NSW Govt loves Gen-Y travellers

Millennials are the flavour of the month for the NSW Government when it comes to tourism.

And the state government has jumped in bed with the world’s largest youth travel network, STA Travel, to prove their commitment to the market.

The new partnership is aimed at encouraging young international travellers to head down under, and visit the Harbour City, as well as a range of unique regional centres.

Through Destination NSW, the Government has teamed up to arrange a two year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which will see STA Travel promote Sydney and regional NSW to customers across all international spreads.

The chief executive of Destination NSW, Sandra Chipchase, said the partnership is a promising venture into the elusive Gen Y arena.

“Youth tourism is a rapidly growing market and one we have targeted for visitor growth in NSW,” she said.

“Last year we achieved a new record, with over a million young people travelling to NSW in the year end June 2014, the first time any state has reached this figure over a 12 month period, and an increase of 4.2 per cent on the previous year’s figures.

“This new agreement will enhance the popularity of NSW destinations for young travellers by directly promoting our State both in-store and online. It will focus on key markets such as the UK, Germany, USA, Singapore, Japan and New Zealand.”

And STA Travel Group’s ceo John Constable is equally as enthusiastic about the match-up.

“This new two year MoU cements and builds on the work we have been doing together over the past two years,” Constable said.

“NSW is one of our top global destinations for young travellers who flock to work, travel and experience this corner of the world. NSW offers everything including a fantastic range of youth products, transportation, infrastructure as well as off-the-beaten track adventures.”

The announcement comes off the back of a raft of youth campaigns undertaken by Destination NSW in 2014, trying to reel in young working holidaymakers and backpackers to the state.

A range of promotional strategies dominated the market last year, alongside publicity through youth-focused travel names like Hostelworld, STA Travel and MTV.

One of the most engaging campaigns was the exciting ‘Chief Funster’ appointment, part of Tourism Asutralia’s ‘Best Jobs in the World’ campaign.

The Funster dove headfirst into a six-month journey throughout NSW using social media to promote opportunities for working holidays, and a whopping 802,000 moments of fun, one for each square kilometre of mighty NSW.

“Our partnership with STA Travel is just one example of the many ways Destination NSW is targeting the youth sector,” Chipchase added, emphasising the huge role millennials play in the tourism game.

“We will also partner with StudyNSW to promote Sydney and Regional NSW as destinations for student visitors, with many other initiatives to be announced in coming months.”

“NSW is an extremely attractive destination for young people, be it for work, study or travel. These young travellers make an important contribution to the NSW visitor economy, and we hope to further grow this vital sector in 2015.”

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

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