Local governments along the South West coast are looking at a new regional tourism initiative to bring together the marketing of areas from Bunbury to Augusta, possibly under a new promotional banner.
The concept, being coordinated by Busselton Shire, is aimed at extending the impact of tourism by encouraging visitors to stay longer.
The area sits within the official tourism region called Australia’s South West, which covers territory from east of Albany right up to the southern outskirts of Perth.
Geographical icons including the Gold Coast in Queensland, Limestone Coast in South Australia, and even the Cote d’Azur in France have been viewed as strong tourism brands that draw attention to their regions.
Busselton Shire economic development officer Paul Martin said most of the 600,000 tourists drawn to the region were short-stay visitors from Perth.
Mr Martin said the initiative was aimed at pitching the region as a destination with more options for the traveller, and attracting more tourists from outside Western Australia.
“We want to work out how we can work more as a region,” he said.
One stumbling block for the initiative appears to be the name, with the concept badge of Margaret River Wine Coast appearing as something of a sticking point due, in part, to regional politics.
“The only question is what do we call ourselves,” Mr Martin said.
Augusta-Margaret River Shire president Steve Harrison agreed there was much to gain from taking a more coordinated approach to tourism within the region, but he was hesitant to rebadge any part of the area.
Mr Harrison said Margaret River was the most recognised name in the region, but it was complicated because it also represented a wine appellation that could not be extended beyond its existing boundaries.
He said the various shires had to work better together to cross-market themselves to visitors, but believed that marketing dollars would be best spent promoting what already existed, rather than a new brand.
Bunbury Wellington Economic Alliance CEO Trevor Whittington said the region had more to offer tourists, and that ought to be promoted.
“The South West is changing, Bunbury is a place worth stopping at,” Mr Whittington said.
