Commercial Tourism Framework Feasibility Project

Request for written feedback from our key stakeholders

1. Introduction

As the Nature-based Tourism strategy (NBT) continues to be developed, ACT Parks and Conservation Service (PCS) seeks to support the strategy with benefit to Canberrans, visiting friends and family, and international tourists, by linking Canberra’s natural assets, attractions, amenities, infrastructure and businesses, that are located or operate from PCS managed land.

This will enable PCS and local enterprise to work together to provision the delivery of unique and sustainable tourism experiences.

PCS plays an important role in developing nature-based tourism within ACT. We have the vision of connecting business with nature in a simple and sustainable way.

A Commercial Tourism Framework that governs these tourism activities is seen as a key priority for us to realize this vision. The ACT is currently the only jurisdiction in Australia that does not have a formal and regulated framework for tourism in the Territory’s parks and reserves and seeks to implement one that will make doing business with PCS an easy and mutually beneficial process and relationship.

2. We value your feedback

As one of our key stakeholders, we would like your feedback on what to include when designing the Commercial Tourism Framework.

The following areas are in scope for the framework:

  • Defining our value proposition to attract appropriate nature-based tourism opportunities to ACT parks and reserves and support the operation and growth of local business.
  • Defining what channels we can use to create awareness and deliver services to tourism operators. This includes establishing strategic partnerships with other stakeholders to explore opportunities to deliver even better outcomes
  • Defining governance structures that effectively monitor, track and improve the performance of tourism operators when developing the quality of visitor experience (Inc. appropriate conservation measures, promoting wellbeing etc)

This framework will be supported by an efficient internal operating model that clearly defines roles and responsibilities, with lean processes, technology that makes interactions easier, and strategic data that will be used to continuously improve the service offering.

The next section outlines the specific areas we are seeking feedback for.

Please can you write your response in the section provided noting there is no limit to the number of words used. The more feedback the better!

Please can you complete and submit your written response to ​parks.tourism@act.gov.au​ by COB 14​ July.
If you have any questions regarding how to complete the response, please contact Jac Travers via email on ​parks.tourism@act.gov.au​.
Thank-you for taking the time to provide your feedback!

3. Questions

Please answer the following questions.

1. What should our Value Proposition include to help attract appropriate nature-based tourism opportunities to ACT parks and reserves and support the operation and growth of local business and suitable prospects?

You may wish to consider the following when providing your response:

  • Types of activities in the parks
  • Going beyond regulatory role and providing additional benefits for having licence e.g. ongoing
    support to help establish the tourism operator’s business
  • Building relationships with tourism operators
  • Types of licences on offer
    • Annual (options based on tenure) – 1, 3, 5 year (or more)
    • Selective licences (licence offering exclusive access to tour operators – based on an Expression of Interest process)
    • Day passes for smaller operators
    • Opportunities to scale across state boundaries
  • Licence fees and usage fees
  • Exploring use of discounts for certain areas
  • Other revenue streams
  • Access to park (day and night?)
  • How to support Aboriginal tourism operators
  • Opportunities to utilise undervalued assets
  • Branding considerations

Please write your response here (no word limit).

The Canberra Bushwalking Club supports appropriate supported bushwalking and camping in the ACT’s national park (Namadgi). By this, we mean escorted day or day-night trips designed to educate and inspire visitors who want to learn more about the unique sub-alpine environments in the park. These activities should be minimal impact, ie no additional roads or infrastructure such as ‘glamping-style’ accommodation should be provided. We do not support the granting of exclusive licences or deals as a means to attract business into these areas.

2. What channels can we use to create awareness and deliver services to tourism operators? What strategic partnerships should be established to explore opportunities to deliver even better outcomes?

You may wish to consider the following when providing your response:

  • Promotional support for tourism operators
  • Networking with key partners to support commercial tourism e.g. establishing formal
    relationship with the Tourism Industry
  • Linking with other websites such as Trip Advisor, Visit Canberra, Airline websites, hotels,
    Australian Tourism Data Warehouse, Air BnB etc…
  • Better utilisation of the PCS website
  • Better user experience when contacting PCS

Please write your response here (no word limit).

The role of the Parks and Conservation service is, on behalf of the citizens of the ACT, to manage ACT parks in the interests of good conservation outcomes and to facilitate uses compatible with these ends. In our view, there is no need for PCS to establish formal relationships with tourism operators, although a PCS presence in established (or developing) tourism-stakeholder networks is clearly important. CBC believes that tourism promotion to the ACT is best handled by agencies within government dedicated to this purpose. However, much more could be done to enhance the information available to those interested in exploring ACT parks and reserves. Making the PCS website more accessible and user-friendly would be an excellent step in this direction.

3. What governance and regulatory structures should be established to effectively monitor, track and improve the performance of tourism operators (Inc. promoting wellbeing), and protect sustainability and conservation outcomes?

You may wish to consider the following when providing your response:

  • The importance of accredited tourism operators
  • Criteria to determine which tourism operators should be licensed
  • Consideration for what conditions should be inserted into the licence (which tourism
    operators must comply with)
  • Incentivisation schemes to ensure sustainability and conservation outcomes are protected
  • Use of a compliance program
  • Considerations for what should be included in the legislation
  • How to measure the visitor experience
  • How to measure the tourism operator experience
  • Balancing governance with trying to avoid unnecessary red tape

Please write your response here (no word limit).

As previously stated, only low-key and low-impact activities should be considered for licensing. Any legislation in this regard should be discussed with existing park and reserve users and extensively debated in the ACT Assembly and in Committee before any commitments are made to tourism industry operators and stakeholders.

Licensing frameworks should be fair, open and transparent, with a minimal bureaucratic infrastructure. Licenses should clearly enunciate the principles of park use – ie education and sustainability, rather than exploitation. Provision should be made for ensuring compliance with licence conditions.

Any revenue generated from commercial activities should be directed, in its entirety, to PCS to continue their work.

4. Please provide any additional comments for what should be included in the framework that you haven’t already mentioned.

Please write your response here (no word limit).

There seems to be an agenda here to monetise – even privatise? – aspects of Canberra’s enviable heritage of public parks and reserves. Presumably this ‘push’ comes from business interests and (possibly) members of the government and bureaucracy who are keen to generate economic activity and licensing revenues in this way.
While some additional tourism activity of the kind already mentioned in this submission would be welcome, there is little support for commercialisation from bushwalkers, whether they belong to organised clubs or prefer to walk in more informal groups.
Licensing of low-key activities which are compatible with existing regulation could, in principle, be undertaken by PCS but only if sufficient resources are provided.