| | | | | | | |  | | Coronavirus update | | Last week, Tourism Australia released its ‘With Love From Aus’ video on social media. The short video is a heartfelt message to all Australians and the rest of the world that our beautiful country and its people will be ready to welcome visitors with open arms when the time is right. While there are many restrictions on travel and tourism right now, people’s appetite for travel hasn’t disappeared. We want everyone to keep dreaming about the unique experiences and beautiful places across Australia that will be waiting for them on the other side of the coronavirus pandemic. Over the past week, we have seen further social distancing measures put in place and additional support announced by the Australian Government. Of note, is the creation of the Jobs Hub website to help Australians find work as well as temporary changes to visa arrangements for working holiday makers and those on the Pacific Labour Scheme and Seasonal Worker Program. Key changes include exempting working holiday makers who work in agriculture or food processing from the six-month work limitation and extending visas for those on the Seasonal Worker Programme and the Pacific Labour Scheme. Read more here . We are also continuing with our webinar series. Last week we were joined by more than 2,000 people for our second webinar with Australia’s Prime Minister, the Hon. Scott Morrison MP, along with a panel of representatives from The Treasury, Australian Taxation Office and Services Australia. Our third webinar will be held (tomorrow) this Thursday 9 April, from 11am to 12pm. I will be joined by Lucy Brogden AM, the Chair of the National Mental Health Commission and Harinder Sidhu, from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade who will give an update on the $1 billion fund announced by the Australian Government in support of the tourism sector. I will also be providing an update on Tourism Australia’s activity in China with our Regional General Manager of North Asia, Andrew Hogg. Register for the webinar here. Take care and remember to stay home this Easter long weekend. Phillipa Harrison | | | | | | | | | |  | |
| Koalas released back into the wild | | Three groups of koalas will be released back to their original habitats near Port Macquarie this week. There are 26 koalas in total, including seven joeys. Staff at the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital are hopeful that these koalas will go on to create new koala populations in the area. One of the koalas, four-year-old Anwen, was admitted into the Koala Hospital’s intensive care unit with badly burnt arms suffered after the January bushfires. After receiving a lot of love and care from the Koala Hospital, her wounds healed and she was moved to an external rehabilitation unit where she made a full recovery. Staff and volunteers at the Koala Hospital treated 49 injured koalas which were rescued from burnt areas in the Port Macquarie-Hastings region and beyond. The facility’s care and rehabilitation for koalas has also expanded to those coming from Taree, the Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury. Koalas from these regions have now been returned to their original ‘home’ areas for release. | | | | | | |  | |
| Coronavirus resources | There are a number of dedicated resources available for businesses to access during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic: - The Australia.gov.au site is regularly updated with the latest coronavirus news and advice from government agencies across Australia.
- The Business.gov.au site provides a summary and quick links to financial assistance, eligibility and timing for the new government support for Australian businesses.
- The National Bushfire Recovery Agency has created a set of factsheets that outline the combined Australian Government support available to those affected by bushfires, drought, flood and coronavirus.
- The Treasury had created a series of factsheets to provide information about the JobKeeper payment for employers, employees and other frequently asked questions.
- Viator is offering complimentary one-on-one 30-minute product optimising training sessions for tourism businesses.
- BBH Labs has published a guide with key principles, thinking and data points on marketing in the time of coronavirus.
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| | | | |  | | A virtual tour of Australia | | No matter where you are in the world, Australia’s virtual experiences are here to entertain and inspire future travellers. Take a virtual tour through some of Australia’s most prestigious art galleries, experience the iconic Australian outback through a lens, or dance around your living room with the live crescendo of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in the background. Take a virtual zoo tour or watch a live animal stream with Australia’s cutest residents from the comfort of your couch. | | |  | | Tourism Australia activity in Japan | | The Tourism Australia team in Japan is a hosting a series of webinars for Aussie Specialist Agents throughout April. The webinars provide State and Territory updates as well advice and training on self-drive itineraries and special interest activities in Australia. Over 250 participants are expected to join the webinars, where they will have the opportunity to participate in quizzes and be in the running to win Australian made Jurlique hand products. | | |
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| | | |  | | Seppeltsfield winery to develop ‘six star’ hotel in the Barossa Valley | | Plans for a new, A$50 million six-star luxury hotel and day spa at Seppeltsfield winery in the Barossa Valley have been lodged with council. If successful, the 12-storey ‘Oscar Seppeltsfield’ hotel will have around 70 rooms, including suites and penthouses, with a private balcony for every room, with plans to open in 2022. The project is being funded and driven by a group of South Australian business leaders to attract new markets to the region and drive growth in domestic and international visitor economy, while creating an additional 363 construction jobs and 350 ongoing jobs for the region once operational. | | |  | | Prestigious restaurant group, Fink, supports local suppliers | | The Fink restaurant group, which includes restaurants such as Quay, Bennelong and OTTO, is supporting small business during coronavirus. Fink sources its fresh food from small family run businesses that offer an incredible range of restaurant quality produce. While the restaurants in the Fink group are unable to cook for their customers directly, they are supporting these suppliers, who are doing it tough during coronavirus, by promoting them to their large customer base. Suppliers include Two Providores, Vic’s Meat, Victor Churchill, Pioik Bakery, Joto Fish, Simon Johnson and Nicholas Seafood. | | |
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| | | | Gin Distillers | | Australian distillers have been shifting their production focus from spirits, to hand sanitiser. Hand sanitiser, like many other household essentials, has been difficult to access over the past few months due to demand. So far, Manly Spirits Co and Archie Rose in Sydney and Adelaide’s Prohibition Liquor Co have each released their own lines of hand sanitisers, which are available to purchase online. | | |
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| | | | | Easter Holidays - Stay at home activities | | With the coronavirus pandemic prompting early school holidays, many families are wondering how to keep their children occupied and entertained. While heading to your favourite holiday spot might be off the cards for now, there are still many ways families can have an Australian adventure - with free art, games and educational experiences - all whilst staying at home. | | |
| | | | |  | | Set their Australian spirit animal free with Sydney’s Taronga Zoo | | Raising a budding zoologist? Through accessible user-friendly technology, Sydney’s Taronga Zoo is helping kids stay connected with their online education programs. New to the program is a series of ‘Ask An Expert Webcasts’, with a range of sessions available from April to June. This video conference series will connect school students with Taronga’s experts, where children will be able to ask questions and receive first-hand information into what it takes to work in a zoo. There’s also the newly launched Taronga TV for your daily dose of animal antics. Tune in daily for a packed schedule of fascinating keeper talks and shows, 24/7 live animal streams and behind-the-scenes sneak peeks at what the animals (and the keepers) actually get up to when the zoo is closed. | | |  | | Find their inner artist with iconic Aussie artist Ken Done | | With little artists at home at the moment, iconic Australian artist, Ken Done, is teaching kids about art online with free downloadable resources for parents. Made for primary, high school and senior students, let their imagination and creativity run free by introducing them to Done’s bold and colourful Australiana art world. Younger students can have a go at T-shirt design, while older kids can explore point of view, the use of different brushstrokes and critical thinking. Best known for his colourful oil and acrylic paintings depicting the Sydney Opera House and the Great Barrier Reef, Ken Done’s free resources are available for download on his website. | | |
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| | | | |  | | DIY science classes with Questacon | | Run a variety of experiments and activities in your own home with guidance from the experts from Canberra’s Questacon – Australia’s National Science and Technology Centre. Specifically designed to support primary school teachers and guardians, and created to inspire curiosity and questioning minds, there are 53 DIY science videos and a range of home resources to choose from. With experiments such as how to make salt crystals and slime, to how to bottle clouds, head to Questacon’s website or YouTube page for more crafty ideas. | | |  | | Say “ahoy” to your new matey: Australia’s Maritime Museum | | Take an at-home voyage with the Australian Maritime Museum with a vast amount of free online resources for research fun. With online games, activity sheets, videos and print-out-and-make templates, kids can play, create, learn and discover with these fun and informative activities. There is even a specially curated selection of exhibits available online, for kids to explore stories about significant events and people. Available on the Maritime Museum website, there's something for everyone, from the novice gardener, junior scientist to artsy artist-in-the-making! | | |
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