The city of Melbourne - including retailers, restaurants, bars and attractions – is expecting it’s newly launched “Marvellous March” calendar of events to attract over 117,000 additional daily visitors to the city. According to industry body Tourism Alliance Victoria, Melbourne is the most lucrative domestic tourism destination in Australia, adding $4.7 billion to the city’s coffers...
Read More

Belmont, Lake Macquarie, 90 minutes drive north of Sydney, will host Lakefest, featuring plenty of fun events for locals and visitors, March 12-21. Take your bike along the lake for a spin in Loop the Lake, bring your swimsuit for a paddle at Paddlefest compete in the Caves Beachside Resort Ocean Swim at Caves Beach. Lakefest, one of the major events held in Belmont will showcase the best of...
Read More

Online travel agent ZUJI, Helping Holidays Happen, is offering travellers four reasons to book an Easter getaway in March and they include – no booking fees, no credit card fees, domestic and international flight options and a $20 e-voucher towards accommodation, in conjunction with any flight booked before 31 March 2010. There’s a choice of packages to destinations around the world includi...
Read More

Need to Escape and Needitnow.com.au have joined hands to launch family holiday deals in each state - available until March 28, 2010. Deals include: Darwin, Northern Territory Two-bedroom apartment at Marrakai Luxury All Suites Darwin and including fully equipped kitchen and laundry. Cost $250 per room, per night, sleeps five. North Melbourne, Victoria Self-catering two-bedroom apartmen...
Read More

Virgin Blue has named former Qantas executive, John Borghetti the company’s new chief executive officer and managing director, effective May 8, 2010. Virgin chairman Neil Chatfield, said Borghetti was a highly regarded executive with deep aviation experience and insights; proven strategic capabilities and strong marketing credentials. “Nobody knows the market better and he is passionate...
Read More

The Powerhouse Museum and IMG Fashion have joined hands to mount an exhibition celebrating 15 years of Rosemount Australian Fashion Week. The exhibition, Frock stars: Inside Australian Fashion Week will open at the Powerhouse Museum on 22 April 2010, exploring what happens inside and backstage at this iconic Australian event. It will feature the history, highlights, controversies and achieve...
Read More

The Hunter Valley Wine Industry Association has launched its line up of regional and Sydney wine and food festivals for 2010. They include: Hunter Uncorked Pyrmont - Sunday 18 April Hosted in Pyrmont Bay Park, the ‘BBQ & Shiraz’ themed festival will be perfect heading into winter months. Featuring 20 wineries and restaurants, live DJs, interactive games with Hunter Valley winemakers and ...
Read More

South West Coach Lines and Veolia Transport have launched a new line of luxury coaches to complement the existing charter, express and school services. Australia’s newest coaches have started operating ex Perth to the south-west from February. The coaches feature plush Italian leather seats, multi-channel entertainment system and USB re-charge ports for iPods and other electronic devices...
Read More

Leisure company, Dometic Group, is giving camping enthusiasts a chance to win one of three road trips around Australia. Visitors to the Adelaide Caravan and Camping Show at 11am on February 24, 2010 will be given this great opportunity to join the competition at the WAECO stand in the Wayville Pavilion at stand W18. The prize will include a 13-week expenses-paid road trip plus receive a make-ove...
Read More

Melbourne’s iconic Hotel Windsor has released an Easter accommodation deal offering a two-night stay in a traditional queen room for $350 between April 2 and April 5. That is equivalent to just $175 per night, and for an extra $70 guests can upgrade to a superior room for both nights. To celebrate Easter, there will be some specially-made chocolate treats in each room and the breakfast buffe...
Read More

Regional carrier QantasLink today marked its expansion into South Australia with its inaugural flight between Adelaide and Port Lincoln. QantasLink executive manager, Narendra Kumar, said the airline used the 74-seat Q400 aircraft on the route. “We are offering the people of Port Lincoln our premium product, which will not only result in reduced flying time between Port Lincoln and Adelaide co...
Read More

Greyhound Australia has reduced the price of its Airlie Beach (Queensland) Mini Traveller pass by 15 per cent. The Mini Traveller pass is one of Greyhound Australia’s most popular travel options, offering passengers a 45-day hop-on hop-off bus pass between some of Australia’s most popular tourist destinations. According to the company, it’s a popular option with backpacker travellers....
Read More

Model Solar Vehicle Challenge – 28-29 November Join 80 teams of students from around Australia and the world as they race their model boats and cars to see who is the ‘fastest under the Sun’. This event encourages young people to explore the potential of solar energy through the construction of working models. Going Places: The Technology of Transport – Starts 12 December Find out h...
Read More

Greyhound Australia has been named the best transport company by international tourists and young travellers at the annual 2009 Golden Backpack Awards. The company’s chief executive officer Rob Thomas said Greyhound staff should be congratulated. “Forget flying, this award proves what backpackers want is to be able to immerse themselves in the local culture,” he said. “We’ve worked ha...
Read More

Singapore Airlines has started operating daily services to Melbourne using the super sized aircraft the Airbus 380. The move is expected to add a much needed boost to the state’s visitor arrival numbers. Sydney was the world’s first A-380 destination in October 2007 and the new flights make Australia the only country in the world to have the aircraft operate out of two cities. Accordi...
Read More

Three Queensland theme parks, Warner Bros. Movie World, Sea World & Wet’n’Wild Water World, have extended their joint $99.95 discounted QLD VIP Pass, until June 30, 2010. The pass is aimed at locals and visitors from northern New South Wales (with postcodes 2450-2490). Warner Village Theme Parks director of sales, Annette Pearce said more than 100,000 passes had been sold so far. She ...
Read More

Peppers Anchorage in picturesque Port Stephens is offering family friendly holidays with its offer of free accommodation and meals for children between three and 12 years, October 5-16. The resort combines deluxe accommodation, action aplenty and value for money. The resort’s tranquil surrounds provide the perfect destination - indulge in a spa treatment, enjoy a gourmet beach picnic or sa...
Read More

A national delegation of around 300 Australian tourism industry leaders and government policy makers gathered on the Gold Coast to debate an agenda spanning climate change mitigation to cutting-edge technological applications revolutionising consumer purchasing. It also saw the unveiling of innovative ideas, and futuristic technology which grabbed the attention of media from around the globe, i...
Read More

Travel and tourism must double its efforts to become more responsible regardless of the economic situation, or face the outcome, World Travel Market chairman, Fiona Jeffrey has warned. "It would be catastrophic if we do not face up to perhaps one of the greatest challenges this industry has ever known", she said. She was speaking at the WTM World Responsible Tourism Day in London (UK) - the ...
Read More

Members of the Global Travel Writers team, having travelled the world to discover the best destinations, each pick their own favourite "Hot Spots" for 2009 including two exquisite Australian holidays. Fiona Harper falls in love with sea lions in the Abrolhos Islands of Western Australia and writes:“The sun rising over the sandy cay of Pelsaert Island in the Abrolhos Islands on the mid West Aust...
Read More

The Art Gallery of New South Wales is mounting an exhibition called “Half Light Portraits from Black Australia” from November 21, 2008 to February 22, 2009. It’s the first major survey of the work of Australia’s indigenous artists. Photography by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists has emerged over the past two decades as a definitive expression of contemporary indigenous life ...
Read More

Australian tourism operator, Discovery Holiday Parks, is expecting an increase in domestic tourist numbers following the economic squeeze on household budgets in future months. Discovery Holiday Parks, chief executive, Tim Dodds, predicted Australians would forgo overseas travel and discover their own backyard with the current global credit crunch and the low Australian Dollar. He claimed with b...
Read More

Greyhound has released a new travel pass where passengers pre pay for the number of kilometres they wish to travel. Greyhound chief executive officer, Robert Thomas said it offered flexibility and could be used used like a bank account. “People purchase the amount of kilometres they wish to spend which they can withdraw whenever and wherever they like around Australia. “The kilometres can be ...
Read More

The Southern Star is Melbourne’s newest multimillion dollar attraction, set to open in November just in time for visitors flocking to the southern capital over the Christmas holidays. Said to be the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere, the $100 million attraction is also the third largest such structure behind the London Eye and the Singapore Flyer. Standing 40-storeys high, with a ...
Read More

The Big4 Holiday Parks group has raised more than $50,000 for its charity partner – The Humour Foundation’s Clown Doctors, since last October. The partnership has launched a new fundraising effort – the Big4 Clown Doctor Dolls which retail at $15 each, with $3.40 (excluding GST) going to the charity from each sale. Big4 chief executive Terry Goodall said the charity was a very worthy cause...
Read More