|
|
|
|
|
Welcome to this week’s edition of Talking Tourism newsletter.
|
|
|
|
Campaign encourages West Aussies to holiday at home
|
|
West Australians are being encouraged to holiday locally with the launch of one of the State’s biggest intrastate marketing campaigns to support WA tourism, as it deals with the impacts of the coronavirus outbreak. The campaign, which was launched today by Tourism WA and supported by WA’s five Regional Tourism Organisations (RTO), Tourism Council WA (TCWA) and Australian Hotels Association (WA), uses the playful slogan ‘Do it in WA’. The campaign encourages West Australians to consider exploring their own backyard instead of booking interstate or international travel. As part of the campaign, WA tourism operators are being asked to come up with their best holiday deals and share them with their local RTO and/or TCWA. A dedicated ‘Do it in WA’ website will also feature these special offers from the end of next week. The hashtag #DoitinWA will be widely used throughout the campaign, with
holidaymakers, tourism operators and small businesses encouraged to use it on their social media channels. For more information on how to get involved, visit our corporate website.
|
| |
|---|
|
|
|
Perfect 10 for WA at national tourism awards
|
|
Ten Western Australian tourism businesses have done the State and themselves proud, scoring medals at the 2019 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards held in Canberra last week. Balingup Heights Hilltop Forest Cottages; Horizontal Falls Seaplane Adventures – the Horizontal Hotel; Kimberley Quest; Swan Valley Visitor Centre and Two Feet & a Heartbeat all scored gold medals. Silver medals were awarded to Go Cultural Aboriginal Tours & Experiences; Horizontal Falls Seaplane Adventures and Pullman Bunker Bay Resort Margaret River Region. Holberry House and Pullman Bunker Bay Resort Margaret River Region also scored Bronze medals. North West business Horizontal Falls Seaplane Adventures and Swan Valley Visitor Centre were both inducted into the Hall of Fame at the event. The Australian Tourism Awards are the tourism industry’s peak awards that recognise and promote excellence in tourism.
Read more about the WA winners here.
|
| |
|---|
|
|
|
|
New dates set for ‘WA Tourism – Our Story’ narrative forums
|
|
Tourism WA has set new dates to share ‘Western Australia Tourism – Our Story’ with industry. Due to challenging times within the industry over the past few months, the agency postponed the forums that were originally scheduled for February. Since then, we have been focused on developing domestic marketing campaigns and partnerships to help attract visitors to WA in light of the coronavirus crisis. The forums will focus on the ‘WA Tourism - Our Story’ concept, followed by discussion and morning or afternoon tea. For more information and to register, please click on the forum that you would like to attend: Perth, Margaret River, Broome, Esperance or Exmouth. For those who are not able to attend any of the sessions in person, Tourism WA will be conducting a live stream of the Perth session on Thursday, March 26 from 10am to 12pm. Please note the live stream link will not be active until the day of the event. We understand that in the current climate, these forums might not be a priority, and we commit to also sharing the ‘WA Tourism - Our
Story’ concept later in the year.
|
| |
|---|
|
|
|
|
Vics treated to taste of South West at direct flights launch
|
|
Victoria’s travel trade were given a taste of the tourism delights available in Australia’s South West region at an industry event last night to celebrate the direct air service between Melbourne and Busselton-Margaret River Airport taking off in just under two weeks. On arrival, guests were greeted with special cocktails using Giniversity’s native Australian gin, plus wines from Ultimate Winery Experience Voyager Estate. Chef George Cooper from Tiller Dining delivered a Margaret River Region inspired menu, showcasing local produce such as Marron. Guests received a goodie bag with Southern Forests Honey, Bettenays nougat, Robert Oatley wine, Yahava coffee and Margaret River Chocolate Factory chocolate quokkas. The event was hosted by Tourism WA and Australia’s South West in collaboration with Jetstar. 80 agents in regional Victoria also received in-house training during the week, hosted
by Pip Close from the Margaret River Busselton Tourism Association and Catrin Allsop from Australia’s South West.
|
| |
|---|
|
|
|
|
New address for Tourism WA
|
|
As of Monday, March 23, Tourism WA will be located at new offices on Level 10, 1 William Street Perth. Our last day of operation at our current Mill Street address, is Friday, March 20. Visitors to our new offices will be able to access the lift from the ground floor and travel to our reception on level 10. Limited casual public parking bays are available at 1 William and the nearby Perth Convention Centre also offers paid public parking. More information on City of Perth parking can be found here. The premises are also conveniently across the road from the Elizabeth Quay Bus and Train Station. Please note that the office move will not affect Tourism WA staff emails and phone numbers which will remain the same.
|
| |
|---|
|
Federal stimulus package
|
|
The Federal Government has today announced a $17.6 billion stimulus package in response to the COVID-19 crisis and the challenges facing the economy. Tourism businesses with a turnover of less than $50 million, which employ staff, will be able to apply for a cash flow boost ranging from $2,000 to $25,000 (tax free). The package also includes tax relief measures such as deferring payments for up to four months, which will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Regions and sectors that have been severely affected by the impacts of coronavirus, including tourism, will benefit from $1 billion of funding to promote domestic tourism and help businesses identify alternative export markets or supply chains. Read the full media statement here.
|
| |
|---|
|
COVID-19 update
|
|
The State Government yesterday updated its Pandemic Plan to respond to the potential impacts of COVID-19. The plan considers potential health, community, social and economic impacts, ranging from demands on the health care system to pressures on workplaces, businesses and law and order, disruption to community events and gatherings and demands on goods, services and supplies. It supports specific health and emergency management plans, which include details for managing and responding to a pandemic. The State Government also released a set of Frequently Asked Questions which cover a range of topics including safety around cruise ships. Yesterday,
the World Health Organisation (WHO) upgraded the status of the COVID-19 outbreak from epidemic to pandemic, indicating that it has officially spread around the world and affected many people and communities at the same time. The WA Government has set up a COVID-19 Health Information Line on 1800 020 080. More advice and information, including specific clinic locations is available here.
|
| |
|---|
|
Socceroos Perth match postponed
|
|
The match between the Socceroos and Kuwait in Perth will be rescheduled from March 26 to a later date this year, in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The decision to postpone the FIFA World Cup qualifier was made by the AFC and FIFA, in consultation the Western Australian Government, Tourism WA and HBF Park. A revised match date will be released as soon as possible. Fans who had already purchased tickets to the Kuwait match in Perth will be contacted with further information.
|
| |
|---|
|
ATE20 in Melbourne still going ahead
|
|
Tourism Australia has advised that ATE20 in May is still going ahead. Tourism Australia is following advice from the World Health Organisation and Australia’s Department of Health. Full risk assessments are carried out for all Tourism Australia events, including ATE20. Tourism Australia will continue to monitor the situation and will put in place additional health and safety measures where required. All registered delegates will be kept fully up-to-date on any developments, particularly as these may impact future travel plans.
|
| |
|---|
|
Last chance to register for AFL tourism workshop
|
|
March 17: Hear from Tourism WA on the agency’s 2020 AFL Marketing Campaign; Optus Stadium on how the tourism industry can gain access to AFL visitors; and social media expert Meg Coffey on how to leverage social media to reach AFL followers at Tourism Council WA’s AFL Tourism workshop in Perth. Registrations close 5pm Friday, March 13. For more information and to register, click here.
|
| |
|---|
|
Registrations close soon for Perth and Albany workshops
|
|
Tourism Council WA will be holding tourism training workshops in Perth and Albany during this month and April, covering topics including social media and digital marketing, customer service, and strategic marketing. Registrations for Perth workshops close 5pm Monday, March 16 – to view the full schedule and to register, click here.
|
| |
|---|
|
Registrations open for Albany networking event
|
|
April 1: Tourism Council WA invites members and the wider tourism industry to attend a Tourism Connect sundowner in Albany. The evening will give attendees the chance to network and hear the latest lobbying and industry news. For more information and to register, click here.
|
| |
|---|
|
Register for Adventure Travel World Summit 2020
|
|
October 6-9: The Adventure Travel Trade Association is holding an Adventure Travel World Summit (ATWS) 2020 in Adelaide in October. During the multi-day event, delegates will have an opportunity to network with adventure-based tour operators and media from around the world, advance their professional development and knowledge of adventure travel trends, and help promote their company’s adventure product to the adventure travel industry’s influencers and decision makers. To register and for more information please click here.
|
| |
|---|
|
|
| |
|---|
| |
|---|
| |
|---|
|
|
