| | | | | | | | | | TOURISM AUSTRALIA UPDATE | | A number of Australian tourism industry representatives were recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list last weekend. Notable inclusions were Andrew Burnes, Chief Executive Officer of Helloworld Travel and former Tourism Australia Board member; Patrick Jackman, former Tourism Queensland Chair; Kate Lamont, former Tourism Western Australia Chair and former Tourism Australia Board member; and Desmond Watts, co-founder of the BIG4 Parks. Congratulations to all those who were recognised and thank you for your service to our industry. Finally, a big shout out to my old boss, Glenn Bourke, Chief Executive Officer of Hamilton Island who was recognised for his services to sailing but has quietly been running one of Australia’s most successful tourism businesses for the past 12 years. Tourism Australia’s next webinar will be held on 19 June at 11am. We are still finalising speakers, but you can register here, and we’ll announce more details soon. If you didn’t catch last week’s webinar with the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Qantas Airways, Alan Joyce, you can watch it here. Phillipa Harrison | | | |
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| | | | | Australian Travel Status Map | | Coronavirus (COVID-19) travel and social distancing restrictions are lifting at different times in each state and territory according to their individual circumstances. Tourism Australia has created a map to help industry and consumers navigate the travel restrictions and interstate border openings. Since launching last week, the map has had more than 12,000 unique visits to the page with over 15,000 interactions. See the map here. |
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| | | | Japanese social media campaign | | Tourism Australia ran a major social campaign in Japan last month aimed at inspiring Japanese consumers to dream about travelling to Australia. As people stayed home unable to travel, the campaign encouraged people to share their favourite pictures from past trips to Australia and reminded them of all the incredible experiences Australia has to offer. Over 1,000 Australian images were posted on Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #AustralianMemories during the campaign. The pictures have been curated into a short video which is available on YouTube. |
| | | Cooking in Thongs cookbook | | Member of Tourism Australia’s Great Fishing Adventures of Australia collective, Kimberley Coastal Camp, has released a cookbook – Cooking in Thongs. The book features delicious seafood recipes as well as stunning images and tales from life on the exclusive and remote fishing resort. Kimberley Coastal Camp sits on the edge of the pristine waters of Western Australia’s Admiralty Gulf, one of the best fishing regions in Australia. The family run resort is only accessible via helicopter or float plane and guest numbers limited to just 16. Purchase the cookbook here. |
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| | | | | | | | New resort planned for Margaret River | | Marriott International has announced its plans to open a Westin Hotel & Resort in Margaret River. The Westin Margaret River Resort & Spa is a joint development between Saracen Properties and Security Capital Australia, two of Western Australia’s leading property developers and investors. Located on the southern headland of Gnarabup Beach, the resort will have direct access to the Cape to Cape walking trail, nearby national forests and world class wineries. Expected to be completed by mid-2023, the resort will feature 120 guestrooms, three on-site dining venues and meeting and event space. |
| | | Qantas and Jetstar increase domestic flying as restrictions ease | | From the end of June, Qantas and Jetstar are increasing their domestic capacity from five per cent of pre-coronavirus levels to 15 per cent. This equates to more than 300 return flights per week. Additional flights will likely operate during July depending on travel demand and further relaxation of state borders, with the ability to increase to up to 40 per cent of the Qantas Group’s pre-crisis domestic capacity by the end of July. As part of the Group’s ‘Fly Well’ program, Qantas and Jetstar will have a range of measures in place from 12 June 2020 to ensure a safe environment at airports and onboard aircraft and to give customers extra peace of mind. |
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| | | | | South Australia welcomes tourists back | | In the lead-up to the June long weekend, the South Australian Tourism Commission (SATC) launched the Welcome Back SA recovery campaign, and the campaign is already delivering strong results. Visits to southaustralia.com have hit a new record, with 6.2 million visits so far this year, already 1.1 million more visits than in the entire 2018/19 financial year. Industry are also reporting strong increases in bookings throughout the state. As restrictions ease, the SATC is encouraging South Australians to explore their backyard as the state starts to rebuild its tourism sector. Tourism in regional South Australia is worth $3.6 billion and employs around 16,000 people. |
| | | Queensland launches new Good to Go campaign | | Over the weekend, Tourism and Events Queensland launched its new Good to Go campaign to drive intrastate tourism. The first phase of the campaign aims to inspire Queenslanders to explore the very best of their own backyard, targeting holiday visitors and those travelling overnight to reconnect with friends and relatives. A core message of the campaign is that Queensland's tourism industry is open, ready to welcome visitors and is following COVIDSafe practices. Businesses will be able to display the Good to Go stamp if they have the required COVIDSafe documentation in place. |
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| | | | | | | Four Pillars arrives in Sydney, NSW | | Victorian-based gin distiller, Four Pillars, is set to open its new Sydney ‘Laboratory’ on 12 June, the eve of World Gin Day. Located on Crown Street in Surry Hills the new ‘Four Pillars Laboratory’ will incorporate a gin shop, gin lab featuring a working experimental still, and a cocktail bar, Eileen’s Bar. Kicking off with a weekend long celebration of activities, masterclasses and cocktail-fuelled fun, keen gin lovers are encouraged secure their spot to toast to the responsible easing of restrictions by making a booking online |
| | | Australia’s largest Indigenous art event to go online in 2020 | | The Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair (DAAF) will be held in an online format for the first time this year, providing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists a unique digital platform through which to connect with art lovers. Virtual visitors will be inspired by a program of online events including cultural performances, artist workshops and demonstrations and panel discussions. There will also be a new exhibition portal to allow people from around the world to buy art directly from Indigenous art centres, with 100 per cent of sales returning to the art centres and their communities. Now in its 14th year, the online DAAF program is set to run for nine days from 6 to 14 August 2020. |
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| | | | | Binna Burra Sky Lodges ready to reopen, QLD | | The Binna Burra Sky Lodges in Queensland are getting ready to welcome back guests in August. Unable to host guests since September last year due to the summer bushfires and then COVID-19, the lodge is excited for guests to return. A gateway to Lamington National Park and located in the Gold Coast Hinterland, with sweeping views across the Coomera and Numinbah Valleys, the award-winning Skye lodge is the perfect place for a nature escape. Those longing to curl up in front of the cosy fireplace while taking-in breathtaking views are able to make bookings for August and beyond online now. |
| | | Sydney Opera House releases online guided tour, NSW | | The Sydney Opera House is bringing its popular backstage tour to homes around the world with the release of its first ever online guided tour. In the free, ten-minute virtual experience, would-be travellers from Australia and around the globe can now explore backstage, before stepping inside the dressing rooms where renowned prima ballerinas, lead sopranos and stars from the world of contemporary music get ready before the show. The Digital Backstage Tour is part of the Opera House’s digital offering From Our House to Yours, a new program to connect with, inspire, educate and entertain local and global communities while the venue is temporarily closed to the public. |
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