Canberra reinvention gathers momentum

Canberra reinvention gathers momentum
By admin


With the second incarnation of its Human Brochure campaign now underway, Canberra continues to shake off its serious image, reinventing itself as a quirky hub for arts, culture and food.

When it first launched in 2012, the campaign invited two batches of 500 "social media-savvy" people to share their experiences of the city through their social networks using the #humanbrochure hashtag.

VisitCanberra revealed that it exceeded online forecast goals by 92% and,  most importantly, "restarted positive word of mouth about Canberra as a short break holiday destination".

Domestic overnight visitors rose 10.2% in the first six months of 2013 year on year, with domestic visitor nights surging 22.2%.

Longer term, the destination continues to see increases with international holiday visitors up 6.4% in the year to March 2014 and domestic holiday makers up 8.2%.

This time around, the campaign is focusing on the visiting friends and relatives market which accounts for 34% of visitors to Canberra, according to Tourism Research Australia.

A famil and event program between May and July has armed 101 Local Humans with information about what there is to see and do in Canberra. They will then share that knowledge by inviting a local and interstate friend or relative to share in one of 101 VIP experiences in October.

Their stories will once again be aggregated onto the Human Brochure website using the same hashtag.

However, it is not the only initiative shining light on the nation’s capital as an appealing travel destination.

The Truffle Festival, now in its sixth year, has made the city the base for its program of truffle-themed events which runs from June 21 until late August. More than 45 venues in the region are taking part with Accor the official accommodation partner. Events include a series of Masterchef Masterclasses to be held at each Accor hotel, with accommodation packages available.

In addition, a burst of new hotel developments are also enhancing the city's appeal. The quirky QT Canberra opened in April, with Mantra Group's Peppers brand making its CBD debut in Canberra this month.  

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