Lord Howe Island is featured in the Australian Traveller 100 Aussie Wonders issue
The iconic Mount Gower on Lord Howe Island has earned a top spot as one of 10 unique island wonders in Australia: “Heart in mouth, head in the clouds. Below is the iridescent coral lagoon that bracelets the island Sir David Attenborough once described as ‘so extraordinary it is almost unbelievable’. Above, a cloud forest where moss drips from the branches of mountain apples and Providence Petrels come thudding to the ground by your feet. As one of Australia’s most iconic day hikes, climbing the primordial peak of Mt Gower on Lord Howe Island is a serious challenge, which delivers a huge amount of kudos upon completion. If you manage to score a clear view from the top, you’ll have even more bragging rights. Wear the T-shirt that says ‘I climbed Mt Gower and survived’ with pride”.
Roaring Journals by Trent Mitchell and Ula Majewski from Patagonia
Trent Mitchell, renowned ocean photographer, discovered Lord Howe Island twenty years ago while surfing. He recently returned with fellow surfers Lauren L. Hill, Dave Rastovich, and videographer Andrew Buckley, creating the Patagonia film “KIN” to celebrate and protect the Island’s marine ecosystems. The team has, since their visit, published several stories about their experience on Lord Howe Island, with more to come, so stay tuned.
Read Roaring Journals by Ula Majewski about the Lord Howe Island Brewery here.
Tourism News
UN Tourism’s projection for 2024 points to a full recovery for international travel, with arrivals increasing by two per cent above 2019 levels for the first time.
The UN Tourism Panel of Experts warns that governments and travel organisations should be aware that extreme temperatures and other weather events could make travellers more selective of destination choice. The organisation says this recalls the need to ensure adequate tourism policies and destination management, aiming to advance sustainability and inclusion while addressing the sector’s impact on resources and communities. Meanwhile, tourists are expected to opt for close-to-home trips and value for money in response to global economic challenges.
New TTC Tour Brands research shows that interest in international leisure travel remains high for Australian travellers in 2024, with more than 77% of Australians over 18 still planning trips for this year – and September is the favourite month for nearly 28% of these travellers. This data also reveals that Australian travellers are on the lookout for discounts, with over half of those in the study driven by sales and eagerly awaiting promotions to seal the deal on their getaways.
54% of Australian travellers approve of sustainable travel, while 34% report they are tired of hearing about climate change. Booking.com released its findings from a 31,000-traveller-strong research project across 34 countries and territories exploring consumer trends on sustainable travel at TTF’s Green Revolution Summit. 30% believe that being more sustainable in a destination that is not implementing sustainability practices itself feels pointless. Nevertheless, the 54% of Australians supporting sustainable travel admit they are the best version of themselves when they travel more sustainably, with another 62% feeling that witnessing sustainable practices when travelling, inspires them to be more sustainable in their everyday life. Wellness tourism has emerged as a significant and rapidly growing segment within the overall tourism industry, reflecting a global shift towards prioritising health, wellbeing, and experiential travel.
According to the Global Wellness Institute (GWI), the global wellness tourism market is valued at over US$640 billion, representing a substantial portion of the overall tourism industry. This figure encompasses spending on wellness-focused experiences, accommodations, activities, and services aimed at enhancing physical, mental, and spiritual well-being while travelling.
A new Skyscanner survey of 18-25-year-olds, found that more than half of young Australian women are choosing travel over other significant life experiences, with 53% heading abroad by age 21 and women leading the ‘first trip OS’ pack with almost 62% going solo compared to 56% of Gen Z males.
Visitor Centre
The Visitor Centre has changed its opening hours and is now closed on Fridays and Saturdays.
We’re open Sunday – Thursday 9:00am – 12:00pm.
We will leave DAS, maps and brochures on the veranda on those days so visitors can help themselves. We will also send out all updated information as soon as possible during the week so guest houses can print these out before their weekend arrivals.
Please don’t hesitate to contact 6563 2114 or visit@lordhoweisland.info for any visitor service-related enquiries and tourism@lordhoweisland.info (Pia) for any media or membership enquiries.