The Tourism Midwest Victoria Board has this week endorsed a new nine-year plan to establish the region as a sustainable world-class destination.
The 2024-2033 Sustainable Destination Management Plan (the Plan) was one of the first tasks for the newly formed Visitor Economy Partnership and will serve as a roadmap to enhance visitor experiences and redefine how the region is perceived by visitors and locals alike.
Designed to be a decision-making tool for product development, investment prioritisation, and marketing, the Plan outlines a combination of targeted and tactical short-term and strategic long-term actions to work towards to help the sector thrive.
Supporting and growing product and experiences in five key pillars – First Peoples, People and place, Creative energy, Nature at your fingertips and Signature experiences – will be central to the nine-year plan. The Plan also highlights how the region will embrace the directions outlined in Experience Victoria 2033 to contribute to the development and growth of the broader Victorian visitor economy.
Extensive consultation has taken place over the last nine months, with more than 200 people from across the local tourism industry and First Peoples’ organisations, as well as, investors and developers, residents, government agencies and other Visitor Economy Partnerships surrounding the region.
The Plan will be supported by five LGA-specific Local Area Action Plans, which are now in the final stages of approval with each Council. Once this process is complete, the Sustainable Destination Management Plan will be unveiled at an official launch scheduled for late July.
Quote attributable to Tourism Midwest Victoria Chair Hon. John Pandazopoulos
“Shaped by those who live and breathe our region, the Sustainable Destination Management Plan has been developed to guide the ongoing growth of the visitor economy and build a collaborative legacy for Midwest Victoria.
Over the next nine years, the document will chart the course towards a destination that inspires visitors to stay longer, spend more and love this region as much as we do.
This plan sets a direction that everyone operating in the tourism industry can adopt, and outlines what we need to do to stand apart and carve out our position as a compelling destination.
I am both proud and inspired by this region, and look forward to enacting this plan to create a truly unexpected experience for visitors and our community to enjoy together long into the future.”