The Borough of Queenscliffe in coastal Victoria recently coordinated a successful crowdfunding campaign with local traders to help boost the region’s tourism brand.
Small in size but big in heart, the Borough of Queenscliffe is a coastal tourism magnet for the weekend escape and those seeking a casual beach-vibe.
Just over an hour from Melbourne and nestled at the tip of the Bellarine Peninsula, tourism is a major economic contributor to the twin townships of Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale, rich in maritime history and seaside village appeal; key attractions are complimented by a range of boutique retail shops, renowned art galleries and a vibrant coffee trail.
Council works closely with local businesses and it was identified at a tourism industry forum that significant investment in the marketing of Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale was a priority to tackle the challenge of seasonality and level out visitation throughout the year.
It was through Council’s partnership with regional tourism association, Tourism Greater Geelong and The Bellarine that an opportunity was presented to promote Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale via a targeted television advertising campaign.
With a budget of $30,000 and investment from major tourism operators in the region, Council called upon local businesses to unite and make up the shortfall through a coordinated crowdfunding approach.
In bringing this campaign to fruition, businesses had to understand that the campaign was not about the promotion of individual businesses but rather creating brand awareness of Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale and the experiences on offer.
“We wanted the campaign to showcase our unique marine and coastal lifestyle through beautiful imagery and ‘want it now’ experiences,” said Shannon Di Lisio, Tourism and Community Development Program Leader.
“A media buy of this size did not come cheap but by working together it allowed smaller operators access to an otherwise out-of-reach opportunity that many of us could not afford alone,” said Ms Di Lisio.
Not only did the campaign reach an audience of 2.3 million people, it was also backed by a dedicated digital presence within the Visit Geelong Bellarine website and across social media platforms.
We encouraged local traders to shout the campaign from the rooftops, using dedicated hashtags and sharing the commercial on social media. On top of the television audience reach the campaign was buoyed by more than 57,000 people who engaged socially – resulting in a great boost for everyone.
The sense of pride, achievement and unity of these partnerships has become an unmeasurable yet positive outcome of this campaign.
The overwhelming shift from ‘my business’ to ‘the community as a whole’ has resulted in more doors being opened to business-to-business partnerships, more options for accommodation packaging and a willingness to support similar projects in the future.
