TASTING AUSTRALIA

In reply to the Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (9 November 2011) (First Session).

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the Status of Women): I am advised:

1. The South Australian Tourism Commission (SATC) does not disclose dollar amounts relating to event marketing, based on the commercial value of the information. Discussing this information could reveal commercially confidential information that may prejudice the future supply of such information, weaken the State's commercial negotiating position and compromise the confidential information of third parties.

However, I can advise that the SATC developed a comprehensive marketing strategy to promote the 2012 Tasting Australia event.

The SATC predominantly targeted the Melbourne and Sydney markets, as well as Brisbane and Perth. In addition to this, there was a strategy in place to engage South Australians with the event.

The SATC's marketing campaign ran from February, through to the staging of the event. This timing was chosen to align with the launch of the official program, release of tickets, and the trend of people increasingly booking interstate travel with shorter notice.

Key publications and online sites utilised in the campaign included:

Selector Magazine;

Delicious Magazine;

Australian Gourmet Traveller Magazine;

Good Weekend Magazine;

taste.com.au (NSW & Victoria);

travel.com.au (NSW & Victoria); and

adelaidenow.com.au

In addition, the event was marketed directly to an online database—Friends of Tasting Australia—which has more than 2,500 subscribers.

A key element of the marketing strategy was the new Tasting Australia website. The site was launched on 16 February 2012, and fully outlined the events, venues and celebrities featuring at Tasting Australia 2012.

The event was promoted through events in Sydney and Melbourne late last year and earlier this year. A media event was held in Sydney in December with local media and some celebrity guests in attendance, promoting the 2012 program of events. Also, in February 2012, Tasting Australia formed part of the Advantage SA Activating Adelaide functions in Sydney and Melbourne, which was an opportunity to promote the event to local media and expats.