The domestic market will be the main focus of the next phase of Tourism Australia’s There’s nothing like Australia campaign, unveiled today, as the tourism body tries to convince Australians to holiday at home.
Tourism Minister Martin Ferguson, speaking at the launch in Sydney, said that these were “testing times” and cited the strong dollar, greater competition from overseas and natural disasters as industry challenges that were seeing people holiday elsewhere.
But he referred to this week's National Visitor Survey, which revealed an increase in domestic numbers, as a positive sign and stressed there was potential to improve further.
“Yes, the dollar is strong, but we must never forget that those with money to travel overseas, have the money to travel in Australia,” Ferguson said.
The campaign, kicking off this weekend, will invite Australians to upload their favourite homegrown experience on website www.nothinglikeaustralia.com.au and nominate a "dream team" of five people that they would like to share the experience with.
Participants will be eligible to win one of 16 holidays, worth a total $300,000.
“80% of Australians think they can sell Australia better than us, so we’ve embraced that,” Tourism Australia managing director Andrew McEvoy said at the launch. “It’s a rallying cry for Australians to tell each other why Australia is so good.”
The tourism body has invested $2.5 million in the digitally led campaign.
“In Australia alone, 46% of consumers visit travel sites on a monthly basis which is why we are embarking on such a big push online,” McEvoy said.
(Source: Travel Weekly, September, 2011)
