Frustrated with international backpackers snubbing the Aussie east coast, Greyhound Australia are adding a few sweeteners
November 11, 2010
Greyhound Australia will launch a backpacker-oriented tour package along their east coast routes in a bid to stem the in-bound tourism slide.
Greyhound CEO Rob Thomas says the rising Australian dollar was putting pressure on the tourism industry even though it signalled a strong economy.
“The slowdown in backpackers visiting Australia coupled with the increase in Australians going overseas has resulted in a gap in our tourism market,” Thomas says.
“We as an industry need to look at what we can do at a grass roots level to get the travellers back and boost our international and domestic tourism market.”
He says the industry needs to keep up with the times by constantly reviewing and adding value to services and providing a total travel experience.
“Greyhound recognises the key to achieving that is to offer attractive and flexible travel packages at affordable prices.
“We can no longer be content with being just a point A to B travel operator.”
Thomas believes his company can address this conundrum with Greyhound Australia’s new ‘East Coaster’ travel adventure package.
The package combines hop-on, hop-off travel between Sydney and Cairns with snorkeling tours on the Great Barrier Reef, surfing at Byron Bay and scenic cable car rides in the Blue Mountains, as examples.
Thomas says the package allows travellers to create their own adventure, starting in either Sydney or Cairns.