SEAN DAUGHERTYExecutive Officer, Alpine Resorts Co-ordinating Council

Draft Alpine Resorts Strategic Plan 2012

for Victoria

3 April 2012

Sean Daugherty, Executive Officer

Overview

• Background

• Alpine Resorts 2020 Strategy review

• Process

• Review findings

• Way forward – draft Plan 2012

• Next steps proposed

Background – Victorian Alpine Resorts

• The Alpine Resorts (Management) Act 1997provides the management framework for all Victorian alpine resorts.

• It establishes the:– Alpine Resorts Co-ordinating

Council;– Six Alpine Resorts; and – Five Alpine Resort Management

Boards• Falls Creek• Mount Baw Baw• Mount Buller / Mount Stirling• Mount Hotham• Lake Mountain

• Requires the ARCC to prepare the Alpine Resorts Strategic Plan, including reviewing every 5 years

Alpine Resorts 2020 Strategy & its review

• Released in 2004• Vision of four season, vibrant

sustainable resorts • Six strategic objectives

– Climate change – Resort use and visitation – Development of the resorts – Vibrant resorts – Environmental management – Stewardship of public land

• Review in June 2010 - joint ARCC and Department of Sustainability & Environment (DSE) project

Process

• In October 2011 - ARCC assumed sole responsibility to complete the review, as per its legislative requirement

• Minister for Environment directed the ARCC to complete by 30 March 2012

• To reinvigorate and develop a more robust draft Plan for consultation the ARCC undertook significant meetings and workshops with the industry, including:– Alpine Resorts Management Boards; – lift companies;– state government agencies;– alpine resort businesses; – key stakeholder groups;– industry associations;– the project reference group– interagency group; and – local government.

Alpine Resorts 2020 Review findings

• Assisted in promoting visitor growth in a competitive marketplace.– Winter visitor days growing slowly & growth

stronger than tourism to the broader region.

• Winter is adding $610m to Victorian GSP and 5,200 jobs (2011) and resorts are a net contributor to state and federal revenue flows.

• Snow-making is providing more stability for visitation.

• Insufficient attention to long-term financial viability, including required non-commercial environmental/social activities.

• Excessively optimistic about the ‘green season’.

Alpine Resorts 2020 Review findings

• Lack of focus on individual resort competitive strengths for both winter and green seasons.

• Need for integrated industry frameworks, including investment, promotion and planning.

• Institutional arrangements need to be improved, due to ambiguity around policy priorities and industry level roles.

• Better and more consistent measurements for social and environmental key performance indicators needs to be established.

Framework for the draft Plan 2012

Objective 1

• Enhancing the experience and developing resorts– Grow numbers by focusing

on competitive strengths

– Winter is the economic ‘engine’

– Strengthen base of critical winter infrastructure and improve the value proposition

– Selectively develop green season products based on strengths and within the broader regional context

– Improve integration and co-ordination of promotion

Objective 2

• Delivering resort services and infrastructure efficiently and accountably– Ensure Alpine Resort

Management Boards (ARMBs) are able to operate efficiently and effectively in a financially viable manner

– Improve integration and co-ordination of public and private investment opportunities

– Review ARMB non-commercial activities undertaken and their associated costs

Objective 3

• Building partnerships– Strengthening networks

and relationships between those involved in the alpine resorts for mutual economic, social and environmental benefits

– Improve planning at a resort-level

– Strengthen partnerships with local government, regional tourism bodies, indigenous communities and other land managers (e.g. Parks Victoria)

Objective 4

• Respecting the alpine environment– Climate change

• Continue to invest in snow-making and associated summer grooming

• Invest in renewable energy and measures to lower energy consumption

– Natural environment• Its maintenance is critical

and it holds significant intrinsic value for current and future generations

• Major competitive advantage

• Improve and set consistent measurements and key performance indicators

Objective 5

• Broadening access opportunities– Identify and remove

impediments for• Culturally diverse groups• People of all abilities (e.g.

address participation barriers)

• People of varying economic circumstances

– Improve provision of community services and facilities for residents and visitors

Objective 6

• Regulatory reform– Improve planning and leasing

framework

– Address issues surrounding native vegetation offsets

– Bushfire - address the conflict between policy and development, including growing green season visitation in a fire-prone landscape

Next steps

• Proposed release by the ARCC in late May 2012

• ARCC to undertake formal public consultation, including workshops at each resort and in Melbourne

• Prepare and finalise into the Alpine Resorts Strategic Plan 2012

• Submit to the Victorian Government for consideration and release of final Plan

Questions