Backpacker travel agents under fire for incorrect pricing

DynamicBusiness.com - Jessica Stanic

Three backpacker travel agents (2 with branches in Airlie Beach*) have come under fire from the ACCC for breaching the new component pricing laws in their advertising.

According to the ACCC,
Wicked Travel,
Peter Pan’s Adventure Travel*
and Adventure Travel Bugs*
published advertisements that did not comply with the new requirements.

The ACCC stated that some of these businesses advertised tours to the Whitsundays and Fraser Island for as little as $299, when that price did not include mandatory charges that consumers had to pay, including insurance, national park fees, the Great Barrier Reef environmental charge and administration fees, taking the total price of the tour to approximately $450.

Full Story at DynamicBusiness.com - Jessica Stanic

Chairperson to resign mid term

A reply by new Director Kelli Medford has been received by us and will be posted here shortly - the delays in posting this correspondence have been due to the need to verify some of the comments.

Whitsundays Online

Lyn Gregson, Chairperson of Tourism Whitsundays, has unexpectedly resigned from the Regional Tourism organization.

While several other directors of Tourism Whitsundays are also resigning at this years AGM, these directors terms have expired, plus they gave plenty of notice of their decision not to re apply. (Jim Sherrington, Manager of the Whitsundays Times, resigned as a Director of Tourism Whitsundays a few months ago).

Up until as late as Tuesday, Ms Gregson led the good folk of the Whitsundays to believe that she was going to complete her full term as a director and Chairperson.

However, yesterday, Ms Gregson announced that she had changed her mind and had now decided to resign from the Board of Directors all together.

The difference between Ms Gregson's resignation and the other directors is that Ms Gregson is not fulfilling her 2 year obligation to Tourism Whitsundays, and is resigning mid term - 1 year prematurely.

According to the story in this week's Whitsunday Times, Ms Gregson says she is leaving Tourism Whitsundays to concentrate more on her business, Adelyn Retail Consultancy**.

However, the story fails to tell us that Ms Gregson was in charge of Tourism Whitsundays during the time it performed at its worse.

Lyn Gregson, as Chairperson, presided over:
The largest fall in tourism numbers to the Whitsundays region, ever*;
Was in charge of the organization when over $350,000 was stolen from it internally.

*Domestic visitor numbers to the Whitsunday grew 8.2% per annum between the years March 2002 and March 2006 (source: Whitsunday Times 6 Oct 2006). Between July 2007 and July 2009, total visitor numbers to the Whitsundays plunged 33%.

Despite millions and millions of dollars spent on 'Expos', Overseas Trips, Dinners, Events, Advertising, Publicity and Stunts, during the Chairpersons tenure, we have seen tourism numbers to the Whitsundays plummet to levels not seen since the beginning of the century.

** Adelyn Retail are these shops:
Ridgy Didge Australiana - Airlie Beach
Beachworx - Airlie Beach
Jewl - Airlie Beach
Moochas Boutique - Cannonvale
Swim Swim Swim - Airlie Beach

Sourced partially from Whitsunday Times

Tourism numbers in the Whitsundays plunge 33% in just 2 years

Whitsundays Online
UPDATED 9am Friday 18 Sep 2009

Tourist numbers to the Whitsundays have plunged 1/3 since July 2007.

According to the National Visitor Survey, tourist numbers to the Whitsundays during the Financial Year of 2008-9 fell 19% on the previous year.

However, not many realize that in the previous Financial year of 2007-8, visitors to our region also plunged 17% on the 2006-7 numbers.

That means only 67% of visitors in 2008-9 compared to 2006-7, or a massive 33% loss of tourism visitors and business.

Last year, Tourism Whitsundays blamed the weather at the beginning of *2008 for the bad figures, yet Danielle Seymour of Tourism Whitsundays said "things were looking good for this (2008-9) year's summer rush." (*editor - no rain records were broken during that period).

This year, Peter O'Reilly (CEO of Tourism Whitsundays), says a survey which also counts the drive market will be rolled out over the next four to six months.

"How many people are driving, say, from Cairns to the Whitsundays and flying out? There's a lot of that information that we don't have," he said. (editor - me thinks not many when it costs around an extra $3-400 for a one way car rental to Airlie Beach due to the relocation/recovery fees).

Our local RTO, Tourism Whitsundays, in the past 12 months, has seen a massive fraud, arrest and conviction of one of its Managers; been shown to make poor planning decisions, and now, the biggest plunge in tourism numbers, ever.

I wonder if the arrow on the tacky billboard on Shute Harbour Road at Flametree will be adjusted, downwards?

Some of Tourism Whitsundays Directors have applied for re-election this coming Thursday - they are:

Chris Jacobs - Cruise Whitsundays
Nicole Graham - Sundowner Cruises
David Stielow - Cruise Indigo

Others have decided not to continue on the Board all together. They are:

Susan Boyd - Infront Communications
John Bush - Beaches Backpackers
Andrew Parle - Tourism Queensland

Members of the board who are not up for re-election, and have not resigned, are:

Lyn Gregson - Adelyn Retail** - Chairperson (LATE NEWS - according to 24 Sept 2009 Whitsunday Times, Lyn Gregson will be resigning tonight at the TW AGM).
Al Grundy - Southern Cross Sailing
Jeff Aquilina - Coral Sea Resort - Treasurer
Adrian Bram - Oz Adventure Sailing
John Nayler - Telstra / channelwhitsunday.com
Jan Clifford - Whitsunday Council

Jim Sherington, the General Manager of the Whitsunday Times, is still a director of Tourism Whitsundays, (according to the Tourism Whitsundays website) however he has advised that he resigned several months ago. Apparently, the TW website is out of date.

Why the Treasurer hasn't resigned after the fraud within Tourism Whitsundays was uncovered is not known. This is another good example of how the Directors of Tourism Whitsundays refuse to take responsibility for problems, but quite happy to take the credit for the few successes.

** Adelyn Retail are these shops:
Ridgy Didge Australiana - Airlie Beach
Beachworx - Airlie Beach
Jewl - Airlie Beach
Moochas Boutique - Cannonvale
Swim Swim Swim - Airlie Beach
What do you think of the 'vibe' of the Whitsundays? Take our poll on how you interpreted our events and issues.
Whitsundays Tourism Trends - graph: Worldwide interest in the Whitsundays via Google.
Sourced from ABC News | Courier Mail - Torny Jensen | Whitsunday Times
Has the World's Best Job campaign been succesful for the Whitsundays? 25 Apr 2009 Whitsundays Online.

The Inaugural TWIT's

Whitsundays Incongruous Awards.

Voting has now begun in the inaugural Whitsundays Incongruous* Awards. People from outside our region are more than welcome to participate, as you normally only hear of the best and the 'not so good' from our region.

As these are the inaugural TWITS, we accepted events and instances for the years of 2008 - 2009.

The Whitsundays Incongruous Trophies TWIT's

The categories are:


BIG TWIT
PLANNING
PR
FRAUD
DISCLOSURE
TOURS
ACCOMMODATION
EVENTS
DEVELOPMENT

Voting results are posted in real time, so you can see how it progresses over the voting period.

Go to each of the Twit categories and then submit your vote. All 'Other' incidences submitted must be able to be proven.

Voting concludes at midday, Friday 9 October, 2009.

* Incongruous : /inkonggrooss/ • adjective 'out of place'. Oxford Dictionaries

8 from near Bowen being monitored for Hendra virus

Latest reports about the Hendra Virus near Bowen can be found at our World View News Page, under the 'BOWEN' tab.

A property just outside Bowen has been placed into quarantine after a horse tested positive to the deadly Hendra virus.

At least 8 people are currently being monitored for signs of the virus - at least 6 of these have been known to have had contact with the horse while it was ill.

Local vet, Dr Annand, put the horse to rest last week, and last night, Biosecurity Queensland revealed the blood samples taken from the horse proved positive to the Hendra virus.

It is possible that a horse on the same property, that died a month ago, may have also been infected with the virus.

Queensland Health has sent an official to Bowen to speak with the vet, the property owner, and four others.

The horse probably contracted the virus from bats that frequent melaleuca trees on the property. The Australian Biosecurity Co-operative Research Centre for Emerging Infectious Disease is studying the relationships between flying foxes and horses to learn more about Hendra.

The Centre's Professor Stephen Prowse says $42 million over six years is needed to continue the research but the project will now stop next year, because federal funding has been withdrawn. The Federal Government has rejected claims that it's hampered Hendra virus research by no longer funding the Brisbane-based project.

This is the 13th known instance of Hendra virus infection since 1994 - In that time 4 people have died from the virus.

Sourced from:
The Courier Mail - AAP
ABC News

We are Younger and Richer, but are we Smarter?

ABC North QLD

A new regional statistics report shows Whitsunday residents are younger and richer than the average Queenslander and more people are moving here to enjoy the north Queensland lifestyle. (The editor moved here in 2001).

According to report published by the Regional Economic Development Corporation, Whitsundays residents:

Have a weekly income of more than $1,100 per week, 10 per cent higher than the QLD and AUS average;
The average age here is 35, 1 year younger than the the QLD average.

Full story at ABC North QLD

Faux Prince retourne chez Conman

Whitsundays Online - Version française
English version below

Saviez-France Ministère des Affaires étrangères de délivrer un nouveau passeport Serhani?

L ' «artiste arabe Faux Prince' Con, Abdelkarim Serhani dit il a pu rentrer à la France (près de la frontière avec la Belgique), et il dit qu'il projette d'écrire un livre sur ses exploits, selon Le Cairns Post - Thomas Chamberlain.

Le joueur de 26 ans, qui a fui sur un yacht de Darwin à Bali, est recherché en Australie pour fraude après avoir arnaqué $ 42,000 dollars de gratuité de l'hébergement, les repas, les boissons, les vols d'hélicoptère et les gardes de sécurité à Hamilton Island, et de commettre une infraction de conduite Alcool à Airlie Beach en Mai cette année. QLD La police a confisqué son passeport dans une tentative de garder en Australie.

Serhani n'a pas comparu à la Cour des magistrats Proserpine »pour que la charge et cette question est encore en suspens - ce pourrait être défaisant Serhani's.

Serhani mai haussant être passé au large de ses bouffonneries arrachant des exploitants d'entreprises touristiques à travers le monde, mais sûrement, il doit être préoccupé par l'exposé du disque en cours 'drink'. Alcool au volant dans le Queensland est classé comme une infraction pénale, comme le vol, agression, etc assassiner. . . il n'est pas juste un stationnement ou d'excès de vitesse amende qui peut être payé.

Interpol aurait été avisé de cette charge exceptionnelle et la saisie de son passeport, de sorte que presque tous les corps policiers dans le monde est désormais à l'affût pour lui. Si Serhani est toujours détenu par la police dans n'importe quel pays avec une représentation d'Interpol, il risque la chance d'être arrêté, puis détenu tandis que l'Australie ouvre une procédure d'extradition.

Et, selon le Procureur Australian-General's Department, "L'Australie n'a pas besoin d'un traité avec un pays de faire une demande d'extradition vers ce pays. L'Australie est en mesure de faire une demande d'extradition pour aucun pays."

Un autre aspect intéressant de cette histoire est de savoir comment Serhani rentrer en France / Belgique sans son passeport français? La République de la France ont été notifiés par la Police fédérale australienne que son passeport avait été saisi, et donc tous les postes diplomatiques français aurait été avisé de ce fait par la France de la République, Ministère des Affaires étrangères.

Ago Environ 2 des semaines, Serhani tenté d'obtenir un nouveau passeport au consulat français à Bali, et l'ambassade française à Jakarta. Apparemment, la police indonésienne ont été informés, mais ils disaient que c'était une affaire d'immigration et non pas de leur compétence.

Autour du 26 août, une personne aussi dans le département français des affaires étrangères (République de France, Ministère des Affaires étrangères) à Paris, fait une recherche Google sur 'Abdelkarim Serhani », si cela a confirmé que la République de France, Ministère des Affaires étrangères savait de voyages Serhani's.

Comment alors peut-Serhani retour en Europe via la France ou la Belgique, sans un passeport? Est-ce là que la sécurité frontalière pauvre que presque n'importe qui peut glisser, ou dispose d'un poste diplomatique français lui a délivré un passeport de remplacement, même si le ministère français des Affaires étrangères savait que son passeport a été confisqué dans plusieurs mois en Australie plus tôt?

Nous avons soulevé quelques questions importantes qui doivent être répondues par les autorités du Ministère indonésien et français, et leurs agences de protection des frontières.

Les articles précédents sur Serhani

Certains de cet article était d'origine de la Poste Cairns - Thomas Chamberlain
Traduit par Google

Fake Prince Conman returns home

Version française

Did France's Department of Foreign Affairs issue a new passport to Serhani?

The 'Fake Arab Prince' Con artist, Abdelkarim Serhani says he has returned home to France (near the border with Belgium), and says he plans to write a book about his exploits, according to The Cairns Post - Thomas Chamberlain.

The 26-year-old, who fled on a yacht from Darwin to Bali, is wanted in Australia for fraud after scamming $42,000 worth of free accommodation, meals, drinks, helicopter flights and security guards at Hamilton Island, and committing a Drink driving offence in Airlie Beach in May this year. QLD Police confiscated his passport in an attempt to keep him in Australia.

Serhani did not appear at the Proserpine Magistrates' Court to face those charges and these matters are still outstanding. The Drink Driving charge could be Serhani's undoing.

Serhani may be shrugging off his past antics ripping off tourism operators around the world, but surely he must be concerned about the outstanding 'drink drive' charge. Drink Driving in Queensland is classified as a Criminal offence, like stealing, assault, murder etc . . . it is not just a parking or speeding fine that can be paid off.

Interpol would have been advised of this outstanding charge and the seizure of his passport, so almost every police force in the world is now on the look out for him. If Serhani is ever held by Police in any country with Interpol representation, he risks the chance of being arrested, and then detained while Australia starts extradition proceedings.

And, according to the Australian Attorney-General's Department, "Australia does not need a treaty with a country to make an extradition request to that country. Australia is able to make an extradition request to any country."

Another interesting twist to this story is how did Serhani get back to France/Belgium without his French passport? The Republic of France would have been notified by the Australian Federal Police that his passport had been seized, and therefore all French Diplomatic posts would have been notified of this fact by the République de France, ministère des Affaires étrangères.

About 2 weeks ago, Serhani attempted to get a new passport at the French Consulate in Bali, and the French Embassy in Jakarta. Apparently the Indonesian Police were advised, but they said it was an immigration matter and not their jurisdiction.

Around the 26th August, someone in the French Department of Foreign Affairs (République de France, ministère des Affaires étrangères) in Paris, did a Google search on 'Abdelkarim Serhani', so this confirmed that the République de France, ministère des Affaires étrangères knew of Serhani's activities.

How then can Serhani return into Europe via France or Belgium without a passport? Is border security there that poor that almost anyone can slip in, or has a French Diplomatic post issued him a replacement passport, even though the French Department of Foreign Affairs knew his passport was confiscated in Australia several months earlier?

We believe we have raised some important questions that need to be answered by the Indonesian and French authorities, and their border protection agencies.


Other articles about Serhani
NZ media reports Serhani in NZ, but is he?
Version traduite (en français) de Abdelkarim Serhani.
AbdelKarim Serhani - The Fake Arab Prince - Tourism Scammer
Fake Prince Scammer makes video confession
Abdelkarim Serhani, the Fake Prince, now in Bali
Abdelkarim Serhani - The Fake Arab Prince
French conman rips off the Whitsundays

Some of this article was sourced from The Cairns Post - Thomas Chamberlain