(Photo: The Peanut Van)
February 26, 2018
A Canadian business delegation got treated to a whirlwind tour of the South Burnett over the weekend, and liked what they saw.
The visitors were delegates from the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA), and their visit was arranged by the Southern Queensland Country regional tourism organisation.
Delegates learned about the South Burnett Rail Trail and the region’s wineries.
They also paid a visit to The Peanut Van, and enjoyed an overnight stay in the Bunya Mountains.
The South Burnett visit was part of an 8-day tour that will also take in Stanthorpe, Toowoomba and Brisbane.
Because Canada’s tourism industry is similar to Australia’s, the visit provided the delegates with a unique learning opportunity, Southern Queensland Country CEO Mary-Clare Power said.
TOTA delegates were particularly impressed by the South Burnett Rail Trail.
They said the idea of joining communities together in terms of signage and infrastructure was one great idea they intended to take back home.
Southern Queensland Country Tourism established a relationship with TOTA four years ago.
“We have enjoyed a very fruitful partnership with TOTA and many of our members have benefited from the shared experience of their membership and vice-versa,” Ms Power said.
Both groups had identified similar successes and struggles in their tourism industries.
They intend to continue hosting one another and sharing successful tourism strategies that will strengthen their industries in the future.
The weekend visit was followed by a forum at the University of Southern Queensland’s Toowoomba campus on Monday focussing on rural tourism, where TOTA CEO Glenn Mandziuk was a keynote speaker.
He discussed his views about the challenges and opportunities he has faced in his own region in British Columbia and practical strategies Australian tourism businesses could apply.
