NT campaign encourages German backpackers
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November 17, 2006Campaign focus to promote the Territory as the ‘first port of call’
The Northern Territory Government, the German Government Employment Agency (ZAV) and German TV channel SAT1 have teamed up to promote the benefits of a working holiday in the Northern Territory for young German jobseekers.
“We’re encouraging them to not only stay here to work, but experience the nature and culture of the NT as a leisure destination,” says Tourism Minister Paul Henderson.
“The Territory Government’s $300,000 campaign includes a competition for young Germans to win a chance to live and work in the Territory as well as outdoor media, job fairs, roadshows, online marketing and extensive TV coverage throughout Germany.”
“The money is well invested, the working holiday backpacker is important to the NT as they not only stay longer and spend more with local businesses but they provide a welcome supply of much needed labour for Territory employers.”
………maybe they could help round up and milk some camels!!!!!!!
1 Comment
It is an excellent initiative, and focus, by the NT Ministry of Tourism. Over the years the Germans have shown a special interest in Outback and Abroginal experiences. These experiences are so different to the climate, life, peoples, landscapes and environment that exists for Germans living within Europe and in Germany. I do wish the NT Tourism Commission well with this campaign .
However I am still puzzled by the NT Area Consultative Committee’s no interest in a parralel matter. This to allow further advice on what to do when new, special interest, visitors arrive in the NT. They need special arrangments of visitor infrastructure, events and services. They are necessary to sustain repeat visits to the NT by the older generation German and European, long haul, special interest , market. This is the 6 to 8% , of the now well known, and researched, annual global, across international borders, visitor market. A segment that comprises the longer staying , up to 4 weeks, bigger spending, $300 a day plus for accommodations, tours, and night time, organised intellectual activities. A segment that offers so much future tourism industry development potential for Australia.
I met representatives of the NT Area Federal Consultative Committee at the “Growing Regions Conference” in Brisbane, earlier this year. I explained about the ITB, International Tourism Bourse, meeting in Berlin , where each year the world’s largest Tourist Wholesalers meet and share their needs for long haul destinations to better attract their vast customer base . Meet their needs and they promise thousands upon thousands of their regular long haul, special interest, customers. And all sent at no promotional cost to Australia.
Forty years ago, the leading global tourism consultancy, Harris Kerr Foster, was engaged and paid hundreds of thousands to advise the Australian Government, how to establish a National Australian Tourism Commission. They advised that product and service development was equally important to product promotion. Only half their advice was taken up and that was to spend money on tourism promotions. Their advice about the concurrent tourism product development of matching infrastructure and services was not taken up.
As a result of this excellent new initiative by the NT , German backpackers and the more mature German travellers are certain to arrive in the NT. And then what ?
Anyone who travels into rural Australia knows the answer to that one and it really doesn’t matter where in Regional Australia that you travel. It is then not.
Not any appropriate , special interest needs matching , infrastructure, services and activity arrangements to fulfill (what these giant Tourist Wholesalers have specified) to unlock the ongoing repeat custom of their vast regular customer base.
Federal and State Government, and ACC Tourism Leaders would all win by partnering with this self motivated, incredibly well supply organised, vast market, of rich, quality, longer staying, bigger spending overseas visitors.