Golden Age: Theme parks part of the Coast landscape in marketing

THEME parks are a part of the Gold Coast landscape, bringing in tourists from across the globe — and it’s time for them to return to centre stage.

DESTINATION Gold Coast has been running campaigns with little sign of the Wipeout, Wave Pool, Giant Drop and DC Rivals Hypercoaster.

But Village Roadshow Chief Operating Officer Bikash Randhawa says it’s time theme parks returned to centre stage.

Mr Randhawa said theme parks were visited by 80 per cent of Gold Coast tourists – in comparison The Bulletin calculated they featured in 1.45 per cent of Destination Gold Coast’s Instagram posts this year.

Mr Bikash Randhawa.

“Gold Coast Tourism would have to have marbles in their heads if they didn’t have theme parks in their next campaign,” he said.

“I have been vocal in the past about tourism bodies who have tried to experiment on numerous things but I am very positive we will see a change in the way Destination Gold Coast will run campaigns moving forward.”

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Gold Coast Tourism chairman Paul Donovan said they already featured the theme parks in their campaigns, and while they were “critical” in driving tourism, it should be balanced.

Titans at Wet n Wild. Photo by Richard Gosling

“There’s no question that the theme parks drive a lot of our business,” he said.

“Sure, they should feature, but it’s all part of a balanced approach. We work totally 24/7 on getting more people to come here, stay longer and spend more money. We’re doing campaigns all the time that feature all aspects of the Gold Coast.”

Mr Donovan said theme parks were very important when it came to day return trippers across South East Queensland and northern NSW and their investments, like Topgolf and the DC Hypercoaster at Movie World, were critical for Coast tourism.

Dreamworld's newest Tiger Cubs Melati and Mya. Pics Adam Head

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Bond University marketing expert Associate Professor Stephen Holden said while theme parks were a big draw card for families visiting the region, he felt they weren’t part of the Gold Coast’s identity.

“When I sing the praises of the Gold Coast, it’s not about the theme parks,” he said.

However, he said theme parks provided a form of “industrial” tourism, and could be thought of as “hidden gems”, utilising space that might not have been otherwise useful.

He said apart from the theme parks, the northern Gold Coast was not a huge tourism destination and so people might not otherwise visit the area.

Movie World! Picture: Supplied/Destination Gold Coast

Minister for Tourism Kate Jones said theme parks had always been an important part of the tourism offering on the Gold Coast.

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“That’s why the Coast’s theme parks feature prominently in our latest ‘Beautiful One Day, Perfect the Next’ campaign,” she said.

“We are aggressively marketing the Gold Coast in a range of locations across the world as part of our strategy to leverage the great exposure of the Commonwealth Games.”

Pictued at Movie World Titans coach Garth Brennan and first cheque donator Joel Dening of Body Science on a roller coaster. Picture Mike Batterham

Gladstone father of two Alex Staines visited the Gold Coast for the Commonwealth Games but said he spent more time at theme parks than at events.

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“I wouldn’t go to the Gold Coast if it wasn’t for the theme parks,” he said.

“We would prefer to go to the Sunshine Coast because of the ease of getting in and out and accommodation can be a little cheaper.

“Our kids have got the annual passes, so we wouldn’t go to the Gold Coast without those annual passes.

“They just provide a buffet of entertainment and adrenaline.”