New online travelogue in Hong Kong showcases energetic Australia

Tourism Australia partnered with TravelZoo to host well-known Hong Kong sports presenter Vince Ng and Hong Kong Olympic swimmer Stephanie Au Down Under recently to film a travelogue exploring energetic activities in the Northern Territory and Victoria. The hosts experienced a range of activities including an adrenaline-boosting adventure at Crocosaurus Cove in Darwin as well as encounters with Aboriginal culture and a friendly swimming match between Stephanie and Vince. The programme is now available via Australia.com and Tourism Australia’s Facebook page and will also be promoted via key opinion leaders’ social media and distribution partner websites. Tourism Australia also partnered with four key distribution partners to offer tailor made itineraries appealing related exclusive packages to urge customers to travel Australia now.

Accessible tourism webinar

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.

Tourism Australia encourages US trade partners to visit the set of Dundee

Tourism Australia’s Americas team have been actively engaging trade over the past month to capitalise on the latest instalment of the Dundee-campaign now in market and build excitement for Australia during the peak booking period in the US. Last month the US trade marketing team reached nearly 1,300 travel advisors at events such as the Travel Society Summit in Denver and the CruiseWorld Conference in Fort Lauderdale as well as a four-day road show with Down Under Answers in Chicago, Denver, Phoenix and San Diego. Starring Aussie actor Luke Hemsworth, the second phase of Dundee campaign offers to take US travellers on an exclusive behind the scenes tour of the Dundee movie backlot, showcasing the breadth of spectacular and unique experiences on offer across Australia.

Tourism Australia supports Flight Centre’s Canadian Mega Famil

Tourism Australia connected with 130 Canadian travel agents, most of whom were on their first visit to Australia, during a week-long Flight Centre Mega Famil starting in Brisbane and ending in Melbourne this month. The agents, who were all qualified Aussie Specialists that had achieved specific sales targets, were excited to learn of the new Aussie Specialist Ambassador Program. Tourism Australia gave a presentation to the agents including updates on the Dundee campaign in North America, before participating in a fun Australian themed race around Melbourne and hosting an evening at the Eureka Skydeck. Flight Centre is a valuable agency to the Australia market in Canada and their agents make up almost one third of Canadian Aussie Specialists.

Australia on show at World Travel Market in London

Tourism Australia hosted 17 industry partners on the Australia stand at World Travel Market in London this month. WTM is the largest business-to-business travel event in the UK and attracts a 50,000-strong crowd of international operators, tourist boards, buyers, media and influencers. The three-day trade event is an important opportunity to meet with trade in the UK market, maintain key industry relationships and to build important new ones.

US marketing activities recognised at industry awards

Tourism Australia struck gold twice at the Magellan Awards in the US this month for the Dundee Campaign and the Aussie Specialist Program. Hosted by Travel Weekly, the prestigious Magellan Awards are judged by a panel of top American travel professionals. In the US, Tourism Australia also recently won two HSMAI Adrian Awards Gold Awards for PR activities supporting the Dundee campaign and the Australian food and wine campaign.

Brisbane’s first swim-up pool bar at new Westin Hotel

The Westin has officially opened in the heart of Brisbane’s CBD marking the brand’s debut in Queensland. The new urban retreat features 60 guest rooms and 39 expansive suites with floor-to-ceiling windows and is home to Brisbane’s first swim-up pool bar. Guests and day-visitors can also enjoy three distinctive dining venues, a fitness studio and Australia’s first Heavenly Spa by Westin.

Cairns welcomes Crystalbrook’s new Riley resort

The Crystalbrook Collection has opened new luxury resort Riley at the northern end of Cairns esplanade. The mutli-storey resort offers 311 rooms and suites and is built around a 1,000 sqm lagoon-style swimming pool, an artificial beach and secluded cabanas. Home to three restaurants, Paper Crane (Modern-Asian), Rocco (Mediterranean) and Greenfields (raw-delicacies), Riley is the first of three five-star newbuild resorts by the collection offering upmarket lifestyle accommodation to Cairns.

Gin-blending sessions at North Adelaide’s newest distillery

South Australia’s original 104-year-old Twenty Third Street Distillery based in Renmark has introduced a city base in Adelaide. Located on Melbourne Street, the new bar offers a unique representation of the original distillery where visitors can enjoy various bespoke experiences including personalised-bottle service, gin-blending sessions, 360-degree virtual-reality distillery tours and flights of beer, gin and rum.

Wine, dine and relax for the day with all-inclusive Port Phillip tours

Port Phillip Ferries have released a suite of all-inclusive day-trip packages. Guests can now conveniently discover Victoria’s Bellarine region through a carefully curated tour in partnership with local operators. Seven all-day packages offer unique itineraries where guests can choose from various experiences including tastings at selected wineries and gin distilleries, a game of mini-golf, multi-course lunches at various restaurants or a 6-course dining experience on the renowned Q-Train.

IMEX Frankfurt 2019

Registration is open until Friday 16 November to join the Australia stand at IMEX Frankfurt taking place from 21 to 23 May 2019. IMEX is a key incentive travel, meetings and events trade show, where international planners and decision makers from the conference, convention and corporate events industries gather to do business. The show provides the Australian business events industry with the opportunity to meet influential international business events buyers in a structured appointment setting. Space on the Australia stand is limited, and applications are on a first-come first-served basis.

ATE19 Media Program

Exhibitor applications are open until Friday 16 November for the Australian Tourism Exchange 2019 (ATE19) Media Program in Perth from 6 – 9 April. The program includes one-on-one appointments at the International Media Marketplace between Australian tourism businesses and select media and influencers who generate editorial, or create content on Australian tourism products, destinations and experiences for consumers. The ATE19 Media Program also includes networking sessions and events for media delegates and exhibitors.

The South Australian Tourism Commission has published its international and domestic 2018-19 campaign calendars to provide a planning tool for South Australian tourism operators.

The Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) has announced South Australia will host the inaugural ATEC Wine Tourism Conference from 19 – 21 June 2019.

New Zealanders are being enticed to visit Western Australia and explore the regions on a Road Trip campaign with Helloworld.

The NSW Government has signed a new two-year Memorandum of Understanding with India’s largest online travel agency, MakeMyTrip.

Tourism Australia has published its annual report for 2017/18 outlining activities to grow demand and foster a competitive and sustainable Australian tourism industry through partnership marketing in key international markets.

Tourism Australia has published a video with highlights from its India Travel Mission 2018 held in August which saw 75 Australian tourism businesses meet with 87 travel companies from Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Pune and Jaipur.

The Queensland Government has established Superyacht Industry Development Fund to assist enterprises in gaining related certification, as well as build relationships and connections in the international market which will help them attract business to Queensland.

Applications are open until Friday 16 November for Tourism and Events Queensland's Queensland on Tour Greater China Mission from 5 – 8 March 2019.

Registration is open for the Australian Event Symposium to be held on the Sunshine Coast from 19-21 November.

Registration is open for ATEC Meeting Place 2018 which will take place from 19-21 November in Darwin.

Registration is open for Victoria's International Exchange 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.

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