The best of the Murray River, Lakes and Coorong will be showcased to tens of thousands of visitors from across Australia and around the world, following the launch of the region’s new visitor guide.
Forty thousand glossy 2024 Murray River, Lakes and Coorong Visitor Guide booklets will be distributed to tourism outlets all over Australia in the coming weeks and months.
The 32-page booklet will showcase the region’s leading visitor experiences, accommodation, food and wine to interstate and, ultimately, international visitors seeking memorable and unique holidays. It will also be available online at themurrayriver.com – and will be promoted to thousands of potential visitors through a comprehensive digital marketing campaign that kicks off today.
More than 100 local industry, Government and community leaders attended the launch of the new guide on Thursday, 23 November, including Federal Senator Karen Grogan, SA Tourism Minister Zoe Bettison (via video), and Tourism Industry Council of SA CEO Sean DeBruyn.
Murray River, Lakes and Coorong Tourism Alliance Independent Chair Dave Hartley said the region’s unforgettable experiences and breathtaking natural beauty made it an ideal holiday destination.
“The Murray River, Lakes and Coorong have so much to offer visitors, and there is nothing quite like the stunning scenery and magic of the Murray River,” Mr Hartley said.
“Our operators have worked hard throughout 2023 to recover from the recent floods, and we know South Australians in particular will be excited to return to the river again in 2024.
“The front cover of our new Murray River, Lakes and Coorong tourism booklet shows exactly why so many visitors love our region. Where else in the world can you wake up on the water and step straight off your floating deck for a swim, steer your own course on a houseboat, or get a taste of our rich riverboat heritage cruising onboard the iconic Murray Princess?
“One of our greatest strengths is our diversity – there really is something here for everyone. Just looking through the booklet you’ll find award-winning destinations like the Monarto Safari Park, Coorong National Park, the Shell v-Power Motorsport Park, the six-storey Bridgeport Hotel and the Langhorne Creek Wine Region.
“We’re also home to one of the best places in the world to see the stars in their natural glory inside the River Murray International Dark Sky Reserve. We are, without a doubt, South Australia’s natural playground, and still only one hour from Adelaide.”
MRLC Tourism Development Manager Bill Nehmy said the region had recovered strongly from the recent floods and there were plenty of ways to explore and experience the best it has to offer.
He also congratulated the 30+ local tourism operators who had invested into the 2023-24 Major Campaign, underway now, for recognising the importance and strength of this approach.
“Our cooperative regional approach to developing our campaigns could not go ahead with out the ongoing financial investment of our regional operators. We have some Platinum investors this year who have invested four years in a row to this campaign, and without their support, these awardwinning campaigns would not go ahead.
“The campaign structure, which includes our visitor guide, recognises that not every business has a huge marketing budget though – so we have offered packages of anywhere between $600 and $5000 packages which allow us to work better together as a region.
“Through this, the major campaign includes national marketing activity through social media campaigns, short film development, new photo galleries, blog campaigns, media advertising features, content creator visits and more, with a goal to reach more than one-million people between now and the end of June 2024.
“It’s an award-winning model that other regions are taking on and now trying to emulate, and once again shows the strength of our working relationships in region, something I’m very proud of.”
Mr Nehmy also thanked the South Australian Tourism Commission (SATC), RDAMR and local Councils (Rural City of Murray Bridge, Mid Murray Council, Coorong District Council, District Council Karoonda East Murray, Alexandrina Council and Southern Mallee District Council) which continue to invest in and support in the MRLC 2023-24 Major Tourism Campaign and visitor guide.
Those keen to read the 2024 MRLC Visitor Guide can download it via themurrayriver.com, or grab one from their local Visitor Information Centre in the coming weeks and months. Otherwise, people can follow the region on Facebook or Instagram to discover more of our incredible experiences and attractions.
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Media contact:
For interviews and photos contact:
MRLC Tourism Development Manager Bill Nehmy: P – 0466 153 204 | E – bill.nehmy@themurrayriver.com