Americans targeted in $50m deal

Americans targeted in $50m deal
By Daisy Melwani


Australia is set to win over US travellers with a low Aussie dollar and a landmark deal between TA and VA.

Tourism Australia and Virgin Australia are expected to renew their ongoing relationship with both parties to jointly spend $50 million to promote Australia to the world in key international markets, particularly America, over the next five years.

The new deal represents the largest ever commercial arrangement the national tourism body has entered into with an airline partner, and adds to its existing three year arrangement with the airline.

The primary marketing focus of the deal will be targeting US travellers, Australia’s fourth largest inbound market which is currently worth more than $2.6 billion in annual tourism expenditure and predicted to grow up to $5.5 billion by 2020.

“Building strong and sustainable relationships with our airline partners has become a key plank in our growth strategy and nowhere has this approach been more productive than in our evolving partnership with Virgin Australia, particularly some of the great recent work we’ve been doing together in the United States,” Tourism Australia managing director, John O’Sullivan, said.

The funding is expected to cover marketing campaigns as well as trade and business events such as ATE and Dreamtime to boost both inbound leisure and corporate travellers.

“Virgin Australia is fortunate to have four of the best airline partners in the world – Air New Zealand, Delta Air Lines, Etihad Airways and Singapore Airlines – all of whom are invested in supporting Australia’s growth as a business and leisure destination. We look forward to working closely with our partners and Tourism Australia to market Australia on the world stage in innovative and powerful ways”, Virgin Australia chief executive officer, John Borghetti, said.

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