Queensland on Tour UK/Nordic Report
Read the recent Queensland on Tour- UK/Nordic report and gain valuable insight into this important international market.
QUEENSLAND ON TOUR – UK/NORDIC
Destinations included: Copenhagen, Manchester, London & Glasgow
Objectives:
• Increase awareness of destination Queensland
• Raise the profile of Queensland’s tourism product suppliers
• Grow business opportunities with key trade partners
• Strengthen and establish travel industry relations with product and marketing managers
• Provide training sessions for new and existing retail sales and reservation staff
Format:
• Workshop events
• One-on-one product manager meetings
• Small group retail training presentations
In each city, events were held with wholesale Product Managers and agents.
In total 286 agents, Product Managers and reservations staff attended the events and training sessions.
Staff product training sessions were conducted with key wholesalers – Gold Medal, Travel 2 and Dial-a-flight. This included a total of 42 reservations and sales staff.
Market Overview
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• Arrivals to Brisbane
United Kingdom
> 129,000 visitors – year ending June 2011
> -6% YOY
• Brisbane’s 2nd largest international source market behind New Zealand
• 11% of all international visitors to Queensland
• UK arrivals to Australia are forecast to increase by 1.5% per annum between 2010 and 2020 to reach 754,000 arrivals in 2020.
• Rising airfares on the US-Australia route eroded Australia’s competitiveness in the US market
• UK visitors spent $378 million on their trips to Queensland in the year ending June 2011
• Visitation from the UK to Australia declined in the year ending June 2011, driven by large declines in holiday and VFR travel. Regardless, leisure (holiday and VFR) travel continues to account for 85% of UK visitors to Australia.
Key Findings:
• Brisbane is used as a gateway or stopover either on entry or exit of Queensland. This continues to be our greatest strength and opportunity to extend length of stay, through the continued education of what lies to the east and west of the city.
• Brisbane is seen as ‘another city’ in the eyes of the consultants and most if they haven’t been to Brisbane before, have not been to the city for 3+years. After spending time informing/educating them about the new products, the growth of the city and the day tour options to Moreton Bay and Scenic Rim their perceptions were changed.
• The challenge will be in ensuring these operators are contracted with the ITO’s servicing these wholesalers.
• People are still travelling to Australia, however the competitiveness of destinations such as Thailand, USA and Europe (Spain in particular) are extremely strong at the moment as the UK still comes to terms with the effects of GFC #1 & 2.
• Flight only bookings are on the increase as a trend emerging with FIT consumers deciding to book tours/attractions once on the ground in the destination.
Outcomes:
• Greatest opportunity is to further develop and include product in wholesale programs.
• Recommendation to continue agent training and in turn extend agents & wholesalers knowledge on how much Brisbane & the greater Brisbane region has to offer.
• Working with wholesalers to increase Brisbane’s minimum stay to 2+nights
• Opportunities to work with the Sunshine Coast to create destination packages & experiences as duo destinations
Key Contacts
Copenhagen Product Managers
Anne Bendixen
|
Product Manager |
Jysk Rejsebureau |
Niels Johansen
|
Product Director |
Nyhavn Rejser
|
| Anny Stensvig |
Senior sales/production Aust/NZ
|
Nyhavn Rejser
|
Sussane Ritzen
|
General Manager |
My Planet -
Sweden
|
Birgitte Vraadal
|
Product Manager
|
FDM Travel |
| Lasse Gunstrup |
Web Content Manager (marketing)
|
KILROY |
| Katja Hansen |
Product Manager
|
Stjernegaard
Rejser A/S |
| Annelise Dam Larson |
Managing Director
|
Risskov Travel |
Hans Morup Johansen
|
Sales Manager
|
Team Benns
|
| Troels |
Beck |
Gislev Rejser
|
Irfan Gilani
|
General Manager
|
Lords Travel
|
| Christina Christiansen |
Product Manager |
Jysk Rejsebureau
|
Annette Sandqvuist
|
Product Manager
|
Tour Pacific
|
Karsten Lind
|
Product Manager
|
Team Benns
|
| Line Milland Aminsa |
Product Manager
|
Profil Rejser
|
Jonas Albea
|
Product Manager
|
Australienrejser
|
Winnie Sorense
|
Product Manager
|
My Planet
|
Robert Doelema
|
Product Manager
|
KILROY
International
|
| |
|
|
London Product Managers
| Karen Joyce |
Austravel
|
| Kaye Rankin |
Allways Pacific
|
| Valerie May |
ATS Pacific
|
| Clare Stuart |
Black Tomato
|
| Rebecca Berzins |
Bridge the World
|
| Aaron Jennings |
Cox & Kings
|
| Claire Chamberlain |
Dial A Flight
|
| Rod Andrews |
Emerald
|
| Jennifer Snow |
Freedom Australia
|
| Laura Ingeri |
STA Travel
|
| Heather Colburn |
Stella Travel
|
| Tracey James |
Tailormade Travel
|
| Alison Noble |
Trailfinders |
| Leanne Broutta |
Trailfinders |
| |
|
Glasgow Product Manager
| Heather Colbourn |
Travel 2 |