38 our business enterprise Principal Areas of Activity • Zoo Admissions • Community Citizenship • Commercial Services • Corporate Relations • Retail Services • Catering Services • The Taronga Foundation • Marketing • Corporate Partnerships • Information Technology • Animal Sponsorship • Tourism • Media Relations • Graphic Design • Benchmarking • Records Management and Archives Office Taronga’s popular pair of Asian Elephants, • Risk Management male Heman and female Burma, which shared Taronga’s famous Elephant Temple for 25 years, were successfully transferred to Western Plains Zoo in May. Western Plains Zoo is now the only Zoo in Australasia to display both African and Asian Elephants, providing a unique chance for people to discover the differences between the two species. Photograph courtesy Jeff Darmanin –The Daily Telegraph 39 The Zoological Parks Board of NSW The Zoological Parks Board Goals Objectives Performance Indicators Organisational Capacity Organisational Capacity 04 05 To develop and implement • To improve business effectiveness Direct government superior systems that enable the via simplification, speed and support per visitor Zoos to adapt to new market reduced costs. conditions and identify new Taronga Zoo $16.02 $16.60 • To improve communication opportunities created by change. Western Plains Zoo $14.21 $13.80 processes. Commerce Operating expenses • To develop systems to improve Annual Report 2005 To meet financial requirements by per visitor response capacity and effectively generating support and goodwill measure performance. Taronga Zoo $28.91 $31.37 among our customers, supporters Western Plains Zoo $41.37 $43.05 and stakeholders. Commerce • To increase business volumes, Capital expenditure Community market share and revenue through per visitor To ensure our Zoos play an active innovative and competitive Taronga Zoo $13.51 $19.43 role in fostering community commercial activities. Western Plains Zoo $9.86 $5.33 involvement by developing and participating in activities that Community create a sense of belonging and • To further develop our status as working towards common goals. an important community asset and resource. • To achieve a greater awareness of our programs and activities in ethnic communities. • To achieve an increased sense of community pride and ownership of the Zoos. • To achieve a leadership role in the community in conservation and environmental endeavours. our business enterprise Marketing Gorilla Babies Tourist attractions in Sydney had a prosperous The birth of baby Gorilla “Kimya” in January year with 7% growth in the international provided an opportunity to promote Taronga’s tourism market and a strong domestic successful Western Lowland Gorilla breeding economy. Competition was heavy with program in the Easter school holidays. This was significant promotional offers and activities strongly supported by television advertising, such as the Lord of the Rings exhibition at the extensive media coverage, additional keeper 40 Powerhouse Museum and the long-running talks and Zoo activities. Zoo attendances were Lion King stage show. above budget by 5% through this period, reaching close to 90,000 for April. The regional market continued to suffer the impacts of the on-going drought and heavy Twilight Concert Series competition from coastal locations, compounded by the highly competitive airline 2005 marked the 10th Anniversary of the industry delivering cheaper flights across popular Twilight at Taronga Concert series. Australia, increasing petrol prices and a The Zoo recorded its largest attendances ever continued reluctance for drive travel. with ticket sales exceeding 34,000. The Twilight Concert series continues to be an In this environment, the Marketing Division important source of income for the Zoo and needed to deliver a comprehensive program The Taronga Foundation and has significantly of activities designed to attract a broader broadened the market appeal of Taronga. market of visitors to both Zoos. Western Plains Zoo Winter Zoo Kingdom Consortium Marketing Strategy This July promotion focused on animal Western Plains Zoo’s marketing partnership behaviours in winter. The promotion was with Dubbo City Tourism and the Central supported by TV advertising, extensive public NSW Tourism Board progressed with a relations support, in-grounds activities and strategy that included three television keeper talks. Visitation exceeded 95,000 for commercials and media planning, with the first the month representing a 3% increase on the commercials appearing in Sydney in August/ Zoo’s five-year average. Sept. All partners contributed equally to a media schedule enabling greater reach of Top: During the October Spiders and Reptiles school holidays, Taronga Zoo marketing budgets. The campaign also aired in introduced new Spider Keeper Spiders and reptiles provided the focus for this October, January and March, utilising the Zoo’s Talks at Backyard to Bush. year’s Zoo Month celebrations in the October Channel 9 media partnership. Direct enquiries The talks provided visitors school holidays. The theme was particularly the opportunity to meet to a central call centre increased by 103% and learn about Australia’s popular with children who chose to wear year-on-year and a 4% increase of Sydney incredible spiders, including spider costumes for their day out at the Zoo. visitors to Dubbo and Western Plains Zoo was the Funnelweb and the A new television commercial was produced experienced. The strategy will continue through Redback spider. and Spider Keeper Talks were introduced at 2005/06 with the introduction of two-three day Opposite: A six foot, 65kg ‘Backyard to Bush’ during the school holidays. accommodation and attraction packages. male giraffe named “Kindu” was born in May at Western Plains Zoo. “Kindu” is the fifth Bird Show Relaunch Western Plains calf for “Andrea” and the sixth Taronga’s spectacular Free Flight Bird Show Regional Promotion sired by “Nakuru”, a 6-year-old male which was brought to was re-launched for the December school Western Plains Zoo introduced a regional Western Plains Zoo in 2000 to holidays. A number of new birds and routines promotional package in January and February, add important genetic were introduced and additional in-ground offering half-price tickets on Sundays to diversification to the herd. promotions ran via sponsors Streets and residents of Dubbo and the broader surrounds. PHOTO COURTESY JEFF DARMANIN – THE DAILY TELEGRAPH. Coke. Taronga had peak crowds between The promotion was well received with visitation Christmas and New Year placing the Zoo 24% increasing by 27% on the previous year. Additional over budget with more than 120,000 people revenue was also gained through the promotion, visiting Taronga in January. particularly with the Zoo’s new animal encounters programs for rhinoceros and big cats. our business enterprise Group Sales Through a focused sales drive, Group Sales at Taronga continued to grow, specifically in the large picnic day market. Several union picnics, corporate event days and solid pre-paid ticket sales followed a direct marketing drive. New client CFMEU, held a picnic for 7,000 members in December. 41 International Tourism of NSW The Zoological Parks Board International tourism at Taronga remained strong during the year and represented 34% of total visitation. The Zoo won a bid to host the largest China Amway incentive group to visit Sydney with almost 10,000 delegates visiting the Zoo over eight days in January. Visitors enjoyed a ‘Wild Australia’ tour and were offered a Koala digital photo opportunity. The event was tremendously popular with delegates and increased Taronga’s profile in the international tourism market. Annual Report 2005 Other tourism highlights included: • Taronga Zoo representation at trade shows in Japan, South East Asia, United Kingdom and USA, • strong growth of exclusive behind-the- scenes tours of ‘VIP Aussie Gold’ and ‘Taronga’s Wild Australia’, • on-going partnerships with the Australian Tourism Commission, Tourism NSW and Tourism Sydney to consolidate Taronga’s tourism profile, • increased advertising and tracking in key tourism publications, • initial development of new Taronga Zoo signage with Sydney Ferries at Circular Quay, and • design and development of new branding and directional signs for Taronga’s ‘Wild Australia’ experience. the taronga foundation chairman’s report 42 As we end the fourth year of The Corporate Partnerships also continued Sumatra, Indonesia and Brush-tailed Rock Foundation’s activities the total funds to provide a solid base of funding for The Wallabies and Little Penguins here in New received to 30 June 2005 or contracted, Foundation this year, especially in May when South Wales. exceed $17.5 million representing 30% we welcomed QBE as a Principal Partner We would also like acknowledge the of our total campaign target of $56 million and Naming Rights Sponsor of the popular generous support of Zoo Friends who this over the full 12 years of the Master Plan. Free Flight Bird Show. An official launch was year donated $172,000 directly to The held for QBE and their staff at the famous Pleasingly, actual cumulative cash received Taronga Foundation. The on-going support amphitheatre overlooking Sydney Harbour. totals $11.4 million at the end of this of Zoo Friends has made a huge contribution We look forward to a long and mutually financial year. since the launch of The Taronga Foundation beneficial partnership with them. in December 2000. Despite a challenging fundraising