| As I enter my last week as the Managing Director and Chief Executive of Tourism Australia, I wanted to use my last edition of Essentials to write and say thank you so much to each of you. The Tourism Industry is one of the great industries in our country. You are resilient, you are diverse and you have been the growth story of the economy for much of the last 8 years. You are the overnight sensation that has been 50 years in the making! To have been part of this industry in the MD role over the last 5 years has been one of my greatest experiences. Thank you so much for your support of Tourism Australia. As I have always said, Tourism Australia is the platform on which your story is told to the rest of the world. We are not the drivers of growth for the industry – you are. We are here to tell your story in our 15 core markets. And what a story of unique experiences, wonderful people, amazing landscapes, delicious food & wine and unique wildlife it is. Every time I have had the opportunity to tell this story abroad, I have realised just how lucky Tourism Australia is to be able to share it with the world. Since the Dundee campaign in early 2018, Tourism Australia has made a pivot in bringing to life our industry through our people – not only Chris Hemsworth and Danny McBride - but also our wonderful indigenous peoples and of course you, the industry. Over the coming months, you will see us go even harder on our unique way of life and philosophy of living. We believe that this way of life is so unique to the rest of the world that it’s a core competitive advantage. Our people and our nature is what makes us unique. In closing, I would like to take the opportunity to thank Ministers Birmingham, Ciobo, Robb and Colbeck and their teams for their great support. I have had three Chairs in this role - Geoff Dixon, Tony South and Bob East - and I would like to acknowledge them and all of the current and past members of the Tourism Australia Board. And finally, a huge thank you to the staff of Tourism Australia - who tell your story, every day, all around the world. Thank you again, it’s been a privilege to serve you. Kind regards
JOS | 