Edition 189 · February 2024

We welcome short stories on innovations, and success stories and stories that reflect the positive things that the tourism industry is doing to ensure that the industry returns and re-builds.

Submit stories to editor@tourforce.com

The World Tourism Organisation has a new name and brand which reaffirms its status as the United Nations specialised agency for tourism. The UN Tourism brand will be gradually implemented across the website, social media, and newsletters, followed by offices and events, and then reports and stationary.

Further information: https://www.unwto.org/news/unwto-becomes-un-tourism-to-mark-a-new-era-for-global-sector

The Tourism Exceptional Assistance Grant is a joint Commonwealth and State Government Disaster Recovery Funding program to support the recovery of tourism businesses isolated by the impacts of Tropical Cyclone Jasper within severely impacted Local Government Areas. Tourism businesses located in Cairns, Douglas, Tablelands, Cassowary Coast, Hope Vale, Wujal Wujal, Cook, Mareeba and Yarrabah are eligible to apply for funding. Applications close 11 March 2024.

Further information: https://www.dtis.qld.gov.au/tourism/funds/tourism-exceptional-assistance-grant

The Tourism Recovery Assistance Grant has been provided under a joint Commonwealth and State Government Disaster Recovery Funding program to support tourism businesses recover from the impacts of Tropical Cyclone Jasper within severely impacted Local Government Areas. This grant is for businesses who operates with between 20 and 200 full-time equivalent employees. Applications close 31 March 2024.

Further information: https://www.dtis.qld.gov.au/tourism/funds/tourism-recovery-assistance-grant

Tourism Northern Territory is assisting Aboriginal businesses and organisations in the Northern Territory access opportunities in tourism development. The Aboriginal Tourism Development funding program will assist clients to access consultancy services to navigate, understand and identify tourism opportunities that support the development of new bookable experiences and quality products. Applications close 25 July 2024.

Further information: https://tourismnt.com.au/industry-toolkit/grants-funding/unlocking-aboriginal-tourism-development-funding

The United Nations World Tourism Organisation has launched the 4th Global Competition for Gastronomy Tourism Startups in collaboration with Basque Culinary Centre. The mission is to identify projects and innovations that can transform food or culinary tourism in the future. Winners will receive mentoring by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation and its partners, tailored support, and investment opportunities. Deadline for applications is 6 June 2024.

Further information: https://www.unwto.org/startup-competition/4th-global-gastronomy-tourism-startup-competition

Space Perspective has unveiled images of its completed test capsule structure, the first to be designed for tourism flights under a Space Balloon. The innovative spacecraft, called Spaceship Neptune, accommodates eight Explorers, and a Captain and was developed to be the most accessible, sustainable, and safest spacecraft on or above the planet. Unlike other spacecraft where the crewed compartment separates mid-flight, Spaceship Neptune’s capsule remains secured to the Space Balloon during the entire flight creating a seamless flight at a fraction of the cost of other space travel options.

Further information: https://spaceperspective.com/

British Airways has partnered with SigncodeUK to enhance its accessibility services for hearing impaired customers with a range of new services on and off the plane. The partnership will mean customers can access key travel information in signed video form throughout the entire journey including the booking process, the airport experience, onboard services, and the in-flight entertainment offering. SigncodeUK is an organisation dedicated to ensuring equal access to information, products, and services for the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community.

Further information: https://www.signcodeuk.com/british-airways-announce-new-partnership-with-signcodeuk/

In an Australian first, Google has launched Indoor Live View at Sydney Airport international and domestic terminals. The new augmented reality feature on Google Maps provides arrows, directions, and distance markers superimposed on the camera view, to point people in the right direction across the terminals. It is designed to help passengers find gates, baggage claims, retail outlets, dining options, restrooms, and ATMs. It also has a ‘Wheelchair accessible’ preference, allowing people to find wheelchair, pram, and suitcase-friendly paths.

Further information: https://www.sydneyairport.com.au/corporate/media/corporate-newsroom/australian-first-google-indoor-live-view-lands-at-sydney-airport

Ireland has launched a unique and quirky accommodation designed for eco-conscious travellers. The new hometel concept runs on 100% electric and low carbon renewable energy with a zero waste to landfill policy. Based in Belfast, room2 features 175 studio apartments, innovative event spaces, a restaurant and bar, retail space, a coffee roastery and art gallery showcasing work by local artists.

Further information: https://room2.com/belfast/

The first stage of a new luxury eco resort on Louth Island, located 10 minutes off the coast of Port Lincoln in South Australia, is complete. Rumi on Louth, a $50 million luxury eco resort, was originally a sheep farm established in 1802 and will be 100% solar powered with recycling and composting practices. Guests will also enjoy experiences on the island including catamaran cruises, fishing, island tours, electric biking, sailing kayaks, beach picnics and BBQs, and massage.

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

A new hostel management venture which was formed between GCP Hospitality and Haka Tourism Group has announced plans to open 13 refurbed hostels across New Zealand (Aotearoa), including those which were previously YHA NZ hostels, to meet the influx of budget conscious travellers arriving for an extended stay. Haka House Hostels will support the growing local and international demand from flashpackers, digital nomads and other emerging market segments seeking community-driven travel experiences.

Further information: https://hakatourismgroup.com/

Visit Victoria has launched a new global tourism campaign which aims to showcase the State as a place of incredible diversity, passion, and creativity. Every bit different brings Melbourne and the regions together under a single unifying brand. The campaign features films of Victorian operators and will be rolled out across television, broadcast and event partnerships, print, out-of-home, social media, public relations and culturally and linguistically diverse marketing.

Further information: https://corporate.visitvictoria.com/news/every-bit-different

More than 50 bakeries across 10 South Australian tourism regions will be serving up their pastries in bakery bags being distributed as part of an ongoing road trips marketing campaign by the South Australian Tourism Commission. The special bakery bags will be featured along popular road trip routes and iconic destinations to highlight the best of South Australia and suggest local products and experiences. They aim to provide potential road trippers with holiday inspiration as well as maps and itineraries of the state’s six iconic road trips the Mighty Murray Way, Epicurean Way, Seafood Frontier, Explorers Way, Coastal Way, and Southern Ocean Drive.

Further information: https://tourism.sa.gov.au/news-articles/bakery-bags-make-visitors-hungry-for-more-of-regional-south-australia

Australia’s first indoor snow resort has been granted State Significant Development Application by the New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment. Located within the Riverlink Tourism Precinct at Penrith, Winter Sports World will target international elite snow athletes and provide a training venue for Olympic sports such as alpine skiing, freestyle skiing, snowboarding, ice climbing, and outdoor rock climbing. It will also include a four and a half star 170-room hotel and conference centre plus restaurant and cafes.

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

Visit England and Visit Scotland, in partnership with Alzheimer’s Society, have launched a new guide to assist tourism businesses in improving services for customers with dementia. The 30-page Dementia-Friendly Tourism Guide provides advice on offering accessible toilets, clear signage, discounts for caregivers, and directories of suitable local attractions. Similar guides are produced by Dementia Australia, the Alzheimer Society of Canada, and the Alzheimer’s Association in the U.S.

Further information: https://toolkit.visitscotland.org/asset-page/111706-visitscotland-and-visitengland-launch-dementia-friendly-tourism-guide

The Autism Nature Trail located adjacent to the Humphrey Nature Centre, inside Letchworth State Park, is a first-of-its-kind nature experience designed for visitors of all abilities and ages including those on the autism spectrum. The trail has eight stations offering a range of experiences from quiet engagement to active exploration and adventure which are designed to engage individual’s processing senses by using nature as the tools for skill-building.

Further information: https://autismnaturetrail.com/

The world’s largest purpose-built platypus conservation centre has been opened at Taronga Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo. The $12.5 million Platypus Rescue HQ centre was co-funded by the New South Wales Government, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, and philanthropic donors. The facility combines rescue and rehabilitation facilities, a research centre to study platypus behaviour and a pre-release area to prepare recovered platypus for return to the wild.

Further information: https://taronga.org.au/news/2024-02-13/platypus-rescue-hq-opens

Tourism Tasmania has launched an Artificial Intelligence image generator as a fun way for potential visitors to engage with Tasmania, highlighting authenticity and creativity intrinsic to the visitor experience. Instead of images created instantly with a click of a button, TasmanAi results in real artworks such as paintings, illustrations, and drawings to be made over time by one of nine Tasmanian artists. The image prompts are paired with an iconic place in Tasmania and once complete the artwork will be sent to whoever submitted the prompt. Submissions are open until 4 March 2024.

Further information: https://www.tourismtasmania.com.au/news/category/tourism-tasmania/ai-no-match-for-tasmanian-authenticity-introducing-tasmanai/

Telefónica and UN Tourism have signed a new collaboration until 2026 to promote tourism development that is more digital, sustainable, and inclusive. As part of the partnership, a Digital Futures’ initiative aims to integrate big data, IoT, AI, blockchain, cybersecurity, and cloud computing into small and medium-sized enterprises in the tourism sector. Telefónica is one of the world’s leading telecommunications service providers in Europe and Latin America where it has more than 383 million customers.

Further information: https://www.unwto.org/news/telefonica-and-unwto-to-promote-digital-sustainable-and-inclusive-tourism

The World Travel and Tourism Council, in partnership with the Sustainable Tourism Global Centre, have launched a new report revealing total water intensity usage by the global travel industry continues to decrease as the sector continues to grow. The Water Roadmap for Travel and Tourism highlights provides a framework to help the global sector set water targets, reduce their water footprint, and increase water resilience. It can help guide stakeholders on a path to sustainability, emphasising science-based targets, internal prioritisation, appropriate funding, and collaborative measures for a resilient future.

Further information: https://wttc.org/news-article/ground-breaking-report-reveals-that-as-travel-and-tourism-continues-to-grow-its-water-intensity-falls

The world’s first carbon-neutral travel company have released their first annual Sustainability Report detailing the company’s achievements, progress and challenges that come with a commitment to environmentally conscious travel. Natural Habitat Adventures is a global leader in responsible nature travel and the conservation travel partner of World Wildlife Fund. The report also accompanies a major new initiative called Carbon Clear Vision, which adds carbon tracking data to every trip on the company’s website.

Further information: https://www.nathab.com/conservation/sustainability-report/

Visit Greenland, on behalf of Greenland’s tourism industry and sector, has launched a new shared pledge towards more sustainable and responsible tourism development. It is the first step towards certification of the country’s tourism industry and outlines five overarching themes including the importance of respecting and strengthening Greenland’s natural and cultural values, prioritising local communities and businesses, as well as creating new and appealing opportunities in tourism for young people.

Further information: https://traveltrade.visitgreenland.com/pledge/

Iberostar Hotels and Resorts has launched an initiative that measures a guest’s environmental impact calculated in terms of carbon footprint and waste reduction. The ‘Rest Assured’ campaign aims to appeal to the feeling of peace of mind for choosing a sustainable holiday in the knowledge that the company is protecting the environment and the marine ecosystems surrounding its hotels. The campaign concludes with the celebration of World Ocean Day on 8 June 2024.

Further information: https://press.iberostar.com/en/news/iberostar-rest-assured-world-day-ocean

A new guide for Spanish tourism suppliers produced by TurEspaña and The Travel Foundation aims to support small businesses in gathering and using the information required by new environmental, social and governance reporting regimes. It also highlights the ways in which tourism suppliers can use the data to assess their own sustainability performance and drive improvements by streamlining their operations, increasing efficiency, and reducing costs across energy and carbon, waste, pollution, water management, biodiversity impacts, workers in the supply chain and community impacts.

Further information: https://www.thetravelfoundation.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Future-Ready-TurEspana-Nov-2023.pdf

The UN Tourism has opened applications for the 2024 edition of its ‘Best Tourism Villages’ initiative. Over the past three editions, the UN Tourism has received almost 600 applications from nearly 100 countries. The initiative recognises those rural destinations where tourism is being effectively embraced as an opportunity for sustainable growth or preserving unique cultural and natural heritage. Selection is based on an evaluation of their resources and initiatives in nine areas covering the three pillars of sustainable development.

Further information: https://www.unwto.org/tourism-villages/en/news/un-tourism-opens-calls-for-best-tourism-villages-2024/

The Tweed Shire Council has launched a comprehensive roadmap for the future of tourism in the region. The Tweed Destination Management Plan 2024-2030 is a strategic planning tool for the local economy and will be implemented by Tweed Shire Council, The Tweed Tourism Company, and other stakeholders. The plan aligns with both the wider North Coast NSW Destination Management Plan 2022-2030 and the state-based NSW Visitor Economy Strategy 2030.

Further information: https://visitthetweed.com.au/media-release/council-adopts-dmp/

The World Travel and Tourism Council’s report ‘Unlocking Opportunities for Travel & Tourism Growth in Africa,’ focuses on the growth of travel and tourism in Africa and underscores its role in promoting economic, environmental, and social progress across the continent. The report studies the historical trends of the sector and provides a forecast for the next decade. It also identifies the key challenges and opportunities which could propel the region to achieve even higher growth. The report also highlights various countries within Africa that are performing well and provides case studies of best practices in the sector.

Further information: https://researchhub.wttc.org/product/unlocking-opportunities-for-travel-tourism-growth-in-africa-2023

This case study describes the work of Iberostar Hotels and Resorts (Iberostar) to decarbonise, so that learning to date can be shared across the Travel & Tourism sector and beyond. It provides a scalable roadmap for decarbonisation based on the success of Iberostar’s programme. If others adopt the same approach, they will help to accelerate pro-sustainability efforts to decarbonise, to mitigate climate change, and to boost climate adaptation efforts.

Further information: https://researchhub.wttc.org/product/sustainability-leadership-case-studies-iberostar-roadmap-for-decarbonisation-2023

The Western Australia Government has committed $530 million to Tourism Western Australia over the next four years to implement the Visitor Economy Strategy 2033. The 10-year plan outlines key goals and initiatives to grow visitor spend, as well as elevate the world-class tourism destination, its unique cultures, communities, and environment. The strategy was developed in close consultation with the tourism industry and government agencies.

Further information: https://www.tourism.wa.gov.au/About-us/Strategies-plans-reports/Pages/WA-Visitor-Economy-Strategy-2033-(WAVES-2033).aspx#/

Digital travel platform Booking.com has partnered with the UN Tourism to launch a series of free online courses designed to support accommodations on their journey to operate more sustainably. A pilot version of the first course focused on community engagement is now available, with all four courses to be available via the Tourism Online Academy.

Further information: https://partner-courses.booking.com/sustainability/

The 81st professional development field school for the Savannah Guides will be held in Longreach from 19-24 March 2024. It will include core guiding skills workshops, regional familiarisations, networking, and camaraderie.

Further information: https://savannah-guides.com.au/longreach-field-school-march-2024/

The International LGBTQ+ Travel Association has developed a new accreditation program for hotels and accommodations worldwide which takes a comprehensive approach to inclusivity. To obtain the IGLTA Accreditation, hotels must successfully document fulfillment of eight criteria showcasing their dedication to creating a safe and welcoming environment for their staff and LGBTQ+ travellers.

Further information: https://www.iglta.org/articles/post/iglta-launches-global-accreditation-program/

The Guinness Storehouse has been named the world’s leading tourist attraction at the 2023 World Travel Awards, beating Niagara Falls, the Great Wall of China and Machu Picchu. The attraction also took out the category for Top Beer Tour Visitor Experience for the second year in a row. The Guinness Storehouse tells the story of Ireland’s favourite beer from its humble beginnings in 1759 to global fame today and attracts over one million visitors each year.

Further information: https://www.guinness-storehouse.com/en/whats-hoppening/reasons-why-the-guinness-storehouse-is-the-best-visitor-attraction-in-dublin

New research from Booking.com highlights that travel isn’t just an escape, but a catalyst for experiencing our best lives. The 2024 Travel Predictions report shows travellers are increasingly plugging into technology to do the grunt work, freeing them up to stretch their imagination, tune into their intuition and spark more soul-stirring experiences. The research gathered insights from more than 27,000 travellers across 33 countries.

Further information: https://www.booking.com/c/trends/travelpredictions2024.html

The World Travel and Tourism Council, in partnership with Microsoft, have released the first in a series of reports highlighting the potential transformative power of Artificial Intelligence in creating more sustainable, personalised, and meaningful travel experiences. The Artificial Intelligence in Action report also highlights the capabilities of Artificial Intelligence in predicting future demand patterns, allocating resources, and providing valuable insights for governments and travel and tourism stakeholders.

Further information: https://wttc.org/news-article/ai-set-to-revolutionise-travel-and-tourism-says-latest-wttc-report

Expedia has released its Unpack ’24 annual report which provides a comprehensive look at travel trends using data from Expedia, Wotif and Stayz. The report offers a comprehensive analysis and insights into motivations behind consumer choices and the trends redefining the travel landscape. The report provides a picture of the future of travel in 2024 and beyond marked by technological advancement and the exploration of unconventional destinations. It is based on extensive first-party travel data and a global consumer survey encompassing 20,000 individuals.

Further information: https://www.expedia.com.au/travel-trends-unpack-24/

The Deloitte Access Economics Tourism Market Outlook provides insights into the issues facing the Australian tourism sector. It provides an in-depth analysis of recent trends in the global and Australian economies and the implications of these trends for the domestic and international tourism markets. The future of Australia’s tourism sector depends on the interplay of macroeconomic factors including cost of living pressures, high inflation, and rising interest rates while the volatile geopolitical landscape adds further unease to consumer travel confidence.

Further information: https://www.deloitte.com/au/en/Industries/consumer/analysis/tourism-market-outlook.html

Tourism Research Australia has published a report which provides a snapshot of Australia’s visitor economy workforce in 2023. The Tourism Workforce Report draws on a range of data sources and covers the size and composition of the tourism workforce, vacancies in tourism-related occupations, recruitment activity and the availability of international labour.

Further information: https://www.tra.gov.au/en/economic-analysis/tourism-workforce-report

Ecotourism Australia’s Global Sustainable Tourism Summit, launching in Brisbane, Australia on 4-6 June, will explore the theme ‘People, Planet, Place, Purpose’, delving into how all sectors of the visitor economy can address the four pillars of sustainability.

The event will bring together expert international and Australian speakers representing sustainable tourism operators, industry sectors and destinations that are delivering on world’s best-practice sustainability. Topics include travel trends, indigenous engagement, regenerative tourism, wildlife tourism, cruising, sustainable accommodation, accessibility in nature and more.

Program details are now available and registrations are open.

Further information: https://www.ecotourism.org.au/conference

The inaugural Talking Tourism Business Forum in Darwin on 15 March 2024. The conference aims to engage and inspire those operating businesses within the tourism industry, support connections across sectors and the country.

Further information: https://aapevents.eventsair.com/2023-australian-tourism-awards/forum

The TULU World Indigenous Tourism Summit will be held in Taiwan from 16-20 April 2024. Participants will explore how to utilise Indigenous cultures and natural ecosystems to share the economic benefits brought about by the sustainable development of Indigenous tourism.

Further information: https://www.wits2024.com.tw/en/

The 3rd Sustainability Is Responsibility Summit will be held in Singapore from 18-21 May 2024. The summit aims to foster collaborations in cross-sector learning and set the path for a more sustainable future for the travel industry.

Further information: https://ustoa.com/events/sir-singapore-2024

The 54th Annual Travel and Tourism Research Association International Conference which will be held in Burlington, Vermont from 11-13 June 2024. The conference aims to explore the latest travel and tourism research trends, data, and technology.

Further information: https://ttra.com/events/annual-2024/