Tourism Talk

Issue 297 – 20 July 2010

In this edition:

Zone Marketing Groups Welcome New Members

Tourism Tasmania, the Chairs of the five Zone Marketing Groups and Regional Tourism Authorities have collectively selected 11 new members to join Tasmania’s five Zone Marketing Groups.

The Zone Marketing Groups are skills-based committees comprised of volunteer members with marketing and leadership experience who can make a valuable contribution to the marketing and promotion of their region. This year the applications received reflected a high standard of expertise and capacity especially in marketing and Tourism Tasmania would like to thank all those who showed an interest in the program.

To achieve broad representation across each of the Zone Marketing Groups, all expressions of interest were assessed by the Zone Chairs in conjunction with Tourism Tasmania and the Regional Tourism Authorities. The Zone Marketing Group members are first and foremost champions of each region who take the message of Zone marketing to local operators and encourage participation in marketing programs.

Contact your local Zone member to find out how to get involved. For more information, including the names of Zone group members, see Zone Marketing on the Tourism Tasmania corporate website.

Digital Coach Program - Round Two

Tourism Tasmania would like to congratulate all those operators who took part in the first round of its Digital Coach Program. Round one of the program is due to finish at the end of July with a second round to begin at the end of August.

Over 160 operators have so far participated in this innovative program. Tourism Tasmania's Digital Coach Program is for operators who want to learn more about getting online. Tourism Tasmania have engaged six experts to help you make the most of whatever online capability you now have; be it improving your website, getting clever with social media, installing or maximising an online booking system, or introducing you to free online tools that will be useful to your business – just to name a few.

The program is hands on and is tailored to suit you and your staff, regardless of whether you know a little or a lot. This coaching service is FREE, but you must OPT IN. For all those interested in continuing, or joining for the first time, contact the Tas e-Connect Help Desk on 1300 303 259 or email taseconnect@tourismtasmania.com.au

Tiger Airways to Withdraw Services

Tiger Airways will withdraw the current daily Melbourne to Launceston service and the four times a week Adelaide to Hobart service as of 2 August 2010. Tiger cite poor economic performance of the routes as the primary reason for their withdrawal and while both services have been averaging load factors of 75 per cent over the past six months, poor financial returns due to the lower cost of fares is the contributing factor.

On being advised of these service changes, Tourism Tasmania has put in place arrangements to discuss service increase opportunities with other airlines with particular emphasis on Virgin Blue and QantasLink. Meetings with these carriers will involve representatives from the respective airports and will leverage existing business cases developed for service enhancement on key routes.

Tiger Airways will maintain its twice daily Melbourne to Hobart services albeit a number of the very early service ex Melbourne have been deleted in recent weeks due to the slowing of demand over winter.

Sharp Airlines to provide Tasmanian Services

Sharp Airlines will take over flight services of Airlines of Tasmania from 1 September. Airlines of Tasmania will continue to operate the weekly Cape Barren Services in the interim as well as Par Avion Wilderness Tours. Sharp will provide services for the almost 20,000 passengers who travel with Airlines of Tasmania each year.

Mr Donald Wells, Managing Director of Airlines of Tasmania said “Our company has provided the Flinders Island Community with a reliable airline service for a number of years; I am comfortable that the service will continue to the same standard with Sharp."

The airline plans to build on the current successful services and will provide an additional service to Flinders Island that will start with the introduction of a Sunday service to Melbourne from September. Flinders Island Council and Flinders Island Tourism Association, with assistance from Tourism Tasmania have been working towards increasing access to the island, and are to be congratulated on the outcome.

Tourism e-kit Videos on Tourism Tasmania website

The highly popular Tourism e-kit can now be watched on video. Designed specifically for the tourism industry, the e-kit gives operators all the information they need to market and distribute their product online. All of the e-kit tutorials have, or soon will have, an accompanying video that makes the tutorial more engaging and easier to understand. You can find the Tourism e-Kit videos on the Tourism Tasmania corporate website.

TigerTOUR Updates

The following new products have been added to the Tourism Tasmania TigerTOUR database.

Accommodation:

Tourism Tasmania’s Product Consultants can help you update your business details. For more information email TigerTOUR@tourism.tas.gov.au or phone: (03) 6230 8229.

Coming Events

Devonport Jazz
Warming up Devonport in Winter with hot jazz
Thu, 22 Jul - Sun, 25 Jul 2010
Devonport - Multiple Venues

See all events