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Momentum is growing to get tourists back to Vanuatu, the runway is completed, Virgin has returned and this Sunday sees the beginning of phase two of the VUV 180 million “Discover What Matters” Recovery Campaign in Australia and New Zealand.
Spear headed by the heart-felt television commercial (TVC), the campaign will draw on the importance of taking time out and slowing down.
Radio Vanuatu reports this will be reflected through eight life-affirming tenets that will form the content pillars of the campaign. VTO’s general manager, Linda Kalpoi, said the latest campaign has been established based on what the people of Vanuatu believe in and practice every day.
“We want to share these important life values and encourage others to take a holiday that not only introduces them to new cultures, food and experiences, but that also encourages them to explore Vanuatu in a way that will help them to reconnect and discover what truly matters,” said Ms Kalpoi.
The integrated campaign also includes digital advertising, social media, production and promotion of short video’s featuring food and wine, nature and other aspects of experiences in Vanuatu. Importantly the campaign also includes activities with travel wholesalers. “It is important we make it as easy as possible to book their holidays”, Ms Kalpoi said, “we need to make sure the campaign gets people travelling to Vanuatu”, she said. Campaign tools such as a campaign website www.discovervanuatu.com.au and www.discovervanuatu.co.nz have also be developed.
We are also very keen for our industry and the community to get behind the campaign and support it by sharing the television commercial, videos, and Facebook posts through their own social media. We have sent a list of suggestions to industry today on how they can get involved in helping share the campaign. “If we tell our friends, and then our friends tell their friends, we are well on way” Ms Kalpoi said.
To coincide with the release of the campaign the Vanuatu Tourism Office and 10 industry partners have been attending a series of travel agent training sessions and important wholesaler and media lunches in Australia this week. At the lunches the television commercial and campaign were explained, along with details of the marketing activity surrounding it.
“There was such a buzz in the air and the gathering were genuinely enthusiastic about the activity and how they can get involved and support Vanuatu. A similar function was held in New Zealand on the 18th of May with the same response. The television commercial is really touching the hearts and minds of our partners in the market”, Ms Kalpoi said.
Julia King, Sales and Marketing Manager from Evergreen Tours who attended the Australian functions said, “I was so proud to be attending these events and see how the Australian travel industry were reacting to the campaign. It is certainly putting Vanuatu back on the map.”
“There are many people to thank who have contributed to the campaign - our donor agencies the New Zealand Aid Program and Australian Aid, all the contributors to the Tourism Market Development Fund, Air Vanuatu and the Vanuatu Government” Ms Kalpoi said. “We recognise that it has been a very difficult period from our industry and we are hopeful this is a turning point”, she said.
The campaign commences on 29 May and will run until the end of August.
