2 Kiwis and a campervan connect with Cairns
Van-Tastic voyage: Hamish Cross and Adam Rykes in Cairns yesterday preparing for their six-week trip to Brisbane. Picture: CHRIS HYDE
COMBINE two 20-something Kiwi guys with a penchant for fun and adventure, a decked-out campervan named Geoff and a six-week agenda where the major factor is a starting and finishing point, and you have the ingredients for a crazy time.
And you also have the elements of a marketing campaign aimed at drawing more backpackers to Australia with the message to hit the road and have fun.
Adam Rykes and Hamish Cross are the lead cows in a promotion put together by WorldNomads.com and Backpacking Queensland.
They hope to replicate the hype generated by Queensland Tourism’s highly successful Best Job in the World campaign.
The Van-Tastic Adventures involves a competition where 14 travellers – seven teams of two – will travel around Australia in Geoff, logging their travels and adventures online.
All participants have won their way into the competition and promotion, which carries a $10,000 prize for the most popular documentary made during the 11-month campaign.
Hamish and Adam, independent TV producers who have been touring the world since January, began their leg of the journey yesterday, which will take them from Cairns to Brisbane where they will hand over Geoff to the NSW leg of the competition winners.
Their first leg of the adventure for Hamish and Adam includes a three-day live-aboard diving trip with Pro Dive Cairns, white-water rafting with Raging Thunder, and more diving and snorkelling with Sunlover Cruises.
They will record their adventures through video, blogs, photos and finally the documentary.
"We think this is better than the Best Job competition," said Hamish.
Backpacking Queensland chairman Brett Claxton said the unqiue promotion was potentially a huge marketing initiative.
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