MOREE still has a bad name for itself in the city press but new figures show that tourism in Moree Plains Shire is flourishing.
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Since 2011 tourism in Moree has grown by 19.4 per cent that is an extra 23,000 people coming into town every year.
Tourism brings in $53 million a year to Moree Plains Shire.
Even though there have been a lot of things happening in the world it has really changed the domestic travel market.
Tourism Moree chief executive officer, Tammy Elbourne said we are increasing at a time when our neighbouring towns have decreased.
“Baby boomers are retiring and we are welcoming them to our town,” Mrs Elbourne said.
“There has been a massive increase in families, domestic group travellers and Probus groups.
“We have the longest length of stay on the whole Newell Highway.”
Mrs Elbourne puts it all down to consistency and the fact that they are heavily invested in the community.
“When we took over running Tourism Moree 15 years ago we did a lot of brainstorming and research with the community to see what Moree wanted to be known for.
“It couldn’t be agriculture or food and wine events because everyone else does in a 50 to 100 kilometre radius.
“Water in general is our biggest point, when it rains the town comes alive.
“We don’t have the beach so we knew the artesian water would be our big thing regionally.”
Mrs Elbourne and her team worked close with Moree Plains Shire Council to receive a three million dollar funding for the Moree Artesian Aquatic Centre.
“This redevelopment has changed the whole market.”
Along with the pool facilities Mrs Elbourne really pushes the agriculture tourism, heritage walks and retail.
“Times are tough, we are an agriculture community and we have been through the droughts and the floods and water restrictions,” she said.
“This is about the fact that we are growing when other towns are decreasing. I think it is because we have a pretty town, we have no graffiti and everything is green.”
The Tourism Moree team took risks 12 years ago and it really paid off.
“We took risks by changing the layout for brochures; we invested a lot into the bus and coach industry.
“We are also abreast with the change of technology by creating an app for mobile phones that will be launching soon.
“But Tourism Moree isn’t naive when it comes to marketing the town.
“We acknowledge what we have and where we are.
“We aren’t a destination like the Gold Coast; we know that people aren’t going to stay here for weeks and weeks. That’s why we look at the family market and short stays.
“But we do have a long way to go. We have to change and have to evolve.
“When Moree does something we do it well, we have a passionate community.
“It’s just engaging the message that we are open for business, we aren’t finished yet.”
Tourism Moree is always open to the community telling them what we are doing right or wrong
