Full-Time MARKETING REPRESENTATION SERVICES IN AUSTRALIA FOR THE VANUATU TOURISM OFFICE (2022- 2024)
Job Description
Expression of Interest (EOI)
The Vanuatu Tourism Office (VTO) is seeking to secure a full-service Destination Marketing Representation Services for the Australian market. The contract will be for 2 years with a 2-year extension based on mutual agreement and performance.
The VTO would like to hear from any suitable qualified businesses or individuals or consortiums interested in taking on this exciting representation role. Details to aid the submission of your proposal are detailed below.
Objective of the Representation
Implement marketing programs that commence the tourism recovery across Vanuatu by maintaining positive and productive relationships that grow tourism visitation, yield and dispersal across the country.
Background
Tourism directly contributed approximately 18% to GDP, and 46% indirectly as cited by numerous regional and international reports. In Vanuatu tourism supports a wide range people including tourism business owners, handicraft sellers, transport providers, landowners and agricultural producers to name a few.
Historically, Australia has been the largest travel market for Vanuatu, representing 60% of total visitation and yield. The largest visitation from Australia to Vanuatu was in 2019, with a total of 63 000 visitors spending approximately $1 187 USD per trip. 2020 was set to be the destinations strongest year for travel with excellent forward bookings and market preference.
The Vanuatu borders have been closed for the purpose of tourism and travel since March 2020. This obviously has had a devastating impact on the broader economy including the tourism industry in Vanuatu.
Borders are now expected to open in the first 6 months of 2022.
Once safe travel to Vanuatu is permitted there will be a need for a significant omni-channel marketing campaign to be implemented over the first 12 to 18 months. This will include target marketing to the 2 key Vanuatu target markets in Australia plus several niche sectors.
A background fact sheet is attached as reference material.
Strategic Platforms
Destination marketing for Vanuatu is led on by the recently developed brand positioning and creative platform of Answer the Call of Vanuatu. More information can be found here www.vanuatu.travel/en/answerthecall.
The Market positioning and brand pillars of Vanuatu in the Tourism Market is that “Vanuatu delivers a real-life changing adventure by offering a more exciting way to relax.”
The Vanuatu Sustainable Tourism Strategy was released in 2021 to implement the Government’s policy and ensure that tourism in Vanuatu is more inclusive of the local community and the benefits of tourism spread more broadly.
The Vanuatu Tourism Market Development Plan 2030 (released in 2019) lays out the platform for source and target markets. This plan will be reviewed following updated research and the initial stages of recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Also released in 2020 was the Vanuatu Sustainable Cruise Tourism Development Strategy which provides forward thinking strategies for this important sector, once cruising resumes in the Pacific and to Vanuatu.
Recovery Marketing Program
Once borders re-open there will be a singular focus on recovery marketing programs and securing travel to Vanuatu in the short to medium term.
The Vanuatu Tourism Office is working for a 4-stage process towards border reopening.
1. Tourism Ready – Facilitate activities and policies that prepare Vanuatu and its citizens for border opening and safe travel for Vanuatu citizens, business connections, and international visitors.
2. Market Ready – Ensure Vanuatu and its tourism and aviation stakeholders are prepared for welcoming back international visitors through demand generating activities.
3. Market Opening – Implement marketing campaigns to create awareness, interest, and demand for Vanuatu in a competitive environment to generate economic benefit and dispersal of benefit.
4. Sustainable Demand and Market Diversification – implement programs that focus on product development and supporting market diversification for the long-term growth and benefit to Vanuatu. Maintenance on tradition business models must be maintained.
The successful representation provider will be involved in supporting all stages of this process.
Expression of interest
Please submit an Expression of Interest in your preferred format inclusive of the following information:
- Agency profile, credentials and other relevant information
- Profile of key team members
- Sampling of current and recent client list with testimonials
- Examples of successful marketing and communications campaigns
- Agency fees and examples of campaign costs
A Terms of Reference (ToR) can be obtained to prepare submission for the contracted service, by contacting Mr. Paul Pio, Short Haul Markets Manager at the Vanuatu Tourism Office on email address – [email protected]
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