‘Our primary aim is to keep the destination alive and top of the consumers mind’

While consumers are adapting to the new normal in this pandemic, so are businesses. Currently, in the lockdown stage, we have had to adapt to suit the consumer sentiment by targeting the consumer who is still dreaming about their next holiday and serving them inspiration through channels they are actively engaging with. Our primary aim is to keep the destination alive and top of the consumers mind while borders remain closed. Targeted content promotion on social media channels such as Facebook and Instagram have seen high engagement for Queensland. Queensland has opened for domestic business at this stage and we have had new innovations in products with COVID-19 safety protocols, new experiences and developments such as the Museum of Underwater Art in Townsville that launched on August 1, 2020, that are ready for international visitors once borders open. Engaging with consumers through content focussed on themes like nature and wildlife, virtual selfdrive journeys, virtual Gold Coast Marathon, food and wine and through mediums like live sessions with real-time interaction with the products has been successful in keeping the aspiration high for Queensland, Australia. The key opinion leaders we have worked with pre COVID -19 have been sharing content from their past visits to Queensland as throwbacks that have also had high engagement.

Our key distribution partners have played a crucial role in enabling us to reach out to our TG through their social media platforms. Thomas Cook, SOTC, Pick Your Trail, A Travel Quest, Pathfinders Holidays and Custom Holidays have innovatively connected with their customers and played an active role in getting our message out.

While consumer-targeted marketing was undertaken, it was important to utilise this opportunity to engage with the travel trade virtually with the demand for knowledge sharing while working from home, Tourism and Events Queensland has trained 3058 travel agents through this lockdown through Queensland focussed and Tourism Australia initiated webinars. The travel trade has been extremely supportive and engaging through our trainings.