By DENNIS AMOR

La Vergne Lehmann: researcher

THE boss of a Victorian caravan park is putting tourism and its use of water under the microscope.

La Vergne Lehmann, who runs the 120-site Dimboola Riverside Caravan Park 335km north-west of Melbourne with husband Paul, has embarked on a PhD research project at the University of Ballarat to gain a better understanding of the relationship between freshwater and tourism accommodation enterprises.

"I will be looking specifically at different types of tourism accommodation, including caravan parks, to find out what factors influence sustainable management practices," she told Caravanning News.

"This will be done with the view that different styles of accommodation actually need to look at using different types of management practices ... for example, consumer behaviour education and communication, technology change, staff education and infrastructure."

Ms Lehmann is also looking at how accommodation providers promote themselves and the types of messages they give about water use.

"Are they promoting sparkling swimming pools and spas or their water-saving credentials, and does that depend on their principle market?" she asked.

The Dimboola Riverside Caravan Park and a sustainable bush retreat accommodation business operated by her family, both near Little Desert National Park, have struggled against nearly a decade of crippling drought ... hence her interest in sustainable tourism.

The holder of an honours degree in ecotourism from Flinders University, Ms Lehmann is a former tourism manager with Hindmarsh Shire Council.

Her PhD research will focus on understanding and mapping the relationship between water and tourism in dry land areas.

She recently addressed delegates at a the national Tourism Futures conference on the Gold Coast, telling them that businesses in her area had suffered drought conditions for 13 years. "So we know what it is operate in a low-water environment," she said.

After taking over the Dimboola caravan park, a three-star member of the Oz Parks chain, she and her husband reduced its water bill by a third.

"That did not cost us anything to do ... we just made sure that the infrastructure and equipment was looked after, cleaned and working as it should. By introducing some other water saving devices we have cut the cost down to half of what it used to be," she explained.

Ms Lehmann said an increasing number of travellers now sought a sustainable holiday experience.

"They may not put it like that – after all, few people would ring up and book a 'sustainable holiday' – but they certainly appreciate what an operator does to make that experience more sustainable. It is also important, as with most things, that some businesses act as leaders in this area, showing others how it can be done."

She believed there should be incentive for businesses to be sustainable.

"Wouldn't it be good if the star-rating system included a range of environmental factors as the norm and any negatives either reduced the rating or cost the business more to retain a rating. At present those businesses who are trying to do the right thing are paying extra to be rated as environmentally friendly."

Ms Lehmann said her own interest was on how water related to tourism.

"As we face a future with less water, we need to consider how that will impact on the expectations of visitors ... green lawns and gardens, pools, spas etc and also how we promote an area. Water is one of life's most basic needs, yet in contrast it is one of life's greatest luxuries.

"We see people suffering from a lack of basic clean water facilities in developing nations ... yet see bottled water sold in developed nations such as Australia for no real reason."

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