Visiting Friends & Relatives

Visiting Friends & Relatives (VFR) continues to be the largest driving factor for people visiting Melbourne. It is worth $2.8 billion to Melbourne’s economy.

Visitors spend on average $255 per night in Melbourne and are most likely to stay with a friend or relative during their stay*. This represents a massive opportunity for communities throughout Melbourne.

In 2011, Destination Melbourne commenced the roll-out of Discover Your Own Backyard, a VFR marketing campaign aimed at increasing local residents’ awareness of tourism related products and experiences in their region.

The aim is to build community pride in residents and encourage dispersal and yield. Discover Your Own Backyard was built on the understanding that the host (the resident) has the greatest influence over visitor behaviour. If we can educate the host, we create a social and economic dividend for communities and support the visitor experience for people visiting their friends and relatives.

Since the campaign commenced, Destination Melbourne has partnered with 10 local government and industry councils to tap into this market and deliver a significant social and economic benefit to communities throughout Melbourne.

The Discover Your Own Backyard campaign can assist local councils with the following:

»  Highlighting key visitor experiences in the region to council staff and residents

»  Media buying through local newspapers Fairfax and/or Leader

»  Sourcing local ambassadors to profile in printed publications and websites

»  Development of material for newspapers, newsletters and websites

»  Creation of a promotional video for distribution through digital media

»  Appointment of a coordinator to liaise with advertisers, stakeholders, and local council representatives

For more information contact:
Denise Castro | 9869 2444 | denise@destinationmelbourne.com.au

*Source: Data Insights, All Travel to Melbourne, year ending September 2010.

Click here for a copy of VFR research presentation – Elisa Backer 25 March 2011