The newly-formed Destination Riverina Murray has launched its first major tourism strategy, in conjunction with the second produced by the long-standing Murray Regional Tourism group.
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The former was created in 2017 to work with 22 NSW local governments, following a restructure of the state’s tourism networks, while MRT encompasses NSW and Victorian border towns.
DRM chairwoman Genevieve Fleming said in the areas covered by both organisations, proposals had been formed in partnership.
“There are administrative reasons as to why it makes sense to have two different organisations, but having said that, while there are some areas where we will work separately, there will be a lot in which we work together,” she said.
“We want to create better access to rivers and wetlands, improve our walking and cycling tracks and food and wine offerings, improve festivals and events and our accomodation and conference facilities, plus help operators in their online capacity.”
The destination management plans outline big ticket projects such as ‘adventure trails’ – one encompassing land and water along the Murray and the other building on the Hume and Hovell walking track, to link up the Albury and Yass track heads and better cater for mountain bikers.
The Riverina Murray DMP outlined “there remains a major funding shortfall for arts and cultural infrastructure in Albury” and referenced current projects including the Albury Riverside precinct and upgrades to the Albury Entertainment Centre and Wonga Wetlands as integral.
MRT chairwoman Wendy Greiner said a decline in tourism prompting the creation of MRT and 10 similar boards across Victoria in 2010 had been “arrested” in recent years.
“Between 2012 and 2017 there’s been a strong growth in the visitor economy – an additional 557,000 overnight visitors and over 4500 tourism jobs,” she said.
“We’re projecting that by 2030 the region is expected to grow by an additional 1.1 million overnight visitors, an additional 1.3 million day trip visitors and 90,000 international visitors.
“They’re fairly high targets to reach, but we’re confident with our destination plans and a lot of hard work we’ll achieve that.”
From hotels to comedy centres
A five-star boutique hotel and new backpacker accomodation within walking distance of the CBD have been recommended for Albury in the Riverina Murray Destination Management Plan.
And for Wodonga, the development of a group accomodation facility for school and sporting groups and extension of Albury’s cycling network to meet the High Country Rail Trail.
The DMP, and that produced by Murray Regional Tourism, also suggests developing a “major regional aquatic facility in Albury-Wodonga”, investigating growing Gateway Village as an arts centre, and auditing sports infrastructure across the two cities.
North of the Border, proposals include building heritage tourism in Greater Hume, expanding the Corowa Distillery to include “interactive whisky tours” and the development of the “Australian Institute of Comedy” also in Corowa.
The Destination Riverina Murray sub-region of Albury and Greater Hume, despite being one of the smallest geographically, accounts for 22 per cent of all visitors across the tourism network.