| | | | | | | | |  | | TOURISM AUSTRALIA UPDATE | | Today I'm delighted to announce one of Tourism Australia's signature events, G'day Australia, will be held in Perth/Boorloo later this year, bringing around 300 travel agents from across the world to Australia to experience our nation's world-class tourism offerings first-hand and meet with Australian tourism providers. Qualified Aussie Specialist agents, who have completed Tourism Australia's engaging online training program, will take part in G'day Australia which will be held at Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre from Sunday, 13 October to Friday, 18 October 2024. Our Aussie Specialists already know so much about our country from participating in the Aussie Specialist Program, but we believe it is really important to not just tell them how incredible Australia is - but show them - and that's what G'day Australia is all about. Read more about the event below. This week I also visited Melbourne/Narrm, where I attended the Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME). It's always great to see the Australian business events industry out in force, and this event has been no exception! I joined the Leaders' Forum discussion, led by Australian Business Events Association and their CEO Melissa Brown, where we discussed the outlook and opportunities ahead. Overall, the feeling is optimistic and under ABEA's leadership there is a united voice to ensure that the industry tackles our opportunities around sustainability, talent acquisition and getting our key messages across to all stakeholders, especially around the legacy of events beyond the economic impact (which is significant). Towards the end of last week, we saw the latest ABS data released for the 2023 calendar year, providing further details on how inbound tourism is recovery is tracking. The data shows that the numbers continue to trend upwards, with Australia welcoming more than 7.1 million international visitors for the year, and for the month of December we were back to 81 per cent of 2019 levels. Obviously, this is a national picture and doesn't always reflect what some businesses are seeing in different destinations or markets but overall, the picture is encouraging. Last, but certainly not least, the program has been released for our Destination Australia 2024 conference, on Wednesday 13 March in Sydney/Warrane. See below for more details on how to access the program and register to attend. Phillipa Harrison | | |
| | | | | | Tourism Australia ACTIVITY | | | | |  | | G'day Australia to be held in Perth/Boorloo in 2024 | | One of Tourism Australia's signature events, G'day Australia, will be held in Perth at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre from Sunday, 13 October to Friday, 18 October 2024. The event brings around 300 qualified Aussie Specialist Program agents from across the world to Australia to experience our nation's world-class tourism offerings first-hand and meet with Australian tourism providers. With support from State and Territory Organisation representatives, agents will also have the chance to participate in a pre or post-event familiarisation program where they can experience for themselves the incredible tourism products on offer right around Australia. G'day Australia 2024 will be delivered by Tourism Australia in partnership with Tourism Western Australia. Applications to attend will open for Sellers on 1 May, 2024. Find out more here. | | | | | | |  | | Discover Aboriginal Experiences welcomes new members and launches exciting media offerings | | Tourism Australia's Discover Aboriginal Experiences (DAE) collective consists of quality, authentic, Aboriginal-guided tourism offerings. In 2024 the collective will include 48 members offering more than 200 experiences across a portfolio that covers Australia. The newest members to enter the collective include Mabu Buru Tours and Kimberley Cultural Adventures, both in Western Australia; Budj Bim Cultural Landscape Tourism in Victoria; Southern Cultural Immersion in South Australia; and Jarramali Rock Art Tours in Queensland. In addition, the Discover Aboriginal Experiences website showcases the rich diversity and depth of tours offered by the Discover Aboriginal Experiences member operators. Experiences can be searched by location or experience type. Journalists and trade can take a deep dive into the DAE collective via the freshly launched 2024 Discover Aboriginal Experiences Media Kit, which contains a comprehensive portfolio of stories and ideas to inspire features and offer insights into Australia's rich history and the world's oldest living cultures. | | |  | | Destination Australia 2024 program now available | | The program has been released for Tourism Australia's 2024 Destination Australia Conference. The event, themed 'The next chapter for sustainable growth', will be an opportunity to come together and focus on the future of Australian tourism - in the year we hope we will exceed 2019 levels of visitation and spend. With Karl Stefanovic returning to guide the day, we will be joined by an array of industry leaders including Minister for Trade and Tourism, Senator the Hon Don Farrell, Sarah Kopit, Editor in Chief at Skift, James Hurman, marketing expert, Cam Wallace, Chief Executive Officer, Qantas International and Freight, Tour guide of the year Rosanna Angus and many more. The day will also include a session on 'Looking to the Future' with key discussion by a panel of Australian tourism CEOs who will outline their views on the outlook, priorities, and trends for 2024, and this year we will continue the conversation around how to capture and shape, demand in the accessibility space with a panel discussion 'Broadening the diversity and accessibility of travel and tourism'. Find out more and register to attend here. | | | | | | | |  | | Italian Aussie Specialist Program agents visit Melbourne/Narrm and Western Australia | | Tourism Australia recently hosted eight Italian Aussie Specialist Program travel agents together with Visit Victoria and Tourism Western Australia. The agents had the opportunity to explore the city through a range of experiences that showcased its vibrant culture, from a street art workshop in its iconic laneways to a kayaking experience at sunset on the Yarra River, as well as enjoying the world-renowned culinary scene. As part of the journey, they made a visit to the iconic Rod Laver Arena, where Italian tennis champion Jannik Sinner's historic victory at the 2024 Australian Open had unfolded just weeks prior, further highlighting Melbourne's offerings and establishing it as a premier destination for sports, culture and leisure. The trip then continued to the pristine state of Western Australia where agents were able to visit Perth, the Margaret River wine region and the magnificent beaches of the state's South Coast. The visit concluded with a meet and greet with quokkas on Rottnest Island. | | |  | | Tourism Australia's Friend of Australia Han Jimin visits Australia | | Tourism Australia recently invited Korea's A-list actress, Han Jimin, to Australia to curate captivating travel content tailored to appeal to Korea's high-value travellers. Known for her fervent admiration for Australia, Jimin serves as a Friend of Australia for the Korean market. In collaboration with Visit Victoria, the actress immersed herself in the charm of Melbourne/Narrm, exploring its beautiful and trendy urban landscape, indulging in the world-class wineries, and soaking up the vibrant atmosphere of the Australian Open, all while delving into Australia's 19th-century golf rush history at Sovereign Hill. Throughout her visit, Han Jimin shared a plethora of captivating stories on her Instagram, igniting a viral sensation for Korean consumers. The visit will continue to be publicised across multiple social media channels, including Instagram and Kakao, beginning in March. | | | | | | | |  | | Tourism Australia wins Platinum and Best of Show at the HSMAI Adrian Awards | | Last week, Tourism Australia team in the United States won the President's Platinum Award in the Public Relations Consumer Campaign category for its earned media activity surrounding the Come and Say G'Day campaign launch at the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Adrian Awards Celebration Gala in New York City. Considered the world's largest travel marketing competition, the annual awards benchmark best practice in the hotel and travel segments. Additionally, Tourism Australia went on to win a Platinum Trophy for its exceptional work and then took out "Best of Show" for Public Relations. | | |  | | 'Australia On Tour' roadshow in France | | In France, the Tourism Australia team together with Tourism Northern Territory, the South Australian Tourism Commission, Tourism and Events Queensland, Tourism Western Australia, Destination NSW and Singapore Airlines met with 110 agents working as frontline sellers in travel agencies tour operators in Strasbourg and Rennes. The agents received updates about new products, upcoming events and were given the opportunity to meet new faces in the industry. Themed trainings, Australian wine tasting and a fabulous prize to win a trip to Australia with Singapore Airlines were part of the training roadshow. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  | | Melbourne/Narrm dining precinct welcomes new venue | | Melbourne Quarter has announced Saluministi's newest venue is set to open in the precinct tomorrow, Thursday 22 February 2024. Melbourne/Narrm's cult favourite, family-run paninoteca, Saluministi, will bring a vibrant personality to Melbourne Quarter's dining and entertainment precinct as the newest addition to the community. Saluministi's fun and relaxed atmosphere will transport diners to a classic paninoteca in Florence or Rome. Melbourne Quarter is an urban neighbourhood in the heart of Melbourne where creativity thrives, green public spaces are continuing to grow, and great food is only the beginning. The precinct is conveniently located in the heart of the city's pulsing economic centre. Situated between two of Melbourne's most iconic streets, Flinders and Collins, and directly across the street from Southern Cross Station. | | |  | | Pioneering Cairns waterfront hotel relaunches as Cairns Harbourside Hotel | | Established Cairns' hotel owner, Taisei Kanko Australia Pty Limited, announced this week that their Cairns hotel has relaunched as a self-managed, independent hotel to be branded as Cairns Harbourside Hotel. The Hotel previously operated as a Holiday Inn, houses 173 stylishly appointed rooms, each with its own private balcony. To facilitate the change from global management to local management, one of Cairns' most established tourism figures, Glen Macdonald, has been appointed General Manager. Mr Macdonald was General Manager and then CEO of Fitzroy Island Resort for over 12 years, significantly enhancing the resort's performance through innovative management and marketing. | | | | | | | |  | | Crystalbrook Collection Hotels & Resorts, to debut in Adelaide/Tarntanya market | | Crystalbrook Collection, Australia's largest independent five-star sustainably-led hospitality company, has been appointed to manage a $130 million new build, luxe hotel in Adelaide/Tarntanya. This marks an exciting and significant expansion for the group into South Australia. Owned by the Adelaide based Samaras Group, the hotel will be known as Crystalbrook Sam and is due to open in 2026. Crystalbrook Sam will represent a new essence of highly unique, upscale hospitality unseen yet in South Australia's fast-growing visitor economy. The 13-level hotel will boast over 200 sustainably considered guest rooms, lobby with communal spaces, a unique rooftop Eleme Spa and Bath House, restaurant and bar with breathtaking city views. Further facilities include various meeting spaces and a Wellness Centre. | | |  | | Smash hit musical to open in Sydney/Warrane | | The award-winning anthemic pop musical & JULIET will open in Sydney/Warrane later this month after spectacular seasons in Melbourne, Singapore, and Perth. The Australian production is led by Lorinda May Merrypor in the title role, with an all-star cast including Australian music industry legend Rob Mills holding the quill as Shakespeare, music theatre icon Amy Lehpamer taking control of the narrative as his wife Anne, star of the stage and ARIA #1 winner Casey Donovan as Angelique, and Broadway, West End and Australian music theatre star Hayden Tee as Lance. The principal cast is completed with Blake Appelqvist as the other half of the star-crossed lovers, and newcomers Jesse Dutlow as May and Yashith Fernando as Francois. Performances start 27 February, with tickets to 2 June currently on sale at ticketmaster.com.au. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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