WENTWORTH Shire Council will be among 15 local tourism bodies in the Riverina-Murray region that will benefit from the inaugural Destination Inspiration Mentoring Program this year.
The program is designed to support innovation in the tourism industry and will supercharge the development of new bookable products in the Riverina-Murray region.
The mentorships follow a series of tourism development workshops held in February and March in Mildura, Moama, Albury, Griffith and Wagga Wagga and attended by more than 200 local tourism operators.
The successful mentees will work one-on-one with experienced tourism consultant Karen Oliver, of KO Tourism, over six months to transform ideas into new bookable tourism experiences with the aim of attracting visitors to the Riverina-Murray region and grow the visitor economy.
A farming family in Wentworth Shire is eager to explore the opportunity to establish eco-friendly, luxury accommodation on the Murray River, which would give visitors and locals alike a high-end, luxurious secluded accommodation option close to Mildura’s city centre.
The property contains an abundance of wildlife including kangaroos, emus, echidnas, goannas and birds.
It features a large sandbar and beach on one of the river bends and smaller sandbars along the river frontage.
The property owners are keen to collaborate with other local tourism businesses to showcase the region’s produce and natural assets.
Destination Riverina Murray general manager Yvette Myhill said funding through the Building Better Regions Fund, and some additional support from local councils, had enabled the initiative and she looked forward to developing new tourism products across the Riverina Murray.
Murray Regional Tourism chief executive Mark Francis agreed.
“We were impressed with the quality and ideas expressed in the large number of applications received for this mentorship program,” Mr Francis said.
“We can’t wait to start supporting the 15 mentees and to see the tangible outcomes this will bring to our regional communities.”
