Wyndham City is calling for feedback on the new draft Visitor Economy Strategy, which provides directions for Council and the tourism industry to work together to create a robust visitor economy and support recovery from the impacts of COVID.
The draft strategy builds on promoting popular attractions while also introducing new initiatives to welcome more visitors and encourage them to stay longer.
Wyndham City Mayor, Councillor Susan McIntyre said the draft strategy would be delivered over the next four years and will focus on four strategic directions.
"The common goal across the four key strategic pillars is to encourage more visitors to come to Wyndham and stay for longer through the development of new experiences, and increased promotion of what Council and tourism operators are already doing,” she said.
“It also aims to improve transport options and leverage infrastructure to make visitation easier with a greater emphasis on our natural environment, which is exciting and in keeping with Victoria’s Visitor Economy Masterplan.”
Wyndham City’s Destination Wyndham portfolio holder, Councillor Heather Marcus, said: “We take pride in Wyndham being a destination of choice - interestingly 83 per cent of Wyndham's 1.5 million visitors are day trippers, 50 per cent of all visits are the result of visiting friends and family and 14 per cent of visitors stay overnight.”
“Our draft strategy aims to deliver our vision for Wyndham’s Visitor Economy, which is to be the premier destination in Melbourne’s West - to be achieved by delivering quality tourism events and food, nature and cultural experiences whilst connecting Wyndham’s precincts to create a seamless visitor journey.”
For more information and to provide your feedback by 27 November, visit: https://theloop.wyndham.vic.gov.au/visitor-economy-strategy
Further information:
The draft strategy has four strategic directions, as summarised below, that inform actions that will be implemented over the next four years (see Visitor Economy Strategy, pages 30 – 43 for details).
Grow Wyndham’s Tourism Events Portfolio – will work with tourism organisations and develop sponsorship agreements to promote existing tourist attractions in Werribee and surrounds, while also increasing the diversity of events to attract a new range of visitors to stay overnight and explore.
Invest in Wyndham’s Nature-Based Assets and First Peoples’ Experiences – will leverage and promote the attractions of Wyndham’s wealth of nature based attractions, such as K Road Cliffs, bird watching and much more. Will also encourage First Peoples led cultural tourism as identified as a key focus area in Victoria’s Visitor Economy Masterplan.
Improve Visitor Dispersal Across Werribee and Surrounds – will develop ease of travel to attractions and promotion to visitors and residents seeing more than one attraction when visiting. This will involve looking at convenient travel options for visitors, and further building of partnerships with tourism related providers.
Develop Wyndham’s Secondary Tourism Destinations – will develop promotion of tourism attractions outside the Werribee Park Precinct, through the attraction of new commercial products eg: bike or kayak hire and continue to build upon and promote Wyndham’s food and wine offering and night-time economy.