The Isle of Wight’s 2009 tourism marketing campaign has been launched. Entitled ‘Just Add Water’ the multi-media campaign, worth up to £340,000, complete with the creation of a ‘Go Wight’ website (pictured), will trade on the Island’s appeal as a truly unique year round visitor destination.
The campaign will target regional and national media particularly in London, the South East and the East and West Midlands where many visitors and potential visitors are known to live and work.
This year’s approach will include a series of ads placed within London’s tube network and also advertising on buses in the Midlands. It will include advertising in national newspapers and magazines and an intensive on-line campaign to generate internet bookings via the Island Breaks website and ‘Go Wight’, the site run by the IW Chamber of Commerce, Tourism and Industry.
The campaign is called Just Add Water and trades on the Island’s appeal as a truly unique year-round visitor destination – different from the mainland but easy to reach and value money.
It is believed that the campaign – backing up recent innovations in the Island on-line tourism market capabilities including the creation of the ‘Go Wight’ website – will leave the Island well placed to exploit the current economic climate that is expected to see more people choosing domestic as opposed to foreign holidays.
The campaign is being financed by the Isle of Wight Council and industry partners and complements other initiatives to promote the Island. Other council commitments to tourism include the production of the IW Accommodation Guide (in association with the Chamber of Commerce), dedicated Tourism PR that includes regular contact with the travel media to promote individual events and initiatives, support for major events and making sure the Island is represented at industry exhibitions in the UK and Europe.
Cllr George Brown, IW Council cabinet member with responsibility for tourism said this year’s campaign would ensure the Island’s appeal as a destination would be taken right into the heart of the most critical potential markets.
“By conducting an all year campaign with three peaks of activity– January and February, April and May and September and October – we will also be ensuring that the Island is in the mind of visitors at all times and especially when they may be thinking of booking holidays. That will help us in our goal of extending the tourism season,” he said.
“With more people expected to look at taking domestic holidays this year it is crucial the Island is effectively promoted. This campaign – together with the other work being undertaken by our partners – will ensure we are well represented in key target areas and at key times of the year.
“There is anecdotal evidence that the Island was a popular place to visit over the Christmas and New Year period, we are now well prepared to build on that throughout the year.”
Dave Groocock, chairman of the Tourism Development Board and vice president of the IW Chamber of Commerce, said:
“The island is well placed for a successful 2009, with advance bookings already up on the same time last year.
“The marketing campaign will help us to expand our visitor base so that we reach out to potential new holidaymakers who can sample the Isle of Wight for the first time and hopefully want to come back for more.
“This in essence is what we hope to achieve to benefit the tourism industry at large and create a real tourism product that will become a year round destination, which in turn will add value to the Island’s economy by creating year round employment and wealth.”
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