Tom Griffiths

Tom GriffithsFounder of gapyear.com

The Post GFC Budget Traveller

“How does ‘AUSTRALIA’ fit into the travel plans of the Post GFC Budget Traveller”

Identifying the problemsFinding solutions

PROBLEM 1: They didn’t turn up!

2010

2. The assumption that they always come!

2011-12?

3. Will they always come? Is the dream over?

WHAT IS GOING

WRONG?

the GFC?

the product?

the supply?

Backpacker Supply Conditions (UK: 09-10)

Last inFirst out….

Last inFirst out….

And for those in jobs?

Ambulance chasing?

Potential backpacker supply conditions were relatively strong

Supply changes 10-11?News from Europe….

Ambulance chasing?

Potential backpacker supply conditions still relatively strong

Supply affecting factorsFinancial news…

The FACTS…

Hundreds of thousands of

British [& Irish / European] 18-35

year olds will not be in *Education,

Employment or Training

in 2011-2013

*NEET

Triggers for travelTriggers for travel

• No job• No prospects• No money• Bored• Helpless• Drifting• Need to do something positive• Need to impress friends & family

[or “not to disappoint”]

• No job• No prospects• No money• Bored• Helpless• Drifting• Need to do something positive• Need to impress friends & family

[or “not to disappoint”]

Wants & NeedsWants & Needs

Want• A fun, positive, cash neutral travel experience

Need• To stay away as long as possible• A safety net / belief that all will be ok….

Want• A fun, positive, cash neutral travel experience

Need• To stay away as long as possible• A safety net / belief that all will be ok….

the supply?

the product?

Strengths

* Most ‘dreamed of’ destination

Weaknesses[Or Threat?]

“East Coast Australia

was fun, but it is very

overrated and very

expensive”

“I had intended to stay 12 months but I

found that beach by day, goon drinking by

night was getting a bit tedious. Was never

a big beach fan nor into surfing so

maybe I was stupid in going to Aus in

the first place.

The drinking in the hostels was fun but

there's only so much goon you can drink

while talking about "where you from? where

you been? where you going?"

“This post isn't intended to be negative or put people off thinking about going to

Aus to work and live but instead a realistic outlook of what it's like for the majority

of backpackers in Australia.

The 'Australian Dream' is one of going to Aus with little money, travelling,

finding work along the way when needed, saving some cash and then going

off travelling again.

It's a common misconception that work is easy to find in Aus and that wages are

high, allowing you to save. The reality is that work for backpackers is scarce, if you

do find work it'll be minimum wage and more than likely you'll be working in a bar

or on a farm”

IS THE ‘AUSTRALIAN DREAM’ DEAD?

There seems to be a

problem here….

Is the expectation of the Australian Dream outweighing

the delivery?

Cost comparison

What does £1,000 buy you?What does £1,000 buy you?

Bed nights Travel time

Australia 50-75 1 month

USA 60-80 1 month

New Zealand100 2 months

Thailand 250 3 months

Vietnam 300 3-4 months

Laos 400+ 5 months +

[Africa various] 400+ 5 months +

Bed nights Travel time

Australia 50-75 1 month

USA 60-80 1 month

New Zealand100 2 months

Thailand 250 3 months

Vietnam 300 3-4 months

Laos 400+ 5 months +

[Africa various] 400+ 5 months +

Job situation

“…its damn hard work, and i'm not living in the most exciting place ever. But its gruelling living hand to mouth and not ever being able to do fun stuff. Its hard to find work in the city and when you find it, it might only be part time or you have to put up with long hours and crap wages”

What are your customers demanding?What are your customers demanding?

• Jobs• An ability to live and work in Australia for as

long as possible• A great Australian experience• The ability to live the ‘Australian Dream’

• Jobs• An ability to live and work in Australia for as

long as possible• A great Australian experience• The ability to live the ‘Australian Dream’

THEIR TRAVEL TRIGGERS:

Can i find a job, live comfortably, have fun,

save for future travel and stay out longer?

current & future backpackers

Our customers | 24/7/365 ‘live’ & 100% in controlOur customers | 24/7/365 ‘live’ & 100% in control

Pub

Bath

Bed

Home

School / University

Work

Australia

Greenland

Restaurant

Beach

Church

Airport

Jungle

Nightclub

Library

A roaming “BUBBLE”A roaming “BUBBLE”

Pub

Bath

Bed

Home

School / University

Work

Australia

Greenland

Restaurant

Beach

Church

Airport

Jungle

Nightclub

LibraryIt’s always on

AND… It’s always ‘on me’

… a roaming content consumer/provider… a roaming content consumer/provider

Photos

Myspace

Reviews

Facebook

Bebo

YouTube

TripAdvisor

Blogger

Board posts

Tagging

WAYN

Video

Blogs

Tweets

LibraryUnlimited bandwidth

Virtual storageImmediate upload

“The World of a Billion Bubbles”

YES

Pacific Islands& North America

South East Asia

New Zealand

Pacific Islands& North America

South East Asia

New Zealand

How does Australia fit in to our Post GFC traveller’s plans?

I question your product.

I think it has changed

“Live the Dream…

do it all”

expensive

boozy piss up

…but great for a piss

up!

Whose fault is this?

In part…But also issues closer to home

“The East Coast of

Australia is becoming

the new Ibiza”

SOLUTIONS?

SO…

WHAT IS PRODUCT

‘AUSTRALIA’?

HOW DOES THIS FIT

WITH POST GFC

BACKPACKERS?

SOLUTION…Dispersal strategy?

• Jobs• Volunteer work• ?????

Money into tours and location, not breweries

WORKING TOGETHER

Australasian strategy?

Join with NZ ?

Oz Rafting + NZ rafting….

Backpacker capital of the world + Adventure capital of the world…

WORKING TOGETHER

WHAT IS THE

MESSAGE?

?HOW IS THE MESSAGE

GOING TO GET OUT?

?

ACTION: Improve dialogue between Australia and source markets

ACTION: Improve dialogue between Australia and source markets

?Singular Media StrategySingular Media Strategy

Agreeing the productGetting the message out

25,000 jobs

IN SYDNEY ALONE!!

25,000 jobs in Sydney

"Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the US, South Africa and Japan have working holiday visas or J1 visas you may be eligible for. Of these, Australia is currently short of workers, with tens of thousands of jobs available in Sydney this month alone," says Tom Griffiths, the founder of Gapyear.com.

"Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the US, South Africa and Japan have working holiday visas or J1 visas you may be eligible for. Of these, Australia is currently short of workers, with tens of thousands of jobs available in Sydney this month alone," says Tom Griffiths, the founder of Gapyear.com.

Then leave it up to the communities / social

networks to do the rest….

heyy guyss, so is it really easy to find work then? me and my friend are planning coming over in April 2011

Global backpacker

Strategy & message

- Created by you

- Spread by us all

ProblemsProblems

• Your East Coast product is letting you down• Mixed messages about jobs• Mixed messages about the ability to live and

work in Australia

• Your East Coast product is letting you down• Mixed messages about jobs• Mixed messages about the ability to live and

work in Australia

Solutions?Solutions?

• Understand what the Australia Product is• Get the positive messages out…• As one, singular, global strategy

• STO focused [linked to jobs?] inbound strategy• Maybe even work with NZ?• One message, one voice

• Understand what the Australia Product is• Get the positive messages out…• As one, singular, global strategy

• STO focused [linked to jobs?] inbound strategy• Maybe even work with NZ?• One message, one voice

25,000 jobs in Sydney.

Very few jobs in the UK

“It’s like having a party and not sending out any invites!”

“It’s like having a party and not sending out any invites!”

Australia is about “Living the Dream”

“Living the dream”

Food for thought…

Thank you!

tom@gapyear.com