Abercrombie & Kent has introduced a new collection of small group escapes, initially offered from Adelaide and Melbourne, with more escapes also in the pipeline.

Ovolo Hotels has offered its first glimpses of Ovolo South Yarra which will open on 8 April 2021. Ovolo South Yarra will feature 123 rooms ranging from micro-hotel rooms to “Rockstar Suites”. Taking its design cues from the days of disco, rock gods and retro glamour, the vibe is bold, creative and unpredictable.

Melbourne has joined the destination network of Marriott International’s luxury lifestyle hotel brand, W Hotels.

W Hotels & Resorts’ second property in Australia has revised its opening date as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. In May, the W Melbourne revealed its highly-anticipated launch was planned for December 2020, however, the Victorian capital’s ongoing lockdown has required the hotel to push back its debut to early 2021.

Renaissance Tours has reported a strong uptake in its newly expanded collection of Day Tours available in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra.

Ponant has unveiled details of a new to market 12-night tropical expedition of Southern Australia departing in late March next year. Cruising between Melbourne and Fremantle on the small luxury ship Le Bellot, the sailing will visit Tasmania, three ports in South Australia, cross the Great Australian Bight and call in at two ports in Western Australia.

On 5 December, Qatar Airways celebrated its 10-year anniversary since they first launched in the Australian market. To mark the milestone, the airline hosted a pop-up restaurant in Melbourne, with a specially curated menu to showcase local Australian produce. Qatar Airways first launched in Australia in 2009, offering flights three times a week from Melbourne to Doha, Qatar. The airline now operates 35 flights per week to and from Australia with flights from Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth and Canberra. On a daily basis, the airline averages over 1,700 passengers each way between Australia and Doha, with London and Athens being the top destinations for Australian passengers.

Oakwood will add a new luxury hotel and serviced apartment in the Victorian capital, after signing a deal for the Oakwood Premier Melbourne, slated to open in Q1 2022. The signing follows the recent announcement of Oakwood Hotel & Apartments Dandenong in April 2019.

Organisers of Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) have declared their mission will be to create more diversity in business for next year’s instalment, which is still seven months away.

Air Vanuatu and the Vanuatu Tourism Office (VTO) have had a big week toasting the launch of their new direct, thrice-weekly, flight connecting Melbourne and Vanuatu’s capital, Port Vila, with the official inaugural flight touching down on Thursday, 20 June.

Hilton will fast-track its return to the Melbourne market, signing a management agreement with M&L Hospitality for a new-build 244-room property in the Victorian capital.

Hotel Chadstone Melbourne is now accepting reservations with the first guests to check-in at the city’s newest luxury destination in November 2019.