Archive for the ‘Tourism Business Profiles’ Category


Telling stories about Cobar

Cobar Copper City Motel WebsiteRoy and the team at Cobar Copper City Motel commissioned a new website to not only present information about their Cobar accommodation options and things to do, but also to tell a bit of the story of Cobar and the Australian outback.

Cobar is one of the main towns on the Kidman Way, which runs from Ned Kelly’s watering hole Jerilderie right up to Bourke. Roy has put together some great information about the route, including a local’s perspective on travelling the Cobar to Bourke segment.

Roy also sheds a bit of light on the history of the region with some stories about the Drummond family, as well as stories about the wider region such as Wilcannia and White Cliffs (even more ‘back of Bourke’ than Cobar).

So why go to the trouble of publishing information about the Kidman Way and other regional towns? When we were planning the website we asked about the people that might want to stay at the Copper City Motel, and travellers on the Kidman Way turned out to be an important group. While Roy could just focus on Cobar, it also makes sense that people planning a trip to other towns in the region might also be heading through Cobar on their way. By publishing information about the attractions and towns of the region, Roy is offering useful information to people searching on the web. Which could help increase the number of visitors he gets from search engines.

For this project we collaborated with Brendan Hibbert of Brendan Hibbert Design, who did a great job of interpreting the brief and coming up with a new logo type and an attractive looking website. (I’ll add a link to Brendan’s site once he has finished using it as a WordPress lab for his design students).

All in all CobarCopperCityMotel.com.au is a great resource for anyone travelling on the Kidman Way. Make sure you drop in on Lilian and Roy next time you are out that way.


Getting Business From Your Website

Live History Hobart Got a wonderful note from Judith Cornish at Live History – Judith operates Louisa’s Walk, a wonderful historic tour of Hobart.

Judith said:

I am really happy to tell you that the majority of our business is coming in via the web site right now (plus most people are happy to pre-pay on the PayPal button) this is great!

This kind of message is music to my ears. Judith has a good search engine profile, and her strong reputation in Trip Advisor means she gets a steady stream of qualified visitors to her site. The addition of PayPal buttons to allow people to pay for tickets in advance was a simple but logical extension for her business.


Blogging and Kakadu

Recently we welcomed Anja and Steve Toms onboard from Top End Explorer Tours, with their Kakadu Tours website.

Steve and Anja Toms: Kakadu Tours

Steve and Anja Toms: Kakadu Tours

I really like the way Anja has taken to blogging. One of her early posts explained all about saltwater crocodiles in the Northern Territory, and when and where it is safe (or not safe) to swim.

Two other posts talk about the Aboriginal seasons of Kakadu in a really informative way. Her most recent talks about Yegge and Aboriginal fire management.

This kind of blog post is powerfully effective for a tourism website. Anja is answering questions that are commonly raised by customers on her tours. By answering these questions using her blog, Anja is immediately tapping into topics of interest to her prospective customers. If someone is researching the Aboriginal seasons of Kakadu, there is a good chance they will find Anja’s post, and if they are doing this research because they are interested in visiting Kakadu … there you have it.

The search term ‘kakadu tours’ is a very competitive one. I think that with the approach Anja is taking her website could earn a strong ranking in this area over time. However, it is worth pointing out that you don’t have to get the #1 ranking on the key search term to have a very effective website. More and more searches involve 3, 4, 5 and more search terms. While ‘kakadu tours’ might be the single most popular term in this area, collectively there are a very large number of searches about kakadu tours that don’t use that term – instead they might use ‘kakadu tours families’ or ‘kakadu national parks tours’. Both of these are search terms that have led searchers to Anja’s site.

Time and again I’ve seen websites flourish when they use their blog to write broadly about their subject, and earn visits from an extraordinarily wide range of search terms. With focus some of those sites can go on to rank highly for the most competitive search terms in their field.

So have a look at Anja’s blog. For your own tourism blog, consider writing blog posts that answer the most common questions your visitors ask, and provide useful background information.

You’ll reap huge benefits from this simple strategy.


Marketing your Tourism Venture – Create Something Unique

Undara Opera in the Outback

Undara Opera in the Outback

Undara have published a press release about this year’s Opera in the Outback.

I’ve published it in full below.

This event is #10 on 100 Great Things to do in Australia that you’ve never heard of.

Can you create an event that makes the list?


Only 25 days to go to Opera

Time is running out to secure your seat under the stars to witness Undara’s premier musical event, Opera in the Outback.

Surrounded by tall eucalypt and acacia trees, the acclaimed Ten Sopranos are geared up to set the bush alight with their powerful harmonies and evocative tones.

Two evening performances with Friday night’s Sunset Serenade seeing old favourites from the likes of The Beatles, Peter Allen and Roger and Hammerstein performed like never before while Saturday’s Constellational Classics are a perfect blend of much loved operatic renditions including ‘O Sole Mio’ and ‘Amigos Parra Sempre’ staged under a canopy of stars.

Ten beautiful ladies will inspire those new to opera and excite the connoisseurs over two evenings in the purpose built outdoor amphitheatre. More than just singing, this is truly unique event that, now in its eighth year, is going from strength to strength.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to throw out the swag or set up camp in the outback. With tickets limited to only 300 per performance, this intimate event WILL sell out.

Voted #10 – 100 Great Things to do in Australia that you’ve never heard of
…Australian Travellers Magazine 2007

Tickets are $110pp per night.

Camping from $10pp per night – Powered sites available from $15pp per night
3 Course Dinner / Breakfast (for the weekend) including both performances from $338pp (not including accommodation)

All accommodation is strictly limited – book now.

To book your campsite and opera tickets, call 1800 990 992 or go to the Undara website.

Undara Volcanic National Park is 275km Sth West of Cairns on the Savannah Way, near Mt Surprise. Road is sealed all the way – (Allow 3.5 hours driving time.)

For more media information, photos or interviews, please call Mark Schmitt at Undara Experience (Sales and Marketing) on 07 4031 7933 or 0448 771 232


Profile: Tourism success means getting to know your segment of the travel market

Rainbow Connection Stained GlassFor small operators in particular, knowing your market is at the root of business success. It means that not only can you offer exactly what they’re looking for, but you can reach them and communicate with them effectively.

The Rainbow Connection is a useful example of a business that has a clearly defined market, and uses that knowledge to build business.

As the first and only gay and lesbian designated accommodation in Central Australia, the business is ideally positioned to corner a growing and lucrative market segment. Around 80 per cent of guests come from overseas.

“Our guests are looking for stylish, soft adventure experiences and iconic visitation,” said The Rainbow Connection’s Phil Walcott.

“They are aged from early 20s to late 70s, gay or lesbian (including transgender, intersex etc.), cyberspace savvy, professional, with a medium-high level of disposable income.”

Knowing the market well means understanding that a significant proportion of guests will find the accommodation through online search, coming directly to the site or via the major gay and lesbian online associations: GALTA (Gay & Lesbian Tourism Australia) and IGLTA (the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association).

Phil is Regional Director of GALTA for the Northern Territory and finds that ‘bundling’ of product through GALTA is a highly successful strategy. GALTA works hard to support similar businesses around Australia and has a presence at significant events across the country.

Linking to organisations and agencies that target your market is essential, and needs to go beyond listings to proactive packaging and participation in collaborative marketing initiatives.

“We have benefited from forging strong links with mainstream operators locally, domestically and internationally, and with RTAs [regional tourism associations], STOs [state tourism organisations], ITOs [inbound tour operators] and Tourism Australia.”

Phil also seeks out links and listings on other relevant sites and ensures that The Rainbow Connection is marketed through the international gay and lesbian Spartacus Guide.

Getting the word out is only part of the picture though. Once travellers find the site, effort goes into personalised email contact, and The Rainbow Connection keeps in touch with past guests through email, encouraging word of mouth marketing.

This is a market that values personal service and attention to detail, so this kind of follow-through is vital.

Significantly, the marketing strategies that The Rainbow Connection has found most effective don’t involve expensive advertising campaigns. Online marketing is bringing and retaining virtually all their guests, along with a presence at carefully targeted events, and one important international guide listing.

Success comes from a clear knowledge of where their prospects are, how they research travel, and what they are looking for.


Profile: Marketing without a budget

Jane with ScopeWhen Jane Morgan joined the Cosmos Centre four years ago, she had the task of reaching an international market with no budget.

Her target was self-drive tourists from the UK, Ireland and northern Europe, who often travel during the traditional low season. Now, these visitors, along with New Zealanders, make up 5% of their total visitor numbers and interest is growing. How did she do it?

With a tour ticket price at $20, she knew that wholesalers and ITOs wouldn’t look at the product, so she worked closely with Tourism Queensland (TQ), the Outback Queensland Tourism Authority (OQTA), and Britz Maui’s Make Tracks magazine.

The Cosmos Centre is part of the Queensland Heritage Trails Network, which has its own site, guide book and marketing initiatives.

These strategies, together with online search, are bringing the majority of the Centre’s visitors. Strategically placed brochures in other regional towns – produced as part of their domestic marketing – also help to attract self-drive tourists, including overseas visitors.

Jane’s next step is to get wholesalers and ITOs interested in a new package she is developing.

“Because of our ticket price we are developing a package called Stars, Spas & Station Stays, encouraging visitors to experience our unique outback experiences,” said Jane. “Once these packages are developed, they can be pre-sold and their ticket price will be attractive to international wholesalers and inbound operators.

“We still have no budget, so our main push remains the TQ and OQTA websites and their attendance at international trade shows.”

Another possible option for the Centre is to set up a blog to attract an audience interested in astronomy, both in Australia and overseas.


Profile: Marketing the Aussie beer experience

Bright Brewery-smallerThe third in my series of posts profiling small tourism operators looks at Bright Brewery in Victoria’s High Country.

The brewery uses fresh mountain water, local ingredients and craft brewing techniques to produce a range of beers. As well as being open every day for drinks and meals, and offering tasting tours, the iconic experience is the Brewer for a Day event.

While their key target markets are within Australia, Bright Brewery’s Fiona Reddaway believes this energetic experience is substantial enough to attract overseas visitors in its own right.

“We’re talking with Tourism Victoria about the most suitable markets, and the ways to reach these markets,” she told me.

One vital strategy has been to create packages and full experiences. For example, the Brewery has been working with other microbreweries and local tourism authorities in North East Victoria to create Victoria’s High Country Beer Trail – an initiative that packages the diverse beer experiences of this cluster of microbreweries set in stunning locations.

Bright Brewery’s local packages include accommodation and have been publicised in the print media through North East Victoria Tourism Inc. (NEVTi), which has promoted Brewer for a Day at Bright Brewery as one of the top five High Country experiences.

“We are working with organisations like NEVTi to promote the Brewery Trail as well as Brewer for a Day to international visitors, and to tap into Tourism Victoria programs currently targeting the international market,” said Fiona.

The overseas market for Bright Brewery is interesting – committed beer lovers from Europe, Japan and New Zealand who are predominantly male and in their 30s-50s.

Publicity has helped get the word out and is highly valued by the team, with a segment on Getaway that was aired around the world driving more traffic to the Bright Brewery website. The bulk of bookings for the Brewer for a Day experience have come through email marketing to the Brew Crew subscribers, with some arriving via online search.

The Bright Brewery website works well – it’s easy to see what experiences are available, how to book them, and how to subscribe to the Brew Crew newsletter.

So the core overseas marketing strategies chosen by Bright Brewery are:

  • Work with regional and state tourism organisations to glean advice and tap into promotional programs.
  • Work collaboratively with other operators to create full experiences and packages.
  • Pursue publicity through print and broadcast media.
  • Market online to an opt-in email list and funnel site visitors into bookings.


Profile: Building on a destination

Seppeltsfield Vineyard CottageEven when a tourism business is either new or relatively unknown, it can benefit greatly from being in a well-known and sought-after destination.

Seppeltsfield Vineyard Cottage – the second in my series of tourism profiles – has become very popular thanks partly to its location in the Barossa region of South Australia.

Seppeltsfield’s Sharyn Rogers describes this as a “huge plus”, since many visitors are already searching for the Barossa and naturally come across the cottage in their search.

Nevertheless, there’s no time to sit back on their laurels and wait for bookings to roll in. Sharyn pays a lot of attention to their site content in order to keep it alive and lively.

As a small business – the cottage sleeps two – Seppeltsfield is well positioned to benefit from online marketing, where there is no battle for space. Sharyn also finds that, at little over $300 a night, paying 30% commissions to intermediaries isn’t worth their while.

So Sharyn and her partner Peter choose to market their accommodation directly via their site and with a presence on destination and accommodation sites such as SouthAustralia.com, Barossa.com and the B&B and Farmstay Association.

Seppeltsfield also markets through the Barossa Regional Guide which helps to capture last-minute bookings and encourages word-of-mouth recommendations to friends and relatives overseas.

Sharyn and Peter do a great job of packaging their accommodation with other tour operators, so that visitors can get the best from the region as a whole. They are finding that one in five of their guests will book a package rather than just accommodation.

“Packages are especially popular with overseas visitors,” Sharyn told me. “And over 90% of our internationals are now booking directly online.”

Sharyn recognises the benefit of having a self-managed site: “We are updating our site contantly,” she said. “And I insist on having good images on there to help people see the experience.”

By posting regular news with a subscription facility on the site, they are able to express a personality and maintain interest in Seppeltsfield as an ideal base for a Barossa holiday. This is also a great SEO (search engine optimisation) strategy.

And Sharyn has included a link to TripAdvisor, encouraging guests to write up their experience on this social media site as a fantastic way to attract links back to the Seppeltsfield website.

Keep an eye on the Seppeltsfield site, because Sharyn and Peter are in the throes of revamping it to give it a more contemporary feel.

Revamping and refreshing their web presence is reflected in their approach to the product itself. As a 19th century cottage, Sharyn recognises the demands of their market and keeps the cottage fresh with contemporary facilities, including free wireless broadband internet access (and free use of a laptop computer if required), a Bose iPod Docking Station and “Wave” sound system, and, soon to be installed, a Bose entertainment system.

Congratulations to Seppeltsfield for being declared winner in the Hosted Accommodation category at the South Australia Tourism Awards this year for the third time running, taking them into the Hall of Fame.


Profile: Tailored tours bring overseas visitors

Over the next few weeks I will be writing profiles on a dozen small tourism operators dotted around the country – all of whom have contributed valuable information to OM4Tourism on international marketing issues.

The operators featured have all agreed to share their marketing experiences, and you are equally free to comment, add advice or ask questions.

The first operator is attracting an international clientele to its small-group customised tours with some impressive online marketing.

R+L logoRich + Lingering offers luxury food & wine tours and customised tours, all for very small groups (no more than six), in South Australia’s Barossa Valley, Adelaide Hills and McLaren Vale premium wine regions.

After less than two years in operation, the business has just become the SA Great 2007 Regional Award Winner for Tourism Services, and taken home the SA Tourism Commission New Business bronze medal.

Targeting a Niche Market

According to Rich + Lingering’s Jason Miller, the business depends on clear and targeted branding to overcome the general perception that wine tours involve large buses and little specialist knowledge.

“There are a number of low to mid-priced mass market operators who basically provide a transport service for which there is a big market,” he told me.

“We are at the other end of the scale – private, small group, high levels of international wine knowledge, personalised service. It does take time to break these misconceptions, which is mainly done by developing relationships and having a strong brand.”

International guests make up 35% of Rich + Lingering’s total visitation. They are aged 30-60, professional/white collar, high net worth individuals, looking to develop themselves with food and wine activities and education. Most come from the UK and northern Europe, North America, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Jason reaches this market online (his website and others), as well as via agents, ITOs and magazine advertising – all carefully chosen for synergy with the business’s brand. To capture unplanned visits after arrival, he also works with Visitor Information Centres and has a presence in regional guides.

Online Marketing Insights

Jason puts great emphasis on web content, as 43% of guests find Rich + Lingering online, with most coming directly to the R+L website. He shared some valuable insights:

“Our key online strategy is to drive traffic to our site by achieving high Google rankings for specific searches (e.g. ‘private/luxury wine tour south australia’), but also a broad range of links and other good relevant content, such as travel tips, on other sites.

“Having good content on your website which isn’t too sales focused shows you ‘know your stuff’, is of value to the reader, and helps SEO [search engine optimisation].

“We also produce a seasonal newsletter which people subscribe to and can distribute themselves to their friends etc. This has been a great way to broaden the net. A number of our newsletter articles are further used in blogs.”

All great strategies. Interestingly, Jason finds that most guests use the site for research rather than bookings, and only a small proportion are booked completely online.

He believes this is due to the nature of the business. Offering customised, high-end tours means personal communication with guests to ensure all their needs are met. This is hard to do via a booking engine, so guests are encouraged to contact Rich + Lingering directly with their requirements.