Tourism campaign boost for the Whitsundays

Published Saturday, 29 April, 2017 at 12:15 PM

Minister for Education and Minister for Tourism, Major Events and the Commonwealth Games
The Honourable Kate Jones

Australia’s most iconic tourism brands are joining forces to encourage more Australians to holiday in cyclone–affected Whitsundays.

Tourism Minister Kate Jones said the marketing push includes $1 million worth of support to sell Queensland holiday destinations interstate.

“With Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ), the Flight Centre Travel Group and Virgin Australia behind this campaign, the Whitsundays know they have not been forgotten,” Ms Jones said.

“TEQ and Flight Centre will invest $1 million in marketing activity with a strong focus on the Whitsundays region.

“The three-month campaign will be supported by Virgin Australia and Infinity Holidays.

“On offer will be discounted airfares when a minimum of four nights of selected accommodation is booked across the Whitsundays, Gold Coast, and Tropical North Queensland.

“There’ll be an exclusive promotion of the Whitsundays during the month of June.

“In the wake of Tropical Cyclone Debbie the best way we can support our tourism industry is to take a holiday at home and enjoy the unrivalled tourism experiences across our beautiful state.

“I did just that at Easter time with my family, with a visit to the Whitsundays, and I encourage all Queenslanders and all Australians to consider doing the same.

“This marketing campaign and Flight Centre’s support is vital to the Whitsundays tourism industry and will send a clear message that the region is open for business and is welcoming visitors with open arms.”

Ms Jones said the tourism industry was the backbone of the Whitsundays region.

“In the Whitsundays, tourism is worth $1.6 billion and supports more than 7,000 local jobs.”

Flight Centre Travel Group managing director Graham Turner said the company was committed to helping fast-track the recovery of Queensland tourism sector.

"Queensland in general, and the Whitsundays in particular, are hugely popular holiday destinations, both for domestic and international tourists," Mr Turner said.

Tourism Whitsundays CEO Craig Turner said the campaign was a great example of a collaborative partnership.

“We would like to acknowledge the work that Tourism and Events Queensland, Flight Centre, Virgin Australia and Infinity Holidays have done to bring this campaign to market,” Mr Turner said.

“The Whitsundays has been through a challenging period but we have bounced back and we have been welcoming visitors to the region again since Easter.

“Most of the tours and trips are running again and most of the accommodation is already open and, if it’s not, it will be very soon.

“Winter is a lovely time to holiday in the Whitsundays, with warm sunny days, and we are very much looking forward to welcoming all the holidaymakers who have taken advantage of this terrific campaign.

“With the special discounts being offered on accommodation and the discounted Virgin Australia airfares, the Whitsundays should be everyone’s destination of choice for a winter holiday.”

Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor Andrew Willcox is encouraging holidaymakers to throw their support behind the Whitsundays, with recovery efforts after Tropical Cyclone Debbie bringing the region back to life.

“This is a fantastic incentive being offered by Flight Centre and the Whitsundays is ready to offer our visitors a truly memorable experience,” Mayor Willcox said.

“We have already seen positive visitor numbers over the Easter break but we encourage more travellers to take advantage of the cheap flights through Flight Centre and help us to fully revive the Whitsunday economy.”

"This campaign will highlight that the key tourist regions are well and truly open for business, as well as delivering tangible savings to travellers who are planning to take off to Queensland's holiday hotspots over the next few months.

"We see this as an extremely valuable and positive initiative."

The Whitsundays region has over 50 tourism operators contracted with the Flight Centre Travel Group, making it one of the largest and most popular destinations in Australia.

The first phase of the domestic travel campaign will run from 9–22 May 2017 and will feature across digital marketing, TV, radio and direct marketing and online.

Media: Emma Clarey - 0437 069 516