Visit Hindmarsh marketing opportunities for local businesses

Published on 09 November 2021

Hindmarsh Shire Council launched its Visit Hindmarsh Facebook and Instagram pages in 2016. The pages focus on promoting Shire tourism assets and natural attractions, plus events and updates from ‘Not for Profit’ and community groups. As a Council owned and administrated page, there has been no promotion of private businesses due to the risk (and perceived risk) of creating unfair commercial advantage.

Social Media is an important tourism marketing platform for visitor attraction to the Shire, and subsequently the visitor economy is impacted by not including privately owned tourism related attractions and hospitality businesses. Visitors planning day trips or extended visits are attracted by cafes, shops and accommodation options equally as tourism attractions and natural attractions. There are a number of private businesses that are attracting significant visitation to the Shire in their own right.

Council has developed guidelines to present a clear and transparent direction in how Visit Hindmarsh social media platforms can incorporate private enterprise content whilst clearly avoiding any real or perceived unfair commercial advantage. These guidelines are available on the Hindmarsh Shire Council website: www.hindmarsh.vic.gov.au/council-resources/guidelines

Content must be provided by the businesses and emailed to info@hindmarsh.vic.gov.au. An online form is currently being developed as an alternative way to provide the content. Council will not be producing any content on behalf of businesses.

Hindmarsh Shire Council Mayor, Ron Ismay said “Being able to include private enterprise on Visit Hindmarsh social media platforms will make them significantly more holistic and generate larger followings. It will both help support and leverage off businesses that are playing an important role in growing the visitor economy in Hindmarsh Shire and the greater region”.

 For more information, please contact Jeff Woodward, Tourism and Economic Development Officer, on 03 5391 4444 or email jwoodward@hindmarsh.vic.gov.au.

Greg Wood

Chief Executive Officer