Tourism Talk – Industry Newsletter

Issue 278 - 6 October 2009

Tas e-Connect Update

Tasmanian tourism operators continue to embrace the online market, with around 70 per cent of all tourism businesses now having a web presence. The numbers have been growing steadily over the past five months, with 1276 in April to 1,330 in August 2009.

Tasmanian tourism operators connected to the Open Booking Exchange (OBX) through the Tas e-Connect initiative has also grown, with 304 now receiving live, online bookings and instantly updated inventory. Collectively, these Tasmanian operators received more than $175,000 worth of business through the OBX in the month of August, an increase of over $40,000 on the value of business during July.

How does it work? By connecting their business to the Open Booking Exchange operators can present live inventory, availability and pricing direct from their reservation system to a multitude of travel websites including About Australia, Need it Now, Lastminute.com, totaltravel.com.au, discovertasmania.com and many more.

If a business operates one of the following reservation systems (or associated systems) then it can be integrated to the OBX: RoomMaster, RMS, Fidelio, Respax, Frontdesk, Seatem, and JBS.

To join the more than 300 Tasmanian tourism operators already doing business through the OBX, please contact the Tas e-Connect Help Desk on 1300 303 259 or email taseconnect@tourismtasmania.com.au

ATEC - Team Tas Workshop

An ATEC Online Marketing Workshop will be held in Hobart and Launceston on Thursday 15 October and Friday 16 October 2009 respectively.

In these 3 hr workshops, Global Gossip’s Online Director, Jesse Desjardins, will show operators how to take advantage of some of the best marketing opportunities available online, most of which are free, as well as providing the latest insights on how to market products online.

Topics covered include how to best spend time and money online, what social media services to use to maximise a product’s exposure and how to get the most out of Google to help more people find you.

As an added bonus, participants will have their current online marketing workshopped and reviewed for improvements.

The Hobart workshop will run from 9.30am to 1.00pm, at Tourism Tasmania, Heritage Room, Level 2, 22 Elizabeth Street, Hobart. The cost is $45 for ATEC members and $85 non-members, with morning tea included.

The Launceston workshop will be held from 10.00am to 1.30pm, at Tourism Tasmania - Level 1 12 - 16 St. John Street Launceston and costs $60 for ATEC members and $100 for non-members, morning tea and lunch included.

Numbers are limited so please confirm your attendance by Friday 9 October to Teamtas@tourism.tas.gov.au.

For further information contact Gill Parsey on 6230 8288 gill.parsey@tourism.tas.gov.au or Jennifer Hayward on 6230 8160 jennifer.hayward@tourism.tas.gov.au.

Totally South Annual Regional Tourism Conference

Totally South Tourism is presenting its Annual Regional Tourism Conference on Wednesday 14 October 2009.

The conference is titled Future Proofing: Essential Business Planning.

The program assesses the big picture for the Tasmanian tourism industry and looks at how operators can implement changes to future proof their tourism business.
The day will be packed full of vital information, trends and insights into the future of the tourism industry.

Topics for the day include The Latest Tourism Research and Emerging Markets, presented by Matthew Hingerty, Managing Director, Australian Tourism Export Council; Know who the Recession Proof Traveller is, presented by Ross Honeywell CEO of the Social Intelligence Lab. and The Present and the Future for the Online Travel Consumers,presented by Nikolai Pitchforth – Senior Industry Analyst, Google. Other topics covered include Brand Research, Development and Retail Strategies presented by the co-creators of the Pure Tasmania brand, Futurebrand.

The workshop will include a facilitated forum on how to work with others in your area or sector to create a promotional platform to attract more visitors.

For more information on the conference, including registration, see www.tastourismconference.com.au

TigerTOUR Update

There are no new additions to the TigerTOUR database.

Tourism Tasmania’s Product Consultants can help you update your business details. For more information email TigerTOUR@tourism.tas.gov.au or phone: (03) 6230 8229.

Coming Events

Burnie Ten
Australia's premier ten kilometre road race
Burnie
Sun, 18 Oct 2009

See all events