Australia Accommodation
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
Briz Vegas Fine for Family Time - Brisbane Tourism News
WHEN planning a weekend escape with the family, Brisbane had never been an option on my radar.
The usual appeals of the city for a couple are mostly incompatible with young children, but we recently discovered a package tailored for families.
Located in the heart of the CBD, Novotel Brisbane has just had a $12 million refurbishment.
With my partner and our 12 and 10-year-old boys in tow, we felt like movie stars as we strolled into the swish new lobby to check in for our two-night getaway.
The Novotel group embraces families and our package was a preview of a new initiative offered on the June-July school break.
The big drawcard for the children was a train ride from nearby Central station to Dreamworld at Coomera.
For us it was the chance to enjoy some luxury while our weekend was organised for us.
The facelift to the 4.5 star hotel was extensive, including upgrades to all 296 guest rooms.
With the Dreamworld package, children up to age 16 stay for free if they share a twin family room.
Or if you’d like to spread out, there is the option of booking a connecting room for the kids at half the price of the first room.
Probably the most impressive renovation has been to the restaurant, which features a fancy new buffet breakfast area.
Food is high on my priority list, and our first dining experience at Novotel was an invitation to sample its new family-friendly winter dinner menu.
When I hit the sack that night I was convinced the Tower of Terror could not compare with the lamb shank or the pear and pistachio crumble I had just eaten.
Saturday was all about the boys.
Recognising our need for sustenance given the big day ahead of us, I led the team to the buffet.
The incredible range of healthy and hearty foods on offer literally made my jaw drop.
I was in heaven, yet torn, as I imagined how a full stomach might react to the rides my boys would soon force me on.
I took solace in the knowledge there was always Sunday morning, and settled for a moderate feast while the boys slurped down bowls of Coco Pops … kids, huh.
The boys experienced Dreamworld just last year without me, and apparently I had to prove my worthiness as a father by taking on the Giant Drop and the Tower of Terror with them as witness.
The Giant Drop was seriously terrifying. Who thinks up these insane contraptions?
But the Tower of Terror is even better now. You start the ride backwards and are throttled skyward in reverse before plunging face-first back to the beginning.
With my baptism of fire out of the way we sampled a few of the less intense rides before heading off to the Australian wildlife experience, also inside the theme park.
We let a koala pose for a photo with us and then let the nerves settle as we checked out the incredible array of animals.
I could have spent the rest of the day there, but dad was in high demand and Whitewater World was calling.
Our pass gave us entry to both worlds and the adjoining water park was unchartered territory.
The water was a little chilly, but this meant crowd numbers were down and we rarely had to wait in line.
The Wedgie, with a trapdoor which releases you into a 17m free-fall, is a must.
On Sunday, we took advantage of the 5pm late check-out at no extra cost, which gave us a chance to see a bit of the city.
We opted for a relaxing tour on the river with River City Cruises, which was all the more interesting given recent flooding events.
After lunch and a walk through South Bank and the mall, we were ready to call it a http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifweekend.
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DREAM AWAY (fact box)
Total cost of Dreamworld family package – available any day over the June-July school holidays – is $625. Includes $199 a night in a twin share room (two double beds) for two adults and two children including breakfast and car parking.
Get Quality Brisbane Accommodation at Metro Hotel Tower Mill
View Source: Brett Wortman
Sunday, June 19, 2011
BTN Spotlight: Andrew McEvoy, Managing Director, Tourism Australia
AM: Probably our biggest focus is the 2020 Tourism Industry Potential, the long-term vision for our industry to improve its performance and competitiveness.
The focus is deliberately ambitious – with stretch targets to double overnight visitor expenditure from today’s AU$70 billion to between AU$115 billion and AU$140 billion by 2020. The key markets where this growth will come from have been identified and this is where Tourism Australia will focus its marketing efforts going forward.
We launched the Potential at the end of 2010, but this year we’ve been working really hard to embed it with industry and to bring it to life for operators. It was a key theme of this year’s Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE), held in April in Sydney, drilling down beyond the AU$140 billion headline figure and looking at the specific regions and markets where these numbers are going to come from, and where the industry needs to focus its future efforts.
It was great getting feedback from Australian operators in particular as they start to engage with how this vision might affect their own business.
We also continue to roll out our successful “There’s nothing like Australia” global campaign, working closely with our airline and the trade partners. This is a campaign which has been built for the long-term but is already gaining momentum internationally, and is now active in 29 markets around the world.
While the campaign has only been running for a year, early indications are that it’s working, bringing those that have seen it a significant step closer to booking an Australian holiday.
BTN: Visitors from China rose 23.2 per cent in the first quarter of 2011. Have you been doing anything in particular to cultivate this market?
AM: As I keep telling people, this has been an “overnight success story” which has been 12 years in the making! Since being the first western country to be awarded Approved Destination Status (ADS) for group leisure travel back in 1999, we’ve put a huge amount of effort into developing the China market, the benefits of which are now being seen.
We have a very strong and committed Tourism Australia team in China, the majority locals, which has certainly been a key factor in helping us to develop the trust and relationships needed to do business in this part of the world. In particular, we have created a strong distribution network with more than 2,000 Aussie Special Travel Agents forming a network in the 13 key cities in which we work. And we have spent heavily promoting the destination to Chinese consumers – on our own and in partnership with the airlines and other industry partners.
The Australian Government recognises the importance of establishing close tourism ties and stronger working relationships with China, which has also been critical. The recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between our two Governments is a significant step towards maximising China’s tourism potential and supports other initiatives such as Tourism Australia’s 2020 Strategic China Plan which was launched at the China Summit in Cairns on June 8.
BTN: Can you tell us about the 2020 China Strategic Plan?
AM: Over 140 countries now enjoy ADS status. Being first across the start line may have given us a head start, but our competitors are quickly catching up.
The 2020 China Strategic Plan is about us staying ahead of the game, and providing clear direction for the Australian tourism industry.
The 2020 China Strategic Plan aligns closely with Tourism Australia’s overall strategy and is the result of extensive consultation with 60 key stakeholders in both Australia and China.
Tourism Australia has identified a number of key opportunities from China: a growing upper and middle class; the emergence of the Free Independent Traveller (FIT) segment; growth in demand for Business Events; a strong digital and social media environment creating new media, advocacy and distribution channels; expansion of aviation capacity under the Air Service Agreement; and increased awareness of the China opportunity by governments and industry stakeholders.
It focuses on:
- Building customer focus and knowledge, to ensure Australia’s offering is competitively differentiated;
- Having a clear Geographic Strategy, to focus our resources effectively, recognising the huge potential of some of China’s secondary cities;
- Industry development, to ensure industry is informed on the needs of Chinese visitors and can provide relevant and quality experiences;
- Ease of access, and this means both aviation development and the continued streamlining of visas;
- Strong partnerships, ensuring strategic alignment across all levels of government and industry
For our part, I’m very focused on ensuring Tourism Australia builds the required capability and uses its resources appropriately to effectively deliver its part of the China Strategy.
BTN: You recently attended the WTTC Global Travel & Tourism Summit in Las Vegas. What did you take away from the conference?
AM: That we have much to be proud of and much to learn. And that there is a world of interest in destination Australia and we can tap into that more – whether it be through better distribution, increased aviation capacity or through new investment.
BTN: After a devastating start to 2011 with the floods, how is the rest of the year shaping up for your tourism industry? And do you have a particular message you are sending out, or a recovery plan?
AM: Despite the well documented challenges of flooding and cyclones at home, earthquakes in New Zealand and Japan, continued economic weakness in some of our key source markets and a soaring Aussie dollar, Australia’s inbound numbers continue to grow and I’m pretty optimistic for the future.
Most of these events are one-offs or part of a natural economic cycle. The good news is that Australia continues to have enduring high appeal – ranking second overall in the FutureBrand study of country brands in 2010 – and people still want to travel here.
Australian tourism’s challenge and opportunity is to capture this demand and convert it into more visits by enhancing our competitiveness.
We have to keep improving to stay ahead. This means keeping our eye on the ball and continued investment in quality products, experiences and better infrastructure.
For its part, Tourism Australia is focused on marketing Australia’s unique tourism attributes where the greatest tourism growth opportunities exist to the right consumers, in the right markets and in the right way.
BTN: How important is the tourism sector to the overall economy of Australia?
Tourism is a vital industry for Australia. It currently generates $96 billion in spending and directly employs around half a million Australians.
As a sector, tourism contributes $34 billion in GDP – that’s 2.6 percent of Australia’s total GDP. It’s big business.
BTN: How would you describe the Australia travel and tourism experience? And what are its USPs?
AM: I would argue that it is our incredible nature, the sense of space, and the opportunity to experience something different that is what really sets Australia apart and which continues to make Australia the appealing destination it is. People also tell me that Australians themselves – our open and welcoming style – is a part of the attraction.
I’d say that our current global campaign pretty much captures it – There’s nothing like Australia.
BTN: How would you like Australia’s tourism industry to evolve?
AM: I think the direction we’re heading in at the moment is right, with wide-scale recognition across government and industry that Australia’s tourism performance needs to be improved.
There’s also good balance between supply and demand side strategies in seeking to address these issues.
What Tourism Australia has done in recent times is set out a much clearer vision of what success looks like for the industry and all levels of government to support.
With the 2020 Tourism Industry Potential we now have clear goals to become more competitive and attract stronger inbound growth, including identifying the key markets where our numbers are going to come from.
What is the mix of public-private partnerships and how do these work together to benefit Australia’s tourism sector?
I think one of the biggest opportunities for public-private sector partnerships is in tourism infrastructure. Investment is undoubtedly needed to bring some of Australia’s tourism infrastructure back up to world class.
We’ve some excellent recent examples of quality private investment in great new regional product. But, there’s more to be done and we intend to work with the industry and all levels of government and make this happen.
Nobody else possesses the same level of consumer insight, trade relationships or market understanding. We’re already doing some of product gap analysis work and we enjoy well-established and growing partnership relationships with the State and Territory Tourism Organizations (STOs) - essential, considering that much of the ability to fast track and overcome regulatory barriers lies within their jurisdiction.
Through our knowledge, information, experience and relationships, Tourism Australia is uniquely placed to play a stronger and more proactive role in investment attraction through more effective public and private partnership.
We want to send out a positive signal to investors that we are there to help and that the Government is committed to supply side growth.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Brisbane Winter Festival 2011
ALPINE WINTER MAGIC COMES TO BRISBANE
Following incredible success in Sydney and Melbourne, The Australian Winter Festival comes to Brisbane for the very first time in 2011, promising to turn the heart of the city into a winter wonderland from 9 June – 26 June.
Located at the iconic King George Square, the 2011 Brisbane Winter Festival offers an exciting array of gourmet winter food sensations, some dazzling action on the ice and authentic après ski experiences.
Brisbane thrill seekers can enjoy a skate on one of the country’s largest outdoor ice skating rinks, measuring an impressive 900m², whilst food-lovers can sample http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifsome of the most delicious dishes from over 20 winter-loving countries.
EVENTS: Eighties Ice Disco (Every Thursday, Friday & Saturday)http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
Ice Skating Australia PRO shows & sessions (Friday & Saturday 8pm, Sunday 6pm)
Daily Ice Skating Australia Amateur shows (Daily, 12pm onwards starting 15 minutes before ever hour).
Ice Blitz Championships QLD (Monday - Friday at 1pm)
See full article
Accommodation is available at Metro Hotel Tower Mill
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