A grassroots strategy for regional visitor economy growth in the Loddon Shire
Loddon Shire Council | Visitor Economy Strategy | Loddon Shire, Victoria, Australia | 2024 - 25
Credit: Loddon Valley Shire
Development of a Visitor Economy Strategy 2030
Community and industry engagement across the region
Alignment with regional governance and partnership reforms
Implementation and performance tracking framework
The Challenge
Loddon Shire Council required a Visitor Economy Strategy that would position the region for sustainable growth while aligning with changing regional governance structures and partnership opportunities.
Key challenges included
Establishing a clear destination identity and vision
Aligning tourism priorities with regional partnership reforms
Engendering strong community ownership and involvement
Creating a practical framework for implementation and measurement
Our Approach
We applied a place-based, community-led methodology to shape a strategy grounded in local strengths, partnerships and long-term sustainability.
Our methodology included
Context analysis including literature review and tourism audit
Deep engagement with residents, industry and community groups
Regional immersion and listening to capture local insights
Strategic framework development aligned with partnerships and governance
Outcomes and Impact
Key Outcomes
Community-centric Visitor Economy Strategy to guide growth to 2030
Clear strategic priorities for experience development and storytelling
Strengthened regional collaboration and partnership alignment
Implementation framework supported by performance tracking tools
Economic and Social Impact
Integrated economic, social, cultural and environmental outcomes
Stronger civic pride and community participation in tourism
Enhanced regional collaboration and resource optimisation
Sustainable destination stewardship benefiting residents and visitors
Services Delivered
“Sparrowly Group led the development of the 2025-2030 Visitor Economy Strategy for the Loddon Shire. The team were extremely professional to work with, and delivered an excellent outcome for our municipality. This Visitor Economy Strategy has set us up with a framework to further develop a sustainable and thriving visitor economy for the Loddon Shire.”
