Tourism Strategy 2011-2016

Tourism-Strategy In October 2010, Council adopted a five-year tourism strategy. The strategy was developed in partnership with local tourism operators, community members and Council’s Business Advisory Group.

Building on Yarra's previous Tourism Action Plan 2006-2008, the strategy provides a framework for managing tourism within Yarra over the next five years.

The strategy's five key strategic goals are:

Position the City of Yarra as an outstanding visitor experience
Maximise the ease of movement of visitors into and around the City of Yarra
Strengthen the value of City of Yarra’s character and amenity
Foster an active, progressive and collaborative tourism industry in the City of Yarra
Inspire the Melbourne community to become ambassadors for City of Yarra visitor experiences.

Tourism Strategy

Here is the pdf format Tourism Strategy for the City of Yarra 2011-2016 (2.63MB)

For ease of reading online, the strategy has also been broken up into the below sections:

Mayor's Message
Introduction
Tourism definition
Value of tourism
Purpose of the strategy
Strategy development
Tourism strategy evaluation
Strategic framework
Five-year strategic direction

Mayor's Message

I am very pleased to present the Tourism Strategy for the City of Yarra 2011–2016.

Tourism is vital to both the economic health and the cultural life of our community. Many of the 58,000 jobs in Yarra are dependent upon a continuing high level of visitors. As residents, we benefit from the new perspectives and energy that visitors bring.

This strategy aims to increase awareness of what Yarra has to offer, so people feel encouraged to pay us a visit, and to come back, again and again. It aims to build on Yarra’s strengths, which include our local character and vibe, our natural environment and our heritage buildings.

This strategy has five key goals, and complements the work we are already doing to improve the general liveability of our city. For example, one of the strategy’s goals is to maximise the ease of movement of visitors into and around Yarra. This is certainly a goal high on Council’s general agenda, and one we are making some progress towards achieving through improving the on and off road bicycle network and obbying for more frequent public transport. There is still much work to be done in this area, and having this goal as part of our tourism strategy will provide even greater momentum for it to be achieved.

Having attended some of the workshops which drafted this strategy, I know such a clear vision could not have been produced without the insights and enthusiasm of local tourism operators and other valued community members. We are looking forward to many more years of collaboration, as we support each other in putting this strategy into action, and making sure tourism continues to be vibrant and thriving in Yarra.

Cr Alison Clarke
Mayor, Yarra City Council

Introduction

The City of Yarra is a vibrant, exciting and diverse inner city municipality of Melbourne.

Known for its character and charm, the City of Yarra is often thought of as the heart and soul of Melbourne, having strong appeal for those wishing to live, work or visit the area.

Accommodating a diverse population of about 80,000, the City of Yarra offers a lively multicultural lifestyle. The municipality also supports over 8,700 businesses, represented by retail and wholesale trade, health and community services, property and manufacturing industries, as well as education and the tourism sectors.

The unique mix of eclectic retail strips, bustling nightlife, heritage, arts and cultural activities, sport and recreational facilities and accessible open spaces, creates the quintessential City of Yarra experience that is embraced by residents, businesses and visitors.

Tourism Definition

There are many reasons why people visit the City of Yarra - for leisure, to visit family and friends, to conduct business, play sport or to be educated. Whatever the reason, visitors are motivated by the City’s diversity, lifestyle and business opportunities.

Given the many reasons for visiting the City of Yarra, the definition of tourism needs to take into account this broader perspective.

For the purposes of the Tourism Strategy, the following definition of tourism has been adopted:

Travel to an area for leisure purposes, to visit friends and relatives, for business reasons, recreation/sport activity or for education;
The visitor’s purpose of travel is generally to visit or stay in a place that is outside their usual place of residence; and
Travel includes local residents from the City of Yarra visiting places and enjoying experiences (e.g. hosting visiting friends and relatives) within their municipality.

Value of Tourism

Visitors come to the City of Yarra looking for a great experience – whether it’s having a pub meal, walking in the park, shopping for gifts or attending a cultural event.

By spending time in our municipality, not only do visitors help to make Yarra a vibrant place, they also contribute to the:

Local Economy

Tourism is a significant catalyst for economic and employment growth, supports local services, expands choice and attracts and retains a skilled workforce.

Social/Cultural Wellbeing

Tourism encourages and celebrates cultural diversity, builds civic pride and provides opportunity for social inclusion.

Environment

Tourism acknowledges the need to preserve the local character and amenity, supports the protection of natural and built heritage and the management of usage of and impact on the environment.

Purpose of the Strategy

Building on the previous Tourism Action Plan 2006-2008, where Council recognised tourism for its contribution to the vibrancy, liveability and prosperity of the City, the Tourism Strategy provides a strategic framework to manage the visitor experience within the City of Yarra.

The Tourism Strategy is designed to provide focus and direction to ensure tourism continues to be vibrant and thriving within the City of Yarra over the next five years.

The Tourism Strategy engages all the elements that support and enhance the visitor experience in the City of Yarra whilst acknowledging the needs of the local community.

Strategy Development

Central to the development of the Tourism Strategy were the principles of engagement, collaboration and ownership and the desire to harness the interest and expertise of the local community to shape the future of Yarra as an outstanding visitor experience.

A Tourism Strategy Working Group comprising local people and businesses worked in partnership with Council to develop the preferred approach to tourism in the City.

Other key stakeholders who represent or influence the visitor experience within the City of Yarra, including business, residents and local and State government representatives were also involved in the development of the Strategy.

The aspiration, goals and strategies of the Tourism Strategy were developed in response to the challenges and opportunities identified through the development of the Strategy and also align with Council’s 2009-2013 Council Plan, and other associated Council and Government plans.

Tourism Strategy Evaluation

Implementation of the Tourism Strategy will include the development of an action plan which will identify the priorities, key stakeholders, resources and critical steps required to meet the desired outcomes of the Strategy.

As tourism operates within a dynamic and competitive environment, evaluating the Tourism Strategy’s impact on the City of Yarra and monitoring progress will be critical.

Council’s Economic Development Unit will work in collaboration with key stakeholders to undertake an annual review ensuring the Tourism Strategy remains relevant and responsive.

Strategic Framework

Aspiration

Within the next five years:

“Tourism is vibrant and thriving in the City of Yarra.”

Guiding Principles

The Tourism Strategy is underpinned by two guiding principles:

Sustainability – Decision making will consider tourism’s contribution to social wellbeing, cultural diversity, economic prosperity and the environmental vitality in the City of Yarra; and
Partnerships – Collaboration with others is essential to ensuring opportunities and resources are maximised.

Five Year Strategic Direction

Five key goals provide the platform to guide tourism in the City of Yarra over the next five years:

Position the City of Yarra as an outstanding visitor experience
Maximise the ease of movement of visitors into and around the City of Yarra
Strengthen the value of City of Yarra’s character and amenity
Foster an active, progressive and collaborative tourism industry in the City of Yarra
Inspire the Melbourne community to become ambassadors for City of Yarra visitor experiences.

Further information
Michelle Dawson
Tourism and Marketing Officer
9205 5362
Michelle.Dawson@yarracity.vic.gov.au