As we kick start 2012, we are already seeing some of the newer key strategies of the Victorian tourism industry take shape, including our important 2020 Tourism and Events Industry Strategy.
I encourage all of you, particularly industry members, to send through your views on the 2020 strategy discussion paper using the link in the story below. Your valuable insights will help to ensure the strategy best reflects the varied needs of industry across the state.
We also continue to work with the regions to understand local issues and further promote visitation.
I am also proud to report that Melbourne has won a further eight major conferences that will attract around 7000 delegates from around the world to Victoria over the next five years, which is fantastic news.
2012 has begun with activities designed to lay the foundations for our shared success. I look forward to working with you as we build on this momentum in the months ahead.
Tourism Victoria has commenced the consultation phase for Victoria's 2020 Tourism and Events Industry Strategy, which outlines the government's vision and long-term strategic direction for tourism and events.
In identifying the potential growth for Victoria, we will reference projections estimated in the National Long-Term Tourism Strategy. This potential is ambitious and represents a 'stretch' beyond business as usual.
Tourism Victoria will be holding a number of consultation sessions on the discussion paper with industry and government leaders. We welcome additional input from industry members.
Please click here to view the discussion paper and forward any comments or suggestions by 29 February 2012 to
.
As the final preparations take place for the tourism industry's largest and most prestigious event, the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards, 26 Victorian award winners are ready to join another 200 state and territory finalists at the gala ceremony next month in Cairns.
This is the 27th annual Australian Tourism Awards, which recognises tourism businesses that strive for excellence in every area of their operation. For both the industry and the consumer an Australian Tourism Award is recognised as a mark of tourism excellence.
In 2012, Victoria also has Mornington Peninsula Tourism vying for the Hall of Fame Award in the Specialised Tourism Services category.
The full list of Australian finalists can be viewed on the new Australian Tourism Awards website australiantourismawards.com.au. For enquiries regarding tickets, please contact the National Tourism Alliance on 02 9264 2185.
As part of the Tourism 2020 strategy, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship has developed a discussion paper on a proposed template labour agreement. The template is intended to simplify access to overseas workers in critical skills shortage areas.
The paper is now open for comment, to help ensure the template meets tourism industry needs. To review the discussion paper, please click here.
All feedback on the discussion paper is welcome, as well as any specific information about occupations in demand and current challenges in attracting and recruiting staff. Industry associations are also encouraged to forward the discussion paper to their members.
Please provide comments on the discussion paper by Friday 16 March 2012 to
. For more information on Labour and Skills Working Group initiatives visit tourism.gov.au/labour.
With support from Tourism Victoria, the High Country and Yarra Valley regions were featured in a national television series as part of Tourism Australia's No Leave No Life initiative.
"The No Leave No Life initiative is about encouraging more Australians to take a break from work and get to know their own backyard by planning holidays closer to home," Minister for Tourism and Major Events Louise Asher said.
The High Country's Lindenwarrah Hotel, Brown Brothers, Dal Zotto Wines and Pizzini Wines, along with Domaine Chandon and Chateau Yering Historic House Hotel in the Yarra Valley were filmed as part of the episode, which aired on the Seven Network.
Tourism Victoria has engaged La Trobe University to conduct an online survey to better understand how risks associated with floods have affected visitation to the Murray River region.
We are looking for research participants who:
have visited the Murray River region in the last 12 months, or
have cancelled a trip to the Murray River region in the last 12 months, or
are planning a trip to the region this year.
If this is you, and you would like to participate, please click here to complete the survey. Alternatively, if you are a business that is in contact with people who may fall into one of these categories, please contact us using the details below.
All participants who complete the survey will go into the draw to win one of four holiday packages to the Murray River region. If you have any queries, please contact Denise Ulbrick at Tourism Victoria on 03 9653 9714.
Tourism Victoria has recently released a new suite of free materials available to tourism businesses and booking agencies to inform travellers about bushfire safety.
Developed in conjunction with the Country Fire Authority (CFA), these materials provide important bushfire safety tips for people staying in high bushfire risk areas.
Research conducted by Sweeney Research in October 2011 found that despite an increase in bushfire safety awareness since the 2009 bushfires, more visitor education is needed.
Tourism businesses and booking agencies can order a kit which includes brochures, fridge magnets, key tags, Fire Danger Rating displays and local Township Protection Plans. To order a bushfire safety resource kit or find out more, please click here.
Melbourne has won a further eight major congresses, one national and seven international business events, that are set to attract around 7000 delegates to Victoria over the next five years.
The congresses are:
International Conference on Care and Housing for the Ageing (IAHSA) 2013
IEEE International Conference on Power Electronics (ICPE) – ECCE ASIA 2013
Inaugural Broadband World Congress 2013
The MHS 2013 (The Mental Health Services Conference)
International Symposium on Information Theory and its Applications – ISITA 2014
International Congress on Noise Control Engineering (INTERNOISE) 201
Congress of the Asia-Pacific Federation of Coloproctology 2015
AFMC International Medicinal Chemistry Symposium (AIMECS) 2017.
Minister for Tourism and Major Events Louise Asher said the wins followed the recent announcement that Melbourne will host the prestigious International AIDS Conference in 2014, the largest medical conference ever to be held in Australia.
"I congratulate the Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau for securing these business events for Victoria and for all their hard work throughout 2011," Ms Asher said.
From 25 March 2012, Royal Brunei Airlines will operate non-stop scheduled daily services between the Brunei capital Bandar Seri Begawan and Melbourne.
Minster for Tourism and Major Events Louise Asher said the decision by the airline followed its inaugural flight to Melbourne in March last year and discussions with the Victorian Coalition Government.
"South-East Asia is one of Victoria's fastest growing markets and these additional Royal Brunei Airlines services will enable greater tourism and trade linkages and opportunities across this valuable growth market.
"Additionally, the services will improve connections and flexibility for passengers travelling between Melbourne and London," Ms Asher said.
Last week, Minister for Tourism and Major Events Louise Asher visited New Zealand to officially launch Play Melbourne, the next phase of the highly successful tourism marketing Jigsaw campaign.
"This is the third major marketing campaign that Tourism Victoria has run in New Zealand, and our Play Melbourne campaign will run for five months," Ms Asher said.
New Zealand is the largest source of international visitors to Victoria, with 259,000 overnight visitors to Victoria for the year ending September 2011.
Along with the launch of the new website playmelbourne.co.nz, Ms Asher said the Play Melbourne television commercial would air on the national broadcaster TVNZ in addition to promotions across print, online and cinema advertising.
Ms Asher also announced a strategic partnership between Tourism Victoria, Air New Zealand and Air New Zealand holidays that would see great deals being offered to New Zealanders to encourage them to come to Melbourne.
The World Expo 2012 runs from 12 May to 12 August 2012 in Yeosu, on the south coast of Korea. The Expo is a platform to develop business–business and government–government links in South Korea, with the aim of increasing goods or services exports to South Korea and encourage inward investment to Victoria.
The Expo will cover multiple sectors, including:
tourism
agribusiness and water
food and beverage
clean energy technology
international education
urban system design
arts
ICT.
It is anticipated that a program of activities will be developed for each sector in Seoul and Busan, which may include:
qualified business-to-business meetings
seminars/forums
networking events
senior government representation
Eligible companies will receive a subsidy to offset your costs of participation. These subsidies will be payable after the trade mission upon submission of an evaluation form. You can participate in the mission (Tourism Sector) as either:
a tourism product or service provider, or
a regional tourism organisation or other relevant industry member.
To register your interest or for further information, please contact Kenji Takamori on 03 9653 9879 or via email at
.
Following the 2011 VIE event, an evaluation was conducted by Tourism Victoria in order to gain feedback from industry representatives who attended the one-day conference.
Approximately 30 per cent of attendees responded to the online survey with 87 per cent of those either very satisfied or extremely satisfied with the event. A majority of responses indicated that plenary presenters and workshops were useful and 84 per cent of respondents believed they received value for money from the conference. There were also a number of suggestions on how to refine the event which will be taken into account for planning VIE 2012.
With Australia's carbon price system coming into effect on 1 July, Qantas welcomes its tourism partners to this important summit to address one of the most pressing challenges facing the industry.
While many companies are already well advanced on green investments and initiatives, the introduction of a price signal creates a sense of urgency around the need for tourism businesses to operate more sustainably.
Australia's unique policy approach presents an opportunity for the tourism industry; however, a coordinated approach will be essential to deliver the best results.
For further information or to register click here.
