Warren Blackwood Alliance of Councils hosts tourism conference in Nannup

Those in the tourism industry gathered in Nannup last week for a conference aiming to help bolster the region’s visitor sector. The Warren Blackwood Alliance of Councils hosted 130 people at the Southern Forests and Valleys Tourism Conference on July 23 to help shape the region’s future in tourism. Highlights included a keynote address by Tourism Western Australia commissioner Kristy Bailey, which set the tone for strategic collaboration among stakeholders, as well as the launch of Australia’s South West’s Wellness Tourism strategy. There were breakout sessions which covered industry growth, agri-tourism opportunities and sustainable tourism practices. Shire of Nannup chief executive David Taylor said the shire was proud to be the host location of the conference which would allow people to experience the potential Nannup had as a tourism location. “If anyone hasn’t been here, they get to be here and experience it,” he said. “This has been the missing piece to the connection (among different groups) and we need to do destination marketing and branding, and this is one of the first steps towards that. “Nannup is a destination in itself and it’s a good spot to do a lot of those day trips to other locations. “The Warren-Blackwood region has a lot to offer, with Pemberton and Manjimup offering a lot of food and paddock-to-plate events. “Bridgetown has a lot of history, Boyup Brook has a connection to farming and Nannup has a whole heap of connections to the coast and the (Busselton) airport.” Australia’s South West chief executive Cartin Allsop said the event had been well-attended by different organisations involved with the tourism industry. “I think a region like the Southern Forests and Valleys works well when they work together, connecting with regional tourism organisations and local visitor centres,” she said. “The tourism sector is a huge sector within Western Australia for economic development and job creation. “It also creates a vibrant community and promotes livability in the State, so it’s a wonderful sector to be a part of.”