The recent strategic partnership signed between Emirates Airlines and Qantas is now followed by a marketing agreement between the Dubai-based carrier and Tourism Australia in a bid to reinforce international tourism promotion Down Under…
DUBAI– Common marketing strategy will be the goal of Emirates Airlines and Tourism Australia, as the Dubai-based carrier signed recently a comprehensive marketing agreement with Australia national carrier Qantas. The new agreement foresees more marketing activities for the promotion of Australia in key outbound markets such as Europe and New Zealand.
Emirates and Tourism Australia are planning to invest up to US$ 15 million over the next three years for common marketing activities. Marketing will especially target countries such as the UK, France, Germany and Italy in Europe as well as New Zealand. It will include the promotion through print and digital media as well as the participation of both Emirates and Tourism Australia in events and sponsoring activities.
According to Salem Obaidalla, Emirates Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Far East & Australasia, “the partnership and the common investment in marketing activities represent a new step in the promotion for Australia for Emirates. It is so far the highest investment ever made by the airline into a promotion campaign of an international tourism body. It is for Emirates a way to recognize the efforts made by Tourism Australia to lure more international travellers. Since 1996, Emirates already transported over 16 million passengers to and from Australia. Today, we offer potential connections to Australia to passengers coming from over 30 European destinations”, he explained.
Andrew McEvoy, Tourism Australia Managing Director, also highlighted that since Emirates started its flights to Australia back to 1996, there has been an increasing recognition worldwide of Australia as a tourism destination. And the contribution of Emirates has been a key to this success.
Andrew McEvoy is extremely pleased about futher expansion of Emirates into Australia. Over the winter season 2012/13, Emirates will build up capacities to Melbourne and Perth and start flying to Adelaide. In total, Emirates will increase the total number of its frequencies to Australia from 70 to 84. The airline will put into service and Airbus A380 on the route to Melbourne, helping to increase the capacity by 38% to the capital of Victoria. Tourism Australia hopes that this further boost in international connectivity will help the industry doubling revenues from international guests. Tourism Australia targets annual revenues up to US$ 135 billion by the end of the decade.
