L etter from CEO
Stu Milne
CEO Orbit World Travel
The travel industry is an amazing sector to work in. It is
dynamic, full of passionate people and one that embraces
change whether it’s adapting to a new way of doing business
through the introduction of evolving technology or through
aircraft innovation that literally changes the way people fly.
This year has proven that there is no slowing down for the
travel industry.
When Qantas first started flying to London with Constellation
aircraft in 1947, the journey took four days and there were
nine stops. The Boeing 707 – the first jetliner – cut the trip
to four stops. Flying via Singapore, Bahrain, Bangkok and
Cairo was a typical way of getting to London in 1968. Fast
forward to today and Qantas has announced that from March
2018, they will commence a nonstop service between Perth
and London using the revolutionary Boeing 787 Dreamliner
aircraft.
The ever popular cruising market continues to grow as
travellers recognise the ease, value and unique experiences
available when cruising. Innovative cruise lines are regularly
introducing new products to lure travellers on board with
Michelin star restaurants, cooking classes with famous chefs,
increased cabin sizes, indulgent touches such as marble
bathrooms, rainfall showers, luxury spas on the high seas
and many offering all-inclusive pricing. Whether it’s getting
up close with nature cruising the inside passage of Alaska
or soaking up the culture of the Caribbean on board an
entertainment filled island hopping cruise, there is something
for everyone.
At Orbit, we are also continuing to innovate and embrace the
benefits of technology with the recent introduction of two
products for our corporate travel clients, E-Care and E-Review.
E-Care is a world-class Duty of Care solution that aggregates
travel alert data globally from government bodies and other
highly credentialed sources 24/7, instantly communicating
with travel program managers and directly with travellers that
might be affected. E-Review is a sophisticated platform that
provides a tailored range of interactive charts, dashboards
and reporting that brings travel spend data to life. This level of
insight leads to informed decisions that in turn drive positive
change in an organisations travel policy. Just two of a number
of enhanced solutions we’re rolling out in 2017.
I hope you enjoy reading World Traveller as we share some
of our experiences, top tips and insights on the many great
aspects of travel.