Experience Development Strategies

Guidelines for Australia’s National

Landscape Steering Committees

Second editionMAY 2012

CONTENTS

Purpose of the document 3

Key terms 3

About Australia’s National Landscapes Program 4

Introducing the Experience Seeker 6

Destination Positioning and National Landscapes 9

Introducing the Experience Development Strategy 9

Essential partners in EDS development 12

Essential requirements of an EDS 13

A checklist for reviewing your EDS 14

EDS success factors – suggested prompts and checks 15

Where to from here? 16

Annual implementation plan and review 16

Appendix 1: Stages in the Experience Development process 17

Attachment A: Template for statement of requirements 22

Attachment B: Template for an EDS implementation plan 26

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Purpose of the documentThis document aims to provide guidance to the National Landscapes Steering Committees as you prepare your Experience Development Strategies (EDS). The Guidelines draw on lessons learnt from the EDS produced by the Australian Alps, Australia’s Coastal Wilderness, the Flinders Ranges, Great Ocean Road and Cairns-Townsville region.

Each National Landscape is at a different stage in its tourism development cycle and faces varying challenges, issues and opportunities in a quest to deliver a strong destination and globally competitive visitor experiences to the target market. Program Managers, Parks Australia and Tourism Australia are available to assist with specific queries as they arise.

Key termsExperience Development Strategy (EDS) – A planning tool to facilitate focused destination development and marketing, based on the National Landscapes Destination Positioning. The EDS aims to improve the stock of world class visitor experiences to the Experience Seeker market, providing pathways to increase tourism’s contribution to conservation within the National Landscape.

Tourism experience – The emotions, feelings and sensations generated by the people met, places visited, activities participated in and memories created by travel, through watching, tasting, smelling, touching, listening and being part of a culture or lifestyle that is distinctly different from everyday life and that reaches an individual’s deep needs and desires.

Tourism product – The commodities, goods or services (a tour, museum, attraction, hotel room or restaurant) that are made available for sale to visitors by tourism destinations and businesses.

Tourism activity – Recreational activities, pastimes, exercise or pursuits (snorkelling, walking, riding) affording relaxation and enjoyment that are commonly offered to visitors, yet may be undertaken in a wide variety locations (ie: snorkelling may be done in your local pool or anywhere in the world).

Signature experience – An experience that is authentic and unique to a National Landscape. It can be a combination of activities, personal encounters or interactions within the Landscapes that connects the visitor to the environment, culture and heritage. Also referred to as a ‘hero’, ‘iconic’ or ‘distinctive’ experience.

Signature product – An authentic and unique tourism product (or service) that enables the visitor to access the signature experience.

Positioning – The Destination Positioning identifies the National Landscape’s unique point of difference and competitive edge in the market place. It is ‘experience’ driven and drawn from the Landscape’s distinctive natural and cultural environment. It includes a positioning statement which sets out the ‘emotional essence’ or connection to the signature experiences offered. The Positioning is not about an advertising campaign, logo or a tag line.

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The Experience Seeker – A global target market, existing in both the domestic and international markets that is identified by Tourism Australia as being the most responsive to Australia’s tourism offering.

About Australia’s National Landscapes ProgramAustralia’s spectacular landscapes, encompassing unique ecological and cultural features, are our greatest tourism asset. Combined with one of the world’s oldest living cultures and our enviable Australian lifestyle, our natural landscapes make Australia one of the world’s most desirable visitor destinations.

Australia’s National Landscapes Program is a partnership between tourism and conservation. The program aims to:

• Promote Australia’s world class, high quality visitor experiences;• Increase the value of tourism to regional economies;• Enhance the role of protected areas in those economies; and

• Build support for protecting our natural and cultural assets

The Program was inspired by the need to make Australia’s wealth of over 9,000 national parks, protected areas, and reserves “accessible” to our domestic and international visitors. It seeks to differentiate Australia’s iconic natural and cultural destinations, and improve the delivery of quality visitor experiences throughout these areas and their surrounding regions. By highlighting our natural tourism assets, the Program aims to promote and support the conservation of some of Australia’s most distinct and rich environments.

Ultimately, this Program will provide customers with new and engaging tourism experiences within Australia’s most remarkable natural landscapes in a way that not only encourages increased length of stay and dispersal, but also actively contributes to their sustainability and protection for the long term.

Defined by the world class visitor experience on offer, each National Landscape extends beyond protected area boundaries and jurisdictional borders. This focus on Australia’s natural and cultural assets and world class experiences encourages collaboration across wide stakeholder interests.

Figure: Map of Australia’s National Landscapes

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How does the National Landscapes Program work?Australia’s National Landscapes program is not a funding program, nor is it an advertising campaign. It is not about being all things to all people. The program encourages FOCUS.Success of Australia’s National Landscapes Program is based on the Landscapes actively pursuing ‘the five Ps’:

Figure: ‘The five Ps’ of Australia’s National Landscapes

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PartnershipsEssential to the success of the Program is stakeholder collaboration: tourism organisations and operators working with protected area agencies, local councils, conservation groups, government agencies, and Indigenous communities.

Australia’s National Landscapes Program advocates partnerships at all levels and challenges participants to work together and ‘think big’.

Point of DifferenceEach Landscape, through a series of workshops and research, uncovers their unique ‘point of difference’ and the experiences that make them world class. This piece of work, known as Destination Positioning, is then used to form a strategic framework for planning, regional tourism development, and marketing.

PlanningEach Landscape must prepare an Experience Development Strategy (EDS), the Landscape’s key to focused destination management planning.

As each National Landscape implements the actions from its EDS, it creates ‘new news’ for Tourism Australia to promote to the world. ProtectionProtecting the natural and cultural values of the National Landscapes (the basis for the Positioning) is central to ensuring the Landscapes’ economic sustainability. Protection of the natural environment is a key aim of the Program, through increasing visitor appreciation of the environmental and cultural values and encouraging contributions from the tourism industry to conservation initiatives.

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PromotionOpportunities associated with being a National Landscape are significant, and include a dedicated marketing program led by Tourism Australia.

For more information on the National Landscapes Program visit Tourism Australia’s website here or Parks Australia’s website here.

What does success look like?Program participants have identified their vision for how the National Landscapes might look in 10 years time. This can be used as a guide to check if your EDS maps out suitable priority projects and directions for the Landscape to achieve the vision. Click here for further information.

Introducing the Experience Seeker

The global Experience Seeker market has been identified as the most responsive to Australia’s tourism assets by Tourism Australia. Searching for unique and touching personal experiences, Experience Seekers are more likely to disperse to regional areas, stay longer and spend more. The focus of the National Landscapes Program and the EDS is attracting and meeting the needs of the Experience Seeker market.

Constituting around 30 to 50 percent of all long haul travellers, Experience Seekers are well educated, worldly, media and marketing savvy. Experience Seekers are a ‘global market’, and include Australians who shop globally for their travel experiences. Experience Seekers are not found in a particular demographic – they share a mindset and motivations.

The National Landscapes Program recognises that both the domestic market, and international visitors will be attracted to ‘world’s best’ experiences within the National Landscapes. Visitation to Tourism Australia’s National Landscapes consumer website highlights the appeal of this content to a global audience, with Australians representing the second largest group of visitors to the site.

Experience Seekers are a particularly desirable market as they are opinion leaders and therefore likely to influence other tourists to follow their lead in visiting the National Landscapes regions.

For more comprehensive information on the Experience Seeker market click here.

What is an Experience? An experience is different to a product or location. An experience is formed by the combination of activity, setting, social interaction and the personal connection that arises. An experience engages the senses; it is physical, emotional or

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spiritual (or all three). An experience offers discovery and learning, and creates strong memories.

A deeply touching and personal experience will lead your visitors to talk about the unique elements of your destination, and grab the attention and imagination of future visitors. Experiences enhance the basic products and services to add value and create higher yield opportunities. Experiences go beyond nice places and good views, instead they connect visitors to the place – the environment and culture.

For more information and a guide to developing experience based tourism, click here

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Experiences spectrumThe following diagram show the process for moving from offering just individual commodities, products and services to offering compelling experiences:

Australia’s National Landscapes Program “Hierarchy of Experiences” concept

The supporting visitor experiences (guided walks, 4WD tours etc) provide a variety of alternative ways for the visitors to access elements of the signature experiences, at various price points. While a signature product may offer exclusivity and be pitched at upper ends of the market, its marketing profile helps build potential visitor aspirations and interest. The supporting visitor experiences and product are then positioned to leverage off the interest created.

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Case Study – Flinders Ranges signature experiences

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Destination Positioning and National Landscapes‘Experience’ driven, National Landscapes Destination Positioning identifies your competitive advantage in the market, capturing a sense of what makes your region’s natural and cultural environment unique and meaningful in the eyes of your target audience.

Your National Landscape Positioning, developed in partnership with Tourism Australia and local stakeholders, includes a Positioning Statement which sets out the “emotional essence” of your world class offering. Your Positioning identifies an offering that is either unique in the world, or able to be benchmarked against world competitors, and illustrates your competitive edge. The Positioning Statement offers a point of connection for your whole region to hook into – consumers, tourism operators, conservation organisations, media and government.

National Landscape Positioning acts as a framework for all actions and communications. It is the foundation of your EDS. Your positioning is the template for the delivery of your unique visitor experiences. For more information on your National Landscape Destination Positioning and how to use it as a strategic tool for your region contact Tourism Australia here.

Introducing the Experience Development StrategyAn Experience Development Strategy (EDS) is a tool to facilitate focused destination planning, development and marketing. It is based on the National Landscape’s Destination Positioning (your competitive edge), and aims to improve the stock of world class experiences - the region’s offer to the global Experience Seeker market - and provide pathways to increase tourism’s contribution to conservation within the National Landscape.

The EDS is a core part of participating in the National Landscapes Program, and follows on from the Destination Positioning work. It is the key to delivering the ‘core promise’ identified in the positioning process.

Progression to an EDS

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The EDS requires a collaborative process – the importance of developing the EDS through wide consultation is fundamental as it will ensure you capture stakeholder ideas, priorities and foster ownership of the Strategy. The EDS will use the destination’s positioning to define distinct visitor experiences and then determine essential requirements for delivery. This may include: new or improved products, partnerships, facilities, services, access, communication, interpretation, marketing visitor management and infrastructure, and ways to better protect the environment or engage visitors.

The EDS does not work in isolationThe EDS will draw on existing plans and strategies, and influences all future planning.

Linkages between existing and future priorities, plans and strategies and the EDS

The EDS focuses solely on what is required to deliver and

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sustain internationally competitive natural and cultural visitor experiences, based on the Landscape’s positioning. These experiences will appeal to Experience Seekers from Australia and international markets. The Experiences Development Strategy should answer the following questions:

• What are the current and potential signature visitor experiences within your National Landscape?

• How can delivery be improved to make experiences truly world class?• Where are the experiences best delivered? How can the experiences be linked

and promoted around clusters / activity centres or journeys?

• What facilities, services and infrastructure are needed to support the visitor experience?

• What information should be developed to enhance delivery and connect with the target market?

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The EDS does not aim to address all tourism or recreation activities; nor is it a comprehensive approach to regional tourism or national park visitation. It is important that the EDS draws on existing plans and strategies and that it is used to influence future planning processes. The EDS needs to identify initiatives that will take National Landscapes ‘to the next level,’ towards a clear vision for iconic and world class experiences. It should clearly set out what distinctive world class experiences (existing or potential) can be offered to the target market to set the destination apart, globally.

Identifying very clear and strategic priorities will result in National Landscapes being well positioned to:

• provide opportunities for visitors to experience, and contribute to the conservation of the best of our environment and culture;

• increase community appreciation and understanding of natural and cultural assets and how they can be conserved;

• Identify partnership opportunities between tourism, conservation and the public and private sectors;

• identify product development and infrastructure opportunities that stimulate investment;

• increase length of stay and regional expenditure through increased quality and distinctiveness of Australia’s tourism product offering

An EDS - developed on a foundation of regional partnerships and stakeholder consultation, resulting in clearly defined, agreed priorities - is a useful tool for agencies and investors to prioritise their investments. A succinct list of priority projects, highlighting the Landscape’s positioning and vision for the region’s future as a ‘World’s Best’ destination, can be a powerful way of charting the future.

National Landscapes that have already developed their EDS can use their priority projects as a 'prospectus.' The main purpose of the EDS, once developed, is to guide joint implementation of priorities. Government agencies and private investors have increased confidence that their investments are aligned with long term priorities, and can see the benefits of linking in with the marketing and partnership opportunities provided by National Landscapes.

Not all priority projects will have funding allocated or be resourced within current budgets and programs. However, by including a combination of ‘blue sky’ projects and projects that can be achieved in the shorter term or within current resourcing, the Landscape will be able to make steady progress while working towards a bigger picture.

Case Study – Australia’s Coastal WildernessAustralia’s Coastal Wilderness (ACW) completed its EDS in November 2010. The EDS identified 21 Priority One projects, and a series of 25 Priority Two and Three projects. The region has found that the process of bringing together a diverse range of stakeholders, and establishing firm cross border partnerships, has focused stakeholder effort and greatly increased confidence in experience

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development.

ACW regularly reviews its progress on implementation of the EDS and, as at early 2012, reports significant progress in implementation of almost 25% of the Priority Projects. This includes significant progress on projects that were included in the EDS as ‘blue sky’, unfunded projects.

Establishing and communicating consistent messages about the region’s priorities has led to success in attracting investment in large initiatives such as: the Light to Light Walk; a Sapphire Coast Heritage Study which has been used to identify key ‘stories’ and themes for the region, and; developing experiences associated with The Bundian Way.

Essential partners in EDS developmentAn EDS is a blueprint for your region’s future as a world class destination. It is the planning tool that, once implemented, will elevate your region’s status as ‘the best in the world’ for delivering the experience outlined in your National Landscape Positioning.

Given the role your EDS will play in taking the National Landscape forward, it needs to be based on a wide level of stakeholder support and commitment. Priority projects need to be agreed to and endorsed by stakeholders responsible for funding and delivery of projects.

Stakeholders that should be consulted in the development of an EDS include (but shouldn’t be limited to):

• National Landscapes Steering Committee members;• Local government – planners, tourism and economic development officers;• Regional Development organisations;• State and Regional Tourism Organisations;• State Park and Natural Resource Management agencies; • Indigenous community / organisation representatives;• Non government conservation organisations.

Other organisations that may not be picked up through existing contact lists and networks, but may be very important influences or sources of information within the local community include: Landcare groups, ‘friends of’ groups, geological societies, local universities or research groups, art groups, heritage associations, outdoor recreation / adventure associations and sectoral groups such as backpacker associations or dive tour operators.

These community groups not only assist in maintaining the fabric of a local community, adding to the ambience and quality of your Landscape, they can contribute significantly to telling the story of your National Landscape – creating a depth to your region’s storytelling.

Case Study – Flinders RangesThe Flinders Ranges EDS involved considerable stakeholder consultations across the region, including workshops, meetings, field visits and presentations. Regional development agencies, councils, and geoscientists, amongst others were

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all included in these consultations. To further open up opportunities for stakeholders to contribute to the EDS, the Flinders Ranges Tourism Operators Association invited comments on their website (http://www.frtoa.com.au/natlands). This generated over 70 comments, including some from Germany and the UK, and provided a platform for some very useful debate on the key issues and opportunities for the region.

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Essential requirements of an EDSThe National Landscapes Reference Committee (NLRC) has outlined the Essential Requirements of an EDS.

Benchmarks the National Landscape against similar international world class experiences that deliver on the brand promise to the Experience Seeker.

Provides an aspirational statement (vision) that captures an agreed sense of where the destination will be in 10 years time.

Identifies iconic or signature experiences, and for each experience identifies actions to support delivery of economic, environmental, social and cultural sustainability of the experience.

Identifies the environmental and cultural conservation values of the National Landscapes and the threats to those values, and the potential partnerships that could be developed to protect the values and address threats.

Identifies opportunities to develop signature or hero products that showcase the experience, and projects that will deliver improvements to the experiences on offer.

Provides an agreed implementation plan that sets out priorities for experience delivery / upgrade and who is responsible for delivery of the priority projects.

The EDS does not need to be an expansive document but it must lay out the steps to deliver experiences in line with the Positioning to the target market.

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A checklist for reviewing your EDS

Does your EDS identify the experiences that are unique to your National Landscape? Are they iconic or globally competitive? Do they reflect your destination positioning?

Does the EDS consider these experiences in light of global competition?

Do the iconic experiences allow for visitor immersion in the local culture, environment and lifestyle?

Do the iconic experiences deliver on the preferences of the Experience Seeker - for example, meeting locals, participating in living heritage, local events and using travel styles conducive to a more engaging experience (such as horse riding, walking, cycling or kayaking)?

Does the EDS highlight opportunities for increasing contributions to conservation within the National Landscape environment?

Does the EDS identify opportunities (include details) on how stakeholders will contribute to the protection and enhancement of your National Landscape’s point of difference?

Does the EDS give direction for building on your existing strengths - improving existing experiences?

Does the EDS consider what entirely new experience offers could be developed based on your destination positioning?

Remember this is a quest to keep each Landscape true to its unique combination of natural and cultural attributes and individual Positioning. Ensure your EDS priority projects set your apart from other Landscapes or regions.

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EDS success factors – suggested prompts and checks

If your Landscape has conducted an Experiences Audit, has this been used as a sound basis for proceeding with Experience Development?

Did the consultation process result in agreement within the Steering Committee and with regional stakeholders on the priority projects and support for implementation?

Did consultation include Local Government and economic development planning as well as tourism contacts?

Have the local ‘visionaries’ and community leaders been engaged? Were small businesses adequately represented in consultation phases / workshops?

Is the EDS report short, focused and ‘useable’?

Does your EDS clearly identify a small number of ‘signature’ experiences (as distinct from individual products or businesses) within your Landscape?

Are your catalytic projects a shortlist of defined, specific, ‘hard’ (eg: bridges) and ‘soft’ (eg: web content) infrastructure projects that the whole region can promote as key goals, knowing there will be wider scale spin off benefits?

Does your EDS ‘mine’ other planning processes and policy commitments to highlight where EDS catalytic projects would also deliver on other organisations’ KPIs?

Does the EDS look for opportunities to maximise existing infrastructure or capital intensive assets? Can the identified catalytic projects add value to something existing rather than requiring new developments?

Did development of the EDS follow a systematic, repeatable and objective analysis for prioritising catalytic projects – e.g. weighted criteria / matrix?

Are your catalytic projects ‘game-changers’ for your Landscape region? Will they create new momentum for your region, or new ways to deliver on the positioning?

Is your EDS SMART? Does it set Specific catalytic projects, Measurable outcomes, Agreed upon priorities, nominating someone Responsible for implementation (with their agreement), prioritising the projects with Timelines and identify Tangible outcomes?

Does your EDS include some level of economic / pre-feasibility / social and environmental impact analysis and risk analysis to demonstrate that a catalytic project is potentially viable? (It is useful to identify the opportunities early in the project and then test the reality of opportunities.)

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Are you aware of what is in other National Landscapes’ Destination Positioning and EDS? Have you worked with the Program Managers to learn from the experience of other National Landscapes?

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Where to from here? Once the EDS has endorsement from your Steering Committee, State Tourism and State Parks agencies, the next step is to submit the EDS for review by the National Landscapes Reference Committee (NLRC). The NLRC meet quarterly.

National Landscapes Program Managers can provide advice on how to submit the EDS to the NLRC and timeframes for submitting your document and receiving feedback.

Please contact the Program Managers at:

Parks AustraliaGPO Box 787Canberra ACT 2601

Phone: 02 6275 9088mailto:NationalLandscapes@environment.gov.au

Tourism AustraliaGPO Box 2721Sydney NSW 1006

Phone: 02 9361 1239mailto:nationallandscapes@tourism.australia.com

Annual implementation plan and reviewFollowing review by the NLRC, it is time to start the implementation phase of your EDS. It is helpful to develop an annual ‘implementation plan’ which identifies the priority projects for that year, milestones, measures of success and responsibilities. It will give focus to the work of your Steering Committee, help with building stakeholder support, help draw attention to your successes and simplify your annual review processes.

This plan could be a simple 1-page extract or summary directly taken from your EDS. A template that could be used or adapted can be found at Attachment B.

Your EDS should be seen as a living document, one that continues to grow, and improve as you get better at doing ‘what you do best’.

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Appendix 1: Stages in the Experience Development processSTAGE 1 - Mobilising supportDevelopment of an EDS is a collective responsibility, involving tourism, parks and infrastructure agencies; tourism industry members; local government and local communities. Community and stakeholder support is a critical success factor for developing and implementing the EDS.

Strong steering committeeDoes your Steering Committee represent relevant tourism and conservation interests?

As part of its communications strategy, does your Steering Committee engage with: State/territory tourism organisations, regional tourism organisations, local government agencies, regional development bodies, Indigenous representatives, conservation groups and land management agencies? It is useful to keep a wide variety of stakeholders up to date on the work of your Steering Committee, and seek their input on relevant issues as they arise.

Are there peak bodies and organisations who should be involved –those who relate to the signature experiences of your National Landscape, for example, heritage associations, geological societies, art groups, bird watching groups, whale watching groups, dive associations, skiing tourism bodies etc. ? These groups can be consulted where relevant, but having them all on a steering group may make it hard to reach decisions.

How can your Steering Committee connect to existing processes and regional structures? This might help with your consultation process or ensure your committee membership effectively represents the National Landscape.

Effective governance arrangementsHave you identified how the project will be managed; how your Steering Committee will review and input into the planning process and what approval steps will be required for the final document? The EDS and its final recommendations should be ‘owned’ and supported by all your steering committee members.

Will your EDS be developed ‘in house’ by Steering Committee members, by an external specialist consultant, or a combination of both? This may be determined by what resources are available.

Has your Steering Committee determined who can attend consultation and Project Management meetings; where and how they will be conducted; whether or not sub-committees will be established and who will be

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responsible for carrying out any agreed actions?

Parks Australia is available to provide advice in developing arrangements appropriate for your region.

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Forward planning for resourcesIf your Steering Committee chooses to use an external consultant to develop the EDS, you will require financial and in-kind support from within the region. If the project is to be undertaken ‘in house’ by the Steering Committee, the emphasis will be on securing significant in-kind contributions and ensuring stakeholders have time and energy available to run the project.

Have you considered your resource requirements as early as possible to determine any one-off contributions or ongoing contributions that will be needed? Work with stakeholders to earmark resources in stakeholder budgets. Delays may be experienced in obtaining funding support if specific allowances have not been made in forward budgets (often approved around February to May).

Clear regional communicationDo you have a communications plan? Do all your stakeholders understand their own role and that of others?

Communications plans also identify ways in which stakeholders can participate, encourage long term commitment, raise awareness of the benefits arising from selection as a National Landscape and build confidence in the region’s capacity to work together to attract the Experience Seeker market.

Tourism Australia has developed a Communications Plan template which could help you to review stakeholder and communication networks that already exist in your region and think about how to involve people in developing your EDS. To obtain a copy of the template contact Tourism Australia.

STAGE 2 - Scoping and project implementationAt the outset of your EDS development, consider your region in a broad context. You will have already worked with Tourism Australia, your state and regional tourism organisations, and regional stakeholders to develop a National Landscape ‘Positioning’ that clearly articulates the elements of your region that appeal to the target market. This Positioning work needs to set the scene for developing your EDS – the EDS focus will be on identifying opportunities to bring your Positioning to life for the global Experience Seeker audience.

Your region will also have a wide range of strategic documents and plans in place. These documents should be used to help guide and inform the development of your strategy.

Some elements of your EDS may already have been addressed in existing planning documents, allowing you to focus on the gaps.

Identify key supporting documentsHave you gathered and reviewed existing state, regional and local planning (such as public transport plans, heritage, tourism, or regional

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development plans) within the National Landscape? Bring these to the attention of the project team, consultants appointed and stakeholders.

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Develop consultancy briefsIf using a consultant, has your Steering Committee established a budget and developed a project consultancy brief, which clearly scopes project objectives, key deliverables, level of consultation, key relationships, reporting arrangements and selection criteria? A draft statement of requirements is provided at Attachment A for your reference.

Parks Australia can provide advice throughout the development of your strategy. In particular, you may like to consider inviting Parks Australia to participate in your project initiation meeting.

Appoint consultants and manage projectsAs a Steering Committee, if you use a consultant, you will achieve the best results if you work closely with them at all stages in the process. It is advantageous for the selected consultancy team to have expertise in tourism planning, marketing and environmental / protected area management. Some consultants are strong in some but not all of these aspects of the EDS. Ensure tenders address all the requirements of the brief, particularly experience in the range of skills required.

STAGE 3 - ConsultationConsultation is fundamental to successful National Landscape planning and development. Projects such as positioning workshops and EDS planning are vital opportunities to raise stakeholder awareness and engagement. It is important for your Steering Committee to be involved in community engagement and participate in community discussions.

Extensive consultationNational Landscapes are often large areas crossing traditional administrative and structural boundaries.

Have you identified and involved communities across the entire landscape? This will ensure good strategy development and ongoing engagement. Short visits to many communities are preferred to larger centralised stakeholder meetings, as participants may find it easier to briefly visit dispersed locations rather than extended driving to central locations.

Have you thought about the length and timing of your consultation? You may need to schedule consultation to avoid peak season or allow a staged consultation process to seek feedback on draft recommendations. Consultants should also consider undertaking one-on-one interviews with key players if required – some community leaders are very busy and not able to attend consultation workshops.

Have you considered the possibility of using online options to facilitate

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discussion and feedback on draft documents, concepts or promote opportunities for input?

It is critical to ensure your Steering Committee develops thorough contact lists for the consultancy team, as this is a time consuming process.

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Involve regional leaders and interest groupsHave you identified all regional opinion leaders and interest groups that may not be picked up through existing contact lists and networks? These organisations have considerable value to add to your EDS. Take the time to identify organisations such as: Landcare groups, ’friends of’ groups, Indigenous organisations, geological societies, art groups, conservation groups, heritage associations, adventure associations and sectoral groups such as backpacker associations or dive tour operators.

A successful EDS should be built on community support. These community members not only assist in maintaining the ambience and quality of the landscape but contribute significantly to telling the story of your National Landscape.

STAGE 4 - Agreeing strategiesThe EDS should identify a number of initiatives and priorities that will take the National Landscape beyond the existing visitor experience, and towards a clear vision for world class, signature experiences. Strategies must be targeted and achievable, in terms of state/territory and regional capacity and ability to attract support and funding from stakeholders.

Focus! Focus! Focus! (on experiences and strategies that reflect your

positioning)

National Landscapes planning is different from most other tourism planning. When working with a wide range of organisations, particularly with those not specifically targeting a world class experience, it is easy to get distracted. Don’t try to be all things to all people – focus on the Experience Seekers. Get it right for them and you will be attracting the most influential and discerning tourism marketing – the rest will follow.

Focusing the strategy on the Experience Seeker does not result in exclusion of other visitors. Making Australia ‘accessible’ to all, including Australians, is one of the benefits of Australia’s National Landscapes.

STEP 5 - Agreeing catalytic projectsMany project ideas will be identified through the planning process – not all of them should be included in your final strategy.

Have you prioritised projects to ensure your resources are focused on critical outcomes? In determining projects, funding priorities of local government and state agencies are a key consideration. Also consider projects in terms of stakeholder support, capacity to successfully implement and ability to deliver on the National Landscapes positioning (your point of difference).

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Have you documented a simple annual implementation plan that will help the region progress the EDS? Once your EDS is complete, your Steering Committee is responsible for encouraging specific stakeholders or stakeholder agencies to progress projects identified by the EDS. An example annual implementation plan template is at Attachment B.

Involve key organisations in determining prioritiesTraditionally, tourism plans are the responsibility of the state tourism agencies, regional tourism associations or councils. The EDS recognises that the delivery of visitor experiences isn’t just the domain of tourism organisations but occurs at multiple touch points.

To make the most of partnership opportunities, where possible, reflect existing funding priorities within your EDS. Early successes in National Landscapes with an EDS in place show that well planned and clearly prioritised projects can secure resources.

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Attachment A: Template for statement of requirementsPurpose of the services required1. An Experience Development Strategy (EDS) is a strategy focused on identifying

and developing world class experiences for the Experience Seeker target market. An EDS should complement and inform destination management planning. It needs to draw from existing plans (the region’s current priorities) as well as provide guidance for future planning.

2. A consultancy team is required to work closely with the [NAMED] National Landscape Steering Committee to produce an EDS. This strategy must identify existing and potential world class visitor experiences for the [NAMED] region. The key existing and potential experiences identified will include development / enhancement of the area, and integration of product and delivery of the experience to the visitor. The existing and potential experiences should also protect and enhance the Landscape’s ecological and cultural values.

3. To identify key experiences for the Experience Seeker target market it is necessary to consider issues related to products, facilities, services and information. The EDS should identify commercial opportunities, access issues, investment potential, skills and labour requirements, conservation opportunities, marketing needs, visitor management issues, product development and infrastructure requirements as they relate to a small number of signature experiences.

National Landscapes4. Australia’s National Landscapes is a partnership between Parks Australia and

Tourism Australia that aims to identify and promote up to 16 of Australia’s exceptional natural experiences to the international market to achieve environmental, social and economic outcomes for each region.

5. Thirteen National Landscapes have been launched to date: Australia’s Red Centre, the Australian Alps, the Great Ocean Road, Kakadu, Australia’s Coastal Wilderness, Greater Blue Mountains, Flinders Ranges, Australia’s Green Cauldron, Kangaroo Island, the Kimberley, Ningaloo-Shark Bay, Great South West Edge and the Great Barrier Reef. The Wet Tropics, Tasmania and Sydney Harbour are actively seeking recognition as future National Landscapes.

6. Australia’s National Landscapes Program program’s aims to:

• Promote Australia’s world class, high quality visitor experiences;• Increase the value of tourism to regional economies;• Enhance the role of protected areas in those economies; and• Build support for protecting our natural and cultural assets.

The program was inspired by the need to make Australia’s wealth of over 9,000 national parks, protected areas, and reserves “digestible” for our domestic and international visitors. It seeks to differentiate Australia’s iconic natural and cultural destinations, and improve the delivery of quality visitor experiences throughout these areas and their surrounding regions. By highlighting our natural

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tourism assets, the program aims to promote and support the conservation of some of Australia’s most distinct and rich environments.

Target market: the Experience Seeker7. Tourism Australia has identified the global Experience Seeker market as being

most receptive to Australia’s tourism offering. Experience Seekers are, by definition, looking for unique, involving and personal experiences for their holidays. Common across different cultures, this target market is more likely to disperse to regional areas, stay longer in the region and have a higher than average spend.

8. Experience Seekers are well educated, worldly, media savvy and marketing wary segment constitutes around 30-50% of all potential long haul outbound travellers from Australia’s key source markets. Currently, it is estimated the Experience Seeker only constitutes between 5-15 % of total inbound visitors to Australia, representing an economic and development opportunity for National Landscapes.

9. Research has shown that the Experience Seeker has a number of key ‘wants’ to satisfy their travel experience:

• authentic personal experiences • social interactions• meeting and interacting with the locals• experiencing something different from their normal day-to-day life• understanding and learning about different lifestyles and cultures• participating in the lifestyle and experiencing it, rather than observing it• challenging themselves – physically, emotionally and/or mentally• visiting authentic destinations that are not necessarily part of the tourist

route • exposure to unique and compelling experiences

10. More information about the Experience Seeker market is available on Tourism Australia’s website. http://www.tourism.australia.com.

11. Initial focus on the global Experience Seeker will serve as an important indicator for identifying experiences that would also appeal to valuable domestic target markets that compare their holiday options globally.

The National Landscape Positioning12. The National Landscape Positioning statement sets out the essence of the

world class offering. This point of difference provides the foundation work for the EDS and should guide the delivery of unique visitor experiences across the entire landscape. The positioning identifies unique selling points that showcase and differentiate this location, giving a real competitive advantage in the market place.

13. The Positioning Statement for the [NAMED] National Landscapes [INSERT].

14. Every element of the EDS must, in some way, deliver the Positioning promise.

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The region15. [INSERT A DESCRIPTION OF YOUR NATIONAL LANDSCAPE]

16. For further details visit http://www.australia.com/nl

The Experience Development Strategy 17. The EDS should clearly communicate the existing and potential signature

experiences on offer that are distinctive in world terms. Each visitor experience should deliver on your positioning and outline what is required to deliver the experience.

18. The EDS will support the development of high quality tourism products and services that provide new world class experiences. The strategy will assist stakeholders to understand the world class experiences that characterise and underpin their region’s positioning. The identification of gaps and opportunities will enable stakeholders to use this strategic focus to their competitive advantage. The strategy should consider how to improve and renew the experience offering to remain competitive.

19. The EDS will also assist investor awareness of the opportunities in each National Landscape. Investors will be able to actively explore projects in the National Landscape. The destination positioning and EDS provide the framework to make decisions on infrastructure investment, marketing and product development. The strategy should identify barriers and impediments to further development of experiences aligned to the Positioning.

20. The EDS should include an executive summary that identifies the key opportunities for the region and a table highlighting priority projects, how they deliver on the positioning, timeframe for implementation, who would be responsible for implementation, whether it links to existing regional plans and strategies, and whether resourcing is currently available for the project.

Specific deliverablesDetailed project plan21. A detailed project plan must be developed following a project initiation

workshop with the [NAMED] National Landscape Steering Committee.

22. The detailed project plan must outline timeframes, proposed methodology, process for engagement with the [NAMED] National Landscape Steering Committee, consultation details and a communication plan for the region that engages stakeholders during and after the development of the strategy.

23. Consultants should detail their relevant experience in similar projects, personnel and expertise, project budget and time allocated to various phases and tasks, insurances.

Production of EDS- draft and final report24. The EDS must include:

• an analysis of the strategic context for the region with reference to existing tourism, social, economic and environmental priorities and planning and

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policy documents;

• a review of challenges and opportunities for the destination;

• a brief analysis of competitor experiences with similar attributes for the purposes of benchmarking world class experiences;

• a positioning-aligned aspirational statement that captures an agreed sense of where the destination could be in 10 years time;

• identification and description of the existing and potential iconic or signature experiences;

• identification and description of the National Landscapes environmental and cultural conservation values, and threats to those values;

• an implementation plan for the strategy, agreed to by stakeholders that sets out clear priorities, resource requirements (human and financial), timeframes, milestones and responsibilities for delivery. In developing priorities, consider feasibility, capacity to deliver and a focus on projects that will improve competitiveness and make the biggest difference. The EDS will need to be consistent with and supportive of existing destination management and regional development plans for the area;

• a simple performance monitoring framework for implementation of the strategy.

In addition:

• a report on the consultation process;

• a short summary of the Strategy outlining key elements for policy makers, commercial operators and investors;

• Microsoft Word and PDF versions of the final EDS, and separate Microsoft Word and PDF versions of the Executive Summary and Priority Projects table. In addition, [SPECIFY NUMBER] hard copies of the Executive Summary for distribution to key stakeholders.

For each existing and potential iconic or signature experience (note that the following dot points are the key elements of the EDS):

• Identify opportunities to develop existing and potential signature products/packaging that showcase the experience;

• Recommend actions to support economic, environmental, social and cultural sustainability of the experience (for example, a focus on extending season, length of stay, visitor education, visitor management, monitoring of visitor impact or appropriate environmental or cultural accreditation of products);

• From all of the above recommendations or identifications, list actions that will deliver improvements to the experience. For catalytic projects in the region, develop a short project summary.

Consultation25. The EDS should be prepared in consultation with state and local government,

community groups, Indigenous stakeholder groups, conservation organisations, tourism operators and other relevant parties. Significant

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regional engagement, including (but not limited to) interactive workshops, online communication and face to face meetings will be required to inform the strategy and test and build understanding of recommendations with the region. Smaller regional forums that maximise operator participation are preferable to larger centralised consultation.

26. The EDS proposal should include significant stakeholder consultation and the consultants must demonstrate appropriate methodology. Outcomes of the strategy will need to be communicated to the region and therefore the consultancy will need to include a communications plan. It is expected that a draft EDS will be released within the region for public comment and then finalised under direction of the [NAMED] National Landscape project management group.

27. Consultants are advised to refer to the Experience Development Strategies- Guidelines for National Landscape Steering Committees document at www.tourism.australia.com/nl_EDS.

Project plan and EDS approval process28. The final EDS will require the following clearance process:

• approval by the [NAMED] National Landscapes Steering Committee;• approval by the state/territory tourism and parks agency;• endorsement by the National Landscapes Reference Committee.

Timing of deliverables 29. [INSERT TIMETABLE FOR DELIVERABLES]

Attachment B: Template for an EDS implementation plan

Competitive Advantage[INSERT POSITIONING STATEMENT]

Inspirational Vision Statement (10 years time)[INSERT VISION STATEMENT]

Signature experiences[INSERT ICONIC OR SIGNATURE EXPERIENCES]

Stories[INSERT STORY THEMES]

Hero or signature products[INSERT AS APPROPRIATE]

Actions/Implementation Plan Goals for the year

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Project name Theme / priority level Milestones Key

OutcomesResponsible

party

[INSERT PROJECTS]

(Link to EDS) (What are the key stages and milestones of this project? Eg: Project brief written, funding secured, phases of implementation)

(Description of outcomes when milestones are met, including tangible outcomes and other benefits such as regional capacity building)

(Which Stakeholder/s are responsible for implementation of this project)

[INSERT PROJECTS]

[INSERT PROJECTS]

Further InformationIf you have any questions regarding the use of these guidelines, or if you would like to contribute case study material to further editions, please contact the Program Managers at:

Parks AustraliaGPO Box 787Canberra ACT 2601

Phone: 02 6275 9088mailto:NationalLandscapes@environment.gov.au

Tourism AustraliaGPO Box 2721Sydney NSW 1006

Phone: 02 9361 1239mailto:nationallandscapes@tourism.australia.com

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