Extra funds to boost Australia’s Asian tourism drive

Andrew McEvoy launches “There’s Nothing Like Australia” in Shanghai

Tourism Australia has confirmed plans to accelerate its marketing activities in Asia, with four key strategic projects to commence this year under the Australian government’s new Asia Marketing Fund.

The new funding – worth up to AU$48.5 million (US$50.5m) over the next four years – will be in addition to the AU$37.5m already allocated to Asia within Tourism Australia’s marketing budget for 2012-13. The first year of the new fund will focus on four strategic projects, including expanding the country’s Chinese marketing drive to include the cities of Qingdao, Chengdu and Chongqing, strengthening the Japanese inbound market, boosting aviation partnerships, and developing the New Tourism Research Australia (TRA) data, which is designed to support the campaigns.

“This new fund provides an unprecedented opportunity to further drive existing and new marketing initiatives in our fastest growing and most valuable inbound visitor markets,” said Tourism Australia’s Managing Director, Andrew McEvoy.

“Based on Tourism Australia’s long-term commitment to Asia and the positive response we’re getting to our marketing activities, this new fund will help bolster the growth and remain competitive with the more than 100 destinations trying to get the same business,” he added.

The roll-out of the “There’s Nothing Like Australia” campaign into Qingdao, Chengdu and Chongqing follows the June 2012 Chinese launch in Shanghai. Tourism Australia said the campaign’s website has already been viewed more than 20 million times in Greater China.

As well as tapping the fast-growing Chinese market, Tourism Australia will aim to rebuild the Japanese market. Plans include developing a “There’s nothing like Australia”-themed broadcast initiative to engage with Japanese consumers and encourage them to travel to choose a holiday in Australia.

Tourism Australia will also inject part of the new funding into developing new cooperative marketing campaigns with a target list of Asian airlines and airports, as well as conducting a series of research projects aimed at better understanding Asian visitors and tourism trends.

By Mark Elliott, 19 August 2012, Sunday 3:07 AM