Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ) has launched its first global trade campaigns for the Cairns & Great Barrier Reef brand with partners Expedia and Trip.com, targetting seven key international markets.
TTNQ chair John O’Sullivan said the new campaigns are part of some 20 that are being supported by federal government’s A$15 million (US$9.8 million) International Tourism Recovery Program funding.
O’Sullivan noted that the funding has seen good initial yield.
“This level of investment will drive the region’s recovery with the International Tourism Recovery Program funding already delivering more than A$3 million in gross sales after just three trade campaigns in Japan, which ran from June to July,” he said.
TTNQ CEO Mark Olsen said the campaign activity was closely aligned with Tourism and Events Queensland’s international initiatives, such as its campaign, A Beautiful Way to Be, in China.
“Partnering with influential brands like Expedia and Trip.com will ensure our region is penetrating a highly competitive travel marketplace and leveraging Tourism and Events Queensland’s activity,” he said.
The Trip.com partnership will be live in the UK, China, Singapore and Japan at various times until May 2024, and will include activities such as live streaming promotion via WeChat in China through online travel agent Ctrip.
The Expedia partnership will target the UK, Japan, the US, Canada and New Zealand, and will see tactical activations such as discount coupons in the US market and engagement of some 40,000 travel agencies in Japan and New Zealand through the Travel Agent Affiliate Program.
