Tourism Australia Tops In Social Media Exposure

[Jason Hall]

Tourism Australia, Australia’s national tourism organization, can bask in the success of achieving October 2014’s top slot for global travel destinations according to social media.  The Land Down Under suddenly came out on top beating competitors like Walt Disney World Resorts, Visit Florida and the U.S. Department of the Interior. 

Taking #1 overall for travel destination on social media, Tourism Australia owes thanks to the Skift Score.  According to the Skift Score website, the honor “takes into account social media performance on an absolute basis, as well as relative to within a company’s specific industry.”  The Skift Score endeavors “to quantify the digital IQ of travel brands and devise a metric that cuts across all sectors of travel, with the goal of creating a common language of competitive intelligence across these sectors.”  Despite a highly competitive global, tourism market, and recent events, Tourism Australia doesn’t have to feel relegated to “down under.”

In the wake of a high-profile, executive transition and a splashy new partnership, Tourism Australia has achieved marketing alchemy and leveraged recent events into marketing gold.  In late October, Tourism Australia’s chief marketing officer, Nick Baker chose to resign from his position.  After 7 years in the role, he chose to pursue fresh opportunities.  The leadership vacuum didn’t rattle the organization as Lisa Ronson immediately stepped in and wasted no time achieving Tourism Australia’s goals.  Her 18 years of marketing experience working with companies like Carlton, Visa International and United Breweries no doubt prepared her for overnight success.

Not long after Baker’s resignation, a huge announcement popped.  Virgin Australia publicly stated their intention to partner with Tourism Australia.  The deal requires the companies to jointly spend $20 million over the next 3 years on a marketing initiative that will promote leisure travel and vacations to New Zealand and the United States.  After Qantas severed ties with Tourism Australia in 2012, the tourism organization needed a partner.  The partnership will allow the companies to co-host major tourism events, showcasing the allure of Australia, as well as the benefits of flying Virgin Australia.  Perhaps Tourism Australia should now consider a budget car hire partnership, to dominate all theaters, whether by land, sea or air.

At the moment, Tourism Australia appears incapable of doing any wrong.  As the new marketing campaign rolls out, fully expect Tourism Australia to be a regular contender for the #1 Skift Score.