Tourism Talk – Industry Newsletter

Issue 276 - 8 September 2009

New Brand Positioning for Tasmania

Tourism Tasmania recently announced a new brand positioning for Tasmania and a national marketing campaign valued at around $2 million.

The new brand positioning aims to change the way Australian consumers see Tasmania.

Developed by Tourism Tasmania’s new advertising agency Whybin/TBWA, the new brand positioning highlights Tasmania's internationally recognised icons, places and experiences. It presents Tasmania as a destination of enriching, world-class experiences that are within easy reach of all Australians.

In other words, Tasmania is a world apart, not a world away.

The new brand approach is supported by the results of the latest Tourism Industry Sentiment Survey from the Tourism and Transport Forum.

Marketing activity based on the new brand will run from 24 August through to 25 October in the target markets of Sydney, NSW and Melbourne, Victoria.

In addition to promotions in print media, online and through public relations activities, the campaign uses a range of distribution partners to spread the message further than ever before.

The new tourism brand and marketing campaign are the first steps in an integrated strategy that will underpin the marketing of Tasmania for the next three years.

More information on the new brand and current marketing activity can be found off the home page of Tourism Tasmania's corporate website.

RoomMaster joins Tas e-Connect

RoomMaster reservation management system is now integrated to the Open Booking Exchange. Tourism businesses using RoomMaster can now connect to the exchange and offer live, automated inventory to Tas e-Connect distributors.

RoomMaster joins those other reservation systems already integrated with the exchange, including RMS, Fidelio, Respax, Frontdesk, Seatem, JBS and associated systems.

Tas e-Connect allows operators to present live inventory, availability and pricing direct to a multitude of travel websites including About Australia, Need it Now, Lastminute.com, totaltravel.com.au, discovertasmania.com and many more.

Operators interested in joining the nearly 300 Tasmanian tourism operators already doing business through Tas e-Connect should contact the Tas e-Connect Help Desk on 1300 303 259 or email taseconnect@tourismtasmania.com.au

Operators wanting to subscribe to the Room Master reservation management system should contact Carol Nesbitt on 03 97282500 and take advantage of their special offer for operators.

To find out more about the RoomMaster connection to Tas e-Connect contact to Angelo Vassiliades on (08) 9227 3959 or email avassiliades@v3leisure.com

Industry Development Workshops for Operators

Tourism Tasmania is presenting two workshops in Launceston for operators interested in developing their marketing.

On Thursday 10 September, Rory McKay from Tourism Tasmania's Digital Marketing Unit will sort out fact from fiction in the world of online distribution systems. The session will highlight the importance of having a website that attracts visitors and allows them to book online. As well, Gill Parssey from International Marketing will address the importance of an effective website in attracting International visitors.

The workshop will be from 1 pm – 4.30 pm at Tourism Tasmania Level 1, 12-16 St John Street, Launceston. The cost is $40.00 per person and includes afternoon tea.

For further information and registration contact Nicky McKibben on 6230 8154.

The second workshop, to be held on Wednesday, 16 September, will begin with a presentation by Craig Seymour from Focussed Marketing on Sales Presentation Training and how the unique selling points of each operator's business can effect sales .

In the afternoon session David Reed from Business Reed Consulting will show operators how an understanding of all the fixed and variable costs associated with their business can help them cost their product. Operator are encouraged to bring details of their costs so they can develop a plan on the day for improving their bottom line.

The cost of the workshop is $85.00 with lunch, morning and afternoon tea provided. The workshop will be held at Tourism Tasmania, Level 1, 12-16 St John Street, Launceston.

For further information and registration contact Gillian Parssey on 6230 8288.

Hawthorn Football Club – Tasmania Game of the Year Promotion

Tasmania’s sponsorship of the Hawthorn Football Club has once again delivered significant exposure for the state, with the successful Tasmania Game of the Year promotions at the MCG on Saturday 29 August 2009.

The Tasmania Game of the Year provided the ideal marketing platform to promote Tasmania as a must-visit holiday destination, and Tourism Tasmania used the opportunity to preview its new marketing strategy to an audience of potential visitors and investors.

A crowd of 77 278 at the MCG saw Essendon defeat Hawthorn with approximately 800 000 watching the game on television. Tasmania was promoted extensively on the ground, the big screen, in the Footy Record and throughout the concourse area. A holiday to Tasmania was the prize of an SMS competition for match-day attendees and a radio promotion on SEN sports network further extended the reach of the Tasmania message.

Five hundred influential executives and business leaders at the Hawthorn President’s function were immersed in the Tasmanian theme, with banners showcasing Tasmania’s world-class icons throughout the room and fine Tasmanian food and wine on the menu.

New Tasmanian Tourism Expo in November

The Tasmanian Travel and Information Centre in Hobart, together with the Hobart City Council, will host the inaugural Tasmanian Tourism Expo on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November 2009.

The two-day event is designed to increase Tasmanians' knowledge of Tasmanian experiences and help them plan school breaks, summer holidays as well as entertain visiting family and friends over the coming summer.

Research by Roy Morgan has shown that the visiting friends and relatives market is the only segment to increase in visitor expenditure in the 12 months to March 2009, with a 4.3% increase.

The Expo will be of particular relevance to those operators whose target markets are in this growing segment.

The Tourism Expo is a cost effective way for operators to showcase their product, experience, town or region to the population of greater Hobart and in turn, their visiting friends and relatives.

For more information or to obtain an Expressions of Interest form, operators should contact Camilla Goodwin or Anne McVilly on 6238 4299 or anne.mcvilly@hobarttravelcentre.com.au.

Applications close on the 23 September with booths allocated on a first in first served basis.

Tasmanian Visitor Centre Network Endorse Online Bookings

Tourism operators across Tasmania can no longer ignore the obvious benefits of embracing online visitor bookings.

This was the theme of the Tasmanian Visitor Information Centre Network (TVIN) Conference held in Strahan recently.

The conference saw 17 visitor centre managers from across the state endorse an overall online e-commerce strategy and encourage and help tourism businesses adopt an online bookings system as a matter of urgency.

All Tasmanian Visitor Centres have embraced this new business model, and have, or are in the process of, installing software enabling them to do so.

The conference highlighted the vast array of efficiencies and benefits available to Visitor information Centre staff and customers when business transactions can be completed online.

As well as the substantial reduction in the time taken to identify the availability of accommodation and experiences, the actual booking transaction takes place online and money goes straight into an operators bank.

For Visitor Information Centres, online booking capability means that their staff can make faster bookings for the visitor without having to make a series of phone calls - which may or may not provide a solution. And customers are happier as they are given immediate options and spend less time waiting.

The conference highlighted the fact that operators who are slow to embrace the technology continue to risk limiting the available product Visitor Centres can directly book on their behalf.

For further information contact Tas e-Connect Help Desk 1300 303 259 or taseconnect@tourismtasmania.com.au

Totally South Regional Tourism Conference

Titled 'Future Proofing-Essential Business Planning', this one day conference will be held on Wednesday 14 October at the Bahai Centre for Learning in Hobart. The conference will focus on the skills needed to manage a business in a constantly changing economy.

Speakers at the conference include: Erminio Putignano, Director of Strategy, Futurebrand; Ross Honeywill, CEO, Social Intelligence Lab; Matt Hingerty, Managing Director, ATEC; and Nikolai Pitchforth from Google.

The conference will include a panel discussion.

For more information, including speaker biographies and registration, see the conference website at http://www.tastourismconference.com.au/

Register now for an early bird discount on registration.

Opportunity Evaluation Workshop

The University of Tasmania and the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and the Arts invite operators to register for a free half-day workshop that will show those attending how to assess the real value of a business opportunity.

The first step in undertaking any business is to make a value judgment on whether it is actually worth doing at all. 

The Opportunity Evaluation workshop will help new businesses or opportunity owners structure their own evaluation or screening framework so that they can assess what value a business venture is to them.

The workshop is designed for individuals looking to make the leap into a new venture, companies assessing new opportunities, professional business people looking at entrepreneurial opportunities and advisors and consultants to new business.

The topics covered include Entrepreneurial versus Investor Perspective, Financial versus Economic Screening, Non Financial Screening and Opportunity Cost

The workshop will be presented by Peter Christo a serial entrepreneur with a passion for business. Peter holds a Masters Degree in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, as well as a Bachelor of Economics and Marketing from Swinburne University of Technology.

The workshops will be held from 2.00pm - 5.00pm on Wednesday 23 September 2009. The venue in Hobart will be confirmed once RSVP is received.

RSVP is essential and should be made by 14 September to Ildiko Kun May on 03 6233 5589 or email Ildiko.KunMay@development.tas.gov.au

TigerTOUR Update

Recent additions to TigerTOUR, our product database.

Accommodation:

  • Green Gables B&B - Cygnet
  • Hurlfield Farm Cottage – Sheffield
  • Junction Motel – New Norfolk (relisted)
  • Harpers on the Beach - White Beach
  • Freycinet Haven - Coles Bay
  • Sisters Beach House – Sisters Beach
  • Beachside Villa - Burnie

Attractions:

  • Kookaburra Ridge Quad Bike Tours - Bridport

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

Taste of the Tamar
A celebration of wine and food from the Tamar Valley
Saturday, 12 September 2009

See all events