Working with Top Site Selectors– Best and NEXT Practices
0111 tasmania aia partnership summary
1. ARCHAEOLOGICAL
INSTITUTE OF AMERICA
TASMANIAN UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES
PARTNERSHIP SUMMARY
January 2011
CONCEPT:
The UNESCO designation of Tasmania’s convict heritage sites provides a definitive
reason for travellers with an interest in history, heritage and archaeology to now
visit the destination. A 2009 study by U.S. Cultural & Heritage Tourism Marketing
Council, found that 78% of all U.S. leisure travellers participate in cultural and/or
heritage activities while travelling, translating to 118.3 million adults each year.
The study also noted that cultural and heritage travellers are more frequent
travellers, reporting an average of 5.01 leisure trips in a 12-month period versus
3.98 trips by non-cultural/heritage travellers. They are also more frequent business
travellers and are more likely to have taken an international trip in the past 12
months than their non-cultural/heritage counterparts. More than half of
cultural/heritage travellers agree that they prefer their leisure travel to be
educational and nearly half said they spend more money on cultural and heritage
activities. They are also likely to travel farther to get the experiences they seek:
about half of most recent overnight leisure trips were 500 miles or more from home.
A partnership with AIA provides access to a highly qualified audience with a strong
propensity to travel for heritage and historical experiences. The organization boasts
250,000+ members across the United States and Canada made up of professional
archaeologists who conduct fieldwork around the world as well as respective leaders
in the fields of technology, medicine, finance and law who are interested in
archaeology paired with travel and students studying archaeology. This diverse
group is united by a shared passion for history and archaeology, all willing to travel
for unique experiences pertaining to this interest.
Lecture and Reception Date: January 25, 2011
2. Organization Profile: The Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) is North
America's oldest and largest organization devoted to the world of archaeology. The
Institute is a nonprofit group founded in 1879 and chartered by the United States
Congress in 1906. Today, the AIA has nearly 250,000 Members belonging to more
than 100 Local Societies in the United States, Canada, and overseas. The AIA exists
to promote archaeological inquiry and public understanding of the material record of
the human past worldwide. AIA is committed to preserving the world's archaeological
resources and cultural heritage for the benefit of people in the present and in the
future. Believing that greater understanding of the past enhances our shared sense
of humanity and enriches our existence, the AIA seeks to educate people of all ages
about the significance of archaeological discovery.
AIA members are affluent, educated, and very interested in travel to off-the-beaten-
path types of destinations - making them the perfect audience to target for
Tasmania promotion.
• 40% have a net worth of over $500,000
• 20% have a net worth of over $1,000,000
• 43% took 3 or more foreign vacations last year
• 68% travelled to archaeological destinations
• 20% travelled for vacation 15 or more nights
AIA produces:
• The award-winning magazine, Archaeology, which has a circulation of 750,000
• The leading scholarly journal, the American Journal of Archaeology
• An annual conference for professional archaeologists and enthusiasts
• Acclaimed educational programming for teachers, students and families
• More than 325 lectures each year which bring prominent archaeologists to 107
communities throughout the United States, Canada and overseas
• Two websites (www.archaeology.org and www.archaeological.org) with unique
content that attract over 7,000,000 visitors per year
Additionally, AIA has a tour planning company which TT can partner with to discuss a
Tasmania travel program on the convictism theme.
3. Tourism Tasmania/AIA Partnership
Tourism Tasmania sponsored an AIA lecture and reception in San Francisco,
California to leverage the designation of five of Tasmania’s convict sites by UNESCO.
The reception allowed Tourism Tasmania to reach the AIA membership base in
California, one of our key departure gateways, with the destination’s ‘convictism’
messaging, which will stimulate awareness and boost travel to Tasmania.
The components of this integrated partnership included:
– Invitations: Print invitations distributed to 1,200 AIA members, plus TT-
designated media guests and industry partners, such as Australian government
officials and Tourism Australia
– Online: The event was promoted through an online advertisement on Archeology
Magazine’s website and also through four videos on Archeology Magazine’s
website, the AIA website and on AIA’s YouTube Channel.
http://www.youtube.com/archaeologytv
– Eblast Newsletter: On three separate occasions, 80,000 people received an e-
blast with information about the Tasmania event - with a link to
www.discovertasmania.com
On two separate occasions, 13,000 California-based constituents received
information about the Tasmania event - with a link to
www.discovertasmania.com
– Print: An ad pointing readers to the promotion’s URL ran in the
January/February 2010 issue of Archeology Magazine.
– Editorial: A Tasmania convict heritage story is planned for the March/April issue
of Archeology Magazine and will be handed out at the AIA Annual Gala event in
New York City.
− Travel Package: In partnership with AIA, Altour (a US travel retailer) and
Premier Travel Tasmania, a Convict History of Australia travel package was
created, which includes 8 days in Tasmania. This escorted group tour will
operate from March 25 - April 5, 2012 and offers an in-depth look into the lives
of Australia’s early settlers and convicts. The itinerary visits all five of
Tasmania’s UNESCO World Heritage Listed Convict Heritage sites as well as three
convict heritage sites in Sydney. Premier Travel Tasmania has been instrumental
in developing this new touring product and sourcing local experts who will
provide convict history interpretation. In addition to the Altour group departure,
Premier Travel Tasmania has added a convict heritage tour to their website for
FIT travellers.
4. − Lecture and Reception: Tourism Tasmania sponsored an AIA lecture and
reception in San Francisco that integrated with G’Day USA 2011. The featured
speaker was renown archeologist Dr. Eleanor Casella, who spoke about what
convict heritage means in Australia, her own archeological work at the World
Heritage sites in Tasmania and how the island inspires her. The lecture and
reception had 135 attendees and featured Tasmanian wines and Tasmanian
themed foods. Chuck Haywood, U.S. based Tasmanian wine specialist, was the
sommelier for the evening, pouring guests wines and educating them on
Tasmania’s wine experience and cool climate varietals.
Gift bags with promotional Tasmania information, tablets featuring Tasmania’s
convict heritage sites, pens, and Tasmanian honey were given to every guest.
One winning recipient also received a Tasmanian-themed gift basket that
included Tasmanian wine, Tasmanian Rain, James Boags beer, honey and other
Tasmanian gourmet food products.
RESULTS SUMMARY:
• Attendees at the Lecture and Reception 135
• Newsletter E-Blast Impressions: 240,000
• Number of Recipients of Printed Invitation: 1,200
• Number of E-Blast Event Information: 26,000
• Event Wrap-Up Impressions in Printed Newsletter: 25,000
• Reach of Promotion Print Ad: 750,000
• Leads generated from Print Ad: 165
