MasterChef launches in Melbourne for the first time
This Sunday, Channel Ten ratings juggernaut MasterChef will launch its fourth series in Melbourne as part of a new partnership with the Victorian Coalition Government through Tourism.
Minister for Tourism and Major Events, Louise Asher said that television programs such as MasterChef are an excellent way to reinforce Victoria's reputation as one of Australia's leading food and wine destinations.
Victoria will play host to the first week of the new MasterChef series, with challenges taking place in the Royal Exhibition Building and the South Melbourne Market in Melbourne.
Regional Victoria is also set to receive greater exposure on the show with the top 50 contestants from around the country undertaking challenges set in Red Hill area in the Mornington Peninsula, Lake House in Daylesford and Montsalvat in the Yarra Valley.
"With an anticipated audience of around 4 million Australians, MasterChef will provide an excellent national platform to promote Melbourne and its key regional destinations, which definitely benefits the industry in keeping Victoria top of mind.
"To maximise this opportunity, we will also be running our highly successful Play Melbourne television ad prime time to the Sydney market during the show," Ms Asher said.
Record nominations for 2012 Victorian Tourism Awards
Tourism Victoria has received 70 nominations so far for this year's RACV Victorian Tourism Awards (VTA), which represents a 20% jump in nominations when compared to the same time last year.
There has also been increased interest in the number of first time and experienced entrants participating in the VTA mentoring programs and workshops. Both the mentoring programs and workshops are designed to help tourism businesses navigate their way through making an entry submission.
For more information about the awards, its mentoring programs and how to support the RACV People's Choice Awards go to the dedicated VTA website here.
Tourism Victoria Aviation Director retires
Earlier this month, Robert O'Brien retired as Tourism Victoria's Director of Aviation and Tourism Investment Attraction. Andrew Ferrington has since commenced in the position bringing with him a wealth of experience from his time as Executive Director of the Northern Metropolitan Region as part of the Department of Business and Innovation.
Andrew joined the Victorian Government in 1997 and has worked in a number of senior positions focused mainly in trade, industry engagement and international investment, particularly in the tourism, ICT, and aviation sectors.
Victoria's Regions
Celtic celebration receives funding boost
Minister for Tourism and Major Events Louise Asher announced $52,500 in Victorian Coalition Government funding for the 2012 National Celtic Festival.
Held on the Bellarine Peninsula over the Queen's Birthday long weekend in June, the National Celtic Festival is a celebration of Celtic culture and combines arts and cultural activities with local heritage experiences.
"Funding from Tourism Victoria's Events Program will be used to promote the event in Melbourne and interstate markets, and funding from Regional Development Victoria's Putting Locals First Program will support the event's economic and potential job creation impacts," Ms Asher said.
"Now in its tenth year, this event continues to grow attracting an estimated 16,000 people in 2011 with approximately 80 per cent of visitors from outside the immediate region. The event celebrates the seven Celtic lands of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, Cornwall, the Isle of Man, and Galicia and Asturias.
The National Celtic Festival will be held in Portarlington over the Queen's Birthday long weekend from 8 to 11 June 2012. For more information visit www.visitvictoria.com.
For more information read the full media release here.
Victorian Government supports cycling tours in regional Victoria
Regional Victoria is set to benefit from a boost to the local tourism industry with the Victorian Coalition Government's announcement of $25,000 to support three cycling tours under Tourism Victoria's Events Program.
Minister for Tourism and Major Events Louise Asher said the Coalition Government's support would be used to promote the cycling tour events nationally through metro and regional newspapers, cycling websites and the CycleSport Victoria handbook.
The Tour of Gippsland, Tour of the Murray River and the inaugural Tour of the Great South Coast will attract both interstate and international cyclists to Victoria along with large support crews.
All three events form part of the Scody Cup Series sanctioned by the Australian Cycling Federation under the National Road Series.
The 2012 Tour of Gippsland will be held from 1–5 August. This is followed by the 2012 Tour of the Great South Coast on 15–19 August, and the 2012 Tour of the Murray River will run from 2–9 September.
For more information read the full media release here.
Festival funding is music to Mildura's ears
The 2012 Mildura Country Music Festival has received funding to the tune of $27,500 from the Victorian Coalition Government to promote the annual celebration of independent country music.
Minister for Tourism and Major Events Louise Asher said the Coalition Government's support under Tourism Victoria's Flood Recovery Events Program demonstrated the government's ongoing support of regions affected by the floods in 2011.
Now in its 26th year, the Festival attracts country music lovers from all over Australia to the banks of the Murray for 10 days of country music entertainment and local Mildura hospitality.
"The Coalition Government is delighted to once again support this iconic festival which consistently draws interstate visitation and delivers economic, social and cultural benefits to the Mildura region," Ms Asher said.
In 2011, more than 40 per cent of attendees were from interstate with an average length of stay in the region of nine nights. The 2012 Mildura Country Music Festival will be held on 28 September – 7 October 2012. For more information visit www.visitvictoria.com.
For more information read the full media release here.
Melbourne
Olympians and champions sail into Melbourne for World Cup
Melbourne has won the rights to host the International Sailing Federation Sailing World Cup until 2016, Tourism and Major Events Minister Louise Asher and Sport and Recreation Minister Hugh Delahunty announced.
The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Sailing World Cup is a six round international event for Olympic boat classes that feature the best athletes in the sport, racing head to head.
From this year, ISAF will run six world cup races, one in the Americas, one in Africa or the Middle East, one in Asia, two in Europe and one in Oceania. Melbourne has won the rights to host the Oceania leg until 2016.
"Securing the ISAF Sailing World Cup for Melbourne will deliver economic benefits of up to $7.2 million to Victoria over the duration of the agreement and reinforce Melbourne's status as one of the leading sporting cities in the world," Ms Asher said.
The Oceania leg of the 2013 ISAF Sailing World Cup is the first leg of the Cup and will be held at the Sandringham Yacht Club in December this year.
For more information read the full media release here.
International
Globetrekker
Tourism Victoria is assisting with the production of a one-hour episode of the television series Globetrekker (formerly Lonely Planet). The series is set to feature a central storyline of Colonial Victoria, and a second portion of an episode capturing Australia's Great Treks, which will also feature the Great Ocean Road.
The TV show airs in 50 countries worldwide and is currently shown on the Travel Channel in the UK, Discovery International, PBS in the US, OLN in Canada, ABC in Australia and many other terrestrial and cable and satellite channels, including Voyage and France 5 in France, Mediaset in Italy, NRK in Norway, YLE in Finland, Danmarks Radio TV in Denmark and TVE in Spain.
The award-winning Globetrekker series is a dynamic and stylish show that focuses on young travellers experiencing off-the-beaten-track destinations where they visit unforgettable travel hotspots, meet local people, stay in traditional lodgings, and sample local culture and cuisine.
The crew has already filmed in the High Country, Bendigo, Stawell, the Grampians and Melbourne, and will be returning to cover the Great Ocean Road.
Korea
Family friendly familiarisation
Tourism Victoria, in conjunction with Tourism Australia, organised a familiarisation trip for key tour planners and media representatives from South Korea. A group of ten travel agents and two journalists travelled to Melbourne, Phillip Island and Mornington Peninsula to experience family-friendly products.
Walking tour specialist agents familiarisation
Tourism Victoria conducted a familiarisation trip for major Korean walking tour specialist agents to the Great Ocean Walk. The group experienced a four-day escorted walk along the coastal trail earlier this month.
What's On
Global Eco Conference call for papers, 16 May
Ecotourism Australia is seeking papers for its 2012 Global Eco Asia-Pacific Tourism Conference to be held in Cairns, Queensland from 15–17 October 2012.
Presentation opportunities are available on marketing, destination management, protected area management, Indigenous tourism, strategic partnerships, tropical ecotourism and more. The deadline for submissions is 28 May 2012.
For more information about the conference visit the dedicated website here.
National Tourism and Events Excellence (TEE) conference, 16–17 July
Registrations are now open for the TEE conference set to attract leading tourism and events professionals from across Australia to Melbourne in July. The event has a strong line-up of Australian and international keynote speakers including Minister for Tourism and Major Events Louise Asher. To register and view the full program go here.
2012 Asia Mega famil and workshop, 12–15 September
Tourism Victoria and the Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau (MCVB) are pleased to announce the first ever Asia Mega familiarisation and workshop. The event combines the ninth Tourism Victoria Roadshow to China and sixth MCVB Asia Roadshow into one exciting event with more than 50 key buyers from across North and South East Asia.
This is an important opportunity for the Victorian tourism and business events industry to develop and establish targeted business relationships with key decision makers from across Asia. For more information contact Lindsay Goding, Tourism Victoria on
or Edwina San, MCVB on
.
