Renewed partnership for Vivid Sydney 2024 sees largest-ever Local Business Program
17 June 2024 – A renewed partnership between Experience Oz and Destination NSW for Vivid Sydney 2024 has resulted in the largest-ever Local Business Program to date.
Captivating thousands in the heart of Sydney CBD from 24 May to 15 June, there were over 100 local experience operator businesses showcased as part of this year’s event.
Newcomer experience, Mandalay Cruises’ Weekday Sydney Harbour Cruise, has emerged as a popular choice amongst visitors – and cruises have remained a fan-favourite too, with dinner cruises garnering a significant number of bookings. Another newcomer to the Program, the SEA LIFE Vivid Special admission, saw strong uptake in the festival’s first week, with over 250 bookings alone.
Elle Barnes, Campaign Manager at Experience Oz, said:
“We were thrilled to collaborate with Destination NSW once again – showcasing the best of Sydney’s local businesses as part of Vivid Sydney. Providing visitors with unforgettable experiences is exactly what Experience Oz is all about, and being able to celebrate the creativity and innovation within Sydney’s business community makes it a significant partnership too.”
Big Red Group calls on operators to utilise TikTok as new research shows 90% of Gen Z use it to find new experiences
21 May 2024: As the travel industry rebounds from the challenges of the past year, Big Red Group is calling on operators to tap into the power of TikTok to connect with Gen Z travellers.
New research from The State of Student and Youth Travel in 2024 report reveals that TikTok has emerged as a primary source of travel inspiration for Gen Z, with 89% saying they discover new travel destinations and experiences through the platform, and 40% admitting they booked a holiday as a direct result of watching TikTok content.
For Adrenaline, one of Big Red Group’s consumer brands, the role of social media has changed significantly as its influence on younger consumers continues to evolve. The company’s TikTok account now serves as a valuable tool for customer service and feedback in addition to delivering brand awareness and engagement gains – and Adrenaline regularly advertises on the channel to ensure its reaching younger Aussies, with a recent campaign delivering a reach of 2 million and 70,000 clicks to the website.
Big Red Group CEO, David Anderson, emphasises the transformative potential of social media as a marketing tool for small businesses.
“We’re currently observing a significant shift in how Gen Z travellers discover and decide on their next travel destinations, with TikTok emerging as a dominant influencer in this landscape. It’s clear that the platform plays a pivotal role in shaping travel preferences and choices for this demographic.
“Consequently, tourism operators have a prime opportunity to engage Gen Z travellers on TikTok by providing compelling content that speaks directly to their interests by showcasing their experiences. By leveraging TikTok’s creative potential and establishing authentic connections with this audience, tourism operators can effectively capture attention and drive bookings in an increasingly competitive market.”
A number of operators that offer experiences through Big Red Group’s consumer brands – RedBalloon, Adrenaline and Experience Oz – have already seen the positive impact TikTok can have on a business, including:
Can see the direct link between online growth and business expansion.
Set to open their second surf park in Sydney, making them the world’s only surf park with two locations.
The new $75 million park is expected to generate $250 million in economic benefits over two decades.
URBNSURF boasts 180,000 Instagram followers and a growing TikTok following of 20.8K.
Despite no spending on marketing, the company credits social media, particularly TikTok and Instagram, for their success in driving engagement and growth.
Day trips on the rise as people find affordable ways to experience new adventures
19 April 2024: As the cost of living continues to strain domestic and international travel plans for Australians, a refreshing trend is emerging across South Australia: the resurgence of day trips.
With the South Australian Tourism Commission revealing that ‘Day Trips’ are now injecting an impressive $2.3 billion into SA’s tourism sector – new data from Big Red Group has found that Australians are gravitating towards unconventional adventures outside major cities to keep their travel costs in check – with a number of experiences heavily contributing to the surge.
Key trends in Australia’s festival state include:
Quad biking has surged by +35.1%
Virtual Reality experiences have skyrocketed by +69.4%
Wineries are also seeing a notable boost as Aussies explore local vineyards – including Margaret River
Skydiving stands out as SA’s top experience, with some operators reporting an astonishing +239.4% increase in bookings year-on-year
David Anderson, CEO of Big Red Group, highlights that a surge in day trips reflects a significant change in tourism behaviour and suggests it could have a profound impact on local tourism businesses, offering new opportunities for growth and engagement in the industry.
“We’ve recently seen just how much day trips are worth to South Australia – and for local experience operators, this trend gives them an opportunity to lean into what makes them unique, strengthening and diversifying their offering to maximise revenue streams.
“There’s also an opportunity for attractions to capitalise on the day trip trend by providing Aussies with an option to bundle experiences with transport, making it more cost effective and convenient for day-trippers to try out new experiences. It’s something we’ve seen rise in popularity over the past twelve months.
“For tourists, the rise in day trips means a chance to make the most of their time exploring new destinations without having to break the bank. Staying within a short day trip away also allows for Aussies to contribute to their local economy and support local experience operators.”
Big Red Group completes acquisition of all shares in Experience Oz North Queensland from co-owner Destination Cairns Marketing
3 April 2024: Big Red Group, Australia and New Zealand’s largest experience marketplace, has completed the acquisition of a joint venture previously held with Destination Cairns Marketing (DCM).
The company has acquired DCM’s 50% share by mutual agreement, following two years of collaboration.
The move reaffirms Big Red Group’s commitment to supporting local businesses and the Cairns & Great Barrier Reef Region – in addition to providing unparalleled experiences to domestic and international customers.
Under the new structure, Destination Cairns Marketing will retain ownership and management of its tour desk operations in North Queensland, with General Manager Greg Ferguson continuing to lead these operations.
The Local Agent management team will also remain intact, with Sam Ferguson taking up a new role as General Manager at Local Agent North Queensland, while Deborah Dominick will carry on her role as Business Development Manager.
In addition, the appointment of Georgie Saddler in the newly created role of Market Manager for North Queensland will help to bolster Big Red Group’s presence in the region for the mutual benefit of all industry partners.
David Anderson, CEO of Big Red Group, said:
“With a series of both economic and extreme weather challenges, we know it’s been a particularly hard few years for experience operators in North Queensland. However, this acquisition has been two years in the making – and it underscores our belief in the boundless potential of NQ as a tourist destination.
“We remain extremely committed to investing in the Cairns & Great Barrier Reef Region, fostering industry growth and supporting local experience operators. We’re excited about the opportunities that lie ahead and look forward to creating unforgettable experiences for tourists in NQ.”
Sam Ferguson, General Manager of Local Agent North Queensland said:
“This acquisition represents a significant milestone for Big Red Group – and I’m delighted to have taken up the role of GM for Local Agent North Queensland. We’ve been working together for some time now – and this feels like the next logical step as we continue to support the recovery and growth of this remarkable region.”
The acquisition comes hot on the heels of Big Red Group’s partnership with the Australian and Queensland governments for the ‘Tropical Dollars’ tourism recovery initiative, developed to pump much-needed funds back into the region’s visitor economy.
The new ‘Seasonal Experiences Index’ reveals the state of the nation’s tourism and experience industry through the Spring/Summer season.
February 27 2024: Australians are continuing to invest in domestic tourism and experiences this year, despite ongoing economic uncertainty and the cost of living impacting discretionary spending habits.
Launched today, the Seasonal Experiences Index: Spring/Summer 2024 report from Big Red Group found that while experience booking volume is down year-on-year, there are pockets of growth emerging across the nation.
The report, which analyses booking data from over 750,000 experiences taken between September and January, has revealed that post-pandemic recovery, ‘revenge travel’ and government-backed stimulus projects helped deliver a bumper year for the industry in 2022 – and it’s been hard for many operators to match this pace in 2023.
However, there is cause for optimism, with key highlights including:
China’s inbound rebound: Data points to a 111% increase in forward bookings over the Lunar New Year – with eastern markets leaning into experiences that hero Australian cruises (+8,175%), tours (+2,540%) and culture (+1,900%).
Aussie culture vultures: Cultural events are driving bookings, withthis year’s record-breaking Australian Open boosting Multi Passes (+436%), Spas (+444%) and Attractions (+4,518%), while Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour is anticipated to have a similar impact.
Domestic’s not dead: Despite borders reopening, domestic trip demand remains strong, with a 34.4% increase for City Getaways nationwide and 188% jump in Western Australia.
Australia’s gone al fresco: Picnics have grown by a quarter (23.5%) year-on-year – and it’s Gen-Z driving the trend, with ‘luxury’ and ‘mystery’ options proving popular for dates.
Stimulus delivering strong results: While Christmas storms devastated the tourism and experience industry in Gold Coast, the government-backed GC Summer FUNds initiative helped to provide the region with a 279.9% boost on 2023’s bookings.
Getting more bang for their buck: Spending-savvy Aussies jump on multi-experience tours that offer multiple activities for one price tag, growing the category by 10.3% this year and boosting the popularity of local safaris, mountain trails, and even ghost tours.
Seasonality is still a key consideration: Despite the ongoing economic situation and consumer confidence faltering, the warmer months remain crucial for Australia’s tourism and experiences industry, with Spring/Summer outperforming Autumn/Winter by 21%.
Commenting on the report, David Anderson, CEO & Co-Founder at Big Red Group, said:
“With post-pandemic recovery softening, economic uncertainty ongoing, and extreme weather events posing a persistent threat, there’s no doubt that Australia’s tourism and experiences industry is up against it at the moment – and this is reflective of the challenges people are facing across the nation.”
“However, data from our latest Seasonal Experiences Index has shown us that bright spots are emerging in each and every corner of the industry – and we remain optimistic about Australia’s ability to recover, albeit at a potentially stabilised rate.
“With inbound tourism from China slowly but surely starting to rebound; Aussies leaning into experiences to help them build ‘once in a lifetime’ moments around key cultural events – such as the Australian Open or Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour; and stimulus projects proving extremely effective in supporting tourism recovery for those who need it, there are bright spots of recovery and growth ahead.
“And with over 750,000 experiences taken across RedBalloon, Adrenaline and Experience Oz so far this season – we’re confident that the appetite for stories over stuff remains. We don’t anticipate this fading any time soon.” To read the ‘Seasonal Experiences Index: Spring/Summer 2024’ report from Big Red Group, please click here.
Tropical Dollars initiative offers 2,500 vouchers worth $100 each for North Queensland residents to spend on Cairns and Great Barrier Reef tourism experiences.
February 1 2024: Big Red Group has partnered with the Australian and Queensland Governments to launch the ‘Tropical Dollars’initiative today, supporting vital tourism recovery in the Cairns and Great Barrier Reef region following recent weather events.
Utilising Big Red Group’s tech platform and well-known catalogue of Experience Oz experiences, the incentive will see 2,500 vouchers worth $100 each that North Queensland residents can spend on Cairns and Great Barrier Reef tourism experiences to help reinvigorate local businesses.
Announced by the Tourism Minister and Member for Cairns Michael Healy, residents are eligible to receive $100 off experiences and attractions when they spend a minimum of $200. The deals are available for travel until 30 April.
The launch of Tropical Dollars today follows a similar project supported by Big Red Group for the Gold Coast region in January, GC Summer FUNds. The project sold out in just six days and injected over $7 million into the local tourism economy.
Big Red Group Co-Founder and CEO David Anderson said Big Red Group is proud to once again use the Experience Oz tech platform to support tourism bounce back.
“We’re proud to be supporting tourism recovery through the Tropical Dollars initiative.”
“Experience Oz was built to create an easy way for travellers to access the very best of what their destination has to offer – and the tech platform rolled out for this campaign offers deals that showcase the very best of Tropical North Queensland.”
“With 2,500 vouchers available, these experiences will be available to a broad audience – and we’re confident Australians will be keen to show their support for the local experience economy.”
Minister for Tourism, Michael Healy said the initiative is vital for restoring tourism,
“Tropical North Queensland is such a jewel in our state and we’re committed to helping it shine again after the extreme weather.”
“Tropical Dollars will not only benefit locals in this time of high cost of living pressures, but it will contribute to the recovery of our local tourism industry, building back the strength of this wonderful community.”
“It’s a great chance for locals to reacquaint themselves with all of the spectacular sights, tastes and sounds that this exceptional region is so well known for and to have a break after what’s been a very challenging time.
“And it is only phase one of this program, with more to come for North Queensland residents.
“It’s also so exciting to see Webjet offer such exceptional airfares. There’s never been a better excuse to get up here to Cairns, with cost of living at the forefront of everyone’s minds, these airfares won’t break the bank and will give welcome support to local jobs by bringing people to Cairns.”
50,000 experience vouchers snapped up within one week to deliver a much-needed boost the region
Big Red Group, has supported the GC Summer FUNds campaign to inject $7.2m into Gold Coast’s experience economy.
Utilising its tech platform and well-known catalogue of Experience Oz experiences, Big Red Group partnered with The Queensland Government and Destination Gold Coast to build a website offering thousands of vouchers for Australians to claim and use at Gold Coast-based experience operators.
Launched last Monday (15 January), the GC Summer FUNds campaign proved popular with Queenslanders, and over just six days, the BRG-powered website saw over three million page views, with all 50,000 $50 vouchers claimed and over $7.2 million spent on attractions and experiences.
The $2.5 million initiative, delivered in partnership by the Queensland Government via Tourism and Events Queensland, Experience Gold Coast and City of Gold Coast encouraged Queensland residents to support more than 180 tours, attractions and experiences impacted by weather events over the peak summer holiday period.
Big Red Group Co-Founder and CEO David Anderson said Big Red Group, through its Gold Coast based Experience Oz brand, was delighted to partner as a website and fulfilment partner for this incredible campaign.
“Responding to the request for support, I’m very proud of the local team who set up the technology within a few days. We experienced unprecedented demand from the moment the campaign launched with up to 200,000 South East Queenslanders on the site at any moment rushing to book a range of activities and support the program to play their part to support tourism recovery in the Gold Coast,” said Mr Anderson.
“Vouchers have been redeemed at an incredible rate with up to 200 purchases per minute and selling out all 50,000 vouchers within six days. A success measured on many levels, but, in particular by the number of experience operators who have called our team, grateful for bookings at a time when they need them most.” Click here for more information about GC Summer FUNds.
Company lends support to tourism voucher giveaway by leading tech platform roll-out
January 16 2024: Big Red Group is proud to support vital tourism recovery in Gold Coast following storm damage sustained in December 2023.
Utilising its tech platform and well-known catalogue of Experience Oz experiences, the company has partnered with The Queensland Government and Destination Gold Coast to build a website offering thousands of vouchers for Australians to claim and use at Gold Coast-based experience operators.
The vouchers play an integral role in the ‘Summer FUNds’ project announced on Monday (15 January) by Queensland Premier Steven Miles, with 50,000 of them now on offer via the Summer FUNds website.
Big Red Group rolled out an entirely new tech platform to stimulate demand in the region after a tough Christmas period and provide assistance to experience operators who need it most.
Big Red Group CEO and Co-Founder, David Anderson, said:
“We’re proud to be supporting tourism recovery as we go further and do more for experience operators. Launching this tech platform to get support to the operators who need it most was essential, and this project proves that our technology can be utilised and adapted in multiple ways.
“We’ve seen unprecedented demand since the launch of the Summer FUNds website on Monday, which demonstrates that Aussies also want to play their part to give back too.”
The vouchers will give visitors $50 off some of the Gold Coast’s best attractions and experiences, including the major theme parks. The program is funded in partnership with Tourism and Events Queensland and Experience Gold Coast.
It’s expected the boost will help the city’s thriving tourism industry bounce back quickly. The vouchers will be available for use until the end of March.
Multi-year partnership offering millions of Australian travellers more choice, value and ease has been announced this week.
Big Red Group’s domestic travel brand, Experience Oz, and Virgin Australia have commenced a multi-year partnership giving millions of Australians better value, choice and more access to popular travel experiences when booking at virginaustralia.com.
Experience Oz, one of Australia and New Zealand’s largest tour and attractions marketplaces, covers upwards of 50 regions and supports over 3,000 experience operators, ranging from cruises, tours, activities and more. The new partnership aims to boost both domestic tourism and the experience economy by providing ease and additional benefits when booking travel and packaged experiences at virginaustralia.com.
Amidst the high cost of living, fun-filled holidays for Australians will be more possible, with Experience Oz’s 4,000+ adventures available for Velocity members to book now using Points to pay for all or part of the booking with Points + Pay. Velocity members will now also have thousands of additional ways to earn Points.
To celebrate the new partnership, any experience booking made at virginaustralia.com before 11:59pm AEST 27th November 2023, will go in the running to win their dream holiday with two Virgin Australia domestic return flights and a $1,000 Experience Oz voucher*. Plus, until midnight 27th November members will earn triple Points (9 Velocity Points) as part of a limited time promotion^.
Virgin Australia Group Chief Commercial Officer, David Emerson said partnering with one of the country’s largest experience marketplaces will give Virgin Australia guests and Velocity members more value and choice.
“We are excited to be partnering with Experience Oz, marking a wonderful addition to the Virgin Australia family – one that will make the next family holiday more possible for millions of Australians,” said Mr Emerson.
“From today, the partnership will give our 11.5 million Velocity members thousands of additional ways to earn and redeem Points at a time when value and getting more from your dollar has never been so important.
“We are also proud to be supporting the experience economy and thousands of operators across the country by making it easier and more convenient for our guests to book a flight and experience all on our website,” he said.
Big Red Group co-Founder and CEO, David Anderson said the partnership will continue to power the company’s mission of shifting the way people experience life.
“We know that Australians will continue to prioritise travel, both for personal experience and to support the recovering industry,” Anderson said.
“But with the cost of living crisis becoming more acute, identifying ways to increase the value of experiences, and to ensure travellers have the chance to make memories on trips that might be closer to home, is key.
“Enabling Aussies to both earn and redeem Velocity Points when booking experiences is a key way we’re looking at creating more value for consumers.
“We’re proud to partner with Virgin Australia to continue to support our 3,000 operator businesses, and to help Aussies continue to connect.”
With Big Red Group leading the growth of the experience economy locally, its partnership with Virgin Australia is the first of many to come for Experience Oz.
Big Red Group data reveals the impact of hot weather across the tourism and experience industry
With the BOM confirming that El Niño is underway, Aussies are planning to make the most of the warmer weather this summer.
But what does this mean for holidaymakers and the nation’s tourism and experience industry as we enter peak season?
Data from Big Red Group’s consumer brands, Adrenaline, RedBalloon, and Experience Oz, shines a light on the mixed fortunes of experience operators across the nation during the last El Niño event, with domestic tourism in NSW taking a significant hit, whilst QLD, WA, and TAS grew year-on-year.
The 2019-2020 summer season hit NSW particularly hard due to ongoing bushfires, with outdoor experiences down 27% across the board.
Meanwhile, warm and dry states where there weren’t severe bushfires, including QLD, WA, and TAS, grew by +13%, +35% and +73% on average respectively.
In fact, the warmer and drier weather drove Aussies en masse to the great outdoors, with cruises, water activities, and outdoor experiences seeing a +47% increase in bookings on average.
According to Big Red Group co-founder and CEO, David Anderson, while bushfires are an apparent cause for concern, the warmer and drier weather could actually have a positive effect on domestic tourism this year.
“When the weather is warmer and drier people want to go out and experience, and the contrary is true.
“When it’s wetter and colder there’s a direct correlation with weather-related refunds and people making last-minute decisions not to attend or in fact being denied the opportunity to do things because they’re unseasonal.
“The weather does have a really big impact on decision-making in planning and in the moment.”
Mr Anderson also predicts Aussies will look to do activities earlier and later in the day to avoid the hottest part of the day.
“If I was out trying to do things I would look for activities in the early morning and late afternoon and take advantage of those cooler conditions.
“Amazing nature tours, early morning kayaking, there are lots of things that are nicer to do in the early morning or at dusk as opposed to in the middle of the day.
“Notwithstanding any active threats to safety, I’d be out there exploring and taking advantage of the fine weather, experiencing and enjoying life.”
