July 30, 2017
The newly formed Visit South Burnett local tourism organisation hopes to have a long-term funding agreement in place with the South Burnett Regional Council within weeks.
In a media statement issued on Friday, the group said it had been formed by South Burnett tourism operators in response to an ongoing decline in domestic and international tourists visiting the region.
“The current management committee was formed to represent a broad base of industry sectors ranging from hosted accommodation, food and restaurants, attractions, events and wineries,” Visit South Burnett secretary Julie Thomson said.
“(It) will market all areas of the South Burnett from Blackbutt in the south, north to Murgon, west as far as the historic Boondooma Homestead and hopes to establish a close working relationship with eastern towns within the wider traditional South Burnett Region.”
“The management committee have had a number of highly productive discussions with South Burnett Regional councillors and staff, and are hopeful of having a long-term funding agreement in place within weeks.”
The group said it has also had a number of informal discussions with neighbouring local tourism organisations including the newly formed Tourism Darling Downs.
It hopes to have further discussions with Regional Tourism Organisations including Toowoomba-based Southern Queensland Country Tourism, Fraser Coast Tourism, the Sunshine Coast, and Brisbane Valley Marketing to explore joint marketing strategies.
The group said a recent tourism forum in Kingaroy attended by about 50 tourism operators had revealed “overwhelming industry support” for the concept.
“The mood of the forum demonstrated that people within the South Burnett are best placed to market the region, and preliminary feedback highlights a real passion and enthusiasm for the South Burnett and an excitement around the new direction,” Ms Thomson said.
“Visit South Burnett will commence a wider campaign to attract membership from within the South Burnett in coming weeks.
“(It) has meetings planned with hero events within the wider South Burnett such as the Goomeri Pumpkin Festival and Kilkivan Great Horse ride to discuss great opportunities that exist in leveraging off those events.”
At last week’s forum, South Burnett Regional Council Economic Development Officer Craig Tunley challenged operators to increase visitor spending by 300 per cent in three years.
“Visit South Burnett has welcomed the challenge and believes given the quality of tourism product in the region … this target is very achievable,” Ms Thomson said.
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The South Burnett Regional Council adopted a three-year Tourism Strategy and Implementation Plan at its February 3, 2016 meeting.
The move came after the collapse of the South Burnett Tourism Association in July 2015.
The strategy was developed by South Burnett Directions’ Tourism Reference Group and called for continued close involvement with Tourism Queensland and the Southern Queensland Country Tourism organisation.
The South Burnett Regional Council is believed to spend as much as $500,000 a year on tourism.
The money is spent operating five Visitor Information Centres staffed by volunteers and managed by Council staff; attending promotional events such as Regional Flavours and caravanning expos; the employment of a full-time Tourism Officer; promotional advertising; and a $60,000 per year contribution to help fund the Southern Queensland Country Tourism organisation.
According to the Tourism Strategy document, tourism is a significant economic contributor to the region.
Tourism Research Australia 2012 data quoted in the strategy estimated the South Burnett attracted 511,000 visitors per annum who stayed 596,000 nights and contributed $105 million to the local economy.
Related articles:
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- SQCT Tourism Claims Disputed
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- Council To Host Tourism Workshop
- Toowoomba To Stay In Tourism Group
- South Burnett May Leave SQC Regional Tourism Board
- Tourism Spending Breaks Record
- Tourism Revolt May Spread
- Local Voice On Breakaway Tourism Group
- Record Visitors To Tourism Region
- MP Encourages Tourism Delegates
- ‘Time Right’ For Tourism Discussion
- SQC Tourism Drops 3.3pc
Let me get this right: a recently incorporated organisation with no members, no apparent business plan, and no track history of completing even one successful tourism project wants long-term funding from Council? Excuse me … I must have blinked and woken up in Disneyland …