D E S T I N A T I O N M A N A G E M E N T P L A N PENINSULA MORNINGTON
Acknowledgement of Country Mornington Peninsula Regional Tourism Board acknowledges and pays respect to the Bunurong/ Boon Wurrung people, the traditional custodians of these lands and waters.
Message from the Chair The Mornington Peninsula has long held a special place in the hearts of visitors and residents alike—a region where coastal beauty, rich heritage, and vibrant community come together to create an extraordinary destination. As we look to the future, this Destination Management Plan lays out an inspiring path forward, inviting us all to protect and enhance what makes the Peninsula unique, while embracing new opportunities for growth and sustainable success. Crafted through the collaborative efforts of local stakeholders, government, industry experts, and community voices, this plan represents a unified vision. It outlines strategic priorities that will enable us to balance environmental stewardship with economic growth, enhance the visitor experience, and foster connectivity across the region. At the heart of this plan is a commitment to preserving the Peninsula’s natural and cultural assets while elevating its reputation as a world-class destination. The focus on infrastructure, innovation, and quality will help create a lasting impact, one that not only benefits our tourism industry but also enriches the lives of those who call the Mornington Peninsula home. We are excited about this journey and energised by the potential ahead. By working together, we can ensure the Mornington Peninsula remains a place of beauty, discovery, and inspiration for generations to come. Roger Lancia Chairman, Mornington Peninsula Regional Tourism Board .
Executive Summary 06 1 Introduction 09 2 The Mornington Peninsula Visitor Economy 11 3 Strategic Context 22 4 Tourism Governance 29 5 Destination Insights 32 6 Destination Management Framework 36 7 Priority Projects 39 Contents
Acknowledgements The Mornington Peninsula Destination Management Planwas prepared by Urban Enterprise in collaboration with Mornington Peninsula Regional Tourism Board. Mike Ruzzene Executive Director Urban Enterprise Danielle Phyland Associate Tourism Urban Enterprise Alana Grollo Consultant Urban Enterprise All images have been supplied by Visit Victoria. Glossary of Terms Daytrip Visitor People aged 15 years and over who travel for a round-trip distance of at least 50 kilometres, are away from home for at least 4 hours, and who do not spend a night away from home as part of their travel. Same day travel as part of overnight travel is excluded. MorningtonPeninsula The Mornington Peninsula is a defined tourism region in Victoria, which includes two local Government areas – Frankston andMorningtonPeninsula. The region is representedby a regional tourismBoard (Mornington Peninsula Regional Tourism), chargedwith the long-termand overarching strategic vision and direction for the Mornington Peninsula. Overnight Visitor People aged 15 years and over who undertake an overnight trip of one night or more and at least 40 kilometres away from home are referred to as overnight visitors. Only those trips where the respondent is away from home for less than 12 months are in scope of the NVS. International Visitor A person is defined as an international visitor to Australia if they are currently a resident overseas, have been in Australia less than one year and are aged 15 years or over. Acronyms ART Australian Regional Tourism AUS Australia CALD Culturally and Linguistically Diverse CBD Central Business District DJSIR Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions (State Government) DMP DestinationManagement Plan EV Electric Vehicle FCC Frankston City Council LAAP Local Area Action Plan LGA Local Government Area MPRTB Mornington Peninsula Regional Tourism Board MPSC Mornington Peninsula Shire Council RTB Regional TourismBoard TRA TourismResearchAustralia VFR Visiting friends and relatives VIC Victoria
Background The Mornington Peninsula Destination Management Plan was prepared by Urban Enterprise for the Mornington Peninsula Regional Tourism Board (MPRTB). The purpose of the Destination Management Plan is to provide a 5-year strategic and unified direction for the development of the visitor economy with a focus on awareness, product development, and supporting infrastructure. This will be achieved by empowering and supporting the local tourism industry. The key role of MPRTB is to strengthen the Mornington Peninsula Visitor Economy through industry development, as well as develop marketing initiatives to drive visitation during low and shoulder seasons. Experience Victoria 2033 is the key strategic document guiding development of the Victorian visitor economy. Other key documents which influence the broader strategic direction of this plan include the Local Area Action Plans, Mornington Peninsula Visitor Economy Workforce Development Analysis & Action Plan and Mornington Peninsula Visitor Services Strategy. Executive Summary Mornington Peninsula Destination Management Plan 6
The Visitor Economy Mornington Peninsula is Victoria’s leading tourism region boasting the highest density of visitors of any of Victoria’s regions and has the largest number of tourismbusinesses. In 2023, the region attracted approximately 8 million visitors, including 6.1 million day trip (76%) and 1.9 million overnight (24%) visitors. This total figure includes 177,000 international visitors. The Mornington Peninsula Region is made up of five sub regions including Frankston, Northern Peninsula, Southern Peninsula, Hinterland and Western Port. Southern Peninsula has historically attracted majority of visitors and is often at capacity during the peak summer period. Dispersal of visitors has occurred over the past 10 years, with growth in visitation in the Hinterland and Western Port through investment in new product – particularly food and drink businesses. The Product Pillars for the Mornington Peninsula include: • Destination Food and Drink • Spa and Wellness • Events and Attractions • Golf • Coast and Nature Challenges & Opportunities • Severe peaks and troughs in key challenges and opportunities identified through engagement and research for the Destination Management Plan include: • Severe peaks and troughs in visitation throughout the year, particularly for smaller townships and the Southern Peninsula. • Limited and outdated public infrastructure throughout the region, as well as poorly maintained public land and assets. • Lack of tracks and trails connecting townships, as well as poorly maintained and signed trails. • Limited supply of large-scale, commercial accommodation to support peak season visitation. • Lack of public transport limiting the mobility of the workforce and visitors. • Lack of First Nations’ tourism experiences and products available within the region. • Workforce attraction and retention. • Planning regulation limiting investment and timeframes for planning approvals • Current governance framework leads to overlap in services and underfunding of the Regional Tourism Board. • Opportunity to leverage premium experiences and leverage interstate and international visitation from this. • Focus on development of a sustainable tourism industry. 8.0M visitors 1.9M Overnight visitors 6.0M Day trip visitors $1.8B visitor spend $1.1B Overnight spend $701M Day trip spend Mornington Peninsula Destination Management Plan 7
Vision Objectives 1. To increase geographic dispersal, with growth in visitation to Hinterland, Western Port, Southern and Northern Peninsula and Frankston sub regions. 2. To increase visitor yield through higher spend and increased length of stay. 3. To enable an unparalleled visitor experience and satisfaction with visitors enriched by the highest level of service and supporting quality infrastructure. 4. To increase awareness of the region as a premium coastal destination, both interstate and internationally to grow these segments. Themes Targets • Increase international visitation from 177,000 visitors in 2023 to 250,000 visitors in 2028. • Increase domestic overnight visitor yield from $554 per person per visit in 2023 to $650 per person per visit in 2028. • Increase interstate visitation from 160,000 visitors in 2023 to 300,000 visitors in 2028. • Increase the proportion of visitation to the Hinterland and Western Port from 24% and 6% in 2023 to 28% and 10% in 2028, respectively. Destination Management Framework The Mornington Peninsula is Australia's leading premium coastal destination, presenting unparalleled gastronomic, lifestyle and wellness experiences of world class standard. “ ” Theme One Coastal Activation Improve year-round use and activation of the Mornington Peninsula’s coastal assets. Theme Two Destination Sustainability Develop sustainable practices to deliver outcomes that are positive for the environment, economy and community. Theme Five Business Development & Support Ensure the tourism industry is well-connected and supported through networking and implementation of theWorkforce Plan. Theme Three Infrastructure & Amenity Support the growing visitor economy through investment in critical visitor economy infrastructure. Theme Four Governance Work with industry and Local Government to support the growing visitor economy and streamline destination management throughout the region. Theme Six Destination Marketing Continue to evolve the destination and ensure the destination profile is reaching new and emerging markets. Mornington Peninsula Destination Management Plan 8
1. Introduction Mornington Peninsula Destination Management Plan 9
Mornington Peninsula Regional Tourism Board (MPRTB) engaged Urban Enterprise to prepare a Destination Management Plan (DMP) for the Mornington Peninsula tourism region. This plan has been informed by independent research and analysis, as well as consultation with industry representatives, community groups, businesses, Councils and Government stakeholders. Significant contribution was provided by the vibrant and engaged local tourism industry who generously shared their insights through the development of the Local Area Action Plans and the business survey. The purpose of the Destination Management Plan is to provide a strategic and unified direction for the development of the visitor economy with a focus on awareness, product development, and supporting infrastructure. This will be achieved by empowering and supporting the local tourism industry. The DMP for the Mornington Peninsula follows the Guide to Best Practice in Destination Management, as determined by Australian Regional Tourism (ART). This will ensure MPRTB can support growth in and the sustainable management of the visitor economy. Successful destination management is a holistic process that ensures tourism adds value to the economy, social fabric and ecology of our communities. It is achieved through strong leadership with consideration of the three following factors: • Place - Defining the destination in the eyes of the visitor and communities of interest and understanding the visitor journey to and within the region. • People - Cohesive governance and strong leadership, engaged industry and qualified and experienced workforce. • Product - Motivating products, quality infrastructure and experiences on offer that draw visitors and provide to visitor needs. 1.1 Overview Mornington Peninsula Destination Management Plan 10
2. The Mornington Peninsula Visitor Economy Mornington Peninsula Destination Management Plan 11
Source: TourismResearch Australia (TRA) National Visitor Survey (NVS) yearending December 2023. Please note the information above relates to domestic day trip and domestic overnight visitors only, international visitors make up less than 1% of visitation to the Mornington Peninsula. Mornington Peninsula is Victoria’s leading tourism region. In 2023, the region attracted approximately 8 million visitors, including 6.1 million day trip (76%) and 1.9 million overnight (24%) visitors. This total figure includes 177,000 international visitors. Figure 1. MorningtonPeninsula VisitationOverview 2.1 Visitor Economy Overview Visitors 8.0M Day trip visitors (includers 136,000 international visitors) 6.1M Spend per day trip visitor $141 Regional Victoria $116 Spend per overnight visitor $572 Regional Victoria $554 Overnight visitors (includes 40,000 international visitors) 1.9M Visitor Spend $1.8B Day trip visitors $701M Overnight visitors $1.1B Mornington Peninsula Destination Management Plan 12
Figure 2. Mornington Peninsula Sub-Regions Visitation Breakdown Northern Mornington Peninsula 1.4M visitors $276M visitor spend Western Port 1.1M visitors $213M visitor spend Southern Mornington Peninsula 3.8M visitors $1.0B visitor spend Hinterland 562K visitors $99M visitor spend Source: Proportions from the Mornington Peninsula Visitor Journey Report 2022 applied to TRA NVS and IVS data for year-ending December 2023. Frankston & surrounds 1.1M visitors $180M visitor spend Mornington Peninsula Destination Management Plan 13
8.0m 7.0m 6.3m 6.0m 5.8m 5.7m 5.3m 5.3m 2.8m 2.7m 2.1m Mornington Peninsula Goldfields Geelong & the Bellarine Gippsland Murray Yarra Valley & Dandenong Ranges Victoria's High Country Great Ocean Road Phillip Island Daylesford & the Macedon Ranges Grampians Source: TRA IVS and NVS, Victoria’s TourismRegions for year-ending December 2023. 9.3 visitors per km2 0.4 visitors per km2 1.6 visitors per km2 0.1 visitors per km2 0.1 visitors per km2 1.4 visitors per km2 0.2 visitors per km2 0.2 visitors per km2 3.2 visitors per km2 0.5 visitors per km2 <0.1 visitors per km2 This section explores the trends in visitation to Mornington Peninsula, including historic visitation, dispersal throughout the region and activity consumption. Data within this section draws on Tourism Research Australia (TRA) data, the widely accepted Australian Government data source tracking visitation across Australia. Unless stated otherwise, this data has been presented for the region for the 2023 calendar year and Mornington Peninsula refers to the Frankston City Council and Mornington Peninsula Shire Council. Benchmarking When compared to destinations of a similar distance to Melbourne, such as the Yarra Valley, Goldfields and Geelong and the Bellarine, Mornington Peninsula has a considerably larger visitor economy. This is significant when considering the size of the Mornington Peninsula tourism region, encompassing only two local Government areas. This equates to approximately 9.3 visitors per square kilometre. This is almost three time the density of visitors to the next destination which is Phillip Island, with a visitor density of 3.2 visitors per square kilometre. The graph below highlights the significance of the visitor economy in the Mornington Peninsula. The high density of visitors highlights the need to encourage dispersal of visitors throughout the region, and throughout the year, as well as extract maximum yield from these visitors to ensure local businesses are benefiting from the high visitation. 2.2 Visitation Trends Figure 3. Visitation to Victoria’s TourismRegions Mornington Peninsula Destination Management Plan 14
Historic Visitation Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, visitation to the Mornington Peninsula peaked at 8.5 million visitors. Themost recent data available (year-ending December 2023) suggests after two years of disrupted travel (between 2020 to 2021), domestic visitation is recovering and has surpassed 2018 visitation. Over the past 10 years, the day trip visitor market has made up the majority of visitors to the Mornington Peninsula. The region’s proximity to Melbourne and diversity of products and experiences lends itself as an attractive day trip visitor destination. The historic strength of the day trip visitor market is highlighted in the figure below. Although previous strategies have attempted to increase the proportion of the overnight visitor market, historic visitation shows the strength of the day trip market. Melbourne’s growing population, and improved connections to this market via the Peninsula Link, have made it difficult and will continue to make the shift difficult. Therefore, it is important that Mornington Peninsula recognises its strength as a day trip destination and capitalises on extracting maximumyield from these visitors, whilst also providing a memorable experience to encourage repeat visitation. Historic visitation shows that international visitation to the Mornington Peninsula is a low proportion of the overall visitor market. With the region's proximity to Melbourne, there is opportunity to strengthen visitation from the international market. Figure 4. Mornington PeninsulaHistoricVisitation Please note international visitation accounts for less that 1% of visitors to the Mornington Peninsula. Source: TRA IVS and NVS, Mornington Peninsula tourism region for the year-ending December 2023. 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 5.3M 7.1M 5.6M 6.0M 8.5M 7.8M 7.6M 8.0M 76% 75% 76% 76% 74% 76% 72% 70% 76% 5.4M 76% 4.6M 24% 24% 23% 23% 25% 23% 28% 30% 23% 24% Visitor type International Overnight Day trip Mornington Peninsula Destination Management Plan 15
Visitor Dispersal The dispersal of visitors throughout the Mornington Peninsula is highly varied. Of the approximately 8 million visitors to the region, over a third visited the Southern Peninsula on their journey. This is significant when compared to the Western Port region, encompassing townships such as Hastings and Flinders, only capturing 6% of the visitors in 2023. The figure below provides an overview of the historic growth per annumof each of the Mornington Peninsula sub regions. The data shows higher levels of growth to all sub-regions than the Southern Peninsula, demonstrating that dispersal strategies since 2014 have been successful. The Hinterland has experienced the highest growth rate of all sub regions, driven by investment in food, drink and farmgate destinations. A key objective of the Mornington Peninsula DMP will be to help grow tourism product and experiences in destinations with smaller visitor economies. This will encourage visitor dispersal out to the smaller visitor economies, as well as relieve congestion issues felt by townships on the Southern Peninsula who experience overcrowding, particularly in the peak seasons. Marketing, visitor services and signage can also play a role in encouraging dispersal on the Peninsula. Figure 5. Mornington PeninsulaSub-regional VisitationGrowth p.a. Source: TRA NVS, year-ending December 2014 to 2023. 4.4% 5.6% 2.8% 7.7% 4.4% Frankston Northern Peninsula Southern Peninsula Hinterland Western Port Mornington Peninsula Destination Management Plan 16
Activity Engagement The Mornington Peninsula is home to almost 4,000 tourism businesses, employing just under 13,000 people. These business are key to servicing the visitor economy and attracting visitors in the region. Figure 11 highlights key activity categories visitors engage in when visiting the Mornington Peninsula. (This only includes visitors travelling more than 50 kms and staying more than 4 hours on the Mornington Peninsula). As shown in the figure below, visitors to the Mornington Peninsula are engaging heavily with food and drink venues. The strength of this engagement not only reflects the increase in visitation to the Mornington Peninsula, but also the large investment by the private sector towards food and drink businesses, including destination venues, wineries, breweries, farm gate and distilleries. Water based activities has also shown some growth, but not to the same degree as food and drink. This may reflect the lower levels of investment in infrastructure to support water-based tourism. Spa and wellness investment, particularly in geothermal spas, has changed the way visitors perceive the Mornington Peninsula, with the region now notably known as Australia’s leading spa and wellness destination. Growth in spa and wellness activates has increased by 300% since 2014. Investment in spa and wellness and high-quality food and drink venues help to position the Mornington Peninsula as a premium destination in Victoria and Australia. Figure 6. Mornington Peninsula Visitor Activity Consumption Source: TRA NVS and IVS, year-ending December 2023. 1.2 m 1.5 m 423 k 860 k 487 k 879 k 2.6 m 3.6m 2.7 m 5.2 m 134 k 333 k 198 k 273 k 443 k 414 k 27 k 243 k 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Attractions & Entertainment Walking & Cycling Nature-based Water-based Food & Drink Spa & Wellness Golf Events Farmgate Mornington Peninsula Destination Management Plan 17
The primary strength and appeal of the Mornington Peninsula is its coastal landscape and premium products and experiences. The adjacent chart highlights the key product pillars for the Mornington Peninsula. These overarching pillars are key drivers of visitation and link to points of competitive advantage. Whilst the Mornington Peninsula has a strong visitor economy and is rich in product and experiences, there is opportunity for the development of new products and experiences particularly those that strengthen visitation in offpeak season and attract visitors and disperse visitors. 2.3 Product Pillars 1 Destination Food and Drink Mornington Peninsula has a diverse dining and produce scene, home to numerous chef-hatted restaurants, world-class wineries, breweries and distilleries, and seasonal farm gates. The strength and diversity of this pillar plays a critical role in underpinning a visitor’s overall experience. 2 Spa &Wellness With the addition of the new Alba Thermal Springs and Spa in 2022, in addition to the Peninsula Hot Springs, spa and wellness is a large driver visitation to the region. Smaller scale spas, such as Aurora Spa and Bathhouse, have aided in the strengthening of this pillar. 3 Events & Attractions The Mornington Peninsula is home to major attractions and events that motivate visitors to the region and drive year-round visitation. Key attractions businesses include Mornington Racecourse, Arthurs Seat Eagle and Enchanted Adventure – Home to Tree Surfing. In addition, the Mornington Peninsula Region many signature events including Peninsula Vine Hop and South Side Festival, Frankston. 4 Golf Mornington Peninsula is one of Australia's leading golf destinations. It has 14 courses listed in Australia’s top 100 golf courses and includes a variety of public access and exclusive private courses. No other region in Australia boasts the number of high-quality courses as the Mornington Peninsula Region. 5 Coast & Nature A key driver of visitation to the Mornington Peninsula are coasts and nature-based assets, its mix of two bays, sandy bay beaches and wild ocean beaches provides the backdrop for many water-based activities. Icons of the Mornington Peninsula include Point Nepean, Cape Schanck, Mornington Bathing Boxes, Port Phillip Bay, Western Port Bay and Gunnamatta Surf Beach. Mornington Peninsula Destination Management Plan 18
Key to a successful visitor economy is the quality and availability of supporting infrastructure, such as visitor accommodation, visitor servicing, transport and access, and township amenity. Although the Mornington Peninsula is home to world-class products and experiences, at present, the supporting infrastructure does not meet these same standards. The standard of the Mornington Peninsula’s supporting infrastructure is explored in this section. Visitor Accommodation Although majority of overnight visitors to the Mornington Peninsula stay in private holiday homes and short-term rentals, the key to encouraging visitor dispersal and extending length of stay within the region will be the availability and quality of commercial accommodation. The State Government short term rental tax may impact the availability and affordability of short-term accommodation whichmay have a significant impact on overnight visitation. Some high-quality accommodation has been developed in the region, notably InterContinental Sorrento, RACV Cape Schank Resort, and Jackalope Hotel, yet increased capacity is needed to service the 8 million visitors per year. Large-scale, commercial hotel accommodation, as well as holiday and caravan parks, are likely to deliver positive outcomes for the region's visitor economy. Visitor Servicing Visitor servicing on the Mornington Peninsula is currently undertaken by the MPRTB and both Local Governments. Whilst the Local Governments oversee the physical Visitor Information Centre’s, collateral and signage within and surrounding the centres is confusing to the consumer and should be reviewed to ensure a consistent message is shared. At present, there is duplication in the delivery of online visitor information, this can create confusion for the consumer and lacks efficiency. A Visitor Services Review undertaken by MPRTB looks at the provision and delivery of visitor servicing in the region, including physical visitor information centres, branding, marketing, signage and gateways, and physical and digital collateral and provides recommendations to achieve consistency and increase length of stay and spend. Public Realm Public infrastructure across the Mornington Peninsula region is outdated and not maintained to the standard expected by visitors to the region. Furthermore, the quality of public infrastructure does not match the quality of the privately owned products and experiences throughout the region. This includes the quality of beach side amenities, visitor amenities, roads, footpaths, landscaping, pedestrian safety and accessibility. Investment in the continual maintenance of infrastructure is needed to elevate the region to the premium standard that private establishments hold themselves to. Foreshore Amenity The quality and condition of foreshore amenity across the Mornington Peninsula is inconsistent and for the most part below the standard of other coastal destinations around Australia. Whilst some foreshores have received significant investment to make themwheel-chair accessible, deliver new visitor amenities and facilities, many foreshore reserves are offering outdated and limited visitor amenities. High-quality examples within the region include Frankston Foreshore Reserve, Point Leo Surf Beach which has been recently upgraded with a new visitor amenity precinct including shelter, toilets, change rooms, showers and a kiosk. Transport & Parking Mornington Peninsula is wellconnected to Melbourne via Peninsula Link, as well as Geelong and the Bellarine via the Searoad Ferries Sorrento-Queenscliff service. Frankston is connected to Melbourne via the V-Line rail network, however, rail connectivity further down the peninsula is severely deficient. Other public transport options, such as bus routes, are limited in there scheduling and routes. Like many other regions across Victoria, the roads within the Mornington Peninsula need repair works and upgrades to ensure the continued safety of road users, many roads are in poor condition and have non-existent or unsafe shoulders. Further to this, there is a lack of safe pedestrian walkways and footpaths, forcing many pedestrians to walk on roads. 2.4 Supporting the Visitor Economy Mornington Peninsula Destination Management Plan 19
Domestic Visitor Market Segments Helix Personas are a classification system for each type of consumer in Australia, and the communities with which they belong to. The classification system goes beyond geodemographics and incorporates attitudes, values and behavioural aspects providing psychographic modelling on a grand scale. Of the 6 helix communities, the Leading Lifestyles and Metrotechs communities are the primary target markets for the Mornington Peninsula. These markets are both high yielding and link well to the product strengths of the region. Melbourne has long been the key source market for domestic visitors, however the awareness of the Mornington Peninsula in large catchment areas such as Sydney and Brisbane is low. This is reflected in the very low levels of interstate visitation, The quality of product and alignment to Leading Lifestyles and Metrotechs in both Sydney and South-East Queensland presents opportunity for growth beyond the easily accessible Melbourne market. 2.5 Target Markets Source: Helix Personas segmentation by Roy Morgan. Helix Personas Leading Lifestyles Metrotechs Aspirational Hearth & Home Doing Fine Fair Go Characteristics • High income • Educated • Progressive • Career focused • Mid-life/ mature • Socially aware • Successful • Career focused • Culturally diverse • Young to midlife • Young • Singles and couples • Tech savvy • Moderate income • Families and empty nesters • Average Australian • Not culturally diverse • Moderate income • Migrant groups and older Australians • Modest income • Living alone • Single parents • Low income • Low employment • Low education Product Preferences • Food and wine • Arts and culture • First Nations experiences • Nature • Entertainment and nightlife • Restaurants • Exercise • Shopping • Beach • Health and nutrition • Entertainment • Attractions • Sport • Nature • Fishing • Boating • 4WDriving • Food and wine • Caravan and camping • Beach • Attractions • Shopping • Sport • Pubs and clubs • Sport • Take away Yield High High Moderate Low Low Low Share of overnight visitors 34% of overnight visitors 31%of overnight visitors 8% of overnight visitors 14% of overnight visitors 6% of overnight visitors 6% of overnight visitors Target Markets Figure 7. Alignment to Helix Personas Mornington Peninsula Destination Management Plan 20
International Market Segments Of the 8 million visitors to the Mornington Peninsula, only 134,000 are recorded as international visitors. Whilst the proportion of international visitors to Mornington Peninsula is low, less than 1%, this market is of particular importance for growing off-peak and mid-week visitation. In 2023, 1.9 million international travellers visited Melbourne. The Mornington Peninsula captured 9% of these international visitors to Melbourne. Due to the region's close proximity to Melbourne, the majority of international visitors only day trip to the Mornington Peninsula. The Mornington Peninsula has the potential to grow the capture rate of international visitors travelling to Melbourne. As shown in the figure below, the Mornington Peninsula meets the motivational requirements of many international markets, primarily quality food and wine, and the world-class beauty of the region. Source: TourismResearch Australia Source Market China New Zealand UK USA India Asia (Other) Singapore, Malaysia, etc. Europe (Other) Germany, Italy, France, etc. Motivations • World class beauty and Nature • Food and wine • World class aquatic and coastal • Romantic destination • Good food and wine • World class beauty and nature • Good food and wine • World class beauty • Good food and wine • World class beauty • World class beauty • Good food and wine • World class beauty • Good food and wine • World class beauty Yield $$$ $ $ $$ $ $$ $ Melbourne 10% 15% 8% 9% 8% 31% 10% Mornington Peninsula 7% 10% 17% 8% 5% 26% 14% Target Market Figure 8. International MarketSegmentation Mornington Peninsula Destination Management Plan 21
3. Strategic Context Mornington Peninsula Destination Management Plan 22
The Mornington Peninsula is located 75 kilometres south-east of Melbourne. The region incorporates the Frankston City Council and Mornington Peninsula Shire Council areas, encompassing an area of 854 square kilometres and home to approximately 308,000 residents. The Mornington Peninsula is renowned as a summer holiday favourite, with the region surrounded by coastlines. The region is home to premium products, including geothermal spas, golf courses, Chef’s Hatted restaurants, and world-class wine, beer and distils that also motivate visitation year-round. The study area for this project is the Mornington Peninsula tourism region, which consists of five sub-regions. Each of these sub-regions have distinct characteristics in terms of their tourist attractions, communities and the level of tourism development. This is explored in each of the Local Area Action Plans (LAAP) for the sub-regions. The five regions are outlined in the figure below. 3.1 About the Destination Figure 9. Mornington PeninsulaContext Map MELBOURNE MORNINGTON PENINSULA SHIRE COUNCIL AREA FRANKSTONCITY COUNCIL AREA GEELONG PHILLIP ISLAND PORT PHILLIP BAY FRENCH ISLAND POINT LONSDALE - QUEENSCLIFF DANDENONG SORRENTO PORTSEA RYE DROMANA MORNINGTON HASTINGS BALNARRING MAIN RIDGE RED HILL CAPE SCHANCK FRANKSTON WESTERN PORT BAY Mornington Peninsula Destination Management Plan 23
Alignment to existing strategic policy and direction is critical to the success of the Mornington Peninsula Destination Management Plan. Key documents reviewed include local, regional, State and Federal Government plans and policies. These are listed in the table below and have been drawn on throughout the report as relevant. Experience Victoria 2033 is the key strategic document guiding development of the Victorian visitor economy. The document provides a range of findings and strategic direction relevant to the Mornington Peninsula. This document has been further explored in this section. The previous Mornington Peninsula Region Destination Management Plan is another key document explored in this section. Analysis of the growth in the visitor economy since the development of the previous DMP will be critical to understanding where to go next. Figure 10. StrategicDocuments Reviewed National • Thrive 2030 Strategy State • Experience Victoria 2033 • Victoria’s Golf Tourism Strategy 2018 - 2023 • Visitor Economy Master Plan Directions Paper March 2022 • Victorian Visitor Economy Recovery And Reform Roadmap (2020) Regional • Mornington Peninsula Region Destination Management Plan • Mornington Peninsula Visitor Economy Workforce Development Analysis & Action Plan • Mornington Peninsula Local Area Action Plans (LAAP) • Destination Victoria Brand Strategy Playbook (2022) Local • Frankston City Visitor Economy Strategy 20192024 • A Thriving Peninsula 2033 – Economic Development And Tourism Strategy • Imaging Peninsula 2040 Community Vision • Mornington Peninsula Arts & Culture Plan 2022-2024 • Council And Wellbeing Plan 2021-2025 3.2 Strategic Alignment Mornington Peninsula Destination Management Plan 24
Mornington Peninsula Local Area Action Plans In 2023, MPRTB developed 5 Local Area Action Plans (LAAP) for its sub-regions, which include: • Frankston and surrounds • Northern Mornington Peninsula • Hinterland • Western Port • Southern Mornington Peninsula The LAAPs identify visitor economy needs, challenges and opportunities at the local level to ensure the greater regional visitor economy can thrive. The LAAPs are managed by an Advisory Committee, established for each sub-region. These committees have brought together community, industry and local government stakeholders to ensure the needs of local industry are met. Priorities and actions within the LAAPs have been incorporated into the destination management plan to ensure the over success and unity of the region. Key directions from the LAAPs include: • Wayfinding • Transport infrastructure • Accessible tourism • Workforce development • Product packaging • Growing the visitor economy on shoulder periods and mid- week • Collaboration with industry and Government to attract business events Mornington Peninsula Destination Management Plan (2012) The first DMP for Mornington Peninsula was developed in 2012 when MPRTB was first established. The DMP identifies a number of unique challenges facing the Mornington Peninsula that, at the time, were critical to maintaining its existing destination competitiveness and growing its tourism industry. Whilst many of the challenges have been resolved with investment in both the private and public sector, a number of challenges are still relevant to this day. These are highlighted below and will help inform the development of the newDMP. • Developing a stronger presence in interstate and international markets. • Providing clearer direction to industry and community as to the parameters for future tourism development in the Mornington Peninsula region. • Managing core public assets, such as coastal zones and national parks, for the ongoing benefits of residents, visitors and the environment. • Addressing barriers to regional visitation and dispersal concerning transport, including quality of navigational signage, public transport options and taxi services. • Managing strong summer, holiday and weekend concentration of visitation to the Mornington Peninsula region. • Managing the ongoing transition of rural and green wedge areas from commercial farming to hobby and tourism related land uses. • Addressing infrastructure constraints across the Mornington Peninsula region, ranging from communications black-spots to villages with inadequate parking and coastal marina infrastructure. • Dealing with a three-level system of government that present continually changing and often conflicting policies and legislation. In total, the previous DMP identified 23 initiatives, contained within 5 focus areas to support the Mornington Peninsula visitor economy. Mornington Peninsula Destination Management Plan 25
Experience Victoria 2033 The Victorian State Government’s Experience Victoria 2033 is the state's key strategic document to guide growth and the development of the Victorian visitor economy for the next 10 years. Mornington Peninsula’s DMP will ensure tourism objectives for the region closely align to those set out for the State in Experience Victoria 2033. Alignment will be critical to ensure the success of the DMP. Five product priorities reflecting the strengths of Victoria’s tourism industry have been identified by the State Government to have the greatest potential to increase visitor yield over the next decade. These include: • First Peoples • Arts and Culture • Wellness • Nature • Food and Drink Mornington Peninsula’s alignment to Victoria’s product priorities is explored in the table adjacent. Figure 11. Mornington Peninsula Alignment to Experience Victoria Product Pillars First Peoples Emerging An emerging product opportunity for the Mornington Peninsula. Product and experience development opportunities to be led by First Nations people with support from Local Government and MPRTB. Arts & Culture Secondary Product Strength A product strength for the region with a robust events calendar and arts experiences available in Frankston. Wellness Primary Product Strength Strong alignment for the Mornington Peninsula with significant spa experiences including Alba and Mornington Peninsula Hot Springs. As the segment grows, it will be important the products remain competitive and world-class. Nature Primary Product Strength Strong alignment for the Mornington Peninsula with access to the ocean, two bays and the hinterland. Continual focus is needed to ensure natural assets are accessible, safe and protected into the future. Food & Drink Primary Product Strength Strong alignment to the Mornington Peninsula, boasting Chef Hat restaurants, premium wineries and innovative breweries and distilleries. Mornington Peninsula Destination Management Plan 26
Destination Victoria Brand Strategy Playbook This strategy was developed to articulate the strategy behind the brand for each region. Mornington Peninsula’sMasterbrand promise is to enrich event moment with an alluring seaside escape. The Pillars articulate the regions product strengths: • Nature at your fingertips • Passion for quality • Storied culture Although the proof points reflect that Storied Culture is an emerging pillar with limited product. Figure 12. Mornington Peninsula Regional Sub-brand Framework Mornington Peninsula Destination Management Plan 27 27 Visitation drivers Escape my everyday Surprise and delight me Sparkmy imagination Victorian Masterbrand promise Mornington Peninsula sub-brand promise Enrich every moment with an Alluring seaside escape Pillars Nature at your fingertips • Golf destination • Spa and wellbeing • Aquatic activities: on, in and underwater • Coastal walks and beaches Passion for quality • Premium food and drink experience • Wine region and cellar doors • Artisans • Events and festivals • Attractions Storied culture • First Peoples cultural experiences • Art galleries and sculpture parks • Post-colonial history Proof Points • St Andrews Beach Golf Course, RACV Cape Schanck Golf Course, The National Golf Club, Peppers Moonah Links Resort • Peninsula Hot Springs, Alba Thermal Springs & Spa • Beaches: Mount Martha, Blairgowrie, Portsea, Sorrento • Water Activities: Moonraker Dolphin Swim, Polperro Dolphin Swim, Joe Farr Fishing, Victorian Yacht Charters, East Coast Surf School • Bushrangers Bay Trail, Cape Schanck Coastal Walk, Fort NepeanWalk • Doot Doot Doot, Laura, Max’s Restaurant, Intercontinental Sorrento, Portsea Hotel • Montalto, Jackalope, Polperro Winery, Paringa Estate, Port Phillip Estate, TenMinutes by Tractor • Hawkes Farm, Torello Farm, Mock Red Hill, Sunny Ridge, Red Hill Truffles, St Andrew’s Brewery, Bass and Flinders Distillery, Chiefs Son Distillery and JimmyRum • Arthurs Seat Eagle, Moonlit Sanctuary, Enchanted Adventure, AshcombeMaze and Lavendar Gardens • McClelland Sculpture Park, Montalto SculpturePark • Old Quarantine Station Personality Traits Open-minded Creative Intriguing Source: Destination Victoria Brand Strategy Playbook 2022
At present, there are a range of critical issues impacting Victoria’s visitor economy. These have been summarised as they relate to the Mornington Peninsula in this section. Climate Change A major driver of visitation to the Mornington Peninsula is its natural landscape, including the coast-line, hinterland and access to the ocean and bays. The increasing effects of climate change pose a significant threat to tourism businesses within the Mornington Peninsula, particularly with the increasing number of severe storms, sea-level rise and coastal erosion. In recent years, severe rainfall and storm activity have had major impacts on the Mornington Peninsula and businesses. For the Hinterland, these severe weather events impact the electricity lines and power supply which has flow on effects to the water and sewer for businesses in the region. Capacity & Congestion The Mornington Peninsula experiences exceptionally high visitation during the summer and school holiday periods. This leads to severe congestion and strain on services, retail and infrastructure. This is particularly true for townships on the Northern and Southern Peninsula. A key element to the DMP will be ensuring visitors are dispersed throughout the region to destinations with smaller visitor economies. The strengthening and promotion of different townships across the Mornington Peninsula will be integral to encourage visitor dispersal. As well as geographically dispersing visitors, encouraging visitors to travel to the region outside of the peak seasons will be key to helping business sustainability throughout the year. Showcasing attractions and experiences available to visitors in the shoulder and offpeak season will be key to attracting and growing this visitation. Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Market With 45% of Victorians born overseas, the culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) market is a key segment for tourism in Victoria. It is important that destinations understand the needs of this market and support growth in this segment. The CALD market is a key market for the Mornington Peninsula visitor economy and increasingly growing. Whilst these groups are diverse in ethnicity and language, many of these have commonalities in their desire to explore Victoria and passive, nature-based experiences. It is likely that overtime the lowyielding nature of this market will change as they make connections and grow confidence. This is likely to lead to longer visits and longterm repeat visitation. It will be critical for tourism providers and organisations to understand the needs of this market to adequately support and manage the growth in visitation, as well as maximise yield from visitors in this market. Seasonality Due to the seasonal nature of tourism on the Mornington Peninsula, businesses within the tourism industry struggle to make a sustainable livelihood throughout the quieter months. Positioning the destination as a year-round destination will be key to reduction of severe troughs in visitation will help to support businesses throughout the year. The product mix on the Mornington Peninsula has developed to support year-round visitation. Further consideration on how to market the region to international and interstate markets will support year-round visitation. Community Sentiment Whilst the community understand the value of the visitor economy at a macro level, there is underlying sentiment of the challenges of living in a popular tourism region. Traffic congestion, limited supplies of groceries and other essentials, pressure on services and general disruption to daily life are experienced. Mitigation to reduce the impacts of large visitor numbers are the responsibility of government and industry as demand for tourism in the region continues. 3.3 Influences on the Visitor Economy Mornington Peninsula Destination Management Plan 28
Workforce & Housing The greatest challenge for tourism regions across Australia is the attraction, retention and housing of the visitor economy workforce. For highly seasonal destinations, like the Mornington Peninsula, shortterm housing options are limited due to competition amongst the workforce and tourists for housing availability. Currently the Mornington Peninsula tourism industry makes up 6% of total employment. The implementation of the Mornington Peninsula Visitor Economy Workforce Development Action Plan will be key to addressing key workforce issues in the visitor economy specific to the Mornington Peninsula. The plan provides both practical and innovative solutions to addressing these issues. Sustainability Increasing consumer focus on the environment, driving demand for more sustainable tourism opportunities. Visitors are becoming more environmentally conscious and the Mornington Peninsula and there is opportunity to strengthen eco-tourism on the Mornington Peninsula. Cost of Doing Business & Cost of Living There are increasing financial pressures on businesses in Victoria’s tourism industry, including interest rate rises and the increasing cost of penalty wages and general goods and services costs. In addition to this increased cost of living is also impacting on visitors travel patterns and expenditure. Accessibility Accessible tourism is the ongoing effort to ensure that tourist destinations, products, and services are available to all people, regardless of their physical limitations, disabilities, or age. There are very few businesses and public assets that are delivering to the needs of the accessibility market. Aging of visitors and increased support and social awareness around accessibility will drive demand for destinations that support accessibility. Government Funding MPRTB has the lowest funding per visitor of all RTBs in Victoria. This presents challenges in providing services to industry and visitors. In order for future sustainability of the MPRTB, additional funding sources are required. Government funding is needed throughout the region to support investment in infrastructure to drive tourism. At present, there is a disparity in the funding received by the Mornington Peninsula when compared to other tourism destinations. Over a 10-year period, from 2012 to 2021, Geelong has received a higher level of funding in seven out of ten years resulting in approximately $50 million more in funding to Geelong and the Bellarine in comparison to Frankston and Mornington Peninsula combined. Ensuring solutions and projects outlined in the DMP align with the priorities of the state government will be critical to maximise funding opportunities and ensure the document has strategic support. Mornington Peninsula Destination Management Plan 29
4. Tourism Governance Mornington Peninsula Destination Management Plan 30
The governance structure for the visitor economy in the Mornington Peninsula tourism region is outlined in the adjacent figure. Regional Tourism Boards (RTB) are independent organisations which were first established in 2008. RTBs set a regional strategic direction and work with industry, Local Government and the State Government to drive tourism in their region. Local Government plays a crucial role in supporting the visitor economy, particularly in terms of providing the foundations, including community infrastructure, planning, development support, visitor information services, community engagement, and industry development activities to support the local tourism industry. At present, the Victorian Government is in the process of transitioning its regional tourism governance model. The Visitor Economy Recovery and Reform Plan 2021 identified that existing RTBs would transition to become Visitor Economy Partnerships (VEPs). The plan for the Mornington Peninsula VEP is yet to be confirmed. Throughout this transition phase, it is important that MPRTB provides leadership and stability for the Mornington Peninsula visitor economy. It is important that this DMP continues to be implemented as an industry endorsed document under the future VEP. The new VEP is anticipated to be in place by 1 July 2025. Mornington Peninsula Regional Tourism Board is the RTB for the Mornington Peninsula tourism region, including Mornington Peninsula Shire and Frankston City Councils. MPRTB is a not-for-profit association and is governed by a board which includes industry experts and skilled-based members. Currently, the board is funded by the State government and industry partnerships. Unlike other RTBs there is no local government funding from the two LGA in the region, Mornington Peninsula Shire Council and Frankston City Council. The key role of MPRTB is to strengthen the Mornington Peninsula Visitor Economy through industry development, as well as develop marketing initiatives to drive visitation during low and shoulder seasons. MPRTB partners with the Victorian State Government, Visit Victoria and other industry bodies to achieve the best outcomes for the region. Strengthening and amplifying the Mornington Peninsula brand— through storytelling that reflects the region’s unique landscapes, passionate producers, and vibrant communities—remains a priority as the industry navigate shifts in Victoria’s visitor economy. MPRTB’s current destination marketing leverages the compelling “Explore More” brand, a dynamic approach that showcases the breadth and depth of the region’s diverse offerings and connects with highvalue, values-aligned visitors. Through targeted regional marketing campaigns, industry collaboration, and a focus on immersive experiences, MPRTB continue to position the Mornington Peninsula as a mustvisit destination, driving economic and social benefits for our region. The Explore More brand is a direct call to action for consumers to explore more of the Mornington Peninsula. Figure 13. TourismGovernance in Mornington Peninsula 4.1 Overview of Governance National • Tourism Australia State • Visit Victoria • Parks Victoria • Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions (DJSIR) • Victorian Tourism Industry Council (VTIC) Regional • Mornington Peninsula Regional Tourism Board Local • Frankston City Council (FCC) • Mornington Peninsula Shire Council (MPSC) Please note: A number of industry committees, local tourism associations and chambers of commerce operate within Mornington Peninsula who are responsible for delivering visitor servicing at the local level. 4.3 Mornington Peninsula Regional Tourism Board 4.2 Transitioning to a Visitor Economy Partnership Mornington Peninsula Destination Management Plan 31
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