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‘We had people ringing to cancel their bookings. Even though we explained that the fires were nowhere near us, they didn’t fully understand how big Gippsland is,’ recalled Vicki. ‘We also had people packing up and leaving early. The phone stopped ringing for future bookings.’
Implementing new methods of communication
Vicki and David hopped straight into action with a plan to get the word out. The more people who understood that the Tarra Valley area was unaffected by bushfires, the better.
First, Vicki and David rang local radio stations in both Melbourne and regional Victoria, explaining their message that Tarra Valley was safe to visit. This produced positive results. The park received a few bookings from this initiative, but it was not yet enough to make up for the unexpected loss. Vicki and David required a better, more effective method to spread the word… and fast.
Help came in the form of the Business Recovery Advisory Program. Paired with mentor Tom Ponting, Vicki and David came up with a new plan of attack.
Tom provided guidance in the form of a renewed sense of motivation, paired with a plan for the park’s communications. Tom mentored Vicki and David about the use of Tarra Valley Caravan Park’s social media channels to spread the word effectively.
Tourism at the caravan park resumed, and afterwards, Tarra Valley implemented a new way to reach customers when it was most important.
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