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YORKE PENINSULA TOURISM RESPONSE TO PANEL 15/06/2019 CONTEXT Regional tourism contributes 42% to the tourism economy in SA. More than 1 million visitors come to the YP annually, staying in holiday rentals, private accommodation, shacks, visiting friends and relatives and camping/caravanning. The beautiful coastline, great fishing, many jetties and boat ramps, as well as the growing food and beverage offering all contribute to the growing success of tourism across the region. The region contributes $205m per annum to the state visitor economy. The Tourism Committee, an independent incorporated body (YPTC) operates across 5 Council regions, although at the current time only three are funding partners - YP Council, and Barunga West Council. A small part of the YPT Region also spills into Wakefield and Plains Council regions. Of a population of some 27,000 people, there are approximately 600 tourism operators in the region, including holiday property owners. There are 1300 direct FTE employees engaged in tourism, and 500 indirect. The region has an unemployment rate of approximately 7.78%. YPCT urges the State Government to continue to support regional tourism; in particular the Cooperative Marketing funding program and the Local Contact funding, both of which are critical to successful regional activity. It further urges the State Government to consider re introduction of an ongoing Tourism Development Fund to assist growth of tourism businesses and attractions. In relation to fishing as a key visitor attractor, YPTC requests the State Government to consider the importance of fishing (recreational and charter) to tourism, particularly when looking at the snapper closure options proposed by SARDI/PIRSA. Any extension of the existing closure will significantly reduce visitation and lead to business closures for charter operators and the associated flow on businesses. More than 30% of visitors to YP are recorded as fishing when visiting the region. There are approximately 11 charter fishing operators in the YPT region, and more than 45 in the state. Anecdotal evidence suggests that 80% of visitors to Moonta go fishing, and Port Hughes is the second busiest boat ramp in the state.

The following responses refer to areas specific to tourism although as was demonstra5ed in the community forum, many are common across sectors.

SERVICE PROVISION 1. What are the essential services in your community?

 Connectivity, mobile reception, services such as shops/service stations/cafes and restaurants/accommodation

2. How would they best be delivered?

 Combination of private sector businesses and government infrastructure/service provision and funding

INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE 3. What priorities should drive government investment in infrastructure?

 Tourism developments – public private partnerships  Tourism roads: - fast tracking construction of the Port Wakefield Bypass – on average YP visitors experience 11 bottlenecks / extensive delays during peak periods / long weekends etc. - Many roads on YP are also routes (A-double & B-triple) so have heavy traffic at harvest time and summer/autumn when grain is being transferred. Roads needs to be maintained with the heavy traffic coinciding with peak visitation periods -Overtaking lanes on Yorke Highway - new developments eg sealed ring route to complement Rewilding/ Great southern Ark project, from to Marion Bay and then Corny to Point Turton (Council roads currently unsealed), Innes National Park capability to drive through would make for a spectacular driving route, accessible to all vehicles  Signage  Jetty infrastructure and access. More than 15 in the region, owned by DPTI and leased to Councils. They need expensive upkeep. A strategy is currently being developed by DPTI, support with maintenance is critical to keeping them all open.  Boat ramps are Council owned but many require expensive maintenance. Some cannot be used at low tide as they require costly dredging. (Point Turton, Port Victoria, Ardrossan & Balgowan)  Accommodation – need a big event center and associated accommodation available at one location to attract bus tours, events, functions

4. How should regional infrastructure priorities be supported and funded? Is there a role for government here?

 Yes, definitely a government role  Public private partnerships  Government projects – state and federal  Tourism development fund

REGIONAL ENABLERS: POPULATION, CAPABILITY DEVELOPMENT, ATTRACTING INVESTMENT, INNOVATORS AND ENTREPENEURS 5. How can regional retain its existing young and working age people?

 Vibrant communities – sports, employment, education, services, healthcare?  Make it an environment young people can leave and come back to  Interesting employment opportunities  Improving local infrastructure (eg Kadina sports and rec centre)  Education hubs / regional satellite campuses accessing tertiary education

6. What is required to encourage greater overseas and city-to regional migration to regional South Australia?

 Quotas, although we understand that all of SA is considered regional so Adelaide is part of that  Opportunity to do direct promotion to potential immigrants about opportunities such as housing, education, lifestyle  Lifestyle, accessibility & regional proximity to Adelaide CBD/Metro  Good employment opportunities

7. How can we build a pool of the next generation of business and community leaders?

 Regional leadership programs (affordable)  Mentoring programs

8. What skills do our future regional leaders require?

 Innovation, creativity, courage

9. What capability development would be beneficial for regional business leaders so that South Australia’s regional businesses are successful in the modern economy?

 IT, connectivity, e-commerce capability, address black spots  Meaningful, broad ranging networking opportunities  New public space/commercial builds are forward focused, incorporating future IT needs and capabilities  Developing more local value add industries, which in the tourism space includes more paddock to plate businesses/integration, and food and beverage options such as new breweries and distilleries using local produce for manufacture

10. Are the capability development needs of regional business leaders different from those in metropolitan areas?

 Yes. Different hurdles, different attitudes (parochialism, community links), more personal (everyone knows everyone, harder to make difficult decisions)

11. How can we ensure future regional workforce skills are identified and invested in?

 Skill gap research (RDA) 12. How can we upskill or reskill the existing regional workforce so that they can transition into the jobs of tomorrow?

 On YP, identified skills gaps include: chefs, diesel mechanics, engineers. RDA is about to undertake a new skills gap analysis.  Health and hospitality are tagged as the growth industries of the future – services/people. Upskilling opportunities, appropriate training for local people, available and accessible in the regions eg people skills, customer service, 4 star service, caring roles, human services  Need subsidised (to employer), targeted training offered locally

13. What needs to happen to encourage investment in regional South Australia?

 Confidence, government support across election periods (long term, consistent)  Government investment in infrastructure to support industries  RDA currently developing a regional investment prospectus for YP  Closer links between the departments promoting investment in SA and the regions, not just big players in Adelaide. This also plays to the next question.

14. What factors would encourage innovators and entrepreneurs to remain or locate in regional South Australia?

 Better, reliable IT connections to allow capability to compete on the state, national and international stage  Suitable premises  Local drivers and support for new enterprises  Reduction in red tape  Funding available & accessible to private enterprise

15. Are there other key enablers that will drive regional development and support our regional communities to thrive? Specifically, a tourism development fund available over a number of years to stimulate and support local development. Targeted to tourism operators, attractions and enterprises, to get projects over the line to get started/develop further

Deb Clarke Yorke Peninsula Tourism Manager 0409 672 957