TRM300: Case Study Report on Regional Tourism in Australia

This report analyzes the Warrumbungle National Park as a case study in regional tourism, focusing on its attraction management, and sustainability. The introduction provides an overview of the park, highlighting its status as Australia's first Dark Sky Park and its appeal to stargazers and nature enthusiasts. The report identifies key stakeholders in the park's management, including the government, NSW Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events, the public, and Destination NSW. It then compares the Warrumbungle National Park with other regional tourism destinations in New South Wales, such as the Blue Mountains, Byron Bay, and Hunter Valley, analyzing their competitive advantages. The report also examines the park's adherence to ecotourism principles, emphasizing the importance of minimizing environmental impacts and promoting cultural awareness. The analysis references relevant academic literature to support its findings and offers insights into the challenges and opportunities for regional tourism development.

Running head: REGIONAL TOURISM
REGIONAL TOURISM
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Attraction Management...................................................................................................................2
Attraction Analysis..........................................................................................................................4
Sustainability...................................................................................................................................5
References........................................................................................................................................7

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Introduction
The nature based attraction which has been chosen for the purpose of the analysis is the
Warrumbungle National Park. The Warrumbungle National Park is located near Coonabarabran
in the central western New South Wales. The natural tourist attraction can be understood to be
Australia`s first Dark Sky park and the first one in the southern hemisphere as well
(Ecotourism.org.au ,2019). The park is popularly known for the experience it provides to the
different visitors by allowing them with an opportunity to stargaze due to the crystal clear night
skies, high altitude, low humidity and the globally popular research facility which is offered by
the Siding Spring Observatory.
The Dark Sky Parks are particularly popular for its scientific, natural, educational as well
as the cultural heritage facility which it offers for public enjoyment. The visitors to the place can
enjoy an overnight camping opportunity which shall help them to experience the night skies and
in addition to this, also allow them with an opportunity to reminiscent with the nature (Kumral &
Onder, 2012). There are various camping facilities available like picnic tables, hot showers,
barbecues and toilets and the visitors at the place can also experience a visit from the Kangaroos
who are a native of the place. The report will examine the overall tourist attraction of the place
and in addition to this, analyses the overall sustainability and tourism principles associated.
Attraction Management
It is not easy to maintain a tourist place; the sole reason for this is that the place is visited
by a large number of visitors which makes it very difficult for the different managers and related
associates to track their footprint (Brennan–Horley, Connell & Gibson, 2007). However, it is the

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duty of any place to ensure that they are successfully able to manage the place and see to it that
they are being able to engage in a long term relationship with the different customers as present.
Hence, the primary stakeholders who are present for the overall management of the park are as
follows:
 Government: One of the biggest stakeholders in the particular operation can be
understood to be the Government (Carson & MacBeth, 2005). It is the government who is
responsible for maintaining the overall tourist activities and to ensure that they are being
able to engage in ensuring that these regional tourism activities boost the overall
environmental awareness.
 NSW Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events: The Minister for Trade, Tourism
and the Major Events can be understood to be another primary stakeholder who is
responsible for providing funds to the park so that they are successfully able to become
the tourism pride of the destination. Additionally, the place is responsible for ensuring
that the region follows all laws and legislatives which will contribute towards
understanding whether the place is an asset to the country (Tomaney, 2010).
 Public: The public who visits the park for the camping and other activities can also be
understood to be responsible for seeing to it that they are being able to maintain the
cleanliness of the place and ensure that they do not cause harm to the place in any way
(Nationalparks.nsw.gov.au ,2019). In line with this, it can also be considered to be critical
for any visitor to a tourist place to maintain the guidelines of the workplace.
 Destination NSW chief executive officer Sandra Chipchase: The Destination CEO will be
responsible for ensuring that they are successfully able to maintain the attractiveness of
the place and that the tourism count of the place increases.

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Attraction Analysis
The section will examine the various other regional natural tourism places present in New
South Wales and the manner in which they add to the overall competitiveness of the place. The
first place which will be discussed is the Blue Mountains (Visitnsw.com ,2019). The Blue
Mountains can be taken to be a favorite holiday destination for the different nature lovers. It lies
65 kilometers to the west of the city and observes mountains rising steeply out of the coastal
plain, combining magnificent gorges, rock formations and the sacred aboriginal sites
(Ecotourism.org.au ,2019). The mountains can be understood to be one of the most popular
world heritage sites and offers facilities for hiking, rock climbing, abseiling as well as mountain
climbing to the different tourists.
The area also involves the Wentworth Falls, Botanic Garden and Mount Tomah which
are one of the most popular hiking trails present. Another popular natural tourist destination
which is present in the place can be understood to be the Byron Bay. The Byron Bay can be
understood to be a hot spot for the surfers as well as the New Age nature buffs. The destination
offers a hike along the Cape Byron Track which leads to the easterly point on the Australian
continent and is famous for the lighthouse (Wray et al.,2010). The popular world heritage site of
Columbine National Park is also present in the place and the place can be understood to be very
popular for its yoga retreats, spa resorts, luxury boutique hotels and other such facilities.
Another popular tourist destination present in the same place is the picturesque Hunter
Valley. The Hunter Valley is a two hour drive north of Sydney and can be understood to be
Australia`s most popular grape growing regions (Nationalparks.nsw.gov.au ,2019). It is a popular

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weekend escape from Sydney for the foodies who escape to the place for fresh produce, gourmet
restaurants and other cooking school facilities. The highlights of the region comprises of the
beautiful Hunter Valley Gardens, various art galleries and the vast stretch of bush land. The
destination provides the different visitors with an experience of rock climbing, bush walking,
canoeing. Moreover, accommodation facilities offered by the place include luxury spa resorts
and boutique hotels to rustic cabins (Richardson & Fluker, 2007). These tourist destinations are
fairly popular around the globe and a must visit on any tourists list. This can be understood to be
the reason why the places act as extensive competition to the Warrumbungle National Park. The
places provide a far better tourist attraction activities than the National Park and hence, performs
popularly well.
Sustainability
According to Wray et al. (2010), Ecotourism can be understood to be the ecologically
sustainable tourism which runs with the primary focus of experiencing natural areas that fosters
environmental as well as cultural appreciation and conservation. The ecotourism is largely based
on uniting conservation, various communities a sustainable travel. This means that the place
which actively acts as an Ecotourism spot is required to participate, implement and follow the
various ecotourism principles as present (Wray et al., 2010). The main principles which guide
these activities can be understood to be as minimizing physical, social, psychological and
behavioral impacts. It also involves building cultural as well as environmental awareness as well
as respect. According to Pearce (2013), ecotourism and sustainable tourism involves engaging in
a positive experience for both the visitors and the hosts (Carson & Jacobsen, 2005). It engages in
designing, constructing and operating the low impact facilities and lastly it respects the rights

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and beliefs of the Indigenous People present in the community and allow them to work in a
partnership with them to generate empowerment.
Hence, from the analysis of the different principles it can be largely understood that,
Warrumbungle National Park engages to follow all these principles by setting certain guidelines
which limit both the tourists and the management to act in a certain manner (Carson & MacBeth,
2005). The tourist is although confined to camping and related activities are asked to maintain
the decorum of the place by minimizing the waste generated. Moreover, the different facilities
which are present at the place are also designed in a manner such that the facilities will be
successfully able to generate minimum impact on the environment.

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References
Brennan–Horley, C., Connell, J. & Gibson, C. (2007) ‘The Parkes Elvis Revival Festival:
Economic Development and Contested Place Identities in Rural Australia’, Geographical
Research, Vol. 45, No. 1, pp. 71–84.
Carson, D, & Jacobsen, D. (2005) ‘Knowledge matters: Harnessing innovation for regional
tourism development’, in Regional Tourism Cases: Innovation in Regional Tourism (Eds.
Carson, D. & Macbeth, J.) Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre, Common
Ground Publishing Pty Ltd., Altonia: Vic, pp. 19 – 30.
Carson, D. & MacBeth, J. (2005) Regional Tourism Cases: Innovation in Regional Tourism,
Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre, Gold Coast.
Ecotourism.org.au (2019). Ecotourism [online]. Available at:
https://www.ecotourism.org.au/(Retreived on: 22 Aug. 2019).
Kumral, N. & Onder, A. O. (2012) Tourism, Regional Development and Public Policy,
Routledge: New York.
Nationalparks.nsw.gov.au (2019). Conservation and heritage [online]. Available at:
https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/conservation-and-heritage/our-parks/dark-sky-
parks (Retreived on: 22 Aug. 2019).
Pearce, P. L. (2013) Initiatives for the development of tourism in tropical Australia. Working
Paper, The Cairns Institute, James Cook University. Cairns: Australia.

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Richardson, J. & Fluker, M. (2007) Understanding and Managing Tourism, Second Edition,
Pearson Education.
Tomaney, J. (2010). Place–based approaches to regional development: Global trends and
Australian implications. Australian Business Association: Sydney, Australia.
Visitnsw.com (2019). Warrumbungle-area [online]. Available at:
https://www.visitnsw.com/destinations/country-nsw/warrumbungle-area/stargazing-
adventure (Retreived on: 22 Aug. 2019).
Wray, M, Dredge, D, Cox, C, Buultjens, J, Hollick, M, Lee, D, Pearlman, M, & Lacroix, C
(2010) Sustainable regional tourism destinations: Best practice for management,
development and marketing, Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre, Gold
Coast.