Regional Victorian tourism tipped to bounce back stronger than ever

ERIN DELAHUNTY,
The Weekly Times

September 24, 2020

HERALDSUN.COM.AU

LIKE the proverbial canary in the coal mine, Victoria’s tourism industry was one of the first parts of the economy hit by COVID shutdowns, costing millions of dollars and thousands of jobs.

And while it will most likely be one of the last to fully recover, one industry expert says the sector, which has “innovation and resilience in its veins” and strong links with all levels of government, will not only help lead the state back to normality, but could even emerge bigger and better.

Kathryn Mackenzie, chief executive of Echuca Moama Tourism, said while the pain felt by operators continued to be acute, there was light at the end of the tunnel.

That light is a combination of pent-up demand, a predicted post-COVID emphasis on nature and wellness experiences, which Victoria excels at, and a desire to holiday at home, rather than travel internationally, which should all drive demand.

Ms Mackenzie, who in 2014 developed a now often-replicated approach when she established a tourism board for the entire Bendigo region, bringing together Greater Bendigo, Mt Alexander, Central Goldfields and Loddon shires, said like every other industry, tourism had to be nimble and innovative.

“It’s a big challenge and we can’t underestimate how much operators are hurting right now, but by their very nature, tourism businesses are agile, resilient and reactive to changes in the market. They are all those things every day, even when we don’t have a pandemic, so I’ve no doubt they can rise to this,” she said.

Some individual operators and tourism bodies are already planning for post-lockdown, with government expected to play a role too.

Once state borders open and all forms of travel are allowed again, Ms Mackenzie expects Victorians and interstate travellers to be keen to “get away”, but without straying too far from home.

“Rather than flip off to Bali, people will want to explore their own backyard,” she said. “This is something we’re already seeing in Western Australia, for example, where with borders shuts, locals are travelling within the state.”

In Victoria, people who have been locked inside for months will seek out natural landscapes, open spaces, wellness experiences and “amazing accommodation and hospitality” to decompress.

“Operators need to be ready for that and to take some of the lessons from the pandemic — like cellar winery doors booking people in, rather than just having them turn up — to understand how to personalise the experience and take it to the next level.”

Large-scale events and festivals remained big unknowns, she said.

“But as it always does, tourism will find a way.”

FOR Rachel and Adrian Bromage — an East Gippsland couple who have joined forces with a world leader in wellness tourism to bring a multimillion-dollar natural hot springs attraction to Metung — the pandemic is just a speed bump.

The couple, who have fond childhood memories of using the natural springs (discovered in the 1930s when exploratory oil bores were dug), have long dreamt of creating a hot springs and day spa destination “at home”.

Now with tourism behemoth Peninsula Hot Springs on-board as 80 per cent shareholder, the wheels remain in motion to create Metung Hot Springs, despite the COVID-led economic slowdown.

Peninsula Hot Springs is arguably Australia’s leading wellness tourism destination, attracting more than half a million visitors a year. Its co-founder, Charles Davidson, said the Metung project’s 9.7ha site, on the shores of Lake King, one of the largest of the Gippsland lakes, was second-to-none.

“The undulating hills, natural topography and spectacular views lend themselves perfectly to the serenity of hot springs bathing. I have visited thousands of hot springs sites across the globe on research missions to 51 countries during the past 21 years and in my mind, this is one of the most naturally spectacular sites I have seen,” he said.

Mr Davidson is backing the project financially, as well as lending his industry expertise to the Bromages, who are 20 per cent shareholders, and will manage the destination day-to-day.

The project has the support of key tourism and political leaders in the region, including Roger Fenwick, chief executive of Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation and local federal MP Darren Chesters, and also has State Government backing.

The Bromages, who run boutique accommodation and function venue The Riversleigh, in Bairnsdale, are seeking funding from a number of sources, but have spent several years already in the planning phase.

To date, the site has been acquired, a 500m bore that produces 45C water secured, multistage, multi-year plans drawn up, including designs for accommodation and a waterfront marina, and significant tree-planting done. While it was hoped a pop-up “bathing gallery” would open in December, COVID has delayed that until next year.

“COVID has definitely slowed things down a little, but the project is ready to go, with all the planning and water permits we need in place. We have all critical infrastructure onsite. This is a long-term vision and could be a $120 million project before it comes to full maturation in a number of years’ time,” Mr Bromage said.

And with COVID sparking many people to re-evaluate their life choices, “we see a real positivity coming out of this, a way to attract people to shift here”.

“We want to create a world-class facility, something that emulates that Scandinavian bathing experience, where you’re out enjoying the lake all day and then sink into hot water at the end of it all.”