Tourism increase

South Eastern Times
Thursday 16/11/2006, Page: 10

THE Millicent Visitor Information Centre has shown a 34 per cent increase in visitor numbers and enquiries over the last four years.

Wattle Range Council Tourism Manager, Janice Nitschke, said the rise reaffirmed the marketing strategy and decision to build on the clean and green image of the area and to produce a suite of new brochures on the area.

The new publications have included the distribution of 10,000 on the Woakwine Windfarm tour in eight months and town maps. There has also been a 26% increase in visitors to the Beachport Tourist Centre, and this has also included promotion of the town through marketing.

However, there has been a decline in tourist number, at the Penola-Coonawarra centre, in line with a decrease across the Limestone Coast.

Mrs. Nitschke said over the last four years Wattle Range Tourism has undertaken a number of initiatives, including:
branding Wattle Range Tourism;

• designing a suite of brochures and DL cards promoting the region;
• a distribution plan for the placement of the brochures,
• DL cards and flyers across Western Victoria,
• throughout the Limestone Coast and into the Fleurieu Peninsula;
• increased advertising;
• developing Wattle Range packs and encouraging visitors to stay in the area; and
• continual upgrading of the Wattle Range website.

"This strategy has enabled us to build on the Melbourne to Adelaide touring route, with the promotion of the windfarm tourist drive, Millicent's Lake McIntyre and the coastal area," Mrs. Nitschke said.

"The increase in four wheel driving has afforded us the opportunity to promote this, and we are grateful of the efforts of the Wattle Rangers 4WD Club, who have produced maps and supporting information to enable safe driving through the parks.

"These maps have been blown up, and are on the walls of our centres, while smaller maps form the basis of the 4WD packs, staff have developed."