Dr Hull works on Havelock Vision 2020
Ms Walker, a driving force behind the formation of Havelock Vision 2020 in mid-2009, sees value in the ideas of NZTRI researcher Dr John Hull contributed for developing tourism in rural areas. “Dr Hull's experience in communities around the world similar in size to Havelock can be applied to facing the same challenges as the Pelorus area”,Ms Walker says. Dr Hull's November 2009 Havelock workshop showed the attraction of a bottom-up approach in which people "identify what you have, package your point of difference and activities and go for it". Dr Hull also spoke in November to the aquaculture conference in Nelson on the aquaculture and seafood trail trialed in the top of the south a few years ago by the Blenheim-based Marine Farming Association.
South Australian success in operating their "Aquaculture and Seafood Trail" was one idea Dr Hull described for Havelock Vision 2020. His model calls for management, business planning, a group of interested operators, marketing and promotion, regional tourism organisation co-financing, co-operative marketing levies, guided tours and guide training workshops.
Advantages cited by Dr Hull include more money and jobs in local towns, branding the area as a seafood destination, putting the area on the map, media attention and cross promotion – and tours. The Australian model of marketing ideas included visitor centre, brochure, website, smartcard and "win a year's supply of seafood" promotions.
