Tourism Australia
{{About|the Australian Government's tourism agency|tourism in Australia|Tourism in Australia}}
{{Short description|Australian Government tourism agency}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2016}}
{{Infobox government agency
| name = Tourism Australia
| logo = Tourism Australia logo.svg
| logo_width = 180
| formed = {{start date and age|2004|06|23|df=y}}{{Cite web|title=Tourism Australia Act 2004|url=https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2016C00443|date=12 May 2016|website=Federal Register of Legislation|access-date=8 May 2020}}
| preceding1 = Australian Tourist Commission{{Cite web|title=Our History|url=https://www.tourism.australia.com/en/about/our-organisation/our-history-50-years.html|website=Tourism Australia|access-date=8 May 2020}}
| preceding2 = See Australia{{Cite web|title=Tourism Australia|url=https://info.australia.gov.au/directories/australia/tourim-australia|website=Australian Government Information|access-date=8 May 2020}}
| preceding3 = Bureau of Tourism Research
| preceding4 = Tourism Forecasting Council
| budget = $161 Million (2019–20){{Cite web|title=Tourism Australia Corporate Plan 2019 – 2023|url=https://www.tourism.australia.com/content/dam/assets/document/1/7/6/o/d/2014861.pdf|website=Tourism Australia|access-date=8 May 2020}}
| minister1_name = Don Farrell{{Cite web|title=Our Management|url=https://www.tourism.australia.com/en/about/our-organisation/our-management.html|website=Tourism Australia|access-date=8 May 2020}}
| minister1_pfo = Minister for Trade and Tourism
| deputyminister1_name = Tim Ayres
| deputyminister1_pfo = Assistant Minister for Trade
| chief1_name = Phillipa Harrison
| chief1_position = managing director
| parent_department = Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade{{Cite web|title=Foreign Affairs and Trade Portfolio|url=https://www.directory.gov.au/portfolios/foreign-affairs-and-trade|website=Australian Government Directory|access-date=8 May 2020}}
| keydocument1 = [https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2016C00443 Tourism Australia Act 2004]
| website = {{url|tourism.australia.com}}
}}
Tourism Australia is the Australian Government agency responsible for promoting Australian locations as business and leisure travel destinations. The agency is a corporate portfolio agency of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and employs 198 staff (including 80 staff at overseas offices).{{Cite web | url=https://www.tourism.australia.com/content/dam/digital/corporate/documents/ta-annual-report-fy22.pdf | title=Annual Report 2021/22 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221126010803/https://www.tourism.australia.com/content/dam/digital/corporate/documents/ta-annual-report-fy22.pdf | archive-date=2022-11-26}} It works closely with the Australian Trade and Investment Commission, the Australian Government's tourism policy and program agency, and State and Territory tourism marketing organisations.
Tourism Australia's objectives are to influence and encourage international and domestic travel to Australia, foster a sustainable tourism industry, and develop economic benefits to Australia from tourism. The agency contributes to the implementation of the THRIVE 2030 national Strategy (The Re-Imagined Visitor Economy) issued in March 2022 which aims to return international and domestic spend in the visitor economy to pre-pandemic levels of $166 billion by 2024 and grow it to $230 billion by 2030.{{cite web | url=https://www.austrade.gov.au/news/publications/thrive-2030-strategy | title=THRIVE 2030 strategy growing Australia's visitor economy | Austrade }} The agency is active in 15 markets,{{Cite web|title=Our Organisation|url=https://www.tourism.australia.com/en/about/our-organisation.html|website=Tourism Australia|access-date=8 May 2020}} including Australia, where it aims to grow demand for the nation's tourism experiences through international and domestic promotions, advocacy and representation.{{Cite web|title=Holiday Here This Year|url=https://www.tourism.australia.com/en/about/our-campaigns/holiday-here-this-year.html|website=Tourism Australia|access-date=8 May 2020}} The latest international campaign uses Ruby the Roo to attract visitors in the "Come and Say G'day" campaign.{{cite web | url=https://www.tourism.australia.com/en/resources/campaign-resources/come-and-say-gday.html | title=Come and Say G'day - Corporate - Tourism Australia | date=4 September 2023 }}
Organisational history
{{further|Australian National Travel Association}}
Tourism Australia was created in 2004 by the {{Cite Legislation AU|Cth|act|taa2004222|Tourism Australia Act}} as a merger of four existing tourism organisations – the Australian Tourist Commission, the Bureau of Tourism Research, and the Tourism Forecasting Council, and See Australia. Tourism Australia describes itself as the successor of the Australian Tourist Commission, and hence celebrated what would be the commission's 50-year anniversary in 2017.
In February 2019, Tourism Australia collaborated with Australian Traveller to launch a magazine in the United States, Australia. Jane Whitehead, regional general manager Americas, Tourism Australia, said "In collaborating with Australian Traveller, we set out to tell quintessentially Aussie travel stories, while highlighting some of the finest hospitality product, in a way that compels travellers to book memorable vacations."{{cite news|url=https://mumbrella.com.au/australian-traveller-launches-us-magazine-for-tourism-australia-563969|title=Australian Traveller launches US magazine for Tourism Australia|work=Mumbrella|access-date=7 February 2019}}
Campaigns
{{POV section|date=May 2020|talk=Neutrality of "Campaigns"}}
The organisation caused controversy in 2006 when its advertising campaign "So where the bloody hell are you?" gained media attention following a ban in the United Kingdom.{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/travel/bloody-ad-ban-incredibly-ludicrous/2007/03/28/1174761533507.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160315091147/http://www.smh.com.au/news/travel/bloody-ad-ban-incredibly-ludicrous/2007/03/28/1174761533507.html|archivedate=15 March 2016|title=Brit ban on 'bloody' ad 'incredibly ludicrous'|date=28 March 2007|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald}}
In January 2010 Tourism Australia displayed a caged kangaroo on a street in Hollywood. The kangaroo was filmed by a concerned member of the public who was reported as saying, "The kangaroo was there in a pen, like a 10 by 12 (foot) pen, straight on the concrete and it was really, really disturbing. It was just disturbing. There were kids who were really upset because this kangaroo was just rocking back and forth and back and forth and back and forth."{{cite news|url=http://tvnz.co.nz/world-news/peta-alerted-over-tourism-australia-stunt-3433860|title=PETA alerted over Tourism Australia stunt|date=26 March 2010|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131003053328/http://tvnz.co.nz/world-news/peta-alerted-over-tourism-australia-stunt-3433860|archivedate=3 October 2013}} Australian macropod expert Tim Faulkner, after viewing the video of the kangaroo, said that it was clear the animal was not acting normally, "The animal is obviously distressed, there is no question about it. The sort of stress I see here suggests that it has endured long-term problems."{{cite news|url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/tourism-australia-criticised-over-kangaroo/story-e6frea6u-1225845120401|title=Tourism Australia criticised over kangaroo |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|location=Australia|date=25 March 2010}}
In 2010, Tourism Australia launched its There's nothing like Australia campaign, sourcing its stories and photographs from the Australian public through a competition with strict licensing conditions.{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/travel/travel-news/australias-new-slogan-theres-nothing-like-it-20100331-rcsx.html?autostart=1 |title=Australia's new slogan? There nothing like it|newspaper=The Age |date=31 March 2010|first=Julian|last=Lee|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140112113720/http://www.theage.com.au/travel/travel-news/australias-new-slogan-theres-nothing-like-it-20100331-rcsx.html?autostart=1|archivedate=12 January 2014}} The terms and conditions of the competition required the authors to assign all rights, including moral rights, to Tourism Australia and indemnify Tourism Australia against any legal action as a result of its re-using the works, which the Australian Copyright Council stated were extreme conditions and "particularly disturbing given that Tourism Australia is a government body".{{cite news|url=http://www.crikey.com.au/2010/04/15/tourism-australia-wants-you-and-your-intellectual-property-rights/|title=Tourism Australia wants you and your intellectual property rights|website=Crikey|date=15 April 2010|archivedate=3 March 2016|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303205511/http://www.crikey.com.au/2010/04/15/tourism-australia-wants-you-and-your-intellectual-property-rights/|first=Elizabeth|last=Redman}}
A 2019 advertising campaign, entitled Matesong, that featured Kylie Minogue, Ashleigh Barty, Adam Hills, Shane Warne, and Ian Thorpe, with a song written by Eddie Perfect, was aired on televisions in the United Kingdom before the Queen's message on Christmas Day.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/dec/26/kylie-minogue-tries-to-lure-brexit-weary-britons-in-new-tourism-australia-ad-matesong|title=Kylie Minogue tries to lure Brexit-weary Britons in new Tourism Australia ad 'Matesong'|work=The Guardian|first=Calla|last=Wahlquist|date=26 December 2019|accessdate=26 December 2019 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20191226044811/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/dec/26/kylie-minogue-tries-to-lure-brexit-weary-britons-in-new-tourism-australia-ad-matesong |archivedate=26 December 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite news |author1=Derwin, Jack |url=https://www.businessinsider.com.au/tourism-australia-matesong-kylie-warne-2019-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191227034357/https://www.businessinsider.com.au/tourism-australia-matesong-kylie-warne-2019-12 |url-status=dead |archive-date=27 December 2019 |title=Australia's new tourism ad featuring Kylie Minogue, Ash Barty, and Shane Warne cost $15 million. Here's why the government reckons it's worth every cent |work=Business Insider |date=27 December 2019 |accessdate=6 January 2020 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.australia.com/en/travel-inspiration/kylie-minogue-matesong/official-lyrics.html|title=Kylie Minogue's Matesong Official Lyrics|publisher=Tourism Australia|date=26 December 2019|accessdate=26 December 2019 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20191226123207/https://www.australia.com/en/travel-inspiration/kylie-minogue-matesong/official-lyrics.html |archivedate=26 December 2019|url-status=live}} However the advertisement was withdrawn several days later in light of the impact of the 2019–20 Australian bushfires.{{cite news |author1=Bourke, Latika |url=https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/out-of-respect-kylie-minogue-matesong-tourism-australia-ad-pulled-amid-bushfire-coverage-20200103-p53opl.html |title='Out of respect': Kylie Minogue Matesong Tourism Australia ad pulled amid bushfire coverage |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=4 January 2020 |accessdate=6 January 2020 }}
People
Scott Morrison served as managing director of Tourism Australia from 2004 until 2006, when his three-year contract was prematurely terminated.{{cite news |url=https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/bloody-hell-when-scomo-lost-a-political-knife-fight-20180830-h14qlz |title=Bloody hell! When ScoMo lost a political knife fight|author=Carruthers, Fiona |date=1 September 2018 |newspaper=Financial Review |accessdate=7 January 2020 }}{{cite news |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/so-where-the-hell-is-he-20060726-gdo1fg.html |title=So where the hell is he? |author=Wainwright, Robert |date=26 July 2006 |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |accessdate=7 January 2020 }}{{cite news |url=https://www.themonthly.com.au/issue/2018/november/1540990800/sean-kelly/looking-scott-morrison |title=Looking for Scott Morrison: The rise, duck and weave of Australia's no-fault prime minister |author=Kelly, Sean |date=November 2018 |newspaper=The Monthly |accessdate=7 January 2020 }} Morrison was subsequently elected as the Member for Cook in the House of Representatives and served as Treasurer until August 2018 when he assumed the role of Prime Minister of Australia.{{cite news|url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/who-is-scott-morrison-meet-australia-s-new-prime-minister|title=Who is Scott Morrison? Meet Australia's new Prime Minister |first=Michelle|last=Rimmer|date=24 August 2018|work=SBS News}}
In January 2014, Tourism Australia announced it had appointed Fox Sports' Chief Operating Officer John O'Sullivan as its Managing Director.{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/business/fox-sports-john-osullivan-named-new-md-of-tourism-australia-20140128-31jub.html |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140128134233/http://www.smh.com.au/business/fox-sports-john-osullivan-named-new-md-of-tourism-australia-20140128-31jub.html |archivedate=28 January 2014 |title=Fox Sports' John O'Sullivan named new MD of Tourism Australia |first=Jamie |last=Freed |date=28 January 2014 |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald}} In September 2019 Phillipa Harrison was appointed as O'Sullivan's successor, having been the Acting Managing Director of Tourism Australia since his departure in April 2019.{{cite news |url=https://www.afr.com/companies/tourism/tourism-australia-appoints-phillipa-harrison-to-top-job-20190912-p52qm1 |title=Tourism Australia appoints Phillipa Harrison to top job |author=Ludlow, Mark |date=12 September 2019 |newspaper=Financial Review |accessdate=7 January 2020 }}
See also
{{stack|{{portal|Australia}}}}