A new memorandum of understanding to guide the development of tourism in the Heathcote region.
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The City of Greater Bendigo and the Heathcote Tourism Development Board signed the MOU last week.
It will help foster collaboration across the Heathcote and broader region for tourism and event attraction and develop new and unique products as set out in the Heathcote Tourism Development Plan.
As part of the new memorandum, Bendigo council will provide marketing, a website, event promotion support as well as the development of the official visitor guide and assistance with developing key attractions and events to the region.
City Tourism and Major Events Manager Terry Karamaloudis said the partnership between the two organisations was very important.
“Heathcote has a really strong tourism product already, with lots of exciting new ventures and businesses that are growing at the moment,” Mr Karamaloudis said.
“The board is such an important part of Heathcote’s tourism industry, particularly in their role coordinating and representing tourism businesses.
“They support the management and operation of the Heathcote Visitor Centre through promotion of membership, tourism product development and visitor experience projects.
“Along with the city’s skilled tourism and major events staff, we are confident this MOU achieves the right balance between council and the community.”
The new memorandum follows in the footsteps of the 2016 Bendigo Region Destination Management Plan which was designed to develop experiential products and infrastructure, and enable projects and accommodation.
Part of the plan focused on developing Heathcote as a regional tourism destination.
Projects included improving Heathcote’s town centre with a streetscape masterplan, developing hinterland experiences and unlocking the region’s natural assets.
Earlier this year, Bendigo council and Heathcote Tourism and Development launched a new website designed to attract more visitors to the area.
In developing the website, council collaborated with more than 40 Heathcote region tourism operators.
“The Heathcote region is a significant component of the overall tourism offering for Greater Bendigo.
“We are looking forward to working together with a renewed focus and commitment to Heathcote tourism.”