Working Holiday Maker campaign 'phase two' launches

Tourism Australia has launched the second phase of its global campaign aimed at attracting more young people to Australia for a working holiday. The latest campaign targets working holiday makers from Japan, Korea, Taiwan and the United States which represent over a third of working holiday maker arrivals Down Under and over $1.2 billion in spend. The campaign focuses on reminding young travellers that an Australian working holiday is more than just a job and more than a holiday. In 2016 more than 320,000 working holiday makers spent approximately $3 billion in Australia.

International visitor spending up

International visitors spent a record $39.8 billion during the 262 million nights they stayed in Australia for the year ending March 2017 according to the latest International Visitor Survey. Tourism Australia has updated its International Tourism Snapshot, which provides an overview of total international arrivals, international visitor spend and international aviation capacity for the year to 31 March.

Tourism Australia ambassador Dan Hunter in Paris

Friend of Australia Dan Hunter made a stop off in Paris at the prestigious French culinary institute Le Crodon Bleu to launch his first book Brae: Recipes and Stories from the Restaurant. Tourism Australia and Visit Victoria organised an informal media gathering with the book’s publisher Phaidon ahead of his talk to students at Le Cordon Bleu. Australian Ambassador to France Stephen Brady welcomed Dan Hunter and emphasized that Australia is home to a world-class culinary offering achieved through the combination of a multicultural heritage not bound by traditions.

Americans encouraged to experience more of Australia

Americans are being shown ways to travel Australia better through a joint campaign between Tourism Australia and online travel agency Expedia. The promotion offers combinations from hundreds of Australian hotels and airfare offers through more than 20 airlines so travellers can ‘Experience More Of Australia’. Expedia.com offers tools for travellers during all phases of their travel planning including booking tools, interesting content such as 360 videos and Expedia’s Local Expert Concierge platform, which provides content for customers in the inspiration phase.

Corporate Kiwis experience Australia’s food and wine

Business Events Australia in partnership with New Zealand conference and incentive event management company HOT Events hosted a dinner for 26 New Zealand corporate decision makers in Auckland last week with Australian Chef Matt Stone to highlight Australia’s excellent food and wine experiences. “The dinner was another example of the work Tourism Australia does in the New Zealand market to raise awareness and consideration of Australia’s quality business events offering,” said Penny Lion, Tourism Australia executive general manager of events. “It provided an opportunity to share the stories of our people, place and produce with valued New Zealand corporate decision makers.”

Tourism Australia renews AACB Staff Scholarship

Tourism Australia has continued its sponsorship of the Association of Australian Convention Bureaux (AACB) Staff Scholarship program. “It’s one of the many ways we support the development of our industry, and we know it will deliver benefits for Australia,” said Penny Lion, executive general manager events at Tourism Australia. A successful applicant will receive a $5,000 cash grant and free international return flights to undertake a proposed project of career development that brings benefit to their bureau and AACB members. Photo: AACB Staff Scholarship 2016/17 Winner.

Japanese gourmet magazine features Australian food and wine

As a part of its ‘There is Nothing Like Australia’ campaign, Tourism Australia has partnered with popular Japanese gourmet magazine “ELLE gourmet” to create a 28-page supplement featuring food and wine experiences specially in Sydney and Melbourne. The supplement also included six reasons to visit Australia for food and wine experience now. The supplement will feature in the ELLE gourmet edition released on Tuesday 6 June and copies will also be distributed at Australian featured restaurant and cafes in Tokyo free of charge.

#ThisTimeTomorrow campaign continues in the US

Tourism Australia and Virgin Australia are continuing their successful #ThisTimeTomorrow campaign to tackle perceived barriers of time and distance for US travellers. The campaign features media partners including Travelzoo, Facebook and USA Today as well as out of home advertising to reach high value travellers as they commute or work out at the gym. Industry partners are also participating with offers including Down Under Answers, Aspire Down Under and About Australia to convert interest into bookings.

Hobart’s Macq01 welcomes first guests

Luxury hotel MACQ01 officially opened on Friday 2 June on MacQuarie Wharf in Hobart. The 'story-telling' hotel boasts 114 rooms which have been individually themed with the story of a Tasmanian character, creating a localised experience for guests.

Upgrades for Elements of Byron

Now in its second year, Elements of Byron is set to relaunch in October with expanded leisure, accommodation and education offerings including 99 new villas surrounded by forest and creek, a solar powered Eco Education Centre and scenic train along 3km of coastal track.

Sunlover opens new multi-million dollar pontoon

Sunlover Reef Cruises has launched a new pontoon on the outer Great Barrier Reef. The 50 metre long, multi-million dollar structure will boast one of the region’s largest reef sundecks and Tropical North Queensland’s first ever floating theme-park style water-slide.

QantasLink flying direct to Kangaroo Island

QantasLink has announced it will begin flying direct to Kangaroo Island from Adelaide and Melbourne. Flights from Adelaide will commence on 4 December, operating three times per week and seasonal flights from Melbourne will commence on 17 December 2017 through to the end of January.

New visa option to boost tourism and business ties with Singapore

Singaporeans will have exclusive access to a new long-term, multiple-entry visa option by 1 January 2018, making it easier to travel to Australia for business and pleasure. The Visitor (Subclass 600) visa will allow travellers to visit Australia for up to three months at a time, over a six-year period, with a single application. Alongside Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Australian Prime Minister Turnbull also announced a new reciprocal Work and Holiday Maker programme will commence on 1 August 2017. With up to 500 places per year, the program will allow young people from Australia and Singapore to undertake short term work or study.

Record opening for Vivid Sydney 2017 festival

The opening weekend of Vivid Sydney has seen more than 326,000 attendees take in the world’s largest festival of light, music and ideas. NSW's Minister for Tourism and Major Events Adam Marshall said, “Vivid Sydney promised to return bigger, bolder and brighter with a program that would delight visitors from around the world and it’s certainly achieved that with more than 326,000 attendees celebrating the opening weekend,” Mr Marshall said. “The festival continues to be warmly received and we’ve already seen a 10 per cent increase on last year’s opening weekend attendance which is fantastic news for the State’s visitor economy.”

Conversations with Industry: Gold Coast and Brisbane

Tourism Australia is participating in Tourism and Events Queensland’s ‘Conversations with Industry’ events on the Gold Coast on Wednesday 14 June and in Brisbane on Thursday 15 June. The events, which are also held in partnership with Gold Coast Tourism and Brisbane Marketing, provide an opportunity to connect with representatives from each organisation to gain industry insights and discuss the key business areas of marketing, digital, experience development, events and international markets.

Influencing the destination selection behaviour of travellers

Twenty-six per cent of leisure travellers decide on a holiday destination three to five months before departure, while 19 per cent decide more than six months out according to Google which has outlined strategies to find and convert travellers looking for their next holiday destination. For more research and trends related to international and domestic tourism and travel, visit Tourism Australia’s Insight Files.

Tributes have been paid to Top End tourism icon Max Davidson, owner of the multi-award winning Davidson’s Arnhemland Safaris at Mt Borradaile, who passed away this week.

Tourism Australia has published four videos about Wechat, a popular Chinese social media platform.

Hong Kong Airlines and Virgin Australia announced details of a codeshare partnership this week, the first stage of a proposed strategic alliance between the airlines announced in February 2017.

Registration is open for the Tourism and Transport Forum's Outlook 2017 Conference and inaugural Talking Tourism Luncheon on Friday 23 June in Sydney.

Registration is open for the second annual NSW Regional Events Conference in Wagga Wagga from 14 - 16 June.

Applications are open for ATEC's 2017 Emerging Leaders of Inbound Tourism Excellence (ELITE) Program.

Applications are open until Friday 23 June for the first round of FestivalsNT’s 2017-2018 funding to support events that engage the local community and attract visitors to the Northern Territory.

Nominations are now open until Friday 9 June for the 2017 Perth Airport Western Australian Tourism Awards.

Ecotourism Australia has issued a call for papers for the Global Eco Asia Pacific Conference in Adelaide from 27-29 November.