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Industry - Newsletter
Tourism Talk Edition 238
MESSAGE FROM FELICIA MARIANI
Earlier this week the Premier Paul Lennon announced a number of Cabinet changes, one of which impacts on Tourism Tasmania.
Paula Wriedt will become Minister for Economic Development and Tourism on 12 February 2008 and Tourism Tasmania will become a part of this new department. While there will be some administrative changes it remains business as usual.
The former Department of Tourism, Arts and the Environment has been provisionally named the Department of Environment, Heritage and the Arts (including Parks and Wildlife), and will become the charge of Michelle O'Byrne.
We welcome this move, and look forward to working closely with Economic Development and continuing the strong working relationship with the Department of Environment, Heritage and the Arts.
Felicia Mariani
CEO Tourism Tasmania
TASMANIA BLITZES G'DAY USA
Tasmania’s tourism and trade mission to the United States has raised the State’s profile as an enticing destination for both holidaymakers and investors.
The Tasmanian delegation to Los Angeles and New York City for G’Day USA 2008 met with influential US companies and publications and hosted a media event where over 50 journalists were treated to a taste of Tasmanian food, beverages, art and tourism opportunities.
The official finale of Australia Week 2008, the Australia Day black tie gala, was used by the Tasmania delegation to further push Tasmania’s key messages: its pristine environment, wealth of trade opportunities and the fight to save the Tasmanian devil.
As a direct result of the ten-day visit Tourism Tasmania will host broadcast crews from at least four production companies and conduct promotions with a number of major US corporations between March and October this year:
- Famed US wildlife expert Jack Hanna for his new television series Into the Wild;
- A major partnership with high-end specialist travel agent consortium Virtuoso Travel;
- A marketing and media campaign with National Geographic Kids;
- A PBS television documentary on the plight of the Tasmanian devil;
- San Francisco culinary lifestyle series Bringing it Home with Laura McIntosh;
- MOJO Network’s Pressure Cook; and
- A major consumer promotion and photographic expedition with global software giant Adobe.
G’Day USA also provided Tasmania with the opportunity to secure marketing partnerships with Robb Report Magazine, Walt Disney World, Warner Bros and key tourism industry partners Tourism Australia, Qantas Airways and Aussie Specialist travel agents.
Conversations also commenced with Legal Sea Foods – a major restaurant group on the North American east coast – for a consumer promotion and export partnership.
WILDLIFE WARRIORS JOIN FIGHT TO SAVE TASSIE DEVIL
Wildlife Warriors Worldwide (WWW) has officially joined a campaign to help save Tasmanian devils from a hideous cancer threatening the species.
WWW announced at its Benefit Dinner in New York City on 23 January that the Tasmanian Devil Facial Tumour Disease would now be an official cause for the organisation.
A portion of funds raised by WWW will now go to assist in increasing awareness and research to find a cure to save the Tasmanian wildlife icon.
The Tasmanian delegation – in the United States as part of the G’Day USA promotion – attended the sold-out event, which honoured the original Wildlife Warrior Steve Irwin.
The evening provided an important opportunity to further promote awareness of the disease facing the Tasmanian devil to a targeted audience that can help make a difference.
Tasmania hosted key influential guests at the dinner, and promoted the State’s own efforts to save the Tasmanian devil to influential figures such as US wildlife television personality Jack Hanna.
As a direct outcome of this event, Mr Hanna agreed to visit Tasmania to shoot episodes of his television series, with the assistance of Tourism Tasmania.
Terri and Bindi Irwin attended the event on behalf of WWW, along with Khaliah Ali – celebrated author, fashion designer, talk show host, and daughter of the legendary Muhammad Ali – who is the US Ambassador for the organisation.
Proceeds from the dinner, which attracted more than 300 New York City philanthropists, socialites and celebrities, will go towards the organisation’s global programs as a part of the Australia Week New York activities.
NEW MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES IN NORTHERN TASMANIA
Northern Tasmanian tourism businesses are being encouraged to participate in a cooperative advertising program across a range of media.
The region’s tourism authority, Northern Tasmania Development, is soon to release its third Cooperative Advertising and Promotional Activities Prospectus, funded through the Tourism Promotion Plan.
Participating northern Tasmanian businesses are able to access reduced advertising rates under the cooperative advertising program until 1 July 2008.
A range of marketing and promotional opportunities are available including television, print, radio, interstate consumer shows and the web.
The cooperative approach means that participants will be able to stretch their marketing budgets further, achieving a bigger impact and a greater return on investment.
The 2008 Cooperative Advertising and Promotional Activities Program will shortly be available for download on: www.northerntasmania.org.au
For more information, please call Sharyl Featherstone on 0407 883 004 or email sharyl@northerntasmania.com.au.
NATIONAL ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES
Tourism Australia has four domestic advertising opportunities available exclusively to the Australian tourism industry.
The opportunities cover both print and online media for the next six months with Fairfax press and Ninemsn online.
Explore VI – print opportunity – APPLICATIONS HAVE CLOSED
Tourism Australia is partnering with Fairfax press to produce Explore VI. Published on Sunday 30 March 2008, over 725,000 copies will be inserted into the Sun Herald (NSW) and Sunday Age (VIC) newspapers.
Explore e-newsletter – online opportunity
Tourism Australia’s partnership with Fairfax to publish the Explore magazine has been extended to an online format, via a quarterly Explore e-newsletter to over 100,000 Fairfax travel subscribers.
Australian Luxury Magazine, Issue 2 – print opportunity
In association with Fairfax, Tourism Australia is presenting issue two of “Australian Luxury” a mini magazine to appear in the June issues of Travel + Leisure Australia & New Zealand (which launched in December 2007), the Sydney Morning Herald (sydney) magazine and the Age (melbourne) magazine. This booklet will highlight luxury properties and experiences in regions throughout Australia and have a print run of 460,000.
Ninemsn Advertising and Sponsorship – Online opportunity
Tourism Australia partnered with ninemsn in 2006 to create a dedicated Australian travel section within the ninemsn travel site. This section is devoted to Australian travel experiences with approximately 100,000 unique visitors per month.
For more information on all of these advertising opportunities and to download the advertising flyers for each of these initiatives please visit Tourism Australia's advertising web page.
Alternatively, contact Christine Joe, Tourism Australia’s Domestic Marketing Coordinator on (02) 9361 1226 or cjoe@tourism.australia.com.
TRADE ACTIVITIES UPDATE
Tourism Tasmania has joined with key industry partners for a series of promotional activities held in NewSouth Wales last month.
Tasmania creates a stir in the Maitland Mall:
Harvey World Maitland invited Tasmania to be part of their market day promotions at Maitland Mall, in the NSW Hunter Valley. Motorhome vacation company Britz-Maui parked a campervan in the mall alongside Discover Tasmania banners, which created great interest in Tasmania as a holiday destination. Cheerleaders from the local football club also joined in the action. The event was supported by Spirit of Tasmania and Circular Head Tourism.
Travelworld Expo Newcastle – 16 January 2008:
Supported by Best Western, The Innkeepers Collection, Spirit of Tasmania and Circular Head Tourism, the Discover Tasmania stand reported a huge interest from the 13,500 attendees, including many clients looking to travel in the next couple of months.
Travelworld Expo Port Macquarie – 22 January 2008:
The Discover Tasmania stand was one of the most popular for the 4,100 people at the Port Macquarie Expo. Supported by Spirit of Tasmania and Circular Head Tourism, the team also made separate, theatrette-style presentations to potential visitors.
TIGERTOUR UPDATE
Tourism Tasmania’s TigerTOUR database feeds information about tourism product directly into the consumer website discovertasmania.com.
Here’s a summary of recent additions to the TigerTOUR database as well as those operators that have been removed. Tourism Tasmania’s Product Consultants can assist you updating your business details, email: TigerTOUR@tourism.tas.gov.au or phone: (03) 6230 8229.
Correction:
In the last edition of Tourism Talk it was incorrectly reported that Saltwater River Convict Beach House had closed – the accommodation property has, in fact, recently opened (please see below). The Tourism Talk and TigerTOUR teams apologise for this error.
New tourism product added to TigerTOUR
Accommodation:
- Saltwater River Convict Beach House, Saltwater River
- Cape Cottage – Sisters Beach Accommodation, Sisters Beach
- Granite Views Beach House, Coles Bay
- Wavestation, Middleton
Attraction:
- Iron House Brewery, Four Mile Creek
Tours:
- Gordon River Paddle, Strahan
Recently closed tourism product in TigerTOUR
- Ingleson Lodge
- Bella Vista Park
- Sea ‘N’ Gull’s on the Beach
- Royal on George
- Rose’s Apartments Bicheno
- Colonial Cottages of Ross – Apple Dumpling Cottage c. 1880