Reimagining Our Regions: Tasmania’S Far North West
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REIMAGINING OUR REGIONS: TASMANIA’S FAR NORTH WEST REIMAGINING OUR REGIONS TASMANIA’S FAR NORTH WEST The Doughboys, Cape Grim © Kraig Carlstrom REIMAGINING OUR REGIONS: TASMANIA’S FAR NORTH WEST Contents 1. Reimagining our Regions 1 8.5 Improved Experiences at Table Cape 22 8.6 Stanley Marine Based Experiences 23 2. About the Far north west region 3 2.1. Visitor profile 4 9. Quick wins & low hanging fruit 25 3. Market and consumer trends 5 10. Surrounding investment 26 Parks and Wildlife Services Next 4. Tourism strategy context 6 Iconic Walk project 26 Re-sealing of the Bass Highway 26 5. Enablers to accelerated growth 7 West by North West (RTO) 26 5.1 Spirits of Tasmania capacity expansion 7 Luxury accommodation planned for 5.2 Touring Holidays & Drive Journeys 8 Stanley and Table Cape 26 5.3 Cradle Mountain redevelopment 8 New Destination Marketing 26 5.4 Technology and data 9 Cradle Mountain Renewed Visitor Experience 26 5.5 New consumer brand and segmentation 9 Appendix 1: 27 5.6 Timeline of enablers on market Participants & field trip itinerary impact for the far north west 10 Participants 27 Itinerary 27 6. Emerging points of difference 11 for the far north west region Appendix 2: 28 The rich and fertile food bowl 11 2019 Caravan and Camping The raw and wilder western coast 11 Data Report The catastrophe of colonisation and Domestic quarter update – june 2019 51 the gradual process of reconciliation 11 International quarter update – june 2019 55 7. Regional product 12 Appendix 3: development: a framework Field trip ideas & scoring 56 8. Priority Concepts 14 Appendix 4: 8.1 Reinvigorating the Tarkine Experiences 15 Market Testing Results 60 8.2 Experiences Associated with the E–1 Respondent Profile 60 Robbins Island Waygu Cattle Muster 17 E–2 Preferred Experiences 62 8.3 Coastal Shack Immersion E–3 Further analysis by market segment 63 – marketing and management 18 8.4 New Agritourism Experiences & Farm Shed/Rustic Accommodation 19 REIMAGINING OUR REGIONS: TASMANIA’S FAR NORTH WEST 1 1. Reimagining our Regions Reimagining our Regions is an initiative of the T21 and seasonally); increase visitor satisfaction; and 2015-2020 Tasmanian Visitor Economy Strategy. consequently, increase the contribution of tourism to Improving dispersal of visitors to regional communities the social and economic life of the region. Importantly, and the need for bold innovation and new product a key part of this process is identifying what may development, especially in regional areas, was differentiate the far north west from other parts of identified as a high priority at the mid-term review of Tasmania, Australia and the rest of the world. the Strategy, undertaken in July 2017. These priorities The Reimagining our Regions far north west pilot project reflect the view of the T21 government and industry was designed in two stages as detailed below. Where partners that the benefits of Tasmania’s successful the value proposition of ideas generated demonstrate visitor economy can be spread more evenly throughout merit, a business case could then be developed for the state. It also acknowledges that regional dispersal public or private investment opportunities. is a key measure of success of Tasmania’s current and future visitor economy. The insights identified by the field trip group have been reviewed and informed by a regional reference group, With this in mind, Reimagining our Regions was including: developed as a concept to generate new and creative tourism concepts; understand constraints and enablers Scott Riley, GM Circular Head Council to growth; and develop ideas to stimulate investment in Shane Crawford, GM Waratah-Wynyard Council tourism products in regions that have identified potential Daryl Connelly, CEO Cradle Coast Authority for growth. At the time of the release of this report, the Clint Walker, Chair Circular Head Tourism Association Tasmanian tourism industry and the Tasmanian economy John Dabner, GM Tall Timbers and community are facing unprecedented impacts from Cyndia Hilliger and Justin McErlain, Waterfront Wynyard the COVID-19 emergency. It is unknown at this point in Nic Deka, RM Parks and Wildlife Service time what the future state will be post this crisis. Insights Tom Wootton, CEO West by North West Tourism such as from Reimagining our Regions, will be valuable in recovery and rebuild. TOURISM OPPORTUNITY FIELD TRIP PLAN The far north west of Tasmania was selected as the pilot region for Reimagining Our Regions due to slower growth ––– Immerse a group ––– Synthesize field compared to other regions in the state and its proximity of tourism experts trip outcomes with to several demand generating projects in the pipeline, in the region relevant strategies, consumer insights including: Cradle Mountain Gateway Precinct; new Spirits ––– Generate new of Tasmania vessels; and Tasmanian Drive Journeys. and market ideas for tourism intelligence The primary objective of Reimagining our Regions is to experiences and identify potential ––– Identify shortlist generate ideas for tourism development opportunities barriers to growth based on criteria – blue sky thinking about future possibilities - by a ––– Identify enablers ––– Ground truth with group of experienced tourism professionals, with proven of growth and local stakeholders demonstrated expertise and success in tourism ventures constraints of ––– Identify ‘enabler’ and marketing, casting a fresh set of eyes on the region. growth concepts that offer The field trip itinerary is included at Appendix 1. maximum impact The concepts and insights identified aim to increase ––– Conduct first-time and repeat visitation to the target region; preliminary market testing of priority increase the average length of stay; increase visitor projects expenditure; increase visitor dispersal (geographically REIMAGINING OUR REGIONS: TASMANIA’S FAR NORTH WEST AERIAL OF STANLEY AND THE NUT © JEWELS LYNCH REIMAGINING OUR REGIONS: TASMANIA’S FAR NORTH WEST 3 2. About the far north west Far North West Visitor Profile Tasmanian Visitor Survey YE Decemberregion 2018 The Nut, Stanley. Image: Jason Charles Hill About this profile The far north west region of Tasmania encompasses The north west Re-imagining our Regions project encompasses parts of two local councils, Waratah-Wynyard two local councils: Waratah- Wynyard and Circular and Circular Head. The Tasmanian Visitor Survey (TVS) measures visitation to four* towns and two attractions pinmatik / within this area: Head. The far north west spans an area of 8,500km, Stanley Rocky Cape just over 12 per cent of Tasmania’s total land area. This Towns: Wynyard | Stanley | Smithton | Arthur River National Park area includes several reserves, including pinmatik / Attractions: Rocky Cape NP | Tarkine Region Smithton Rocky Cape National Park, Savage River National Park, The below figures compare visitation to Tasmania, the CradleArthur-Pieman Coast tourism Conservation region and Area,the far and north more. west The ‘re- Arthur imagining our regions’ area. The north west figure represents visitors to at least one of the four towns, and only River Wynyard counts them once if more than one town was visited.takayna / Tarkine temperate rainforest area occupies 447,000 hectares bounded by the Arthur River, takayna / The TVS is an exit-survey of visitors to Tasmania, conducted at our four major airports (Hobart, Launceston, Devonport, Tarkine Region Burnie/Wynyard) and the Spirit of Tasmania terminal in Devonport.the Murchison The survey Highway, respondents the are Pieman then weighted River, up and to represent the our total visitor population. More information on the TVS canSouthern obtained Ocean.from Tourism Tasmania’s Research and Insights team: [email protected] The West by North West tourism region (nine *Waratah added to the TVS from July 2018 municipalities) has experienced a 19 per cent increase in visitors over the last ten years, compared to 45 per Visitors cent for the whole state. Over the same period, the 1,32m far north west region TASMANIAhas experienced an 11 per cent 529k increase in visitors.CRADLE In the context COAST of lower overall growth in the past ten years, growth in visitation to 152k the far north west hasNORTH improved WEST in the past five years, tracking closer to visitor growth for the whole state. Nights Visitors to Tasmania increased 25 per cent over the 10.8m past five years, and TASMANIAvisitation to the far north west Average length of stay 8.2 nights 2.02m increased 30 per CRADLEcent; however, COAST visitation to the far 3.8 nights north west has dropped 4 per cent in year ending 277k September 2019 comparedNORTH to September WEST 2018, in 1.8 nights line with visitation to the broader West by North West TASMANIAregion, down 3 per cent, while overallCRADLE visitation COASTto NORTH WEST Tasmania has increased 2 percent. 20% 20% 49% 63% 67% Purpose of visit The Tasmanian26% Visitor Survey (TVS) measures visitation to Tasmania Holiday Holiday Holiday VFR VFR VFR *VFR visiting friends or relatives to four towns in the far north west: Wynyard, Stanley, LEISURE (HOLIDAYSmithton, + VFR) and 75 Arthur% River. The four townsLEISURE together 83% LEISURE 86% welcomed13% 151,00016% visitors, 11 per cent of all visitors14% to 19% 19% 14% Origin of visitors 36% Tasmania23% in the year ending September31% 2019.24% The TVS 28% 24% VIC alsoNSW measuresQLD INTL visitation to three attractionsVIC NSW withinQLD thisINTL VIC NSW QLD INTL area: pinmatik/ Rocky Cape National Park (23,000 visitors in the year ending September 2019), the