Traveling Blog: Essentials… Register for Tourism Australia’s Sydney Industry Briefing | PATA Roadshow in Germany | Tourism Australia supports Banksia Awards

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17 November 2021

TOURISM AUSTRALIA UPDATE
This week, Tourism Australia hosted the inaugural Australia Global Summit. The Summit is a new initiative from Tourism Australia, designed to update our Aussie Specialist travel agents and global distribution partners on the state of play in Australia in advance of borders reopening. More than 1,500 people attended and the sessions focused on inspiring and motivating our passionate partners around the world as we prepare for the return of international travellers. For more information, click here. The other big focus this week is, of course, the Singapore border reopening this coming Sunday 21 November. This is a really significant milestone for our industry and I will be heading up to Singapore this weekend to meet with trade and to launch our new campaign, Yours to Explore. The campaign will encourage Singaporean travellers to make the most of the open borders and make Australia their next holiday destination. Stay tuned for more details on this campaign over the coming week. Phillipa Harrison

Tourism Australia is hosting a face-to-face industry briefing in Sydney on Monday 13 December. The free-of-charge briefing will be held at the Hyatt Regency Sydney at 3pm with registration commencing at 2.30pm. The briefing will be followed by networking drinks from 5pm to 6.30pm. Register to attend here.

Tourism Australia Activity

Pacific Asia Travel Association Roadshow in Germany

Tourism Australia’s Germany based Destination Trainer, Alina Grimm, participated in the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Roadshow touring through Central and Southern Germany. Around 200 travel agents attended the events across four German cities and enjoyed an evening full of destination and product trainings. Alina reminded the travel agents why ‘There is Nothing Like Australia’ and how to become an Aussie Specialist, to get ready for the time when borders open.

Banksia Sustainability Awards embrace Sustainability Tourism

Tourism Australia has partnered with the Banksia Foundation, supporting the inaugural Sustainable Tourism Banksia Award. The award recognises outstanding achievements by tourism businesses in championing the protection, conservation and regeneration of the environment they operate in and/or the protection of the natural environment across Australia; securing, nurturing and supporting the economic and physical wellbeing of community and culture. Find out more here.

Tourism Industry News

International students not required to quarantine in NSW

The New South Wales (NSW) Government has announced it will not require international students to quarantine if they are fully vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine recognised by the Therapeutic Goods Association (TGA). This aligns with quarantine requirements for returning Australians. The first chartered plane of returning international students under the NSW International Student Arrivals Pilot Plan is scheduled to touch down in Sydney on 6 December 2021. The first flight will carry around 250 students from more than 15 nations, including: Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, South Korea, China and Canada, with a second flight to bring in students from South Asia and India also scheduled. Read more here.

COVID Vaxx Practicing Business program for Australian Tourism Businesses

The Australian Tourism Industry Council (ATIC) has launched a new program to support Australian tourism businesses to identify and promote themselves as a COVID Vaxx Practicing Business. The COVID Vaxx Practicing Business program has been developed for accredited businesses who want to highlight to both customers and staff that they have the appropriate workplace policies and procedures in place regarding vaccinations. The new COVID-19 Vaccination Module is available to tourism businesses accredited through the ATIC’s Quality Tourism Accreditation program. Businesses can register for the accreditation module here.

Sustainability support for Tasmanian businesses

In Tasmania, there are a number of programs that may be of interest to tourism operators working to make their businesses more sustainable from an environmental, community and profitability perspective. These include:

Government Departments and Agencies
Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and the Environment
Environment Protection Authority of Tasmania

Advice, Grants, Programs and Tools
TAS EPA Sustainability Resources for Business and Industry

This is not a definitive list but aims to provide some guidance on what can be time-consuming research. Find out more about Tourism Australia’s approach to sustainability here.

Australian Stories

QAGOMA joins the growing Cultural Attractions of Australia collective

Brisbane’s Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) has become the 18th member of the Cultural Attractions of Australia (CAOA) collective. In line with the admission to the collective, the ambitious art gallery has launched the First Artists Exceptional Indigenous Art & Dining Experience. Co-designed by QAGOMA and 100 per cent Indigenous-owned business Blaklash Creative, the experience offers an unparalleled exploration of modern Indigenous culture through the lenses of art, dance and conversation. The experience has enlisted Indigenous chef, Chris Jordan of Three Little Birds, to join QAGOMA Executive Chef, Douglas Innes-Will, in devising a bespoke, native ingredient led menu. QAGOMA joins CAOA’s assortment of arts and cultural attractions which showcase Australia’s significant creative and historical heritage. For more information on QAGOMA and the CAOA visit the website.

WAM! Adventure Picnics launches an adventure of the mind and tastebuds

Mornington Peninsula eco-adventure company, Wild Adventures Melbourne (WAM!) has launched an immersive food offering, The Adventure Picnics. Following self-guided itineraries, participants enjoy their choice of activity (cycling, stand up paddle-boarding or bushwalking) through a spectacular setting followed by a rejuvenating picnic in a secluded location. Partnering with local Indigenous owned eatery, Cooee Cafe, guests’ tastebuds will also be taken on an adventure as they trial fresh produce infused with native ingredients. Depending on the activity chosen, The Adventure Picnics experiences run for three to six hours and can be arranged for groups of two people or more. For further information on WAM!’s all-inclusive Adventure Picnics and other fully guided eco-adventures visit the website.

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra announces 2022 season program

After two years of amended programming, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) has announced its 2022 program, the first to be helmed by Chief Conductor Jaime Martín. The program hosts an eclectic roster of Australian composers and musicians, in addition to cross-culture and cross-institutional performers. The extensive catalogue will include 110 performances across the year including six MSO commissions, five world premieres and two local premieres. While the MSO will host international artists such as South Korean pianist Yeol Eum Son in their local debut, the program will champion diversity featuring an unmatched eight female conductors and play-directors, 15 Australian composers and six First Nations artists. To view the full program, visit the website.

2022 Santos Festival of Cycling set to ride into Adelaide in January

In January 2022, South Australia will host an action-packed roster of cycling and cultural events for the rebranded Santos Festival of Cycling. Held across nine-days, the program features over 25 events showcasing the growing popularity and versatility of cycling. The festival kicks off with Adelaide Track League event at Adelaide Superdome on 21 January 2021, before launching into a program of events highlighting the many disciplines of cycling including road, track, BMX, mountain biking, pedal prix and more. Replacing the annual Tour Down Under, the Santos Festival of Cycling’s events will be held across the state, including an elite women’s and men’s event that will ride throughout the Adelaide Hills, Barossa Valley and Fleurieu Peninsula. For more information and to see the program visit the website.