Sunshine Coast tourism operators are ready to welcome back visitors – and are using a pineapple to show they are open for business.
Visit Sunshine Coast (VSC) has today launched a series of quirky new marketing videos that see tourism operators ‘pass a pineapple’ around the region.
The Big Pineapple has long been a star attraction on the Sunshine Coast. In the 1980s, at the height of its popularity, more than a million visitors would flock to the icon each year to take a photo and sample the legendary pineapple parfait.
With The Big Pineapple on the cusp of a major resurgence, it is extremely fitting that once again a pineapple is enticing visitors to the region.
The marketing videos aim to showcase the quintessential experiences that set the Sunshine Coast apart and encourage holidaymakers to book their next Sunshine Coast escape.
VSC Chairperson David Ryan said the video campaign, which has commenced today, would be rolled out through social media over coming weeks.
“Our region’s tourism operators have faced incredibly challenging times in the face of COVID-19, and these videos are about encouraging visitors to plan their next Sunshine Coast holiday and support our local businesses,” he said.
“The campaign will be primarily rolled out in the Queensland market and will include a direct call to action to promote bookings.
“The campaign’s launch is perfectly timed ahead of the school holiday period, and with travel restrictions eased across Queensland, it is important that we continue to push hard in the intrastate market. In the year-end December 2019, there were 7.9 million day-trippers to the Sunshine Coast with an additional 2.9 million overnight intrastate visitors, highlighting the importance of these markets.
“We believe the quirky nature of the videos will help set us apart in the marketplace while highlighting the people, places and businesses that make our region so special.”
General Manager of TreeTop Challenge Big Pineapple, David Taylor said he was excited and delighted to be part of the ‘Pass the Pineapple’ promotion.
“This latest initiative by the tourism body is a great way to promote the Sunshine Coast region and another way for us to show visitors what our business offers in an engaging way,” he said.
“We have recently re-opened and ramping back up to seven days a week and this campaign is perfectly timed to help us build awareness ahead of the school holiday period.
“The iconic Big Pineapple site has been a magnet for visitors over the past year of operation at TreeTop Challenge and we look forward to building on this success as we enter post-COVID recovery and get back to what we do best,” added Mr Taylor.
The videos are the latest in a series of targeted campaigns VSC has rolled out to further drive visitation to the Sunshine Coast and keep the region front of mind for future travellers.
These include targeted social media advertisements promoting the Sunshine Coast’s sub-regions, and the ‘A Taste of Escape’ campaign which invites travellers to discover the Sunshine Coast through sound.
To view the video and find out more, visit: www.visitsunshinecoast.com/welcome-back
