Victoria’s Goldfields: a culturally enriching experience

The rich artistic culture of Victoria’s Goldfields region is highlighted in the new Victoria’s Goldfields. Leave a little richer campaign.

Tourism and Major Events Minister Tim Holding recently launched the campaign at the Bendigo Gallery.

Capturing the essence of the Goldfields region and what it offers visitors, this new campaign is aimed at interstate visitors.

The campaign showcases the region’s strengths in culture, history and heritage while focusing on its contemporary offerings.

The Victoria’s Goldfields. Leave a little richer campaign will run in the key interstate markets of South Australia and regional NSW until 30 July 2009 and features print, radio and online advertising.

The State Government has committed $630,000 to develop the campaign, which has also been financially supported by the City of Bendigo, the City of Ballarat and local tourism operators.

The campaign was originally launched on 30 January 2009 however the campaign was placed on hold after Black Saturday.

For more information on Tourism Victoria’s regional marketing campaigns visit www.tourism.vic.gov.au

ATE fast approaching

In a little over a week the Southern Hemisphere’s largest tourism trade show, the Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE) will open in Melbourne on Saturday 13 June.

Held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre the Australian Tourism Exchange will inject more than $10 million into the Victorian economy and will have a lasting impact on the local tourism industry.

This year Victoria has a record breaking 82 tourism companies attending ATE, the second largest number of sellers at the event - behind Queensland and ahead of New South Wales.

The exchange will showcase Melbourne and Victoria to leading international tourism buyers allowing Victorian businesses to market their products directly to hundreds of influential international wholesalers and industry representatives and negotiate deals.

Leading industry representatives and international media will also travel to regional Victoria on various familiarisations.

ATE is divided into two modules. The Eastern Hemisphere module runs from 13 – 15 June 2009 and is attended by buyers from Asia and the Gulf Countries. The Western Hemisphere module runs from 16 – 19 June 2009 and includes buyers from Europe, the Americas, Africa, New Zealand and the South Pacific.

For further information visit www.ate2009.com.au

Crown names Melbourne’s newest hotel

Crown has announced the name of its third hotel, Crown Metropol, set to open in early 2010.

The 28-storey, $300 million hotel will have 658 rooms, dedicated spa accommodation, extensive meeting facilities, a sky bar and Gordon Ramsay’s first Australian restaurant, Maze.

The new hotel will also be home to Crown’s new educational facility, Crown College. This partnership with Swinburne University will provide formal qualifications for Crown employees and includes a dedicated training restaurant for apprentice chefs.

Tourism and Major Events Minister Tim Holding, who last week inspected the construction of the new hotel, said Crown Metropol will support the new Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) due to open soon.

Crown Metropol is part of a string of major developments in Melbourne which are aimed at reinforcing the city’s long-term vision of being Australia’s leading conference and event destination.

Nominations for Awards and mentors open

Tourism Victoria is calling for nominations for the Melbourne Airport 2009 Victorian Tourism Awards and Mentor Program.

Entry into this year’s Awards enables nominees to benefit from access to industry assistance and marketing programs, such as the Victorian Tourism Awards Unit Mentor Program and workshops.

The Mentor Program is a free initiative for Award entrants, in which participants are matched with an experienced judge or Hall of Fame winner to help prepare their Awards submission.

Registrations for the Mentor Program are being accepted until Friday 5 June 2009.

Held annually, the Victorian Tourism Awards recognise outstanding businesses, individuals and volunteers for their contributions to the state’s tourism industry in a number of categories.

For more information about the 2009 Victorian Tourism Awards go to www.victoriantourismawards.com

Melbourne Airport sees best April performance ever

April saw continued growth in traffic through Melbourne Airport, with the latest airport figures revealing the highest ever number of passenger activity for that month.

More than 20,000 additional passengers have passed through the terminal gates in 2009, compared to the same time last year.

This strong performance indicates Melbourne’s ongoing ability to attract domestic and international visitors beyond seasonal influences, like Easter, despite the challenges of the global environment.

Melbourne Airport is currently investing $330 million to its international terminal expansion.

Geelong Otway tourism head to join UN travel panel

Geelong Otway Tourism Executive, Roger Grant, has been appointed to the United Nations’ panel of travel experts.

The Madrid-based United Nations World Tourism Organisation invited Mr Grant to join its worldwide panel of industry leaders, giving him some input on the health and direction of tourism around the world.

Mr Grant said it was a personal honour and a tribute to the local tourism body to be included on the panel.

Award winning Victorian produce in vogue

Victoria’s reputation for world class food and wine was further bolstered with Victoria picking up six awards at the Vogue Entertaining and Travel Produce Awards.

Renowned chef Dan Hunter from the Royal Mail in the Dunkeld picked up the Outstanding Use of Regional Produce by a Chef Award while Daylesford collected the Regional Award.

Holy Goat Organic Cheese won two awards including Producer of the Year and their La Luna took out the From the Dairy Award.

The High Country-based Blackmore Wagyu which is the choice of top-class Australian, Asia and US chefs took home the consistently excellent product.

Congratulations to Victoria’s award winners and medallists.

ATEC ‘Export Ready’ Seminar

The Australian Export Council (ATEC), in partnership with Destination Melbourne and Tourism Victoria, has established an International Marketing Network to promote Melbourne as an outstanding visitor destination.

The quarterly International Marketing Network seminars are a valuable networking opportunity for tourism operators to share tourism exporting techniques and knowledge.

Registrations are now open for the Thursday 4 June Export Ready workshop, which is being held at the Docklands.

For more information contact Julie-Anne Rossetto at ATEC on 0409 230 020.

Polly Woodside sets sail for grand reopening

Melbourne’s iconic tall ship Polly Woodside has opened to the public for the first time in three years.

Built in 1885 Polly Woodside is Victoria’s largest moveable heritage asset and one of the few surviving relics of Melbourne’s rich maritime history.

The opening event coincided with the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre Open Day following a $13 million restoration of the historic vessel’s home berth, Duke’s Dry Dock.

Work is still underway to restore the nearby board walk and wharf sheds. The area will form a new maritime tourist attraction for the South Wharf precinct around the new Melbourne Convention Centre that is due to fully open to the public in late 2009.

The Polly Woodside was built in 1885 and is owned and operated by the National Trust of Australia (Victoria).