Tourists need our tale
CHARTERS Towers tourism will be revitalised with a plan to rebrand the region’s story to visitors.
Logos, branding and longterm planning for tourism was revealed to community stakeholders at recent meetings.
Tilma Group consultant Linda Tilma presented the draft Destination Management Plan, Tourism Strategy, Tourism Re-brand and Implementation Plan to interested community members and the council, calling it an action-based plan.
She said they were pleased with the depth of the planning and the community engagement that had provided a clear picture of what stakeholders wanted to see happen.
Ms Tilma said there were 20 projects spread across three phases, from developing valueadding experiences, digital marketing and a regional open day to looking at destination sustainability.
She said by bringing the story of Charters Towers to life for visitors, those branding opportunities would help target different traveller markets.
It also aims to grow overnight visitations, extend the shoulder seasons, increase visitor satisfaction and to increase the spending by overnight and day trippers.
“While the tourism industry has performed well over recent years, seasonality, a heavy reliance on grey nomads, and limited industry collaboration and leadership have curbed the region’s tourism achievements,” the management plan says.
“The COVID-19 global pandemic, with its associated shutdown in visitor travel, then brought considerable disruption and distress to many businesses across the region. At the same time, it also provided an opportunity for businesses to take stock, review what was working and what wasn’t, to upskill, increase their digital presence, and engage with consumers in new ways.”
Owner of The Miners Cottage, Alan Silverwood, said it was good to see the document in its draft stage and he hoped more would be included that would help drive tourists to the district.
“We’ve got to make Charters Towers a compelling place to come to,” he said.
“We need to look at how we stand out in this competitive marketplace.”
Ms Tilma said the brand story, once developed fully, will be used to inspire visitors to make a connection with Charters Towers.
It is hoped the plan will help the region to grow the visitor economy and in turn the business sector and local government through to 2025.
Charters Towers Regional Councillors Graham Lohmann and Julie Mathews said it was good to attend the public meetings and listen to the community’s visions.