International Media Marketplace (IMM), hosted by TravMedia, is Australia’s pre-eminent annual event bringing travel writers and promoters together under the one roof. It’s always a great opportunity to find out what’s new in the world of travel, to be reminded of what makes a destination special, and to discover or re-discover those ‘hidden gems’ that encourage us to get out there and explore.
Here’s a random selection of places and products that captured my interest at this year’s IMM. Note that IMM was held just before the start of the US-Israel war with Iran, which is putting millions of lives at risk and having a huge impact on travel and aviation. Let’s hope peace will soon prevail.
Tours and cruises on all continents
Few companies can claim to have been in the travel business for more than a century, and fewer still are family owned. Tauck can lay claim to both. Founded in 1925 and family owned for four generations, it operatesland tours, safaris, river cruises, small ship ocean cruises and family travel adventures to 65+ countries and all seven continents.
Linsey Brown, of The Public Relations Agency, was on hand to tell me all about Tauck’s new brand, Roam by Tauck, aimed at travellers in their 40s and 50s. The small-group journeys will start from August 2026, with experiences in France, Portugal, and Mexico, along with African safaris.
Linsey was also keen to tell me about Tauck’s two newest riverboats, ms Lumière and ms Serene, which will be launched in Europe later this month. The ms Lumière will sail on the Rhône River, while the ms Serene will sail on the River Seine.
European cruises and land tours in the U.S. are Tauck’s most popular offerings with Aussie travellers. One particularly notable land journey is planned for this October. Celebrating America’s 250th, it includes a private meet-and-greet with filmmaker Ken Burns, who will share insights into his upcoming documentary series, The American Revolution.
‘God’s favourite courtyard’
Plataran is an Indonesian word meaning “God’s most favourite courtyard”, an apt name if ever there was for a collection of luxury hotels, resorts, private cruises, dining, and event venues in the Indonesian archipelago.
I had the pleasure of meeting Viana Dien-Igah, founder and managing director of Prefinite Communications, which handles publicity for the Plataran hospitality group, along with her Accounts Director, Rizki Permata Sari.
Their enthusiasm for Plataran’s venues in Bromo, Borobudur, Komodo, Makassar, Bali, West Java and Jakarta was a reminder of why Maurie and I fell in love with Indonesia during our extensive travels in Java a few years ago – and why I am longing to return.
During that trip, we dined at Plataran Bandung, a gorgeous restaurant where we enjoyed one of the best meals of our trip. I now know that we weren’t so far from the mountain resort of Puncak, where Plataran Puncaklooks like a charming retreat in a beautiful location in the mountains. How cool does its Family Explorer’s Suite look?
Heartfelt hospitality
I know it sounds crazy but I remember vividly the very moment decades ago when I first heard about The Lake House. (This luxury boutique hotel, restaurant and spa in Daylesford, Victoria, has been operating for 42 years.)
When I told Larissa Wolf-Tasker my story about being at a dinner with Victorian winemaker Garry Crittenden when he raved about The Lake House, she was very touched but not surprised. Still family-run with employees who have been with them for many years, “it’s like family,” she says. “It’s the essence of our hospitality.”
Larissa’s mother, Alla, and late father Allan, founded The Lake House and nurtured the property with their bare hands, with the help of Alla’s mother. And just as the business is multi-generational, so too is its clientele, as it now welcomes a third generation of travellers.
The Lake House is renowned for its culinary excellence and stylish accommodation in six acres of country gardens. The family also operates Dairy Flat Lodge on a 40-acre farm where guests enjoy an exclusive experience amongst the olive groves, orchards, vineyard, artisan bakehouse and mineral pools.
Think You Know Spain? Think Again
If you think you know Spain, the country’s Tourism Board wants you to think again. Its Singapore-based Public Relations & Media spokesperson, Chet Francisco-Ramos, says Spain is keen for visitors to explore some of its lesser-known regions.
Its international campaign, Think You Know Spain? Think Again, showcases a different side of Spain and invites travellers to embrace meaningful and sustainable experiences. The emphasis is on slow travel, cultural immersion, environmentally respectful experiences, spending more time in local communities, and exploring beyond the coastline and major cities.
Some suggestions:
*Wandering through medieval streets and artisan quarters
*Eating with local producers and discovering regional flavors
*Exploring national parks, UNESCO sites, and rural villages
*Participating in workshops, traditions, and cultural rituals
*Choosing quality time, meaningful exchanges, and longer stays
Tailor-made tours
If doing a group tour isn’t your cup of tea but you like the idea of having everything mapped out for you, Odynovo Tours could be a good compromise. It will tailor-make a tour for you or adapt an existing tour to suit your requirements.
This means that no two trips are the same. Instead, a travel specialist will work with you online to design an itinerary that matches your preferences and interests. The privately owned company is headquartered in China but organizes tours worldwide.
I was unfamiliar with the company before meeting Lucy Peng, Director, Australia & New Zealand Region for Odynovo. Nor do I know of anyone who has used their services. But customer reviews online are favourable and there’s certainly a need for tailor-made itineraries that don’t necessarily cost an arm and a leg.
Mediterranean jewel
Last year, Malta had a record 4 million+ visitors, more than 8 times its population. Around 850,000 were repeat visitors, according to the director of Visit Malta’s new Melbourne office, Mario Farrugia Borg.
I’m not surprised by those figures. I’ve visited Malta a couple of times – once on a cruise ship, and once for an extended stay. I love the layers of history everywhere, the food and wine, the scenery, and that the capital, Valletta, has one of the world’s most beautiful harbours.
Malta is one of my favourite countries to visit in Europe and I still feel I have barely scratched the surface. I’ll be returning for sure, and when I do, I’m looking forward to exploring the island of Comino, where the Six Senses Comino is due to open later this year or next. The luxury resort is set to take the country’s accommodation offerings to another level.
Exploring personal connections
Sometimes you need look no further than your back yard for an interesting story. It was a pleasure to meet Marissa Ayala and Rachel Curtis from the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, who were keen to tell me about the memorial’s Charles Bean Research Centre.
It opened in early 2025 and has free entry; you don’t even need to make a booking. For people interested in their family history, this is a great place to start researching a family member who served in an Australian campaign.
For an even more meaningful experience, the memorial offers a Signature Series tour where you can tell them the name of your family member ahead of time, and the staff will find relevant documents or other paraphernalia ready for you to see.
The War Memorial has more than 7,000 square metres of new gallery space opening this year. Along with a new Anzac Hall, major new exhibitions will explore Afghanistan, Peacekeeping, and the Middle East. Many of the objects on display will be shown publicly for the first time.
Wineries in our backyard
Also close to home, a reminder of how fortunate we are to have the Hunter Valley wine region in our backyard. With excellent restaurants, more than 150 wineries, and sweeping landscapes just two hours’ drive north of Sydney, it offers a wide range of accommodation from farm stays to luxury resorts and everything in between.
Manda Duffy, from the Hunter Valley Wine & Tourism Association, says plans are underway for a concierge program to help guests discover what there is to do in the region, as well as a program that will enable visitors to park their cars and be ferried around (so you can have that extra glass of Shiraz or Semillon).
Palm Springs-inspired resort
Anyone following our posts knows how much I love the Palm Springs style, so when Melanie Quirk, Head of PR & Marketing for Trentham Waters, mentioned that the newly opened resort has a “Palm Springs aesthetic”, I was all ears. Melanie attended IMM with Elysia Kelly, who along with her husband, V8 Supercar Champion Rick Kelly, and the Kelly family, is a driving force behind the creation of this stunning resort near Mildura.
Opened in mid-December, Trentham Waters Resort has been praised for its design, idyllic setting on the Murray River, and the sheer scale of the project. Currently there are 20 one-, two- and three-bedroom villas, ensuite caravan sites, 48-metre lagoon pool with splash park, tennis and basketball court, table tennis, kids’ room, private boat ramp and jetty, and a poolside restaurant called Kokomo.
Further development will see more luxury villas and recreational facilities, drive-through caravan sites, and eco-designed River Retreats with wood-fired hot tubs.
Geelong waterfront hotel transformed
A multi-million dollar redevelopment of Bayside Geelong Hotel & Apartments is delivering a new level of luxury and sophistication to the region. The 110-room hotel on the Geelong waterfront is part of the Ascend Collection, Choice Hotels’ luxe brand.
The transformation of the circa 1962 property has given it a new lobby, fitness centre, indoor lap pool, and around 80 completely new guest rooms. Once completed, there’ll be a striking new facade. Décor throughout is inspired by the bayfront location, the region’s wool and textile heritage, and its Indigenous roots.
Chriss Mannix, whose PR firm Soda Communications represents Choice Hotels – Asia Pacific, says the hotel’s all-day Italian-inspired restaurant, Franca’s, is a destination in itself.
Choice opened 70 hotels in China last year, all under the Ascend brand. It is also about to open an Ascend Collection hotel in Takayama, Japan.
More than Machu Picchu
With all the mayhem in the Northern Hemisphere, Peru looks even more attractive now than it did when I met Sol Campos de Parry at IMM. The Trade Investment & Tourism Commissioner for PROMPERÚ in Australia reaffirmed my view that there is much more to Peru than Machu Picchu, as wonderful as that is.
With numerous other important archaeological sites, the UNESCO World Heritage listed Nasca Lines, beach, desert, mountain and rainforest scenery, diverse museums, and some of the world’s best gastronomy, there is something for everyone. How to choose? Well, I picked up a copy of the booklet There is a Peru for Everyone: 30 Experiences that are not to be missed. That’s a good start. More Peru travel information here.
Croissant indulgence
“There is a really big push globally (for parent company Accor) to own the croissant. We’re French. We want to take it back,” said the Director of Marketing and Communications for Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour, Mandy Dwyer, when I met her at IMM.
A raspberry lamington croissant created by the hotel’s Italian (!) pastry chef is particularly popular but the pastry supremo is not stopping there. She makes superb croissants in all shapes and sizes, and you’ll find four different ones on sale at the hotel on any given day.
The hotel’s signature restaurant, Atelier by Sofitel, challenges the notion that hotel restaurants are less serious than standalone restaurants. We dined there early last year (see our post here) and were impressed by the food and its beautiful presentation.
Artful food & wine pairing
In Singapore, it’s much more widely accepted that fine cuisine is to be found in hotel restaurants. Elizabeth Wan, Director of Marketing Communications at the Fairmont Singapore & Swissôtel The Stamford Singapore, delighted in telling me about their chef, Kirk Westaway, whose artful pairing of food and wine is widely recognized.
His restaurant, Jaan, on the 70th floor of Swissôtel The Stamford, holds two stars in the Michelin Guide Singapore and is also in Asia’s Best Restaurants list. Westaway is an ambassador for Krug Champagne and has produced a cookbook of his signature dishes.
Fragments Of Time
Another Singapore restaurant cookbook is Fragments of Time, by André Chiang, Chef Patron of 1887 by André which will open in Raffles Singapore at the end of this month.
Chiang’s return to Singapore is a homecoming of sorts for the Taiwanese-born chef who previously had the renowned Restaurant André. He has described his new restaurant as “my love letter to Raffles Hotel Singapore and this city for its kaleidoscope of cultures and diversity”.
Jesmine Hall, Director of Commercial Marketing for Raffles Singapore, gave me a copy of Chiang’s gorgeous book of recipes inspired by Singapore and its landmark hotel. Raffles opened in 1887 and continues to be a destination known for its intoxicating blend of luxury, history and colonial design. The hotel describes 1887 by André as its “boldest and grandest culinary endeavour yet”.
The Bali way of life
A lot of Bali hotels presented at this year’s IMM. While much of the world goes mad, our close neighbour is looking even more attractive than usual for many Aussies. Here’s a wrap-up of the Bali hotels I was briefed on.
Umana Bali, operated by luxury Hilton brand LXR Hotels & Resorts, is a sanctuary on Bali’s southern coastline. Each of its 72 one-, two- and three-bedroom villas has its own infinity-edge pool and outdoor hot tub. Through its program The Bali Way of Life, the hotel invites travellers to experience a more meaningful side of the Island of the Gods, including, for example, the mesmerising Kecak Dance on the beach and the Soul Blessing at an ancient temple.
The Westin Resort Nusa Dua, on Bali’s southern shore, has 430+ rooms, a big focus on food and beverage in its six restaurants and bars, a kids’ club, a choice of swimming pools, and the award-winning Heavenly Spa by Westin. It even has its own Mandala motif reflecting balance, harmony and togetherness. The motif features on custom-made batik by local artisan brand, Cap Bali. I was very kindly given some of the fabric, which I adore.
In a spectacular clifftop setting, AYANA Bali has a jaw-dropping 14 pools, 30 dining options, the iconic Rock Bar Bali, secluded Kubu Beach, various hotel and villa options, an expansive family retreat, spice gardens and cooking classes … the list goes on. If you think getting around them all would be a nightmare, never fear — a shuttle bus runs between them all. The recently renovated AYANA Segara hotel blends traditional Balinese décor with contemporary design.
During Covid, work got underway on The Sanur Special Economic Zone for Health and Wellness, a 42-hectare retreat 30 minutes’ drive from Denpasar International Airport. It has two hotels alongside each other: Bali Beach Hotel, a 1966 hotel that has been renovated extensively, and The Meru, a newly built hotel that exudes luxury. In a prime location by the white sandy Sanur beach, there’s also a convention centre, hospital and ethnomedicinal botanic garden.
The Holiday Inn Resort Bali Canggu is all about fun, surf (it’s famous for its Fins beach club), all-day dining, and sunset cocktails around the rooftop infinity pool. Rooms and suites are modern – the hotel opened just over two years ago — with stunning ocean and city views. With broad appeal for couples, groups and families, the Kids Suites with playful bunk beds are especially popular. Kids under 12 stay and eat for free.
New South Wales treats
And finally, a special shout out to Destination NSW which gave everyone at IMM a much-needed sugar hit (back-to-back meetings are a lot of work!) It sponsored a delicious afternoon tea with treats from Indigieearth: Lemon meringue and green ant tarts; Chocolate wattleseed and quandong tart; and damper with native jams and wattleseed cream.
As if that wasn’t enough of a promo for the State’s amazing bounty, there was also a mountain of Sydney Rock Oysters from Merimbula Lake on the South Coast of New South Wales. These were gleefully devoured in the name of research for our Shucking Around website.
