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NEW TOURISM CAMPAIGN TO MAKE YOU ‘FEEL NEW’
The NSW visitor economy this week has a whole new feel about it with the NSW Government unveiling a new tourism campaign called ‘Feel New’.
Launched by Premier Dominic Perrottet and Minister for Tourism Stuart Ayres, ‘Feel New’ reveals the unique attributes of NSW that distinguish it from other destinations.
Connecting the abundant natural wonders and vibrant culture for which Sydney and NSW are world famous, the game changing campaign inspires a deep emotional connection to our state, with the promise that a trip to NSW will leave visitors feeling reenergised long after they leave.
Premier Dominic Perrottet said the new tourism campaign would accelerate the recovery of the NSW visitor economy following years of hardship through drought, bushfires, floods and the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The ‘Feel New’ campaign is a key pillar of the NSW Government’s Visitor Economy Strategy 2030, which aims to make NSW the premier visitor economy of the Asia Pacific,” Mr Perrottet said.
“For those of us who are lucky enough to live here, NSW sells itself, but for people wanting to come here for a first or return visit, this campaign will be impossible to resist. Investing now in great marketing sends the message that we are on track to be the tourism capital of our region.”
Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney, and Minister for Trade and Industry Stuart Ayres said now was a critical time to market NSW as the feel-good state.
“This campaign sums up all the things I love about our state. It invites everyone to get out and appreciate the beauty and wonder of NSW and promises a return to the excitement and adventure that we all need to feel new again,” Mr Ayres said.
“We know NSW offers diverse and compelling destinations and experiences like nowhere else. From the vibrant 24-hour culture of Sydney, Australia’s only global city, to the unique experiences provided by our regions, NSW’s tourism offering is unmatched.”
Destination NSW CEO Steve Cox said that ‘Feel New’ brought a fresh, new approach to the NSW Government’s strategy to grow visitation, connecting with people on a personal level.
"As humans, we know that when we take a break, we feel better. We feel energised and renewed, and we are happier, not only when we are enjoying that break but also once we return to our regular lives – the holiday high stays with us.
“I am inspired and transformed every time I take a trip in NSW – these rich, emotional benefits are what we all crave and are seeking in our lives. ‘Feel New’ was informed by this consumer desire but founded on the endless feelings the state gives you when you visit,” Mr Cox said.
To download the ‘Feel New’ Industry Toolkit, go to Feel New Visitor Brand - Destination NSW. To access the ‘Feel New’ marketing campaign assets, visit Destination NSW Resource Hub and to view the brand strategy and campaign launch webinar follow this link: Feel New Visitor Brand - Destination NSW
To view the Destination NSW ‘Feel New’ TV ad, click here and for more information and travel inspiration go to visitnsw.com to make you #FeelNSW.
QANTAS GROUP BRINGS FORWARD INTERNATIONAL FLYING
Qantas and Jetstar will bring forward the restart of more international flights from Sydney and operate regular flights to Delhi, the first commercial flights for Qantas between Australia and India in almost a decade.
The airline will also bring back earlier than planned two of its Airbus A380 aircraft and is in discussions with Boeing about accelerating the delivery of three new 787 Dreamliners, which have been in storage for most of the pandemic.
The faster ramp up follows the Federal and NSW governments’ confirmation that international borders would reopen from 1 November and the decision by the NSW Government to remove quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated arrivals, which significantly increases travel demand.
These decisions – together with plans for the reopening of other domestic borders – support the return to work by early December 2021 of all Qantas and Jetstar workers based in Australia and New Zealand who are currently stood down.
The news that up to 11,000 Qantas and Jetstar workers would be be reinstated nationwide was welcomed by Premier Dominic Perrottet.
“I’m thrilled for every single Qantas employee who is returning to work. What this means for them and their families can’t be underestimated,” Mr Perrottet said.
“I’d like to especially thank those airline workers who worked on the frontline of our vaccine rollout in recent months.
“This announcement means our tourism industry is roaring down the runway and is ready for take-off while the Government’s Economic Recovery Strategy is taking effect.”
Australian Tourism Export Council Managing Director Peter Shelley said the Qantas announcement was another strong sign Australia was on the path to reopening, offering hope to the thousands of tourism businesses who had been without an income since March 2020.
“While this move is about getting Australians back home and families back together, it will also help the industry to open up and fine tune services for the resumption of full-scale travel,” Mr Shelley said.
“We congratulate Qantas on their leadership and the Australian community on their uptake in vaccinations which has helped to get us to this point earlier than expected and look forward to announcements by the Federal Government on the date we can welcome back international travelers."
The NSW Government has commenced discussions with Qantas about support for some of its international services to Sydney through the Government’s recently announced $60 million Aviation Attraction Fund.
NSW TOURISM TOWNS TAKE HOME CROWN
NSW is proudly home to Australia’s Top Tourism Towns.
In a celebrated win at this week’s inaugural Australian Top Tourism Town Awards, visitor favourites - Mudgee and Berrima - each took home a coveted gold medal, beating tourism towns from around Australia for the honour.
Berrima, the historic town located in the Southern Highlands took home the Gold Medal for the Small Tourism Town (population under 5,000), while Mudgee, one of NSW’s leading food and wine destinations, scored the Gold Medal as Australia’s Top Tourism Town, (population over 5,000).
NSW Tourism Industry Council Executive Manager Greg Binskin said the Top Tourism Town Awards celebrated the unwavering spirit of these communities and demonstrated the true value of the visitor economy to these towns.
“Berrima and Mudgee have a tremendous offering for visitors, and we knew they would be competitive. This clean sweep is a dream result.
“These awards, along with the easing of restrictions and the release of our state’s ‘Feel New’ destination marketing campaign, show that confidence is returning to the NSW visitor economy,” Mr Binskin said.
GRANTS FOR SMALL BUSINESS MONTH EVENTS
The NSW Government is helping small businesses bounce back from the pandemic with up to $640,000 in grants available to help organisations host events to generate new ideas and connect with fellow entrepreneurs.
Grants of up to $2,500 for local councils and $3,500 for chambers of commerce, industry associations and not-for-profit groups are available to help them organise events for the fifth NSW Small Business Month in March 2022.
Small Business Minister Damien Tudehope said Small Business Month was a unique opportunity to help the state’s hardworking small business owners by offering events that teach them new skills and inspire them with new ideas.
“Small businesses have been tested like never before with drought, floods, bushfires, the mouse plague and COVID-19. They've made enormous sacrifices to get where we are today and I want to acknowledge their hard work, effort and resilience,” Mr Tudehope said.
“The theme of this Small Business Month is `Rebuild, Recharge, Renew’, which reflects the Government’s determination to help small businesses recover and build a brighter, stronger future.
“The skills, resilience and ambition of NSW small businesses are vital to our economy and our communities.”
Further details on how small businesses and supporters can participate in NSW Small Business Month will be released in the coming weeks. For more information visit: smallbusinessmonth.nsw.gov.au
SKILLS SHORTAGE HINDERS RECOVERY
As tourism businesses prepare for an influx of travellers, one in four say they have insufficient staff to cater for the expected demand, according to new Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF) research.
The national survey of more than 500 businesses – from both tourism and other industry sectors – shows that one in three tourism-reliant businesses let staff go during the pandemic and were struggling to fill positions.
TTF CEO Margy Osmond said the lack of working holiday makers, students and skilled visa holders was largely responsible for the skills gap and, if businesses were to have enough staff to cover the peak summer holiday period, the Federal Government needed urgently to fast track their return via the easing of restrictions
“After losing over 600,000 staff during the pandemic, the lack of skilled staff is increasingly becoming the number one issue for tourism operators large and small,” Ms Osmond said.
The research reveals the huge gulf between tourism-exposed businesses and businesses from other industries of which less than 10 per cent had let staff go during COVID-19, compared to a third of operators from the visitor economy.
Over 50 per cent of tourism-related respondents to the survey also said that a lack of skilled labour had had a medium to high impact on their business while only a quarter from other industries felt the same way.
“The ongoing uncertainty around domestic and international borders is a key factor, with seven out of 10 tourism operators rating not having enough staff their number one issue, followed by the lack of available staff cited by five out of 10 respondents,” Ms Osmond said.
“The tourism industry has faced the fight of its life over the last 18 months but as we come out of lockdown and restrictions start to ease, this is an issue that needs to be resolved as a matter of urgency.”
GET BUSH FIRE READY
The NSW Rural Fire Service this week kicked off its new statewide campaign urging the community to prepare for the bush fire season and to live ‘bush fire ready’.
The ‘Live Bush Fire Ready’ public awareness campaign captures the stories and emotive images of people at the height of the 2019-20 bushfire season and how they are planning and preparing for this bushfire season.
Minister for Police and Emergency Services David Elliott encouraged communities across NSW not to be complacent or delay preparations.
“The message in this new campaign is one we simply cannot ignore – as Australians we live with the threat of fires, so we need to live bush fire ready. Let the strong words from the communities of Nowra, Braidwood and Batemans Bay be a warning to all those who have not yet developed their bushfire survival plan,” Mr Elliott said.
“Alarmingly, less than seven per cent of the state was directly impacted by the bushfires of 2019/2020, so it’s critical that everyone heeds the warning and prepares now for bush fire season which is already upon us.”
NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Rob Rogers said the new campaign would begin rolling out statewide this week, with TV, radio, online, and shopping centre ads, and a focus on areas of greatest bush fire risk.
“This ad campaign is confronting, and we make no apology for that. It is such an important message and becoming complacent now will only risk losing properties or lives during bush or grass fires,” Commissioner Rogers said.
It takes just five minutes to check your bush fire survival plan. Visit www.myfireplan.com.au to learn more about preparing your plan.
For more information on how to prepare for, respond to and recover from natural disasters, visit here.
CARING FOR COUNTRY IN WESTERN SYDNEY
Native plants and animals in Western Sydney are set to thrive with more than $1 million invested as an early action of the Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan. Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney, and Minister for Trade and Industry Stuart Ayres said the funding would be provided to Deerubbin, Tharawal and Gandangara Local Aboriginal Land Councils (LALCs) to support cultural conservation efforts. The $1 million grant program – funded by the NSW Government – is being delivered in partnership with the NSW Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC) as an early action of the Cumberland Plain Conversation Plan. NSWALC Councillor for the Sydney/Newcastle Region Abie Wright said the grant funding would support the LALCs to deliver early cultural and conservation outcomes on their lands. The Department of Planning, Industry and Environment is currently developing a 10-year strategy in partnership with Western Sydney’s Aboriginal community under the Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan.
BIG BOOST TO NATIONAL PARKS IN WESTERN NSW
The NSW Government is expanding the NSW national park estate with the purchase of two properties, Avenel/Mt Westwood station near Broken Hill and Koonaburra station near Ivanhoe, which will add a combined 166,924 hectares. The two purchases take to 520,000 hectares the total addition to the state’s national park estate since August 2019. This latest expansion will conserve significant areas of critically important habitat types in western NSW that are not currently protected in the park estate. Both properties are significant in size, with the 121,390-hectare Avenel/Mt Westwood Station the second largest purchase by National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) in the state’s history. NPWS is delivering the biggest investment in visitor infrastructure in national park history, and this program will be extended to both Avenel and Koonaburra, ensuring both properties become ‘must see destinations’ for the millions of visitors each year.
ABORIGINAL BUSINESSES UP SHARE OF GOVERNMENT SPEND
The NSW Government is delivering on its promise to increase opportunities for Aboriginal businesses with an 89 per cent increase in the NSW Government’s direct spend with Aboriginal businesses in the past financial year. In the 2019-20 financial year, the Government spent more than $173 million directly with Aboriginal businesses, almost doubling the $92 million spent with Aboriginal businesses in the previous year. Minister for Finance and Small Business Damien Tudehope said the lift in procurement coincided with the Government’s new Aboriginal Procurement Policy (APP), which was introduced on 1 January this year and sets targets for Government clusters in relation to spend with Aboriginal businesses. A NSW Government target aimed at supporting 3,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) employment opportunities for Aboriginal people was met six months ahead of schedule, with close to 4,000 FTE employment opportunities for Aboriginal people supported since 1 July 2018.
NEW CHAIR OF TOURISM AUSTRALIA
Federal Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Dan Tehan has welcomed the appointment of hotel industry leader Michael Issenberg as the new Chair of Tourism Australia. Mr Issenberg has worked for Accor for more than 25 years, most recently as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AccorHotels Asia Pacific based in Singapore. Prior to that he spent five years at Mirvac Hotels, including three years as CEO. He was named Asia Pacific Hotelier of the Year in 2012, 2015 and 2019 in the Hotel Management Awards and International Hotelier of the Year at the China Hotel Investment Conference in 2014.
ART GETS BOOST FOR AGRITOURISM
Australian Regional Tourism (ART) has secured $120,000 to support a national agritourism development program through a successful application to the Building Better Regions Fund (BBRF) Round Five. The funding will go to support new or expanded local events, the development of strategic regional plans or leadership and capability strengthening activities that provide economic and social benefits to regional and remote areas nationwide. In 2018, ART released its discussion paper Boosting regional Australia through the development of agritourism, which noted that red tape reduction was key to developing the potential of the sector. In NSW, agritourism is a priority for many destinations as it provides visitors with additional incentive to visit regional towns, to stay longer and spend more. ART’s application to the BBRF was supported by Tourism Australia, all state and territory tourism organisations, Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Airbnb and the agricultural sector.
LUNA PARK REOPENS WITH NINE NEW RIDES
Luna Park Sydney reopened on 21 October, following a $30 million renovation and the unveiling of eight new rides, just in time for the Park’s renowned annual Halloscream event.
Two years in the making, the upgrade has transformed the 86-year-old amusement venue into a world-class amusement park and Australian tourist attraction fit for the 21st century. The new permanent rides added to Luna Park’s clickety-clack classics include six children’s rides, (parents and grandparents can now join in the fun with as well), a thrill ride and a family coaster, plus the new Big Dipper, a world-first single-line rollercoaster set to arrive later in the year. Luna Park adds to the new offering with the opening of Amphora Wine Bar, a premium wine bar with a Mediterranean menu, in the iconic harbourside location boasting uninterrupted, breathtaking views.
