Traveling Blog: Essentials this week… There’s Still Nothing Like Australia I Corroboree Asia 2020 I Australia India Business Exchange I and more…

Having trouble reading? View online version

26 February 2020

'There’s Still Nothing Like Australia' campaign roll out

The first phase of Tourism Australia’s new international recovery campaign, 'There’s Still Nothing Like Australia', was launched by Australia’s Tourism Minister, Simon Birmingham this week. The campaign is supported with the $25 million allocated to Tourism Australia through the Australian Government’s National Bushfire Recovery Fund. The campaign aims to stimulate demand in the short-term and gradually rebuild Australia’s reputation as a highly desirable destination. Tourism Australia is leaning heavily into its long-standing and successful global campaign platform, ‘There’s Nothing Like Australia’, by reminding the world that ‘There’s Still Nothing Like Australia’. Since the launch of 'There’s Nothing Like Australia' in 2010, international tourism spend has grown by more than $19 billion. Tourism Australia is working closely with partners to roll out the campaign globally over the coming weeks. The campaign's global broadcast ad will be unveiled at the Destination Australia Conference in Adelaide on 12 March 2020.

Corroboree Asia 2020

Australia’s Tourism Minister, Simon Birmingham, announced that Tourism Australia is hosting Corroboree Asia 2020 in Darwin from 23 to 27 August 2020. The event, hosted in partnership with Tourism NT and Singapore Airlines, will see more than 100 Australian tourism businesses meet with travel sellers from key Asian markets. Corroboree Asia is a biennial Australia-based trade event that combines training workshops and familiarisation visits exclusively for qualified Aussie Specialist agents from Greater China, Japan, South Korea, India, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.

Tourism Australia News

AUSTRALIA INDIA BUSINESS EXCHANGE

Australia’s Tourism Minister, Simon Birmingham, is leading a delegation of more than 100 Australian businesses in India this week. A major focus of the visit will be strengthening tourism links as India is Australia’s fastest-growing tourism market. Tourism Australia is leading an aviation connectivity roundtable, hosting a press conference and a Friends of Australia dinner to highlight that Australia is safe, open and ready to welcome Indian visitors. Tourism Australia is also promoting the ICC T20 World Cup. The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup is underway at the moment, with the final being held on 8 March 2020 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Be part of a world record for the highest of number of attendees at a women’s sporting event and get your tickets here.

TOURISM AUSTRALIA ACTIVITY IN JAPAN

Last week, Tourism Australia conducted an industry update for 30 key distribution partners, trade and media in Sapporo, Japan. In addition, Tourism Australia is hosting a series of webinars over the next two weeks for more than 150 stakeholders in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka. The webinars are being conducted in partnership with five state and territory tourism organisations and Qantas. The webinars will provide updates on new products in Australia and the bushfire recovery. Tourism Australia is also working on a series of bushfire recovery projects including trade familiarisation visits, international media visits and trade communications over the coming months.

NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY UPDATES

Tourism Australia hosted a series of market briefings across the United States and Canada over the past few weeks. Tourism Australia shared the latest updates on the Australian tourism industry and spread the message that Australia is open for business and welcoming travellers. The first event was held in Los Angeles on 27 January and was followed up by briefings in Dallas, Vancouver, Denver, Toronto, New York, Chicago, Boston, Seattle, San Francisco, and San Diego. Australian operators such as Australian Wildlife Journeys, Sydney Princess Cruises , and AEA Luxury Tours provided updates on bushfire recovery and conveyed the message that Australia is still welcoming visitors. Attendees also had the opportunity to meet with State and Territory partners for destination specific updates at the events. The briefings were attended by more than 700 partners, travel advisors, and trade media. During the event, Los Angeles based industry also filmed messages of support for the Australian industry.

BUSINESS EVENTS AUSTRALIA ATTENDS AIME

Tourism Australia’s specialist business events unit, Business Events Australia, stepped up its presence at industry trade show AIME in Melbourne last week. Business Events Australia’s focus throughout the show was to support Australia’s business events community and communicate to international attendees that Australia is open for business. At the event’s opening press conference, Tourism Australia’s Managing Director, Phillipa Harrison, addressed international and domestic media to highlight Tourism Australia’s work and support for the industry. Engaging with local and international stakeholders, the Business Events Australia team met with industry and buyers over three days. The Business Events Australia presence included an activation on the stand and incorporated the Event Here This Year campaign, which encourages domestic event decision-makers to event at home in 2020.

DISCOVER ABORIGINAL EXPERIENCES

Discover Aboriginal Experiences has announced five new businesses will be joining the collective in 2020. The collective will now include 45 members offering 140 Aboriginal guided experiences spanning the breadth of the Australian continent in both urban and region locations. New members include: Culture Connect (Far North Queensland), Jarramali Rock Art Tours (Far North Queensland), Koorie Heritage Trust (Melbourne, Victoria), Lirrwi Tourism (North East Arnhem Land, Northern Territory) and Ngurrangga Tours (Pilbara, Western Australia).

Australian Stories

AUSTRALIAN WILDLIFE JOURNEYS LAUNCH CONSERVATION ACTION DAYS, AUS

Members of Australian Wildlife Journeys have created a series of 'conservation action days' across multiple regions of Australia from July onwards. Curated and designed to allow travellers to enjoy Australia's remarkable wildlife encounters, the days combine conservation projects that are timed to create meaningful impact on local ecosystems. Taking place across various regions, conservation activities include tree planting, weed eradication, citizen science and wildlife observation/counts for species such as koalas, glossy-black cockatoos and other species impacted from the recent bushfires. The tours are currently available for Kangaroo Island in South Australia, The You Yangs mountain ranges in Victoria and Cairns and surrounds in Queensland.

SYDNEY GLAMMED AND READY FOR MARDI GRAS PARADE, NSW

The Mardi Gras Parade, one of the world’s largest LGBTQI celebrations, will bring dazzle and delight to Sydney’s city centre this Saturday 29 February. Part of the 16-day Sydney Gay and Lesbian Festival, more than 10,000 people are expected to take part in the annual Parade, coming together to support equality, pride and self-expression. With over 200 vibrant floats set to roll through Oxford Street, big-name international performers such as Sam Smith and Dua Lipa will help to highlight this year’s theme, ‘What Matters’. Taking place in the heart of Sydney from 7:30 to 11pm, everyone is welcome to dress up and join the Mardi Gras Parade. Keep your eye out for the Sydney WorldPride float which was supported by Tourism Australia. Sydney won the right to host WorldPride in 2023 with support from the Business Events Australia Bid Fund Program.

TASTING AUSTRALIA SET TO RETURN TO ADELAIDE NEXT MONTH, SA

The final program for Tasting Australia has been released as South Australia prepares for a week of foodie fun from 27 March to 5 April. A cast of culinary stars from around the nation and the world will converge in Adelaide including Marco Pierre White, Maggie Beer, Duncan Welgemoed, Mark Best and Matt Moran among others. The heart and soul of the festival will return to Town Square, with a packed schedule of ticketed events across the Barossa Valley, Adelaide Hills and surrounding regions, promising something for everyone. The full program and tickets are available online now.

AAT KINGS LAUNCH BUSHFIRE RECOVERY GIVEBACK TRIPS, NSW & VIC

In collaboration with the #EmptyEsky social movement and regional tourism businesses, AAT Kings have launched a series of Bushfire Relief Giveback tours and experiences. Offering a selection of day tours and short breaks across New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, the trips are designed to provide immediate support directly to recovering tourism communities. Guests, along with their empty eskies, will visit local markets, cafes and stores where they can spend money in the region and meet friendly locals along the way. All AAT Kings Bushfire Recovery Giveback trips are 100 per cent not-for-profit, with itineraries available to book online.

Industry News Events

DESTINATION AUSTRALIA 2020 – RESILIENCE AND RECOVERY

The 6th annual Destination Australia conference will be held on 12 March at Adelaide Oval and is bringing together an incredible line-up of experts to address the themes of resilience and recovery. Register now to secure your spot.

COMING TO MELBOURNE FOR ATE 2020, OR JUST LOOKING FOR A GREAT INDUSTRY DEAL IN MAY?

During May 2020, ATEC members in Tasmania would like to encourage people to visit their beautiful state. Click here for details on a range of great value offers for tourism agents, industry friends and partners.

'CHINA HOST' TOURISM WORKSHOP

The Australia Tourism Export Council (ATEC) is hosting a ‘China Host’ tourism workshop on 10 March 2020. The full day workshop will be held in Perth and will give an update on the China market, including an update on the coronavirus. Click here to secure your spot.

'INDIA HOST' LAUNCHED

ATEC, Tourism Australia and Austrade have partnered to deliver a national inbound Indian tourism training program in preparation for the ICC T20 World Cup. ‘India Host’ is a four module program: Culture Ready, Product Ready, Service Ready and Trade Ready, all delivered online in 90-minute webinars. Reserve your spot here.

WOMEN IN TOURISM INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY LUNCH

The Women in Tourism’s sixth annual International Women’s Day lunch will be held in Sydney on 6 March 2020. Tourism Tasmania Director Michelle Cox will join Business Events Sydney CEO Lyn Lewis-Smith on the panel. Tickets and more details here.

NEWS IN BRIEF
The coronavirus travel restrictions have been extended to 29 February 2020. This means foreign nationals who have been in mainland China are not allowed to enter Australia for 14 days from the time they left mainland China. More information can be found here.

Tourism Tropical North Queensland has launched a live map of daily underwater vision of the sites visited by tour vessels in the Cairns and Great Barrier Reef region. Visitors can share their photos and videos of the Reef by using the hashtag #GreatBarrierReefToday.

Tourism Tasmania is conducting a Tourism Industry Barometer to inform their ongoing strategic marketing program. The survey will take around 15 minutes to complete and will close at 8am on Monday 9 March. Submit your insights here.