Collaboration between organisations and regions will create a stronger tourism sector moving forward through the pandemic, industry leaders say.
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Tourism stakeholders in Ballarat and the Pyrenees joined forces to create a new campaign Visit Pyrenees. Stay Ballarat, centred around wine and food festival Pyrenees Unearthed.
The campaign promoted Ballarat accommodation providers and Pyrenees wineries.
Businesses worked together to create 'stay and play' packages, encouraging metro visitors areas to stay in Ballarat after the Pyrenees Unearthed Festival on Saturday and dine in venues pouring Pyrenees wines.
"We have amazing product here in Ballarat and the Pyrenees and this is a great way of joining forces to let the world know what we have," City of Ballarat Mayor Daniel Moloney said.
It is by working together that we grow stronger and gain a greater voice and better recognition in a crowded tourism market.
- Alana Burge, Pyrenees Shire tourism officer
Pyrenees Unearthed Wine and Food Festival in Avoca was a sell out event offering an afternoon of local produce, live music and wine.
"It is by working together that we grow stronger and gain a greater voice and better recognition in a crowded tourism market," Pyrenees Shire tourism officer Alana Burge said.
Ballarat Regional Tourism deputy chair Paul Martino said the campaign was about the region's helping each other.
He said there was limited accommodation in the Pyrenees region and a need to attract more people to stay overnight in Ballarat.
Collaboration is becoming a big new feature in the tourism sector with City of Ballarat's new We Are Ballarat campaign backed by Committee for Ballarat, Commerce Ballarat and Ballarat Regional Tourism.
RELATED COVERAGE: New Ballarat campaign aims to present city's united front
"Collaboration is the way forward," Mr Martino said.
"Because organisations are getting together, communicating effectively and sharing their vision effectively, what that means is when they are not happy, rather than doing things in a non productive way, you can have a conversation together.
"That conversation might be constructively critical of one of the parties but you are doing it in a respectful way.
"Whilst we are collaborating, we might also say something that is difficult to say until you build trust and rapport. That is what is happening and I think that is really important."
Mr Martino said collaboration between Ballarat and surrounding regions would continue to be important moving forward.
"The Grampians being good at what they do is not a threat to Ballarat," he said.
"It is actually a very positive thing because the further we can bring people from Melbourne away from Melbourne, the more chance they have of staying overnight. Staying overnight is the catalyst for turning over tourist dollars."
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