| | | | | | | | |  | | TOURISM AUSTRALIA UPDATE | | What an incredible week we had last week at the Australian Tourism Exchange 2024 (ATE24) in Melbourne / Narrm! More than 2,660 international and Australian based industry, over 50,000 meetings, and renewed connections, to keep boosting our industry as our inbound tourism numbers return. A huge thanks to our partners Visit Victoria who really lifted the bar this year. On the final day of ATE24 I was excited to announce that in 2025, ATE will be held in Brisbane / Meanjin in partnership with Tourism and Events Queensland, supported by the Brisbane Economic Development Agency. ATE hasn’t been to Brisbane since 2007, so it will be a fantastic opportunity to see how the city has been evolving, and of course with the ‘decade of green and gold’ upon us culminating in the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games, what a great opportunity to showcase all that Queensland and Brisbane have to offer. Also at ATE24, the Tourism Ministers' meeting took place on the sidelines of the event. The Ministers discussed their continued commitment to supporting Australia’s travel and tourism industry. I presented Tourism Australia’s plans to drive international demand for Australian holidays and business events, through our coordinated marketing efforts with the states and territories. Austrade’s WELCOME framework was also endorsed by the Ministers, demonstrating their commitment to accessible tourism. Read more about the framework below. This week we also welcome the news that one of our major airline partners, China Southern Airlines has announced it will resume its non-stop service between Guangzhou and Perth. The recommencement of the service, from 28 November 2024 with three flights per week, will provide more than 41,000 inbound seats each year from mainland China. The service will further support the strong recovery of air capacity from China, which is currently at around 90 per cent. China remains an important tourism market for Australia, and with the welcome return of Chinese travellers to our shores we are seeing the market steadily rebuilding back to 2019 levels. Finally, it’s National Reconciliation Week (NRW) this week, and it is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. This year’s theme is Now More Than Ever. There is a role for all of us, across our industry, to play in reconciliation, and at Tourism Australia this commitment is reflected in our Reconciliation Action Plan Stretch RAP. Phillipa Harrison | | |
| | | | | | Tourism Australia ACTIVITY | | | | |  | | Australia Next 2024 | | Registration for Australian industry sellers to participate in Australia Next 2024 closes this Friday, 31 May. Previously known as Dreamtime, Tourism Australia's signature incentive showcase is now called ‘Australia Next’ to align with Business Events Australia’s bespoke magazine for incentive planners. Australia Next 2024 will be held in Cairns / Gimuy, Queensland from 8 to 10 September 2024. The event provides the Australian business events industry the opportunity to connect with qualified incentive buyers from around the world, while showcasing Australia’s best incentive experiences and products. View the results of Dreamtime 2023 here. Find out more and register here. | | |  | | UK targeting Working Holiday Makers | | Tourism Australia recently launched a new series of paid social media content in the United Kingdom to continue attracting British working holiday makers to Australia. Titled The Making Of…, the 15 and 30 second clips use content that current and recent working holiday makers have taken on their travels, authentically showcasing the breadth of experiences on offer and the positive impact their time in Australia had on them. The content is being distributed via social media platforms targeting Brits in the eligible age range. | | | | | | | |  | | Register for Tourism Australia’s June Industry Webinar | | Tourism Australia’s June Industry Webinar will take place on Friday 21 June at 11am AEST. Join the webinar to hear Tourism Australia’s update including the latest research, insights and activity presented by Tourism Australia’s Managing Director Phillipa Harrison, along with our regular session featuring industry guests. Register to attend the webinar here. | | |  | | Come and Say G’day wins in the US | | Tourism Australia’s global ‘Come and Say G'day’ campaign recently won three US Effie awards. The campaign was awarded two bronzes in the Renaissance and Branded Content and Entertainment categories, and a silver in the Travel and Tourism category. The Effie Awards are known by advertisers and agencies globally as the pre-eminent award in the industry, and recognise any and all forms of marketing that contribute to a brand's success. | | | | | | | | | |  | | New WELCOME Framework: Making Tourism Accessible for Everyone | | Tourism businesses now have a new resource to enhance accessibility with the launch of the WELCOME Framework. This easy-to-read guide empowers businesses to cater to everyone, regardless of age or ability, by offering practical, straightforward tips. Accessible tourism is a significant market opportunity. Nearly 20 per cent of Australians live with a disability, and 22 per cent have long-term health conditions. This market also includes seniors, people with short-term injuries, and parents with prams. According to Austrade’s Tourism Research Australia, Australians with accessibility needs contributed $6.8 billion to domestic travel in the June 2023 quarter, accounting for 21 per cent of the total domestic tourism spend. The WELCOME Framework suggests simple improvements like updating websites with accessibility information, enhancing lighting, and clearing pathways. Developed with state and territory governments and Tourism Australia, this initiative is part of THRIVE 2030. Find the WELCOME Framework at here. | | |  | | ATEC to deliver National ‘China Host’ Workshops | | In partnership with the National Foundation for Australia-China Relations, the Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) has launched a new federally funded program delivering ATEC’s ‘China Host’ through in person workshops to support Australian tourism businesses to build confidence with the Chinese visitor market. The workshops will present the program to 500 businesses nationally, with a specific focus on unpacking culture, service, product and trade engagement. The program will play a crucial role in continuing to support the economic recovery of the Chinese inbound market. One of the key goals of ATEC’s program is to educate First Nation’s tourism businesses and businesses in regional Australia to understand the modern Chinese traveller. The program will kick off in Western Australia followed by Victoria. To see the full list of events and to find out more, register your interest here. | | | | | | | | | | | | |  | | Manly Wharf Bar and Restaurant refreshed | | Artemus Group have relaunched Manly Wharf Bar in Sydney / Warrane with a fresh look and menu focused on good quality, pub style food using some of Australia's best produce. After taking ownership of the precinct in 2024, Artemus was committed to spending time consulting the local Manly community, making initial improvements to the Wharf whilst continuing to operate business as usual. A new Mediterranean-style menu is focused on a wholesome and uncomplicated approach, featuring smaller grazing plates; pub classics; burgers and bowls; a dedicated pizza menu; along with an impressive range of local meats. Manly’s Mediterranean meets surf-village charm has inspired the food and drink experience designed to complement slower days by the water enjoying Wharf Bar’s prime waterside location. This fresh look is one of the initial improvements being made as part of the long-term strategy for the revitalisation of Manly Wharf. | | |  | | The newest member of Luxury Lodges of Australia | | Luxury Lodges of Australia has welcomed Bullo River Station to its collection of luxury lodges and camps. Set on 400,000 acres of privately owned outback country at the convergence of the Bullo and Victoria rivers in the East Kimberley, the Station is located in the Northern Territory near the Western Australian border. Bullo River Station offers guests an authentic working cattle station experience that harmoniously balances pastoral, tourism and conservation activities. Its landscape is carved with gorges and waterfalls, making it one of Australia’s most breathtakingly beautiful properties and is home to a stunning variety of local fauna species as well as around 2,000 Brahman-cross cattle. Twelve generous and comfortable rooms, delicious, wholesome meals and cooling beverages reinvigorate guests after a day of enjoying Bullo’s many activities such as visiting secret waterfalls, spending the day cruising the Bullo River and dropping a line in for barramundi fishing. | | | | | | | |  | | The Star Brisbane / Meanjin unveils new entertainment and dining venues | | Australia’s newest entertainment destination, The Star Brisbane / Meanjin has unveiled its unique blend of leisure, dining and all-round entertainment venues in the heart of the $3.6 billion Queen’s Wharf precinct. A foodie’s delight, The Star’s seemingly suspended Sky Deck proudly soars 100 metres above Brisbane River and will be home to three venues, including signature restaurant Aloria, Babblers a relaxed dining experience and Cicada Blu, an open-air bar. Celebrity chef Luke Nguyen is amongst the resort’s culinary headliners, delivering Asian street food favourite Fat Noodle, whilst Australia’s Sashimi Florist, Chef Alex Yu, makes a return to The Star at Sokyo Brisbane. An Italian fit for a queen (Cucina Regina), Black Hide Steak & Seafood by Gambaro, a showstopping Sports Bar, a dedicated live entertainment venue (LiveWire) and a cheeky cocktail bar (Cherry) form part of a raft of recent unveilings, delivering a variety of day and night venues across the precinct. The Star Brisbane and Queen’s Wharf Brisbane precinct are set to commence a staged opening from August 2024. | | |  | | Hamilton Island’s newest boutique hotel | | Hamilton Island Enterprises, the team behind luxury resort qualia, is excited to introduce Hamilton Island’s new boutique hotel ‘The Sundays’ in the heart of Australia’s World Heritage Listed Great Barrier Reef. Created with families in mind and situated at the northern end of palm-fringed Catseye Beach, The Sundays offers 59 rooms thoughtfully designed to capture the essence of Hamilton Island’s tropical surroundings and blue water views. The hotel features private cabanas around a pool exclusively for guests and a waters-edge restaurant and bar offering al fresco dining with views of the aquatic playground that is Catseye Bay. Reservations for The Sundays will open in Spring 2024 with the hotel set to open in Autumn 2025. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
