Voyages makes play for China

Voyages makes play for China
By admin


Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia is making a major play for the Chinese market as it predicted Chinese visitors to its Ayers Rock Resort would double in the next three years.

Executive general manager sales and marketing Ray Stone told Travel Today Chinese numbers had been “negligible” when the management company took over the resort in May last year. They now account for between 6% and 8% of international guests, a figure which Stone expects to climb to 20% over the next three years.

The firm has appointed two public relations consultants based in Shanghai to drive a “major” social media effort there. It is also hopeful that its recently launched offer of free indigenous tourism experiences at the resort will resonate with the market.

Stone stressed that the resort still had “good business” from Europe, despite a 7% downturn on last year’s visitor numbers due to the difficult economic climate. Japanese guests were starting to return, he added, up 28% on last year.

“It’s a major market for us,” he said.

Domestic guests make up 50% of the resort’s visitors, and although numbers were flat, they were still on par with last year.

Meanwhile, Voyages is focusing on improving the value proposition at the resort. A $38 million refurbishment is currently underway, and prices have been reduced with a two night “tactical rate” introduced.

The average length of stay has grown to 2.1 nights from 1.8 when Voyages stepped in, Stone revealed.

“We’d like to get it to 2.5,” he said.

Latest News

  • Technology

Booking.com launches AI Trip Planner in Australia and New Zealand

Booking.com has announced its AI Trip Planner (Beta) is now available for travellers in Australia and New Zealand, the first markets to launch in Asia Pacific. Until now, AI Trip Planner was only available for US and UK travellers after it was launched in the Booking.com app in June last year. Built using Booking.com’s existing […]

  • Products

Embrace the journey: Traversing the world with the Shokz OpenRun

If you’ve been on the wrong side of a final call in the airport, or missed the stop on rail journey, it might be time to invest in a pair of Shokz OpenRun headphones. Originally marketed as headphones for fitness fanatics, runners or cyclists with a keen to steer clear of a prang with a car, […]

  • Tour Operators
  • Tourism

TTC: Deals are driving up demand for September trips

The latest market research from TTC Tour Brands shows interest in international leisure travel remains high for 2024, with 77 per cent of Australians over 18 still planning trips this year. Notably, 28 per cent of those travellers are eyeing September for their journeys. Europe continues to be the most popular destination, with 68 per […]

  • Aviation

Qantas ‘working urgently’ to fix app data leak

Qantas is looking into customer reports that passengers have this morning been able to access other passengers’ personal information on the airlines app. X user Lachlan posted that he was able log into different accounts every time he opened the app. My @Qantas app logs me in to a different person each time I open […]

  • Hotels

Revamped Wailoaloa Beach hotel opens as Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort & Spa

Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort & Spa is open and ready for bookings after the first phase of a multi-million-dollar transformation. Part of IHG Hotels & Resorts’ premium collection, the transformation has seen the completion of 106 guestrooms showcasing contemporary interiors reflective of the premium Crowne Plaza brand and is a first for the […]

  • Luxury
  • News

Kamalaya Koh Samui clinches clutch of wellness awards

Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa has so far clinched five prestigious awards in 2024, including being inducted into the ‘Hall of Fame’ at the World Spa & Wellness Awards in London. Founders of the Koh Samui sanctuary and spa John and Karina Stewart expressed their heartfelt gratitude for the awards. “We are profoundly honoured […]