Export Ready Industry Support

Industry Development Program 2022

A major project for Destination Sydney Surrounds South (DSSS), the Export Ready Industry Development Program initially commenced in 2019 with planned engagement with Destination NSW (DNSW) to conduct international media visits, as well as research development. However, due to the bushfires and COVID this project was paused.
DSSS worked closely with DNSW to ensure the rescoped project aligns to the original intention whilst driving industry development and building on the opportunities as the international market returns. DSSS has also consulted with both Destination Wollongong and Shoalhaven Tourism, two significant destinations in the region for international markets.

Project partners
This project has synergies and potential benefits for the greater NSW South Coast region.
To maximise this and ultimately the visitor experience, DSSS is collaborating with Destination Southern NSW.

Sparrowly Group, specialist tourism and industry development experts have been appointed to deliver the project.

Read more about the program activities in the project briefing here

Useful links for industry

Get Connected with ATDW

Get Connected is Destination NSW’s website membership program. Simple and easy to use, Get Connected membership is free and is open to all tourism operators within New South Wales. To take advantage of this service, you simply register via ATDW-Online

Read more here

NSW First program

Destination NSW delivers the NSW First program to assist tourism businesses around the state to Develop, Promote and Sell their tourism products. It includes face to face workshops and online webcasts that offer ‘how-to’ insights on a range of topics for the tourism industry.

Access the resources here

DSSS Resources page

In addition to the resources available on this page, be sure to also visit the Resources page of the DSSS website.

Here you can access webinar recordings, strategic documents for the region, various industry resources and handy links.

Visit the page

Export Ready Industry Development 2022

DSSS engaged the services of tourism and industry development specialists Sparrowly Group to deliver the export ready industry development program.
The program included existing product audit, assessment of export readiness, a tailored mentor program and series of in-region workshops, as well as content shoot and itinerary development.

Watch in the video right ⇒

Read more in the project briefing here

Sydney Surrounds South Trade Toolkit

This practical toolkit highlights the many food and drink activities and experiences on offer across the Sydney Surrounds South – South Coast NSW region.

It will help you understand the region and its commissionable products.

Access the toolkit

Feedback from program participants

“I have very much appreciated working with you. Over the years I have reached out to so called ‘business mentors’ and programs but this is the first time I have found a mentoring program and business that just ‘gets it’ in terms of our business evolution, issues, strengths, challenges, blockages and pathways forward with solutions based tools that are truly useful! A business that understands implicitly, the tourism industry and in particular agritourism with all its complexities. No mentor has ever really understood our plight properly before and I can’t tell you how amazing it is that you actually ‘get us’. I cannot tell you how refreshing and exciting that is. I wish I’d found you years ago!

Our business is in a critical stage of growth. We have so much potential, it’s a real potential. It is such a difficult period however, where so many factors outside our control starting with climate change, flowing through to industry change, social changes and on top government regulation change that we find ourselves constantly struggling to keep up. To be across everything and find ways to cope and sort out competing priorities has been very tiring. Current labour shortages and the challenges associated with finding staff with the attitudes and capacity to carry out the duties we need them to do without constant support is really wearing us down. Whilst I understand that systems and process will assist here, I do worry about the external environment that is creating the lack of talent and por attitude we are seeing come through. I feel very tired and that I am working harder than at any other time in my life. We are not isolated in our issues and I have welcomed meeting the other businesses in the program and the system you have for communication with like minded businesses. We can use your systems to further support us and that is wonderful.

We have a very special and complicated business as we have diversified and tried to do new things and a mix of activities to ‘proof’ ourselves as we move forward but in doing so making our lives even more complex. In working with you through the very basics and coming to the realisation of how and what to focus on and then coming to terms with letting go of some of our projects has been an eye opener on the one hand, a relief in the other and will serve our business well. Facing the future is certainly something I am looking forward to and I really thank you and Sparrowly sincerely for the excellent tools and guidance to empower our business. It has been invaluable. Walking this journey with you has been inciteful, at times confronting but always positive and solutions based. To have you as a sounding board for my issues has felt like a lifeline. I will be forever grateful for having the opportunity of this program and even more so that we now have Sparrowly as a future potential resource to reach out to for professional guidance. This is certainly only the beginning of the next phase. Watch this space! Thank you for everything”

– program mentee

Header image: Couple enjoying a picnic packed by Hyams Beach Hampers at Blenheim Beach, Jervis Bay. Credit: Destination NSW.