Italian industry gathers for updates on Australian experiences

One hundred Italian travel agents gathered in Desenzano del Garda on Lake Garda last weekend for two days of Australia destination, product and sales training. The agents attended workshops as well as meetings with partners and three lucky people won a trip Down Under. The event was supported by the NT, South Australia, Queensland and Victoria as well as Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways, AAT Kings, Delaware North, Silky Oaks Lodge, Ocean Free and Italian wholesalers Go Australia and Naar. Following the weekend’s ‘Aussie Convention’ 50 Italian industry representatives gathered in nearby Milan for a briefing on the latest market performance data, recent Tourism Australia activity and the strategy for the year ahead. In 2018 Italy was Australia’s 15th largest inbound market for visitor nights.

Advance Program applications open

Applications are now open until 1 July for the 2019/20 Advance Program. The program offers the Australian business events industry the opportunity to leverage Tourism Australia’s international marketing expertise to grow the number of delegates to confirmed business events taking place in Australia as well as the number of international business events secured for Australia.

Walk into Luxury on the magical Bibbulmun Track, WA

Walk into Luxury have announced a new three-day premium experience South Coast Walk showcasing the most beautiful sections of the Bibbulmun Track. Located near Denmark on Western Australia’s south coast, the all-inclusive fully guided tour combines wild coastal walking, gourmet food and wine and bespoke luxury. Highlights of the premium itinerary feature private chef dinners, luxury villa accommodation at Parry Beach Breaks and a signature winery lunch by Pepper and Sale and Forest Hill Estate.

New outback fishing experience in New England region of NSW

Great Fishing Adventures of Australia partner Aussie Fly Fisher have introduced a new outback fishing experience in the stunning New England region of NSW. Experience the thrill of fly fishing in wild Australian landscapes only accessible by four-wheel-drive. Guests will visit some of the region’s best native fisheries and enjoy authentic Australian bush tucker prepared by local fishing experts and guides. The New England region is located inland from the north coast of NSW and is a six-hour drive from both Sydney and Brisbane.

The countdown is on for Vivid Sydney, 24 May - 15 June 2019

The largest festival of light, music and ideas in the Southern Hemisphere, Vivid Sydney, is preparing to take over the harbour city from 24 May to 15 June 2019. The 22-day festival is the largest outdoor gallery of its kind and will celebrate a new decade of innovation and creativity with an inspiring and star-studded program of events. Check out some of Sydney’s best installations and events at the Rocks, Bridge Climb Sydney, the Sydney Tower Eye, Taronga Zoo and the Sydney Opera House, or for the best dinner view book a table at Bar Patron, Barangaroo House or Altum at Lunar Park.

QT Hotel announced for Newcastle in 2020, NSW

The popular boutique QT Hotel brand will be making its debut into Newcastle in 2020, marking the fourth QT property to open in Australia within three years. The design-led hotel's luxurious, quirky flair and distinctive service and will feature across the 106-rooms, a rooftop bar and its signature QT dining concept. Set to take over the former 111-year-old David Jones Building, QT Newcastle will be conveniently located on Hunter Mall and around a two-hour drive from Sydney.

Corroboree West 2019

Seller applications are open until Friday 24 May for Corroboree West 2019 to be held in Perth from 7 to 11 October. Corroboree West is an Australia-based trade event that combines a training workshop and familiarisation visits exclusively for qualified Aussie Specialist agents from the USA, Canada, UK, Germany, Switzerland, France, Italy and New Zealand. These qualified Aussie Specialists actively sell Australia as a preferred long-haul destination to Western travellers with many of them being frontline retail agents as well as a mix of wholesale and online travel agents.

Australia Marketplace UK & Europe 2019

Applications are open until Friday 31 May for Australian tourism businesses to participate in the inaugural Australia Marketplace UK & Europe 2019 from 30 to 31 October in London. The event is an opportunity to establish relationships with key qualified travel agencies and tour operators and includes two days of pre-scheduled appointments as well as a dinner and awards night. This event replaces the European Product Workshop as well as Tourism Australia’s presence at World Youth and Student Travel Conference and World Travel Market. For sellers interested in the Youth market, this event will also coincide with a youth roadshow.

Tourism awards nominations open

Nominations are open for 2019 tourism awards in Tasmania, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Northern Territory, Victoria, New South Wales and the Canberra Region. Tourism Australia is a sponsor of the State and Territory Tourism Awards as well as the national Qantas Australian Tourism Awards. The Australian Tourism Awards programs along with the Australian Tourism Accreditation Program (ATAP) and Star Ratings now all come under the Quality Tourism Framework.

Tourism & Events Queensland has updated its 11 regional Queensland tourism snapshots to include data for the year ending December 2018 covering the number of Australian and international visitors to each region, insights into tourism trends and more.

A new $1 million domestic marketing campaign, Wonders of the Whitsundays, showcases “gleaming new island resorts and extraordinary experiences” to help promote the rediscovery of the Whitsunday Islands.

Consultation is now underway to shape the future of disability policy for 2020 and beyond, providing an opportunity to discuss accessible tourism in the context of the wider National Disability Strategy.

Registration is open for the 2019 Destination Melbourne LIVE tourism conference on Thursday 30 May at the Arts Centre Melbourne.

Registration is open for the Australian Tourism Export Council's National Wine Tourism Conference, Beyond the Barrel, from Tuesday 18 to Thursday 20 June in South Australia.

Registration is open for the VIC Tourism Conference on Wednesday 17 and Thursday 18 July in Geelong.

Destination NSW is holding free Aboriginal Cultural Tourism Experience Development Workshops in partnership with the NSW Aboriginal Tourism Operators Council (NATOC) on 29-30 May in Dubbo, 3-4 June in Moree and 17-21 in Broken Hill.

Tourism NT has published content from the inaugural Tourism Towards 2030 Conference in Darwin and Alice Springs in March. Tourism Australia gave an update on challenges and opportunities from inbound tourism.

Registration is open for the CAPA Melbourne Aviation Summit on 24 May 2019 which will explore key issues and opportunities facing the aviation industry in Melbourne and beyond. Register at the link above for 30% off the delegate pass.

Parks Australia is seeking requests for tender until Friday 31 May for a consultant to develop a tourism master plan for Kakadu National Park.

Australian tourism operators can use the promo code BKTOAUS19 to receive a 20% discount to attend the Arrival Conference, an event for the creators and sellers of tours, activities and attractions throughout the APAC Region to be held from 24–26 June in Bangkok.