VisitBritain have set themselves an ambitious target of earning £2 billion from Australian visitors by 2026.

That was the bold message delivered by VisitBritain Chairman Nick de Bois this morning as he launched the organisation’s first travel trade mission to Australia since 2016.

The week-long mission kicked off in Sydney today before heading to Melbourne and Brisbane. Some 36 British tourism providers have made the trip Down Under and are set to meet with buyers and travel agents from across Australia.

Mr de Bois said Britain attracted 1.2 million visitors from Australia in 2023, spending £1.6 billion, which was a new record, with 2024 set to set a new record of £1.7 billion.

“That is hugely significant. Australia is the fourth most valuable market to the UK economy and that is something that we respect but we want to harness and build on.

“I’ll tell you why I think (£2 billion) is highly achievable. It’s because the demand for Britain is clearly growing,” he told a gathering of travel media ahead of the main event.

“The foundations of the relationship between Britain and Australia and the people of Britain and Australia are so deep seated and they run deep and they run long. They are the sort of foundations other countries would kill for.”

Opening the mission to an audience of industry suppliers, Mr de Bois said both the travel trade and travel agents were crucial in getting the UK’s message across.

“We know that working with the travel trade in Australia is more important than in any other country. We know the role of the travel trade and the travel agents is crucial when people come to making decisions about where and why they want to go on holiday.

“Our job is to help you help us and then we all win and the British economy wins.”

Apart from praising the role of travel agents, the Chairman was also quick to rave about Aussie tourists.

“Australians are the most coveted tourists in the world. They stay longer, they spend twice as much as other nations and they are more than happy to move around the United Kingdom.

“They are spending almost double the global average when it comes to supporting our local economies. This is remarkable and I shall be blunt…we want more of that.”

Mr de Bois revealed that 86 per cent of Australians are influenced to visit Britain based on what they see on their TV screens. This has led VB to launch a new campaign called Starring Great Britain.

“We will be showcasing Britain’s regional diversity through our film and TV locations. This campaign will use the powerful pull of screen tourism to boost visits to Britain and drive visits to the regions.”

Mr de Bois concluded by saying the return of the trade mission marked an ongoing and dedicated commitment to the Australian market.

“Our commitment is right up there and it’s not a commitment for a week. It’s a commitment for now and years to come, as it should be.

“It is a significant moment for now and the future beyond the week, because we are about building relationships and building and forging those partnerships that will go on for years.”

https://www.visitbritain.org/

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The daily flight will start on December 1, significantly enhancing capacity on the route with flights due to operate on CEB’s high-density and more fuel-efficient Airbus A330neo aircraft, configured with 459 economy class seats.

To celebrate the increase in capacity, CEB is launching a special seat sale from
today to September 10 allowing passengers from Sydney to book their flights to Manila for a $209 one-way, all-in fare (for travel from November 1 to May 31, 2025.)

“This development is a testament to our commitment to enhancing global connectivity and providing greater convenience for our passengers from Australia,” said Xander Lao, CEB President and Chief Commercial Officer.

Meanwhile Singapore Airlines has launched an Early Bird promotion, offering discounts to destinations spanning Africa, America, Europe, North Asia, Southeast Asia and West Asia.

Departures are available from Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney plus Canberra, Gold Coast, Hobart and Launceston through its Virgin Australia partner network.

Return fares start from $632 with savings available across all cabin classes for travel from January to September 2025. Sample fares include Melbourne to London return from $1,588.

“Enthusiasm for international travel remains high and our Early Bird discount fares across a wide variety of destinations plus bonus miles, will ensure customers can make the most of their holidays from the moment they book,” said Mr Louis Arul, Singapore Airlines Regional Vice President South West Pacific.

https://www.cebupacificair.com/en-PH/

www.singaporeair.com

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Fang Bao, owner of AUSA Travel in Sydney, scooped the grand prize in the Expedition Big 5 promotion from Lindblad Expeditions.

The incentive rewarded travel advisors with the chance to win an expedition to one of five destinations: Alaska, The Arctic, Australia, the Galápagos Islands, or Costa Rica.

For every Lindblad Expedition sold during the promotional period (July 12, 2023 – May 31, 2024), advisors received an entry into the draw.

Additionally, advisors who completed the Expedition360 online training program received additional entries.

“We are delighted with the response from travel advisors across Australia who promoted and booked their clients with confidence onto Lindblad Expeditions ships,” said Andrew Eddy, Head of Sales Australia and New Zealand at Lindblad Expeditions.

“This promotion was a way to express our gratitude to our valued travel advisor community, and we are thrilled that Fang Bao from AUSA Travel will have the opportunity to experience the wonders of Antarctica onboard Lindblad Expeditions.”

www.expeditions.com

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Mr Pichaya Saisaengchan is the first male Director of Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Oceania in 14 years. He brings with him a wealth of experience, having worked for TAT for more than 30 years.

In an exclusive interview, Khun Pop (his chosen nickname) sat down with Traveltalk to outline his goals for his three-year term, including fighting for the tourism suppliers who currently don’t have access to the Australian market.

“The bigger Thai suppliers get a very good share of the tourism cake because they can come here and meet agents, buyers and consumers,” he said.

“But there are lots of individuals, small scale and medium enterprises who are just as passionate about tourism. They have beautiful, excellent, fantastic products but they don’t know how to get access to the market.

“They know almost nothing about modern marketing and they don’t know how to get interest from Australian tourists.

“So I will focus on getting a fair share for those who lack the opportunity to get into the industry, particularly those with high quality products.”

Khun Pop said the Australian market was “very diversified” and offered great opportunities across the board for Thai suppliers.

“There are markets in this country for sustainable travel, alternative travel, responsible travel, luxury and health and wellness. I’ve been to other countries and they don’t have some of these markets but here you have them all. So this is a big opportunity for us.

“Thailand still wants to have high-yield tourists – those who spend more and are categorised as luxury. I have no problem with that, but we have got to get a fair share of those at the other end of the scale too.”

Another key focus for Khun Pop during his tenure is to get Australians to visit outside the two most popular destinations.

“For many years we have never been able to overcome the challenge that is to make Australians go beyond Bangkok and Phuket.

“We have always had a belief that Chiang Mai is a great place for them to go and explore the north of Thailand and the islands on the east coast are underrated.”

Sustainability is also high on Khun Pop’s agenda as Thailand continues to move towards a more eco-friendly future.

“We want to let the world know that we are green. We are trying to be green and the goal is to be known as a green destination, rather than for the destination itself.”

Speaking about tourism in his homeland, the new director discussed the implications of relying too much on income from overseas visitors.

“Fifteen per cent of Thai GDP comes from tourism and it sustains four million jobs. That’s huge, but what happened during COVID taught us something. Anything can happen.

“According to the UNWTO, a country cannot and should not rely too much on tourism for the economy and that is something to be concerned about.”

While Khun Pop has only been in his new role for a month, he’s not a complete stranger to life in Australia. He spent a year living in Queensland and was here where Sydney hosted the Summer Olympics.

“This is a laid back country full of laid back people and I like it. This is utopia and the country is just beautiful.”

Commenting on the enduring appeal of Thailand to Aussie tourists, Khun Pop said his country offered an affordable choice.

“Thailand is a popular destination for Australian tourists. According to our research, prices is the number one reason, people number two and then food, culture and tradition. Thai people are also rated among the most friendly and hospitable people for Australians.”

“We love Australians because they are funny people, they are laid back and they are easy to like. You don’t have to read their minds and they say what they think. Thai people love that kind of honesty.”

So what does he hope will be his legacy when he hands over in 2027?

“I have three years here and I hope to make a dent in the universe. If I cannot do anything, I will regret it for the rest of my life.”

https://amazingthailand.com.au/

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The event will offer an in-depth look at the 2025 itineraries to Japan and other information from MSC Cruises.

The webinar is scheduled for September 11 over two sessions at 8:30am and 12:30pm (AEST).

The 20-minute broadcast, followed by a five-minute interactive Q&A session, is designed to provide travel partners with comprehensive insights into the popular destinations of the Far East and top selling itineraries.

Japan and the Far East have never been more on-trend and this is an opportunity to learn what is selling well and why cruise is a great way to see this region.

Travel agents are invited to register in advance here Registrants will receive a confirmation email with details on how to join the webinar at their preferred session time.

“At MSC Cruises, we are committed to providing our travel partners with the tools and knowledge they need to excel in their roles and this deep dive into Japan is another way to equip our agents,” said Brigita Devries, Sales Manager at MSC Cruises, Australia & New Zealand.

The MSC fleet consists of 22 ships with three new vessels due to be launched in 2025, 2026 and 2027. The company operates in more than 100 countries around the world, offering cruises across five continents, calling at more than 300 destinations and welcoming more than 180 different nationalities on board.

https://www.msccruises.com.au/

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Cruise executives have unveiled ambitious growth plans aimed at doubling bookings in the Australian market.

Two of Celestyal’s bosses flew into Sydney this week to attend CRUISE360 and map out the company’s strategic targets to travel agents, distribution partners and media.

Chief Commercial Officer Lee Haslett and Vice President Business Development Janet Parton flew down from their head office in the UK.

“Australia is a key growth market for Celestyal – we have ambitious plans to double Australian bookings next year and our travel agent partners are critical to our growth plans, with the vast majority of our business coming via our trade channels,” said Mr Haslett.

“Through our dedicated trade team and investment in the market we’re confident we can work with our agent partners to achieve this target.

“We’re also investing in our training and engagement platforms offering new tools, assets and incentives to ensure our agent partners have everything they need to sell Celestyal cruises.”

Following a panel appearance at Cruise360, where Lee discussed the importance of new-to-cruise customers, the two executives took media on a ‘Taste of Celestyal’ tour with Gourmet Safaris in Sydney.

Along with Stewart Williams, Celestyal Regional Manager, and Mary Williams, Australian Business Development Manager, the pair also hosted more than 20 partners and industry stalwarts at a lavish dinner at Crown Sydney’s Woodcut restaurant.

To top off their Sydney visit, the duo spent a final evening at the Sydney Opera House, toasting top selling travel agents at Opera Bar before taking them to see Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard in the Joan Sutherland theatre.

“We think Celestyal is the perfect product for Aussies and they will come back again and again once they experience our destination-rich itineraries, our relaxed and fun onboard atmosphere, our authentic ‘insider’ shore experiences, and our affordable and value-packed way to cruise the Aegean, Adriatic and Arabian Gulf.”

https://trade.celestyal.com/au/

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The Australian Cruise Association (ACA) has announced it will hold its Annual Conference and AGM in Fremantle/Walyalup, Perth’s eclectic port city and the premier cruise gateway to Western Australia (WA).

The successful bid was entered by Tourism Western Australia in partnership with the City of Fremantle and Business Events Perth.

The announcement was made at the final session of the 26th anniversary ACA Conference being held in Adelaide which attracted a record 156 attendees.

It is anticipated that a similar number of people will attend the conference in Fremantle to be held from September 3-5, 2025.

This will include leading national and international cruise executives and representatives from the supply side of the cruise sector – shore excursion operators, port authorities, provedores, shipping agents and tour businesses.

“We are looking forward to heading back to W.A. in 2025 which will mark 20 years since the Conference was last held in Fremantle with 49 delegates in attendance – next year we expect around three times that many,” said Jill Abel, CEO of ACA.

“The committee’s decision to select Fremantle reflects the important commitment by the State Government and the various stakeholders throughout the state to discuss the next phase of growth for Western Australia.”

Australian Cruise Association is the co-operative marketing brand for cruise tourism in the Australia and Pacific region and represents a diversity of interests including regional ports, international, national and state tourism agencies, shipping agents, inbound tour operators and companies dedicated to marketing the region as a world class cruise destination.

https://www.australiancruiseassociation.com/

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As per this year, events will take place in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, but with new venues for each city and an expanded range of exhibitors.

With a revised format and even more world-class exhibitors, the event is set to dominate the travel industry calendar in February and agents are encouraged to save the (now confirmed) dates or risk missing out.

Melbourne will kick off the three-city tour on February 11 at the Sofitel, followed by Sydney (February 12) at The Fullerton Hotel and Brisbane (February 13) at Rydges South Bank Brisbane.

Next year’s events will see supplier booths operating from 4:30pm to 6:45pm, followed by food, music and presentations – along with a host of travel prizes – between 7pm and 8:30pm.

Sales and Marketing Director Greg McCallum says numbers will once again be limited for each event.

“So please make a note of the dates and be sure to move quickly once we open registrations in December,” says McCallum.

More information on Entire Travel Group is available here.

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A study by Edith Cowan University (ECU) has applied the theory of entropy to tourism, finding that travel could have positive health benefits, including slowing down the signs of ageing.

Entropy is classified as the general trend of the universe towards death and disorder.

The entropy perspective suggests that tourism could trigger entropy changes, where positive experiences might mitigate entropy increase and enhance health, while negative experiences may contribute to entropy increase and compromise health.

“Ageing, as a process, is irreversible. While it can’t be stopped, it can be slowed down,” said Ms Fangli Hu, ECU PhD candidate.

Ms Hu noted that positive travel experiences could enhance individuals’ physical and mental wellness through exposure to novel environments, engagement in physical activities and social interaction, and the fostering of positive emotions.

These potential benefits have been acknowledged through practices such as wellness tourism, health tourism and yoga tourism.

“Tourism isn’t just about leisure and recreation. It could also contribute to people’s physical and mental health,” Ms Hu added.

Travel therapy could serve as a ground breaking health intervention when viewed through an entropy lens, she added.

As an important aspect of the environment, positive travel experiences may help the body sustain a low-entropy state by modulating its four major systems.

Tourism typically exposes people to new surroundings and relaxing activities, and novel settings can stimulate stress responses and elevate metabolic rates, positively influencing metabolic activities and the body’s self-organising capabilities. These contexts may also trigger an adaptive immune system response.

Ms Hu said that this reaction improves the body’s ability to perceive and defend itself against external threats.

“Put simply, the self-defence system becomes more resilient. Hormones conducive to tissue repair and regeneration may be released and promote the self-healing system’s functioning.”

The Principle of Entropy Increase: A Novel View of How Tourism Influences Human Health was published in the Journal of Travel Research earlier this year.

The post Can travel make you look 20 years younger? appeared first on TravelTalk.

The EasyJet flight was bound for Kos International Airport in Greece after leaving London Gatwick Airport on Tuesday afternoon.

There was some turbulence during the flight which led to the irate passenger – who was allegedly intoxicated on whisky – standing up and berating the captain, according to a report in The New York Post.

During the flight, the unidentified man got into a war of words with other passengers, which led to a brawl and the unruly traveller being detained.

An emergency landing was made at Munich International Airport an hour and 44 minutes after take-off, according to flight tracker FlightAware.

Passengers cheered as the man was handcuffed and removed by German police, the incident captured on video posted to TikTok.

During the mid-air episode, which happened at 30,000 feet, the passenger reportedly broke the onboard intercom and fought with the flight crew, according to The Sun.

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