Queensland Winter Forecast: Sunny with the chance of perfection!

Southerners will be enticed to Queensland with auctions starting from $1 for hotel rooms and $87 for return airfares in a novel new marketing strategy to increase domestic visitors to Queensland.

Tourism Minister, Margaret Keech, said the special deals were thanks to a $1 million Where Else But Queensland winter campaign partnership between Tourism Queensland, Accor Hotels and Virgin Blue.

“In a first for state tourism organisations, Queensland holiday packages, rooms and airfares will be auctioned from as little as $1 through the campaign website,” Mrs Keech.

“Tourism Queensland continues to lead the nation in cutting edge digital marketing with the Ultimate Auctions initiative.

“As part of the campaign, Tourism Queensland will also unveil new versions of the popular Where Else But Queensland television commercial.

“Additional marketing activities will include the sponsorship of Channel Nine News’ weather segments in Sydney and Melbourne, subtly reminding southerners of the day’s temperature in Queensland.”

Mrs Keech said while the southern states had been forced into hibernation, Queenslanders were still enjoying their perfect outdoor lifestyle.

“Where else but Queensland can you holiday all year round?” She said.

“For generations birds have been flying north for the winter months, now through this new advertising campaign Sydney and Melbourne residents will be convinced to do the same.

Mrs Keech said since February, the marketing of Queensland tourism had gone from strength to strength.

“Initial tracking research within Sydney and Melbourne has shown more than 60 per cent of the target audience had recalled seeing the new Where Else But Queensland campaign,” she said.

“This result is exceptional given that 47 per cent recall is considered the national average.

“The primary call to action website has also been hugely successful, registering more than 256,200 visits and close to 200,000 holiday competition entries, while the amount of time spent visiting the site exceeded forecasted targets.

“The goal of the campaign has been to confirm Queensland’s position as Australia’s leading holiday destination, as well as highlighting Queensland’s unique range of experiences.

“To have such a wonderful result so early in a new campaign is testament to the hard work being undertaken by Tourism Queensland with the support of Queensland’s tourism industry.

“The Where Else But Queensland campaign is a key initiative of the State Government’s $48 million, 10-year Queensland Tourism Strategy (QTS).”

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