9 October, 2008
Feasting begins at world’s largest food festival
Melbourne’s culinary talents are currently on show at the world’s longest and largest food and wine festival, the 2008 Epcot® International Food & Wine Festival.
Staged at the World Showcase in Epcot® at the Walt Disney World® Resort in Florida, from 26 September to 9 November 2008, the six week festival attracts the world’s largest gathering of food and wine enthusiasts.
Thousands of guests have already flocked to the Melbourne pavilion, which offers Melbourne and regional Victorian food and wine, tasting opportunities, demonstrations and interactive cultural and regional touring experiences.
Some of Melbourne’s top chefs are busy promoting Victoria’s rich food and wine culture to this keen international audience with Guy Grossi sharing his recipe for roast of suckling lamb with herbs, breadcrumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano and Polenta, while Ian Curley is enticing guests to taste his signature dish roasted kingfish with braised mussel and oyster escabeche.
Visitors are also enjoying a selection of Victoria’s finest wines from Rutherglen Estates, Coldstream Hills, T’Gallant, St Huberts, Yellowglen, Seppelt and Yabby Lake Vineyard. Domaine Chandon are also presenting their still wine, Green Point .
The festival also provides the platform to showcase Victoria’s food and wine to key trade representatives and buyers which has the potential to increase our export markets.
Victoria bucks the national trend
Victoria is bucking the national downward trend in tourism. The latest tourism figures from the National Visitor Survey show Victoria was the only state in Australia that had an increase in domestic tourism numbers over the past year.
Domestic overnight visitation to and within Victoria increased by 2.2 per cent to 17.3 million visitors for the year ending June 2008 and domestic overnight visitor expenditure increased by 9.2 million to $8.7 billion.
Domestic visitors also spent $30 million more in Melbourne than in Sydney for the year ending June 2008.
The latest National Visitor Survey by Tourism Research Australia showed key competing states including New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia all experienced falls in visitor numbers.
New investment guidelines launched
The Minister for Tourism and Major Events, Tim Holding officially launched the new Tourism Investment Guidelines: Your Guide to Tourism Investment in Victoria last month.
“In Victoria, tourism activity has grown dramatically over the last two decades and under the 10 Year Tourism and Events Industry Strategy, the Victorian Government aims to grow tourism to a $18 billion industry, employing 225,000 people by 2016,” Mr Holding said.
“To achieve this aim, we need to enhance our existing tourism infrastructure, attractions and events, as well as facilitate the delivery of new projects that capitalise on the State’s tourism strengths.
The guidelines are intended to assist in advancing projects from concept through to business planning and statutory planning stages.
“The Victorian Government is committed to working with local government, community groups and investors who wish to explore the exciting opportunities available in Victoria and the development of these guidelines will aid these relationships,” Mr Holding said.
The Tourism Investment Guidelines are an updated version of an earlier document, Planning and Building Tourism from Concept to Reality, Guidelines for Planning and Developing Tourism Projects in Victoria, 1999.
Attention: Victoria’s best wants you!
Tickets are now on sale for the Melbourne Airport 2008 Victorian Tourism Awards.
Join the best of Victoria’s tourism industry as they vie for a coveted winner’s trophy at the Melbourne Airport 2008 Victorian Tourism Awards Presentation and Gala Ceremony, on Monday 17 November at The Palladium at Crown.
This year’s gala promises to be one of the best, with a blockbuster showcase of entertainment and one of Australia’s brightest talents as host.
To book your ticket and celebrate every detail of Victoria’s tourism industry, contact our ticketing partner Showbiz, on 1300 667 271.
Sink your teeth into the Regional Food Summit
If your business is in food, wine or tourism you can not miss the Regional Food Summit being held in the North East Valley region on 20-21 October.
Thanks to sponsorship from the Victorian Government and the Rural City of Wangaratta the cost of attending the conference is $65.
The second annual conference includes a day full of topical speakers, a regional tour of key local businesses, a degustation dinner featuring top regional chefs and cooking demonstrations.
You will have the chance to network with like minded people and find out what trends will impact on your business.
The exceptional line up of presenters will cover topics such as – the future and how to plan for it; food, wine, tourism and provincial pantry.
Speakers include:
Alla Wolf-Tasker – the Lake House
Janelle Boynton – Chair North East Valleys Food and Wine
Andrews Sorman – Nilsson, Generation X and Y commentator
Marcus Barker – Strategic Futurist
For further information visit visitwangaratta.com.au
Tourist parks to get facelift
Fifty Victorian tourist parks will get a facelift after receiving grants to upgrade facilities and improve their economic performance.
Upgrades to facilities will include water and energy-saving measures such as water tanks, efficient showerheads, flow restrictors and energy-efficient light globes.
Some projects will focus on improving sustainability by including dual-flush toilet cisterns, solar hot water systems or push button shower limiters.
The State Government is providing almost $1.3 million for upgrades to Victoria Crown land caravan and camping parks.
550,000 reasons to smile for Yarrawong Airport
The ongoing development of Yarrawonga Aerodome has been boosted by a $550,000 State Government grant.
A new terminal and administration building with a training facility and an additional taxiway are part of the $810,000 upgrade by Moira Shire Council.
The upgrade of the aerodome will see Yarrawonga become one of regional Victoria’s best airports.
Funding to upgrade the aerodome is part of the State Government’s $5 million Regional Aviation Fund to help upgrade regional airports across Victoria to generate economic and social benefits.
Art Deco Exhibition welcomes 200,000th visitor
The 2008 Melbourne Winter Masterpieces exhibition Art Deco 1910 – 1939 ended on Sunday 5 October and proved to be one of the National Gallery of Victoria’s most successful exhibitions to date, with visitor numbers hitting over 200,000.
Melbourne Winter Masterpieces has established itself as one of Victoria’s biggest events of the year and is a cultural landmark in the state’s major events calendar.
More than a million people – over a quarter of them from interstate or oversesas – have visited Melbourne Winter Masterpieces over the last four years.
Art Deco 1910 – 1939 was the most comprehensive collection of Art Deco design ever to be presented in Australia.
New dive attraction another step closer
The ex-HMAS Canberra vessel is on track to be scuttled early next year off the shores of Barwon Heads.
Since the warship was towed from Rockingham, Western Australia to the Port of Geelong in June this year three levels of the vessel have been completely stripped removing fixtures, pipes and cables.
The Minister for Tourism and Major Events Tim Holding said extensive works are now underway to scuttle the former Royal Australian Navy warship to create a major new diving attraction.
“Each year there are approximately 150,000 dives in Victoria which will increase significantly with the addition of the ex-HMAS Canberra,” Mr Holding said.
“The ex-HMAS Canberra will provide a spectacular attraction and create an underwater playground for experienced divers near Barwon Heads.”
The ship was gifted to Victoria by the Commonwealth Government and the State Government provided $1.5 million towards the project.
$50,000 injection for Melbourne’s West
Western Melbourne has received a one-off $50,000 funding boost to enable the region to better market itself as a tourist destination.
The Minister for Tourism and Major Events Tim Holding said the funding will help Western Melbourne Tourism to participate in marketing events that will highlight the region’s vibrant activity.
“Whether you are interested in sport, gourmet food and wine, music, cinema or the arts – there is a raft of activities in Western Melbourne,” Mr Holding said.
“Funding will ensure the region’s presence in premium tourist publications such as the Melbourne Official Visitors Guide.
“Tourism Victoria, together with Destination Melbourne and Western Melbourne Tourism will develop a new marketing strategy to assist in the promotion of Melbourne’s West.”
Western Melbourne is an active participant in the Metropolitan Melbourne Tourism Working Group, an initiative arising from the Tourism Victoria-led Metropolitan Melbourne Tourism Analysis completed in 2005.
Western Melbourne Tourism encompasses the areas of Brimbank, Hobsons Bay, Maribyrnong, Melton, Moonee Valley and Wyndham.
Tourism Victoria currently provides support to the regions through public and media relations and by raising the profile of events on visitvictoria.com.
Victoria's International Exchange (VIE) - Registrations Now Open Monday 24 November at Hilton on the Park Melbourne
If your business is active in international marketing then the Victorian International Exchange (VIE) is your opportunity to interact with Tourism Victoria's International Marketing Division and industry colleagues. Find out what is happening in the international tourism marketplace, how this affects you and what are the opportunities for the future.
Please visit http://www.tourism.vic.gov.au/VIE for more information and to register.
What's On
AGV Annual Conference 2008 - 13 to 14 October, Melbourne
Regional Food Summit, North East Valley 20-21 October.
Victoria's International Exchange - 24 November, Melbourne
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