Key quotes
- "The luxury product in Australia is not about palatial bathrooms, private butlers and Champagne on tap. It delivers against international standards in terms of quality and service, but is much more about offering guests the opportunity to enjoy our natural wonders in style and to enjoy a warm Aussie welcome." Rodney Harrex, General Manager UK/Europe, Tourism Australia
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Brits have long associated Australia with sport, soap operas and shrimps on the barbie, travelling in their millions to experience the country’s laidback lifestyle on a holiday Down Under. However, visitors are finding out that there is more to Oz than they thought. With an increasing number of five star experiences and luxurious properties opening across the country, Australia is offering high yield travellers the opportunity to explore in style like never before.
Tourism Australia UK General Manager Rodney Harrex comments: “The luxury product in Australia is not about palatial bathrooms, private butlers and Champagne on tap. It delivers against international standards in terms of quality and service, but is much more about offering guests the opportunity to enjoy our natural wonders in style and to enjoy a warm Aussie welcome.
“An advantage Australia has over competitor destinations is the sheer amount of space we have, and travellers craving a break from a hectic city lifestyle love the opportunity to enjoy that space. Whether it is staying on a luxury cattle station set in 500,000 acres of stunning outback or kicking back on a private island, guests taking a truly luxurious escape to Australia will find their expectations are exceeded.”
New luxury products in Australia that combine a high standard of accommodation with unique Aussie experiences include the recently-opened Emirates property Wolgan Valley Resort and Spa in the Blue Mountains; Arkaba Station in the South Australian outback; Eco Beach near Broome; the Molori Mirage private home in Port Douglas and Moorilla Wine Estate’s new MONA Pavilions above Tasmania’s Derwent Estuary.
This trend looks set to continue in 2010 with the opening of Saffire on Tasmania’s Freycinet Peninsula, new art hotels opening near Melbourne including The Olsen and The Blackman, and the opening of Château Élan, a five star golf and spa resort in the Hunter Valley.
Tourism Australia will continue to tell the story of Australia’s five star product and experiences through its agent training scheme - the Aussie Specialist Programme, through ongoing campaigns with luxury tour operators, and through media partnerships such as the one developed with the Conde Nast group for 2009/10.
The content created online at www.condenast.co.uk/australia showcases luxurious experiences and properties across Australia highlighting the rejuvenating power of an indulgent holiday Down Under.
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