Today (Friday 5 April), one of Australia's best known resort properties will be relaunched in a bold move to recapture its former glory. Great Keppel Island, on the north Queensland coast, was once one of Australia's great tourism success stories, its famous Get Wrecked campaign - centred on sea, sun and sex for 20 year olds - considered the most enduring of all resort campaigns in the 1970s and 1980s. But over the last few years many would have said the island itself was wrecked, with its traditional market all but displaced.

Accor, the largest hotel group in the Asia Pacific region, took over management of Great Keppel Island last year at a time when many said the island's days were numbered. It was a victim of the past success of the Get Wrecked campaign and had been unable to develop a new identity, despite Get Wrecked being jettisoned as a marketing vehicle over 20 years earlier.

Added to the island's problems was difficult access to the island, with flights to the main arrival port, Rockhampton, further threatened by the collapse of Australia's second airline, Ansett, last year.

Accor's brief from local owners Ron Hancock and Bevan Whittaker was to restore their resort's position by updating the image and building its market through Accor's comprehensive national and international sales, marketing and reservations network.

A conventional makeover and relaunch was considered initially, but withmarket conditions deteriorating, Accor decided on one of the boldest tourism property gambles by going 'back to the future'.

'Back' in that it revisited the Island's youth-oriented 'Get Wrecked' days, but 'to the future' in that Accor partnered with leaders in youth travel, Contiki (part of Travel Corporation plc), and Qantas to launch the first ever exclusive 18 - 35 year old resort concept in Australia.

A major upgrade of the island took place to prepare the resort for the new style guests, with the addition of facilities designed specifically for the youth market such as a nightclub, chillout lounge & internet café, gymnasium, micro market, restaurant and bar. Also in recognition of the typical guest profile, breakfasts are done away with in favour of 'brunch', recoignising that after a late night partying, eggs and bacon at 7am might not be the preferred option.

Another 'first' was the involvement of Qantas, who will operate charters - starting from tomorrow, Saturday 6 April - from Sydney and Melbourne specifically for Contiki Resorts.

Michael Issenberg, Accor's Managing Director for Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific and Japan admits the strategy is a gamble, but says he is confident that Accor & Contiki will be able to turn the island's fortunes around.

"After the collapse of Ansett and the global downturn in tourism, this might not be the safest time to relaunch a tourism asset, but Accor has always been prepared to take risks when we can see the potential of a property," he said. "Great Keppel Island is perfect for the 18-35s market because it provides a unique self-contained environment that they can have exclusively to themselves.

"No other island in Australia is marketing exclusively to the 18-35s so this is a first for us and I am confident that our partnership with Contiki will ensure the island is a great success."

Located off Rockhampton, the resort is ideal for the Contiki resort concept, with its year-round tropical climate, 28kms of sandy beaches, five pools, two spas, and a choice of 40 free leisure activities from archery to cat sailing, and golf to surf skiing.

Rates start from AUD$85 per person (based on triple share) per night inclusive of brunch and dinner.

What remains to be seen now is whether the 'sun, sand, sea and sex' philosophy will be enough to turn this unique tourism property around.

The launch of Contiki Resort Great Keppel Island will be a test-case for an extension of the youth resort concept elsewhere in the region. Asian destinations such as Bali and Phuket are being considered as next possible ventures.

This is not the first time Accor has taken gambles in tourism property in Australia. The company's first foray into Australia was a Novotel at Darling Harbour at a time when the area was considered a 'white elephant' and later Accor was the first hotel group to build a hotel in an Olympic park (a Novotel and Ibis at Homebush Bay). In both cases, the foresight has been instrumental in developing the areas into major tourism assets.

Accor is the worldwide leader in travel, tourism and corporate services, employing 147,000 employees in 140 countries, with two major international activities:

  • hotels: 3,700 hotels (415,000 rooms) in 90 countries (including over 100 hotels and resorts in Australia and New Zealand under the brands Sofitel, Novotel, Mercure, All Seasons, Ibis and Formule 1) as well as travel agencies, restaurants and casinos;
  • services to corporate clients and public institutions: each day, 13 million people in 31 countries use a broad range of services (food vouchers, people care and services, incentive, loyalty programs, events) engineered and managed by Accor.

Peter Hook
61 (2) 9367 0860
Accor