Talking Tourism

Serena Williams joins Roger Federer in 2019 Hopman Cup

Tennis royalty Serena Williams will face current world No.2 Roger Federer in the 2019 Mastercard Hopman Cup mixed teams tournament, as part of one of the strongest line-ups in the event's 31-year history. The 23-time Grand Slam winner will represent the United States of America and will pair with rising star Frances Tiafoe. Current world No.2 Roger Federer, who holds 20 Grand Slam titles, will again partner with Belinda Bencic to defend Team Switzerland's 2018 title. 2018 runners-up, comprising of talented current world No.3 Angelique Kerber and world No.5 Alexander Zverev for Team Germany will return as part of the elite field. The Mastercard Hopman Cup will be held at RAC Arena from December 29, 2018 to January 5, 2019. The State Government, through Tourism Western Australia, has been a proud founding sponsor of the Hopman Cup since its inception in 1989. For more information, including the full player line-up for 2019, visit Tourism WA’s corporate website.

Regional event funding round now open

Regional event holders are encouraged to apply for funding offered through the 2019-20 Regional Events Scheme, which supports smaller developing regional events. A funding pool of up to $1 million is available as part of the round. The round will include the Regional Aboriginal Events Scheme, which is a quarantined pool of $150,000. To be eligible to apply for this funding, event holders must be delivering Aboriginal activities and experiences through the leadership and participation of Aboriginal people. Both schemes are supported by the State Government through Tourism Western Australia and Royalties for Regions, and are open to events held between July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020. Event holders can apply for funding of between $5,000 and $40,000. Applications close at 5pm on Tuesday, December 11, 2018. For more information or to apply, visit Tourism WA’s corporate website.

Albany welcomes Sunrise weather

Australia’s most-watched breakfast program, Channel 7’s Sunrise, broadcast live weather crosses from Albany this week, with presenter Sam Mac filming live from Field of Light: Avenue of Honour on October 3 and the National Anzac Centre this morning (October 4). Tourism WA worked with FORM and the City of Albany over the two days to secure an exciting mix of talent, who interacted with Sam Mac on camera and relayed their personal Anzac stories. The broadcast opportunity forms part of Tourism WA’s domestic PR program, with the aim of driving east coast visitation to Perth and regional WA, using the Field of Light exhibition as a news hook. The program has an average viewership of more than 360,000.

The Living Room features story on Perth’s transformation

Tourism WA’s PR team recently worked with Channel Ten’s weekly lifestyle program, The Living Room, on a series of stories about WA. The first story to air in the series was about Perth, with presenter Dr Chris Brown labelling the city as "edgy" after exploring its laneways and hidden secrets by bike. The episode was seen by about 150,000 viewers, and had an estimated advertising value of $67,000, with additional coverage on social media and in The West Australian. The team from The Living Room also explored Perth’s coastline and visited the Pinnacles, as well as Monkey Mia and the Abrolhos Islands, which will all feature in stories to air in the coming weeks.

Regional tourism and jobs winners in new funding round

Regional tourism and local jobs are front and centre of the latest round of the Building Better Regions Fund, with regional Australia set to share in $200 million for local infrastructure and community-building projects. Up to $45 million has been earmarked for tourism-related infrastructure projects, which will help stimulate local economies by investing in the tourism sector. Round three of the funding round is now open. The deadline for proponents’ submissions is November 15. The Building Better Regions Fund supports the Australian Government's commitment to create jobs, drive economic growth and build stronger regional and remote communities into the future. For more information on eligibility and how to lodge an application for round three, visit the Building Better Regions Fund website.

Tourism WA teams up with Expedia Australia for campaign

WA's hotel industry is invited to participate in an upcoming Expedia campaign targeting priority markets, NSW and VIC. Hotels will have the opportunity to provide submissions for romantic , coastal , city  or family breaks. Tourism WA will promote the Perth-led campaign using Just Another Day in WA assets from the end of October until the end of November. This campaign will be supported through out-of-home, television, social media, display banners, and video placements. If you would like to be involved with Expedia’s campaign, submit your offer here or email Perth’s Expedia market managers Kerry Gouws, Carly Jones or Xavier Sala.

Anzac spirit used to invite Kiwis to Albany

Tourism WA partnered with Flight Centre NZ and Australia’s South West to launch a tactical campaign this week, encouraging New Zealanders to visit Field of Light: Avenue of Honour in Albany. The campaign includes a range of accommodation and flight packages to Perth plus add-on packages to Albany and the Margaret River region. New Zealanders are being encouraged to book a WA holiday through a mix of digital and press advertising, EDM and website promotion, with competitive airfares to Perth on Air New Zealand. Field of Light: Avenue of Honour official opens today and runs until April 25, 2019. It is presented by FORM and proudly supported by Tourism WA.

Upgrades to Dolphin Discovery Centre on track

New aerial photographs show that the State Government’s upgrade and expansion of the Dolphin Discovery Centre in Bunbury is well advanced and on track for a staged reopening in December. On completion, visitors will be able to enjoy a new interpretive centre with modern exhibits, including 13 aquariums, a new cafe, educational facilities, public change rooms, and improved beach access. Close encounters with wild dolphins, including swim tours and a beach interaction zone, will continue to be offered, with swim tours starting in November.

UK agents get a taste of WA

Last month Tourism WA exhibited at Taste of PATA, the biggest UK retail agent event of the year. Almost 300 London-based travel agents were given the opportunity to learn more about WA’s food and wine experiences, as well as its nature and beaches. Agents were treated to tastings of Margaret River wines and Little Creatures Ale while picking up selling tips, destination information and sales aids.

Growing Wine Tourism program

The Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) will deliver a Growing Wine Tourism program to help wine businesses across the country to engage with international visitors and build more successful wine experiences. The programs will be delivered to wine regions through workshops, webinars and online learning. There are two face-to-face workshops and six live webinars that will be held in October/November 2018.  For more information and to register, visit the Wine Australia website.