New name – same team! From this month you’ll notice an adjustment to our branding.
We’re moving away from the co-branded ATPI Business World Travel to simply ATPI. The move aligns with our other 30 other locations worldwide. ATPI bought our company almost two years ago and so the ATPI dual brand will be familiar to most. Based in the UK, ATPI Advanced Travel Partners International has a significant foothold in the UK and US travel landscape with particular expertise in the business travel, sports, group and events travel as well as sturdy credentials in the executive leisure travel space. Throughout the US we are branded at Direct/ATPI Travel reflecting our partnership with Direct Travel in the US, making us one of the largest players in the US travel market.
We welcome Ms Delwyn Namulo to our team here in Auckland in a Business Development role. Delwyn has returned to NZ after 20 or so years in the US. Through our enhanced alignment with ATPI we now have the capability to expand our client base and accept new business. If you’d like to talk to us about our ATPI Advantages for your firm’s travel management programme then call Delwyn (delwyn.namulo@atpi.com) or Grant Bevin.
Airline update
American Airlines and Qantas have had their trans-Pacific joint venture approved paving the way for more AA/QF code-share flights between Australia/New Zealand and the USA. This will allow AA the opportunity to consider making their AKL/ LAX flight ‘year-round’ instead of the current New Zealand Summer operation in place now. If they can share the risk/reward with Qantas then the route becomes more viable. Alternatively Qantas could operate through the New Zealand winter to the US on behalf of the pair which optimises aircraft usage for both airlines.
In non-Americas related business travel news, in a bid to improve on-time performance Air New Zealand requires domestic New Zealand travellers to be checked-in (including luggage checked in)latest 30 minutes prior to departure. This is the same protocol JetStar operates. Travellers who are accustomed to checking in at the gate with their phone are no longer being accepted for travel unless you have confirmed your check-in on your app more than 30 minutes prior to departure. It is imperative for this category of traveller that you have taken the 2nd step of pressing the check-in tab on your app. We recommend that to give you peace of mind and reliability that you physically get an ‘old-school’ boarding card from the valet car drop off, the check in machines or the Koru desk. This removes any chance for doubt from the situation as well as well as the tech-errors many airlines seem to specialise in. Getting to the airport early and through security also makes for relaxed and hassle free travel – allowing you to get on and focus on your business! And to dispel the myth, most airlines don’t care that you running late stuck in a long security line – it helps them with an overbooked flight!
A number of clients combine their South American business trip with North America to save on airfares and the time involved with two separate business trips. We have some very good Circle Pacific airfares that allow this. But note that LATAM Airlines is changing its Auckland/Santiago (SCL) schedule from 27 October, reducing its daily service to only 4x weekly. The three missing services will now overfly Auckland and operate non-stop between Santiago and Sydney. LATAM is doing this to provide better connectivity into their One World Alliance partners at Sydney airport where they achieve one-stop routings between Santiago and many SE Asian destinations. This has been a very popular flight for our destination South America clients and our advice is to book very early to secure your seats.
Fiji Airways has achieved the 4-Star SkyTrax rating putting them alongside neighbours Qantas and Air New Zealand. This rating is quite an achievement for this small regional airline to have achieved. Fiji Airways operates between Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch to Nadi and offers daily onward connections to Los Angeles (daily) and 3x weekly to San Francisco. SkyTrax ratings are the benchmark for airlines and allows us to assess an airline as to its suitability for certain types of clients. Skytrax ratings measure the home based airport experience and in-flight offerings, amongst other criteria.
Executive Leisure
Foodies will love our new Virtuoso partnership and at the same time enjoy a home cooked meal when travelling for business or leisure. We offer in-home local eating experiences around the world – go dine in the home of a local family or go next level and take a cooking lesson whilst dining. Many of the options across many cities in the US are hosted by locally well known chefs or bakers. The options we liked included:
- San Francisco – artisanal San Francisco market tour and cooking class
- Los Angeles – sourdough baking lesson and lunch or dinner
- New York – vegan Mediterranean cooking lesson in a historic New York Brownstone
Ask your usual ATPI Travel Consultant to book your eating with the locals experience.
We have the ultimate USA incentive programme for your Marketing or HR Department to consider for a client or employee promotion.The year everyone has been waiting for...... on February 2, 2020, Miami will host Super Bowl LIV. This must-see location is a favourite of the incentive markets, with beautiful beaches and parties galore, it won't be just the game to attend over this entertainment filled weekend. Our local US offices will be able to offer:
- Unparalleled access to Super Bowl weekend experiences, including NBA & NHL tickets, cruise on a Luxury yacht for the day and drift by the homes of the ultra-rich, or golf some of the most famous South Florida courses like the Trump National Blue Monster.
- Pre-game Hospitality Parties with NFL Alumni included in all ticket categories.
- Access to VIP Super Bowl events, including A-list concerts, celebrity appearances, restaurants, parties, as well as exclusive nightclub experiences on offer.
Call our Executive Leisure Consultant Tanya Warman in Newmarket for details.
Silver Origin, the first ship created entirely for a specific destination by deluxe operator Silversea Cruises, will embark on its first voyage in the Galápagos Islands in July 2020. Never before have the islands been so superbly presented: a team of Ecuadorian national expert guides, the highest crew-to-guest ratio in the Galápagos, 8 Zodiacs, seamless hybrid spaces that offer an extraordinary voyage - for extraordinary people. All-suite accommodation, Horizon Balconies, butler service, sophisticated interiors, interactive basecamp and Ecuadorian inspired cuisine ... no aspect of Silver Origin has been left to chance. Call our ATPI Cruise experts to secure your cabin.
Hotels
With the US populace largely on Summer break right now and business hotels relatively lightly occupied we have a large number of our Virtuoso properties providing our clients additional nights-stay for free – plus you’ll still get the benefit of the Virtuoso amenities listed below. Focus on the value here – its amazing!
Travel better! At ATPI/Business World Travel we’re a member of the prestigious US-based Virtuoso, an invited group of the world’s leading travel agents and where we can achieve benefits over and above any other travel agent or booking site for our clients. For a similar level as any advertised rate included on the hotel site, Bookings.com or Expedia you’ll receive:
- Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
- Daily Breakfast for two
- Food & Beverage or Spa services credit usually around US$100
- Early check-in/late check-out, subject to availability
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
- Often some other kind of personalised in-room amenity
- Take a look at www.virtuoso.com or call one of our BWT Travel Advisors
ATPI Travel
Level 5, ANZ Bank Building 187 Broadway, Newmarket, Auckland: 0800 508 580
