South Australian Tourism Commission
Destination Management Plans for 13 Tourism Regions
We are excited to work in partnership with the South Australian Tourism Commission (SATC) to deliver 13 place-based Destination Management Plans for each tourism region across the State.
We will be working closely with SATC and the Regional Tourism Organisations to plan and execute the delivery of 13 Destination Management Plans over a rolling 18-month timeframe.
The Project is currently in progress (started in October 2024) and is scheduled for completion in July 2025.
Project Background
The SATC in partnership with the Regional Tourism Organisations is developing Destination Management Plans for each tourism region, which will highlight the region’s aspirations and priorities for tourism to accelerate positive impact outcomes that support the local people, communities and places to thrive.
These plans will outline actions to enhance visitor experiences, support local businesses and foster sustainable tourism that benefits communities and the environment.
The DMPs will replace the South Australian Regional Visitor Strategy, which concludes in 2025, and will align with the refreshed South Australian Visitor Economy Sector Plan 2030, to be released in mid 2025.
For a deeper background on the Project, please visit the SATC's website >
Delivering distinctive, place-based Destination Management Plans
Understanding the complexity of destination planning
Global tourism is experiencing continual growth, with national forecasts also indicating a sustained upward trajectory for South Australia, predicting 4.7% annual growth through to 2029. Capitalising on this growth potential, while mitigating the negative impacts on the community and environment, will be a significant challenge, with the coming decade characterised by both complexity and uncertainty.
Globally, geopolitical shifts, the urgent need for decarbonisation and sustainable practices, advancements in artificial intelligence and automation, and societal shifts will redefine the tourism sector. Climate change and environmental resilience will increasingly influence visitor demand, behaviour and regional capacity, underscoring the importance of adaptive solutions.
Closer to home, Australians are grappling with a cost-of-living crisis, along with housing affordability and increasing cost of essential services and consumables - all of which impact the household budget and ability to invest in travel.
To stay ahead of these challenges, it is vital that destination planning remains flexible and forward-looking, embracing innovation while safeguarding natural and cultural assets.
We will be delivering Stewardship Plans
The Destination Management Plans (DMPs) that we'll deliver will be a comprehensive strategic analysis of the tourism opportunity for each tourism region, and will outline a future-facing framework that capitalises on the tourism potential for each region, while proactively managing negative community and environmental impacts.
To ensure the DMPs remain balanced and strategic, they will be been informed by comprehensive listening and desktop research - including engagement via in-depth interview, workshops and surveys, with all levels of Government, Regional Organisations (eg. Regional Development, Landscapes SA, National Parks & Wildlife regional teams, etc), to ensure they respond to strategic regional issues, opportunities and priorities.
Importantly, these DMPs will be purposefully designed as Stewardship Plans - built on shared accountability, guided by a co-designed vision for tourism, and grounded in community values and aspirations.
The Plans will identify projects to align resources, connect stakeholder priorities, and foster collaboration, and aim to deliver sustainable economic, environmental, and social benefits for each entire region.
Project Update...
We're well underway with the project, and have outlined a snapshot of our progress so far! We'll keep this page up to date with our progress, and links to the final Plans as they become public documents.
Group 1 - Yorke Peninsula, Clare Valley & Southern Flinders
We engaged with over 220 community and industry members across the Yorke Peninsula, Clare Valley & Southern Flinders in February 2025 via in-depth interviews and workshops, with some incredible ideas and inspiration generated from these discussions.
We also garnered sentiment from 470 community and industry members via an online survey.
Our first Group 1 DMPs are with SATC, completed in August 2025. Kep an eye out on tourism.sa.gov.au for their public release.
Group 2 - Limestone Coast & Kangaroo Island
Both Limestone Coast and Kangaroo Island communities have engaged really postiively with this process, with over 400 people attending our listening opportunities across stakeholder workshops and in-depth interviews, along with the completion of our community and industry surveys.
Our first Draft DMPs are with SATC and stakeholders for feedback, with these DMPs scheduled for completion in November 2025.
Group 3 - Greater Adelaide & Barossa
We've begun engagement for Group 3 - Greater Adelaide and Barossa, with workshops faciliated in August 2025.
We're currently finalising our industry and community engagement, and writing our Draft DMPs with these DMPs due for completion early in 2026.
Group 4 - Adelaide Hills, Eyre Peninsula & Flinders Ranges & Outback
Scheduled to start in November 2025.
Group 5 - Murray River, Lakes & Coorong, Riverland & Fleurieu Peninsula
Scheduled to start in February 2026.