Cheap airfares, more interstate travel & the battle for interstate visitors!

Jetstar’s ongoing commitment to lower fares has changed travel within Australia says Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF) Australia Managing Director Chris Brown. As a result Australians are travelling interstate more frequently – they can now ‘pick up and go’ far more easily – to visit family or take a short break.

In 2004 there was a massive 14 per cent increase in passenger numbers to 38.7 million. Every passenger who considers travelling within Australia, who might have otherwise stayed home, brings on average an extra $720 to the local economy that they visit – a big win for domestic tourism on all fronts.

Tasmania has a another cheeky marketing campaign to entice Victorians to Tas. following last year’s “Melbored” campaign. Tas. claims a 63% increase in Victorian short breaks ‘down there’!

Provocative slogans on paper coffee cups are appearing in Melbourne cafes say:

“A weekend in Victoria is so Victorian.”
“A weekend in Victoria is so Victorian”
“Victorians. Get lost.”

Tas. is getting high profile exposure in news bulletins – innovative. low-cost promotion!

And Victoria is targetting Sydney – with the ‘Sydney Mission’ a day trip to strengthen relations between Victorian operators and the travel trade, organised by Penny Olive, Senior Marketing Officer for Tourism Victoria. Fourteen went – representatives from the Melbourne Aquarium, Go West Tours, Adventure Tours Australia, Base Backpackers, Commonwealth Games etc, including Marg Rawlins from the Cambrai Hostel in Gippsland’s Maffra.

Marg reports they all gave presentations and what a good exercise it was to have to explain what their region had to offer, when the Sydneysiders often had little idea of regional Victorian attractions. Some had not heard of Victoria’s ‘Wilson’s Prom’ and there was a feeling that this ignorance meant tourists heading south were simply directed to the penguins at Phillip Island!