Asians fly on to Coast firms’ radar
Coast businesses are tapping into the lucrative Asian tourist market to provide a sales boost during the quiet winter months.
More than 15 Gold Coast tourism businesses, including iFly Gold Coast, Dreamworld/ SkyPoint, and Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, have been spruiking their services on the Gold Coast to 400 travel agents from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, India and Indonesia.
Tourism Australia’s inaugural Corroboree Asia 2018 trade event, which is being held in partnership with Destination Gold Coast and ends tomorrow, aims to provide businesses with a platform to sell themselves to Australian travel specialists in Asia.
The agents play an important role in marketing Australia, including the Gold Coast, as a long-haul destination to Asian travellers, who in the 12 months to March pumped $2.9 billion into the state’s economy.
Ifly Gold Coast, which operates an indoor skydive centre with a 3.66m-high glass wind tunnel, opened in Surfers Paradise in 2016.
However, general manager Chris McKinley said it had only started marketing to the Asian inbound tourist market in the past six months.
Mr McKinley said if iFly could win more business from Asian markets, it would ensure a full house year round, even during quiet winter months.
“Inbound tourism is a very
big chunk of business,” he said.
“By engaging this market, it gives us year-round business. For example, Indians tend to travel in May. By themselves they might not be an enormous market, but collectively with other markets, they can ensure we have full bookings at quiet times of the year.”
Mr McKinley said he had been very busy marketing iFly to the travel agents.
“What we are doing is making them familiar with our products, so when it comes time to draw up their itineraries, they will look at visiting us,” he said.
Destination Gold Coast CEO Annaliese Battista said the Coast was thrilled to have been awarded destination hosting rights for a second Corroboree event after Corroboree West last year.
“Entrusting Destination Gold Coast to host back-toback trade events for key international visitor markets including Asia, has afforded us an invaluable opportunity to showcase our diverse tourism portfolio,” Ms Battista said.
“This is a great vote of confidence from Tourism Australia, and reinforces the Gold Coast as world-class tourism and major events destination.”
Assistant Minister for Tourism Meaghan Scanlon said Corroboree Asia 2018 built on momentum gained from the Commonwealth Games.
“Just months after hosting the Commonwealth Games, the Trade 2018 program and a 7000-strong business delegation by Chinese personal health care giant Infinitus, the Gold Coast is hosting Tourism Australia’s Corroboree Asia 2018,” she said.
“The momentum of the Games continues to build. Staging this event on the Gold Coast reinforces our city’s position as one of Queensland’s major business event hubs.
“Travel agents play an important role in helping tourists decide their next destination. We’re working tirelessly to build the profile of the Gold Coast in Asia.”
Tourism Minister Kate Jones said it was the third year running Tourism Australia had chosen the Gold Coast to host one of its key tourism trade events.
“We’re seeing burgeoning outbound travel from Asia. This region is vitally important when it comes to our strategy to grow Queensland’s $25 billion tourism industry,” she said.