The effectiveness of the Celtic country brand will be looked into by the Glen Innes Severn council after a submission from two well respected local organisations asked for the moniker to be re-evaluated.
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Glen Innes Severn Council’s current “Celtic Country” branding was developed approximately 10 years ago and it is well entrenched within television, print, radio and social media channels as is the successful running of the Australian Celtic Festival.
However the Glen Innes Tourist Association (GISTA) and Business In Glen (BIG) recently approached Council with a view to evaluating the effectiveness of Celtic Country brand.
Both organisations and the council are seeking input from locals and the business community.
Council’s Manager of Tourism and Events, Peter Teschner has agreed to undertake a review.
“Branding a place, whether it is a small village or a whole country, is probably the most complicated form of branding due to the fact that it is neither owned nor controlled by a single entity,” he said.
“From destination marketing and tourism to business development for place brands, everyone living within that area owns and influences the brand in one way or the other and more often than not, many of the major stakeholders do not agree on what to do or how to do it.
“Council is keen to ensure that the review would engage all stakeholders and to ensure credibility and acceptance for future campaigns for the long term and has engaged internationally respected specialist in destination branding and tourism marketing Bill Baker to undertake the review.”
Mr. Baker was a senior executive leading Australia’s international marketing campaign of “Put another shrimp on the barbie” which, at the time, made Australia the number one destination in the world.
Mr Teschner said Mr Baker has been involved in the marketing of hundreds of cities and regions in Australia and North America to boost their tourism performance.
GISTA President Pat Lonergan said that with tourism placed as the second highest economic driver in Glen Innes Severn LGA the review was important.
Total Destination Marketing expects to commence early stage research and community engagement in late August with the workshop currently scheduled for October.
BIG President Jim Ritchie said it is important that local businesses and the wider community engage in this review as it will provide a blueprint for the next 10 years or so.
“It will ensure we are on the right track to continue to drive the visitor economy,” he said.
Craig Thomson
I am a media and communications professional with experience across print, digital, social and radio broadcasts. I am currently the Editor of Australian Community Media's Launceston Examiner.
I am a media and communications professional with experience across print, digital, social and radio broadcasts. I am currently the Editor of Australian Community Media's Launceston Examiner.
