Rivalry can be a boon
THE Queensland boss of the casino resort giant behind Star Gold Coast is calling for accommodation and activity providers to increase crosspromotion.
Star Entertainment Group Queensland managing director Geoff Hogg said companies needed to promote products available citywide and give tourists planning trips reasons to book longer stays.
Mr Hogg said cross-promotion and joint packages needed to increase for the good of the city.
“There are little pockets of that happening but definitely not enough,’’ he said.
“I think people will see that change over the next five to 10 years as we start to work collectively to get people to stay longer.”
Mr Hogg said when tourists logged on to Star’s website looking for a room, he wanted them exposed to multitudes of activities and dining “so suddenly it becomes: ‘Why am I only staying two days, look at all the activities, maybe I’ll stay three or four.’
“There is a real opportunity to showcase your partner’s products, which at the end of the day will benefit you. As operators we need to work more with our partners and that’s about us picking up the phone and talking to, say, Village Roadshow, about how we can do it.”
Mr Hogg said a collective approach with Destination Gold Coast and the state’s Tourism and Events Queensland was key.
Destination Gold Coast chairman Paul Donovan agreed there was a need for greater combination deals and cross-promotion
“The big end of town such as theme parks and Destination Gold Coast spend a lot of money. The more we get collectively and collaboratively gives us a bigger bang for our buck,” he said.
“There is no question the advertising is working.”
Village Roadshow Theme Parks chief operating officer Bikash Randhawa said Village, which he called a “onestop destination for our guests”, was proud of its world-class range of experiences, from thrill rides and slides to state-of-the-art animal attractions, dinner and entertainment options.
“We have a dedicated team who work closely with local tourism operators to sell and promote our offerings,” he said.
“Destination Gold Coast does a wonderful job of promoting and marketing the multitude of the city’s great tourism offerings. These campaigns provide prospective visitors with a wish-list of all the great things to do.”