Big Red Group

Big Red Group is an Australian technology company focused on the experience economy, with its headquarters in Sydney. Established in 2017, the group operates and distributes bookable leisure, tourism, entertainment, and adventure activities through a portfolio of consumer-facing brands and business-to-business channels. Its principal platforms include RedBalloon, Adrenaline, Experience Oz, and Experience Oz Local Agent. The company’s business model combines e-commerce, marketplace operations, tourism distribution, and wholesale supply. Its proprietary technology platform supports the sale of more than 12,000 experiences, ranging from cruises, theme parks, zoos and aquariums to hot-air balloon flights, whale watching, skydiving, and other adventure activities. Customers can purchase directly through Big Red Group’s owned brands, while tourism operators and distribution partners can use the group’s inventory and technology to reach additional audiences. Big Red Group developed through a series of acquisitions and portfolio additions. In 2017 it acquired RedBalloon, an established Australian experience-gifting and activity-booking marketplace, together with Redii, an experience-based rewards platform. Adrenaline was added in 2018, extending the group’s presence in adventure and activity bookings. Lime&Tonic joined the portfolio in 2019. In 2021, the group added Experience Oz and Experience Oz Local Agent, strengthening its position in domestic tourism, attractions, tours, and agent-based ticket distribution. The group serves both individual consumers and commercial partners. Its distribution network includes domestic tourism businesses, travel agents, online travel agencies, and international partners across Asia, the United States, and Europe. The company has also described partnerships with Australian businesses such as Virgin Australia, through which experiences can be promoted or distributed beyond the group’s own websites. Big Red Group has positioned itself as an infrastructure and demand-generation partner for the experience and tourism industries. This role became especially significant during the COVID-19 recovery period, when tourism operators faced reduced visitor numbers, operational disruption, and changing travel patterns. The group has also supported tourism recovery following severe weather events affecting destinations including the Gold Coast and Cairns. In 2022, it entered a joint venture with Destination Cairns Marketing intended to stimulate tourism growth in North Queensland. In addition to operating commercial platforms, Big Red Group produces a quarterly Seasonal Experience Index that tracks consumer and industry trends in the experiences sector. The company has received workplace and innovation-related recognition, including nominations and shortlists associated with The Australian Financial Review, Human Resources Director, Fast Company, and other programs. Big Red Group remains an active, privately held participant in the Australian and New Zealand experience-commerce and tourism-distribution markets.

Big Red Group was established in 2017 as an Australian experience-commerce and tourism-technology group. Rather than operating as a single activity provider, it developed as a holding and platform business bringing together consumer marketplaces, rewards services, tourism inventory, and distribution tools. Its headquarters are in Sydney, and its commercial reach extends beyond Australia through partnerships and distribution relationships in New Zealand, Asia, the United States, and Europe. The group’s initial portfolio was created through the acquisition of RedBalloon and Redii in 2017. RedBalloon provided an established consumer marketplace for experience gifts and activity bookings, while Redii brought an experience-oriented rewards proposition. These assets gave Big Red Group an initial base in both direct-to-consumer commerce and employee or customer rewards-related experiences. In 2018, Big Red Group added Adrenaline. The brand broadened the portfolio toward adventure and recreational activities, including experiences such as hot-air ballooning and whale watching. Lime&Tonic followed in 2019, continuing the group’s expansion across experience discovery and booking. A major later step came in 2021, when Big Red Group added Experience Oz and Experience Oz Local Agent. Experience Oz concentrated on tourism attractions and activities such as cruises, theme parks, zoos, and aquariums. Experience Oz Local Agent supplied a concierge and agent ticketing capability, helping the group serve tourism businesses and intermediary sellers as well as end consumers. Together, these additions strengthened Big Red Group’s position in domestic tourism and in the business-to-business distribution of Australian experiences. The group’s technology platform supports a large catalog of bookable activities and connects several routes to market. Experiences can be sold through the group’s owned websites and brands, through partnerships with domestic companies such as Virgin Australia, and through agents and online travel agencies in overseas markets. This combination of owned digital properties and wholesale distribution allows Big Red Group to aggregate demand for operators while giving travelers access to a broad range of activities through different purchasing channels. The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent travel disruption created significant challenges for tourism operators. Big Red Group became involved in tourism-regeneration efforts as destinations sought to rebuild visitation and consumer confidence. The company also supported recovery activity following climate-related weather events that affected tourism locations such as the Gold Coast and Cairns. In 2022, it partnered with Destination Cairns Marketing in a joint venture designed to promote growth in North Queensland’s tourism sector. Big Red Group also publishes a quarterly Seasonal Experience Index. The index is intended to identify patterns and trends in consumer demand and the broader experiences industry, reflecting the company’s role not only as a seller and distributor but also as a participant in the collection and interpretation of market data. The company has received workplace, innovation, and employee-benefit recognition. Its reported nominations and shortlists have included programs associated with The Australian Financial Review and Human Resources Director. It was also connected with Fast Company’s Brands That Matter recognition in 2021, The Australian Financial Review’s Best Places to Work shortlist in 2022, and innovation-related recognition in 2021. Big Red Group continues to operate as a privately held portfolio and technology group serving the Australian and New Zealand experience markets and international tourism-distribution channels.

• 2022

  Destination Cairns tourism joint venture

  [1]Big Red Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Big Red Group partnered with Destination Cairns Marketing in a joint venture intended to support tourism growth in North Queensland.

• 2021

  Experience Oz portfolio added

  [1]Big Red Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Experience Oz and Experience Oz Local Agent joined the group, strengthening its tourism-attraction and agent-distribution capabilities.

• 2019

  Lime&Tonic added

  [1]Big Red Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Big Red Group expanded its experience portfolio through the addition of Lime&Tonic.

• 2018

  Adrenaline added

  [1]Big Red Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Adrenaline joined the group, expanding its activity and adventure-experience offering.

• 2017

  Big Red Group established

  [1]Big Red Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The company was founded and acquired RedBalloon and Redii, establishing its initial portfolio in experience commerce and rewards.

A technology-enabled experience marketplace and tourism-distribution group connecting consumers, experience operators, travel agents, online travel agencies, and other commercial partners.

• Experience marketplace

  RedBalloon

  RedBalloon is a consumer-facing experience marketplace focused on gifting and booking activities. Its catalog includes leisure, adventure, travel, and entertainment experiences, allowing customers to purchase activities directly or give them as gifts.

• Adventure experiences

  Adrenaline

  Adrenaline is an experience brand centered on adventure and recreational activities. Its offering includes activities such as hot-air balloon flights and whale watching, alongside other outdoor and high-energy experiences.

• Tourism experiences and attractions

  Experience Oz

  Experience Oz is a tourism-focused booking platform covering cruises, theme parks, zoos, aquariums, tours, and other visitor attractions. It gives travelers access to bookable experiences across Australia and supports the distribution of tourism inventory.

• Concierge and agent ticketing

  Experience Oz Local Agent

  Experience Oz Local Agent is a concierge and agent ticketing platform associated with Experience Oz. It is designed for tourism intermediaries and local sellers that need to distribute or arrange tickets and activities for visitors.

• Industry research

  Seasonal Experience Index

  The Seasonal Experience Index is a quarterly publication produced by Big Red Group. It reports on experience-industry data and trends, providing a view of changing consumer demand and seasonal activity patterns.

• 2022Destination Cairns tourism regeneration joint venture

  Cairns · North Queensland · Australia

  Big Red Group partnered with Destination Cairns Marketing on a joint venture intended to increase tourism growth in North Queensland and contribute to destination recovery.

  Outcome. The available reference material identifies the partnership and its tourism-growth objective but does not provide quantified results.

  Source

• 2022

  Partner with Destination Cairns MarketingStrategy

  Background

  Tourism destinations were seeking recovery and renewed demand after the COVID-19 pandemic and severe weather disruptions.

  Action taken

  Big Red Group entered a joint venture with Destination Cairns Marketing to support tourism growth in North Queensland.

  Aftermath

  The partnership positioned the group as a participant in destination-level tourism regeneration; specific financial or visitation outcomes are not stated in the available material.

  Source

• 2021

  Add Experience Oz and Experience Oz Local AgentM&A

  Background

  Big Red Group was expanding from experience gifting and adventure activities into tourism attractions and intermediary distribution.

  Action taken

  The group added Experience Oz and Experience Oz Local Agent to its portfolio.

  Aftermath

  The additions broadened the group’s coverage of cruises, theme parks, zoos, aquariums, tourism bookings, and agent ticketing.

  Source

• 2017

  Acquire RedBalloon and RediiM&A

  Background

  The newly established group needed an initial portfolio of consumer experience and rewards businesses.

  Action taken

  Big Red Group acquired RedBalloon and Redii.

  Aftermath

  The acquisitions formed the foundation of the group’s experience-commerce and rewards operations.

  Source

1. 1Big Red Groupen.wikipedia.org