Hi all,

Whilst COVID-19 has presented many challenges, it is also a great time to invest and put the solid customer foundations in place for a stronger, brighter future for our region.

Customer Profile program
The Victorian State Government has funded Daylesford Macedon Tourism to deliver some industry development initiatives over the next year. One of these exciting programs is the development of a set of region customer profiles that can be used industry-wide to attract more of the customers we want in the future. By building a set of clear, compelling customer profiles that deliver a common level of customer knowledge, we can use them across the region to enhance our service delivery, customer experience, marketing efforts and even our product development.

DMT is pleased to be partnering with the team at Customer Frame to engage industry and deliver this program. They have done some great work with similar programs for Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism, Murray Regional Tourism and recently with the Shepparton region.

Kathryn Mackenzie CEO from Echuca Moama Tourism was a big fan of the program saying, “Marketing strategy doesn’t give you the actions you need to take to attract your profiles. This does! It’s a beautiful tool”

As an application tool, the Profiles will help to focus region and business operations on specific customer types that have been developed specifically for our region, allowing operators to identify and focus resources on what matters most to customers. This not only improves efficiencies but creates greater customer connection, improving average spend, repeat patronage and greater margins. They’re also a great way to create cross-regional partnerships through product development and packaging opportunities.

All DMT members will have access to our new region’s profiles at the completion of the project and we’ve even invested in a mini–Application Program, where the team from Customer Frame show you how to apply our new profiles within your own businesses – from website development to marketing, social media to customer experience and product. It really is ground-breaking stuff!

We need your input
To get a clear view of our region’s customers, it makes sense to start with you, the industry, who are on the ground and face-to-face with customers. Your input will form the basis of the entire project (no one knows our customers like you do!) and will be supplemented with some of our existing insight and research to ensure we get the best picture possible.  Your input and knowledge are critical to the overall success of the program.

The first step is a short 5 – 15-minute survey that we encourage you to complete. Your expertise is invaluable as we create these profiles, and this is your opportunity to help shape how we market the region and to who. Just click on the link below.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DMTCustomerProfiles

Customer Frame will also deliver several engaging online collaborative workshops to help ideate then shape our new profiles. These workshops will occur with selected participants over the next month.

We look forward to your valued input into this program. Every opinion and piece of insight matters, so please take the time to complete the survey and have your say on who our customers are today, and who we’d like more of in the future. The outputs will arm you with a greater understanding and empathy for your customers, not only helping your individual businesses but the region as a whole to recover and prosper as travel opens up again.

We look forward to hearing your thoughts and ideas!

Changes of restrictions from 11.59pm, Tuesday 28 September
On Tuesday 28 September, 80 per cent of Victorians will have received their first dose. Victoria’s Chief Health Officer has declared a modest easing of restrictions in metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria from 11.59 pm on Tuesday 28 September.

For regional Victoria, this means:

We also welcome back visitors from the City of Greater Geelong and Surf Coast Shire who exited lockdown at 11:59 pm last night, 26 September 2021.

Vaccinated Economy Trials
Yesterday the Victorian Government announced it will conduct trials in businesses and events across highly vaccinated parts of regional Victoria. None of the areas selected will be in the Daylesford Macedon Ranges region.

The trials will confirm the best processes for establishing vaccination status, with work underway on how Commonwealth vaccination data can be best integrated with the Service Victoria app. It will include training for staff, support for business owners, and public communication of vaccine requirements. Support officers will ensure trials run smoothly and participating businesses receive the assistance they need. I’m sure like all of you, we will watch these trials with great interest.

Today is World Tourism Day. Every year, September 27 is celebrated as World Tourism Day. World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has designated World Tourism Day 2021 as a day to focus on ‘Tourism for Inclusive Growth’.

So Happy World Tourism Day, take care and please, if you have a moment, fill in the Customer Profile survey and let us know your thoughts. Thanks!

Best wishes,
Paul
Acting CEO – DMT