US-based travel agents with wealthy clients are about to get an education in why Australia is the ideal high-end travel destination.
The ‘education’ is part of a new partnership signed over the weekend between Tourism Australia and luxury travel network, Virtuoso.
As part of the agreement, Tourism Australia will market and educate Virtuoso members on how to sell Australian holidays to high net worth clients.
It will be supported by the new online training initiative, the Aussie Specialist Program as well as additional marketing dollars and increased resources in the US.
The partnership comes after Virtuoso’s network experienced a 137 percent year-on-year increase in high-end US travellers booking getaways to Australia.
Australia’s desirability is further evident in the latest tourism data released last month showing that US visitors have spent close to A$2.95 billion, an increase of 14 percent over the year.
“Americans love Australia – the wide open spaces, great beaches, amazing wildlife, food and that famous Aussie spirit.”
Matthew D. Upchurch, Virtuoso CEO
Unveiling the partnership in Las Vegas at Virtuoso Travel Week, Tourism Australia’s Regional General Manager Americas, Jane Whitehead said Virtuoso had an impressive network of premium travel advisors who generated more than US$10 billion in sales from the US and Canada each year.
She said access to these agents and their high-end client base will help Tourism Australia sell the best of the country’s premium products to the lucrative market.
“The US now boasts more high net worth individuals than any other market in the world and these discerning travellers are looking for a unique, distinctive and high quality holiday experience, which we know Australia possesses.”
John O’Sullivan, Tourism Australia Managing Director
“We will be investing additional marketing dollars and increasing resources on the ground, as well as working closely with our Australian state and territory tourism partners to ensure our premium story is told and sold well in the US.”
The agreement, which includes Destination NSW, the South Australian Tourism Commission, Tourism Northern Territory and Tourism Tasmania will last through until 2016 and will include a digital and print marketing campaign with a focus on trade engagement and agent training.
