AUS 4-6 19/1/10 17:39 Page 47
ttglive.com
australasia knowledge
VFR in numbers
Australia: Between 1986 and 2008, UK VFR Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane, Adelaide.
arrivals to Australia rose from around 50,000 New Zealand: Auckland, Christchurch and
to nearly 250,000. Overall UK arrivals in 2009 Wellington.
were 620,000.
Ex-pats: 27% of Perth residents
alia
New Zealand: Around 260,000 UK residents (400,000 people) have a British passport.
ustr
visited New Zealand in the year to November
T
ourism A
2009, of which 113,000 were VFR travellers. Early bookers: More than 25% of VFR
A popular weekend break: the Great Ocean Road from Melbourne travellers to Australia book more than six
Top spots: Most popular VFR destinations months in advance, with Christmas being
more likely to be tempted. It’s also good to (greatest first) in Australia: Sydney, the peak time for travel.
get to know your client’s Australasia connec-
tions, advises Premier Holidays marketing
manager Emma Coteman. they’re holidaying with their visitors, that it will be cheaper to book tours on
“Find out the reason they’re going and if car hire, a city or theatre break, attraction arrival. If you manage this you can not only
there’s anything upcoming like a family tickets and more. up-sell to your original client but book for
wedding in two years’ time. It’s about giving Qantas’s Esther Ward says having ready- their friends and relatives.
them a bit of a personal service,” she says. prepared VFR-focused product ideas helps AAT Kings and ATP pre-sell flexible day
It also pays to be switched on to new VFR agents sell beyond flight-only. “Put together tours for up to 30% off local prices and
opportunities, for instance if you’ve booked small add-ons as little extra teasers,” she Ward was recently able to book a client an
a flight for a recent emigre or a gap year for says. “For each VFR gateway there are a Australian tour £200 cheaper than the local
a young traveller whose parents might visit number of experiences you can offer price. “A lot of operators in Australia really
them. And don’t forget friends and relatives clients, putting them into short itineraries, value the international trade so they want to
in Australasia will also visit the UK so you suggesting a wine or nature tour, or give us the sharper prices,” she says.
may be able to persuade their host to book whatever they’re interested in.” “They want us to pre-book as it’s easier to
extra local accommodation, a cottage if The biggest challenge is busting the myth manage their yield.”
22.01.2010 47
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76