Australia issues a rally cry to youth travellers

26 October 2016

Tourism Australia’s latest global campaign targeting the youth market was kicked off yesterday in Australia’s biggest market for working holiday maker travel, the UK, by the Hon Steven Ciobo, Australia’s Minister for Trade, Tourism & Investment.

Minister Ciobo announced an agreement between Tourism Australia and youth travel specialist STA Travel worth £500,000 in the UK market and launched Tourism Australia’s Working Holiday Maker Influencer program with British celebrity Lucy Watson who has over a million Instagram followers.

“With recent changes announced to the program, a working holiday in Australia is now easier and affordable. Australia offers working holiday makers the highest after tax wages compared to competitor countries like Canada and New Zealand,” said Minister Ciobo.

The new Working Holiday Maker measures, announced by Australia’s Treasurer the Hon. Scott Morrison MP on Tuesday 27 September, include: setting the tax rate for working holiday makers at 19 per cent on earnings up to $37,000; reducing the application charge for working holiday maker visas by $50 to $390; and introducing more flexible visa arrangements to benefit working holiday makers and industry.

Tourism Australia will receive an additional $10 million in Government funding over the next three years for a global youth targeted advertising campaign as part of a range of Government initiatives targeting working holiday makers.

John O’Sullivan, Managing Director Tourism Australia said, “Australia is one of the most diverse, welcoming and beautiful countries on the planet. Our Working Holiday Maker program provides the perfect launch-pad for a life-changing year, maybe even two, combining travel with temporary work.”

Tourism Australia’s primarily digital campaign in the UK and five other key markets will build over the next six to 12 months, to continue to encourage working holiday makers Down Under.

Tourism Western Australia will also be working with STA Travel in November to encourage young Brits to visit Perth and experience the many wonders of WA.

For the year ending June 2016 Australia welcomed almost 200,000 British youth visitors, including almost 60,000 working holiday makers, who spent a total of A$1.4 billion.