What does the ‘destination marketing’ of Fremantle mean?
Destination marketing is the marketing of Fremantle to visitors or
customers for the benefit of local businesses.
It aims to attract more people to Fremantle to enjoy what we have to
offer by way of retail, hospitality, tourism attractions, festivals and other
services.
Fremantle’s destination marketing plan was launched in January 2014 using
the new brand of ‘Fremantle. Be part of
the story’. The plan was developed following a period of consultation with
customers and Fremantle stakeholders. The goals of the plan are to build awareness of the Fremantle
offering, improve perception of that offering and increase the number of people who come to Fremantle for an experience.
The main activities include the www.fremantlestory.com.au website, an
extensive social media presence, a quarterly printed magazine distributed
throughout the metropolitan area, banners and entry signage, and paid
advertisements (e.g. on Perth trains and at the airport).
A comprehensive evaluation of the plan can be found by clicking
here.
At the beginning of the 2008/09 financial year, the City of Fremantle
introduced a City Centre Commercial Rate to ‘fund
the management, administration and delivery of activities aimed at enhancing
economic and social viability, and general amenity, of the Fremantle Central
Business District (CBD)’. Since that time, the City has levied the City
Centre Commercial Rate on all commercial land parcels within the coloured area
of the CBD on the below map.
The total amount collected is approximately $400 000 this financial year.
What is the Fremantle Business Improvement District (BID) and what does it do?
The Fremantle BID is an independent
not-for-profit company that supports the Fremantle CBD businesses to improve
the business environment. For the past six years the City has provided funding
to the Fremantle BID to deliver its business plan. The amount of funding
matches the amount raised by the differential rate and totals approximately
$2.2 million over this six year period. For more information on the Fremantle
BID visit: http://www.fremantlebid.com
What are the main points of the proposal council will soon consider?
The City’s Economic Development and Marketing Manager is proposing the
following model for the future delivery of destination marketing in Fremantle.
1. Combining the
differential rate funding and City of Fremantle destination marketing efforts.
This means no further funding for Fremantle BID after this financial year and a
wind-down of most of the in-house destination marketing undertaken by City of
Fremantle.
2. Establish an
arm’s length advisory group comprised of small number of paid marketing
consultants and key representatives from the business community to set the
strategy for:
•
Overall destination marketing approach (including different
stages over next few years, ramping up to Kings Square launch)
•
How to achieve ongoing business community engagement
•
Appointment of marketing agency to deliver marketing
services under specific terms, KPIs etc.
•
Sponsorship of local business led events (e.g. develop
sponsorship criteria / policy)
The group will receive administrative support from City officers.
Under the proposal, the group will operate for a four year period (2018/19
– 2021/22). Nominations for the group will be considered by the council. The
group is expected to include an experienced and independent marketing expert as
a chairperson, and 4-6 representatives from Fremantle’s main industry sectors
(retail, hospitality, arts and culture, tourism, service industry), the Fremantle
Chamber of Commerce and an Indigenous business representative.
Does this mean that only businesses in the differential rate area will be marketed under the proposal?
No. Funds from the differential rate and the City’s normal operating
budget will be combined and used for destination marketing for Fremantle as a
whole.
What changes and what doesn’t change if council accept the officer’s recommended proposal?
Changes
The Fremantle BID will no
longer receive funding from council
The City will effectively
‘outsource’ the majority of destination marketing to the new group
Does not change
Services currently provided by the BID will continue to be provided under
the new structure. They will be delivered by the new group or the City.
The City will continue to deliver a service to attract new businesses and
investment to Fremantle. Separate to destination marketing, the City markets
Fremantle to new businesses and to investors. There has been significant
achievements in this area and there has been close to $1 billion worth of
development attracted approved by the City over the past five years. The City’s delivery of this function remains unchanged.
