A TOURISM campaign marketing the South Coast as “Unspoilt” helped create a record boost in visitors to the region.
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Chairperson of the South Coast Regional Tourism Organisation, Catherine Shields, said the South Coast was now regional NSW’s second top market for
visitors.
“In 2014 the South Coast received over 3.3 million domestic overnight visitors who stayed 11.1 million nights and spent over $1.5 billion,” Ms Shields said.
“This is an increase of 19 per cent on visitors since 2010, a record for growth in the National Visitors Survey.”
The Unspoilt campaign was developed by the South Coast Regional Tourism Organisation in co-operation with the local governments of Shellharbour, Kiama, Shoalhaven, Euro-bodalla and the Bega Valley Shire and the NSW government’s tourism and major events agency Destination NSW.
Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events Stuart Ayres said the campaign was a great success story.
“The NSW government announced a further $391,000 in matched dollar-for-dollar Regional Visitor Economy Funding for the South Coast in 2015.”
Ms Shields said short-term visitors dominated the South Coast’s tourism market.
“People find it hard to get away for longer holidays like they used to, and because of its proximity to cities like Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne the South Coast is in an ideal position to take advantage of people wanting a weekend away.
“The campaign showed the South Coast has an unspoilt environment with lots to offer.”
Ms Shields said the South Coast was also seeing a rise in the number of overseas visitors coming to the region, especially from Asia.
“We’re getting more Asian, particularly Chinese, daytrip visitors from Sydney. We went want to get on the map as an alternative to the traditional daytrip destinations such as the Blue Mountains and Port Stephens.”
She said two of the reasons the Unspoilt campaign worked so effectively was the change to an online focus – targeting website ads and Facebook, for example – and using local creative talent.
“We used photographers and models who because they have a genuine affinity for the region let their passion for the South Coast shine through.”
Ms Shields said in the future they hoped to convince visitors to stay longer.
“If we encourage local businesses to offer activities such as kayak and fishing tours, or wine and food tours, we can convince visitors to stay an extra night or two.
“More and more businesses are cropping up which provide exactly these kinds of activities.”
“The Unspoilt campaign goes on all year round on digital platforms and sets us apart from the rest of the state. We will continue to fine-tune the creative strategy behind it and to encourage visitors to stay for longer periods,” she said.
