| | | | | | | |  | | TOURISM AUSTRALIA UPDATE | | It has been a tough week with states and territories closing their borders to Victoria and the announcement that Melbourne will go back in Stage 3 restrictions. Our thoughts are with the families, communities and businesses who have been affected, however, it is a powerful reminder of how important it is that we continue to follow the health and safety advice from the experts. For those that are travelling interstate these school holidays, I encourage you to take a look at our ‘Australian Travel Status Map’ on Australia.com. This map is designed to help both industry and consumers navigate the various travel restrictions around Australia. Our next webinar will be held on Friday 17 July at 11am and we will be joined by Michael Londregan, Managing Director Australia and New Zealand at Virtuoso; Michael Shoory, a Senior Economist at Oxford Economics; and communications and public relations expert, Chris Savage. Register here. I would like to extend my heartfelt condolences to Troy Thomas’ family on behalf of Tourism Australia. Troy was a much-loved member of our tourism industry, a passionate advocate for Western Australia and the founder of the incredible Horizontal Falls Adventure Company. Phillipa Harrison | | | |
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| | |  | | Latest international and national visitor survey results released | | New tourism data from Tourism Research Australia shows that international visitation fell 28 per cent in the March 2020 quarter, while spend was down 27 per cent, or $3.9 billion. Domestic overnight travel also fell in the March quarter, with spend down 10 per cent to $17.9 billion and overnight trips down 18 per cent to 24.3 million. See the full report here. |
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| |  | | Business Events Bid Fund Program continues to help secure events for Australia | | Tourism Australia's Business Events Bid Fund Program has had another win – the 12th Global Investigative Journalism Conference (GIJC21) will be held in Sydney from 3 to 7 November 2021. The biennial journalism conference was secured by the Judith Neilson Institute in partnership with Business Events Sydney, with support from the Bid Fund Program. The 2021 conference will be the first time the event has been hosted in the Asia Pacific region. Australia’s Minister for Tourism, Simon Birmingham, said that securing international events and conferences such as this would play an important role in the rebuilding of Australia’s tourism industry. The Bid Fund Program has helped secure 32 business events to date, worth approximately $282 million in economic value to Australia. |
|  | | Domestic Aussie Specialist Program update | | The recent launch of Tourism Australia’s Aussie Specialist Program in Australia has been well received by domestic travel agents. More than 1,300 frontline travel sellers have already qualified as Aussie Specialists and are actively encouraging Australians to take a Holiday Here This Year. The program has received positive feedback, including from Gay Ring at Oasis World Travel - “I have just completed my Aussie Specialist Training and loved the course and all the information contained in it and all the resources that are available to us”. |
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| |  | | Tourism Australia partners with Qantas on July edition of magazine | | Tourism Australia has partnered with Qantas on the July edition of its magazine. The magazine features 19 pages of incredible experiences from every state and territory and is designed to encourage readers to swap their ‘international holiday’ with one in Australia. In addition to the 40,000 Platinum and Platinum frequent flyer members who will receive the magazine, a digital version will also be on Travel Insider. |
|  | | Launch of virtual Market Briefing series | | Registrations are open for Tourism Australia’s upcoming virtual Market Briefings. The eight briefings, kicking off on 20 July, will cover Tourism Australia’s priority markets including Australia. Each briefing will include a regional market update, current market sentiment, consumer behaviour and key distribution insights. For more information and to register, visit the Market Briefings website. |
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| | | | | |  | | Cruise Lines International Association webinars | | Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has released the latest episode in its new video series ‘Ask Joel’, with Managing Director Australasia, Joel Katz, answering some of the most frequently asked questions. The most recent episode highlights the health and safety protocols being developed by CLIA as part of its return-to-service planning and addresses the difficulty travel agents face in marketing cruise products during this period of uncertainty. Anyone who is interested in contributing to the series can email their questions to askjoel@cruise.org. The video series is available to be viewed on the CLIA Australasia’s Facebook page. |
|  | | Tourism Restart Taskforce releases plan for tourism industry recovery | | The Tourism Restart Taskforce has released its Tourism Restart Plan in response to the economic impact of COVID-19. The plan outlines suggested supply-side actions for the Australian Government to restart domestic and international tourism. Recommendations include reducing uncertainty, committing to a timetable, opening all borders, establishing a Trans-Tasman travel bubble and working with industry to ease restrictions in a safe and sustainable way. |
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| | | | |  | | Byron Bay’s newest accommodation opens with rooftop bar | | Offering a new style of affordable accommodation, The Surf House in Byron Bay is now open in the heart of the bustling beachside town, just two streets back from Main Beach. Featuring the service and facilities of a hotel, alongside the laid-back vibe and social aspects of a hostel, there are private and shared room options for guests alongside complimentary social activities, surfboards and Wi-Fi. The Surf House is also home to Byron’s first and only open-air rooftop bar, it is perfect for groups or solo travellers looking to connect with others. Launching during the current pandemic means that doors have opened with the highest hygiene protocols and restrictions on numbers in shared dorms. For those looking for quality and affordable accommodation, bookings can be made online now. |
|  | | New luxury accommodation on Kangaroo Island | | Travellers can step off the grid and relax in comfort with a stay at the newly opened Oceanview Eco Villas on Kangaroo Island in South Australia. Located on a 500-acre coastal property with stunning clifftop ocean views, the two new villas offer guests a fully hosted eco-luxury experience with meals served in the privacy of your villa. Focusing on fresh, locally sourced ingredients, gourmet meals showcase seasonal Kangaroo Island produce and are accompanied by premium South Australian wines. Designed with sustainability in mind, the new Oceanview Eco Villas are completely off-grid with hosts Tasmin and Tim having worked with leading eco designers, builders and interior designers to create an inviting space for guests to relax and rejuvenate. Booking enquires can be made online now. |
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| | |  | | Crowne Plaza makes its debut in Tasmania | | Crowne Plaza Hobart is now open and welcoming guests to experience a contemporary design-led stay in the heart of Hobart. The 235-room hotel offers harbour or Mount Wellington views from each room, with interiors designed to complement the surrounding landscapes and a fine art collection featuring local Tasmania artists. Two new restaurants within the hotel feature strong farm-to-table ethos, focussing on small batch suppliers and low waste processes, while Hobart’s highest rooftop lounge and bar is also set to open in the hotel later in the year. The opening is one of three new-build Crowne Plaza hotels scheduled to open in Australia in 2020, with Crowne Plaza Sydney Darling Harbour and Crowne Plaza Adelaide to open later in the year. Reservations and more information can be found online now. |
|  | | Meet the makers of the Southern Highland and Shoalhaven region | | The Highland Valley Forage tour is set to return to the Southern Highlands, Shoalhaven and coast south of Sydney region in October. Taking guests on a gastronomic tour of the region, guests can stroll along a 4 or 9.5km food and wine trail at their own pace, stopping in for either an 8 or 10 course degustation menu of fresh and seasonal food along the way. Throughout the walk witness the regeneration of Morton National Park’s native scrubland and rainforest, wildflowers in bloom and spot native flora and fauna. A great way to spend time with family and friends, Highland Valley Forage runs in small group of 12-15 people with multiple departures throughout the day. Bookings can be made online now, and guests are encouraged to stay in the area for the weekend. |
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