Edition 132 · May 2019

The Orion Span start-up has unveiled images of Aurora Station, its future space station designed to accommodate tourists from 2022 onwards, with the launch of the station programmed for 2021. The 12-day program of activities at an altitude of about 320 kilometres will include observation of 16 sunrises and sunsets in one day, flying over the hometown of travellers and experiments in growing food in space. In order to be eligible, guests will have to undergo a specific training and pay USD $9.5 million dollars.

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

Silky Oaks Lodge in Queensland has joined the Baillie Lodges portfolio of luxury lodges as part of a joint-venture agreement with KSL Capital Partners to grow its portfolio of luxury lodges in Australia. The new company will invest in property enhancements and product developments at Silky Oaks Lodge to align with the trademark Baillie Lodges’ guest experience. Already a member of the Luxury Lodges of Australia collection, Silky Oaks Lodge is an ideal complement to Baillie Lodges’ existing lodges including Longitude 131° at Uluru-Kata Tjuta, Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island and Capella Lodge on Lord Howe Island.

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

The first new property for the Art Series brand since joining the AccorHotels family Art Series Hotels has opened at Howard Smith Wharves in Brisbane. The $60 million hotel is carved into the cliff under the Story Bridge and features 166 guest rooms, with custom contemporary furnishings and original artworks and giclee prints. The six-storey hotel will also offer four distinct food and beverage outlets as well as an impressive rooftop pool boasting spectacular views of the Brisbane River and CBD, bar, gym and three conference rooms, fully equipped with state-of-the-art audio-visual technology.

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

Tasmania’s iconic Museum of Modern Art (MONA) has unveiled plans for its much-anticipated hotel, MoTown, to open in 2024. The new five-star property will include 176 rooms with views of Mt Wellington or the Derwent River, alongside an arts centre, restaurant and outdoor concert stage. Additional plans feature a Venice-style access route where guests will reach the hotel from the water on a specially designed ‘motoscafi’ ferry.

Further information: https://mona.net.au/in-the-works/motown

British design agency LAYER has developed a new prototype seat called Move which is designed for use in Airbus economy cabins on short to mid-haul flights. Utilising smart textiles woven into the seat fabric, passengers can monitor and control seat temperature, pressure and movement all through an app on their smartphones.

Further information: https://layerdesign.com/project/move/#top-page

Cebu Pacific is aiming to reduce the impact of its operations on the environment as part of the ‘Juan Effect’ program by investing in 32 brand-new fuel-efficient Airbus A321neo aircraft. The Juan Effect is Cebu Pacific’s sustainable program organised in collaboration with the Philippines’ Department of Tourism to mitigate the impact of tourism on the environment. It engages both travellers and local stakeholders to raise awareness about their responsibility to the environment and encourages them to make a difference by changing one daily habit.

Further information: https://cebupacificaircorporate.com/pages/news.aspx?id=1200

The Australian Government will contribute $154 million to the Geelong City Deal package which includes a complete transformation of the Twelve Apostles precinct and the Shipwreck Coast. The $58 million investment in the Shipwreck Coast Master Plan would focus on updating tourist infrastructure at the Twelve Apostles, Glenample Precinct and Gibson Steps to improve access and safety, reduce congestion and lay the foundations for private sector development.

Further information: https://citydeals.infrastructure.gov.au/geelong

Afterpay and LayAway Travel have collaborated to create a new travel service platform that helps Aussie travellers’ pick, book and pay for their holiday over a series of interest-free instalments prior to their departure date. The service which adopts a traditional layby model is expected to open the door for many Australians who want to have a travel experience, but also want to be in control of their personal finances. Play allows customers to pick and book a holiday package and pay for it in full in weekly or fortnightly instalments over a three- to 12-month period before they travel.

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

The Aigüestortes and Estany de Sant Maurici National Parks have received recognition as a Starlight Reserve and Starlight Tourism Destination. The award which is granted by the Starlight Foundation acknowledges areas that have, and take measures to protect, dark night skies of exceptional quality and infrastructure for promoting astronomy-related tourism. The double certification has the dual objective of preserving the quality of the dark night sky of the National Park and of promoting the different cultural, astronomical, landscape and natural values associated with it, as well as developing other tourism activities related to this natural resource.

Further information: https://fundacionstarlight.org/en/index.php

Cultural Attractions of Australia has become the latest segment to join the Signature Experiences of Australia program, a partnership between Tourism Australia and industry, developed to package and promote outstanding tourism experiences within a variety of niche areas and special interest categories. The new industry-led collective of Australian cultural attractions includes the Adelaide Oval, Arts Centre Melbourne, Australian War Memorial, Fremantle Prison, Melbourne Cricket Ground, MONA, National Gallery of Australia, National Gallery of Victoria, Opera Australia, Parliament House, Port Arthur Historic Site, Qantas Founders Museum Longreach, Sovereign Hill, Sydney Opera House and WA Maritime Museum.

Further information: https://culturalattractionsofaustralia.com/

G Adventures, in partnership with international child protection experts Child Safe Movement and Planeterra Foundation, has released new guidelines to educate people on how to interact responsibly with children when they travel. The guidelines are the latest in G Adventures’ ‘G for Good’ suite of responsible travel initiatives which are designed to help people travel better and complement guidelines for protecting wildlife, and Indigenous people and cultures.

Further information: https://www.gadventures.com/about-us/responsible-travel/child-welfare/

Wyndham Destinations has announced a balloon ban at events across its five corporate offices, 19 sales sites and 34 managed resorts across Asia Pacific. This is part of the wider Wyndham Green sustainability program which is committed to operating responsibly and reducing their environmental impact. A recent CSIRO study identified balloons among the top three most harmful pollutants threatening marine wildlife, along with plastic bags and bottles.

Further information: http://www.wyndhamap.com/wps/wcm/connect/wyndham/home/about-wyndham/media-centre/media-releases/2018/wdap-announces-balloon-ban

Tourism Fiji has announced a revitalised global brand campaign produced by Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand. The campaign builds upon the destination’s current brand messaging ‘Where Happiness Finds You’ while showcasing the breadth of experiences available to visitors throughout Fiji’s 333 islands. The suite of assets developed span TV commercial, out-of-home, digital / online, cinema and social media to suit the U.S.A., U.K., Europe, China, Japan, Singapore, India, Australia and New Zealand.

Further information: https://www.fiji.travel/

The Adventure Travel Trade Association has published a new research report which provides information on tour operator partnerships with travel agents including profiles of adventure travellers and recommendations for improving adventure trip sales. The Travel Leaders Companion Survey Digest was an online survey conducted by Travel Leaders a travel agency network in the United States. It was sent to more than 1,000 adventure tour operators, with 170 respondents from all continents except Antarctica.

Further information: https://www.adventuretravel.biz/research/travel-leaders-companion-survey-digest

Fairmont Hotels and Resorts has released key findings from Gateway to Home – Hotels as the Heart of their Communities, the latest in a series of ongoing research-led, data-driven reports on luxury travel trends. The study reveals that hotels are perceived as pillars in their community, connecting guests, whether from abroad or locally, to the true character of the destination. The report is based on data from an online survey of 2,725 luxury travellers from France, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, China, and the United Arab Emirates.

Further information: https://www.fairmont.com/promo/luxuryreports/luxury-insights-reports/pdfs/gateway-to-home.pdf

The Cruise Lines International Association has released the 2019 State of the Cruise Industry Outlook global report predicting the top trends in cruise travel. Findings from the report identify that the cruise industry is projected to continue to grow in 2019 with an estimated 30 million travellers expected to cruise globally up six percent from 28.2 million in 2018.

Further information: https://www.cruising.org.au/Tenant/C0000003/00000001/CLIA%202019%20State%20of%20the%20Industry.pdf

The Skift Megatrends is the largest annual effort to define the future of travel in 2019 and beyond. It covers various parts of the travel industry and includes consulting leaders and operators in the travel industry, and our surveys, interviews, and focus groups with travellers throughout the year.

Further information: https://skift.com/wp-content/themes/skift/img/megatrends-2019/Skift-Megatrends-2019.pdf

In 1995, the Institute for Tourism and Development launched the international contest for socially responsible tourism. The TO DO Award recognises projects that involve the local population in planning and implementation of tourism projects, measures, products and services. The projects also need to be in line with the principles of eco-friendliness and sustainability which save resources and create sustainable local economies.

Further information: http://www.todo-contest.org/eng/

The Australian Government has announced changes to the eligible age for Working Holiday Maker (WHM) visa applicants from Canada and Ireland. Other changes include expanded regional areas where 462-visa holders can work in agriculture to qualify for a second year of stay in Australia and an increased length of time in which subclass 417 and 462 visa holders can stay with the same agricultural employer. Also added, the option of a third-year for WHM visa holders who after 1 July 2019, undertake six months of specified work in a specified regional area during their second year.

Further information: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/news-media/archive/article?itemId=12

The Tourism Innovators Conference will be held on the Gold Coast from 19-21 June 2019. This conference is aimed at accommodation providers looking for the latest technology and trends in their industry.

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

The Western Australia Tourism Conference will be held in Karratha from 16-18 September 2019. The conference will include speakers on topics such as regional tourism, Aboriginal tourism, ecotourism and geotourism.

Further information: https://www.tourismcouncilwa.com.au/wa-tourism-conference

The inaugural Australian Tourism Export Council Wine Tourism Conference will be held in Adelaide from 19-21 June 2019. This event for international tourism buyers and wine companies will include meetings, workshops, networking and famil opportunities.

Further information: https://atec.eventsair.com/beyond-the-barrel/