This year’s edition of Australia Marketplace North America trade show, which took place earlier this week at Westdrift Manhattan Beach, a Marriott-owned Autograph Collection hotel, located in the eponymous coastal community of Southern California. The event layout and programming quite closely mirrored last year’s, although the 2023 edition boasted a bit of an increase in terms of attendance. Roughly 250 delegates, with 107 seller companies and 107 travel buyers, made their way to Los Angeles from all across the U.S. and Canada to be present at the annual happening.

Following a rough few years, Australia’s tourism industry is bouncing back in a big way, but Tourism Australia continues to work tirelessly in its quest to raise awareness about the Oceanian country-continent’s vast and varied tourism product, driving calculable consideration and conversion among travel consumers. Results that have all been achieved, of course, with the help of its travel advisor partners, many of whom came from far and wide to learn in-depth about the destination and hear the latest updates from Down Under.

Executives reported measurable improvements in visitation, spending, destination brand awareness and travel intent, in part, due to the success of Tourism Australia’s undeniably adorable new mascot Ruby the Roo, the souvenir plush kangaroo, and her pint-sized companion, a toy unicorn named Louie, who—in a series of clever CGI-animated shorts—serves as a stand-in for the viewpoint of international visitors. The lovable little characters are voiced by high-profile Aussie actor Rose Byrne and American comedian Will Arnett, making these assets feel more instantly recognizable among U.S. audiences. The irresistible duo was introduced to the world last October as part of Tourism Australia’s post-pandemic ‘Come and Say G’day‘ campaign, the latest installment of the DMO’s ‘There’s Nothing Like Australia‘ global brand platform.

Some Key Revelations

Testamentary to the campaign’s success, searches for travel to Australia showed 110 percent recovery, surpassing 2019 benchmarks, while total international arrivals numbers were gauged to be sitting at 77 percent. That said, arrivals from the U.S. market individually recently reached 94 percent, while the Canadian market has bounced back to about 75 percent of pre-pandemic levels. Overall, visitor spend continues to outpace arrival numbers, with the U.S. emerging as a major driver of leisure segment’s recovery in terms of traveler spending.

Sunday’s welcome dinner opened the event with a presentation by Chris Allison, Tourism Australia’s Vice President, The Americas, on the Australian tourism industry’s status, complete with sector performance and consumer research figures, which revealed some of the trends and trajectories that are anticipated for the year ahead. The aviation industry’s own recovery was featured as a highly influential factor, as still-growing airlift and airplane seat capacities, along with airlines’ new and resuming international routes, are key to the feasibility of North Americans vacationing Down Under.

Allison also spoke to the question of how the DMO intends to carry on driving recovery during the coming year, including continuing to promote ‘Come and Say G’day’ assets, as brand recognition is still building as a result of the campaign. The organization will also continue its current content partnerships with the L.A. Times and Conde Nast; hosting plenty of media immersion trips; growing the brand’s exposure at large-scale events; and leveraging Australia’s celebrity advocates to drive more press coverage and digital exposure. Tourism Australia will also continue engaging with its distribution network, from strengthening its ‘One Voice’ partnership with the nation’s STOs to educating more travel advisors through its Aussie Specialist Program and offering FAM trips for trade professionals.