Tourism Tasmania’s marketing campaign attracts visitors, boosts local economy

An advertising campaign for Tourism Tasmania is showing signs of long-term success, as visitor and visitor spend figures rise.

An outdoor poster for Tourism Tasmania's "Come Down for Air" campaign

A growing number of travellers are choosing the island state of Tasmania for a holiday, and are spending more during their visit, according to new figures from Tourism Tasmania.

A key contributing factor to this uptick includes the effects of an advertising campaign for Tourism Tasmania titled “Come Down For Air”, which has appeared on a wide range of channels from screens to outdoor ad placements over the past three years.

In FY23, Roy Morgan Tasmanian Visitor Survey (TVS) data shows Tourism Tasmania recorded nearly 1.28 million visitors, which represents an increase of 60.5 per cent compared to the previous year.

The organisation also tracks visitor spend as a measure of success – which tallies the amount visitors spend in Tasmania during their stay.

Total visitor spend for FY23 totalled $3.854 billion, up 52 per cent on the calendar year 2019. In the month of June 2023 alone, total visitor spend reached $160.6 million, representing an increase of 51 per cent compared to June 2019.

Tourism Tasmania chief marketing officer Lindene Cleary attributes this surge to pent-up demand for travel post-lockdown, the strength of the brand that has been built over the years and the way people are feeling, who “want to get out and feel something more meaningful than the daily grind”, she said.

This is a sentiment that guided the creative approach for the campaign, and it is clearly resonating with the domestic – and increasingly international – audience it targets.

In recent years, Tourism Tasmania has invested in brand marketing and advertising to communicate its natural beauty, culinary, lifestyle and cultural attractions year-round.

The campaign’s long-term effects are also demonstrating growth in brand strength.

To measure success, Tourism Tasmania uses an accredited, qualitative brand equity measurement system from marketing data and insights firm, Kantar. It tracks “total brand communication awareness”, and ranked Tourism Tasmania third among all state tourism organisations.

“That makes us very proud in terms of cut-through because we just don’t have the same budgets as the bigger states or international destinations,” Ms Cleary said.

First launched in 2019, the campaign has retained its relevance through a series of consecutive events that have disrupted the travel industry in recent years; including the 2020 bushfire season and the Covid pandemic.

The tourism market that emerged from this fraught landscape – which included months-long Covid-induced border closures in 2020 – was a highly competitive one.

Ms Cleary said that the campaign aimed to cut through the “tourism sea of sameness”.

The campaign came from advertising agency BMF, a creative firm that is known for “long ideas” that aim to build brand and business growth in the long-term.

The campaign uses visually arresting photography of Tasmania’s natural landscape and attractions, such as its undulating mountain ranges. Another advertisement features the renowned Nude Solstice Swim, where every June, thousands of intrepid swimmers go for a dip in the icy cold water of Hobart’s River Derwent.

The campaign was designed to appeal to a range of audiences, from the stressed-out masses seeking relaxation, to curious culturalists, and food and wine lovers.

Co-executive creative director at BMF, David Fraser told The Growth Agenda he puts the long-term effectiveness of the campaign down to a few key factors, including the universal appeal of “Come Down for Air”, and the rigour with which it was tested in other locations, to ensure it was unique to both the local market and different to other tourism campaigns.

He said: “Maybe the ‘air’ you need is to go to a concert in some tiny little speak-easy and party the night away. We realised there are many kinds of ‘air’ for different people and that gave (the campaign) the depth.”

But even timeless, “long ideas” still require change and evolution.

The idea has also given life to other iterations, including the Off Season campaign, designed to attract visitors in winter months and support local businesses, and most recently “Off Cuts”, a fashion collaboration with sustainable fashion designer Noah Johnson.

Sustainable fashion designer Noah Johnson's collaborated with Tourism Tasmania as part of its Off Season marketing campaign

Like the creative direction for the brand’s platform, the Off Season campaign is restrained, minimalist and often directs the viewer’s attention to surprising, singular moments.

In one scene, a group of people dance around a bonfire. In another, abstract, inflatable figures move gently in the wind, and finally, a swimmer emerges refreshed from a (presumably) cold lake, filmed in slow motion.

At a local level, the campaign has also helped galvanise Tasmanian businesses that benefit from tourism, as a campaign that is “really authentic and meaningful” to them, according to Ms Cleary.

“The idea of the Off Season is something for industry to work towards and aim to thrive throughout the cooler months, rather than just surviving,” she said.

In the winter months, a black and white treatment is applied to images and videos for the Off-Season campaign – a distinct step-change from the often colour-saturated imagery associated with many tourism campaigns. It also offers a contrast, in winter months, to campaigns that often draw travellers to sun-drenched locations.

An advertisement for Tourism Tasmania's "Off Season" campaign

“Everywhere is trying to get you to go there. In travel marketing, we have got to raise our game more and more every few months just to stay ahead of the pack,” Mr Fraser said.

As the campaign continues, and its longer-term effects are materialising, both Mr Fraser and Ms Cleary said that it could continue to evolve further.

“Now that they have established who they are and the platform really well, I think now it‘s about showing up in surprising places,” added Mr Fraser.

“There’s a nice quiet confidence that’s grown from strength to strength over the years with Tasmanians. And I think it’s time to let that shine even more.”

Ms Cleary and Mr Fraser said the campaign aims to communicate a true reflection of Tasmania’s identity.

“When you just stick to the truth, you know what your North Star is. You’re not inventing things and being fake,” Mr Fraser said.

“Being authentic and staying true to yourself helps you be both timely and timeless.”