The Signature Experiences program has grown from strength to strength and now features eight collectives and 180 tourism businesses offering more than 700 export ready experiences, that capture the hearts and minds of travellers worldwide. Responding to consumers who seek to travel with purpose on an emotional and more personal level, the program connects travellers to our natural environment and local culture in a way that is uniquely Australian.

In the face of drought, floods, bushfires and a global pandemic, Tourism Australia’s focus for the 2019/20 has been resilience, sustainability and the wellbeing of our partners and the communities in which they operate.

Despite the challenges of 2019/20, there were some notable highlights:

• Welcoming five new members to the Discover Aboriginal Experiences collective
• The resilience of the Australian Wildlife Journeys members in South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales in the face of bushfires
• The leadership and determination from Luxury Lodges of Australia’s founding member Baillie Lodges to rebuild Southern Ocean Lodge
• The much-anticipated unveiling of Great Walks of Australia’s Scenic Rim Walk by Spicers
• The launch of the Cultural Attractions of Australia video project highlighting a compelling portfolio of experiences that bring our nation to life
• The success of the 2019 World Fly Fishing Championships in Tasmania and the 2019 Presidents Cup golf tournament in Victoria supported by Great Fishing Adventures of Australia and Great Golf Courses of Australia respectively
• A new brand strategy for Ultimate Winery Experiences Australia to focus, guide and inform integrated marketing communications.

As we refined our programs to meet the needs of the Australian traveller, we sustained strong interest in our experiences through a variety of activities including content generation, asset creation, trade and media engagement, social media, and embracing opportunities within the business events sectors.

The Signature Experiences program contributes to the lifeblood of regional Australia with 89 per cent of the businesses located outside capital cities. Their economic and social contribution to local communities is considerable. The halo effect of the program benefits an additional 8,000 businesses, many of which rely heavily on our partners’ success.

[1] Tourism Australia survey: Feedback from Signature Experiences members regarding businesses they worked with in their region to deliver their experiences direct to the customer.