VIRGIN Australia and Tourism Australia have doubled the investment for their ongoing marketing partnership directed at travellers from the US and New Zealand for FY 2014/2015 by A$8 million (US$7.5 million).
Announced at the opening of the Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE) 2014 show this morning, this new injection takes the total value of the three-year partnership to A$16 million, according to Tourism Australia managing director, John O’Sullivan.
This year also marks the first time Virgin participates as platinum airline sponsor for ATE, a position traditionally held by Qantas.
Virgin chief customer officer, Mark Hassell, said: “I see creativity going from strength to strength. We can really take marketing in a different direction,” he said. “The additional funds are about extending our marketing presence, marketing footprint and our ability to promote Australia in the most positive way.”
O’Sullivan said: “The markets that are tied to this particular (collaboration) will be the US and the New Zealand markets. But where there are logical opportunities, the partnership is flexible enough to look at those particular areas.
“This increase in funding recognises the opportunity for further growth from some of our highest volume and most valuable markets,” he added.
He pointed to Tourism Australia’s successful and largest-ever airline partnership in the US with Virgin Australia and Delta Air Lines on the Someday competition, which allowed prospective visitors to explore Australia on the website for a chance to win a trip.
The US-based campaign attracted close to half a million entries, O’ Sullivan said.
