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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.  

Whilst looking forward to the many industry famils, organised events and the plethora of industry folk from all over Australia who will be present in Sydney for the ABiC and Youth Adventure Expo in a couple of weeks, it occurred to me it would be the perfect opportunity for an informal meeting between leading tourism industry representatives, both elected and professional, and those of us who run tourism businesses and regularly grace the forum of Backpacker Trade News with our opinions.

Many of us put our names to threads that criticise, ridicule and sometimes inform those who browse this site, without any real hope of effecting real change. Wouldn`t we like to present our thoughts and experiences (and various areas of expertise) to the men and women who act on our behalf to formulate tourism-friendly laws and the advertising campaigns that attract international tourists to our shores, directly, in a convivial and timely manner? (Even the various Anons, fake Greg Coles and Fake Rick Schindlers would be welcome to come along).

Conversely, surely TA, TQ, TNSW etc. and the tourism ministers and advisers, state and federal, would be interested in direct input on what is happening on the coal front from operators from all the states and territories, plus those inbound agents who have up-to-the-minute knowledge of what the international travel scene is up to?

I, therefore, would like to hold a “Brainstorming” meeting on Friday 28th October, under the auspices of TNT/BTN.

I would hope the various parties, both tourism authorities and those of us with ‘skin in the game’, will make themselves available, however hungover we are from the Golden Backpack Awards gala dinner the night prior.

To register interest, please contact me on boyd@scottysbeachhouse.com.au

By Backpacker Trade News  ·  October 14th, 2011 at 5:21 pm

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Comments


  1. Greg Cole
    14 Oct 11
    8:46 pm

    2. Great idea. Especially so because those with “skin in the game” as Scotty puts it play at street level. For those who don’t it would be remiss of you to not be there.

  2. scotty
    15 Oct 11
    12:28 pm

    3. Yes, come along and put your ideas to the movers and shakers of our industry!

    Meeting will be informal and held at Side Bar from mid day until 3pm (this is to allow a reasonable window for folks to make it to the meeting and have a say), so call in and help save our sector. We don`t need to know your BTN nom de plumes, you Anons and Show me the money`s, we just want to hear your thoughts.

    Lunch and drinks will be available for purchase, so, feel free to call in.

  3. Des Ewing
    15 Oct 11
    1:51 pm

    4. Sounds great, count me in..

  4. Anon
    15 Oct 11
    6:34 pm

    5. We will be there Scotty!

  5. Tom Wheeler
    17 Oct 11
    2:12 pm

    6. Great idea Scotty – I will be attending

  6. Greg
    17 Oct 11
    4:59 pm

    7. Great idea, I’ll be there too, will be good to meet a few more of you

  7. Kevin Ellis
    17 Oct 11
    8:27 pm

    8. Scotty – great idea – will be there too – flight times permitting!!

  8. andrew paltridge
    18 Oct 11
    8:56 am

    9. Great idea Scotty…the week in Sydney is an important time for the industry and the more “things” on the better IMHO. Shoot us an email and I’ll promote it to the expo people… cheers

  9. Anonypotimus
    18 Oct 11
    10:46 am

    10. I’m just coming up to Syd for Ben’s bucks on Sat night. There answers to all life’s questions shall be answered

  10. Scotty
    18 Oct 11
    2:57 pm

    11. Great to see some attendees will show up – I’m expecting big bad Ben to represent at this informal meeting, Anonypotimus: you can join him. So far, subjects to be discussed range from Kiwi/Ozzy joint destinational marketing, better targeting of backpacker markets in advertising and successes/failures in WHV and student visas. Got any others? Bring em along.

  11. Peter J
    18 Oct 11
    6:38 pm

    12. If I come can I sit next to Greg Cole please?

  12. Greg Cole
    18 Oct 11
    7:50 pm

    13. Sit on my left, Peter. Then I’ll at least know who you are.

  13. Anon
    19 Oct 11
    8:22 am

    14. Scotty – How to rid the world of WT?

  14. Deb
    19 Oct 11
    12:01 pm

    15. I look forward to meeting you all

  15. Peter J
    19 Oct 11
    3:39 pm

    16. sorry Greg, i’m only joking, invites are for those in the industry only!

  16. Steve K
    19 Oct 11
    5:00 pm

    17. Scotty – probably far too sensible an idea for the pollies to be there – but I’ll look forward to it !

  17. Greg Cole
    19 Oct 11
    7:07 pm

    18. Well ok Peter J. Sit on my right-wing if my lefty doesn’t agree with you.

  18. Peter Angel - National Harvest Labour
    20 Oct 11
    10:50 am

    19. Will be there also. Can contribute about harvest/seasonal work for backpackers and keen to get feedback. The good, the bad and the ugly, not sanitised for govt reports!

  19. scotty
    20 Oct 11
    1:05 pm

    20. This`ll be one hell of a convivial gathering, won`t it?

    Everyone`ll be eying each other off, trying to size-up who the Anons, Ron Burgundies, Fake Greg Coles and Anonypotimuses are, and the REAL Greg Cole will be waiting to spring like a ninja leopard onto the fabled Peter J (or anyone who sits on his left or right).

    Besides all this tension in the room, I`m pleased with the number of folks who have agreed to participate from across the industry and country…. my only hope is we can have some participation from the authorities… anyone out there with any traction (maybe some late-night pix from tourism function after parties……) call in some favours, please…

  20. steve douglas
    21 Oct 11
    12:56 am

    21. scotty do you have a big enough room?

  21. Des Ewing
    21 Oct 11
    8:30 am

    22. I’ll be wearing my name badge, so everyone will know who I am…

  22. Peter J
    21 Oct 11
    10:00 am

    23. I’ll be going incognito to see if anyone recognizes me

  23. Fake Greg Cole
    21 Oct 11
    11:12 am

    24. First round is on me everyone

  24. scotty
    21 Oct 11
    12:11 pm

    25. Well, Side Bar is a reasonable-sized venue, Stevie….but we may need to sit closer to each other than might seem safe with a hangover from the ABIC dinner….

    Goodonya, FGC!! We`ll accept any generosity offered, especially with Sydney prices…. ;-)

    Still need the movers and shakers to grab tourism authorities by the arm and get them to come along – Peter O, Katrina G et al, please use your sweet skills & get the thumb-lock working on your mates, hey!

  25. Safari Pete
    21 Oct 11
    5:25 pm

    26. G’Day Mate! Can I come on down for your knees up? I may not be help with the big issues but I sure as heck could inject a bit of humour into the event hey :)

  26. Scotty
    21 Oct 11
    5:35 pm

    27. Course you can, Pete, just ensure your mate McEvoy comes along….

  27. David Cheeks Way
    21 Oct 11
    5:47 pm

    28. Good on ya Scotty.. hope its a great success, like i said again.. apologies we cant be there I reckon it will be a rip snorter… Off to the Octagon in Tropical Dunedin to cheer the mighty Wallabies in to Bronze (hopefully ).. wishing everyone a real successful expo and a gathering of the tribes hahaha
    Hooroo
    Cheeks

  28. The "Beam me up, Scotty", Scotty (just kidding)
    21 Oct 11
    6:38 pm

    29. Hi Safari Pete. To answer your question, “Sure”… but only if you offer old mate Tony down there in Port Campbell a discount on a spot in the 6th edition of your upcoming “Melbourne & Victoria Guide” :-)

    (And I’d add an emoticon thingy to this post, if only I knew how)

  29. Tony M
    21 Oct 11
    6:39 pm

    30. Ok, so I just learnt how to add an emoticon into a post here on BTN… so I now wonder what adding a “p” after a “:” does.

    :p

  30. Tony M
    21 Oct 11
    6:46 pm

    31. David Cheeks Way. As an ex Dunedin lad, I envy your current location. Enjoy something cold, wet and bubbly in any one of the heaps of bars (or, baas) down there. (PS: is that big, thick, black plastic Rexona can looking ‘art’ still standing up? Proud and erect?)

    (PPS: and it seems placing a “p” after “:” does nothing in the emoticon stakes).

  31. anon
    22 Oct 11
    9:58 am

    32. Any truth to the rumour you’ve organised a pole-dancer from Cairns?

  32. Scotty
    24 Oct 11
    10:37 am

    33. No, Anon, I haven’t but I won’t stop anyone from giving it a burl, if they feel in the mood (Christian’s security fella may have a different view on this, tho…..)

    Thank Christ the AB’s scraped over the line last night-I reckon there were a few million Kiwis sitting on very tight sphincters for 40′mins, hey! Well, at least all the Kiwis at Friday’s gathering will be at their creative best now Bill is back in their cabinet.

    Let’s hope the Australasian backpacking industry can take a leaf out of the All Black’s win: just keep playing the game that you know suits you best & victory will be yours.

    Let’s just hope it comes a bit sooner for us…

  33. Tui Eruera
    25 Oct 11
    1:17 pm

    34. @Scotty, has there been thought to move this into the conference?

  34. Georgie Woods - Tinbilly Travellers - Brisvegas
    25 Oct 11
    2:21 pm

    35. Love to take part in this – great idea!

  35. Scotty
    25 Oct 11
    4:03 pm

    36. Gday Tui – how’s the smile going still impossible to wipe off? I believe the Conference is trying to allow for more discussion in its program with questions able to be put to the expert panel but I’m not convinced a full-on, free-flowing session of ideas and left of brain positing would work for all contributors, some of whom might be reluctant to speak in front of such a large and semi-formal gathering.

    If Friday’s session is a success and some breakthroughs are achieved, then perhaps it could be added on to next year’s Expo week, even as a prelude to the conference. I will ensure there are certain niceties displayed at Friday’s meeting to promote open discussion without offense and a written record of ideas raised will be kept to be passed on for everyone’s benefit.

    Georgie, it’ll be great to have you along.

    There are two sayings I want attendees to consider when at this meeting of minds: A rising tide floats everyone’s boat, and Amazing things can be achieved if you don’t care who receives the credit….

    See you there, folks

  36. Peter J
    26 Oct 11
    9:41 am

    37. Scotty, it is going to be off the hook! I bet you don’t get a wink of sleep Thursday night, it is a shame it is so soon though, would have loved to have seen this thread become the most discussed.

    @Greg Cole – save me that seat buddy :)

  37. Phae
    26 Oct 11
    12:54 pm

    38. Hey Scotty, was SO coming to this, but it turns out something has popped up and I can’t come. Is there any chance you can document this? Video? Super-shorthand notes? It would be real helpful for those like me that can’t attend this time round

  38. Scotty
    29 Oct 11
    2:06 pm

    39. Well, the Brainstorm has come & gone and I wish to thank all those industry folks who called in to thrash out some positive outcomes (a full summary of these will be provided in due course) and those attending have agreed to re-convene for another meeting whilst we are in Melbourne for next February’s Expo

    Special thanks to the fellas from BTN, Kevin & Tom, for attending and allowing this thread.

    I’m also most grateful to Christian Millet from Wake-Up for allowing us to meet in Sidebar (and for the free schooners!)

    Cheers.

  39. Kevin Ellis
    31 Oct 11
    8:10 pm

    40. Scotty – it was a pleasure and a good concept – the industry needs to keep the issues that affect operators directly at the forefront and this is another positive way in which to do that.

    It was clear from the meeting that there are several “hot topics” and we will get the notes from the meeting put together and then released via BTN to continue the threads and commentary.

    Regards

    Kevin

  40. James Robinson-Gale
    9 Nov 11
    9:52 am

    41. Belated thanks Scotty for facilitating a great get together. I look forward to continued discussion.

  41. Gareth
    25 Apr 12
    10:09 am

    42. Can we have an update on what this achieved please, shouldn’t take long!!!!!

  42. Scotty
    26 Apr 12
    9:10 am

    43. I wonder what Gareth`s interest in all this is? Sounds like a bit of a skeptic.

    Well, as explained in other threads, we now have the commission-charging agents fully engaged in discussions for the first time, both on this forum and at AYTEC. As the cost of commission is the biggest single issue in our sector and has been of growing concern for at least 5 years (as Gareth would know, unless he`s been out of the loop), this is the number one achievement so far.No one`s saying it`s a fait accompli but we are heading in the right direction.

    The suggestion of NZ , Australia, Fiji, New Guinea and the island nations surrounding us form a tourism block (destination Down Under) is also simmering away in the background. Such a destinational marketing decision is beyond my ability to successfully drive but we have at least planted the seed.

    Provision for non-harvest work to be included in the 2nd year visa extension has also been picked up since that Friday arvo, as has the idea of directly targeting backpackers for mining construction jobs. Once again, until we have a change of Federal government (or the ACTU loses its influence over Caucus decisions on immigration/employment policy….) this will also take more time to come into effect.

    The last main issue we discussed was on the introduction of some form of quality assurance, created by our own sector. Like QUALMARK and the Star system but specifically designed for the backpacker/youth-adventure market. This has now been mentioned by some significant industry commentators and we may see more on this in November, at the Backpacker Conference.

    Furthermore, Gareth, if you are involved in the industry or have something to add to improving it, feel free to join us in Sydney for the next “Brainstorm in a schooner”, Friday, November 9th. More info on this in the future.

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