Australia’s premier boutique advisory service, Travel Associates, today announced the first in a suite of “Arts in Australia” partnerships, forging a relationship with Opera Australia at a boutique event in Sydney, that included a dinner at ARIA and a performance of Puccini’s Turandot, at the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Sydney Opera House.
Culture, art, leisure and travel have always been inextricably linked, and the rapid rise of the “experience economy”, also known as -travelling with purpose – drove the decision to financially support the Australian arts community, where many client’s interests lie, both in Australia and overseas.
It will also lend valuable support to the TA’s advisers’ knowledge bank, through personal experience, educational programs, and regular product updates. Most advisers have an average of 15 years experience, and the association will enable TA to connect with new audiences and enrich existing client relationships.
The partnership with Opera Australia, initially for two years, is perfectly timed with Tourism Australia’s recently introduced category of “Cultural Attractions” for signature tourism experiences. The Sydney Opera House alone attracts over 8 million people a year, and Opera Australia is one of Australia’s leading arts institutions.
“Opera is renowned for passionate themes and Opera Australia is unrivalled as the country’s premier opera institution, so we see this as a perfect alignment with our own professional, and passionate travel advisers,” said Anna Burgdorf, General Manager Product & Marketing of Travel Associates.
“We can clearly see the influence and the growing popularity of immersive and culturally significant experiences via our network. Our advisers have unrivalled industry expertise, the best network and connections, and uncompromising customer service focus, which enables us to curate bespoke, premium travelling experiences, perfectly tailored to the client’s individual needs, which often includes creative programs,” added Anna Burgdorf of Travel Associates.
“Be it the rich history of a country, diverse cultural insights or influences to explore and experience, artistic enrichment, otherwise known as creative travel, is the new trend of transformative travel,“ Ms Burgdorf added.
Opera Australia’s CEO, Mr Rory Jeffes, highlighted the synergies between the two companies.
“Opera Australia prides itself on delivering exceptional experiences with standards of excellence at the highest level every step of the way, which is exactly what Travel Associates offers its clients.
“We know Travel Associates and OA have a deep cross-over of customer – people who have uncompromising taste and a yearning for travel, great music and unparalleled cultural experiences. There is no better match in life!” said Jeffes.
An exciting feature of the partnership is the inaugural naming rights for the Platinum Club at the Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour site, that will this year host a brand new production of the iconic musical West Side Story, and set to be the hottest ticket in town this autumn.
The other highlight is the Production Partnership on the keenly anticipated Australian Premiere of Rossini’s Il Viaggio a Reims, which opens in Melbourne on 24 May and is a co-production with two of Europe’s leading opera houses – the Dutch National Opera and the Royal Danish Opera.
Cultural experiences sit at No 4 on the reasons for travel (domestic travel) behind visiting family and friends and relaxation, according to recent research by Dynata and Marketing Magazine, and it is the primary and most appealing reason to travel internationally.
Across Australia, Travel Associates operates 85 bricks and mortar agencies, and clients can safely rely on their advisers to have the most up to date and relevant information, plus priority access to performances and productions, to create perfect travel experiences.
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