Tourism operators in the Kempsey Shire are set to get a boost through improved messaging for visitors, with a revamped Visitor Information Model which directs resources towards more strategic and effective visitor information services.
The new model includes retaining the Visitor Information Centre at the Slim Dusty Centre and leveraging the Crescent Head and South West Rocks Holiday Parks as Visitor Information Outlets, while diversifying and modernising the digital visitor information services. The South West Rocks Visitor Information Centre will be closed.
In October 2023, Council staff presented Councillors with a review of the Visitor Information services provided by Kempsey Council. The evaluation noted that that use of Visitor Information Centres (VIC) are in decline across the Kempsey Shire and more broadly, with less than 4% of visitors to our region using a VIC during their stay.
In contrast, most visitors access digital information about activities to do and see, and places to stay via the Macleay Valley Coast website, which offers a user-friendly, up-to-date, and accessible experience to people before, during and after their stay.
Visitors are also able to interact with Kempsey Shire Council’s Destination Brand, Macleay Valley Coast on social media and by subscribing to the visitor newsletter, helping them stay connected to the region with attractive and engaging content.
Travellers require access to different information to support each stage of their journey, including choosing a place to visit, pre-trip planning, booking, experience and post trip reflection.
Technology has also seen increasing expectations for individual tailoring of information to support the different types of travel, including business, holiday, family, luxury, adventure, nature, sporting and more.
In delivering Visitor Information, we employ a set of clear strategies to deliver a sustainable, comprehensive, and relevant service that will attract new high yield visitors, encourage visitors to stay longer, enhance the overall visitor experience and grow the visitor economy.
The direct and indirect costs saved by closing the South West Rock Visitor Information Centre will be redirected into delivering more strategic and effective visitor information services that reflect how the tourism industry is changing and to cater for an increasingly diverse visitor market.
