Tourism Australia’s latest campaign is not promoting travel to the Great Barrier Reef or the Great Ocean Road but something altogether different. “It’s Our Best Shot for Travel” campaign aims to motivate people to get vaccinated with the goal of driving a return to domestic and international tourism.
We need to claim back our way of life so that we can visit friends and relatives, get back into the workplace, get our kids back to school, travel domestically and internationally again, and welcome the world back to enjoy all that Australia has to offer.
Phillipa Harrison, Tourism Australia’s managing director
The wider hospitality sector has also rolled up their sleeves to help with the vaccine messaging, and another campaign backed by the national tourism authority is due to launch later this year. It will be titled “Put a Jab on the Menu” and will feature some of Australia’s celebrity chefs.
Harrison said it was very clear now that the pathway out of the current situation was vaccination. “It’s going to be hugely important to us,” she said. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that the country could move into the third phase of its pandemic exit plan once 80 per cent of Australians aged 16 and over were vaccinated
The initiative comes at a time when national airline Qantas has pledged that all employees in the Qantas group will be fully vaccinated, reported Travel Weekly Asia. Cabin crew, pilots and airport workers will need to be fully vaccinated by 15 November 2021. The remainder of employees are expected to have been inoculated by 31 March 2022.
I think we have a little bit of clarity now that this isn’t going to go away, and even if you’re not in a lockdown market, you are certainly being affected by the fact that the two largest domestic source markets are in lockdown
Phillipa Harrison, Tourism Australia’s managing director
Federal Tourism Minister Dan Tehan stated that the travel industry is facing its toughest period yet. “At the moment tourism is as tough as it has been,” he said.The Australian Federation of Travel Agents has also urged members to get vaccinated to help speed up the return of clients booking holidays.
