Appendix 1 Scoping Document

Transcription

1 Appendix 1 Scoping Document 12

2 PROJECT SCOPE::Barossa Future Leaders Program Strategic Project Team Members Member Daniela Hongell Larene Dreckow Adrian Hoffmann Wines Jarrod Schmidt Employer Strategic Planning & Marketing Communications Product Development - Orlando Own/ Manage - Dimchurch Vineyards Sales Manager - A.P. John Coopers Strategic Problem To address the decline in tourism numbers to the Barossa Valley. The numbers of intrastate visitors to the Barossa has fallen by 44% in the last decade. The number of interstate people who say they are considering the region has dropped by 45%, source SATC marketing director, David O' Loughlin. As part of the issue stated, we have identified a gap in the Barossa tourism market for family based tourism experiences. Project Plan To enact a feasibility study that provides an understanding of what family tourism is about, and what gaps there are in the Barossa and the opportunities for the Barossa for family based tourism. The project will relate to children of families visiting the Barossa and to provide them with a Barossa experience supporting the Barossa heritage, culture and food. As part of this project we wish to develop a generation of young ambassadors for brand Barossa and generate advocacy for children, to build awareness and education of the Barossa culture, traditions, and heritage and create hands on farm to plate experiences. Project Outline Research information regarding similar types of tourism activity in other domestic/ international tourism regions Identifying what family tourism is What do families want What makes an attractive family destination What family tourism experiences already exist in the Barossa What are some recommendations for the Barossa Identify potential stakeholder interest Have stakeholders provide input Analyse data/ information received Communication Larene Dreckow will be the point of data collation and forward to respective team members on a regular basis. 13

3 Final Presentation Daniela Hongell to form the final written assignment Project team to take part in presentation Milestones Project Scope Research of other local, regional, interstate and international areas Engagement of local stakeholders Analyse findings of the data and information received Document findings and provide conceptual ideas to be part of a business plan Time line First meeting - 7th September Submission of draft following all information being analysed - 24th September Final submission completed - 5th October Written submission due - 12th October Final presentation completed - 12th October Presentation due - 19th October 14

4 Appendix 2 Key Stakeholder & Contributor Interviews and Feedback 15

5 Stakeholders Contacted for Feedback South Australian Tourism Commission David O Loughlin, Director of Marketing Craig Dunstan, Senior Experience Development Executive Barossa Tourism Nathan Gogoll, Regional Tourism Manager Elaine Ratcliffe, Chair Barossa Tourism Jo Seabrook, Coordinator Barossa Visitor s Information Centre Barossa Wine and Food Sam Holmes, CEO Barossa Grape and Wine Association Victoria Blumenstein Rezonja, Chair, Barossa Food Elaine Ratcliffe, Manager, Jacob s Creek Visitor Centre Martin Pfeiffer, Director, Whistler Wines Cherie Hausler, Public Relations, Maggie Beer Products The Barossa Council Kirsty Harvey, Youth Coordinator Key Stakeholders were initially contacted by and then interviewed either face to face or by phone or response. Stakeholders were asked the following questions: How does your organisation define a "family friendly" tourism experience? Is family friendly tourism on the "radar" in the Barossa why/why not? How is South Australia perceived as a destination for families? How does the Barossa perform as a family tourism destination? Does your organisation see opportunities to promote family friendly experiences? What are the risks involved? Can you give examples of excellent/innovative family tourism experiences in the Barossa? Can you give examples of excellent/innovative family tourism experiences in other Australian wine regions? 16

6 Summaries of Stakeholder Feedback SATC David O Louhglin, Director of Marketing and Communications Family Friendly tourism in the Barossa is not on the radar for the SATC because: o There's too much to work with o There's too much new material o There's too much focus on traditional elements of the brand o Basically, it's too hard to overlay a new element or a new position to the existing brand o Yorke Peninsula is designated as the family friendly destination of South Australia Culinary tourism as a family friendly proposition in the Barossa definitely What is family friendly in the culinary experience in the Barossa? The food experience is something that we can teach kids at a young age Don't swim against the stream the stream for the Barossa is "flavour" and flavour is a journey that we take through our entire lives, so start kids young Don't fall for the trap of using the Barossa's heritage be new and innovative e.g.: a kid's version of the wine/food flight at Hentley Farm The experience for kids should be about touch, feel, smell, experience Every region should be family friendly the SATC doesn't focus on demographics it focus on targeting high value experience seekers of all ages, and there's no reason why this can't become a family trait, i.e.: the family becomes experience seekers and ultimately, high value experience seekers However, we need to do this within the context of the region and it HAS to be brand relevant The key is great innovation e.g.: grape treading for kids Don't fall back on technology for technology sake make the experience sensory It's about democratising the experience for the whole family, within the context of the brand 17

7 SATC Craig Dunstan, Senior Experience Development Executive Family Friendly tourism in the Barossa is not on the radar for the SATC because: o There's too much to work with o There's too much new material o There's too much focus on traditional elements of the brand o Basically, it's too hard to overlay a new element or a new position to the existing brand o The family friendly destination of SA is Yorke Peninsula Culinary tourism as a family friendly proposition in the Barossa definitely What is family friendly in the culinary experience in the Barossa? The food experience is something that we can teach kids at a young age Don't swim against the stream the stream for the Barossa is "flavour" and flavour is a journey that we take through our entire lives so start kids young Don't fall for the trap of using the Barossa's heritage be new and innovative e.g.: a kid's version of the wine/food flight at Hentley Farm The experience for kids should be about touch, feel, smell, experience Every region should be family friendly the SATC doesn't focus on demographics it focus on targeting high value experience seekers of all ages, and there's no reason why this can't become a family trait, i.e.: the family becomes experience seekers and ultimately, high value experience seekers However, we need to do this within the context of the region and it HAS to be brand relevant The key is great innovation e.g.: grape treading for kids Don't fall back on technology for technology sake make the experience sensory It's about democratising the experience for the whole family, within the context of the brand 18

8 Jacob s Creek Visitor Centre Elaine Ratcliffe, Manager A Family Friendly experience is either about an experience that adults and children can do together, or an experience that adults can do on their own knowing that the children are being entertained and occupied Currently family friendly tourism is not really a focus at the JVCV. JCVC holds functions like the Outdoor Movie night but we don t target any movies to teenagers, since we are a wine venue. Company policies and industry policies and even government rulings don t allow us to target certain ages, and actively promote children. Corporate policy photographs & pictures cannot have under 25YO in them. JCVC do offer a kids menu in the restaurant, and do have the indoor/outdoor toy box and colouring in to keep the children occupied. We do have a walking trail around the site JCVC Key target is based on market geographics, and not on ages. JCVC target market is on wine tourists both domestic and international, Chinese visitors and visitors that are visiting friends and relatives - (VOFAR) In saying this the JCVC is looking at creating some nature based experiences, extending walking trails, do eco trails, teaching the heritage of the Jacobs Creek and the Barossa, these are key to family friendly experiences The Barossa in general performs Quite Low in family friendly tourism experiences. We do have the tenpin bowling, mini golf, and The Rex in Tanunda. However, the key driver for people visiting the region is wine. So therefore the key market is not families From Barossa tourism point of view the main focus is on wine and food. Due to limited resources and time this is their main focus. It is about getting the best economic return, and there is a strong belief that the best economic return does not come from families, therefore the focus of marketing is not targeted at families Families are not the key driver for the Barossa region, they don t spend the same amount of money that a couple would spend in a weekend The risks involved in becoming a family friendly tourism area is that the Wine Industry cannot advertise to a young age. Is there enough demand to see the BV as a family destination? If the BV was to become a family friendly destination would it be at risk to our current target market and put them off from coming? The snap shot below represents a survey conducted for one week, once a quarter. The latest survey was conducted in May 2012: 19

9 Jacob s Creek Visitor Centre May 2012 Visitor Survey This survey conducted by Jacob s Creek Visitor Centre strongly shows that age is their largest market. Under 18 s account for 4% of visitors, indicate that a small number of families do visit. 20

10 Maggie Beer Products Cherie Hausler, Public Relations How would you define a "Family Friendly" experience within the context of your business? The farm shop is a fantastic opportunity for families to experience the Barossa. We have picnic baskets especially for children so they can set up by the dam with their parents to watch the birdlife and turtles on the dam. We have a nature walk signposted around the farm to indicate different trees, animal habitats and the things we grow for our products. This aspect of connecting environment to the food we offer on shelf at the Farm Shop is really important for me. I love being able to share knowledge that can create a better understanding around our food and where it comes from. Is family friendly tourism a focus of your business? Why? Absolutely! Because everyone should enjoy their time in the Barossa regardless of age. Does your business offer an experience specifically targeted to families? Can you describe this experience? See above! How does the Barossa perform as a family tourism destination? I think the Barossa does very well catering to adults who are looking for a food and wine based experience, but that doesn t always translate to be of interest to children. Kaiser Stuhl Conservation Park is a great family option, or the Barossa Bush Gardens, the lookout at Mengler s Hill with a wander through the sculpture park, and the Farmer s Market is another family friendly choice. Where do you see opportunities for experiences that are specifically targeted to families? I think the natural surroundings of the Valley are a great draw card for families, I know our nature walk around the Pheasant Farm is always very popular with kids, so perhaps a few more signposted adventures could be a good idea, leading visitors through the beautiful environment of the Barossa. Rides along the bike path are another great option with slightly older children, but again, I m not sure visitors are aware of this before they arrive in the Valley and it s something that needs to be planned for. Perhaps a few picnic stations along the bike path would make the difference? What are the risks involved? When it comes to any outdoor activity there are always risks but I have a feeling no one would ever do anything fun if we only looked at what could go wrong! Can you give examples of excellent/innovative family tourism experiences in the Barossa? I don t think I can! Does Australia have a benchmark wine region for family tourism? I m not entirely sure the push by wine regions to attract visitors really ever takes into account family options because of the obvious fact that winetasting and dining isn t necessarily something you d take your children along to. When our local shows are on, or there s lovely weather for picnics or bushwalks I can imagine plenty of wine growing regions offer the beautiful surroundings to allow these activities to take place, but as for targeted family experiences there doesn t seem to be a lot on offer. 21

11 Victoria Blumenstein Rezonja Barossa Food + Barossa Farmers Market Current Scenario: The Barossa Farmer s Market is entering a new phase as it enters its 10th year of operation Farmer s market is reviewing its strategies for the next 10 years The Barossa Farmer s Market should be central to any food related experiences targeted to families andchildren As operating farms, local producers are not structured to cater for experiences they don t have the insurance and they don t have the finances to set their properties up for tourism activities Key issues with organised tour groups: o Producers are time poor and finance poor o o Tourism attraction vs the reality of a working farm. It requires the community to help producers to set up their businesses to become a tourism attraction, but how do we make this happen? Producers would be keen to be part of a bigger activity Producers turn to the Farmer s Market for engagement with visitors and the community The Farmer s Market is the right venue as an existing working model particularly when considering government/satc funding It has a track record of success It has key stakeholders eg: Yalumba that would help to make the right model work The Farmer s Market will not change or extend its operating hours due to: o The time it takes producers to set up and pack up o No evidence that longer hours translates into more sales o Relying on the good will of volunteers to work a longer day The Farmer s Market has a working kitchen that can be used for cooking schools and demonstrations Opportunities Victoria suggested the following experiences that could be linked into Barossa Farmer s Market and Barossa Food: Community Garden set up for visitors to tour, plant and harvest in class formats (a farm visit in a community setting) Cooking classes to be held as a value added activity after the Farmer s Market closes Cooking classes to be held across 2 or 3 days during the school holidays eg: o Days 1 & 2 - plan, harvest and prepare o Day 3 cook, present, and eat with family o Ideally targeted at years olds who can participate without parental supervision o The board of the Farmer s Market and Yalumba (as owners of the space) would have to support this concept o Framework would have to be simple to make it work make it complicated & stakeholders will lose interest o Tie in with food producers who could stay on once market closes to participate in the school Kids cooking schools are huge in the US, particularly during their long summer break o Link in with their agriculture curriculum o Link in with economics curriculum o Students to grow, cook/prepare, and sell produce o Feel good experience o Brings families to the Barossa 22

12 Grape Camp for older kids: o they can pick, crush and learn about viticulture and winemaking in a structured format o held across a weekend o they learn about the science of winemaking and food production o can be held during the Vintage Festival (school holidays) o can be promoted as a Vintage Festival experience School stalls to sell their own produce and food at the Farmer s Market o Attract schools from Adelaide and other regions o Link in with their healthy lifestyles curriculum 23

13 Nathan Gogoll, Barossa Regional Tourism Manager Current Scenario Huge gap exists for family friendly experiences Cellar Doors need to look beyond the box of toys in the corner scenario Staff need to be trained to work with families Gomersal Wines do they still have play equipment? Whistler Wines received funding for a kids scavenger hunt and producing a brochure for family friendly activities SATC will be distributing a media release re: Destination Action Plan Family Friendly Activities Food offer needs to be better matched to families where do you take kids to eat and what do you do? Most families end up self-catering when visiting cellar doors McDonalds debate a positive for family tourism? Prevalence of regional food platters Examples of good family food experiences: o Forties Café Angaston o Renmark Hotel The Barossa has a good peripheral offer for family activities including: o Barossa Bowl & Mini Golf o The Rex o Skate Park o Barossa Bike Hire o Cockatoo Valley Gold Mine o Norm s Coolies o Cycle Tourism o Nature Walks Gaps exist in the core wine and food offer Yorke Peninsula identified by SATC as the state s family playground McLaren Vale is close to beaches strong family attraction Flinders is identified as ancient landscapes Barossa is identified as the flavour destination Accommodation for families is limited Novotel Barossa Valley Resort and Caravan Parks are the stand outs B&B s generally cater for couples and large groups of adults o Multi-bedroom B&B s generally have queen size beds in each room o Untapped potential Lack of car hire options Chateau Tanunda has an iphone tour that links in with strategically positioned QR codes for visitors to conduct their own tours Breakfast Rave a great example of a family friendly experience held outdoors, with healthy food in a uniquely Barossa location o Investment is key o Link in with like minded people Callum Hahn his insight and experience dealing with the expectations of young foodies Yellow Brick Road at the Barossa Farmer s Market 24

14 Opportunities: Identifying wineries that would be willing to underwrite marketing collateral targeting family friendly experiences and offers: o Develop parameters for what identifies a family friendly experience o Brochure identifying family friendly wineries, businesses and activities (one day trails and weekend trails ) o Symbol/sticker that identifies a family friendly winery or business o Add a Family Friendly tab on the Barossa.com website o Partner with SATC or RDAB for funding through the New Product Support grant 25

15 Barossa Grape and Wine Association (BGWA) Sam Holmes, CEO As wine tourism supports the wineries/ vineyards represented by the BGWA it this area that they support rather than lead. BGWA supported the SATC Barossa advertising campaign that they had isolated as a priority BGWA also supports regional event tourism such Barossa Gourmet and the Vintage Festival Their main priority is to provide support and encourage the local council and RDA on tourism initiatives that support wineries within the Barossa Although family tourism is not a focus they endorse any work done in this area The Barossa Council Kirsty Harvey, Youth Coordinator Main role is to organise events within the Barossa that focus on the 12-25YO age demographic. These events generally have a local focus and are not really designed for visitors Kirsty has a youth committee that helps her put together events that would be of interest to the local youth such as Hip Hop, Metal concerts, a cooking school with Callum Hann etc. Generally council would not put up the funds for projects such as an 'Adventure Playground' or skate park but will support these 'community driven' projects in some shape or form. 26

16 Appendix 3 SATC Development Action Plan & Media Release 27

17 Appendix 4 Whistler Wines Case Study 28

18 Whistler Wines A Leader in Family Experiences Interview Conducted by Adrian Hoffman Whistler Wines is regarded as one of those wineries that have got it right when talking about family wine tourism. In talking to Chris and Martin Pfeiffer about how they got it so right, a lot of it comes down to they are a family business and families are an important part of their life so they wanted others to share the Whistlers experience with their families. With Martin s wife Sally being an ex-school teacher she also knows about children and children s needs or more to the point wants. As the saying goes happy wife, happy life! How to keep the wife happy? Make sure the kids are happy. This was not an overnight success story either. Martin did admit that the stars did come into alignment and helped them out a little. Key points to note were the history and knowledge that all the partners brought to the business. Their business began when the Australian wine industry was in a time of expansion. Most of the questions that I asked of Martin and Chris were aimed around a SWOT analysis. These were some of my findings: The cellar door had to be build off the road which at first seemed to be a negative but now is a real positive with kids being able to wander the grounds without parents fears a busy road only metres away from the cellar door. It also takes you away from the hustle and bustle and sets a mood. With a view extending out to the south of the valley, over Whistlers native animal enclosure, it is a place where you can definitely sit back and relax with a selection of white and red wines on offer and with something out of the cellar to keep people interested. Catering for everyone s taste is quite difficult but they think they got the mix right. One of the big threats is the anti alcohol lobby. What I got out of the take home message was: Wine is generally drunk as part of a food wine experience, and Whistler is educating their consumers by providing activities that promote responsible consumption of alcohol. Family fun days are always very big at whistlers. Getting a date and sticking to it is the key to success! Its not always going to suit but if you know it is October Long weekend or the third Sunday in the month stick to it because that s how people remember. They have a great following and they are doing a function about every 6 weeks, and that was the second key. You have to do it regularly. Activities for kids during the fun days also contribute to success of the day. Sally knows how to keep the kids busy, says Martin, with various activities from face painting to arts and crafts being organised in an area especially setup to cater for children. Whistler also holds fun days for young adults but once again this is advertised accordingly with provisions in entertainment and food targeted at the intended audience. They are also involved in the Barossa Gourmet Weekend. They have been very fortunate that they have only had one incidence of disorderly behaviour over all the years of their involvement. Martin puts this down to getting the right crowd of people, organising the right type of music and activities show that you are serious about catering for families. Winding up a little earlier you can avoid trouble as well. Quite a few of the families that attend are mum, dad and kids and their grandparents and they all tend to look out for one another and no one gets too silly. For some wineries, the idea of family friendly is the token box of worn out and broken toys in the corner - not Whistler. They have a native animal enclosure, play equipment and acres for kids to run around. Recently they received a government grant to create a scavenger hunt for kids while parents taste. They can be challenged in walking around the Whistler site collecting clues and receiving a reward at the end. 29

19 The School of Rock was mentioned. Rockford Wines model was discussed, with Whistler taking it one step further by creating a family wine experience and creating a excellent direct sales data base. Whistler Wines is also very involved in the Seppeltsfield Road Business Alliance, with Director Martin Pfeiffer heading up the committee. They believe only good things can happen if you work together with other like-minded people/businesses. Experience tourism is one of the best types of tourism because it keeps people wanting to recreate/relive that experience, and the easiest way to do that is to open up another bottle of Whistlers Wines which they just direct purchased from a regular mail out. Martin and his wife Chris both commented that the Barossa needs more wineries such as themselves to make the Barossa a more family friendly destination. We say we do it, but do we? Martin and Wendy Allan from Pindarie Wines worked together at Penfolds/Southcorp days and were willing to help Penfolds with suggestions on how to cater for families in their own way when they opened up their cellar door. There is a real opportunity for Barossa wine companies to fill up a calendar of events so there is a Whistler type Family Fun day happening every weekend in the Barossa. Whistler Wines is a family business and families are an important part of their life. 30

20 Appendix 5 Barossa Visitor Centre, Family Experience List 31

21 Family Friendly Activities Barossa VIC* Adventure Balloon Adventures Barossa Helicopters Barossa Trike Tours Barossa Valley Ballooning Bike Hire Angaston Hardware Barossa Bike Hire Barossa Backpackers Childrens Activities Angaston Playground Barossa Bowland & Mini Golf Bethany Reserve Coulthard Reserve Norms Coolies Arts & Crafts The Woodcarvers haven Garden & Walks Barossa Bush Gardens Regional Native Flora Centre Jacobs Creek Retreat open Gardens Kaiser Stuhl Conservation Park Mount Crawford Forest Local Produce Gully Gardens Maggie Beers Farm Shop Menglers Hill Lookout & Sculpture Park Whispering Wall Markets Barossa Farmers Market Mount Pleasant Farmers Market Lyndoch Market Williamstown market Artisans at Greenock Junction Motel Market Barossa Quilt & Craft Cottage Market Truro Market Kapunda Sunday Market Museums & Heritage Barossa Junction Car Museum Barossa Museum Collingrove Homestead Greenock Aviation Museum Luhrs Cottage Seppelts Family Mausoleum *Details as supplied by the Barossa VIC interesting to note that the Barossa s Old Fashioned Sweet Shop and Raven s Parlour Book Store, both located on Tanunda s main street is not included on this list (not paid members of Barossa Tourism). 32

22 Signboard displayed outside Barossa VIC, Murray Street Tanunda, September 2012 during SA & VIC School Holidays 33

23 Appendix 6 Margaret River Experience 34

24 The Margaret River Experience A Visit by the Hoffman Family, September 2012* Our family spent a very interesting long weekend in Margaret River, the region was happening even though there were no events being held. Margaret River does cellar door, breweries & experience tourism very well. My kids, aged 7, 10 and 11 and my sisters kids 7 and 9 were very easy to manage throughout the day. There were plenty of offerings - most breweries were linked to a cellar door that then had an art, craft or gift store attached as well. Most venues had an "awesome" (straight from daughter Tegan's mouth) playground area, which rivalled the best Macca's play areas. Most were enclosed with a pool fence for added peace of mind. Besides cellar doors there were plenty of different of attractions as well: Two chocolate factories with tastings Liquor and cider tastings (generally linked with a cellar door on the same property) Two cheese companies A fudge factory Ice creamery Specialty attractions (so you had plenty to bribe kids to be good) Margaret River the township was open every day over the public holiday 10am - 4pm. Bakeries, butchers, specialty shops, etc, all open and the town was humming. The farmers market in the morning had a creche for kids, with playground and kids craft table for $5 per hour and had younger adults looking after the kids. There is a reasonable distance between attractions but the signage was good to navigate. Margaret River/Augusta is 100km long and about 40km wide a very little straight road so you have to wind your way through. *Information provided by syndicate participant, Adrian Hoffman. 35