Tamworth’s New 'Think Country' Tourism Campaign Builds On Country Music Brand

Tamworth Regional Council’s new tourism campaign ‘Think Country’ builds on the city and region’s long-time global reputation as country music capital.

There is a focus on its vibrant food, arts and culture, nature, and experiences and aimed at driving further overnight visitation to the region from its current 1.54 million by domestic tourists and 621, 452 international tourists a year.

The new TV ad, filmed by local videography company Alpine Films, spotlights wider attractions.

These include the Big Golden Guitar, the Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre (AELEC), Oxley Lookout, Tamworth Mountain Bike Park, Tamworth Regional Gallery, and Goonoo Goonoo Station.

There are local hospitality businesses such as The Workshop Kitchen and Sonny’s Bakery; and attractions right around the region such as the Barraba Silos, Hanging Rock, Dungowan Station and Nundle. But this is just the beginning, with many more to feature as the campaign rolls out.

“Market research prior to our launch indicated that travellers want experiences that help them connect and escape their current reality,” says Marketing and Communications Officer Neive Roebuck.

This campaign encourages visitors, such as ‘nature seekers’ and young families and couples looking for a ‘getaway’ to associate travelling to the country with our region.

“Tamworth Regional Council is very proud of the region’s Country Music Capital branding, and this campaign builds on that, to include other elements that make up the perfect country experience, including nature, good food and entertainment,” Roebuck adds.

These include many authentic country experiences.

Roebuck points out at “wide open spaces that allow visitors to unwind and escape through activities such as bushwalking and mountain biking, as well as diverse food options and a range of cultural experiences.

“The tagline ‘Think Country’ was created to leverage on our existing ‘Capital of Country’ positioning statement and promote the many tourism offerings Tamworth Region has to offer, complementing events like the Tamworth Country Music Festival, which the region is widely known for.”

The festival is rated among the best known events of its type around the world.

It is as beloved for its laid back safe family-friendly vibe as for a place to check out the superstars and discover new music. 

It draws 50,000 a year over ten days – or an aggregated 300,000 – and injects an estimated $17 million of visitor expenditure into the local economy.

Barry Harley, Tamworth Regional Council’s Director of Country Music previously told Countrytown that the surveys they do of tourists, “The atmosphere ranks highest on why they come back, and the music is second.”

Past surveys showed that one-third of the crowd for the festival were from the Tamworth region. Another one-third were from the rest of NSW, especially Sydney and the Hunter Valley. 

33 per cent came from the rest of Australia. 2 per cent came from abroad mostly from New Zealand and the USA.

Aside from marketing to traditional fans and families, the festival has taken to social media to draw in the 18 to 35 year olds.

The marketing to them goes along the lines of: You don’t have to be a country music fan, but we can guarantee you’ll find music you’ll enjoy, so come to Tamworth and have a great big party.

The new ‘Think Country’ campaign was developed as part of Council’s Visitor Economy Plan, which was adopted in 2022.

The document also identified the launch of the new place brand – Tamworth Region: Capital of Country – which combines all towns and villages within the Tamworth Local Government Area. 

The re-imagined Tamworth Region website allows local businesses to promote and share their events. It now serves as a one-stop-shop for visitors while they plan a trip to Tamworth.

“By promoting the whole region, we’re not just attracting visitors, we’re creating opportunities for all towns, businesses, and communities to share in the economic and social benefits of tourism,” notes Linda Bridges, Coordinator of the Visitor Economy.

Figures by Destination Country and Outback NSW (2024) gathered between 2019 – 2023 show that the New England North West averaged the highest volume of visitors (3.37 million), which was 58 per cent of its total network area. 

Of those, 55 per cent of overnight visitors undertake Culinary Tourism activities, while 21 per cent will undertake nature activities.

The first phase of the campaign rolls out across the Mid North Coast and Central West regions with the plan to expand into the broader NSW market in September.