Industry weighs in on tourism future of Albany, Denmark and Mt Barker after collapse of Amazing South Coast

The region’s tourism leaders and operators agree that the core mission of Amazing South Coast Tourism — to present a unique and unified tourism vision — should be kept alive. The Advertiser canvassed the local tourism industry after the collapse of ASCT, asking where things went wrong and what needs to happen to keep the region on the radar. Meanwhile, Australia’s South West and the Great Southern Development Commission have revealed plans to recruit for a new tourism leadership role in Albany. ASCT, a destination marketing company promoting Bremer Bay to Walpole and north to the Stirling Range, ceased operations late last month after it failed to secure long-term funding and its close to 100 members voted to can the initiative. The organisation was held up by local government, State Government and industry sponsorship as well as membership fees from local tourism operators. Most notably, ASCT was sustained by a $1 million State Government fund distributed through the City of Albany in $250,000 annual instalments until June 2021. The closure of ASCT prompted local operators such as Albany Bali Style Accommodation’s Terry Hodgkinson to sound the alarm about the region’s tourism future. Mr Hodgkinson has called for a community forum on Albany’s tourism marketing to discuss funding and how the industry can become more united. State Government-funded Australia’s South West will remain the key destination marketing company promoting the Great Southern among more than 1000km of coastline. The ASW and GSDC have been working to establish a new management position to be based in Albany to grow trade and tourism partnerships in the region. GSDC chief executive Natasha Monks said the role, which had been in the works before ASCT announced its closure, aimed to support Australia’s South West’s presence in the Great Southern. “It really gives a level of expertise and knowledge, and a link for stakeholders in the region to connect into our registered tourism organisation and they are also going to be leading the development of a destination management plan,” she said. “While this manager doesn’t actually manage individuals or employees it is really about working with the region ... influencing, supporting and championing what we’ve got to try and advocate for more support and more funding to help our tourism industry really evolve and progress in all angles whether it is tourism infrastructure needs or product development. “Whatever it might be that the region needs, that is really what having the boots on the ground here will help to support. “One of the major events is Taste Great Southern which is spearheaded by the board of Amazing South Coast, that is going to continue — that is really an event that is owned by and belongs to the region. “The GSDC and the State Government really want to see that become even more of a success.” WHAT WENT WRONG? Tourism Council WA chief executive Evan Hall: “Fundamentally, any destination marketing organisation needs to have sustainable funding from the destination if it is going to work. I was not surprised because they had limited funding from outside the destination. These models only ever work when you have got commitment from local government in the destination to fund and promote that destination.” Shire of Denmark president Ceinwen Gearon: “I think the question here is not why Denmark tourism operators chose not to embrace the Amazing South Coast, but rather why and how the ASC failed to actively engage Denmark tourism operators ... Anecdotally, some locals felt that the promotion of Denmark specifically was lost in the promotion of the broader region.” Big 4 Emu Beach Holiday Park director Luke Shuttleworth: “The Amazing South Coast, the direction was on the right track but it was a lack of funding and lack of co-operation within the shires and regions that had different needs and it was difficult to meet those needs in one. A local organisation is definitely going to be more beneficial for operators. It can be a bit easier reach for them and we are not diluted with Margaret River and Dunsborough and Yallingup, those nice places over there.” WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? Shire of Plantagenet president Chris Pavlovich: “I think the disappointing part is we have been rebranding this area as the Amazing South Coast as a tag line so that people can recognise what people who live here take for granted. Now I guess there is not the organisation to keep pushing that brand as a destination for future tourism and simply branding the area for the long term. When the local governments got together to try and push the area as a collective, it was always designed to plant the seed and let industry run with it because at the end of the day industry markets and promotes itself rather than the actual local government. I think that certainly will be up to industry as to how they want to drive that opportunity going forward.” Busy Blue Bus Tours director Susan McCabe: “If we are collectively promoting our products and services together, demonstrating to the touring public that there are choices and options and a variety of alternatives, then that speaks louder than just one individual operator. It’s like any customer going into a supermarket, they want to see a spread of products that they can choose from that fits their own philosophy, values, ideals and dreams. It’s the same with tourists visiting the south coast. It just needs to be for operators to be a collective voice, to be holding hands with each other, basically collaborating together and it doesn’t need an organisation necessarily, but it certainly needs operators working collectively.” Tourism Council WA chief executive Evan Hall: “They should hunt as a pack. Trying to go at it alone for Albany, Denmark or Mt Barker might sound good but it’s just a recipe for failure. I think there is a misunderstanding that you are in competition with areas like Margaret River — you’re not. Let them bring in the interstate visitor and then get them to come down to your part of the world, and get some extra visitation and tourism dollars and tourism nights. It needs to be sophisticated marketing and distribution but you have to have good products and infrastructure ... Australia’s South West, it really doesn’t matter the area they are covering or how big it is, it’s their reach to customers that counts. So setting up lots of rival bodies and so on, unless you are going to fund them extraordinarily well, it’s just a waste of money.” Albany Bali Style Accommodation co-owner Terry Hodgkinson: “I want to hold a forum on tourism in Albany and how it can be funded. How we can get a united front of all tourism operators in Albany going through an independent organisation which represents every tourism business in Albany? We want to see an independent tourism organisation that represents all of Albany tourism operators, not just the ones that go through the Albany visitor centre.” Cheynes Beach Caravan Park owner Joanne Marsh: “I think instead of closing it down they maybe needed to re-evaluate and start again because we need something like that. I think we need to be a bit more proactive as a tourism group. There needs to be something that we can pool our resources into instead of trying to spread it thinly over three different areas because we all have a common goal. It doesn’t matter how many people are coming now, we will always need to market the region and we will always need to be trying to get new people to come down. You are never busy enough.” Big 4 Emu Beach Holiday Park director Luke Shuttleworth: “It’s whether Australia’s South West will now step up and take more of a hold in this region, that will be the question and that is what I would like to see in the meantime until there is another organisation that can take more of a lead in this area. At this point in time we are relying on interstate travellers and the majority of the Perth market which have a reasonable understanding of our area. However when that finishes borders are open and COVID is back to normal and we have the Eastern States market travelling through, it is critical that we promote Albany as a destination.” HAVE YOUR SAY We want to hear what you think about our region’s tourism future. Tell us via email — news@albanyadvertiser.com.

Industry weighs in on tourism future of Albany, Denmark and Mt Barker after collapse of Amazing South Coast

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