NEW CAMPAIGN ENCOURAGES AUSSIES TO ‘ESCAPE TO THE WHITSUNDAYS’

_{02 March, 2010}

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Australians will be lured to the Whitsundays for their next holiday escape under a new $150,000 Tourism Queensland-led tourism campaign Member for Whitsunday Jan Jarratt announced today.

Ms Jarratt said the national campaign would include fantastic deals such as stay three nights at five star resorts and pay for two from as little as $269.

“The ‘Escape to the Whitsundays’ campaign, coordinated by Tourism Queensland in partnership with Escape Travel and with the support of Tourism Whitsundays, is on sale nationally from 1 March – 18 April,” Ms Jarratt said.

“The tactical, retail campaign incorporates print, online and direct mail components and aims to remind holidaymakers that the Whitsundays is the perfect holiday destination for a mid-year getaway.

“The Whitsundays is Australia’s premier aquatic holiday destination, boasting unparalleled sailing, nature-based activities and island experiences in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef.”

Ms Jarratt said the campaign was a great example of a coordinated and cost-effective initiative for operators to be involved in.

“This campaign is all about increasing the visibility and presence of the Whitsundays as the perfect Australian holiday destination, and in turn aims to encourage people to want to visit,” she said.

“Best of all, thanks to Tourism Queensland’s considerable market buying power, the campaign was free for local operators to participate in.”

Minister for Tourism Peter Lawlor said the Escape to the Whitsundays campaign followed on from other successful marketing campaigns for the region such as the Whitsundays 74 hour sale, which recorded over 19,700 campaign website visits and an additional 2,300 airline seat bookings and 2000 room nights.

“We estimated that the 74 hour sale injected around $2.5 million into the Whitsundays economy as visitors spent money on a range of items such as accommodation, meals and tours,” Mr Lawlor said.

Mr Lawlor said the phenomenal success of Tourism Queensland’s Best Job in the World campaign and Ben Southall’s Island Caretaker adventures meant the Whitsundays’ profile had never been higher.

“Ultimately this campaign is about maintaining that momentum domestically and offering Aussies more of an incentive to consider taking a break in their own backyard,” Mr Lawlor said.

“Tourism Queensland is continuing to focus efforts on communicating the ‘holiday at home’ message this year by highlighting a range of affordable travel options available in Queensland.

Funding for the campaign has been made available as part of the Tourism Action Plan to 2012 which will guide Queensland’s tourism strategy, help drive more visitors from around the world to holiday in Queensland and support Queensland jobs.

For more information on the campaign and to book your next Whitsundays Escape visit www.escapetravel.com.au from Monday 1 March.

Media enquiries
Electorate office – 4945 3343
Minister’s Office – 3224 2002
Tourism Queensland – 3535 5010

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