By KATH GANNAWAY
ACCOMMODATION providers are the lynchpin of the local tourism industry, according to Yarra Valley Regional Tourism Association which says working co-operatively is the key to success.
A forum on 10 February looking at tourism accommodation is the first in a series of new business-to-business training and networking days being run by the YVRTA.
YVRTA president Ross Stevens said the forum specifically aimed at improving service delivery and profitability of local accommodation providers.
Knowledge is the key, according to Mr Stevens, who said there had been a serious lack of education and training specifically designed for small-to- medium accommodation businesses in the local region.
“The YVRTA via its member feedback has identified this, and we are now embarking on a re-education programme that will help these businesses keep up with the dynamic change that the industry is going through,” Mr Stevens told the Mail.
“The first of these seminars aims to assist businesses from the Yarra Valley and surrounding regions such as The Dandenongs, Warburton and Marysville improve their bottom line and to encourage them to participate in helping grow not only their own business, but the region as a whole, through better service delivery to their in-house guests.”
He said tourism was by far the region’s most important industry, encompassing not only agriculture and viniculture through farm gate and cellar door sales, but in its role as a major employer in retail and service industries.
“We can no longer afford to just wait for tourists to walk through our front door; it’s just too competitive out there,” he said.
“Every region in Victoria has great wine, food and nature and we need to set ourselves apart from every other region with great service.
“Great service starts with where people are staying; accommodation providers are the linchpin of our local industry.”
Mr Stevens described the forum, which will be an interactive format with industry speakers and sessions on social media, reducing business overheads and dealing with websites, as a ‘must attend’ for people in the tourism accommodation industry.
“The days where there is any competition among local businesses are well and truly gone,” he said, adding that in a global market place operators needed to work co-operatively to cut costs and be market leaders in the service and accommodation products they are offering.
“This forum will be the ideal starting point to do this,” he said.
The forum will be held at Lilydale International on Tuesday 10 February.
To book, or for more information, contact Mr Stevens at yvrtamember@gmail.com .
