MEDIA RELEASE
9 October 2011
Fresh eyes to review the Cradle Coast tourism industry
A Victorian‐based consulting firm with over 20 years of tourism and local government experience has been appointed to review the state of tourism in the Cradle Coast region.
With the benefit of an outsider’s view, Urban Enterprise consultants will deliver a Cradle Coast State of the Region Report to help transition the industry from the region’s two Zone Marketing Groups to a single Regional Tourism Organisation.
The report, due for completion in early November, is part of state‐wide reform arising from the review of regional tourism recently completed by Tourism Tasmania.
Information collection has begun with focus groups comprised of Regional Tourism marketing organisations, Local Tourism Associations and local government representatives held in Burnie and Queenstown.
Invitations are now being sent to a range of tourism operators across the region to attend similar sessions in Strahan, Wynyard and Devonport. An online survey will also be open to all operators and stakeholders in the region to gauge responses to tourism‐related issues and inform the state of the region report.
Existing tourism strategies and market research including visitor survey data, tourist perceptions and accommodation data will be reviewed by the consultants, along with audits on the region’s tourism experiences, products and infrastructure.
Project Coordinator and Cradle Coast Authority Regional Tourism Development Manager, Ian Waller, said that the report will provide a fresh assessment of the region’s offerings and identify opportunities for development.
“Stepping back and being open to examination from independent, fresh eyes will help the industry pinpoint areas for improvement,” Mr Waller said. “In any business it’s easy to get bogged down in day‐to‐day matters and lose sight of the big picture. By taking an industry‐led approach we’re aiming to generate regional tourism strategies and priorities that we can all get behind.”
End… Cradle Coast tourism works with the tourism and associated industries, Councils, State Government and visitor centres to create a regional tourism sector that delivers economic, social and environmental benefits to the Cradle Coast. Cradle Coast tourism is a unit of the Cradle Coast Authority. Media Contacts: Ian Waller ‐ Ph: 0419 372 400 Amanda Wilson ‐ Ph: 6431 6285 Regional Tourism Development Manager Communications Manager