Domestic Travel to Brighten the Gloom

Concerns about the global economic crisis, natural disasters and the strength of the Australian dollar have led to a gloomy outlook for Australian tourism operators as performance hits its lowest point in three years, according to the latest TTF-MasterCard Tourism Industry Sentiment Survey.

With the upcoming Christmas – New Year period, operators are bracing for a struggle with more than 40 per cent expecting international tourism to be worse than usual.

Domestic tourism is expected to be more positive with 15 per cent of those surveyed forecasting for improvement. Tourism operators are not getting their hopes up too high, but hoping for better weather than Christmas and January last year, especially in Queensland.

"If there's a brighter spot, it’s that tourism operators are slightly less pessimistic about domestic travel for the upcoming holiday period, but keep in mind that expectations remain well below average,” Tourism Transport Forum chief executive John Lee said.

The survey also mentioned concern for the increasing labour shortages, with two thirds of those surveyed indicating their operations were impeded by a lack of skilled labour.

The TTF-MasterCard Tourism Industry Sentiment Survey is conducted among senior executives from some of the most important Australian tourism operators including airlines, hotels, tour operators and attractions.

(Source: eTravelblackboard.com)

Tourism Australia Launches Domestic Campaign

Tourism Australia launches domestic campaign

Tourism Australia is inviting the nation to tell their fellow Aussies why There's nothing like Australia for a chance to win an amazing holiday. To enter, simply upload your favorite Australian place or experience to nothinglikeaustralia.com.au and in 25 words or less explain why there's nothing like Australia.

16 Australian holidays are up for grabs for the most inspiring and creative entries, as voted by a judging panel made up of representatives from Tourism Australia, Qantas and Luxury Lodges of Australia.

In addition you can enter a 'dream team' and bring up to five people with you to share in the amazing holiday experience. The promotion runs until October 31, 2011. Visit the website for more information.

Tourism Australia Woos Aussies

The domestic market will be the main focus of the next phase of Tourism Australia’s There’s nothing like Australia campaign,

unveiled today, as the tourism body tries to convince Australians to holiday at home.

Tourism Minister Martin Ferguson, speaking at the launch in Sydney, said that these were “testing times” and cited the strong dollar, greater competition from overseas and natural disasters as industry challenges that were seeing people holiday elsewhere.

But he referred to this week's National Visitor Survey, which revealed an increase in domestic numbers, as a positive sign and stressed there was potential to improve further.

“Yes, the dollar is strong, but we must never forget that those with money to travel overseas, have the money to travel in Australia,” Ferguson said.

The campaign, kicking off this weekend, will invite Australians to upload their favourite homegrown experience on website www.nothinglikeaustralia.com.au and nominate a "dream team" of five people that they would like to share the experience with.

Participants will be eligible to win one of 16 holidays, worth a total $300,000.

“80% of Australians think they can sell Australia better than us, so we’ve embraced that,” Tourism Australia managing director Andrew McEvoy said at the launch. “It’s a rallying cry for Australians to tell each other why Australia is so good.”

The tourism body has invested $2.5 million in the digitally led campaign.

“In Australia alone, 46% of consumers visit travel sites on a monthly basis which is why we are embarking on such a big push online,” McEvoy said.

(Source: Travel Weekly, September, 2011)