WHERE ELSE BUT THE GOLD COAST FOR ADVERT

The Gold Coast will play a starring role in the Beattie Government’s new multi-million dollar tourism marketing campaign, Tourism Minister Margaret Keech said today.

Mrs Keech said the $6.5 million Where Else But Queensland campaign would include images from across Queensland.

“I told Tourism Queensland to ensure the Gold Coast – Australia’s leisure capital – plays a starring role in our new domestic marketing campaign,” she said.

“Unlike the international marketing campaigns that shunned the Gold Coast, our campaign will include instantly recognisable Very Gold Coast images.

“Shooting on location on the Gold Coast is taking place today. Images will include Japanese surfers on a local beach, aerials of the Gold Coast skyline and our magnificent Q1, underwater shots of surfers and underwater shots of dolphins at Sea World.

“The Gold Coast has for years been the holiday capital of Australia. Our new campaign will cement this reputation.

“No Queensland marketing campaign is complete without images of the Gold Coast.”

Mrs Keech said world renowned cinematographer Mark Toia was shooting the campaign footage using state-of-the-art technology.

“I understand Mr Toia will shoot the footage with a SpaceCam, the same revolutionary camera used to film many of the aerial segments in movies such as Lord of the Rings, Twister, Con Air and Shackleton's Antarctic Journey,” she said.

“The SpaceCam system is the first fully automatic laser focusing system for airborne and specialized gyro-stabilized applications.

“Mark Toia’s team has already been working in the Whitsundays, Tropical North Queensland, the Outback and south east Queensland.

“I guess they have left the best till last with the Gold Coast shoot.

”Featuring the Gold Coast in the Where Else But Queensland campaign will supplement Gold Coast Tourism’s Very Gold Coast, Very GC campaign which has put the Gold Coast back on television screens for the first time in more than 10 years.

”While Where Else But Queensland is a whole-of-state strategy, we will continue to invest in partnership with Gold Coast Tourism in the Very Gold Coast campaign.”

Mrs Keech predicted the new-look Where Else But Queensland campaign would take the market by storm when launched early next year.

“Queensland already has an enviable reputation as a great place to live, work and play and this campaign will reinforce that attraction in our interstate markets.”

Media contacts: David Smith 3225 1005 or Karla Steen 3224 2007.