Tourists Bypassing Hervey Bay
So it seems that despite all the money we pour into advertising the wonders of Hervey Bay we’re somehow missing the mark and being beaten by Rainbow Beach.
It’s hardly surprising that people are passing on Hervey Bay and heading for Rainbow instead. For years now the main complaint has been that there’s nothing to do in Hervey Bay apart from the whales and Fraser Island so perhaps it’s time that some of those tourist dollars were spent pointing out that there is much more to do in Hervey Bay than just see the whales.
Sadly though it seems that our marketing gurus can’t think beyond the obvious when it comes to promoting Hervey Bay and don’t want to do a great deal to even promote those attractions.
It says a lot when local accommodation operators have to do their own promotion but that’s what one group is doing and this banner out on the highway just before the Hervey Bay turnoff is one example of their efforts.
Yes, they’re pushing the whales too but they’re also emphasising other things that Hervey Bay has to offer tourists. So if a small group of what are basically marketing amateurs can do this then why can’t our paid experts do something similar?
Billboard advertising is a highly effective form of marketing … and plenty of other tourist destinations are using this form of marketing along the Bruce Highway but when was the last time you saw a billboard advertising Hervey Bay?
July 26th, 2010 at 3:25 pm
We are one of the many Tassie grey nomads travelling thru Queensland and we were heading on up to Bagara for a few days when we saw the sign shown above on the higway which made us come into Hervey Bay instead. We were very lucky & found a van site on the beachfront in Torquay. Having read the comments and other articles on this site about tourism here, we want to congratulate Holiday Hervey Bay for their foresight to give this idea a go. Sorry guys but we won’t be staying in one of your holiday apartments this time but we will go on a Whale tour now and try a few of the local restuarants, before we move on. Keep up the good work… Mr B Miller
July 26th, 2010 at 3:32 pm
It’s great to see that the sign worked for you Bob but you’ve got to be careful … you might not want to leave.
We came up from Tasmania for a holiday in 2001 and came back in 2003 to live. It’s a great place to be despite all the problems.
Stuart
August 2nd, 2010 at 10:43 am
What’s RB got that HB hasn’t, aside from the fact that it’s an hour closer to Bris?
August 2nd, 2010 at 11:00 am
Far better marketing than what HB has TR
August 2nd, 2010 at 2:13 pm
Sorry, but I see no reason why local business should not do their own promoting?
That is the big problem with this region so called “free enterprise” is always after council or government dollars. Come on, you want to be rich, get up off your bums and work at it. The ratepayers owe you nothing.
August 2nd, 2010 at 2:33 pm
Johangel
I may be mistaken but don’t tourism businesses in this town pay rates? Don’t they bring extra income into the town that helps support jobs both directly and indirectly?
I could be wrong but I think that is the case.
Stuart
August 3rd, 2010 at 9:48 am
Stuart,
You are correct businesses do pay rates and do bring money into the town.
Howerver, that money goes to the businesses and I’d love a cost analysis as to the the difference between benefits to the commmunity as a whole as against, costs to the community. I think you’d get a shock Stuart.
Sadman
August 15th, 2010 at 12:49 pm
HB is old, every thing is broken.
HB is over priced, take housing which is 20% over priced.
HB has nothing to offer, except Fraser Island.
HB is a dead end, you have to turn around to go anywhere.
It is time for a change and we should start with the council.
August 19th, 2010 at 6:47 pm
If Peter is not happy with the council why doesnt he put his name forward a the next elections and make a positive move for HB
August 23rd, 2010 at 10:24 am
Peter, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. By the sound of your comments you are comparing HB to place like the GC and Cairns. But it is exactly this contrast that is our strength. Forget the swank resorts and garish theme parks. What HB has to offer is the absolute best family holiday spot in Queensland. Thats what made the town and that is what will be its saviour.
I do tend to agree with you that we will need a change of Council before we get back to this reality.
August 23rd, 2010 at 8:59 pm
Jim, most people here in HB can not afford the price of the housing like the rich who came here from Sydney and melbourne. They bought lots of houses with the money they made from the sale of their homes down there. That is one reason the price of homes is out of the reach for most families here in HB. I hope they loose lots of money because of it and feel how the rest feel, but that wont happen because the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.
August 27th, 2010 at 7:57 am
What a dumb comment by Peter. You need to ask yourself why have the people come from Sydney and Melbourne? Do you think that it might of been because Hervey Bay had something to offer as there is the rest of Australia on offer. The question also needs to be asked – who also made money here? Didn’t locals of Hervey Bay own these houses that they sold to the people of Sydney and Melbourne at a price they were happy to accept. You better hope that they don’t loose money because that will put a further strain on all residents up there. It’s not like these people buy up the real estate and never spend another cent, they do have to live
As a regular visitor to Hervey Bay we are now convinced, regardless of the real estate prices, that this is where we want to spend the next stage of our life.
September 6th, 2010 at 2:37 pm
What does Hervey Bay offer tourists??
Whale watching tours, or how about you go fishing…. a very sad looking waterslide and the councils ‘waterpark’….comon. Why would people choose to stop in a dead end town when they can holiday away from it all at Rainbow Beach.
Peter I moved here from Sydney, a decision I regret. I have yet to eat a decent meal at any local resturant- I overpaid for a house, and will sell at a loss just to get out of here. Living here has cost me more than most people make in a year.
September 6th, 2010 at 2:54 pm
Outofhere it’s obvious that your view of Hervey Bay has been strongly influenced by some of your experiences here … but they’re just your experiences.
There are plenty of other people who have moved here from various capital cities and find that this is a great place to live and Hervey Bay has plenty of top-class restaurants and cafes.
Your suggestion that there’s more to do in Rainbow Beach than Hervey Bay has to offer is a little over the top too. Sure we’re not the Gold Coast or the Sunshine Coast but there’s plenty … or within easy reach of here … to keep families entertained.
So while you’re entitled to your views don’t try and ram them down the throats of everyone else because your experiences are not ours.
Stuart
October 26th, 2010 at 9:21 pm
The big diference between HB & RB is pretty obvious, one has surf and double Island point, inskip point, access to fraser island and you can drive down to noosa via the beach if you want, and the other has good boating, get my drift!!!
May 20th, 2011 at 12:55 pm
Hi Peter and Outof here?
Anyone moving into a town would you think do alittle home work before making such a big move? we have lived in Hervey Bay now for 12 years and found this to be a very peacefull town and the fact if there was tourist fraser Island or not did in no way make us move or buy in this town, it is just a nice place, we first come to Hervey Bay 18 years ago when we got married on our honeymoon and found it to be a lovely place to raise children, the schooling here is awsome, as fare as shopping well just how many stores and supermarkets realy do you need?
See we have the council with a department running things like staycations and so forth but all there advise must be out of a weeties packet, advertising is a visual thing and yes Fraser Coast council need to market all the towns in a much better way,
I love Hervey Bay and am looking forward to a long and happy life here.
Oh and outofhere? where do you live that it cost you $45,000 a year to stay there? did you buy in a resort lol
January 22nd, 2012 at 9:20 am
I have a very good friend who is married to a local businessman in HB who is trying very hard to be proactive, including commissioning some beautiful I (heart) Hervey Bay tee shirts that he has been getting out to celebs and such all from his own pocket. He is an advocate for tourism in the area yet he, like so many others , is battling a local government that is tired. To many people who have grown up knowing HB as a wonderful holiday destination, it has become nothing short of a retirement village and like the many retired locals, the town is getting old and tired, one foot in the grave and no change on the horizon. My last visit there shocked me especially when you consider that half the place has been modified to give more access to mobility scooters. The whole town looks like a retirement complex.
WAKE UP HB, you are dying and need to get your collective fingers out of the warm dark place and start to give the place a new lease on life. Make the place exciting enough that people will travel from Brisvegas and spend their dollars there. Beach front caravan parks are great and cater to the nomads and Marco Polos, but you all need to brainstorm new ideas and for gods sake get rid of the cronies in Council. In Fact, how about encouraging those in their 30′s to get involved in Council as they have the fresh ideas, Involve the youth of the area as a sub committee. Anyone approaching 60 is too old for the role. They have old thinking in general. You still need one or two of us oldies, but only to lend a sense of calm to the volatility that will be generated. Time for change is well passed. Take serious action or you will be in the ground and buried before you know it.