| | | | | | | |  | | TOURISM AUSTRALIA UPDATE | | It was great to hear last week that quarantine free travel between Australia and New Zealand will commence this Sunday. As one of our closest neighbours and largest inbound markets, we have long held strong tourism ties with New Zealand and they are an important market for us. Pre-pandemic, 1.4 million New Zealanders spent $2.6 billion annually in Australia. To encourage New Zealanders to take advantage of exclusive travel access to Australia while they can, Tourism Australia launched our ‘Be the First’ campaign last week. You can also read more background on the campaign, including how to get involved here. Next Friday, 23 April at 11am AEST, we will be hosting our next industry webinar. I will give an update on all of Tourism Australia’s recent activity and an update on our latest round of research and insights. Our Regional General Manager for South & South-East Asia, Brent Anderson, will give an update on the Singapore market. Register here. Phillipa Harrison | | |
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| |  | | Spotlight on the Regions - China | | This week Tourism Australia’s ‘Spotlight on the Regions’ features an interview with Andrew Hogg, Tourism Australia’s Executive General Manager, Eastern Markets and Aviation, who shares insights and observations from China, as well as updates on key stakeholders and activities to keep Australia front of mind in-market. Read the update here. |
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| |  | | Tourism Australia attends ITBNow in Germany | | The Tourism Australia team in Germany recently attended the first virtual edition of the world’s biggest trade show, ITBNow. Media received a first-hand update from Tourism Australia’s Managing Director, Phillipa Harrison, on the status of travel and tourism in Australia, as well as an update on key trends. There was a strong focus on Indigenous tourism with an update from Discover Aboriginal Experiences and a further update from Darren Capewell, owner of Wula Gura Nyinda in Western Australia, during the Indigenous Tourism panel. Tourism Australia was joined on the virtual stand by Tourism Northern Territory, Tourism Western Australia, Destination NSW, Visit Victoria and seven Australian Inbound Tour Operators. Visitors to the stand received travel advice and updates throughout the day. |
|  | | Tourism Australia trade activity in the United Kingdom | | The Tourism Australia team in the United Kingdom recently hosted a series of Australia-themed takeover training events with key partners Trailfinders and Flight Centre. ‘Australia Week with Trailfinders’ saw an average of 100 consultants tune in for each of the 18 virtual content sessions to hear updates from Tourism Australia, the state and territory tourism organisations, and selected products on what is new and topical from within the industry and to hear key selling points for an Australia holiday. Similarly, during the month of April, ‘Australia Takeover Month’ will see a series of virtual updates made available to all Flight Centre consultants. With retail stores, including travel agents, having remained closed for an extended period in line with United Kingdom government guidelines, Tourism Australia has capitalised on the interest from key distribution partners to use this period to train staff and increase their knowledge so that they are best placed for when high-street enquiries and bookings return. |
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| | | | |  | | Western Australia industry briefings | | Tourism Australia is hosting an industry briefing in Perth from 4pm to 6pm on Thursday 6 May 2021 at The Ritz Carlton, Elizabeth Quay Ballroom. Speakers from Tourism Australia will be joined by speakers from Tourism Western Australia. The event is free of charge and will be followed by networking drinks from 6pm to 7pm. Register here. Tourism Australia will also be speaking at the 2021 WA Regional Tourism Conference in Geraldton on 4 May and at Australia’s North West Tourism Event in Broome on 7 May. Register here for the Geraldton event and email info@australiasnorthwest.com by 30 April to attend the Broome event. |
|  | | Training for French Aussie Specialists | | French Aussie Specialist Agents are being taken on a journey throughout Australia with the “On the Road in Aus” training program. Each Friday, a new video is released showcasing different regions of Australia for French Aussie Specialists to view. The series has featured North Queensland so far with five episodes in the first season. The next season will focus on the Red Centre. Agents are also encouraged to answer quiz questions in response to the videos. |
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| | | | | | | | | |  | | Victorian Tourism Conference | | Visit Victoria in partnership with the Victorian Tourism Industry Council is hosting the Victorian Tourism Conference 2021 from 21 to 22 April at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. The theme of the conference is Shaping the future of Victorian Tourism and brings together the tourism, events and hospitality industries over the two-day conference. Register here to attend. |
|  | | The Australian Festival Industry Conference | | The Australian Festival Industry Conference is being held from 1 to 3 September at Sea World Resort in the Gold Coast. The conference is dedicated to the thousands of festival industry professionals that produce quality music, arts and culture, food and drink, “intellectual and ideas” and sporting festivals. Delegates will hear about marketing, operational developments, legislative changes, technological advances and more. Register here to attend. |
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| | | | |  | | Ovolo South Yarra Hotel opens its doors in Melbourne | | Ovolo Hotels has unveiled the next addition to their designer hotel collection, Ovolo South Yarra. Located in Melbourne’s cultural hub of South Yarra, the hotel blends past, present and progressive, in a place where retro chic and pop art collide. Ovolo South Yarra features 123 rooms ranging from micro-hotel rooms to Rockstar Suites, named after the era’s most iconic artists; ‘John’, ‘Yoko’, ‘Sonny’ and ‘Cher’. Other additions to the hotel include Lona Misa, a heavily vegan and vegetarian café, bar and restaurant spearheaded by renowned Melbourne chefs Shannon Martinez and Ian Curley. To book your stay at the Ovolo South Yarra, visit the website. |
|  | | Illuminate to ‘light up’ Adelaide this winter | | A new annual winter event will light up Adelaide’s Botanic Gardens, city streets, laneways and iconic buildings in a 17-night celebration of light, art and music. Illuminate Adelaide will run from 16 July to 1 August 2021 and will feature over 150 light installations, performances, music and events, including 41 world premieres. The event is set to entice interstate visitors back to the city and provide city centre hotels, restaurants and cafes a much-needed boost through the winter season. More details of Illuminate Adelaide events will be progressively released throughout May. For more information, visit the website. |
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| | |  | | Cooktown festivities showcase reconciliation | | The Cooktown & Cape York Expo 2021 – The Rising Tide, is a 10-day festival focused on the reconciliation, regeneration and economic recovery of Cooktown and Cape York. The festival places a spotlight on the history, adventure, culture and natural beauty of the region. The festival kicks off with the free Reconciliation Rocks Music Festival featuring artists such as Busby Marou and Troy Cassar-Daley, followed by the Cape York Business Showcase and ends with the popular Cooktown Discovery Festival. The Cooktown & Cape York Expo will be held from 11 to 20 June 2021. For more information and to view the full program visit the website. |
|  | | Dark Skies Festival in Alice Springs | | A captivating new festival celebrating humanity’s connection to the night sky will take place in the Red Centre in May. The Dark Skies Festival at Earth Sanctuary in Alice Springs will celebrate the region’s vast star-studded canopy through a unique fusion of art, science and culture. The nine-day event will take visitors on a journey of light, sound and darkness beneath the night sky in the heart of Australia. Featuring art and light installations, astronomy talks, workshops, music and the opportunity to camp in a swag under the stars, Dark Skies Festival runs from 6 to 14 May 2021. For more information and to book visit the website. |
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