EXCESSIVE bureaucracy and additional support for marketing were key issues highlighted by local tourism operators at last month’s “meet the minister” event with Tourism Minister David Ridgway.
Around 40 tourism industry representatives attended the Friday event in Mount Gambier to discuss key challenges, priorities and opportunities in the industry with the new minister.
Mr Ridgway said the event, organised by the South Australia Tourism Industry Council and among the last of 19 held across the state, highlighted red tape and a stronger focus on promotion as being priorities in the region.
“The local tourism representatives want us to continue to support the marketing because we are on the pathway to $8b in visitor expenditure and the Limestone Coast has its role to play in that part of it,” he said.
“There are some issues around red tape and approval processes.
“On red tape reduction, with our policy of getting rid of payroll tax for companies with payrolls under $1.5m, we want to support small businesses to grow.”
Mr Ridgway highlighted the burgeoning “self-drive” visitor market as being a target audience in the Limestone Coast, saying the priority of the region was to increase overnight visitor numbers.
He said leveraging existing touring routes was a key to continued tourism growth.
“We are seeing more and more of those self-drive tourists, especially the Chinese as that market matures,” he said.
“The self-drive between Adelaide and Melbourne is a really good opportunity for this region to capitalise on.
“Naturally, we need to invest in regional roads.
“There is a reasonable backlog in maintenance.”
Tourism Mount Gambier chair Kent Comley said the event provided local representatives with a strong understanding of the new government’s tourism policy agenda.
“It was a great opportunity to hear about the government’s commitment to tourism and align plans of Tourism Mount Gambier, the Limestone Coast Local Government Association and the incumbent government,” he said.
“The minister recognised the key drivers to grow tourism in the region, namely product development and maximising the use of our natural assets.
“We have the natural assets people are looking for, we just need to value add them and I think that will happen.
“Things like a zipline across the lake, a crayfish experience and a farm experience are some examples of products that could be developed in the region.
“It requires investment, it requires confidence, you need to identify the opportunities and you need the right people who are willing to take risks.
“I think community perceptions of tourism are more positive and people identify the benefit it has to the region. “
