The Yarra Valley Pass is a regional participation initiative developed by Loop Fans in partnership with Tourism East and local tourism operators. It connects wineries, food, accommodation and experiences in a shared program where participants earn Yarra Credits through activities such as creating content, leaving reviews, referring friends and joining community activities.
This case study summarizes the early indicators published in Loop Fans' June 2026 pilot report. The pilot is ongoing. The figures below are first-party results prepared by Loop Fans with Tourism East, not an independent evaluation or a controlled comparison.
Read the source material: Yarra Valley Pass regional pilot report and Loop case studies.
What the pilot set out to explore
The pilot asked whether a shared participation program could encourage meaningful activity before, during and after a visit; generate rights-approved visitor content; prompt reviews and referrals; connect multiple operators; and produce first-party insight for the region and its businesses. It was designed to look beyond registrations and transactions to the actions visitors take across the destination.
Early indicators published in June 2026
- 62% activation rate. The report says nearly two-thirds of participants activated and engaged with the platform.
- 3.3 average actions per participant. Participants took multiple actions in the program.
- 25% referred someone. The report counts a friend or family member referred to the Pass.
- 22% submitted user-generated content. This includes posts and photo competition entries.
- 12% left a review. Participants reviewed local businesses or experiences.
- 100% rights-approved content. The report states that submitted user-generated content and competition entries were approved for use by Tourism East and participating businesses.
These are early indicators from an ongoing pilot. The published report does not present a randomized control group or establish that the program caused each action. The metrics describe reported participant activity; they should not be treated as guaranteed outcomes for another destination.
Why the shared regional design matters
A destination is made up of independent operators. A visitor may stay in one place, eat in another and visit several experiences. A shared program gives those operators a way to participate in one regional journey rather than relying only on isolated campaigns. In the Yarra Valley Pass, rewards can be redeemed across participating businesses, while visitor contributions can help the region understand how people engage.
The model also gives the destination a reason to prompt engagement beyond the moment of purchase. Participants can create content, enter competitions, refer friends or leave reviews. The pilot report describes participation beginning before a reward is redeemed and continuing as people discover more businesses.
What a destination team can learn from the pilot
Define activation carefully. A registration is not the same as a meaningful action. Decide which action marks an activated member and keep that definition consistent.
Track more than sign-ups. Measure activity such as referrals, content, reviews and interaction across multiple businesses. Report both the number of participants and the share completing each action.
Make content permissions part of the workflow. The Yarra Valley report highlights rights approval. Other destinations should make permission clear at the point content is submitted and record the scope of the permission given.
Keep operators involved. A shared network depends on participating businesses having clear offers, simple instructions and a reason to stay active. Ask operators which rewards are useful and where the process creates friction.
Publish context with the numbers. State the period, source, denominator and whether the program is still running. Where possible, compare against a baseline and explain its limits. That makes a pilot useful for operators and funders without overstating what the evidence proves.
What to measure next
As the pilot continues, useful next questions include how activity changes over time, how many participants engage with more than one operator, which rewards are redeemed, and whether referral or repeat activity differs by visitor group. A destination can also ask operators whether the program brings them new or returning customers. These questions build on the early indicators without assuming the answer.
For a broader planning framework, see the DMO guide to loyalty and visitor engagement and the guide to regional trails and itineraries.
Explore the regional model: Loop for tourism destinations and Coalition Rewards.