'Great
opportunity' to capture increasing market share'
Councillors endorse RV
strategy for Fraser Coast
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COUNCILLORS have given
the green light to
Fraser Coast Regional Council's new strategy to position the Queensland
region as a premier RV, caravan and camping destination.
Plans include establishing Maryborough as an RV
education and maintenance hub, investigating options to offer low-cost
camping options, reviewing signage and looking at designated long-vehicle
parking spaces.
Councillor Paul Truscott said it would guide the monitoring and management
of RV sites and provide a roadmap to grow the sector over the long term.
"A camping holiday or RV trip is an integral part of the Fraser Coast
tourism experience, with Tourism Research Australia noting the region
attracted more than 200,000 caravan and camping visitors who injected
almost $70 million into our local economy in 2017," he said.
"The Fraser Coast region has a great opportunity to capture an increasing
market share of Queensland's caravan, camping and RV markets, and this
strategy outlines directions and actions to ensure the sector reaches its
full potential."
Councillor Anne Maddern said the new strategy was more "focussed” than the
council's previously endorsed strategy in 2017.
"RVs, to date, have been hugely beneficial in growing our economy and
tourism and this is the next step in that process to further develop that
tourism sector," she said.
"One of the areas in the report I found of great interest is we need to
let people know where our caravan parks, free camping areas and low-cost
camping areas are."
Key strategic directions and priority actions in the strategy will be
implemented in a staged approach over a number of years.
They include:
■ Positioning and marketing the region as
a premier RV, caravan and camping destination including revamped
marketing platforms, industry engagement and a review of signage.
■ Business development which grows overall
destination competitiveness including customer evaluations and
investigating opportunities to host sector conferences and events.
■ Infrastructure investment which creates
an RV, caravan and camping-friendly environment including establishing Maryborough as an RV education and maintenance hub, and investigating
options for designated long vehicle parking spaces.
■ Establishing a transparent policy
framework (including potential incentives for commercial operators to
offer low cost camping options.
■ Effective site management and
development including the development of site plans and annual reviews of
site operating hours and fees for council-managed sites.
■ Building awareness of the benefits of
the RV and caravan and camping sectors.
The council also resolved to begin
investigations to identify a suitable Hervey Bay RV site to replace the
current facility outside the Hervey Bay Visitor Information
centre.
In addition, it will review the success of
changes made at the Alan and June Brown Car Park in 2016 and the leasing
of the Doon Villa site in 2017.
The review will help investigations into a potential additional RV site
within Prickett Park and RV parking within HJ Davies and McDowell car
parks.