How OQTA works for you

It is important for Members to recognise that the majority of activities will be undertaken outside of the Region in order to market and improve the regions profile and therefore are not highly visible within the Region. It should also be noted that it is not the OQTA’s responsibility to market individual towns, attractions or operators other than in the generic context of the Region. If visitors are travelling through the Region then we are contributing to the promotion of Outback Tourism.

To facilitate our core responsibilities, OQTA continues to develop the following four areas of management:

1. Product Development

Product Development is an integral part of the future growth of tourism in the Outback. If we are to continue to grow the industry within the region then we need to address the issues faced by our members to ensure that they are given every opportunity to grow.

OQTA recognises that Members businesses are at varying stages of the product development cycle. Product development support is about creating a sustainable industry by providing guidance knowledge and best practice resources.

A sustainable business is one that can weather the seasonality of the industry and keep developing and growing. OQTA’s goal is to work with our Members to grow the sustainability of tourism in the Region, enabling us to engage the broader industry (retail, wholesale, operators etc) and work with them to create a long term partnership. If there is not a long term focus from the Outback, the industry will not engage the Outback like they do other regions ie TTNQ, Gold Coast.

Product development is automatically included in a Gold membership, or can be purchased on an adhoc basis by any member. We recognise that members businesses are different and there is no one solution to fit all, we will tailor make a training package to ensure that your business can get the most out of the Product Development opportunities available to you.

Areas for consultation range from, but are not limited to; yield management, business planning, industry engagement, pricing and commission, seasonality, distribution and distribution cycles.

2. Industry Representation & Partnerships

Your Industry Voice
OQTA represents members’ interests at senior levels of state and federal government and other non-government tourism organisations including Tourism Queensland, Tourism Australia and Queensland Tourism Industry Council (QTIC).

OQTA also works towards the development of partnerships and relationships with non government organisations and private businesses to increase the profile of the region as a tourism destination.

Members Newsletter
The Members Newsletter ‘Queensland’s Outback News’ provides a vital link between OQTA management and members. It contains information regarding new tourism developments; important regional, state and national tourism issues; opportunities for member involvement; OQTA initiatives, promotional activities, projects and developments. Queensland’s Outback News is a valuable source of up-to-date information for members and is also distributed to OQTA media contacts and Tourism Queensland International offices worldwide to gain additional publicity on issues.

Corporate Website
OQTA’s corporate website - www.outbackqld.com.au - acts as a portal for members and contains a wide range of supporting documents and templates as well as links to research and other industry sites.

OQTA Annual Report
An Annual Report is compiled every year for the Annual General Meeting. A copy of the latest report will be included in your membership information. Members can also request a copy at any time, or download it from the corporate website.

3. Marketing

Cooperative Domestic Marketing Opportunities
To assist you in planning your own promotional activities, OQTA develop an annual Cooperative Domestic Marketing Opportunities plan. This plan outlines a number of proposed marketing activities including Tourism Queensland cooperative campaigns, consumer shows, trade shows, publicity and other activities. Members are encouraged to review the plan and consider participation for inclusion in their marketing budgets.

Cooperative Marketing Campaigns
The OQTA works in partnership with Tourism Queensland to plan major cooperative marketing campaigns throughout the year. These campaigns form part of the overall Check out Queensland’s backyard marketing campaign and are an excellent, cost effective way to add value to your own marketing efforts.

Adventure Out There Branding
‘Adventure Out There’ is a destination image for Queensland’s Outback and has been designed to provide our members a consistent, professional message when promoting their product to the consumer.

Publications
The OQTA presents a range of informative publications for consumers, media and the travel trade.

Queensland’s Outback Travellers’ Guide -This National Tourism Award winning publication (2006) is a full colour annual guide highlights towns, attractions, events and facilities plus has a comprehensive Member Services Directory covering the entire Outback Region. Although the Travellers' Guide promotes the entire Queensland Outback region, it provides an opportunity for member only advertising. The Regional Brochure is featured in all generic advertising campaigns, is distributed at trade and consumer shows, and is forwarded in response to all enquiries received for regional information. It is also displayed in visitor information centres both in Queensland and interstate, and Tourism Queensland offices around the world.

Check out Queensland’s Off-road backyard - This annual brochure is aimed at increasing awareness of the outdoor adventures available in the region, including four wheel driving, national parks, fishing, opal & gem fossicking, station stays etc.

Calendar of Events - The annual Calendar of Events is produced to provide information on regional events to visitors, media and the travel trade. It is distributed to information centres throughout the region and is included in mail responses to enquiries. As a member, you can list major events at no charge.

Consumer and Trade Shows
Throughout the year OQTA attend numerous domestic travel and trade shows throughout Australia to promote Queensland’s Outback to identified target markets. For a full listing of consumer and trade shows OQTA will be attending in the coming year, please refer to the Cooperative Domestic Marketing Opportunities plan.

Online Marketing
Consumer Website: OQTA has developed a consumer website - www.queenslandsbackyard.com.au - to penetrate a wider market through internet exposure. The website presents comprehensive information on Queensland’s Outback including information on towns, attractions, activities, operators and travelling tips. All members are entitled to a detailed listing on the Outback Holidays site (including direct email and URL links) as part of their membership benefits.

Queensland Online: Members have the opportunity to be a part of an online booking system that connects visitors directly to your reservation system via the internet. Queensland Online is a whole of state initiative and is designed to maximise the return from e-marketing and to allow consumers to book their accommodation and tours immediately. Technological advances and ever increasing use of the internet as a source of information for holiday destinations means this system will be a valuable tool now and in the future.

Australian Tourism Data Warehouse: Membership with OQTA provides discounted rates on the ATDW. The Australian Tourism Data Warehouse is a national tourism database that stores tourism product and destination information. The content is distributed through a broadening network of over 40 travel websites, including Tourism Queensland’s Consumer website www.queenslandholidays.com.au, Tourism Australia’s www.australia.com and OQTA’s consumer site www.queenslandbackyard.com.au For more information on ATDW go to www.tq.com.au/atdw

Consumer Emails: Quarterly destination information is sent to our consumer database. This provides the consumer with new packages, product initiatives, updates on regional and local events and general destination information.

Travel Trade and Media Famils
OQTA coordinates and/or assists with a series of trade familiarisations to the Region. Trade famils give travel agents and media representatives a quick yet comprehensive insight into the attractions and facilities within the region, which results in increased familiarity with Queensland’s Outback and, in turn, increased visitors.

4. Media & Publicity

OQTA is dedicated to increasing the exposure of Queensland’s Outback in the media. This is done through regular distribution of media releases on regional events and OQTA activities. In addition, feature stories on destinations, tours, attractions etc in Queensland’s Outback are regularly placed with metro and regional publications throughout Australia, as well as specialist travel magazines.

Members are able to send there own press releases through OQTA’s extensive media contacts database by sending the releases to OQTA.





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