Celebrating its sixteenth anniversary this year, Avis Australia opened registrations for this year’s Travel Agent Scholarship of Excellence yesterday with the introduction of a new 24-page agents guide.

Unveiled yesterday, Avis Travel industry manager Russell Butler told e-Travel Blackboard the new brochure would help “demystify” the application process for agents as well as maximise their chances of success in the program.

Available for pick up from Avis travel account managers, through applying into the program and by contacting Avis, the brochure offers an outline of the ‘dos and donts’ during the Scholarship questioning process, how a winner is selected as well as insight into the diverse origins of previous winners and where they are today.

Mr Butler said the brochure also gave a breakdown of the time requirements of the program and application.

It was designed to “give more information and encourage people to apply that haven’t previously,” he said.

“It also makes the application process more approachable.”

Also kicking off registrations for the scholarship yesterday, Mr Butler said the program was open to all Australian leisure and corporate travel consultants, regardless of current position, level of experience or commercial affiliation.

The winning agent will also receive:

·  two Qantas Business Class return tickets to New York
·  six nights’ luxury hotel accommodation in Manhattan
·  seven days’ car rental from Avis
·  a first-year tourism scholarship to study at Southern Cross University’s School of Tourism and Hospitality Management, with financial support of up to $10,000 towards the first year of a three-year Bachelor of Tourism Management course**
·  four cruise training modules from the International Cruise Council Australasia
·  a Polonious Resources Personal Profile, Feedback Session and on-call personal/professional coaching for 12 months
·  admission into the TIME (Travel Industry Mentor Experience) mentoring program
·  a one year honorary position on the Avis Travel Agents Advisory Board
·  a tour of Avis’ World Headquarters in New Jersey and site visits to US agencies.