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17 February 2021
TOURISM AUSTRALIA UPDATE

It has been another challenging week, particularly for our Victorian industry colleagues, and while I know it’s difficult to stay positive and focused on the future, it does seem with restrictions easing again, and more positive news around the vaccine rollout in Australia and overseas, there is some light at the end of the tunnel.

As we look to the future, I’m pleased to announce that the  Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE) will take place in Sydney in June. ATE21 will be a hybrid event that brings together in-person and virtual event components to ensure the tourism industry can meet, exchange knowledge, and establish important business connections. Applications open today and further detail can be found below. 

Last week, the latest iteration of our business events marketing campaign, Event Here This Year, to support the recovery of Australia’s business events industry was launched. Find out more about the campaign and how to get involved below. 

A reminder too that registrations are now open for our Destination Australia Conference. Please register here.

Finally, for those of you who missed last Friday’s webinar update on recent activity and upcoming plans,you can watch the recording online here.

Phillipa Harrison

Applications open for the Australian Tourism Exchange 2021
Applications open for the Australian Tourism Exchange 2021
This year’s Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE) is planned to take place ‘live’ in Sydney and online, in June 2021. Tourism Australia is planning a hybrid event that brings together in-person and virtual events to connect the Australian tourism industry with international and domestic travel buyers. ATE Live is scheduled for 6 to 9 June 2021 and will be followed by ATE Online from 10 to 17 June. To learn more, visit the ATE website. Applications open today.
Tourism Australia Activity
 Event Here This Year campaign launched
Event Here This Year campaign launched
The latest iteration of Tourism Australia’s domestic business events campaign, Event Here This Year, was launched last week. First launched in the wake of the 2019/20 summer bushfires, the dedicated Event Here This Year recovery campaign seeks to drive increased demand across the sector by promoting the value of face-to-face events and showcasing the breadth and quality of Australia’s business events offering. Led by Tourism Australia’s specialist business events unit, Business Events Australia (BEA), the Event Here This Year campaign is supported by BEA’s domestic partnership program, the Business Events Boost Program, which provides funding for industry-led marketing and distribution projects to encourage business events activity in Australia. Industry are encouraged to adopt the campaign and messaging across their own marketing activities, with an Event Here This Year campaign toolkit available to download via the Business Events Australia website
 Premier Indian Agents learn to cook with Australian native ingredients
Exploring Australia’s Indigenous culture on a culinary journey
Tourism Australia recently hosted an exclusive Australian Native Ingredients Masterclass in India with 2018 Australian MasterChef winner, Sashi Cheliah. Participants included Traveller Made advisors, Premier Aussie Specialist agents and a select group of Indian food influencers and bloggers. An experience box featuring a selection of 14 Australian Native spices and fruit powders curated by Foodie Trails was sent to participants to inspire them on their culinary journey. Rob Hyatt of Koorie Heritage Trust shared insights on Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and spoke passionately about the diversity of unique experiences across the country. As food is an intrinsic component of our everyday lives, this was a great opportunity to leverage our unique Indigenous Australian ingredients to differentiate Australia from other destinations.
 ‘Open for Business’ bushfire recovery video Scenic Rim
‘Open for Business’ bushfire recovery video Scenic Rim
The third of the ‘Open for Business’ video series, in partnership with the National Bushfire Recovery Agency (NBRA), was released this week. The video features the Scenic Rim in Queensland and can be viewed here. The series is a collaboration between the NBRA and Tourism Australia and illustrates the recovery of communities impacted by the 2019/20 summer bushfires. A total of 15 videos will be released over the coming weeks, sharing stories from bushfire affected regions across Australia.
 Virtuoso Forum provides Aussie inspiration
Virtuoso Forum provides Aussie inspiration
Tourism Australia’s Partnership and Distribution team met recently with more than 30 senior travel industry leaders at the Virtuoso Forum, held virtually by global luxury travel network Virtuoso. Held from 3 to 4 February, the forum provided an opportunity for Tourism Australia to gain valuable market and consumer insights, with many agency leaders commenting how Australia’s nature-based experiences and uncrowded landscapes will attract clients when they are ready to travel again. Australia’s handling of COVID-19 and the positive associations around safety and security along with the announcement of vaccine availability has also led to an increase in forward bookings.
Tourism Industry News
Grow with Google OnAir
Grow with Google OnAir
Tourism businesses are being invited to Grow with Google OnAir Australia: a free three-part online event series designed to help small to medium businesses show up and stand out online. Focused on the travel industry, the series will discuss industry trends, insights and examples of how travel businesses can grow using digital marketing. The series will cover how to create and manage a Business Profile on Google, how to grow brand awareness using Google Ads; and how to turn data into actionable insights with Google Analytics. Register online here. Sessions will stream at 2:00pm AEDT on 11, 18 and 25 March 2021.
Australian Stories
 South Australia sets sail again
South Australia sets sail again
South Australia’s cruise sector has taken its first steps back to smooth sailing with the departure of the first tourist cruise in South Australian waters in nearly 12 months. The Coral Expeditions cruise will see travellers exploring the stunning South Australian coastline on a new 10-day round-trip, part of an expansion of domestic itineraries curated exclusively for the Australian market. A welcome boost for the state’s visitor economy, this cruise is the company’s first in South Australia, following 12 successful cruises by Coral Expeditions along Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef in October 2020 and Tasmania’s wilderness coastlines during the summer. For more information click here
 New brewery and distillery tour in Cairns
New brewery and distillery tour in Cairns
Cairns-based tour operator No Limit Adventures has launched a guided Cairns Brewery & Distillery Tour. The half-day tour showcases the best of Cairns’ local micro-breweries and distilleries, visiting five local venues; Macalister Brewery, Barrier Reef Brewing, Wolf Lane Distillery, FNQ Spirits, and Sauce Brewing. With tastings at each venue, guests can enjoy their share of popular beers and locally produced spirits. Listen to the stories of the brewers and distillers, before satisfying your cravings with a tasty pub lunch and Aussie tap beer. Join No Limit Adventures on their enjoyable and educational Brewery & Distillery Tour by enquiring on the website
 Popular Port Lincoln destination dining restaurant re-opens to high acclaim

Popular Port Lincoln destination dining restaurant
re-opens to high acclaim

The Line & Label Restaurant at Peter Teakle Wines in South Australia’s Port Lincoln has picked up its third Australian Good Food Guide Chef Hat after just 12-days of operations. Following an extended closure in 2020 due to COVID-19 and the launch of the Peter Teakle Wines Cellar Door - a 3-million-dollar bespoke Tasting Room - The Line & Label officially reopened in January 2021 with high acclaim. The restaurant, perched above the vineyard of Peter Teakle Wines, is open for afternoon grazing and dinner on Fridays; lunch and dinner on Saturdays; and lunch on Sundays. Bookings can be made on the website.
fabALICE Festival returns to the NT in 2021
fabALICE Festival returns to the NT in 2021
The Northern Territory’s most fabulous festival, fabALICE, is making a dramatic return in March 2021 with its highly anticipated program of events showcasing even more variety this year. Headlined by Adam Thompson, iconic front man of Aussie rock band Chocolate Starfish, guests will be in for a bright night of drag, cabaret and dancing at the Alice Springs Desert Park. Territory Drag Royalty will also return to the stage, with Marzi Panne and Miss Ellaneous set to dazzle the crowd once again. Taking place from 11 – 14 March 2021, fabAlice Festival is a celebration of the entire LGBTQI community and the Red Centre’s long history of queer culture. Tickets are on sale now via the fabALICE website.
NEWS IN BRIEF
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