Edition 122 · March 2018

Ecotourism- It’s Time… is the theme for the 2018 Global Eco Asia-Pacific Tourism Conference

It’s time to realise the full potential of ecotourism to support ongoing community development;

It’s time to maximise the business and economic development benefits of ecotourism;

It’s time to ensure that ecotourism is a key driver for the conservation of natural and cultural heritage; and

It’s time to celebrate existing and emerging leaders in ecotourism.

Global Eco Asia-Pacific will be staged in Townsville, Queensland, Australia from 26-28 November 2018. Townsville is flanked by the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and the Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Area. North Queensland has an extraordinary diversity of ecotourism operations, indigenous, marine, reef, island, tropical forest, savannah and so much more.

Go to www.globaleco.com.au and express an interest in offering a paper.

Sealink Travel Group has purchased the assets and operations of Kingfisher Bay Resort Group located on the World Heritage-listed Fraser Island, 300 kilometres north of Brisbane in Queensland. The purchase price of $43 million includes Fraser Island’s Kingfisher Bay Resort, Eurong Beach Resort, Fraser Explorer Tours and the Fraser Island Ferry.

Further information: https://www.sealink.com.au/

17 Indigenous rangers have become marine park inspectors under the Australian Government’s three-year $2 million pilot specialised Indigenous Ranger Program. The program aims to boost the ability of Traditional Owners and local communities to help protect the Great Barrier Reef and sea country. The Australian Government is also funding a new $30 million Capacity Building for Indigenous Rangers Strategy 2020.

Further information: http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/media-room/latest-news/compliance/2018/indigenous-rangers-offer-invaluable-support-to-reef-and-sea-country

Renowned small-group trekking specialists, Tropical Treks has developed a new Great Cooloola Walk guided trek starting in September 2018. The 88 kilometre, 5-day/4-night fully-guided trek links the Noosa Northshore to Rainbow Beach via the 500,000 year-old Cooloola Sandmass and its unique dune, water, and vegetation systems.

Further information: https://www.tropicaltreks.com.au/tours/cooloola-great-walk/

MGallery by Sofitel is catering to the distinct needs of female travellers with the next phase of its global offering designed especially for women. Since Inspired by Her’s initial inception in 2013, MGallery has been refining its ground-breaking offering which is dedicated to responding to the demands of their female clientele with exclusive services, tailored experiences, amenities, packages, entertainment and cuisine. In 2017, MGallery conducted an in-depth study to examine the habits and requirements of the female traveller, with close to 3,000 participants in four countries – France, Italy, Great Britain and Australia. The survey found that 80% of decisions are made by women when travelling and 86% of them favoured a female-oriented hospitality program.

Further information: https://www.accorhotels.com/gb/brands/hotels-mgallery.shtml

Brisbane’s new hotel, FV by Peppers has officially opened its doors in Fortitude Valley’s Alfred Street. Developed by luxury property developer GURNERTM and inspired by the New York’s flatiron building, the $600-million high end development comprises of 986 spacious one and two-bedroom apartments, a mixture of hotel rooms and long-term letting. Luxe amenities at FV by Peppers include a heated u-shaped skyline pool with spectacular views and in-pool seating overlooking Brisbane’s CBD, a moonlight cinema, yoga retreat, fully-equipped gym, and three beautiful VIP private spa lounges available to hire which include your own exclusive spa, bar and dining area overlooking Brisbane’s CBD and Story Bridge.

Further information: https://www.peppers.com.au/

Travelife for Tour operators is a leading global sustainability scheme specifically designed for tour operators with more than 500 members from 80 countries across all continents. It provides an integrated set of training, best practices, implementation, assessment and certification tools specifically designed for tour operators and accessible through its state-of-the-art IT system.

Further information: https://www.travelife.info/

Tourism Cares and the Jordan Tourism Board have launched the first ever Meaningful Travel Map of Jordan, researching and documenting 12 experiences for both travellers and communities. The Meaningful Travel Map of Jordan project is made possible by the TRIP Foundation, Trip Mate, The Travel Corporation, American Society of Travel Agents, Marriott hotels of Jordan, the Bob Whitley Memorial Fund and the Jordan Tourism Board.

Further information: https://www.myjordanjourney.com/the-meaningful-travel-map-of-jordan

A new campaign from Lufthansa invites people on a virtual journey experience developed by Lufthansa lead agency Kolle Rebbe and mixed reality expert 3spin at Main-Taunus-Zentrum near Frankfurt and Munich Airport. The augmented reality installation of ‘Open Seats’ allows participants to be seated on Premium Economy seats and captured by sensors and cameras.

Further information: https://www.lufthansa.com/online/portal/lh/de/homepage

Stratolaunch is the world’s largest aircraft by wingspan and is the largest all-composite plane ever built which aims to be an air launch rocket platform to make access to space more convenient, reliable, and routine. Founded in 2011 by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, the aircraft with two cockpits, six jet engines and 28 wheels and is on track to stage its maiden flight later this year. The company is aiming to be fully operational by 2020 to carry shuttle-sized rockets and run supplies to the International Space Station.

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

The Cradle Coast Authority’s new tourism campaign, created in partnership with Spirit of Tasmania and We Are Explorers, focuses on Tasmania’s West Coast as nature’s playground for microadventurers. The campaign takes in the trip from Melbourne aboard Spirit of Tasmania, followed by the We Are Explorers team’s journey through to the west coast, from the majesty of Montezuma Falls to Queenstown’s rugged landscapes and the Tarkine’s pristine beauty.

Further information: https://weareexplorers.co/

Tourism Western Australia has launched a new marketing campaign in partnership with Helloworld targeting the east coast interstate market. The campaign ‘Hotel Perth’ has been developed to showcase the changing face of Perth and reposition the city as a vibrant destination based on the new hotels and entertainment precincts around the city. The integrated campaign will feature across television, print, public relations, content, digital, social and electronic direct mail.

Further information: https://www.tourism.wa.gov.au/marketing/Brand-and-campaigns/Pages/Hotel-Perth.aspx

A $6 million revamp of Seal Rocks holiday park has been completed by the NSW Crown Holiday Parks Trust. The staged redevelopment, which began in 2013 is owned by the Reflections Holiday Parks group which has consolidated management of 37 holiday parks and recreational reserves on Crown land throughout New South Wales.

Further information: https://reflectionsholidayparks.com.au/

Applications are open for the Northern Territory Government’s $3 million Visitor Experience Enhancement Program which aims to improve the Territory’s tourism experiences, facilities and attractions. The program is part of the Turbocharging Tourism stimulus package and will enable the tourism industry to undertake projects improve on-ground visitor experiences and create more local jobs. Eligible projects and activities may include infrastructure upgrades, additional accommodation, new technology or new signage. Applications close 30 April 2018.

Further information: https://turbochargingtourism.nt.gov.au/home?

The Lord Howe Conservation Package is a once in a lifetime experience to participate in a program that will change the lives of more than 70 species of plants and animals whilst enjoying the pristine natural environment of Lord Howe Island. Each project has significant benefits for the islands biodiversity and threatened species, as well as improving the visitor experience.

Further information: https://www.lordhoweisland.info/sustainability/conservation/

Nexto is a new cultural engagement platform based on the power of storytelling that brings a touch of virtual reality to the everyday tourism experience. The app uses a conversational interface, and visitors to Nexto-connected sites can collect virtual souvenirs, learn the history of each location through games and puzzles, and create their own stories. Site managers as well as individuals are encouraged to get in touch to nominate new destinations to add to the platform. Nexto hopes to soon be available in cities like Paris, Prague, Rome and Barcelona.

Further information: http://nexto.io/

Tourism Western Australia in partnership with the Western Australian Indigenous Tourism Operators Council has commissioned research into the social and economic impacts of Aboriginal tourism businesses in Western Australia. The research shows Aboriginal tourism businesses added $43.8 million to the Gross State Product and generated nearly 340 full-time equivalent jobs as well as multiple social benefits such as employment, strengthening pride and bringing different cultures together.

Further information: https://www.tourism.wa.gov.au/Publications%20Library/About%20Us/Aboriginal%20Tourism%20Snapshot%202018.pdf

The State of the Food Tourism Industry Annual Report discusses the issues and trends impacting this 20 cross-industry sectors of the food and beverage industry. Developed by the World Food Travel Association, it includes accomplishments of the past year as well as a roadmap for 2018.

Further information: https://www.worldfoodtravel.org/cpages/home

The ‘Mood of the Nation’ research is commissioned by Tourism Industry Aotearoa and Tourism New Zealand. The survey which is conducted twice a year measures the perceptions of tourism of over 1000 New Zealanders.

Further information: https://tia.org.nz/assets/Uploads/Mood-of-the-Nation-March-2019.pdf

McKinsey and the World Travel & Tourism Council examine how destinations can reap the benefits of tourism while preserving their unique qualities. McKinsey and the World Travel & Tourism Council have introduced a simple, fact-based diagnostic to help destination leaders identify and address the challenges associated with overcrowding.

Further information: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/travel-transport-and-logistics/our-insights/coping-with-success-managing-overcrowding-in-tourism-destinations

A newly released white paper from global luxury and experiential travel network Virtuoso builds on its leadership in advancing sustainable tourism principles and practices across the travel industry. The white paper ‘Sustainable Tourism: From Trend to Transformative Movement’ affirms how Virtuoso can further leverage its position and relationships in luxury travel to elevate sustainable tourism best practices in consumer choice and business success.

Further information: https://www.virtuoso.com/getmedia/741afb1d-cf23-4592-89d2-70fd23d7bb8e/Virtuoso_Sustainability_WhitePaper.aspx

Registration is open for the Backpacker & Adventure Tourism Industry Forum on Wednesday 2 May in Byron Bay.

Further information: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/yha-tourism-industry-forum-2018-tickets-41617179103

The Tourism and Transport Forum Outlook Tourism Industry and Policy Conference will be held in Sydney on 17 May 2018. The event provides a unique platform for tourism professionals to engage with political leaders, industry executives and thought leaders to generate new business opportunities and partnerships.

Further information: https://ttf.org.au/conference/outlook2018/

The PATA Annual Summit will be held hosted by the Korea Tourism Organisation in Gangneung, Korea from 17-20 May 2018. The event brings together international thought leaders, industry shapers and senior decision-makers who are professionally engaged with the Asia Pacific region.

Further information: https://www.pata.org/pas/

Australia’s first culinary tourism conference, Destination Food will be held at the Museum of Sydney on Monday 21 May 2018. This event will bring together key people from many facets of Australia’s food tourism industry to share ideas on the marketing and development of culinary tourism experiences.

Further information: http://destination-food.com.au/