A group of 60 German-speaking travel advisors from the third largest European tour operator, FTI Touristik, were given the opportunity to experience the best of Western Australia at this year’s Destination Pro held in and around Perth.
Benefiting from two weeks of in-depth workshops and familiarisation visits, the agents strengthened their destination knowledge to support them in promoting Western Australia as a dream holiday destination to high-value travellers in the future.
The ‘Mega Famil’ marks the start of a three-year strategic partnership between Tourism Western Australia and FTI Touristik. The advisors’ visit was supported by Tourism Western Australia, Tourism Australia and Singapore Airlines.
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In four groups, the travel specialists from Austria, Germany and Switzerland travelled along Australia’s Coral Coast and throughout the South West and the Golden Outback regions of the state.
Highlights included meeting with Western Australian hospitality and tourism operators in Perth and Fremantle, training sessions, and taking part in a team challenge on Rottnest Island.
Carolyn Turnbull, Managing Director of Tourism Western Australia, said the FTI Destination Pro provided an opportunity to showcase WA’s unique assets and the features that make it ‘the Dream State’ for visitors.
“We were delighted to host these agents so that they could experience all that Western Australia has to offer,” Turnbull said.
“They were able to experience not only Perth and Rottnest Island, home to the quokka, but also had the chance to travel to the World Heritage site of Shark Bay on Australia’s Coral Coast, as well as Esperance in our Golden Outback, and the South West of Australia.
Continental Europe is one of the most important international visitor markets for Western Australia, and this successful ‘Mega Famil’ will help these agents sell our state and pave the way for even more visitors from Continental Europe to travel to Western Australia to experience the Dream State for themselves.
“Our continued collaboration with FTI
Touristik is expected to bring thousands more German-speaking visitors to Western Australia over the next three years, resulting in tens of millions of dollars being added to the state’s economy,” she said.
Rhett Lego, TWA Strategic Director in Europe said, “We were able to give the agents the chance to feel the sand between their toes, and really experience our state first hand. Having this real-life experience of the destination is the secret to successfully selling a unique place like Western Australia.”
FTI Touristik continues to be one of the largest operators for Australia in the German market, with a strong Australia program.
Lead image: Alina Grimm, Aussie Specialist Trainer Germany, Continental Europe, Tourism Australia; Sonja Mitchell, CEO Destination Perth; Melissa Forbes, Marketing Director, Tourism Western Australia; Rhett Lego, Strategic Director, Tourism Western Australia – Europe; Cathryn Carey, Head of Industry and Partnerships at Tourism Tasmania; Manny Papadoulis, Deputy Chair of Tourism Western Australia; Gunnel Barri, Strategic Destination Officer – Asia, Africa, Oceania, South Pacific; and Eva Seller, Regional General Manager, Continental Europe, Tourism Australia.