Virgin Blue to support GC Suns AFL fans with away travel and opposition packages

[DIEHARD]

AFL fans land holiday deals on Coast


Flight attendant Bree Cook passes the ball to AFL fans to take up holiday packages to the Gold Coast Suns' home games. Photo: Scott Fletcher

AUSSIE Rules fans are being targeted in the latest drive to boost Gold Coast tourism and locals will also benefit from the deal.

Virgin Blue yesterday launched footy-orientated holiday packages to the Gold Coast Suns' eight home games and similar deals will soon be offered to Suns fans attending matches interstate.

The package, which is being promoted in 14 locations in Australia and New Zealand, includes return flights, two nights accommodation at Mantra Legends, game tickets, exclusive club functions and transfers starting from $715.

The games include the Suns' first home game at Carrara Stadium against Geelong in May.

With more than 550,000 AFL club members around Australia, Gold Coast Tourism is heralding the deal as a major tourism win.

CEO Martin Winter estimated fans would inject $34 million into the local economy and generate an additional 121,000 visitor nights.

Mantra Group marketing director Ken Minnikin said the extra fans would be a major boost for tourism.

"There's no doubt AFL clubs have very passionate and loyal supporters and do travel to watch their teams to play," he said. "It will be great ... for the fans, it will generate an amazing atmosphere.

"Tourism is the lifeblood of the Gold Coast and we need every bit of help we can. These are difficult times and every event and activity we can attract to the Gold Coast is what we require."

AFL general manager strategy and marketing, Andrew Catterall, said the Gold Coast would become a prime destination to watch Aussie rules games. "AFL fans have shown their willingness to travel and support their teams," he said.

"The Gold Coast's popularity as a holiday and short break destination, coupled with the view that the newly built Gold Coast Stadium will be one of the best places in Australia to watch AFL footy, will make the Gold Coast a very attractive option for all AFL supporters."

A Virgin Blue spokeswoman said deals would be offered to Gold Coasters in coming weeks.

"Virgin Blue will also support Gold Coast Suns fans travelling from the Gold Coast to away games in cities around Australia," she said.

http://www.goldcoast.com.au/

[DIEHARD]

This is the sort of thing Jetstar should be doing for Titans fans, helping them travel. And on the flipside, encourage more rival fans to travel to the Gold Coast which also helps us with our atmosphere, crowds and profits.

But helping the rank and file Titans fans travel is what I really want to see and I'm disappointed to see the GCAFLFCSUNS do it with Virgin Blue from the get go...

[Steelers]

Why doesn't Jetstar offer 50% off domestic flights for Titans members for certain flights (specifically flights to and from Titans away games). Surely it would mean they get money they wouldn't normally get by enticing Titans fans to see some away games.

[DIEHARD]

And Titans fans are walking Jetstar billboards.

[Tamwelg]

It wouldn't surprise me if Jetstar do offer something to rival Virgin.

[karnage]

Diehard, what we need to do is write up a template for an email that everbody here can copy and paste into an email and forward on to a relevant authority with Jetstar. I am sure that if we phrase it all properly and present our arguments in the correct light then we can get a positive response from the management at Jetstar.

I will work on a draft template this afternoon and post it up later and if we can find out the correct person to send it to I am sure we can develop some traction.

[karnage]

Just knocked this up quickly, please feel free to fill in any of the gaps that I have put in red. I would love it if we could jam a guys inbox full of about 100 of these - I couldn't think of a more effective way of displaying just how many people want to travel to see the team.

Let me know if any of my grammar or punctuation needs attention too...


Dear (insert name of relevant Jetstar Management officer here),

This letter is written in response to an article from The Gold Coast Bulletin dated 14th March 2011, entitled 'AFL fans land holiday deals on Coast: AFL TOURISM TO TAKE OFF'.

This article, for which a hyperlink has been provided below, outlines the generous travel incentives put in place by the AFL's new travel partner Virgin Blue. The incentives are not only designed for working families with budget constraints but they seek to make it easier for fans to travel to interstate venues.

As naming rights sponsor for the 'Jetstar Gold Coast Titans' members want to know if your organisation has any plans to cater for the (insert number of members here) members who may wish to travel interstate to support our team. Gold Coast Titans members are familiar with some of your matchday promotions such as (help me out here.... the one where they give a flight to someone in the crowd who holds up the destination board) but wonder why the natural synergy that can be created from a naming rights sponsor such as yourselves has not been exploited more fully.

We are a proud and passionate supporters group who obviously wear a range of apparel bearing your logo and that exposure can by enhanced by sending us to a greater number of destinations. We sincerely hope that you can see the mutual benefits this opportunity provides and wait expectantly for you to announce a program to rival that which Virgin Blue has put in place for the AFL community.

Please feel free to contact me directly by return email if you wish to discuss this proposal further.

Yours sincerely,
Insert Name Here.

[Blazertaser]

I think your the man to do something like this Brad, as your in charge of communications apart of the legion steering committee. Karnage's draft is a great way to start off, with a few things added here and there, it can be put forward to the jetstar office of whoever deals with these type of issues.

Im sure they have thought of the idea before, but if you were to submit it to the person in charge of this, it would'nt be shoved under the table as much.

[DIEHARD]

Sometimes people power is the best weapon. Now Virgin Blue have set a precident as well.

I'll try and find out who best to send stuff to.