Positive media coverage of Tropical North Queensland was very strong in January with 53 media items reaching a combined audience of almost 40 million and achieving $5.5 million in publicity. The results were from intense media activity by TTNQ with the assistance of Tourism and Events Queensland to push the open for business message following the extraordinary flooding in the wake of Tropical Cyclone Jasper. It included an article in Escape by Emily McAuliffe documenting what she found the week after the floods and three days of live breakfast television weather crosses with Today in Port Douglas and Kuranda and Sunrise in Palm Cove.
Corporate media activity was also very successful with 290 media items achieving more than $2 million in publicity and reaching a combined audience of 183 million. This followed a record December with 587 media items reaching a combined audience of more than 397 million and achieving almost $5 million in publicity. These items included publicity for the campaigns and operator assistance made possible by the Tourism Recovery Package jointly funded by the Federal and State Governments through Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
The airline campaigns have been especially popular with Webjet reporting a remarkable 380% year-on-year spike in passenger volumes across all flights during their sale on Qantas and Jetstar seats which had 300% and 200% uplifts respectively. More than 300,000 Virgin Australia seats were on sale until yesterday with flights to Cairns as low as $69 as part of a Tourism and Events Queensland partnership with the airline supported by the $5 million Tourism Recovery Package.
[Record recovery media coverage – TTNQ Fortnightly Pulse – 21 February 2024]