The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) board voted unanimously to authorize spending up to $1.45 million to market Southern Nevada to Australian travelers, coinciding with the start of nonstop air service between Las Vegas and Sydney on Qantas Airlines at the end of the year.
Board members approved a contract with GTI Tourism PTY, based in the Sydney suburb of Surry Hills, for $475,000 in fiscal year 2027. The agreement includes the option to spend an additional $475,000 in fiscal year 2028 and $500,000 in fiscal year 2029.
Sporting events anchor marketing strategy
As reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Fletch Brunelle, LVCVA vice president of marketing, said the Australia campaign would connect with sporting events of interest to Australian audiences, including the Formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix and the opening games of the National Rugby League at Allegiant Stadium.
Las Vegas recorded an estimated 4.7 million visitors from Australia and New Zealand in 2025, making the region the city’s second-best overseas market. Brunelle said Australian visitation generated an estimated $442 million in economic impact for the city.
Qantas to operate three weekly flights
Qantas plans to operate the new route three times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, beginning December 29. The airline has committed to operations through March 12. Qantas, Australia’s flag carrier and busiest airline, will use twin-engine Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft with capacity for up to 300 passengers on the route.
The arrangement marks the second time the LVCVA has worked with GTI in Australia. GTI represented the LVCVA from 2014 to 2020, providing public relations and trade marketing representation services on a project basis.
The LVCVA’s international marketing and PR teams returned to Australia in 2022 after a gap in international office representation, resuming market intelligence gathering and maintaining an annual presence alongside Brand USA. LVCVA President and CEO Steve Hill said the earlier discontinuation of marketing efforts in Australia resulted from the COVID-19 outbreak.
Hill said it has been roughly 15 years since Qantas added a new US destination, and noted the timing of the new route aligns with January’s Consumer Electronics Show and the kickoff of the National Rugby League event in Las Vegas.
“I think they (Qantas) view this as an opportunity to give it a shot and we really appreciate that they did that,” Hill said. “So now, we’ve committed the resources to try and do everything we can to make it work.”
When rugby returns to Las Vegas in late February, the Melbourne Storm will face the Wests Tigers, and the Parramatta Eels will face the Gold Coast Titans. United Kingdom Super League teams the Bradford Bulls and the Leigh Leopards are also scheduled to appear as part of the NRL Telstra Premiership season.