7.6. THEME 6: FESTIVALS, EVENTS AND CONFERENCES

7.6. THEME 6: FESTIVALS, EVENTS AND CONFERENCES

OBJECTIVE 5 Promote an increase in year round visitation to the Murray through event facility investment and coordinated development and promotion of a series of events and conferences linked to Murray’s tourism strengths.

Festivals and events are important in attracting new and diverse visitors to tourism regions, and encouraging visitors to travel in off-peak seasons to a wide range of destinations. Consultation with Local Government across the Murray Region indicated that currently there are events held most weekends, but there is a need for a coordinated series of high profile events that create widespread interest and visitation to the region.

There are some high profile events staged in the Murray Region that draw many people, such as the Southern 80 ski race, Henty and Elmore Field Days and the Deniliquin Ute Muster. The Southern 80 is estimated to have 90,000 people watch the race, while the Ute Muster holds world records for most utes and blue singlets in one place. Henty Field Days draw 55,000 visitors to the region over 3 days, and is a major event.

In addition to some of the traditional Murray Region events, a number of events in the region cater for the Lifestyle Leader market including the Winter Blues Festival in Echuca, Riverboats Music Festival, Sun Country Food and Wine Festival and Swan Hill Region Food and Wine Festival.

The Events Strategy by MRT provides a framework for event procurement and identifies event gaps and opportunities. The events strategy highlights the following gaps in events in the region that align to the product strengths of the Murray:

• Food and Wine events. • Arts, cultural and heritage events. • Agriculture events. • Water-based and adventure events. Sporting events are a key driver of visitation to the region with many of the larger regional centres and townships having a strong tradition in sporting competitions. These tournaments have a strong economic impact in the region with multi-night stays and attracting large numbers of participants and their families.

Business events is an important growing sector for some of the key townships in the region that have the facilities but also good access to key markets. The following locations are well suited for growing business events with good access and supporting infrastructure:

• Mildura/Wentworth – Excellent air access to Mildura from Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide including Virgin flights. • Echuca/Moama – Only 2 hours and 15 minutes from the Melbourne airport and strong supply of complementary facilities. • Albury/Wodonga – Only one hour from Melbourne and Sydney by plane, direct flights from Brisbane, and 3 hours by car from Melbourne.

It is critical that investment in business event infrastructure is improved to capture this lucrative market.

7.6.1. GAME CHANGER PROJECTS

ALBURY ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE REDEVELOPMENT

Description

Expansion of the Albury Entertainment Centre Convention Wing to increase capacity and additional exhibition and break out spaces. This will allow Albury to attract larger events, and keep pace with a competitive regional conference market.

A feasibility study will be completed in 2018 examining future development options and appropriate size (in terms of delegate capacity). Further detailed design and concept work will be required once an appropriate option is confirmed.

Stakeholders

• Albury City Council

51

• NSW Trade and Investment • Destination NSW • MRT

Actions

• Complete Feasibility Study. • Advocate for investment in the Entertainment Centre.

7.6.2. PRIORITY PROJECTS

ECHUCA VISITOR EVENTS PRECINCT PLAN

Development of a Visitor Events Precinct in Echuca that capitalises on the opportunities in and around the areas which include Aquatic Reserve, Onion Patch, Foundry Arts and Culture Precinct. This precinct already accommodates a number of major events (e.g. Riverboats Music Festival). There is already a number of strategic documents that consider this precinct, and which need to be brought together: Aquatic Reserve Infrastructure & Service Plan, Echuca Arts and Culture Precinct Plan and Murray River Public Mooring.

7.6.3. ALIGNED PROJECTS

Projects that are aligned to this theme should be supported. These include:

• Event and festival infrastructure. • Business event venues. • Marketing of business events in the region. • Utilising existing assets for business events. • Visitor accommodation targeting the business events market. • New events and festivals, particularly in off-peak periods.

MURRAY REGION DMP UP DATE MURRAY REGIONAL TOUR ISM