Head - Department of National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing

Executive summary
2
Head Executive summary
This Tourism Opportunity Plan
The purpose of this Tourism Opportunity Plan (TOP) is to provide
strong direction and associated actions to drive the sustainable
development of tourism in the Bundaberg and Fraser Coast
regions out to 2019.
Among other things, the TOP aims to:
� Identify new tourism product that meets future visitor
expectations and demand;
� Identify infrastructure requirements to support the ongoing
sustainable development of tourism in the region; and
� Provide a focal document for the development of tourism in
the region.
In November 2006, the Queensland Government delivered the
Queensland Tourism Strategy, a 10-year vision for sustainable
tourism. To achieve its vision, Tourism Queensland (TQ) and the
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (QTIC) in partnership with
DEEDI1 developed six key themes. Under theme 2 ‘Investment,
infrastructure and access’ Tourism Queensland, in partnership
with Regional Tourism Organisations (RTOs) was responsible for
preparing Regional Tourism Investment and Infrastructure Plans
(RTIIPS) for each tourism region across Queensland. The TOP is
the new name for the RTIIP, a title that is considered to better
represent the content and intent of the document. However,
apart from the name change, the remainder of the document is
as was developed in partnership with regional stakeholders over
an 18 month period.
This TOP has been prepared after conducting consultation with:
local government; government agencies; industry operators;
developers and investors. Over 80 people were consulted. For
the purposes of this plan, the area known as “South Burnett” was
not included as it is going to be covered under a South East
Queensland Country TOP. In addition, for marketing purposes
Lady Musgrave Island is included in the Bundaberg (RTO)
jurisdiction; however, access is only via Seventeen Seventy in the
Gladstone RTO jurisdiction. Projects in this plan have identified
Bundaberg-Fraser Coast Tourism Opportunity Plan 2009-2019
opportunities for this island, but it is noted collaboration for
investment and infrastructure (as opposed to marketing 2) with
the Gladstone region will be required.
By 2019, it is considered that:
� The Bundaberg tourism region has the potential to become
a significant destination for intrastate and interstate visitor
markets (leisure and business), as well as growing the
international sector; and
� The Fraser Coast tourism region has the potential to
become a significant destination for intrastate, interstate and
international (primarily leisure and VFR) visitor markets.
During the consultation process stakeholders identified the
following key value statement being a vision for the entire area
in the future. “An eco-adventure destination for visitors
focussed on marine and nature-based tourism product”. 3
To achieve this outcome and for the regions to become
significant destinations for visitor markets and remain
competitive, it will be necessary for:
� Both regions to identify and develop a sense of uniqueness.
Hervey Bay especially requires its built environment to be
upgraded and enhanced to match the quality of its natural
environment and where appropriate redeveloped in a form
that differentiates it from other coastal areas in SEQ.
� Bundaberg must address its shortage of accommodation in
order that existing tourism product can be appreciated by
more visitors staying longer and spending more;
� Investment in new and enhanced infrastructure (especially
transport and new tourism activities) to take place; and
� Effort will need to be paid to ensuring there is an appropriate
mix of product, especially built attractions and activities
available for the visitor markets the destinations seek to
attract and to offer more mainland all weather experiences.
The TOP does not purport to canvass all possible projects for
the two regions. Instead, it focuses on those projects which
have been identified as having strong stakeholder support;
1 Then known as the Department of Tourism, Fair Trading and Wine Industry Development
2 The Bundaberg ABS Region includes the shire of Miriam Vale and it is noted that a large number of operators in e.g. Agnes Water and Seventeen Seventy have dual
membership of both the Bundaberg and Gladstone RTOs.
3 The regions are home to two significant world class natural environments – Fraser Island is the world’s largest sand island and is designated a world heritage site and Mon
Repos is home to the largest concentration of endangered nesting loggerhead turtles on the eastern coast of Australia. In addition the southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef
extends into the region with Lady Musgrave, Fairfax, Hoskyn and Lady Elliot Islands being currently incorporated into the Bundaberg Tourism Region. In the southern coastal
region “The Great Sandy Strait is recognised by the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance and was declared a Ramsar site in 1999. (http://www.
greatsandystrait.com.au/, cited 2nd April 2008)