Edition 136 · September 2019

Each day of the Global Eco Asia-Pacific Conference, delegates will be treated to speakers that have achieved extraordinary success through lateral thinking, innovation and pure determination. Under the banner of Inspire each of the three conference days will feature a keynote speaker that will energise, embolden and hearten you.

First introduced at the 2018 conference the Inspire session was a huge success with Everest veteran – Michael Groom; Straw no More advocate Molly Steer and Internationally renowned wildlife photographer Darren Jew.

At this year’s conference in Cairns, 2-4 December 2019, three amazing inspirators have been selected:

Ann and Billie Dumaliang, Managing Trustees of Masungi GeoReserve in the Philippines – a dynamic duo who have achieved amazing conservation and ecotourism gains with their innovative attraction – against all odds – and have been recognised by numerous international tourism awards;

Mark Evans, Co-owner of Paronella Park, North Queensland – a man with boundless energy and innovation who over 26 years took the historic attraction of Paronella Park from a rundown enterprise to a multi-award winning attraction featured globally for its ethereal settings and landscapes;

Aradhana Lal, Vice President Brand and Sustainability, Lemon Tree Hotels, India – the recent winner of a prestigious Tourism for Tomorrow Award in the  Investing in People category. Lemon Tree introduced a major program for mainstreaming Opportunity Deprived Indians into its workforce – now representing over 20% of the workforce – truly inspirational.

Register now for Global Eco Asia-Pacific at www.globaleco.com.au

Entries are now open for the MyTravelResearch.com International Toilet Tourism Awards 2019 which aims to demonstrate the relationship between the provision of great toilets and success in a visitor economy.

Further information: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ToiletTourism2019

The Flight Centre Travel Group has launched a new youth-focused brand to target travellers aged between 18 and 35 by offering tailored and exclusive products. The launch of Universal Traveller is the latest in a series of acquisitions including touring business Topdeck and the Boston-based StudentUniverse online travel agency which currently operates in the United States and United Kingdom. All 52 Student Flights shops in Australia have been rebranded to Universal Traveller.

Further information: http://www.fctgl.com/investors/latest-news-and-press/universal-traveller-ready-take-off-new-staff-customer-offerings/

Climate Perks is a new pilot scheme that has been created by 10:10, a U.K.-based Non-Government Organisation which focuses on solutions to the climate crisis. The new pilot scheme allows employers to commit to giving their staff two extra days paid leave if they choose to travel on their holidays overland or sea, rather than fly which significantly reduces emissions. Two travel companies who have signed up to date are Dutch international tour company Better Places and U.K.-based travel agent Travel Matters.

Further information: https://www.climateperks.com/

A new interactive map designed by U.K. tour company Responsible Travel highlights the most overcrowded tourist destinations in the world from 98 destinations in 63 countries. The map is compiled from research into online mentions of overtourism around the world including communities and natural places of all sizes and significance.

Further information: https://www.responsibletravel.com/copy/overtourism-map

Fairmont Hotels and Resorts has announced the next evolution of its Bee Sustainable program with the launch of a new interactive digital hub. The platform was created to help educate and encourage visitors through in-depth analysis, real time hive monitoring and updates from its rooftop apiaries and bee hotels. Over the last decade, Fairmont has committed itself to improving the overall health and conservation of bee species globally and has built more than 40 apiaries and wild bee hotels at properties around the world.

Further information: http://www.fairmontbeesustainable.com/

World Resorts of Distinction has unveiled a new environmental initiative that will see their team plant a tree for every booking made at a property in their portfolio. Travel for Trees ‘P-reservation Program’ is a new development in the company’s vision to transform the travel industry by championing sustainable resorts and experiences, as well as encouraging guests to offset their flight carbon footprint either directly with the airline or through a reliable offsetting organisation.

Further information: https://wrd.com.au/

Qantas will start non-stop flights from Brisbane to Chicago and San Francisco by the end of April 2020 under a deal secured by the Queensland Government. The flights will operate four times a week to Chicago and three times a week to San Francisco bringing an additional 257,712 inbounds seats to Brisbane over three years. The services are supported by Tourism and Events Queensland through the Attracting Aviation Investment Fund in partnership with Brisbane Airport Corporation, Tourism Australia and Brisbane Marketing.

Further information: https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/media-releases/qantas-sets-sights-on-direct-flights-from-brisbane-to-chicago-and-san-francisco/

The Western Australia Government has signed a global cooperative marketing agreement with Singapore Airlines to promote Western Australia as a desirable holiday destination to people across the globe. The $5 million three-year agreement will include digital, print and TV advertising in 10 key international markets, including the U.K., Germany/Switzerland, India, China, the U.S., Hong Kong, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia and Singapore.

Further information: https://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/McGowan/2019/07/State-Government-signs-5-million-dollar-marketing-deal-with-Singapore-Airlines.aspx

The Queensland Government will partner with Cruise Whitsundays to build a new $8 million Reefworld pontoon at Hardy Reef in the Whitsundays with capacity for 300 visitors a day and overnight accommodation options for visitors both above and below water. The floating pontoon which will measure 12 metres by 45 metres will include an underwater observatory and enable guests to access semi-submersible vessels, diving and snorkelling activities.

Further information: http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2019/8/1/new-attraction-to-bring-thousands-of-tourists-to-the-whitsundays

A new hotel located next to a glacier will be entirely energy self-sufficient and produce a surplus amount of energy that will be shared with the grid. The Svart Hotel in Norway is a collaboration between the architecture firm Snøhetta, Arctic Adventure of Norway and construction company Powerhouse. When it opens in 2021 it will be located at the foot of the Svartisen glacier in northern Norway, just above the Arctic Circle. The design will also allow sweeping 360-degree views of the remote and rugged Arctic terrain as well as generate its own electricity using solar panels and geothermal wells.

Further information: https://www.svart.no/en/

Mount Mulligan Lodge has joined Luxury Lodges of Australia as the newest member of the collection of uniquely Australian luxe lodges and camps. The newly built luxury outback lodge is situated 160 kilometres northwest of Cairns on a 28,000-hectare heritage site and working cattle station with luxe lodging for 16 guests. A per-guest donation goes towards protecting and preserving the region’s Great Barrier Reef. Mt Mulligan Lodge is also part of the Northern Escape Collection a curated portfolio of boutique experiences in Northern Australia.

Further information: https://www.northernescape.com.au/

Patagonia Camp is an innovative project designed and built to offer a unique and intimate nature experience under the ‘glamping’ concept in Chile’s famed Torres del Paine. Now celebrating its 10th anniversary, Patagonia Camp is situated in a private 84,000-acre reserve in one of the world most remote destinations. It comprises 20 fully equipped Mongolian style tents, or yurts, located on the shore of Toro Lake and is surrounded by local native forest, transparent water lakes and lagoons.

Further information: https://www.patagoniacamp.com/

E-commerce platform and fashion experts SilkFred has created an interactive map of London that explores the most Instagrammable places for fashion, food and culture in the capital. The top five hotspots include London Eye, Tower Bridge, Italians Gardens, Harrods and Greenwich.

Further information: http://www.silkfred.com/interactive-fashion-influencer-map-london/#/

In a first for the Southern Hemisphere, a new Museum of Underwater Art (MOUA) will be installed within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park near the coast of Townsville aiming to raise awareness of the threatened ecosystem and rehabilitate parts of the reef. Created by British sculptor and environmentalist Jason deCaires Taylor, it will feature partially and fully submerged installations and sculptures that will become sites for coral and marine life regeneration. The works will be installed across numerous locations such as Magnetic Island and Palm Island.

Further information: http://www.moua.com.au/

The Budj Bim Cultural Landscape in south west Victoria has become the first Australian site to be recognised on the UNESCO World Heritage List exclusively for its Aboriginal cultural values. The site located along the Great Ocean Road includes a sophisticated aquaculture system that spans nearly 100 square kilometres, and which was developed over 6,600 years by the Gunditjmara people to trap eels for food. Further information: https://www.visitmelbourne.com/Things-to-do/Aboriginal-Victoria

The Western Australia Visitor Centre’s new interactive wildflower map is up and running, with people on the ground sharing ‘sightings,’ which are then added to the map to help visitors find the latest wildflowers blooming around Western Australia. Have you found wildflowers that aren’t already on the map? If so, you can contribute by sending photos of the flowers and the location to the W.A. Visitor Centre via email or Facebook.

Further information: https://www.wavisitorcentre.com.au/wildflowers

A new global consumer travel report has been released by British Airways in collaboration with data-led trends agency Foresight Factory. The BA 2119: Flight of the Future Report surveyed 13,000 consumers across 10 countries, as well as consulted with leading sector experts and futurologists. The report offers a picture of what flying will look like in 20, 40, 60 and even 100 years into the future. It identifies how consumers want far greater personalisation from their flying experience including hyper-personalisation, immersive virtual realities, 3D printed health solutions, modular aircraft connected to city infrastructure, hypersonic flying and the rise of super-slow flight cruises.

Further information: https://mediacentre.britishairways.com/pressrelease/details/86/2019-319/11379

The annual Adventure Travel Trends Snapshot published by the Adventure Travel Trade Association compiles data collected from adventure travel operators to identify emerging and enduring trends in the industry. For more than a decade the report has provided critical industry benchmarks and perspectives on the health, outlook, and characteristics of this evolving tourism sector.

Further information: https://www.adventuretravel.biz/research/2019-industry-snapshot

Event organisers can apply for grants of up to $100,000 per year for events taking place in Queensland between May 2020 – May 2021. Since its launch in 2015, more than $9.6 million has been invested to support 282 events through the Queensland Destination Events Program. Applications close 2 October 2019.

Further information:  https://teq.queensland.com/events/events-support/queensland-destination-events-program

For the first time in its 27-year history the World Travel Awards will be hosted in British Columbia, Canada. Over 300 international delegates including airlines, tour operators, travel agents, media and hospitality professionals will attend the Gala Ceremony in October 2020. The awards acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the tourism industry.

Further information: https://www.worldtravelawards.com/

The Regional Events Conference will be held in Dubbo, NSW from 4-6 September 2019. The conference aims to bring together like-minded people to empower organisers and communities to tackle regional event challenges.

Further information: https://regionaleventsconference.com.au/register

The World Routes conference will be held in Adelaide from 21-24 September 2019. It brings together top-level speakers from across aviation including airlines, airports, destinations and manufacturers to discuss issues facing aviation now and beyond.

Further information: https://www.routesonline.com/events/204/world-routes-2019/

Adventure Queensland (AQ), the peak backpacking and independent travel industry body for Queensland is excited to announce the return of the Adventure Tourism Awards and Youth Tourism Conference that will take place on the Gold Coast on Wednesday 6th of November 2019.

Further information: https://www.adventuretourismawards.com.au/