Southern World Vacations

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Southern World Vacations

Premier inbound tourism operator for Australia, New Zealand and Fiji Islands

Southern World is a highly regarded and industry recognised provider of a wide range of inbound services across the three major South Pacific destinations. Our dedication to service and quality is combined with destination knowledge second to none. The Southern World team are carefully selected for their destination passion, product knowledge and industry experience, with on-going training and edu

cational style famils to ensure the full team keep pace with changing quality and new opportunities within the market. We are proud to have a focused and loyal team who take pride in using their wealth of knowledge to showcase the best of their country and ensure your clients have an unforgettable South Pacific experience. Southern World's dedicated Customer Service Managers ensure superior levels of customer support and welfare whilst in destination. We spend the time to ensure your clients feel welcomed and have the facilities available to contact any of our offices 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days of the year should the need arise. Southern World does not promote services direct to the consumer, our focus is support to travel industry partners through a full range of ground services and products, with 24 hours personalised service to ensure complete satisfaction for their travelling clients. Southern World is privately owned with all company directors involved and working in the business on a daily basis. We remain one of the very few commonly owned and branded Inbound Tour Operators that have full service operations in New Zealand, Australia and Fiji as well as Sales Teams in North American and UK/Europe. We are full members and active participants in our respective inbound associations and have representatives on the Australia & New Zealand national boards.

22/05/2026

A fantastic week at the New Zealand annual trade event, TRENZ 2026, held in Auckland this year at the impressive new International Convention Centre NZICC. It was fantastic to reconnect with supplier partners and offshore travel partners alike, hear about exciting new product launches, and share insights on visitor patterns and evolving global travel trends. The energy across the industry was incredibly positive, and Auckland turned on a brilliant week for the industry, with the city putting on a fantastic atmosphere and the weather certainly playing ball throughout the event as well as pre and post famils. Thanks to everyone we caught up with throughout the event. We’re already looking forward to doing it all again at TRENZ 2027 in Christchurch next year.

14/05/2026

And that’s a wrap !

An amazing 4 days in Adelaide at ATE26, catching up with our valued Wholesale and Travel agent partners, as well as with the Australian tourism industry.

Tourism Australia and SATC put on a wonderful trade show.

We are looking forward to seeing everyone in for ATE27.

12/05/2026

The South Island leg of our Travel Counsellors famil has been nothing short of spectacular. From the incredible scenery aboard the world-famous TranzAlpine journey to the rugged beauty of the West Coast, every day has delivered unforgettable experiences and plenty of wow moments.

Highlights so far have included time in Queenstown, an adrenaline-filled ride with Shotover Jet, a breathtaking visit to Milford Sound complete with cruise and scenic flyback, and outstanding hospitality during our stay at The Rees Hotel. The adventure continued with an incredible scenic helicopter experience around Aoraki / Mount Cook, before winding down under the stars in the famous Dark Sky Reserve in Lake Tekapo.

It’s been fantastic showcasing some of the South Island’s most iconic experiences alongside such a wonderful group of agents. We’re incredibly grateful to our supplier partners for helping bring this itinerary to life and for the warm hospitality and memorable experiences provided throughout the journey.

08/05/2026

We’ve had the pleasure of spending the past week on the road with a fantastic group of Travel Counsellors, showcasing some of the incredible experiences New Zealand has to offer.

From time spent exploring Auckland and the beautiful landscapes and wineries of Waiheke Island, to the geothermal wonders and warm hospitality of Rotorua, it’s been a wonderful journey so far, with plenty more adventures still to come as the group now heads south.

A huge thank you to the amazing agents travelling with us for their enthusiasm, energy and support throughout the journey so far. We’d also like to extend our sincere appreciation to our fantastic supplier partners along the way, whose generosity, hospitality, and collaboration have helped make this experience so memorable.

01/05/2026

This week, Destination NSW and Western Sydney International Airport hosted a trade famil to view the airport.

Western Sydney International Airport is scheduled to commence cargo operations in July 2026, followed by passenger services from October 2026. The airport will operate on a 24-hour basis without curfew, supporting both domestic and international demand. Airlines confirmed to date include Qantas, Jetstar, Singapore Airlines, and Air New Zealand, with additional carriers expected. The terminal will have 40 common-use kiosks and 34 self-service bag drops to enable passengers to check in and lodge baggage any available position. It will include 13 gates, supported by 7 fixed link bridges and 13 smart passenger boarding bridges, incorporating flexible “swing gates” for domestic and international use to enable efficient boarding and disembarkation.

The airport features a single integrated terminal with an initial capacity of approximately 10 million passengers annually, with forecasts indicating growth to 82 million passengers per year in the long term as the airport expands.

24/04/2026

As we head into May, trade show season is officially underway in New Zealand. A few of the SWNZ team attended the annual Tourism Export Council Trade Days this week, which runs in a similar format to TRENZ (with NZ buyers and sellers only). It’s always such a valuable opportunity to reconnect with our supplier partners following high season and to kick-start our rate contracting season.

Key takeaways? New Zealand has enjoyed a fantastic summer overall, despite a few weather-related hiccups, and there are some exciting new experiences set to launch ahead of the coming season. Watch this space!

17/04/2026

With just five weeks remaining until Vivid Sydney begins, anticipation is building for this renowned annual celebration of creativity, innovation and technology. Running from 22 May to 13 June 2026, this year’s festival will, for the first time, extend beyond its traditional nighttime program to come alive both day and night. Through a dynamic program of art installations, talks, performances and events, Vivid Sydney will transform the city and redefine how visitors and locals experience the festival.

Renowned French multimedia artist Yann Nguema, known for his mesmerising projections onto significant buildings around the world, brings his unique fusion of science, music, and computer programming to the Sydney Opera House sails in the major new work, Opera Mundi.

Sāmoan-Australian artist Angela Tiatia presents Vaiola, a new large-scale light projection on the façade of the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia for Vivid Sydney.

The 6.5km Vivid Light Walk is free for all, and will feature 43 light installations in a streamlined, continuous format, delivering a more user-friendly and impactful visitor experience, stretching from Circular Quay and The Rocks through to Barangaroo and Darling Harbour.

Cockle Bay will also host the return of Drone Shows as part of the Vivid Sydney program, back for the first time since 2024 with 22 shows across 11 nights, delivering the highest number of drone shows in the festival’s history. The shows are aptly named Star-Bound. A nightly laser show named Laser Lightfall will also illuminate Cockle Bay.

The culinary showpiece of Vivid Sydney 2026—Vivid Fire Kitchen—will feature an expanded program designed to celebrate the best of Australia’s food culture. At its new home in Barangaroo Reserve, Vivid Fire Kitchen will bring together more than 60 culinary voices, showcasing bold flavours and live open-fire cooking.

31/03/2026

Anna, our Product Manager for Australia (pictured with Bruce Munro), recently had the privilege of attending the 10 year anniversary of Field of Light celebration in Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park .

The celebrations included the Wintjiri Wiru Sunset Dinner on night one and Sunrise Journeys the following morning. Once the sun had risen, it was then time to visit Kata Tjuta with a walk through Walpa Gorge and Uluru experiencing the Mala Walk with Sammy, a local Anangu man. The evening culminated in the Field of Light 10th Anniversary Gala Dinner, produced by First Nations owned suppliers Creative Native and Cooee Native Ingredients. Whilst we enjoyed the menu which showcased Australian native ingredients, Field of Light artist, Bruce Munro spoke about his inspiration and journey to bring Field of Light to Uluru.

It was a wonderful trip showcasing all of the unique experiences our guests can also take part in.

20/03/2026

Our Australian Managing Director, David, spent a few days this week trekking on Victoria’s spectacular Great Ocean Road Walk as part of a Tasmanian Walking Company and Great Walks of Australia Famil.

This guided small group walk is a very different experience from a standard road trip. Instead of stopping briefly at lookouts, guests actually walk sections of the coastline and trails that most people never see.

From the stunning views, tranquil rainforests, pristine beaches, private ecolodges and delicious meals, David found it hard to return to life in the city !

06/03/2026

Introducing Wadna, one of the newest members of the Discover Aboriginal Experiences collective, who are located in the Ikara-Flinders Ranges, 500 kilometres northwest of Adelaide. It is owned and operated by Adnyamathanha man Kristian Coulthard and his wife Gabby. Their guided cultural tours explore the stories, bush foods, and spiritual connections of the Flinders Ranges, while their on-site gallery and workshop display handmade artefacts crafted by artists from around Australia.

Wadna recently won the Gold Medal at the 2025 South Australian Tourism Awards, in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Tourism Experiences category.

Discover Aboriginal Experiences collective is part of Tourism Australia’s Signature Experiences of Australia program.

Address

38 Ireland Street
Auckland
1011

Website

http://www.southernworld.com/

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