Edition 116 · September 2017

A new company called Cabin is aiming to re-invent the overnight travel experience with private sleeping cabins aboard specially designed buses, similar to Japanese capsule hotels. Dubbed the moving hotel, the service will include 24 sleep pods, coffee service and lounge like a dining car on a train.

Further information: https://www.ridecabin.com/

The Citizens Gateway to the Great Barrier Reef public artwork has been unveiled on the Cairns Esplanade. Created by Cairns Indigenous artist Brian Robinson, in collaboration with local Traditional Owners, the sculpture depicts a wave of marine creatures and birds led by a life-size stingray to reflect the biodiversity of the Great Barrier Reef. Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef is a social movement that aims to create a worldwide community of Citizens dedicated to taking tangible actions to secure the future of the Reef and the planet.

Further information: https://citizensgbr.org/a-symbol-of-our-citizenship

Innovation Norway has introduced a pilot project to help the country cope with an influx of visitors to natural attractions, especially at popular spots where an increasing number of inadequately prepared travellers are being rescued. The Norwegian Centres of Expertise and Tourism Fjord Norway assisted with advice about the development, production and delivery of the Safety-First films which will be delivered to travellers via websites, email and social media.

Further information: https://vimeo.com/219986795

Airbnb has launched the Community Tourism Program with funding for innovative, community-based tourism projects across Europe through 2020. The program will support innovative projects in communities that encourage and empower locals to both shape and benefit from sustainable tourism. It is available for projects across Europe that welcome tourism in new ways to strengthen communities, empower citizens, as well preserve and promote local culture.

Further information: https://www.airbnbcitizen.com/about-the-community-tourism-programme/

Expedia has announced that activities involving certain wildlife animal interactions will no longer be bookable via its online travel sites. The company will also launch a new initiative to educate travellers about animal welfare through a new Wildlife Tourism Education Portal. Expedia is working with global anti-animal trafficking and animal protection groups such as The Association of Zoos and Aquariums, U.S. Wildlife Trafficking Alliance, Born Free Foundation, The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International.

Further information: http://www.expediainc.com/news-release/?aid=123422&fid=99&yy=2017

The Good Hotel aims to provide job opportunities and training to the local community by reinvesting its profits back into the business. The Good Hotel is the first of its kind and is the brainchild of two Dutch designers Remko Verhaagen and Sikko Valk. Unlike mainstream chains, the hotel works with its local community to help disadvantaged people get back into work and learn new skills to integrate back into the wider community.

Further information: http://www.goodhotellondon.com/

InterContinental Hotels & Resorts has created a new global Culinary Calendar designed as a snapshot of five-star seasonal dishes for food and travel enthusiasts around the world. The new seasonal map showcases world-class dining experiences available to guests throughout the year, in every corner of the globe from unique dining destinations to signature dishes created by an enviable roster of renowned chefs.

Further information: https://www.ihgplc.com/news-and-media/news-releases/2017/the-worlds-largest-luxury-hotel-brand-reveals-insight-into-the-globes-most-exquisite-seasonal-dishes

The first aquarium built in Australia for over 18 years has opened in Cairns and features several critically endangered or rarely seen endemic species of Tropical North Queensland. Situated in the heart of Cairns, the $54 million three-level Aquarium and Reef Research Centre will house over 15,000 aquatic animals, fish, plants and other organisms within 71 live exhibits to ensure visitors enjoy a 2.5-hour immersive journey.

Further information: http://www.cairnsaquarium.com.au/

Two new self-drive adventures in the Atherton Tablelands have been rolled out by Tropical Tablelands Tourism. The ANZAC Trail and the Artisan Trail highlight the importance of the role played by the Atherton Tablelands during World War II and the markets, galleries and craftsmanship in the region. They join six other self-drive trails launched last year including The Great Aussie Pub Trail, Geological Wonders, Unique Wildlife and Stunning Landscapes, Off Road Pedal Power, Food Delights and A Step Back in Time.

Further information: http://www.athertontablelands.com.au/trail-itineraries/

A diverse range of regional New Zealand experiences are showcased in Tourism New Zealand’s new global 100% Pure New Zealand campaign. The new campaign will run for the next two years using sophisticated digital marketing to find and convert people dreaming about a New Zealand holiday into booking a holiday. It also encourages off-peak travel through supporting airline or travel agency partnerships in all Tourism New Zealand’s target markets.

Further information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3WXJQ0PSS4

The Australian Government has launched a new website to show global investors why there’s nothing like Australia for tourism investment. The new website has been developed by Tourism Australia and Austrade who are working together to remove barriers and provide information and insights on tourism opportunities to demonstrate that Australian tourism is open for investment.

Further information: http://www.tourisminvestment.com.au/en

The Australian Government has launched the Export and Regional Wine Support Package to support sustainable export growth and increased international wine tourism to Australia. The one-off allocation of $50 million over four years aims to grow the Australian wine sector by driving demand for Australia’s wine exports and showcasing the nation’s wine tourism. Australian Vignerons, the Winemakers’ Federation of Australia and Wine Australia have worked in consultation with the Australian wine sector to develop the business plan.

Further information: https://www.wineaustralia.com/whats-happening/export-and-regional-wine-support-package

The Perth and Peel Mountain Bike Master Plan will see a series of diverse and sustainable mountain bike experiences created across 24 sites in the Perth Hills, Wungong, Dwellingup, Swan Valley, Jarrahdale and Yanchep. It was prepared by Common Ground Trails on behalf of WestCycle with financial support from Lotterywest, Department of Parks and Wildlife and Department of Sport and Recreation.

Further information: http://www.westcycle.org.au/cycling-development-perth-peel-bike

The UNWTO has launched an initiative aiming to develop an international statistical framework for measuring tourism’s role in sustainable development including economic, environmental and social dimensions. The Statistical Framework for Measuring Sustainable Tourism will provide a common language and structure for more effective data production, management and integration.

Further information: http://statistics.unwto.org/mst

Online used car dealership Carspring have produced a study to bring transparency to the public regarding taxi costs in 80 cities around the world. The study includes prices of a three kilometre inner city taxi ride, a journey between the airport and the city centre, and the cost of one hour’s waiting time. It also provides information on which models of car are most popular in each city and if an alternative such as Uber is available in each location.

Further information: https://www.carspring.co.uk/taxi-price-index-gbp/

Tasmania has launched an innovative research tool as part of the Tourist Tracking Project. The Tasmanian Tourism Tracer dashboard provides online access to data collected via smart phones used by visitors. The tool is the first of its kind in the world and will give users unprecedented insights into where groups of visitors go, how they move around and what influences their decisions.

Further information: https://tourismtracer.com/about/

New data from a YouGov Report reveals that today’s youth (Millennials) are not holidaying like their parents’ generation and are seeking authentic experiences as top of the bucket list. The report which covers U.K., U.S., Germany and China aims to reveal trends and stresses that traditional tour operators need to evolve if they hope to remain relevant to today’s young travellers who want more esoteric, unique experiences when compared to other groups.

Further information: https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/r/48/Tourism%20Millennials.pdf

A new report released by the Australian Regional Tourism Network, in partnership with Austrade, examines the contribution local governments make to the tourism industry, as well as the economic and social benefits of tourism in our regional and remote communities. The survey focused on local government spending in visitor information centres, as well as the promotion, marketing and development of tourism.

Further information: http://www.artn.com.au/News/ID/82/ARTN-Local-Government-Spend-on-Tourism-Report

WTTC’s 2018 Tourism for Tomorrow (T4T) Awards are now open for entry. Anyone working towards a more responsible tourism sector can now apply in one of the five categories – Community, Destination, Environment, Innovation and People.

The Awards are open to individuals, organisations and destinations of all sizes, and winning is one of the best ways to bring your initiative to a wider audience, showcasing best practice to governments and other business, as well as instilling pride and motivation in those who work on your efforts.

T4T Awards finalists are hosted at WTTC’s Global Summit when the winners are announced at a prestigious gala ceremony. In 2018, this will be held during 17-19 April in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Further information: https://www.wttc.org/tourism-for-tomorrow-awards/apply/

The Sustainable Economic Development for Regional Australia (SEGRA) Conference will be held in the Upper Spencer Gulf, South Australia from 24-27 October.

This will be the first time in the 20-year history of the conference that it will be held in South Australia, showcasing the regional cities of Port Augusta, Port Pirie and Whyalla. The SEGRA2017 conference theme – Disruption: a catalyst for change – will focus on what are the characteristics of the great adapters and changers and how this is manifested in political, business and community leadership, planning, governing, managing and marketing.

The SEGRA conference provides a single forum in which people with a deep commitment to regional Australia can discuss issues and advance options and solutions for the future. Drawing over 200 delegates from across Australia, it is now recognised as the nation’s most credible and independent voice on issues affecting regional Australia.

Further information: https://2017.segra.com.au/

The World Ecotourism Expo 2017 (WET-EXPO) will be held in Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia from 27-29 October 2017. Nearly, 90% of the 120 exhibition booths have been taken up from both the domestic and foreign markets. The main objective of the WET-EXPO 2017 is to promote ecotourism as a preferred holiday destination within the Southeast Asia region. Alongside the exhibition, Buyers & Sellers Meetings will be hosted by several State Tourism Authorities in Malaysia.

Further information: www.wetexpo.com

The Australian Regional Tourism Convention will be held in Canberra from 23-26 October 2017. The program includes presentations, concurrent sessions, panel sessions and workshops delivered by more than 40 tourism professionals.

Further information: http://www.regionaltourism.com.au/Convention

The Inaugural Pacific Tourism Insights Conference will be held in Port Vila, Vanuatu on the 25 October 2017. The one-day conference will see global thinkers, professionals and leading travel companies discuss international and regional tourism.

Further information: http://www.pata.org/event/ptic-2017/

The World Travel Market will be held in London from 6-8 November 2017. The event attracts over 50,000 travel and tourism industry professionals to network, negotiate and conduct business.

Further information: http://london.wtm.com/

The Conference on Sustainable Tourism in
Small Island Developing States will be held in
the Seychelles from 22-24 November 2017.
It will provide a platform for tourism professionals, academics and practitioners to discuss
an integrated practical approach to
sustainable tourism.

Further information: https://www.gstcouncil.org/upcoming-events/conference-sustainable-tourism-sids/

Ecotourism Australia’s Global Eco Asia-Pacific Tourism Conference will be held in Adelaide, South Australia from 27-29 November 2017. The annual conference will be staged at the state of the art Sanctuary Adelaide Zoo conference centre located in the city centre for its 25th anniversary.

Further information: http://www.globaleco.com.au/