$1m post-Games boost
Tourism adds cool million to capitalise on exposure
THE Gold Coast’s tourism profile in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane is being supercharged by an extra $1 million to capitalise on Commonwealth Games exposure.
Destination Gold Coast has the extra money to spend on top of its normal $14.5 million baseline budget thanks to a recent funding boost from Gold Coast City Council.
Destination Gold Coast executive director, corporate affairs and strategy Dean Gould said it would in part cover TV ads in Sydney and Melbourne plus social marketing, digital channels and outdoor promotion.
“We asked the council for a $1m domestic marketing bonus, specifically for this year,” he said, with Destination Gold Coast receiving the official green light last month.”
“Never before has the Gold Coast been seen in such contemporary form and presented to so many southerners.
“It is a 20 to 30 per cent increase in what we normally spend in those markets. We’ll be saying if you liked what you saw on TV, then convert that into a holiday.”
Mr Gould outlined the thinking behind the $1m boost and the city marketing body’s general strategy for the year ahead to tourism industry stakeholders this week, saying the nationally televised Games were a key factor for their immediate planning.
“We have a once in a lifetime opportunity to capitalise on the momentum of the Games on the exposure it offers the Gold Coast in our core markets and in the willingness of those markets to re-look at the destination they thought they knew but will be pleasantly surprised by now.”
Council economy, planning and environment committee chairman Cameron Caldwell said the council recognised the importance of domestic visitation to the Gold Coast. “The Commonwealth Games provided a unique opportunity to refresh our status as a domestic destination,” he said.
Destination Gold Coast’s strategy for the next year will continue the push to be the country’s “most recommended” destination.
Mr Gould’s presentation noted priority markets to be “maintained” are Australian fly and drive visitors and New Zealanders. Growth markets are China, Japan, South-East Asia and younger travellers in the US, UK and Europe.
China visitor numbers continued to grow at a rate “that excites everyone”, he said.
“Chinese visitor growth is 5, 6, 7, per cent and only 10 per cent of Chinese have passports. NZ is not a bottomless pit but China is almost looking like a bottomless pit.”