Aerial view of the Freeway - Photo: Southern Gateway Alliance
There has been a lot of talk over the past few months about the loss of tourists and trade coming through Mandurah now that the new freeway has been opened. What can be done to make people turn off the freeway and come into Mandurah and visit the Peel Region? Sure putting some tourist signs on the freeway at the turn off is a good start, but just a sign isn’t going to make a traveller suddenly decide then and there driving at 110kph to put on the brakes and say, “Hey let’s check out Mandurah”.
Most drivers have already decided on a destination for each day long before they actually get in the car and head off and trying to change their mind mid journey is nearly impossible. So what needs to be done is to get into the travellers decision making process when they are planing their journey so that when they see that sign at the turnoff the decision is a lot easier. How to do this? The internet is the largest reference tool used by travellers when planning a trip and tourism is now the largest industry on the internet. What Mandurah and the Peel region needs to do is build an online presence that is both informative and entertaining that will engage travellers and drive them (pun intended) to a website achieved though high organic search engine results.
By having a website that is constantly refreshed and updated with interesting content via a blog, then broadcasting this content on tourism related social media sites will ensure that Mandurah and the Peel region will rate high on search engine rankings. A website that is static and unchanging is just as effective as that sign at the turnoff, once you’ve seen it you know what it says so there is no point looking at it again next time you come across it. Creating exciting and interesting content on a website that is constantly refreshed will portray Mandruah and the Peel as an exciting and interesting place to visit. Events, festivals, attractions, deals, packages, people, lifestyle all of these and more can be used create new content and engage visitors.
Nobody else is going to sell Mandurah and the Peel, it’s up to everyone in the region to spread the word and the most effective selling tool available to small to medium businesses is word of mouth and social media is just that, digital word of mouth. Having a co-ordinated campaign to spread the word is the best way to get into potential visitors minds during the decision making process of their trip and getting them to turn off the freeway. If Mandurah and the Peel is marketed as an experience and not just a destination then half the work is done.
What do you think can be done to get people off the freeway? I’d love to hear your ideas.
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