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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. |
