Jitters from soaring Aussie dollar
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The Australian dollar goes for around 92 US cents now – great news for Australians going overseas but it makes an Australia holiday more expensive for foreigners.
With the dollar showing no signs of falling any time soon, tourism providers are being told to start marketing uniquely Australian concepts more vigorously to remain competitive, the report said.
The Tourism Export Council (TEC) is championing “health tourism” – plastic surgery, eye operations, even heart surgery, with a holiday at the Great Barrier Reef.
TEC spokesman Matthew Hingerty was quoted saying that the health tourism market is estimated to be worth A$100 billion with countries like India being a major player.
“We in Australia are perfectly set up to service that market because we sometimes overlook the fact that we’re clean and we’re pure, you can breathe the air, you can drink the water.”
“People are looking at Australia and saying, ‘Well, maybe we should travel to Australia for a health service and a holiday thereafter’.”
Tourism Transport Forum (TTF) spokesman Christopher Brown was quoted saying that Australia should look to high-yield customers, not backpackers.
“I think what it does show is the need to be chasing a high-yield market.
“They are less concerned about dollar fluctuations, rather than (someone on a) mass-market, cheapest price, big package tour,” he was quoted saying.
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