TOURISM

Evolution * Objectives * Why "GGW" * Self Drive Map * Achievements 1997 * GGW Map * Tourism Award * Information Centres * Signage * Shows * Internet * Media * Support * Current Projects * Who * Staff * Funding * Get Involved

REGION BETWEEN CAIRNS AND TOWNSVILLE encompassing the towns of Gordonvale, Babinda, Innisfail, Tully, Cardwell, Mission Beach, Ingham and Crystal Creek.

Evolution
The Great Green Way was an initiative of the Development Bureau of Hinchinbrook and Cardwell Shires and the Cassowary Coast Development Bureau. It resulted from a Regional Tourism strategy conducted for the area between Crystal Creek and Gordonvale. The Federal Department of Industry, Science and Tourism funded this strategy.

One of the major recommendations of the strategy was that a tourism marketing identity be established for the region. It was recognised that the identity would provide an excellent opportunity to increase the exposure of the region and strengthen its tourism and economic profile. This regional identity would also assist in providing a co-ordinated focus towards the marketing and development of the tourism industry of the region.

The region from Gordonvale to Crystal Creek ("The Great Green Way") would benefit from a co-operative and co-ordinated approach to marketing the region and would result in a greater profile of the region and an image that would entice visitors to stay longer.

Initial Objectives for the Concept
To provide a generic link to individual sub-regional marketing campaigns

To overcome the existing fragmented and uncoordinated approach to destination marketing of the region

To provide for co-operative marketing and communication networks for the tourism industry within the region

To assist tourism bodies government departments and existing and potential visitors to build confidence in the region as a tourism destination.

Why "The Great Green Way"?
The two Development Bureaux gained a grant from the Federal Government Department of Industry, Science and Tourism to develop and implement this recommendation.

The Name
The Queensland Tourist and Travel Corporation obtained national marketing company, MOJO, to develop the name for the region. In the 1995 questionnaires presented to visitors and local operators within the region those surveyed cited "The Great Green Way" name as the most reflective for the region. As "The Great Green Way" expresses the sentiments of world heritage, rainforest and ecology in a friendly, non-confrontational way.

The name allows the many attractions and destinations along its route to retain and promote their own individual identities while exuding a promise of natureís beauty and wonder.

The Logo
The Great Green Way Logo, designed by Bolton Inprint ñ Cairns, uses the Green Tree Frog icon in an illustrated format.. The Green Tree Frog was chosen because of its relationship with the Tropical North and its friendly nature. The frog is also a simplistic symbol to adopt for a range of applications and is used fairly readily in a range of brochures, postcards etc in Tropical North Queensland and is identified by people interstate and overseas as a symbol of the Tropical North. This has been an advantage because of its ability to be immediately recognised in the marketplace. The logo itself provides scope for simple, sub regional photographic icons to be incorporated in the design, or it can stand-alone.

TOP

Self-Drive Map
The map was created by Two Dogs Barking to assist in increase the existing self-drive market and the initial concept sought to use similar techniques employed by the Matilda Highway. The initial target markets were;

• Self-Drive Visitors both domestic and international, already on the road or planning a self-drive holiday. This market was identified as the largest and the aim was to increase their awareness of the attractions within the area. In 1995, the Department of Transport estimated that 600 000 visitor cars traveled between Cairns and Townsville along the Bruce Highway.
• North Queensland Residents. Enticing local residents within the Cairns and Townsville region to take a "short break" either south or north of their town. This market could also act as a cushion market in the low season.

Achievements of the Great Green Way 1996/97
In, The Great Green Way was launched in at functions in Cairns and Townsville. The selling of the region began with a self-drive map, as it was identified that over 50% of visitors to the region were those within the self-drive market.

The launch was a major success, receiving support from the majority of businesses within the region and the regional tourism associations based in Cairns and Townsville. The Great Green Way has been able to utilise the recognition already established by Cairns and Townsville as major tourism , in promoting the idea of turning a four hour drive into a fourteen day stay.

The Great Green Way Map
The Map has been an unprecedented success with 80,000 maps being distributed in 7 months. It is currently in its second run. The local industry has been so impressed with the brochure they are the main users and distributors of it. Many include it in their mail-outs, brochure drops and sales calls. Operators in Townsville, Cairns, Magnetic island, Mackay,.

Tourism Award
Most recently, this marketing campaign received the Best Marketing and Promotional Campaign Award at the North Queensland Tourism Awards.

TOP

Information Centres
The information centres have all been linked to the Great Green Way theme through signage and are now recognised as official information centres. Visitor numbers are collected from all centres and are presented as regional statistical visitor information to many government departments, media and interested organisations. The information centres aim to present a co-ordinated approach to the delivery of information throughout the Great Green Way region.

Gateway and Town Signage
The Sign Company of Townsville were contracted to complete town and gateway signage. These town signs have now been completed and erected at Gordonvale, Babinda, Innisfail, Mission Beach, Tully, Cardwell and Ingham. Each town received tow signs, reflecting the specific nature of the town and linking them as part of The Great Green Way. The concepts for the signs were achieved with participation with local Chambers of Commerce, councils and community organisations.

Trade and Travel Shows
1997 saw the first trade and travel shows attended by both Bureaux as the Great Green Way. These included; the Townsville Holiday and Travel Show , the Townsville Boating and Fishing Expo, the Brisbane Travel and Holiday Show , Queensland For Sale and a South East Queensland Sales Blitz

Internet
The Great Green Way Map and Information is now on the Internet. You can access it at the following address http://www.tel.com.au/framggw.htm this has resulted in numerous overseas inquiries. There are currently plans for a Great Green Way domain.

TOP

Media Coverage
The Great Green Way Campaign and projects have had excellent media coverage. Some of these have included; Television spots with the lifestyle program Getaway, Cairns and Townsville Win Station. Radio Coverage with 4KZ, Kool Fm, ABC National and Regional. Newspaper Coverage with The Cairns Post, Townsville Bulletin, Innisfail Advocate, Tully Times, Herbert River Express, Pyramid News, travel Times, Weekends for Two.

Industry Support
The tourism authorities have also been very supportive, including the local DTAís, Tourism Tropical North Queensland, Townsville Enterprise Limited and the Queensland Tourism and Travel Corporation.

Current Projects

Great Green Way Calender of Events
The Great Green Way Calendar of Events is a free events and festivals listing produced by the Great Green Way to develop a program of up and coming events within the region for 1998. This event calender aims to entice people to the area to participate in many of our unique and unusual events and festivals.

The calender is distributed to numerous media bodies, government organisations, travel agents and community groups both intrastate and interstate.

Great Green Way Internet Strategy
The Great Green Way Internet Strategy is a project aimed at greatly increasing the use of the internet in the region, as well as using it as a powerful marketing tool for the region. The strategy involves increasing the number and quality of home pages within the region, especially the links between pages. Other aims are to increase the hit rate on the home pages in the region, and training and education programs for industry and individuals to ensure that they are getting full value out of their internet services.

A Great Green Way Internet Directory is being prepared, and this will be distributed widely within the region. The project team meets monthly, and interested persons are welcome to attend.

TOP

Great Green Way Conference & Incentive Program
A major market in Australia in the future will be the Conference and Incentive market. A Great Green Way conference and Incentive Strategy is being developed so that the region can access this very promising market.

The five year plan involves identifying ten events that the region can support, and organize the events on an annual and monthly basis. Initially these events will be targeted at the regional market, but in subsequent years the state and national markets will be targeted. The timing of the events will be planned to take account of major events in Townsville and Cairns so that the maximum interest can be generated by the strategy.

Great Green Way Trade and Travel Shows
The Great Green Way will be attending 8 Trade and Travel Shows during 1998 as well as several road trips to the Gulf Region and to Brisbane. Presenting at these shows under this banner not only provides a professional and co-ordinated image and profile for the region but it results in the smaller businesses within the region being able to share the financial costs of such shows.

The shows are manned by Bureaux staff, who provide an unbiased approach to the marketing and selling of the Great Green Way and itís individual products, attractions and events.

TOP

Great Green Way Regional Brochure

The Great Green Way Regional Brochure will be the handbook and reference guide for all intending travelers to the region and will be the major publication for the region. The publication will be interesting, informative and exciting, maintaining a flow and continuity by building on the already existing and well accepted Great Green Way Map and logo style. The very successful Great Green Way Map will be integrated in to this publication as a detachable part of the brochure.

The regional brochure will assist, with other Great Green Way projects, in building a unique and desirable personality for the region. It will also provide a professional and comprehensive directory of the region.

Great Green Way Tourism Inventory
The Great Green Way Tourism and Business Inventory is a guide to businesses in the Great Green Way. This inventory lists all the accommodation, attractions and tours within the region. It listing their amenities, bed numbers, activities, tariffs and contact details.

This inventory is distributed to all information centres within the state and to travel agents intrastate and interstate to help promote the multitude of businesses and products available to people who are wishing or thinking of travelling to the area.

Great Green Way Gown to Town
The Great Green Way ëGown to Towní Strategy is being planned to forge far stronger links with James Cook University. It is proposed to greatly increase the opportunities for students to undertake fieldwork in the region, thus increasing the knowledge and information on the region in the wider community. It will aim to encourage some graduates to pursue careers in the region adding to the skills we have in the region and leading to business and community growth.

TOP

Great Green Way Cultural Inventory
An ever growing proportion of international and domestic tourists are seeking the ëculturalí tourism experience as a major component of their holiday. A cultural inventory for the region will aim to develop strategic marketing and commercial partnerships between the existing tourism and cultural industries. It will also encourage the development of the regions cultural tourism based experiences which are representative of the areas social, cultural and environmental assets. Thereby influence the profitability of cultural tourism enterprises within the region.

Who Is Involved?
The Great Green Way is an initiative of the Development Bureaux of Hinchinbrook and Cardwell Shire's and the Cassowary Coast. A committee was formed from the local tourism operators and members of the 2 development bureaux.

Structure and Staff
There are eight (8) paid staff and over 100 Volunteers who work under the umbrella of the Great Green Way.

The two development bureaux are run from a board of directors who employ managers to manage the day to day operation of the bureaux. These two managers manage their individual bureau and work together to manage the Great Green Way in accordance with the Great Green Way marketing and administration committees which meet on a monthly basis.

Funding
Our funding primarily comes from the support of our 2 development Bureaux, who are supported by the local Councils and members. They are both non-profit organisations.

TOP

How Can You Be Involved?
To be involved with the Great Green Way and any of its numerous projects please contact either;

Jenny Smith - Manager
Cassowary Coast Development Bureau
Ph (07)40632000 Fax (07)40632022
e-mail: ccdb@znet.net.au

Michelle Lloyd - Eco-Tourism Development Officer
Development Bureau Hinchinbrook & Cardwell Shires
Ph (07)40682752 Fax (07)40682858
e-mail: tourism@znet.net.au

Deborah Gabiola -Tourism Development Officer
Hinchinbrook Council
Ph (07)47765211 Fax (07)47763039
e-mail: hinchinbrookshire@h150.aone.net.au