Frequently Asked Questions
Contents
About Get Connected
How to create your Get Connected entry
Helpful Hints on Get Connected
Contact Us
Forgotten your password?
About Get Connected
What is Get Connected?
Get Connected is the Tourism NSW program that allows tourism businesses to be displayed on Tourism NSW consumer websites: www.visitnsw.com and www.sydney.com
and Tourism Australia's website: www.australia.com.
It allows your tourism business to be displayed in a national database, the Australian Tourism Data Warehouse (ATDW). This database feeds other commercial websites such as, GoogleMaps and Yahoo.
Click here to see a full list of ATDW distributors - that is websites using ATDW data.
Tourism NSW and Tourism Australia promote their websites as the call-to-action in all campaigns in Australia and around the world. This means that millions of potential visitors have access to information about your tourism business when planning their holiday.
How much does it cost to Get Connected?
The service is free.
What are the benefits of joining Get Connected?
Get Connected is a global marketing tool used by more than 3.5 million travellers each year. Having access and maintaining your listing means that you can control the message about your tourism business.Who can join Get Connected?
Any New South Wales tourism business can join providing they meet the criteria for one of the following five categories:
Accommodation
Attractions
Hire
Tours
Events
Get Connected is intended for individual properties or tourism products, and not booking agents.
Can bookings be made through the Tourism NSW website visitnsw.com?
Currently customers can contact you directly by telephone or by clicking on your email address, your URL direct to your website or by completing the further enquiries section.
Tourism NSW is committed to working with the NSW tourism industry to accelerate the adoption of online booking. We have implemented a system called NSW Connect to provide online, real-time bookings on our official tourism websites - sydney.com and visitnsw.com. This means accommodation, attractions or tour inventory can be booked on our sites.
The system operates via a single online booking platform called the Tourism Exchange Australia (TXA) that is used by the Australian tourism industry. NSW Connect is the NSW version of TXA. To connect to TXA you need an online booking system. Once you are connected your product can be sold on a wide range of distributor's websites that are also connected to the TXA.
Click here for more information on NSW Connect.
How do I Get Connected?
It’s easy, click here and register.
Within three working days, you will receive an email with your username, password and instructions to update your listing.
How is my tourism business listed?
Users can search by keyword, town, map, region or a tourism business type or tourism business name (if known).
My tourism business is listed on your site, but I don't know how it got there?
Your listing may have been added by your local Visitor Information Centre or a previous owner or employee.
To update your details, click here and register.
If you do not wish to appear on www.visitnsw.com, just send an email and we will remove your entry.
My tourism business was previously on your site but it is not there anymore. What happened to it?
When recent improvements were made to the database, we may have identified that your listing did not comply with mandatory fields or had not been updated for over 12 months. As a result it has been removed.
Please re-register so that a new listing can be created.
Within three working days, you will receive an email with your username, password and instructions to update you listing.
There is incorrect information about my tourism business on another website.
You will be able to correct this information by updating your Get Connected listing.
Check this list of websites using ATDW. If the website is not on this list, it means that the information has been sourced from a third party and not from the ATDW. You will need to contact the website directly to update the incorrect information.
How to create your Get Connected entry
How should I describe my tourism business?
You can use between 50 - 150 words. Use paragraphs, not bullet points or asterisks when writing the copy.
- Start with your tourism business name and a description of key points and unique qualities;
- In the next paragraph provide additional information not covered under the room details page. You may finish your description at this point or add location information;
- Ensure that prices, website addresses and contact details are placed in the relevant sections - not in the description.
- Do not list individual facilities e.g. room details, as these are covered under the room details page;
- Keep language simple and to the point. Do not make claims or use clichés or too may adjectives.
Example:
Families are welcome at the Seabreeze Lodge. Cottage and lodge style accommodation is surrounded by 20 acres of lush sub-tropical gardens with views of the Pacific Ocean.
Mum and Dad can enjoy lunch at our award winning restaurant while the kids enjoy the school holiday activity program.
Seabreeze Lodge is close to Williamtown Airport or two hours drive from Newcastle.
How do I display photos/images on my listing?
Click here for image guidelines
How often should I refresh/update my listing?
Your listing may be updated as often as you want. Under the Get Connected Terms and Conditions, you must review and refresh at least once every 12 months.
Even if your description, facilities and prices remain unchanged you will need to log in, click ’edit’ and then click ’finish or release live’, ensuring your listing remains on www.visitnsw.com and other websites for another 12 months.
What happens if I don’t update my listing once every 12 months?
The listing will be automatically removed from the database and website. Regular updates ensure the information on our websites is current and useful for travellers.
If you do not have the facilities to update your listing contact the staff at your local Visitor Information Centre. Click here for a list of Visitor Information Centres in NSW.
What is meant by Indicative Rates?
Indicative rates are the lowest to highest cost for your tourism business or services including seasonal variations.
For accommodation, rates are listed on a ‘per room per night’ basis. If this is not possible, please indicate the period that the rate relates to in the ‘comments’ field.
How do I calculate my Star Rating?
For consistency Tourism NSW only recognises AAA Tourism Star Ratings. For more information or to check your Star Rating, visit AAA Tourism.
What are the mandatory sections of the database that I must complete?
Mandatory fields vary, depending on your product category. Mandatory fields are indicated by a red border and/or an asterisk when you are in ‘edit’ mode.
Helpful hints on Get Connected
I have updated my listing but the changes are not showing on the website. Why not?
When you have updated your listing, click on ‘finish or release live’. Failure to do so will stop updates showing on the website. The ‘save’ button only saves a copy of your changed information and the new information will not go live until the ‘finish or release live’ button is clicked.
If you have changed the description, location or product name, your listing will be sent to the quality assurance (QA) area. All other updated information is live on the website after you click 'finish or release live’.
QA generally takes 24 to 72 hours and if your changes are still not showing at this time, please email.
Why can’t I access Get Connected?
The most likely reasons are:
- You are not using Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher. The latest version of Internet Explorer can be downloaded here for free.
- You have a Google or Yahoo Toolbar switched on. Switch it off by going to ‘view’ and ‘toolbars’ on your Internet Explorer menu and deselecting it.
- You have a pop-up blocker switched on. Switch it off by going to ‘tools’, ‘pop-up blocker’ and selecting ‘turn off pop-up blocker’ or ‘internet options’, ‘privacy’ and deselecting ‘block pop-ups’.
For assistance call 1300 655 077 or email
I do not have internet access. How can I update my listing?
Most local libraries offer free internet access, or contact your local Visitor Information Centre to discuss assistance in updating your Get Connected listing. Click here for a list of Visitor Information Centres in NSW.
My product is in the wrong location on the map on your website. How do I fix this?
If you know the geo-coordinates (longitude and latitude, in decimal format) for your product, please let us know in an email.
If you don’t know the geo-coordinates, email or call 1300 655 077 with a description of your tourism business location and we will update our listing.
Get Connected says that I am ‘locked out’.
If you try to login unsuccessfully three times, you will be locked out.
Simply click on ‘I forgot my password’ at http://getconnected.tourism.nsw.gov.au and enter your current email address. If this email address is held by the database, your password will be sent to you.
If you no longer have access to the email address in the database, just send us an email, including your tourism business name and the new email address and request your login details.
I've forgotten my username and / or password.
Simply click on ‘I forgot my password’ at http://getconnected.tourism.nsw.gov.au and enter your current email address. If this email address is held by the database, your password will be sent to you.
To get involved, simply register for a Get Connected User Name & Password
Already a member? Login now.
How do I remove my listing?
Please email us with your tourism business details and we will remove the listing for you.
You may rejoin Get Connected at any time. Click here and register.
Contact Us
For assistance or questions about the Get Connected program, Tourism NSW’s websites or the Australian Tourism Data Warehouse (ATDW), please contact our help line for the cost of a local phone call on:
1300 655 077 or email getconnected@tourism.nsw.gov.au