The buds of eucalyptus leaves are already emerging from charred trees in the Blue Mountains and patches of green are poking through the ash on Kangaroo Island after bush fires devasted the Australian destinations in recent weeks. The symbolic nature of the regeneration is important to Australian tourism personnel who were in Toronto on Monday to update the trade on the latest news from the continent Down Under, which has endured some of the worst fires ever seen there.
“Bushfires are a natural occurrence but this year’s were unprecedented,” Tourism Australia VP Americas Jane Whitehead told agents at a luncheon presentation at the Old Mill. “Some communities have been devasted.”
But while recovery in some places will be “a long road,” Whitehead was quick to note that only three percent of Australia was affected (areas of New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria and the capital region), but that the rest of the country was untouched.
Moreover, recent rain has all but extinguished most of the fires and rendered the remaining ones contained, she says.
But the damage has been done, both physically and by perception, with Goway’s Shirley Rourke telling Travel Industry Today that the tour operator had to cope with “hysteria” amongst some clients, who believed the entire country was on fire due to overzealous media coverage.
As such, Goway, like many travel agencies, suffered a distinct drop in enquires about Australia, but managed in most cases to redirect or postpone client’s travel where necessary. The biggest concern, she says, was about air quality.
Whitehead said Tourism Australia recognizes the stress and extra workload suffered by agents during the fire fiasco and thanked them for their effort and support, as well as all Canadians who contributed to relief efforts.
And she added that Tourism Australia, which is on an 11-city mission, wanted to come to Canada to “reassure you that you can still sell with confidence.”
Tane Evans of AEA Luxury Tours, who was part of the Tourism Australia delegation, added, “We’re not here to jeopardize your safety or your clients’ safety. Or our safety.”
For its part, Australia has earmarked emergency funds to help the tourism industry recover, not least because tourism is critical to the lives of 660,000 Australians.
As such, the tourist board launched an immediate domestic campaign (which is usually beyond its purview) to encourage Australians to take quick, short trips in their homeland. A longer recalibration of its marketing efforts is underway and will show up in Canada in April through June with a concerted consumer advertising campaign. About 200,000 Canadians visit Australia annually.
The message for Canadians and other international visitors is that Australia is “open for business,” “there’s never been a better time to visit,” and “don’t feel like you’re helping us by staying away.”
Goway’s Rourke is looking for a silver lining in the situation, noting that she believes the fires have created pent up demand from consumers who postponed plans to visit.
“It’s been a reminder of how passionate people are about Australia,” she says. “And maybe it will encourage people to take it off their bucket list and put it on their to-do list.”
Goway’s South Pacific VP adds that as part of the company’s 50th anniversary celebrations in 2020, the tour operator will be conducting four FAMs later this year, which will allow some agents to see Australia’s recovery and resilience for themselves.
