The future direction of Clutha's tourism is under the spotlight, a draft visitor strategy having been released aimed at enticing visitors to the area and enhancing their experiences.
The strategy is being developed by the Clutha Development Trust (CDT) and will form the basis of the district's approach to tourism.
At the end of 2012, three groups dedicated to the Clutha district's development - the Clutha District Development Board, Clutha Agricultural Development Board and Enterprise Clutha - merged to form the CDT.
The visitor strategy began to be developed in May last year, work being done by an independent contractor.
Trust destination marketing manager Jo Lowrey said it was the first time the district had a document of this kind, which would shape the direction it should take in encouraging people to visit and stay in Clutha.
''It has been quite a big process. It's a start, a base, which will grow and progress as the district develops. It will be a working document.''
The draft version of the strategy is open for public consultation until the end of February.
The Catlins remains the district's biggest tourist drawcard with four main attractions (Cathedral Caves, Purakaunui Falls, McLean Falls and Nugget Point), followed by cycle trails (including the new Clutha Gold Trail) and tramping/walking tracks.
Mrs Lowrey said the strategy had identified areas that needed to be improved or developed.
The strategy focused on four areas - developing Clutha as a place people wanted to visit and stay; implementing the marketing needed to attract visitors; building the infrastructure required to exceed visitor expectations; and stakeholder representation and engagement.
''Many visitors to the Clutha district rely on information provided by the neighbouring regions, which are all competing for the bed nights and visitor's dollar.
"As a consequence, the information given often encourages visitors to treat the Clutha district as a side attraction along a journey, not a destination in its own right,'' the draft strategy states.
It also describes the district's approach to promoting itself as fractured, ''with many small local groups of enthusiastic volunteers and local businesses duplicating their time and financial resources in order to promote their own area''.
This was inefficient because ''by working independently, they are inadvertently competing against each other for a small share of a small number of visitors''.
The district, and most of its local businesses, had also fallen behind in the understanding and use of technology and its importance in the tourism industry.
The draft strategy stresses the importance of online bookings and mobile compatible websites or mobile apps as information sources.
Other areas identified for improvement are information, signage
and roading.
''Driving takes longer than expected on roads with inadequate signage, some unsealed. That make driving stressful for many visitors,'' the strategy states.
It also found toilets and camper-van dump stations were of ''variable standards'', and although the poor internet and mobile coverage was a plus for some, it was a downside for many.
Mrs Lowrey said nothing was ''set in concrete'' yet for the strategy, submissions on the draft visitor strategy not closing until noon on February 28.
''It's just the beginning. There is still heaps to be done, but it really is exciting. The district can only but grow,'' Mrs Lowrey said.
She hoped the strategy would be finalised by the end of the year.
