Business Events Australia Greater China Showcase wraps up in Melbourne

An influential group of 60 qualified Chinese incentive planners, corporate decision makers and media were in Melbourne this week as part of the host city program of the Business Events Australia Greater China Showcase hosted in partnership with the Melbourne Convention Bureau, Cathay Pacific and China Southern Airlines. It is the first time the event has been held outside China. Delegates had the opportunity meet with 50 Australian industry during scheduled business sessions, and to discover incentive experiences in and around Melbourne which included activities at Melbourne & Olympic Parks, Flemington Racecourse, the Yarra Valley and Bellarine Peninsula. Following the two-day host city program in Melbourne delegates now travel to other Australian destinations to discover for themselves why there’s nothing like Australia for business events.

Business events industry targets Kiwis

Business Events Australia was joined by 46 Australian business events industry at the Pacific Area Conference & Incentive Expo (PAICE) last week in Auckland. The event targets New Zealand based business event organisers and offers business-to-business sessions during a full day of appointments. Leveraging the opportunity, Business Events Australia also hosted a pre-event breakfast for over 100 incentive planners and guests.

Shikhar Dhawan inspires Indians to UnDiscover Australia

Tourism Australia has collaborated with top Indian batsman Shikhar Dhawan to show his 11 million social media followers the amazing experiences on offer to holiday makers Down Under. Shikhar’s advocacy will tie into the current UnDiscover Australia campaign which aims to show a different side to Australian travel and uncover experiences that travellers can enjoy beyond the more recognisable icons. Also supporting the UnDiscover Australia campaign, Tourism Australia has partnered with Air Asia X, Air India, Jet Airways, Malaysia Airlines, and Qantas to launch the fifth version of its industry-first initiative, the Great Australian Airfare Sale.

UnDiscover Australia campaign extends to Japan

Tourism Australia’s multi-regional UnDiscover Australia campaign extended into Japan last week with the launch of a new cooperative marketing promotion with Qantas. The campaign will use influencer collaborations to debunk myths to show a different side to Australian travel as well as introducing new destinations beyond Qantas’ gateway cities. Ten influencers will travel to Australia in pairs and will share their travel experiences on their social media channels as well as through GENIC media, a Japan-based lifestyle magazine that features social media photos from around the world by Instagram influencers.

Aussie Specialists from France experience Australia

Eight top Aussie Specialist travel sellers from France enjoyed some of the best tourism experiences New South Wales and South Australia have to offer last month as part of a famil hosted by Tourism Australia, Destination New South Wales and the South Australian Tourism Commission. In New South Wales the agents experienced Sydney, the Central Coast and the Blue Mountains while in South Australia they explored Adelaide, the Flinders Ranges and the Clare Valley. The agents were flown Down Under by Singapore Airlines and around the country with Virgin Australia. Watch highlights from the famil. There are currently over 660 qualified Aussie Specialists in France and 30,000 globally.

New exhibition brings the magic of the reef to Sydney

Now home to the largest Great Barrier Reef display in the world, Sea Life Sydney Aquarium is celebrating its 30th birthday with the launch of a new exhibition Day and Night on the Reef. The interactive new experience will take guests on a colourful journey of the world-famous Great Barrier Reef where they can walk along the bioluminescent shore of Moonlight Beach, enter a forest of glowing jellies and explore the vibrant gardens and unique creatures of the coral sea.

The Savoy Hotel on Little Collins in Melbourne unveiled

Formerly known as The Vibe Savoy Melbourne, the refurbished Savoy Hotel on Little Collins has been relaunched under TFE Hotel Collection. The charm of the new design pays tribute to the art deco era of the original complex built in 1928 with the intention to reclaim its position as a grand hotel of Melbourne. 163-guest rooms, a sophisticated lobby, two new restaurants and an intimate bar provides guests with a timelessly elegant space to escape from the busy boutiques, laneways and bars conveniently found at its doorstep.

Mediterranean cuisine with harbour views at new Sydney dining venue

Sydney’s newest harbourside dining venue Altum has opened at Milsons Point promising spectacular Sydney Harbour and Opera House views. The debut summer menu showcases flavours of the Mediterranean coastline inspired by the essence of ‘the sea, the pasture and the garden’. A-la-carte and shared menus are served in Altums smart casual dining room, with smaller bites, seafood platters and cocktails on offer at The Deck Bar situated on the waters-edge.  

ICC World T20 set to be renamed from 2020

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced that it has renamed the ICC World T20 to a World Cup. This means next editions of the events in Australia will be known as the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2020. The renaming aims to cement the importance this event holds in the international cricket calendar and ensure parity across all three formats of the game.

NSW secures Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, October 2019

Bagpipes and drums will parade in Sydney next October for the Australian exclusive performance of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. The global phenomenon will bring 1,200 performers from Scotland and around the world to Sydney’s ANZ Stadium in a performance that showcases a mix of music, ceremony, military tradition, theatre and dance. The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is televised globally and has a proud history of delivering world-class, public military events that inspire and entertain viewers all over the world. The ticket waitlist is now open at www.edinburghtattoosydney.com.au.

Tourism Australia wishes to pass on our sincere condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Shane O’Leary, General Manager of Destination Southern NSW, who passed away last week.

Tourism WA has partnered with Aspire Down Under in the USA  to encourage visitors to discover regional areas of Western Australia and holiday for longer.

Adventure Queensland announced the winners of the 2018 Adventure Tourism Awards on 14 November recognising businesses from Australia and New Zealand for their contribution to the adventure tourism industry across 30 categories.

The Northern Territory Department of Tourism and Culture engaged Deloitte Access Economics to work with industry and stakeholders to co-develop the NT Tourism 2030 plan which will bring together the industry and government to guide priorities and actions through to 2030.

Tourism and Events Queensland is inviting organisations to submit offers for Third-Party Representation in India by Monday 3 December as well as North America (Canada and the United States) by Monday 17 December.

Registration is open for Victoria's International Exchange (VIE) to be held on Wednesday 5 December. VIE provides an opportunity for the Victorian tourism industry to receive an update on the latest international marketing intelligence from Visit Victoria’s overseas based Regional Managers.

A recording of Tourism Australia’s accessible tourism webinar is now available to watch on demand. The webinar outlines the size of the market for travellers with accessibility needs as well as recent Australian research.

Industry are invited to register their interest for the Destination Australia Conference 2019 to be held on Thursday 14 March in Brisbane.