Industry Development Programs (Tourism Awards, Accreditation, Star Ratings) A modernised approach from 2019

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1 Industry Development Programs (Tourism Awards, Accreditation, Star Ratings) A modernised approach from 2019 Nicole O Donnell Industry Development Manager, Tourism

2 Background & Chamber s Role in Tourism 4 years ago the old Tourism Industry Council of NSW amalgamated into the NSW Business Chamber formed the Tourism Industry Division The TICs in each State remain active and independent of government representing over 8,000+ tourism businesses across the country. The Chamber is a Director of Australian Tourism Industry Council which owns & governs: Our Objective: To enhance the image, competitiveness/marketability, profitability and sustainability of tourism in Australia by improving the quality of tourism products and experiences Our mantra is about increasing quality tourism

3 The current situation with Industry Development across NSW & Australia Customer awareness & relevance of these programs is crowded in disruption and peer to peer driven assessment. End of a life-cycle presents an opportunity to modernise the proposition and rationalise the process. Clarity required amongst the stakeholder network on how we can collectively work together to enhance the tourism experience in regional NSW.

4 Time for a modernised approach - Overlap and consumer disconnection The industry development programs overlap in certain areas, have separate assessment processes and customer insights are not considered. The Tourism Awards changes have focused on criteria and rules without taking the opportunity to take a helicopter view and modernise in line with market changes and consumer behaviour. Accreditation Star Ratings - strong brand equity, loyal regional following. Needs to adapt in light of peer to peer reviews, online travel agent s self rating and large global hotel brand positioning In NSW we have around 1000 licensed properties. Star Ratings Tourism Awards

5 Tourism Accreditation The National Tourism Accreditation Framework ceased to operate from 30 June The Australian Tourism Accreditation Program is the only national program open to all tourism businesses. There are four accreditation programs in Australia vying for government s attention for support and endorsement. ATAP participation continues to grow with over 7,000 operators in the program, largely in WA, Tasmania and South Australia.

6 Tourism Awards Programs Last significant change occurred in 2015 based on a review of criteria and categories. Following the demise of the NSW Regional Tourism Organisations and transition to Destination Networks, the five regional tourism awards programs dropped away for a couple years. The Chamber has seed funded the resurrection of three programs in 2018: The National Tourism Awards program is going to be overhauled ready for 2019 under a new framework: The Quality Tourism Framework

7 Quality Tourism Framework Three industry development programs, one process, one online system and one master brand. Customer reviews is integral and will form a key component of quality assurance assessment. From 2019, tourism award entrants meeting the minimum standard benefit from a reduced application process and scale of entry. From 2019, regional awards structured for delivery as an entry step to the State awards i.e. submission is shorter and less time consuming. Marketing activities (in partnership with Councils/LTAs stakeholders etc.) will focus on co-branded destination marketing campaigns and activities to showcase quality tourism experiences in regional NSW in tandem with the commentary of peer to peer platforms.

8 QUALITY Get the basics right and innovate your tourism product to meet customer needs 1. A quality tourism experience should; be safe, have good customer service, excellent value and meet the customers needs 2. To exceed a customer s expectation businesses need to innovate and meet changing customer expectations Changing Consumer Expectations & Trends Demand for individual and authentic travel experiences Demand for more individual and authentic travel experiences Consumers want authentic, engaging and personalised experiences Reliance on technology to plan, buy and review products and services Consumers want convenient, fast, efficient services Purchases must be easy to transact through online and mobile channels It must be easy to choose a destination and its tourism experiences Platforms such as Airbnb will continue to be an important part of the mix Changing consumer expectations and trends Reliance on technology to book, plan and review

9 THE FRAMEWORK Creating quality tourism experiences Fundamental Minimum Standards & Integrated Development Pathway Businesses will undertake a pathway that meets their individual business needs The pathway is divided into four key learning and development stages Pathway proposed: Level 1: Minimum customer experience and safety standards of a quality tourism experience (Tourism Awards entry point) and 70% customer service rating Level 2: High quality visitor experience development & 80% rating Level 3: Best practice digital marketing/distribution & 80% rating Level 4: International trade distribution & 80% rating Minimum Quality Standards Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Best Business Practice

10 Partnership Approach Engagement has commenced with a range of different stakeholders in each State and will continue to do so extensively throughout Discussions are ongoing with other industry bodies e.g. Eco Tourism Australia to integrate into one national framework like New Zealand which can include specialist components e.g. Eco or Caravan & Camping sector requirements. Local Government, Destination Networks and Local Tourism Associations are key partners. The axis between Destination NSW, Destination Networks, local councils and local tourism associations and local Chambers lies at the heart of a successful and sustainable destination management plan. The Quality Tourism Framework provides an opportunity for these stakeholders to work together to deliver a strong regional tourism experience and raise the professionalism of the industry.