Strategic Tourism Planning

Strategic tourism planning and policy development should provide proper guidance on future directions, activities, programs and actions. The nature and focus of strategic tourism planning will vary from destination to destination depending upon:

The characteristics of the tourism product.
The characteristics of and trends in the market place.
The characteristics of the industry, its capacity for leadership and development.
The interests, values and aspirations of the community.
The capacity of stakeholders to work collaboratively towards a shared vision for tourism development.

Good local tourism planning and policy development therefore requires the development of strategies and the implementation of actions that achieves a sustainable tourism industry and community development. It requires careful balancing of tourism product and market development, engagement with community interests and values, and a collaborative stakeholder environment with high levels of social and intellectual capital, vision and leadership .

Developing a local tourism management plan for Byron Shire involves the development of a living strategy, a strategy that is capable of adapting to changing conditions, local needs and issues. Planning for the Byron Shire Tourism Management Plan refers to Byron Bay, Brunswick Heads/Ocean Shore, Bangalow, Mullumbimby and the Byron Hinterland but will also consider the broader Byron Shire region.

A living strategy is one that embodies a shared vision and that lives within the minds and actions of the stakeholders and agencies involved. It is one that is founded on open communication, information sharing and dialogue. It is ‘owned’ by business, community and government so that changes in tourism officers, elected representatives and tourism stakeholders do not represent a major departure from the strategy or a crisis of ownership. In addressing the challenge of developing a living tourism strategy.

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