REEF ENVIRONMENT IS GREAT BUT DON'T FORGET THE STAFF

Stories in national and international magazines and newspapers focus on the reef environment but don't mention the high-quality staff and service provided by tourism operators on the Great Barrier Reef, according to a CRC Reef study.

Stories in magazines and newspapers are a major influence in tourists' choice of a holiday destination, says project leader Professor Philip Pearce of James Cook University's Tourism Program.

The study was funded by CRC Reef and analysed the coverage of the GBR and competing holiday destinations in more than 45 magazines and newspapers used by Australians, Americans and the British to help them choose a holiday destination. International newspapers and publications such as USA Today, National Geographic and Hello, and local and regional newspapers and magazines, were included in the study.

"Travel writers often describe the GBR as a 'pristine wilderness' and emphasise its biodiversity," said Professor Pearce.

"In stories about competitor destinations, such as south-east Asia and the Pacific islands, journalists talked a lot about 'people'," said Professor Pearce. "The stories were often about colourful characters and emphasised the cross-cultural experience."

"There was virtually no mention of 'people' in stories about the Great Barrier Reef. And yet, our visitor research clearly shows that the quality of service and the staff are a major positive feature of tourists' actual reef experiences.

"We have a major opportunity to sell the Australian 'character' to our international visitors. Tourists think of us as friendly, outdoors people. It's easy to meet that expectation and it is one we can capitalise on."

"A lot of stories are written about the environmental quality of the reef and its World Heritage Area status," he said. "That's great, but tourism operators on the reef also provide fantastic service. By letting potential visitors know that a holiday on the Great Barrier Reef will provide access to a pristine environment as well as high-quality service, we could boost our reef tourism industry."

Professor Philip Pearce can be contacted on 07 4781 4762 or 07 4781 5133. For further information contact Dr Louise Goggin, Communication Coordinator, CRC Reef on 07 4729 8404 or 0402 243116