The brochure features a modern Kiwi bird design on the cover and features Grand Pacific Tours itineraries from 1 September 2013 to 30 June 2014.

All Grand Pacific Tours holidays include airfares, taxes, accommodation, most meals & pre paid activities.
The whopping 48 page brochure includes four styles of touring, including the new Affordable Coach Holidays, Luxury Coach Holidays, Ultimate Small Group Touring and Special Interest Tours.

*NEW* Affordable Coach Holidays
Introducing a new style of tour, Affordable Coach Holidays. These holidays provide the traveller fantastic value for money and include an extensive list of prepaid attractions other budget tour providers can’t match.

Luxury Coach Holidays
On a Luxury Coach Holiday, you will experience New Zealand in style, staying in superior accommodation and travelling on a luxury coach. These range of tours include itineraries from 9 to 19 days.

Ultimate Small Group Tours
Experience New Zealand in a small group on board the Ultimate Coach, a full size coach that boasts 20 leather seats. Stay in premium accommodation and travel at a more relaxed pace.

Special Interest Tours
Share your New Zealand experience with like-minded travellers. Whether you are an Airshow enthusiast, a Single Traveller, a Steam Train buff, interested in a getaway over the festive season or want to combine the opulence of ocean cruising with luxury coach travel, we have a tour to suit!

“There’s no better time than the present to see stunning New Zealand,” said Grand Pacific Tours Managing Director Peter Harding

“With over 190 guaranteed departures across four styles of touring, there is something to suit everyone,” he said.

Tours for the Grand Pacific Tours 2013/14 touring season start from $2794 per person.

Ask your local travel agent for a copy of the new Grand Pacific Tours brochure, view online at http://www.grandpacifictours.com  or call Grand Pacific Tours on 1800 622 768.

11 night itineraries conveniently commence and conclude in Cairns, Queensland, seamlessly incorporating a charter flight direct to or from the ship in Rabaul for boarding or disembarkation.

Discover the photographer-within or anthropologist-within as you explore this land of over 800 languages and a diversity of largely self-contained cultures that will challenge the imagination. Until relatively recently Papua New Guinea was still perceived as an isolated world of head-hunters; a land of mythology, sorcery and witchcraft.

Bypassing the main towns, as Orion does, many villagers have only been exposed to the modern world through the workings of missionaries and occasional traders. Yet step ashore with members of Orion’s specialist expedition team and you will be greeted with broad smiles and warm welcomes from gentle villagers – an eye opening introduction to a way of life far removed from our Western world.

Between 1920 and 1926 famed Australian Antarctic photographer, Frank Hurley, visited New Guinea, returning with a portfolio of stunning black and white images. Men in dugout canoes, women carrying babies in string bags, delicate shell and feather ceremonial decorations, intricate tattoos; amazingly, photos of scenes that could have been taken this year so little has changed in a century, perhaps many centuries.

On these Orion voyages encounter primitive tribal cultures (and perhaps purchase superb indigenous artwork and carvings), see unique flora and fauna and enjoy luxuriant snorkelling and fishing in warm indigo and cobalt blue waters, home to some the world’s most prolific marine and coral life.

In Rabaul, volcanic Mt Tavurvur grumbles, expelling smoke, gases, ash and volcanic rocks from deep within the earth. Here Admiral Yamamoto directed much of the Japanese Pacific campaign and the detritus of World War II lies scattered for your examination. Tufi’s villages are situated within a picturesque series of jungle clad volcanic fjords, tribal cultures unchanged for centuries; while the colonial town of Madang conjures scenes of a Conrad or Hemmingway sitting in a cane chair well positioned to catch the afternoon breeze, sipping pink gin.

Orion’s voyages to Papua New Guinea provide modern day explorers with the opportunity to venture to places far from mainstream tourism, yet to do so in the company of like-minded fellow travellers, in comfort and safety and without sacrificing creature comforts.

Priceless experiences that will stay with you for life.

Putting a price on priceless experiences:

11-night Papua New Guinea Cultural Highlights: CAIRNS – optional direct charter flight to RABAUL (overnight onboard), Sepik River & Watam Village, Madang, Tami Islands, Tufi, Kitava (The Trobriands), Samarai and Kwato Islands, Alotau (Milne Bay), CAIRNS. (Or vice versa commencing in Cairns and ending in Rabaul followed by an optional return charter flight to Cairns.)

2013 Departures: 16 March, 27 March

Fares: 11 night fares from $8,070 per person for an ocean view Stateroom /
Junior Suites begin from $9,590 per person / Balcony Suites are $14,205 per person / Owners Suites are $14,560 per person
All prices twin share. Charter flight to or from Cairns/Rabaul $600 per person

Details of Papua New Guinea voyage itineraries available at www.orionexpeditions.com/png

Further information on Orion Expedition Cruises can be obtained by visiting the website www.orionexpeditions.com

For reservations or to obtain a 2013 brochure call Orion Expedition Cruises: 61-2 9033 8777 (Sydney callers) 1300 361 012 (regional and interstate) / 0800 444 462 (New Zealand) or see your travel agent.
Email: info@orionexpeditions.com

Ranked #2 expedition cruise ship in the world in the current Berlitz Cruise Guide, Orion is Australia’s only purpose-built luxury expedition cruise ship.

With 75 crew and a maximum of just 106 passengers Orion offers the highest staff to guest ratio and guest to public space ratio of any ship based in Australian waters.

The What Tribe Are You? sweepstakes ends this month and is a fun and interactive way to engage your clients to learn more about their next holiday to Papua New Guinea.

Visit www.whattribeareyou.com for more!

Papua New Guinea is home to over 700 distinct tribes, and through the website, users can take a quick seven-question quiz, based on interests and affinities, which will ultimately reveal which Papua New Guinea tribe they most associatewith. Once their tribe is revealed, users are automatically entered to win a trip to visit their respective tribe in Papua New Guinea.

WhatTribeAreYou.com also includes a Face Your Tribe photo widget in which users can upload a picture of themselves and adorn themselves in traditional Papuan headdresses. Users are then able to upload their new PNG avatar to Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest to share with family and friends in order to proclaim their tribal identity.

“Papua New Guinea is the most culturally diverse destination on earth and our unique tribes of PNG reflect that,” said Peter Vincent, CEO of Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority. “From the Huli Wigman with ornate wigs of human hair to the Bainings who drink python’s blood to dance on fire, we hope North Americans will be enthralled by the unique stories, people and traditions of Papua New Guinea.”

QantasLink Executive Manager John Gissing said QantasLink’s new gate lounge will support the significant growth the airline has experienced over recent years.

“QantasLink is committed to Brisbane as it is the gateway to 13 QantasLink destinations in Queensland which support the state’s booming resource sector and world class tourism destinations,” Mr Gissing said.

“Over $4 million has been spent to deliver this state of the art facility which will provide customers with a premium QantasLink experience from the ground up.”

The new gate lounge facility provides QantasLink customers with access to two additional boarding gates (5 and 6), a centrally located customer services desk, seating for 150 customers, and technology designed to assist customers travelling with specific needs. Featuring Qantas’ contemporary interior styling with an abundance of natural light and relaxed ambience, the new lounge will also be supported by a new QantasLink ground team committed to delivering the highest standard of customer service.

“QantasLink’s new gate lounge is conveniently located in close proximity to Qantas’ premium Business and Qantas Club lounges as well as the terminals cafes and retailers.

The Minister for Transport and Main Roads Scott Emerson said since the commencement of construction in December 2011, the new QantasLink gate lounge had employed 250 Queenslanders.

“It is great to see one of Australia’s most iconic brands investing in our state’s future through providing employment opportunities as well as a premium product at our major transport and tourism gateway Brisbane Domestic Airport,” Mr Emerson said.

“Tourism is a major focus for the Newman Government in growing Queensland into a four-pillar economy and QantasLink has been a key contributor in promoting and supporting regional Queensland.”

Today QantasLink also officially celebrated being named Regional Airline of the Year 2012 by launching a new element to its aircraft livery.

“QantasLink is proud to be Air Transport World’s Regional Airline of the Year 2012. This award recognised our team of services professionals who are dedicated to connecting regional Australians to our nation’s capital cities and beyond,” Mr Gissing said.

The new award livery will be introduced across QantasLink’s fleet and will remain for the next six months.

Background
QantasLink is Australia’s largest regional airline and was recently named Air Transport World’s Regional Airline of the Year 2012. QantasLink operates a network of 56 metropolitan and country destinations across all states and territories as well as to Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea.

QantasLink has significantly invested in the aircraft it operates with its current fleet of 59 aircraft to grow to 62 over the next 12 months. The airline’s fleet includes five Bombardier Q200, 16 Q300, 25 Q400 and 13 Boeing 717 aircraft.

QantasLink is also overseeing the operation of the Qantas Group’s Western Australian based resources charter airline Network Aviation. Its fleet of 13 aircraft is set to grow further, with the addition of six Fokker F100s this year.

During 2011, the company’s revered adventure-cruise ship TRUE NORTH undertook a 21 day circumnavigation of the Bismarck Sea. Senior captain Brad Benbow and ships biologist, Dr Andy Lewis collaborated with a boatload of enthusiastic passengers to refine the company’s new Sepik Safari and Bismark Bonanza itineraries – ensuring brand new opportunities to discover virtually unseen and untouched areas of Papua New Guinea.

TRUE NORTH was purpose built to access shallow coastal environs and river systems allowing all on-board to go where others cannot. The ship also uniquely features an on-board helicopter and six dedicated expedition boats providing guests with much greater opportunity to do what they want when they want!

And 20 crew-members look after just 36 guests ensuring the company’s reputation for personal service.

Highlights of the refined 2012 itineraries include vast reef complexes around Rambutyo Island, the turquoise waters of Ninigo Atoll, heli-flights over active volcanos, swimming with manta rays, black-bass fishing and cruising on the mighty Sepik River!

Guests will be intrigued by visits to the spirit house at Yentchan Village and may even witness rarely seen rituals. There are also opportunities to purchase exotic artefacts.

Life on-board the TRUE NORTH offers something for everyone, from a lazy basking in the sun to diving, hiking and fishing in what can only be described as a fisherman’s paradise.

Divers and snorkelers can expect some of the best underwater scenery on the planet, with the myriad reefs in the Hermit and Ninigo atoll complexes providing countless coral playgrounds, no words can describe the underwater beauty.

And fish guru Dr. Gerry Allen will also be part of the 2012 line up!

“The 2011 voyages completely surpassed all our expectations, when world experts see things that cause them to gasp in awe we know we are seeing something very special and sharing all this with our guests is always our joy”, said North Star Cruises director Craig Howson, a veteran of 25 years adventure-cruising on the Kimberly coast.

Another major drawcard for guests has been meeting the Melanesian people of PNG. The new cruises continue to provide guests with wonderful opportunities to interact with local people throughout the very remote areas that are visited. Highlights include witnessing tribal gatherings along with log drumming so powerful that it shakes the earth and, being welcomed to watch festooned warriors and brightly dressed maidens perform the traditional sing-sing’s.

On the Sepik River visual feasts abound as the young Australian crew chaperones in the expedition boats through narrow waterways that suddenly open into vast inland lakes whilst while a further journey down-river reveals a village on stilts. Warm greetings from locals bearing flowers and gifts will overwhelm everybody on-board.

Guest can expect first class service and revered cuisine including the daily catch of mackerel, wahoo and yellow fin tuna. Guests can completely relax, knowing that after each day of adventure they will return to their luxurious cabins to prepare for pre-dinner drinks and fine dining.

True North boasts rave reviews from Australia and around the world with the common cry being “that’s the best holiday I have ever had”.

Cruises to PNG start from 27th October 2012.

This year’s Mt. Hagen Sing Sing will take place Aug. 11 and 12. In 2013, the show will move back to the third weekend in August. Boasting an attendance of over 75 tribes, The Mt. Hagen Sing Sing originated in the late 1950s as a way to improve relations between the various groups, share cultural experiences and celebrate the diversity of cultures among community members. Since then, the show has grown and evolved into a remarkable display of song and dance where groups come to display facial tattoos, elaborate body paint and ornate headdresses.

Orion Expedition Cruises has released its 2013 Calendar of Sailings itineraries for the luxury expedition cruise ship Orion.

Offering voyages that appeal to intrepid travelers who have “been everywhere,” Orion embodies its motto “a path less traveled,” allowing guests to explore from the polar reaches of Antarctica to the tropical climes of Borneo, including expeditions to Western Australia’s Kimberley outback, Papua New Guinea, Melanesia, New Zealand and the sub Antarctic Islands.

Eight years of operational experience is reflected across a range of forty 5 to 20 night itineraries capturing the very best regional destinations—from climbing active volcanoes in Melanesia to viewing pre-historic rock art in the Kimberley of North West Australia or an introduction to the ancient cultures of Papua New Guinea.

Travelers can walk in the footsteps of polar explorers at the historic Antarctic base camps of Mawson, Scott and Shackleton and encounter extensive wild life in its natural habitat – crocodiles in Western Australia’s Kimberley outback, dragons in Komodo, rare birdlife in the sub Antarctic islands and endangered species of primate in Borneo.

Offering a departure from the “floating mega mall”-style cruise, Orion offers a compact purpose-built luxury expedition vessel designed to carry just 100 guests in great comfort with a crew of 75 providing attentive, yet unobtrusive service.

No matter how adventurous or remote the expedition, travelers with Orion always return to the on-board comforts akin to a small luxury hotel. Highlights from the 2013 Orion Expedition Cruises Calendar of Sailings include:

January 7: 18 night Mawson’s Antarctica – includes sub Antarctic Islands

January 15: 20 night Scott & Shackleton’s Antarctica – includes sub Antarctic Islands
New Zealand Golf Cruise – includes Marlborough Sounds, Napier and exclusive golf courses

February 24: South Pacific Splendour – includes Bay of Islands and Norfolk Island

March 6: Melanesia & Solomon Islands – includes Utupua, Ngella and Marovo Lagoon

March 16 and 27: Papua New Guinea Highlights – includes Watam Village (Sepik River), Tufi and Kitava

April 7: West Papua and Malaku – Includes Wewak, Urbanasi Island, Mapia Atoll

April 18 through September 5: Kimberley – includes Crocodile Creek, Hunter River, Raft Point, King George Falls and inclusive Bungle Bungle flight

September 15: Kimberley and Spice Islands – includes Ashmore Reef, West Timor, Sumba, Komodo and Badas Sumbawa

September 29: Borneo Discovery – includes Komodo, Sulawesi

October 25 and November 18: Camp Leakey (Borneo) – includes Tambilan Island, Natuna Islands, Bako National Park

Absent from the Calendar of Sailings for 2013 are itineraries for Orion II, which will be returned to its owners mid-November 2012 and will no longer be used by the company for expeditions beyond that date.

“We have not been satisfied with some performance aspects—such as the fuel efficiency of the vessel—and therefore have decided to return the ship at the completion of the first charter term,” says Sarina Bratton, Founder & Managing Director of Orion Expedition Cruises. “Small things make the difference and set Orion apart and I look forward to making an announcement regarding another vessel soon.”

“We will continue with our scheduled 2012 Orion II voyages to Borneo, the Russian Far East, Inland Sea of Japan, Vietnam and China, but do not anticipate having a replacement vessel in Asia during 2013, so if planning to visit these destinations then 2012 is the year to do this.”

Orion II voyages for the balance of 2012 include expeditions to the Yangtze Delta (Kobe to Shanghai) and Shanghai to Tawau (Yangtze, Taiwan, Philippines), Java and the temples of Borobudur.

Generous advance purchase options are available for those who act swiftly with lowest price savings guarantees of up to 40% off published prices. Savings vary by itinerary. Additional incentives are offered for back to back voyages.

Further information on Orion Expedition Cruises can be obtained by visiting the website www.orionexpeditions.com ahead of release of the 2013 brochure.

For reservations, or to obtain a brochure of 2012 or 2013 voyages, call Orion Expedition Cruises: (877) ORION-US (674 6687) or Email: inquiry@orionexpeditions.com

About Orion Expedition Cruises

Founded in early 2004, Orion Expedition Cruises is the only world class expedition cruise line operating from Australia to pristine wilderness areas in Antarctica, the Kimberley, Papua New Guinea, Melanesia and Asia. Orion is known worldwide for its new and diverse itineraries and sustainable operations.

Orion is designed to fulfill the desire of the sophisticated traveler for experience driven, cultural and nature based tourism that allow for a more informed and in-depth interpretation of, and interaction with, destinations and their people. Providing the comfort and luxuries that today’s travelers expect in a specially designed vessel that provides access to areas otherwise largely unreachable through conventional means, Orion truly provides a path less traveled.

Helly Hansen HP Race Smock Sailing Top Helly Hansen HP Race Smock Sailing Top

The first stage of the website launch is the booking module, where grass roots guesthouses and lodge accommodation are available on idyllic islands and unfrequented villages. “We have launched Village Huts so that more travelers can have access to some of the most beautiful locations in PNG and immerse themselves in the local culture and attractions,” said Chris Stevens, director of Village Huts. “Most of these locally run guesthouses do not have the budgets or technology available to promote themselves online so this new website enables them to have online visibility and reach more prospective visitors.”

All guesthouses and lodges listed on the website have been personally inspected by a Village Huts staff member and undertaken a quality assurance program. By constantly reviewing the guesthouses and lodges on offer, Village Huts ensures that clients receive the quality they expect at the best value for their money. With access to hundreds of accommodation options on the Village Huts site, travelers are able to get off the beaten track in PNG and explore its natural beauty, exotic wildlife and cultural tradition the country offers.

Papua New Guinea is one of the last frontiers of adventure travel. Located just north of Australia, PNG is the second-largest island in the world — slightly larger than the state of California. With over 800 known languages, travelers can immerse themselves in vibrant collection of cultural possibilities. Papua New Guinea offers a range of vacation activities from hiking remote jungle trails, cruising the mighty Sepik river, surfing the waves of New Ireland, fishing some 8,000 miles of coastline and experiencing some of the world’s best scuba diving amongst coral reefs, wrecks, walls and caves.

Participants are invited to enter their life goal on the new ‘Do Kokoda’ micro-site www.DoKokoda.com.au  to win the ultimate trip to PNG which includes return flights from Australia, a nine night Kokoda trekking adventure plus a two night beach resort stay to relax and unwind after the hard work!

No matter what life goals are chosen, from swimming with Great Whites, or learning a language, to running a marathon or becoming a famous chef, all Australians are invited to add their own goals to the list on the micro-site www.DoKokoda.com.au or choose from those already listed.

Entrants then share their goals via Facebook and Twitter and ask their friends to vote for them. The entrant whose goal gets the most votes will win the trip to Papua New Guinea. The campaign will run until the end of February so there are only three months to get moving and create a bucket list and drive votes.

All those who take part in the voting also go into the draw to win a four week Fitness First Outdoor Training package for two people.

PNG TPA’s Australian representative Michael Woods said the social media campaign aims to get people excited and motivated to set and achieve their goals.

“We often hear that trekking the Kokoda Track is something Australians really want to do in their lifetime – unfortunately dreams like these often sit on a personal ‘bucket list’ and never get crossed off,” Mr Woods said.

“We want the ‘Do Kokoda’ challenge to get people talking and sharing their dreams – no matter what they are. By creating and contributing to a shared list, participants will gain inspiration from other people’s ideas and hopefully goals like trekking Kokoda will get closer to reality.”

At the end of the campaign the goals will be collated to reveal the ultimate ‘bucket list’ showing what Australia’s most popular lifetime dream is.

The campaign will be promoted in Fitness First clubs Australia-wide, in their magazine, on the Fitness First website, as well as on the PNG Facebook page. Competition closes on 29 February 2012.

Visit www.DoKokoda.com.au for more information about the competition and www.papuanewguinea.travel/Australia  for PNG information.

Notes to Editor

The Major prize includes travel for 2 people from any Australian capital city to Port Moresby and return, using Virgin Australia / Airlines PNG services only via Brisbane or Cairns (no travel on other airlines is included); airport transfers in Port Moresby; 2 nights’ accommodation in Port Moresby (one either side of the Trek); charter flight to Kokoda; services of an Australian Tour WWII historian; PNG carriers for food & equipment; 7 nights’ accommodation on the track; all meals on the track, road transfers from Owers Corner to Port Moresby; 2 x person tent; Kokoda Track Authority Trek Permit; Polo Shirt & Kokoda Certificate; Public Liability Insurance; Licensed PNG Tour Operator; satellite phones & radios; Medivac Procedures. At the end of the trek, 2 nights Tufi Experience at Tufi resort, Oro province including transfers from Port Moresby, accommodation and all meals.

Promotion closes at midnight AEST on 29/02/12. The prize draw will take place at midday AEST 02/03/12 at Level 2, 52 Grafton Street, Bondi Junction NSW 2022. The winner of the draw will be notified by phone and email.