Aviation

Victoria flies high on new air services

The month of May saw the announcement of a new international airline, more international routes, new domestic services and yet another record month for international passenger growth at Melbourne Airport. 

The international passenger market grew by 4.4% compared to May last year, the best performance for that month ever.

These positive results coincided with the launch of Pacific Blue’s new services to Fiji and Bali in early June and the Qatar Airways decision to operate three services a week to Melbourne from 6 December, moving to daily services early in 2010. 

From 3 July Tiger Airways will for the first time commence up to four flights per day between Melbourne and Sydney, further strengthening the state’s range of low cost and premium airline options on one of the busiest routes in the world.

Melbourne

Postcards tops half a million viewers

Each week Victorian-based travel program, Postcards presents vignettes on a diverse range of places to visit and things to do around our state.

The half-hour television show, which airs on Sundays at 5.30 pm on the Nine Network, was the eighth most watched program in Melbourne on 21 June, achieving an audience average of 448,000 after peaking at 507,000.

Art and Hospitality align to inject $300 million into Victorian economy

Victoria is set to benefit from a combined cultural and cash boost with the roll out of independent luxury hotel group, the Art Series Hotels.

The group will open six hotels across Melbourne from 2009–2011, injecting more than $300 million to the Victorian job market and economy.

The hotels will provide guests with a unique visual experience, with each hotel named after and inspired by famous Australian artists including Adam Cullen, John Olsen, and Charles Blackman.

Appealing to both the corporate and leisure market the hotels will provide the city with much needed accommodation during major event periods, while generating hundreds of new jobs within Melbourne’s construction and hospitality sectors.

Melbourne: Australia’s leading ‘Bleisure’ city

Victoria’s tourism industry has rapidly evolved to adapt to a new breed of traveller – the ‘bleisure’ seeker – the result of a new travel trend sweeping the world.

The ‘bleisure’ trend is the outcome of a new breed of professionals who are technologically savvy enough to blend business and leisure.

According to UK based trend forecasting company The Future Laboratory, an increasing number of business travellers are extending their business trips to include a leisure component, and driving onetime business-oriented services, such as hotels, to cater for travellers wanting to expand their beyond-business experience.

“Work and holiday blur on trips abroad, as our ways of doing business demand a more flexible approach. This consumer therefore expects their hotel to meet a wide-ranging set of criteria that embraces spaces to work and meet in, as well as those to engage with the cultural life of the city and to relax and refresh,” said Future Laboratory strategy and insight director Chris Sanderson.

Victoria boasts a variety of hotels that have combined top-class business facilities with a range of leisure experiences, while offering an exciting array of sporting events, cultural and leisure pursuits to whet the bleisure travellers’ appetite.

Victoria’s regions

Beer lovers read and rejoice

Beer lovers can delve into Victoria’s finest brews following the latest release of The Beer Lovers’ Guide to Victoria’s Microbreweries.

The updated guide showcases 35 Victorian breweries, including 20 regional producers, and features references to the brews produced, tasting sheets, contact details, brewer profiles and anecdotes, and a map of Victoria highlighting the microbrewery locations.

Around 40,000 copies will be distributed through visitor information services, local and regional tourism associations, and hospitality industry outlets including hotels, bars, restaurants and microbreweries.

It is anticipated that the guide will generate increased awareness, promotion and sales of Victorian craft beers and enhance regional tourism as people visit the breweries.

Historic town rides popularity trail

The National Trust classified town of Wandiligong will be connected to the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail at Bright through a $250,000 grant as part of an Alpine Shire Council project.

Construction of the 4.1 kilometre pedestrian and cyclist sealed pathway is expected to increase tourism opportunities in both directions, potentially boosting employment and business growth in Wandiligong and Bright.

The Murray to Mountains trail is a high quality asset and tourist drawcard for the already popular region.

Tourism Victoria analysis shows the Murray to Mountains Rail trail directly contributes around $500,000 a year to the local community.

Plans afoot for Cowes-Stony Point car ferry

Plans are underway to introduce a vehicle ferry between Cowes on Phillip Island and Stony Point on the Mornington Peninsula.

The ferry would create a new tourism route linking the Great Ocean Road, Mornington Peninsula, Bass Coast, Wilsons Promontory and the Gippsland Lakes.

Bass Coast Shire is currently in talks with the Mornington Peninsula shires, Tourism Victoria and Regional Development Victoria.

Arts & Culture

Ancient Pompeii unearthed at Melbourne Museum

The daily life and final dramatic hours of the ancient city of Pompeii have been recreated at Melbourne Museum for this winter’s second spectacular Melbourne Winter Masterpieces exhibition, A Day in Pompeii.

A Day in Pompeii brings more than 250 priceless objects from the ancient Roman city to Melbourne, transporting visitors back in time and bringing the epic story of Pompeii to life.

The Melbourne Winter Masterpieces series is one of Victoria’s biggest and most popular annual events, attracting almost 1.4 million people since its inception in 2004. With almost 25 per cent of visitors coming from interstate and overseas, it has also proven to be a major drawcard for tourists.

A Day in Pompeii is expected to attract large numbers of visitors from interstate, with more than 2500 NSW schoolchildren already scheduled to travel to Melbourne for the exhibition.

The exhibition will be on display until 25 October 2009. For more information visit museumvictoria.com.au

Sport & Leisure

Melbourne makes tracks for cycling championship

Melbourne’s status as the world’s sporting capital has been further bolstered with the city named host of the 2012 UCI Track World Championships.

Union Cycliste Internationale named Melbourne as its host city for the prestigious track cycling event, adding to a suite of world-class sporting events to be hosted in Victoria.

Sports Minister James Merlino said the announcement was a major coup for Melbourne that will not only draw international and interstate visitors to Melbourne but showcase the city to the world through an international broadcast.

The UCI Track World Championships stand at the pinnacle of world track cycling, attracting the best riders from more than 40 countries from across the world. The event will be held in the first half of 2012.

Thousands flock to see Tiger

World Number One Tiger Woods is proving to be a major drawcard for this year’s Australian Masters with ticket sales for the final day of the four-day event selling fast.

More than 70 per cent of the Sunday general admission tickets had been snapped up after four hours on sale, and prime grandstand seating on the 18th green had sold out.

Many golf fans were also keen to see the four days of the event and more than 70 per cent of season passes, priced at $169, had also been sold.

Melbourne hits fever pitch

Melbourne will play host to the Qantas Socceroos’ final match on home soil ahead of next year’s FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The match will be held at the MCG in May 2010 against a country to be finalised later this year.

The farewell match is a major highlight of a new four-year partnership with Football Federation Australia which will also include a preliminary round FIFA World Cup qualifier match in 2012; and a final round FIFA World Cup qualifier match in 2013.

Premier John Brumby said Victoria’s annual calendar of sporting and cultural events draws hundreds of thousands of visitors to the state every year, showcasing Victoria to a world-wide audience.

Melbourne has hosted four major international Socceroos matches since 2006, generating more than $21 million in economic benefits for Victorian tourism.

Alpine

Track the snow

To celebrate the start of the 2009 snow season, Tourism Victoria has launched a new and improved version of its online ski widget, the ‘skidget' enabling skiers and boarders around Australia to keep track of conditions at their favourite Victorian alpine resort.

Available at skivic.com, the new-look skidget features a refreshed skin with a uniquely Victorian image.

As well as providing more up-to-date information such as regular snow reports and conditions for each of Victoria's alpine resorts, the skidget now includes a What's On section highlighting the many events and activities taking place over winter and access to snow cams.

The customised widget is easily accessible and can be shared by emailing to friends or adding it to your blog, computer desktop or to a range of popular social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace and iGoogle.

Victorian kids ski free

Board of Alpine Resorts Tourism (BART) has launched a Victorian Grade 5 Ski Free Pass which aims to grow the new skier market.

The first of its kind in Australia it entitles Grade 5 students in Victoria one free lift ticket or snow play pass at each of the state’s five major alpine resorts – Falls Creek, Lake Mountain, Mount Baw Baw, Mount Buller/Mount Stirling and Mount Hotham.

BART has also co-branded the pass with the State Government’s Go For Your Life campaign, which promotes healthy eating and physical activity.

Nature

Ada Tree Walk upgrade

Visitors to picturesque Warburton and Powelltown can look forward to better access to one of the area’s most popular walking and picnic areas thanks to a $400,000 upgrade of the Ada Tree Scenic Reserve.

The Yarra State Forest works include the introduction of a new car park, a new visitor area, toilets and picnic area, new interpretation facilities, a possum habitat tree, tree viewing platform, new boardwalks and drainage works.

Media & trade visits

Tourism Victoria supports tourism operators across the state by coordinating visits for Australian and international media and the travel trade.

‘Familiarisations’ are a cost-effective marketing tool for the industry, generating powerful exposure for featured regions and operators among journalists and travel professionals.

Cool hunting

In support of the Melbourne in Winter campaign, journalists from a range of prominent media outlets including News Limited, The New York Times, GQ Magazine, and Limelight Magazine recently experienced Melbourne’s events packed winter offerings.

Over two days the Cool Hunting media famil incorporated visits to the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, the Melbourne Recital Centre, the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art and previews of the State of Design Festival, an Avenue Q performance at the Comedy Theatre, and NGV International’s Salvador Dali: Liquid Desire exhibition as part of Melbourne Winter Masterpieces.

Journalists also ventured to new food and wine hotspots in and around the city, and explored the lesser-known hubs of Gertrude Street and Brunswick Street, stopping in at homegrown – now internationally renowned – beauty outlet, Aesop, and custom bag store, Crumpler.

Campaigns

Rabbit runs again

Yarra Valley cinema and television ads will begin running in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane in early June 2009 as part of the State and Commonwealth funded bushfire recovery program.

The campaign sees the return of the popular ‘Run Rabbit Run’ advertisements, which features the catchy theme song of the same name, and depicts couples hiding in the region’s world class wineries in a desperate bid to extend their stay.

Launched in June 2003, the ad was recognised with a number of awards and accolades and is part of the Melbourne’s Yarra Valley. You’ll never want to leave. campaign.

Additional Tourism Victoria campaigns scheduled to take place during July include:

• Bushfire recovery – print advertising in The Age, Melbourne.
• Goldfields – online search and print advertising in Canberra Times, Adelaide Advertiser, Adelaide Sunday Mail and SA Lifestyle.
• Great Ocean Road – online search advertising including Google, NineMSN and Sensis, combined with print campaign activities in Melbourne media including Herald Sun, The Age, and Royal Auto Magazine (VIC).
• Melbourne – Print and online advertising includes Vogue, MX (Sydney and Brisbane), Delicious, Sydney Morning Herald, Canberra Times, Adelaide Sunday Mail, Fairfax Online, and Right Angle Publishing (Two Thousand – Sydney, Three Thousand – Melbourne, Four Thousand – Brisbane).
• Melbourne and surrounds – print advertising in Good Weekend, Sydney Morning Herald and Sydney Sun Herald.
• Ski – Fox FM radio advertising in Melbourne, supplemented by online advertising.
• Yarra Valley – Melbourne print advertising in Herald Sun and Sunday Herald Sun.
• Gippsland – Online, radio, print and outdoor advertising in Melbourne.

Federal Government initiatives

Jackson report released

The Federal Minister for Tourism, Martin Ferguson has released the Jackson Report, produced by the National Long Term Tourism Strategy Committee.

The report outlines ten supply-side reforms to advance Australia’s long-term tourism future, reflecting the challenges the industry faces in its capacity to meet the future demands of tourism consumers.

The Jackson Report is available at ret.gov.au

What’s on

Creating a Vibrant & Sustainable Destination

Ever wondered what makes New Zealand such a strong tourist destination? Get the inside story from Clive Geddes, Mayor of the Queenstown Lakes District Council, who will share insights on how Queenstown has become an outstanding global visitor experience.

The Inner Melbourne Tourism Group and Destination Melbourne are hosting a special industry forum at Melbourne Town Hall on Wednesday 22 July at 6.00 pm. This is a great opportunity for the Melbourne tourism industry to hear what makes a vibrant and sustainable destination.

Clive Geddes has been an inspirational leader for tourism in Queenstown. He has supported a united approach between business, community and government to tourism development.

Creating a Vibrant and Sustainable Destination is an opportunity to find out how to help build tourism in your area, network with your colleagues and do business. Cost is $22 per person. Light refreshments supplied. For more information please call Destination Melbourne on 9869 2444 or download the registration form here.

Upcoming events

• Free Climate Change Workshop, Monday 6 July, Melbourne
• Creating a Vibrant and Sustainable Destination, 22 July, Melbourne
• Tourism Futures conference, 17-19 August, Gold Coast