Tourism growth in the Peel is pivotal to the region’s future, so finding ways to support and encourage investment in this area is important work with far reaching benefits.
Earlier in the year, the Commission, in partnership with MAPTO, hosted the initial tourism investment workshop, which provided an opportunity for Government and industry representatives to come together to identify our unique opportunities and the actions required to realise Peel’s potential in the tourism industry.
The focus of that forum was on developing a framework to identify the current barriers to the Peel tourism industry and then, more importantly, to define opportunities and the actions needed to address those constraints so we can attract growth and maximise the region’s tourism potential.
As the result of that workshop in June, a second workshop was held to share and explore the outcomes of the previous forum, including the resulting draft tourism investment framework. Facilitated group discussions looked at regional leadership required to best achieve the anticipated outcomes of the framework.
We need to attract private investment into tourism infrastructure in the Peel and the framework gives us the beginnings of a sustainable model for making it is as easy as possible for investors to get involved and remain invested in the region.
While the previous forum was an opportunity to collaborate and gather our ideas, the last workshop was all about getting the job done. If we want change, then we really need to get serious about what needs to be done and commit to sharing the load to lead it. The region’s local governments are doing a marvellous and have a strong commitment to ensuring tourism development in their areas. The PDC is committed to working with our LGAs, our State and Federal agencies, our Regional tourism organisation, our investors and developers and members of our local community.
The PDC has already undertaken significant work in the tourism space with the Peel Tourism Economic Development Infrastructure Strategy
2016-20 (the Strategy) and this more recent work represents a logical extension and further impetus in stimulating growth in our regional tourism economy. We have listened to the region’s desire for the Peel to be “Open for Business” and we intend to work with our stakeholders to achieve this by creating an environment conducive to attracting and retaining tourism investment.
We now all need to step up and take the lead on the changes we want to see.
To download a copy of the Tourism Investment Framework – click here
