Ex Virgin, Qantas execs form new tourism venture
Two former airline foes are joining hands to form a new Australian tourism venture.
The former Qantas boss Geoff Dixon has teamed up with ex Virgin chief Brett Godfrey to establish Australian Walking Company (AWC).
Focusing on adventure tourism, including walking and hiking, AWC is backed by the Tasmanian Walking Company, of which Godfrey is part owner.
Dixon said the business aims to raise awareness of Australia as a domestic walking destination.
"The walks we have here are fantastic but Australia’s a big country and there’s room to develop more high-end walking opportunities, including in NSW," said Dixon.
"We know that 70,000 Australians annually choose to walk overseas, so we want to change that mindset and capture the imagination of inbound adventure seekers too."
AWC is considering launching high-end walking tours in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park in Northern Territory and Kangaroo Island, South Australia.
Despite being fierce rivals in the airline business many years ago, Dixon says the partnership with Godrey is a perfect match.
"With the Tasmanian Walking Company, Brett’s already a co-owner of two of the eight ‘Great Walks of Australia’, and I knew from three years together on the board of Tourism Australia that we’d work well together."
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Airbnb eyes a loyalty program but details remain under wraps
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Major rail disruptions around and in Berlin until early 2026