Blog: Volunteering with BlazeAid
Jessica Riley, an Irish backpacker and journalist, shares her experience volunteering with Blazeaid on the clean-up after the 2013 Gippsland Bushfires in 
Victoria. Read more »
Defying off-peak dry spells with group buying
Rachel Beaumont founded Darwin Harbour Cruises with her parents and husband in 1996. She discusses the benefits of group buying sites after her experiences with online marketing company LivingSocial. Read more »
Use it or lose it: the small scale accommodation survey
Last year the Federal Government committed to re-establishing a program for our sector to track the performance of our sector after funding was removed by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Read more »
Fisheries set to bait sharks after constant stream of sightings, but is it the right thing to do?
The Department of Fisheries is set to begin deploying bait after a kill order was issued yesterday on a number of great white sharks that have been repeatedly spotted over the holiday period swimming near popular beaches in Western Australia. Read more »
Gen Y choose experiences over stuff
Chris Ball, founder and CEO at AdventureHoney suggests this generation are more likely to appreciate the things that money can’t buy. Read more »
Industry feedback requested for Sydney Expo
Andrew Paltridge, managing director of the Sydney Adventure Travel & Backpackers Expo poses the question to industry folk: should the expo be split into an inbound/outbound event? Read more »
Treating customers like this is unAustralian
Travel agent Sarah Gohlke is unimpressed with how some people in the trade are operating…
I write this out of complete frustration and an intolerance for injustice. Read more »
Insurance rip-off…
Queensland hostel operator Brent Gemmell is unimpressed with the constant rise of insurance premiums…
What is happening with our insurance? As an industry we have been stung well over the top for a long time now. But this year we have reached new heights. Read more »
‘Australia must cut prices and re-enchant backpackers’
Australian tourism operators need to get real and drop their prices, while the country as a whole needs to ease backpackers’ visa restrictions and improve its promotional efforts, according to travel writer David Whitley. Read more »
From commissions to Koreans: ABiC debates continue
After Sydney’s successful Adventure and Backpacker Industry Conference drew to a close last Thursday, operators took the rare chance of all being in town together to arrange an extra informal meeting to further discuss some of the burning issues to have arisen from the conference. Read more »
Just a brainstorm in a schooner…
Scotty’s Beach House owner Boyd Scott suggests that while most of the industry is in Sydney for expo week, it makes perfect sense to hold an informal brainstorming session on how best to put Australia back in the tourist`s eye. Read more »
ATA’s tribute to the newly retired Ken Hart
Greg Zammit from Adventure Tours Australia bids farewell to his business partner of 22 years, Ken Hart, who retired two weeks ago. Read more »
The widening gap between UK school-leavers and Australia
Tom Griffiths, founder of Gapyear.com, argues that those students who miss out on a University place are also missing out on a gap year in Australia due to an industry system that fails them. Read more »
Tourism? But Australia’s got mining…
Scotty’s Beach House owner Boyd Scott argues Australia’s tourism industry is sinking into irrelevance while the country’s decision-makers are blinded by the mining boom.
“And don`t forget to say “G`day” to `em: you wouldn`t want to make a liar of me, now, would you?” So ended an amiable Paul Hogan Tourism Australia ad, where he told us Aussies how to treat the hordes of international tourists that he`d lured over here with his famous “Shrimp on the barbie” ad campaign. Read more »
It’s time for tough questions and positive leadership
Destination Melbourne chief executive Chris Buckingham argues that James Packer’s uncomfortable home truths about Australia’s tourism industry should be listened to.
James Packer was strident in his views on the state of the Australian tourism industry over the weekend. One of the richest men in the country did not have a lot of good things to say.
Queensland fails tourism moment of truth
Traveltrends.biz editor Martin Kelly says Queensland has a lot to offer – but the sunshine state must face up to a few home truths.
The political thought police are back in action in Queensland – and the news is all bad for the state’s tourism industry, which needs honesty, not self-deception, in what is shaping as a pivotal period in its history. Read more »
BOA NSW lobbies for van-packer solutions
BOA NSW president Katrina Greeves updates the industry on what the association has been doing about the thorny issue of illegal camping by backpackers.
Thanks to Thumbrella readers for sharing your local van-packer experiences and meetings with local stakeholders. I thought I’d give the industry a quick update on what we’ve been doing here in Sydney with Randwick City Council, which is turning into a very positive consultation process. Read more »
Slow and steady wins the race
Top Deck director of global sales and strategy Lance Batty says it’s not all doom and gloom out there, but businesses must continue investing in their product ready for the day the dollar starts to fall.
After reading all the dire press out there recently, I wanted to share some good news. Our new season trips started operating post April 1. The inaugural departure of our new City, South and Outback trip headed south on April 3 from Melbourne to Adelaide and on to Coober Pedy and Alice Springs, with a respectable 12 travellers. Not too bad for our first trip as our maximum load is 20. Read more »
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ATEC Backpacker & Youth Industry Conference
04 June 2013
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Byron Bay industry form (BOA NSW + AQ)
13 June 2013
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QLD Youth and Adventure Workshop
17 July 2013 09:00
@ Menzies Hotel, Sydney -
Adventure Queensland AGM
22 August 2013
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BOA NSW AGM
05 September 2013
