Work on winter marketing starts now

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 13, Issue 618, 28 December 1995, Page 7

Work on winter marketing starts now

Last week 27 tourism operators from around the Ruapehu District met to discuss a co-operative winter marketing strategy for .1996. A winter marketing campaign has been undertaken over the past five years by the industry to increase the number of visitors to the Ruapehu District to experience snow holidays. Campaign manager, and district council marketing manager Bruce Rollinson said that an en-

tirely new approach has been taken with the 1996 campaign. A total re-think of the consumer deci-sion-making process has been adopted. "The winter brochure will only advertise outside the district those businesses that consumers need information about before they arrive here. This means that the winter brochure will detail information on the ski areas and accommodation and profile other activities," said Mr Rollinson.

Other businesses such as ski shops, restaurants and community facilities would be encouraged to advertise in a separate glossy tabloid or magazine which will be distributed around the district and in ski shops. "This publication will have a good shelf-life and will serve as the complete accommodation compendium for both winter and summer. It will also provide detailed information about our unique

area for those that we have attracted here," he added. Mr Rollinson said the 1996 strategy provides an added incentive for operators to become involved as the participation fees have been halved. This means accommodation operators will pay $1000, activity operators $500 and there is also a one-line listing option for activity operators of $100. Turn to Page 9

Winter marketing FROMPAGE7 "This is very good value for money considering that it is a highly targeted campaign that it is integrated with many of our other marketing activities," said Mr Rollinson. The reduced buy-in fee has been accommodated by dropping off some of the promotional activities associated with the campaign and re-focussing resources, said Mr Rollinson. The meeting resolved to adopt the strategy as amended and advised that all of the district's tourism operators will be sent the strategy over the next week. "We are expecting a similar participation to 1 995 — about 40 operators," said Mr Rollinson.