Wholesale tour operator Avanti Destinations announced that on Sept. 12, 2023 it will be launching its latest region—the South Pacific, including Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji, with a total of eight recommended vacations, 280 tours and experiences, and 222 3-, 4-, and 5-star hotels and resorts in more than 50 locations.
“Our travel advisor partners have been asking us to offer Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific for some time because these places are very high on most people’s travel bucket list. Advisors specifically requested vacations with the same high quality that we provide for Europe and our other destinations,” said Paul Barry, Avanti’s CEO. “All three countries are ideal for independent American travelers since English is the predominant language.”
Avanti has been selling custom-crafted independent travel vacations exclusively through travel advisors, not directly to consumers, since 1981. The South Pacific now joins Avanti’s lineup of Europe, Asia, North Africa, the Middle East, Central and South America that advisors can book for their FIT clients.
New and Exciting Itineraries from Avanti Destinations in South Pacific: Australia, New Zealand and Fiji
There are three suggested itineraries in Australia, three in New Zealand, and two in Fiji. Agents may custom-tailor each client’s itinerary, selecting the destinations, experiences, transfers, number of nights and hotels that match each client’s interests, timeframe, and preferred type of accommodation.
“The booking period starts ramping up mid-September when we officially launch. Based on information that the tourist offices of all three countries have shared with us, we expect many advisors’ clients will book both Australia and New Zealand, some will only book either Australia or New Zealand, and some will fly via Fiji and Fiji Airways, which makes it easy to stop on the way there or back, Barry said. “We expect most advisors will start building vacations using our Essentials recommended packages for Australia and New Zealand. All of these destinations offer spectacular scenery, abundant opportunities for active travel, wildlife-spotting, fascinating indigenous cultures, and renowned food and wine.”
In Australia, for example, Avanti provides hotels and tours including Sydney, with its iconic multi-venue Opera House; Melbourne boasting the 150-mile-long scenic Great Ocean Road; and Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, whose Stokes Bay garnered the 2023 Best Australian Beach award.
In New Zealand, Avanti’s 17 locations include four on the North Island: Auckland; Wellington, home to the Te Papa National Museum and considered New Zealand’s culinary capital; Rotorua, center of Maori culture and geothermal activity with bubbling mud pools, spas, age-old forests and pristine lakes; and Hawke’s Bay, referred to as the “hidden jewel” of the country.
In Fiji, an archipelago of 333 islands that defines the term “tropical paradise”, locations of Avanti’s hotels, resorts, and tours include: Nadi, on Viti Levu, Fiji’s main island, transit hub and largest town with kayaking, river rafting and zip-lining adventures for the whole family; Denarau, a small island west of Nadi known for its high-end resorts, 18-hole golf course, 40 restaurants, and many entertainment options; and Coral Coast on the southern shore of Viti Levu, with 50 miles of white sand beaches, family-friendly resorts, a vintage sugarcane railway, snorkeling, and scuba diving.
“You can see from the more than 40 South Pacific destinations we have added that we offer not only the most popular, iconic ones, but also smaller, off-the-beaten-path places that other tour operators don’t offer, but are extremely worthwhile seeing,” Barry said. “In our product selection, we always strive to give advisors the opportunity to help their FIT clients develop an in-depth appreciation for the countries that they visit and their cultures, and not just tick the best-known sights off their list. With this launch, we are giving advisors a staggering range of components they can use to build unforgettable vacations.”
In all, Avanti offers 153 experiences and sightseeing tours in Australia, 109 in New Zealand, and 28 in Fiji, running the the gamut from bushwalking and visits to indigenous villages to wine tours and private helicopter excursions.
Yet, their eye is also on future growth, mostly in existing destinations. “There are still some destinations out there that we do not sell. The opportunities for future expansion are greater, however, in developing new products such as tours, experiences and hotels in our less visited places like Wales and the Apulia region of Italy,” Barry said.
An e-brochure will be available on Avanti’s travel advisor portal on Sept. 12, 2023 and a webinar covering the entire region is scheduled for August 31, 2023 at 1pm Eastern, 10am Pacific. Additional webinars on the individual countries are scheduled for October, November and December.
For more information, visit book.avantidestinations.com
