Wine and wickets
In a major coup for the Southern Highlands, around 45 journalists and PR representatives will be invited to spend a weekend in the area, sampling our delicious produce and enjoying our hospitality.
The mega media familiarisation for the Australian Society of Travel Writers is being held by The International Cricket Hall of Fame in conjunction with Tourism Southern Highlands.
The event will run over the weekend of the 25 and 26 of February and the media entourage will experience the best that the Highlands have to offer, with a food and wine showcase, where journalists can “meet the makers”, a key feature of the tour.
They will also experience a dinner at the International Cricket Hall of Fame and a friendly game of cricket played on the famous Bradman Oval. Several journalists will extend their visits to take in additional experiences.
Steve Rosa, Tourism Southern Highlands Executive Manager, said that the familarisation is a major step forward for the area and will ensure the Southern Highlands is put on the map for domestic and international visitors.
“We are confident that our VIP guests will thoroughly enjoy sampling the delights of the Southern Highlands and will spread the word about the area as a major tourist destination.
“This type of public relations exercise is priceless and will give our local hospitality industry, producers and attractions the chance to showcase their unique experiences and talents to the world,” he said.
Tourism Southern Highlands hosts around 20 media events a year, encouraging writers from print publications and broadcast media to try local products first hand and share their personal experience with a wider audience.
“Hosting media is a cost-effective marketing tool for our region and businesses in the Southern Highlands, as the high quality editorial that often results from these media visits is invaluable,” Mr Rosa said.
A recent film crew from CNN India recently filed a report on The International Cricket Hall of Fame, which is expected to stimulate tourists from the cricket-mad nation to visit the Southern Highlands. A further five key Indian journalists also visited the new Bradman Galley at the museum last week, which will further extend the exposure of the area and the world class International Cricket Hall Of Fame to this emerging international market.