NO.017

Joint Media Release
with
The Hon Anna Bligh MP
Premier of Queensland
and
The Hon Martin Ferguson
Federal Minister for Resources and Energy
Minister for Tourism

$10M Tourism Package Tells the World
Why Nothing Beats Queensland

Nothing beats Queensland is the message that will be promoted to Australia and the world as part of a joint $10 million Gillard and Bligh Government global tourism marketing strategy.

Acting Prime Minister and Treasurer Wayne Swan and Queensland Premier Anna Bligh today announced details of the campaign to support the state's $9.2 billion tourism industry in the wake of recent natural disasters.

Mr Swan said the campaign will encourage potential visitors by targeting media from around the globe to come to Queensland.

"The gravity of the natural disasters attracted world-wide media attention, so we now want the world to see for themselves that Queensland is well and truly open for business.

"We want to see Queensland's tourism industry where it belongs – back on top - and for that we will need to be urging visitors back to our great state to see just how quickly the tourism industry has gotten back on its feet.

"It makes me very proud to be a Queenslander to see just how resilient our state has been in the face of these natural disasters, and our tourism industry is a great example of that.

"More than 222,000 people are employed in the tourism sector in Queensland, and around 97 per cent of tourism businesses are small or medium enterprises, so it is essential we make a big effort to tell the world that Queensland is open and ready right now to welcome visitors."

Ms Bligh said the campaign would harness the unbeatable Queensland spirit to promote the State to locals, Australians and the world.

"These disasters have not beaten us because nothing beats Queensland!" said Premier Anna Bligh. 

"The Nothing beats Queensland – Where Australia Shines campaign will be one of the largest coordinated tourism marketing initiatives Australia has ever seen.

Details of the $10 million domestic and international marketing initiatives include:

• $4.5 million for interstate marketing, including a brand and retail campaign under the tagline "Nothing beats Queensland – Where Australia Shines" telling Australians that Queensland is open and featuring a range of competitive holiday packages.  This will roll out by in March in time for the peak Easter booking period;
• $1 million for intrastate marketing encouraging Queenslanders to support their mates by holidaying at home and incorporating a "Queensland Pledge" from the state's tourism operators to tell the world that that they are staging a comeback.  This will start in late March.
• $1 million targeting New Zealanders as Queensland's largest international market to begin in April;
• $800,000 for a global youth and adventure traveller campaign aimed at getting backpackers into Queensland to quickly inject new expenditure into Queensland's destinations.  Activity to begin in March;
• $700,000 for a global publicity blitz which will include bringing more than 100 international and domestic travel writers, news journalists and bloggers to Queensland simultaneously in late March.  This will be the single largest event of its kind in Queensland history;
• $400,000 each for retail campaigns in Queensland's top Japan, China and UK markets encouraging visitors from these countries to come and visit Queensland now.  Activity to begin in April.
• $300,000 for marketing activity across the rest of Queensland's international markets to begin in April.

Ms Bligh said media outlets, Australian celebrities and flight and accommodation providers have offered to join the post flood and cyclone effort to promote the state's tourism industry.

"We want the nation and the world to know nothing beats the resilience of Queensland's tourism industry despite everything Mother Nature has thrown at  us," said Premier Bligh.

Federal Tourism Minister Martin Ferguson said "Tourism Queensland and Tourism Australia are about to embark on one of the largest coordinated tourism marketing initiatives in Australian history, incorporating a massive publicity, advertising and promotional blitz.

"This blitz will use activity such as Queensland television specials, major radio promotions, extensive newspaper and magazine coverage, sales campaigns in partnership with airlines, travel companies and major hotel chains, online promotions via Facebook and YouTube and other creative initiatives – in short over the next few weeks Queensland will be everywhere."

"Queensland's tourism industry has done it tough as a result of the floods, cyclone and misperceptions about the condition of the state. Today's announcement brings the total support for Queensland's tourism industry to $12 million dollars.

"Step one is to drive bookings for Easter in the interstate market, step two is to encourage Queenslanders to get out there and support their mates by taking a holiday at home and step three will be to drive more bookings from international markets."

Campaign activity will be rolled roll out in phases with the first priority to boost Easter holiday bookings to Queensland by encouraging Queenslanders to support their mates and holiday at home, by inviting their interstate friends and family to visit Queensland and encouraging southerners to take a Queensland getaway.

9 March 2011