Taking place 27-31 March across five days, Aussie Fest – Luxury Edition will see Tourism Australia and TTG Media showcase unique elements and culture from the country’s eight States and Territories.
This popular free-to-attend event brings the finest Australian experiences to the screens of UK travel planners via useful webinars and training, senior-level panel discussions, interesting virtual fams and interactive live tastings of Australian products, such as chocolate, wine and whiskey during exclusive expert-led tasting sessions.
The event is open to travel agents, tour operators and other buyers, but especially those with an interest in developing their luxury sales to Australia, with attendees invited to join sessions from the comfort of their own homes or offices.
For the first time since the launch of the event in 2021, luxury agents will also now have the chance of gaining a place on a memorable fam trip to the country to discover Australia for themselves.
Tourism Australia and partners Tourism & Events Queensland, Tourism Western Australia and Qantas will be offering the opportunity to experience true Australian luxury on a trip taking place 15-26 May 2023.
“We’re thrilled to be partnering once again with TTG and TTG Luxury on Aussie Fest – Luxury Edition. The week-long virtual showcase will place a particular emphasis on the Signature Experiences of Australia programme, taking you the length and breadth of Australia to experience the very best of experiential luxury Australia,” said Pete Mills, partnerships and distribution manager, UK & Northern Europe, Tourism Australia.
“Our live workshops are always a highlight, this year featuring award-winning chocolate, whiskey and wine tasting so sign up early to be part of these. And with a chance to experience a fabulous trip down under, register your details and tune in to TTG Aussie Fest – Luxury Edition to be considered.”
Kicking off on Monday 27 March, a panel of travel suppliers from Pure Luxury, Qantas and Tourism Australia will discuss the latest luxury tourism trends, while luxury agents Esther Ward from Designer Travel and Mark Swords from Swords Travel will share their tips for attracting high-value Australia bookings and giving customers the wow factor.
Over the course of the week, virtual fams will offer bespoke content for attendees, including a virtual bridge climb in Sydney with an Aboriginal storyteller; a wildlife tour of Australia’s Top End and Eyre Peninsula; and a walk through The Louise in South Australia’s Barossa Valley following its multi-million-dollar makeover, along with news from others in the Luxury Lodges of Australia portfolio.
A Cultural Attractions of Australia virtual fam will focus on Sydney, and two of the newest attractions to join the collection: The Art Gallery of NSW and Bangarra Dance Theatre.
Also available will be a virtual fam by Great Golf Courses of Australia, where agents can get to know three of Australia’s 100 top-rated golf courses – New South Wales Golf Club, Royal Adelaide Golf Club and Royal Melbourne Golf Club – and learn how to sell them to clients.
Lastly, the Ultimate Winery Experiences fam will focus on “something sparkling”, providing an overview of some of the best Australian sparkling wines and bookable experiences that unlock lesser-known wine regions.
The live workshops will take place on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday – including sessions with Haigh’s, one of Australia’s oldest family-owned chocolate companies; a chance to savour award-winning single-malt whiskey from Tasmania’s Lark Distillery; and to try wines from Brown Brothers Winery in Victoria.
The week will conclude with partner training presentations from each of the Australian States and Territories, designed to equip agents with the knowledge they need to sell the destination or product, coupled with the opportunity to ask questions.
“Whether you’re an Aussie Specialist or have never sold a trip to this fascinating country before, TTG Aussie Fest – Luxury Edition will offer so many ideas, providing the knowledge and inspiration to boost sales and demonstrate to clients why there’s nothing quite like Australia,” said April Hutchinson, editor, TTG Luxury. “I’m also particularly excited to see this year’s event focus on the luxury elements on offer, which hopefully also encourages more immersive and longer stays.”
Travel planners should register to attend via this link.
The Aussie Fest – Luxury Edition fam trip
To be considered for a place on an incredible fam trip to New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia, agents just need to register for free to attend Aussie Fest – Luxury Edition; answer some qualifying questions; and attend as many live sessions as possible throughout the festival.
This exclusive trip takes place 15-26 May 2023 and will start in Tropical North Queensland, with a stay at the refurbished Silky Oaks Lodge in the Unesco World Heritage-listed Daintree Rainforest. Agents will spend three days exploring the region, with experiences on land and the iconic Great Barrier Reef.
Then it’s on to Sydney, to stay at the stunning new Crown Sydney hotel, where world-class luxury is being redefined in the heart of Sydney harbour. Experience the city’s icons in new ways, from the iconic Sydney Opera House, to new harbourfront precincts and the famous Bondi Beach.
The last stop will be Perth, Australia’s sunniest city and the closest gateway to the UK. Nestled between the Indian Ocean and vines of the Swan Valley are the city’s best winemakers and chefs who agents on the trip will meet, while also discovering the city’s latest hotels and the new WA Museum Boorla Bardip.
The trip will also see Australia’s history told by Aboriginal guides and include a trip to the car-free island paradise of Rottnest, to meet those mini marsupials with the big grins – the quokkas!
