ping and nightlife. The natural environment forms a backdrop to this focus. Let's see the ad now. (Roll video segment 4 - ATC Asia Ad - Runs l minute, fades to black)
We support our TV advertising with print ads through newspaper and high quality magazines. An important part of building image, particularly in adding breadth and depth to that image is our Visiting Journalists Program. At our expense we bring over 600 journalists and film crews to Australia each year to generate $312 million (\28 billion Yen) in publicity. We also have 20 public relations agencies worldwide - generating publicity and managing 15,000 media enquiries annually.
The ATC realised from the beginning that tourism is a multifaceted decision-making process and the ATC must be active in each stage of this process, so as to make a consumers decision making as easy as possible and to continually encourage potential tourists to think of Australia. Creating interest and desire is one thing, converting them to commitment and travel is another. We have set out to reduce the risk in the decision by filling in as many knowledge gaps as possible and creating as many exciting and varied options as needed to answer the most asked question: "Is there enough to see and do to justify the cost and inconvenience of travelling so far to Australia?".
This activity requires partnerships and alliances with the industry. And through these partnerships we distribute information and put together tactical marketing campaigns selling specific products packaged by the industry, to consumers identified by our research, as receptive to these products. Over 200 tactical cooperative campaigns were initiated throughout the world last year. Let's look at a few tactical ads which carry an offer and a price. These are for the United States.
(Roll video segment 5 - Two USA TV Ads, ends on ATC logo, fades to black)
The ATC even has a trained network of retail travel agents worldwide called "Aussie Specialists" who have an intimate knowledge of the experiences available in Australia. Developing the appropriate product or experiences for our markets is important. To broaden the range of Australian experiences sold overseas we established a five-year theme year program which focused industry attention on producing specific itineraries to cover:
- Arts and culture
- Sporting
- Environment/ outdoors
- Events and festivals
- Fine food, dining and nightlife.
This program has been important in drawing the markets' attention to the diversity of experiences in Australia.
Putting different products into the market place is important given changing consumer needs. The new-style tourists are more value conscious and independent. They want to plan their own itineraries and are looking for more variety and genuine experiences. Over 90% of Europeans and Americans who visit Australia are independent tourists and must be supplied with choice and ease of access. Australians are close to 100% independent travellers .
The ATC has developed a fine record for coordinating industry trade shows and exhibitions so that Australian operators have access to foreign buyers as often as possible. We run or are involved in 25 tourism trade shows throughout the world.
Finally, to ensure that the Australian Government continues to invest in the ATC and inbound tourism marketing we measure everything we do for results and economic benefits flowing through our economy. The impact of all our advertising is regularly tracked, as is the level of Australia's popularity and the satisfaction of visiting tourists.
There are some similarities in a general sense between Japan and Australia. If you will allow me to be frank, I would like to suggest certain areas where the Australian experience may be helpful to you. From my observations potential markets are not aware enough of the unique and
