tourism sector is the need to diversify its visitor base. While major markets like China and Europe remain essential, Austrade is increasingly focusing on emerging markets closer to home. “It’s costly to get to Australia,” Palmer acknowledges, adding that Southeast Asia represents a key growth area. By focusing on geographically closer markets,Austrade aims to reduce the carbon impact of travel and make Australia more accessible to a broader range of international visitors. MAXIMIZING OPPORTUNITIES IN TOURISM The Australian tourism industry has faced several challenges recently, most notably the COVID-19 pandemic, which devastated international travel. However, as Palmer notes, the pandemic also presented an opportunity: “Australians got to fall in love with their own country again, as they couldn’t leave during COVID. This has been a silver lining for domestic tourism.” 91 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA VOLUME 06, ISSUE 10 AUSTRADE
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