Tourism Campaigns

MS JARRATT ASKED THE MINISTER FOR TOURISM AND FAIR TRADING (MR LAWLOR) —

QUESTION:

Will the Minister list all tourism campaigns that have been funded by the Bligh Government this term and describe the benefits that these campaigns seek to achieve for our tourism sector?

ANSWER:

As guided by the Queensland Government’s Tourism Action Plan to 2012, the state government’s body responsible for tourism marketing, Tourism Queensland, has taken a dynamic retail marketing focus to its marketing campaigns over the last year. The role of these targeted, multimillion dollar sales and marketing campaigns funded co-operatively by government and industry is to increase visitor numbers and visitor expenditure to Queensland.

These campaigns are variously partnered with regional tourism organisations, retail and wholesale travel companies, airlines and local tourism operators. Some marketing campaigns have leveraged off the Best Job in the World phenomenon, including ‘Hey, Hey, this is Queensland’ – which featured four of the Best Job in the World candidates in various locations throughout Queensland - and ‘Hey, Hey, it’s time you got away’ – which encouraged Australians to take their unused leave and holiday in Queensland.

Other marketing campaigns embrace the emerging digital age. The highly successful ‘Ultimate Auctions’ series – where potential holidaymakers can bid online for unique Queensland holiday experiences – is a prime example of using the world wide web to lure visitors to our state.

Under its Global Brand Strategy, Tourism Queensland re-focused its approach to promoting Queensland and its destinations in 2009-10. As a result, a major focus of Tourism Queensland’s marketing communications activity is to promote experiences throughout Queensland, which includes all regions. This whole-of-state experience-based marketing activity is conducted in the intrastate, interstate and international markets.

This approach represents a shift in focus for Queensland’s smaller regions, from destination-based marketing activity to experience-based activity, under the Queensland experiences banner. In addition, there are five destinations that will have dedicated brand marketing campaigns, including Tropical North Queensland, Whitsundays, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

In February 2010, Tourism Queensland partnered with Flight Centre, Infinity Holidays and Virgin Blue to promote Queensland in order to motivate consumers to take a short break in Queensland.

The campaign features four popular 'Best Job in the World' candidates doing a rendition of the Monkees theme tune with the new lyrics 'Hey Hey this is Queensland'. This 10 month campaign launched on 31 August 2009 and was reinforced with a 'Hey Hey it's a Queensland Christmas' online tourism campaign and competition.

From 19 July to 23 August 2009 Tourism Queensland, in partnership with Sunlover Holidays, ran a holiday marketing campaign with the tagline "the best deals on the best Queensland holidays". The campaign particularly targeted Sydney and Melbourne social fun-seekers, as well as holidaymakers in Brisbane and other parts of Australia.

Tourism Queensland and Wotif.com partnered to promote Queensland to the Brisbane and Southern Queensland market through an advertising campaign, using the tagline ‘Queensland going for a thong’, from 24 May to 6 June

A Tourism Queensland initiative designed to encourage Australians to take their unused leave and holiday in Queensland went live on Sunday 28 March. Called 'Hey Hey! It's time you got away', the campaign was inspired by Tourism Australia's 'No Leave, No Life' program.

Ultimate Auctions have been staged in April 2010, December 2009 and July 2009, offering potential holidaymakers the chance to bid on unique Queensland holiday experiences for as little as a $1.

From 7 March to 17 April 2009, the campaign encouraged southern tourists to take a Queensland short break by promoting 158 bonus offers from participating operators, including free nights, room upgrades or breakfast.

This 10-week campaign from 19 April aimed to promote short breaks in Queensland using popular radio personalities and interactive banner advertisements on websites for 10 weeks from. Partners included Jetstar and more than 35 Queensland operators.

"Get Some Gold Coast Sun" campaign in September 2009, run in partnership with Wotif.com and Gold Coast Tourism.

"Summer Stays" campaign in January 2010; run in partnership with Virgin Blue, Blue Holidays, Gold Coast Tourism and Gold Coast Airport.

"Grown Up Deals, Kids Prices" campaign in May 2010, in partnership with Flight Centre, Infinity Holidays and Gold Coast Tourism.

Tourism Queensland also undertook domestic and international marketing activity to promote the 2010 Gold Coast Airport Marathon in key markets, including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Japan, Korea and South East Asia under the $2 million events marketing strategy in partnership with Queensland Events Corporation.

In addition to promoting Brisbane through whole-of-state marketing, Tourism Queensland partnered with Virgin Blue and Madison Magazine to initiate a six-month campaign targeting groups of women from Sydney and Melbourne to have a ‘girls weekend’ in Brisbane, aiming to profile Brisbane lifestyle.

An interstate marketing campaign ran in May and June 2009 in partnership with Virgin Blue Holidays, which focused on Brisbane’s Moreton Bay and Islands.

Tourism Queensland worked with key government agencies to deliver an interstate and intrastate marketing campaign to negate the adverse impacts of the March 2009 oil spill to industry.

In addition to promoting South East Queensland Country through whole-of-state marketing activities, a new initiative encouraged operators in the South East Queensland Country to participate in a pilot radio promotion in June 2010. The campaign positioned South East Queensland Country as a ‘Winter Country Escape’ only a short drive from Brisbane.

A print and online retail campaign ran in October 2009 targeting the Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne markets.

A week-long campaign targeting Brisbane and South East Queensland in partnership with WOTIF was run in January 2010.

The "Don’t Splash Out" print and online tactical campaign targeting the Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne markets ran in April 2010.

In October 2009, the House of Travel "Inspire" Magazine monthly publication was distributed to over 400K New Zealander’s. A double page Spread contained both Great Sunshine Way content and product plus

specific Sunshine / Fraser Coast content of packaged (land and air) products.

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In April 2010, the "Land of the Long White Beach" WOTIF campaign was run. Over 90 operators participated in a two week, national campaign backed up by significant media and radio media distribution.

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May/June 2010, the House of Travel Retail agency tactical marketing campaign featured Sunshine / Fraser Coast destinational, experiences content plus packaged (land and air) products.

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As part of the Sunshine Coast Damage Recovery Group, Tourism Queensland played an integral role in the development and execution of an integrated Oil Spill Recovery campaign prior to Easter 2009. The campaign included television, radio and print components targeting Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.

In addition to promoting the Fraser Coast through whole-of-state marketing initiatives, Tourism Queensland ran a "Get closer to nature on Queensland’s Fraser Coast" campaign in conjunction with Fraser Coast South Burnett Tourism, Fraser Coast Council, and local operators in June 2009.

Whole of state marketing campaigns supported by Central Queensland operators have included: Getaway Giveaways, Wotif.com, Unreal Deals and Hey Hey It’s Time You Got Away.

Domestic marketing activity for Central Queensland and Southern Great Barrier Reef focussed on the Coast and Islands of the Southern Great Barrier Reef and the Gorges, Hinterland and Gemfields from February to June 2009 with activity occurring in print and online.

The ‘Warm Up This Winter Whitsundays Cold Rock’ Promotion ran from 15 July to 9 August 2009.

The Whitsunday 74 Hour Sale campaign ran in September 2009 in partnership with Virgin Blue and 14 operators.

The Whitsundays Jetstar campaign completed in partnership with Tourism Whitsundays targeted consumers in Sydney and Brisbane from 18 to 23 February 2010.

Tourism Queensland partnered with Escape Travel and Infinity Holidays on the Whitsundays Escape Travel Campaign which ran from 1 March – 4 April 2010.

The ‘Cyclone Ului recovery campaign in March 2010 let consumers know that the Mackay and Whitsundays regions were back in business and ready to trade.

In addition to promoting Mackay through whole-of-state initiatives, Tourism Queensland’s ‘Cyclone Ului recovery campaign’ let consumers know that the Mackay and Whitsundays regions were back in business and ready to trade.

As with other destinations, Townsville operators participated in whole-of-state campaigns, including ‘The Best Deals on the Best Queensland Holidays’, the WOTIF campaign and a retail campaign run by Tourism Queensland in partnership with Qantas and Qantas Holidays.

A tactical ‘Winter’ Campaign with a direct call to action was run in May 2010 targeting Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

A retail campaign with Sunlover Holidays with an all agent call to action ran in April 2010 targeting Social Fun Seekers in Sydney and Melbourne, and Connectors in Brisbane.

A tactical campaign with Flight Centre/Infinity Holidays ran in October 2009 targeting Social Fun Seekers in Sydney and Melbourne and Connectors in regional Queensland.

A retail campaign with Virgin Blue/ Blue Holidays ran in March and April 2009 targeting Social Fun Seekers in Sydney and Melbourne and Connectors in Regional Queensland.

The Tropical North Queensland ‘Best Adventure’ Online www.queenslandholidays.com campaign was run from July 2009- August 2009.

A whole-of-state tactical retail campaign ran in March 2009 with Flight Centre, Infinity Holidays and Virgin Blue.

Following the recent flooding throughout the central and south west of Queensland and the Western Downs, Tourism Queensland and the Outback Queensland Tourism Association facilitated the development of a television commercial which was funded by several Local Government Associations. This was televised on Imparja and numerous regional channels.

Tourism Queensland also initiated regional radio segments, giving local characters from the bush the opportunity to promote their region and let potential visitors know they were open for business post the wet weather.

Major retail campaigns took place in July and October 2009 and February 2010 targeting social fun seekers in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Activity will include television, press, online, in store collateral and agent incentives.

The "After the Summer Rain" cooperative marketing campaign was in market between February and June 2010.

An Autumn campaign occurred during February and March 2009, including a four-page product flyer, full-page in Brisbane Sunday Mail, double-page spread in the travel feature of all APN papers and online activity.

Tourism Queensland currently conducts marketing activity in more than 20 countries around the world.

The activity ranges from multi-national campaigns with key airline partners to extensive public relations campaigns and even to joint promotional activity with non-tourism companies such as Samsung.

The most successful campaign has, of course, been the Best Job in the World.

As a result of the awareness generated by this campaign, Tourism Queensland has been able to leverage interest in Queensland in a multitude of different ways.

Tourism Queensland works with international airline partners globally on a cooperative basis.

These include Qantas, Jetstar, Air Asia X, Etihad, Singapore Airlines, Thai and Emirates.

Other airlines that are marketing partners with Tourism Queensland are Japan Airlines, Cathay, Continental Micronesia, China Southern, China Eastern, VAustralia, Delta, Air NZ, Malaysian Airlines and Air Canada.

Queensland's Islands of the Great Barrier Reef is being promoted as one of the world's top island holiday spots in two new campaigns targeting US travellers. Signature Travel Network campaign launched at the end of May while the Orbitz campaign has recently launched. Over coming months, the two campaigns would blanket online and travel agent booking channels with offers for travellers to stay for five nights while paying for four at a range of Great Barrier Reef islands.

A Tourism Queensland and Gold Coast Tourism campaign in partnership with Flight Centre in May 2009 encouraged New Zealand visitors to the Gold Coast to incorporate more experiences into their visit in May 2009. The campaign included television, print and online.

In May 2010, New Zealanders had the chance to save up to 50 percent on a Sunshine Coast and Fraser Coast holiday after the 'Land of the Long White Beach' campaign coordinated by Tourism Queensland was launched in partnership with Wotif.com, the Sunshine Coast Tourism Partners and supported by Fraser Coast South Burnett Tourism in May 2010.

A major print, TV, online and outdoor campaign in Argentina was a joint initiative of Tourism Queensland, Tourism New South Wales, Tourism Australia and Qantas, launched in April 2010. The campaign focussed

primarily on promoting package deals combining flights with a 10-night Queensland, New South Wales accommodation offer.

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In February and March 2010, an international tourism marketing campaign encouraged New Zealanders to have the "Best Holiday in the World in Queensland''. The major international TV, radio, print, online and outdoor campaign was a joint initiative of Tourism Queensland in partnership with Jetstar.

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An online marketing campaign developed in November 2009 by Tourism Queensland gave European explorers the opportunity to win the Best Holiday in the World through a virtual game. In the game, players travelled 'virtually' to destinations throughout Queensland with successful online explorers then eligible to enter a competition to win a 14 day round-trip throughout Queensland.

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As part of the ‘Best Holiday in the World’, a range of VIP Queensland experiences were available for Britons who booked a holiday to the Queensland as part of an incentive with retail travel partners Flight Centre and Gold Medal and Emirates Airlines in November and December 2009.

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The Best Adventure in the World campaign, coordinated by Tourism Queensland UK in partnership with Qantas and Big Earth, targeted gap year travellers, backpackers and those dreaming of a career break from November 2009 to January 2010

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Tourism Queensland joined forces with Gay and Lesbian Tourism Australia to offer a range of recovery holiday deals in Queensland for tired party-goers after the Sydney Mardi Gras in March 2010.

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A Tourism Queensland viral marketing campaign featuring an online game called Snap-a-roo was launched in the UK and Ireland in August. The game promoted the diversity of Queensland destinations and experiences with the aim of encouraging young adults and career-breakers to visit the state.

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Tourism Queensland's 'Open for Business' campaign encouraged New Zealanders to continue visiting the Sunshine Coast following March 2009’s oil spill. The campaign was developed by Tourism Queensland in collaboration with Flight Centre, Sunshine Coast Regional Council and Sunshine Coast Tourism and commenced in April 2009