Expanded travel facilities

Press, 30 November 1987, Page 44

Expanded travel facilities

To cope with expanding business, Asia Pacific has increased its staff to 16 during recent months. To cater for the extra staff and new travel servicing facilities, Asia Pacific has also extended its premises at the corner of Hereford and Manchester Streets.

The extended office provides space for a special processing area where four people are involved in behind-the-scenes tasks such as arranging tickets, accommodation documents and Itinerary details. A new business travel office has also been set up as part of Asia Pacific’s new specialised services. Maree McCarthy, Asia Pacific’s international travel consultant, says that the new business service caters especially for the executive traveller. “We try to make travelling as comfortable as we can by arranging corporate rates at hotels, de-

liverlng tickets and arranging seat allocations in advance whenever possible.”

Two people, Brian McCauley, the Business Travel Manager, and Phillipa Watson, specialise in the business travel services.

The business sales representative is Annette Farquhar. Miss McCarthy says that the service, which is for both international and domestic travel, is Ideally suited to executives who are required to travel at short notice.

Another specialised service is a sports travel department which is being set up by Graham (Goldie) Mason. Mr Mason will be putting together tours and travel arrangements for teams, competitors and spectators. Miss McCarthy says that Asia Pacific is building up a considerable business in. domestic travel.

“Liz Mangin, our domestic travel consultant, can arrange all airline, rail, ferry and tour bookings for New Zealanders and overseas visitors.”

Asia Pacific also has consultants who specialise in international leisure travel.

“We are able to arrange an itinerary for family groups or individuals who want to make a trip to Britain, Disneyland or any other destination,” Miss McCarthy says. “All people have to do is to give us an idea of where they want to go and what they want to do and we will plan everything including accommodation, rental car hire, and any extras such as theatre tickets."

Next year’s Expo in Brisbane has brought extra business to Asia Pacific and although the event does not start until the end of April, it is already difficult to get

seats on Brisbane flights. “Many' people do not realise that it is much easier if they book overseas travel well in advance. As well as the Brisbane flights, those to many other destinations are also heavily booked for next year,” Miss McCarthy says. Asia Pacific staff say they are travel brokers, which means that they are totally Independent from airlines and other travel operators. “We are, therefore, able to work out the best travel arrangements including stopovers and accommodation for a particular client” In addition to the usual office hours Asia Pacific is open on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings.

“These times provide an ideal opportunity for a family to come in and discuss their travel plans,” Miss McCarthy says.