‘SOUTHERN Pie-LANDS’ WINS MAJOR TOURISM AWARD

Steve Rosa Manager Destination Southern
Highlands accepting Silver Award

The hugely successful PIE TIME destination marketing campaign by Destination Southern Highlands has been further recognised nationally for its innovative and creative approach to destination marketing by winning Silver in the Destination Marketing category at the 2017 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards held at the spectacular new Optus Stadium in Perth which was attended by close to 800 leading tourism representatives.

The Awards, showcased the best in outstanding customer service, innovation and ongoing business excellence, were presented in front of industry peers and officials from across Australia. Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Steven Ciobo said the awards were a great showcase of the skill within the industry.

“I’d like to extend my congratulations to all of this year’s finalists and winners. These prestigious awards provide a wonderful opportunity to shine the spotlight on Australia’s tourism industry and those operators and businesses who make such an important contribution to the record level of growth that our industry is currently enjoying,” Minister Ciobo said.

Amongst the 26 winners was Paul Hogan, awarded the status of Australian Tourism Legend in recognition for his role in attracting international visitors to Australia, most notably in the North American market.

The ‘Come and Say G’Day’ campaign, fronted by Hogan, opened Australia to a broader international audience and the line ‘I'll slip an extra shrimp on the barbie for you’ has been immortalised in tourism folklore.

The unique and quirky Southern Highlands ‘Pie Time’ Campaign now has the opportunity to achieve Hogan like campaign status over the coming years.

During the month of June last year the region became the ‘Southern Pie-lands’.

Manager Destination Southern Highlands Steve Rosa said “the unique and integrated campaign performed beyond our expectations in its inaugural year generating increased awareness and visitation for our region during our off-peak season.

This coupled with some great business results in which most participants in the campaign claimed increased levels of business against the same period of time in 2016 was a pleasing outcome. It is estimated that PIE TIME also helped to grow the visitor economy ‘pie’ with a record number 100,000 pies being produced and sold by 53 pie venues during June, with an injection of over $1,000,000 into the local visitor economy.”

Steve added, “to be placed against the ‘best of the best’ from each State and win silver was pleasing with the North West Australia winning Gold and Mudgee Region NSW winning Bronze who were also last year’s Gold winner in this category.

We are now looking to expand the campaign and develop the PIE TIME events & experiences for 2018 which will see the local pie competition becoming a statewide competition, a new venue for the 2 day Pie Festival to enable the event to grow, and new visitor experiences that will be developed in co-operation with local industry operators and to continue to cement the Southern Highlands as ‘Australia’s Home of Pies’.”