China-Australia Year of Tourism

The China-Australia Year of Tourism opening ceremony was held at the Sydney Opera House on Sunday and was attended by the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, the Hon. Steven Ciobo MP and the Chairman of the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA), Dr Li Jinzao. Minister Ciobo said the year will help grow Australia’s tourism industry by promoting Australia to China. “China is Australia’s most valuable tourism market, with the potential to be worth more than $13 billion by 2020,” he said. Dr Li Jinzao and other members of the CNTA also visited the Blue Mountains near Sydney on Monday for a famil before returning to the city to attend an industry networking event. Find out more.

GC2018 volunteer applications open

The Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games has opened applications for dedicated, friendly volunteers with a wide variety of skills and experience. The goal is to recruit up to 15,000 volunteers across a number of different roles to #SHARETHEDREAM. Find out more at www.gc2018.com/volunteer.

UK winter campaign with Etihad continues

Tourism Australia and Etihad Airways have continued their joint winter campaign promoting Australia as a holiday destination to be enjoyed in as little as two weeks. The campaign kicked off on Christmas Day on TV and was followed by a cover wrap and 16 page supplement in The Times newspaper with tour operator Trailfinders. Through January and February the campaign was extended with state specific promotions by Tourism WA and Destination NSW as well as a cover wrap with The Telegraph showcasing Australia’s great food and wine.

Sudirman Cup set to deliver returns for Australian tourism

The Sudirman Cup, one of badminton’s most prestigious events run every two years, is to be held from 21 to 28 May 2017 on Queensland’s Gold Coast. The Cup is the first test event for the 2018 Commonwealth Games and the first major sporting event to take place at the new purpose built Gold Coast Sport and Leisure Centre. Federal Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment and Gold Coast MP, the Hon. Steven Ciobo MP, said the event would help drive visitors to the Gold Coast. Find out more.

W Hotels to open in Brisbane and Melbourne

W Hotels Worldwide has announced it will open W Melbourne in 2020. The premium hotel will be located in the heart of the city’s trendy shopping and entertainment district at 447 Collins Street. The expansion into Melbourne marks the second W Hotel coming to Australia, following W Brisbane, which will open its doors in early 2018.

New Arnhem Land sightseeing tour

Top End Day Tours is launching a new full-day sightseeing tour into Arnhem Land for the Top End season, running six days a week from 1 July to 12 August 2017. Guests will visit Aboriginal lands, see magnificent ancient rock art, visit a stunning billabong, see local bird and wildlife and meet local Aboriginal artists at Injalak Arts and Craft Centre, Oenpelli (Gunbalanya).

Swan River Seaplanes – Margaret River Wine Tours

Swan River Seaplanes have commenced return day trips from Perth to Margaret River. Specialising in Margaret River wine tours, the flights can accommodate 12 guests at a time and offer spectacular views of the stunning West Australian coast. Guests will then be taken on a guided visit to handpicked wineries with tastings of award-winning wines and a gourmet meal.

Enlighten Canberra, 3-12 March

The national capital's Parliamentary Triangle will be transformed into a vibrant arts precinct for Enlighten 2017. Over 10 nights, from 3-12 March, many of Canberra’s national attractions will open their doors after-hours to host an array of exclusive events. The festival also features authentic Night Noodle Markets.

Destination Australia Conference 2017

Tourism Australia has opened registration for its Destination Australia Conference on Thursday 16 March 2017 in Sydney. The conference includes top speakers from leading organisations including Skift, Facebook, Google, Mastercard and more. Download the agenda and register at www.tourism.australia.com/DestAus17.

Indonesia Australia Business Week

Registrations are open for Indonesia Australia Business Week (IABW) 2017. The tourism stream in IABW 2017 includes two sub-sectors: tourism promotion and tourism destination development for tourism consultants, planners, operators, developers and investors. The IABW program will include opportunities to engage with Indonesian government officials, key industry players and customers over four days in the week commencing 6 March.

Industry briefings in Darwin and Melbourne

Tourism Australia will host free-of-charge industry briefings in Darwin on Friday 24 February ahead of the national Qantas Australian Tourism Awards and Melbourne on Monday 6 March alongside the Victorian Tourism Industry Council’s 2017 Forum. The briefings will involve senior executives from Tourism Australia providing an update on current and future activity and sharing research and insights from key international markets.

New study on destination selection

Online travel agencies and recommendations from friends and family are the leading sources of advice when selecting a destination for American, British and Canadian travellers according to a new study from Expedia Media Solutions and comScore. For more research and trends related to international and domestic tourism and travel, visit Tourism Australia’s Insight Files.

The South Australia Tourism Industry Council has published its SA tourism barometer for the December quarter 2016.

The South Australian Government is inviting expressions of interest from prospective investors in the development of eco-sensitive accommodation facilities for the Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail. Expressions of interest are due by Friday 17 March 2017.

Tourism WA has signed off on a $5.7 million deal with Qantas to promote Perth as the western hub for the non-stop flights between Perth and London, starting in March 2018.

Work to expand Busselton-Margaret River Regional Airport has officially started, paving the way for direct flights to the South West from Melbourne and Sydney.

Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall was appointed to the role of NSW Minister for Tourism and Major Events.

The NSW Business Chamber is hosting a webinar on Wednesday 22 February on marketing in China using Social Media.

Registrations close today for the Destination Canberra Conference on 16-17 February in Canberra.