Japanese media discover Tropical North Queensland delights
Published Friday, 26 October, 2007 at 12:00 AM
Minister for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry
The Honourable Desley Boyle
Japanese media are sampling the beauty of the Far North this week and next before returning home to promote the region in their magazines and on tv, Tourism Minister Desley Boyle says.
“A group of magazine journalists began their tour in Cairns this week and a television film crew arrives next week,” Ms Boyle said.
“World Heritage is a huge attraction for Japanese travellers, so they will be shown through the Barron Gorge National Park and the Daintree Rainforest.
“They will go hot air ballooning over Mareeba and horse-riding at Wonga Beach. They’ll also visit Kuranda and Port Douglas and try out restaurants in Cairns.
“The Far North is the most popular destination for Japanese visitors to Queensland.
“Last year, more than 210,000 Japanese visitors came to the Far North – that’s more than half of the total Japanese visitors who came to Queensland.
“Nonetheless, Japanese visitors have been decreasing right across the board - because of the strong Australian dollar and competition from other affordable destinations – so it is important that we continue to promote Queensland in Japan and to show visitors a good time while they are here.
Ms Boyle said the tours were part of a successful partnership between Tourism Queensland and Tourism Australia to support the recently-launched World Heritage campaign to the Japanese market.
“The campaign includes media famils, as well as ads in magazines and newspapers in Japan and on websites,” Ms Boyle said.
She said media famils were an effective way to promote tourism in Queensland, with Tourism Queensland generating about $325 million worth of domestic and international tourism publicity in the past financial year (2006-07).
“In fact, for every $1 of Tourism Queensland funds spent on domestic publicity we received $355 in publicity value,” Ms Boyle said.
“This latest media famil follows a trade mission to Japan in July by almost 30 top tourism businesses from the Far North.
“Congratulations to Tourism Queensland, Tourism Tropical North Queensland and all the local industry involved in these tours, which would not possible without such tremendous support,” Ms Boyle said.
Ends
Media contact: 3224 2004
26 October 2007
“A group of magazine journalists began their tour in Cairns this week and a television film crew arrives next week,” Ms Boyle said.
“World Heritage is a huge attraction for Japanese travellers, so they will be shown through the Barron Gorge National Park and the Daintree Rainforest.
“They will go hot air ballooning over Mareeba and horse-riding at Wonga Beach. They’ll also visit Kuranda and Port Douglas and try out restaurants in Cairns.
“The Far North is the most popular destination for Japanese visitors to Queensland.
“Last year, more than 210,000 Japanese visitors came to the Far North – that’s more than half of the total Japanese visitors who came to Queensland.
“Nonetheless, Japanese visitors have been decreasing right across the board - because of the strong Australian dollar and competition from other affordable destinations – so it is important that we continue to promote Queensland in Japan and to show visitors a good time while they are here.
Ms Boyle said the tours were part of a successful partnership between Tourism Queensland and Tourism Australia to support the recently-launched World Heritage campaign to the Japanese market.
“The campaign includes media famils, as well as ads in magazines and newspapers in Japan and on websites,” Ms Boyle said.
She said media famils were an effective way to promote tourism in Queensland, with Tourism Queensland generating about $325 million worth of domestic and international tourism publicity in the past financial year (2006-07).
“In fact, for every $1 of Tourism Queensland funds spent on domestic publicity we received $355 in publicity value,” Ms Boyle said.
“This latest media famil follows a trade mission to Japan in July by almost 30 top tourism businesses from the Far North.
“Congratulations to Tourism Queensland, Tourism Tropical North Queensland and all the local industry involved in these tours, which would not possible without such tremendous support,” Ms Boyle said.
Ends
Media contact: 3224 2004
26 October 2007