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Hello
Talking Tourism is Tourism Western Australia's e-newsletter detailing the latest news, events, products and other information of interest to you in the WA tourism industry.
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Latest domestic and international visitor figures released
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The latest National Visitor Results (NVS) and International Visitor Results (IVS) for the year ending September 2018 have been released by Tourism Research Australia. The figures show some encouraging signs for the industry, with WA attracting more than 11.5 million overnight visitors (international and domestic); the most to WA in the last four years. Overall interstate visitors were up 8.8 per cent to 1.52 million, including an increase of 76,000 additional holiday visitors. Interstate visitor spend also increased by 7.8 per cent to $1.56 billion. Overall international visitation to WA remained relatively stable, with good growth in the markets of India, Japan and Germany. Total spend (international and domestic) decreased slightly during this period; down 1.7
per cent to $9.9 billion, with the drop in price of Perth hotel rooms a contributing factor. Tourism WA Managing Director Brodie Carr said the results were a solid start to delivering on the organisation’s Two-Year Action Plan to attract more visitors to WA. He looked forward to an exciting line-up of events set to be held in Perth which are anticipated to attract a significant number of visitors in 2019. This includes a great program of events at Optus Stadium as well as Tourism Australia trade events.
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SBS slow TV series showcases the Kimberley coast
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Tourism WA sponsored a new slow TV broadcast on SBS as part of the network’s Slow Summer series, featuring a 17-hour cruise through the Kimberley. Travelling by boat from Broome to Darwin, viewers are taken on a journey through Australia’s North West, capturing the breathtaking coastline of open seas, bays, basins, islands and estuaries along the way. The three-hour broadcast aired on Sunday, January 13, while the full 17-hour journey will air all day this Saturday, January 19 on SBS VICELAND. The broadcast also includes 30-second commercials, as well as opening and closing billboards. The Tourism WA sponsorship of the show forms part of an upcoming domestic Kimberley campaign, which will launch mid-February. Further details on that campaign will be shared in an
upcoming edition of Talking Tourism.
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Image: Brandon Presser
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Margaret River and Coral Coast coverage in US
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Tourism WA’s US media familiarisation program has resulted in more coverage for the Margaret River, Ningaloo and Shark Bay regions. Wine writer Lauren Mowery included Margaret River in a Wine Enthusiast feature of emerging new-world wine destinations, highlighting the region’s various wineries, culinary offerings, beaches and accommodation to a monthly audience of 831,000. Tourism WA’s US team and journalist Brandon Presser also successfully pitched for Ningaloo Reef to be included in a Mic article showing the best places to travel in 2019, positioning the experiences as far more accessible than the Great Barrier Reef, with the unique offering of whale shark encounters. Mic has a monthly online audience of more than 10 million. Read the article here.
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Marketing campaign to boost UK visitation to WA
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Tourism WA has partnered with Skyscanner in the UK to target British travellers actively researching long-haul holidays, with inspiring trip ideas and planning tools to drive destination awareness and searches. Brits are being invited to escape winter and discover Western Australia, with January airline sales being used to showcase Perth’s great value and drive conversion to WA over the peak booking period. The campaign promotes Perth as Australia’s primary entry point and highlights extraordinary experiences across the State in newsletters, articles, social and digital advertising.
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Rotto visitor numbers smash records
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New figures show that Rottnest Island continues to attract a record numbers of visitors, with 769,000 people arriving by ferry, boat or aircraft in 2018. The 15 per cent record increase in visitor numbers can be attributed to extra ferry services, successful marketing campaigns, celebrity visitors and quokka selfies. Visitation is expected to trend upwards, with the completion of Discovery Rottnest Island at Pinky Beach in February. Discounted admission fees for day return travellers catching a ferry after midday through January and February will also provide a further boost to visitor numbers. For more information, read the Tourism Minister’s media statement.
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Albany makes Wotif’s top 10 towns list
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Albany has been named one of the top holiday towns for the year, according to travel booking website Wotif.com. Wotif named Albany the runner-up in its Aussie Town of the Year awards, behind Port Fairy in Victoria. It was the only WA town to make the top 10 list this year. The judges said the town was “as close as you’ll get to a historic European city in WA; Albany is the Western state’s oldest European settlement with a rich history and fantastic family appeal.”
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Hello World partnership shines spotlight on WA
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Tourism WA has partnered with Helloworld to present four WA segments on a new Channel 9 travel TV show, Hello World. The first of the four segments, which includes Broome, aired last weekend and can be viewed here. Each segment is supported by an exclusive travel package offer and promoted across the Helloworld network. Other air dates will include February 3 – Perth, February 10 – The Kimberley, and February 17 – Rottnest.
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WA predicted as ‘Hot Destination for 2019’ in UK
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Western Australia was featured in several of the 2019 hotlists and round-ups in top UK media titles, with several citing the development of Perth, the new non-stop flights and variety of experiences on offer within the State. This is the second year Western Australia has been touted as a ‘must-visit’ destination across UK publications, after making it into several of the 2018 lists. WA was selected for Travel Weekly’s ‘Top 9 Destinations for 2019’, The Express’ ‘Hot Destinations for 2019’, The Independent’s ‘Destinations to Visit Now’, ‘World’s Top Waterfront Destinations’ and ‘Top 10 Cities for 2019’ for Perth, The Mail on Sunday’s ‘Hottest Hotels for 2019’ for Rottnest Discovery, Which.co.uk’s ‘Top Winter Destinations’ and Harper’s Bazaar’s ‘100 Greatest Experiences’. Following ABTA’s inclusion of WA as one of its top destinations
for 2019 in its trends report released in December, several media outlets ran articles on it including Cosmopolitan.co.uk and Travel Bulletin.
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Qantas London-Perth press trip delivers results in UK media
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Following a Tourism WA-sponsored press trip on Qantas’s inaugural London to Perth flight, The Telegraph in the UK ran a double-page travel feature on Perth and surrounds. In the article, travel writer Nigel Richardson described Perth as a 'hipster hangout' and wrote: “Now ever more, Europeans are arriving to discover the pleasures of a destination that has augmented its natural advantages of pretty much year-round sun, sunnily disposed people, sand beaches and wider possibilities.” The feature also includes a breakout article called 'Beyond Perth', which provides information on Rottnest Island, Fremantle and Margaret River. Read the article here. Also following the press trip, a travel feature on Western Australia appeared in Spear’s, a wealth
management and luxury lifestyle magazine. The feature focuses on the Qantas London to Perth non-stop flights, highlighting how the state is more accessible than ever. The writer urges readers to visit WA and experience wonders such as Ningaloo Reef and the wineries of Margaret River. Read the article here.
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MAPTO appoints acting Chief Executive Officer
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Mandurah and Peel Tourism Organisation (MAPTO) has appointed Anita Kane as the organisation’s acting CEO. The move follows the resignation of Karen Priest, who is leaving the role to pursue other challenges. Ms Kane has more than 20 years of experience in the tourism industry in the UK and Australia.As well as tourism business development, she has expertise in tourism marketing and sales and is well respected in the WA tourism industry. MAPTO Chairman Bernie Worthington said Ms Kane’s experience as the organisation’s Business Development Manager since July 2016 gave her the knowledge and experience to take on the role during the caretaker period. He also thanked Ms Priest for her leadership and achievements during her three years as MAPTO’s CEO.
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Marketing coordinator role at Australia’s South West
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Australia's South West, the peak tourism marketing body for the South West region of Western Australia, is seeking an experienced marketing coordinator to assist in the implementation and delivery of the organisation's marketing plan. The organisation’s primary role is to stimulate visitation to the South West through promotion of the region as a desirable tourist destination. Based in Bunbury and Busselton, the marketing coordinator position requires flexibility to travel within the region, domestically and overseas. For more information, view the Seek job ad.
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Eco-tourism or adventure development opportunity available
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The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) is calling for registrations of interest from suitable individuals and organisations keen to develop and operate a nature-based/ecotourism or adventure activity development at Gloucester National Park near Pemberton, WA. This opportunity includes three possible development areas – two within the vicinity of the Gloucester Tree in Gloucester National Park, and an area in the Pemberton Arboretum. The arboretum is located within the Warren State Forest, which is adjacent to the Gloucester National Park. If you think you have the skills, experience and finance necessary to undertake this opportunity, the DBCA would like to hear from you. The Guidelines for Submissions are available on DBCA’s website. The
closing date for submissions is 2:30pm (WST) on Thursday February 7, 2019.
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New workshop schedule for first half of 2019
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Tourism Council WA has announced its new workshop schedule for the first half of 2019. The updated workshops will be visiting a range of destinations in the first half of 2019, including Broome, Busselton, Denmark, Geraldton, Kununurra, Margaret River and Perth. For the full workshop schedule, visit the Tourism Council WA website.
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Accreditation to re-brand in 2019
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Following more than 20 successful years of recognising high-quality tourism businesses, the Australian Tourism Accreditation Program will be re-branded to better promote your business. The new Quality Tourism Framework will combine multiple tourism accreditation, business development and awards programs into a single, user-friendly online tool to develop your business and grow your market, paired with new, modern branding to promote your status as a Quality Tourism Accredited Business. To find out more, visit the website.
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Boost your business with AFL Tourism Workshop
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January 31: Find out how you can target and attract AFL tourists in 2019 at the upcoming AFL Tourism Workshop, featuring spokespeople from Tourism WA on what the research reveals about the AFL tourist; Distinctly Tourism Management on how to participate in AFL tourism through wholesalers and packaging; VenuesLive for an update on Optus Stadium and social media expert Meg Coffey (Coffey & Tea) on how to leverage social media to reach travellers. To register, visit the website.
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Free wine export workshop in South West
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January 31: South West wineries interested in learning more about the region’s biggest wine export market are invited to attend a free workshop. The South West Development Commission-hosted workshop will provide information relevant to those wanting to uncork the China wine market. Speaking at the event will be Summer Yan from Godolphin Communication, a company in mainland China exclusively licensed to promote and distribute James Halliday and Halliday Wine Companion brands. The workshop will take place at 3pm at Caves House in Yallingup. To register, email mat.lewis@swdc.wa.gov.au.
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Register now for Cruise Ready workshop in Busselton
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February 4: Tourism WA will be supporting a Cruise Ready Workshop at the Busselton Visitor Centre, from 5.15pm to 7pm, to coincide with the scheduled cruise ship call by Cunard’s superliner Queen Elizabeth to Busselton the following day. Claire Nuthall, representing Abercrombie & Kent Australia’s cruise shipping division, will provide insights into successfully servicing the cruise market, covering a range of topics including meeting cruise line/passenger expectations, how cruise lines work in regards to shore excursions and optimising business and community benefits. Register here.
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Register for free markets info and networking function
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February 14: Tourism operators are invited to attend Tourism WA’s free Markets Forum. The event will be held at the Aloft Perth in Rivervale, from 3.15pm to 5.30pm. Tourism WA will provide insights into international markets, including a panel Q&A session, followed by a networking function allowing tourism operators to connect with Tourism WA’s international market managers. Tea and coffee will be offered on arrival and cocktail food and beverages will be served during the networking session. Register early for this free event, as places are limited. Registrations close on Friday, February 1. Please email your name, title and company using this link.
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Register for Japanese ITO industry forum
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February 19: To increase destination awareness in the Japanese market, Tourism WA is hosting key Japanese inbound tourism operators (ITO). During their visit, the ITO partners will take part in an industry forum at Hyatt Regency Perth on Tuesday February 19, from 9.30am-11.30am. To RSVP for the Japanese ITO Industry Forum and to understand how to market your business to the Japanese consumer, please email cory.gale@westernaustralia.com.
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