My Tourism Apprenticeship
For a decade I was part of the trusted inner circle working for the benefit of the Geelong and Bellarine Tourism Industry. When I was leaving the region 5 or so years ago, they even tongue-in-cheek offered me a Lifetime Membership (which doesn’t exist) for my work and commitment over those years.
It’s a tourism industry roughly 30 times the size of ours. I would estimate, they’re probably conservatively 10-15 years ahead of us in organisation of industry, development of brand assets and content, stories, sub-brands, and in supporting product development.
I’ve also worked with Phillip Island, the Southern Grampians, extensively with Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism, and more.
From strategy projects, to content creation, website builds, and industry training. I’ve worked on just about every aspect of tourism at the DMO level.
Working in agencies predominantly tourism based, I’ve also worked with hundreds of operators across every segment on campaigns, websites, marketing, and content. Hundreds.
I travelled for 2 years. I’ve seen tourism in every form across Australia.
Before arriving in the Clare Valley, I even travelled with my family for two years in a caravan first-hand experiencing the country for myself. Through the lens of the aforementioned industry experience I’ve had.
I even wrote a book about tourism marketing.
Distilling my decade of experience in the industry, into a tool any small tourism business can use to better understand how to create a unique brand, quality experience, and have better outcomes.
I say all this not to get ahead of myself. But to demonstrate I’ve done my apprenticeship in tourism, many times over. I’m qualified to speak on this.
My Prediction: what The Destination Management Plan is going to say.
- It’s going to say we need to create a sustainable industry where all stakeholders and residents benefit. Sustainable tourism.
- It’s going to say that we need a thriving industry, and to do that, we need private investment, we need collaboration, and we need industry to improve industry capability
- It’s going to say we need a shared story. We need to use video to share it—because video is a thing. We need to use video to tell that story.
- We need to align with state campaigns.
- We need to partner with nearby destinations. Create trails. Shared experiences that disperse visitors.
- We need to develop events that will draw people to the region in quieter times of the year.
- We need to get to the right people at the right time with the right story.
- We need to be active on Facebook, Instagram, heck… maybe even Tik Tok. Because there are ‘82 touchpoints’ people use prior to booking their visit.
- We need to maintain and develop new infrastructure—waypoints, signage, markers, amenities.
- We need transport. There’s a lack of transport in the region.
- We need new accommodation. We need more, more, more.
- We need to develop the workforce.
- But we need places for them to live.
- And we need local government to collaborate with regional development and with state, to achieve everything we just told you.
And it’s going to say these things, because it must. There are too many stakeholders to appease. The prescription is obvious, because there’s limitations with the size of our industry and structure of the involved organisations and councils. It must follow the book.
But this is why we need to be different.
We cant succeed doing what others are doing because we’ll be outcompeted on resources. We lose before we start.
Different, is better than better.
We have to get clear on our differences and unify in communicating them.
The last Destination Marketing Plan said the Vision is “To be recognized as an authentic and quintessential Australian destination known for its rich and immersive wine and food, heritage, cultural, and outback experiences.”
But we’re not. Quintessential Australia is cities, suburbs, a gentrified life. And we’re not Outback, either. Visit Winton in QLD. Longreach. Mt Isa. Cross the Nullarbor. Get to Karajini. Coober Pedy. They’re Outback. We’re not.
If we’re not Outback or Quintessential Australia, what are we? We’re a unique mix of being a service hub for a broad agriculture region, and an internationally recognised wine region.
But there’s an elephant in the room.
Of course, there’s a necessary discussion that needs to happen around accommodating the workforce we still need.
That, and other obvious economic development gaps and opportunities.
Conflicting priorities with large-scale projects nearby.
The argument of short-term rentals being prioritised over longer-term accommodation for residents.
I acknowledge this, but I also acknowledge that my experience in economic development has nowhere near the depth of my experience with tourism.
So, I’ll stick to what I know.
Here’s what I’m hoping for from the Destination Management Plan….
1. We need a solid plan to address the lack of organisation in our industry
From around 2008 to 2020, I was part of various integral teams that worked with Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism and Tourism Greater Geelong & Bellarine.
I was lucky enough to have insights into the strategic changes that shaped the region and the implementation of significant structural changes within the tourism boards.
One thing I know, based on my experience, is that if no one person or entity is responsible, then no one is responsible.
What I mean by that is that in roughly 2008, Great Ocean Road and Geelong Bellarine were one tourism board. However, conflicting priorities and stakeholder disagreements made it difficult to find common ground.
In short, the organisation was disbanded and split into what we now know as Tourism Greater Geelong & Bellarine and Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism.
And while that transition was a painful two to three years, neither organisation has ever looked back.
The separation gave both entities:
- A clear mandate for the brand and product they were working with.
- Clarity in their narrative, ensuring each region could focus on what made them unique.
- Greater strategic focus for sub-brands and individual towns within the broader region.
And, to be honest, as a result, they’ve gone on to collaborate exceptionally well.
Despite the split, both organisations would see the other as a key stakeholder in their success, to this point, and in the future.
None of this would have been possible if they had continued with muddied priorities.
It’s the same problem we have in the industry here, and I believe the solution will only be found when there’s one organisation or owner of the Clare Valley tourism industry mandate.
Responsible for marketing and developing products and experiences within the region.
And let me say at this point—this is no reflection on RDA’s efforts, nor the council, nor SATC for that matter.
I just feel like I have the fortunate experience of hindsight, having worked with arguably two of the best destination marketing organizations in the country for a long period of time.
And I know that if in five years’ time we saw:
- One entity responsible for marketing and tourism in the Clare Valley
- Regular industry catch-ups, creating opportunities for organic collisions and collaborations
- A clear narrative for the Valley, communicated efficiently and effectively to everyone in our tourism area
Then, in the medium and longer term, we’d be in a far better position.
We’d have greater control over who we are, who we’re for, who we’re attracting, and ultimately, we’d secure the long-term prosperity of the region.
2. We need clarity and communication on the Clare Valley brand.
When I was travelling, we stopped in the Clare Valley for around five days, which gave us a little taste of the region.
The only reason we chose to stop in Clare was because we were familiar with the Clare Valley brand, but we knew nothing about the region, and we certainly didn’t choose it for culture, heritage, or outdoor experiences.
In many ways, the Clare Valley brand preceded itself.
But the experience itself was not a letdown. In fact, that experience became one of the key reasons we chose to live here when we stopped.
But let’s be honest – we can’t claim to be better.
- For the most part, we’re not perceived as better than the Barossa for wine.
- We’re not better than Kakadu for culture.
- We’re not better than the Grampians for views.
- We’re not better than the Great Ocean Road for trails.
What we are, though, is different.
Internationally: We’re Australia’s Riesling Heartland
Cue the voices—I can hear it now.
“We’re so much more than Riesling.”
Even within the wine industry, I’m sure they would say, “We’re so much more than Riesling.”
I’ve worked with enough wineries to know that we’ve pioneered other varietals across the region – some the first in Australia.
I agree; yes, we are. But we can’t attempt to appear to be everything to everyone.
It just dilutes who we’ll be attractive to. Who we will literally attract.
It’s not going to affect the stories visitors share afterwards. That’s influenced by their personal experiences.
I know we have beautiful trails—I’ve seen the views myself. I’ve had the wow moment too.
These are the things you discover about the Clare Valley after you get here.
What I propose is that, to an international audience, we take the same approach Kentucky, USA, has.
They are the birthplace of bourbon. A single focus. That’s what they want to be known for internationally.
And just like us, the secondary products and stories are discoverable on the ground.
The first priority to an international audience? Pushing that simple, unique selling position.
Interstate and Intrastate visitors – we are about wine more generally. With one kicker…
But here’s the kicker – and take this from someone who has visited many wine regions around the country.
The kicker is: it’s personal.
To interstate and intrastate visitors: We Are Wine, But Personal.
Unlike some other wine regions, you’re not just another number visiting a massive estate.
Sure, those regions have gorgeous rolling views. Probably have some pretty trails.
But (speaking from experience) they lack the personalisation that you experience every single day in the Clare Valley.
Imagine if that was our marketing strategy? If our strategy was: Wine, but Personal.
I always say, a well-defined strategy should lead tactics. Even a layman could execute.
Wine, but Personal.
You don’t need to be a marketing expert to have a sense what it tells your about:
- What the images we share should feel like
- How we aim to treat visitors at every point
- How we turn up on Facebook, Insta, or anywhere else
- What we focus on when training businesses
- The marketing messages we use
- The products we fund and develop
- I could keep going….
But you see the difference in clarity this gives you compared with “To be recognized as an authentic and quintessential Australian destination known for its rich and immersive wine and food, heritage, cultural, and outback experiences.”?
Ask anyone to execute on that…! Where to start?
Wine. But Personal.
What if this were the narrative we communicated throughout the region?
If we had an industry that caught up every three or four months, creating opportunities for organic collisions, reinforcing the message, and sharing examples of how businesses were embodying “wine, but personal.”
If people on the periphery of the wine industry—accommodation providers, restaurants, tour operators—were supporting that personal experience with laser focus.
Imagine the experience we could own by being THAT brand.
The zeitgeist and global trends all point towards people wanting more authentic experiences. Closer to the source. Closer to the person.
People care more about personal stories than brands—and we have them in abundance.
They’re just not told.
They’re just not organized.
Maybe this isn’t the strategy. But the strategy must be part of our DNA. Must be unique. And must be something we can own and execute.
I can only imagine what other small tourism regions across Australia would think if they knew how little funding is spreading the Clare Valley’s story
A region with a prestigious, hard-earned reputation.
A region with a history that places it among Australia’s most premium wine regions. If not, for Riesling, in the world.
It’s crazy, really.
But the crazy thing is the opportunity hasn’t gone anywhere. It’s sitting in front of us.
And the very little that needs to be done to at least start moving forward.
Which brings me to today—and to Monday—and to the opportunity that exists when we wake up after that.
I’ve been taking some time to work out who I want to be in the region, how I want to show up, the good work I want to do, and what the industry looks like here.
I know I haven’t been here for 120 years like some families have. And I might not even be here in 20 years. But I know I’ll be here for the next 5 to 10.
And I feel like I have an opportunity to be some size cog in a wheel. A flywheel that can get some momentum going.
Hopefully, the right person will read this.
And maybe – just maybe – it can influence the Destination Marketing Plan.
Nevertheless, if you’re reading this and you’re a tourism operator, or just someone who wants to see the region thrive, I’m putting myself out there today.
I’m going to do more to help facilitate collaboration within the industry.
And for the benefit of the region.
Follow my Instagram where I’ll share opportunities you can jump on (paid and free). Some of the ideas running through my head are below:
- A regional photo and video library anyone can use however they like
- Helping operators package with each other
- Creating shared stories / content
- Connecting operators in different regions. E.g. A Gin tour.
- A website with deals today, cellar door sales, one offs, collabs, basically the things the RTO website can’t be
- Create destination campaign aligned assets for people to use. E.g. Canva graphics any operator can grab
- Joint paid campaigns
- Create ‘Clare Valley in Winter’ [insert season] website, and a campaign buy in around it.
- There are more 😊
Tim
