(25/10/2018) Spirit, Soul and Sea the keys to Freo's identity

Spirit, Soul and Sea have been identified as the values that capture the essence of Freo in a new marketing plan adopted by Fremantle Council.

The Destination Marketing Strategic Plan 2018-22 was developed by the City of Fremantle’s Destination Marketing Working Group, which was established in May as part of a revamp of the City's promotional and marketing activities.

Fremantle Mayor Brad Pettitt said a key element of the plan was to develop a brand that reflected the unique character that gave Fremantle a competitive advantage over other destinations.

“People who live in Freo understand what makes it such a special place, and this strategy seeks to define and promote those unique qualities to a wider audience,” Mayor Pettitt said.

“Fremantle is seen as a city that is vibrant, lively, fun, colourful, quirky, gritty and relaxed.

“Spirit relates to Fremantle’s vibrancy, liveliness, colour and fun. Soul captures our arts and culture, heritage and live music, while Sea reflects our beaches, maritime history, the port and unique coastal precincts like Bathers Beach and Fishing Boat Harbour.”

The Destination Marketing Working Group is comprised of local tourism, retail and business experts and chaired by the former general manager of Southern Cross Media, and current Tourism Western Australia Board Member Linda Wayman.

Ms Wayman said the plan identified a number of marketing opportunities for Fremantle to capitalise on, including a focus on refreshing Fremantle’s current brand identity.

“Fremantle has diverse assets and product, like Fremantle Prison, the maritime museum and the Fremantle Markets, as well as interesting and different locals,” Ms Wayman said.

“Together they contribute to Fremantle’s brand identity. It’s important to focus on those unique aspects and present a compelling narrative for Fremantle as a destination. 

“The group believes there is a significant opportunity for Fremantle to better leverage leisure tourism, business tourism, major events and cruise ships.

“The completion of Elizabeth Quay and Perth Stadium provides the opportunity to position Fremantle as a gateway to the Swan River, Rottnest Island and to those travelling to Western Australia via cruise ships.

“The rapid growth in the number of hotel rooms available in Fremantle also opens up the ability for Fremantle to attract more high-yielding business events and conferences.

“Plus there are things like the fact that Fremantle is also the only place in Perth, and one of the few places in WA, where people can legally have a glass of wine on the beach and watch the sunset, so that’s something special we can take advantage of.”

The destination marketing plan also identifies Aboriginal cultural experiences and marine tourism as emerging markets.

It also makes recommendations on how to improve the experience of visitors to Fremantle and develop stronger partnerships with organisations like Tourism WA, Destination Perth and the Perth Convention Bureau.

To view the City’s Destination Marketing Strategic Plan visit the Destination Marketing page on the City of Fremantle website.