Tourism forum looks to future
ABOUT 70 Noosa operators attended a half-day forum on the future of Noosa tourism recently.
The forum focused on the operators' position and where they would like to be in three years.
Tourism consultant Mark Olsen, from EC3 Global, presented a positive tourism health check for Noosa.
Tourism Noosa general manager Damien Massingham said the forum looked at market trends and performance, gave a review of the region and customer feedback before members broke into groups to discuss Noosa's tourism direction.
Councillors Russell Green and Tony Wellington also attended the meeting.
Cr Wellington said there was an understanding Noosa's natural assets were the direct product of a long history of community engagement in conservation.
"The challenge for the future is to embrace practical aspects of sustainability," he said.
Cr Green acknowledged the tourism industry as the major economic driver to the northern Sunshine Coast, contributing $825 million each year.
The Tourism Noosa board will meet soon to discuss the outcomes from the forum and other feedback, which will then lead to the development of Tourism Noosa's strategic action plan for 2013-16.
