Essentials… Ongoing Holiday Here This Year domestic campaign activity | Register for Tourism Australia’s first webinar of 2021| Cricketing legends interact with Indian travel trade | and more….

Having trouble reading? version 27 January 2021 TOURISM AUSTRALIA UPDATE Despite comparatively low cases of the virus in Australia, many tourism operators continue to face significant challenges as we enter 2021. Over the coming weeks and months, Tourism Australia will be continuing with our Holiday Here This Year domestic campaign to encourage Australians to explore their own backyard. Next week will be the first big push of 2021 and will coincide with the majority of Australians returning to work after the summer holidays. Many Australians had their summer holiday plans disrupted and were unable to get the rest they sorely needed after a difficult 2020. However, despite border closures and travel restrictions, Tourism Australia’s latest research shows that overall domestic consumer confidence is at an eight-month high and more than half of all Australians are considering or planning interstate travel. The activity next week aims to combat post-holiday blues and give consumers something to look forward to by inspiring them to book their next Australian holiday now. I strongly encourage you to leverage the Holiday Here This Year campaign activity by downloading the industry toolkit and adding the campaign logo to your marketing activity. You can also post on social media using the #HolidayHereThisYear and the Holiday Here This Year giphy stickers. Watch this space for more details on the activity next week. Phillipa Harrison Tourism Australia Activity Cricketing legends interact with Indian travel trade Off the back of a successful Border-Gavaskar test series, Team India presented an exclusive opportunity to its travel partners to interact with Australian cricketing great, Brett Lee and noted cricket commentator and Friend of Australia, Harsha Bhogle. The first tete-a-tete was organised on 12 January for Tourism Australia’s top 60 partners comprising of Premier Aussie Specialists, Traveller Made Agents and Key Distribution Partners. The second talk show on 20 January witnessed Brett in conversation with Harsha, sharing their favourite tourism experiences in Australia, a bit of cricket and stories of resilience and recovery. Over 160 travel partners including Aussie Specialist Agents attended the virtual events aimed at reinforcing tourism ties between Australia and India to help maintain Australia’s appeal and consideration amongst the Indian travel community. Register for Tourism Australia’s first webinar of 2021 Tourism Australia’s first webinar for 2021 will be held on Friday 12 February 2021 at 11am AEDT. Tourism Australia’s Managing Director, Phillipa Harrison, will be giving an update on Tourism Australia’s activity over recent months and plans for the year ahead. The new Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, the Hon. Dan Tehan MP, will also be joining the webinar. Register to attend here. Tourism Industry News Australia Day 2021 Honours List Several prominent travel and tourism advocates were recognised in the Australia Day honours list this year, including Canberra Airport MD Stephen Byron, who was heralded for his contributions to the country’s tourism and aviation sectors. Also in the spotlight was Christina Miller for her contribution to boosting visitation to Katherine in the NT, as well as travel stalwart Allan Williams, who was recognised for his lengthy contribution to Australia’s tourism sector, including stints as a senior executive with Qantas, Chair of the Australian Tourism Marketing Council of North America, Canberra Convention Bureau and the Tourism Industry Council of the ACT. Rex Brown was also given a posthumous OAM for his contribution to the Wye River’s tourism industry. A full list of recipients can be found here. South Australian regional events funding increased An additional $1 million in funding has been granted for regional events in South Australia. The 50 per cent boost to the South Australian Tourism Commission's Regional Event Fund is set to spur new and innovative regional events and to grow existing events right across the state. The expanded regional event fund aims to support the recovery of regional communities from the impacts of COVID-19 by boosting spending and jobs across South Australia. Australian Stories Country Food Trails through Orange Showcasing the unique flavours that make up the region’s culinary identity, Country Food Trails takes locals and travellers on an epicurean adventure through Orange in Country NSW. Run by local resident and experienced tour guide Nicole Farrell, the five carefully curated and flexible tours give visitors a taste of local delicacies, as well as a unique and personal introduction to the farms, growers and producers who are the backbone of the area’s much celebrated food and wine scene. Discover some of the region’s best kept secrets on this fully immersive culinary experience by booking online. New Wildflower Wanderer tour in WA AAT Kings’ new Wildflower Wanderer holiday will have guests marveling at the dramatic beauty of the destination’s wildflowers in full bloom. Western Australia’s wildflower collection is one of the largest on earth, with more than 12,000 species and over 60 percent found nowhere else. Departing from Perth in September 2021 and 2022, the tour explores the must-see hotspots of Kings Park and Botanical Garden, and Kalbarri National Park’s Murchison River, as well as the stunning coastal town of Geraldton. The trip also includes visits to the iconic Pinnacles and the natural wonder of WA’s mesmerizing pink lake; Hutt Lagoon. For more information on the seven-day guided holiday, visit the website, and for trade enquiries call 1300 556 100. Take a walk on the wild side of the Great Ocean Road The Great Ocean Road’s newest eco-tourism experience, Wildlife Wonders, invites guests to join a guided walk with a conservationist and discover the unique wildlife living in the new nature reserve, located 5km outside of Apollo Bay. Guests will encounter koalas dozing in treetops, bandicoots foraging on forest floors and kangaroos hopping along the horizon, and learn about the ecology of the spectacular Otway Ranges and the current research projects protecting the Great Ocean Road’s threatened species. Wildlife Wonders guided tours can be booked from 13 February online via their website, with all profits going directly to supporting the Conservation Ecology Centre’s conservation efforts. Discover the best of the region at the 2021 Barossa Vintage Festival South Australia's largest regional festival, the Barossa Vintage Festival (14 to 18 April) is a chance to live like a local and soak up the Barossa way of life. With over 75 wine, food, art and culture events across five incredible days, take advantage of the array of masterclasses, long lunches, degustation dinners, picnics and markets on offer. For example, escape to Italy as you kick back on the Calabria Family Wines lawn and enjoy the combination of cuisine from the Mediterranean Sea, live music, free kids’ activities and the Italian produce market. Explore the 2021 program and start planning your itinerary here. NEWS IN BRIEF Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) cancelled for 2021 Business registrations open for Dine and Discover NSW Emirates to resume flights to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane Pfizer vaccine approved in Australia Sustainability funding will support Australian arts organisations Tourism Minister urges more agents to apply for emergency support tourism.australia.com Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions | Contact Us This email was sent to latestnews401.travel@blogger.com To ensure that you continue receiving our emails, please add usto your address book or safe list. Unsubscribe or manage subscriptions Got this as a forward? Sign up to receive our future emails.