18 December 2008

Regional Tourism Action Plan released

Tourism Victoria’s Regional Tourism Action Plan 2009-2012 was released last week.

To boost the number of visitors to regional Victoria and improve the opportunities for tourism operators across the State more than $16 million will be spent marketing every region in Victoria.

A key action of the plan is a major advertising campaign to lure more big spending interstate visitors to regional Victoria, which will be developed next year.

Minister for Tourism and Major Events Tim Holding said a four-year, $7.3 million advertising campaign highlighting spa and wellness experiences in Daylesford, as well as the tourism strengths of communities right across Victoria, would be the next phase of Tourism Victoria’s award-winning Jigsaw campaign.

“Our research indicates that there is an opportunity for Victoria to capitalise on the increased demand from baby boomers for day spas, boutique accommodation and outstanding food and wine experiences,” he said.

“Daylesford is the perfect vehicle through which to promote the diverse experiences we have in regional Victoria and attract more visitors from around Australia.”

Other major initiatives from the Regional Tourism Action Plan include:

• $6 million over three years for an enhanced regional marketing program;
• $2.1 million over the next three years to promote Victoria’s nature based tourism strengths;
• $900,000 marketing regional Victoria’s strength in food and wine; and
• $650,000 to address skills shortages facing the tourism industry by expanding the successful Tourism Excellence Program.

The Plan focuses on four key initiatives: industry structures; investment attraction; destination marketing; and skills and service standards. The Plan contains both statewide initiatives as well as outlining specific priorities for each region.

“The Plan will also see the development of Regional Tourism Boards replacing current Campaign Committees to set each region’s overarching strategic vision and direction,” Mr Holding said.

“Following the success of this model in Gippsland, which has now been adopted in the Grampians, we will be working with campaign committees, volunteers, business owners and local government to establish Regional Tourism Boards.

“Each action outlined in this strategy was a result of consultation with tourism operators, local councils and regional stakeholders. We also took into consideration recommendations from the recent Parliamentary Inquiry into Rural and Regional Tourism.”

The Regional Tourism Action Plan is part of the 10 Year Tourism and Events Industry Strategy and demonstrates the Brumby Government’s commitment to tourism, which is worth more than $15 billion to the Victorian economy and employs 179,000 people.

The Regional Tourism Action Plan 2009-2012 is available at tourism.vic.gov.au.

Being BushfireSmart this Summer

International and domestic visitors are being advised to follow simple bushfire safety tips to ensure their visit to regional Victoria this summer is safe and enjoyable.

While the local community are well informed on the risks, visitors are often unaware of the nature of bushfires.

A brochure Travelling in the Great Outdoors has been developed by Tourism Victoria to increase visitor awareness of the risks of bushfires in Victoria and encourage all visitors to be bushfire smart.

Developed in collaboration with CFA and the Department of Sustainability and Environment the brochure provides handy tips for staying, camping, hiking or driving in areas of high fire risk.

These messages will be reinforced by other free initiatives including key tags, fridge magnets, fact sheets for compendiums and Total Fire Ban Day door hangers.

Accommodation providers in areas of high bushfire risk are encouraged to display the brochure and supporting materials in prominent positions, such as reception desks or counters.

Brochure holders have been specially designed to make this task easier.

The brochure and supporting materials can be ordered via tourism.vic.gov.au/bushfiresmart

Victoria tourism figures reach 15 year peak

Victoria’s share of international visitors to Australia is at its highest level in 15 years, and visitor numbers and expenditure grew more than any other state over the past year.

The quarterly International Visitor Survey results for the year ending September 2008 show international overnight visitors to Victoria increased by 1.2 per cent over the previous year to reach 1.5 million, while international visitor expenditure grew by 10.6 per cent to $3.4 billion.

Key results from the International Visitor Survey include:

• Victoria’s international market share reached 29 per cent;
• Regional visitation increased by 5.3 per cent;
• International visitor numbers from China grew 17.6 per cent; and
• Victoria and Western Australia were the only states to have growth in visitor numbers with the national average decreasing by 0.5 per cent, New South Wales decreasing by 1.4 per cent and Queensland decreasing by 4.0 per cent.

Tourism and Major Events Minister Tim Holding said international visitor growth in Victoria continues to be above the national average and key competitors New South Wales and Queensland.

Mr Holding said that China, Malaysia, India and other Asian countries are contributing to the growth.

“Growing visitor numbers are a testament to the strength of the Victorian tourism industry which provides jobs for almost 180,000 people and contributes $15 billion to our economy each year,” he said.

“Visiting friends and relatives and education were the top two growth sectors for international visitation to Victoria and Melbourne is now the second-largest city in the world for enrolled international higher education students.”

Dance success continues for Victoria

Victoria has secured the Australian DanceSport Championships in Melbourne for the next four years and will host the Asia Pacific DanceSport Championship in December 2011, further strengthening Victoria’s award-winning major events calendar.

The Asia Pacific DanceSport Championship will bring hundreds of competitors from 15 countries to Melbourne and will be held alongside the Australian DanceSport Championships, to create a festival of dance in December 2011.

The State Government is also biding to host the 2012 IDSF World Standard (Ballroom) Championship.

The World Standard Championship is the most recognized and the most established of the dancesport styles and attracts over 250 competitors from more than 50 countries as well as an exciting event broadcast into key tourism markets internationally.

Key industry bodies join forces

Victoria’s tourism industry is joining forces to boost tourism throughout the State with the announcement last week of the consolidation of key industry bodies, Tourism Alliance Victoria (TAV), Victorian Tourism Industry Council (VTIC) and the Victorian Employers’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VECCI).

By uniting these important industry associations Victoria will have the most representative and well resourced State tourism industry structure in the country.

Under the new agreement there will now be a single management structure for VTIC and TAV which will more effectively service industry needs and strengthen policy and industry development, representation and advocacy.

VTIC and TAV will continue as separate entities but staffing for both organisations will be provided by VECCI.

Anthony Macintosh will become CEO of both VTIC and TAV. TAV staff have moved into the VECCI office.

Jeremy Johnson will remain as Chair of VTIC and Roger Grant (the current Chair of TAV) will become Deputy Chair of VTIC.

Melbourne Airport notches up record month

Melbourne continues to attract record numbers of visitors, with Melbourne Airport experiencing the highest ever number of passengers for a month despite the global economic conditions.

Tourism and Major Events Minister Tim Holding released the figures on the first anniversary of Tiger Airways operations in Melbourne, which showed a record 2,191,175 passengers used Melbourne Airport during October.

Passenger numbers in Melbourne grew by 140,302 or 6.8 per cent while Sydney recorded growth of 0.8 per cent or 23,594. These figures included a 2.4 per cent increase in international passengers to Melbourne.

Melbourne hosted a range of major events during October including the Spring Racing Carnival, Melbourne Winter Masterpieces, Rugby League World Cup match between Australia and England, International Rules match and blockbuster musical WICKED.

The previous best month at Melbourne Airport was March 2008 with 2,171,739 passengers. This is also a month of major events in Melbourne including the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix.

Victoria hosts National Tourism Awards

Victoria is hosting the 2008 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards on Friday 27 February 2009 at The Palladium at Crown.

Melbourne is the ideal backdrop to host the awards with the creative theme – The Big Event.

Winners of the Melbourne Airport 2008 Victorian Tourism Awards will represent Victoria at the 2009 Australian Tourism Awards along with winners from each state and territory.

Tickets for the National Awards will go on sale from 5 January 2008.