Destination Gold Coast Website

THE CHALLENGE

The ground-breaking new Destination Gold Coast website, built by PING Works and designed by Canvas Group - both of the DISTRICT Group – has been launched to the holiday-making public.

The District Group was successful in a competitive pitch to design and build the ground-breaking new Destination Gold Coast website.

Destination Gold Coast had a very clear vision as to what they wanted their new website to achieve:

  • Showcase the region’s unrivalled range of experiences, attractions, accommodation and events to their target user groups
  • Convert visits into bookings for local businesses
  • Visitor-focused experience: mobile first; quick to load; easy to navigate to relevant information
  • Content-driven: ensuring users can engage and discover content easily and naturally

THE SOLUTION

With mobile devices accounting for around 70% of the site’s traffic, we took a mobile-first, responsive approach to the UX and UID, as well as best-practice use of the Sitecore CMS to meet Destination Gold Coast’s strategic marketing. This included a full review of the site’s information architecture, to help streamline the delivery of a range of users to the most relevant content as quickly and intuitively as possible. This user-centred approach to UX, IA and design was optimised and refined throughout the duration of the project, using high-fidelity wireframes and interactive XD prototypes which allowed for immediate user testing and rapid iteration.

The primary objective of the website is to showcase the region’s unrivalled range of experiences, attractions, accommodation and events to their target B2C and B2B user groups – and convert visits into bookings for local businesses. So, a core feature of the website is the beautiful photography and dynamic content throughout, designed to engage and inspire the visitor. 

Our solution also included simple and seamless integration with a number of third-party platforms, APIs, and feeds essential to Destination Gold Coast’s service provision, including ATDW, Simpleview and the Everi Event Aggregator.

services provided

THE RESULTS

The positive impact the new site has had on Destination Gold Coast’s capacity to support the tourism industry has been nothing short of phenomenal – with LTIs (leads to industry) increasing by an astonishing 164% year on year. 

We are also delighted to confirm that the website was the Ultimate Experience Winner in the Sitecore Experience Awards (SEA) for the APJ and Japan region. The site was selected from a record number of entries, winning under the Most Powerful Tech Stack Integration category, for its exemplary use of Sitecore’s extensive suite of marketing tools and subsequent positive impact on their primary KPI. More here: Australia's Gold Coast drives 100%+ higher tourist engagement with Sitecore

"The recognition from the Sitecore Experience Award is much more than a technical achievement; it's a significant milestone for the tourism industry on the Gold Coast. By harnessing the power of Sitecore's comprehensive marketing tools through our collaboration with PING Works, we've not only elevated the digital presence of Destination Gold Coast but have created a ripple effect of opportunities for local businesses. This award underscores the potential of digital innovation in revitalising the local tourism landscape, laying a solid foundation for growing the already thriving economic ecosystem in our beloved region."

Daniel McQuillan, Digital Performance Manager, Destination Gold Coast