Following the recent bushfires that impacted our community Visit Sunshine Coast (VSC) has united with the local tourism industry to support the region.
We salute the hundreds of emergency personnel and volunteers who did a remarkable job at keeping the fires at bay over the past month. While often ferocious, they not only fought to protect people’s homes but cared for the thousands of residents displaced during evacuations.
The resilience we have witnessed is testament to the strength of our community, and our thoughts remain with those who were directly impacted by the fires.
In response to the magnitude of the bushfires and the national media coverage they received, VSC is working closely with Tourism Noosa to launch a multi-pronged national marketing campaign to let visitors know the Sunshine Coast is “open for business”.
The Sunshine Coast offers an incredible array of experiences, and it’s important to let visitors know our beaches and hinterland remain beautiful, our attractions are operating and there’s plenty of great deals available to book a holiday on the Sunshine Coast.
Encouraging visitors to stay, explore and eat in our region is one way we can support the local community, with the tourism industry contributing $3.3 billion to the economy each year.
The marketing campaign is backed by the State Government with funding through Tourism and Events Queensland, and we thank Tourism Minister Kate Jones for her ongoing support of the Sunshine Coast.
While the Spring school holiday period remained steady, the greater threat going forward is that people don’t book a holiday on the Sunshine Coast or reschedule their trip because they associate the region with fires.
The campaign covers TV, print, radio and online media across key intra and interstate markets, including media familiarisation visits.
A key point of the marketing effort is ensuring we have targeted markets that can deliver immediate results – such as the drive market – to help bolster the traditionally soft pre-Christmas period, while shoring up business for 2020.
The campaign is supported with a call to action to the latest deals for accommodation, tours, attractions and dining across the region, making a visit to the Sunshine Coast that much more enticing.
Importantly all regions across the Sunshine Coast, including those impacted by the fires, are included in the campaign, showing that the Sunshine Coast region is ready to welcome visitors.
