| | | | | | | | | | TOURISM AUSTRALIA UPDATE | | At Tourism Australia, we are continuing to develop resources and programs of work to support industry through to recovery. Aussie Specialist Program - One of these is training for our distribution partners through our Aussie Specialist Program, which trained over 80,000 agents in FY20 (up from 32,000 agents in the previous year). A survey of over 2,900 Aussie Specialists in 16 countries to gauge the effectiveness of the program returned strong results with a 99 per cent overall satisfaction rate and 94 per cent improved ability to sell Australian holidays as a result of the training program. New Domestic Research - We have a series of new domestic research available on the corporate site, including a Travel Sentiment Tracker which is updated fortnightly. Below is more information about the insights you can draw upon as you look to decisions about the future. TA’s fortnightly webinar - As always, our webinars provide access to thought leaders, decision makers and operators, and our next one is on Friday, 11 September at 11am AEST. More details on who will be appearing will be available shortly. Register here. You can also access previous webinars here. Phillipa Harrison | | | |
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| | | | Australia popular among North American travel advisors at Virtuoso Travel Week | | Tourism Australia held about 200 appointments with North American luxury travel advisors at Virtuoso Travel Week 2020, from 10 to 13 August. The virtual event attracted more than 4,000 advisors, partners and destinations, including Virtuoso-preferred Australian properties and inbound tour operators. Many advisors noted that Australia is well positioned for when travel returns due to its wealth of nature-based and outdoor experiences and, as a highly desired destination, the excitement to travel again will move Australia from the ‘one day’ list to the ‘do now’ list. Advisors saw Signature Experiences of Australia as an attractive option for premium travellers. Australia was also listed as one of the top five destinations travellers want to visit on the new Virtuoso Wanderlist tool, which advisors use to keep their clients dreaming about travel. |
| | | Sydney restaurant features in Chef’s Table: BBQ | | Netflix documentary series, Chef’s Table, has filmed a new four-part series featuring chefs renowned for cooking on fire, including Lennox Hastie from Firedoor. Chef’s Table: BBQ was supported by Tourism Australia and airs on Netflix on 2 September and will be available in over 190 countries. The kitchen at Firedoor is exclusively powered by wood and fire and chef Hastie burns a variety of woods each day to create embers to bring out the natural characteristics of Australia’s best produce. The episode follows Hastie’s search for iconic Australian produce and native ingredients, that he cooks over fire in stunning locations as well as at his restaurant in Sydney. Hastie sources beef from premier butcher Victor Churchill in Sydney, visits Stix Farm in the Hawkesbury region of New South Wales where he grows some of his vegetables, and goes mud-crabbing with Juan Walker in Tropical North Queensland before enjoying fresh cooked crabs on the beach. |
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| | | | | New Tourism Australia resources | | Tourism Australia has developed a series of new resources to support the tourism industry, including: New domestic consumer sentiment research, the Travel Sentiment Tracker, which will be updated fortnightly on the corporate site. The August Hot List which includes a monthly roundup of new places to stay and experiences to enjoy across Australia. An updated social media guide and a new guide to social media in China. |
| | | Under four weeks left to apply for the Business Events Boost Program | | Applications for funding through Tourism Australia’s new marketing partnership program for domestic business events close 30 September. Industry are encouraged to apply for the Program to work with Tourism Australia on marketing or distribution initiatives to help restart domestic business events. Full eligibility and application details can be found on the Business Events Australia website. |
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| | | | | | | | | ATDW Training for Wineries | | Wine Australia is investing $750,000 in improvements to the Australian Tourism Data Warehouse (ATDW) national online platform to develop wine-related functionality, helping wineries to more effectively market their businesses and increase their online exposure through tourism distribution networks. The Australian Tourism Export Council, in partnership with Wine Australia, is hosting a series of webinars for the wine industry to update them on the new wine related enhancements in the ATDW. There are individual sessions for each state and territory as well as for members of wine associations. Find out more here. |
| | | DestinationQ virtual conference this Friday | | Queensland’s annual tourism industry forum, DestinationQ, will be held virtually this Friday, 4 September 2020. Presented in partnership by the Department of State Development, Tourism and Innovation, the Queensland Tourism Industry Council along with Tourism and Events Queensland, the forum will focus on supporting the state’s tourism industry to understand and adapt to the continuing impacts of COVID-19. Guest presenters and panellists will offer perspectives on the health, social and economic impacts of COVID-19 and provide inspiration for the future of tourism, examining new opportunities and profiling sustainable operating models. The program can be found here. Register now for the free event. |
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| | | | | Wellness Tourism Summit virtual events | | The Wellness Tourism Summit is hosting its latest virtual event - Wellness Travel Opportunities in a Changing World. On Wednesday, 9 September, over 20 global and local wellness travel experts will share practical tips and the latest consumer research for industry. The event will include learnings from global brands such as Banyon Tree Hotels and Resorts, Accor and Minor International. Tickets are $75. See the full program and register here. |
| | | Free Trade Agreement Information Seminars | | Austrade is continuing to host a series of online seminars for Australian exporters and businesses looking to export. Hear the latest market insights, learn about the benefits of Australia’s Free Trade Agreements, engage with a panel of experts, and access the range of assistance available. Register here for upcoming seminars and to watch previous seminars on demand. |
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| | | | | | | Travel to the Northern Territory with new podcast | | The Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT) has launched a new podcast, allowing people to get a taste of the Territory at home. The Collection podcast series lifts the lid on some of MAGNT’s most fascinating objects and shares the stories behind them. Over five episodes, hear about how the Territory's favourite crocodile ended up at a dinner table, what makes giant molluscs so special and learn about the Larrakia seasonal calendar. Available on various podcast platforms and on the MAGNT website, peek into the weird and wonderful world of the Northern Territory today. |
| | | Tourism operators come together to virtually share Sydney with the world | | A collective of Sydney tourism operators including Dreamtime Southern X, Sydney Harbour Boat Tours and SEA LIFE Aquarium, star in a new free and interactive destination guide, co-funded by the City of Sydney. Sydney360 is an online guide using 360-degree photography from the air, land and sea to create a stunning virtual tour of Sydney city which features local tourism experts who share their favourite hidden city gems. Available on any device, would-be travellers from around the world are able to experience the wonders of Sydney with a birdseye view. |
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| | | | | Victoria’s famous Penguin Parade live streamed to the world | | Phillip Island’s much-loved Penguin Parade is now being live streamed every night. Believed to be the world’s first nightly live stream of a natural wildlife event with expert commentary, Live Penguin TV allows fans from around the world to watch the famous Penguin Parade and ask questions in real time. Tune in to Phillip Island Nature Park’sFacebook page or YouTube channel at 6:10pm AEST and watch as 3,000 little penguins emerge from Bass Strait after fishing and waddle up the beach to return to their burrows. The live stream is planned to continue after the current travel restrictions are lifted to allow as many people as possible, particularly those overseas, to experience the nightly Parade. |
| | | New kids’ scuba program on the Great Barrier Reef | | Cairns Dive operator Divers Den has launched a new five-week scuba diving course for children. The Seal Team program is split into five weekly sessions or ‘Aquamissions’, which are run by trained PADI professionals. Each includes a short briefing and knowledge session, followed by pool time where children can try out their new skills with underwater games. The program also includes a graduation day trip to the Frankland Islands, where new recruits will receive certificates and enjoy a guided snorkel tour, island walk and picnic lunch. Seal Team is an internationally recognised PADI program for children eight and over. It follows on from the skills learned at Divers Den’s popular Scuba Kids program which launched in June. |
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