REFLECTIONS Holidays has expanded its wilderness camping footprint to 41 holiday parks in New South Wales with its appointment as the manager of Reflections Tumut River.
The popular Tumut holiday park, previously known as Riverglade Holiday Park, is now operated by Crown land manager Reflections Holidays.
Reflections CEO, Nick Baker, said adding Tumut to the Reflections Holidays portfolio was strategic both geographically and operationally.
“We already manage ruggedly beautiful holiday parks at Burrinjuck Waters and Wee Jasper which, like Tumut, are connected to the Hume and Hovell Track.
“We’ll be encouraging our guests and visitors to ‘connect the dots’ and visit these three beautiful destinations,” he said.
“Reflections is focused on connecting people with nature because we believe life’s better outside and Tumut, like Burrinjuck Waters and Wee Jasper, is a wilderness paradise offering activities such as hiking, fishing, mountain bike riding and more.”
Mr Baker said Reflections already had a strong presence in the region and was looking forward to “working with the Tumut community and encouraging more tourists to discover the untamed beauty of this part of the State.”
Reflections’ move into Tumut opens up a wonderful region for its guests to explore, with the Snowy Mountains offering a plethora of outdoor activity, from hiking and mountain bike riding to fishing and delving into the region’s food and wine scene.
With Reflections Tumut River now a part of its portfolio, Reflections manages 41 holiday parks and also cares for 47 nature reserves on Crown land which collectively span around 25,100 acres.
A workshop for local business and tourism operators along with interested community members, was held at the Tumut Brewery last Thursday.
During the workshop – titled ‘Social Impact Workshop’ topics discussed related to a key component of the work Reflections is doing to understand its social impact.
“Social impact refers to the effect we as a business have on the wellbeing and quality of life of the communities and society we operate in. It encompasses the positive and negative changes that result from our park operations, programs, or initiatives, ranging from economic benefits and environmental sustainability to social cohesion and cultural preservation,” a Reflections spokesperson said.
There was also discussion about some of the challenges facing the Tumut community which included vandalism and a lack of programs for young people.
The group also discussed opportunities to link various tourism efforts and where the holiday park can positively contribute to improving community outcomes.
The next step will be a survey of residents to help build a broader view which will be a key input into the social value framework.
The largest holiday park group in New South Wales, Reflections reinvests its profits back into the holiday parks it manages and the reserves it cares for.
Reflections estimates that its Tumut River operations will inject approximately $1.2 million annually in additional tourism revenue to the region.
The organisation is the only holiday park group in Australia that is a certified social enterprise.
