Emirates signs marketing accord with Tourism Australia
Both parties to collectively spend up to A$14.3m over the next three years
Dubai: Emirates said on Wednesday it has signed a global marketing agreement with Tourism Australia wherein both parties will collectively spend up to A$14.3 million (Dh 53.63 million)over the next three years on a range of joint marketing activities.
The move follows close on the heels of Emirates signing a 10-year codeshare deal with the Australia’s flag carrier, Qantas.
The deal, which marks Emirates’ largest investment so far in a global tourism body, is aimed at using the carrier’s widespread network to further boost visitation from key markets in Europe and New Zealand, Emirates said in a statement, adding that it would focus on some of Australia’s leading inbound visitor markets such as the UK, Germany and New Zealand, in addition to France and Italy.
“Emirates’ A$14.3 million partnership with Tourism Australia takes the airline’s investment in ‘destination Australia’ to the next level. This is the largest investment Emirates has ever made with a global tourism body, highlighting our commitment to Tourism Australia’s strategy for attracting global travellers,” Salem Obaidalla, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Far East & Australasia, said in a statement.
He added that Emirates today enables travellers from more than 30 European locations to travel to Australia via one stop in Dubai. Emirates currently operate 70 flights per week to Australia via its Dubai hub: 21 services to Sydney; 21 to Melbourne; 14 to Brisbane; and 14 to Perth. This is planned to grow to 84 weekly by early 2013.
Echoing similar thoughts, Tourism Australia Managing Director, Andrew McEvoy, said that there is now a need for “a more strategic, longer term agreement” to more effectively market Australia to Emirates’ extensive global customer base, “in particular throughout Europe where the airline is so well established”.
Further, Emirates said it has carried more than 16 million passengers to and from Australia since 1996, and that the new arrangement will feature joint marketing on traditional and digital media platforms as well as event and sponsorship activities, Emirates said.
“We believe the proposed partnership with Qantas, pending regulatory approval, will further grow tourism to Australia from key European markets,” said Obaidalla.
