Outlook for Travel to Australia

As a Premier Aussie Specialist, I closely follow the news for and about Australia. Recently the news of flooding in Queensland, Australia has been captured by the news media and reported in papers and on television worldwide. This week, the airwaves are awash with news that Oprah is sharing her "Dream Trip to Australia" with the world. For four days this week, the public has been able to experience, through the Oprah show, a taste of this fantastic continent. Oprah has shared the beach, the bush and everything in between. Because of Oprah's popularity, and her daily verbalizing a love for Australia, I see this area of the South Pacific travel niche market exploding this year. Have you always dreamed about going to Australia? With all the recent great sales offered for travel to Australia, it may be the time to "make your dreams come true." Sharon Oberritter Premier Aussie Specialist info@travelbysharon.com

Three Fun Australia Excursions

When booking any of my clients to Melbourne, Australia, I always suggest Echidna Walkabout as an unusual way to travel with wild kangaroos and do some Koala spotting.  When any of my clients who have booked this tour return, I always call to see how things turned out.  In every case I seem to get the same response....."We loved this tour and when the day was over and we were saying good bye, we felt just like family".

Janine and Roger, owners of Echidna Walkabout Tours, have a great love for nature and the animals they encounter, and this is manifested in the guided tours they provide their customers.  Not only do they love the Koalas, but they also study their habitat and are able to identify them by facial features.  Now, I always thought a Koala was a Koala, but that's not the case.  How much fun is it on the tour to have one of the guides introduce you to Babe, the 2 year old Koala baby of Sunshine?

Koala Spotting

 

 

 

 

In addition to Echidna Walkabout, when my clients visit Australia, I also encourage them to go to Kangaroo Island just off the coast of South Australia to take a walk on the Remarkable Rocks.  What fantastic formations they will encounter.

And, if visiting Tasmania, Australia, there's nothing better than viewing the little penguins just outside Becheno on the east coast.  For a small fee, visitors can make an appointment to view the little creatures as they return to their burrows at the end of a long day of fishing.  The number of guests are limited to approximately 12 each evening, so it is possible to walk along with the penguins as they return home. Because you are accompanied by a nature guide you will be provided with information on the "care and feeding" of the little penguins.

Due to the fact that most of these tours are limited to a small number of guests, as a travel professional, I always suggest that my clients pre-reserve the excursions before leaving for Australia.  That way, they are not disappointed when they arrive and find out the tour is full.

Sharon Oberritter
Premier Aussie Specialist

Good information for Consumers

On the Travel Professor's blog, I just read an article about checking out all costs before making an informed decision about travel.  In this day and age of overwhelming Internet research articles, it can be quite confusing and if travelers need help in sorting out the best value for the money, they are encouraged to speak with a travel professional.Sounds like good advice to me. 
Check out the article at  http://herald-dispatchblogs06.blogspot.com/

Flood in Toowoomba, Australia

Since 1996 when I first because an Aussie Specialist, I never did any research into travel to Toowooma although it is a "Garden City" so close to Brisbane.  It was 2010 when I received a phone call from a client who told me that he had always dreamed of going to Australia and the area he wanted to visit was Toowoomba.  I did a lot of research into the location of the town, the things to see and do while there and activities in the area.  I learned much about Toowoomba, Australia that day.  The client returned from the trip and let me know what a wonderful and memorable time they had on their excursion.

I have been reading the Brisbane Times and following the inland tsunami taking place in Toowoomba and now Brisbane.  Because I send many clients to the Brisbane area, as a professional travel consultant, it is very important for me to stay in constant contact with them to be sure they are safe, away from any areas that may be a cause of alarm and that they arrive home safely.  As an American, I am heartbroken to see the devastation my "mates" are experiencing from the flooding and the damage it has caused.

As someone who has visited Australia many times, I am moved by the resilience of the Queenslanders.  I just know they will pick themselves up, dust themselves off and rebuild the damaged areas to their former glory.

Sharon Oberritter

Why I love Western Australia

I know a short time has passed since my visit to the vast area known as Western Australia, but I can't get the visit out of my mind. The scenery was so diverse between Broome and the Margaret River area that it was a treat getting to know both.

Broome, in the upper Northwest region of Australia, is an area that reminds me so much of home in the desert of Arizona. Hot in September, but welcoming anyway. We visited hot springs, viewed alligator infested waters, hiked canyons and rode camels on the sand. How much fun was that!....Then down to the lush green Margaret River area with it's fantastic vineyards, surf areas, beaches and caves to explore......Perth a delightfully welcoming city on the West Coast of Australia is, unfortunately not visited by many Americans.

Perhaps it's time to see the sights on the other side (from us anyway) of Australia. Fortunately we have investigated a number of sights, accommodations, tours and locations to make this a very memorable experience....As a  Premier Aussie Specialist, I always suggest a visit to Rottnest Island when visiting Perth.  It's easily accessible by ferry and is a wonderful way to spend a day.

APT and Holland America in Partnership

What a great new way to see two great countries.  Learn all about these.

Now, in partnership with Holland America Line, Australian Pacific Touring’s 23-day ‘South Pacific Cruisetour’ visits the best of Australia and New Zealand. Travelers get to see the vibrant cities of Auckland, Wellington and Sydney, enjoy a magical encounter with the wildlife of the Great Barrier Reef and spend 14 incredible days cruising the world’s most stunning coastlines in this memorable adventure. Accommodations are first-class both on land and sea, and guided touring is combined with the freedom to explore independently.
APT’s most popular ‘Fully Escorted South Pacific Vacations’ to Australia and New Zealand continue to fulfill the dream vacation experience. Guests will appreciate an opportunity to stay with a local family in New Zealand; cruises on Milford Sound, Sydney Harbor and the Great Barrier Reef; Maori and Aboriginal experiences; learning about flora and fauna, geological wonders and astronomy; have fun on TranzAlpine and Ghan train journeys; and enjoy featured lunches and dinners and all breakfasts. All this with the camaraderie of like-minded friends and travelers and the genuine enthusiasm of a regional professional tour director create a departure from the ordinary.
New is the ’20-day Australia by Private Plane’ tour featuring some of the most remote regions and beautiful attractions of Australia such as the Kimberley’s and Cape York while traveling in a small group of 34 on a privately chartered plane. From the landmarks of cosmopolitan Sydney to the aerial view of the vast Australian interior, and the visually stunning western coastline to the ancient rock art of the Bungle Bungle Range, every experience is one to treasure.