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RDO Community Newsletter –
July 2022
Welcome to the July 2022 edition of the Indian Ocean Territories (IOT) Regional Development Organisation (RDO) Community Newsletter.
The RDO is one of 52 organisations located across Australia that are part of the Regional Development Australia (RDA) network. The RDO team is comprised of local leaders and passionate advocates working to facilitate sustainable development in the IOT, and to build strong and confident local economies on both Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
What we’ve been working on
- IOT Strategic Regional Plan
- IOT Business Directory
- Christmas Island walking and cycle pathway
- Indian Ocean Fest
- Tourism Promotion Package for the IOT
- RDO Committee membership 2022-23
IOT Strategic Regional Plan
The RDO has engaged Centred Solutions to develop the new, macro-level Strategic Regional Plan for the IOT. The development of this plan is a requirement of the RDA Charter. The plan will outline the strategic priorities of the region over the next three to five years, and outline future ambitions. The plan will inform the work of the RDO, and will also be available for use by the community, community organisations, private enterprise and government. Centred Solutions recently visited Cocos for meetings with a wide variety of key stakeholders, and will be at Christmas Island in early August. The plan is slated for completion by late August.
IOT Business Directory
Following on from the successes of the Cocos CV and Christmas Island CV, the RDO has combined these resources into the new IOT Business Directory. The directory showcases the business community in our region and shines a light on the local resources and skills that are available.
We would like to thank the Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands business sectors and members of the community who contributed to the development of this online resource.
The IOT Business Directory is a live directory, and we encourage all business owners, operators and managers to add, review and update their business details. As the IOT economy continues to evolve, it is resources like the IOT Business Directory that will ensure local suppliers and businesses are at the forefront of new economic opportunities.
The IOT Business Directory was funded by the Australian Government’s Supporting Economic Activity and Diversification grant, without which we couldn’t have developed this resource.
We strongly encourage companies and businesses considering local projects to use the IOT Business Directory to maximise the efficiencies on offer through local employment, as well as optimising the positive impacts of your project on the local economy.
If you would like to add or update your business details on the IOT Business Directory, please visit the website and complete the online form.
Christmas Island walking and cycle pathway
We are pleased to be working with local contractor Acker to deliver the walking and cycle pathway along the Christmas Island foreshore through Settlement. The pathway between the Tea Garden and Sunset has been laid, and the remainder will be completed in the coming months.
We have also engaged Acker to build a new viewing platform which will be accessible from the pathway. The platform will have panoramic views of the Indian Ocean, and was designed by local company Eastern & Guest Design.
We are working closely with Parks Australia to develop signage for the viewing platform, which will showcase Christmas Island’s bird and marine life.
The pathway and viewing platform concepts benefitted from extensive consultation with key stakeholders, and we would like to thank all involved for their efforts and cooperation.
Indian Ocean Fest
Supported by Principal Partner, Australian Marine parks, the inaugural Indian Ocean Fest celebrated all things ocean, from our newly proclaimed marine park to organisations and community working together for ocean conservation, to our local operators who delivered such incredible experiences above and below the water. Held on Christmas Island from 21 – 28 June, the Fest program delivered participants and partners a deep dive into the island’s unique characteristics and natural attractions, along the way showcasing local producers, foraged food, and culture through a range of pop-up dining experiences and our own island gin!
Feedback from participants from our target market of high-yield, adventurous and influential travellers, including representatives from Tourism Australia, Australian Traveller, food and travel journalists and photographers, has been incredibly positive. The Fest was designed to generate destination awareness and deliver new content, coverage and word of mouth which will extend well beyond the eight-day adventure. Fest Ambassador, Poh Ling Yeow, will continue to share her Stories with Spice beyond the dinner table with her extensive network and social media following, and highlights will be featured in various travel media publications. The pilot event aimed to explore tourism opportunities and benefit local business. A range of equipment is being donated, and goods and services were sourced locally, with direct financial benefit widely shared.
We thank the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts for providing the seed funding for this event.
Tourism Promotion Package for the IOT
The Indian Ocean Fest is much more than a tourism event, and it has provided a unique platform to launch and implement the Tourism Promotion Package for the IOT, developed from recommendations in the Destination Management Plan and Comprehensive Marketing Strategy for the IOT. Fresh content, imagery and a range of experiences developed and highlighted through the Fest program and partners, targeted high-yield, adventurous priority travellers for the region. Key story pillars developed for the Fest around conservation, nature, culture and adventure have been designed to extend beyond the event across both Christmas and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Strategic media partners include Australian Traveller and Fest Ambassador Poh Ling Yeow, with editorial, advertising, and social media communications, imagery and video being published in the lead up to and well beyond the Fest to increase destination awareness and promote the region, its attributes and depth of experiences.
Current RDO Committee 2022 - 2023
We are pleased to announce the new RDO Committee for 2022-23:
- Chairperson: Natasha Griggs
- Treasurer: Farzian Zainal
- Secretary: Thomas Battcher
- Member: Stephanie Lai
- Member: David McKinney
- Member: John Clunies-Ross
- Member: Michael Kirkpatrick
Mrs Natasha Griggs
Administrator – Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Chair – Indian Ocean Territories Regional Development Organisation
