Traveling Blog: Essentials this week… Update from Tourism Australia’s Managing Director I Australian Open activation I and more…

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5 February 2020

Update from Tourism Australia’s Managing Director

Dear all

The last few weeks have been intense and challenging. The focus of our communications has primarily been dealing with the immediate crises, sharing status updates and the latest safety, public health and travel advice. As we look to recover and rebuild, it’s important that we look forward and continue to market Australia, both at home and overseas. I want to update you on some of the activities we are doing right now, or are planning, to ensure we keep Australia front of mind and continue to drive business to the thousands of tourism businesses out there that are doing it tough at the moment.

Domestic and Business Events campaigns
Our new domestic campaign, Holiday Here This Year, along with the bespoke business events iteration Event Here This Year, continues to be rolled out across the country with initial industry, media and consumer responses having been positive.

International campaign and international media hosting program
We are currently working on the details of our revised international approach, which will include a campaign and a comprehensive international media hosting program, and we will share more information about both shortly.

China recovery
Without knowing how long these measures are likely to remain in place, it’s impossible to predict the full tourism impact. But we will recover. Once the coronavirus spread is under control, Chinese travellers will return. We are already discussing how we actively support that recovery and remain committed to this critically important market. In the meantime, we need to remain patient, practical and pragmatic.

Recalibrating marketing activities
We will continue to review our planned activity over the coming weeks and months. You’ve already seen us ramp up domestic activities. In the short term, we will also recalibrate our global activities to make sure our marketing dollars are maximised fully to help the industry get through this challenging period.

Business as usual
We also shouldn’t ignore some of the important marketing activities that are still happening in market. Our North America team, for example have recently hit the road in the United States and Canada, as part of a bushfire recovery roadshow, to show American and Canadian travellers that Australia is still very much open for business. We also have the T20 Cricket World Cups to look forward to. Australia’s hosting of both the women’s and men’s tournaments presents a wonderful showcase opportunity in markets such as India, where we are encouraging the country’s cricket-mad fans to follow their teams as part of an unforgettable Australian holiday. With the women’s tournament starting in just a few weeks, let’s continue to build her-story by going for record attendance at a women’s sporting event and attend the T20 women’s final in Melbourne on 8 March - hope to see you there!

Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE)
We are also reviewing this year’s ATE program and will be letting delegates know of some important changes in the coming days, aimed at making our flagship trade event more affordable to tourism operators who we know are doing it tough at the moment.

Regards
Phillipa Harrison

AUSTRALIAN OPEN ACTIVATION

On 30 January 2020, the Australian Open rebranded as ‘Australia Is Open' before the Women’s Semi Finals matches. This included an on-court announcement and broadcast package of content, including a message from Chris Hemsworth and footage of players enjoying their time in Australia. In addition, a 30-second edit of Tourism Australia’s tourism industry video played over the next three days on screens at the Rod Laver Arena. As part of the initiative, the branding on the Australian Open social channels changed to ‘Australia Is Open’. Tennis Australia also created a toolkit for tourism operators with a series of templates for use on Instagram & Facebook.

Tourism Australia News

AUSTRALIAN TRAINING DAY WITH AIR FRANCE & QANTAS

Qantas and Air France are partnering to promote flights between Europe and Australia. Tourism Australia, together with Qantas, Air France, Tourism Northern Territory, South Australian Tourism Commission, Tourism and Events Queensland, Tourism Tasmania and Destination NSW attended a dedicated training day on Australia at the end of January in Lyon, France. Sixty French travel agents also attended and received an update on all the businesses in Australia that are still welcoming visitors following the bushfires.

AUSCHAM EVENT IN KOREA

Tourism Australia promoted Australia at an Auscham event at the Grand Hyatt in Seoul on 31 January 2020. Tourism Australia’s “Holiday Here” industry video played at the Australia Day themed event to approximately 500 attendees. The event also raised money for the bushfire recovery with Cathay Pacific and the Grand Hyatt sponsoring free trips to Australia as lucky draw prizes at the event.

Australian Stories

SCULPTURE BY THE SEA SET TO RETURN TO COTTESLOE BEACH NEXT MONTH, WA

Sculpture by the Sea will return to Perth’s Cottesloe Beach for its 16th year from 6 to 23 March 2020. The free seaside exhibition will transform the popular Cottesloe Beach into a sculpture park, with more than 70 giant sculptures on display from artists across Australia and the world. The exceptional art will follow the sea wall across the sand and surrounding grassed areas to create a beautiful sculpture park. Cottesloe Beach is about half-way between Perth and Fremantle and is accessible via car or train in less than 30 minutes from both cities.
Photo credit: Sculpture by the Sea.

COURTNEY ACT TO KICK-OFF MARDI GRAS CELEBRATIONS ON SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE, NSW

Award-winning drag queen, Courtney Act, will perform on top of Australia’s iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge on 6 February to kick off Sydney’s Mardi Gras celebrations. Organised by Bridgeclimb, Mardi Gras partygoers will have the chance to experience the magic of two world-famous icons in one location. Courtney Act is a performer and global LGBTIQ icon, making her concert at the Sydney Harbour Bridge the perfect way to kick off Mardi Gras celebrations. The Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras is a two-week pride festival and parade which attracts people from all over the world. The 2020 festival will be held from 14 February to 1 March 2020.

EXPERIENCE BEAUTIFUL SIGHTS OF REJUVENATION AT EMIRATES ONE&ONLY WOLGAN VALLEY, NSW

Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley is once again welcoming guests after temporarily closing due to surrounding bushfire activity. Part of the Luxury Lodges of Australia collection, the luxurious outback resort is spread out at the foot of towering cliffs on a private 7,000-acre conservation reserve, situated between two national parks in the World Heritage-listed Greater Blue Mountains. The valley is once again safe and as beautiful as ever, and visitors are encouraged to make a reservation to witness the incredible regeneration occurring in areas of the surrounding bushland. Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley is a scenic three-hour drive from Sydney.

A PRIVATE COASTAL GETAWAY AWAITS AT ONE KANGAROO ISLAND, SA

Travellers planning to visit Kangaroo Island to support the region's recovery efforts have the opportunity to book a night or two in the luxury of One Kangaroo Island accommodation. One Kangaroo Island offers guests the perfect opportunity to unwind and overlooks one of Kangaroo Island’s most beautiful beaches. Guests can enjoy a variety of water and wildlife experiences before winding down to three-course dinners prepared by an in-house chef. Though everything you need is at your doorstep at this private coastal retreat, guests are encouraged to explore the region and extend support to local tourism operators, restaurants and small business owners. Located on the coastline of Kangaroo Island, One Kangaroo Island is open for bookings.

Industry News Events

VICTORIAN VISITOR ECONOMY FORUM

The Victorian Tourism Industry Council (VTIC) is hosting the 2020 Visitor Economy Forum on 3 March 2020. The free of charge event is the first opportunity for the Victorian tourism industry to come together after the bushfires. VTIC has been working closely with Tourism Australia and Visit Victoria to develop a tailored program to share key recovery priorities and activities they are undertaking collectively to support the industry. Register here to attend.

NEWS IN BRIEF

The Travel Industry Hub has created a co-working space for the travel and tourism industry in Sydney. Industry will be able to rent desks, meeting rooms, private offices and event space as well as network with industry colleagues. Find out more here.