‘Signature Experiences’ To Help Local Tas Tourism Operators
The Internet, The Church, And Power To The People
October 13, 2008Pink Lady Breast Cancer Challenge
October 14, 2008Tasmania is running a pilot sustainable tourism development program ‘Signature Experiences’ which aims to build tourism operators’ skills and knowledge so they can turn their businesses into ‘must-do’ Tasmanian experiences.
Tourism Tasmania says a Signature Experience is:
‘An experience which excites our visitor, fits with our brand and showcases the best Tasmania has to offer’. As such, they are often a catalyst for conversion and contribute to Tasmania being recognised as a destination of choice.
The program offers individually tailored as well as group development opportunities over a 12 month period. Participants will gain:
* Enhanced Access to Tourism Tasmania resources
* Mentoring
* Networking and Partnership Opportunities
* Interstate Study/Lecture Tour
* Business Support (through Department of Economic Development and Tourism networks)
* Tourism Award Support
* Research and Business Intelligence.
Seven Successful Applicants
Those selected were considered to be businesses that could benefit the most from the program’s developmental initiatives. Of the 27 operators who expressed interest the businesses selected are:
- Curringa Farm
- Go Wild Tasmania
- Grandvewe Cheeses
- Inverawe Native Gardens
- Lavender House – Lavender Fields Tasmania
- Old Cable Station
- Roaring 40’s Wilderness Tours
The Signature Experience Program complements other recent Tourism Tasmania initiates to support tourism industry development like the Start Point and Building Visitor Experiences websites.
Research, Local Tasmanian Communities And Tourism Development
The latest industry newsletter tells how Tourism Tasmania, in partnership with Tourism Research Australia, has commissioned research into the impact of tourism on local communities.
“The research will help measure tourism’s social impact on local communities and ensure that the extent and types of tourism developments occurring in local communities are consistent with community needs.
Local communities are an important contributor to the overall tourism experience. They act as hosts to tourists and provide the colour that distinguishes one destination from another. It is important therefore that local and state governments make sure the needs of local communities and the tourism sector are properly aligned.
Tasmania helped pioneer the development of rating scales to assess the impact of tourism on local communities and on individual members within the community. This research will further develop these scales and apply them to the six local Tasmanian communities of King, Flinders and Bruny Islands, NE Dorset, Bothwell and Richmond.
Residents and ratepayers in these areas will be contacted via a special postcard on the 28 October. This will tell potential respondents that the survey questionnaire will be sent to them during the week of 4 November and will encourage them to respond.
The Centre for Tourism and Services Research at Melbourne’s Victoria University will undertake the study.”
It would be fascinating to hear how communities and businesses respond to all this…
1 Comment
Your project ‘Signature Experience’ sounds very good, but where in the programme/survey is there anything about accessible tourism, ie tourism for people with disabilities. Australia For All Alliance has constructed a web site: http://www.australiaforall.com.au which is devoted entirely to accommodation and tourism venues which are accessible to people with disabilities. This web site is targeted both at the tourist with a disability and tourism providers. The potential market for accessible tourism is huge, especially if the elderly tourist without a disability but who appreciates the fixtures and fittings in accessible shower/toilet areas to aid their balance is taken into account. As well as the elderly tourist it should be noted that 20% of the population has a disability. There are very few accessible motels/hotels in Tasmania. This is not acceptable in this day and age. Tourism providers have a moral duty to cater for people with disabilities and if they do not then there is an economic loss to each provider who does not offer these facilities. It is estimated that the majority of tourists with a disability travel with at least one other person being a member of their family or carer and that they spend at least $1,600 on each weekly holiday.
http://www.australiaforall.com.au is a result of a national survey undertaken into the barriers which confront people with disabilities when they try to make holiday arrangements and visit tourist venues. The survey is shown in full on the http://www.australiaforall.com.au web site.
I should be happy to discuss the matter of accessible tourism with a person from Tasmanian Tourism should you think my input would be of assistance and use to you.
Regards
Sheila King
Co-ordinator
Australia For All Alliance Inc.