Queensland dreams aloud

Amplifying Cairns’ cultural tourism credentials

In 2025, QMF turned up the volume on cultural tourism with the return of its Queensland Music Trails series; a statewide initiative redefining how audiences experience music through regional destinations, First Nations storytelling and immersive tourism experiences.

Aruga was engaged to amplify The Tropics Trail through a strategic earned media campaign, strengthening QMF’s national profile, building audience awareness and engagement and reinforcing its authority in cultural tourism.

Aruga’s campaign remit spanned press activity to amplify Cairns’ international Music Cities Award win, QMF brand storytelling, regional placemaking, event-focused editorial and broad awareness activity for The Tropics Trails.

The result was a visible, positive media footprint that placed QMF and The Tropics Trail front-of-mind across general news, culture, tourism and travel media.

Results

46

media clips

2.52M+

potential audience reach from media clips

$48,000+

editorial value equivalent

100%

positive sentiment

100%

key message inclusion

55%

coverage in top-tier outlets

Deliverables

Media Strategy

Developing a three-phase public relations strategy to amplify QMF’s media presence and sustain momentum from the Trail launch through to event week.

Copywriting

Developing media releases, pitch materials and key messages that positioned The Tropics Trail as a major cultural event for national, statewide and local audiences.

Media Relations

Liaising with musicians, programmers and the QMF team to facilitate interviews and reactive opportunities across national, statewide and industry media.

Winning Tactics

Aruga rolled out a multi-phase pitching strategy, ensuring each phase delivered fresh news value and sustained editorial interest across the whole campaign.

Aruga prioritised national coverage to build QMF’s cultural credibility, securing results that explored programming, creative vision and the Trail’s role in Queensland’s cultural evolution.

Aruga put forward musicians, programmers and the QMF team as spokespeople, enabling authentic storytelling that resonated across diverse media platforms.