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2 October, 2019

Airbnb wants Aussies to find their ‘not so’ local in new pubs campaign

Airbnb has launched a national integrated marketing campaign designed to drive more Australians to venture to regional areas and embrace the warmth of true blue hospitality by staying at a country pub.

The campaign features five publicans from across the country whose pubs were each awarded $50,000 grants as part of Airbnb’s Country Pubs Project.

Among the pubs now available as part of the platform’s newly-launched Pubs collection, is the McCartin’s Hotel in Leongatha owned by AFL legend and former captain of Hawthorn football club, Jarryd Roughead, who has been quick to embrace Airbnb to attract new guests to the region.

From fresh carpets and paint, to new artwork and refurbished bathrooms, the publicans from the six selected pubs have worked alongside local tradies and suppliers to breathe new life into the rooms, injecting their own local personality and country charm. The six selected pubs have been paired with experienced Airbnb hosts to get their rooms up and running on the platform, with the ultimate end goal of attracting more overnight visitors to these true blue watering holes.

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Told through the voice of the publicans, the ads showcase the things to do in and around these pubs and their communities, with each pub featured in the campaign now bookable on Airbnb.

The campaign encompasses a 60-second TVC which will run nationally, and five 30 second state-specific TVCs created for New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland and Tasmania.

An OOH campaign will run across Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane from October 7.

Launched in June, publicans and locals were encouraged to nominate their favourite watering hole for The Country Pub Project grant, by describing what makes their pub so special, and how $50,000 could help revitalise the pub, ultimately helping to attract more visitors.

The community response was overwhelming, with more than 9,000 nominations received during the application process – 7,000 of which came from the public who nominated their favourite local.

Airbnb country marketing lead Daniel Gervais said the Country Pub Project was developed after Airbnb research found two-thirds of Aussies wanted to take a road trip to see more of the real Australia, yet only 14 per cent have spent a night in a regional pub over the past 12 months.

“Pubs are the beating heart of our local communities – communities which have been doing it tough due to drought, waning tourism and economic disruption. Through this campaign we really want to shine a light on the characters that make these beloved institutions so special and encourage people to get out of the cities and enjoy a quintessential country experience,” Gervais said.

“It’s also about showcasing the incredible things to do in regional Australia – whether that’s exploring an old gold mining town or hiking to waterfalls.”

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Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

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