2002 - 2003 Annual Report - Tourism Australia

Public Affairs
The Public Affairs department is
responsible for developing and
implementing communications
strategies to raise awareness of
the ATC’s global activities and the
value of inbound tourism within
Australia among the media,
government, tourism industry,
business and general community.
During the Iraq crisis and SARS
outbreak, Public Affairs played
a strategic role in issues
management, and worked closely
with STO counterparts and
Department of Industry,Tourism
and Resources on the
implementation of the National
Tourism Incident Response Plan.
Daily global reports from
overseas offices on consumer
sentiment to travel were
produced and distributed to
government and the industry,
along with regular updates on the
ATC’s corporate website, ATC
Online. Information, reassuring
travellers of Australia’s SARS-free
status, was also provided to
consumers via australia.com.
Highlights and activities
• In 2002/03 Public Affairs managed
more than 2,000 media enquiries
with the purpose of generating
extensive media coverage in
key newspapers and business
publications, and broadcast media
on the ATC’s programs and
inbound tourism’s contribution
to Australia’s economy.
• A comprehensive media program
was organised for the Australian
Tourism Exchange (ATE) 2003,
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with more than 40 domestic media
attending and resulting in more
than 100 media stories generated
throughout the week-long event.
• The department also coordinated
the government relations program
for ATE involving State,Territory
and Federal Ministers.Twelve
members of the Friends of
Tourism, a Federal committee of
government representatives,
attended ATE along with the Hon
Peter Costello,Treasurer and the
Hon Joe Hockey, Minister for Small
Business and Tourism, and Tourism
Ministers from six states.
• Media launches for Australian
Tourism Ambassadors Megan Gale
and Layne Beachley were organised
during the year.
• The industry website, ATC Online,
delivered 1,307,649 pages of
information during 2002/03, a
14 per cent increase over the
previous year.The essentials
electronic newsletter subscription
base increased from 9,000 to over
13,000. A review was undertaken
to determine how the industry
communications, ATC Online and
essentials newsletter could better
benefit the industry.
Government Relations
The Government Relations unit
provides policy input to
Commonwealth Government and
Parliamentary forums by way of
briefs and submissions and plays
an advisory role to the executive
management team and Board on
government and political matters.
The unit liaises with national
tourism industry associations and
State and Territory Tourism
Organisations on matters relating
to tourism policy, primarily
focused on foreign affairs and
trade, immigration and regional
issues, and strengthens
relationships with government
stakeholders in order to raise
awareness of the value of
inbound tourism.
Highlights and activities
• Presentations, submissions and
responses were prepared for the
Friends of Tourism, Australian
Standing Committee on Tourism
(ASCOT),Tourism Ministers
Council, and Senate Estimates
hearings.The unit represented the
ATC on a number of government
committees including the
Major Events Commonwealth
Coordination Group, the M2006
Working Group Committee,
National Tourism and Heritage
Taskforce, Commission for
International Cultural Promotion
and the International Education
Interdepartmental Committee.
• A sustainable tourism strategy and
plan was implemented to fulfil the
ATC’s statutory obligations and
help ensure the responsible
development and promotion of
Australia’s tourism industry.
• A Memorandum of Understanding
was signed with Austrade to
work cooperatively in international
markets and preparations
for a Memorandum of
Understanding on the promotion of
Australian education internationally
were progressed during the year.