Women only: new tours have a specific focus

For many obvious reasons, some women prefer to travel in groups that do not include men. 

Inspiring Vacations has partnered with "inspiring women" in some of its key destinations to offer a new range of tours exclusively for women. 

Each itinerary includes a female tour leader and provides travellers the opportunity to engage with women in each country, who have positive stories to share. 

Inspiring Vacations new range of tours, 'Inspired Women' feature small group itineraries with insights into female culture and experiences in each destination. 

Itinerary highlights include a pottery class in Kyoto, meeting a North Korea defector at the DMZ, lantern making in Hoi An, take a Pink City rickshaw ride through Jaipur, and exploring Sri Lanka's Barefoot Gallery.

So think regular sightseeing highlights alongside activities supporting female-first businesses in India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Japan and South Korea.



Peita Davis, head of global product at Inspiring Vacations, said: “Our Inspired Women’s range is curated to showcase inspirational women around the globe and inspire our female travellers to engage with the global community. 

"Each journey is thoughtfully guided by female tour leaders, and combines must-see highlights with authentic local encounters that reveal the lives and stories of women around the world.”

With itineraries and activities centred around wellness, connection, and culture, the new tours include: daily breakfast and select other meals (including welcome and farewell dinners); female tour leaders; hotel accommodation; a small group format with a maximum of 16 to 20 travellers depending on destination; select transportation; and in-depth sightseeing. 

Most tours also feature airport transfers and traditional accommodation experiences (such as a Korean Hanok or Japanese Ryokan).

Paul Ryan, CEO and co-founder of Australian-owned Inspiring Vacations, said: “I’m thrilled to be part of yet another exciting new range thoughtfully designed for our valued female customers."

You can check out the options at inspiringvacations.com

Images: Inspiring Vacations

Perth is on the move for summer

Summer sees a whole lot of new adventures launching in and around Perth.

From new tours to dining hotspots, here are some of the latest openings from Tourism Western Australia.

Segway Tours WA expands tour highlights

Segway Tours WA has launched a new 2.5 tour taking in the inner-city sights of Perth. Visitors will join an experienced tour guide to experience the highlights of Kings Park and Botanic Gardens, stop at the Blue Boatshed (above), cruise beside the Swan River and past the Old Swan Brewery and explore the Elizabeth Quay and Bell Tower precinct. The relaxed tour includes time for photos, plus an all-important coffee stop in Kings Park. Segway Tours WA runs small group tours, with Segway training, helmets and over-ear radios provided.

Bert's City Beach opens

The team behind Perth foodie hotspots The Rowing Pavilion and General Public Food Co has opened Bert's City Beach, a new dining venue offering a laidback experience with views of the Indian Ocean. Open from breakfast to dinner, its main menu is a mix of snack and share plates, larger solo meals, plus a selection of pizzas and tacos. Its name is a tribute to 'Bert's Shop', a former beach kiosk and surf hangout which served up ice creams and snacks to the surfing crowd during the 1950s and early 1960s. City Beach is one of Perth's 19 metropolitan beaches, located around 10 kilometres from the city centre.



Vibrant new walking tour

Fresh from the launch of the Canning Bridge Art Tours, Oh Hey WA has announced its latest tours, inviting visitors to explore Perth's inner-city suburb of Subiaco, with the support of See Subiaco. The special tour series commences October 17 and will run until May 2026, inviting visitors to discover more about its iconic high street, street art (above) and lively events. Highlights include the 'Walk to UnWined' tour, which leads visitors to the Unwined Subiaco food and wine festival; as well as the 'Murals, Music and Markets' tours, which conclude at the Subi Night Markets, and the 'Festive Sundowner' tours to be held across November and December. Founded in 2014, Oh Hey WA hosts walking tours which encourage visitors to discover the culture, stories and history of Perth.



Tigerfish cruises down the coast

Long-time Cottesloe favourite The Cottesloe Beach Hotel is set to open Tigerfish, which is touted as a 'spirited bar and dining destination'. The upscale modern establishment aims to deliver bold south-east Asian flavours and design. Its spaces will include a curved cocktail bar, light-filled dining room, cosy booths and tables for two overlooking the Indian Ocean. An open robata grill is the kitchen highlight. The menu features dishes designed to share and drinks include hand-crafted cocktails and an expansive wine list. It is Located opposite the iconic Cottesloe Beach, which is approximately 25 minutes' drive from Perth city.

Indigenous culture under the tourism spotlight in Australia

Right around the world there is a growing interest in first peoples' cultures, and in Australia AAT Kings has just unveiled the launch of its new Aboriginal Culture & Australia Highlights tour, as part of the group’s 2024-2025 touring season.

The limited-season, Australia-first indigenous-focused guided holiday features several destinations from city to outback across Melbourne, Uluru, Sydney and Cairns over 13 days, with a focus on local connection, cultural immersion, sustainability, and wildlife and nature.

The Aboriginal Culture & Australia Highlights tour has been developed in response to Tourism Australia’s consumer insights, outlined in the global Future of Demand research project released late 2022.

The report highlighted the latent demand for Indigenous experiences.

The AAT Kings team has "collaborated closely" with Discover Aboriginal Experiences (part of Tourism Australia’s ‘Signature Experiences of Australia’) to identify and curate Indigenous operators and experiences that form part of the new itinerary, showcasing indigenous-owned businesses.



The tour highlights include:

# Sunset drinks at Uluru, including an exclusive barbecue dinner and Dot Art painting experience.
# A behind the scenes Sydney Opera House tour, Dreamtime Walking Tour of the Rocks district and indigenous-themed harbour cruise in Sydney
# Great Barrier Reef trip with Dreamtime Dive and Snorkel experience (above) 
# A lunch at Big Esso by Mabu Mabu in Melbourne’s Federation Square with cuisine by renowned Torres Strait chef Nornie Bero.

"Dreamtime Dive and Snorkel provides a unique opportunity to gain insights from our cultural guides as they provide interpretation of the sea country on which we operate our Great Barrier Reef tours,” said John O’ Sullivan, CEO of Experience Co, which owns and operates Dreamtime Dive and Snorkel.

“We are delighted to be included in this new tour from AAT Kings and applaud this initiative which will make it easier for visitors to access a range of first-class indigenous experiences across Australia.”

The tour also features a number of optional tours to cater for international markets and appeal to a broad range of travellers. 

"We are committed to helping drive indigenous tourism and play a leading role in increasing understanding and appreciation of Aboriginal culture - a major step towards reconciliation and support of First Nations people in Australia,” said Ben Hall, CEO, AAT Kings.

“This new tour is just a glimpse into how AAT Kings is committed to growing our range of Indigenous experiences across our suite of travel products, to advocate and highlight the range and depth of Indigenous tourism experiences, across Australia.” 

The Aboriginal Culture & Australia Highlights tour will have limited departures in 2024 and 2025. Travellers can currently save up to 15% as part of the AAT Kings New Season Sale which runs until until  October 31, 2023, with prices from $8,609 per person, twin share. 

The tours will commence in Melbourne and conclude in Cairns.

For more information and to book visit: www.aatkings.com/amsc