New content partnership with The Telegraph in the UK

Tourism Australia has kicked off a year-long content partnership with one of the UK’s leading news outlets, The Telegraph. The joint venture includes a dedicated hub of Australian content on the Telegraph website featuring destination-led long-read articles, suggested two-week itineraries, along with practical planning tools such as an interactive map. Online content will be complimented by an eight-page supplement in the travel pages of the newspaper this weekend. In collaboration with all of Australia’s States and Territories, the content partnership will provide high value British travellers with continual reminders of why ‘There’s Nothing Like Australia’.

Government support for tourism businesses

Tourism Australia has published a list of Federal Government support available for Australian tourism businesses. The support includes a range of agencies and includes advisory services, grants, support for developing export markets and more.

Industry briefing for Italy trade partners

Tourism Australia updated over 50 Italian trade partners on its market strategy and upcoming campaign activity at an industry briefing in Milan last week. The briefing also delved into the latest research into high value travellers and the Signature Experiences of Australia collectives which promotes outstanding tourism experiences within a variety of niche areas and special interest categories. The briefing included representatives from the South Australia Tourism Commission, Tourism Northern Territory, Tourism and Events Queensland and Visit Victoria as well as providing an opportunity for industry partners to meet Tourism Australia’s new representation agency in Italy.

Australia inspires American travel writers

Tourism Australia shared its Dundee campaign in the US with over 600 bloggers, media and content creators at the inaugural digital influencer conference TravelCon in Texas last month. As a sponsor of the event Tourism Australia hosted the opening reception, spoke on panel about using influencers in campaigns and conducted one on one meetings. The travel writers were also encouraged to learn more about Australia via a quiz and share an Instagrammable art installation inspired by Melbourne’s laneways and a mural of Australian experiences painted during the conference.

Movies and meerkats at Adelaide Zoo’s Zooflix experience

The Adelaide Zoo has announced an upcoming series of outdoor movie events, Zooflix. Ticket holders can now experience their favourite movies under the stars whilst enjoying the sounds and surrounds of the Zoo’s animals. Guest are encouraged to make a night out of the event by bringing along a picnic dinner, with popular movie snacks and drinks also available to purchase on site. The new experience will debut on October 25th with a special Halloween screening. Tickets are on sale now.

Two new tours added to Australian Wildlife Journeys Collection

Australian Wildlife Journeys have welcomed two new members to the Signature Experiences of Australia group. Located in Western Australia, Naturaliste Charters has become one of the most sought-after whale watching expeditions across the globe, where travellers can encounter Killer Whales in the wild. Boutique Wildlife Tours, just south of Sydney, offers personalised small groups tours of the Southern Highlands escorted in style by luxury 4WD vehicles. The new additions take the total collection to 14 independently-owned wildlife operators across Australia.

Countdown begins for Orange Wine Festival, October 12 – 21

The highly-anticipated Orange Wine Festival will celebrate the best new releases of local cool climate wines and spring produce from New South Wales’ Orange region. The nine-day festival agenda showcases over 90 events including a series of long-lunches, degustation dinners, winery tours, garden parties and masterclasses. A 3.5 hour drive or a one-hour flight from Sydney, Orange is the highest wine-growing region in Australia. Tickets are now available to purchase.

Ubika Day Spa opens in the Blue Mountains, NSW

The Blue Mountain’s Fairmont Resort has opened the highly anticipated Ubika Day Spa making it one of the largest, purpose-built day spa facilities in Australia. The two-storey Spa and Wellness facility includes 16 treatment rooms and four exclusive couple rooms with the option of a private spa bath. The building has been designed to complement the natural beauty of the Blue Mountain surroundings and is located on a World Heritage Listed site.  

Industry briefings in SA, TAS and NSW

Registration is open for Tourism Australia’s industry briefings in Adelaide from 2.00 to 4.00pm on Friday 9 November at the Playford and Hobart from 2.00 to 4.00pm on Friday 9 November at the Grand Chancellor ahead of the Tourism Awards Gala Dinners in each location. Tourism Australia is also holding an industry briefing in Sydney from 2.00 to 4.30pm on Friday 23 November at The Hilton. The briefings will involve senior executives from Tourism Australia and State Tourism executives providing an update on current and future activity and sharing research and insights from key international markets.

National Visitor Survey results

Tourism Research Australia released the latest National Visitor Survey today reporting on domestic tourism the 12 months to June 2018. Domestic overnight travel saw strong growth for the year with overnight trips up seven per cent to reach a record 100.3 million. The growth in overnight trips was reflected through strong gains in visitor spending which increased by eight per cent to a record $67.5 billion. “This is an impressive result for our tourism industry with more Aussies holidaying at home and for longer, whilst also spending record amounts,” said Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham, Australia's Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment.

High-profile South Australians including Olympic athletes, AFL stars, chefs, musicians and winemakers feature in a new campaign titled Rewards Wonder launched by the South Australian Tourism Commission last week.

The Northern Territory Government has launched the fourth season of the Million Dollar Fish competition to grow visitor numbers to the Top End during the low season from October to February and boost the NT’s reputation as one of the best places in the world to fish.

Tourism Tasmania hosted 75 media and VIPs for a dinner with Tassie chef Sarah Glover in New York last month to promote Tasmania as a food and wine destination.

Applications are open for the $4 million Events Tasmania Attraction Fund which supports a regionally balanced events portfolio for Tasmania throughout the year that provide strong economic and cultural benefits to the State.

Registration is open for the inaugural Australian Wine Industry Impact Conference to be held in Adelaide on Thursday 18 October at the Grand Chancellor Hotel.

Registration is open for the Australian Regional Tourism Convention (ARTC) 2018 to be held in the Tweed from 23-25 October.

Registration is open for Tourism and Events Queensland's International Market Briefings in Cairns on Monday 12 November, Brisbane on Tuesday 13 November and the Gold Coast on Thursday 15 November.

The program for the Global Eco Asia Pacific Tourism Conference in Townsville on 26-28 November has now been released.

Entries are open until Sunday 30 September for the first Destination Gold Coast Content Awards to celebrate the best of digital and social storytelling from the region. #DGCCA #WeAreGoldCoast

The next funding round of the Queensland Destination Events Program is open until Wednesday 10 October.

Registration is open for travel business and investment conference Travel IQ on Wednesday 24 October in Sydney.

Registration is open for the Bicycle Tourism and the Australian Walking and Cycling conferences from 26-30 October in Bendigo, Victoria.

Registration is open for the Australian Indigenous Tourism Conference to be held in Lorne, Victoria from 30 October to 1 November.

Registration is open for the Australian Event Symposium to be held on the Sunshine Coast from 19-21 November.

Registration is open for ATEC Meeting Place 2018 which will take place from 19-21 November in Darwin.

Meetings & Events Australia (MEA) has published profiles of the winners of the 2017 MEA Awards and has opened submissions for the 2018 MEA Awards.

Industry are invited to register their interest for the Destination Australia Conference 2019 to be held on Thursday 14 March in Brisbane.