Tourism Solomons has announced the winners of its innovative creative challenge inviting Australian and New Zealand travel industry professionals the opportunity to create travel industry campaign slogans – and the results are impressive.
Launched under a ‘Let Your Imagination Set Sail’ banner, the initiative encouraged travel professionals to unleash their creativity and express what they believed best captured the spirit of the Solomon Islands — from sun-drenched beaches and vibrant culture to world-class diving, uncrowded surfing, excellent fishing, trekking and untouched adventure.
Sydney-based Stage & Screen Travel Services’ Cassy was named the winner in Australia, her entry, ‘Solomon Islands – Warm Welcomes, Wild Wonders’ chosen as the perfect encapsulation of the destination’s dual appeal — the warmth of its people and the untouched adventure that awaits travellers across its 992-island archipelago.
Tourism Solomons described the tagline as “short, memorable, and emotionally resonant — ideal for use across social, digital, and print channels and aligns beautifully with the destination’s core brand values and current South Pacific regional marketing trends.”
In New Zealand, Kawakawa-based TS Travel’s Trish Seeherr’s ‘Step off the map – Find the real Pacific’ entry was chosen for what the panel described as “a bold but simple tagline that instantly sets the Solomon Islands apart as the authentic, unspoiled Pacific island alternative for New Zealand travellers.”
The ’Step off the map’ line was described as sparking adventure and curiosity, a perfect fit for New Zealand travellers’ love of exploration, while ‘Find the real Pacific’ positions the destination as genuine, raw and soulful — a smart contrast to the polished resort branding common in Fiji and Samoa.
Tourism Solomons Australia Trade Manager, Richard Skewes, who conceived the concept, said the initiative had been far more than a competition and strongly underscored the importance of the travel trade in shaping destination success.
“This was all about inviting the people who sell our destination every day to help shape its story with us,” he said.
“Travel agents know exactly what inspires travellers to look beyond the usual, and no one is better placed to help us find a line that truly captures the magic of the Solomon Islands.”Tourism Solomons New Zealand Tagline Advert