Central Coast: Building a big billion dollar tourism brand through “Little Adventures”

Central Coast: Building a big billion dollar tourism brand through “Little Adventures”

Domestic tourism to Australia’s NSW Central Coast had fallen significantly over four years, largely due to negative perceptions of the region. This paper outlines how the area won back tourism revenue and increased market share in a multi-phase brand campaign that targeted Gen X and ‘Empty Nesters’. The approach used novel data analysis to distinguish claimed from actual behaviour (purchase behaviour), with insights gleaned informing the brand platform and a campaign spanning digital, TV, PR and outdoor. By inspiring ‘little adventures’ across the Central Coast, tourism revenues grew 22.7% in 2017-19 (compared to a target of 5%), contributing A$240m of additional tourism revenue over two years.