Turning tourism assets into products:

Innovating your thinking

Todd Wright – March 2009

Session outline

• Understanding tradition• Innovate our thinking in the area of product

development• Focus on the visitor experience as the asset• Elements of product development• Case Study: The Poachers Way

Asset or product?

Assets belong on balance sheets

Products belong in itineraries

Traditional approach to tourism product

development

• Spreadsheet of tourism products or assets – product audit

• Group these together and identify themes for the region

• Identify council priorities and develop projects to address these priorities

Excel is not a tourism product development tool!

Local councils need to innovate their thinking

around the idea of product development

Treat your visitor as your asset - What do they want?

• Value for time and money• Unique experiences• Insight and education• Think about the experience

seekers who visit your area• Use research

Treat the experience as the asset 

• Consider the experience that you are offering to visitors

• Customer service• Interpretation and tours• Insight and education• Accessibility issues

Value for moneyExperiences

Elements of product development 

• Measures of quality• Points of difference• Value proposition• Branding and communication

How do we recognise quality and not just promote

quantity?

Value proposition

• Know your visitors budget - time & $$• Visitors value their time – how are you

creating a return for them

Don’t be scared to charge but be prepared to return a

value for money experience

Branding and communications

• Coordinated communication with clear messages – distinct branding

• Marketing and promotions• Regional and destination messages

Where does the council play its part?

• Industry engagement - operator involvement, development and commitment

• Council support as part of the regional tourism development plan for product development

• Assistance for operators to deliver on the experience

Where should we be innovating in product

development?• Stop doing product audits and focus on

the consumer and the experience.

• Spend more $$ on research to tap into the changing motivations of visitors.

• Focus on quality and innovation in Tourism – not just inclusion and quantity of products.

The Poachers

Way

a regional product

development approach

Continue to innovate

Todd.wright@threesides.com.au

View this presentation online at: www.threesides.com.au