Last month I attended a Tourism Australia networking evening at Elements of Byron. Now before I go on, I have no allegiance to Tourism Australia, it just turns out that I’m now a massive supporter.
So, apart from meeting some pivotal tourism industry personalities, what I took away from that evening was the overwhelming support that Tourism Australia is providing to the hospitality industry as a whole. What’s amazing is that the support is not limited at a national level, it’s focused on small, medium and growing communities. And what really gives me an extra level of confidence in our tourism future, is the team behind the brand. The Tourism Australia board members are level-headed, commercial and extremely well-rounded when it comes to the tourism and hospitality space.
It’s great to see a mix of skill on board members, with some from private sector corporations and others who run their own businesses. But what impressed me the most was their unconditional love for Australia and their passion to improve tourism locally and present it globally.
At the time of the networking evening, board members were on a journey around the country, visiting every nook and cranny, and turning their focus to everything that promotes and supports domestic and international visitors. A great example of their forward thinking, was instead of taking a negative approach to Airbnb, they’ve decided to work with them and improve their platform. Instead of bypassing the smaller southern Gold Coast suburbs, they spent a day immersing themselves in what the area and hospitality operators had to offer.
What’s exciting is that the board members appear highly responsive and unquestionably willing to transform the industry. They are encouraging innovation and looking to lead Australia into the ever-evolving digital tourism arena.
So, what’s in it for tourism and hospitality operators and owners – well in my opinion, a phenomenal support and advertising network. The Tourism Australia group seems willing to listen. If you need support in your region, reach out, tell them what you need and what you’d like to see:
Have a look at their programs. There’s a great one called the “The Aussie Specialist Program”, described as ‘an innovative online course designed to give frontline travel sellers the knowledge and skills needed to sell Australia effectively to their customers.’
Whether you’re operating a small 20 room motel or a 160 room resort, I’m now confident that Tourism Australia will back you.
If you want to get in front of the big players, attend one of their industry events. They’re great for a catch up, informative and spectacular if you want to expand your tourism and hospitality network.
I think we’re in for an exciting, bright future in Australian tourism.
Special thanks to Elements of Byron for delivering a great evening.