When you’re researching your next holiday, weekend away, or where you can get the best cocktail with a view, do you call a travel agent? Do you buy a Lonely Planet from the bookstore? Do you Google it? Read reviews on Trip Advisor? Or do you use social media? It could be a combination of all of the above, but the rise in digital information sharing has put more and more influence and power in the hands of the user. Social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook have quickly become the go-to-source for those seeking inspiration and education on holiday destinations, both across the globe and in their own backyards.

Travellers these days seek authentic experiences and are relying on travel inspiration told through the eyes of everyday people to form their holiday itineraries. Increased accessibility and ease of social media has seamlessly transitioned the process behind researching destinations, creating an online storytelling phenomenon. Traditional booking platforms are by no means obsolete, with social media offering that initial #inspo for visitors when deciding on a particular destination or experience.

Tourism bodies, like Townsville Enterprise, have recognised this shift; where promoting Townsville North Queensland incorporates not only traditional marketing activities, but also engaging digital ‘influencers’ to subtly sell the region to potential visitors. Digital influencers are engaged to tell the story of a destination and create conversations amongst their audiences to encourage visitation
and awareness. 

Social media is being harnessed as a powerful tool to promote the tourism industry, with potential visitors more likely to believe the information that comes from referrals rather than from tourism bodies. By working with influencers with a strong social media presence, Townsville Enterprise can ensure the appropriate hashtags are attached to posts about the region to maximise the promotion of each location and experience.

Most recently, (#droolworthy) images of regional Queensland were showcased across social media as digital influencers travelled from Cairns to Bundaberg highlighting their experiences in each region while ‘Driving the Great Barrier Reef’. The initiative was a collaboration led by Townsville Enterprise, with five other Regional Tourism Organisations (RTOs), Tourism and Events Queensland and Apollo Motorhomes, to promote the driving routes, itineraries, tourism products and unique experiences along the Great Barrier Reef.

It was the first campaign of its kind where the tourism bodies representing Tropical North Queensland, Cassowary Coast, Townsville North Queensland, Whitsundays, Mackay and Southern Great Barrier Reef have partnered to showcase the regions the Great Barrier Reef encompasses along the Queensland coastline. The aim of the partnership is to extend visitor dispersal along the Great Barrier Reef, increase length of stay and visitor expenditure, and further leverage campaign activity undertaken by Tourism Australia and Tourism and Events Queensland.

Travellers these days seek authentic experiences and are relying on travel inspiration told through the eyes of everyday people to form their holiday itineraries.

The influencers followed an extensive itinerary of world-class experiences both on the coast and inland, with the purpose of showcasing the regions through the significant social media followings of six different influencers. The activity is expected to reach an audience of over 2 million people, with the new photographic content to be used in future marketing campaigns by the RTOs to further promote their respective region and the driving route along the Great Barrier Reef.

While in the Tropical North Queensland region, the influencers visited Palm Cove, Port Douglas, Mossman Gorge, Dunk Island and Paronella Park. They then travelled into the Townsville North Queensland region to capture experiences at Wallaman Falls, sail and snorkel Magnetic Island, dive Lodestone Reef and land on a sand cay in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef by helicopter.

The activity was off the back of the release of ‘The Ultimate Guide to Driving the Great Barrier Reef’, a state-wide project led by Townsville Enterprise, producing a new brochure for road travellers, printed in five different languages. Considering 1.3 million people tour Queensland by road annually, a brochure like this is relevant to provide new ways for travellers to experience this popular driving route. 

Katie Purling (@mycolourfulworld_) was also recently engaged by Townsville Enterprise to capture and promote the region as a part of the Hinchinbrook Recovery Campaign, following the March flooding event in Ingham and the surrounding areas. Katie spent six days in the region, sharing her experiences with over 52,000 followers, creating 50,700 separate engagements across her Instagram channel. The activity has already generated over $800,000 in promotional value for the region, with Katie’s images to be utilised in future campaigns.

Instagram has over 800 million users across the world, with the platform increasingly becoming one of the most effective online destination marketing tools available. Travellers want to put themselves in the shoes of likeminded people who they can trust to provide an honest account of an experience or destination. Social media takes ‘word of mouth’ to the next level, with information reaching far greater audiences than just immediate networks. So whether you’re a digital native or novice, by integrating social media to help plan your holidays, you can ensure your next adventure will be #legit.

Don’t forget to share your experiences with #townsvilleshines for the chance to be featured on the Townsville North Queensland website and social media channels!