Destination Management Governance Review
Echuca Moama Tourism Inc
Echuca Moama and District Tourism Association Incorporated (EMDTA) is the Local Tourism Association for Echuca Moama and District which straddles the NSW-Victorian border and has a high dependency on tourism as a key economic driver.
Project purpose
An organisational review was sought to respond to a range of challenges, including duplication of effort across the many stakeholders, and the recovery from COVID-19 and natural disasters. It was important that EMDTA took the time to reflect and refocus to ensure that it is best servicing the needs of industry and the changing needs and expectations of visitors.
Project overview
In partnership with JJ Strategic Consulting, Tilma Group
reviewed existing membership documentation, service agreements, and regional, local government and local tourism organisation plans
researched local and regional tourism organisation operating and membership models across regional Australia
undertook consultation with industry and government stakeholders
developed a discussion paper to enable opportunities and recommendations to be tested and validated in a stakeholder workshop where a consensus on the most appropriate model and strategy moving forward was reached. This supported the development of a guiding document that will support the revitalisation of the organisation and the destination’s management moving forward.
The report included a clarification of EMDTA’s purpose, a vision for the region, a recommended operating structure and governance including roles and responsibilities for the various entities in the local tourism industry, and the priority functions of the organisation moving forward.
Outcomes
Benchmarking with regional destinations across Victoria revealed there is no one size fits all destination management organisation structure or budget. Benchmarking reinforced the importance of having a clear understanding of the DMO’s functions, with a team closely aligned to the functions and the required budget to deliver.
Our report recommends a fresh new destination management model for the Echuca Moama tourism industry, Murray River Council and Campaspe Shire Council. The model seeks to reset the destination to fully realise its potential, nurture innovation, and lead the way in destination management in regional Victoria.
Strategic partnerships and alignment with the activities of the Murray Regional Tourism Board and other key stakeholders are a cornerstone of the new model to leverage collective strengths and maximise outcomes.
The plan identified the roles of each of the many destination managers at various levels in the region – the two Councils, the local tourism industry, the regional and state tourism organisations, and others.
The transition to the new co-creative approach to destination management over three phases was outlined, along with recommended resourcing and team structure, a funding model and annual budget.
As recommended, a Change Manager has been appointed to activate the recommended structure, functions, and funding model, and develop a new Corporate Plan and Destination Management Plan.
“Linda Tillman and the team were amazing. We engaged them to help us after the board decided we needed a fresh set of eyes to look at what we are doing as an organisation and how we are doing it.
They did a thorough job going through our organisation from top to bottom and coming back to us (and our stakeholders) multiple times throughout the process to engage and test.
They created a recommended organisational model that will allow Echuca Moama and District Tourism to evolve into a Destination Management Organisation with a clear purpose and functions that align with and support our partners and stakeholders, and will support the sustainable growth and development of our destination.
We have already made significant progress since the completion of the organisational review and are now in the process of working through some of the next steps in the ever changing tourism industry.”
Referee
John Hall
Chair
Echuca Moama and District Tourism Association
0419 010 792
john@cactuscountry.com.au
www.echucamoama.com
