Launceston City Council Events Strategy

The most

memorable events start here.

The Launceston City Council’s Events Strategy January 2012 to January 2015

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This page: City Park Cover image: Aurora Stadium

Message from the Mayor of Launceston This strategy is our direction and action plan for events in the Launceston municipality. We want residents and visitors to enjoy time together, celebrate and experience the diversity of cultures and foster creativity and innovation through a combination of major events, signature events, business events and community events.

Every year organisations and individuals stage events that contribute to our sense of community and identity, providing the community and visitors alike with meaningful shared experiences, cultural enrichment and participation. The major drivers of the strategy are the social, cultural and economic benefits gained from a vibrant and diverse calendar of events that attracts over 400,000 visitors each year who enjoy Launceston’s unique attractions.

Events in Launceston continue to go from strength to strength, building Launceston an enviable reputation for presenting major high profile events, particularly over the past ten years following the redevelopment of Aurora Stadium.

Mayor Albert van

Zetten

Events deliver a range of benefits to the Launceston municipality and wider region including: • They produce economic, social and environmental benefits • They enhance resident and visitor experiences • They encourage creative activity • They build reputation • They raise the profile of the destination • They reflect the personality of Launceston.

This Events Strategy demonstrates that we are committed to making Launceston an even better place to live, visit and invest in. Events are a vitally important part of Launceston’s make-up, with principal impacts in the areas of cultural, social and economic benefit. The Launceston City Council recognises this importance, providing event funding to the value of $393,000 in 2011/12 in addition to its significant investment in the provision of major infrastructure.

We are very proud of the role the Launceston City Council plays in supporting events and we look forward to working with the events industry to bring more enjoyment, energy and excitement to Launceston and the wider region. I am personally very excited about the opportunity events present to our city and encourage everyone to get involved.

I am personally very excited about the opportunity events present to our City. Everything you need for a memorable event is in Launceston from state of the art infrastructure and services to breathtaking natural attractions… it all starts here.

Start something special in Launceston.

Mayor Albert van Zetten

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The Launceston City Council Events Strategy Rationale This strategy will provide the Launceston City Council with a clear direction in relation to events held in the Launceston municipality.

It seeks to: • Support Launceston’s unique identity and align with the destination brand.

• Acknowledge the importance of events as a major economic driver for Launceston.

• Strengthen Launceston’s position as a highly desirable place to live, visit and invest.

• Support a diverse, vibrant and strategically balanced year round event calendar.

• Attract and support events which provide optimal benefits (social, cultural, economic and/or environmental) to the Launceston municipality.

• Identify the Council as a leader in events facilitation for the Launceston municipality.

• Develop partnerships to increase investment and support of events in the Launceston municipality.

Seaport 4

Your gourmet odyssey starts here.

Kings Bridge

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Strategic outcomes The strategic outcomes sought to be achieved by the Launceston City Council Events Strategy are as follows: • Ensure we support those events which promote social, cultural, environmental and city image outcomes for Launceston.

• Provide adequate resources to coordinate a balanced calendar of events and attract new major events.

• Improve our success rate in attracting national and international events to the city against fierce competition.

• Deliver added value to the Launceston City Council-owned infrastructure.

• Encourage economic growth in the region.

Strategic goals Goal 1 - Lifestyle Launceston has a vibrant and diverse calendar of events that strengthen Launceston’s position as a highly desirable place to live, visit and invest.

Goal 2 - Tourism Launceston has a portfolio of events that increases interstate visitation, national profile and contributes to the Launceston economy.

Goal 3 - Economic Events held within the region provide optimum economic benefit to the Launceston municipality, through partnerships and business planning.

Goal 4 - Investment The Launceston City Council’s investment in events is clearly directed to meeting its strategic goals.

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Festivale

The Launceston City Council’s role Leader The Launceston City Council champions, coordinates, advocates, plans and provides an event focus for the city. It is a catalyst for partnerships and cooperative arrangements for events.

Provider The Launceston City Council organises and supports a series of community, youth and civic events and provides and maintains event venues and infrastructure.

Junction Arts Fest ival

Sponsor The Launceston City Council invests in events organised by others through a number of targeted funding programs.

Facilitator The Launceston City Council assists events by taking a coordinating, regulatory and advisory role through relationship management.

Communicator The Launceston City Council generates enthusiasm and energy for events organised by itself and others through leveraging online, printed and public relations activities.

Festivale

Commitment The Launceston City Council is committed to achieving the goals listed in this strategy.

Jimmy Barnes conc ert

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Goal 1 - Lifestyle Launceston has a vibrant and diverse calendar of events that strengthen Launceston’s position as a highly desirable place to live, visit and invest.

Strategy 1.1

Strategy 1.2

Coordinate a balanced event portfolio for the Launceston municipality evenly distributing events across the year, through partnerships and relationships with event organisers.

Encourage community connection and participation through a diverse events portfolio.

Measures of success

Measures of success

• An event calendar that engages all members of the community.

• A continual and manageable flow of events optimising infrastructure capacity in the region resulting in higher hotel and infrastructure occupancy rates across the year and event scheduling matched to regional capacity.

• A community that is supportive of events held in the region as reported in event surveys and the LGAT Community Satisfaction Survey.

• A combination of established and new events achieving a balance of social, economic, cultural, environmental and city image outcomes.

• Events with similar target audiences are spaced apart to avoid clashes and maximise attendance numbers.

• The Launceston City Council is recognised as the leader for events held in the municipality.

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Your weekend escape starts here.

• Events enhance resident’s experiences and contribute to a sense of community pride and belonging.

Hollybank Treetops

Adventure

Goals, strategies and measures of success 9 Festivale

Goal 2 - Tourism Launceston has a portfolio of events that increase interstate visitation, national profile and contribute to the Launceston economy.

Strategy 2.1 Identify major events for acquisition based on targeted, benefit driven criteria.

Measures of success

• Community involvement - demonstrates evidence of substantial community support, are accessible by a broad range of the community and provides community participation opportunities.

New major events are targeted for acquisition based on their ability to deliver on the following criteria:

• Risk - demonstrated event and risk management planning.

• Economic impact - measured by attendance numbers (minimum 5000), visitor numbers, higher than average daily spend, minimum one night stay in Launceston (visitors).

• Post event surveys report average attendee (visitor) daily spend is equal to or higher than daily visitor spend ($188 TVS March 2011).

• Diversifies event calendar.

• Media impact - measured by exposure to interstate audiences, and the opportunity for local tourism promotion during media coverage.

• Private investment - must demonstrate a minimum of 50% of event income is provided from other source/s (excluding ticket, merchandise, food and beverage sales).

• Venue - preference given to new events that utilise the Launceston City Council-owned infrastructure.

• Tourism activity - preference given to events staged outside of peak tourism season or during identified gaps in peak season and with a proven ability to attract visitors at a minimum of 10% of total event attendance.

• Brand - complements, promotes and supports the Launceston destination brand.

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Cataract Gorge Reserve

New Years Eve on Royal

Symphony U nder the Sta rs

Strategy 2.3

Actively promote Launceston to host major events.

Promote a vibrant, diverse and unique events calendar to increase visitor numbers to the region.

Measures of success • Launceston is represented and promoted at tourism and event conferences and trade shows as well as key events (sporting and otherwise) throughout the year resulting in lead generation for major event hosting opportunities.

Measures of success

• Leads are followed up promptly resulting in the receipt of bid submission requests for no less than six new major events per year.

• Tourism Tasmania survey data reports an increase in visitors travelling to Launceston for the primary purpose of event attendance.

• Of the major event bids submitted, the Launceston City Council is successful in winning at least two new major events each year.

• Launceston will be a highly sought after events destination nationally, recognised for its capabilities, willingness to facilitate events and extensive community support of major events evidenced by an increase in expressions of interest to host major events in Launceston.

• A partnership with Tourism Tasmania where major Launceston events are promoted in conjunction with interstate seasonal tourism campaigns.

• A rise in the percentage of visitors of total event attendance for major events, reaching a minimum of 10% (i.e. 5000 attendees = a minimum of 500 visitors).

• An increase in accommodation and tour bookings received by the Launceston Travel and Information Centre where the purpose of stay is event attendance.

• Increased local, state and national awareness of Launceston’s event capability and capacity and major event success stories measured by media coverage of Launceston major events as a result of press releases sent (greater than 50% success rate of press releases sent to stories covered).

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Goals, strategies and measures of success

Strategy 2.2

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Launceston’s CBD

Goal 3 - Economy Events held within the region provide optimum economic benefit to the Launceston municipality, through partnerships and business planning.

Strategy 3.3

Measure supported events against the strategic goals and relevant funding assessment criteria to accurately evaluate event outcomes.

Develop strong collaborative relationships with organisations and individuals that have an interest in events.

Measures of success

Measures of success

• Supported events conduct surveys capturing specific data relevant to the Launceston City Council’s strategic event goals.

• Increased private investment for events evidenced by event income statements (submitted for funding requests and also form an essential part of post event reports).

• Supported events submit to the Launceston City Council, detailed post event reports using data collected before, during and after the event.

• The Launceston City Council collates accurate event data.

• Based on accurate data events will be recognised as key contributors socially and economically.

• The benefits of events are consistently and accurately measured providing a valuable set of data for reporting, promotion, event attraction and investment attraction.

Strategy 3.2 Encourage and facilitate major event engagement with local businesses and industry.

• Events are increasingly sustainable year on year resulting in lower requests for Launceston City Council funding.

• Organisations commit funding to major events boosting Launceston’s overall contribution and resulting in a higher bid/ win ratio for major event hosting.

• Feedback from the Launceston Chamber of Commerce and Cityprom Inc. indicate that the majority of members are supportive of events in Launceston.

• Coordinated stakeholder approach to major events bids demonstrating unity and capability resulting in a higher win/bid ration for major event hosting.

• Regional event coordination and identification of leverage opportunities.

Measures of success • Major events utilise and support local business and industry where possible.

• Increased employment opportunities, investment, business expansion and capacity/skill building within the region.

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Goals, strategies and measures of success

Strategy 3.1

Goal 4 - Investment Launceston City Council’s investment in events is clearly directed to meeting its strategic goals.

The Launceston City Council’s Event Sponsorship Program Refer to the Launceston City Council’s Event Sponsorship Policy for details.

Strategy 4.1 Develop an events investment portfolio driven by the goals set out in this Events Strategy.

Measures of success •

Submissions for funding are considered under these programs: - The Launceston City Council’s Event Sponsorship - The Launceston City Council’s Signature Events - The Launceston City Council’s Event Incentive - The Launceston City Council’s Conference Incentive

• Appropriate levels of funding are allocated to each program to support a balanced events portfolio.

• Flexibility to respond to an event opportunity which is exceptional and may not address the key criteria but delivers benefits to Launceston that should not be overlooked.

• A portfolio of events delivering a balanced program covering, for example, culture, sport, entertainment and business.

• Innovation and development is rewarded.

• Events are sustainable.

• Evidence based decision making.

• The Launceston City Council funding programs align with and support the strategic goals. Each program features criteria to ensure the desired outcomes are achieved. The programs are as follows:

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Goal 1 - Lifestyle Launceston has a vibrant and diverse calendar of events that strengthen Launceston’s position as a highly desirable place to live, visit and invest.

Goal 2 - Tourism Launceston has a portfolio of events that increases interstate visitation, national profile and contributes to the Launceston economy.

Goal 3 - Economic Events held within the region provide optimum economic benefit to the Launceston municipality, through partnerships and business planning.

Goal 4 - Investment The Launceston City Council’s investment in events is clearly directed to meeting its strategic goals.

The Launceston City Council’s Signature Events Program Refer to the Launceston City Council’s Event Sponsorship Policy for details.

Goal 1 - Lifestyle Launceston has a vibrant and diverse calendar of events that strengthen Launceston’s position as a highly desirable place to live, visit and invest.

Goal 4 - Investment Launceston City Council’s investment in events is clearly directed to meeting its strategic goals.

Strategy 4.2

Refer to the Launceston City Council’s Event Sponsorship Policy for details.

Promote and utilise the Launceston City Council’s event infrastructure.

Goal 2 - Tourism Launceston has a portfolio of events that increase interstate visitation, national profile and contribute to the Launceston economy.

Measures of success

Goal 3 - Economic Events held within the region provide optimum economic benefit to the Launceston municipality, through partnerships and business planning.

• Increased national profile of the Launceston City Council event infrastructure.

• The full potential of the Launceston City Council’s events infrastructure is realised through increased usage across the year.

• The Launceston City Council’s event infrastructure supports a balanced portfolio of events for the region.

Goal 4 - Investment The Launceston City Council’s investment in events is clearly directed to meeting its strategic goals.

Strategy 4.3

The Launceston City Council’s Conference Incentive Program

Measures of success

Refer to the Launceston City Council Conference Incentive Policy for details.

• The Launceston City Council identifies and provides an ongoing funding commitment (three years) to signature events in recognition of their uniqueness and importance as community celebrations.

Goal 2 - Tourism Launceston has a portfolio of events that increase interstate visitation, national profile and contribute to the Launceston economy.

Goal 3 - Economic Events held within the region provide optimum economic benefit to the Launceston municipality, through partnerships and business planning.

Support Launceston’s unique, annual signature events.

TargaFest

Goal 4 - Investment The Launceston City Council’s investment in events is clearly directed to meeting its strategic goals.

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Goals, strategies and measures of success

The Launceston City Council’s Event Incentive Program

Town Hall, St John Street PO Box 396, LAUNCESTON TAS 7250 T 03 6323 3000 TTY 03 6323 3003 F 03 6323 3001 E council@launceston.tas.gov.au www.launceston.tas.gov.au