NSW’s Byron at Byron, a Crystalbrook Collection Resort, is set to reopen on 1 September 2020.

Tourism Australia is promoting a number of ways agents can encourage their clients to experience different sides of Australia while travel is restricted.

‘Storytelling is embedded in Australian culture. Thanks to our creative industry, there are many different means of soaking up our rich culture – even from the comfort of your couch,’ says Phillipa Harrison, managing director of Tourism Australia.

Kangaroo Island Odysseys has launched a new one-night/one-day Kangaroo Island Road to Recovery Tour.

The Surf House in Byron Bay opened yesterday. It includes Byron Bay’s only rooftop bar, The Rooftop, and is the third Byron Bay property from Millett Group which owns boutique hotel Lord Byron and the hostel Wake Up!

Sports Travel and Hospitality (STH) Group has signed a long-term agreement to be the official partner of Rugby Australia.

The move signals the establishment of Sports Travel and Hospitality Australia, trading as Wallabies Travel. On this side of the Tasman, Sports Travel and Hospitality New Zealand has a high profile trading as All Blacks Tours and New Zealand Cricket Tours.

The departure of Tourism Australia’s New Zealand country manager Jenny Aitken will not in itself significantly change the relationship the organisation has had with the general travel trade here for the last five years.

Since 2015, Aitken’s official brief has been almost entirely business events focused (with some exceptions such as working with wholesalers on the Australian Tourism Exchange).

The South Australian Tourism Commission (SATC) has launched a new campaign directed at Kiwis.

The South Australian Tourism Commission (SATC) and Adelaide Airport have thrown their weight behind the trans Tasman travel bubble with plans to welcome Kiwis who are ready to travel once it is safe to do so.  

For the year ending December 2019, record numbers of Kiwis travelled to South Australia to enjoy the state’s food, wine and destinations such as the Murray River and Kangaroo Island, spending more than $45 million in their travels.

Destination NSW has launched the next phase of its tourism recovery campaign, Now’s The Time To Love NSW.

This is spearheaded by TV, social and digital creative which utilises New South Wales’ diverse landscapes and experiences to inspire travellers.

The commercial debuted in New Zealand over the weekend.

ANZCRO Connect has already generated considerable interest amongst the trade in New Zealand but this is set to increase with the current focus on domestic and, as a next step, trans Tasman travel, says the company’s managing director Nick Guthrey.

The specially designed agents’ portal allows travel agents to search, quote and book all of ANZCRO’s product from one platform. It can also be used to create an entire New Zealand itinerary.

The travel and tourism industries of both Australia and New Zealand should be working together to create a ‘runway’ towards reopening trans-Tasman travel, an industry webinar heard this week.

Speaking at the Tourism Temperature digital event, organised by the Tourism Export Council of New Zealand (TECNZ), various speakers felt the trans Tasman travel bubble could fly if the countries’ governments and health authorities also worked together to create safe and highly monitored gateways.

The Aussie Specialist Team has moved the monthly Talkabout webinar series to a weekly schedule through to early June.

The new series kicked off with Annabelle Sweetman from Tourism Tasmania last week, informing agents on the sights of Tassie. Those travelling the island can taste produce straight from the farm and ocean, and meet the makers at cellar doors, farm gates and local markets.

Fact sheets that will help agents sell Western Australia are now available, with more to come.

Acclaimed cook and restaurateur Maggie Beer is sharing daily online videos as part of a new series called ‘Cooking with Maggie’.

Joanna Garrie has moved on from her role as regional manager New Zealand with Visit Victoria.

Australian Wildlife Journeys gives agents a range of close to home experiences to sell to clients who may typically be attracted to destinations such as Africa and the Galapagos, says executive officer John Daw.

Kiwis are being invited to ‘come and play’ in Australia’s sixth largest city as the Gold Coast positions itself as ‘Australia’s favourite playground’.

Held exclusively for Aussie Specialists from Europe, North America and for the first time, New Zealand, Corroboree West 2019 has released a highlights video from the event staged in Perth in October.

The former head of bookseller, Dymocks has been appointed to lead Destination NSW.

A Great Walk of Australia that combines food, wine and nature (plus history and culture) is gaining traction in the New Zealand market and rising interest from the trade here.

Murray River Paddlesteamers has a limited number of cabins available on PS Emmylou’s February and March 2020 departures – most with just one remaining cabin, and up to 40% discounted.

Australia’s cruise industry is celebrating its return to the bushfire-affected communities of Kangaroo Island after this week’s arrival of Sun Princess at the island port of Penneshaw.

Destination New South Wales (DNSW) advises that the State of Emergency due to bushfires was lifted earlier this week.

Working with the travel trade to put together an extended selection of three to five-day packages is one of the goals of Visit Victoria this year, says the organisation’s regional manager New Zealand, Joanna Garrie.

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Australasia reports all major cruise lines in the region are currently operating as scheduled and most Australian cruise destinations are unaffected by the fires.

Travel Agents Association of New Zealand (TAANZ) president Brent Thomas says the thoughts of the New Zealand travel industry go out to all those who have been impacted by the destructive fires in Australia. 'The bush fires are of a magnitude that we have not seen before and it is hard to comprehend just how ferocious the fire, smoke and heat have been.'

Coral Expeditions, has a new programme of Great Barrier Reef expeditions from June 2021.

Williment Travel has released its flagship Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 tours for 2020.

AAT Kings and Inspiring Journeys are offering industry partners the opportunity to explore trans-tasman at limited-time exclusive rates.

New accommodation based on private home living is opening in Lord Howe Island, an hour and a half flight out of Sydney, early 2020.

Opera Australia is still waiting for the first Kiwi taking up its offer to have a walk on role in La Boheme, with the next opportunity for clients to do so in January 2020.

Flinders Ranges Odysseys has launched a new three-day Flinders Ranges Outback Tour beginning 3 April 2020.

Congratulations to Zoe Christensen from Flight Centre Cambridge, who is the lucky winner of the recent Aussie Specialist Program incentive.

A demand for premium product has led Kiwi ex-pats Lillian and Ian Mann to launch Travel Norfolk, a service for travellers wanting flexibility, custom made experiences, and the reassurance of having someone ‘on the ground’ to ensure that special excursions are pre-booked and confirmed before they leave home.

New Zealand’s Tourism Talent has launched in Australia, operating in both New South Wales and Western Australia.

Phillipa Harrison is the new managing director of Tourism Australia.

When Benny Ford opened The Black Anchor Bar in Norfolk Island last November, he filled a gap in the market. He opened a casual bar where people could relax after work, with a cocktail, craft beer or wine. Open Thursday to Saturday from 5pm till midnight, The Black Anchor serves  ‘pop up’ bar food from offsite caterers – dumplings on Thursdays, tacos on Fridays and American barbecue food on Saturdays.

The Black Anchor is a fitting name for someone who has worked for 20 years as a sea captain, and grew up on boats. Doubling as port manager by day, Ford has lived on the island for three years. ‘Norfolk Island is the place that everyone in Byron Bay

Agents can tune in to the Victoria webinar this week, plus be in to win a trip to South Australia.

AIM Holidays is reminding agents that it has packages available for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Sydney from 17 to 19 October at the ANZ Stadium.

Brisbane has landed a major tourism windfall after being selected to host one of the world’s largest travel industry conferences.

National Wine Centre of Australia, Adelaide has launched a new series of tours for individuals, and small and larger groups.

SeaLink has a second departure date for its 13-day Follow the Winter Sun in Queensland Escorted Tour after a sellout July inaugural tour.

SeaLink Travel Group has appointed Donna Gauci as chief operating officer (COO).

The new Broken Hill Outback Resort has two new offers for the resort’s camping and van sites and new, deluxe spa cabins.
Until 31 July 2019, outback explorers who stay on one of the camping and van sites for three nights, can stay a fourth night for free. And those looking for extra comfort can stay in one of the new spa cabins for A$155 a night per cabin, usually A$185. The self-contained cabins feature a king bed, fold-out

From ‘sight fishing’ for brown trout in the wilds of Tasmania to dropping a line in Sydney Harbour, Australia’s diversity of fishing options is a key to the sector’s success, says Dean Cooper, Great Fishing Adventures of Australia.
Great Fishing Adventures is one of Tourism Australia’s Signature Experience series and Cooper says the key is to be on the water with someone who is passionate about their region.

By Aleisha Moore
A platform to connect travellers with locals for real, immersive experiences is gaining huge traction on the Gold Coast.

Destination Gold Coast is surging ahead with its New Zealand campaign off the back of an 11.5% increase in Kiwi travellers visiting the Australian hot spot in 2018.

A Visit Victoria, Air New Zealand campaign designed to boost Kiwi traffic to Melbourne will give agents an extra hook to sell the destination in its traditionally slow mid winter period.

Clients can re-visit the 50’s and 60’s party era with Bill Parton and his band as they perform the Rat Pack Era show on the Murray Princess’ music cruise departing 19 July 2019.

Aussie Specialist agents in New Zealand are invited to participate in Corroboree West 2019, taking place from 7 to 11 October in Perth, with applications to attend now open.