Bulletin 6 – January 2006
A Happy New Year to all in Darwin City! The Year Ahead – Discussions on Wednesday January 25
To help us plan for the year ahead, we would like to meet with you to discuss your ideas and suggestions for marketing Darwin City in 2006. These discussions will be used as a basis for planning the year’s promotions, events, and activities. After the meetings, we will compile a 2006 Darwin City Calendar and provide it to all city businesses so that everyone can plan their activities, sales and promotions in advance. The meetings will be held at Crowne Plaza on Wednesday January 25. We will have two sessions, one at 8am and one at 3pm so that those who can’t make it to one can hopefully make it to the other. We have included the agenda items for the meeting with this newsletter to give you time to think about ideas. If you are unable to attend either time, we would encourage you to discuss the agenda items with other traders in the city who will be attending so that we can discuss ideas and feedback from everyone.
Please contact Claire on claire@quanxi.com.au or 8981 6445 to rsvp for the discussions on Wednesday January 25. Please advise which session you will attend.
Darwin City Christmas Treasure Hunt - update
The Darwin City Christmas Treasure Hunt held in December with NT News and TIO went very well, with 48 entries received, and lots of children and families hunting around the city for the Christmas pigs. The winners of the competition were: Sarah Stenhouse, Allison Weber, April Duffy, Luca Rudd Sievers and Kieran Quall The Christmas Pigs were hidden in 10 windows around Darwin City. The businesses selected to be involved were all those who entered the Darwin City Christmas Window competition, so that the kids could also look at the decorations while looking for the pigs.
Valentine’s Day – NT News
If there is enough interest, Darwin City Marketing will book a full page, full colour ad for Saturday 11 February in NT News to advertise Valentine’s Day Gifts from Darwin City. As it is only relevant to some businesses, the costs would be shared by those involved, and costs will be determined by how many are involved. Each business in the ad can provide a colour image, the name of their business, location and a short message. The main benefit is that the ad will have more impact than several small ads, and it promotes Darwin City. Please contact Claire to indicate your interest in being involved, by Friday January 27.
Cruise Ships
Despite media reports to the contrary, Darwin City was open for business for the Diamond Princess cruise ship on New Year’s Eve. Market research conducted on the day indicates that the place was alive with people on New Year’s Eve, and most shops did well. A flyer has been distributed to all business in the City with details of the cruise ships arriving in Darwin in the next couple of months. Darwin City Marketing will continue to meet the cruise ships to provide information to passengers on shopping in Darwin City. The next cruise ship will be the Asuka, arriving at the Wharf at around 7 am on Tuesday 31 January and leaving at 10 pm. There will be about 500 passengers and 270 crew onboard. This cruise ship may organise their own shuttle buses, but this is still to be confirmed.
Cruise Ship Research - Summary
Darwin City Marketing, with assistance from Tourism Top End, has been conducting surveys of cruise ship passengers using the shuttle bus service to and from the city. Some of the results from the Diamond Princess cruise ship on New Year’s Eve follow: • 69% of those surveyed went shopping or went to a restaurant or café in Darwin City, while 24% went sightseeing • 59% of those surveyed spent between $21 - $100, while 14% spent from $101 - $250 • Most people reported that they bought souvenirs, clothing, sunglasses and hats, pharmaceuticals, cards and magazines and gifts • When asked what they enjoyed about their visit to Darwin City, 35% said the friendly people and good service. Other comments included cleanliness and the relaxed atmosphere • When asked what they didn’t enjoy about their visit to Darwin City, most people mentioned the heat and the humidity, and that they didn’t have enough time in Darwin • Other comments include: “Local tourist promoters very pleasant and helpful. Shopkeepers friendly and helpful” “Friendly town, enjoyable visit, well looked after” “Very nice city and people. I work on the ship and I will report to our tour desk office how nice everything is! Thank you very much.”
Darwin Resident Market Research Summary
McGregor Tan Research, on behalf of the Darwin City Council, conducted telephone surveys of 200 Darwin residents in December, to track and review the effectiveness of Darwin City Marketing’s strategy. Some interesting results are compiled below: • 16% of people surveyed said they often or always go to Darwin City for their fashion and accessories, which is an increase from 11%. It seems that this category may be attracting a higher proportion of local residents as loyal customers • 64% of those surveyed said they had seen or heard advertising for Darwin City in the past 3 months • 70% of those surveyed said they had seen or heard advertising or promotion of specific events and activities held in Darwin City. • d.life magazine has captured a reasonably high proportion of the market, after only two issues of the magazine have been published. 14% of those surveyed said they had seen advertising in the monthly d.life magazine in the NT News • 25% of those surveyed said their opinion of Darwin City has improved since the Darwin City Marketing strategy was launched. Most significantly, 47% of Darwin City residents (our primary target audience) said their opinion of Darwin City has improved as a result of the Darwin City Marketing strategy.
Presentations
On 24th February we are organising a breakfast with Barry Porter, of Revitalisation Mackay, who will talk about the Mackay Revitalisation strategy. More details will be available soon.
Darwin City Marketing Survey
Thanks to those businesses that responded to the Darwin City Marketing survey we distributed before Christmas. For those who have not yet responded, can you please complete the survey and fax back to us on 8941 7296 by the end of this week, so that we can compile the responses and use the information to plan for 2006.
Territory Culinary Challenge - March
The inaugural Territory Culinary Challenge, a showcase of local culinary talent, cuisine, and fresh local produce, is being organised by the NT Chapter of the Australian Culinary Federation. All restaurants, cafes, hotels, pubs and clubs are encouraged to enter. Outlets entering the Challenge will add special Territory dishes using local NT produce, to their menu. The dishes will be judged throughout April. The competition will run from Friday 3 March to Saturday 30 April. Everyone is encouraged to try the local specialties on offer in the participating restaurants throughout the Challenge. The Territory Culinary Challenge will officially begin with a launch in Darwin City from 11.30 am to 1.30 pm on Friday March 3. The launch will feature cooking demonstrations, free samples and a lot of fun! Darwin City Marketing is sponsoring the Territory Culinary Challenge, to promote the city restaurants, chefs, cafes and eateries participating in the event.
Darwin City Easter Treasure Hunt – April
After the success of the Darwin City Christmas Treasure Hunt, we would like to organise something similar for Easter, to bring kids and families into the city. We would like to organise an event on Saturday 8 April during the Easter holidays, where kids can collect a Darwin City bag (plus a sticker and poster) and a treasure map. At each point marked on the treasure map, kids collect a small treat. They do not have to visit every place on the map, but the more places they visit, the more treats they receive. If you would like your business to be included in the Treasure Hunt, you will need to be willing to provide a small treat to kids, eg Easter eggs, stickers, posters, etc for the day of the treasure hunt, and be willing to have kids and families come into your business to collect their treats! Once they have finished the Treasure Hunt, we plan to have a family barbecue in Raintree Park. We will promote the event around town and to schools and childcare centres in the lead up to Easter. If you would like to be involved in the Darwin City Easter Treasure Hunt, please contact Claire no later than 15 February on 8981 6445 or by email and provide details of your treat – Everyone is welcome to participate.
d.life - Update
The third issue of d.life is about to hit the streets. This edition focuses on Chinese New Year, Valentine’s Day, what’s on in the city during February and lots of great stories on interesting people and places in the city. Get your copy in the NT News on Australia Day – January 26. We are starting to work on the March issue, which will focus on information and updates on property developments in the city. It will also have the usual information on what’s happening, people, profiles, shopping etc.
Invitation to Submit Information
If you would like us to let others in the city know about any events, special offers, new stock, or just general news, please let us know and we can include it in the next Darwin City Marketing newsletter – it’s a fantastic, free way to get your information out to everyone in the city.
Darwin City Dollars - Gift Vouchers
We are looking at producing gift vouchers for Darwin City, as we have received a number of enquiries from people wishing to purchase a city gift voucher that can be redeemed at any business in Darwin City. We will keep you updated on this. If you have any suggestions on Darwin City gift vouchers, please contact Claire.
Chinese New Year – Shop Blessings
As they do every year, the Chung Wah Society will be blessing local businesses, with the Lion Dance and music, as part of Chinese New Year Celebrations. The shop blessings, which are said to bring good fortune and prosperity to businesses in the coming year, and ward off evil spirits, will start in Darwin City on Saturday 4 February.
News from Darwin City Council
Australia Day Darwin City Council will hold the Lord Mayor's Flag Raising and Citizenship Ceremonies from 10 am to 11:30 am at the Darwin Entertainment Centre. The ceremony will begin with the raising of the flag by the Australian Defence Force, music by the Australian Army Band Darwin, citizenship ceremony and the presentation of Student Awards, the Young Citizen and Darwin Citizen Awards and Community Event Award for the Year 2005. All are welcome. Queens Baton Relay – February 7th Having travelled to 71 countries around the world, the Queens Baton carrying the Queen’s message for th athletes competing in this year’s Commonwealth Games will arrive in Darwin on the 7 of February. The Darwin sector of the baton relay will start at Civic Park at about 5 pm, travel through the City and Fannie Bay and then out to Wagaman and Anula. Viewing vantage points in the city are Civic Park, and the Cenotaph on the Esplanade. Bombing of Darwin Commemoration 2006 Darwin City Council considers the Bombing of Darwin Commemoration Ceremony to be one of the most important events in the Northern Territory Calendar. More than 1000 people from around Australia are expected to attend the 64th Commemoration on Sunday 19th February at 10 am at the Cenotaph on The Esplanade. Everyone is welcome.
Contact Details
Please contact Claire if you have any ideas, suggestions, or if you know of any interesting activities that we can include in the next newsletter. Claire Butler, Darwin City Marketing Tel: 8981 6445 Fax: 89417296 Email: claire@quanxi.com.au