1
Northern Rivers Tourism Submission to the
NSW Taskforce for
Tourism & National Parks
Northern Rivers Tourism is the regional tourism authority for the Northern Rivers
region of New South Wales. Its vision is that tourism is integral to the culture,
economy and community of the Northern Rivers. Its mission is to be a leading
facilitator of diverse and authentic tourism experiences for a sustainable future for the
region.
Tourism is an important driver of the regional economy. It contributes $1.1billion in
direct tourism earnings (as a function of domestic and international visitor
expenditure on tourism related activities.) It employs 7200 people in the region, or
6.8% of the region’s workforce.
Tourism is - like any other - an industry that must address major challenges. Several
of these are universal (i.e. affecting society and the global economy generally). Others
are specific to the industry, others specific to this region. In the context of this
submission, some of these challenges are:








Tourism’s impact on climate change and vice versa (both perceived and real)
Rising energy costs and finite carbon-based energy resources
Ageing infrastructure (roads, signage, public amenities, tourism facilities)
Ageing population
Barriers to mobility of regional population
Ongoing societal and technological change affecting travel distribution and
consumption
Government (federal, state, local) imposed inaction and constraints on the way
tourism is developed and promoted
Limited regional resources to implement strategies
There are some signs of change that may help address these issues in the Northern
Rivers. These include:

The State Plan’s recognition of tourism as crucial to economic growth on
North Coast NSW
6/03/16 – Prepared by Russell Mills, July August 2008
2




the O’Neill Review into Tourism in NSW recommendations for changes to the
government’s approach tourism development and promotion
The $40 million draft NSW tourism strategy being finalized for submission to
Cabinet by the State Tourism Minister
Mobilization and willingness of regional industry leaders and NGOs to better
share intelligence and work cooperatively for mutual benefit
preliminary work by regional industry leaders (including NRT) to
development of a Regional Climate Change Collaboration Framework
There are also opportunities that may be tapped:






Growth in education tourism to Australia, and NSW generally, and that
segment of travel’s disposition toward learning as part of holiday experiences,
interest in nature-based experiences and substantially greater than average
length of stay
The Long Tail phenomenon: the Internet’s ability to match highly specific
consumer demands with highly specialized products and services (highly
applicable to tourism, education, publishing, food, and creative industries)
Increasing awareness of and desire for minimal impact travel experiences
A volume of highly valuable qualitative and quantitative research to inform
strategic thinking
The Taskforce established by the State Minister for Tourism and the State
Minister for the Environment and Climate Change to examine opportunities
for tourism in National Parks and other State reserves.
A Federal Tourism Accreditation scheme announced by the Federal Minister
for Tourism in January 2008
These opportunities can be considered in more detail in the context of the
relative strengths of the Northern Rivers region in:








World Heritage wilderness, National Parks and State Reserves in close
proximity to popular coastal destinations
Proximity to aviation gateways and high population centres in SE QLD
The Rainforest Way, an existing touring experience in Northern Rivers
and South East Queensland National Parks, World Heritage and State
Conservation Areas
The National Landscapes designation of the Wollumbin-Caldera
Increased understanding of the economic and employment value of
conserving natural assets
Existence of three other regional airports
Location of important education institutions like SCU and TAFE North
Coast in the region
Private and public sector innovation in environmental science, climate
change and sustainability
Upgrading of Pacific Highway
Northern Rivers Tourism believes adaptation to climate change is a challenge above
6/03/16 – Prepared by Russell Mills, July August 2008
3
all others. With limited human and financial resources, NRT is focused on adopting
employment, administrative and procurement policies that minimize the
organisation’s carbon footprint. Concurrently, NRT strives to emphasize sustainable
travel in its promotion of destinations and experiences within the Northern Rivers to
achieve its vision and mission statement, and to ensure that economic benefit from
tourism continues to flow into and around the region.
Northern Rivers has a marketing objective to see the region recognised as one of the
top 3 regions in Australia offering truly sustainable, nature based tourism. (KPIs
being measured through consumer research, industry awards, publicity, carbon audits,
corporate social responsibility initiatives).
This has been a vision for many in the region for a long time, but it is yet to be
achieved. Other regions (in Australia and internationally) pursuing similar strategies
are further progressed toward this position. Nonetheless, NRT’s global and task
analyses point to the need to refocus on this strategy and realize its competitive
strengths. The time frame for achieving this is medium to long-term, but NRT has
adopted this objective as part of a three year strategic plan.
NRT is developing strategies to achieve this objective with regional partners.
Emphasizing the region’s relative strengths in creative industries and tourism
employment, its choice of educational institutions, diversity of food production and
retail and pursuit of a better quality of life for all can become even more compelling
positioning statements and motivators for potential visitation.
There are significant indicators of long-term challenges to traditional, domestic
leisure tourism as it occurs today. Higher fuel costs and the credit crisis will
exacerbate these challenges in the short to medium term. Holiday and Leisure
visitation currently accounts for 65% of all visitors to the Northern Rivers. While
recognizing the economic importance of maintaining the region’s share of day and
overnight visitors for holiday and leisure purposes, NRT is currently analyzing
growth potential in visitor “purpose of travel” categories other than leisure and
holiday visitation, for example visiting friends and relatives and education tourism.
Nature-Based Tourism
Analysis of international and national visitor surveys reveal some specific
opportunities for the Northern Rivers to benefit from better cooperative marketing of
its visitation to its National Parks, and more broadly, nature-based tourism
experiences.



Australian and international visitors to NSW who visit a National Park stay
longer than those who do not.
Travellers who Visit Friends and Relatives represent 23% of all visitors to
Northern Rivers. These travellers rely on the advice and suggestions of family
and friends for things to see and do while visiting
Families with young children are the largest domestic overnight visitor group
6/03/16 – Prepared by Russell Mills, July August 2008
4


to visiting National Parks. As defined by the ‘Compatriot’ segmentation
profile, families also comprise the largest group (33%) of domestic travellers
to the Northern Rivers
Three quarters of domestic overnight visitors to the Northern Rivers come
from SE Queensland and regional NSW. Analysis of activities undertaken by
these visitors suggest visiting National Parks is a popular activity that could be
promoted more effectively.
Backpackers comprise nearly two thirds of all international visitors to the
Northern Rivers. Analysis of activities undertaken by these visitors suggest
visiting National Parks is a popular activity that could be promoted more
effectively.
There are also a range of barriers to increased visitation to Northern Rivers National
Parks which must be addressed. These include:





Lack of alternative (to private motor vehicle) transport options for visitors to
access National Parks
Low awareness of the region’s hinterland and by extension its National parks
Perceptions that National Parks are inaccessible, lacking in amenity and places
with a high potential for injury
Perceived greater degree of effort and time required to visit a National Park
Preference for other nature-based activities, particularly coastal activities like
surfing and other watersports.
A new NSW tourism strategy with incentive funds for regional tourism, DECC's
State Plan's targets for increased visitation to National Parks, increased emphasis on
tourism projects by DECC, and our region's competitive advantage in natural assets
present a case for a regional level agreement or MOU with NSW National Parks on
mutually achievable strategies to ensure Northern Rivers becomes a leader in
sustainable, Australian nature-based tourism. This in turn assists DECC and Tourism
NSW in achieving the state plan's visitation objectives. Such an MOU may include as
terms of reference:

Acknowledgement and honouring of native title requirements for the various
indigenous tribal groups and nations with custodianship of areas of the
Northern Rivers.

Cooperation on nature-based tourism product development and promotion

Cooperation on indigenous tourism product development and promotion

Content sharing (e.g. National Parks maps, imagery) for destination promotion
purposes at events and in promotions and campaigns

Financial contributions to mutually agreed marketing projects to relevant
target markets
6/03/16 – Prepared by Russell Mills, July August 2008
5

Cooperation on provision of access to National Parks for small group touring
companies with appropriate accreditation and licenses

Periodic meetings to share mutually relevant information, intelligence,
strategies, plans and policies

Reciprocal Board updates

Reciprocal website links

Reciprocal public acknowledgement of respective roles in tourism and
partnership status

Potential joint industry and community engagement functions (for example
National Landscapes)
NRT believes there is both merit and economic, employment and environmental
benefit in pursuing the vision and objective outlined above. It can only achieve this
with resources and partnerships with organizations and institutions that share the
vision and a belief they can also share in the benefit.
NRT seeks to develop strategies with partners under the framework of MOU
agreements to provide guidance and clarity of purpose.
As an immediate recommendation of this submission, NRT seeks to develop a
regional MOU with NSW National Parks on the sustainable, cooperative development
and promotion of nature-based tourism in the National Parks, Conservation and
World Heritage Wilderness Areas of the Northern Rivers. Through the Rainforest
Way Project and existing relationships with NSW National Parks, NRT sees
additional potential to enter into similar MOUs with other state and federal
conservation agencies (e.g Queensland Parks, Federal Dept of Environment and
Climate Change.
NRT makes this submission in the belief that it meets the objectives of the Taskforce
for Tourism and National Parks and addresses several terms of reference of the
Taskforce.
Prepared by Russell Mills, CEO Northern Rivers Tourism, July-August 2008
Sources: All statistics sourced from analysis of IVS and NVS, Tourism Research Australia, and
Regional Snapshots, Tourism NSW
6/03/16 – Prepared by Russell Mills, July August 2008
6
Taskforce for Tourism and National Parks
Terms of Reference
Aim: To advise the Ministers for the Environment and Tourism on practical methods to
expedite the realisation of NSW State Plan objectives by:
• identifying ways to promote and protect our state’s biodiversity and cultural heritage
values through appropriate use of the national parks;
• creating a platform whereby visitor numbers and tourism expenditure can be
increased; and
• identifying ways to increase management resources and conservation benefits from
tourism in national parks.
Terms of Reference:
1. Propose conservation, visitation and tourism objectives, targets and measures for Parks
and related land tenures over the next 1 to 3 years to support State Plan targets and
identify planning, development and promotional strategies to support those objectives.
2. Identify and consult with other potential partners, including industry, other land managers
such as Forests and Lands and other States to assist in making recommendations on the
delivery of agreed tourism objectives.
3. Review existing research and information, especially from other relevant jurisdictions,
necessary to inform tourism in parks including information to understand potential impacts
of tourism on conservation and biodiversity values of parks and commission new research,
where appropriate.
4. Identify any legislative, regulatory and structural constraints to the achievement of the
State Plan visitation objectives and make recommendations on overcoming any such
barriers.
5. Assess a wide range of considerations including but not limited to:
a) Develop opportunities associated with the Parks estate, including adaptive reuse of
existing facilities, volunteering opportunities, and opportunities for other new
tour/experience based products;
b) Ticketing and pricing structures to promote tourism;
c) Licensing and accreditation standards for commercial operators, and
d) Training needs for guides and visitor services to support the visitor experience and
commercial objectives.
6. Articulate the benefits of tourism in contributing to conservation, including case studies
and development models of successful tourism activities in protected areas in Australia
and overseas (including comparisons with parks in VIC and QLD, highlighting aspects that
work, similarities and differences).
7. Make recommendations as to appropriate terms for a Memorandum of Understanding
between DECC and Tourism New South Wales encompassing:
a) Stated visitation objectives;
b) Ensuring the appropriate conservation and biodiversity values remain protected; and
c) Removing any unnecessary legislative, regulatory and structural constraints to State
Plan tourism objectives.
6/03/16 – Prepared by Russell Mills, July August 2008
7
d) Identifying mechanisms to increase management resources and conservation benefits
from tourism in national parks.
8. The interim report to be presented to the Ministers for Environment and Tourism by the
end of September 2008 and a final report by November 2008.
6/03/16 – Prepared by Russell Mills, July August 2008