On Thursday April 12 the Mount Isa Tourism Association gathered for what was the culmination of a major strategic planning session held in 2017.
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MITA President Gary Murray said they wanted to establish a meeting with all the tourism businesses in North West Queensland to communicate their philosophy.
“The power of suggestion means to talk about tourism in our region with confidence to tourists and service providers alike,” Mr Murray said.
“To be able to do that means knowing what each tourism provider does, what their products are, what they offer and where they are situated. The power of suggestion can then generate more income into the region, create jobs and drive prosperity. All by simply showcasing what attractions we have available.”
The meeting on Thursday afternoon highlighted the essence of what MITA were trying to achieve by dispelling old paradigms and providing information related to the sequence of events in generating outstanding tourism within the region.
“In the old days tourism within a region was very competitive but times have changed and now it’s all about collaboration and working together.
The power of suggestion could keep tourists in our locality much longer.
- Gary Murray
“By informing tourists in our region and by suggesting other sights and attractions, it will create a snowball effect whereby more products are generated leading to more confidence in our marketing abilities,” he said.
The sequence of events in generating outstanding tourism within the region began with a talk by Shelly Hawkins fromTrek West – Tailored Hiking Tours which is an innovative new business capitalising on the rugged and remote beauty of North West Queensland.
“Starting up your own business can be daunting with legals, insurance, researching, marketing and networking but if you back yourself 100% you can only succeed,” Ms Hawkin’s said.
Michelle Low Mow from Adels Grove spoke about how being involved in the tourism industry for over 17 years had helped her business grow from little things into big things.
“In the first year of business we had 4000 visitors, we saw the potential and growth of the region, and over the years we expanded in size and initiatives, last year we had over 40,000 visitors,” Ms Low Mow said.
The final part of the transition was discussed by Natalie Flecker, General Manager of the Mount Isa Mines Rotary Rodeo, on how to become the best in your field.
“It’s by taking ideas on board, listening and learning from the no’s to achieve the right mix of initiatives and ideas through networking among other things. In 2016 we claimed Major Event Status and since then have won a number of tourism awards,” Ms Flecker said.
