2025/2026 Summer Tourism Marketing Campaign Delivery

Introduction

Bathurst Regional Council is seeking expressions of interest from suitably qualified and experienced businesses to work with Council in developing and implementing a targeted seasonal-based marketing campaign for Bathurst Region Tourism in summer 2025/26.

The Bathurst region, located 207 km west of Sydney, covers an area of 3821km² and is home to a growing population of over 44,000. Tourism is an important part of the regional economy with strong potential for growth. In 2023, there were 1,243,000 visitors, 1,316,000 visitor nights and a total expenditure of $327 million.

Bathurst Regional Council completed a new Destination Management Plan (DMP) in 2019 which specifies the need for seasonal campaign activity and place activations. Bathurst Region Tourism is administered by Bathurst Regional Council via the Bathurst Visitor Information Centre which acts as the DMO for the region. Bathurst is a tourism destination with an increasingly broad appeal, and it is intended to develop and deliver a campaign within the three months of December 2025-February 2026 which will position Bathurst as an attractive destination of choice and desirable alternative to coastal holidays.

Project Scope

Project Objectives

The primary objectives of the summer marketing campaign for Bathurst Region Tourism are to:

• Position Bathurst as an attractive destination of choice and desirable alternative to coastal holidays.
•  Increase awareness and appeal of Bathurst as a distinctive summer holiday destination within target markets.
•  Encourage overnight stays and longer visitation, particularly during the traditionally quieter post-Christmas and late-summer periods.
•  Showcase Bathurst’s unique mix of heritage, events, food and wine, outdoor adventure and regional character as points of difference from coastal destinations.
•  Strengthen Bathurst’s brand identity as a vibrant inland destination offering authentic experiences and genuine hospitality
•  Drive measurable increases in website traffic, visitor enquiries, accommodation bookings and social engagement.
•  Support and leverage local tourism operators and attractions through integrated storytelling and cooperative marketing activity.
•  Align with priorities and visitor experience themes identified in the Bathurst Destination Management Plan (2019)