CALLING IN FOR AN AFTERNOON CHAT AT UNAVALE VINEYARD
So what did we learn about industry needs on Flinders Island?
this week as the new Friday won’t be here until Thursday, but we’ve baked plenty of biscuits, come in.”
• Lack of available staff presents a challenge for many operators and venues. We met many residents who are working several shifts per week in the hospitality industry in addition to their usual full- or part-time day job. • A number of operators identified the need for a coordinated approach to destination marketing. Through the development of a shared strategy for sustainable visitation, operators would be better positioned to increase their reach and awareness with more targeted promotion. A coordinated strategy would also open opportunities for collaboration, both on and off island. • Limited capacity and time to access professional business services leaves some operators feeling frustrated at the missed opportunities. As an island off an island, we expected freight and logistics would be a significant issue for the industry. However like so many regional communities, the people of Flinders Island have a resilient capacity for pragmatic solutions. A few days before our visit the fridge in the CWA Shop had died, which meant “no sponge cakes
Similarly when the coriander supplies coming into the island wasn’t lasting long, Wendy from Cooma House decided to plant her own - fast forward a few years and a large fruit and vegetable garden is located a few steps from the kitchen of the accommodation and cooking school, producing herbs, citrus trees, vegetables, fruit and of course coriander. It’s clear that this type of adaptability often leads to better outcomes, as well as good stories to share. During our visit, a consistent theme that emerged was the industry’s shared belief in achieving sustainable growth in visitation while preserving the heart and soul of Flinders Island. This sentiment was summed up well by one of the leaders of the voluntary group involved in the creation of a maritime museum for the island: (we want visitors to the island…) to get to know our island and connect with the community, to learn about the traditional owners, to enjoy our beautiful bushwalks and beaches, and to chat with us and ask about island’s heritage and stories. And we hope these visitors will choose to return to Flinders Island again.
45 Tasmanian Hospitality Review October/November Edition
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