Talking Tourism

Calling employers to join Job Connect events

Businesses are encouraged to get involved with Tourism WA’s upcoming series of Hospitality Job Connect programs. Through the programs, employers will have the opportunity to meet with jobseekers and potentially secure future employees. Four workshops will be held over the next two months, across Broome (Friday, November 26), Albany (Friday, December 3), Margaret River (Friday, December 3) and Mandurah/Peel (Friday, December 10). Delivered by Tourism WA, in partnership with the local TAFEs, the five-day program will upskill job seekers and link them with potential job opportunities. The final day of each program will feature an Employer Connect morning tea where employers can introduce their business, talk about any job opportunities and meet course participants. Employers interested in joining the morning tea can register via the links above or email for more information.

Applications open for Cyclone Seroja support

Applications for grants of up to $25,000 to support eligible small businesses directly impacted by Tropical Cyclone Seroja are now open. Funds will assist businesses with costs of cleaning up cyclone-related debris and restarting operations. The initiative is jointly funded by the Commonwealth and State governments and is open to those located within the 16 local government areas impacted by the cyclone. Visit the Small Business Development Corporation website for more information and to apply for the grant program.

State promoted to international audiences

Tourism WA’s USA team have been busy raising awareness of our State to international audiences at two recent events in September. The team promoted WA’s premium offerings at the first in-person ILTM Americas travel expo in two years. More than 60 one-on-one advisor meetings and networking opportunities were carried out at the event, which was held near Cancun. The US team was part of an Australia hub at the conference, which included Tourism Australia, Tourism and Events Queensland, Baillie Lodges and Southern World. Staff also recently attended the virtual 2021 Adventure Travel World Summit from September 20-24.  Hosted by Hokkaido, Japan, the event was an opportunity for one-on-one meetings with media and retail and wholesale adventure companies selling Australia. Our team connected with 13 prominent US journalists to keep WA front of mind until it is safe to welcome international visitors.

All trails lead to local tourism opportunities

Tapping into the tourism potential of trails around the State was among the topics discussed by Tourism WA representatives at the recent WA Trails and Recreation Forum. Held in Albany from October 13 -15, the State’s largest trails forum brought together more than 200 key decision-makers to examine the challenges and future of trails and recreation in WA. Our staff presented findings from Trails Tourism Market Research at the event to assist trails managers to learn more about marketing their trails to national and international tourism audiences. The research was co-funded and conducted in partnership with Australia’s South West. Information on the Jina: WA Aboriginal Tourism Action Plan 2021 – 2025 was also presented, which highlighted the importance of growing,developing and sustaining the Aboriginal tourism sector across the State. The conference aligns with one of the trails industry’s busiest periods as more locals holiday at home.

Viva Holidays WA Epic Adventures campaign

Tourism WA has partnered with Viva Holidays (Helloworld) to deliver a cooperative WA Epic Adventures campaign. The campaign aims to attract visitors and support the WA economy by showcasing the State’s bucket list destinations and experiences. Focused on Perth, Margaret River, the South West Edge, Ningaloo Reef, Broome and the Kimberley, the campaign will run throughout WA, Queensland, Tasmania, Northern Territory and South Australia. It will be promoted with advertising across TV, metro and regional press and social media, along with instore digital screens, flyers and trade media digital banners. The campaign is currently live and will run until November 4 2021.

Nominations open for Grey Nomad awards

Tourism operators who offer an exceptional experience for mature age visitors can enter the Grey Nomad Awards. The national tourism excellence awards span 12 categories and can be entered online. Entrants will also receive judges’ feedback to help with developing their product and promotions for these visitors. Submissions close on November 8, 2021 with winners announced on the Sunshine Coast in March 2022. For more information or to submit an application, visit the Grey Nomad website.

Hospitality finalists in awards spotlight

Some of the stars of the WA hospitality industry have been recognised with a nomination in the 2021 AHA-Aon Hospitality Awards for Excellence. This year’s awards attracted a record number of entries, with more than 800 nominations across 40 award categories. Categories include the Tourism Initiative Award and WA’s Best Regional Hospitality Venue. The winners will be announced at Crown Perth on Monday, November 8. For the full list of finalists, go to the Australian Hotels Association Western Australia website.

ATEC's new Domestic Ready 2021 program

The Australian Tourism Export Council’s (ATEC) Domestic Ready 2021 program is available on-demand as a two-module webinar series. Presented by ATEC WA Branch Manager Deb Carr, the first module 'How Australians book domestic travel' covers topics including the customer journey, promoting to the Australian domestic market and building retention and loyalty. The second module 'How to work with the domestic travel trade' covers developing your unique selling point, working with the domestic travel trade, the travel distribution system, and selling during COVID. Visit the Eventbrite website for more information or to book.