Breakfast TV a winner for Outback Queensland tourism

More than 300,000 viewers a day from across the nation woke up with Outback Queensland from 21-24 May as the Today Show broadcast its live weather crosses in iconic locations in the region.

The Monday and Tuesday episodes were also winners in their timeslots across the east coast, Sydney and Brisbane with total number of viewers reaching 324,000 on the Tuesday.

The broadcasts were organised by Outback Queensland Tourism Association (OQTA) together with the support of the participating councils of Winton, Longreach, Muttaburra and Blackall.

Denise Brown, OQTA CEO, said the viewer numbers were a fantastic result with locals stepping up to show the best of our tourism experiences and inspiring travellers to visit the Outback.

“Teaming up with the Today Show puts our region and its diverse experiences in the homes of would-be travellers across our key markets and beyond.”

“When booking the show, we had no idea that the schedule would work out so well, coinciding with election coverage. So, viewers scored a taste of Outback Queensland with their breakfast and election coverage.

Ms Brown said the season was shaping up to be a cracker with wildflowers and wildlife turning on their best show following recent wet weather.

“Now is the time to see Outback Queensland at its most vibrant! The landscapes are bursting to life, we have fantastic new and refreshed product, and welcoming communities ready for the return of a ‘normal season’.”

“The school holidays are on the horizon and our events calendar is only just starting to ramp up, promising something for everyone – from the Winton Vision Splendid Film Festival to the Cunnamulla Fella Round Up to the Birdsville Races and everything else in between,” Ms Brown said.

“It’s great to see the trend of booking ahead continues to grow with many of our tour operators reporting strong numbers well into the latter half of the year.

“Border restrictions are gone, and while we expect to see interest start turning towards international travel, we know that our mates on the coast and in southern states are itching for an Outback adventure thanks to our targeted marketing activities like the Today Show – and we’re ready for them!” she said.

The Today Show broadcast live crosses from iconic destinations including Winton’s Australian Age of Dinosaurs, Longreach’s Qantas Founders Museum, Stockman’s Hall of Fame, and Eagle Street; Muttaburra’s Muttaburrasaurus Interpretation Centre; and Blackall’s Woolscour.

The Today Show broadcast was a co-operative marketing activity organised by OQTA, with joint-funding from Longreach Regional Council, Barcaldine Regional Council and Blackall-Tambo Regional Council.