Tourism Australia Promotes Regional Wine & Produce
It`s no longer all about Melbourne Food and Wine Festival or other state capitals’ fancy restaurants. Tourism
Australia is now promoting regional Australia as the irreplaceable source and inspiration of our wonderful wining and dining in a campaign entitled ‘Restaurant Australia’.
‘Restaurant Australia is all about bringing together passionate locals, breathtaking landscapes and the freshest of produce to demonstrate to the world what makes Australia’s food and wine experiences so unique and distinctive,’ Tourism Australia chief marketing officer Nick Baker told Foodmag.com.au in early April 2014.
According to a recent survey conducted by Tourism in Australia local produce is the third most important reason for Australians to choose a destination (after safety and value for money).
But research also has revealed the campaign is needed abroad to correct misconception that we are not a leading cuisine nation. The survey of international travellers who had not visited Australia rank us around average in terms of a food and wine destination with just 26% of tourists associating Australia with good food and wine, while those who had visited us ranked Australian number 2 after France (above Italy and Japan).
But the ultimate proof in the pudding is among the world`s biggest growing tourism market, China. The Chinese visitors ranked us number 1 above the French (and in fact the French themselves also ranked us as their favourite food destination).
The Restaurant Australia Campaign
The television and media campaign is set into chapters. Viewers can see a couple on Rottnest Island catching a crayfish in the afternoon and barbequing their catch at sunset. There are stunning views of the white and blue archipelagos from a helicopter over the Whitsundays before landing on Hamilton Island for a seafood banquet on Whitehaven beach (QLD) and dining under the stars at Longitude 131 near Uluru accompanied by traditional Aboriginal dancers. Other chapters include local produce at the Poacher's Pantry in the rolling Canberra countryside (ACT), a balloon ride over the Barossa Valley with wine tasting at Hentley Farm Winery (SA) and Oyster shucking at Great Oyster Bay on the Freycinet Peninsula (TAS).
Of course there are the mandatory views of dining on a yacht in Sydney Harbour and Melbourne’s laneway café meaning all seven states are featured, but essentially the campaign enforces the idea of the elegant city restaurants being just the front of house for a wide and diverse landscape filled with unique food experiences
A Rally Cry to Regional Australia
Tourism Australia is also putting out a call to other foodie regions.
“Our regions have an abundance of incredible stories to share where quite literally, every second of every day, unique and brilliant food and wine experiences are being served-up in remarkable and awe-inspiring locations,’ said Tourism Australia`s Nick Baker.
By completing the online form at www.australia.com/restaurantaustralia you can nominate your region’s produce which may give it the chance to be profiled as a feature article on Tourism Australia`s website. Even better it may get chosen for a future chapter of the ‘Restaurant Australia’ media campaign.
You can also get involved through Tourism Australia’s social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram). So put your region on Restaurants Australia`s menu.
Sources:
www.australia.com/restaurantaustralia.
http://www.tourism.australia.com/news/media-releases/Media-releases-10599.aspx
http://www.tourism.australia.com/documents/Campaigns/TA_Austourism_foodandwine_Factsheets.pdf
http://www.foodmag.com.au/news/tourism-australia-issues-rally-cry-for-food-and-wi
