Talking Tourism

Issue #566, August 8, 2019


Hello

Welcome to this week’s edition of Talking Tourism newsletter.

Image: Getty Images

WA goes for gold ahead of Bledisloe blockbuster

A rugby fan frenzy has put Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup clash on track to create a new attendance record for a sporting event at the Stadium. Around 60,000 fans are expected to cheer on their team at the double-header game, which will feature the Buildcorp Wallaroos facing off against the Black Ferns, before the Qantas Wallabies take on the New Zealand All Blacks. The game is supported by the State Government through Tourism WA, and will enter the record books as the only time in 2019 that the two teams will play against each other in Australia and the first time that WA has hosted a Bledisloe Cup match. About 10,000 interstate and overseas rugby fans are expected to travel to WA for the landmark event which will also be broadcast to around 280 million people worldwide, including into WA’s key tourism markets of New Zealand, the United Kingdom, USA and Japan. Read more on our corporate website.

 

Pre-Bledisloe Cup coverage in NZ Herald Travel mag

The Bledisloe Cup isn’t just drawing visitors, it is attracting media attention for Perth and Western Australia.  Tourism WA hosted David Skipwith from New Zealand’s leading travel publication NZ Herald Travel in 2018for a NZ Warriors match at Optus Stadium. The visit aimed to generate awareness of the city as part of Tourism WA’s pre-Bledisloe Cup PR strategy. The article highlights Perth’s transformation, including new hotels, cafess, small bars and urban infrastructure, as well as its stunning natural beauty. The article has been published just in time for the Bledisloe Cup. NZ Herald Travel has a weekly online and print readership of 284,000, with 50 per cent of the audience looking to take an international holiday within the next year. Read the article here.

 

Optus Stadium amphitheatre to kick off with Bledisloe live-stream

Optus Stadium's new giant outdoor video screen and amphitheatre will open for the first time with a free live-stream of the near sell-out Bledisloe Cup clash this Saturday night. The State Government's new BHP Amphitheatre and giant LED screen will allow for outdoor movies, community events and live sport to be screened in the Stadium Parklands. Boasting the fourth largest outdoor screen in Western Australia, the amphitheatre provides a sloped grass seating section for 1,000 people and also has the capacity to host community plays and concerts. The amphitheatre has the potential to offer outdoor community screenings of major sporting events in the future - including possible FIFA World Cups or Olympic Games. For more information, read the Tourism Minister’s media statement.

 

Top content creators experience Kimberley at Go Pro Summit

Some of the world's best content creators are in WA showcasing the unique and spectacular Kimberley region to their millions of followers as they take part in the annual GoPro Creator Summit. Tourism Australia and Tourism WA joined forces to support the summit which saw more than 40 talented content creators and adventure athletes descend on the region to take part in the event which kicked off on August 4. The Go Pro creators, who have a combined social reach of more than 35 million, participated in the four-day event, where they took part in a series of daily training sessions at Cable Beach, Broome, before experiencing some of the region's best tourism offerings. For more information, read the story on our corporate website.

 

Another NRL team to call Perth their temporary home

Reigning premiers the Sydney Roosters will become the latest NRL club to make Perth their temporary home, with the rugby league powerhouse set to play three matches at HBF Park from 2020-22. The State Government secured three Roosters home games over three seasons from 2020 to 2022 – with local fans, businesses and the State's tourism industry set to benefit from welcoming one of Australia's oldest and most successful rugby league clubs to Western Australia. In 2018 the Sydney Roosters were the most watched team in the NRL and the second most watched sporting team in the country. The Sydney Roosters matches are the latest in a string of NRL fixtures being held in WA, including Optus Stadium's wildly successful State of Origin II match in June. For more information, read the Sport Minister and Tourism Minister’s joint media statement.

 

Malaysian tourists to be influenced by WA’s wonders

Some of Malaysia's top social media influencers will be recruited to turn their followers into WA travellers as part of a marketing agreement between Tourism WA and Malaysian travel agency, Corporate Information Travel (CIT). Through the agreement, the influencers will create content promoting WA, linking to the CIT website where a range of WA holiday packages can be booked and paid for. The packages include shorter coach tours around Perth and the South-West as well as longer self - drive adventures to the State's Coral Coast, South-West and Golden Outback regions.The deal forms part of the $12 million international marketing boost announced by the State Government in March to grow the number of people visiting WA from overseas. For more information, visit our corporate website.

 

WA’s appeal ‘plane’ to see in new campaign

Perth's natural beauty, affordability and range of new experiences are being showcased to the Malaysian market as part of a campaign to attract people to holiday in Western Australia. The co-operative marketing campaign is a partnership between the State Government, through Tourism WA, and Malindo Air. Running until June 2020, the campaign includes flight and hotel packages and is aimed at young families, couples and single people. Malindo Air offers full service flights twice daily to Perth and the campaign will promote an affordable airfare to entice Malaysian visitors to book a holiday to Perth. It will include digital, radio, print and editorial advertising as well as a dedicated Malindo Air microsite. The deal forms part of the $12 million international marketing boost announced by the State Government in March. For more information, visit our corporate website.

 

Destination WA’s features Wadjemup

This Sunday Destination WA travels to our favourite holiday island, Wadjemup (Rottnest). Tune in to see Walter McGuire from Go Cultural Aboriginal Tours explore little-known aspects of the island, through his Wadjemup Aboriginal Tour. Destination WA has returned for its eighth season, featuring 13 episodes of WA’s best winter getaways including a series of stories featuring Aboriginal tourism products, supported by Tourism WA. All stories from the series are available online here.

 

Have your say in Top Tourism Town Awards

The public is encouraged to cast their vote in the 2019 GWN7 Top Tourism Town Awards. Twenty towns have been selected as finalists across the categories of GWN7 Top Tourism Town Award and GWN7 Emerging Tourism Town Award. Winners of each category will be able to promote their town via TV broadcast, while voters go in the draw to win a holiday in WA or a voucher for any RAC Park or Resort. The awards are run by Visitor Centres WA and are supported by Tourism WA, GWN7, Vanguard Press and RAC Parks and Resorts. To vote, visit the website by August 25.

 

Tourism WA UK digital campaign shortlisted for award

Tourism WA’s MTV and STA youth campaign has been shortlisted in the International Travel and Tourism Awards 2019 (ITTAs) for the Best Digital Campaign in Tourism category. Now in its second year, the ITTAs celebrate the very best of travel and tourism on a global scale. The awards recognise the outstanding successes of destinations, tourist boards, private sector companies and individuals. The winners will be announced at an event in London in November. Click here for more information on the awards.

 

Jury announced for CinefestOZ 2019 Film Prize

CinefestOZ Film Festival has revealed the full line up of jury members who will vote on the  $100,000 Film Prize, which recognises the best Australian feature film. Marta Dusseldorp, Glenn Gainor, Alex Dimitriades and Ben Young will join Jury Chair Rachel Ward at the 2019 festival to decide on which of the five films in the running will take home Australia’s richest film prize. CinefestOZ is supported by the State Government through Tourism WA’s Regional Events Program. CinefestOZ runs from August 28 to September 1. For more information visit the event website.

 

New project set to streamline WA tourist attractions

The Tourist Attractions Regulatory Mapping and Reform Project, led by the Department of Treasury in collaboration with Tourism WA, requires industry input to help streamline the establishment or expansion of new tourist attractions in WA. The project is one in a series under the Streamline WA reform initiative. By sharing your experience through this survey, you will assist the project team in identifying and developing solutions for issues affecting your business the most. The survey will be open until September 1. For more information on the project, please visit the Department of Treasury's website or contact the project team.

 

Beware of tourism operator scam alert

Tourism WA would like to remind all operators to be vigilant when approached for payment by organisations who claim to be a State Tourism Organisation promoting businesses in exchange for a fee. Tourism WA does not charge operators to list on its consumer website. In addition, Tourism WA has received feedback from some Coral Coast operators who have been defrauded through malicious booking sites using stolen credit cards.

 
 

 

INDUSTRY EVENTS

Visit Tourism WA’s corporate website for a comprehensive list of workshops, conferences and other events that may be of interest to WA’s tourism industry. To list or update your industry event, email media@westernaustralia.com.

 

Workshops for Kalgoorlie, Margaret River and Perth

Tourism Council WA will be holding workshops in Margaret River, Perth and Kalgoorlie over the next few months, covering topics including social media and digital marketing, customer service and strategic marketing. Registrations for the Margaret River workshops close Monday, August 12. For the full schedule and to register, click here.

 

Japan Business Forum

August 23: The Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation, in partnership with the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Consulate-General of Japan in Perth and the Australia Japan Society of Western Australia, invite you to the Japan Business Forum’s Asia Business Series. Held at the Duxton Hotel, the forum will include presentations and discussion on Western Australia - Japan Trade Relationship; Economic Opportunities in Japan; and State and Commonwealth support for Western Australian Business. Light refreshments will be served. RSVP by Wednesday August 14.

 

Australian Hotels Association’s 2019 Devil’s Lair Gala Ball

August 26: The Australian Hotels Association’s 2019 Devil’s Lair Gala Ball will host the presentation of the Perth Airport WA Accommodation Awards for Excellence on Monday, August 26 at The Westin Perth. This event recognises and acknowledges WA’s accommodation industry, celebrating our state’s leading properties and the outstanding staff who drive their ongoing success.The Accommodation Awards for Excellence is recognised as one of the top 10 events in WA, showcasing the finest food, beverages, theming and entertainment. For more information about the event or to purchase tickets, visit the AHA website.

 

FACET offering an Astrotourism Workshop

September 2: Join FACET, the WA Parks Foundation and Geoparks WA for a half-day workshop showcasing the latest WA astrotourism developments and explore the opportunities our unique night skies can offer. A stargazing experience is included. Astrotourism is an emerging sector of the tourism industry and is gaining in popularity around the world.  Western Australia has one of the best dark night skies on Earth and is well placed to take advantage of this natural asset. For more information and to register, click here.

 

Australian Event Awards and Symposium

September 16-18: The Australian Event Awards and Symposium is being held in Perth for the first time this year, after a successful bid by Tourism WA, Perth Convention Bureau, VenuesLive and the Events Industry Association. This year’s theme “Creating Connections, Breaking Barriers” aims to bring together event industry leaders as well as offer a variety of sessions exploring the latest event trends and communication techniques.  The Symposium will be held at Optus Stadium, with the two-day program concluding with an Event Awards Ceremony where the 2019 winners will be announced. Details of the program and booking information can be found here.

 

Regional Tourism Conference registrations now open

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.

 
 

 

For upcoming Tourism WA sponsored events head to the Tourism WA corporate website.