Today	Sat
Clear 22°/ 9°	Partly Cloudy 20°/ 7°

← Help find our ‘lost’ trolleys Look out, here comes the bank manager! →

Tourism operators urged to embrace online world

Posted on November 4, 2011

By BEN PISCIONERI

MANY Sunraysia tourism operators need a stronger online presence if they’re to grow, according to Tourism Alliance Victoria chairman, Matthew Noble.

LINKING UP: Mildura Tourism chief executive Rod Trowbridge (left) and Tourism Alliance Victoria chairman Matthew Noble.

In a presentation to the district’s major operators at Mildura Tourism’s annual general meeting, Mr Noble said the days of the printed tourism brochure as a primary promotional tool were over.

“It’s not the way it works anymore,” he said.

“You can get your phone out, you can get your iPad out, you can get any type of device and

the world’s at your feet.

“Having people that can get to your website and straight away bring their credit card out and pay is so vital.”

Mr Noble said that while some Sunraysia tourism operators had effective websites, there were others who needed to do more to bring their sites ‘alive,’ and used his own visit to Mildura as an example.

“When Rod (Trowbridge – Mildura Tourism chief executive) first asked me to come up here, the first thing I did was go onto the website and have a look around, have a look at what was happening in the area.

“I found their website so valuable, but most of the operators that were on that website, when it linked through, were nearly dead ends.”

Mr Noble said it’s imperative that Sunraysia’s tourism operators have ‘live’ websites with the ability to make direct bookings, which ultimately means more money in local operators’ pockets.

“These guys really want to get more direct bookings on their own websites, because they’re paying less commissions for a start,” he said.”

“To have a website that is non- functional, that is just static – giving information – just doesn’t work anymore.”

Mr Noble said one of the deterrents to an improved online presence for some operators was the fear of new technology.

He encouraged tourism operators to invest in technology as they would any other part of their business.

“Find someone who knows how to do it, pay someone who knows how to do it,” Mr Noble said.

“Spend the money and the returns will come straight back to you.”

Mr Noble’s comments formed part of the wider topic, ‘tourism as an organic and evolutionary industry,’ stressing the need for business to continue develop and evolve.

Tweet This Post Post to Facebook