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Welcome to this week’s edition of Talking Tourism newsletter.
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Sell-out crowd at State of Origin match at Optus Stadium
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Out-of-state visitors and locals alike snapped up the opportunity to watch the New South Wales Blues and the Queensland Maroons go head-to-head in Perth last Sunday, with tickets to the game officially selling out and the game setting a new attendance record at Optus Stadium. State of Origin Game 2 in the three-game series was played at Optus Stadium on June 23, proudly supported by the State Government, through Tourism WA in partnership with Optus Stadium operator, VenuesLive. The event made history as the first time a State of Origin game has been played in WA. The economic impact of the blockbuster event is estimated to be well into the millions, with travelling rugby league fans filling hotel rooms throughout Perth. The game also served as a valuable promotional tool for Perth and the world-class Optus Stadium, with it being broadcast live during prime time to about 2.8 million
people nationally. The NSW Blues evened the score in Game 2, with a 38-6 win over the Queensland Maroons.
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Image: Taryn Hays
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Glowing report for Albany's Field of Light exhibition
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A new report shows the Anzac art installation Field of Light: Avenue of Honour, by renowned UK artist Bruce Munro, was a tourism magnet for the state’s South-West. Independent research by Metrix Counsulting, commissioned by Tourism WA, has shown 29,453 people visited the South-West region to see the Albany art installation and spent more than $17 million during the six-month event. The event attracted more than 186,000 attendees. Field of Light: Avenue of Honour was commissioned by independent non-profit cultural organisation FORM, in partnership with the City of Albany. The initiative was supported by the State Government, through Tourism WA's Regional Events Program and Lotterywest. Read more here.
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Aussie Specialist Ambassadors experience Perth
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Tourism WA hosted Aussie Specialist Ambassadors from Singapore, Malaysia and India in Perth this week, in partnership with Tourism Australia. The Aussie Specialist Program increases destination awareness with retail travel agents in key markets, and is regularly updated with new information to better sell holidays to WA. Video content of the Aussie Specialist Ambassadors experiencing the activities on offer in the Perth region will be used to inspire travel agents to become Aussie Specialists and drive further completion of the WA programs. Experiences included a Perth city walking tour, masterclass at Willie Creek Pearls, breakfast at Kings Park and trips to Rottnest Island, The Perth Mint and City Beach.
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US media get familiar with WA’s food and cultural scene
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Tourism WA’s US PR team recently hosted a group media visit to Perth, Margaret River and Manjimup. The familiarisation tour was built around the annual Truffle Kerfuffle event and aimed to highlight WA’s key foodie offerings, transformation of Perth and diversity of WA’s natural environment. Keep a look out in future editions of Talking Tourism for the resulting articles when they are published over the coming months.
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Goway cooperative campaign launches in USA
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Tourism WA has teamed up with Goway on a campaign to make more Americans aware of what Western Australia has to offer and encourage them to come here for a holiday. Emirates has also supported the campaign with special to Perth. Campaign packages include a mix of air-only, self-drive, Kimberley expedition cruising and luxury, leveraged across paid search, social, display, e-Newsletters, print and blog content. Agent incentives, webinars, sale flyers and travel trade advertising are also included for trade engagement.
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Domestic travel agents get a taste of WA
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Tourism WA hosted 11 Domestic Helloworld Agents and one Travel Weekly representative on a familiarisation tour of Perth and the South West earlier this month. Participants experienced some of the gourmet offerings from the Swan Valley and Margaret River, as well as some of Perth’s newest restaurants. The tour highlighted products that will feature within an upcoming Helloworld cooperative campaign, featuring Perth and South West gourmet holiday experiences. The trip was topped off with a State of Origin experience at Optus Stadium for some passionate Blues and Maroons supporters.
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WA training blitz for key European travel agents
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Western Australia’s regional tourism organisations and WAITOC partnered with Tourism WA’s UK and Germany offices to train key agents and engage product managers in five European cities. Over nine days, 143 agents and product managers were trained in a variety of in-house sessions and educational events to help boost the number of people visiting WA from overseas. The training highlighted the incredible things people can do in regional WA, including Aboriginal experiences. The training blitz ended with a media event, which showcased WA’s extraordinary wildlife experiences, eco-retreats and major new attractions to Scottish media.
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Chance to share in $5 million in regional grants
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Qantas is offering a chance to share $5 million in grants - $1 million each year over five years - to charities, organisations, causes, projects and individuals that help deliver direct services or benefits to regional communities. Qantas’ new Regional Grants Program will provide financial, flight and marketing support to community groups and organisations to help further their causes. The program adds to Qantas’ existing initiatives created to strengthen regional communities, drive local economic activity, stimulate tourism and support jobs. This includes a discounted fare program for residents to make air travel more accessible, and a new pilot academy scheduled to open in regional Australia next year. To apply, visit the Qantas website.
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Sponsorships open for Indigenous Tourism Summit
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The third World Indigenous Tourism Summit is being held in Perth in April 2020 and sponsorship opportunities are now available. Organised by the Western Australian Indigenous Tourism Operators Council (WAITOC), and sponsored by Tourism WA, the summit is expected to attract hundreds of delegates from around Australia and the world. The summit theme is Tourism and Indigenous Earth Wisdom – Weaving the Future that Benefits All. The summit will focus on key areas of Aboriginal tourism, including Youth, Environment, Culture, Aboriginal-led research, Government best practice and the Business of Tourism. The Sponsorship Prospectus has been released and
you can register here to receive regular updates on the summit program.
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Dreamtime 2019 seller applications close soon
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Seller applications for Dreamtime 2019, Tourism Australia’s signature business events showcase, are open until Friday, July 5. The event, which will be held in Perth from December 1-3, is hosted by Tourism WA in partnership with the Perth Convention Bureau. It will provide an opportunity to meet and do business with 120 qualified international business event decision makers and international trade media from 10 key markets. The program includes a full day of face-to-face pre-scheduled appointments as well as networking events.
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Collie Futures Small Grants Program
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The second round of the Collie Futures Small Grants Program is now open, offering up to $100,000 to organisations with initiatives that will have a positive impact on Collie’s economy. The financial support offered through the program is on top of the $2 million per industry-led project, accessible through the $18 million Collie Futures Industry Development Fund, which is part of the wider Collie Futures Fund. For more information or to apply, visit the website.
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Australia Marketplace China 2019 registrations close soon
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Tourism Australia’s China flagship trade event, Australia Marketplace China 2019 will take place in Chengdu, China from November 11 to 15. The program includes pre-scheduled meetings between buyers and sellers, and networking events. The event is an opportunity for WA tourism operators to establish business relationships with key qualified travel agencies and tour operators from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Tourism WA is participating in the event and encourages WA operators to attend. For more information, please click here. Applications close on July 16.
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Top Tourism Town Awards nominations close soon
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Nominations for the 30th Annual GWN7 Top Tourism Town Awards close on June 30. Visitor Centres Western Australia members are invited to submit an entry for the awards, with the aim to showcase WA’s towns and cities, recognise their commitment to encouraging tourism, and increase visitation to these destinations. The awards provides an opportunity for you to showcase your community and highlight the importance of tourism to your destination. For more information and to nominate, click here.
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Accreditation to re-brand your business 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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New CEO appointed to lead Perth Convention Bureau
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Perth Convention Bureau (PCB) has appointed Gareth Martin as its new CEO. Mr Martin has worked with the PCB and its membership base for 12 years, most recently as Acting CEO following the departure of former CEO Paul Beeson in February. Mr Martin has extensive business event, sales and marketing experience and has performed in senior executive roles at PCB, including Director Business Development and General Manager. Perth Convention Bureau is responsible for marketing Western Australia nationally and internationally as a premium business events destination.
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Workshops for Kalgoorlie, Margaret River, Mandurah and Perth
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Tourism Council WA will be holding workshops in Mandurah, Margaret River, Perth and Kalgoorlie over the next few months, covering topics including social media and digital marketing, customer service and strategic marketing. For the full schedule, click here.
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FACET Heritage Tourism workshop
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July 25: Heritage tourism is part of an emerging trend towards experience-based tourism, where visitors are looking for authentic experiences and wanting to connect with their own and other cultures. FACET has partnered with the Heritage Council of WA to deliver a half-day workshop at Heathcote Cultural Precinct in Applecross. It will explore innovative ways to interpret and promote Western Australia's cultural heritage and include examples of the positive economic and social impacts of sharing our heritage through stories. Register here.
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Regional Tourism Conference registrations now open
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September 16-18: The 2019 WA Tourism Conference, which is supported by Tourism WA, will be held in Karratha in September. The conference will provide delegates with opportunities for professional and business development, networking and engagement with industry colleagues, and the chance to hear from industry-leading speakers on critical industry issues and innovative ideas. 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. Accredited accommodation providers are also offering discounts to delegates. For more information and to register for the conference, click here.
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