Edition 124 · May 2018

Ecotourism Australia has released its call for papers for the 2018, 26th Annual Conference to be held in Townsville 26-28 November 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.

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.

Conference Convenor Tony Charters AM expects there will be very strong interest and representation from reef managers across the globe who are facing the same issues in managing reef-based ecotourism in an environment of multiple pressures, particularly in relation to climate change.

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

One of the world’s leading holiday companies, Thomas Cook, is re-entering the Australian market with Thomas Cook Money after an 18-year absence. Thomas Cook Money will offer a range of user-friendly travel money services including travel insurance, foreign exchange and pre-paid travel card. Thomas Cook Group is one of the world’s leading leisure travel groups with sales of £9 billion. Thomas Cook is supported by 22,000 employees and operates from 17 source markets, serving over 20 million customers annually.

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

Gourmet Traveller Wine has launched a website dedicated focused on wine travel. Winecraft is designed to help visitors plan the perfect trip involving wine regions across Australia. Gourmet Traveller Wine is Australia’s leading independent drink journal with a team of local and international wine experts.

Further information: https://winecraft.com/

The second annual Colorado Springs Crafts and Drafts Passport highlights the destination’s diverse craft beverage scene. The digital passport invites beginners and connoisseurs to enjoy locally-crafted beverage companies in the Pikes Peak region one glass at a time. Developed by the Colorado Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau and funded by a Colorado Tourism Office regional marketing grant, the campaign will target potential visitors through digital, social media and cinema.

Further information: https://crafts.visitcos.com/checkout/72/visit-colorado-springs-convention-visitors-bureau/1128/crafts-drafts

The Adventure Travel Trade Association is now accepting submissions for its fifth annual Adventure in Motion film competition. The contest showcases short films that inspire travellers to participate in adventure travel and is open to tourism organisations, operators and creative agencies. The winner will receive a one-year membership and a ticket to the 2019 Adventure Travel World Summit in October 2018. Submissions close 27 July 2018.

Further information: https://www.adventure.travel/film-contest

A new set of practical guidelines have been released to assist tour operators and travel companies that work with Indigenous communities around the world. The Indigenous People and the Travel Industry: Global Good Practice Guidelines were developed by the George Washington University International Institute of Tourism Studies, G Adventures and the Planeterra Foundation. They are designed to encourage responsible conduct that produces visitor experiences that are authentic, respectful and culturally sensitive.

Further information: https://media.gadventures.com/media-server/dynamic/admin/flatpages/indigenous-2017-11-29.pdf

Sea Life Sydney Aquarium has announced a new $5 million home for its turtles will open later this year. The interactive experience – Day and Night on the Reef – will take guests on a journey of the world-famous Great Barrier Reef. With over 1.7 million litres of water, this will be the largest Great Barrier Reef display in the world and home to over 500 sea creatures.

Further information: https://www.sydneyaquarium.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/

The Tourism Authority of Thailand has announced that the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation has started its annual seasonal closure of several attractions in 66 of 147 national parks nationwide. The department closes several attractions every year for a certain period, depending on weather and park conditions that may create unsafe conditions and allows for some ecological recovery time.

Further information: http://park.dnp.go.th/file/NATIONALPARKS_Eng.pdf

Visitors to Canberra can wake up in the wild and explore Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve’s incredible nature reserve while staying overnight at the spectacular WILDfest Pop Up Wilderness Camp. This family glamping experience is designed with kids in mind with an array of fun and safe outdoor activities including day and night wildlife encounters, ranger-guided walks, and information sessions. Tidbinbilla is located 40 minutes by car from the centre of Canberra and offers 16 hiking trails as well as a rich Aboriginal history.

Further information: http://www.wildfest.com.au/tidbinbilla/

Cruise industry body Cruise Lines International Association Australasia has renewed its Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the South Pacific Tourism Organisation to work cooperatively. The main purpose of the MOU is to drive the growth of cruise tourism in the South Pacific in a manner that is both sustainable and brings economic and social benefits to the region. The South Pacific remains the most popular cruise destination for the Australian and New Zealand market with more than half a million holidaymakers enjoying cruises to the region annually.

Further information: https://www.cruising.org.au/CLIA-News

A new range of cabins have been designed by a Belgian company as environmentally-friendly retreats for couples or families. Slow Cabins will have solar panels on the roof, rainwater, raw wood floors, dry toilets and electricity provided by battery. The cabins are also equipped with a smart display that shows users their energy and water usage. Bookings come with tips for activities in the local area including bike rentals, spa treatments and other luxuries.

Further information: http://www.slowcabins.be/

Thala Beach Nature Reserve has been invited to join the National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World. The property now belongs to an exclusive collection of membership lodges that invite guests to discover for themselves some of the world’s most treasured environments, while helping to preserve those places for generations to come.

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

Locally-owned Cairns tourism operation Fitzroy Island Resort will undergo a $2.5 million refurbishment and expand its Great Barrier Reef experiences to include diving and sunset cruises. Fitzroy Island is home to the volunteer-run Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre and the Reef Restoration Foundation which aims to establish the Great Barrier Reef’s first offshore coral nursery in the island’s waters.

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

A new luxury hotel by Conrad Maldives Rangali Island will feature an above sea level and undersea residence. The Muraka features two levels which can accommodate a total of nine guests over 16 feet below the ocean surface. Above sea level, it has living, dining, sleeping and entertaining quarters. It also includes a deck for viewing sunsets and an infinity pool. It is due for completion in November 2018.

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

The Regional Tourism Infrastructure Investment Attraction Strategy is a multi-year commitment between Austrade and Tourism Australia to work with state, territory and local governments to attract foreign infrastructure investment to tourism regions. The strategy is a coordinated approach to support new product supply, refurbish existing product and new tourism attractions and experiences to encourage increased overnight visitation and visitor expenditure.

Further information: https://www.austrade.gov.au/Australian/Tourism/Policy-and-Strategy/Infrastructure-and-Investment/regional-tourism

Queensland has launched a five-year Superyacht Strategy at the Australian Superyacht, Marine Export and Commercial Marine Conference. The strategy aims to attract superyachts to more places along the 13,000km coastline and create business opportunities in regional Queensland including Cairns, the Whitsundays, the Gold Coast, Bowen, Wide Bay and Moreton Bay.

Further information: http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2018/5/22/queensland-takes-the-lead-with-superyacht-strategy

Auckland Tourism, Events & Economic Development has launched a new strategy that encourages the sustainable growth of one of Auckland’s and New Zealand’s most important industries. Destination AKL 2025 will proactively manage the impact of our visitor economy so that Auckland is better off not just economically, but also socially and environmentally. The strategy has a greater emphasis on ‘destination management’ to ensure that future growth in visitor numbers is sustainably managed rather than simply attracting greater numbers of visitors. Consultation involved interviews, workshops and discussions, as well as international benchmarking and surveys completed by more than 1000 people with an interest in Auckland’s future.

Further information: http://www.aucklandnz.com/destinationakl

Intrepid Travel has published the inaugural Adventure Travel Index which covers everything from social media trends to a tourism density index. The report shows that adventure travellers can be any age, with all demographics choosing adventure holiday destinations like Peru, Cambodia, Morocco, Cuba and India. The Index also shares tourism density ratios in eight destinations by comparing total visitor arrivals to permanent population which explores the themes of overtourism and undertourism. It combines Intrepid statistics, third party research, studies from Deloitte, Nielsen and a survey of local tour leaders across the globe.

Further information: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/au/adventure-index

The Adventure Travel Trade Association has released a new report on the 20 Adventure Trends to Watch in 2018. This report is a comprehensive look at the issues facing adventure travel businesses and destinations in 2018. The Association is focusing on several initiatives including continued support of the Adventure Travel Conservation Fund, AdventureEDU trainings to ensure tourism entrepreneurs and businesses have the tools needed to operate sustainably and deliver a strong conservation message to their guests.

Further information: https://www.adventuretravel.biz/research/20-adventure-trends-to-watch-for-2018/

The Adventure Travel World Summit will be held in Tuscany, Italy from 15-18 October 2018. The Summit provides an opportunity to network with tour operators and media from around the world, as well as promote your product to the adventure travel industry’s influencers and decision-makers.

Further information: https://www.adventuretravel.biz/events/summit/tuscany-2018/

The ninth Australian Indigenous Tourism Conference will be held in Lorne, Victoria from 30 October to 2 November 2018.  The conference discusses the opportunities and challenges within the industry including presentations by tourism industry leaders.

Further information: https://www.aitc.org.au/

The Virtuoso Symposium will be held in Melbourne from 7-11 May 2019. Virtuoso is the leading global network specialising in bespoke and experiential travel will next year bring around 500 of the most influential decision makers in the luxury travel industry to Australia for a week-long program of conferences, networking events and destination immersion famils. Virtuoso has agencies in 45 countries throughout North America, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa and the Middle East.

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

The Southern Hemisphere’s largest ecotourism conference will be held in Townsville from 26-28 November 2018. The conference is organised by Ecotourism Australia with support from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Townsville Enterprise Limited and Sustainable Townsville Limited.

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