Hong Kong travel industry visits Victoria on Virgin Australia

To celebrate the launch of Virgin Australia’s new route between Melbourne and Hong Kong, Tourism Australia, Visit Victoria and Virgin Australia hosted a VIP trade famil last week. On the trip, 13 of Hong Kong’s leading travel agency executives experienced Virgin Australia’s award-winning business class service and the culinary and coastal attractions of Melbourne, Great Ocean Road and the Mornington Peninsula. Tourism Australia and Virgin Australia will launch a joint consumer campaign to promote the new service to Hong Kong travellers later this month.

WeChat presentation live

With almost 900 million monthly users, China’s top social media platform WeChat presents a great marketing opportunity for Australian tourism businesses. Learn more about WeChat and how to harness it by watching this ATE presentation from Leonie Liew, Regional Digital Marketing Manager Greater China, Tourism Australia.

Tourism Australia expands footprint in Malaysia

A taste of Australia was on offer at the Malaysia International Travel Mart Fair, held in Penang from 8 to 9 July. More than 65,000 people attended the fair, with many visiting the Australia booth to enjoy food tastings and have their photo taken with koala and kangaroo mascots. Interested travellers were then directed to Aussie Specialist agents to book their holidays. Tourism Australia presented the booth in partnership with South Australia Tourism Commission, Tourism Tasmania, Tourism and Events Queensland, Visit Victoria and Hertz.

Golden Horse Australia partners with Accor

Tourism Australia has welcomed the announcement of Golden Horse Australia’s partnership with Accor to manage a $60 million new-build luxury hotel at the Links Hope Island Golf Course property on the Gold Coast. The 150-room Swissôtel Gold Coast Hope Island Resort will open in 2019 and feature a range of resort facilities to entice tourists and locals alike. Tourism Australia and Austrade have supported the Hong Kong based property developer in their efforts to develop quality tourism infrastructure, with Golden Horse participating on a tourism investment familiarisation visit to Queensland in 2016. Tourism Australia and Austrade formed a partnership in 2012 to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) in response to the national long-term Tourism 2020 strategy.

Top new restaurant openings this month

New-generation Italian food served in chic-but-casual spaces and Neil Perry’s homage to 1970s suburban Chinese restaurants are two of the highlights of this month’s openings.

Dwarf minke whale season kicks off on the Great Barrier Reef

The dwarf minkes are a winter highlight on the northern stretches of the Great Barrier Reef. They congregate on the Great Barrier Reef only for a brief period each winter and this year’s season is now in full swing. A handful of operators are licensed to offer the experience to swim with these gentle creatures, an experience exclusive to the region.

Indigenous Tourism Champion - Aboriginal Cultural Tours South Australia

In operation for 14 years by owner/operator Quenten Agius, Aboriginal Cultural Tours South Australia offers 10 different cultural tours led by knowledgeable Aboriginal guides. The tours cover a wide area of South Australia including the Yorke Peninsula, Clare Valley and Flinders Ranges and Outback.

New cycling tours on Munda Biddi Trail

Running more than 1,000 km from Perth to Albany, the Munda Biddi trail passes through forests, aside rich farmland and along the coast. Inspiration Outdoors have now launched fully guided tours which provide cyclists with more flexible accommodation options for this multiday experience.

Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef toolkit

The Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef Foundation has published an industry toolkit so tourism businesses can generate awareness before the organisation’s launch on 31 August and recruit Citizens afterwards. The free toolkit has a range of resources to help people from all around the world positively impact the Great Barrier Reef’s health and future. Citizens will take part in actions such as pledging to go plastic free or cutting their carbon footprint.

Research reveals youth travel trends

Millennials born between 1980 and 1999 want personalised, authentic travel experiences and are more inclined to seek out adventure and cultural trips than older generations, according to new figures from YouGov. Today’s youth are also more likely to book trips online and use platform-based services such as Airbnb and Uber. Read more on Travel Weekly and visit the Insight Files for more tourism research and trends.

EEAA recognised for Global Exhibition Day campaign

The Exhibition and Event Association of Australasia (EEAA) has been recognised for its advocacy of Global Exhibition Day in the event's first awards. EEAA wrote to 75 parliamentarians, business leaders and industry stakeholders around the country to promote Global Exhibition Day on June 6 and deliver the #GED17 message. EEAA Chief Executive, Joyce DiMascio said it was an honour to be recognised for this campaign on the international stage.

Registrations are open for ATEC Meeting Place 2017 to be held in Perth from 20 to 22 November.

South Australian Tourism Commission (SATC) has released its latest quarterly update video and published updated International Market Profiles for the year ending March 2017.

Tourism WA has partnered with Qantas to deliver an integrated domestic digital campaign on the BBC and TimeOut websites.

Destination NSW has appointed Celine Dong the new business development manager for Shanghai, to increase awareness and sales of NSW tourism in Eastern China.

The Tweed Coast region will welcome more than 450 of the nation’s top surfers, longboarders and bodyboarders to the Australian Surf Festival on 29 July.

The Cairns Convention Centre is set to undergo a $176 million overhaul, include a new glass atrium and exhibition hall.

Tourism Tasmania has undertaken a review of its international market operations and activities to ensure it invests in the markets that provide the best return on investment.

SATC has also reappointed Christine Klein as Marketing Manager, Central Europe who previously held the role from 2013 through to 2016.

China Southern Airlines has announced an extra weekly flight between Guangzhou and Perth, starting from 29 October.

Destination NSW is running a free, three-part Inbound Strategy Webinar Series for NSW tourism businesses in August.

Women in Tourism will host their first Speed Mentoring event on 27 July at Vibe Rushcutters in Sydney.

Business Events Sunshine Coast has partnered with the Brisbane Convention Bureau to host nine top event planners from New Zealand and Sydney ahead of Convene Queensland on 18 July.

Last week Twitter and Periscope teamed up on the Great Barrier Reef Adventure — a live underwater broadcast on the Reef’s wonders.