Regional tourism campaign

Councils combine to attract Sydney-siders to overnight stays in the Blue Mountains. Photograph courtesy Destination NSW.

The Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury and Penrith, New South Wales (NSW) were showcased in a new cooperative tourism marketing campaign, developed by Destination NSW in partnership with the Regional Strategic Alliance.

Minister for Tourism and Major Events, Adam Marshall, unveiled the ‘Wake Up With’ campaign on 10 September, which encouraged families and active singles from the Greater Sydney area to visit the region and stay overnight.

Regional Strategic Alliance (RSA) Chair, Blue Mountains Mayor, Mark Greenhill, said the campaign showed how the three councils could work together in an innovative and collective way.

“The RSA was formed in 2016 to harness the collective strength, energy and commitment of the region to help build the future of our cities.

“This marketing campaign… [was] a perfect example of this alliance creating a united voice for the region and advocating for the benefit of all three local government areas.”

The ‘Wake Up With’ campaign ran for eight weeks, during the Spring travel period, and featured the four experience themes of adventure, nature, food and culture.

It built on Destination NSW’s and the NSW Government’s commitment to grow the state’s regional economy, through marketing diverse destinations and unique experiences.

RSA Chief Executive Officer, Belinda Szafraniec, said ‘Wake Up With’ had been made possible by matched funding from Destination NSW, through the Regional Cooperative Tourism Marketing Program.

Activities like kayaking, mountain biking, tree top adventures and camping showcased in digital media, public relations activity and a partnership with Wotif.

The campaign also highlighted quirky and unique food picking, dining and cultural experiences.

The Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury and Penrith City Councils collectively represent a growing region of more than 330,000 people and a geographic area of 4,612 square km.