The state government has lofty goals to implement new digital navigation tools to improve tourism visits, but despite thousands of dollars allocated, details are scarce.
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The new project, with a $625,000 price tag, is supposed to "implement digital technologies" to encourage tourists to explore from the train station precinct down Lydiard Street to the Federation University SMB Campus.
But stakeholders in the project were unable to share what digital technologies are going to be implemented, or what will be investigated.
"That's what we will work out," Tourism Midwest Victoria chair John Pandazopoulos said.
"Normally we've had fixed signs, the message didn't change and tech is making it so much easier for us and a core part of this project is doing that."
The technology could be used to offer real time changes, like updating for different events in the region, he suggested.
This project has been coined the Goldfields Gateway and involves six sites spread between Ballarat and Bendigo.
City of Ballarat mayor Des Hudson said this was work that could be done to attract tourists to the goldfields while local government areas in the region are working towards the UNESCO World Heritage Bid.
There are another three projects across the state as part of the Visitor Servicing Fund and Mr Pandazopoulos said the projects would be sharing information about what they learn from the different technologies implemented.
"[The state government's] intention I imagine is to fix themselves on what is the best means out of all the different trials together and lock that in for the next ten years."
Wendouree MP Juliana Addison said the initiative will give tourists ideas of what else can be done in the region, encouraging people to spend more time here.
The project has no timelines and will tie into Midwest Tourism's destination management plan, which is now expected to be released at the start of 2024.
The six sites part of the Goldfields Gateway:
- Ballarat Lydiard Street station precinct
- Hepburn Springs
- Woodend hanging rock
- Bendigo View Street arts precinct
- Loddon Shire; Wedderburn, Inglewood and Tarnagulla
- Mount Alexander Shire