Tourism
Australia
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Tourism
Australia
Tourism
Australia promo by Human Statue BodyArt (Photo
credit: Human Status BodyArt)
Tourism
Australia is a statutory authority of the Australian
Government, which promotes Australia as a tourism
destination internationally and domestically and delivers
research and forecasts for the sector. Tourism Australia
reports to the Cabinet Minister with responsibility
for tourism, the Hon Martin Ferguson AM, MP.
Established
on 1 July 2004, Tourism Australia brings together
the collective skills and knowledge of four separate
organisations: the Australian Tourist Commission;
See Australia; the Bureau of Tourism Research and
Tourism Forecasting Council.
The
main objectives of Tourism Australia under the Tourism
Australia Act 2004 are to:
* Influence people to travel to Australia, including
for events;
* Influence people travelling to Australia to also
travel throughout Australia;
* Influence Australians to travel throughout Australia,
including for events;
* Help foster a sustainable tourism industry in Australia;
and
* Help increase the economic benefits to Australia
from tourism.
Tourism
Australia is a statutory body subject to the Commonwealth
Authorities and Companies Act 1997 (CAC Act). This
recognises the commercial focus of the new body and
the need for it to operate flexibly in a commercial
environment. (Credit:
Tourism Australia).
Website
Tourism
Australia
Articles
James
Packer Crown Casino Whale Talks Tourism, by Greg Tingle
- 19th March 2011
Australia's
foremost gambling tycoon, James Packer, is growing
tied of the Australian government's lack of action
in improving the tourism sector, which in return effects
his casino tourism arm, with the high rollers, schools
of "whales", super dolphins and the like
tipping to be swimming more for oriental waters, rather
than down under Pacific Ocean way. Yep, that's the
general school of thought.
Singapore
is continuing a roaring trade in the casino and resort
tourism dollar, and insiders think this this may be
beginning to really snatch away some potential business
from Melbourne's Crown Casino and Burswood, which
now boasts two of the most valuable and profitable
integrated casino resorts in the world, Packer says
the time for talk is over.
"One
of the problems for state and federal governments
of both political persuasions in Australia is that
no one sets any key performance indicators for tourism,"
he told Rupert Murdoch publication, The Weekend Australian.
"That
lets people muddle about on things with good intentions
without ever actually making the rubber hit the road.
Whereas in Singapore, it is all about the rubber hitting
the road.
"They
are a country that used to get the same number of
tourists as Australia, around 5 million. They are
now at 11 million tourists. We are at 5 million. And
they have stated publicly that they have an aim and
ambition that they will receive 17 million tourists
in 2015."
Singapore
has bragging rights of 13 consecutive months of record
visitor numbers, achieving its highest visitor arrivals
for a single month in December with 1.1 million visitors,
16% up on last year.
Experts
tip the main attribute in seeing Singapore's big numbers
is last year's launch of the $4.4 billion Resorts
World Sentosa casino and the $5.94bn Marina Bay Sands,
the second most expensive casino in the world.
Both
casino resorts are understood to have accounted for
1.7% of Singapore's nominal gross domestic product
last year when GDP leap frogged 14.7%.
Packer
has a few more reasons than the average Joe to be
a bit worried about the rise of the Singapore dragons
(no offence to dragons, including dragons in training
or Singaporeans). Singapore is writing the "who
to" book and blueprint on casino tourism, just
when many experts thought Macau were the experts.
The
Singapore dragons wrath on the regional casino market
gave birth to an 8% dip in VIP turnover at Packer's
two dinkum Aussie casinos, Crown in Melbourne and
Burswood in Perth, in the 6 months to December 31.
Burswood really felt the pain, with VIP whale revenue
down 14.3% compared with Crown's 5.5 % dive.
Crown
states 15% of its casino revenues comes from high-rollers.
That's a considerable amount.
Packer
points to the way Australia sells itself to the world,
and specifically affluent Asians, as a tourist destination,
and he chooses his words carefully.
"We
are not saying it is the government's fault. We are
saying we would like to work with the government to
try and make Australia a more attractive and compelling
and successful tourism destination".
The
recent Japanese natural disasters, along with our
our own floods and cyclones in Queensland, are expected
to put increased pressure on Japanese tourism, the
fifth-largest provider of inbound tourists to Australia
behind New Zealand, Britain, the US and China.
"We
all thought the Oprah exercise (where Tourism Australia
last year paid $1.5m for 100 minutes of US exposure
on Oprah Winfrey's TV chat show) was fantastic, but
when I was in America just recently I saw an advertisement
with three Americans in a Land Rover driving around
a paddock watching kangaroos. And I thought to myself,
it is a lovely image but to be kind, it is very niche,"
Packer says.
Packer
says Crown wants more from what he terms his "silent
majority partners".
"The
total taxes we paid last year to the three levels
of government...federal, state and municipal...was
well over double our net profit after tax. We believe
we are investing in our businesses, providing the
government with an excellent economic return for our
licences and we also think we are working hard to
ensure that our other stakeholders benefit from our
business," he says.
"The
government is doing very well being the silent majority
partner of our company and we are competing against
some of the biggest and most successful companies
in the world and what we are trying to do is bring
more people to Australia to spend money and conduct
economic activity here."
Crown
and competitor Tabcorp Holdings, owner of 'Sin City'
Sydney's Star City and the Gold Coast's Jupiters casinos,
are spending billions of dollars on big capital expenditure
programs, including revamped VIP gaming facilities,
hotels, lear jets and more.
"My
impression is that we have spent more on capital expenditure
in the past five years than any non-mining industrial
company in Australia," Packer says. "I think
there is a perception out there that these businesses
are licences to print money. They are terrific businesses,
but they are not that. These businesses have a very
significant ongoing capex requirement, which places
limits on the real cash available to be returned to
shareholders."
A
not particularly well known fact is that last year,
Crown received the Employer of the Year award at the
Australian Government's Australian Training Awards.
Packer's
call for a more integrated tourism strategy for Australia
is fully supported by Tourism Australia chairman and
ex Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon, who is also
on the Crown board. "While I am obviously a director
of Crown, it doesn't change the fact that our integrated
resorts in Australia must be competitive with those
in Asia, especially Singapore," Dixon says.
"This
is not just about Crown, it is about...the other integrated
resort casinos within Australia."
What
Crown and Tabcorp are seeking is additional assistance
from government and the private sector on co-ordinating
visa access and improving facilities at airports for
VIP high roller tourists.
In
Singapore, high rolling whales are greeted by officials
at Changi airport, and promptly escorted through a
private lounge area for fast-tracked customs and immigration
procedures.
"We
have started some initial discussions with Melbourne
and Perth airports, and they are quite interested
in the concept," says Crown chief executive Rowen
Craigie. He advised there have been communications
with government and the state and federal tourism
authorities. "The doors seem to be open,"
he says confidently.
Federal
Tourism Minister Martin Ferguson agrees casinos have
an important role to play in the nation's tourism
strategies, as well he should, but he states there
needs to be more research before major decisions are
taken that affect the sector.
"Casinos
attract high-yield visitors that spend on average
double that of other international visitors,"
he shared.
"Through
both our marketing efforts such as the $150m global
'There's Nothing Like Australia' campaign and the
National Long Term Tourism Strategy, we will continue
to work closely with casinos, airlines, hotels, tour
operators and the many other hundreds of thousands
of small businesses in the tourism sector to ensure
Australia remains competitive as a tourism destination.
"That
requires encouraging investment in new stock, finding
the right staff and reducing barriers to their employment
in the sector, while providing comprehensive research
to allow informed decisions to be taken."
Chef
and restaurant owner Neil Perry, also a mate and business
associate of Packer, whose "lucky" seven
Australian restaurants include outlets at Crown and
Burswood, agrees.
"While
I am focused on local clientele, we need a good mix
of international tourists to keep this business vibrant,"
he says.
Chinese
tourists account for $2.8bn to the Australian tourism
industry and by 2017 analysts expect that market will
be worth about $5.5bn.
Korea,
Singapore and Malaysia are also developing markets
for Australia.
In
January, Chinese tourists jumped 63% for the month,
largely a spin off from Chinese New Year celebrations
falling in February. Hong Kong visits were up 26%
and Malaysia 25%.
At
times like these Packer must be glad his had a global
strategy in place, and is not totally at the mercy
of the Australian market.
Packer
and his time are also further developing online gaming
and revenue aspects of Crown Limited, as well as getting
his 50% Betfair better stocked with more online gaming
offerings, acutely aware of recession resistance online
based businesses like PartyGaming and also watching
his mate, Richard Branson, take his airline, tourism,
communication and gaming business to the next level.
Don't
bet against Packer, but the smart money from betting
agencies says that its safe to bet against the Australian
state and federal government - with Labor set to fall,
and a new and motivated Liberal - Nationals coalition
ready to impress the people and the business sector
A
Media Man spokesperson said 'There's no doubt that
the Oprah Winfrey effect has some positive spin off
for Australian tourism, certainly awareness leaped.
Just hoe much different was made to the bottom line
thanks to O is unclear. James Packer makes a good
point about Australian tourism. We have a lot more
to offer than just kangaroos. Bondi Beach is great,
but so are casinos like Crown and Burswood, and our
sports tourism and events are always, and how about
our Aboriginal heritage. We are world class. More
people need to help give the Australian government
the message. Casinos are an idea place to help keep
things going in the right direction, with all of the
tourists, smart money and entertainment to be found."
CEO
Magazine Rejects James Packer Interview Rumour...
Bean
Media Group, publishers of the influential and highly-regarded
business publication, The CEO Magazine, have today
refused to confirm reports that The CEO Magazine will
be conducting an exclusive interview with Australian
businessman, James Packer. The CEO Magazine is Australia's
leading business magazine focused directly at high-level
executives in Australian companies. The CEO Magazine
is a bi-monthly title that provides its readers with
a wealth of articles discussing business strategy,
expert opinion, analysis, corporate case studies,
emerging trends, leadership, growth opportunities
and challenges facing our country's leading business
leaders. The CEO Magazine explores how Australian
businesses can improve the way they manage their operations,
staff, technology and supply chains with a view to
creating a more profitable and successful business.
Whilst The CEO Magazine is extremely meticulous in
selection for interviews within the title, rumours
of a one-on-one interview with James Packer have surfaced
this week. "Due to the high profile nature of
The CEO Magazine, it is impossible for us to confirm
who will be included in upcoming magazines until publication
date. Content is kept strictly between the publisher
and any leading senior executive that have been chosen
for selection," said a spokesperson for publisher,
Bean Media Group. The next issue of The CEO Magazine
is due out next month. About The CEO Magazine, Australia's
leading business title specifically for high-level
and senior executives. The publisher of The CEO Magazine
is Bean Media Group, a multi-award-winning media company
based in Sydney, Australia
Articles
Russell
Crowe: ambassador for Sydney - 27th January 2008
(Credit:
The Sydney Morning Herald)
Actor
Russell Crowe, businessman Peter Holmes a Court and
world surfing champion Layne Beachley have been named
Sydney ambassadors.
NSW
Premier Morris Iemma said the three would help promote
Sydney and NSW to the United States.
"They
are international heavyweights who can influence people
from industry, business, entertainment and sport,"
Mr Iemma said in a statement today.
"Their
public support of Sydney will encourage people to
visit and invest in business, tourism, the arts, sport
and education.
"The
Sydney ambassadors will be part of a promotional campaign
that will appear in the US later this year."
Mr
Iemma said the appointment of the ambassadors would
help strengthen links between NSW and the US.
"The
United States is NSW's fourth largest export destination
and Australia's largest source of foreign investment,"
he said.
The
three have been taking part in G'Day USA events, which
aim to showcase Australia to the US.
Articles
Another
Bingle bungle for Tourism Oz? Not really, by Joel
Gibson and Tim Dick - 20th March 2006
(Credit:
The Sydney Morning Herald)
A
debate about the blueness of the word bloody, inappropriate
text messages, a ban in Britain and then a backflip
by the censors.
All
this bloody ad campaign needs now is for some old
topless pics of its angelic heroine to surface, right?
Done.
From the before-they-were-famous file today comes
this shot of the fresh new face of Australian tourism,
Cronulla's Lara Bingle. The Brit-inspired lad mag
Zoo Weekly went looking for photos of Bingle's boobs
after its readers responded, er, very positively to
her starring role in the infamous "Where the
bloody hell are you?" ads for Tourism Australia.
And
bingo, they found a couple that someone shot six months
ago, albeit partially obscured by the Bingle arms.
So
most of Bingle's boobs hit the stands today, just
in time for the triumphant return of Bingle and the
federal Minister for Tourism, Fran "Bloody"
Bailey, from Britain, where they managed to convince
censors of the harmless innocence of blue-mouthed
Aussies in cossies.
Bingle
will now have to convince Bailey and Tourism Oz of
the innocence of these pics, which shouldn't be too
hard. Although Zoo's press release declared "Lara
Bingle poses topless for new men's magazine"
you'll note - unless you're Fred Nile - that the Bingle
version of topless is relatively boobless.
Which
raises the question: where the bloody hell are they?
We
asked the editor, Paul Merrill. "As far as we
know [these are the raciest pics taken of her],"
he assured us. "They're very provocative photos
… She's not actually revealing the Lara Bingle
nipple at this stage. But maybe that's for a later
date."
Merrill
reckons Tourism Oz will like them, too, according
to the "all publicity is good publicity"
approach it took to the British ban.
We
called its PR folk yesterday to find out, but haven't
heard back. All together now: "Where the bloody
hell were they?"
Press
Release
New
Song Launched To Help Promote Australia To The World
- 24 Nov 2004
A new song to help boost Australia's appeal with travellers
from around the world was unveiled today by Tourism
Australia, following a nationwide search in the Song
for Australia competition.
The
song, This is Australia, created by Sydney-based singer/songwriter
Jackie Bristow, was announced today as the winner
of the Song for Australia competition as decided by
the Australian public. The competition, organised
by Tourism Australia , sought to find a song which
best captured the essence of Australia and would help
to promote the country to travellers worldwide.
Tourism
Australia Acting Managing Director, Ken Boundy said
the competition provided an opportunity for all Australians
to become involved in choosing a song which conveys
both the people and the place.
"Over
the past year the Song for Australia competition has
attracted overwhelming support - from the hundreds
of talented songwriters, who entered the competition,
to the hundreds of thousands of Australians who voted
to decide the winning song," Mr Boundy said.
"Following
an excellent response from songwriters Australia-wide
we have a song that will be featured in tourism promotions
aimed at inspiring travellers worldwide to experience
Australia for themselves.
"The
winning song will feature in a new consumer video,
which is part of the further roll out of the new Brand
Australia marketing approach - helping to differentiate
Australia from its competitors.
Jackie's
song, This is Australia, brings to life a very personal
perspective of Australia that will help to broaden
the image and understanding of Australia as well as
appealing to the hearts and minds of travellers globally.
"Importantly,
This is Australia is also a song which all Australians
can be proud of."
A
call for entries to Australian songwriters earlier
this year resulted in around 500 entries in the S
ong for Australia competition. A panel of music industry
representatives, including Deni Hines, and tourism
marketing representatives selected five finalists
for the public voting competition.
From
the five finalists the Australian public were invited
to select the overall winner through a two week promotion
run nationally on radio. When voting for the Song
for Australia competition closed in late July a total
of 163,749 votes had been received with the winning
song, This is Australia by Jackie Bristow, the clear
winner with 96,970 votes.
CEO
of Commercial Radio Australia, the commercial radio
industry's peak body, Joan Warner said commercial
radio was proud to support the campaign to find a
Song for Australia and to nurture Australian song
writing talent.
"Using
just two networks - Radio 2UE and parts of the John
Laws and Southern Cross Broadcasting networks, and
the Austereo part-owned MCM Take 40 Australia and
adult networks, over 100,000 votes were generated
in a little over two weeks," Joan Warner said.
"This
activity has demonstrated the power of commercial
radio to reach Australians en masse and to act as
a call to action and interaction - in this case to
vote for this important song. All commercial radio
stations would like to congratulate the winner and
Tourism Australia for this exciting initiative,"
she said.
The
winning songwriter Jackie Bristow said it was a great
honour to have her song chosen by Australians as the
song to help promote the country around the world.
There
are so many things I love about Australia - not only
the land and light and beauty of the country - but
the goodness and honesty of the people," Jackie
Bristow said. "I have tried to capture all of
this in my song."
"Knowing
there is so much history here and so much to learn
from the land and the people, I hoped the feeling
and inspiration I had felt could be shared and felt
by others through the song -This is Australia."
Over
the past two months, This is Australia has been professionally
recorded with Jackie Bristow singing lead vocals and
accompanied by a full orchestra of 20 musicians and
backing vocalists. The final recording was produced,
arranged, engineered and mixed by Daniel Denholm at
Studios 301 in Sydney .
This
is Australia will be used in Tourism Australia promotions
including new consumer and trade videos, at trade
events, and as the on-hold music for Tourism Australia
offices globally.
Jackie
Bristow will also perform This is Australia live at
Australia Week Celebrations in London in early 2005.
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