Tourism and trade partnership set to grow Great Southern’s international identity

A new Great Southern trade and tourism partnership has been formed to help local businesses sell the region and its products to the world. The Great Southern Tourism and Trade Partnership — launched in Albany this month — aims to be a co-ordinated approach to growing the region’s international reputation through destination marketing and exports. The Great Southern Development Commission, Austrade and tourism body Australia’s South West have banded together to drive the partnership which will also include the expansion of the WA TradeStart Partnership. Another agreement between the GSDC, Austrade and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development will link agrifood and beverage businesses with international markets. On the ground impacts of the partnership include a newly appointed Great Southern tourism and trade manager in Albany, who will help tourism operators and producers promote their businesses and the region as a holiday destination. Regional Development Minister Alannah MacTiernan said she wanted to see the Great Southern emulate the Margaret River region’s success in the export and promotion of premium wine and food. “We are seeing interestingly in the premium wine space, that the UK post-Brexit, is becoming a much more significant market than it was a couple of years ago and there has been quite a presence of Margaret River in that UK market,” she said. “We also think Singapore and Japan markets are where we can do a hell of a lot more development.” GSDC chief executive Natasha Monks said the partnership would help the region define and promote a cohesive identity. “Aside from the natural assets, we are talking about agrifood, beverage and wine and the amazing produce that comes out of here,” she said. “There is a strong provenance story from this particular region which has yet to be told as fully as it could. “I think this is an opportunity to fine-tune what our narrative is for the region and be able to amplify that and shout that to the rest of the world. “I think it is about being open to sharing what we have with the world and defining and titling that appropriately.”