Region to explore tourism potential

Wimmera Development Association has appointed Melbourne consultancy firm Urban Enterprise to develop a tourism plan for the Wimmera and southern Mallee.

The plan is designed to explore the best ways to boost visitor numbers and diversify the economy in the region.

Supporting a vibrant tourism industry and enhancing economic diversity of the Wimmera and southern Mallee are among community priorities identified at Regional Assemblies in Horsham in 2016 and 2017.

Association executive director Ralph Kenyon said tourism was an emerging regional industry identified has having major potential.

He said growth in domestic tourism in the region had increased by 6.8 percent between 2011 and 2016, against a regional Victorian growth rate of 3.3 percent.

“There is considerable potential to extend and develop nature-based outdoor tourism products in the Wimmera and southern Mallee,” he said.

“Event-based tourism is already well established with attractions including music, cultural, fishing, food and agriculture events.

“But there are significant opportunities to grow the benefits of eventsbased tourism.

“The recently developed Silo Art Trail is revitalising towns and areas such as Rupanyup, Brim, Patchewollock, Lascelles, Rosebery and Sheep Hills, by bringing in thousands of visitors and generating interest in the region.”

Urban Enterprise will have two main areas of focus during the project.

The first will be to determine what structures are best suited to the region to better support the need for industry product development and co-ordinated regional marketing.

The second will be to develop a Destination Management Plan for the region.

This would determine the specific infrastructure and marketing needed to further drive tourism.

“We look forward to working with tourism bodies, councils, Parks Victoria, Visit Victoria, Regional Development Victoria and the tourism industry over the course of the year on this exciting project,” Mr Kenyon said.