WITIA Works June 2022
Global Partner Offer
Uniglobe Silverbird Travel Plus
Reconnect, Travel, Explore, and Experience More of East Africa …. Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania with UNIGLOBE Silverbird Travel Plus.
Silverbird Travel Plus Limited trading as UNIGLOBE Silverbird Travel Plus is a Professional Travel and Destination Management Company based in Nairobi, Kenya with Branch office in Arusha Tanzania. It was established in 1998 and is a Franchise of the UNIGLOBE Travel Group that brings together the world’s largest travel network. UNIGLOBE travel is a leading provider of consumer direct travel services for business and leisure traveler. Through UNIGLOBE Travel, we give you access to more than 400 locations in 30-plus countries across the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
Silverbird Travel Plus is also IATA Accredited Travel agent, and a member of the following professional bodies: Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA), Kenya Association of Tour Operators (KATO), Kenya Tourism Federation (KTF), Women In Tourism International Alliance (WITIA), American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), and SKAL Nairobi. Silverbird travel specializes in managing the diverse and changing travel needs of corporate organizations and individual travelers. With our global reach and local expertise, we can manage your corporate travel program, vacation and incentive travel, Inbound and Outbound travel. UNIGLOBE Silverbird travel will manage all and any travel need with maximum efficiency, savings and excellent service delivery.
Both corporate organizations and individuals need to plan their travel. Whether it is official or personal, a well organized itinerary saves you time and money. UNIGLOBE Silverbird Travel Plus have well trained and experienced staff able to organize and manage all your travel needs among them: air ticketing, airport transfers, hotel accommodation, inbound and out bound tours, safaris, strategic planning retreats, team building activities, conferences and incentive travel.
At UNIGLOBE Silverbird Travel we make the planning and organization of these events much easier for you at most competitive pricing with Integrity, Reliability and Creativity for your memorable experiences.
OUR CONTACT:
7th Floor, Commodore Office Suites, Wood Avenue / Kindaruma Road – Kilimani, Near Yaya Centre, Nairobi, Kenya. Telephones – Fixed Lines: (254) 020 216 9866 / 020 258 9644 ; Mobile: (254) 737 991981 / 733 203050. Website: www.silverbirdsafari-africa.com
Email: ketours@silverbirdtravel.com (All Tours & Safaris enquiries and bookings – both Inbound and Outbound); reservations@silverbirdtravel.com (All air ticketing bookings and enquiries); info@silverbirdtravel.com (All Official communication and customer care support).
Member Spotlight
Carmel Thompson
WITIA Director of Professional Development
Most of the 60 years of my working life were spent initially in the Fashion Industry and then moving on to Business positions and finally working in the vocational education and training industry where I set up and ran my own English Language and Business College for both Australian and International Students in Brisbane, Australia.
I left school at 14 but continued along a path of lifelong learning where I actually completed a Ph.D. program (Doctor of Philosophy in Education) in 2019. I went to night school at 14 and did a four-year course at East Sydney Technical College, on graduation I went overseas to the UK and Europe for 2 years where I worked in the fashion industry. When I got married at 23 years of age my husband who was an Army Captain was transferred to Papua New Guinea where we stayed for 7 years and I continued to design and make clothes for the local residents and military personnel. A captive business as in the late 1960’s there were no dress shops in Port Moresby, just Chinese trade stores.
In later years I continued my studies at university and completed my Masters of Business as well as studies to become a CPA (Certified Practicing Accountant). Then in 2016, I was granted a scholarship to undertake a Doctorate Program by a university in Canterbury, UK, which I successfully completed in 2019. I guess now I will be able to have “Dr Carmel Thompson” on my tombstone!
I love to travel (why I joined WITIA), people, and different cultures. I am a very positive person and remember my father telling me as a young child “You can do anything you want to – just try”. I must have listened to him as I have always felt that if someone else can do something then so can I. I am a GEMINI and can’t stay idle for long. Once I have mastered something to my satisfaction then I move on to the next task.
Some Fun Facts about Me!
HOW DO YOU LIKE TO SPEND YOUR FREE TIME?
I make sure I don’t have much free time. I go to the gym two or three times per week, I am writing a book and I am on four international organizational boards and two Australian boards so it keeps me busy.
HAVE YOU MANAGED TO DO ANY TRAVELLING SINCE THE RESTRICTIONS EASED:
Yes, I went to Hawaii in March as soon as Australia opened its border for overseas travel. It was my 111th trip to Hawaii. I have been dropping in there to relax, since my early days of travel when I went to work in Canada in the early 1960s. Also, it was my drop-off point to unwind as I did my consultancy projects when I worked in vocational training in South America, Trinidad/Tobago, and the United States. I love Waikiki Beach, the shopping, the local people, and the numerous restaurants and bars where only the locals go. It is my second home.
IF YOU COULD INVITE THREE GUESTS (DEAD OR ALIVE) TO DINNER WHO WOULD THEY BE.
- Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine. The world is very short on leadership at this time and he has truly shown he is a leader to his people and the world. He deserves the Nobel Peace Prize this year!
- John F Kennedy – He was another great leader and a great orator. He was a man ahead of his time.
- Mother Theresa – She helped so many people who were desperate and had no one else to care for them.
WHAT BOOK OR TV SHOW CAN YOU NOT GET ENOUGH OF?
I haven’t read too many books lately as I am trying to write my own book and I have to get it finished by September. It is a memoir and is called HICCUP (How I Can Cope Under Pressure). There are 17 Chapters and I have completed 10 Chapters and sent them to my editor.
I do like to watch TV at night – Mainly Crime Shows or Current Affair Programs. I particularly follow the Turkish News on Foxtel or the BCC for updates on Ukraine.
WHAT IS YOUR GOAL FOR THIS YEAR?
My goal this year is to finish my book, publish and launch it by the end of the year.
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS
By Carmel Thompson
WITIA Director of Professional Development
WITIA’s NEW WEBSITE
Have you gone onto our new website recently at www.witia.net? You will notice quite a number of changes. Wait until you need to renew your membership. It is now so simple and easy to complete.
The Executive Committee of WITIA has asked me to write something on “BLOGS” for the next edition of WITIA Works. They would like the membership to communicate, share and learn from each other through our website. Apparently, this is the way to go. A bit of a challenge for me as I know very little about social media, but I am willing to learn.
It is a different world we live in today and it is indeed global. After all, we are all in the international marketplace promoting travel and local experiences, sharing our different cultures and the way we live. In this way we can all learn from each other. Globalisation is the business of our membership and there are so many opportunities available at the present time if we can just share ideas and take advantage of them.
Oops, it appears my introductory paragraphs above are a simple Blogg!! This may not be as difficult as I thought.
WHAT IS A BLOG?
(Definition from this link at Hubspot – https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/beginner-blogger-mistakes).
Simply put, a blog is a tool that can help develop an online presence, attract leads, and engage with an audience. It’s often a series of editorial content centered around a central topic that demonstrates industry expertise.
Blogs can help drive traffic to your website, convert that traffic into leads, establish authority in your industry, and grow your business
The link to HubSpot is a great learning tool and easy to follow. If you want to have a go at blogging then click on the link https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/beginner-blogger-mistakes and read through the editorial which covers: What is a Blog, Blogging Tips for Beginners and Blog Post Mistakes to Avoid.
I found I had to read the editorial two or three times and I highlighted the mistakes I thought I would be likely to make. I suggest you do the same. Just keep it simple. I am going to place my blog up on the WITIA Website shortly. I hope I get someone to reply. It would be fun to learn from other members who know more than I do about a city I want to visit or an airline company I want to book on. I love learning new things!
Carmel
Uploading Member offers and Member articles to WITIA website
To demonstrate how easy it is, we have used Carmel’s previous article about Blog writing to illustrate.
- Log-In
- Click on News and choose Article or Offer to Submit
- Follow the details (Watch the video)
- Add Title, Upload image, and add content
- Submit
The article was ready to cut and paste straight in, but you can type it straight in to the text box if you prefer.
The Video link is here or read online
AGM – Save the date
WITIA’s Annual General Meeting is scheduled for Saturday 17 September at 7.00 am (Brisbane, Australia) time. The meeting will be held virtually via zoom.
The positions vacant will be President; Vice President; Secretary; Director of Communications; Director of Marketing Americas; Director of Marketing Australasia; Director of Marketing Europe & Middle East.
We also would love enquiries from members to assist with social media and newsletters.
Meeting links and all details will be emailed to members in August 2022.
Carolyn Little
Executive Secretary
Member News
WITIA MEMBERS MEET FOR WINE CRUISE TO MEXICO
WITIA members from Australia, Jill and Geoff Schurmann joined WITIA members Bart Lynn and Peter Kerr of Gourmet Wine Getaways on their inaugural GWG @ Sea tour to Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico for wine tasting in late May.
WITIA Members and Friends Visit Sydney During Vivid!
 witia.org WITIA President Leah Gage, through her company In2 Travel Australia, invited some WITIA members and friends to meet in Sydney to enjoy the Vivid Light spectacular. Read more. 22 Jun 2022 |
To view the Video collage use this link or read online click the link below
Vale Neil Dorrell
Last month my husband, Neil, lost his lengthy fight with end-stage renal failure and dialysis and passed away. During our 56 years of marriage we travelled to many countries and through the strength of networking, friendship and fellowship, we became active members of WITIA. In 2006 we met with the Hawaiian members on the Gold Coast, in 2010 attended the memorable Viterbo Educational in Italy, and in 2014 travelled to the Sri Lanka Educational. Neil valued the opportunities presented by being part of the WITIA family, both within and outside of Australia, and it is the strong bond of friendship and support that I treasure at this very sad time. Thank you.
Kay Dorrell Financial Controller
Gold Coast -Australia – Bakes Record breaking Vanilla Slice for Cancer Charity
Who hasn’t had their life or their family or friends lives affected by Cancer? Here on the Gold Coast, Surfers Paradise, Queensland, Australia, several WITIA members joined this fun-filled fabulous morning to raise funds for the Cancer Council Queensland. Every single pastry, coffee, fruit, decoration, etc etc and hours of organisation and services were donated free by the local communities and the amount of A$6700 was raised on the day, with donations still coming in. Huge THANK YOU to everyone for their support and especially to former WITIA member Lou McGregor of Finding Yellow Co and daughter of Life Member and one of the founders of WITIA, Beryl Ley.
Many thanks also to Bianca Holgate , from ESPL Coffee Surfers Paradise for the donation of the amazing Vanilla Slice.
Hand of Friendship
MEMBERS CONNECT VIRTUALLY Via ZOOM
Reach out and talk to other members, discuss ideas to help your business or personal life during the current crisis & meet your network!
“Hand of Friendship” Zoom session
WITIA has held many successful virtual member meetings since April 2020. Details and Zoom meeting links are emailed to members a week prior to the sessions, and reminders are posted on WITIA’s Members Only Facebook page. If you are not receiving the emails with the meeting link, please email secretary@witia.org or info@witia.org.
What’s New: WITIA is offering our members the opportunity to give a FAM presentation during selected Zoom meetings. Presentations can be up to 15 minutes in duration and should be about a member’s tourism products or a country/ region /city of interest. Members who are interested in participating should contact President Leah Gage president@witia.org for further details. These meetings are a member benefit and restricted to financial members.
SAVE THE DATE!
“Hand of Friendship” Zoom sessions for 2022
JUL 14/15 | AUG 11/12 | SEP 0/09 | OCT 13/14 | NOV 10/11 | DEC 08/09
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