Agents to fly to Sydney for the Australian travel industry’s biggest awards night

Avis will for the first time fly the finalists in this year’s Avis Travel Agent Scholarship of Excellence to Sydney in July to attend the National Travel Industry Awards as guests of AFTA.

This year’s finalists will stay at the five-star Four Seasons Sydney and have opportunity to meet travel industry leaders at a stylish pre-NTIA cocktail party before enjoying the travel industry’s most glamorous awards evening on July 10.

“The National Travel Industry Awards are about recognising and rewarding the best our industry has to offer, so it’s only fitting the finalists of the Avis Scholarship take part,” said AFTA chief executive Jayson Westbury.

Now in its 14th year, the annual scholarship rewards agents displaying outstanding customer service with international travel and career development opportunities.

This year’s prize is valued at more than $40,000, with the 2010 winner receiving two Qantas Business Class return tickets to New York, six nights’ luxury hotel accommodation, seven days’ Avis car rental and $750 worth of foreign exchange products.

The winner also receives free tuition for the first year of a three-year Bachelor of Tourism Management course at Southern Cross University’s School of Tourism and Hospitality Management, four ICCA cruise training modules and one-on-one sessions with a Polonious Resources business coach.

Agents can register for the 2010 scholarship at www.avisscholarship.com. Candidates then have until June 8 to submit answers on their individual approach to customer service.

All finalists will be flown to Sydney on August 5 to present to members of the Avis Travel Agents Advisory Board, with the winner announced that evening at the Four Seasons Hotel.

All finalists will stay the night at the five-star hotel and take home an Avis weekend car hire. In addition, finalists receive a personal online behavioural profile and consultation session with Polonious Resources.