‘Beaches And Beyond’ Boom for Retail Sales

‘Beaches And Beyond’ Boom for Retail Sales

Auckland – 25 February, 2014. Tourism Australia together with Tourism Events Queensland and retail partner House of Travel are the first week into a ‘beaches and beyond’ campaign promoting the regions of Queensland as the destination of choice for Kiwis seeking a ‘winter sun’ escape. The coming weeks will reveal a showcase of experiences and great value offers from the Southern Great Barrier Reef, Tropical North Queensland, Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast.

House of Travel’s Commercial Director Brent Thomas reported the first week as being the most successful Gold Coast campaign that the chain had been involved in for three years. Thomas attributes the success not just to targeting the right audience across multiple platforms; radio, print and digital but also advocacy.

The campaign’s advocacy element is through Coast radio’s top rating breakfast show personality, Brian Kelly. Tourism Australia’s Jenny Aitken says that advocacy is a “key driver for Australia sharing their stories with Kiwis who love to hear from real people within their peer groups.” Before embarking on
the campaign, Brian travelled to a number of the featured locations in Queensland to gain first hand experience in the destinations being featured.

Aitken says the public response to the campaign so far backs up Tourism Australia’s earlier consumer research suggesting Australian beaches, particularly those around Queensland’s Tropical North, Whitsundays and Gold Coast are considered some of the best in the world.

“Kiwis already love Queensland’s beaches as a holiday escape, and now, with this campaign they’re really beginning to appreciate that the state has a huge variety of other attractions, events and activities that are really worth visiting for.

“Add to that the fact that Australia represents an excellent holiday option in terms of value for money for New Zealanders, with great opportunities for shopping and excellent restaurants, and we should continue to reap great rewards from the campaign,” she says.

Tourism & Events Queensland’s New Zealand Manager, Sally Holyer says the ‘beaches and beyond’ theme perfectly captures the essence of a great Queensland holiday. “Yes, we have the great beaches, but also some amazing, and very different experiences all within a one hour drive zone of the beach.” Sally cites food and wine trails, shopping, nature and wildlife experiences as being standouts for the hinterland regions of the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast.

“It’s something of a journey of discovery for even the most seasoned of travellers who know our regions for their beaches and islands but are amazed to discover what lies just a little way beyond…its like two holidays in one.”

House of Travel’s Brent Thomas says the group is expecting a “good year with New Zealanders expressing an early propensity to spend. And when it comes to spending on travel, Australia is and will forever be their number one. We are seeing three key things trending early in the year, all of which have been very evident in the booking decisions around this Queensland campaign.

They are: 1. People will stay a little longer.

2.

They will look to upgrade their holiday experience either through accommodation offerings or experiences such as activities.

3. They are definitely looking for new experiences, so the ‘beyond’ part of this campaign has definite appeal, especially to the seasoned traveller. “

Asked which elements of Queensland as a destination have greatest appeal to his customers, Brent mentions guaranteed sunshine, close proximity and affordability along with the favourable exchange rate and value for money as being key drivers for kiwis. “This season, our dollar is going even further in

Australia, so that means an increased disposable income to indulge in activities and touring to islands, the Great Barrier Reef excursions and of course shopping.

The second week of the campaign travels up-state to the Sunshine Coast which is already underway and reporting great appeal for Kiwis planning their winter escape. The sun continues to shine on the campaign offerings as it continues into the regions of the Southern Great Barrier Reef and Tropical North .

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