CAN YOU PLEASE UN-MUTE ? A key element of success in this process was communication . Taskforce members were encouraged to engage in meaningful discussion and debate , in particular when the topic involved their area of expertise .
Theme champions were engaged and consulted prior to the workshop dates , to discuss their focus , research they had already done and wanted to share with the wider group . This gave Council as the workshop facilitator , a chance to gauge commitment for resourcing , action sharing and also impact on the ground of work to be undertaken .
The theme champions enabled Council to engage with industry members as the leaders in the community . This process gave members an important voice to not only set the tone for the workshops with other members who are not as actively engaged in their industry , but also cemented them in the process to deliver on activities , partnering with Council to trial economic recovery actions .
This level of engagement gave some out of the box ideas great merit and gave permission for the Dubbo Region to trial new ideas .
PIVOT ! Whilst sustained longer term financial impacts of the pandemic on the local economy are yet to be formally realised , the short term results show great promise that the Dubbo Region is experiencing an economic boom .
As part of sharing what was achieved , this article shares some notable activities showcasing Council working with industry and other agencies to accomplish tangible results . These may be replicated by other Economic Development Practitioners for outcomes in similar communities .
DESTINATION MARKETING AND VISITOR ATTRACTION Visitor spend increased significantly during 2020 despite also having the lowest spend month for visitation for the record keeping period , with lock downs significantly declining spend in April 2020 .
The opportunities provided for regional tourism due to border closures and low COVID-19 exposure rates were significant but it was an ultra-competitive market and the readiness of industry and Council in driving proactive marketing contributed to making the most of this silver lining of the pandemic .
An advertising campaign promoting the Dubbo Region as the ‘ Shopping Destination of Choice ’ targeting Western and Central Western markets was implemented as part of the larger Western Service Centre marketing campaign . This advertising campaign incorporated a TV and social media video featuring a local family and continued throughout November and was supported with direct mail and radio advertising in targeted areas .
Outcomes of this campaign were focused to reposition Dubbo as not just the service centre for the NSW Western Region , but
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