Annual Report 2010-2011 - Tourism Australia

including China Southern, Emirates, Qantas, Singapore Airlines and Virgin, and
have strong marketing relationships with more than a dozen carriers servicing
Australia. We have also set up the Aviation Development Fund – designed to
provide funds for cooperative marketing with airlines, airports and the states
and territories about new capacity to Australia.
Our work with state and territory tourism organisations also bore results,
manifested in myriad campaigns and activities around the world. Particularly
pleasing has been the creation of content about Australia, such as the New
Zealand television show My Kind of Place, which screened 10 episodes
featuring the best of Australia through the eyes of well-known
New Zealand identities.
On the domestic front, we continued to showcase Australia with the No Leave
No Life television series – now in its third year and still making an impact. The
No Leave No Life television program, website and magazine continue to remind
Australians to use some of the 135 million days of stockpiled annual leave for a
relaxing domestic break.
This and other initiatives added value to a domestic market that grew for
the first time in many years. Overall, trips within Australia grew 4 per cent in
2010/11, with the final three months of the year recording 8 per cent growth
compared to 2009/10.
Similarly, the business events market experienced a strong recovery in 2010/11,
with visitor numbers reaching pre-global financial crisis levels. Occupancies in
capital city hotels have increased and operators in this sector are enjoying
the improvement.
While the tourism industry in Australia has seen some positive results in the
last year, international natural and economic events continue to take their toll.
Despite these external factors, our role is to add value in all circumstances. This
is why the 2020 Tourism Industry Potential has been developed – to ensure
Tourism Australia and the industry remains competitive.
I would like to thank the Tourism Australia executive team and staff in Australia
and overseas for their hard work in 2010/11. Their bold and bright ideas resulted in
some outstanding achievements.
The 2010/11 results
demonstrate what has been
a story of two worlds. On the
one hand, our Asia Pacific
neighbours have growing
economies. The long-haul
western markets of the UK,
Europe and the Americas are
experiencing low consumer
confidence as the result of
continued economic troubles.
Andrew McEvoy
Managing Director
6 Managing Director’s Report