With an increase in tourism opportunities, including major events and the silo art trail, Wimmera Mallee Tourism chairwoman Helen Ballentine said the region was starting to realise its potential with untouched landscapes.

The Yarriambiack Shire councillor said the involvement of world-renowned artists in the silo art trail project had attracted interest from both a domestic and international market. 

Cr Ballentine said there were many markets the region could capitalise on – one being Airbnb, a service offering private properties to tourists for overnight or longer stays. 

“Rather than lose tourists to surrounding cities there’s an opportunity to showcase the area,” she said. 

Horsham Rural City Council tourism and major events co-ordinator Chris McClure said the council looked to boost tourism through attracting events to the region.

Horsham will host the KTM Australian Junior Motocross Championships in September and Mr McClure expects more than 300 families to attend. 

“Families look for self-contained accommodation, which is currently not sufficient to accommodate for the numbers. The region needs to provide more self-contained options,” he said. 

​Mr McClure said any accommodation, including Airbnb options, had a place in the region providing the venue was legal and registered. 

“Occupancy across the Horsham region is at 62 per cent, which means on any given day accommodation will be booked at 52 per cent,” he said. 

Wimmera Development Association executive director Ralph Kenyon said while it was too early to determine whether Airbnb was adding to the tourism mix or detracting from existing providers, any tourism was welcomed. 

“Most accommodation around Horsham is taken up by commercial travellers so, there would be a fair bit of continuity regardless of Airbnb,” he said.

A report, titled Beyond cities: How Airbnb supports rural revitalisation, determined 56 per cent of all Airbnb guest arrivals in 2017 were in regional areas.

Airbnb representative Julian Crowley said Airbnb guests travelling to regional areas had increased by 53 per cent since 2015. 

“The purpose of Airbnb is to help people explore outside the traditional tourist areas,” he said.