Tourism Naturally have undertaken a range of Tourism Consulting Projects. Some of the more recent projects are outlined below.

Jobs Assist Program - Business Analysis and Action Plans

Tourism Naturally have been contracted to the Qld Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation in 2010 to deliver Business Analyses and Action Plans to a number of tourism and related businesses under their Jobs Assist program. The program seeks to identify actions that could be implemented to grow the businesses or improve business practices. Businesses assisted so far include:

• Blazing Saddles
• Cairns Wildlife Safari Park
• Mungalli Falls Student Village
• Bamaga Enterprises
• Kelly’s Beach Resort
• Magnetic Island Sunbus.

Clarence - River of Adventure River Guides

In 2010 Tourism Naturally delivered a project for the Clarence Valley Council to assist in driving increased tourism to the region by more effectively utilising the rivers for recreation. The project developed a Clarence River Guide to provide detailed information for recreational canoeing and also for recreational cruising and sailing. This project involved extensive consultation with stakeholders, desktop research and on-ground evaluations and developed both the content plan and delivered the content itself.

Identification of Tourism Prospects on MG Lands in Kununurra, WA

Tourism WA commissioned Tourism Naturally in 2009 to deliver a project identifying tourism prospects on land handed back to Miriuwung Gajerong people as part of the Ord Final Agreement. After an initial examination of existing ecotourism developments in the Kimberley to develop a set of criteria to assess individual sites, six conservation areas were investigated by helicopter and on the ground and a detailed report developed. Six Traditional Owner family groups were consulted on-country as to their tourism aspirations and sites identified and analysed for potential tourism development as part of the WA Government’s new Naturebank program. A total of 15 potential sites were identified with recommendations matching the sites to their identified tourism attributes, potential target markets and the TO’s tourism aspirations.

Contact: Gary Taylor, Manager Special Projects for Tourism WA. Ph 044 888 9397.

Mossman Gorge Gateway Centre Business Plan

The business plan for the $17m Mossman Gorge Gateway Centre was developed in 2008 for Cape York Partnerships and the Indigenous Land Corporation. The plan examined the new product to be developed, operational requirements and service delivery models, management and employment models, marketing strategies and the expected financial performance over 3 years. Located adjacent to Mossman Gorge in the Daintree World Heritage area, the Gateway Centre is expected to have well in excess of 500,000 visitors and provide tourism employment for over 60 local Kuku Yalanji people. Construction and implementation of the business plan is due to commence in 2010.

Contact: Gudmunder ‘Gummi’ Fridriksson, Project Manager Welfare Reform for Cape York Partnerships. Ph 0423 825557.

Environmental Air Technologies International

While specialising in tourism, Tourism Naturally’s business planning skills and experience also extend to businesses in other varied industry sectors. In 2008 a business plan was developed for Cairns start-up firm Environmental Air Technologies International (EATI). The company was commercialising ground-breaking technology to filter harmful volatile organic compounds from paint shop spray booth emissions. Tourism Naturally developed a business and marketing plan as well as an application for funding from the Federal Government’s Commercialising Emerging Technologies Program (COMET). EATI was successfully awarded a grant of $80,000 and the invention appeared on the New Inventors in 2009, generating huge interest that has led to strong sales growth.

Contact: Mike Kennedy, EATI. Ph 0405 593720.

DEEWR tender for provision of Employment Services

Tourism Naturally undertook a project to develop a Request for Tender for Employment Services for Cape York Partnerships for the provision of employment services to Indigenous clients in Cape York. The complex tender for the Department of Employment, Education and Workplace Relations involved developing a service delivery system and detailed responses against selection criteria for Stream Services delivery, Employer Broker Services, Innovation Fund and New Enterprise Incentive Scheme panel for an NGO that had not previously delivered such services.

Contact. Rose Manzini. General Manager Cape York Partnerships. Ph 4042 7200.

McIlwraith Range Tourism Opportunities

Funded by IBA in early 2009, the project involved assisting the Traditional Owners of a sensitive parcel of highland rainforest in Cape York to develop tourism opportunities that were a fit to the unique bio-diversity of the region. Two opportunities were identified that would provide for the establishment of a Tropical Rainforest Research Centre and a high-yield ecotourism business to compliment the facility. Planning continues to develop both projects.

Contact: Jim and Don de Busch. 0427 717438.

Magarra Gallery

Funded by IBA, the project involved provision of a business and marketing plan for an indigenous art gallery at Atherton and a feasibility plan examining cultural tourism opportunities. The business owner, Marita Budden, was provided with mentoring and skills enhancement and an ecommerce website (www.magarragallery.com.au) was developed to showcase the art. Tourism Naturally is now assisting Marita in the development of a project plan to establish an Indigenous tourism cluster in North Queensland.

Contact: Marita Budden. Magarra Gallery 0437 794832.

Kununurra Caravan Resort

In December 2009 Tourism Naturally was appointed by Mirriuwung Gagerong Corporation to undertake a Feasibility Study and Business Plan for converting a planned Workcamp into a tourism facility in Kununurra. The study involved stakeholder consultation and examination of a number of redundant use options for the facility. A Project Feasibility was followed by development of a Business Plan for the $10m plus project to be funded under the Ord Final Agreement Aboriginal Development Package.