Destination Wrap: NT launches new tourism brand, Fiji celebrates record arrivals + MORE!

A visitor skidding on the red dirt at Uluru.<br /><br />One of the great natural wonders of the world, Uluru towers above the surrounding landscape. Uluru is not only a spectacular natural formation, but its a deeply spiritual place. You can feel a powerful presence the moment you first set eyes on it.

This week’s Destination Wrap includes plenty of announcements, celebrations and shake-ups, which are almost as exciting as happy hour at our local.

Tourism NT launches new brand to attract travellers, following key market research

Image: Supplied by Northern Territory Government

Image: Supplied by Northern Territory Government

‘Different in every sense’ will replace Tourism NT’s ‘Do the NT’ tagline as part of a new brand positioning aimed at attracting more visitors to the Northern Territory.

The deliberate departure from ‘Do the NT’, which first launched in 2013, follows extensive market research across key markets in Australia and across the globe.

According to the Northern Territory Government, the new brand reflects the NT’s tourism products and services on “an experiential level”, not just the iconic landmarks and scenery, and evokes how a visit to the NT should make people feel.

Fiji celebrates another record year of arrivals

Tourism Fiji is celebrating another year of record visitor arrival to the destination for the financial year 2018–19 with growth across all key inbound markets.

The Fijian Bureau of Statistics (FBS) reported almost 900,000 visitors to Fiji with an overall growth of 4.2 per cent for 18-19 from the previous year.

The launch of new properties such as Six Senses Fiji in the Mamanuca Islands, the recent opening of Pullman Nadi Bay Resort and Spa, multi-million dollar renovations across popular Denarau and Coral Coast properties, and new experiences such as Fun Hub by VOU Dance and EcoTrax, has helped stimulate greater interest in the destination among Australians.

Fiji’s overall visitor arrivals for its financial year reached 895,137, FBS confirmed.

Industry welcomes new Tourism Australia head

Phillipa Harrison

Members of the tourism industry have welcomed the appointment of Phillipa Harrison as Tourism Australia’s new managing director.

“Ms Harrison has a wealth of experience in the tourism sector and I look forward to working closely with her in coming months to help promote our industry,” Tourism Accommodation Australia (TAA) CEO Michael Johnson said.

“I believe Ms Harrison will be a great asset to the entire industry and have confidence that with her at the helm, Tourism Australia will continue to go from strength to strength.”

“Pip is a fantastic appointment. She brings considerable experience and industry knowledge to one of the most important jobs in our industry,” Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) managing director Peter Shelley said.

“The relationship between Tourism Australia, ATEC and the inbound industry is a true partnership in selling our tourism products to the world, and its success is the basis for the future growth of Australia’s tourism export sector.”

Hawaii Tourism Authority releases education campaign

The Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA), in collaboration with the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau (HVCB), is sharing information on cultural etiquette through a new visitor campaign – the ‘Kuleana Campaign’.

The campaign includes 15-, 30- and 60-second videos that are aimed at curbing some of the challenges each of Hawaii’s counties are facing, with topics including ocean safety, ocean conservation, culture, land safety, astute renting, and ‘pono tourism’.

The videos – which were created for Oahu, Maui County, Kauai, and Hawaii Island – are currently being shown by several airlines, including Alaska Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Hawaiian Airlines and Southwest Airlines, to travellers visiting the islands. Hotels across the state are also reportedly showing the videos in their rooms.

In addition, when visitors log in to their Facebook and Instagram accounts, they will see the “Kuleana” videos pop up on their feeds while they’re in Hawaii, thanks to geo-targeting technology.

Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo unveils all-new wellness experience Monaco views

Image: Supplied by Visit Monaco

Image: Supplied by Visit Monaco

On behalf of Visit Monaco, Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo has revealed an all-new wellness experience: the Wellness Sky Club.

The 500-square-metre space located on the top floor of the 5-star hotel offers 360° views of The Prince’s Palace and the Place du Casino and is exclusively reserved for hotel guests who are My Monte-Carlo loyalty members.

The space – which includes an outdoor infinity pool, state-of-the-art gym equipment, steam room and sauna – adds to the 5-star property’s existing wellness offering, such as the Thermes Marins Monte-Carlo.

St George celebrates Multicultural River Dragon Festival despite dust and drought

Image: Charlotte Allen Photography

Image: Charlotte Allen Photography

Despite heavy dust storms and heat wave on Friday, 6 September, the community of St George in south west Queensland soldiered on to deliver their biennial event, the Multicultural River Dragon Festival, in a bid to lift community spirits during drought.

The local community threw out the welcome mat inviting visitors a to join them for dragon boat racing, water skiing demonstrations, multicultural food grazing, country markets, street parade, retro cars and live entertainment, including Wendy Matthews.

The community festival, which was started as an homage to the town’s namesake, has grown to celebrate the various aspects of the St George and wider Balonne Shire community, help raise funds for local causes and act as a chance for the community to come together during tough times.

New Zealand says “39”

As Japan prepares to host thousands of rugby fans, New Zealand has come together with their national rugby team the All Blacks, and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to say ‘thank you’ to the Japanese people.

Part of a campaign launched yesterday – ‘New Zealand says 39’ – the All Blacks have expressed a deep gratitude on behalf of New Zealand to the people of Japan for looking after their team and fans as they arrive for the tournament.

New Zealand says 39 acknowledges the connection between the two nations and the shared passion and pride in hospitability toward others – called omotenashi in Japan and manaakitanga in New Zealand.

The number 39 in Japan means (San Kyu) and is a cultural symbol that is meaningful, recognisable and respected as meaning thank you.

VisitorPoint celebrates new tourism industry partnership

Image: Supplied by VisitorPoint. Stacey Scott, business development manager VisitorPoint

Image: Supplied by VisitorPoint. Stacey Scott, business development manager VisitorPoint

A new tourism business partnership between New Zealand’s top brochure distribution company and Australia’s leading online booking platform is being hailed as a ‘win win’ for the travel trade.

VisitorPoint, New Zealand’s only national distributor of tourism information, has joined forces with global travel-tech group, Adventium Technology.

According to VisitorPoint, the company currently distributes over 3,500 brochure titles from New Zealand tourism operators throughout the country.

The new arrangement will mean all current and future users of the Adventism TravelDesk booking platform throughout Australia and New Zealand will have a seamless platform on which to order stock through VisitorPointOnline.

Brisbane 2031 vision to encourage tourist spend 

More than 500 operators, investors, industry, local councils and government partners have joined forces to deliver a bold new 12-year vision to encourage visitors to stay longer and spend more in the Brisbane region.

The ‘Visitor Economy 2031 Vision’ for the Brisbane region targets travellers and aims to build experiences in Brisbane, encourage brand awareness and global advocacy and encourage visitors to explore the entire Brisbane region – using Brisbane as a base to explore Australia.

Some of the initiatives currently underway include:

  • A $10 million cooperative marketing program in collaboration with Brisbane Marketing, Brisbane Airport Corporation and the State Government targeting North America and ASEAN markets where there are direct flights into Brisbane
  • Brisbane City Council’s River Access Network that has opened-up opportunities for new commissionable tourism products, similar to Sealink and the Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation’s (QYAC) newly launched Yalingbila whale watching tour.

Japanese TV and music star hits the road to promote WA

Japanese television star and musician Takeshi Tsuruno has embarked on a road trip from Perth to Monkey Mia for a Japanese travel show to be broadcast on BS Fuji TV.

The two-hour program, called Tsuruno Tabi, follows Tsuruno and his friends Rui Tsubota and Shinya Ueda as they explore Western Australia’s Coral Coast region.

The WA episode of Tsuruno Tabi marks the first time the show has been filmed outside of Japan and is part of the promotion by Tourism WA, Tourism Australia and All Nippon Airways (ANA) of the new direct flights between Tokyo and Perth.

The flights, which launched on September 1, 2019, are expected to bring an additional 76,000 visitors to WA over the next three years and inject $175.5 million to the State’s economy, according to a statement by Western Australia Tourism Minister Paul Papalia.

Great Barrier Reef coral nursery doubles in size

Image: Supplied by Liz Inglis Media

Image: Supplied by Liz Inglis Media

The Great Barrier Reef’s first ocean-based coral nursery has doubled in size and moved to a location accessible to snorkellers thanks to a $60,000 grant from Powershop, Australia’s only 100 per cent carbon-neutral energy company.

Reef Restoration Foundation CEO Stewart Christie said Powershop had turned paying power bills into a way for customers to have a positive impact on the environment through its program, Your Community Energy.

“The Powershop Coral Tree Nursery was established in Welcome Bay at Fitzroy Island off Cairns over the past week as part of our not-for-profit social enterprise’s goal of planting 1 million new corals on the Great Barrier Reef by 2026,” he said.

“The grant from Powershop’s Your Community Energy program has added 10 coral trees to the nursery which will allow the Reef Restoration Foundation to plant thousands more corals a year on the Great Barrier Reef.”

Featured image: Supplied by Northern Territory Government

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