Check out your competition, it could make you a winner

BEAUFORT tourism destination Cave Hill Creek received the top gong at the RACV Victorian Tourism Awards recently.

Having won gold in the same category for the last three years, Cave Hill Creek now joins the elite in the Victorian Tourism Hall of Fame.

Will they crack the big one when they represent the state at the Australian Tourism Awards to be held in Launceston in March?

If CHC owner Tim Chandler’s enthusiasm, determination and sheer exuberance for his business is anything to go by it is a shoo-in.

Glamping, abseiling, canoeing, trout fishing, platypus spotting or simply soaking up the views are just some of the activities available at CHC.

As a venue for destination weddings, a provider of school camps and bush walking guides on the nearby Beeripmo Walk, CHC has a diverse range of indoor and outdoor pursuits employing 25 regular and 35 seasonal staff.

With a vast array of experiences to choose from Mr Chandler doesn’t think the business, run with his wife Angela and his dad Ian, has too many balls in the air.

“We have a stunning location with a bricks and mortar venue available 365 days of the year. We can only run school camps 40 weeks of the year. So, what do we do on weekends and during school holidays?” he said.

When CHC held an open day a couple of years ago Mr Chandler expected school teachers would visit to view the school camp accommodation and facilities.

Hardly any turned up.

“But 11 couples did, wanting to have their wedding here, so our weekends are now geared towards weddings,” Mr Chandler said.

“As we don’t serve our school camp food – as good as it is – at weddings, our chefs love the opportunity to showcase their creative skills.”

To enter the Awards tourism operators are asked to answer five questions as a 12,500-word submission.

RACV Victorian Tourism Awards program manager Chris Porter said, “This type of submission-based award process encourages business owners to look at the business behind the [tourism] experience.”

Mr Porter said it could be considered a daunting but worthwhile experience.

“It provides the business owners with an annual review of what they have done throughout the year and it forces businesses to think more innovatively and strategically about what they want to achieve. It is a process that allows you to work on your business not just in your business.”

Mr Chandler agrees that winning is fantastic but the application process is a really good business development tool in itself.

“Whether you win or you don’t, the real benefit is in the application preparation which makes you look at your business and yourself objectively, to review things like our point of difference, our impact on the environment and how we utilise our infrastructure to be sustainable and most importantly profitable.”

RACV in conversation with tourists, in particular international tourists, hear when comparing two tourism destinations in the same sector, if one is a gold award winner or a member of the Hall of Fame, they are swayed towards the one that has the credibility of these awards.

“When it comes down to a choice between businesses then there is power in the brand [of an award winner],” said Mr Porter.

Mr Chandler and his wife regularly visit and learn from their competitors. The first time they entered the awards they were beaten by a hotel in the Ovens Valley.

Six weeks later they went to stay there, to find out what the hotel was doing well that they weren’t.

“Our attitude here is the minute you stand still you are going backwards.”