Tourism Australia targets visitor growth with new global Trip.com agreement

Tourism Australia has entered into a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreement with global online travel agency Trip.com Group to grow Australia’s share of visitors, particularly from China. The three-year agreement will see the delivery of increased destination marketing activity and the creation of new travel packages to encourage more visitors to plan and book holidays to Australia. According to Trip.com Group data, Australia ranked as the top long-haul destination booked during the 2025 Lunar New Year peak period and the leading Southern Hemisphere destination for Chinese travellers throughout 2024. Visitors from China are growing at a faster pace than other markets, with a 26 per cent increase in visitors in the 12 months to March 2025 compared with a year ago. In the 12 months to March 2025, there were 860,000 trips to Australia by visitors from China, with a total overnight visitor spend of $9.2 billion. The agreement prioritises activity in the China market whilst expanding collaboration in other key international source markets, including Singapore, Malaysia, India, and Japan. Trip.com operates websites in approximately 40 languages and 200 countries, with subsidiaries including Skyscanner, Ctrip, Qunar, Travix, and MakeMyTrip.

Australia embarks on strategic tourism partnership with China's premier broadcaster

Yesterday Tourism Australia and China Media Group (CMG) solidified their partnership through a two-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. The agreement, witnessed by Australia’s Prime Minister, the Hon Anthony Albanese, was formalised by Tourism Australia’s Executive General Manager Global Markets and Business Events, Robin Mack and China Media Group President, Shen Haixiong. The MOU establishes a long-term collaboration framework between Tourism Australia and CMG, aiming to boost Australia’s tourism brand recognition in China, deepen bilateral cultural exchanges.

This strategic collaboration moves beyond conventional tourism promotion and will employ culturally attuned storytelling to foster deeper engagement, strengthen brand affinity, and inspire Chinese travellers to explore Australia. In particular, the partnership will leverage CMG’s extensive media ecosystem, spanning television, radio, digital, and social media platforms, to co-create and distribute compelling content that brings Australia’s unique travel experiences to life.

Tourism Australia hosts media luncheon and industry meeting in Italy

Late last month Tourism Australia held an exclusive media luncheon in Milan, led by Phillipa Harrison, Managing Director of Tourism Australia, to promote Australia’s Signature Experiences. Held in the heart of the city, the event welcomed 16 top Italian media representatives who enjoyed an Australia inspired menu complemented by premium Australian wines. The initiative aimed to deepen media engagement and inspire interest in Australia’s unique luxury travel offerings. The team also held an Industry Meeting for Italian travel trade partners and stakeholders providing a comprehensive briefing on Tourism Australia’s strategic direction and current market performance. More than 40 representatives from Italy’s key distribution partners, airline contacts, and State and Territory Tourism Organisations participated in a formal networking event.

Australia’s Luxury on show to the Global Travel Collection in USA

Australia’s luxury tourism offering was on show during the recent ARRIVE 2025 luxury event at the iconic Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix. Hosted by the Global Travel Collection (GTC), a leading network of premium travel advisors, the event united 600 luxury travel advisors and preferred partners for several days of collaboration, education, and inspiration. In addition to Tourism Australia, Tourism Western Australia, Qantas Airways, Lizard Island and Antipodal showcased Australia’s high-end tourism experiences to the GTC’s top-performing roducing advisors, many of whom are experts in crafting bespoke, immersive journeys to a discerning clientele.

Applications for ILTM Cannes 2025, close 23 July 2025

Applications, for consideration to join the Australia stand at this year’s International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) in Cannes, France, close next Wednesday, 23 July 2025. The three-day event, from 1 to 4 December 2025, offers Australian luxury tourism businesses the opportunity to establish and strengthen relationships with global luxury travel distributors across pre-scheduled appointments and networking events. Tourism Australia will host an exclusive stand and invites industry to apply to participate as stand partners. Interested sellers are encouraged to apply, noting luxury-focused selection criteria applies, with limited spaces available. To apply click here.

Fora Travel advisors toast down under at exclusive New York event

Tourism Australia, in partnership with ANZCRO DMC and Air New Zealand, recently hosted a wine tasting and training evening in New York for advisors from Fora Travel – a modern host agency reimagining the travel advisor model. The event offered an immersive introduction to Australia’s world-class culinary tourism, with a spotlight on Ultimate Winery Experiences Australia. Advisors also discovered the benefits of flying in comfort and style with Air New Zealand, with seamless connections from the United States to key Australian destinations. ANZCRO also provided expert guidance on how to craft unforgettable itineraries, giving advisors the tools to bring their clients’ dream trips to life.

New World Heritage Site for Australia

In recent days, following the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee in Paris, Murujuga Cultural Landscape, has received UNESCO World Heritage status. Murujuga, an area of ancient Aboriginal rock art in Western Australia, in the Pilbara region in Western Australia’s north-west, has more than 1 million petroglyphs, some dating back 50,000 years. It joins the growing list of sites across the country with Australia now being home to 21 World Heritage sites, which are especially sought out by our international visitors particularly those from Japan, where the sites feature prominently in our marketing.

Global support exceeds 1 million for Great Barrier Reef

More than 1.2 million people world-wide have shown their support for the Great Barrier Reef to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award in the United Nations Environment Programme’s highly regarded Champions of the Earth environmental awards. Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ) Chief Executive Officer Mark Olsen said global awareness of the value of the Great Barrier Reef as a mentor teaching people to work together for the future of the planet was growing with coverage of the Lifetime of Greatness campaign exceeding 5 billion.

Southern Highlands showcased in new festival

Tickets for New South Wales’ most anticipated new festival, the Horizontal Festival are now on sale. Taking place at Centennial Vineyards in the Southern Highlands from 4 to 5 October 2025, the curated sensory journey will see regional and local producers, brewers, distillers and winemakers showcased alongside an engaging program of live performances. Across four-hour day and evening sessions, the General Admission $59 per person ticket includes entry, wine and cheese tastings, a take home festival glass and an opportunity to meet firsthand with purveyors. Horizontal Festival is supported proudly by the NSW Government through Destination NSW.

New accessible, Indigenous cultural tour in Sunshine Coast

Mooloolaba-based Indigenous cultural experience operator, Saltwater Eco Tours has added new canoe tours to its offering, including pioneering equipment to enable wheelchair users and individuals with accessibility requirements to participate in the tours. Operating twice weekly, the 90-minute small group tour sees participants glide through the Mooloolah River on one of six double canoes led by a First Nations tour guide. Currently scheduled to depart on Thursdays and Sundays from 8am, the tour is inclusive of all equipment and morning tea. The new canoes have an accessibility hoist for access, along with adaptive seating and adaptive paddles, making it easier for individuals with mobility requirements to participate in the tours.

Iconic waterside eatery evolves culinary offering

One of Sydney / Warrane’s most lauded waterside eateries, Pilu at Freshwater is evolving its culinary offering to beckon diners hungry for a more accessible option. Introducing a new Pranzo Veloce two-course menu from Wednesday to Friday, at $65 per head, the experience offers a taste of the Pilu experience. Celebrating the changing demands of diners, owner and chef, Giovanni Pilu, says “Pilu always honours its heritage and sense of place, but this next chapter is about making it feel easier and more inviting for everyone to enjoy often – not just once a year”. Commencing on 24 July with authors Nadine Ingram (Flour and Stone) and Richard Unsworth (Garden Life), the venue will also be launching an ‘In Conversation With' series, pairing a two-course seasonal menu with educational Q&As with some of the country’s best literary and media talent including Holly Wainwright, Gina Chick and Collette Dinnigan.

After the Rain: Australia's largest Indigenous art exhibition opens this December

Contemporary First Nations artists from across Australia will present 10 new immersive projects for After the Rain, the 5th National Indigenous Art Triennial opening on 6 December 2025 at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra. The exhibition features large-scale, multi-disciplinary installations by artists including Alair Pambegan, Aretha Brown, Blaklash, Dylan Mooney, Hermannsburg Potters, Vincent Namatjira, Jimmy John Thaiday, Naminapu Maymuru-White, Thea Anamara Perkins, Yarrenyty Arltere Artists, Grace Kemarre Robinya, and Warraba Weatherall. After the Rain’s Artistic Director Tony Albert has worked to commission expansive works that will create an unprecedented immersive experience, celebrating inter-generational legacies and cultural warriors. The free exhibition runs until 26 April 2026, followed by a national tour from 2026-2028.