2015 SATIC TOURISM CONFERENCE
‘GAIN INSIGHTS, BE INSPIRED, LEARN, ENGAGE & NETWORK’
@SA_TIC #2015SATIC
WEDNESDAY, 27 MAY 2015 | Crowne Plaza Adelaide
The South Australian Tourism Industry Council (SATIC) is pleased to host our 6th annual state-wide tourism conference.
The purpose of this conference is to support tourism businesses in achieving success, and by doing so, build tourism as a dynamic,
innovative and competitive industry that contributes to South Australia’s economic prosperity.
We hope to inspire you with an exciting, relevant and practical conference program that provides great value for your time and money.
Tourism is everybody's business and everyone is invited to attend.
Ward Tilbrook
Chief Executive
South Australian Tourism Industry Council
PROGRAM
8.30 AM
Registrations open
9.00 AM
Welcome
Master of Ceremonies | Lainie Anderson
9.05 AM
SATIC Welcome
Ward Tilbrook | Chief Executive | South Australian Tourism Industry Council
9.15 AM
Opening Address | Minister for Tourism
Hon Leon Bignell MP | Minister for Tourism
9.25 AM
PLENARY SESSION: Australian Tourism: Current Trends and Future Prospects
Justin Marshall | Regional Research & Insights | Tourism Research Australia
Tourism Research Australia is a professionally independent research agency that sits within Austrade. Its purpose is to produce
the data and knowledge required to help develop the government’s policy agenda and to underpin industry decision making.
Key activities for which TRA is responsible include the International Visitor Survey, the National Visitor Survey, tourism
forecasts, state Tourism Satellite Accounts and a range of sectoral and regional snapshots. This presentation will draw from this
activities set to provide a range of insights on current trends in Australian tourism and the prospects for the future.
9.55 AM
PLENARY SESSION: National Tourism Industry Snapshot
Lisa Ronson | Chief Marketing Officer | Tourism Australia
Tourism Australia is the Australian Government agency responsible for attracting international visitors to Australia, both for
leisure and business events. The organisation is active in around 17 key markets and activities include advertising, PR and media
programs, trade shows and industry programs, consumer promotions, online communications and consumer research.
10.25 AM
Morning Tea (20 Minutes)
© South Australian Tourism Industry Council 2015
10.45 AM
PLENARY SESSION: South Australian Tourism Snapshot (30 minutes)
Adam Stanford | Strategy & Insights Manager | South Australian Tourism Commission
Adam will outline recent trends and performance for the South Australian tourism industry, including international markets,
interstate performance and travel by South Australians. Adam will then discuss the current forecasts for each market through
to 2020.
Emma Nicholls | Director, Marketing & Communications | South Australian Tourism Commission
Emma will provide an update on the SA Tourism Commission's marketing activity and approach for the coming 12 months; how
their marketing plans are based on insights and linked to the State Tourism plan; how they are addressing priority areas. Emma
will also talk about the importance of content creation and distribution in getting the SA story out nationally and internationally
and how operators can get involved and ensure their own story is told.
11.15 AM
PLENARY SESSION: Not Another F#*^!% Leadership Talk!! (30 minutes)
Dean Evans | Founder | Leading Minds Australia
Are you tired of hearing about Leadership? Are you confused by all the different Leadership theories out there? Do you feel like
smacking the next so-called Leadership expert who tells you what you MUST DO to be an effective Leader in today's world? If
the answer is "YES" to any of those then that's a good thing... because so does Dean. In this talk Dean will strip the concept of
Leadership right back to the bare elements that will ultimately determine the way you're viewed as a Leader. More importantly,
you'll leave with an easy-to-remember, 3 point checklist that will drive your thinking and promote a workplace culture built on
everyone taking ownership of the RESULTS they deliver for you, your business and your valuable customer.
11.45 AM
KEYNOTE SESSION: TASMANIA – Pennicott Wilderness Journeys (30 minutes)
Robert Pennicott | Chief Executive Officer | Pennicott Wilderness Journeys
Robert Pennicott established wilderness cruises off the coast of Tasmania’s Bruny Island in 1999. Over sixteen years of
operation, his business has grown to become one of Australia’s leading ecotourism operators. Pennicott Wilderness Journeys
now operates in three Tasmanian locations and hosts more than 70,000 visitors each year. This former fisherman will share his
insights into how he has overcome the challenges of starting and evolving a tourism business in a regional area. Robert will use
his own business story as a case study and will inspire the audience with his passion for providing a quality visitor experience,
looking after his staff and conserving the environment.
12.15 PM
Networking Lunch (45 minutes)
1.00 PM
SESSION 1 & 2 – WORKSHOPS (select two of four)
1. Where is my share of the Chinese Visitor Expenditure?
Jing Cao | Director | Chinese Language & Cultural Advice
Catering for the Chinese market is more difficult than first thought. It is more than just having a Chinese language website, or a
Mandarin speaking staff. In many cases it requires a complete overhaul of your business model. Are you really willing to do it? And more
importantly, can you do it without blowing the budget? This presentation will separate the facts from the fancy, outline some of the
potential challenges and opportunities, and provide some practical, cost-saving ideas to help your business grab a slice of this cake.
2. Converting Mobile Savvy Travel Hunters into Bookings & Brand Advocates
Rebecca White | Director |Tourism eSchool
The use of mobile technology in the realm of researching and booking travel experiences is growing rapidly. So, if you want your
Tourism business to be front and centre when your potential customers are hunting for their next travel experience, then it’s time you
ramped up your mobile marketing strategy! In this jam-packed, super-practical workshop, Rebecca will show you how to optimise your
social content & email marketing communications to help you convert more mobile savvy travel hunters into actual visitors and social
advocates for your brand.
3. The Humble #Hashtag in Tourism Marketing – Use it or lose it!
Tania Shirgwin | Managing Director | BizEez Communications
Hashtags (#) are the most prominent factor of social media marketing today and for good reason. Used wisely they can become your
best chance of engaging online. You can amplify your message, make your brand stand out in a crowded market place and inevitably
gain new brand ambassadors and sales. The potential to go viral is huge. And best of all – they’re FREE. In this session, Tania will walk
you through the history of the hashtag, four types of hashtags, how and when to use hashtags, do’s and don’ts, current tourism
hashtags and most importantly how you can be using hashtags to promote your business. Be prepared to post to a social network while
you’re in this session – let’s have a little #hashtaghilarity while we’re at it.
© South Australian Tourism Industry Council 2015
4. Power to the People – The 3 Secrets of Superior Customer Service
Dean Evans | Founder | Leading Minds Australia
Ever wondered what goes on inside the head of your customer? Ever wanted to know the secrets to reading people? Ever considered
why some people keep building a deeply loyal customer base that spends $1000's with them? This workshop will give you instant
insights into the minds of the people you interact with on a daily basis - from your customers, your clients and your colleagues. Based
on decades of scientific research and behavioural profiling you'll come away with an entirely new level of awareness and understanding
of what people want... and why they do what they do. Even better, you'll walk away with a mental menu of human behaviour that you
can access fast to build immediate rapport with the most valuable people in your business!
2.30 PM
SESSION 3 – WORKSHOPS (select one of five)
1. The Current State of Play of Licensing Laws in SA
Ben Allen | Partner | Wallmans Lawyers
Liquor Licensing Laws have been subject to much media discussion and public debate in recent times. Food and wine are key
components of South Australia's tourism offering. In addition to the regional aspects of food and wine tourism, the recent
redevelopment of Adelaide Oval and the State Government and Adelaide City Council push towards a more vibrant CBD have also been
targeted at the tourist and local market. This presentation will look at recent developments in Liquor Licensing Laws in South Australia
generally, with a particular focus on how they impact on winery cellar doors big and small, the recent proliferation of small licensed
venues and "pop ups" in the CBD and a discussion of how licensing laws apply to accommodation based venues from small bed and
breakfasts sites through to recent major hotel developments. Particular attention will be paid to how operators of such venues might be
able to take advantage of these opportunities to promote their tourist offering.
2. Ecotourism – Niche or Mainstream?
Rod Hillman | Chief Executive | Ecotourism Australia
Ecotourism was once a small niche market with limited marketing and customer appeal. Now nearly all National, State and Local
tourism bodies use nature imagery, products and themes to promote their destinations. The rise of sustainable, responsible, volunteer
and ethical tourism all point to the fact that ecotourism is now the norm not the niche. The past decade has seen Tour Operators reevaluating their products and marketing to take advantage of this customer shift to position themselves for success.
3. The SA Tourism Plan 2020: One Year In - Workshop and Review
Adam Stanford & Rodney Harrex | SA Tourism Commission
It has now been almost a year since the publication of the South Australian Tourism Plan 2020, and it’s time to have a sense check on
how things are going. Rodney Harrex and Adam Stanford will provide an update on progress towards the objectives established in the
Plan and the SATC’s perspective on what has worked and what hasn’t. They will then welcome feedback and reflections from industry
in a workshop-style setting
4. Heritage & Innovation: Taking the Past into the Future
Darren Peacock | National Trust of South Australia & Alison Oborn | Adelaide Haunted Horizon’s Ghost Tours
Heritage is well known as a key attraction for both domestic and international visitors to South Australia. Our built, cultural and natural
heritage and the stories associated with it are unique and irreplaceable. However, the presentation and marketing of our heritage
assets often fails to convey their full richness and appeal. As a result, we fail to recognise the enormous value and potential of South
Australia’s heritage as a tourism asset. This presentation explores innovative approaches to sharing our heritage that create new
experiences with broad appeal. It showcases contemporary South Australian innovation in the design and delivery of heritage
experiences that are creating new markets for old places and stories. We will show how effective integration of heritage adds a new
dimension to tourist experiences of South Australian destinations, products and culture, one which adds to the authenticity and
differentiation of our State’s tourism offerings. We will also discuss the need to forge networks of heritage-based tourism operators –
from pubs and B and B’s to food and wine producers- to integrate and connect the South Australian heritage experience. We invite
discussion on how we can realise the full potential value of heritage places, products and traditions in South Australian tourism.
5. How Do You Make the Most of Your Regions’ Food Culture?
Amanda Daniel | Food Consultant
We travel with expectations and so do our visitors, so we have to ask ‘what is our visitor looking for and how do we deliver it’? When we
travel we want to experience a different culture and the best way to do this is to eat the local food. Our regional food is ours alone and
the culture that produced it is complex and diverse. How do we tell our regions food story and enrich our visitors’ experience? And how
we build our brand while we support our local producers.
3.15 PM
Afternoon Tea (20 minutes)
© South Australian Tourism Industry Council 2015
3.35 PM
KEYNOTE SESSION: Fostering Ongoing Collaboration (30 Minutes)
Laura Cavallo | Chief Executive | Destination Melbourne
Destination Melbourne is Melbourne’s leading independent visitor organisation, focussed on encouraging Melbourne’s visitor
industry to deliver targeted experiences that are in step with visitor expectations. Via Destination Melbourne’s unparalleled
networks and contacts across the tourism sector, local councils and State Government agencies, the organisation delivers a
number of programs which encourage collaboration, connections and new initiatives. Laura will share the spirit of collaboration
which underpins her organisation’s core activities including the Melbourne Tourism Industry Leadership Program, Visitability,
Discover Your Own Backyard campaign and the Melbourne Tourism Partnership program.
4.05 PM
KEYNOTE SESSION: Tourism Strategy & Insights
Andrew McEvoy | Director of Marketing Services | Fairfax Media
Andrew McEvoy is the former Managing Director of Tourism Australia and currently Managing Director of Fairfax Life Media &
Events division - speaking to over 10 million Australians every month about things they love including travel and events.
Andrew will speak to the South Australian industry based on his insights and learnings after 20 years in the travel and tourism
space and his more recent leanings about better using the media and events as a seasonal trigger to visit. Andrew is also
Chairman of Adelaide's Riverbank Authority and is on the board of the locally based Sealink Travel Group.
4.35 PM
PLENARY SESSION: Instagram: The one thing that rules them all (Another tool but it's worth the effort)
Steve Davis | Marketing Director | Baker Marketing
Instagram is the window, mirror and magazine for your online tourism marketing - and it is generating exponential rates of
engagement for brands. In the talk Steve Davis will demonstrate: the visual power of communicating your tourism experience
via your smartphone smartly with images also forwarded to Twitter and Facebook (window), tips for making it easy and
attractive for your patrons to tell your story visually (mirror), Instagram as a relaxing, browsing magazine pre, post and during
holidays (magazine). He will also share tips for writing captions and hashtags to help engagement.
5.05 PM
Wrap up and Close
5.10 PM
Networking Function
An opportunity to network, share experiences and identify opportunities.
© South Australian Tourism Industry Council 2015