The success of the Gold Coast Airport Marathon is continuing with the Queensland Government today announcing the annual event has secured partnerships with six major overseas marathons and a potential global television audience of 265 million people in more than 100 countries.
Taking the promotion of the Gold Coast Airport Marathon to a new international level, partnerships have been established with major city marathons in Kobe and Senshu (Japan), Auckland (New Zealand),Singapore, Penang (Malaysia) and Shanghai (China).
These partnerships have been complemented by the screening of a one hour highlights program of this year’s Gold Coast Airport Marathon on more than 20 television networks around the world and today’s release of the same program for free global viewing on YouTube.
Parliamentary Secretary assisting the Premier on the Gold Coast and Commonwealth Games, Peta-Kaye Croft, said the overseas marathon partnerships and global television and online coverage would take the marketing of the Gold Coast event to a new level.
“This event is getting bigger and better every year and establishing these partnerships with major marathon events will generate even greater awareness and interest in key markets around the world,” said Ms Croft.
“Events Queensland Gold Coast, Tourism Queensland and Gold Coast Tourism have been working hard behind the scenes to focus the event’s marketing efforts in Japan, South East Asia, New Zealand, China, Taiwan and Korea to increase the event visitation from these countries.
“The largest television coverage of the Gold Coast Airport Marathon in the event’s history will only support these efforts, showcasing the Gold Coast as a beautiful holiday destination and the Gold Coast Airport Marathon as the marathon of choice for visitors to Australia.”
One of the largest networks to telecast the event is Multi Channels Asia which will screen the highlights program on Outdoor Channel HD this month throughout Asia and the Pacific.
“Outdoor Channel is firmly focused on broadcasting the best of Asia-Pacific’s outdoor related sports and events, and the Gold Coast Airport Marathon is undoubtedly one such event,” said Gregg Creevey, the managing director of Multi Channels Asia.
“Held against the backdrop of Gold Coast’s iconic beaches and Broadwater, the Gold Coast Airport Marathon provides the best of outdoor sports action and an ideal picturesque setting.”
The program has already been telecast in Japan on Fuji TV and J Sports. Setanta Sports Africa, African Broadcasting Network, SuperSport and Zuku Sports have featured the program in Africa and parts of the Middle East.
Other stations featuring the program include Setanta Sports Ireland and Premier Sports (UK and Ireland); SportKlub, Sport TV, SPTV, Ring.bg and Nova Sport (Europe); SCCN and Bandsports (South America); Guangdong Sports Channel (China) and Astro Super Sport (Malaysia).
These stations are in addition to Channel Nine, NBN and Fox Sports which telecast the program around Australia in August.
Events Queensland CEO John O’Sullivan said today’s release of the documentary on YouTube would only add to the global audience of the event.
“For all those people who missed the documentary on television, they now have free access to the program on our YouTube channel,” said Mr O’Sullivan.
“Coverage through the internet is now as big as television and our documentary will add to the audience generated by the event’s live webcast back in July.”
This year’s television and online documentary of the Gold Coast Airport Marathon was produced by one80 Digital Post.
Today’s announcement by the Queensland Government continues a great period for the Gold Coast Airport Marathon which started with induction into the Queensland Tourism Awards Hall of Fame last month for winning the award’s Major Events & Festivals
category for three consecutive years.
The event is now a finalist in the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards to be held in Cairns in March.
The 34th annual Gold Coast Airport Marathon will be held on the weekend of 30 June-1 July 2012.
Visit www.goldcoastmarathon.com.au and www.youtube.com/gcmarathon
More information: www.eventsqld.com.au