Tag Archives: Tourism Australia

Turkish Airlines launches Sydney route

 

Turkish Airlines has achieved a significant milestone with the launch of its longest flight, connecting Istanbul and Sydney. This historic addition marks Sydney as the airline’s second destination in Australia, following Melbourne earlier this year. Operated on the state-of-the-art Airbus A350-900, the flight covers a 9,300-mile route via Kuala Lumpur and offers four weekly services. The airline’s expansion to Sydney reflects its commitment to strengthening ties between Türkiye and Australia, promoting tourism, trade, and cultural exchange.

Passengers can enjoy Turkish Airlines’ renowned hospitality and comfort, with 32 flatbed seats in business class and 297 recliners in economy class. Bilal Ekşi, CEO, emphasised the airline’s goal to introduce non-stop Sydney-Istanbul flights soon, enhancing connectivity between Europe and Australia. Special launch fares starting at 1489 AUD for Sydney to Istanbul flights and 999 USD for Istanbul to Sydney flights are available for bookings made before December 31, 2024, for travel until June 20, 2025.

The launch has been warmly welcomed by officials and the travel industry. New South Wales Minister for Jobs and Tourism, John Graham, highlighted the route’s potential to boost visitor numbers and economic growth across the state, while Scott Charlton,CEO, Sydney Airport, praised the added competition and connectivity the route brings. The service is expected to support 290 jobs and contribute USD 53 million to New South Wales’ visitor economy.

As Australia’s largest city, Sydney offers iconic attractions such as the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge, drawing travelers for both business and leisure. This new route ensures that Sydney becomes an even more accessible gateway to Europe, supported by Turkish Airlines’ expansive global network and unparalleled service.

Australia has seen a surge in leisure, VFR & MICE movement from India

Tourism Australia, Air India ink 3-year MoU to boost arrivals

Tourism Australia and Air India have signed a three-year marketing agreement to sustain and drive the positive trend in Indian visitor arrivals to Australia as the carrier expands its presence in the market.

Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Tourism Australia and Air India will explore opportunities to jointly undertake and implement marketing activities to showcase Australia’s world-class appeal and drive future growth in visitation.

Phillipa Harrison, Managing Director, of Tourism Australia said, “We have seen tremendous growth in the number of arrivals from India to Australia in recent years and we are keen for arrivals to continue to track in that direction. Tourism Australia’s agreement with Air India highlights our commitment to strengthening partnerships and exploring new ways to encourage Indian travellers to plan and book an Australia holiday. We look forward to working closely with Air India to showcase Australia as a holiday destination.”

Andrew Hogg, Executive General Manager of Eastern Markets and Aviation, Tourism Australia, said, “As one of Australia’s valuable tourism markets, India holds immense promise, and we’re excited to collaborate with Air India to further elevate Australia’s appeal for high-yielding Indian leisure and business travellers. We aim to sustain growth in visitor numbers from India to Australia while enhancing travel experiences and connectivity between the two countries.”

Campbell Wilson, CEO & MD, Air India said, “We are excited to partner with Tourism Australia to facilitate travellers’ experiences of the unique offerings this destination has to offer. As we broaden our network across the globe, we aim to deepen our presence in Australia as well.”

Air India currently operates 17 weekly non-stop flights connecting India and Australia. In the year to August 2024, the airline transported over 170,000 Indian travellers, securing an 18.5% market share and remains one of the largest carriers of traffic from India to Australia.

Malaysia Airlines partners with Tourism Australia for special fares for Indians

Malaysia Airlines, in partnership with Tourism Australia has launched a campaign aimed at inviting travellers to explore the diverse experiences that Australia has to offer.

The campaign will run from till September 11, 2024, featuring special fares by Malaysia Airlines starting from just INR 39,999 for Economy class and INR 119,999 for Business class return flights, making it easier than ever to discover ASydney, Melbourne, Perth, ustralia’s iconic destinations.

This collaboration highlights Malaysia Airlines’ commitment to connecting Asia and beyond with Australia, focusing on four of the country’s most sought-after cities: and Adelaide.

Travellers can experience Australia with all-in return fares valid for travel until March 30, 2025, giving them ample opportunity to plan their next great adventure.

Additionally, passengers can also enjoy additional benefits when booking with Malaysia Airlines, with features like Economy Flex fares that offer flexibility on rebooking or ticket changes, priority boarding, and generous baggage allowances to accommodate all the travel essentials.

Commenting on the joint campaign with Tourism Australia, Dersenish Aresandiran, Chief Commercial Officer of Airlines from Malaysia Aviation Group, said, “We are delighted to collaborate with Tourism Australia to showcase the best of this remarkable country. As a leading carrier connecting Asia to Australia and beyond, we are dedicated to making it easier for travellers to discover the unique blend of culture, nature, and adventure that Australia is known for. With our renowned Malaysian Hospitality, we look forward to welcoming travellers on board as they embark on their next unforgettable journey.”

“We are thrilled to partner with Malaysia Airlines on this campaign to enhance travel experiences and connectivity between Australia and India. We are excited for travellers to come and explore the breathtaking landscapes and vibrant cities of Australia and experiences it has to offer. We invite you to take advantage of this chance to experience Australia’s unique attractions and renowned hospitality, all while enjoying the superior service of Malaysia Airlines,” said Nishant Kashikar, Country Manager India and Gulf from Tourism Australia.

Tourism Australia appoints Edward Kwek as Senior Business Events Manager for South and South East Asia 

Tourism Australia has appointed Edward Kwek as Senior Business Events Manager for South and South East Asia. He reports to Regional Business Events Director for Asia, Edea Lu.

Taking up the role in Singapore, Kwek will support the implementation of business events distribution strategies and partnerships in South and South East Asia’s MICE segment, as well as engage with key customers and stakeholders through joint event activities in the region.

With 17 years of experience, he was most recently Trade Manager Business Events for Tourism New Zealand, where he oversaw the development and implementation of business events strategy for South East Asia. Prior to that, he was the Regional Director of Southeast Asia & India at Melbourne Convention Bureau.

Speaking about the appointment, Edea Lu, Regional Business Events Director for Asia, Tourism Australia, said, “We are pleased to welcome Edward Kwek to Tourism Australia in Singapore, as South and South East Asia remain our key markets driving Australia’s business events industry. Our research shows that these regions are recovering and growing at a rapid pace – in the first quarter of 2024, business events expenditure in Australia from India and Singapore reached 97% and 106% of 2019 numbers respectively. In total, South and South East Asia markets injected A$716 million into the economy from January to March 2024.”

She added, “It is now more important than ever for Tourism Australia to amplify our engagement with South and South East Asia’s business events customers, and strengthen Australia’s position as a desirable destination for corporate events. Edward’s experience and expertise will be instrumental in driving our business events strategy across the region and growing our business events segment.”

Speaking on his new role with Tourism Australia, Kwek said: “I look forward to working closely with incentive planners, Australian industry operators and the convention bureaus to create exciting, memorable and impressive experiences that celebrate the success of delegates.”

Tourism Australia confident of ATE delivering pre-Covid arrivals

The 44th edition of Tourism Australia’s largest annual trade event, the Australian Tourism Exchange 2024 (ATE24), officially opened in Melbourne with thousands of delegates taking part in the event at the Melbourne Convention and Entertainment Centre.

ATE24 kicked off on Monday, 20th May and will run until Thursday, 23rd May. During the event 1,500 members of the Australian tourism industry will meet 714 global tourism wholesalers and retailers across around 50,000 one-on-one business appointments.

Phillipa Harrison, MD, Tourism Australia, said with the number of international travellers arriving on our shores edging closer to the levels experienced in 2019 the business created at ATE24 will be crucial to the future of the Australian tourism industry.

“We are confident this is the year we will return to those 2019 levels so we can stop referring to that benchmark and once again focus on the sustainable growth of our industry which we experienced in the decade leading up to the pandemic,” Harrison said.

“Events like ATE are crucial to helping us achieve that as it brings global tourism wholesalers and retailers from around the world to Melbourne to hear from Australian tourism operators about the experiences they have to offer.” “We know it is also best to show not tell and that’s why the international buyers will also have the opportunity to experience Australia’s tourism offerings first-hand while they are here through pre and post event familiarisations.”

Brendan McClements, CEO, Visit Victoria, said hosting ATE will enable continued growth of Victoria’s visitor economy through showcasing the state’s distinctive tourism experiences to the world. “We’re thrilled to be hosting ATE in Melbourne.

The event provides a global platform for Visit Victoria’s new tourism campaign, Every bit different, which highlights the inclusivity, diversity and creativity of our State’s experiences and regions.” “Victoria’s visitor economy hit a new record high of USD 37.8 billion in December 2023, with Tourism Research Australia forecasting a further USD 16 billion in capacity for growth by 2028, so we’re going all in at ATE to drive that growth in international markets.”

“The benefit for local tourism operators through ATE is immense – they’re networking with global decision makers and media to foster long-term relationships and profile their business on the world stage.”
ATE24 is delivered by Tourism Australia in partnership with Visit Victoria.

India elevates its position to 5th largest source market for Australia crossing 400,000-arrivals mark

Australian Bureau of Statistics has said that arrivals from India for the year-ended January 2024 stood at 402,200, which is 101% increase of 2019 levels. This is the first time that Tourism Australia has crossed the 400,000 arrivals-milestone from India.

India has also significantly improved its ranking to be the 5th largest inbound market for Tourism Australia in 2024, from number 7 in 2019. In the month of January 2024 alone, Australia witnessed 26,200 visitors from India, which is 106% of pre-pandemic levels in 2019. India has also significantly improved its ranking to be the 5th largest inbound market for Tourism Australia in 2024, from number 7 in 2019.

Nishant Kashikar, Country Manager – India & Gulf for Tourism Australia, said, “This resurgence of Indian tourists to Australia is a testament to the resilience and rebound of international travel, particularly from one of our most valued markets. This is a clear indicator of the strong desire for travel and exploration among the Indian travelers, who are drawn to Australia’s unique landscapes, wildlife, and the multicultural vibrancy of our cities.”