A successful local tourism organisation (LTO) is a structured ecosystem that balances good governance and deep community roots to deliver benefits for members and the destination.

Granite Belt Wine Tourism (GBWT) stands out as a premier example a successful LTO. It is a not-for-profit member-based organisation that conducts destination marketing for the Stanthorpe and Granite Belt wine and tourism industries in inland southern Queensland.

GBWT is funded by member fees and an annual financial contribution from Southern Downs Regional Council (which pays for destination marketing) as well as ad hoc grants for projects from local, state or federal governments.

Tilma interviewed recent past president of GBWT, Chris Nolan, owner of Granite Gardens Cottages & Lake Retreat, to uncover learnings from GBWT for other rural destinations and LTOs across Australia.

GBWT’s Core strengths

1. Good governance

The bedrock of GBWT’s success is its prescriptive constitution, which serves as a definitive guidebook for running the organisation. It ensures good practices remain constant even as leadership changes. This is supported by a professional strategic plan which GBWT invested in getting developed. This is updated annually to stay relevant with changing times. Board induction training helps volunteer directors understand their fiduciary responsibilities, particularly regarding financial performance and how to contribute to the organisation with their skills.

2. Professional marketing

A professional agency with experience in regional destination marketing effectively communicates GBWT's strategic vision for destination marketing to members, ensuring their support. Their strategic marketing plan aims to lift visitation during quieter times to support more consistent business for members year-round.

3. Cultivating strategic relationships

GBWT maintains critical links with its major sponsor, the Council, and the marketing organisation for the broader region, the Regional Tourism Organisation (RTO). Political savviness is important. At GBWT, it is incumbent on the president to maintain regular, personal connections with local government leaders to ensure they understand the organisation’s purpose and contribution to the local economy’s prosperity.

GBWT regularly reports on its achievements and the tangible ROI it delivers for the local economy. For example, each year GBWT demonstrates that their $50,000 Council grant generates over $700,000 in media coverage for the destination.

4. Delivering value to members

*Fourth generation Granite Belt wine makers, the Puglisi Family, one of whom is GBWT’s current secretary*

GBWT originated from a ‘brotherhood’ of local wine growers who support one another through good and bad times. This closeness developed from regular dinners together, sharing wine and discussing the industry as well as family.

Today, while GBWT's membership has expanded to include accommodation (the largest group of members), restaurants, and attractions, that strong collegiality remains.

To keep its 130 members engaged, GBWT focuses on:

Tangible benefits to businesses: Beyond visitation statistics, which can feel abstract, GBWT provides members with tangible evidence of membership benefits like the Granite Belt’s ’little black book’ (the region’s essential guide for visitors), and merchandise (such as a GBWT branded bag, cap and drinking bottle) to physically demonstrate where membership fees deliver value.
Industry "famils": GBWT organises familiarisation tours in quieter months for members and for the visitor centre’s volunteers. These include regular vineyard walks for winemakers and the ‘Accommodation Amble’ where accommodation operators tour one another's businesses. These share best practice ideas, and build confidence in making referrals, as members gain first-hand knowledge of what their neighbours offer.
Capability building: Lifting the performance and capability of members is a pillar of GBWT’s strategic plan. GBWT offers training in areas identified as a need by members, such as social media marketing.

Chris acknowledges it’s a fine line in delivering what members want and what the organisation is able to deliver. It’s important to be good at communicating why the organisation can’t do certain things, but how it is doing other things of value to members.

Desired improvements

Chris shared what GBWT would work on if its board had more time or money:

The board could push smaller tasks down and out to members. Enabling members to give into the organisation and the local visitor economy in small, achieveable ways would support a greater sense of belonging as well as lessen the workload on the board.
Conduct an audit and update of signage in the region, as outdated or damaged signs can negatively impact the visitor experience. Vice versa, a coordinated, branded approach to destination and business signage would improve destination marketing along the national highway that passes through the region.
Improve communication to the community about the value of GBWT, in addition to its communications of value to Council and members.
Engage non licensed accommodations, to both expand GBWT membership and inspire them to become compliant and regulated – this will support both accommodation for visitors and housing for residents.
Reach out to other destination managers in the broader region to learn from what they have done that has worked and what they would improve.

See GBWT’s destination website

See GBWT’s membership prospectus

Lessons for other LTOs

Chris shared that running a successful LTO while also managing a tourism business requires discipline and effective organisation to avoid exhaustion from overcommitment. He found the effort worthwhile, in part because he wanted that feeling of connection with others in the rural community he was new to when he first joined the board.

For other LTOs looking to replicate this success, the message from GBWT is clear: Build a strong governance foundation, hire professional expertise for your marketing, and never stop communicating your value to your members and your Council.