Short-term opportunities

Opportunities to be investigated within 12-18 months, provided resources are available.

2. Start proactive outreach or build on relationships with industry organisations in Western Australia

1.

Explore ways to fund dedicated human resource/s who manage multiple events across the community

The biggest piece of feedback to come out of the stakeholder surveys was that volunteer fatigue is a serious issue for the continuation of events in the community. There’s a handful of passionate community members who run events alongside their regular jobs and income streams. These events often don’t make money, yet add vibrancy and economic prosperity to the community, as well as making the township more appealing for visitors. Events have significant flow on effects for regional towns, from economic development and job growth to capacity building and liveability. Each person that visits a town for an event spends upwards of $234 per day (for ticketed events, as estimate by South West Development Commission). Having a dedicated resource who not only works to secure mass participation events and secure grant funding, but also builds capacity within the local community has many benefits for Esperance.

If the Shire is willing to fund the first year of this project contract, the event manager can start to develop events and secure additional event funding that will then pay for part of their contract, making the position more sustainable as time goes on. There are many examples of government-funded organisations paying for contractors to roll out projects, such as the South West Development Commission contracting project managers to roll out their jobs website, or Great Southern Development Commission and Australia’s South West co-funding a Tourism and Trade Start Export Advisor who works across both organisations.

AHOY recommends this resource sits outside of the Shire, so they have some autonomy and agility when it comes to spending event funds, managing projects, making quick decisions when opportunities arise, and have their own say over which events they support. This resource should also work across community events too, so they can upskill community groups and be able to spark new ideas, methodology and processes etc for smaller events and community organisations.

It was commented on that support like this is important for the likes of Rotary, who run fantastic events in the region but are an aging demographic with a thinning volunteer base. If support isn’t provided to them in the production of their events in the near future, those key community events may well end up in the lap of the Shire to manage in the future, adding greater workload to Shire staff.

Opening up a dialogue and forming positive relationships (or reinvigorating pre-existing relationships) with industry bodies and not-for-profit organisations will continue to position Esperance as ‘pro event’ and show outsiders that the town is open for business, which in the long run will lighten the load for events personnel in the region. Industry bodies in areas of the arts, sports, conferencing, music and tourism can all be powerful allies for local governments. Associations and industry organisations include:

• Sports Marketing Australia – works with local governments to attract sporting events, national titles and race rounds, as well as pairing LGAs up with potential event managers

• Surfing WA

• Australian Windsurfing Association

• West Australian Music

• Regional Arts WA

• Tourism Council WA

• Perth Festival

• FORM

• Buy West Eat Best

• Screenwest

• Business Events Perth

• Tourism WA Events Team

Building of relationships with artists and arts industry bodies will aid with long term plans of introducing a large-scale, multi-site exhibition, or will foster the exchange of ideas and see opportunities for the town.

3. Road test intimate, one-off food and beverage experiences

There is a desire to have food events in Esperance, however a food and beverage event comes with its limitations when there is a limited number of hospitality venues in the town. A large-scale food and wine/drink event needs some strategic planning to undertake, after capacity building has taken place, so there are some ways that food and beverage can be highlighted through smaller activations/experiences that start building the capacity of the region and highlight key produce. Read further in the Event Concepts for Consideration section of this report.

4. Advocate for training and education opportunities for locals

Currently South Regional TAFE’s Esperance campus doesn’t offer tourism, hospitality or events courses, which means opportunities are lacking for training and upskilling town inhabitants in one of the biggest industries in the region: tourism and hospitality. There is an opportunity to link up with training and education institutions to provide upskilling opportunities for local business owners and ‘doers’ in town. Alternatively, the Shire of Esperance, Chamber of Commerce or AGO can specifically look at training providers in these industries to run day workshops or short courses for individuals or businesses in the community.

5. Advocate with telecom providers for better cell service and internet coverage

Currently, guests to town will have limited opportunities to become advocates of the town, because posting to social media and sharing their experiences with friends and loved ones in real time via digital channels remains difficult. Solid internet access and mobile phone coverage will also be a key consideration for any conferences or meetings looking at the region for hosting their next event. The location independent workforce will also be deterred from extending their stay in Esperance, as it is difficult to get reliable WIFI to work without interruptions.

6. Utilise cruise ship arrivals as incubators for event capacity building

Cruise ships are returning to Esperance and their arrival offers an opportunity for capacity building of industry (hospitality, tourism, peripheral services) using cruise ship arrival days as incubators for event mobilisation. The collaboration and coordination of key stakeholders and resources will be key to use this platform as a building block for welcoming major events. The industry can utilise these cruise ship arrivals as ‘mini events’ where Esperance has its best foot forward for guest arrivals to ensure maximum economic impact and flow on tourism benefits from friend and family referrals. Mobilising volunteers, paid human resources and services along with capacity building of local businesses will be something Esperance can continue to build on with each cruise ship arrival, and will only strengthen the town’s event readiness.

7. Investigate access to and booking

Shire owned billboard signage (e.g. digital sign outside of the Civic Centre)

8. Investigate signage at truck stop/ information bay/ roundabout banner spaces and how these can be utilised as low cost event signage