Tourism Australia in partnership with Tourism and Events Queensland has signed a new deal with Korean airline Jin Air in Seoul, to secure a new seasonal service to Cairns.
The new partnership will see the two organisations support a twice-weekly seasonal service from Incheon Airport in the South Korean capital to Cairns in Tropical North Queensland from December 2016.  Read more.  

Tourism Australia and Tourism Western Australia have collaborated to showcase Western Australia as the backdrop for a mid-year television blockbuster in Singapore. The 30-episode Mandarin drama series, The Dream Job, kicked off on 28 June 2016.
Viewers will be taken to sights in Perth, Fremantle, Rottnest Island and unique vistas such as Cottesloe Beach’s annual art installation—Sculpture by the Sea. Fronted by Singapore’s hottest celebrities, The Dream Job is expected to reach 800,000 viewers every week night. 
A microsite for the drama series—created by Toogle, the TV station’s digital division—allows viewers to watch episodes, view behind-the-scenes snippets and videos.  

Tourism Australia, Austrade and the Queensland government recently hosted a Chinese investor and media famil across key tourism destinations in Queensland. The whole-of-government initiative exhibited iconic regional tourism areas that tested investors’ appetite for opportunities outside Australia’s capital cities. 
The six-day program commenced in Cairns and Port Douglas, encompassing unique reef and rainforest experiences, then proceeded through the iconic Whitsundays and concluded on the Gold Coast. The locations chosen reflected Tourism Australia’s current Aquatic and Coastal campaign and provided a range of investment-ready opportunities, examples of successful developments and the opportunity to hear directly from industry experts. Read more about investing in tourism.

Tourism Australia regularly produces a detailed report on the performance of its key markets and international activity. You can download the latest International Market Update here.

Australia’s arrival SmartGates can now be used by eligible Chinese, Hong Kong, Macau, Japanese, Korean, French and Swedish ePassport holders, marking a significant expansion from eight previously eligible passports to 15.
The Australian Border Force processed more than 35 million travellers through Australian airports in 2014–15. The number of travellers arriving in Australia is steadily increasing and the expansion of SmartGate to other nationalities will help the Australian Border Force maintain border security while managing the challenge of growing traveller numbers.

According to the U.S & World Report 2016-17 Best Vacations in the World, the Great Barrier Reef is the number one World’s Best Place to Visit.
Commended for being the world’s largest coral reef system with incredible scenery, whether viewed underwater, from the air or by boat, the Great Barrier Reef won over Paris, Bora Bora, Florence and Tokyo.
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In the last year, 22 per cent of Americans from households earning over $50,000 booked travel through a travel agent, reflecting an increase from 14 per cent just three years ago. This is according to new research from the American Society of Travel Agents. In addition, millennials are more likely to use an agent than any demographic group of older travellers—45 per cent of millennials said they’re likely to recommend a travel agent to a friend or family member. Furthermore, two-thirds of those surveyed across all demographics believe using an agent improves their trip.  For more research and trends related to international and domestic tourism and travel, visit Tourism Australia’s Insight Files.