Industry Luncheon to Welcome in Year of the Snake

Last week Tourism Australia (TA) hosted its annual Lunar New Year Luncheon for key partners for the Greater China and South East Asian markets to welcome in the Year of the Snake. Held at Botanic Restaurant in Sydney's Royal Botanic Garden, the event was attended by around 90 guests including inbound tour operators (ITOs), and representatives from the State and Territory Tourism Organisations (STOs), and inbound and aviation partners, ahead of the busy Lunar New Year travel period. Hosted by TA's Executive General Manager, Commercial & Business Events Australia, Robin Mack and Executive General Manager, Eastern Markets & Aviation, Andrew Hogg the event was an opportunity to highlight the importance of the region to Australian tourism and TA’s commitment to future sustainable growth across the markets. 

UK Qantas Partnership Campaign Kicks-Off

Tourism Australia’s ‘Come and Say G’day’ partnership campaign with Qantas has launched in the United Kingdom, timed to leverage the key booking month for long-haul holidays. The campaign features attention grabbing content with Ruby the souvenier kangaroo on social media, online video, broadcast video on demand and programmatic display. The campaign goal is to convert demand by targeting people who have already engaged with Tourism Australia’s brand campaign, and those considering an Australian holiday. The campaign is running until 16 February 2025.

Marathon and sports tourists targeted in Indonesia

To capture Indonesia’s growing segment of marathon enthusiasts and sports tourists, Tourism Australia and Yuktravel have formed a  partnership to drive travel for Australia’s sporting events alongside leisure holiday packages. The launch kicked off with a series of events from 8 December 2024, starting with a Gold Coast Marathon (GCM) fun run and talk-show in Jakarta. 50 Indonesian runners participated in the run and attended a panel who shared about their marathon tips and tricks, Gold Coast packages and things to do, as well as unforgettable experiences running at GCM. From 18 to 19 January 2025, Tourism Australia and Yuktravel organised an Australia Sports Expo at Artotel Gelora Senayan, showcasing some of Australia’s popular upcoming sporting events including the TCS Sydney Marathon, Gold Coast Marathon, the 2025-2026 Asia Pacific Ironman competition in Busselton (Western Australia) and the Nike Melbourne Marathon. More fun runs will be held across February and March 2025 in Bandung and West Surabaya.

Travel writers showcased the best of Australia in New York

Last week Tourism Australia attended TravMedia IMM in New York, with hundreds of travel media flocking to the city for the marketplace-style event. The team conducted 26 media appointments with writers and editors from publications including USA Today, Fodor’s Travel, Vogue, Conde Nast Traveler, Globe & Mail, Travel + Leisure, Saveur, Atlas Obscura, NBC Out, CBS News, and more. At the event delegates experienced Australia’s food and beverage offerings with Tourism Australia sponsoring the coffee cart in partnership with Bluestone Lane, serving up Australia’s finest flat whites to all conference attendees.

Howzat for a Holiday campaign underway in the UK

Tourism Australia’s ‘Howzat for a Holiday’ campaign has kicked-off in the United Kingdom, running in tandem with the Women’s Ashes Series happening in Australia. The campaign, running until 5 February, is live across Sky and TNT Sports BVOD, YouTube and social channels. The video content sees Ruby and Pat Cummins showcase the world-class destinations and experiences Australia has to offer for UK cricket fans. This campaign forms part of our overall UK Summer of Cricket campaign, including our recent Banter on the Bridge activation with the Barmy Army. The content has been leaning into the friendly banter between the UK and Australia, encouraging cricket fans to head to Australia for the Men’s Ashes at the end of the year.  

Register to attend Destination Australia 2025

Tourism Australia will host the annual Destination Australia conference on Wednesday 19 March 2025 at the International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney). This year, with a theme of ‘We are the Australian tourism industry’ the future evolution and growth of our sector, will be the focus of the day. At the event, industry leaders will share insights and updates, we will explore how we can continue to evolve the depth and breadth of our tourism offerings, and we will look again to how we collaborate to ensure the sustainable growth of our sector. As always, a range of topics will be covered from aviation to marketing trends, future distribution landscape to agritourism, and so much more! Find out more and register here.

New TRA country profiles

Austrade’s Tourism Research Australia (TRA) has a new series of country profiles offering handy one-stop guides to Australia’s tourism source markets. The first eight country profiles give snapshots of leading inbound markets in Asia, starting with China, Australia’s 2nd-largest inbound tourism market (after New Zealand) in 2023–24. The initial batch also covers: India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Download the profiles here.

Tour Guides Australia course takes place in Sydney

Tourism Australia recently hosted students of Tour Guides Australia's Tour Guiding Fundamentals Course at the Sydney Office. This 3-day micro-credential course provides a fast-track option for aspiring tour guides to learn from professionals working in the industry. In addition to gaining experience from professional guides, insights are shared by guest speakers including representatives from Tourism Australia. More information about public or bespoke tour guide training, can be found here. 

Powerhouse launches new ‘Little India’ program

Powerhouse has announced Powerhouse Food: Little India, a new bi-monthly dinner series highlighting Western Sydney’s vibrant Indian food culture. Curated by acclaimed chef and Powerhouse Associate Kylie Kwong and founder of The Modern Desi Co Bhavna Kalra Shivalkar, the series spotlights bold and diverse flavours across four beloved institutions. Experience the fresh flavours of traditional street food at Chatkazz; savour home-style Chennai vegetarian dishes at South Indian eatery A2B; taste rustic North Indian cuisine at Mitran Da Dhaba, inspired by Punjab's roadside eateries; and discover the unique blend of Mughlai and Persian influences at Hyderabadi restaurant IndoChainese. Each evening concludes with a cultural program at the Chatkazz Function Centre featuring a traditional chai tasting, poetry performances, and a special Indo-Chinese recipe gift created by Kwong and Shivalkar that celebrates their cross-cultural collaboration. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit here.

Celebrate the Year of the Snake with a special curated menu

Contemporary Australian restaurant Arthur is transforming its menu for Lunar New Year, highlighting classic Chinese dishes through a distinctly Australian lens. Nestled in a stately Victorian-era terrace in Surry Hills, Sydney / Warrane, the exclusive menu will be served from 29 January to 17 February and is set to showcase Chinese staples with the finest Australian produce, reimagining familiar dishes in exciting new ways. Curated by Head Chef Juwon Gwak and former Arthur Head Chef Will Lawson, they’ve blended their love for Chinese flavours with an Australian twist. Think dishes like Zucchini Flower Siu Mai: zucchini flowers delicately stuffed with pork and scallop, served with a vibrant lemon aspen dressing – a modern Australian twist on a classic Chinese dumpling. To complement this special menu, Arthur’s Sommelier Henry Quinn has curated a special Lunar New Year wine pairing. For bookings, head to the Arthur website here.

Monarto Safari Resort to join Journey Beyond’s Portfolio

Experiential tourism group Journey Beyond have announced Monarto Safari Resort will join its portfolio of luxury accommodation and lodges in Australia. Located within an hour’s drive from Adelaide / Tarntanya in Monarto, the luxury resort will feature 78 hotel guest rooms, a world-class spa, function and restaurant spaces, two swimming pools and a luxury camp and lodge when it officially opens on Wednesday 28 May 2025. Monarto Safari Resort provides expansive vistas across the Mallee Plains and unique access to the new Wild Africa precinct of Monarto Safari Park. Perfectly suited for families, couples and adventure seekers, guests can unwind in luxury while being surrounded by stunning wildlife. For more information, visit the official website page here.

Duxton Hotel Perth hits renovation milestone

The iconic Duxton Hotel Perth has hit a significant milestone in its multi-phase renovation with the completion of the two-level Convention Precinct, newly designed Club Rooms, Swan River Lounge, and the luxurious Duxton Suite. The refurbished spaces combine elegant design with modern functionality to elevate its reputation for understated luxury. Rooms now feature contemporary furnishings, open layouts, and innovative technology, while guests in Club Rooms and Suites enjoy premium amenities and exclusive services for an enhanced stay. In a nod to sustainability and local partnerships, the Duxton Hotel Perth collaborated with Western Australian businesses and artisans throughout the renovation process, featuring custom furniture, decor and artwork whilst preserving the hotel’s heritage and introducing a vibrant, contemporary aesthetic. Full completion of the third and final stage is due by the end of July 2025.