Three member councils of the Lower Great Southern Economic Alliance in Western Australia have endorsed a new marketing and tourism strategy that promotes “The Amazing South Coast”.
In a landmark decision for tourism collaboration in the region, Albany City Council and the shires of Denmark and Plantagenet have banded together to adopt the strategy, which is hoped will lead to increased funding for the region.
Mayor Dennis Wellington said he was pleased Albany councillors supported the vision.
“Many months of hard work have gone into this project from engaging a consultant to drafting brand logos, extensive engagement with community and industry, and testing with tourism stakeholders and partners,” Mayor Wellington said.
“That we have been able to work closely with Denmark and Plantagenet as well as the Great Southern Development Commission and Tourism WA to develop a tourism plan for the region is particularly pleasing.
“Such strong collaboration sets the foundation for success and together we look forward to implementing the strategy and brand and seeing the benefits it brings our communities.”
Denmark Shire President David Morrell said it was an exciting time for tourism. “The Tourism Development Strategy sets out a clear vision, goals and strategic actions for the Alliance partners to grow and build tourism outcomes within the region, and the challenge ahead now is to deliver on that,” Cr Morrell said.
“We have an opportunity to capitalise on the comparative advantages our region has to offer to promote and grow the region’s multi-million dollar tourism industry.”
The Alliance has endorsed an ambitious goal to generate three million visitor nights for the region in the financial year ending 2021.
Currently the region receives about 1.9 million visitor nights and the Tourism Development Strategy assumes an optimistic growth rate of 9.1 per cent per annum achieved over the next five years – 2.1 per cent higher than the current growth rate.
Plantagenet Shire President Ken Clements agrees there is significant opportunity to realise long-term benefits and tourism growth to the region.
“This region offers so much to visitors, stretching from Walpole in the west to Bremer Bay in the east, and inland to the Stirling Range National Park,” Cr Clements said.
“Visitors can enjoy days packed full of adventures and experiences they cannot get anywhere else in WA, we just need to get the word out that we are here, we are Amazing and we are worth visiting.”
