RESEARCH REPORT - MARK395

MARK 395 REPORT

STRATEGIC MARKETING PLAN

Group Members:
Tegan McFadden - 5063978
Ellenie Pollock - 5120482
Natasha Rontziokos - 5052129
Hoang Hai Yen Le - 5300319

Tutorial: Thursday 4.30pm

Tutor: Paul Chad

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Executive Summary
This report aims to provide an insight into the tourism destination Berry, NSW, exemplifying current
issues, an overview, product strategy and various DMO strategies to enhance the exchange of value
between the visitor and tourism sector. These strategies are based on the vast agricultural experiences
Berry currently offers and has the potential to provide, targeting couples who are working professionals
from Sydney with limited time, sufficient money and are seeking to escape their city lifestyle via a
weekend getaway. This report encapsulates strategies that will enhance the benefit diversification of
Berry, focusing on the multi-benefits from a single destination (see Appendix 1) with an agri-tourism
focus.
Current issues epitomise what is being done now via product development and communication, whilst
areas highlighted for development include future prospects for domestic tourism, DMO partnerships,
the physical product, and converting day trippers to stay overnight. The opening of Berry bypass is one
key issue explored, posing the risk of a decline in tourists, as our strategies aim to rejuvenate Berry as a
destination, maximising the quantity of new visitors and revisits.
The overview explores the impact of online technologies facilitating and enhancing communication
between tourism stakeholders, posing that Berry will utilise an amalgamation of online resources and
traditional mediums to satisfy consumer behaviours and promote Berry’s array of rich agricultural
experiences. Economic, social and environmental goals are also pinpointed to direct and enhance the
growth of Berry as a destination, without disrupting the culture and environment.
Product strategies indicate the tangible and intangible components of the physical product, people,
packages and programmes to attract the target market, guided by the growth strategy matrix. These
strategies focus on location, non-location and experience based agricultural experiences in line with the
destination product principles, providing an enticing escape for working professionals from Sydney
seeking a getaway, illustrating the multiple benefits Berry offers as a single destination.
The DMO strategy focuses on Berry DMO and its partnership with the Shoalhaven DMO and
Destination NSW centered on research, online technologies and agricultural experiences in marketing.
The DMO strategy discusses attracting working professionals from Sydney through benefit
diversification, and giving this target market a reason to select Berry as the ideal destination for a city
escape. By analysing the current issues and opportunities in Berry, this report presents a diverse range
of agriculturally oriented strategies to maximize attraction of the specified target market, the potential
for value exchange and achievement of short and long term goals.

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Table of Contents

Title Page 1

Executive Summary 2

Table of Contents 3

Introduction 4

Current Issues 6

Overview 8

Product Strategy 10

DMO Strategy 12

Conclusion 14

References 15

Appendix:
1 - A) Conceptualization of Multidestination Pleasure Trips 19

1 - B) Alternative Spatial Patterns of Pleasure Vacation Trips 19

2 - TALC Model 20

3 - Distribution of Commercial Accommodation in Berry & Surrounds 20

4 - Map of Stakeholders 20

5 - The Performance of the Motel Sector for the Period of 2006-2011 21

6 - A) SWOT analysis 21
6 - B) PESTLE analysis 22
7 - Planning Process Model 23
8 - Environmental Sustainability Goals 23
9 - Products and Services 24

10 - Marketing Flyer 25

Group Work Diary 26

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Introduction
Berry is located on the South Coast of NSW, Australia. The rural town is a two-hour drive from
Sydney’s CBD. The town is renowned for its local eateries and cafes, pastoral setting and shopping
(Berry South Coast, NSW 2017). In 2015, there was a total population of 8,766 people and a land area
of roughly 54,000 hectares (ABS 2017). Situated in a countryside landscape and surrounded by rolling
green hills, Berry is a well-known tourist attraction of the NSW South Coast. Moreover, Berry was one
of the earliest settlements in the Shoalhaven region dating back to 1800’s. This village is valued for its
historic charm, picturesque landscapes, community, cultural events and self-guided heritage walks. In
accordance to the ‘Typology of Pleasure Travel Patterns Matrix’ by Lue et al. (1993 p.7), Destination
Berry lies in the Benefit Diversification cell, which distinguishes Berry as a single destination which
offers multiple benefits (see Appendix 1).

A draw-card for Berry lies in its rich culture of agricultural production. In 2011, the total gross value of
agricultural production was $15.2 million (ABS 2017). Positioning Berry as a destination which offers
multi-agricultural tourism benefits will be vital for our strategy. Creating partnerships between local
wineries, dairy farms and chocolate factories to offer production tours will help create demand. Non-
food experiences will also be instrumental to our strategy including horse riding, the drawing rooms
rock bushwalk, national park tours and cycling tours (Tourism Tasmania 2017). A model similar to the
Agri-Tourism Model in Tasmania will be applied to Berry. Tasmania’s food agriculture and non-food
agriculture contributed to approximately $1.49 billion in 2016 (Tourism Tasmania 2017). Their model
focuses on branding Tasmania as an agricultural destination, and they aim to expand their agricultural
sector through revenue and partnerships from tourism (Tourism Tasmania 2017). It is evident that by
tapping into this industry, like Tasmania, we can increase demand and create endless opportunities for
economic growth.

According to the Tourism Research Australia 2017 report for overnight trips by Australian residents,
the NSW South Coast has an average stay of 3.9 nights. The main purposes for visits to NSW in 2017
included holiday (41.5%), visiting family and relatives (34.6%) and business (16%) (Destination NSW
2017, p.2). The main form of transportation to Berry is by car. Tapping into the domestic tourist
segment will be beneficial due to its large size and potential for growth. We aim to target Sydney
couples, who are working professionals, are time-poor, have money and are seeking a weekend

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getaway to escape their city lifestyle. Through various promotional tactics, we hope to bridge the gap
between the city and country (Virtue 2017).

In the past, Berry was a popular destination particularly for day-trippers, as travellers passed through
the town to travel down the south coast. However, in 2017 the Berry Bypass opened, a $580 million
development which plans to reduce congestion and improve road safety within Berry (Crawford
2017). This poses as a threat to tourism, putting Berry at risk of entering the decline stage of the
Tourism Life Cycle Model (see Appendix 2). Community members have expressed their concern
about the future of small businesses and the tourism industry (Hogan 2012). Kiama MP urges the
public to go to Berry to support these local businesses (Crawford 2017).

There is great opportunity for Berry to flourish as a single destination which offers multiple benefits
(Lue. et. al 1993, p.7). Berry is located only a 2 hour drive from Sydney’s centre, and offers a good
range of products that are close to markets. Berry is located near the coastline and beaches, unlike
other rural towns which offer a similar destination mix like Berry. This is a core benefit that will draw
tourists to seek the experiences Berry has to offer.

Through the examination of macro-environmental influences and contemporary issues related to

destination management, we have suggested potential strategies that can be adopted by Destination
Berry in order to better market their offerings to working professionals from Sydney. These strategies
aim to rejuvenate Berry as a destination, increasing new visitors and ensuring revisits by our specified
target market, attracting tourists to stay in Berry for a weekend getaway and experience the vast depth
of agricultural benefits.

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Current Issues
Various current issues impacting Berry must be considered in the research, planning and the
development of strategies. The 2017 opening of the Berry Bypass poses as significant issue for Berry’s
tourism sector. The bypass has notable advantages like decreasing congestion and enhancing safety.
However, it poses a threat to tourism within the destination (Hogan 2012) and puts Berry at risk of
entering the decline stage of the Tourism Life Cycle Model (see Appendix 2). Our strategy attempts to
rejuvenate this multi-benefit destination by maintaining and enhancing visits by working professionals.
Prior to the bypass construction, Berry was predominantly a day-trip destination by tourists travelling
down the South Coast as it is only a two hour drive from Sydney and Canberra. Jamal and Robinson
(2009) suggest the day trippers are low spenders when compared to ‘real’ tourists, which are defined as
travellers who stay overnight. Our strategy aims to convert day trippers to tourists, extending this length
of stay into a weekend getaway. This will be challenging and require heavy promotion to position Berry
as a single destination with a diverse range of agricultural benefits.
According to Shoalhaven Signature (2017), visitation numbers in the Shoalhaven region have had an
accelerating increase of 39.2% and the main source market is Sydney (55.3%). It is evident Berry offers
Sydney tourists a “ritual inversion of travel”, which refers to the desire of a different experience. Berry
appeals to markets because of is agricultural experiences, which contrasts with Sydney’s ordinary city
scenery (Costa & Martinotti, 2003). This is considered a key opportunity for Berry, focusing on
developing its unique agricultural character to attract Sydney residents via a country escape, boosting
the local economy whilst preserving traditions.
Berry’s scenic landscapes, vineyards, wineries and dairy farms offer great opportunities for marketers to
take advantage of. It is evident that wine, food and culinary cuisine are viable tourism products in
Berry. The establishment of produce tours, wineries and events such as Fairgrounds Festival and Berry
Winter Wine Festival have attributed to a rise in tourism. The regular local produce markets offer
recreational activities and local experiences, and are clear draw cards for the tourism sector. Berry also
offers two cycle ride roads including The Agars Lane Roll and The Block, where cyclists can stop at
wineries or cafes on their cycling trail. Whilst Berry currently offers a range of agricultural products
and services, additional promotional strategies should be implemented to better position Berry as an
‘agricultural destination’.
Despite these advantages, there are some concerns that need to be taken into consideration (see
Appendix 6). According to the UW Extension Center for Community & Economic Development (2012),
the three most important amenities for agri-tourists are on‐site restrooms, adequate parking, and a
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convenient location. Berry’s hospitality sector has developed in recent years with an increase in
restaurants and cafes. However, they do not have sufficient infrastructure in accommodation to sustain
large groups of people. Berry offers a wide range of accommodations including pubs, hotels, caravan
parks, boutique properties and bed and breakfasts (see Appendix 3). The accommodation in Berry is
mostly dominated by small, independently operated properties. Berry is accessible by trains (line T4)
and buses (route 705 - Nowra to Gerringong), however the only public transport service within Berry is
coach which is unlikely to be utilised by tourists except for on occasional events. The Shoalhaven City
Council (2012, p.23) also highlights the need of additional public toilets and car parks in Berry.
Berry’s tourism sector, operated by Berry Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Inc is a highly fragmented
industry (Shoalhaven City Council 2012, p.2). Berry tourism operators and business organisations are
working in isolation with little engagement with the Shoalhaven Tourism Board. There is a
concentration of small local business operators which have limited resources and skills. This implies
Berry is in need of building relationship with ‘collaborative' and ‘involvement' stakeholders (see
Appendix 4) to create a sense of teamwork, while leading and coordinating a shared vision as an
agritourism destination. Berry should become actively involved with Shoalhaven Tourism to achieve
market expansion, better serve customer needs and cross-promote with other destinations.
Seasonality is a distinctive feature of tourism by the nature of services. Seasonality is a main challenge
of Berry with winter being the off-season and reaching its peak in January (see Appendix 5). Berry has
implemented market diversification to reduce the seasonality with a range of festivals and activities
including the Spring event series, Fairgrounds Festival in Summer, bushwalking in Autumn and Berry
Winter Wine Festival. However, seasonality still remains a significant challenge. One recommendation
to combat seasonality, is for businesses during the off-season to market their land as a location to
celebrate harvest times or for weddings. As reported by Shoalhaven City Council (2012, p.128), the
primary markets in the peak season (January) are mainly Generation X families, followed by couples. In
contrast, families with pre-school aged children and retirees are the two main markets in the off-season.
This suggests a need of appropriate communication and marketing strategies to hinder the impact of
seasonality on the tourism sector of Berry. It is evident that there are numerous current challenges
impacting the tourism sector of Berry. Whilst Berry provides a vast range of experiences, further
product and DMO strategies are necessary to overcome these challenges, maximise visits and the
benefits of agritourism.

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Overview
Extensive planning and research is required for DMOs to effectively position, market, segment and
promote their destination to potential and existing markets. Analysis of the current macro-
environmental conditions (see Appendix 6) is required to efficiently plan long-term (strategic) and
short-term (tactical) goals (Morrison 2013, p.72) (see Appendix 7).
The tourism sector is becoming more complex, with new destinations emerging and fierce competition
(Vodeb 2012, p.274). For domestic tourism, there are several destinations within NSW which offer
similar agricultural tourism benefits as Berry. Competing destinations within NSW include The Hunter
Valley and The Blue Mountains. While this may seem like a negative, there is a great opportunity for
Berry to partner with these DMOs for cross-promotion.
The tourism landscape has rapidly transgressed through the advances of online technologies (see
Appendix 6: A). Communication has not only improved dialogue between DMOs and tourists but has
facilitated reliable and active communication between tourism stakeholders. As Destination Berry is a
single destination that offers multiple benefits (Lue et al. 1993 p.7), online technologies will be vital for
communication in the promotional strategy. Websites such as search engines, destination management
systems, price comparison sites and social networking portals are all useful for tourists seeking value-
adding information regarding Berry (Buhalis and Law 2008, p.5). The use of online booking sites such
as Expedia.com has attributed to the re-engineering of travel intermediation, and have removed the
need for travel agents to book accommodation. (Buhalis 2004 p.14). These websites allow tourists to
find out accommodation, transport, food and beverage outlets, insurance information and activities
available in Berry. This process empowers consumers as they develop their own virtual itinerary that
satisfies their budget needs, interests and wants (Buhalis 2004 p.14). However, it is evident different
market segments utilise different distribution channels to acquire information about a destination.
While the majority of Millennials will book their trips through the internet, older generations can be
seen to still use traditional channels, such as travel agents or flyers to find out relevant information
(Buhalis 2004. p.14). Thus, when marketing Berry to dissimilar market segments, a mixture of online
resources and traditional mediums will be required to satisfy these consumer behaviours. The strategies
Berry will adopt to target working professionals include:
1. Travel Review Websites: Utilising sites like TripAdvisor and Expedia will help increase brand
awareness about Berry. Encouraging positive reviews will be instrumental as these forms of unpaid,
user-generated communication is believed to be more trustworthy than information from the host
website or other owned channels.
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2. Social Media: A presence on Facebook and Instagram will help engage tourists. Fostering two-way
dialogue and content sharing between consumers and relevant stakeholder groups will generate word
of mouth about prime areas to visit within Berry. An emphasis on user-generated content (UGC),
geo-tagging and the hashtag #DiscoverBerry will help maximise online conversion and the numbers
of visitors to Berry.
3. iPhone and Android App: A mobile app will contain an interactive map of Berry along with useful
information about popular spots, pricing, transport and food and beverage outlets. The app will allow
users to pin point, mark, save and share locations of interest in the area to their social media
accounts.
4. Host Website: The website www.berry.org.au works to inform potential and existing tourists about
what Berry has to offer to consumers. Adding a language translating option will help our DMO
better target international tourists.
5. Digital Analytics: Tracking conversion, likes, comments, shares, pageviews, reviews and
interpreting this content will be important when evaluating campaign effectiveness.
6. Traditional Mediums: Flyers, newspaper articles and travel agents will still need to be heavily
incorporated into our strategy to effectively target mature generational markets.

Planning economic, environmental and social goals will help Berry grow without disrupting their
culture and environment (Morrison 2013, p.182). These goals include:
1. Economic: Increase visitor expenditure by 10% over three years; Increase employment by 3%
through new product development over five years; Increase business profitability by 6% over three
years.
2. Social: Involve and engage community members in promotional ideas for Berry; Through greater
economic growth increase infrastructure facilities and service; Preserve the rich culture and heritage
of Berry.
3. Environmental: Inform and educate tourists about local farms, produce and sustainable living;
Manage waste and recycle waste produced from events and festival; Build strong partnerships with
community members to help preserve the environment; Be wary of overcrowding at events.

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Product Strategy
As Berry has a diversification of benefits, there are numerous destination product strategies that can be
employed regarding the tangible and intangible components of the physical product, people, packages
and programmes to attract working professionals from Sydney and ensure revisits. Via consideration of
the growth strategy matrix in Appendix 9 (Ansoff 1987) and the five elements of tourism products
including the physical plant, service, hospitality, freedom of choice and involvement (Smith 1994)
numerous product strategies have been developed to assist in the rejuvenation of Berry.
The physical product consists of attractions, facilities, infrastructure and transportation, as our product
strategy is primarily focused on attractions and facilities to attract visitors and enhance the exchange of
value in agricultural tourism. Encouraging increased utilisation of Berry’s Drawing Room Rocks
Bushwalk and Lookout (VisitNSW 2017) through advertisements is a key market penetration strategy
integral to location-based experiences of agri-tourism, encouraging further use of existing products by
existing markets. A product development strategy can also be employed by introducing a special event
such as a music, food and wine festival to increase the attraction of working professionals seeking a city
escape. Introducing this new product will enhance growth, whist fortifying relationships with local dairy
and produce farmers, winemakers, food and beverage outlets within the Berry Region. Product
development through further accommodation, particularly hotels would also extend visitors’ length of
stay, enabling working professionals to engage in a richer experience of the multiple agricultural
benefits Berry has to offer including location, non-location and experienced based agri-tourism
experiences, whilst additional public toilets and car parks should be created to counteract the current
amenity issues. Analysis of these physical product developments should also be conducted including site
evaluation; resource impact analysis; market analysis; financial feasibility analysis; and business and
marketing plan preparation to assess the success of physical product strategies, maximising the
achievement of short and long-term goals (Morrison 2013, p. 169).
Furthermore, people and human resource development are critical to product strategy as “tourism is
largely a people business” (Holding 2010). Humans are vital to the destination product, therefore, people
development strategies such as mentoring programmes and travel trade staff education programs could
be implemented to assist in the revitalisation of Berry and maximise the number of working
professionals visiting this destination. Berry businesses could team up with entrepreneurs, managers or
supervisors to educate and train colleagues in regards to specific tasks. Training could also be introduced
to individuals in tour operating companies and travel agencies such as Whitesands Travel in Berry

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(Whitesands 2017) to enhance knowledge and skills, enticing visitors and maximising the experience of
tourists.
Packages are also a key component of product strategy, as several travel and hospitality offers can be
combined at a single price, generating numerous benefits for both the tourist and tourism sector. For
example, a weekend or weekly getaway for working professionals in Berry could be introduced
combining hotel accommodation with a range of agricultural experiences such as a Berry wine tour,
eatery and restaurant experiences, a dairy farm visit, horse riding, national park tours, cycling tours and
visits to attractions including the Treat Factory at a single price with bus transportation included. Such
packages would generate monumental benefits for time-poor working professionals such as budgeting
for trips, added value and the satisfaction of special interests, while benefiting the tourism sector through
easier business forecasting, added appeal to specific markets, attraction of new target markets and
increased customer satisfaction (Morrison 2013, p.173).
Programme development through agricultural events, festivals and activities would also encourage
working professionals from Sydney to stay in Berry as a single destination, as opposed to bypassing this
multi-benefit location. Cooking classes at eateries including Berry’s iconic Silos Restaurant showcasing
fresh seasonal produce (Silos 2017), jam making at Berry’s Treat Factory or a window to view treat
production (Maxwell Treats 2017) could be introduced as additional agricultural experiences to attract
visitors. Product development through the introduction of a new event such as a music, food and wine
festival showcasing local talent and produce, or market penetration through the expansion of an existing
events such as the annual Berry Gardens Festival (BerryAlliance 2017) would attract working
professionals by offering a richer agricultural experience in this beautiful location.
These strategies should be implemented in accordance with the principles of destination product
development including appropriate scale, competitive differentiation, sustainability, creativity and
innovation (Morrison 2013, p.167), generating favourable outcomes for tourists and the tourism sector,
as ‘unless tourism products meet the needs and expectations of tourists, the destination cannot realise its
full potential’ (UNWTO 2017). Thus, via guidance of the growth strategy matrix, numerous product
strategies can be employed regarding tangible and intangible components of the physical product,
people, packages and programmes, increasing destination quality and enabling Berry to achieve
rejuvenation in the destination lifecycle (Morrison 2013, p.71), maximising visits by working
professionals from Sydney to this beautiful, multi-benefit and agriculturally diverse destination.

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DMO Strategy
The DMO strategy is undertaken by the Berry DMO in primary partnerships with the Shoalhaven DMO
and Destination NSW. These marketing strategies will focus on market research, database marketing,
relationship marketing, social media, programming, activities and partnerships with other DMOs in
NSW (Morrison 2013, p. 374). Utilising benefit diversification, where there are multiple benefits from a
single destination allows tourists to obtain a rich experience in one destination instead of rushing
through multiple destinations. Knowing the DMOs involvement in product development is essential
whether they are a bystander, facilitator, instigator or partner (Morrison 2013 p. 159). The Berry DMO
is an instigator, as opportunities for products are actively identified (Morrison 2013, p. 159).
The DMOs promotional strategy is unique as Berry DMO does not have control over the quality and
quantity of the products or services being promoted or their pricing (Morrison 2013, p. 21). The DMO
strategy is Government funded and focuses on agricultural tourism in Berry. This promotional strategy
has been proven to be successful within region of Tasmania (Tourism Tasmania 2017).
Conducting research on tourist patterns will ensure the best promotional strategy is developed. If the
Berry DMO, Shoalhaven DMO and NSW DMO do not conduct efficient research, their promotional
strategy may not reach our desired target market. As suggested by Morrison (2013, p. 12), ‘every DMO
should have a research programme and prepare a plan ahead of time that indicates the research to be
completed and information gathered’, as research will be critical to our strategy.
Database marketing involves a DMO to “prepare and continuously maintain a set of relational
databases” (Morrison 2013, p. 353). Databases make it easy to send out essential destination information
such as local deals for the Berry Festival to a large audience simultaneously. Databases can be formed
by tourists signing up to the DMO website, previously taking part in a package or using a service from
Berry.
Relationship marketing will be carried out through the Shoalhaven, working with influential travel
bloggers suited to our target market. The DMO will invite a range of influencers and travel bloggers to
experience the products and services Berry has to offer. Olympian swimmer Lara Davenport and actor
Trent Dalzell will take part as they both grew up in Berry along with travel bloggers Nicola Easterby
(@polkadotpassport) and William Patino (@william_patino), appealing to working professionals. This
includes winery tours, staying in a Bed and Breakfast and visiting the Drawing Room Rocks. The travel
bloggers will post on their social media such as Instagram. The DMO will use this UGC on their social
media, as this community partner engagement will help to promote Berry’s products and services.

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Another DMO strategy Berry will undertake is to carry out cross-promotional work with DMOs in the
Hunter Valley, Blue Mountains and Port Stephens. These are popular locations for Sydney tourists who
collect experiences and often travel to these destinations due to the short travel time. At each of these
destinations will be Berry Flyers (see Appendix 10 ).
The major focus for the DMO promotional strategy will be online technologies, primarily implemented
through the DMO host website and social media sites like Facebook and Instagram. Search engines,
destination management systems and price comparison sites will be secondary. Additionally, traditional
mediums will be used such as leveraging advertisements in travel magazines, encouraging more
activities for tourists (The Berry Forum 2016). The Berry Instagram will also organise a yearly
competition which will be run called ‘Experience Berry’, where tourists need to post their best photo in
Berry, generating buzz and showing off the must-see places in Berry.
Berry’s product strategy will be implemented in line with the South Coast Regional Organisation,
Regional DMO and State DMO, Visit NSW. This partnership will assist the Regional DMO to promote
Berry as a single destination with multiple benefits by attracting visitors for a prolonged period,
emphasising programmes and packages. Visit My Farm (2017) is an agriculture project supported by the
NSW Government. The Berry DMO will work in conjunction with this project, encouraging local farm
owners to register and get tourists to experience the Berry agriculture.
Focusing on agriculture will be another DMO strategy, building partnerships between farms and
wineries within Berry. Through these partnerships we will be able to educate tourists about farming
practices and produce. The farms and wineries will also partner with bus companies in Berry.
Destination NSW will take charge of this promotional strategy, as building strong partnerships with
local services will enhance the promotion of Berry to potential tourists.
Understanding why people travel is critical to the DMO marketing strategy. The Push and Pull Strategy
will be essential in bringing tourists to Berry to experience the products and services on offer. The Push
and Pull theory developed by Dann (1977) explored by Morrison (2013 p. 403) is important for DMOs
to implement, as Berry DMO should focus on the pull factors maximize tourists, the destination
attributes and where to travel.
Each of the DMOs websites will be the most direct way the DMOs will connect to potential tourists.
However, traditional marketing such as billboards along the motorway before Berry and in tourism
magazines will be used to gain exposure, featuring website details where individuals can access further
information regarding the agricultural products and services Berry has to offer.

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Conclusion
In conclusion, Berry is a perfect single destination tourist destination which offers multiple benefits. The
target market of working professionals from Sydney who have finances yet are time-poor is the Berry’s
DMO primary focus. There are other target markets which could be targeted by the Berry DMO,
however, for the purpose of this report, working professionals have been the sole focus.
The promotional strategy the Berry DMO has undertaken is focussed on an agricultural package for the
target market to experience in Berry. The main difficulty for the Berry DMO in relation to product
strategy is that they do not have control over what products and services the town of Berry offers.
Throughout the marketing process, each of the goals outlined in the overview will be assessed and
adapted accordingly if needed.
Berry’s Key Result Areas are:
1. Effective marketing and promotion targeted towards working professionals from Sydney.
2. Partnerships established by Berry DMO with the Shoalhaven DMO, Destination NSW, and other
destinations.
3. Thorough planning and research of the specified target market and rich agriculture experiences
in Berry.
4. Effective product development strategies centered on the physical product, people, packages and
programmes with an agri-tourism focus.
Berry’s Key Performance Indicators are:
1. Increased total campaign awareness centered on the multi agricultural experiences Berry has to
offer.
2. Increased destination awareness by working professionals from Sydney due to the promotion of
Berry from local, regional and state level destination management organisations.
3. Enhanced value per respondent.
4. Conviction for working professionals to visit Berry due to the vast agricultural experiences.
Tracking digital analytics will help in the marketing efforts of the Berry DMO. This will include tracking
conversion, likes, comments, shares, page views and tourist reviews. Understanding and interpreting this
content is important and will help shape future marketing efforts by the DMO.
The Berry Marketing Research Report has been carefully considered and is just one marketing strategy
which Berry DMO will implement in partnership with the marketing efforts of Shoalhaven DMO and
Destination NSW.

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0.pdf>.

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Maxwell Treats 2017, ‘The Treat Factory’, Maxwell Treats, viewed 19 September 2017, <
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Morrison, A, M 2013, Marketing and Managing Tourism Destinations, New York: Routledge.

NSW Budget 2017, Infrastructure statement 2017, NSW Budget 2017, viewed 15 October 2017,
<https://www.budget.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/budget-2017-06/2017-
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Shoalhaven City Council 2013, Community Strategic Plan, Shoalhaven City Council, viewed 15 October
2017, <http://doc.shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au/Displaydoc.aspx?Record=D13/150849>.

Shoalhaven City Council 2012, Profile and statement of economic impact, Shoalhaven City Council,
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Shoalhaven City Council 2012, Shoalhaven Tourism Master Plan 2012-2017, Shoalhaven City Council,
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Appendix 1:
A) Conceptualization of Multidestination Pleasure Trips (Crompton, Fesenmaier & Lue 1993)

B) Alternative Spatial Patterns of Pleasure Vacation Trips (Crompton, Fesenmaier & Lue 1993)

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Appendix 2: TALC Model (Tourism Intelligence 2017)

Appendix 3: Distribution of Commercial Accommodation in Berry & Surrounds (Shoalhaven City

Council 2012).

Appendix 4: Map of Stakeholders

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Appendix 5: The Performance of the Motel Sector for the period of 2006-2011 (%) (Shoalhaven City
Council 2012)

Appendix 6: Situational Analysis

A) SWOT Analysis

Strengths - Berry offers a range a distinct product mix which is quite exclusive to
the region.
- Domestic tourism is rife.
- Rich in culture, food and lifestyle benefits.
- Accommodates for several market segments across different age
demographics, lifestyle and occupations.

Weaknesses - Accommodation services are perceived to be not as luxurious as other

competing destinations, such as the Hunter Valley or Margaret River.
- High seasonality changes depending on weather.

Opportunities - Huge opportunity to increase domestic tourism in NSW.

- Create partnerships with online and social media influencers to increase
awareness about Berry as a tourism destination.
- Improve the infrastructure to support an influx of more tourists who
stay overnight.

Threats - A change in infrastructure and the Berry bypass being built is believed
to reduce the number of visitors to Berry (Hogan 2012).
- Weakening AU dollar against the US dollar resulting in a decrease in
economic growth.
- Competing destinations in NSW such as the Hunter Valley offer a
similar destination mix and packages.

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B) PESTLE Analysis

Political - Spending on more than $789 millions on the construction of Berry

bypass.
- Propose to allocate a fund of 136.8 millions for upgrades to Princess
Highway and Berry bypass (NSW Budget 2017).
- The aim is to provide a safer and efficient road network in the area.

Economic - Tourism is considered as an economic driving force of Berry and South

Coast region in general.
- The expenditure of Shoalhaven region in 2011 was estimated $678
million, increasing by 9.9% over the same period in 2009 (Shoalhaven
City Council 2012).
- According to Profile and Statement of Economic Impact of South Coast
of NSW (2012), the tourism income of South Coast region was ranked
3rd out of 14 tourism region in NSW (Shoalhaven City Council 2012).

Social - The population of Berry was 2,667 (ABS 2016)

- The median age is 56 years with the domination of people aged 65 and
above (37.4%) (ABS 2016).
- This poor demographic situation points out a lack of qualified staff for
tourism sector .

Technology - Use to enhance tourist experiences (online booking platform, digital

maps)
- Promote Berry on numerous digital platforms (websites, social media).

Environment - Berry is well-known for its richness in natural attractions.

- In 1995, Berry also formed Berry Alliance which is an community
group devoted to helping preserve the environments and scenic views
including reducing electricity usage, recycling, et cetera (Berry Alliance
2017).
- The opening of the Berry bypass may lead to noise pollution and
amenity visual impacts to the north of Berry.

Legal - Destination must be consistent with Australian Development Policy and

Australian Tourism Policy
- Tourism includes a complexity of regulation: environmental regulation,
labour controls, general business regulation, planning regulation.

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Appendix 7: Planning Process Model (Morrison 2013)

Appendix 8: Environmental Sustainability Goals

Economic - Increase visitor expenditure by 10% over 3 years

- Increase employment by 3% through new product development
over 5 years
- Increase business profitability by 6% over 3 years

Social - Involve and engage community members in promotional ideas for

Berry
- Through greater economic growth, increase infrastructure facilities
and services
- Preserve the rich culture and heritage of Berry

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Environmental - Inform and educate tourists about local farms, produce and
sustainable living
- Manage waste and recycle waste produced from events and
festivals
- Build strong partnerships with community members to preserve
the environment

Appendix 9: Products and Services (Ansoff 1987)

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Appendix 10: Marketing Flyer

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Group Work Diary

Date Time Length Attendees Completed To Do

21/09/17 4.30pm 1 hour Tegan Discussed/brainstormed on - Research potential

Ellenie aspects destinations
Natasha
Hoang

28/09/17 4.30pm 1 hour Tegan Picked Berry as our - Conduct research

Ellenie destination on Berry, begin
Natasha SWOT &
Hoang PESTLE Analysis

05/10/17 9.00 am 1.5 hours Ellenie Product strategy - Overview

Natasha - Introduction
Hoang - Executive
summary

5/10/17 4:30pm 1 hour Tegan Discussed/brainstormed - Complete main

Ellenie Agricultural tourism body sections for
Natasha meeting with Greg
Hoang

12/10/17 9:30am 30 mins Ellenie Meeting with Greg - main - Executive

Natasha body sections completed Summary
Hoang - Introduction
- Conclusion
- Feedback from
Greg

12/10/17 4:30pm 1 hour Tegan Discuss Greg’s feedback - Make appropriate

Ellenie changes
Natasha
Hoang

Section Completed by

Executive Summary, Current Issues, Product Tegan Mcfadden

Strategy, Conclusion (KRA’s and KPI’s)

Introduction, Overview, Current Issues, Natasha Rontziokos

Powerpoint Presentation Slides, SWOT

DMO Strategy, Conclusion, Graphics Ellenie Pollock

Current Issues, PESTLE Hoang Hai Yen Le

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