Broome tourist perceptions report urges greater online tourism presence

Written on the 31 March 2016

A report looking into the perceptions of Broome as a tourist destination has recommended operators work towards a better online presence.

The $100,000 Broome and Kimberley Current Perceptions and Future Direction report was presented to about 80 stakeholders in Broome last week.

More than 70 per cent of those surveyed in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney said the cost of flights was a major barrier to visiting.

Most respondents said they lacked knowledge about the region and could not easily find the information online.

Kristy Bailey from One Eighty Marketing, who was at the presentation, said it was good to have solid feedback.

"I think the results and perceptions are not anything astounding, it's not anything we didn't know, but it's good to just solidify what we thought by backing it up with research," she said.

"I think the results can only be positive and give everyone confidence that we're on the right track and hopefully bring everyone together a bit more."

Natasha Mahar from The Great Escape charter company said the report would serve as a valuable guide to industry.

"Broome's been long working on a lot of anecdotal evidence for the last few years," she said.

"It's great to have some actual data to really tell us what our customers are thinking, rather than what industry thinks we should be doing.

"This has given us a platform to spring from and start looking at some more strategic marketing and working together as an industry."

Source: ABC Kimberley