Local invitation to Hervey Bay

Hervey Bay local Vicki Neville is the hero in the latest Queensland tourism promotional video as she invites tourists to connect with nature during the region’s annual whale watching season.

Produced in partnership between Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ) and Fraser Coast Tourism and Events (FCTE), the 90 second video is a compelling showcase of the region’s whale watching experiences.

TEQ Chief Executive Officer Leanne Coddington said the video was part of a local invitation series featuring Queensland’s new ‘Find your perfect next’ message.

“Travellers are increasingly looking to meet and interact with locals while they’re on holidays for a more authentic travel experience,” Ms Coddington said.

“Telling the story from a local’s perspective is a really powerful way to engage audiences in a different way and invite travellers to explore their part of the world.

“Vicki speaks with such passion for whale watching and why Hervey Bay is such a special place to witness the annual humpback migration of these majestic creatures.

“The video highlights what makes the Fraser Coast region so unique, encouraging travellers to make it part of their perfect next holiday.”

Fraser Coast Tourism and Events general manager Martin Simons said the video would help reinforce Hervey Bay’s reputation as the premium whale-watching destination on Australia’s east coast.

“Humpbacks numbers are increasing each year and Hervey Bay has been identified as one of the most important destinations for these migrating mammals which break their 5000km journey from the breeding grounds in the tropics to the feeding grounds in the Antarctic to rest and play.

“In most open water whale watching destinations the whales are travelling either north or south – here they relax play and socialise for up to 10 days in the calm waters in the lee of Fraser Island.”

Mr Simons said scientific studies had shown that up to 40 percent of the migrating humpback population visited Hervey Bay each year and this number was continuing to increase.

“Hervey Bay is the only genuine stopover and the number one whale interaction destination – certainly a place to experience ‘your perfect next’ as TEQ’s marketing tag line states.”

Vicki’s local invitation video is being promoted together with a blog themed ‘Everything you need to know about whale watching in Hervey Bay’ to families, empty nesters and ‘SINKs and DINKs’* in Brisbane, South East Queensland, Sydney and Melbourne over the next fortnight in a campaign jointly funded by TEQ and FCTE.

*SINKS: Single Income No Kids / DINKS: Double Income No Kids