|
|
|
|
|
Welcome to this week’s edition of Talking Tourism newsletter.
|
|
|
|
World’s best surfers compete in WA’s Margaret River Pro
|
|
Millions of people world-wide will see Margaret River’s famous surf conditions, picturesque vineyards and lush forests during the Margaret River Pro event, which kicked off on May 29. The 12-day event is part of the World Surf League’s Championship Tour and is supported by the State Government, through Tourism WA. The competition attracts the world’s top 34 professional men and top 17 professional women surfers, including current world champions Gabriel Medina and Stephanie Gilmore. Thousands of spectators are expected to travel to the region to watch the event, held at Margaret River Main Break with the added option of using backup locations of The Box and North Point if conditions are favourable. Tourism WA has been a proud sponsor of the Margaret River Pro for more than 30 years. For more information, read the full story on our corporate website.
|
| |
|---|
|
|
|
Direct Kununurra flights to unlock east coast market
|
|
A new direct air service between Melbourne and Kununurra, operated by Alliance Airlines in a code share arrangement with Virgin Australia, is set to slash flight times and unlock new tourism opportunities for the Kimberley region. The trial direct flight initiative will be supported by a Tourism WA marketing campaign, to promote the incredible tourism attractions in and around Kununurra, including Lake Argyle and the World Heritage listed Bungle Bungle Range in Purnululu National Park, to the Victorian market. The flights will operate between May and August 2020 and have already received strong support. The direct flight initiative is the result of collaboration between State and local government, the East Kimberley Marketing Group and the tourism industry in Kununurra. Read more on the corporate website.
|
| |
|---|
|
|
|
|
Regional WA receives event funding boost
|
|
More than $1 million in funding has been allocated to 68 events through Tourism WA’s Regional Events Scheme (RES). The RES annual funding round aims to encourage regional communities to develop events that have economic and social benefits. 120 applicants from across the State requested funding from an available pool of $1,082,500. Nine events received RES funding for the first time and seven events were supported through the Regional Aboriginal Events Scheme. Funding amounts ranged from $5,000 to $40,000. The 2020-21 RES round will open in October 2019 and close in December 2019 for events that fall between July 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021. Read more and see the full list of events awarded 2019-20 funding on our corporate website.
|
| |
|---|
|
|
|
|
WA’s Pink Lake on show in Paris
|
|
Parisians strolling by the Australian Embassy in France have been struck pink by a banner featuring WA’s famous other-worldly Pink Lake, off the coast of Esperance. The impressive banner hangs on the wall of the embassy, which is located close to the Eiffel tower where thousands of passers-by view the image every day. The banner references the famous Edith Piaf song ‘La Vie En Rose’ (roughly translating to ‘Life in Pink’, or to see something through rose-coloured glasses). The banner project is a joint initiative between the Australian Embassy Paris and Tourism Australia, which sees the embassy display two Australian themed banners per year. The banner was developed by the Tourism Australia (TA) Frankfurt and Sydney consumer marketing teams in co-operation with TA’s French country manager and the Australian Embassy.
|
| |
|---|
|
|
|
|
WA garden still in full bloom
|
|
Tourism WA partnered with UK educational charity The Eden Project in Cornwall in 2017 to create a Western Australia Garden, in collaboration with Kings Park and Botanic Garden. Two years on, the Western Australia Garden is still in full bloom and it’s estimated more than 1 million people visited the garden last year. Made up of three distinct areas, the garden displays two significant ecosystems of Western Australian flora, featuring a Jarrah forest, grass trees, plants from the Kwongan region and a central flower bed. A commissioned design by leading Aboriginal artist Dr Richard Walley references the heritage and culture of the Noongar people, including the six seasons on the Nyoongar calendar. Signage throughout the display provides information on Western Australia’s plant life and flora.
|
| |
|---|
|
|
|
|
National coverage highlights Ningaloo Reef
|
|
A double-page spread on Exmouth was recently published across the Fairfax Traveller network following Tourism WA’s ATE famil program, which saw more than 70 journalists experience WA’s regions on supported visits. The Traveller article, written by freelance writer Catherine Marshall, explored key experiences in the Exmouth region, including a whale shark swim tour, luxury accommodation at Sal Salis and on-ground wildlife encounters. It also mentioned Avis Australia’s reduced one-way car hire fees between Perth and Exmouth, and pre-promoted two key events, the Ningaloo Whale Shark Festival and International Whale Shark Conference. The story was printed in the Sunday Age and Sun Herald, and can be viewed online.
|
| |
|---|
|
|
|
|
UK broadcaster experiences Coral Coast highway
|
|
Tourism WA’s PR team recently hosted UK broadcaster and marine biologist, Monty Halls, on a Western Australian road trip along the Coral Coast Highway, filming content for an online mini-series which will form part of a larger campaign in the UK. Monty Halls is best known for his BBC Great Escape series, and currently hosts a TV series on Channel 4. During his time in WA, Monty experienced wildlife experiences along the Coral Coast, meeting passionate locals along the way, including a whale shark swim on Ningaloo Reef. The content will be used as a part of a tactical marketing campaign in partnership with Singapore Airlines, using the assets to convert interest to bookings. As Monty is an official ambassador of Land Rover, the content will also be shared on the Land Rover UK and Australia’s social media platforms.
|
| |
|---|
|
|
|
|
Margaret River features on Channel News Asia in Singapore
|
|
Tourism WA and Tourism Australia partnered to assist with filming two WA locations for This Weekend Series 2, a Singaporean travel program on Channel News Asia (CNA). The latest WA episode focuses on Margaret River, where award-winning underwater photographer and amateur chef Aaron Wong travels to the region to ride a “fat” bike through the forest, take part in coasteering and deep sea angling, and discover the local fresh produce and attractions. The half-hour episode will air tomorrow night (May 31) at 7pm (SGT), on Channel News Asia. Episode 2, which aired on May 10, featured the Perth region. Channel NewsAsia can be viewed in 28 territories
across Asia, with a satellite footprint across the Middle East, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia and Australia. The channel is also available at select hotels across Asia and has a website and social media channels. In 2018, Channel NewsAsia had a reach of more than 70 million households in the region.
|
| |
|---|
|
|
|
|
WA’s gourmet delights showcased in China
|
|
Tourism WA, in partnership with Singapore Airlines and Shanghai Ctrip, hosted a Western Australia Gourmet event in China on May 25. The consumer event, which was held in Shanghai, attracted about 5,600 people, with total exposure so far (pre and post-event) reported at 1.7 million people. The aim of the event was to highlight Western Australia’s fresh gourmet produce, drive awareness of the new Western Australia Gourmet Escape, and convert bookings to Western Australia. Tourism WA invited eight WA suppliers to the event to showcase WA food and beverages, including GFC-Brolos Crayfish, Meat and Livestock Australia-Aussie Beef, Kuhlbarra Barramundi, Little Creatures, Leeuwin Estate, Sandalford Wines, Howard Park Wines and Vasse Felix. The event provided consumers with an opportunity to book WA tour packages and products onsite, and included live cooking shows and food and wine tasting
sessions.
|
| |
|---|
|
|
|
|
Margaret River’s natural wonders highlighted in US
|
|
Margaret River has been included in a feature highlighting “8 Places Our Travel Columnist Never Gets Sick Of”. Liz Carlson from Outside, an American magazine focused on the outdoors, shines a spotlight on nature-based experiences that extend beyond the region’s famous wine touring reputation – such as Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse and Injidup Natural Spa. The Western Australia Gourmet Escape is also mentioned as a culinary celebration of Western Australia. Outside has a monthly online audience of nearly four million. Read the article here.
|
| |
|---|
|
|
|
|
Visitors encouraged to explore WA’s heritage places and spaces
|
|
Tourism WA and the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage have joined forces to encourage visitors to explore Western Australia’s heritage places and spaces. Over the next six months, a series of stories and articles will be featured through Tourism WA’s consumer channels, focusing on unique and different ways visitors can discover more about WA’s heritage and history. The first two stories, WA’s Best Heritage Hotels and Perth Regeneration: Where Heritage and High Times Collide are featured on Tourism WA’s
consumer website and will be supported through its social media channels.
|
| |
|---|
|
Qantas Australian Tourism Awards digital campaign
|
|
Tourism WA, in partnership with Tourism Council WA, is investing in paid social media to promote the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards winners. The campaign, which began this week, will run for about four weeks and target Australians who are visiting WA, as well as retargeting Tourism WA’s Facebook audience and ‘look-alikes’. Congratulations to all the award-winning operators for submitting their offers. For more information visit our consumer website.
|
| |
|---|
|
Job opportunity: Great Walks of Australia
|
|
Great Walks of Australia (GWOA) is recruiting for an Executive Officer. Reporting to the GWOA Board, the role is required to develop Australia’s profile as a high-quality walking destination and increase the number of walkers using GWOA members’ offerings, through collective marketing. The Executive Officer is responsible for the general management of the business to achieve the strategic goals set by the Board. The position is also responsible for managing the business. Interested applicants can discuss the role and/or forward their CV to Charles Carlow or call 02 9571 6399.
|
| |
|---|
|
New commissioner appointed to Tourism WA board
|
|
Communications professional Di Bain has been appointed to the Tourism Western Australia board until May 27, 2020. Ms Bain, who has more than two decades of experience in the communications industry, is the managing director of Bain Media, chairperson of Activate Perth and on the advisory board of Nuut, a Perth-based wellness start-up. An advocate for the arts, she has an extensive background in the fields of media, marketing and communications. Read more on the corporate website. And congratulations to Tracey Horton on her reappointment to the board, until May 1, 2021.
|
| |
|---|
|
Tourism WA recognises National Reconciliation Week
|
|
Tourism WA recognises National Reconciliation Week (NRW), May 27 to June 3, with this year’s theme being Grounded in Truth, Walk Together with Courage. NRW encourages all Australians to work towards creating a nation strengthened by respectful relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. Tourism WA has forged a strong partnership with the Western Australian Indigenous Tourism Operators Council (WAITOC) to provide ongoing support to the Aboriginal tourism sector in Western Australia. Read more about Tourism WA’s commitment to the Aboriginal tourism sector here.
|
| |
|---|
|
International market profiles available online
|
|
Have you ever wanted to find out more about the profile of international visitors coming to WA? What experiences appeal to them, how they plan and book their trip, why and when they visit, as well as their travel habits? Our new International Market Profiles are now available on online, updated with 2018 data.
|
| |
|---|
|
Tourism Australia social media updates
|
|
Tourism Australia’s social media team is preparing a series of video updates for industry and is inviting Australian tourism businesses to nominate topics of interest. The survey is open until Friday, June 7.
|
| |
|---|
|
FACET Breakfast – Role of Hotels in Placemaking
|
|
June 7: Perth's exponential growth in hotels over the past few years means that there is greater choice for the visitor, but also increased competition across the sector. Join international hospitality and tourism expert Gregg Rockett as he explores the role that hotels play in place-making, and practical lessons he has learned during his career in hotel development and tourism across the world. For more information or to register visit the Facet website.
|
| |
|---|
|
Registrations for Denmark’s Tourism Connect close soon
|
|
June 12: Tourism Council WA is hosting a Tourism Connect industry networking function in Denmark. Registrations for this industry sundowner close soon, so don’t miss your chance to network with key tourism players, meet the Tourism Council WA team, and hear about industry news. For more information and to register, visit the website.
|
| |
|---|
|
Skal International networking dinner
|
|
June 13: Skål International Association of Travel and Tourism Professions Perth will be hosting a ‘Networking Dinner at Sunset’ at the Rendezvous Hotel in Scarborough. The event includes a two course dinner and two hour drinks package and is open to all in the travel and tourism industry. Special room rates are available at the Rendezvous Hotel for those wanting to stay the night. Register for the dinner and make payment here.
|
| |
|---|
|
Registrations for Perth Network@Night Now Open
|
|
June 18: Tourism Council WA is presenting another Network@Night industry networking function in Perth, at Optus Stadium’s City View Cafe. Mix and mingle with your industry colleagues, make new connections and meet TCWA’s preferred suppliers, with a chance to win prizes. For more information and to register, visit the website.
|
| |
|---|
|
ATEC presents wine conference in South Australia
|
|
June 18-20: The Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC), in partnership with Wine Australia and the South Australian Tourism Commission (SATC), is proud to present the ‘National Wine Tourism Conference: Beyond the Barrel’. This three-day conference, being held in South Australia, will feature business meetings, conference sessions and networking events and opportunities. For more information contact the ATEC team or register here.
|
| |
|---|
|
Wine exports and tourism workshops on offer
|
|
Wine Australia's Growing Wine Exports and Growing Wine Tourism is holding workshops and webinars in Perth, Swan Valley, Margaret River and Albany until July. These are practical, hands-on, wine-specific and packed full of case studies, market insights and tools to help businesses grow their exports and develop their wine tourism products and services for the inbound tourism market. Register now for a national webinar or a workshop in your region.
|
| |
|---|
|
Register now for North American Australia Marketplace 2019
|
|
August 26-29: Registrations are now open for the North American Australia Marketplace 2019, being held in Los Angeles from August 26 to 29. This annual event brings together more than 100 North American buyers and 100 Australian tourism products and experiences. Visit the website to register. Tourism WA will also host a Show Me The WAy workshop to key distribution partners on America’s east coast from August 18 to 23, so save the date. More details on this workshop will be circulated soon.
|
| |
|---|
|
WA Tourism Conference heading to Karratha
|
|
September 16-18: The 2019 WA Tourism Conference, which is supported by Tourism WA, will be held in Karratha in September. Following a competitive tender process, the City of Karratha was awarded the event in recognition of its significant commitment to growing the region’s tourism capacity and offering. To assist tourism businesses from across WA to attend the event, the City of Karratha is offering a subsidy for those who will be flying or driving long distances. More details on the event will be announced soon.
|
| |
|---|
|
Australia Marketplace South East Asia 2019
|
|
September 30-October 2: Seller applications are open until Thursday, June 13 for Australia Marketplace South East Asia 2019, formerly known as Walkabout South East Asia. The event will be held in Kuala Lumpur from September 30 to October 2 and includes pre-scheduled appointments between buyers and sellers, and opportunities to network at the official event functions. Australia Marketplace South East Asia is an opportunity for the Australian tourism industry to establish business relationships with key qualified travel agencies and tour operators from Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.
|
| |
|---|
|
Last chance to apply for Australia Marketplace UK and Europe 2019
|
|
October 30-31: Applications close soon for seller participation at Australia Marketplace UK and Europe 2019, to be held in London. The inaugural Australia Marketplace UK and Europe is an opportunity for representatives from the Australian tourism industry to establish business relationships with key qualified travel agencies and tour operators in this market. It includes two days of pre-scheduled appointments between buyers and sellers as well as a dinner and awards night. Seller applications close tomorrow, May 31. For more information, visit the event website.
|
| |
|---|
|
Save the date - Australia Marketplace China 2019
|
|
November 11-15: Australia Marketplace China and Australia Premium Showcase China, provide an opportunity for representatives from the Australian tourism industry to establish business relationships with key decision makers from China, including Hong Kong and Taiwan. Applications to attend will open late May. The Australia Marketplace China website will be updated with further details soon. For more information on this market, visit our corporate website.
|
| |
|---|
|
|
| |
|---|
| |
|---|
| |
|---|
|
|
