Australia's Local Tourism Campaign via Social Media

Big as it already is, the power of "word-of-mouth" has been extremely expanded by social media. This holds true for a myriad things- from the most popular gadget to the best applications, from luxury products to the most promising political figures and many other activities and products. Among these, an activity where word-of-mouth holds water for many is travel. More and more people go to websites where they are able to get feedback and recommendations from those who have had first-hand experience on the destination they are planning to visit. These comments often help in the search for the perfect holiday getaway. Travel websites and blogs where travelers share holiday experiences sprouting left and right are testament to this.

This potential in being able to promote a country as a tourism destination has not gone past Tourism Australia. In 2011, Tourism Australia launched a number of programs appreciating and at the same time promoting the use of social media platforms in stimulating interest to the different exciting destinations that the country has to offer both local and international tourists. More notably, the 2 most widely-used social media platforms in the country, Facebook and YouTube were utilized.

The department teamed up with YouTube and Google through innovative digital marketing campaigns showcasing Australia's attractions. International musicians from the UK, the US and Taiwan teamed up with promising Australian musicians to create musical compilations of their journey Down Under as they surf at Bondi Beach, take a helicopter flight above the Twelve Apostles, hot air ballooned over Canberra, drove across Tasmania's western wilderness and many others. These were filmed and broadcasted over YouTube which is considered the largest online video community in the world with approximately 2 billion videos streamed each day.

Another social networking platform Tourism Australia has utilized is Facebook. An article on the agency's website claim that the country's fanbase on Facebook is now over a million, which is a milestone for the project. This means that more than a million fans share their love for and experiences in Australia with the rest of the world through photos and videos they upload and the travel tips they share. About half of these fans are Australians who are very much eager to share their local knowledge and tell the world what makes each destination in the country special.

Targeting local tourists through social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube and microblogging sites can be considered a brilliant idea as Australians are very high social media consumers. Of the entire Australian population, 80.1% or 17,033,826 use the internet and a big chunk of this number make use of social media platforms.

The below are the top 5 social media sites for the months of September, October and November 2011 as per the Social Media Statistics Australia. This is computed by the number of Unique Australian Visitors per Month (UAVs/mo).

There are great opportunities within Australia alone. Then again, this has not stopped the country from exploring the potential afforded by the same social media platforms in reaching potential tourists from the rest of the world. The partnership of Tourism Australia and the airline, Jetstar, in tapping social media in the aim to bring back Japanese tourists and the increasing social media marketing conducted by many Australian travel firms in China are just 2 of the many activities to further bolster tourism in the country. This goes to show that the country is milking social media for what it is worth. Come to think of it, who wouldn't when social media is where the money is?

Thinking of launching a social media strategy in Australia? Contact us today to discuss the most effective approach.

Source:

http://www.tourism.australia.com/en-au/news/media-releases_6112.aspx

http://www.tourism.australia.com/en-au/news/media-releases_6132.aspx

http://www.socialmedianews.com.au/social-media-statistics-australia-september-2011/

http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/236279/20111024/tourism-australia-jetstar-tap-social-media-to-bring-back-japanese-tourists.htm

http://thenextweb.com/asia/2011/11/28/australian-travel-firms-increasingly-keen-on-social-media-marketing-in-china/

http://cdn.thenextweb.com/socialmedia/files/2011/09/asia-pacific-social-media-infographic.jpg