Support and Training
The tourism industry
Tourism businesses are supported by a variety of tourism organisations.
| Level | Organisation | How they help | Contacts |
| Local | Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council |
Council’s Tourism & Economic Development Officers are happy to talk with you about your agritourism ideas and plans. They can • promote your agritourism experience via Visit Gundagai and Visit Cootamundra’s marketing channels (such as websites, social media, and tourism advertising campaigns run by Council) • connect you with other local agritourism business owners • help you list on the national and state tourism marketing websites (with one easily updatable listing)
Council’s planners will assess a Development Approval, but for advice on the state’s agritourism planning regulations you should seek advice from a planning consultant. Council cannot advise on what is allowed and assess applications, as that is a conflict of interest. |
In Cootamundra region, contact Leah Sutherland 1300 459 689 leah.sutherland@cgrc.nsw.gov.a
In Gundagai region, contact Casey Polsen 1300 459 689 |
| Regional | Destination Riverina Murray |
Let the regional tourism organisation know what you are doing in your agritourism business, and they can reach out to you whenever any help is available, such as training and grant opportunities.
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Sarah Hope Business Development Manager 0409 763 789 sarah.hope@destinationrm.com.au
Subscribe to their newsletter at www.riverinamurray.com.au/contact-us |
| State | Destination NSW |
Destination NSW has • Business development learning resources – how to develop great tourism experiences, sell them online, and promote them • Information on the state tourism brand to help you promote your experience. • Share newsworthy stories with them for a chance of getting media attention. • Occasional grants for building and renovations (rare; and successful applicants have to contribute at least half of the costs) |
Destination NSW has a dedicated Product Development team to help new and established tourism businesses to develop, promote and sell their tourism products. Get tips from the team on accessing visitor and sector research, product design, development and market suitability, sales, marketing, and distribution channels. Read their guide on developing your tourism business first, then get in touch with the team at product.queries@dnsw.com.au |
| National | Tourism Australia | Find a range of resources to help grow a tourism business. |
Tourism training
- Destination NSW’s NSW First | Destination NSW has excellent guides on how to develop, promote, and sell a tourism experience.
- Typsy offers courses on hospitality skills, such as customer service, guest experience fundamentals, food safety, offering service to people with disability, guest room cleaning, sustainability, conflict resolution, and much more. (Free version permits 9 free courses)
- For wine tourism experiences, the free online course Wine Tourism Ready will help you set up an appealing wine tourism experience and promote it.
Non-tourism business support
Business basics (resources)
- Resources and information to help you start or grow a business from NSW and from the Federal Government.
Personalised business support
- Business Connect in Wagga: Greg Bowers, bowers@enterpriseplus.org.au, 0401 700 600
- Service NSW’s Local Business Concierge: Chelsea Burton, burton@service.nsw.gov.au, 0472 527 917
- Local Land Services
Grants
Grants can support business growth by helping to fund infrastructure, equipment, training, sustainability, preparations for extreme weather events, research and development, and more.
| Tool | Benefit for your business | Description of resource | Resource provided by |
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Identify grant opportunities aligned to projects in your business plan. |
NSW Government
Federal Government |
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| How to prepare and write a grant application | Learn how to write grant applications in a way that will increase your chances of securing funding. | This guide helps you prepare for grant opportunities. |
Business Queensland (A Queensland resource, but a good one) |
