Australian Tourism forms new Partnership with Amex

The Australian Tourist Commission (ATC) recently announced a new US$20 million partnership with American Express, aimed at delivering significant tourism benefits for Australia.

The new three-year partnership between the ATC and American Express, announced by the Minister for Small Business and Tourism the Hon Joe Hockey, will make the American Express card the 'Official Card of Tourism to Australia'.

ATC Managing Director Ken Boundy said the new partnership, the first of its kind for the national tourism office, was a significant step forward for Australia's tourism marketing efforts around the globe.

"The new partnership will help to market Australia to the world as a tourist destination via the American Express network, and put us in direct touch with customers who are interested in travelling overseas," Mr Boundy said.

"We know our country is a dream destination for travellers worldwide and the partnership will help to ensure that American Express customers make their dream of an Australian holiday a reality."

In the first year of the agreement activities will be rolled out in the United States, with another five markets to follow in year two of the agreement, and global activity by year three.

Mr Boundy said the United States was a major tourism market for Australia, which offered enormous potential particularly with luxury market travellers.

"Australia receives close to half a million US visitors each year, however we know that millions more dream of visiting Australia. Our challenge in the US is to maximise the effectiveness of our marketing dollars in the world's most competitive travel market," Mr Boundy said.

"In partnership with American Express we will be able to take a more targeted approach to attracting high yield holiday visitors to our country.

"We expect this partnership to deliver an additional 10,000 visitors to Australia from the US this year."

The US roll out for the first year of the partnership will include nearly 40 separate marketing activities, including: 

Online and direct mail communications with its affluent Cardmember base that will target offerings and messages to reach both experienced and new travellers to Australia.

An advertising campaign with key titles from American Express' stable of publications, including Travel and Leisure, Departures and Food & Wine.

A distribution and training program through the vast American Express travel agency network.