Karryon Luxury Takeover March 2024 side lock up
Karryon Luxury Takeover March 2024 side lock up
Home Travel Industry Hub

3 handy marketing tips to help you plan your next domestic campaign

We all know that in order to support our economy, and the 312,000 businesses linked to our tourism industry, Australians need to invest in exploring our country. And although the sentiment is positive with 84% more interested in exploring Australia since COVID, the unanswered challenge remains: how can we unlock the level of spend traditionally reserved for travelling overseas? 

We all know that in order to support our economy, and the 312,000 businesses linked to our tourism industry, Australians need to invest in exploring our country. And although the sentiment is positive with 84% more interested in exploring Australia since COVID, the unanswered challenge remains: how can we unlock the level of spend traditionally reserved for travelling overseas? 

Susannah George, co-authored and published the Urban Insights report as a joint venture from Australia’s leading voices in culture and research — Urban List, Nature and The Lab — empowering thousands of Australian businesses across the travel and tourism sector with affordable, actionable data to thrive.

The report, Wanderlust or Wanderbust – delves into how businesses are missing the mark on marketing our own country to our own people. 

With only 1 in 3 people planning to spend the same amount of time and money travelling domestically as they would if they were headed abroad, there’s a lot of work to do, and opportunity to be had, in shifting attitudes so our destinations and tourism operators are sought-after, not just a second resort.

To move Australians to see our beautiful country as a culture worth experiencing, here are 3 of the key findings from Susannah to consider when planning your next domestic campaign:

1. Duty can’t overshadow the dreaming

travel-agent

After 12 months of border closures, restrictions, a recession and record unemployment, there is an acute and widespread understanding that in order to support our economy, Australians need to invest time and money exploring our country.

And while Australians want to do the right thing, this sense of obligation has displaced our wanderlust and disrupted the customer journeys.

A sense of duty has displaced the dreaming that usually instigates the planning phase, which is tricky when you’re looking to unlock significant spend.

Most people don’t board a flight out of patriotic duty but because they want to be transported and transformed. We need to ignite a sense of aspiration and adventure, shifting attitudes so our destinations and tourism operators are sought-after: rather than a second resort.

2. Lean into the intimacy of discovery (and ditch the social same-ness)

South Australia

The trophy-shot trend of the twenty-teens has given way to a desire to explore the unexpected and new. And it’s the unseen angles — the shots that provoke curiosity and intrigue — that are doing the most to capture consumers’ interest and intent.

The location itself doesn’t need to be unknown, it’s more about the lens you look through. Take a leaf out of Australians’ personal snaps and adopt a more lowkey and individualistic creative style.

The industry standard, high production hero shots have been seen. Shift your perspective, avoid falling victim to visual boredom, and share a viewpoint that’s fresh and new.

3. Comparative marketing isn’t necessarily harmful. It can work, but context is key

Tourism Australia

If you’re heading down the comparative path, be sure to create a hook that presents your destination or experience as #goals, not a fallback.

Reframe the context, highlight its uniqueness, and make the experience shine. (And while this is probably quite obvious, avoid implying that domestic travel is in any way inferior to the international experience. It only cements preconceived cultural bias.)

If you would like to gain insight from findings and learn about the new breed of high-value traveller, and how to target the different consumer segments, you can purchase the full Wanderlust or Wanderbust report here.