14 Wonderful Days - Paris to Paris
Fully Inclusive!

Guaranteed Departures:
May 22, June 12, July 24, Aug 28 & Sept 18

IMAGINE… A tour designed not only to take in the great sights of regional France, but one that will also immerse you in those wonderfully preserved medieval villages, sleepy chateaux, vineyards and local fresh produce markets bursting with ripe cheeses, pate and crusty French baguettes.
This ‘French Affaire’ enjoys leisurely three night stays in the Loire Valley and Bordeaux plus two night stays in the Delightful Dordogne and Burgundy.
Yes, we taste wine in a number of classic vineyards…but this is not a ‘fancy’ wine tour.Yes, we enjoy
delightful French cuisine…but this is not a ‘gastronomique’ tour.
We think the tour we have designed is simply the best way to enjoy these enchanting regions and to bring to life the genuine simple pleasures of the ‘real’ France. This unique tour is packed with many unusual visits and highlights, yet we have set aside quality leisure time to truly relax and savour the French way of doing things.
Enjoy the ambience, culture, magnificent sights, food and wine this country is so famous for.
Let’s face it, isn’t that why you are traveling to France? To sip champagne in Champagne?  Dine in a Bouchon in Lyon?
 Ahhh…C’est la vie.
This tour will be fully escorted and includes all sightseeing, scenic drives, excursions, tours & tasting through the vineyards, entrance fees into castles, chateaux and gardens. Buffet breakfast daily plus eight dinners. All gratuities for the tour manager, drivers and guides are pre-paid. Yes… everything as described in the itinerary is included.
No optional excursions lists or hidden, later charged extras.
Land only - $5579.00 P/person twin share.
PS: $25  per/person discount if you mention how you heard about this tour.
Maleny Cruise & Travel 39 Maple St Maleny Phone: 5499 9111

Tourism operators on the Sunshine Coast hinterland increasingly voice their concerns over lack of financial and marketing support for a region that is growing in importance as a recreational  destination. 

Elsewhere in this edition of the Hinterland Times we hear from the Blackall Range Business and Tourism Association and its wish for a slice of the tourism marketing dollar. Hinterland councillor Jenny McKay is also eager to see the hinterland better represented on tourism marketing bodies.

“We have told the various tourism bodies on the Sunshine Coast that they must come back to tell us what they want. Personally, I believe strongly that we need one tourism body, and I am not saying it should be Sunshine Coast Tourism. But we can’t go on having all these small tourism organisations. What is important though is that the board of any new body should have the hinterland equally represented on it alongside the Coast, because we need each other. 

So the tourism boards have been sent away to come back with a model  that they think is sustainable, in which each sector is represented equitably around the table, and how they would like support from local government. 

I will support those people who know what is best for hinterland tourism because I believe we need a partnership, or at least a seat around the big board table”.

One of the sensitive areas in the past has been the issue of tourism levies. Councillor McKay says in the past, a tourism levy was not popular in the Maroochy Shire.

“I think we need a public debate on this because in Maroochy Shire people were very vocal about not having a levy. But I think we might well come up with a model that supports levies because it has worked well in the northern and southern parts of the Coast”.

A concern associated with tourism is the quality of our paths and walking tracks.  Last week for example, Mapleton parents expressed their concern to this magazine about the danger  to their children from having to walk to school along narrow road edges without any protection.

“I totally understand the concern of these parents and I support more walkways. But take the proposed Mapleton to Montville walkway, it was costed at more than $3m with parts of it having to be suspended as a boardwalk off the side of the roadway on the hillside. This is very expensive. Unfortunately, some pathways already built on the hinterland are under utilised. So, it’s a matter of priorities but also of cost.

I hear very clearly from the people from Montville to Mapleton that this is a high priority and it’s very much in my thoughts. We will obviously get some state government input but it’s still going to take a lot of ratepayers money to bring such walkways to fruition. The point is that all these requests are very valid, but we are constantly asking ourselves as a Council, where is the money going to come from?