The Minister for Tourism, Martin Ferguson AM MP, has launched a $20 million partnership between Tourism Australia and the Australian tourism industry which will capitalise upon the global economic recovery and stimulate travel to Australia from our top regional trading partners.
Minister Ferguson last October announced that $9 million in marketing funding would be brought forward for a short-term campaign and has now announced a further $11 million contribution of airlines and state and regional tourism organisations.
Minister Ferguson said: “This boost to tourism funding comes at a very important time.
“As the global economy continues to recover and people again start to travel for business and leisure, both government and the private sector need to be on the front foot in presenting Australia as an attractive and compelling destination.
“This funding will support marketing campaigns throughout the first half of 2010 in international markets, it will support charter flights for the Chinese New Year period, and importantly, it will also fund initiatives to stimulate domestic business travel which fell away badly in 2009 as a result of the economic downturn.”
Tourism Australia has secured campaign activity with 11 airline partners, seven state tourism organisations, and two regional tourism offices for the tourism recovery effort.
The $20 million campaign activities will include campaigns in key markets such as New Zealand, China, Hong Kong, Japan, India, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Gulf region to take advantage of improving consumer confidence.
Tourism Australia will also provide marketing support for 24 special charter or supplementary flights, bringing more than 7,000 additional seats into Australia from Greater China and Japan in February and March.
To assist the Business Events sector recovery, Tourism Australia will deliver a $2 million program of initiatives with industry partners to stimulate domestic business events travel. An extensive program, aimed at boosting delegate numbers at events and also on stimulating regional business events travel is planned. Thirteen projects are under consideration with the Convention Bureaux and state tourism organisations collectively matching Tourism Australia’s $1 million spend.
Minister Ferguson said: “I am very pleased with how the industry and the different tourism organisations have responded so positively to the Government’s initiative and we look forward to seeing tourism to Australia grow throughout 2010 as a result of this cooperation.”
