Federation Council Visitor Servicing Review

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Globally the tourism industry has had a significant shake-up and now is a good time for us to answer the question ‘what do we want the future of visitor servicing to look like?’

This project entails a comprehensive and detailed analysis of the services provided to visitors of the region during all stages of the visitor journey.

Consideration is being given to how visitors are provided with information, how they find their way to and around the region and our high and low visitation areas.

Some information to get you started…

Tourism is important to our region and Council area

Looking at the pre COVID figures between December 2015 and 2019 an average of more than 249,500 visitor travelled to the North of the Murray region, each year.

  • With 421,800 visitor nights in the region, with domestic overnight visitors spending on average 3.4 nights.
  • For the same period visitors spent an average of $56 million per annum within the council area.
  • Creating an estimated 427 full time tourism jobs.
  • Accommodation and Food services is the 3rd key industry listed by employment in Federation Council. (10.9%)

Visitor enquiries through the Corowa Visitor Information Centre (VIC)

Visitor enquiries through the Corowa VIC have decreased by 57% from 2020 to 2018. This is largely related to the pandemic. However, 2021 saw an increase of 21% on the 2020 figures.

What is Visitor Servicing?

What do we mean when we talk about Tourism and Visitor Servicing in Federation Council?  

Traditionally people tend to view visitor servicing as:

  • a brick building
  • a big yellow I
  • and a lovely staff member that greets you with a couple of nice brochures and a map.

It is so much more.

There are so many touch points along the Visitor Journey. When we talk visitor servicing in Federation Council we are referring to all the different ways that we can meet a visitors needs though out the stages of travel. Visitor Servicing in Federation Council relates to not just our Visitor Centres.

It’s our online presence, our accommodation houses, our attractions, our venues and experiences, our industry development.

It also includes things like our book ability, our wayfinding signage, our interpretive signage, and our utilities, our marketing and promotional materials.

Current Situation

Federation Council maintains and manages the Corowa Visitor Information Centre, an accredited Visitor Centre located in the Corowa Civic Centre, 100 Edward Street Corowa operating 7 days a week.

Federation Council also provides funds to Yarrawonga Mulwala Tourism and Business under a funding agreement to provide Visitor Services from the Yarrawonga Mulwala Visitor Centre at the southern entry to the Council area in Yarrawonga. At present, Federation Council contributes $50,000 per annum.

In addition to the ongoing activity listed above, the Federation Council Tourism Team recently implemented some trials to assess what other tourism activity may be of value. Pop Up Visitor Centres at local events and events outside the council area, along with Visitor Servicing points in Libraries and high visitation areas/ businesses have all proved beneficial. The team has also recently trialled collaborating with the Visitor Servicing teams of neighbouring Council's to cross promote the region at local events.

Survey

Federation Council invited tourism businesses to complete the online Visitor Servicing Review survey which has now closed.

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