Surging demand for Australia’s Gold Coast and new rail touring options have inspired Travel 2’s new Australia and New Zealand brochure.
Room night bookings on the Gold Coast have more than doubled year-on-year (up 113%) the operator said, while rail touring bookings are up 15% year to date.
In New Zealand, room night bookings on South Island are up 11% year-on-year and Grand Pacific touring bookings up 39%.
Travel 2’s new brochure features 78 new properties, 56 new day and extended tours, and a range of suggested itineraries to help agents tailor trips for different groups.
It is due to land in agencies from Friday (November 16) and launched with a trade incentive.
Agents can earn T2 Rewards on all bookings from the new brochure made through Travel 2 between November 16 and December 9, provided they feature return Etihad flights and a minimum of five nights’ ground arrangements.
A minimum deposit of £100pp, or the full balance, must be paid before December 9 to qualify.
Nick Hughes, sales director dnata B2B Europe, said: “Our teams have worked hard to increase the diversity of choice on offer to agents in the brochure.
“Thanks to Travel 2’s on-the-ground relationships, agents can take advantage of more properties, more tours and more experiences to easily tailor bespoke packages for clients.
“We’re certain Travel 2’s one-stop-shop approach to creating exciting itineraries will be an invaluable selling tool for agents.”
Highlights include new rail touring options made possible by Australia’s Great Southern Rail’s pledge to double capacity over the next two years.
These include the cross-continental north-to-south Ghan route and east-to-west Indian Pacific journeys. Other additions include overnight safaris at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo and self-drives in the Barossa Valley, famed for its wine production and high quality food options.
Property highlights include the Royal Mail Hotel in Dunkeld, gateway to the Grampians national park, and the Avani Broadbeach Gold Coast Residences, offering self-catering suites beside the Pacific.
Travel 2 has also overhauled its self-drive and independent touring programmes to make them even more flexible with the optional addition of excursions and attractions.
New self-drives in Australia include the 11-day Northbound to Ningaloo, which takes in the full length of the West Coast from Perth to Exmouth, and the eight-day Riches of Victoria route designed to highlight the diverse state of Victoria away from the Great Ocean Road.