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Big Red Group joins the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GTSC)

Driving a Sustainable Experience Economy

Big Red Group is committed to uniting a very diverse industry around sustainability. With more than 140 different types of businesses represented on its platforms. From shark diving to cultural tours, theme parks to supercar driving, and hot air balloons to glamping. Understanding the full impact of these experiences from a climate, biodiversity, social and cultural perspective is top of the agenda and certainly a fast-emerging customer expectation.

In partnership with Eco-Tourism Australia and Tourism Australia. Big Red Group will encourage its Experience Partners to participate in the Strive for Sustainability Scorecard developed by Eco Tourism Australia and based on the GSTC Industry Criteria and undertake the newly introduced Sustainability Certification. These will set the basis for how customers interact and engage with Sustainable Experiences. Providing badges, signposting and information to make an informed choice.

In addition, Big Red Group has several exciting projects underway/planned as part of its Sustainability Agenda covering accessibility and inclusion in the experience industry and Destination Stewardship particularly around the Great Barrier Reef where it sends a significant number of travellers.

Jemma Fastnedge, Chief Sustainability Officer commented, “being part of the GTSC provides us with ongoing connection to a global framework and network of professionals who are looking to solve the same problems. We are really motivated to be part of it and to learn, share and work together to ensure the industry we all love stays protected and respected for our future generations to enjoy”.

GSTC Welcomes Big Red Group

“We are very pleased to welcome Big Red Group to the GSTC and applaud their commitment to sustainability in the experience marketplace,” said Randy Durband, GSTC CEO.

About the GSTC

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council® (GSTC®) establishes and manages global sustainable standards, known as the GSTC Criteria. There are two sets: Destination Criteria for public policy-makers and destination managers, and Industry Criteria for hotels and tour operators. These are the guiding principles and minimum requirements that any tourism business or destination should aspire to reach in order to protect and sustain the world’s natural and cultural resources while ensuring tourism meets its potential as a tool for conservation and poverty alleviation.

The GSTC Criteria form the foundation for GSTC’s assurance role for Certification Bodies that certify hotels/accommodations, tour operators, and destinations as having sustainable policies and practices in place. GSTC does not directly certify any products or services, but provides accreditation to those that do. The GSTC is an independent and neutral USA-registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization that represents a diverse and global membership, including national and provincial governments, leading travel companies, hotels, tour operators, NGOs, individuals and communities – all striving to achieve best practices in sustainable tourism.

Experience Oz Magazine Launch

Experience Oz relaunches its namesake magazine ready for summer peak trade

In partnership with Hardie Grant Media, the latest edition of Experience Oz in-destination magazine has been redesigned, giving both international visitors and locals an insight into all things adventure happening across the region, tips from locals and a calendar of events from Destination Gold Coast.

On the revamped mag Jacqui Wright, Memberships Director said, “The magazine provides a great opportunity to be directly in front of an engaged and targeted audience. With our industry having faced several challenging years recently, we are committed more than ever to maximising the opportunity for Australian businesses in the Experience economy to gain more interest through our Local Agent network for 2023.”

The bi-annual-publication of the Experience Oz magazine is out now in your local lobbies and cafes across the Gold Coast. Download a copy here >

Partnership with CamperMate

TripTech elects Experience Oz as its experience booking partner for the CamperMate platform

In the lead up to summer, the partnership will see Experience Oz tap into the highly engaged CamperMate user base, which has increased 36% this year.

Travel technology company TripTech has appointed leading domestic holiday experience provider, Experience Oz as its exclusive market provider for the group across the ANZ region.

Part of Big Red Group, Experience Oz will be the experience provider for the popular CamperMate app and the newly released CamperMate.com, expanding Experience Oz’s current base and service offerings with a direct link into the caravan, camping and road trip sector.

The partnership extends across TripTech’s white label partner apps, including; Visitor Centre’s for Australia and Tourism Holding Limited, the premier global tourism company app for RV rental. This marks an exciting time for the CamperMate community with the launch of the CamperMate ‘Take Back Summer’ Campaign with inspirational summer tips and Experience Oz prizes up for grabs.

With over 300,000 downloads and 3+ million user search sessions alone in 2022, CamperMate is an in-demand app and website for road trippers and outdoor enthusiasts. The platform helps independent travellers plan and book pre-trip and in-trip experiences, with timely deals and tips on the best camping and road trip options through its platform.

Big Red Group Chief Marketing Officer Paul Connell, comments:

“Our partnership with Campermate will help us to continue on our mission to shift the way people experience life and to ensure that people don’t just visit Australia, but they truly experience it.”

“Whether on a 4WD road trip or camping adventure, Experience Oz helps make your holiday extraordinary. With over 3,000 soul-stirring, unforgettable tours and experiences, it gives travellers the chance to experience more for less.

“It’s also testament to the level at which our digital transformation now enables us to serve experiences through partners and a broader ecosystem, as well as bringing our experience partners customers through our B2C brands.”

Campermate Chief Operating Officer Matt Johnson, comments:

“CamperMate is more than just a travel app or a booking site, it is a growing community of travel enthusiasts who want to partake in and share their experiences. “Partnering with Big Red Group gives us the depth of experience options our users desire to be able to seek inspiration, plan and book both pre and in-trip getaways.”

Big Red Group celebrates Auscontact award win

Two Auscontact Association national awards taken home by Big Red Group’s customer experience team

Big Red Group is thrilled to announce that our very own Customer Experience team has taken out the 2022 National Auscontact Association Awards for the Change, Innovation, and Improvements category last Friday.

At a national level, our Customer Experience team was recognised for its depth of talent that had delivered a huge plan of work with a flawless execution, and had achieved record breaking results across its client services and employee engagement. A special mention to the Big Red Group Senior Leadership Team for its continual support and commitment to delivering on quality customer experience.

North Queensland hotels ready to reap partnership benefits

Destination Cairns Marketing joint venture comes to life

Cairns, 1 April 2022 – Big Red Group’s Experience Oz, and Destination Cairns Marketing (DCM) are ready to give the green light today on market execution of its recently formed joint venture (JV).

After months of planning and integration work, following on from announcing agreed terms in February, DCM is ready to roll out the new Local Agent fueled platform to its 130+ hotel partners.

While deployment will be progressive and managed around peak trade of school holidays, hotels in the region are set to benefit over coming months from the more advanced technology.

Under the JV, Big Red Group’s leading domestic holiday brand Experience Oz will generate demand via branded tour desks, while its B2B platform, Experience Oz Local Agent will supply the technology to support activity bookings. Technology enhancements include in-room activity booking via QR codes and lobby booking kiosks.

Matt Cavalier, Chief Growth Officer at Big Red Group who has been heading up the integration work comments:

The focus for the integration has been ensuring our partners and customers continue to experience great service and that the transition to the Experience Oz Local Agent platform is seamless while at the same time providing more experiences in the region and an enhanced booking platform. Training and engagement have been paramount to achieve this, and as partners cut over, they will continue to receive ongoing support from our face-to-face team in Cairns as well as our support team in the Gold Coast 7 days a week.

Sam Ferguson, CEO of the Joint Venture and General Manager Commercial for DCM comments:

“After months in the making, we are excited to launch and bring much needed demand to the region. We have been working so well with Big Red Group’s integration team, streamlining processes and systems to prepare for today’s launch. Conscious that there are high volumes of hotel guests at the moment with school holiday traffic in the area, we will take a slow and steady approach to minimise disruption.”

It is envisaged that the JV will generate significant new demand for the area, and provide a more expansive range of experiences for hotel guests to explore, with a substantial marketing investment planned.

‘Stay and Play’ to inspire interstate and intrastate travel to Gold Coast

Big Red Group’s Experience Oz powers Destination Gold Coast’s ‘Stay & Play’ Campaign

‘Stay & Play’ to inspire interstate traveller’s to the Gold Coast, providing significant boost to tourism sector
Gold Coast, 23 March 2022 – Big Red Group’s leading domestic experience provider Experience Oz, and its hotel concierge booking arm Experience Oz Local Agent will partner with Destination Gold Coast (DGC) to deliver the ‘Stay & Play’ campaign, aimed at boosting the Gold Coast’s accommodation, tour and experience sector.

This interstate marketing activity was made possible after the campaign received grant funding, via Destination Gold Coast, from the Australian Government under the Recovery for Regional Tourism program, an initiative of the $1 billion Covid-19 Relief and Recovery Fund.

The ‘Stay & Play’ campaign will incentivise interstate visitors with a complimentary $200 or $400 experience bonus (per accommodation booking) on select 3 to 5 night or 6+night Gold Coast stays during off-peak and shoulder seasons through until 30 October 2022.

Patricia O’Callaghan, CEO Destination Gold Coast comments:

“With interstate borders now fully open, Stay & Play gives interstate holidaymakers the chance to come and explore our breadth and depth of Gold Coast experiences. Whether you love adrenaline activities, natural or cultural attractions, the Gold Coast has got it all!”

“Stay & Play is expected to generate more than 27,000 room nights, but importantly will support the recovery of our industry to fill our tours, attractions and experiences.”

Experience Oz Local Agent will facilitate the program, with visitors able to redeem their experience bonuses at participating properties and their concierge booking desks. Experiences will be provided by Experience Oz suppliers in the region, who will welcome the increase in demand.

David Anderson, CEO and Co-founder of Big Red Group comments:

“We are thrilled that Experience Oz and Experience Oz Local Agent can support DGC in executing this campaign. We anticipate this will generate significant demand into the Gold Coast’s tourism sector which has suffered significant losses over the past two years. In particular, it will bring much needed support to 150+ tour and experience businesses who partner with Experience Oz, and the local properties involved in the program who currently work with Experience Oz Local Agent.”

Adrenaline and TEQ Australia Partnership

Adrenaline Partners with Tourism Queensland to Win Intrastate and Interstate Tourism

In March 2022 the Adrenaline x TEQ partnership focused on winning both intrastate and interstate tourism dollars. Aiming to capture momentum around expected relaxed border restrictions and customer confidence increases.

The partnership’s aim was to drive incremental spend on Queensland adventures in-destination & prior to travel through Adrenaline’s easy to use live-availability booking functionality.

All campaign content promoted distinctly Queensland experiences to owned, earned & paid audiences across NSW, VIC & QLD driving incremental interstate and intrastate adventure travel.

The campaign also Instilled confidence in customers to book travel now with Adrenaline’s 5-year validity, free exchanges, and unlimited rescheduling.