Regional tourism marketing support, equestrian festival returns, boost for Adelaide Fringe & more...
A boost to regional tourism marketing announced this week by the State Government aims to help our sector return to its pre-COVID record high.
The $500,000 boost includes $15,000 for each of the state’s 11 tourism regions to supplement their existing baseline marketing spend.
My team at the South Australian Tourism Commission will now work with the regional tourism organisations to assist in the planning and roll-out of marketing – helping drive the recovery of our once record-high visitor economy.
In event news, the Australian International 3 Day Event will return to Adelaide for the first time since pre pandemic – relaunching as the Adelaide Equestrian Festival.
As well as the new name, it returns with a new program to further entice domestic and international audiences, new Autumn date in April, and a 3-year sponsorship with the State Government through our Events South Australia arm.
The State Government today announced a doubling of its commitment to the Adelaide Fringe, with an additional $2 million per year over four years to go towards interstate and overseas marketing, securing headline events, and additional grants for artists.
It follows yesterday’s announcement of a new agreement with Supercars Australia to secure the Adelaide 500 as the final race of the Supercars Championship for the next five years – including its return from December 1-4 this year.
Over in New Zealand, a week-long segment on TVNZ’s primetime program, Seven Sharp, is promoting South Australia to our state’s once $45 million market. The segments feature operators across the CBD, Adelaide Hills and Flinders Ranges & Outback, broadcasting to an average weekly reach of 1.3 million viewers.
Read on for details and other updates.
Rodney Harrex
Chief Executive
Regional tourism marketing boost
The State Government has committed almost $500,000 to boost regional tourism marketing and support the sector in its COVID recovery.
Following a $45 million marketing investment for the South Australian Tourism Commission as part of the State Budget, an additional $15,000 will be distributed to each of the state’s 11 tourism regions.
The funding will be provided to all Regional Tourism Organisations, to be invested into consumer marketing activities.
The funding is an increase on the existing baseline $20,000 each region receives annually from the SATC. Regions also received one-off $10,000 funding last year for support during the height of COVID restrictions.
Return of the world's best horses and riders
One of only seven events in the world at its level, the Australian International 3 Day Event will return to Adelaide – relaunching as the Adelaide Equestrian Festival.
The internationally acclaimed equestrian event will return to the city’s parklands on April 20-23, with new offerings to entice domestic and international audiences.
At the Festival’s core is the Adelaide International FEI5* eventing competition, one of only seven events in the world held at the highest level and the only five-star horse trials in the southern hemisphere. It is an Olympic qualifier for Australian riders.
A three-year sponsorship of the event will see the event return in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
In 2019, the event attracted more than 25,000 spectators and delivered $5.2 million in new economic expenditure for the state.
Tasting Australia Winter Series starts next week
From 1-31 July, the Tasting Australia Winter Series presented by RAA Travel celebrates seasonal produce with events across Adelaide and regional South Australia.
A series of events spanning the state include a wine dinner at McLaren Vale’s exclusive Beresford House and a collaboration between esteemed chefs Kane Pollard (Topiary) and Tom Tilbury (Press Food and Wine) at Victoria Park Social Club.
The return of the Winter Series follows a stellar run for Tasting Australia 2022, which saw 200 events take place across the state and over 60,000 visitors through the festival hub, Town Square, in Victoria Square/Tarntanyangga.
Eat out, experience local and support small business
Small businesses are being backed, with a new State Government campaign encouraging South Australians to spend local.
The Support Small Business campaign, developed by the Department of the Premier & Cabinet, highlights why small businesses are so important and how by spending local, it will help our state’s economy and employment growth.
The campaign features 20 small and family-owned businesses from sectors hardest hit in the pandemic – including tourism and hospitality operators like Barossa Helicopters, Eco Caddy, Australian Coastal Safaris, Juggle House Experiences, and NOLA.
Enticing New Zealanders to see South Australia
As part of the SATC’s marketing in New Zealand, TVNZ’s Seven Sharp is broadcasting South Australia’s unique operators and destinations this week – inspiring our state’s once $45 million market to see SA.
Seven Sharp has an average weekly reach of 1.3 million viewers and the marketing is timely, with Air New Zealand resuming direct flights from Auckland to Adelaide from July 4.
The segments feature operators such as Rawnsley Park Station and Prairie Hotel in the Flinders Ranges and Outback, Woodside Cheese Wrights in the Adelaide Hills, and the Adelaide Central Market in the CBD.
Helping bring live music back in South Australia
A new $10 million investment from the State Government will deliver a suite of measures to bring live music back in South Australia.
The See it LIVE Music Package includes grants for events and venue improvement, a voucher scheme, a live music advisory council, an events cancellation fund, and more.
Applications are open for:
- Event Grants of between $5000 to $50,000 for SA-based promoters, organisations and businesses, to help meet costs.
- Venue Improvement Grants of $5000 each to help venues with upgrades to cater for live music performances.
- E-vouchers worth $400 each for venues to host live music.
The Live Music and Event Cancellation Fund will provide financial assistance if an event or live music performance is cancelled or rescheduled due to the introduction of COVID-19 restrictions.
Learn how to attract visitors from India – webinar series
The Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) and Tourism Australia’s 'India Host' training program is back!
“Now is the right time to engage with the Indian market, with the ICC T20 Men's World Cup and new direct flights by Qantas, it is forecasted that India will be one of the largest inbound markets in 2022,” Garry Burns, Culture Kite.
The India Host 2022 webinar series will be held via Zoom on Tuesday 28 June and Thursday 30 June at 10.30am-12.30pm AEST.
Can't make a session? The Zoom webinars are available on-demand.
Booking systems for your business
Newly launched Bookable Tourism has designed an on-demand online learning experience to teach operators how to choose a booking system for their business.
You know you need a system, but don't know where to start? This course is designed to provide a framework to follow and help you navigate the world of booking systems.
Make the most of the $129 launch offer, available now.
Looking for one-on-one help? Bookable Tourism also offers consulting in sourcing a booking system.
See the Industry Update – 24 June 2022.