Gladstone Region and Banana Shire DESTINATION TOURISM PLAN Released July 2014 Executive Summary Tourism and events in the Gladstone region region has also become a popular destination contribute $670.2 million of direct and indirect for holiday makers and sea changers alike. expenditure to the local economy and support an estimated 6,222 jobs (year ending June The booming regional economy is underpinned 2013). by a healthy mix of manufacturing, mining, mineral resources and energy industries. This Tourism is an important sector in the economic economic stability, coupled with the idyllic mix of the Gladstone region alongside its natural surrounds of the Southern Great Barrier manufacturing, construction, agribusiness and Reef, proximity to National Parks and the laid service industries and the fledgling world class back coastal and rural hinterland lifestyles on energy resources industry. Sub-regionally, offer in the region makes for the ideal outside of the industrial and business hub of the destination for both visitors and life-style city of Gladstone, tourism is a key industry on changers. the Discovery Coast in the towns of Agnes Waters and the Town of 1770 to the south, and is a growing sector and source of diversification in Banana Shire to the west. Key Markets Tier One To help achieve Central Queensland’s 2020 • Connectors in Regional Queensland and target aspiration of $1.16 billion in overnight Brisbane (400km radius of Gladstone expenditure, the region will have to contribute region.) approximately $371 million (32% of the Central Tier Two Queensland 2020 target1). In order to do this, a • Connectors in Sydney and Melbourne planned approach is required to harness key • New Zealand, United Kingdom and market segments to drive growth in the region. North America, promoted as Southern Great Barrier Reef. Recognising this, the following Gladstone region Destination Tourism Plan has been prepared to Tier Three provide the definitive direction for tourism and • Social Fun-seekers events in the region towards 2020, highlighting • Europe, promoted as Southern Great the key projects, enabling actions and Barrier Reef. partnerships required to achieve the 2020 target New and Developing and create a sustainable and competitive • China, promoted as Southern Great tourism and events destination. Barrier Reef. About the Destination More than just the gateway to the Southern Great Barrier Reef and Capricorn Bunker group Opportunities for Growth of Islands, the Gladstone region supersedes To grow and prosper as a destination and to stereotypes. achieve its $371M aspiration for 2020 (an extra $124M), it is recommended that the following The City of Gladstone with the Port of Gladstone markets (Figure A) be considered as key target is better known as one of Australia's major areas for growth of Gladstone Region’s visitor industrial and business centres playing home to economy: many industrial and liquefied natural gas giants. VFR; Alongside these key industries, the Gladstone • • Business (including conferences/exhibitions); • Niche (nature/adventure and fishing); and 1 Gladstone’s 2020 target aspiration towards the Central • Events. Queensland 2020 target has been set based on its proportion of visitor nights compared to Capricorn for the Central Queensland region. Gladstone Region Destination Tourism Plan 2014-2020 2 Figure A: Contribution to the 2020 target by encouraging new and enhanced reef, island segment (in $ millions) and activity experiences, alongside investment in essential tourism precinct and access improvements. Developing its positioning as a centre for health and well- being provides an opportunity to complement the area’s appeal as a $40M $82M destination to enjoy Queensland’s laid back and un-crowded beach lifestyle. $44M • For Banana Shire, this means focusing on improved access to Kroombit Tops, the National Trail and its other National Parks, alongside niche trail development to deliver $53M the potential of the drive and $138M nature/adventure markets. $14M Our Goals • Grow the Region’s share of Queensland’s VFR conferences and exhibitions market to 3.5%, Business and increase the average length of stay of Events business visitors by a quarter of a day by Nature/Adventure linking business trips to easily accessible Fishing leisure experiences and events. Additional Visitors • Grow VFR market share by 5% per annum, and support growth. Growing awareness of the opportunities ‘in our own backyard’ and Towards 2020 unlocking the potential of a growing Our Vision population base will require raising awareness of leisure opportunities among The 2020 Destination Vision for Gladstone the resident population, and developing Region is to: leisure options which generate visitor expenditure. Develop its leisure and business experiences to their full potential to • Attract new niche visitors coming for nature and adventure experiences, seeking 2% per enhance the liveability and tourism annum growth in Gladstone Region’s market appeal of the destination. share (for the whole of Queensland). Pre- requisites for achieving the growth are a mix • For Gladstone this means fully developing of new and enhanced product development the potential of the city as a business hub and enhanced National Park and and establishing it as a new conference, marine/diving/islands experiences, whilst events and meetings destination. also profile/ awareness raising in target Developing a broader range of accessible markets via a major marketing campaign and compelling leisure experiences under the Southern GBR banner. alongside the business and conferencing offer is fundamental to delivering overall • Attract new niche fishing visitors, increasing industry potential market share by 1% per annum. Growth will be driven by targeted infrastructure • For the Discovery Coast, this means building investment and social-media driven recognition and appeal as a holiday marketing. destination. Increased visitor numbers and lengths of stay will be unlocked via Gladstone Region Destination Tourism Plan 2014-2020 3 • Grow events expenditure by extending the • Investment in youth and adventure average length of stay of events visitors by product across the region. 0.5 days - developing the appeal, packaging and sustainability of existing events, and 2. Seek and secure funding for major public developing new events which fill identified works for tourism oriented projects that gaps in the Region’s events calendar. have a broader community benefit, including; • Support new product investment to develop • Masterplan development for Agnes the potential of the Region’s islands and Water and Town of 1770, to guide the reefs including Heron Island, Lady Musgrave future planning scheme zoning and Island and the Capricorn Bunker Group, and incorporating support for develop additional opportunities to access improvements to access, precinct SGBR reefs and islands as catalysts to new development, and enhanced marina product investments. capacity/facilities; • Flood-proofing of key intra-region • Establish a new drive route/ itinerary within access routes, in particular key access the Gladstone region supported by routes to Agnes Water/Town of 1770; appropriate signposting and marketing • Support ongoing development of collateral/activity which incorporates key Biloela Civic Centre, CBD and Gladstone, Banana Shire and Discovery Coast hospitality precincts with destinations in addition to linking with key implementation of a marketing plan; attractors in neighbouring RTO areas where • Ongoing Gladstone CBD revitalisation; appropriate, adding to the overall strength of • Gladstone Regional Industry the proposition. Interpretation Centre. • Establish effective and practical working 3. Aggressively promote the Gladstone partnerships within the industry and with Entertainment Convention Centre (GECC) public sector agency partners as a key and other key regional venues (including enabler to unlocking growth potential. Biloela Civic Centre and Kianga Hall) into the business events sector with allocated resources in GAPDL to assist establishing the Destination Priorities Region in the meetings/conferences space with PCOs, and in developing a program of The following priority strategies have been pre and post touring packages, new product identified: development and itineraries. Catalyst Projects 4. Secure improved access to Kroombit Tops 1. Support major investments by the private sector which develop new product and National Park and the National Trail, and refresh existing assets, including: seek investment in new visitor facilities. Work with QPWS and Councils to contribute • Development of access and experiences to deliver the potential of Lady to management plans/ prioritisation of Musgrave Island; investment which delivers the potential of key nature and adventure locations across • Ongoing investment in establishing the Gladstone Entertainment Convention the region including; Centre (GECC); • Eurimbula, Expedition, Deepwater, Mt Scoria, Isla Gorge National Parks; • Investment in growing Gladstone’s retail and entertainment offer; • Curtis Island Environmental Protection Area, Baffle Creek Conservation Park; • New 4 and 5 star accommodation development in Gladstone and • Work with neighbouring RTOs and Discovery Coast; QPWS to investigate the potential to create a unifying brand and message for • Investigating the potential of marina development at Boyne River mouth; the Sandstone Wilderness to cluster and and package experiences for niche markets (e.g. 4WD). Gladstone