Melbourne

Rectangular Stadium to light up Melbourne skyline

The new Rectangular Stadium will have Victorians glowing with pride as it lights up Melbourne’s night skyline, thanks to a spectacular new lighting design.

The stadium roof will be covered with thousands of LED lights that can shine in any colour and be programmed into a multitude of patterns on par with Beijing’s water cube and the 2006 World Cup stadium Allianz Arena in Munich.

Currently under construction on Edwin Flack Field in the Olympic Park Precinct, the stadium will provide Melbourne with a purpose-built, medium-sized rectangular pitch and world-class playing surface. Already attracting major attention from the community, the 31,000-capacity boutique stadium, with its unique bio-frame roof, will deliver a new sporting icon for the state.

The illuminated stadium will also be environmentally friendly, with the LED lights using around one tenth of the power required to floodlight the stadium and without any light spill into the surrounding area. The design also avoids the problems normally associated with floodlighting buildings, which can attract insects and birds.

The $267.5 million Rectangular Stadium, which will be operational in early 2010, is another piece of the jigsaw in Melbourne’s suite of stadiums to cement Melbourne's claim as the sporting capital of the world.

View the digital flythrough at youtube.com/watch?v=IQULwo8jj0Q

European Masters set for Melbourne in 2010

Melbourne is set for a blockbuster 2010 with European Masters: Städel Collection 19th – 20th Centuries coming to the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) as part of the hugely successful Melbourne Winter Masterpieces series.

European Masters: Städel Collection 19th – 20th Centuries will bring together more than 100 works from the internationally renowned Städel Museum in Germany and is the first time the collection will be displayed outside Europe.

Highlighting the diversity of the Städel, the exhibition will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for visitors to experience key artistic movements, including Impressionism, Symbolism and Modernism, under one roof.

The exhibition will showcase masterpieces by 70 artists including Monet, Cézanne and Renoir, Degas, Picasso and Munch. Paintings and sculptures by Max Beckman, Max Klinger, Pierre Bonnard, Auguste Rodin will also be on display, alongside other European masterpieces of modern art.

Premier John Brumby said the exhibition was a major coup for Victoria that would draw interstate and international tourists comparable to other attractions such as the Spring Racing Carnival and the Australian Open Tennis.

The blockbuster showcase is part of the Melbourne Winter Masterpieces series which has so far attracted more than 1.6 million visitors, injecting an estimated $100 million into the Victorian economy.

European Masters: Städel Collection 19th – 20th Centuries will be on at the NGV International, St Kilda Road from 19 June until 10 October 2010.

Minister welcomes F1 agreement

The Victorian Government has welcomed news of a new agreement between the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and the Formula One Teams Association on the future of the Formula One World Championship. 

The 2009 Concorde Agreement heralds a renewed period of stability for the sport and is good news for Melbourne, which will host the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park until at least 2015.

Tourism and Major Events Minister Tim Holding said the Grand Prix had been an outstanding event for Victoria over a long period of time and has helped put Melbourne on a global stage.

The Australian Grand Prix Corporation is working to improve next year’s event with changes to activities on and off the track. Negotiations are in place to lure another blockbuster band to perform at the event which will also offer more entertainment and family activities.

Mr Holding said the decision to move the race start time back to 5.00 pm for this year’s race had been a stunning success. The later telecast saw European and Asian television audiences increase substantially, with record television audiences tuning in from France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom.

“The massive television exposure that Melbourne receives year in year due the Australian Grand Prix has helped to build our world-wide reputation as a great place to visit and a great place to live,” Mr Holding said.

The Australian Grand Prix Corporation will release tickets for next year’s event on 11 August.

Fans flock to the Masters

Tickets have almost sold out to the 2009 Australian Masters Golf tournament amid an unprecedented level of interest from Australian and international golf enthusiasts.

The tournament will feature Tiger Woods, Geoff Ogilvy and a number of other leading Australian golfers including Adam Scott, Aaron Baddeley, Stuart Appleby, Mathew Goggin, Robert Allenby, John Senden, Greg Chalmers, James Nitties, Michael Sim and reigning champion Rod Pampling.

Event organisers now expect more than 100,000 people to attend the Masters with Friday, Sunday and premium grandstand seating tickets completely sold out and limited tickets available for the other days. Over 35 per cent of tickets sold to date have been purchased from interstate or overseas providing a significant tourism benefit for Victoria.

Tourism and Major Events Minister Tim Holding said the tickets sales are unprecedented for a golf event in Australia with over 90 per cent of tickets sold three months out from the event. There are less than 100 season tickets remaining, 1000 general admission passes for Saturday and around 3000 for the opening day.

The organisers have also made several other announcements including new sponsorships and the naming of Channel 9 as the official free to air broadcaster for the event, with Fox Sports providing coverage on pay TV.

The Australian Masters will be held at Kingston Heath Golf Club from 12 – 15 November, 2009. Remaining tickets for Thursday and Saturday are available through Ticketek at ticketek.com.au.

For more information on the Australian Masters go to australianmasters.com.au.

L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival makes fashion and fiscal waves

The L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival (LMFF) reaffirmed its position as a major Australian event after defying the global economic crisis with the announcement of its 2009 results.

Regarded as the biggest consumer fashion event in the world, LMFF annually exhibits the best and latest fashion trends with new initiatives and a series of unique events. It also supports the local fashion industry by showcasing local designers and driving consumer spending.

The 2009 festival achieved outstanding results contributing an estimated direct impact of $69.9 million to the Australian economy.

LMFF Festival Director, Karen Webster said the results proved the festival’s ability to succeed in raising the bar by highlighting innovation in the face of adversity.

“In tough times there is a sense of anxiety and fear that pervades business including fashion. When times get tough – the tough get creative,” Ms Webster said.

Over 300 fashion brands and designers participated in 118 officially sanctioned events, activities and key retailer shows throughout the week-long festival which attracted more than 371,000 attendees. The festival also benefited from 74 corporate, industry and government sponsor partnerships.

Planning is currently underway for the 2010 L’Oréal Melbourne Fashion Festival with dates announced for 14 to 22 March 2010.

Melbourne's Hotel Windsor reveals $260 million plan

Melbourne’s Hotel Windsor has announced a $260 million development proposal that it says will secure the future of the historic 19th century landmark.

The proposal, lodged with planning authorities including Heritage Victoria, would see the Hotel Windsor house 152 extra rooms, bringing the total accommodation to 332 rooms and suites.

The plan includes a refurbishment of the original hotel building and its key historic features; and a distinctive 25-storey tower including additional rooms and suites, meeting rooms and health and leisure facilities. A new corner building would also replace the 1960s north wing addition, providing space for al fresco dining, banquet and function facilities and an indoor pool.

An economic analysis prepared for the Hotel Windsor by Essential Economics said the refurbishment project would create more jobs and generate additional visitor spending of $14 million per year in Melbourne.

The proposed renovation and redevelopment is subject to planning and financial approvals. Subject to these approvals, preliminary work would be scheduled to start in the last quarter of 2010.

Victoria’s regions

Crown Land amendments to boost regional jobs

Job creation and economic growth in regional Victoria are expected after amendments to the Crown Lands Act were recently passed through parliament.

The Crown Land Acts Amendment (Lease and Licence Terms) Bill 2009 means the maximum lease term available for major projects on Crown land has now increased from 21 to 65 years, providing business investors and tourism operators with greater certainty.

The introduction of an integrated commercial tour operator licensing system will particularly benefit the eco-tourism industry through improved opportunities for increased industry investment, allowing tour operators to focus on business performance.

Environment and Climate Change Minister Gavin Jennings said relief from administrative processes and the potential for longer planning cycles would foster development in regional economies where many commercial tour operators are located.

The amendments also give way to a uniform commercial tour operator licensing scheme across all Crown land Acts which will see an increase in licence terms from three to 10 years.

The legislation delivers on the State Government’s commitment in Victoria’s Nature Based Tourism Strategy 2008-2012 to increase maximum lease and licence terms. It also aligns Victoria’s Crown land leasing and licensing system with other States and improves Victoria’s competitiveness.

The amendments will be supported by a revised commercial leasing policy to be released shortly by the Department of Sustainability and Environment.

Victorian Government to help put Stawell Gift on track

In a bid to keep the Stawell Gift in Stawell, the Victorian Government has announced the appointment of leading consultant Deloitte to undertake a comprehensive review of the club’s business plan and assist them to develop a sustainable financial position.

Premier John Brumby has guaranteed that the Stawell Gift will remain in the Grampians town where it has been run for more than 120 years.

Deloitte’s engagement will bring the necessary expertise to improve the club’s finances and explore more funding opportunities. In addition it represents an important step in laying the groundwork to improve the event’s future.

The consultant will talk to key stakeholders including local government and athletics organisations, with the report expected to provide scenarios and options for the next five years. The full cost of the review will be funded by the Victorian Government, which provided $60,000 in April to assist club marketing.

The appointment also follows discussions between the government, the club and Northern Grampians Shire Council.

Report findings are expected to be presented in mid-August.

Working Holiday Makers make an impact in regional Australia

Widely regarded as a key niche component of the total inbound backpacker market, the Working Holiday Maker (WHM) is one of the fastest growing sub-segments of international visitation to Australia.

Monash University recently conducted a study, co-funded by Tourism Victoria, into these high yield visitors, highlighting the economic value of the youth tourism sector to a host community.

As the only pilot study that looks at the impact of Working Holiday Makers in Regional Australia, the report provides many interesting insights into the impacts of tourism on a regional Victorian community.

A summary of the key findings from this research is now available in the backpacker section of Tourism Victoria’s corporate website.

Aviation

Victoria welcomes more flights from Asia

Victorian tourism will get another boost with additional flights to Melbourne by Air Asia X and Garuda Indonesia.

AirAsia X, which commenced flights to Melbourne in November 2008, last week announced plans to increase its Melbourne-Kuala Lumpur services from seven to 11 per week beginning later this year.

Indonesia’s national carrier, Garuda Indonesia, also recently commenced new direct fights between Jakarta and Melbourne. The three weekly services will use brand new A330-200 wide-bodied aircraft providing almost 70,000 two-way seats per year. The new Jakarta connection is a bonus for trade and investment as all current services to Indonesia operate between Melbourne and Bali.

With Malaysian visitors to Victoria at record levels and Indonesian visitors predicted to increase by around 10 per cent a year up to 2018, Industry and Trade Minister Martin Pakula said the new services proved very timely.

The new services represent a welcome expansion of the state’s international links and are expected to bring significant benefits to the Victorian economy.

Virgin Blue contract delivers 249 new jobs for Victoria

A new deal between John Holland Aviation Services (JHAS) and Virgin Blue to base the company’s Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul Centre of Excellence at Melbourne Airport will deliver new, full time, skilled jobs for 249 Victorians.

Generating 249 new jobs over the next five years, the contract will create a total workforce of more than 590 JHAS staff by the end of 2013. It will also support Virgin Blue’s new Embraer 170/190 fleet, which is expected to reach 24 aircraft by the end of 2011.

In addition to growing the tourism industry, the Virgin Blue contract will provide new opportunities for Victoria’s aviation industry, which sustains 400 businesses and employs more than 20,000 Victorians. It will also deliver an annual windfall of up to $8 million through component repairs and the opportunity to supply JHAS investment with new equipment.

Premier John Brumby said the Victorian Government provided strong support to JHAS to win the contract and was continuing to assist JHAS to develop its Aviation Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul Centre of Excellence. The centre will provide training for 14 licensed aircraft maintenance engineers, offering a unique opportunity for our workforce to learn new skills.

Industry

Tourism Excellence brought to life

Tourism Victoria has teamed up with Tourism Alliance Victoria and the Victorian Employers' Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VECCI) to bring the Tourism Excellence website content to life in a series of 10 training modules.

The exciting development will see qualified trainers and facilitators delivering course content and other practical learning resources directly to the tourism industry. It offers an invaluable opportunity for industry members to engage productively in a group learning environment.

The initiative is part of the Tourism Excellence Grants program, which is designed to benefit businesses by offering a tangible approach to increasing business performance and refining the skills and knowledge of our tourism workforce. The program arose from industry consultation following the release of the Regional Tourism Action Plan.

In addition to the Tourism Excellence workshops and training programs, the second element of the grants program involves a series of business audits, which will help benchmark the service delivery of tourism businesses through mystery shopper exercises.

Campaign Committees and Tourism Boards have each received their Tourism Excellence Grants funding from Tourism Victoria and will now be responsible for the delivery of the program.

For more information visit tourismexcellence.com.au or contact your local Campaign Committee and Tourism Board.

Australia’s best hotels revealed

The leading lights of Australia’s hotel industry were recently recognised at the 2009 Australian Hotels Association National Hotel Awards for Excellence.

Held on 17 July at the Gold Coast, the annual awards acknowledge the best pub-style and three, four and five star hotels across Australia.

The Park Hyatt Melbourne was named Overall Hotel of the Year in the Accommodation Division, in addition to taking home the accolade for the Best Redeveloped Hotel, Accommodation Division.

Other Victorian winners included:

Hall of Fame inductee
Darryl Washington (VIC)

Best Restaurant, General Division – Country
Royal Mail Hotel (Dunkeld)

Best Bar Presentation and Service – Metropolitan
The Langham Melbourne, Aria Bar & Lounge (Southbank)

Best Gaming Venue – Country
Grand Hotel (Mornington)

Best Redeveloped Hotel, General Division
Goulburn Valley Hotel (Shepparton)

Best Marketed Hotel, General Division
Hallam Hotel (Hallam)

Best Marketed Hotel, Accommodation Division
The Westin Melbourne (Melbourne)

Best Resort Style Accommodation
Lake House (Daylesford)

Tourism Victoria congratulates all our Victorian winners on their achievements.

Media & trade visits

Tourism Victoria continues to support tourism operators across the state by coordinating familiarisation visits for Australian and international media and the travel trade.

Media keep their cool at Victoria’s alpine resorts

Tourism Victoria recently hosted journalists from New Idea, Q Weekend, Herald Sun and Yahoo!7 at ski familiarisations at two of Victoria’s premier alpine resorts, Mount Hotham and Falls Creek.

The visits took in a guided snowshoe tour of Hotham; a bathing experience at the Japanese-inspired Onsen Retreat and Spa at Dinner Plain; ski lessons, snowbiking and snowtubing at Falls Creek; and treatments at Mii Spa at Quay West Resort and Spa at Falls Creek.

Campaigns

Gippsland campaign set to inspire

The latest incarnations of the Inspired by Gippsland campaign see online and outdoor advertisements tempting university students, snow bunnies and food lovers with skiing, boarding and gourmet produce just two hours from Melbourne.

Invited to “start [their] winter wonderland journey” in Gippsland, visitors are inspired to marvel at spectacular mountain scenery and rolling hills, soak up the fresh mountain air, uncover local secrets and villages and sample fresh local produce.

A campaign video, which depicts chef David Stimson traipsing around the rolling Gippsland countryside on a quest to find fine Australian local produce, is underpinned by the tagline ‘When the cheeses call, I always make the journey.’

The campaign will continue throughout August and is complemented by winter deals and packages throughout the region, including the majestic Mount Baw Baw Alpine Resort.

Additional Tourism Victoria campaigns scheduled to take place this month include:

• Ski – continued tactical online branding on BigPond News and Weather, and qantas.com until 19 September.
• Melbourne – Lose Yourself in Melbourne's Theatre District campaign continues throughout August. Print advertising in Sydney Morning Herald, Weekend Australian, Q Weekend, SA Weekend, and Australian Way. Also includes Sydney radio advertising, and online branding on news and travel websites.
• Victorian Tourism Awards – Print advertising in Herald Sun commencing from 3 August to 18 October.

What’s on

Gold Coast conference draws blockbuster speaker line up

A blockbuster line up of dynamic and innovative speakers is set to share the stage at the upcoming Tourism Futures National Conference held from 17 to 19 August 2009 at the Gold Coast.

The event will be a fantastic opportunity for delegates to network with industry peers to build a strong and resilient business, hear the latest news and have their say about how the tourism industry will emerge in the new, green economy.

Register now online or contact the Tourism Futures office on (07) 3210 0021 and join Australia’s best and brightest at Tourism Futures ’09 – Redefining the Future.

Upcoming events

• Tourism Futures conference, 17-19 August, Gold Coast
• Victorian Tourism Award business submissions close, 19 August
• Australian Tourism Export Council / Tourism Victoria Famil and Workshop, 20-24 August, InterContinental Hotel, Melbourne
• t, 28 August, St Kilda
• Victorian Tourism Awards Gala, 16 November, The Palladium at Crown
• Dreamtime 2009, 12–16 October, Sydney