The latest round of a multi-million-dollar campaign is rolling out to tempt mainland Australians to visit Tasmania this winter – not to escape the cold, but to embrace it.
“Come down to Tasmania for an authentic, wonderful winter experience,” Premier Jeremy Rockliff said at the campaign launch.
“Winter is a season not to escape from but to be rejuvenated. My message to Australians is come to Tasmania, experience our wonderful winter but also the warmth of the Tasmanian people.”
Dubbed the “Off Season”, the campaign highlights more than 600 unique experiences across the state, from dark sky paddles on Hobart’s harbour to fungi foraging tours on the wild West Coast.
Tourism Tasmania CEO Sarah Clark said the eye-catching black-and-white campaign is designed to cut through the “marketing clutter” and encourage mainlanders to become proud “winter people”.
“We are in our key domestic markets – Queensland, Victoria, New South Wales – we’ve got digital, social media and outdoor advertising,” Clark said.
“We’re also partnering with Alone, the TV series being filmed right now here in Tasmania.”
Sydneysiders will be treated to a full winter-themed takeover of Martin Place, while special airline deals are locked in to keep travel affordable throughout the cooler months.
Launceston Airport CEO Shane O’Hare said more and more mainlanders are discovering Tasmania’s winter magic, with last year’s chilly season drawing a record 300,000 travellers through Launceston Airport alone.
“We’re seeing that growth every year as word of mouth spreads,” he said.
“I can assure you that the Tasmanian landscape is at its most gorgeous in winter. It’s green, it’s cosy, the Tasmanians are friendly and welcoming.”
Tourism brings in $3.5 billion a year for the state and employs one in every eight Tasmanians, the highest tourism employment rate in the country, according to Rockliff.
The upcoming release of tickets for Dark Mofo is expected to drive additional mainland visitors to the state, with accommodation bookings already tracking close to last year’s strong numbers.
