Tassie looks for winning edge in ‘super competitive’ holiday market
TASMANIANS are becoming increasingly spoiled for travel choices as states and territories launch into a marketing battle to see who has the most enticing deals for tourists.
Some states have altered intrastate media campaigns to target safe states while others have resorted to assurances in some cases offering cash incentives - with hopes to gain an edge in what Tasmania’s lead tourism advocate describes as a “super competitive domestic holiday market”.
Tourism Tasmania CEO John Fitzgerald said visitation had been impacted due to Covid-19 border restrictions in the “key source markets” of Victoria and NSW, but campaigning was under way to target other restriction-free states.
“Tourism Tasmania is actively encouraging interstate visitation this spring and summer with its Come Down for Air marketing campaign,” he said.
“The campaign is now under way in the key states of South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland that currently have open borders with Tasmania.”
Tourism Industry Council Tasmania chief executive Luke Martin said the council encouraged Tourism Tasmania to consider incentivising travellers from Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland over coming months.
“The reality is it’s going to be a super competitive domestic holiday market over the next 12 months, as different markets open, so there will be a lot of deals and incentives to encourage Australians to move,” he said.
“The airlines are putting on extra flights to those destinations with great low prices, so
the opportunity is there to really kick along those markets and stimulate demand over spring.”
The Northern Territory government on Monday launched a multimillion-dollar incentivised tourism campaign with fully vaccinated Tasmanians among those able to cash in.
The ‘NT Summer Sale’ offers travel savings of up to $1000 to fully vaccinated Australians from ‘safe states’ in the country’s first major tourismdriven vaccine incentive.
The $5m campaign hoped to entice Australian holiday makers – including Tasmanians - to spend their summer holidaying in the Northern Territory.
According to the Northern Territory government, the savings are based on a set discount of $200 for every $1000 spent on a Northern Territory booking and covers flights, accommodation, tours, attractions, and vehicle hire.
Events and Tourism Queensland’s ongoing Good to Go campaign was launched in mid-2020. It is aimed at building confidence through assurances in the state’s tourism sector despite the challenges Covid-19 presents.
“It shows that Queensland is safe, clean and accommodating if travel plans need to
change,” the campaign’s marketing material reads.
Western Australia also recently altered intrastate campaign Wander Out Yonder to “target the markets in Australia that can travel to WA without having to quarantine on arrival”.
There is now no shortage of existing and emerging flight routes at cheap prices for those wanting to head to Tassie.
Already this month, two major airlines have launched new, or expanded existing services, between Tasmania’s major centres and mainland capitals.
Hobart Airport CEO Norris Carter welcomed an announcement this week from Virgin Australia that promised new and expanded existing services between Hobart, Perth and Adelaide.
Despite the growing lure of interstate travel, Mr Martin was confident Tasmanians remained keen to holiday at home.
“I think Tasmanians will be out in force over the upcoming school holidays and talking to some of our popular destinations, the bookings are looking pretty strong,” he said.
“But the reality is we need to get the interstate traffic back into the state as strongly and as quickly as we can.”