Sad Outcome For Murray River Regional Tourism Effort
Supermarket Clout In The Liquor Industry
January 23, 2010Penn Tackles Violence And Racial Prejudice
February 9, 2010Over the years we have published several of Shane Strudwick’s passionate tourism efforts eg SA Coorong And Lakes A National Disaster? Who Cares?
Yesterday I received a disappointing and sad message to stakeholders and supporters of a recent tourism effort for the Murray – tri-state support for the region to be listed as a National Landscape. Shane writes:
“Thank you for your continued support with the Murray River Tri-State National Landscapes submission.
It is with much regret that the Steering Committee have voted unanimously to disband and the region’s submission to become a National Landscape will cease.
A letter from the Co-convenor, Mr Bruce Lever from the National Landscapes Reference Committee cited several reasons for our region’s denial.
- No general support from Tourism Victoria and Tourism NSW for the region
- Advice that the region lacks substantial international market ready and export ready product for the experience seeker market
Bruce noted there were optimistic signs that in time the region can develop regional cohesion and he believed that the enthusiasm that has been garnered for the National Landscapes candidacy will serve regional tourism development well.
The former committee felt a lot of good valued outcomes had been achieved and there were strong industry and community opportunities to embrace from this experience for the future of the Murray River Tri-State region. The National Landscapes initiative can always be reconsidered future down the track should our region’s circumstances change.
The Committee would also like to express its gratitude to the South Australian Tourism Commission and Riverland Development Corporation and other key stakeholders to did make a commitment to the region’s desire to become a future National Landscape.
As former chair I’d like to thank also those committee members and other parties who gave up their time, products and experience from both businesses and jobs to continually support the region’s applications.
Lots of great outcomes were achieved and I personally still believe the Murray River region has phenomenal, untapped potential in Australia’s tourism future.
We will be preparing the final minutes from the meeting and distributing those.”
Life Outside Government?
After the determination and community effort put in Shane does believe the region, industry and community have found a new connection, belief and opportunities – outside Government management.
The project and the group have enjoyed good regional community support, so an existence outside government – away from demanding grant guidelines that never seem to fit a community’s vision – one based on mutual respect for what they have achieved, can be planned and the tourism potential developed as the small businessowners and community stakeholders wish it.
In my opinion regional business/community collaboration can achieve much.
Get In Touch With A Dogged Regional NSW Eccentric?
I have just received a card from Marc Aussie-Stone who is untiring in his conviction that rural tourism can be a region’s economic saviour.
- New Rural Resort Development System: Lithgow Symposium
- Replicable Aboriginal Business Success Models
Perhaps Shane and Marc could speak – different ages and backgrounds BUT….?
6 Comments
Dear Gail
As a volunteer who co-founded a regional tourism group 12 years ago it has become apparent that governments at all levels should not be in the business of trying to RUN the tourism industry especially the marketing. Don’t have a problem with government funding infrastructure, visitor information centes etc but when it comes to the marketing let the clever, innovation business people like Shane do it and get behind them. Shane’s brochure and website have been a winner in the Albury Wodonga area, the same can certainly not be said of the Murray River Campaign – millions of public money has been spent on this Campaign, where are the outcomes??? There has been a shameful waste of public money on a variety of tourism campaigns – I have a box full of paperwork to prove it – a major overhaul is needed. Governments have to learn to work with those directly involved with the tourism industry instead of treating them like the enemy!
Couldn’t agree with you more!
Dear Gail
As a committee memeber of a regional tourism group in the Murraylands SA I agree with Chritines comments” it has become apparent that governments at all levels should not be in the business of trying to RUN the tourism industry especially the marketing. Don’t have a problem with government funding infrastructure, visitor information centes etc but when it comes to the marketing let the clever, innovation business people like Shane do it and get behind them.” Shane’s brochure and website have been a winner not only in the Albury Wodonga area, but also in the Murraylands Region and other parts of the River and lakes, It has linked many communities giving hope and a sense of pride in ourselves-In what has been a difficult few years along the River for all.I echo the sentiment that Governments have to learn to work with those directly involved with the tourism industry instead of treating them like the enemy!
Great to see Murraylands Regional Tourist Association (MRTA) has been announced as SA’s winner of a $10,000 grant for Mannum in the ABC Revive and Thrive Challenge, though they missed out on being the national winner and $40,000. Congrats to the township of Theodore in Queensland, the national winner!
Those of us , and I know that there are many, who are committed to Rural and Regional Tourism, and to all of the visitor riches , attractions and activities, that Australia has to offer the world, we should meet and compare notes. 1 + 1 = 3. 1+ 2 = 5 get my drift. Come on Gail you organise and Chair it , and let us all waste a couple of days together sharing notes and then speaking with one voice.
And I think a very special “Golden Desk Activists Award” needs to be given to Gail for her untiring, positive and always supportive works for we activists. Its is distressing and heartbreaking to report that even the “Great Australian Outback Campaign and Foundation” has faltered. Together we can assist all of those who could prosper further from our joint intellectual inputs and energies. Where is our National Industry Lobby ?. I could share some stories how Canberra sidelines the Tourism Industry. Should we set up a National Regional Australia Development Think Tank. Should we launch a National Tourism Attractions Short Films Festival. Surely there is a Rural region that would host that annually. And we do need somewhere to locate all of our reference materials patiently collected over the years. We o need a national regional Australia Tourism Development materials Repositry. Tourism NSW once had a wonderful internal public library on all things to do with Tourism. And now it is gone and I am told its in a dumpster somewhere. we need to track it down. Some please help here ???? I have all the papers from the 2002 South Africa, World Summit on Sustainable Development and 40 years of NSW Tourism Regional Brochures. What say you all ???
my best regards, Marc.
Please read my WEB Site http://www.yestogether.com
Thankyou.