In an article on the Melbourne Business School website, Project head Associate Professor Selwyn d'Souza said the picture has become clearer after the group's visit in February during which a number of residents were interviewed.

"One thing that has emerged from our fact-finding mission in February is that the town's leaders and businesspeople lack the market research and economic data they need to analyse the extent of the challenges," Mr d'Souza said.

"You need to get the diagnosis right in order to set priorities.

"There has been a lot of fragmentation of effort, so an exercise like this is not about reinventing the wheel. It's about taking the best ideas and knowledge that already exist in the town and turning these into a strategy that is coordinated and workable, and charts a course for the next five years."

Read the MBS website article 

He said that students will, at times, need to deliver challenging messages to stakeholders in the town in order for the project to be effective.

"In Port Douglas you have multiple stakeholders with many interests. In some ways it's more complex than a typical corporate consulting brief.

"The students will also be challenged with the need to give sometimes difficult feedback to their clients and stakeholders. Mentoring is integral to doing this sensitively, and we're grateful to our alumni for the time and energy they're putting into this."

It's not too late to get your thoughts across as part of the Melbourne Business School's 'Revitalise Port Douglas' project.

Mr d'Souza, has left the door open to residents to express their concerns, and ideas on the future of the town.

Have your say on what you believe the challenges and opportunities are in Port Douglas by emailing editor@thenewsport.com.au and we'll make sure they're delivered to the Revitalise Port Douglas project team. 

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