THE SUNSHINE COAST hinterland – from the Glasshouse Mountains to Gympie – has at last been recognised as a tourism destination in its own right. The new tourism industry authority proposed for the Sunshine Coast was recently endorsed by the Sunshine Coast Council, and gives the hinterland its own ‘seat at the table’.
After twelve months of industry consultation the new Destination Management Organisation (DMO) should be operational by July 2010 and will replace Tourism Sunshine Coast. It will work primarily in a strategic marketing, research and developmental role with four, ‘destination desks’ charged with marketing and developing specific geographic areas as part of the greater Sunshine Coast brand.
The destination desks in the new tourism authority are: North (Noosa, Coolum, Eumundi, Cooloola), South (Caloundra), Central (Marcoola, Maroochydore, Mooloolaba, Kawana), Hinterland (Glasshouse Mountains, Nambour, Maleny, Montville, Mary Valley, Gympie).
Managers of the ‘destination desks’ are responsible for the local tactical marketing programs, local industry liaison, membership support and brand development. They will also liaise with state and federal governments.
Desk managers will report to a Chief Operating Officer who in turn, will report to a DMO board of seven skill-based directors. No councillor or council officer will be on the board.
In light of the new structure, Caloundra Tourism and discover maroochy.com have opted to disband to make way for the new destination desks with Tourism Noosa continuing to operate but now forming the new, expanded Northern region destination desk. Both regions have positively endorsed the new structure.
A member of the new Hinterland region destination desk and Chairman of Tourism Sunshine Coast, John Atkin said that he was ecstatic about the hinterland now being recognised as a destination in its own right, one that offered distinctly different experiences to that of the sea and sand coast culture.
The proposed first year budget of $2.6m for the DMO gives $1.01m to the Northern Desk, $0.80m to the Central Desk, $0.67 to the Caloundra Desk and $0.10m to the Hinterland Desk.
President of Hinterland Tourism Sunshine Coast, Bob Morrow told the Hinterland Times that this was the most significant advance for local tourism, and there was finally recognition that the Hinterland was a major contributor in its own right to tourist income.
“We would have liked a bigger slice of the cake”, said Bob, “but we have at last got a seat at the table and we will make good use of what we have been given”.
It is likely that the Hinterland Desk manager will be a full-time employee of the DMO, based in Nambour.
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