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Industry - Newsletter
Tourism Talk Edition 240
TASMANIA MONTH ON TOTAL TRAVEL WEBSITE
Destination Tasmania and individual tourism operators are being featured on a leading travel website for the month of March as part of Tourism Tasmania’s latest initiative to promote the State as a holiday destination online.
Tourism Tasmania has joined with Totaltravel.com.au – one of Australia’s most popular travel directory websites – to deliver a month-long campaign targeting the domestic tourism market.
Tasmanian tourism operators listed on the TigerTOUR database were contacted by TotalTravel.com and offered the opportunity to be involved in the campaign free of charge for the month of March.
Tourism Tasmania CEO Felicia Mariani this latest online initiative with Totaltravel.com.au will generate significant exposure for the destination and our tourism industry.
“The campaign is expected to generate significant business for our industry colleagues ahead of the busy Easter holiday period, as well as drive web traffic to the new discovertasmania.com website – the key portal for all things Tasmania,” Ms Mariani said.
Tasmanian holiday bookings will also be generated through the $5,000 holiday competition available via Totaltravel.com.au to entrants who have booked and paid with Discover Tasmania Holidays.
“The Totaltravel.com.au campaign builds on Tasmania’s destination profile by promoting regional experiences aligned to Tourism Tasmania’s new Zone Marketing areas: Western Tasmania, Launceston and the Tamar Valley, Hobart and Surrounds, East Coast, and North West Tasmania.
“The campaign also enhances online information delivery and booking capabilities, allowing web users to browse Tasmanian tourism offerings online and book directly with the Tasmanian operator,” Ms Mariani said.
The integrated Totaltravel.com.au campaign is being supported by cooperative banner advertisements on The Age (www.theage.com.au) and the Sydney Morning Herald (www.smh.com.au) online newspapers, linking through to the Totaltravel.com.au Tasmania website.
DISCOVERTASMANIA.COM WINS HITWISE AWARD
Tourism Tasmania’s consumer website discovertasmania.com has taken out the Hitwise Online Performance Award as the most popular Tasmanian government website for the second year in a row.
Tourism Tasmania’s Director of Marketing and Commercial Operations, Jan Ross, said the award confirms that discovertasmania.com is a vital resource for visitors planning and booking holidays to Tasmania.
“With 118,440 website hits last month alone, discovertasmania.com is undoubtedly one of the most effective ways for you to reach potential customers across the world,” Ms Ross said.
The Discovertasmania.com website is an interactive and intuitive website, combining destination and traveller information, as well as product listings for over 1,600 Tasmanian tourism operators.
“And with the redeveloped discovertasmania.com live since December last year, we are even better placed to grow Tasmania’s online presence and continue to meet the needs of today’s customers,” Ms Ross said.
Hitwise is an Australian internet measurement company and its annual awards celebrate the top websites in over 160 industries across Australia and are measured by public popularity or the number of “hits” in a 12-month period.
NATIONAL TOURISM HONOURS FOR WEST COAST ATTRACTIONS
Two tourism experiences on Tasmania’s west coast were honoured at the 2007 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards held in Canberra on Friday night.
Winning the New Tourism Development award was Piners and Miners while the West Coast Wilderness Railway was highly commended in the Tourist Attractions category.
Both tourism experiences are owned by Tasmania’s Federal Hotels Group and both are located on the State’s west coast.
The annual awards recognise business excellence and innovation in the Australian tourism industry.
Close to 1000 tourism leaders, representatives and industry supporters attended this year’s gala event in Canberra organised by the National Tourism Alliance (NTA).
Sixteen Tasmanian attractions, properties and events progressed through to the national awards following success at the Tasmanian Tourism Awards held last November.
RECORD NUMBERS FOR CARAVAN CONFERENCE
Hobart has hosted a hugely successful national conference for the Caravan, Recreational Vehicle and Accommodation Industry of Australia (CRVA), drawing 420 delegates – including a record 190 new delegates – to the three-day event.
It was the first time Hobart has ever hosted the conference, which was organised by CRVA in association with the Caravan Industry Association of Tasmania and Tourism Tasmania.
In her official welcome to the delegates at the Hotel Grand Chancellor on Monday, Tourism Tasmania CEO Felicia Mariani said caravanning holidaymakers were a significant part of the visitor mix to the State.
“In the year to September 2007, domestic and international visitors staying in caravan and holiday parks spent more than a million room nights and close to $300 million dollars in Tasmania.”
Ms Mariani said that Tasmania’s compact size and geographical diversity makes us well placed to meet the needs of the caravan industry, however she acknowledged that we can continue to lift the bar.
“We can develop facilities and infrastructure to meet the changing needs of our consumers. We can always improve on our industry and service standards. We can also seek to find smarter ways or doing business, rather than having to work harder,” she said.
Later this year Tasmania will be a feature destination on the 2008 calendar of Australian Caravan Safari Trails. Organised by NRMA Insurance in association with the CRVA, the “Tassie Wilderness Trail” will run from 1-15 November 2008 and be promoted to consumers through the network of automobile clubs across Australia.
TASMANIA OUT SHINES THE REST AT ADVENTURE EXPO
Tasmania has been awarded the “Best Stand” prize at the 2008 Adventure Travel and Backpackers Expo in Melbourne last month.
The Tasmanian stand was selected from over 60 other exhibitors at the Expo (including all the major State Tourism Offices) for its clear promotion of Tasmania, the enthusiasm and knowledge of staff, and the enticing nature of the overall exhibit. The prize was a complimentary stand at next year’s event, worth some $3,000.
Tasmania blitzed the field with its rainforest re-creation, complete with boardwalk, live plants such as ferns, myrtle and huon pine, and plush toys representing our unique wildlife – Tasmanian devil, platypus, bandicoot, quoll and blue tongue lizard.
The winning Tasmania stand was managed by Tourism Tasmania’s Sarah Hunter and supported by ranger Kathy Raymond from the Parks and Wildlife Service, Tasmania’s Temptations Holidays (represented by Area Sales Manager Joyce Reed) and Backpacker Organisation of Tasmania (BOOT) members Under Down Under and Bottom Bits Bus.
Tourism Tasmania is planning to make more big impacts at the following upcoming special interest consumer shows:
- Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, in association with Blooming Tasmania, 2-6 April.
- Victorian Caravan, Camping and Touring Super Show, in association with the Caravan Industry Association of Tasmania (CIAT), 23-28 April.
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. Tourism Tasmania’s Product Consultants can assist you updating your business details, email: TigerTOUR@tourism.tas.gov.au or phone: (03) 6230 8229.
New tourism product added to TigerTOUR
Accommodation:
- Bruny Island Accommodation Services – Captains Cabin, Bruny Island
- Bruny Island Accommodation Services – The Don, Alonnah
- Bruny Island Accommodation Services – Serena Lodge, Adventure Bay
- Raoul Bay Retreat, Stormlea
- Casilda House Bed & Breakfast, Dunalley
- Huon Valley Bed & Breakfast, Huonville
Attractions:
- Masterpiece @ IXL Fine Art and Antiques, Hobart
- Dr Harry’s Hobby Farm and Clucky Chook Café, Relbia
- Bismarck Metal Craft, Deloraine
- Academy Gallery, Launceston
Hire:
- Alonnah Paddle Boats and Kayaks, Bruny Island.