health and Gatorade are also involved.The camp is free to 350 students from Arizona high schools, and they receive a day of classroom and on-field football instructions from current and former Cardinals players and coaches. According to the team, the classroom work will include instruction on life skills, physical health and nutrition. Grace expects Greinke trade to have emotional impact Derrick Hall satisfied with D-backs’ buying and selling read more

The Anantara Angkor Resort & Spa in Siem Reap, Cambodia is now home to The McDermott Gallery, featuring a collection of Angkor monument images by the award-winning photographer John McDermott, who is also hosting guests for exclusive photography tours of these iconic UNESCO temple ruins.John first came to Angkor in 1995 to witness a total eclipse of the sun. Inspired by the surreal light of the eclipse, he spent over a decade creating a definitive artistic portrait of the ancient Khmer temples before the arrival of tourism.John’s Angkor photography can be seen in his fine art book Elegy: Reflections on Angkor and at his galleries in Siem Reap. His images are on display at the National Museum in Phnom Penh and have been published and exhibited worldwide.The McDermott Gallery is located on the second floor in an open air environment overlooking the resort’s beautiful front courtyard. All artworks on display at the gallery are available for sale.Anantara Angkor Resort & Spa is also offering Angkor photography tours with John McDermott for guests wanting to take direction from this leading photographer. The new bespoke tours are tailored to the personal interests of each guest, whether they are a budding amateur or a more serious photographer.Half day photography tours are priced at US$350 per couple and full day tours are charged at US$600 per couple.For more information, please contact Anantara Angkor Resort and Spa on  +855 63 966 788 or email  angkor@anantara.com read more

One of the world’s most famous restaurants, Noma, has announced it will relocate to Sydney for ten weeks from January 2016, to share the best of Australian produce as seen through the eyes of head chef, René Redzepi, and his team.Noma will temporarily close in Copenhagen, Denmark to open its new waterfront home at Barangaroo on Sydney Harbour, as part of a collaboration with Tourism Australia and Lendlease.“I have always been attracted to the incredible diversity you find in Australia’s landscapes and ingredients, because they are like no other place I’ve seen before,” said Redzepi. “Australia combines strong influences from its Indigenous people with new communities from around the world. When you mix it all together, the result is something truly inspiring. It really is the perfect place to come and learn.”Tourism Australia Managing Director John O’Sullivan said that Noma Australia was a natural extension of its already successful Restaurant Australia campaign.“A big part of Restaurant Australia has been about improving Australia’s perception as a food and wine destination. And, with one of the world’s top ranked restaurants about to open in Sydney, I’d say our country’s culinary standing has never been higher,” he said.Gary Horwitz, Head of Retail at Lendlease said the partnership is testament to the vision that is being created for the waterfront dining precinct at Barangaroo: “When Lendlease was approached by the Noma team, we knew it was the perfect fit; René’s strong affinity to sustainability is aligned with our aspirations for Barangaroo. We are delighted to partner with Noma and Tourism Australia to celebrate the best of Australian produce and enhance Barangaroo’s position on the global food map.”Noma Australia will be located in the acclaimed Anadara building at the Barangaroo precinct, which is set to become Australia’s landmark future food and beverage destination. The location was selected for its synergy to Noma in Copenhagen, which is also on the water and strongly connected to the sea.Noma Australia will launch in January 2016 and will open for lunch and dinner five days per week.Bookings for the restaurant will open later this year.  Further details about registering interest and bookings can be found at Noma. read more