New 2014 Murray River Passport Prospectus

Bookings close: 21st February 2014
Artwork deadline: 28th February 2014

If you're into looking for new, affordable marketing opportunities that make sense..this is for you!

The Murray River website is 16 this year (est. 1998) and has been committed 100% to the Murray Mallee region...we're reaching an average of 1.2 million visitors annually, that's around 3,300 people per day and tens of thousands of hits daily and 11,000 pages of information daily. This all supports visitors and the tourism industry in the region across Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia with leads, information and resources. In fact, we're the go-to website for the Murray!

Discover Murray River has also been long term supporters of all the visitor information centres free of charge for many years. This is all working towards our vision of 'one river, many lands' for a truly unified Murray River experience and journey. Although its been challenging working across 3 states we're just as committed as ever and gaining greater support and success.

2014 - Year of the New Murray Passport and iPad App

While 2013 was spent designing, investing and creating, for the past 12 months we've been working on a new Murray River Passport (A5, 160 pages, full colour) for the whole river. Its aimed to encourage more visitation to and along the river as part of the Discover Murray River Trail.

It also aims to drive more visitors back to the visitor information centres who support our Discover Murray River Displays and brand and encourage visitors to continue their Murray journey. This has also coincided with a 12 month development and investment of a new Murray River iPad App.

See the flipbook of the Passport at the end of this page

Consumer Tested

We're grateful that the South Australian Tourism Commission consumer tested the Murray River Passport in Sydney and Melbourne in August 2013 and its come back with strong appeal and likelihood of success. This is great for all 3 states!

A 2013 Passport strategy in Nebraska, USA recently reported:

• Nearly 50% of the Passport respondents indicated they spent five or more nights away from home to complete their Passport
• More than 79% said they spend at least 3 nights away from home
• 41% indicated they were in a group of two, however 37% travelled in groups of three or four
• 98% indicated that they visited Nebraska attractions that they otherwise might not have visited because they were one of the Passport stops.

New Stamps and Vouchers

Two of the unique elements in the Passport are the town stamps and vouchers.

Visitors love having the Passport stamped at the local VIC or participating businesses as they travel along the river. In this digital world, getting a stamp is an acknowledgement you've been there and achieve a result. Although a small offering it's a unique and memorable experience and accomplishment. Being the Murray is Australia's greatest river, the ability to receive stamps gives meaning to the long journey. We also have a Facebook competition if visitors get a stamp in Corryong, Euston and Goolwa.

We also have vouchers where advertisers don't just supply 'ads' but offer value added vouchers that can be tracked and measured and encourage customers/visitors to choose their Passport business to enjoy their experience and spend with. This is a huge competitive advantage! The vouchers have value added offers or discounts, ie:

• 2 for one coffee
• stays 3 nights get 4th free
• $3 off an adult ticket and $1 off a child
• $10 off a tour
• Buy 1, get 1 free
• $5 off any lunch combo
• 2 people pay and 3rd gets 50% off

...there's plenty of voucher offers to entice customers over your competitors.

The Passport has been designed from scratch with town maps, layout, information and a whole new series of unique customised town stamps and you'll be able to create more offers through your Murray River website account that flow onto your page in the Apps and website, giving you complete freedom and flexibility.

Very strong digital marketing strategy

The strength of the Passport is it's now linked directly to the successful Murray River website but the businesses are also listed on the Murray River apps including the newly developed iPad app that includes the vouchers. A powerful combination of offline with online and mobile marketing integration. Second to none!

This is a holistic marketing strategy never undertaken along the Murray River...
nor Australia to this degree and this size across 3 states!

Costs to be involved

Advertising rates are very affordable to the tourism industry however businesses do need to be on the Murray River website to participate and have a voucher offer. The costs for participation in the Passport are outline in the Prospectus (pdf) we're sending to the tourism and related industries along the Murray River as below.

Passport Digital set up: $60
Murray website: $440 (per annum) Current on Murray website - no cost
Apps: Free

Plus Printed Passport voucher/ad (5,000):
1/3 page: $440
2/3 page: $760
Full page: $1200

Passport Stamps: $50 ea (optional)

Ad sizes
1/3 page 132mm (w) x 60mm (h)
2/3 page 132mm (w) x 122mm (h)
Full page 132mm (w) x 184mm (h)

Note: you can still be on the Murray River website at normal rates and not participate in the Murray Passport. Artwork costs extra if not supplied. Terms and conditons apply and are outlined in Prospectus (pdf)

Why be on the Murray River website as well?

The Murray River Passport’s success is in the management and distribution of your business information across digital platforms. The Passport works with the go-to Murray River website to distribute information both online and into the Murray River Apps. The Apps promote the vouchers along with the printed Passport giving you control and reach and a great return for your investment.

Hope you join up

We've put some very smart thinking, strategy, networking and new products into the Murray River Passport that you can take advantage of. We are arranging to have stamps delivered to the visitor information centres currently and will be printing 5,000 Passports for 2014 with annual updates in future years.

We are at the stage where the Passport is nearly completed design and due for release in mid March 2014 and the App is due for release by end of February 2014. The visitor information centres are checking their respective town information and we're good to go!

Please call me if you have any specific questions on 0409 678 654 anytime or email passport@murrayriver.com.au to participate. Hurry as its closing Friday 21st February 2014.

Thanks again for your time, we're very excited by this new initiative and looking to improve the flow of visitors to the Murray River region and into your towns for more years to come!

Kind regards
Shane Strudwick

Discover Murray River
One river, many lands

Discover Murray River
The largest website and community guide in the world for the Murray River & Mallee
MurrayRiver.com.au
Twitter.com/DiscoverMurray
Facebook.com/DiscoverMurrayRiver

Bookings close: 21st February 2014
Artwork deadline: 28th February 2014 - join now