Australia’s low fares airline Jetstar has made a significant six figure commitment towards a joint marketing campaign with Tourism Tasmania to promote more interstate holiday travel to Tasmania the Island of Inspiration! The national television campaign will run to the end of July on SBS and subscription TV and in free to air markets centred on Sydney and Melbourne.

Jetstar Chief Executive Officer Alan Joyce said the recent Australia-wide rise in domestic tourism, which according to Tourism Research Australia’s latest data has Tasmania outpacing other states in growth in visitor nights, provided a favourable environment to stimulate even greater visitation to the state.

Mr Joyce announced the marketing partnership at the 2007 Tasmanian Tourism Conference in Launceston.

To support the Island of Inspiration campaign, Jetstar which flies direct to Hobart or Launceston from Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane is offering one way web fares from Melbourne from $59 (eg Melbourne Launceston), Sydney from $89 (eg Sydney Launceston) and Brisbane from $129 at Jetstar.com.

“Jetstar is partnering with Tourism Tasmania to invest in an evocative retail campaign that is all about driving greater levels of visitation and overall interest by mainland Australians towards Tasmania year round,” Mr Joyce said.

“As a major stakeholder in tourism in Tasmania, Jetstar continues to make a significant investment in marketing and inspiring visitation to the state to a national and increasingly global audience.

“It is in all our interests in the Tasmanian tourism industry to continue to proactively and innovatively drive visitation levels up to and beyond 1 million tourists annually visiting the state.

“Working with and investing in the industry to promote Tasmania is a critical part of Jetstar’s strategic approach to stimulate further growth out of our six existing Tasmanian routes.”

Tourism Tasmania Chief Executive Officer Felicia Mariani said she was thrilled with the expanded association between Tourism Tasmania and the low fares carrier which had sustainably grown the Qantas Group’s domestic services into the state.

“We are thrilled at Tourism Tasmania to be working so closely with Jetstar on this cooperative campaign,” Ms Mariani said.

“Jetstar has long been a great partner for us, but this is the first time for some period that Tourism Tasmania and Jetstar have joined forces in such a comprehensive campaign to promote Tasmania on national television.

“What makes this campaign even more exciting, is that we are coming together to promote the state over the winter period. Tasmania is a wonderful destination ‘all year round’ and winter is no exception. These great fares create the ideal reason to travel to Tasmania and be inspired!”

Mr Joyce said: “The existing ‘Island of Inspiration’ theme is very appropriate for Jetstar to effectively market Tasmania in retail media and promote its attractiveness to visit.”

“This current retail campaign sets a benchmark from which both organisations can look to future cooperative opportunities to keep Tasmania at the forefront of travel and touring options for Australian consumers,” Mr Joyce said.

Jetstar’s existing base schedule operates to Hobart 4 times daily from Melbourne, between 1-2 times daily from Sydney and 3 times weekly direct flights to Brisbane.

The value based carrier’s Launceston schedule operates to Melbourne 3 times daily, a daily return service to Sydney and 4 times weekly direct to Brisbane.

As the Official Partner of AFL Tasmania and Community Support Partner of the AFL Live matches in the state, Jetstar had also added this season additional Melbourne Launceston services on the day of AFL Premiership matches at Aurora Stadium in Launceston.
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